Chapter 9

            We could hear a sinister chuckle and I took a step back. It sounded just like the voice of Anubis from my vision.

 

“Who’s there,” Yugi asked.

 

“I’d rather not know,” I told him.

 

The voice started chanting in a language foreign to me and the caskets on the floor began opening. Mummified zombies arose from the caskets and Yugi and I both started trembling. The mummies started coming at us. We ran out of the room as fast as our legs could carry us.

 

“Yugi, you in here,” a voice called.

 

It sounded like Joey.

 

“Yugi,” another boy called.

 

Yugi and I continued running down the hall. We saw Joey and Tristan, but ran right past them.

 

“Talk later! Run now,” Yugi screamed.

 

“What’s with him,” Joey asked.

 

In the next second, I could tell they had found their answer. They both screamed and ran with Yugi and me. I closed my eyes as I sprinted and the duel became clearer to me.

 

“I don’t know what dark powers are at work here, but I can’t let them go unchecked. I play Premature Burial to raise Valkyria from the graveyard and I’ll boost her strength with Mage Power,” Atem yelled.

 

His life points dropped to 2400 from using the first card. Seto’s eyes narrowed.

 

“It may cost me 800 life points, but my Valkyria now gains 500 attack and defense points every time I play a magic or trap card, like these two,” Atem continued and set two cards facedown.

 

“A thousand additional attack points make my Valkyria more than a match for you Blue Eyes. Attack, Valkyria, with Mystic Scepter Blast!”

 

The green orb went straight for Blue Eyes and I was sure she’d be destroyed.

 

“Not so fast, Yugi. Attack Guidance Armor will save my Blue Eyes,” Seto yelled and the armor attached to Peten.

 

The attack destroyed the Dark Clown.

 

“And since my Deck Destruction Virus is still in play, it infects ten more cards in your deck,” Seto continued.

 

The tentacles wrapped around Atem’s arm again, sending ten more cards to his graveyard.

 

“I’ve lost half the cards in my deck already,” he said.

 

“Soon you’ll lose them all. But first, I’ll bring back an old friend who just hates to say goodbye.”

 

Yes another Peten the Dark Clown appeared on the field in defense mode.

 

‘Have you had any luck,’ Asenath asked me.

 

“I’m being chased by zombies right now,” I yelled, still racing down the labyrinth corridors.

 

I focused my mind’s eye on the duel once more as I ran.

 

“And next, I’m gonna summon up your worst nightmare! Because if you couldn’t defeat one Blue Eyes, there’s no way you’ll defeat three, especially when combined as the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon,” Seto yelled, calling the dragon to the field.

 

“If you think he’s scary now, wait ‘til he attacks. In fact, don’t wait. Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Neutron Blast!”

 

The three heads of the dragon unleashed a beam directed at Atem’s monster. She was destroyed, causing the pharaoh’s life points to drop to 1500. I stumbled as more energy was drained from me.

 

“Look at the world’s best duelist now,” Seto said.

 

“Ebony, are you okay,” Yugi asked as we slowed to a stop, right at a drop-off in the Puzzle.

 

It looked like a cliff.

 

“I’m fine,” I answered.

 

“I think we lost them,” Tristan said as he sat down.

 

Joey and Yugi both had their hands on their knees as I dropped down onto mine.

 

“So, what were those freaks,” Joey asked between gasping breaths.

 

“They were Santa’s freaking elves. What the hell do you think they were,” I yelled.

 

We could then hear chuckling behind us and turned around to see a huge red eye floating in the air. It showed the duel taking place.

 

“Yugi, what the heck is going on,” Joey asked.

 

“We’ve been drawn into the Millennium Puzzle and that thing up there is somehow responsible,” Yugi answered.

 

“Then what’s that down there,” Tristan asked.

 

We looked down to see the Pyramid of Light breaking the Millennium Puzzle, piece by little piece.

 

“That blue one looks like the Pyramid of Light I saw in at the museum,” Yugi exclaimed.

 

“Yeah, well it looks like it’s beating the crud outta your Millennium Puzzle,” Joey answered.

 

“I’ll say,” I whispered.

 

“Fighting pyramids and creepy, floating eyes… wonderful,” Tristan muttered.

 

“It’s crazy,” Yugi said.

 

“Hey, when you hang around with Yugi, this is par for the course,” Joey answered.

 

“So, any ideas what we’re up against,” Tristan asked.

 

“Maybe,” I answered. “I think it this all has to do with an ancient Egyptian sorcerer.”

 

“I knew it was gonna be something insane,” Joey said.

 

“She’s right. He’s called Anubis, the Egyptian lord of the dead,” Yugi added, backing me up.

 

“Lord of the dead?!”

 

“Yeah. Centuries ago, he tried to destroy the world. And I’m starting to believe he’s trying to make a comeback.”

 

“What,” the other two boys yelled.

 

We all looked up and could see Seto attack Atem once again, destroying his Valkyria.

 

“Doesn’t look like the duel is going to well for your friend, the pharaoh,” Tristan commented.

 

“We’ve got to do something to help him. And all I can think of right now is to head back to Anubis’ tomb,” Yugi answered.

 

“He’s right. It’s the only way,” I agreed.

 

“You mean back towards the mummies,” Joey asked nervously.

 

“Hey, come on, we already know we can outrun ‘em,” Tristan answered.

 

“That’s the spirit. Now let’s kick some zombie a*s,” I yelled.

 

I then began watching the duel through Asenath again as we ran back down the halls.