Authors notes: Another month, another chapter.

This is what some of you have been waiting for. The closest thing to what some would say is the duel that should have happened. However, with Ritan being nothing but a pile of bloody ash now, this is the best you're gonna get. It's also the closest Judai has come to fighting a major bad guy directly in this book so far, only took 27 chapters. I figure it'll be another 100 at least before he fights Draygor. In a decade or so then perhaps with my update rate.

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The Emissary of Extinction

Chapter 27

The Demonic Warlords

"Duel!"

(Both LP/4000)

Judai hesitantly picked up a card from his deck. Memories flashed before his eyes, of the times he had watched the deck he was about to fight bare it's wrath on it's enemies. He finally pulled the card from his deck. "Draw." He glanced at the card he had drawn. He played it.

"I summon Elemental Hero Clayman." The Hero appeared, it's arms crossed as was it's tradition. For a moment Judai wondered if the Hero would even survive the next turn. For now that would be a mystery to him. "Turn end."

Xiaolang frowned. "He's not taking this seriously." He grabbed the top card of his fathers deck. "Draw!" He placed the drawn card in his hand, along with the other cards he had never wanted to hold. He could see the darkness that was once his fathers power was still one with the deck. Xiaolang briefly wondered when the last time was that Ritan had used these cards. However, there were more pressing matters. ""Judai, if you want to win this, if you even want to have a chance, you have to take this seriously! Now I summon!"

He moved his hand to the first monster he would summon. As his fingers touched the card, the darkness upon it latched onto his hand. "What the-?"

He didn't have the time to think further before the world around him was gone.

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Xiaolang blinked. At least, he thought it was him that blinked. He was no longer in the middle of a duel with Judai.

"Today I rise above the maggots that compose the masses."

"What the hell?"

That was not Xiaolang's thought. As he took in his surroundings, and the deck in a hand that was not his own he quickly realized, he wasn't in the present day. He was in a memory.

A memory that belonged to Ritan Kentai.

Xiaolang had no influence here, this was Ritans memory and would only play out as it was supposed to. The platform Ritan was standing upon was rising up quickly, Xiaolang had a feeling he knew which day this was, and as the roof of the chamber opened, his suspicions were proven true.

"Introducing! In the bout to decide the title of Pro League Champion! First! Ritan Kentai!"

Xiaolang's hearing was filled with his fathers cruel laughter as he rose through the smokescreen that hid his assent. He was still laughing as the platform ceased to move. He suddenly stopped, raising his voice so the hidden mic attached to his shirt would pick up his voice. "Bring me my victim!"

As if the stadium was responding to his orders, smoke appeared on the other side of the arena, from it was coming Ritan's first opponent.

"And to face him! Remi Myu!"

Ritan smiled, another one of his thoughts echoing to his son. "Oh and I get a girl. My lucky day." He grinned. "I've made people scream like girls, but never an actual girl scream. Should be entertaining." With the cheering was finally finished, the giant monitor above the duellists signified it was time to start, Ritan was being given the first move.

One he would only be too glad to take. "Draw." He glanced at the drawn card, before placing it in his hand along with the rest. He moved his hand to mirror an action his son would perform many years later.

As his hand approached the card, the world around Xiaolang started to turn dark, the memory was finishing with him. The last thing he saw was Ritan removing the card from his hand, the sound of the world fading with his vision, all faded. except one last word of his fathers voice.

"Arise!"

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Xiaolang blinked once more. He was back in the real world. He looked around once, checking everything around him was real. As he looked down at his duel disk, he realized that he had played the card in his glimpse of the past, as his father had played it. The summon was about to begin.

"Demonic Warlord Scorching Chain."

The summon began with a bright light, glowing like the heart of an inferno. Judai was briefly forced to shield his eyes before he could gaze upon the creature. The creature was different from any Judai had seen before. He'd seen fiends, zombies, would-be gods, dragons of steel, monsters from a world of darkness l but nothing quite like this.

The creature was much taller, and it's physique much more imposing than almost all of his Heroes, it's clawed feet creating a strong thud upon the ground as it took a step on the field. The "Demon" part of it's name was clearly demonstrated by the horns upon it's head, two of them at the front of the forehead, each pointing forward a short distance before suddenly stabbing upward a considerable distance, more than enough to impale a human target. There was also a third horn at the back at the head, that one pointing directly up.

