Chapter 29: Ashes to Flames

Within the Dark Signers' lair, the ever present silence and darkness filled the air. It pressed down upon the six occupants of the complex of tunnels, though they never really noticed it. But now, to one of the Dark Signers, the darkness was crushing.

Kelsey sat alone in her room, staring into the darkness around. It shouldn't have been uncomfortable to sit in complete darkness, in fact, it wasn't even total darkness. Her eyes were naturally adjusted to this level of darkness, she could see as well as she could on a clear day. The Dark Signers treated darkness as their light, basking in its shadows, while shunning the light, which they had a natural aversion to.

But something about the darkness made Kelsey uneasy, wary. She found herself wishing to somehow break the deathly silence of the place, in any way she could.

In a fluid movement she stood, crossing to a dresser on the other side of the room. Her Dark Signer robes were practically suited to any conditions, so no clothes were stored in the dresser, instead it held the gathered fragments of her old life, the life before Flamvell Nidhogg had taken her in deathly grip and banished her from one existence, only for her to be forced into another by Wiraqocha Rasca.

She opened a drawer, and with pale hands she went through the items inside. Her fingers passed over an old, dusty photograph showing her laughing, younger self alongside Julian as the two played Duel Monsters outside the orphanage where she had been raised. Behind the image of her Koa'ki Meiru Ice stood a smiling, African woman, Martha.

She gently moved the photograph to the top of the dresser and continued to sort through the old memories, her fingers running across a box of marbles Martha had given her for her eighth birthday, a ribbon a younger Crow had gifted her with on the same day. Placing the two items with the photograph, she looked over a quartet of photographs depicting her as a sixteen-year old girl dressed in a grey shirt and black jeans, in each photograph posing alongside one of the four-strong Team Satisfaction.

She looked at the image of her and Yusei with a soft smile, seeing the Signer smiling as the two stood back-to-back, Yusei wearing the dark brown jacket trademark of the Team. Both had their Duel Disks active to display monsters, her monster the towering bestial knight that was Koa'ki Meiru Crusader, his the ever-famous Junk Warrior. She laid the photograph to one side and looked at the next, this one showing her and Crow. The orange-haired boy was guffawing happily, arm slung carelessly across her shoulders with his Blackwing – Bora the Spear at his side, Koa'ki Meiru Drago curled up beside her.

With a rustle of paper, she placed this photograph on top of the one with Yusei, looking down at a photograph of her with a pouting Jack. Crow stood behind the future King, holding his teammate in place, with Jack trying to wrestle free futilely. Due to his reluctance, Crow had forced the card onto his Duel Disk, and so the struggling Jack was flanked by Twin-Sword Marauder, while Koa'ki Meiru War Arms stood beside Kelsey. Even with Crow holding him down, Jack was still as far from Kelsey as he could manage.

And finally, the fourth photograph... Kelsey had to fight back a shudder of revulsion as she laid the photograph of her with Jack aside to reveal the fourth. In this one she stood, smiling and laughing, arm thrown across the final boy's shoulders, a smirk on his face as he stared right into the camera, unblinking even in the face of the bright flash. The monster beside him was the mighty Terrorking Archfiend, while Kelsey had gone for the big finale by choosing the fiery, demonic form of her Koa'ki Meiru Valafar.

How had the boy in that picture become the monster he was today? Kelsey had to wonder that as she slammed the photograph off to one side. For a second, she wanted to tear it in half with a cry, but she couldn't bring herself to destroy even the merest fragment of her pre-Dark Signer life, no matter how much she hated it.

"Kalin..." she murmured. "How could you fall... why?" She buried the thoughts, throwing herself back into digging through the drawer. Eventually her search uncovered a leather Deck Box, which she removed from the drawer and held in solemn silence. She knew which cards lay within, though she hadn't so much as looked at them since becoming a Dark Signer. A terrible sense of betrayal filled her as she opened the box, pulling the Deck out to display the fiery image of her Koa'ki Meiru Valafar adorning the top card.

"Koa'ki Meiru..." she whispered softly, looking at her former ace. "Fire... Water... Earth... Wind... the elemental forces that shaped our world, concentrated to battle the greater forces that designed to rule... Light and Darkness. And now I am one with Darkness... I've become one of your enemies, all because I wanted Julian to live." A single tear slid down her cheek as she gently fanned open the Deck, looking at each of her precious former companions in turn, whispering their treasured names into that bitter, eternal darkness, both within her heart and all around her. Her melodious voice spoke each syllable of the names with regret and loss, the very words testament to her feelings.

She slowly placed the cards back into the Deck Box, closing it with measured, reluctant motions. No matter how she yearned to use her Koa'ki Meiru cards again, Wiraqocha Rasca would not allow such enemies to take the field beside it. Its divine nature could not escape the anti-light and darkness that defined the monsters, and it hated that simple fact so much that even the idea of wielding those monsters would be met with a mental attack so powerful Kelsey would be left practically comatose for a few days at the least. She had bitterly learned not to even suggest that idea, especially after Wiraqocha Rasca had included Julia in these brutal punishments.

