The next morning, Jeffrey's lifeless body was moved to the hospital… He laid there motionless… Without any signs of waking up… Only Alexis stood by his side. Though many of his friends came, Alexis stayed the longest, and came the most often…
"Get well soon… We all miss you… I miss you…" Alexis said under her breath as she held Jeffrey's hand, hoping that her voice would somehow be enough to awaken the dormant spirit inside him…
Suddenly, her PDA rang… When she opened it, there was nothing but static in the screen…
"Alexis, meet me at the Harbor…" the message played out.
"… Jeffrey…"Alexis said as she stood up and walked out of the door…
When she arrived at the Harbor, there was a man in his 30's clad in a Slifer Red blazer standing near the light house…
"Oh… Gerard… It's been awhile." Alexis said.
"Listen, I found your brother." Gerard said.
Then, Alexis' face showed an emotion that it hadn't shown in awhile… Happiness…
"Really! Where?" Alexis said with much glee and tears in her eyes.
"Hold on… I haven't told you the bad part yet…" Gerard said as Alexis' cheerful nature suddenly dissipated.
"What happened? Is he okay!" Alexis said with much fear in her tone.
"Well…. How can I put this… You brother is—" but then, Gerard was interrupted by a man clad in a dark blazer, and a mask that dangerously resembled that of a dragon.
"Well, well, well… What have we here?" the cloaked man said. "Our little rat has finally shown himself…"
"What! Who are you! How did you get to this island!" Alexis shouted as she couldn't believe that someone could actually by pass Duel Academy's security.
"Well, let's just say, the guards are… In the dark right now…" he said. "As for whom I am, then you may call me… Night Shroud…"
"I don't care who you are—" but then Alexis was interrupted by Gerard.
"Don't bother Alexis, I'm the one he's after…" Gerard said. "They're after me because I know what they're up to…"
"Well, I didn't just come here to for nothing… I may as well have some fun while I'm here…" Night Shroud said as he strapped on a Duel Disk and tossed one to Gerard. "How about this? If you win, then you're free to go… But if I win, then… Well let's just say you'll be joining the guards that I dealt with…"
"Alright, you have a deal." Gerard said as he strapped on the Duel Disk, inserted his deck and activated it.
"Gerard, you can't be serious! You haven't dueled for years!" Alexis shouted.
"Relax… I know what I'm doing!" Gerard shouted.
'Man, I haven't done this in awhile… Hope I'm not too rusty…' Gerard thought.
"Let's Duel!" they said in unison
Meanwhile…
"…? Where am I?" Jeffrey said as he scanned his surrounding, only to see nothing but Abyss…
"You're in the Shadow Realm…" a voice said in the deep void.
"Huh! Shadow Realm!" Jeffrey said as his mind began racing with thoughts and plans on trying to escape the hellish void.
Then, a monster clad in black robes, and armed with what appears to be a scythe came hovering to Jeffrey.
"So… You're that boy who defeated Zorc?" the grim reaper said.
"Zorc? You mean that loser?" Jeffrey said. "Well, yeah, I am… And that jerk deserves what he got for harming someone…"
"Indeed… Monsters are forbidden to go to the Mortal World unless they are summoned…" the grim reaper said. "I don't know nor do I wish to know how you came here, but since I'm in gratitude to you, then I'll show you the way out of this place…"
"Great!" Jeffrey said with much glee.
"Hm… However, it's a difficult task…" the cloaked figure said.
"Well, I'm willing to do what it takes!" Jeffrey said. "There's someone back in the Mortal World who needs me back!"
"Very well... Follow me…" he said as Jeffrey followed. "You must defeat the guardian who guards the gates back to the Mortal World. If you emerge victorious, then he'll deem you worthy to return… However, should you lose, your soul is to be trapped in the Shadow Realm for all eternity."
They then arrived in front of a large gate. The gate was so large that one could swear that giants could pass through it without having to kneel down. The cloaked figure then vanished into the dark void without a trace.
"So… You're the guardian of this gate?" Jeffrey asked.
"Yes… I am the guardian known as… Panic…" he introduced. "And if you want to pass through, then you'll have to beat me in a duel!"
"A duel? Fine, it's on!" Jeffrey said as his Duel Disk suddenly appeared in his left arm and his own deck inserted in it.
"Heh… No one has gotten passed this gate!" Panic said. "What makes you think that you could beat me and pass through?"
"No one has gotten passed you eh? Well I think I'll have fun dueling you." Jeffrey said with much confidence in his voice.
"Don't speak out of your league boy! Like I said, no one has passed me before!" Panic said.
"Well I'm going to be the first." Jeffrey said as cool as a cucumber.
"You talk pretty big for a chump who knows nothing about dueling!" Panic said as he began laughing hysterically
"Well you talk pretty big for a guy who's about to be beaten by a chump who knows nothing about dueling." Jeffrey said as Panic's laugh turned into anger and rage.
"You'll pay for that boy!" Panic shouted as he activated his Duel Disk.
"Duel!" they both shouted in unison.
To Be Continued…..
Will he escape the Shadow Realm?
And what does Gerard exactly know?
Find out in the next Chapter! Later guys! )