State of the Meta

by Yung Warrior

A self-insert in which a competitive player from 2016 finds himself warped into the world of GX. Between adjusting his deck to make up for the inverted power creep, making grades, and saving the world, there's much to do, but all good players know how to adapt to their circumstances. SI-OC, 1st Person POV

55. Dead Men Don't Wear Duel Disks

Chapter 55: Dead Men Don't Wear Duel Disks

Songs - I've been on a bit of VGM kick lately so bear with me.

(Aster vs DD)

Mega Man 3 OST – Protoman's Whistle

Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 2 OST - Lost Courage

Shadow The Hedgehog OST - Black Comet

Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters Japanese OST – Jonouchi's Burning Emotions

(Erin vs Jasmine)

Dragon Ball FighterZ OST – Kefla's Theme

Splatoon OST – Seaskape

Sonic 06 OST – Wave Ocean – The Water's Edge

Sonic 06 OST – Wave Ocean – The Inlet

The following card games were filmed between 9 AM and 10 AM.

(Aster Phoenix POV)

"What are you doing here?" Aster stared down the black-haired man. There were many people he might have expected to accompany Sartorius in his attack on the island. But this…how could this be possible?

"Fulfilling my destiny. Helping to end the cursed game of Duel Monsters for all time. Guiding a lost lamb back into the flock." The goateed man's glasses glinted, his tie flapping furiously in the wind. His suit was of the same make as Aster's. The only difference was the color -his blazer was a muted charcoal, paired with a navy blue shirt. Aster's was a more eye-catching, gleaming silver, along with an indigo tie and a black undershirt that frankly was causing him grief in this warm climate.

"What?!" Aster could not believe the bold declarations. This man was his legal guardian, his foster father. Having discarded his old, ordinary name, the man went by the self-made moniker of DD in the pro leagues, where he was a high-ranking duelist. He had even spent some years atop the Japanese pro league, although most everyone agreed this was due moreso due to his cunning and slippery dueling style than traditionally considered power. None would be so bold or foolish as to compare DD favorably to the likes of Kaiba or Joey Wheeler, but he was an impressive warrior in his own right.

Indeed, DD had helped shape Aster's dueling techniques when he took him in as a ward. After the deaths of Riser and Julia Phoenix, DD's was Aster's only living family – a cousin on his mother's side. However, his busy career as a pro duelist meant that Aster was mostly in the care of a hired sitter before the boy eventually grew old enough to act independently.

Aster never had any reason to think ill of his caretaker -perhaps he was a little distant at times, but even as a little kid Aster could understand the demanding nature of a pro duelist's career. Besides, he spent most of his time with Sartorius anyways…which Aster was beginning to think wasn't an accident.

"Why? Why are you siding with Sartorius? If he wins, this planet will be destroyed!"

"The light's children will live on in an eternal garden, formed from the harvested energy of the slain. A clean world, free of sinners." DD said, and white energy exploded around him. Clearly, he was a complete and total puppet of the Light of Destruction. The only question was for long? Did the man ever have a will of his own?

Aster felt the power of the Light within him as well – it was identical to his opponent, and howled in recognition as it tried to overwhelm Aster's consciousness. But Aster was a slave no longer. He retained and tempered the Light within his spirit, using it with the utmost judiciousness. "Does this power have any potential use for good? Is it completely evil? How could that be when light otherwise brings life?"

Aster had struggled with these questions since his duels against Jaden. "If he can harness the darkness without surrendering his fundamental consciousness, I should be able to do the same with the light!" Aster would never admit inferiority to Jaden Yuki in any respect, even if their respective situations were not exactly equivalent. The darkness, loath as he was to admit it, seemed more inclined to peace and harmony than the light. And yet, Aster felt repelled from it. He would never use that power, ever.

"That wasn't much of an answer. But you don't seem interested in conversation anyways." Aster snarked. Battle had a way of revealing the truth.

"I have nothing to say to you anyways, apostate. Tell me, what did the heathens promise you that would sway you so quickly from your place of honor at Sartorius' side? The true believers would give their right hands for the trust he had in you." DD's calm belied murderous intent.

"I saw his true nature. Or rather, I saw how the light's power warped his mind, like it did yours. Neither of you act in accordance with God's will – I see that now!" Aster countered.

"And you do? You, who have been so easily misled all these years? You dare preach of the truth?" DD rubbed salt in.

"I do not claim to know God's will, but I know that is not what you and Sartorius are doing! The universe requires balance and harmony between the forces, not the complete eradication of one or the other!" Aster stood tall.

"And now, I will show you now that my strength is more than enough to command such an influence!" The silver-haired duelist boasted as they activated their duel disks. Aster won the first turn and drew.

"I set a card face-down. Then, I'll summon Destiny Hero Diamond Dude (1400/1600) in attack mode. Using his special ability, I'll excavate the top card of my deck." Aster flipped over Pot of Duality. "Since this card is a normal spell, I can send it to my graveyard and use its effect next turn without a cost! Two set cards ends my move."

"You still use your father's cards after all these years…your loyalty is impressive. Of course, I am using his cards as well. Hero monsters, like yours." DD smirked.

"What? You lie!" Aster could not believe his dad would make other hero cards and not tell him about it.

"There are many things you don't know about Riser Phoenix. Your father created the Legendary Planet cards as well. Why do you think such an idea occurred to him? He was privy to certain secrets that could have severely set back the Light of Destruction's plans. Not to mention that shady business with the Ishtar clan. That's why I ensured his silence with two bullets, one for him and one for your mother. Riser Phoenix was an impressive man, and his son would likely grow up to be one as well. That's why…"

"Impossible! You're just saying that to throw me off balance! I won't believe a word you say!" Still, the thought that the man in front of him was responsible for ripping his world apart filled Aster with a terrible rage. "Shady business with the Ishtar clan…what is he talking about? My dad was an honest man!" But somehow, DD had a way of making him believe it was true…

"Your vision is limited, little Aster. Even this basic gestalt is beyond your comprehension. Nearly a decade ago, the defeat of Zorc Necrophades caused widespread ripples across not only the universe, but across timelines as well. Of course, Earth had become a planet notably high in dark energy after the resurgence of the Millennium Items around a year earlier, but Zorc was a being from the deepest depths, and make no mistake, that demon's source of power was much the same as your friend Jaden's. Never doubt it – they are cut from the same cloth. Indeed, Jaden Yuki's inborn darkness already primed him to be one of the strongest duelists of all time. Once that power is honed…and should he ever use it against you….you'd have no hope against him, none at all." DD suggested.

Aster knew what he was getting at. "Sounds like you just want me to finish your job for you. You guys are already gunning for Jaden, but it's been more difficult than you've anticipated, so you're trying to get me to be your patsy again. Well get this – I'm done being anyone's pawn! I'll show the world that the Light can be used for good, and I'll do it my way! And as for Jaden, I have my own reasons to stay ahead of him."

"Haven't you ever wondered why the Light of Destruction's power comes so easily to you? You were meant to be a check against the darkness, a rival to the Supreme King. That is your destiny. You cannot possibly ally with him while still claiming to use the Light for good, as you put it."

"The universe needs light and darkness to thrive. The forces are equals and opposites, but not necessarily enemies. Their coexistence is the essence of balance." Aster argued back.

"Wrong!" DD grew suddenly angry. "You have made the same sophomoric mistake that so many have made throughout history! Would you claim that a fruit must be half-rotten, or that a room must be only half-cleaned? Light is the universe's natural state – the presence of any speck or grain of darkness is an aberration! That is the truth of balance, and that is why the game of Duel Monsters must be destroyed!"

Aster knew that wasn't true – he knew that darkness and light had good and bad aspects to them. After all, the demon Zorc was banished by the divine light of Horakhty – or so the legends claimed. And when he felt the light course through his veins, Aster knew it to be as neutral a tool as a hammer or wrench. It was up to him to decide what end to use it towards. "You believe erasing the game of Duel Monsters will end the chaos that's been happening on this planet?"

"It's causing chaos across the entire universe, not just this miserable little pebble of a world! Whole planets rend with battles that make this look like child's play. Why else do you think all of this world's elites and leaders are interested in duel monsters? It's a conduit to transcendence and the secrets of the multiverse. I know for a fact that the president of the United States of America secretly plays this card game. We already know there are at least twelve dimensions out there, not counting this one. Those with enhanced duel energy such as a Sartorius are capable of finding tension points where the gaps between the universes are at their weakest – this island is one such place. Something, or rather someone on this island is causing the dimensions to bleed together. I once thought it was Jaden Yuki, but now I believe it is Jamie Lancaster." The D pontificated.

"Lancaster?" Aster couldn't deny that he felt something odd about the Lion of Obelisk's duel energy. It didn't feel right – as if it wasn't the same level of consciousness as other human beings in what Aster conceived of as this dimension. "He duels totally unlike other students here. But that doesn't mean he could really be from another dimension…could it?"

