Slifer Dorm: Jaden & Chumley's Room, Night…
Jaden was in his dorm room with Chumley and Raynos. It had been decided everyone would fill in their dormmates of the group when it came to the Shadow Riders.
"…So, that's what it's all about." Jaden finished, running his finger along his key, "Now, I just wait."
"Aren't you scared?" Chumley asked. "I mean, no matter how strong anyone has gotten this year, it's still a bunch of creepy shadow guys looking to beat you in a bid to destroy the world."
"Sounds pretty intense." Raynos sat back. "Wish I was picked, but it looks like staying back had more in the way of consequences than I thought."
"It is intense, though also exhausting." Jaden let out a long yawn. "I think I'm going to hit the hay."
"You can't go to sleep now." Chumley pointed out. "If a Shadow Rider shows up, you'd be a sitting duck."
"They can't take the key without a duel, so I'm sure they'd wake me." Jaden shrugged before putting his arms behind his head. "I only hope it's not before ten. Nah, make that eleven. You know, time for a shower and stuff."
"You sure are chill about this." Chumley stated.
"No wait…" Jaden sat up, "Better make it twelve, so I can eat breakfast too."
"Right…Well, I think I'll be heading to my dorm room." Raynos stood. "Night guys."
"Night Raynos." Jaden called out, as the guy left. "Now Chum, let's get settled in."
Chumley watched as the elemental hero user moved to enter his bed. "At least he'll be well rested."
Ra Dorm: Bastion's Room
Kai, Bastion, and Dimitri decided it'd be easier to tell Topher and Greg at the same time, naturally resulting in the war challenger and dragon users spending the night at the Ra dorm. Currently, the five boys were within Bastion's room.
"…As the chancellor theorizes, one of the Shadow Riders may very well be on the island as we speak." Bastion stated.
"Given it was felt the best was needed, I imagine this isn't going to be a walk in the park." Kai added.
"Even with all the things that have happened on this island, can't say I expected something quite this big." Greg noted, casting a glance at the keys the three bearers wore. "Looks like Dimitri's performance in the School Duel put him above me…"
Greg knew well enough these duels the key bearers would be involved in wouldn't be a mere game. It was this very understanding that made him want to step up, as they were now. He wanted the capacity to help his friends in this war.
Though, it sounded like the Shadow Riders wouldn't duel him if he attempted to find them. Without a key, they wouldn't have much of a reason to engage with him. While this certainly wasn't about him, the gladiator beast user couldn't deny frustration at the situation.
"For what skills I do have with the game, can all I really do is stand on the sideline to cheer those with a key on?" Greg pondered. "Will I just be relegated to potentially watching my friends fall in a war I can seemingly have no bearing on?"
"Everything will work out." Dimitri declared, just as relaxed about this whole situation as Jaden was. "While unable to take on the best in the world, we still got plenty of skills between the seven of us." He nodded. "I'm positive we can handle this."
"While I won't deny the skill of those chosen, I can't deny a sense of frustration myself." Topher voiced, drawing primarily Greg's attention. "It's not to say I think you seven are lacking, but I for one would hope to do more than being relegated to the sidelines."
"I didn't think someone would feel the same." Greg admitted, now feeling a bit foolish for attempting to keep such things contained.
"Well, there's no telling how this will all play out." Kai assured the pair. "Sheppard calls this a war, and those can be rather messy. All I'm saying is, I wouldn't slack off on your decks."
"Well put Kai." Bastion nodded. "Though do not overlook the importance of your roles outside the potential trouble a war can bring. While none of us should lower our guards, it would not do well to be high strung all throughout these trying times."
"I hear that." Dimitri nodded. "Down time will be important, not to mention the best in the world draw strength from those around them. While you two may wish to help more, it may never come, but that doesn't mean what you will provide won't matter."
Their assurances did a lot in lessening the pair's frustrations.
Obelisk Female Dorm: Alexis' Room
Alexis was telling Mindy, Jasmine, and Sadie about her duty to protect the keys. "…And that's the story of why I need to be on the lookout for these Shadow Riders."
