Title: To Fuse The Worlds
Characters: Brron, other Duel Spirits
Chapters: 1-1||Words: 4,535
Genre: Drama||Rated: G
Prompts: GX Month 2022, day #6, free day
Notes: This takes place in the AU where Brron fused the dimensions. In fact, this is how he did it.
Summary: Brron has achieved Super Fusion. So what's next? Using it, of course. And twelve worlds change forever.

He'd finished it. At long last, after so much effort, so many screams, and so many attempts, he'd finished it.

Brron ran his hands over the faintly gleaming surface of the card. Not just any card, but the greatest card of all. The supreme card, the greatest Fusion card that had ever existed.

He wouldn't have wanted to admit that he salivated, but he thought it wasn't entirely impossible that he did. How could he not? After all this time, he'd achieved his dream. Or at least the first part of it. What came next - well, that was soon enough to come next.

Gren approached him, bowing low and waiting for Brron to address him before saying anything.

"The ritual is ready to commence whenever you desire, Brron-sama," the Tactician reported. "Everyone awaits you there as well - at least, those who are here."

Of course. He couldn't expect some people to attend such a glorious ritual. The Lightlords had more than once declared what his goal was to be an abomination - or they had, before they'd fallen against his armies. The Fallen Angels remained in nominal alliance with him, and he knew he'd seen a couple of them in the castle, though not their leader. Fallen Angel Lucifer seldom left their lands regardless. He hadn't expected that to change.

There were plenty of others as well. Those few survivors from the villages and towns he'd crushed in search of proper tributes before deciding to take as many lives as he could weren't even invited, of course.

At least the ones that were still running loose. He'd managed to capture some of those who originally escaped him, such as Freed, the so-called Brave Wanderer. He'd been so tempted to offer up the warrior as one of his tributes.

Far more amusing to see his reaction to what comes next. The same would be true for others he'd captured - Wingweaver, with her arrogance and self-righteous attitude, Ancient Elf and his smugness at having lived so long in Brron's domain, and many more besides. They would be the witnesses to his ultimate triumph.

Unfortunately, there were those he would have wanted there who wouldn't attend. He'd not spoken to Grapha, Genta, Latinum, or Lucent for centuries, though they tended to send polite notes on occasion. He'd not even had that from Perl, but what could one expect from the Hermit of Dark World? But all the others would be there at this, the moment of his greatest triumph.

He rose from his throne and headed out to the ritual area. The captive viewers were chained to the surrounding walls, each one enchanted so not only could the bonds not be released but they could not speak or avoid looking at the ceremony. They took up three of those walls, and on the fourth wall stood all of those who served him and served those who professed alliance to him.

There in the center there stood the Fallen Angel he recalled seeing around the castle - a tall creature with large black feathered wings, covered in armor, and without a proper view of their face due to the helmet and mask. If that were a mask. For all that Brron knew, that really was their face. He nodded slightly to all of them.

"Greetings to all of you," Brron announced, voice carrying to all corners of the ritual chamber. "These last several years have seen much death and much creation - in the form of Super Fusion. While my original goal was to summon one of our family, Reign-Beaux the Overlord of Dark World, I have found a much more interesting application for the power gathered here."

Brron moved forward to the center of the ritual circle, feeling the power seal itself behind him as he did so. Now nothing could stop what was to come. "There are twelve dimensions in the universe. In some of them, dueling is seen as nothing more than a hollow game, played for amusement and nothing more." A low laugh issued between his lips. "We are about to change that forever. Nothing can halt or alter the effects of Super Fusion."

All of the unwilling witnesses struggled, though it did very little. Brron licked his lips and began to focus his thoughts. He wasn't very much of a spellcaster, but most demons like him knew something about the mage's arts.

And he'd studied this spell above all others for the last handful of years. It wasn't one that could be practiced, and for all reasonable purposes it should have been done in the course of a proper duel.

Finding someone of enough skill to be an opponent for this would take even longer than it had to create Super Fusion in the first place. So instead, this was his answer, this and nothing more, nothing less.

