Chapter 47- The Final Card

"Now that I finally have you, I think I'll make sure you die slowly and painfully." Said the mastermind. "But first, I'll be taking the key." He slipped a gloved hand into Julie's pocket and withdrew the key. "Now that I have it, I can release the true horrors of the Shadow Realm!!! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"

"You're mad." Matt said disdainfully. "No one can control those beasts. Trust me, I've tried." The mastermind smiled evilly.

"Ah, but you have not been researching the Shadow Realm for most of your life. And I do believe I have been alive longer than you."

"Not by much. I know who you are, and you're not much older than I am."

"Ha! You couldn't be more than 16."

"Why does everyone always think that I'm so young?" Matt said.

"Maybe because you look it." Drake suggested.

"Oh well."

"How could you possibly know who I am?" said the Mastermind.

"Because I am shinobi. I specialize in covertly gathering information. While Julie and I were exploring the duel academy main building, I noticed that every one of the staff had been forcibly attacked and subdued. All except one… Chancellor." Matt said. The mastermind pulled off his hood. Sure enough, it was the Chancellor of the school, Jacobs.

"You're too good for a sixteen-year old." He snarled. His former warm nature had vanished.

"You're right, I'm actually 27. And you can't put anything past me."

"I just did, I believe, I tricked you with the staircase. And I captured you, if I remember correctly. And you should be dead by now!"

"You can't bring me down."

"Yes I can, and I will be the one to personally kill you!" Jacobs picked up an AK-47. "Look at the wonderful weapons I got from my Middle Eastern friends."

"I thought that you might have bought them from terrorists." Matt said.

"Yes, and let's see how well they work." Jacobs planted the barrel firmly between Matt's eyes. "Farewell, you fool."

In a flash Matt was gone. Jacobs looked panicked. "Where did he go?!?"

"Sir, he's over there!" one of the fiends said. Drake turned his head so fast that his neck cracked. Matt was running across the wall of the room, about fifteen feet from the floor. All 3000 or so unintelligent fiends opened fire on him. None of them could hit him because of the rapid pace of his movement. He pushed off the wall and rotated so that he was no flying sideways through the air facing the fiends. There was a series of flashes as a wave of shurikens cut down a few of the fiends. Matt landed on the wall and continued to run around the perimeter of the room.

"KILL HIM, COME ON, THERE'S 3,000 OF YOU!!! SHOOT AT ALL THE WALLS!!!" Jacobs shouted. The fiends turned to face all the walls and opened fire. There was a huge explosion for no apparent reason and everything was covered in smoke.

"MATT!!!" Julie shouted. Jacobs smiled evilly again.

"And that's the end of your annoying friend. I knew I should have never accepted him, but look where that's gotten him- another enemy off my list! Ha!"

"Not yet I'm not!" came Matt's voice. He burst through the cloud of smoke. He landed in the crowd of fiends and began to hack and slash. The fiends opened fire on him. Some shots hit the other fiends, and they died. Some of them came at Matt, but he, by some miracle of speed, managed to deflect the shots with the pair of katanas he was wielding. Fifteen minutes later there was a large pile of bodies surrounding Matt. "So, that's the army you plan to take the world with? If that's it, go ahead and try to take it- you'll never succeed like that."

"That's what you think!" said Jacobs, and all the fiends came back to life. "See? My army is invincible."

Matt checked his sides and back, then readied his katanas. "I can do this all day long."

"Not as soon as I open the gate to the second level of the Shadow Realm." Jacobs said, and held the coin up to the door. Suddenly Drake remembered something.

"Hey, wait! I challenge you to a duel!" Drake shouted. Jacobs stopped, blinked and looked at him.

"A duel?" he said slowly.

"Yes, a duel!"

"Ha! You can't get me like that! I have everything on you, you have nothing to wager!"

"Wrong." Matt said. In a flash the fiend who had been holding Drake back was knocked on his back and Matt was standing next to Drake. The fiends holding the others were blasted away and they were free.

"Now I do!" Drake said. "I wager my soul against the key."

"Not of equal value." Jacobs said, bored. "I can take your soul right now, if I want to."

"Okay, then." Matt said. "He also wagers all three of my souls."

"All three of yours? What are you talking about?"

Matt showed his three souls. "See? You'll be able to stop me once and for all."

"Still not enough."

"Very well, then." Julie said. "I add my soul to our wager."

"And I add mine." Brooklyn said.

"Mine as well." Flynn said. Jacobs grinned.

"Good, I can take you all out in one duel, and even if I lose this, I can still win the key back easily, with all these fiends with me!" He said.

"Not quite. I force fairness." Matt said.

"Huh?"

"You must equal our soul wager with yours. The Shadow Realm wants a soul in this duel, it must have one regardless of who wins it. It's in the rules, go ahead and check it."

