Soul of a Duelist
Turn 10: There and Back Again: Heroic Soul
"Five years, Aegis. It's been awhile." Smooth as ice and as frigid as it, the voice that spoke felt like it was embodied by Death's presence.
Aegis collapsed backwards and onto an invisible ground in the black void. He was sweating profusely, the liquid causing his hair to separate and form into thin strands. It gave both of Aegis' eyes a perfect and crystal clear view of what was before him.
Just under six feet tall decked out in the finest white tuxedo that Aegis had ever seen, his old childhood friend stood proudly where the former Ark was. White silk gloves on each hand. A polished white dress shoes that were just below pristine silk white dress pants that seamlessly flowed upwards into a magnificently crafted white dress shirt. Over it was the same white jacket that Aegis last remembered the man to wear. And past its collar was a head of long spiked white hair that were untamed. Even the man's eyes were silver, the irises glinting through the darkness.
"N-Noah…How?" Aegis could barely talk. His throat was collapsing in on itself, it was impossible for Noah to be alive…He…He…Aegis had dealt the killing blow with his own hands years ago.
"Who do you think I am?" Noah laughed harshly. "I told you! My soul will burn the brightest in all the universe! Not even the Shadow Realm can claim me for its own!" Noah folded his arms together at the pedestal, his face smirking confidently.
"What…Do you mean?" Aegis' body could operate properly, but he did not wish to get up. He couldn't stand up in front of the man he had killed. There was too much shame in trying to even look towards his face. It was Aegis' worst nightmare, to have to face Noah again after that day five years ago.
When Noah had performed his final experiment, he had pulled himself and Aegis into the Shadow Realm. The shadows were terrifying to Aegis, the very surroundings were pulsating with a strange arcane life that yearned for his. Yet, Noah was not fazed and beckoned forth for the shadows to come for him.
And they came, the darkness enveloped him, and in return Noah received his wish. All his years of work was ultimately to gain a physical manifestation of his soul, which he turned into a deck of Duel Monster cards. In the end Aegis could never understand why Noah was so fixated on the task, cards were just cards there was no deep meaning to them.
No, Aegis and Noah both knew of the cards that could bend and distort reality as they knew it. Noah wanted power. So, Aegis challenged him to a Shadow Game. The stakes were the players' lives. Only the winner would leave the Shadow Realm, the loser forever lost to the abyss.
His conflicted halves fought against each other for so long, Aegis' loyalty to Noah, the childhood friend who supported him for his entire life. Then the other half of him, the part that knew of the evil Noah could commit if he had more power to corrupt him. But it was finally time for the greater good to be considered, Aegis' selfishness in keeping Noah alive had cost millions their lives. Noah had to be stopped.
The two duelled fiercely. Aegis suffered at the hands of the Noah's newfound deck, spirits bombarding his body after being empowered and given physical form by the shadows. Aegis fought back as best as he could with his battered soul, his cards unable to do much more than superficial injuries to Noah. Until he drew the card he had received from Kiris.
Seeing it in his hand, Aegis recalled on a trip from just the previous year. It was a reminder of what he couldn't save. The memento of a past he would never repeat. Aegis shattered Noah's resolve, and even in the face of his ultimate monster, Death, Aegis shattered his friend's soul. He tossed the fragments back into the abyss where Noah could no longer reach the world and cause anymore grief, at least not to anyone other than Aegis.
When Aegis left the Shadow Realm he had lost his original deck, instead he found the one Noah used and created. It was a twisted joke that the gods had played on him. Giving Aegis such a thing, a reminder that he still had Noah's life in his hands. Those cards were all he dreamed about, and to destroy them would truly mean Aegis had forsake that child from the orphanage.
Aegis couldn't find it in himself to play Duel Monsters after the incident. He was skilled in the game already, the world broadcasted it. It was a constant reminder that he was no different than an assassin, using his skills to end another's life. It wasn't why he started playing the game. It wouldn't be why he would continue.
Now, five years since the day, Aegis found he may have not moved one inch ahead of where he stood last time. Still facing Noah, still in anguish, still torn between his loyalty and duty. Perhaps nothing had changed, or if they did they only changed back to that one day.
"Aegis…I'll have to thank you for beating me in that Shadow Game." What Noah had said was not even remotely sincere, only dark and sinister. Still, Aegis wanted it to mean something good, and lifted his head to look into the face of his old friend.
"The shadows never claimed me. No, actually I claimed them." Noah's smile became twisted. A light chuckle passed through his lips, Noah's arms unfolding themselves.
"I retained my soul, keeping my consciousness intact. Slowly, I began to control parts of this realm. Soon the shadows were my hands, and I found that they could start reaching into the real world." At Noah's command the darkness around Aegis began to open up, long spindly arms appearing all around him.
