'Monday morning,' I thought, 'everything's quiet… too quiet.' In the early morning sunshine, the halls of the new temple were empty and lonesome. Normally, the long corridors were bustling with dragons, either going to breakfast or morning training. Today must be the monthly "Prank the Human Day." But I won't fall for anything this month, or any other month from here on out.

In the five months that I've spent protecting the Realms and the Temple, I have been sprayed, stuck, hung, socked, and starved in that order. But do I have a surprise for everyone today!

Last night I stumbled across an old box that had my old Duel Monsters deck and my Duel Disk. I also had a dream that two of my best friends from the past had appeared in the Realms. I told myself it was just a dream, but most of my dreams I've had lately have been coming true, most occurring the next day.

I used my Aurarogan, my ninja clan eye mark, to detect any possible threats. I didn't find any, but I still didn't let my guard down. As I slowly tiptoed toward the Cafeteria, I unconsciously put on my Duel Disk. I slowly pushed open the door and a burst of streamers and confetti and noisemakers hit me instantly. The whole group yelled "SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAMES!"

Shock hit me first. What I thought was impossible three millennia ago, I had done. I had truly forgotten my own birthday. I checked my wristwatch to make sure they weren't pulling my leg, that his was the prank of the month, but sure enough, they were right. October 21.

Everyone in the Temple was there. The Guardians, Spyro, Cynder, Bryan, Star, Ember, Flame, and a bunch of people I didn't know. But out of all the voices in the room, one stood out above all others. It was a scratchy, low-pitched gurgle. It was so familiar it was driving me nuts. Was it just Terrador? No, it couldn't have been. This voice wasn't that deep.

My next thought was, 'Oh, no! Mistah T. found me! He got to Kail and stole his…' Then it hit me. That was why it was so memorable! I pushed through the crowd, looking for my old friend. "That son of a bitch! He got the time machine to work!" I mumbled under my breath.

In the corner, a dark figure caught my eye, a black robe with purple lining. A man.

The figure nodded and waved me away, and then disappeared.

Just then, Spyro, Bryan, and Flame all tackled me from above. "Come, on, James! It's your birthday! Loosen up, have some fun!" Spyro laughed.

I laughed halfheartedly and said, "Yeah, I guess so." I stood up and walked off to party with the group.

When the party ended, the sun was already starting to set. As the blue sky faded to reds and pinks and oranges, I walked the Temple grounds in solitude, sifting through my old deck. All the Monsters were Spellcaster-Type, the strongest being the Dark Magician. I grinned to myself, remembering how many times that card pulled me out of a pickle in the past.

"Well, James, long time, no see," the deep voice from behind me. "I see you found your deck and Duel Disk."

"Yeah Kail, I guess so." I turned to face my old friend. His face was still young and cold with storm grey eyes and hair blacker than a moonless night in the woods. "I see you got your time machine working."

He shrugged. "After Natalie and I figured out you got trapped in time crystals, I've been scanning the future, well, past for you, looking for your demon signature."

My grin slowly faded. "How do you know I was demonized? It didn't happen until I was released from the crystals for a while." Suspicion and paranoia filled up inside me.

"Let's say my first try missed you by a lot. I read some history books, and tried again from my time. And now here I am. I'm going back tonight to get Natalie. What do you think about that?" he smiled wickedly, as if he knew I had the dream which I knew was now going to come true.

"I think you're a crazy sunofagun." He chuckled.

"You've always thought that, James."

"Doesn't make it any less true. Anyways, what the hell are you doing here? Why were you looking for me?"

"Natalie misses you, that's why. She wants to be with you again. And of course I've come back to beat you in every little thing I can." His normal sly grin crept across him mouth.

"Well then, Kail, why don't we have a little Duel to see if I've gotten better or worse. My Spellcasters versus your….whatever it is you use."

He laughed again and put on his black Duel Disk. "I don't see why not. But don't think I'll go easy on you."

"I didn't ask you to, did I?" I said putting on my own red and silver Duel Disk. We both simultaneously loaded our decks and drew our beginning hands, and then we were off. My beginning hand was 'Raigeki Break,' 'Lightning Vortex,' 'Sand Gambler' (ATK: 300/DEF: 1600), 'Sage's Stone,' and 'Defense Draw.'

