Chapter 43: To Infinity and Beyond
(Jaden Yuki POV)
Slowly drifting away…
He was slowly sinking in the waves, floating through dark, murky waters. His body felt weightless, his heart heavy. The tide pushed him forward, and he washed up ungracefully on the beach. The dawning day was already hot and humid, with low winds. The only sounds all around were the subtle swaying of fronds and the cawing of gulls.
"Oi!" Erin's boisterous contralto burst through the quiet melancholy. "There you are. I got your board." Hoisting two surfboards over her shoulder, the tanned girl ran across the steep sands as if they were flat as concrete.
Jaden trudged to his feet, his ginger-brown hair sopping down into his eyes as he coughed up saltwater. He wore a white pair of trunks with red stripes running down the sides while Erin wore her usual black and purple wetsuit. She smiled down at him, her dark blue eyes twinkling while her hair was stringy from the waves. Jaden knew that many on the island found her beautiful, but he couldn't see it. "Man, I feel so disconnected from everything…"
"Well, you ready to head out again?" Erin asked, putting down the boards. Hers was a sleek blade that carved through the water, but Jaden couldn't get the hang of surfing – his balance was completely off.
"Heh, just let me sit down for a second, I'm exhausted." Jaden mustered a ghost of his old smile. She was clearly raring to go, full of energy, but she decided to oblige him anyway and took a seat. Normally, he would have no difficulty matching her energy, but he wasn't the same without his dueling deck.
"What should I do, Erin?" He asked again. She wanted to teach him surfing as a way of getting his mind off of things, but it had failed. He was a duelist, not a surfer. But what is a duelist without cards? What's a craftsman without his tools, or a knight without a sword? Sure, he could go buy some structure decks and make a competent build of some other strategy like zombies or dragons. But he didn't want to do that. Those heroes were his, and he had a bond with them. And now, not only were they taken from him, everyone else had amazing new cards that surpassed all previous limits. The dueling world was abuzz about these Synchro and Xyz monsters, and all of the previously established tenets of the meta were shattered. "What is my place in this new world?"
Erin sighed. "I don't know. There's so much about this that's over my head. It's maddening! I want to know the truth about things, but my understanding is only at a surface level…"
Jaden knew that the universe was full of dark and scary things, but wonders as well. He had tried to run from it, but there was no denying that he was part of a deeper world, regardless of his wishes. "I have dark powers, but why? I have no idea how to use them or what I should use them for." When he tried to remember the nightmares, the word king came up unbidden. Darkness….lion…throne…love…usurpers….he remembered those as well. Moreover, he remembered a pair of eyes, one a shockingly bright teal and the other a burning orange. But apart from that he could not identify any other details. He was thankful he slept well these days, but he burned to know the truth of those visions.
He felt bad for loading this on Erin's shoulders, as she was clearly ill-equipped for it. But there was no one else to talk to about it, and no solutions seemed clear.
"Woah, look at that!" Erin's sudden exclamation jolted Jaden from his uncharacteristically melancholy reverie. Up in the sky was a shooting star of the purest white, the celestial body leaving a snowy trail along the pink and blue sky.
"I've never seen a shooting star before. How cool!" Erin grinned.
"Yeah…that's really something." For some reason, Jaden's eyes were drawn to the comet's path across the stars. But the fixation was only passing, and for the rest of the day he walked aimlessly around the island. He ended up going to sleep around eight, right as the parties were beginning around the island. Jaden could not find the energy to partake in such frivolity, and slept heavily.
That night, a dream visited him again.
He was washed up on another shoreline, in the dream as it had been in life, earlier that day. But the damp weight of his clothes, along with the cold that rattled his bones, seemed too real for a dream. And this seemed no ordinary shoreline.
In the sky was that same comet, a cold alabaster body that cut across space like a wound. Otherwise, the early morning sky had none of the stars in the same places Jaden was used to.
He also didn't remember the planet Jupiter being so close before. The infamous red eye of the fifth planet from the sun seemed to stare down at him. At first, it was blurry, like a watercolor painting. However, before long the swirling orange and white clouds of the nearby planet appeared in sharp relief before Jaden's eyes.
"Space…" Jaden mouthed, the word and its implications encompassing his thoughts. The setting barely shocked his senses, so bizarre his life had been this past year. He rose to his feet easily, his body seeming lighter than usual. Now that he had a better look at the water, he noticed it was more of a darker indigo in color than any sea on Earth he had ever seen. Numbly, Jaden turned from the water to look at the sky, which was also a bizarre shade of indigo. All around him were blooming purple lilies and jasmine, the plants releasing a heavy, sweet scent as they encroached around the sand.
"The stars aren't in the same places. But they are still the same stars as before." Jaden mused before gazing down at his hands. "And just because I have dark powers doesn't mean I am dark, or a bad person. But without cards that are truly my own, I cannot become who I want to be, dark powers or otherwise." Contemplation was not in Jaden's nature, but the words and thoughts naturally occurred to him as he rested in the cool shadows.
"Quite a conundrum. It appears things did not go as you wanted." A voice spoke behind Jaden, causing the redcoat to swivel around. The other being standing on the shoreline was a slim, athletic humanoid covered from head to toe in dark purple armor that glimmered in the water's reflection.
Jaden thought that he looked rather like an Elemental Hero, though certainly one he had never seen before. "Everyone must accept their nature, and that is a sort of destiny. But simultaneously, the knowledge of one's own nature allows for a wider range of choices." The masked man continued cryptically.
"Hey, it looks like this is one of those situations where you know me, but I have no stinking clue who you are. Seems like that's been happening a lot lately. I'm Jaden, Jaden Yuki. Are you Batman?" Jaden could not comprehend the bizarre babbling coming from this guy's mouth, so he tried to restart the conversation.
The man in purple calmly walked to Jaden's side, staring out at the ocean, an ocean that bled into the starry sky at the horizon's edge. "I apologize. You have had no lack of cryptic dreams these past months. But the truth, the real truth, is too much to parse out at once. It would destroy you, as would the power."
"Why don't you try me? I bet I could handle it." People who underestimated him tended to eat their words before long.
