Pocket Dimensions. They are very convenient zones of artificial time and space. This one served as a conference meeting: a conference meeting that determined the fate of the world.
"Welcome one and all," The first voice began. "You have been called by the faint whispers of the Sacred Beasts and traveled from places distance could never measure to come here. You are a Shadow Rider, and our goal is simple: to take the Sacred Beasts and use their powers."
"My~ My~!" A second, more jovial, yet mischievous tone sang out. "This is an interesting group of people that have gathered! You're all uglier than I imagined!"
"And your voice makes me want to blast you to kingdom come right now." The owner of this deadly voice glared at the second person.
"Oooh," A particularly sultry voice purred. "I like the way you said that, stranger."
"Is that a hag flirting? Now that's an ugly sight." A younger and brasher voice mocked.
"A brat like you is going after the Sacred Beasts?" The owner of this voice sounded haughty. "Why don't you go and play dress-up elsewhere while we adults keep talking?"
"Hey!" A seventh voice spoke in a weird accent. "It just occurs to me. How are we going to split the Sacred Beasts out of the eight of us?!"
The eighth person watched in silence.
The first person spoke up once more. "A game," The first explained, "In reality, although we are together officially, it is a race to see which among us can get the keys from the future guardians. The closest thing to this game would be the wrestling event known as Royal Rumble. For those that do not understand, the rule of the game is simple. Wrestlers will battle inside a ring while a steady stream of challengers come in. The winner is basically the last man standing."
The third person looked at the first person. "What's stopping us from simply doing an 8 versus 8? It sounds far less complicated."
"You are all free to do so. However, when we all win, we'd have to battle each other for the right to use the Sacred Beasts." The first being stood up straight. "It is inelegant. That is why I propose a game like so: one of us will go at a time and challenge the keepers. If they win, they get the key for our team. They may continue to win until they have all eight, and then they will earn the right to use the Sacred Beasts. However, if they happen to lose, it's the next person's turn to try. And it will go on and forth until someone wins the final key for the Sacred Beasts."
"Wait!" The Seventh Shadow Rider exclaimed. "That means the first person has a disadvantage! That first person would have to duel all eight keepers while those after them will have an easier time if they lose!"
"But also a huge advantage," The first countered. "If one wins eight times, we won't question the winner's right to the Sacred Beasts."
"I do love games!" The second Shadow Rider exclaimed like a child too excited to learn they can rip the heads off their dolls. "This one does sound like fun!"
"But then who wishes to go first?" The sixth voice asked, seemingly accepting the rules of this game.
"Are you all idiots? The first is the best!" The brasher fifth Shadow Rider spoke up. "I'll go there, beat all of those losers, while all you old prunes can sit and talk about the good ol' days."
"We have our first volunteer then," The First Shadow Rider looked around to see anyone dissenting. He saw no one doing so. "Good luck."
"Nightshroud doesn't need luck! Later, losers!" The Fifth Shadow Rider left the pocket dimension.
Soon, with him leaving, everyone else left the pocket dimension. However, the 8th Shadow Rider stayed behind. The quiet observer could only stare where the fifth Shadow Rider stood in disbelief.
"That's impossible," He gasped. "That face behind the mask...?"
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains.]
Wilona held the Spirit Key while it was around Jaden's neck. "Cards that can destroy the world? Why am I not bloody surprised?" She rolled her eyes and let go of the key as Jaden caught it again. "And the Chancellor gave the strongest duelists in the school one key each?"
"We're pretty strong," Gloria folded her arms. "How come the Chancellor didn't ask us?"
"If there were more than 8 Spirit Keys, he definitely would have asked ya!" Jesse put down his key as he answered the blonde Tyler Sister.
"Maybe it's also because the Shadow Riders won't challenge us to tag duels." Alexis managed to speak up. She and Gloria stared down each other.
"So," Sora spoke up to avoid that storm brewing, "I see Mr. Misawa, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Princeton, Ms. Rhodes, and Mr. Yuki have a spirit key. Who are the other three?"
"Zane, Seika, and Professor Crowler," Jaden answered. Then he started to think back to when Chancellor Sheppard told them that he only had 7 good duelists and had to fill the last role. Crowler was sure it was him, but Jaden knew it wasn't him. Who was it?
"I find it hard to believe that there are these people called the Shadow Riders that are going to hunt for these keys." The former Brains of the Duel Giant, Brier, spoke up. "How do they even know about supposedly powerful cards that we all learned about today? And we're all going to school here!?"
Bastion spoke up, "Chancellor Sheppard seemed distracted when he talked about the cards. To me, he was acting like the textbook definition of a soldier with PTSD." Bastion looked down as if he was deep in thought. "It was almost as if he went through this himself."
"He seemed pretty shaken up about it," Alexis looked worried. "I've never seen him so horrified. Even after giving us a brief summary, he asked to excuse himself for a minute before he came back with the keys."
Wilona raised her brow. "Are you sure you want to do this? If Chancellor Sheppard had to practically beg you, then isn't this dangerous?"
"He said the fate of the world was at stake, Wilona!?" Jaden exclaimed. "If we don't do this, the world is doomed! Plus, Chancellor Sheppard is one of the coolest principals I've ever had! It sucked seeing him like that..."
"Still," The former jungle-boy, Damon, looked out towards the exit of the club room. "That does explain why the surrounding nature's been feeling unwelcoming, like prey that thinks a predator is watching it."
"Yeah, these bad vibes are really harshing the mellows of the cosmos, bruh," Belowski added along.
