Princess Evelyn Alteria - King's Rock, Elleria
Evelyn gazed sadly into the water of the lake that lay on the top of the jagged mountain where the Ebony Palace was built. It was surrounded by a forest of trees that resembled red pine and oak with leaves that had autumn colors all throughout the year. Not far to her right was a stone gazebo with black marble pillars, lit with torches that gave off the scent of pine tar. It was a place where she and her beloved brother Talion once played in the days of their youth.
During the days when the world was beautiful to her. During the days when she could still summon…him.
She was clad in a short black party dress, black stilettos, and a gold party hat on the top of her head. A lone red balloon was tied to the branch of a small tree that would have grown to produce apples had Talion taken better care of it. It barely had so much as a blossom on it but that didn't matter to her or to Talion for that matter. He would always boast that he had grown something and it made him feel special. Evelyn bought the balloon at the market earlier today and dressed in her best as a gesture to celebrate what would have been Talion's nineteenth birthday.
Now he was gone. His head, which was all she got back from the Church of Yeyu after they cut it off, was buried beneath his apple tree.
"Happy birthday, brother," she whispered. She blinked rapidly. She told herself not to cry. But she missed him terribly. "If only I could summon him, still. Had I not been foolish and accepted the terms of that decree, you would still be here. He would have stopped them. He would have stopped them all! At least I can still see him…and you…in my dreams."
She didn't notice Dancer approaching her even though he was making quite a ruckus crunching the leaves on the ground. He came to her holding a large bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates that contained a pack from the gold series. Hopefully, he thought, these would cheer her up. He walked down a cobbled stone path, dressed in his best black garments, his shirt unbuttoned to show off his medallion hanging over his chiseled chest, a gesture he hoped would make her smile. Surrounding the path were iron lanterns that Talion and Ser Kevin built to light their way back to the palace after playing in the forest with Evelyn, Evan, Erza, and Antione until the sun went down.
"Evelyn," he said softly, so as not to startle her.
She heard his voice and turned. The wind blew her long, curled, ebony hair over the left side of her face. "Dancer," she whispered.
"My love," he whispered back. He set her gifts on a white stone bench and hugged her. The moment Evelyn was locked in his warm embrace, she sniffled. She knocked the party hat sideways as she nuzzled his right shoulder. Dancer took a step back and fixed it for her, caressing her cheek.
"There, there, Princess. He would want you to see you smiling today." He kissed her on the forehead then went for the flowers and the chocolates he set on the bench. A bouquet of roses was for her and the bouquet with glowing Dragonfyre Flowers was for Talion.
"Happy birthday, friend," Dancer said. He got on his knees and set the Dragonfyre Flowers over a stone, which Evelyn used to mark the spot where she buried his head. "He's probably getting drunk up there in the Paradise Gardens. Heh. He's probably too drunk to even notice us down here."
Evelyn chuckled, then quickly bit her bottom lip. It was a funny joke, but she refused to be seen laughing today. "Most likely," she said. "Of course, if it wasn't for me, he'd still be here right now."
Dancer stood up and turned sharply. "Evelyn. You've got to stop blaming yourself for what happened. There was no way you could have foreseen the Church of Yeyu would coax King Forrest to break his end of the treaty."
"I should have. He warned me not to trust them. But I was so sick of the fighting. I was so sick of the war. And…most of all. I wanted you and I to be in love during times of peace. The war made your kisses so stale. Your embrace, once warming me to my core, began to feel like being wrapped in a thin blanket of linen on an waxy spring morning still clinging to the chill of winter. I wanted all the violence to end and I would allow myself to be Cleansed to do it."
She slid her hand down her left buttock, the spot where a Covenant Crusader branded her with a cursed magic rune. Branded. Like a lowly farm animal. The runes' evil enchantment (called a holy cleansing in the eyes of the Yeyunists) severed her ties to the magic world, forever maiming her of her ability to use magic.
She would never summon him again.
"Evelyn?" Dancer said.
Evelyn snapped out of the cold memories that replayed in her mind. "I'm sorry," she said. "I miss him."
"Your brother was a good man."
"I mean my Buster Blader. I miss my brother, yes, but he's not all I've lost. My Buster Blader." He looked over her shoulder where her knight in black and gold armor would usually be standing when he kept her company. "I miss summoning him. I miss the power! I miss seeing my enemies trembling whenever I walked into court. They would never march into battle against us when I could call on him. For once in my life, I was taken seriously not only as a Duelist, but as a person. As a princess. As a member of this family. I threw it all away because of a false promise of peace. I should have listened to you."
"Evelyn…"
"I should have listened to my brother! I should have listened to Master Yugi! I should have list—"
Dancer silenced her with a kiss. He gently placed both hands on her quivering shoulders and brought her closer for a hug. When Dancer released her from the kiss, he looked into her eyes. Evelyn gasped in shame and looked away. Her curls masked her face. Dancer softly sniggered through his nose and brushed them off her face gently with his fingertips.
Evelyn's eyelashes batted rapidly, triggered by his warm and gentle touch. "How can you make love to me knowing I have that terrible mark?" she asked.
"I don't see a mark," he whispered. "I only see you." He started pecking her on the cheek twice then once more so he could get a taste of her skin and whiff the smell of chamomile that perfumed her hair.
"But I don't have the Buster Blader anymore. I'm not the warrior I once was. I can no longer command ships. No longer lead troops into battle."
