Yugi Muto walked alone through the long tunnels that stretched deep beneath Domino city. He and the others had to split up if they were ever going to find Prince Vlad. Any doubt he had before had been washed away because regardless of his own personal safety he knew this needed to be done, otherwise Domino would become the city of the undead.

Suddenly the tunnel got a lot colder, torches that had been placed here by the vampires lined the walls of these tunnels, but they seemed to shine light without heat. Even more unnerving was that fact that Yugi hadn't run into any vampires yet, he felt as if someone was inviting him down there. Yugi stepped into a large and expansive circular room with a big dome for a ceiling. Moments after he stepped inside his shoe felt soaked, he thought he had entered the sewer system, but then the torchlight revealed that it wasn't water he had stepped ankle deep in… it was blood.

In the distance he noticed one faint light shinning on stone coffin with someone lying inside of it.

"Serenity!"

Suddenly Yugi heard a voice that sent a chill down his spine.

"She won't wake… She's still alive but only just."

Yugi looked overhead and a tall pale figure dressed in a scarlet and black cape and cloak descended from the ceiling and landed a few feet away from him. His silvery gray hair cascaded down his broad shoulders, his fists hairy and complete with long pointy nails, and his eyes were as red as blood.

"Prince Vlad Dracul IV… I presume." said Yugi.

"And you must be the infamous Yugi Muto… King of games… or great pretender?" His words were like ice.

Yugi at once drew his weapon, but when he pointed it at Prince Vlad he couldn't pull the trigger. Prince Vlad had already looked deep into Yugi's eyes.

"You cannot win… No mortal can resist my will."

Yugi couldn't control himself. As much as he tried to fight it he dropped the weapon.

"Good boy… And I already know what you're asking… Why would I take someone as innocent as her? Yes I know I have so much already… Eternal life… Super human speed, strength, and power… But I don't have a purpose Yugi Muto… I can live forever… but I have nothing to live for… Eternal life without purpose is a curse… And I've lived long enough to know that… But with someone as beautiful as her as my bride and to rule as my queen I will finally have something to live for other then this unrewarding bloodlust. And together the two of us along with my minions will take this world one city at a time… one by one they will hear my call… and then this wicked and cruel world will follow my fall."

Yugi had heard enough, but he couldn't move his legs.

"But before we get to the wholesale slaughter of our little apocalypse, I'll start with you… Your ancestors paid me a great insult once… and I offer no forgiveness for an enemies sins passed to their descendants… But before I destroy you let's see once and for all if you truly deserve the title of king of games…"

A sinister looking duel disk appeared on Vlad's arm.

"Are you ready to meet your fate?"

Yugi added the two cards Pegasus had given him to his deck. He looked down at the crucifix around his neck.

"I may no longer have Atem with me… But maybe I have something or someone even better."

He activated his own duel disk.

"Let's duel!"

"Since you're clearly at a disadvantage in so many ways I'll let you make the first move."

"Fine by me!" replied Yugi.

Yugi didn't really know what kinds of cards Prince Vlad would use other then The Curse of Nosferatu. So for now he decided to play it safe.

"I summon a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"That's it? How disappointing… this is going to be much easier then I thought… I play the spell card, Card Destruction! This forces both of us to discard all the cards in our hands and then draw the same number of cards from our decks."

Both Yugi and Vlad discarded their hands and drew five cards.

"Perfect… Behold the card that will be your undoing! The Curse of Nosferatu!!!"

The familiar skull with blood stained fangs emerged from the ground.

"Next I'll activate the effect of the two Mezukis in my graveyard. By removing a Mezuki in my graveyard from play I can special summon another zombie monster from my graveyard. Now I'll remove the two Mezukis in my graveyard from play to special summon Vampire Lady and Vampire Lord!"

(ATK: 1550 DEF: 1550)

(ATK: 2000 DEF: 1500)

"And now I'll sacrifice both of them to summon Prince Vlad!"

(Not a real card)

(ATK: 3000 DEF: 0)

"Did you just summon yourself?" asked Yugi.

"Yes I did, and my handsome doppelganger gains 500 extra attack points thanks to the Curse of Nosferatu."

(ATK: 3500)

"Next I activate the spell card The Vampire's Gaze!"

(Not a real card)

"By paying 1000 life points I can change the battle position of one monster on your side of the field."

(Vlad: 3000)

Yugi's face down monster was revealed to be the Mystical Elf.

(ATK: 800 DEF: 2000)

"Hmm… I think I'll end my turn."

"Wait a minute… He just paid 1000 life points to force my monster into attack mode and he didn't even attack me? I was wide open! What's he planning?"

Maybe Prince Vlad wasn't such a great duelist after all, or maybe he was just toying with Yugi.

"I'll summon another monster in defense mode, and I switch my Mystical Elf back to defense mode as well."

