30. The Shadow's Guardian.

We have to find that Nephilim, he has gave us a time limit of twelve hours, now with the Duel I had with that Nephilim and the Duel against the Shadow Sirens there is only nine hours left.

Plenty of time, we're going to assault the Creepy Steeple to end it.

But will it be that simple?

Bow and Luigi were watching TV, there was a local Duel tournament organized by one of the bigger card shops in New-York.

The final Duel had just ended, the camera turned to the announcer he was yelling all sorts of stuff. 'Luigi.' Mario said as he entered the room, Luigi looked at his brother. 'We're going, now we have the perfect window.' Luigi sighted he wanted to turn the TV off but Bow stopped him. 'Look an announcement.' She said.

'This tournament was organized by Industrial Illusions as a promotion for the new Pendulum Monsters that are released officially today...' Luigi turned the TV off. 'More power for our enemies to use.' Luigi sighted, at that moment Mallow came in. 'Mario are we going?' He asked.

'Well I have something for you.' Mario handed Mallow a pack of cards, Mallow leafed through them. 'Pendulum Monsters?' Mallow said, Mario nodded. 'Advance payment for our help dealing with the Nephilim, I checked the card shop but saw nothing that could help our Decks except these Wind Majespecter monsters, I'd thought they might come in handy.'

Mallow took his Deck, he removed some of his cards then added the new cards in.

Five minutes later Mario, Luigi, Mallow, Goombella and Bow who now felt better were underway, as usual when they passed the shack Mario checked if it was safe, 'So Mario what is the plan?' Bow asked: 'I mean the town is still stuck with that bomb.'

Mario thought for a second. 'Well first we deal with that Nephilim, if we take the Crystal Star that threat will be gone, then we return to the town and deal with that bomb, maybe we can even take Vivian with us, she is forced by her sisters, then when that is done we find Azrael, if he doesn't find us in the meantime and lastly we deal with Grave, maybe if we are lucky he just agrees to leave and fake that I defeated him.'

Then suddenly the sky went completely dark, black fog entered the Twilight Trail, Mario motioned the rest to get back.

'You don't have to look for me any further.' A familiar and threatening voice spoke, a portal opened and Azrael leaped out of it, he landed on his feet. 'This is how I will do it, first I will kill your lot Mario and take your Crystal Stars, then I kill the Nephilim and take his Crystal Star, after that I will blow up Twilight Town!'

'Mario I devised a Deck that you won't be able to defeat.' Azrael grinned, then even more black fog appeared.

'No Azrael you won't, this is how we will do it, I will kick your sorry ass.'

Behind them another figure appeared, his wild, long dark purple hair reached almost to the ground, the boy was slender, his upper body was naked you could see the muscles on his arms and his six-pack, he had several scars on his body and face, his fingers ended in long nails giving them the appearance of claws, the only thing he wore were black ragged shorts, he grinned revealing his sharp teeth, his black empty eyes were fixated at Azrael.

'Mario who is that?' Goombella shivered a bit.

'Culex is that you?' Mario asked, the demonic kid nodded slightly.

'What brings you here?' Mallow asked: 'Last time we saw you was in Smithy's Factory.'

Culex closed his eyes, he sighted. 'Well.' Culex started: 'After I helped Grave get his sister back and you set the Factory to self destruct I had to run, luckily I was able to create a portal, I was launched into a portion of the Dark World, where the Nephilim live, a very violent portion I have to add.' Azrael was just standing there dumbfounded. 'I've fought an entire army of weaker Nephilim, after I defeated their leader I could return to the Shadow Realm once more, but I only found the void and an exit to this realm, when I came out I was standing here in Twilight Town, I decided to go into hiding for the time being.'

Then Culex looked at Azrael. 'So now the time has come to deal with you.'

Azrael smirked. 'You know I give you exactly one chance to retreat now.' Culex stated. 'I'm no coward, Azrael runs from nobody!' Azrael shouted.

Azrael and Culex stood face-to-face. 'Last chance punk, you have nothing to do with the Trinity, step aside now and live fail to step aside and I will destroy you.' Azrael threatened.

'I've danced with the Trinity before, after all I defeated Grave in Smithy's factory.' Culex coldly replied, Azrael narrowed his eyes: 'So that was you.' Azrael activated his Duel Disk, the pattern of his D-Gazer appeared around his left eye, Culex stretched his left arm, black mist appeared around it forming a black Duel Disk with red lines marking the zones, then his left eye started to glow golden.

