Yu-Gi-Oh GM Book 1:

The Rise of El Loco Desperado

Hey there fans, this is The Rainwalker! Are you ready for a unique look at the Yu-Gi-Oh universe? Then come with me, and share in the incredible story of one man's rise to dueling superstardom! Share in the adventures of a writer, on a journey to save the world from an evil five thousand years in the making! Come and share in Yu-Gi-Oh GM.

But before we start, there are some people I'd like to thank. First, Rocket6923 for his help in correcting all the technical glitches in my writing. Lobo Argost for his help with the duels. Jraito111 from Duelist Network for his help with the forthcoming original cards. A special shout out to Peach Wookiee, WhiteAsukaLover, and Lady Von Whippingberg. These three being dear friends. All right, before we get started, there's the matter of the disclaimer.

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh is the property of Kazuki Takahashi. I'm borrowing his characters, but I promise to put them away when I've finished. David Cardigan and all original characters in this story are my property.

A new hand

Five-thousand years ago, Egyptian kings played games of great and terrible power. At that time, my name was Ahmad Rahim! The friendship of the clan Rahim and the Pharaohs was generations strong. As my father was friends with Pharaoh Aknamkanon, I was friends with his son, crown prince Atem.

Our family mission was to protect the Pharaohs and Egypt. Protect them from threats from without, and within. One of the most dangerous threats I sought was the Necronomicon. A powerful book of ancient evil magic which held the key to the destruction of the entire world. I sought the tome, hoping to destroy it. But for all my efforts, in the end, it cost me my life.

Reborn centuries later as David Cardigan, I discovered why I'd come back. The Necronomicon had reappeared in the modern world. I strove again to claim and destroy it, and again, I fell short. In the process, I lost contact with good friends and a woman I loved.

I had thought that I would never find the Necronomicon and fulfill my vow. Then a game called Duel Monsters would set me on a course to a fateful meeting. One with a remarkable group of people, whose lives I would change, and have my life changed by. There is a level of dueling excellence that goes beyond King of Games, beyond world champion, a level known as…Grand Master!

This is the story of my rise to dueling glory.

The scent of smoke and death brought him to consciousness. The young auburn-haired man stumbled to his feet, his mind still dazed. Realization brought him out of it. It can't be, he thought as he looked around.

He knew this place in spite of the ruined state. This was Pioneer Courthouse Square, in downtown Portland, Oregon. He had come here often to find ideas for his stories. The square, and downtown he'd loved, now stood as empty husks. The fountains for the Tri-Met Visitors Center stood cracked and dry. Many square bricks looked ripped out. Nearby pillars looked like something had smashed them. The buildings around the square, spewed fire and ash into the blotted sky. Lightning crackled above, emphasizing the post-apocalyptic scene. How, how did this happen? David Cardigan, supernatural detective and writer thought as he stared.

He had saved Portland, and the world, many times before. Defeating creatures, and things, most people were better off not knowing about. Yet now, he stood dumbfounded. The writer let out a scream, that came out as a whisper. "No," poured from his throat.

A million questions ripped through his brain. When and how had this occurred? Why wasn't I able to stop this from happening?

The questions came to an abrupt halt, when David sensed evil coming closer. Cursing his visual impairment, he looked around. His attention fell on four people, two men and two women, clad in long flowing black robes. The eyes of the four glowed inferno red. Onyx-colored amulets around their necks, shaped like jackal heads, added malevolence. What are they doing here? David thought.

The four transformed into powerful looking jackals the size of Great Danes. The creatures' eyes continued to glow with the same terrible red aura. David tried to summon his own power, and found that he couldn't! Already frightened, now he felt like an olive ready for skinning. The jackals let out warped howls of challenge. David ran for the Tri-Met Visitors Center. The canines gave chase, as hundreds of voices cackled in David's mind. The young man covered his ears, to try and block out the mental onslaught. He managed to make it to the glass double doors that marked the entrance. He reached for the doors, and found them unlocked. David raced inside, and closed the doors. The cackling ceased, and David felt a surge that marked his magic's return. He spotted several stone benches nearby. David pointed at them, calling forth his power. He floated them in front of the double doors to act as support. The jackals leaped at the double doors as they reached them. David's efforts got rewarded with them colliding with the glass and his barrier. Both held up to the attack, David smirking at his cleverness. But he knew he had to get out of there, because the barrier wouldn't hold out forever. Looking around the room yet again, he spotted a polished wood door. David hoped and prayed it was a way out. The jackals barreled into the barricaded doors, barking and snarling their frustration. David raced for his door, and found it unlocked. Not bothering to look where he was going, he opened it. He leapt through, and found himself on Salmon street, several blocks away. Though like the rest of the city, it was a smoking charred ruin. David grimaced as he looked around. He spotted the McDonald's he had loved to go to when a convention took place at the Hilton hotel nearby. David turned to go back the way he'd come, only to discover the door had vanished. What's going on here? He thought, scared and baffled.