Silence filled the Music Club. Granted, such comments like the two above would cause many to raise their brows normally. But everyone knew that Damon had a strong and honed connection with nature. And half the club recognized Belowski's connection with spirits seemed to be on a different branch with other duelists as he could manifest the essence of Moki Moki monsters on others. If these two could feel something brewing then their words held more weight than any wise man at the moment.
Bastion stood up. "I hate to end the club on a sour note, but I'll need to build up my deck. Who knows what kind of cards these Shadow Riders will use."
"We gotta get ready, Jaden! We should practice dueling more!" Jesse stood up.
"Right! I wanted to see that sick combo you made up!" Jaden and Jesse ran out, no doubt going back to their made-up arena near the Slifer Dorms.
"No, wait! Jaden!" For Syrus Truesdale, his world was already ending without the threat of The Sacred Beasts. That was because of how much time Jaden's been spending with Jesse.
Soon, everyone left the club as it was getting late.
Wilona stayed behind to clean up while Alexis helped out.
"I suppose our occult research has to be put on hold as of right now?" Wilona asked.
"I wish that wasn't the case, but it wouldn't be wise right now." Alexis looked out the door. "I'm worried about Jaden, if he's wearing that red jacket, the Shadow Riders might think he's an easy target."
Wilona raised her brow. "How do the Shadow Riders know about the class-ranking system of our school?"
Alexis paused as she put away the guitar. "I mean, they could have done research?"
"Ah, yes, I can imagine an occult evil of malevolent greed, looking up the brochure to learn the intricacies of a boarding school with their reading glasses." Wilona smiled at her friend. "Perhaps the Shadow Riders were all in the same book club before deciding to potentially destroy the world?"
"It's a legitimate enemy strategy!" Alexis flushed at the teasing of her friend. "Aim for the weakest link, and Jaden might be seen as the weakest link!"
"He's also bunking with Anderson and Princeton, both who have more duel spirits together than we do fingers on two hands." Wilona pointed out. "If something is amiss, I'm sure they'll come to his aid if Yuki needs it."
"You're being awfully calm about this."
"I'm worried about you all," Wilona spoke a little more seriously. "All I can do is believe in you all. After all, it's a little easier to do with Yuki's infectious yet stubborn positivity."
Alexis gave a quick scoff. "Yeah, Jaden is something special."
A second passed before the two girls burst out laughing. It was a welcome moment despite the storm clouds starting to get worse.
"Geez, the weather looks bad. We should probably get back to our dorms." Alexis looked out the window while thunder rumbled in the distance.
Then lightning flashed, and thunder boomed. Honest appeared before the two; however, his back was turned towards them, and he was staring at the roof.
"Honest?" Wilona asked with a strange amount of seriousness. "What's the matter?"
Without a word, Honest started flying away.
"Honest!?" Wilona and Alexis both ran after the duel spirit. They followed him up towards the roof. As the two girls reached the final flight of stairs, two things happened at the same time: Alexis' Spirit Key started shaking while the half of Wilona's Shadow Medalion started to glow.
The two girls looked at each other. For both artifacts to be reacting like this... along with Honest's sudden action... Alexis readied her duel disk and ran ahead.
"Wait! Rhodes!" Wilona followed soon after her friend. "Why are you running towards the dastards!?"
Alexis ran up to the roof first. She spotted Honest near the entrance, staring at the other end of the roof. Across from him was a person she never saw before. He was wearing all dark clothing, and as he turned, she noticed a distinct mask that covered his face. However, she couldn't help but feel this oppressive aura coming from the man didn't make him feel like a human or a duel spirit. But there was something else! The man also wore the other half of Wilona's necklace!
"Well, well! The first Key Keeper I find, and she's real easy on the eyes!" The man gave a mocking laugh before looking at Wilona, who ran after her friend. "Oh? Is that my other half of the medallion? What a coincidence! I was looking for it!"
Alexis stepped forward and activated her duel disk. "Who are you!?"
"I'm Nightshroud! Remember the name as I beat all of you Key Keepers and get the Sacred Beast Cards for myself!" The one known as Nightshroud took out a strange cube that was the size of a baseball and threw it up in the air.
The cube started to glow until it exploded with a blinding light that swallowed the roof.
When the light died down, Alexis, Wilona, and Honest opened their eyes to find themselves in what seemed to be a white and empty void.
"Well, this is boring," Nightshroud smirked and snapped his fingers. When he did, the white void started to take the form of a floating platform 2000 feet above a range of mountains. "There we go! Now that's a perfect setting for the beginning of this war!"
"What did you do!?" Alexis demanded.
"That's a hassle to explain. Basically, the head honcho told me to use the power of that P-cube or something. I didn't really care to ask." The man nonchalantly answered. "Now then, Keeper, I'll be talking your key. Then, I'll take the other half of that medallion before hunting the other Key Keepers!" Nightshroud raised his hand out. Darkness started to form around it until a horrifying looking duel disk appeared.
A strong storm began to blow.
"You're not getting to Wilona, and you're not getting to my friends!" Alexis slammed her deck inside her duel disk.
"Rhodes, be careful! We have no idea what kind of deck he uses!" Wilona shouted over the winds as Honest tried to help stabilize the Slifer Red.
(Wilona's right. All duels in the Spirit World revealed cards I'd never seen before. That just means I gotta expect the unexpected!) Alexis thought to herself.
"DUEL!"
Alexis: 4000 LP
Nightshroud: 4000 LP
"I take the first turn!" Alexis declared as she drew first. "I play Machine Angel Ritual! I tribute Cyber Angel Idaten to ritual summon Cyber Angel Natasha in defense mode!"
The green, centaur woman appeared on to the field.
