Disclaimer: The following piece is in no way a claim to ownership of the depicted characters. Yu-Gi-Oh, Yu-Gi-Oh R, Yu-Gi-Oh GX and Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's are owned by TV Tokyo, Konami Corporation and Kazuki Takahashi. This story as presented is strictly for entertainment purposes, both for its owner and readers.
Chapter 37 – World of the Gods
Back during the Battle City V2, Yugi once again stood opposite an opponent, as he had done so many times in the past. On his field stood a single monster, a white-skinned figure holding a simple rod staff and wearing a black cloak (ATK: 1900, LV: 4); accompanying it was a single set card, and a group of 4 cards in the hand.
Opposite him, a duellist stood at the ready, also with 4 cards in hand but only a single set one on the field. Reaching for his Deck, he grabbed a single card and spun it around before slapping it onto the tray. "Here I go, Yugi! I summon Landmine Spider (ATK: 2200, LV: 4)!" In an instant a white field of sparks produced the orange and brown form of a three-eyed, spiked spider, its jaws clicking as it looked upon Yugi's monster.
"Next, I open my reverse card: Skill Drain! I pay 1000 Life Points and negate the effects of all monsters on the field!" Watching intently, the man saw a red aura form around the bodies of both monsters, giving Yugi a rather stern look on his face as he beheld the monster opposite him.
Yugi: LP 4000
Enemy: LP 3000
"With that, I don't have to risk my Life Points on an attack! Battle! I attack your Skilled Black Magician with Landmine Spider!" With a rather shrill-sounding shriek for a spider, the monster lunged forward at Yugi's monster, its legs and mouth prepared to shred its target; but before that, Yugi simply smiled confidently.
"Let's just see about that," he said, crouching before extending his arm. "Reverse Card Open: Instant Magic, Dimension Magic!" Surprising everyone around save for himself, Yugi reached into his own hand and pulled out a card to reveal to the enemy. "When a Magician is on my field, I can sacrifice a monster and summon a Magician from my hand. Come, my ace monster: Black Magician (ATK: 2500, LV: 7)!"
Before the opposing duellist had any time to react, Yugi's monster disappeared, the form of a tall metallic structure like an Iron Maiden took up form on his field; then, with a burst of light, it opened to reveal the form of his famous purple-clad, white-skinned magician, green staff pointed at the opposing monster. "Next, with this effect, I destroy 1 face-up monster! Be gone, Landmine Spider!"
Pointing its staff at the opposing spider, the magician fired a single pulse of green energy into the oncoming spider; but that was enough to explode it completely, leaving the opposing duellist looking rather nervous without a single card on its field. "I… I… I set 3 cards and end my turn…"
"Draw," Yugi said simply, looking at his draw very quickly before revealing yet another card from his hand. "From my hand, I activate the Normal Magic, Black Magic Attack! With a Black Magician on my side of the field, all opposing Magic and Trap Cards are destroyed!"
Raising his hand in a triumphant closed fist, Yugi watched as his monster fired 4 blasts of energy in quick succession, each one striking a card before the opposing duellist and shattering it. "And next, I Summon Phantom Beast King Gazelle (ATK: 1500, LV: 4)." Instantly, a maroon lion-like beast with a horn on its head and a long tail appeared, crouching beside Yugi's existing monster.
"Go, Gazelle and Black Magician! Direct attack the opponent!" Lashing forward, the lion-like monster was first to hit its mark, sinking its claws into the enemy briefly before jumping back into place. Then, raising its hand, the magician pulsed energy that reversed the colour spectrum briefly, before an image of the enemy shattered and ended it all.
"An impressive victory, Muto Yugi, Nameless Pharaoh," a deep voice then echoed in the back of his head, causing him to zone out and find himself back in that white, mist-filled void staring at an image of Placido; only this time, his eye glowed bright red, along with a circuit board pattern around his eye piece.
"You… from back then…" Yugi recalled, his other form appearing beside him with arms crossed and a stern look on his face. "Placido, was it? What do you want from the other me and I?"
"Partner, be careful," his other warned. "This man is definitely powerful, and there's an energy about him which is different from last time."
"How perceptive, Pharaoh," Placido responded in the deep voice, completely unlike his own. "Indeed, you are correct; I am not simply another doppelganger. I am the true Placido." Surprising both Yugis, Placido again spoke using the archaic and highly proper pronouns, very much unlike the modern and confident ones be had used before.
