"No matter what you do to me you'll never stop me from saving Astral!" Dark Mist shouts at Dark.

"You'll never get him back and I'll make sure of it." Dark says, his voice dropping with malicious intent.

Within Astral is slowly coming to in his subconscious. His limbs are being held against some kind wall by an unseen force. He's in a dark space void of any light.

"Hello, is there anyone here?" Astral calls out, his voice echoing in the space. But he gets no reply.

"Where am I and how did I get here?" He asks himself and tries to remember what happened before be lost consciousness.

Images flash before his eyes of being encased in crystal, then being shocked painfully with Chaos and Dark's voice echoing in his ears demanding to be let out.

"No Dark Mist! I have to get out of here or he'll get hurt!" Astral says worried for his partner's safety.

But before he can make an attempt to brake free he feels weak and tired.

"I feel so tried." He mumbles out then looks down at his body.

Ever so slowly parts of his body are turning dark blue in color then fading away, along with his energy.

"No... this can't be." Astral says weakly.

The space suddenly erupts with laughter as Dark's voice echoes out,

"I'm so glade you're awake Astral, now I can tell you that the tables have turned. You're fading away into nothing while my power and control over your mind and body grows. Soon you'll be nothing more then a distant memory to me, and I'll be the only one left in this body."

"You won't get away with this Dark, I'll find a way to take back control of what's mine!" Astral yells.

The echoing laugher returns, "I don't see how you plan on stopping me when you barely have the energy to keep your eyes open."

"Where there's a will there's a way Dark."

Dark laughs again, "Tick-tock Astral, the clock is running out of time."

With that the space goes silent again.

"He won't get away with this." Astral whispers and uses every ounce of strength he can spare to try and reach Dark Mist.

While Dark was talking to Astral, Number 96 and Vector challenged Astral and Yuma to a double duel for the Numbers. The duel was heated and close but Yuma and Astral managed to win by the skin of their teeth.

"Dark Mist, Dark Mist, can you hear me?" Astral's voice echos.

Dark Mist glances around the room looking for Astral's voice but doesn't see him, all he sees is Dark.

"Dark Mist please, answer me." Astral begs out, his voice sounding much weaker now.

'Astral, where are you? I can hear you but I can't see you.' Dark Mist says mentally.

"I've been locked away in my subconscious mind by Dark. Listen there's not much time. I'm fading and soon Dark will be the only one left within, with each passing minute my energy is drained away. It's a struggle just to maintain talking to you but you have a chance, a chance to fix this before time runs out. You have to cause some kind of internal shock to switch control between us, once time runs out it will be to late. I'm counting on you Dark Mist, I know you'll save me." Astral's voice fades away and he passes out within. Trying to convince with little energy he has left.

The words "save me" still echo in Dark Mist's mind long after Astral's voice has faced, but he can't afford to get to physically close to Dark to cause an internal shock himself.

"Unless..." A small grin spreads across Dark Mist's face.

"What are you smiling at?" Dark growls at him.

"You and Astral share one fatal flaw Dark." Dark Mist says and makes a clear container with a purple glowing stone appear in his hands.

Dark back away seeming to be afraid of what Dark Mist has in his hands.

"Damn it!" Dark mutters under his breath.

"You and I both know you can't come near this."

"But are you willing to hurt Astral in the process, you know what that will do to him if that comes in contact with his skin don't you?"

"Of course I do, but if I have to hurt him to save him from you then I'm willing to inflict a little pain on him."