Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh or the World of Darkness.

06/29/2025

Alright, so maybe I was wrong. These guys aren't quite as bad as I thought. Honestly, I didn't think that Conn was that bad to begin with. The other four scare me a little, but I wouldn't tell them that. Anyway, it looks like it's time to eat.

Cheveyo Qua

Lost as always

Cheveyo dropped his journal into his backpack and looked up at the campfire. "So you're…Werewolves?"

"More or less. As a collective whole the species is called Uratha." Conn took a sip from his coffee. "And no, we aren't a bunch of disease carriers. You're either born with it or not born with it."

"And I'm one of you," Cheveyo looked down at the ground. "Lucky me…"

"Do not speak as if you are cursed." Nikolai sat down. "Many of us take pride in our heritage."

"Shut up Nikolai," Jill sat down next to Cheveyo, away from Conn and the Russian. "Not all of us are part of a stupid royal family that takes pride in being Uratha. Some of us were and still are business people who live in the modern world."

Nikolai eyed her darkly. "Watch your tongue woman, or else I'll…"

("Watch your own tongue, Nikolai.") Fire Claw sat down next to Jill and growled.

Fong sat quietly and sipped his tea.

Cheveyo sighed. "Do tempers always run so high between you guys?"

Jill huffed and started to eat her food. "What temper? It isn't my fault that testosterone boy over there can't talk about his family heritage whenever someone…"

Conn swigged down the rest of his coffee. "People!" Everyone turned to look at him. "Are we or are we not supposed to explain to the…I mean Cheveyo, about his heritage?"

"Seriously, I'd love to get an explanation that is more than just "We are the Uratha," Cheveyo dead-panned.

Fong cleared his throat. "We cannot tell you more because we do not know if you are worthy or not yet. You see, dear boy, there is a test that you must go through before we can find out whether you possess the skill to join the Uratha Nation."

"A test? Written or multiple choice?" Only Conn chuckled at that. "Okay, seriously…what?"

"It is a battle against a spirit who will test your skill." Fong looked intently into the fire. "The place for the battle is near here. Tomorrow morning you shall battle against the spirit."

"You don't mean fight…do you?" Cheveyo didn't like the idea of physically fighting anything.

"No, it will be a more one on one form of fighting. A duel." Fong sighed. "You must win. If you lose then you will never leave the battlefield. So do not fall to this enemy."

Cheveyo rubbed his eyes. "A duel to the death?"

"No." Fong smiled a little. "Your opponent won't be alive."

Cheveyo went through each card of his deck with appraising care. If he screwed up even one play then he might die. ("I can't let that happen if I can avoid it.") He held up Wendigo Ahroun and smiled slightly. "Such a useful card…"

"Hey Cheveyo," Conn sat down next to the boy and looked at all of the laid out cards. "Lookin over your deck?"

"Yeah…I have to make sure that I can win tommorow." Cheveyo snapped his fingers and pulled a small box out of his backpack. Looking at it, he popped it open and withdrew a few random cards from the stack. "It worked last time…"

"What worked last time?"

"These cards I have…the ones that are so strange…" Looking each of the cards over, Cheveyo slid them into his deck and started making adjustments.

Conn chuckled. "Hey kid…good luck. I got a feeling that you'll need it to take down the guardian."

"What kind of deck does it use?" Cheveyo looked up from his deck and grinned. If he could figure out what deck type this opponent used then he'd work this out much better.

"I don't know. They say the deck type of the guardian changes for each opponent."

Cheveyo face-fell.

The sun rose up slowly into the sky…

And Cheveyo stood in front of a cave that was deep in the forest. "So this is it?"

"That's right," Fong looked into the darkness and shivered. "Good luck boy. You'll need it."

Cheveyo frowned and walked into the cave without looking back. ("I will find my mother…and I'll go through hell to do it, if need be.")

"So can he defeat the guardian?" Conn looked into the cave and shuddered. He remembered how difficult it was to win.

"No." Fong sighed. "We have most likely sent him to his death. He doesn't even understand how to transform yet, and still we have sent him to face the guardian."

In the time before time, this sundered world was whole. The Shadow Realm and the material world were one. And then the barrier became frail and weak. Spirits flowed into this world and made slaves of creatures of flesh.

Cheveyo stared at the writing on the wall for a few moments…and then kept walking. ("The Shadow Realm? What's that?") As he walked farther down the cavern he came upon a message that hovered in the air, made up of phantom flames.