"You are angry." The masked hero observed.
"Yeah, because my cards were destroyed by Aster Phoenix." Jaden spat the name. For some reason, he opened up to this stranger and assumed he would know what Jaden was talking about.
"He wasn't responsible for that deed. He was misled by forces beyond his understanding."
"Huh?" Jaden recalled Aster's confusion at the sight of his blank cards. His anger prevented him from seeing it at the time, but Aster's reaction did not fit the absolute conviction he displayed during the fight. "What do you mean, Batman?"
"Rather like you, Aster has powers that he lacks full control of. You noticed it during the duel, I'm sure. A white aura and silver eyes to contrast your black and gold. The Light of Destruction's power courses through his veins and lends to his convictions like an enabler to an addict. Unlike you, however, Aster was not born with such tremendous duel energy. It was nurtured within him by his manager, and best friend. A man named Sartorius." The masked man spoke with tremendous weight, and the name Sartorius gave Jaden chills.
"Sartorius…are you saying he's the reason my cards became this way?" Jaden muttered, comprehending.
"…Somewhat. Sartorius is also a pawn, albeit one step higher on the totem pole than Aster. Your true foe is the light of destruction; a cosmic force that exists in opposition to the darkness of creation within you. The wave was intended to depower you by any means necessary. Not only did it destroy your cards, it upgraded everyone else's in an attempt to permanently neutralize your threat level." The masked man watched Jaden's reaction carefully, as usually people don't take the idea of a godlike entity trying to kill them very well.
"Man, that's totally unchill! Usually, the light is a good thing, right? At least, it's like that in the comics." Jaden put his hands behind his head and whistled. "Wow, that's crazy. So what's the game plan, Bruce?"
At last, the masked man let out a sigh of irritation. "I am not Batman. As for my true name, you'll learn it soon, once you master these." A purple-armored hand reached out to Jaden, a deck of new mint condition cards in wait.
"Woah! What kind of cards are these? I hope they're hero cards!" Jaden grew excited, like a child presented with a cookie. He took the deck, and thumbed through its contents. "Oh yeah, now we're cooking! This is mondo cool, bro!"
"Mondo cool, indeed." The masked hero chuckled. "Aster Phoenix's hero monsters grew more powerful from that wave. With these, you'll be ready to fight him again when the day comes. But first, your powers will need further development. If you are willing, in a week's time I could train you not only in these cards, but in controlling the darkness of creation within."
"Hey, why not! I can always have Bastion do my homework or something, he seems to enjoy it anyways. Lead on, teach!" Jaden pumped his fist in the air, feeling the spirit of a new challenge excite him. With these cards, he was alive again. "By the way, does this mean I get to be Robin?"
"For the last time, I am not Batman!"
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(Zane Truesdale POV)
"I wondered when you would return."
The temple was clean, cold, and dark. Torches lined the rooms. The flame seemed natural but in reality they were electrically generated, the cords painted to blend in with the walls. Within the stone pillars and walls, venous neon blue circuits coursed through. The essence of the place was illusion – it seemed ancient and weathered, but in truth was a sleek modern construct. Zane had never thought much of it before, but his current doubts about Sheppard cast everything about his childhood dojo in a similarly suspicious light.
Though the hall was chilly, mountain air creeping nooks and crannies, Zane was eager to shed his climbing gear. He laid his parka, harness, helmet, and all of his other trappings in a neat pile next to one of the pillars, taking his time to answer the man's question.
Sheppard was clad in a burgundy variant of the Central Academy uniform – Zane wondered briefly why he would personally customize the uniform in this way, but ultimately he didn't really care. Time in the mountains had sharpened some of the man's paunch, though he was still probably a good thirty pounds overweight. His goatee had a little more volume to it, and the thin mustache was gone.
"We have both found ourselves far from the island." Sheppard continued, and indeed the harsh mountain winds couldn't be more different from the balmy sea breeze.
"I graduated. My schooling is finished." Zane scoffed inwardly at the comparison he raised between them. Sheppard graduated from nothing – he was shitcanned by Kaiba and practically sent into exile. And yet, they were driven to the same corner of the world all the same…
"That it has. But your education, well, that never truly finishes, does it?" Sheppard replied. Zane barely managed to avoid openly rolling his eyes.
"No, I suppose not. Indeed, I find myself coming before you once again a student. My previous ways have failed me, and I must know the best way to proceed. I must learn new ways to duel." Zane played along, feigning an ingratiating demeanor.
Sheppard, to his credit, saw right through it. He laughed genially. "Oh Zane, it was never in your nature to grovel. I see the truth in your eyes – you desire power, as you always have. It's always been the same, since you were a boy."
Zane bristled, but his annoyance was mastered by anticipation. Like a hound, he smelled the impending battle in the air. He still had questions for Sheppard, but he had made his mind up on the climb that he would fight the man anyways, to prove himself to his former teacher.
"You felt the blast, I'm sure. Even as far as here, the cards were transformed and made more powerful. I'm sure your own deck has seen some changes." Sheppard's next words utterly baffled Zane.
"What blast? What are you talking about?" Zane's hands shot to his backpack, withdrawing his deck from within.
"You…didn't see the enormous white wave that blanketed this entire planet? The dueling world is in chaos. All official tournaments have been postponed while the card databases are being reconstructed. The duel disks underwent a mass update, and hundreds upon hundreds of new cards have been found all over the planet. Somehow, we have been thrust into a new age." Sheppard intoned.
Zane thumbed through his deck, not recognizing the contents within. They were still Cyber Dragons, but different from before. Not just different, but more powerful as well. As his eyes darted over the text, his mind already began to think of ways the new cards could work together.
"…I must have been asleep at the time." Zane was not aware of this wave at all. Of course, he had been climbing for the past few days, far away from any contact with civilization. Whatever Sheppard was talking about, his deck had changed. And that meant everyone else's did as well. Zane's mind wandered to his friends at Duel Academy, along with Aster Phoenix. "That means his cards have become stronger as well." The Kaiser muttered.
"You mean your friend Jamie?" Sheppard misunderstood Zane's words. "I suppose he would be the top student in Obelisk Blue now. And one of Kaiba's dogs, if my understanding is correct." His haughty tone told Zane exactly what he thought of that.
