Chapter 1
Lesson

"You must stop the gates from opening!" said a ominous voice that echoed from the darkness. "

What are you talking about?" barked another, he ran up a seemly endless flight of stairs, his brown eyes filled with a sense of fear.

"The gates of hell will let loose a threat of unparallel dogma! Stop them at ANY cost!"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WHERE ARE YOU?" he yelled out into the darkness as he continued to ascend the stairs at a faster rate. Beads of sweat now clouding his vision, his heart a mile a minute.

"James……I have faith in you! Come to me, I shall give you a weapon to fight the evil." the voice said in a sweet female tone. He raced to the top of staircase and opened the door, a bright light bombarded him as he approached inside the inner dwelling of the voice. He saw himself in a pool of water, he had short, neon blue hair, and brown cat-like eyes, his skin a fair dark brown he was a slightly stout fellow wearing a black leather jacket with a Yin-Yang sigh on it. And a dog collar reading "Twilight". after he straightened his appearance he went through to a balcony. And that is where he found the owner of the voice.

"I have waited for you…..for a thousand of years, I sense much power within you." she smiled. her hands concealing an object. James did not speak, he was far too distracted by her beauty. The way her long blonde hair blew into the wind, and her blue eyes, and her dress was marked with ancient symbols on a light blue silk.

"Are you who I think you are?" James asked.

"I am the Elemental Mistress, my name is Doriado. And I have brought you here looking for your help" she spoke. Doriado approached him and held onto his hand with one of her. He was blushing, her hands were covered by a warm and inviting aura.

"I want you to take this card. It will help you seal away the evil that will burst forth into your world. But only if you promise to use it to fight the powers of the" Games Of Darkness.""

"Game Of Darkness?" he asked

"The Games Of Darkness were first used in Egypt over two thousand years ago, there were played to determine the final fate of a person. They were played differently, but in most cases the loser of the games would die!" Doriado said with sadness in her voice.

"THEN WHY DO YOU WANT ME TO FIGHT? I'M ONLY 16!" he blurted out.

"I am aware of this. But you are a "Duelist Of Justice." I know that you can do it. You have the power to stop the madness. I did not chose you for your age, I chose you for your dueling power. But you need someone to guide your hand until you can go on your own. I am here to help you." Doriado spoke softly. Her blue eyes gazed into James's eyes, as if they were peering into his soul for a sign.

"And if I refuse?" James questioned with fear in his voice. Doriado brought him closer to her and said.

"Then I will have to hope that I can find another with your kind of skill. Or both of our worlds will be ruled by the evil one." She harped.

"Who is this evil one? Is it someone I know?"

"I am not even sure who the person is." She waved her hand in a odd gesture. James's shadow rose from the ground and took his form.

"Let us see if you REALLY think you are incapable of handling the task at hand. Lose to him, and I will find another."

"WAIT A MINUTE LADY!" James shouted. "First you tell me that I'm the guy for the job. Now your telling me that you want me to duel a SHADOW?"

"PLEASE!" the shadow barked. "I am more than a shadow, MUCH MORE!" The shadow replied brushing off his red leather jacket.

"THEN WHAT ARE YOU!" James demanded.

"I am the psychical embodiment of all that you fear, all that you hate!" a dueldisk appeared on the arm of the shadow, it was green and black, and in the shape of a dragons wing. "For the sake of propriety, you may address me by the name Shadow! Since that is what I am." he bellowed.

"I'd duel you but I don't have a-" Suddenly a dueldisk appeared on James's hand. It was gold and white and was in the shape of a shield.

"Now, let the test begin." Doriado spoke as the two prepared for combat.

James:4000 Shadow:4000

"I'll start us off!" Shadow bellowed. "I'll set a card face down. Next I'll play the spell card Pot Of Pain."

A pot with jagged edges appeared in front of Shadow.

"This cards sends the top seven cards of my deck to the graveyard. Then I get to draw two new cards."

Seven cards were sucked into the graveyard. When he drew two cards, he snickered.

"What are you laughing about Shadow?" James asked.

"I'll show you, first I'll discard a Night Assailant from my hand to special summon The Tricky in attack mode! (2000/0) And thanks to Night Assailant's effect. I'll get the Mask Of Darkness that my Pot Of Pain sent to the graveyard to my hand." A strange humanoid figure with yellow and green checker patter with horns rose from the ground. "But that's not all!" Smiled Shadow. "For I shall sacrifice The Tricky for the Dark Ruler Ha Des in attack mode (2450/1600)" A green skinned demon with red horns rose from the flames. He was dawned in a strange purple robe with a huge skull on it.

