Raven knocked on Kaomi's door, mere hours after his final exams ended. "Kaomi. It's time." He stood in his black trench coat. He wore a white shirt and white pants under it. The coat remained un-buttoned. Since it was a mild summer, he imagined this wouldn't be too massively uncomfortable.
Kaomi walked out wearing a sleeveless shirt with her shorts, "What?" she said as she emerged from the doorway. She looked over Raven's shoulder to see Wesley Whyndam-Pryce sitting in a car waiting for them, "Oh, that. Right. One second." She ran into the house. A moment later she came out with her Duel Disk, "Let's save the world."
"Yes. Let's." Raven hopped in the car.
As the car pulled off, Wes handed Kaomi and Raven a list, "Mr. Sevanos says that there are twenty leaders of this 'Abyss", plus Illarya. Illarya will be well protected, so it's best to hit the others hard and fast and then go after her once their organization begins to crumble. That list is the list Mr. Sevanos prepared of our 'solders', so to speak. We hope to round them all up to help us fight the Abyss."
"Let's see." Raven read the list aloud, "Raven Vaniver, Kaomi Itai, Sevanos Otaga, Aura Leathe, Cid Orlandu, Shuyin Beolve, and" he paused "That's it. That's six. It says each duelist will need to eliminate two leaders. It doesn't add up."
"We need four more."
"Ah, great,"
"We have tried a lot of people. Most turned down our offer."
"Any Stars willing to do it?" asked Kaomi.
"Maybe Barbas and Opaka, but I doubt it."
"Alex?"
"Tried him. His assistant, Mr. Cellophane, turned us down."
"Arkith?" she suggested.
"No answer to our calls."
"Damn." She closed her eyes in thought.
"Right. We're contacting some of our global branches. But so far, the only response was from our New York area branch, who promised to search for us."
"Damn." Raven said, disappointed.
"It's only four, Lord Vaniver and Lady Itai, you two need not worry."
"Wes, is something wrong? That was a little impersonal." Kaomi shot him a clod glare.
"Should it be personal?" Wes looked puzzled.
"Don't you remember the time the three of us shared before the tournament?"
"Should I?"
"Looks like that memory thingy did a number on him." Kaomi whispered to Raven.
"Looks like it."
-O-
Alan-Tax met them at the door, "Ah! Raven, Kaomi, please come with me to Ops Level Red."
"Ops Level Red?" Raven cocked his head.
"Yes. Classified operations, high priority. Floor 27." Alan explained, "High clearance only."
"Hey, this means we have high clearance and aren't even in the organization." Kaomi smiled, overjoyed at this fact.
"You are now." Alan explained, as he walked toward the elevator.
-O-
Cid stepped onto the busy street, walking downtown in Domino, no real rhyme or reason. A black car pulled up to him. Wes sat inside, "Get in." Wes called to Cid.
-O-
Raven, Kaomi, Sevanos, and Alan stood in the room lit by pale red lights.
"Cid, Aura, and Shuyin are on their way. I assume Wes apprised you of our shortage." Sevanos said after a lengthy silence.
"Four needed." Kaomi sighed.
"Yeah." Alan nodded.
"Any word from the other branches."
"Not anything to speak about. Any ideas?"
"Alan, how about you?"
"'Fraid I'm working with Barbas and Opaka here at our Central Command. Make sure everything runs smooth." Alan responded.
Sevanos thought for a moment. "Send a message to Dr. Colbert."
"Who?" Raven raised an eyebrow.
"Dr. Ian Colbert. He's s professor of archeology, and of Egyptology, and he's a duelist. Since he's an Egyptologist he should be interested to see my back office, let alone the Shadow Games. He's good, don't worry." Sevanos assured Raven.
"How about Rebecca Hawkins?" Kaomi suggested.
"Busy."
"Any of the Battle City finalists?"
"We can't seem to get a hold of them. The only ones we have tabs on are Marik, Odion, and Ishizu, thanks to our Cairo branch. They're otherwise disposed, what with tomb keeping and all."
"We need three good duelists, how hard can it be? Contact Keith! Contact Underwood! Contact Pegasus!"
