Yu-Gi-Oh! DT

by dtaoa

This is an original story with OCs and original cards that takes place a century after Yu-Gi-Oh! 5d's. Eric Lambert is a duelist who dreamed of becoming a professional duelist until his fateful encounter with an evil organization. With the help of new friends, Eric joins the battle to save the earth, discovering his own self-identify and unveiling a sinister plot with dark roots.

4. Chapter 4

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 4: Eric's Decision, the Solitary Moon vs. the Righteous Flame

November 14, 3050 8:46 PM

The man in the black cloak called a direct attack as his monster fired a blast at the opponent, an old man.

He was nothing, thought the man.

There was nothing special about his deck. He didn't even have trouble defeating that so-called rare card of his. The old man kneeled on the ground crying after the Dark Chaser general took away his most valuable card. Without an ounce of regret, the man in black kicked the senior back as he tried to beg for his card. Nothing he did since he joined the Dark Chasers had been done with regret. He had learned to contain his heart's feelings through the use of his darkness deck, the devil he had traded his soul to for victory. Slipping his newly obtained card into his pocket, the man in black drove away on his duel runner, blowing dust into the old man's face.

November 14, 3050 9:50 PM

Gareth sat quietly in his office, researching Eric's history through his extensive database. What Eric had told him was true. He had attended Dueling Star kindergarten, graduated from Neo Domino Intermediate School, and received his duelist diploma from Duel Academy at the early age of 17, just like Gareth did. However, the only difference was that he had been in Obelisk Blue while Eric had been in Slifer Red, unable to rise to the top because he couldn't afford it. The difference between him and Eric wasn't that he couldn't relate to being poor; he had spent a great deal of his life living in miserable conditions. It was the idea that he was a great duelist because he was raised and trained by a noble family with plentiful resources, while Eric, a low-class citizen, could duel just as well even without that background. Sure he had scouted some good duelists from poor communities, but there was something different about Eric. It was as if he had a certain wisdom, a certain understanding of the world that he showed in his dueling. It was for this reason that Gareth was so interested in him. It was for this reason that Gareth had decided he would have Eric join his company whatever it took.

November 14, 3050 10:29 PM

His room illuminated by the pale moonlight, Eric layed on his bed looking through his deck. He could feel every strategy in his head, like the souls of his cards were performing a mental play for him, a play he could never get tired of. Everything that he had accomplished in dueling was due to his belief in his cards, whether they were strong or not. He had always believed that every card he drew, every card he played, was meant for a greater purpose, to help build a greater entity. Duel Monsters was like a war, and a war could be won from many strategies other than simply crushing your opponent's forces head on. That was why he liked the game. But what made him love it was another aspect: the fact that what constituted a strong army was not the strength of its individual soldiers, but rather the trust between them and their general. This was the belief that his father had passed down to him and the belief that he continued to demonstrate in each of his duels.

He pulled a certain card out from his deck: Moonstar Dragon. This was the only card given to him by his mother, and for this exact reason, his most cherished card. It was her greeting present when she had just given birth to him, as well as her farewell present when she had died minutes after. At least, that was what he was told. Eric loved each one of his cards, but this was the one card he could not live without. It was for this reason that he fell into depression during kindergarten when it was taken from him by his classmates. During that time, he had skipped meals and cried daily for almost a week. That was until he was pulled out of the darkness by a certain someone: Gareth.

Gareth was that boy who had returned his cards, his very first friend. Eric had always omitted Moonstar Dragon from his deck because of a promise that he wouldn't use it until he had properly thanked the person who had returned it to him. But now that he had finally seen Gareth again, he was hesitant about it. Having always envisioned his savior as an upstanding person to be admired, Eric was shocked and disappointed by the kind of person Gareth was now. He was arrogant, moralless, and of all things, hopelessly romantic. Of course, that was just what Eric thought in the brief time they spent together. Was his judgment wrong? What could have possibly happened to turn that nice boy into this glory-seeking wretch? What blackened his passionate red flames?

This led Eric to another thought. Why did Gareth want him to join D.T. Corporation so badly? His fire deck was unarguably strong, strong enough to make Eric question whether he could actually beat him in a duel. From the number of uniformed men he saw the other day, he couldn't imagine that Gareth had a shortage of members. Eric's mind then delved into a dark territory. Maybe it had to do with his cards. Maybe, like the Dark Chasers, he was only interested in the cards that Eric had. Eric's stomach churned when he considered the possibility of Gareth, the man who had returned Moonstar Dragon to him, taking it back. His mind filled with uncertainty, Eric tried to shrug off the thought, closing his eyes and drifting into a deep slumber.

