"Yeah, I'm fine," Yugi replied. He stood to face Ashleigh. "Have it your way, then." He said, then charged at her, keeping a shield of his own aura around him.

You're not alone, Ashleigh! He thought as he ran towards her.

---

'All right, then.' Kaimiri replied as he hand Kaiba traded blows. "You've gotten quite a bit of control over your power since our last meeting."

"Glad you noticed," Kaiba replied coldly. "Allow to show you a handy little trick I learned." With that he let his rage fuel his power, using it to shape his aura into twin katana. He charged at Kaimiri, swords drawn.

---

"Aki!" Jack and Aoi shouted in unison. A familiar voice chuckled from the shadows.

"Looks like you're finally getting the guts to face me in person." Yusei said, holding Aki close to him. "And it even appears that you got this one out of her little prison. I'm rather impressed."

"You..." Jack growled. The ring of steel rang through the air. Aoi had drawn her sword.

"Let her go, Yusei." She said firmly.

Yusei laughed. "Not happening," he said. He snapped. "I brought some...friends for you guys." Several figures stepped out of the shadows, one for each of the Signers to face. And each one had the Seal of Orechalcos glowing on their foreheads. "And before you try and get out of here, I've made sure these guys have their Seals activated." He smirked. "Even if you do leave her alive, you won't have your souls. You'll be as good as dead."

"Let me go" Aki demanded, and began to struggle out of Yusei's grip.

---

When Yugi was in view for a tackle, Ashleigh flew up.
"Yugi, summon your angel wings" Ruby yelled, "that way you are always at her level."

"But how do I do that?" Yugi asked. "The last time I managed it was a fluke!"

---

Kamiri dodged the stab that Kaiba was aiming at him, only to be caught bye a dual slice. "Agh!" He shouted, as the wounds not only bled but also burned. "What the hell?!"

"Last time I checked your main weakness was light," Kaiba said. "Fittingly enough, that's my power's alignment." He situated himself in one of the ancient martial arts stances, from Egypt. "Come at me, Kaimiri. I can take you on, no problem."

Kaimiri snarled. "As you wish, worm." He said, then sent a ball of shadow fire at Kaiba. He threw up a shield, but not in time to avoid all of the flames.

"GYAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!" He screamed in pain as the flames seared along his right side, sending him to one knee.

---

"No can do, Aki." Yusei replied, gripping the girl tighter. "You see, I'm about to show you how weak you and your 'friends' are."

"You..." Aoi growled, holding her sword at the ready. The group of Orechalcos users were advancing.

"So, any hints on how to get out of this?" Crow asked.

"Looks like our only way will be to fight our way out." Kiryu replied. Aoi turned to him.

"You think you can handle two of these goons?" She asked.

Kiryu nodded hesitantly. "What're you trying?" He asked.

"I'm going after Yusei." Aoi replied. She held up her right arm. The Dragon's Head mark was glowing. "At least, that's what I think this mark is telling me to do."

"Aoi! Hurry!" Aki cried out.

---

"It wasn't a fluke. You already know how to do it" Ruby yelled, "the light always contradict the dark!"

I have every intention to, Aoi thought as she started towards Aki.

"Not so fast," One of the Orechalcos goons said. "You're not going anywhere."

"Bite me." Aoi said, drawing her sword along the man, up and accross him. He froze in surprise before he collapsed, the blood staining his clothes. It won't be fatal...but it will put him out of commission. She thought.

Yusei smirked as he saw Aoi approaching. "You do realize that using that sword against me will harm Aki, right?" He asked.

"Oh, I beg the differ." Aoi said. In a flash she was behind Yusei, her sword at his back. "And I can easily enough get you to let her go, one way or another."

Yusei released Aki. "You and me then," he said. He formed a sword of his own by hardening his aura. "A one-on-one duel it is then."

---

Be nice if I could remember how, Yugi thought, but he didn't voice it. He closed his eyes and delved deep to find the angelic power in him. Where is it...?

Ruby noticed a whitish glow on Yugi.
"That's it! Keep going!" she yelled.

Yugi delved deeper and deeper, allowing the whitish glow to mix with the emerald of his aura. Shortly after, a pair of snow-white angel wings unfurled from the glow. He took to the air, at the same level as Ashleigh. "We're on the same playing field now, Ashleigh." He said. He let a trickle of power to color his aura and fill the air with a pine scent.

