Yes, I'm still alive. It's been WAY TOO long but this story isn't dead. Here's the next chapter, Terra Firma Gravity. The exciting conclusion to Bastion and Jaden's duel! For those wondering where I've been, well…there was school and life and I needed a break from writing. I have less time to write nowadays and my focus has shifted to my YouTube channel (it's called 'The Groovy Movie Man' for anyone interested in checking it out). My main focus will be on another of my stories "Beyblade Metal Heroes: Darkness Transcends." This story will still alternate with "The Shadow Games" but the switch won't occur until Chapter 10 is complete of this story so don't worry, you still have another five chapters coming your way. As to when I'll next update…we'll see. But anyway, here is the chapter. Hope you find it was worth the wait (I'm willing to bet it wasn't though). And as always, PLEASE REVIEW!

Duel 5: Terra Firma Gravity

"Jaden?" called out Alexis as she knocked on the door to his room at the Slifer Red Dorm. "You in there Jaden?" She waited for a moment and when there was no answer she took hold of the doorknob.

"I'm coming in," the Obelisk stated as he turned the knob and opened the door. She peeped in and quickly noticed that the room was deserted.

"He's not here?" she questioned as she looked at the Battle City DVD clutched in her left hand. "Where could he be? I've got the DVD he wanted and I walk all the way over here and he's a no show."

Alexis sighed in annoyance and walked over to the balcony. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and punched in Jaden's number. There was no reply.

She groaned in annoyance. "Don't tell me his phone is off too…"

Behind the Slifer Dorm – Jaden VS Bastion!

Jaden Yuki stood on once side of the clearing with a full 4000 life points and Elemental HERO Poison Rose (Attack 1900) who was a woman wearing green leaf armour with a red suit underneath. On the other side of the clearing stood Bastion Misawa with 2400 life points with four fireball tokens (Attack 100) and Fox Fire (Defense 200) in defense mode. The tokens were literally fireballs with eyes while Fox Fire was a normal fox with the end of its tail on fire. He had two face downs and also the continuous trap Graveyard of Wandering Souls active. Not only did it turn their surroundings into a graveyard but also summoned a fireball token to Bastion's field whenever he lost a monster. Syrus Truesdale meanwhile was watching from the sidelines.

Jaden frowned at the sight of Bastion's full field. 'What's he going to do with all those Fireball tokens?' he questioned in thought.

'These may be small flames now,' Bastion thought with a smirk. 'But those tokens are going to unleash an inferno on the next turn!'

Turn 4: Jaden

"My turn! Draw!" shouted Jaden as he pulled a card from his deck and examined it.

'Perfect!' the Slifer thought once he saw that it was Polymerization.

Bastion had spotted the smile on Jaden's face and watched as he placed the card on the left side end of his hand and took the card next to it.

"Now!" declared Jaden as he slapped his selected card onto his disk. "I summon Elemental HERO Ocean!"

A vortex of water burst from the ground and a humanoid blue person with a scepter emerged from the water jet.

Elemental HERO Ocean: Attack 1500

Bastion wasn't phased by this move, but instead was still looking at the card Jaden had added to his hand before.

'No doubt Jaden drew a key card,' the Ra thought. 'That must have been why he was so happy. Polymerization perhaps? But he didn't go for fusion, so he must not have all the materials yet.'

Syrus was suddenly startled when he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. "Oh my phone," the Roid user said as he pulled it out and answered it. "Hello? Oh, hey Alexis."

Bastion's mouth fell open and literally hit the ground in shock.

Jaden didn't seem to notice this and flung his arm out. "Battle Phase!" he roared. "Ready Bastion? I attack with Poison Ro-"

"Time Out!" Bastion interrupted as he made a 'T' with his hands suddenly.

"What!" protested Jaden who nearly fell over in response.

"Yeah, Jaden's here," Syrus replied to Alexis' question on the phone. "He's here with Bastion. They're in the middle of a duel."

"Really?" Alexis answered. "Where?"

"At the grove behind the Red Dorm," Syrus stated.

"I'll be right there," the Obelisk said as she hung up.

Bastion was in pure torture at having to watch Syrus Truesdale of all people talking to Alexis on the phone. He grinded his teeth together in annoyance and narrowed his eyes.

'Even Syrus has Alexis' number!' he cursed in his mind. 'I can't stand this! Am I the only one who doesn't have her number or something?'

Jaden, who was again completely oblivious to Bastion's antics, yawned in boredom and asked, "Can we move this along?"

Bastion quickly regained his composure, took a deep breath and turned his attention back to Jaden. "Sorry," he apologized. "Continue."

'Just got to defeat Jaden,' he thought. 'Then Alexis' number will be mine.'

