Author's Note: Prepare for heavy exposition at the end of the chapter.

Chapter Twenty: Balancing Equation

Kedamono chuckled, the sound booming across the field. "Your attempt to defeat me was impressive little one, but it only succeeds in fueling my inner rage, controlled only by the power of my mind. Were I to unleash it, I would destroy you in seconds with no thoughts on the matter, and that is my inner strength. My raw rage. End turn!"

Takuya didn't appear frustrated by this, instead he appeared invigorated. "Your power rests on your rage, and it grants your monsters strength as well you as power. However, skill can defeat power!"

He held up his drawn card, revealing a magic card. It depicted lightning bolts striking almost randomly. "The magic card Lightning Vortex costs one discard from my hand." He held up a monster card, and then slid it into his cemetery slot.

"After I've made the payment, Lightning Vortex wipes out every face-up monster on the opponent's field! Think of this as a weakened Raigeki, but still extremely effective. So effective that it just cleared your field!" Lightning streaked from one monster to the next, blowing them apart.

With the field opened, Takuya grabbed the remaining card in his hand and threw it down on the field. Immediately a knight in burning armor appeared, holding up a sword of fire. "Pyro Knight(1800/1300) isn't quite strong enough to beat you. However…"

He paused for dramatic effect, and then thrust out one fist like he was punching an opponent. "Pyro Knight, do your stuff! Direct attack with Pyro Blade!"

The knight rushed forwards, slamming its burning blade down on Kedamono's exposed flesh. Takuya wasn't surprised at all when the monster's flesh repelled the attack completely, leaving it as having done no real damage. "You're as tough as you look Kedamono, but that doesn't always transfer over to a duel." (KeLP: 100)

"Perhaps not. However, you should know just as much as anyone else that sometimes it does. You failed to complete a killing blow, and perhaps that will come back to strike you later." He laughed, the sound once again shaking the ground. He obviously didn't seem worried by his lack of life points and field.

"Maybe you've forgotten that I have a partner? He'll take his turn once Pyro Knight's effect kicks in. All damage it has dealt is transferred to my life points, so here it comes!" Flames whipped around him, but instead of doing damage they increased his life points. (TLP: 5800)

He smiled as the flames died out, leaving him back to normal. "That's all from me. Now Kai, finish him off!"

Kai nodded and slipped a card off his deck. He threw it down immediately and another Breaker monster formed. "Attack Breaker(1600 + 300/1000) come on out!"

Off on the side-lines, Eramoros smirked slightly. 'Now they'll learn exactly what separates Kedamono from normal opponents. Not a single opponent before has ever discovered the secret to beating him, and it's likely they won't either.'

"Attack Breaker, attack Kedamono directly for game!" The breaker charged forwards, stabbing its sword at Kedamono. Just like Pyro Knight, the attack did no physical damage, and the sword didn't' even break the skin of Kedamono's stomach.

"Now that we've won, let us pass on to the chambers below." Kai began to walk forwards, but was stopped by Kedamono's booming laughter. He jerked to a halt and looked up at the behemoth of a duelist, whose hyena-like face was twisted up in a strange fashion that Kai couldn't place.

"Perhaps you failed to understand when I said that my rage supplied me with power. For as long as my rage exists within me I cannot be defeated. It is as if a raw presence of my power presents itself in this duel, just as it would in a normal battle." He raised his duel disk, indicating what he meant. (KeLP: -1800)

Kai and Takuya stared in shock, unable to comprehend how it was possible. Kedamono merely laughed again, the ground quaking with his laughter. "Perhaps now you see. This is no duel, just as no battle with me is ever as simple as it seems. This is a fight for survival against an opponent that you cannot possibly defeat! I was placed here because it is impossible to defeat me in combat, making it impossible for anyone to gain entrance!"

Eramoros continued to smile, watching the horrified expressions on the two duelist's faces. 'Now they see it. Kedamono cannot be defeated in battle, it is merely that simple. Can they learn the secret to defeating an opponent that one can't fight? It will be fun to find out…'

Kai's left eye was twitching as he considered the potential of Kedamono's special Duel Presence, which would keep him in the game so long as his rage existed. 'Okay, so he can't lose as long as he's angry? Well, he doesn't seem that angry, so how do we stop him?'