"I found that my power was even growing over time. I was suddenly able to project a part of myself into the real world, albeit no more than that stack of straw. Still, it was enough. I was able to live again. But it wasn't enough!" The arms around Aegis suddenly shifted and began to point at him. Aegis shrunk under them, each one feeling as if it was prosecuting him. His heart was about to give out from the torment he and Noah was subjecting it to. The shadows were finally starting to take their toll on Aegis.
"No matter how hard I tried I could do no more than control that puppet, it was no substitute for a real mortal body. So I spent all this time looking for one. Even in here I was aware of the Millennium Tournament. I originally planned to capture the winner and take their body. With a body in the real world, and my power in the Shadow Realm I would become a God! My power far overwhelming any mere mortal! But…" Noah paused thoughtfully, turning his head to the side so he could look at Aegis inquisitively with a single silver eye.
The hands latched onto Aegis' body abruptly. Lifting him up by the arms so he could be level with Noah. Aegis did not respond, simply allowing his body to be moved for him. His mind had turned off so it would not collapse under the weight of his heavy heart. His eyes were glazed over, breathing shallow as he listened deafly for Noah to continue.
"I felt your presence. I decided I would use my power to capture you in the Shadow Realm and take your body to pay you back for trapping me here!" Noah cackled, and still no response from Aegis. It was then a faint frown passed over Noah's features, though it was only for a second.
"Still torturing yourself?"
"…Seems like you're not going to put up a fight. Fine by me. I'll just take it from you! Your body! Your soul! Your life!" At the words, hundreds of the black arms erupted from the void, shooting up and out to seek out Aegis' body.
It wasn't long before his entire self was covered up by the writhing arms. They slowly began to drag the limp body back into the abyss with them as they vanished. Aegis was aware of what was going on, but he felt no urge to fight against his fate. Simply falling away into nothing. He could feel his consciousness crumbling as he began to lose his sense of identity.
Aegis? What was that?
A person? Who was that?
What is an Aegis?
His eyes slowly began to close. The hands covering up his skin and face in their cold grip. He was fading away into the abyss to spend the rest of eternity as nothing.
The painful thoughts began to vanish with all of his mental abilities. It wasn't horribly unpleasant, by then his brain was no longer able to communicate with his nervous system, so the cold hands on his skin were nothing. Slowly each thought drained out of his mind, the hands pulling him deeper and deeper into the void.
"I'll miss them…"
Involuntarily a thought came to Aegis. A random mental process that didn't vanish immediately. As the thought remained a longing developed in Aegis' heart. With his heart aching the icy cold hands became almost painful in how freezing they were. With his body aware again his mind became aware.
"There…Are people waiting for me…"
Aegis began to reopen his eyes, they were still uncovered and it gave Aegis a chance to look forward at Noah. For some reason there was no big reaction when looking at Noah caused by the past, yet it was a pain caused by the present that made Aegis shift.
There were people that were watching the events at the Millennium Tournament fearfully. And more importantly there were people that watched desperately for Aegis' fate. They were his friends, no, they were his family. More importantly, there was a thought that Aegis held onto desperately.
"I want to see them again!"
Aegis could feel himself tearing up at the thought of never seeing his loved ones again. The thought troubled him greatly; it was a horrid sensation that made Aegis' body feel like it was covered in filth. He began to struggle against the hundreds of spindly arms holding him and pulling him downwards.
"Earl…Maria…Everyone…I want to see them again…I want to stay with them. I want to spend my days with them. I want to grow old with them by me. I…I want to live."
As more thoughts came to Aegis, he became aware of what would happen in mere moments. He would be claimed by darkness. He would die.
"I don't want to die! I…I want to see it again! That clear blue sky under that summer sun!"
Tears flowed freely from Aegis' eyes. The anguish in the crushed faces of his friends forced the hot liquid from his eyes. He didn't want to imagine Maria's breakdown if he didn't survive, nor did he want to think of Earl mopping around for the rest of his days. The children who had lost their big playmate and those men and women that looked to him as their role model. Each one of them was a precious face to Aegis.
"I want to live! I want to see them again! I…I even want to see that stupid Iris again!"
A thin smile uncontrollable broke through Aegis' face. Even a laugh broke through his chocked vocal chords, he couldn't believe that a part of himself wanted to see that pompous smile of hers, but his heart seemed to betray his head.
"I want to live!"
"I WANT TO LIVE!"
First Aegis' right arm shot forward, ripping through the thin black arms. Then it would be his entire left side that tore through his restraints. The hands falling apart like tissue paper, fading away into nothing. Finally, with his freed left leg, Aegis slammed it onto a metaphysical floor and kicked off of it, propelling himself forward and free from all of the shadows, hurtling forward and landing roughly a meter away.