Cyber Angel Natasha. [Type: Ritual/Effect Monster/Sub-Type: Fairy/Attribute: Light/Level: 5/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000]
"Since Idaten was used as a tribute, My Ritual monsters gain 1000 defense and attack points!" (ATK: 1000→2000/DEF: 1000→2000) "I'm not done! I summon Cyber Petit Angel in defense mode!"
Cyber Petit Angel. [Type: Effect Monster/Sub-Type: Fairy/Attribute: Light/Level: 2/ATK: 300/DEF: 200]
"I'll activate one of Natasha's effects! I can gain life points equal to half the attack points of a monster I choose! I'll gain 1000 extra life points!"
Alexis: 4000 → 5000 LP.
Nightshroud: 4000 LP
"Oh! And before I forget, Cyber Petit Angel allows me to bring a cyber angel monster or spell card to my hand. I'll end my turn by taking a card!" Alexis ended her turn. However, the winds started to pick up as her opponent slacked and started to move.
Turn 2: Nightshroud. Cards: 5.
"So, light monsters? I've always found that type boring! Let me show you a real attribute!" Nightshroud put a finger atop of his deck before drawing. He smirked before he declared, "I play Simorgh Onslaught! This card allows me to discard a winged-beast monster from my hand so I can collect two Simorgh monster cards from my deck!"
Alexis raised her brow at the card's name. She recognized that name: Simorgh was a Winged Beast deck. She expected something crazy like those Aliens Wilona dueled or the Gravekeeper's her friends dueled.
Nightshroud went on and pointed at her. "Because you don't have a spell or trap card on the field, I can special summon Simorgh, Bird of Bringing in defense position from my graveyard!"
Simorgh, Bird of Bringing
[Type:Effect Monster/Sub-Type: Winged Beast/Attribute: WIND/Level: 2/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000]
"He gets banished after the next time he leaves the field, but that's not all! I can still normal summon Simorgh, Bird of Beginnings!" Nightshroud declared.
Simorgh, Bird of Bringing
[Type:Effect Monster/Sub-Type: Winged Beast/Attribute: WIND/Level: 1/ATK: 0/DEF: 1600]
"When he's summoned, I'm allowed to do one more normal summon!" Alexis and Wilona started to worry at that exclamation. "I sacrifice my two monsters to bring out, Simorgh Bird of Ancestry!"
The gales grew stronger all of a sudden, it forced the girls and Honest to shield themselves. Behind the gales, ancient eyes reopened and unleashed a scream so powerful even those back in Duel Academy could hear it.
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
Jaden and Jesse stopped their duel when all their spirits looked towards the school, and their keys started to shake.
Chazz stood up. "They're here already!?"
"Jesse," Sapphire Pegasus caught the attention of the five duelists at Slifer Red. "One of us is already dueling them."
"Who could be dueling!?" Syrus asked.
"Wait, Wilona hasn't come back yet! Alexis stayed behind to help her clean!" Chumley shouted.
"Alexis!?" Chazz turned to Chumley before bolting towards the school. "That means it's her dueling!" The others, including a begrudging Chumley, followed after Chazz towards the Music Club.
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
As the winds died down, a massive bird appeared behind Nightshroud. It's presence looked almost godlike. It turned its gaze slowly towards Alexis, who instinctively stepped back.
Simorgh, Bird of Ancestry. [Type: Effect Monster/Sub-Type: Winged Beast/Attribute: WIND/Level: 8/ATK: 2900/DEF: 2000]
Nightshroud laughed. "If you're already shivering from my first big monster, then you Key Keepers will be even easier than I expected! Simorgh's ability activates! If he was tribute summoned with wind monsters, I can return two cards from the field to their owner's hand! That includes your monsters!"
"Bouncing effects!?" Alexis' eyes widened, Wilona gasped, and both their hearts sank as a strong wind repelled the blonde girl's monsters away back to Alexis' hand.
The Obelisk Blue's field was open wide. "Simorgh, let it rip!" Nightshroud pointed up as the beast unleashed a powerful scream and fired a blast of wind right for Alexis.
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!?"
Alexis: 5000 → 2100 LP.
Nightshroud: 4000 LP
As the winds died, Alexis felt as if something was tearing her body from the inside.
"Rhodes!" Wilona yelled.
Alexis gasped for breath and struggled to keep standing. "I-Is that what you and Jaden feel whenever you duel in the spirit world?!"
"Ooh? That's curious, you two have been in the Spirit World? I mean, I assumed because of the other half of the necklace, but that just confirms it." Nightshroud smirked. "Then that means I don't have to explain that if you lose a duel here, you lose more than just the key and a game. I'll end my turn with a facedown."
Turn 3: Alexis. Cards: 5.
Alexis gritted her teeth but made a motion towards her deck. She winced as she did so but drew her next card.
"I summon Cyber Petit Angel back in defense mode! And because he was summoned again! I can activate his effect that lets me choose a Cyber Angel Monster or Ritual Spell!" Alexis searched her deck and picked up the card.
"Next, I play Merciful Machine Angel! This will allow me to discard Natasha to draw two more cards!" Alexis did so. She spotted the flying beast in front of her, but she also saw the facedown her opponent placed. There was a good chance it would protect Simorgh in someway. But leaving a monster with 2900 attack points would decimate her field and give Nightshroud more time to build up his forces.
She had to make bold plays. If she lost, Nightshroud would take on the others as well!
"I'll start off by playing Machine Angel Absolute Ritual! The difference with this ritual spell is that it allows me to shuffle material from my graveyard to my deck! I return Natasha and Idaten to Ritual Summon Cyber Angel Izana!" Alexis' familiar Ritual monster came to the field and not a moment too soon.
