Grave Risk - Part 2

While Jaden was being led by Gravekeeper's Chief and some of the guards, Andrew was being led by the rest of them. After walking for a while, they reached a doorway. "Enter here." One of the guards said. Andrew entered, and found himself walking through a narrow corridor, with torches on the walls that lit up for every step he took.

'This is bad.' Andrew thought worriedly. 'At one moment, we were on a field trip to visit some ruins. And the next, we're a strange world, where we're going to be buried alive, unless we can survive the so called challenge.'He then took a deep breath before proceeding. 'But I know I can do this, and I know Jaden can survive his challenge.' Eventually, he reached the end of the corridor and found another doorway. He stepped through and entered a large chamber. But he couldn't see so well because of how darkened it was.

"Hello? Anyone here?" He called out.

"I've been waiting for you." Said a soft, yet firm voice.

Before Andrew could react to the voice, torches on the walls suddenly lit up, giving him a better look at the surroundings inside this chamber. The walls had hieroglyphs, showing spearmen fighting giant creatures, like dragons and demons. There were pillars around the chamber. One at each corner. But what caught Andrew's attention, was something at the wall across the doorway.

It was a dark-skinned man sitting on a throne. He had blonde hair and beard, and was wearing a dark-blue, aqua-blue and silver robes. He was also wielding a pale-green staff topped with the head of a pale-green cobra.

Andrew narrowed his eyes. "I suppose you're my opponent?"

"That is correct. I'm the Oracle of the Gravekeepers, and I've been tasked by the Chief to be your opponent for your challenge. And if you somehow manage to survive this challenge, then you and your friends are free to go."

"Where are they?" Andrew demanded.

The Oracle got up from his throne and tapped the bottom of his staff three times against the floor. And it was then chamber was suddenly shaking a little. And then, an indent in the middle of the floor opened up, revealing the coffins in which Andrew's friends were trapped.

"Everyone!"

"Andrew, is that you!?" Clover called out.

"Man, am I glad to see!" Shiori said.

"I was starting to panic here!" Xander whined.

"Where are the others?" Jenny asked, though still shaken due to their current situation.

"Jaden is rescuing them. Don't worry, I'll get you out of there!"

"That is, if you beat me." The Oracle said.

"You bet I will!" Andrew replied as he activated his duel disk. "Let's get this over with!"

"My thoughts exactly." With those words said, the Oracle's staff glowed brightly. And then, it suddenly wrapped itself around his left arm like a snake. After that, it was morphing for a moment before the glowing died down. Now, instead of a staff, a duel disk identical to the Chief's was attached to his arm. "Not that it matters, since your fate is set in stone."

"What do you mean?" Andrew asked confused.

"Why do you think I'm the Oracle of the Gravekeepers? I have the power to see into the future. I had a vision that showed me your arrival, and it told me that it was my destiny to face you."

Andrew looked skeptical. "What else did you see? My dueling cards?"

"No. However, my vision did show me the outcome of this duel. You will fail to save your friends."

All the Academy students gasped at his claims. Andrew was about to lose this duel?

"So how about you save yourself the suffering and I'll let your life end swiftly?"

Andrew was shaken at this. Is this man really serious? Is it really….

"Don't listen to him!" Someone spoke up from behind. Andrew turned around to see his duel spirit.

"Phantom Magician?"

"That's one of Andrew's monsters!" Jenny said in shock.

"How did he appear like that?" Clover asked, feeling the same.

Shiori and Xander were speechless.

"You can't doubt yourself because of that man's talk about fate." The duel spirit continued. "Nothing is written in stone. I know you can win this duel. So pull yourself together and take him down."

After hearing those words, Andrew calmed down and gave him a smile. "You're right." He then turned back to the Oracle with a serious expression. "I can't back down. I can do this." He then drew his opening hand. "Let's do this!"

"You had your chance." The Oracle activated his duel disk and drew his opening hand.

Andrew: 4000

Oracle: 4000

The Oracle drew his sixth card. "I play a facedown monster in defense mode, and another card facedown to end my turn." Two facedown cards appeared in front of him.