With no answers obviously presenting themselves he saw no options for the time being. "Okay, I set this card face down and end my turn."

Kedamono's massive hand reached for his duel disk and then slid a card off of it. His hyena like face twisted into a wicked grin as he slammed the card home. "Rage Explosion! This magic card activates when I have no monsters in play and deals one opposing player three thousand damage!"

He pointed his meaty fist over at Kai, who grimaced as he realized he wouldn't survive the blast. "I have selected you little one. Rage Explosion!"

Takuya snapped a hand out and a face down card flipped up. "I won't let my partner die like that! Reverse card open, Focus Self! This shifts one effect to an appropriate target. Since you aren't one I'll take the damage myself!"

Kai reached out a hand towards Takuya, horrified that the other man was going to do this. "Takuya! Wait a second!"

His words didn't stop it, and the ground all around Takuya exploded, hiding him from view. Behind them Eramoros' lips quirked up into a smile, eager to see what had happened. "Takuya…damn…"

The dust drifted to the ground, leaving Takuya in plain view, just barely standing. His gi had been ripped up, and small patches of blood were leaking through, his body ravaged by the blast. "Heh…I survived right?" (TLP: 2800)

"Indeed you did little one, but in the end it makes no difference. Turn end!" All eyes were now on Takuya once again, because it was now his turn. And even Kedamono was eager to know if Takuya had any way to overcome his ability, since none had ever done so before.

The warrior duelist struggled to reach his hand to his duel disk, his injuries making it more difficult. However, he focused his will onto that task, and pulled the card free without any further resistance. "Even though I can't see the way to win yet, I'll still try. Pyro Knight, direct attack!"

The knight sent a spiral of flame at Kedamono. Though it was a direct attack, it didn't even phase the giant, nor did it do anything worth mentioning to his life points. However, some of Takuya's wounds began to close. "Thanks to his effect I gain eighteen hundred life points." (TLP: 4600, KeLP: -3600)

Finally Takuya slid his drawn card into his duel disk and glanced over at Kai, meaning his turn was done. Kai returned the look and drew, hoping to find an answer to their problem. 'Alright, let's think about this. Surely there's a limit to his ability, so if we hit him with enough damage, it'll overload.'

"Magic card, Coins From Heaven! Each player draws until they hold six cards!" All three of them drew a full six cards at once, whipping through them to get the full draw. As soon as they had all drawn their new hands, Kai pointed to his face down card.

"Reverse card open, Null and Void! All of your cards drawn out of the draw phase are now discarded to the cemetery!" Kedamono chuckled as he folded up his hand of six cards and slid them into the cemetery slot of his oversized duel disk.

"Breaker Blader(1900/1000) is summoned! Now, together with his brother I'll give you a double direct attack!" The two breakers jumped straight up at Kedamono's chest and stabbed him in the gut, but Kedamono merely batted them aside with one huge hand. (KeLP: -7100)

"We'll find your attack damage limit, so one more attack for my turn! Breaker Blader sacrifices its counter and its three hundred attack point boost for an additional attack!" Despite having been smacked aside the magic using warrior flipped over, and then sprang off the ground, swinging its blade across Kedamono's leg. (KeLP: -8700)

Finally Kai plucked two cards out of his new hand and slid them into his duel disk, giving the beast a steady glare. "I end my turn Kedamono. But know this: we will discover the secret to defeating you no matter how long it takes."

Kedamono chuckled even as he top decked. "I have no doubt you would little one, but my rage is not so simply quenched by overloading me with damage. Of course…you must survive to uncover the secret that none before, or even I, have uncovered. Rage Rebirth revives a rage monster from the grave with double attack."

The ground in front of him trembled, and then it shattered apart as the huge form of his demonic monster emerged, its nasty teeth gnashing as it prepared to attack. "Rage Demon(8000/0) is reborn and now…attack Pyro Knight!"