Satisfied to have planted a seed of doubt, DD did not respond to Aster, instead beginning his turn. "I discard a card to special summon Vision Hero Faris (1600/1800)." The summoned creature was humanoid in shape, but its true form could be determined because it was clad head to toe in bright pink armor. It eerily floated in the air.

"When this monster is summoned, I can place a Vision Hero monster from my deck on the field as a continuous spell." Behind the corporeal Faris appeared a faint apparition of another armored monster, this one with navy blue armor and one cyclopean lens in its helmet. "Vision heroes are far more versatile than either Destiny Heroes or Elemental Heroes. In a moment, they can transition between their physical forms as monsters and their ghosts as continuous spells!"

Aster was now realizing how obnoxious it was to be on the receiving end of a "my hero cards are superior" rant, and regretted his previous tirades. But more than that, he wondered about his father's true character for the first time. "Why would my dad make these cards and not tell me about them? Did he not think I could handle them? What was the purpose of creating them?" Of course, Aster had used Vision Hero Vyon in duels before, but he assumed it was a standalone card that was merely meant to support hero decks in general. He had no idea Vision Heroes had their own build.

Regardless, Aster could clearly see that DD was setting up a combo, and was determined to stay focused. "I activate my trap card, Compulsory Evacuation Device! This bounced your Vision Hero Faris back to the hand." The pink hero was jettisoned off the field as suddenly as it came.

"Very well. I'll normal summon Vision Hero Vyon (1000/1200) in attack mode." This one was familiar to Aster, a hero with one glowing red eye in deep purple armor. Now that he paid attention to it, Aster saw they all seemed to only have one eye. "When this card is summoned, I can send a hero monster from my deck to the graveyard." DD sent a card called Vision Hero Minimum Ray. "Then, I'll use Vyon's second effect, banishing the Vision Hero Increase I sent to the graveyard in order to summon Faris in order to add Polymerization to my hand." As he spoke, Aster struggled to keep track of his quick movements.

"Now, I'll tribute Vyon in order to special summon the Vision Hero Increase (900/1100) in my spell zone!" This hero was a tad bulkier than the others, his armor primarily lavender. "When this monster is summoned to the field this way, I can special summon another Vision Hero from my deck to the field! Come forth, Vision Hero Gravito (500/2000)!" It was getting dizzying trying to keep with these new monsters, but this one was fairly distinctive, a genuflected orange knight wielding a shield large enough to cover his entire frame.

"When Gravito is summoned, I can add a banished Vision Hero back to my hand." DD explained as he recovered Vision Hero Increase. "Now, I'll fuse Gravito and the Increase on the field with Polymerization!"

Fittingly, the two heroes slowly dissipated like mist as they swirled together, the smoke eventually forming solid, trailing ribbons that flowed from the armor of a new monster. With black armor, the new hero stood tall with crossed arms. "I summon Vision Hero Adoration (2800/2100)."

Now that Aster could see the culmination of his opponent's move, he felt more confident. "Bring it on!"

"As you wish, boy! I attack with Vision Hero Adoration!" The ribbons suddenly grew hard and sharp, racing towards Aster's Diamond dude despite the lack of any movement from the actual Vision Hero.

"I activate D-Shield! This trap card equips to my Diamond Dude, switching it to defense mode and preventing it from being destroyed by battle!" A crackling purple energy barrier formed around Aster's monster. The ribbons bounced off it, retracting back to the Vision Hero's body while Diamond Dude remained unharmed.

"Very well. I set a card and end my turn." DD concluded, not bothered by the counter play

"I draw. First, the effect of Diamond Dude from last turn activates Now, I can use the ability of the Pot of Duality in my graveyard without any of the costs, meaning I can still special summon this turn." Aster flipped over the three cards at the top of his deck, choosing one to add to his hand while shuffling the other two back into the pile. "Then, I'll cast Destiny Draw, discarding a Destiny Hero to draw two more cards."

"Of course, the card I discarded with my Destiny Hero Malicious (800/800)! By banishing the copy in my graveyard, I can summon a second Malicious from my deck to the field!" The weak, but dead useful demonic hero knelt next to Diamond Dude on the field.

"Next, I'll use Diamond Dude's effect again, flipping over the top card of my deck." Aster was hoping for another normal spell, but it turned out to be a trap card – Destiny Mirage. He shuffled his deck before casting his next spell. "I play Fusion Substitute, combing both Malicious and Diamond Dude on the field!"

Thick, dark energy tinged with purple flames heralded the arrival of Aster's fusion monster. Like the vision heroes, it was armored head to toe, its garb gold and blue in color. The letter D was inscribed on its mask in faded, crusty red. "Fusion summon! Destiny Hero Dystopia (2800/2400)!"

"Hm? I don't recall Riser ever making a card like that." DD noticed idly.

"Somehow, after my second battle with Jaden Yuki, new cards appeared all over the world. Everyone's decks were powered up, and I saw the arrival of many new Destiny Heroes. It was as if the cosmos was granting me what I desired – more power to avenge my father and carry out justice against bastards like you!" Aster's voice was strident as his eyes began to change from blue to silver.

"Most curious. It may have something to do with this place…this island is one such tension point between dimensions. The sheer amount of energy, particularly the clash of light and dark energy, may have caused that reaction. It was an unforeseen variable in Sartorius' plans, and was part of the reason he accelerated his plans." DD said, the light energy around him calming somewhat. "Sooner or later, the dimensional barriers will truly break down, and then…God will punish mankind for its hubris."

"Do not speak for God!" Aster roared. "I activate Dystopia's effect! Upon summon, I can deal burn damage to your life points equal to the attack points of a level four or lower destiny hero monster in my graveyard!" The shade of Diamond Dude briefly flashed as Dystopia shot a dark fireball at DD, the blow finally stemming his tirade while knocking him on his ass. (Aster 4000/DD 2600)

"I can't get past your Vision Hero since our monster's attack points are tied. But I can still do this – I normal summon Destiny Hero Doom Lord (600/800)." A stark white face peered out at DD from within a bloody red shawl, its tattered fabric streaming as the dark hero crossed his arms. "Doom Lord's effect allows me to banish your Vision Hero Adoration for two turns!" The Spawn-esque hero extended a claw, and the area surrounding the Vision Hero seemed to stream and twist before the monster snapped out of time and space itself. "Since I can't attack the turn I use this effect, I'll end with a set card." Aster finished.

"Hmph. I see you've adapted well to the new meta, though you still stubbornly cling to your father's old designs." DD taunted.

Aster made to reply, but mastered his temper just in time. "I can't let him get to me…even if it seems like my past is coming back to bite me more often than not lately."

Quirking an eyebrow at Aster's silence, DD drew his next card. "I activate Card of Sanctity to replenish my hand. Then, I'll set a monster and two face-down cards to end my turn."

"He's playing defensively, as he often does." DD's dueling style in the pro leagues was somewhat similar to Yugi's – he would play subtly and defensively, opting to misdirect the opponent in such a way that they would not detect the trap closing in around them until it was too late. Aster did not intend to suffer such a fate.

"If you want to play like that, so be it! I'll start by activating the field spell Dark City!" The sky turned a mockingly bright blue as flat silhouettes of brick buildings framed the field. "When this field is in play, destiny heroes gain 1000 attack points when they attack a stronger monster!" It wasn't of particular use now, but Aster could definitely defeat Vision Hero Adoration when it returned from the banished zone.

"Then, I'll summon Destiny Hero Decider (1600/1000) in attack mode." Aster's new monster seemed designed for aquatic heroics, the costume slick with reptilian, frilled accents. "Now, let's see what that face-down is! Dystopia attacks!" The dark gold hero shot a volley of purple energy spheres at the unknown target. The blasts ripped through the set Vision Hero Poisoner (900/700)

"I activate my trap card, Apparition! This card lets me special summon a Vision Hero from my deck when one on my field is destroyed, and then I can halve one of your monster's attack points! I'll special summon another Vision Hero Faris to the field in defense mode!" As the pink vision hero floated onto the field, Aster noticed that his Decider's attack points were cut in half to 800. "Faris' effect allows me to place a Vision Hero Minimum Ray from my deck to the spell zone." A ghostly mirage, hard to distinguish exactly, appeared behind Faris.

"He must know about Dystopia's effect." When the fusion monster's attack points were a different value than their original 2800, Aster could destroy a card on the field and restore Dystopia's original points at the same time. Regardless, he couldn't get past the Vision Hero Faris. "At the end of my turn, Decider's effect activates, allowing me to add a hero monster from grave to hand!" Aster recovered his Diamond Dude.

"The time for coddling is long past, Aster. You have not strayed too far, but your refusal to return to the flock is troubling. A firm hand will set you to rights." DD drew. "First, I'll sacrifice my two face-down trap cards to summon Vision Hero Witch Raider (2700/1900) in attack mode!" Somehow, DD was able to use his set cards as tributes, even though they were not monsters. The ensuing monster was a masked woman with flowing blonde hair. Her face was covered with a pale white mask, covered further by a sloped magician's cap. Silver coattails flashed as she brandished some sort of arcane weapon Aster guessed was a rifle of sorts.

