Chapter 12

            “Téa, watch out,” Yugi yelled.

 

Téa kicked the mummies, knocking their heads off of their shoulders, and landed on the ground. A head landed beside her and a hand on her shoulder. She screamed and threw it off of her.

 

“Let’s take ‘em apart,” Joey yelled, running forward.

 

“Literally,” Tristan added.

 

“This is my kind of fight,” I crowed.

 

We all ran forward and began attacking. Joey knocked the head off one and Tristan kicked another in the stomach. His foot got stuck.

 

“That wasn’t supposed to happen. Kicks to the stomach don’t work,” he yelled, pushing the mummy away.

 

“Neither do kicks to the head,” Joey answered.

 

I tried to use on of the charms on my Millennium Bracelet, but nothing worked.

 

“My Bracelet doesn’t work here,” I screamed and ducked as a mummy came after me.

 

I swung my leg under his foot, causing him to fall backwards, and ran to join the others.

 

“These carcasses won’t quit,” Tristan yelled, ripping apart the mummy. “How do you destroy what’s already dead?”

 

“I would seal them away, but we’ve already established that my Bracelet won’t work here,” I answered.

 

The mummies started moving again. Téa screamed while Joey kept kicking them away from him. As they advanced, Asenath kept sending me images from the duel. Atem had finally woken up.

 

“How the mighty have fallen. Lying there on the ground like a dog waiting to be put out of its misery. Get up! Get up so I can knock you back down,” Seto yelled, his voice sounded exactly like Anubis’ at the end.

 

I clutched my head and dropped to my knees.

 

“Ebony,” Joey called.

 

“Make it stop! Leave Seto alone,” I screamed and was suddenly engulfed in light.

 

“What’s going on,” Tristan yelled.

 

The next thing I knew, I was back in my body, on the floor, watching the duel. Somehow, Asenath and I had switched places. I watched as Atem stood back up.

 

“Something’s not right, Kaiba, and you know it,” he said.

 

“Spare me the mystic mumbo jumbo. You just can’t stand that your reputation’s at stake,” Seto answered.

 

“You have no ideas what’s at stake here.”

 

“Seto, you have to stop this, please,” I cried.

 

My body was shaking and my eyes were wide with panic. I must have looked similar to the way I did when I first met Seto, when he saved me from drowning in that river.

 

“I’m not giving up now that I’m so close to winning,” he answered harshly.

 

That was when I knew it wasn’t him at all anymore. He would never have used that tone with me.

 

“Believe me; I cannot let you win this duel. Big Shield Gardna! Defense mode,” Atem yelled.

 

“You know, I think you’re the one who doesn’t have a clue what this match is really about. It’s about payback.”

 

Seto drew his card with an evil grin on his face.

 

“And this card will see to that. But first, let’s deal with your so-called Big Shield Gardna. Do you think it’s big enough to block the power of my Blue Eyes Shining Dragon? Shining Dragon, attack with Shining Neutron Blast!”

 

The attack completely shattered Atem’s monster, leaving him defenseless. I was terrified. This person looked, talked and acted like Seto, but I knew it couldn’t be him. He had have been controlled by Anubis, but how could I save Seto?

 

“I told you when we started this duel that this time was gonna be different, Yugi. You have beaten me in the past, but now there’s nothing you can do to stop me from having my revenge! You’re finished,” Seto yelled.

 

His voice sounded more and more like Anubis’.

 

“Not yet, I’m not,” Atem answered and drew another card.

 

“I activate Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two cards. Now I summon Watapon in defense mode. And since I used Pot of Greed to play Watapon, I can summon another monster to the field. And I choose Obnoxious Celtic Guardian! It’s your move.”

 

“So let me see if I’ve got this right, now. You’re playing a cream puff and an elf,” Seto said.

 

Had I not been so terrified, I probably would have laughed.

 

“Well, then it’s your funeral. First, the Card of Demise I played before sends this dragon to the graveyard. And I know you know what that means, don’t you? Now my Blue Eyes Shining Dragon has more destructive power than ever before.”

 

“Kaiba, please listen to me,” Atem yelled.

 

“All I wanna hear from you is your anguished cry of defeat.”

 

Once again, Seto’s voice started sounding like Anubis’ towards the end of his sentence.

 

“Seto, stop,” I screamed, rising to my feet.

 

I could feel the tears forming in my eyes. Seto didn’t even glance at me.

 

“Kaiba, for the last time, I’m begging you to stop this. People are getting hurt, lives are in danger, Ebony can’t even recognize you anymore and this Pyramid of Light you’ve created is the source of it all! There’s a dark power in our midst and you can’t deny it. With every life point lost, we both become weaker. I know you can feel it. We must stop before it’s too late,” Atem yelled.

Seto closed his eyes, as if in thought. I hoped he would finally listen to reason.

 

“I’m afraid that for you, it’s already too late, Yugi,” he answered, crushing what little hope I had.

 

“No, Kaiba, please. You mustn’t do this. We still have time to stop this madness. All we have to do is end this duel.”

 

“You know, Yugi, you’re absolutely right. Stopping the duel is exactly what I’m gonna do. Now, Shining Blue Eyes, activate your final special ability!”

 

“No, you’re playing with forces you can’t possibly understand!”

 

“I use Shining Nova! It puts the rage of a thousand Blue Eyes into a blast so strong it destroys itself plus anything I choose. And the card that will feel the wrath of my Blue Eyes Shining Dragon is the Pyramid of Light! Your reign as the king of games is over. That title will be mine, as will all three of your Egyptian God Cards. Blue Eyes Shining Dragon, sacrifice yourself and destroy the Pyramid of Light,” Seto commanded.

 

The attack hit the card, but nothing happened. A sinister laugh could be heard throughout the dome.

 

“This, I cannot allow,” Anubis’ voice called.

 

“No,” I screamed, my tears finally spilling over my eyes.

 

“What?! The Pyramid of Light wasn’t destroyed,” Atem yelled in shock.

 

“The Pyramid of Light endures because I will it, so great is my power,” Anubis answered.

 

Seto took a step back and glanced over at me. His eyes widened upon seeing my tears and the fear in my eyes. I knew that Seto had finally realized what Anubis had blinded him from before.

 

“Hey, what is this? Show yourself, whoever you are,” he ordered.

 

“I have been here the whole time, mortal, whispering in your ear.”

 

“The whole time?! No. This is some sort of trick.”

 

“Kaiba,” Atem yelled.

 

“Look out,” I finished, running forward.

 

A huge, muscular man appeared behind Seto. He grabbed Seto by the head, just like in my vision. The only difference was that the man no longer had the head of a jackal. It was human, and completely bald. He lifted Seto just as I arrived.

 

“Put him down,” I screamed and raised my fist to attack the man.

 

“You have served me well, little worm, but you have outlived your usefulness,” Anubis said and flung Seto to the side, knocking him unconscious.

 

He threw his arm at me, sending me in the same direction. I landed on Seto, but sharply hit my head on the metal floor, knocking me out as well.