"That voice…" Yugi recalled, suddenly the entire thing flashing back to him. "It belongs to that… that thing…"
"Allow me to show you the truth in a way you had never imagined," Placido offered, the glow on his eye growing more intense. "Come now, and I will show you the task handed down to you by fate…" Eventually, the glow of his eye became so bright that it consumed both Yugi and his other; and as they vanished completely, they felt their body slip away from them once again…
"The World of the Gods," Alessandro responded to what had been going on, looking down upon their vision orb which had become consumed by the bright white light. "A plane of existence which is beyond the humans of this world… so why are they shown such a form?"
"Because these humans are vital to our goals," Jose explained. "Unless we have the power of these humans, our Great God will not have everything it needs to descend upon this world."
"If you insist," Alessandro then responded, crossing his arms. "But if these humans are so vital to our plans, then why has Placido gone to such lengths to torment them? Simply testing them is not enough to warrant the actions he has been taking… which gives me only one possibility…"
"Poor Placido, so close to expiring," Lucciano agreed, sighing. "He's rushing because he hasn't got much time left before that vessel of his is rendered useless…"
"His time is not that short," Jose refuted, getting the attention of the other two. "The issue is that he has burdened himself with the entire mission. A more dogmatic personality you could not find; and that is why God called out to him."
White fog as far as they eye could see, Judai awakened to find himself face-down inside the total veil. No sound existed, and all that could be seen consisted of the blank abyss and the few dark specs of individuals within it. Pressing down with his hands, he eventually brought himself up to his knees, at which point he pushed off further, bracing himself on his shins as he stood up.
Looking around, the world that surrounded him was somewhat… different, he decided, from what had previously been seen. The area above him was massive, like a gigantic hallway with a ceiling kilometres in the air, whose form resembled tiles with randomly glowing, pulsating lines.
Turning to look beside him, he could see Yubel standing just behind him and off to his left, arms crossed as she too looked upon the world that surrounded them. Her form was solid and opaque, pointing out that she had solid presence in this world. Judai's own brown eyes had returned to him, but they still cast the golden yellow glow of his powers (so that he could see around him).
To his other side, he saw Yusei also lying face-down; until, that is, his birthmark lit up on his arm and he stood up, slowly getting to his feet as Judai had done. Soon after him, the ghost-like form of Taiyou came into view, eventually solidifying as well; and then, about 30 metres ahead of them, a red glow came into view, eventually taking the form of a human.
Once their body had solidified, the human form took on a series of features, one by one, until it was revealed to be Placido with his eye piece and circuit board pattern glowing. Looking to him, the four individuals slowly saw the forms of their comrades come into view, floating high above them on red energy that acted as a balcony. Once he had seen that everyone was attentive, Placido began to speak.
"Welcome to the plane of existence that transcends humanity, even spirituality," he told them. "This is a plane of creation itself, where flesh and spirit become one and break the limits of physics. This is the place where the Gods dwell." As he said this, up from the ground behind him erupted the forms of the three glowing beings – green, orange and blue from right to left – and behind Yusei and the others emerged the forms of the Five Saviours, all staring down upon Placido.
"In this world where humans have never stepped before," Placido added, his voice slowly becoming deeper and more disembodied, "exist beings which predate time itself. The Gods have overseen this universe since it was born; and they shall exist long after its demise."
"Fascinating story," Judai told him snidely, "but what exactly does that have to do with us? If humans have never stepped foot here before, then we must be far more important than you've let on. Tell it to us straight."
"Very well," Placido responded, his voice having completely changed into that of the God-like figure 'Zone'. "The reason you have all been brought to this place is because the die of destiny has already been cast; and the roll which it has produced is not a favourable one for humanity."
"Again with the speaking in riddles," the voice of Endymion suddenly and pronouncedly issued, just before the form of Taiyou's Duel Disc burst into a golden light and emerged beside him, arms crossed. "To have brought us all this way and simply speak in such roundabout way… I almost grow to think it's all a ploy to waste our time."
"You're…" Taiyou realized, turning and taking a slight step back while he thought about what he had just seen. Since the battle, Taiyou had not once heard his master's voice; and now, he was standing before him, as solid as Yusei or Judai. "I see. Within this world, since both substance and spirit are as one, even dead spirits can take solid form."
On the floating platform of energy above the crowd, Kiryu pushed himself to his feet, discovering that his own leg had lost all pain. Feeling his leg, none of the bones were out of place or seemed damaged; and he grasped instantly that, as Taiyou let on, the properties of this world were responsible.
