Chapter 37, Nightshroud.
Robin, Alexis, Bastion, Jaden, Chazz, Crowler and Banner was all walking through the halls of the main building, all the lights was off making the building seem a little creepy, knowing that they was all targets for the Shadow riders only made it worst.
Jaden, Chazz and Crowler was all wearing their spirit keys on the outside of their shirts in order to show them off, while Robin, Alexis and Bastion had placed their spirit keys on the inside of their shirts in the hopes that the Shadow riders may not notice them.
Soon the group reached the exit, "Ok, Jaden and Chazz come with me" said Banner as he led the two back to the red dorm.
Crowler turned to Robin and Alexis "Are you two sure that you'll be alright walking back alone" he asked, "Don't worry about us, you just worry about getting Bastion back to his dorm" said Alexis, "Ok, just watch each other's backs" said Crowler as he and Bastion left.
Robin and Alexis started to walk back to their dorms, "So do you think that these Shadow riders are as dangerous as Sheppard made them out to be" asked Alexis, "Considering that Sheppard was too afraid to even walk us back to our dorms, I'd have to say yes" said Robin.
"Do you think we can beat them" asked Alexis, Robin sighed "Well I think me, you and Zane should be ok, although I'm not too sure about the others" he said, Alexis chuckled "I now, Crowler's a terrible duellist, no matter how much he denies it" she said.
Robin and Alexis continued to walk down the path, however unknow to either of them there was someone watching them from the shadows, the hidden figure smile as he saw that the two was alone and far away from any help.
Robin and Alexis continued walking when suddenly the hidden figure appeared before them in a cloud of smoke, "Greeting, I see that Kagemaru was right, that cowered Sheppard did give the spirit keys to his strongest duellist" he said.
"Who are you" said Alexis trying to sound intimidating, "Why how rude of me to not introduce myself, I am Nightshroud, first of the Shadow riders" said the figure.
Nightshroud had dark brown hair that reached past his neck, he was wearing a long black coat with a gold trim, he was also wearing a black dragon mask that covered most of his face.
"I must say it is a shame that you two was chosen to be Key keepers, because now I will have to destroy you both" said Nightshroud, "Not if we destroy you first" said Robin.
Nightshroud looked at Robin with great interest, "I sense much darkness in you boy, I feel you could become much more powerful if you would only embrace it instead of locking it away" he said.
Alexis noticed that Robin seemed to be disturbed by what Nightshroud said, "Are you just going to stand there and talk about darkness, or are you going to duel" she said trying to change the subject.
"As you wish" said Nightshroud as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pendant that the two realised was the other half of the pendant that Jaden received from the Gravekeeper's chief.
"You're the other duellist that defeated that Chief" said Robin looking at the pendant, "So someone else has defeated the Gravekeeper's chief, he must be becoming sloppy" said Nightshroud.
Nightshroud held the pendant above his head and then there was a blinding flash of light, when Robin and Alexis could see again they saw that they had been teleported to an arena surrounded by lava.
"What, where are we" asked Alexis, "This is the island's volcano, I thought it would be the appropriate place for you two to meet you ends" said Nightshroud.
"Now then young man, you have sparked my interest so I think I will begin with you" said Nightshroud as a black duel disk appeared on his arm out of nowhere, "Hold on a second, who said that you get to choose who you duel" said Alexis seemingly annoying Nightshroud.
Nightshroud raised his left arm and Alexis was thrown back by an invisible force and almost fell into the lave, before she could recover a steel cage appeared around her, trapping her inside, "I'm afraid that you are in no position to argue, but don't worry I will kill you next" said Nightshroud.
Robin activated his duel disk, "You're not even going to get a chance to duel her" he said, "We will see about that my boy, let us see if Obelisk blue is truly the strongest dorm in this school" said Nightshroud.
While the two got ready to duel Alexis pulled out her phone and sent a text to Sheppard asking for help, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but no one will be able to reach us in here" said Nightshroud noticing what Alexis was doing.
The duel began and Nightshroud took the first turn, "I play a monster in defence mode and end my turn" he said.
Robin's turn started "I summon Alexandrite dragon in attack mode" said Robin, both Robin and Alexis could tell simply by looking that Alexandrite dragon wasn't a hologram, it was clearly a real monster.
Alexandrite dragon ATK 2000 DEF 100 LV 4 LIGHT dragon.
"I'll use my dragon to attack your monster" said Robin, Alexandrite dragon attacked and destroyed Nightshroud's monster which was revealed to be Red-eyes baby dragon.