Gently placing the Deck Box on top of the dresser, Kelsey finally found what she had been searching for. She pulled the device from the drawer, holding the old machine gently. She wasn't even sure what it was; only that it was thirty-odd years old and that it only worked thanks to all of Yusei's mechanical expertise. She did know its name, I-Pod, however.

With a practised movement, she turned the I-Pod on and flicked through several menus until she finally found what she wanted, selecting the option. A moment later, music started to play from the device, a soft, haunting melody that was soon supplemented by lyrics just as haunting:

"I used to rule the world,

Seas would rise when I gave the word,

Now in the morning I sleep alone,

Sweep the streets I used to own,

I used to roll the dice,

Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes,

Listen as the crowd would sing,

'Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!'"

The song was called Viva la Vida, and even in her past life, Kelsey had liked it. There was something about the lyrics that kept her listening until the song ended, something in the way they were spoken almost resonated with her.

But now, as a Dark Signer, she felt a certain relevance about those same lyrics, in that they connected with her feelings of regret and loss. She continued to listen in silence, rejoicing in how the music shattered that darkness and silence with its haunting words.

"One minute I held the key,

Next the walls were closed on me,

And I discovered that my castles stand,

Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand,"

"One minute you can have everything, and then the next it's all gone," Misty spoke from behind Kelsey. The Condor Dark Signer started slightly, surprised by her fellow's entrance.

"That's true," she murmured. "I think we both found that out the hard way, huh?"

"That's the sad truth, Kelsey," Misty murmured. "A lot of people lose what they care about, the way we did. But the difference is, we can do something about it. I can get revenge... and you can find Julian again."

"As much as I don't want this fate," Kelsey whispered. "I'll accept it, because of that. Because I love Julian, and Julia, and all I want is for us to be a family. Nothing more, nothing less. I'd give the world just to let us three be together... the way it should be." As she fell silent, the lyrics continued to speak their sad story to them both.

"For some reason I can't explain,

Once you go there was never,

Never an honest word,

That was when I ruled the world..."

29

Deep into the Satellite, Rally, Tank, Blitz, Nervin and Blister were crossing a very old, very fragile rope bridge over one of the many gaping chasms in the ruined sector of the city.

"Stop shaking the bridge!" Nervin yelled at Tank, "or everyone's gonna fall!"

"Stop saying that!"

"Just keep walking!" Blitz snapped at them both.

"It's easy for you to say, if this breaks, you're the first one down!"

"We have to get across," Tank said. "It's the only place in Satellite we'll be safe!"

"Even Sector Security won't come here," Blitz said. "It's the B.A.D., and they're forbidden by executive order to enter."

"So it's a perfect refuge for people with criminal marks," Blister mused.

"Hey, look at Daedalus Bridge!" Rally exclaimed, gesturing to the bridge, which was visible even with the buildings in the way. It towered over them, a monolithic monument to the hopes and dreams of Satellite...

They crossed the bridge and walked on for a bit, coming to Crow's hideout. As they stepped into the courtyard in between the buildings, Yusei and Crow pulled up on their Runners, dismounting and pulling off their helmets.

"Yusei!" Rally exclaimed. "Crow! You're alright!" The two smiled as the boy ran up to them, throwing his arms around Yusei...

29

Later that night, Crow staggered over to the others, arms full of beer bottles. He quickly handed them to Tank, who started to drink them with amazing speed.

Crow slumped down beside Yusei, as Nervin said, "so Yusei, what you're saying is that these Dark Signers want to destroy Satellite?"

"When I duelled Jack, I saw a vision of that destruction... a future that could come," the Signer mused, recalling the vision.

"Is that true?" Blitz asked.

"If that's gonna happen, then we should pack up and use that pipeline to get outta here!" Tank exclaimed.

"Sounds good to me – if these Dark Signers are here, we should go there," Nervin agreed.

"You're scared," Yusei mused, "well, I am too." He pulled up his sleeve to reveal his Mark of the Dragon. "This Mark made me a part of this war, and if I don't fight, there's no hope for anyone."

"Well, I'm with ya," Crow said, taking a swig of his beer. "Crow never backs out from a fight. You're the only one who can protect us, so you've got my support." Suddenly, two of the children he looked after ran up, a boy wearing a bandana and a girl.

"Crow, tell us a bed-time story!" the boy cried. Crow thought for a moment.

"Alright then, let's talk about Daedalus Bridge, shall we?" he laughed. "A long time ago, the Satellite and New Domino City were separated. The people of the Satellite had to work hard for very little, and they were sad because of that. The people of New Domino were happy; they were rich and didn't have to work."

"For years, this stayed the same. But then, one day, a stranger arrived in Satellite, a Turbo Duelist with a dream, to connect New Domino City and Satellite! He stood there each day and stared... and dreamed. Then one day, with no fanfare, no announcement – he started to build a bridge! He wanted to give people hope, and hope he gave them. He started alone... then a dozen joined him, and that dozen grew to a hundred! It seemed like the bridge might be built!"

"But the people in the City wanted the order preserved. They declared the bridge illegal, and Sector Security started to arrest the builders... one by one, they all stopped or were thrown in the Facility, until only the stranger remained. He was cornered, with no way out! So he took his Duel Runner and raced up Daedalus Bridge, soaring off the end to freedom! From that day on... that's what Duel Runners meant to us Satellites... freedom..."

