Avi
She traveled on the back of Arvas, the Ancient Dragon, soaring over the mountains and rivers of Termnnia. She had finally crossed the border into Naralia and came upon the bustling Holy City of Lionhold.
She let out some shock with a soft gasp seeing how much the city had changed since she last visited.
Airships and zeppelins hovered over the city. Shadow Company helicopters soared around the defensive wall. Their hum drowned out by the Bells of the Citadel which started to ring as if announcing the coming of the bride.
The citizens of Lionhold pointed at the sky seeing the silhouette of Arvas in the infinite blue.
Avi was already wearing a wedding dress given to her by Mai Valentine.
Lady Mai never got a chance to wear it, for the day of her wedding to the Lord of the Renlyshire was the day the Houses Underwood and Raptor attacked and conquered her family's lands in the name of House Delgado.
"Wear it well," Mai said, whilst Avi tried on the dress back in Yugi's stronghold. "It brought me luck while I escaped the pillaging of my home. Maybe it will be your lucky dress, too, Avi."
Avi's hair was curled by Téa and she then put on an elegant white veil. Her eyes outlined with black and her lips glossed and cheeks blushed by Serenity just moments before she took off.
Avi then saw flower petals and rice being tossed into the streets as she flew over Lionhold. The bells in the Citadel of the King, the largest structure in Naralia, started ringing louder and more urgent. Avi saw people standing on the rooftops pointing at something and it was not her.
Avi heard the roars of two giant monsters coming from the clouds above her.
"Can it be?" she whispered.
"Looks like they've had a change of heart," said Arvas. "I knew there was some good in him."
The roar got louder and closer. Sanctity of Dragon flew down next to her. She laughed happily. "I knew you'd come to join me!"
"Wipe that grin off your face you silly girl!" snarled the dragon. "I'm only here because our mother told us so."
"Show more respect to her brother," said Arvas. "Mother has blessed this girl, and it's only fair we aid her until the gift is ready."
"Gift? What gift?" Avi asked.
"Look," said Sanctity of Dragon. "They mobilize their forces."
As they soared around the tower Avi noticed helicopters from Shadow Company beginning to take off from the pads.
Soldiers and knights poured out into the battlements in case Avi and her beast meant the city hostile intent. There was a balcony decorated with flowers and flags; it big enough for Arvas to land in.
"What are you waiting for?" asked Arvas. "Go on!"
"Thank you both so much," said Avi. "But, I fear your presence has put my friends in danger. I made a huge gamble coming her with Arvas alone."
"Have no fear for your friends, Avi," said Arvas. "We will soar around the citadel and make sure no troublemakers come your way."
"Bless you both," said Avi.
"Hmph," said Sanctity of Dragon, and he soared hard left. Down belowA guard waved green flares in both his hands, signaling Avi to land.
"I will leave you at the balcony, My Lady," said Arvas. "That is as far as I can go."
"Thank you, Arvas. If anything should happen to me, just know that it was an honor being able to call you."
"You no longer will be able to call me, Avi."
"I know, the anti-magic drones. I see them swarming in the air."
"They cannot affect me now," said Arvas. "I am allowed to fly in the Realm of Men at my own free will."
Avi let out a horrified gasp. "But why?"
"After you got captured by the Church, I felt an enormous amount of guilt. I could do nothing but watch from the realm of my mother as they beat you and defiled your body. But no more. I am no longer bound to you by magic. I will be by your side on a more permanent basis."
"But Arvas, if something happens to you here you could die!"
"I am willing to take that risk," said Arvas. "But if I die, I will do so with a smile. For after today, all the dragons in Termnnia will be singing about you and will come to your aid."
He neared the balcony and went upright as he spread his wings to slow his descent to the balcony. The soldiers from Shadow Company had their weapons raised. Avi narrowed her eyes when she spotted Commander Knox dressed in his best suit with a chest full of medals during his service in the Domino City Marines.
He smiled and gave a bow. Avi gave him the finger.
A group of priestesses arrived to tidy her up and adjust her dress and hand her the bouquet of glowing blue flowers.
When they were done, one of them slapped an anti-magic collar around her neck.
Arvas growled at the sight and put his foot forward.
"No!" Avi commanded. "Go! Join the others."
Arvas shook his head with frustration and leaped off the balcony and took flight.
