Hey guys, it's been a long time since I posted my last chapter for this story. I've been too busy with schoolwork and family (ugh, when you're planning for college, isn't it freaking stressful?) Anyways, with all my SAT's out of the way, I guess it's time for me to come back to what I love doing. I know that I may not get as many reviews as some other people do, but that's because its made up for with the amount of views that I get. Well, enough chit-chat ( save it for the reviews or emailing me), I guess it's time for what you've all been waiting for: The Gears of Destruction, Chapter 4: A New Way Revealed. Enjoy.

Previously on The Gears of Destruction:

Terra follows the orders of the strange group known as Arcadia from where she had awakened. She still has no idea what is going on except the fact that she is going to "duel" someone by the name of Akiza. This opponent she will face seems very odd, even by the way she dresses and feels as if this duel will not be an ordinary one by standards. Get ready for Terra's First Duel!

Jazz frantically holds on for his life points and possibly his life! As the countdown meter draws closer to the end, his only hope would be the card he has drawn, if not, then it would still not matter as Raiden would still finish him off with one slash from his blade. Will Jazz succeed in overcoming this duel and escape his dire fate, or will he be overwhelmed and condemned to face the Judgement that shall be forced upon his soul? Find out in this very chapter!

Arcadia Movement

"Let's Duel!"

Terra: 4000
Akiza: 4000

Akiza was the first act, "I shall start this duel first by drawing my first card!" Terra examined her movements as Akiza reached down to the top card of the deck of cards and pulled each one until she had a total of six. Then, she resumed, "I start by setting one face down monster and placing one card face down, and end my turn afterwards!" Two reverse cards appeared one sideways and one just flipped down.

Okay… thought Terra in her head, she had no idea what just happened in front of her but she had a sudden urge to reach down towards her deck and do the same. She glanced at Sayer, who was watching the duel eagerly. Okay, here goes nothing! She thought and drew her sixth card.

"Hmm…" she murmured as she looked at the various pictures and colors that were aligned in her hand. Then, she felt something within her that told her to grab the brownish-orange card she was holding, In duel monsters, monster cards are used to attack and defend your life points, while the green, spell cards can be played anytime on your turn and the purplish-pink trap cards are most likely played during your opponent's turn.

"Alright, I guess I'll start by playing my…" she read the name of the card, "Psychic…Snail…in attack position!" A sparkle of light appeared before her, which at first amazed her for she had never witnessed such a thing, or at least she thought. When the light faded, a huge snail like humanoid was in front of her (LV/4ATK/1900DEF/1200).

Cool, now…what do I do? She thought, Yeah, I think I did a good job on the first part, but what do I do now?

"Umm, I attack?" she questioned with uncertainty. Suddenly, the robotic snail thing she had summoned raised its arms high and its shell started to conduct electricity, which was then launched at the face down defense position monster. It shattered into many pieces before disappearing.

Okay, I think that's a good start, I think I'm getting the hang of this.

"Guess, I'll end my turn!" finished Terra. She was suddenly surprised as she heard a clapping sound from the sidelines and saw that Sayer was applauding for her.

"Very well executed my dear," he said with a sinister grin. Terra didn't know why he was grinning like that but she felt better knowing that she can duel, or at least she thinks. It was Akiza's turn.

"I draw," she exclaimed and added her card to her hand. "I shall place another monster face down and end my turn." Another reverse sideways card appeared in place of the one destroyed.

"Okay, here I go," said Terra as she slid her next card. "I will summon my Pandaborg in attack mode." A flash of light appeared and in its place stood a mechanized panda (LV/4ATK/1700DEF/1400). "And I shall resume my phase by having him attack your face down monster." The robotic panda leaped up and slashed down at the face down monster with its sharp claws. The card flipped up to reveal a stone like object with thorns embracing it, which was soon destroyed to pieces. However, Akiza gave a small chuckle.

"What's so funny? I just destroyed another of your cards?" questioned Terra in surprise. "Shouldn't you be worried about your life points, I think?" But Akiza did not change her facial expression.

"I'm not concerned with my life points at the moment because you just activated my Wall of Ivy's flip effect!" The plant monster shot out a small bundle of thorns and weeds towards Terra's field before disappearing. This then grew from the ground and became a token (LV/1ATK/0DEF/0) in defense position.

"But, you just practically gave me your own monster," said Terra, confused by how dueling works in general.

"That was my plan all along, to give that token," replied Akiza with confidence. But it didn't matter to Terra; she still had another monster to attack with.

"Alright then, since your life points are wide open, I'm guessing, I will attack with Psychic Snail!" exclaimed Terra and the snail thing conducted electricity again and fired it at Akiza, directly. However, she raised her arm.