"No way! It must be part of the monster's effect!" Aster deduced.

"Right you are! And when Witch Raider is summoned, I can destroy all of your spells and traps!" With rapid-fire shots from the rifle, DD's vision hero wiped away Aster's set cards, as well as his Dark City field. "This is bad! Aster braced himself for the incoming attack.

"Next, I'll special summon Vision Hero Minimum Ray (1200/700) from my spell zone by sacrificing Vision Hero Faris!" The apparition gained sharp detail, showing a small green hero with bright green armor and a bright yellow eye. "When this vision hero is special summoned, I can destroy one of your monsters!" A harsh yellow laser struck Aster's Dystopia, burning it away.

"Your Decider can't be attacked by level six or higher monsters. Lucky for you. Instead, I'll attack your Doom Lord with Witch Raider!" DD's white aura raged as his female hero shot a hole into Aster's doom lord. Aster clutched his side, feeling acute pain at his side as if the shot had pierced through his monster and hit him as well. (Aster 1900/DD 2600)

"That ends my turn." DD said, pausing when he realized Aster was still reeling from the attack. "Aster, the fate of this battle depends on you realizing the truth. If you join us, the rest of these pathetic islanders will be crushed. Lancaster and Mokuba will buckle under the weight of Kaiba's assault, and the King of Darkness will fall by Father Sartorius' hands. The others are no match for you – help us destroy them in the name of the true god!"

Aster struggled to his feet. DD's eyes shone madly. "It is not too late to repent your sin! Just say the word, and all will be forgiven!"

"Forgiven…ha. If I turn back now, I'll never have a moment of freedom in my life ever again. I was allowed some independence before because my will was aligned with Sartorius'. But now that you know I can turn against the Light…how many levels of brainwashing would you use on me? Huh? How many?!" Aster's voice slowly rose into a yell. "I may not be on the same side as this lot – " Aster cocked his head towards the school, silver hair falling into his eyes – "but I know I can never go back. Never again!"

"Oh? Do you sing the song of freedom now, boy?" DD cackled. "No one is truly free. Only fools and children think otherwise."

Aster thought about Jaden. He was childish and annoying, yes, but he enjoyed life much more than Aster ever did. And he seemed possessed of an inner peace that the destiny hero duelist found fascinating. "I'm not sure if that's right or not. I don't know what's right, but I know that the Light's current path is wrong! I will show the world that the Light's power can be used for good!" Aster's own aura was white and clean, and brighter than DD's.

"Good? Freedom? Are you truly so imbecilic as to wave about these platitudes with conviction? You wouldn't know what to do with freedom if you had it. The schemers will use you or the demons will devour you – this is your choice if you reject the Light. The humans are power-hungry imperialists and the Duel Spirits are frothing animals. Both deserve to be destroyed." DD said, and Aster had to admit he had something of a point. But it changed little – Aster had made his bed, and now it was time to lie in it.

"I told you, I'll decide my own path! Draw!" The duel cleared Aster's head from considering the dark and murky paths that awaited his future, if he won. "I sacrifice conviction for doubt and worry. Without the Light's doctrine, what comprises my beliefs?" The silver-haired duelist thought. "That is how the Light tempts me – it gives me the moral superiority and certainty I've always craved. But to live honestly, I must accept that I cannot know everything about the universe – in the search, my life will gain meaning! As a child, I needed a rock to cling to, but now I can swim!"

Two turn passed since Doom Lord's effect, so Vision Hero Adoration returned to DD's field. Aster considered this before making his move. "First, I cast the spell Over Destiny! This magic lets me summon a destiny hero from my deck whose level is half of a destiny hero in my graveyard. So, since I have the level eight Dystopia in my graveyard, I can summon the level four Destiny Hero – Drilldark (1600/1200)." As one might expect, Aster's hero used a giant drill for both an arm and a weapon. It also had a sharp, pointed helmet with a spiral style marking. "Then, I'll use the effect of Fusion Substitute in my graveyard. By banishing the spell, I can return a fusion monster in my graveyard to my extra deck and draw an additional card."

Aster recovered Dystopia and drew another card. "Alright, now I'll use the effect of the second Destiny Hero Malicious in my graveyard, banishing it to summon my third Malicious from the deck!" Aster worried that once the dust finally settled over at Industrial Illusions, they would limit Malicious. It was just a busted card, no two ways about it. Luckily, it was still at three for now, and he would gladly ignore the banlist in such a life-threatening situation anyways.

"Now, I'll sacrifice Malicious, Drilldark, and Decider! Come forth, my blade of conviction! Strike down these false prophets and guide me towards the truth of this universe! Destiny Hero Dogma (3400/2400)!" Great wings cast a shadow over the battlefield as the bull-helmed hero descended, his steel forearm blade glinting in the sun.

"If you doubt my conviction, feel this cold steel and think again! Dogma, attack Vision Hero Adoration!" Aster could have dealt more damage if he attacked Minimum Ray, but if he left Adoration alive DD would be able to use its effect next turn to swing over his Dogma. This was the best course. DD coughed up blood as his monster was shredded into pieces by Dogma's blade. (Aster 1900/DD 2300)

Picking himself up, a noxious purple vision appeared behind DD's remaining monsters. "Since I took damage, I can place Vision Hero Poisoner from my graveyard into my spell zone."

"I set two cards and end my turn." Aster said, feeling the Light's power within him threaten to rage out of control. With great concentration, he was able to quell it once more. "That may be a problem in the future." Aster actually chuckled, even as sweat rolled down his brow. "I'll be grateful if I can just make it through today first."

"You laugh? Don't get cocky!" DD misinterpreted Aster's intent. "God will cut down the arrogant and the proud! It's my turn!"

"That may be, but first Dogma is going to cut your life points in half! Go, divine dividing!" At DD's standby phase, Dogma's slice cut off his fevered words, and the man's breath was taken away. He felt as if his very soul was cut with impossibly sharp steel. (Aster 1900/DD 1150)

"This foolishness has gone on too long! How dare you rebel against the Lord, against me!?"

"I guess I'm just in my edgy rebellious phase." Aster snarked.

DD growled, and Aster's smirk widened as he realized he was winning the mental battle. "Look how frail you've become, guardian." He would always use that cold word instead of father. He never called the man father, not once.

"I'll show you what a true destiny hero is! Your father's ultimate creation! First, I'll cast the spell Vision Release, allowing me to special summon Vision Hero Poisoner (900/700) from my spell zone!" Similar in design to the other vision heroes, this one's armor was a bright, ugly magenta. "When this vision hero manifests from the spell zone, I can halve the attack points of one of your monsters! Go, poison his dogma!"

Positioning its arm cannon, the slim vision hero shot a globule of deadly toxin at Aster's monster. However, in the moment before it would have hit, Dogma seemed to vanish in place, disappearing in the seconds it took for the shot to harmlessly pass through and hit the ground. "Not quite. My trap card, Infinite Impermenance, will negate your monster's effect." Aster smoothly interjected. "Face it, your goose is just about cooked. Let's hurry up and finish this so I can face Sartorius."

"You'd like to think so, boy. But once again, you speak from ignorance. For what I hold in my hand is your father's finest creation, the ultimate destiny card!" DD snarled, his white aura tinged rusty red at the edges now.

"If I had a nickel for every time someone claimed to have the ultimate card or strategy or whatever, I wouldn't need to duel professionally. Show me if you're really serious." Aster declared confidently.

"As you wish! I sacrifice Vision Hero Poisoner, Vision Hero Witch Raider, and Vision Hero Minimum Ray to summon the greatest of all the destiny heroes! Be purified in the rain of blood, prideful apostate! I summon Destiny Hero Plasma (1900/600)!"

"The ultimate destiny hero?" Aster could only repeat incredulously.

The three vision heroes melted into the ground, their shadows pooling along the ground as the sky similarly darkened. "What's going on here?" Alexis was the closest ally to Aster, her back to him as she battled a brainwashed Ra Yellow. "Aster, are you ok?"

"I'm fine…stay back!" Aster barked. Above the two duelists, a dark crimson orb pulsed and throbbed, growing larger as blood swirled around it. Then, it burst open, fleshy red wings unfurling as blood rained down on the battlefield. Aster cursed as his suit was completely ruined and a foul, iron smell overwhelmed his senses. Above him, Destiny Hero Plasma wore imposing draconic armor, comparable in size to Dogma.

"Hey, good call! I'm glad I avoided that!" Alexis briefly smiled at him, none of the blood having landed on her.

"Gee, good for you." Aster rolled his eyes and she chuckled before the two of them focused back on their opponents. "So, that's the ultimate destiny card…not much for attack power."