"Unlike the human world," Placido explained in the God's voice, "this place is the host for properties which most humans would label mere pipe dreams or fairy tails. One of these is, as you said Taiyou, the blending of the spiritual and physical; another one, far more important, is the ability to see not only in the three physical dimensions, but in the fourth dimension as well."
"You can see through time," Yusei interpreted, understanding the principle of physics that time is as much a dimension as height, width and length. "Then of course you know of a dark fate; you can see things that have not happened yet, can't you?"
"Very perceptive Yusei," Placido answered, "which is also how my grasp can extend beyond the current frame of time. But I digress; simply boasting of my powers wastes time which could be used more productively. And after my servant Placido had worked so hard to progress the plan this rapidly, it would be rude of me to waste time now."
"We already know of the Circuit," Yusuriha said down upon the man, standing up using her now-healed spine just as the massive, armoured form of her ace warrior appeared behind her. "Between Placido's Riding Roids and his own attacks, your plan is nearly complete now, isn't it?"
"Such a narrow and ignorant line of sight I should have come to expect from human beings," Placido responded, sneering and causing Yusuriha to growl from the insult. "Placido's most plan predates that of the Dark Signers; it predates Zero Reverse. However, your notion of it nearing fruition is in fact true; but not how you believe."
"Since before Zero Reverse?" Kyojo questioned, also standing on his freshly repaired legs while the body of his red and white serpent dragon coiled around the group up there. "Then The Three Emperor system which was instated… that was part of your plan all along?"
"Very perceptive. You see, Yliaster is the organization which serves my will; and it has existed for as long as humanity has. It was born among the Ancient Sumerians and the Atlanteans, the first two successful human civilizations; and even with their destructions, Yliaster lived on and found its way to the Pre-Nazca culture which worshipped the Crimson Dragon, my brother."
"Your brother?" Endymion questioned, even a mind as ancient and wise as his being confounded by such a realization. "You are brethren to the Crimson Dragon, the being which protects my world?"
"The purpose of my brother is a God of War," Placido answered abstractly. "In the beginning of time, a single Deity, an Aeon if you will, came into existence along with this universe. Some time later, it was split into twelve Aeons, with that Creator Aeon's existence being lost to time after she created us. Then, each Aeon was split among different worlds."
"Those being the Twelve Spirit Dimensions," Judai realized. "I knew back then that a higher power had to be involved with such similar worlds. Each of you twelve was divided among a different dimension to watch over it, weren't you?"
"Close; we were the creators of those twelve dimensions. While our creator gave rise to these worlds, it was upon us to populate them and then watch over them. Once they were populated, we each took upon ourselves different roles. My brother the Crimson Dragon became a War God, instilling the rule of the Divine so that threats to existence could be neutralized. I gained a role as a God of Judgment."
"So all those who offend the will of God are required to answer to you," Taiyou gathered. "Tell me, when Placido answered to you, what did you discover about him? Or has it been so long that you have forgotten?"
Tilting his head and briefly closing his eyes, Placido responded with, "That is none of your concern." Then, opening his eyes and looked back up, adding, "However, I can tell you that far too many have failed my tests. Humans far too often stray onto the path of sin and darkness; and they almost all prayed for my mercy before I handed down my sentence. Placido's judgments have been no less dogmatic, but it was his tactfulness which gained him value to me.
"You see, Placido learned of his own volition, in a world blanketed in the veil of ignorant belief which is Christianity, of my existence and my true purpose from the pages of Gnosticism, a religion frowned upon by others in that time. He risked his very life and his immortal soul in the afterlife in a ritual to find me; and I knew instantly that his calculating qualities were perfect for me.
"In the years since Placido converted to me, he made many valiant attempts to revive Yliaster in full force. You see, after the collapse of the ancient civilizations, Yliaster's teachings became ghostly whispers in the background of humanity, being passed on by a select few. Placido tried time and time again to revive the organization into a full group, but to no avail."
"There have been countless secret societies throughout history," Jack pointed out, standing on his feet. "Groups such as the Illuminati, the Knights' Templar, and the Freemasons are all groups people are quite familiar with. So tell me now, 'Zone', why no records in history describe the existence of Yliaster?"
"Because all of those secret societies you mentioned were fronts for Yliaster," Placido explained, shocking everyone clearly and making them all shift on their feet. "Revealing to the world that they were fronts for the true God would have been heresy; thus, they hid their true goal under the guise of these societies. However, time and time again, these groups have strayed from their path and done misdeeds which I had not requested."