"Follow them," said Commander Knox told his helicopter squadrons.
"Roger!"
The helicopters swarmed into the sky and sped after the three dragons that circled the citadel. Meanwhile, Avi walked down a long red carpet into a triangle-shaped chamber. She had a hundred yard walk ahead of her.
It was dark in there with the only light coming from large chandeliers and the window at the alter far ahead
Musicians began to play a song called the arrival of the bride. She discovered it to be a rather calming melody. She had to control her feet for she felt like dancing to the violins and the Chellos.
But as blissful as the song was, it did little to deter the fact that she had enemies watching her from all sides. She was surrounded by knights wearing either armor plating or Kevlar and Velcro. Or both. Her long dress trailed over a yard behind her. The diamonds in her veil twinkled acting as a shade from the evil that surrounded her on her long walk.
The dots from the laser sights of tactical rifles danced all over Avi's dress. Commander Knox's soldiers were ready to fire in case she had any ideas to get away from the wedding or cause King Stefan any harm. There were snipers on the balconies. Advisor Lions was watching her, dressed in an ebony cocktail dress with a plunging neckline.
Avi couldn't help but look up at her. Advisor Lions nodded at Avi for some reason and shot her a comforting smile. Avi gasped timidly and looked away. Whatever it was that Lions was gesturing with that nod, she wanted nothing to do with it, for it was she who chased her down like an animal with Commander Knox.
"Hmph," Avi went gingerly and she quickened her pace to get away from her.
She neared an alter with a glass window that had a grand view of Lionhold. A chandelier hung over the altar where King Stefan awaited her in his best garment glittering in azure blue with red sashes and encrusted with gems of blue.
His hair was gelled back and his crown glimmered on his brow. A jeweled golden sword as sheathed beside his hip.
Avi's heart began beating when she saw that Jon, Jaeyoung, Stas, Phoenix and Xifeng were not here. It was a trap! She looked around, wondering what to do. Nothing. There was no plan to escape this. She walked up the steps toward Stefan and a Platinum Priest holding the White-Gold Tome in his hands.
The golden pages reflected the candlelight causing them to shimmer brilliantly. Avi held the bouquet in one hand and the other took Stefan's.
He kissed it long and good before he took her to stand by his side.
"You're late," he growled, making Avi shiver with fear. "And you came with your dragons. Think I'm joking around don't you?"
Stefan yanked Avi by the arm. Avi did all she could to keep her emotions from running wild. She blinked her eyes rapidly to stop the tears from flowing down her face. If she smudged her makeup, Stefan would be displeased meaning someone else would get hurt.
"Smile!" he said to her, gripping her wrist like a vice of iron.
Avi had never formed a smile so painful she had to control her breathing as well.
"Good girl," Stefan whispered into her ear and he patted her backside. The soft words coming from his lips filled her nostrils with his minty breath.
"I don't want to be the villain here, my love. Behave yourself, and you and I can get along just fine. We will be the envy of all Termnnia. We have enough manpower to throw that spoiled brat out of Rassay. I could be High King and you, my queen. And your dragons the instrument of our long and prosperous dynasty."
Avi nodded and looked at the priest.
"Oh, what a beautiful bride," said the Platinum Priest. "It's not too late you know. You can always reconsider the whole thing. Change your mind, eh? I'm available."
The guests, even the soldiers, laughed at his lame humor.
"May we get on with this?" Avi said urgently.
"She's eager for the bedding ceremony," the Platinum Priest made a click as he opened the tome.
"My Lords and Ladies. We gather here today in the awesome gaze of the Creator of all Things. Praise be to Yeyu!"
"Praise be to Yeyu," Everyone said.
Jon and the others were forced to say with gun barrels to the backs of their heads.
The priest read from the tome for an hour then came to the final
"In this wondrous occasion, we witness the union of these two young and beautiful souls in blessed companionship. May they walk the road of life in joy and destitution. Sickness and health. And in both richness and scarcity. King Stefan of the House of Ungard. Lord of the North and Archbishop of the Church of Yeyu. Do you take this woman as your wedded wife in love now until the end of days?"
"I do. From now until the end."
Kaiba
Kaiba smiled gleefully in the command center he built in Yugi's stronghold. He typed with the speed of light and started to laugh at how feeble the Church's technology was.