"So cool!" Mindy gushed. "Finally, a chance to show off why you're the Queen of the Obelisks!"
"Don't forget this is dangerous, Mindy." Jasmine voiced, trying to be sensible about the ordeal.
"Jasmine is right, Mindy." Alexis nodded. "If I lose, I could end up losing more than this key, and the others are in just as much danger."
"For the most part, it's our group who's in this." Sadie declared. "Seeing what many of you who got keys accomplished, I bet any of those Shadow Riders who come here will be kicked off just as quick."
"Among the key bearers are Zane and Kai, who proved themselves the strongest on the island." Jasmine nodded. "With them as key bearers, there's no way the world is doomed."
"Even with those two, we shouldn't take this lightly." Alexis looked out her window. "Seven unknown duelists, no telling how strong they'll be…"
Sheppard's Office: Day…
Rumors of a vampire being spotted on the island were spreading, catching the attention of every key bearer. Given said rumors, there was a general guess each could make as to why Sheppard called them into his office, and it was quickly confirmed.
"I'm afraid the rumors may not be rumors after all." Sheppard stated.
"Given some of the things seen on this island, coupled with the history of duel monsters and what you heard of the King of Games time…" Crowler shook his head, unable to deny at least the possibility of such things being true.
"Do you think she might be a Shadow Rider?" Zane asked.
"If she is, that's quite the opening statement from them." Kai noted.
"She might be." Sheppard voiced. "Now listen, be on the lookout for anything strange."
All seven key bearers nodded.
Academy Island
With potentially the first Shadow Rider on the island, vampire or no, all seven key bearers worked on their decks. As they did, no one noticed as bats watched over them. Eventually each one would end up flying away.
Sheppard's Office: Night…
That night, the seven key bearers met back up with Sheppard.
"I searched the whole campus, all day, yet never once saw a vampire." Kai informed.
"If anything from mythology is to be believed, don't they come out at night?" Dimitri asked.
"Vampire!" Chumley yelled, rushing into the room and drawing everyone's attention. "I saw her at the lake."
That certainly got the key bearers moving.
Lake
All seven key bearers followed Chumley to the lake where a red carpet was rolled out across it.
"Check it out." Jaden grinned. "Looks like she's rolling out the red carpet."
"Crimson red." Zane noted. "How fitting."
Camula rode in atop a boat, her bats swarming around her, before stepping on the carpet to stroll her way up to the group.
"If she's the first…/I'll take…" Jaden/Dimitri spoke at the same time, attempting to step forward.
Crolwer held out both his arms to stop the pair, and without looking back at them, stepped forward himself. "If you are a Shadow Rider, then I am your opponent."
As Crowler stopped across from Camula, she was unsatisfied. "I do not think so…" Her eyes shifted to Zane. "…for I crave another." She then ordained to speak to her present challenger. "You are unworthy."
"What you think has nothing to do with this." Crowler declared firmly. "These are my students, and no one shall take their shot at them without going through me."
"Well, if you are that eager to lose your key, you may duel me." Camula bowed lightly. "Camula, Vampire Mistress of the Shadow Riders." She held up a little doll. "Should you lose, this little doll shall house your soul."
"We were warned you Shadow Riders may claim more than our keys, so this is hardly surprising." Crolwer returned.
"We'll see how you feel later." Camula declared. "For now, we shall get to it."
"Let's Duel!"
(Crowler 4000/Camula 4000)
"Let us see what you are really made of." Camula drew. "I shall start with my continuous spell, Vampire's Domain." A red moon rose over the field. "One of this card's effects allows me to pay 500 life points to normal summon an additional vampire monster this turn.
That is a cost I will gladly pay this turn." (Crowler 4000/Camula 3500). "Now, I shall normal summon Vampire Sorcerer(LV 4/1500/1500)." A vampire in sorcerer's attire appeared. "Per the effect of Doman, I shall summon Vampire Ghost(LV 3/1500/0)."
