Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi

Disclaimer: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise or any of its characters except for Jason and the shadow-duelist.

Beta-Readers: Gammatron, MewStar0013


"You didn't answer my question!" Jason said, "Tell me who you are!"

"I'm known by many names; possessed many identities..." The figure chuckled, reaching for its fastener, "It's so easy for me to forget, so I don't really bother with a name anymore," The fastener loosened and the shroud collapsed. The figure became a girl close to Jason's age, with long black pigtails and bowl-cut bangs. She wore druid-styled robes of black leather and transparent mesh with a long black cape, pieced together by golden accents. A small golden crown rested on the crown of her head, "But if it's an introduction you want, then you may call me Calypso. That's the name you'll be taking with you once I win this duel."

"But where's your duel-disk...?"

"Duel-disk? I don't need any high-tech trinket to duel. I only need this: the Book of Lost Millennium," Calypso held the old book and the eye designed on the cover flashed, causing five cards to materialize right over it and catching Jason in amazement, "As they say, it's time to duel!"

Calypso: 4000

Jason: 4000

"It's dealer's choice, so I'll take the first move," A sixth card appeared, "I think I'll start things off with a spell card: Vengeful Bog Spirit," The continuous-spell came to life in front of Calypso, taking form onto the field, "Then I place one card face-down, and end my turn." A reverse-card laid itself down.

"Alright, my turn..." Jason drew his sixth card, adding it to his hand, "And I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat, in ATK mode!" The fire-based heroine appeared to the field. But something was different here. The monster before him was not in the form as it was printed on the card. Everything from its figure to its eyes became all too familiar to Jason.

"What gives...? What is this place..." Asked the monster, gasping as she took a better look at herself.

"Jasmine?!" Jason gasped, and the Obelisk shared the same reaction when she saw him.

"Jason?! What's going on here!?" Jasmine demanded, and looked herself over, "And what am I wearing!? Did you do this?" She growled, shooting him a look.

"Who's your little friend?" Calypso giggled, "She looks tough; it's too bad she can't attack."

Several ghoulish ghosts rose from the fog and grabbed onto Jasmine, "What's going on?! Get off!" Sh shouted as she struggled against their cold limbs.

"Vengeful Bog Spirit calls the souls of the deceased to capture any monster that's summoned to the field," Calypso explained, "So whatever monster you bring out, it will have to wait one turn to attack."

"Get them off of me!" Jasmine cried.

"Jasmine! You may not attack but you still have a special-ability!" Jason called, "Just shake them off!"

"What?!" Suddenly Jasmine's hands lit up with powerful flames, and the ghosts retreated back to the ground, "I guess ghosts don't like fire much! What a relief!" She sighed.

"Now after putting 1 card face-down, Lady Heat's ability can inflict 200 points of damage to the opponent!" The brunette declared.

"Fine, then!" Jasmine formed a fireball over her head and tossed it towards Calypso, the attack exploding on contact.

Calypso: 3800

Jason: 4000

"So you managed to get at my life-points, even with Vengeful Bog Spirit in play," Calypso said as another card appeared, "Maybe it's best if I keep my guard up..." A monster set itself onto the field, "And while I'm at it, I activate The Dark Door continuous-spell. So now we can only attack with one monster each turn. That'll do for now."

"My turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in DEF mode!" The flowerbud hero bloomed onto the field but took the form of another person.

"Hm? What just happened?" Mindy wondered, and found Jasmine next to her, "Jasmine? Where are we? ...And what are you wearing?" She asked incredulously.

"Try asking him!" Jasmine pointed, and both girls turned to him.

"Um... I think we're in a shadow-duel?"

"I think I can best explain your situation," Calypso cut in, "I placed your mortal souls in your friend's dueling deck, so you'll have to play as his monsters. And once I'm win this duel, your souls will belong to me!"

"What?!" Mindy shrieked.

"This must be a dream!" Jasmine cried, "I mean, we're playing cosplay for a Slifer who's holding our fate in his hands! This can't be real!"