Cyber Angel Izana. [Type: Ritual/Effect Monster/Sub-Type: Fairy/Attribute: Light/Level: 8/ATK: 2500/DEF: 2600]
"I'm not done! I now play Izana's special ability! This card forces my opponent to chose one of their spell or trap cards to the graveyard!" Alexis pointed. "You only have one! So that card must go!"
Nightsrhoud continued his smirk even as he picked the card and sent it to his graveyard.
Alexis only started to sweat. Was he bluffing? Or did he not realize he no longer had anything protecting his monster. Still, Alexis had to take the risk. "I now play Magnificent Machine Angel! I tribute Cyber Angel Benten from my hand and Izana gainst attack points equal to 200 times the level of the tributed Cyber Angel monster! That's six so, she gains 1200 points!" (2500 → 3700/2600 → 3800) "When Benten is tributed, I'm allowed to search my deck for a light fairy type monster. Now! Izana attacks!"
Cyber Angel Izana created a spear of light and threw it at Simorgh. The spear exploded, covering Nightshroud's side of the field.
(Come on! Connect! I need this and Izana's next attack to win!) Alexis gripped her fist. However, she felt a strange feeling in the air around them. The winds started to turn... black? Not only that, but it also gathered to where Nightshroud's monster was before it turned into another tornado. Only this time, it was completely black.
The winds exploded. Simorgh wasn't destroyed? No, Simorgh was completely black!
"Nice try!" Nightshroud began as his life points started to fall. 4000 → 3400 LP. "But, I activated a trap card in my graveyard, Dark Stalker!"
(Darn it! That facedown had a graveyard effect!?) Alexis gritted her teeth.
"Here's how this card works! I can activate this card in the graveyard by banishing it after a level 7 or higher wind type monster is destroyed. I can then special summon another Winged-Beast type monster from the deck with the same level but different element!" Nightshroud pointed up. "Say hello to Simorgh of Darkness!"
Simorgh of Darkness. [Type:Effect Monster/Sub-Type: Winged Beast/Attribute: DARK/Level: 8/ATK: 2900/DEF: 2000]
The flying platform they were on shook, and the skies got darker as this version of Simorgh cawed.
Alexis gritted her teeth. "Izana has an ability that allows her to attack again after successfully destroying a monster!"
"Are ya sure ya wanna do that?" Nightshroud's smirk rose a little. "Dark Stalker has another effect besides summoning Simorgh. On the turn he's special summoned by this card, he gains half the attack points of the destroyed monster!" (2900 → 4350)
Alexis gritted her teeth. She stopped her battle phase, but she still had something up her sleeve. "I play preparation of Rites! This will allow me to search my deck for a level 7 or lower Ritual monster, and I'm allowed to take back a Ritual Spell Card from my grave! I choose Cyber Angel Natasha and the Absolute of my Ritual spell! I use Absolute to shuffle Benten back to my deck so I can special summon Natasha back in defense mode!"
Alexis declared this as her first Ritual monster came back to the field. Alexis didn't hesitate. "I play Natasha's effect again! I choose a Ritual Monster on my side of the field, like Izana, and I then gain life points equal half to her current attack points!"
Alexis: 2100 → 4225 LP.
Nightshroud: 3400 LP.
Alexis felt the energy coming back to her as life points were regained. "I'll end my turn with a face down! Izana's attack returns to normal!" (3700 → 2500/3800 → 2600)
Nightshroud smirked. "Sadly for you, Dark Stalker's boost is a permanent one! My monster keeps his attack point boost!"
"That's bloody unfair!" Wilona complained from the side.
Turn 4: Nightshroud. Cards: 3
The masked man gave a dark chuckle as he drew his next card. "Oh, this will be a doozy! I play the field spell, Elborz, the Sacred Lands of Simorgh!" The art of the card looked a lot like the area they were flying above right then and there. "First off, it's got the passive ability to increase the attack points of wind Winged-Beast monsters by 300! And despite being a dark type, Simorgh of Darkness is treated as a Wind type in his effects! (4350 → 4650/2000→2300)
"Over 4500 attack points!?" Alexis cried out.
"Oh! It's not over yet! I special summon Statue of The Forgotten Simorgh in attack mode!" When he played the card, a headless, broken, and old statue of a bird appeared beneath Smorgh of Darkness.
Statue of The Forgotten Simorgh [Type:Effect Monster/Sub-Type: Winged Beast/Attribute: Wind/Level: 1/ATK: 0/DEF: 0]
"This card must be destroyed when it goes in defense position," Nightshroud began. "Luckily, if there is a level 7 or higher Simorgh on the field, this card cannot be targeted by enemy attacks or effects. But this card has more fancy effects, and here's one of them! Once per turn, it can create another token of itself!" As he declared this, another statue appeared. This one had the same exact appearance and stats as the main monster.
Wilona and Alexis had their eyes widened. It was like before when Nightshroud had two tributes!
"It gets better than that! Thanks to my field spell, Level 5 or higher Winged Beast monsters need one less tribute! So I'm only sacrificing my token to bring out Simorgh, Lord of the Storm!"
As he took the card out, the winds beneath started to stir. Just like before, a powerful hurricane appeared behind Nightshroud. Only this time, it reached to the clouds beyond and the ground below. As the winds exploded, an even bigger bird than the Simorgh of Ancestry and Darkness towered over Alexis and her Cyber Angels.
Simorgh, Lord of the Storm. [Type: Effect Monster/Sub-Type: Winged Beast/Attribute: Wind/Level: 8/ATK: 2900/DEF: 2000] (2900 → 3200/2000→2300)
"If you thought that was bad, I play Monster Reborn! Guess who's coming back!? Oh who am I kidding, we all know it's time for the return of Simorgh, bird of Ancestry!" The destroyed bird returned with a just as fearsome scream before pseudo-snarling at Izana for the humiliation the avian received earlier. (2900 → 3200/2000→2300)
"It's been a blast, Key Keeper, but I've got seven more of you to deal with, so I'll try to make it quick! Simorgh of Ancestry, you start us off by destroying Izana!"
