Chapter 22 - Shadow Games Take a Whole New Level pt. 3

Marik snickered evilly, his face looking more distorted and evil.

"Not only does Nightmare Wheel trap your Amazon Fighter, it also will take 500 lifepoints from you each turn."

"No way!"

"And it's gonna hurt her too?" Honda yelled.

"He's nuts!" Duke cried.

"Miss Kujaku!" Shizuka yelled. "Don't give up, we know oyu can win this!" Kristen looked at Yami.

"Yugi, is there any hope that Mai can win?" He smiled reassuringly at her.

"Kristen, no matter how tough the situation is, there's always hope. Just believe in Mai, she's a great duelist. And she never gives up."

"Ah, right!" Kristen smiled and nodded.

"come on guys, let's make sure we yell so loud, Marik's little mind game can't possible work!" Tori yelled.

"GO MAI!" almost everyone cheered. She smiled in amusement.

"Thanks guys..." Her expression grew serious and she glared up at Marik. "I was expecting something I couldn't handle."

"Pardon?" Marik frowned.

"I thought you'd try something like this, Marik, so I play this card: Dramatic Rescue." The trap card flipped up.

(NOTE: in the English dub, they call it Rescue Operation and it looks different than the card in the manga, but I like the manga card more so just pointing it out.)

"This trap card allows me to rescue my Amazon Fighter from your trap. It also lets me summon a new monster to the field now."

"Do you know what this means?" Mokuba asked.

"Onee-san?" Adelinda asked.

"Just watch, Addy." Kay smiled. "Miss Kujaku is playing this game very well and you may learn something from watching."

"Hm..." Adelinda turned her attention back to the arena.

"So, are you going to summon the Egyptian God Card you took form me?"

"Of course not! I ppaid attention the last time it was played and I know that if I summoned it now without sacrificing any monsters first it would have zero attack points. But not to worry, I'll play that Sun Dragon by the end of my next turn."

"Is she crazy?" Jounouchi asked, staring up at her. "How's she ever gonna pull that off, Yugi?"

"But first things first. Amazon Fighter, return to my hand now." amazon Fighter was freed fromthe Nightmare wheel and vanished and Mai put the card in her hand. "And now to summon a new monster."

Her hand consisted of the Sun Dragon Ra, Amazon Fighter, and Cyber Harpy.

"Ah, this ought to do." She placed a card on the duel disk. "I summon Cyber Harpy."

"Yeah!" Jounouchi cheered. "Mai's favorite!"

"All she needs is that Magic card and she can summon Ra!" Adelinda exclaimed.

"Mai is awesome!!" Tori cheered.

"She's totally gonna win!" Kristen said. Kay smiled but there was something that was troubling her, and she did not know what. Probably nothing.

"Now I just need one card. Let's hope this is it!" Mai drew a card. She smiled. "I play Graceful Charity now! A magic card that allows me to draw three new cards from my deck and then I discard two from my hand."

Mai drew three cards and discarded two.

"Oh, I am so good."

"Hm?" Marik said. Kay smirked.

"She drew that card."

"Ready, Marik? I play the magic card Elegant Egotist. And now Elegant Egotsit shall turn my one Cyber Harpy into 3! Let's give a big, Battle City 'hello' to the Harpy Lady sisters!"

Three Harpy Ladies stood on the field. One had long pink hair, that other fiarly long and spiked up blue hair, and the final orangish blonde hair.

"She got three monsters! She did it!" Jounouchi exclaimed happily, posing in victory. Cat and Kristen giggled, Honda, Tori, and Duke rolled their eyes.

"And now I'll sacrifice these three lovely ladies and summon the Sun Dragon Ra!"

A huge cyclone flew up to the sky after the Harpy Ladies vanished and the wind it excelled was powerful. Mai held up the card.

"The Sun Dragon Ra is now in my control!" She played it on her duel disk. A bright light glowed up in the dark sky like the sun and illuminated the stage. Marik was smirking maliciously and the millennium symbol glowed on his forehead.

The light started to vanish so you could see the monster. Mai blinked.

"what in the world is that thing?" A golden sphere floated above them and radiated an orange glow.

"The Winged Dragon of Ra is locked in that sphere! "

"Hm? No way!" Seto exclaimed. Kay shot her usual glare at him and looked back on the stage. Suddenly, it hit her again.

"she can't read the text!" Everoyne stared at her.

"What are ya talking about?" Jounouchi asked. Kay bit her lip.

"The ancient text..."

"Kay, what do you mean?" Honda asked.

