"Wait, first I need to go and get my other deck, this one won't work against Leona." Jameson said.
He ran up to the rack and opened a drawer which was filled with decks and took out a box with a chain on it and a lock shaped like a skull.
"I lied to you when I said I was going to use my real deck. This right here is my real deck." While he spoke he took out a key from under his shirt and put it in the skull. The skull lit up for a second and then crumbled together with the chains, revealing a black, red and green deck case with a sinister motif. The deck immediately started to glow and two cloaked creatures appeared.
One of them was wearing a brown cloak and had giant bat-like ears which were black and gold, he had a blue 4-pointed star on its forehead. I recognized the creature as Forte, dark fear lord.
The other creature was bigger, it was wearing a black cloak and holding a giant scythe made out of skulls. It had similar ears but they were raffled and red. Enormous skulls protected its shoulders and its lower arms and shins were plated with armor reinforced with skulls and claws. It was a creature I had only heard legends about. It was a creature in the league of one-of-a-kind cards that were given to a select few chosen duelists 9 years ago. It was Bass Romanoff, Vortex Reaper. Suddenly it spoke in a grim voice:
"Why did you awaken us once again Jameson. If I recall you chose to seal us a long time ago."
"The faith of the world is on the scales now Bass, I need your help to stop the strongest duelists in the world."
"You sealed us because you could not handle our power, how do you believe you would fare now?"
"I've grown a lot stronger I can handle your power by now."
"We shall put that theory to the test!"
The skies around the apartment darkened and thunder and lightning filled the air. The ground underneath our feet cracked open and swallowed us up, then everything went silent. I opened my eyes and realized we weren't in Brussels anymore.
"Welcome to my domain." I turned around and I saw Bass sitting on a throne made of skulls and bones. His hands were folded in front of him, giving him a cool and calculated air. I looked around and realized I was standing in a field of creature corpses. Everywhere the eye could see there were creatures decomposing with their weapons and the ones that killed them still stuck inside their bodies.
"Why did you bring us here?" I turned around again and saw Jameson casually walking towards us.
"I told you I would test your power, remember?" Bass answered. "But first let me tell you my story, the story of how I became the ultimate lord of the grave world."
"It all started fifteen years ago, when I was ripped from the Cyber world where I used to reside. For some reason the creators of the Duel Masters game found it necessary to make me into one of their cards, so they conjured me from the cyber world and they sealed me into a card. They called that card: Forte, Brave Fear Lord."
Start Flashback
"I remained sealed until a human played me for the first time, I was called from the sealed world within the card and I was produced on the battlefield. For a little while I was on the field and killed some creatures and broke some shields along the way. When the duel ended I wasn't sent back to the card, I was transported to this place: The Grave World."
"You see whenever a creature is summoned it activates a spell built into the sealing mechanism, that spell creates a real life version of whoever is sealed in the card. When a duel ends or a creature is destroyed, the copy gets sent here."
"When I arrived here this place was an enormous battlefield filled with all sorts of creatures, they were all fighting to find out who the strongest civilization was. I stood back and let them fight until a few majors stood out there were three to be exact: XENOM, the Reaper King; Beginning Romanoff, Lord of the demonic eye and, the strongest of the three, Bolpheus Heaven, the Holy Super Dragon."
"All the other creatures had picked a side and now the war was between three great armies of creatures. I just walked in between them killing and absorbing the stronger ones along the way. The more I absorbed the more powerful I became, until I found myself facing a terrifying creature, the one you know as Ballom, Master of Death."
"It was a harsh battle and I was almost beaten, but in the end I defeated him. When I absorbed his remains my power skyrocketed and I transformed into Bass, Death Lord. Surging with power I blasted my way through the water and Nature armies until I got to a segment of the Darkness Army. I had reached my first target: the army of the Romanoffs.
"It was a lot more difficult to get through this army than it had been to get through the others I faced many powerful foes such as Darkness Romanoff, Varz Romanoff and even Romanoff the First. I absorbed all of them and reached a new level of power, transcending my previous form and evolving into Bass Romanoff, Death Lord."
"It was after that transformation I finally found Beginning Romanoff. He was standing in front of me and it was amazing how powerful he was! The battle started and he overpowered me in a matter of seconds. I was backing down further and further until I finally got my act together and started to counter. I still wasn't used to my new power but along the way I started to get a grip on the great force I had accumulated in my past battles. I was finally beginning to push Beginning Romanoff back like he had done to me before."
"Suddenly I felt something inside me snap and take over, my power rose to heights unseen and purple energy blade formed in my hands. I jumped up into the air, my cloak fluttering behind me like bat wings. While I came down I sliced Romanoff in two from his head to his middle, and the second swing of my blade chopped his head off in one clean cut. I stretched out my hand and absorbed the mighty behemoth, learning his grave evolution skill and integrating of his armor."