The face of the beast was surprisingly human in terms of features; Two eyes, nose and mouth. It's eyes were almost completely black, aside for the pupils which themselves were as fire, a blaze which made the blackness around it shine in the very cruel eyes of this monster. The mouth of the creature had it's teeth bared, each one a white fang, and rather large as well. This monster's mouth was much bigger than most other humanoid creatures, but in the world of Duel Monsters that still made it considerably small.

The Warlord's skin was a deep, burnt orange, with red subtly mixed into it. Like someone had taken the color of a burning blaze and dimmed it before wrapping it around the bones of this creature. The monster's upper body was strong, along with the rest of the creature's physical form. In sheer strength it would be a challenge to overpower such a beast, if a feat could even be pulled off by human force. Despite the creature's bulk, one could see a ten-ribbed rib cage pushing against the monster's chest from the inside.

The creature's chest was wrapped in gold glowing chains. Whatever these chains were made of would require examination, but it caused the skin under them to smoke. These chains were also wrapped around each of it's arms. It's hands were very large, each of it's fingers long, narrow and sharp claws.

It's legs were both muscular and bare, ending with two large and clawed feet. The Warlord growled, it's noise primal and speaking of darker intents. The first of the Warlords to come had been summoned. (Attack position. ATK/1600 DEF/1400)

Judai felt another chill run down his spine. "He wasn't bluffing. He's using that deck."

Xiaolang left Judai to realize the weight of the situation as he looked down at one of the cards in his hand. One that was different from the rest of the cards in his hands. He could sense power from it, but unlike the others, there was none of the darkness that Xiaolang now understood to be memory upon them. It took him a few seconds to guess why there was nothing upon it.

Ritan had never played it.

Xiaolang took a moment to read it's effect, nodding when he realized it's usefulness. It was time for it's first activation. "I activate Altar of the Fallen!"

Like certain other cards, the manifestation of this card appeared behind it's user. On the very ground the Gateway to Extinction had appeared. It began with a pentagram, drawn in fire that painted itself upon the stone, the insides of the star were quickly filled with gold. The gold spilled out, creating a square of gold under the pentagram. It rose up. What started as a square became a block, which then became a small tower. It grew high, high enough that the top of the tower was now twice the height of the one who had played it. Atop of the Pentagram something else was forming, a mass of crimson that was taking form. In a moment a crimson, handless cauldron had formed, a very large and tall one as well. One could easily stand within, and by crouching sink into it's depths. A completely clear liquid filled the cauldron. Absolutely clear. The only sign Liquid even resided within was the gentle rippling of it's surface. Whatever this substance was, was a complete mystery.

With the manifestation of the card behind him, Xiaolang continued. "Each time a Demonic Warlord is sent to the graveyard, or destroys a monster by battle the Altar gains one Pyre Counter. I can tribute this card and special summon a Demonic Warlord from my deck or graveyard who's level is equal to or lower than the number of counters it held." He glanced at another card in his hand. It was time to go back into his fathers memories. "I activate the effect of my Warlord."

He grasped the card...

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It was the same battle as before, but it later in the duel. Remi had no cards left in her hand, and two set cards on her field. Nothing else. (LP/2100). Ritan had two set cards on his own, along with the first monster he had summoned. He had two cards in his hand, one he was about to make use of.

Ritan smiled. "I activate the effect of my Demonic Warlord." He discarded the card...

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Xiaolang snapped back to reality the second the card had left his grasp. "So while I'm touching the cards I'm going to witness one of Ritan's memories? Wait, I only see them when I go to play them. So how Ritan used this deck is stored in it, but why did I see him entering the arena before?" His eyes turned back to the deck. "How many of your memories are in this deck, Ritan?"

He looked back up. "By discarding another 'Demonic Warlord' monster, my monster can attack twice this turn."

Judai blinked once. "Clayman's defence is too strong for it to be defeated by battle. So what's Xiaolang thinking?"

Xiaolang looked to another card in his hand, there were some more memories on this one.

He grasped it.

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It took Xiaolang a second to realize the memory he had found himself in was not a duel. A few seconds more and he realized where he was. He was in Ritan's personal study, many years ago. How many he could not be sure. Ritan was unrolling some kind of scroll on his table, it was apparently old, by the look of it, and Ritan was unrolling it slowly and with great care.

Had he been in control of his own body, he'd have gasped. Ritan's words made the reality of the image before him all the more real.

"So the Gateway exists." He smiled. "Very interesting..." He chuckled. "Guess I better win the match today then."

Xiaolang finally knew when this memory originated.

This was the day Ritan would become champion.

"But how does Draygor tie into all this?"

Reality was dragging him back before he had to chance to find out.

