I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh Arc-V, but I DO own this story! Enjoy!
"And you are?" questioned Shay to the approaching man, though in his heart he knew exactly who he was speaking to.
"My name is Declan Akaba." said the bespectacled man, adjusting his red glasses. "The current president of the Leo Corporation."
"Declan Akaba…" muttered Shay. Up above, Aren narrowed his eyes at Declan, his face remaining stoic but his insides boiling with a seething rage at the mention of the last name Akaba.
"If I'm not mistaken," said Declan, "your continued attacks upon my LID students and staff here in Paradise City have suggested one thing and one thing only to me: you wanted to meet me...am I wrong?"
"So you're Leo Akaba's son?" said Shay, a callous grin stretching across his face. "I've been waiting for just this moment! Now come at me!" Shay pumped his fist challengingly at Declan. "It's time for us to Duel!"
"Before we jump into things, I have something to ask you." said Declan stately, showing almost no emotion in response to Shay's invitation. "I am curious as to why you've been trying to draw me out."
"I don't need to answer a question from Akaba scum!" retorted Shay.
"If I were to take a guess," continued Declan as if there had been no interruption, "you're most likely trying to rescue your comrades."
Both Shay and Aren reacted in shock at this statement.
'How did he know?' thought Aren in complete awe. 'None of us have ever revealed our motivations for fighting when we dueled the LID staff, so how could he have possibly guessed what we're trying to do on his very first assumption?'
"I was told by Julia Krystal that when she first encountered you at the harbor district that you mistook Zuzu Boyle for a girl named Lulu." explained Declan. Instantly Shay flashbacked to the scene that took place a day prior. "It doesn't take a detective to surmise that Lulu is someone very important to you, and that she has been taken by an enemy of yours. Even now, it would seem that she has yet to escape from your enemy's grasp, leading to you taking drastic action in an attempt to get her back. That is why you have been on a personal vendetta, so to speak, against the members of LID."
"You catch on quick." said Shay. "Your father Leo Akaba has Lulu hostage, but she won't be for long because I will save her." Shay pointed at Declan and continued, "In order to do that though, all I need is you!"
"Just as I suspected." replied Declan, placing a hand on his hip. "You wish to use me as a bargaining chip in a hostage exchange with Leo Akaba."
"That's right." confirmed Shay, retracting his arm. "The reason that I have been attacking your precious Leo Institute staff, and the reason I sent you the cards with the souls of your defeated teachers in them was all for this moment! All to draw you out! If I have his son as a hostage, then Leo Akaba can't refuse my demands! You for Lulu!"
"I wonder about that." said Declan, closing his eyes.
"What?" said Shay, taken aback slightly. This statement also surprised the War Eagle. Did Declan know something crucial about his father that the Obsidians did not?
"I find it really difficult to believe that my father cares much about my wellbeing at all." said Declan simply, as if he were talking about the weather to a friend casually.
"What does that supposed to mean?" questioned Shay.
"Pay it no mind." replied Declan, adjusting his glasses once again. "I have no objections if you wish to duel me. However, I do have a request for you...and your friend up on the roof."
"What?!" said Shay, looking directly at Aren, who had frozen in place.
'How did he know I was up here?' thought the middle Obsidian child in confusion. 'Did the video camera turn to point at me at during the duel when I wasn't aware? Or has he known about me the entire time?'
"Aren." said Soarnight, appearing next to the War Eagle once again. "You might as well join the party down there and stop hiding." Silently agreeing with his partner, Aren stood up so that he was fully revealed to everyone present below. Making eye contact with Declan, he leapt off of the roof, flipping in his descent, and landed softly on the ground. He turned his head so that his mechanical eye was facing the LID delegation, which caused everyone but Declan and the suited man to gasp in shock.
"You're very perceptive Declan Akaba." said Aren, narrowing his eyes. "Why should we accept a request from the son of the man who has ruined our lives?"
"Because the two of you and myself share a common enemy." said Declan. "Leo Akaba."
"You're fighting your father?" questioned Shay.
"That is correct, and it is for this very reason that I would like for the two of you to agree to my request." spoke Declan. "If you do not agree, then our business here is done." At that statement he and the rest of his cronies all turned to exit the street.
"Wait!" shouted Shay, but Aren reacted faster. Stretching out his mechanical arm, a small burst of energy shot out from his palm, striking the ground directly in front of Declan, who stopped and stared at the smoking patch of dirt with no emotion. The son of Leo Akaba turned around to the Obsidians once more.
"I take it that you are willing to hear my request?" asked Declan calmly.
"What is it that you want?" said Aren, his eyes piercing into Declan like knives.
"I want you to enter the ARC-League Championships." said Declan.
"You want us to enter a Duel Tournament?" said Shay in disbelief.
"Correct. I would like for you, Shay and Aren Obsidian, as well as your friends Rio and Reginald Kastle to enter the Junior Youth Division of the ARC-League Championships as Leo Institute students." announced Declan.
Ignoring the fact that Declan knew their names, the War Eagle said, "Of all the things you could have requested us to do, why participate in a Duel Tournament as LID students? Are we that strong of duelists that you think we can win the tournament and bring glory to your precious school?"
"That is just an added bonus." admitted Declan. "But the real purpose is much more important."
"And entering is the terms on which we can Duel you?" asked Shay suspiciously.
"Correct, and if you happen to beat me, you may do with me as you like." said Declan. "But I don't think you'll want to use me as a bargaining chip after you hear the real purpose of my request."
"So stop beating around the bush and get on with it!" complained Aren. "Why do you want us to enter your silly competition?"
"In this tournament I will be selecting the best duelists to join a strike force...to take on Leo Akaba." said Declan. "My father is my enemy, and I will stop at nothing in order to take him down. It has been made clear to me that the two of you, along with your friends Rio and Reginald, are incredibly capable Duelists, so I would like you to join my strike team, and use this tournament to act as my eyes on the ground...to seek out potential teammates to aid in our fight."
"Teammates...an alliance of Duelists from Standard and Xyz designed to stop the agenda of Leo Akaba." said Aren, piecing together Declan's strategy.