"I was curious what my new power could do so I tested it on Romanoffs remaining army, one swing of my blade ended millions of creatures and for a few seconds I experienced this world as it was supposed to be: Silent. I decided right then that I would make this world my domain and I would make sure no one would disturb the peace of the Grave World. It would be a place for me and the dead, any others would just have to join the group of the dead."
"I knew that, even with my current power, I was no match for the Holy Super Dragon, whose superior armies were advancing rapidly in all directions. I had to get my hands on more power so the only way to go was further into the Dark territory. I continued my way until I found a place where a fire squad was pushing back the dark army."
"I made quick work of the Tyranno drakes and even the some dragons found themselves crushed under my might. When I was done eradicating the fire squad, a new dark army squadron arrived, meant to save their brethren from the invading fire forces."
"The squadron was lead by Bell Hell de Gaul and Bell Hell de Jackson, at first I was surprised to see that my prey had come to me but then I saw that their King wasn't amongst them. They immediately saw me as their enemy and the entire squadron engaged me at once. I overwhelmed them and in the end it was just me and the two Bell Hells, they kept fighting valiantly but I was just too powerful, during the fight my blade slightly began to transform a little. I made nothing of it and I finished the reapers off, absorbing their power and learning the location of their king at last."
"Finally knowing the direction I had to go I cut myself a way through the massive dark army in front of me and absorbed nearly every creature I killed. I absorbed so much because I needed all the power I could get if I wanted to take down Bolpheus Heaven. When I reached XENOM he was slaying an enormous gray and red demon with a lot of hands and a look similar to Balloms. He laughed at me and said:
'So you finally made it here just to find out you are too late! I am just about to transcend and become a being beyond this world! You are just a puny worm now!'
"He finished off the Ballom emperor at his feet and devoured it in the blink of an eye. I stood horrified as XENOM transformed in front of my eyes. Its head and arms transformed and he grew more of each, when the transformation ended I stood baffled in front of Ballom Monarch, the Dark Reaper King."
'Muahahah!, Now little Death Lord, it is time to reach your end!'
"It immediately charged at me with everything it had, but I wasn't about to get beat by a mere Ballom monarch so I fought back with every ounce of my power. He backed off and started to shoot lasers at me, I dodged and circled around it throwing some Hells wheels at it. They made a full impact, but it didn't faze him, so I conjured my sword up and faced it head on. We were on equal footing in close range combat so the battle became pretty intense. I sliced of 5 of its heads off and absorbed them immediately, that was all I needed to transform again. My armor advanced even further and I gained giant skull shoulder pads, my sword turned into a scythe made entirely out of bones. I was now Bass Romanoff, Death Reaper."
"The look on Ballom's face was priceless, his jaw dropped like an overripe apple from a tree. I grinned at him a lifted my scythe and in a second I was behind Ballom with my scythe on its throat, I whispered to him:"
'Who's puny now you piece of shit'
"And then I cut his head off with one fell swoop. I absorbed his body and used a fragment of the absorbed power to blow away any remaining soldiers. Now I was finally ready to go and face the Holy Super Dragon, so I fought my way through many dragonoids, Tyranno Drakes,Humans, Armorloids and then I reached the Inner core of their army, The Angel Command, the Dragons, the Fire Birds and the phoenixes."
"The first creature I ran into was one I rather wouldn't have met with, it was Eternal Phoenix, Phoenix of the Dragon Flame. He fought me valiantly and in the end he died with his honor intact, because of his heroic fighting I absorbed him completely and transformed into my final form: Bass Romanoff, Vortex Reaper. My power was now at a level at which I could crush Beginning Romanoff with one hand. I fought my way through top notch fighters like Überdragon Bajula, Eternal Meteor Kaiser, Alcadeias, Bolshack Ulpheus and many more, whom all fell to my mighty reaper scythe. After weeks and weeks of progressing through the mighty army I finally reached the center of the army, were Bolpheus awaited with a surprise of his own."
"Behind Bolpheus there was a sea of fire birds, to be more precise there was a sea of Kip Chipitto. I immediately knew what this meant, he was immortal! Whenever he would die one of the birds would sacrifice itself in his place. I saw no way around it so I just charged at Bolpheus head on. He was way more powerfull then I had ever thought he would be but I kept fighting and I killed him twenty, thirty, fifty times but the never-ending stream of birds just kept reviving him, just when I was about to give up on the fight an enormous beast came roaring through the dragon soldiers and stopped next to me. I knew the creature but I had no idea how it had gotten here, it was Gospel, the Grave Virus Beast. It roared at the fire birds and they all became blockers with the urge to block every attack. I attacked Bolpheus again and my ability kicked in, annihilating all the birds at once."
'You're immortality has ended Bolpheus, it's time to join your comrades in death as all beings in this world should.'
'Why should you decide over our fates reaper?'
'Because as you just said: I Am The Reaper!'