"I don't need to. I know you know those rules almost too well. Fine then, I'll add my soul to this wager. And believe me, I don't care, because I know that stupid Drake will not win this duel."

"Is that so?" Drake said. He activated his duel disk. "Put your money where your mouth is."

A duel disk appeared on Jacob's arm. "I hope you're ready for this. I doubt you are with all those classes you slept through."

"Dude, you have no idea how good I am."

"Let's duel!"

Drake: 4000

Jacobs: 4000

"And now, I'll use a new Shadow Game! Since you've wagered all of your souls, whenever your friend takes damage, a part of one of your friend's souls while burn away, lost unless you win this game. Needless to say, it will cause them incredible pain… maybe enough to kill them! But I mustn't get my hopes up. Oh, and your soul will be burnt away the moment your life points hit zero!" Jacobs said.

"You asshole." Drake said.

"Rack them up! I've been waiting for this moment." Jacobs said. The fiends grabbed everyone but Drake and hung them from the chains on the walls. There seemed to be a laser behind each of them.

"Don't worry about us, Drake!" Matt shouted.

"Oh yes, don't worry about us, we're only about to be totally obliterated." Flynn said. "No big deal."

"Now, who should I tear up first?" Jacobs said. "I can only take on at a time… who to cause unendurable pain first?"

"Sir, if I might make a suggestion…" said one of the fiends, and whispered something into Jacobs' ear. He smiled a smile that Drake knew couldn't mean something good.

"Yes, she's been around for too long… and I never liked her anyway! Julie Daran will be first to go!"

Drake scowled. As usual, he thought. When have they ever picked on anyone else? "I'll go second, if we can ever get this duel going."

"Fine then!" Jacobs drew a card. "I summon my Giant Orc (Dark/Fiend/Effect, 2200/0) in attack mode! Then I set a card and end my turn."

"Okay, my turn then." Drake said. I have to stay on my toes, he has to be pretty good. "Let's see… I summon my Dark Blade (Dark/Warrior, 1800/1600) in attack mode! Then, I'll enhance him with my Rush Recklessly Spell card, which gives him 700 more points! (2500) Now, attack!"

"Ha! I play Widespread Rune, which destroys your monster!"

"Grr… I'll set a card and end my turn." Just as I thought, he's pretty good. But that doesn't mean that he's better than me.

"Fine then! I summon my Revival Jam (Water/Aqua/Effect, 1500/500) in attack mode!"

"Oh, no…" Drake said under his breath. "I can't block both attacks… I'm sorry, Julie… I wasn't good enough to save you…"

"Now, Giant Orc, attack him directly!"

"I activate Sakuretsu Armor, which destroys the Orc."

"Fine then, Revival Jam, attack him directly!"

Drake: 2500

Jacobs: 4000

"And since you have lost 1000 life points, one of your friend's souls is burned away! And that friend would be Julie Daran!"

"No… I'm sorry…"

The little laser behind Julie spun to life. It widened until it was as wide as she was, then it turned on. The wave of purple light moved up her body, causing no visible damage but causing more pain than any normal laser could have. Julie's screaming echoed through the chamber until at long last the laser finished its trip and shut off. Julie's soulless body hung limply from the wall. Jacobs smiled evilly.

"Don't worry too much Drake, we can bring her back if you just win this." Matt said. Drake smiled sadly.

"I know… but still, it stinks that she had to go through this."

"Don't let it distract you! Focus on the match."

"I know… thanks."

"You know, I still have 500 more points of damage to distribute, so I think I'll hit that annoying Matt with it."

"Jerk." Matt said under his breath. Matt's laser activated and cut halfway up his body, causing his legs to go completely limp. He gritted his teeth against the pain all the way. "No sweat. Bring it on!"

"I can't yet… not this turn anyway." Jacobs said. "I set my entire hand. That's four cards. That will end my turn."

"Wow, lots of facedowns… but I have a guess to what they are." Drake drew a card. "Now I summon my Gemini Elf (Earth/Spellcaster, 1900/900) in attack mode, and attack Revival Jam!"

Drake: 2500

Jacobs: 3600

"You do know his effect, don't you? But before it activates, I activate three facedown cards- all Life Absorbing Machine! Now, whenever I pay life points, each machine gives me half those back on my next standby phase. So, I'll actually gain life points every time I pay! So, I'll activate Revival Jam's effect, which allows me to pay 1000 life points to revive him!"

Drake: 2500 Jacobs: 2600

"Of course, he'll be in defense mode."

"Okay, I set a card and end my turn."

"Ha! My turn." Jacobs drew a card. "Now, my Life Absorbing Machine cards give me 1500 life points back!"

Drake: 2500

Jacobs: 4100

"Well, that certainly is broken." Flynn said. "Kind of cheesy."