"My turn." Andrew drew a card. He looked at it and smiled. "It's been a long time since I played this card. I summon Elemental HERO Solid Soldier in attack mode!" A purple warrior clad in silver armor with golden linings appeared, hie forearms weighed with heavy shields. (ATK: 1300 DEF: 1100 LV: 4)

"Hey, that's a new one." Shiori noted.

"It's been a long time since I last saw him use that." Clover said. "Trust me, that card is really useful."

"Quite doubtful." The Oracle dismissed.

"Perhaps his special ability will change your mind. Once he's normal summoned, I can summon another HERO monster from my hand, as long as it's level 4 or less. And I choose Heat!" The Solid Soldier was joined by the white and red armored fire hero. (ATK: 1600 DEF: 1200 LV: 4) "And his special ability gives him 200 attack points for every Elemental HERO on my field, including himself." (ATK: 1600-2000) "I'm sure your facedown monster won't stand a chance against him. Now attack, with Burning Fist!" Heat ignited his right fist and dashed forward.

Just when he got close enough to strike, the facedown card flipped up and revealed a man clad in black robes and a turban. The man held up his left hand and grabbed the hero's fist with ease. "Now, what was that you said about my monster not standing a chance?" The Oracle asked. (ATK: 1200 DEF: 2000 LV: 4) "My Gravekeeper's Spy has enough defensive power to block your attack." The black clad man pushed the fire hero, sending him back to Andrew's field.

The Ra clicked his tongue.

"And there's more. Since your attack forced my Spy to reveal himself, his special ability activates, letting me summon a Gravekeeper's monster with 1500 or less attack points. And I choose Gravekeeper's Descendant." The Spy was joined by a young man who was wearing black robes, just like him. He was also wearing a black headband. In his right hand, he wielded a golden staff with the head of a golden cobra. (ATK: 1500 DEF: 1200 LV: 4)

"Great, now I have to deal with a whole group of gravekeepers." Andrew muttered as he inserted a card into his duel disk. "I play a facedown and end my turn."

"Very well then." The Oracle drew. "I summon Gravekeeper's Recruiter in attack mode." The Gravekeeper that appeared this time was a muscular, bald man, wearing a black vest with a midriff, robes similar to the Descendant, and a kilt-like skirt, all of them accented by Egyptian-style jewelry. (ATK: 1200 DEF: 1500 LV: 3) "And now I activate the Descendant's special ability. By sacrificing one of my other Gravekeepers, I can destroy one card on your field. So I'll get rid of Gravekeeper's Recruiter to destroy your Heat." The descendant waved his staff at the recruiter who then disappeared. And then, he shot a purple energy beam from his staff and destroyed the fire hero.

"Not his monster!" Shiori groaned.

"This is bad." Jenny added.

"And now my Recruiter's special ability activates. After he's sent from my field to the graveyard, I can add a Gravekeeper's monster with 1500 defense points or less from my deck to my hand. And the one I choose this one." The Oracle went through his deck and found the card he wanted. He held it up as it suddenly released the spirit of another monster. It was a man dressed in a black coat, golden armor and tan pants. His face was covered by a jackal mask.

"What is that?" Andrew asked.

"This is Gravekeeper's Commandant. And he lets me a take a card known as Necrovalley from my deck and add it to my hand, after I discard him." The Oracle slid the card into his graveyard slot before he searched through his deck, taking the card he wanted. "And now, I activate Necrovalley." He placed the card into the field spell tray. The chamber was then gone, and everyone found themselves at the bottom of a canyon with tall stone walls.

"This isn't good." Xander said worriedly.

"You think?" Clover asked sarcastically.

"Now with my Nercovalley on the field, all the Gravekeepers gain 500 attack and defense points." (ATK: 1500-2000 DEF: 1200-1700) (ATK: 1200-1700 DEF: 2000-2500) "Now I'll switch my Spy to attack mode." The man with the turban stepped forward. "Now attack his soldier!" He then leapt in the air.

"I activate Mirror Force!" Andrew's facedown card flipped up. "Thanks to this, every monster you have on the field in attack mode is destroyed."

