Force of Darkness, hear my cry

by Noble Paladin

Chap. 46: The end of the beginning is here! Yami, Yusuke, Joey, and Kagome face their deadliest opponents yet, but what is Hiei planning with a certain dark entity? The time's getting close for war!

43. The Black Shadow Marches Tonight!

Disclaimer: You know it already.

Alrighty, Chapter 42 ended the duels of Kagome and Kaiba, whilst bringing those of Joey and Roger to the final edge. Enzeru looked over his situation, Naraku unveiled his latest soldier, Noir, as Inuyasha proceeded to duke it out with Raphael.

In this chapter, Hiei prepares for Phase 2 of his plan, which we'll see in action later, Shippo starts talking of how he came to be in Yami no Marik's custody, Joey and Roger end their duels, as Yusuke faces up with an old nemesis. Kaiba interrogates Pegasus, while Inuyasha recovers from his second beating to find he has created a less than ideal situation for himself.

Chapter 42: The Black Shadow Marches Tonight!

Hiei's Fortress

The idiotic citizens of New Paradigm did not have a standing military, an adequate fire department, or any functional alarm system, for the basic reason that none of it was necessary, or had been since the city had risen to the sky. It was more for symbolic reasons that the fire and police stations had been erected, as a sort of quiet reminder that the city would stand behind its people.

This meant absolutely nothing to Hiei, who was very much aware that in one section of the Black Shadow Armory was enough firepower to annihilate anyone that stood against them. It was almost pathetic how poorly equipped the corrupted Paradise was to combat aggressors.

When the organization had started out, he, Schwarzvald, and Yoko Kurama had been quite aware of the need for powerful weaponry and vehicles to facilitate conquest and control of their territories, so the Black Shadow and its members were for a while focused on this armament. Seebach had been able to recover the regenerated Big Duo from the ruins of Paradigm, Yoko had spearheaded many a biological weapons production, and as more such members were obtained they too contributed to some degree or other. But it was Vera Ronstadt that could be called the true supplier, for after she had struck a deal with the Black Shadow, she personally ordered the production and delivery of a state of the art munitions stockpile to his concealed fortress. It had everything: RPG's, electromagnetic pulse grenades, tanks designed to operate like sports cars, helicopters with modifications for the artificial atmosphere of the city, cybernetic armor, and even mounted firearms which could dispense magnum loads at rates similar to assault rifles. The list went on and on, and he expected that all would be necessities.

He did not utilize any of these, but he knew that they would all be put to use in the coming days, for it was exactly as he planned.

In the deeper recesses of the armory he could hear the roar of many weapons such as the ones he was in the presence of, likely from the training facility built into the area. It was here that the weak and the strong were sorted out; those that underwent the hard core conflict and endurance training and triumphed were positioned in the appropriate guard details, and those who failed became either scientific experiments or living targets. After all, there was no point in keeping the unworthy alive if all they were going to do is eat and drink.

In an ironic twist, that sort of "survival of the fittest" mantra was exactly the reason Kazuma Kuwabara was lambasting him.

"I have told you at least a hundred times already, and yet you still insist on annoying me about the subject. Whatever your real problem is, it is quickly becoming a death wish."

"Why won't you just listen to me and accept my opinion? You've listened to the other deadheads, so why have you ignored me?"

"There is no end to the list of reasons that I would not listen to you, but in this case it would have to be that your opinions are mired in mediocrity."

"Damn it, you three-eyed shrimp, we can't trust Kagura! You know it as well as everyone else!"

"Sesshomaru seemed to like the idea well enough, and besides, she and I share more than a few common enemies. None of whom, I might add, you have been able to defeat."

"She'll just betray us once Naraku is dead! Hell, the only reason you even want her in this organization is to get her…"

Before he could continue, the hideous thug felt the tip of a katana come within inches of his throat.

"Do not even consider finishing that sentence or I swear I will cut you down. And to be honest, you have become a rather unnecessary pest, so I doubt anything would stop me, were it not for Yukina's will for you to live."

Kuwabara stared at the sword which Hiei had drawn against him, then at the demon, then his own hands. Even he could figure this equation out, and thus he held off on his attack. "You know you're making a mistake, right?"

"And you know how easily I could kill you in your sleep, right?"

The thug's eyes flashed. He sputtered, desperately searching for a retort but turning up blanks, until he was finally reduced to giving Hiei the finger and flinging some indistinct obscenity at him before turning his back and tramping off to pout.

"Immature little bitch."

Turning back to the armament, the Dark Lord of New Paradigm continued his inventory, but it was with somewhat fleeting attention as he began to consider Kuwabara's viewpoint for the first time. Yes, it was true that Kagura was a powerful warrior and as brilliant a duelist as they came, with her real deck anyway. She had also been privy to Naraku's innermost operations, for he had taken her back into his service without the knowledge that she was working for Hiei. She had proven to be extraordinarily skilled in the training she had received in the Feudal Era, and rumor had it that she had taken martial arts for three months before becoming a blue belt, an unmatched and otherwise impossible record.

But there was one major problem with Hiei's employment of her, and a very simple one at that: Kagura was the single sexiest woman he had ever met.

That quasi-sentient Cro-Magnon may be obnoxious and underdeveloped, but he did make a valid point. Although she is one of the keys to my victory, he was not too far off when he said that I wanted her in the Black Shadow to get her into bed.

He could never explain why she attracted him as she did, whether it was her ruby eyes, her somewhat warped grin, that indefinable air of old-world grace and charm, or the curvaceous form that was concealed for so very long in the trappings of a more conservative era. What he knew for certain was that somehow she had obtained his attention.But he also knew that she would not succumb to him as Serenity Wheeler and the others had. She could not be hypnotized or enticed, and like himself any thoughts of a serious relationship were always discarded. All too often he had been made aware of her sexual unavailability, for reasons of self control that basically stemmed from the element which she had mastered.

I am the wind, Lord Hiei. Someday, by your help or by my own hand, I will be free. And I can assure that you will die if you try to stand between me and that freedom.

To be blunt, Hiei wanted her, if only for pleasure and power. He was beyond love after Mukuro died, and had since tried to fill that void with various women, but he had never been able to find one of substance that would serve his purposes beyond one night stands. She fit that bill perfectly, and one way or another he would possess her. It was only a matter of time like anything else.

Unfortunately, there was no time to consider seducing the wind sorceress at that moment, for he now had a war to wage, one that had been in the works for close to five months of sleepless nights and harrowing conflicts.

He had seen the army mustered himself over the time in which he had been operating the Spirit World, an army that encompassed the entirety of those that stood by his side, from humans, demons, the few Dark Mages that had not fled his alliance, and the Inner Circle of unimaginably powerful warlords that answered only to him. All was coming together as scheduled, and nothing had gone wrong yet. The soldiers were finally ready for war, and if what Schwarzvald had told him recently about his discovery in the underground was true, then it would all continue to function perfectly. He had seen enough of the technology held by the Black Shadow to know what would happen.

It was almost time to bring the first component of the Hellfire Tournament to a close, and soon enough, it would be time to bring the city to its knees, for before the Pharaoh and his pathetic friends could lift their eyes to the blazing stars…

…the War for New Paradigm would begin.

Roger vs. Espa Roba

"You can't beat my telepathic powers, especially now that I have four monsters on the field with unstoppable attack force and a Field Magic card which gives them an unstoppable advantage. Looks like you're cornered, so I'll end my turn."

In spite of how obnoxious the psychic duelist was, he did indeed have control of the field in almost every sense, and Roger had no way to counterattack with any of his monsters or Magic cards. Not yet, anyway.

"My move!" Hm. Let's see what this can do. "I'll place a monster in defense mode, and that will end my turn."

"HA! There's not much else you can do! I draw!" About time I drew this. Let's see if the Negotiator can handle it. "I activate the Magic card, Painful Choice, which allows me to select 5 cards from my deck and show them to you. Out of these cards, you must select one of them, which will be added to my hand, while the rest go straight to the graveyard."

Roger was somewhat surprised that Espa Roba would take such a risk as that. He knew only a select few duelists that used the card, and it did not fit the strategy that the "psychic" was using. But then again, perhaps it was useful for a strategy that he could not yet see.

"Let's see what you picked."

Strangely, Espa Roba had picked five Magic cards, one of which was absolutely useless in the situation anyway. What could he be planning with it?

"Alright, I'll send H-Heat Heart, E-Emergency Call, R-Right Justice, and O-Over Soul to the cemetery, and you can keep the Feather Shots card."

But as he watched Roba slide each Magic card into the grave, Roger noticed an unsettling grin spread across his face. For whatever reason, he had wanted those cards destroyed.

"Thank you very much, Roger Smith. By sending H-Heat Heart, E-Emergency Call, R-Right Justice, and O-Over Soul to the graveyard, you have given me the cost required to activate the Magic card I placed face down in my last turn, HERO Flash! Now, at the cost of removing those four powerful Magic cards from play, I am allowed to Special Summon any E-Hero from my deck. And that's not the only effect; during this turn, all Elemental Heroes on my side of the field can attack you directly! But first thing's first: I summon my E-Hero Sageman using the effect of HERO Flash!"

