Welcome back everyone! After that little cliffhanger, it's time for the next part of the story!
Disclaimer: Still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Warning: This chapter is a little darker than the rest. Don't worry, it won't be the norm.
Enjoy!
"Wait, what?"
Joe looked over at Tom. "I grew up with Nox."
The expressions on everyone's faces was to be expected. With the exception of Jack and Luke, who looked like they would rather be anywhere else, everyone seemed to be in some state of shock.
Joe sighed. "I suppose I should start at the beginning."
"Nox has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was a problem child when I was young. Throwing food, starting fights, demanding more of something, y'know, kid stuff. I was alright most of the time, but every once in a while, I'd get angry. The first time I realised something wasn't right was when I was about seven years old. I was angry at something, I can't remember what now, but I was really angry. Full on tantrum. At one point I looked at my window, and saw my reflection in the glass. My eyes were glowing yellow. Like, bright yellow. I started to freak out. That's when I first heard his voice.
"He started by calming me down. Saying I was special, that the eye thing was normal. He said he was a friend, that he wanted to help. I was still a kid, so I ate it all up. From then on, he kept talking to me, giving me advice, encouragement, like any friend would do. It wasn't until a few years later that things started to go wrong.
"I was twelve, living in Barbados, and in my second year of secondary school. It was hell. I got bullied daily, and even now I don't know why. That's when Nox's suggestions got more aggressive. Violent. Telling me to push the bullies out the window, slam their heads on desks. I refused. I wasn't like that, and I said as much. So he tried a different tactic: he suggested I challenge one of them to a duel. I was okay with that.
"So I dueled one of them, and I won. I was ecstatic. That was until Nox started laughing and the bully started screaming. Next thing I know, he's being carried away on a stretcher. Nox has this dangerous ability, you see. He could rip a person's soul right from their body, if that person was weak enough. And he could weaken those he dueled. Not by much, and not for long, but if that person lost, then they were just weak enough."
Hope had gotten closer to Claire, hugging her sister tightly. Stan and Lee looked pretty shaken too. Joe didn't blame them. Claire was looking at him. "But he didn't duel. You did."
Joe nodded. "True, but at that point there wasn't any difference. His voice wasn't in my head: he was. So when I was duelling, he was weakening my opponent as if he was duelling."
"But you stopped him, right?" Tom asked. "When I mentioned him to you back at the hospital, you said you hoped you'd never hear his name again."
Joe nodded again. "I spent a year after that incident trying to find a way to stop him, but he was getting stronger, and interfering. It was Jack who found the answer." All heads turned to the duelist in question.
Jack sighed. "Around the time that Joe got into duelling, I started to develop my ability to bring images to life. When he got me my first deck, I was amazed at the possibilities. I spent almost a week just talking to my different monsters, learning about them. When Joe asked me for help to deal with Nox, I asked every monster card I had, trying to find answers. Eventually, I got my hands on Royal Magical Library."
Joe took over. "According to the librarians in the card portrait, Nox's soul stealing ability is a double-edged sword. Any souls stolen by him are connected to him, almost like he's a gateway for them to return. If he was defeated in a duel, the gateway would open, and the souls would rush back into our world, and back into their bodies. The backlash caused by this would send the one who stole their souls in the first place, in this case Nox, into the 'Shadow Realm', as the librarians called it.
"I immediately went to Luke. He was the one who introduced me to duelling in the first place, and I had yet to win a duel against him. Unfortunately, Nox knew that, and did everything in his power to prevent me from challenging, or accepting a challenge from, Luke. So Jack flew over and challenged me instead. He won. Nox was banished, and the bully recovered. I thought that was the last of him."
"And you're saying Maurice is working for him?" Claire asked.
"He told me himself," Tom answered.
"No!" Hope shouted, her eyes brimming with tears. "You're wrong! He'd never do that!"
"That's right!" Stan spoke up. "He taught us to be heroes! There's no way he could be in league with that creep!"
Joe sighed, before heading towards the door leading outside. "Claire, could you come with me please? There's someone I'd like you to meet."
Joe led Claire down the street, towards the local card shop. Instead of going inside, however, Joe walked into a side alley leading behind it. Behind the shop was a small open space, surrounded by the other buildings, with a couple of benches opposite the shop, facing it.
"This is an area where people duel after getting cards at the shop, to test them out," Joe said. "You'd find loads of people either duelling or watching the duels take place, talking deck strategies... It was the local hangout."