"Wow... talk about a neat story!" the boy exclaimed.

"If you ask me, it's ridiculous," Blister said coldly. "You can't bridge the gap between Satellite and New Domino with dreams."

"That may be," Yusei replied, "but that doesn't mean we can't try..." As he spoke, unseen, a spider scuttled up the wall behind them...

29

In New Domino City, Julian sipped at a cup of tea as he looked over at Carly's TV. He and Jack were sitting in her apartment, a rather untidy-looking place with surfaces cluttered with paper, her laptop practically the only clean thing there.

On the TV, a news report was playing.

"Breaking news!" the reporter announced. "We're going live to Peru, South America, where strange events have been happening around the ancient geoglyphs known as the Nazca Lines!" Julian's eyes widened as the screen showed a birds-eye view of the said geoglyphs.

"Nazca Lines," he murmured. "Earthbound Immortals." He watched the screen and listened intently as the reporter continued to speak.

"Recently, several of these ancient monuments have simply vanished in what appear to be flashes of purple fire, simply fading away into the earth and leaving nothing behind." A video clip was shown, displaying the Spider lines vanishing as described. "In addition to the Spider Nazca Line, we have also received reports that geoglyphs depicting the Hummingbird and Giant have vanished... oh, this just in! It seems that the Nazca Lines portraying the Lizard and Condor have also vanished just now!"

"It's beginning," Julian said darkly, as both he and the Signer watched the news report in concern...

29

Goodwin watched the same news report, closing his eyes as it ended.

"The Dark Signers have been busy," he mused. "Soon all the lines will vanish, and the Earthbound Immortals will be unleashed. Those who open the doors of the Underworld will soon begin to cast their shadows upon this world..."

29

The five Dark Signers sat at the great table, all hooded and silent.

"'Yusei is in the Satellite," Roman rumbled as he looked down at a spider on the table. "Near the Daedalus Bridge... if we kill him now, then the Signers will be powerless against us." Kelsey stirred.

"Yusei..." she murmured too quietly to be heard from her position away from her comrades.

"Yusei is mine!" Kalin snapped, standing. "I have a score to settle with him." His Mark of the Giant glowed fiercely upon his arm. "Heaven help any of you fools who dare to stand between me and him!" Roman smirked.

"Happy hunting, Kalin," he said...

29

At Crow's hideout, Yusei silently mounted his Runner, pulling on his helmet.

"Bit late for a joyride, huh?" Crow said from behind him, leaning up against Blackbird.

"Go back to bed," Yusei said. "You're not coming with me, Crow."

"How can you say that?!" his friend exclaimed. "After everything, Team Satisfaction, all of it, how can you tell me to leave you now?!"

"I don't want to see you get hurt!" Yusei replied. "When you Duel these Dark Signers, you play to the death, Crow! The damage is real, and if you lose, you die. Do you want to see those kids left alone, with no one to care for them?!"

"It's those kids I'm fighting for! If you can't beat these guys, then we all suffer... them included... I won't see that happen!"

"If that's the case... then so be it," Yusei laughed. "Let's ride, friend." Crow smirked as he donned his helmet and mounted Blackbird...

29

"The old Enerdy Reactor?! You're going there!" Crow exclaimed as he and Yusei rode through the B.A.D.

"Julian told me that the Earthbound Immortals were set loose by the Zero Reverse," Yusei explained. "Chances are that if the answers are anywhere, it's there."

"You're nuts, you know that?" Crow muttered bitterly. They drove on in silence for five more minutes, but suddenly a card shot through the air, narrowly missing Crow. As it cut past them, Yusei gasped, seeing the image.

"Vorse Raider!" he exclaimed. "I know that card!" From atop an outcrop of rock raised tall by the Zero Reverse, the hooded Kalin glared down at them through the mist. Silently he lifted his arm to the skies, his Giant mark blazing upon it. A purple shadow appeared in the fog before the two approaching Turbo Duelists. Yusei's Mark began to glow and burn.

"Sorry!" Kalin shouted. "Even your dragon can't save you now! Welcome to the real world of dueling!"

"Who is that?!" Crow exclaimed. "Why do I know that voice?!"

"Yusei, and Crow too!" Kalin laughed. "You don't know how long I've waited for this moment!"

"How do you know our names?!" Yusei shouted.

"I never forget, old friend!" With that, he tossed off his cloak, revealing his face.

"Kalin!" both Yusei and Crow exclaimed in shock.

"You're alive?!" Crow gasped.

"Barely," Kalin snapped back. "I've gone through Hell because of you, Yusei, and now I'll hammer you with so much of my grudge you'll scream for the pain to stop!"

"I dunno about Hell or whatever, but that grudge of yours is wrong!" Crow shouted back at the Dark Signer.

"What're you planning with the Satellite?!" Yusei exclaimed. "You were once our friend!"

"Once a friend!" Kalin agreed darkly, "but now your enemy!" He pulled on a jet-black helmet and mounted a Runner just as black, adorned with sigils reminiscent of the Nazca Lines. With a roar, he gunned the engine and the outcrop exploded beneath him as he crashed down before Yusei and Crow, purple fires exploding into life and shooting off into the distance, leaving walls of dark purple flame behind.