"The Buster Blader was not the reason I fell in love with you, Evelyn," he sibilated into her ear, making her spine tingle, forcing a giggle out of her. His beard pricked her ear, causing her to turn her head the other way. "I fell in love with a girl who would put her kingdom, her country, and her people before herself. Before anything else. I fell in love with your kindness, your generosity." He reared his head up, sniffing the air. "Oh, and your voice when you sing in the meadows. I just had to make the girl who sings like that my own. I fell in love with your courage and strength. Oh…and this." He grabbed her buttocks and squeezed them.
"Dancer!" Evelyn laughed, slapping his hands away.
They stopped when they heard the leaves on the path rustling. Antoine, Erza, and young Ethan were coming up the path to join them in Talion's grave.
"Well, well, well," Antoine said. "Look at you two. We leave you guys for a moment and already you've got your hands all over each other."
"Oh, dear!" Evelyn cried, releasing herself from Dancer's embrace. She stepped back and fixed her hair and straightened the wrinkles on her dress.
"Seriously, when are you two going to behave?" Ezra laughed. She came with a tray of chocolate cupcakes with red icing and set them on a wooden bench.
She wore a dark red sorceress gown with a matching sash that she held up with both her arms. Gone was her long braided ponytail. The right part of her hair was now shaved, with only the left part full and flowing down her chin. Antoine had changed, too. He was clad in a regal coat with damasked in gold scrollwork from Akuuda and a high collar of black fur. The coat was sleeveless to reveal his toned arms covered with runes that were like glowing amber. The runes were embedded in his skin along with the scarring he gave himself, a custom for Akuudan warriors. He had hundreds of them on each arm. Evelyn could only guess how busy he must have been since Avi and her dragons pushed King Forrest and his forces out of the Emerald Marches.
Except for a haircut and some clothing, Ethan didn't change much. Ethan said nothing and stood still while his friends hugged. He kept his mouth shut, for his feelings toward Evelyn were still blazing in his heart despite Dancer always kissing her and touching her however he pleased.
"Antoine?" said Evelyn. "What on earth happened to your arms?"
Antoine flexed his arms making Ezra squeal with delight. "Princess Evelyn, you're looking at the new Master Pyromancer of the House of Walston. I was there during the War of Akuuda months ago. I got myself plenty of kills. I've got the scarring to prove it."
"Is that what those bumps are?" said Ezra.
"Yeah. It's an ancient Akuudan tradition. All warriors who fight for the Red-Eyes King and his vassals put scars on their bodies; one for each kill they got in battle. And during the great battle of A'Kunnan River, I scored hundreds. I would have gotten more had those mechs not shown up."
"Those cowards," said Ezra. "When I was fighting for Prince Ryon in the Katinnian Borders we were attacked by them. Had it not been for Ryon, I do not know what would have become of us. Most likely, I wouldn't be here right now."
"Same here," Antoine said. "Prince Jon's wife summoned an all-powerful sorcerer that annihilated the mechs and the troops. I must say, thank the Goddesses for them."
"Hey, don't sell yourselves short," said Evelyn. "You're all capable warriors."
"Indeed we are!" Ethan said proudly.
"Not you, buddy," Antoine said. "I'm afraid slaying goblins doesn't count."
"What do you mean?" Ethan demanded sharply.
"I mean a goblin with tree trunks and deer hide is no enemy worth boasting about. Goblins are for low-level Fighter's Guild members. Class E like you."
Evelyn didn't want to laugh but she couldn't help herself. She hunched her shoulders and covered her mouth as a snorting snicker escaped her. "Class E?" she said. "Ethan what happened?"
"He failed his training in the fall," said Antoine. "But with a few of my contacts, I was able to let the Guild Leaders to allow him in."
"I wanted to be in Class A!" snapped Ethan. "Antoine, you could have done better than that. I want to wear all that gold and painted armor the other warriors do. I deserve it. I'm a member of the elite House of Dalton. Prince Michael is my cousin, remember?"
"So what?" said Antoine. He tried to keep his cool. He spent a lot of money and signed a lot of forms to keep Ethan in the Guild, even if it was a low rank. Yes, he was young, but his ungratefulness was beyond insulting. "I serve the House of Dalton and I come from three lines of Akuudan Nobility. But that doesn't mean I can get a free pass to get whatever I want."
He flexed his muscles to show off his runes. "I didn't get these because I'm a noble. I got these because I worked my ass off to become the fighter I am today. If you want to wear all that fancy armor and purchase those expensive gear sets, then you need to earn it. You failed your exams. I told you to train but instead you decided to play around all summer and all autumn. I pulled some strings to keep you in the guild and for that you were able to get in. It's a Class E, I know but you're lucky to get that."
"Humph!" Ethan said. He folded his arms and pouted.
"Climb up the ranks, dear," said Evelyn. "Some of the mightiest knights, heroes, and champions come from scraping the bottom at Class E. Why, I'm sure you'll be the greatest warrior who ever lived."
Ethan's arms uncrossed and his lips slowly curved into a smile. Oh, Evelyn, he thought. Dear, beautiful, Evelyn. She always knew what to do to warm his spirits. "Well, when I do become the greatest warrior in Termnnia, Evelyn, will you promise to marry me?"
The friends burst out laughing.
"What?" Ethan asked, his face turning red. Did he really just say that out loud?
Evelyn approached him and kissed him on the forehead. "I'm going to have to think about that one for a while."
