I've never done a dedication before. Normally I write for me and me alone out of boredom, curiosity, and an insatiable desire to put my ideas to paper. But with college getting to a close I stopped writing. When I finally got back to it I was a different person. So much had happened and I felt like I had aged decades in the space of months. Wanting to be better at writing I asked for help from one of the very people who inspired me to write in the first place. So here's to DZ2 for promoting me, inspiring me, and now helping me whether you realised it or not. Enjoy the chapter you guys and know there's a mental image of what the next one looks like in my head and notes. And college finishes in three weeks so it won't be long for many more.
"I'm going to help you?" Harry asked a small smile creeping on his face as he tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword and turned it slightly. "Help you with what?"
Banner nodded his head and crossed his hands behind his back causing Harry to narrow his glowing green eyes. Seeing this, Banner uncrossed his hands and raised them in the air. "I mean you no harm Harry. But what I am about to tell you will take some time."
"Then you better start talking because you have until dawn to convince me."
"I must admit if this is how you are with a sword I am rather glad you don't have a deck in your hands. I may not have seen your duel with the Gravekeeper Chieftain but I could feel the power all the way from our cell."
"And I must admit you are a terrible staller. Get a move on and tell your story." Harry said taking a step closer.
That was a mistake. Faster than he could react, Banner took from his cloak, an old tomb with the eye of Anubis on its cover, and transported the two of them out of the red dorm and into what appeared to be an old laboratory. Various machines littered the walls with tapestries and carvings filling the spaces left. Falling to his knees Harry could only hear his sword being kicked across the room not being able to see due to spots in his eyes.
"You're a fool if you think that will stop me." Harry grunted as he tried to stand but found himself unable to move. "Or not." He commented after another try.
"My shadow charm will not hold you for long but it will be long enough for me to explain what you need to know. The danger I put yourselves and Jaden through was a task given unto me by he would call himself my master, Kagemaru, the super intendant of the school."
"If you're about to give me the, I was just following orders excuse then you've lost before you even started." Harry panted stretching slightly within the confines of his bindings showing that they had begun to loosen already.
"On the contrary." Banner whispered but in the confines of an unoccupied room it was enough. His distorted voice echoed across the room and back. "I stopped following his orders years ago. What was once a simple business arrangement has become so much more. Kagemaru must be stopped. Unfortunately I lack the skills and the power to do so myself, but there are those who are beyond me."
"You mean Jaden." Harry surmised. Syrus's story and Banners focus on Jaden's life suddenly making a lot more sense. A sound like the shattering of glass was heard echoing across the room and beyond as he stood from the confines of his prison and summoned his sword to him. "Start from the beginning and work your way here." He commanded raising the sword and causing its edge to glow dangerously. "If I don't like where it goes…" Trailing off and waving the sword Harry waited.
"I have seen you reading the old texts as I once did." Banner started. Leaning against a wall and clutching the tome that, by now, Harry had deduced was a shadow charm. "You know of Uria, Raviel, and Hamon, the lords of fire, thunder and illusions? What you do not know, is that many years ago, I was the one who discovered them."
The stone beside Banner's head was struck with a bolt of shadow magic piercing it and forcing Banner to the side. The stone cracked and fell to the ground while Harry growled. "My Father is Maximillion Pegasus, the explorer who found the catacombs died as a result of the curse placed on them. He never made it out."
"I am well aware of who your father is Harry. Did you think nobody would truly notice your disappearance? When your father showed up looking for answers the entire faculty discovered who you were. The body found in the catacombs, you know who it belonged to?"
"An alchemist by the name of Amnael."
"Yes." Banner hissed, his masked eyes glowing slightly red in his desperation to tell Harry. "I borrowed one of the bodies from the tomb and dressed it in my spare clothes before vanishing back to my lab in the hopes of saving my life."
"I should believe you, why?" Harry asked.
"Look around this room Harry. See the carvings of the Sacred Beasts straight from their tombs. Look upon the shelves and see the very tombs you read in my class naught but a day ago. I was the alchemist who found the beasts. But if you need more proof. Look behind you and ask yourself this, why else would I need that."
A noise could be heard from behind Harry. Turning, he saw a sarcophagus opening before his eyes but no more, as the dust had risen, blocking his eyes. When the dust cleared Harry finally understood what was going on and it was by mere chance he didn't have to ask.
When he was 11 years old, in his search for Nicholas Flamel and the philosopher stone, he had discovered books about extension of life. One such article, detailed a homunculus, an alchemical creation of a human body without a soul. The details of its creation weren't included but he could see before his very own eyes, evidence of one in existence. In the sarcophagus was an exact replica of Banner.
"So this is how you survived." Harry surmised now believing the words of Banner. "But that doesn't explain Kagemaru."