Dark gold lightning arched overheard, and he could feel the presence of others, watching and guarding. Laced through the sensation were the powers of the other high ranking members of Dark World's clan. They had come to watch after all - or had been summoned by the power. Regardless of which it was, he could feel Latinum and Graph supporting him.

Not that it was necessary. He knew enough to work the magic. Slowly he uttered the spells, taking care to pronounce each syllable carefully to make certain nothing went wrong.

Gren had helped to design this spell. Research had uncovered the true name of each dimension, and now he named them all, weaving them into the magic. He hadn't just made Super Fusion - he'd made cards that represented each dimension, sending his servants off to each world to return with a tiny handful of dirt from that world.

Gren had mentioned another method - something about using twelve cards, one of each level, but Brron thought his method a little more secure.

Now it came to the point in the spell when he needed to name the material for his fusion - and one by one he named them all.

"The First World - the World of Humans! The Second World - the World of Angels!" A place he'd never seen and he didn't like the way the card felt in his hands. But he kept onward. "The Third World - the World of Spellcasters! The Fourth World - the World of Beasts!"

If one were going to be strictuly accurate, it was the world of Beasts, Beast-Warriors, Dinosaurs, and many others similar, but Brron wasn't going to be too pedantic. It served the purpose and that was enough.

"The Fifth World - the World of Warriors!"

One of the captives, Amazoness Paladin, struggled harder at the naming of that world, where she'd come from. If all went as he desired it, then she might well see her sisters again one day, but not as she desired to. He continued.

"The Sixth World - the World of Dragons! The Seventh World - the World of Water! The Eighth World - the World of Machines! The Ninth World - the World of Fire! The Tenth World - the World of Water!" Another who struggled - Sea God's Priestess.

With the naming of each world, everything began to shake around them, and beams of bright light arched overhead, one more joining in every time he spoke a new name and a new card joined the collection. "The Eleventh World - the World of the Undead! And the Twelfth World - the World of Demons!"

That was this world itself, Dark World, the Demon World. Going by a thousand names and now it would serve as the base for the future that was to come.

"I summon you all - I name and claim you all! Become one! Become the Worlds United, the One World of All!"

A final card hit the stack, one that had tiny bits of each world worked into it, to symbolize what he created now. "By the power of Super Fusion, I Fusion Summon The Worlds United!

Bright white light arched overheard and encircled them all. Brron could not hold back the scream of pain that the light tore from his lips - no, not just the light - there was shadow there as well, deeper and darker than anything that he'd ever known before. But that wasn't all. That was, in fact, little more than the beginning.

Underneath him the world shook and rocks fell, mountains tumbling and rivers rising. He could feel it all, and his stomach churned, his heart pounding - he'd not even been aware that it existed until now. When he dragged in a breath, blood and pain laced the back of his mouth, and somewhere, somewhere he couldn't see but he knew there were fires somewheree, burning and blazing.

Screams echoed in the back of his mind as well, some of them those of his own people, and some of them from elsewhere. Some seemed a great deal closer than he would have thought, some were very far away. But they were all there, all in this world, and Brron wondered if he should have set soldiers out to round up any new arrivals.

If that were even possible. He could see so little but he was aware of so much, and he thought perhaps no one else saw what he did right now. With each passing moment, he could feel the strength fading from him, and he fought harder and harder to stay on his feet, tears of agony pricking at his eyes.

He would survive this. He had to survive this. What came after would belong to him and he would be there to rule over it all. If he didn't, who would? No one else could.

Or worse, Fallen Angel Lucifer would cease the uneasy balance that existed between their realms and take over everything. Brron wasn't going to let that happen. Whatever Lucifer had in mind, he would have to fight for it. Just like Brron himself had.

Light and shadow swirled around him, earth and air and fire and water merging into one, spirit and soul and mortal flesh separating and uniting, and he could not hold himself up any longer. Each breath took more energy than he'd ever thought it would and none of them gave him enough air.

The air itself seemed different now - not the usual crispness, but a whiff of flame and smoke, a taste of blood and something else - he thought that he could get used to it. It was a pleasant enough change. He dragged in another breath, ready to pull himself back to his feet and begin issuing orders.