"Believe it or not, it's real," Calypso said, "And I'm afraid that the only way out is if your Slifer friend can win this duel."

"Wait! Chakra was with us too, wasn't she?" Mindy pointed out. "Is she part of this duel too?"

"If she is, then he better win this before she's pulled into this too." Jasmine stated, and glared at Jason, "Is that clear?! Don't screw this up!"

Jason nervously nodded, "Since I already have Lady Heat on my field for an entire turn, I can use her to attack your face-down monster!"

Jasmine formed a bigger fireball and launched it at Calypso's monster, which looked like a demotic tomato grinning with a set of pointed teeth, flaring its long tongue at them. "Oh no! A (1) Mystic Tomato(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1100)!"

"Mystic Tomato?" Jason repeated, "Is that bad!"

"When a Mystic Tomato's destroyed in battle, its player can then summon another DARK monster with 1500 ATK or less from their deck!" Jasmine stated, "If she summons a strong-enough monster, we're in trouble!"

"I'm afraid you friend is right," Calypso said, "With Mystic Tomato's ability, I can summon one of the most fearsome fields in Duel monsters: the (2) Legendary Fiend(6/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1800)!" A pale, blue-skinned demon rose to the field, shadowy wings sprouting from its back and sharp claws shotting out of its fingertips; and most disturbingly, a cross between tentacles and serpents growing from its shoulders at the base of its wings (ATK: 1500).

"Ugh! That thing's hideous!" Mindy cringed.


"Now, the shadow games have truly begun!" Titan laughed as the pyramid continued to glow, "Don't your life-points seem so utterly insignificant, now that it's your very life that's at risk?" the light finally faded as Jaden felt like nothing happened, until...

"Jaden!"

"No...!"

Hearing the cries of his friends, Jaden looked down, "Hey, my arm...!" his right elbow, left arm below the shoulder, and everything between them in his chest area gone, as though erased.

Titan: chuckled, "It is the way of the shadows; transcending the game, attacking your body."

"Hey, I can't move my feet!"

"Of course not. As the shadow fog rolls past, you all will feel the darkness take you into its grip, completely."

(As the fog surrounds Syrus, Rock and Chumley, they put hands to their throats, choking on it, "The air... getting tough to breathe...!" Chumley gasped.

"You are at the mercy of the night now!"

"I... I can't feel anything..!" Syrus wheezed.

"Treasure the numbness, for it will not last. Soon you will be drawn into an infinite chasm of eternal darkness where every waking moment will be filled with a gaping-"

"What? Gimme a break, how bad could it be!" Jaden stepped in, "So what: back at our dorm we got blackout curtains so we can sleep in later; I'm not scared of the dark! It's great!"

"But your 'blackout curtains' do not wield the same kind of mystic power as my Millennium Item does," Titan scoffed as the pyramid glowed once again. He's barely visible through the fog, his location marked by the shining point of golden light on the other side of the field, "It's your move; but make it count, it may be your last."

'Wow. Millennium Items? A shadow fog?' Jaden smiled giddy, 'Who could ask for a better challenge?' "Alright, Jaden... get your game on!" he drew his next card, "Here goes, buddy! For my move, I play the spell card Pot of Greed," he then drew two more cards from his deck, "And I'll fuse this Elemental Hero Sparkman with my Clayman on the field using Polymerization! Now, say hello to, (8) Elemental Hero Thunder Giant(6/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1500)!" the two monsters merged and a new hero takes the field, a broad-shouldered, armored warrior with a globe in the center of his chest that crackles with contained electricity (ATK: 2400), "And now I'll use his special-ability, which lets me destroy a monster whose original ATK points are lower than his! Now, Thunder Giant, let loose Static Blast!"

Titan chuckled as Thunder Giant's attack stopped short of Terrorking Archfiend, "I activate Terrorking's special-ability once again. Spin, roulette!" the little fireball starts traveling around the circle of numbered spheres again.

"Oh no, it just can't land on a two or a five again!" Syrus gasped.

