Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh. I do own Temarocia and everything in it though.

From the logs of Regimond Akutast, Warlord of Lions:

I got another report of a meeting between those four again. It seems that Ruerto has started to make his move, speaking with one of my gate-keepers. I can only assume they made some kind of bizarre deal to earn their freedom during the next running, so I'll have to keep a close eye on them.

Ruerto Masquil, the ex-general who went berserk one day and killed 5000 of his own men within the course of ten minutes. Even stripped of the magical weapons that allowed him to do such an incredible feat he still is a dangerous foe thanks to his mastery of strategy and because of the strange ability he possesses.

His accomplices are also dangerous. Massacre Bull the brute. Raiza the Knive. Guzmo the Traitor. Those four, when working together, are definitely something to worry about. Oh well, let them plot. They won't escape this place as long as I draw breath.

Song of Temarocia

Chapter 11: A Chance Encounter

The Warlord of Lions sat back in his huge leather chair and smiled darkly at the images he was watching in his crystal ball. "It's so beautiful. The carnage these scum bring with them when they think their lives can be saved." He threw back his head and started laughing humorously. "To think, though, that I'd have two Guardians of Mudeia and Kyris the Hell in my midst already! That's the kind of outcome I could normally only dream of."

"Sir," One of the guards off to the side asked. "What about the other intruders? Like that one guy wearing the weird black clothes?"

"Leave them be," The Warlord sneered into the deep expanse of his orb's vision, looking in on the room where the two Guardians and The Hell were clashing. "All of them are of no consequence to me until after the running has come to pass."

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King side-stepped a rusty sword aimed for his head and sent a crushing roundhouse kick across the faces of the three criminals in front of him, easily sending them to the ground. "You guys just aren't trying hard enough. Come on, I need to warm up for this match!" He glanced back at the door to the interrogation room where Jason was located, and where the fool was still screaming out the fake Frenchman's name at the top of his lungs. "Come on Jace, I know you can break free of that."

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Jason screamed at the top of his lungs again and slammed his skull against the metal drilled into the wall, nearly knocking himself unconscious in that one moment as fireworks went off in his brain. "I…need…to…get…outta…here…" He could hear blood dripping somewhere nearby, but his eyes wouldn't work anymore. "Wait for me…Sai…"

"I've heard that wild animals chew off their own legs when they're caught in traps, but even this is way too stupid of an escape method for even an animal to use." A low sigh came from somewhere nearby, and the sound of a chair creaking onto its back legs could be heard.

"Who's there?" Jason collapsed his back against the wall and felt warm blood running down over his eyes, though it didn't matter since he still couldn't see anything. "You here to execute me?"

"Nope." The voice sounded absolutely bored. "I just heard some commotion over the grapevine about a new Grafter that had taken down one of lower officers of Kyris the Hell within the first hour of his birth. That you?"

"Yeah, that's me." Jason sneered coldly, finally getting some of his vision back. All he could see though was a flowing black cape. "Why, you wanna fight?"

"Psh, don't be stupid. If I had come to kill you then you'd be dead, and fighting you like you are would be a waste of time." The man tipped his broad-rimmed black hat back slightly to reveal his golden eyes. "I will tell you this though, kid. You're not very special if you lost that quickly."

"Shut up before I show you how not special I am." Jason squirmed in his bonds, arms straining.

"It's no good trying to break out of there with your Graft." The man crossed his legs and sighed. "Kid, what's the point of fighting against this fate? Why are you battling to free yourself?"

"To kick the ass of a certain blond-haired jerk I know, and then to go rescue my crew." Jason answered this question without any hesitation in his voice.

"Is that it? Can you really be so short-sighted? Is that all your life is, a list of obstacles with no goal in sight?" The man's hat fell over his face and his left arm draped over the back of the crude wooden chair. "Are you really that not worried about your future?"

"You're damn right!" Jason smiled proudly. "I learned when I was kid that if you get too lost in the future that the opportunities of the present will pass you by. That lesson is something I take to heart now, and whenever I start getting too swept up in the stupid drama that erupts around me I remind myself that the world is waiting for me. My goals right now are simple. One is to find King and pummel him, and two is to locate Sai and save her. Beyond that I'll just wing it."

The man threw back his head and started laughing. "Unbelievable, you're the first Grafter I've ever seen who would say something so crazy." His upper lip curled into a crazy grin. "Kid, I like you. Therefore I'm gonna give you a little bit of advice concerning your Graft."

"Heh, sure…let's hear it." Jason closed his eye, feeling a little more at peace now.