"And that will end my turn. Your turn meat!" Shadow laughed.

"Well, it's time to rock the duel!" James said as he drew a card.
"First I'll play Cute Magician in attack mode (700/0)!" He said. A little girl in a pink witches robe came from a puff of purple smoke. Her long blue hair covered on of her green eyes, in one hand was a giant lollipop that she started to lick as if she did not have a care in the world.

"And what help will she be against Ha Des, the king of hell?" Shadow laughed.

"Whatever. Keep laughing, hope you die from it." James snapped back. He set two cards in the spell and trap zone and ended his turn.

"Your little girlfriend is going to get beat like a dirty rug, Dark Ruler Ha Des. Attack with breath of darkness!" Shadow yelled. The dark ruler opened his mouth, and out from it came a slew of evil energy towards the little magician. Still licking her lollipop. Suddenly, the beam changed direction and flew right around her.

"What?" Shadow pondered.

"It's easy, Cute Magician has a certain charm about her. If you have more cards in your hand than me. She can't be an attack target."

"Well than that means that your out 2450 life points!" Shadow said.

"Well, normally you would be correct….BUT my face down card will settle that matter. GO! MAGIC CYLINDER!"

A card became two cylinders with question marks on them. The blast went in on and out the other straight at Shadow.

"Please! I activate my trap! Fiendish Torment!" He licked his lips as his facedown card sprung up. The portrait depicted a woman receiving a form of water torture, while various fiends cackled in glee at the woman's suffering.

"I get to use this card if opponent activates a spell, or trap card to a FIEND-Type monster attacking. I get to negate the trap. Then I can select a monster on the field and destroy it."

Water rushed onto the field, washing out James's Magic Cylinder while at the same time washing over the Cute Magician. When the flood subsided, the magician was still there. Licking her lollipop if nothing happened.

"Oh. I'm such a SPAZ!" James chuckled, "I also forgot about her second effect. She also can't be destroyed as long as you have more cards than me." James taunted.

"So, I'll just have to end my turn by setting a card from my hand." Shadow remarked. James drew his card. "Okay, now it's time to send Ha Des to hell. I'll play Graceful Charity." An angle in white robes appeared in the sky. She cast a rain of light upon the field. "This allows me to draw three cards. Then I must discard two from my hand, you know give and take." The angle dissents to James, and he hands her two cards. Then she vanished. "Next, I'll summon Chainsaw Insect in attack mode! (2400/0)" a giant insect rose from the earth, its incisors were about the size of it's body, spinning like buzz saws.

"Look man." Darkness exclaimed. "That bug is 50 attack points weaker than my dark ruler. So you must be offering him a snack." Shadow finished.

"Nope," James began. "Your fiend is the snack for my bug!" James placed a spell cards into the dueldisk. "I'll play on Chainsaw Insect, United We Stand!" a card showing two hands shaking, as energy flowed through them. Suddenly, Chainsaw Insect was now more powerful. As Cute Magician channeled her energy to the already burly Insect. "As long as this is on my bug, he'll gain 800 more attack and defense points for each monster face up on my side. INCLUDING MY CHAINSAW INSECT! (4000/1600)" James cried. "NOW MY BIG, BAD, BUG! DESTROY THE DARK RULER!" The insect charged into battle. Incisors primed to gore the dark ruler as it picked up speed. And impaled Ha Des, slicing him in half.

James:4000 Shadow:2450

"Don't feel bad. Chainsaw Insect lets you draw a card if it battles a monster. Think of in as compensation." James smiled. Shadow drawing his card, cackling like a demon.

"YOU FOOL!" Shadow roared in a demonic overtone. "I invoke the power of my trap, Revenge Sacrifice!" The face down card sprung up and a picture of a princess being dropped into a volcano by an angry mob. "This trap springs into action when you destroy a monster I CONTROL! First, I get to sacrifice a monster on your side of the field. " a circle of fire engulfed the Cute Magician, screaming in pain.

"No, my magician!" James cried as she was burned to ash.

"But that's not the best part! Next, I can special summon a monster from my hand. RISE, DES DRAGON! (2300/1200)." a dragon made of pure blood red bone rose from the dirt, roaring loudly into the air. "And his effect is a killer, if I special summon this card from my hand…." The dragon coughed up a black skull which hit the Chainsaw Insect, killing it instantly. James raised his arms to protect himself from the insects remains. "And destroys a monster on the opponents field." Shadow grinned, he pointed a finger and yelled. "You also loss 1400 life points." James panicked.

