Chapter 68: My Kingdom for a Card

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

The moon was full, its cold light gazing down at us like a god's eye as we approached the cityscape surrounding Yubel's castle. The clouds had finally broken for the first time since we had been sent to the dark world. Was it a month ago or only a day? The tournament was still ongoing the last time I contacted Kaiba, so it couldn't have been long…right? And yet, Aster's beard had grown in fully, and Erin's muscle definition had diminished slightly in the weeks without the gym. Zane had pressed on doggedly, seeming to grow more energized as the possibility of glorious death in combat drew closer, while Jesse had become withdrawn, pensive. I like to think that I had stayed on a fairly even keel throughout the journey, but in truth I had been getting worn down through a thousand little things - Aster's constant proddings, Jesse's worrying, the ever-present pallor of doom that accompanied Yubel's presence.

Silently, we approached the gatekeepers standing guard over the city's entrance. The urban landscape was sprawling, home to hundreds of thousands without a doubt. And yet, the castle could be seen no matter where you were. Always standing above, always in view…in the light of the moon, its silhouette was sharp and distinct.

The gatesmen were duel spirits, a Skilled Dark Magician and a Skilled White Magician. "Peace, travelers." The black mage's gravelly voice called out to me. Our group paused as lines of wagons, animals, and pedestrians continued in and out of the town's walls. The battlements were high, maybe 400 feet. Most of the passersby were duel spirits, although there was the odd human among them, which raised a multitude of questions in my mind. The wind was howling, causing our brown robes to flare.

"Ah, new humans. Yes, you must be humans, I have never seen cards that resemble your face." The hooded warlocks peered down at the five of us with guarded curiosity.

"We're Adventurer tokens." I half-joked, wondering if they would even buy that. Both spirits slightly chuckled, but shook their heads all the same.

"No, I don't think so. State your names and your purpose here. In light of the recent conflicts with the mad king and the ongoing rebellions in the countryside, the city has been placed under heavy guard by order of our king, the great and powerful Jaden Yuki." The white magician intoned.

Shock and anger overtook me, and the rest of my friends were similarly dumbstruck by the seemingly clerical statement. "What did you say? King of what?" I snapped.

"Yes, Jaden Yuki has been crowned as the new lord and master of all duel spirits by right of birth, not two weeks ago. Well, his birth was the given reason - the true reason was his battle power as well as the blessing of the strongest duel spirits. I suppose the news may have been slow to travel on the road. The proclamation was made by his new queen, Yubel, who was holding regency since the deposition of Brron. There have been a great many changes in the city as of late, and there is no guarantee old arrangements are being honored. I would tread lightly, my friends." Skilled White Magician warned as my fists clenched and my duel energy threatened to flare up.

"No, I must keep it under control, or they'll sense me." I glanced up at the castle, high on a hill at the epicenter of the conurbation. "King…what could that mean? Jaden and Yubel? Why do I get the feeling my life expectancy has just dropped precipitously?" Another part of me whispered, "What an amazing fight that would be though…"

In the original storyline, Jaden's reconciliation with Yubel was a heroic act that averted the erasure of entire universes. That could still be true, if Jaden was the one keeping Yubel on a tight leash, and not the other way around. Yubel seeks my death for reasons I still do not fully understand. And from our battle against Kagemaru, I knew that Yubel held some mysterious sway over Jaden's thoughts and actions, even if he didn't know it. And Jaden's potential was immense. His talent was an unending wellspring that he could seemingly draw on with ease whenever the situation necessitated it. If his power could be twisted to Yubel's ends, then the very same person we risked everything to rescue could be the one to end our lives. If Jaden and Yubel find a way to fuse as they did in canon, and Yubel's personality was dominant…there was nothing in the world that could save me. All of my own power, all of Kaiba's strength and resources, it would all be for nothing. Fear gripped me as I absorbed the news.

Jesse was taking the sudden bombshell the hardest, a storm of emotions passing through his expressive teal eyes. Somehow, the man was able to keep his hair as fluffy and perfectly teased as ever despite the fact that we'd been bathing in rivers, although that fact wasn't particularly important at this moment. "His queen Yubel…" He muttered softly.

"We would seek an audience with the king. We're friends of his." Erin kept her head on straight and continued to make our case in front of the gatekeepers.

"State your names." Skilled Dark Magician bid.

"Was Jaden with another man when he arrived? Tall guy, blue hair, creepy expression?" Aster jumped in.

"State your names! Now!" Skilled White Magician barked.

"Hey listen, we're not gonna cause any trouble. Just let us through. The king's probably a busy guy, he won't have much time to see us anyways. We'll be the ones wasting our time and money, since we'll be spending a fair bit of it while we're in town. What do you say? I've got plenty of rare cards if you want some." I weaseled. Fighting these guys would be fun, but it would also reveal our energy signatures and tell Yubel where we are. It'd be best to avoid that confrontation until we're good and ready.

"State your goddamn names or leave!" The two wizards shouted, causing some of the nearby walkers to jolt at the scene.