"Most call Jamie a lion, not a dog. If you start with that, the animal metaphors will get too confusing. Besides, I was talking about Aster Phoenix." Zane replied blandly. "If I wish to advance in my pro career, I will have to face him again. To do that, I will need new cards, especially if his deck has grown stronger due to this wave or whatever. That's why I want to know what's in the box."
"The Box" had been a subject of niggling curiosity for Zane since he had first begun training here. When the five great duel academies were first undergoing construction, many rich parents with the foresight to anticipate the game's growing validity as a career path sent their children to training camps all over the globe, clamoring for a place of power in the new world that Seto Kaiba was creating.
The Truesdale's were one such family. From the beginning, Zane was forged to be a great duelist. His father worked in real estate, but Zane found the idea of flipping cards more appealing than flipping houses since he could first read the cards. Though he was blessed with a privileged childhood, months up in the mountains of Nepal hardened Zane with a grit and determination that few could match.
Sheppard instilled in him and the other children values of hard work, honor, and fair play. And yet, the box lurked in one of the temple's back rooms. Sheppard insisted that the cards were dark, and expressly forbidden. And yet, he hoarded them anyways. He taught them to duel, and yet when the shadows encroached and demons descended upon the island, he sat back and entrusted countless lives to schoolchildren. If he was truly such a great duelist, why couldn't he have fought? Why send the kids?
"Those cards are forbidden, you know this. I will not allow you to use them for any reason, especially for something as petty as professional striving." Sheppard rebuked his former student from on high.
"Yes, I remember your constant fretting over how very forbidden the cards are. Didn't you realize that would only stoke the flames of my curiosity? You should have told me that they were useless or weak. Besides, a card itself cannot be dishonorable, surely, if the duelist has honor." Zane argued further. "Tell me, if these cards are so powerful, why didn't you use them to defend the island against the Shadow Riders?"
Sheppard finally looked uncomfortable. "I had duties as headmaster that needed seeing to. I couldn't just drop everything and be ready to duel." The excuses rang hollow and weak to Zane's ears. In the past year, Zane had learned that honor was the privilege of the strong, and only those who are also strong duelists garner respect as leaders. It was the same in Obelisk Blue – the place was made of spoiled, entitled children who would only bend to force. They still held honor, fairness, and kindness in some regard, but only if they were backed by undeniable strength, like a silk glove over an iron gauntlet.
"Why not? Crowler seemed capable of balancing teaching with guarding his key. He could have died, you know." Indeed, Zane's esteem for his clownish head of house had risen inestimably after seeing him fight for the lives of his students against Banner.
"I do not believe relying on brute force makes for an effective leader! Dueling is not about the acquisition of power for its own sake, it's about honor and respecting your opponent! What has become of you, Zane?" Sheppard had little to say about Crowler, most likely because any comparison would reflect upon him unfavorably. Zane could feel how useless this conversation was.
"All this talk of honor and respect is only to justify inaction. It's all empty. I must go higher, above this." Zane thought.
"I see that we have come to disagree on many things. Be that as it may, I cannot leave empty-handed." The Kaiser intoned lowly.
"I still believe there is honor in you. There is a good reason the cards you speak of were hidden away. I cannot give them to you, even if I wanted to." Sheppard retreated up the stairs and withdrew an ornate wooden box from a secret compartment on the wall. "But I see that action is the only way to reach you, so I will show you them in a duel."
Zane grinned. "Fine by me." He readied his own cards. Using these new monsters, spells, and traps against his former teacher would test every one of his skills as a duelist. "I rather enjoy settling things by force."
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(Jamie Lancaster POV)
I relished in the relative silence of the dawn and the stillness of the water, the lake's glasslike surface disturbed only by the movement of my fishing bobber. Alexis sat to my back in the canoe, yawning. I took a deep draught of my coffee before rolling the line back in.
"Let's move out a little deeper." I said briefly, and she began to roll her line in as well. Alexis wanted to go fishing with me, so I brought her along this morning. I could tell she found it dreadfully boring, but she made no mention of it. She wouldn't be coming along next time though, and frankly I was glad, for I preferred to fish alone.
"Exciting stuff, yes?" I flashed a sharp smile.
Alexis rolled her eyes. "I figured it wouldn't be a thrill ride, but I just wanted to try it. I'm glad you like it. My father is big into fishing as well. Maybe this summer you could go out with him."
She didn't mention her parents that often, so I found this interesting. "I suppose he taught you, huh? And here I thought you were a natural."
"Well, I was always better at outdoorsy things than my brother, I'll tell you that much. I always used to beat him at tag, foot races, tree climbing, you name it." She laughed, bragging uncharacteristically.
"Well, he's prettier than you, so at least he has that going for him." I joked.
"Always sharp, aren't you? He's finally gotten off of my back about that stupid idol singing garbage. That's one upside about things being so crazy lately. Him and Jasmine have been so tied up with duels lately they haven't had time for anything else." Alexis noted, growing sober.
It was true; now that every student had access to new cards, many ambitious Obelisk Blues were challenging Atticus and Jasmine's places as fourth and fifth ranking officers in the Obelisk Force. Impressively, they were actually beating the challengers back. Jasmine in particular was quickly proving that she had truly earned her position. Alexis, Erin and I scarcely needed to trouble our selves with these upstarts.
In truth, it was Jasmine herself who I was most worried about. I knew that she was catching on to the fact that I hadn't dueled anyone since the new meta dropped. I'm sure many of the Blues had noticed as well. The fact is, I wasn't sure that Divas could compete against some of these archetypes, even ones like Six Samurai. The shoe was on the other foot now – for so long I could be comfortable in the knowledge that I had a power over others. Now, that power was threatened and possibly inadequate in the face of my peers. I cursed myself for not capitalizing on my advantage while I had it, but in the end I still thought it was the right move at the time. I couldn't have anticipated this, and I still had no idea whose plans this paradigm shift served.
"That reminds me, Jasmine has been looking for you." Alexis added.