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"
Evelyn and her friends stopped playing around. They all looked to the direction of the voice. Someone clearly not dressed to be in the underdeveloped kingdoms was standing on the trail behind them. Instead of noble garments, he strolled towards them in a Dragon Ball Super t-shirt under a hoodie and torn jeans. Red and black headphones hung from his neck. A little wood elf in casual city clothes and a wide shortsword sheathed on his back stood next to him with his arms folded.
Antoine got in front of the group. He waved his arms around to conjure two burning arcane circles over his palms. "Who the hell are you!?"
"That's Andre Martin?" Dancer said, letting go of Evelyn.
"THE Andre Martin," boasted the wood elf. "I'd put out that spell of yours before my boy lays down the hurt on you."
Evelyn placed her hand on Antoine's massive bicep to calm him. "We know him. He's that boy from school."
"Who let you through the gates?" Antoine said. He lowered his arms and the spell dispersed, sparks flying all around him.
"My friend did," said Andre.
"Stop speaking in riddles."
"Let's just say my friend has access to the castle because his brother lent you the Cyber Dragons that guard your borders. Take it easy, guys, I'm not here to harm you. We wouldn't be having this talk if I did." He took a cupcake from the tray Ezra set down and ate it in one gulp. "Mmm, that's good."
"So I see," said Evelyn. "What can we do for you?"
"I require access into the dream city I've been hearing about. I know all about it. And I know about that Celtra girl, Della. She's here, isn't she?"
"The Last Celtra?" Antoine said. "Della? No way? Evelyn, for real? You're hosting the Last Celtra?"
"You know her?"
"Yeah, I met her when she was traveling with Jaden Yuki and Ser Jaime, that Black Luster Soldier everyone's talking about. I didn't think she'd be here."
"So she is here with you," said Andre.
"She is but what purpose do you have there?" Evelyn demanded. "More importantly, who told you about our city?"
"I have my reasons and I know things many of you guys don't. Your secrets can't stay secret from me, for so great is my power. Furthermore, this is Master Yugi's business. I'm his envoy if you haven't heard."
"I do not like your tone," said Evelyn. "It seems that being Master Yugi's envoy has gotten to your head."
"I meant no disrespect, Princess. It's just that everyone's been making things really hard for me to do my job."
"Can you blame them?" said Dancer. He put both hands on Evelyn's shoulders and rubbed them to calm her. "You did some questionable things to our friends at school in your quest for dragons and dominance."
"Those days are over, Lord Dancer. I assure you I've turned a new leaf."
Evelyn shook her head.
Andre laughed. She sure was a stubborn thing. He dug the top of his shoe into the dirt and began thinking of a way to get her to understand. "Princess. Surely you remember your brother's words, right? He always told you to see the good in everyone. And there's good in everyone, remember?"
"New leaf or not, it does not give me grounds to accept you Andre Martin. Some wounds run too deep and some sins cannot be forgiven. If you have found the good in you, congratulations, I applaud you. I'm happy for you. However, it does not mean I have to accept you."
Andre sighed. "I understand. And as much as I'd like to sit here and make things up with you guys, I'm afraid I have important business to attend to. I must see Della and use her power to enter your training grounds. Yuri is there. I've heard some troubling news."
"What do you mean troubling?" Dancer asked.
"Your friends in Team GX might be putting him in grave danger. I need to see what they're up to and put an end to it."
"You will get nothing from me. The world my friends and I created does not concern you."
Andre dug his hands into the pouches of his hoodie and walked forward with his head held high. "This matter concerns Prince Yuri and when Prince Yuri is involved, your business becomes my business. If you don't grant me what I want, I'm afraid there will be consequences from Master Yugi and the High Council. If there truly is a danger to Yuri and he gets…hurt in some way, I will add your name to the list of those responsible."
"Envoy, huh?" said Dancer. "More like an enforcer. But I fear our friends, Team GX as they call themselves, do not wish to be disturbed. They're part of the Kingsblades, an extraordinary league of heroes who are in ties with the highest levels of government. Even if we did want to help you, Andre, I'm afraid we can't. We swore an oath of secrecy."
"So you'll hold your secrecy even if it means endangering the High King?"
"Damn you," Evelyn whispered. "He's not going to leave, guys."
"Out of the way!" Ethan shouted. He drew his rapier and charged towards Andre, hoping to stab him in the heart. Andre summoned his own sword from thin air and blocked the attack. He then knocked Ethan back with a push of magical energy. Ethan went flying across the air and landed hard on the ground.
"ETHAN!" his friends shouted and ran to him to aid him.
"Self-defense," said Andre. "He was trying to attack me."
"We can clearly see that!" said Ezra. She helped Ethan back on his feet.
"There is no need for such hostilities. Andre," said Dancer. "From one noble to another, why not settle this like gentlemen? With a Duel. We win, you leave. You win, we'll take you to the dream world."
"I'll take him on!" said Antoine.
Ezra materialized her shield-shaped Duel Disk on her wrist. "No! I will! I have more Dueling experience than any of you."
"Let me take care of him!" said Ethan.
Andre's wood elf friend chuckled. "Looks like they wanna fight you real bad, man."
"I guess," said Andre. "Well, since you all want a piece of me, why don't I take you all on in a gauntlet match? If I beat you all, surely I will have earned the right to enter the training grounds you created."
"I'll take you on first!" Ethan declared.
"You're in for a world of hurt!" said the wood elf. "Oh, by the way, I'm Gaizamir. Andre's second in command."
"What does that mean?" Evelyn asked.
The boy's cockiness faded away. "Uh, I'm not sure."
"Gaz, please step back before you hurt yourself," Andre said. "Let's Duel, Ethan!"