Red-eyes baby dragon ATK 1200 DEF 700 LV 3 DARK dragon.
"Excellent work, when Baby dragon is destroyed it allows me to summon a Red-eyes monster from my deck" said Nightshroud as a Red-eyes black dragon appeared on his side of the field, "It also allows me to equip my new monster with the Baby dragon you just destroys, granting the adult Red-eyes 300 more ATK points".
Red-eyes black dragon ATK 2400 DEF 2000 LV 7 DARK dragon.
Red-eyes black dragon ATK 2400 + 300 = 2700.
Robin looked at the Red-eyes in frustration, "I play one card face down and end my turn" he said.
Nightshroud drew his card, "I summon Red-eyes retro dragon in attack mode, now I will attack your monster with the original red-eyes" said Nightshroud, Red-eyes attacked.
Red-eyes retro dragon ATK 1700 DEF 1600 LV 4 DARK dragon.
"I activate my face down card, Shadow spell, not only will this card prevent your dragon from attacking it will also decrease its ATK by 700" said Robin as Red-eyes was ensnared by his trap card.
Red-eyes black dragon ATK 2700 – 700 = 2000.
"Clever, I activate the spell card Foolish burial, this will let me send a monster card from my deck to the graveyard, now I end my turn" said Nightshroud as he sent Red-eyes darkness metal dragon to the graveyard.
Robin started his turn, "I summon Breaker in attack mode" because Breaker was normal summoned he gained a spell counter and 300 ATK points.
Breaker the magical warrior ATK 1600 DEF 1000 LV 4 DARK spellcaster.
Breaker the magical warrior ATK 1600 + 300 = 1900.
"Next I'll equip Alexandrite dragon with the spell card Mage power, this will give my dragon 500 more ATK and DEF points for every spell or trap card on my side of the field" explained Robin.
Alexandrite dragon ATK 2000 + 1000 = 3000 DEF 100 + 1000 = 1100.
"Breaker attack Retro dragon" said Robin, Red-eyes retro dragon was destroyed by Breaker, "Now Alexandrite dragon destroy that Red-eyes", Alexandrite dragon attacked and destroyed Red-eyes black dragon.
Nightshroud LP 4000 – 200 = 3800.
Nightshroud LP 3800 – 1000 = 2800.
Because Red-eyes was destroyed Shadow spell also went to the graveyard reducing Alexandrite dragon's ATK and DEF by 500.
Alexandrite dragon ATK 3000 – 500 = 2500 DEF 1100 – 500 = 600.
Nightshroud didn't seem to mind the fact that he just lost a large portion of his LP, in fact he seemed to be focusing on Robin more than he was the duel.
"Strange, I can still sense a darkness within you, but you don't seem to be able to access it at this moment in time, how disappointing I was hoping that you would have presented me with a challenge" said Nightshroud.
Nightshroud's turn started, "I'll begin by activating the spell card Monster reburn to special summon Red-eyes darkness metal dragon from my graveyard" said Nightshroud, "Oh crap, not that one" said Robin as the metal dragon appeared on the field.
Red-eyes darkness metal dragon ATK 2800 DEF 2400 LV 10 DARK dragon.
"Now I'll use Darkness metal dragon's effect to summon a dragon from my graveyard, be reburn Red-eyes black dragon" said Nightshroud as Red-eyes returned to the field.
Red-eyes black dragon ATK 2400 DEF 2000 LV 7 DARK dragon.
"Red-eyes black dragon destroy Breaker" ordered Nightshroud, Breaker was destroyed by Red-eyes, "Now Darkness metal dragon attack Alexandrite dragon" Darkness metal dragon attacked and destroyed Alexandrite dragon.
Robin LP 4000 – 500 = 3500.
Robin LP 3500 – 300 = 3200.
Robin felt an intense pain as his LP dropped, however he stayed on his feet, "I see this isn't your first shadow game, impressive" said Nightshroud.
Robin drew his card, "Perfect" he thought as he looked at the card he just drew, "I activate Swords of revealing light, this will prevent you from attacking for three turns, now I'll play a monster in defence mode and end my turn" he said.
Nightshroud started his turn, "I tribute Red-eyes black dragon to summon Red-eyes darkness dragon, this card will gain 300 ATK points for ever dragon monster in my graveyard" he said as his new dragon appeared on the field.
Red-eyes darkness dragon ATK 2400 DEF 2000 LV 9 DARK dragon.
Red-eyes darkness dragon ATK 2400 + 900 = 3300.
"Now I use Darkness metal dragon's effect to revive my Red-eyes" said Nightshroud as the original Red-eyes returned to the field, "I end my turn".