"I activate Natasha's effect! She can negate one attack against a ritual monster!" Alexis' ritual monster created a shield that protected Izana.
"That's one! How about this time, I attack with Simorgh of Darkness!" The dark avian unleashed wind blasts that moved like a million sickles towards the cyber angel.
"I activate Machine Angel Ritual from my graveyard! This will prevent the destruction of Izana! Next, I play the Trap Card, Defense Draw! I can turn the battle damage to 0 while—"
Simorgh of darkness screamed to interrupt Alexis.
"Tsk! Tsk!" Nightshroud waged his fingers. "My birds don't like back-row cards. Simorgh Darkness' effect activates! By sacrificing a wind winged-beast monster, like my statue, I can negate and destroy that trap card! So no, you still take battle damage."
Simorgh cut the trap card in half, and his attack rained down on the Cyber Angel.
Alexis: 4225 → 2375 LP.
Nightshroud: 3400 LP.
Alexis screamed and fell to her knees from the pain she felt. The platform they were on started to crack.
"Rhodes!?" Wilona made a step forward to her friend, only to stop when a large feather speared in front of her path and blocked her way. "Don't get any ideas! You'll have your turn soon enough!" Nightsroud started before turning back to Alexis. "I'll give you a little break! I'll have Storm Simorgh destroy that Natasha!"
The green lord unleashed a wave of feathers that destroyed the centaur Cyber Angel.
Alexis gasped as she looked up at Nightsroud. "Finally, those attacks are over... and I still have Izana on the field."
Wilona's eyes widened when she saw Nightsroud snicker at his end of the field. "Did I mention that Statue of Simorgh has a graveyard effect? I can banish this card from the graveyard to give Simorgh Darkness one more attack this battle phase!"
"Rhodes! Defend yourself!" Wilona yelled in desperation.
"I...I don't have any more resources!" Alexis winced before holding her arm.
"Such a shame. I'm ridding the universe of great beauty," Nightsrhoud shrugged his shoulders. "Well, Ultimate Power comes with a price. Go, Simorgh of Darkness, destroy Izana!"
The dark beast unleashed another attack on the weakened Izana.
Alexis: 2375 → 525 LP.
Nightshroud: 3400 LP.
The force of the attack was enough to cause an explosion that destroyed the flying rock they were standing on.
Honest finally snapped out of whatever trance he was in and quickly carried Wilona as the platform fell.
"No! Honest, get Rhodes!" Wilona frantically pointed as Alexis, who seemed unconscious, was falling to her doom. The angel swooped down and freed another arm to catch Alexis while Wilona snatched her falling cards.
"We need to get her out of here!" Wilona shouted.
"Don't think that's going to stop this duel, Key Keeper!" Wilona, even through the turbulent wind and speed, heard Nightsrhoud's voice. She turned back and saw the black-clad duelist standing atop of Simorgh of Darkness. All three Simorghs were flying after them like hunters to prey.
"Wilona, hold on!" Honest shouted before diving almost vertically. The Simorghs all roared and raced after the angel duel spirit. It wouldn't be long before the superior fliers would catch up with the angel carrying two bodies.
While being chased, Alexis' Spirit Key started to glow. Wilona and Honest saw it floating and seemingly pointing in a strange direction northwest of where they were facing.
"Follow that!" Without another word, Honest flew where Alexis' spirit key pointed. They were chased relentlessly, with both Ancestry and Storm Simorgh almost succeeding in knocking Honest out of the sky.
Eventually, they spotted a very familiar location in the distance. "Wait," Wilona squinted her eyes. "Is that the Cyber Angel Temple we visited at Christmas?"
Indeed, it was the same ruins that were once littered with bizarre aliens. Instead, there was a humble camp near the main entrance. Wilona spotted someone walking under the tent and shouted, "Aleister, run!"
Down below, The Invoker, Aleister raised his brow. "Hold on a tick. That sounds like..." He turned around towards the sky. "BLIMEY!?" He dropped all his paperwork and ran into the temple, followed by an angel carrying two teenage girls and three giant lords of the skies.
"Apologizes for dropping on you like this!" Wilona shouted out to the mage while he was doing a mad dash.
"How are you still being chased in your return!?" The scholar mage cried out.
Wilona inwardly realized that whenever they got into the spirit world, trouble followed them almost surely. "I honestly don't know! Do you know a place we can hide!?"
"Hide!? There is no place to hide! Especially from the Simorgh Clan! How in the spirit world did you get them after you!?"
A screech from one of the Simorghs forced the group to move faster. However, they soon were lead to a large empty altar with a sky mosaic of many Cyber Angels while the floor was filled with pipes that covered the room.
"Why did we go here!? This place is a dead end!" Aleister shouted as they saw no sign of escape.
"I just had us follow this thing!" Wilona jumped off Honest and pointed towards the glowing key around Alexis' neck.
"End of the line!" Nightsroud exclaimed as the Simorghs blocked the only exit of the massive mechanical altar. The Shadow Rider jumped off and started walking forward. "I think I'll take both the key and the other half of that medallion now. This was fun, but I've got Ultimate Power to reach and jerkwads to taunt."
"N-No..." Everyone looked to see Alexis opening her eyes and pushing herself out of Honest's arms. Wilona went to her friend, but Alexis lifted her free hand to stop her. "Thanks... I got this." At that point, Wilona handed over Alexis' cards back to her.