Lucky me - Jasmine was always such a pleasure to speak with. This couldn't be anything good – hopefully it was only the usual annoyances. "Do you know what for?" I sighed.
Alexis shrugged. "Not sure. But I have a few ideas." She turned around and placed her head on my shoulder. "I wish you two would get along better. I feel like something big is coming soon, and our class needs to be united."
"Yeah…" Alexis did have a point. Jasmine was not a threat by herself, but if she chose to betray me for whatever stupid reason, my true enemies would have another ally to bludgeon me with. It is easier to stamp out sparks than it is to quell a forest fire.
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(Zane Truesdale POV)
Since he lost the roshambo, Zane was forced to take the first turn. An already unfavorable position was compounded by his unfamiliarity with his new cards. The Extra Deck in particular was hard to understand. Not only were there new fusion monsters in there, there were some odd black cards called Exceeds along with them.
"I'll start by casting the spell Cyber Revsystem. This lets me summon Cyber Dragon (2100/1600) from my hand. And while it's on the field, that Cyber Dragon cannot be destroyed by card effects. I'll end with a set card." Zane's familiar slithered onto the battlefield, as sleek and serpentine as always. He probably could have done more, but he still wasn't entirely sure how his new cards synergized.
"Your old style will not reap the same rewards now as it did before, Truesdale. I'll demonstrate that now! I activate the field spell Cyberdark Inferno!" The temple floors around them were wreathed in flame, the heat rising in an unnatural, uniform way to create fiery walls around them.
"While this field is in effect, no Cyberdark monsters can be destroyed or targeted by card effects." Sheppard explained. Zane figured that he would see a Cyberdark monster firsthand soon, so he did not bother asking about them.
"Then, I'll play Allure of Darkness. This lets me draw two cards, as long as I banish a dark monster afterwards. After that, I'll cast Foolish Burial, letting me send a monster from my deck to the grave." Sheppard was playing with speed and command uncharacteristic to his normally lethargic, genial persona – it was as sudden a transformation as any Zane had ever seen.
"Now, I'll summon Cyberdark Keel (800/800) in attack mode!" Sheppard's first monster was a slimmer, smaller version of Zane's Cyber Dragon, only with black plating in lieu of chrome.
"It may look weak, but this monster can grow more powerful by resurrecting fallen creatures from the grave! Cyberdark Keel's effect lets me equip a level three or lower dragon monster from the grave to itself. By equipping Cyberdark Cannon (1600/800), Keel gains its attack points, raising it to 2400!"
Sheppard's mechanical wyrm linked together with a bizarre violet machine with spikes protruding from the chinks in its plating. Now, the monster had a vicious looking tail, heavy and sharp. "Now, I attack your Cyber Dragon!"
With dizzying speed, the Keel flicked its tail, a cannon protruding from the appendage. With unerring accuracy, a proton blast shattered Zane's dragon. (Zane 3700/Sheppard 4000)
"Cyberdark Keel's secondary effect activates when it destroys a monster. After the battle, it deals 300 points of effect damage to you." Zane was lashed by the beast's tail, forcing him to take a step back. There was no denying that the former teacher had won the first exchange of blows. (Zane 3400/Sheppard 4000)
"You have my sympathy in this respect, Truesdale. Were it not for that mysterious blast, your chances would have been much better. But you don't even know how to use those new cards of yours, much less how to combat mine. Was it not your philosophy that a duelist must know how to truly play their cards, and not just use them?" Sheppard bleated.
"Man, I'm hungry. I hope Sheppard's got some food tucked away around here. He certainly doesn't look like he's missed any meals." Zane wasn't listening to a word Sheppard was saying. When he noticed the guy was still flapping his gums, he rolled his eyes.
Fuck me, this guy likes to hear himself talk. No wonder he worked in academia so long." Zane thought wryly, his inner voice taking on the tone of Jamie. He wasn't listening to a word Sheppard was saying. "I think his sense of humor is starting to rub off on me. Of course, Jamie and Atticus are talkers as well. At least their words can make me laugh. This is just tiresome."
"Erm, Truesdale? Are you in there? It's your move? Hello?" Sheppard waved.
"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about…food." Zane cursed his lack of wit.
"…I see. You know, I'm surprised you aren't more focused on these cards of mine, since they're the entire reason you came here and all."
"Indeed they were, but now I am not sure about them. I'll be sure to give you my final opinion when I wield them myself."
Sheppard scowled. "Lancaster's arrogance has been a bad influence on you, Zane. I've never liked that one, skilled duelist though he may be. He treats his cards like tools and judges them only through the lens of usefulness in battle, like a cold prospector. How could you be friends with him, knowing his ways?"
"I would not allow myself to be unduly influenced by Jamie, nor anyone else. He is his own man, as I am." Zane coldly shut down that route of conversation. He suspected Sheppard actually disliked Jamie because he enjoyed a position of influence with Kaiba, while the former headmaster of Duel Academy had been essentially blacklisted from working in academia because of his incompetent handling of the Shadow Riders. But this had little to do with his mission, and he quickly thought no more of it.
"My draw." Again, his mind drifted to the black cards in his extra deck. He read all of them, albeit briefly, but it was obvious how powerful they were. Now, he had to figure out how to use them. "I'll start by playing the spell Cyber Emergency, allowing me to add a Light Machine from deck to hand."
"Then, I'll normal summon Cyber Dragon Core (400/1500) in attack mode." The small, weak circuit core that comprised the Cyber Dragon's main body crawled along the dojo floors. Using the beast's effect, Zane was allowed to search a "Cyber" spell or trap.
"Then, I'll cast the spell Machine Duplication. I remember you taught me this little trick, Sheppard. When I possess a machine with less than 500 attack points on the field, I can call forth two monsters from my deck with the same name as the one I control."
"And Cyber Dragon Core's name is also treated as Cyber Dragon while it is on the field…" Sheppard finished as two larger, full-power Cyber Dragons rose from the ground, posing on either side of Zane's frame, the core looking all the more fragile in the middle. However, all of them were weaker than the Cyberdark Keel.
Zane believed he understood the process behind the summoning technique – something about it was instinctual to him. But now he had to muster the will and the strength to actually do it. Bracing himself, Zane called upon a well of duel energy within him.