One gnarled claw sped towards the burning knight, but something jumped in the way, and after a loud clang the claw was stopped in place. Takuya, Eramoros, and Kedamono blinked in surprise at seeing one of Kai's breakers standing in the way, shield held up. "Attack Breaker can sacrifice its own counter to negate an attack, so you were denied."

Kai gave his partner a respectful nod, and all eyes turned to him. Takuya took in a deep breath, relaxing himself, and then drew. Instantly he saw his available combo. "Alright, let's see just how high your damage tolerance really is! Knight's Final Strike, activate!"

Pyro Knight's flames burst even brighter, extending outwards as it gave a deafening battle cry and rocketed forwards towards Rage Demon. "Knight's Final Strike effect number one. One knight on my field immediately attacks the opponent's strongest monster!"

The now comet-like knight struck the demon in the belly, forcing it backwards. But the demon was reaching its claws in, grabbing pointlessly at the flames. Kedamono cocked a furry eyebrow at Takuya, curious now. "Why sacrifice your monster and your life points like that?"

"Life points? Why would I be sacrificing my life points when I've got this quick-play magic card, Shield of the Knight! During this turn I take no life point damage when a monster with 'knight' in its title battles!" Kedamono focused his attention back on the struggling burning knight and his demon, and saw to his surprise that the flames were spreading all over his demon's body.

Takuya's eyes hardened and he closed his open palm as if crushing something within it. "Knight's Final Strike effect number two, the battling monsters are both destroyed after damage calculation!"

Rage Demon exploded as a giant fireball, knocking the nearby Kedamono back, even his brutal power unable to stop him from stumbling. "Knight's Final Strike effect number three, the opponent takes their destroyed monster's attack as damage!"

The fireball that had been streaking towards the sky came shrieking down and detonated directly on top of Kedamono, forcing the two other duelists and the watching Eramoros to shield their eyes from the bright flare. "How's that for damage?" (KeLP: -16700)

"Very impressive, but it won't harm me, and all it does is feed my rage further! Come, continue to attack so my rage might engulf both of you!" The smoke faded away, and the beastly Kedamono tromped out of the crater created by the explosion. To their horror he looked completely unharmed.

Back against the jeep Eramoros was shaking his red-haired head, sighing in disappointment. 'It looks like these two just don't have what it takes to discover the secret to beating Kedamono. Of course, since even he doesn't know it that's hardly surprising.'

"I summon Anti-Riot Knight(100/2400) in defense mode and place one card face down behind it. That's the end of my turn." A bulky knight holding a huge shield formed in front of Takuya, its shield bigger in size than even Big Shield Guardna's shield.

Kai drew slowly, trying to figure it out. So far they had dealt him enough damage to defeat a normal duelist over five times, but it hadn't even scratched Kedamono. In fact, the monster wasn't even slowed down. 'Until we figure this out attacking is pointless, so defense right now is my best option.'

"I summon Effect Breaker(1900/1000) in defense mode, and switch my other two monsters back into defense as well." A third fancy armored blue skinned magic warrior emerged in a crouched position, just as his two brethren also dropped to their knees. All of them hefted their shields up, mimicking Anti-Riot Knight.

"Next I play Poison of the Old Man, increasing my life points by a total of twelve hundred. That's the last of my move." A feeble looking old man stood next to him, and then tossed a glowing green bottle at his feet. The fumes reached him, and he felt some of his weakness fade away. (KLP: 3000)

Kedamono drew, and then held up the card. "Pot of Greed to draw two cards." He slid the two cards off his deck, a deep rumbling laugh filling him as he saw the cards.

"I set one card face down, and now I play Treasure of Slashing Life to draw a total of five cards." The monster drew five brand new cards, completely restoring his hand which he had steadily depleted over the course of the duel. And now that he wasn't top decking it wasn't good for them.

Their opponent clicked his sausage-like fingers together, and his face down card flipped up, just as he was sliding a card into his duel disk. "I play two identical magic cards, both of them are Rage Cannons. When activated and I have zero monsters in play, the opponent takes two thousand damage, so that's one for each!"