"Yeah, what text?" Duke added. Seto peered at her through the corner of his eye.

"But how can I use it?" Mai asked.

"Now that you've stolen my Egyptian God Card, why don't you try to use it against me?" Marik aksed, snickering. Kay groaned a bit.

"this is not good."

"Kay, will you please explain yourself?" Jounouchi snapped, growing impatient with her.

"Just wait and see."

"Only I know how to tap the power of the Sun Dragon Ra. I told you this isn't a mere duel, and I'm sure the pain and suffering my torture cards have caused you made that obvious. We're playing a shadow game with ancient magic beyond your understanding. Once you lose tihs battle to me, you will be dead!"

"DEAD?!" Jounouchi cried.

"He can't be serious!" Shizuka cried.

"Mai!" Anzu yelled.

"Now as for my Egyptian God card, you were a fool to think you'd be able to use it. Only individuals with knowledge of the ancient scriptures can weild the power of Ra."

"Give me a break! You're just jealous because you lost your Egyptian God card to a better duelist, and I'm gonna use it to knock you out of the finals, bud! Your Winged Dragon answers to me now."

"Then why don't you try reading the ancient text written on the bottom of the card?" Marik asked. Everyone gasped.

"ancient text?" Jounouchi turned to look at Kay.

"Is that what you meant?" She nodded.

"Yes."

"But can Mai read it?" Kristen asked.

"Let's pray she can, otherwise she cannot use the Sun Dragon Ra."

Mai looked at her duel disk. "Huh? What's that?" she asked. There were Heiroglyphs on the bottom of the card.

"That is the ancient text used to call upon the hideen powers of the Sun God Ra!" Marik laughed. "Well, why don't you try reading the chant? Or perhaps you're in need of a lesson in the ancient Egyptian scriptures, my dear. Well, why don't I read the chant and regain control of it?"

"I was afraid of this!" Kay exclaimed.

"No, come on Mai!" Jounouchi yelled.

"If Marik reads that text and takes back Ra, it's over." Anzu winced slightly in fear. "And Mai will lose the duel."

"There's far more at stake than just this duel..." Yami murmured bitterly.

"Can't we do something?" Cat asked.

"I think it's too late..."

"Hey Seto, what do you think it says?" Mokuba asked.

"Let's see. Photograph the card with our satellite camera and use the onboard network to translate it now."

"Awesome idea, Seto. I'll get on it right away." Mokuba ran off.

"Stare at that card all you want. You'll never decipher the ancient words printed upon it. It's written in a special form of Heiroglyphic script used only by high-ranking individuals in Egypt and I doubt you fit that category. However, my family does. They guard the Pharaoh's tomb."

"Whatever!" Jounouchi said, tired of hearing Marik rant.

"I'll bet Kaiba could read it."

"Hmm? What's he mean?" Kay looked at Seto.

"In fact, several people on this vessel can trace their history back to ancient Egypt, be it a family tree or reincarnation, either way, they are related to the past in some way. Kaiba nad Yugi are the two obvious ones, along with me and my sister, Ishizu. But let's not forget the two other women, Cat and Kay."

"What?" Cat asked.

"You both were there. Soi you two should be able to possess the power to control a God Card and read the text on that card."

"Blah, blah, blah. I don't need a history lesson to learn how to control the actions of my duel monster."

"Pegasus J. Crawford certainly did and not even he knew how to decipher the ancient text when he created the card." Kay gasped a bit and her eyes widened slightly. "But he knew that in ancient times the Sun Dragon Ra would only obey those who chanted the words. So, Pegasus printed the words in an ink that can only be seen when the monster is summoned.

"I'll ask you again, are you reading the chant? Or shall I release the Sun Dragon Ra? This is your last chance, foolish girl. Show me how you control an Egyptian God." He laughed, big surprise.

"What does he find so dang funny?" Kristen asked. Kay shrugged.

"Beats me."

"Laugh it up, psycho boy."

"Be careful!" Yami warned.

"Aw man, with no other monsters on the field, if Mai gets attacked by that Sun Dragon Ra, it's over!"

"Time is running out, my dear. So, make your move! Unless you're willing to admit defeat. Remember, you have no monsters on the field to protect you. And that means I can use my Egyptian God Card to attack your life points! So, prepare to die!

"This is your final oppertunity to awaken the Sun Dragon Ra."

"I place once card facedown and end my turn." Everyone either made a type of moan or sigh in sadness. It was all over.

"Marik can take back his card..."

"Poor Mai..." Shizuka whispered.