Claire looked around the empty area. It was hard to believe this place was so popular with how barren it was now. The only other person present was a young boy, who couldn't be older than ten, sitting on one of the benches, staring at the shop despondently. Joe turned to Claire, then nodded over to the boy. "Go on."
Claire slowly approached the boy. He didn't react as she sat down on the bench next to him. After a moment, Claire decided to break the ice. "Hi."
No response.
"What's your name?"
More silence. Then: "...Timmy."
Good. Progress. "Hi Timmy. I'm Claire."
No response. Okay, so not as much progress as she thought. She tried again.
"What are you doing?"
"Waiting."
"What for?"
"My deck."
"What happened to it?"
"It was stolen."
Claire froze at the answer. She looked at Joe, who was still standing by the entrance to the small enclosure, leaning against the wall, arms folded. She had a feeling where this conversation was headed. Scared to know the answer, she turned back to Timmy and asked, "Who stole it?"
Timmy looked at her now. "It was this big guy, with shoulders like this," he spread his arms wide, "he was wearing this purple coat, these really dark sunglasses, and he was always grinning."
Claire's stomach churned with each description. It sounded exactly like Maurice. But he wouldn't do that, would he? Not to a kid... Right?
"Are you looking for him too, Claire? Did he steal your deck?"
Claire shook her head. She didn't trust herself to speak.
"That's good."
Claire couldn't take it anymore. She stood up. "I have to go."
"Okay. Bye Claire," he turned back to face the shop.
Joe straightened up as Claire approached. "Well?"
Claire walked straight past him. He followed. They walked back to the Duelling Grounds, remaining silent the entire way. Outside the entrance, Claire stopped and turned to Joe.
"Why?"
"Hmm?"
"If he's such a monster, then why did Maurice save us? Why help us at all?"
Joe thought for a moment. "When someone like that helps someone, it would be because they'll get something out of it."
Claire was confused. "What would he get out of..." She froze. "No..."
She walked inside, and a few seconds later she emerged, her siblings in tow. Without saying a word, they walked away.
Joe watched them go, before entering the Grounds himself. The others looked up as he walked in. "Claire just walked in, grabbed the kids and left," said Luke, concern in his voice. "What did you do?"
Joe walked past him. "Everything I could."
The siblings arrived at the abandoned warehouse. The moonlight shone brightly through the holes in the ceiling, casting a mix of light and shadow. Maurice was waiting for them. "Why don't you have their decks?"
Claire grimaced. She had reported the results of their duels, and mentioned that they had no decks. He had instantly ordered they come here. "They beat two of us, we beat two of them. That and since they didn't take our decks, it wouldn't have been fair to-"
"Been fair?"
In the shadows behind Maurice, a pair of bright, yellow eyes opened. The cold voice continued.
"Who said anything about being fair?"
Lee stared at the yellow eyes. "Maurice? What is this?"
Maurice's smile widened. "Right. You've never had the honour, have you? Kids, meet the greater power I told you about. Meet... Nox."
Hope gasped. Stan and Lee took a step back. Claire's eyes narrowed. Nox chuckled, the sound as sinister as the rest of him.
"I see you've heard of me. I guess you must have had a nice long chat about me with Joe, right? Then you should know I don't tolerate failure from my subordinates."
Claire glared at Maurice. "So it's true then? The only reason you saved us is to use us as your deck thieves?"
Maurice's grin never wavered. "You always were a smart one."
"No..." Hope's voice was no louder than a whisper. She fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face. She put her face in her hands and sobbed. Lee crouched down and hugged her tightly.
Stan clenched his fists and stepped forward. "You bastard! Who the hell do you think you are!?" Claire reached out and grabbed his arm, trying to pull him back, but he shrugged her off. "You'll pay for this! I'll take out your 'greater power' right here and now! Nox! I challenge you to a duel!"
Nox laughed. "Why should I waste my time on you? No, I don't think so. Maurice, why don't you put him in his place?"
"With pleasure, sir."
Claire stepped toward her brother. "Stan, don't-"
"Fine," Stan interrupted. "You were next anyway."
"Duel!" (LP: 8000)
"I'll start things off," said Maurice, smiling. "I activate Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two cards. Next I activate Shard of Greed. Your turn."
"That's it? Fine, my move! I activate Gold Sarcophagus, banishing Metamorphosis to add it to my hand in two turns. Next I activate my own Shard of Greed. I set a monster and a card to end my turn."
"And you criticized my move," Maurice grinned. "I draw, giving a Greed counter to my Shard of Greed. I set a monster for my turn."