"No response, flat our no, and Pegasus says he'll come if his Industrial Illusions duties permit." Alan reported.
"In other words, no." Sevanos scowled, and sat at a computer. "Come on, Ian..."
"Do we have anything? Anything at all?" Kaomi asked.
On the computer screen, a cartoon rabbit danced and an image of Pegasus appeared on the screen. "Afternoon, Sevanos! Is this the up-and-comer, Raven?"
"Yeah, that's me." Raven smiled, approaching the computer.
"I hear you've developed your Shadow Powers well." Pegasus complimented, "Well, down to business, eh? Sevvy-boy, I can't come and help you. I'm far too busy right now; I have over three hundred new cards that need to be ready for circulations soon, and three that need to be ready for their fated owners soon. Plus I've heard tale of some organization seeking a meeting with me about a field spell card. Way too booked to save the world this week. But I still think of you as a dear friend, Sevanos, so I'll send you a student of mine. A young duelist by the name of Ardrea Amun. She has studied my style. She's pretty good, though isn't much substitute for the original. An Industrial Illusions helicopter will land at your HQ within the hour. Oh, incidentally, how did those advance packs of the next sets do at your tournament?"
"Sold like mad." Sevanos reported.
"And how goes Project Iron Star?" Pegasus asked.
"Given the whole Abyss situation, my best people are on this project now, but we only expect a delay of about a month." Sevanos reported.
"Good. In that case, it'll be done according to my schedule. May fortune favor the foolish." Pegasus disappeared.
"Dr. Colbert is on his way." Alan reported, as he and Kaomi looked at another computer.
"Two left."
"We just got word from our London branch. England's top duelist, Gregory Marshal, is ready to catch a flight to L.A. to meet us." Alan followed up.
"Don't we have an operative from the L.A. branch here?" Sevanos asked.
"Serenity Tesconé? L.A. Branch Manager?" Alan asked, "Yeah, so..."
"How can you even wonder? Call her up here. We leave for Los Angeles tomorrow morning." Sevanos laughed, "You two," he gestured to Raven and Kaomi, "Resident Rooms 4 and 5 on floor ten. Call them your summer home. Anything you need will be provided."
"Sounds nice." Raven nodded, and he and Kaomi left.
"Meeting in the Rose Room at 0900 hours." Sevanos called after them.
"I wonder if they know 24-hour notation?" Alan asked
"God, I hope so." Sevanos sat back.
-O-
Raven lie awake in his bed. It was getting late. Somehow this made him more wakeful. He looked about him.
"Oh, you are brave, Raven Vaniver." Shadi's voice rang, as he appeared at the foot of Raven's bed.
"Shadi." Raven almost flew out of bed.
"So, you denied fate." Shadi closed his eyes, "You are an unpredictable force, Lord Vaniver." he sighed, "This is your advantage. You cloud all essences of fate and destiny. That's useful. So, you have a job to do."
"I'm sick of fate."
"Good. It's just that that makes you useful. Illarya can sense one's fate if it intertwines with her own, to an extent. So, your strength to fight fate may protect you and the others. This is your task." Shadi walked away from Raven, as he stepped away as he vanished into eventual nothingness.
"Oh, good. Another charge from Sir Ancient Egypt himself."
-O-
"Let's rock, people!" Raven entered the Rose Room. All were in attendance, save Marshal, who was connected via satellite-streamed video.
"Well... we have a great crusade. We will cause this 'Abyss' to crumble about Illarya, and then Raven and I will take her out." Sevanos explained. "Once in L.A., we'll assign the leaders we'll terminate."
"Terminate?" Kaomi shot an odd glance.
"We'll banish them to the Shadow Realm after our victories. It's the only way to distress Illarya enough to make a victory on her home turf possible." Sevanos explained.
"Are you sure?" A woman with red hair, Ardera Amun, asked, "Master Pegasus said a loser of a true Shadow Game is banished forever to the Shadows. Do we really want to risk it?"
"Well, I'm not a master of the paranormal," Marshal chimed in, "But I think it's worth it. We want to save Earth, right?"
"Let's go." Raven suggested.
"Agreed." Kaomi stood.