'Azrael you won't win this fight.' Culex said: 'Time and space are irrelevant to me, just like the past, present and future I have foreseen this.'

Azrael grinned. 'You act tough, but your words hold no meaning! Let's Duel and find out who is truly the master of shadows!'

'In that case let's dance Azrael! The dance of shadows!'

(Culex: 8000) - (Azrael: 8000)

'The opening turn is mine.' Culex said, he looked at his hand.

'I Set two cards on my Field.' He stated, one card appeared horizontally another appeared behind it vertically. 'Turn end.'

'Really? After all your words, only two set cards?' Azrael sneered.

'I hereby activate my facedown card.' Culex replied, above the Field a huge Ouija board appeared, the pointer moved over the board and stopped at the letter ''D'' then the letter appeared above the Field shrouded in mist.

'So that is why...' Azrael sighted.

'But your Destiny Board does not scare me, I know how spirits work, they won't be able to kill me.' Azrael pointed out, then he took a card from his hand. 'I summon Doomcaliber Knight!' A demonic rider clad in pitch-black armor appeared sitting on a pitch-black horse, in his hands the rider held a huge sword and a demonic-looking shield. (1900 ATK)

'Doomcaliber attacks!' Azrael shouted, Culex's hidden monster appeared, a gross-looking wall of flesh and muscles appeared, in the middle of the wall

was a woman's face with long red hair and scars. (1850 DEF)

'You attacked my Wall of Illusion, this means your monster is send back to your hand, but I guess that your Doomcaliber Knight negates that Effect by removing itself from the Field.' Azrael simply watched as Doomcaliber Knight cut Wall of Illusion in half, then the demonic knight disappeared.

'Azrael I knew you would use Doomcaliber Knight so I set a trap.' Culex stated.

'Damn, you're trying to screw with my mind! Well won't work! I set one card!' Azrael placed the card in his Duel Disk it appeared horizontally. 'Then I activate The Dark Door so only one monster can battle per turn!' The Continuous Spell card appeared next to the set card. 'Turn end!'

'That means Destiny Board activates again.' Culex replied, the pointer this time pointed the letter ''E'' the letter appeared next to the ''D''.

'My turn.' Culex said, slowly he drew his card. 'I summon Gil Garth.' A black, demonic suit of armor appeared on the Field, it appeared to have a small head spikes covered the arms and legs, the creature drew a large sword from its back. (1800 ATK)

'Gil Garth attacks directly!' Culex shouted.

'I activate my Trap card, Zoma the Spirit!' The trap card spun around, then a small black dragon with sharp claws and teeth appeared with a snarl. (500 DEF) 'Gil Garth destroy it!' Culex commanded, the sword of Gil Garth beheaded the dragon, then a black goo covered Culex. 'When Zoma is destroyed by battle, my opponent takes damage equal to the attack points of the monster that destroyed it.'

(Culex: 6200) - (Azrael: 8000)

'I end my turn here.' Culex stated.

'Draw.' Azrael drew his card. 'I summon another Doomcaliber Knight.' He stated, the demonic rider galloped on the Field. (1900 ATK)

'Attack that Gil Garth!' Doomcaliber Knight charged in, Gil Garth wanted to strike but Doomcaliber blocked the attack with its shield then it struck back defeating Gil Garth.

(Culex: 6100) - (Azrael: 8000)

'My turn ends.' Azrael stated.

'And that means another Spirit Message appears.' Culex grinned, this time the letter ''A'' appeared.

'My turn again.' Culex stated, he drew his card. 'I set one monster.' He stated, the horizontal card appeared on the Field. 'Turn end.'

'Culex, you tell me you have foreseen this, yet you rely on your Destiny Board to win, do you really think I am stupid?'

Azrael looked Culex in the eyes the latter showed no emotion and said nothing. 'Fine have it your way, Doomcaliber destroy his hidden monster!' Azrael said, his Knight charged in, the set card changed into the ugly purple blob that was Giant Germ. (100 DEF)

Doomcaliber Knight slashed the creature in pieces. 'The effect of Giant Germ activates and that means Doomcaliber leaves the Field!' Again Doomcaliber Knight disappeared.

'In that case I summon Necro Soldier.' Azrael continued, a small toy soldier resembling a Queen's Guard appeared, it had decaying skin. (0 ATK) 'To end my turn I set two cards.' Azrael stated both cards appeared behind the Necro Soldier.

'That means another Spirit Message appears. Culex said, this time the pointer moved to the letter ''T'' it appeared next to the other letters.