And the fireball landed... on a five. "I win again! It seems as though even Fate isn't on your side half the time! And now you will pay the price!" Thunder Giant's attack rebounds on him, and destroys him.

Jaden shields himself from the blast. "This stinks! Talk about a run of some really rotten luck!"

'This is totally anti-licious,' Chumley thought, 'No matter what Jaden does, that Shadow Duelist's Archfiend deck can use that roulette to save himself! And this choking dark fog isn't exactly helping things either. I mean first Jade' came here to save Alexis, and now he might not even be able to save himself!'

"Now, all your monsters are destroyed," Titan laughed, "and you're next!"

"This match isn't over yet! I've still got a few cards up my sleeve. Like this one: Mirage of Nightmare!" a continuous-spell is placed on Jaden's field, "And I'll throw down a couple of face-downs while I'm at it."

"Don't waste my time. Your life-points won't last long enough for you to use any more of your cards! Alexis's soul will soon be gone, and so will yours," Titan caught a card that spat out of his vest, "It's my turn!"

"Hold on!" Jaden interrupted, "I think you're forgettin' somethin'. Mirage lets me draw 'til I have four cards in my hand."

"So go ahead, then. You could have four 'million' and it still wouldn't defend you against the crushing power of my monster. Allow my Terrorking Archfiend to give you an example! Attack, Locust Storm Barrage!" Terrorking's chest cavity opens up and out swarms a cloud of nasty-looking winged insects again.

"Talk about 'butterflies in your stomach'! Good thing I played a trap card, Mirror Force!" Jaden's reverse-card opened, "Say goodbye to all your monsters in ATK mode!" the trap produces a translucent wall for the swarm of locusts to run into. The reflected force from the impact destroys first Terrorking Archfiend, then Infernal Queen Archfiend.

Titan growled, "How dare you!"

"How? 'Cause I'm, daring, I guess."

"Well let's see how 'daring' you are after this: I'm using (5) Desrook Archfiend(3/ATK: 1100/DEF: 1800)'s special effect; it allows me to resurrect Terrorking Archfiend by sending this card to the graveyard. Say hello to a not-so-old friend." Titan dumped the card into the discard slot, and the Terrorking rose back to the field (ATK: 2000), "And now I activate the effect of the field-spell card Pandemonium! Its powerful magic allows me to draw a new Archfiend, if one of my Archfiend monsters is ever sent to the graveyard. Of course this new Archfiend can't be as powerful," another card is added to Titan's hand, "But then, my Terrorking Archfiend is packing more than enough power as it is! Now, let's try this again; Locust Storm Barrage!"

"Will this storm ever let up?!" Chumley groaned as another swarm made its way to Jaden's field.

"Go, Emergency Provisions!" Jaden announced as the face-down quick-play opened, "This spell card allows me to sacrifice another spell or trap card, and get back 1000 life-points!" Mirage of Nightmare disappeared, his life-points rising to 1000 more than Terrorking's ATK before the swarm crashed into him.

Jaden: 1000

Titan: 4000

"You still stand?!' Titan snapped.

Jaden stumbles a bit, "As long as I got two good legs!"

Titan again pulls his gold pyramid from his pocket, "But your legs are not good, and with this latest strike on your life-points, neither are your arms!"

Once again, the pyramid's light filled the room and Jaden watched his whole right arm, from wrist to shoulder, vanish, leaving his right hand floating inexplicably in space.

"Aw, man. Jaden's fading really fast." Syrus whimpered.

'Talk about hangin' on by a limb!' "Better make this turn count!" Jaden drew his next card, "Alright. I use the spell card The Warrior Returning Alive, which brings back Elemental Hero Avian to my hand! Now I activate Polymerizarion to fuse with Burstinatrix, and create, the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!" the two monsters merged into the giant dragon-fanged hero (ATK: 2100), "Now whaddaya say we turn up the heat in here, Wingman! Attack with Infernal Rage!" Flame Wingman destroys Terrorking Archfiend in a huge fireball, "Oh by the way, did I mention his super power? Your beasties won't be the only ones hurtin', you will too! You take damage equal to your destroyed monster's ATK points!" another stream of fire washed over Titan.

