Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh.

Legends of the Demon Duelist-Midnight Arc

Chapter 28: Creator of Light; Horakti

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.

"Now then, let me show you exactly what I was talking about. Each of the Children of Bahamut has special abilities that can only be activated when certain requirements are met. For example, Hakabasenritsuryu's Limit Seal ability activates when I get four undead monsters on my field! And considering the situation…that's easy." Midnight fanned out his five card hand. "I discard four cards from my hand to activate the power of Death's Song!" Element Commander (1400/500), Spell Binder (1000/500), Dark Reaper (2000/1700), and Graveyard Singer Dragon (3000/500) were summoned to the field on both sides of the giant mistress of death.

"You have no cards in your hand, and if you haven't forgotten…" Halo pointed two fingers at each of the four undead monsters. "Hell De-Birth!" Four of Kifunsuiryu's heads snapped up and shot four fireballs.

"It's too late you fool!" The four undead monsters disappeared. "Death Fog is unsealed!" Hakabasenritsuryu began to howl, its haunting voice shaking the ground. A black mist sprayed from its mouth over Halo's field, and Kifunsuiryu turned to stone instantly.

"That's…impossible…" Halo could barely hear himself over the cracking noises that accompanied his dragon's destruction. "The Children of Bahamut are immune to the effects of all opponent cards…"

"Except this effect. When activating the Seal Limit effect of a Child of Bahamut, it normally means instant victory for the user of that effect. However, there is a small restriction to the ability. If the opponent has a Child of Bahamut in play, then the instant win effect is negated and the Child is destroyed instead. Be content knowing that Kifunsuiryu sacrificed itself to protect your pitiful life. Since I can't attack during the turn Limit Seal abilities are activated, I end my turn." Midnight crossed his arms across his chest. ("Thanks to my knowledge of the true power of the Children of Bahamut, I shall win.")


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.

Osiris' long serpentine form lowered onto the field, its two mouths opening at once and roars echoing across the chamber. And behind it the giant blue form of Obelisk took shape.

And on Rikuo's field stood the giant black wolf form of Fenrir. It snarled at all three of the gods. They returned the snarl.

Rikuo smirked. "This confrontation is over. When Fenrir is summoned it destroys one Divine Beast or Divine monster in play! Consume!" The wolf's jaws snapped open, a ball of black fire burning at the back of its mouth.

"You cannot consume anything in this duel, Rikuo. Reverse card open!" Atem's set card flipped up. "I've been waiting for Fenrir to come, because this shadow trap card can only be used against it! God's Seal!"

Fenrir's jaws slammed shut, metal bands appearing around its muzzle.

Rikuo looked up at the restrictive bands and growled. "You…"

Atem pointed at the wolf god, which was using its paws to try and forcefully remove the bands. "God's Seal activates when a God Card tries to activate a special ability. It equips to that monster and stops it from activating its effect. Also, it loses 2000 attack points!" (2000/4000)

Rikuo clenched his fist and looked down at his hand. ("He sealed away Fenrir's powers…which mean that I am stuck. So here I go…") As he fanned out the cards a grimace crossed his face. "I activate the magic card Lone Samurai! This card can only activate when I have only one monster in play that under the effect of an opponent's card. All monsters in my deck are removed from the game and I gain 100 life points per card!" Taking seventeen cards out of his deck, he slid them into his back pocket. "Now it is just Fenrir and me…"

Rikuo- 3400

Atem- 4000

Atem blinked in surprise at that. "Amazing…you think that your wolf can stop my three gods?"

"I know Fenrir can destroy your gods…" Rikuo snapped up Pot of Greed. "I draw two cards first!" Even as the cards left his deck he emptied his hand into his deck slot. "I set four cards face-down and end my turn!"

Atem drew. "Now that I hold four cards in my hand, Osiris' attack power is now 4000!" The red dragon roared and advanced forward, knowing it was first to attack. "Attack Fenrir now! Thunder Force!" Lightning crackled along its jaws and it shot a wave of energy towards the Wolf God.