"I designed better software than this when I was but a kid in my swaddling clothes. This is beneath my skill to hack."
"You better hurry bro," said Mokuba. "It's Avi's turn to make the vow."
"She can't," sneered Kaiba. "I object!"
He pressed down on the final key with his index finger.
Avi
"And do you, Lady Avellana Lofnmagni Ethelfleda the Summoner of Dragons. Do you agree to take this man to be your honorable wedded husband from now until the end of days?"
Avi gave a pause and started chewing her bottom lip while looking at Jon, Jaeyoung, Stas, and Phoenix.
Click! Click! Went the weapons pointing at the back of their heads.
"I do," she responded. "From now until the end."
"Then, under the authority of the Creator, Yeyu Master of the Fires of Judgement, I announce this couple to be wed. You may now kiss to complete the ceremony and be bound together in love from now until the day you enter the Fields of Milk and Honey."
Avi felt her heart thumping wildly in her chest as if it wanted to break out of her body and run away. She felt Stefan lift her veil and could not believe she once thought she loved this man. The handsome face she once thought to have been sculpted by a Divine was now a monster more horrid than all the Fiends and Zombies in Yu-Gi-Oh.
Once, she would have given anything to place her lips on his, but now as she saw who he really was, his lips looked like squirming worms and his teeth were like rusty cleavers.
Avi closed her eyes and forced herself to kiss him. "Long live the King," she said.
The guests in the chamber clapped. Stefan kissed her again dramatically.
"The Queen of Dragons serves me!" he said when their lips came apart. He turned around to face his guests. He held out his arms. "She serves the one true king of Naralia. She said so herself."
Avi chuckled villainously.
"I wasn't talking about you," she said.
"What?" Stefan said, turning to look at her again.
Click! Went her collar. It unfastened itself and fell to the ground. With lightning speed, Avi summoned her staff, gave it a spin and thrust the blade into Stefan's gut.
The soldiers on the balcony were ready to fire their weapons, but Special Advisor Lions took two pistols from the girdles on her legs and shot them all down with laser point accuracy.
"What's going on?" Avi asked, taking a weapon. "Weren't you with them?"
"I was undercover," said Lions. "The name is Nyx. Kaiba Corp Special Activities Task Force. You may know us as Office 47. Come on, Master Yugi is on his way. I've got you covered."
Avi looked down and gloated at King Stefan, pleased that he was at her mercy. She leaned forward to look at him in the face. Stefan gurgled and coughed. Blood poured from his mouth.
"The one true king is and always will be Daveed Delgado Wallcroft the Last of the House of Plantegrast. But you know him as my friend... YURI!"
She slid the blade out of his stomach, gave it a spin, and decapitated him. It suddenly felt like time stood still. When Avi opened her eyes, she found herself in a realm of light.
Avi heard a thunderous voice speaking to her.
"Ieth to'et igran todix drolen ten ah tofol neyan soteya yosseth, Avi!"
(I don't expect to be summoned by a puny woman such as yourself, Avi.)
"What?"
The voice chuckled.
"You do not even know our tongue. The very voice of the creatures you summon to do battle as though they were slaves. But the lack of respect from a keldran (Human) like yourself does not surprise me. Petrak! (Pitiful)"
"Who are you?"
"Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. Ye'ost tath ostnet yeth, yil? (You are lost, aren't you, girl?). Mother expects a lot from you, Avi. Other than the fact you can call children from the world of the Drega, I see nothing special about you. But, with the old tolkien (Master) dead, I suppose you will have to do until the puny keldran of Saffigar (Termnnia) decide who is worthy of me and my brothers!. Ieth ante krelak Slifer tel Sath Drega! (I am called Slifer the Sky Dragon!) And now. I lend you my power!"
"What the hell is she doing?" said Stas. "She's just standing there. My barriers can't take this much damage for long."
"I thought mage wards can withstand anything!" said Jaeyoung.
"I am still a journeyman level sentinel mage," said Stas. "My ward spells can hold, but not forever."
"Avi!" shouted Jon. "If you're going to summon a dragon, do it now because we have company."
"Ieth ante net drolovin kath drega, Logre Jon," said Avi.
"The fuck!" said Stas.
Avi turned to look at them. Her eyes were burning bright red. Scarlet runes began to glow on her flesh and her hair started to wave and glow like the sun.
