Hey all. I hope you all having a good April Fools. To be honest, I had this idea all planned out where I announced my retirement from Fanfiction...but then realized that was too mean to do. So! Decided to give you all a burning new chapter!
Enjoy!
Axel Brodie stood on the edge of the cliff of Central Island. He was African descent, sporting a red tank top and black sleeveless vest and pants. Hanging around his neck was a gold pendant, a gift from his father. His eyes were closed, focused on the wind and laps of the waves below. All around him was explosions from the tournament. When the Chancellor of Central came to his school and invited them to take part in a tournament, he thought nothing of it.
Until he got here.
He knew a battlezone when he saw it. Central had become one massive battlezone between two factions. The Society of Light and the Empire of Darkness. Axel knew the two were involved with some massive fight, but he didn't know what. Him and the rest of the West students tried to find out, but they had been rebuked by the SoL. The Empire was a bit more accommodating, but understandably wary of West DA. The EoD's leader, Jaden Yuki, the King of the Ring, had simply told them the SoL was a cult.
That really rubbed Axel off. He despised cults with a passion. His grandparents on both sides of his family were killed off by fanatics of cults. He and the other West students did their part to help, but the SoL was stronger then they had thought. Axel had lost a lot of good friends in the opening days of the tournament.
Hence why he was here. He needed some peace and quiet. Sadly for him...that wasn't going to happen.
A sudden snap behind Axel made him shoot up, looking around. He saw a man with dual colored hair, pale skin, yellow scerla eyes with purple pupils. Instantly, Axel was on guard.
"Sartorius of the Society of Light, I presume." Axel stated, getting up from his meditations.
"You presume correctly, Axel Brodie." Sartorius said, standing just a few feet out of Axel's reach.
"What do you want?" The teen asked, keeping his guard up.
Sartorius smiled. It was not a friendly one. One by one, several of Axel's friends came out from the trees, dressed in white. Axel scowled, glaring at Sartorius. The man calmly explained that it wasn't what HE wanted, but what AXEL wanted. Axel wanted his friends returned. While true, Axel knew better then to make deals with the devil and Sartorius was playing the Devil right now.
"Whatever you are offering, I'm not taking. I know all about you." Axel said, scowling.
Sartorius smirked. Axel didn't get much warning before his old allies grabbed him. Given their sheer numbers, they were able to bring him down to his knees. Sartorius walked up then, smirking. His eyes were glowing white, Axel being forced to look up at the demon before him. He felt the hand on his head and then...
Nothing.
EODGX
Mindy and Jasmine had won another pair of duels, taking out a few pros that had tried to best them in a tag team duel. They high fived one another, giggling. A sudden snap of a branch made the two spin around. They saw a blonde haired girl standing in the tree line. Instantly, their looks of joy became one of cool indifference.
"Alexis." Jasmine said neutrally.
She glared at the two of them with such venom, the two knew for sure if she had laser vision, they'd be dead. They returned the glare right back.
"If you're looking to duel us, forget it. We already got our duel of the day." Mindy stated.
"As if you two would last that long against me. Thanks to the Light, I have power like never before." Alexis snarled. "I don't know why you continue this pitiful resistance. Master Sartorius and The Light saved me."
Jasmine was already pretty mad when the Light had taken away her best friend. That anger had been simmering for a while. It only grew and grew with each friend of theirs taken. It burned hotter with all the displays of 'affection' Aster and Alexis would have.
So it was understandable that when she heard that last part, Jasmine's control on her anger slipped. Before Alexis could know what was going on, she felt a sharp and painful sting on her cheek. Falling to the ground, she looked up to see Jasmine standing over her, her arm outstretched. In the redhead's eyes were tears.
"Where was your master and the Light last year huh?!" Jasmine snapped.
"W-what?"
"I said, WHERE WAS YOUR MASTER AND THE LIGHT LAST YEAR?! DID THEY SAVE YOU FROM TITAN OR THOSE BOYS?!" Jasmine screamed.
Alexis tensed up. The Light had gone to great lengths to suppress all of her more harmonious memories from the years, amplifying only the times when she felt let down by others. But the memory of THAT night? It couldn't fully suppress it at all. It had altered it some...but it was a shoddy job.
"Y-yes! He..." Alexis began.
"No, he wasn't!" Mindy snapped, also losing her temper. "Sartorius wasn't even HERE last year! It was JADEN who saved US! NOT SARTORIUS, NOT ASTER, NOT THE LIGHT! IT WAS JADEN, YOUR BOYFRIEND!"
Alexis' eyes widened, the night came back to her in a rush and she saw her master being replaced by the golden eyed teen who handed her a photo of her brother. Tears began to flow then, making the two girls pull back. But they bumped into the chests of someone and both were grabbed.
"H-hey!" Mindy protested.
"What are you doing?! Let us go!" Jasmine snarled, thrashing around.
Sartorius came out, a frown on his face. He helped Alexis up.
"Oh my dear...they made you remember such a terrible ordeal." Sartorius cooed, placing his hand on her cheek.