"That heart is still beating. I'm glad to see that, Aegis."
"So you do want to fight, Aegis. Fine by me, it would be no fun to just take everything away without having you suffer first." Noah sounded amused, laughing under his breath as Aegis slowly got back onto his hands and knees.
"You're…Not the Noah I knew. So I won't hold back…" Aegis slowly brought himself back to his feet, his body and mind united again. Carefully Aegis looked at Noah with sheer determination, the burnt right side of his face uncovered, the silver eye blazing in the void.
"Show it to me, Aegis. That burning soul!"
(Noah: 8000 Aegis: 5400)
"My turn, Noah!" Aegis appeared to be back in fighting form, picking up right where he left off. The copy of Orpheus stood faithfully by its master, Noah. Both entities shining in nonexistent light. Aegis picked up the cards he had dropped after uncovering Ark, but to his confusion they were blank.
When he examined the cards they began to fade away. Horrified by the turn of events, Aegis desperately grabbed a handful of cards from the deck in his duel-disk. Each one of them was white and blank, and then faded away into oblivion. Aegis was at a lose for words, he had no idea what was going on. Perhaps he was set up to lose no matter what?! No, there had to be something he could do!
"No move, Aegis?" Noah chuckled darkly, swiping a card from the top of his deck. "You didn't think I'd let you keep using my soul for yourself, did you?!" Noah blasted Aegis full of ridicule, the shadows appearing to laugh in time.
"I'll activate Binding Ritual to bring back my Yamata Dragon! (2600/3100)" Noah's move was reminiscent of what Aegis himself would have used given the chance. Massive dark steel links shot into the ground, passing through a different dimension, creating a rippling effect like passing through a pond. The chains halted and then began to pull back, dragging up a mass of gigantic gray dragon heads. The writhing mass of serpentine heads were hissing and snapping angrily, each of the heads' ruby eyes looking wildly at Aegis.
"Let me show you the true power of my soul, Aegis! Understand that you will never be able to control this deck!" Noah's words turned on a light-bulb in Aegis' head. He was right. Aegis had been using his cards, Noah's soul. Being back in the Shadow Realm where Noah had first crafted his deck, Aegis had a slight inclination of what to do himself. But it was a question of whether or not Noah would allow him.
"Don't think I'm finishing up here, Aegis! I summon Spirit Caller now! (1800/0)" Next to the towering, writhing dragon, a dark purple robe materialized. It assumed the form of a hunchbacked man, carrying a small lit candle in one hand.
"With a spirit on the field I can summon Heroic Spirit Freya to keep bolstering my ranks! (2300/0)" Noah's grinning was not nearly as wide as he intended it to be. But it was too late to call back the monster, a crimson knight with two massive white angel wings descended onto the playing field.
"I got carried away. This is too much…That's already 8600 points. But now it's too late, I have to at least do something plausible now."
"What do you think of that, Aegis?!" Noah bellowed and caused the abyss to quake. Aegis was sweating profusely. He couldn't believe that he would be betrayed by Noah's deck so easily. He had just survived the Shadow Realm only to lose to its master! "No! This…I can't believe it! I came so far only to fail here! I refuse to accept it!"
"I'm setting a card facedown, then I'll launch an attack with my Yamata Dragon!" Noah had no remorse in his declaration. The beast obeyed and all eight heads stopped, reared up with shut mouths that were spewing out crimson flames. Aegis took a step back, doing his best to dig a leg in, lowering down a bit with arms up over his head. This was the Shadow Realm where the projections of the monsters were real and could cause him great pain if he wasn't prepared.
With mind and body as prepared as best as he could, the beast let loose a torrent of fire that engulfed Aegis. The fire did not destroy his body, yet it attacked his soul. He could feel something deep inside of himself being scorched by the heat his body did not feel, still it didn't matter as the pain was universal. Aegis cried out in agony, but forced himself to stay upright, standing his ground until the bitter end.
(Noah: 8000 Aegis: 2800)
"If this is how I die, then I won't back down from it either!" Aegis lowered his arms to stare straight at Noah. Eyes fierce, radiating a feral hatred from being attacked. His right eye was aching from the attack and from being forced into the realm where ether and matter were of no meaning. Still, he knew that the eye was emitting a bright light that he used to stare straight through Noah.
"Since my dragon attacked you, I can draw five new cards!" Noah paused his taunting to replenish his empty hand. "Now I'll attack with Spirit Caller as well. When he attacks, if he causes damage to you then I draw a card, if it's a spirit I summon it to the field!" "I think I know how to fix this problem. He just needs one chance. I know he'll do it! Now come on!"
