Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tag Force 2...

"Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua, attack!"

Having summoned her mighty Earthbound Immortal, Misty unleashes a devastating assault on Konami. However, having prepared himself for such an encounter, he quickly dispatches the overgrown lizard whilst staging a comeback of his own! Using the power of Catalyst Field and his various Gemini monsters, Konami successfully manages to put Misty on the defensive, only for the supermodel to quickly delve deeper into the shadows.

"I play Pareidolia, the Evil Eye Domain!"

Realizing her Reptiliannes will not be enough to push Konami into overcoming his fear, she unleashes the second stage of her Dark Signer transformation and begins using a brand new archetype - the Evil Eye! Will her new cards push Konami to the edge, forcing him to use Wiraqocha Rasca at last?

Prepare to find out...

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Konami's Awakening! The Condor Descends!

"It's my move," Misty said, her fingers curling around the top card of her Deck. "I draw!"

She pulled the card free of its metal restraints, adding it to her otherwise empty hand whilst staring at her capped foe.

TURN TEN - MISTY - ONE CARD IN HAND - 1900 LP

"I activate Evil Eye Confrontation!" Misty declared, sliding the card into one of the open Spell slots on her Duel Disk.

After doing so, a large hologram version of the card rose before her, displaying its artwork so Konami could see. Upon it, a large purple snake seemed to lunge forward, while behind it, a purple-haired girl seemed to stand ready. Konami frowned at the sight, realizing that the two monsters were probably other monsters of the "Evil Eye" archetype that Misty had started using. Still, he set the image of the two monsters aside for later, deciding to focus on the here and now instead.

"So?" he asked warily, "what's this new card of yours do?"

Misty smiled at the question, "Evil Eye Confrontation allows me to destroy one Spell or Trap card on the field, but that's not all. When I have an "Evil Eye of Selene" on the field - which I do, due to my Evil Eye of Gorgoneio's effect - then that card isn't only destroyed, but it's banished as well! Naturally, the card I choose to destroy shall be one of yours: the Catalyst Field that's been defending you so well until now, in fact!"

Konami grimaced. The power of Misty's Spell quickly and easily blew through the courtyard, obliterating the shimmering orbs of his Catalyst Field even as the thick fog she had conjured up with her own Field Spell persisted. In seconds, the chemical glow of his card had vanished, its powers and effects neutralized and abolished by Misty's play. With no further use for it, he quickly removed the card from his Duel Disk and cast it into the Banished Zone, knowing he wouldn't be seeing it again during the Duel.

"Damn it," he muttered. He'd been intending on using Catalyst Field to stage a comeback on his next turn, but Misty must have calculated he'd try something and acted before he could. Whether it was through her own skill as a Duelist or some mystical foresight she'd gained from being a Dark Signer however, he didn't know.

"Unfortunately, even with the destruction of your Field Spell, my Serziel lacks the strength to overcome your Poly-Chemicritter Hydragon." Misty stated. "Fortunately, it is not the only monster I control right now. Your Red-Eyes Archfiend - or my Evil-Eye Archfiend, rather - is still here!"

Konami scowled, already knowing that fact. During the last turn, she'd made a point to gloat about stealing it when she brought it under her control with the power of Evil Eye Mesmerism. Still, she clearly wasn't as familiar with his cards as she first seemed if she thought it would help her overcome Hydragon. His Poly-Chemicritter was in Defense Position, boasting a defensive power of twenty eight hundred! Compared to that, the Archfiend's twenty five hundred Attack Points were no match. And even if it was Gemini Summoned, its effect would do little. After all, Archfiend's effects destroyed monsters whose Defense were lower than its Attack Points. Much like a proper assault, its lightning would have no effect!

That didn't stop Misty from Gemini Summoning it, however.

"Unleash your power, Archfiend!" she yelled, her face stern and determined as the black demon rose up to do just that.

Spreading its wings, it released a storm of lightning from its bony protrusions. Crimson bolts lashed out through the fog, sparking against the walls and dirt as the traitorous monster reared back its head and snarled.

Red-Eyes Archfiend - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)

"With this, I might not be able to destroy your Hydragon," Misty mused as the demon settled down, "but I will be able to destroy any fledglings you call to help you!"

"Bold of you to assume you'll get the chance," Konami grunted.

Though his words were confident, his heart was not. Though he did have cards that would help him overcome the diabolic duo Misty controlled, the odds of drawing one were rather low. He had hoped to play defense long enough to gather the cards that would let him defeat her in a single instant, but it seemed he wouldn't be able to do that. With Archfiend's effect unleashed, Misty would be able to stop him from giving Hydragon any support on the field. Even worse was the fact that, now that Catalyst Field was destroyed, his odds of summoning a monster strong enough to overcome either of Misty's monsters in a single turn was incredibly low. Archfiend alone had twenty five hundred Attack Points, and her Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye had even more than that! It stood at a whopping twenty eight hundred, a power earned by combining its original Attack Points with the difference between Konami and Misty's Life Points.

With only Hydragon on the Field...well, there was no easy way to put it.

Konami was stuck.

"I end my Turn!" Misty called, the announcement sending a shiver down Konami's spine. He quickly shook it off.

'Don't lose your head yet. This pales in comparison to some of the other tight spots you've been in,' he thought, chastising himself thoroughly.

He curled his fingers inward and reached for his cards.

"My move," he said, steadying his breath. "I draw!"

He pulled a card free.

TURN ELEVEN - KONAMI - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 3100 LP

He glanced at his drawn card: Block Attack. It wasn't the best card he could have drawn in that situation...but it wasn't the worst either. Far from it, in fact. With this card, he could at least get rid of one monster Misty controlled. Both Serziel and Archfiend stood as dangerous obstacles. Destroying either of them would still leave Konami in a pickle. But while Archfiend possessed the power to destroy many monsters, Serziel was still neutralized, and more than that, dependent on the difference between Misty and Konami's Life Points being wide. Since he still had over three thousand Life Points, so long as he didn't get wiped out in an instant, losing a few would hurt Misty's monster just as much as it would hurt him. With that in mind, he turned his focus to his traitorous Archfiend. The fact that Misty had turned his own monster against him was unforgivable, and the longer he left it on her side of the Field, the longer the insult to his pride and honor as a Duelist remained.

Yes.

His path forward was clear; so he made his move.

"I summon Blazewing Butterfly in Attack Mode!" he yelled, smacking the card face-up onto his Duel Disk.

A flickering flame sprung to life in front of him as he did, spreading outward to take on the shape of burning wings that flapped freely in the foggy sky. At their base sat the small yellow body of a blue-eyed insect, complete with jagged antennae and a single stinger that hung from its rear. It flapped its wings gently while soaring around the field, before turning to hover beside Konami.

Blazewing Butterfly - LV4 - FIRE - Insect - (1500/1500)

"Blazewing Butterfly?" Misty asked incredulously. "But why? Without your Catalyst Field, that monster lacks the effect that makes it so useful!"

"It doesn't need its effect to be useful," Konami countered. "Not this time, because I've got this!"

Acting quickly, he slid his drawn card into his Spell slot.

"I cast Block Attack! It lets me shift one face-up Attack Position monster you control to Defense Position, which means my Red-Eyes Archfiend is about to bow down!"

Misty's face twisted into something resembling displeasure as she watched the black demon do just that. "To think you'd have a card like Block Attack... That's quite an old card."

"You forget that I'm not only playing Gemini, but Red-Eyes as well," Konami explained. "In case you haven't noticed, they're all about the classics."

"So it appears," she agreed begrudgingly, "but do you really think they'll be enough to beat me?"

"We're about to find out, because now my Blazewing Butterfly is attacking Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

On command, the flaming butterfly burst into motion, zipping and soaring through the fog toward the barely visible Archfiend. Readying its stinger, it latched itself onto the black demon before it could respond, then plunged its sharp weapon deep into the monster's chest. Red-Eyes Archfiend snarled in agonizing pain as the stinger burrowed into its flesh, but it didn't feel the burn for long. Seconds after the stinger made impact, the flaming poison of the butterfly injected itself, collapsing Red-Eyes Archfiend's innards and reducing the monster to golden shards from the inside out. Before long, the entire monster had been reduced to golden ash, leaving Blazewing to buzz victoriously before returning to Konami's side.

"Due to Block Attack changing the battle position, you won't take any damage from that fight," Konami said, "but that's not what you should be worrying about."

"Oh? Misty asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Why not?"

"Because now that Archfiend's back in my Graveyard, it means I can use my Black Stone's effect!" he answered, once again unleashing the power of his most used card. "By shuffling my Archfiend back into the Deck, I can add Black Stone back to my hand!"

"Which means that you'll just use it to bring Archfiend out again on your next turn," Misty glowered.

"That's right," Konami agreed. In his head, he added, 'And if I draw a Supervise, that'll give me the means to take out your Serziel and finish you off once and for all! No Dark Signer powers needed, just plain ol' skill!'

"Hmph, I don't know which is worse," Misty murmured, "that you refuse to partake in this little 'test' properly, or the fact that you actually think you can succeed while doing it."

"You keep calling this a test," Konami noted, "but I'm still not sure it's as straightforward as you've been saying. On the contrary, your actions so far have only made me distrust you even more! Summoning Ccarayhua without any hesitation...and the change in attitude you've undergone since this Duel has started... Yes, I'm certain of it now! That every fiber of my being is calling for me to stop you!"