Espa Roba's next warrior of twisted justice was easily the oldest of the heroes, more than likely their founder. Standing at his full height of about six feet, he was draped in silver and crystal robes and held a lengthy staff that seemed to be a fusion of silk and ethereal light. However, in spite of the pure white locks that hung down to his feet, he seemed to be almost immortal. (0/2400)

"Now, since you've been too dense to figure out the effects of my other E-Heroes so far, I may as well save you the hassle. You see, although Sageman has no attack strength, he serves as the mentor and guardian of those who carry his former duties, increasing the attacks of all my other E-Heroes by 500 points." The Sageman, in his turn, began to hum absentmindedly, a veiled method through which to subliminally pass his knowledge to the other heroes. (5100/2000) (2900/1500) (3300/2800) (3100/1900) "My monster's next effect is much more interesting. It allows me to equip each of my fused E-Heroes with an Equip card that correlates to one of the Fusion Material monsters used to summon it, regardless of the monster or the number of Magic cards on the field, and the cards in question will not count towards my Magic and Trap card zone so long as Skyscraper is in play. So in this case, I shall equip E-Hero Tempester with Bubble Shot, E-Hero Jaggyman with Cyclone Boomerang, E-Hero Thunder Giant with Clay Wrap, and E-Hero Shining Flare Wingman with Spark Gun!"

Sageman, in a second move to empower his successors, called forward from an unknown source armaments for the Heroes. The massive Tempester was armed with a heavy duty water cannon which seemed to be built like a bazooka, (4100/2800), while the savage was equipped with an oversized Aborigine boomerang that was almost the same size as the Hiraikotsu. (3600/1900) As for the titan of the storm, a second, much heavier sheet of clay began to curl around him, whilst the divine hero took up a heavy electrical firearm.

"This is the end for you, I'm afraid. It looks like in the end you're nothing more than a negotiator."

"Funny. I remember someone saying that to me seven years ago. And like that person, you've forgotten one thing: the fact that I am, and always will be, more than just a negotiator. At the end of the day, at least I can look into a mirror and see that I am Roger Smith. As long as I can hold onto that I can't be beaten by a man without that sense of identity."

"You're worse than Joey Wheeler and his Heart of the Cards garbage! But unlike Wheeler you won't beat me! Now, before I attack, I shall confer with the powers of the other worlds, so as to see what you have in store for me!"

But then again, thought Roba, there was nothing that he could do anyway. Had there been any threat his brothers would have alerted him, and Sageman wasn't done yet with his tricks.

"Well, anything?"

"No real threats as far as Magic and Trap cards are concerned. You're cleared for attack, bro."

"Good. Let's finish this."

On the sidelines, Angel had been watching Espa Roba very carefully, and honestly did not buy into his whole psychic act. She knew that psychics were in general frauds, and any number of things could explain what was going on here. Still, he did have unparalleled field advantage, and it looked like it was about to all come crashing down on Roger.

"And now, my slick-haired rival, it's time to end the duel once and for all! E-Hero Tempester, E-Hero Thunder Giant, E-Hero Jaggyman, and E-Hero Shining Flare Wingman, attack his life points directly and end this duel!"

Simultaneously, the four strongest Elemental Heroes sent forth their attacks, Tempester creating a solid gust of wind, Jaggyman hurling his great boomerang, the Thunder Giant forming a sphere of lightning and smashing it between his fists to send a hundred bolts forward, and Shining Flare Wingman sending a spear of light towards Roger while firing several rounds with the Spark Gun.

But from the look on the negotiator's face, this was an expected and desired assault.

"Reveal face down card, Two-Pronged Attack! This Trap card allows me to destroy two of my own monsters, along with one of yours, so I'll eliminate my face down monsters to destroy your Sageman!"

As he said this, the two facedown monsters were immediately destroyed of their own accord, but from the looks of things that was not to be Sageman's fate.

"An interesting gambit, but a wasted one. Because Sageman has been targeted by a Trap effect, that effect is switched to one of my other monsters. In this case, I'll switch the effect to my Tempester, and then discard one card from my hand to prevent him from being destroyed!"

The blast from the destruction of Roger's monsters, just as it was about to strike the elder, was intercepted by the lesser warrior of the skies, who in his turn forced it away with a gust of his wings. "HA! I knew you couldn't stop me!"

"Sorry, Espa, but I'm afraid I just did."

Each attack, all within mere feet of Roger, was instantly knocked away by an electrical jolt which came from an unknown source.

"There's a reason that I activated Two-Pronged Attack just now, a reason that your telepathy clearly overlooked. You see, one of the monsters I destroyed is a creature known as Lightning Turtle, and if I so choose I can remove it from play to trigger the electromagnets it left behind and end your battle phase."
"DAMN IT!"

"Well, I think that just about wraps that up, doesn't it?"

"I'm not through yet, Roger Smith, not by a long shot! Remember, my E-Heroes still control the field, and you still have my Equip cards to contend with! So I activate the effect of Spark Gun, which will allow me to switch Sageman into defense mode!"

The aged warrior, instead of crumbling to the electrocution of the Spark Gun, decided to kneel of his own volition, creating a silver barrier around himself in the process.

"I'll end my turn, but I hope you understand that your little ploy cost you two monsters. I still have all of my own creatures, and any attempt to destroy my Equip cards will only bring you down. Let's see if you can squirm out of this."

"I think I'm just about to. My move."

The situation, as unfortunate as it had been, suddenly took a turn for the better as Roger saw what might prove to be the key to his victory.

"I activate the Magic card, Crisis Synthesis, which can only be activated if it is the only card I have in my hand and I have no monsters. It allows me to remove all of my Machine monsters in my graveyard from play, and then select five cards from my deck and add them to my hand. However, at the end of my turn I must destroy any monsters summoned during that turn."

"As if that matters! Remember, no matter how powerful your next monster may be, my Skyscraper will only make my monsters stronger!"

"That won't matter. I activate a second Magic card, Dimension Fusion! In exchange for 2000 life points, I can special summon as many monsters as possible that have been removed from play, so I think that X-Head Cannon, Mechanicalchaser, Eight-Legged Terror, Y-Dragon Head, and Lightning Turtle!"

In horror Espa Roba and his brothers watched as a massive rift between dimensions tore open by some scientific anomaly, spewing forth Roger's artillery soldier, his cyber-hunter, the multi-appendaged mecha nightmare, and the two monsters he had sent to the graveyard last turn, a smallish red aerial assault weapon which was fashioned like a dragon, (1500/1600), and a squat robotic turtle with what appeared to be a polarity symbol on his chest. (0/1800) (Roger:400/Espa Roba: 2400)

"You must be getting desperate! With that level of power, my Shining Flare Wingman will eliminate you in no time."

"If you really are psychic, then you should know that what I have in my hand will put an end to Wingman, but I'll get to that later. First off, I'll fuse Y-Dragon Head and X-Head Cannon together to form XY-Dragon Cannon!"

The first Fusion Roger had played in the duel, and likely the last, was substantially different from the multiple ones created by Espa Roba. Unlike said combination monsters, the XY-Dragon Cannon did not necessitate the magic of Polymerization, for that particular set of monsters had such a power built into their programming. And thus did X-Head Cannon's flotation device begin to rotate at almost unimaginable speeds, generating a sort of static electrical field. At the same time, a hidden panel on the back of the Y-Dragon Head slid open to unveil a universal magnetic link matrix, designed to connect computer systems together via magnetic fields. Once both automatons had activated their network links, the X-Head positioned himself over the matrix and channeled the static electricity into direct energy, thus drawing him into the compartment.

And when the fusion was complete, a new machine, with new programming, was formed. (2200/1900)

"This city of yours isn't real, Espa Roba. You and I both know that it's just a fantasy, a memory brought back to us by Industrial Illusions, so now it's time to face reality! I activate the effect of XY-Dragon Cannon, discarding one card from my hand to destroy one face-up Magic or Trap card on your side of the field, and I'm going to eradicate Skyscraper!"

Upon discarding, the flying tank soldier took to the skies, sailing forward through the buildings and desperate heroes with one "thought" installed in its programming: destroy the city.

"Why are you doing this? Can't you see the hypocrisy that you represent at this moment by attacking my Magic card? You claim to be the champion of Paradigm, and here you are demolishing that very city!"

Roger, at this, gained a look of almost smug knowledge.

"That's where you're wrong. This isn't real, and I'm referring to more than the holographic nature of the arena. This city may be cleaner, it may have better technology, but it isn't Paradigm. Those people down there aren't the people I defended, and I won't be tricked into believing that this brainwashed empire of Vera's is Paradise!"

Even as he spoke, Roger's monster let fly the shells of war, raining fire and death upon the city. The blasts leveled the metropolis, as skyscrapers dissolved and city blocks were leveled. As can be expected, gas mains burst into an inferno which spread with unparalleled haste across the streets, resulting in horrified shrieks as humans were sent to the bowels of Hell or the kingdom of Heaven.

And when the dust cleared, the city was in ruins. Fire rampaged over the now crumbling buildings, as those that had somehow survived drew themselves from beneath slabs of concrete, with shattered arms and horribly scarred faces. At the same time, the E-Heroes had started to circle above the demolished city like carrion birds, seeking out those that could be saved.

The reek of death was present everywhere, and Roger was reminded horribly of Schwarzvald and his fanaticism. He hoped that it would not come down to this in the real world; he could not handle another doomsday.

"You're done. Without the Skyscraper Magic card, your E-Heroes can no longer obtain the power boost that has kept them alive for so long. Now, for part two of my plan. I summon Fusilier Dragon, the Dual-Mode Beast, in attack mode, and I'll use his special effect to halve his original attack and defense and summon him without tribute!"