"Reverse card open!" Rikuo's set card flipped up and the blast was sucked into a vortex. "Negate Attack stops your attack and ends your battle phase!"

Atem grimaced. "So be it…I'll destroy Fenrir with Ra! At the cost of 1000 life points I'll activate God Phoenix!" The huge golden dragon lifted into the air and turned into a flaming bird-like form which screeched and hurtled towards the Wolf God. "Fenrir will now be destroyed!"

"Reverse card open!" As Rikuo's set card flipped up, Fenrir disappeared. "You just made a mistake, because Mind's Illusion protects Fenrir by preventing you from targeting Fenrir with effects this turn!"

Rikuo- 3400

Atem- 3000

The Pharaoh smiled slightly. "Good…you do not rely upon the destroyer to fight. End turn."

Rikuo drew. ("I need Fenrir to have 7000 or more attack power to summon the Eater of the Moon. Without that form of Fenrir I won't be able to stop the Pharaoh…") He had two set cards remaining, but he had no methods to stop another attack by the God Cards on his field. Glancing at the drawn card, he nodded. "I play the magic card Shield of Revealing Light!" A glowing force-field of light sprang over the field. "You cannot attack now. End turn."

Atem drew. "You forget about the effect of Ra! God Phoenix!"

Rikuo- 3400

Atem- 2000

The golden dragon screeched and turned into the burning bird-like form, charging towards the Wolf God. "You cannot stop me with your cards!"

"That's what you say! Reverse card open!" Another of Rikuo's set cards flipped up and the God Phoenix froze. Letting out a pained cry it turned back into the Winged Dragon of Ra, with steel bands wrapped around its body and wings. (2900/4700) "Trap Memory Trap copies one trap effect that has been used during the duel. So by copying God's Seal I stop your creature from attacking."

Atem growled and slid a card into his disk. "I set one card face-down and end my turn."

Rikuo drew. ("I can't keep him at bay much longer…") Snapping the card up his eyes widened. "First, I pay 1000 life points to keep Shield of Revealing Light in play."

Rikuo- 2400

Atem- 2000

The Pharaoh frowned. ("If I can draw Cyclone then I can remove his copy trap and destroy Fenrir.")

Rikuo flipped the drawn card over. "Treasure of Slashing Life lets me draw five cards. In five turns I must discard my hand." Sliding five cards off of his deck, the wolf demon fanned the new cards out and smiled. "Pharaoh…you thought to stifle the power of god?" His face twisted in rage. "Fool! Go Black Inferno's Roar!" The card that appeared on his field had a picture of Fenrir's open jaws with a ball of black fire within them. "This allows me to stop Fenrir from attacking for this turn and destroy one monster in play! Its attack will be added to Fenrir!" Ra exploded into black flames. (6900/4000) "Also, I play the magic card Breath of God! The attack of one God Card in play will be doubled for one turn!" (13800/4000)

"13800?" The Pharaoh's eyes widened and he stepped back.

"Now…" Rikuo's eyes burned with a dark anger. An anger that wasn't his own. "Let me give you a taste of what my true power is, mortal!" Fenrir disappeared. "Awaken Fenrir the Eater of the Moon!" (5000/5000) And Fenrir reappeared, but something about it reflected the power that the two remaining God Cards had coming off of them. "When Fenrir is my only attacking monster, its attack strength is doubled." (10000/5000) "Black Inferno's Roar!" Snapping its jaws open, the Wolf God unleashed a laser beam of black fire towards Obelisk. "It's over!"

"Reverse card open!" Atem's face-down card flipped up. "Soul Shield! At the cost of half of my life points your attack is negated and your battle phase ends!"

Rikuo- 2400

Atem- 1000

Rikuo slid his remaining three cards into his disk. "I set three cards face-down. End turn."

Atem closed his eyes, feeling the pure rage coming off of Fenrir. "God…you will not stop me! Draw!" As the top card of his deck flipped up, he smiled calmly. "I activate Monster Reborn!" The Winged Dragon of Ra reappeared on the field. "Now…I will show you a power that can only be awakened by me. Polymerization!"

