"Fine, if it's what you want then I'll duel you, but if I win, you'll give me answers!" Alex called to the figure cloaked in blue. The figure did not respond, but took a dueling stance facing Alex. That odd heartbeat was still ringing in his ears, but he wasn't going to let it distract him. Alex raised his hand to his duel disk and announced, "Let's duel!"
Alex: 4000
Cloaked Figure: 4000
Alex took a breath to steady himself, as strange as this situation was it was just another duel. This was what he was best at. The Cloaked Figure took the first turn. Alex didn't know what to expect, was she strong? To Alex's surprise she just set one face-down card then declared, "I summon Masked Dragon in attack mode."
Masked Dragon 1400 Atk, lvl 3.
The face-down card materialized, floating in front of the cloaked figure while a red and white dragon wearing an armored mask appeared and roared threateningly at Alex. With a wave of her hand, the cloaked figure declared, "End Turn."
'Wait, that's it?' Alex thought puzzled. Her dragon wasn't too strong, it would be easy enough for Alex to destroy. "If that's your first move, then I'm gonna have to start this fight!" Alex said, drawing his first card. He whipped a card from his hand and declared, "First, I summon Photon Sabre Tiger in attack mode!" In front of him, a massive tiger that looked as if it were made of blue lightning materialized with a mighty roar.
Photon Sabre Tiger 2000 - 1700 Atk, lvl 3
Alex pointed at his tiger and said, "My tiger may lose 300 Atk points due to his effect, but he's still strong enough to destroy your monster!" Alex pointed at Masked Dragon and declared, "Go Sabre Tiger, Flash Fang Slash!" His tiger roared in response and pounced on the dragon. As the tiger closed its jaws on the dragon's neck, it disappeared in an explosion of smoke. The explosion barely ruffled the figure's cloak as her life points fell.
Cloaked Figure 3700
Alex smiled for just a moment until the cloaked figure said, "Activate effect. When masked dragon is destroyed by a monster I may summon another dragon from my deck."
'That's why she let me destroy it,' Alex thought, 'she wanted to summon a different monster.' Alex silently cursed himself as the figure summoned her monster. "I summon Galaxy-eyes Cloud Dragon." On her field, a small very familiar looking dragon appeared on her side of the field with a chirp. The dragon though small, looked just like Galaxy-eyes Photon Dragon, but a baby form.
Galaxy-eyes Cloud Dragon 300 Atk, lvl 1
"What?!" Alex blurted at the sight of the dragon. How could... It looked exactly like Claire's Photon Dragon! "W-where on earth did you get that?!" Alex stuttered.
"They are hardly cards of your earth." The figure replied cryptically.
Still reeling, Alex announced, "E-end Turn."
Next the cloaked figure announced, "I summon Galaxy Wizard in attack mode." A mage dressed in white vestments and a blue cape, appeared in front of her.
Galaxy wizard 0 Atk, lvl 4.
She motioned to the monster and announced, "Activate effect. Galaxy Wizard becomes a level 8 monster." Galaxy Wizard waved its arms as if casting a spell causing it's level to increase to 8.
"Next I activate the spell, Galaxy Expedition. This allows me to summon another Galaxy monster from my deck. I summon Galaxy Tyranno." In a flash of white light a tyrannosaurus covered in silvery armor appeared on the field and roared at the heavens, but it was not there for long. Both it and Galaxy wizard were engulfed in yellow light that leapt skyward. The two lights spiraled around each other before plunging downwards into a swirling back hole that had opened on the field. The figure motioned towards the hole and called, "XYZ Summon. Hieratic Sun Dragon Overlord of Heliopolis."
From the black hole rose a tremendous bipedal dragon with massive arms and legs. Its skin glowed orange and red like the surface of a star with the two lights now orbiting around it. Its golden armor glittered with its own light as it roared shaking the air with power.
Hieratic Sun Dragon Overlord of Heliopolis 3000 Atk, Rnk 8
Alex began to sweat, that dragon was more than strong enough to devastate him. If it attacked, he'd be in huge trouble.
"Activate effect. Heliopolis uses one overlay unit to tribute a monster and destroy a card you control. I tribute cloud dragon to destroy Sabre tiger." The figure announced, pointing at Sabre Tiger.
Cloud dragon and one of the orbiting lights became a roaring fire that dove at Alex's tiger. It barely let out a roar as the flames engulfed it, reducing it to nothing.
"Oh no..." Alex muttered as the figure's dragon loomed over his defenseless field.
"I attack directly with Sun Dragon." She commanded. Her dragon roared as a massive fireball, like a sun, materialized in its claw, and then slammed the fireball down upon Alex.
