[WARNING: If you cannot handle themes about abuse, self-harm, sexual assault, and suicide, I understand & please turn away]

Chapter One

Black Vulture

./before

Turquoise waves lapped against the high, stone wall. My feet dangled off the edge. I wound a strand of my white hair around my finger and held my other arm out to the sunlight. Blue veins were visible through the pale skin. Sickly. Disgusting.

My focus shifted to my right. He was leaned back on his palms and his eyes were closed, soaking up the sun. I feared being so open because it seemed every time I did my skin reddened and burned as though fire had touched it. The pain used to happen – when I was out in the sun for hours, not minutes – when I looked like him. His skin was dark and unblemished. Beautiful.

I wished I could go back to that, but I had wasted enough time wishing. I pulled a stack from my pocket and dared to smile. The game of Duel Monsters had been growing in popularity for about a year now, but it exploded six months ago with the Orichalcos's arrival. The bright green stone allowed for insane technology to be built – from flying vehicles to the simplifying of water purification.

Someone in particular had a… simpler idea for the Orichalcos usage. He created a system of holograms to accompany the game of Duel Monsters, and suddenly everyone wanted to play. I never was very good, but-

The person who sat beside me was none other than Dru Ilumari, the number one duelist in Atlantis. When we were kids, he always won at everything we did. I admired him even then. I sucked in a breath and said, "Hey, Dru?"

One of his eyes opened, and the chocolate iris focused on me. The dark brown in his eyes and skin clashed with the bright, scarlet dye he used in his short hair. "What?"

"I actually, um- well, I hope it's not a bother, but I was wondering if… we could duel sometime? I put a new deck together recently and was thinking-"

He laughed softly and covered my deck with his hand. "Rain. You don't want to duel me. It'd be no contest. You're not very good. Never have been. You should focus on what you're actually good at."

"…Oh. Right." I drew the cards back and dropped them into my pocket. My head drooped slightly though I did my best to mask my disappointment. This caused a shadow to fall over my face due to my thick bangs. "Um, what am I good at?"

Dru grasped the back of my neck, flushed his body against mine, and kissed me. He left so swiftly the air felt colder in his absence yet warmer by my blush. His face lingered close to mine, and he whispered, "Being mine."

I giggled and touched my bottom lip. Dru performed a double take towards the waves and asked, "Did you see that?"

"Huh? What?" I peeked over the edge. He shoved me, and I screamed as I plummeted towards the ocean. My skin stung with the impact of the waves. My lungs filled with more water than air; I clawed my way towards the sun through bubbles and currents. An arm grabbed mine and hauled me up. I coughed seawater onto the stone while Dru laughed.

"I got you good with that one!"

"That's not-" I spat more water. "That's not funny!"

He clapped me on the back, forcing me to retch further. "You're right. It's hilarious!"

Once my lungs were clear, I brought out my cards. They were bloated but legible. "I have to… to dry them out, or- something!"

Dru sighed. "Didn't you hear me? You're wasting your time. Forget about them."

The sound of his steps farther away broke past my clogged ears. I clutched the cards close to my chest and shivered. My clothes were heavier on me. "W-wait! Where are you going?"

"Eh, stuff to do," he said. "Big tourney coming up. If I win this one, I'll officially be the King's right-hand duelist!"

The King. My mouth twisted in distaste of the word. "Well… I know you can do it! But, um, I thought we were spending time together today."

"Duh I can," he stated. "Plans change, doll. Some things are more important."

Right. I'll never be that important. "I hope you do well!"

"No need to hope. I just will." He pulled a piece of paper – trash, I realized – and tossed it into the ocean. Before it hit the waves, I caught it. He was gone when I sat back up. I slipped the garbage into my pocket and, remembering my sodden deck, dashed towards the center of the city.

King Dartz's palace nested in the center of Atlantis. The sun-bleached stone tower was a bare, single column; the east and west wing were rectangular buildings bundled close to the main structure. My goal was in the basement of the west wing. I moved my deck to my back pocket as I dropped to a crouch in an irrigation channel. The low level of water wouldn't damage the cards further as I crawled through the cramped, dark tunnel.

I dragged myself along on my elbows. Throughout my childhood, I could come and go through the palace's main gates. The outcast label forced me to sneak in. Being an outcast changed the rules of my life. No one was allowed to acknowledge my existence (unless for the sake of violence, such as a palace guard kicking me out) or they would also be outcast.

Which is why it meant so, so much that Dru hung out with me at all.

Flickering firelight marked the tunnel's end. The bars blocking my entrance had been cut at the top and bottom years ago. I pushed them forward, crawled through, and replaced them.

The room's cobblestone walls were lined with workbenches and shelves covered with technology and bright green Orichalcos. A welcoming fire blazed in a hearth in the opposite corner. The waterway took up a side of the room, entering and disappearing with a soft gurgle. The mixing of running water and crackling fire created the melody of a home I longed to have.

My splashing caught the attention of the only person in the room. He turned away from a microscope and smiled in his toothy way. His golden eyes glinted by the sparks of the flames. Having someone always happy to see me was an odd yet wonderful feeling. I reflected his expression and said, "Hello, Ranue!"

My brother dropped what he was working on and pulled me into a hug. He smelled like antiseptic and woodfire smoke. Ranue held me at arm's length, and I noticed I left wet spots on his turquoise lab coat.

"You smell like the ocean," he pointed out. "What happened?"

My eyes widened. I skidded on my knees before the fire and laid out the forty cards in my deck. They seemed to not have experienced serious damage, but a spare few cards were left with gross, white lines. "Dru thought it would be a funny prank to push me into the water."

Ranue scratched at his hair. He had let the light brown locks keep growing unchecked, I'd noticed; it fell past his shoulders now, and his bangs were nearly as long and thick as mine. "Dru? I heard the rumors, but there's no way you're actually with him, right?"

I hung my head low, not courageous enough to meet his eyes. "Yeah. We were best friends!"

"That was before he was your bully. Every day. For years."

"I know, but he stopped! That's all over now! He hasn't hit me in three years!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his mouth open, close. "People don't just change. Besides, the way he acts in tournaments, and if he pushed you into the sea… he's a class-A jerk."

"I don't think so!" I immediately shouted. "I mean, um, it's really nice. To have a friend again."

Familiar pity dragged down the corners of his eyes. He whispered, "I know you're lonely, but don't let it be his weapon against you."

Weapon? I thought. What is he trying to say?

Before I could ask, a voice bellowed down the stairs leading to Ranue's lab: "Crown Prince Ranue Orichalcum! The King of Atlantis, Dartz Orichalcum, preannounces his arrival!"

My heart leapt in my throat. I dove into the irrigation duct and shoved past the bars. Shades shifted closer to the bottom steps as I readjusted the bars to their proper place. I crawled backward as silently as possible; my area was in the opposite corner of the fire and Ranue hadn't installed typical Orichalcos-energized lighting, so there was no light to reveal me. I peeked into the lab with my right eye.

King Dartz drifted into the room. His presence was large but steps soft by his gentle slippers. He wore the traditional turquoise robes lined with gold of the Atlantian royal lineage; its colors were meant to represent the sea at both sunrise and sunset. His long locks, too, were dyed the bright blue-green of the ocean as was customary of the King of Atlantis. Dartz's eyes glowed the same gold as Ranue's… and how mine used to be.

Ranue dropped to one knee, draped an arm over it, and bowed his head. King Dartz commanded, "Rise."

My brother grasped the lapels of his lab coat. "To what do I owe the pleasure, father?"

"Brief me on the weapon development."

Ranue glanced at the workbench I had found him at. "Work is coming along… slowly. I've never adapted the Orichalcos for offensive use, so-"

"You're saying you can create a system of complex holograms based off a card game in a matter of weeks, but aiding the army of your home is a massive stumbling block?" Dartz raised his eyebrow, and Ranue winced at the sharp words. The King gestured towards the deck I had laid out before the fire. "Humph. I can see where your priorities lie. The popularity you created for the silly game has been a thorn in my side. Atlantians are meant to fear the monsters. You realize that, yes? The monsters in the game aren't fictional. They walk this earth, and they are extremely dangerous. I wouldn't want to see you warm up to the creatures and be outcast as well."

The statement stung me. Does he talk about me often, I wonder?

"I understand," Ranue said.

"You never were quite as reckless as the outcast," Dartz said. Though I knew I shouldn't let them, the words hurt. When was the last time my own father had said my name? Weeks, months, years?

Not that he cared. He did not. I despised him, and I swore he would pay it all back one day.

One way or another.

"Speaking of which, I hear she has been seen with Dru Ilumari. This is an issue. He breaks our laws, so he should be excommunicated. However, he is so loved by the public because of the card game tournaments that I cannot touch him without risking massive backlash and possible rebellion." Dartz huffed a sigh and ran a finger over his golden crown. "The instant he falls out of their favor, he's finished. The child thinks himself above even a king. He calls himself some flame god!"

Ranue cleared his throat. "I wouldn't take him seriously, father. Dru has always had an ego problem. The professional duelists all take on a certain persona when they duel, and his is that of the Flamvell Deity. If it would help, you could start calling him just 'The Flame.'"

The King offered a curt nod, but his mind was clearly elsewhere. "Work on the weapons, Prince. You owe me now that I must placate the card game in my kingdom."

"It shall be done," Ranue said, ducking into the same bow from before.

"Excellent." The whisper of slippers on stairs indicated the King's departure.

Ranue remained rigid in his bow for a few more minutes. He sprawled back, loosed a deep sigh, and muttered, "You can come out now."

I scrambled into the room and gathered my cards. "I'm sorry."

"You couldn't have known." Ranue scanned me. He gestured towards the group related to the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. "I'm lucky he didn't look at the cards too closely. You can't use those, Rain. You have to use a different deck or people will recognize you instantly."

"I don't care if they recognize me. I wanted to duel Dru."

"He won't accept a duel from you, will he? He probably thinks he's way out of your league."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. How could he guess?

Ranue stooped over the cards and picked up a certain one of many: The Blue-Eyes White Dragon. "These dragons and any based from it are cursed to Atlantians, especially after what you did. You should know that. No one uses them. I can help you build a different deck."

What you did. A shiver crawled down my spine. I huddled closer to the fire. "If you help, do you think Dru will duel me?"

Ranue sighed through his nostrils. "I want to say yes, but you and I know him better. You're just lying to yourself. Rain. Dru Ilumari doesn't respect anyone but himself."

./after

The Shadow was the most feared creature in Atlantian legend. The mere mention of the Shadow's name was taboo, and tablets displaying the figure's story became mysteriously marred, scratched, or burned out.

I had the Shadow's myth memorized from my time in the King's archives. When a human neared death, a cross between a man and a black vulture appeared. The winged monstrosity would observe their death with nothing but interest and feed upon their carcass. It is said the Shadow knows the scent of death, and it is said death clings to the Shadow.

Fitting into the persona of one who sees humans as no more than carrion was no stretch of my imagination. In the mirror, my own blue eyes stared back at me. Though it had been four months since that day, the sight of my hair dyed black still startled me. I pulled up the long sleeves of my shirt and tugged on my gloves, which nearly reached my elbows; their fingers ended in points like the clawed feet of a bird.

I had been careful with the design of the outfit to cover every inch of my skin and leave my gender a mystery. Any view of my identity would blow what I had been working toward. My lengthy scarf twirled around my neck and cascaded down, covering my chest; the ebony fabric had white-tipped feathers woven in. The matching cloak rested upon my shoulders, and it resembled the black vulture's hunched wings when it trailed behind my stride.

The final piece rested upon the desk. The Shadow's mask was all black barring the end of the long, hooked beak and the meshed eyeholes, which were ghost-white. I pulled up my scarf to cover my entire neck and the bottom half of my face, and I put on the mask.

The figure in the mirror was less human and more monstrosity. A knock stole my attention, and someone called, "Are you prepared?"

"Yes." The word sounded low-pitch and metallic thanks to the voice changer in the mask, courtesy of Ranue. The organizer swung open the door and led me towards a dark hall. He never met my eyes; instead, he stared at my boots. Their heels added a few needed inches to my height.

The usher left with a bow. Outside, a chorus of cheering arose and the announcer boomed, "Welcome, one and all, to the semi-finals of the Paradius Tournament! Entering first on my right is the rising gloom, the walking myth from hell… The Black Vulture circles!"

Mist hissed through the hall. I strode through and into the vast arena. Half the crowd booed while the other half whispered the name the announcer wasn't allowed to say: "The Shadow."

"This mysterious duelist has worked his way up the ranks over the past few months! The Black Vulture has seen a swift rise from consistent last-place rankings to now. Win or lose, this will be the Black Vulture's highest placing yet!"

Grinding through losses was both frustrating and educational. Thanks to being the lowest seed in tournaments, I was able to witness the clever deck builds used by higher seeds. I appreciated those losses more than any wins, as they gave me something to learn while winning left me empty.

There was only one duelist I planned on winning against. The rest were merely stepping-stones. I was two wins away from my goal.

Two more wins.

"On the other side: the saint fallen from heaven, the ray of hope from above: Angel Havika soars!" My opponent strutted from his fog with chiseled chin held high. He wore a white toga, golden armbands, and dove-feathered jewelry. The crowd squealed and swooned at his arrival. He clamped his duel disk onto his right arm; it was a custom white-gold model, and its extending arms resembled the outstretched wings of an angel.

I placed my own on my left arm. My duel disk was a Chaos model spray-painted black. The normally teal beads and card zones were detailed a glowing white. I had meant it to resemble the white-tipped wings of the black vulture, but I went a little overboard on the white. Ranue had questioned, "It lights up white? Doesn't that take away from the whole 'Shadow' getup?"

"The greatest shadows stem from the grandest lights," I had responded. I grounded myself in the present and glanced over the current light: my opponent. "I suppose this will be a battle of heaven versus hell."

"I'll send the demon to the depths where it belongs!" That earned a cheer from the crowd. "Shall we toss a coin for the first move?"

"You may have it." My duel disk extended to resemble a sickle. "The Shadow watches and waits for you to doom yourself."

Angel Havika inclined his head, tossing his dyed-blond curls. "Your last mistake."

We both drew our five cards and shouted in unison: "Orichalcos trace the monster! DUEL START!"

A neon green, six-pointed star glowed from the ground then faded. Havika drew his card and said, "My move! I begin by activating the Continuous Spell Card: Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen!"

Four columns bearing scarlet banners rose around him. "Each turn, if I have no monsters, I can use Valhalla to special summon a Fairy from my hand. I'll use it now to special summon Tethys, Goddess of Light in attack mode! I summon Freya, Spirit of Victory in defense position beside her!"

Luminescent beams crossed and collided, leaving a white-robed angel in its wake. Tethys wielded 2400 attack and 1800 defense. A woman in a blue cheerleading outfit popped up and waved her red pom-poms around; her 100 attack and defense increased to 500, and Tethys shared the boosts. Angel Havika explained, "Freya increases Fairy-type monsters' attack and defense by 400. Last but not least, I use the field spell Sanctuary in the Sky. Let's see if you can grapple with the forces of heaven, demon! Turn end."

I drew my sixth card while taking in the new field. We stood on golden clouds beneath azure sky. A limestone temple's gilded roof glittered in the distance. "It's a little too bright for my tastes. Field Spell activate: Zombie World!"

A violet haze rushed through the arena. The angelic trumpet blasts were replaced by pained moaning. Distant red lights blinked like eyes watching our every move. The purple mist infected the monsters on the field, and both of Havika's monsters lost their 400 attack and defense boost.

"All monsters on the field and in the grave are now considered Zombie-type," I explained, "meaning there are no Fairies to receive Freya's boost. Not that it'll matter much longer. I summon Mezuki in attack position and destroy Freya!"

A beastman wielding a long-handled axe sliced through the cheerleader. A holographic card materialized behind him as I said, "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"You really are a rookie," Havika said. "You've left yourself with only a weak monster! My draw. Tethys's effect activates! Since I drew a Fairy monster, I can draw again. Since I drew yet another Fairy monster, I get a third draw!"

That ability just gave him plenty more options. His hand is back to five, I thought. This will make my combo far riskier.

"I summon Gellenduo and attack Mezuki using Tethys! Gellenduo executes a direct strike upon your life points once your only monster is gone!" A beam shattered my beastman, and my life points dropped from 4000 to 3300. A pair of pastel pink and green faes twirled forward and blasted me with sparkles. I instinctively held up my arms to defend myself; my life dropped to 1800. "Your intimidation doesn't stretch into your dueling skills, Black Vulture. I set two spell or traps face-down and pass the move to you."

"Intimidation is a subtle art," I explained, "for while you have executed your flashy moves, my true intentions have lain unknown. I activate my spell card, Foolish Burial! I can send one card from my deck to the graveyard. Now I will use the effect of Mezuki, which can only be used from the grave! By removing him from play, I can special summon the monster I sent from my deck: Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon."

Mezuki's axe returned to the field, spinning faster and faster to create a portal. An ebony claw raked forth and stomped the ground, stirring purple mist. A pair of red eyes glowed within. The dragon roared and flew onto my field. Blue flames leaked from its wings and mouth. Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon boasted 2400 attack.

"Trap activate!" Havika exclaimed. "Bottomless Trap Hole! Your ace monster is removed from the game!"

"Not quite. I use my counter trap, Tutan Mask. If your spell or trap targets one of my Zombie-types, I can negate it." His trap electrified then broke. I thought, One down. I'm going through with it! "I send Marionette Mite from my hand to the grave, allowing me to take control of one of your Zombie monsters! I choose Gellenduo!"

"The weaker monster?" Havika asked.

I smiled beneath my mask and was disappointed that my voice couldn't show it. "I'll show you why. I summon the tuner monster Plaguespreader Zombie and tune it with Gellenduo to Synchro Summon Doomkaiser Dragon!"

Stars aligned through green portals, and a steel-plated wyvern exploded onto the scene. A scarlet heart pulsed in its chest. Gellenduo reappeared, and a red wire attached it to Doomkaiser. "When my monster is Synchro Summoned, he can special summon a Zombie monster from your grave. I'm not finished there. Plaguespreader Zombie has a special effect I can use from the grave! By placing the final card in my hand back on top of my deck, Plaguespreader returns to the field. I now tune it with Gellenduo again to Synchro Summon Revived King Ha Des!"

A skeletal being wearing a torn purple robe and crown of jewels spawned from the triple green portals. He threw his clawed hands into the air and roared, showing off his 2450 attack. Doomkaiser matched Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon's 2400 attack.

"What a combo!" the announcer shouted. "The graveyard and the field are hardly separate for Black Vulture! The rising duelist performed two Synchro Summons, and both using Angel Havika's own monster!"

A bead of sweat formed on my opponent's face. So he doesn't have a good counter after all. "Witness the rise of darkness! Revived King Ha Des battles Tethys, Goddess of Light!"

Ha Des gathered a ball of purple energy drawn from the Zombie haze around us. The sphere flew forward and shattered Tethys, whose remaining shards blew through Havika. His life fell from 4000 to 3950. I commanded, "Doomkaiser Dragon attacks directly!"

Flames licked Doomkaiser's pulsing heart. The dragon spewed my opponent, whose life fell to 1550. The last card on his field flipped up. "Trap activate: Damage Condenser! I can discard to special summon any monster in my deck with attack equal to or less than the damage from your attack. I choose Nova Summoner, in defense position."

A golden wreath with aqua ribbons fluttered forth on angelic wings. I thought, It only has 1400 attack. Why when he could have summoned another Tethys or a monster of similar strength? Only one way to find out. "Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon, attack Nova Summoner!"

His monster left behind a circle of light, which became yet another Nova Summoner. Havika said, "When Nova is destroyed, I can special summon a Light-attribute monster with 1500 or less attack."

He's stalling for time by chaining special summons. It won't hold up for long. The Nova Summoner I had destroyed rematerialized on my side.

"What?" Havika shouted. "Why is my monster on your field?"

"When Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon destroys a Zombie-type monster, I can resurrect that monster. Oh, and in case you've forgotten, the Zombie World field spell makes every monster Zombie-type."

"I suppose it's true what they say. Misery loves company. You infect everything you touch!" Havika accused.

An infection of misery? Yes, that does embody the Shadow's nature. But is it mine? It must be – it must be what I've become. I cleared my throat. The voice changer transformed the sound into a demon's growl. "Nova Summoner attacks Nova Summoner."

The third and final Nova flew onto Havika's field. The duel was surely in my favor, but I knew duelists didn't make it this far in tournament without always having a trick up their sleeve. In Angel Havika's last match, he pulled off a turnaround win after being taken down to 100 LP.

"My draw," he said. "Here it is, the classic Havika flip! Watch the wind current turn against your wings, Black Vulture! I use the spell card Dark Hole! Every single monster on the field is destroyed!"

A sea of cosmic pressure swallowed the field. My two Synchros, Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon, and stolen Nova Summoner went to the grave. He lost his Nova Summoner but not his grin. The crowd's massive cheers made it spread wider. "You see, Black Vulture, fate is on the side of those who shun the darkness. One who wears the face of an evil being will never find ultimate victory! I summon Zolga and attack you directly!"

Lightning arced from a swirl of purple robes, and my life fell from 1800 to 100. "You held onto that card, didn't you? You're a fine duelist. I'm proud to be able to say I've beaten you."

"Ha! You're on the edge of defeat yet speaking so boldly. I can respect that, Black Vulture."

"I'm not the confident type," I said, "but thanks to Plaguespreader Zombie, I know exactly what card I am about to draw. Fate is on the side of justice! I activate Burial from a Different Dimension! Up to three removed from play monsters can be returned to the grave. Mezuki and Plaguespreader Zombie are back in my grave, so I can use Mezuki's effect again. I remove it from play to restore Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon!"

Azure flames signaled the rise of my deck's ace monster. Havika gaped and muttered, "The grave… is only temporary."

"And the darkness should not be shunned, but rather embraced," I said. "Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon attacks Zolga! Once he is destroyed, he reappears on my field!"

Angel Havika's life dropped to 850. His own monster glared at him with red eyes. "End this. Zolga attacks directly!"

"Simply astounding dueling here today!" the announcer shouted as Havika's life points hit zero. The large screens above the arena displayed my visage alongside the word "VICTOR." A chorus of jeering and booing rose up. "Angel Havika nearly pulls off the turnaround he is known for, but Black Vulture flipped the tables back instantly! Congratulations to Black Vulture, who will be moving on to the Paradius Tournament finals! Tomorrow the rising duelist will face off against If, historically the number two professional in Atlantis! Will the underdog rise above, or will history repeat itself?"

Tomorrow's opponent, If, wore a white wolf's skin with yellow markings to represent his favorite card: Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter. His Lightsworn deck was nothing to take lightly. The duel would be an uphill battle, but my ultimate goal required first place.

One more win. One more, and-

"The winner of the Paradius Tournament will have the opportunity to duel the number one duelist and King Dartz's right hand man: Dru 'The Flame' Ilumari!"

A spotlight shone onto a box high above the crowd, where Dru watched on in boredom. The sight of him rattled my bones, and my muscles shivered uncontrollably.

One more win, and you will pay.

End of Chapter One

(((A/N: Some notes.

- The card game existed
- Spirit World doesn't exist yet
- Duels based off the Synchro era, think circa 2012/11
- This story is technically prequel to another of mine, Acid Rain, but the two stand alone (you'll be missing some easter eggs at most)
- Atlantian instead of Atlantean is purely personal preference
- Constructive criticism is welcome and adored

Thanks for reading. I was thinking of updating every week or every other week. Check in next time for Chapter Two: Past, Present, Future)))