"That's because of its powerful effect! As long as this monster stands, all of your monster effects on the field are negated! And that's not all – Plasma can absorb one of your monsters every turn and gain half of its attack points! Go, gravity blood!" DD did not seem to mind the pools of blood, despite the Light's penchant for cleanliness.

"So, it's like Relinquished." Aster analyzed, remembering Yugi's legendary match against Pegasus back when he was a little kid. Dogma melted into Plasma's wings, causing the bloody hero's attack points to rise to 3600. "I'm surprised my father would design a card like this. Parents don't tend to like stuff like this. Then again, it wouldn't be the first time this card game rubbed parents the wrong way."

"That's because he didn't truly design it. Oh, perhaps his hand drew the artwork, but it was the Light's notion. These cards are known conduits for the manifestation of powerful magic, and the Lord of Light needed a strong vessel to establish its presence on Earth. This card was the wellspring through which the Lord's presence could spread."

"Hmph. It's more like patient zero for a virus, if you ask me." Aster snarled. "I ought to destroy that filth, so as to purify my dad's memory."

"Ha! You'll never have the chance! Plasma, wipe out the rest of his life points!" DD thrust a hand forward as his hero shot a concentrated steam of dark red energy.

"I activate my trap card, Back to the Front! This lets me summon a monster from my graveyard in defense mode!" Aster called back his Destiny Hero Decider, although it was blown away just as fast, leaving him defenseless.

"That saved your life points for a turn. Let's see what you can do without the ability to use monster effects!" DD taunted.

"I know I can win…the duel isn't over until the last card is played!" Aster thought, unknowingly channeling the beliefs of his rival. "If I fall here, it could mean the end of the human race!" "Draw."

"I'll play my second copy of Destiny Draw, allowing me to discard a Destiny Hero to draw two cards." Aster frantically peeled off the next two cards and couldn't believe his fortune. Or was it providence? His hands trembled and he nearly dropped the cards in his hand.

"What is it? Have you found a way to surpass the ultimate destiny card? I'd like to see you try!" DD said.

"Well, it only negates monster effects, right? So if I activate Misfortune, then Plasma shouldn't be able to do anything about it, right?" Aster replied as the normal spell flipped over on the field. "This spell card inflicts damage equal to half of your monster's attack points!"

DD felt the energy sapped from him by the spell, but remained standing nonetheless. "Ah, but you forget that spell only deals damage equal to half of Plasma's original attack points. Since Plasma only starts with 1900, I only take 950 damage!" (Aster 1900/DD 200)

"Darn, just a little more and I could have won…but I can still make it through! I set a card and end my turn." Aster felt fatigue really set in as his duel energy waned, the silver in his eyes fading to blue and his aura dimming. With a heave, Aster fired up his energy once more, digging deep to find a powerful determination.

"You are skilled, young apostate. In fact, the power you're putting on display surpasses the parameters we expected from Jamie Lancaster." DD stated. "But I can tell you have no reserves left. Even if you survive my next attack, you might not be able to pick yourself up."

"I will find out the truth about the one known as Lancaster." Aster intoned. "If he truly is an agent of chaos as you say, I will defeat him and restore God's peace. The true god, not the abomination you gladly serve in exchange for scraps of power."

"The true god…you are simply rationalizing the fact that your power is that of destruction, not creation. Destruction of the sinners, of the darkness, of the duel spirits, this is the godly task we undertake to lay the foundation for a new world!" DD madly countered. "Besides, Lancaster is currently getting, as you kids like to say, wrecked by Kaiba at the moment."

Aster looked across the battlefield and saw that Jamie and Mokuba were struggling against Seto as they spoke, although the battle looked more pitched than Aster might have predicted. Before Aster could speak further, he felt the ground shake beneath him and tumbled over. DD, along with dozens of other duelists on the island, lost their footing as well. Feeling an immense energy confluence from the volcano, Aster swung around and saw a yellow pillar of light rise skyward from the volcano's maw. He could make out three figures dimly inside the barrier. "That must be Sartorius and Jaden…but who is the third?" Everyone he could think of was on the ground. "What is Sartorius doing?"

"Ha! Father Sartorius must be using that barrier to prevent collateral damage to his followers on the island. The amount of power he and the King of Darkness are exerting could probably destroy the planet!" DD mused.

"Is that really it?" Aster wondered. "After all, a guy who wants to destroy the planet probably shouldn't care much about collateral damage. They're going pretty high…and they're not stopping? Are they going to space?" This was getting to be beyond Aster's pay grade. "Don't mess this up, Jaden! And Sartorius…please, survive, so I can free you from the Light."

"I'm not worried about them! Take your turn!" Aster said more confidently than he felt.

"This pathetic little resistance shall be put to rest! I summon Vision Hero Multiply Guy (800/700) in attack mode!" A tiny hero in cobalt armor stealthily took the field, easy to overlook in comparison to Plasma. "Attack him now!"

DD attacked with the weaker monster just to hurt Aster more, and indeed the silver-haired boy doubled over after a gut elbow from the vision hero. (Aster 1100/DD 200)

"Be cleansed, young one! Plasma, attack!" The viscous stream of bloody power reached towards Aster once more, only to be stopped by a bright green barrier. Aster chuckled. "I play my trap card, Draining Shield! The attack is negated and I gain life points equal to Plasma's attack points!" Instantly, Aster felt his pain fall away. Then came a tremendous rush of energy that nearly took his breath away. Far from being battle-worn, now he felt amazing! (Aster 4500/DD 200)

"You have a talent for delaying your destiny. The blood will reach you, I swear it. I end my turn." DD huffed, out of breath as he teetered on the edge of defeat.

Aster smiled. "I won't let that cursed blood touch me. From today on out, I'm leaving my cursed past behind." He drew. "I summon Destiny Hero Celestial (1600/1400)." The destiny hero was garbed in pitch-black, skintight garb, a silver-bladed disc on its back.

"It's effect is negated by Plasma!" DD shouted in futility, even though he knew the game was finished.

"I know, but I don't need to defeat Plasma. I can't, I'll admit it. You didn't need to summon that pathetic vision hero, but you did just to get one more attack in on me, just to punish me. I would have lost if you didn't summon that card." Aster said as he pointed to Multiply Guy. "You dared too much, you reached too far, and you've risen too high. Time to fall."

Silently, he bid Celestial to attack. DD howled and screamed, his white aura flaring, but Aster heard none of his rabid curses. "He's not even a man anymore, just a puppet, a mad dog with a cruel master." Aster thought as the attack struck true, destroying Multiply Guy and ending the duel. (Aster 4500/DD 0)

"NOOOOOO!" DD's aura immediately turned on him as soon as his life points hit zero. The Light of Destruction rejected his body as unfit, weak, and began devouring the duel energy within. "The same thing will happen to me if I do not master this power." Aster thought.

Aster felt tears form as he watched his foster father fade away, screaming and cursing like a man turned beast. He killed the same man who took care of him for all those years, who helped him start his pro career. "The same man who butchered my parents and stole my birthright." Another part of Aster thought.

Above all else, though, what we felt was neither guilt nor gratification. At the sight of his foster father dying, Aster felt the last chains of the past falling away from him, and the ensuing weightlessness was not good or bad to him. It just was.

And now, beyond this battle, his future was less laid out for him than ever before. The Light did not guide him to do one thing or another, it was only fuel to push him forward, wherever he may go. Wherever he chose.

"Wherever I choose…" Aster thought, the word choose unfamiliar and unwieldy to him. "Mother and Father are dead. So is DD. Sartorius is not who I thought he was. God has never spoken to me, as I thought he once did. There's no one else to look to. I must forge my own path from now on. No one is going to give me a map."

"There will be time to think about it later. For now, I must do my best to help this planet and my people survive. And then, Sartorius, I hope to break the light's hold over you, so that you may be free as well."

XxXxXxXxXxXXXx

(Erin vs Jasmine)

"Sorry Jazz, but it looks like you're gonna have to settle with me. I sure hope you don't mind." Erin grinned, despite some wear and tear apparent from having battled a few of the possessed Ra Yellows. Her tanned skin contrasted with the white and blue uniform, the bruises and wounds from battle even moreso. These were all shadow games (or whatever the opposite could be called with the Ligth of Destruction involved) and the stakes were as high as could be.

It was what Erin had always wanted. The rush of competing made her feel alive, at the top of her game. Especially since one misstep could cost everything. She was denied the chance to be a key keeper last year. Jamie had pushed her away, although their relationship was still cordial, and Alexis ranked above her in the Obelisk Force. But rather than let these setbacks embitter her, Erin tried to use them as fuel for her ambition.

Still, she could understand Jasmine's frustrations. She had improved so quickly with the help of Bastion and the Obelisks, and she was well aware of vast potential still untapped. Erin knew what that was like. "Jasmine didn't choose this." She had to believe. Having been the one to principally train her, Erin knew all about Jasmine's pride and resentment of Jamie. "They are nothing but weights that drag you down."

