Reshef of Destruction

Antilles

He paced back and forth in the study of his castle. The rain beat down on the glass of his windows and the leaves of the trees outside tapped against the glass. His grandfather clock tick-tocked loudly on the second floor. It sort of drove him mad, especially now that he was incredibly nervous about the mysterious guest who would be coming in to treat with him.

A low rumble of thunder shook the room. He heard a loud thump coming from upstairs.

"I know it's you," Antilles said, still looking out the window. "If you're going to kill me get on with it. Otherwise, leave. You are wasting my time."

He heard footsteps walking towards the spiraled staircase. A figure wearing a solid black overcoat with glowing, orange, octagon-tiled patterns on the sleeves, fading to black on the shoulders. They also glowed on the hem of his coat. He wore a gunmetal mask with a black-glass visor concealing his face. His hands were concealed in black gloves. On his wrist was a folded black Duel Disk outlined in neon, colored in the same shade of orange as the tiles glowing on his coat.

"There's no getting past you, Your Highness," said the masked young man. His voice was dark and cold, still light enough to hint a youth who was probably in his late teens. He bowed respectfully. "I must say, I never had a king call me up. This is truly an honor if I do say so myself."

"You can dispense with the pleasantries," Antilles said, turning around to face the masked man. "You said you had a proposition for me regarding the Anomaly."

"Yeah. Supposedly, it's some magical stone that lies hidden in Europe. A country from another more mundane dimension. The place I hear Yugi and his pals hid the Prince of Termnnia."

"It is. And supposedly you know where he is."

"No," said the masked man. He sat down on a red armchair and crossed his leg over the other. "I don't. He's being blocked from my vision by ancient magic. Far more powerful than even the old geezer at the Citadel."

"You told me you were going to kill him," Antilles said. "That is what I paid you to do."

"Right. I expect my payment in advance if you want this to work."

Antilles grinned, his hands still placed behind his back. "You must think I'm some sort of an old fool. You expect me to give you the Scepter of Reshef just like that?"

"If you want to know the whereabouts of the Anomaly, then yes. Only my master knows where it is. But...he can't really help you from where he is, can he? He's been sealed away by Norman the Conqueror before he could aid Zorc in the War of Giants. Your scepter is the key to unlocking him from his prison."

"If you say so," said Antilles. "How?"

"You ever hear the legend of Reshef the Dark Being?"

"I have. Supposedly, he was a terrible creation of Odiva, the Mother of Zorc. During the War of the Giants, he absorbed much of Ra, Slifer, and Obelisk's power to make him almost invincible. He could become a destroyer of worlds."

"And he almost destroyed ours," laughed the masked man. "As the Lord of Destruction, he craves an apocalypse. But he can't bring it here. I understand you and your...higher ups need this world. Then again, so do I. I need solid rock to stand on. So, why not send Reshef to destroy the world where Yuri lives?"

"Go on," said Antilles. He poured himself a glass of wine. "Your plan intrigues me, boy."

"Your scepter will help me unlock the gates that are keeping Reshef stuck in his prison. They are each located in different points across Europe. Once I free Reshef from his prison and control him, he will tell me the location of this Anomaly you're so obsessed about. Then, we will go searching for Prince Yuri, whom I heard is taking a very, very, long siesta. How did that come to pass?"

"The boy is dead," said Antilles. "No one could survive what he went through."

"Dead. Asleep. Put it how you will. He's not going to mess up your plans anymore. And Reshef will be the final nail on his royal coffin. Plus, think of the power you will hold if you have a Summoner who conjures the Dark Being under your control? No army would stand against you. I will swear to serve your House for the rest of my life, provided I get a premium compensation package from you."

Antilles found the prospect rather endearing, but it made him nervous. Reshef was a monster that had be locked away. Even he would not dare unleash his fury. He cleared his throat and said: "You are certain the gates keeping Reshef the Dark Being contained are in those lands?"

"I wouldn't have offered my services to you if I wasn't," said the masked man. He stood up. "Now, hand me the scepter, if you please."

Antilles was doubtful of this man. He did not want to lose this precious artifact that had been in his family's possession since the foundation of the House. Secondly, he knew how terrifying of a monster Reshef the Dark Being was. He heard many tales about him and saw depictions of him in stained glass windows at the temples. He would have destroyed the world before it could even be created had it not been for Norman the Conqueror. What would the consequences be if he allowed this boy to free such a powerful creature from its prison?

Then again what choice did he have? He was running out of options and Yuri was due to come home within a matter of months. If he did so with the Pendant of the Kings around his neck and the Spirit of the Conqueror living with him, his master would have his head. Or worse. Send him into the Shadow Realm for all eternity.

"This way," said Antilles. "Let us hope you know what you are doing."