"This is just sweet justice!" the Dark Signer exclaimed. "You destroyed my life, now I'll destroy your home! You threw me screaming down into Hell, and now you'll experience Hell for yourself! The Satellite shall BURN!" He threw back his head and gave a bone-chilling, insane laugh that spoke of death and madness and things that dwelt in the depths of darkness, plotting the destruction of mankind...

29

In the Tops penthouse apartment, Luna's eyes snapped open and she sat up in her bed, seeing the crimson Mark of the Dragon glowing on her arm.

"Yusei...?" she murmured.

29

Meanwhile, Akiza stood on a balcony on the skyscraper that was the headquarters of the Arcadia Movement, staring out over the sea as her Mark glowed.

"That vision we saw..." she mused. "Is something happening... Yusei... you're fighting, aren't you?"

29

Carly was asleep at her desk, while Julian and Jack sat awake, the former going through his Deck, the latter staring at the lights of New Domino through the window. Suddenly, Jack's Mark of the Dragon blazed into fiery crimson life, the Signer wincing as he felt it burning into his arm.

With a loud BEEP, the phone rang, shocking Carly awake and breaking the silence. Jack stood fluidly and answered it.

"It's past midnight!" he said. "Who is this?!"

"Jack?" Mina replied. "We have a situation in Satellite. Director Goodwin told me to take you there right away, I'm outside now."

"Outside...?" A helicopter dropped into view right outside the window, with Mina and a Security pilot inside...

29

As the helicopter soared over the ocean between New Domino and Satellite, Carly seemed determined to get hold of the facts.

"What's going on?!" she exclaimed.

"Apparently, Goodwin thinks Yusei's about to Duel a Dark Signer," Jack explained, crossing his arms.

"Given that your mark is glowing, I'd say something's happening," Julian murmured. "Those marks can warn the Signers of events involving each other... important events..."

"What is all this anyway?" Carly said. "What's this whole thing about you and Yusei, Jack? Julian told me about Team Satisfaction... and everyone's saying you're from Satellite, and that you should never have been the champ... but in that case, Yusei shouldn't either."

"Yusei has every right," Jack said coldly. "He was born here, in New Domino City!"

"That's right," Julian agreed. "You wanna know the truth? Yusei was born in the Tops, Carly. His parents were scientists who designed and created the first Enerdy Reactor, along with others... like my parents..." His eyes clouded with sorrow as he spoke.

"Wait... if Yusei was born in Tops, how'd he end up in Satellite?"

"It wasn't what he did, it was his parents," Jack said.

"That's classified information!" Mina protested.

"I'm sick and tired of telling lies, Mina!" Jack retorted. "Besides, who's going to believe her?" Mina was forced to accept that, slumping back into her seat.

"You've heard of the Zero Reverse, right?" Julian said softly.

"Of course! It's that earthquake that split New Domino and the Satellite."

"Wrong," Jack replied. "It wasn't an earthquake – it was an accident. When the first Enerdy Reactor was activated in Satellite, it was faulty, flawed. Something went wrong with it, causing a tectonic shift that devastated the area around it, and ripped this city from the Satellite. The ocean flooded in between, and that leaves New Domino and Satellite as we know them now."

"But if people knew the government caused the disaster, then there'd be rioting and chaos," Julian said bitterly. "The people sponsoring the Enerdy system decided to blame it on a natural disaster rather than face that. But since Yusei's parents died in the Zero Reverse, he was sent to an orphanage in Satellite... I almost shared that fate, but my uncle took me in... until he died as well..." A tear brimmed in his eye as he looked away, out over the ocean.

"Uh... excuse me while I call my editor..." Carly said, pulling out her cell phone as she smiled.

"Go ahead," Jack said. "I'll come and visit you in the Facility when they lock you up and throw the key, then." Carly fumbled with the phone and dropped it in sheer shock.

"The people keeping this secret have more power than you can imagine," Mina said smugly. "It'd be a tragedy if they sent you away, and I'd feel so terrible."

"Uh... maybe I won't call my editor..." The helicopter soared over the sea and into the Satellite, flying over the industrial state before suddenly, a flare of purple light blazed from the ground ahead, within the B.A.D.

"What is THAT?!" the pilot exclaimed as Julian looked at the light in shock, seeing the shape burning on the ground.

"It's the Giant Nazca Line!" he exclaimed in shock. "And that means a Dark Signer's down there, ready to Duel...!"

29

Down on the ground, Kalin finished his laugh and glared at Yusei.

"What is this?!" Yusei shouted at him, glancing around at the corridor of purple fire surrounding them. Crow was isolated from them by the fires.

"What is this?" Kalin mocked. "This is me getting ready to send you to the cold depths of the Underworld!"

Above them, Jack and Julian hung out of the helicopter door, staring down. The noise of the rotors alerted Kalin, and he glanced up at them, laughing again as he saw the two.

"Oh, it's a friendly reunion!" he laughed. "Julian and Jack, how nice to see you both!"

"It can't be!" Julian exclaimed. "Kalin! You're a Dark Signer!"

