Chapter 2: A Hero Awakens

As the squads of Ryu-Kishin and Hitotsu-Me Giants descend upon the town, Tea the Magician of Faith can only prepare for the onslaught. Tea wonders if her abilities will compensate for her weak physical strength. In front of her is the Dragon Capture Jar containing at least two dozen Curse of Dragons. Tea dismisses her Jar to clear the path of the monsters that approach her at rapid speed.

Before the troops descended upon her, Tea leaps into the air and jumps on what is left of a nearby roof. Stay careful the watch her step, but maintaining good speed, Tea crosses the roof. The flames can still be felt, for the heat is still present in the air. The Ryu-Kishins scales the side of the buildings to reach the top so they may capture her. The Hitotsu-Me Giants use their tremendous height to spot Tea and grip her with their blue fists.

Just when it seems that the Ryu-Kishins are open for an assault, Tea uses the spell, Block Attack. Using Block Attack, Tea repelled all her opponents' blows to make them go on the defensive. With her defense she slips past the monsters in front of her and lands to the ground again. Tea proceeds down the road using Block attack when she can, but sparely before it forms a strain on her body.

Tea leads the creature across the street and runs into a trio of Ryu-Kishin in attacking stances. To dispense of the problem, Tea casts the spell Fissure. A great gap in the earth appears beneath the enemies and causes them to collapse. As Tea leaves the area, all but the weakest one of the trio emerges from the chasm.

After a few times around the town Tea successfully lures the majority of the forces into the Town Square. She stops at the exact center and awaits the arrival of the monsters. Once all the monsters are in range of her spell, Tea casts the spell Waboku. Waboku negates the damage done by an opponent as a purple dome surrounds her presents. As Tea remains safe in the shielding, the monsters being to assault the dome that surround Tea. Yet, even the greatest of spellcasters cannot maintain Waboku for very long. It is only a matter of time before the shield falls and the creatures overpower her.

As the shield begins to weaken, Tea thinks, My actions may not be able to stop these creatures, but hopefully all the citizens evacuated.

With a sigh of satisfaction and remorse, Tea decides to let go of the shield in a few seconds. Before she does, she thinks, Goodbye, Yugi.

Tea is about to let her spell go, but before it is completely gone, a voice yells out to her.

"Tea!" the voice says.

Tea lets her guard up again; as a long chain with spikes appears form the shadows and plunges through a Ryu-Kishin. The initial Ryu-Kishin is paralyzed for the moment, but the chain continues to pass through the other Ryu-Kishin and destroys them on impact. One by one the Ryu-Kishins are disintegrated into a million molecules, while the few Hitotsu-Me Giants watch in fascination. In the end all that survives are a single Ryu-Kishin and the Hitotsu-Me Giants. From the shadows emerges a wave of black energy the crosses the field and destroys all the remaining monsters on the field. Tea is unaffected, shield by the magic of Waboku that still surrounds her.

Tea dismisses the magic of Waboku and surveys the landscape for a sign of the person who did this. Her gaze is draw to a figure that once existed in the shadows, but appears in the light. The figure is that of a man dressed in a purple outfit with many spirals and a staff with emerald on the tip. The man was none other than Yugi, wearing his Dark Magician outfit for the first time in five years. Yugi approaches toward Tea until he is a few feet away in front of her.

"Well, this the only way I know how to help the citizens," Yugi says.

Tea smiles at his attempt at a joke, and then says," I thought you couldn't fight."

Yugi smiles and says," Someone told me, the people need a hero."

At that moment, a rekindle spark of what had happened between the two emerged. Yet, Yugi was interrupted by the sound of the Battle Ox giving out his war cry.

"If you'll excuse me, this will only take a minute. Please wait here," Yugi says.

As Yugi rushes off into the distance, Tea looks as he leaps into the unknown. With all her heart she whispers to Yugi," Good luck."