"Which is why none of them exist anymore," Yusei gathered. "Every single one of them became too well-known at some point, or vital information was leaked; and whenever this happened, you destroyed them to erase your steps. I take it that this Placido… he was a member of all of them?"
"He founded them. And he has taken further steps than that to seek the completion of my will. Towards more modern years, humans have made vast progress in the worlds of science and engineering; but in doing so, conflicts and darkness have been created; and so Placido has more than once had to stir up events which would attempt to correct that course."
"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" Crow questioned. "What the f-?" before he could complete the word, he was consumed by a shocking field of red energy, which let up in a few seconds; and then he rephrased his quandary: "What exactly did he do for this so-called keeping of the balance?"
"Humans have had to be reminded over the centuries that they are not indestructible or infallible. Then the Great Depression descended upon Germany, Placido knew he had to reinstate an effective leader, so Germany could rise back up ad create balance. Sadly, the leader he gave this power to, had an agenda which completely went against our plans."
"Don't tell me…" Judai gathered, growing sterner as he thought. "Adolf Hitler… he gained rise to power because of you?" Rage formed in Judai's eyes and he clenched his fist as he barked out, "What is wrong with you?"
"We realized our mistake all too late," Zone replied in a sombre tone, the first expression the God voice had made since appearing before them. "Correcting the mistake, Placido went before the USSR, disguised as one of their own, and arranged for the assassination of this man you call 'Hitler'. After that, the body was erased, leaving no proof of what truly happened.
"But humans still did not learn. The western world became arrogant, believing that anything they wanted they could simply take. Starting conflicts in Cuba, Korea and Vietnam created only temporary panic, but did not solve our problems; even the Bosnian genocide did not wake up humans to their own latent darkness."
"Why you…!" Taiyou snarled, his own rage starting to build. "You killed all those innocent people for nothing? How can you possibly justify such blood-shed?"
"Sometimes, sacrifices must be made in the name of the greater good," Zone told him nonchalantly, amazing everyone at the sheer callousness of these words. "It was not until the plane crash into the Twin Towers on September 11th, 2001, that people finally clued in to their own weakness."
"Them too…" Yusei gasped out. "How many peoples' lives have you snuffed out like candles in the pursuit of your so-called maintenance of the balance?"
"Far more than you would ever care to know. Fortunately, though, the blood-shed needed not continue far beyond that; with the advent of the Summoners returning, Yliaster could truly be reformed."
"I suppose such an event played right into your hands, didn't it?" Yusuriha questioned. "Did our powers make good enough weapons for you?"
"You wouldn't have even known of your powers had I not woken you up to them. Do you think it was a mere accident that the five Summoners met, shortly afterwards gaining knowledge of their powers? Right from birth you have been pawns in the chess game known as fate; a game that Placido, as my most loyal servant, had played admirably.
"Once all five Signer Dragons had been awakened, and bound to the souls of their invoking parties, the platform of Yliaster had been set up. Placido recommended Taiyou as the Emperor of Yliaster, knowing that after he stepped down the others would follow, and the throne would become his. The Three Emperor System Taiyou suggested diminished the power for an Emperor, but Placido was still in line for the throne."
"What about Maenou?" Yubel questioned, just as a large, shadowy figure began to form behind Judai and became the body of the aforementioned demon. "His activities must have created turbulence for your plans, assuming of course he was not a piece in your chess game."
"Maenou's folly was a rather annoying inconvenience, but nothing that would ruin our plans. The ensuing battle spilling over into the Dominion of Beasts, my home world, caused Maenou to be defeated and sealed away, using the power of the Three Aeon cards which represent my spawn. I knew when Taiyou gave them to Placido for safe-keeping that the others would soon depart; for without their friend, the painful memories would be too much to bear.
"And certainly enough, after the Summoners left their posts, Placido and the Brothers Godwin took up their thrones, using their combined power to forge Yliaster back into a full-fledged organization. Rudger's death and fall from grace created a vacancy at the top of the organization, one which Placido's colleague Jose soon found to be his own."
"Jose," Maenou declared, being hung up on that name. "That's the first time you have mentioned anyone besides Placido by name. Where does he fit into all this?"
"Jose, like Placido, is a servant of mine who has seen rebirth at the hands of conflict. His original name has been lost to time; he died an unknown soldier in the Boer War, whose soul Placido guided to me. I knew instantly that he would be of great use to me, and so extended him the same offer as Placido. An offer no human could refuse; immortality, imperviousness, and great power. In return for serving me, my servants are able to shed the shell of humanity and gain everything they ever desired.