"Oh yes, I am," Kalin laughed, raising his arm to bare the Giant Mark. "Here's your proof, Mikuro! Is this real enough for you?!" His eyes flashed with pure hatred as he glared at Julian, an anger matched only when he returned his gaze to Yusei.

"Still, how uncanny," the Dark Signer continued darkly. "The five of us here, me, you, Crow, Jack and Julian, huh, Yusei? Almost as if the Underworld guided us all here, together! But I won't forgive any of you! You all betrayed me! You betrayed us – Team Satisfaction! And these flames here, they're the inferno of my vengeance – an inferno that will burn you all like the fires of Hell itself!"

"Kalin..." Yusei said softly.

"You drove me screaming to my death!" Kalin accused, pointing a finger at Yusei. "And now, I'll return that favour! Let's start this battle, traitor! These flames are like my rage, they won't die until there's an end to this Duel!"

"So be it," Yusei sighed, pressing the button on his Runner as Kalin did the same with another bout of insane laughter.

"Duel Mode engaged, Speed World activated," Speed World flashed up on their Runner screens, spinning and vanished as the consoles transformed to Duel Mode. "Autopilot standing by."

The two moved their Runners to a starting position, Kalin glaring at Yusei. From the helicopter, Julian and Jack stared down at the scene, the former's eyes dark, the latter's angry. Crow observed from a nearby hill, his eyes sorrowful.

"Ready... set... begin Turbo Duel!"

"Let's ride!" The Runners shot off.

Yusei 8000LP 0SPC/Kalin 8000LP 0SPC

"I'll start!" Yusei announced, drawing once. "I summon Rockstone Warrior in attack mode!" A portal opened beside him, disgorging a golem made of blocks of masonry, two orange eyes glaring from its rough, domed head (ATK: 1800). "Now I throw a card face-down, and end my turn!" A reversed card appeared behind Rockstone Warrior.

Yusei 8000LP 0SPC/Kalin 8000LP 0SPC

"Finally!" Kalin laughed as he drew, eyes narrowing as he saw the card (Yusei 8000LP 1SPC) (Kalin 8000LP 1SPC).

"I summon Infernity Necromancer!" A dark portal ripped open beside him and a skeletal monster clad in dark purple robes appeared, its face like a horse's skull and its hair made of grey feathers. It pulled apart the robes on its chest, revealing a purple gate in place of its ribcage (ATK: 0).

"Infernity?" Julian wondered as he looked down at the Duel on a computer screen in the helicopter, checking over the information.

"When Infernity Necromancer is Normal Summoned, it turns to defence mode!" Kalin laughed. The Necromancer crossed its arms over its chest, turning dark blue (DEF: 2000). "Now I throw out three face-downs, and end my turn!" The reversed cards appeared.

Yusei 8000LP 1SPC/Kalin 8000LP 1SPC

"I draw!" Yusei called, doing so (Yusei 8000LP 2SPC) (Kalin 8000LP 2SPC).

"And on that note, I activate my Trap, Infernity Inferno!" Kalin shouted. "With this, I can discard up to two cards from my hand to send the same number of Infernity monsters from my Deck to the Graveyard!" He threw Infernity Destroyer and Full Salvo into his Graveyard, before sending Infernity Beast and Infernity Archfiend from his Deck.

"Why would you do that?!" Yusei cried.

"Oh... you'll see," Kalin sneered darkly.

"Now I summon the Tuner monster, Junk Synchron!" Yusei called. The orange-armoured Tuner burst into existence before him (ATK: 1300). "And I Tune Junk Synchron to Rockstone Warrior... Synchro Summon...!"

Junk Synchron pulled its ripcord and faded into three glowing rings that encircled Rockstone Warrior, reducing it to four glowing stars. The stars collided in a blaze of black energy...

"Clustering shouts will become a silver arrow and split the air! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Come, Junk Archer!"

Junk Archer soared from the Synchro Summon, stringing an arrow (ATK: 2300). "Now, Junk Archer, attack Infernity Necromancer! Scrap Arrow!" Junk Archer fired its arrow...

"I activate Infernity Force!" Kalin countered. "Since my hand is empty, Infernity Force destroys your monster," Junk Archer was consumed by hellish fire, "and I can Special Summon an Infernity monster from my Graveyard!" A demonic flare erupted beside him, forming into a tall, skeletally thin purple-skinned demon with four amber eyes, clad in a grey shroud (ATK: 1800). "Now since Infernity Archfiend was Special Summoned when I had no cards in my hand, I can add any Infernity card from my Deck to my hand!"

A card slipped from his Deck and he placed it in his hand.

"I end my turn with a face-down!" Yusei concluded.

Yusei 8000LP 2SPC/Kalin 8000LP 2SPC

"I draw!" Kalin laughed darkly as he drew another card, bringing his hand to two (Yusei 8000LP 3SPC) (Kalin 8000LP 3SPC). "I throw out a face-down!" The reversed card appeared.

"Now I summon Infernity Mirage!" A gaunt, strange witch-doctor like figure glided from a black portal, its blue robes marked with designs similar to those on Kalin's Runner, its face pale white. Its crimson hair was made of feathers (ATK: 0). "Now I use Infernity Mirage's effect, Releasing it to get back two other Infernity monsters from the Graveyard, like Infernity Destroyer and Infernity Beast!"