"And I'm telling you that you won't be able to do that playing as haphazardly as you have been!" Misty roared back. "Regardless, this battle of ours will continue, and my earlier warning stands! You will be made to summon your Earthbound Immortal, and if you don't, then I'll crush you here! Then, I'll turn my sights on another... Carly, perhaps?" She added with a cold smile, "From what I sensed during your battle with her earlier, it seems she would be far more willing to accept the darkness growing within her..."

"You keep her out of this!" Konami snapped.

"No, I don't think I will. Indeed, after I defeat you here I think I'll pay dear Carly a little visit. If you don't want me to do so, you're going to have to make me!" Misty laughed. "Unfortunately, you've missed your chance! It's my Turn now, and I draw!"

Quickly, she pulled a card from the top of her Deck, then added it to her non-existent hand.

TURN TWELVE - MISTY - ONE CARD IN HAND - 1900 LP

Naturally, it didn't stay there long.

"I activate Evil Eye Repose!" she began, revealing her drawn card before sliding it into her Duel Disk. "This is a Continuous Spell with a few effects, but when it's activated, it lets me banish an Evil Eye card in my Graveyard and draw an additional card from my Deck. I banish the Evil Eye Confrontation in my Graveyard!"

An image of the other Spell materialized for but the briefest of moments before vanishing once more, giving Misty the power she needed to draw a new card from her Deck. She stared at it quickly, then shook her head in amusement before sliding it into her Duel Disk as well.

"Next," she said while doing so, "I'll draw two more cards by playing this, my Pot of Desires."

"Pot of Desires?" Konami asked, watching as a large pot that combined the features of both the Pot of Greed and Pot of Avarice rose from the ground. "What's this one do?"

"Much like the Pot of Greed, Pot of Desires allows its wielder to draw two cards," Misty explained, reaching for her Deck. "However, before doing so you must first pay a terrible cost."

"A cost?"

"Ten cards," Misty explained, grabbing ten cards from the top of her Deck and keeping them face-down. "Ten cards from the top of your Deck must be banished, and they must be kept face-down while doing so."

'Being banished is nothing new, but face-down?' Konami thought, watching as Misty paid the cost and drew her new cards. 'Since they're face-down I won't be able to see what they are...but it should also make it harder for her to get them back too!' He shook his head, not wanting to think about the implications when Misty was already moving to the next step of her plan.

"Now that I've drawn some more cards, it's time I gave my Serziel a little back-up!" she shouted, reaching for one of her two new cards and placing it on one of her Duel Disk's Monster Zones. "I summon Medusa of the Evil Eye in Defense Position!"

A pale purple glow announced the arrival of her new monster, and it was one Konami had seen before. It was one of the monsters who had been displayed in Evil Eye Confrontation's artwork - the purple-haired girl in a dark dress with a pair of heterochromatic eyes. She stood beside Serziel with a distasteful expression, almost as if working alongside the other monster was killing her from the inside out. Still, she looked ready to obey Misty's commands, which - Konami realized - was all that really mattered.

Medusa of the Evil Eye - LV4 - Dark - Fiend - (1400/1600)

"I activate my Medusa's effect," Misty called. "When she is Normal Summoned, I can target one "Evil Eye" card in my Graveyard and add it to my hand. I choose one that you're already quite familiar with: my Evil Eyes Mermerism!"

Konami felt himself tense as Misty flourished the card before adding it to her hand. Evil Eye Mesmerism was the card she used to take control of his Red-Eyes Archfiend earlier! From what he recalled of it, its power only worked on Special Summoned monsters; a fitting counter against the power of the Black Stone of Legend he'd been using so often during the Duel. No doubt she planned on using it again, intent on keeping him from abusing the Black Stone's power as he had been so far!

"Now that I've done that, it's time we moved to the Battle Phase!" Misty shouted, swinging her free hand forward. "Serziel, it's time we put an end to that overgrown defender! Attack Poly-Chemicritter Hydragon with your Evil Eyes!"

Serziel snarled at Misty's command, then snapped its head forward to unleash a beam of light from the Evil Eye attached to its head. Konami gawked as the beam approached his Hydragon.

"It won't work!" he told her. "Your Serziel only has twenty eight hundred Attack Points right now, remember? That's the same amount my Hydragon has, it won't be destroyed by this battle!"

"I don't need to destroy it to get rid of it!" Misty replied. "I mentioned it before, but it's time you heard about another effect of my Evil Eye Repose! When its active while a monster I control that's equipped with the Evil Eye of Selene attacks your monster, then after damage calculation, I can banish whatever monster it was that was attacked! Since my Evil Eye of Gorgoneio is treated as Evil Eye of Selene while on the field, that means it will work with this effect as well, which means that when my Serziel attacks your Hydragon-"

"-you'll be able to banish it!" Konami finished, eyes widening.

"Precisely!" Misty confirmed, swinging her hand forward anew as Serziel's attack drew nearer. "Now, Hydragon! It's time you were removed from play! Begone from my sight, Evil End!"

The water dragon screamed as Serziel's laser crashed into its body, setting its scales and blue skin ablaze. Lashing out wildly, it bucked and roared in pain, its body disintegrating from the bottom up as Evil Eye Repose's power took hold. In seconds, the dragon's body had vanished completely, leaving Konami alone save for the Blazewing Butterfly still flapping its wings on his field.

With Serziel having already declared an attack, Misty knew she had no way of besting the tiny critter. Her Medusa had a hundred less Attack Points than it did, and even if it did have the strength to overcome it, she had summoned it in Defense Position. No, there would be no more attacks this time, but that didn't mean the game was up. She glanced at her hand where two cards remained. A smile drew across her lips.

"I set one card...and end my Turn."

Konami's vision snapped to the hologram that appeared almost instantly afterward. There was no doubt in his mind as to what it was.

'Evil Eye Mesmerism,' he thought.

The same card she'd added to her hand with Medusa's effect.

'No Special Summons then,' he grimaced, tightening his grip on the Black Stone in his hand. 'That means I can't use Blazewing's effect either! Damn it, she's locked me down!'

"What will you do now, Konami-kun?" Misty giggled, as if sensing his plight.

Konami grimaced. What else could he do?

"The same thing I do every night, Misty." Konami grunted, shifting his feet. "I draw!"

TURN THIRTEEN - KONAMI - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 3100 LP

He glanced at the new card quickly. It was Evocator Chevalier. It was a nineteen hundred Attack Point monster; a Gemini with an effect that removed an Equip Spell from the field to target and destroy one card Misty controlled. Konami didn't control any Equip Spells at that moment, but it wouldn't matter if he did. Since Evocator was a Gemini monster, it would have to be summoned twice to use its effect anyway; without Catalyst Field or Supervise, it would take two turns to pull that off.

Still, while he couldn't use its effect, he could use its Attack Points to overcome the Medusa Misty controlled. Unlike Serziel, Medusa only had sixteen hundred Defense Points, too much for Blazewing to get through, but not high enough to protect it from an attack by Evocator.

'Since I can't go into Special Summons with that Mesmerism ready on her field, this is the best play I've got!' Konami thought. 'So I guess that's what I'll have to do!'

He flung the card onto his Duel Disk and watched as a flaming pillar burst into life before him.

"I summon Evocator Chevalier in Attack Position!"

The flames quickly gave way to the blazing warrior, allowing him to step forth and ready his blade for battle.

Evocator Chevalier - LV4 - FIRE - Warrior - (1900/900)

"A Normal Summon then? That monster isn't strong enough to defeat my Serziel," Misty noted.

"But it is strong enough to get through your Medusa's defenses!" Konami countered, punching forward. "Go, Evocator! Send Medusa packing with your Chevalier Spirit Slash!"

The flaming warrior acknowledged the command, then leapt forward to drive its blazing sword through Medusa's chest. Before the warrior could finish its approach however, Misty's smile grew.

"Looks like you fell for my bluff!" she shouted, sweeping out her own hand to activate her Trap Card. "I activate my face-down, Evil Eye Defeat!"

"What?!" Konami gasped, taking a step forward as his eyes widened in shock. "It's not Evil Eye Mesmerism?!"

Misty laughed. "You were so focused on what I added back to my hand that you never bothered to consider what I already had in it! Now, you'll pay the price for your mistake. Evil Eye Defeat's effect activates! Since I control an "Evil Eye of Selene", I can target two cards you control and return them to your hand! Of course, I'll be choosing the two monsters you have on the field! Your Evocator Chevalier, and yes, your Blazewing Butterfly as well!"

"But those are the only monsters I have!" Konami pleaded, unable to do anything as the two monsters transformed into spheres of light that fell back into their respective cards on his Duel Disk.

"Then I guess this means you're completely defenseless!" Misty snapped. "And since you've already used your Normal Summon this turn, it means you won't be able to bring any other monsters out either!"

'Blast, she got me!' Konami thought with a snarl. He pulled the two cards off his Duel Disk and added them back to his hand solemnly.

He was defenseless.

"And now, it's my Turn!" Misty continued, not giving him even a single second to breath. She quickly ripped a card from the top of her Deck to signify the change, and added it to her hand.

TURN FOURTEEN - MISTY - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 1900 LP

"Go Serziel!" she then shouted, gesturing to Konami with a single crooked finger. "Attack him directly!"

The silver-haired fiend snarled at the command, curling its clawed red hand into a wretched fist. Launching it forward as if throwing a punch, Serziel released a storm of energy from its knuckles that fell toward Konami in a violent wave. He watched wide-eyed as it approached, wondering if this was it; if this, combined with Medusa's follow-up attack, would be how he'd lose!

Then a flash of something in his Graveyard caught his eye.