"She fought a great duel..."

"No! I know Mai will get herself out of this mess, I know it!"

"Jounouchi, I'm all for hoping and being optimistic, but I don't think Mai can get out of this. She's done, you have to accept it." Jounouchi growled.

"No, she can't lose!"

"It's over." Marik drew a card. "I summon Viser Shock!" He summoned an odd monster, similar to Viser Des.

"another torture card?" Kay asked.

"Too bad, say goodbye to your facedown. When Viser Shock is summoned, your face down card is automatically destroyed."

"What?!" Mai's Gravity Bind shattered. "That was my last hope..."

"Mai!"

"And not only that." Marik snickered. "Let the suffering bing and engulf you. Now, Viser Des and Viser Shock, begin the execution!"

Mai was chained by the monsters which combined to form a large and powerful torture device. She gasped and it released a powerful charge of electricity.

"No card can save you, Mai Kujaku. Now, SUFFER!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"

"MAI!!!!" Jounouchi yelled.

"She's trapped by those two torture monsters!" Her lifepoints fell from 2100 to 800. Her head drooped in exhaust from the power of the attack. She moaned in pain.

"Mai, are you alright?" Jounouchi yelled. Marik laughed.

"Curse you, Marik!"

"HAHAHA! Yugi, this woman walks on the brink of death! Her pain is proof that she's still just alive." He snickered. "It's time to awaken the Sun Dragon Ra by reciting the ancient chant and reclaiming my great beast so I can finish this duel once and for all!"

"Poor Mai..." Cat whispered, biting her lip. Marik crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Great beast of the sky, please hear my cry. Transform myself from orb of light and bring me victory in this fight."

"Hey, check it out, guys!" Jounocuhi pointed up at Ra. Light began to disperse in powerful beams from the orb.

"Marik's chant is awakening the Egyptian God monster!" The orb started to open. "Now the best belongs to him again!" The bowed creature began to unfold and it gave off more shining light, truly as bright as the sun.

Its foot forms along with parts of its wings and Mairk continued the chant.

"Envelope the deserts with your glow and cast your rage upon my foe. Unlock your powers from deep within so that together we may win." Ra glowed so bright, it was hard to make out what it looked like. "Appear in this shadow game as I call your name," Marik threw out his arms, "Sun Dragon Ra!"

The light finally wekened and a magnificient golden dragon with red eyes and a blue gem on its forehead roared. It was amazing, a truly divine creature. Win and light expelled from the monster.

"There it is!" Seto yelled. Kay stared in amazement.

"So that's it...the Sun Dragon..."

"Behold, my great beast! The most powerful of all the Egyptian God Monsters." Ra landed behind Marik, perched and ready to attack. "It's time now to end this duel." He laughed. Ra had 5400 attack points.

"Just hang in there, Mai!"

"Jounouchi please stop. It's useless to cheer anymore."

"No way! I'm standing by Mai until the end!"

"I hate to say it, but the end is near." Kristen frowned.

"Tori!"

"Ki-Ki, there's no denial of that, and we all know it." Marik chuckled.

"Such a pity it has to end like this, my dear."

"No..."

"As soon as my monster attacks, your body will no longer be able to withstand this and you will finally die."

"That's enough!" Yami snarled. "Leave Mai alone! Your grudge is against me, not her, Marik."

"That's true, pharaoh, but I'm just having a little fun up here."

"Define fun!" Kay yelled.

"There's nothing I like more than killing off a weak mortal through endless torture and increasing my strength."

"Marik!"

"Heh, don't worry, we'll face each other soon. It's something I've been waiting for since my family insisted I bare the ancient scriptures on my back. Cursed to carry the secret of the Pharaoh's power until his return."

"The Pharaoh's secret?"

"And although this duty has brought great honor to the Ishtar name, it has brought me nothing but great suffering and despair. For generations, my family has waited hopelessly for the Pharaoh's return." He laughed...again. "Except for me!

"Serving the ancient Pharaoh is a game for fools. Giving up my life just to paly servant to a 5,000-year-old king, when all along I hold the key to his great power. I shall become the king! Ialways knew I was destined for greatness. I just need to collect all the right pieces so I can put my destiny together."

"He sure likes to hear himself talk..." Tori muttered.

"This madness has to stop, understand?" Yami snapped. "Right now!" And Marik, you guessed it, laughed.

"This madness has just begun! Tormenting your little friend is merely practice. For soon, you shall suffer!" And he laughs yet again. Geez, what the heck is so funny to him? "While the world finally cowers in fear before me! This shadow game is over." HE LAUGHS AGAIN! "The time has come to kill you."

