Prologue: The Grand Rise, then the Devastating Fall

Long ago, when the pyramids were still young, Egyptian kings played a game of great and terrible power. But these shadow games erupted into a war that threatened to destroy the entire world until a brave and powerful pharaoh locked the magic away. That's the story all of you know, but what if someone told you that it wasn't just the dusty deserts of Egypt that played these shadow games?

Off in the east, in the land of the rising sun, a fearless Shogun and his dynasty had discovered the same mystic power to summon spirits from another world. Once he learned how to wield this power, he immediately used it as a tool of war, conquering many rival lands and enemy empires until he was the one ruler of Japan. Harnessing this power was his suit of armor, coated in gold and sealed with a mystic rune on all of its major pieces. Soon enough, as this Shogun has settled down and had begun to raise a family, he passed his armor pieces down to his wife and kids so that they too could maintain the rule of their bloodline, and spread it to the lands their spouses would call home.

But even with an entire country under his rule, the Shogun still had a desire to conquer and rule more lands, no… more worlds! The Shogun set his site on the very source that gave way to his rule. The Spirit World, a land filled with strange creatures with power and abilities beyond human imagination, only bearing witness to it when they were summoned through the shadow games. But the Shogun didn't want to just use this power, he wanted to conquer it, become the sole arbiter of it, to rule their world. Soon he opened a gate to the Spirit World, and using both his army and the spirits he tamed, he waged a war on the very creatures he used to rise to power in the first place.

But one thing stood in his way, from the last place he ever expected. The Shogun's youngest child, his daughter, had gained friendship and sympathy for the denizens of the Spirit World, and was horrified by the chaos and destruction her father's Dynasty had brought to their home. So, she retaliated, honed a new power not discovered by her father, and used it to fight back against his forces, eventually striking them with a defeat so devastating, the dynasty would soon fall. But some are so stubborn that even death and the passing of centuries aren't enough to keep them from rising again.

Information About the Upcoming Series!

Hey everyone! Recently I decided that I would like to start publishing fanfiction and other pieces of my written work online for the purpose of seeing how people react to my stories and to get some early feedback while I'm in the process of completing my journey through college. I've always had a passion for writing, in fact, I'm super close to getting a bachelor's in Creative Writing, with a major that puts a lot of focus on film and screenwriting. I've learned a lot during my time in higher education, and I wanted to have a personal project that would put my latest skills to the test. So, if you'd like to help out with the creation of this series, just leave constructive comments whether they be positive or negative, and I'd also really appreciate seeing your theories, predictions, suggestions, and especially fanart of the series! The more active everyone in the community is, the more motivation I'll have to pump out entries in this series! With all that out of the way, here's some information and questions you may have.

Elevator Pitch: The younger brother of a major Duel Monsters champion finds out that he has a connection to an ancient power and a world of spirits. However, a long-thought defeated Dynasty that ruled during the Feudal time has begun to rise again, and this young boy may be the only one who can stop them from taking over the world of humans and spirits.

What kind of audience am I aiming for?

Well for starters, this is a Yu-Gi-Oh! Fic, so I'm obviously trying to appeal to both classic and modern fans of both the anime and the card game. That being said, I'm hoping that I can bring in people who maybe aren't too involved with the franchise by focusing more on the story, characters, and their relationships with each other, rather than just the duels. While I love the Yu-Gi-Oh animes as much as the next guy (well, for the most part. All of them have had low points in their series.), I'm well aware of the many flaws they have, and I'd like to make a series that takes what people love about the shows while mixing in better characters and stories that aren't held back by being a weekly shonen that's trying to sell shiny cardboard.

In particular, I'm going to try to make a cast that is not only well written but also diverse in many ways. I want to have a female lead that's an active participant in the story and isn't just there to stand in the background and yell the protagonist's name. I'm also planning to write a few characters that are part of the LGBTQ+ community, but of course, there will be more to their characters than just their sexual preference or identity. These won't be characters that show up once and then can be easily edited out of foreign dubs like in a modern Disney movie, these will be active players in the plot who will have duels that are relevant to the plot and showcase their characters.

What Era of Yu-Gi-Oh will this take place in?

Um… after Vrains I guess. I want this series to stand on its own and not have to rely on pandering and references to the other series, so really you could place this in any of the timelines. But like I said, I'd like this to appeal to a wide audience, and if you've tried to follow the Yu-Gi-Oh! Timeline, you know that shit's more complicated than Kingdom Hearts!

As for the ruleset the characters will be playing with, I'll be using Master rule 5, the ruleset that's currently going on during the time of writing the first chapters, and I will stick with it to the very end, even if there is a new master rule that is released mid-series. So to make this short and simple, I will be including all the new types of monsters like Links, Pendulums, Synchros, and Xyz. Fusions, Synchros, and Xyz monsters can be summoned to any zone on the field, while Link and Pendulum monsters will have to be summoned to the Extra Monster Zone, or a zone that a Link Arrow points to. All of the summoning mechanics will have a character that primarily plays them, so each of them will be given their own proper introduction to catch anyone not in the know up to speed.

