And now…the story continues!

"Hey, look!" Luna pointed out a crater-sized hole as they closed in on the base of the Dark Signers.

"This is where the old reactor…Zero Reverse…this is where it all started." Trudge noted solemnly. Suddenly, Luna started shaking. Leo grabbed his sister's hand and she stopped.

"Are you ok?"

"There's something terrifying in there…"

Leo stared into the blackness of the hole with determination.

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you, ok?"

Luna nodded quietly. But, the overwhelming power of negative energy was still enough to leave her with an unshakable fear looming inside of her. Perhaps this was the pure power of the Netherworld, of Momentum.

The sky was still overcast with black clouds and an occasional flash of lightening followed by a clap of thunder. The wind had died down to the point that the air was stale with the negative energy brimming like sonic waves. Sidney could feel it too, and it shot through her, causing an agonizing pulse inside of her.

When they came close enough, everyone prepared to climb down the winding staircase leading down into the darkness. Luna gazed into.

"It really is like a meteor crater…"

The others were also amazed by its size. But Yusei had more on his mind.

"We need to move on." He reminded them. He started his way down, with Sidney following after him, the two of them holding hands. The others came, also.

However, Crow saw something nearby that caught his attention. When Midori and Etsuo saw him leaving the group, they quickly went after him.

"Crow, where do you think you're going?" Etsuo questioned him. Crow pointed in front of him, and Etsuo turned his gaze up to see the platform with a group of helicopters resting, awaiting the return of their passengers.

"Those are…" He realized who they belonged to when he saw the emblem painted on the side.

"The Public Security Maintenance Bureau." Crow said aloud.

"What are they doing here? I know why rent-a-cop is here…but…"

Crow twisted around and saw Laura sprinting up to them, panting slightly.

"I was several steps down when I noticed you guys had wandered off!"

Etsuo stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Well, you're here now, the four of us might as well stick together. We don't quite know what we'll face in there…Even I didn't take a good look when I was imprisoned here. I broke out and kept running…and didn't look back."

Crow walked over to what appeared to be an entrance, with a door fashioned from steel. He pushed a button to the right, and the doors opened to reveal an elevator.

Laura clenched her fist.

"I hope the others will be ok without us for a bit…"

"I hope we'll be ok without them." Midori whimpered.

"We've got each other for now. The best we can do is go forward and try to meet up with them." Etsuo walked first into the elevator, holding the door open for everyone.

"Let's see where this goes."

…

Meanwhile, the rest of the group made it down the stairs to a suspended bridge, linking one side of the dark chasm to the other. Beneath them was a massive machine, emitting swirling, multi-colored lights. The Signers could feel the negative energy even more.

"It's Momentum." Yusei muttered.

A husky voice cut through the air like a nice from the other side.

"Thank you for coming, Yusei."

He looked up, and saw Rudger standing halfway across the bridge. Yusei made his way onto it, and when the other tried to follow him, he held out his hand to prevent them from getting closer. He couldn't risk endangering them. Everyone had to remain away from him.

"So, am I to understand that you finally sent your ex-friend to hell?"

Sidney saw a figure on the other side of the bridge behind Rudger. She recognized the figure as Cassandra, only she was wearing the dark robes of a Dark Signer, with a spider emblem sewn into the back.

But, from what she could see, Cassandra had no mark on her arm. She couldn't see the white of her eyes, but there was no red decoration on her face. Most convincing was the fact that she couldn't feel the presence of another Dark Signer.

"Is that…Cassandra? I heard she'd been kidnapped!" Trudge exclaimed.

Rudger's face twisted into surprise. He turned around momentarily.

"I would've thought you had left, after everything you found out."

Cassandra shook her head.

"I wanted too…" She hesitated.

"Whether I like it or not, I'm stuck here. Besides…you said there was a role I had to play, and only Goodwin knows what that is…I doubt he'll tell me. I can't just leave after what's happened. I don't want…"

"…None of us have a choice," Rudger interrupted, "…I suggest that you leave me…I have already given my apologies…."

Cassandra didn't want to see Rudger destroy himself. Tears started trickling down her cheek. She fled.

Trudge felt a sudden obligation to go find her. However, Rudger spoke and halted him from proceeding.

"If nothing else, I know she will meet up with your other companions, soon. If you are worried about Cassandra, I can assure you that no harm has come or will come to her at this point. I cannot say what will happen if I am defeated…that will be up to fate."