"I'm glad for this chance, Erin. Now that the lord's fire burns within me, my dueling skills have completely eclipsed my past self. I have surpassed you and Bastion, and Lancaster too. That is the wage of my devotion." Jasmine's eyes were grey and hollow.

Normally, Erin would have written the words off as mindless prattle – only actions mattered in general, and especially now. But something occurred to the water duelist as she heard the name Lancaster. "Tell me, were you truly taken into Sartorius' little cult by force? Or did he make you an offer?" She said, ocean eyes clear and sharp in contrast Jasmine's blank asphalt.

"It doesn't matter now. Either I was saved from my old ways, or it was a choice made by my imperfect self. All that matters is that the Light is with me. And it will be with you too before the day is done. I draw." Jasmine began.

"I'll start by playing the continuous spell Six Samurai United. Then, I'll special summon Elder of the Six Samurai (400/200) to the field using its own effect, since I control no monsters." The air was filled with heady, conflicting smells of incense as a litter carrying one of the samurai's vaunted mentors arrived onto the field. "Then, I'll normal summon the tuner monster Kagemusha of the Six Samurai (400/1800)!" The next monster was far more limber in comparison, a young squire, clad in glowing green raiment.

"Now that I have summoned two Six Samurai monsters, I have two bushido counters on my continuous spell. I can send Six Samurai United to the graveyard to draw two cards. Sadly, I can only draw two, although it would be amazing if I could draw more." Jasmine quickly explained, speaking loudly in order to be heard over the disorder of the hundreds of duels occurring around them.

"Then, I'll tune the level two Kagemusha with the level three Elder to synchro summon the Legendary Six Samurai – Shien (2500/1400)!" The noblest and greatest of the samurai appeared, every edge of his glorious crimson armor sharp enough to cut. His silver katana gleamed as he raised it skyward.

"I'll set two cards and end my turn." Jasmine finished. It was a fairly standard opening move that neither bode well or ill for her. Still, she did the best she could with what she had.

Erin smiled. "Can't you see how amazing it is that you're able to wield your cards like this? Not everyone has attained command of the new cards granted by the blast so easily."

Jasmine sneered. "It wasn't a problem for me. Many Six Samurai cards existed beforehand. It was by the lord of light's will that I be strengthened by these new ones."

"Well, you're not the only one who has a few new tricks." Erin deflected easily. "Unless you think your lord of light decided to make his foes stronger, in the spirit of fairness?"

"You Obelisks," Jasmine began, even though she still wore her blue uniform out of deceptive necessity. If she had it her way, the uniform would be a snowy white with perhaps a few light periwinkle accents, but there was no time for such things. "always have something witty to say. Or what you consider witty, anyways. Now that my life has serious purpose, I have no patience for your little jokes."

"It seems that a sense of humor is incompatible with your church's beliefs." Erin said, remembering Aster Phoenix's portentous words on the day she met him.

"In life, unrelated to one's grades or social standing as determined by man, there are some people who, by nature, are the keys that set destiny in motion. They are the true elite, as dictated by the golden tule of the universe. Who are these keys? What are we destined for? That's what I want to know!"

"Shame, he's a good-looking guy if you can get past the grim prophetic babbling. At least he's on our side now." Erin reflected briefly before drawing for turn.

"First, I'll cast the spell Fury of Kairyu-Shin. This allows me to add the Torrential Tribute trap card from deck to hand." Erin retrieved the powerful trap card and promptly set it, Jasmine allowing the effect to pass through without negating it.

"I'll summon Right Hand Shark (1500/1300) in attack mode!" The monster was more of a piranha than a shark with metal spines protruding from its back at such angles to mimic a human's fingers. "When this card is normal summoned, I can add one copy of Left Hand Shark from deck to hand."

"Then, I play Lightning Vortex! By discarding a card, I can destroy all of your face-up monsters!" Erin began.

As bolts of lightning arced towards her, Jasmine responded in a bored tone, "I will negate that spell with Shien's effect." A massive swipe from the crimson samurai's sword dispelled the electricity.

"That's alright, because now I can activate the effect of Left hand Shark (1300/1500) from my graveyard! When Right Hand Shark is on the field, I can summon it from my graveyard and make its level become four!" The Left Hand Shark was a murky green in hue compared to the navy Right Hand. Erin sent Left Hand to the graveyard in order to activate Lightning Vortex.

"Now, I'll exceed summon!" The blast had given water decks entire toolboxes of strategies to use – there were so many, it was easy for Erin to craft a fast and unpredictable deck. However, there were drawbacks, and she winced at the pain of the foreign summoning method.

"Come forth, the rank four Bahamut Shark (2600/2100)!" Two orbs of turquoise and teal circled around a muscular humanoid shark monster, fin-wings jutting from its sharp shoulders. "And since this monster was summoned using the Right and Left hand sharks as material, it cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects!" Erin thrust a hand forward, causing a rush of bubbles to fly along her muscled arms.

"Now, I'll attack!" The shark pumped a cannon of pressurized water at Jasmine's samurai, successfully wearing it down. (Erin 4000/Jasmine 3900)

"Now, during my main phase two, I'll activate Bahamut Shark's effect! By detaching one material, I can summon one rank three or lower Water Exceed monster from my extra deck!" With another wave of Erin's hands, a geyser erupted from the ground.

"What? How can it have an effect like that? That's total nonsense!" Jasmine protested.

"Actually, it's Toadally Awesome (2200/0)." Erin smiled. The geyser split to reveal a rather unimpressive-looking beige toad with a smaller frog sitting still on top of it.

Jasmine's frustration turned to a scoff. "Oh, really? This is the sum of your game plan? That has to be the dumbest name for a card I've ever heard in my life."

"No arguments there. But you ought to know that appearances can be deceiving at this stage in the game. You have much to learn. I'd be glad to help you again, after this is all over." Erin saw some of herself in Jasmine – the recklessness, the desire to prove oneself. They weren't bad qualities to have at all, but they needed to be honed. "Your move."

"It is you who has much to learn!" Jasmine snapped. "I'll start by playing the continuous spell Six Samurai United. Then, I'll activate my face-down card, Call of the Haunted! This lets me summon back a monster from my graveyard in attack mode, and I choose Shien!" Jasmine's ginger hair flared upwards as she prepared to resurrect her creature. A cloud of mist momentarily obscured her side of the playing field as the trap seemed to work its magic.

However, when the fog cleared, what she saw was not her samurai but Erin's small, statuesque toad on her field. "What? That's not what I was really going for!" Jasmine was obviously not too happy about this.

"That's because I activated Toadally Awesome's ability. By sacrificing it, I can negate one of your effect activations. Furthermore, when Toadally Awesome goes to the graveyard I can return one water monster in the graveyard to my hand. I'll choose to add back Toadally Awesome. However, since it's an exceed monster, it goes back to my extra deck instead of my hand." Erin grinned.

Jasmine knew if she summoned a monster Erin would activate her set Torrential Tribute. "I set a monster and end my turn."

"Draw!" Erin was beginning to feel more confident about her position. "I'll use Bahamut Shark's effect again, detaching one material to special summon Toadally Awesome back to my side!" Once more, the comically still frog took the field.

"Now, I'll attack your face-down monster with Toadally Awesome!" The toad, while unimpressive looking, was still capable of squashing Jasmine's face-down Shien's Footsoldier (700/300).

"When Shien's Footsoldier is destroyed, I can summon one level three or lower Six Samurai from my deck to the field. I'll choose to summon Legendary Six Samurai – Mizuho (1600/1000)." Jasmine's next warrior cut an dashing image, a lithe female figure clad in bold red armor. She wielded two curved blades chained together. Erin allowed the summon to occur, saving Torrential Tribute for later. With one more set card, Erin ended her turn.

Jasmine cautiously planned out her move. "Alright, I'll activate he effect of Legendary Six Samurai – Shinai (1500/1500). Since I have Mizuho on the field, I can special summon this guy for free." The next warrior was bulky, wielding spiked clubs while dressed in shining blue raiment. "Now that I have two Bushido counters on my Six Samurai United spell, I can send it to the graveyard in order to draw two cards."

Jasmine grinned. "Now, I'll activate the continuous spell Gateway of the Six!" The ground beneath their feet glowed with the shining crest of the Six Samurai, lines of light trailing through the dirt.

"This card is so stupid. You just wait until the next banlist, Jazz!" Erin playfully teased.

"There will be no next banlist, I can tell you that. After today, this cursed game will be banished to the annals of history where it belongs." Was Jasmine's grim reply.

Erin knew that seriously engaging with this rhetoric was a waste of time. "So you guys are dueling in order to produce a world without dueling? I guess I shouldn't expect rationality in a death cult's methodology."