The two saw their friend's eyes go blank before the coldness from before came back. She got up, glaring at the struggling girls. Behind the two were two SoL members. Sartorius glared at the two girls.
"Take them to Axel. He will have need of them."
The two SoL members nodded, making sure to cover the girls' mouths. Sadly for the SoL members, both Mindy and Jasmine bit down on their hands. The shock made them let go, the pair kicking their wanna be captors right in the balls. Once their attackers were on the ground, they began rushing off into the forest. Sartorius scowled, watching them go.
"No matter. Axel has begun his search for Jaden. He will find either him or the girls."
With a wave of his hand, a group of three exited out, picking the downed teens. A snap of their master's fingers, they began their trek back to the White Dorm. Sartorius paused, looking back with a frown. He hoped this distraction worked. He needed time to adjust the satellite's position.
EODGX
Jasmine and Mindy ran through the forest, heading to where Jaden was last known to be. The pair emerged, seeing him sitting down to lunch. He got up at once upon seeing the girls, helping them over. They told him everything, making him scowl. They had managed to break through to Alexis, but Sartorius had taken her back. But now he knew Sartorius was up to something again. This was another distraction tactic like with the GX Crew and the other dorms. Question was, what was he distracting them from?
A snapping of a branch made the three look up. They saw Axel Brodie, the top student of West Academy standing there, glaring at them. Both Jasmine and Mindy wondered about the glare. Here, Jaden frowned.
"The Light is using him. Look at his eyes." Jaden pointed out.
The pair did so, seeing the glazed expression he was sporting. He didn't say anything, just brought out his duel disk. Jaden did the same, both slotting their decks.
Axel: 8000/Jaden: 8000
The two drew their opening hands, Axel barely even looking at his cards. Jaden did, seeing a powerful card combo in his hands. He allowed Axel to make the first move. The boy drew, revealing the card he had drawn.
"Blaze Accelerator." Axel said, a dull tone in his words.
(Blaze Accelerator – Type/Spell/Continuous.
You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; send 1 Pyro-Type monster with 500 or less ATK from your hand to the Graveyard, and if you do, destroy that target. You cannot declare an attack during the turn you activate this effect.)
"I summon Volcanic Slicer in attack mode." Axel said, placing the card on his disk.
(Volcanic Slicer – LV/****, Attribute/FIRE, ATK/1800, DEF/1200, Type/Pyro/Effect.
Once per turn, you can inflict 500 damage to your opponent. If you activate this effect, this card cannot attack during this turn.)
Slicer was a monster covered in iron of an unknown coloring. In the light, it looked golden, but there was the shade that made it look darker then that. It looked like a Raptor of old. It screeched, Jaden staring. A ball of fire erupted from its mouth crashing into him.
Jaden: 7500
"Graceful Charity..."
Axel drew three cards, throwing out two. He grabbed another card and set it facedown. The boy ended his turn. Jaden drew his card, looking over his hand. Seeing Bubbleman, he played it. Since it was the only monster out, he gained an extra two cards. He revealed Dark Fusion, using Bubbleman and Clayman to create Evil Hero Sludge.
(Evil HERO Sludge - LV/******, Attribute/WATER, ATK/3000, DEF/1900, Type/Fiend/Fusion/Effect.
"Elemental HERO Bubbleman" + "Elemental HERO Clayman"
Must be Fusion Summoned with "Dark Fusion" and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. When this card switches from Attack mode to Defense mode, select 1 monster in play. Reduce that monster's ATK to 0 until the End Phase of your next turn. If this card attacks, switch it to Defense mode until your next Standby Phase.)
Sludge was a large tar like monster with a single green orb in the center of its mass. Inside the orb was a head, red eyes glowing brightly. Axel's eyes went wide at the sight of the monster before him. Jaden smirked, declaring an attack. Sludge threw several globs of the acidic matter onto Slasher. The monster screeched, melting away into nothing.
Axel: 5900
Sludge knelt down. Jaden set two cards facedown, ending his turn. Axel drew his card, activating his Blaze spell. He sent a monster card called Volcanic Scattershot, activating its own effect. Jaden watched Sludge be destroyed before feeling the embers on him. Axel then sent two other Scattershots to the grave. Once the action was done, he placed a monster facedown in defense.
Jaden: 7000 → 6000
Axel ended his turn with a facedown. Jaden drew his card, looking at it. Seeing it was Stratos, he played Monster Reborn, gaining back Clayman. He played Stratos right away, taking away the facedown Axel had. Axel grimaced, seeing his Firewall be destroyed. Stratos then attacked the facedown monster.
The monster some kind of machine with a dome with fire over it. The winds tore it apart, Axel grinning.
"That was my Volcanic Blaster."
(Volcanic Blaster – LV/***, Attribute/FIRE, ATK/1200, DEF/600, Type/Pyro/Effect.
When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by battle, you can place 1 "Volcanic" monster in your Deck on top of your Deck.)
Axel chose a card in his deck, adding it to the top of his deck. Jaden frowned, a little worried. He ended his turn. Axel drew, smirking. He revealed another spell. It looked like Blaze only with three cannons, not one.
