Special Thanks to Hyper for believing in this chapter and the help he provided with my imagination.

Chapter 2: A New Hope, a New Beginning, and a New Deck?

Three days pass by and every day Drayn goes to the same cliff and stares over the ocean. He doesn't talk to anyone and has secluded himself to the outside. "This was my chance to put my name out and maybe find out who I am. There is no way I should have lost I have the most combos and best strategy in my deck. My deck has so many ways to win a duel there should have been no way he stood a chance this time. Why did my deck fail I had complete trust in it?" He thinks as he stares at the sunset.

"Hello Drayn." A voice says from behind him. Drayn turns to see Yugi Motou standing behind him. "I have seen you here for the past couple days and thought I would come say hello. You know I watched each of your duels in the tournament I was quite impressed with your dueling skills but thought you could use some help with your deck if you want to get into The League."

"I don't need anyone's help with my deck it has every card I need in it. It has even more strategy contained inside it than your deck Yugi. Unlike your deck my deck cannot be prepared for everyone knows your favorite card and knowing your tendencies it makes it easier for you to be defeated." Drayn replies in a very mellow and laid back tone.

"So you still have the desire to duel than?" Yugi questions as Drayn turns away to watch the sun sink beneath the ocean.

"I. I don't know. It failed me once and that means I failed in placing the correct strategies into it." Drayn stares up at the first star. " I don't need you to come here and feel sorry for me I have gone this far by myself and I will find a way into The League and once there I will defeat Daemin and you if you get in my way. I will win The League championship and will find out who I am." Drayn says turning towards Yugi. "Quit talking why are you even talking to this guy Seto doesn't like him. Just because you think you have met him somewhere before doesn't mean he is a friend of yours shut your trap and walk away you owe him nothing." Drayn thinks as he turns and walks past Yugi.

Suddenly Yami takes control of his vessel. "Duel me if you win I will tell you a way to get into the league but if I win I get your deck and all your cards." The tone in his voice stops Drayn sensing a familiarity in it.

"Sounds kind of one sided to me. I've spent my life collecting these cards and The League was just invented." Drayn says stopped ten feet from Yugi.

"That was not a suggestion to duel me it was an order and challenge. Plus if you win I will give you choice of three cards in my deck." Yami smiles knowing this offer is too good to refuse. "I do not have my deck. But I wouldn't mind the duel I have nothing to lose in this deal."

"Here put this on Joey loaned it to me for this reason." Yam throws Joey's duel disk at Drayn "you will also see that your deck is in there. Shall we begin?"

"After you sunshine. Hope you have some back-up cards. Cuz I'm gonna enjoy beating you and giving your dark magician to Seto as a birthday present. Just one question after I take it will you sign it so Seto knows it is yours?"

"Gladly but I do not believe this will be the case" Yami says as both duelists put the duel disks on their arms.

"What are you thinking Yami just ordering him like that? And it worked. How did you know that it was going to work?"

"I don't know how to explain it Yugi but I feel a familiar presence in him he may be a friend in disguise we must teach him to believe in his deck and friendship."

"All right Yami but what happens if we win?"

"I have a plan just trust me my friend." Yami adds "Now Drayn its time to duel."
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Life Points 6000/6000

Yami: *Draws* "I will play the Celtic guardian in attack mode and this card face down. I than end my turn." *The Celtic Guardian appears with his sword and shield on the field. *

Drayn: *Draws* "Imagine that you playing Celtic Guardian. What's next giant soldier of stone in defense mode? I will play Darkfire Soldier #1 in attack mode * a warrior with fire surrounding him appears. (1700/1150) * I will than play this card face down and attack your Celtic Guardian.

Yami: "I flip spellbinding circle not only can your monster not attack, but it loses five hundred attack points as well now your Darkfire soldier has 1200 attack points. * A circle ensnares Darkfire soldier #1 and lowers his attack points. (1200/1100)*

Drayn: "Ok than Yugi it looks like all I can do is add these two cards face down and end my turn." 3

Yami * Draws. * 5 "I add beaver warrior in attack mode. * A beaver with a sword shield and helmet joins the Celtic Guardian on the field * I than choose to attack your Darkfire soldier with Celtic Guardian." 4

Drayn: "I flip my face down card waboku." * as Celtic Guardian attacks three women in green with hoods surround Darkfire Soldier #1 and absorb the attack. *

Yami: I end my turn.