What was to be Roger's last attempt at salvation was, quite simply, a tank dragon, with a lengthy mechanical neck upon which sat a head with cannon attachments. Where the claws would be were instead a pair of heavy Gatling-style guns, and the tail functioned as a drill. (1400/1000)

"What could that thing possibly do to me?"

"You're about to see first hand. For my next move, I'll activate the Megamorph Equip card, which shall double my monster's original attack if my life points are lower than yours. Of course, I am referring to the attack he had before his effect activated, so his total attack strength shall become 5600!"

The second part of Roger's strategy manifested itself as an ancient Druid seal which fused with Fusilier's mechanics, increasing its efficiency and power. (5600/1000)

"Sorry, negotiator, but it still won't be enough to defeat me!"

"You really should start paying attention; I never finished my move, and there's one card left for me to play. I activate Limiter Removal!"

At that moment, with the activation of the final card, everyone present knew that the end had arrived. Even Dorothy, who had always thought that Roger's dueling skills were something of a joke, had to admit that it had been a brilliantly executed finishing move, given the circumstances of Espa Roba's field.

But Angel knew better. She knew that as powerful a move this was, it would not hold against Hiei.

"No! This isn't happening!" Those little fuckers! How could they screw up like this after all I've done for them?

Of course, the machines were not at all aware of the various emotions and complaints that went on around them. All that was of any significance to their artificial intelligence was the fact that their power levels had shot through the roof, a fact indicated by their suddenly jerky movements and increasingly erratic motions. (4400/1900) (3000/1200) (11200/1000)

"You see, Espa Roba, I don't have to stand behind a bunch of superheroes to defend this city. I've had that capacity for years, because I choose to hold it. But you didn't have that, which is why I am about to triumph."

"ENOUGH WITH YOUR SELF-REFLECTIVE BULLSHIT! IF YOU'RE GONNA FINISH ME, JUST DO IT, AND DON'T BORE ME OUT OF MY MIND!"

"You asked for it, and now it's time to deliver it! Fusilier, attack and destroy his Shining Flare Wingman!"

With this command in mind, the infamous war machine leveled his head to the skies, scanning the scorched heavens for his last target using a combination of heat sensors that singled out organics and an adapted form of Geiger counter which detected the radiation emitted by heroes. It was an ingenious system, one that was about to undo all the cheating and planning by Espa Roba in one grand display of fireworks.

After a moment of this, Fusilier picked up what he had been looking for in the broken remnants of City Hall, and locked onto the Wingman's heat signature with his mounted cannons. The other heroes took note of this, and desperately crowded around him, perhaps attempting to guard their leader with their own lives. But all knew what was to become of him. Their power boost shot, their city turned into a smoking crater, and their very existence on a downhill slope, each one had a similar look of dejection and unwilling acceptance on their respective faces.

All save Wingman.

Out of all the Elemental Heroes, he alone seemed to hold an intangible relaxation as his death loomed before him. In fact, it was almost as though he had wanted it to happen this way. He had accepted his destiny, and did not even blink when the cannons roared into life.

The impact was swift and brutal, and when the flash of light cleared, all that was left of Wingman and the other E-Heroes was a black smudge upon the ruins. (Roger:400/Espa Roba:0)

There was nothing more to say at that moment, but then, what could be said to a cheater anyway? Besides, from the looks of things that selfsame fraud had more than enough to talk about.

How could I lose AGAIN! It doesn't make any sense; I had him cornered like a dog! One more attack would have finished him off, so how could he possibly have drawn that card just when he needed it? It just doesn't add up!

It never did add up for him, though, not since his earliest memories in the moth-eaten tent that served as his home as they moved about with the wandering circus to which the family had owed debt for years. Life continued to vex him, as he had been forced to watch his parents die in a horrific trapeze accident, leaving no legacy save five orphans, horrible memories, and a box of cards. Even when the circus folded life was not kind to them, and neither were the children they encountered.

But after all this time, after wandering the world with a set of siblings to whom he played father and mother, and after shattering the promise he had made to Joey, would he lose the only shot he had at happiness to an outdated skirt chaser?

Would he strip away the last of my dignity…FOR GODDAMN MEMORIES!

"You remember our deal, don't you? I defeated you in a duel, so hand over your card, key, and the memories. After all, what good is a negotiation unless both parties respect the demands of the other."

"You're joking, right? I could have demolished you completely had my psychic prowess not given out on me. Deal's off, pretty boy."

"I suggest you reconsider…"

"NO WAY! I'M SO FUCKING SICK OF DEALING WITH CLOWNS LIKE YOU ON A DAILY BASIS, TRYING TO HORN IN ON MY ONE SHOT AT TRIUMPH! I SHOULD HAVE WON THIS DUEL, AND YOU KNOW IT, SO IF YOU WANT THESE MEMORIES YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO RIP THEM OUT OF MY COLD DEAD FINGERS!"

With this, the circus freak turned tail and made a beeline for the staircase, eyes wild with hatred as he shoved his way past the middleman and the living memory towards freedom.

This was it, he thought to himself, just get to the door and you're home free…

It was at this point that a slender mechanical leg snapped outwards, catching Espa Roba in the chest and almost crushing his lungs in the process.

No one said anything for a minute, as Angel and Roger looked at Dorothy with a level of shock not seen in seven years, not since the first and final arrival of Big Venus in the heart of the city, or what had been left of it.

"This duelist does not have any memories, at least none that we can use."

Espa Roba, eyes wide in panic, attempted to lift himself up, but the fact that his ribcage was in shambles, combined with the new presence of Angel's heel pinning him down, prevented any such action on his part.

"Let me go now! You have no idea what you're doing!"
"I like to think we do; it's you who has no idea." As she said this, Angel reached down to extract something from the psychic's left ear, what looked like a miniature headset. "Now, start talking."

"I told you no! Even if you threatened to blow my brains out it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference! You think I'm scared of death? Once the Union finds out I've been beaten they'll do things to me that are ten times worse!"

"The Union? What do they have to do with this?"

"You don't know? Oh, that's right, I forgot that you fled from us, Agent 340."

Angel's eyes now bugged out of her head as she realized in full horror that Espa Roba was one of their agents.

"Hard to believe, isn't it? It almost makes you wonder how I became part of the Union, but I think at this point the matter is irrelevant. What is important is that I've been monitering the both of you for some time; since after Battle City, I think…"

The smack of palm against cheek was quick, but effective, and the charlatan decided to let the ex-agent speak.

"Ok, what's going on here? If you were sent to kill us you would have done so by now, so you obviously had a good reason to simply duel."

"It's true. I was sent here to duel and knock Roger out of the tournament so that we could intercept him on the way to the exit craft. My brothers and I would get paid handsomely and we'd get a rent free apartment in the city. But you don't know the half of what's happening here. You have no grasp of what's being planned on both sides, or what Vera and Hiei have in store for this city; I myself am just one of the grunts, and even I know this thing's gonna be huge."

Roger, a man of suave self-control and cool demeanor, suddenly felt his blood run cold as ice. The Hellfire Tournament had been the single greatest competition of duelists the world had ever known, and it had concealed an even greater conspiracy to take the world by storm. Was it possible that the Tournament had only been the opening act, a prelude to an even larger and more intricate design that was yet to come?

He needed answers, and he needed them immediately.

"Alright, Espa, here's the deal. I can provide some defense for you through my old contacts in the Military Police, but in exchange you need to give us all the information you can on the Union's next move."

Espa Roba now gained a look of unerring incredulity as he rolled his eyes back.

"Ok, first of all, the Union controls the Military Police, so what contacts you had are now more than likely dead. Then we have the fact that it's simply too late to stop what they have in mind."

It was at this point that Angel lost the last shred of patience she had been able to hold onto.

"I think you're having some problems deciding whether or not to tell us what Agent 12 and the others have planned, so perhaps I should make the decision easier on you. You see, I spent my life in the Union, and I just so happen to have learned quite a few of their more interesting tricks along the way. Now, either you tell us what the Union has planned, or I refresh those talents with you as my target. Any objections now?"

Left with two options of torture with only one providing a slim chance at survival, there was no doubt in Espa Roba's mind as to his decision.

"Fine. You want to know everything? Well, rumor has it that Hiei and Vera have something massive in store for the coming days, and I mean massive. I can't even begin to describe it, but I do know this: sometime soon Jagenshi will launch his next strike, and what could possibly be the last one. He's pulling out all the stops, letting it all loose in one massive blitz. You want more data, then I'm not your man."

But he had said enough, and as Angel looked fearfully at Roger and Dorothy, all knew what that meant.

New Paradigm was going to be a warzone.

Yami's Hotel Room

There's a strange sort of purity to the blood stained couch and the crumbling stucco walls, thought Yami as he stared absently at the living room ceiling, eyes half-closed from exhaustion. But then, with the defeat of both Kachikachi and Yami no Marik, there was little else that could be detected.

With the notable exception of the harsh sting of antiseptic that drew a wince from the man that had endured the pain of Hell itself without so much as a blink.

"It's alright, this will only last a minute."

With only those words the pain was dissipated, or perhaps it was the fact that Kagome was the one applying the medication with her warm and practiced touch, the touch of a natural-born healer. She was truly Kikyo incarnate, though Yami was now loathe to think of it in such terms. Although the two did share a common soul, they were indeed two separate entities, beings that encompassed a set of parallel yet independent spirits, and this would always be the case. Still, the subtle presence of the jewel's guardian had been consistently apparent in every motion Kagome took. The most notable point of this was that she had taken it upon herself to serve as something of a brace for Yami, who had still been too weak to walk on his own, while still cradling the strange fox demon whom she referred to as Shippo. It had been truly a sight to behold, but it also had its sort of tenderness that was all too lacking in the depths of nightmare in which they had been deposited.