Eramoros' lips curled up into an amused smile as massive blasts of energy struck the two duelists, blasting them off their feet. Several seconds later, their bodies bruised, the two duelists struggled back up to their feet. 'He's so powerful it's wonderful to watch.' (TLP: 2600, KLP: 1000)

"Now I summon my personal favorite monster, a level four with an effect that is like nothing you've ever seen. Rage Behemoth(10000/0) is summoned!" Kai and Takuya craned their necks back to view the newly summoned monster, which had to be standing at least a hundred feet in the air. It was at least as tall as Obelisk the Tormentor, and as bulky as well.

Physically they couldn't even tell what it looked like, since its body took up so much space that they couldn't get a good view of it. "This monster lacks the ability to attack because of its brutal power as a level four. Of course in compensation once per turn I can destroy all other monsters in play and deal three hundred damage for each to their controllers. Watch it…RAGE CRUSH!"

One tremendous foot lifted up about twenty feet, and then came crashing down. The ground cracked apart, and ripples went through the dirt until they hit Takuya, Kai, and their monsters, blasting them to oblivion. "Against such power you cannot stand." (TLP: 2300, KLP: 100)

Kedamono's rumbling laughter slowed to a halt as both duelists struggled back to their feet, looking bruised and beaten, their heads bloodied from being battered into the ground. However, they were still standing, and Takuya gave Kedamono a calm stare. "Cannot stand? Care to guess again?"

"So impressive, I enjoy the power both of you present, but there is no way to defeat me. Never in all the thousands of years in which I have guarded this place have I ever been defeated thanks to my Duel Presence. End turn!" A single tiny looking card formed behind Rage Behemoth, not noticed by the monster, and then the turn was ended.

Takuya drew, looking at his hand of cards very carefully. He then turned his eyes up to the huge form of Rage Behemoth, and knew what was his best path. "I summon Shade Knight(900/1700) in defense and set one card face down."

A knight formed of shadows now was on his field, crouched with its dark shield held out in front of it. With its appearance, Takuya seemed to take heart, for a reason Kai couldn't figure out. "Okay Kai, your turn. Just follow my lead, okay?"

The younger duelist drew, his vision briefly obscured when a gust of wind now blew his black hair in front of his eyes. A glance behind him told him why, the tie that kept his hair in check had been torn off during the last blast, letting his hair free. "I can do that. Shield Breaker(600/2300) in defense mode."

A brown armored breaker with a heavy shield squatted in front of him, prepared to take any incoming attack. "Then I'll set a card face down and end my turn, just like Takuya did."

Their opponent drew his next card so forcefully that both of them literally felt the air being displaced by the draw. He held up the large card, looking at it very carefully with his big beady eyes. "Rage Behemoth activates its ability, Rage Crush!"

Just like before the heavy foot came crashing down, blasting apart both of their monsters. Eramoros leaned in, hoping to see Kai take a true fall as his life points were reduced to zero. But as the wave of earth swept towards him, one of Kai's three set cards flipped up. "Emergency Provisions lets me sacrifice both of my face down Repayment of Losses to gain two thousand life points and draw two cards!"

The shaking ground threw both duelists backwards, but this time Takuya was ready, going into a neat half-turn that let him land on his feet, unharmed. Kai wasn't so lucky, and he slid across the ground on his back. 'Oh well, I'm sure one of them will fall shortly.' (TLP: 2000, KLP: 1800)

Kedamono held up two cards, and Rage Behemoth vanished before their very eyes. "I play Dimension Hole, removing Rage Behemoth from play until the end of the turn. Then I can activate Rage Bullet, which deals 1500 damage to the opponent if I have zero monsters in play. Take this little Takuya!"

A sound like a miniature explosion field the air, and Takuya fell to his knees, his duel disk clad arm clutching his stomach which was now pumping blood onto the ground. Kai started to rush towards him, but Takuya raised his other hand to stop him. "Don't…just keep up the duel, it'll be my turn in a moment." (TLP: 500)

"Takuya, don't go sacrificing your life just for this! We can win without that kind of stupid sacrifice!" Takuya's eyes went hazy, and then to Kai's surprise the warrior duelist smirked, pushed himself back to his feet, and then drew.