There are many tribes of the wolves...of the Uratha. Soon the bodies rose too high, and the world was plunged into a state of war that it could not get out of. Until a mighty being arose from the darkness and forced the leaders of every race and nation to form truces and end their hatred. Its name was simply known as the Dark Halo. With its great power it opened the Shadow Realm and brought forth a new form of doing battle. Dueling was born…

Cheveyo kept walking, his eyes set forward. There was light in the distance…and that meant that his destination was nearly found. Right before he stepped through the small doorway opening at the end of the tunnel, a message lit up in front of him in flaming red letters.

Perhaps this is too short of a history for you, dear whelp? Well if you wish to learn more, then come forwards and face me. I am the keeper of memories, the vanguard of song and story, and the protector of that which must be earned. So step inside and face me. Arm your cards…

As he walked into the room, he heard a calm voice finish the sentence, "And duel." A phantasmal man with long brown hair stood at the far end of a cold damp cavern. Behind him was a large stone door. "Greetings whelp. Let us duel now. The closer you get to winning, the more you shall learn. But…" Waving his hand, he motioned to the numerous skeletons frozen in the walls.

Cheveyo- 4000

Guardian- 4000

The Guardian waved its hand and a set of five huge glowing blue cards appeared behind him. Then a sixth appeared amongst the rest. "Duel begin!" One of the cards flipped over. "I activate Painful Persecution. This card will let me select five random cards from my deck and then four of the chosen five will be randomly sent to my graveyard. The last card will go to my hand."

Cheveyo looked down at his hand. ("I'm still safe…")

One of Guardian's cards flipped over to reveal a golden idol that however in the air. "I summon Sacrifice Idol (900/1400) in attack mode. Then I play the magic card Tribute Doll." The idol exploded into dust. "This magic card lets me sacrifice a monster on my field to special summon a level seven monster from my hand to the field."

Wind blew across the field and then began to conform to one point in front of the Guardian. As the wind died down a green symbol-covered spirit appeared on the field. "I summon the God of Wind; Kazejin (2400/2200) in attack mode."

Cheveyo smiled slightly. "But now you only have three cards in your hand."

"Sacrifice Idol, when sacrificed to the effect of a magic card, lets me draw three cards." Three new cards flashed in next to the three behind the Guardian. "And then I set three cards face-down. End turn." Three cards appeared behind Kazejin.

"Draw." Cheveyo drew and looked at the cards in his hand again. ("This changes things…") "I set one monster face-down in defense mode and two cards face-down. End turn."

The Guardian lifted up one hand and a card flashed in next to the three in its 'hand'. "I summon Primordial Ooze." (1000/1100) A blob of green slime appeared on the field. "By discarding one card from my hand I can activate its special ability. It will now be destroyed and I'll special summon a water attribute monster from my graveyard to the field." The blob disappeared and was replaced by a spectral being made of water. "God of Water; Suijin (2500/2400) in attack mode. By the effect of Primordial Ooze it cannot attack, but that doesn't mean I can't damage your life points." One of his three set cards flipped up. "Final Attack Orders is a continuous trap card that forces all monsters into attack mode. That means your face-down defender will go into attack mode."

"Wrong! Mystical Space Typhoon!" One of Cheveyo's two set cards flipped up. "This card will destroy your trap card and prevent its effect from activating!"

"Reverse card open." One of the Guardian's remaining two hand cards disappeared. "By discarding a magic card from my hand I can activate Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell. This counter trap will negate a magic card and prevent the owner from using that magic card again for the rest of the duel." Cheveyo's Mystical Space Typhoon card shimmered out of existence.

Cheveyo gasped as his set monster turned into a sugar glider that squeaked. "Nimble Momonga (1000/100) is forced into attack mode…."

"Kazejin…" The Wind God's cheeks filled with air. "Storm Gust." It released a blast of wind that slammed into the rodent and blew it apart.

Cheveyo- 2600

Guardian- 4000

"Nimble Momonga's special ability triggers when it is destroyed as a result of battle!" Cheveyo slid the monster card into his graveyard. "I gain 1000 life points and as many Nimble Momongas as I can summon are special summoned from my deck!" Two more sugar gliders appeared on the field.

Cheveyo- 3600

Guardian- 4000

The Guardian smirked calmly. "End turn."

Cheveyo looked down at his deck and then at the two Gods in play. "Draw!" He glanced at the new card and started to chuckle. "You want to summon one of your high level monsters? Then I'll summon one of my own!" He pointed at his two Nimble Momongas. "I sacrifice both of my monsters to summon Behemoth the King of all Animals!" (2700/1500) A huge purple and blue mixture of bull and lion appeared on his field. It roared so loudly that the cavern shook. "Also, when I tribute summon for this monster I can pick up beast monsters from my graveyard to the number of monsters sacrificed to summon this monster." He held up two of the Nimble Momongas. "Behemoth, attack Suijin now! Godly Charge!" Snarling, the mighty king beast charged towards the water god.