"Exactly." confirmed Declan, smiling slightly. "So, what do you say? Will the two of you and your friends Reginald and Rio accept my invitation?" Aren and Shay said nothing for a moment, turning to face each other. A silent conversation went back and forth between the two brothers, evident to Declan by their facial expressions.
"Alright...we accept." said Aren. "We will enter your tournament."
"Excellent." said Declan. "I will arrange for rooms to be set up inside LID Tower for the two of you and the Kastle siblings. You may stay there and rest until the tournament begins. I should also let you know that among the other Duelists that are competing, there is one who uses the most powerful Fusion Summons I have ever detected, and there will be another Duelist who uses a summoning method unlike anything you've ever seen before. You four will be my eyes and ears on the field. I want you to determine whether they have the skills needed to join my great fight."
"I'll go with you to the tower right now." said Aren. Turning to Shay he whispered, "Tell Rio, Shark, and Yuto the situation. Bring the Kastle's to the tower, but tell Yuto to stay put. We still need some eyes on the street while the four of us are participating."
"Got it, see you in a bit." muttered back Shay. "I'll see you at the tower in an hour." The two brothers then walked in different directions, Shay heading back towards the Resistance hideout, Aren joining Declan and the LID delegation in heading to the Leo Corporation tower.
[At LID Tower]
"So this is the inside of the Leo Corporation Headquarters." said Aren, whistling at the view from Declan's office. "I like the view. It gives you a strategic viewpoint of the entire city. Eyes and ears everywhere."
"Exactly." confirmed Declan, sitting at his desk chair. "One can never have too many eyes when the lives of others are at risk. I trust you agree with my opinion?" Aren nodded.
"How are you able to rest at night when the possibility that the peace of this dimension and your city could be broken at any moment?" asked Aren.
"I don't sleep that well, to be honest." admitted Declan. "I won't ask you yet what you and your friends have gone through, but I would like to express my condolences. If there is anything I can do to help I promise that I will do so."
"Thank you Declan. That means a lot to me." said Aren. "I think I'm going to go and get some sleep. We'll talk more in the morning."
"I'll have Dipper, Kit, and Julia's memories modified so that they believe you and your allies have always been a part of LID. In the meantime why don't you get some rest Aren." said Declan. "You look like you haven't had a good night's sleep in months."
"You have no idea how right you are." replied Aren passively, walking out of Declan's office to join his comrades.
[Two Days Later]
Aren, Shay, Rio, and Shark all lined up with the rest of the LID participants near the entrance to LID Stadium. They had been called into position by a voice over the loudspeakers, instructing them to organize into lines by school. Aren quickly noticed that of all the schools represented, LID easily had the most participants. Scanning the other people in the room, Aren sweat-dropped at some of the outfits, including one guy in a corny magician's outfit, several boys and girls on roller skates wearing too much makeup, and several people who looked like they were dressed for up a Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament, but took a wrong turn and ended up here instead.
"Let's get this over with." said Shark. "The sooner we win this tournament the sooner we can get back to crushing Duel Academy." At that statement, all of the schools started advancing forward towards the stadium entrance.
As they began walking, a new, slightly obtuse voice began speaking over the loudspeaker. "Greetings to all my fellow Dueling fanatics both near and far! The day we've been yearning for has arrived and we've flipped on the on switch for this year's ARC-League Championship! My name's Nico Smiley, and I'm thrilled to be your Opening Ceremony host from coast-to-coast! So, let the ARC-League Championship begin!" The crowd roared its approval, while Aren sighed.
'Nico Smiley? Really? What parents hated their kid that much to give such an awful name?' thought Aren exasperatedly.
"And now let's kick off the ARC-League Championship!" shouted Nico. Aren caught a glimpse of several AR fairies flying around the arena, leaving trails of shining light in their wake. Aren figured that Declan had spared no expenses in making sure that his tournament would be the greatest spectacle of the year. "Daring Duelists will march in by school, so take it away Joy!"
"Thanks Nico!" said a female voice, evidently Jenny, as the first schools began walking in, being lead by an LID employee holding a sign that displayed how many schools had already walked out. "First up, the Leo Institute of Dueling!" The Resistance four, along with Kit, Dipper, Julia, and even Sylvio walked out first, accompanied by all the other LID entrants. "Last year, Leo dominated the Championships by winning all three divisions: Youth, Junior, and Senior! With the largest contingent of Duelists in this year's Championship, they're sure to be the hands-down favorite to make another trophy sweep!"
As they all walked out, Shay and Aren made eye contact with Declan, who was observing the proceedings with a purple-haired woman who must have been his mother, along with a small child wearing a hoodie and holding a small stuffed bear.
"So that's Declan Akaba…" said Rio. "He sure looks like he means business."
"Let's be thankful that he means business for our side, Rio." reassured Aren.
"Our second group is determined to chop their way to victory!" continued Joy. "It's the Bandit Warrior Academy! The most powerful proponents of Martial Arts style of Dueling! Their best student, Iggy Arlo, finished second in the Junior League last year and is now out for revenge!" Rio turned to see what Iggy looked like on the big screen: he had blue eyes, with wild purple hair that reached part of the way down his back. He wore multiple layers on his upper body: a red sleeveless shirt with gold collar and armholes, over a light purple shirt with tattered sleeves. He also wore a green bandanna knotted around his neck, and an orange sash attached to a yellow-lined, maroon section of cloth at the stomach. His arms were mostly bare except for two charcoal-colored arm guards. He also wore dark teal pants, bandages wrapped around his shins, dark tan socks, and curled-toe black shoes.
"Stepping up next," resumed Joy, "a team from far across the sea: the mysterious Knights of the Duel Disk! Behind them, we have another hometown team that I'm sure is ready to take down the competition! Entering the stadium now is the Abracadabra Academy! Famous for their philosophy of dueling by deception, their star pupil is Trick Taggart!" Aren noticed that the screen was now focused on the knights and magician that he had seen before they had walked out.
"Rolling in now are the Dueling Dynamos!" This was the group on roller skates Aren had also noticed. "They are home to some of the most famous singers, dancers and Duelists! Oh! There's Micky Starlett! She looks sweet, but in battle she's ferocious!" The cameras had turn to point at a skinny girl in a lovely pink dress, with large blue eyes and blonde hair, which had pink highlights in the shape of a butterfly strung in. Shark stared at her, and had to admit internally that she was very pretty.