"I activate my trap card!" she countered quickly. The reverse card she had from the beginning flipped up.

Trap? What now? Thought Terra, as the flipped up card revealed itself. A picture of a greenish object blocking a ball of light appeared which mitigated the lightning that was directed at Akiza, but still slipped through.

Akiza: 3050

Terra: 4000

"Your snail would have originally done 1900 ATK damage to my life points, but thanks to my Ground Capture trap card, I took only half the damage!" said Akiza.

"But, I still knocked off some of your life points," said Terra, but she still felt uneasy as Akiza gave out a much solid chuckle.
"You don't know, this duel is just getting started, now finish your turn!" said Akiza cruelly, this made Terra flinch, but keep her guard.
"I'll end my turn for now," she said. I just hope I am doing well because she seems really confident about this duel, almost scary… Terra thought in her head.

"My turn!" said Akiza and swiped her next card and smirked, "You're about to feel my true power now!" With that she placed a spell card on her slot. "I activate Fragrance Storm, with this; I destroy one face up plant type card on the field and draw one card!" A wind started blow around the duel and it whipped the hair around Terra which made her feel uncomfortable. "I target the Ivy Token you have!" The wind morphed into a hurricane and destroyed the token. "Not only do I get to draw a card, but you take 300 points of damage due to Ivy Token's effect!" Just as she said this, Terra noticed that the air around Akiza began to feel strange, almost realistic. The token's shattered pieces slashed through Terra and for a second, she felt a small pain as that happened.

"W-what's happening?" screamed Terra. I thought this was a card game, not something serious!

Terra: 3700

Akiza: 3050

When the hurricane died down, Terra was still standing, but barely as her legs were shaking from the sudden impact. She looked up to see Akiza smiling, almost sadistically and she felt terror. She turned to Sayer who was eyeing the duel with a smile on his face.

"Don't forget, it's still my turn and I draw a card," said Akiza as she drew her next card, "Ha ha ha, now I activate the effect of my Rose Fairy from my hand," she placed the card on her duel disk. "If I drew her from a card effect, I can automatically Special Summon her to my field!" The same light appeared and a tiny pink fairy was floating (LV/3ATK/600DEF/1200). "But I'm not through yet, I Normal Summon from my hand Copy Plant!" Another light appeared and this time a bundle of thick brown roots emerged from the ground (Tuner LV/1ATK/0DEF/0). "Next, I'll activate the effect of Dark Verger in my graveyard," a light started to appear as she said this, "When I Normal Summon a plant type tuner monster, I can Special Summon it from the graveyard, so come back Dark Verger!" A strange leaf with eyes on each side appeared (LV/2ATK/0DEF/1000). "Last but not least, Copy Plant's effect to become the same level as another monster on my field activates, Dark Verger! Now, Copy Plant is LV2 as well." She suddenly stopped with a smile and an evil-like laughter.

"What's going on?" asked Terra who was so confused and overwhelmed by the amazing skills of which this girl possessed.

"Your doom is going on, I'm sorry, but I now tune my Copy Plant with Rose Fairy and Dark Verger for a Synchro Summon!" yelled Akiza, this time her hair was flowing as if it is being blown by some force. The Copy Plant flew up and exploded into two Synchro gates in which the Rose Fairy and Dark Verger then passed through. Then, there was a line of light that shot through them expanding the whole gates. Akiza chanted as this occurred:

"Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear now, Black Rose Dragon!"

When the purple light faded, Terra gasped and looked up at the gigantic black dragon whose red petals evoked beauty, but also a deadly aura (LV/7ATK/2400DEF/1800).

"Yes, unleash your true power, I know you can do it!" yelled Sayer all of a sudden. He seemed more excited and evil as the whole room was glowing an ominous purple.

Terra felt like her stomach was about to drop, she had never felt such pressure before and was more worried by the fact that she could be hurt again, for real.

"Now, let's see how you take this!" yelled Akiza hysterically as if she was being possessed by something, "Black Rose Dragon, attack her Pandaborg!" The rose dragon raised its head and fired a ball of purple flames at the robotic bear, it was blown to smithereens. The after pieces dug into Terra's body as a form of real damage.

"Aghhh!" she screamed as the flames and shards engulfed her with pain. She fell down to the floor grasping her shoulder.

Akiza: 3050

Terra: 3000

"I'll finish my turn with one card face down, your turn," said Akiza ending her turn.

I'm scared, I can't take this anymore, and this isn't even a card game! Terra was frantic at what she was up. He wasn't even looking at her; he seemed more fixated on Akiza. What did he see in her? She's just a monster, she…she… what am I to do?