Zane chuckled darkly. "We're not leaving. Not until I achieve the glorious combat I was promised when I signed up for this mission." He stepped forward, charcoal energy rolling off of him in waves.

"You idiot! Are you trying to get them to sense you?!" I roared.

Zane shot back. "You've gotten your share of fights so far, now I want some. Fair's fair. Hell, I'll fight everyone in this damn city if that's what it takes."

"These brigands mean to harm the king!" Skilled Dark Magician yelped, he and his partner quickly revealing duel disks. "In the name of his majesty, I order you to stand down and face trial for your crime!"

"Fuck, we're gonna need to make this fast." I cursed, thinking I'd wring Zane's neck myself after this. Although then again, it didn't sound like these guys were gonna let us through anyways. And I do like to do things the hard way…however, as I moved to fight, Aster stayed my hand.

"I've got this one, Jamie. Your dueling style is too slow. If you want it done fast, I'm your man." The prick's insult demanded retribution, but he hadn't gotten a chance to duel either. And he did have a point, I guess. Skilled Dark Magician pulled a nearby turnbuckle, and the city gates slammed to the ground with an ear-piercing clang.

"Prepare to face judgment, rebels!" The mages declared. Erin, Jesse and I fanned out, trying to keep a lookout in case further backup arrived for the enemy.

Zane glanced to Aster. "Which one do you want?" The Kaiser wiggled his index finger between the two opponents as if he were comparing cuts of meat at the butcher shop.

"Well, let's think about this for a second. These duel spirits don't exactly have the most surprising decks. Skilled Dark Magician is probably playing Dark Magician, while the Skilled White Magician is playing Buster Blader. Zane, are you really sure your DRAGONS are going to do well against Buster Blader?" Aster hoped that Zane was picking up on his ploy.

Zane's cobalt eyes narrowed. "Huh? Dragons…oh, I get it." He smiled devilishly. "You're a smart cookie, Aster." Turning to Skilled White Magician, he said, "My dragons are ready to take you down!"

Skilled White Magician had only overheard part of their conversation, and felt quite confident in himself. "Ha! Bad luck, human! Dragon decks are my specialty. I've slain hundreds of them over the years, and your cards will fall just the same!"

Zane's grin widened. "I think my dragons are going to be just a little different!"

"Keep one of them alive for questioning!" I called out, my voice cracking from the attempt to talk over the wind. "I mean it!"

Slinging his backpack over his shoulder to the ground, Zane took a moment to rummage through it. "What are you doing? Your duel disk and cards are out, so prepare for battle!" Skilled White Magician demanded imperiously.

"Just a second…ah, there they are." Zane brought out a pair of metal collars and a matching set of handcuffs. "I'd like for you to put these on, if that's ok."

The duel spirit was confused and indignant. "What? Are you crazy? As if I would submit myself to capture without even putting up a fight! You shall face the full force of the dragonslayer's wrath for these continued insults! Wait, why are you putting those things on?"

As his opponent blabbered, Zane had affixed the collar and cuffs. "They're not just for capture. I like to wear these during a duel, it makes it more exciting. Well, if my opponent is strong enough to hurt me, that is. You'll see what I mean soon."

The white mage paled, fearing he was in over his head. "How degenerate!"

"I prefer to use the term adventurous." Pressing a button on his remote control, the collars and cuffs lit up with a menacing orange glow. "Good thing these hold a charge really well or else we'd have to waste a trip back getting batteries."

"You know what? We can take your other friends in for questioning. You can go ahead and die right here." Skilled White Magician threatened even as they played rock-paper-scissors. Having won, the wizard declared to take the first turn, which didn't seem to bother the Kaiser very much.

"Funny, I was just thinking the same about you. Aster doesn't kill anyhow, which is good luck for your friend. Not so good for you." Zane leered.

Skilled White Magician drew. "We'll see where that arrogance gets you! I activate the spell Emblem of Dragon Destroyer, allowing me to add Buster Blader from my deck to my hand! Then, I'll summon Buster Whelp of the Destruction Swordsman (400/300)!" The mewling cub had wide, expressive blue eyes and fluffy alabaster fur, but it also harbored the potential to grow into something fearsome. "This monster's effect lets me add a Destruction Sword card from my deck to my hand."

Zane crossed his arms, calm seeming to return to him as he observed his opponent's moves. "And the card I added was Destruction Sword Fusion! By fusing the Buster Blader in my hand with the Whelp in the field, I can call on the mighty Buster Blader, the Dragon Destroying Swordsman (2800/2500)!" The ground shook as a massive two-handed blade, wider and taller than Zane, planted itself in the earth. Its wielder followed shortly after, a broad man clad head to toe in pearlescent armor. "I'll set two cards and end my turn!"

Despite the white mage's seemingly impressive turn, Zane did not look frightened. Indeed, his normal apathy had given way to unbridled glee at the prospect of tearing the enemy apart. "I guess I never told you my name, did I?" Zane nearly cackled, the waves of duel energy causing his slate hair to draft upwards. "My name is Zane Truesdale, and I am the only legitimate heir to the Cyber Style! Now, since you control a monster, I'll special summon Cyber Dragon (2100/1600) to the field!" The metal serpent coiled around Zane protectively.