"Walking into the spotlight now are students from that small training facility for Dueltainers, our final group, the You Show Duel School!" said Joy, her tone taking on an excited ring.
"You Show?" said Shark and Rio at once. Aren whipped his head at the newcomers and saw that none of than Zuzu was among the six people entering into the stadium, her friend Sora standing on the opposite side of…
"This crowd has its radar screen turned to You Show's Yuya Sakaki! His Pendulum Summon has become the talk of the Dueling world! I expect we'll see him unleash it early on in this tournament!" said Joy enthusiastically. Aren watched as the Standard Dimension lookalike of Yuto wave nervously to the crowd, his eyes meeting Declan Akaba's in the process.
As the six delegates of You Show joined the rest of the tournament participants in lines facing a podium fifty feet away, Aren continued to study Yuya.
'I don't get it. Why does he look like Yuto in the first place?' thought Aren.
"Greetings Duelists." said a male voice. Aren turned to the podium to see a gray-haired man in a plum suit addressing the people below him. "You have battled hard to be here. The fact that you are here is proof that you are truly among the elite. I know that in the coming days you will face the challenges ahead with distinction and dignity." The audience politely clapped at the man's words. As the man exited the platform, Nico Smiley took his face. Up close Aren had to stop himself from laughing at Nico's circus-like attire and Hitler-esque mustache.
"Now one of our competitors will recite the Duelists' oath." explained Nico, closing his eyes for dramatic effect. "And the honor goes to...You Show Duel School's Yuya Sakaki!"
"Ah!" shouted Yuya in shock, pointing at himself incredulously. "What do you mean me?!"
"Recite the duelists' oath? Do you even know it Yuya?" asked Zuzu concernedly.
"Thanks for picking me but I decline!" said Yuya, holding his hands up.
"Our marshals will now escort Yuya to the podium!" continued Nico. At that statement, two large men in yellow LID jackets lifted Yuya off of the ground by his elbows and shoulders, much to Yuya's displeasure, and promptly tossed him onto the stage like a sack of potatoes, the tomato-haired Duelist landing flat on his face next to the microphone.
"Ha! Way to take the stage!" mocked someone in the crowd.
"He totally ate it!" jeered another one. Aren noticed Nico saying something quietly to Yuya, but he couldn't hear it without the microphone projecting it. Nico backed off and Yuya stood up nervously.
"And now the oath!" said Yuya anxiously, to the applause of the crowd. "Uh...I...Suya Yakaki…" Everyone on the stage floor, minus the Resistance quartet, all collapsed dramatically at Yuya's mistake. "I...promise!"
"Yuya!" shouted Zuzu. "Stop freaking out! Say it in your own way!" Yuya stopped his nervous stammering, staring at the crowd for a moment and grabbing the pendant around his neck. Aren wondered if he was thinking of something that would help him speak clearly.
"Greetings fellow Dueling fans!" said Yuya happily, spreading his arms out wide. "I was asked to come here and recite the Duelist oath, but since most of us know it by heart, I've decided instead to tell you something you don't know! The story of why I'm here today! You probably know by now that I'm the son of Yusho Sakaki! He was one of the most popular Dueltainers to ever step into a stadium, and definitely one of the greatest! Then one day he shocked everybody when he disappeared just before a big duel. Some kids used to tease me by saying I was a coward like my father, so I worked hard to prove them wrong, but I still couldn't face my problems. Until, one day I learned how to Pendulum Summon! Sure, my duels were more difficult, but I was having fun again! I still have a lot to learn, and have a long journey ahead of me, but I'll never forget to have fun along the way! Because that's what we all love about Dueling and that's why we're all here! Someday, I'm going to be a great Dueltainer like my dad was! I promise that I'll never stop trying to improve my skills! That I'll always duel fairly, and that I'll always do everything I can to help others love Action Dueling just as much as we do!"
For a moment no one clapped, but then Declan Akaba started to do so, and slowly but surely, the crowd erupted into fearsome cheers, some even giving him a standing ovation. Rio clapped happily, while Aren smiled softly and clapped lightly. Much to the War Eagle's displeasure, however, neither Shark or Shay seemed touched by Yuya's words, instead staring at the Standard Dimension Duelist passively, not clapping at all.
"Is he great or what?!" said Nico as Yuya rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "That was even better than the official Duelist's oath! Take a boy kiddo you're a hit!" Yuya did just that, exiting the podium and rejoining his classmates from You Show on the stadium floor. For a brief moment, Yuya made eye contact with Aren, catching the Sakaki teen off guard by the odd look Aren was now giving him.
'I just realized something, Soarnight.' thought Aren to his partner, who appeared at that exact moment.
"And what would that be?" questioned the ace of the War Eagle.
'Yuya is a lot like how Yuto used to be. Before the invasion, Yuto was always smiling, always making others happy with his Dueling.' thought back Aren. 'If Duel Academy had never invaded, I would think that Yuto and Yuya are twins in not only their looks, but their personalities as well.'
"It's now time for our Duelists to learn who they will be facing in their first matches!" shouted Nico. "Okay wannabe champions, time to slot your competition data cards into your Duel Disks!" Aren held up the white card that he was given by the LID staff. He slotted his Xyz Dimension Duel Disk over his sleeve-covered mechanical arm, as he and Declan agreed that both his prosthetic eye and arm would attract to much attention. "I'm no tech expert, but I'm told that some gizmo sends out info packets to each of these cards, to tell each Duelist their opponent! We'll use these cards to keep track of winners and losers, then tally those results to calculate the next matchups!
Each of the Resistance members put their respective cards into the Spell and Trap card slot on their Xyz Dimension Duel Disks, and on each screen showed their faces, then a versus symbol, then followed by the face of their opponent and a small name underneath.
"I'm facing someone named Trout." said Shark, staring at a picture of a fisherman in fishing gear. "My duel is in two days from now."
"I'm up against some girl named Olga from the LID Arctic campus." said Rio, looking at a picture of a blonde-haired girl in a burka. "My duel is tomorrow evening."