" 'Kind of'? It's very cheesy. Hard to break, too." Matt said.

"Now, I'll summon my Bowganian (Dark/Machine/Effect, 1300/1000) in defense mode! Do you know what he does?"

"No." Drake said.

"Well, during each of my standby phases, he inflicts 600 points of damage to your life points! So you had better hurry and destroy him!"

"I will." Drake said. "Let's see… I'll set a monster in defense mode, and then I'll attack your Bowganian!"

"I activate my Jam Defender Trap card! Now you must attack the Jam instead. And I'll just bring him back, thank you very much."

Drake: 2500

Jacobs: 3100

"Fine. In my Main Phase Two, I play Heavy Storm! Now all your cards are destroyed!"

"No! My life point supply…"

"Yes, it's gone now! So I'll end my turn."

"Grr… fine then." Jacobs said angrily. When he drew his card, his expression went from 0 to 60 in a second. "Thank you for destroying all my cards. But first, before I plat this, my Bowganian does 600 damage to your life points!"

Drake: 1900 Jacobs: 3100

"And now, my laser will finish off Matt's soul!" The laser burned away what little was left of Matt's tattered soul. He didn't give any sign of the extreme pain he was in except for clenching his teeth against it. Jacobs gave the job a nod of approval. "And I think I'll start on that annoying Chris, as well!" The laser slowly began moving up on Brooklyn. It didn't do much. "Don't think your out of the clear yet, because now I'll sacrifice both of my monsters to summon the Ultimate Obedient Fiend (Fire/Fiend/Effect, 3500/3000)!!! And he cannot attack unless my field is empty, which you kindly done for me! Now, Ultimate Obedient Fiend, destroy the Elf!"

Drake: 300

Jacobs: 3100

"And now, say farewell to that stupid Chris and most of Flynn!"

Both of their lasers activated. Brooklyn's finished its job, and Flynn's burned away a good deal of his soul. "No…" Drake said.

"Yes… feel the despair… you have failed your friends… you only have one left!" Jacobs said. "You will fail your last friend as well."

"Drake! Don't listen to him!" Flynn said. "He just wants to toy with your mind!"

"I know… but it's so hard… there's no one left but you…"

"Focus! Don't fall apart!"

"Okay." Drake said. I need to plan something here. My facedown monster won't do much, as it uses an effect… and the Fiend negates it, if I remember right. So let's see… "My turn! I draw… and set a card and a monster. That's all."

"Ha! Too easy to beat." Jacobs drew a card. "As I cannot attack while I have this card, I'll just have to use it! Dian Keto the Cure Master, which grants me an extra 1000 life points!"

Drake: 300

Jacobs: 3100

"Now, Ultimate Obedient Fiend, destroy that monster!"

"Rats… Apprentice Magician. Normally I would be able to special summon a monster, but as you negated the effect, I can't. Done?"

"Of course."

"Now, my turn." Drake drew a card. This is tricky, but I think I can pull it off, even if he does pull a card that he can use. One more turn… "I set another monster. That's all."

"My turn, then!" He drew a card and smiled. "I summon Exiled Force! They won't be around for long, though, as I can tribute them to destroy one of your monsters! Say goodbye to… that one!"

"Curses… that was the monster I needed." Drake said. "Old Vindictive Magician."

"Yes, and now Ultimate Obedient Fiend will destroy the other one!"

"Hmph. Queen's Knight."

"And soon you will be unable to continue this! One more turn and I'll win permanently!"

"Not yet you haven't." Drake said. The thing is that I can't disprove him with this. Drake said, looking at his hand. Guess I've got to rely on this last card… the last card… Drake drew the card slowly. Come on, right card… there's got to be something in here… He glanced at the card, held far of to his side. His eyes widened. That card…? Where did it come from? I don't remember putting it in my deck… I haven't even seen it before! He read the card. A huge smile came across his face. But it'll do.

"What are you planning?" Jacobs yelled. "There's no way you can win!"

"Oh, there is. I'm holding it right now." Drake said. "First, I'll have to summon something… like Mpirian Warrior (Light/Warrior/Mpire/Effect, 1500/1200)!"

"A what? Oh, one of those cards that Matt has? When and why would he give you one?"

"No clue, but it's really nice! Now, I'm allowed to summon as many more from my deck as I want! So, say hi to two more Warriors!"

"Summon as many monsters as you want, you can't punch through my fiend!"

"I'm not done with! Say hello to my trump card, Strength in Weakness!"

"Say what?"

"A weird spell card. I can only play it when you have a monster on your side of the field that has more attack points than any of mine, which you do. Also, that monster must have destroyed at least three of my monsters in battle. Now that all those conditions are met, I'm allowed to negate the effect of one of my monsters to grant it an attack boost- a boost equal to the sum of the monsters you destroyed with your monster! So that would be… let's see, you've destroyed Gemini Elf, Apprentice Magician, and Queen's Knight… so the boost is equal to 3900!"

