Aster

"My apartment is down this way," Aster told Francesca. But before he could go any farther, he grimaced from a sharp pain burning his arm. He fell to his knees on the ground, squeezing it with all his might.

Francesca shook her head and held her hand over his shoulder. She closed her eyes and muttered a spell, which formed a leafy arcane circle that sprinkled white and gold petals in all directions. At once, Aster felt his pain subsiding.

"It's not much," Francesca said, deactivating her spell. "But it will help with the pain."

"Thanks," Aster grunted. "I appreciate it."

"What's doing this to you? The HEROES?"

"They're a part of the problem," Aster said, breathing slowly to relax his body and his nerves. "There's….something inside of me that allows me to conjure the Destiny HEROES from their world. It's a powerful artifact known as the Heart of HEROES."

Francesca gasped. "I thought it was just a myth."

Aster slowly got up and took off his jacket. "Take a listen?" he asked. "I think you'll be surprised."

Francesca sat down on a boulder and beckoned him towards her. She was a little bashful at first, but she worked the courage to place her ear against his chest. Yes, there was a powerful heartbeat going on in there, but it was fast; she worried Aster was getting a heart attack. It came as a shock for her to find out it was normal for him.

"May I?" she asked, clutching the hem of his shirt. He nodded. Francesca lifted it up. What she saw made her blush. His body was well-built for one so young. Ah, but he was an Eldori. Though he looked like a boy of fifteen, Aster was a few months away from being twenty. Long and fruitful youth was their gift, and it really showed with Aster Phoenix. Francesca bit her lip and took a deep breath. She then took her glove off with her teeth, pulling it off her hand from the tip of the middle finger. She placed her hand against his chest which was radiating a light blue glow from within. She saw his veins were glowing as well.

"Aster how did you get this?"

"My dad gave it to me," he replied, sitting down next to her. "A week before he was taken from me actually. He found it on an archeological trip in the Great White Mountains. It goes without saying that finding that artifact was a blessing in disguise. Or...Destiny, if you're feeling dramatic. See, I was born with heart problems. Ever since I was born, it's been an endless struggle to survive. Needless to say, dad got rid of my heart and replaced it with the relic he found in the mountains. The Heart of HEROES is a powerful artifact that allows me to be intuned with the life force of the Destiny HEROES in their world of Dark City. The one who wields the power of this artifact can call upon an army unlike any other." He chuckled proudly. "My D-HEROES can kick some pretty serious ass as you no doubt have seen. But it comes at a price. It slowly consumes its host."

Francesca gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. "How have you stayed alive for so long?"

"I can answer that," Destiny HERO Double Dude said, coming out of a vortex of shadow. "My brethren and I love the boy very much. As much as I hate being sentimental, we've grown awfully fond of the boy. His father is the one who made us into cards for this game you call Duel Monsters. Might I add, we are very proud of this. We have some pretty neat effects." He coughed into his fist. "But I ramble again. As a result of my meticulous study in the realm of alchemy, devised an elixir for Aster once the Heart of HEROES started taking its toll on him. Sadly, I'm afraid to say, it's only stalling the side-effects. Soon, not even the elixirs will work. If Aster doesn't find 'him' soon, he will surely die."

"Him who?" Francesca asked.

"The Heart of HEROES is just one half of the artifact," Double Dude explained. "The key to making it work without any pain or poison for Aster is a Destiny HERO by the name of Plasma. Without his influence, the Heart of HEROES is nothing but a curse."

Aster coughed. "Thanks a lot."

"We do what we can," said Double Dude. "That's what you get for playing with Shadow Magic so arrogantly."

"Do you think there's a way we can find Plasma?" Francesca asked. "Maybe find a way to save Aster?"

"I don't know," said Double Dude, adjusting his glasses. "Plasma was the most stubborn of our order. If he refuses to be found, he can make it so. We have searched for him for years, but there's not a trace of him. Unless he finds it in his heart to show up, I fear Aster will be dead in seventy-two hours."

Aster expelled his frustration with a heavy sigh and slapped both palms over his eyes. "Well, that's just great. I was looking forward to facing Prince Yuri in Duelist Academy. Looks like I better buy myself a tombstone."

"There is a chance we could find Plasma," said Double Dude. "It's a rather small one, though. But I sense his presence somewhere in this city."

"You sure it's even him?" Aster asked.

"Oh, yes. I know that monster's aura anywhere. I would have mentioned it to you earlier, Aster, but the aura is rather weak. I didn't want to get your hopes up as that would quicken the pace of your condition."

"It's better than nothing," said Aster. "At least we have a lead."

"But we don't know where to start looking. As I said, Aster, he could be anywhere. And the Aura is weak because he jumps between worlds whenever he feels like it. He could be five feet in front of you one second, then five leagues away the next. It's hard to keep tabs on him."

"It doesn't matter," Aster said, trying to smile through the pain in his arm. "That aura you feel. It's him! He's here! Something out there is luring him to this city and we're gonna find him!"

"Assuming the Gremlin's goons and those mercenaries from DracoTEK don't get to you first," said Double Dude.