Somehow he managed to clear the muddled thoughts of his mind, and lifted his bleary orbs to the young miko's. Still focused on repairing the damage inflicted by the deranged swordsman, Kagome did not notice for a moment or so, at least until she made a motion to check the Pharaoh's temperature.

"Yami, are you feeling alright? You look sick."

He looked and felt the part, actually, from what she saw in his eyes. It was obvious that something had happened, likely to Kikyo, and she also had an idea what.

I never really understood up till now what we were up against, the kind of sociopath that Hiei is. I mean, I knew he was evil; anyone could see that. But I never could see exactly how evil he was…

It went without saying that Kagome didn't like Kikyo. In fact, were it not for the fact that Kikyo had been a saint in life, she would doubtlessly hate her with every fiber of her being. But she had to admit that even as a member of the undead she had been one of the kindest beings to walk the earth.

And even without asking she knew…that Kikyo was dead, murdered at the hands of the Demon God.

"There. All better."

With a single knot the makeshift bandaging was completed; luckily the wound was not serious given the situation, but he would still need to take it easy for a while.

"Thank you, Kagome. I owe you one."

"Shhh. Don't talk right now, just get some sleep."

"Relax, I'm in well enough condition to speak. It's dueling that will be a problem."

"I think you've dueled enough for one day, sweetie."

The sentiment was doubtlessly mutual; through two of his duels Yami had been pitted against the sadist puppet of a second demon lord, as well as an unwelcome encounter with the Seal of Orichalcos and an ancient samurai who had plagued him in Egypt. But that still left some questions unanswered, such as how or even why Kachikachi and Sesshomaru were in allegiance, and also how the demon had known of Kagura's demise. Then there was the wind demon herself; something had not added up during that match, for somehow he could sense that she was lying. Deep beneath her cold veneer there was a seething mass of raw hatred, a wild animal that had no sense of loyalty, and the man she called her brother was clearly not Naraku. And finally, there was the reemergence of Yami no Marik, which was not really so surprising in itself, judging from his capacities of Shadow magic in Battle City. No, it was what he had said during that duel, about a Shadow Game that even the resurrection of Atem's memories could not recall.

A second Shadow Game took place, before the events of the one I remember? How is this possible, and more importantly, what memory could be so dangerous to me that I would seal it off completely?

His ponderings resulted in a sort of distance set within his eyes, one that had often worried Yugi and others around him, and one that made Kagome worry as well. She had only seen this look once, before that damnable event that she hoped would never happen again. It was strange, almost surreal, to see him out of focus like this.

"You're thinking about what the spirit said, aren't you?"

"Something to that effect. It still doesn't make any sense; why would I lock away a part of my memory so that I couldn't remember a second war of shadow?"

"Relax and don't think about it right now. We'll figure it out later, I promise, but right now you just need to rest and regain your strength."

Her soft hand now moved upwards, caressing Atem's forehead slightly so as to sooth his frayed nerves. He would be alright, if he could only allow himself the peace he so rightly deserved. Perhaps she could be the one to grant him that peace, but in order to do that the two would need to topple some of the most powerful demons in existence-a task not easily performed in the best of circumstances-and their situation was hardly ideal. So then what was to be done?

Neither could be sure at that moment, but what was known was this: they were reunited, and no force on Earth could ever break that connection. It was indeed a love that transcended existence itself, and even the reverberations of time and reincarnation for the next five thousand years would not shatter it.

It was at this point, as Kagome held the Pharaoh's hand to her heart, that she saw the world that should be, and yet was not by the hands of selfish bastards like Hiei and Naraku. She saw a world of love and peace, where all could be settled without a drop of blood being spilled. She saw Yami, sound asleep beneath the cool shade of an oak, with herself lying happily in his arms. That was all they needed; no, it was all she wanted, and her heart cried out for that world where shadows and chaos didn't exist. There were no dark jewels or darker magic to be found, just the two of them, holding each other…

The droplets fell again, as a pain she never knew could exist crashed into her heart.

It just isn't fair. He shouldn't have to suffer like this, not after what he's been through. So many people have died and suffered, and for what? Some grandiose design for power in a time when that's a clearly outdated idea?

Yami didn't deserve any of it, any of the nightmares of human creation that lunatics and homicidal tyrants formed. He was just too…too good for it. So then why was he the target of such horror? The Puzzle played into it, but still, it did not explain how life had always dealt him the worst it could offer. Had the gods really been so vindictive as to curse this undeserving monarch with the burden of Hell, and if so, why?

She almost did not notice herself speak to him.

"I'll save you, Yami. I'll save you from everything."

He said nothing, but she felt his hand tighten around hers, and she knew he felt the same. They would save each other, from themselves…

Of course, this would all be very confusing to anyone who entered at that moment, especially to a rather immature fox demon who still did not grasp the complexities of love and life.

"Save him from what? I don't see anything here…"

Yami and Kagome both looked at the source of the voice, but only one recognized it.

"Shippo! You're finally awake!"

Old relationships have never been quick to die, in the Feudal Era or in these modern times, and so it was no great surprise that Shippo hurled himself betwixt the two young lovers and into Kagome's arms, unable to maintain any semblance of control that he had left.

"Oh Kagome, I missed you so much! I thought I'd never see you again!"

"It's ok. I'm here right now, aren't I? Last time I checked I've never let anything happen to you before."

It had been too long for the both of them; after all, Kagome had been gone from his life for over a year, and in the wake of the nightmarish tragedies it was good to finally see a familiar face.

Of course, this relationship was completely lost on Yami, who could do little but simply stare at the two of them and ask for some kind of explanation.

"I don't believe we've met before, young one."

"Oh, that's right, I completely forgot. Yami, this is Shippo. He's the fox demon I told you about. Shippo, this sweetheart over here is Yami."

Shippo looked at Yami, then at Kagome, then at the linked hands over her chest, and finally at the sparkle in both of their eyes. He had matured ever so slightly in the past year, but enough so as to figure out what was going on; thereby, he was in a position to ask a serious and well-thought out query. Such a question, obviously, was not forthcoming, but what he did ask was quite relevant anyway.

"He's not gonna hit me, is he?"

"I highly doubt that. He's not Inuyasha."

"Indeed. His eyes look different."

Yami, in well enough condition by this point to sit up, did just that, so that Kagome could get more comfortable on the sofa. She'd done more than enough for him that day, after all. Besides, he was vaguely curious of Shippo and his involvement with Yami no Marik; something told him that the demon knew what was going on.

"Anyway, what's the deal with you and Yami? I thought you liked Inuyasha."

"I did, or at least that's what I thought. I don't know, I guess it just…happened. Yami saved my life from some lunatic of Hiei's, and I've been with him ever since."

At this, the Pharaoh's mouth twitched upwards.

"Well, as long as he's civil to me, he's ok in my…what's that around your neck?"

Shippo's entire mannerism changed as he spied the Sennen Puzzle. It was almost as though he had seen it before, or something like it. However, this was far more than a passing familiarity, Yami could sense it.

The demon examined it for a moment, sniffing every corner, detecting nothing but the dull whiff of gold and the flawless texture of the metal, along with the aura of Shadow Magic that came from deep within the Puzzle.

"Shippo, what are you doing?"

"I saw this thing once; the guys who kidnapped me were talking about it, and they started passing pictures of it around before one of them took me away."

Once again Atem felt a deep cold edge up his back, for reasons that beyond the obvious could not be discerned. "Who are you talking about?"

"After Kagome left, Inuyasha and the rest of us broke up and went different ways. Sango went north into the mountains to find her brother, Miroku followed a lead about a mage who could help him with his curse, Inuyasha stayed with the village, and so did I. We lost track of everyone we'd encountered, and life became pretty much pointless until Inuyasha followed that fire from the well. When he didn't come back I tried to find him, but when I got there Kagome's home was levelled. I looked around for at least a week…until two people snuck up and caught me. Whoever they were, they held me at their castle until last week. They let me free for some reason, and that's when the spirit found me. He did some kind of magic and knocked me out."

"How awful! Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine, but you two should be worried. They kept talking about you and Inuyasha, and a few others, and taking our souls to feed some kind of beast-thingy…"

Kagome looked sympathetically at her old traveling companion, fully able to appreciate the nightmare he had endured. She too had been captured by a lunatic with a God complex, and she was fairly certain that Yami and his friends were going through the same ordeal. It sort of played itself out like a Greek tragedy, as one horror was followed by an even greater one in a cycle of torment.

Yami, however, did not notice the parallels, for with Shippo's words a chill sweat found itself upon his brow; it was as though he had seen Death, or the stereotypical Death anyway.

Souls? The beast? No, he couldn't possibly mean…

"Shippo, these men that kidnapped you; what exactly did they look like? Can you give me a description?"

"Yami, he's had enough to endure. I don't think that he needs this right now."

"Don't worry about it; I'd be happy to tell you what they look like if it'll help. In fact, I'll do you one better."

"Are you sure about that, Shippo? Maybe you shouldn't use that right now."

"It's fine. Besides, I want to see those jerks go down just as much as you do."

At this, the demon generated an orb of some sort of flame in his left and right hands, and whispered something indistinct to them. Both flickered and slightly changed color, which Shippo took as a sign of preparedness to begin his sorcery.

