Darkness and Light, Into the Chaos!
"Jaden, why are we doing this?" Syrus asked, following his friend through the dark woods.
"I just wanna see the dorm Banner was talking about last night." Jaden replied, shining the flashlight forward more for Syrus' sake than anything. His powers did give him nightvision after all.
"Why couldn't we just use your weird shadow trick again?" Syrus whined.
"Cause I can only use it to go places I've been or places I can see." Jaden continued to explain.
"And why are we doing this now? When Sora said it should be left alone?" Yubel questioned, floating beside her boyfriend.
"Come on, Yubel, aren't you curious?" Jaden asked dryly.
"Not if it puts you in danger. Which you seem to attract like a magnet." the dragon girl sighed.
The trio continued walking until they came to a broken-down building that had to be their destination. Jaden's eyes flashed golden, and he looked over his shoulder at his companions. "This is the place." he informed, shining his light around before landing on a rose next to the fence. "What the heck?" he muttered. A branch snapped, startling the shorter Slifer as Jaden turned his beam over to the noise. A familiar blonde revealed herself. "Oh, hey Lex." Jaden greeted.
"Alexus?" Syrus asked. "What are you doing here?"
"That's funny, I was about to ask you two the same thing." Alexis replied testily.
"We heard about the abandoned dorm and wanted to check it out." Jaden explained.
"Well that isn't very intelligent. Don't you know kids have a way of disappearing in there?" the blonde demanded.
"There's residual energy at best. Without a heavy jumpstart, there's not enough to spirit anyone away." Jaden argued dryly.
"And how do you know that?" Alexis snapped.
Jaden tensed, realizing he was stuck. "Well anyway, you know what we're doing here, how about you?" he asked quickly.
"I have my reasons, that's why!" Lex snarled.
"This little girl better watch her tone." Yubel hissed.
Taking a breath, Alexis said, "Look, it's just that my brother was one of the kids who vanished." Jaden and Syrus' eyes widened, and Yubel rubbed her arm in slight shame.
That explains the rose. Jaden thought, glancing behind him. Yubel, think the energies we're sensing really had something to do with it?
"It's possible. We'll need to look into it when no one is around." Yubel replied.
"Look, you guys should just head back before someone catches you. If they do, you'll be expelled." Alexis suggested, cutting off the mental dialogue before walking away.
"Cause that worked so well last time." Jaden muttered with an eye roll.
"If Alexis' brother is one of the students who vanished, then the rumors aren't just rumors." Syrus muttered. "I say we should get going."
"You do that, Yubel and I are gonna head in." Jaden replied, earning a nod from his girlfriend.
"WHAT?" Syrus squawked.
"Just stay here with the rose. if anything comes out and tries to grab you, I'll know." Jaden assured, eyes flashing before he vanished, appearing in the doorway.
"Hey, wait up!" Syrus groaned after a second.
Off to the side, Alexis mentally sighed. I hope he knows what he's doing. she thought, turning to leave. Before she could, a shadowy figure grabbed her before she could even scream.
...
Inside, the trio explored the dorm. "A couple throw rugs, a couch and a tv, and we could totally move in here." Jaden joked.
"No way! This is worse than the Slifer dorm!" Syrus protested.
"Jaden, come take a look at this." Yubel called, waving him over to the walls with various carvings.
"Aren't these the Millennium Items?" Jaden asked, looking them over. I should bring Sora here to see if he can read these. he thought before looking around and seeing a picture of an Obelisk Student with brown or possibly dirty blonde hair. "And that shows someone I've never seen before." he quipped. Probably one of the missing students. Maybe Lex's brother? he thought, grabbing the picture and slipping it into his jacket.
"The energies seem most concentrated down these stairs." Yubel informed after a while.
"Yeah, no kidding." Jaden agreed, looking down said stairs. "Hey, what's that?" he wondered, noticing something on the ground right in front of the top stair. He picked it up, recognizing the card instantly. "This is Alexis' card." he muttered before a scream filled the dorm. "Yubel!"
"Going." the duel spirit replied, flying down the stairs. The boys following close behind.
They all came into what looked like some cave-themed arena. The room was circular, with various bolders lining the walls. Across the room, laying in some sort of coffin, was Alexis. "How is she?" Jaden called.
"Unconscious, but fine." Yubel replied. "It looks like she's been hypnotized." the dragon girl added, floating next to her boyfriend.
"She is gone, sent to the Shadow Realm." an ominous voice replied as fog began to fill the room.