**********

The Battle Ox is angered, but he does not show much remorse on his face. On his face still lies the fiendish smile he always had. This time the grin he shows is greater than the one he showed previously. Not in a long time had he had an opponent that could decimate his army with but a few blows. The thought of some real combat in a so long excites his attitude.

Yugi emerges from the distance, and lands in the front sight of the Battle Ox. As the Battle Ox smiles a wicked grin at Yugi, Yugi crosses his arms as if annoyed by his attitude.

"I am impresses," said Battle Ox. "I haven't done any real fighting in a long time."

I an aggressive tone Yugi respond," I am warning you, leave now, or you will surely perish."

"Really, well I beg to differ. You may be a great magician, but I no stranger to magic. Allow me to demonstrate."

With his muscles tightened Battle Recites the name of the maneuver he is about to perform," Megamorph!"

Almost instantly, the Battle Ox begins to grow beyond his normal size. His muscles are beginning to tighten even more; the veins of his body begin to show. His cloths are growing with him along with his mighty ax-blade. Finally, the Battle Ox is now twice his normal size, with twice the power of before.

Battle Ox stares down at Yugi, at his present minuscule size. With snort of wicked laughter he says to Yugi," Now, you die!"

The mighty ax-blade begins to descend upon Yugi's head he still remains unaffected by the situation. Instead of flinching, Yugi stands still and closes his eyes as the blade gains closer. With warning the blade stops just inches away from completing it's action. The Battle Ox is now paralyzed in a ring of illumines incantations scribbled around a ring of light.

The Battle Ox uses what little movement he has left to look upon the predicament he is in. "What is this?" he exclaims.

Yugi's looks at the Battle Ox in a serious expression, and says," I warned you, you would perish. Now you are caught in my Spellbinding Circle. It leaves you immobilized where you stand, but that's not all. Now that you have no ability to move I relieve you of your magic with my spell Curse Breaker!"

Yugi holds out his hand toward Battle Ox and a wave of lightening like energy emerges from it. The energy seeps into the body of the Battle Ox and removes him of his extra power. The Battle Ox returns to his normal size, and his original power. This leaves him no match for the awesome might of Yugi's dark magic attack.

Yugi prepares to finish the Battle Ox off with one final blow, until the Battle Ox starts to laugh. The laugh concerns Yugi, so he asks," What's so funny?''

The Battle Ox stops his laughing and explains," You think this is finished. Think again, this is only the beginning. There will be more forces to come. However, they are not as peaceful as I am. They'll come and burn this place to a pile of ashes. So go ahead and destroy me. From the pit of despair I will watch you burn."

Again the Battle Ox begins his wicked laugh, which infuriates Yugi. With great anger in his heart, Yugi uses his dark magic to scatter the Battle Ox in a million particles. Teas had disobeyed Yugi's words and followed him to the battle. She had heard everything the Battle Ox had said to Yugi. She watches as Yugi falls to his knees in despair. Tea rushes to try and comfort him.

Yugi hardly noticed the gentle touch of Tea's hand upon his shoulder. When his senses were more acute he realized Tea had been beside him. He turned his head to see the comforting, concerned face that Tea had. It made some of his sorrow leave and allowed him to rise to his feet again.

Yugi stares at Tea with his purple eyes, and says," I will go with you."

Tea says," You finally realize."

"Yes, we leave at dawn."

Yugi and Tea left the battlefield of destruction, but not alone. Form a figure dressed in black with a staff with a sickle emerges. This Armed Ninja emerges from the shadows and serves the damage of the area. After taking a last glance at the path that Tea and Yugi took, the Ninja leaps again into the shadow to returns to his place of origin. As for Tea and Yugi, they returned to the town's people and informed them that the threat had been subsided. That night they returned to the town as heroes.