Yami was vaguely familiar with the sort of power that the fox demon was using. Granted, when he had last seen such a power it was known as the Blaze of Mirage and the human that used it had gone insane, but in this case he doubted that would happen; demons generally had a stronger control over magic than humans did.

"FOXFIRE!"

I suppose there are worse names…

The orbs, in one swift motion, were cast to the rug, amazingly leaving no trace of singe as they careened wildly in a controlled radius. Like deranged acrobatics the spheres shot about, creating their own sort of meandering art form until such time as both collided simultaneously with Shippo's head with a snap of smoke.

And what the smoke left behind made the Pharaoh's mind lock up, for the man whose image Shippo had taken upon was a towering warrior, a hulking mass of sinew and hatred that he had never expected to see again.

It was none other than Raphael.

"Shippo…are you sure that…this man was the one that captured you?"

With a snap of the fingers, the demon reverted to his much shorter manifestation and landed directly into Kagome's lap. "I'm sure of it. He and two others, but I didn't really see them too well…"

The fox continued talking, but Atem no longer listened. His mind was almost completely shell shocked as he desperately struggled to grasp what he had just learned. It was almost too much, and he dared not believe it.

Somehow Raphael had succumbed to the darkness again, which meant that the Atlantean Dartz had as well.

It should have been clear to him from the start that this would happen. Somehow it should have added up that Dartz had not been under any spell that would be so easily broken, and that eventually his internal chaos would cause him to regress into the hands of the Seal. Besides, one such as he would not surrender his conviction or his god because of one failure.

They had all been overconfident, believing Dartz to be either dead or at peace with the world, and now they were all about to pay for it. He had been a powerful enemy even in an unofficial duel, and in a tournament he would be even more dangerous. And there was the very serious problem that arose with Raphael himself, whose powers had no doubt risen severely since their last match…

Somehow Yami managed to focus. He would deal with the DOOM Soldiers and their deranged leader when the time came to do so, and with any luck he would topple them again.

The Pharaoh was able to return himself to reality in time to here the demon begin a second topic. "Anyway, that's not the only problem. As it happens I heard something about that Hiei guy, and he's been dealing with a few less than friendly people."

"That's a bit of an understatement. He's got at least three of the deadliest warriors on earth at his disposal, and odds are he has some very powerful connections with the local governments."

"Well, I wouldn't be too worried about Hiei's grunts right now, seeing as he hired some of the most powerful mercenaries in the world, and they're not bad duelists either. In fact, Kagome, that reminds me. We've got a serious problem on our hands. Turns out that he's sending his best soldiers after us and a few others, from what I heard."

Yami was interested by this point. What else could he send to find them after Kachikachi and Yami no Bakura?

"Well, we can take them on. Yami and I haven't been beaten yet; who could they possibly send after us?"

She would regret saying that later, for in that instant there was a sharp rap on the door, along with a cold and clearly cruel voice.

"Come on out, Pharaoh. We won't hurt you…much."

This was soon followed, by a whiny and much more feminine speaker.

"Aw, come on! Why do you get to face him? I haven't dueled anyone all day! Besides, what if he's cute?"

The first speaker took on an edge of malice.

"What happened to Inuyasha?"

"It's not like we're married or anything! Why do I have to be a one-man man!"

"Just shut up and let me handle this, Jakotsu. You can have the scraps when I'm finished."

"Damn it, Renkotsu, you always do this! If big brother were here…"

"Then he would agree with me, wouldn't he?"

Yami, having never met these men before, stood for combat, Duel Gauntlet at the ready. Luckily his wound had healed enough for him to do so, but it still provided a sharp twinge.

"If you wish to face me, then at least have the courage to do so head on!"

But before he could finish Kagome leapt out of her seat and covered his mouth.

"Yami, what are you doing! You said you wouldn't duel anymore today! And besides, in your condition you can't face them!"

"He's right! You have no idea what you're up against!"

Atem really didn't, but he removed her hand anyway.

"You mean you know who they are?"

"Yes. I've met them before, and if they're as powerful in dueling as they are in combat, then this isn't the time to face them."

The whiny voice perked up again. "Let us in already! This hallway smells like mold!"

"Believe me, Pharaoh, we don't need your permission to enter. I could simply burn the door down and everything inside that room, but I'm being gracious and giving you a chance to spare the girl's life. Of course, when I'm finished Jakotsu will be more than happy to kill her off, but better a swift death than a long and painful one."

Yami did not know what to do. Kagome was correct-he was in no condition to duel-but what choice did he have?

As for Kagome herself, her heart had grown cold in terror and fear. She had almost lost him to Kachikachi and his sword, and she didn't want to risk losing him again, especially to the murderers beyond the door.

But then again, if anyone could face the Band of Seven, it was Yami no Yuugi.

"Are you sure you can do this, Yami?"

"I'm sure."

"Ok. Take them down."

But clearly the two had gotten impatient, for with one swipe of a blade the door was broken apart.

"Now, where were we?"

Joey vs. Jin

"Wha…what didja say?"

"You heard me, Jin! You may've been able to take down a bunch of monsters, but there's no way you're gonna stop this next move! Helmos, let's show the wind master what real power is!"

Reborn from its incarceration was the third and final Legendary Dragon of the Beasts, apparently the most primal of the wyverns, bearing some resemblance to the dinosaurs of primordial Earth. However, the look of worldliness in its yellow eyes and the fact that it had a set of massive wings hinted at its true heritage. With crimson scales that had seen the greatest of wars and a single horn jutting out of his head, Helmos was by far the most powerful creature Jin had ever seen…and he had fought the champion of the Dark Tournament.

However, a semblance of power did not immediately mean that it was so.

"Pretty good, lad, but from what I'm seein' your dragon's all talk an' no substance, so I've no reason to be put all afritter."

"Then you clearly don't know what my card does, do ya? Well, I guess it's time to demonstrate! Helmos, fuse with Insect Queen and let's make an Equip card!"

To be perfectly honest, Joey hadn't the slightest idea what his latest Helmos equip would produce, given as this had always been the case with this particular card. However, he was sure of one thing: whatever Helmos produced would easily spell the end of the match. It had worked before, hadn't it?

To say the least, Jin's curiosity was piqued. He had never heard of any card effect that actually transformed monster cards into Equip cards before, and he could not help but wonder what the end result would be.

With a single roar, the might of Helmos drew into itself the body and soul of Insect Queen as it had done to others, and using the power of Atlantis the two entirely separate beings became one. The energies of the mortal and immortal fused into each other and transcended existence itself to become a weapon of ultimate might. Such was the strength of Helmos, transforming the powers of one being into an enhancement for another. And when the light did clear the new form of Helmos was unveiled.

Suffice it to say it was the most disgusting Equip card Joey had ever laid eyes on.

At first glance, the weapon appeared to be an arm-length gauntlet of some sort, built out of some sort of chitin that looked similar to that of the Insect Queen, and in fact had a smaller version of its wing casing and thorax built into the fist. However, the device had a much more sinister capacity, for as it linked itself up to the free arm of the Blue Flame Swordsman the carapace opened, to unveil a long and glowing set of three organic spines that dripped with toxins. Such weaponry belonged only in science fiction, but here it was anyway.

Ugh. Nasty monster, nasty Equip card…

Still, if it worked, then he would gladly use it again.

"Alright, Wheeler, if yer so confident in yer dragon, then let's see 'er in action!"

"I'm glad you said so. Now, because Blue Flame Swordsman was equipped with Insectoid Poison Gauntlet, I can inflict a number of points of damage to you equal to the level of my monster times 200. However, that's not all that happens, as you'll see in a second."

As the text of the card indicated, one of the poison darts extended itself beyond the shell and initiated its primary function as a tool of assassination, speeding forth to strike Jin in the shoulder. In spite of the fact that the barb was a hologram, it still produced a harsh sensation of pain that was indicative of the sick and twisted minds that had produced the Duel Gauntlets. (Joey: 1500/Jin: 1400)

"Is that the best you've got, Joey? Remember, on me next turn me Phoenix shall wipe you out, and I doubt yer monster has enough power to stop me before then."

"You'd be surprised what my monster can do in a turn with a Helmos equip. Anyway, because you lost 800 life points my monster gains a quarter of that amount, giving him an extra 200 attack points!" The second function of the Gauntlet was triggered at this point, pumping a variation of adrenaline into the Swordsman's bloodstream. (2000/1600)

"Still not enough, boyo."

"Actually, I think it is. Remember, this Equip card is a form of one of da Legendary Dragons, so it has some pretty sick powers. Like this next one, for instance; because my Blue Flame Swordsman had 1800 attack points, I can use the second needle to drop the attack of any of your monstas by a quarter of that attack! And since your Pegasus only has 1900 attack points, I think I'm gonna go after him!"

Much like the first biological weapon, the following dart ejected itself, only this time going after one of the more celestial targets. However, unlike Jin, the pegasus could feel the deep sting of the attack and the burning of the venom, and so it began thrashing violently about, wings flapping haphazardly as it staggered around in agony. (1450/1100)

"Damn it all! How'd ya do that!"

"Call it raw skill, my friend. And remember, I still haven't attacked yet, so Blue Flame Swordsman, destroy his Penumbral Pegasus!"