"Ha! Now your hubris will cost you. Dragons cannot stand in the face of my Buster Blader. While the Destruction Swordsman is on the field, all dragon monsters are switched into defense mode, and they cannot activate their effects. Bow down!" With a dramatic wave of his hand and the subsequent flaring of cape, Skilled White Magician intended to force Cyber Dragon to the ground, only to find that Zane's monster looked just as battle-ready as before. "Uh…why isn't it going into defense mode?" He stammered, causing Zane's laughter to intensify.

"Try reading the card, I find that to be very helpful when dueling."

"Yeah, no shit buddy." Pressing the blue button on his duel disk, Skilled White Magician's mouth fell agape as he read the Cyber Dragon's type – machine. "Machines! You lied to me, you said these were dragons!"

"We only implied they were dragons. You're right though, it is a bit dishonorable. But if there's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that being dishonorable and alive is much better than being the most honorable dead guy in town." Part of Zane rued the loss of his old, rigid code. But a greater part of him realized that the stipulations he placed upon himself as a student were not truly in the interests of upholding moral principles. They were handicaps, arbitrary limits placed in order to challenge himself. Since there was such a lack of competition during his first two years at the academy, such limits had their place. But they were never in service of upholding the ideals of a true duelist, and Zane upheld them while unknowingly going against his true nature. After his experiences since then, Zane felt much more at ease with what he really wanted, for better or worse.

"What about being the most dishonorable dead guy in town? Because I've got a backup plan! I reveal my trap card, DNA Surgery! Once I declare a type, this will make all monsters on the field that type! And I've decided that your monsters are going to be dragons after all!" As his adversary spoke, Zane noticed a subtle change take over Cyber Dragon, the monster's plating becoming silvery, organic scales as it turned dragon-type. Now, it cowered in fear of the dragonslayer, curling up in defense mode.

Zane frowned slightly and shrugged. "Well, that's a good move, I'll give you that. My monsters are going to be locked down now. My spells on the other hand, that's a different story. I play Evolution Burst! Since I control Cyber Dragon, I can target and destroy one card on the field! Say goodbye to your Buster Blader!" Gathering its courage, Cyber Dragon reared back to a proud stance and fired a heavy wave of electric blue energy at the swordsman. Although at first Buster Blader was able to part the laser stream with its sword, eventually the concentrated blast threatened to overhwlem it.

"I won't go down like this! I reveal my other trap, Destruction Sword Flash! This will let my Buster Blader banish all monsters you control!" His wrists suddenly ranging forward, the swordsman was able to return fire at Zane, cutting apart his Cyber Dragon with a golden crescent of energy before being melted down by the Evolution Burst. Both duelists fields now laid bare.

"I can't be too reckless around these duel spirits. This one is much better than the ones we've faced before, and the lieutenants around Yubel's inner circle are gonna be even stronger. Not to mention Yubel herself. And maybe even Jaden…it's gonna be like a smorgasbord buffet in there!" Zane thought with relish. Although the mage played well with what he had, Zane had two more cards in his hand that would wrap things up quickly, just as he liked it. "I normal summon the Cyber Dragon Herz (0/0)." Compared to the sleek original Cyber Dragon, Herz was still a prototype for something greater. Its segmented chassis lacked fluidity of movement and battle power, but it was a Cyber Dragon all the same.

"Finally, I cast the spell Cyberload Fusion! By returning the banished Cyber Dragon along with my Cyber Dragon Herz to the deck, I can fusion summon with them! And with two Cyber Dragons, I'm sure you can guess what monster I'm going to summon. Well, I guess you didn't know what Cyber Dragons were, did you? Meet Cyber Twin Dragon (2800/2100)!"

The two heads of the wyvern roared proudly, even as its appearance was slightly altered by the lingering effect of DNA Surgery. However, without Buster Blader on the field, the distinction was only cosmetic. Skilled White Magician did not shrink from the face of his doom. Instead, he snarled, "Don't pat yourself on the back just because you got a lucky hand here. You think you're better than you are. Yubel will slaughter you all!"

"If that's true, I'll meet you in hell! Cyber Twin Dragon, finish him!" Zane didn't bother mentioning that his deck was capable of far more than this. He didn't even need his Cyberdarks to deal with this fool. The white mage was quickly vaporized by the two energy beams. One of the lasers melted a hole in the city walls big enough to drive a truck through as nearby citizens panicked. (Zane 4000/Skilled White Magician 0)

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I ran over to Zane at the sound of the explosion, having roved off a bit to make sure no more enemies were coming. "Where's Skilled White Magician?" I asked Zane.

"You're breathing him in." Turning to me, Zane chuckled and pointed to the newly made gap, "See, they let us in after all. There's a big doorway right there."

