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.

10. Chapter 10

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

Chapter 10: Descending Shadows, Eclipse of the Faltering Moon

December 24, 3050 1:24 AM

Swift gales of wind blew past the man in black as he raced down the DR lane towards Truesdale Town. At this moment, he felt a sense of excitement and anticipation towards a duel he wanted to have more than ever. Days earlier, every Dark Chaser general received notice of a duelist disrupting their operations in a distant town. In their records, they found that this duelist had defeated multiple gang leaders stationed around his area within a timespan of several weeks. However, this feat alone didn't make him special. It wasn't until recently that the Dark Chasers began to take a greater interest in him, when he summoned Moonstar Dragon, the Light Nature Dragon, to defeat and incapacitate Conundrum, his direct subordinate with the rank of captain.

Within the Dark Chaser hierarchy, captain was the second highest rank, only falling below general status. In order to achieve the rank of captain, a member had to demonstrate incredible dueling skill as well as commitment to the group. The fact that the captain of the Dark Division had lost to a duelist who hadn't even been heard of until recently was an embarrassment to man in black's name.

Yet, the man didn't particularly care. Under the same circumstances, any other general would probably try to restore their former glory by directly confronting this duelist and personally taking him down. But the man in black wasn't fond of vague concepts like honor or glory. What separated him from the other Dark Chasers was his raw ambition. While the others simply took pride in their titles and reputations, he fought for his own desire of becoming the strongest. If a worthy opponent emerged, he would do everything he could to make sure that he was the one to beat them. For this man, he wouldn't have cared if his entire division, or even the whole Dark Chaser organization, was wiped out. In fact, that would only make him happier. The stronger the opponent, the greater the thrill of being the one to defeat them.

December 25, 3050 2:39 PM

Every year, Eric spent his birthday cash on something for himself, be it an extra bottle of iced tea or a new T-shirt he liked. But on Christmas, it was a day of giving, though not in the traditional sense. Without any friends or family, there wasn't exactly anyone to give anything to. What Eric gave on this special day was thanks, his gratitude for all the things he had. Every December 25th, he would write down a list of the most important people in his life and thank them for what they've done for him. He would thank his mother for giving him the Moonstar Dragon that he cherished so much and simply couldn't live without. For his father, it was the inspiration from his courageous ideals that motivated Eric's actions and guided his path in life. As though he was speaking directly to his parents in his letter, he expressed how much he missed them and how much he wanted them to see the kind of person he had become. He wanted them to be proud of their son.

Because his parents were the two most influential benefactors in his life, he dedicated a great deal of time to write the perfect, most heartfelt message to them, ultimately taking up a page and a half of the entire sheet. His other messages were much briefer, as they were addressed to those who were less significant to him, and who, for the most part, were still alive. For the past four years since he'd moved to Truesdale Town, Eric had given thanks to Mr. Gaige for being his supplier of iced tea and caring about him in his own strange way. Eric wished him success in his retail business and hoped for his son to excel in his dueling school. As he came to that subject, Eric also remembered to thank his previous classmates for dueling with him and helping him hone his skills. Even though he never really regarded them as friends and already forgot half of their names, Eric still took the time to express his enjoyment of the short time they had together and wished them happiness in their lives.

After writing to a few others he knew on a more superficial level, Eric pulled out a lighter and held it beside the paper he wrote on. To Eric, the burning of this message was a symbolic gesture. By lighting his letter afire, he felt that he could give furor to his words and show the genuinity of his feelings. He believed that the ashes which scattered from the letter would act as messengers, safely delivering his message to those he wrote to and expressing his thoughts spiritually rather than physically. That way, he felt like his feelings could reach everyone, whether near or far, whether dead or alive.

However, as he stared at the small flame produced from the lighter, he was reminded of something else he was thankful for. It had been a little over a month since they had met as a result of Eric's involvement with the Dark Chasers but his life already felt so hectic. Gareth, the curse that he was, had brought him much pain from trying to recruit him to his company and forcing him into situations where he had no choice but to fight. Yet somehow, that curse had turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Because of all these situations he had been thrown in, he was reunited with his best friend from kindergarten and given the opportunity to thank him for what he had done back then. Even now, he found Gareth to be a wonderful companion who understood and trusted him, a great rival with admirable courage and strength. Indeed, he probably could have avoided some very unpleasant experiences if he hadn't met Gareth, but at the same time, he wouldn't have been able to discover a bright side of humanity that he couldn't see before.

Grinning sheepishly, Eric picked up his pencil and made an addition to his letter, thanking Gareth for blessing his life with excitement, warmth, and joy. He wished him success in his business operations, luck in his battle against the Dark Chasers, and hope that he could become less uptight. While he was at it, he also wrote thanks to Olivia for reminding him that all people had the potential to be good on the inside and wished her luck in her mission to learn the truth about her parents' deaths. After he finished writing, he looked to the ceiling of his apartment room, wondering if there was anyone else he had forgotten about. He didn't know why but he felt that he had forgotten someone important, someone he hadn't seen in a long time. After a good five minutes of staring blankly at the ceiling, Eric gave up and decided to leave the letter as it was. Shrugging his shoulders, Eric ignited his lighter and set the message on fire, watching closely as it shriveled and turned to ashes.