"Once Jose rose to power, Godwin quickly discovered that without his brother, he had virtually no power. Once he resigned, Alessandro, the young man from Peru whom Placido had saved, took up his throne; but he did not stay long, for he did not want such power and responsibility. Thus, Lucciano was built and activated, so that my servants had absolute control over Yliaster."
"Why would you need such an iron-fisted rule over humankind?" A strong, forceful voice suddenly asked. Looking upwards, Placido's shell and the entire group saw the form of Mutou Yugi descending to a standing position in front of the others; then, as they stood their awestruck, they realized that this Yugi was very different from the one they knew of from records. In fact, Only Judai seemed to have any recognition of him.
This Yugi was taller than his original self; and though he had the same hair, his voice was somewhat deeper and his tone more forceful. Even his eyes reflected further maturity, giving him a form much closer to the spirit which had inhabited him. "Even after having lost of spirit of my Pharaoh," Maenou realized and said aloud, "his great gains have made him a mirror image of his other half."
"If you are truly a God," Yugi reiterated, "then you could simply do away with those who stood to oppose you. Why then go to all this trouble, attacking such people and doing away with opposition on a one-by-one basis?"
"The answer is that as an Aeon," Placido's form answered, "I cannot directly act upon the world of the living. The barrier in our worlds does not simply prohibit normal humans from coming here; it also bars me from leaving this world, along with any of my brethren. However, by acting through an emissary, I can remain within my world and still do what needs to be done."
"However, that has proved more and more difficult as the years have passed. Too few of my true apostles remain upon this earth; and the growing wicked influence upon humans has made such methods just short of useless."
"Growing wicked influence?" Judai asked. "What exactly are you talking about?" Moments later, however, a memory came flooding back into his mind of his final year, his final battle, at Duel Academia; and how Darkness had told him of the spreading corruption of Duel Monsters from those with negative emotions.
"I take it from your expression that you have some knowledge of the matter," Zone responded, before moving on to address the group again. "Indeed, Judai, as you have guessed, human beings are far from infallible; in fact, they are perhaps more flawed than any other beings in creation. No other terrestrial organisms understand greed, wrath, envy or pride; no, only humans live drenched in the sins of their own creation.
"But, in recent years, humans have gotten far worse. Those who suffer from avarice are taking lives, destroying entire cities or ecosystems, all in the name of fortune. You, Fudo Yusei, and your friends, are familiar with the elitism which oppressed Satellite nearly beyond repair; and individuals like you, Miss Izayoi Aki, have caused destruction and misery solely out of hatred and rage."
"I…" Aki stammered, looking upon the being with a sorrowful expression. "I am not proud of the things I have done; but I am doing my best to atone for them."
"For the countless lives you have broken, damaged, or outright removed from this earth, there is no atonement. The same goes for you, Yuki Judai; your wanton malice destroyed thousands of lives for the sake of power and control."
"I never realized Gods were such hypocrites," Judai snidely responded to the comment. "You chastise me for thousands of deaths, when you admit to being responsible for billions of them in the name of what you call 'The Greater Good'. Tell me, 'Zone', exactly how is what you're doing any different from what any of us have had to do?"
"Because when I take lives, I do not interfere with the balance of the world," Zone responded. "To tread on the feet of God, to play God the way you have, is a disgrace to the true powers of your world. Humans like you are all the same; wicked, greedy and filled with hatred, which they quench through inescapable delusions of grandeur.
"Humans like you were a mistake in creation. Your original purpose was to help maintain a balance upon this world; but when you discovered what this world had to offer, you wouldn't simply stare at the forbidden fruit. You had to taste of it, and thus you were cast down from the heavens. But you took with you the seeds of that fruit, and have grown your own trees.
"Only now, the soil is so arid and malnourished that your entire forest will soon crumble down upon itself. The driving forces of your world are greedy and corrupt, satisfying their own desires at the cost of your world. I can allow this to stand no longer."
"That is where the Circuit comes in," Placido's voice declared, finally resurfacing from the possessed shell. "Through the power of Momentum, human duel energy has been extracted and harnessed. Very shortly, enough will be created that we can punch a hole through the dimensional barrier, and God will once again descend upon this world, just as the Aeons first did when this rock was born."