Jaden: 1000

Titan: 1900

"Parts of him are starting to disappear now too!" Syrus cheered as they watched Titan's elbow and left leg start to vanish.

"Think that could work on my waistline?" Chumley joked.

"It matters not, because I have yet another Desrook Archfiend. I simply discard him to bring back my Terrorking; there's no escaping him! Rise again, Terrorking!" after discarding another copy, the Terrorking rose again onto the field (ATK: 2000).

"This guy's really overstaying his welcome! I gotta find a way to get rid of 'im somehow! But first, I gotta protect myself, with (7) Dark Catapulter(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1500)!" the monster summoned isn't an Elemental Hero, but a sort of robot; bipedal body, thick limbs and wide shoulders, draconic head (DEF: 1500), "Now come on and do your worst!" Jaden concluded.

"You want my worst? You should be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it!" Titan drew his next card, "Especially when this card is in the mix: I sacrifice my Terrorking Archfiend, and call forth the (6) Skull Archfiend of Lightning(6/ATK: 2500/DEF: 1200)!" the archfiend king was then replaced by a larger, horned demon, electricity coursing through it (ATK: 2500), "You wanted my worst, well now you have it! Every last supercharged volt!" with that, Skull Archfiend vaporized Flame Wingman.

Jaden: 600

Titan: 1900

"Oh, man..."

"Jaden!"

'I gotta hang on...' Jaden huffed, 'for Alexis...!'

Titan again holds up the golden pyramid, "Look into my Millennium Item... and feel yourself drifting even further into the shadows!" Jaden dropped to his knees gasping the sight of the golden pendant began to blur and distort, "You are defeated. Your life-points are all but gone. Soon, you will be nothing but a hollow, soulless shell! Feel yourself drifting... drifting... drifting...!"

Jaden's vision began to unfocus, and then... "I... I can't see anymore! What's happening to me?!"

Titan chuckled smugly and puts the pendant away, watching the Slifer hunched over on his knees, 'Look at him suffering! The shadows are a powerful weapon indeed; even the ones simply in your mind! If only he knew...'


"I place a card face-down and end my turn! " A reverse-card appeared, "Then Lady Heat's ability activates! And since there are 2 heroes now on my field, you lose 400 life-points!" Jasmine threw two more fireballs.

Calypso: 3400

Jason: 4000

"Then it's my turn again," Another card appeared near Calypso, "You're quite right to worry about my Legendary Fiend; especially he gains 700 ATK points during each of my standby-phases (ATK: 2200). And since my fiend wasn't summoned until last turn, he's free to attack, right now!" The Legendary Fiend shot its tentacles towards the two heroines.

"I activate my trap, Negate Attack!" Jason shouted, a barrier forming around the two girls to keep the wiggling tendrils at bay, "This card negates your attack and end the battle-phase!"

"No big deal," Calypso shrugged, "I'll just wait one more turn with two more card face-down." A set monster a reverse-card appeared.

"My turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" The fire-based hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "And with 3 heroes on my field, Heat gains 600 ATK points (ATK: 2200), "Next, I switch Knospe into ATK mode as well!"

"Uh, what do you think you're doing?!" Jasmine questioned.

"When there are other heroes other than Knospe on my field, she's protected from enemy monsters and can attack you directly!" The duelist explained, "Go on, Mindy! Let's give her more damage!"

"Okay, here goes!" Mindy fired a round of projectile seeds at Calypso.

Calypso: 2800

Jason: 4000

"And there's more! When Knospe deals damage in a battle, 100 points get transferred from her DEF to their ATK!" Jason said.

Elemental Hero Knospe: (ATK: 700/DEF: 900)

"And since my turn ends, Lady Heat can deal 600 points of damage!" A trio of fireballs fired away.n and went total cannon fodder all over his opponent.

Calypso: 2200

Jason: 4000

"Look at that! We're almost half-way there!" Mindy cheered.

