Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh.

Legends of the Demon Duelist-Midnight Arc

Chapter 17: Plans to counter-attack; And the choice of Eri

Everyone sat in the cargo hold of the helicopter, staring at the Dark Halo.

He continued to sit calmly in a cross-legged position, seeming to meditate.

"So…are you really the enforcer of the darkness games?" Eri had only recently learned the story of the Dark Halo, but after what she had seen she was willing to believe it.

"I am not the original Dark Halo or else those shells of life would have been destroyed without getting a chance to duel." His night black hair fell around his face. "However…I am the power of the Dark Halo mixed completely with a part of Ichigo's psyche. So for all intents and purposes I suppose I am the Dark Halo."

"So…Halo…" Davis thought hard at a way to word this question. "Are you with us or against Midnight?"

"Neither." He replied emotionlessly. "I owe a small bit of my existence to Ichigo, and as such I heeded his request to save the girl's life. Now that my work is done I will leave you right after the chattering idiot girl realizes there is an opening for her to gain control of this body with."

Before anyone could ask him what he meant there was a nearly blinding flash of light that filled the cabin.

Eri covered her eyes to block the brightness…and as such had no chance to respond when something bowled into her and sent her crashing to the floor.

"Hi Eri!" Alahandra hugged the demoness tightly.

And Eri blushed bright red. "Get off of me Ichigo!"

Alahandra hopped up and grinned. "No, you're wrong. I'm not Ichigo."

Davis rubbed his eyes to try and clear the spots away. "Then who are you?"

The blond-haired girl struck her pose. "I am the illustrious Alahandra!"

"……….."


Meanwhile at the island of the Duelist Academy, things had changed.

Sitting in the place of the huge complex near the center of the island was a huge castle of dark stone. And at the top of that castle was a large open section of roof.

Midnight looked out over his new domain. "Hmm…" He snapped his fingers.

Scion appeared next to him. "What do you wish master?"

"The Dark Halo Incarnate's power is gone from this plane. Go and eliminate the holder of that power before he can recover his lost power." Midnight's eyes stared ahead, looking into the wavelengths of energy of the planet.

Scion faded away without another word.


Everyone stared at Alahandra, who just sat there and smiled back. "What's everybody staring at?"

Eri stared at the girl….and shook her head. "Sooo…you're another part of Ichigo's personality?"

"Yup!"

"I'm going to be physically ill." The demoness looked out the window of the helicopter.

"What's the matter Eri?" Alahandra slid in close to her.

"Nothing." She kept looking out the window. Then blushed brightly as the blond-haired girl hugged her from behind and placed a chin on her shoulder.

"Somebody needs some cheering up…"

A low growl escaped Eri's throat. "Get…off…"

"Not until you cheer up."

Eri's lips lifted into a sick smile. "There…I'm smiling…now get off of me right now…"

"But you're faking it though!"

"No I'm not! I'm…really…happy…"

Alahandra yawned. "I…feel sleepy…"

Eri started to stumble, her eyes closing slowly. "Huh…"

They both crashed to the ground, asleep instantly.


Both girls found themselves standing on a circular stone platform. Surrounding them was an endless void of mist.

"Where are we?" The hairs on the back of Eri's neck stood up. ("And how…")

"Greetings. I am the third Speaker of Midnight. My name is Scion, master of dreams and the dream world." A cloud of mist lowered to the field and pulled together to turn into a man with grey long hair and a grey beard. "I am here to destroy the Dark Halo incarnate."

Alahandra gulped and started to step away. "I really know…"

Eri stepped between them. "I'll be your opponent."

Scion frowned. "Very well…but let me make sure you fully understand the conditions. If I win then your soul will remain in your control. In fact, the only thing I will win if you lose is that I'll be able to challenge the Dark Halo incarnate."

Eri nodded, a duel disk appearing on her arm.

Scion- 4000

Eri- 4000

Scion snapped his arm out and a duel disk appeared on it. "I start!" He drew. "First the Pot of Greed magic card." Fanning out his seven card hand, he calmly inserted a card into his disk. "I set one card face-down and one monster face-down as well. End turn."