"A homunculus cannot last." Banner explained. "Knowing my time was short I became desperate. I had to find a way to restore my original body or perish. So I joined the shadow riders in the hopes that with the powers of the Sacred Beasts by my side than against me. I could live forever."
"What changed?"
"I met the rest of the shadow riders. I saw the true face of Kagemaru. I saw what he did to the students of the abandoned dorm in the hopes of accelerating his plans."
Harry's mind flashed back to Alexis now sleeping in her room. Her brother. Missing. Lost in an accident in the abandoned dorm along with several others. Knowing the grief and pain she suffered and the time she spent looking for him caused Harry's rage to grow beyond control. The carvings on the wall began to shake, dust falling from the grooves. The machines rattled as they moved for the first time in years.
"You were responsible for the missing students. Where are they?" He growled as shadows crept from the floor and over his body, darkening his legs but going no further.
"Safe" Banner hastily explained. "Under Kagemaru's control, but safe. When he realised they could be of no use he locked them away in the shadow realm. By defeating him we can return them."
"We?" Harry exclaimed hysterically. "You're grand plan is the culmination of a reformed renegade, myself, and a novice shadow duellist." Laughing, Harry continued. "What a marvellous trio, together we can make miracles."
But Harry sobered soon after. "Except I haven't agreed to anything. And I'll be damned if I let you near Jaden after what you just tried to do."
"But_" Banner began only to be interrupted once more.
"Yes, yes you already said that Kagemaru ordered it. And from what I understand you even put up a token of resistance. But you still let it happen, you sent not only Jaden, but the others as well. And I can't forgive that."
"You'll have to." Banner whispered but like before Harry could hear it clearly. "Do you think I am dressed like this for dramatic purposes? For the first time, Kagemaru assembled us all. Deep in the depths of the shadow realm he called on us to serve and fulfil his task."
Harry sat down on the stone floor in shock. Uncaring as the dirt and dust clung to his blazer. "How many?" He asked in response.
"Seven, including myself. Each wielding powers and skill unmatched by time." Banner pushed himself off the wall and sat next to Harry. "I know you don't trust me. But my only goal is the safety of the world. The Sacred Beasts must never be allowed to roam free or else the world as we know it will become a wasteland of destruction."
"And you expect me to just sit back and let Jaden fight them in the hopes he'll become strong enough?"
"No." Banner answered. "I expect you to play the game as it lies. If a rider challenges you, duel, win. I will not risk the fate of the world on the off chance that Jaden proves himself. No matter how sure of him I may be."
"How long do we have?"
Banner sighed. "Chancellor Sheppard plans to release the keys tomorrow. You, Alexis, Jaden, Zane, Chazz and Dr Crowler are to be summoned during my class. Nightshroud will be first. "
Harry leaned against the wall and sighed. "It all keeps coming back to Nightshroud." He muttered. Suddenly his eyes widened in realisation. "What's to stop the shadow riders just taking the keys and taking the cards?" Harry asked Banner. Standing up in panic and beginning to pace Harry turned to the masked man. "So long as they hold this key they're a target. For that matter, so am I."
"An ancient edict protects you." Banner explained. "When the sacred beasts were sealed away it was by a powerful shadow charm. It drained the majority of the power of the beasts into the spirit keys. The keys need the energy of duellists in order to not only unlock the sacred beasts, but awaken them. Where I to steal the keys I would have the cards yes, but not the immense power of the sacred beasts."
"So why not hide the keys? Give them to nobody."
"Because then Kagemaru will become desperate. He will hold the island hostage and force the entire academy into shadow duels until the energy is gathered. Sheppard would rather have faith in his students to win than condemn them to endless suffering."
Harry saw the logic. Damned if he did and damned if he didn't. But that didn't mean he had to like it. "So Nightshroud will have to challenge me." He asked after a moment of silence
"You intend to seek him out?" Banner inquired.
"I have far too many questions for him. I imagine should he lose he won't be in much of a talking mood?" The lack of answer to Harry's question told him all he needed and truth be told he wasn't surprised. "So you and me?" He said at last extending his hand to Banner who was still on the ground.
Taking the hand, Banner stood from the floor but did not let go.
"Thank you Harry. I am grateful not only for your help. But for the chance at redemption you have given me."
"Don't mention it." Harry muttered. "Seriously."
With that Harry vanished in a flash of purple light only to reappear in the forests. He had read the ancient texts. He knew about the sacred beasts whose power was in the same league as the Egyptian gods. Yet they had never mentioned them. With more questions than answers, he knew what he had to do and so began to chant. Picturing the realm of the gods in him mind. The swirling kaleidoscope of colour broken only by the shadows of the sleeping deities.
'I'm never going to get to sleep tonight.' He thought to himself as he vanished in a swirl of light leaving no trace of his presence behind. Like previous times he appeared before the gods but unlike most he was completely coherent.
"Hi." He said by way of greeting.