The robed figure moved slightly, raising its candle up in the air. The small flame turned blue and then a fireball spat out of the small candle wick. Aegis raising his right arm to block out as much of the fire as he could, but still suffering at the scorching heat. But it didn't take a lot more from Aegis, so he kept standing through the second hazing by fire.
(Noah: 8000 Aegis: 1000)
"This is it…If only I could've fought back!" Aegis grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes. He did his best to put on a strong face, with both fists clenched and ready to punch out the Grim Reaper the first chance he sees him.
"Now I draw a card!" Noah's hand twitched for a second, then he threw a card off of his deck. Noah paused to take a long look into what he had drawn. For a second relief crossed his face, but then it was replaced by incredible disgust.
"If I draw a spirit monster I have to summon it, and I drew the spirit called Poltergeist (300/0)" Among the massive army, a tiny gray wisp materialized. A tiny little entity that had two knobs for arms, a single blinking eye and a long red tongue that hung out of its mouth.
"When this monster is summoned all monsters on the field switch their battle positions, so fortunately for you, all of my remaining monsters must go to defence mode." "Of course this deck would do what I need it to. Now the rest is up to you, Aegis."
Aegis sneered. He had got his second chance, and with it, his life back. Aegis began to fire off cards from Noah's deck, still in his duel-disk. Each one was blank but it didn't matter, he was looking for one specific card.
A pile of useless white paper began to build up and then fade away, Aegis taking the time to be careful and not to toss away the one card he was looking for.
"Aegis. Your will, your soul is so strong it's ridiculous. I want to see what it will look like."
Finally Aegis found the card he was looking for, the monster that once brought him to his knees when he used it: Spirit of the Betrayer.
Aegis looked at it, seeing only the image of a man he once was. There was a moment where he wished he could go back to being that simpler man, one who only had to worry about a simple problem. Still, in his years of travelling Aegis had done many things he never thought he would do, thoughts crossing his once innocent mind and corrupting it forever. One more insidious thought wouldn't hurt anyone other than himself.
"I don't want to die yet…I don't want anyone else to die either…"
With one final glance at the card in his hand, Aegis tossed it straight up in the air.
"You, are not who I am anymore!" Aegis cried out into the darkness, and then cleaved through the paper with decisive blow from his bladed duel-disk. The two halves of the paper drifted to the ground and vanished. Aegis felt cleansed at the act, and then placed his right hand over his face, covering up the light coming from his eye.
"This will be the start then."
Aegis removed his hand from his face and then directed his gaze straight into the empty deck-holder. With the eye that was infused with a technology he never could dream of, he stared at where his deck should be, where he would have to put his soul. Kiris left it for him for some reason, maybe this would be one of them. "Come on…This worked for Noah, this has to work for me!" Aegis tore himself away from the device and with his left hand he reached to draw a card.
There was nothing in his hand, so Aegis shut his eyes, tuning out the darkness. Then he reached again, trying to feel for something, anything. His left hand found the metal wrist first, then it found its way to the deck-holder, and with one more burst of willpower, Aegis found that his finger ran into something. Despite hoping for something to happen, Aegis was still shocked to have done the task so easily. His eyes shot wide open, looking at the spot and finding a stack of cards sitting there.
"That's the way to do it! You're on the way to being a hero now. Your soul was strong enough to control the shadows, you forged it into something. That's the heroic spirit you need, the determination to face the world!"
"Let's see how well you do when I fight back, Noah! I'm drawing a new hand, and my sixth card, so deal with it, you occult freak!" Aegis hurled one of his own insults back at Noah, the force of it surprising Noah and making him flinch.
With a swift swing, Aegis grabbed a total of six cards from his new deck, looking at the new images surrounding him. Noah waited patiently for Aegis to finish his evaluation, he was also eager to find out how the cards had turned out. Finally the verdict was in, Aegis' undecided face turning into a devious grin.
"So you're alright with who you really are? Of course you would be. I always knew who you truly were."
"Your monsters will go back into attack mode as I play this, Curse of Fiend! It causes all the battle positions to switch!" Aegis sneered back at Noah as he looked confused at the course of action.
"Aegis…Why are you doing this? It'll be easier if you left my monsters in defence mode…No, it wouldn't be your style. You want to face people fairly in fights. You wouldn't feel right if you destroyed my spirits if they were defending."
"I'm summoning Dragon Module in attack mode! (1800/1200)" To defend its master, a large white sphere materialized before Aegis. The orb then broke apart into metal fragments that oriented themselves in the air to resemble a long serpent spine. After the fragments positioned themselves, a spark of electricity fired in-between the parts until a silver plasma filled out the body to an Eastern Dragon.