December 25, 3050 3:01 PM

"Are you sure?" Gareth asked, his eyes widening with concern.

"That's right," said a young man in a black suit. "We've received intel that a Dark Chaser general is making his way towards Truesdale Town. Witnesses confirmed that it was a well-built man in his thirties with short, blonde hair wearing a black trench coat."

"That's without a doubt Grant Lilith," another chimed in. "But what does he want in a poor city like Truesdale Town?"

"Most likely...," Gareth began, hesitating over whether he should reveal Eric's relationship to the company to his board.

"Regardless," a third board member continued after noticing Gareth's ambivalence, "I think we should take advantage of this information and stage an attack on Malik City, the sector he normally protects. His top gangs are the most violent and destructive among the Dark Chasers."

"That's right," said another. "If we take out that group in his absence, it will be a major blow to their forces. We can even establish a base in Malik and start waging a battle against the gangs in surrounding areas."

"I disagree," frowned the chief of finance Dylan Hewitt, a thin man with long, black hair. "A direct confrontation would disturb the public order. Furthermore, setting up a base requires a large amount of capital, which, with our decrease in sales during this recession, is not something we can afford."

"So we do nothing?" another board member exclaimed. "This is a golden opportunity! If we miss this, we might never get a second chance!"

"Perhaps," Hewitt sighed. "What do you think, Gareth?"

As the responsibility of giving the final verdict fell to him, Gareth rubbed his chin to help him concentrate his thoughts. He was indeed worried about Eric, knowing that he was the only reason for any Dark Chaser to go to the ghetto city of Truesdale Town. At his current level, Gareth didn't know if Eric would be able to handle a general. But at the same time, he also acknowledged that a general leaving his post would make his sector vulnerable to an attack. Even though it was against his morals to use someone, especially his best friend, as bait, Gareth knew that defeating the Dark Chasers in Malik City would be a large step towards destroying the organization once and for all. In the best case scenario, Eric would defeat the general and the Dark Division would be finished. After thinking over his options for a few minutes, Gareth came to a conclusion.

"When can your troops mobilize, commander?" Gareth asked the man in the blue blazer sitting across from him.

"Immediately," the man replied with a smile.

"Good," Gareth grinned. "We set out in ten minutes."

"We?" the man in the blue blazer asked.

"That's right," Gareth replied. "I'm coming too. You're going to need me if you want to take down all the major gangs in a timely fashion."

"I think this is too sudden," Hewitt asked with a concerned expression. "How will you pay for the base you're going to set up? And which men are you going to station there? Do we have enough soldiers to maintain our defenses here?"

"Don't worry about the money," Gareth said. "As for the men, I'm going to have the commander and his main forces stationed there."

"Me?" the man in the blue blazer asked. "But what about headquarters? What if they attack while we're gone?"

"We'll be fine," Gareth grinned. " Sometimes, the best defense is a strong offense. Our attack is going to leave them surprised and confused. Without strong leadership, they won't make a prompt counterattack."

"I hope you know what you're doing," Hewitt frowned, sighing heavily. "It would be absolutely terrible if you fell in this battle."

"Trust me," Gareth smiled. "It's going to take a lot more than some gangsters to kill me."

Gareth's face beamed with satisfaction as his smile was reciprocated by every board member at the table, even the skeptical Dylan Hewitt. In the dangerous, war-like operations that D.T. Corporation was engaged in, it was important to have a charismatic leader who could motivate his soldiers and earn their trust. With his absolute confidence and overwhelming power, Gareth was the single most qualified individual to lead the company.

"So if there are no further questions," Gareth grinned, "the meeting will be adjourned until next month."

As he rose from his seat at the end of a large rectangular table made from a rich-colored mahogany, Gareth looked at the faces of the ten or so individuals who comprised his company's board of directors, smiling as he recognized some of the greatest geniuses of the modern age. These individuals, the eldest of which was only thirty years of age, were hand-picked by Gareth after he had profiled them and eventually concluded that they were trustworthy, intelligent, and capable. The very fact that they had all attended an emergency board meeting on Christmas and expressed genuine concern towards the situation at hand demonstrated their loyalty to the company. This group of individuals, both filial and competent, was the mind and spirit of D.T. Corporation.

Gareth's position, on the other hand, was a more complex one. Despite the fact that the Basilius family had owned the company for generations, Gareth himself was merely the chief executive officer. Yet, the amount of power he exercised was equivalent, if not greater than, that of an owner. There were two reasons for this.

First, Gareth had the complete faith of his employees, standing at the top of the company's hierarchy with both strength and intellect. Whatever actions he took for the company, he was rarely opposed, even by those who had the executive means to do so.

Second, Gareth's controlling interest in the company's stocks legally granted him the authority to nominate important company positions, including board members, the president, and even the CEO. With the amount of influence he had in the company's executive decisions, Gareth wasn't actually obligated to work for the company as an employee. However, he took it upon himself to act as the chief executive officer because he couldn't trust anyone else with the paramount task of overseeing his company's operations.