"Who's there?" Jaden demanded, eyes flashing golden. "Show yourself, you faker."
Titan stood from within, laughing darkly. "What do you mean? I am your worst nightmare come true. I am the Shadow Duelist."
"You're nothing but an out-of-work carnie." Jaden scoffed, the shadows beginning to swirl. "Now return my friend or face the Herald of Darkness!" he demanded, darkness swirling around him in a protective shell.
...
Deep under the Academy, something responded to Jaden's power, something as old as his Gentle Darkness. From in his room, eyes closed and arms crossed in thought, Sora felt their prescence. "Jaden you fool, what have you done?" he wondered, eyes opening in worry. "Wynn, we're leaving."
"Right!" the spellcaster replied, coming over to the balcony.
...
Back in the cave arena, Titan was internally panicking. I was never told about this! he thought, terrified of what he was witnessing.
"J-Jaden?" Syrus asked nervously.
"Don't worry, Sy." Jaden assured. "There's nothing to worry about."
As if to prove him wrong, dark blobs began to come up from the floor. "What's happening?" Titan asked as they began crawling toward him.
"This isn't me!" Jaden replied, almost shocked enough to lose his focus. Thankfully he kept up the barrier and Yubel's third eye glowed, adding a second layer protecting Syrus and Jaden.
"Pathetic." she scoffed.
Titan wasn't so lucky, The blobs attacked him, burrowing into his skin until they vanished. After a second, he exhaled and stood with glowing red eyes. "We meet again, Herald of the Gentle Darkness." "Titan" chuckled.
"Who are you?" Jaden demanded, pulling his duel disk from his pack.
"My name is of no importance at the moment. All that matters is that you duel me." Titan replied, activating his own duel disk and vest.
"If that's what it takes to get you out of my hair." Jaden replied, his disk activating as he loaded his deck.
"Prepare to lose your soul, Herald." Titan taunted.
"Duel!" both shouted.
Titan:4000
Jaden:4000
"I hope you're ready to lose, Herald." Titan laughed, drawing. "I summon Infernal Queen Archfiend in attack mode!" he declared, his monster appearing with a screech(ATK:900).
An Archfiend monster? This could be tough. Jaden thought, glancing over his own hand.
"And now that this monster's out, all Archfiend monsters gain 1000 attack points." Titan added, his monster screaming again(ATK:1900).
"I knew that one, and I also know that you need to pay lifepoints to keep those Archfiends around." Jaden replied confidently.
"Maybe so, but not after I play Pandemonium." Titan countered, activating his field spell. The room became bathed in a red aura, skeletal monsters lining the walls. "And it doesn't just change the scenery. It also changes the rules." the masked duelist continued. "Now I don't have to pay lifepoints for my Archfiends and if one is destroyed by anything but battle, I can add another one to my hand."
Jaden grit his teeth. "My draw." he declared, drawing. He looked over his hand, seeing Hero Signal, Avian, Bubbleman, Black Ptera, and Limit Reverse. And the card he just drew was Mirror Force. Nothing I can use to take out his monster yet, but maybe... he thought, "Elemental Hero Avian, your king calls you in attack mode!" he called, his green-clad monster appearing(ATK:1000). "Then I'll throw down two facedowns before giving it over to you." he finished.
"Too bad you won't be able to play them." Titan mocked, drawing. "I summon Terrorking Archfiend in attack mode(ATK:2000-3000)." he called, his monster appearing and gaining its boost. "Now to put my monster to use. Terrorking Archfiend, attack Avian with Locust Storm Barrage." Terrorking's chest opened to reveal an insect swarm headed right for Avian.
"Not so fast, I play a trap! Go Mirror Force! This destroys all your attack position monsters!" Jaden smirked. "And correct me if I'm wrong, but your Terrorking's ability only activates if it's specifically targeted."
Titan grit his teeth, watching helplessly as his monsters were destroyed. "So you were able to get rid of my monsters, it won't save you. It's your turn."
"Perfect." Jaden replied, drawing Mystic Tomato. He grinned. "I summon Mystic Tomato(ATK:1400)." Jaden declared, the plant laughing maniacally as it bounced onto the field. "And now I think both my monsters are gonna attack you directly! Avian, Tomato, let him have it!" Feathers flew, and a tomato took a bite out of Titan's arm.
Titan:4000-3000-1600
"I'll end my turn there. Let's see what you've got." Jaden said smugly.