"Alright. Follow me." Sevanos shut down the satellite link-up and walked out.
-O-
"Say 'Hello' to the Star Aeronautical Vehicle Mark I, or, as we have affectionately dubbed it, the Star Wind!" Sevanos opened a large door, revealing a jet, big enough for about ten people, the size of a stealthy air-transport vehicle. A "Stars of Destiny" logo on either side, "Pile in." Another gigantic door opened, revealing an underground landing strip. This was the sealed off Basement Floor Four.
-O-
The jet soared for some time, to land in a similar fashion at another landing strip in Los Angeles. "Welcome to L.A." Marshal met them at the subterranean docking platform.
"Thank you, Mr. Marshal." Sevnaos jumped out. The crowd of ten then proceeded to the elevator.
-O-
"So," Sevanos began. He stood in a Red Level just like the one back at the Central Office. All the branches were alike, to the exact, save the staff and the room behind Sevanos' office. The general district managers did not earn this privileged room, "We begin today. We have for you the twenty-one target locations. Yours are highlighted. They're all within this area, somewhere. Try to take out the targets by sunrise. Remember, take no prisoners, just let them initiate a Shadow Game and defeat them."
"Nothing too fancy." Raven commented, "We're going for the idea of a swift, slashing, blow. Multiple fronts; confusing and disorientating. We then will be able to confront an unsupported, drained, and confused Illarya. She knew last time she was not ment to succeed, and gave us a gift. But from what I've read, what Sevanos and I saw was a fragment of her full force, so the confusion of the slashing blow will get to her. We also plan to attack her directly early, catching her off-guard. And Sevanos and I will hit her at once, further straining her. This gives us the advantage. But, if she's near as powerful as we've heard, that means nothing. We must still pray for a miracle here."
"Anyone on good terms with God here," Serenity spoke quiet, with a sense of fear, "best put in a good word for the rest of us."
"Out of curiosity, what if we ignore this threat?" Marshal asked.
"Easy." Raven replied, "The Abyss gets their hands on enough power to bring about the end of the world. And they're close now. There has been a soar in Missing Persons reports here in the last ten months, if that's true; they have a ton of power already. We're against the clock here. We have a month, tops, before they are ready to go. We have to move now."
"Joy." Marshal replied.
"Ready to move out?" Sevanos asked. The group nodded in reply, "Let's be heroes." Sevanos led the group out.
-O-
Kaomi and Raven walked through the city. They went down streets and through alleys to reach a rather shady store.
"You're sure about this info?" Kaomi asked.
"Star Intelligence Net rivals the CIA and NSA combined. I'm sure" Raven replied, "It's a bit dark."
"Agreed." Kaomi felt the wall for a light switch. She flicked on a ceiling lamp. The room this lamp revealed was that of a run-down pawnshop, no doubt front of some sort of black market endeavor every now and then.
"Hello?" Raven called into the shop, "Don Domascus?"
"Yes?" The voice of an aged man filled the room. He wasn't visible.
"We are here, Mr. Domascus, to see you about your agency. The Abyss." Raven stood, straight and professional.
"What of it?" the voice asked, now being accompanied by a body of a man, apparently forty-five. He wore the black metal cube pendant that all in the Abyss wore. He had some distinguished gray in his hair.
"Time for it to fall." Raven launched his disk.
"Is this a Shadow Challenge? Why, then, I accept." The light no longer mattered, for a world of darkness engulfed them. Kaomi, who stood next to Raven, was thrown from the store.
"For your sake, I hope she's alright, or you'll beg for the Shadow Realm." Raven drew. "Pot of Greed!" Raven examined his hand, "I play Manju of the Ten-Thousand Hand, allowing me to get my Incandescent Ordeal magic card from my deck, and then I'll play it, sacrificing my Dark Magician from my hand to summon my Legendary Flame Lord. Now I play two face-down cards. Go."
"Card Destruction!" Ordered the Don.
"Idiot! My Despair form the Dark is instantly summoned!" Raven laughed.
"Monster in defense mode, and two cards face-down. Go."
"Despair, attack!" ordered Raven.
"Mirror Force!" called the Don.
"Zero Gravity!"
"Dark Mirror Force!"