The reason for Gareth's decision was not paranoia, but rather wisdom. Since its foundation over a century ago, D.T. Corporation had developed a notorious history of undergoing multiple dramatic changes in its business operations as well as its leadership. According to historical documents, the business had begun as a research company that studied Momentum energy and attempted to find solutions to the reactor's overload problem. After the disestablishment of the Momentum reactor, D.T. Corporation shifted its research to discovering new energy sources for a world lost without modern technology. Over the years, it changed from a research company to a retail business, providing cheap necessities to an increasingly needy public. Later, D.T. altered its operations once more, this time becoming an electric company. Although the company's identity changed every few years, one fact remained true. Each of these changes was a result of leadership being usurped from the previous owners, legally or otherwise, by the consequent generations of the Basilius family, who thought that their visions were better suited for company than their predecessors'.

Perhaps the most stable period in D.T. Corporation's history was under the leadership of Gareth's father George, who unlike his precursors, had peacefully inherited ownership of the company over twenty years ago. This occurred during the world's discovery of Dynasium, which had revolutionized the world's economy and allowed businesses of all sorts to prosper. However, the exact details of his father's operations were unknown. Since he had regained control of D.T. Corporation, Gareth had failed to find any records of this time period from his company's archives. As part of a grudge, Gareth had always assumed that this censorship was the work of the nefarious Neville Bainbridge, who had clutched possession of D.T. Corporation after his father's death. By sending assassins after him and forcing him to live as a fugitive, Bainbridge had effectively removed the company's legal heir and assumed control through various, underhanded means.

At the very thought of this man, Gareth's blood curled. This was the man who had turned his life into a constant battle, who had subjected him to all the horrors that the world had to offer. This was the man who had transformed him into the warrior he was today. Without a doubt, it was primarily due to Neville Bainbridge's influence that Gareth didn't trust anyone. While it was true that his board of directors was composed of individuals he deemed to be the most trustworthy, he couldn't completely trust them. Gareth knew that each of them was intellectually capable and that anyone who possessed this trait was bound to have ulterior motives. As a result, he feared that if he was careless for even a moment, control of D.T. Corporation could slip from his fingers once more.

Calming himself in preparation for the battle that would ensue in the next hour, Gareth took a deep breath to get his mind off the past and focus on the present. As he stepped out of the elevator in the basement garage of the D.T. Corporation building, Gareth came face to face with his army of elite soldiers in black uniforms, each bearing the emblem of a red triangle inside a yellow circle. Smiling proudly, he mounted his crimson duel runner and took his place beside his commander, nodding to indicate that he was ready. As the garage door opened, the blue blazer commander motioned with his fingers. Followed closely by Gareth, the commander sped into an underground path, which diverged into a network of roads paved by D.T. Corporation for covert operations. Row by row, the duelist army joined their leaders, driving down the path towards what they all knew would be a decisive battle in their war against the Dark Chasers.

December 25, 3050 10:32 PM

Eric rode down the shoddy streets of Truesdale Town, compelled by some unexplainable force to go outside that night. He felt as though something was pulling him, not quite to a particular location but more away from something. This mysterious phenomenon was something that he had experienced on several occasions throughout his life, and, as his experiences with Gareth and Olivia had indicated, something that was not unique to him. When he was beaten up by the Dark Chasers two months ago, Gareth had somehow come to his rescue without any information on his location or his activities. Similarly, Olivia revealed that she was told in a dream to come to D.T. Corporation to steal Terra Force Dragon. Eric didn't understand the origin of this mysteriously compelling force, yet he didn't question its power. In the past, each time he had decided to obey its commands, he would always avoid some kind of trouble. This intuition had never failed him before, and he assumed that this time would be no different.

Halting his duel runner on the side of the road, Eric looked up at the dark sky to admire the pale full moon which seemed to radiate warmth in the cold night air. No matter what problems he encountered, Eric always seemed to find solace and comfort in the night sky, whose celestial bodies in their very nature reminded him that light could exist even in the darkest of things. However, on this particular day, the starless sky only gave Eric a sense of foreboding as he realized that the only source of light in the sky was the moon, full but dim. The blackness of the sky felt like a cold blanket surrounding his world, ensnaring him in its murky grasp. Without a doubt, it was an omen of ill events to come, but with what happened next, the absence of stars seemed like a trivial sign.

Before Eric's very eyes, the moon that he adored became drenched in red, its white radiance slowly corrupted by a sinister copper hue, giving the impression that it was bleeding. As the night grew ever darker in the midst of this eclipse, Eric's body shook with fear. He was unaware of the fact that this shaking was a subconscious psychological response to the second time in his life he had witnessed a lunar eclipse. Logically, the natural phenomenon of the moon passing through the Earth's shadow and becoming red as a result of sunlight being refracted through the Earth's atmosphere was absolutely harmless. But for Eric, a lunar eclipse possessed strong association with a terrible and arguably his most traumatic memory. The day Eric had first witnessed the moon becoming red was the day he had lost the person dearest to him, the day he had become an orphan. This bloody moon was a symbol of a forever unhealable wound in Eric's heart.

"It's beautiful," said a deep, gravelly voice.

Eric turned around to see a large blonde man atop a jet black duel runner, staring wistfully at the crimson moon with his dry blue eyes. Although age had not been kind to this man's ruddy and wrinkled complexion, Eric was instantly able to recognize who he was, his eyebrows furrowing as he did so.

