Chapter Two: Duel of the Dark Ones

Blackheart's helicopter approached its destination, a secret location where he was to meet his newest employee. He'd heard a lot about him, and was actually excited about meeting him. His name is Siefer "Ghost" Gambianni. Once, Siefer was a top ranked duelist in the world, but he gave that up for a life of crime and deceit. His name has a reputation among the world of criminals and duelists alike. Some knew him as a skilled assassin, some as a nearly unstoppable duelist. President Blackheart would soon know him as his new Eliminator.

The chopper landed and the engines calmed. Jeff stepped off to greet Gambianni, followed closely by Zane. An intimidating man was waiting for them. He wore all black, much like Jeff, but had long white hair, and carried a pair of hookswords on his back. So far, Jeff was impressed.

"Siefer Gambianni, I assume?"

"Yeah, that's me. You're Blackheart right?" Zane looked a bit intimidated as Siefer shot a look towards him.

"Yes, I'm Jeff Blackheart, President of Blackheart Corporation. Your future employer. However, I wish to test your abilities first. Let's have a duel. Right now. Zane, get my Duel Disk."

"Yes sir, I'll be right back with it." Zane quickly ran back to the helicopter and took out a suitcase. He opened it to reveal Jeff's personal Duel Disk, which looked more like a monstrous instrument of torture than a Duel Disk. It was similar to a standard Duel Disk, except for Jeff's own personal modifications, including the Blackheart Family Crest.

Jeff slipped it onto his arm, then inserted his deck. "Are you ready to begin?"

"Whenever you are. You can go first."

Siefer: 4000 Blackheart: 4000

"Alright," Blackheart said as he drew his opening hand. "I'll set a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"That's all? I'm not very impressed Blackheart." Siefer taunted him, just as he did to all his opponents.

"Watch your mouth, Siefer, you may not have any idea what nasty surprises await you in this duel." Jeff shot back.

"Right now it seems like you're all talk! I summon Blood Vors in attack mode, and I attack your set monster!"

"You attacked my Executioner Makyura, destroying it. What a shame..."

"That's exactly what you'll be saying when you lose. Now I set 2 cards facedown."

"And I activate Time Seal. Preventing you from drawing on your next turn."

"What? But you had no cards set on the field!"

"Ah yes, but the turn my Executioner is sent to the grave, I am allowed to activate a trap from my hand!"

"Hmph," Siefer shrugged," It's no big deal, it'll already be over with the cards I have in my hand! It seems like you're not even worthy enough for me to be working for you. Maybe after you lose, you can clean my house for a living."

"Is that what you really think Siefer? Perhaps we should just play out this duel, then we will know who should be working for whom. It's my turn."

Jeff wasn't phased at all by his taunting. He had seen it all.

"Hm...I'll play Kuriboh in attack mode. I now set 2 cards facedown. See how you contend with this..."

"Kuriboh? What is he thinking? What's he up to? He could be bluffing me, but I don't know what to expect from this guy. He doesn't even seem to be dueling me with all he's got!"

"Remember, you cannot draw on this next turn, now make your move."

"I'm aware of that, but I can beat you right now! I play my facedown card, Curse of the Masked Beast! I sacrifice the two monsters in my hand which equal 8 stars to summon this creature of nightmares...The Masked Beast Hell Raiser!"

"Huh?! I didn't expect this!!"

"I bet you didn't. Now I equip my Hell Raiser with the card, Axe of Despair, raising its ATK by 1000! Now it has 4200 ATK. More than enough to decimate your little Kuriboh, and with my Blood Vors, I can wipe out the rest of your life points!"

"Can you really do that, Siefer?"

"Yes!! NOW MASKED BEAST ATTACK HIS KURIBOH!!"

The monster covered with horrid masks lunged towards the little fluffball, axe in hand, poised to attack...when an odd explosion occurred.

Siefer: 4000 Jeff: 4000

"What?!? Why didn't you lose any lifepoints?!"

"Well, maybe you should take a look at what card I activated. THE DECK DESTRUCTION VIRUS OF DEATH- THE CRUSH CARD!!"

"No...my monsters!!" Siefer, could barely watch as the Kuriboh burst into spores of toxic material which incapacitated his Masked Beast and Blood Vors. He was left wide open for an attack.

"Are you quite finished? I think you are, as I will activate Time Seal once again. And you only have one card on the field. I doubt that will help you."

"Make your move already, there's nothing else I can do." For the first time, Siefer felt helpless. At the same time, he was impressed at Blackheart's tactics.

"What's wrong, Siefer? Sad because you can't draw any cards from your deck? Or is it because when I let you draw, the monster will be much, much too strong, and the effects of my Virus will destory it? Well now, there's no need for anguish, your suffering will end soon. No need to worry either, as under my influence, you will become nearly unstoppable! But this duel isn't over yet. I want to toy with you a little bit...as well as show off a few more of my talents."

Jeff drew a card from his deck, while watching Siefer squirm in anxiety.

"I'll play the magic card, Pot of Greed, to draw two cards. Now, I'll summon a servant of the Dark Ruler Hades, the almighty Red Cyclops! That's not all...I'll add this magic card, Blackheart Blood Sacrifice! By discarding 2 cards from my hand, I can pay any amount of lifepoints I wish, then summon up to three monsters with an attack power less than or equal to the amount I pay from my deck or hand. I choose to pay 700 lifepoints. Now I summon 3 Hades' Familiar from my deck."

"And now I suppose that you'll use their effect and increase the Cyclops' attack power?"

"Of course. That raises my Red Cyclops' attack power to 3900! Attack now!"

"Now all I'm left with is 100 lifepoints...that's not much to hang on."

"I set one card facedown and end my turn."

