Chapter 3- Duel against Destiny

{Tronay -narrator}

"So that's Nor'ac. He doesn't look so strong," Sundar comments as she stares at Nor'ac.

I assure you, Sundar, that's Nor'ac, Santerous says.

And his presence here isn't good, Santerous thinks.

I look at Santerous once again. I can almost sense that he's worried, probably about the same thing I am. If Nor'ac is back then that means that the Light of Destruction won't need Santerous as a host anymore.

"Look, the Light of Destruction already has one crystal. So how is that beast here?" Dartz growls.

I wish I knew why Dartz but I don't, Santerous says.

"Listen, why don't we try to protect the other two crystals from the Light of Destruction," Sundar suggests.

Won't work. I grantee that the Light of Destruction won't stop until it has the other two crystals, Santerous sighs.

Dartz starts to climb onto the Great Leviathan. Santerous looks in his direction.

"What are you doing Dartz?" I ask.

"I'm going to find the Light of Destruction and challenge it to a duel," Dartz says.

I wouldn't do that Dartz, Santerous warns.

"And why not?" Dartz asks.

Simple. The Light of Destruction's deck is strong, if you were to challenge it I sure that you wouldn't last five minutes against its deck, Santerous says.

Dartz ignores the warning and climbs on to his Guardian. Within a few minutes he flies off.

{Dartz-narrator}

I fly on. Santerous doesn't know what he's talking about. I can beat the Light of Destruction easily with the Seal of Orichalcos by my side.

Master, I would take Santerous' warning in mind if I were you, the Great Leviathan hisses.

But you aren't so be quiet, I snap.

Finally we get there. I climb off the Great Leviathan's back and he returns to my deck. I enter the cave. As I wander the halls I look around. Suddenly I stop walking and hide myself behind a wall.

For just up ahead I hear voices, two to be exact.

"I was waiting for you to show up," a voice says.

"Sorry I was late Master," another voice says.

"Kera I told you to go after the Magma crystal. So do it!" The first voice says.

"Yes Master Santerous, but there were complications," Kera replies.

I gasp. The second voice that I heard, is that of Kera, the Atlantean Guardian Dragon of Ice. But why is she here? Kera said something about Santerous, but how? He's with us.

Is it possible that the creature that Kera's talking to is the Light of Destruction and she doesn't even know it. After a few moments Kera walks past the edge of the wall that I hid behind. After she leaves I walk out and decide to follow the Light of Destruction. It doesn't see me following it, of course, and it walks into a room in which somekind of altar is. I wait for a moment before following it into the room.

When I walk in, the Light of Destruction doesn't look up. I see that the Light of Destruction is kneeling in front of the altar.

'Rise my beast and return to me. Return and rejoin our world once again. By the fury of the three crystals you will be reborn. Reborn to fight the Great Leviathan and this time no one will stop us,' the Light of Destruction chants.

"So you want no one to stop you. Is that right?" I ask.

The Light of Destruction rises and turns to look at me.

"Why are you here and who are you?" The Light of Destruction asks.

"I am a person that holds one of the crystals that you need and as to who I am, I am Dartz, former King of Atlantis," I say proudly.

"Ah so you're the one that they told me to watch out for. You don't look very strong," the Light of Destruction smirks.

Yes I don't look strong but I grantee you I am very strong, I think to myself.

"Listen how about we duel for the crystal. The winner gets the Magma crystal and the loser . . ." I begin as I reveal my duel disk.

" . . . And the loser becomes prisoner to Nor'ac," the Light of Destruction finishes.

"Fine with me. So . . ." I shout.

The duel starts, with both the Light of Destruction and myself having 4000 life points.

Light of Destruction: 4000

Dartz: 4000

"I'll start," the Light of Destruction says. "I summon Arcana Force 3- The Empress in attack mode (1300/1300) and end my turn."

Great, just great. It uses Arcana Force cards, which means that each one of his monsters is stronger than the last. Now how am I suppose to win, Dartz thinks to himself.

"My move," Dartz says. "I summon Orichalcos Gigas in defense mode (400/400)."

"You just activated my Empress's ability so I can summon Arcana Force 4- The Emperor in attack mode (1400/1400). Due to my Emperor's ability both of my monsters receive a 500 point boost," the Light of Destruction shouts.

Arcana Force 3: 1800/1300

Arcana Force 4: 1900/1400

"Good for you. I place one card face-down and I'm done," Dartz says.