"I'll use my two Cyber Dragons as materials to construct the overlay network!" In order to use the black cards, he needed two monsters on the field with equal level stars. They Cyber Dragons each shared a level of five, so he placed the two cards on top of each other in one monster zone. On top of the overlaid Cyber Dragons, he was able to play a monster that exceeded the concept of levels.
"Cyber Dragon, surpass your previous limits and stake your claim in this new era! I Exceed summon the Rank 5 Cyber Dragon Nova (2100/1600)!"
Onto Cyber Dragon's frame formed a chassis of orange and black plating, a red tank of lava-like fluid attaching to its back. Wings of silver expanded from the top of the tank, red veins stretching through them. Gold studs ran along the dragon's body. Twin white spheres lazily circled around the beast's body, leaving pale streaks behind their paths.
Sheppard grit his teeth, his arm shielding his eyes from the monster's intense light. "Incredible…you may have lost your way, but there is no denying your prodigious skills, Zane. To successfully utilize one of the new summoning methods without any training is indeed impressive."
"Of course I c-URK!" Zane lurched forward, his heart suddenly burning inexplicably. Pain shot through his body like electricity, making his teeth ache. "What's going on here? Why does it hurt so badly?"
Sheppard noticed this. "I suspected the new power came at a price. Synchro and Exceed summoning are not native to this world, they were brought over by some unknown force. To use them forces our duel energy to manifest in an unnatural way – some pain is to be expected."
Zane scrunched his face and fought through it. "Success never comes without a price, I know that much. This is nothing to me. In fact, I plan to go one step further!" His teeth set to grinding and his fingers coiled into fists.
Now Sheppard looked truly surprised. "What? How? That shouldn't be possible…
"By using Cyber Dragon Nova as an overlay material, I can evolve to a Rank 6 monster in this special case!" Black and orange energy surged from Zane's body, his frame only observable through a harsh lens of the dusky light. "Heh…you should know that real duelists cannot be coldly quantified by what is already possible…my potential has no limits! I summon Cyber Dragon Infinity (2100/1600)!"
Now, black armor completely covered the Cyber Dragon's chassis, its wings spreading to be nearly as wide as the beast was tall. Its tail extended further and further, coiling and undulating with boundless energy.
"Cyber Dragon Infinity gains 200 attack points for every material it has, meaning it's at 2700." Since the field spell prevented Cyberdarks from being targeted, Zane could not use its other effect…yet. "Now, I'll activate my trap card, Cybernetic Overflow!"
With a high keel, electric power surged from Cyber Dragon Infinity's tail. "I can banish Cyber Dragons from my hand, field, or graveyard to activate this effect. Depending on how many I banish, I can destroy that many cards on the field! But this time, all I need is one. By banishing the Cyber Dragon in my graveyard, I can destroy your field spell!"
With a super explosive wave, the ring of flames encircling the field was blown cleanly away, leaving only charred stone as its legacy. "Grr…when Cyberdark Inferno is destroyed, I can add a "Fusion" card from my deck to my hand." Sheppard remarked, recovering somewhat from the onslaught.
Only, Zane was just getting started. "Now, I use Cyber Dragon Infinity's monster effect! Once per turn, I can target another attack position monster on the field and transform it into an Exceed material. Normally, Exceed monsters only have two, maybe three materials, limiting the usage of their effects. But not this monster. Cyber Dragon Infinity's potential has no end, much like mine. Makes its name rather appropriate, yes?"
Blue electric surges encaged the Cyberdark Keel, forcefully transforming it into another orbiting sphere around Zane's creature, increasing its attack even further to 2900. "You were right, Sheppard…it is a brave new world out there. And I will forge my own way in it, with my own ideals! I attack directly with infinite evolution burst!"
The focused, concentrated wave of plasma bowled over Zane's former sensei, causing him to roll like some poor imitation of Sonic the Hedgehog before he sprawled on the floor. (Zane 3400/Sheppard 1100)
"Urgh…" Sheppard struggled to find his footing. Zane moved to end his turn before another, more intense wave of pain tore through him like a knife through cloth. Zane hissed through clenched teeth. "God, that hurts like a bitch! How am I supposed to duel like this all the time?!"
"...Is this what you wanted, Zane? To let the power control you, for it to punish you as a master would a slave?" This time, the plea seemed truly genuine and worried, but Zane was beyond caring. The pain was nothing. In fact, it was starting to feel good…
"Let your cards do the talking, Sheppard. I'll listen to that. I set a card and end my turn."
"As you wish." The former teacher gave up on words and drew his next card. "I'll start by playing the spell Mind Control, allowing me to gain control of your monster until the end of the turn!"
"No way." Zane responded, one of the orbs around Cyber Dragon Infinity shattering, its aura protecting the beast from the spell's effect. "Once per turn, Cyber Dragon Infinity can negate any effect activation, as long as I give up a material." The dragon's attack power dropped to 2700, still formidable.
"I was hoping you'd do that, because now I have the rest of the turn to employ my real strategy! I'll start by playing Card of Sanctity!" The two duelists replenished their hands, the momentum shifting back into Sheppard's favor.
"And now, I'll play Future Fusion! I'm sure you remember this card well. By sending fusion materials from my deck to the graveyard, I can summon a fusion monster onto my field in two turns. And I choose Five-Headed Dragon!" This allowed Sheppard to send five dragon monsters from his deck to his graveyard. Zane was surprised that Future Fusion hadn't been errata'd by I2 at some point – the card was kinda busted, as its so-called cost was actually a benefit for many decks, allowing them to put useful cards in the graveyard for recurrence or some other purpose. But then, he supposed it would probably become completely useless if they did drop the errata.
"Next, I'll summon Cyberdark Horn (800/800) in attack mode." Much like the Cyberdark Keel, this was a draconic machine in black armored plating, though this creature had a more prominent jaw and claws than the previous one did. "This monster has the same ability as Cyberdark Keel, allowing me to equip a low-level dragon from the grave…however, I'm not going to use it." Sheppard's expression resembled one a teacher might have when presenting a complex problem to a student – it appeared he wasn't ready to give up on Zane yet
Zane was initially puzzled. At his request, he read Cyberdark Horn's text. "Dark-attribute…I think I get it. As long as I can negate it next turn, I should be fine." The Kaiser mulled it over.