**********

Morning arrived the next day, the town's people gather to wish their new heroes a fond farewell. Yugi and Tea gathered a few necessities, and prepared to leave dressed in their wardrobe of their patient magician. Yugi left his Inn to his grandfather that had lived in the area. Although he knew Tea he felt it ashamed that they had to leave before he got a chance to reconnect with her.

"It's ashamed you have to leave," Yugi's grandfather said. "I didn't even know you were into until tonight. As for my grandson, he didn't even mention anything."

Yugi tries to explain saying," Grandpa, I didn't even know until late last night. Besides I thought she would be leaving today."

"Now, you're leaving with her. Don't worry I understand." Yugi's Grandpa winks his eye at Yugi. Embarrassed Yugi proceeds to say his good byes along with Tea.

Yugi and Tea are about to leave on there way until Tea remembers to say," Oh, I almost forgot. Just in case those creeps come back again, I have a gift." Tea calls her staff to appear and uses it to once again summon the Dragon Capture Jar she had used the other night. The lid is still close to show that there are still dragons inside. Along with Jar's appearance, Tea recites the words that will summon forth a guardian monster she has in her possession.

"I summon forth the pyro, Dragon Piper." Almost instantly the monster Dragon Piper emerges on the field in a flash of light. The cheerful little jar-like creature waves, shuts his eyes, and smiles, waving one hand to the people and holding his flute in the other. Tea calls his attention and he immediately turns and responds," Yes boss."

Tea says," Alright Piper, do your stuff."

The instant he notices the Dragon Capture Jar he responds," Can do."

Playing a soft melodious tone upon his pipe, the Jar before him begins to open. The legion of Curse of Dragons that once resided in the jar now emerges from it. At first the town's people are startle by their appearance, their attitude changes as the dragons begin to land on the ground. The expressions of the dragons that were once angry and infuriating are now changed to relaxed and mellow. The town's people are amazed that these were the same dragons that nearly destroyed the town.

Tea explains," Piper has the abilities to control dragons that are captured. As long as he's around they'll be as gentle as kittens. Not to mention that they'll protect your town from any future attacks."

Yugi's Grandpa lets out a laugh of glee. He turns to Tea and says," I must say that is impressive." Now turning his attention to Dragon Piper and asks," Do you need a place to stay? Why not stay and help me out at the Inn."

Piper looks at Tea and asks," Do I stay?"

Tea answers," It's up to you. The people here could really need your help guarding this place. Besides it seems people have a liking to you already."

Piper closes his eyes and nods his body. "I'll stay and guard the town."

Tea smiles for she knows he'll be in good care. Dragon Piper joins the crowd and stands beside Yugi's grandfather.

After saying all there good-byes, Yugi and Tea start to depart. While leaving Yugi and Tea wave to the crowd who waves back at them.

"Take care of the Inn." Yugi says to his grandfather.

"And Piper!" Tea adds.

Waving back at them, Yugi's grandfather says," I will! Good luck to you two!"

Yugi and Tea leave the town of Domino, in search of new challenges that await them over the horizon. With Yugi the Dark Magician at her side, Tea the Magician of Faith feels a new feeling of confidence and hope.

**********

Far away, in a distant part of the world, a familiar Armed Ninja has returned to his master. He kneels before him in a grand throne room decorated with many types of tapestries and items of value. On the throne of the room, resides the master himself, Seto Kaiba the Lord of D. A man with eyes of blue and hair of brown, he wears his uniform of dragon hide and waits for the ninja's report.

The ninja tells him of the girl who escaped and Magician who defeated his Battle's Amy. At the mere mention of his name, Kaiba became intrigued.

"Yugi." he said. "He sounds like a challenge, but little Yugi better beware because I take all my challenges very seriously."

Stepping up from his throne, he say," Ninja, follow this Yugi and report to me again regularly."

The Ninja exits the room to continue his task to follow Yugi. Kaiba thinks to himself, In the mean time, I will assist my own evaluation. If he can defeat Battle Ox, then let's see if he can survive my other forces.