LP 4000
Ethan drew his starting hand and frowned. "Aww, man. This hand is the pits."
"Did you fill your deck with nothing but aggressive monsters?" Dancer asked.
"N-n-n-no," Ethan said nervously. "I'll just stall him with these trap cards, which I'll set face-down and that'll end my turn."
Andre swiped the top card off his deck and said: "My turn! I set the scales! Magical Abductor (3) and Dragonpit Magician (8)!"
"Pendulum Monsters!" Ethan cried out. "How lame!"
"If you say so," said Andre. "Let me show you what my lame monsters can do. I Pendulum Summon Breaker the Magical Warrior, Mathematician, and Breaker the Dark Magical Warrior!"
He summoned a small man with a long beard and both variants of Breaker, the Magical Warrior. The first one was the normal one with orange and gold armor and the other was a warrior in colossal armor colored jet black with red rubies and dull emeralds.
"Ever heard of Link Summoning, Ethan?" Andre asked.
"Who cares?"
"Watch and learn, kid. I tribute Breaker the Magical Warrior and Mathematician in order to Link Summon Day-Breaker the Shining Magical Warrior!"
Andre summoned another version of Breaker, this one carrying a jeweled shield and wearing white and gold armor, which served in giving him the title of splendid.
"Breaker the Dark Magical Warrior's ability activates! When he's summoned, I can equip him with two spell counters, each one increasing his ATK by 400 for a grand total of 2800! My Splendid Magical Knight also gains a spell counter, increasing his ATK to 1900. But why stop there? I use the card, Spell Power Grasp! This will give Breaker the Splendid Magical Knight an additional spell counter, raising his ATK to 2200. Next, I activate Heavy Storm and destroy your back row."
"OH NO!" Ethan shouted. Hurricane-force winds blew around him and shattered his two trap cards. The two magical warriors then formed a tag team and together they attacked Ethan's Life Points and ended the Duel."
"Good old, Ethan," said Antoine.
"I'm going next," said Ezra. "You won't find me as easy as this one. Ethan, I'm disappointed in you. All the cards we worked so hard to give you. I didn't see a single one. You clearly have learned nothing from your loss at the Emerald Marches."
"So you're my next victim, huh?" Andre said. "Alright, let's go!"
Ezra and Andre shouted DUEL! And they were off. Ezra had a powerful Fallen of Albaz deck, to which she used with the greatest skill. Andre was indeed having his work cut out for him with his one. In no time at all, Ezra was able to unleash a combo that brought out a trio of powerful dragons to the field. And for Andre, one dragon was bad enough. Her creature, Bastard the Ashen Dragon, was already giving him enough trouble as it was. Now, he was going to have to contend with three more.
"I activate Branded Fusion!" Ezra declared. "This allows me to summon Albion the Branded Dragon!" The scenery behind her was concealed by a wall of fire. A blazing red dragon roared from within and emerged from the flames.
"With Albions effect, I'm allowed to banish Albion the Shrouded Dragon and Spriggans Kitt in order to Fusion Summon this next dragon! Lubellion, the Searing Dragon!"
Another dragon came out of the fire, this one had its body covered in gleaming white metal armor studded with red orbs.
"Lubellion's ability activates!" she declared. "I discard a card from my hand and then I'm able to Fusion Summon a Level 8 monster from my Extra Deck! The Song of Fire and Ice now plays to seal your doom! Behold, Mirrorjade, the Iceblade Dragon!"
A dragon made of ice then made its appearance on the field, mixing with the flames created by Albion, Lubellion, and Bastard. Four dragons Andre had to contend with now.
But he was ready. Both Duelists fought long and hard, but eventually, Andre's traps, clever spells, and his Arcanite Magician were what saved him from the wrath of Ezra's dragons. Arcanite Magician aimed his staff at Albion's heart and destroyed him, reducing Ezra's Life Points to 0.
"Aw, no!" she said.
It was now Antoine's turn. And he came at Andre with everything he had with his deck consisting of an archetype of Lions called Noble Lions. His mighties monsters were beasts known as Kaiser Leogun who had a whopping 3000 ATK and then Alkazar the High King of the Beasts, a 21 foot tall lion clad in red and gold armor and sporting 4500 ATK. Andre's training with Master Yugi truly showed in this match. Again, using his spells and magicians, he was able to slay Antoine's lions and win the Duel.
"Damn it!" Antoine said, slamming his fist on the ground.
"He's good," whispered Evelyn.
"Not as good as me," said Dancer.
He stepped forward and challenged Andre with his Golden Knights, monsters he used since the Academy days. Andre noticed great changes in Dancer's deck. There were new Golden Knights and now Xyz Monsters known as Golden Knight Lords. There were seven of them. Along with new spells and traps, Dancer fought Andre with elegant strategies; for his knights commanded the field like a battalion of soldiers, moving from one column on the field to the next to activate their abilities. They were like chess pieces, and Dancer used spells and traps and abilities from his Golden Knight Lords to move his knights around to different columns on the field. Their effect ranged from negating monster effects, hand destruction, and even banishing monsters from the field.
Even with his new ace monster, Golden Knight - High King Plantegenon of Bourbon, a warrior with 3800 ATK, who had the ability to conjure a powerful dragon called Golden Knight Guardian Salvanthos (ATK/2800), Dancer was unable to get the win over Andre, for his Arcanite Magician was a powerful ace to contend with. Andre used many spells to put a lot of spell counters on his magician, increasing his attack and his ability to destroy cards. As powerful as High King Pnategeonon and his dragon companion were, Arcanite Magician, combined with the spells Yugi gave Andre, was the better monster.