"I play Tri-Blaze Accelerator."
(Tri-Blaze Accelerator – Type/Spell/Continuous
Activate only by sending 1 face-up "Blaze Accelerator" on your side of the field to the Graveyard. You can send 1 Pyro-Type monster from your hand to the Graveyard to destroy 1 monster your opponent controls and inflict 500 damage to your opponent, but you cannot declare an attack during this turn if you do.)
Jaden watched the new spell card materialize the old one being placed in the grave. If Axel was smart, he'd use the effect to destroy his Clayman. He was disappointed when Axel brought out a card.
"I send my Tri-Blaze Accelerator to the graveyard to special summon Volcanic Doomfire!"
(Volcanic Doomfire – LV/********, Attribute/FIRE, ATK/3000, DEF/1800, Type/Pyro/Effect.
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by sending a face-up "Tri-Blaze Accelerator" you control to the Graveyard. During your opponent's Battle Phase, your opponent must attack this monster with any Attack Position monsters they control. When this card destroys a monster and sends it to the Graveyard, destroy all monsters your opponent controls and inflict 500 damage to your opponent for each monster destroyed by this effect.)
Doomfire was a large monster, a fusion of a dragon with a dinosaur. It snarled at the sight of the monsters and Jaden. Jaden glared back, making the monster cock its head. Axel smirked, the glazed look gaining malice in it. He ordered an attack on Stratos, the monster roaring. A blast of fire crashed down on Stratos, turning him to ash. Jaden grimaced, his counter dropping.
Jaden: 4800
A pillar of fire erupted around Clayman, destroying him. The heat hit Jaden hard, making him drop to his knees. Jasmine and Mindy watched on, shocked.
Jaden: 4300
"What happened?!" Jasmine gasped.
"Volcanic Doomfire has an effect. If it destroys a monster in battle, other monsters get destroyed and their controller loses five hundred points. Jaden's Clayman was the only other monster." Mindy explained, recalling the lesson on the card from Professor Sweet's class.
"Oh man...Jaden..." Jasmine fretted.
Jaden shot a reassuring smile at the two girls. He looked at Axel who ended his turn. One draw later, Jaden looked at the card. Seeing it was Uria, he checked his field. Yes.
"I set one trap facedown and then send my three traps to the graveyard."
Axel's eyes went wide. What was he summoning!? A pillar of fire rose up and a long body appeared in it. Doomfire nervously whined. The massive monster before him was eying him like a steak.
Uria – ATK & DEF/0 → 3000
"Not done yet! I attack your Doomfire with Uria!"
The two fire beasts clashed, Doomfire biting down on Uria's body, Uria using its Hyper Blaze. The two exploded, Axel covering his face. Jaden smirked, play E-Emergency Call and gaining Evil HERO Commander. Playing the monster in defense, he drew three cards and ended his turn. Axel drew, playing another Volcanic Slicer. He attacked the Commander, destroying it. A facedown was placed and Axel ended his turn.
Jaden drew, using the effect of Uria. Discarding one of the trap cards he had, he special summoned the beast again. Uria roared, glaring down Axel's monster.
Uria – ATK & DEF/0 → 4000
"Uria, attack! Hyper Blaze!"
The Sacred Beast roared, letting loose its attack on the long monster Axel had. Axel covered his face, hissing from the pain as his slicer became nothing but ash.
Axel: 3800
"I'll use my spell card, Mischief of the Time Goddess!"
Axel's eyes went wide, looking at the King. He had hoped to use the facedown trap to destroy the beast at the end of the King's turn! But now that option was closed to him.
Uria roared, ready to strike again. Jaden nodded at his old friend and nodded. Uria let loose one more Hyper Blaze the blast crashing into Axel. Axel roared in pain, feeling the searing heat. But it was whatever control Sartorius had on him that was causing the pain. He fell back onto his back, staring up at the skies. His eyes returned to normal as his counter fell.
Axel: 0
"Axel!" He heard three voices call out.
Axel sat up, seeing Jaden, Jasmine, and Mindy approaching him. The boy frowned before groaning. He explained what happened and the three nodded in understanding.
"Now you see what we have to deal with." Jaden said, offering his hand.
"I do now. Thought it was just a prank...that was no prank." Axel said, taking the offered hand and standing up. "You won so all my medals are yours, Jaden."
Here, Jaden shook his head. The King refused, stating that for one, Axel was not in a right state of mind. Second, that duel didn't have the passion he could sense from the boy. It would be criminal to do that to him.
"Sides...we need all the help we can get. The SoL is doing this cuz they are waiting for something...or someone." Mindy pointed out bluntly.
"Could be trouble too. Big trouble." Jasmine said, nodding.
Axel nodded, putting away the medals he had.
"Alright, count me in. I've got a score to settle with Sartorius now after all." Axel said.
Jaden chuckled.
Things were going good now.
Looks like Jasmine and Mindy managed to get to Alexis...though Sartorius isn't going to let her go quite yet. Still, this is good news for them. Alexis can be reached, provided they use some powerful memories for it. But its not gonna be smooth sailing.