"Don't worry Terra, you can do this, just keep going, there, draw your card," coaxed Sayer. Terra had no choice but to continue this duel, even if it meant her being in more pain, but the sooner either of loses, the better, because I just want this to end…

She put her hand on the top of her deck, "I-I draw, then," she stumbled. "I will Summon Mind Master in attack position!" said Terra with a sudden confidence. A sparkle of light appeared and floating in midair was a pod like object with a brain inside and two wire like arms (Tuner LV/1ATK/100DEF/200).

I might as well go all out! "Since Mind Master is a Tuner, I will tune him and my Psychic Snail for a Synchro Summon!" As she said this the Mind Master flew up erupted into a single gate of green light and the snail monster went through it, creating a geyser of light that erupted the whole line and Terra chanted along:

"In the face of evil, a speck of hope lives! Please bring me the hope to win! Synchro Summon! Appear, Magical Android!"

When the light dispersed, a woman with long red hair and a mechanical headdress in a white dress with technological patters of blue was standing. She held a duel bladed staff that glowed in the middle orb (LV/5ATK/2400DEF/1700).

"Since both our monsters have the same ATK points, I will end my turn with one face down card," said Terra. Good, even if her Black Rose Dragon attacks, it will destroy itself and my monster at the same time, plus this face down card should help, I hope. "Also, Magical Android's effect of increasing life points for each Psychic monster activates." The woman raised her staff and light surrounded Terra.

Terra: 3600

"Alright, then it's my turn!" said Akiza, then she drew. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I activate my Thorn of Malice! This increases my Dragon's ATK points by 600!" Long thorns appeared around the dragon and strengthened it (ATK/3000), "But I'm not finished yet, by discarding my Phoenixian Seed to the graveyard, I can activate Wonder Clover which lets my Dragon attack twice!" The spell card of a panda increasing in strength flipped up. "Now, my Dragon attacks go destroy her Magical Android!" Black Rose Dragon charged its flame breath again and fired. This was Terra's chance.

"But I have a face down card, activate: Psychic Overload!" countered Terra with utmost confidence, but was short lived when Akiza started to laugh. "What's wrong, have you totally lost it?" asked Terra.

"No, you have," Akiza replied, "I have seen that card so many times while dueling these pathetic Psychic duelists." This remark made Terra flinch. "You select up to 3 cards in your graveyard and send them to your deck, and then you draw 2 cards!"

The card Terra had placed flipped up to reveal a monster releasing energy. The graveyard slot released 3 cards, the Psychic Snail, Mind Master, and Pandaborg she had sent to the graveyard. These were sent back into her deck, shuffled and two new cards slid into her hand.

But then, that doesn't block Black Rose Dragon's attack?

"That's right, now where were we, oh yes, attack!" yelled Akiza with psychotic laughter. Terra had never thought such a girl who looked shy as Akiza would be in a state such as this. Her iron headdress fell off and her bangs covered half of her face, making her appear even more evil.

The fire hit the Magical Android and she gave a wail of pain before disintegrating into pieces of yellow light. The fire went through and blasted Terra off her feet, she landed several feet behind where she was before, screaming as she fell.

Terra: 3000

Please… please… let this end now, I can't feel my body anymore…

"This isn't over yet, my Black Rose Dragon can attack once more!" exclaimed Akiza and the Dragon shot another ball of purplish flame.

Terra saw the flame coming toward her; she saw the light blinding her face, it felt like real heat, before it blew up, impacting her. Her body flew past and hit one of the walls almost like a doll being tossed around by a child, before falling down on the ground. The walls were charred by the flames and the fire was everywhere in the room.

Akiza: 3050

Terra: 0

The room was silent with the crackling flames before it was broken by the sound of clapping. Sayer walked over to Akiza, who was now kneeling down on the ground, crying. He knelt down beside her and gave her a hug.

"W-what h-have I-I done?" whimpered Akiza.

"Nothing bad my dear, you have done excellently," said Sayer with a reassuring tone, "You are now ready."

"B-but I c-couldn't control m-my power, n-now look at w-what I've done!" she screamed. Sayer had told her this was just a stimulation to help her, but was hurting others or worse, killing them necessary?

"Let's go, you need a good rest, tomorrow's a big day you know," said Sayer. He then helped her up and walked her across to towards the door.

"Sayer, what about…her?" she asked, worriedly.

"Don't worry, she will be fine, now let's go," he said. With that, they both went out through the sliding doors.

Jazz's Scenario

My last chance, my last draw, my last duel… he slowly raised the card up to his face with his eyes closed, and slowly opened them. He smiled.