"That only depends on your perspective," Another card appeared in front of Calypso, "The only thing worth paying attention to should be my Legendary Fiend, as he gains 700 more ATK points!"

"But that's 2900 ATK points!" Jason gasped.

"And those points are going to keep increasing each and every turn," Calypso smirked, "Soon it will be much too powerful for you as it feeds on your monsters one by one. And what better monster to begin with than one that carries the soul of one of your dear friends!"

"She's talking about us!" Mindy cried.

"She's talking about me!" Jasmine cringed.

Calypso smiled, "You catch on quick. That other one wold make a decent appetizer, but you'll do just fine. Enjoy, my Legendary Fiend!" The fiend hissed and shot its tentacles towards Jasmine, tying her by her wrists and ankles together to hold her still.

"Jason Hutchins, you better have something to get me out of this!" The forth remaining tentacle snaked its slimy tongue across Jasmine's face, slimy and cold to the touch, "Ack! Do something. NOW!" She screeched.

"I activate the trap card, Reverse Trap!" Jason's reverse-card opened, "This reverses all power increases on the field for this turn!" Jasmine's body lit on fire, causing the tendrils to recoil and retreat, dropping her as they retracted back to the fiend.

Legendary Fiend: (ATK: 100)

"Are you okay?" Jason asked Jasmine as she flicked the odd goo left on her.

"No. No, I'm pretty far from okay!" She snapped, "I could've been eaten alive! Why didn't you play that card sooner?!"

"Sorry..." Jason sulked.

Jasmine huffed, "Whatever! Let's just get that hideous eyesore out of my sight!" She launched a large fireball and burned away the Legendary Fiend.

Calypso: 1000

Jason: 4000

"I don't get what made your fiend so 'legendary'," Jasmine smirked, "Guess it's gonna need a new name, if an amateur like Jason could take it out."

"Do you have to be so insulting...?" Jason moped with a pout.

Calypso growled under her breath, but soon calmed down with a deep breath, "I guess you got lucky. But let's see what you do against this; I sacrifice my face-down card to summon this monster..." A spot on the field flashed before a burnt, decayed figure rose from the fog, a large cross-shaped stone slab nailed to it by its chest and shoulders, "Let me introduce you to the Hell Poet; or (*) Helpoemer(5/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1400) as you duelists call it!"

"That thing's as hideous as that fiend!" Mindy winced with a scrunched nose.

"Trust me, you're much better off with him on the field than in the graveyard," Calypso smiled, "By the way, the monster I sacrificed was (3) Sangan(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 600), which means I can add a monster with an ATK of 1500 or less to my hand," She swiped the card into her grasp, "And while you get better-acquainted, I think I'll activate the continuous-spell, Gravekeeper's Servant. Now you have to send one card from the top of your deck to the graveyard. That ends my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card and looked at it.

"Tell me you got something to end this quick!" Jasmine hoped.

'I hope this works...' Thought the brunette, worrying on his bottom lip. "I activate the spell card, Rose Bud!" When Jason played the card, a group of large violet petals raised themselves out of the fog and closed tightly around Mindy, forming a tightly sealed violet bud.

"What are you doing to Mindy?!" Jasmine asked worriedly.

"By activating Rose Bud, I can take Elemental Hero Knospe and transform her into something stronger..." The large flower bud fell apart as smaller petals scattered across the field. In Knospe's place stood a girl wearing a knee-length dress made of leaves with a gold belt around her waist set with an amethyst, and a crown made of long white petals (DEF: 2000), "Now she's become (9) Elemental Hero Poison Rose(6/ATK: 1900/DEF: 2000)!"

Jasmine blinked, "Mindy? Is that still you?"

The girl under the dress opened her eyes and looked herself over, giving a pleased smile and twirled like a ballerina, "Hey! I look good in this!"

"Not only that, Poison Rose also protects other heroes from opposing monsters!" Jason said, "So Lady Heat's safe from attacks!"