"The moon has entered into the Earth's shadow," the man said softly. "The symbol of light has chosen darkness to be its ally, and it's never looked more beautiful."

"Grant," Eric said in a grave tone.

"It's nice to see you too, Eric," the blonde man said, turning to face him. "But you should know that I'm called by a different name nowadays."

"Yeah?" Eric frowned. "And what's that?"

"Shade," Grant replied with piercing eyes. "General Shade."

Upon hearing these words, Eric's eyes widened with simultaneous shock and fear. Without a doubt, Shade was a Dark Chaser codename, and a sinister one at that. He simply couldn't believe that a past pupil of his father actually became a Dark Chaser, using his abilities for evil rather than good. What more, Grant said that he was a general, the highest possible rank within the organization. In the fifteen years since he'd last seen Grant, Eric thought that he had just run away after his teacher died, overtaken by grief and shock. But it turned out this was not the case. This man had abandoned his teachings and climbed to the top of an organization whose actions contradicted everything Eric's father stood for. This man, Grant Lilith, had completely and utterly betrayed his teacher. At this very thought, Eric's fists shook as a deep resentment flowed throughout his body.

"Why?" Eric muttered. "Why did you become a Dark Chaser?"

"For the power," Grant replied without a second thought. "The Dark Chasers have given me everything I ever wanted and more."

"Even though they treat people and their cards like trash?" Eric asked, his voice shaking.

"That's right," Grant said coolly. "If I'm aiming to be the strongest, I have to step over the weak to reach the top."

"What about my dad?" Eric growled. "What about the things he taught you about respecting your opponents and cherishing your cards?"

"Your father was a misguided optimist," Grant said without hesitation. "The only way to survive in this world is through power. Respect is just an excuse for weakness and fear of doing what is necessary. If you hesitate to finish off your enemies, then you will be the first to die."

"You're wrong!" Eric shouted. "What ever made you believe that?"

"I think the proper question is what made you not believe it," Grant said with no change in tone. "Your father's death was a result of him failing to be ruthless in his decisions. If you're really his son, you of all people should have learned from his failure that respect is for the weak. If you want to survive in this cruel world, you need power and power alone."

"My dad wasn't weak," Eric said through gritted teeth. "He was the strongest person I've ever known, and it was his respect for both people and cards that made him strong. He believed in the good of humanity when no one else did. That's why I'll always look up to his example and follow in his footsteps. That's why I'll become a beacon of light in his place."

"A beacon of light, huh?" Grant sighed, nostalgic memories running through his mind. "Do you understand what that means?"

"It means I'm going to give people an example," Eric said with determined eyes. "It means that I will take on whatever darkness people have and show them the light."

"It means you have to be strong," Grant said with a deep growl. "If you don't have the power to back up your ideals, you can't save anyone, not even yourself. You need power to uphold your so-called justice, and for that reason, justice cannot exist without power. Hence, power is the same as justice. If you're standing on faith alone, you will inevitably fail like your father."

"I won't fail," Eric rebutted. "Like my dad, I'm strong. His spirit is with me in this deck. That's why I can cut through whatever darkness you throw at me."

"That's also why you're going to lose," Grant said with a snarl as he suddenly synced to Eric's duel runner. "If you think your father's misguided ideals will make you into a beacon of light, then I'll just have to show you the harsh reality of this world by drowning you in utter darkness."

"That's right," Eric smiled as he changed his vehicle to Duel Mode. "Talking has never done either of us any good. We settle things by dueling."

As the holographic counter began counting down, Eric and Grant stood side by side on their duel runners, painted red by the glow of the eclipsed moon. Aside from the Dark Chaser general's wicked codename, Eric was also unnerved by a terrifying number displayed on his duel runner's screen. Grant Lilith, by some miracle, had managed to accumulate a 99% win rate in over five hundred thousand duels. He thought Conundrum's record was incredible, but Grant's was on a whole different level. Yet, just like with Conundrum, Eric wasn't afraid of facing someone with a high win rate, especially not when that someone was a Dark Chaser who betrayed his father's teachings. Steadying his hands, Eric braced himself as he waited for the counter to reach zero. When the sharp buzzer sounded, both Eric and Grant pulled back on their throttles, accelerating forward with impressive speed.

"Turbo duel!" both chanted simultaneously. "Acceleration!"

From his first turbo duel with Conundrum, Eric expected that the weight of his duel runner would once again prevent him from passing the holographic finish line first. His beliefs were confirmed when Grant overtook him with ease after five seconds, jetting down the street on his thin-frame duel runner. However, to Eric's surprise, Grant slowed down just before reaching the finish line, allowing Eric to pass ahead and take the first turn.

(Both players gain 1 Speed Counter each Standby Phase. A player can activate the following effects during their Main Phase: remove 4 counters to deal 800 points of damage to your opponent for each Speed Spell in your hand, 7 counters to draw 1 card, remove 10 counters to destroy 1 card on the field)

"Why did you let me go first?" Eric asked, furious at his opponent's mercy. "Weren't you the one who said not to hesitate in beating your opponent?"

"I always let my opponent go first," Grant replied casually. "It'd be too sad if I won without letting you have even one turn. If you can stop me from winning on my turn, then I will consider you a worthy opponent."