"A Graft has a certain integration level with its owner based on the overall similarities and differences between the two." The man stood up and readjusted his wide-brimmed hat. "If you're too hot-headed and the monster your Graft is based on is icy cold then you'll wind up with a combination way too unstable. You can't forget that your Graft is a living creature in your body. If you can work together with it properly then you'll achieve a level of power far stronger than the parts. If you really want to kick the asses of the guys outside this door, then you'll have to find the best way to harness the abilities of your Grafts."

"The best way…" Jason heard a click from below him and the bonds that fastened his arms to his sides went slack, falling to the wayside. "You're freeing me huh?"

"Consider it a service you can pay me back for another time." The man stood up and swept his cape around his body. "Let me offer you a bit of advice though, kid."

"The name ain't kid." Jason groaned and shrugged off the metal bonds, using his now free hands to wipe the blood from his eyes. "Speak up though, what is it you want to tell me?"

"It's about Wild Fusions, something you better keep your eye out for," The man chuckled at the young man's offended tone when he was called a kid. "A Wild Fusion is a sealed orb resembling a jewel about the size of an apple. Think of them as Grafts, but with a will of their own to be absorbed by something."

"A creature that was a Prize Card but wants to be a living creature again, so it lets itself get consumed by a person so it can experience life again?" Jason chuckled weakly and propped himself against the wall of the cell. "That sounds like a pretty sweet deal."

"It is, expect it's got a pretty big downside for some people," The man grinned darkly. "I just thought I'd give you a heads-up about them. The people that have those abilities are called Graftborn, a big difference because they can have other powers from other classes unlike Grafters. Of course that doesn't explain why the Grafter was such a feared class in its time, so let's see what the deal is...shall we?"

He tipped his hat to Jason. "The name's Wing, by the way. See you later, Jason Valerio." Bowing, he suddenly was swallowed up by the shadows of the room and disappeared.

"…" Jason shrugged his shoulders and brought his attention on the door in front of him. "Alright King, it's time to beat your…" He stopped with his eyes wide as he realized that someone was fighting right outside the interrogation room. "It sounds like I'm missing out on all the fun!"

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blood dripping the side of his head, King screamed in pain as he was slapped through the air and into the wall across the hallway, sliding down it leaving red streaks behind him. "You chivalry-challenged cur, where are the bunch of you going with a beautiful lady such as that treasure?" His words were strong, but the tone to them was weak after how much damage he had sustained from the heavy blows this opponent was capable of throwing.

"Where were we going?" Bull laughed heartily before his expression suddenly turned displeased and he back-handed the fake Frenchman down the hallway roughly. "Why should you care, you bowl-haired weirdo?"

"Why should I care, huh?" King stood up and flicked a cigarette into his mouth. "I care because it's the opinion of everyone that is a true gentleman that when a bunch of smelly criminals are walking around with a blond-haired vision of loveliness over their shoulder it can only mean bad things!" He leapt forward and slammed the hell of his right shoe into Bull's chin, sending a shockwave across the room.

The rest of the Massacre's gang started laughing quietly after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence floated through the room.

"Is there any particular reason you're…" King gasped in surprise as Bull grabbed his head in one meaty hand and started squeezing his skull.

"They're laughing," Bull winced as the young man went into a frenzy of kicks against his heavy body, trying to break his crushing grip. "Because they know an idiot when they see one. I'm Massacre Bull, you little fishbowl, or does that not matter to a man of chivalry?" He started spinning around rapidly, twirling King's body with him like it was a rag doll. "I wonder if a gentleman's neck will snap like the neck of any other ordinary guy?"

The rest of his gang started laughing merrily at they watched their boss smash the blond-haired young man through rough formations of rocks, one after another, until King stopped struggling. "Hey Boss, I think you broke your toy."

"Yeah, you're right!" Bull continued laughing as he discarded the unmoving body of King off to his side, wiping the blood that stained his palm against the nearby wall. "Oh well, that kid got what was coming to him. Now let's hurry up, I'm sure the General isn't going to care what our reason was if we don't show up with the price that weirdo gatekeeper wanted."

"Hold it, you big pile of dung." King slowly stumbled to his feet, legs trembling as he lit up another cigarette and took a puff from it. "I won't back down just because of a few broken bones and some blood, so let's keep this fight going. As a gentleman I can't let you harm that lady!"

"Shut up King!" Jason exploded out of the interrogation room and landed a powerful kick to the fake Frenchman's head, flooring him. "You just want her to hang off of you when you rescue her, you pervert!" He turned to glare at Bull. "What're you looking at, tubby?"

