Disclaimer/Author's Note

I own a lot of the cards used in this fic. Especially since some character's decks are entirely custom cards…staples not included. Gotta have your staples! Anyway, everything else I don't own. Characters are mine or my reviewers'.

Welcome to the rewrite of Tournament of the Eclipse, my first long term story on I wrote it terribly. Therefore a touch of realism has been added to this version, a touch I hope you all enjoy. This is a fic that preludes MysticAvenger's fic, called "Champion Duelists: The New Age". Read it for something that I guess you could consider spoilers except not really…

Chapter One introduces the first main character, the only one written in my image, Adriel! Err, note that he's not related to me at all, just that I write him as my character. The main characters are based on people I know one way or the other.

YuGiOh: Hallowed Darkness

The Hunter

"I summon the Blue Eyes White Dragon and obliterate your monster as well as the rest of your life points!" shouted a boy victoriously. In front of him appeared a huge dragon, a light blue in color with purely blue eyes. It opened its maw and fired a beam of energy, blasting through a weaker monster and passing through its impaled body to its master's opponent. The other boy fell to the ground in shock that he had lost.

The victor of the duel was tall with dark hair, spiky and short, with deep blue eyes and a style that showed he was cutting-edge. On his wrist was a DuelDisk to match. Although it was a bit older than KaibaCorp's newer models, it remained the most expensive and most popular item on the market.

The DuelBlade was an interesting item, made for the student who didn't have the room in his or her backpack for the machinery. Instead, it featured no minimizing functions and was simply a bladelike object, the deck and graveyard disc at one end, the blade jutting out to the side. The five monster pads and accessory slots were located on this blade. Three straps, two on the blade and one on the disc, latched the item to its owner's arm. They also tied onto the side of any backpack commonly found, making it a very efficient tool.

Walking over to his opponent, the dragon duelist pulled him up and stuck out his hand. Sadly, the other boy handed over his wager, fifteen dollars and his favorite card, the Insect Queen. The winner of the duel, known to many as "The Hunter", took this card and put it in a binder filled with rare cards. On the page that was the Insect Queen's new home, he quickly scribbled his opponent's name in permanent ink.

Adriel Touchstone watched all of this discontentedly from his classroom on the second floor. Duel Monsters… he thought to himself. Why does everyone play that? I don't see the point in it all. I mean look at that! Some kid from another school comes here just to play games with our best "duelists" and steal their cards! If I wanted my stuff stolen then I'd go walking in an alley where at least no one would see me. Not like I have money to steal…

Sighing, Adriel returned to his work. His excuse for not joining in the fun was that "He didn't need to waste his time and money on kid's games." In reality, however, Adriel was broke. His tact had saved him from anyone ever finding out that he lived in a dysfunctional home, but what would he do when he left for college? His dad was…who knows where Mr. Touchstone was? Adriel didn't even know his name before he left the family. His mom never spoke of him, and she probably couldn't remember if she tried, since she was always drunk. Sometimes Adriel wished he had siblings, but then realized that it was wrong to wish such suffering upon anyone else.

So there was his reason. No money to play. But hey, all those lunch periods he was wasting went to a good cause! All his work was finished early, so he spent the time he would be working on homework at the library, learning life skills for the future. Cooking was especially useful since he had to do it himself.

Adriel had just started his last math problem for the night when the bell rang. Quickly finishing, he snapped his book shut as the other students shuffled in from lunch, most of them raving about the heated duel.

When class let out, Adriel immediately made a beeline for the library. Starting a business, operating a computer, developing a website. All handy…if he had the money to buy a computer and internet connection so he could start an online business with a website.

The sun was going down so Adriel decided to walk home before it got too dark. Three blocks away from his house, however, something grabbed him and pulled him backwards into an alley.

"Who are you?!" shouted Adriel, demanding a response. The thug who had abducted him just smirked before throwing a punch. Adriel dodged it and grabbed his opponent's wrist, twisting it behind the creep's back.

"I asked you a question," said Adriel, slowly increasing the pressure of his grip.

"Ow, ow, ow! Hey! Okay!" said the thug. Adriel let go and the man stumbled forward. "I'm a hired gun for some big shot guy. He told me to grab you and steal your cards."

HOW STUPID IS THIS GAME?! Adriel screamed to himself before coolly responding; "What cards? It's a stupid game. I don't waste my money on cards."

"Hey, don't make my job any more annoying than it already is. You're the Hunter, right?" asked the thug.

Adriel suddenly realized that this guy was confusing him for that kid who was dueling in the courtyard at lunch. The guy who looked pretty much the same as he did. "You've got the wrong guy. I know who you're talking about." he said stoically.

"Not gonna work. I guess I'll have to do this the hard way," said the thug, throwing another punch. Adriel dodged it and sweep-kicked the thug, knocking him off his feet. Before he hit the ground, Adriel kneed him in the back with such force that he bounced off of Adriel's leg. Finally, Adriel clasped his hands together and swung them down, smashing the thug's stomach. The man passed out and fell to the ground, something flying out of his pocket.

Adriel jogged over and picked it up. It was a small, steel deck box filled with cards and a white note. It read:

KaibaCorp Order Confirmation form

1 (one) Drake model DuelDisk

--Stainless Steel

--Trademark KaibaCorp coloring

--Two Gemini-model hologram projector projectiles

--Complimentary set of 40 black card sleeves

Titanium alloy composition upgrade (Drake)

"Shadow" custom paint design (Drake)

Self-projector upgrade (Drake)

Total: $1,500.99

Adriel stopped here in shock. How was he supposed to get that much money?! Even if he tried to steal it from someone, which was both dangerous and wrong, it still wouldn't be enough. "Damn..." he said. Then he noticed a note lightly written in the bottom corner.

Boss already paid. Password is HUNTER, pick up at KC retail shop downtown.

Deciding to wait until tomorrow, Adriel pocketed his winnings and walked home, hoping no more stupid thugs would mistake him for this Hunter guy.