"You bastard," Eric cursed as he drew a card. (1/1) "If you think you can underestimate me, then you've got another thing coming. I'll show you the price you pay for disrespecting your opponent."

"Just try it," Grant said with a twisted smile. "If you can."

"I summon Moon Samurai in attack mode!" Eric declared.

A shining white portal appeared beside Eric, revealing the ancient Japanese swordsman clad in blue armor.

(Moon Samurai: Level 4/LIGHT/Warrior/ATK-1000 DEF-1600/Effect-When this card is Normal Summoned, you can discard one card from your hand to increase its ATK by 800)

"I activate Moon Samurai's effect," Eric continued. "I discard a card to increase its ATK by 800!"

"I don't understand why you continue following in your father's footsteps when you're a realist yourself," Grant smirked.

"What do you mean?" Eric glared.

"You sacrificed one of your cards so that another one could become stronger," Grant explained. "It shows you understand that if you want to win, you have to step over those weaker than you."

"No," Eric snarled. "I didn't sacrifice a card. I borrowed its power to make Moon Samurai stronger. It's because my cards have such a strong bond that they can support each other. I don't believe in sacrificing others to get ahead and neither did my father."

"Those are just pretty words to hide the harsh truth," Grant smiled cruelly. "Survival of the fittest is one of the most fundamental laws of nature. It's nothing to be ashamed of. You, like your father, are a hypocrite for refusing to fully embrace the fact that you can't gain without taking from others. The way you talk is hypocrisy. The way you duel is hypocrisy. The way you live is hypocrisy."

"Shut up!" Eric barked. "I think I've had enough of your bullshit. Do you want to talk or do you want to duel?"

"No comeback, huh?" Grant grinned, pleased by his psychological victory. "It's still your turn."

"I set three cards," Eric said with a brusque growl. "Turn end."

"I must say I'm disappointed," Grant sighed. "You may have his deck but you're not nearly as good as Robert Lambert."

"Why don't you take your turn and find out?" Eric shot back.

"Very well," Grant smirked, drawing a card. (2/2) "I'll show you how much power I've obtained by knocking down everyone in my way. I summon Dark Succubus."

A pool of black sludge seeped out from the ground, and from it arose a black-haired woman clothed in repulsively revealing garments, attempting unsuccessfully to seduce a disgusted Eric.

(Dark Succubus: Level 4/DARK/Fiend/ATK-1500 DEF-0/Effect-When this card is Normal Summoned, you can inflict 1000 points of damage to your opponent and increase this card's ATK by 500)

"A succubus is a demoness that drains the life of men she sleeps with," Grant explained. "She isn't the purest of creatures but at least she's honest in her intentions."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Eric grunted impatiently. "I'm not here for a mythology lesson."

"Perhaps you'll understand with this," Grant smirked. "I activate Dark Succubus's effect. I deal you 1000 damage and raise my demoness's ATK by 500!"

"I expected someone as wicked as you to use such a crude strategy," Eric grinned. "I activate my Trap card Double Spy! I negate all damage I take this turn and Special Summon Moonlight Boxer from my hand in defense mode!"

The scantily-clad demoness flew at Eric, exposing a pair of sharp fangs. However, just as it was about to make contact, it was struck by a shining blast of energy, stopping it in its tracks. Confused, the succubus looked to her right to see what had attacked her, snarling at the sight of Eric's blue-garbed boxer.

(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," Grant smirked. "But it's going to take a lot more than that to live through this turn. I remove Dark Succubus from play to Special Summon Shadow Gorgon!"

Shrieking in agonizing pain, the demoness shriveled and collapsed into a swirling black hole, which churned violently and spewed toxic sludge from its center. Seconds later, a foul creature dressed in dirty rags emerged from the vortex, its petrifying gaze intensified by the hideous black snakes that made up its hair.

(Shadow Gorgon: Level 5/DARK/Fiend/ATK-0 DEF-0/Effect-This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing from play a Level 4 Dark attribute Fiend-type monster from your field. When this card is summoned, negate all effects currently on the field)

"Shadow Gorgon will negate all effects that are currently active on the field," Grant explained, "including your Double Spy."

"What?" Eric exclaimed, shocked by the sight of everything on his field turning to stone. "I've never heard of a card that could negate effects of cards that have already been played! The word 'overpowered' is an understatement!"

"This is the result of my quest for power," Grant smiled proudly. "I obtained this rare card two years ago. From who, I'm not really sure anymore."

"Obtained?" Eric asked, furrowing his brow. "Don't you mean 'stole?'"

"It's the same thing," Grant said. "I told you that power is justice. Only the victor can decide what's right or wrong. It doesn't matter how you win as long as you win in the end. The end justifies the means."

"Have you really forgotten everything my dad's taught you?" Eric asked with a shuddering voice. "About respecting people? About playing fair even if you're the only one doing it?"

"I haven't forgotten," Grant said in a neutral tone. "It's because of his naive beliefs that I learned the truth about how the world works. That's why I will never forget them: because they're the beliefs that remind me time and time again that I'm right and he's wrong."

"Then I'll prove you wrong," Eric growled. "I'll prove to you that my father's beliefs make me stronger than you!"