"Get set to get your game on!" challenged Jaden. "Poison Rose annihilate one of his Fireball tokens!"

Jaden's monster flew into the air and unleashed a blast of poison petals that shot towards one of the helpless Fireball Tokens.

"Nice try Jaden!" retorted Bastion as he tapped a button on his disk. "But I knew you'd make that move, that's why my face down card is Negate Attack!"

A vortex opened up and absorbed the poison blossom stream from Poison Rose.

"Not only does my trap negate your attack," explained Bastion. "But it also ends the battle phase meaning Ocean won't get to attack either."

"Nice move Bastion!" Jaden complemented as he took the card on the far right of his hand and slid it into his disk. "I throw down a face down, turn end!"

Bastion eyed the face down carefully. 'That card he just set?' he considered in thought. 'Polymerization maybe? No, probably a support card for Terra Firma. The card on the far left of his hand is the one he just drew, there's a 90% change that card is Polymerization.'

"Right on," commented Alexis as she appeared from around the corner and joined Syrus on the sidelines. "I made it."

Bastion took in a deep breath and examined Alexis' beauty for a moment before blushing slightly.

"Hey Alexis," greeted Syrus. "The duel just started," he explained, gesturing to the two duelists.

"So they're finally dueling," answered Alexis. "Jaden Yuki, the duelist who beat Dr. Crowler versus Bastion Misawa, the duelist with the top grade at the entrance exam," she stated in excitement. "But…why keep it so secret?" she questioned.

Syrus giggled. "It's a guy thing. Bastion's got pride."

Alexis frowned in confusion and looked at Syrus. "Pride?"

'What's she doing here?' thought Bastion, slightly nervous at having to duel in front of his crush. He shook it off and drew his card.

Turn 5: Bastion

"My turn!" he declared as added the card he had drawn to his hand.

He studied them for a few moments and thought, 'I don't have the luck of the draw like Jaden, but these should be enough.'

Bastion took a card from his hand and inserted it into his disk. "I use Reload!" he cried. "Now I get to shuffle my four card hand back into my deck!" he explained as he placed his hand on top of his deck before pulling it out and shuffling it.

"Then I draw cards equal to the amount I put back!" he continued as he drew four new cards.

'He refreshed his hand,' Jaden noted in his mind. 'He must have been searching for something.'

Bastion grinned. "Judging by the look on your face Jaden," he said. "I'm guessing you've figured out that I was looking for a certain card. And you're right!"

Jaden's only reply was "Uh, not good!"

"You see my whole strategy involves this card," continued Bastion as he held up a spell with three fireballs on it. "Now you get to see what my little Fireball Tokens add up to!"

"Add up to?" gasped Jaden.

"I activate Gathering of Malice!" Bastion cried as he activated the said spell card. "Now I can fuse three of my Fireball Tokens together!"

Jaden, Syrus and Alexis watched in suspense as three of Bastion's tokens flew up into the air and combined to form a spiraling flame vortex.

"I fusion summon Goka, the Pyre of Malice!" roared Bastion as a large metallic black jar with a flaming spirit head bursting from the top of it emerged from the vortex and roared.

Goka, the Pyre of Malice: Attack 2200

Jaden looked upon Bastion's new monster with horror. "A fusion summon…!" he stuttered.

"Amazing!" commented Alexis.

"To think all those fireballs could form such a powerful monster," added Syrus next to her.

"Prepare to feel the heat!" threatened Bastion.

Syrus sighed at the comment from the Ra. "It's total jealousy on Bastion's part. The worst his envy gets, the stronger the monsters he summons."

"Envy?" mumbled Alexis in confusion before turning to the younger Truesdale. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Syrus wasn't sure how to reply and thought for a moment. "Well…uh…you're quite the enchantress," he decided to go with.

Alexis was left even more confused by this comment. "Enchantress?"

"Jaden!" Bastion declared as he pointed at his opponent. "I know you're planning to summon Elemental HERO Terra Firma with the Polymerization in your hand! I also know that the face down card you have is a support card for Terra Firma!"

Jaden's eyes widened in shock and his mouth fell open. "How the heck do you know that!" he replied, stunned.

"Unfortunately for you Jaden!" Bastion continued as he tapped a button on his disk. "But I'm going to have to send both of our hands to the graveyard! I activate Card Destruction!"

"That means they both discard their hands and draw the same amount of cards they discarded," noted Alexis. "A good move on Bastion's part if Jaden really does have Polymerization in his hand."

Jaden groaned as he placed his hand in the grave along with Bastion before they each drew three new cards.

'Crud,' thought Jaden. 'Now my face down is useless.' He looked at his hand and groaned when he saw that he had drawn Woodsman a turn too late but then gasped slightly when he saw another card he had drawn.