"Your monsters may be safe, but what about you?" Before Jason could understand what Calypso meant, he felt his heart suddenly giving out as he was surrounded by a black aura. That was when a continuous-trap card opened on Calypso's field, "The trap card, Coffin Seller, takes 300 life-points from you every time one of your monsters are sent to the graveyard. And you'll feel like every single point is ripped from your beating heart."

Calypso: 1000

Jason: 3700

"Jason! Are you okay?!" Mindy asked.

"I'm fine..." Jason huffed as soon as the pain went away, "Now Elemental Hero Heat will attack your Helpoemer!" By Gravekeeper's Servant's ability, Jason sent the top card Polymerization to the graveyard; Heat charged in and broke through the monster with a flaming fist.

Calypso: 800

Jason: 3700

'Alright, 800 life-points left. Just one more turn to go and this will all be over...' Jason sighed in relief, only to hear Calypso giggle.

"You should've heeded my warning." She said, "I told you you'd be better off with Helpoemer on the field; for its true power is revealed when it's sent to the graveyard."

"What are you talking about?"

"When you destroyed Helpoemer in battle, you set off it's special-ability after it's been sent to the graveyard. Now at the end of each of your battle-phases, you'll have to discard a card from your hand at random."

"Now we got three things to worry about! That Gravekeeper's Servant taking a monster from his deck, Helpoemer taking one from his hand, and monsters on this field being destroyed in battle!" Jasmine said.

"Monsters being us!" Mindy added in devastation.

"And Helpoemer won't be staying in the graveyard without first taking another card from your hand," Calypso's fiend shot a claw out from under Jason and grabbed hold of his wrist, while another swiped a card in his hand, the card being another copy of Elemental Hero Heat, "It looks like he's taken a monster card. That means my Coffin Seller trap card takes 300 more life-points away from you."

Calypso: 800

Jason: 3400

"And before you harbor any illusions of defeating me so soon, I activate my face-down Poisons of the Old Man quick-play, and add 1200 extra points to my life-points." a green aura surrounded Calypso.

Calypso: 2000

Jason: 3400

"I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode..." The wood-limbed, hero appeared (DEF: 2000), "Now I place 1 card face-down and end my turn, and let Lady Heat activate her special-ability!"

Calypso: 1200

Jason: 3400

"Then I guess it's my move," Calypso started her next turn with her next draw, "I summon Melchid the Four-Faced Beast(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1200) that I've had face-down," A four-headed totem head rose to the field, smirking at Jason with its green-mask face (ATK: 1500), "Next, I summon the Grand Tiki Elder(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 800) to the field as well," A blue-skinned apparition of a witch-doctor appeared, wearing a three-mask necklace and a normal-sized mask on its face (ATK: 1500), "And with these two monsters out, I can merge them together to form something even more ferocious!" The two masked monsters melded together and began to mutate. It grew in size until it took the form of a horrific, slumping, bone-armored creature. It crouched with its powerful legs as it eyed Jason's monsters with its twitching masked face, while two more were attached to its shoulders. A woman's torso seem to have grown under the skin of its chest, blinded and groaning lightly in agony, "I create the (4) Masked Beast Des Gardius(8/ATK: 3300/DEF: 2500)!"

"Just how many of those freakshows is she gonna summon?!" Jasmine gagged.

Calypso giggled, "A creature even your Poison Rose can't protect against. But thanks to my Vengeful Bog Spirit, I can't attack this turn. So after placing one card face-down, I'll leave it back to you." She said, finishing her turn.

'That monster has over 3000 ATK points!' Jason thought as he eyed the field. 'Even if I do have something strong enough, how can I attack with that bog spirit in play...?' He shook his head, gritting his teeth as he began his turn.

"It's my turn," He drew his next card, his eyes lighting up, 'This card could work! But first thing's first...' "I activate Woodsman's special-ability, to add the Polymerization card that's been sent to my graveyard thanks to Gravekeeper's Servant! Next, I summon Elemental Hero Stratos to the field!" The jetpack-equipped hero appeared (ATK: 1800). But unlike the previous time, Stratos seemed to have grown a ponytail that Jason knew far too well.