---

"On your knees already?" Kaimiri asked. "I thought you'd have more power than that."

"Oh, I do." Kaiba replied, panting. "I'm nowhere near done." With that he let one of the swords disperse into mist as he drew the Rod. The familiar Wadjet eye appeared on his forehead as he released the magic.

---

"Aki," Aoi said to the girl. "Get down there and help out the guys. This is between me and Yusei, and I don't want you caught in the crossfire."

Aki didn't respond. Yusei squeezed her too much that she was knocked out cold.

---

"Alright then, show me what you got angel boy" Ashleigh sneered and a triple layered shied was set up around her.

"Aki?" Aoi asked. She looked to the girl and saw that she was passed out. "Damn."

"Too slow." Yusei said. He slashed his sword at her. Aoi blocked at the last minute.

---

Triple layered; that's going to be tricky. Yugi thought. Plus a fairy's power is different from that of a mage like me...

"If you want," Yugi said, allowing a ball of power to form in his palm. As it grew bigger it dripped from his palm in large globules. As it hit the ground at the bottom, thick vines and tree trunks grew up from it. By the time Yugi cut off the dripping power, he had encased himself and Ashleigh in a chamber surrounded by the vines and trunks.

"Now we'll be undisturbed in here. And I've made them impervious to all magic but mine. You won't be able to break out." he said.

"Curses" Ashleigh said and blasted Yugi, who just deflect the attack and hit it to one of the walls. The vines absorbed the attack. Before Ashleigh can do anything else, Yugi successfully tackled her into one of the trees. Some vines held her into place.

"Now, to wake you up." Yugi said. He placed his hand on her forehead, closed his eyes, and sent himself into her soul room.

---

Kiryu blocked the attack. Damn, he thought as he dodged and blocked. These guys are worse than the Dark Singers. He summoned his power, igniting his ice-blue aura, and slammed his hand to the ground. Ice trailed from his fingers to the feet of his attacker, quickly climbing up to his chest. "Whu--?"

"I'm not going to kill you," Kiryu said. "Just leave you there so that you can stop being a pain."

"You little--AGH!" The Orechalcos user shouted as he raised his arms to cast a spell. Kiryu simply added more power to the spell and froze the goon's arms into place so that he couldn't use his spell.

"Again, there you can stop being a pain." Kiryu said, moving on to help Crow, who was facing down two of the spellcasters at once.

---

Kaimiri was surprised at Kaiba's speed. He's faster than before. He thought. He truely has done a full release.

It wasn't long before Kaiba was close-in. He had his hands in the form for a spell that Kaimiri knew all too well. "You idiot! You do realize what will happen if you release that spell this close?!" He said in disbelief. "It's supposed to be used at long-range!"

"True. But also, the greater the range, the less power this particular spell has when it hits its target." Kaiba replied. "I'm going to make sure this blow does the damage, Kaimiri. And at this range, you can't block or counterattack."

He's suicidal, Kaimiri thought.

---

Aoi was drawing Yusei away from Aki and the others by staying just out of his reach. "Enough of the dodging, girl!" he said, irritated. "You're a warrior, aren't you? Then stand and fight!"

Once Aoi was sure they were far enough way--the sounds of the battle were in the distance now, and neither could see what was going on--she stopped and took up the basic kendo stance. "Gladly." She replied. "Bring it."

When Yugi reached Ashleigh's soul room, he got a huge shock. Everything was tainted red. And there, on one of the walls, his wife was pinned. Black crystal was quickly covering her body, her eyes as black as can be. She didn't say anything.

"Ashleigh!" Yugi shouted. He ran to his wife. Her limbs were already covered in the black crystal, and it was making its way along the rest of her body.

Yugi ran forward, so that he was facing his wife. "No...." he whispered. He placed a hand on her cheek. It was cold to the touch. "I can't believe this..." He shook his head, holding back the tears coming to his eyes. He moved his hand from her cheek to her heart. "I'l get you out of this," he said, allowing his power to flow into her. "Believe me, please."

---

"Guys, get behind me." Jack said. Crow and Kiryu paused.