Now all that was left was Evelyn and her Buster Blader deck. She came closest to beating Andre. Her Buster Blader the Dragon Destroyer Swordsman, standing strong with 8800 ATK brought his Life Points to 0. But he had a Chaos Life trap card, which increased his Life Points equal to the damage he received from Buster Blader, and it was a lot, bridging his Life Points higher than hers. On his next turn, Andre increased the amount of cards in his hand thanks to Card of Sanctity, which allowed him to draw until he had six cards. With a fresh hand and fresh Life Points, it was a whole new game. Using a spell called Forbidden Droplet, he was able to negate Buster Blader's effect, thereby releasing his magicians from the curse he created, which turned them all into dragons.
Again, Arcanite Magician came to the rescue. He destroyed Buster Blader, the Dragon Destroyer Swordsman by removing a spell counter, then attacked Evelyn directly, ending the match and ending the gauntlet.
"YES!" cheered Gaizamir. "I heard you guys were Elleria's top Duelists! But even then, you guys aren't a match for Andre!"
"Andre!" Syrus Truesdale called. He was running up the path. He stopped noticing that everyone was trying to catch their breath. "Andre! Oh, man, what happened."
"I had to Duel against Princess Evelyn and her friends," Andre said.
"Yeah, you should have seen it!" boasted Gaizamir. "Andre mopped the floor with these guys! But then again, you're looking at the guy who beat Prince Yuri twice."
"You did?" Syrus gulped. "But…they were some of the best students in school. And Yuri, too?"
"Ranking doesn't mean everything," said Andre.
"You beat Prince Yuri?" Antoine asked.
"That's impossible," Evelyn said. "You couldn't possibly have done that."
"Well, I did. And twice. All right, guys. You promised me I could go to your dimension. Now take me. Now."
"Hold your horses, will you?" Antoine said, helping Evelyn back up on her feet. "And you better shut that wood elf up before I do. Yeah, you won. There's no need to shove it in our faces like that. You hear Master Yugi boasting about every victory like that."
"Aw, you're just a sore loser," said Gaizamir. "So, where's the Celtra. We've got important work to do."
"He's right," said Andre. "Take me to see the Celtra now."
"She's not here," said Ezra.
"Don't lie to us!" said Gaizamir. "You said we could see her!"
"I said we would take you to the dream world," said Dancer. "But the Celtra is in a very concentrated state right now. She is in the world as we speak and cannot be distrubed. However, Ezra knows how to get you there."
"Yes. And if you're all going to go, you need to sleep. Ethan, would you be so kind as to go to the apothecary and bring me an essence of nightshade. They must be in deep sleep for my spell to work."
"All right, but I still say this is wrong. How come he can go into the world you guys created and not me?"
"You can go when you're stronger," said Antoine. "Now hurry and get the stuff Ezra needs."
Andre thanked her and turned to look at his friends. "All right, guys. This is going to be dangerous. If any of you don't feel comfortable walking in there, this is your last chance to back out."
"No way!" said Gaizamir. "I'm going in there with you."
"So am I," said Syrus. "If Zane or the others find you in there, I'm going to be the only thing that's going to stop them from blasting you out."
"That's reassuring," Andre said sarcastically. "All right, guys. I saw some lawn chairs in that gazebo over there. Let's lay down over there. Ezra, was it?"
Ezra nodded.
"Thanks. Show us what you can do."
An hour later
He walked out of a fiery portal in the most casual way, not caring at all that the world in front of him carried its dangers. He was so sure of himself that he didn't even dress in armor. A watch on his wrist was measuring some sort of energy in the air. Something powerful.
"So this is what they've been up to?" Andre said. He stood in the middle of an empty street. Ownerless cars, all of them colored gray or black, lined the sidewalks and the double-headed street lamps washed the streets in orange light.
Out of the portal followed Syrus Truesdale. He had the hood of his gentleman's cloak over his head to hide his face and conceal his regal assassin gear set. "Aw, man. I can't believe I let you talk me into this, Andre. If Zane or Alexis finds out I brought you here, I'll be in serious trouble."
"I don't care. I can handle them."
"No, you can't!" Syrus burst out. "Zane just demolished Yuri in a Duel a while ago."
Andre looked at his friend nervously and gulped. "He…he did?"
"Yeah, Zane's been itching to Duel Yuri ever since he heard Master Yugi has been doing it in his dreams. When he taught us all how to construct our own dimensions, Zane wasted no time in coming up with a plan to get Yuri into ours so we could test his strength. You should have seen him. As a warrior, Yuri was all but unstoppable. But once he went toe to toe against my brother, it was a whole new ball game."
Syrus closed his eyes tightly, clear images of the Duel flashed in his mind.
"Yuri summoned his best monsters but even that wasn't enough to beat Zane. So for goodness sakes, Andre, put aside that overgrown ego of yours and accept when you're beat!"
"All right, all right. I'll stick to the shadows to avoid any confrontations if that makes you happy."
"Please, do," said Syrus. "Everyone's on edge right now, Andre. There's a strange weapon annihilating our allies all over the continent and to top it off we're not sure if…uh…never mind. I said too much."
"You holding back on me, Sye?"
"I can't. Just bringing you here is already a big mistake."