"Crap." All Raven's monsters vanished.
"Now, sacrifice my defensive monster for Jinzo! Jinzo, Direct Assault!" A disk of energy slammed into Raven, lowering his Life Points to 1600, "And that Trap is useless!"
"I play my Card Destruction!" Raven tossed out his hand. "Offering to the Doomed will destroy Jinzo. With that done, I can play Sangan in Defense Mode."
"Summon Slate Warrior! Slate Warrior, attack!" the man ordered.
"Not so fast, Negate Attack!" screamed Raven,
"Ah, so I am halted!" Domascus laughed. "By the way, in case you were wondering, your friend is fine. She's still here, with us." He motioned behind him. Kaomi floated in the dark world. "What a shame, her precious mind is going. Slipping away. Say goodbye, friend, because she's ready to slip out!" Kaomi slowly faded.
"Big mistake." Raven began to glow. His hair drifted upwards and an Eye of Anubis appeared on his forehead. His eyes burned with fires of determination. "My turn. Because of my Spell card I cannot draw, so I'll sacrifice Sangan," A smile swept his face, "To summon my Blitz Knight!" Raven laughed, "I then play Replenish, allowing me to draw each time I discard. And my Knight's effect allows me to discard a monster to attack again." Raven laughed, "Destroy Slate Warrior!" The warrior drew his emerald blade and slashed through the stone warrior.
"My Warrior takes 500 of your attack. Your monster has 1800 left."
"More than enough. Discard Barrel Dragon, and attack!" the knight slashed at Raven's opponent. Raven drew, "Monster Card: Breaker the Magical Warrior. Discard and attack." Raven drew again, "Draw. Monster Card: Kelbek! Discard and attack!" Raven drew again,"Tyrant Dragon! Discard and attack!" He continued to draw as the shadows faded, "Marie the Fallen One." He threw the card into his graveyard, "Attack!" He drew again, "Gale Lizard, discard and attack!" He drew again, "Twilight Dragon, discard and attack!" He drew again, "Thunder Dragon!"
Kaomi ran in, "STOP!" she drew the Thunder Dragon from her deck, "Raven, as these two dragons fuse to from a great beast, we form the best duelist ever known. But to do that, the one dragon must keep the other in check. If you totally shred his body and spirit, you're no better than him. Please listen to reason!"
Raven shut off his Duel Disk. "Thank you, Kaomi." He looked down, "Something snapped."
"I'll say."
"Maybe it's this Yami thing. The idea of another's spirit in my body... maybe it wields too much power." Raven fell to his knees.
"It's your body, Raven. Remember that next time." Kaomi turned to leave the store.
-O-
"Hello?" Marshal yelled down the alleyway, "Mr. Lantash?"
"Hello, Mister Gregory Marshal." Lantash replied, in a deep, inhuman harmony of two voices, "I know why you're here. So let's begin our Shadow Game."
"Let's duel!" Marshal launched his Duel Disk, "First, I'll summon my Mystical Shine Ball in defense mode and set two cards face-down. Go."
"A fool's move. I summon Vampire Lady. My creature of the night will destroy your Shine Ball." The pale woman sank her fangs into the ball, shattering it.
"My move!" Marshal drew, "Yes... Summon forth my Pharaoh's Servant!"
"It's curtains for your servant! Summon my Witch of the Black Forest. Witch, attack!" ordered Lantash, "And do direct damage with Vampire Lady, forcing one of your Traps to go to the grave as I set a Trap of my own!"
Marshal gritted his teeth, as he tossed his Bottomless Shifting Sands into his Graveyard and watched his Life Points fall to 2450. "That matters not, for now I remove my Pharaoh's Servant and Shine Ball from play-"
"No, you don't! I activate my trap, Lightforce Sword! That card is gone from your hand!" The sword impaled Marshal's Envoy of the Beginning.
"Defend."
"Now is your end! I play Share the Pain, destroying my Witch to destroy your monster. And by the effect of my Witch, I get my greatest monster, The End of Anubis!"
"What?"