"What in the... What's going on here?" Stratos felt her face and removed her helmet, giving Chakra air to breath in. She looked around to see Jasmine and Mindy, "Mindy? Jasmine? What are you two wearing? ...What am I wearing?" She then gasped when she saw Des Gardius. "Okay, this is getting too weird!"

"Chakra, listed to me!" Jason said, getting Chakra's attention, "Right now we're in a shadow-duel with your souls playing as duel-monsters! You've become my Elemental Hero Stratos!"

"I'm a duel-monster?!" Chakra exclaimed.

"I don't know exactly what all this is about, but I think the only way to get your souls back is to win this duel!"

Chakra remained silent for a moment before nodding with a small smile. "Right. I understand."

"Wait! Are you sure you're up for this?" Jasmine asked her.

"I figure this is all one bad dream; but I'm up for anything if it means waking up," Chakra took her position on the field, "So what do I have to do?"

"Your special-ability's triggered," Jason said, "That means you can destroy up to 4 cards on the opponent's field."

"Alright; here goes nothing!" Stratos' jetpack fired a set of four tornadoes shooting straight across the field.

"I activate my face-down card, Emergency Provisions!" A quick-play spell opened and all of Calypso's spell/trap cards vanished.

"Missed!" Chakra gasped.

"By activating Emergency Provisions, I gain 1000 life-points for each card sent to the graveyard. I don't want to use such powerful cards just so you can take them away."

Calypso: 5200

Jason: 3400

"We're back to where we started!" Mindy huffed.

"And what's worse is that Masked Beast will no doubt attack us next turn!" Chakra added.


Jaden cowered alone in a world of nebulous shadows. Then, he opens his eyes as he heard a coo, as a little fairy light pops out of his deck and floats before him, 'That... you, Winged Kuriboh? What is it, pal? You... tryin' to tell me somethin'?' Around the light, the shadows part and show him the dueling field, without the Pandemonium spell, as though shining a flashlight through darkness. 'Whoa, stay steady, wouldja? With that bright light, you're gonna hypnotize me quicker than ya help me! Huh...?!'

Jaden's eyes shot back open, 'Wait... that's it! That's what you're trying to tell me! We're not playin' in the shadows, he's playin' with my mind!' he then stood, "Well, no more. I got this 'shadow game' scam figured out!"

"Did he just say shadow game scam?"

"What's he mean?"

"I mean, my soul's not on the serving plate anymore!"

Syrus and Chumley exchange a mystified look, while Jaden stood erect and got his strength back.

"Let's keep goin'! My turn!" Jaden drew his next card, and a small light appeared on his monster's head.

'What's happening...?' Titan wondered in confusion, 'Why isn't he scared anymore?!'

"First, I'm gonna activate my Dark Catapulter's special-ability! It allows me to remove one card from my graveyard, for every turn Catapulter was in DEF mode. Then, for every card I remove, I get to destroy 1 trap or spell card, out in play. So since he was in DEF mode for one turn, I'll remove Avian; and now, I'll destroy your Pandemonium card! Storm Shower Blast!"

"Uh-oh..." Titan caught the blast on his duel disk before the demon skulls glaring down from above shattered one by one. The scene itself then shattered away, leaving them once more standing in a dark, bizarrely carved stone basement, "So what! You still haven't destroyed this!" he raised the pyramid once again.

"You oughta be careful what you wish for! Ya might just get it!" Jaden raised the Avian card he removed from play, and tossed it right into the light. It embeds itself, level-stars-deep, into the center of the supposedly golden object, as if it was just an art project.

"What did you do?" Titan gasped, as Jaden's vanished body parts reappeared, as though never gone.

"All right, Jaden! You got your body back!" Syrus cheered.

"I never lost it! This whole shadow game was just a big fake!" Jaden assured, "It was all just hypnosis; a whole lotta smoke and mirrors to make me think I was losin' my soul! This guy's a complete sham; I mean he's probably just some outta-work carnie!"

