Note: meh, I know it's long. I don't feel to bad, because this is a somewhat important chapter. I hope you enjoy part of Nicole's sad backstory.
The duel began, with Aryana taking a strong lead. 5 facedown back-row, and a set monster. A defensive play, but still the back-row was going to be a problem. I started my turn. I summoned a monster and attacked. I got hit with magic cylinder, dealing damage right back at me.
It hurt, just like Akiza. Still, something was worse. My mind started to fog up, changing the thought. It continued until I couldn't recognize my surroundings. It was raining, and night time. An eerie overall setting.A old women, who looked somewhat like me, stood near by, crying her eyes out. A cloaked man grabbed my wrist and took me away from the women. The cloaked man looked just like the one Yusei battled.
The vision changed once more, this time to a pale bleak institution of sorts. A lot of kids where by me, and at least ten cloaked adults. One by one they took us and in front of everyone whipped us. I could feel the pain, that worst I have ever felt.
Before to long my vision went back to normal and I focused on the duel. I called out, "What kind of witchcraft is this, Aryan!"
He smirked, "just letting you know who you where."
"Your turn," I admitted . The rules of this duel seemed a little different. If I took damage it both hurt and revealed memories of my past. And by the looks of it, those memories are going to be pretty bad. I had to play more careful or else I'll be experiencing more pain.
Aryans turn was relatively quick, he drew and set a back-row. My turn I played it safe, I summoned a Fabled Catish and attacked. No traps this time but I ran into a marshmellon. That landed 1,000 points of damage on me.
This time I was ready for the memories, or at least slightly prepared. This time I was running, away from the institute. I could hear the clanking of chains and howling of dogs right behind me. Careless I turned around just for a second, and that second cost me. A dog leapt and landed on my leg. The handler called him off and chained my neck. I was then dragged back to the institute.
The next one was more surprising than anything else. Everyone around me seemed older now, in their mid teens. We dueled each other, inflicting pain and suffering. If my opponent lost, I took a knife to their heart and ended them.
Focusing back on the duel, my knees where trembling. Realization that I was a killer shocked me, and made me nervous. I was pretty sure Aryan was part of whatever group was doing that, which meant he was a killer to.
My voice shacking, i asked, "where do you play in to the scheme of things?"
Aryan actually frowned at this, "you still haven't got to me? I was the person who helped you escape the league of shadows. Oh, but you where a fool and got captured. I, being a fool at the time, offered myself for your freedom. Now it's my job to hunt you down and return you, what a shame."
League of shadows. I was apart of that, and I survived. I learned dueling from that place, I learned the art of killing. It disgusted me that I honestly considered right now going back to it. No, it seems I've always wanted away from the place. Now I have even a better reason to win this duel.
I ended my turn and planned. I was not going to let Aryan take me back to the hell hole from my memories.
A few turns went by, pretty much at a stand still. I was able to deal 400 points of damage but that was it. I was careful dueling but my next turn I slipped up and took damage.
This was what Aryan was talking about. It was the two of us, near one of the walls in the institute. No one else was around us, and a small hole, big enough for us to fit through it, was dug trough the wall. I went first, followed by Aryan. Then we just ran.
The memory shifted to a dense forest. I was surrounded by the cloaked people, shadows. I looked at all my options no exits. Seconds gone by and nothing, everything stood at a still point. I saw a flicker of light in front of me, Aryan. Gunpowder exploded around the shadows and I ran. I looked back, only for seconds, and saw Aryan getting captured by them. I knew I couldn't risk trying to free him. My heart burned, and I knew what that emotion was. At that time I felt love for aryan. That's why I want to go back.
Those memories hit hard. Making it near impossible to concentrate. Aryan sacrificed his freedom, and I apparently was never brave enough to tell him I loved him. I almost wanted to let him win, but their was no was I was going back to that place.
The next few turns I played super aggressively, and surprisingly it paid off. His field was empty and I went in for the finishing blow.
I won, I actually won. One problem, I felt to weak to stand. I fell to my knees, and looked towards Aryan. He started walking away. "Wait Aryan!"
He stopped and turned to look at me. He said, "what? You won, I'm leaving."
Crying I muttered, "I never got the chance to tell you this, but thank you back then. And I Lo-" I couldn't the rest, it just felt wrong now.
He let out a small sound of acknowledgement, and left. I felt like this wasn't the end of him, or the shadows. However, right now, I'm just going to watch the sky. I laid on my back and waited for Yusei and Lilith to finish their duel.