It was Burnout! The card he'd used to call forth Dioxogre and Hydragon back when the Duel first started! It's effect had allowed him to banish a Chemicritter from his field...but it also had another effect that would help him now!

"I activate Burnout's special ability!" he shouted quickly, "When I'm attacked directly, I can banish it from my Graveyard to target a Gemini monster that was banished as well! Then, I can Special Summon that monster, and treat it as an Effect monster that can use its effects!"

"Big deal," Misty scoffed. "What are you going to bring back? That Chemicritter you banished to activate Burnout in the first place?"

"No," Konami denied, shaking his head, "because I've got another Gemini monster waiting in the wings; one that was banished to activate my Dioxogre's effect! Come on back, Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon!"

The snarl of the hell dragon echoed through the foggy courtyard as the beast materialized from thin air, reclaiming its place on the field. Spreading its four red wings wide, it took on its Attack Position, standing ready to serve Konami in his time of need.

Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2400/2000)

"Not good enough!" Misty snapped, her eyes narrowing at the sight of the monster. "Serziel still has more than enough power to destroy it!"

The storm of power collided with the Red-Eyes in a flash of light, and the black dragon screamed as its body was once again vaporized on Misty's command. The ensuing explosion forced Konami to shield his eyes with his Duel Disk, a move that allowed him to hear the sound of his falling Life Points over the roar of the destruction.

KONAMI - 2700 LP
MISTY - 1900 LP

"Well, would you look at that," Misty said with a smug grin. "You're defenseless once again."

"Actually, I'm not," Konami stated, "because now that you've destroyed a "Red-Eyes" monster I controlled and sent it to the Graveyard, I can activate the effect of a comrade in my hand!"

Misty's smile faltered, "What did you say?"

"I activate Red-Eyes Retro Dragon!" Konami yelled, slapping the card neatly onto the center space of his Duel Disk. "When you destroy a Level Seven or lower "Red-Eyes" monster I control, I can bring this guy out in Defense Position and he'll turn back the clock!"

Misty watched with a scowl as the clockwork dragon materialized, its body black as night save for the red sheen lining its form. A pair of rusted gears churned on each of the dragon's hips, turning ever so slightly as the monster snapped its jaws.

Red-Eyes Retro Dragon - LV4 - DARK - Dragon - (1700/1600)

The monster she finished reading the monster's stats, Misty realized was something was wrong. The fog, which up until that point had swirled endlessly around them, had suddenly slowed - no, it was still slowing, the clouds of mist and vapor crawling and crawling until finally - they reached a full stop.

Even the movements of her monsters had paused, she realized. Serziel stood completely still, its arm still outstretched as the last whispers of power from its attack hovered around its palm. Medusa too stood frozen, her body trapped in a single frame of its idle animation. Then, as if things couldn't get any weirder, the movements began to reverse. The fog began swirling the opposite direction, and Serziel's attack began to re-emerge in opposite fashion, complete with the explosion that had vaporized Konami's Black Flare Dragon and dealt damage to his Life Points!

"W-What is this?! What's happening?!" she asked, snapping her head around to take in the scene.

"I told you, didn't I?" Konami replied. "My Retro Dragon's effect turns back the clock, and I don't mean in a Daylight Savings kind of way! No, Retro reverses time itself, restoring things to the way they were before you unleashed the attack that destroyed my monster! While the damage I took remains, the status of my monster does not! Its destruction is reversed, which means my Black Flare Dragon comes back in the same position it was in when it was destroyed!"

As if to prove his statement correct, the high-pitched squeal of Black Flare Dragon's reversed death cry echoed through the courtyard. In an instant, the obliterated monster re-materialized from the explosion - no, it was more fitting to say that it was as if the explosion never happened! Even Serziel's attack, Misty realized, had been reversed. The blazing storm was vanishing back inside the fiend's outstretched fist, until finally - nothing remained.

Its job finished, Retro released its hold on time, and the restored Black Flare Dragon loosed a new roar of victory, announcing itself to the world anew!

Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon - LV7 - DARK - Dragon - (2400/2000)

Misty cursed.

"That's right," Konami said with a grin. "You should be mad, because that's not all that's changed. Since I kept the battle damage from Serziel's attack, that means the effect of your Evil Eye of Gorgoneio kicks in! Since the difference in our Life Points has decreased, so too has the boost it gives your Serziel!"

Misty's eyes widened, also making that connection. She glanced down to her Duel Disk to check her monster's new stats.

Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (2400/1400)

"A mere twenty four hundred..." she muttered.

"Not even enough to destroy Black Flare without killing itself," Konami chuckled.

'This is perfect!' he thought. 'Now all I have to do is Gemini Summon my Black Flare Dragon again on my next Turn, and with its effect, I can attack her Medusa and inflict twenty four hundred points of damage to Misty! It was rough for awhile, but this is it! I can win!'

"Good move, but our Duel is far from over!" Misty shouted, as if sensing his thoughts. "I know what you're planning Konami-kun, and it won't work! I'm activating a Spell from my hand - Earthbound Revival!"

"No, not that card!" Konami shouted, eyes wide in shock.

"But it is!" Misty confirmed, sliding the card into her Duel Disk with a scowl. "Now, I can discard one card to add both an Earthbound Immortal and a Field Spell in my Graveyard to my hand! I'll discard the Evil Eye Mesmerism I'm holding..." she murmured, sliding the Trap into her Graveyard slot, "and add Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua and Savage Colosseum back to my hand!"

"Blast! I was so close!"

"And yet, you still have much to learn! I already have a Field Spell active..." Misty murmured, "so there's no need for me to replace it! But now, I'll Tribute my Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye, and my Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye, to bring back my Earthbound Immortal!"

The two monsters erupted into purple pillars of energy that quickly trailed upward into the sky. They collided high in the atmosphere, transforming into a single beating heart that shone an eerie light down upon the field.

"Now, let the door to darkness be revealed once more!" Misty chanted, raising a single hand high above her head in a vicious pose. "The Eye of Evil opens to reveal a world without light! Advanced Summon! Show yourself, Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua!"

The beating heart exploded, transforming into a fiery blaze that engulfed the sky. The howl and wails of lost souls filled the air as they were consumed by the blast, devoured as the explosion took on a new, horrific form. In a single instant, all of Konami's hopes were undone. In a single instant, the black lizard emerged.

With a screeching howl, Ccarayhua lifted its claws and grasped the tower of Pareidolia, steadying itself whilst glaring at Konami through its wide and rolling eyes.

The Earthbound Immortal was back - and victory began to slip from his fingers.

Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua - LV10 - DARK - Reptile - (2800/1800)

"I end my Turn."

'Blast!' Konami thought. 'Blast, Blast, BLAST! I was so close! A turn away from ending this! And now she's completely turned it around again!'

"Count yourself lucky," she said. "I hadn't realized you still had such a trick up your sleeve. Had I known, I would have summoned Ccarayhua before I attacked you, and ended this here and now! As things stand, you still have a Turn to stage a comeback. Even better, you currently have two monsters on your field. Don't you see? This is your chance, Konami-kun. On your next turn, you can bring out your Earthbound Immortal, and use its power to match and even conquer my own!"

Konami shook his head at her words.

'Again with this,' he thought in disgust. 'How many times do I have to tell her that I'm not doing it? I've seen the horrors the Earthbound Immortals can bring, and I won't take part in it!'

But even as he rejected Misty's words, some part of him - some dark aspect that he never recognized, relished the idea. Would it really be so bad, using Wiraqocha Rasca? Was it really wrong to utilize its power, so long as that purpose was for the greater good? The Earthbound Immortals were dangerous, yes...but wasn't the danger they presented precisely why they were perfect to use against the coming threats to begin with? Their overwhelming power was what made them useful; even his future self had recognized that fact!

So why was he so desperate to deny that power now?

'Because it's bad for me,' he thought with a grimace, recalling his Duel with Carly. 'It'll tear away at my mind and soul, ripping it to pieces until there's nothing left! No, I can't do it. I can't risk it! And even if I did, what good would it do? Misty may not know Wiraqocha's effect, but I do, and I know it wouldn't bring me victory right now! If I'm going to use it, it has to be later, when there's a better opportunity? Wait...if I use it?'

The thought had come so suddenly that he almost didn't notice it. Somehow, in the midst of his rejection, he'd gone from thinking No to Maybe. Was that too the power of the Immortal; the influence of the Dark Sign stretched across his flesh? Was their hold on him so great that they could twist his very thoughts now? Konami didn't know, but whatever the reason, it didn't bode well. The last he needed was to lose himself in the middle of a Duel, particularly when he was already on the verge of defeat!

'Calm down,' he told himself, 'examine this situation. It might seem bad, but its nowhere near as bad as it could be. Look, you already have the cards you need to get out of this situation. You don't need Wiraqocha Rasca or the Dark Signer power. You can win this in one brazen move!'

"And that's what I'll do," he finished with a mutter. "It's my Turn! I draw!"

TURN FIFTEEN - KONAMI - FIVE CARDS IN HAND - 2700 LP

The drawn card's identity was revealed the instant he finished drawing it.

"I play Pot of Greed! As you very well know," he told Misty as the famed Pot appeared beside him, "this card lets me draw two new cards! I'll draw one..." he glanced at its artwork as he drew.

Dawnbreak Gardna.

"...and two!"

Breakthrough Skill.

He added both to his greater hand then reached for the card that would lead to Ccarayhua's demise.

"Next I'll bring out my Black Stone of Legend!"