Eri drew. "First the quickplay Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your set card!" A blast of wind shattered the face-down card. "Then I play my own Pot of Greed. After that I summon Wolf Demoness (1550/1550) to the field!" A wild female wolf demon appeared on the field, her light armor appearing dull in the grey mist. "Also, the equipment magic card Howling Cry will attach to any monster with the words Wolf Demon in its title. That monster will gain double attack points." (3100/1550) "Now, Howling Claw!" The female demon slashed through the set card easily. "Wolf Demoness negates the effect of any monster it destroys as a result of battle."

Scion didn't seem worried.

"I end my turn by setting two cards face-down on the field." Eri had a cold smile on her face. This was a form of therapy for her. She'd tear down one of Midnight's so-called invincible Speakers to help her confidence in the coming battle with the real threat.

Scion drew. "First I play the magic card Giant Trunade. This card will send all magic and trap cards in play back to their owner's hands."

Eri pointed at one of her set cards. "I activate the counter trap Magic Hunting Spirit!" An orange ghost flew out of the now face-up card and stole a card right out Scion's hand. "This trap will negate a magic card and force you to discard a random magic card from your hand as well!"

Scion grabbed a different card from his hand. "I summon Dream Angler (1500/1600) in attack mode." A giant fish made of mist appeared on the field. "This monster's special ability lets me play a field magic card from my deck!" A card was shot out of his deck and he slammed it into his field magic card slot. "Welcome to Dream Land!" All around them huge white fluffy clouds flew up and transformed into a golden castle behind him. "In this place, all monsters with Dream in their title have their original attack points increased by 200. Also, whenever monsters battle their original attacks are applied for the fight! Dream Angler, Light the Way!" A blast of light flew from the fish's mouth and hit Wolf Demoness right in the chest, blowing her apart. (1700/1600) "End turn."

Scion- 4000

Eri- 3850

Eri drew. "I play the magic card Sword that Seals the Dead!" A sword shot from her card that had a skull at the crosspiece. It hit the fish and the monster turned to stone. "This card removes your monster from play. That monster and this card cannot be affected by anything. The only way to free your monster is to your have a monster of yours in play be destroyed!"

Scion smiled slightly.

Eri growled. "I'll knock that smile right off! Go Monster Reborn!" Wolf Demoness appeared on the field in front of her. "Direct attack!" It leapt forward and slashed its claws through Scion, who dissipated into mist. "What?"

"Dream Land's special ability prevents me from taking any damage." Scion reappeared on the field. "Sorry child."

Eri's eyes widened. "What? You can't take damage?"

"That's right." Scion drew. "I summon Dream Swordsman (2000/1300) to the field." A sleeping warrior in knight's armor appeared on the field. "This monster cannot attack, but once per turn it may destroy one monster in play that has an original attack less than its own." Wolf Demoness exploded into dust. "End turn."

Eri drew. "First I activate the continuous magic card Situational Grief. Then I play the magic card Shadow Rebirth. When a dark monster on my field is special summoned during this turn I may draw two cards. This effect will only work once." She pointed at her set card. "Go Call of the Haunted!" Wolf Demoness appeared on the field. "So I draw two cards."

She pointed at Wolf Demoness. "I sacrifice my monster to summon Beast of Gilfer (2200/2500) in defense mode." A giant black demon appeared on her field in a crouching position. "End turn."

Scion drew. "Now I summon Dream Fairy (1300/700) to the field." A sleeping fairy appeared alongside the Soldier. "Prepare yourself, because when summoned this monster lets me draw a card if I have Dream Land in play." He drew once. "End turn."

Eri smirked and drew. "Situational Grief's special ability lets me gain 1000 life points per monster you have in play if you are unable to successfully land an attack during your turn!"

Scion- 4000

Eri- 5850

The demoness looked at the drawn card. ("This card…") She smirked. "I will dislike using this, but it must be done. Go Heavy Storm! All magic and trap cards in play will be destroyed, so therefore Dream Land in gone!" A blast of wind shattered her continuous magic card and the castle behind Scion. "Now I switch Beast of Gilfer into attack mode! Demon's fireball!" The demon stood up and spat out a fireball that blew Dream Soldier apart.

