Original Cards mentioned in chapter: Exodia Paladin, Exodia in Chains.

I might as well do the Disclaimer, haven't got anything to say.

Disclaimer: Guess what? Am I stinking rich? No! So, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Onto the story!

A World of Questions

Chapter Six: First Blood

By opaltiger

Ijoua drew a card, and grinned. 'You might have escaped Exodia, but you wont defeat this! I activate the Ouija Board!'

Brian winced as a large, silvery board materialized on the field.

He drew a card, the Dragon of Death. No, if not for the Prohibition. 'I skip my turn,' Brian sighed.

Daixoe drew a card. 'I activate Monster Recovery!' he said, shuffling his graveyard into his deck. 'Then I play Card Destruction!'

Brian discarded his three cards and drew three new ones: Meteor Dragon, Magician of Faith, Change of Heart.

Kyle drew a card. 'I skip,' he sighed.

Ijoua drew a card, and a large letter 'E' joined the 'D' already there. Ijoua grinned. 'Three more turns to go, then we win!' he mocked. 'But I skip, for now.'

Brian drew. 'I put one card face down!' Brian declared. 'And a monster in defence mode.'

The cards appeared on the field.

Daixoe drew a card. 'One monster in defence mode,' he declared.

Kyle drew a card, and grinned. 'I skip for now,' he said.

Ijoua drew a card, as the 'A' appeared on the field. 'I skip as well,' he said.

Brian drew a card, sighed, and skipped.

Kyle mock-yawned. 'Wake me up when all this skipping is over, will you?'

'Can your humour,' Daixoe hissed. 'For soon, you will be gone forever.'

Kyle shut up.

'One card facedown,' Daixoe said, and motioned for Kyle to take his turn.

Kyle drew, and sighed. 'I skip,' he said, faking misery in his voice.

Ijoua drew, and 'T' joined its comrades. 'Only one more turn, then you are defeated,' Ijoua said, a grin showing on his face.

Brian drew, hoping, against hope for the card he needed. He opened his eyes, and slammed a card down triumphantly on the field. 'I activate De- Spell to destroy your Spirit Message 'T' and, thanks to Ooija Boards effect, all the SM are destroyed!

'No! This cannot be,' Ijoua shouted.

Daixoe smiled. 'No problem,' he said, and revealed his hand.

Brian felt a sinking feeling in his gut. Exodia.

The golden monster burst from its chains, standing mighty on the field.

'Exodia, Obliterate!' Daixoe shouted.

The warrior let loose a blast of light so bright, Brian was temporarily blinded.

As the smoke cleared, though, Exodia had disappeared. A new figure stood in its place.

'What!?' Daixoe shouted.

'Simple,' Kyle grinned, and revealed his card. Exodia in Chains. 'This card lets me counter Exodia's effect, and summon an Exodia Paladin (2800/2750) from my deck. Attack Exodia Paladin!'

The golden warrior rushed up to the Summoned Skull and with one stroke of its sword destroyed it.

B/K:8000 D/I:7700

Ijoua drew a card, adding it to his hand. A grin spread across his face.

'I play Dark Hole!'

All the monsters on the field were sucked into a black vortex.

'Now I play Goblin Attack Team(2300/0000) in attack mode, and attack your life points directly!'

The squad of goblins rushed at Brian, taking away 2300 life points.

B/K:5700 D/I:7700

Brian winced as the Goblins reverted to defence mode, due to their effect.

He drew a card, Curse of Dragon. 'I play Meteor Dragon in attack mode, and destroy your goblins!'

The dragon let loose a fireball that destroyed the defending goblins.

'You see?' Ijoua said. 'We will win, even though both Exodia and Oijua have been defeated. For we are invincible!'

Kyle was looking at him with a bored look. 'Very nice. Now, could you play!?'

Daixoe glared at him, but drew. 'I skip.'

Kyle grinned, drawing. 'I pla-'

A deafening explosion enveloped the warehouse, forcing Brian to his knees, pushing him backwards.

For a moment more he hung on to consciousness, then blackness took him.

***

As Brian awoke, he became aware of pain, and heat, in his entire body.

He opened his eyes, and saw the ceiling, wrapped in flame above him. He slowly sat up, looki ng around. Fortunetly the flames hadn't spread to the door. His backpack lay a few meters away. He slowly crawled toward it, than collapsed from the pain in his right leg. Advancing slowly, he managed to reach the bag and look inside. The Dagger was gone.

He crawled back to the platform and retrieved his deck. Miraculously, it was undamaged. He looked through his cards, and noticed that Rai of the Elite was missing. In its place was a note-

_What I take I need. Know that someday you will be repaid._

There was no signutare, but Brian recognized Kyle's precise writing.

He slowly crawled outside, and started down the alley. He managed to make it a few meters before darkness overcame him once again. Just before he lost consciousness, he heard another explosion behind him.

Author's Note: Sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry! Extreme case of writer's block. *Clear! bzzzzt* No, not that kind of case. *Is it a clue?* .Or that kind of case.I meant a.Oh, never mind.

*Get it? A hospital case? In hospitals they use electricy thingies to revive patients? The bzzzt? Oh, never mind this one, either.*

Author's Note2: Opaltiger? Yes? You're crazy. I know! :D

Author's Note3: Please excuse my misusing of cards-Labyrinth Wall(Level 5) and Scapegoat(Cannot use to summon)-as it is intentional.

Voice: We believe you, Opy! Sure we do...