"I charged forward and the Holy Super Dragon fell underneath my death scythe, I absorbed the dragon and learned his triple breaking ability. I glanced around and saw the remaining soldiers from all armies standing there waiting for what was going to happen. I closed my eyes and hardened my soul for the task that remained. I opened my eyes and I reaped every creature that still remained alive in the Grave World. After a while I started to seal some of them back in their cards to save time until there were none left."
End Flashback
"At the very end the only ones remaining were me and Gospel, and we have been here ever since. And every time a creature gets sent here I either reap it or seal it. Now that you know my story human, do you still want to control my power?"
"Yes I still want to control your power, because I know I can use you to stop the monarchs from killing innocent people."
"Then I will test your power now."
Bass took out a deck of cards from under his cloak and sifted through it until he found what he was looking for. He took out the card and held it up as he spoke
"You will fight this copy of my original form in combat and if you succeed you will be given new power and the ability to control my power."
The card started to emit a bright purple and red light and turned into Forte, Dark Fear Lord. The dark lord immediately shot forward and slashed away at Jameson with a purple energy blade. Jameson backed down and dodged as good as he could, but he was being pushed back further and further, until he tripped and fell.
He landed in between Two Dead Shock Trooper Mykee's. I thought it was over when Forte went in for the killing blow, but when I opened my eyes I saw Jameson getting up with two shock trooper blades.
"Let's get this show on the road shall we, Forte."
Forte grinned at Jameson while forming a second energy blade. Jameson didn't wait, but he immediately charged forward and slashed away with great skill and. Forte was being pushed back and Jameson was gaining the upper hand. Forte backed away a few steps and so did Jameson, they gave each other a stare, then they each threw one of their two blades away and took a basic stance: two hands on the sword and sword straight up.
"Let's finish this the old fashioned way shall we Forte!"
Forte nodded in agreement while his slashed cloak fell on the ground, revealing dozens of cuts all over his body. At the same time they ran forward at a speed I had never seen. The next second they were standing next to each other almost back-to-back. They stood like that for a few seconds, then Forte dropped onto the floor, making Jameson the victor. I walked up to him, but when he turned around it wasn't Jameson looking back at me, it was a warrior. His eyes were hard and cold as tempered steel and his jaw was set in upper concentration. He relaxed and he became Jameson once again, but I would never forget that was what he truly was: a warrior.
Meanwhile somewhere in France
A car drives along a little mountain road, until a crack in the air appears. The car stops and the driver get's out of the car to check out what's going on. He walks up to the crack and closely inspects it until an enormous fist punches through the crack knocking the guy flat on his back. A giant white goat headed demon with eight hands, red wings and goat headed snake tails comes through the newly formed hole. Following the demon were two young boys, one with black hair and one with brown hair, and a young blonde girl.
'Well done Dorby.' The black haired boy said to the demon
'No problem, Suby' the demon answered in a grave voice.
Before they could say any more a figure in a black hooded cloak came from the skies, with an enormous red and gold phoenix. The phoenix was holding 4 long blades with its wings and gave the demon an angry stare before it started to speak.
'What are you doing in my dimension, Lord of Demons! You know it is forbidden to take humans to a dimension beyond their own.'
The young black haired boy answered instead of the demon 'Great protector of the 13th dimension, we have come here because a cousin of mine has died here and I will avenge his death.'
'I know why you are here human, I just wish you hadn't come.'
'I'll take it from here EP.' The cloaked figure spoke. He walked up to the black haired boy and handed him something, then he turned around and walked away while the phoenix disappeared into thin air.
The black haired boy looked at what was in his hand, it was a picture and it had a telephone number written on it. 'Wait, what am I supposed to do with this?' he yelled at the cloaked figure.
The cloaked figure turned his head a little and answered 'That is Jameson Blake, he is the one who killed Kokujo. Call the number and challenge him, the demon can take you to where you want to duel. If the duel is done, leave this dimension and don't come back. Else, I assure you EP will end you and your demon.'
'Wait what's your name, guy.'
'My name is Blane, Blane Kaminaga. Remember that name Subaru Geki and you as well Edo Kanda and Tsugumi Shirayama. If you cause trouble in our dimension EP will burn you beyond ash.'
With that Blane walked away and left the threesome standing speechless. Until Edo said:
'That guy was AWESOME!'
'I know right? He was like lone wolf kind-of-hero from an action movie!' Subaru said all excited like they had just seen a movie and were discussing it.
'So how did your cousin get here anyway Subaru?' Tsugumi interrupted the two chattering boys.
'His father, my uncle, banned him from our dimension with the power of Dimension Horn, of the Temporal Foundation. He had lost the duel to take over his leadership of their branch of the family.'
'Oh, that's horrible!'Tsugumi answered.
'I know, but I guess my family isn't the ideal now is it? Well we better go to some city, because our phones don't work here.' Subaru said, looking at his phone disappointed.
'Yes let's get moving Edo and Tsugumi answered together.