Jaden: 1000 LP
Chief: 900 LP
Chief's field: Gravekeeper's Assailant, Gravekeeper's Curse, Necrovalley
Chief: It's your move Jaden. And if you want to have any hope of saving your friends, you had better make it a good one.
Jaden: Fine, I draw! Winged Kuriboh. You're always there when I need you, aren't you little buddy? Okay, I'm putting my trust in you. I summon Winged Kuriboh in defense mode!
Level 1/Light/Fairy
ATK 300/DEF 200
Jaden: It's your move.
Chief: How fitting. The blind lead the blind and the weak protect the weak. Hiding behind that Kuriboh might be your idea of defense, but in my world, rodents like that are for pounding, not protection.
Jaden: He's no rodent. He's one of my very best friends. And you're about to see why.
Chief: Well with friends like you, he needs no enemies. After all, you've just thrown him to the wolves. Assailant, attack!
Jaden: Not so fast, I discard two cards to play the spell Transcendent Wings! This will let me evolve Winged Kuriboh to a level 10 monster!
Chief: I think not. I activate the effect of Gravekeeper's Watcher in my hand! By discarding this card, your spell is negated. Now Assailant, continue your assault with Stealth Slice Strike!
Jaden: But due to Winged Kuriboh's special ability, since he was destroyed, I take no damage in battle this turn.
Chief: I place one card face-down and end my turn. It would appear that rodent was of some use to you after all.
Jaden: That's enough! Winged Kuriboh is no rodent!
Chief: Would you prefer vermin? Or perhaps rat?
Jaden: That's it! My draw! First I'm activating Pot of Greed! Next, I summon Dark Catapulter in defense mode!
Level 4/Earth/Machine
ATK 1000/DEF 1500
Jaden: Now I'm playing the Mirage of Nightmare spell card! During your standby phase, I get to draw until I have 4 cards in my hand. Next, I'll place 3 cards face-down and end my turn. That's all I've got for now. I'll have to hope whatever cards Mirage gives me will help turn the tables.
Chief: Very well, I draw.
Jaden: Which also means it's my draw since it's now your standby phase. Alright, I got Clayman, Sparkman, and Polymerization! If he keeps his Gravekeeper's Curse in attack mode this turn, I can summon Thunder Giant next turn and attack him for the win. I just have to make it through this turn.
Chief: Judging by the look on your face, I'm guessing you've drawn some good cards. Unfortunately for you, you'll never get the chance to use them. I sacrifice Gravekeeper's Curse to summon myself, Gravekeeper's Chief!
Level 5/Dark/Spellcaster
ATK 1900-2400/DEF 1200-1700
Chief: While I am on the field, my graveyard is unaffected by Necrovalley, and since I was successfully summoned, I can bring back a Gravekeeper's monster from the graveyard, so return, Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier!
Level 4/Dark/Spellcaster
ATK 1500-2000/DEF 1000-1500
Chief: And now I activate the trap Rite of Spirit! This card allows me to revive a Gravekeeper from my graveyard, so be reborn, Gravekeeper's Curse!
Level 3/Dark/Spellcaster
ATK & DEF 800-1300
Chief: And due to its effect, you now receive 500 points of damage.
Jaden: 500 LP
Chief: Now, Gravekeeper's Assailant, attack Dark Catapulter! And due to her special ability, your monster is forced into attack mode. This duel is over!
Jaden: Not yet it's not. I play the spell Emergency Provisions! By sending Mirage and one of my face-downs to the graveyard, I gain 2000 life points!
Jaden: 2500 LP
Chief: You may have increased your life points, but Assailant's attack continues. Destroy his monster!
Jaden: 1500 LP
Chief: You should have attacked faster.
Jaden: Hey, it's not her fault you messed up. It's your own.
Chief: Shut your mouth. Better yet, why don't I do it for you? After all, don't forget that I still have an attack. An attack I plan to use right now!
Jaden: No, you won't. I play the trap Draining Shield! This will cancel your attack and raise my life points by the same amount as your attack points!
Jaden: 3900 LP
Chief: Spear Soldier, strike him directly!
Jaden: 1900 LP
Chief: Now, Gravekeeper's Curse, attack with Doomsday Purge!
Jaden: 600 LP
Jaden dropped to his knees and started panting heavily.
Chief: You're proving to be even less of a challenge than I thought. Come on, fight back. This isn't even fun anymore.
Jaden: Hahahahaha! Funny, because I'm having a blast.
Chief: The lives of you and your friends hang by but a thread, and you say you are having fun?
Jaden: Yeah, because no thread's about to be cut. I'm just one turn away from winning this duel and getting me and my friends out of this.
Chief: You are wrong, and when you see what I am about to play, you will see why. I activate the Royal Tribute spell card. Since Necrovalley is in play, all monster cards in our hands are sent straight to the graveyard. Now whatever monsters you were planning to win with are gone.
