Master of the Light and Darkness
BY: Esyphelon
Somewhere in Egypt
"Hello, how may I help you?" I said.
"Daniel, fate has chosen you to be the holder of one of the Millennium Items," said a man wearing only a robe and turban.
"What's a Millennium Item? And further more, who are you?" I asked with a quizzical look on my face.
"My name is Shadi, and if you will come with me I will show you what a Millennium Item is." said Shadi.
"Well as much as I would like to come with you, my employer needs me to watch the shop." I Replied.
"Daniel, I know very well that you are self-employed, now come with me." Shadi commanded.
"Very well, just give me a few moments to close up." I said with a shrug.
"So where are we going?" I asked about thirty minutes into our trip.
"We are going to the tomb of the Millennium Items," replied Shadi.
"I don't mean to sound childish, but how much longer is it going to be before we get there?" I asked.
"We're already here." said Shadi as he pointed to a run down house.
"But this doesn't look very much like a tomb," I stated looking at the house he was pointing to.
"Yes, but never forget. Appearances can be deceiving," Shadi said as the house transformed into a mysterious looking tomb.
"Now follow me," said Shadi.
I followed not quite sure what to make of this young looking Egyptian standing in front of me. Eventually we came upon a flight of stairs, which of course we had to walk down, and down, and down until finally, we found a room that contained a sarcophagus with seven imprints on it where it looked as if some sort of relics used to rest.
"Welcome to the tomb of the Millennium Items," said Shadi in his quiet mystical voice.
"But you still haven't answered my question, what is a Millennium Item?" I asked growing impatient with the young Egyptian mystic.
"That is a long story," said Shadi.
"Well apparently I have all day," I said.
"Yes, but why should I tell you when your Millennium Item can do it for me?" Shadi asked.
It Was only then that I noticed a old set of golden scales with an odd eye carved into it.
"Is that a Millennium Item?" I asked a little shocked.
"Yes, this is the Millennium Scales the Item that has chosen you to wield it." Said Shadi.
"So, is this mine?" I said with a trembling voice.
"Yes, but first you must defeat me in a shadow game," said Shadi.
"What is a shadow game?" I asked not liking the sound of this.
"You would know a shadow game better as duel monsters," said Shadi.
"Well if it's a duel you want it's a duel you will get," I said my confidence back, that was until this strange purple fog came upon us.
"What is this?" I asked clearly confused.
"Welcome to the Shadow realm the place where our Shadow game will commence, IF you defeat me you will take the Millennium Scales. But if I win your soul will be trapped here forever." said Shadi.
"Well then, let's duel" I said undaunted by Shadi's threat upon my life.
Shadi: 8000 Daniel: 8000
"Since you are the challenger in this Shadow game you shall take the first turn," said Shadi
"Fine," I said as I drew my hand(GIANT ORC, DARK RULER HA-DES, SHINATO KING OF A HIGHER PLANE, HYSTERIC FAIRY, SHINATO'S ARK, CONTRACT WITH THE DARK MASTER) "I'll play a magic card shinato's ark allowing me to summon Shinato King of a Higher Plane(3300/3000) by offering my Hysteric fairy and Giant Orc, the monster appeared in a brilliant radiance, like the sun raining from the sky in a brilliant flash of light. Luckily for you I can't attack this turn, and with that said I end my turn," I told Shadi.
"Now, for my turn," said Shadi, "I'll set one monster in face-down defense mode(Gravekeeper's Gaurd) and end my turn."
"Now it's my turn" I said as I drew (X-Head Cannon). "I'll summon X-Head Cannon in attack mode. And now I will attack your face-down monster with Shinato!" I shouted to Shadi as my monster launched a dazzling attack of light.
"Hah, you have attacked my Gravekeeper's Gaurd which allows me to return one of your monsters to your hand, and I choose Shinato." said Shadi
Shadi: 7000 Daniel: 8000
"What My monster was in defense mode why did I lose life points?" Shadi exclaimed.
"It's Shinato's special effect, when he destroys a monster in defense position it does damage equal to its original attack to the owner of the card. And now X-Head Cannon attack!"
Shadi:5200, Daniel:8000
"You're good, but you can't keep up with my deck," Shadi said. "Now I"ll play Necrovalley(Powers up all Gravekeeper's by 500 atk/def points, and prevents both players from using cards that target the graveyard.), and set one monster face-down(Gravekeepers Spy)Go Daniel."Said Shadi.
"It's time to end this duel, first I draw(Pot Of Greed) next I play Pot Of Greed, which allows me to draw two more cards(Monster Reborn, Dark Master Zorc). Then I play Contract with the Dark Master, and by offering my Shinato King of a higher plane I can summon my Dark Master Zorc." I said with great confidence.
"No it can't be, Both the rulers of light and darkness?" said Shadi shock evident on his face.
"Whatever, I really don't care what my monsters are caled as long as they serve me." I said.
"Now, I'll activate Zorc's effect which allows me to roll a die, and depending on what I roll Zorc will destroy certain monsters on the field. Go dice roll!" I said as the die began to roll, which evetually came to a halt on a one.
"Yes, when the die comes to a stop on a one that means that all of your monsters are destroyed!" "And now Dark Master Zorc, and X-Head Cannon will attack you directly!"
Shadi:900, Daniel: 8000
"Well then I will draw, First I set two cards face down, and summon a Gravekeeper's Assailant in attack mode. A robed warrior stepped out of the shadows carrying a wicked blade. Now Gravekeeper's assailant attack X-Head Cannon"
"Your Zorc may be strong, but your Cannon is weak." said Shadi.