"Are you serious?!" Crow asked. Those guys will clobber you!"

"Crow, just do what I say instead of being a pain in the ass." Jack snapped. His aura ignited, pulsing orange and sending off a citrus scent. "I'm going to try something."

"Try what?" Crow asked. Kiryu answered for him.

"Jack! You don't have the practice yet!" Kiryu shouted. "You don't have the skill to summon your ka!"

"Well if I don't then we're all dead!" Jack replied hotly. "Now shut up and get behind me. And put a shield up around yourselves and Aki in case anything goes wrong."

Kiryu and Crow nodded, doing as Jack said. "I hope he knows what he's doing," Crow said.

"You and me both." Kiryu replied.

---

Kaiba gathered his power in his palms. "God of destruction, guide my power." He said in ancient Egyptian. He didn't know how he knew the language; he just did. "SHAKAHOU!" He shouted the final word, which released the power pooled in his hands.

The golden power exploded outwards. Kaimiri screamed as he got hit with the full force of the blast, but Kaiba didn't come out unscathed.

He let out a yell of his own as his right arm was rent from his shoulder, destroyed in the blast.

A stream of tears fell from Ashleigh's eyes and landed on Yugi, letting him know that there is a way to get through this but there might be some damage caused to her.

"I know, Ashleigh, I know..." Yugi whispered. He reached out with his soul, in an attempt to break her of this spell.

Instead, the crystal's grown was accelerated. Before he could pull away, the black crystal was over Ashleigh's chest and making its way up Yugi's arm. "No..." He said in disbelief. He tried using his power to dispel the crystal, but only succeeded in hurting himself. "Noooo!"

---

Kaiba stumbled to the wall, his left hand holding the bleeding stump of what was left of his arm. Kaimiri lay on the ground, his pitch-black blood pooling around him. "There...you bastard...." he panted. "I told you...that I...would make you pay...." He slid down the wall. He smiled weakly. "Consider that your payment."

Not long after his vision went blurry, and he passed out.

---

Jack closed his eyes and concentrated deep within him. It's now or never. He thought. I have to summon my ka, practice or not.

As he concentrated, the mark on his arm glowed brighter. As did his Red Dragon Archfiend card. His aura blazed orange, the scent becoming stronger. "I summon you, my ka." He said, eyes still closed. His aura was taking the form of a dragon. Jack's eyes flew open. "Red Dragon Archfiend!"

The dragon in question at last took shape, and roared mightily as his master summoned him for the first time. The Signer dragon was the true form of Jack's soul. "Destroy these fools!" He ordered his ka. "Show them why Jack Atlas is called the King!"

The dragon obeyed, letting loose it's fury on the Orechalcos users.

---

Aoi parried, struck out, which was where she was blocked again. She lept backwards and came at Yusei with another strike, only to be matched again. I can't let the s fight draw out, she thought. No matter how good I may be at kendo, Yusei's matching me move for move. I've got to end this!

It was just then that Yusei hesitated. Aoi's blade sliced through his shoulder. Yusei yelled and went to his knees. Aoi advanced, before she hesitated as well. He's...not seeing this room. she thought, seeing the distant look in his eyes.

---

"You..." the entity snarled. A spiderweb of cracks was in the crystal, eminating from Yusei's heart. Chunks of the black crystal fell away, revealing the purple underneath. "How are you managing to fight?"

More of the black fell away, and now the purple was chipping as well. The insolent little--GAGH!!! The entity cried out as it was hit by a jolt of power.

I'm taking my body back now, you freak! Yusei shouted. You've caused enough trouble!

"Use your angel powers Yugi a voice run through Yugi's head over and over again. Yugi turned around but no-one but a ball of light was there.
"Use your angel powers Yugi" it said again.

"What are you doing?!" The entity demanded. Its attempts to re-form the crystal were failing, and more of the black fell away. It watched as the last of the black fell away, revealing the splintering violet. "You shouldn't be able to fight!"

You're wrong, Yusei replied. I'm figthing now, and I'm taking my life back!

"No...you won't." The entity said. "You won't! I---"

"I WON'T LET YOU!!!" Yusei shouted out loud. He was up from the ground in a flash, and fighting Aoi again with all his strength. He was fighting two battles now; one in reality, and one in his mind as his soul fought for freedom.