"Tubby?" The criminal threw back his head and started laughing heartily. "I like this guy, he's got guts." He reached over and grabbed Alita, throwing the still unconscious girl over his shoulder. "Now though, it's time for us to get to work. Thanks for getting that other guy out of the way."

"…" Jason lifted up one hand slowly. "Hold it, that girl over your shoulder isn't going anywhere. Sorry, but she's with me."

"Well I'm sorry too, but unfortunately if you want her then you'll have to fight me for her." Bull showed off his mouth of ruined teeth. "Do you think you can do it? Can you beat me where your kicking friend couldn't?"

"It doesn't matter whether I can or can't. I will." Jason cracked his knuckles and summoned his Carrier. "You ready to go? I feel like beating the hell out of you…"

"An Adventurer's Duel?" Bull grinned widely and his own Carrier appeared, Life Deck in place. "It's been such a long time, but I can't help myself. Alright, you gutsy little man, let's do it!"

"That's the spirit," Jason sneered. "Don't go running off crying when I destroy you."

"We'll see who gets destroyed in this fight." Bull shouldered Alita to one of his men and tapped the top of his deck five times, the five cards disappearing. "Are you ready to begin?"

"Not yet." Jason narrowed his eyes and glared down at his Life Deck. ("Stonequill wouldn't last long against a guy that could take King's kicks, and Subzero Shark would wind up having similar problems since there isn't a lot of room to maneuver.") A slow sneer crossed his face. "I've decided then, based on what that one guy said. Right now I feel like absolutely beating the living daylights out of you…and there's only one Graft I can think of that would do that perfectly."

"Graft?" Bull blinked in surprise at those words. "Did you say Graft?"

Jason smirked savagely. "Afraid? Don't waste your energy; you'll need it in a second." Then he disappeared within a burning pillar of fire that hit the ceiling above.

"A Grafter…" Bull licked his lips in anticipation. "One of the legendary classes not seen for 400 years…"

"That might be true…" The flames died down to reveal Jason with fire-red hair and eyes, a series of molten tattoos running down his bare arms and smoldering with the power of magma. "But I don't care about stupid facts like that." He sneered and tapped the top of his deck five times. "I just intend to kick your ass, that's all."

Bull- 8000/12000 (2000/2000)

Jason- 8000/5000 (1700/300)

"That's fine; I was hoping you'd be so straightforward." Bull tapped the top of his deck and charged down the hallway towards Jason rapidly. "I activate the technique card Crushing Body Slam!" Shoulder out, he prepared to run the boy over like a car running over a rabbit.

"I activate the technique card Inferno Illusion!" Jason smirked as the air around him grew hot and smoky, and there was suddenly a dozen of him in the hallway. "Come on, let's see you find the real one!"

"Who needs to find the real one?" Bull ran through all of them at once, eleven of them disappearing in a burst of embers while the real one was carried into the wall by the man's massive body. "And just so you know, my special ability doubles all battle damage that both myself and my opponent receives."

Bull- 8000/11500

Jason- 4000/4400

Jason coughed up a spray of blood, eyes squinted shut as he felt his bones being compressed roughly.

"Do you see now, my power?" Bull smirked and grabbed Jason by the head roughly. "I activate the spell card Combo, allowing me to play another technique and attack again!" His meaty palm engulfed the boy's head and started spinning around rapidly. "I activate the technique card Super Body Spin! For every object you hit you'll take 500 effect damage, and in this hallway it's inevitable that you'll be finished off by this attack!"

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Daniel twisted backwards while blocking a wave of blood-red fire that erupted from Kyris's rapier and nearly burned him. "You don't seem to be giving this fight your full attention."

"You'd be correct." Kyris side-stepped Deondre as the Assassin attempted to stab him in the back. "I'm more concerned with the young men fighting to try and rescue your precious Princess Alita."

"What did you say?" Daniel launched forward and tried to land a blow, but quickly found himself hurtling backwards as Deondre shoulder-tackled him out of the way of a roaring series of sword slashes that left the air glowing a blood-red color in their wake.

"Calm down," The Cross of Shadows whispered into his friend's ear. "If you keep at it like this then it won't matter whether the princess is in danger or not. Focus. You aren't a fighter, you're a seer. So start seeing what he is going to do, and let us try to end this fight as quickly as possible."

"As much as you wish it was that easy," Kyris held his sword out in front of him and smiled leisurely. "I have to disappoint you by saying that one man's ability to predict the future won't help you beat me if you can't do anything about it."

"We'll just have to test that theory, now won't we?" Daniel pushed his grey glasses up the bridge of his nose and held Future Edge in front of him. "Fifteen Second Prediction!"

