Here is the first chapter of the rewritten version of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX - The Holy Warriors. It's the same storyline as intended in the previous version, but with less focus on watching everything from Xander's point of view. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 1:

The Next Generation

Year 2014: Duel round 15.

"… What am I supposed to do?" the young brown-haired boy thought to himself. "I've only got a single card left in my hand and I have nothing to protect myself with." He slowly moved his hand towards his deck, preparing to draw, what might be the last card in the duel. "Ok, here goes nothing" he said as he pulled the topmost card out of his Duel-Disk. For a moment he stared at the card, but then he placed it on the Duel-Disk on his left arm. "I play a monster in defense mode and that's all" the boy said, ending his turn. Then his opponent drew a card from his own deck.

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

/Xander: - - - - - Proctor/

/0200 LP - - - - - - -?? LP/

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

"Do you really think that you can protect yourself against my monsters?" the young boy's opponent asked. "Let me give you a clue. You can't. You're going to lose this duel and I'll prove it." The young boy didn't pay him any mind. "Now, I'll tribute my 'Insect Knight' (1900/1000) to Tribute Summon 'Saber Beetle' (2400/600) in Attack Position." As the card was placed on the Duel-Disk, the giant beetle appeared between the two duelists. "Now, if you still don't believe me, you'll be in for a surprise. Saber Beetle! Attack that unknown monster." The giant beetle slowly crawled towards the young boy and stabbed its horn through his monster, destroying it instantly. "You've lost, applicant" the young boy's opponent said.

"But why? My monster took the hit for me" the young boy exclaimed. "As long as I have Life Points left, I will continue fighting."

"But that's the problem. You don't have any Life Points left" his opponent replied bragging. "My Saber Beetle just wiped away the last 200 of them."

"No way!" The young boy shouted angry. "My monster was in Defense Position. I didn't lose any Life Points!"

"Then take a look at your Duel-Disk and see" his opponent said. "Whenever my Saber Beetle attacks a Defense Position monster, the difference between the Saber Beetle's Attack Points and the attacked monster's Defense Points is dealt as battle damage to your Life Points." The boy fell down on his knees, slowly leaning more and more forward, until he had to stretch out his arms, to avoid falling completely. "You've lost, applicant" his opponent said. "Better luck next year."

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

/Xander: - - - - - Proctor/

/0000 LP - - - - - - -?? LP/

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

"I can't believe this" the young boy mumbled. "This was the only duel in my life I could not afford to lose, yet I lost anyway." The young boy tried to get up, when four other boys at the same age came running, helping him get up.

"You alright, Xander?" one of them asked. Xander looked up and wiped away some tears from his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm alright" Xander said. "I'm sorry I lost. I guess this means we won't see each other for the next year." Xander tried to smile, but he just couldn't.

"Don't worry" another of them replied. "You'll just have to get better. I'm sure you can do it."

"Yeah, you'll make it" a third said. "You may still be new at dueling, but you'll make it through next year."

"Thanks, guys" Xander replied. Without saying anything else, he left the building, mumbling. "I'll make it through the Entrance Exam next year. I promise…"

One year later:

A sharp ray of light shone through Xander's window. The boy tossed, trying to hide from the light, but instead he threw himself out of his bed. He landed with a thud and woke. Rubbing his head, he looked at his alarm clock. "WHAT!!" he shouted as he saw the neon-green numbers. "8.15!" Xander despaired. It should have woken him an hour ago. After all, today was the one day he couldn't afford to sleep in on. Today was to important to miss. It was the day when he might finally be reunited with his friends again. Not having the time to shower, Xander dressed immediatly, already wide awake. He was downstairs in less than five minutes and ate a loaf of bread as he tied his shoes.

"You shouldn't have stayed up so long" his mother lectured.

"I know, I know" Xander said, hurrying up. "Thanks for the bread, mom" he said and rushed out the door, Duel-Disk on arm and deck in his belt.

"Good luck" she shouted but Xander was already to far away.

Xander sprinted through the city streets. Everywhere, adults were on their way to work, business meetings or something else. And everywhere, Xander bumbed into someone. "Excuse me, passing through, make way." Xander ran as fast as the mob allowed him to. "I'll never get to the Entrance Exam if this keeps up" he thought. "This crowd is simply to big." He continued but knew he was runnning late already. "If only there was another route..." Then, as to answer his prayers, Xander noticed an alley on the other side. "Maybe I can move faster there?"

Hoping the best, Xander plotted a course for the alley. He entered and turned left, still making his way towards the Exam Halls."Alright" he thought. "There's no one here!" Xander sped up, mobilising every ounce of energy he had. He ran past a series of smaller alleyways, when he finally had to stop to catch his breath. Gasping, he looked at his watch. He still had about 20 minutes. Allowing himself a few minutes to catch his breath, he leaned up against a wall.