The force from the attack threw Alex back and he grunted in pain as his Life points plummeted. With that attack, the figure ended her turn.
Alex 1000
Alex's heart was pounding. Another attack like that and he'd be done for. He could hear his own heart thumping out of time with the mysterious heart beat from before. The rhythmic cacophony was driving him insane, like he needed more to weigh on his mind. "Sis, I need your help," Alex muttered as he reached for his deck, "Give me something that can win!" He pulled the card from the top of his deck, his eyes closed. He opened an eye to look at the card and roared in triumph, "Alright!" Now it was time for him to turn and fight.
"First I activate the spell from my hand, Galaxy Zero! This lets me bring back my Photon Sabre tiger from my graveyard!" With a roar, the glowing tiger erupted from a pool of twinkling light. "Next I summon another Photon Sabre Tiger from my hand, and now since I have 2 of them on the field, they cancel their effects making them 2000 points each!"
Photon Sabre Tiger 2000 Atk, lv 3
Alex motioned to the 2 tigers and said, "Now that I have two monsters with 2000 attack points, I tribute them to special summon my own dragon!" Both tigers shattered into billions of pin-points of light, the lights began to swirl and spiral until they formed a galaxy, right in the middle of the field. Alex slammed a card onto his duel disk and proudly declared, "From the power of allies is born a brilliant light! Show your blinding power, Galaxy-eyes Photon Dragon!"
The swirling galaxy exploded outward, and from its center emerged Galaxy-eyes. The glowing, blue dragon growled at its challenger, the Sun Dragon.
Galaxy-eyes Photon Dragon 3000 Atk, lv 8
Alex grinned like a cat on the hunt; Sun Dragon was strong, but it was no match for Galaxy-eyes! "Now Galaxy-eyes, attack Sun Dragon!" Galaxy-eyes beat its wings and surged forward, diving right at Sun Dragon. However, before the two could clash, they both simply disappeared. Alex was still smiling, "and now Galaxy-eyes' effect! When it battles, both monsters are banished. Then when they return, if it battled an Xyz monster, Galaxy-eyes absorbs its overlay units!"
Both dragons reappeared on the field, but now Galaxy-eyes seemed larger than before. The light that had been orbiting Sun Dragon was gone and Galaxy-eyes' attack points had risen.
Galaxy-eyes Photon Dragon 3500, lv 8
Alex wasn't done yet as he played another spell from his hand, "Now I activate Photon Stream of Destruction! If Galaxy-eyes is on my field, I can banish your Sun Dragon again, only this time it's not coming back!"
Galaxy-eyes' head shot forward and unleashed a stream of starlight from its jaws that blasted Sun Dragon. The massive creature simply faded from existence as Alex ended his turn.
'Yes!' Alex thought 'Now that I've got Galaxy-eyes, there's no way I can lose!' The heart beat had grown louder, but now it seemed almost comforting, not irritating. It almost seemed like it was coming from... Galaxy-eyes? But before Alex could be sure, the figure interrupted his thoughts.
"You have bright eyes, but they are still shut tight, blinded by another's light. You must open your eyes and shine with your own light to grasp your future." As she drew her next card. Alex stared at her, no clue what she was talking about.
"What do you mean?" Alex asked, confused.
"You are strong and you have eyes that can see the future before you, but you rely on the power of another. Until you shine with your own light, you will not move forward." She replied, as unclear as before.
Alex shook his head, Galaxy-eyes had scared her into nonsense. "You're gonna have to do better than mumbo jumbo if you want to beat me and my dragon!"
"The power you hide behind is too fragile to be victorious. I will have to show you by destroying it now." the figure said, making Alex scoff.
"Galaxy-eyes, fragile? Claire's ace was never easy to take down and you-" Alex began before the figure interrupted him.
"Activate effect of Swarzchild Limit Dragon in my hand. If you control a monster of 2000 or more attack points, I may special summon it." A long serpent with five red eyes and thick brown scales appeared in a flash of light before coiling its body into an infinity symbol.
Swarzchild Limit Dragon 2000 Atk, lv 8
"Next, since I control a level 8 monster I can normal summon Parsec, the interstellar dragon from my hand without tributing." Another creature appeared on her field, this time a black and purple dragon with long, spindly limbs like a spider.
Parsec, the interstellar dragon 800 Atk, lv 8
"Now, with these two monsters, I build the overlay network." Once again, a black hole opened up on the ground. The two dragons became swirling lights and dove into the hole. However, this time a strange pink light flowed from beneath the figure's hood and entered the portal as well.
"Wh-what was..." Alex muttered in shock, before the figure continued.