"I set two cards and end my turn." Sheppard finished with a wave.
"I can see through your ploy, Sheppard! I draw!" Zane declared aggressively.
"Do you? Let's find out. Activate reverse card, Crush Card Virus!" It was as Zane suspected – Sheppard was taking a page out of his former bosses' playbook. "By sacrificing a Dark-attribute monster with 1000 or less attack points, I can destroy all monsters in your hand or field with greater than 1500 attack points. Including your Cyber Dragon!" As Sheppard spoke, a dark violet wave of toxicity set in on Zane's beast.
"I won't allow it! I activate Cyber Dragon Infinity's effect to negate it!" Zane replied in kind, preparing to stop the disease before it spread.
"As I expected. I would not have played this card without some sort of contingency, Zane. In kind, I chain Solemn Judgment, negating your dragon's effect and destroying it at the cost of half my life points." The bald professor was able to outpace his student by a step, causing the Crush Card Virus to land unabated. Cyber Dragon Infinity was quickly eaten by the malicious virus, leaving Zane defenseless. (Zane 3400/Sheppard 550)
Zane was forced to send a monster from his hand to the grave, leaving him with nothing to mount an offense with. "Damn it…I set a monster and a face-down card before ending my turn." All of that pain for nothing! These new cards were indeed powerful, but far from unbeatable.
"Oh? I'm surprised you have monsters with less than 1500 attack points in your deck. But it matters little. In one more turn my Future Fusion will come to pass, allowing me to summon Five-Headed Dragon to the field. My draw." Sheppard sure loved the sound of his voice, Zane thought again.
"I summon Cyberdark Edge (800/800)." This monster lacked a face like the other two Cyberdarks. Rather, it looked more like a dragonfly, a small central body held up by enormous twin wings, formed by blades. "And from my graveyard, I'll equip Cyberdark Claw (1600/800), raising my monster's total attack to 2400." Another odd mechanical contraption attached to the pair of wings. It resembled a spider, but with steel claws for legs.
"I suspect I won't like your face-down, but I don't need to see for sure. Cyberdark Edge's special effect allows me to attack directly as long I halve the creature's attack power." Sure enough, the Cyberdark Edge was able to fly over Zane's set monster and scratch at him directly. Zane stumbled back a few steps, but was able to stay afoot easily. (Zane 2200/Sheppard 550)
"I'll end with a face-down." Although Zane held the life advantage, Sheppard had him in a pretty bad spot. Not only could he bypass his defenses with Cyberdark Edge, Crush Card Virus was still in effect for two more turns, preventing him from fighting back. Furthermore, next turn Sheppard would get a Five-Headed Dragon to bludgeon him with.
In terms of brute force, Zane couldn't compete. But all of those practices with Jamie clued him in to other ways to win. Jamie could never match the attack power of his strongest monsters, but when he won he did so through sly misdirection and predicting Zane's movements before he could make them, countering and striking when Zane was at his weakest. Now, he had to put himself in that mode in order to win.
It was hard for him to think this way, but a plan began to form before too long. "I can do this! I'll start by playing the spell card Overload Fusion, allowing me to banish machine monsters from my grave in order to fusion summon a Dark Machine from my extra deck! By banishing two Cyber Dragons, I can play Chimeratech Rampage Dragon (2100/1600)!"
Onto Zane's field appeared a small, yet vicious twin-headed dragon, partially clad in the same black and orange armor that characterized the Cyber Dragon Exceed monsters. However, as soon as it appeared, it began to fade away, eaten away by the greedy Crush Card Virus.
Zane didn't look troubled at all, sparking Sheppard's curiosity. "If you wished to test if my trap was still in effect, it clearly does. Perhaps you should surrender, Zane. You still have much to learn."
"About fusion summoning? I think not. I knew perfectly well your crush card was still in effect. I simply needed to get two Cyber Dragons banished, as well as a machine fusion monster in the grave, so I could perform my true fusion summoning! Activate quick-play spell, Cyberload Fusion!"
Sheppard did not look flabbergasted, but clearly was unsure where Zane was going. "During Jaden's duel with Banner, he fusion summoned using monsters from the banished zone. I thought it was an impressive move, so you could imagine how glad I am that I can do that same thing now! By fusing three Cyber Dragons from my banished zone, I can fusion summon Cyber Eternity Dragon (2800/4000)!"
From the snowy mountains slithered in an enormous eastern dragon, lacking wings but making up for it in its seemingly endless body length, stretching to the horizon. Along its chrome plating ran minty green plates that obscured laser cannons. Its appearance rather reminded Zane of the dragon that granted wishes from that one manga his brother read when they were kids…Dragon Piece, was that it? Or was it Bleach? No, that didn't sound right. He couldn't keep track of them all. Either way, he was now in business with a new fusion monster.
"It's fruitless, Truesdale! My Crush Card Virus destroys it all the same!" Sheppard cried. However, even as he spoke, it was clear that the virus was having no effect whatsoever on Zane's new dragon. Indeed, it easily repelled the sickness from its body. "How?"
"When I have a machine fusion monster in my graveyard, Cyber Eternity Dragon can't be targeted or destroyed by any card effects, including your Crush Card Virus. That's why I needed to summon Chimeratech earlier." Zane explained coolly.
"You…you fusion summoned as bait?!" Sheppard slowly realized.
Zane smirked. "I'm afraid so. It's rather refreshing to know firsthand that my Cyber Dragons can prosper in this new world. You should be glad. The legacy of the Cyber Dojo will reach new heights once I return to the pro leagues!"
"You haven't beaten me yet, Truesdale! Even if you attack my Cyberdark Edge, I'll still have enough life points to survive until next turn. And then, my five-headed dragon will end this duel!" Sheppard protested.
