Chapter 30: A Lost Power Within the Mountains, The Fallen Tribe of Celestra

Kageru sat by waiting on a bus, heading towards Blaine's mansion nearby Phoenix Valley. He was on the phone, letting Blaine know of his upcoming arrival in short moment.

" I see you're on you're way Kageru." said Blaine on the other end of the phone line.

" Yes sir. Just 2 more blocks and I think I'll be there. This bus is pretty fast."

"Good to hear, I'll see you soon..." Blaine turned, as one of his assistant called in.

" Sir, I think you might find this a bit interesting."

"What is it?"

The assistant handed him a report, showing some sort of chart as well as some written studies on it.

" Reports have been seeing these odd energy readings emitting from the mountains located just several miles Southeast of Doriado City. We've been studying these readings for quite some time, but it seems that the energy build up was been gradually increasing over the past few months."

Blaine checked the studies closely, wondering what it could all mean. " Hmm. Excellent, please feel free send these results to Evangel in Doriado city, I'm sure he would know more about this."

" Yes sir. Right away."

" ( Hmmm... I wonder... what could be going on there... oh well... Let's just see what happens shall we?)"

Right on the bus, Kageru stood by and waited, wondering how his friends in Doriado City are doing. As began to psyche his mind up for training, his thoughts turned to his dear friend Maira, whom he heard has been out for training as well. " (Hmmm. I hope Maira's doing alright. Wonder what she's up to...)

-Celestra Mountains Southeast Doriado City-

Maira stood with her suitcase and hiking backpack at the bus stop, looking up at the mountain. With a weak smile and laugh, she looked to her kid sister, who eagerly looked over a map, flipping it around a few times, trying to find directions.

"Ah-ha! It's just pass the hot spring... seems to be quite a location.. Maybe we can go there after your done training! I kinda want to train too.." Sugar walked off in thought, as Maira panicked and pulled her sister to her,

"NOO!" Maira responded with disapproval as she quickly grab hold of her sister.

"Huh?" Sugar looked back, "What is it!? let go of me!" she wiggled and struggled to get out of Maira's hold.

"Duel Monsters is to dangerous for kid's like you now!"

"Since when has 'danger' ever been a issue with you?" Sugar got out of her hold, and stared right at her face, leaning over herself and placing her hands on her hibs, "You've always told me there's a risk in everything in life. there's win, and there's lose. Nobody likes to lose, but if you don't, there aren't winners. But you know what you said after that?" Sugar looked to her sister, waiting as she moved her ear closer to hers.

"...I've found that the only way to win is to never stop trying. Learn from your losses.. and take a step forward. Sooner or later-"

"Sooner or later, you'll win ground until your up the hill." Sugar pointed to the mountain, "... that's a mighty big hill." she smiled, "I bet I'll have to lose a lot, but you know what?" she took her sister's hand, and pulled her along the mountain trail, "I can't wait! Yep, I'm not gonna miss it!"

They both continued up the mountain, all the while Sugar hummed as Maira smiled and thought back on her words. "..Losses make you.. stronger eh?" she thought. "Sometimes.. your wisdom is beyond me Sugar. It's almost like... like...Sam.." she looked away for a moment.

"...Sam? As in.. the brother I never really knew?" she turned around, and looked to Maira curiously. "Why not tell me about him?... Too painful huh?"

Maira nodded.

"... If I beat you in a duel, will you tell me all about him?" she put her backpack down. right above them was the shrine, looking pretty abandoned and beat up, almost ghostly. Instead of moving on though, Sugar took out her deck.

"W-what are you doing? Duel? Now? No, no..." Maira picked up her backpack and walked further ahead.

"HEYYYY~! Duel me!" Sugar screamed behind her, grabbing the back of her shirt and tugging to make her come back, but Maira only dragged her along.

"Duel me-duel me- duel me- DUEL ME!" Sugar repeated and repeated, until finally Maira's anger marks on her head over filled her face and she turned around to scream, "KNOCK IT OFF!" the cry spread through the whole mountain side, startling some birds. "..." Maira blinked and gulped, realizing anyone could of heard that.

Sugar started tearing up, "F-fine... be like that! ... but I know you'll come around..." she wiped her eyes and ran off ahead.

"W-wait... Sugar! I'm .. I'm sorry... I just.. I don't want you to get hurt.. My disk hasn't even gotten the update yet. I can't duel you without proper permission anyway." she walked slowly after her, feeling the pain of sorrow and regret in her heart as two odd looking men, one in a white robe with black lining, and the other with a black rope and white lining came up behind her.

"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. such a rowdy girl."