"Two of the cards I had discarded were monsters!" explained Bastion. "So I get two new Fireball tokens to join the only one I have left!"

Fireball Token: Attack 100

"Now I use Goka's special ability!" exclaimed Bastion. "I can destroy any number of Fireball Token's on my field and Goka gains 100 attack for each one! I destroy all three of my tokens!"

The three fireballs flew into the center of Goka's jar and this boosted the monster's power.

Goka, the Pyre of Malice: Attack 2200-2500

"Now Goka obliterate Poison Rose!" ordered Bastion as he fist pumped the air. "Pyro Stream of Destruction!"

From the center of Goka's jar burst a spiraling stream of fire that shot forward and incinerated Poison Rose. Jaden threw his arms up to block the recoil from the attack.

Jaden: 4000-3400

"End of turn," conceded Bastion with a cocky grin.

'I played it perfectly,' he thought smugly. 'Without Terra Firma, his face down card is nothing.'

Turn 6: Jaden

"Draw!" stated Jaden as he drew his card, Alternate Fusion, and added it to his hand. He quickly formed a plan in his head and kept a straight face.

"I change Ocean to defense mode!" he declared. "Then I summon Elemental Woodsman in defense mode to keep Ocean company!"

A man composed of wood and leaves appeared in a defensive stance next to Ocean who crouched down and held its scepter in front for defense.

Elemental HERO Woodsman: Defense 2000

Elemental HERO Ocean: Defense 1200

'Here it is,' thought Jaden as he took Alternate Fusion from his hand and slid it into his spell and trap card zone.

"I also throw down a face down!" finished Jaden. "Turn end!"

Turn 7: Bastion

'I should have known he would draw Woodsman,' Bastion thought as he drew his card. 'Give me a break. With that luck of his he could still go for Terra Firma. Trap Fusion! That must be what he drew and then set.'

"I summon Rigorous Reaver in attack mode!" cried Bastion as he slapped the card onto his disk.

A grotesque wooden person wielding a scythe emerged onto the field.

Rigorous Reaver: Attack 1600

"Next I play the spell card!" continued Bastion. "Nobleman of Extermination! Now I get to destroy one of your spell or trap cards!"

"Wait, what!" panicked Jaden.

"I choose the card on the left!" commanded Bastion as a large bulky knight emerged from his spell and leapt over to the declared card. The knight drew his sword and sliced the face down in half, revealing it as Alternate Fusion before shattering.

"I knew it!" boomed Bastion in triumph. "I guessed perfectly!"

'He knew perfectly well what my face down was,' Jaden thought, honestly impressed.

"Now Reaver slaughter Ocean!" Bastion ordered. "And Goka destroy Woodsman!"

Goka unleashed another burst of flames that incinerated Woodsman while Ocean was hacked to pieces via Reaver's scythe.

"Turn end," mussed Bastion with confidence.

Turn 8: Jaden

"Incredible," commented Alexis. "Bastion's ability to analyze the opponent's strategy is amazing! No wonder he's the top Ra student."

"Yeah," agreed Syrus. "But you'll never know what will happen when Jaden's turn comes."

Alexis nodded. "You're right. It's Jaden uncanny luck of the draw that keeps everyone on the edge."

"I draw!" exclaimed Jaden as he swiftly drew his card and grinned in delight when he saw what is was. "I throw down two face down cards! Turn end!"

The two reverse cards appeared in front of Jaden, joining his third face down.

Turn 9: Bastion

'Why hasn't he summoned a monster for defense?' questioned Bastion in his mind as he examined Jaden's field. 'Has he given up? Wait, he put two face down cards. One of which was the card he just drew.'

Bastion shook his head. "No use letting up now," he said to himself before entering his Battle Phase. "Goka attack directly! Pyro Stream!" he ordered.

"Sorry Bastion!" interrupted Jaden. "But the party don't start to Terra Firma walks in! I activate my face down trap card! Soul Fusion!" He tapped a button on his disk and a trap flipped up with a picture of an energy ball with an S in the middle of it.

"Another trap fusion card!" panicked Bastion as his eyes widened in shock. "That was why you let me destroy your two monsters!"

"At the cost of 1000 life points!" explained Jaden. "I can banish Woodsman and Ocean in my grave in order to Soul Fusion summon Elemental HERO Terra Firma!"

There was a burst of red energy from the ground and emerging from it was Terra Firma. The monster's white body armor shone in the light and his blue shoulder gems gleamed along with the red one on his chest and forehead.

Elemental HERO Terra Firma: Attack 2500

Jaden: 3400-2400

Bastion however wasn't wavered. "Well it's too late Jaden!" he retorted. "Even if it means mutual destruction! I'll eliminate Terra Firma! Goka attack!"

Bastion's monster let loose its fire stream attack and it rocketed towards Terra Firma.