"How can we trust that?" Sidney demanded. Seeing the interaction between the two of them…she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. But, she had a sense that something just happened that deeply affected Cassandra. Had he told her something that had been a secret? Was it something that nobody else knew?

"I see your point, Star Princess. However, what I saw is a promise and I intend to keep it. Just as I kept my promise to settle things with Hakase Fudo…even if it had to be through his son…"

Yusei felt stunned when his father's name was mentioned.

"So…where were we, Yusei? Discussing Kiryu's sentence?"

"It's different than what you think. There was no reason for the hate that existed between myself and him. The Immortals took advantage of our misunderstanding and used it to drive Kiryu to innocent people and his friends."

Rudger chuckled.

"There is no misunderstanding. It was destiny that Kiryu became the murderous spawn of the Earthbound Immortals. The two of you were fated to hate each other and risk your lives from the beginning. Scattered were the fireworks of hatred and sorrow…they turned Momentum just as my enmity with your father did."

Rudger pulled a trigger in his mechanical arm and the light of Momentum surged upward forming intertwining lines like a Spider's Web.

"Can you see it, Yusei? This is the door of new possibility your father and eye discovered seventeen years ago! Beyond it is the power to change the world!"

"But…is it really worth the sacrifice?" Yusei questioned, remembering Rally and Martha were absorbed by his Earthbound Immortal.

Rudger scoffed.

"There is no way I can let you go from what you have done. These people…I am not satisfied by this!"

"In front of destiny…people vanish like garbage. Look at this light…it is destiny itself…it lives by consuming the destiny of all…including myself and your father."

"You're insane, Rudger! I won't let you do as you wish!" Yusei angrily replied.

"Very well…I will bury you in this light just as your father was buried."

Each of them activated their Duel Disks. The marks on their arms were revealed and the geoglyph of the spider encircled the chasm.

"I will take the first turn." Rudger drew his card. He thought for a moment.

"I set one card down and end my turn."

"Is Rudger underestimating Yusei?" Trudge asked, puzzled. Luna shook her head.

"He'd better not or he'll be toast in a matter of turns." Leo smiled.

"If anything, it's probably bait for Yusei." Sidney looked worried. Yusei didn't however. He called for his turn and drew his card. Indeed, the card Rudger had could be a trap. But, he felt there was no choice to go on the offensive.

"I first send the Level Eater in my hand to the graveyard, so I can Special Summon Quick Synchron from my hand!"

(Quick Synchron is a level five Wind attributed Warrior type monster with 700 attack and 1400 defense points.)

The warrior was clad in a blue swashbuckler's outfit, with a tattered red cape and a cowboy hat. All that could be seen of its dark face was its blue eye staring from underneath the hat.

"Next, I activate the effect of Level Eater in my graveyard. I can Special Summon it by reducing the level of my Quick Synchron by one!"

His current monster became level four. A red, oversized ladybug took to the field, with the emblem of a gold star on its back.

(Level Eater is a level one monster with 600 attack and no defense points.)

"Now, I can treat my Quick Synchron as any other Synchron monster for the purpose of a Synchro Summon. I tune it with my Level Eater to summon Junk Warrior!"

A green light consumed them both and revealed the mechanical blue soldier, its scarf billowing in the wind.

(Reminder: Junk Warrior is a level five monster with 2300 attack points.)

"Clustering stars will create a new force! Become the path its light shines upon!"

Yusei then declared a direct attack upon Rudger. Junk Warrior slams Rudger with its metallic fist, scraping away more than half of his life points. Only 1700 were remaining.

Everyone was excited that Yusei made a direct attack, but not for long. Rudger revealed his trap card.

"This is 'Truth of Nonresistance'! When I am attacked directly, I can special summon a level one monster from my hand and another with the same name from my deck!"

At that moment, two large green spiders appeared, glaring at Yusei. Yusei remembered them as the monster known as Dark Spider, from his last duel with Rudger.

(Dark Spider is a level one Insect type monster with no attack or defense points.)

Both were in attack position. However, Yusei had no other monsters during the Battle Phase of his turn so he couldn't attack again. He set down a card, and that was the end of his turn.

"Are you kidding me? Those monsters have no power!" Leo declared. Luna poked him on the shoulder.

"It's not that simple. Don't you remember any of the other duels? He needs to sacrifice two monsters so he can summon his Earthbound Immortal!"