James:2600 Shadow:2450

"Well, how'd you like that one bitch?" Shadow smiled. "Was it as good for you as it was for me?" he laughed.

"GO TO HELL!" James yelled!

"What? All I asked was how you were feeling." Shadow harped.

"I'll set two cards face down and end my turn." James sighed.

"Now, let me show you how far the darkness reaches!" Shadow said as he drew his card. "I'll remove three Fiend-Type monsters from my graveyard from the game, to summon the lovely Dark Necrofear! (2200/2800)" a shadow ball danced around the field, until it rose up from the ground. She had blue skin, and pointy ears, it eyes were cold as they were yellow, she had a broken doll that she cradled like a baby. "Isn't she radiant?" Shadow asked James. "Her beauty rivals that of even Doriado's." he ended.

"OKAY! I'd like to know your drug dealer. So I can kill him. Because this is the type on thing drugs do to you, like you calling Dark Necrofear beautiful." James lectured.

"But I'm not on any drugs my friend. Unless you count love for my Necrofear. Now my lady, send some of your loving his way!" Shadow exclaimed. A beam of purple energy blasted out of her eyes heading straight towards James.

"Now it's time to use my face down. GO! Magic Arm Shield!" one of James's face down cards sprung up. It showed a shield with two tongs coming out of it. Those very same tongs grabbed Shadow's Des Dragon, in struggled in vain to break free of there grip. "Now your dragon is going to block for me." James said. The blood dragon was placed in the path of the blast, the dragon counter attacked by biting off Dark Necrofear's head.

James:2600 Shadow:2350

"Fine, you got lucky." Shadow said coldly. "But this is far from over. I'll set a card face down and leave it at that." he said. The dragon returned to Shadow's side of the field.

"Now I get to bust a move!" remarked James. "I'll summon Ebon Magician Curran in attack mode (1200/0)." a girl with long brown hair and baby brown eyes, she wore a black hat with bunny ears, accompanied by a black dress with white trim on the top, black tassels with blue trim complete with a blue bow and small bell, which were accented with white frilly trim on the bottom.

"So you little girl is 1200 attack points strong. SO?" Shadow said.

"I'll tell you WHAT! I'll set two cards face down and pass." James said.

"Now it's my turn. GO DES DRAGON! SEE IF SHE TASTES LIKE SUGAR AND SPICE!" Shadow commanded. The blood red dragon reared it's head towards Curran.

"JAMES, DO SOMETHING!" Curran screamed.

"I will, I'll activate Negate Attack." James said. A vortex blocked the dragons access to Curran.

"Could you cut it any closer?" Curran sighed. "Oh, you mean like wait to for it to eat you?" James said sarcastically. "THAT'S NOT FUNNY!" Curran screamed.

"Just be thankful I did ANYTHING at all. You could have been a snack for him, you have no appreciation for anything." James squealed.

"IF YOU TWO ARE FINISHED. I'D LIKE TO GET ON WITH THE DUEL SOMETIME THIS EON!" Shadow yelled.

"I'm just getting warmed up! I'll next use my second face down card." the card rose from the ground. "Ojama Trio!" out of nowhere three ugly little gremlins appeared on Shadow's side of the field, one was green, muscular and had one big eye, another one was skinny and had eyes the protruded from his head like a snails, and the last one was slightly chubby and black. All were small and wore Speedo underwear. Shadow looked like he was about to puke at the very sight of them.

"What the hell are those things doing on my field?" Shadow demanded.

"It's simple, those little guys are Ojama tokens (0/1000), they take up three spaces on your monster zone. They cannot be used for tribute, and if they are destroyed, you lose 300 life points."

"So what? I'll set a monster and end my turn." Shadow bellowed.

"And now." James said as he drew his card. "I'll use Curran's effect. Crack that whip." James said

"Liquorish whip! Yah!" Curran yelled, as her whip flew over the field and into Shadow's face. Shadow was staggering to regain his composers.

"Ow, that hurt and my life points went down." Shadow rubbed his face in the spot Curran whipped him in.

James:2600 Shadow:1150

"Now Curran!" James yelled. "Attack one of his tokens!" James roared. Curran hurled her whip and the yellow one.

"I'll use a trap Staunch Defender." Shadow declare. "It will redirect the attack to one of my other monsters. And it will be my face down monster. The Mask Of Darkness (900/400)!" a worn brown mask with two red x shaped scars was shattered by the pink whip. "Now I'll get back my Revenge Sacrifice from the graveyard due to it's effect." the card was warped to his hand.

"Fine, I'll set a card and end my turn. Let's see what you can do." James challenged.