"My opponent is someone named Aiko from the Dueling Dynamos." added Aren, looking at an image of a haughty-looking boy in a cerulean dancing outfit. "My match is this afternoon. What about you Shay?"
The eldest Obsidian was studying the image of his opponent. "Sora Perse...from You Show...tomorrow midday...got it."
"You're going up against Sora?" asked Aren in surprise. He thought back to what Declan said about an entrant that used the most powerful Fusion Summon he had ever seen, and then flashbacked to his duel against the lollipop licker a week prior. "Shay...this kid might be the one Declan talked about. I dueled him a week ago and he had some ridiculously powerful Fusion Summons, and when I beat him he was all upset that he lost to an Xyz Summoner...I think this kid is from Duel Academy!"
"If that's true," stated Shay, his eyes narrowing in fury, "he will be shown no mercy for his crimes."
[Time Skip]
Aren spent the next couple of hours walking through the festivities, watching some of the Duels that took place. He watched as the little kid that was sitting with Declan beat a young girl named Ally from You Show, he also smiled as Zuzu Boyle came from behind to beat Julia Krystal, though his fists clenched when Zuzu summoned two Fusion Monsters: Schuberta the Melodious Maestra, and Bloom Diva the Melodious Choir.
Just as he was about to find Rio and Shark, the War Eagle heard his name, as well as his opponent's, called over the loudspeakers for a 5-minute warning for their Duel. Aren raced back to the main stadium, where he checked in with an LID staff member, and entered the field.
"The sixth match in the Junior Division is between the Dueling Dynamos' Aiko Sagiri, and the Leo Institute's Aren Obsidian!" announced Nico. The crowd cheered wildly for Aiko as he entered, waving to his female supporters, while everyone clapped nervously as Aren entered, slightly intimidated by his tattered clothes and red full-head bandana. "Time for our ARC System to pick an Action Field!" Up above, a spinning image of a card within a transparent blue sphere was displayed, before settling on a Field Spell that depicted a ruined city. "Our Action Field for this Duel will be Downtown Dystopia!"
A large machine beneath the stadium floor revealed itself, winding up and releasing several streams of light. All around the War Eagle rose a city that looked like it been blown away by a bomb, buildings partially collapsed and smoke filling the air. Aren's eyes narrowed at the scene: no doubt this field was selected by Declan Akaba to remind him of Heartland.
"Alright competitors, start your Duel Disks!" shouted Nico. Aren activated his Duel Disk's red blade, while Aiko activated his orange one. "Now, let's get going!"
"LET'S DUEL!" shouted Aiko and Aren.
AREN LP: 4000
AIKO LP: 4000
"I'll get things started!" said the middle Obsidian child. "I Summon Enigma Eagle Sly Starling!" A small bipedal eaglet with a wing covering half of its face appeared on the fielding, a slight grin on its starling-esque face. (LV. 1; ATK: 600; DEF: 0; WIND)
"Aww, it's so cute!" squealed some girls in the stands, much to the War Eagle's annoyance.
"Now since I have exactly one Enigma Eagle on my field, I can Special Summon Enigma Eagle Wavering Warbler from my hand!" continued Aren. A twitching eagle/warbler warrior hybrid appeared next to Sly Starling, its body phasing in and out of transparency. (LV. 4; ATK: 1500; DEF: 900; WIND) "Due to his effect, Wavering Warbler's level now changes to match that of the Enigma Eagle that was present on the field when he was Summoned, so now he becomes level one!" (Wavering Warbler LV: 4 - 1)
"Why don't you Summon a chicken next, to match your birdbrain personality?!" mocked Aiko, attracting the laughter of several members of the crowd.
"At least I don't wear dancing tights." said Aren in response. "I activate the Spell, Enigma Match!" A Spell depicting two Enigma Eagles playing a card game appeared next to the War Eagle. "Since I have two different Enigma Eagles on my field with the same level, I can draw two cards!" Aren added two cards from his deck to the two cards in his hand.
Up in the stands, Shay, Rio, and Shark observed the Duel from the shadows, while on the opposite side of the field, Yuya, Zuzu, and Sora watched closely.
"Since I added this card to my hand outside of the Draw Phase, I can Special Summon it!" said Aren, holding up one of the cards he had just drawn. "Appear, Enigma Eagle Oddball Ostrich!" A tall ostrich-like eagle appeared on the field, surveying the surroundings with unpredictable head movements. (LV. 1; ATK: 0; DEF: 0; WIND)
"Three Level one Monsters…" said Yuya slowly, eyeing Aren's field. "If this guy is related to Shay Obsidian…"
"Then he's going to Xyz Summon!" said Zuzu and Yuya together.
"I overlay Level 1 Sly Starling, Wavering Warbler, and Oddball Ostrich!" shouted Aren. "With these three Monsters, I build the Overlay Network!" All three of the War Eagle's Monsters turned into green streams of light which flew into the galactic portal hanging in the sky, which unleashed a blast of blue light. "Valiant eagle that soars through the sky, descend upon this battlefield and strike down those who oppress us! I Xyz Summon!" Aren slammed a black-bordered card down onto his duel disk. "Appear, Enigma Eagle - Soarnight Sniper!" The ace Monster of the middle Obsidian child appeared on the field, spinning his sniper rifle overhead. (RANK 1; ATK: 500; DEF: 500; ORU: 3; WIND)
"Whoa! What a Monster!" said Nico in awe. "Aren's first few Monsters may have been featherweights, but this looks like one bad bird!"
"Due to Soarnight's effect, with each turn that passes, he gets an extra 200 attack and defense points for each Overlay Unit he has!" said the War Eagle. "Since he's got three right now, he gets a 600 point powerup!" (Soarnight ATK: 500 + 600 = 1100; DEF: 500 -+ 600 = 1100)
"That's one slick ability!" praised Dipper, who like Declan had promised, had his memories altered like his two friends. "So the longer Soarnight is in play, the more powerful it gets!"
"Kind of puts your Xyz Monsters to shame." Said Julia snidely, causing Kit to laugh.
"I now activate the Equip Spell, Wing Harrier!" said Aren, activating another Spell. Soarnight's metallic wings suddenly doubled in length and gained a green sheen to them. "Not only does Soarnight gain 600 extra attack points, but he also can't be destroyed by battle! I end my turn by placing one card face down! Time to see what you've got Aiko!" (Soarnight ATK: 1100 + 600 = 1700)
"With pleasure!" said Aiko, drawing a card.
