bopdog111: We're back on Sacred Shadows. The real deal of season 1.
Ulrich362: True, the Shadow Riders are making their presence known.
bopdog111: But which one is first?
Ulrich362: We'll have to find out won't we? Enjoy the chapter.
Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX but we own the OCs!
In a dark cave was several people, and an old man said, "Our enemies has been tested, the time is upon us."
"Good, I was getting tired of waiting." stated a female voice. "Our numbers and strength keeps growing but until we get them it's all for nothing."
"But now we can get them just as we planned." a male voice told them, "Question is who is first?"
"I will lead on the charge." a voice said as it shows of a black cloaked brown haired male teenager having on a black mask.
"Very well Nightshroud, I expect quite a bit from you." the old man stated.
"Just try not to screw it up, we can't always clean up your messes." stated a feminine voice. "Especially now."
"Oh please. The prize of Duel Academy will be our's." the teen Nightmare smirked before walking is.
"For his sake, I hope he's right." stated another male voice.
Meanwhile in Sheppard's office...
Sheppard was staring on at a window where it's raining, and noticed something flying off as he muttered, "And so it begins... The battle, the war."
Suddenly his television turned on depicting an old man. "Things will end differently this time."
Sheppard turned to him saying, "So the time of the Shadow Games starts here."
"It has, but our allies have grown in number. You have no hope of surviving. The Sacred Beasts will soon be mine." the old man told him. "It's simply a matter of time."
"We will see. Just your Shadow Riders so does the determination, and power of my students." Sheppard said to the old man.
"We will see." the old man stated.
The next day...
Everyone was in Banner's class as they worked with Jaden snoozing away as usual.
"You're sure Rise?" Yu asked her quietly. "Something came here last night?"
"No mistake." Rise answered nodding.
Yu frowned. "Maybe it is all connected... we all need to see Chancellor Sheppard. I hope I'm wrong, but things might have gotten a lot more complicated."
"Yu, Rise." Banner called.
They turned to him.
"Chancellor Sheppard wants to see us along with Jaden, Syrus, Alexis, Chazz, Bastion, and Teddie." Banner told them.
Yu nodded.
Later...
They along with Dr. Crowler, Yuzu, Zane, Chie, Yukiko, Naoto, Yosuke, and Kanji have arrived at the office.
"What's going on?" Alexis asked.
Sheppard turned to them before saying to Yu, "Yu it's time."
Yu frowned. "Alright, I have a feeling everything relates to them anyway. Including what happened with Jinzo and when Yugi Muto's Deck was stolen."
Sheppard nodded before saying, "I have brought you all here for a situation. The Sacred Beasts."
"Sacred Beasts?" Zane inquired. "What are those?"
"Three immensely powerful cards that have the power to destroy the world as we know it if fell in the wrong hands." Sheppard answered.
"Sounds like normal." Kanji shrugged. "So who do we have to take down?"
"A group of Dark Duelists known as the Shadow Riders." Sheppard answered.
"Shadow Riders!" Chie repeated in shock. "They must be connected to that guy."
"And most likely the other threats we have here." Sheppard answered, "The Sacred Beasts are buried under all of Duel Academy safely sealed away."
"Except that's not true, they're attracting Shadows to the island." Rise pointed out. "You guys saw two of them and there could be hundreds more."
"I know. And now the war is beginning, and I called you all here for me to give you these." Sheppard said placing a small box on his desk, and opened it to show 8 different shaped keys.
"What are those?" Bastion asked.
"They are the Spirit Keys. They are made to forge the Spirit Gates, and are the only things that can unlock them to unseal the Sacred Beasts." Sheppard answered to them.
"So we need to protect them." Chazz said.
"Indeed. And furthermore they can't be stolen, and can only be earned in duels." Sheppard added.
"Not to offend, but if they can only be obtained through dueling what would stop us from simply refusing to duel?" Naoto inquired.
"That's easy of that can be possible." Sheppard answered, "They can make sure you have to duel no matter what."
"Then you called us here to be bodyguards?" Zane asked.
"Not really. I am entrusting the Spirit Keys to 8 of you. I have selected for Yu to be one of these but he refused not seeming to want to be involved with the Shadow Riders." Sheppard answered.
"Oh, and why is that? Maybe you value your life more then the world?" Dr. Crowler asked glaring at Yu.
Yu met his gaze calmly. "I was under the impression my friends and I would be fighting in our own way Dr. Crowler. In a way you can't. Some problems have more than one solution... this isn't one of them unfortunately."