Drayn * Draws * "well I guess I will play Dark fire soldier #2 (1700/1100) in attack mode and destroy your Celtic Guardian. * A soldier engulfed in flames carrying a sword enters the field and slashes through

Life points: 6000/5700

Yami: * Draws * I will play big shield guardian in defense mode and change beaver warrior to defense mode as well. I end. * A warrior appears with a shield that covers his whole body. (100/2600). *

Drayn " Nice play but not nice enough to save you Yugi. * Draws and laughs * you will like my turn this time Yugi. I will play the ritual magic card Darkfire Reinforcements. It allows me to sacrifice my two Darkfire soldiers to bring out Darkfire General. * The card flips up vertically and the two spears crossed on the card are flung into the backs of the soldiers and creates a dark glue and purple sphere and the sphere implodes on itself leaving the Darkfire general a Soldier wearing armor with flames shooting out of the armor he carries a large flame thrower. (2700/2100) * gotta love this card Yugi. If I have either Darkfire soldier in my graveyard it allows me to summon one from my graveyard at each of my standby phases. Darkfire General pyro thrower attack on big shield guardian. * A large stream of fire shoots from the flamethrower burning big shield guardian and leaving only ash. * Not even your dark magician has enough power to stop my Darkfire General Yugi.

Yami: Don't be so confident that one card can win you a duel it takes combinations to do the real damage. * Draws* and this is just what I need to teach you your error. I sacrifice my beaver warrior for summoned skull and play swords of revealing light on your Darkfire General. * Swords made of bright yellow light rain down from above and surround Darkfire General. * Now none of your monsters can attack for the next three turns. I end my turn."

Drayn: * Draws* (Lets see I don't need to play anymore attack monsters I will get my two Darkfire Soldiers back in two turns and he is only stalling. What do I do?) "First I will bring back my Darkfire soldier #1. I than end my turn Yugi. Two remaining on swords.

Yami: I set one monster in defense and play mystical space typhoon on your face down magic card. * A black tornado appears above the face down card with lightning being hurled throughout the playing field and the force of the winds pick up the face down card and flip it mirror force is revealed and a bolt of lightning destroys the card. * I now end my turn.

Drayn: * Draws* " You may have found away around mirror force but I still get to bring my Darkfire soldier #2 to the field this turn and than I will end." (I cant believe this none of these cards have any thing to do with the strategy I have laid out. A marauding captain or Mystical space typhoon and I can end this.)

Yami: *draws * "I feel bad I am going to have to do this but next turn you will be defeated my friend." I lay one more monster in defense position and end my turn.

Drayn *Draws. * "I cannot do anything to attack you this turn Yugi but next turn I will be free to attack you so I summon cannon soldier in defense mode and use his effect to sacrifice my two dark fire soldiers to do 1000 points of damage to your life points. * The two Darkfire soldiers turn into balls of energy and are absorbed into the Cannon of cannon soldier and are fired directly at Yugi dealing 1000 points of damage to his life points * I than end and soon you will reach your end to Yugi."

6000/4700

Yami: *Draw * "Not bad Drayn and you would be able to finish me if it wasn't for this draw. I will flip my man-eater bug to destroy your cannon soldier. * The man-eater bug attacks at the throat of cannon soldier destroying him. * I will than sacrifice my man-eater bug and face down giant soldier of stone to bring out my Dark Magician. I than play two equip cards. The first I will play face down until I play this card Mage power which I will equip to my Summoned Skull raising his attack power by 500 for each magic card I have on the field so now his attack is 3500 well enough to destroy your General but I am not done I will also play reborn the monster on your Darkfire soldier #1. * The soldier appears on Yami's side of the field.

Drayn" (Lets see 3500-2700 is eight hundred plus the twenty five hundred he would get for dark magician is 3300 and plus the 1700 for Darkfire is only 5000 I still have a thousand life points after this turn.) Yugi u can only do 5000 points of damage not enough to end this duel.