Scion- 3800

Eri- 5850

The Sword that Seals the Dead shattered and Dream Angler was freed.

Eri didn't care though. "End turn."

Scion drew. "I set a monster in defense mode and one card face-down. I also switch both of my monsters into defense mode. End turn."

Eri drew. "You can only defend now because your precious field card is gone." She sneered. "By discarding one Demon monster from my hand I can activate the effect of Black Lightning! Dream Angler will be destroyed and half of its attack will be deducted from your life points!" A bolt of lightning hit the fish and blew it apart.

Scion- 3050

Eri- 5850

She pointed at Dream Fairy. "Demon's Fireball!" Beast of Gilfer spat out a blast of fire that hit the little fairy and incinerated it instantly. "End turn."

Scion drew. "Ah…excellent draw. I set one card face-down on the field and flip up Dream Penguin (800/1800) to activate its effect." A sleeping penguin appeared on the field. "This monster's special ability lets me pick up one card with Dream in its title from my graveyard."

Eri paled. "You're taking back Dream Land?"

"No, I'm taking back Dream Fighter (1300/1800) which was destroyed at the start of the duel." He held up another card. "Now I'll summon Dream Guardian." (1100/1900) A stone statue of a sleeping man appeared on the field. "This monster lets me sacrifice it and one other Dream monster to pick up Dream Land from my graveyard." Both of his monsters exploded into dust. "Now I play Polymerization to fuse together Dream Archer (900/0) and Dream Fighter into Dream Sharpshooter." (1400/0) A tired-looking man holding a bow appeared on the field. "This monster's special ability lets me once per turn remove one monster in play from the game." It yawned and shot a single arrow the struck Beast of Gilfer and blew it apart. "Also, I'll play Dream Land again!" The castle appeared behind him. (1600/0) "Direct attack! Dream Shot!" Another arrow flew across the field and pierced Eri right in the chest.

Scion- 3050

Eri- 4250

The demoness stumbled back, expecting blood. Instead…she lost her balance and her eyes started to droop. ("I'm…getting tired…")

"By now you have figured out the truth." Scion smiled calmly. "If your life points reach zero then your body will become so drained of strength you won't even be able to draw breath. Which means you will die. So while I win nothing, you lose your life. And unlike losing your soul that is much harder to recover from."

Eri drew slowly. "I summon Wolf Demon Lord Rikuo!" (2000/1500) A warrior that looked exactly like Rikuo in his biker gear, except for the fact that he was holding a sword, appeared on the field. "This monster can be summoned without sacrifice if I have no other cards in my hand. Also, when it destroys a monster that monster loses its special ability. Go Wolf Demon Lord Rikuo, Howling Slash!" The warrior snapped its sword forward, creating a blast that tore along the ground towards Dream Sharpshooter.

Scion pointed at one of his set cards. "I activate the trap card Dream Cyclone!" A blast of white powder swept over the field. "This card negates one attack while Dream Land is in play. Also, it removes the attacking monster from the game." Wolf Demon Lord Rikuo disappeared.

Eri stared at the spot where the monster had been. ("Father…")

Scion drew. "I set one card face-down on the field and attack with Dream Sharpshooter!" The archer fired another arrow that pierced into Eri's chest and exploded into white smoke. "End turn."

Scion- 3050

Eri- 2650

Eri felt her right leg fall asleep. "It's my turn, draw!" She drew. "I'll get back at you for daring to get rid of my father's avatar!" Looking at the drawn card….she smiled coldly. "You…are dead. I special summon Wolf Demon Avatar Entirius!" (3000/2100) A strong-looking old man holding a flaming katana appeared on the field. "This monster can be summoned when Wolf Demoness and Wolf Demon Lord are in the graveyard or removed from play pile! All face-down cards will be destroyed! Wolf Demon Blast!" Entirius slammed the sword into the ground and both of Scions's set cards exploded into dust. "Entirius, attack Dream Sharpshooter!" The lord slashed through the archer.