She walked out to the opposite side of Nightshroud. "I still have a little over 500 life points left. This duel isn't over!" As Alexis declared this, the Spirit Key started to glow.
"Huh?" Nightshroud raised his brow. "What's that Key doing?"
Alexis didn't know herself, but she suddenly saw her deck glowing with the same light as the Key.
What everyone didn't notice was someone hiding behind the corners of the room. The stranger chuckled. "Oh, Nightshroud. You were in such a rush that the first Shadow Rider couldn't explain to you what the Spirit Keys really were."
Turn 5: Alexis. Cards: 2.
Alexis put fingers on top of her deck as the light faded. She then drew her card and showed it to Nightsroud. "I play Card of Sanctity! This will allow both of us to draw up to six cards each!" The two duelists did so. Alexis raised her brow as she drew her sixth card.
(What? I've never seen this card before. Where did this come from?)
"I play the Ritual Spell Card: Sprite Blessing! I can special summon any Light Ritual monsters if the levels are exact!"
"Oh no, you don't! I activate Darkness Smorgh's ability! I can sacrifice another Winged Beast to negate the activation of a spell or trap card! I sacrifice Ances..."
Alexis was quick to pick up another card. "I play the quick-play spell card, Mass Tripping! If an effect monster activates an effect during the main phase, then this card can negate that effect and prevents the owner from using monster effects from activating for the rest of the turn!" The card sent a blast of light that stopped Simorgh from finishing his negate. It also tied up the other Simorghs, preventing whatever ability they had.
The blonde Obelisk Blue continued. "I Tribute Blade Skater and Cyber Angel Idaten to bring out a new monster!"
The Ruins around the duel started to rumble. Everyone but Alexis looked around in panic. Wilona spotted something she wasn't expecting: the symbol on Alexis' key vanished and appeared on her right eye! It was glowing with a blue light as Alexis pointed upward.
"A divine fire forges holy steel! Among angels, a goddess smites with the strength of the heavens! Come forth!"
Wilona's eyes widened. That was something similar to when Gravekeeper's Oracle summoned a powerful monster.
Up above, the mural of a mysterious goddess shattered. A bright light blinded the entire area, and a divine-like being slowly floated down to Alexis' side.
"Cyber Angel Vrash!" [Type: Ritual/Effect Monster/Sub-Type: Fairy/Attribute: Light/Level: 10/ATK: 3000/DEF: 2000]
"Rhodes?" Wilona stared at her friend as both her Medalion and Nightshroud's started to glow in response to the Spirit Key's glowing.
"What the hell is going on!?" Nightshroud looked down at his medallion with confusion.
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
Chancellor Sheppard gasped as his eyes started to widen. He looked out the window and spotted the roof of the school was covered in a dome of darkness.
"What!? No! I thought we had more time! I haven't told the children the origin of the Spirit Keys!" The Chancellor ran towards the roof. On his way there, he saw the entrance to the roof was barricaded by a dome of darkness. However, a group of both his chosen defenders and members of the Music Club turned to the chancellor.
"Who is dueling!?" Chancellor Sheppard looked frantically among his chosen duelists.
"It's Alexis! I think even Wilona is behind this stupid barrier too!" Jaden looked towards the barrier with a bruised hand. It was a sign he tried to force his way in with no success.
"Chancellor, what is going on!?" Professor Crowler asked before something strange happened: everyone's Spirit Key started to vibrate and glow.
"No!" Everyone saw Chancellor Sheppard looked horrified. He turned to the barrier and shouted, "Alexis, no! You can't use the power of the Spirit Key in your duel!"
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
"What do you know?"
"I... I don't understand! He used different materials! The process is completely and utterly different from that time!"
"Remain calm, can you still recognize what's going on?"
"...This time, the Spirit Keys are alive."
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
Back in the temple of the Cyber Angels, Alexis pointed to Nightshroud. "Vrash has the ability to destroy all monsters special summoned from the Extra Deck. However, the Simorghs aren't from the Extra deck. However! Idaten was used as a tribute, so Vrash gains 1000 attack and defense points!"
(3000 → 4000/2000→3000)
"That's not enough to stop Simorgh of Darkness!" For the first time, Nightshroud's cocky attitude was broken.
"Oh? I play the Spell Card, Cyber Purification! I select two monsters on the field! One loses half of his attack points, and the second one gains the stolen points!"
Nightsroud took a step back. "What!?"
Alexis pointed to the restrained Simorgh Darkness. "I'm taking those attack points!"
(4000 → 6325) (4650 → 2325)
"Now, Vrash! End this duel! Attack the Darkness Simorgh!" Alexis pointed as Vrash gathered all the energy in her hands and fired a beam light at the dark lord of wind.
"If you really wanted to win, you wouldn't have given me 6 cards! I discard The Orb of Wind! By discarding this trap card during the battle phase, I can half the damage!" A green orb surrounded Nightshroud. However, it did little to stop the intensity of the blast as he and the dark Simorgh were swallowed by light.
Alexis: 525 LP.
Nightshroud: 3400 LP→ 1400 LP.
"Fascinating!" Aleister walked closer to Alexis, followed by Wilona and Honest. The scholar mage went up to the duelist and grabbed her face, only to widen her right eye that had a glowing symbol that replaced her pupil. "Concentrated Duel Energy! How did you do that!? This breaks every known conventional rule between the energies of the Human and Spirit World!"
"A-Aleister?!" Alexis removed the hands on her face and 'kindly' pushed the mage away. "What are you doing here?"