"Oh great," Misty muttered, frowning with distaste as the shining stone materialized. "This card again?"

"That's right, and you know what that means!" Konami spat. "I'll be tributing it to bring back my Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

Yet again, the great stone shattered in a wave of light, releasing a new being from its glassy prison. The black demon snarled and tore its claws through the air as it reshaped once more, then stood tall beside its fellow Red-Eyes' while glaring at Misty and her kaiju-sized ace.

Red-Eyes Archfiend - LV5 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)

"Red-Eyes Archfiend again..." Misty glowered, "but even it won't save you! Since you don't have your Catalyst Field, you can't Gemini Summon it in one turn! That means you'll be unable to use its power to overcome my Immortal!"

"Is that so?" Konami asked with a grin.

"What...?"

"I activate my Red-Eyes Retro Dragon's third effect! By tributing it while its on the Field, I can Normal Summon or Set an additional "Red-Eyes" monster this turn."

"An additional...? No, you can't!" Misty protested.

"I already have!" Konami declared, the last of Retro Dragon vanishing into golden particles that quickly fled toward the Red-Eyes Archfiend. "Now, watch in horror as my Red-Eyes Archfiend regains its special ability! Gemini Summon!"

Crossing its arms as Retro's atomized remains merged with its body, the black demon screamed a battle cry and unleashed its pent-up aggression. Lightning and thunder roared across the foggy sky, creating a whirling storm of electricity that the Archfiend absorbed. Bolt by bolt, its body tensed and grew, transforming into an even more muscular version of itself and creating a dark red aura that portrayed its true strength. As the last bolt of lightning vanished inside its form, the black demon brought its arms down and screamed one last time, letting the power flow throughout its form! The shout was accompanied by a shockwave that nearly sent Konami and Misty flying, announcing the completion of the monster's second summon.

"This is it, Misty!" Konami shouted. "I hope you're ready, because I'm bringing the thunder! Let's go, Archfiend! I activate your ability! Lightning Vortex!"

Red-Eyes Archfiend spread its arms wide upon hearing Konami's command, releasing and endless stream of crimson lightning from its bony black arms. The bolts zapped against its surroundings, scorching the grass beneath its feet before trailing upward into the sky. There, they sparked and electrified the very air itself, creating a swirling sphere of electricity that grew and grew, until it was nearly twice the size of the Archfiend itself. Quickly, the black demon thrust its arms upward into the sphere as if taking hold of it, then threw the orb upward toward the towering silhouette of the Earthbound Immortal. The wide green eyes of Ccarayhua watched the sphere approach, then loosed an enraged scream that sent shockwaves through the courtyard.

Konami clasped his ears at the sound, not wanting his eardrums to suffer the horrible noise of Ccarayhua's deathly screech. Misty had done the same, but her eyes were locked on his, narrowed into vile slits that betrayed her emotions. He didn't care. It was too late! His Archfiend's effect was already in motion, and now, every monster on Misty's side of the field with less than twenty five hundred Defense Points would be destroyed.

Unfortunately for her, that meant Ccarayhua was a goner.

Though the great lizard towered above the castle and Misty's Field Spell, it rocked a defense stat of only eighteen hundred, not nearly enough to protect it from Red-Eyes Archfiend's attack. This was made clear the moment the sphere made impact. The crimson orb crashed into the monstrous titan with a loud bang, sending millions of volts coursing the Immortal's body. Ccarayhua screamed at the assault, its head tilting back as it lost itself in the pain and viciousness of the assault. Its wide, beady eyes gave way to an empty white, and a shower of debris fell down upon the courtyard from the tower upon which its right arm stood. The monster had lost its balance upon being hit, and its arm had skidded through Misty's Pareidolia, knocking some of windows and building bricks free. They crashed down upon the courtyard around the two Duelists, but luckily, neither of them were hit.

However, the worst had yet to come!

"Ccarayhua's effect activates!" Misty shouted defiantly as her monster's feet began to vanish into golden light. "When it's destroyed by a card effect other than its own, it takes everything on the field with it!"

"What was that?!" Konami gasped, only barely hearing the words through his ringing ears.

Misty didn't bother repeating herself. Ccarayhua would make itself clear soon enough. Having lost its footing and consciousness, the towering titan of a lizard let its arm run through the tower yet again, cutting it clean it two. A booming explosion rocked the sky as the top half of the tower separated from its bottom half, and it quickly began falling toward Konami's side of the field!

"What the-?!" he shouted, gazing up at the falling debris in shock. Quickly turning on his heel, Konami ran toward the castle entrance, attempting to get free of the fall zone!

A thunderous boom rocked the courtyard, and a shockwave of dirt and grass flew free from the area of impact! The wave knocked Konami off his feet, sending him spiraling down onto the ground. He landed on his rear, dazed, but alive. Quickly, he scrambled back to his feet, turning to gaze at the aftermath - only to find the vanishing shards of his Black Flare and Red-Eyes Archfiend.

"My monsters...!" he breathed, understanding what Misty had told him. "They're gone!"

"Like I said," Misty called from afar, her image barely visible through the vanishing fog and debris. "When Ccarayhua dies, everything does! My Field Spell, your monsters, they've all been made victims of circumstance! Unlike your monsters however, my Evil Eye Domain comes with insurance! When its destroyed by a card effect, I can target one "Evil Eye" monster in my Graveyard and add it to my hand! I return the Serziel I tributed for Ccarayhua to my hand!"

She revealed the card, though Konami could barely see it through the fading smoke. Still, he understood the implications well enough. No doubt she intended to use Serziel to set up a field similar to the one she had prior to his use of Retro Dragon's effect. Well, he'd soon put a stop to that!

"I'm setting a card face-down!" he announced, sliding the Breakthrough Skill he'd drawn earlier into his Duel Disk. He watched the hologram spark into existence in front of him, then lowered his arms. "That'll end my Turn."

"Stubborn to the end," Misty muttered, the last of the smoke and debris finally fading from view. They were back in the regular courtyard now, though its appearance was far more damaged and worn than it had been when they first arrived.

Konami briefly wondered how she planned on explaining the damage, or if she even intended to at all.

"It's my move!" She declared, paying no heed to the damage around them. Her focus was on Konami and Konami alone; on making him understand and overcome his own fear of failure! However, with each passing turn it seemed her goal grew harder and harder, forcing her to act more and more vicious. The cycle would have to come to an end eventually, but she didn't know who would break first.

There was only one way to find out.

"I draw!" she shouted, pulling a card free from her Deck.

TURN SIXTEEN - MISTY - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 1900 LP

She glanced at her drawn card: the Pot of Greed. She set aside for later, then reached for another card.

"Now that my Pareidolia is gone, it's time I gave us some new scenery, or should I say, an old one? I play Savage Colosseum!"

Konami scowled as the damaged courtyard vanished, replaced with the cold, pristine image of the wicked Colosseum.

"This again?" he asked, glaring at her from afar.

"You're the last one who should be complaining about repetitiveness," Misty glowered.

Konami's face scrunched up, a determined expression in his gaze, but Misty paid it no mind. She was already moving to another card in her hand.

"And speaking of repetitiveness, how's this for familiar?" she asked, "I summon Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye in Attack Position!"

A flash of lightning announced the arrival of the silver-haired fiend, and it quickly stretched the fingers on its red claw to ensure they were ready for battle.

Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1600/1400)

"And now that it's been summoned, Serziel's effect activates-" Misty began, only for Konami to sling his hand forward quickly.

"Not so fast!" he shouted, "I've got a Trap; Breakthrough Skill! It'll negate the effects of a face-up Effect monster until the End Phase, which means you won't be adding any "Evil Eye" cards to your hand this time around!"

Misty grimaced as Konami's Trap took hold, stopping her monster in its tracks. Shaking her head at his persistence, she quickly reached for the card in her hand with a scowl.

"You might have stopped me from drawing cards through Serziel's effect," she replied, "but you haven't stopped this! I play the Pot of Greed!"

"You're running more than one?!" he snapped in surprise, eyes widening as the familiar green pot appeared on her field.

"Yes," she noted, brushing him off casually as she drew two new cards. "And through its power, I'll add two new cards to my hand."

She glanced at them both quickly and grinned. "And one of them was this! I activate the Evil Eye of Selene!"

"Of Selene?" Konami inquired, watching as a hologram of the card appeared on Misty's field. "So this is the original one all your other cards have been mentioning!"

"Yes, and just like my Evil Eye of Gorgoneio, this one is an Equip Spell!" Misty explained, "Naturally, I'll be using it on my Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye!"

The fiend chuckled darkly as the warped eyepiece materialized on its face, increasing its potency with a wicked purple aura.

"And now that I've the stage," Misty murmured once that was done, "it's time I got back to beating you! Serziel, attack Konami directly! Evil End!"

Eyes widening, Konami backpedaled quickly, but it was too late. A single beam of light shot out from the Evil Eye of Selene, and it coursed across the courtyard before slamming directly into Konami's chest. He screamed in pain as the beam blasted him off his feet, and he fell into the dirt, back slamming into the ground with a pained thump!

"Urgh...!" he grunted, curling inward while clutching his chest in pain.

"Looks like I finally hit you, Konami-kun," Misty said with a cold smile. "What's the matter? All out of tricks?"

"I've still got a few up my sleeve," Konami grunted, crawling back to his feet even as his Life Points fell.

"Then you'd do well to remember mine," Misty replied. "Savage Colosseum's effect activates! Since a monster I control attacked, I gain three hundred Life Points!"