Finally allowed to engage in true combat, the azure warrior charged forward with a powerful battle cry fresh upon his lips, being quite careful to avoid the deathly blow of the beast's hoof. And after circling the thrashing beast for a minute, the Swordsman finally decided to put the creature out of its misery with a swift and clean beheading. (Joey: 1500/ Jin: 950)

"Saints be praised! I haven't had this much fun since me fight with Urameshi!"

Amazingly, in spite of the fact that he had lost his massive lead, Jin still seemed to be enjoying the match, or rather, enjoying the challenge of the match. It was strange how similar he was to Yusuke.

"Yeah, this has been a good match, but now it's time to end it."

"Well, I suppose the old sayin' is true. All good things must come to an end. Ready to lose?"

"Hell no. But I end my turn anyway."

"Perfect." And with a single motion, Jin drew what very well might have been the last draw of the match.

"This is it, Wheeler! Flash Phoenix, destroy his Blue Flame Swordsman and end this duel now!"

Once again the grand phoenix took to the skies, blazing form disgracing the sun as it hurled itself down upon the swordsman. The two soldiers of the flame prepared to do battle, but there was no certain victor on that day. One held the power of Sol, the other of Helmos, and both were deadly forces to reckon with.

Joey knew this…and he also knew how to handle the fact.

"I activate the final effect of my Gauntlet, which lets me negate your battle phase so long as my monster loses half of its attack points!"

And thusly was the final needle's function unveiled, for it split into two separate spindles, which became twin streams of tear gas that completely inundated the field and every monster therein. As such it prevented the phoenix from detecting its target, and instead the beast slammed its wing into the concrete with a heavy thud.

"Curses! You've got to be the luckiest of us all, Wheeler!"

"Mebbe I am. Anyway, that end your turn?"

"There's nothing I can do. Your move."

Having said this, the smoke cleared, revealing Jin's remaining monsters looking slightly the worse for wear, and the Blue Flame Swordsman appearing as though his lungs had been crushed, legs slowly giving out on him as he fell to the ground. (1000/1600)

"Well, it doesn't look like ya can do much to me. Remember, ya can only activate the effects of your Gauntlet every other turn, so on me next turn your monster will be too weak to stop me. Way I see it, I win."

"You haven't beaten me yet. My move!"

Joey knew that, despite his façade of bravado, Jin was correct. There were very few options left to him, and unless he drew the right card he was done for. But what could he do? He only had one monster on the field with 1000 attack points, and this next draw would only grant him one card. It all depended on that card, and he knew what had to be done.

For Serenity.

With a single motion, he drew it out, praying for the card, hoping, and when he looked at the card…"Well, Wheeler, ya draw anythin' good?"

"Actually, I did. I activate the Magic card, Premature Burial, paying 800 life points to special summon any monster from my graveyard into face up attack position! And in this case, I'm goin' after my D.D. Assailant!" (Joey: 700/Jin: 950) Even as he spoke, a tower of grave soil burst forward, and with it came the dimensional warrior. (1700/1600)

"Is that the best you've got? Me monsters still have more than enough attack to prevent you from winning this match."

"Not really. You see, my Blue Flame Swordsman has a special effect, allowing it to decrease its attack strength by any amount, and add that strength to another warrior on my side of the field. So I'll reduce the Swordsman's attack to zero to increase my Assailant's power by 1000!"

The Swordsman, his part in the battle done, was more than happy to pass the torch over to the stronger of the soldiers, and so did he cross blades with the dimension bender to deliver his force to the ending blow before lying to sleep. (0/1600) (2700/1600)

Jin looked at Joey with a sort of stupefied wonder. The move did not make a whole lot of sense; even with the attack boost the Assailant did not have enough attack points to win it. Surely the streetwise duelist should have realized this, so then why did he perform the strategy?

Unless…

"I see. Your Gauntlet has one final special effect, doesn't it?"

"You guessed right. Because the monster that was equipped with this card lost all of its attack points, I can add 200 extra to any monster I choose, and I select D.D. Assailant to receive the boost."

And inexplicably, a fourth syringe, this one emerging from the shoulder of the device, bolted out of the casing and into the jugular of the remaining monster. It only took a moment for the steroids to kick in, but the effect was so small it was hardly to be noticed. (2900/1600)

Jin noticed, however, and let out a sigh. Once again, he was beaten, and once again, he was glad it was to a man he had so much in common with.

"Well, Joe, it looks like this be the end of me. Go on and finish it."

"It's good to see you don't panic and yell like some of the others I beat. Ok, D.D. Assailant, let's wrap dis up." Jin and Yusuke really do think alike. This is exactly how Yusuke reacted when he first dueled Yug…

The reflections on friendship and similarity, being lost on a hologram, played little into the Assailant's motions as he charged Jin's final monster that could be attacked, the Thunder Nyan Nyan. With one grand sweep of the sword he crushed the drum set that served as her main weapon, and in the process slicing her down the middle. The stream of blood splattered everywhere, but the gore was to be expected.

A sad sort of tragedy was represented here, a darkness of the largest tournament ever held. Joey and Jin both knew it, for they themselves had seen the shadows. But that still left one query unanswered: what was to be done about it. (Joey: 700/Jin: 0)

"Not a bad match, Joey. Reminds me of me last fight against Urameshi. Hell, you two are almost exactly alike."

"I might say the same about you."

Seemingly unphased by his loss, the peppy demon took to hovering once again, and took up one of his cards.

"Anyways, here's what ya wanted, me key and Rekka, me rarest card." With that he slapped the items into Joey's palm. "So, what's next on yer list, Wheeler?"

Honestly, Joey could not yet answer that. He had quite a few grudges in this tournament, ranging from Kaiba to Hiei, so he could not say for certain who his next opponent would be.

"I dunno. May look around for a bit, find another duel to get me to the finals."

"Good luck with that. As for me, I've got some well earned resting to do. Seeya 'round, Wheeler, me boy. Tell Urameshi I said hello."

Thus did the wind master Jin jump forth and hurtle through the air, sailing off to whereever he intended to go, and for a moment, Joey thought he looked like an oversized leprachaun.

"Man, the people I meet at these things. I need a break…"

And since it was doubtful such an option would present itself in a department store, the duelist decided it best to saunter off to more peaceable areas, ignorant of the damage caused from his outburst and the shocked look on everyone's faces.

He was also ignorant of the pair of frosty golden eyes that singled him out from the rest of the crowd, staring at him from a safe distance.

Count your blessings quickly, Joey Wheeler, for when I'm through with you there won't be any to number…

"It's time to begin. Bui, Suikotsu, intercept the one named Wheeler. Make sure he doesn't walk out of his next duel breathing."

Shaded Park

"SON OF A BITCH!"

In his four years as Spirit Detective, Yusuke had never been much of a statistics kind of guy. His belief was that any problem could be solved by throwing around a few punches, and with notable exceptions in proportion that was generally the case. Most of the time he let Kurama and Genkai do the thinking, but he preferred to take the direct approach.

But this time, it looked as though he'd need more than his fist to get out of this mess.

Before his very eyes the data poured out on the hologram: rosters, biographical documents, deck archetypes, everything to do with every duelist. They knew everything about them, from the Shadow Games in Battle City, to the Dark Tournament, to the War for Paradigm City, and everything in between. They even had records of his multiple deaths, records no one should have known of.

It was frightening, the amount of intelligence that New Paradigm had managed to collect. Was it even possible? And more importantly, how had it been accomplished? He had heard at great length of how New Paradigm had seperated itself from the rest of humanity, so it was doubtful that they had any connections to local governments.

There were so many options and possible conspiracies behind this new discovery that it made his head hurt.

With little else to do, Yusuke decided it best to sit down and look at the data in-depth, or as in-depth as he could manage, anyway.

Hard to believe how times change. Four years ago I'd be beating the shit out of Kuwabara by now, and here I am hunting through the rosters of a massive Duel Monsters tournament for a way to stop a man who used to be a friend of mine...

That raised a very interesting question: could Yusuke even have called Hiei Jagenshi his friend in that time? He had hardly been supportive of anyone, often making death threats and performing sociopathic acts.

But in spite of all that, Hiei had been a noble demon. More than once he had been critically involved in events where normally Yusuke and the others would have perished, and he recalled one incident where he had saved his life without even knowing he was in danger.

Still, there were certain acts that were beyond absolution, and no matter how Hiei had acted in those days, it was no excuse for what he had done now.

Even now, after he had seen him succumb, Yusuke still could not believe how far Hiei had fallen over the past year. Life and death meant nothing to him anymore. Humanity was cheap, the demon race was nothing more than a sword to him, and somewhere along the line he had convinced others of the same.

How did he hold such power, and such knowledge?

It was best not to think of such matters at that moment; while the ponderings over Hiei and what he had become were vague and multifaceted at best, the data he had just found was definitely the more stable of the two. And in this case, the top priority here was facts, not speculation.

With this in mind, Yusuke began to scroll through the roster. It seemed pretty straightforward at first. Basically the list read as a who's who of the dueling world, in which were included some familiar faces, and even a few of his old rivals from the Dark Tournament had come for the duels.

But as always, this was only the tip of the iceberg. After only a few minutes of viewing the duelist roster, a shift in programming was triggered, opening a second window…and a new horror.

"Jesus…"

What played out before him was a second inventory, but one which was much different than the last one he saw. Instead of a list of duelists he saw a list of weapons, hundreds of thousands of weapons. Grenades, cybernetic armor, tanks, vehicles, and countless firearms and ammunition.

As the ticker price sailed higher and higher, Yusuke could easily tell that what New Paradigm had purchased was more than enough to conquer any nation on Earth. However, the question still remained as to who had bought this stockpile.

