Supremacy

Chapter One: Fight Fire with Fire

Jaden Yuki screamed out in pain as the enemy's Spear Dragon pierced through the defense of his Wroughtweiler, bringing him down to 600 life points. He fell to his knees as the Shadow Rider he was currently dueling cackled, the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon looming ominously over him. "How will you beat me now, Jaden? I have the ultimate power of the Darkness at my command! There is no way for you to win this duel!"

He's right... Jaden hung his head even lower. I can't win against this kind of power! I'm just too weak...

Indeed you are.

Jaden's eyes widened. Wha...?

You are weak. I can make you stronger. I can guide your moves, I can win this duel of fate. Just let me take over.

Who are you?

I am Haou, the Supreme King.

... All right, if you can win this, I won't complain. But how do you plan to do it?

Jaden could FEEL the voice inside his head; it was smirking, triumphant. By fighting fire with fire, of course.

Jaden's body exploded with dark power, enough to send Nightshroud to his knees. As the Rider was kneeling, Jaden began to stand, a sinister smirk upon his face. "Foolish human. You think YOU wield the Darkness to its fullest extent? Don't make me laugh." As Jaden stood to his full height, Syrus and Chumley got a good view of his face, and shrank back in fear at his eyes.

They were a hard, unforgiving gold.

"I activate Wroughtweiler's effect. Through his destruction, I am able to return a copy of Polymerization as well as an Elemental Hero into my hand." And just like that, the duel was back in motion. "I return Elemental Hero Wildheart and Polymerization to my hand." The cards came out of his Graveyard, and he placed them next to the other cards in his hand, turning his gaze toward his enemy. "Keep in mind, it is still your turn."

Nightshroud shook his head. "I don't know what kind of trick you just pulled... But it won't affect me! I reveal my facedown, Mystical Space Typhoon, and target your Fusion Gate!" His now revealed face-down card created a cyclone of wind, destroying Jaden's Field Spell. "And now, your Tempest cannot defend itself. Go, Red-Eyes! Darkness Giga Flare!" The jewled dragon roared as it shot an enormous fireball from its mouth. The Elemental Hero that stood against it screamed as it was vaporized.

Jaden was unfazed. "Is that all?" He asked of the dark emissary, clearly bored.

Nightshroud paused before answering. "... Yes. Yes, that's it."

Jaden smirked again, and his golden eyes glimmered in the light of the lava. "Then the turn is mine..." He drew his card, making the cards in his hand reach 5, before laughing hysterically. "Perfect. I discard my Elemental Hero Necroshade in order to activate Lightning Vortex, destroying all of your monsters." Nightshroud gasped as the card shot a pair of bolts of lightning, causing the two dragons to explode. "Now, due to my Necroshade resting in the Grave, I can summon the Elemental Hero Bladedge without a sacrifice." The golden monster rose up, his arm blades gleaming in the eerie light provided by the lava below. Nightshroud paled considerably as he realized that there was no defending from this attack. "Finish this, Bladedge." The bladed hero jumped in front of Nightshroud and struck him down with a mighty blow.

WINNER: JADEN YUKI

As Nightshroud fell to the ground, the mask covering his face began to fade away, the darkness leaving him, until his face was recognizable. Jaden, still under the influence of the King, recognized the face of his former opponent.

"Atticus Rhodes... Alexis will be shocked, to say the least." He turned towards the two other Slifers, and spoke directly to them. "It will be dawn soon. You have two options; you can either ride up to Duel Academy with me upon a chosen Duel Monster, or you can wait here for me to come and retrieve you. Your choice?"

Syrus and Chumley glanced at each other, and it was clear they were on the same thought process. Syrus turned back to Jaden and said, "We'd much rather come with you, but how will we ride on virtual monsters?"

Jaden smirked, but this time it radiated confidence rather that mercilessness. "Have faith, you will see soon enough."

~SCENE BREAK~

Alexis walked toward the hospital ward, curious of this "surprise" that she was called for, and irate that she was pulled out of class for it. Her blonde hair fell behind her shoulders to the small of her back, and fell in odd ways about her face that never quite reached her eyes. Her chocolate-brown eyes had black rings around them, suggesting that she had gotten little to no sleep as of late. As she entered the sick bay, she immediately saw that two-toned hair that she'd recognize anywhere, and she was about to smile at Jaden-

When she saw his eyes.

"Jaden, what happened to your eyes?" She questioned frantically. She loved seeing those brown, reassuring, warm, happy eyes. These gold ones were hard, unforgiving, and cold.

"Relax, Alexis. This will not last. Besides, there are other matters that are of more importance right now." He gestured towards the bed he was sitting by, and Alexis gasped as she saw her brother.

"What... What happened, Jaden?"

"He was taken over by the more... Vile, shall we say, powers of Darkness. He became the first Shadow Rider, known as Nightshroud. He put up a valiant fight, but he could not stand against me." Jaden smirked at her, his golden eyes gaining a playful, impish gleam. "I can see that dueling prowess runs in the family."

Alexis blushed slightly at the compliment. "Well, thanks... But do you know when he'll awaken? I... I miss my brother..." She wbegan crying silently; he was back, her brother was back!

Jaden sighed, his golden eyes becoming clouded. "I cannot say for sure. It will not be long, however. The Shadow Game we found ourselves in was not one that would steal the life of the loser; your brother will awaken. Fear not, Princess... He'll be fine," Jaden replied as his eyes regained their warm, brown color. He smiled reassuringly at Alexis, and she smiled back.

"So, Jaden, mind telling me why your eyes were so..." Alexis searched for a word. "...Abnormal?"

Jaden made an odd sound, one that seemed to be somewhere between a sigh and a laugh. "Boy, have I got something to tell you..."

FOR THE RECORD: Haou, in this story, will not be evil; he will, however, represent Jaden's dark side, and so will retain Jaden's morals and goals. He will simply be a bit more merciless and blunt.