Several warped howls drew David's attention westward. From that direction, a large pack of black jackals rushed towards him. There were hundreds to thousands of the monsters approaching, eager to rip him apart. He turned to flee, and found his three other routes of escape blocked off by more of them. David backed to the center of the crossroad. His pursuers licked their lips, growled, and bore their teeth. David felt the icy cold rush of fear surge through his being. It told him he was going to die, slaughtered by these unholy beasts. But as the creatures prepared to go for the kill, a bright light burst from the darkened sky. David covered his eyes and watched in stunned astonishment. The light seemed to grow, turning night into day. The fires in the buildings went out, and the jackals got blown away by it. On a whim, he looked at the light. Six gigantic figures descended from it. He ran from where he'd been standing, until he was a safe distance. "What…the…hell?" David whispered as he looked on 6 people that landed.

The person who led this group of six, was a large version of himself. This David wore a button-up red shirt, a long black coat, jeans, shoes, and a big cowboy hat that matched the coat. What stood out was the strange device on his right arm. The machine was shape like a perched bald eagle. The larger version of himself flipped a switch. The eagle extended itself into a flying position. The wings unfurled to show slots for playing cards, 5 red on the left, 5 blue on the right. In the Emerald green eyes of the enlarged version of himself, David saw a grim determination. Smaller David was then drawn to the figures to the left and right of him. One was a short boy dressed in the school uniform of someone from Japan. The boy had blue eyes and tri-colored black and Magenta hair, with blonde tips at the front. David felt a pang of recognition. "That hair…it's like Atem's," he whispered out loud.

On the boy's left arm, was a disk-shaped device that had slots for cards.

Beside the young man, was a teenage girl with shoulder-length auburn hair and blue eyes. The slender athletic-looking girl wore a Japanese school girl outfit. It included a mini skirt, and a pair of orange slip-on boots. Like the smaller boy, David noted she too had a disk-like thing on her right arm, and she was holding one of the boy's hands.

Beside them, was a boy with long brown hair tied back, and wore a red and black head band. The green-eyed boy had a red vest, black shirt, jeans, and shoes. Most notable, was a dice earring that dangled from one ear.

To the left of his larger self, David noticed a teen boy of eighteen, with messy blonde hair and a cocky grin. Yet, in the boy's eyes, David somehow could feel the pain he was hiding. His free hand held the hand of a girl who looked to be in her mid-twenties. She had violet eyes, long wavy blonde hair, and wore a very stylish-looking regular length coat. She also wore a purple-colored mini skirt, and high-heeled slip-on boots. A violet brazier completed the outfit, and exposed ample amounts of her upper and lower chest. David sensed the connection between the two blondes. A shared pain and the potential for something romantic. The larger David looked up, and stated, "Let's…dance!"

Those words echoed deep within David's mind

All the figures raised the strange devices into a ready position. The larger David drew a card from the deck, and slapped it into one of the card-shaped slots. A flash of light caused the real David to cover his eyes.

When he regained his bearings, he found that his surroundings had again changed. Now he was on the Eagle device. Along with smaller versions of those he'd seen, were several others. One was a girl with sandy red-brown hair that fell to her back, a gentle expression on her face. Another was a young man with short red-brown hair, pointed at the front, a permanent glare on his face. Then David noticed the others. Two were a Japanese male and a Black man, both in business attire. Then David saw the blonde woman. She wore blue jeans, black shoes, and a peach-colored turtle neck. David felt the old pain surge up as he recognized the blue-eyed woman he'd once loved.