The Oracle chuckled. "You are such a fool to believe that you can stop me that easily."

"What!?"

"I activate the trap card, Imperial Tombs of Necrovalley!" The Oracle's facedown card flipped up. "Since I have both a Gravekeeper and Necrovalley on the field, this lets me negate a spell, trap or monster effect and destroy it."

Andrew gasped as his trap card shattered into pixels.

"Thus, my Spy's attack continues!" The turban wearing man landed in front of the silver armored hero and punched him, causing him to explode.

It was then Andrew suddenly felt intense pain in his chest.

Andrew: 4000-3600

"This... this pain…" He wheezed. "This is just like... that time when I dueled Kang. Is this... a shadow game?"

"That is correct. And you're not the only affected by this…" The Oracle said as the coffins started to close up a bit, making Andrew's friends gasp.

"Ah! They're closing up!" Shiori panicked.

"And it gets worse! Gravekeeper's Descendant, attack him directly!" The named fired another purple energy beam from his staff. And Andrew cried out as he was burned by the attack.

Andrew: 3600-1600

The coffins closed up even more. The captives were panicking more.

"I end my turn with a card facedown." The Oracle concluded and inserted a card into his deck.

"Then here goes…" Andrew almost stumbled because of the pain he suffered from the attack and drew a card. "I play Polymerization, and fuse Ice Edge and Shadow Mist to create Elemental HERO Escuridao!" The kid with icy outfit and black armored woman merged together and stood up in the form of the black armored hero with shadow wings. (ATK: 2500 DEF: 2000 LV: 8) "Prepare yourself, because this monster gains 100 attack points for every Elemental HERO in my graveyard. With four down there, she gains 400 points." (ATK: 2500-2900)

The Oracle seemed to remain calm, regardless this turn of events.

"And there's more. Since Shadow Mist was sent to the graveyard, I can take a HERO monster from my deck and add it to my hand…"

"I won't let you do that!" The Oracle interrupted and discarded a card, before he revealed his facedown card. "I activate Divine Wrath! With this, I can stop your monster from activating its effect."

Andrew let out a 'tch' at that. "Fine, I'll just have Escuridao attack your Descendant. Go, Night Claw Slash!" The dark hero flew forward and slashed the descendant with her claws.

Oracle: 4000-3100

"I end my turn." Andrew concluded.

"Nice one, Andrew!" Jenny cheered.

"You got him now!" Shiori added.

"We shall see." The Oracle drew. "I switch my Spy back to defense mode." The man with turban kneeled down. "Then I'll play another monster in defense mode and end my turn." A facedown card appeared next to the Spy.

"Not much to do, huh?" Andrew commented and drew a card. "I on the other hand am gonna play the spell card Legacy of a Hero. With at least 2 level 4 or higher Elemental Heroes in my graveyard, I get to draw three cards from my deck." He drew his extra cards. "Then I summon Elemental HERO Ocean!" The aquatic hero rose up next to the dark hero. (ATK: 1500 DEF: 1200 LV: 4) "Now attack his facedown monster, with Big Wave Crush!" The water hero stabbed the ground with his trident, causing a wave of water appear from the side of the field and wash away the facedown monster. But not before it flipped up and revealed a black cat with a golden necklace around its neck. (ATK: 500 DEF: 300 LV: 2)

"You attacked the monster known as A Cat of Ill Omen. And due to its flip effect, I can add a trap card from my deck to my hand since I have Necrovalley on the field." The Oracle searched through his deck and took the trap card he wanted.

'Probably something dangerous.' Andrew thought. "Now Escuridao, destroy his Spy!" The dark hero struck the spy with her claws, making him shatter into pixels. "I end my turn with a facedown." A card appeared behind the hero monsters.

The Oracle drew. "First I place a card facedown." A card appeared at his feet. "Then I summon Gravekeeper's Nobleman in defense mode." A man with pale-blue hair dressed in black robes with a gold belt around his waist and a stone tablet in his arms appeared. (ATK: 1000-1500 DEF: 1000-1500 LV: 3) "I end my turn."