"I'll start this shoot-down off. I draw!" He drew dramatically and studied his hand. "I'll Set three facedowns and activate 'Reinforcement of the Army.' With it I choose the Warrior-Type monster, 'Search Striker,' and add it to my hand. I'll end my turn with a facedown monster." As the four facedown figures appeared on the field between us, I drew my sixth card, 'Dark Hole.'

"I place two facedowns and a facedown monster and end my turn." I had set 'Raigeki Break,' 'Defense Draw,' and 'Sand Gambler.'

"Playing it safe again? Well, that's never worked in the past, has it? I draw…and I'll set another facedown monster and Flip-Summon the 'Old Vindictive Magician!'" (ATK: 450/DEF: 600) "You remember his effect, don't you? When he's Flip-Summoned, I can destroy a monster on your side of the field. Seeing as there is only one on your field, 'Old Vindictive Magician,' destroy James's facedown!" The old crippled sorcerer stumbled out of his card and slammed his staff down onto 'Sand Gambler's facedown. It shattered instantly. "Your turn, I believe, James."

Just then the dragons came out to see what was happening. They all gasped when they saw a second and third human and multiple brown spots covering the grounds.

"What is going on here James?" Cyril yelled.

"Uhhhh, a Duel." I said nervously with a chuckle. "And it's my turn. I draw!" My new addition was 'Royal Magical Library' (ATK: 0/DEF: 2000). I set it facedown, announcing, "I'll play a facedown monster and end my turn."

"What's a Duel?" Star asked.

"It's a card game, Star," Kail said. "I draw…and I'll activate your old nemesis, 'Prohibition.' And now I say you can't use the 'Dark Magician' card at all!" Kail laughed evilly. "Now I switch 'Old Vindictive Magician' to Defense Mode, summon 'Search Striker' (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1200) and Flip-Summon, and you're just gonna love this, 'Medusa Worm' (ATK: 500/DEF: 600) to the field! You remember its effect, don't you? Again, I get to destroy a monster on your field! Say goodbye to this facedown!" His slithering worm burrowed into the ground and moments later slammed my facedown 'Royal Magical Library' from below. Then it disappeared from the field as Kail flipped it facedown again, saying, "And you know I can place him Facedown again. Now, 'Search Striker,' attack James's Life Points directly!"

"I counter with 'Defense Draw,'" I said, quickly reacting before the twin plasma blades could strike me. "I don't take damage, and I get to draw a card!" I drew 'Sakuretsu Armor,' every duelist's best friend.

"How intriguing, this is completely amazing, outstanding, wonderful, innovative, and delightful!" Volteer babbled.

"Indeed, Volteer, it is," Ignitus said in a wonder-filled voice.

"I end," Kail spoke.

I drew 'Shift,' then announced, "I'll set a facedown and activate 'Dark Hole.' Your move." Naturally, I had set 'Shift.'

"James isn't doing much, is he?" Spyro observed.

Kail drew, and then said, "I activate this… 'Monster Reborn.' You remember 'Search Striker,' don't you? Well say hello again! I'll end my turn with a facedown."

"Again, not attacking. You just love to thoroughly chew your food, don't you?" I asked in an annoyed tone.

"You know me so well."

"Whatever. I draw…damn…." I drew 'Magical Marionette' (ATK: 2000/DEF: 1000), and with no monsters on the field, there were no sacrifices to make to summon it. "I end."

"Not much there, was there, James? I draw, and I also end without doing anything."

"James, are you losing? I can't tell," Star asked worried.

"Yes, but I haven't lost yet! I draw…" 'Gravekeeper's Spy' (ATK: 1200/DEF: 2000), "and I set a monster facedown and end my turn. Your move."

Kail started laughing as he drew once more. "I summon 'Marauding Captain' (ATK: 1200/DEF: 400)! And now, with his effect, I Special Summon another 'Marauding Captain.' Now, 'Search Striker,' attack his facedown!"

"Not so fast!" I yelled. "I activate my facedown: 'Sakuretsu Armor!' 'Search Striker' is destroyed again!" Everyone watched as Kail's monster cringed and shattered again.

"Good job. I end my turn."

I drew once again, the new card being 'Solemn Wishes,' which I set and announced, "I set a facedown and activate 'Raigeki Break,' and by discarding 'Sage's Stone,' I'll destroy one of your 'Marauding Captain.' Not I Flip-Summon 'Gravekeeper's Spy,' and with her Flip Effect, I Special Summon 'Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier' (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1000) from my deck. Now I'll sacrifice 'Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier to Normal Tribute Summon 'Magical Marionette.' 'Magical Marionette,' attack his remaining 'Marauding Captain!'"