"To net grendak mieth lorgras. Evenna weth dix altost." (Do not worry my princes. Everything will be all right.)
"Avi?" said Jon.
The blue sky was shrouded by ominous black clouds that swirled over the Lion Hold. Avi gave her staff a powerful twirl making a metallic hum as it began to glow. She slammed the staff onto the ground making a large crater. A red arcane circle formed underneath her. Divine flames erupted from her body burning her dress to cinders. Her mouth and eyes were glowing like molten gold. Fiery dragon wings sprouted from her back and then translucent armor formed over her glowing body.
Dalaris tried to flee but not before Jaeyoung gave a powerful roundhouse kick that knocked her out cold.
"She's coming with us," he said. "As our prisoner. It's high time we unravel what's been going on around here."
"Avi?" Stas said reaching out for the summoner.
"NO!" Jon said grabbing his hand as she walked past them. "Don't touch her!"
A hail of bullets rained down on Avi but a barrier of hexagon-shaped tiled formed all around her and she continued to walk up the alter.
The chamber echoed with the terrified radio chatter of Shadow Company.
"What's going on!" shouted Commander Knox, who was using an overturned buffet table to fight back at Avi and her friends.
"The kid!" shouted a helicopter pilot. "She's summoning something! Something huge! Oh, Goddesses! NO! I CAN'T BE!"
"Azure 7!" shouted Commander Knox. "What is it! What is she summoning!"
There was tremendous roar that shook the citadel to its foundation. The roar of an apex predator.
"Aaaa….aaaaa…AUUUGGGGH!"
"Azure 7!" shouted Commander Knox. "Azure 7 Come in!"
"OH GODDESSES!" shouted a Shadow Company soldier. He dropped his weapon and ran.
"COME BACK HERE!" Knox shouted once all his soldiers began to flee.
Avi was on the alter, arms up to the sky. A twister of fire fell from the leaden clouds and incinerated the courtyard of the pope.
The twister began to coil itself around the citadel from the bottom all the way to the top. At the top, wings sprouted and arms slithered out of the flames.
The red beast, at last, manifested himself into the World of Men.
Slifer the Sky Dragon gave a power roar announcing his arrival.
"SHOOT IT!" shouted Knox. "Fighter Squadrons attack now!"
Shadow Company fighter jets, still in prototype stages, flew from the sea. They fired everything they had but their weapons didn't scratch a scale.
Slifer retaliated with his second mouth and shot all the fighters down. There would be no more technology being used for war in Termnnia.
Slifer and Avi were both going to see to that. Up above, Slifer began decimating every place of worship the followers of Yeyu held dear. Chapels were blow up. Castles of the Priests were leveled to the ground. Temples. Forts. No stronghold was to be shown mercy.
The Goddesses were punishing Naralia for its sins. Too long had the Church of Yeyu spilled the blood of innocents in the name of their false god.
The inquisition that killed the dragons and the Arva. Their hand in the plot that killed Yuri. Their perverse use of technology.
No more. The city of sin. Of murder. Of lies. It was going to be destroyed by the Goddesses. And Slifer and Avi were their destructive tools.
If they wished to spread their poison, they could, but it would remain in its lands in the continent up north, for no more would the false god be worshiped or be named in the land of Termnnia.
A portal opened. Avi hopped off of Slifer and awaited the visitor. Yami stepped through with a big smile on his face.
"You've done it!" he said. He gazed at Slifer the Sky Dragon, hungrily searching around for more foes to destroy. Suddenly, a portal opened behind him.
"NO!" shouted Yami. "NO! NO! NO! LEAVE HER ALONE!"
Avi turned and gasped seeing the bright orange portal opening behind Slifer. The Divine Beast roared and flapped his wings to get away, but he was slowly sucked in. Avi suddenly felt a great power grabbing her and lifting her off the ground.
"MASTER!" Avi shouted. "MASTER YUGI HELP ME!"
Yami ran for her, but it was too late. She was too high up to help. All he could do was watch as Avi and Slifer the Sky Dragon, his only hope for the world to fight evil were both sucked into the portal.
"AAVIIIIIII!" Yami shouted and the portal closed shut, sealing Avi and Slifer in a hellish dimension for all eternity.
The End