"My move!" the Light of Destruction says. "I summon Arcana Force 7- The Chariot in attack mode (1700/1700 rises to 2200/1700). Now Arcana Force 3 attack his Orichalcos Gigas!"

"I don't think so! I reveal my face-down card Negate Attack, so your attack is stopped," Dartz says as he activates his face-down card.

"Good for you. You managed to stop my attack. But that won't happen next time. I play the spell card Guardian Call, so that means I can summon my Guardian Dragon Mirage in attack mode (4000/?). Next I play the spell card Exchange," the Light of Destruction says.

Why that card unless . . . ? Dartz thinks.

"Hand over your Seal of Orichalcos spell card. And as for me I'll give you this card," the Light of Destruction says.

"Fine," Dartz snarls as he throws his most prized card over to the Light of Destruction.

In return Dartz receives the card Monster Reborn.

"Now I activate the Seal of Orichalcos!" The Light of Destruction shouts as he slides the card into his field card zone.

(Tronay)

Suddenly Santerous raises his head.

"What's wrong Santerous?" Tronay asks.

I sense a dark presence. I believe that someone has played the Seal of Orichalcos, Santerous replies.

"Are you sure?" Tronay asks again.

I believe so, Santerous answers.

{Dartz -narrator}

The Seal forms around us. As I look into the Light of Destruction's, now, red eyes I remember when I had played the Seal to lock away Tronay's spirit. I shutter.

Bad memory, very bad memory, I think.

"Tronay say fair-well to your soul for ten thousand years," I cry out.

"I will never give up Dartz. Can't you see that the Orichalcos is using you or are you so blinded by its magic that you don't know that I'm telling the truth," Tronay shouts.

"By the power of the Orichalcos you will return after ten thousand years but your memory will be wiped clean," I shout back.

As the Seal closes around her I hear her final words: "You will be freed from the Orichalcos' power Dartz and I won't rest until that happens."

But it did happen, I think.

Tronay did free me and now to return the favor I will beat this maddened creature, before it can bring forth Nor'ac.

"Face it Dartz. You can't beat me. All the cards in your deck won't save you now," the Light of Destruction snickers.

Arcana Force 3: 2300/1300

Arcana Force 4: 2400/1400

Arcana Force 7: 2700/1700

Mirage: 4500/?

He has a point, I don't think I can beat him now but that won't stop me from trying, I think.

As I look as his monsters I realize that wet silvery tears are rolling down Mirage's face.

Master, look at Mirage, the Leviathan says.

I see him my Great Beast. Is he crying? I ask.

Yes, I will try to ask him why for you, the Leviathan replies.

Very well, I respond.

Within a few moment the Great Leviathan contacts me again.

Master I found out why Mirage is crying, the Leviathan says.

Why? I ask.

Simple. Let me show you, the Leviathan hisses.

A blinding white light fills the dueling arena. The next moment I find myself on top of my Guardian.

You may thank me for that later, the Leviathan says.

The Great Leviathan flies me down to a building.

What is this? I ask.

This is the Guardian chamber, the Leviathan replies.

My Guardian flies inside. At first I see nothing, but then I see a white aurora. Next I see a human, I'd say about fifteen, walking around impatiently, as if waiting for someone. The next few moment happen so quickly I can hardly keep up. The human walks over to where the white aurora is.

Next the human falls to the ground with the aurora covering him. Then I see a Guardian fly in toward the human. I can hear their thoughts.

Master are you alright? The dragon asks.

I'm fine Mirage, the human replies.

Wait. Did that human say Mirage? Then the human can only be Santerous, but how? Suddenly Santerous' eyes glow red for a minute, then Mirage flies back into the wall of the Guardian chamber. Mirage lets out a ear- spiting cry as he hits the wall.

A few minutes later, another human comes running in.

"What have you done brother?" The girl asks.

"It was necessary Sarina," Santerous replies.

That name, I've heard it before but where? Wait I know! Didn't Ironheart and Hadreena tell me about her. Santerous' eyes glow red again and Sarina is lifted off the ground. She tries to fight back, with no use.

"Santerous, please, let me go," Sarina cries.

"Forget it. I'm in control of this miserable body now!" Santerous screams.

That didn't sound like Santerous so could it be? Suddenly Sarina breaks Santerous' hold on her and falls to the ground.

Master I will show you now the reason that Mirage was crying, the Leviathan says.

You will? I ask.

Yes, the serpent answers.