"I guess a more appropriate name for him now would be Killed White Magician instead." Glancing back, I shook my head. "Well, there goes any chance of slipping in undetected. Still, you get the job done fast, Zane. How's Aster doing?" I answered my own question, looking over to see that Skilled Dark Magician was still taking his first turn. Heh, Zane really doesn't mess around. "I'll wait up for him, you three –" Erin and Jesse were running over, "Get inside and find a safe place to hide. It's a big city, so they might not find us as long as we mask our energy and avoid getting into duels. You hear me? Avoid."

"Gee, I get us inside and this is the thanks I get." Zane joked. "Jamie, it's obvious you and Aster aren't on the same page. If it's just you and him alone, even for a short while…I wouldn't trust him." He leaned in conspiratorially. Jesse was keeping quiet, wanting to appear as neutral as possible. Probably a smart move, but it sometimes seemed like he had no backbone. The guy was a good fighter, but too much of a people-pleaser. I guess that supplication is why he got along with Chazz so well, but I would have welcomed Jesse's opinion in this case. Erin appeared to be thinking it over, so I did the same.

I considered leaving Aster behind for a second. After all, he was the only one who gave a fuck about Sartorius. Kaiba wanted me to bring him back, sure, but that was only so he could exact his revenge on the one who humiliated him. It would send a message to the white dragon's other enemies, but the same message would be sent if Sartorius died by my hand. The true mission had always been to rescue Jaden. I hadn't decided what to do with Sartorius yet. I wanted to wait until the rescue was actually complete. Letting Kaiba have his way with him didn't sit right, even though my boss would probably reward me handsomely for delivering him his prize. However, the idea that Jaden might not come quietly convinced me that I needed to stay on Aster's good side for now.

Erin spoke up. "Jamie, I'll stay here with him, just go. Jesse, leave one of your spirits here and they'll guide us back to your position." She said firmly, eyes blue and hard like sapphire. Jesse gave Erin his Cobalt Eagle card and the spirit appeared by her side. Zane looked glad to have the subject decided. I had some suspicions, but decided to leave them be for now.

"Lock onto our position as soon as you're done." Emotions vaguely stirred, and I wanted to say something more to her. We had gone out before, and I couldn't help but feel some lingering affection. It looked like she was moving on though, if my guess was correct.

"Don't worry, I'll keep Aster in line." Erin winked. I felt as though I should have said something else, but Zane and Jesse had already hopped into outer borough and started hauling ass. I followed them.

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(Aster Phoenix POV)

Aster was keenly focused on the black mage as he drew his first card. His suspicions about the enemy's deck were confirmed as the wizard called out, "I summon Magician's Rod (1600/100) to the field!" A green scepter appeared to materialize out of nowhere, but when Aster took a hard look at it he saw the specter of its wielder, the Dark Magician, surrounding it.

Skilled Dark Magician boasted, "Yes, that's right. I wield the powers of the Dark Magician, the patron of the strongest human in your world!" Using the rod's effect, he searched Dark Magical Circle from deck to hand.

"Just because you wield a hammer doesn't mean you're a master craftsman." Aster replied, causing the mage to grit his teeth.

"Ironic that you humans believe yourselves superior when you can just barely tap into some of our power through your cards. The true magic of the ancient duel spirits make you look like a child playing with toys. I'll demonstrate a fraction of that strength with Dark Magical Circle!" A ring of golden runes ensconced the two duelists, a faint glow rising from the cryptic letters. "This card lets me look at the top three cards of my deck, and add one that lists Dark Magician to my hand." Considering his options, his dark robes flared as he retrieved the field spell Magician's Salvation. "I'll then play Magician's Salvation, allowing me to set the Eternal Soul trap card directly from my deck!" With a flashy wave, the magician ended his turn with one more face-down. Smaller versions of the same runic circle hung suspended in the air with a faint hum.

"Damn, where's Droll and Lock Bird when you need him, huh?" Aster heard Erin quip as the brown-haired girl approached, her proximity causing him to faintly tense.

"The others are inside already. I got one of Jesse's spirits with me to help us find our way." erin explained with a smile and a nod, while Skilled Dark Magician looked offended at being ignored.

Feeling awkward around her, Aster nodded tersely and continued with his move. "I draw…" Looking at the spell he drew, Aster knew that it was not his fate to die this day.

"I activate Fusion Destiny!" Smoky white energy gathered around his body. On either side of him appeared the shades of two Destiny Heroes from his deck. "This card lets me fusion summon a Destiny Hero by sending materials directly from my deck to the graveyard!" As Aster spoke, the shades were revealed to be Destiny Hero Dasher and Destiny Hero Celestial. The energy around them dispelled and slowly bled crimson, the smoke and haze falling to the ground and pooling as blood in front of Aster. The stew bubbled with a thick acrid stench as it quickly grew warm, then hot, then blazing. Emerging from the fire was a winged warrior whose armor seemed to be made out of solidified blood, its half-demonic form shimmering with heat and power. Erin was awe of the monster's insane presence and effect.

