Soul of the Dragon

Chapter 45: The Binding

A small boy on a monitor protested plainly as wires and machines tapped into his abilities. He played a card on his duel disk and destroyed a small cement pillar in front of him with a fireball. Next up, he was surrounded by electrical currents.

Akiza turned away from the images on the screen. Fish stood nearby for moral support.

"Don't worry," Meena spoke up. "He isn't in any pain. The child is actually creating that force field with his telekinetic abilities. We found his file in the Arcadia building. Apparently Sayer was a master manipulator who had taken duelists with powers like yours, and depending on their strength, they would either stay or disappear."

Could it be true? Akiza grit her teeth. This was hard to take. Was Sayer really doing that to people? Was Misty telling the truth? If he was recruited, that means Misty's brother could be one of the one's that vanished!

"I'm sorry Akiza," Meena apologized and stepped forward. She showed the psychic a file log of all of Arcadia's members and targets. "I know this has to come as a shock after everything you've been through, but it looks like Sayer was one of the bad guys. The true purpose of his Arcadia Movement was to create an army of psychic duelists he could use to try and take over the world. You were just another soldier that he was training for the battlefield to fight. It's all here. He was using you." The screen's display depicted Akiza as only a number, powers, power level, and behavioral tendencies.

Shocked and hurt, the redhead dashed away.

Meena shouted after her. "You can't run away from this, Akiza, we need your help! You have the mark of the dragon and we need you to beat the Dark Signers!"

"I'll talk to her," Fish said and stepped towards Meena. "But first, can I see that for a sec?"

"Uh, sure."

Akiza ran in on Yusei bandaging Lise up, again.

"For God's sake, Lise, you're like a never ending train wreck," Yusei grumbled, but he was smiling.

"Then let Fish fix the train wreck. She has a bit more finesse than you," Lise held up her heavily bandaged left wrist.

"Or maybe you should learn how to do this yourself," Yusei raised an eyebrow and dabbed at Lise's right arm.

"Ow!" Lise scowled and kicked Yusei under the table. "You promised you'd warn me when you used the alcohol!"

"Sorry," Yusei grunted, and switched to water.

"Besides, I know how to do this stuff. You're the one who insists on doing it every time."

"This is the last one," Yusei promised, pressing his thumb to the cut on Lise's cheek. Both their faces gained color. "It's pretty deep."

"Sorry about that," Akiza saw her moment and broke in. She grabbed a chair and seated herself.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Lise assured her as Yusei finished up in silence. "But are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

"Yeah, about that," Akiza related what Meena had recently revealed to her. She lowered her head when Lise looked livid. "I... I can't be mad at Sayer, Lise. He offered me a home when no one else would take me in. So he used me; I guess I used him so I could feel safe. Now he's vanished, and despite what he's done, I'm sad..."

Lise sighed. "You know, I don't understand that, but I can respect it. He gave you what you needed when you needed it most." She smiled. "And as your friend I'll always be here for you if you need it."

Akiza smiled warmly as well. "Thanks."

"There," Yusei said with finality, spreading a fresh bandage on Lise's cheek. "All patched up." He shoved the first aid kit back into Lise's backpack.