Konami cursed at the reminder, glancing down to register the new totals as his own Life Points finally stopped falling.

KONAMI - 1100 LP
MISTY - 2200 LP

"Looks like I've taken the lead," Misty called, alerting Konami to the fact that she'd finished checking the totals as well. He scowled at her.

"You might be ahead, but that doesn't mean you'll win!" he shouted. "Like you said earlier, our Duel is far from over, and now, it's my move!" he bent his knees, crouching down while curling his fingers tightly. "I...draw!"

TURN SEVENTEEN - KONAMI - FIVE CARDS IN HAND - 1100 LP

He drew One for One.

'Perfect!' Konami thought, 'though I wish you had a turn earlier! Oh well, no use thinking about what could have been! I've gotta do what I can here and now!'

"I summon Dawnbreak Gardna in Attack Mode!" he shouted, slapping the card face-up on his Duel Disk. A soft hum followed the act, accompanied by a golden light and the emergence of a shining warrior dressed from head to toe in a dark steel armor.

Dawnbreak Gardna - LV3 - LIGHT - Warrior - (1500/500)

"Dawnbreak Gardna?" Misty asked incredulously. "Another Gemini? It might come close, but I'm afraid I must point out that your monster lacks the strength needed to overcome my Serziel! You would have been better off playing that Evocator Chevalier you have in your hand!"

"Actually, I wouldn't have, because I didn't summon Gardna here for his Attack Points," Konami retorted. "I summoned him because he's Level Three!"

"What?"

"And that's just the number I needed since I planned on using this!" he continued, revealing his drawn card. "I cast One for One! It lets me discard a card...then Special Summon a Level One monster from my Deck!"

"A Level One monster? Oh, I see what's happening here."

"No, I don't think you do, because now that I'm discarding. I'll be able to do more than bring out a Level One monster," Konami told her. "I'll be able to put an end to your pestering too, because the card I'm discarding...is Wiraqocha Rasca!"

"What?!" Misty snapped, glaring at him. "But that's your Earthbound Immortal! You need to summon it!"

"No, I don't think I do." Konami countered, glaring right back at her as he slid the card into his Graveyard. "You keep going on about how this is a test and I have to do this or that, but from what I've seen, I've managed to stick with you all the way up until now! To put it simply, my Earthbound Immortal just isn't needed, and even if it was, there's no way I'm going to sacrifice someone's souls just to bring it out. Face it, Misty! Your attempts to goad me into summoning it have failed, and now, your monster's about to fail you too, because I'm Special Summoning the Tuner monster Unknown Synchron!"

A small metallic eye appeared beside Dawnbreak Gardna as Konami spoke, emerging from the Deck through the power of One for One.

Unknown Synchron - LV1 - DARK - Machine - (0/0)

"A Tuner monster...!" Misty growled, "Then it's just as I suspected! You really are planning on Synchro Summoning!"

"That's right! I'm tuning my Level Three Dawnbreak Gardna with my Level One Unknown Synchron!" Konami shouted.

As if on cue, the two monsters swirled into the air, transforming into stars and sigils that bound together in a vast green light.

"White lights gather in the void before us! Become the blade that strikes them down!" Konami chanted, watching as a black figure emerged from the green pillar. "Synchro Summon! The Dark Warrior, Underworld Fighter Balmung!"

A crack of blue lightning lit the sky as the dark soldier crashed onto the field. He landed on a single knee, eyes gleaming red as he took his scabbard and unsheathed the large gleaming blade housed within. Its hilt gleamed as he took hold of it, the blue gem embedded in its center lighting up in response to Balmung's grip. He swung the weapon over his shoulder effortlessly, holding onto it with a single hand while his other gripped the sheath tightly. After doing so, he rose to his feet, standing tall against oppression while glaring at Serziel, who snarled at the sight of him.

Underworld Fighter Balmung - LV4 - DARK - Warrior - (2100/800)

"You discarded your Immortal so you could summon this?" Misty spat, unimpressed.

"That's right," Konami confirmed. "And now, he's about to take your monster down! Go, Balmung! Cleave Serziel in two!"

"Yes, my master!" Balmung shouted, leaping forward without hesitation upon hearing the command. Soaring through the Colosseum, he tightened his hold on his blade, waiting until he was in range to launch his attack. Serziel was waiting for him, and quickly responded to his approach. Rapid bursts of crimson light leapt out from the Evil Eye of Selene, but Balmung dodged and weaved past each blast with the grace of a dancer! In seconds, he had closed the space between them, and swung his blade in a wide arc-!

It cut through Serziel like butter, cleaving the monster in two and sending a spray of crimson light in Misty's direction. She screamed in surprise and shielded her eyes, but it did nothing to stop the light from assailing her, reducing her Life Points by the difference in the two monsters' strength. As her own Life Points fell, Konami's began to rise. The power of the Colosseum was on his side now, rewarding him for his tenacity and desire to battle. Its green light engulfed him, healing some of his minor wounds while raising his Life Points ever so slowly. As Balmung returned to his side, he checked his Duel Disk to read the new totals, knowing that on her side of the field, Misty was doing the same.

KONAMI - 1300 LP
MISTY - 1700 LP

"Closed the gap," he murmured with a smile, glancing upward only to frown at what he saw. "Wait...what's this? Your monster. It hasn't been destroyed?"

Indeed, through the wound from Balmung's strike was still present, Serziel itself had not yet fallen. On the contrary, it seemed to healing! The Evil Eye of Selene was glowing, its pale aura stretching down across Serziel's skin and stitching its wounds shut!

"What trickery is this?"

"It's not trickery," Misty laughed. "It's my Evil Eye of Selene's effect! While its equipped, the monster that's using it can't be destroyed by battle or card effects!"

"Now you tell me," Konami grumbled, glaring at the monster as it shot him with a cold grin. "Nonetheless, my Balmung still has enough strength to put it in its place."

"Not for long, because now it's my move!"

"Not yet it's not," Konami interrupted, "I've still got one last play, and it's one you've surely grown fond of!"

Misty scowled, already knowing what he was about to pull.

"Black Stone of Legend's effect activates!" he shouted. "By returning the Archfiend in my Graveyard to my Deck, Black Stone returns to my hand!"

"I'm getting real tired of that move," Misty murmured, watching as he added the card back to his hand. "Now, are you finished?"

"I dunno," Konami muttered. "Am I?"

"Yes, you are!" Misty hissed. "My move, I draw!"

She ripped a card from her Deck furiously.

TURN EIGHTEEN - MISTY - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 1700 LP

"Since Breakthrough Skill is no longer affecting my Serziel, I'm activating its special effect!" she snapped.

"What? But you can't! I thought Serziel's effect only activated when it was summoned!"

"Its first effect does, yes," Misty confirmed, "but not its other one! When its equipped with an Evil Eye of Selene, I can activate its second ability to target one Special Summoned monster you control and destroy it!"

"Special Summoned...? Ah, oh no!"

"Oh yes," Misty laughed. "As you've no doubt realized, your Underworld Fighter Balmung falls under that category, which means he's about to suffer the wrath of the Evil Eyes! Go, Serziel! Unleash your fury on that compensating warrior! Destroy him with your effect - Evil Blast!"

"Take this!" Serziel hissed, its eyes widening to unleashing a devastating wave from the Evil Eye of Selene. The crimson jet of energy burned through the Savage Colosseum, approaching Balmung with rapid speed. Quickly, the dark warrior grasped his blade and swung it down to meet the bolt head-on. Just in time, the blade met the crimson blast, prompting Balmung to grunt in surprise at the attack's force.

"Stronger than it looks," he muttered, dropping his sheath to take hold of his weapon with two hands. He growled softly, pushing more and more of his strength into keeping his blade firm while Serziel's scream filled the air. For a moment, Konami thought that Balmung might actually succeed in deflecting the blow.

He should have known better.

With a final roar, Serziel's power grew, sending a second burst of energy out from the Evil Eye and pushing Balmung to the brink!

The warrior's blade cracked in his hands, then shattered completely, leaving him defenseless against Serziel's attack!

"NO!" he roared, his body consumed by the raging storm of power. His body arched and twisted as the beam engulfed him, and a vibrant explosion rocked the stadium.

Konami shielded his eyes as Balmung vaporized in an instant, but that didn't keep him from swinging his hand out to activate his effect.

"Balmung's ability activates!" he shouted, watching as the blue gem on the hilt of the shattered sword began to glow. "When he's destroyed by a card effect, I can Special Summon another Level Four or lower monster from my Graveyard!"

"What did you just say?!" Misty snapped, surprised by the words.

"I said, your monster's effect just backfired!" he grunted. "Because now I can bring back my Dark Valkyria!"

As if expecting the call, the silver-haired beauty fell from the sky and landed with a crash onto Konami's field. Quickly, she scanned the site of the battle, then paused upon noticing the shattered sword. She bowed her head as if paying her respects.

"Rejoice, fair einherjar," she murmured beneath her breath, "for Valhalla awaits."

Her duty completed, she turned and glared at Serziel, then fell into a battle-ready stance worthy of a valkyrie.

Dark Valkyria - LV4 - DARK - Fairy - (1800/1050)

"Looks like this is the end for you," Konami told Misty. "Your Serziel won't be able to use that effect again this turn, and since my Valkyria is stronger than it, that means your Savage Colosseum will take it's life come the End Phase if it doesn't attack!"

Misty giggled, amused by his words. "Is that what you think? Sorry to disappoint you, but that won't be how this ends. I activate the effect of my Evil Eye of Selene! When the equipped monster uses its effect, I pay five hundred Life Points and increase that monster's Attack Points by the same amount!"