Beside her was a smaller woman, chubbier than any of the others. She had short cropped black hair, a purple shirt, light blue jeans, and black shoes. She also wore chains on her wrists that glowed white. David felt a surge of rage rush through him. This woman was someone he'd once considered a friend, until her betrayal. But that left the question: Why were all these people here? Before he could ask, his attention turned to the sandy red-brown haired girl. She stated, "Destiny once again calls he who lives twice. Maintain your kindness and humanity."

"Huh?" was all David could say.

David was then drawn to the Japanese man. "Bonds of friendship must renew, if the world is to stand a chance."

David then looked at the Large and slender black male. "The Freakahs must rise again, and new members must join." He explained.

Now that's not like the friend I know, David thought.

He turned around, and faced the one who he'd planned on serving in ages past. Atem, dressed in an outfit of Egyptian royalty, looked at David. "No direct interference in the course of my destiny old friend. The consequences would be catastrophic."

David was then twirled around to face the smaller version of Atem. "When my aibou leaves, my heart will be stuck between light and darkness. Only love and friendship can keep me from going over the edge."

David turned to the woman with her long blonde locks tied back. "Return to me, so we may be complete again."

David looked at the raven-haired chubby woman. "My betrayal was not what it seemed. The false servant of the Messiah holds my mind and soul captive."

He looked on the boy with messy blonde hair. "You are the one who holds the key to my defeating the demons of my past."

"Me? How?" David asked, confused by what he'd heard.

Before he could say anything else, the woman with flowing wavy blonde hair spoke. "Darkness clouds my heart. Bring me back to the light Onii-san."

David gasped. That was the name she, meaning the black-haired woman, gave me when we went to college.

The boy with short brown hair spoke next. "Give me a good bat, and I'll provide some extra protection."

David noticed the baseball bat in his hands. Not knowing why, he handed it over, before he looked to the boy with the head band. "The dark jackals return from the shadows, prepare yourself!"

He turned his attention to the girl with short brown hair. She looked on him and stated, "We've been friends for so long, but my heart cries for more. You help us, and we'll help you."

David looked up at his larger self. "The proverbial ball is in your court now chancellor." The bigger David explained. "Will you shirk from your responsibilities and doom the world? Or will you face them head on, like the hero you claim to be? The time of your decision draws near. Pay very close attention, because you will only get one chance!"

The larger David then raised his free hand to show a large card in it. He turned the card over, and a surge of blazing light blinded David.

David Cardigan bolted upright in his bed, as he let out a yelp. He trembled in fear, cold sweat covering him, as his heart pumped like a war drum. Memory came back to him. This was the bedroom of the single apartment he rented in Southeast Portland. Though a successful writer, David had chosen to rent, feeling that he wasn't ready to own a home, yet. David took deep breaths to calm himself. "No more triple cheese double burger specials from Burger World before bedtime." He whispered, as he wiped his brow.

He looked at the digital clock on the shelf beside his bed. "Six o' clock, aie yah." He muttered, before he got out of bed.

The writer turned a switch on his clock/radio. To his relief, the station was playing Enya. This allowed David to begin his rigorous morning warm ups and stretches. Next, he dressed himself in his sweat suit and went out jogging in the park near his apartment building. He ran past the large artificial pond in the park. Being mid spring, the local water fowl, ducks, geese, and even a heron or two had returned to the pond. David ran past the pond and over to the covered area he used for his workouts. David launched into his session of stretches, kicks, punches and Taekwondo forms. A half hour later, David left the park and jogged home as he thought, who am I trying to fool? I can't escape that dream through these workout sessions. That was a mystic dream I had. They're coming back, and what has it to do with what I saw?

David continued to ponder these questions as he showered. Then he changed into a red button up shirt, jeans, and walking shoes. The writer started to head for his computer to work on his latest novel. Someone pounded at the door to his apartment. "Open up, open up in there Cardigan!" A voice from outside bellowed. David rolled his eyes. "I know you're in there! Open up now boy! You and I are havin' a talk!"

David sighed; it was his less than reputable landlord Shawntelle Brooks. "Another day in paradise," David muttered, before heading for the door.

What are the implications of this dream? What's in store for David Cardigan. For the answer to these questions find out in Part 2 of 'A new Hand'. Please read and review and have a nice day.