"Who is this Gremlin I keep hearing about?" Francesca asked. She used her foot to scoot a pile of twigs and leaves in front of Aster then lit them on fire with a snap of her fingers. Though it was small, Aster felt as though he were in front of a sauna.

"Thanks," Aster said, shivering. "Thelonius Masterson Chesterfield IV. Better known by his nickname 'The Gremlin'. A name well deserved, cuz he is short and butt-fucking ugly." Aster smiled and crossed his arms over his chest. "That was my bad. Destiny HERO Dangerous slashed him across the face and forever scarred his so-called 'pretty mug'. He's arguably Domino City's most ruthless crime lord, who specializes in selling weapons in the black market, mainly ones from Earth. And, provided he gets his slice of the pie, he finances dozens of the most notorious criminal gangs here in Domino, one of them being the Aeons, who recently kidnapped Princess Rhodes."

"He sounds well connected," Francesca said, scratching her leg with the heel of her left boot. Then she laughed. "And no wonder he has it out for you."

Aster scoffed. "No. As much as he's after me for revenge, he really wants my heart."

Francesca's smile faded. "You mean he knows?"

"Yeah. Apparently. I don't know who gave him that info, but my life has been hell ever since he found out. If he gets his hands on my heart, there's going to be no stopping him. I have to find Plasma."

"Can't the HEROES just choose not to fight him?" Francesca asked.

"We cannot," said Double Dude. "Once someone puts on the Heart of HEROES, we are bound to them in a blood contract. Yes, the artifact will slowly kill the fat bastard, but with our power, he could build an unbeatable empire that could plunge this city into even more chaos. And things are bad enough as it is with those Yeyu bastards taking office."

"That makes sense," Francesca said with a shiver. "We must make sure that doesn't happen." She snapped her fingers. "Oh! I heard something about DracoTEK wanting to use you as a lab rat. Whoever hired them must know about the Heart as well."

"Not surprised," said Aster. "Remember, Gremlin has info about me. He could sell it to anyone he wants. Every goon in his payroll is running around Domino looking for me tonight."

"We're going to have to lay low for a while, babe," Francesca got up from the boulder and strutted towards the gate Ultimate Tyranno destroyed. "Now is not the time for heroics. You are in no shape to fight. Besides, I think your friend Hassleberry has everything covered."

"But what the hell is he doing here?" Aster wondered. "Last I heard, he was in Feldia aiding the Princesses of House Delago with a coup."

"The coup was won," said Double Dude. "My young master, you should read the papers a little more."

"I hate the news," Aster grumbled. "Come on, let's go find him. Maybe he'll keep us off our backs."

"No, you're not well enough!" Francesca said, grabbing him by the arm. "I have a safe house where you can rest. I'll go look for Hassleberry and then head to your place to get your gear."

"I can't sleep now," Aster said. "Last I checked, I have seventy-two hours left to live."

"Lack of sleep is going to shorten that time!" snapped Francesca. "Come on! Do you want to find Plasma or not?"

"She does have a point, sir," said Double Dude. "You are not boding so well. And your temperature is dropping. We must get you to shelter immediately."

Aster kicked a pebble away. "Fine. We'll go. But just for a couple of hours." He was about to get up, but he stopped when he saw something slithering in the skies above. "What in the hell is that?" he wondered.

Francesca backed away in fear. "I don't know, but it's coming right towards us, dude!" She held up her palms, ready to cast a few spells to shoot it down.

"Wait, hold on!" Aster cried out, jumping in front of her and holding out his arm. "I think I know what that is!"

The thing close enough for him to realize it was a Cyber Dragon. It was smaller than his other models and had wings, orb patterns, and bright green eyes. The small Cyber Dragon landed in front of them. It was seventeen-feet tall; possibly the smallest in Zane's fleet. Still, it was large enough to not be trifled with. Aster stepped forward, and as soon as he did, a compartment opened in the Cyber Dragon's chest. A wrist-mounted computer, headpiece came out of the compartment.

"Cool," said Aster. He took the treasures and put them on.

The headpiece let out a soft jingle to show it had activated, then formed a HUD over his eye. The computer he put on his wrist turned on. After staring at the Truesdale Enterprises logo for a few seconds, he saw an image of a blonde girl with dark blue highlights sitting in her room while eating a bowl of ramen noodles. At once, Aster recognized her as Kara Kestrel. She was clad in a white t-shirt with sky blue sleeves. The front of the shirt had the numbers 01. She sat on her chair crisscrossed.

She blew on the bowl to cool down her food and looked up. She went red in the face, feeling foolish when she realized she was live on the camera feed. "Oh! It's on! Can you see me?" Kara asked, adjusting her cam.

Aster nodded."Yeah. So you're what Zane's engineer looks like. You're kinda cute."

Kara laughed. "Thanks, I guess. That's flattering coming from a former TDF Champion. So. You're in a bit of a pickle from what I understand."

"You can say that."

"Zane and I learned about DracoTEK's activities in Domino. While he would gladly like to come over and help, I'm afraid he's got his hands full with the leaker who identified and exposed him as the Cyber Knight."