"DON'T MIND IF I DO!" Shadow answered. "I'll play, SHRINK!" he spoke. "And I'll use it's power on Curran making her more bite size that she was, by cutting her attack in half (600/0)." "This is not good." James thought. "Now my pet. EAT!" the dragon stretched out his head, and swallowed her whole.

James:1700 Shadow:1150

"And now for some added fun." Shadow smiled. "I'll use Ectoplasmer!" Shadow grinned with all teeth. "And when I end my turn which I will now, and even during your turn.." he started. The dragon's essence flew from it's body and sped towards James, he cringed in pain letting out a yell. "I must send one face up monster to the grave. In exchange, I inflect damage to your life points equal to half the original attack points to your life points. And you must do the same."

James:400 Shadow:1150

"This is nuts." James whispered to himself. "I got to beat him his turn. Or I'll lose." he tried to think. Then he got an idea. "Hate to break it to you. But this ends here and NOW!" James declared. "I'll summon Majestic Mech - Ohka in attack mode (2400/1400)!" an angelic machine descended from the sky. It was white with a strange pink pattern, it resembled a lion with wings.

"But that thing is a six star monster." Shadow pondered.

"It's the effect of Ohka, I can normal summon it without tribute, but I must send it to the graveyard at the end of my turn." James answered "Now Ohka, destroy a Ojama token!" Ohka shot from it's mouth a beam of white light which destroyed the green ojama, shattering it in a puff of white smoke. "After that, you lose 300 life points." James remarked.

James:400 Shadow:850

Shadow let out a growl of disgust. "But you forgot about my face down card. REVENGE SACRAFICE!" A circle of fire engulfed Ohka and it was reduced to ash. "And I'll special summon another Des Dragon from my hand!" he laughed in a demonic overtone. The blood red dragon rose from the depths of the earth. "And this is the part where we say ado." Shadow smiled. The skull dragon was preparing to hawk up a blue explosive skull.

"Your right, it is.." James spoke "FOR YOU, I'll play my quick play spell card, Damage Rebound." he said triumphantly. The card forced the dragon to look at it's master.

"No, I LOST? TO YOU?" Shadow shouted in disbelief,

"Yep, your only friend. THE END!" the dragon fired the skull at Shadow, he fell to the ground with anguished screams.

James:400 Shadow:0

James struck a pose with the peace sign. "You got owned!" smiled James.

"This isn't the last time we'll duel. You luck sacking piece of crap!" Shadow hissed as he dispersed back into the darkness. Doriado rushed to James's side.

"I'm sorry I had to do that. But it had to be done. I needed to help you show yourself that you could do it. That you are stronger, smarter, and braver than you think," Doriado said. She showed him a card. "Guard this card with your life. If all else fails, use it. It's true power can only be seen if placed in a deck where earth, water, wind, and fire work in harmony." She smiled at him.

"Thanks Doriado, I do feel a bit more powerful. Thank you for showing me that." He gave her a hug. She was blushing. Once the hug stopped she handed James the card. It was blank, except for an attack, & defense total of 3500.

"And now it is time for you to awaken." Doriado spoke gently. James's vision was bombarded by a bright light.

I tried my best to make the first duel as epic as possible. I tried to make the story as exciting as possible. Please CONSTRUTIVE criticism is welcome, if it suck don't just say it sucks, tell me WHY it sucks!.

Cards that were used

In the Anime:
The Tricky
6-Star/Wind/Spellcaster
Discard 1 card from your hand to special summon this card from your hand

Cards I made up:
Des Dragon
6-Star/Dark/Dragon
This card is also treated as a FIEND-Type monster. When this card is special summoned from your hand, you can destroy one monster on the field and inflict 1400 damage to your opponent's lifepoints.

Fiendish Torment
Counter Trap
This card can only be activated when a Trap card's activation is chained to your FIEND-Type monster's attack. Negate the trap card and destroy it. After that, destroy one monster on the field.

Revenge Sacrifice
Trap Card
You can only activate this card when a monster on your side of the field is destoryed as a result of battle. Tribute 1 monster on the opponents side of the field, special summon a level 6 or lower monster from your hand.

Pot Of Pain
Spell Card
Sent the top 7 cards from your deck to the graveyard. Draw 2 cards.

Cute Magician
1-Star/Dark/Spellcaster
This card cannot be an attack target, or destroyed as long as your opponent has more cards in his/her hand than you.
700 ATK/ 0 DEF

Damage Rebound
Quick-Play Spell
Whenever your opponent inflicts damage to your life points (excluding battle damage), inflict the damage to your opponents life points instead