"With the start of a new turn, Soarnight's ability activates once more, giving him 200 attack and defense points per Overlay Unit!" said Aren, stretching out his arm. (Soarnight ATK: 1700 + 600 = 2300; DEF: 1100 + 600 = 1700)
"I activate the Spell Card, Polymerization!" said Aiko. A card depicted two monsters swirling around a spiral multicolored portal appeared.
"Polymerization!" shouted Rio.
"Then this guy's a Fusion user!" said Shark angrily. "Now Aren better win!"
"From my hand I fuse Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1 with Fairy Dragon!" said Aiko, holding two cards from his hands up. Two spectral images of a fanged blue dragon and a slender, serpentine green dragon appeared above the representative of the Dueling Dynamos. "Grand dragons of an elder age, unite to form a great conduit of power! I Fusion Kaiser Dragon!" A yellow skeletal dragon with sun-colored wings appeared, roaring at Aren and Soarnight. (LV. 7; ATK: 2300; DEF: 2000; LIGHT)
"Oh my! Aiko has played Kaiser Dragon, a card not seen much these days!" said an impressed Nico. "But then again all of the Dueling Dynamos love to use long forgotten cards, so it should be no surprise at all I suppose!"
"That's only the beginning of the awesomeness! I activate the Continuous Spell, Lumification of the Extra Forces!" said Aiko, a Spell depicted two armies facing off, their reinforcements arriving to aid them. "With this, since I have Dragon-type Fusion Monster on my field, I can banish the top Monster card in my Deck and gain Life Points equal to its level times 100!" The card third from the top in Aiko's Deck slot out and Aiko grabbed it and smiled. "I drew Alexandrite Dragon, which is Level 4, so I gain 400 Life Points!" Aiko put Alexandrite Dragon in to the Banish slot, but as he did Aren heard a distant roar of sadness from the Dueling Dynamos' Duel Disk.
AIKO LP: 4000 + 400 = 4400
"Next up I play the Continuous Spell, Soul Absorption!" said Aiko, a third Spell appearing in front of him. This one depicted several blue spirits flying into a emaciated zombie. "Now everytime a card is banished, I gain 500 Life points!" Aiko's body glowed blue as his card's effect activated.
AIKO LP: 4400 + 500 = 4900
"A Life Point recovery Deck…" muttered Aren, still a little rattled by the roar he had heard. "This is going to be an annoying duel."
"Next I activate the Spell, Dragon Banish Bridge!" said Aiko, activating a Spell that showcased a line of chained dragons walking down a bridge to a dark cave. "With it, I can banish one Level 4 or lower Dragon-type Monster from my Deck to Special Summon a Level 7 or lower Dragon-type Monster from my Deck with greater attack points but fewer defense points, by negating its effects! So I banish Luster Dragon to Special Summon Luster Dragon #3!" Again, Aren heard a faint roar emanate from Aiko's deck as Luster Dragon was put into the Banish Zone, but this roar was overpowered by the large roar that Luster Dragon #3 unleashed upon its appearance! (LV. 7; ATK: 2700; DEF: 1100; LIGHT) As this happened, Soul Absorption showered Aiko in a second blue aura.
AIKO LP: 4900 + 500 = 5400
"With several clever moves, Aiko has now gained a 1400 Life Point advantage over Aren, but will this buffer be enough to withstand the incoming onslaught?" said Nico dramatically, getting several cheers from the audience.
"I'm not sure I like how this Aiko guy duels." commented Zuzu.
"Yeah, he's just tossing away several of his Monsters to make himself stronger." added Sora, biting down on his lollipop.
"He doesn't seem like he has any respect for his Monsters either." chimed in Yuya. "Do you see what I see? Those two dragons don't look very happy to be battling right now." Zuzu and Sora gasped in agreement. The two Monsters on Aiko's field looked ferocious, but they could sense a deep sadness emanated from them, which should have been impossible for corporeal holograms.
"Time to attack!" said Aiko snidely. "Luster Dragon #3, attack Enigma Eagle Soarnight Sniper! Go Emerald Rush!" Luster Dragon #3's head turned to pure emerald as the winged-beast flew into the sky before headbutting Soarnight.
"Due to Wing Harrier's effect, Soarnight can't be destroyed by battle!" said Aren, digging his feet into the scorched ground as wind blew into his face.
"But you'll still take damage!" taunted Aiko, as a red aura enshrouded Aren.
AREN LP: 4000 - 100 = 3900
"Now Kaiser Dragon, attack Soarnight Sniper!" continued Aiko, his second dragon flying into the sky.
"But Kaiser Dragon has the same number of attack points as Soarnight Sniper!" questioned Nico. "With Wing Harrier still in play, Soarnight will survive but Kaiser Dragon won't! What could Aiko be thinking?!"
"I show you!" replied Aiko. "Since my Dragon-type Monster is waging an attack on your monster, by banishing Dragon Banish Bridge from my Graveyard, I can halve the attack strength of your Soarnight Sniper!" As Aiko's Spell was sent to his Banish Zone, a green line of energy struck Soarnight in the wing, causing him to fall closer to the ground. (Soarnight Sniper ATK: 2300 - 1150) Kaiser Dragon smashed into Soarnight, but Wing Harrier formed a barrier around the Enigma Eagle, saving it from harm, but not preventing Aren from skidding along the ground for ten feet.
AREN LP: 3900 - 1150 = 2750
"I end my turn!" said Aiko smugly. "And since another card was banished, Soul Absorption effect gives me 500 more Life Points, making me even stronger! Yeah!"
AIKO LP: 5400 + 500 = 5900
"Only two turns in an Aiko has soared to a commanding lead! Aren's next turn is crucial, but does he have what it takes to give his aerial game an updraft?" commentated Nico.
"I'm up, so I draw!" said Aren, raising an eyebrow at the card he had drawn. "Due to Soarnight's special ability, he gets 600 extra attack and defense points once again, since he has three Overlay Units!" (Soarnight ATK: 1150 + 600 = 1750; DEF: 1700 + 600 = 2300)
"You can activate that ability as many times as you like, it won't help your birdie surpass my dragons' attack points!" boasted Aiko.
