Téa had put an end to the duel without declaring any winner. The duel was simply a distraction anyway, Gauntlez wasn't interested in anything the pharaoh could offer. He could sense the sorceress's determination. Her downfall would be even sweeter. Téa was aware of the ring Gauntlez used the last time. Téa had to get rid of it first before using the mirror. Otherwise, the artefact would be destroyed like last time.
"Your boyfriend was stalling for time, so did you succeed?" Téa wasn't going to take the bite.
"You'll see," was Téa's answer.
Atem had to step back and leave this fight to Téa. No matter how strongly Atem wished to help, Téa had to face her own battles. Moreover, Téa was different, she was stronger and more confident. The girl who dreamt of becoming a dancer had grown up and Atem was proud of her.
"First, I don't want your boyfriend interfering, so I deeply apologise for the inconvenience your majesty," Gauntlez said in amusement before creating a spell.
His magic went Atem's way, entrapping him in a dark enchanted web. Atem was unable to move and interfere even if he wanted to. Téa hated to see Atem trapped and immediately moved in his way but Atem shook his head.
"No, don't." Atem refused her help. Téa had to focus on their enemy, not him. With his peripheral vision, Atem noticed Gauntlez was preparing to attack. "Téa, watch out!" Atem warned her.
Gauntlez attacked first sending a blast at Téa. Téa jumped out of the way quickly avoiding the contact. The blast exploded on the ground, away from Téa. In order to beat him, Téa had to rely on her own magic. Calling on the necklace's powers, she skipped a few paces emerging in different places. The necklace was a tool to travel not only in time but in space too after all. Téa tried to approach Gauntlez but he was too fast and predicted her every move. Getting the ring out of him would prove to be a harder task than Téa anticipated.
"Do you know what kind of magic I have stolen during the ages?" Gauntlez asked her all of a sudden.
"One that doesn't belong to you for sure," Téa replied boldly.
"Nice try but why don't I demonstrate you?" Téa was confused.
Next time Téa emerged somewhere else, Gauntlez used his powers on the ground itself. Téa was pulled towards it and couldn't move. What was happening and why was Téa stuck to the ground?
"What's going on?" Téa asked in alarm.
"Earth magic, your jumps in time came to a halt." So, Gauntlez possessed elemental magic too.
Téa cursed under her breath trying to find a way to free herself. Then it dawned on her, just when Gauntlez jumped at her Téa extended her hands at the ground bringing back the time reversing what it was a few moments ago.
"Nice try," Téa mocked him when she was away.
"Very well, we'll try something else." By that, he meant the hand that extended from the ground itself.
The hand tried to get hold of her wherever she went. Damn him and all his stolen magic. Nothing of this belonged to him, Gauntlez and the others were like any other thieves. Once again, Téa used her powers to freeze the ground in time and stop it.
"You come from pure light, right?" His question confused Téa. "Let's see how you'll cope into eternal darkness."
The real element Gauntlez and the others possessed were the powers of darkness. They were the complete opposite of the princess and Téa too. Gauntlez used his own abilities to create a fog of darkness engulfing Téa. The darkness would soon drain her energy, it would feed slowly on her pure lightness.
"No, please..." Téa whispered to herself holding onto her necklace.
Téa couldn't teleport anywhere as she had no visuals of her surroundings, Téa was trapped. Téa needed another way out of this. A tiny ray was coming out of her back and Téa realised there was something that could help her. The mirror absorbed energy, so it would dissolve the shadows. Téa took out the mirror letting feel her wish.
"Mirror in my hand, help me find my way in these shades," Téa called upon the spell.
The item took it all in itself, feeding on pure power. With a triumphant shout, Téa raised to her feet. Gauntlez's expression was priceless. He was getting truly angry and the time for games would be over.
"Damn sorceress!" Gauntlez shouted angrily sending wild blasts at her.
Now that Téa had her liberty to move, Téa dodged them all. Téa had to get hold of this ring and stop him. The mirror had taken a chunk of his power which was good. Téa had a plan on how to do it but she needed perfect timing in order to execute it. Glancing at Atem, Téa noticed he had progressed with his cage. Good, Atem was coping on his own so Téa could focus elsewhere.
Téa had a plan but it was risky. Téa had used her powers to stop or prevent his, but it was time to take a risk and use them on him. Téa jumped again approaching him in disguise. Just when the time was right, Téa froze it. Swiftly, Téa reached in Gauntlez's pocket searching for the ring. When Téa found it, she let a triumphant shout. All of sudden, Gauntlez moved and grabbed her hand. Téa screamed in confusion and panic. How did he make it?
"I told you sorceress; you can't escape me." Téa hurriedly tried to escape and frantically searched for the mirror.
"Let go of me!" Téa shouted angrily.
Without losing his grip for a second, Gauntlez grabbed Téa's throat painfully. Gauntlez glanced downwards at her neck. The pendant rested on her chest. Finally, his long-awaited goal was about to come true. Before Téa could use the mirror, Gauntlez got hold of the pendant. Téa was fighting for air in her lungs but she felt when something deep in her stirred. The power Téa was born with was all being taken from her. Téa let out a weak scream in pain.
"Yes, all the power of time is mine!" Gauntlez shouted in triumph.
Everything was leaving Téa, every bit of energy was gone. The pendant turned fully dark and Téa fell to her knees. Gauntlez let go of her now that she was useless to him. All he had pursued for centuries was now his.
"Now the world will bow before me!" Gauntlez laughed gleefully.