"Well that doesn't matter." Yuzu told them, "What matters is to keep the Shadow Riders from claiming the Keys."
"Right, count on me." Jaden grinned taking one of the keys.
"These Shadow Riders won't do anything against the Chazz." Chazz smirked taking another.
"I won't let them have their own way." Alexis said taking another.
"A teacher should set an example for their students." Dr. Crowler noted taking his own key.
"Uh sure." Sheppard said a bit surprised.
"I won't let these fiends do this." Bastion said taking his key.
"I'm interested to see what they can do." Zane said taking his key.
"Yes I'll keep it under tight wraps." Banner smiled taking his key leaving just 1 left.
Yu looked at the last key before frowning and picking it up. "Something about this feels wrong."
"Oh Yu you changed your mind?" Sheppard asked seeing this.
Yu was quiet for a few moments before nodding. "I guess I have."
"Wonderful." Sheppard smiled before frowning, "You need all the luck you have. Because late last night one of them had arrived on the Island."
"Yeah we knew that." Rise admitted.
"You did?" Syrus asked surprised before realizing, "Oh Kouzeon sensed that right?"
"Yeah." Rise nodded.
"Well you should let Yu handle it since he's the best out of us!" Jaden grinned.
"HIM!? If we're talking about skill it could be me, or Zane! Yu doesn't stand a chance at all since Zane did battled a Persona User before!" Dr. Crowler reminded.
"That was a draw!" Jaden argued.
Chazz only smirked, "Ah who needs them I'm clearly the best choice!"
"This isn't a game, it's life or death." Yosuke told them.
"Couldn't have said it better." Sheppard admitted.
"So now what?" Yu questioned.
"We now wait. Good luck." Sheppard answered.
With that everyone but Yu left. Sheppard turned to him.
"Chancellor Sheppard, we need to let Mitsuru-san know." Yu told him.
Sheppard nodded at that.
Meanwhile...
"Rise... you don't think they'll lose do you?" Syrus asked nervously.
He took her hand when he asked that. Syrus looked worried.
"It will be okay Syrus." Rise smiled.
He looked at her before smiling. "Ok."
"Okay let's head back." Jaden grinned.
They all nodded.
Later...
Jaden, Yu, Chumley, and Teddie were in their dorm room at night.
"Man I wish you two luck." Chumley told Yu, and Jaden.
"We'll need it." Yu admitted.
"Well I am sure that we can't let them win Yu." Jaden grinned.
Yu nodded only to frown. "I shouldn't have this key."
"Yu your Slifer's Strongest Duelist you totally needed it." Chumley pointed out.
"You guys saw what happened to Chie right?" Yu asked.
"Yeah." Jaden nodded on it.
"I think she dueled one of them, and if the others are anything like him... I fundamentally can't win." Yu admitted.
"What?" Chumley asked shocked.
Yu frowned before telling them what happened.
"So that might've been a Shadow Rider?" Jaden asked Yu.
"Maybe." Yu nodded.
Just then everything around them started to bright up.
"What the?" Chumley asked nervously.
They then started to hear a sinister laugh.
"Who's there?" Yu questioned.
It glowed too bright blinding them.
"The first duel is happening!"
Soon they appeared in the volcano with a platform made of energy keeping them away from the lava.
"What's going on?" Yu questioned.
"A freaky situation might be what." Jaden admitted looking around.
Just then a serpent Dragon made of fire charged out of the lava surprising the two as it dropped down on the platform, and who walked out was Nightshroud.
"Who are you?" Jaden questioned.
"Call me Nightshroud." Nightshroud smirked, "And I'm here for those two keys you have there."
Yu flinched at that. "You're a Shadow Rider."
"Indeed." Nightshroud smirked before a medallion on his neck glowed.
"Wait that's..." Jaden started before looking at his own medallion.
Nightshroud smirked holding his up, "Nice medallion. Guess the Chief must be getting lazy."
Jaden frowned at that.
"Now which one of you can be taken down. Or if you like both of you at once." Nightshroud smirked.
Yu frowned.
"Yu, he has us both trapped." Jaden told him, "We do might need to team up."
"I can't Jaden, his Shadow Cards will kill me. I'd only slow you down." Yu told him.
"Then would you want your friends to die?" Nightshroud asked him.
"No, but I know that your Arcana Shadow cards render my cards useless." Yu answered.
"Arcana Shadow? What are you talking about?" Nightshroud asked him.