"Apparently that dastard over yonder brought us back to the spirit world." Wilona motioned at the dust cloud created by Alexis' newest monster. Speaking off, the green-haired girl looked over to the monster. "Rhodes, have you always had this monster? And what is happening here with your eye?" Wilona motioned a circle around her right eye.
Alexis blinked before looking over to the powerful monster floating next to her. "Uhh, no? I didn't even know there was a Cyber Angel Vrash before now. And what do you guys mean? What's happening with my eye!?"
Aleister fished his pockets, but before they could continue their conversation, they heard two powerful screams. The dust settled, and Nightsrhoud looked worse for wear, but his two remaining monsters looked more ticked off than anything else.
Alexis stepped forward and motioned the others away from her. "I end my turn with a facedown!"
Turn 6: Nightshroud. Cards: 5.
"You!" Nightshroud's voice and tone were different. It sounded more inhuman than before. "You will pay for that!" He yelled and drew his card. "I banish Simorgh, Bird of Ancestry; Simorgh, Lord of Storms; and Simorgh of Darkness from my graveyard to summon my strongest monster!" As he cried out, everyone could feel a tense shift in the air. The mighty birds cried out before their souls consolidated into a massive orb of wind.
"She who has never touched the ground, reveal to them the embodiment of the sky itself!"
"Bollocks," Wilona cursed under her breath as the chanting meant a powerful monster was coming.
"I special summon The Atmosphere!" [Type: Effect Monster/Sub-Type: Winged Beast/Attribute: Wind/Level: 8/ATK: 1000/DEF: 800] "In attack mode!"
They heard an ethereal cry as a form started to take shape and grab on to the orb of the winged birds. A Majestic bird, the same size as the biggest Simorgh, towered over the battlefield and could even dwarf Vrash's light.
"Rhodes, be careful! A high-level monster with low attack points means it has a devastating effect!" Wilona cried out as the blonde prepared herself.
Nightshroud pointed. "She's right! The Atmosphere has the ability to target an opponent's monster and equip it to her!"
Alexis' eyes widened with alarm. "What!?"
The bird screamed as a gust of wind pulled Vrash in like a vacuum. Despite the Cyber Angel's attempt, she was pulled and trapped in the orb of The Atmosphere.
"Don't forget! We're still in my field spell despite the change of scenery! Along with your monster's original stats, Atmosphere gains an extra 300 attack points!" (1000 → 4300/800→3100)
Alexis panicked! Her field was now wide open for a monster with over 4000 attack points!
"Atmosphere! Attack her directly!"
"I play my trap card! Pinpoint Gaurd! When an attack is declared, I can summon a level 4 or lower monster from the graveyard! Come back, Blade Skater!"
Blade Skater. [Type: Normal Monster/Sub-Type: Warrior/Attribute: EARTH/Level: 4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1500]
The monster was in defense position, and soon, a giant stone hand appeared in front of the attack of The Atmosphere. The giant hand took the brunt of the blast, but everyone could still feel the shockwaves of the attack.
"Pinpoint Guard prevents my monster from being destroyed the turn its summoned!" Alexis declared as the force of the attack died down.
Nightsroud grunted. "I play three cards face down and end my turn!"
Turn 7: Alexis. Cards: 0.
Alexis drew her next card. "I drew Pot of Greed! I draw two cards!" Alexis gained two more cards before noticing something interesting.
"I summon Cyber Tutu in attack mode!" Alexis put the card down and a young girl danced to the battlefield.
Cyber Tutu [Type: Effect Monster/Sub-Type: Warrior/Attribute: EARTH/Level: 3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 800]
"Ha! What's that little girl going to do, dance me to death!?" Nightshroud scoffed as the little girl started to huff.
"That's actually not a bad idea!" Alexis returned a smirk right back at Nightshroud as she played her second card. "I play Blustering Winds! I choose to give Tutu and extra 1000 attack and defense points!"
(1000 → 2000/800→1800)
"Ooh, I'm shaking in my boots! What's 2000 attack points going to do!?"
Alexis stepped forward and pointed. "Tutu has the ability to attack my opponent directly if my opponent has monsters with higher attack than her!"
"What!?" Nightsroud screamed. Tutu had currently 2000 attack points, more than his remaining life points! Nightshroud gritted his teeth. "I play one of my facedown cards! Go, Forbidden Lance!"
As the card was raised, a golden lance shot out from the card and stabbed into the right arm of Tutu. The little monster screamed as Cyber Blader ran up to her teammate to catch her from falling.
"Forbidden Lance makes one monster lose 800 life points and makes them unaffected by other spell and trap cards for the rest of the turn." Nightshroud began. (And just in case she tries to Ritual Summon again, I've got a Void Trap Hole with her name on it. Not only that, but my other face down is also Forbidden Chalice. If she tries to activate a nasty monster effect, she's got another thing coming! Next turn, she's finished, and the key is mine!)
"I activate Natasha's effect from the graveyard!" Alexis called out.
Nightshroud gaped. Forbidden Chalice doesn't work on graveyard effects!
"I can target one monster on your side of the field, The Atmosphere, and it will allow me to summon Natasha back to the field! Not only that, but this effect also allows me to control the targeted monster!"
"What!? Hey! You can't steal my monster!?" Nightsrhoud cried out as Natasha returned to the field and started mystically moving her hands.
"You stole Vrash. I'm just returning the favor!" Natasha finished and pointed her hands at The Atmosphere. Void Trap hole only worked for monsters above 2000 attack points. And it was too late to activate Forbidden Chalice now.
Everyone watched as The Atmosphere teleported over to Alexis' side of the field as if she was always her monster!
"Here's what I have to say about you Shadow Riders: don't underestimate us! The Atmosphere, attack with Vrash!"