"Kedamono, what you've done to me and my own partner's words have revealed the truth to me. I'd like to test my theory, and show you my full scale of abilities and power right now! Divine Element Knight(1500/1200) in attack mode!" An explosion of energy from in front of him faded quickly, taking form as a new knight.

This knight had glimmering armor, but his sword was of a dull luster, as was his shield. "This monster is one of the tactics in my deck to unleash the combined powers of those knights who wield the six elements. Earth, wind, water, fire, light, and dark….which together are unstoppable!"

Six different beams of energy shot out of his graveyard, striking the Divine Element Knight. To Kai's surprise instead of it being harmed, it seemed to grow larger, and its sword and shield grew brighter. "For each different type of element that is represented in my grave this monster gains a special effect. For instance, thanks to Pyro Knight's fire type he gains a thousand attack points!"

The level four knight's sword burned even brighter as its attack rose to a much more impressive twenty-five hundred. "The presence of Anti-Riot Knight and Knight of the Forest, both earth attribute, give Divine Element Knight immunity to targeted traps!"

Kedamono glanced briefly at his face down card, but still didn't seem worried. "Aqua Knight's water attribute gives Divine Element Knight the power to attack twice in one turn!"

As he continued to speak the Divine Element Knight's sword grew brighter and brighter. "Shade Knight's darkness gives him the ability to negate the effects of monster's he destroys, while Silent Knight's light type makes him immune to targeted magic cards."

He clenched his free hand, the other still pressed against his bullet wound. "Last but not least, the Cyclone Knight(1500/1600) I discarded to Lightning Vortex gives my monster a trample effect. But of course, his power isn't complete without this…a divine weapon, Excalibur!"

Divine Element Knight's sword increased in length and grew even brighter as the equip card's effect kicked in. "At a cost of forfeiting my draw phase each turn to maintain it this equip card doubles my monster's attack. Now, it reaches a total of five thousand attack points!"

"That's only half the power of my Rage Behemoth. Impressive attacks points though, I will admit that." Kai watched his partner carefully, wondering exactly what the trained warrior was up to. Somehow Takuya really didn't' seem concerned about Rage Behemoth.

"You've got me all wrong Kedamono…that's not my plan at all. To complete my technique, the next step is to activate this magic card, Elemental Explosion! For each monster in my grave I deal you five hundred damage, minus one hundred for each light and dark type. That's seven times five hundred minus two hundred…do the math and that's thirty-three hundred damage!" Multi-colored energy shot out of his graveyard and smashed into Kedamono's face, but dissipated quickly when it didn't even harm him. (KeLP: -20,000)

Next Takuya held up another two of his three remaining cards, still looking completely focused. "Magic card activates, Pump Up doubles the attack of my monster for the duration of the turn!" Divine Element Knight's body grew, making it a dozen feet in height, but even at ten thousand attack it looked puny beneath Rage Behemoth.

Kedamono looked surprise when he saw what the second card in Takuya's hand was. "A second Pump Up?"

"That's right, this doubles his attack again, sending his attack power soaring all the way up to twenty thousand!" Energy shimmered off of the holy knight, its sword held ready for the eventual attack. Eramoros and Kedamono both looked impressed, while Kai just looked happy.

Kai looked up at Kedamono, finally feeling some real confidence return. "That's right Kedamono, he's coming for you. Do you think you can withstand thirty thousand damage barreled right down your throat?"

Takuya's knees nearly buckled because of his wound, but he forced himself to stay upright. "No…attacking would be useless. Instead, I'll play this magic card. Mystik Wok, which lets me sacrifice Divine Element Knight to gain its attack or defense as life points. I choose its attack points!"

Kedamono merely waited, unconcerned with whatever sort of combo Takuya was trying to make. Life points were of no concern to him, as he could deplete them steadily enough. Kai on the other hand thought differently. "Do you really need those twenty thousand life points?"