"Now, I sacrifice my Vampire Lady to summon my great End of Anubis!" A great fiendish being rose on Lantash's field, "That Envoy I removed it rendered useless by my Anubis' effect. In fact, a lot is rendered useless by it's effect, but we'll show that as we go. Anubis, attack!"
"Negate Attack!" Marshal revealed, and then drew, "Let's go for it. Card Destruction!" He threw his hand away.
"You forced my great Serpent Night Dragon to the grave." Lantash laughed.
"And activate Monster Reborn!"
"Anubis, teach him a lesson!" Lantash's chorus of voices screamed. The great monster reached out and destroyed the Monster Reborn card.
"What?" Marshal looked shocked, "But my Reinforcements trap I had is useless without a monster!"
"And my End of Anubis keeps you from getting one. Pity." Lantash laughed, "Anubis, finish him!" The fist of the End of Anubis crashed into Marshal, causing him to fall.
"Now," the deeper of the two voices rang out, "I can move into a soulless host, unlike this Lantash, or that Sevanos. A host who won't resist me." The voice, that of Seros, laughed manically. Lantash fell to the ground.
As Marshal rose, only one voice came from his mouth. Seros spoke alone. "Now, a vessel free of resistance. Time for some old friends to be paid a visit." Seros took the cube pendant from Lantash, "Time to ride." He jumped onto a motorcycle laying in the alley and rode off.
-O-
"The City of Angels." Raven sighed, walking toward his next destination with Kaomi, his hands behind his head, relaxing.
"With quite the dark underbelly." Kaomi sighed, "Like the Abyss."
"Yeah, I suppose." Raven shrugged, "But come on, it's more exciting than Domino or Sunnydale could ever be."
"True..."
The two walked on like this for a while. Neither wanted to hail a cab or catch a bus. The city was so new, and the GPS Sevanos had given them was so detailed, they wanted to walk.
A man in dark clothes wearing an Abyss pendant had been following them and he took his chance. As Raven rounded a corner, the man grabbed Kaomi threw an envelope at Raven. It hit him in the back of the head, causing him to spin, but when he did, Kaomi and her kidnapper were gone.
Raven flipped the envelope open and read the letter inside aloud, "Vaniver, did you honestly think you could get away with this plan? I know of your blitz assault, so your attempt at surprise has failed. Only two duels against my people have happened, and now two of your duelists are mine. Enjoy your stay in Los Angeles. Best regards, Illarya." Raven crumpled the letter in his hand, "It just figures, doesn't it?"
What seemed like seconds later a silver car pulled up next to Raven, and Sevanos looked out the window from the driver's side, "I know where she is. Hop in."
Raven sat in the car next to Sevanos and they sped off.
"Illarya knows about us. She's got someone besides Kaomi."
"Yeah. Illarya called me and said that Seros was back, in the form of our Mr. Marshal, who really didn't deserve the title of National Champion for anything."
"Sevanos, tell me about Tiamat."
"Tiamat, your ancestor, was a High Priest who led an army against Seros, and his army was decimated. He was vastly outnumbered, and so he fused himself with the Tyrant Dragon, and set the army against him ablaze. This combination of human and monster was known as the Final Incarnation of Tiamat. When Tiamat attacked Seros, Seros was trying to fuse with Shinato, the King of a Higher Plane. He was killed before he could. Tiamat died after this incident." Sevanos explained, as he pulled two cards from his Duel Disk, "Here is Shinato. Consider it a testament to new friendship. Plus it adds insult to injury if you use it to dispatch Seros."
"Thank you." Raven slid it into his deck.
"We'll be at the place in a few minutes." Sevanos said as they sped along.
-O-
"Bring her forward," Illarya ordered. Two guards dragged Kaomi to Illarya's throne.
"You diluted bi-." Kaomi struggled.
"A real live one. Miss Itai, have you ever been an avatar?"
-O-
"This is the place." Sevanos and Raven entered an abandoned warehouse.
"Why is it always an old abandoned warehouse? Can't it ever be a mansion, or a beach, or something?" Raven sighed.
"Kaomi Itai!" Sevanos screamed. Lights flipped on revealing Kaomi standing at the center of the room.
"Raven must duel me." Illarya's voice blended with Kaomi's.
"Remote mind control." Sevanos growled, "Coward!"