"I'll grant you this, you are as skilled as I remember, sensei. It makes your cowardice during the battle with the Shadow Riders all the more shameful. I've seen all I need to, and it's time to finish this. You ought to know that machine decks have a certain card that helps them close out games such as these…sensei." Zane smoothly flipped over the last card in his hand.
Sheppard's eyes widened. "Limiter Removal…."
Cyber Eternity Dragon let out a fearsome roar as its attack points doubled to 5600, its aura sending out shockwaves throughout the temple. "I will not throw away my honor. No matter what you say, I will always try to do the right thing. But I need strength to do that, and I need to fight as befits my nature. That is all."
Turning his back on Sheppard, Zane wordlessly commanded his dragon to attack. Letting loose a volley of deep blue energy blasts, Cyber Eternity Dragon annihilated the Cyberdark Edge and brought the battle to a close. (Zane 2200/Sheppard 0)
Sheppard dropped to his knees in defeat, his head bowed before his former student. He was speechless, his lips working silently as he tried to rationalize what just happened. Zane walked over and took the Cyberdark deck from his fallen opponent's duel disk, placing the cards in his backpack.
"As we agreed." He said coldly. "I still will use my Cyber Dragons primarily, but these may be of some use."
Sheppard was still silent, staring at the floor.
Zane scratched his head. "Hey, uh, this might be kinda awkward, but do you have any food around here? I have to climb down before night falls. Gets kinda cold, you know what I'm saying?"
Sheppard still said nothing, and did not look at him. "Ok, well I'm just gonna look around if that's cool with you. Thanks!" Zane waved ungainly before stalking off in search of the kitchens like a scampering hound.
XxxxxxXXXxXXXXX
(Aster Phoenix POV)
It pleased him to stand in silence here.
The church was empty and dark, a shell that housed lofty trappings of stained glass and organ pipes. It was an appropriate place to ruminate on birth and death, marriage and other matters given cosmic importance.
"This game being one such matter." Aster thought of his new cards, once a child's playthings, now the forty-odd blades with which he would mete vengeance on those who would wrong him. The Destiny Heroes had become stronger from the wave, while Jaden Yuki's Elemental Heroes stood vanquished, their own shells now nothing but weak, thin cardboard, useful only for kindling. It was as plain a sign as any that his faith in the Light had been rewarded, and that punishing Jaden for his idolatrous imitations was in the right.
Then why did it feel so wrong? Was it because of the fact that the wave had manifested beyond his control? Aster had no willing part in bringing about this chaotic new era of Synchros and Exceeds. He was as much a witness as anyone else, not an actor despite his close relationship with the true God. He did not truly want Jaden's cards to be destroyed – the battle was born out of a need to assuage his own sinful pride, no matter how much he cloaked it in lofty words.
"It was a nobly fought battle, Aster." Sartorius' voice broke through the silence, striking to the heart of the matter as always. He walked down the center aisle, meeting him here as they agreed. "You have done a good work. That boy's soul was stained darker than even my gaze could perceive."
Did Sartorius know that Aster did not intend for that result to occur? Did Sartorius plan for this without Aster's knowledge or consent? The thought was troubling to the silver-haired boy. Sartorius was his best friend of many years, and they discussed everything – or so he thought. Now, he wasn't sure how much Sartorius truly shared with him. He found himself in question.
"It is done indeed. Of greater concern to me is work. The pro leagues have all gone on hiatus while Industrial Illusions registers the new card pool in their database. All official tournaments are cancelled until the new banlist drops." Aster spoke coldly. That would take a long time, and some cards still probably wouldn't be banned until they saw tournament play, their exploitations not obvious to the card designers. "My main source of income has dried up."
"Money is only a necessary evil, and we have plenty of it saved up. We are blessed, for the Light nourishes our souls now more than ever." Sartorius smiled with palpable contentedness. Aster didn't feel any different than before, and something about the words rang hollow.
"But we can not rest. Not until the evil is driven from this realm. I believe two other souls at Central Academy are similarly stained black. Jamie Lancaster and Reggie Mackenzie." Sartorius was not shy about naming the sinners.
Their faces appeared vaguely in Aster's mind. Lancaster was the current top-ranking duelist in Obelisk Blue, though he was not as popular as his predecessor, Zane Truesdale. He was said to be a rival to the Kaiser, so Aster did not anticipate he would present too much of an obstacle. Then again, he did not think Jaden Yuki would be much of a challenge either, and the boy pushed him to his limits, far beyond what Truesdale was capable of. The most dangerous part of crossing Jamie's path was the risk of stoking Seto Kaiba's rage – the Lion was a useful servant of the Dragon.
Reggie Mackenzie was the greater mystery. A transfer student from Duel Academy America, she kept her public persona very low-key, always the cold, polite beauty. Her brother was a high-ranking duelist himself, but she was well-known to be his better – her handy defeat of Chazz Princeton at the beginning of the summer made her an appealing prospect to many pro scouts. He disliked how so many boys his age called her an "angel". The sinners, overcome by their vulgar thirsts, likened her wrongly to the blessed children of the light.
"Are they to be vanquished? If so, why couldn't I pursue them after my battle with the false hero?" Aster questioned. These plane trips back and forth were irritating him.
"It was important for you to grow familiar with your new cards first. I would not have wanted you to rush into a situation without knowing the full scope of your powers." Sartorius waved his hand.
Oh, that made a lot of sense. Sartorius was always right about these things. He shouldn't doubt Sartorius. Sartorius is always right. "Wait, why does my head feel so weird?" Blinking rapidly, Aster shook his head to ward off the odd numbness that was creeping through his brain.
"Oh? Are you feeling alright, Aster? Shall I get some water?" Sartorius asked with friendly concern.
"That's alright. I think I need to get some better sleep." Aster frowned, now feeling normal. Sartorius nodded sagely.
"That is important. By all means, rest up. Next week, we shall depart for Central Academy to begin the mass conversion of these pathetic chattel." Sartorius said with a calm smile.
"What did you say?" Aster didn't catch that last part.
"I said next week, we'll depart for Central Academy to spread the good word of the Lord."
"Oh, that sounds good. Sorry, must be an echo in here." Aster couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right here, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.
"You're probably just tired. Sleep well tonight, my friend."