"What?" Yu questioned. "Your deck, the ones you Shadow Riders use just like when you nearly killed my friend Chie."
"I am afraid you had me mistaken for that fool I could easily topple. I don't have any of those cards." Nightshroud smirked.
Yu looked at Nightshroud in surprise. "I see, then I'll duel on my own."
"Yourself?" Nightshroud asked him.
"Yu can you really face him by yourself?" Jaden asked him, "We can always team up."
Yu turned to Jaden before closing his eyes. "I'll be alright, if he doesn't use those I should be able to win."
"Alright fine if that's what you wish." Nightshroud smirked, "But say hello to Chumley, and Teddie."
"Jaden, Yu!"
"Sensei! Jaden-san!"
"Guys!" Jaden cried.
They looked to see the two were in a orb close to the lava.
"Sensei, I can't call my Persona!" Teddie cried to Yu.
"Change, Beelzebub! Keep them safe!" Yu called as a massive fly with a scepter appeared and lifted the orb.
Yu's eyes widened in shock. "Beelzebub, carry them to safety!"
A massive fly with a scepter appeared and lifted the orb. Yu watched it fly off before turning and glaring at Nightshroud.
"I still have other ways." Nightshroud smirked, "But oh well there's still one more thing."
He held up a blank card as it glowed dark.
"For this Shadow Game your soul is at stake. If you lose your soul is placed in this card." Nightshroud smirked, "Oh course if I lose my own soul will be placed in this card."
"You will lose." Yu told him before activating his Duel Disc. "I can promise you that."
"Well what are we waiting for?" Nightshroud smirked as they armed themselves.
"Let's do this!"
(Dueling Theme: Not Gonna Die)
Yu: 4000
Nightshroud: 4000
Let the duel begin!
"You can go first." Yu told Nightshroud.
Nightshroud 1st Turn:
"Very well then." Nightshroud smirked drawing as he looked, "And for this I'll summon Sniffer Dragon in defense mode."
At that a red scaled cybernetic dragon appeared ready.
Sniffer Dragon
Dark Type
Level 2
Dragon
ATK: 800
DEF: 400
If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can add 1 "Sniffer Dragon" from your Deck to your hand. You can only use this effect of "Sniffer Dragon" once per turn.
"And then when this card is summoned another Sniffer Dragon comes into my hand." Nightshroud smirked showing the card.
"Fine." Yu stated.
"And then I activate Double Summon." Nighsthroud smirked.
Double Summon
Normal Spell Card
You can conduct 2 Normal Summons/Sets this turn, not just 1.
"So now I can make another summon. Such as Troop Dragon also in defense mode." Nightshroud smirked as a green scaled dragon having a shield, and sword appeared.
Troop Dragon
Wind Type
Level 2
Dragon
ATK: 700
DEF: 800
If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard as a result of battle, select and Special Summon 1 "Troop Dragon" from your Deck to your side of the field. Then shuffle your Deck.
"Then two face-downs. Your up." Nightshroud smirked.
Yu 1st Turn:
Yu drew his card. "I summon Fool Persona Izanagi in attack mode."
Fool Persona Izanagi
Dark Type
Level 1
Warrior
ATK: 0
DEF: 0
A warrior of incredible power, he just needs to unleash it.
"No attack points?" Nightshroud asked at that.
"Next I play the spell card Power of the Wildcard." Yu continued. "This spell evolves Fool Persona Izanagi into World Persona Izanagi-No-Okami."
Power of the Wildcard
Normal Spell Card
Send 1 "Fool Persona Izanagi" you control to the GY. Special Summon 1 "World Persona Izanagi-No-Okami" to your field in attack position.
World Persona Izanagi-No-Okami
Divine Type
Level 12
Divine-Beast
ATK: 0
DEF: 0
Must be summoned by "Power of the Wildcard" and cannot be summoned by other methods. This card cannot be summoned from the graveyard. If this card declares an attack destroy the opposing monster and deal damage equal the total ATK of every monster in your hand.
Nightshroud grunted, 'Camula warned me before of this thing.'
"Next, I play this facedown and now Izanagi-No-Okami attack Sniffer Dragon!" Yu called. "Myriad Truths!"
The God Persona attacked only for Nightshroud to smirk, "That won't work!"
"What?" Yu questioned.
"I activate the trap, Dragon Chain!" Nightshroud smirked.
Dragon Chain
Continuous Trap Card
Effects will be revealed.