"Behind bright eyes lies a powerful soul. A soul strong enough to transcend time and take the future in its jaws. I Xyz Summon, Number 107: Galaxy-eyes Tachyon Dragon!" From the portal rose what could only be described as a giant metal crystal. The crystal then transformed, sprouting wings, a tail and head until it had become a tremendous, mechanical dragon. Its body was made of black metal with veins of pink energy glowing brightly across it's body. It let out a shriek that sounded like metal grinding against metal.
Galaxy-eyes Tachyon Dragon 3000 Rnk 8
"What?!" Alex blurted. She had another galaxy-eyes, and this time one he'd never seen before? "How is it you have Galaxy-eyes cards? Only me and my sister-"
"I believe you only get answers if you win, correct?" the figure interrupted, the first real reply she'd given the whole duel. She motioned to Tachyon Dragon and continued, "Next I use Tachyon's effect. By using 1 overlay unit, it negates Photon Dragon's effect and returns its attack points to normal." One of the lights orbiting Tachyon Dragon disappeared as it gave off a blinding pink light, causing Photon Dragon's attack points to fall back to 3000. However, she wasn't finished as she declared, "Next I activate Forbidden Lance to lower Photon Dragon's attack even further and finally, Tachyon Dragon attacks!"
Galaxy-eyes Photon Dragon 2200, lv 8
Galaxy-eyes Tachyon Dragon 3000, Rnk 8
Tachyon's jaws opened and unleashed a beam of pink energy that slammed into Photon Dragon. Photon Dragon roared in pain before it vanished in a flash of light.
"No!" Alex cried as his dragon disappeared and his life points fell again.
Alex 200
With a wave of her hand, the figure ended her turn and Alex started his own. He began to sweat as he looked at the last 3 cards in his hand: Dark Hole, Photon Thrasher and Galaxy Knight. His best card, his sister's ace, was gone; he only had 200 life points left and his opponent still had a powerful monster on her field. He had to get rid of that dragon first. "I activate the spell Dark Hole to destroy every monster on the field!"
A black hole opened in the center of the field, threatening to suck in Tachyon Dragon, but the figure was ready for it. "Activate trap, Tachyon Transmigration. When Tachyon Dragon is on my field, I can negate any cards you activate!" She said, as the card she had set face-down stood up, revealing Tachyon Dragon's crystal form. A light shot from the card and pierced dark hole making it dissolve until it disappeared.
"My spell!" Alex cried. He was out of options. Dark hole had been his last chance. Without defeating Tachyon he was done for. His sister's deck wasn't enough to get him out of this anymore. 'I've got no chance,' he thought, frozen with indecision. "What can I even do, I've-"
Suddenly Alex heard a new voice say, "Open your eyes." The voice multiplied and repeated the phrase over and over again, becoming dozens of voices that Alex recognized. Mary, Claire, the figure, Chester, Bishop and one Alex didn't recognize. It was strong and calm, breaking through the cacophony of voices until it was the only one that Alex could hear.
"Open your eyes, Alex" The voice repeated clearly.
"But- But what does that mean?" Alex stuttered.
The voice replied calmly, settling Alex's own nerves. "You have relied on your sister's power for too long. You have bright eyes and great power, but you do not use it. You must go beyond your sister's limitations and take hold of the future with your own power."
"What power? I don't have anything left." Alex replied.
The voice chuckled and said, "That is not entirely true. You still have me." Before Alex could question the voice's meaning, he heard it. It was faint and covered by the voice, but it was there. A small and faint heartbeat, the same one he'd heard when he summoned Galaxy-eyes.
His eyes widened with realization and he said, "Galaxy-eyes?! But, Tachyon beat you!"
The voice scoffed and replied, "She merely defeated the form that embodied your sister's power. It's time you use your own. I will take the first step, but the rest will be up to you."
Suddenly, a blank card appeared in his hand, the border was black like an Xyz monster, but everything else on the card was blank. Alex couldn't explain it, but somehow he knew exactly what the card was and how to use it.
"Alright then, are you ready Galaxy-eyes?" Alex said, his voice now steady.
Galaxy-eyes scoffed and said, "Always!"
Alex's daze shattered as he reached for his hand and said, "When I have no monsters, I can special summon Photon Thrasher from my hand!" In a flash of light a robot made of blue metal, with a glowing sword larger than itself and a single red eye appeared on the field. With a steely battle-cry it leveled its sword at Tachyon.
Photon Thrasher 2100, lv 4
"Now when I control a Photon monster, I can summon Galaxy Knight from my hand without tributing!" Next, a knight wearing a full suit of brilliant white armor and glowing green eyes beneath its helm, appeared riding on a thin futuristic looking platform.