"You actually think you're safe behind your little defenses? I activate the second effect of my spell card The Vampire's Gaze! By paying 1000 life points I can take control of one monster on your side of the field, and I choose your Mystical Elf!"

(Vlad: 2000)

Yugi's monster's eyes turned crimson and walked over to Vlad's side of the field.

"No! My Mystical Elf!"

"Is mine now. And since she's on my side of the field, thanks to The Curse of Nosferatu she becomes a vampire and her attack strength increases by 500."

Yugi watched in horror as the Mystical Elf's outfit went from green to crimson red, her skin and hair turned pale, her eyes crimson, and fangs erupted from her mouth.

(ATK: 1300)

"And now I activate the field spell Blood Storm!"

(Not a real card)

Suddenly drops of blood started to downpour from the ceiling above them, and both Prince Vlad's monsters opened their mouths wide to receive the precious liquid.

"Blood Storm gives all my Vampire monsters a 500 point attack bonus."

(ATK: 1800)

(ATK: 4000)

"Now I'll attack your face down monster with my doppelganger!"

Yugi's face down monster was revealed to be Big Shield Gardna. Prince Vlad's doppelganger devoured it.

"And now his special effect kicks in. When ever he destroys one of my opponent's monsters I can add that monster's attack or defense points, whichever is higher, to his attack points."

(ATK: 6600)

"Now I'll attack you directly with my Vampire Mystical Elf!"

The Mystical Elf glided over and bit Yugi in the neck.

"AAAAAGGGGGHHH!!!"

(Yugi: 2200)

Yugi could already feel The Curse of Nosferatu slowly draining his blood, he had felt these effects twice already, but it's not something you get used to.

"It's… my… turn…"

Yugi drew his card.

"I play Pot of Greed! This lets me draw two new cards!"

Yugi drew his cards.

"I special summon Watapon in defense mode!"

(ATK: 200 DEF: 300)

"And since I used Pot of Greed to special summon Watapon, I can normal summon another monster also in defense mode."

"Running scared eh? Well why shouldn't you be? You know your petty defenses cannot protect you from my power. Now that it's my turn the second effect of my Blood Storm field spell activates! Now I gain 500 life points for every Vampire on my side of the field."

(Vlad: 3000)

"Now I'll activate the effect of my spell The Vampire's Gaze! I pay 1000 life points to reveal the identity of your face down monster!"

(Vlad: 2000)

Yugi's monster was revealed to be Magician's Valkyria.

(ATK: 1600 DEF: 1800)

"Hmm… Another cutie card. Well in that case I'll just take control of it using my Vampire's Gaze!"

(Vlad: 1000)

Yugi watched as his Magician's Valkyria left him and transformed into a vampire.

"Now thanks to the effect The Curse of Nosferatu and my Blood Storm field spell she gains 1000 attack points!"

(ATK: 2600)

"Now I'll attack your Watapon with my doppelganger!"

Prince Vlad's doppelganger swallowed Watapon whole.

"Now he gains attack points equal to your destroyed monster's defense points!"

(ATK: 6900)

"Now I'll attack you directly with my Vampire Mystical Elf!"

Once again the Vampire Mystical Elf viciously bit Yugi in the neck.

"AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!"

(Yugi: 400)

"Now I'll finish you off with my Vampire Magician's Valkyria!"

The Vampire Magician's Valkyria flew at Yugi, when suddenly a whole army of tiny little balls of fluff exploded in front off him. When the smoke cleared Yugi's life points were untouched.

"WHAT!?!"

"Sorry… Vlad… But by discarding Kuriboh from my hand to my… ugh… graveyard… I can negate any damage you try to inflict on me…"

"Minor setback."

"Why didn't he destroy my Watapon with one of his other monsters and then attack me directly with his Prince Vlad? He would have won the duel."

"I can read your thoughts Yugi. And to answer your question you're boring me. I've been told that you were the greatest duelist of the age. But so far I am yet to see anything amazing. I guess it's true… Without you're friend the pharaoh… you're nothing."

Yugi could feel The Curse of Nosferatu slowly draining away ¾ of his blood. His skin was turning pale all over, he felt short of breath. But he couldn't give up. The entire world was counting on him… and him alone. He drew his card.

"I know how much…. Ugh… you… err… Vampires can't stand the light… So now… agh… I activate… The Swords of Revealing Light!"

Several luminous swords fell down from the sky and landed in front of Vlad's monsters. Both Vlad and his monsters hissed at the sight of them.

"Now you cannot attack me for… ugh… three turns… Now I summon Blockman!"

(ATK: 1000 DEF: 1500)

Prince Vlad already knew what Yugi was doing. He was going to use those swords to stall for time, and to power up his Blockman so he could cover the field with Block tokens in hopes that they would protect him from his monsters.

"You can have your precious little swords Yugi… You have only delayed the inevitable… But once three turns have passed no amount of Block tokens will protect you from my power."