Dark Mist exited the Key. His spellcaster partner, Yuri, and Yuma looked at him with hopeful and expectant eyes. Dark Mist, however, just shook his head. "He didn't know how Shing felt. He couldn't pinpoint who she loved most."

Yuma smacked his knee in frustration. "Dang it! I thought he would know. I mean, every time we approached Shing, he would sorta bristle."

Astral and Dark Mist shared a glance. The same thought was running through their heads. Either Yuma's dueling partner was sensing darkness from Shing, or he didn't like how she felt toward the boy. It could have been either one, and there was no way to be absolutely sure. Astral broke eye contact with Dark Mist and faced Yuma again.

"He would bristle?"

"Yeah. Like he didn't like her aura or something. He reacted the same way with Kaito once and from Number 96's card. I just assumed that he could feel some kind of darkness from her or something."

"Did he seem overly aggressive or just disturbed?" Dark Mist asked.

Yuma thought on it. "Now that I think of it, he reacted the same as when he was forced to duel alongside Black Mist. He was kinda aggressive and a little possessive. Though, when we were dueling, he also had an urgent feeling."

Once again, that could mean that either Astral didn't like Shing's desires toward the boy, or he could have felt some kind of darkness from her. It was difficult to tell, which frustrated Astral and Dark Mist greatly.

Yuri spoke up. "Was it the same reaction between Shing and Black Mist?"

"Come to think of it, no." Yuma thought for a moment. "When we encountered Shing, he acted more possessive. I didn't think it meant anything. Does it mean anything?"

"It means Astral may be lying."

Yuma suddenly shot up. "What do you mean? He wouldn't lie about something like that!"

"Wouldn't he? If Shing had any interest in you, he wouldn't want you to die because you two are close friends."

Would he actually do that? Astral wasn't one to lie often. Yuma wasn't even sure Astral knew what a lie was! Then again, one didn't need to know what a lie was to tell one.

But maybe he had a reasonable cause to lie if he did!

And what cause would that be? He knows the consequences of letting Shing do whatever she wants. He's not stupid. Any reason he could have come up with would be overshadowed by the outcome of returning Shing back home.

"I'm going to ask him myself," Yuma declared. "He's always blunt with me. If his answer changes, then we know he lied."

"What if his answer stays the same?" Dark Mist asked. 

"Then I'll know if he's telling the truth or lying. I've spent a lot of time with him. I'll know."

"Get going, then," Yuri said. "We'll wait here."

The boy nodded and set the Key down on the floor. With a touch, he was inside the world of the Emperor's Key, and better yet, he was on one of the gears of the ship. It saved him the time it would have taken to find and travel to the ship.

Yuma didn't bother calling out. Usually, Astral was found at the Number Wall, trying to get more information out of the Numbers. That was where Yuma went, and he found his friend doing the same thing as usual with Dark hanging back and laying on a gear, seeming to be bored out of his mind. Dark turned to Yuma and scowled at him. It wasn't unusual, but there was something about his frown that seemed to accuse Yuma of something. The boy ignored it.

"Astral," he called.

Astral opened his eyes and looked at Yuma. "Yuma?" he gasped. "What are you doing here? I thought you were looking for Shing."

"Sit down. I need to talk to you."

The both of them sat down in front of the Number Wall. Dark joined them, but he remained unusually silent. He would normally be spitting accusations at Yuma if he had something on his mind, but he wasn't.

"What do you need to talk about?" Astral asked.

"What did you feel from Shing?"

The Astral Being flinched, not used to this kind of tone from his friend. He relaxed quickly, but Yuma didn't miss his reaction. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean, Astral. You told Dark Mist that you don't remember what you felt from her, and I want to know if you actually meant it."

"You think I would lie?"

"I'm hoping you didn't because I know you're smarter than that."

Astral looked back to the Number Wall and didn't say anything. Yuma was surprisingly expecting this reaction. He sighed. "Why did you lie?"

"Would you sacrifice someone close to you, Yuma? If your sister were the key to ending something, would you allow it?"

"Astral, you know I wouldn't, but I'd also find a way of ending that thing without anyone dying."

Astral turned back to Yuma with an intense stare. "This curse that Shing put herself in cannot be solved any other way. A sacrifice is the only solution, and that sacrifice cannot be anyone but you! There is no alternative. We...we have to accept that..."

The defeat in Astral's voice was enough to stop Yuma from arguing even though he wanted to find another way. He tried to think of something anyway, but no solution came up. He stood up with a sigh.

"Then I'll do it," Yuma declared.

Astral looked like he'd been slapped in the face. He physically flinched. "Why? She caused you nothing but hurt."

"That's what Dark's thinking. You know that this has to be done."

Dark suddenly stood up. "I think you should go before you make Astral too upset." He was glaring intensely, and in the corners of the gears and in the crevices of the Numbers, tendrils were emerging. "He's not rational when he's upset."

"You can't protect him from things like these, Dark! He has to face things head on!"

"Fine..." Astral spoke up. Both Dark and Yuma looked down at him. "Go do what you need."

Dark started to protest. "But Astral, she-"

"Needs to be stopped," Astral finished. "And if this is the only way to stop it, fine."

Yuma sat beside his best friend and hugged him. Astral buried his face in the boy's neck, tears already forming. He knew this was their last time together. He just wished it was later rather than now. "Don't cry, Astral," he said. "Be strong, okay?"

"I'll miss you..."

"I know. Take care." With one last squeeze, Yuma exited the Key.

~.~.~

Yuri came back upstairs after helping Akari with the chores. She insisted that he needed to at least help around if he was going to stay. When he returned, he noticed the Key shining.

"Just in time," Dark Mist said. "I think they resolved it."

"Or not," Yuri countered, but he settled himself down and waited.

Yuma emerged. "He was lying the first time," he announced. "But he told me the truth. I have to go."

Astral spoke up. "Are you sure? This is at the cost of your own life."

"Yeah, I'm sure." He looked at the three of them. "And I'd rather you not tell anyone until it's done. I don't want my friends stopping me. Shing needs to be stopped before she gets rid of everyone."

"Then you need to touch her heart," the spellcaster resumed. "Make sure she doesn't run off before you can get near. Chances are she won't want to touch you herself."

"Got it." 

Yuma went downstairs, hugged Akari and Haru and told them that he was going out with some friends, and exited the house, knowing that this was the last time he would go out of his house. His hand instinctively reached for the Key that was usually around his neck only to find nothing. He shook his head and headed to the park, knowing that Shing was there.