In his glee, Gauntlez noticed the helpless figure of once the so very powerful sorceress of time. The sole successor of the ancient princess was nothing but a weakling. Gauntlez kneeled next to her, taking her chin in his grip.
"Look at the so powerful sorceress of time now, nothing but a loser. You are nothing like the princess, I always knew it." Téa had no reply or reaction to his bullying.
Gauntlez let Téa fall back rudely on the ground. Gauntlez used his power to begin with his plan. Once in ancient times, Gauntlez belonged to a powerful family of sorcerers. They had it all, but one fault of his father caused them all to perish. They had the favours of the emperor of Persia using their power however they pleased until the day it all fell apart. Now, it was time for some long-awaited payback. The whole world would suffer under his rule. Before leaving, Gauntlez decided to set the pharaoh free. He could enjoy the empty shell on the ground.
Téa was so weak, never in all their adventures had she been hurt so intensely. Not even in the duels where it was all real and whenever their monsters were destroyed, they felt it too. This loss was different. Something vital had been taken from Téa, something she had never realised how big a part of her it had been.
Atem was free from his prison and he noticed the lying form of Téa. Immediately, Atem ran towards her, different scenarios crossing his mind. There was no trace of Gauntlez and Atem was afraid the worst might have happened. Atem kneeled next to his lover, taking Téa gently in his arms.
"Téa, Téa please wake up." Slowly Téa lifted her lids noticing Atem's face.
"Atem..." Téa mumbled weakly.
"What happened my love?" Téa managed to sit with Atem's support.
It was all coming to her in retrospection. The one thing Teana warned her to protect in all cases Téa had managed to lose. Gauntlez wanted to control the world and he had all the means to do it. Téa had let him take her power, like a fool she had fallen in his trap. Suddenly, Téa burst into tears.
"Atem... I lost it all." Téa sobbed in his arms.
"Shh..." Atem comforted her, caressing Téa's hair carefully.
What Atem was afraid of had happened. That was really bad if Gauntlez had Téa's magic, he could do anything he wanted and change the past and present as he wished. Téa's eyes finally dried out and her sobs came to a halt.
"I'm an idiot, I let him take it all so foolishly. Instead of stopping him, I lost it all." Téa wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.
Everything Téa was supposed to protect was lost. Téa could tell immediately she was totally drained. Where once was flowing with power, now it was a dried spring. The worst part was it was all her fault.
"I have nothing left," Téa announced sadly glancing at her necklace for the first time. The sand had turned completely black.
"Do you still have the mirror?" Atem asked hopefully.
Téa took it out but it was as dead as the necklace around her neck. Téa had no magic to waken it up then it dawned on her. She could not travel anywhere not even see Teana. Probably the princess knew what had happened but still if only Téa could ask for advice... Teana was so much more than Téa could ever be. How could Téa fix the mess she created herself?
"I don't know what I'm going to do Atem, I let everyone down." Téa had never felt so helpless.
"We have saved the world before; we'll do it again. Just don't lose hope, Téa." Atem wanted to motivate her and give her hope.
Suddenly, the sky changed. It turned into a darker evil shade. Gauntlez had gone in the past, he had changed something. Teana had warned her about this, changing past events was dangerous. Téa could only guess what Gauntlez had wanted to change. The wind transformed into a hurricane into the sky getting stronger and stronger.
"We have to find him and stop him; I might have no magic, but I have to try. I took the ring from him and if I manage to wake up the mirror somehow... we might have a chance," Téa spoke over the noise.
The glass was as dark and lacking reflection as the necklace around her neck. They had beaten the odds before and as Atem said, they would do it again. Téa was weak but her will kept her standing. Somewhere out there was Gauntlez creating chaos in the world. It was Téa's duty to stop him.
Téa and Atem left the beach going in the way of the city. Gauntlez was for sure in the heart of Domino, wanting to get as much attention as possible. On their way, they met people screaming and running frantically. In the middle of the chaos was the mage completely overcame by madness.
Gauntlez was back from Ancient Persia. What he had wanted to change for a very long time was his family's doom. First, Gauntlez prevented the whole scandal that destroyed them, completely changing the way of events. Gauntlez killed the emperor himself too; it was about time he did this. Once Gauntlez achieved this, he had to take care of some other tasks. Gauntlez returned to the present, now that history was changed probably it had an impact on all future events like a chain reaction. The weather was worsening, even nature was feeling the change. Their family continued their rule, now that the emperor was taken out of the picture, they had all they needed to rule Persia on the background, taking the strings on the one Gauntlez chose. The son was young and stupid, the perfect puppet. Now, Gauntlez had a whole world to conquer.
Using his power, Gauntlez sent blasts all around Domino showing them who the new ruler was.
"What's happening?" everyone was asking themselves.
A woman screamed when a bolt of lightning almost hit her, missing her by a few inches in front of her. Gauntlez noticed her and his grin grew wider and sinister. The woman noticed the presence approaching her and screamed trying to escape.
"Who... who are you?" the girl asked scared.
"I am the new ruler and you will bow to me." Gauntlez grabbed her by the neck and lifted her, sending her at the opposite building.
The girl fell unconscious on the ground. Other people saw what happened and panicked running like crazy. On the distance, Téa and Atem saw what happened. Gauntlez was terrorising the innocent people. If something weren't by his liking, he could quickly go back and change it. Téa had given him the ultimate weapon. If Téa didn't stop him, this was the fate of the whole world. There was no other option in the matter: Gauntlez had to be stopped.