Yu-Gi-Oh! Xenus II

CXIV. The Ultimate Shadow Game

Tammi dashed to the Kaiba Dome. After seeing her friends vanish into thin air, she had to know what was going. Her emotions were all over the place. She feared that her friends were in real danger and that she couldn't do anything to help. Once she reached the dome, people were running out screaming in terror.

"Not a good sign." Tammi pushed through the crowd of people and managed to finally get to the Duel Field. She couldn't see her friends anywhere. "No....no!"

Tammi fell to her knees and teared up. "WHERE ARE YOU GUYS?!"

*****

Yuko opened his eyes. He felt pain surging through his body and he had the worst headache. He sat up and tried to collect himself.

"What happened?" Yuko then remembered his friends. "Kenji? Benta?" He looked around and saw no one. "Where are they?"

Yuko examined his surroundings and he didn't like what he saw. Around him was a city in ruins with black clouds and clear red fog surrounding it. Yuko could hear screams of agony and pain in the distance. He felt like he was in a living nightmare.

"What is this place?" Yuko's heart started to stir harder than it ever has before. It actually hurt. "Chill out Yoku. Whatever this place is, you're reacting to it so it must not be good."

Yuko wondered the area and managed to find a ladder. He climbed it to the top of a home's roof. He looked out into the distance and found a giant temple at the top of mountain in the distance. Something told him that wherever he was, it wasn't a place for people like him.

"I'm not supposed to be here."

"Hello my duelists." A voice called out as it could be heard from all over the city.

Yuko immediately remembered the voice and balled his fist. "Xaphoria."

"You all must be wondering where you are. I would like to welcome you all to Hell."

Yuko froze. "Hell?" He looked around and he could hear the screaming in the distance more clearly. Yuko's Mark of Unity glowed. "Why are we here?!"

Yuko feared that he would see Xerus lurking around in the shadow even though he was destroyed. "I can't be here. Not now!" Yuko began to hyperventilate. All of his fears began to surface in his mind.

"This city you see before was once the home of the ones who worshipped the tyrant Xerus a long time ago," Xerus continued. "I destroyed it because of the amount of dark energy it created. After that, I went to war with Xerus and the Battle of Mayatec began."

"Mayatec?" Yuko remembered his friend, Ito, who's Hyper Zeo Monster was named Mayatec. He began to think about Ito's death along with Alec, Soran, Diron, and Deltrus. His heart stirred harder and the pain grew worse.

Yuko could feel his mind slipping away. He knew Yoku was trying to surface. Yuko tried to calm himself with the help of his Mark of Unity. "I have to control my emotions. Calm down Yuko. Calm down."

"I lost the war and I was held prisoner here in the Realm of Darkness for twenty years. I almost gave up hope, that is until Yuko freed me," Xaphoria stated. "Now I'm strong enough to strike back at the darkness, but first, I have to work with it."

"Work with it?" Yuko wondered aloud. He didn't understand why Xaphoria would want to use the darkness if he was planning on destroying it. "What's he planning?"

"I've brought you all to duel it out in the ultimate Shadow Game. Everyone for themselves and if you lose, your soul will join the dead. The last one standing will be able to go home. I promise you all that."

"What?!" Yuko hated the idea. The thought of having to face his friends and the other duelist to the death made him sick to his core. "That's crazy!! I'm not doing this!!"

"If you refuse to participant, I'll kill you myself. You all have no choice, but to duel, if you plan returning home," Xaphoria ordered. "I hope you all give it your all. And considering the fact that your lives are on the line, I wouldn't hold back if I were. Now carry on and happy dueling."

Yuko balled his fist. He wasn't going to just listen to Xaphoria. Yuko did want to go home, but he wasn't going to kill anyone to do so. There had to be a way for him to stop Xaphoria. "I have to stop this or else my friends could die."

Yuko's Mark of Unity glowed and he immediately sensed what it was telling him. He looked at the destroyed temple at the top of the mountain in the distance.

"Alright Xaphoria, let's see what you're up to."

*****

Tammi returned to the hospital wiping tears from her eyes. She didn't find anything that could've been used a clue to help her find where her friends vanished to.

She felt helpless that she had to witness Xaphoria's stunt through a television screen. Tammi just didn't want to leave Koji alone. Now she was conflicted with sadness and confusion.

Tammi opened the door to Koji's hospital room and her eyes widened.

"Oh hey Tammi! How's it going?" Koji welcomed as he was about to start devouring his second bowl of rice.

"You're awake!" Tammi cheered as she hugged him.

"Ow ow ow!! Still in pain here!" Koji shouted. Tammi let go and smiled.

"Sorry. It's just good to see that you're okay. You were out for a long time."

Koji laughed. "Yeah the doctor told me what happened. Things got a little wild out there. Your brother sure does have a temper, but I'm all good now." He noticed Tammi starting to cry. "Sorry! Did I say something wrong?"

Tammi struggled to form her words. "W-while you were out, Yusuke was dueling Ichitawa and he was about to win but," Her voice failed.

"It's okay Tam. What happened?"

"A guy named Xaphoria appeared and now...Yuko, Kenji, and everyone else.....they're....gone," Tammi finally let out.

Koji was shocked. He dropped his bowl of rice and tried to grasp what Tammi just told him. "Y-Yuko's gone? Where did he go?"

Tammi shooked her head. "I don't know. There was a flash of light and then they were gone. I tried to see what happened, but I couldn't find anything. I...I don't know what's going on!!"

Koji couldn't register the news in his mind. His best friend and his new friends are missing. He just woke up and things have gone out of hand. "You think this has something to do with what happened over the summer?"

"It has to."

"Then let's go get to the bottom of it!" Koji tried to get out of bed, but his body was still in pain. He winced.

"Take it easy Koji! You're still hurt!" Tammi said.

"No! Our friends are missing! I don't know who this Xaphoria guy is, but I'm not going to let him hurt Yuko or anybody else!

"But how are we supposed to help?" Tammi brought up with a weak voice. "We don't even know where they are. I want to find them too, but we don't know where to start!"

"So you're saying we should just sit here and wait for them to come back?!" Koji hated the idea.

"You're still weak so what can you do? I'm just saying there's nothing we can do right now! I hate sitting here too, but this is Yuko and Kenji we're talking about. Plus Benta, Yusuke, and the others. I know they can get through this and come back home."

Koji didn't want to wait around, but Tammi had a point. "Alright. I hope they'll be okay...."

Tammi sighed. "I do too."

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