"Suijin's special ability activates now! Water Wall!" A wall of water shot up and out, hitting Behemoth and pushing it back to Cheveyo's field. "Suijin's special ability allows it to once per game negate all damage from one attack."

Cheveyo gasped in surprise. "End…turn."

A card shimmered into existence behind the Guardian. "I activate the magic card Monster Reborn and return one of the monsters I sent to my graveyard during my first turn to the field. Kaiser Seahorse…" A blue knight appeared on the field. "This monster counts as two sacrifices when used to summon a light attribute monster." It disappeared. "Sanga of the Thunder!" A spectral form of a hovering gold and red torso appeared on the field, electricity crackling along its form. (2600/2200) "However, because of the attack power your monster possesses I have to end my turn."

Cheveyo drew. ("Now he has three monsters with over 2000 attack points. Also, each of these monsters can damage me if I summon anything, since defense mode is not an option. "Behemoth, attack Sanga!" The king charged….and was deflected by a wall of electricity. "End turn."

("I have only one more turn of defense before the abilities of my three monsters will be useless.") A card shimmered into existence behind the Guardian. "I play Different Dimension Capsule. This magic card lets me select one card from my deck and place it into a pocket of time two turns from now. At that time the selected card enters my hand. End turn."

Cheveyo drew. "I set one card face-down and attack with Behemoth!" The king charged and was deflected by a wall of wind from Kazejin. "And that is your last defense. End turn."

The Guardian lifted its hand up…and a card shimmered into existence behind it. "Perhaps it is….perhaps it isn't. Because now I summon a monster so powerful that it requires three high level sacrifices to summon."

("A monster that requires three sacrifices to summon?") Cheveyo frowned. ("Behemoth is the absolute strongest monster in my deck. If it isn't enough then I'm done for…") He looked at his set card. ("But with my set card I have a chance of holding against whatever he will summon.")

"The power of the elements of the storm." Guardian lifted its hand up and the three monsters on its field faded. "Gate Guardian (3750/3400) now comes to destroy you!" A huge composite of the three elemental gods appeared on the field and roared. "Attack Behemoth now, Raging Thunder Wave!" A whirlpool of electric energy exploded from its body and launched towards the king of beasts.

"Reverse card open!" Cheveyo's hope card flipped up. "The continuous trap card Strength of the Beast increases the attack of all beast monsters in play by 700 for every 1000 life points I pay!"

"Reverse card open!" The Guardian's face-down card flipped up. "And I was waiting for you to do that! Seven Tools of the Bandit requires that I pay 1000 life points. But in return I can negate and destroy one trap." Strength of the Beast exploded into dust.

Cheveyo squeezed his eyes shut as the wave enveloped Behemoth and destroyed it instantly. "No…Behemoth…"

Cheveyo- 2550

Guardian- 3000

"I see now that you are not ready to learn. And for your mistake of coming too soon, you shall meet death. I am the Guardian of Memories, and to learn my secrets you must earn them through battle." The Guardian pointed at Cheveyo. "Death awaits the foolish. End turn."

Cheveyo clenched his fist. ("There is a chance…there is always a chance!") His eyes met the Guardian's. "I will learn where my mother is! I will not lose! It's my turn now, draw!"

To be continued…

Hey ladies and gentlemen, Cheveyo here. So this Guardian of Memories thinks he can get in the way of me finding my mother? Well then he's dead wrong! It's time to bring out the Hidden Spirits! Go Wendigo Ahroun!

Next Episode: The Challenge of Heritage Part 2

To Gryphinwyrm: I might introduce Mummies in this storyline, and if I do then Imhotep will be in the lead.

To Seeker of the Soul: Thanks, but hopefully I won't need good luck. This story should sell itself….or at least one can hope.

To Rex: This story seems what? Come on, out with it.

To john: I doubt it. He has nothing to do with these guys at all, except for one connection that every supernatural species shares.

To Justin: Thanks for the submission. You never know when it could come in handy to have a Wyrm-spawn lying around.

To Luna's Meow: Naw, people are skeptical as a whole. I understand that too.

To G.O.T. Nick: Oh yes he duels. Though his dueling deck is kind of out of character for what you might be thinking of him.

To LucienShadowMaster: Yes there will be more Hidden Spirit Totems depicting more than just wolves. But no, the Hidden Spirits cards are all Werewolves. Also, yes there will be more LDD. But I want to get farther in this, since a key plot point of the LDD storyline will be covered in this story.

To Just a Dude: Look up.