"Meet Destiny Hero Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer (2500/2100)!" Aster bellowed as the air hung thick with blood mist, a red tinge settling over the field. Skilled Dark Magician balked as the attack value of his Magician's Rod dropped from 1600 to 1200. "Your monsters aren't used to a real battlefield, and they lose their will to fight before my hero. As long as Enforcer is on the field, all of your monsters will lose 200 attack points for every hero card in my grave. I have two now, but I'm just getting started. For my normal summon, I'll play Destiny Hero Diamond Dude (1400/1600)!" Sporting a visor of his own, Aster's other hero wore a tattered green cape along with several crystalline protrusions that seemed to occur naturally.

"Now, I'll use his effect, looking at the top card of my deck." With confidence, Aster revealed it to his opponent. "Look at this, it's Over Destiny. Since it's a normal spell, I can send it to the graveyard and use its effect next turn without any cost! Unless you'd like to surrender now and save us some time. That would be the nice thing to do."

"I admit your enforcer is powerful, but it's not invincible." Skilled Dark Magician commented with surprising calm. "The base trickery you employed against my colleague won't work on me."

"You're the magician here, where are your tricks? I'm not seeing any so far." Aster replied with a smirk.

"Do something, then." Skilled Dark Magician had much more of a poker face than his partner.

Aster clenched a fist. "Fine! Enforcer, take down his Magician's Rod with blood rage!" The hero soared into the Rod with a fiery tackle, dispelling the ghost with ease. (Aster 4000/Skilled Dark Magician 2700)

Aster had a crucial play to consider as he looked between both of his opponent's set cards. Trying to remember which zone Eternal Soul had been set to, he pointed towards one of the cards and hoped it was the right one. "I'll now utilize the true power of Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer! Once per turn, I can destroy one card on both of our fields! I'll destroy my own Enforcer along with that set card!"

Erupting in fire, the hero's immolation also burned the enemy's trap. "Before it's destroyed, I'll reveal my set Eternal Soul, using its effect to search the Thousand Knives spell from deck to hand!" Skilled Dark Magician responded, and Aster breathed a sigh of relief as he hit the intended backrow. Momentarily, a stone tablet depicting the pharaoh Atem's ancient servant arose, but it was broken down quickly by the deep red flames.

"Good, that's fine by me. Now you don't have a way to summon your Dark Magician, while my Enforcer is going to come back next turn." The reason Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer was such a threat was its cycle of rebirth, allowing it to erode the opponent's board every single turn. Now that it was gone, the pale red mist was as well, replaced by the sharp scent of ash and soot.

"Indeed, it appears you hit the right card…or did you?" The black mage teased.

"Uh…yeah, I'm pretty sure I did actually!" Aster responded. "Diamond Dude, smack this guy around a bit, will ya?"

A backhand slap from Diamond Dude hurt a bit more than one from a normal human, but Skilled Dark Magician still appeared calm. "I'll set one and pass there." (Aster 4000/Skilled Dark Magician 1300)

Skilled Dark Magician drew. "Now I'll show why I wasn't worried, friend. During the standby phase, I'll reveal my other face-down card, the quick-play spell Called By the Grave. This will banish your Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer from the graveyard and negate its effect!"

Aster grit his teeth. "Of course he has the out for it…you're lucky."

"Lucky? Perhaps it is my fate, my destiny if you will, to prevail today." The warlock trolled.

Easily provoked whenever this particular topic arose, Aster spat, "I refuse to believe that!"

"Unsurprising. We all like to believe we have a grand fate in front of us. It gets us through the day. Tell me, do you think Sartorius envisioned his fate was to wind up in a dungeon, kept alive only to provide amusement for Yubel? Somehow, I doubt it."

Erin inhaled sharply at the bald-faced admission. "You're torturing him? Why?"

"Well, I'm not doing anything. My job is to hold the gate. But I hear certain things through the grapevine…your name came up, Aster Phoenix. Apparently Sartorius believes you're going to save him." Skilled Dark Magician sadistically prolonged the details.

Aster's expression could have killed. "You're all going to pay for this…my worst fears are true."

"Aster, he could be lying just to throw you off your game. Don't let him get in your head!" Erin moved into Aster's field of vision, trying to keep him from ruminating and brooding as he often did. However, Aster's anger ran too deep.

"You guys said Jaden was the new guy in charge around here." His voice was choked up, and Erin immediately understood the implication. "And Sartorius is in prison being tortured. Am I supposed to be ok with that?"

"There's no way Jaden would have approved of something like that! We need to get our facts straight before we jump to conclusions." Erin pleaded desperately, knowing where his mind was going. Aster seemed to cool down slightly.

"I…you're right." Aster let out a held-in breath, and seemed to deflate. "You're right. Thank you for keeping my head on straight." He looked her in the eye, something he was usually uncomfortable with. Their eyes, a similar shade of blue, met for just a moment before Aster turned to his enemy. "You'll have time to run your mouth later. Make your move!"

"Heh, as you wish." The hooded spirit shrugged. "I'll activate the effect of Magician's Souls (0/0) in my hand. This card lets me send a Dark Magician directly from my deck to the grave. Then, I can discard Magician's Souls in order to summon that Dark Magician (2500/2100) to the field!"