Andrew drew a card. "I activate Ocean's ability. Once per turn, I can take a HERO monster from my field or graveyard and add it to my hand. So I'll take back Heat." Andrew reached to the graveyard slot, but was shocked when a dark purple aura appeared around it.

"It's not that simple." The Oracle said. "My Necrovalley negates any effect that would move cards in the graveyard to a different place."

"Seriously!?"

"So Andrew won't be able to bring back cards from the graveyard?" Clover asked disbelieved.

"Man, that sucks." Xander said.

"Okay, so I can't bring back my cards from the grave, but I can equip Ocean with the spell card, Fusion Sword Murasame Blade." The water hero trident was replaced by the katana with the chaotic aura. "Now my hero gains 800 attack points." (ATK: 1500-2300) "Now attack his Nobleman!" The water hero slashed down of the blue-haired man, shattering him into pixels.

"You activated the Nobleman's ability. After he's sent to the graveyard by your attacking monster, I can take a Gravekeeper's monster from my deck and place it on the field facedown." The Oracle showed a monster card with the picture of a white robed woman with a white and golden headdress, wielding a golden staff topped with a blue jewel. He placed the card on the duel disk, making a facedown card appear.

"Now Escuridao, attack his facedown monster!" The dark hero dashed toward the facedown monster.

"I activate my trap!" The Oracle's facedown trap card flipped. "Nercovalley Temple! While I have a Gravekeeper and Nercovalley on my field, this trap card drains 500 attack and defense points from your monsters."

Andrew gasped as the Oracle's facedown monster revealed herself. (ATK: 1500-2000 DEF: 1500-2000 LV: 6) (ATK: 2900-2400 DEF: 2000-1500) (ATK: 2300-1800 DEF: 1200-700)

"And it gets worse. My Shaman has a special ability. For every Gravekeeper in my graveyard, she gains 200 defense points. And since 5 of them are in the graveyard so far…" (DEF: 2000-3000) Just as Escuridao was about to strike with her claws, the white robed woman raised her staff and created a blue barrier that blocked the attack. And then, Andrew gasped in pain due to the battle damage.

Andrew: 1600-1000

The coffins closed up more, leaving but a slight opening. Andrew's friends started to become terrified.

"Don't worry, you won't be hearing their pleas any longer... as soon as they're buried, along with you."

"Not... if I can... help it." Andrew panted before he inserted a card into his duel disk. "I place a card facedown and end my turn."

"Face it, there's nothing you can do to avoid your fate." The Oracle scoffed as he drew a card.

"I still don't believe your talk about fate." Andrew retorted.

"You will in due time. I activate Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two cards." He drew his extra cards and looked at them. He then smirked. "Now I summon my second Gravekeeper's Commandant." The man with the jackal mask appeared. (ATK: 1600-2100 DEF: 1500-2000LV: 4) "Then I activate the spell card Necrovalley Throne. This card has two effects, and I can choose one of them. And I'll use its second effect, which allows me to summon another Gravekeeper from my hand."

"I don't like where this is going." Andrew muttered.

"I now sacrifice the Commandant and Shaman in order to summon myself!"

"Yourself!?" Andrew exclaimed in shock.

The Oracle disappeared in a flash of light. And so did the Commandant and Shaman. After that, the Oracle reappeared in their place. (ATK: 2000 DEF: 1500 LV: 10) "Yes, and thanks to Necrovalley, I gain 500 points." (ATK: 2000-2500 DEF: 1500-2000) "And since I was summoned by sacrificing my Gravekeepers, I can activate one of my three special abilities for each of them. First, I'll use my first ability, which increases my attack strength by 100 points for every level of the monsters I sacrificed. The Shaman was a level 6 monster, and the Commandant was level 4. Therefore, their total level grants me 1000 points." (ATK: 2500-3500) "And now, time for you to suffer one of my other abilities. All monsters that you currently have on the field lose 2000 attack and defense points."