"Fifteen seconds?" Kyris suddenly leapt forward, slashing downwards and quickly switching directions as he appeared to the Seer's side in mid-swing. "You don't have…" His eyes widened barely as he realized that his attack was suddenly blocked, Daniel having already moved into position to stop him.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Kyris," The Seer grinned mildly as The Hell was forced to quickly retreat before he got a pair of stilettos in the spine. "But if the princess is here then we can't afford to lose to you. This battle will be ours!"

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Bull dropped the bloody body of Jason in front of him and gripped his head in his hands, groaning dizzily. "I think I might have overdone it…"

Bull- 8000/10000

Jason- 500/4400

Teeth clenched tightly in pain, Jason suddenly stood up. For a few moments it looked like he was ready to continue, and then he collapsed to his knees coughing up a spray of blood.

"It looks like this fight is already over." Bull sighed sadly. "If this is the level of your power then what can you protect? Even the fishbowl hair boy lasted longer than that."

"…damn it…" Jason's fist clenched so tightly that the blood coming from it stopped. "I won't lose here. I swore I'd kick your ass, and that's exactly what I'll do! I'll burn you away!" He screamed and forced himself to stand, the molten glow of his tattoos growing brighter and brighter. "It's my turn!"

After tapping the top card of his deck he suddenly launched forward and slammed his knee into Bull's stomach, sending the large-bodied man skidding backwards into a wall. "I'm tired of it…"

"Huh?" Bull had barely been affected by his impact against the wall. "What are you tired of?"

"I'm tired of losing." Jason's wounds started to sizzle loudly. "I'm tired of being in last place. I will win this fight!" Then he disappeared. ("You said that if my outlook matched the outlook of my Graft that I'd be stronger, right Wing? Well this is the moment of proof! Will I become stronger or not?")

Bull looked around the small hallway in confusion. "Are you running away, boy? Did you get scared of losing your life?"

Jason appeared down the hallway a little bit, his trademark sneer on his face. "If I ran away from a fight then my life wouldn't be worth anything…and why not gamble if what you're using doesn't mean a thing to you?"

Bull's eyes widened in surprise. ("That sounds just like Alita Meijer…") "I see, so you're the reason she changed demeanors when threatened." His lips curled into a smile and he tapped the top of his deck. "It's my turn, since your shoulder tackle was your attack. It was a wasted effort though, I'm sorry to tell you!" Roaring out he charged towards Jason with one burly fist out to strike.

"Boss!" One of Bull's men yelled out. "He grabbed the girl and the fishbowl haircut guy!"

"What?" Bull blinked in realization, seeing Alita and King behind Jason in the hallway. "What's the meaning of this? Are you going to try and run away with them both?"

"Nope." Jason smiled savagely, the glow around his body getting brighter. "I just didn't want them getting caught in the blast radius…or haven't you noticed something? Just take a good whiff and you'll smell it."

Bull's nostrils flared open, and he immediately blanched. "Lamp Oil?"

"That's right!" Jason hurled the two metal torches he had removed from the wall at Bull. "You said that all battle damage you received would be double…well let's see if that is true or not!"

Bull sputtered and stumbled back as the two extinguished pieces of metal sprayed him with lamp oil. "What does this accomplish?"

"This accomplishes everything." Jason grinned. "I activate the spell card Surprise Attack, letting me use one technique card from my hand. Any damage you receive from that attack is treated as if I scored a direct attack with it! And my choice of technique is Inferno Roar, increasing my attack by 400 and giving me a nice ranged spray attack to use!" Taking a huge deep breath, he exhaled a spray of fire that tore down the hallway, igniting the lamp oil that was soaking everything and turning the entire hallway into an oven. (2100/300) (2100 fire damage doubled by effect of oil, doubled by effect of opponent 8400)

Bull- 0/10000

Jason- 500/8900

Amidst the hellish screams of his men as they were burned alive, Bull could stare in astonishment at the red-haired boy framed in his vision as he fell to the ground. ("It's been so long since I've fought, yet for him to beat me…have I truly been that rusty?")

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Kyris skipped back out of range of a powerful silver-colored slash that left a shimmering tear in the air for a few moments in its wake. There was a strange smile on his face though, as he was still not very worried about the outcome of this fight. ("So the Grafter defeated Massacre Bull huh?") "It seems like your princess is safe, gentlemen."

"That's just dandy." Deondre dropped his sash off to his side and removed his face-mask. "It seems I'll have to take off the kiddy gloves as well though."

"You do what you must, I suppose." Kyris grinned cheerfully at the two right before they began again.

To be continued…