"We've been waiting." Came the response from all three of the gods rather than a single one.
"Tell me mortal did you enjoy our little match against the Gravekeepers?" Obelisk questioned. Though his expression did not change Harry could feel the smugness radiating off of the god. "I must thank you, it's been a long time since I've gotten to stretch my legs."
"Actually." Harry responded, "I was originally going for Ra. Bit of a mix up that but I am still new." He was never going to tell the god that he had been first choice. That little secret would go to his grave. "I'm assuming with your less than healthy interest in my well-being you know why I'm here?"
"You wish to know about Armatyle." Slifer answered.
"No, I want to know about the Sacred Beasts."
"Silly child." The red serpent like Dragon continued. "They are one and the same."
For the first time in many years. Harry finally took the bait of a hanging sentence and asked "What?"
"In the beginning." Obelisk explained. "In the height of our power. We existed as one being. Horakhty, the creator of light. It was not always like this, and as you can see it did not remain so, but for a time, this was how we existed. The sacred beasts are also capable of such a feat. Hamon, Uria, and Raviel, together they can form Armatyle."
"Why have I never heard of this?" Harry asked. "The Sacred Beasts were chronicled through time. I know of their powers, but not this?"
"Because they, like us, cannot do this alone. We did so through Atem. They did so through their wielder." Slifer answered. "It is possible they will do so again. Though mortals have forgotten that particular aspect of the Beasts, spirits have not. We refer to the beasts as Armatyle because that is who they are. Much like we are Horakhty, the fragments of light."
Harry found the silence that followed unbearable and as always, looked around the realm in curiosity. Seeing the once small shadows becoming more and more distinguishable he knew the answer to his next question. "It won't be long will it?"
"No." Ra spoke at last. "Armatyle is the first. But he will not be the last. Dark times are ahead of this world and the centre of it all will be duel academy." His eyes glowed and Harry saw a ball of light float out of the centre of the vortex and stop at him. In that light he saw himself.
Watching as an obviously older version of himself raised mountains and created tornados of fire and water to carve a path through armies Harry was in awe. He somehow managed to find the willpower to take his eyes off the sight and look at the red eyes of the gods in front of him.
"This is how you would have turned out." Ra answrred his unspoken question. "You were destined to become the most powerful user of magic in your world. When we brought you here it was because we needed you and your capacity for power."
The orb flashed and changed. Harry looked back and now saw Duel Academy in the midst of a storm. Lightning crashed into the grounds and waves rose far above the cliff sides. The Slifer dorm had been destroyed and the Ra dorm was on fire. The main campus roof had been shattered and through it Harry saw his friends looking up in fear.
Ra, Obelisk, Slifer. Hamon, Uria, Raviel. Avatar, Eraser, Dreadroot. An armoured man, a being of light. Together they all clashed over duel academy. The vortex of colour that inhabited the world of the gods now poured down from the sky. With each blow, every attack, the world shook and the skyline itself begun to crack. Beyond the light of the fragmented world Harry could see beyond. Other worlds of spirits, humans and more were being opened by the powers unleashed. But beyond even that Harry could see a dark shadow creeping through. It felt like nothing he had ever felt before. It was then, that Harry looked away in fear.
"You want me to stop this?" He choked. "How?"
"You've already begun. By agreeing to stop the rise of Armatyle you have taken the first step to keeping the gods in check. As you grow in strength you can ensure that if things go beyond control, you can seal us away." Slifer coiled his body around Harry's as he had done so many times before but this time, Harry could feel comfort radiating from the red scales. "We will be on your side youngling. We do not want war."
"Go home and rest child." Ra commanded gently. "Tomorrow night will be your greatest challenge."
Nodding. Harry vanished in a flash of purple light and reappeared in the night's sky. Falling alongside raindrops and stopping only before he hit the ground Harry opened his eyes just in time to see lightning flash in the horizon. Looking behind him and seeing the doors to the main building Harry knew what he had to do.
Tomorrow he would be reunited with his deck. He would find Nightshroud. And he would protect his friends with his soul if he had to. In a flash of purple he vanished. Never did he notice the red eyes tracing his every movement.
In the obelisk Blue Girls dorm Alexis woke up gasping for air. Looking out her window she could just make out the Boy's dorm shrouded in the shadow of night. Until one window lit up. Every time she had this feeling, Harry did something strange or stupid. She had first felt it when he left. Like a part of herself had been missing. And though she hadn't realised it at the time. She had felt it when he come home. Tonight she had felt both causing her to wake up from her dream. Blushing, she thought, it had been a good dream too.
Going back to bed she returned to her dreams of a black haired boy with green eyes and a lightning shaped scar.
As Harry went to bed and turned the lights of his room off with a wave of his hand. He looked at his bracers and wondered if he would dream of Alexis again with them on. It wouldn't be so bad, he thought, if he did.