I'm taking my body back and there's nothing tha'll stop me this time, not even death.

"Not if I kill this girl."

Aoi didn't even flinch as Yusei opened a gash on her upper arm.

I won't let that happen. The violet crystal cracked even more, the largest chunk so far falling to the ground.

The sword was flung out of Yusei's hand.

I'm going to let Aoi do this. I don't care if it kills me! Yet more fell to the ground. Life returned to Yusei's eyes.

Aoi darted forward, her sword extended for a skii (stab).

Yet more fell to the ground, before the rest of it shattered as--

Aoi's sword impaled Yusei through the stomach. His eyes were no longer tinted red; they were all the deep, navy blue of his aura. "Th-thank....you...." He whispered.

Tears streamed down Aoi's face. "...why?" she whispered. She cold feel Yusei's blood running down the hilt of her katana, onto the handle, and over her hands. She pulled the blade out, letting Yusei fall to the ground.

---

'I...I'm trying...' Yugi replied. The crystal was now all around his arm, and up to his waist. And rising. 'I...'

His voice faded away as he was encased as well.

---

Kiryu and Crow let their shields fall when the dragon was done. All that was left of the attackers was charred ash. "...damn, Jack..." Crow muttered in shock.

"Crow, she's coming to." Kiryu said, kneeling beside Aki.

Suddenly, there was a crack and the crystal began to break on Yugi. He fell on the ground.
"Keep digging deeper" the voice said.

---

Ruby made it just in time as Yusei fell.
"I can revive him. His spirit is still untacked" she said and did exactly the same thing she did to Yugi but with more power.

Yugi knelt ont he ground, panting. By now, all but an eye was covered by the crystal. "I...can try..." He said, closing his eyes again. He delved as deep as he could, to find that power to free Ashleigh.

---

"You can't!" Aoi shouted. "He's got to heal on his own; that's the only way that he'll be able to recover is if he heals without any magic!" She could see that he was still breathing, meaning that he was alive. She pulled her uniform jacket off and used it to stem the flow of blood as best she could. "If you use any magic...it could bring that thing back...and then we'd never get Yusei back."

Ruby looked at Aoi.
"This isn't magic Aoi. This is a power that all angels have. I'm well aware that magic is not allowed, but if I leave him with a fatal, you can kiss Yusei goodbye" she said.

---

"Yugi! Yugi! Where are you? It's so cold" said another voice, "It's so dark too."

"Then how does it work, if it isn't magic?" Aoi asked.

---

'It's me, Ashleigh. It's me, Yugi replied, casting her a line of power as a lifeline. 'I'm getting you out of this. Just trust me, please.'

"It's kind of CPR. I'm just reviving him, making his heart pump again. Unless someone wants the wounds to heal, we don't heal wounds and let them heal properly" Ruby explained.

---

"It's so cold, so cold" Ashleigh cried.

"I see," Aoi said. "Do it. We can't lose him now..."

---

"I'm coming Ashleigh," Yugi said. He closed his eyes and delved deeper yet, down to where Ashleigh was trapped.

Ruby concentrated hard until Yusei gasped. Then she placed a plastic spider (Daddy Long Legs) on his nose.
"This will show us two things. 1st, see if Yusei is revived properly, and second, Yusei screaming waking Aki up" she said.

---

"It's so cold that I can't hold out much longer. Yugi, where are you?" Ashleigh's voice echoed.

"I'm here," Yugi said, finding himself deep in Ashleigh's heart. Everything was in shadow, and there was clearly a sheen of ice on the floor. His breath misted in front of his face. He rubbed his arms to stay warm. "I can't see you! Ashleigh, where are you?"

---

"Why do I think this is a bad idea?" Aoi said as Yusei's eyelids fluttered. She stayed on standby, just in case something went wrong.

Yusei groaned. "What's on..." He asked hoarsly, weakly. That's when he realized what was on his nose. "HOSHIT!!!!" He yelled, then realized it was plastic. "You....ass...." He then went into a fit of coughing, which brought up a small bit of blood.

"Take it easy," Aoi told him. "You....I....you...."

"I know," Yusei whispered. "But...the spider, really?"

Aoi gave Ruby a pointed glare.