"No! That puts him over my Ultimate Fiend!"

"Oh, yes it does, by a good 1900 points! Mpirian Warrior, destroy the fiend!"

Drake: 300

Jacobs: 1200

"And now, my Mpirian Warrior can destroy you!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…"

Drake: 300

Jacobs: 0

Jacobs' life points hit zero. Something white came out of his back and was dragged away by an unseen force. Jacobs fell to the ground, no longer breathing. Drake, exhausted by the tension and pressure of the duel, fell to his knees. Up on the wall, signs of life came back to his friends. The chains unlocked and each was set free. Julie ran over immediately and gave Drake a hug, so hard was it that Drake felt like his ribs were being crushed.

"You did it! You won!" She kept screaming.

"Yes, I know… could you stop? That hurts…" Drake replied each time. She didn't listen.

"Julie, I know you're excited, but you might want to stop before you crush Drake's lungs." Matt said. Julie finally stopped and Drake stood up. The fiends were milling about aimlessly, their weapons discarded.

"Aren't you guys going to do something?" Drake asked.

"No." said one of the fiends.

"Why not?"

The fiend shrugged. "No reason. We have no reason to continue fighting you. We have no leader any more. Nothing to do but wait now."

Drake was confused. "Don't you have an agenda?"

"No. We are do-nothings… we do nothing unless someone come and tell us to. Otherwise we wait… leader gone, no more orders."

"I see… sort of."

"Interesting… it seems that, in the absence of another to lead them, the fiends are actually neutral in all things." Matt said. "They would be perfectly content to just hang around here and never try to take the world over. Oh, by the way…" Matt tapped a fiend on the shoulder. "Which way is the Vault of Souls?"

"Through there. You wanting to free the souls we take?" said the fiend.

"Yes."

"Go ahead. You have key?"

"I have it." Drake said, showing Matt the key he had picked up near the entrance to the realm. "I picked it up while you weren't with us."

"Good." Matt said. "Let's go then. I'm sure some of us can't wait to tell Keith all that he missed." They entered the dark passage. Julie seemed unsure.

"Do you think that they might have tricked us?" Julie asked.

"No." Flynn said. "They're too lazy to bother with that." The pasage twisted and turned, taking them past several different places they had already been to. It was like a trip down a hellish memory lane. It didn't take nearly as long as the trip in.

"Here it is." Matt said. "The Vault of Souls." He was pointing at an ancient looking door that seemed to be carved out of stone. There was a keyhole in the center. "Go ahead, Drake." Drake nodded, walked forward, inserted the key, and turned. The door instantly sprang open and a tide of souls broke out. There was a flood of noise as the souls whipped past, but seconds later it was gone. Keith stirred and sat up.

"Huh? Where are we?" he asked. "And how is Matt alive?"

Drake, Julie, and Flynn outlined what had happened since he had been gone. "So that's it? I missed all of it?"

"Yep, every bit of it." Brooklyn said. He looked purposefully at Matt. Matt nodded. Brooklyn walked away.

"Hey, where are you going?" Drake asked.

"I have some stuff I need to take care of." He said, and left. Drake looked at Matt, who was wearing a completely neutral expression. "What was that all about?"

"I can't tell you just yet. Maybe another time." Matt said. Drake sighed. He knew he wouldn't get his answer until Matt wanted to give it.

"How do we get out of here?" Julie asked.

"Shouldn't we follow Brooklyn?" Flynn said.

"Yes, go ahead." Matt said. They all walked down another hallway and found the portal that they had entered through. "After you." Everyone walked out through the portal. They found themselves on the Duel Academy campus, just as they had left it.

"Has it been a day, or has no time passed at all here?" Keith said.

"No, very little time has passed." Matt said as he emerged from the gate. The portal inside it closed. "The time inside the Shadow Realm passes very quickly compared to this one, so that those victimized inside of it experience more torment than if they were locked up here. A nasty side effect. I would guess that it's about an hour after we left. Now, because the former Chancellor is no longer in existence, we'll need a new one. I would advise you to get to bed now, so that you don't start in deep trouble with the new one for being late tomorrow morning."

"Who will the Chancellor be?" Drake asked.

"Oh, probably Professor Bentz. He's the top teacher here, they usually get the job." Matt said. "I have some stuff I need to iron out. See you some other time." He turned and walked away. Drake bid good night to everyone and headed off to the red dorm. The door to his room was still missing. He'd have to get it fixed some other time.

So, that's that. And it hardly took any time at all. Drake thought. He put his AK-74su into his closet, along with the clips, slipped off his shoes, and fell into bed. He was asleep in minutes.