Even Aster couldn't deny that seeing the King of Games' ace monster was somewhat intimidating, moreso because of its reputation than anything. The deep purple garb combined with the pale green scepter roused childhood memories – Aster would watch some of Yugi's duels with his father. He was in awe back then, but this was now, and the child had grown up. Aster faced down the spellcaster with a cold stare.

The circle around them glowed with magic. "Since I just summoned Dark Magician, the effect of Dark Magical Circle triggers, letting me banish your Diamond Dude!" Dark Magician thrust out a hand, and Aster's hero was shattered like glass through the boost granted by the continuous spell. "Now, strike directly with dark magic attack!" Aster was blown off of his feet at the force of the attack, the magician besieging him with a volley of dark energy sphere. (Aster 1500/Skilled Dark Magician 1300)

"Your friend picked the right opponent – unfortunate that you didn't have the same foresight." The mage taunted.

"Gee, you don't too choked up over the fact that your partner got killed." Erin jibed.

"Weakness is not rewarded under our current leadership." He replied.

"And you said Jaden Yuki was the new king?" Erin still couldn't believe it.

"I know what I said! You'll see for yourself when I take you before him to administer the king's justice!" The mage bellowed, causing Erin to flinch. Meanwhile, Aster had recovered to his feet and had drawn his next card.

"We'll see about that! During the standby phase, I can use the spell I sent to the grave last turn with Diamond Dude's effect, Over Destiny! This card lets me first target a Destiny Hero in my graveyard. Then, I can special summon a Destiny Hero from my deck whose level stars are half or fewer than the one in my graveyard. So by targeting the level six Dasher, I can summon the level three Destiny Hero Denier (1100/800)!" Aster's next hero had coiffed blonde hair and a white bauta covering the top half of his face. He wielded a long spiked chain and a bright purple suit. "This monster lets me return one of my banished Destiny Heroes back to the top of the deck, and the one I'll return is Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer!" The powerful fusion monster was now accessible to Aster once again, as long as he had a fusion spell.

"Then, I'll use the magic of Destiny Draw, discarding Destiny Hero Malicious from my hand to draw two more cards!" Aster was glad to see the ever-useful spell as his next topdeck. "Time has run out for you! I use the effect of Destiny Hero Malicious (800/800) in the graveyard, banishing it to summon another copy of itself from my deck!" The horned figure perfectly demonstrated that appearances could be deceiving. Despite being a level six with only 800 attack points, Malicious was one of the most useful cards in Aster's deck.

"With Malicious and Denier on the field, I'll flip over my set card, D-Fusion! Not to be confused with De-Fusion." Aster started. "That was a lame joke…something Lancaster would say." He realized, not liking that the man's behavior was influencing him, even in the most minor of ways. "This trap will merge by Malicious and Denier together!" Although Aster wanted to finish the fool off with Enforcer, he saw a quicker path to victory.

"In the pros, its expected that we entertain the audience. But I don't think you're worth any more of my time. I fusion summon Destiny Hero Dystopia (2800/2400)!" The golden plates on the warrior's suit seemed bright and shiny admits the hellscape of dark purples and blacks.

Skilled Dark Magician appeared content, until he read the card. Frantically looking for a way out, he stammered, "Wait, this isn't fair! Wait!"

"When Dystopia is summoned, I can target a level four or lower Destiny Hero in my graveyard, and burn you for damage equal to his attack points. Diamond Dude sends his regards!" Slightly embarrassed that the opponent had damaged him while Zane's didn't, Aster was glad to end the game quick and ugly. Dystopia casually flung Skilled Dark Magician into the city walls, embedding him in the stone. (Aster 1500/Skilled Dark Magician 0)

Erin let out a startled chuckle at the unceremonious end to the fight. "Nice! Very cinematic." She clapped her hands slowly.

Aster walked towards the prone foe with a strict expression. "I think I'll be heading inside now, thanks for your cooperation. When your superiors get here, tell them that the phoenix has landed. You're lucky I never kill, although I might start making some exceptions soon." Aster tried to meet him eye-to-eye, but the magician's head was slumped and he was only faintly conscious.

"Hold on Aster, Jamie wants one of them brought with for questioning." Erin interrupted.

"There's nothing to question, we know Jaden and Sartorius are in the castle. We can find a way in without dragging this dead weight around." Aster's tone was firm. Erin suspected that Aster mainly wanted to disobey a directive from Jamie regardless of the circumstances, but she didn't want to bring that up here.

"Alright…" Erin didn't much care either way. She seemed to be thinking something over, but Aster was already in a hurry.

"Good, that's done. Let's get mov-" Aster was stopped in his tracks as Erin leaned in and gave him a kiss, his very first.

"…uhh…." His brain short-circuited at the overwhelming sensation. "Wha…."

"Just for luck, that's all." Erin smiled.

"…wait, for luck? Wouldn't it have made more sense to do that before the duel than after?" Aster found some semblance of reason, but it was shaky.

