Flames raged out of control, forming towering pillars of fire in each direction Aster looked. The heat and smoke they brought with them permeated the air around him, causing him to cough violently. The boat he had been dueling on had turned into a fiery hell with little to no escape from.

Despite his predicament, Aster kept his eyes trained on the floor to search for Destiny Hero Plasma. When he finally spotted it, he couldn't help letting out a sob of relief at being able to reclaim the treasured gift from his father. However, as soon as he had picked it up, Aster was horrified to see it disintegrate right in front of his eyes.

"No!" Aster yelled in anguish as the last cindered fragments of the card scattered to the ground. This along with being trapped in the burning boat was making him feel as if it had all been for nothing.

Aster sank down to his knees in despair. It was all over. In the end, what good had his efforts done anyone, including himself?

Amidst the crackling noise of the fire, Aster suddenly heard an all-too familiar voice ring out in ecstatic laughter. He looked up to see none other than the figure of his former guardian-D-standing in front of him, seemingly unaffected by the flames.

Aster couldn't help shaking in fear at the sight of his past tormentor before him again. "H-how is this possible!? You're supposed to be dead now!"

D's face contorted into a twisted smile that didn't even pass for halfway human. "I will never be truly dead as long as I live inside your memories, Aster! And you will never be able to move forward and protect the ones you love!"

Aster could only watch-frozen in horror like his time itself D had claimed to be-as everything around him was consumed to ashes while D's maniacal laughter continued to echo all around him.

Xxx

Aster woke up with a jolt from his nightmare, springing into a sitting position. Breathing heavily, he looked around anxiously to see the darkened bedroom of his yacht around him and realize that he had been dreaming. Alexis was still fast asleep next to him in bed, undisturbed by his sudden awakening. The green-lighted numbers on the digital clock on his nightstand table told Aster it was a little past two in the morning.

It was just a nightmare. But I'd hoped I'd finally be free of those. Or at the very least not to have one so soon after everything is supposed to be okay now… Aster contemplated.

Aster's gaze turned to Alexis. Unlike him, she looked so peaceful and content while she slept. He couldn't help smiling to himself as he recalled their passionate encounter earlier that night. Being with Alexis wasn't the same as the few other times he had slept with girls before. All of the touches, sighs of pleasure, the heat of their bodies and how they seemed to respond so effortlessly to each other. The connection almost felt like a surreal experience, and Aster knew with certainty now that this was what making love felt like as opposed to just sex.

Gently so as not to disturb her, Aster caressed a few loose strands of Alexis' hair into place behind her ear. He then pulled the end of the sheet up slightly so that it covered her shoulder. As tempting as the thought of waking her in the hopes of sparking more arousal between them was, Aster knew it was better for Alexis to get more rest after everything they went through yesterday.

Settling back down with his arms around Alexis again, Aster still couldn't help worrying about what he'd heard in his nightmare. He absolutely hated how he hadn't been able to defeat the Light of Destruction and save Sartorius himself, despite his best efforts. He had been forced to rely on Jaden instead. It made him feel weak and hopeless, and he was afraid he might not be able to protect anyone-including Alexis-in the future as well. Just when he thought he had come to terms with the fact that he wasn't chosen to have supernatural powers to overcome the greatest trials, it turned out that being like that had been the only possible way to simply protect the people he cared for. Why did it have to be like that? It shouldn't be. And even worse, what if it continued to be that way?

Sighing to himself, Aster tried to push his worries away for the moment and focus on the present instead. It was what Alexis had claimed he had helped her to do after all, so he had to believe he at least could try to follow his own example. He had her by his side now, and that was more than enough…