Here we go again people. I said I'd have it up by October 23, and here it is. Exactly two years ago from today, I posted chapter one of Return to Battle City: Wandering Souls. Here's the sequel, and it's got everything you need. A new story, full of new duels, new villains, and our fates in the hands of a group of inexperienced youths Now, let's get started!

Era of Souls: Guardians Eclipse

Prologue- Prelude to Darkness

Seemingly amidst the clouds stood a massive structure. It's design had no specific tie to any particular culture from history. If one approached it from the front, they would first have to pass through a massive rectangular gate of some type of stone. There was a courtyard leading to the main structure, a temple of sorts, that seemed to be connected to a secondary and smaller temple. Woods grew both within and without the walls. A third structure existed in the back, it's purpose unclear. If one were to explore the temple itself, they would eventually find their way into a dungeon of sorts.

These walls seemed void of life. Any trespasser would be put on edge with anxiety, expecting some specter of sorts to lunge out at them when they least expected it and to rob them of their precious life.

Time had worn this building down. Although physically it was still most impressive and seemed to stand as a monument of some great and lost people. But time had robbed it of the great and vibrant spirit of those who must have once crowded its halls. Now those same halls echoed with the lightest footstep.

In the center of the larger of the two temples was a chamber, whether it was circular was debatable, thanks to the plethora of rectangular arches that lined its walls, their shapes giving it a rather rigid appearance. In the center was a small pool of sorts, no more than four feet wide, emitting a blue smoke of some sort. And standing at that pool was a man.

He was young, somewhere in his early twenties. His hair was long, black and tied together loosely somewhere near the base of his spine. He was dressed in a black top that seemed to be loosely styled after a Japanese haori, with a pair of thick and baggy pants and leather boots. His eyes were cold and blue, staring harshly into the swirling water, then up at one of arches, as if it were a window into some other reality and he were watching it to try and find some missing detail.

'The Citadel of Chaos. Such a crude name the mortals have given it over the millennia.' he scoffed to himself. 'It was only called that because it is the point at which all other dimensions intersect, a point wherein chaos could erupt from. It originally had no name, but humans must catagorize everything, and they feel a need to put everything into myths. If only they knew.' he clenched his fists tightly. 'But now, they're in a state where they can't accept the facts of magic and reality.'

"Tenken." a femanine voice spoke from behind, it's voice resonating from the only one of the arches that didn't glow with some ethereal light, but instead just extended into a passageway. The Guardian did not turn around or move his eyes, but the young woman knew he was listening. "We're all that's left of the Guardians. And there's a darkness coming."

"I know it is." Tenken replied. "But we're not alone. True, we exist alone within these walls, but we do have allies. They're strong, although inexperienced. But we'll have to change that if Order is to survive. Our family has maintained the balance for over seven thousand years between the dimensions, and now, someone new has risen to try and tip the scales once again. Need I remind you of the chaos that erupted when the Guardians were unprepared more than seventy years ago? I swear I wont repeat our father's mistake."

"So, you're going to rally them?" the girl asked.

"Yes, Asagi. It is time I brought them together. It is time to tap into the treasures of knowledge Enzeru holds." he finally declared, turning around. "And it's time he met the other Guardians. Will you be coming with me, sister?"

"You are my senior." she admitted as she walked closer, though remained in the shadows. "And I am a Guardian. If you wish for me to join in the battle and fulfill my duties, then I will."

Nodding, Tenken turned away from his sister and back to the pool, continuing the meditate. After nearly another hour of this, he jerked his head around and tilted his eyes up, as if he could stare past the rock and at something in the beyond.

"Time to go." he declared. Asagi nodded, failing to notice the faint panic and fear in his voice.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Elsewhere, in a temple that emitted an aura of pure darkness sat a man in a black cloak, his features obscured. All that could be seen was his jaw, which was twisted up in a faint smirk. If one could make out his eyes, it was certain that they would see a glint of malicious joy. Turning to look down from his elevated throne, he took into view a group of five robed figures who seemed to have formed from the shadows themselves.