Yami: " You forget to add the five thousand fore monster reborn being on my side of the field and my face down card I will flip the magic card united we stand which I will equip to my dark magician raising his attack power by eight hundred points for every face up monster on my side of the field giving him a total attack of 4900. And with skull at 4000 b/c of mage power u will be destroyed without the use of your Darkfire soldier. * Mage power activates as three ghouls sing a chant and energy is gathered in a cauldron and given up as sacrifice to summoned skull. Next United We Stand is activated and a chain of energy flows from the monsters into dark Magician raising his attack power by 2400. * "This duel is over you can choose to forfeit or watch your Darkfire General be destroyed. You have no traps on the field so it is over.

Drayn: "I never forfeit." (Twice now this week I haven't drawn cards to help. My deck has more cards than his more strategies than his how can I keep losing?)

Yami: "Summoned skull black lightning attack and dark magician follow up with a dark magic attack." * Summoned Skull and dark magician charge there attacks and deliver them one after another ending the duel. *"

"Tell me Drayn how many cards are in that deck I have now just won?" Yami asks as Drayn Removes the cards and the duel disk from this arm.

" I don't know close to sixty yeah right at sixty I believe." Drayn says handing the duel disk and deck to Yami who receives the deck in his left hand and duel disk in right.

"That is your own fault than you should never need more than forty five. I only use forty-two and a perfect deck would have forty cards. Especially since you are allowed a side deck of fifteen cards that you can change into your deck when they are needed in between rounds of tournaments and duels." Yami says.

"I know that rule but more cards means more chances to come up with a new strategy." Drayn responds.

"Perhaps but the more cards the less one strategy is likely to come into play. You need to choose one theme to build your deck around. From there you decide the strategies to add into your deck and you must keep the deck small." Yami says looking through Drayn's deck and his own.

"Well now I have no cards to build off of and no money to buy new cards."

" That is where you are wrong not only did you receive these ten cards for placing second in the duel but Seto Kaiba sent you a birthday gift of another ten. Mokuba sent five cards as well. And Joey and I want to give you these cards that we have no use of in our deck. In all you now have forty-five cards. And someone sent you this invitation to discuss card trading and deck construction with them at their island. I believe it is from Maximillion Pegasus." Yami says handing an envelope with the words invitation to a trading post on it marked with the millennium eye in the corner and hands him an envelope marked cards in it.

"I don't know what to say" Drayn says staring at the two envelops. Not knowing what is now expected of him.

"You don't need to say anything just accept Pegasus's offer because I have a feeling he is not the evil he once was. I'm sure he will be of some help. I will now leave you but Kaiba sent a helicopter to take you to the island where the letter was sent from. I suggest you go and on the way read the letter. I also wish to give you one thing to remember this duel by. " Yami says handing over the magic card United We Stand. "This card should remind you this duel and what you learned and I want it to teach you one thing. As long as you stand with friends you cannot be defeated. Remember this and you will never fail." Yami says walking out into the darkness as a helicopter lands on the beach.

"Goodbye Yugi and thank you." Drayn says running down to the beach and hopping into the passenger seat. " To the island and as fast as we can." Drayn says as they helicopter takes off. After an hour in the air and a half hour looking through the new cards he has received. He decides it is time to open the envelope and inside is an Mp3 player with headphones.

"Why hello there Drayn my boy." The voice of Maximillion Pegasus booms through the headphones. "I'm guessing if you received this package that you lost that tournament against Daemin, but oh well I always had my eye on you as a duelist to watch and now I know the only thing you are missing is a deck. I know you remember me we did get along well and I do hope you and Seto can forgive me for my actions in the past year. I was driven mad by the power of the millennium eye and it turned my own feelings for my belated wife against me. The reason I have summoned you is that while I have been gone for a while now I still know all that is going on and I left in search of a new beginning in my life. All this may mean nothing to you but it will make more sense after you talk to me. While I was gone I was in Egypt and I found an artifact that is most intriguing and I remembered that you seemed to like this sort of thing and believed the only way I could get you hear is new hope in duel monsters. So if you come here I will help with this too because although cards are being distributed throughout the lands I still own every card ever made and some not mass- produced. I also have this hope for you I have cards that will suite you better than anyone else and I believe only you can unlock their hidden powers, and if you will join me I will show you the makings of a new deck."

Next chapter: " what is this new deck Pegasus has promised, and how will this help Drayn in his search to become a member of the League?

Chapter 3: A cold field and the introduction of the Guardian star