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Xiaolang was still grasping the card, the memory he had witnessed hadn't played the card, so neither had he. The memories still remained on the card, in fact there were more upon them. What memory Xiaolang would see would depend on which piece of the darkness he would touch. The boy briefly wondered if perhaps his fathers entire lifetime of memories was stored in this deck.

In all honestly, he didn't really care. "I activate an Equip Spell card." He placed it into his duel disk, the image appearing behind the Demonic Warlord he was in control of. "First, Malicious Dominance. I can only equip this card to a Demonic Warlord. First, it gains 400 attack points." (ATK/2000) "Second, well. I am using that bastard's deck. I'll just show you! Attack!"

The demon opened it's right hand, creating a ball of golden fire, the fire moved quickly, becoming long and narrow strips that fused themselves to the chains on it's arm, the flames thickened slightly, before suddenly ceasing to burn. The substance of the chains revealed itself to be the very flames this monster could make. The demon cracked it's new chain whip in the air, before swiping it across the field. It grasped Clayman by the arm, one could have thought that the whip was merely going to burn the arm it held in an attempt to destroy the Hero, but there was more.

The Hero rose to his feet, the card image beneath him vanishing. (ATK/800) The Hero had been forced into a battle he absolutely could not win.

The demon pulled, and in an instant Clayman was sent sailing across the arena. The Hero could not stop itself, or what was to come. The Demon took a step forward, with it's empty claw flexing. It suddenly thrust out it's arm.

The Hero's body twitched, but did nothing more than that as the claw gripped around the Hero's heart. The claw gripped into a fist, then pulled out. The Demon dropped it's victim, leaving a now lifeless husk to fall to the ground and explode.

Judai was too shocked to respond to what he had seen. Monster's who delivered defeat so viciously was not something he was used to. (Judai LP/2800)

Xiaolang was frowning. "As you saw, my Malicious Dominance can change a face-up defence position monster the equipped card attacks to attack position. Now Judai I'm not done yet! Remember my monster can attack again!"

"Wha-?" Judai had no time to react before the whip of fire wrapped themselves around him. In seconds he was ignited, the fire covering him absolutely. The only solace in this situation was that the flames were mere holograms. (LP/800) When the fires faded a slightly dazed Judai shook his head. Even after taking such an attack he seemed rather despondent, like he had barely noticed the blast. Not the reaction Xiaolang was looking for.

"Dammit Judai! I just took you down to under 1000 life points! React! Get angry! Get excited! Come up with a counter attack! DO SOMETHING!" His teeth almost cracked as they gritted together, still nothing. "You coward! Don't think for a second I'm finished. I activate the effect of my Altar!"

A chalice appeared above the cauldron, a crimson color that somehow seemed to shine like gold. It moved through the air on it's own, floating down to where Clayman had fallen, it dipped itself, collecting something. "Every single time a Demonic Warlord defeats a monster by battle or is sent to the graveyard itself, my altar collects the ashes of the fallen creature." The chalice moved back to the cauldron, tipping in the ashes of the fallen hero. "I'll explain what they are for later on. But remember, I discarded a Warlord for my monsters effect, my altar has two counters now." (Altar/2) "You can refuse to fight if you want, but I wont."

He grasp another card...

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The crunch of frozen grass sounded out as Ritan stepped upon it, he'd spent a while searching for this, but it had all been worth it. He arrived at a very old and ruined temple that the locals spoke of in fear. Word was spreading through the local village. A group of people had entered these grounds a few days ago and had yet to come out. They said the ground was haunted.

"They're half right."

Ritan stepped into the temples walls, feeling the very unique and intimidating presence. He smiled. "So is it here?" He followed it to it's source, arriving down a hallway in which he could see a stone door ajar. "Where is that group I wonder." He walked on, reaching the open door. He looked within the room. "Found them."

Before him were many abandoned cloaks, but the feeling in the room, and the ash he could see spilling out from one of the cloaks told him all he needed to know. They were dead. "But the ash. How was that...what?" He noticed something on the floor, he leaned down to pick it up. It was a book, with leather covering. It was completely black, but held no markings upon it. He stood back up, slipping it into his front pocket. There was something more interesting in the room. He stared at the wall before him. He could sense something coming from it, something evil, sinister. Something wicked.

Something not unlike him. "Show yourself, Draygor."

From the monolith the creature came, it's form little more than ghost."Who are you, human? And how do you know my name?"

"Your mythology is easy to trace for someone like me." He looked around. "I'd been in contact with one of these people, can't tell which one now. Your handiwork?"