"In your dreams!" shouted Jaden. "I activate my face down spell! De-Fusion! That means Goka goes back to your extra deck!"

"No!" stuttered Bastion in shock and horror as his monster split apart into three fireballs which then vanished.

"Way to go Bro!" cheered Syrus.

"Not only is Goka gone now," noted Alexis. "But because it's fusion materials were tokens and they don't go to the grave, Bastion doesn't get them back. What an incredible turn over from Jaden."

'Uh,' groaned Bastion in his mind. 'I have no choice but to switch into defense mode and stall for a bit.'

"Reaver goes into defense mode," the Ra said as he turned the card on his disk to a horizontal position. "Turn end…"

The grotesque man crouched down and held its scythe forward for defense.

Rigorous Reaver: Defense 100

Turn 10: Jaden

"My move!" declared Jaden as he drew his card. "And don't think the fun stops just because you've moved into the defense! Because there's plenty more where Terra Firma came from!"

"What!" panicked Bastion.

"You saw Terra Firma coming!" roared Jaden as he tapped a button on his disk. "Now here comes his support card! Terra Firma Gravity!"

Bastion watched awestruck as a trap flipped up bearing a picture of the Earth with red energy streams around it.

"This trap forces all of your level 4 or lower monsters into attack mode!" Jaden explained. "Then they have to attack Terra Firma!"

Bastion could only watch in horror as his Monsters moved onto the offensive and dashed towards Jaden's mighty Planet Card.

Rigorous Reaver: Attack 1600

Fox Fire: Attack 300

"Terra Firma counter attack!" commanded Jaden as his monster brought his arms together before thrusting them out, unleashing a sphere of red energy that obliterated the oncoming monsters with a mighty crash. "Gravity Blast!"

"No!" shouted Bastion in defeat as he was knocked over from the force of the attack.

Bastion: 2400-0000

Winner: Jaden

"I lost," groaned Bastion as he knelt down in defeat.

"You won again Bro!" Syrus cheered.

Bastion looked up at his disk and drew his next card, revealing it to be Smashing Ground.

Smashing Ground (Spell Card)

Destroy the 1 face up monster your opponent controls that has the highest defence (your choice if tied).

'Ah, my next card was Smashing Ground,' thought Bastion in annoyance. 'If I could have survived one more turn I could have used this to destroy Terra Firma and attack directly to win the duel.'

He sighed. 'I could have won right? Jaden just has dumb luck. No, I can't keep kidding myself. Jaden was a cut above me in this duel, even in the tactics department. It was a complete defeat.'

"I won," said Jaden. "So now you have to complete your end of the bargain and let me borrow the DVD."

"Yeah, I know," Bastion replied as he sat on the ground and leant his face against his hand. "But you truly do have the luck of the draw. And it's a deadly weapon."

"Hang on," interrupted Alexis as she held up the Battle City DVD. "You guys were dueling for this. Jaden I was already going to let you borrow it."

"Actually we were dueling for Bastion's Duelist Kingdom DVD," revealed Jaden.

"Wow!" answered Alexis in excitement. "The extremely rare Duelist Kingdom DVD? Can I please borrow it?"

Bastion stood up and answered with, "Uh…sure Alexis."

"Why don't you guys exchange numbers?" suggested Jaden as he folded his arms. "It saves a lot of time."

"That's a great idea," agreed Alexis as she pulled out her mobile and began taking Bastion's number down.

'Jaden,' thought Bastion as he looked over to the Slifer Red who was whistling. 'I owe you one.'

"I'll go grab the DVD from my dorm," said Bastion as he began to walk off. "Want to come Alexis?"

"Sure, why not," replied the Obelisk as she caught up to Bastion.

"Hey, hang on!" interrupted Jaden. "I'm first aren't it?"

"No hard feelings Jaden," apologised Bastion. "Ladies first."

"Don't worry Jaden," piped up Alexis as she forced the Battle City DVD into Jaden's arms. "You can always watch that DVD."

"Hey come on!" protested Jaden. "No fair! I just went through a duel for the Duelist Kingdom DVD! This is a rip!"

'Alexis really is an enchantress,' noted Syrus in thought after having just scene this whole situation unfold.

Next Time: Duel 6 – Miss Duel Academy

When a mix up on deciding who is crowned this years Miss Duel Academy occurs thanks to Jaden, he ends up having to duel Alexis to set things straight. But the Obelisk Blue is a far more skilled duelist then Jaden knows. And she plans on freezing his winning streak…permanently!

Well, I hope that chapter was somewhat satisfying. And if anyone wants to leave their thoughts or has some constructive criticism, feel free to leave a review. And if you liked this story you can like it and follow it as well if you feel like it. Until next time!