"Except that my revival does not come without drawbacks," Zone added, his voice once again replacing Placido's. "Though that energy can breach the dimensional boundaries, a solid mass to act as the physical gateway must be constructed of sacrifices. Therefore, Neo Domino City itself will be sacrificed; and from there, I can restore balance to this world."
"Sacrificing Neo Domino City?" Yusei blurted out in a stunned tone, staring upon the being incredulously. "How can you do such a thing? A truly caring God could never take these actions. Tell me now; how does using so many innocent lives help do what is right?"
"Neo Domino City is filled with nothing but sinners and heretics to the true self of the world," Zone replied harshly. "The entire city is powered by Momentum, an energy which taps into the very souls of human beings. It is alchemy, as old as time itself; drawing power from the living to sustain them. But this is a power which humans should never have been allowed to learn of."
"Again with such talk!" Jack bellowed, raising his fist to the deity. "You can reference scripture all you want, but in the end you're no different from how you describe humans. We discovered Momentum of our own power, and so it is our right to use it! I won't be told that just because Gods use such a power, that humans have no right to as well!"
"You so passionately defend something which you do not understand," Zone told Jack condescendingly. "I told you already; it is a power which draws upon souls. It has been used for wicked deeds, using human spirits to massacre their bodies. In the testing and development of Momentum, how many lives do you think were sacrificed?"
Upon making this statement, the eyes of everyone in the room went as wide as they could. Stares of horrified awe crossed the faces of everyone around; they did not want to think, could not think, that the clean, safe power which had revolutionized their city, had been forged from human sacrifice.
"Momentum was first learned of in ancient times, by the first Dark Signers. They used tens of thousands of human sacrifices to awaken every single Earthbound God; and unlike in recent years, these sacrifices did not return. When it was developed this time, the researchers at MIDS had no knowledge of this fact; but they soon discovered that gruesome truth. And rather than abandon the project, they continued with it; and ultimately, nearing 8000 lives were lost to create the first Momentum.
"Upon the completion of this device, we attempted to use Rudger Godwin's sense of dogma to our advantage. He knew the results of Momentum being destroyed, being reversed; and we knew that he would eliminate that disgrace to creation once and for all. And had it stayed that way, everything would have been fine; but because a second Momentum was build, humans continued to bathe in sin."
"That's the most masochistic thing I've ever heard," Endymion said hostilely to the God in front of him. "If you understood Momentum's power, you would have known better than anyone the effects of that explosion. You were willing to unleash the Dark Signers upon the world, and destroy an entire city, simply to remove that power from human hands?"
"Humans never would have willingly relinquished Momentum," Placido told him, again resurfacing. "Besides, it is again no coincidence that Zero Reverse came after the final battle with Maenou. Quite simply, with the only threat to the Summoners, and thus the Signers, gone, we knew that even if the Dark Signers returned, they would quickly be returned to the darkness whence they came."
"You used us to do your dirty work," Crow paraphrased in an annoyed tone. "Besides, how does that justify the destruction that Zero Reverse caused?"
"Zero Reverse was an unfortunate result of the explosion; but we believed that such a dangerous result of Momentum being mishandled would make humans realize how much of a mistake the technology was."
"Except that humans still did not understand the message," Zone played off of Placido, growing more stern-sounding than before. "They rebuilt Momentum, continuing with the Alchemy and using human souls as a power source. This time, living souls were used as the power, so no lives needed be lost; but that does not excuse the path humans have taken. Had I not intervened, humans would continue."
"But then why not simply use your connections to stop Momentum completely?" Maenou pondered. "Yliaster is an all-powerful group, one which no doubt has countless political allies; why not simply have Momentum decommissioned."
"That only eliminates further infection; it does not cleanse the wound. Until humans have been brought to penance for their actions, and have truly realized their mistakes and changed, will any good have been done? As it stands, humans do not understand where they went wrong; nor can they. Modern humans are so ignorant that they do not understand the concept of souls, or harnessing them; and those who do see only a free and beneficial source of power, no matter the cost."
"You're nothing but a misanthrope," Kyojo scorned the deity, "basing all these judgments of humans on the actions of a few."
"Your opinion of me is immaterial," Zone told Kyojo strongly. "The bottom line is that a mistake in human history will soon be erased, along with you miserably anthropoids who have dared to stand in my way." With the glow on his form finally dying out, Placido sneered as he saw the forms of the three objects behind him turn red;; then their auras fused into a single, towering mass, within which the silhouette of a new monster could be seen.