"Be careful what you wish for, Herald." Titan hissed, drawing. "I'm using DesRook Archfiend's ability to resummon my Terrorking Archfiend(ATK:2000)." Jaden glared at the returning powerhouse. "And let us not forget Pandemonium, allowing me to add a new Archfiend to my hand since one was sent to the graveyard by an effect." he added, taking a new card from his deck. "Next, I'll summon a second Terrroking Archfiend!" Titan called, a duplicate of his monster appearing."Now Terroking 1, attack his Avian! Locust Storm Barrage!" Jaden could only watch as his monster was destroyed, gripping his arm as a shard of Avian knicked him.
Jaden:4000-3000
"Terrorking 2, take out his Mystic Tomato." Titan ordered, pointing at the plant. "Locust Storm Barrage!" Tomato exploded, leaving behind a dark mist.
Jaden:3000-2600
"Not only did you activate my trap, Hero Signal, you also triggered my Tomato's ability!" Jaden called, his other facedown activating. "Hero Signal lets me summon a new Hero when one of my monsters is destroyed. Elemental Hero Clayman, take a knee(DEF:2000). And my Mystic Tomato's ability lets me summon a dark monster with 1500 or less attack from my deck," Jaden explained, grinning. "With me?" he asked.
"Always." Yubel replied with a smirk.
"I summon Yubel(ATK:0)!" as his girlfriend took the field, she grinned maliciously at Titan.
Titan laughed. "That freak of nature doesn't even have any attack points! There is nothing she can do against my Archfiends." he mocked.
"Don't be too sure." Jaden hissed, drawing. "I summon Black Ptera(ATK:1000). Then I'll end my turn, which activates Yubel's ability, sacrificing one of my monsters to keep her around. I think I'll pick Black Ptera. And now its ability activates. When its destroyed by anything but battle, it returns to my hand." he explained, getting his dinasour back.
"Very well, my turn." Titan declared, drawing. "I play Monster Reborn to resummon Infernal Queen Archfiend(ATK:900-1900), and lest we forget, my Terrorking Archfiends both gain the attack boost she grants(ATK:2000-3000x2). Now to destroy that pitiful monster. Terrorking Archfiend, attack Yubel!" Both duelist and monster smirked as the latter's third eye lit up. The locusts bounced off Yubel's barrier. "What is happening?" Titan demanded.
"It's Yubel's ability." Jaden replied with a grin. "You see, when a monster attacks her, not only is she not destroyed, but you take the damage I would've. In other words, you just lost. Show him what I mean, babe."
"Gladly." Yubel replied, flicking her barrier and sending the locusts hurdling towards Titan, who screamed in pain before falling.
Titan:2600-0
"That's game." Jaden grinned, glancing over to the coffin holding Alexis. "Yubel, mind giving me a hand? You too, Syrus."
"Right." both monster and human replied, following Jaden to grab Alexis from the coffin.
With some help from the others, Jaden managed to get Alexis comfortably in his arms, bridal style. "I think I got her. Thanks." he said after a second. Yubel nodded, vanishing. Turning to where Titan lay, the hero duelist absently wondered what he should do with the possessed man. The decision was made for him, though as the blobs attacked him again, dragging the unconscious man into the ground.
"U-um, Jaden, what exactly happened?" Syrus asked.
"I'll explain later, let's get out of here first." Jaden replied, leading Syrus out of the arena before having the blue haired boy grab onto him. A second later, they were in front of the girl's dorm. "Could you knock, Syrus? I'd do it myself, but..." Jaden requested, indicating the blonde in his arms.
Syrus nodded, knocking nervously. Thankfully, Ms. Fountain was quick to answer. "What happened?" she asked, instantly noticing the blonde.
"We found her like this not too long ago, figured we should bring her here." Jaden explained, not technically lying as he was ushered inside.
"Set her over here." the teacher ordered, gesturing at a couch. Jaden nodded, doing as ordered before stretching. "Thank you for bringing her back, but you both should get out of here and back to your dorms before security catches you."
"No problem. Good night!" Jaden called, stepping out and grabbing Syrus' arm before his eyes flashed golden again. A second later, they were in front of the Slifer dorms. "Wonder why I couldn't teleport straight in?" he muttered, opening the door to see the lights were on, leaving only a few small shadows. Turning to Syrus, he said, "Now, what are your questions? I'll answer them as best I can."
And done! Well, things are moving. Slowly, but they're moving. So what did you guys think? Good? Bad? Not enough? Leave a review and I'll see you all next time!