"Oh no!" The hero monsters groaned as they were surrounded by a purple aura. (ATK: 2400-400 DEF: 1500-0) (ATK: 1800-0 DEF: 700-0)

"Now that your monsters are weakened, it's time for me to finish you off!" He gathered dark magical energy in his palm, and released it, targeting Escuridao.

"I activate my trap card, Waboku!" Andrew's facedown card flipped up and created a barrier that blocked the attack. "Thanks to this, I take no battle damage this turn, and my monsters are safe."

The Oracle scoffed. "You're just delaying the inevitable. No matter how much you struggle, you can't change the future. I'll end my turn, and give you a chance to reconsider your options. Surrender now or suffer even further."

"I won't give up. I won't stand down until the last life points expires!"

"Your funeral."

Andrew drew. "I activate Pot of Greed. Now I can draw two cards." He drew his extra cards. "Next I summon Elemental HERO Stratos in defense mode." The turbine winged hero appeared and kneeled down. (ATK: 1800 DEF: 300 LV: 4) "And now activate his special ability. For every other HERO monster I control, Stratos can destroy one spell or trap card on the field. So with Ocean and Escuridao, I can rid the field of your Necrovalley and Necrovalley Temple!" The wind hero's wings unleashed a cyclone that blew away The Oracle's trap card.

He grunted as the field spell card came out of his duel disk, making the valley change back to the large chamber.

"Without your field spell, you lose some points, while my monsters won't be affected by your temple." (ATK: 3500-3000 DEF: 2000-1500) (ATK: 400-900) (ATK: 0-300)

But the Oracle smirked. "Perhaps. But that won't last long, because you just triggered the second effect of my Nercovalley Temple."

"What?" Andrew widened his eyes.

"Since you destroyed it and sent it to the graveyard, I can take a spell or trap card from my deck and place it facedown, so long as that card is another Necrovalley card, other than the Temple."

"No way!"

"And I think you can tell what this card might be." The Oracle said, referring to the card he placed into the field spell tray.

"Necrovalley." Andrew muttered.

"Correct. That means during my next turn, I can regain the extra points I lost."

"This is bad." Andrew rotated two of his monster cards, making the monsters themselves kneel down. "I switch Escuridao and Ocean to defense mode. Then I'll end my turn with a facedown." A card appeared behind the hero monsters.

"And I shall end you!" The Oracle drew. "And I'll start by taking us back to Necrovalley." The big valley appeared once again. (ATK: 3000-3500 DEF: 1500-2000) "And now I activate Stop Defense. This spell card lets me force one of your monsters into attack mode."

Andrew gasped.

"So now Escuridao, stand up! Stand up, so I can put an end to this!" The dark hero stood up again. "Now it's time for you to meet your doom!" The Oracle fired another magical energy beam.

"I activate my trap!" Andrew's facedown card flipped up. "Covering Fire! This lets me raise my monster's attack points with the same amount as one of my other monsters. So I'll add Stratos' attack points to Escuridao's strength." The wind hero stepped closer and shared his energy with the dark hero. (ATK: 900-2700)

"A valiant effort, but not enough to stop me!" Escuridao was struck by the energy beam and cried in agony before she exploded. The explosion knocked Andrew on his back.

Andrew: 1000-0200

The coffins were now almost entirely closed.

"That's enough from me." The Oracle concluded. "You have just proven how futile your efforts are. Your destiny is to be buried alive, along with your friends."

"That's not true!" Clover protested.

"This duel is on!" Shiori added.

"No way he's gonna lose!" Xander said.

"Come on, Andrew! Don't give up! We know you can win!" Jenny called out.

On cue, Andrew groaned as he slowly got to his feet. "They're... right. I can't... give up just yet. I'll save my friends. No matter what it takes."

Phantom Magician, who was still standing behind him, nodded. "That's the spirit. Show him what you got!"

Andrew placed his hand on his deck to draw. "This is all, or nothing!" He drew his next card, looked at it, and gave the Oracle a serious look. "It ends here and now!"

"Huh?"