Siefer: 100 Jeff: 3300

This was it. Siefer had to do something now or this duel was over. He had to fight for his reputation. Of course, it wouldn't matter if he lost, but Siefer still had his pride. He wasn't about to just give up. It wasn't his style.

"Since I can't draw, I'll have to activate my facedown card, Monster Reborn. And since nothing in my grave can survive on the field because of your virus, I choose a monster from yours. I choose Wall of Illusion, a card you discard earlier. Now if you dare attack me, your Cyclops returns to your hand, leaving you open for an attack."

"Ah, an interesting attempt at a comeback. You're right, I'd rather not attack. My Cyclops' attack power would return to its original 1800 if I do so."

"There's nothing else I can do, I end my turn."

Siefer had played into his trap perfectly. He knew that he must have saved that card in case of a dire situation. So he discarded his Wall of Illusion purposely knowing that Siefer would most likely bring it back from the grave so he had something between him and his lifepoints.

"Hmm, I draw my card, set one facedown. End."

Siefer drew a card for his turn, and glared at it. It was a card that could turn the game around for him.

"I can't do much right now, so I end my turn."

Jeff was toying with him, and they both knew it. Jeff had even admitted he didn't want to finish him off quite yet.

"You seem pretty confident in that card you hold. I think that you're waiting for the effects of my virus to wear off before you play it...But it won't matter, this duel ends when I say so. I don't attack this turn. You have one more turn remaining before my virus wears off."

As Siefer drew, Zane was quite confident in his master and that nothing could hinder Jeff in a duel unless he said so. Siefer was soon going to prove him wrong...

"I set one monster facedown. That's all."

"Afraid to play that game breaking card so soon? For you it's all ready too late! You're lucky I don't want to finish this duel yet, as this is a test of your abilities. As for my move...I remove three Fiends from the grave to summon Dark Necrofear in defense mode. Now I attack the monster you just set with my Red Cyclops."

"Ha! You attacked my leech Kiseitai! Now during all your standby phases, I will gain lifepoints equal to half your Cyclops' attack power!"

"Hah...only a minor setback. Gain as many lifepoints as you want! I'll even add United We Stand to my Cyclops so that you can gain more lifepoints!"

"That may be a mistake...It's my turn now. I set a monster in defense. That's it."

"Okay, I draw, and now you gain 2750 lifepoints. Making your total 2850. It won't matter much. I play another facedown magic and attack your set monster with my Red Cyclops! GO ATTACK WITH SHATTERING HORN SMASH!"

"You destroyed my Melchid the Four Faced Beast. Can I take my turn now?

Siefer: 2850 Jeff: 3300

"Go ahead."

"Okay...now I set another monster and set 1 card. You can go now, although when my next turn comes, this duel is OVER!"

"Whatever you say Siefer. I draw, and you gain another 2750.

Siefer: 5600 Jeff: 3300

"I play Graceful Charity. I draw three cards, then discard two. I attack your facedown monster with Red Cyclops."

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! You attacked my Devil Franken card! Now I pay 5000 lifepoints, and summon a card from my fusion deck.....BLUE EYES ULTIMATE DRAGON!!"

"What?!?! How is this possible? All this time I thought you had played into my trap, but I into yours?! IMPOSSIBLE!!!"

"Its my move now...And I just drew the card that will ensure this game for me. I sacrifice your Wall of Illusion for Jinzo! Now I use my facedown magic card, Raigeki! THIS GAME IS OVER!!! Attack BLUE EYES ULTIMATE DRAGON! NEUTRON BLAST!!!"

Siefer: 600 Jeff:3300

"What the hell? Your life points are still intact?"

"Take another look Siefer. I discarded Kuriboh from my hand to protect me from taking damage from your Blue Eyes."

"Fine...Now I attack with Jinzo!"

"Oh, and did I say I played into your trap? What I really meant is that you're really just doing exactly what I want you to do! I discard another Kuriboh from my hand to prevent damage, once again."

"ARGGGH! Those damn fluffballs are really getting on my nerves!!"

Siefer was starting to lose his patience, and his temper. He flung one of his hookswords straight at Zane, threatening his life.

Jeff intercepted the sword, catching the steel-wrapped handle inches before the blade would pierce Zane's chest.

"Now, now, I wasn't aware that Ghosts had such violent tempers. No need to get worked up over this duel, you almost hurt Zane, one of my trusted employees..." Jeff said as he set the sword down.

"There's nothing else I can do this turn...and since I destroyed your Dark Necrofear with my Raigeki, you get to take control of one of my monsters."

"Now which one do I choose? Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon? Or Jinzo? Such a tough decision... I choose Blue Eyes. And I'm sorry to say this...Actually no I'm not, I've just seen all I need to, but this DUEL ENDS NOW! BLUE EYES ULTIMATE DRAGON! ATTACK JINZO!"

Siefer: 0000 Jeff:3300

Siefer fell to the ground, he was defeated by his own tactics. Blackheart had gotten out of the duel without even taking damage from his cards. He could barely speak...

"I...I...lost... That's only happened once. I've never faced a duelist such as the likes of you, Blackheart. I look foward to working for you."

"I'm sure you are Gambianni. Report to my office at sunset tomorrow night. I'll fill you in with the details of your first shift. Our business here is done. I'll be flying back to New Mephisto now, I expect to see you tomorrow night."

Jeff turned around and walked back to the helicopter, with Zane close behind. Then they flew off into the night time sky.

"I sensed a darkness within Jeff that is unknown even to me... It felt as if it was even beyond the human world. I may not know what I'm getting into right now, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it..."

Siefer then picked up his hooksword off the ground, got on his motorcycle and sped away under the moonlight.