Mirage exploded into shadows that reformed into a gaunt, black-skinned demon with baleful yellow eyes, wearing dark metal armour (ATK: 2300), and a jet-black Doberman with emerald orbs to either side of its neck, eyes bloody red (ATK: 1600).

"Finally, I'll use Infernity Necromancer's effect, Special Summoning an Infernity monster from my Graveyard since my hand is empty! I summon Infernity Dwarf!" A short, squat dwarf clad in green overalls over a white shirt and grey trousers appeared from a prominence of darkness, wielding a flaming battleaxe (ATK: 800).

The five Infernity monsters glared death at Yusei...

"Now I activate Infernity Break!" Kalin called. "Since I have nothing in my hand, I can toss an Infernity card from my Graveyard to destroy any one card on your field!" He pocketed Infernity Inferno and a bolt of lightning struck from the heavens, shattering Yusei's face-down Defence Draw.

"Damn it," Crow muttered as he observed from the hill, watching the Duel on his Runner's screen.

"Infernity Destroyer, attack Yusei directly!" Kalin commanded. The demon roared and charged from the Signer...

"I activate Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!" Yusei countered. The junk scarecrow burst from the card and slammed Infernity Destroyer back, before fading into the card, which flipped back down again. Kalin snarled.

"You can't hold back this vengeful inferno forever!" the Dark Signer roared. "Infernity Dwarf, direct attack!" The dwarf lunged and struck the Signer with his battleaxe.

(Yusei 7200LP 3SPC)

"Now, Infernity Beast, Hell Howling!" The Beast unleashed a blast of hellish power from its maw, Yusei crying out in pain as the energy exploded around him.

(Yusei 5600LP 2SPC)

"Finally, Infernity Archfiend, Hell Pressure!" The Archfiend chanted in a demonic voice, creating a fiery seal above Yusei. A clawed, demonic hand burst from the seal and smashed down onto Yusei.

(Yusei 3800LP 1SPC)

"Die and go to Hell, Yusei!" Kalin laughed as the attack landed, his insane, evil laugh making its third appearance. The demonic hand retreated into the seal, which vanished as Yusei burst from the smoke, his body and Runner blackened and burned from the attacks.

"Yusei!" Julian cried out in horror and shock. Even back in the last days of Team Satisfaction... he'd never seen Kalin unleash such brutal power, and that power scared him. But it also aroused anger within him, and as anyone who'd experienced it knew, Julian's anger was a force to fear.

For a second, flame blazed around his fingers, forming demonic, barbed talons, and then they flickered and died, unnoticed by anyone.

"This inferno is only just smouldering!" Kalin laughed. "You wait 'til it really ignites, Yusei! Then even Julian's fires will seem pathetic and small to you! Even his Flamvell Nidhogg's gonna burn in this pyre of vengeance!"

"That's never going to happen!" Julian retorted. "You're a Dark Signer, Kalin! Light will always conquer darkness – the Signers will overcome the Dark Signers!" Kalin looked up at him for a second, and then he burst into his insane laughter once again.

"Oh... you fool!" he laughed. "If only you knew the truth here... then you wouldn't be saying that so proudly! Oh, you can play the hero all you want... but you just wait! When you know what I know, try and say that then!"

"What the hell are you talking about?!"

"You'll see!" the Dark Signer laughed. "I end my turn!"

Yusei 3800LP 1SPC/Kalin 8000LP 3SPC

"I... draw!" Yusei groaned (Yusei 3800LP 2SPC) (Kalin 8000LP 4SPC). "I discard Turbo Synchron to Special Summon Quickdraw Synchron!" He threw the monster into his Graveyard and the cowboy-themed Synchron appeared before him (ATK: 700). "Now I Special Summon Quillbolt Hedgehog from the Graveyard with its effect!"

The hedgehog with bolts for quills flashed into existence before him (ATK: 800). "And now I Tune Quickdraw Synchron to Quillbolt Hedgehog... Synchro Summon...!" The ring of Synchron cards appeared before Quickdraw Synchron and it fired through Nitro Synchron before fading into five glowing rings that encircled Quillbolt Hedgehog, reducing it to two glowing stars that collided in a flash of fire...

"Clustering minds will now become a new force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Blaze on, Nitro Warrior!"

With a demonic roar, Nitro Warrior exploded from the Synchro Summon (ATK: 2800).

"I summon Synchron Explorer!" A blue portal opened beside him and released a squat crimson robot with a spherical chest, spheres composing its shoulders and head. Emerald eyes glared from its head at Kalin, and both its arms and legs were made of spindly steel (ATK: 0). "When Synchron Explorer is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a Synchron from my Graveyard at the cost of negating its effects!"

Synchron Explorer glowed with energy and Junk Synchron flashed into being beside it (ATK: 1300). "Now I Tune Junk Synchron with Synchron Explorer to Synchro Summon...!"

Junk Synchron pulled its ripcord and faded into three glowing rings that encircled Synchron Explorer, reducing it to two glowing stars. The stars collided in a burst of dark purple energy...

