Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh.

Legends of the Demon Duelist-Midnight Arc

Chapter 27: Clash of the Children

"Wake up Rikuo…"

A low groan escaped Rikuo's throat. ("Ugh…did I eat some bad meat again? I feel horrible…")

"There is no time for you to sit there and feel sorry for yourself. Get up. Your daughter's life depends on it," the voice was full of authority, and a seriousness to it that spoke volumes.

The wolf demon's eyes snapped open and he stood up. "What about my daughter?"

"She is dead."

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Rikuo- 4000

Ichigo- 4000

Rikuo clutched at his right eye. "The Dark Halo Incarnate…I shall kill you…" He drew six cards off of his deck. Fanning them out, he snarled through his swollen right eye. "No…Hakabasenritsuryu will do it for me!"

Ichigo shuffled his deck. ("You want to play with the Yami Makai Kami no Kados? Then I'll duel you with Kifunsuiryu…and make you feel the Hell Meteor one thousand times over!")

Midnight reached and grasped his control tightly around the strings that held Rikuo's body to his will. ("I'll crush you beneath my feet!")

Rikuo slammed a card into his disk. "I begin with the magic card Underworld Dreams! During our respective standby phases we either choose to discard the top three cards of our deck or pay 500 life points. Also, I set one monster face-down on the field. End turn."

Ichigo's eyes and hair turned night black. "I'll kill you." As his fingers touched the top card of his deck, a dark smile crossed his face. "Actually…I think I'll let Halo destroy you."

Midnight blinked in surprise at that declaration. "Halo?"

The dark side of Ichigo opened his eyes and took a deep breath of air. "How refreshing…a darkness game and a sacrifice to the darkness in one package. Are you ready to die, Midnight?"

Rikuo sneered. "Just make your play. Pay life points or cards from your deck. Take your choice now."

Halo slid the top three cards off of his deck and held them up. "Now let's see…I discard Pot of Greed, Coins from Heaven, and Fusion Sage." As the three cards slid into his graveyard, he chuckled. "I'm sure most duelists would be disappointed at losing such powerful cards. However…I'm far from done for this turn. In fact…by the end of this turn you will be dead."

"Big words from such a small boy." Rikuo snickered. "You won't even touch my life points this turn."

"Oh really?" Halo slapped a card down onto the disk. "I summon Shining Force-Element Commander (700/500) in attack mode!" A cyborg appeared on the field. "When this monster is summoned and I have no cards in play other than it, I draw two cards." As two cards left his deck, three cards left his hand. "Polymerization fuses Dark Reaper, Element Commander and Spell Binder together into Dark Skull Mage!" (2700/2500) A purple pillar of light hit the field and then dissipated, revealing a dark-robed spellcaster. "Then I play De-Fusion!" The mage disappeared and was replaced by the three monsters used to fuse it.

Midnight gaped in amazement. ("He has three monsters in play….which means…")

Halo pointed at the three monsters. "I offer these three monsters as sacrifices to the ultimate god of hatred!" As the three creatures disappeared, a cold smile appeared on his face. "Nova Hell Dragon; Kifunsuiryu (4000/4000) is called upon. Come down from the darkest recesses of the abyss and obey me!"

("This isn't good…he's summoned his God Card to the field…before I could…") Rikuo stared in horror as a star of red and black light began to lower down onto the field.

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Rikuo punched a hole in the stone wall next to him. "That bastard used my body to kill my own daughter…I'm going to chew his heart out!"

"That won't be necessary…" The voice softened slightly. "There is a way to prevent her death from ever happening…but I cannot give it to you without a fight."

"You want a fight?" The wolf demon smirked. "A duel or a fist fight? I'll be glad to do either."

"I'm sure you would, demon." The shadowed form stepped into the light.

Rikuo gasped, finding it difficult to locate his breath. "You…are…"

The bronze-skinned young man brushed his tri-colored bangs back, his Egyptian clothing falling around him in the still air of the room. "That's right…I am Pharaoh Atem…though you most likely remember me as Yami, counterpart to Yugi Moto."

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Kifunsuiryu slowly lowered onto the field, a loud demonic screech coming from its numerous heads. Spreading its blazing wings, the dragon brought all eyes to bear on Halo.

The enforcer of the darkness games flinched as he realized what the dragon was thinking. "Obey me…"

Rikuo gulped. ("I must get my Yami Makai Kami no Kado in play or else I am doomed.")

Halo met eyes with the lead head. "Obey me!"

Letting out an angered symphony of hellish cries, Kifunsuiryu spat a pair of Hell Meteors at the dark-haired boy.

Halo extended his power and knocked them away. "I said obey!" His response came as the whole dragon tackled the ground he stood on.