"Yes. I needed energy to hold myself to this world after they summoned me. But it's not enough..."

Ritan grinned. "Not enough to break you out. Your prison prevents you from leaving completely, doesn't it?"

"You know of my prison?"

He nodded. "I know many things. Including a way for you to escape."

"What is your demand, human? None of your kind do things for free."

He grinned. "My name is Ritan. And as for what I want...we'll discuss it another day. Will you accept my help?"

"For now, Ritan. Only for now."

Ritan held out a hand. "Then use my body as an anchor to this world."

The beast held out a hand, reaching out to Ritan's own extended hand. Their hands met.

Darkness filled Xiaolang's vision, the memory was about to end, but Xiaolang had seen all that he wanted to.

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"So that's how they met." He shook his head lightly, trying to rid himself of the remnants of the memory on his minds eye. He had to do this. "I set one card. Turn end."

"Draw. I set one monster. Turn end."

"Dammit. He wont fight back. What can I do? He's not responding to any move I make." He let loose a silent sigh. "Ritan could have scared him. That bastard could strike terror into anyone with these cards. Well I'm the-" With a blink he realized. "I really am the closest thing left to him. Not exactly a pleasant thought. Well I'm not giving up." "Draw!" "Not a monster card. Well I cant end the duel this turn at any rate." "Warlord! Battle! Destroy his set monster!"

The Chain whip cracked in the air as the warlord sent it along it's path to Xiaolang's target. The set monster was removed from the hiding place that was a set card image. Cross Porter appeared, powerless to do anything as the chains wrapped around it's neck. It wrapped tightly before igniting it's victim. The creature screamed as it burned, it's armor melting off before the mercy of exploding found it. (Altar/3) There was some good to this however.

Judai already had his deck in his hand and parted. "Cross Porter effect activate. When it's sent to the graveyard I can add a 'Neo Spacian' monster from my deck to my hand. I choose to add Neo Spacian Air Hummingbird." He shuffled his deck again and placed it back into his disk.

Xiaolang blinked. "Well that's something at least." He glanced at his drawn card. "I'll keep this in my hand. I don't want to go wondering through his memories more than I can help." "Turn end."

Despite his despondency, Judai had enough presence of mind to notice what was in front of his eyes. "Something about that deck is bothering him. Well he's not going to let me go until this match is over." He placed an apathetic hand on his deck. "Guess I got no choice" "Draw." He nodded. He may have not felt like fighting, but his deck had other ideas.

"I activate Fake Hero. I can special summon an 'Elemental Hero' from my hand, but it cannot attack and it will be returned to my hand at the end phase. I summon Elemental Hero Neos." Judai's ace was much more prepared than him for the upcoming battle. (Attack position. ATK/2500 DEF/2000) "I summon Neo Spacian Air Hummingbird!" A flap of wings sounded the coming of this Neo Spacian, it reached the ground and took to a knee, it's life on the field was likely to be longer than Neos, defence was the safest bet. (Defence position. ATK/800 DEF/600)

"Is this it? Even if fused he wont be able to make a finishing blow. Come on, Judai."

"I activate Neo Spacian Extent! By tributing a Neo Spaican I control, I can special summon a Neo Spacian that has the same name from my fusion deck. Every one of my Neo Spacians has a member in my extra deck that shares its name, now meet Neo-Spacian Air Hummingbird's!" Air Hummingbird stood up as it began to glow, the evolution of this Neo Spacian had begun.

The Spacian's white wings were replaced by four larger, golden wings, along with a much larger set of tail feathers. The inner sections of the wings were white as snow. The bird's tall and somewhat muscle-lacking body grew taller, with many strong muscles lining it's chest and arms. The blue lines of it's body doubled in size, with new ones reaching up the sides of the birds face, meeting to form a blue line in the creatures hair, creating a line that ran down the center of it's face. The bird's body color had changed drastically. Gone was the familiar red, now the Neo Spacian was white as snow itself, making it stand out a great deal in the very darkened cave. Hummingbird's face had not changed much, but the fact it's beak had increased in length and become more narrow was someone only the blind could miss. Clearly that beak along could be quite a fine weapon. "Neo Spacian Gale Hummingbird!" (Defence position. ATK/1100 DEF/900)

"So I take it your new monster must have an impressive effect for you to summon it."

Judai nodded. "Once per turn I can gain 500 life points for every card you control and in your hand. But I don't need to use it now. I have something else planned. Neos. Gale Hummingbird. Contact Fusion!" The evolved Neo Spacian and it's Hero rose up into the white spiral galaxy, a new Hero was about to be born. "Come Forth! Elemental Hero Gale Neos!"