"I saw him make the announcement last week," said Aster. "But it looks like it's done more good than harm. Everyone in Domino celebrates him as a tights-and-cape hero."

"Well, publicly, it's done wonders for him. But legally, not so much. Now that everyone knows he's been producing cybernetic weapons, they want their hands on his technology. The military got burned in the Senate hearing but I doubt that's the last we're going to see of them. Anyways, these DracoTEK guys are in Domino looking for you."

"I know that. I've had run-ins with them all night."

"Oh. Wow, I didn't know things were heating up that badly. But listen, I can be your eyes in the sky for as long as you need me. Zane is worried about your condition and sends you this Cyber Dragon to aid you in battle. That way, you won't have to call out on the Destiny HEROES as much. His name is Nachster. Consider it your early Christmas gift."

"I appreciate it," said Aster. "I guess this is his way of putting water under the bridge for beating him."

Kara wagged her finger sternly. "Hey, I wouldn't bring up that Duel anymore, kiddo. Zane was rather leery about giving you one of his Cyber Dragons. Well, I guess not give, per se. Maybe borrow is the better word. He wants it back as soon as your business with DracoTEK is concluded. Or when you run out of time and the Heart of HEROES kills you. If it does, Nachster will expel it from your chest and hand it over to us for safekeeping."

Aster scoffed. "Wow. I just know I can always count on you guys," he said sarcastically.

"What do you plan on doing now?" Kara asked. She started slurping on some noddles.

"I'm here with the Fantastical Francesca. She's going to offer me a place to say so I can rest. I guess I should take a break."

"Where's it at?" Kara asked.

"Where's your safehouse at?" Aster asked, looking back at Francesca.

"I'll mark it on your map," said Francesca. She typed the directions on the GPS, although it proved rather difficult with her long fingernails. "Ah, finally. There you go."

Kara slid on her chair to the next screen. "Freemont Street. That's not good. You guys are gonna have a hell of a time getting through to that place. DracoTEK set up checkpoints on every part of the Prince Michael Freeway. A while ago, I just tapped into their coms. Get this, one Commander Ravenheart is down their overseeing the operation himself. Keep a low profile, guys. Zane and I have had run-ins with him before. He's dangerous. When DracoTEK wants something you have, they're going to take it. And they're not known for asking politely. That's why Zane offered to help you when he learned they were after you."

Aster nodded. "Understood. Can you dig up any info on these guys? Why are they so interested in me all of a sudden? Do they know about the Heart of HEROES? If so, who told them?"

"We're betting it's that weapons dealer, the Gremlin!" said Francesca.

Kara nodded her head. "Yeah, I've heard of him. Zane toppled tons of his operations in the last few months. But him being involved with DracoTEK is not a probability. He's the one who put up that bounty to find you, Aster. So why in the hell would he want DracoTEK involved if they want to take it for themselves?"

"She raises a good point," said Aster. "But we've also gotta consider maybe DracoTEK went back on the deal and want the Heart all to their own. And that guy in the coat. He said his troops were in on the bounty, too."

Kara rolled her eyes and scoffed. "They're mercenaries, of course, they are. I wouldn't look into that." She tapped her bottom lip. "Aster, you said you ran into a guy in a coat from DracoTek."

"Yeah."

Kara squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath. "Shit."

"Something I should know?"

"No. Not until I paint a clearer picture of this. If you want to get to that safe house, this is the best route to take. Be careful guys."

"Hold on," Aster said before she cut the feed. "Do you have any info on a giant dinosaur walking around the city? Or the name Hassleberry?"

"Yeah. That name popped up more than once. Whoever that guy is, he has DracoTEK operators spooked. I have reports about a ghost hunting them in the streets. Before they can fight back, he vanishes and then some big monster devours the squad."

Aster chuckled. "That Hassleberry sure is kicking some serious ass."

"It's nothing to celebrate about. Commander Ravenheart is calling in reinforcements from their headquarters in the Cerulean District. The Crystal. An addition fifteen-hundred troops are on their way."

Francesca gasped. "Fifteen hundred? Goddesses, that's an army! How are they able to pull this off? This isn't legal."

"With the likes of Emerald Fire in the Senate and most of the congressional districts, I don't know what the hell is legal anymore," said Kara. "I can tell big stacks of Royal Notes were given around. Hmph, a fat Christmas bonus if I ever saw one. Trust me, I'm gonna find out who gave it out. Once I do, I'll fill you in. Maybe then we can figure out who the hell wants to cut up Aster so bad. I suggest finding your buddy Hassleberry first before putting your feet up."

"Why?" Francesca asked. "Aster needs to rest."

"I understand. But so long as he and his Ultimate Tyranno are out there on a rampage, they're going to make things hard on all of you. His last known sighting was here, near the statue of Norman the Conqueror in the Clock Plaza. It's not far from your safe house, so take advantage of that while you can."

"I really appreciate this, Kara," said Aster. "Tell Zane I said thanks. And Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas. Be careful guys. Stay on the route I made for you. Good luck."