"What?!" Konami breathed, watching as Serziel began to cackle and laugh. The Evil Eye seemed to grow upon its face, twisting into a half-helmet that only served to fuel the monster's power. At the same time, Misty grimaced in distaste, as if some of her life force had been drained from the effort.

Perhaps it had.

Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (2100/1400)

KONAMI - 1300 LP
MISTY - 1200 LP

"If your monster's power increased...then that means my Dark Valkyria won't be able to take the attack!" Konami realized, glancing to his monster worriedly.

"Which means that your prediction won't be coming true!" Misty laughed. She swept her arm through the air as if swatting a fly and grinned, "Go, Serziel! Send that fairy packing with your new power! Evil End!"

"Die!" Serziel screamed, following Misty's command eagerly as Dark Valkyria prepared for the assault. Like before, the fiend unleashed a vibrant wave of light from its equipment, and Dark Valkyria released a wave of her own, eager to meet the challenge. Bolts of crimson energy crashed into each other in the center of the Colosseum, resulting a blazing shockwave that nearly sent Konami and Misty flying! They bent their knees to grip down on the concrete and stood firm against the sudden gusts of wind, but even that barely kept them in place. All the while, Dark Valkyria and Serziel kept at it, putting all of their power in the beams that threatened to consume them whole!

Back and forth the waves pushed, each battling for dominance in the fight to determine who'd come out alive! For a few seconds, Dark Valkyria's wave would overtake Serziel's, only for a new burst of power to erupt from the silver-haired fiend, pushing the beam back into the middle!

"Darn you...! Die already!" Valkyria screamed, unleashing a second wave with her other hand.

"You first!" Serziel roared, widening its eyes to increase its own power.

A second shockwave rocked the building, and then - Serziel's beam tore through Dark Valkyria's!

"This can't be!" she shouted, astonished, but it was! Her beam had been completely obliterated, and now, Serziel's was headed straight for her! It crashed into her with the force of a train, knocking her from her feet and into the air. "No! I'm perfect!" she screamed, body disintegrating piece by piece. "I'm perfeeeeeect!"

And with a blazing explosion, she was gone.

Konami let out a shout and shielded himself as the rest of Serziel's attack blew past him, nearly taking an ear! It crashed into the Colosseum wall behind him, knocking free several bricks that crashed to the ground. He could hear his Life Points falling, and as things finally settled down, he turned to glare at his Duel Disk.

KONAMI - 1000 LP
MISTY - 1500 LP

As expected, Misty's Life Points had risen again. Savage Colosseum's effect had taken hold like it always did, rewarding the turn player for daring to attack.

"I'll set one card and end my Turn," she purred from across the courtyard.

Konami glared at her fiercely.

"Fine by me," he muttered. "My move. I draw!"

TURN NINETEEN - KONAMI - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 1000 LP

He drew Monster Reborn.

The hum of his Mark filled the air.

'I can win with this!' he thought, staring at the card with an eerie smile. 'Even better, I can humiliate her while doing it! All it'd take is one summon... I'll revive her Earthbound Immortal, and use it to claim victory for myself!'

His eyes widened as he realized what he was thinking, and he lowered the card quickly.

'No!' he thought, shaking his head with a grimace. 'I...I can't do that! I have to rely on my own monsters here, not hers, and certainly not Earthbound Immortals!'

He glanced to his Graveyard, skimming through what he had availiable.

'Do I go into Black Flare Dragon? Gemini Summon it and go for the win?'

It seemed like the best strategy. After all, Serziel only had twenty one hundred Attack Points, and while the Evil Eye's effect would keep it from being destroyed by battle, it wouldn't stop Misty from taking the extra burn damage! Then again...

'She has that Trap card, and lately, it seems like every move I make she's prepared for!' Konami thought with a grimace. 'Is it possible she's expecting Black Flare? Or any other move I might make? If that's the case, then I'd be better off going for more numbers, and that means...'

His eyes locked on a monster.

"I cast Monster Reborn!" he shouted, sliding the card into his Spell Slot and watching the ankh appear before him. "With it, I can revive one monster from either of our Graveyards! I Special Summon the Poly-Chemicritter, Dioxogre!"

The flaming abomination rose with a snarl, its body absorbing the ankh and its power while stomping its hooves into the dirt. Raising its carbo claws, the fiend glared at Misty, eager to repay the woman for its earlier defeat.

Poly-Chemicritter Dioxogre - LV8 - FIRE - Fiend - (2800/200)

"The conflict within you is growing, I see." Misty noted. "With Monster Reborn you've been given so many options, and yet this is the one you choose?"

"Shut up, I'm not done yet!" Konami bristled.

"Oh, I know." Misty agreed. "Because next, you'll be bringing back your Archfiend, yes?"

Konami flinched. That was precisely what he'd been planning on doing, but Misty didn't need to know that.

"Thanks for the suggestion," he said instead, reaching for his Black Stone of Legend. "Come on out, Black Stone! Use your power to bring back the Red-Eyes Archfiend!"

Misty sighed, unimpressed by Konami's motives. He'd been pulling the same move all Duel, and not once had it worked. Wasn't there a word for that?

Oh, right. Insane.

Regardless, her thoughts did little to stop the snarling of the black demon as it broke free of the stone prison anew.

Red-Eyes Archfiend - LV6 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1200)

"Now, for the Battle Phase...!" Konami grunted. "Red-Eyes Archfiend attacks Serziel!"

"No, he doesn't, because I've got a Trap card!" Misty snapped. "I activate Zero Gravity! It changes the Battle Position of all monsters on the field, meaning not only will your Archfiend not be battling this turn, but your Dioxogre won't be either!"

"So you did have something planned!" Konami accused, grimacing as both of his monsters shifted into defensive postures. "I knew it...!"

Misty had the audacity to smile. "Trying to look ahead, are you? Far too late for that, I'm afraid. Now, it's my Turn, I draw!"

Without waiting for a response, she pulled the top card of her Deck free from the Duel Disk with a smile.

TURN TWENTY - MISTY - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 1500 LP

"Serziel's effect activates!" she declares. "Since I used its effect on my last turn, it forces me to destroy a card on my side of the field this turn!"

"A delayed cost?" Konami inquired.

"To give you a chance," Misty explained cruelly. "Of course, you failed, and so, the card I'll be destroying is Serziel itself!"

"You're going to destroy your own monster?" Konami asked. "But why?!"

"You're mistaken," Misty said, shaking her head softly. "I'm not destroying anything, but I've got this! I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Forbidden Dress! It'll lower my monster's ATK by six hundred until the End Phase, but also make it unaffected by any card effects that I might have!"

Serziel screamed as a white dress materialized around it, wrapping it in holy light as its beam threatened to tear itself apart. The holy dress managed to knock away the destructive blow, but as a result, Serziel was left with a scowl on its face, its power dropping due to the humiliation of wearing the now scorched object.

Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1500/1400)

"And don't forget," Misty continued since this was Serziel's effect, the Evil Eye of Selene's ability increases its power once more at the cost of five hundred Life Points!"

Her Duel Disk loosed a series of trills, announcing the further fall of her Life Points.

KONAMI - 1000 LP
MISTY - 1000 LP

Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (2000/1400)

"We're...all tied up..." Konami breathed.

"Not for long," Misty explained. "Because now I'm activating Serziel's effect once more!"

"Tsk!"

"Grumble all you'd like, but it won't help you! Serziel, destroy the Special Summoned Red-Eyes Archfiend! Evil Blast!"

"Yes!" Serziel hissed wickedly. Locking its gaze on Red-Eyes, it fired another beam of light from its Evil Eye, prompting the Archfiend to snarl in outrage. It began to gather lightning in its claws, intending to use the power to fight back against the blast, but it was no use. Before the demon had even finished gathering its power, Serziel's beam cut through its body, evaporating it in a deadly explosion that sent Konami's hat flying from his head.

"Urgh...!" the man grunted as he skidded through the dirt from the force of the blow. "Red-Eyes...!"

"You shouldn't be worrying about him while my Serziel's growing even stronger!" Misty mocked, paying even more Life Points to further Selene's hold over Serziel. The Evil Eye had transformed into a full helmet now, masking Serziel's face from view while continuing to drain away at Misty's Life Points. She was at a mere five hundred now...though Konami was sure that was about to change.

Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (2500/1400)

KONAMI - 1000 LP
MISTY - 500 LP

"Battle Phase!" Misty shouted, as if sensing his thoughts and agreeing with him. "Serziel, attack Dioxogre! Evil End!"

A second wave of light erupted from the Evil Eye of Selene, and it tore through Dioxogre like butter, prompting Konami to scream as his second monster vanished in a violent burst of fire and smoke. Dioxogre, too, roared in pain. Its body was scattered in the blast, vaporized piece by piece as it twisted and turned in the grasp of the fire. In seconds, its entire body had been consumed, leaving only the fading shards of gold light that followed every monster's demise.

Konami was defenseless once again. And just as expected, Misty had gained Life from the attack.

KONAMI - 1000 LP
MISTY - 800 LP

"I'll set one card...and end my Turn." Misty said coolly. "Forbidden Dress' effect ends, returning my Serziel's power to full!"

The fiend bristled as it ripped the dress of its body, letting it fall to the ground with a hiss. Its embarrassment gave way to rage, and it let out a loud snarl that announced its fury to the world!

Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (3100/1400)

It's...your move, Konami-kun."