As if that was a difficult question to answer.

"Damn it, Hiei, what have you done?"

So this wasn't just any tournament. For whatever reason, Hiei intended to turn the city into the next World War. But why would he do it? Surely by now he had managed to attain connections with local governments; why would he damage such fragile trusts? Besides, it simply was not practical to level his own city. What was going on here? And why did he feel as though this had all happened before?

It ended up leaving him with no leads and a really bad headache, and he suddenly knew what a hangover felt like.

God, this is just like what happened in Mushiori City, only this time with a stronger opponent and less options that would work in our favor…

With little else to do, the detective closed the Spirit Compass, in the process storing what he had found. Maybe the others could make sense of it all, but he was too tired to work with any of it at that point. And so, Yusuke decided to simply rest on the bench until he could figure out how to approach the situation.

However, the fates had no intentions of allowing this, for at that instant Yusuke felt a cold presence bearing down on him, one that was quite familiar, and yet, one he had never sensed before.

You have got to be kidding…

With one motion the pseudo-guardian rose to his feet, desperately searching, seeking out a man whom he himself had struck down, or at least his body had.

"If you're looking for me, Yusuke, I suggest you turn around."

"So, you are alive. That doesn't really add up to much, though, does it?"

"Please. Humanity itself does not add up at all, and yet here you are defending it. You really are Koenma's puppet, even after he's buried, but that does not particularly surprise me."

There was no need for introductions between the two. Yusuke knew him all too well, as they had crossed paths about two years previously, and he knew what he was up against.

And so he turned to face the darkness.

"Long time no see, Shinobu, or whichever personality you've taken on."

Indeed it was Sensui, little different from the last time they had met save for the white Duel Gauntlet, as well as what appeared to be a glowing green crystal fused with his left hand. Crazy bastard.

"So, are you here to talk or die, because I think you know what direction I'm leaning in right now."

"Your arrogance continues unabated, Yusuke, which is strange given the results of our last battle." His face displayed no emotions, except perhaps the insanity that he had been known for all that time ago. In fact, it was that insanity that seemed to take precedence over the rest of his features…

"So what did you have in mind? I could just kill you right now, unless it's a duel you're after."

"You read my mind, Yusuke. As I don't doubt you know, I myself have obtained several keys in my stay here, but my ideas for this particular match exceed such petty intents. I have something much larger to accomplish now."

So he was still warped by Chapter Black. No surprises there. But that still left Yusuke wondering how he intended to accomplish this with one duel.

"Oh really? What else could you possibly do to entertain your grand delusions?"

With a grim smile, Sensui activated the Gauntlet.

"Perhaps I should take your soul." (Yusuke: 4000/Sensui: 4000)

Hotel Lobby Bar

Kaiba had never been one to indulge in anything to any great effect, partially because of his obligation to Kaiba Corp, but mostly because he found it a waste of time. For that reason, one would never find him at places such as nightclubs or taverns save for business reasons.

Pegasus, however, did not have such discretion, which was why Kaiba and Botan were both watching him very carefully lest he partake of one too many gin martinis. Already he had had two, and from the looks of things he had no intention of stopping at that.

"Alright, you want to know what's going on, correct?"

"If that weren't the case, then I would have killed you right then and there. And please try to keep yourself sober."

"It's almost six, Kaiba boy. Why shouldn't I get a little buzz going?"

"Because I've seen you when you're drunk, Pegasus, and it is not a pretty sight. I want information, not a sight of you bellowing showtunes. Rather off key, I might add."

Pegasus's expression immediately became quite dour as he ordered a pair of scotches on the rocks. Normally, the barkeep wouldn't have served someone this many drinks, but the way he figured it, he could get the businessmen drunk enough to cut him in on some stock options.

"Help yourself, Kaiba. Drinks on me."

Normally, he would have refused, but it seemed he would need something to ease his mind. "You want anything, Botan?"

"No thanks."

The rounds were poured, and Pegasus began to sip on his slowly. From the look on his face, he would need it.

"So what is it you want to know specifically?"

"First off, why were you and Tsubaki dueling together?"

"That's simple. Her superior, that Naraku fellow, had an agreement with the New Paradigm City Council. As long as we could keep an eye on him he could deal his guns and his drugs in the city. Also, he agreed to have one of our agents supervise his people, so the president of the board, Vera Ronstadt, requested that I duel with one to see what their plan was."

So far so good, thought Kaiba. At least now he knew Pegasus wasn't working with Naraku directly. However, that was hardly comforting.

"That brings up my next point. What is the plan of the New Paradigm City Council? It seems they're dealing with some rather shady characters, and I don't doubt that one of my enemies is among that number."

"You are referring to Hiei Jagenshi, aren't you?"

Pegasus had seen many expressions on Kaiba's face before, the bulk of them various forms of shock and anger, but never once had he seen a combination of the two.

"How do you know him?" His voice had become a deadly whisper, one that Kaiba only used when he was on the verge of homicide.

"Relax, I do not work for him or the Black Shadow. To be perfectly honest he disgusts me, but apparently Vera needs him alive for whatever reason. But more to the point, the New Paradigm City Council has no real plans in action at the moment; they're not exactly out to control the world like Hiei or Naraku."

"So then why have they been making deals with these men?"

"To keep New Paradigm safe, of course. The Black Shadow alone has more than enough power to level the city, so it's up to us to keep him from doing that. We overlook his activities in the criminal world, he doesn't kill us. Seems fair enough, I think."

Pegasus seemed fairly relaxed as he leaned back and nursed the scotch, letting its warmth sooth him. "You have no idea of what's going on in this city, Kaiba boy. There are at least three different organizations vying for control, and it's up to us to make certain the peace is kept. We're the balance; we keep the wars in the boardroom…"

"And yet you were unable to prevent Hiei from trying to kill me and kidnapping Botan. What kind of circus are you running here?"

"You don't exactly give us a lot of credit…"

"Was I supposed to? That lunatic is overrunning the city, Pegasus, and like it or not he's going to turn on you next. You've met him, you know people like him, so surely you know what he's going to do next."

It never ceased to amaze him how moronic the world of Paradise and its inhabitants were. Like so many before, the Council believed that peace and roundabout politics would eventually sooth the beasts of greed. Using buearaucracy and power New Paradigm was able to maintain a very short leash, but from experience Kaiba knew that would not last for too much longer.

What kind of underdeveloped freaks were running the city anyway?

"Kaiba boy, I don't think you're looking carefully at the big picture. Hiei won't try to kill us because he needs us. Without the Council, he simply will not be able to survive. He needs us to get away with his actions, since we control his funding and the laws that would normally have him shot. He cannot do a thing to us."

"For your sake, you had better be correct. I'm in no mood for tricks right now."

The door to the bar opened, and an indiscreet little man entered. No one noticed or cared as he sat in one of the booths.

"Kaiba, you're lucky I'm even telling you this. Technically, you're an enemy of the state. No one knows or cares, but Vera has you and Yugi boy in her crosshairs, along with Roger Smith the negotiator. Apparently she thinks you're a threat to the peace, and I have to agree with her. So take my advice and stay out of it."

"You know I won't, Pegasus. Jagenshi and I have a score to settle, and you had better not stand in my way. Besides, if we let him continue in this vein of his there won't be a city to keep the peace in."

Botan, who had kept silent throughout most of this, peered over Kaiba's shoulder to look at the older man. "He's right, you know. I've seen Hiei's work firsthand; before you know it he'll be pulling the strings like a puppet master. He's done it before."

Kaiba nodded in confirmation, seeming to trust her judgment without fail. In fact, the very sound of her voice seemed to relax him.

For a brief moment, Pegasus forgot his original plan as he saw in Kaiba and Botan a very familiar sight. He could see they trusted each other, confided in each other, and recalling how the girl had pinned Kaiba to the wall, they apparently desired each other very much. He felt a twinge of humanity in his heart, himself remembering a time when he too was in love- that sweet and simple time when all that really mattered was a warm embrace and a kiss on the cheek. They loved one another, he saw; this was more than a simple affair, and he knew it would last.

Just as my love for Cecilia was to last…

He didn't want to do this to them anymore; he could not bear the sight of another love falling to pieces because of a warped destiny. His will slowly began to dissolve like the ice cubes in his scotch, and he almost gave in.

But then, his resolve solidified. Their love would last forever and beyond time itself…even in the chasms of Hell. And if he was to regain his own love and give her peace, that was exactly where he would need to send them.

"So is there anything else you need to know?"

"Yes, one more detail." With a look of calm loathing, Kaiba extracted the Sennen Rod and placed it to Pegasus's throat. "When exactly did you intend to betray us?"

Botan's eyes widened as she stumbled away from the bar in terror. "Seto, what the heck are you doing!"

"Pegasus set us up. He wouldn't give us this information unless he was sure we wouldn't live to tell anyone else."

The rival duelist and businessman said nothing to deny the fact, and even grinned slightly as he finished his scotch.

"How perceptive of you, Kaiba boy. It seems we know each other's tricks very well. I knew that you would be arrogant enough to interrogate me, so I decided to lead you on. And worry not, every word I spoke is truth; no need to commit perjury for a man who is about to die."

So this was his game. Kaiba could not believe how easily he had fallen for the bait.