November 15, 3050 9:04 AM

The next morning, Eric awoke to a soft humming. As he opened his eyes, he felt a soft breeze. The humming grew louder. Eric's eyes widened with fear when he saw what looked like a card glying directly at him, traveling at an incredible, air-splitting velocity. Fearing for his life, Eric quickly ducked and watched with shock as the card cut a layer of paint from the wall it hit before falling gently into Eric's lap. Sighing of relief, Eric noticed that the card had a message: "Now you don't have a choice." Suddenly, a group of men in familiar black uniforms barged into the room and grabbed Eric. Although he tried to resist, he couldn't overpower multiple attackers. In a matter of seconds, Eric's mouth was covered by a cloth sprayed with chloroform and his consciousness slowly faded. The last thing he remembered seeing was a blurred image of a man in a red blazer.

November 15, 3050 11:53 PM

Eric awoke tied to a chair in a dark room with minimal lighting. Gareth stood at the corner with his uniformed employees guarding the exits.

"What do you want from me?" Eric asked angrily.

"The answer is obvious," Gareth replied. "I want you to be a member of D.T. Corporation."

"My answer is still the same."

"Not for long," Gareth grinned. "Name your price."

His employees gasped and whispered among themselves, shocked that their boss would go to such lengths to recruit one man.

"I refuse," Eric said.

"I am willing to double your salary if you join me."

"I still refuse," Eric growled. "You won't buy me with money!"

"Cards!" Gareth shouted, suddenly irritated by Eric's stubbornness. "I'll give you all the cards you want for your deck!"

"I'm perfectly happy with my deck the way it is now!" Eric yelled back.

"I have connections!" Gareth bellowed. "I can give you whatever you want!"

"I want nothing!" Eric answered.

"Drugs! Women! Men! I can get you all of that!"

"No!" Eric roared.

"Then what?" Gareth screamed. "What the hell do you want?"

"I won't join you," Eric growled, "even if you got on your knees and begged."

Gareth's head fell and his broad shoulders slumped. His employees all gasped at the sight of their boss, who had always been so confident and optimistic, looking defeated. A deafening silence filled the room. Minutes passed without a single sound being made.

"Then," Gareth finally muttered, "I will duel you for it."

"What?" Eric asked.

"I said I'll duel you for it!" Gareth shouted. "You said that if someone wants something, they should duel for it, right? I challenge you to a duel for your employment in my company!"

Nothing could be heard except the excited breathing of the company's CEO, who seemed to be going insane from his obsession with recruiting Eric. No one spoke. Not the flabberghasted Eric, who sat bound to a chair. Not Gareth's employees, who stood shocked by the sight of their boss in such a flustered state. Everyone was too afraid to speak.

Then, all of a sudden, there was laughter. Gareth's employees thought that he had finally snapped, consumed by madness after failing to achieve a goal he had pursued obsessively.

But that was not the case. The laughter was coming from Eric.

"Okay," Eric said, still chuckling. "That's more like it. I accept your challenge."

Gareth sighed of relief before starting to laugh himself. After all of Gareth's tricks, after their heated exchange, both had found this simple solution so hilariously ironic that they continued laughing for several more minutes.

After being untied from his chair, Eric was silently led through several doors and elevators, all of which were accessed by a convoluted system of passwords and identification cards. Finally, after about ten minutes, he was brought into a large room with a massive duel arena. It was a carefully painted field on the ground with Life Point counters on each side and high-tech machinery to project the highest quality images of the cards. Although Eric had nothing but disdain for the vices of the wealthy, he couldn't help but feel excited for the kind of duel they were going to have.

"I see you're impressed by my state-of-the-art dueling field," Gareth smiled. "You're going to be even more impressed by my dueling skills. Shall we begin?"

"Now is as good a time as any!" Eric grinned eagerly as he equipped his duel disk.

"Duel!" both shouted together.

"My stage, my turn," said Gareth arrogantly. "I summon Fierce Swordsman in attack mode!"

An array of dazzling lights appeared from the high-tech arena, materializing a surprisingly realistic hologram of a human swordsman clad in leather armor. The quality of the hologram was so high that one could easily mistaken his monster for a real person.

(Fierce Swordsman: Level 4/EARTH/Warrior/ATK-2000 DEF-1900/Effect- When this monster attacks, it loses 300 ATK)

"Now I activate the Field Spell Realm of Fire!" Gareth shouted, slamming the card onto his duel disk.

