Yugioh: The Power of Four

Chapter 9: ZEXAL - PART 2

Everyone gasped as they witnessed Yuto's glowing eyes along with his horrible screams. No one could explain what was happening to the young man. "What the hell?!" Shark said, not understanding what was going on.

"What's wrong with Yuto?! Why are his eyes glowing like that?!" Kotori asked, unsure of what to think. Ruri then ran to Yuto, hoping to get through to him as she held him.

"Yuto! Can you hear me?! It's Ruri, I'm right here! Speak to me Yuto!" It was no use; Yuto was in too much pain to even register her presence. Yuma then turn to Astral.

"Astral, what's happening to him?!" He asked, hoping his friend would have an answer.

"I can feel a great darkness thrashing inside Yuto's consciousness. It is threatening his life. I can only think of one who would be responsible..." Yuma was about to ask who when it hit him.

"Wait, you mean it's...?!" Astral nodded.

"It must be." He replied grimly.

"Yuma! Astral! Please, do something!" Ruri begged desperately as Yuto fell on his back and screamed more.

'Wait, Ruri knows about Astral? And she can see him?' Kotori asked her mind, surprised. She didn't remember Ruri mentioning anything about Astral in their previous discussions. She wondered if Yuto knew as well. Shark and Rio, as well as Gauche and Droite, were just as stumped. Akari had no idea who Astral even was, let alone see him.

"Is there any way to help Yuto?!" Yuma asked. As Astral thought, he noticed something he hadn't before. Ruri's bracelet was blinking yellow while she was holding Yuto. He then looked at the Emperor's Key on Yuma's neck, also faintly blinking gold. With those new details, he came up with a plan. He wasn't sure if it would work, but he had to try it.

"I have an idea! Yuma, Ruri, you both hold Yuto down! I'll do the rest!" Astral instructed. At once, both the young boy and older girl firmly held their friend on his back and tried to keep him as still as possible.

Astral then placed both his hands on the thrashing Yuto's chest, right over his heart. He then closed his eyes and began to concentrate. He used his own power to draw on the pure energies from Yuma's Key and Ruri's bracelet, both of which began to glow brighter. Their bright glows began to cover Yuto, who seemed to be trying to resist as he struggled more violently.

"Yuto, please hang on!" Ruri said as the unknown process continued.

"What are you doing Astral?" Yuma asked.

"I am attempting to free Yuto from the darkness harming him. Keep holding on." Astral then focused harder now as the darkness started to fight back. 'You are a powerful force, Zarc. However, in your weakened, separated state... you can't hope to prevail against someone like me!' Astral thought confidently. As the seconds passed, everyone saw something else that made their jaws drop.

Using the combined pure energies from his friends, Astral began pulling a dark form out from Yuto's body. At first, it was indiscernible, formless. Yuto's screaming intensified. Several seconds later, when the darkness was pulled out completely above everyone, it took the form of a huge dark dragon with dark blue eyes... the same glowing eyes Yuto had.

"What is that?!" Rio grabbed her brother's arm very tightly upon seeing the beast.

"I have no idea." Shark replied. That dark dragon was now contained in a golden sphere, formed by Astral's now outstretched hands.

"By the power of the Astral World, you are... no more!" Astral declared as he clapped his hands loudly. When he did, the gold sphere shined bright and the imprisoned dark dragon roared in pain and defiance. When the dragon was completely obscured by the light, both sphere and dragon exploded in a shower of light specks. At the same time, Yuto's screams had finally ended and his eyes stopped glowing, returning to normal. The poor boy then passed out, exhausted from the ordeal he had just suffered. Everything was silent now. No one said a word for a very long moment.