The superior form of Air Neos descended, gently landing upon the ground as it's four mighty wings shone. What once were Diamonds upon the Heroes wings were now long lance-like spikes, each made of the Diamond that "Air Neos" wore, all four wings held the same weapon of choice. Like the other Heroes born of evolved Neo Spacian fusions, this monster bore a much more bulky form than it's original counterpart. It's strong arms, each armed with three long, large blades between the hand and elbows were still beneath the shoulder armor, each holding a round jewel at the top of it. Each of the shoulder pads held gold trim, which travelled across the Heroes chest armor. The jewel on the chest had been relocated as well, now in the center of the Heroes chest. Gale Neo's helmet almost completely obscured it's face, letting on it's emerald eyes be seen, but the back of the helmet that had once been a single long pointed piece of metal was now split into two, each pointing out parallel with the Heroes wings. The Heroes now golden claws flexed, a Demonic Warlord was about to become victim to this mighty hero. (Attack position. ATK/2800 DEF/2300)

Xiaolang felt a small smile emerge on his face. "That's better. What's next?"

"Elemental Hero Gale Neos effect activate. When my life points are lower or higher than yours, Gale Neos gains attack power equal to that difference." (Xiaolang LP/4000. Judai LP/800. Gale Neos ATK/6000)

"What?" Xiaolang took a few sharp breaths. "First he won't fight. Now he does this! Will me make up his god damn mind!"

"Gale Neos! Battle! Supreme Skyrip Slash!"

Gale Neos spread it's wingspan before flapping them inwards once with a mighty beat so the lances connected. A glowing blade in the shape of an X appeared, glowing with a strong green light as it soared across the arena, heading directly for the Demonic Warlord. The demon threw out a chain in an attempt to destroy the oncoming blow, but they only shattered into embers, along with their creator.

He smiled. "I don't think so, Judai!" He threw up his duel disk. "Demonic Warlord Hell Guardian effect activate!" Fire burst from the graveyard of the disk Xiaolang was holding, a veil of it wrapping around the still living Warlord. The attack hit, bursting the creature into the fires that had wrapped around it. The fires spread outwards, a growing circle of pure flame. Judai flinched as the fires passed him. The fires surrounded both him and Xiaolang, trapping them in a circle of flame. "This effect..." He knew it all too well.

(Xiaolang LP/4000)

Xiaolang placed the fallen Demonic Warlord in his graveyard, his tone harsh. "If you think Ritan Kentai could have been beaten by that attack alone then you are guilty of holding a dead man in contempt. You're really off form, Judai. Up to three times, Demonic Warlord Hell Guardian can negate battle damage involving a Demonic Warlord monster I control if it's in my graveyard." His hazel eyes burned with the fire reflected in them. "I use the effect of my Malicious Dominance. It allows me to draw a card now as I control no other monsters." He pulled a card, placing it in his hand without checking it. "I will not be defeated so easily." Behind him the ashes of his fallen warlord were already being poured into the cauldron. The surface now emanated a thin layer of black smoke, the liquid under it had changed from being completely clear to violet. (Altar/4)

Judai nodded. "Turn end."

"I got a response out of him, a good one too. That's something. But he's far from where he needs to be. I need to hit him harder, harsher. I need to put the full force of this deck on him."

Xiaolang placed a hand upon his father's deck. "DRAW!"

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End of Chapter

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Today's Strongest Card

Elemental Hero Gale Neos

Monster

Wind

8

Warrior/Fusion/Effect

ATK/2800 DEF/2300

"Elemental Hero Neos" + "Neo-Spacian Gale Hummingbird"

This card can only be Special Summoned from your Fusion Deck by returning the above cards you control to the Deck. (You do not use "Polymerization"). If your life points are higher or lower than your opponents life points, increase this monster's ATK by the difference.

Commentary: Judai

"The combined possibilities of my Elemental Heroes and Neo Spacians are truly endless!"

Authors notes: Finally a much shorter chapter. Just when you didn't want them short, am I right? Next chapter the duel comes to an end. I will have the next chapter up in less than a month, promise.

A side project of this book as you may have guessed is to finish the Neo-Spacian NEX set.

P.S: For any possible Shin-chan fans in my audience I've released a new book; Shin-Chan GX. The cast of GX replaced by Shin chan cast members. It's for humor and parody purposes so don't expect anything awe inspiring. Though if you're looking for awe inspiring writing I must wonder why you're reading this book to begin with.