"I wouldn't sacrifice my knight for such a greedy purpose after all I've done for it. No…this isn't greed at all. Kedamono, this is a gift from me to you, in honor of the magnificent duel you've give us both. Open face down card, Spirit Mirror!" His trap appeared, and Kedamono's reflection was in it.

Kedamono's eyes bugged out as energy from the sacrificed knight shot out of the mirror and into his body, filling him with a brilliant sensation. It was absolutely amazing how wonderful it felt. "This power…it is magnificent! Thank you for such a gift!" (KeLP: 0)

Eramoros jerked completely to his feet with a start, his eyes going wide as he saw in his mind's eye the aura of raw red power that had been flickering around Kedamono suddenly change blue for just the slightest of moments. 'The secret of his power…uncovered! His rage is gone, even if only for a moment!'

Kedamono and Kai both stared in shock as the cards on the field faded away, leaving the three of them standing around doing nothing. Kedamono looked down at his duel disk, and then laughed, the booming sound shaking the ground. "Your gift was so noble I forgot my rage for the briefest of moments, and because my life points were zero in that moment, I lost the duel without my Duel Presence to aid me! You are truly an amazing duelist Takuya Shinomori, worthy of your family line. Congratulations…"

With that final word Kedamono's massive form faded away, and the wide doors creaked open. Freed from the need to remain standing, Takuya collapsed, his blood pooling on the ground. Without a need to continue the duel Kai was free to rush over and quickly flipped the duelist over and began wrapping the wound up. "You really did it Takuya; you figured it out and beat him."

"Yeah…guess I did. Now come on, let's go and get that thing that Dalin wanted us to get. I'll be fine for the moment." Kai frowned, then placed Takuya's arm over his shoulder and hefted the older man up, supporting him like that.

"No way. You're going back to the hospital right now. I know how to get back to this place, and we've already beaten Kedamono, so there's no reason we have to go immediately. I'll take you into the city for a doctor, and then we'll return." With Takuya supported on his shoulder he trudged back to the jeep and popped open the door, letting Takuya lie down on the back seat.

Kai walked around the jeep, heading for the front seat, and then stopped when he realized what was out of place. "Where do you think you're going?"

His eyes bored into Eramoros' back, as the feral looking red-haired man had already walked half-way to the revealed door. "To plunder the very depths of the cave for all the useful and ancient mystic artifacts that lie within, particularly The Balance Matrix."

Kai narrowed his eyes, stalking back around the jeep so he was standing directly in front of Eramoros with nothing in between them. "What makes you think you can do that? And what's the Balance Matrix?"

Eramoros' bright blue eyes sparkled with amusment, his lips quirked up into a half-laugh. "You cam seeking it without knowing its name, how pathetic. The Balance Matrix is an ancient device with the capability of measuring the balance of good and evil in the world, of darkness and light. It is basically a timer for the apocalypse."

Having never fully trusted this man since meeting him, Kai felt certain something was being left out. "And what exactly aren't you telling me? What is it that you want the Balance Matrix for, and who are you really?"

"I am Eramoros, which is all you will need to know. As for the Balance Matrix, I want it for my collection. In fact, that's why I used you two to open the gate, to take into my hands all those items sealed away and deemed too dangerous for human hands. Don't worry, you wouldn't have survived in there anyways, as within that place evil beyond your reckoning lurks, for it is a place that darkness itself fears to tread." As Eramoros spoke Kai could feel something like a heartbeat from past that gateway, and he felt an intense sensation of terror throughout his entire being.

"You're not telling me something about the Balance Matrix in specific, I know it. Why would it be sealed away from humans hands in a place of evil if it's an instrument that acts as a time clock for the apocalypse. What does it really do?" Kai tried to focus on his anger in order to force down the brimming fear, but it wasn't doing a very good job. The fear was building, as if the evil was seeping out from those open doors.

"You're astute Kai Kaethen, I must admit. Every item placed within this place was sealed away for the express purpose of preventing them from falling into any human's hands, for inevitably they cause disaster to befall both those who hold them and those around the holder. All these items are infused with a pure evil beyond your comprehension, all because of who created them." Again a pulsing heartbeat came from within the tunnel, and Kai's knees nearly dropped out from under him.