Scion's hair was blown back by the blow, but otherwise he was unaffected. "That was cute, but it's my turn now." He drew. "From my the magic card Gate of Nightmares." A pitch-black doorway of stone exploded out of the ground behind him. "Open." It snapped open and Wolf Demon Avatar Entirius exploded. "When Dream Land is in play all monsters in play are destroyed." He smiled slightly. "However…that is far from all. Also, your worst fears are revealed!"

A blot of darkness exploded out of the gateway and formed into an exact copy of Wolf Demon Lord Rikuo. "Your father…his soul broken and shattered. His mighty willpower overcome by the strength of my lord Midnight." Rikuo stepped back and kneeled in front of Scion.

Eri's hands trembled. "What purpose does this serve….?"

Scion placed his hand on Rikuo's head and scratched his ears. "Your worst nightmares unleash through this power. A power that surpasses all cards. Rikuo, slash the wench." The wolf demon stood up and leapt across the field, stabbing his sword right into her stomach.

Scion- 3050

Eri- 650

Eri felt cold…not just from the effect of the darkness game…but from the fact that her father had attacked her. "Father…"

Rikuo floated back to Scion's field. (2000/1500)

Scion smiled once again. "There is a way out of this dear. Just so you know, this is an Eternal Death game. Even cards of a Soul Deck are destroyed forever when sent to the graveyard. And like the original Wolf Demon Lord Rikuo, your father's true self is gone. All that is left is a servant of the darkness." Rikuo's eyes shimmered in the mist.

Eri dropped to her knees. "No…my father cannot have his will broken. He is…"

"He has lost his touch over this time. There is nothing left of him but a dark soul." Scion sneered. "It's over. Your deck is lacking those cards that are yours. Eternal Death destroys your deck, just like it destroyed the Cyber Shadows completely and utterly."

Alahandra shook Eri a couple of times. "Eri…wake up…"

The demoness looked down at the ground blankly. ("He's right…if my father has fallen to the darkness…what chance do I stand?") She started to shudder. ("I'm not a match for him. In this world, I am at the bottom of the top. Ichigo alone defeated both his father and mine, while all I could do was damage his father slightly. I'm not like him…I'm not destined for anything. My death won't affect the battle…Ichigo will win. He doesn't need me.")

Scion closed his eyes. "That's right. Feel your life drain away. Give in to the darkness."

Eri's skin began to grow cold, like a corpse's. Her breathing slowed down to the point that she barely drew in enough air to stay alive.

"Your father is ours, and you will join him. Little girl, you are beaten."

Alahandra leapt to her feet. "Be quiet! What's the matter with you…?"

"Silence!" Scion snapped his hand out and blew her off of the platform. "This does not yet concern you."

Eri's eyes closed completely…and she went still.

Scion looked to the Wolf Demon Lord Rikuo that stood on his field. "She could not stand against the truth. Your soul is ours…and she will die knowing there was nothing that she could do."


Eri...

Who's that? Who's calling me?

Please Eri…wake up. I'm begging you…you must listen to me.

Who are you? Why should I listen to you? It would be so much easier to drift into oblivion…

-----------------------

Rikuo found himself standing in an all too familiar hall-way. ("This is Daniel's house.")

Childish laughter filtered out of a nearby doorway... ("And that's Daniel's room.")

"Rikuo, you're so funny!"

("What?") The wolf demon, like a ghost, floated through the door and found himself in a room that looked exactly like Daniel's, and yet at the same time it was different. Instead of Duel Monsters posters and all kinds of random junk strewn around the room, it was clean and well-organized inside.

And sitting in a corner, with a coloring book open in front of him, was a little boy who couldn't be any older than maybe five or six. He had bright red hair, and a pair of twinkling brown eyes...

("Daniel...") The mere mention of his hikari's name burned Rikuo like fire. And to see

his light... ("Why do I have this memory...? I wasn't awakened until he was at least sixteen. This doesn't make any sense.")