Red-eyes black dragon ATK 2400 DEF 2000 LV 7 DARK dragon.
Red-eyes darkness dragon ATK 3300 – 300 = 3000.
Robin started his turn, "I play a monster in defence mode and end my turn" he said.
Nightshroud drew his card, "I activate the spell card Cards of the red stone, this card lets me discard one level 7 Red-eyes monster from my hand in order to draw two cards, then I can send one level 7 Red-eyes monster from my deck to the graveyard as well" he said.
Nightshroud discarded Red-eyes black flare dragon, drew two cards, and then he sent another copy of Red-eyes black dragon from his deck to the graveyard.
Red-eyes darkness dragon ATK 3000 + 600 = 3600.
"Now I'll use Darkness metal dragon to revive Black flare dragon, then I'll normal summon Black flare dragon so he gains his effects" said Nightshroud.
Red-eyes black flare dragon ATK 2400 DEF 2000 LV 7 DARK dragon.
Red-eyes darkness dragon ATK 3600 – 300 = 3300.
A sinister smile crept onto Nightshroud's face, "Prepare to burn in agony, I activate Inferno fire blast, since I control a Red-eyes black dragon this card will deal damage to your life points equal to its original ATK" he explained.
Robin's eyes widened in fear as Red-eyes charged a large fire ball and fired it directly at his head, acting on instinct Robin covered his head with his hands just as the fire ball hit.
Robin LP 3200 – 2400 = 800.
Alexis watched as the fire ball hit Robin and he screamed out in pain, the fire ball created a large wall of smoke making it impossible for Alexis to see Robin, slowly the smoke cleared and Alexis saw that Robin had fallen onto his knees.
Robin was on his knees and had tears rolling down his face, he was in complete agony, the fire ball had left him badly burned, there was burns on most of his skin the worst of which was on his hands, and there was large holes in his clothes where the fire had burnt through.
Strangely Robin's duel disk and cards had been completely unaffected by the fire, the only other thing that had been unaffected was his face and head which he had covered with his hands.
Alexis tried to break though the cage and help Robin, she could tell just by looking that he was struggling to stay conscious, "It's your turn, that is if you can even continue this duel" said Nightshroud.
Robin had dropped the cards in his hand when the fire ball hit, slowly he picked up his dropped cards with shacking hands, "I tribute my two monsters to summon Buster blader" he whimpered, Buster blader appeared on the field and thanks to his effect gained 500 ATK points for every dragon on Nightshroud's side of the field and in his graveyard.
Buster blader ATK 2600 DEF 2300 LV 7 EARTH warrior.
Buster blader ATK 2600 + 3500 = 6100.
"Attack Red-eyes" Robin almost cried, Nightshroud watched in horror as Buster blader attacked Red-eye black dragon, he had expected Robin to give up after that last attack, Red-eyes was destroyed.
Nightshroud LP 2800 – 3700 = 0.
Nightshroud screamed in pain as his LP dropped to 0 and he fell to the ground, all of the monsters disappeared and there was a blinding flash of light, when the light cleared everyone was outside of the volcano.
Alexis immediately ran to Robin who was struggling to stay on his feet, Robin looked at Alexis with both pain and exhaustion in his eyes, "Alexis" he whispered as he passed out and fell forward.
Alexis caught Robin and cradled him in her arms, she looked at Robin's injuries and tears fell from her eyes, Robin was taking short quick breaths, "Robin please don't die, oh god please don't die" whispered Alexis.
"Look, their over there" shouted a voice, Alexis looked up and saw several members of the school's security team running towards them, clearly Sheppard must of sent them after receiving Alexis's text.
The head of security knelt down and looked at Robin, "We need to get this boy to the infirmary A,S,A,P" he said to the rest of the team, Alexis though a little reluctant handed Robin over to the head of security.
While the security team was busy with Robin, Alexis noticed something out of the corner of her eye, looking closer she realised that it was Nightshroud lying face down, Alexis felt pure rage run through her body just by looking at him.
Alexis approached Nightshroud and realised that he was still alive but unconscious, "You, you could have killed Robin" she thought, Alexis's hand subconsciously began to move towards a large rock.
Nightshroud moaned and rolled over slightly, showing that his mask was gone revealing his face, as soon as she saw Nightshrouds face Alexis dropped the rock she was now holding in her hand.
Alexis expression turned from pure rage to pure horror as she stared at Nightshroud's face, it was face she recognised immediately, quietly she whispered his name, "Atticus".