Eric gawked half admiringly and half fearfully as the entire room burst into flames and lava flowed in from various cracks in the walls. Demonic gargoyle statues rose from the ground as fire and magma flew in each direction, the pattern of which Eric likened to water fountains and fireworks.

(Each Standby Phase, each player gains 1 Flame Counter. During each player's Main Phase, they can activate the following effects: Pay 4 counters to deal 800 points of damage to their opponent, Pay 8 counters to draw 1 card, Pay 10 counters to destroy 1 card on the field.)

"What is this?" Eric exclaimed. "I've never seen this card before!"

"Although my company exists for the sole purpose of fighting the Dark Chasers," Gareth explained, "it generates capital from the manufacture and sale of Duel Monsters-related equipment such as duel disks and duel runners. We even contribute to the development of new cards, with the permission of Industrial Illusions of course. This makes it easier to supply my employees with the best equipment for combating the Dark Chasers."

"I see," Eric said. "So that card was something that you created yourself. What does it do?"

"I'm considered a genius at dueling," Gareth boasted, "but my real talents lie in turbo dueling. I personally favor it as well. This card serves to simulate a turbo duel in the realm of a normal duel by establishing rules similar to those of Speed World 2 via a Field Spell. Each player gains 1 Flame Counter every Standby Phase, and during each player's turn, they can activate any of 3 effects: remove 4 counters to deal 800 damage, remove 8 counters to draw 1 card, or pay 10 counters to destroy 1 card on the field."

"Interesting," Eric grinned. "I've always wanted to play in a turbo duel."

"So I see this is a win-win situation," Gareth smirked. "I set 2 cards face down. Turn end."

"My turn," said Eric, nodding as he observed the Flame Counters increasing for both him and Gareth. (1/1) "I discard Bright Star to Special Summon Moonlight Viking!"

A light brighter than any Eric's ever seen shined on his field, disappearing in a flash to reveal his axe-wielding monster.

(Bright Star: Level 1/LIGHT/Psychic/ATK-500 DEF-0/Effect: If this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon it to your side of the field on your next Standby Phase)

(Moonlight Viking: Level 5/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-2200 DEF-300/Effect: You can discard 1 card from your hand to Special Summon this card from your hand. If you do, you cannot summon another monster this turn)

"Moonlight Viking, attack Fierce Swordsman!"

"Not so fast!" Gareth yelled. "I activate my Quick Spell Burst into Flames! This will decrease your monster's ATK by 800!"

Moonlight Viking howled as it charged at Gareth's monster, but before it made contact, it suddenly caught on fire and fell to its knees writhing in pain. Taking this opportunity, Fierce Swordsman raised its sword and slashed the viking in half. (3400/4000)

(When your opponent's monster attacks or is attacked by your Fire attribute monster, decrease that monster's ATK by 800. If its ATK is greater than that of your monster, you can negate all battle damage this turn and draw 1 card)

"Damn," Eric complained. "I set 2 cards face down. Turn end."

"This is already a bad start for you," Gareth chuckled. "You might as well quit now before I decide not to hire you because your dueling skills are lacking."

"Just go," Eric frowned.

"My turn!" declared Gareth. (2/2) "I summon the Tuner monster Fire Spirit of the Sword!"

A generic straight sword appeared on the field, falling unimpressively until a serpentine trail of fire with black eyes emerged from the hilt of the sword, revealing itself as the true monster.

(Fire Spirit of the Sword: Level 3/FIRE/Pyro/ATK-0 DEF-2000/Effect: Once per turn, you can equip or unequip this card to a Warrior type monster. This card can be used for a Synchro Summon while equipped to a monster. (A monster can only by equipped with 1 Union Monster at a time. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, destroy this card instead.))

"I'm tuning level 4 Fierce Swordsman with level 3 Fire Spirit of the Sword," Gareth announced. "Searing flames engulf the world! Bolt from the smoldering fire! Synchro Summon! Appear, Swift Flare Knight!"

Gareth's two monsters erupted in flames and slowly disintegrated into ashes. However, a massive sphere of churning fire appeared instantly on the field. The hologram effects felt so real that Eric could almost feel the heat radiating from the raging flames. After several seconds, the sphere exploded with jets of fire spewing in every direction. What remained was a gallant warrior wearing shining red armor, and wielding a shield and sword.

(Swift Flare Knight: Level 7/FIRE/Warrior/ATK-2500 DEF-1500/Effect-Deal 100 points of damage for each synchro material monster that was used to Synchro Summon this card to your opponent at the End Phase)

"Now," Gareth grinned mischievously, "I activate the Continuous Spell Kurohouka!"