"I summon Elemental HERO Blazeman!" The red armored hero with fiery head appeared. (ATK: 1200 DEF: 1800 LV: 4) "When he's summoned, I can take a Polymerization from my deck and add it to my hand." Andrew took the named card from his deck. "And now I activate the spell card Shield & Sword. With this spell card activated, the original attack and defense points of every monster on the field are switched." All monsters on the field were suddenly surrounded by a blue aura. (ATK: 300-0 DEF: 0-300) (ATK: 1200-1800 DEF: 1800-1200) (ATK: 1800-300 DEF: 300-1800) (ATK: 3500-3000 DEF: 2000-2500)

The Oracle grunted a bit because of the change of his strength, but then scoffed. "That's not enough to defeat me."

"That may be, but I'm not done! I play Polymerization and fuse Stratos with Ocean, so I can summon Elemental HERO Great Tornado!" The two named heroes were sucked into a fusion vortex. And then, the green, black and yellow armored wind hero appeared. (ATK: 2800 DEF: DEF: 2200 LV: 8)

"You're wasting your efforts. That monster is not strong enough to destroy me!"

Andrew smirked. "He will be after this. Great Tornado, activate Downburst!" The yellow parts of the hero monster's armor glowed before a whirlwind enveloped the Oracle.

He was shocked by this. Before he could do something, he suddenly felt weaker and fell to his knees as the whirlwind disappeared slowly. "W-what is this?" He groaned. "What did you do to me?"

"I used my Great Tornado's special ability. As soon as he was fusion summoned, he cut your strength in half."

"What!?" (ATK: 3000-1500 DEF: 2500-1250)

"Which means you're finished! Great Tornado, attack! Super Cell!" The wind her held up his right palm and created another whirlwind. The Oracle cried out as he was sent back to his original place.

Oracle: 3100-1800

"Now Blazeman, attack him directly!" The fiery hero dashed forward. The Oracle tried to get up, but as soon as he looked up, the fire hero was already right in front of him, and delivered a punch on his face, forcing him back on the ground.

Oracle: 1800-0000

"Gotcha!" Andrew cheered as the holograms disappeared.

The Oracle's duel disk changed back to the snake-like staff he wielded earlier. He then got on his feet slowly before addressing Andrew. "Well well. It appears I lost."

"Didn't see that coming, did ya?"

"Precisely. Despite what I saw in my vision, you overcame this challenge. This makes you the second person who altered his fate."

Andrew widened his eyes. "You mean someone else came here and defeated you?"

The Oracle nodded. "Yes, one day, a stranger with dark powers appeared here at the tomb, and just like you, he was given a chance to live. I had a vision that showed me his defeat. But just like you altered your fate, he altered his own, and passed the trial." The Oracle reached into his robes and pulled out some kind of armlet made of gold, with a red orb attached. "And since you overcame your challenge, I'll give you this."

Andrew took the armlet and looked at it. He noticed that it wasn't whole. "May I ask why it's only half?"

"Because the stranger I just mentioned posses the other half. And even without a future vision, I know that you will cross his path one day."

"That sounds a little unnerving." Andrew slipped on the armlet. Even though it was only half, it somehow managed to cling to the side of his right arm. "Whoa!" He then looked at the Oracle. "Now, I believe me and my friends earned our freedom as well."

The bearded man nodded before he tapped his staff against the floor. On cue, the coffins slid open, and the bandages wrapped around Andrew's friends dissolved.

"Finally!" Shiori said as he and the others got up.

"It's good to be free!" Xander cheered.

"Andrew, you did it!" Jenny said gratefully.

But before the fairy duelist could approach him, Clover beat her to it as she instantly ran towards him and gave him a firm hug.

"Seriously, don't scare us like that." She said softly.

Andrew was surprised by the sudden hug, then smiled and hugged back. "Sorry about that."

As she watched this, Jenny puffed her cheek in anger.

"Come now…" The Oracle called out as he walked towards the exit. "Let me guide you all back to your other friends."

"Good. I was starting to get tired of this place." Phantom Magician said.

Everyone, except Andrew, stared at the skeleton-like monster with uncertainty.

"Hey, Andrew?" Jenny asked. "How come that monster is there, if you haven't summoned him?"