"The Saviours are the Demigods of the Crimson Dragon," Placido reminded them, extending up his left arm so that his Deck slot in his wrist extended open. "So answer to such a power, I shall call upon my Master's strongest servant, and then show you the power it beholds!" Instantly the red aura behind him split into three strands, shooting into the Deck and solidifying into cards atop the pile one by one.
"Fudo Yusei, Yuki Judai; you two are the strongest of your groups, and your represent the only forces to actively oppose my Master's will. I will not spare either of you in this final battle; prepare to fight, and die, for that which you believe in." As this statement was finished, a burst of light emanated from his hand and consumed the world around them, only to vanished and leave them standing on the highway section, under the moon-lit sky.
"Placido," Yusei inquired, accusingly pointing at him as all of the monster spirit slowly dissolved away, leaving only Yubel and Endymion in their spirit forms standing behind their partners. "How can you subject yourself to this kind of mindless loyalty? Do you have no sympathy for your fellow humans? Why are you doing all of this?"
"The humans which have stained this world's soul and face black with their malice," Placido answered as dogmatically as his previous possessor, "must be punished for their actions. We had believed that you of all people could see that, and stand alongside us to purify this world. But since you have refused, I have no choice but to eliminate you."
"When I knew you all those years ago," Taiyou responded to his former ally, "You and I were complete brothers in arms. Has some voice in your head really turned you against all of us?"
Switching expressions to an amused sneer, Placido chuckled lightly for a second before saying, "I've had just as much fun as you have Taiyou; but you must understand that my master is also my saviour. He rescued this body from death's door, and gave me a second chance at life; so of course I must do as he says. Especially when it means the saving of this world."
"Godwin told me you were an idealist," Judai responded to the man. "All you and your master want is to make this world a better place."
"Finally, a glimmer of understanding. Yes; that is our goal. There are many people in this world who are good-hearted like me; sadly, they are often misguided, and do not understand the value of their powers, so they do nothing. Our fears lie with those who are beyond saving. Poisoned by wickedness, there is no fate for them but to suffer damnation eternally."
Reaching for his scabbard, Placido rapidly pulled his sword and held it upwards, creating a red aura of energy around him that rose like a column of light. A second later, Placido arose atop the pillar, his helmet on and his D-Wheel beneath him, and he hell down onto the road in front of Judai and Yusei. "Come; it's almost midnight, and we have a duel to deal with."
Nodding instantly, Judai and Yusei both pulled on their helmets, jumping onto their vehicles and starting them up. Before anybody else could react, the three of them took off at lightning pace, Placido leading the way for the three of them. When they were almost out of sight, Taiyou turned to Kyojo and Yusuriha above and yelled out his intentions.
"We have to go with them as well," he told them. "Somebody has to get to the bottom of Paradox; and something tells me that we'll see him where those three are going." Fading out, the man then reappeared beside his friends, Endymion fading back whence he came; and Yugi simply turned to look upon the direction the men had gone, a stern look in his eyes.
"Years ago, I would have been the one to jump in and take up arms against a foe," he reflected, watching the three duellists riding off after the ones before them. "But my time has passed. Atem and I finished our story long ago; and without the Egyptian Gods, my powers are nothing before a true God."
"Hey, Yugi-san!" Jack yelled out to the man, getting his attention. "We can't simply stay here when there's work to be done. Come with us; the more people we have to fight with, and to support each other, the better our odds."
Without missing a beat, he responded up to Jack, "Yes. I will fight alongside you."
Standing outside the chasm for the Old Momentum and its duel tower, Paradox braced himself against his D-Wheel, panting and wincing in pain. Having been in that world, he could see all the others standing there, no issues at all; and yet he had been trapped in a sphere of energy, repeatedly shocking him and causing him to become numb.
"I laugh upon the Gods… almost as much as humans," he realized. "They did nothing to stop the destruction of my world; so now I have no regard for them, or for their servants." Bracing himself up, the man simply took two steps forward and began a vertical, quiet freefall into the chasm below, staring down into the darkness while his mask's eyes began to glow the neon orange that his eyes let off.
Falling into the Darkness, he reached for the Duel Disc on his left arm and pulled a single card from the Deck, holding it up into the air. In only a moment the snaking, hissing form of his masked white dragon emerged, coiling around the reactor in the darkness as its wings folded around Paradox's body. These gripped him firmly and slowed his fall, allowing him to land on the floor below on his feet.