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Atem's violet eyes met Rikuo's and he smiled slightly.

The wolf demon couldn't remove the surprised look from his face. "Umm…but why are you here? And where is here anyway?"

"This is the sanctuary of time. And I am here because the powers that be have plans for you." The Egyptian looked down at the ground. "Midnight is summoning the Children of Bahamut. Six dragons of power that should not ever have been created. But now he has found two of them. And if he finds the most powerful of them, then everything will be doomed."

"And what do you expect me to do about it? You said it yourself…Fenrir cannot touch these God Cards with its powers." Rikuo wanted to save his daughter…but his general's countenance took over at the last second and pointed that fact out.

"You're the best chance we have. Ichigo's Dark Halo powers won't last long enough…he needs an experienced duelist to help him. Midnight will tear him apart if they meet in a darkness game face to face." Atem snapped up his arm, a golden duel disk appearing on it. "Now, let us duel!"

Rikuo narrowed his eyes. "Why you?"

Atem's reply answered the question with perfect clarity. "We never did find out which out of the two of us was stronger…"

Rikuo lifted his arm, a duel disk appearing on it. "Duel!"

Rikuo- 4000

Atem- 4000

Rikuo drew. "I'm first, and I summon X-Head Cannon (1800/1500) in attack mode!" The yellow and blue robot appeared on his field. "Also, I set one card face-down. The turn is yours."

Atem drew. "I promise you that my skill hasn't diminished at all! I'll prove that with Skilled Dark Magician (1900/1700) in attack mode!" A spellcaster with a metal staff appeared on his field. "Attack X-Head Cannon now! Magic Destruction!" As the spellcaster started to move towards the machine, Rikuo pointed at his set card.

"You got too cocky too soon. Reveal Metal Bonding Skin!" A layer of silver came over the X-Head Cannon. "This card lets me special summon one fusion of a machine on my field! XZ Tank Cannon (2400/2100) is special summoned!" A yellow and blue hover-tank appeared on the field.

Atem's magician returned to his field. "You're amazing…but not more than that! I set two cards face-down on the field. End turn."

Rikuo drew. "Look who's talking. Don't you know the effect of XZ Tank Cannon? By discarding a card from my hand I can destroy one face-down magic or trap card in play!" One of the wolf demon's hand cards disappeared. "I destroy the left card!"

When the card shattered, a pair of metal statues of Atem appeared on the field. "By destroying Simulacrum, you special summon two Avatar Tokens (1000/1000) to the field in defense mode. If these monsters are destroyed I lose half of my life points."

Rikuo pointed at one. "Go XZ Tank Cannon, attack now with Laser Barrage!" The machine's cannons lowered down and barraged one statue with energy. But instead of exploding it stood up and pointed at Tank. "In the name of the Pharaoh, be sealed!"

Letting out a metal screech, the machine turned to stone. Rikuo stared at it in amazement. "What did you do to my monster?"

"I did nothing. Do not forget that these two statues are avatars of the Pharaoh…of me. As such, any Duel Monster that attacks them will be sealed, unable to attack or switch modes for the rest of the duel." Atem spoke calmly, as if this was meant to be.

"End turn…" Rikuo knew he was in trouble now…because he was facing a mightier spirit than himself. And if the God Cards came out…

("I want them to come out. Help him bring them out…")

Shaking away Fenrir's voice, Rikuo snarled at the Egyptian. "Well, are you going to make your move or not?"

Atem drew. "Very well…but I warn you demon, this duel won't be easy. I know of your monster, and I know of the perfect way to stop it." The two Simulacrum and Skilled Dark Magician disappeared. A low rumbling shook the chamber. "Awaken my mighty god…awaken Winged Dragon of Ra!" (4900/4700) The giant golden dragon took form, and roared, shaking the whole chamber. "God Breath Cannon!" A fireball leapt from Ra's jaws that hit the XZ Tank Cannon and blew it to shreds. "End turn."

Rikuo- 1700

Atem- 4000

Rikuo just stood there, staring at Ra. One eye reflected fear…while the other reflected hunger. "Draw." Looking at the drawn card, he sneered. "You summon the most powerful of the God Cards at the start? And here I thought you wanted to play a little. Fine then, let us skip the games and go straight to the main event! Activate Emergence from the Lands of Gods! This card forces us both to special summon as many God Cards as we possess from our hands and decks to our field. However, it can only activate if we both possess at least one God Card! So…" A card slid out of his deck through its own will and entered his free hand.

Atem removed two cards from his deck. "Let us do this to see the truth…I wish to meet the destroyer…"

"Then you are a fool…" Rikuo's golden eyes locked onto Atem's violet ones. "Fenrir-Destroyer of Gods (4000/4000)…."