'She's got me on the ropes,' Konami thought, staggering back to his feet and w. 'If I don't do something quick, then I'm really going to lose...!'

Blast. Should he have just summoned Ccarayhua like his instincts told him to? He tried playing nice, doing things as he was supposed to, and look where it had gotten him! He was about to lose to Misty of all people, and have his soul stolen as a result! If he fell here, then what was the point of it all? If he fell here, then who would be left to face E'Rah later?! Surely, in the wake of such disaster, the small sacrifice of a few hundred souls was better when compared to the estimated loss of the entire planet, right?!

And yet, he'd hesitated, like he always did! The thought of wielding such uncontrollable power frightened him, and kept him from fulfilling his destiny!

No, that wasn't right. Konami shook his head, attempting to clear his thoughts, but...the haze didn't lift. He was too deep, too lost in the emotions wrought by his long and deadly battle with Misty! His Mark's influence was getting to him, affecting his thoughts and plays. He needed to take a breath, but there was no time! It was his move, and if he didn't act now then-!

"Shall I skip you?"

Misty's words were like a bullet that sprung Konami to act.

"No!" he shouted, steadying his feet. "It's my Turn! I just...I need a minute."

"Well you aren't getting one." Misty told him. "I told you this was a test, and you've yet to treat it as such. Instead, you've continued to waste my time - our time, by resisting that you seek to overcome! How do you intend to get better at something if you don't the will to try it in the first place?!"

The words struck a chord in Konami's heart.

"I...it's not that I don't want to try it...!" he uttered, clenching his fists. "It's just that I...I don't want anyone to get hurt because of it!"

"That's your excuse?" Misty scoffed. "News flash, people get hurt all the time. You're fortunate enough to have taken a step into a world where that hurt can be undone by those with the right skills. My skills. You need not fear the price of power. So long as you do as I ask, all will turn out fine."

"I wish I could believe you. But as you are now, your words sound as hollow as a drum."

"Funny," Misty murmured. "I could say the same for yours."

Konami flinched, then grit his teeth. "That's enough! You wanted me to make my move, well then here I go! I...I draw!"

TURN TWENTY - KONAMI - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 1000 LP

He glanced at his drawn card: Gemini Spark.

'Not bad,' he thought. 'If I use this correctly, I can get rid of her Evil Eye of Selene! Then I can destroy Serziel, and break through Misty's defenses...! Before that though, I'll need to get the card that can do that, which means-!'

"I'm activating the effect of my Black Stone of Legend!" he shouted. "By shuffling my Red-Eyes Archfiend back into the Deck, I can-"

"Stop right there!" Misty snapped, flinging her hand forward as soon as Konami finished shuffling Archfiend back into the Deck. "You've activated my Trap Card: Disappear! It lets me target one card in your Graveyard and banish it!"

"What?! Oh no!"

"Oh, yes." Misty uttered, sounding far too pleased. "With this, your Black Stone of Legend and your infuriating combo is finished! I banish your Black Stone to the Different Dimension, where you'll never see it again!"

Konami gasped in horror as his most used card vanished from the Graveyard, only to reappear in the Banished Zone of his Duel Disk.

He'd...

He'd lost it.

Misty's laugh echoed around him, its cruel tone ringing like bells in his ears.

"No more Archfiend, and no more free Special Summons!" she hissed. "Now you'll be forced to use the options available to you, though based on how you've been dueling so far tonight, I'd bet you have very few options left!"

"You...You're going to pay for that...!" Konami growled, clenching his fist at the humiliation he'd just suffered.

How dare she take away something that was his!

How dare she have the nerve to laugh about it!

He'd make her suffer for this...!

Make her grovel and kneel at his feet, begging for forgiveness!

"Misty...!" he growled, his Mark throbbing hot on his arm. "Misty!"

"Oh yes! That's it! That's the look I wanted to see!" Misty cried.

A force of miasma seemed to be flowing from him, threatening to engulf him whole as he glared at her with eyes as black as night.

"I summon my Blazewing Butterfly in Attack Position!" he declared, calling forth the burning insect that she'd bounced back to his hand earlier.

The critter chirped wildly as it appeared on his field, its flaming wings burning like an inferno.

Blazewing Butterfly - LV4 - FIRE - Insect - (1500/1500)

"Next, I'll cast my Gemini Spark Spell card!" he continued, slamming the card into a Spell Slot. "It lets me Tribute a Gemini monster I control to target and destroy one card on the field!"

"Oh? And just what are you going to destroy? In case you've forgotten, my Serziel is immune to destruction and can't be targeted by card effects!"

"Your monster may be," Konami agreed with a snarl, "but your Spell card isn't!"

Misty's eyes widened in realization. "Wait...you don't mean-!"

"Yes, the target of my Gemini Spark isn't your Serziel, but rather, the equipment it's wearing! I target and destroy your Evil Eye of Selene!"

Blazewing Butterfly screeched as its body was consumed in a sudden burst of lightning that soared across the field. Before Misty could protest, it slammed into Serziel's face, sending the fiend into a pained frenzy as the electricity zapped and scorched away the working components of the Evil Eye! With a snarl, Serziel ripped the rapidly dissolving helmet from its head, watching as it returned to a mere eyepiece that quickly shattered in a miniature explosion.

"My Evil Eye of Selene, you've destroyed it!"

"Yes, and now, your monster is defenseless."

"Actually, it's not!" Misty snapped. "It might have lost is protection effects, true, but the Attack Points it gained from the Evil Eye remain!"

"You say it still has it's Attack Points...?" Konami murmured, glancing at the monster's stats. He clucked his tongue in annoyance upon confirming the fact. "Then it's a good thing I have my Gemini Spark's effect backing me up. When a card is successfully destroyed by its effect, I get to draw one card from my Deck."

He reached toward the top card of his Deck, his heart pounding in his chest.

'This is it,' he thought. 'Whatever I draw here will determine whether I lose this Duel or keep fighting. It all comes down to this.'

His Mark suddenly pained him as his fingers pressed down upon the Deck, and he drew the card that would determine his fate.

It was...

His eyes widened in shock, horror, and then...resignation.

"I set one card...and end my Turn."

"Then that makes it my move!" Misty gasped. "I draw!"

TURN TWENTY TWO - MISTY - ONE CARD IN HAND - 800 LP

"And now, your true punishment activates!" Konami shouted, swinging his hand forward. "Serziel's effect! Since you used its ability on your last turn to destroy my Red-Eyes Archfiend, you now have to destroy a card on your side of the field!"

"Ngh...!" Misty grimaced, having nearly forgotten the fact. 'I can't destroy Savage Colosseum!' she thought, 'With my Life Points so low, I'll need every bit I can get in case he pulls something! That means...I'll have to do it!'

"Serziel targets itself!" she declared, watching with a grimace as her monster grabbed its head in pain. With a snarl, Serziel suddenly exploded, shattering into crimson shards of light that scattered across her field. She shook her head at the dramatics, then reached for the card in her hand. "Unfortunately for you, its death won't be in vain, because I've got a Spell Card: Beginning of the End!"

"Fitting name, because soon it'll be your end, Misty!" Konami glared.

"On the contrary, this card's effect claims otherwise! It can only be activated while I have seven or more DARK attribute monsters in my Graveyard. If I do, then I can banish five of them to draw three cards from my Deck. Thanks to how our Duel has progressed, I have more than enough to fit this role! I banish my Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye, my Medusa, Watcher of the Evil Eye, my Reptilianne Vaskii, my Reptilianne Lamia, and Reptilianne Scylla!"

Seven black spheres of light leapt from her Duel Disk's Graveyard Slot as she spoke. They swirled around her, shifting and merging together until they had formed three larger spheres that quickly disappeared inside her Deck. After they vanished, three cards slid out from the top of her Deck. She grabbed all three quickly and gave them a look.

"Precisely what I needed," she told herself with a smug grin. "Now that I've drawn these new cards, it's time I put them to use! I play Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye in Attack Position!"

The silver-haired fiend snarled at it emerged on the field, its red claws shivering in excitement upon sensing the state of the field.

Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye - LV4 - DARK - Fiend - (1600/1400)

"You had a second one?" Konami growled, clenching his fist at the sight of the monster.

"As if you don't run multiples in your Deck," Misty scoffed.

Konami said nothing to that, so she continued.

"Next, it's special ability activates! When Serziel is Normal Summoned, I can add one "Evil Eye" card from my Deck to my hand! I add the Evil Eye of Selene!"

"Another copy..." Konami growled. "And let me guess, you'll be using it immediately?"

"That's right," Misty said with a smirk. "I equip the Evil Eye of Selene to my Serziel, Watcher of the Evil Eye! And then...we both know what happens next!"

Konami shifted, his black gaze never calming but his head curtly nodding once. There'd be no point in denying the obvious. Now that Misty had called out her monster, only one thing was left for her to do:

The Battle Phase.

"It's time to see what delightful toys you've prepared for me," she said, casting a hand forward. "Serziel, attack Konami directly and end this once and for all! Attack him now with your Evil End!"

"Finally!" Serziel snarled, its tone impatient despite not being the same one that had already touched the field. "It's time to end this! Die!"

Snapping its head forward, it released a crimson jet of lightning from its Evil Eye, sending the electricity coursing toward Konami's form. The man stood tall as it approached, his eyes squinted shut as if he was struggling with himself, and then - they snapped wide open, and the Mark of the Shadows appeared beneath him!

"I activate my Trap Card!" Konami roared. "Offering to the Immortals!"

Two bolts of lightning fell from the sky at that moment, colliding with Serziel's own wave and negating the attack.