"Aegis…You've given yourself to the world. Everything you have, you've just handed out to those in need. I've done something unforgivable and taken the most from you. You don't have enough left to even know who you are anymore."
"If I control only a single machine monster then I can special summon the union monster, Automated Soul! (0/0)" Above the partly immaterial dragon, a collection of floating colored squares blinked into existence. The trail of shapes and colors outlined a small ghostly spectre that simply waved back and forth in the air with no real purpose.
"I've always looked up to you, you and that steady back. Never looking back…You were the hero. No matter how much I wished I could be a hero, you were the one that understood what it took. It wasn't power. It was your heart. You're so gentle that you still would save me if you could."
"To match your spirit valkyrie, I'll also summon my machine valkyrie, Valkyrie Module! (2000/1600) As long as I control any number of machine monsters I can summon it from my hand." Noah flinched as Aegis put yet another monster into play. First it was also just a simple white metal orb, until it broke apart. The metal fragments forming into a minimalist suit of armor. Two of the larger fragments outlined the tops of two wings. As before a gold energy filed in the gaps between the armor to complete the machine.
"When we first came here, I was twisted. I didn't understand what I was doing. When you challenged me I sought to kill you. I thought you betrayed me. But…As you dealt that final blow, I felt it."
Noah's hand tensed up into a fist. His own mind delving back into the past, recalling the horrible fate he had put Aegis through. It hurt worse than his own demise, forcing him to scream out in turmoil as the shadows took him.
"As my body was consumed by the shadows and my mind began to join the legion, I felt it. Your sorrow. Your pain. You never wanted to do it. You wanted to save me. But you had to save the world from me."
"It was then I understood what a terrible thing I had done to you. Ever since I wanted to set things right."
"With three machines on the field I'll play one more monster, Chimera Module! (2200/2000)" Each time Aegis summoned a new monster his right eye would throb and a bright pulse of light was emitted from it. Each new card caused his head to ache, his senses taking a beating. Still he had to continue, the pain was tolerable, he wasn't a stranger to the sensation anyway.
One final massive silver sphere formed in the air, but only a few fragments broke off of it. The pieces outlining two massive legs, and a single head. A deep violet plasma filed out the machine's legs while the same plasma created a head that resembled a lion.
"It's that heart of yours that turns you into a hero. But at the same time it's your greatest weakness. A hero cannot have their heart on their sleeve. You need to steel it, to protect it from the world, only showing it to those that mean the most. As your friend, and as someone who has taken so much, I will give to you what I have learned in the Shadow Realm. I will make you into a hero for this world, Aegis!"
"Please…I hope that our encounter this time leaves you in better shape than before. You…Were dead after that Shadow Game. But that heart is still beating. There's still something there, please find it!"
Aegis stumbled back and forth, starting to lose his footing as the pain began to affect his ability to balance. It was a sensation he had felt before, right before he passed out at the end of his duel with James Raven. The only difference was that the pain was not as severe, coming on in gradual waves that ate at the senses.
"For…My final card, I activate Extract Soul. During the turn this spell card is played, any battle damage I cause is added to my life points!" Noah had difficulty in hiding his distress as Aegis lurched forward, only catching himself with a second to spare before tumbling over.
"Is the strain too much, Aegis?" Noah did his best to ask on the condition of his friend in a roundabout way. Aegis growled savagely at the statement and glared at Noah, the silver light felt like it could pierce through Noah's ethereal body.
"This…Is nothing! This body can withstand much more than this!" Noah fought fiercely to prevent himself from smiling. Aegis straightened up, fists clenched and ready to swing.
"These are the things I've learned. A hero must be iron-willed. They must be true to their task. To protect the world, you are no longer of that world, you cannot live in it, you cannot live with those of it. You must…Sacrifice more, yet you must keep what is most vital, your soul. Never lose it, that soul is all you keep, it is the only thing you don't sacrifice. It is what allows you to live. That beating heart."
"Machines…That's interesting, isn't it, Aegis?" Noah spoke thoughtfully, Aegis' rage subsiding for a moment to listen.
"I…Guess what happened with Kiris left its mark on you." Aegis scoffed, with his left hand he tapped thoughtfully under his lit up silver eye.
"Wonder what gave you that idea." The mocking made Noah flinch, it was evident from the eye and the burn scars on Aegis' face that the statement was self-evident.
"My machines are all very unique. For instance, if my life points are lower than yours, my Valkyrie Module's attack becomes 3000 (3000/1600)." The golden plasma pulsated briefly to vent off excess energy, trails of gold flames floating into the air.
"Automated Soul is a union monster like I said. As such, it can combine with a machine monster on the field, so I'll combine it with Dragon Module." The pixels of color drifted into the energy form of the silver dragon, flashes of luminescent colors flowing through the silver plasma. "Any battle damage that the monster equipped with Automated Soul causes is added to my life points as well!"