"Of course, I won't be doing any of the killing. My associate here will do that for me. Mukotsu, if you don't mind…"

At this, the little man that had entered a few moments ago stood up. He was indeed a strange man, draped in flowing white garments which covered his face, leaving only two beady eyes leering out, and a satchel upon his back containing many containers of various materials. Attached to his left arm was a pale Duel Gauntlet.

"Now, normally my friend here would simply kill you on the spot. However, I had something a bit more interesting in mind. I'll allow you one last duel; if you win, the girl lives, and if not, well, I don't think I need explain myself on that matter. And if you had any intention not to duel, then I'll kill her myself. I'm good like that."

"You sick bastard…"

"Be careful what you say, Kaiba." This time it was the one named Mukotsu who spoke up. "I should warn you, my toxic powers are far beyond your capacity to survive. The reaper might escape alive, but she will be in no condition to go very far."

"Don't you dare threaten him! He hasn't done anything to you!"

"This is true," said Pegasus with a voice as smooth as glass. "However, Vera and and the other members of the Council, or rather, the other members of the Union, have decided that Kaiba is too dangerous to be kept alive. And besides, it would not trouble me to take the life of the man who has been a thorn in my side for far too long. But fret not, my boy. When I'm done with you I'll go after Yugi Mouto, and you can take some comfort in that he'll finally be defeated."

This did no such thing. However, as he thought of what Pegasus had said, a smirk played over his face.

"So it appears I was correct after all. You really are Jagenshi's puppet, and the city is as well."

Pegasus would not fall for this trick; psychological attacks did not work on those who were already insane.

"Nothing but talk, Kaiba. It's as I said; we are keeping the peace, nothing more."

And with that said, Pegasus retreated to another side of the bar whilst Mukotsu and Kaiba prepared.

He was not entirely sure what to expect from the poison master, since he had never even heard of him before, but he knew that he would have to crush him. For Botan, and for the world.

Good God, I sound like Yugi.

But then, in any event, he knew that this was true.

"Seto? Do me a favor and kick his ass."

"My sentiments exactly. Get ready to lose, Mukotsu! And that counts double for you, Pegasus!" (Kaiba: 4000/ Mukotsu: 4000)

Aftermath of Inuyasha's Fight

A single trickle of blood flows down my face, yet I don't notice. There is a sharp pain spreading all over my body, yet I feel nothing. My powers are gone, leaving a hole in my existence, yet I do not care. My pride is broken, yet I don't mind it much. I have lost, yet it does not bother me.

If I have lost so much, then why do I have no sense of it?

Inuyasha could feel himself floating, suspended in an unknown substance. It was a thick, translucent black liquid which he had never seen before in his life, but one he was familiar with for some unknown reason, and as he tried to move about in it the fluid restricted his movements.

After a moment or two, the next logical motion was to take breath, but that was, in this environment, more of a risk than not breathing at all. So all he could do for the moment was hold his breath and attempt to reach the surface.

The first idea that came to mind was, of course, to reach for the Tetsusaiga, a vain attempt at best, but he went for it anyway.

Cold…why is it so cold?

The goosebumps rose on his thick skin as he forced his way through the substance, desperately clawing for his father's blade. Far off in the distance he could see a tiny pinprick of bright green light, and as he laid eyes on it there was a sudden sense of urgency.

I have to reach it. I have to…

It became strenuous to hang onto the air in his lungs, as the sharp pangs in his chest implied. His fingers were growing numb, and the light was growing ever closer.

What was going on here? Where was he in the first place, and why was he there? Perhaps he had died from the beating Raphael had given him and this was his own little slice of Hell. No, if that was the case, then Kikyo would have been involved somehow in his eternal torment. This was something else entirely.

His struggles meant nothing as he squirmed towards the blade, and even now the slime began to tighten around him. Where once he could barely move, he now could not even twitch a muscle.

Does it really surprise you, Inuyasha?

A voice was capable of rending the gelatinous prison in which he was contained? Impossibility upon impossibility paraded through what Inuyasha would call a nightmare as the light sped forward, and from this distance he could vaguely discern that the source was a circle of some kind. He could not tell precisely what it was, but the glow had an eerie familiarity to it.

Look around you, dog demon; can you not see what this place is? Attempt to see beneath the obvious, and see what this world's true purpose is.

Whoever the speaker was, it was obvious he did not know that Inuyasha was not extraordinarily talented in interpreting symbolism.

To the best of his current abilities, the half breed began to scan the surrounding area, searching for clues as to what this chaotic incarceration was supposed to mean. There really wasn't anything around except for that light and the sludge.

The pains in his chest were unbearable. He felt his head swim.

Look deeper. Where have you seen that light before?

That was just it, thought Inuyasha. He hadn't seen that light before, except perhaps in a dream somewhere. He didn't even know how he had gotten here to begin with…

See beyond, Inuyasha…see beyond…

In his mind, the demon started hurling obscenities at the incorporeal being, all the time losing his focus on reality. He could feel himself slipping, slipping into the chasm…

The Eye opened, the Mind's Eye held by all, and in it Inuyasha could see someone, a tall man, a powerful looking duelist with close-cropped hair and a thick trench coat. He was yelling something indistinct, but it seemed that he was quite serious about what he said.

The name flashed through his mind: Raphael.

'That's right. I was dueling him. It's hazy, but I remember something about a crest or an emblem card being played. No, it was a seal…yeah, that's it, the Seal of Orichalcos.'

The green light flared strongly now; it seemed to have reacted to the recollection of the Magic card.

More memories returned to him: he had been yelling at great length, roaring some kind of threat. He could barely recall a scream, harsh and unclear words being exchanged, and very far down, almost beyond his memory, could be heard broken sobs.

'What is all this? What's going on?'

This place, Inuyasha, is your mind, the inner subconscious where the deepest patterns of thought are controlled. Here, the conscience is determined, life decisions are solidified, and memories are interpreted. It is the final process that has brought you here.

'That raises another question. How are you talking to me?'

The voice indulged in a lilting chuckle, as though Inuyasha had just told a dirty joke and wasn't aware of the fact.

Did you not hear? We are in your mind; the laws of the outside world do not apply. And before you ask, the fluid you are trapped in is not real either. However, it is important, for it is representative of a major part of your subconscious mind. It represents your fear.

Inuyasha was not one to take such philosophy and metaphor in stride.

'What do you mean this represents fear! I don't have any!'

Oh, but you do. The bodiless resonance took on a more somber tone. You are afraid of loss. Throughout your entire life, those you have loved have left you, from Kagome to your own mother, and because of this you grow afraid that if you don't become strong you will lose more people. As this fear grows you take more desperate actions. You become reckless, and fearful that you will lose more loved ones you take on great powers, including some that you simply cannot control. Eventually, the fear becomes your own little cocoon, in which you believe that you can continue to draw power imperviously. However, the fear quickly constricts you. You become so enveloped in fear and power that you cannot see the danger you put others in by calling it.

'That's not true at all! I use that power to save the people I love, not because I have some sort of seperation anxiety!'

Then why did you activate the Seal of Orichalcos, against your better judgment and against Tea's wishes? You believed that if you defeated Raphael you could gain his power and defeat Jagenshi, which on the surface is noble indeed. But if you should look beneath the surface, you will see the truth of the situation. You were frightened again, for when the Orichalcos Shockwave struck you down you realized that you weren't strong enough. So you saw fit to take that power from him, and by doing so became the very thing you swore to control.

'No…I did it for Tea…for Kagome…for Kikyo…'

You want to believe that, don't you? You want to believe it with every fiber of your wretched existence! The voice now became one of cold malice and hate. You could never admit your own sins to those you loved, so there is no way you could admit them to yourself! By playing that card, you succumbed to the fear and the darkness, making you no better than Naraku and Hiei! Face it, you're cruel and evil, all the way to your soul, and no matter how you deny it this shall always be so! There is nothing in your heart but a gaping black hole, and all the power on Earth could not fill that void!

'Shut up! You know that's not true!'

It is! It is and you will simply not accept it! You are one with the Orichalcos now! You are the scum of the Earth and deserve to die! You should have stayed pinned to the tree, but I suppose you would have found a way to bastardize Kikyo's magic too!

'I never meant to hurt anyone! I needed that power to protect my friends!'

ENOUGH OF YOUR LIES, INUYASHA! YOU ARE UNWORTHY OF THIS MIND, AND SO I CAST YOU OUT OF IT!

He could hold his breath no longer, and so the vile fluid poured down his throat and into his lungs, stinging his tougue with the acrid tang of blood and gunpowder. His will cracked, and he allowed himself to slip fully away. He could not scream or even yell.

The plummet was long and slow, like when one is about to fall into a deep sleep, and before entering the darkness he uttered one name.

"Anzu…"

Life and chaos interconnected, realities became dreams and dreams became reality, and Inuyasha's human eyes opened. He was in the exact same location as he had fallen, except for the fact that he was propped against the wall.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry for everything that happened…"

The blood trickled with every word he spoke, his eyes watered in pain and misery. What had he done, and what would he do?

But as he thought these things, a soft palm placed itself gently against his face, wiping away the blood and tears.

"I forgive you."

To Be Continued

Wow. One helluva schmaltzfest there.

I'm pretty sure most of the original cards in here are mine, with the exception of those mentioned before.

Anyway, next chapter begins three duels with three members of the infamous Band of Seven, while the full power of Shinobu Sensui's deck is also unveiled. At the same time, Enzeru is faced with a most interesting challenge, Roger considers what is to be done, Joey is faced with not one, but three opponents, and Tea and Inuyasha talk.

So until next update, read and review.