"The time is at hand. Gather soldiers to serve under you. Crush the Guardians. Take their powers. It is time that we completed what has been started time and time before." Each head nodded, and then faded away, returning to the shadows.

"And soon," the ominous man smiled, once again alone. "And soon I will be a god."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

In a village in Japan there was a house that was rather large for Japan in these broken days. Unlike a century before, when houses had to be small to accommodate for the massive population, houses were now small simply because it was nearly impossible to get anything else, ever since the world had crumbled. Governments had become lost, companies folded, millions died, and chaos had erupted.

In this large house lived a young man, nearing twenty years or so. His hair was a flowing, blue-silver. His eyes were the most mystifying part of him, though. The left one was a bale blue, while the right was brown, a mutation of some sort.

Enzeru Eitai, commonly known as Kai Kaethan, lived alone in the house his parents had left him when they were brutally murdered, an event Enzeru had come to peace with over a year ago at the Battle City Tournament, from which he had emerged champion. As a result, he often found himself engaged in duels with those who would seek to either take his title, or the occasional noble opponent trying simply find a worthy opponent, as he was in now.

"Vaun, it's true that your Gearfried the Swordmaster (2600/2200) is a most impressive opponent, especially when equipped with your United We Stand and two Blue Knight Legion Tokens (500/500) in play, setting Gearfried at five thousand. However, it is those same tokens that will act as a weakness to you." Enzeru laughed.

"I don't think you're one to reprimand me for having tokens, granted the two Eternity Tokens (700/500) on your field and one card in your hand." the boy samurai laughed back. Neither of them was truly fighting with his all. They much more so enjoyed these gentlemanly engagements in which they could push each other without having to threaten one another.

"I will. I sacrifice both of my tokens for Aeon Magician (2500/1500) in attack mode. And since my Eternity Tokens have been removed from the field, I am allowed to draw a card for each one." Now holding two cards, Enzeru had a powerful monster on the field, but not strong enough, even to defeat Vaun's Gearfried at it's base strength.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"They're still at it, aren't they Zetsui?" a young feminine voice asked of the elderly butler within Enzeru's house. Turning around, the elderly man bowed in reverence, as was his practice.

"Miss Akira. Welcome." he greeted the brunette as she dropped her bag, which he quickly snatched up and put away in a closet. "Shall I tell Master Kai that you're in?"

"No, it's alright. I have some things to do. Let them distract each other for as long as they'd like." she responded, walking into the kitchen and pulling on an apron. "Don't let him know I'm here."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

An hour later, Enzeru walked into the house, wiping sweat from his brow. "Zetsui, is my bath ready?"

"Of course Master Kai. As usual, your evening bath is ready and waiting." the butler responded, again bowing. "Dinner will be ready when you finish."

"Thanks. It smells wonderful." Enzeru finished, walking up the stairs. It was odd how he referred to himself as Enzeru, but he had not told anyone else about that identity, and so was still called by the name his parents had given him, Kai.

Stepping into the tub, he relaxed, letting the warm water soak into his worn body, letting the details of the day drift by.

Walking down stairs twenty minutes later, dressed in clean clothes and feeling refreshed, he walked into the dining room, the table dressed with a number of foods. However, the real shock when he saw who was sitting at the table. It was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Sadly, he lacked the courage to enter into a relationship with her, unable to tell what type of affection she held for him, whether it be that of a sibling, a friend, or a potential lover. In the end, he was unable to bypass his old barriers and let her into his life.

"Etsu..."

To Be Continued...

There you have it. I know it was weird and short, but I was tired and rushed to get it up in time. So, what is to come? And who were those people in the shadows?

Also, NO ORIGINAL CHARACTER SUBMISSIONS UNLESS I SPECIFICALLY ASK YOU!

It's been nearly two years since Battle City, and Vaun Hiten has grown in power and skill exponentially. Now freed from his search for revenge, Vaun must search for a new sense of purpose, and it's possible that a young man in black clothes could offer him just that.

Next Time-Night of the Knights