"This isn't over yet!" he exclaimed with a newly found surge of adrenaline, "Because I now activate my last hope, Monster Reborn!" He held up a card with a picture of a wand like object with wings and a red orb in the middle. "I will return my Dragunity Legionnaire once more!" The light from above shined down and the Egyptian man with wings appeared once more (LV/3ATK/1200DEF/800). "Then, I'll Normal Summon my Dragunity Darkspear!" Another flash of light left a small black dragon with a blade attached to its head like a spear (Tuner LV/3ATK/1000DEF/1000).

Alright, I still have a chance to win this duel!

"I tune my Dragunity Darkspear with my Dragunity Legionnaire for a Synchro Summon!" As he said this, Darkspear blasted into 3 gates of green and Legionnaire flew through them, this then created a geyser of light to shoot through, which then expanded to illuminate the field with a beam of light, and Jazz chanted with his might as his last hope was about to appear:

"Knight of Dragons, with your gallant power, calms the tides of injustice! Synchro Summon! Appear, Dragunity Knight- Vajrayana!"

The light finally faded and in the middle of the field was the knight, riding on a giant red armored dragon (LV/6ATK/1900DEF/1200).

"Now, Vajrayana's effect activates, when he is Synchro Summoned, I can equip 1 LV3 or lower Dragon type Dragunity card from my graveyard to him, and the suitable candidate is; Dragunity Darkspear! Appear once again!" In a flash of light, the black dragon appeared once more.

I can still do this! Jazz though in his head, this has got to work!

"But, I'm not through yet Raiden, I use Megamorph to double his attack!" The symbol of Megamorph went into Vajrayana (ATK/3800). "I remove Dragunity Darkspear to double Vajrayana's ATK one more time!" Darkspear exploded into light and sparkled the Dragunity Knight with energy (ATK/7600).

"Now go! Attack Raiden!"

The knight flew at the other knight on the dragon with full speed; he extended his lance straight ahead. Raiden didn't even seem to budge, as if he was welcoming this attack. The attack connected and there was a giant explosion. Jazz ducked down to cover his eyes from the impact and debris shooting around the arena. Soon, the dust faded and Jazz looked up, Raiden was still standing, but one thing was true, he had one.

Jazz: 400

Raiden: 0

Suddenly, there was the same voice in his head again:

"We have clearly underestimated you, we thought you were going to fail, but you passed."

Who are you? He asked in his mind.

"We are from a different world, one where monsters are real and call home, the Spirit World."

Spirit World… he though, but didn't ring a bell, Then, what happens to me now?

"That is up for you to decide, but we believe you are one of the Chosen to save the world and our world."

Is there something wrong? He had to admit, this was weird, but really real.

"There is an evil growing in power every day and we need someone to stop it, you just proved that you have the potential to do so."

Umm… how will I know?

"You will, when the time is right and you will make a very important decision, until then, one of us shall accompany you as your Guardian."

Guardian…? Where?

"You have proven your worth and Raiden shall protect you as your Guardian, now, until then."

With that, the voice no longer said anymore and Jazz stood with confusion, but he remembered about Raiden and looked up. The knight itself with awesome power raised its twin blade and started to glow. When the light faded he was a giant stone tablet, which started to shine and grow smaller, until it fell to the ground glowing. Jazz cautiously crept over to the glowing small object that had gotten flatter. He knelt down and picked it up, the light soon faded and it was a card, a Synchro card. He looked up across the ocean towards Neo Domino City, its lights bright all night. That's where Yusei went... he thought, before getting on his Duel Runner and rode towards the direction of the city.

End of Chapter 4

What's up? I know it's been like 5 months since I posted the last chapter for this story, but a lot has been going on since then and I was quite busy, so sorry about that. Anyways, I am happy to be writing again and hope that I can continue to entertain you guys with my story and because I love to write.

So, many of you might be wondering what the Knight has anything to do with anything and what the black gear marks mean. I don't want to spoil or anything, but Knight is from the Spirit World and so will the other "Guardians", they only appear to those who are in the highest distress, who also possess a black gear mark. As you also know, anybody can have a black gear mark, but that's classified for now on how.

Preview of Next Chapter

At last! Jazz has defeated the Knight Raiden and even got his card to use, but that doesn't mean it's time for party and games as a new evil is brewing at this very moment! Jazz still needs to find Yusei and tell him what's happened and ask him why he left in the first place.

Witness Yusei's waking up in some strange house that seems to be in the Tops residential area. He is surprised to see that he has a mark on his face, probably from the imprisonment at the Facility and who are these two kids, are they the ones who saved him?

Next time on The Gears of Destruction, we will be introducing a new character! Who is this person like, is he/or she evil or good? Find out in my next chapter coming soon; New Faces, Who Are These People?