"The cards are the only channel through which the massive energies required can be manifested. That is the only reason we even bother with this nonsense. The power produced by duels can make dreams come true. Think about it, Erin! This game holds power over life and death! It's not right that the best duelists have that kind of sway! Everyone lives in peace because Yugi Moto is a humble man who does not wish to impose his will on others. But could you imagine the type of world we'd live in if Seto Kaiba was the number one duelist? Or that schemer Pegasus? Even Joey Wheeler has his faults. Humanity is too flawed to wield this power – it belongs to God alone! And to God it will return, once humanity is destroyed!" Jasmine's voice grew louder, higher, crazed.

"I will not let that happen. Even if you have some sort of supernatural power, you're not God! You don't get to decide the worthiness of humanity! Even if the game of Duel Monsters truly was cursed, I would still fight for humanity! So save your breath and take your turn!" Erin couldn't help but get fired up in response, although she was able to calm down faster than her opponent.

"Very well! I activate Mizuho's effect! By sacrificing another Six Samurai on the field, I can destroy a card on the field, like your face-down!" Shinai vanished in a flash of blue light to power up his comrade. Mizuho rushed toward Erin's set Torrential Tribute. However, before the red warrior could close the distance, Toadally Awesome appeared in her path.

"I'll sacrifice Toadally Awesome to negate your monster's effect and destroy it!" The frog's tongue extended to swallow up Jasmine's samurai, the appendage reaching out slowly, yet inexorably.

"Wrong! I reveal my counter trap, Musakani Magatama! This trap negates and destroys any card that would destroy a six samurai, and your monster qualifies!" In Jasmine's hands was a golden medallion with the emblem of the samurai burned into its face. Holding the talisman high, it glowed with a fierce light that vanquished Erin's toad. Furthermore, Mizuho's effect was now unimpeded, and Erin's Torrential Tribute was destroyed as a result. Due to the toad's effect, Erin got to add Right Hand Shark back to her hand, but it was a small comfort.

"Damn! I should have used it earlier. I relied too much on my toad to negate stuff." Erin cursed.

"And I'm just getting started! You see, when Shinai is offered as a tribute, I can add a six samurai from my graveyard to my hand. And I'll choose Shinai himself! And since he's in my hand again while Mizuho is on the field, I can summon him to the field again!" Jasmine quickly explained the fundamentals of the infamous "Six Samurai Red-Blue loop".

"Every time a six samurai is summoned to the field, I get two bushido counters on my Gateway. With Shinai summoned again, I get my first two." As Jasmine explained the complex way her cards interconnected, the lines on the grounded seal began to glow brighter.

"Now, I'll sacrifice Shinai again with Mizuho's effect to destroy your remaining set card." With another swipe, Mizuho slashed apart Erin's hidden Fish Depth Charge. "Sadly, I can't get rid of your Bahamut Shark since it can't be destroyed by card effects and I can't swing over it. So I'll just bring Shinai back to my hand, summon him, and end my turn with a face-down." Four total counters now sat upon the gateway spell.

"With those cards on the field, she can get rid of any cards I have on the field without protection while she gains advantage. My position isn't good! I need to draw something useful now!" Erin was shocked at how quickly Jasmine turned the tables on her. "It seems the Light's power enhances her dueling instincts to a whole different level. Jasmine is good, but her mindset's changed and that's really throwing me off!"

Luckily, the next draw was indeed useful. "Go, Moray of Greed! This spell lets me return two water monsters from my hand to my deck in order to draw three cards." She put back a Deep diver as well as her Right Hand Shark to replenish her hand.

"Now, I'll use the effect of my Warrior of Atlantis (1900/1200) in my hand. By discarding him to the grave, I get to add to add a very particular field spell to my hand. I cast A Legendary Ocean." Erin and Jasmine seemed to disappear from the chaos of the island battleground into a watery realm of half-sunken ruins and schools of flittering fish. Luckily, the water itself was only an illusion, so the duelists could breathe and more importantly the cards weren't damaged!

"With this field in play, the levels of all water monsters in our hands and fields lowers by one, and they gain 200 attack and defense to boot. That means I can summon The Legendary Fisherman II (2400/2000 after field boost) without a tribute!" Riding through the depths came a freaky fish guy with a harpoon gun mounted atop a small whale.

"Now, I'll attack your Shinai!" Although the water-attribute samurai saw a power boost from the ocean as well, it was skewered by Erin's harpoon all the same. (Erin 4000/Jasmine 3200)

"I'll set a card and end my turn." Erin's hand was empty now, but she felt a little more confident in her position. Her fisherman was unaffected by monster effects while Umi was on the field. The only trouble was that she knew Six Samurai had plenty of ways to take care of opposing spells.

"I draw!" Indeed, Jasmine looked as raring to go as ever. "First, I'll activate the Reinforcement of the Army spell to retrieve a low-level warrior from my deck. Then, I'll use Gateway's effect, removing four counters to search another Six Samurai to my hand. Then, I'll summon The Six Samurai – Zanji (1800/1300) to the field." This samurai wore rusty red armor and wielded a glowing orange pike.

"Then, since I have another Six Samurai on the field, I can special summon Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan (1800/500)." This warrior's armor was deep blue, almost to the point of looking black. His simple naginata gleamed dangerously. Kizan's effect raised its attack value by 300 when two additional samurai where on the field, but it still wasn't enough to swing over Erin's fisherman. "Next, I'll overlay the level four Kizan and Zanji for an exceed summon!" Jasmine continued.

The two warrior's dissolved into their energy, their forms constructing the portal through which a new samurai appeared. This monster wore flexible garb in comparison to the other samurai's armor, and a similarly light sword. His face was covered by a crimson mask. "Meet Shadow of the Six Samurai – Shien (2500/1400)."

"Well, I won't have the time to get to know him, because I play my trap, Floodgate Trap Hole! Upon summon, this trap locks your monster into face-down defense position!" Erin wisely waited until Jasmine went for the Extra Deck summon. Sadly, the ginger-haired cultist had a contingency.

"I counter with my trap, Solemn Warning! For 2000 life points, this card negates your trap hole!" It was a steep cost to be sure, but since the blast nearly every duelist that could afford it played one copy of Solemn warning for the omni-negate. The wise investors were stocking up on cards with big life point costs since it was rumored that Pegasus would soon raise the starting total to 8000. Today was not that day, however. (Erin 4000/Jasmine 1200)

"You're wide open! I'll now use the shadow's special ability! By detaching one material, I can raise another of my samurai's attack points to 2000!" As Jasmine spoke, red energy seethed around her and her two samurai. Erin knew she was in it, and braced herself for impact.

"The shadow attacks your Legendary Fisherman, and Mizuho will attack you directly!" The swords flashed, and before Erin knew it her fisherman was gone and she was thrown back by the force of the combined assault. (Erin 1900/Jasmine 1200)

Erin's field was empty of any defense. However, when her fisherman was destroyed, she was allowed to add a level seven water monster from her deck to her hand. Meanwhile, Jasmine had six counters on Gateway, and plenty of resources besides. The advantage had drastically shifted once more. "She's got me in a pinch! Damn it, you sure don't like to make things easy, huh Jasmine?" Erin complained as she picked herself up, blood seeping from a scuff on her leg.

"I am grateful for your training me in the past, just as I am grateful to Bastion for teaching me how to properly play this game. But I'm heading to the next level now, and unless you repent, you won't be going with me. Exposed to the light's clarity, my spirit grows!" Jasmine looked down at Erin, but the water duelist couldn't deny that Jasmine was stronger than ever now. "Hopefully she still retains that power when she's back on our side. Then again, I might be getting ahead of myself – I have to actually survive this crap first!" Erin chuckled.

"Black Luster Soldier, attack!"

"Blue-Eyes, destroy this trash!"

"Let's go, Thunder Dragon Titan!"

Through the illusion cast by the field spell, the girls heard the distinctive voices of Jamie Lancaster and the Kaiba brothers. As she focused her vision, Erin could see them facing off against Society of Light members. The three men looked beat to hell, but even still they were taking down the brainwashed students in groups at a time. Further in the distance, Erin saw Alexis leading the remaining blue coats.

"They're really something…" Erin was driven and competitive, and had been since she was a little girl. Fitting in had always been difficult in those days, as her brash and sometimes overbearing personality pushed others away. Strangely, that no longer was a problem as she grew into a beautiful young woman, but Erin never forgot what being true to herself had cost.

"Proving yourself is important, and so is winning. Only a fool would say otherwise." Erin spoke, and Jasmine heard it, but she was mainly talking to herself. "But there are other things of importance in life. Friendship, love, and laughter." She remembered what Jamie said to her after she was rejected for the role of key keeper. The good memories with him were poisoned with the taste of his own rejection, even though he was as kind about it as he could have been. "Don't you care about any of that, Jasmine? I know you didn't choose to become another pawn of Sartorius. What would you choose, if you could?"

Jasmine was silent, and seemed shaken by the question. "Come on." Erin pressed. "Don't you remember Bastion? You two had a good thing going on. I was a bit jealous of you both, to be honest."