Culex then drew his card. 'I activate the effect of Necro Soldier.' Azrael stated: 'During my opponent's Standby Phase I can summon another Necro Soldier.' Next to the first soldier a second one appeared, this one was kneeling. (0 DEF)

'I summon another Gil Garth.' Culex stated, another suit of demonic armor appeared on the Field. (1800 ATK)

'I attack your Necro Soldier, but you will block my attack with Scrap-Iron Scarecrow.' Culex said.

Azrael started to sweat a bit. 'How did he know? No I shouldn't panic The Dark Door and Scrap-Iron Scarecrow is a known strategy, he probably guessed right.' The scarecrow made of scrap iron appeared, Gil Garth's attack was blocked and he retreated. 'Turn end.'

Azrael wiped the sweat from his face, then he drew his card.

'Last turn Azrael, unless you use your remaining card to destroy my Destiny Board.' Culex said in a mocking tone.

'That is exactly what I do! Go Dust Tornado!' Azrael shouted, his other card spun around, a tornado swooped away the Ouija board, the ghostly letters slowly disappeared. 'I change my Necro Soldier to defense mode.' Azrael stated, the first toy soldier knelt down next to the second one. (0 DEF)

'Now that I destroyed your Destiny Board it is time for me to counter you!' Azrael took a card from his hand. 'I activate Cursed Twin Dolls!'

On the middle of the Field two creepy-looking man-sized dolls appeared, they had a grayish skin-color blond hair one of them had red bows in her hair the other had blue bows, both of them wore an old-fashioned dress, the one with the red bows had a red dress the one with blue bows wore the same one only blue the one dressed in red held a black box the one dressed in blue held a red box.

'This is where things get interesting.' Azrael said: 'Now you chose one of the dolls then the box is opened, one of the box holds a blessing while the other holds a curse, now Culex choose.'

Culex looked at both of the boxes. 'I take the red box.' He then said, the doll wearing blue walked over to Culex's side so it stood behind him, the other doll positioned itself behind Azrael, then Culex's box opened a bright light shone out of it while a black mist came out of Azrael's box.

'It looks like you gained the blessing Culex, this means that for every card send from your Deck to the Graveyard you gain 200 Life Points, I however got the curse, this means my Graveyard is hereby DESTROYED!' Azrael started to laugh maniacally, then two spirits of Doomcaliber Knight appeared behind him. 'My dead monsters now linger on the Field, however they cannot attack nor defend me, nor their effects can be used.' Then Azrael took another card from his hand. 'I activate a Continuous Spell card, Counterbalance!' The card appeared on the Field. 'Now during the End Phase the turn player must discard cards to his Graveyard for each monster on the Field and yes the spirits of my dead monsters count towards that.'

Culex showed no emotion, he only observed the Field.

'I end my turn and thus Counterbalance activates.' Azrael said, then he laughed: 'O wait, I do not have a Graveyard to send my cards to!'

Culex growled something, then he drew his card, Culex made a quick calculation, in the beginning he had forty cards in his Deck, with his opening hand and the cards he drew during the Duel he now had thirty-one cards left.

'I draw!' Culex drew his card. 'Then the effect of Necro Soldier activates.' Azrael stated, another one of the toy soldiers appeared. (0 DEF)

Culex took a card from his hand. 'I activate Monster Reborn!' The holy Ankh appeared on the Field and Gil Garth reappeared under it. (1800 ATK) 'Next I summon A-Team: Trap Disposal Unit!' four robots colored: red, blue, orange and green appeared, they all wore yellow helmets. (300 ATK) 'Gil Garth attacks!' Culex commanded.

'Fool, I activate Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!' Azrael reacted.

'I'd hope you'd do that, I activate the effect of my Trap Disposal Unit! I sacrifice it so the activation of your card is negated and destroyed!' The four robots walked up to the Trap card and completely demolished it, then Gil Garth took charge destroying one of the toy soldiers, a spirit version of the monster appeared with the two Doomcaliber Knights. 'I end my turn.'

Azrael started to laugh. 'This means you must discard cards, three from the dead monsters behind me, your Gil Garth and my two Necro Soldiers.'

Culex took the top six cards from his Deck and discarded them, then a warm light surrounded him.

(Culex: 7300) - (Azrael: 8000)

'You only have twenty-five cards left now.' Azrael sneered: 'While I have plenty.' He casually drew his card. 'I activate Pot of Greed.' He then stated, the happy pot appeared on the Field and Azrael drew two cards.