At that hot chains from the lava shot out, and ensnared the God Persona as it struggled. Yu cried out in pain as burns appeared on his body in the same places his Persona was chained up.
"What's going on?" Jaden asked shocked.
"Like it? Dragon Chain can only be used by me discarding a card, and paying half my Life Points while I control 2 Dragons." Nightshroud smirked discarding a card, "So now your monster can't attack or be tributed anymore. However I can't attack it either, and if it's the only monster at your disposal, I can attack directly while the attacks will only deal half of what they do."
(Nightshroud: 2000)
Yu just cried out in agony. Jaden ran to him trying to help, "Yu! Come on you stupid Duel Disk! Do what your made to do!"
That's when Jaden saw it was glowing, Yu was in that much agony that even with the Duel Disc it wasn't helping. Jaden grunted before saying, "Yu now your gonna have to let me take Nightshroud on."
Yu didn't even seem to hear Jaden before he cried out again and Jaden could see smoke forming on the burns on his body. Jaden grunted as he activated his Duel Disk, "Nobody hurts my pals."
When he activated his Duel Disk his Deck glowed as he looked amazed before it show two lights. One for Yu, and for Izanagi-no-Okami which heals Yu, and made the burning sensation stopped. Yu's eyes widened slightly before he collapsed to the ground not moving as Izanagi-No-Okami vanished.
"Yu!" Jaden cried.
"Hahaha what a fool." Nightshroud smirked walking over.
Jaden glared before activating his Duel Disk.
"He lost, so his Spirit Key is mine and his Soul will be sealed away in the card as per our agreement." Nightshroud told Jaden.
"That wasn't a loss! It ended without an outcome so guess what you don't have his soul, or key yet!" Jaden pointed out.
Nightshroud glared at Jaden. "Fine, once I beat you I'll take both your keys."
"Now your speaking my language!" Jaden called as he, and Nightshroud prepared themselves.
Meanwhile...
Rise suddenly gasped and ran from the room.
"R-Rise!" Syrus cried running after her, "Rise wait up!"
"Something's wrong, I think something happened to Yu." Rise told him as she kept running.
Syrus nodded as they ran as they noticed Yukiko, Alexis, Naoto, and Chie had joined them. That's when they heard screaming as they looked up to see the orb with Teddie and Chumley in it falling to the ground.
"Kouzeon!" Rise called as her persona appeared catching the orb.
"You guys one of those Shadow Riders is dueling Yu and Jaden at the volcano right now, but that fly just vanished all of a sudden." Chumley told them.
"A fly?" Syrus asked.
"One of sensei's personas... it just disappeared." Teddie told them.
"Disappeared?" Chie asked shocked, "That never happened before!"
"We need to get there, and fast!" Yukiko told them.
They all nodded before running towards the volcano. They arrived as Syrus asked, "How we see what's going on?"
"Guys!"
They turned to the voice. It was the rest of the team along with the rest of the Key Wielders, and Yuzu running over.
"What's going on?" Chazz questioned.
"Yu, and Jaden are battling a Shadow Rider, and something might be wrong with Yu." Syrus said worried.
"What, they why are we standing around here?" Kanji questioned.
"You got an idea how we can get in the Volcano without falling in the Lava?" Bastion asked him.
Kanji frowned at that. "We need to do something."
Zane told them, "Everyone hop on. I summon Cyber End Dragon!"
Zane's ace appeared roaring as he jumped on it. They jumped on with him.
"Thanks." Yosuke mentioned.
They flew in the Volcano where they can see.
Nightshroud has a huge dragon with over 4500 attack points, and Jaden has Wildheart with Yu unconscious behind him.
"No way..." Chie whispered in horror.
"Hm?" Nightshroud looked up as he chuckled, "Hehehe well well... All the Spirit Keys at the same spot. That makes this job a lot more easier."
"What did you do to him?" Yosuke questioned.
"Nothing... Yet." Nightshroud smirked, "He was first against me, and when I used a trap on his Izanagi-no-Okami he suddenly passed out."
Hearing that Dr. Crowler glanced at Yu before frowning which only Yuzu noticed, only it wasn't anger it was concern.
"And now I got you Nightshroud! I activate Wild Half!" Jaden called, "While Wildheart is out your monsters attack points are sliced in half, and you get to a Half Token that is the same as your Darkness Dragon's!"
The dragon split in two but each copy had 3300 points.
"They're still way stronger than Wildheart." Syrus panicked.
"Not for long when I activate Polymerization to Wildheart with Bladedge!" Jaden called as the two fused.