"I didn't want you distracted during the duel, even if that guy was weak. Don't tell me, kissing is forbidden in the Lord of Light's religion?" Erin joked before puckering. "I'm not sure about that beard, Aster."

"Well…" Actually, kissing was forbidden unless it was between spouses lawfully wed in the eyes of the Lord. However, Aster found that he didn't particularly give a crap about that rule at this particular moment. "I'm not worried about that."

"Yeah, I guess there's other things we should deal with for now. Let's go, they're waiting for us up ahead. Aren't you glad I stayed behind instead of Jamie?"

"Yes!" Aster said, and they both laughed. It was the first time he had ever laughed, or even smiled, in front of any of them. "So, does that mean…does that make us…you know…?"

"I don't know. I just thought if we're gonna die, you should experience some of the good parts of life first, that's all. Come on, let's go."

Aster came to his senses and they started running, guided by Jesse's eagle. As they moved however, Aster wasn't thinking of the mission, the battles ahead, or even Sartorius. "The good parts of life…have I really been missing out for so long?" He wondered.

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(Jamie Lancaster POV)

I felt Aster's energy briefly spike as we weaved through the streets, trying to put as much distance between us and the front gate as possible. While at first there were many duel spirits who recognized us, and a few who even tried to accost us, we were able to shake them off and slip into a nearby alleyway.

"This city is huge, it's going to take a while getting to the castle on foot. Which is gonna give us time to figure out a way to get in." Jesse was breathing a little hard as we finished running. The three of us put our hoods up and turned away from the street. "Cobalt Eagle will be able to sense where I am."

"We'll be able to find a way in from Skilled Dark Magician, if Aster and Erin bring him. If not, we can improvise." I said.

"I don't suppose your duel spirits are friendly with any of the ones in here? There's got to be hundreds of thousands within the walls." Zane finally took his cuffs off and put them back in the bag.

Jesse chuckled nervously. "Now that you mention it, I feel some…familiar presence in this city somewhere. It feels like a duel spirit, at the castle."

"Probably Jaden's Winged Kuriboh." I supplied.

"That could be, but it feels different. Older, and more powerful. I'm sorry, I can't explain it."

Gears started to turn. Could it be the Rainbow Dragon? I tried to remember when and how Jesse found it in canon, but I was coming up short. Perhaps Yubel has found the card already and is keeping it with her. If so, at least I could rest easy knowing that the only person who had a use for the card was in my crew. "That's alright, we'll deal with that later. They probably have all sorts of cards up in that castle. If we can get in and out without dying, I'm robbing them for everything I can carry with me."

"First things first, we have to find a place to hide." Erin interjected.

"Jamie…" Among the throng of unfamiliar spirits, I heard a voice sweet as music. A flash of green and the scent of apples accompanied her, and for the first time in a long time I felt like I was home again.

The wind was knocked out of me as Sonata tackle-hugged me from behind. "Jamie! You made it!"

The others looked somewhat bemused. "Your duel spirit, right?" Jesse smiled.

"Sonata! Boy, am I glad to see you!" I turned around and returned her hug. "Hey, let's catch up after we find a place to regroup, we're a bit short on time right now."

"I thought I sensed you guys at the gate. I've been undercover in the city since the last time we spoke. I have a place you guys can stay for a little while, let's go!" Sonata dispensed with the introductions for the time being, leading us on through the city streets towards her safe house. There was a lot to catch up on, and so little time…but it was nice to see her once again. I didn't realize how much I had missed her until now.

"I can never seem to value something until it's gone." I realized.

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(Jaden Yuki POV)

The vaults were overflowing with powerful cards from all over the universe. Jaden marveled at the sheer variety on display, spending hours and hours in there reading until his eyes got sore. He had even found types of cards he hadn't seen before - monsters that could also act as spells. Those cards in particular involved a lot of reading and the mechanics of how they worked were quite complicated even by the standards of Duel Monsters. And yet, Jaden found he understood them readily after only a game or two of practice. While he didn't think the cards would be of much use in his hero deck, it was still good to know about them nonetheless. Pendulum monsters, that's what Yubel called them. Apparently she used some of them herself, although Jaden hadn't seen them yet. He still felt uncomfortable around her. And yet, he could not deny another part of him feeling drawn to her. It felt beyond his will, almost, as if they were tied together by fate. When she recounted the tales of murder and vengeance she had done for him, one side of Jaden was repulsed by her sheer lack of morals, while the other side realized that she could and would do absolutely anything if he said the word…anything….

When he went to the dungeons with Yubel to inspect Sartorius' condition, the man appeared in fine shape. His quarters were plush, he seemed in good health, and servants were around to see to his needs. Jaden even asked him if he wanted to leave, but Sartorius seemed perfectly happy to stay there, so Jaden didn't press the issue. Something about the encounter didn't seem right, though - when Jaden left the dungeons, his sense of time was off, and he suddenly felt dizzy. Yubel soothed him and said something about how he was still getting used to his growing powers, but Jaden wasn't quite convinced. Something about the encounter seemed wrong - he vowed to visit the dungeons without Yubel's company sometime to determine what was really going on.