"I-I'm not out of work!" Titan whined, "I can get my job at the fair back anytime I want!"

Yeah, I'm sure that you could!" Jaden laughed, "And I'm sure that papier-mâché Millennium Item goes over real well with the kiddies!"

"No! Be quiet! It's real! I'm real!"

"You're a sideshow phony."

Titan then scoffed, "You fool. You forget the girl!" he then laughed, "That's right. imprisoned in a shadow-tomb! Her soul is festering in the dark recesses of the netherworld! That proves this Millennium Pendant is real! What do you have to say to that!"

"Besides that you're a big dunce?"

"Huh?"

"See, all the Millennium Items were sketched on the inside of this dorm. And yours would be called the Millennium Puzzle, not 'pendant'. You don't have Alexis's soul; you never did! So hand her over and hand over all the other kids you snatched!"

"Other kids? I don't know what you're talking about! And because of your earlier 'carnie' comment, you can find your friend by yourself!" Titan dashed a smoke bomb of some kind to the ground.

"No way, you're not gettin' outta here that easy! C'mere!" Jaden chased him across the field. As he passed a series of carved snake heads on the walls of the cavern, the mouth of each lit up with golden light. By the time he reached the center of the field, which is rapidly fogging over with smoke, the heads have lit up all around the room, and each cast a thin, laserlike beam to the center of the field, where they meet, too perfect to be accidental. As the holograms faded, large, golden eye lights up on the floor, both him and Titan caught inside! "How'dja do this trick?!"

"I didn't!"


DUEL-MON DATABASE

(1) Mystic Tomato

Stats: [Plant/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1400/DEF: 1100)

Attribute: DARK

Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 DARK monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck, in face-up Attack Position.

(2) Legendary Fiend

Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 5 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1800)

Attribute: DARK

Effect: During each of your Standby Phases: This card gains 700 ATK.

(3) Sangan

Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 600)

Attribute: DARK

Effect: When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard: Add 1 monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck to your hand.

(4) Masked Beast Des Gardius

Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 3300/DEF: 2500)

Attribute: DARK

Effect: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Tributing 2 monsters, including at least 1 "Grand Tiki Elder" or "Melchid the Four-Face Beast". When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, equip 1 "The Mask of Remnants" from your Deck to 1 monster on the field.

(5) Desrook Archfiend

Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1100/DEF: 1800)

Attribute: LIGHT

Effect: The controller of this card pays 500 Life Points during each of his/her Standby Phases (this is not optional). When this card is targeted by the effect of a card controlled by your opponent, when resolving the effect, roll a six-sided die. If the result is 3, negate the effect and destroy the opponent's card. When a "Terrorking Archfiend" on your side of the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard to Special Summon the "Terrorking Archfiend".

(6) Skull Archfiend of Lightning

Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2500/DEF: 1200)

Attribute: DARK

Effect: During each of your Standby Phases, you must pay 500 Life Points (this is not optional), or this card is destroyed. Before resolving an opponent's card effect that targets this card, roll a six-sided die, negate the effect if you roll 1, 3 or 6, and if you do, destroy that card.

(7) Dark Catapulter

Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1500)

Attribute: EARTH

Effect: During your Standby Phase, if this card is in Defense Position, put 1 counter on this card. You can remove from play a number of card(s) in your Graveyard equal to the number of counters on this card to destroy that many Spell or Trap Card(s) on the field. Then remove all counter(s) from this card.

(8) Elemental Hero Thunder Giant

Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 7 (ATK: 2400/DEF: 1500)

Attribute: LIGHT

Effect: "Elemental HERO Sparkman" + "Elemental HERO Clayman"
When this card is Fusion Summoned, select and destroy 1 face-up monster on the field with original ATK less than the ATK of this card.

(9) Elemental Hero Poison Rose

Stats: [Poison/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 1900/DEF: 2000)

Attribute: EARTH

Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must be Special Summoned with "Rose Bud" and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. Each time this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: It gains 200 ATK and loses 200 DEF. Your opponent can only target "Elemental HERO Poison Rose" for attacks.


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