Andrew scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "Well, believe it or not, Phantom Magician happens to be my duel spirit. Usually, I'm the only one who can see him, unless someone else is able to see duel spirits."

"That's… interesting." Clover said slowly.

"Well, after everything we've been through today, I can't say this surprises me much." Shiori shrugged.

"Same here." Xander added.


The Oracle led them through the path Andrew had been taken before. They were brought back to the place where Andrew and Jaden ran into the mystery woman. Andrew's Phantom Magician returned to his deck on the way. After they arrived, it didn't take long before they met up with Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, Alexis, Banner and Pharaoh, who were being led by the Gravekeeper's Chief and Assailant. Andrew and Jaden quickly summed up what they've been through after they departed.

"Sweet! So we both got cool jewelry." Jaden commented.

"Yeah, even though each of them is only a half." Andrew replied.

"I knew you boys would pass this test. I just knew it." Banner said proudly.

Jaden laughed for being praised before he realized what Banner said. "Wait, what do you mean 'test'? Don't you mean challenge?"

"Yes, of course! I mean, test, challenge... it is all the same, am I right?" Banner asked. "All that matters is that you won. Isn't that right, guys?" He laughed nervously.

"Uh huh." Andrew raised an eyebrow.

The Gravekeeper's Chief turned to Jaden and Andrew. "Well then. It's time for you and your friends to return to your own world."

"Sounds good to me." Jaden said. "So, how do we get back?"

"Go to the gate of the tomb." The Oracle instructed. "When the three lights combine into one, the Veil of Radiance will appear before you."

"Oookay…" Jaden said, not really understanding.

"They're saying we have to go back to the arch, where we woke up. And then, let that strange light from earlier take us home." Andrew explained to his friend."

"Oh."

It was then everyone suddenly heard the sound of marching coming towards them. They all turned to the direction the sound came from, and saw a large group of Gravekeeper's Soldiers and Guards surround the them the group, cornering them with weapons intact.

The Chief looked at them angrily. "Fools! What are you doing!?"

"They must be punished. Either by you or by us!" One of the Spear Soldiers replied.

"Punished! Punished!" The gracekeepers chanted as they stepped closer.

The Chief stepped forward. "Stop! They have paid for their misdeeds! They have passed the challenge! Their freedom has been earned!"

"Punished! Punished!"

Everyone was starting to panic as the Spear Soldiers and Guards advanced further. The first row of soldiers rushed forward, plunging their spears forward towards the group.

Jenny, who was among the students in the front, screamed as the spears approached them. Andrew was about to step forward to shield her, only to stop when her deck suddenly glowed brightly.

The Spear Soldiers stopped as they noticed this.

"What's happening!?" Jenny exclaimed. To answer her question, a glowing orb came out of her deck and floated in the air. And then, it orb started to glow brighter, causing everyone to shield their eyes. They waited for a moment until the light died down. When everyone looked up, they were shocked to see what floating in the air in the orb's place...

"Tethys, Goddess of Light?" Alexis asked in shock.

Indeed, they all could see the white dressed angel that was a part of Jenny's deck. The fairy duelist was the most shocked person of them all. "Un-unbelievable!"

"First Phantom Magician, and now this?" Shiori asked disbelieved. "Are there other surprises hidden here?"

The Spear Soldiers and Guards were shocked as well at Tethys' appearance. She was looking down on them with anger in her eyes. Before anyone could react, someone used a pair of serpentine daggers and sliced off the spearheads so skillfully, that it took a second for them to fall off. Everyone's attention was now focused of the owner of the daggers: the Gravekeeper's Assailant. It was then the covering her face dropped, revealing that she was the woman who'd first met Jaden and Andrew.

"It's you!" The former said.

"Yes, I'm Gravekeeper's Assailant. I'm sorry I fought you, but I had to obey my chief."

"Hey, it's cool."

"Uh, Jaden." called Syrus, looking indignant and jealous. "Don't you think it's rude to not introduce me... I mean us to your new friend?"

The gang sighed at his words.