Whenever he stood in Yubel's presence, Jaden's thoughts were hazy, muddled. It was like standing in a sauna, his normally sharp vision dulled by the heavy blanket of her energy. It was only on the occasions he got away from her that clarity returned, but those occasions weren't many. She had insisted on sharing a bed with him, but he did not allow that yet.

Deep in the vaults, inundated by a wellspring of duel power, it was difficult for him to perceive anything going on above the surface. For a moment though, Jaden thought he felt a twinge of something familiar, something from his old life. "Old life." Thinking of it that way caused him to start, as months and months on the road and now here made Jaden think of his existence at Duel Academy as a far-off memory. "Could that be a hero card?" For a moment, Jaden thought he could sense it, but the feeling evaporated as soon as it came, like morning mist.

"I should get back…" Jaden gathered the cards he wanted from the vault, and rose from the dark depths.

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While Jaden lacked awareness, Yubel was above ground, and felt the duel energy clearly from her chambers atop the uppermost spire of the castle. She rose from her meditation, eyes alight with lust. "They are here…I can sense them. My king, you shall soon see that you belong with me, and only me. All challengers to the throne will face royal justice…I will drink the lion's blood!"

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(Adrian POV)

The heat grew suffocating as the spelunked deeper within the island's volcano, burning death only averted by the power of the blonde twin's shadow magic, which enveloped the group in a protective shade as they traveled. Reggie and David appeared to be handling the work with relative ease, which freed Adrian and Echo to consult their maps, communications, and other equipment as needed.

Fortunately, the path took them farther from the volcano's proximity, into a series of underground tunnels. The cooling soil felt wonderful after trekking beneath the pyre - the group of four had sweat through their clothes and some of their gear was close to overheating. In good time, though, the constricting tunnels opened to a clearing. The place was a crypt, weathered stone and long-extinguished torches lining the walls as a gold and black tomb sat in the center of the chamber.

The power emanating from the sarcophagus was suffocating, primal in its intensity. "The dread god, Exodia…" Adrian muttered not for the first time. Obtaining the legendary cards had been the goal of many duelists ever since the original copies were destroyed by Weevil Underwood. But it had been an impossible dream - for one reason or another, Pegasus refused to print the cards for mass release. Of course, it was not the utility of the cards that made them desirable - it was the raw magic, the dark energy latent within the original versions that were long gone.

Or had been gone, until the return of magic to the world. Almost two years ago, something had happened on this island, a massive swell of duel energy between ancient forces beyond the understanding of ordinary duelists. The echoes of that wound rippled across the world, unleashing dark forces that enabled even ordinary humans to grasp world-shaking power in their hands. Jaden Yuki and Jamie Lancaster, the events seemed to revolve round those two names. Adrian had only bothered coming to the tournament to meet those two individuals, only to find them fled. The secrets of the universe were out there, and Adrian wanted to know them, to understand them, and ultimately to master them. When would another opportunity come to topple the established order and create a new one?

Exodia was his only chance. The sacred beasts and Egyptian gods were either missing or in the possession of other parties. It was a gold rush, and everyone was trying to claw what nuggets they could from the silt and mud. Adrian would get his, even if that meant allying with demons. Mackenzie and Rabb wanted Exodia free as well, although they did not want it for themselves…it was a curious thing, but Adrian would question it later.

David, Mackenzie, and Echo stood back as Adrian approached the grave. The magic was intoxicating, heady. "Ye who approaches the resting place of the dread god, speak your will." Adrian heard a voice in his head that was not his own.

"My name is Adrian Gecko, and I desire you as my servant." Adrian felt close to fainting in the presence of the primordial monster, but ultimately found some courage somewhere. It was far too late to turn back.

"Servant?" The voice mocked. "Perish for your insolence, child!"

Suddenly, Adrian felt overpowering waves of duel energy beset upon him, threatening to erase his very existence. Drawing upon every bit of strength he had, Adrian struggled to maintain consciousness. Behind him, dark violet auras emanated from David and Mackenzie as they attempted to withstand the god's wrath, Echo supplying what meager energy she could as well. The air vibrated with raw energy for several moments that seemed to last an eternity, until just as suddenly the pressure ceased. The four of them collapsed to their knees, overcome by exhaustion.

"Your will is strong, but I require blood. Sacrifice your love and you will have power beyond your dreams."

"It is as I thought." Adrian remembered reading this in the texts, wondering if it was really true. He glanced back to Echo, the woman walking towards him…

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A/N

Thank you as always for your patience and continued readership. The "initial battles" in the dark world are finished and we'll really start getting into the big time now that Jamie and company are in the city, and we'll also be wrapping up the tournament on the island soon. Next time we'll be seeing Alexis vs Axel and Bastion vs Chazz, I think they will be very fun duels for you guys to read. Thanks again for sticking with me! A month ago, I wrote a silly one-shot called Star Duels, which is a humorous one-shot detailing a duel between Jaden and Darth Vader from Star Wars, who is playing a Kozmo deck. If you like the sillier side of this story you may like that fic. Until next time!