"All right." Raven launched his Duel Disk, "Get out of here, Sevanos. I'll be out in a few minutes."
"Stand strong, old man." Sevanos patted Raven's shoulder, and left.
"Since you're not here, Illarya, there will be no Shadow Game." Raven said, somewhat questioningly.
"True, but this entire warehouse is wired with explosives."
"Figures."
"So, let us duel." Kaomi drew, "I summon Nimble Momonga in defense mode."
"Summon Gale Lizard!" Raven threw two cards face-down, "Go."
"Not attacking?"
"I've dueled you enough to know your cards, Kaomi."
"Kaomi is no more." She drew, "Summon Dark Blade, and attack your Gale Lizard."
"Reveal Blast with Chain. Gale Lizard, send that warrior flying." Raven said, angrily.
"Raven, my lad, you realize the looser of this duel will die."
"And that'll be you, Illarya. Kaomi will come to, she's strong." Raven drew.
"She's naught more than my puppet."
What if she's right? What if Kaomi doesn't come to? Raven thought, "I summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, allowing me to get Shinato's Ark, and now I'll... end my turn."
"I play one card face down and a monster in defense mode. Go."
Raven closed his eyes. What in my deck would make her come to? He thought. Then it hit him, Thunder Dragon! That whole speech she gave me back with the Blitz Knight thing! It means something to her! He drew. Rush Recklessly wouldn't help him. "Pass." He said, solemnly.
"So, this situation sets in on you. About time. Sacrifice my monsters for Seiyaryu!" Kaomi shuddered, "Seiyaryu..."Kaomi's voice, though weak, spoke alone.
"Kaomi?" Raven said, hopeful.
"A brief lapse in control." Illarya's voice returned. "Seiyaryu, Mystic Flame!"
"Negate Attack! The one you gave me!"
Raven... Kaomi's thoughts resonated weakly in her own mind. Using the card I gave him... against...
Quit resisting, Avatar! Illarya's voice rang so loud in Kaomi's mind.
"I activate Graceful Charity, allowing me to draw." Perfect! This will turn the tides! "Dark Designator, adding Thunder Dragon to your hand!"
Thunder Dragon...? Kaomi struggled to form a thought.
"Fine." the Avatar replied.
"I set one card face-down and activate Exchange!" Raven smiled. As long as she has Polymerization...
The two walked to the center of the arena.
"My hand contains Thunder Dragon, Piolymerization, Pot of Greed, and Monster Reborn." Kaomi read.
"Well, mine contains Card Destruction, Shinato's Ark, Thunder Dragon, and Blowback Dragon." Raven read, "I'll take your Pot of Greed."
Take the Thunder Dragon. Ordered Illarya, then form Twin Headed Thunder Dragon!
No! That Thunder Dragon is our bond! Kaomi screamed back, I could never turn it on my friend!
Then you'll die! Illarya screamed back.
If I did what you say, I couldn't live with myself! Kaomi selected Shinato's Ark.
"Kaomi?"
"Raven-" Kaomi's voice came alone, as she odviously struggled, "Silence, Avatar!" Illarya's voice rejoined Kaomi's.
"Time to save the day. I got a plan." Raven and Kaomi returned to their positions, "Set two cards more, and now sacrifice my monster for the Blowback Dragon!"
"Use it. Blow your love to hell!"
"No, Illarya. I end my turn."
"Seiyaryu, attack!"
"Shadow Spell." Raven ordered. Chains bound Seiyaryu. "And my other card, A Hero Emerges. Come helter, Thunder Dragon!"
Thunder- Kaomi struggled.
"Go."
"I'll..." the harmonic voices called, "Sacrifice Seiyaryu for Thunder Dragon!" Kaomi screamed alone, "Get out of my head, maniac!"
"Kaomi!"
"Raven, I-"Kaomi fell to her knees, "Touching. Your affection seems stronger than my hold on you, Avatar. So, this duel is a double forfeit. You know what that means?" Illarya's voice laughed as Kaomi fell to the ground.
"Kaomi!" Raven ran to her side, and lifted her in his arms, "We gotta go, now!" He broke into a run, carrying her.