Jasmine frowned. "I remember…" She seemed on the verge of some revelation, but just as suddenly her eyes turned cold and distant again. "But those things don't matter anymore. The light has taken my pain away, and now I can focus completely on becoming the best duelist I can be!"

"Is that it? Does the light offer them something? Is that why it's so hard to resist the brainwashing?" Erin wondered. Seto Kaiba raged about confronting Yugi when Sartorius and the others first landed on the island. Aster Phoenix seemed to believe that the Light could help him on his quest for revenge, although hopefully that was in the past now. It takes its victims by force, but keeps them with promises of fulfilling their heart's desire. "That must be why the only way to break them is through force. The hold is too strong to do anything else." Erin realized.

"Then this is the way it must be." Erin hoped that talking would work partially because her position otherwise was pretty much dogshit. With only one card in her hand and an empty field except for her field spell, this was not good. "Well, at least I'll know if this talk of destiny is true or not." She thought wryly as she drew.

"Get ready! This training session is going to be a little rough! I play Foolish Burial!" Erin pitched a monster from her deck to the graveyard. "The monster I just sent was Fishborg Launcher (200/100). When all of the monsters in my graveyard are water-attribute, I can special summon this card to the field!" The humble creature was a goofy orange mech suit piloted humorously by a sentient fish in a tank.

"Then, I'll offer it up as a sacrifice to summon Citadel Whale (2550/2350 after field boost) in attack mode!" A twist on Mako Tsunami's Fortress Whale, this horned whale had a tower of artillery cannons mounted on its back. "When this monster is summoned, I can immediately set the trap card Sea Stealth Attack from my deck to the field." Within the abyssal depths, Erin had another weapon at her disposal.

"Now, I'll attack your Mizuho!" With a cacophony of gunshots, the whale blasted apart the red samurai. Jasmine clutched her side as she took the damage, glaring at her enemy. (Erin 1900/Jasmine 250)

"Damn it! I won't lose!" Jasmine swore as she recovered from the attack. Erin looked intensely focused now.

"My friends…I will do my best to match your courage." Erin thought as she ended her turn.

Jasmine glanced to the side. "Oh, I get it. You want to impress Lancaster, huh? How sad. Are you hoping he gives you a pat on the head, or a spot in his harem? Why does everyone make such a big deal about him, anyways? He's a privileged, cocky little snot who got lucky enough to get used by Kaiba as a tool." She sneered, her orange hair rising in the false water like a flame.

"I've had enough of this! All he's ever done is to help you! Sure, maybe you don't like him personally for whatever reason, but at every turn you've caused him grief when he already has enough problems to deal with. He's trying his best, and you spit on him!" Erin defended him.

"He talks about a duelist's pride, and became strong on his own, yet he offers his patronizing, paternalistic hand to us lesser mortals to sate his ego! I won't have it! I'll become strong on my own, without his help! Now take this! I'll use gateway's effect to search another six samurai! Then, I'll play the spell Shien's Smoke Signal to search a level three or lower six samurai from my deck and add it to my hand. Then, I'll special summon Elder of the Six Samurai (400/0) in defense mode since I don't control any other monsters." The heavy, purple-quilted caravan hid a mysterious figure inside, incense wafting from the folds of the litter.

"Then, I'll normal summon Six Samurai – Yariza (1000/500)." The black-armored warrior was swift and small, an energy pike lashing out as if it were an extension of his own limbs. "When another Six Samurai is on the field, Yariza can attack directly. But before then, I'll use another effect of Gateway of the Six – by removing two bushido counters, I can power up Yariza by 500 points!"

The samurai swiftly leapt towards Erin, slipping past the whale and landing a direct hit that ripped her Obelisk Blue uniform. Annoyed, Erin tossed the useless white and blue garment aside. Luckily she wore a pink tank top beneath her uniform. Glancing over, she caught sight of Jamie and Kaiba once more, whose shirts apparently had been burnt away completely in the fighting. Looking at Kaiba's back, she could see how the man had so many fangirls despite the fact that his personality was a dumpster fire. (Erin 400/Jasmine 250)

Even distracted as she was, Erin couldn't help but wonder why Jasmine bothered with the direct attack since she would obviously lose next turn with her monster being weaker than Citadel Whale. "I set a card and end my turn." Jasmine finished.

"Ah, that must be why. It must be a defensive face-down in order to protect Yariza for one more turn until it can attack directly again." Erin drew. "Alright Jasmine, let's end this! I summon Uminotaurus (1900/1200 after field boost) in attack mode!" An aquatic warrior helmed with a seashell took the field. Its spear was formed from coral and tipped with a sharpened stone. "While this monster is on the field, all fish, sea serpents, and aqua monsters inflict piercing damage! Now, Uminotarus attacks the Elder of the Six Samurai!"

"No! I cast the quick-play spell, Cunning of the Six Samurai! This lets me send a Six Samurai to the graveyard and replace it with another Six Samurai! Return, Legendary Six Samurai – Shien!" The synchro monster emerged from the earth, replacing the frail elder and halting the clam's spear.

Erin grinned. "I have no choice but to call of Uminotaurus' attack. But I suppose I don't need to bring up the whale in the room. I suppose that would make you captain Ahab in this particular scenario, wouldn't it?"

"No! Father Sartorius, help me! I am your most honored servant, the first soldier of a glorious new empire, I'm…" The empty words were quelled by the din of the cannonball firing, and Jasmine was flung off of her feet, hitting the ground hard. (Erin 400/Jasmine 0)

"That was close…if I didn't have that lucky draw, it might have gone different." Erin was wise enough to know that luck always had its part to play. "Damn it…that took a lot out of me." The watery ruins faded away, and the noise of the battlefield rudely returned.

Jasmine lay still on the hard ground. For a horrible moment, Erin wondered if the brainwashing was still there. "Jasmine!" She rushed to her friend's side.

Weakly, the redhead stirred. "What on earth…agh, why is it so loud?!" The angry confusion was a promising sign.

"Hey, Jasmine." Her grey eyes found Erin smiling at her, trying to lift her up. "You really don't know what's going on? Let me ask you a question – what is your opinion of the Lord of Light?"

"The lord of light? Wasn't that what Aster Phoenix was going on about? He's a cute guy, but like freaky religious for me." Jasmine answered the question seriously, but for some reason Erin was laughing uproariously. "What's so funny? And why is everyone around us dueling? Is this some kind of tournament?"

"A high-stakes one, you could say." Erin said, the laughter dying down. "I'm sorry, I'm not laughing at you. It's just that…well, I'll explain later."

"Wait a minute, were we dueling just now? I didn't lose again, did I? Oh, god damn it!" Jasmine complained, causing Erin to laugh more.

"Hey, you put up a great fight. I bet you could pass up Atticus if you're interested in moving up a rank." Erin said sincerely.

"I don't remember anything since…oh man, did I mess things up? I didn't mean to, I swear." Jasmine ignored the praise as horror dawned.

"Look, no one blames you. He possessed your mind. Sartorius, I mean. And a ton of our friends are currently under his control as well. Our job is administering cognitive therapy, so to speak. That's all I was doing. Do you think you're up for a new kind of fight?" Erin posed it as a challenge, knowing it would entice Jasmine.

"…where's Bastion?" Jasmine muttered lowly.

"Still on our side. He'll be happy to see again. You were going to fight him, but I intervened."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Erin. Thank you so much for your help. Let's go make this right!" The two girls rushed into the fray, this time as comrades.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

(Chazz Princeton POV)

"Hmph. There's another one down." Chazz turned his head to spit as some slack-jawed Slifer Red boy scampered away. That was Chazz's tenth victory of the day, and although he had some minor scratches, for the most part he was intentionally picking off the weaker members of the Society of Light.

After all, it wouldn't make sense to waste energy on this distraction when his real enemy was across the clearing. Through the trees, he saw Reggie Mackenzie dispatching a Ra Yellow, using what appeared to be….no….

She had defeated the brainwashed Ra Yellow student with his card, his friend, the Light and Darkness Dragon. "How dare you!?" He thought. To steal the dragon was bad enough, but to use it in a duel was another level. To chain that proud spirit down and force it to fight for a master it doesn't respect…the sight only strengthened Chazz's resolve.

"I don't see any of those other fools around to stop me…well, except for Alexis' brother, but I can deal with him. Even if the rest of them were here, I'd never let them stand in my way." In the deep woods, the only "friendlies" he could see were Jesse and Atticus, who appeared to be finishing off the last of the Light converts in the area. In a hurry to redeem themselves, despite the possession not being their fault, most of the recently freed were rushing into the fray once more. A few cowards in red coats Chazz couldn't recognize were running off to hide until the battle blew over.

"Good. At least this way they won't bolster the enemy's forces when they lose again." Chazz mentally sneered. He couldn't imagine a timeline where he ended up in that shithole dorm with those losers. "It's absurd that Jaden still wears that red coat. A tough guy like him should be in Blue. I'll never understand it."