"Who created them, and for what purpose?" Eramoros smirked, and then to Kai's complete surprise the red-haired man shrugged his shoulders and then shoved his hands into the pockets of his suit.

"I'd like to tell you, really I would just because you're learned enough to make good discussion about it. Unfortunately even I don't know when those items were created, let alone who created them. Their age seems to be indeterminable, as if they have existed for longer than even the concept of time came to human mind. And they are so infinitely complex that all the greatest mortal minds of millennia ago were driven crazy while trying to understand them." Kai frowned, not liking how this was sounding.

"It's got to be more than that they were forged by such evil hands that they cause trouble to befall those who have them, there has to be a bigger reason behind their being sealed up in such a way. Tell me the truth, what's the purpose of the Balance Matrix and all these other items?" Eramoros' smirked faded, and his face turned solemn all of a sudden.

"The true purpose of many of these items has never been known, and that's one thing I intend to discover. However, the ultimate purpose of the Balance Matrix is to keep track of the Balancing Equation, the theoretical determinate of what have long been referred to as the Three Points. The Points which are the three aspects of the Balancing Equation, the Three Points which determine the results of the end of the universe…" Kai covered his ears as a shrill howl issued forth from the tunnel, and this time he really did lose his footing.

He could barely understand anything anymore, as the howl filled his body with a fear like nothing he had ever experienced before. Something within that place was an evil beyond anything he had ever encountered. 'I feel like my head is going to explode!'

"You know what the Three Points are called don't you Kai Kaethen? You've heard what they are called before; you've heard them spoken of time and time again! Perhaps with your mind added to my own consciousness I can be aided in truly understanding the nature of those items deep within this place of evil. Kai Kaethen, I'll devour your mind and add it to my collective!" The howl was drowned out as an explosion of darkness swept across the dusty ground, creating a dome of dark energy that placed them in an entirely different realm.

With the howl gone, Kai managed to find his footing, and forced himself back onto his feet. However, he already felt his strength leeching away from him because of the power of the Darkness Game. It was much stronger than the last one he had been in, or any other he had ever been in. "What have I heard…and what do you mean, your collective?" (KLP: 4000)

Eramoros snapped his fingers and a duel disk appeared on his arm, already loaded with a deck. He drew five cards, and slowly Kai mimicked him, unsure of what was going on. "You'll learn the answer to that when you become part of it, your mind and power will be an excellent addition. Then together we'll take Takuya and add him to the collective." (ELP: 4000)

"You didn't answer my question, what is it about the Three Points that I've heard before? What are the three points that are the three aspects of the Balancing Equation, the occasion the determines the results of the apocalypse? Tell me, and I'll duel you!" Eramoros paused, his robins egg eyes looking contemplative.

Finally after half a minute the business suited man smiled, the smile dark and sending shivers up Kai's spine. "You have heard them before, as I had said. Don't you know Kai Kaethen? They are 'What Was', 'What Is', and 'What Shall Be'."

Images flashed through Kai's mind of times talking to Dalin and to the others as they explained some of the Dark Spirit's rants, about how he had summoned his Exodia monster while declaring it was for those three things, in addition he had heard that the Dark Spirit had ranted a little about it in his final duel with Dalin. "You…you're the Dark Spirit?"

"No, of course not. I'm not even evil, although that term is really based on opinion rather than any form of fact. I am something much different than the Dark Spirit, but I admit that it was good deductive reasoning. But you understand then, what the Three Points are? They are the terms, like x, y, and z, that refer to some specific part of the equation with an unknown value. That's what the Balance Matrix can tell us, it can tell us what the values of What Was, What Is, and What Shall Be truly are!" A part of Kai was intrigued by the notion, his curiosity getting the better of him.

However, the other part was overwhelmed with the intense feeling that this was something that Eramoros should never know. That if this strange blue eyed man ever got his hands on the Balance Matrix, it would be dangerous for everyone. "No…as much as I want to know what the answer to the Balancing Equation is, I can't allow you to find out. So I'll stop you here before you can advance further!"