Atem returned the look. "Obelisk the Tormentor (4000/4000) and Saint Dragon of Osiris (3000/3000)…."

A calm air held over the chamber…

"Summon." Both voices spoke at once…and then the room disappeared in a mix of roars, black fire, and light.


Midnight sneered at Kifunsuiryu, which was imprinted in the ground. "Amazing…it won't listen to you…"

"Who said?" Halo snickered from atop the largest head of the dragon. "I just wanted to get in a comfy position to watch you lose. Now then, by discarding one card from my hand I can allow Kifunsuiryu to not only attack two times in this round, but it also gains 500 attack points because there are nine cards in the graveyard!" (4500/4500) "Double Hell Meteor!" One head spat out a fireball that hit the face-down monster and blew it apart. "Direct attack!" Another head shot a new fireball that almost hungrily dove towards the puppet body.

Midnight watched his monster get blown apart. "It's too late, you fool! You just attacked my monster…the perfect tool for calling out Hakabasenritsuryu. Graveyard Singer Dragon!" (1500/1500) A giant skeletal dragon leapt up and caught the fireball in the face, blowing it apart. "This monster returns itself to the field when destroyed as a result of battle!"

Halo growled and slid his remaining card into his disk. "I set one card face-down on the field and end my turn."

Midnight drew. ("I must prepare myself…") "First Graveyard Singer Dragon is special summoned to the field once again!" The skeletal dragon appeared on the field.

Halo pointed at it. "You fool, Kifunsuiryu will crush it now! Hell De-Birth!" One of the God Dragon's heads shot a fireball at the skeletal dragon. It was hit and blown apart instantly. "Or have you forgotten that Kifunsuiryu destroys any monster on your field that is summoned?"

"I know more about these dragons than you do, idiot. For example, you do not know the true power of Kifunsuiryu." Midnight, through Rikuo's face, smiled coldly. "Do you know about the Limit Seals on the six Children of Bahamut?"

"Limit Seals?" Halo frowned. "I'm afraid I don't. Perhaps you would like to inform me as to what that is?"

"Gladly. But first I return Graveyard Singer Dragon!" The skeletal dragon appeared on the field once more.

"And once again…Hell De-Birth!" A new head of the hydra-like dragon snapped up and shot a fireball at the dragon.

"Activate quickplay magic card, Shield of Pure Protection!" A glowing metal shield appeared in front of Midnight's monster. "My monster cannot be destroyed during this turn!" The fireball hit the shield and dissipated. "And now you'll understand the power of Graveyard Singer Dragon. First I play Graceful Charity, drawing three cards and discarding two."

("What's he up to? Anything he summons will be unable to match the power of Kifunsuiryu...he knows that.") Halo looked at his set card. ("And even if it can…I have the method for countering.")

Midnight discarded two cards. "Boy…let me give me one last gift. It is the song…the song of your demise! Activate your ability, my dragon!" The Graveyard Singer Dragon began to sing wildly. "A counter is added to my dragon for every time it is destroyed…by removing those counters and an equal number of monsters from my graveyard, I can give tributes to one single mighty creature. The uncontested queen of death! Graveyard Melody Dragon; Hakabasenritsuryu (5000/5000) is called upon!" The giant skeletal dragoness appeared in the air, a horrid screeching leaving its throat.

Kifunsuiryu didn't even wait for Halo to tell it to do Hell De-Birth. It just shot fireball after fireball at its sister, which it hated just as much as the rest of its siblings. Fireball after fireball struck against Hakabasenritsuryu's armored plating, but nothing happened.

Halo looked up at his dragon. "Interesting…my dragon hates yours with all of its heart."

"As it should. These two children have a history of contesting over each other for dead humans' souls." Midnight threw back his head and laughed. "And of course, Kifunsuiryu can't brush her aside so easily! Now then, let us continue!"

"Come, Midnight!" Halo pointed at the puppet.

To be continued…

The three Egyptian God Cards of the Pharaoh…how terrifying…and yet exciting. Fenrir, I can taste your hunger. You want to consume them…and we…what? What is he doing? Fusion…he's combining the Gods?

Next Episode: Creator of Light; Horakti

To Sinister: Yes, there is six of Bahamut's Children total.

To Wolfy: They're all dragons, sorry.

To Lucien Shadow Master: Are you nuts? Bahamut's stats are Instant Win.

To Arrathir: No, Bahamut's children have nothing to do with the Egyptian God Cards.

To Nanashi Minamino: Hakabasenritsuryu's name means Graveyard Melody Dragon.