"What's going on, Syrus! Tell me right now. You may answer to Zane, who I think is the leader of this so-called GX group, but I answer to Master Yugi himself. He's the Voice of the High King. Leader of the Eyar. My Master! The one who put ME in charge of Yuri's safety. So when you think about it, I have more authority than Zane when it comes to Yuri. I'm getting tired of their elitist bullshit. They think because they graduated top of their class and run around Domino in capes and thongs that they're better than everyone. Well, they're not. If Yuri is somehow involved in this weirdo training ground, I need to know about it. Now SPILL IT!"
Syrus gulped timidly. "How did I land myself in this mess?"
Andre grinned and ruffled the boy's hair. "Next time you walk into one of my favorite noodle shops, don't go muttering your regret in getting involved in highly classified missions to yourself so loudly."
Syrus's arms slumped. "Aww, man. I just had to go blabbering to myself during noodle day, didn't I?"
"You never were one who could keep a secret, Sye. And believe me, I'm very glad for that."
The portal was still burning behind the two friends, meaning that their…companion was still in the world on the other side.
"You can come out now!" Andre said impatiently. "You said you wanted to help, so, help!"
A young wood elf named Gazaimir fearfully walked out, his teeth chattering wildly as he entered the world of tall skyscrapers and empty plazas. He was a short fellow with long arms and wide feet that fit into custom sneakers. He wore a hoodie with baggy jeans that he recently bought from the store to impress the heroes he was told would be here. If only his courage would allow him to venture forth into this strange dimension.
"This place is so dark and cold," he said. His little hand clutched the hilt of his short wide sword. "How did I let you talk me into this?"
"You wanted to join the fight with all the big 'heroes'," said Andre. "Well, this is your chance to prove yourself. Plus, I don't know what's in store for us in this world they created. I need someone watching my back."
"Couldn't you have gotten someone else from the gang to walk you into this place? It's so dark and cold. And I feel like a thousand different things are watching us."
"Because there are a thousand different things watching us," said Syrus. "Every corner, every building, every street hides powerful monsters."
Andre confidently laughed loudly. He placed his hands on his hips and surveyed the dark city. "Yeah, I know. It's great, isn't it? Danger at every corner, each enemy more powerful than the last to test your every move. It's no wonder the old crew from the Academy and the princes come here to train while they sleep."
"How come they didn't give you the link to this place?" Gazaimir asked, following Andre down the street.
"I'm sure they have their reasons," said Andre. "But I'm not here for them. I heard rumors that they brought his royal highness into this place. If that's the case, I need to get him out now."
"Yuri?" the little wood elf gasped. "No way! He's here, too? Will I get to meet him?"
"No. Now keep quiet. Like you said there are a million different things here and they're about ready to…"
Suddenly a swarm of Doomsday Horror emerged from the shadows. They all cackled and chirped as they swarmed Andre by the thousands.
"See? What did I tell you?" Andre chuckled.
"AAAAAAHHHH!" screamed Gazaimir. He ran under a car and hid underneath it.
Andre got to work on the Doomsday Horror at once. He summoned his sword and charged into the swarm, taking to the air and performing dazzling attacks to cut them all down in a matter of moments. Syrus was midway through drawing a card. He was astounded by the sheer power Andre had. He was like a blur across the night; the Doomsday Horrors just popped away into oblivion each time he struck them down.
"Woah!" Gazaimir said in awe. Just like that, the city was silent once more. Andre cracked his neck and with a wave of his hand, made his sword disappear. "That wasn't so bad," he said. "Or maybe we're in a part of the city where the monsters aren't strong enough?"
"Shh!" Gazaimir said, pressing his finger to his lips. "Shh! Shh! Something is coming! Whatever it is, it's powerful! Look at your watch."
Andre held his watch close to his face to see what he was referring to. There was indeed great power in the air and it was making the charts go crazy. He took Gazaimir by the hand and led him to a dark alleyway to hide from whoever — or whatever — was coming. The wood elf's buck teeth were chattering loudly. Andre had to cover his mouth with his hand and command him to be still and quiet.
They heard voices. Human. Young, probably late teens by the sound of the pitch.
"I don't know if this is such a good idea," said a young man dressed in armor black iron armor trimmed with white fur. He carried an axe sparking with lightning in one hand and another with the likeness of Gearfried the Iron Knight's color scheme. Beside him was a tall Uzumenese boy with elegant black hair shaved at the sides and the rest was tied into a braid that went down his back and handsome bangs over his face. He wore black robes with armor plating over the chest and around his hips and carried black katanas.
"Oh no," Syrus said with a shiver. "Not these guys."
"Prince Jon?" Andre said. "And Prince Jaeyoung? So they train here, too? Come on, let's go see to them. Maybe we can get some answers."
Syrus tugged on Andre's arm. "Wait!" he said.
"Yuri isn't doing so well in the real world," Jon said.
When Andre heard that, he stopped struggling with Syrus. He crept against the wall, paused, and listened. The rain made hearing their conversation hard, so he focused his mind with a charm he knew to better hear their conversation.
"I saw the images of him," Jon continued. "He's in the middle of the woods convulsing as though he's got a seizure. My guess is it's from prematurely using the power of the spirit that shares his body. Aren't they the least bit worried about him?"
"Yuri is strong," said Jaeyoung. He walked a little further down the street. "His body is merely growing accustomed to the power waking inside of him. Of course, no one said it was going to be comfortable. Unlocking something like that can be deadly."
He waved his hand across the air and an image of Yuri lying naked on the ground came into view.
"Yuri?" Andre respired heavily.
"Urk! What's happening to him?" whispered Syrus.
"Any other person going through such a phase would have died by now," Jaeyoung continued. "But he's still holding strong. I suppose our 'friend' was able to get him out of the camp with his friends safely."