"I don't need to surpass your attack strength if Soarnight's effects can end you right here!' retorted Aren. "By using one Overlay Unit, Soarnight takes half of the combined attack points of all Special Summoned Monsters on our fields, and deals you that amount as damage!"
"What?!" shouted Aiko in shock.
"Half of the attack points of the three monsters on our fields is 6750!" said Aren, doing quick math in his head. "Soarnight, rain down the pain! Go Frontal Arc Phaser!" Soarnight directed the barrel of his sniper rifle at Aiko's chest, and from his blaster unleashed a linear torrent of green energy.
"Not so fast! I activate Luster Dragon #3's effect!" countered Aiko. "As long as I have two Dragon-type Monsters on my field, I can reduce any effect damage by their total attack points!" A hexagonal barrier formed from Luster Dragon #3's mouth, which protected Aiko from most of the blast, but embers of the energy attack still showered upon the Dueling Dynamo.
"Since his two dragons have 5000 attack points between them, Aiko only takes 1750 damage from Aren's vicious assault!" explained Nico to the audience, who roared its approval of Aiko's defensive move.
AIKO LP: 5900 - 1750 = 4150
"Shoot." growled Aren, grinding his teeth. "My turn isn't done yet! I activate the Trap, Enigma Wedge!" A trap depicting a wedge being driven by an Enigma Eagle into the back of a serpentine Monster appeared next to the middle Obsidian. "With this, by using all of the Overlay Units on an Enigma Eagle Xyz Monster I control, I can draw cards equal to that number of Overlay Units! So by using Soarnight's two remaining Overlay Units, I draw two cards!" Both of Soarnight's Overlay Units vanished as Aren picked up two more cards from his deck. (Soarnight ORU: 2 - 2 = 0)
"Well this is a bold strategy…" whistled Rio. "Aren normally conserves his Overlay Units but he threw both of them out here."
"I wonder if Aren had a shift in strategy." pondered Shay.
"Now I activate the Trap, Fiend Flash Frenzy!" said Aren, flipping over his second facedown. "With this, since I have an Xyz Monster with no Overlay Units on my field, and you control more Monsters than I do, all Monsters on your field lose half of their attack points and their effects are negated!" Two streams of gray light engulfed Luster Dragon #3 and Kaiser Dragon, causing them to droop slightly. (Luster Dragon #3 ATK: 2700/2 = 1350; Kaiser Dragon ATK: 2300/2 = 1150)
"Aren is making the most out of this turn, dealing damage, reducing his opponent's Monsters' attack points, and negating their special abilities! Does Aiko have an answer?" questioned Nico dramatically.
"I end my turn by placing one card facedown." concluded Aren, a new card materializing on his field.
"Then I'm up! I draw!" said Aiko, drawing a card. Grinning at it, he looked at Aren savagely. "This duel has been a total waste of my time! You're so weak-hearted that I'm going to be sick!"
"Call me what you want, but at least I treat my Monsters better than you do." replied Aren emotionlessly.
"Treatment of Monsters? Ha! You must be joking!" laughed Aiko. "These aren't real! They don't have feelings! All Monsters are good for are for making the Duelist who uses them stronger!" Aren clenched his fist as hard as he could, but kept his mouth shut. "I activate Dragon Alchemist Fusion! With this, I can Fusion Summon a Dragon-type Fusion Monster by banishing Monsters from my field! I fuse Kaiser Dragon and Luster Dragon #3!"
"Oh my! Another Fusion Summon! What in the world will Aiko Summon this time?!" shouted Nico.
"I don't think I want to know." muttered Yuya apprehensively.
"Whatever it is, it's going to be really strong, I just know it." added in Sora.
"Dragon servants of wondrous light! Meld your minds to summon a great new power!" chanted Aiko. "I Fusion Summon Grand Solar Dragon!" A massive dragon with wings as bright as the sun appeared, with white-hot embers emanating from the line of fire that ran down its body. (LV. 10; ATK: 3200; DEF: 2500; FIRE)
"That's quite the beast." said Aren, but in his mind he was shaking with rage, not only at Aiko's words, but from the growls of pain and sadness that he could hear from the dragons in Aiko's Banish Zone.
"Since two more dragons were banished, Soul Absorption effect gives me 1000 more Life Points!" said Aiko haughtily, laughing as his Spell gave him more energy.
AIKO LP: 4150 + 500 + 500 = 5150
"So much for reducing his Life Points…" growled the War Eagle softly.
"I activate Grand Solar Dragon's effect!" announced Aiko. "With it, I can destroy all Monsters on your field whose Levels are less than Grand Solar Dragon's, and for each Monster destroyed by this effect, one Spell or Trap card on your is destroyed, even if it's facedown! So go Grand Solar Dragon! Wipe out that feather duster!" A stream of blue fire rained down on Soarnight Sniper, causing the trusted partner of the middle Obsidian child to explode in a shower of yellow sparkles. As this happened, a stream of fire erupted underneath Aren's facedown, causing it to dissolve as well.
"Aren has no cards left on his field!" realized Rio in horror.
"Not good!" shouted Shark. "Aren, do something!"
"Either one of his Graveyard cards or one of those two cards in his hand better have a defense effect!" added Rio.
"Grand Solar Dragon, end this duel! Attack Aren directly with Malicious Magma Meltdown!" cackled Aiko. Grand Solar Dragon unleashed a geyser of lava from its mouth, which prepared to swamp over the War Eagle.
"I activate the effect of the Trap Card you just sent to the Graveyard, Xyz Bypass!" said Aren, shielding his face from the heat of the incoming blast. "When this Set card is sent from field to the Graveyard, I can return one Xyz Monster from my Graveyard to my Extra Deck, and reducing the damage from a Direct Attack by that Monster's attack points! I return Soarnight Sniper to my Extra Deck to reduce the damage I take by 500!" A blast of water erupted from the ground, intercepting the lava flow, causing it to steam out, but chunks of flaming rock barraged the War Eagle, causing him to scream as his skin was burned.