"Go find your own friends."

The Assailant spoke up again. "When you finally return to your world, please, give a message to the owner of the other half of your medallion. Tell him Yasmin's still in the other world, but I haven't forgotten him. And that I believe one day we will meet again."

"Oh, boyfriend." Jaden guessed awkwardly.

"I knew it!" Syrus said disheartened.

"Now that's what I call a long distance relationship." Andrew commented.

The soldiers and guards tried to approach them, but Yasmin stepped forward. "Stand back! They have won the challenge and we must honor our word! We are the keepers of the graves, not the makers! If you want to harm any of them, you'll have to get through me!" She held up her daggers.

Sensing how serious she was, the soldiers and guards backed away, enough to provide an open path for the group.

"I would hurry." Yasmin said.

"For sure." Jaden replied. "But... how do we leave again?"

The Assailant gave the group a smile. "Oh, I think a friend or two will help show you the way."

Jaden and Andrew's decks glowed, and their respective duel spirits appeared in front of them.

The rest of the humans were really stunned. First they were joined by Tethys, Goddess of Light, and now Winged Kuriboh and Phantom Magician appeared as well. (Even though this isn't the first the latter was seen by those who were captured by the Oracle.)

"Coo!"

"Come on! Follow us!"

"Do as they say!" Andrew urged as he and Jaden ran after them.

Syrus rubbed his eyes to see if he was dreaming, but then started running like the others.

"Thanks, Yasmin!" Jaden called out.

"Hurry!" Yasmin urged. 'Until we nest meet.'

They ran as fast as they could towards the arch. While they got closer, they noticed the suns started to combine.

"The lights, they're combining! We've gotta hurry!" Jaden said.

"Coo!"

"Come on! You're almost there!" Tethys said in as soft, angelic voice. Like everyone else, Jenny was so focused on running, that she didn't questioned the fact that her monster card was alive.

But as they neared the gateway, Chumley tripped and fell forward, spraining his ankle badly. The others noticed this and stopped. "Chumley, are you alright!?" Jaden asked.

"Old tricycle injury." He said, holding his right leg. "Just go on without me! You don't have time to wait! Seriously! Go! You can still make it!"

"No Chumely! We can't do that!" Andrew protested.

"We're not leaving you behind!" Jaden added.

"You must!" Chumley urged. But just then, his backpack glowed. And then, a Des Koala came out of it. Everyone were stunned once again. Including Syrus who rubbed his eyes again.

"Another one?" Xander asked disbelieved.

And then, everyone found themselves running towards the arch, with Des Koala leading them while holding Chumley on its back. "I love running!" The Koala duelist cheered.

"It's now or never guys!" Jaden pointed out. "Let's make tracks!"

When the group finally reached the archway, green light shot out from the ground beneath them, just like before. The Light engulfed the 9 students and Banner before everything turned dark.


Jaden slowly opened his eyes. He woke up and realized he was lying against a stone pillar and noticed Alexis leaning on her. "Hey guys!" He called out.

"Huh?"

He then noticed Andrew lying against another pillar, with Jenny leaning on him. The Ra woke up, noticed the fairy duelist, before he blushed and gently freed himself of her. Jaden did the same thing to Alexis. The boys then noticed the cards of their duel spirits on the ground. As they picked them up, they also noticed Chumley's Des Koala and Jenny's Tethys, Goddess of Light. Not to mention the fact that everyone else but them was still sleeping.

"Wow, that was crazy." Andrew commented

"Yeah. Do you think we just had a hallucination because of those moldy sandwiches?" Jaden asked.

The Ra looked down at his right arm and saw that he still had the armlet he got. "I don't think so."

The Slifer looked down and noticed the medallion around his neck. "Oh, so it was all real."

"Yeah. But at least we're back to one sun." Andrew said looking up toward the sky.

"But still…" Jaden looked at his Winged Kuriboh card. "Something just tells me... the shadows will be back."

Andrew looked at his Phantom Magician card with a serious look. "I agree. We better get ready until then."


And that's that. I hope you guys liked the challenge Andrew passed. Until next time.