"I suppose so," said Jon. "I wouldn't want them to see him in such a state. It's even hard for me to watch."
"Friend?" Andre said. "But I'm not there…did they send someone else?"
"Seems her healing spell is working," said Jaeyoung. He noticed a bright aura around Yuri's body.
"She's doing what she can," said Jon. "Hopefully, she'll return home and that will be the end of it. If she lingers there any longer, she might get caught."
"Dimensional Walkers," Jaeyoung scoffed. "Always the stubborn ones. Yuri will be fine."
"I hope so," said Jon. "The longer he remains here and plays with Norman the Conqueror's power, the more damage he does to himself out there. What if he dies?"
"Such is the risk," said Jaeyoung. "Have faith, my friend. If Yuri was able to summon God Cards as a baby — all three of them at that — then I'm sure he'll be fine."
"I really hate seeing him like this. He's bleeding from his nose. Is there no other way?"
"Leave him be. We have training to do." Jaeyoung swiped his hand across the air and the disturbing image of Yuri vanished. He suddenly paused and looked around at the stormy sky. "Speaking of training. Weren't there supposed to be monsters here for us to fight? This area has been completely wiped out. It's empty."
"I feel it, too," said Jon. "I think someone might have beaten us here? The question is who?"
"Don't know. Maybe Zane or Jaden was here. Or perhaps it was Yuri and Ser Norman. We shouldn't have anything to worry about so long as it's not that one guy the GX crew keeps talking about. Andre of the House of Martin."
Jon laughed. "Ah, that guy? No wonder. Pfft, even after all these years I see they never let that incident with their lady friend slide."
"They have every reason to be upset. She was going to be a great ally in our campaign to secure Yuri's throne. Because of Andre's family, she's gone. Zane gave us specific instructions to bring the guy to him if we find him running around this place. Or destroy him if he poses a problem. They really don't want him here."
"Man, he really pissed them off, huh?" said Jon. He followed Jaeyoung into a veil of rain. "I'd sure hate to be in his shoes. But he's a capable fighter from what I understand. Now's not the time to be holding grudges."
"I agree. We need to forge alliances. But this is their world. Their rules. And they have strong feelings against Martin. If we find the guy, we have to kick him out. By force if necessary. I hope that's not a problem."
"Nope," Jon said shouldering his axe. He chuckled. "Besides, I've always wanted to test my power against a Dimensional Walker. This should be fun."
They both disappeared into the rain. Andre peeked out from behind the wall of the alley, his fists tightening. "They still haven't let that go?"
"What happened?" asked Gazaimir. He punched the air with wonky jabs. "You could have taken those guys apart!"
"I seriously doubt he can," said Syrus. "Those guys aren't from the academy, Gaz. They're on a whole new level of power. That Jaeyoung guy can punch holes into mountains and summon his ancestral Senka Warriors. And that weapon Jon carries was a collaboration forged by the Goddesses of Thunder and Smithing. He knows how to use it, too. I've seen him destroy an army of three hundred men all by himself with it. Andre's a tough guy, but he's way out of his league."
Andre hated to admit it, but he was right. "I don't care," he said. " I've got to find Yuri and get him out of this place. Using his power here is doing some serious damage to him in the real world. You saw the way he looked."
"I'm worried, too," said Gazaimir, "but we shouldn't interfere. It seems those guys know what they're doing. And they've got some magician keeping a close eye on him."
"And what if she fails?"
"It's not your place to interfere, Andre," said Syrus.
"I was tasked with protecting Yuri. Against anything and anyone. Even if it is my old friends and classmates. You got a problem with that, try and stop me. I'm going to have a little chat with our princely friends."
"Andre no!" Syrus implored.
Andre didn't listen and walked into the street. He couldn't see Jon or Jaeyoung anywhere. "HEY!" he shouted. "HEY!" Nothing. They must have been long gone by now.
Andre darted down the street.
"He's a stubborn bastard," said Syrus.
"No, kidding," said Gazaimir. "Come on. If he tangos with those prince dudes, he's going to need our help." He drew his sword and ran out of the alley. He didn't hear Syrus's footsteps. He stopped and turned around to still see Syrus cowering in the alley. "Come on! I thought you were Andre's friend."
"I am," said Syrus. "But this is getting out of hand. Can't we all just get along?"
He ran to Gazaimir. When he caught up with him, the wood elf patted Syrus on the shoulder as they went after Andre. He was far ahead of them but they could still see him in the light of the street lamps. Suddenly, Andre stopped. He just stood there until Syrus and Gaz caught up with him. Syrus tried his best to reason with Andre. He didn't listen. He stood there staring at something walking in front of his group. Gaz was gearing up for a fight against the two princes. But there was only one person there. A girl. Andre rubbed his eyes to make sure that he wasn't seeing things.
Yes. Yes, there was a girl out there. She was tall and pale of skin, with long black hair streaked with midnight blue. She was holding on to a white blanket, clutching it tightly against her chest, her shoulders exposed. She glided down the street like a ghost forever locked in sorrow.
"Poor girl," said Andre. "She must be naked under there. She needs our help."
Syrus, once again listening to the feeling in his gut, shook his head at the idea. "Andre, no, I don't like this."
"We can't just leave her out there like this."
"Andre, stop!"
"Hey!" Andre called. He ran towards the girl. "Hey, are you all right?"
BOOM! Something smashed out of a large parking garage.