AREN LP: 2750 - 2700 = 50
Everyone in the audience gasped as the Action Field turned into a field of fire. The lava attack had burned away most of the field, leaving nothing but an acrid, smoky patch of earth, with the only intact area being the area directly around Aiko's field.
"Unbelievable! Aiko has burned away most of this field, along with all but 50 of Aren's Life Points! Can Aren recover from-" Nico stopped mid-sentence as he, along with everyone else in the audience, gasped in unison, for Aren's jacket and bandana had both been burned away, revealing what the War Eagle had been hiding.
"What...happened to him?!" screamed Zuzu in horror. Everyone around her, Yuya included, was reacting similarly, for the sight of the metal prosthetic arm fused to Aren's skin was certainly horrifying to bear eyes upon, but the glowing of the red light in his mechanical eye was even more terrifying, giving the War Eagle the appearance of a demon in the midst of Hell.
"You're the worst kind of person." muttered Aren threateningly. "You treat your Monsters like trash, like they are nothing in comparison to you. Well you can't hear their screams when you banish them...but I can...they roar for judgment to be brought upon you for hurting them...for using their strength to make yourself more powerful."
"Whoa…" squealed Aiko. "Calm down!"
"I won't calm down." said Aren in an eerily, and ironically, calm voice. "As long as I live, I won't stand by as people like you use Duel Monsters to oppress others...to gain dominion over other people and further your selfish agenda...whether they be from here or elsewhere…"
"What's this guy talking about?!" said Yuya concernedly. "He's lost his mind!" Sora said nothing, but narrowed his eyes at the War Eagle, a burning hatred rising within him, for other than the three Resistance fighters in the stands, Yuto watching from a street corner, and Declan Akaba and those closest to him, only he understood what Aren was truly referring to.
'You think you stand on the moral high ground, don't you Aren?' seethed Sora internally. 'Well, you won't be standing for long, not after Duel Academy is finished with you Xyz-ians!'
"I will thoroughly kick your ass!" shouted Aren enragedly, tossing aside his Xyz Dimension Duel Disk and activating the silver wing-shaped Duel Disk blade on his mechanical arm. All of a sudden, his Deck began glowing a blue color, as did the non-mechanical hand of the War Eagle. "My body is living proof that those like you, evil Fusion Summoners, deserve no mercy, and NONE WILL BE SHOWN! I DRAW!" A stream of blue light trailed from the card Aren drew, blinding everyone in the stadium with a tremendous brightness.
Aren blinked, and all of sudden the environment around him had changed. Suddenly he was floating in the middle of a field of clouds, with only him in it.
"Where am I?" said Aren, looking all around him. As he turned around, he gasped in shock, for it turned out he was not alone. Peering down at him was a quadrupedal figure enshrouded by the clouds, a faint outline visible through the white vapor. "What...are you?"
"I AM THE ONE BROUGHT INTO EXISTENCE FROM THE CHAOS OF CREATION.' boomed a deep resounding, yet comforting voice in response, the sound reverberating through every cell in the War Eagle's body. "I AM A SWORD...AND A SHIELD. A FIGHTER...AND A PROTECTOR…"
"Are you a Duel Monster?" questioned Aren.
"I AM...AND YET I AM MORE." responded the creature, the cryptic response confusing the middle Obsidian child. "YOUR WORDS...I HAVE HEARD THEM FROM THIS DISTANT PLANE OF EXISTENCE...I HAVE NOT HEARD WORDS OF SUCH CONVICTION IN MANY YEARS…"
"My words…" pondered Aren. "You mean what I said to Aiko about his treatment of his Duel Monsters?"
"CORRECT." echoed the voice. "I HAD NEARLY GIVEN UP HOPE IN YOUR KIND...BUT I SEE NOW THAT YOU ARE ONE OF A KIND."
"Um, thank you." stammered Aren, words struggling to find him.
"I SEE NOW I HAVE FINALLY FOUND ONE WHOM I MAY ALLY MYSELF WITH." blared the voice. "AN ALLY THAT WILL HELP ME TO SAVE THE FOUR DIMENSIONS."
"You mean me?" said Aren. "You've chosen me?"
"I HAVE." confirmed the voice. "WHAT IS YOUR NAME?"
"My name is Aren Obsidian, though some call me War Eagle." said Aren, properly introducing himself.
"AREN...THAT NAME MEANS COURAGE IN A LANGUAGE LOST TO THE UNIVERSE...WAR EAGLE IS A FITTING NICKNAME FOR YOU." said the voice, a sense of pride welling up with Aren. "AREN...LET US PROCEED!" A massive roar tore through the clouds, a bright light forming from where the hidden figure was. The light turned the being's outline into the that of a card, which then floated into Aren's hand, where it then released an even brighter light, blinding the Obsidian.
When Aren opened his eyes, he was back on the duel field. He flipped the card he had drawn over, and everything became clear.
"From my hand, I activate the Ritual Spell Dimension Dragon Descent!" shouted Aren, playing a spell that depicted a shadowed beast within a blue line of energy descending onto a destroyed world. "I Tribute Monsters from my hand and field whose total Level equals or surpasses the Dragon-type Ritual Monster that I'm Ritual Summoning from my hand or my Deck!" As he said this, a bronze brazier etched with dragon-claw marks descended from the sky.
"A Ritual Spell?!" shouted Shark in disbelief. "When did he get that?!"
"Dimension Dragon Ritual?" questioned Rio. "I've never heard of that card before. Shay, did you know about this card?"
"No." said Shay in complete shock. "I never knew anything about it." These words caused the Kastle's to react in shock.
"I tribute from my hand Level 5 Enigma Eagle Shadow Lanius, and Level 4 Enigma Eagle Hummingbird Healer!" shouted Aren, discarding two cards. The spirits of the two Enigma Eagles turned into balls of green fire, which flew into the brazier. All of a sudden, the red fire engulfing the field turned a light shade of green, and a windstorm kicked up.
"What's happening?!" shouted Aiko, the wind whipping embers into the cyclone of fire around the brazier.