Galaxy Knight 2800-1800 Atk, lv 8
Alex was hardly finished as he added, "Plus, when he's summoned this way, he can special summon Galaxy-eyes from my graveyard in defense mode!" The knight drew a sword from its hip and thrust it into the ground. From that spot erupted Galaxy-eyes Photon Dragon. It roared before kneeling down and crossing its wings over its chest.
"Now, with these 2 monsters, I build the Overlay Network!" Once again, a black swirling portal appeared this time in the sky. Galaxy-eyes and Galaxy Knight became brilliant lights and spiraled upwards into the portal.
The blank card in Alex's hand began to change as he placed it on his duel disk. It looked as if had been engulfed in white flames as an image and a name appeared on the card. Looking up towards the portal, Alex held up his hand and declared, "Behind bright eyes lies an even stronger soul! From beyond the beginning of time, your power reaches forward to illuminate the future! Xyz summon! Descend, Number 62: Galaxy-eyes Prime Photon Dragon!" As Alex finished the chant, a fierce new dragon descended from the portal. It looked similar to Photon Dragon only wilder and fiercer. Its skin glowed with the same kind of light, but much more intensely. Its body, arms, and legs were shrouded in thick blue armor and its fangs and claws were jagged and feral looking. Finally, where its wings met it's shoulders were two massive laser cannons. The dragon landed before Alex and gave off an earth shaking shriek aimed at Tachyon.
Galaxy-eyes Prime Photon Dragon 4000, Rnk 8
"Now end this, attack Tachyon Dragon!" Alex commanded pointing at the figure's mechanical monster.
However, she did not seem worried. "You've found your own strength but it is hardly enough to 'end this'." she said.
As Prime Photon Dragon took flight, Alex grinned and replied, "That's what you think, because now I activate Prime Photon's special ability!" From above, Prime Photon slammed its jaws on one of the lights orbiting it, causing the laser canons to hum ominously. "When Prime Photon attacks, I can use 1 overlay unit to have it gain 200 attack points for the total rank of every Xyz monster on the field!" Alex announced triumphantly. Prime Photon roared at Tachyon as its attack points rose until it had 7600 attack points. Pointing at Tachyon, Alex cried, "Photon Prime, destroy Tachyon Dragon! Overlay Overload!" Prime's laser canons gathered more and more energy before unleashing it in a huge blast that engulfed Tachyon Dragon. The blast created a forceful explosion that knocked the figure off her feet and reduced her life points to zero. As Tachyon was destroyed, some of the pink light from before flowed back underneath the figure's hood.
Despite having lost however, the figure merely congratulated Alex. "Well done, Alex. You have found your strength and can now see your future. Hopefully you will be ready for what lies ahead."
"Wait, what lies ahead?" Alex asked instinctively.
"Your future is more uncertain than you know, there is great darkness there." she replied.
"Darkness? What do you mean?"
"It is an ancient evil, wrought from the folly of humanity's past. You and your friends are the only ones who can stand against it. If not, it will consume all of humanity
"Wait, why us? I mean we're good duelists, but fighting evil is kind of-" Alex began before she interrupted him again.
"You have bright eyes. Behind bright eyes lies a strong soul, eyes that see the future and a spirit to take hold of it." She repeated, as if it was some clear, undeniable truth. "The evil you will face was born from the mistakes of the past; the only way to fight it is hope for the future. You and your friends embody that hope."
Alex was a bit doubtful as he said, "But we can't be the only ones, there's only 4 of us. There has to be others. "
The figure paused before replying, "There was another, but she had another role to play."
Alex's eyes widened in shock, "She... It can't be! What happened to her?! What happened to-"
The figure cut him off with a wave of her hand as the stars all around them began to blink out one-by-one. "Our time is growing short, soon you must awaken."
That wasn't good enough. Alex still had questions and this person definitely had answers. "No, you need to answer my questions!"
As the stars continued to blink out, and the space grew slowly darker, the figure replied, "Very well, but I can only answer one."
Alex thought for a moment. This person used Claire' cards, she apparently knew the future, she seemed a complete mystery. Without thinking, Alex asked the first question that came to mind, "Who are you?"
With a steely and almost proud tone, she replied, "I am the chronicler of humanity's past and guardian of its future. I have many names, but you may call me Nebula."
With that the last lights faded and everything became dark.
With a crash Alex fell from his bed tangled in the covers of his bed. "What a dream..." he muttered as he walked out the door to his room. As he passed a short table next to the door, his eyes fell upon his dueling deck and something made him freeze. There, on top of the neat stack was a card that he knew he had never had before. Number 62: Galaxy-eyes Prime Photon Dragon.