An Ultimate Obedient Fiend, a terrible monster in the game, even with its 3300 ATK points. But this wasn't a Duel. He meant business. And judging by the look he was giving the girl, he seemed really hungry.
"Hang on!" Andre cried.
But it was too late. The Ultimate Obedient Fiend swiped his claw and struck her. She was gone. Vanished. Only her damp blanket remained, fluttering in the wind.
"NO!" Andre shouted. He drew his sword and charged at the beast. He struck Ultimate Obedient Fiend on the leg with all his might, which did nothing but create sparks. Ultimate Obedient Fiend snickered at Andre's feeble attempt to attack him and released a stream of flames from his mouth. Andre jumped back, dodging the fire.
"You pissed him off!" cried Gazaimir.
Suddenly, a whistle rang out in the night. Then — POOF! — an All-Seeing White Tiger jumped out of an arcane circle that burst with colorful fireworks.
The tiger dug its claws on the fiend's face and held on tight. Ultimate Obedient Fiend snarled. He tried to swat the tiger off, but it dodged its attacks with lightning-fast reflexes, making the giant smack himself on the face.
The whistle resonated again and the All-Seeing White Tiger jumped off, backflipping to the roof of the building closest to it. As it hopped down from window to window down the building, the girl with the blanket appeared over the monster's head. She still clutched it in her hands with a smile. She winked and tossed it off her body.
Syrus yelped and covered his eyes, expecting to see her naked body. Instead, the blanket magically turned into a flock of doves revealing the girl's attire. A swallowtail tuxedo, a black unitard, fishnet tights, and black thigh-high stilettos with pouches on the side. She took off her magician's hat and swung it across the air, summoning a white mist that sparkled brightly. The mist blinded Ultimate Obedient Fiend. The giant monster roared, smashing its head on the buildings frantically to get the magic dust out of its eyes. The girl laughed and flipped backward in the air.
Zennethios Ahastrias Mülthus! She shouted in an ancient language.
The magic words allowed her to summon a giant axe of fire that was bigger than the Ultimate Obedient Fiend. She smashed it on the top of his skull, splitting his head open and killing him instantly. The giant monster's ruin slumped to the ground, shaking the city with its great weight.
The magician girl slid down his back. When her heels touched the ground, her All-Seeing White Tiger jumped out of nowhere and posed next to the girl while she bowed. She took off her hat as if thanking an audience for their applause. Doves flew around them and fireworks popped in jubilee. She stood up straight not a second later and pirouetted to face the monster she just killed.
"Evening, my love," she said, putting her hat back on. She caressed the tiger on the head, then strutted forward like a supermodel to examine her kill.
"Whoa…" Syrus said, his face glowing bright red. "The Fantastical Francesca! Dad invited her to perform on Zane's eighteenth birthday celebration years ago!"
"You're all right?" said Andre.
"No thanks to you," Francesca said, sharply turning around to face him. "Couldn't you see I was hunting him?"
"You hunt things like that?" said Syrus.
"Wow! Talk about power!" Gazaimir jeered. "Who are you?"
The girl bowed again pretentiously. "Francesca Popèlina Jourdenette of House Orléans at your service. Master Magician. Hero of Domino City. Official member of the Kingsblades — Zane Truesdale's group of heroes for those of you under a rock."
"I know who the Kingsblades are," Andre said, offended by her ungratefulness. Even if she could handle the beast, she could have been thankful for the fact that he wanted to rush into danger to help her. He crossed his arms. "Excuse me for trying to help."
Francesca laughed at him and her tiger snarled in amusement. "Help? If anything, I saved you and your pitiful band from getting killed by the beast. Maybe you should think twice before running into the unknown. Seriously. A girl? Half-naked? Middle of a ghostly city inhabited by dark monsters? None of that felt suspicious to ya?" She asked him mockingly, tilting her head from side to side as she flashed her diamond white teeth.
"Just trying to be a nice guy is all."
"There's a difference between nice and stupid. And you, my friend, are the latter."
"Hey, get off my case. I just did what any reasonable person would do."
Francesca jeered with a sexy giggle. "What do you want from me then, hero? Gold? A hug? She puckered her lips and glowing pink hearts popped around her like bubbles. "A kiss?"
Andre grinned. "I wouldn't decline that offer."
"Ah, a smoothie, I see," Francesca said. She placed her hands on her hips and cocked them in his direction, the tails of her coat snapping sharply. "And just what might your name be, handsome?"
"Andre Martin's the name. I'm a Dimensional Traveler."
"Ooooh," Francesca said, moving her hips up and down in a sensuous belly dance. "A Dimensional Walker. Don't run into many of those these days. Well, Andre Martin, I better get going. It's been a real slice!" She saluted him and headed into the city.
"Wait a minute!" said Andre. "Why don't you let us come with you?"
"Oh no," groaned Syrus. "Can't you just let it go?"
"What do you mean, Syrus? She doesn't look so bad."
"Oh, come on. She shakes her hips and winks at you a few times and you think you can trust her? You have no clue who she hangs around with, Andre. That guy is less forgiving than Zane. If she's here, he could be close. Come on, let's find Yuri and get out of —"
Too late. Syrus was paralyzed from the waist down when he heard a portal opening behind him. "Oh, man."
Francesca sniggered and winked at Andre. "Such a shame. I really do think you're a nice guy, Andre Martin. And I think you're cute. But uh…I'm afraid the party's over. You've overstayed your welcome."
Two figures, a boy with silver hair and a girl with hair of gold came out of the flaming portal hand-in-hand.
Andre gulped. "That's not good."