"Another Fusion?" Chazz asked in shock.
"Come out Elemental HERO Wildedge!" Jaden called as a warrior that looks like Wildheart, and wearing Bladedge's armor appeared.
"It's still 700 points too weak." Chumley frowned.
"Not so, there is one card he can play." Dr. Crowler pointed out.
"And now I activate Skyscraper!" Jaden called as the buildings rose out of the Lava.
"Nice, that'll give Wildedge 1000 more points." Chie smiled.
Nightshroud only smirked, "But it can only attack 1 time."
"Jaden..." Syrus started nervously.
"Not so much." Jaden grinned, "Wildedge can attack all the monsters on your field!"
"All of them?" Nightshroud asked in shock.
"And now attack!" Jaden called as Wildedge attacked thee two dragons, and a defensive blue dragon destroying them as Nightshroud screamed holding his head.
Nightshroud: 0000
Winner Jaden.
With his defeat Nightshroud cried out before collapsing to the ground. A bright light occurred before suddenly they were transported out of the Volcano as Jaden knelled.
"Jaden!" Syrus cried running to him.
"S-Shadow Games do that to ya." Jaden grinned.
Syrus smiled. "Hey, I'm the one who dueled the Gravekeeper with Rise remember?"
Jaden chuckled before realizing, "Yu! Nightshroud!"
Yu was near them, and Nightshroud was farther with the card beside Yu as it faded to show a black mask identical to Nightshroud's appeared. Both Yu and Nightshroud were out cold as the sun was starting to rise. Alexis ran to Nightshroud's limp body as she gasped, and started to cry.
"Alexis?" Zane asked walking over to her.
Alexis knelled as he turned Nightshroud's body to where Zane can see he isn't wearing the mask, "It's him Zane... It's my brother, Atticus!"
Zane's eyes widened in shock. "Wait... that's impossible."
"Zane, Alexis, what are you two..." Dr. Crowler started as he walked up only for his eyes to widen. "My word, can it really be him?"
"Yu! Come on pal get up!" Jaden cried shaking Yu.
Yu wasn't moving and his burns were bad.
"Yukiko, Ted! That trap Nightshroud used to trap Izanagi-no-Okami had done damage to him!" Jaden told them.
"Wait did you say Izanagi-No-Okami?" Yosuke asked in shock.
"Yu started out with it, and Nightshroud trapped it." Jaden answered.
The members of the Investigation Team all exchanged fearful glances hearing that.
"Is there something we should be aware of?" Bastion asked them.
"Izanagi-No-Okami is Yu's Persona... yeah he uses a lot more but that one is different. If any of the others are damaged it's bad, but that one or Izanagi, I'm not sure he can ever wake up." Yosuke admitted. "Our Personas are a part of ourselves, Izanagi and Izanagi-No-Okami are Yu completely."
"Grr! I should have never have let Yu take Nightshroud!" Jaden grunted looking down, "Dammit!"
"It isn't your fault Jaden." Naoto told him.
Jaden turned to her.
"She's right." Chie agreed.
Jaden softly smiled before moving to help Yu up.
"Zane help me get him to the infirmary." Alexis requested taking Atticus' left arm, and putting it around her shoulders.
Zane nodded helping her with Atticus.
"I'll inform Sheppard." Yuzu said as she ran out.
Suddenly Jaden cried out.
"Jaden?" Bastion asked running over.
Jaden turned to Bastion as he saw Jaden's hands looked like they'd been burned. "Yu's body is burning up."
"I'll call a stretcher!" Dr. Crowler said running off to follow Yuzu.
"This is bad... that was just one of these Shadow Riders, and who knows how many more there..." Jaden started before wincing and collapsing.
Jaden looked completely exhausted.
"It's the Shadow Duel, it must have taken a lot out of him." Rise realized.
"Come Jaden. We'll take you back." Banner said helping Jaden.
Banner picked up the unconscious Jaden as they walked back towards the academy.
bopdog111: The first certainly caused trouble.
Ulrich362: True, they managed to defeat Nightshroud but now Atticus, Yu, and Jaden are all down for the count.
bopdog111: At least for now.
Ulrich362: True, though next up won't be what you think. There are more Shadow Riders and the next one may reveal something shocking.
bopdog111: It isn't Camula.
Ulrich362: True, well see you in the next chapter. Oh, and for the record Yu will likely be out of commission longer than Jaden or Atticus.
bopdog111: Be sure to review!