"Shadi, has anyone ever told you that when it comes to dueling you're a fool, sure you destroy my X-Head Cannon and take a few of my Life points with it, but you have left your life points wide open!" I said almost arrogantly.
Shadi:900, Daniel:7800
"First I draw(Graceful Charity)and then I play Graceful Charity which allows me to draw three cards and discard two(Old Vindictive Magician, Heavy Storm, Giant Orc). Now, I'll discard Old Vindictive Magician and Giant Orc, and then I'll play Heavy Storm! Now, Zorc attack and finish this duel!"
Shadi:0, Daniel:7800
"Congratulations! It is not often when someone defeats me in shadow gameNow here take the Millennium Scales, of and also take these two cards they will help you greatly in the future." Said Shadi.
"Thank you, I'm sure they will."and then I looked at the cards,"Wow Shadi how could you possess two of the strongest cards in duel monsters and not use them!" I exclaimed.
"Ah, that is a simple question to answer. They simply did not bond with my soul." said Shadi in his usual voice.
"Shadi, I have another question for you. What am I supposed to do now?" I asked the mystic.
"Ah, a not so simple question, one to which I cannot give a definite answer, only advice." replied the young looking mystic.
"So Shadi, what would your advice be on the subject of what I should do next?" I asked the strange mystic.
"My advice would be to take a little vacation to explore both the new power you have, as well as the responsibilities that come with such power. I have been told that there is an elite duel monster tournament being held in Domino city Japan, perhaps you should go there." replied the stern mystic.
"But why Japan?", I asked.
"Because there are some other millennium Item holdersin Domino that you would do well to meet." said the wise protector of the items.
"This is all well and good, but why is something telling me that there is another reason that you want me to go Domino?" I asked.
"So, you are more perceptive than I gave you credit for. You're right there is another reason for me telling you about this tournament in Japan, that reason is a millennium Item holder named Marik Ishtar." replied the mystic.
"Wait, you mean the Marik Ishtar! The same person who frequents my store looking for good cards?" I asked the mystic.
"Yes that would be him, but the person you see is not the true Marik, the true Marik is bent on revenge for what he believes the Pharaoh did to his father." Shadi replied.
"So what is so bad about this Marik?" I asked.
"He is a thief like no other, he uses his millennium Rod to mind control people to steal cards for him, so that he might find what he is looking for, the Egyptian God cards" said Shadi.
"I'm sorry for all the questions, but who is this Pharaoh?" I asked.
"Ah, I was hoping you would ask that. The Pharaoh is one of the Millennium Item holders in Japan that I would like you to meet."
"Well, that's about all the questions I can think of, save one. How am I going to get to Domino City?"
"That's easy my friend, I happen to have a friend named Ishizu Ishtar that is going to Japan today and would love some company." Shadi replied.
"Ishtar, as in Marik!" I asked.
"Yes, she is his sister." replied the keeper.
"Well then, could you take me to her?"
"No need, she is right here." Shadi said as a woman walked out of the shadows.
"We meet at last Daniel," said Ishizu.
"So I take it you're Ishizu?" I asked.
"Yes, I am." she replied in a polite manner.
"And I also take it if you know this weirdo you have a Millennium Item?" I asked.
"Yes that is also a correct assumption." Ishizu replied. "And now if that is all, shall we leave?" she asked me.
"Yes, I need to get out of here before I end up like him." I said, pointing at Shadi.
Later on the plane to Domino
"So Ishizuif this isn't to bold of me, how did your brother become the way he is today?" I asked the young looking Egyptian woman.
"My brother is a complex story, you see Marik and I belong to family whose only purpose in life is to protect the tomb of the pharaoh, but Marik didn't want that life he just wanted to live like any other boy would. Of course our father wouldn't have any of that, so on the day of Marik's initiation, after the Hieroglyphics on the sarcophagus had been burned into his back, he took the Millennium Rod and killed our father with it. Ever since I have felt the darkness growing within him, for he believes that the Pharaoh is responsible for his father's death." said Ishizu in a long-winded response.
"So, do you have any information on this duel monsters tournament I am supposed to enter in order to obtain the information Shadi was talking about?" I asked.
"Yes, I do. To enter you have to be of a certain rank in the organizer, Seto Kaiba's, opinion, to enter the finals you must obtain six locator cards, which when inserted into the duel disk will show you the location of the finals. The only stipulation however is the winner of a duel takes the losers rarest card." Ishizu said.
"So the loser loses his or her rarest card? Man I'm going to have to prepare my deck then, maybe I'll find a way to incorporate the cards Shadi gave me." Daniel said a little scared about losing his rarest card.
Domino City
"So,where are we staying Ishizu?" I asked ny conpanion in this odd adventure.
"There is a hotel not far from here that I booked for us." She said hailing a taxi.
"Okay, lead the way then." I responded.
At the hotel
"Okay Daniel, I have to go and see to some things at the meuseum, I won't be too long." Ishizu said.
"No problem I'll just hang out and modify my deck a little for the tournament tommorow." I said.
To Be Continued
Next time the tournament starts, and Daniel gets to test his new deck on his foe. Will he win? What were those cards Shadi gave him? Find out next ime on Balanced Destiny.
A.N. Sorry about the first posting of this chapter I accidentally missed the last part I wanted to put in before I posted it so here is the edited version.