Jaden: Yeah, and all I've got left is Polymerization, which would be great if I had any monsters to fuse with it.
Chief: I end my turn. Make your final move.
Jaden: It all comes down to this. If I don't draw the right card, me and my friends are doomed. Okay, here goes everything. I draw! It's my Bladedge! Oh man, I could win the duel in a snap if I could summon him, but I don't have any monsters to sacrifice. And I don't have any monsters that I can fuse him with either. Wait a minute!
Chief: If I had to guess, you just drew a high-level monster that might have won you the game. If you had monsters to sacrifice so you could summon it, that is.
Jaden: Actually, I can still summon him. And it's all thanks to you.
Chief: What? Explain yourself!
Jaden: Sure. You see, you thought using Royal Tribute to get rid of my monsters would help you, but it's actually helped me win.
Chief: How?
Jaden: You see, one of the monsters you sent to my graveyard was Elemental Hero Necroshade, and due to his effect, once while he's in the graveyard, I can summon a high-level Elemental Hero without a sacrifice, which means I can summon Elemental Hero Bladedge!
Level 7/Earth/Warrior
ATK 2600/DEF 1800
Jaden: Now Bladedge, attack Gravekeeper's Curse with Power Edge Assault and end this duel!
Chief: 0 LP
Winner: Jaden
Jaden: That's game, Chief.
Assailant: Chief!
Jaden: Is he okay?
He ran over to them, but the guards raised their weapons to them when he got close.
Chief: No! He passed the test. Jaden, you were an impressive opponent.
Jaden: Thanks. You were pretty good yourself. I'd love to duel you again sometime.
Chief: What? You mean to say you enjoyed the Shadow Game?
Jaden: Sure. I mean I certainly could've gone without the whole friends in the coffin thing and all the mortal peril, but it was fun. And you three guys, very scary, and really tough as well. You too. You all fought great.
Chief: Only one other person has ever passed this challenge. Until now that is. For having overcome this trial, I bequeath to you this mystic medallion. It is yours.
He pulled out a golden necklace and handed it to Jaden, except half of it was missing.
Jaden: Thanks. Just out of curiosity, what happened to the other half?
Chief: It lies with the only other person to have passed this challenge. Hopefully when the time comes for you to battle in another Shadow Game, this medallion will serve you well.
Jaden: Cool. I'll be sure to remember that.
Gravekeeper's Chief turned to the pit and extended his hand. The lids to the sarcophagi opened and the bandages binding everyone disintegrated.
Banner: Sunlight never looked so good.
Alexis: I knew you could do it Jaden.
They all met up at the base of the pyramid and rejoined with Reign-Beaux.
Reign-Beaux: Well Jaden, it looks like you kept your word.
Banner: Yes, I knew you would overcome this test Jaden.
Jaden: Wait, what do you mean test? Don't you mean trial?
Banner: Oh yes. Well, test, trial, it is all the same. The important thing is that you won.
Chief: Well then, it is time for you and your friends to return to your world.
Jaden: Sounds good to me. But how do we get back?
Chief: Go to the gate of the tomb. When the three suns join as one, a veil of radiance shall appear, and you will be returned.
Jaden: Oooookay…
Just then, numerous guards appeared and surrounded them.
Chief: What are you doing?
Guard: They must be punished, either by you or by us.
Chief: Stop! He has paid for his misdeeds, and he passed the trial. His freedom has been earned.
Reign-Beaux: And if any of you wish to lay a hand upon them, you must go through me first.
Assailant: Stand back. We must honor our word. We are the keepers of the graves, not the makers. Jaden, when you finally return to your world, and if you find the holder of the other half of the medallion, tell him Yasmin is still in the other world, but I haven't forgotten him, and that I believe that we will meet again someday.
Jaden: Oh, boyfriend.
Syrus: Of course.
The guards reluctantly stood aside for them to leave.
Yasmin: I would hurry.
Jaden: For sure. But how do we leave again?
Reign-Beaux: We return to the gate. Follow me, quickly!
They rushed back to the gate.
Jaden: Hurry! The suns are starting to combine!
Suddenly, Chumley tripped and fell on his face.
Jaden: Chumley! Are you okay?
Chumley: My leg, I'm not sure I can run. Go on without me. You don't have time to wait.
Reign-Beaux: We leave no one behind.
He picked up Chumley and they all ran for the gate, reaching it just in time. The same beams of light from earlier appeared, and they were transported home. When Jaden awoke, they were back in the ruins and everyone else was asleep. He turned to the side and saw Alexis was resting against his shoulder. He carefully propped her against the column they were leaning against and looked around.
Jaden: Was it all just a dream?
He looked down at his chest and saw the medallion Gravekeeper's Chief had given him.
Jaden: I guess not. Well, at least we all made it back in one piece. But I get the feeling that the shadows will be back.
Hey everyone. I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving and are staying safe. I'm still held up on my Zexal series, so just bear with me please.