Just like in his previous duel, not only his monsters, but also his field was turned completely black. If Gareth's first field resembled Hell, then this new dark field was something even more terrible. Although Eric knew that this effect was only for psychological damage, he couldn't help but shiver at the horrific sight.

(All Fire attribute monsters on the field also become Dark attribute monsters and gain 200 ATK and DEF)

"Swift Flare Knight," Gareth commanded, "direct attack! Flaming Slash!"

"Your tricks may have worked on the Dark Chasers," Eric said, "but they won't work on me! I activate the Trap card Double Spy! This negates all damage I take this turn and lets me summon a level 3 monster from my hand! I summon Moonlight Boxer!"

As Gareth's dark knight thrust its black sword at the enemy, a muscular boxer in light blue clothing dashed onto the field, blocking its attack.

(Negate all damage received this turn. You can Special Summon a Level 3 monster from your hand)

(Moonlight Boxer: Level 3/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1700 DEF-800/Effect-Once per duel, you can Special Summon a monster this card destroyed to your side of the field)

"Not bad," Gareth grinned. "Turn end."

"My turn," said Eric. (3/3) "At my Standby Phase, Bright Star is Special Summoned to my field."

Eric's monster, a small radiant orb of light, blinked onto the field.

"Now, I summon Brightglow Dragon in attack mode!"

Following the orb of light, a shining portal appeared on Eric's field, revealing a white dragon of medium size.

(Brightglow Dragon: Level 4/LIGHT/Dragon/ATK-1600 DEF-300/Effect-If this card is Normal Summoned while you have no monsters on your side of the field, you can Special Summon a level 4 or lower LIGHT attribute Tuner monster from your hand)

"Let me tell you something," Eric suddenly said. "I have a card that means more to me than my own life."

"If it's you," Gareth smiled, "that's not too surprising."

"This card was given to me by my mother before she died," he continued. "It was a card that brought me joy when I had it and absolute despair when it was taken from me."

"Don't tell me-," Gareth exclaimed, beginning to realize what Eric was talking about.

"That's right," Eric said. "You were the one who saved me back then when you fought those bullies and gave me my cards back. I've always wanted to thank you, but you moved away that year."

"Yeah," Gareth said softly, remembering his childhood. "A lot's happened since then."

"I promised myself that I wouldn't use this card until I've properly thanked the person who gave it back to me," Eric explained.

"Well," Gareth laughed, "here I am."

"No," Eric frowned. "You're not him. The one who fought those bullies and returned my cards was a kind-hearted boy with a just sense of right and wrong."

Gareth didn't say a word.

"I don't know exactly what happened to you in the last fifteen years," Eric said, "but it's clear to me that it wasn't too nice. These black flames of yours depict the darkness in your heart. Your noble red flames have been tainted by something sinister."

"Don't talk like you know me," Gareth said bitterly. "You don't know what I've seen. If you did, you'd know that the world is cruel, and that the only way to make things right is to inflict the same pain to those who inflict pain to others."

"You're right," Eric said. "I don't know what you've been through. But I do know that instead of fighting for what you truly believe, you've given into the rage and sadness in your heart, and you're trying to make others share your pain. Perhaps in your quest to fight the Dark Chasers, your intent is noble, but the flame of your resolve is black. You've lost sight of your path in the darkness of the world you've seen. But now, it's my turn to pull you out of that darkness. It's my turn to show you the light."

"What are you-?" Gareth asked before being interrupted.

"I'm tuning level 3 Moonlight Boxer and level 4 Brightglow Dragon with level 1 Bright Star!" Eric declared. "The shining moon guides all to greatness. Glisten brightly in your shining grace! Synchro Summon! Ignite, Moonstar Dragon!"

Eric's three monsters transformed into pillars of turbulent light energy, rotating furiously with tremendous force. Seconds later, they joined together to form a triangular structure that began to rotate as one entity, forming a single, large column of brilliant light. All at once, the pillar released its energy, filling the room with a warm luminescence. As the light faded, what stood on Eric's field was a beautiful silver dragon with shining scales and angelic wings. It announced its presence with a powerful howl, scattering the vibrant moondust floating gently around its majestic silhouette. Its very presence appeared to illuminate the room once oppressed by Gareth's black flames.

(Moonstar Dragon: Level 8/LIGHT/Dragon/ATK-2600 DEF-3000/Effect: You can remove this card from play to Special Summon a monster from your Graveyard. It gains the ATK and DEF of this card. On your 2nd Standby Phase after you activate this effect, Special Summon this card)

For a good minute, Gareth stared in complete awe at the holiness of the being which stood before him, blissfully entranced by its sheer beauty.