"What?!" Misty gasped in surprise, taking a step back to avoid the shower of dust and debris that followed the twin bolt's arrival. "Offering to the Immortals?! But that's a-!"

"A Dark Signer card?" Konami inquired through the smoke.

Misty's eyes widened.

"I'm well aware of what it is," he told her. "Just as you must be aware of its effect, though I'll tell you what it does regardless."

The smoke cleared, revealing Konami...and two beating hearts in front of him.

"Offering to the Immortals is a card that can only be used when you declare a direct attack on me while I have less than three thousand Life Points," he explained. "If you do, then I negate that attack, and Special Summon two Ceremonial Tokens to my side of the field. These tokens can only be tributed for the summon of an Earthbound Immortal, and can't be used as Synchro Material monsters. Of course, their presence is only one boon I gain from this Trap, for after they've been summoned, I can add one Earthbound Immortal, one Earthbound Revival, or one Roar of the Earthbound to my hand! Tell me, woman, can your fortunetelling foresee which I'll choose?"

Misty frowned, registering something off with Konami's tone. Regardless, she saw no reason not to answer his question.

"Your Wiraqocha Rasca is already in the Graveyard, so that can't be it. Earthbound Revival would be my next guess," she began, "except your Catalyst Field was banished earlier. That leaves only-"

"-Roar of the Earthbound." Konami finished for her. "A fitting deductions, though I hadn't asked you to use logic. Regardless, you are correct. The card I will add to my hand is Roar of the Earthbound, for it is one of the few cards I'll need to deliver you to your doom!"

Misty didn't know why, but the words sent a shiver down her spine. It was almost as if she was frightened by him somehow, but that couldn't be right. When it came to the powers of the Dark Signers, she had nothing to fear from him. She had far more experience, and more far more control as well! Was it the resonance between their Immortals, then? Was Ccarayhua, bless its soul, frightened of Wiraqocha Rasca somehow?

How ridiculous.

"So, you've finally decided to embrace your power? To take my test head-on?"

"Your 'test' is but a means to an end. A path that serves nothing but fools and idealists. You cannot control the power of an Immortal. If you've somehow deluded yourself into believing you can do, then that only goes to show how weak and lackluster your own Immortal is. I, however, am far greater. No mere mortal can contain me. Your friend was right to be hesitant, and now, you shall bear witness to my splendor."

"Your splendor?" Misty inquired.

Konami smiled mysteriously, and suddenly, she understood.

This wasn't Konami she was dealing with anymore. This was something else entirely - something that had made use of his weakening spirit and growing outrage and used it to break free of its chains! This was-

"Wiraqocha Rasca..." Misty breathed. "So your situation has already devolved to this point. Forgive me, Konami-kun, I hadn't realized."

"No, you hadn't. You were so caught up in your 'test' that you failed to notice what was occurring right before you, and now...you're going to pay the price."

Misty frowned. She didn't like the tone in his voice.

"Your presence might have rid Konami of the hesitation he carries in using you, but that doesn't mean you'll defeat me any easier. I'm setting a card face-down, see if you can get past it, if you dare!"

Her Trap flickered into view before her, and Konami spared it a single glance before shaking hi shead.

"There'll be no need. Because now it's my Turn, and you - woman - are about to die! I draw!"

Quickly, he ripped a card from the top of his Deck, black light soaring from its sides as he added it to his hand. His smile grew upon registering what it was.

"I activate Monster Reincarnation!" he declared, sliding it into his Duel Disk. "Now I can discard this worthless Evocator Chevalier, and add Wiraqocha Rasca back to my hand! Of course, it won't be staying there for long, because I already have everything I need to revive it once more! Only one last step is required, and it's here in my hand! I set Roar of the Earthbound Immortal!"

Misty blinked as she watched the card's hologram materialized on the field. What was the point of telling her what was set? It wouldn't make his job any easier. Unless...

It didn't matter what he Set, so long as something was Set.

"Now, the time has come for the door to darkness to open anew!" Konami chanted, a storm of shadows swirling around him. "I tribute my two Ceremonial Tokens to revive the monster in my hand!"

The two beating hearts vanished into purple pillars that shot into the sky. They collided in mid-air, transforming into a single beating heart that absorbed the souls residing in Naples with each mechanical throb. Konami grinned as the wails and screams of his victims filled the air, and Misty felt herself tense.

"Cast in the Shadows of the Shining Light, the strongest Earthbound Immortal is born anew! Advanced Summon! Bring forth the ultimate destruction! Come forth, Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca!"

Streams of lightning rained down as he finished his chant, sending booms and thunderous cracks roaring through the city. Misty glanced upward with wide eyes as the heart exploded into being, consuming the sky with endless black shadow. A loud and booming screech filled the air, followed by the sudeen hiss of speeding gusts. Lightning flickered in the distance every so often, each flash accompanying a great black shadow that grew and grew, twisting and turning and screaming vengeance and victory over the earth and all who had opposed it so long ago!

Misty couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her eyes spread wider and wider and the shadow continued to grow and grow, evolving well past the size of the many other Earthbound Immortals she was familiar with. If Ccarayhua was a titan, then this could only be a God, a fierce and wonderful but terrible God, stricken from the heavens for pursuing that which must never be pursued! Its wingspan spread outward, revealing endless purple line that seemed to be the size of the city itself! They gave way to shadow and smoke, both forces called merely by the presence of the towering giant whose shadow in which she now stood.

Miasma poured forth from its being, engulfing the world in darkness and sending her own Dark Sign into a blaze. In an instant, foreign emotions surged into her. Black hot rage and cold hard fury that demanded she act on her baser desires and steal, pillage, kill! Images of Toby and his corpse flickered through her mind, inciting her need for vengeance against the Signers, against Akiza, against all those responsible for bringing him to the Arcadia Movement in the first place! She knew it wanted her to act on those feelings, to fall back into darkness, to serve it as they struck back at the Signers and the world they loved once more!

They could be great together...

A wonderful pair; a sibling duo that none would be able to stop! Her, with Ccarayhua and the fame of a supermodel giving them endless resources, while he - the proud Duelist, capable of dealing out damage to those she could not best herself!

No one would be able to stop them...

But then she got ahold of herself.

She remembered the truth of Toby's death, of Sayer's defeat.

His death had already been avenged.

There was no need for further vengeance.

There had been enough destruction.

Now, here and now, only one enemy remained.

And it was staring her in the face.

Wiraqocha Rasca - LV10 - DARK - Winged Beast - (100/100)

She knew not to take its stats lightly. A monster that could cast such a shadow over her had to carry a devastating effect, and Konami confirmed as much with his next words.

"Wiraqocha Rasca's effect activates!" he declared confidently, his black eyes boring into her own.

'Here it comes,' she thought, readying herself.

"When Normal Summoned, I shuffle any number of cards I control back to my Deck, then discard the same number of cards from your hand! Then, if cards were sent, Wiraqocha Rasca gains a thousand Attack Points for each!"

"Incredible..." Misty whispered, taking a step back as the purple lines on the condor began to light up. "It might not seem powerful at first, but if used correctly it could wipe me out in an instant!"

"I shuffle my Roar of the Earthbound back into the Deck!" Konami roared, "This means the one card in your hand is discarded!"

Misty winced as she glanced at her Reptilianne Medusa, the card vanishing from sight as Rasca's power hurled it to the Grave.

"No...!" she hissed.

"A card was sent, and so, our power rises!" Konami snapped, drawing her attention back to him.

The lines on Wiraqocha Rasca's body glowed brighter than the moon, casting glares in every direction that could blind even those wearing shades!

Wiraqocha Rasca - LV10 - DARK - Winged Beast - (1100/100)

"Now, Misty...it is time for you to die." Konami breathed. "And with your demise, the guilt Konami will feel will drive him over the edge! Now, Wiraqocha Rasca! Direct Attack!"

A death beam launched from the condor's beak, and Misty's eyes went wide.

"No!" she thought, staring at the approaching beam. "I can't let that hit me! If I do, then everything will end!"

She steeled herself, planting her feet even as the world was consumed by Wiraqocha's violet stream. She grit her teeth, narrowed her eyes, then raised her hand to activate the card that would bring everything to an end.

"I..." she breathed, "I play Dimension Wall!"

The well-laid trap lifted upright, revealing its artwork for her opponent to see. As it did, a shimmering wall appeared in front of her, absorbing the mighty blast and leaving her Life Points intact.

"What's this?" the Rasca-Konami asked, his eyes staring wide at the flipped trap. "What just happened? That attack should have killed you just now!"

"And it would have," Misty agreed, "had it not been for Dimension Wall's effect! It takes the attack and the battle damage I would have received...and sends it through a mirror dimension to send it right back to you!"

A second wall appeared above Wiraqocha Rasca and Konami, and the two looked up as a bright purple began to explode from within.

"N-No!" Rasca gasped, taking a step back. "This can't be!"

"You only have a thousand Life Points left, and thanks to your own effect, the attack carries a power of eleven hundred!" Misty said, clenching her fist. "In other words, this is the end, Konami-kun. No, Wiraqocha Rasca!"

"Damn you, woman!" Rasca screamed. "I was supposed to beat you! I-I was supposed to win!"

And with one last scream, his world was consumed by violet light-the long dark duel finally coming to an end.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE - END

NEXT TIME ON YU-GI-OH! TAG FORCE 2: AFTERMATH! A DARK DECISION!

Bit of a longer chapter this time, but its been a while! Let me know what you think!