"My draw, giving my Shard of Greed a counter. I flip summon A Cat of Ill Omen (500/300), which activates its effect. I move the trap Metal Reflect Slime from my deck to the top of my deck. I'll set a monster and a card to end my turn."
Maurice's smile widened. "I draw, giving my Shard its second counter. I send it to the graveyard to draw two cards. Next I activate Gold Sarcophagus, banishing Exodia the Forbidden One from my deck for it to be added to my hand in two turns. I set a monster and a card and end my turn."
Stan growled. "How could you be smiling at a time like this!? I draw, giving my Shard its second Greed counter. And since it's now the second standby phase since I played Gold Sarcophagus, Metamorphosis is added to my hand! I send Shard of Greed to the graveyard to draw two cards. And now I'll activate another one! I'll switch my Cat to defence position, set a card, and end."
"I flip summon my A Cat of Ill Omen (500/300), using its effect to put the trap Appropriate as the top card of my deck. I'll activate another Shard of Greed, set a monster, and end my turn. I have to ask, Stan. Why is it you're so angry? You got to duel for a greater purpose, just as you wanted."
Stan drew, seething. "Why am I angry? You lied to us! You manipulated us! You used us to steal decks from who knows how many people who didn't deserve it! But worst of all: YOU MADE MY LITTLE SISTER CRY! I activate Metal Reflect Slime, summoning it as a monster on my field in defence position (0/3000)! And now I activate Metamorphosis! I tribute Metal Reflect Slime! It's time to make you pay! Come forth, DESTINY END DRAGOON (3000/3000)!" The horrific creature rose, wings spread, and roared, seemingly sharing its summoner's rage. "Dragoon! Attack A Cat of Ill Omen!" The monster charged, bringing its sword down, cutting the cat in half.
(Maurice: 5500 LP)
"I'll set a monster and a card to end the turn," said Stan.
Maurice's smile didn't falter. "Impressive speech. And turn, for that matter. But you made a mistake in assuming I'd care. Since it's the second standby phase since I activated my Gold Sarcophagus, Exodia the Forbidden One is added to my hand. I set a monster and two cards."
"You don't care!? That's it, you're finished! I send Shard of Greed to the graveyard to draw two cards!"
"And I activate the Continuous trap Appropriate. Whenever you draw outside your draw phase, I get to draw two cards."
Stan snarled. "I activate Dragoon's effect, destroying the facedown monster on the right!" Dragoon's dragon head fired its blast, tearing through the revealed Witch of the Black Forest.
"I use Witch of the Black Forest's effect to add Right Arm of the Forbidden One from my deck to my hand."
"I end my turn."
"Time to end this duel. I draw, and send my Shard of Greed to the graveyard to draw two cards. Next I activate One Day of Peace, allowing us to each draw one card - or in my case three - and neither of us can take damage until the end of your turn. Next I activate Monster Reincarnation, discarding a card from my hand to return Witch of the Black Forest to my hand, which I now summon (1100/1200). Next I flip summon Sangan (1000/600). Now both my monsters are going to attack Dragoon!"
Sangan charged while Witch fired a bolt of black lightning. Dragoon blocked the lightning with its shield, cut down Sangan, then charged and impaled Witch on its blade.
"And I use both their effects to add the Left Arm and Right Leg of Exodia into my hand. Which were, I should point out, the last two pieces."
Claire looked at Maurice. "Then that means..."
"It means I've lost..." Stan muttered.
The siblings all watched in horror as the pentagram formed, and Exodia appeared. It summoned its energy into its hands, and fired, tearing through Stan's field, and hitting the young duelist, knocking him to the ground.
"Well, that was entertaining," said Nox, "but I don't tolerate such insolence either. I was wondering which of you I was going to punish for failing; thank you for volunteering."
Nox's eyes glowed, and Stan started screaming. He abruptly stopped, and collapsed.
"Stan? Stan!" Lee and Hope rushed over, the boy shaking his twin. "Come on, it's not funny, wake up! Stan!"
Claire was rooted to the spot. She stared at her brother's lifeless body, her mind on repeat: Joe was right. He warned me. I didn't listen. It's all my fault. He was right. It's all my fault.
It's all my fault.
And that's chapter 9! I'm going to take a week and a bit to recharge, I think. I need to finalize some details in the rest of the story, and build a couple of decks. Feel free to send me some deck or character ideas: we're not done yet!
Also, I'd like your opinion on something. I'm thinking of changing the tag of this story from fantasy/humour to fantasy/adventure. There will still be humour elements, but not enough (I feel) for the tag. The story doesn't focus on the humour after all. What do you think?
See you guys next time! Hope you enjoyed!