The little Daniel broke down into a fit of giggles. "Aw Rikuo, you shouldn't say so many mean things about Rebecca..."

Meanwhile, the real wolf demon was crouching, watching his light intently. ("Who can he be talking to? It can't be me, can it?") Then he saw what 'Rikuo' Daniel was talking to...

It was a little wolf doll that was sitting in the boy's lap...

What was that? Am I dreaming?

----------------

"Wishing on a dream that seems far-off,"

"Hoping it will come today,"

"Into the starlit night,"

"Foolish Dreamers turn their gaze,"

"Waiting on a shooting star,"

"But...What if that star is not to come?"

"Will their dreams fade to nothing?"

"When the horizon darkens most,"

"We all need to believe there is hope,"

"Is an angel watching closely over me?"

"Can there be a guiding light I've yet to see?"

"I know that my heart should guide me but..."

"There's a hole within my soul..."

"What will fill this emptiness inside of me?"

"Am I to be satisfied without knowing?"

"I wish, then, for a chance to see...

"Now all I need...

"Desperately..."

"Is my star to come..."

As the song played in his mind, Rikuo clutched his hikari tightly to his chest. The words played in his soul, and reminded him that...there was always hope. "Daniel...I will protect you...if not in this life...then the next..."

"When the horizon darkens most,"

"We all need to believe there is hope,"

---------------

Do you understand? Do you see the truth?

No…I don't understand…

----------------

Sestros grinned at the vacant look in Rikuo's eyes. The wolf demon had stopped moving completely at this point. ("It's over, and I win.") "Rikuo, you've improved a lot since our last battle, but in the end I am still the better duelist. Whatever hopes you have won't be enough." The darkness flowed around his arms and legs. "In this place, darkness reigns supreme!"

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("I'm...so...r...") Rikuo's mind continued to slip away. There was almost nothing left of it now, and very soon he'd crack.

"Wishing on a dream that seems far-off,"

"Hoping it will come today,"

The voices started to go silent, the strange music echoing amongst the collective thoughts of the human race. It was such a peaceful sound, that even the darkest soul had to be silent in its presence. ("Rikky...")

Sestros heard it too, and his head snapped around as he heard the song begin. "Who is that?" ("I can swear I heard that voice once before!")

"Into the starlit night,"

Rikuo's body had stopped trembling. His shoulders were heaving with the movement of his lungs, which were taking in a huge lungful of air.

"Foolish Dreamers turn their gaze,"

He slowly came to his feet. "Sestros...Unforgivable..."

"Waiting on a shooting star,"

The Torture King roared into the darkness, "Silence! Stop singing!" ("Damn, he's snapping out of it.")

"But...What if that star is not to come?"

"You've hurt so many...and most of all..." Rikuo's hand came up to his deck, and his eyes slowly rose to meet the Torture King's. "...you've harmed my friends!"

Sestros threw back his head, laughing sharply. "You have no friends! You were a heartless killer in your past life and you still are one now!"

"Will their dreams fade to nothing?"

"That was the old me, the one that you perverted with your evil." Kneeling, Rikuo picked up the card he had dropped.

"When the horizon darkens most,"

Sestros snickered, "What makes you different than you were before? You're still the same stuck-up, inconsiderate bastard that you were previously. I don't see any difference."

Drawing, Rikuo closed his eyes. "The difference? This difference is that I gained something I never had before..."

"We all need to believe there is hope,"

"...faith." Rikuo slid the card he had picked up into his duel disk. "I play the ritual magic card Hope of Faith!" His field was surrounded by a halo of light. "This card requires that I sacrifice one monster on my field, so farewell Jinzo!" The green armored humanoid faded away. "And now, I summon the two warriors of Light and Darkness!" A pair of humanoid forms lowered onto his field.

The first form was an armored warrior in black, it humanoid face fair but scowling. Opening its golden-amber eyes, the warrior snapped up his sword. "I am Yami Knight!" (6000/0)

The second form was another armored warrior, but this one in white. Its humanoid face was exactly like the others, except that it had a pair of brown eyes instead of golden ones and it was smiling. "I am Hikari Knight!" (0/6000)

They lifted their swords and touched them together. "And we will destroy the darkness that you have brought to this world!"