Lastly, though I do currently play games at locals and am aware of current meta trends, I won't be basing the decks the characters play off said meta. That'll only date the series due to how rapidly Yu-Gi-Oh's meta tends to change, and plus I think it'd be pretty boring to read duels about duels that last two turns and are primarily just watching people throw hand-traps at each other.

Are there going to be custom cards/archetypes?

The short answer is, Yes! I've thought up a few custom archetypes in my head with their own styles of play and balancing, and since I suck at drawing this is essentially my way of showing them off to the world. I'm very interested to see what you all think of them, and I'd especially love to see anyone's fanart/interpretation of what the cards look like.

Will you be following the Banlist?

Not really, much like my point with the Meta, the fact that the list is always changing means that if I tried to concern myself with staying true to it, I'd have to retcon a bunch of duels in past episodes. So while I'll refrain from using cards like Pot of Greed, Painful Choice, and Magical Scientist, I may throw in a Tyrant Neptune every once in a while.

How will the fan community interaction go?

As the old saying goes, don't count your chickens before they hatch. While things like a dedicated Discord Server or may be possible outlets in the future, I don't want to bother taking the time to create all of those unless I already have a community that it can migrate to it. But, if enough people show interest in this series, I'd love to create a discord server for fanart, discussion, and memes! But in the meantime, if you all want to send me fanart, I'd happily promote it by placing it at the end of every published episode, with the proper credits given and links to the sources. Of course, if I have too much fanart coming in, I'll probably only showcase 3-4 pieces, but that's a bridge we'll cross if/when we get to it.

So, how about them characters?

I'm glad you asked! Since this is a series that puts focus on the characters, I thought we'd end it off by showcasing the main cast, giving away just enough to give everyone an idea as to who they are and what to be excited about, but still leaving just enough behind the curtain so you'll have to check out the series if you want to learn more about them. So, please give a warm welcome and round of applause to our main cast!

The Main Protagonist of our story

Name: Yusuke Kozu

Age: 16

Gender: Male

Hair Color and Style: Short black hair that's littered with blonde highlights.

Skin Color: Pale

Eye Color: Green

Height and Weight: 5'8, 180 pounds

Outfit: A custom-made stylized graphic tee usually decorated with skeletons playing rock instruments. Also wears a black hoodie that's always zipped open, blue jeans, and red shoes.

Personality: Despite trying to appear like a cool/chill dude on the outside, he's actually kind of an emotional softie who can really break down once his wall is shattered. This is a side of him he tries to keep hidden, and instead strives to stand out as perfect in every way.

Deck: Starts off as World Chalice, but slowly includes all parts of World Legacy Lore.

Favorite Card: Auram the World Chalice Blademaster

Likes: Playing Drums, Working out, practicing and honing skills, having general chill hangouts with friends and family.

Dislikes: Those who look down on others, having overwhelming pressure and expectations put on himself.

The best friend

Name: Ryujii Peros

Age: 16

Gender: Male

Hair Color and Style: Long crimson red hair that he ties in a ponytail.

Skin Color: Tan

Eye Color: Blue

Height and Weight: 6'0 and 156 lb

Outfit: Black tank top with grey sweatpants that have blue streaks down the sides.

Personality: Energetic, lively, puts entertainment above strategy, as he aspires to duel for entertainment in the future.

Deck: ABC

Favorite Card: ABC Buster Dragon

Likes: Performing, acting, hanging out with friends, playing sports.

Dislikes: School, paperwork, and waiting for long amounts of time with nothing to do.

The Female Lead

Name: Molly Sweetland

Age: 15

Gender: Female

Hair Color and Style: Long, slightly curled hair that's a light shade of brown

Skin Color: Pale

Eye Color: Violet

Height and Weight: 5'5 and about 148 lbs.

Outfit: Short-sleeved pink jacket, cyan loose-fitting tank top, denim shorts, black boots, and a black beanie with a cartoon cat face printed at the bottom. She's also

Personality: A little shy and quiet, but determined to get her goals done. She can also get aggressive in the heat of the moment. Due to her reserved nature, she tends to bottle up her problems and try to solve them herself and pushing away others.

Deck: A custom Archetype called Shine Sprites, light Plants that focus on draining the ATK of your opponent's monsters and adding them to your monsters.

Favorite Card: Shine Sprite - Lily Princess

Likes: Sweets, the warm comfort of her mother, setting goals, and trying to fulfill them.

Dislikes: Her struggles, people who aren't serious, when her goal isn't within reach.

The World Champion and older brother of the main character:

The older brother and world champion:

Name: Dai "Ace" Kozu

Age: 19

Gender: Male

Hair Color and Style: Frizzy, Cyan hair that reaches his shoulders.

Skin Color: light.

Eye Color: Turquoise

Height and Weight: 140 lb/6'5

Outfit: A white button-up shirt with black sleeves and a giant "A" written across the front, along with black jeans and white shoes.