Noah's right hand began to tremble at the sight of Aegis' machines. Like his soul they were all determined mechanizations that felt as unyielding as their master. In one turn Aegis would wipe out the majority of his spirit army, bolster his life points and he had yet to even introduce his final monster, the towering Chimera Module that Noah knew had some powerful ability.
"Chimera Module's ability…Its…Its ability now activates!" Aegis' breathing began to increase, his face covered in sweat. Each action of his monster took a toll on Aegis as he could not control the exact actions of his eye. It simply felt like it was taking strength from his soul and pouring it out at random.
"A hero is not glamorous. It is not pleasant. A hero is never a hero by choice, they are heroes chosen by fate. A hero is one with the most power in the world, they can destroy everything in a heartbeat. Yet because of this, only they can understand the fragility of this world. Only they can truly value peace. Peace, happiness, knowing how fleeting they are can a hero suffer for our ignorance as they fight for such ideals."
"For every different attribute on my field, Chimera Module gains a new ability." At Aegis' words, two sets of metal fragments broke off from the main sphere. One segment turning into a forked serpent's tail that was fuelled with deep orange plasma. The second segment split into two parts that traced a pair of massive wings that filled out with emerald green plasma.
"My Dragon Module gives my chimera the ability to negate the effects of monsters it destroys in battle as it's an earth attribute monster. Valkyrie Module is a wind monster, allowing my chimera to attack twice in the same turn!" Through the pain he was feeling, Aegis was grinning madly at Noah, they both knew what would happen next, and it would be nothing good for Noah.
"First, Dragon Module (1800/1200) attacks your Yamata Dragon! (2600/3100)" Noah shifted an eyebrow upwards, Aegis laughing quietly to himself. "My Dragon Module gains half the target monster's attack points when it attacks, your Yamata Dragon will be destroyed! (3100/1200) Bolt From the Blue!"
Aegis' rainbow colored dragon reared up and breathed out a bolt of white lightning that pierced the hide of Noah's twisting dragon. The creature howled in agony and then split apart, exploding in fierce flames and wind that nearly pushed both duelists back.
(Noah: 7500 Aegis: 2000)
"I only caused you 500 points of damage, but by the effects of Extract Soul and Automated Soul, I'll gain a thousand life points!" As Aegis' life points finally increased, he could feel some energy coming into his soul. Noah on the other hand distorted in the darkness, the attack actually burning away a segment of his left forearm in blue flames. Noah cringed as he felt a piece of his soul get damaged; it took a great effort to stop from crying out in pain.
"Finally…A hero…Is no more than a justified sinner. This is the most important thing I have learned. A hero in reality is no more than a fascist. They do not obey rules, they do not obey laws. To save many, you must forsake many".
" A hero is no different from a villain, a hero does not think or feel differently from anyone else. They just see differently. Aegis…You must understand that to be a hero you must be the worst of all sinners. You must do horrendous deeds. Aegis…If it is you, then I know you can be steadfast."
"Valkyrie Module (3000/1600) will take on your Heroic Spirit Freya (2300/0). Attack with Celestial Cleaver!" The golden pulsating valkyrie soared through the air at its crimson counterpart. Both valkyries launching at each other, one with a spear in hand, the other with a glowing blade of energy. The exchange was swift, and decisive, Noah's spirit being banished with a masterful cut through the torso.
(Noah: 6800 Aegis: 2700)
Another part of Noah lit on fire, blue flames chewing away at his left leg, the fire dying down just short of his knee. Slowly he could feel himself start to vanish into the shadows again.
"As your final lesson, Aegis…Each hero needs a villain. Their foil, their mirror. To view the person they could have been, no, the person they still can be. To look into the face of a villain is to look into a reflection of yourself after one decision."
"Chimera Module! (2200/2000) Destroy Poltergeist (300/0) and Spirit Caller (1800/0) with DNA Destruction!" Aegis' titan took flight, roared from its lion head and then soared straight at two of Noah's spirits, its body letting off two trails of fire that twisted and turned around each other. The robed figure and tiny apparition being vaporized in a heartbeat by the machine mutation.
(Noah: 4500 Aegis: 5100)
"So, as your final lesson, you need a villain to view into. I will be that villain. I am myself right now, but I do not have your heart, that infinite kindness that has kept you from using your power. I will become tainted if I return to the real world. My power will corrupt me, and I will hurt millions."
"How's that, Noah?!" Aegis' strength returned to him rapidly. The Shadow Realm operated strangely, but it was alright since for once it was in Aegis' favor. He watched carefully as two patches of blue flames engulfed both of Noah's arms. One eating away at his left shoulder until it was no more, the second burning away his right forearm, only leaving the hand intact.