"AAARRG!" Xander nearly jumped with surprise when he heard the scream. Looking around, Xander saw no one in the alleys. He looked at his watch again. It had only been a minute, so he still had a little time. Before realising what he was doing, Xander raced through the alleys in direction of the scream. He turned a corner and saw a fainted, young boy. He had a Duel-Disk on his arm but his cards laid scattered around him. On the opposite side of the alley stood a tall man in a strange robe.

"What happened to him?" Xander asked as he dropped down to check on the boy. His puls was weak, but at least he had survived whatever happened.

"He lost a duel" the robed man said.

"Huh?" Xander looked up, holding the boys head in his hands. "This doesn't happen when you lose a duel." In his mind he added: "I know. I've lost countless of times..."

"It does, when you duel against an agent of the T.E." the robed man said omniosly. Xander looked puzzled but the man simply turned to leave.

"Hey, wait a minute, mister!" he yelled. "I'm not leaving before I know who did this. Did you see which way he left?"

"Actually" the man said and stopped. "That would be me."

"Then, I challange you to a duel!" Xander said and stood up, preparing his Duel-Disk.

"Oh, really..." the man said and turned to face Xander. "Despite what happened to that other child, you still wish to duel me?" Without leaving time for Xander to answer, he said: "Well, I accept."

"Alright then" Xander replied. "And since I'm the challenger, it's only fair that you choose you goes first."

"It doesn't matter" the robed man said. "For all that matters, you can go first."

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

/Xander: - - - Robed Guy/

/4000 LP- - - - - 4000 LP/

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

"Fine, then" Xander said, as both duelists drew the first five cards. He had a feeling that this wasn't just an ordinary duel. If the other guy could faint from losing a duel, then he might as well. No matter what, Xander knew he had to be careful. "I draw" he said as picked the card on top of his deck. He looked at it for a moment, before he placed it in his hand. "I'll set a single card face-down and then, I summon my 'Radiant Drake' (1600/1000) in Attack Position." As Xander placed the card on the Duel-Disk, it emitted a holographic projection of the small white dragon with shining orbs on what would seem like its shoulders. "That's all for now."

"Then it's my turn. I draw" the person replied and drew a card. "I'll set a card face-down as well. Then I summon my 'Dark Blade' (1800/1500) in Attack Position." The Duel-Disk emitted a projection of a knight in a pitch-black armor, wielding two longswords. "Now, Dark Blade. Attack his Radiant Drake!" The knight ran towards the dragon and cut it in pieces and Xander's Life Points dropped to 3800.

"Urgh" Xander grunted, as he was hit by the small shockwave, created when his monster was destroyed. "Not bad, but still not good enough either. You see, when you destroyed my Radiant Drake, its effect kicked in."

"What?" the person exclaimed.

"Whenever my Radiant Drake is destroyed in battle, if the monster that destroyed my Drake had either the same or a higher level, you lose Life Points equal to 100 times the level of the attacking monster" Xander explained. "In other words, you lose 400 Life Points." The mysterious person's Life Points dropped to 3600.

"Gah. I end my turn here" the mysterious person said.

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

/Xander: - - - Robed Guy/

/3800 LP - - - - - 3600 LP/

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

"Alright. Let's end this quick, shall we? I draw!" Xander replied as he pulled the topmost card from his deck. "Now tell me. Who are you?" He asked shouting. "And what did you do to that boy."

"I merely imprisoned his soul in the shadows" the robed person said. "Just like I'll imprison you."

"Hmpf. We'll see about that" Xander said angrily. "Now, I summon my 'Bolt Drake' (1400/1700) in attack mode." A yellow dragon with wings made of pure electricity and two yellow orbs on what would seem like its shoulders appeared on the field. "Are you ready?"

"For what?" the person asked. "You can't destroy my Dark Blade with such a weak monster."

"Watch me. Bolt Drake!" Xander said. "Attack and destroy Dark Blade!" The dragon fired bolt of lightning at the knight, who was instantaneously vaporized.

"What happened?" the mysterious person asked. "Where did my monster go?"

"To the graveyard" Xander replied. "Whenever my Bolt Drake attacks a monster with higher attack power, that monster is changed into Defense Position, and it loses Defense Points equal to 100 times its level."

"Gah!" The mysterious person grunted.

"Now, I'll end my turn" Xander said quickly. "And tell me. Who are you?"

"Does that really matter if you're going to be imprisoned in the shadows?" the person said.

"Well, guess we'll just have to see about that" Xander said raising his voice a bit. "Now make your move."