"Wait…" Leo thought, "He's already got two monsters!"

"Right. So, we all need to stay close when he summons it, ok?"

Her Signer birthmark began to glow. Everyone gathered together, preparing for the worst.

Rudger drew his card.

"Now, for the final piece! I activate Spider Web!"

The glowing from Momentum intensified as several more webs graced the walls of the chasm.

A web encircled the top of the chasm and the way out.

"There's no escape, Yusei! I release my two spiders."

The spiders vanished and light energy began swirling around.

"Souls of the dead, trapped in my light of destiny! Grant me the power to bringthe dark truth to this world!"

The titanic-sized Spider materialized, clinging upside-down to the web overhanging the group. The red lines crossing it were shining sickly. Its eyes fixated upon Yusei, its prey.

"My Earthbound Immortal Uru comes to the field in attack position!"

(Reminder: Earthbound Immortal Uru is a level ten monster with 3000 attack and defense points.)

Leo, Luna, Trudge, and Sidney were protected by the light of the Crimson Dragon. For a brief moment, they saw the stone heart beating in the air, souls circling around it, before it vanished.

"Now, for a direct attack! Consume Yusei with threads of hell!"

However Yusei saved himself with a Trap.

"I activate Synchro Barrier. By releasing my Junk Warrior, I can negate any damage I take this turn."

The threads went past him and fell into Momentum's light. Rudger wasn't surprised.

"You may have escaped the attack…but you've found yourself in a more dire dilemma." He set down two facedown cards.

"I activate the continuous spell! Destiny Trigger!"

A fiendish hand appeared in front of him, holding a bone with a red button.

As part of the effect, Rudger was forced to send the top card of his deck to the graveyard. He revealed that is was Spider Cocoon, a monster card.

"Now, when you draw your next card, you must reveal it to me. If it is also a monster card, your life points will but cut in half. And this will happen in all of your turns after that."

He then smirked.

"I end my turn. Draw your next card, Yusei. It will determine your destiny."

Yusei drew his card, and sighed with relief. He revealed it to Rudger. It was a Trap Cards. He had avoided Destiny Trigger, for now.

"I start my summoning my Speed Warrior to the field in attack position!"

Speed Warrior emerged, its attack power at 1800 this turn due to its effect.

(Reminder: Speed Warrior is a level two Wind attributed Warrior and has 900 attack and 400 defense points. Its attack points are double the turn it is summoned.)

"Your monster can't be targeted by an attack, in a sense making it an illusionary monster. Now, I can go for a direct attack, and you don't have enough life points to survive it."

"If Yusei can make this work, he'll win!" Trudge laughed. Sidney crossed her arms. It wouldn't be that easy, she felt. It couldn't be.

So Yusei declared his attack, but Rudger was ready for him.

"Now, Yusei…I activate my permanent trap…Roar of the Bound Gods! As long as Uru is on the field and has more power than you, I can negate your attack, destroy your monster, and deal half if its current attack points to you as damage!"

The Earthbound Immortal let out a shattering cry. Sped Warrior broke into pieces. One of them struck Yusei, and his life points went down to 3100 after taking 900 points of damage.

Yusei, still standing, set down a facedown, and had to end his turn.

Rudger called for his turn and drew his card.

"I am hoping to see how you plan to negate my attack."

He then declared an attack with his Earthbound Immortal.

"Hell Thread!"

Yusei then activated his card.

"With the effect of Spirit Force, I can reduce all battle damage to 0 and add a Warrior Tuner with 1500 defense points or less from my graveyard to my hand!"

Rudger laughed.

"So I anticipated. I counter with the effect of Ground Wave!"

He revealed his second trap. A shock wave emitted from the card and destroyed Yusei's only defense.

"When I have a Field Spell in play, I can use this card to negate one Spell or Trap Card and destroy it."

The thread tore at Yusei, cutting into his clothes. He was knocked over, falling on his stomach. Drops of blood fell onto the bridge. The damage was a catastrophic 3000 points, leaving him with a spare 100 life points.

"Yusei!" Sidney cried, wanting to rush over to help him. But Trudge held her back. Leo and Luna called out to him.

"You'll see your father trapped in Momentum very soon." Rudger sneered. Yusei struggled to get back up, all the while his gazed fixed on Rudger, who was bent on killing him.

To be continued. Be back here for the exciting conclusion of this duel! Reviews are welcome and your support is greatly appreciated!