The mighty bird monster started to glow. Vrash opened her eyes, and the two mighty creatures blasted the Shadow Rider.
Alexis: 525 LP.
Nightshroud: 1400 LP→ 0 LP.
Alexis smiled as her opponent fell face-first to the ground. However, she started to feel very, very tired. Her gaze fell to the floor in front of her, and it started to get bigger until she felt something hold her up.
It took Alexis a second to realize Wilona was helping her up.
"Well, now you've joined the Dueling in the Spirit Wolrd Club with Yuki and me."
The blonde girl found herself giving a weak laugh. "Why on earth does Jaden think this is cool?"
"I have a theory, but if it's remotely true, it might terrify me for the rest of my days." Said working theory was that Jaden Yuki may secretly be attracted to danger and pain. Wilona hoped that was just her imagination. "Your right eye turned back to normal."
Alexis blinked. "I don't even know what happened to it."
"Neither do I!" Aleister stepped in with a scream. "With you two back, I can continue my research! First, how did you return without me knowing!? I've been extra careful in attempting to detect..." The scholar mage took out a pen and a notebook and wrote with the fury of a mad man while speaking a hundred words per second.
At that moment, Alexis, Wilona, and Honest started to flicker in and out of existence. Whatever powers that Nightsrhoud used to bring them there were wearing off. They disappeared while Aleister was talking about portal theory.
When the future invoker looked up, he saw nothing but empty air.
"Aww, come on! At least give me a warning!"
He didn't see the man in the shadows, doing his best not to giggle like a schoolboy.
"T-This is wonderful! This is stupendous! The rules are extraordinary!" And before he could explode with laughter, the stranger vanished. If one was intuned with the shadows, they could hear mad cackling from every corner.
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
Wilona, Alexis, and Honest found themselves back atop of the roof of Duel Academy.
When they did, they also spotted Nightshroud fallen before them.
"Wilona," Honest began. "May I see his face?" Both girls looked surprised. However, Honest pleaded with them. "Please. ... I do not know why, but I must see this man's face."
Wilona set Alexis down carefully near the body. The two flipped over Nightshroud and found he was without his mask.
Alexis gasped.
A few seconds later, the door to the roof slammed open as everyone came rushing from the door.
"Alexis! Wilona!" Jaden cried out first. The group didn't expect Alexis to be for some reason, crying and hugging the fallen man despite looking worse for wear.
"Alexis! Get away from that Shadow Rider! He's dangerous!" Chancellor Shepard cried out.
"No! No! He's not dangerous!" Alexis managed to cry out through the sobs. She turned to everyone, and through her sobs, she said something that everyone could not believe.
"It's my brother, Atticus. I don't know why or how, but it's him!"
Honest couldn't believe for a different reason: did Alexis really have a brother with spikey green hair?
[?]
Nothingness.
That is what he longed for. To feel nothing. Life was too painful, too cruel... he would make everyone feel true freedom with...
No, that wasn't completely true. Actually, he was feeling... jealous.
He lost both his parents, he was always in the sidelines, and he never had that many friends.
Yet his friend... he had a wonderful family and a smaller sister he doted on, he was loved by all who met him, he was never seen alone.
Nothingness... yes, it called to him... but...
[What is your wish?]
"I wish I had Atticus Rhodes' life."
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
They stared in shock.
"That... that's not Atticus. Why are they acting like he...?"
"The dominoes are falling. The Ripple Effect is truly beginning."
"Yusuke Fujiwara, instead of wishing for nothingness, you wished to have Atticus Rhodes' life."
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
A/N: This is a little late because of certain events in my life. But other than that, I told you I was excited about my take on the Shadow Rider's Arc!
My first move? I made Yusuke the first Nightshroud. That's right! The big bad of season 4 becomes the big brother of season 1! Why? A thought occurred to me that really seemed to make this idea crazy enough to work: "What if Yusuke was a little more envious than heartbroken?" Instead of focusing on his grief and loneliness, he started focusing on the lives of his friends, specifically someone who seemed to be his exact opposite: popular, a great duelist, and had a close-knit family. This small ripple has changed the shape of this story!
When this came into my mind, I had to do this! This is basically uncharted territory! Reader, you and I are going down the rabbit hole with this story! I hope you're as excited about it as I am!
Also, since Yusuke doesn't have an actual deck besides those Clear Monsters, I thought about giving him Manga Atticus' deck or making a parallel version in the Smorgh-Archetype.
Next topic to talk about: The Spirit Keys. Has anyone ever wondered where these things came from? How where they made? From the Wiki, it just states Kagemaru made them. How?
You guys are in for a treat next chapter, Shepard reveals a horrifying secret about this timeline's Spirit Keys!
Thank you so much for reading and supporting this fic! It's going to get rolling now!
[Made up cards/altered.]
Merciful Machine Angel is supposed to also send another card to the bottom of the deck after drawing. I removed this and made it a little more like Bubbleman's Anime effect.
Cyber Angels: For the TCG, the tributed effects only work when they're on the field. But I think just, for now, I'm making them work if they're also tributed by the hand.
Dark Stalker.
Statue of The Forgotten Simorgh: This complicated card was made up so I would be able to have the fun combos to break through Alexis' deceptively bulky defenses.
Elboz: a real card, but I removed the Revealing effect. I think it gives a new free normal summon? Perhaps? I'm not an expert.
Mass Tripping: I thought I could make a card that would be fairly easy to stop multiple effect monsters for one turn. This made summoning Vrash easier.
Cyber Purification: Riryoku, but more divine looking. I felt like the real card was something that Alexis wouldn't use, but I kinda needed a similar effect. Ugh.
Orb of Wind: a hand trap. Nothing too big.