Personality: Cold, quiet, calculating, and always thinking through every step. This analytical persona he's built has bled over into his personal life, and he's cut off almost all personal connections with his friends and family.

Deck: SPYral

Favorite Card: SPYral Sleeper

Likes: Math, note-taking, conversation, discussion, and those who value skill and planning.

Dislikes: Overly emotional people, violent brutes, and those who act without logic.

A cousin of the main character

Name: Shino Shibu

Age: 14

Gender: Female

Hair Color and Style: Bright orange hair that she ties in a bun.

Skin Color: White

Eye Color: Green

Height and Weight: 5'0 and around 120 lbs

Outfit: Black shirt, with a red jacket and skirt.

Personality: Innocent, looks up to Yusuke and Ace, ambitious, but a bit clumsy.

Deck: Dinosaurs (pre-Dinomashers Fury… for now! 0_0)

Favorite Card: Ultimate Tyranno

Likes: Card collecting, watching people duel, daydreaming.

Dislikes: Failing, tests, being made fun of.

A Red-Eyes Duel Academy graduate who'll be competing in the World Championship Tournament

Name: Niko Wilport

Age: 18

Gender: Male

Hair Color and Style: Short turquoise hair that's very clean.

Skin Color: Fair

Eye Color: Brown

Height and Weight: 6'2 and 146 lbs

Outfit: A plain white shirt with a silver jacket made of leather, black dress pants, and shiny shoes.

Personality: Arrogant, egotistical, but also wants to share his talents and become a dueling professor. When his ego is challenged, he often loses control and goes crazy.

Deck: Blue-Eyes

Favorite Card: Blue-Eyes Chaos Dragon

Likes: Teaching, studying, and coming up with strategies.

Dislikes: People who act like goofballs, those unwilling to learn, seeing those better than him.

Niko's younger sister

Name: Jira Wilport

Age: 16

Gender: Trans-Female

Hair Color and Style: Dark red with black highlights, is cut rather short.

Skin Color: Fair

Eye Color: Blue

Height and Weight: 5'5 and is around 150 pounds that are mostly muscle

Outfit: A camo tank top, light green skirt, combat boots, and a spiked bracelet.

Personality: Brash, no-nonsense, impatient, and a bit aggressive

Deck: Vampires

Favorite Card: Vampire Fraulein

Likes: Sparing, dueling, working out, and getting work done.

Dislikes: Lazy people, jokesters, and those who drive her patience.

A student at Red-Eyes Academy with a connection to Yusuke

Name: Maleek Myers

Age: 16

Gender: Male

Hair Color and Style: Very short and bleached

Skin Color: Black

Eye Color: Blue

Height and Weight: 6'1 141 Ibs

Outfit: Yellow Blazer and black dress pants, along with a thick pair of glasses and a single stud earring.

Personality: A little bit of an excitable dork, knows the ins and outs of every card, is a little bit dense, and finds it hard to see through the masks people wear.

Deck: PSY-Frames

Favorite Card: PSY-Framelord ZETA

Likes: Messing around with technology, repairing and tinkering with things, trying out new combos, riding his bike, and trying to impress Yukiko.

Dislikes: Bullies, super serious situations, seeing failing grades on his tests, having to do upper bodyweight training.

The girlfriend of Maleek

Name: Yukiko (Yuki) Kuho

Age: 15

Gender: Female

Hair Color and Style: Straight White with blue highlights

Skin Color: Pale

Eye Color: Blue

Height and Weight: 5'7 and 133 Pounds

Outfit: Light pink shoulderless shirt with a frilly top, a high-waisted black skirt that goes to her knees with blue and white gym shorts underneath. She also has her nails painted white and has a white purse with a snowflake printed on it.

Personality: Very bubbly and energetic, always wants to keep a smile on her and everyone else faces, a little brash and can often run into things without thinking, sometimes can seem like a child trapped in a young adult's body. But sometimes it can be questionable as to how genuine her preppy side is, or if there's something she's compensating for.

Deck: Lunalight

Favorite Card: Lunalight Cat Dancer

Likes: Books, Gymnastics, working out, spending time with friends and animals, things that can make her laugh.

Dislikes: Food that's heavy on carbs, people who are downers, those who are hateful.

A Strange little girl with a strange power and a connection to the ancient dynasty

Name: Momoka (Moma) Hifumi

Age: 7

Gender: Female

Hair Color and Style: Blonde tied into little pigtails with blue beads.

Skin Color: Fair

Eye Color: Green

Height and Weight: 3'7, 67 pounds

Outfit: A violet hoodie with a blue backpack that has a cartoon-like face on it, a pink skirt, and a light yellow shirt underneath.

Personality: Very quiet and mysterious, seems to only talk when dawning a certain item hidden away in her backpack.

Deck: Zefra

Favorite Card: Unknown

Likes: Unknown

Dislikes: Unknown

Alright, I think I've given everyone enough content to drum up some hype! Give me your thoughts and feelings in the comments below, and until the premiere of the first episode, I bid you all a good night and happy dueling!