"Clustering stars will call upon a new force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Junk Warrior!"

Junk Warrior burst from the Synchro Summon with a roar (ATK: 2300). Yusei played the final card in his hand calmly.

"I activate Speed Spell – Vision Wind to bring back Turbo Synchron!" he shouted. The emerald-green Synchron exploded into being from a vortex of white aura (ATK: 100). "Now I Tune Turbo Synchron to Junk Warrior... Synchro Summon...!"

Turbo Synchron faded into a glowing ring that encircled Junk Warrior, reducing it to five glowing stars that crashed into one, exploding with emerald power...

"Clustering bonds weave a greater force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Roar engines, Turbo Warrior!"

Turbo Warrior soared from the Synchro Summon (ATK: 2500).

"Same old stuff then, Yusei!" Kalin laughed.

"And your cards aren't the same, huh?" Yusei asked.

"Oh, you've only just begun to experience the powers of the Underworld in this Deck!" the Dark Signer retorted.

"You won't get the chance to show me those powers!" Yusei shouted. "Nitro Warrior, attack his Infernity Destroyer with Dynamite Crunch!" Nitro Warrior surged forwards and glowed with fiery power (ATK: 3800) before obliterating Infernity Destroyer with a savage punch.

(Kalin 6500LP 3SPC)

"Now I use Nitro Warrior's effect, switching your Infernity Necromancer into attack mode and attacking it!" Yusei called. Infernity Necromancer glowed with crimson power as it stood up (ATK: 0), then Nitro Warrior (ATK: 2800) charged and smashed the skeletal monster with a punch.

(Kalin 3700LP 1SPC)

"Finally, Turbo Warrior, destroy Infernity Archfiend with Accel Slash!" Turbo Warrior shot forwards and decapitated Infernity Archfiend with its claws.

(Kalin 3000LP 1SPC)

"I end my turn!" the Signer concluded, looking over Kalin's remaining two monsters.

Yusei 3800LP 2SPC/Kalin 3000LP 1SPC

"My turn!" Kalin laughed. A truly evil look filled his eyes as he saw the card (Yusei 3800LP 3SPC) (Kalin 3000LP 2SPC).

"It's time you saw the true power of my Deck! The power I dredged out of Hell – I'll send you screaming into the flames with it! I Release Infernity Dwarf and Infernity Beast to Advance Summon Dark Tuner Nightmare Hand!"

Dwarf and Beast faded into shadows that transformed to an orb of rainbow light. The orb itself shifted and reformed, creating a towering jet-black golem made seemingly from smooth black clay, its head topped by an adornment like a cavalier hat, an emerald symbol forming its eye. The Dark Tuner's shoulders were adorned with spiked flanges, its forelimbs blocky and cylindrical. It stared at Yusei with a deathly silence... (ATK: 0).

"When Dark Tuner Nightmare Hand is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level Two or below Dark-Attribute monster from my hand or Graveyard!" Kalin cackled. Nightmare Hand gestured silently and a terrified Infernity Dwarf formed from shadows (ATK: 800). "But neither of these two are staying for long... I Dark Tune my Nightmare Hand to Infernity Dwarf...!"

Dark Tuner Nightmare Hand faded into no less than ten glowing stars that pierced into Infernity Dwarf, Kalin's monster screaming in pure agony as it was forcibly dissolved into an orange framework. The framework was engulfed by darkness as the stars flowed into it, joining the two stars inert within as all twelve flowed into one.

Then eight pitch-dark stars burst from the Dark Synchro Summon, orbiting it in silence as the jet-black lightning connected them to the central orb...

"A Dark Synchro Summon...!" Julian gasped, shocked and horrified at the process as he witnessed it for the first time. Now he realised that Yusei and Jack hadn't even come close to describing the horror this debased, depraved mockery of a Synchro Summon aroused in a viewer, and he realised then, that no one could ever accurately describe those emotions of shock and horror.

Kalin's insane laughter washed over the scene, filling their ears with the mad melody before it ceased, the Dark Signer launching into a chant just as dark and insane.

"When the curtain of darkness descends down, the eyes of the underworld will open! Swoop down, darkness! Dark Synchro! Show yourself, ONE-HUNDRED EYE DRAGON!"

Slowly, one purple eye opened within the darkness. Then two more, another three, four, five... the baleful, horrific eyes just continued to open until ninety-nine stared out... finally, the largest of all opened, glaring straight into Yusei's eyes as the darkness faded to reveal the hideous Dark Synchro.

Kalin's dragon, as its name implied, was covered by exactly one-hundred baleful, purple eyes that stared out in all directions, their gaze filling a beholder with horror. Between the eyes, black bony armour coated its flesh, its fingers crowned by jagged talons. Black, leathery wings extended backwards from its shoulders and upper arms, exploding out like shrouds of Death. The beast's maw slowly opened, revealing dozens of dagger-like teeth as it gave a hellish, demonic roar that shattered every window for a mile around... (ATK: 3000)

Julian stared down at the abomination in wide-eyed, staring horror. He had never imagined that the Dark Signers held creatures that radiated such pure, unadulterated evil, but now this thing terrified him like nothing he'd ever seen before. Even Ryutaro's almighty Primal Deity Khaos hadn't terrified the Chosen of Flame so much...