"Polymerization…" Rikuo stared in amazement as a vortex opened up in the sky above the Gods. "That's…it…." Even Fenrir seemed completely surprised.

Atem began to chant in Egyptian.

("He's fusing the God Cards…he's fusing the God Cards…") It was unbelievable. For this to happen…for this to be true. It didn't seem possible…

Light flooded the chamber, and when it cleared a tall, holy form stood behind Atem. "Creator of Light; Horakti!" (Instant Win) The divine being's eyes opened slowly and looked upon Rikuo and Fenrir with a gaze of peace. "Divine Creation…end it all!" Horakti lifted up its hands together and a blast of light hurtled towards the wolves.

"Reverse card open!" Rikuo did this on reflex, knowing that if he was hit by that attack it would be the end. "Trap Reflector! Steal Soul Shield!" A bubble of light sprang up and stopped the game-ending attack. Even Shield of Revealing Light couldn't stop an Instant Win attack.

Rikuo- 1200

Atem- 1000

Atem smiled slightly. "I'm impressed…but next turn you shall lose. End turn."

Rikuo's connection to Fenrir was nearly broken now…his fear of Horakti had ruined the thin line connecting his mind to the god's. ("What can I possibly do? There is no way…") He felt despair weighing in on him…there was no point in fighting. Fenrir's God Destroyer form was out of reach now, so there was no possible technique left in his deck that could defeat Horakti…

Rikuo sneered darkly. "You dared to challenge me, little girl. I alone could destroy you and your Soul Force Deck…but with the Graveyard Melody Dragon…you were dead before this duel began! Underworld Flames!" The monster unleashed a burst of fire that rolled over Eri's body like a wave.

The demoness screamed and dropped to her knees. "No…I am to be a legend…"

"No, you are to be dead." As the fire cleared all that was left was scorch-marks.

Rikuo- 4000

Eri- 0

Rikuo sneered as the dragon disappeared. "Good-bye, my daughter." His body disappeared into the mist. "Now for the boy…"

Rikuo froze…and tears started to form under his eyes. ("No…Midnight…Midnight…")

Clouds began to gather in the air all around them.

Ichigo stared up at the sky in confusion. ("What's going on?")

Seijiru calmly smiled. "So…" The sky began to turn blood-red. "Long ago, there was a dimension. It was a place that was full of fire…blood…it was the dimension of Hell. Not Hell itself…but the incarnate of the realm. The place that humans always based their personal hells off of. In this dark place…" His lips lifted calmly into a dark smile. "…is where it resides. It is fire…yet beyond fire…it is nightmares…it is the thing that leaves you waking up at night with sweat running down your face."

"What are you rambling on about?" Ichigo narrowed his eyes…until a baseball fireball of red and black fire shot past his head, leaving a small crater over his shoulder. "A Hell Meteor…." Sweat started to build on his face. Memories of what Rikuo had used against him in their duels flashed in his mind.

Seijiru lifted his hand and pointed at his three monsters. "I offer these three monsters…" Each of the monsters turned into a ball of fire that lifted up into the blood red cloud cover. "Their sacrifice shall fuel its summoning…"

"What are you talking about?" Ichigo clenched his fist to control the fear that was in his heart. Something was very wrong here…

Seijiru took a card from his hand. "This is the card…this is the end. Face it…the beast that overwhelms all others in its might." A pillar of fire slammed down into the ground behind him and began to form into a long serpentine shape. A scream that sounded like a million voices crying out in pain all at once came from the shape…

Ichigo stepped back, his eyes wide. "What…is this thing?"

At the end of the serpent form it exploded into a starburst shape, each one changing and shifting. Then all at once the fire disappeared, leaving a monster that towered over the whole city, its dozens of heads writhing around each other all at once.

Ichigo heard a gasp within his head. ("What is it? Halo?")

("It is…")

Seijiru pointed at the half demon. "Pay your respects to the Dark Demon God Card! Hell Nova Dragon; Kifunsuiryu!" The hydra-like dragon screamed again, the sound like a symphony of hell. Thousands of red and black fireballs slammed down all around the city of Kyoto. "The instrument of your demise!"