Eramoros sighed and shook his head, looking thoroughly disappointed. "That's truly a pity Kai that you aren't going to willingly accept becoming part of a greater consciousness and learning the hidden secrets of the universe. If that's the case then I'm going to do like I thought I would have to, and make you part of it through force using a Darkness Game beyond your experience, Darkness Game Level Eight!"

A wave of power extended from Eramoros' body, pressing Kai backwards. The budding historian gritted his teeth and pressed back against it, trying to fight the power. 'He's so powerful…and this is a Darkness Game stronger than what I've ever felt before. After that duel with Kedamono, can I handle this?'

With a yell filled with his own strength Kai pushed past the wall of power, and it faded away, letting him stand unhindered. "You're powerful, but I've faced powerful foes before. I'll tell you now that I'm never the most powerful, but I win all the same. I have the skill and the knowledge to defeat any opponent, and I will defeat you. Even if it takes all of who I am, I won't allow you to move forwards from this point."

"Yes, I've realized that. But in the grand scheme of things your efforts are insignificant. As we speak the Balance Matrix is ticking away towards the apocalypse, and there's nothing that can be done to stop it. All that matter is the knowledge to be gained from it. Kai Kaethen, don't fear, because when you become part of the greater consciousness you will gain that knowledge as soon as I do. And one more thing." Eramoros drew, his lips tilting up into a deadly smirk.

"You're not in my league. Watch, as I show you the power of my very own Duel Presence. First I set four cards face down, and then I set a monster. Lastly…I activate Hand Obliteration!" A gust of wind struck Kai, blasting his five hand cards away, leaving him with nothing.

'No…on the first turn and already he's forced me into top decking! But wait…what about this Duel Presence he mentioned? I just have to hope it's nothing on the same level as Kedamono's Duel Presence, or it's not likely I can survive this.' Kai's thoughts were interrupted as the air around him pressed inwards, squeezing his flesh and putting tremendous pressure on his bones.

"My Duel Presence activates whenever a card goes to the cemetery because of an effect. You take one hundred damage for each card, and I gain an equal amount. In other words, every card I lose and every card you lose will ultimately lead to your defeat!" The pressure loosened and Kai dropped to his hands and knees, sucking in air desperately. (KLP: 3500, ELP: 4500)

Unsteadily Kai stood, his hand shaking as it moved to the top of his deck. "Every villain we meet says something like that, but I want you to know before I draw, that I've been drastically outclassed in duels before…"

His mind drifted to his duel with D'harim the Death Knight, in which he had been mercilessly tortured by the evil being in order to teach him some perverse lesson about suffering. "Yet even when confronted by that kind of opponent, even when I know that I can't win, I have no path open to me but to go forwards. I've stopped trying to remain in one place in life, and I won't remain frozen in a duel because my opponent is stronger or better."

He paused, and then placed his fingertips on his first card. "I'm going to move onwards and defeat you, even though you may be my superior. But though I move on from the past, I've learned from my own mistakes in that past. And I won't fall victim the way I had before. This time, it will be different!"

Eramoros spread out his arms in an almost welcoming gesture, looking like he was going to sweep Kai into a hug. "Then come to me Kai Kaethen, and join this consciousness through battle! Within it you will learn the past, and you will see the future! Become part of me!"

"Not a chance. I am Kai Kaethen only…and I will never become part of you!"

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Author's Notes: And there you go, an end to a duel, some explanation, and then the prep for another duel.

Next Time: Kai is now facing an opponent with strange powers who desires to absorb him, all to keep this same man out of a place of evil. But what truly lurks in this place in which even darkness fears to tread. Perhaps Kai will learn, but someone else is going to find out first…

See it all in, Birthplace of Evil!

Review Response

Time Mage: Wasn't thinking of Princess Bride when I wrote the fight, but it may have been subconscious since I watched Princess Bride the night before.

Black Death X: Yep, pretty gruesome.

Darksoulkai: Don't worry about ch.19, your computer deserved the attention.

WolfGeneral: Creepy fun is always good. I'll admit that my Ryu could never beat yours, but it would be an interesting duel.