Your father is a great warrior of the light. He long ago purged the nightmarish darkness that Sestros had placed within his soul. His love won that duel, for without it the Torture King would have destroyed all humans. And with all of his heart he loves you…

I can't win…my deck is getting destroyed with every card I send to the graveyard. Even if those cards were of a Soul Deck…they would still be utterly removed from my heart. I don't want to do that to my monsters. If I show compassion like my father then I will still have to surrender…

No. There is a way. A power that only the most soulful of individuals can use.

I am no such thing. I am Erika Amero, daughter of the legend Rikuo Amero. That is all. Any memories of me will be long lost within the vortex of time…while ones such as Ichigo will live on. I've dueled him…and he is something I am not. He is strength of will embodied. And though my will is strong, it is breakable, unlike his.

…………….

I am not a hero. I am a creature of darkness…and am evil…

….My dear Eri…dear grandchild…

What? Who are you?

My name is Celest. I am the daughter of Count Rikuo Cherista. I married Entirius Amero…the Wolf Demon Lord. And when my father was killed by the Torture Demon King Solster Sestros, I wept. My child is named after my father. He is Rikuo Amero, the legendary bearer of the Slayer of Gods. He is Rikuo Amero, the leader of the Demon Lords. But most of all he is Rikuo Amero, my little boy. The one who, even after his soul was infused with darkness, managed to hold onto that single sliver of faith that blossomed into a power capable of allowing him to master the gods, summon the knights of legend, and defeat the demon mage who planned to unravel the world.

Why tell me this? I can never reach his strength…that much is clear. Must you flaunt it in my face?

Erika…there is a strength in you that even could never hope to match. It is the fact that your soul was never washed in the darkness, like his was. His will took him to heights of power beyond that of even the greatest warriors of legend. And yet…and yet he…

He looked upon me. I was his daughter, but he never expected me to take up his mantle as a warrior. Just because I am a girl. It is the way of the wolf demon tribe…women do not lead…or become legends…

Yet he hoped you would always surpass him. That would you find a power that he can ever achieve. Your father is waiting for you at the top Erika. For you to start climbing that path…all you have to do is tap into the power. The power that Ichigo found to defeat the first Speaker. The power of a deck even stronger than a Soul Deck.

What…are you talking about? How could I achieve any such power?

The path simple waits to be walked. The power of a Soul Force Deck. A deck of a legend…one meant to be remembered forever. Stand up…stand up and reach that power now.

Eri's eyes opened. "I will not fall to your tricks!" An explosion of dark energy blew the mists away.

Scion's eyes widened. "What is this? The little girl wants to fight?" He smirked. "Then draw your last card."

Eri drew, the energy still roiling around her. "I summon Darkness Force-Recovery Girl!" (500/500) A short black-winged angel in black leather appeared on the field. "When I have no cards in play or in my hand this monster forces us to both draw until we have five cards in hand!" They both drew. "Now, let the real duel begin!"

To be continued…

Ichigo here. Yeah, I'm still down for the count. But at the moment Eri is dueling for her life in a dream world against one of Midnight's crazy Speakers. She's woken up some kind of weird new set of cards…but can it be enough for her to defeat the power of her own father?

Next Episode: Power of the Soul Force Deck revealed

To Seeker of the Soul: Yup, Dark Halo is a great duelist.

To G.O.T. Nick: If it was impressive as Eikyuu's run then Midnight would be dead right now.

To omegadragon: Errr….huh? I'm not entirely sure what you are writing.

To Arathir: Thank you for the congratulations.

To Star AJT: No, Dark Halo defeated 129 wraiths in a few moves.

To Dais: There you go. New chapter.

To falcon demon general: Errr…that's what happens.

To Gryphinwyrm7: Midnight wants something located in the Duelist Academy.

To Hogwarts-Knight: I'm not sure that there will be Midnight creaming in this arc.

To Rex: Thank you.