("That is what he is after?") Rikuo stared at the ground. ("I can't fight that…not even Fenrir…")

Atem frowned. "Make your…" His voice caught in his throat as a harmonious voice echoed across the chamber. Even Horakti seemed to notice it.

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

"Hoping it will come today,"

Rikuo's eyes widened. Even Fenrir's rage subsided…

"Into the starlit night,"

"Foolish Dreamers turn their gaze,"

"Waiting on a shooting star,"

Atem frowned slightly. "What is this?"

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

"Will their dreams fade to nothing?"

A slight smile crossed Rikuo's face. "A sign…"

"When the horizon darkens most,"

"We all need to believe there is hope,"

"A sign?" The Pharaoh looked up and around him. "But…"

"Is an angel watching closely over me?"

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

"It means nothing to you Pharaoh…but it reminds me…I promised to protect those who I cared about." The wolf demon felt that tendril connect with Fenrir again. "And this time…and this time…" His eyes turned crimson red. "This time I won't fear that which can save them!"

"I know my heart should guide me but…"

"There's a hole within my soul…"

Atem felt a tingle. And that tingle grew… "What are you doing Rikuo?" He quickly understood… "You can't…Fenrir isn't like the other God Cards….it will consume you…"

"What will fill this emptiness inside of me?"

"Am I to be satisfied without knowing?"

"We'll have to see about that…won't we?" Rikuo bared his fangs. "My daughter's life…I will save it! I won't be the back-seat hero against Midnight! I've lost so many times when it mattered the most…I've become soft…but no more! Fenrir!"

"I wish, then, for a chance to see…

"Now all I need…

"Desperately…"

"Is my star to come…"

Both wolf demon and Wolf God threw back their heads and howled at once. And Rikuo's demonic aura of black and red exploded to at least ten times its size.

("He's fully combining himself with Fenrir…but there's no way he can possibly fight off the mind of the destroyer…it's impossible…")

Fenrir growled deep within Rikuo's mind. ("I'll swallow your soul right now, fool.")

("Oh really? You felt the power of that dragon…and you felt fear. I am part of you…and you felt fear. There's a way to make sure that your position as the destroyer will never be challenged and you know it…so join with me. Combine your soul with mine…permanently…") Rikuo sneered. "Or are you afraid, puppy dog?"

A deep rumbling laughter was his response. ("You're such a noisy little rat…and yet in my current situation…who am I to say no?") Fenrir began to fade away, like a mist.

Rikuo's eyes met the Pharaoh's through the burning bonfire of aura. "The Ultimate Fenrir…the Ultimate Rikuo…you'll see them in a moment…so make whatever prayers you want to Horakti…it won't matter. You and it are lunch…" And then the aura consumed him.

To be continued…

I don't have Kifunsuiryu in play anymore…but if the next card is what I calculate it to be…it won't matter. Midnight, I'll win in this next…what the hell? It's the father of the stupid girl…and he's telling me to wait? Why?

Next Episode: The Bringer of Ragnarok…and the new Rikuo

To Lucien: Because Jourgen's soul is, you know…gone.

To Wolfy: I normally duel using either Zombie if my opponent's want to really play cut-throat, or I just use my machines. Krieger doesn't duel a lot because he isn't cut out for the high danger dueling, unlike Ichigo and Rikuo. And yes, I was thinking of Rikuo when I picked my pen name.

To Seeker of the Soul: Horakti is pretty much the same in all dimensions, right?

To Lance Murdock: Bahamut isn't immune to Fenrir because he still needs worshippers for power. The Six Children do not, and therefore are in a way stronger than their father. Though Bahamut can still tear any of them apart in battle.

To Dais: I do a little research on the names of the Gods.

To The Obsessive Zero Fan: Horakti appears when Atem blows Zork to dust at the end of the Pharaoh's Memory Arc.

To Hogwarts-Knight: Right now that last deck is the last thing I'm worrying about introducing. As for Vera and Cheveyo will most likely not appear. But you never know.