His throat ached, tiny stabs of pain, and he wondered if he could so much as demand someone come assist him to his feet. He would have to try. He breathed again and realized something else.

There wasn't just darkness and light pressing him down. There was awareness there, a sense of presence that he'd never felt before. Those who'd gathered screamed as well, some writhing in pain, some basking in it, others merely looking terrified.

You have done what was forbidden. The voice echoed in his ears and in his mind. He struggled to stay up, but a force beyond his ability to fight forced him downward. This power was never meant to be used for this.

Brron wanted to demand what it was 'meant' to be used for, when he was the one who'd succeeded and made it work in the first place. But words wouldn't pass his lips and he could feel the weight on him getting stronger. It didn't seem to be the Light, regardless of how strong the presence was. He would have said the shadows themselves rebuked him.

Another voice spoke, and this one was from the Light. Soft and gentle, a voice he would have attributed to a worthless being that at best could act as a servant, but it addressed the Darkness as an equal.

What's done is done. Regardless of what he did being forbidden, it is done, and we need to reconsider what is to come.

The Darkness - which Brron could now see more as a shape resting above him - did not seem pleased at all. Justice calls for him to be destroyed for his transgressions.

Justice calls for him to be punished, the Light corrected ever so gently. It need not be death. Resolve laced through the Light's tones. As you well know, there are fates far worse than death.

That there are. And there will be justice before there is death. The Darkness's gaze returned to Brron, who still couldn't move from where he lay crushed beneath the weight of its will. He couldn't so much as move a finger. But he kept on trying, no matter what. He had no idea of what it might be that kept him down, but he would bow to no one and nothing. What would you suggest, Hope?

Whatever the Light said, Brron wasn't sure if he couldn't hear it or just couldn't understand it. There were other presences approaching, and they seemed to be kept at bay by the power of the two who were there. Should he be glad of that? He had too much else to think about to be sure. Then the Darkness returned attention to him, and he did know that he didn't want that attention on him.

This is what will be. You have fused the worlds into one world. We cannot undo that. But you shall not rule it all. Those who survive will carve their own realms, and not all will be as you wish it. Not now and not ever.

One day we will return - and you will welcome us in with open arms. The Light spoke to him. And by doing so, sow the seeds of your own defeat.

Brron wanted to shake his head, to swear that he'd never welcome beings that could defeat him so easily and clearly only chose not to because they didn't want to right now, whether they could or not. And he knew they could - he could feel it. They just weren't. Not being able to undo the fusion didn't mean they couldn't undo him.

But for now - The Darkness shifted itself and something radiated outwards, shattering the walls of the ritual chamber and releasing every one of those who'd been his bound captives. Go. Find your friends and families and those who are new to this world that is now everyone's world. Forge a future together, for you are all that you have.

Always hope for a better world, the Light spoke, addressing them all now. And work hard to make it so. Only by your hands, your hearts, and your work can it happen.

Brron managed to raise his head enough to see both Freed and Amazoness Paladin staring back at him, murder in their eyes. Then they both turned and left, going through what had been the walls. His servants and warriors did nothing to stop them - because, he realized, no one could get there. Everyone seemed as restrained as he was, except for the former prisoners.

He'd not noticed much since the spell ended, save for the presence of Darkness pinning him down. Now he looked upward and could see small pricks of light in the sky, and vaguely recalled hat such things were called stars. The skies of Dark World had been clouded over for so long that he couldn't remember ever having seen these before.

Without further words, both Light and Darkness faded away. Brron didn't doubt for a moment that they would return. He would have to make plans, rebuild his forces, and begin to build a new realm that he would rule over. If he couldn't rule this world, he would rule whatever portions of it that he could.

One by one he could see his servants gathering themselves up. Gren and Beiige, Broww and Ceruli, Snoww and Gold, Kahkki and Lucent, Renge and Scarr, Silver and Zure. Others moved slightly, recovering, murmuring among themselves. He could also see motionless bodies of those who hadn't survived the fusion. Some were spirits or monsters, some were humans. That was unusual enough in and of itself; he'd not had any humans in his fortress before this. What came after this would require a great deal of stud to make proper sense of. But he would have time. Even in the midst of conquest and leadership, he would have time.