"So I am a villain. Aegis, you have to stop me. You have to kill me. This is your final lesson."
There was a fondness in Noah's mind, the fire that slowly consumed him was not painful. He could not feel it at all as he had no true body. It wasn't unpleasant. It was what he had hoped for, Aegis' determination in stopping him from his alleged plan to take over the world.
"My turn now, Aegis." Noah flipped the card off of his deck and added it to his hand swiftly, even though the hand he used to perform the action was nothing more than a disembodied limb.
"This reminds me of when we used to play Cops and Robbers. I was always the robber, and Aegis was always the cop. Haha…I could never get away from him, Aegis was too good at catching me with that sense of justice he had."
"I'll play two spell cards, first Spring of Rebirth and then Soul Absorption." Behind Orpheus a large stone fountain appeared from the shadows. The gentle green glow that emitted from the waters became twisted in the darkness.
"Now I'll flip over my facedown card, Storm of Souls!" From above black storm clouds could be outlined against the darkness. Streaks of red lightning flying back and forth in the demonic heavens.
"By removing spirit monsters from my graveyard out of play I can destroy that many cards on your field! So I'll remove all three of my spirits to destroy your monsters, and gain 1500 life points!" Aegis scowled as the storm entered its fiercest period, a black wind howling and blasting down atop of him. Massive earth-splitting bolts of lightning descended from the black sky, a bolt striking each of his monsters, blasting them away in mighty explosions.
(Noah: 6000 Aegis: 5100)
Aegis coughed from inhaling so much of the dust, but as the smoke thinned Noah found that Aegis' field had not become barren. Aegis' field had been reduced to the single plasma dragon, and one large silver sphere behind it. Though weakened, it was not empty like Noah originally thought it would be.
"Surprised? Let me explain." Aegis grinned weakly, still trying to recover from breathing in some strange metaphysical scrap of the shadows. "You did destroy my Chimera Module, but my Dragon Module remains as Automated Soul was destroyed in its place. However, my Valkyrie Module has a unique ability that turns it back into its original module form when it's destroyed as a monster card."
Noah grunted and moved a hand down to his pedestal, turning his Orpheus card sideways. "Orpheus will go into defence mode. (3100/1600)" Aegis recoiled as he noticed Orpheus gaining strength.
"What's going on?!" Aegis swung his right arm out fiercely, cleaving through some trace of the shadows as he did so.
"Storm of Souls also gives 400 attack points to one monster on my field for every card I removed, so Orpheus will gain 1200 attack points!" Noah noticed his voice contained more enthusiasm than he intended. It wasn't befitting for his situation, dueling for his livelihood did not sound so energetic!
"Now I'll activate Celestial Summoning! This card allows me to summon as many spirits that have been removed from the game to my side of the field!" Aegis flinched heavily as he recalled the army that Noah had previous used against him. Still, he had no way to stop it as he watched his Yamata Dragon (2600/3100) descend, followed by the valkyrie, Heroic Spirit Freya (2300/0). Bringing up the rear was the tiny almost comical Poltergeist, still with its tongue sticking out at Aegis (300/0).
The two massive beaters settled in defence mode, the knight guarding herself while the dragon curled up all eight of its heads. Aegis understood why Noah would do such a thing, as Poltergeist's effect activated, sending both spirits and the silver automation Orpheus back into attacking form.
"I still have my Dragon Module (1800/1200), and because of your Poltergeist I'll switch it into defence mode." Aegis could feel sweat roll down his face, the panic wasn't doing much for his composure when his throbbing head was taken into consideration. "I need…To hold out somehow. I shouldn't have burned all my cards when Noah had a full hand. It doesn't matter now. I have to keep going somehow!"
"I'll destroy your last line of defence with my valkyrie! Attack with Divine Wrath!" Noah shot his disembodied hand forward, pointing straight at Aegis' defending dragon. The attack struck the machine in its neck, the mechanization freezing up for an instant. Noah smirked weakly, as he watched the confrontation.
"I…Don't really want to do this…But maybe I was wrong about you after all…There are things that are happening in our world that have to be stopped, and one of us needs to be able to stop it! I was hoping you would be able to but…"
"Wait a minute…Why is your dragon still alive?" Noah's train of thought derailed when he noticed silence. There was no sound of a monster being destroyed, and to his surprise he found Aegis' dragon still operational.
"Once during either turn, if my Dragon Module would be destroyed during the battle phase, I can prevent its destruction once. Sorry, but it'll take another hit for you to destroy it." Aegis smiled wearily, finding that his features were almost mimicking what he saw Iris do so many times. "I'm afraid this duel won't end this turn. Some come at me with all you got!"