"Okay then. I draw!" the person replied. "And I'll activate my Spell Card, 'Premature Burial'. By paying 800 Life Points, I can Special Summon a monster from my graveyard and equip it with this card." The person's Life Points dropped to 2800. "Now return, Dark Blade." The pitch-black armored knight reappeared on the field in front of the mysterious person. "Not that he'll be here for long. 'Cause now I tribute him, in order to Special Summon 'Pitch-Black Demon Knight' (2500/1300)." The knight slowly turned into a demonic creature, that didn't bear the slightest resemblence to the tributed monster.

"What is that?" Xander asked at the sight of the demon.

"It's a monster that can only be summoned by sacrificing a Dark Warrior-type monster on the field, that is also equipped with at least one card" the person said. "But the effects are devastating."

"That sounds bad" Xander replied.

"Now, let me show you the first" the person said. "By discarding two cards to the graveyard, I can remove from play a card on your side of the field. So say goodbye to your face-down card."

"Not that fast" Xander said. "If it has to go out of play, I might as well activate it. So I activate, 'Draconic Rebirth'. This trap lets me Special Summon a 'Drake'-monster to my side of the field from the graveyard and none of my 'Drake'-monsters can be destroyed this turn." Xander picked the dragon in his graveyard. "So come right back, Radiant Drake."

"Darn it" the mysterious person said. "I can't attack during the turn I activate one of my demon's effects. I end my turn."

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

/Xander: - - - Robed Guy/

/3800 LP- - - - - 2800 LP/

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

"Fine by me. I draw!" Xander said, as he drew a card. He looked at it for a moment. "Alright better make this quick. I've only got about five minutes left" he thought as he placed the card in the Duel-Disk. "I activate 'Polymerization', to fuse together my Radiant Drake and my Bolt Drake." The two dragons merged together, creating a new monster. "To Fusion Summon, 'Lightning Drake' (2300/1400) in Attack Position." The giant white dragon with yellow eyes and shining yellow energy orb on its wings and every joint in its four legs, appeared on the field, roaring. "Now, I activate my field spell, 'Dragon's Den'. In short, all 'Drake'-monsters gain 500 extra Attack Points." The alley surrounding the two duelists slowly turned into a den, made of wood. "Now, Lightning Drake, attack that demon-thing!" The giant dragon charged the energy in the orbs, led it to the mouth and fired it at the demon. As the demon was struck by the electric bolt, it was destroyed instantly.

"Argh" the person said as his Life Points dropped to 2600.

"It gets better yet" Xander said. "I activate the quick-play Spell Card, 'De-fusion' from my hand to split my Lightning Drake into the two Fusion Materials." The dragon was split into the two smaller dragons, that had been fused just a while ago. "Now, Radiant Drake! Bolt Drake! Attack him directly!" The two dragons each fired a beam of energy at the mysterious person, whose Life Points were reduced to 0. Xander turned off his Duel-Disk.

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

/Xander: - - - Robed Guy/

/3800 LP - - - - - 0000 LP/

/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

"Hmpf. So you won" the person said as he got up. "Seems like you were lucky, that I wasn't using my own deck."

"I don't care about if it was your own cards" Xander said loudly. "Just tell me. Who are you?"

"I've already told you" the person replied. "I'm an agent of the T.E."

"I know that" Xander said. "But what's your name?"

"My name is Raul" the person answered quickly.

"Fine then, Raul" Xander said. "I'm kinda in a hurry here, so if you just do as I ask you to, things will be easier for both of us."

"That depends" Raul replied. "Since you beat me, I'll return this boy's soul to its body." Raul stretched out his left hand, holding the open palm towards the unconscious boy's body. For a short moment, a little light emanated from Raul's palm and the boy opened his eyes. "I have restored his soul to his body. Now, unless you require anything more, I'll be leaving."

Xander was about to say something, when the boy next to him moaned. He turned and dropped down to check on him. His breathing was shallow but at least he was breathing. Xander looked up at where Raul had been standing only a minute ago. Now, the alley was empty, with the exception of Xander and the boy.

The boy moved again and Xander looked back at him. The boy was about his age and build. He slowly opened his eyes and tried to focus on Xander. It took a minute before he was able to see clearly.

"What happened?" Xander asked. "Are you okay?"

"I... I don't know" the boy started. "I was on my way to the exams, when I was challanged by some guy. He said I had to duel him and when I lost, I blacked out. Next thing I know, I woke up here."

"You were on your way to the exams?" Xander asked. The boy nodded and Xander smiled. "Great. I'm on my way there to. But we have to hurry, they'll be closing soon. Can you walk?" Xander helped the boy to his feet and together, they made their way out of the alleys, towards the exams.

Well, hopefully you liked the chapter and you're welcome to leave me a review. I don't hope card effects are not explained well enough, but if they are, let me know and I'll fix that.