Jounouchi ran toward the dueling stage.

"No! Jounouchi!"

"What's he doing?" Cat asked. Kay watched him.

"Something he shouldn't be doing."

"Hey ref! Pull the plug on this duel!" he commanded.

"That's in violation of Battle City rules."

"Then I'm doing it for you!"

"You'll be disqualified!"

"Big deal."

"Jounouchi, are you nuts?" Kristen yelled.

"Get down from them before you get disqualified!" Tori yelled. She sighed and slapped her forehead. "I swear, does he even lsiten?"

"Sun dragon Ra, direst attack!" Marik commanded. Ra roared and the energy of its attack began to build.

"This is it, guys!" Kay said. "This duel is as good as done."

"Look out, Mai!" Anzu and Shizuka yelled.

"Farewell."

"Hey Mai!" Jounouchi ran up to her. "I'll get you out of this.

"Katsuya!" Shizuka yelled.

"What is he doing?!" Honda cried.

Mai snapped out of her weakness. "Move it, Jounouchi, or you're gonna get hit! There's no way out of this thing."

"Shut up! There's no way I'm going to watch my friend get killed." He tried to free her, but realized it was impossible. "Rats, it won't budge!" He could sense Ra's attack forming behind him and drawing closer to its target. The light glowed around them and it was like a fire was behind them.

"You need to get out of here, Jounouchi! you have a duel to fight in the next round!"

"I don't care!"

"Don't throw your life away!"

"Look I'm staying right here!" Her expression softened.

"Thank you." The blast drew closer.

"Hang in there. You're gonna be OK, Mai. I promise, and I never break a promise to a friend." Yami jumped up onto the stage and in front of Jounouchi and Mai, his back to the attack.

"That's enough!"

"Yugi!" Jounouchi and Mai exclaimed.

"Is he crazy?!" Kristen shrieked. Marik laughed.

"Well isn't that special? It appears I'll be able to destroy Yugi even sooner than I thought I would." Yami turned his head slightly so he could see Marik and grunted with the struggle of holding back Ra's full-force attack.

"Not quite! Your dark shadow powers will never penetrate me! I will shield everyone from your evil!"

"Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh. I doubt it. Nothing can withstand the unstoppable force of the greatest creature to ever walk the Earth. The Sun Dragon Ra! All three of you are finished!"

The blast finally subsided.

"Yugi!" Yami collapsed. Jounouchi ran from Mai to the side of Yami.

"Oh no!"

"Yugi! Help him!!" Honda commanded.

"Please get up!" Anzu screamed.

"No, please be ok, Yami!" Cat cried.

"Kaiba, he needs helps!" Kay shrilled.

"Don't worry, Yug, you're gonna be alright."

"Heh, that's what you think, fool, but I'm afraid that I beg to differ. looks like I've won this duel." Cat jumped onto the arean and ran to Yami's side.

"Yami, are you OK? Say something, please!" She cradled him in her arms, gently nudging him to try and snap him out of it. Marik looked at Roland.

"I'm waiting, her life points are gone so announce me as the winner immediately." Roland raised an arm.

"The winner of this duel is Mr. Marik Ishtar." The fog of the shadow game vanished.

"Let's check the damage and cause some more." (I confess, that is a damn awesome line)

"Yugi, come on, get up pal!" Jounouchi said. Mai was finally freed from the Viser Des and Viser Shock grips and fell so her knees.

"What do we have here?" Marik asked. He smirked and held his millennium rods then pulled the top half out, revealing a long knife and he aimed it Yami. (I am not making that up, it really is in the manga and it is hardcore, dude...bad, but hardcore) "Shall I tear him apart right here and now?" he asked maniacally.

"You wish!"

"Relax, I still need him." Cat glared up at Marik, her blue eyes shining with an anger that was unlike her normal character. "I'll simply kill him in a duel in the ultimate shadow game!"

Jounouchi felt his body stiffen up and was horrified when he realized her couldn't move.

"Jounouchi?" Cat asked.

"Katsuya, what's wrong?" Shizuka yelled.

"Perhaps next time you'll tihnk before you enter a duel uninvited."

"Jounouchi! What did you do to him, Marik?" Mai snapped. He squatted in front of her.

"Not to worry, he'll be fine. But there's something we need to discuss. You still have my Egyptian God card in your deck and I want it back. Keh heh heh. You're lucky you got away with your life but you'll regret it." He smirked. "You'll wish you had died her painlessly instead. The loser of a shadow game must be penalized.