"From the mists of a world long destroyed, I call upon this Monster to tear the oppressors of the innocent from reality! I Ritual Summon Crush Claw Ritual Dragon!" called out Aren. The cyclone of fire dissipated to reveal a massive blue quadrupedal dragon, equipped with curved claws on each foot that were sharper than anything else in the world. From its spiked back emerged two triple-edged wings, spikes pointing out from each edge. The end of the dragon's tail was as sharp as a sword-blade, but the most piercing thing about the beast had to be the pure-white eyes that sparkled with an unnatural brilliance. The dragon let loose an ethereal roars that sent screams through the audience and shivers through their spines. (LV. 8; ATK: 2800; DEF: 2000; WIND)
"What...what is this beast?!" shouted Aiko in horror. What surprised him even more was that Grand Solar Dragon suddenly bowed its head, as if it had come to life somehow.
"Unbelievable!" projected Nico Smiley's voice. "Aren has turned this duel upside down and summoned a dragon of his own, and a Ritual Monster no least!"
"He summoned a Ritual Monster straight from his Deck." said Declan in shock, completely taken aback by this turn of events.
"Crush Claw...Ritual Dragon…" said Zuzu, instantly flashing back to witnessing Yuto's Duel with Sylvio. As she snapped back to reality, she noticed that Yuya had clutched his chest, apparently in slight pain. "Yuya! Are you okay?! What's wrong?!"
"I don't know...my chest is burning for some reason!" gasped Yuya, Sora watching in confusion. "What kind of Monster is that thing?"
"So you must the Monster from my vision…" said Aren in awe, his new Monster settling on the ground next to him, bringing its head up to the War Eagle. "Crush Claw Ritual Dragon."
'IT IS MY HONOR TO FIGHT ALONGSIDE YOU, AREN OBSIDIAN.' responded Crush Claw, his robust voice booming within Aren's mind. 'LET US PUNISH THIS FOOL FOR HIS MISGUIDED WAYS!'
"I activate Crush Claw Ritual Dragon's effect!" said Aren, lifting his right hand up. "Once per turn, I can destroy every Level 5 or higher non-Ritual Monster on your field, and Crush Claw gains 400 attack points multiplied by the combined Levels of all the Monsters blown away from the battlefield by this effect!"
"What an effect! That's insane!" said Rio.
"With that power, Aren can win in this turn…" breathed Shay, his eyes glued upon his brother.
"Tempest Levity!" shouted Aren as Crush Claw began to glow. The Ritual Dragon flew into the sky, positioning himself directly above his new master. A blast of emerald lightning was released from his front claws, moving directly towards Aiko's dragon.
"I don't think so!" shouted Aiko, picking up a card with a stylized "A" on its back off the ground. "I play the Action Spell, Mirror Barrier! With this, Grand Solar Dragon is safe from your Monster's effect this turn!" A transparent orb surrounded the Fire-attribute Monster, forming a protective barrier against the lightning blast.
"No you don't!" shouted Aren, running over to the last building still standing. Doing a series of backflips, he jumped off of the ground and onto the top of the building, also picking up an Action Card. "I play the Action Spell, No Action! This negates your Action Spell's effect, so Grand Solar Dragon is still destroyed!"
"This can't be happening!" shouted Aiko. His eyes widened as for a moment, he swore Grand Solar Dragon turned its head and growled at him, giving the Dueling Dynamo the feeling that his Monster had just laughed at him. The Fusion Monster exploded into a mist of yellow sparkles, leaving Sagiri defenseless.
"Since Grand Solar Dragon was a level 10 Monster, Crush Claw gains 4000 attack points due to his effect!" said Aren, his Ritual Monster roaring as his strength grew. (Crush Claw Ritual Dragon ATK: 2800 + 4000 = 6800)
"6800 attack points?!" shouted Aiko in disbelief.
"It's go time!" yelled Aren. "Crush Claw Ritual Dragon, attack Aiko directly! Ravaging Radiant Ripper!" Crush Claw's front claws glowed a grand shade of blue, as the Ritual Dragon raised his front left foot. Aiko screamed as four razor-sharp claws tore directly into his sternum, sending him flying back into a small patch of ground somehow not singed by the blaze.
AIKO LP: 5150 - 6800 = 0
As Crush Claw's body returned to his card, Aren pointed at Aiko, who looked up at the Xyz/Ritual user with tears streaming down his face. "You have no right to call yourself a Duelist...now you will pay the price for your malicious ways…" Aren moved his right hand to a button on the right side of his mechanical arm, intending to do something he hadn't done in weeks: turn a defeated opponent into a card.
'Do not proceed any further.' said a voice in Aren's ear. A radio signal was being transmitted to the frequency of his mechanical eye.
"Declan." said Aren back softly.
"This is a tournament, not a battlefield...yet. Please refrain from carding your opponents." said Declan. "I don't think you want to scare the audience anymore than you already have."
Aren said nothing for a moment, then shut his eyes and turned around, leaving the crying Aiko where he was. The Action Field disappeared, but where there should have been cheering there was complete silence. Aren had struck dumb every member of the audience.
"...We have a winner! This match goes to Aren!" said Nico, nervousness evident in his voice. "I must say...that was quite the display...hopefully we don't see anything that serious again…"
"That was quite the showcase of strength." said Kit in disbelief.
"You know, for as many times as I've seen Aren Duel," said Julia, "I don't think I've ever seen him lose his cool."
"I remember now why I don't want to get on his bad side." added Dipper.
"That was no Duel…" said Yuya in shock. "It was an all-out war…"
"Yeah…" said Sora, his eyes still narrowed. "It sure was…" As he said this, his eyes drifted to Shay on the opposite side of the stadium, a sinister feeling rising in his chest.
'Crush Claw Ritual Dragon…' thought Aren, staring at his partner. "Soarnight, are you there?"
"Ugh...yeah, though quite singed." responded Soarnight, his soot-covered spirit appearing next to the War Eagle.
"I'm not sure why," said Aren softly, as he exited the stadium and began walking back to Declan's office, "but something tells me that meeting our new ally was more than just destiny…"
{Next Chapter: A Field of Flames}
With Aren, Shark, and Rio all successfully through to the 2nd round, Shay fights Sora Perse, the suspected Duel Academy agent. As the audience watches, they soon realize as the two trade blows and insults that Aren's display was nothing compared to what they were witnessing now...