'I summon Necro Wall.' Before Azrael a gross, white, square wall appeared, then muscles appeared on the wall and an ugly face grew out of it, one of its eyes was closed the other one was yellow, it had a large tongue sticking out of its mouth. (0 ATK)

'Then I set one card.' Azrael continued and he played the last card in his hand, it appeared behind Necro Wall. 'I end my turn and that means I get to special summon Necro Wall Tokens up to the number of Zombie monster I control.' Two more Necro Wall appeared next to the first one. (0 DEF x2)

Culex looked at all the monsters on the Field then he drew his card. 'That is half of the puzzle I need.' Culex thought as he saw the card he just got.

'Gil Garth attacks Necro Wall!'

The fiendish warrior heaved his sword then charged in. 'I activate Negate Attack!' Azrael shouted, his Trap card opened then Gil Garth slammed against a barrier. 'Turn end.'

Azrael started to laugh: 'Time to thin out your Deck!' Culex looked at the monsters: There were the two Necro Soldiers, the Necro Wall and its two Tokens, his own Gil Garth and the three souls.' Culex took nine cards from his Deck then discarded them, a warm light enveloped him, he had only sixteen cards left.

(Culex: 9100) - (Azrael: 8000)

'Culex, if you have seen the future then I would act quickly before your time runs out.' Azrael sneered, he drew his card. 'I activate Swords of Revealing Light!' The glowing swords descended onto the Field. 'I end my turn.'

Culex quietly drew his card. 'Damn not the card I need right now, not much time left, I must defeat Azrael here, I need to teach Mario how to control his powers, if not he will become the darkness he seeks to destroy.'

'I must pass.' Culex stated, since there was no change in monsters Culex took another nine cards from his Deck and discarded them, the warm light surrounded him again.

'Only six cards left.' Azrael thought he grinned.

(Culex: 10.900) - (Azrael: 8000)

'You won't survive another turn, so I won't prolong your suffering, I end my turn.' Azrael sneered.

Culex closed his eyes, then he drew his card. 'I set two cards.' He stated, both of them appeared behind Gil Garth. 'Turn end.'

Since Culex had only six more cards left in his Deck he discarded all of them, the glowing light surrounded him once again.

(Culex: 12.100) - (Azrael: 8000)

'Keh keh keh!' Azrael cackled: 'This is it Culex, I just end my turn here...' Culex chuckled. 'Not yet Azrael, I activate my Trap card, Macro Cosmos!' One of the Trap cards spun around. 'This Banishes any card that is send to the Graveyard.' Culex explained. 'Are you delusional Culex? That Trap won't save you!' Culex shook his head. 'On a contrary it does, I activate my other Trap card! Exchange of the Spirit!' Culex roared.

'What?' Azrael gasped.

'This card activates when I have fifteen or more cards in my Graveyard I pay 1000 Life Points then all cards in our Decks are swapped with those in the Graveyard.'

Azrael started to curse loudly. 'Azrael thanks to Macro Cosmos all your cards are Banished! And our Graveyard becomes our Deck but since your Graveyard is destroyed you have no cards.' Culex took all the cards from his Graveyard, he shuffled them and put them in his Deck Zone.

(Culex: 11.100) - (Azrael: 8000)

'You ended your turn so I draw a card.' Culex slowly drew his card, Azrael gritted his teeth. 'I end my turn.' Culex stated, he took nine cards from his Deck and placed them in his pocket. 'Your turn Azrael!' Culex roared.

'Damn you!' Azrael replied then he threw all his cards on the ground.

(Culex: 11.100) - (Azrael: Deck Out)

Azrael glared at Culex. 'I would run now Azrael, you have lost no Life Points so the spirits won't claim you right away, but they are lurking in the shadows for you!'

Azrael took a few steps back. 'Mario, you were lucky Culex showed up, you never would have been able to beat this Deck, but you won't be able to hide behind your friends forever!' With these words a portal opened behind Azrael, he stepped through it and disappeared.

Mario slapped Culex on his back. 'Nice one Culex, Decked Azrael out instead, but how did you know you had to use these cards?'

Culex chuckled: 'It is like I said in the beginning, the darkness hold no secrets past, present and future don't matter to the darkness, I have foresaw this like I said. Now Mario tell me could you have won against his Deck?' Mario shook his head. 'No I couldn't.' He plainly said.

'Now Mario the true reason I am here wasn't to beat Azrael, I am here to Duel you!'

The Nephilim had been watching the Duel from the shadows. 'So one of them shows up, then another one of them leaves, but they will be coming for me next, well Mario, you have been marked by my direct attack from our last Duel, you are mine now.'