"You'll have to live through this first," Grant smiled wickedly. "I remove Shadow Gorgon from play to Special Summon Black Archfiend!"

Eric watched in absolute horror as a dark, muscular arm burst from within the gorgon's body, tearing its flesh apart. Slowly but surely, her entire frame was torn asunder, as blood gushed and bones protruded in a disgusting fashion. Eventually, an ugly, demonic head was revealed, howling savagely as it tore through the gorgon's disheveled carcass. It was a long, bloody minute before the evil demon to finally freed itself and unveiled its full, grotesque figure.

(Black Archfiend: Level 6/DARK/Fiend/ATK-2000 DEF-0/Effect-This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing from play a Level 5 Dark attribute Fiend-type monster from your field. Once per turn, you can double this card's ATK until the End Phase. You can halve your Life Points to decrease the ATK of 1 monster your opponent controls to 0)

"Another hideous monster?" Eric asked, still shivering from what he had just witnessed.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," Grant said. "You view my monster as ugly but I think it's beautiful. It's beautiful because it's strong. To me, that's the only thing that matters."

"You're sick," Eric snarled spitefully.

"Perhaps," Grant smirked. "I activate Black Archfiend's effect! I pay half my Life Points to double its ATK and reduce Moon Samurai's ATK to zero!"

Roaring with ear-splitting reverberation, the vile demon unleashed a torrent of black sludge at Moon Samurai, who shouted in pain as his armor melted and his skin burned with acid. (4000/2000)

"You bastard," Eric grunted. "It's like that card was designed for a one-turn kill. Why do these overpowered cards exist and why do you have so many of them?"

"My deck is the product of my relentless pursuit of strength," Grant boasted. "I've assembled the most powerful cards I've ever seen into one deck, a deck that's so strong I win most of my duels in one turn. If my opponent can live through my turn, then that means that they have cards worthy enough for me to add to my deck."

"I've said this before," Eric growled, "but you're sick. You think throwing a bunch of overpowered cards into a deck will make you strong? No. You need to pour your heart and soul into your cards. That's where the strength of a duelist comes from. By using that monstrous deck of yours to crush people, you're not only disrespecting your opponents, but also your cards."

"Fool," Grant scoffed. "Idiots like you who preach about respecting your opponents and trusting your cards are nothing more than sore losers who are jealous of the power I have. Respect is nothing but an excuse for weaklings who want power but don't have the guts to seek it out themselves."

"It's not jealousy," Eric frowned. "It's human decency."

"Call it whatever you want," Grant smirked, "but it won't save you. Black Archfiend, attack Moon Samurai with Devouring Malice!"

"I activate my Trap card Shining Glow!" Eric countered. "I equip it to Moon Samurai and increase its ATK by 1000!"

Grant's malevolent demon blasted a surging wave of poisonous waste at a bare and defenseless Moon Samurai, who even with its new light enhancement, melted in an instant. The impact of the attack was so strong that Eric lost control of his duel runner and swerved back and forth before he restabilized himself a minute later. (1000/2000)

"Did you see that?" Grant asked with a devilish smile. "This is the limit of your feeble respect. You don't have the power to back up your claims about what you think is right or wrong."

"But," Eric grinned, "I lived through your turn. Even with your overpowered cards, you failed to beat me in one turn."

"Did you really think I was done?" Grant smirked. "If this was the most I could do, then there would've been no way for me to get where I am today."

"You only have one monster," Eric said curiously. "And you already attacked with it. You have no set cards on the field and you don't have enough Speed Counters to play any Speed Spells. What more can you do?"

"You would be right," Grant replied, "if you were looking from the scope of game. But I've long transcended the boundaries duelists place on themselves in 'respect' of the game. I'm not here to play. I'm here to win. I remove Black Archfiend from play to Special Summon Vampiric Shade!"

With one final howl, the repulsive demon collapsed into a sense sphere of black shadows, vibrating ominously while shooting jets of sludge in each direction. Seconds later, the sphere exploded, forming into a large swarm of shrieking bats, fluttering boisterously in the air before assembling together to take the shape of a Dracula-esque vampire. Aside from its sharp fangs and pale skin, what made this creature of the night truly terrifying was its blood red gaze.

(Vampiric Shade: Level 8/DARK/Fiend/ATK-? DEF-?/Effect-This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned during your Battle Phase by removing from play 1 Level 6 or higher Dark attribute Fiend-type monster. This card's ATK and DEF are equal to the ATK and DEF of the removed from play monster used to summon it. This card can attack twice per turn)

"Vampiric Shade gains the ATK and DEF of the monster I removed to summon it," Grant explained. "That means its ATK is 4000."

"A monster that you can summon in the Battle Phase," Eric said through gritted teeth. "That's insane!"

"This is the true meaning of strength," Grant smirked. "Now, it's time to put your idealism to rest. Vampiric Shade, attack Moonlight Boxer with Blood-Sucking Flurry!"

Reforming into an army of bloodthirsty bats, Grant's monster rushed at the vulnerable boxer, who was mercilessly torn to shreds by hundreds of ruthless fangs. Eric gritted his teeth as he looked at his barren field, upset that he failed to protect even one his monsters.