"Not before I activate the 'Shadow Spell' trap card!" Kail yelled. I watched as my monster was bound in chains and its Attack Points reduced to 1300.

"Fine," I replied. "I end my turn. Your move."

Again, Kail drew and ended his turn without making a move.

"This game isn't going anywhere from what I'm seeing," Cynder said.

"That's what happens when you play Kail, Cyn. I draw!" A sly smile crept across my face. I had draw my second favorite card in the deck: 'Skilled Dark Magician' (ATK: 1900/DEF: 1700). I yelled out, "I Summon the 'Skilled Dark Magician' in Attack Mode! Now, 'Skilled Dark Magician,' ATTACK HIS 'MARAUDING CAPTAIN' WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT!"

"I activate another facedown: 'Prideful Roar.' I still take the damage, but 'Marauding Captain' gains the damage in Attack Points plus 300, putting his new attack power to 2200, so your 'Skilled Dark Magician' is beat by those 300 points." The wind blew hard as Kail's LP was reduced to 7300 and my own to 7700. Kail drew as I announced the end of my turn. All he did was set another facedown spell or trap and end his turn. My next turn's draw was my favorite trap: 'Dust Tornado.' I set it and Kail activated his 'Bottomless Shifting Sand' trap card, which destroyed my 'Magical Marionette.'

"I activate 'Solemn Wishes and end my turn," I said. When Kail drew, 'Bottomless Shifting Sand' was destroyed.

"I only have three cards in my hand. 'Bottomless Shifting Sand' requires me to have four or more to stay on the field," he explained. He sighed. "Anyway, I Summon 'Mataza the Zapper' (ATK: 1300/DEF: 800)."

"I'll activate 'Dust Tornado' in reaction. I destroy 'Prohibition.' With 'Dust Tornado,' I'll also set a facedown. Continue." I had set 'Lightning Vortex.'

"No matter. 'Mataza' will attack your 'Gravekeeper's Spy,' which you've failed to switch to Defense Position." His monster drew its sword and slashed through my 'Spy' and sent a 100 point blast wave through me and dropping my LP to 7600. "Now 'Mataza' and 'Marauding Captain' both attack you directly!" I screamed in pain—dueling with Kail always made the pain from Direct Attacks feel real—and my Life Points dramatically dropped down to 5100. Kail announced the end of his turn and I drew 'Turbo Booster,' and 'Solemn Wishes' activated, raising my LP to 5600. I set 'Turbo Booster' facedown and ended my turn. Kail drew and equipped his 'Marauding Captain' with 'Fighting Spirit,' which raised its ATK to 1500 points. "'Marauding Captain' attacks your facedown monster," he said. Again, 'Marauding Captain' approached and attacked, shattering 'Turbo Booster' to hundreds of pieces, "and 'Mataza the Zapper attacks you directly twice." His 'Mataza' ran up and slashed me twice with his sword, bringing down my LP to 3000. He ended his turn there.

"I draw…" 'Dark Eradicator Warlock' (ATK: 2500/DEF: 2100), and my LP was raised to 3500 by 'Solemn Wishes,' "and I activate my facedown spell card: 'Lightning Vortex.' I discard my 'Dark Eradicator Warlock' to destroy all of your monsters!"

"I chain with 'Magic Jammer,' and I discard 'Creature Swap' to negate you effect." Kail started to laugh evilly again. "You can't win this, James! Try all you want, but it isn't going to happen!"

I growled and said, "Fine. I end my turn."

Kail cackled more as he drew, saying, "Last turn, James. Both my monsters attack your Life Points directly, reducing you to nothing!" He continued to laugh as 'Marauding Captain' and 'Mataza the Zapper' attacked me and left my gasping for air.

I had lost again. The monsters disappeared and I approached Kail with my right arm extended. He shook it, still chuckling. He said, "Happy Birthday, James. You still aren't a challenge to me, but I hope the deck I left in your room will be enough to present a problem to me later."

Everyone surrounded me as I fell to my knees, slowly slipping out of consciousness. The last thing I said was, "What a way to end a Birthday, with a bang…"

Then I was out cold.