"Brron-sama?" Zure asked, moving closer, brushing chips of stone dust off of himself. "You succeeded." He bowed down low. "You are to be praised. This world now belongs to -"

"To those with strong enough will to take it."

It wasn't Brron who answered. The Fallen Angel who'd stood there before now strode forward, looking relatively unharmed, if somewhat annoyed. "I, Fallen Angel General, will be returning to Lucifer-sama to inform him of your results, and the words of the Gentle Darkness and the Light of Hope."

Brron wanted to ask exactly what Nergal had heard. But bbefore he could form the words, the Fallen Angel spread his wings and leaped into the air, sailing off out of sight in a matter of seconds. Brron watched, before he turned back to Zure.

"He is not entirely wrong. I require an accurate list of who remains with us." Brron considered for a few seconds. "Once we know, we need new maps drawn up. We don't know how this has changed our territory. There could be new resources to uncover, and new servants to help us make use of new information and skills."

A thousand thoughts flattered through his mind on what he would have to do. The idea of killing for Super Fusion had been the only one there for so long that he wasn't sure of what else to do, but now he thought he had a faint idea. He would establish a true kingdom and rule it - and from there, no one knew what might happen. Not even the Light of Hope and the Darkness of Justice.

Bit by bit, information began to filter back in. In the immediate area, much seemed the same, save for a brilliant light rising in the sky that brought warmth. A few new arrivals from other worlds referred to it as 'the sun', and they seemed aware of it's existence. Brron was more than willing to call it that.

He sent out troops to gather as many spirits, humans, and mobsters who came from what had been the other worlds as possible. He would need whatever information they could provide.

By and large, he began to wonder if what he'd heard and seen on the day of Fusion had been nothing more than the product of a magical overload. Such things were known to happen, and he'd not be the first to unleash such power - though the first on such a level - and see and hear that which didn't exist. As days turned into weeks and months and years, and nothing beyond the usual work of claiming and ruling a realm happened, he decided that was what it must have been.

What he found most fascinating were those humans who survived the Fusion. While there had been deaths a-plenty - no one could count how many, but there were bodies left behind, which those of Dark World weren't used to, and with the passage of time, rites from the old world became more commonplace to tend to them. What Brron was certain of was that while the pre-Fusion count of population in all the worlds had been billions or even trillions, the post-Fusion wasn't quite so high. Perhaps it never would be again.

Humans were not thrilled with having to share the world with those who weren't of their own kind. Some of them hated the very fact of it and tried to run things as it had been in their world - no one who wasn't human allowed in their rebuilding cities. Brron laughed at the very thought, since one of those realms set up shop within reach of his armies.

Even more to their loss, they set up within reach of his spies. Brron sent out two shapeshifters, who assumed the form of common household pets and wildlife, and a couple of harmless looking spirits who could blend in very well with humans. All of them brought back -plenty of useful information.

"They're still trying to adjust to everything," one of his spies reported. "A few are trying to find ways to reverse the fusion or at least to send their people back home."

Brron snorted. He knew for a fact this couldn't happen. But if it kept the humans distracted long enough, then so be it.

Another of them continued, "The leader of this group - one known as Gozaburo Kaiba - seems quite annoyed by everything that's happened. I heard him complaining quite a bit about it. But he doesn't seem to be much of a warrior, and he's somewhat young, perhaps about thirty cycles or so. Whatever leadership position he has, he attained through wealth in the old days and having many strong warriors in his service now."

That wasn't always a bad way to run things. Brron had a significant amount of treasure of his own, tucked away where no one could find it, and quite a few warriors who would die for him if the need arose. But being able to fight for oneself should also be taken into account.