"This isn't the end of your despair," Grant grinned evilly. "Vampiric Shade can attack twice per turn! Now, die with your father's beliefs! Blood-Sucking Flurry!"

"You won't win so easily!" Eric shouted. "I activate my Trap card Moonstar Glimmer! When you make a third attack, I can Special Summon Moonstar Dragon from my Extra Deck and draw 1 card!"

Once more, the demonic vampire transformed into a swarm of bats, which zoomed at Eric and surrounded him in a fluttering mess of black. However, within the dark cloud escaped a ray of light. All of a sudden, a pillar of shining energy shot towards the sky, knocking off all the bats and scintillating until it faded several seconds later to reveal Eric's ace monster. Unleashing an echoing roar to announce its presence, the lean white dragon descended to take its place beside its master, leaving behind a trail of sparkling dust.

(You can only activate this card when your opponent has declared a 3rd attack this turn. Select and activate one of the following effects: -Special Summon Moonstar Dragon from your Extra Deck or Graveyard and draw 1 card. -If Moonstar Dragon was removed from play by its own effect, you can Special Summon it and draw 2 cards)

(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)

"So that's the famous Nature Dragon of Light, huh?" Grant smiled. "It's too bad I'll have to destroy it right away. Vampiric Shade, attack Moonstar Dragon!"

"I activate Moonstar Dragon's effect," Eric declared. "I banish it to Special Summon Moonlight Boxer from my Graveyard and increase its ATK and DEF by Moonstar Dragon's ATK and DEF! Starlight Salvation!"

For the third time, Grant's vampiric bats swarmed at Eric, only to be repulsed by a blinding wave of light energy. Vanishing into particles of light, Moonstar Dragon called forth a glistening obelisk from the heavens, which exploded in a blinding flash to illuminate the night sky. When Grant's vision was restored moments later, his eyes widened at the sight of a powerful boxer on Eric's field with 4300 ATK. A twisted smile formed on his face as he watched with excitement.

"Congratulations," Grant chuckled. "You survived my onslaught. By sacrificing your Nature Dragon, you summoned a monster strong enough to fend off my attack."

"Like I said," Eric growled, "it's not sacrifice. My monsters make each other stronger by working together."

"Keep deceiving yourself," Grant smirked. "No matter what you think, you have no chance of winning. Your Moonstar Dragon is going to make a fine addition to my deck."

"You bastard," Eric cursed through gritted teeth.

"I set 1 card," Grant said. "Turn end."

"My turn!" Eric declared furiously. (3/3) "I'll win this duel and stop your pessimistic thinking. I'll show you the true power of my father's beliefs!"

"I'd like to see you try," Grant taunted.

"It's true that your monsters are overwhelmingly strong," Eric admitted, "but nothing's invincible. There's always a weakness to be exploited. While your monsters have high ATK, their DEF is weak! I activate my Speed Spell Energy Transfer! When I have 3 or more Speed Counters, I can switch the ATK and DEF of your monster!"

Grant only watched in slight amusement as his vampiric monster crouched beside him, grunting in pain. When he witnessed Grant's complete lack of sympathy for his monsters, Eric furrowed his brow and gritted his teeth harder.

(If you have 3 or more Speed counters, you can switch the ATK and DEF of 1 monster your opponent controls)

"It's over!" Eric shouted. "Moonlight Boxer, attack Vampiric Shade! Glowing Knuckle!"

"Pointless," Grant smirked. "I activate my Continuous Trap card Shadow Void. My Dark attribute monsters can't be destroyed and I don't take any battle damage."

"What?" Eric exclaimed. "Even your Traps have such overpowered effects?"

"I told you," Grant said with a twisted grin, "my deck is composed of the strongest cards in the world. It doesn't matter how smart or how well you play. You can never overcome my sheer and absolute power."

Eric's boxer, empowered with Moonstar Dragon's cosmic power, dashed at Vampiric Shade and struck it with a heavy fist of dense light energy. However, the vampire merely dispersed into a group of fluttering bats, completely avoiding destruction. Eric growled as the evil creature reformed and gave a taunting shrill laugh.

(Dark attribute monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effects. You take no damage from battles involving Dark attribute monsters)

"I set 1 card," Eric said through gritted teeth. "Turn end."

"My turn," Grant smirked as he and Eric charged forward on their duel runners upon reaching four Speed Counters. (4/4) "I think it's about time to end this. I remove Vampiric Shade from play to Special Summon Abyssal Death Angel!"

For the last time, Grant's vampire disseminated into a flurry of bats, which flew in a swirling pattern to form a dark gateway to the underworld. After a moment of ominous silence, a black hand with long, gnarled claws burst from the portal, digging into the ground and using it as an anchor to pull out the rest of its body. What now stood on Grant's field was a blackened figure of an otherwise beautiful woman with long black hair and piercing violet eyes. Unleashing a violent shriek, the dark angel spread its humongous, black-feathered wings.

(Abyssal Death Angel: Level 10/DARK/Fiend/ATK-1500 DEF-0/Effect-This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing from play 1 Dark attribute Fiend-type monster on your field. This card gains ATK and DEF equal to the ATK and DEF of the monster that was removed from play to summon this card. Any monster this card battles is removed from play at the end of the Damage Step)

"Abyssal Death Angel gains 4000 ATK from Vampiric Shade," Grant explained. "Its total ATK is 5500."