"Doesn't even know how to treat her family with respect."

The two men in robes walked past Maira, making her flinch slightly. "W-wait.. how did you...?"

"Such a pity.. all the girl wanted was a nice friendly game of Duel Monsters.."

"Such a popular game nowadays, I hear..."

"Ho, ho! Quite..."

Maira walked behind the robed men, but kept a close eye on Sugar up ahead.

"You'd think she would've gladly accepted her request."

"Ah, but the fire's lost in this lamp. Someone has poured over water all over it, draining all of its pride and strength. Now she feels nothing- No will, no strength, nor any motivation to move on."

"Is it worth it anymore? perhaps she's right. But was luck her only strength? Or was her anger and pride the real weakness in her?"

"...?" Maira suddenly caught on that these old men were talking about her. "Um.. do you.. do I know you?" she looked to them with suspicion as the two men turned around, smiled, and continued to walk up.

Once at the shrine, the two men turned around, and handed Sugar and Maira two emblems. both, together, symbolizing Yin and Yang.

"We are the masters of this shrine."

"Your new teachers."

" And as you're teachers, you are to address us from now on as sensei."

The two men bowed respectfully.

Sugar held up her emblem, which was Yin, and smiled to Maira, "Oh, look Maira!~ Free nick-knacks!"

Maira laughed at Sugar's joke, while the two men looked slightly offended by it.

"Maira Yune... We know you quite well who you are and why you've come here, and we are prepared to train you."

"Train me..?" Maira looked worried, she wasn't sure if it was worth it to train. "I've trained countless times, and yet... it didn't do any good when I needed it." she looked away, and Sugar pouted angrily and whammed her elbow into her sister's knee. "OW!"

"That's what you get for being a downer! Ya old stick in the mud!" Sugar stuck her tongue out at her.

"But for your new strength, you need a new heart."

"And as all duelist know, the Deck you wield is your heart."

The elders took out a deck, and handed it to Maira. Once it was in Maira's hand, she felt a strange sense of majestic power flowing into her through her new deck.

"W-what is this?"

"It's the Tribe of Celestra. A forgotten and mystical tribe that left the world of the tribes to outer space. fleeing the invasion, there existence was lost from all legends."

"Some who still vaguely know of it's existence call it, 'The Cowardly Tribe'."

"Cowardly?! And your giving it to me!?" Maira looked offended. "Some teachers you are..."

"You don't understand, placed in the hand of a new and proper leader,-"

"This tribe can become new. Just like your own spirit, your own power, when given the proper effort, may become great. For as of now, you and the members of this clan share a common struggle. It it is only natural, that you are have been chosen as its new candidate."

"..." Maira drew the first card, it was called 'Celestial Tiger'. It had a symbol of a S looking sign with two dots inside the curved areas, and wings of gold glimmering frm rays of sunlight. It's body was white and covered with black stripes, it's eyes were sockets of bright yellowish white light. It's claws were pure silver, and it's stance was with one leg forward, while it's head was to the side, roaring in front of a dark universe with bodies of stars behind him.

"...It's pretty... for a cowardly deck." Sugar commented.

"...Maybe they just didn't have the right leader..." Maira put the card back, and looked to her new masters. "...I'm ready..."

"Good. Because the first lesson may be the hardest."

"It's called, "No pain, no game." and you must duel your sister Sugar,.. with the pain setting on your duel disk."

"WHAT?! NO!" Maira flung her arm out, gesturing her defiance. "That's too cruel!"

"..." Sugar looked concerned, but then stepped forward, looking up. "I'll do it."

"NOO!" Maira persisted against such an idea.

" Just please listen young child." The white robed sensai brought out an old looking duel disk.

"Your sister shall not be harmed, but her attacks will harm you." the other sensei spoke, walking up to Maira's backpack, instructing her to take out her duel disk, and replace her old deck with the new one.

"And only you," the sensais spoke together. " Must feel the tribe. And rule over it."

Sugar giggled slightly, "I thought they were gonna say, "Only you, can prevent forest fires." Haha!" she tried to lighten the mood as she walked over to where she was suppose to stand for the duel. Trying her hardest to look composed, she felt a sting of worry for her sister's health.

"...A Queen..." Maira looked down at the deck. " must feel and understand... the pain of her people..."

"An Empress!" Sugar continued, smiling as she pulled out her deck form her skirt's pockets, "Ruling with no fear! And sacrificing for the good of all who live under her reign!"

"A true Master... of Duel Monsters." The two sensais spoke out loud, and then smiled to one another. " Now... let's begin... Hajime!"