Brron considered his options. The area this particular batch of humans had claimed wasn't really that important. It did have most of the basics to support a small realm - water, arable land, that sort of thing - but it didn't have much of it. His own borders encompassed at least five times of that territory and resources. There was a small gem mine in the human realm, but his spies reported that it hadn't been found by them as of yet.

But what annoyed him the most was how the humans attempted to get rid of every monster and spirit in their chosen territory, drivign them out when they couldn't destroy them. Those who had that sort of attitude didn't deserve this world.

And he'd not let them have it.

"What do their defenses look like?" He wanted to know. "And what kind of armaments do they have?"

"Most of them who have weapons have some kind of projectile shooting device. I've seen some spirits with similar, but never have known the name," the addressed spy reported. "There are a few who are learning other weaponry. None of them seem to have yet realized that dueling can be used offensively. I've not even seen a single duelist there."

Now that would be interesting in and of itself. So far as he knew, dueling still worked the same way now has it had before. He'd killed quite a few people with duels, mostly to while away the time as his servants brought him information and new warriors. A few of those were even human - some of those were thriving in this new world, ruled by the power of strength and chaos.

He debated only for a fraction of a heartbeat before he made his decision. "Prepare the troops. Send them out to this Kaiba Gozaburo's stronghold and put it to him thusly - either he kneels to me or I will destroy everything he has saved and all that he has built. Those are the only options. Save anyone who looks useful and have them brought to me. If he chooses wisdom, then anything he owns that is of true value belongs to me now and I wish it brought here."

Zure nodded at once. "It shall be so, Brron-sama." He bowed low for a few seconds, then stalked away to see to his troops.

Brron leaned back in his throne and chuckled wetly to himself. Everything had worked out in his favor, just as it always had. He had crafted Super Fusion - though he'd not seen it since he'd created the New World. Perhaps it had been destroyed in the ritual itself. Doing so was not unexpected. But he'd completed it and he'd used it to create a single new world. How could anyone ever surpass that? Even if he didn't rule the entire world - and he would do so, in due time - then he would have all that he'd ever wanted or needed otherwise.

He was not surprised to learn that Kaiba Gozaburo chose poorly, declaring that he would never kneel to a "revolting monster". Those were more or less his last words, as Zure did what he knew would please his master. The rest of the settlement was quickly brought to heel, those who dared to defend it disposed it even with their unusual weapons. There were losses, of course, but Brron's warriors knew the lay of the land and had advantages in their effects, spells, and traps. Merely having a small battalion of spellcasters assisted so very much. So did having small creatures that could infiltrate the settlement, discover where those weapons and warriors were, and inform the spellcasters so they knew where to target their enchantments.

If the humans couldn't adapt to this world, then they would be overcome. That was the way of this world, inherited from the world that had been before.

Brron heard a few things, now and then, from other allies, such as the Fallen Angels. When Nergal returned, he merely brought Lucifer's greetings and assured Brron that no harm would come to him from his hand or by his orders. Brron suspected that Lucifer had something hidden under his wings, but not even his finest spies could tell what that might be.

"No success yet, sir," one of his spies reported. Lucifer nodded, dismissing that one with a flick of a wing. He lounged back in his throne and wondered how much longer it would take. It had already been years.

From the moment that Brron began the spell of Fusion to unite all dimensions, he'd known something was going very wrong somewhere. Then the voice had spoken, deep in his heart and soul. It wasn't a voice he'd ever heard before, but he knew that it spoke truth that couldn't be denied.

While the fusion could not be undone, there would need to be someone who could bring this new world to a peaceful time. It would take a great deal of effort and a great deal of time, but he had been chosen to assist in this great matter.

Somewhere in the world, there lived someone who carried the blood of the Gentle Darkness or the Light of Hope. He had no idea of which he would find, but he would locate someone, and he would do his level best to ensure that Brron paid for the vast sin he'd committed, and that the new world knew a future worth having.

The End

Notes: The Great Fusion happened more or less in this world's version of the 70s. The DM & GX people either haven't been born (Yuugi, Seto, Juudai, etc) or are young to middle aged (Gozaburo, Samejima, Sugoroku). I've been very busy lately so I'm very behind on GX month but that stops now!