"That's crazy!" Eric gasped, shuddering at the chilling aura evoked by Grant's monster.

"It's like I said," Grant smirked. "You're out of my league. Abyssal Death Angel, attack Moonlight Boxer and end this! Black Zephyr!"

"I activate my Trap card Moonlight Veil!" Eric declared. "My monster isn't destroyed and I gain 500 Life Points!"

Shrieking loudly, the dark angel released a massive hurricane of black wind at Moonlight Boxer, who howled in pain despite the light shield that protected it. This impact was even more powerful than the others, blinding Eric and causing him to enter the sidewalk and scrape against several buildings. As he regained control, Eric cursed upon noticing an area of paint that was scratched off from his recently purchased vehicle. However, when he realized that he had survived the attack, he breathed a sigh of relief. (300/2000)

"I don't know why you're so relaxed," Grant said with a twisted smile. "You're not out of the clear yet. I activate Abyssal Death Angel's effect. Any monster it battles with is removed from play!"

"What?" Eric exclaimed.

Eric's eyes widened with terror as he watched his monster disintegrate into black particles and vanish into thin air.

"This is the end," Grant smiled. "You have no cards on your field or in your hand. There's nothing more you can do. This proves the difference between our power. Now do you realize that strength is the only thing you can rely on?"

"I'll never acknowledge that!" Eric barked. "It's true that I have no cards left. It's true that I'm one step from losing the duel. But no matter what, I'll never give into your selfish beliefs! As long as I still have Life Points, as long as I still have cards in my deck, I have faith that my cards will help me win!"

"How stubborn," Grant scoffed. "Open your eyes to reality. Not once have you had control of this duel. Your half-assed ambition and delusional trust in your father's idealism haven't gotten you anywhere, not in this duel and not in life. That's why you will always bow down to those who are truly strong!"

"Shut up!" Eric shouted. "This duel's not over! You haven't proven anything! As long as I have a chance, my cards will come through for me!"

For the next few seconds, Eric and Grant did nothing but glare at each other, their eyes locked in a hateful psychological battle. Their ideologies stood on polar ends of the spectrum and despite the events of the duel, neither acknowledged the others' position. This was the classical instance of the clash between an unstoppable force and an immovable object. Finally, after a moment of thought, Grant sighed and smiled deviously.

"If I can't talk some sense into you," he told Eric, "then I'll have to beat it into you!"

"As long as I have a next turn," Eric said through gritted teeth, "I won't be beaten by the likes of you!"

"I suppose you should be praised for your determination," Grant smirked, "but it's too bad that you won't have a next turn."

"What do you mean?" Eric asked, furrowing his brow.

"I mean this duel's over!" Grant grinned wickedly. "I activate the effect of Speed World 2! I remove four Speed Counters to deal you 800 damage for this Speed Spell in my hand!"

"What?" Eric gasped.

Lightning surged from Grant's black duel runner, zipping through the sky and striking a terrified Eric with a tremendous explosion. Smoke escaped from Eric's duel as both came to a slow and steady stop. (0/2000)

Eric was speechless as he wore a blank expression on his face, indicating his failure to come to terms with defeat. Or rather, the fact that he had been defeated was too much for his mind to rationalize, causing him to almost reject the reality that he had lost. Normally, Eric took defeat in a duel rather harshly, as it represented his own lack of power. However, this duel wasn't just about him. It was about proving to Grant Lilith, a man who had abandoned his father's beliefs in favor of his selfish quest for power, that respect and trust were stronger than brute force. In losing this duel, Eric had not only failed in proving Grant wrong, but also in defending his father's ideals. Shocked by the fact that he had so pitifully lost, Eric entertained, for a single moment, the possibility that his father was actually mistaken, and that Grant was right about strength being the only true justice in the world. Upon realizing that he had mentally betrayed his father, even for just a second, tears of guilt streamed continuously down his blood-drained face.

At that moment, Grant approached him and plucked Moonstar Dragon from his duel disk, sticking it into his deck without the slightest hesitation. Despite witnessing his most important card being taken from him, Eric was so overwhelmed by the mental shock of defeat that he didn't even respond. He simply looked down at the ground, his shoulders heaving as his tears dripped onto his duel runner. When Grant saw the pathetic condition Eric was in, he silently turned away, uninterested in dealing with someone with such a fragile state of mind. Having completed his task, Grant mounted his duel runner and drove off into the distance.

Minutes later, Eric finally realized what had happened. Moonstar Dragon, the card his mother had given him before she died, the card that he loved and cherished more than anything else in the world, was gone, taken by the man who had betrayed his father. His cards, his ideals, his confidence. Eric had lost everything. As the harshness of this reality tore at his mind, Eric began to hyperventilate, wheezing over and over again to cope with his fleeting sanity. Drowned in the deepest despair he'd ever felt, Eric screamed at the top of his lungs, not stopping until his voice grew hoarse. As his melancholy cry echoed through the air, Eric buried his face in his arms and sobbed miserably, his figure dimly illuminated by the desolate red light of the eclipsed moon.