The thoughts were fleeting distractions, and he banished them to focus on his true objective. Lancaster told him and Jesse to avoid entanglements with Mackenzie. As if he, the great Chazz Princeton, would take orders from the likes of him!

As he stomped up to her (she outstripped him in height by a good four inches), a blanket of clouds broke, causing rays of island sunlight to glint off of her golden hair. Her silver top had loose sleeves, and it was tucked into jeans that seemed warm for this weather. She looked as perfect and unmarred as ever, much to his chagrin.

"Mister Princeton." Her pale, placid eyes gazed stilly upon him. "I am glad that you and Mister Anderson are our allies today. The fate of the planet depends on us working together." She said just to mock him.

"Right. Seto Kaiba's probably mowing down the islanders as we speak. None of us have any chance against him, none at all. And if Sartorius really has the ability to alter fate, as the King of Games is rumored to have, then we're screwed no matter what we do." Chazz replied.

"Well, that's not a very optimistic assessment. Forgive my asking, but why did you even show up today if things are as you say?" Mackenzie said, calm and motionless as he paced like a wolf in front of her.

"Because if today really is the end of Earth, then I'm not going out like a little bitch. Not without having my revenge."

She looked totally unsurprised. "Oh my, how dramatic. But I'm certain now is not the time to settle some petty grudge you have."

"A petty grudge." Chazz repeated hatefully. "You dare say that, when I just saw you use Light and Darkness Dragon? That card is not just a card, it's a living spirit, with thoughts and feelings. And you enslaved it and forced it to fight against its will. Did you really think I would roll over and accept that? Huh?!" He could hear the dragon wail in pain as he drew closer to her body, always in the background, always a reminder.

"Hey, what's going on over here?" Jesse called as he and Atticus arrived. However, when he saw the look on Chazz's face, he seemed to understand, nodding at the black-haired boy.

"Oh, nothing much - I'm just about to settle the score with this lying, scheming thief!"

Mackenzie's expression seemed even colder than usual. "Watch your mouth, crusty little gremlin."

"Woah, woah, let's take it easy here. What is he talking about, Reggie?" Atticus interjected, confused. He didn't know Chazz, as by the time he was rescued from Nightshroud, the black-haired boy had already left for the North. Still, knowing that he was formerly an islander who abandoned Central Academy made Atticus distrustful, even if there was some loose network of alliances between Kaiba, Pegasus, and the Princeton Group.

"He's making up some story about how I stole his card. I have no idea what he's talking about. There's more than one copy of Light and Darkness Dragon in the world. I think he's just salty because I beat him on live television." Mackenzie turned to Atticus, deferentially leaning forward just a little with a slightly pouty expression.

"There may be more than one copy of the card, but there's only one duel spirit! Don't listen to her, Rhodes!" Chazz snarled.

"Chazz is right, Atticus. She really did steal his card, and besides that she stinks of some evil magic. Don't trust her." Jesse added.

"Wait, you can smell…?" Mackenzie lost her composure for a moment, sniffing her armpits.

Jesse laughed. "Well, not literally smell, but you know! The misconception was worth it for that."

"Haha! Lancaster and those islanders were foolish to give me such an opportunity! Now I can exact my revenge! And if you happen to be dumb enough to make it a shadow game, I can always blame your death on Sartorius! This is perfect!" Chazz ranted.

"Was it foolishness, really? That Lancaster guy seems pretty wily. Does he know something we don't?" Jesse's logical question was ignored.

"Shadow game? What on Earth is he talking about, Mackenzie?" Atticus seemed to momentarily look upon her with new eyes before his infatuation clouded his judgement. "This has got to be some trick! I won't let you hurt my friend just because your pride got wounded, jerk!"

Atticus stepped forward, between Mackenzie and Chazz. Since his back was turned to her, he did not notice the smirk that rose on her lips. "I'm not gonna let you hurt her, Princeton!"

Chazz sneered. "Look at this idiot. I would think that a friend of the Kaiser's would have some wits about him, but evidently not." The arrogant words flowed easily, but Chazz's mind was racing. "Damn it, if this guy puts up a fight, she'll have a chance to escape!"

Jesse stepped forward as well, a toothpick in his mouth. Tipping his cowboy hat, he drawled, "Listen partner, you've got the wrong idea here. Chazz is taking back what was wrongfully stolen from him. That's well within his rights, no matter if you're sweet on this here lady. Nobody's gotta get hurt. We can settle this real peaceable-like if Mackenzie gives up that dragon."

"Why do you have a southern accent anyways? Aren't you from Norway?" Atticus asked a question no one seemed to have the answer to. "Anyways, we do things a little different here at Central Academy. We never abandon a friend in need, especially from traitorous opportunists like you!"

"Oh really? Would you go to such lengths if it were Misawa or Syrus in danger? If you think sweet Mackenzie's gonna give you a kiss for your chivalry, I have some swampland in Florida to sell you." Chazz laughed. "Jesse, take care of this distraction."

"Will do, Chazz. Good luck." Jesse and Chazz briefly fist bumped before the teal-haired boy turned his sights on Atticus. "Sorry pal, but I promised I'd help Chazz get his duel spirit back. I'd want him to do the same for me if one of my crystal beasts got captured." He said apologetically to Atticus.

"Don't worry Mackenzie, I got this!" Atticus ignored Jesse and gave Mackenzie a cheesy thumbs-up. "I'm not fourth-seat in the Obelisk Force for nothing!"

"Ooh, thank you, Atticus! You're so brave!" Mackenzie cooed. "For once, this ridiculous fool might come in useful." She internally mused. "This way, I might get to see if there's anything to that hidden power I sense from. The only trouble will be keeping him quiet once I kill Chazz and Jesse. Those two have proven too much of a liability to let live. I may have to take care of Atticus as well, but that may look too suspicious. For some reason, Mackenzie smelled the lion's paw all over this. "Jamie may have planted some idea in their heads. He's a schemer if there ever was one. I'll be sure to ask him about later…he could barely resist me last time. But, one challenge at a time."

Atticus activated his duel disk. "Let's do this!"

"Bring it on!" Jesse grinned.

"At last, the moment to claim my vengeance has arrived! Wait just a little longer, Light and Darkness Dragon!" Chazz declared.

"You have meddled with forces beyond your understanding for the last time, little princeling." Mackenzie lowered her voice so Atticus could not hear. "The horrors of hell await you, little prince." As she spoke, her pale blue eyes stared into Chazz, and the demon inside her stirred.

A/N

Hope you all enjoyed.

Writing's been a bit goofy lately for various reasons, many of which relating to the situation, although luckily the restrictions in my state have been fairly light compared to most. If you care to guess my state PM me and whoever wins gets a cookie, haha. But rest assured I have not and will not give up on this story, although I know this arc must seem excruciatingly long due to my delays lol. The Society of Light arc was too long in canon as well (mainly because of filler), but that's no excuse on my part. I will do my best to get the next chapter out sooner.

I hope everyone's doing alright. I have been lucky to be able to work from home, and the transition has been smooth on that front. To be honest, one reason I haven't written as much is because I'm doing home improvement stuff. I've probably made more trips to Home Depot in the past two months than in the entirety pre-Rona lifespan.

As far as the actual chapter goes, I decided to make DD a bit of a conspiracy nut just to spice up the character a little. His words might be more true than Aster would like to admit. Likewise, Aster is on a different trajectory than in canon. He knows there is some sort of higher power in the universe, so he is a religious character still, even though he is technically on the "side of good", so to speak. Religious characters in anime are usually just one-dimensional "muh justice" villains, so I look forward to portraying one positively. In this story, Aster also holds a piece of the Light of Destruction's power much like Jaden possesses Darkness, although this is because of influence/training from Sartorius and DD rather than Jaden's reincarnation/bloodline situation. Aster's struggle is now to try and use an evil power source for good ends. In canon, we saw that Darkness has good and bad sides, while Light only has evil. Aster is now attempting to discover a good side to the Light – whether he succeeds remains to be seen.

There is less to mention with the Erin vs Jasmine duel, but my main motivation with the character of Jasmine is to emphasize the struggle of a duelist in this universe who has no magical powers whatsoever. Although Jamie dislikes the supernatural aspects of dueling, even he has a duel spirit to guide him. Although Jasmine was forcibly brainwashed by Sartorius, I think it makes sense that it would be difficult to free her from the mind control since it's enhancing her powers so much and is essentially in accordance with her will to improve and be the strongest. I don't intend for Jasmine to be portrayed as evil, but I want her to be nuanced and have good and bad qualities to her. Erin is basically a more mature version of Jasmine with a healthier outlook on competition and the "sport" of dueling, so I felt pairing them off (not like that, I meant in a fight) would be effective compared to what I felt was the obvious choice of having Bastion and Jasmine fight.

Thanks for reading and I'll see ya next time!