"what?"

"I'll go into your mind and find a suitable punishment." He aimed his millennium rod at her. "Penalty game!"

"Where am I?" Mai opened her eyes and realized she was in a giant hourglass floating above a beach setting.

"we are in a space deep within your mind, Mai Kujaku. Here you will be tortured until you finally die, once and for all. And no friends to help you." He snickered. "But, since I'm a nice guy, I'll let you see them one more time. Look below you."

"Huh?" She looked down.

"Watch out guys, 'cause here we come!" Jounouchi ran towards the water, holding Shizuka's hand. Anzu and Yugi waved toward them, Duke floated in an innertubr and Honda had a snorkling mask and goggles on. Kay and Tori were soaking up some sun and Cat and Kristen were collecting shells. They smiled and waved at everyone.

"They seem to be having fun." Mai looked at Marik. "And they don't miss you at all. And now you will die all alone."

"No...you can't do this..."

"Heh heh, I can and will. You should be happy I even showed you your friends for a final time. I could have simply allowed oyu to sit here and die without so much as a word."

"Please...don't..."

"Too late. When I remove my Ra cardthe brain insects from above will falland slowly devour your soft tissue. You will be dead in no longer than 48 hours. So good night, I'm taking my card back."

Marik swiped his card. She screamed as the horrible bugs fell on her and already looked to eat her flesh.

Mai collapsed on the floor of the arena, her eyes open and completely blank.

"Mai!" Jounouchi was finally able to move. "Tell me what you did to her now, Marik!"

"Your firend made a costly mistake by dueling against me. And now, within the next 48 hours, she will die!"

(NOTE: It was actually 24, but I always felt the finals were longer than that so I upped it by 24 hours)

"That's it, Marik, now you've gone too far! So, it's go time. Now put em up, cowboy!"

"Fool, threaten me again and meet the same fate as your friend."

"Jounouchi, you idiot! fighting won't help you now!" Kay yelled.

"Katsuya, please calm down!" Shizuka begged. Cat nodded, still holding Yami in her arms.

"Your sister is right, Jounouchi. Don't do something stupid." Marik walked away. Kay, Kristen, and Tori jumped onto the arena.

"We have to get Mai out of here." Honda ran up to her.

"come on, Mai, snap out of it!"

"Yugi, you gotta get up!" Anzu said.

"Hey, he's waking up!" Cat exclaimed. Everyone looked at him. Yami grunted as he tried to get up.

"Yugi, you alright?" Kay asked.

"Don't worry, I'm fine. But are you and Mai okay, Jounouchi?" he asked.

"I'm fine, but Mai's not doing so well. Marik pulled something freaky with that Millennium Rod. He said she'll die in 48 hours."

"Seto, come in."

"Proceed." Adelinda, who Kay instructed to stay next to Seto, looked up at him.

"I have an update. There's more written on this card than just that chant. I'll decode the text right now."

"OK, good work. We need to find out all the secrets of this card." He looked up. "Alright, you geeks. Clear the field, the duels are done and there's no reason for anyone to be standing there and wasting time."

"Kaiba..."

"Save it! I don't have time to deal with all of you." He started to walk away. Adelinda watched him. Kay noticed her face.

"Yo Kaiba!"

"What now?"

"Take Adelinda with you."

"Hmph, why should I babysit your little sister?" he asked coldly. Kay rolled her eyes.

"Just shut up. She wants to hang out with Mokauba." Seto looked at Adelinda who had a pink tint in her face and was staring at her feet. "And besides, I need to help with Mai and it would be best if she's with Mokuba." Kay smiled at Adelinda gently. "Well, Kaiba?"

"Whatever."

"Thank you, Kaiba-sama." Adelinda bowed. Seto shrugged.

"Come on, then." He started walking.

"Right!" she ran after him. Kay smiled and then focused her attention to Mai.

"Honda, can you take her to her room?"

"Noproblem, help her onto my back."

"OK." They hoisted Mai onto Honada's back and he took off. Only Yami and Cat remained.

"Yami?"

"Yes, Cat."

"Please be more careful from now on." He looked at her in surprise. "It's just...when you got in front of that attack from Ra and passed out, I was so afraid you were...dead. And we all need you, Yami. Nobody else can stop Marik." He smiled and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Don't worry, Cat. I swear it will all work out, you'll see. I'll defeat Marik and Mai will be fine."

"Alright..."

"Come on, let's get going." She nodded and they walked after the rest of the gang.

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment