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Chapter 1

Curse of the Shadow Prison

(A/N: Welcome to my new Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfiction. This fic will be set in 5D's universe, during unspecified future timeline after the end of anime. The story will focus on original characters and dueling. No canon characters will appear in the story.

For dueling part, I will use the latest OCG rules (Master Rules 4, to be precise) including the usage of Extra Monster Zone and Link Summoning. Also, everyone will obey OCG April 2018 banlist.

I hope you enjoy this fic as much as I enjoy writing it. Happy reading!)

'Do not dig too deep. Lest you dig yourself into a hole.'

It was one of those unwritten rules in excavation. Do only what you came for. Don't be greedy. Always dig responsibly. Follow the safety procedures. Stay out of trouble. And finally, do not stick your nose in the wrong place.

I realized, in hindsight, that those manuals lost their practicality the moment you dug too deep.

There was famous saying about how curiosity killed the cat. They said inquisitive mind would get you into trouble. It was the only proverb that never sank into my mind.

Because, you see… curiosity had always been my compass. It was always in the front seat of my being. And I even considered it a virtuous trait.

…And then, everything suddenly shifted when that happened.

I accidentally put myself into the pit with no return trip. I couldn't climb back up. And I couldn't return.

I did the only thing I could do.

I continued digging to absolute rock bottom.

"What do you think you're doing!"

Clay was busy collecting dirt sample on the ground with his trowel. He adjusted his headlamp before placing the sample carefully into special compartment of his rucksack. The lack of natural lighting in the area made things difficult for him to do his usual archaeological routine with ease.

"According to the data…" Clay glanced at his notebook before facing his companion, who was occupied with special hi tech camcorder in his hand. "This cave was estimated to form as early as Mesozoic era. I should be able to confirm this using radiocarbon dating in the lab."

Jake was furious. As if he was not annoyed enough since the beginning of the trip. Who in the right mind would think trespassing on foreign land in the middle of the night to be such a good idea! Not that this sort of behavior surprised Jake anymore. They had known each other since the time they enrolled together in Duel Academy. Clay was always obsessed with ancient artifact and prehistory crap. Something that Jake could never hope to understand.

"That was not the point Mr. Dirt-Fetish-Archaeology-Dude!" Jake retorted. "Did you even realize that you just did illegal excavation without official permit? You said you just wanted to look around!"

Clay resumed his advance further into the cave, ignoring the yelling from his companion. He stopped soon after in front of peculiar wall. It contained a distinct cave painting that looked familiar. He traced the surface lightly with his finger before gesturing to Jake to come closer.

"Here, take a look at this," said Clay.

"Huh? What of it?" Jake walked carefully, making sure that he kept good angle with his video recording. "Let's see… It looks like the image of female deity and… a demon?"

"You mentioned in your documentary about the local tribe…" Clay briefly checked his note. "The Ogirun Gaea… that they might be involved in some form of paganism. Is that correct?"

"Clay…" Jake seemed conflicted. "That was just a filler… I-I mean, don't blame me! Those Ogirun tribe had 'zero cooperation' policy to outsiders. They kept their lips sealed and their eyes closed. No interview at all. Not even a word of background information!" Jake ranted.

Clay wondered if Ogirun tribe were xenophobic in nature or perhaps there was something else going on beneath the surface. He looked again closely at the painting. It was hard to estimate the age properly. It could be something really old or something recent.

"Still…" Clay still somewhat lost in thought. "Even if what you said were pure assumption… it's possible there might be some truth to it." He examined the painting again. "Do you think this painting was made recently?"

"Hey, don't ask me! I am just a journalist. Isn't this your expertise?" Jake seemed offended. "For all I knew, those Ogirun folks chose to live with minimum modern technology. And there were many myths and folklore surrounding them, which is why I was assigned with that documentary project in the first place."

Clay continued walking deeper while Jake followed behind. Clay felt his curiosity grew bigger as he explored further into the cave. According to his research, Ogirun Gaea considered this place sacred and spiritual. He suspected that they held some kind of spiritual activity in this place. Whatever it was, Clay was certainly eager to know. At the very least, this would make a good publication material.

"Do you know the name of this cave?" Jake said playfully. "It's called Deus Ghisk. Literally mean 'death' and 'ritual'. I hope you are not getting scared by now, Clay. Because if you are, the exit is that way. You never know how much 'playtime' we actually have before they arrive and execute us on the spot. I still prefer my head where it was, thanks." Jake smirked.

Clay ignored the sarcastic comment. "I still need to find something more… substantial. Also, there is something I need to confirm."

Jake sighed. You never change, Clay.

Clay encountered more cave paintings the further he explored Deus Ghisk cave. He also found plenty of unusual statues along the way. They either were woman statue or demon statue. Clay wondered if Ogirun myths had something to do with these two entities.

After what seemed like a really long walk, both of them ended up in some sort of miniature chamber. The wall was oddly decorated. Clay noticed a well-placed altar at the center with few unlit candles on top of it. There were also more statues placed at each corner of the room.

"It's a dead end." Jake sounded relieved. "Just give it up, Clay. There's nothing here."

Clay examined the altar closely. There was faint smell of burnt sage. He readjusted his headlamp to get a better view. The candles didn't look very old or dusty. Clay made assumption that someone came to this place recently.

Perhaps Ogirun Gaea did some prayer or ritual in this room. Clay thought. He glanced around the room. His mind was still occupied with questions. Is this all there is to it? This cave is pretty deep. Why would someone go this far just to light few candles?

"What were you looking for anyway? Is this not substantial enough for you?" said Jake who was busy recording the area. "Even I could easily make up catchy headline with this. Let's see..." Jake purposely deepen his voice. "Ahem, Groundbreaking Discovery by Mr. Clay Dustyn, Mysterious Ancient Civilization Found Beneath Uncharted Land."

Clay still felt something was missing. He didn't feel the satisfaction he usually got after finishing any excavation. He still thought that there was more to it than met the eye. Like there was missing puzzle piece still hidden somewhere.

"The thing is…" Clay struggled to find the proper words. "I'm not really sure myself. It's just that-"

To the left…

What? Clay suddenly heard unfamiliar voice. It sounded like a distant whisper, yet it pierced so deep into his sensory. It almost felt like the voice was coming from inside his head.

Clay looked around for the source. "Did you hear that?"

Jake was puzzled. "Hear what? What are you talking about?"

The passage… to the left…

The same voice echoed again. This time, it sounded like a desperate plea. A cry of pain. Clay was unsure if what he heard was real or not. "No, I think there was-"

The voice repeated again with more urgency. Clay was bombarded with foreign emotion, like someone was hijacking his mental space. He felt extreme discomfort and headache.

"Hey… are you okay?" Jake looked concerned.

Come…

Clay shifted his attention to the wall beside him. To the left? Passage? What does it mean? All he saw were uninteresting wall and few statues. He tried to check the wall closely. Nothing seemed out of ordinary. He attempted to pound on the wall. No reaction. Then he tried pushing and kicking it. Still no luck.

"Okay, you lost me." Jake said irritated. "First, you said you heard stuff. Now, you punch the wall like a mad man. What's eating you!"

"Something behind this wall. I think…"

"You… think?" Jake approached the wall and examined it. "You think this wall is door in disguise? Well, I think you are pushing your luck, Clay. Beside…"

Jake checked the wall carefully. He seemed to ponder over something. "Aren't you… supposed to move the door sideways instead of forward?" He gestured toward particular spot on the wall that suspiciously looked like a handle.

"Good point." Clay grabbed the handle and exerted some physical force to the side. The heavy wall moved slowly, revealing small hidden passage behind it.

Unlike the rest of the cave, this new area was brightly lit. Clay could see long staircase and multiple lanterns hanging on the side walls. The existence of light source pretty much confirmed his assumption that someone indeed came to this place recently.

"Okay, this is getting creepy," said Jake.

"Let's go." Clay turned off his headlamp because he didn't need it anymore. "I believe this would be substantial enough for my taste."

Clay and Jake climbed down the long staircase carefully. Clay noticed significant details were put into the architecture. The decorations and ornaments on the wall felt so distinct. The design looked very different compared to other cultural arts that he had seen before. Perhaps Ogirun tribe established independent culture, never assimilated cultural influence from outside.

Either way, Clay was more than eager to research this subject in full details, until no question left unanswered.

What lay at the end of stairway was astonishing. It was a giant hall surrounded with lot of lanterns. Clay suspected the floor tiles were made of natural stones, which he couldn't really recognize at this point. The strange pattern on the floor made the atmosphere chilly.

"I have to admit. This place isn't so bad." Jake proceeded to record the surrounding with his camcorder. "It's certainly a news worthy finding, prehistoric or not."

Clay's attention immediately focused on certain object at the far end of the hall. It was ominous giant spherical black matter, restricted by multiple chains in interesting symmetrical position. There was something that looked like small gold emblem at the center. Not to mention a pair of horns sticking out from inside the black object.

The total obscurity of the object intrigued Clay. And yet at the same time, it terrified him. He contemplated whether approaching the object would be a reasonable thing to do… or not.

Hurry…

Another voice. This time, the voice seemed coming from the object, beckoning Clay to advance. He felt sudden urge to approach the object. He tentatively took a step forward and—

"Stop that at once!"

A thick shadow aura emerged in front of the black matter. The cluster of shadow dispersed, revealing a hooded figure wearing an attire that Clay thought as oversized white robe. The person held a short wand with his left hand. He gave Clay a stern glare, the kind of glare filled with intense hostility.

"Leave!" said the mysterious figure. "We don't take kindly to intruders."

"For real!?" Jake said. "Did he just manifest out of nowhere? Don't tell me those myths about Ogirun spellcasting were true!"

"I am Guardian Phantom of Deus Ghisk. Those who insist on trespassing the scared ground shall be punished." The man pointed his wand at Clay. "Leave at once. Or face the consequences."

Clay unconsciously took a step back. The glare that he received was very unnerving. But, he didn't think pulling back now was reasonable option. He had come this far. And he still had questions to be answered.

"I refuse." Clay said bluntly. "So, you mentioned you were a Phantom. Why are you guarding this place? What's the purpose of this structure? And why does Ogirun tribe have access to magic?"

"None of your concern, mortal. I have no obligation to inform intruder."

Jake started to panic. "Clay, I don't think you shouldn't provoke—"

"Fear not. That man… he is not real." Clay said calmly. "I read it from ancient manuscript. A Phantom… an illusion personified, strong manifestation of magic, granted specific form and will." Clay looked back at Phantom. "And to think Ogirun tribe could do this…"

"I may not be real." The Phantom took few steps forward. A devilish grin was formed on his face. "Rest assured… I still get the job done."

The Phantom chanted some unknown incantation. The air in the area started to become dense. A strange glyph appeared on the floor, glowing with bright light. A huge magic circle then formed, encircling both Phantom and Clay in cage-like fashion.

What the!? Another magic? Clay quickly observed his surrounding. No matter how many times he looked at it, he was pretty much trapped.

"We, Ogirun Gaea are not keen on bloodshed…" The Phantom made an eerie gesture with his wand. "Instead, we prefer something more… 'arcane' and 'esoteric' to deal with the likes of you."

Clay didn't like implication behind those words. He felt slight goosebumps on his feet. He briefly looked behind and saw Jake stood far away, conflicted about what to do.

"I shall grant you one last chance." The Phantom smirked. "Leave now. Go back to your old peaceful life." He then proceeded to lower his voice. "Or face the trial with your very soul on the line."

Trial? What trial? Clay was overwhelmed with survival urge to stay alive. At the same time, his growing curiosity started to take hold over him. He wanted to know about the secret of Ogirun Gaea. He wanted to understand why they insisted on guarding this place, to the point of using Phantom as guardian. And he still needed to expose the truth of Ogirun magic.

"I beg you just this once, Clay." Jake said with serious look on his face. "Do not do the thing I think you're going to do."

Duel…

Clay sensed the voice again. He suddenly remembered another question that occupied his mind. That black matter and the strange voice beckoning him. Duel? What do you mean? Could it be that the trial… Duel Monsters?

Banish the shadow… Shadow Duel…

Shadow Duel? Clay tried recollecting his memory. He felt certain that he read about this during his archaeological study. Shadow Duel… myth of ancient folks… the era when Duel Monsters was actual spell battle practiced by sorcerers… and the losers paid the price with their lives.

Clay thought about what the Phantom said before. 'Or face the trial with your very soul on the line.'

The trial… my soul… Shadow Duel…

In that case… I still have a chance.

Clay took a deep breath. He looked behind and gave his companion a reassuring smile before saying something that might be his last will.

"Forgive me," said Clay.

Jake stared in disbelief when Clay proceeded to drop his rucksack on the floor, followed by taking out a Duel Disk from inside the bag. Clay then attached the Duel Disk on his left arm before inserting his own deck into the device.

"Hmph, imbecile." The Phantom laughed. "You realized Shadow Duel was waiting, yet you still dare to challenge me? Very well, I shall reward you… with eternal darkness."

The Phantom murmured a quick incantation. The short wand in his left hand transformed into a sinister-looking Duel Disk. Thick dark aura was emanating from his deck. "Get ready for the battle of your life."

"Clay, y-you bastard! I hate you!" Jake felt betrayed. He was not happy at all with current situation. "Why are you doing this? You could just back off peacefully, but this is what you do? If anything happens, I refuse going to your funeral, you hear me! See if I care!"

"Fear not. I don't intend to have my funeral yet." Clay gave Phantom his own version of glare. "Beside, I still have something I need to confirm."

The Phantom pressed the auto-shuffle button. He flashed a menacing smile. "Well, shall we begin?"

Clay responded by activating the auto-shuffle function. Both of them drew five cards.

"Duel!"

[Clay: 8000] - Vs - [Phantom: 8000]

"I don't like going first," said Phantom. "Waiting for my first Battle Phase is not my style…" He then switched to low monotone speech. "I'd rather rip my opponent to shreds at the first chance I get."

"I suppose you were talking about metaphor there. Talk about ironic. Because I only smell empty threat here." Clay replied, trying to imitate Jake's usual snarky remark.

Phantom glared back at Clay.

Clay looked at the five cards in his hand. Legendary Jujitsu Master… Exxod, Master of The Guard… D2 Shield… Doki Doki… Morphing Jar…

I suppose there is only one way here. Clay took two cards from his hand. "I set a monster and facedown card." A horizontal monster card appeared, followed by a reverse card behind it. "That is all."

"How impressive." Phantom said sarcastically. He drew a card from his deck. "Let me show you something more… entertaining." He swiftly insert a card into the Disk. "A continuous spell, Call of the Mummy."

Zombie deck? Clay felt slightly anxious.

"And I'm using it right away." Phantom continued. "Once per turn, as long as my field is empty, I can special summon a Zombie-type monster from my hand." He took another card from his hand. "Come forth, Red Ogre!"

A huge menacing ogre materialized on Phantom's side of the field. The ogre had a pair of black horns on its head. It carried a large spiked bat that looked intimidating. (2800/2100/*7)

"Don't forget…" Phantom took one more card. "I still have my normal summon here. I summon Wightprincess!"

The so called 'princess' was nothing like usual princess you'd expect in royalty or fairy tale setting. It was actually a living skeleton dressed in a gown. The monster let out a maniacal chuckle. (1600/0/*3)

Jake was recording the duel from distance. He summoned two monsters in single turn. Watch out, Clay. You're dealing with aggressive duelist here.

"Wightprincess had special effect." Phantom explained. "Each time I summon her, I can send Wrightprince directly from my deck to the graveyard." A single card was ejected from his deck. He immediately put the card into the discard slot. "That's not all. Wightprince also allows me to bury Skull Servant and Lady in Wight together with him." He sent two more cards to his graveyard.

Clay observed the situation. He seems keen on filling his graveyard. The bad news is… he already succeeded. I don't like where this is going.

Phantom pointed at Clay's concealed monster. "Red Ogre, crush that monster!"

Red Ogre leapt forward and attempted to strike the target with its spiked bat. The hidden monster turned into an old martial artist holding a defensive Judo stance. (DEF 1800)

"I activate my trap, D2 Shield!" said Clay. "This card will double my monster's defense!"

Legendary Jujitsu Master caught Red Ogre's spiked bat with his bare hands, then countered the attack with a swift shoulder throw despite the size difference. Red Ogre immediately vanished from sight soon after.

"Due to Jujitsu's effect, Red Ogre returned to the top of your deck." Clay explained.

Phantom smirked. It seemed like the situation didn't bother him a bit. "…I set a card. Turn end."

[Clay: 8000] - Vs - [Phantom: 7200]

"My turn." Clay drew a card. He took brief moment to analyze his cards. Time to take the offensive. "I summon Doki Doki."

A weird-looking clay pot was manifested in front of him. (500/500/*2)

"I activate Doki Doki's effect. I discard my level 8 Exxod to special summon Granmarg the Mega Monarch from my deck."

A big portal appeared beside Doki Doki. Clay could feel the ground trembled as Granmarg arose from the portal and made an appearance. (2800/1000/*8)

"Battle Phase." Clay shouted. "Granmarg, attack Wightprincess! Gaia Breaker!"

Granmarg prepared to launch a rock projectile toward the zombie.

"Halt! I use Wightprincess's ability." Phantom interrupted. "By sending Wightprincess to the graveyard, all monsters on the field shall lose 300 ATK and DEF multiplied by their level."

Wightprincess let out a creepy chuckle before a black orb completely swallowed her. Ominous cloud of darkness surrounded Legendary Jujitsu Master, Doki Doki, and Granmarg. Doki Doki was weakened to 0 ATK while Granmarg barely survived with 400 ATK left.

Clay wasn't fond of this turn of event. "In that case, Granmarg will attack you directly."

Granmarg manifested a small rock and launched it toward the target. Phantom winced due to impact. (LP 7200 → 6800)

"Fool." Phantom said. "I can't believe you took the bait so easily." He pressed a button on his Duel Disk. "I unleash my trap, Wolf in Sheep's Clothing! With this card, I can special summon level 1 monster from my hand." He placed a card on his Duel Disk. "Meet your worst nightmare… King of Skull Servants!"

An eerie skeleton sporting a long-sleeved rags rose from the ground. It was surrounded by thick devilish aura. (4000/0/*1)

"What the…!" Jake was dumbfounded. "That monster has 4000 ATK!?"

"Are you surprised?" Phantom laughed. "King of Skull Servants gained 1000 ATK for each Skull Servant in my graveyard. Just in case it wasn't obvious enough, all Wight monsters are treated as Skull Servant while in the grave."

Phantom continued. "I am not finished yet. Wolf in Sheep's Clothing also special summons a second monster straight from the deck. Say hello to the second King." He said mockingly.

Another King of Skull Servants appeared. (ATK 4000)

Clay broke out in cold sweat as he stared at the new threat in front of him. He considered his options on his hand. "I set a card. I end my turn." A facedown card appeared behind his monsters. The dark cloud surrounding Granmarg and the others dispersed, reversing their ATK to normal.

Phantom made a draw. "Unfortunately, I don't possess kind personality. Why settle for double trouble if I can go for triple." He inserted a card into the Disk. "I use this spell card, Where Arf Thou? If I control a level 1 monster, I can take another level 1 monster from my deck."

Phantom quickly took the card that slipped out of his deck. He revealed the added card to Clay. The third copy of King of Skull Servants. "At this point, it should be obvious what's coming next… your demise."

Clay watched as the third King joined the fray. This was the first time he ever faced three 4000 ATK beaters at once. He didn't have any monster that could possibly defeat them in battle. Perhaps with different method…? His eyes rested on the facedown card on his side of the field.

"Don't bother." Phantom played the last card in his hand. "Quick-play spell, Anti-Magic Arrows!"

Volley of arrows was discharged toward Clay's facedown card.

"Sorry to burst your bubble." Phantom said. "Anti-Magic Arrows shall make sure your facedown card to stay… 'unemployed' for the rest of this turn." He suddenly burst into laughter. "It's too late to beg for mercy now! I did give you your last chance, remember?"

Clay gulped as his legs shuddered in anticipation of impending attack.

Phantom pointed. "King of Skull Servants… attack Doki Doki!"

The first skeleton hurled a massive blast of dark energy at the clay pot. The pot immediately shattered to pieces. Clay screamed as he felt surge of painful sensation on his body. (LP 8000 → 4500)

"Clay, are you alright?" Jake shouted, still recording the whole duel from distance.

"But wait, there's more," said Phantom mockingly. He pointed at Granmarg. "Destroy that golem!"

The second skeleton discharged dark energy at Granmarg, destroying it as well. Clay winced as another pain was inflicted on him. (LP 4500 → 3300)

And finally, the last King of Skull Servants attacked and destroyed Legendary Jujitsu Master. The skeleton vanished from the field soon after.

"Jujitsu Master… still returned your King to the top of your deck..." Clay said weakly as he struggled to recover his strength.

"No matter," said Phantom. He placed the card back to his deck. "He is still coming back next turn. It's your turn now." His face turned into disturbing grin. "…You better make it count."

[Clay: 3300] - Vs - [Phantom: 6800]

Clay started to feel regret for getting into this situation. Was it a mistake to enter this place? Was he being too naive for thinking he could win a Shadow Duel? Did he play with the wrong fire? As much as he despised it, he had to agree with Phantom.

The next turn absolutely needed to count.

Clay silently prayed for miracle. He slowly drew the top card of his deck.

It was Giant Rat. Think, Clay Dustin. Think. Clay exerted maximum amount of his brain power. He got two Kings and Call of the Mummy. And his next draw… is another King. I still have to deal with triple Kings again next turn.

Clay stared at remaining cards in his hand. Morphing Jar is lost cause… unless I manage to draw Swift Scarecrow with it. Very unlikely. Giant Rat on the other hand… What am I supposed to summon with it? Block Golem? Fossil Dyna? He considered all his options. Not to mention I still have my facedown card with me…

Clay closed his eyes as a plan was formulated in his mind.

"I set a monster." Clay said with resolve. A new defensive monster appeared on his side of the field. "Your move."

At this point, Jake almost reached his breaking point. He found it difficult to retain his composure. He was overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. Clay… If you lose… I won't forgive you.

Phantom started his turn, drawing his card. "I afraid this is the end of the line. Nothing could possibly save you now. I shall savor my victory as your soul be consumed by eternal darkness."

"Talk is cheap. Prove yourself." Clay retorted.

Phantom felt his temper rising. "Tch, for a lowly mortal, you sure have sharp tongue." He slammed the newly drawn card onto his Disk. "I summon King of Skull Servants!"

The third King returned again to duel field. (ATK 4000)

Phantom wasted no time to declare his attack. "King of Skull Servants, crush that monster!" The first King started to build up sphere of dark energy.

"I activate my trap, Reverse Glasses!" Clay shouted as his facedown card lifted. "All monsters currently on the field lose half of their ATK until the End Phase."

Three pairs of ugly glasses flew away toward each King of Skull Servants. They looked visibly uncomfortable when the spectacles were forced upon them. (ATK 4000 → 2000)

The first King continued to build up energy, then released it toward Clay's monster. A Giant Rat was revealed as the poor beast took the blast violently and shattered.

"I activate Giant Rat's effect," said Clay. "When this card is destroyed by battle, I can special summon a low ATK Earth monster from my deck." A piece of card was automatically ejected from his deck. Clay pulled it out before placing it on his Duel Disk. "And I choose another Giant Rat."

A new Giant Rat appeared in attack position. (1400/1450/*4)

"Then I shall obliterate that rat as well!" said Phantom.

The second King launched the same attack toward Giant Rat. Clay braced himself as the rodent mammal got exterminated. (LP 3300 → 2700)

"I summon another Giant Rat." Clay announced as his third and final battle searcher replacing the previous monster on the field. (ATK 1400)

"Foolish." Phantom was getting irritated. "No matter how many times you summoned it, I'm still going to kill them all."

Phantom snapped his fingers in dramatic fashion. The third King took the cue and proceeded to slay the rodent one more time. Clay endured the resulting impact as another wave of agony coursing through his body. (LP 2700 → 2100)

"I summon Mormolith…" said Clay weakly. He steadied himself as best as he could before putting the card on his Disk. An ancient statue with oddly-shaped head and legs materialized in front of him. (1000/900/*4)

"Whatever." Phantom muttered. He had expected to finish the duel this turn. This outcome certainly contradicted his expectation. To say that he was annoyed about it would be an understatement. "Turn end." He said grudgingly.

The effect from Reverse Glasses wore off. Each King of Skull Servants regained their lost ATK point. (ATK 2000 → 4000)

[Clay: 2100] - Vs - [Phantom: 6800]

Clay made a draw. "I activate Mormolith's special effect! By releasing 1 Earth monster…" Mormolith was surrounded by white orb and disappeared. "All monsters with lower DEF than the released monster's ATK will instantly turn to dust." Clay smiled. "Just in case you can't do the math… all your zombies are qualified."

Phantom watched in horror as all his monsters got petrified and shattered. Meanwhile, Jake felt immense relief to see Clay managed to turn the tables successfully.

Clay placed all his remaining cards on his Duel Disk. "I set a monster and one facedown card. My turn is done." A concealed monster and one reverse card appeared.

Phantom drew a card and looked at it. "Do you know what's intriguing about undead? It doesn't matter how many times you kill them. They still keep coming back beyond the grave… over and over."

"Get to the point," said Clay.

Phantom laughed. "The point? I shall let you decide that for yourself." He put his only card on the Disk. "I use Call of the Mummy to summon Il Blud."

A new zombie wearing prisoner outfit appeared. There was an iron ball attached on the right leg. A hideous face was visible at the center of its torso. (2100/800/*6)

"There's more." Phantom continued. "Il Blud is Gemini monster. I shall use my normal summon to activate its Gemini effect." The zombie started to glow faintly as it got infused with new power. "Then I use Il Blud's ability to revive King of Skull Servants."

Il Blud began to do some odd gesture. A pitch black portal opened on the ground. A skeleton slowly crawled upward and rose beside Il Blud. (ATK 6000)

Clay stared at the familiar monster with disgust. He didn't see this coming. He worked hard to destroy those Kings last turn. To witness the same monster coming back again… it certainly was not a pretty sight.

"Battle!" Phantom shouted. "Il Blud… smash that monster!"

Il Blud rushed forward and slammed its fist toward its target. Morphing Jar was broken to pieces in a single strike.

"You just flipped my Morphing Jar." Clay explained. "That means both of us must draw 5 cards, considering we are literally empty-handed at the moment." He reached his deck and drew five times.

"Gladly…" Phantom smiled as he proceeded to drew five cards. "Although I fail to see any significance about this… considering what's coming after you next." He pointed at Clay. "King of Skull Servants… direct attack!"

Clay quickly pressed a button. "I activate my trap, Burst Rebirth!" His facedown card opened. "By paying 2000 LP, I can special summon a monster in facedown defense position." New concealed monster appeared in front of him. (LP 2100 → 100)

King of Skull Servants continued its attack and hurled a sphere of dark energy toward the monster. Legendary Jujitsu Master shielded himself as he took the blast and disappeared. The skeleton also disappeared from the field after the attack.

"HA, HA, HA, HA." Phantom couldn't resist to gloat. "Look at you. Barely survive with only 100 LP left. I've never seen such pathetic display of skill. You might as well give up now and stop struggling."

"There is a famous saying." Clay said calmly. "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."

Phantom somehow got offended by last statement. "Very well then…" He muttered quietly. He swiftly took a card from his hand. "I use Book of Life. By banishing a monster from your grave, I can revive King of Skull Servants from my grave. Say goodbye to your Jujitsu Master."

Clay took out Legendary Jujitsu Master from the discard slot. In front of him, King of Skull Servants made an appearance again.

"I'm not finished yet, mortal." Phantom took another card. "I use Foolish Burial to send Mezuki from my deck to the grave." He inserted Mezuki into the discard slot. "Then I use Mezuki's ability. By banishing itself, I can revive another zombie from the grave."

The second King of Skull Servants appeared once more. (ATK 4000)

Phantom stared at the three cards in his hand. Needlebug Nest, Destruction Jammer, and Wightprince. He can't possibly hope to destroy my monsters in battle. Therefore, he needs to rely on destruction effects. When that happens, I will discard Wightprince to activate Destruction Jammer… completely foiling his plan. Also, Wightprince will further increased King's ATK by 3000 points. Killing two birds with one stone. A perfect plan. I cannot lose.

Phantom grinned as he inserted two cards into his Disk. "I put these two cards. The end." For you.

[Clay: 100] - Vs - [Phantom: 6800]

"My turn." Clay made a draw. As soon as he did, one reverse card on opposite side was activated.

"I use Needlebug Nest!" Phantom said. "Now, I send the top five cards of my deck to the graveyard." He revealed his top deck and sent Skull Servant, Haunted Shrine, One for One, Wightprincess, and Wightmare. Phantom was overjoyed at his luck as both Kings got stronger with each monster he sent. (ATK 4000 → 7000)

Clay didn't seem impressed with the ATK increase. He gently played a card. "I activate Monster Reborn!"

"Let me guess… Mormolith," said Phantom. Too predictable.

The ancient statue returned to the field. (DEF 900)

"Then you should be able to guess what's coming next," said Clay. "I activate Mormolith's effect!" Mormolith was consumed by white light and vanished.

"End of the line!" Phantom pressed a button. His final reverse card opened. "Counter trap, Destruction Jammer!" He quickly discarded Wightprince from his hand. A giant barrier protected Il Blud and both King of Skull Servants from Mormolith's petrification effect.

"That's not all." Phantom continued. "Because Wightprince was discarded, I get to send one more Skull Servant and Lady in Wight to the grave." He put two more cards into his discard slot. Kings of Skull Servants received more power boost as result. (ATK 7000 → 10000)

"That's… ten thousands attack points!?" Jake watched in disbelief.

"Face your fate, mortal!" Phantom laughed. "There's nothing you can do anymore. Not even a God card can win against it. As I said, this is the end of the line." He gave Clay a taunting look. "Game… over…"

Clay only stood there, completely unfazed. There was a long pause of silence before the curious archaeologist decided to break the stillness.

"…I win." Clay said quietly.

"What!" Phantom was taken aback by the unexpected remark. "Have you lost your mind?"

"It was pure deduction." Clay explained. "No more card in hand, check. No more facedown card, check. Not to mention there is no Necro Gardna in your graveyard. My win is guaranteed. Nothing can save you now."

Clay revealed a monster from his hand. "I banish all Rock-type monsters in my graveyard." Doki Doki, Granmarg, Morphing Jar, Exxod, and Mormolith slipped out of discard slot. He collected all of them before putting them inside a pocket. He then played his previously revealed card. "I summon Megarock Dragon!"

A big portal opened on the ground. A huge dragon made entirely of stone emerged from the portal in dramatic fashion. It let out a threatening roar that echoed through the room. (3500/3500/*7)

"Next." Clay took another card. "I normal summon Lost Guardian in attack position."

An ancient stone soldier appeared beside Megarock Dragon. It looked very sturdy and stiff. The soldier wielded a spear that increased its intimidating presence. (100/4200/*4)

"Lost Guardian has special DEF score based on the total banished Rock-type monsters. Right now I have six, including Jujitsu Master that you banished with Book of Life."

"Clay…" Jake looked confused. "Aren't you… supposed to put it on defense?"

"I see," said Phantom. He was unimpressed. "Not only you were delusional, you're also a reckless fool."

Clay stared at his opponent. "Like I said… my win is guaranteed." He swiftly played a new card. "I activate Shield and Sword! This card switchs ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field."

"It can't be…!" Phantom watched as his Skull Servants went from unstoppable 10000 ATK to powerless 0 ATK. Meanwhile, Lost Guardian suddenly turned into 4200 ATK juggernaut. Phantom began to realize the implication of this sudden turn of event.

Clay pointed at the skeleton in front of him. "Megarock Dragon, destroy King of Skull Servants!"

The dragon moved forward and stomped the King with its giant leg, destroying the poor zombie completely. The resulting impact created a shockwave on the ground that knocked Phantom backward. (LP 6800 → 3300)

Clay wasted no time to settle the duel. "Lost Guardian… attacked the second King!"

With a swift movement, Lost Guardian thrust its weapon at the King's torso, effectively making a hole at the center and destroying it. (LP 3300 → 0)

"No! T-this can't be happening… argh!" The Phantom started to writhe in pain when a big glob of shadow appeared on the ground and slowly devoured him. Clay witnessed the excruciating sight, feeling conflicted about his moral standpoint regarding the event. He certainly didn't feel like a hero after 'erasing' a sentient entity from existence.

The magic circle that confined him disappeared, together with all holographic monsters from the duel. With everything vanished from sight, the trial was finally over.

In retrospect, the whole experience felt like a dream. It was so unreal and fleeting. Did I seriously do all that? Clay thought to himself. Perhaps the harsh realization that he could possibly have been the victim of Shadow Duel was too terrifying for his mind to wrap around. And his brain decided that it was better to numb his senses and pretended the whole carnage didn't actually happen.

Clay stood there for few moments in semi-blank state before something knocked him to the ground.

"Nice knowing you." Jake greeted casually. "I'm glad you could just stand there and did casual space exploration as if nothing happened. No, I'm obviously not mad at you for almost giving me cardiac arrest. Thanks for nothing Mr. I-shamelessly-love-getting-in-trouble!"

"Sorry, that was a close one." Clay got up while rubbing the back of his head.

"You never change, Clay." Jake sighed. "Let's… let's just finish our business here and get the hell out of here, post-haste. It's tiring me out."

Come…

Clay heard the mysterious voice again. The voice started to mesmerize him. He gradually felt his conscious control on his body fading little by little. Some invisible force began to take hold over him.

Heed my call…

Clay watched helplessly as his legs took initiative on its own and walked toward the black matter. He tried to resist the binding of influence placed upon him. But, it didn't work out. He had no choice but to submit as his body moved closer to the object.

Clay observed the mysterious object in front of him. It certainly looked twice as hideous at this close distance. He could sense powerful energy coming from the inside. Something really dark and terrifying. Yet at the same time, he also felt a hint of pain and suffering.

Unbind the seal…

This time, the voice echoed with urgency. It was at this moment that Clay became aware of what was happening. Someone was asking for his help, desperately seeking for release. And this entity probably had been enduring some kind of imprisonment for a long time.

Are you… by any chance… in pain? Clay asked.

He didn't receive a response. But somehow, he felt a sudden desire to ease its suffering. Perhaps, he could do something, anything…

Clay was not sure whether what he did next was the product of his conscious will or not. He reached out to the gold emblem at the center, then forcefully yanked it out of the chain.

At last…

Some sort of black smoke was leaking out from the object. Clay realized that the gas tried to force its way toward him. He felt his awareness starting to fade. His strength was drained as he unwillingly continued to absorb the unknown substance. Eventually, his legs gave up, dropping his body to the cold floor surface.

The last thing he remembered was Jake's voice calling his name from distance.

(A/N: Yay! I made it to the end. Phew. Glad it was over. I am fairly new to fic writing. So, I am totally open to comment, constructive criticism, suggestion, etc. Just, don't give me any hate mail, please. My heart is more fragile than a cheap glass from second-hand store.

See you on next chapter!)