Then we are transported to another sene, about five years later.

"I've had just about enough! Mirage use the fury of the Orichalcos to enhance your strength," Santerous screams as a strange white light begins to cover his body.

Mirage does what Santerous asks of him and uses the Orichalcos' power. I watch horrified. How could such a graceful and powerful creature like Mirage use the same power that destroyed Atlantis. The Great Leviathan transports me back to the duel. As I stare at Mirage I realize that he is scared of the Orichalcos and furthermore scared of Santerous.

"Make your final move Dartz," the Light of Destruction shouts.

"Fine I will," I shout back.

I must find a way to break the Orichalcos' control over Mirage or this might be my last duel, I think to myself.

I draw a card from my deck. As I look at it I realize that this card might just help me free Mirage.

"I play my Chain of Freedom spell card. Here's how it works: First, I can choose one monster on your side of the field and send it to the Graveyard. Second, Now that the monster is in the Graveyard I can summon it to my side by removing one of the cards in my Graveyard from play. So I choose your Guardian Dragon Mirage and then remove my Orichalcos Gigas from play," I say.

Right when I send Mirage to the grave, the Light of Destruction starts to laugh.

"What's so funny?" I ask.

"Can't you see. The same darkness that you are trying to fight, is the same one that you've used in so many of your duels," the Light of Destruction snickers.

Mirage reappears on my side of the field. Suddenly it uses it telepathy to contact me.

Thank you Dartz. I should have warned Santerous but I realized that it would have been pointless and he wouldn't have listened to me, Mirage says.

"All right! Mirage attack his Arcana Force 3 with Light Pulse," I shout.

Light of Destruction: 2300

Dartz: 4000

"I play the spell card Sacrifice of the Guardian, so I give up 1000 life points to send Mirage to the graveyard," I say.

Light of Destruction: 2300

Dartz: 3000

"That was a mistake Dartz," the Light of Destruction snickers.

"Perhaps it was but it was worth it, because now I can activate my Dark Pulse trap card," I say.

"And what does it do?" The Light of Destruction asks.

"Simple. I can win this duel," I reply.

"You can? But how?" The Light of Destruction asks.

"Because I also activate my Guardian Call trap card, so I can summon my Guardian Dragon Great Leviathan to the field in attack mode (4500/?) and when my dragon is summoned and Dark Pulse is active I can fuse them together to create a new beast," I say.

"But how? Your dragon is a monster, so how can it fuse with trap cards?" The Light of Destruction asks.

"My dragon's ability allows it to fuse with the Dark Pulse trap card. So it's time that you met my Dark Orichalcos Dragon (5500/?). I end my turn," I say.

"My move! I'll start by activating my Material Lord and Spiritual Lord trap cards. Then I add my Sky Lord spell card, so by sending all three to the Graveyard I can summon my Arcana Force Extra- The Light Ruler (4000/4000) to the field. Next I add to it my Monster Absorbing spell card, so now my monster's attack power is (17300/4000). Now Light Ruler end this duel with Dark Light Pulse," the Light of Destruction says.

Light of Destruction: 2300

Dartz: 0

The Light of Destruction tears the Magma crystal from around my neck by a form of light based-telekinesis.

(Tronay)

Santerous suddenly roars.

"What's wrong?" Tronay asks.

Dartz has lost. The Magma crystal belongs to the Light of Destruction now, Santerous says through telepathy.

"So that means . . ." Tronay begins.

That you have the remaining crystal Tronay, Santerous says.

Santerous opens his wings and soars into the sky. Suddenly he grabs Tronay by her shoulders using the talons on his hind feet and follows the path that the Great Leviathan took. They soon reach a cave and Santerous enters. They find the center of the cave. Santerous flies in dropping Tronay on the dirt floor.

He lands next to Dartz.

Dartz you shall be safe, Santerous hums as he teleports Dartz to another place.

"Well if it isn't Santerous," the Light of Destruction says.

{Santerous -narrator}

I growl slightly. I can somehow sense that he has grown stronger. I roar and jump into the air. Using my talons I claw at the Light of Destruction but that doesn't work. The Light of Destruction runs to the altar and places the Magma crystal in the far right spot of the formation.

"Alright, Tronay, hand over the Light crystal or else," the Light of Destruction says walking back to the center of the cave.

Tronay clutches the Light crystal tighter.

"If you want it then you must duel me for it," she says.

"Very well. Let's Duel!" The Light of Destruction says.