XxXxXxXxXxxxXxXxX
(Jamie Lancaster POV)
"How may I help you, Jasmine?"
I calmly greeted the redhead in the main atrium of Obelisk Blue, the wing that separated the boys and girls dorms. In the center of the room was a fountain, a statue depicting the might blue titan that served as our namesake while water fell from its wings. In the evening, sunlight poured in through the high windows, and there were tables and chairs on either side of the room for studying. This was the same room I had defeated my esteemed former boss Harry and his sidekick. What was her name again….Seika, that's it. Apparently the display was insufficient to ward off the vultures.
Perhaps a sharp reminder is necessary.
Jasmine was surrounded by a gaggle of snickering students. There were a hundred boys and the same number of girls in Obelisk Blue, but during the battles to determine rank I remembered faces and names. All of these duelists present were in the lower half of the Obelisk Force, with the exception of Jasmine and I. Around fifty comprised our audience.
"The great lion emerges from his den!" Jasmine greeted in mocking joviality, her duel disk equipped. I worked my jaw and formed a sharp smile. "I haven't seen your face in almost a week."
"My apologies. I've been feeling a bit ill lately." I spoke the lie baldly. "Classwork has been a bit crazy as well, what with all these new cards."
"Indeed. All of these new cards are really shaking things up. Things just aren't the way they used to be." No one could accuse Jasmine of subtlety, that's for sure.
"You seem to have acquitted yourself rather well. I've seen your dueling as of late, and it's quite impressive. You have my congratulations." I inclined my head stiffly.
"Your congratulations." Jasmine repeated before letting out a sighing laugh. "So arrogant. You really do think you're the next Seto Kaiba, don't you?"
The smile widened as my eyes smoldered with rage. "Is that really what you think? You know, Jasmine, I'm starting to get the impression that you don't like me very much. Why would I get that impression?"
The crowd snickered like hyenas. They smelled blood in the air, and it excited them. I knew that they would never stop poking and prodding at me, not until I was toppled, and my place was taken. Then, they would poke and prod at that person, and on and on the cycle would continue…was it right to create the Obelisk Force?
"Because you duel like an honorless cur, hiding behind trap cards and cheap shit like Marshmallon…because you have no love for your cards, even using that rare Black Luster Soldier without reverence. Because you're an entitled prick who thinks he can tell us what to do just because you wiped Kaiba's ass all summer. Zane is a better man and duelist than you." Jasmine spat, the venom clearly fermenting for a long time.
"Oh, oh." I feigned not caring, but it did really hurt to hear how much she despised me. "Is that all? If it is, I have to head out. Mister Kaiba's ass usually needs wiping around this time of day. He gets cranky if he has to do it himself, you know."
Jasmine snarled and activated her duel disk. "I think your shitty jokes are the worst part, actually. But it's a new era now, and I haven't seen you duel in public since that little flirting with Mackenzie. Some are starting to wonder if you're really still the top dog, or should I say lion, in Obelisk Blue. Maybe Alexis is the one who should be in your place."
I was actually starting to get pissed now. Not because of Jasmine, but because of the foolish pride of these fucking ingrates that made up my house. There were cosmic forces, demons, and all manner of eldritch monstrosities at our doorstep and all these shit-for-brains teenagers can think of is who's hot and who's not.
"Alexis might not want the spotlight, but I guess we shouldn't put the cart before the horse." I activated my own duel disk. I had created another anti-meta build in case something like this happened. Time to see if it was worth it. Sadly, I copped some Thunder King Rai-Oh's right as they went up in price.
"You know, I rather enjoy settling things by force."
A/N
Hope you all enjoyed.
The chapter took a little longer than I thought due to my dog, a cairn terrier Rosie, passing away this past week. She was going on fifteen years old, a very long life for a dog. She passed peacefully, and lived a long and happy life. We adopted her from a shelter back in 2005, a great decision. Not trying to make excuses or fish for sympathy at all, but it was an interruption I felt was relevant for you all to know about.
I realize the Zane/Sheppard duel was similar to canon, but I felt it would be a good way to show off some of the newer cards and of course it is a pivotal part of Zane's arc as well. He is not going down the exact same path as canon – you'll notice he has not taken the name "Hell Kaiser" yet – but as a character I believe he has always secretly craved power and the feeling of crushing his enemies. That would not change because of Jamie's presence. Losing to Aster and the underground duels that followed in canon allowed Zane to utilize a part of himself that he had repressed. In short, I do not believe Zane ever "became evil" in canon, rather I think that he lost the internal battle between honorable, but ultimately empty principles and his truer, bestial nature that thrills from bullying and dominating others. In this story, Zane has not lost that battle yet, although his darker, real self is winning at the moment. It calls an old question into the fold. Is it better to be naturally good, or to overcome one's evil nature through great effort? I believe this is communicated better in the sub version of GX, btw. The dub is good for humor and memes, but the true essence of the show is in the sub, so I definitely endorse it.
Meanwhile, we have Jamie and Jasmine's conflict, which is essentially an amoral power struggle more than anything. Jasmine is very petulant and dislikes the perception that Jamie looks down on her, and now that her dueling has improved with the help of Bastion she wants to humble him. Meanwhile, Jamie doesn't really care about Jasmine that much, but he has no love for her either. Perhaps he could have been nicer to her in the past, but he's not a saint by any means and now the milk is well and truly spilt. I wonder if this will bite him in the ass in a big way? Who knows?
If you know who Jaden's weird dream mentor is, you know that Jaden is going to be putting in work once he gets back from training. You could say that he's going to lay down the law. But that's later on.
Many thanks to the great Jack Wayne for drawing the new cover image for the story! I really appreciate it man. He also has drawn great cover stories for RWBY fics like Captain Dragon by Coeur Al'Aran, Relic of the Future by Coeur Al'Aran, and What Embers Remain by A Stereotypical Gamer, so I'm sure many of you have familiarity with his work. Jack is also writing a very interesting and underrated Yugioh story by the name of Under The Milky Way. If you're looking for some good Yugioh fiction, by all means check his story out.
Anyways, thanks for your continued readership and have a blessed day.