Noah's mouth hung open for a second, the disbelief was astounding. He had never imagined Aegis to hang on so hard, but it made him feel better knowing Aegis was still as strong as he remembered. "Yamata Dragon will attack and destroy your module then!" The eight headed dragon opened each of its mouths, streams of fire spewing forth and engulfing Aegis' dragon. The machine melting away under the intense heat, but its body shielded its master from the harsh fate, something that Aegis was grateful for.
"Orpheus! Attack Aegis directly with Discord! (3100/1600)" Aegis had enough time to prepare himself for what was coming next, spreading his stance out to try and keep his balance. The silver man moved a hand to its massive instrument, and very carefully it slashed the strings to fire off a shrieking noise. A jolt of lightning opened up from the black heavens and struck Aegis, the electricity firing through his soul and forcing his entire body to convulse agonizingly.
(Noah: 6000 Aegis: 2000)
Aegis still remained standing after the attack had past. His legs were trembling severely, but he was too stubborn to fall down to his knees in front of Noah yet again. It would be too degrading. Still, it didn't change the fact that he was starting to become afraid.
The pain was terrifyingly real. Despite all appearances, Aegis was in tremendous agony. The blast of lightning had caused the pain in his eye to redouble, his vision shaking like a fuzzy television set. Not only that his mind was no longer able to hold together any thoughts, the gray matter in his brain simply fixated on the worsening condition of his body.
"As you recover, I'll send back my three spirits to gain 1500 life points, and set a card to end my turn." Noah shut his eyes as he spoke. The shadows had told him what he didn't want to know. The pain that Aegis felt tugged away at his ether heart. Noah paused as he moved his hand to reclaim his cards.
"Maybe…I should just call this all off. I can just surrender and that would still send Aegis back safely…There was never a formal challenge so this isn't a Shadow Game…But…"
"Do…You remember as kids…" Aegis began to force syllables out of his strained throat. His voice barely more than a low hiss. "We…used to play Cops…and Robbers?" Noah couldn't help but look surprised as Aegis seemed to just pick up on a train of thought he had just had.
"You used to…" Aegis paused to catch his breath, his right hand clutching at his chest. "You used to be the robber and come up with crazy plans…" Aegis breathed out his last sentence, finding it a bit easier to speak as time went on. "I asked you why, and you always said-"
"It makes for a better hero." Noah finished the line, amused that Aegis remembered; the white man exasperated from trying to play his part for so long.
"I didn't realize it at first…Then I remembered something. You're not that good of an actor, I could see through your act even without this eye." Aegis' right eye died down, the light coming from it fading away as his soul began to calm down. The act of settling his rage was therapeutic in itself, his injuries no longer aching so much.
"Still, I don't know why you're doing this exactly…But I think I understand, what you were trying to do." Aegis' smile was sincere, Noah unable to look at it due to his shame.
"You know, Aegis. As kids I had always wanted to be a hero." Noah looked up to the black heaven above, eyes narrowing as he imagined the bright sun of their world. "I always acted so tough, but…In the end you were the one who could stand his ground and take on anything. The world dumped itself on you and you only asked for more."
"It drove me nuts really. I kept trying to catch up to you, but never could. I spent all those years with those damned experiments trying to become powerful, I thought it'd make me into a hero like you. But it was only after I was banished here that I realized I couldn't live up to you, so I wanted to make sure you could become the hero I wanted to be." Noah paused thoughtfully, recalling some of his own thoughts. Then he decided to pick out the most vital piece of information and then turned his head back down to the earth.
"This is the most important thing I've learned, Aegis. You need to learn that a hero is a justified sinner. To protect those you love, you will need to hurt and kill. Aegis…I will be your first obstacle. Kill me." Aegis looked long and hard into Noah's determined face, and then started to laugh. "It…It's true! I don't trust myself with power…If I get out of here I might do something…"
"Noah! You're…You should stick to your day job! Acting isn't your thing!" Aegis' frame shook with each laugh, though it caused relapses of jolts of pain, it wouldn't stop him from laughing. Noah's façade fell apart, his face slouching to one side as he frowned.
"You get the point, don't you?" Noah asked rather quietly, rather embarrassed at how Aegis reacted to his serious moment.
"Yeah, I do. At first I think I let the past blind me, I thought there was something bigger to this, but in the end that wasn't the case." Aegis groaned wearily and then lowered himself to the invisible floor, sitting himself down with both legs crossed. "Just an old friend visiting."
"You were still languishing after all those years. I couldn't let my best friend stay like that." Noah smiled slightly, he felt relieved at being able to speak freely.
"Come on then, it's your turn, Aegis."
"Alright. Let's play, Noah."
(Noah: 7500 Aegis: 2000)