Kalin's evil laughter continued for a minute more before the Dark Signer fell silent, glaring at Yusei with a gaze of baleful fire.

"Prepare to know the embrace of Hell's flames, Yusei!" he roared. "Because that's what my dragon will send you to, Signer...!" And then he erupted into another tirade of mad, dark laughter as One-Hundred Eye Dragon roared again...

TO BE CONTINUED...

29

Card Stats:

55555

Monsters:

55555

Infernity Mirage

DARK/ Fiend/Effect /Level 1/ATK: 0/DEF: 0

While you have no cards in your hand, you can Tribute this card to Special Summon 2 "Infernity" monsters from your Graveyard. This card cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard.

*

Infernity Destroyer

DARK/ Fiend/Effect /Level 6/ATK: 2300/DEF: 1000

When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard while you have no cards in your hand, inflict 1600 damage to your opponent.

(Infernity Mirage was released in The Shining Darkness, while Infernity Destroyer was released as a promo card for the Stardust Accelerator Game Guide in the OCG. Both will be released in the TCG release of The Shining Darkness at an unknown date.)

55555

Synchron Explorer

EARTH/ Machine/Effect /Level 2/ATK: 0/DEF: 700

When this card is Normal Summoned successfully, you can Special Summon 1 "Synchron" Monster from your Graveyard. The effect(s) of an Effect Monster Special Summoned by this effect is negated.

(Synchron Explorer will be released in the Starter Deck 2010 later this year.)

55555

Dark Tuner Nightmare Hand

DARK/ Warrior/Dark Tuner /Level 10/ATK: 0/DEF: 0

If this card is Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower DARK monster from your hand or Graveyard.

(Dark Tuner Nightmare Hand was first used by Kalin/Kiryu against Yusei in Episode 34 of 5D's. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

55555

Traps:

55555

Infernity Inferno

Normal Trap Card

Image: Infernity Destroyer standing within an inferno of hellish flames.

Discard up to 2 cards. Send a number of "Infernity" cards from your Deck to the Graveyard equal to the number of cards discarded this way.

*

Infernity Break

Normal Trap Card

Image: A crimson red, vaguely draconic demon exploding from the ground in a graveyard, with lightning shooting out from its form.

Activate only if you have no cards in your hand. Remove from play 1 "Infernity" card from your Graveyard. Destroy 1 card your opponent controls.

(The above two cards will be released in The Shining Darkness later this year.)

29

Digidramon: Well folks, it means what it says! This awesome Duel will continue next chapter!

Drago: Man, you're pushing them both hard. Kalin utterly smashed through Yusei with that full field of Infernities; only to have Yusei pummel him back with that Nitro Warrior and Turbo Warrior combo… it's kinda scary how fast their points are going down!

Blake: Just how you're gonna avoid Kalin winning before Yusei pulls a counterattack, I don't know.

Digidramon: Don't worry, I've got some ideas… and I think we all know how to defeat this 'Handless Combo' of Kalin's!

Drago: The clue being in 'Handless'. Make him draw a card is the gist of it.

Julian: What did Kalin mean, 'if only I knew the truth'? What's going on here?!

Digidramon: Unfortunately my friend, I can't tell you now. You will find out… some time soon, I'm afraid.

Blake: Why are you so cruel to the guy, DD?

Digidramon: Don't worry about it, Blake. I'm gonna have to be nice to Julian eventually, right?

Drago: Well, you'd better start before we have emo Julian on our hands.

Digidramon: Drago, Drago, Drago…. you can't rush this stuff. He has to suffer some more before I can start pulling things back the other way, but then, everyone suffers during the Dark Signer arc. Look at the death toll, and you'll see why.

Kalin: You'd make one good Dark Signer, DD (does insane evil laugh)!

Digidramon: Get out of here! Crow, Featured Card please!

Crow: Today's cards are Synchron Explorer, Infernity Mirage, Infernity Break, Infernity Inferno and Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!

Drago: Today's card is Infernity Mirage! This card can easily swarm the field with powerful Infernity monsters when used in combination with some of their good support cards, such as Infernity Gun to be released in the TCG in The Shining Darkness! When this combo is used, it can create a field of powerful Synchro Monsters to unleash on your opponent… as they say, 'the meek shall inherit the Earth', and Mirage is definitely a meek inheritor!

Digidramon: Next time on Spirit Legends, the opening battle of the Signer – Dark Signer War continues as Kalin continues to pound Yusei with the awesome strength of his One-Hundred Eye Dragon! When its fearsome effect is combined with his Handless Combo to create a brutal juggernaut, can Yusei find a way to overcome it?! Does any hope of victory remain for our hero, or is he doomed from the first play?! What does Yusei have in his Deck capable of toppling this Dark Synchro?!

And what's more, even if he does, how will he cope with the true terror of the Dark Signers?! What is this greater power?! And if Kalin chooses to unleash it, can Yusei weave bonds into victory, or will this being prove greater than those bonds?!

To find out, read Chapter 30 of Spirit Legends – As All Light Dies!