When the Nephilim returned to Creepy Steeple he felt some fear. 'My secret is safe, there is only one thing that knows my name, that cursed thing he left me, the only person who defeated me by guessing my name. I killed him but before he died, he learned that thing my name then made it immortal. Lucky I managed to capture it and lock it up, but that Mario and his crew are resourceful what if they learn my name?'

The Nephilim shook his head. 'I will destroy them before they can do that.'

Azrael stepped out of the portal on the ship. 'Azrael you back early.' Grave sneered. 'Shut it, I ran into some difficulties.' Azrael opened the cockpit of one of the smaller ships.

'Where are you going?' Grave asked, Azrael glared at Grave. 'I'm going back to base, I'm sick of this place, the bomb malfunctioned then that Culex showed up.' The cockpit closed and Azrael took off.

'So he is here? Culex, I owe him much, I need to thank him.'

X-Naut HQ: Unknown location.

Azrael entered Grodus' office, Beldam and Marilyn were there as well.

'So Beldam, I understand Twilight Town is la lost case?' Grodus calmly asked.

'O yes it sure is.' Azrael sneered as he sat down: 'You see there is a Nephilim there who is practically unbeatable, unless we can guess his name, then Mario and his friends are running around like they own the place, the bomb malfunctioned and Vivian is there to fix it and finally Culex showed up, spreading some nonsense that he can foresee everything and then that Culex interferes my Duel with Mario and he defeats my practically unbeatable Deck.' The Shadow Sirens had retreated a bit, Grodus was sitting behind his desk with his mouth open.

Then Grodus stood up, he pressed a button and the screen behind him turned on, the screen showed Lord Crump to his middle standing in sewer water. 'Crump, do I want to know what you are doing?' Grodus sighted.

'Sir Grodus, I'm looking for a treasure, to pay back for the Magnus Von Grapple debacle.' Lord Crump then fished something out of the sewer water. 'Got it!' He proudly shouted, in his hand he held a wallet he took some money out of it. 'Five whole Dollars, that give the total of six Dollars...' Casually Crump threw the wallet back in the water.

'CRUMP!' Grodus then yelled, startling Crump: 'That ain't important right now, you have to go to Twilight Town now, Grave has the location for you, there is a bomb there, it broke down and I need you to fix it!'


Next time:

Culex versus Mario.

With only a few hours left before everyone changes into a pig Culex decides to show Mario how to control his powers before the darkness consumes him, it is literally do or die for Mario because if he fails to control his powers Culex will kill him. ''Clash in Darkness'' coming next.


Card details:

Necro Soldier

Type: Zombie/Effect

Attribute: Dark

Level: 4

ATK: 0

DEF: 0

During each of your opponent's Standby Phases, you can Special Summon 1 "Necro Soldier" from your hand or Deck.


Type: Zombie/Effect

Attribute: Dark

Level: 3

ATK: 0

DEF: 0

During your End Phase, you can Special Summon 1 "Necro Wall Token" (DARK/Zombie-Type/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0) for each face-up Zombie-Type monster on the field, except this card.


Cursed Twin Dolls

Continuous Spell card

Your opponent randomly selects and receives 1 of the following effects, while you automatically receive the other effect:

Gain 200 Life Points for each card sent to either player's Graveyard.

Each monster in your Graveyard is treated as 1 monster you control, without counting toward your 5 Monster Card Zone limit. Those monsters cannot attack or be attacked, cannot activate their effects, cannot be used as a cost, cannot be removed from the Graveyard, are unaffected by the effects of Spells, Traps, and Effect Monsters, and their effects are negated. Also remove from play all Spell and Trap Cards in your Graveyard. Cards cannot be sent from your hand, Deck, Fusion Deck, or field to your Graveyard by card effects. If your Monster Card Zones are unused, your opponent's monsters can attack you directly.


Counterbalance

Continuous Spell card

During each player's End Phase, the turn player must send cards equal to the number of monsters on the field from the top of their Deck to the Graveyard.

Note: The above 4 cards were used by Bakura in Episodes 216, 217 and 218 of the original Yu-Gi-Oh anime, credits goes to the writers of these episodes.


Exchange of the Spirit (anime effect)

Normal Trap card

Activate only while there are 15 or more cards in your Graveyard. Pay 1000 Life Points. Both players swap the card(s) in their Graveyard with the card(s) in their Deck. Then, both players shuffle their Decks.


Destiny Board

I used the Japanese version of the card which spells ''DEATH'' instead of ''FINAL'' rules of the card stay the same.