While this monster faded away, Paradox stared upon the screen on his device. He watched as the two duellists followed behind Placido, the stern looks on their faces and their silence giving away their grave moods. Placido, by contrast, bore the sneering smile of a man victorious. "Keep in smirking, Placido," he then issued under his breath. "You'll get to smile for eternity once I erase you from this time."
Hearing the sound of quick, shallow breathing caused Johan to begin stirring, regaining some awareness of where he was, followed by a realization of what had happened. Placing one hand against the wall, and the other over his face, he managed to pull himself up; but his eyes were sore, as though he had been welding without a mask.
Looking into one of the empty rooms, Aki and Luca were lying unconscious, curled up together like two sisters in the olden days. Barely being able to see them through his blurry vision, Johan was at least able to see that they were safe and sound; and thus he felt calmed. However, his mood evaporated when he saw a green glow out the window at the end of the hall.
Stepping over to this window, he looked out the top floor of the building and saw across the waterfront to the Satellite in the distance. A strange, web-like glow of energy spread over the roadways, including the Daedalus Bridge, and it all looked as though it spread to the Old Momentum's main body. "What's about to happen to this world…?" he asked softly, before fatigue once again overtook him and he fell to the floor on his face…
In a flash of light, Yugi and the Pharaoh suddenly found themselves standing exactly where they had been earlier, as though nothing had changed whatsoever. The cards that had been on their Duel Disc and in their hand were still there, and everyone was in the same pose they had taken up earlier.
Still, both of them felt uneasy; a strange sense of dread they would not classify. It was as though… destiny itself had bent. "That Placido… what has he done to our future?"
Riding quickly along the roads, the three Summoners led the group of Riders after their two friends, the noise of their engines the only sound that was made at all. Everyone knew in their hearts that there was nothing more to be done; but none could accept that fact. They had to do everything possible to fight, no matter what the outcome.
As the Daedalus Bridge drew nearer, the Summoners accelerated wildly, which told all of the others that the first three had done so as well. However, the Summoners had done so by accelerating onto the bridge; then, as the others approached it, a huge wall of glowing green energy burst up at its entrance, blocking them off and forcing them to stop cold, glaring upon the scene with deathly silence.
Then, just as suddenly as the wall had arisen, everybody could feel a strange sensation, the feeling of static electricity, seemingly coming from everywhere and rolling over their bodies. A burst of light revealed beneath everyone's feet a glowing circuit board pattern over the roads, its lines flowing and connecting everywhere along the various highways and off ramps. Once it had finished spreading, it consumed the entire city streets like vines of ivy, radiating light and heat brighter than the lights of the day.
"What… is all of this…?" Yugi suddenly and softly asked, his face and everyone else's being lit up by the green glow and giving them neon effects to their skin. "All of this energy… there's no way it's from the roads themselves…"
"It must be the Circuit's true form," Kiryu responded. "The way it spreads… like the webs of Rudger's spiders, almost completely consuming everything in their path. But in this case, all this energy has been extracted from duels… from the souls of duellists."
"Momentum is a living energy, from what we were told," Jack added. "The way it's spread… it must grow and multiply on its own, like a blanket of algae on a pond. Normally, even I would say that energy cannot do that… but if it truly lives, then it cannot be normal…"
"Momentum is a living organism as well as an energy…" a disembodied voice suddenly declared, just before the cloaked form of Alessandro appeared right in front of the bridge, between it and the riders. His shadowed face all but lit up by the green glow, his expression of superiority and his cold, glassy eyes gave him an other-worldly look; one which even caused the others to gain looks of fright.
"Both…?" Yugi questioned, getting off of Jack's D-Wheel and stepping forward to look the cloaked man in the eyes. "How can something be both alive and non-corporeal?"
"Momentum is not bound by the physical laws of your world," Alessandro answered. "But, if you want to learn more, then I demand a price." Reaching his arm forward, he revealed a Duel Disc strapped over his metal arm (most likely so he could keep his cloak in the cold night air), extending it forward and revealing a Deck of cards.
"Let me guess… you wish for me to win a duel against you?" Yugi asked, getting a glare back from the man which silently stated, 'What do you think?' Yugi's reply was to reach over his back, pulling out an old Battle City Duel Disc and strapping it to his arm, activating it and placing a Deck inside.
"Very soon, you will all see the most grand thing you can comprehend…"
Card of the Week – Yugi
Black Magic Attack
Normal Spell
You can only activate this card when there is a face-up "Black Magician" on your side of the field. Destroy all Magic and Trap Cards on your opponent's side of the field.
*The final Duel starts next chapter. Review if you wish.*