A ghostly vampire in a hooded cloak appeared, via the red moon shimmering. "Through being normal summoned, he lets me send any vampire from my field or hand to the grave." She took a card from her hand and discarded it.
"Then, I can add any Level 4 or higher Vampire I wish from my deck to my hand. As I've done this, I am now required to send any Level 2 or lower vampire from my deck to the grave." Another card popped out which she discarded. "I shall then end my turn."
"Someone knows how to execute their plays; however, lowering one's life points is hardly a sound strategy against an opponent like me." Crowler drew. "I shall start by summoning my Ancient Gear Hunting Hound(LV 3/1000/1000)."
A hound made from ancient technology appeared. "This monster shall aid me first by doing 600 life points of damage." Hunting Hound lunged past the monsters to bite Camula's arm, making her wince just slightly (Crowler 4000/Camula 2900).
"Now, my hound can act as Polymerization for Ancient Gear monsters. On that note, I combine my one hound on the field with the two in my hand. The fury of the past takes on the form of a raging beast. Fusion summon Tripple Ancient Gear Hunting Hound(LV 7/1800/1000)."
A three headed hound made from ancient technology appeared on Crowler's field. "This impressive creation can make up to three attacks on any opposing monsters, so let's wipe the field of your vampires!"
The three-way fusion lunged forward, slamming down on the first vampire before then moving onto the second (Crowler 4000/Camula 2300).
"As Sorcerer was sent to the grave by one of your cards, I can now add any dark attributed vampire monster or 1 vampire spell/trap from my deck to my hand." Camula declared, as a card popped out of her deck.
"I see." Crowler nodded. "Well, there is not much I can do about that. I shall merely set one card before ending my turn there."
"My move." Camula drew. "First, I shall once again activate the effect of Domain." (Crowler 4000/Camula 1800). "Now, I activate the effect of Vampire Sorcerer within my grave. By banishing him, I can normal summon any 1 dark attributed vampire I wish without tributing."
"Given she added at minimum 1 monster from her deck through Vampire Ghost, I can imagine that'll be what she summons." Bastion noted.
"I now summon Vampire Voivode(LV 8/2800/2100)." A tall vampire in robes and armor appeared. "Since this card was normal summoned, I can now target up to two monsters within your grave and summon them to my field in defense position."
"From within my grave!?" Crowler exclaimed.
"I summon two of your Ancient Gear Hunting Hounds(LV 3/1000/1000)." Camula declared. "Now, I use them to construct the overlay network. Xyz summon The Zombie Vampire(R 8/O 2/3000/2800)." A variation of Voivode appeared, multiple lances dancing around him.
"Wait, that monster is a rank 8 while the monsters used were level 3." Dimitri declared.
"One of this monster's unique effects is that any monster owned by my opponent can count as a level 8 monster for the purpose of his Xyz summon." Camula answered.
"Her deck operates by paying life points for advantageous effects and utilizing the opponent's monsters to her advantage." Zane noted.
"He is right, as I now activate the other effect of The Zombie Vampire(R 8/O 1/3000/2800)." Camula declared. "By detaching 1 overlay unit, I can force both of us to send the top 4 cards of our decks to the grave. Then, I can special summon any 1 monster my opponent discards."
Both took the top 4 cards of their deck and discarded them, though Crowler revealed his per the effect of The Zombie Vampire. "I would say you can't special summon any monster of mine." He grinned a little. "Ancient Gear Golem and Ultimate Pound don't like that."
Crowler's four cards were: Ancient Gear Golem, Gear Town, Ancient Gear Golem – Ultimate Pound, and Ancient Gear Knight.
Camula frowned at the selection. "I shall take your Ancient Gear Knight(LV 4/1800/500)." A knight made of ancient parts appeared.
"Alright, who knew the stronger Ancient Gears would be such a great counter!" Jaden exclaimed.
"Even though that is the case, ancient Gear Knight is enough to clash with Crowler's only fusion." Kai noted. "That's even if Camula goes the route of doing that to begin with."
"Your stronger monsters may have evaded my Vampires, but your field is still sparse while I have the capacity to normal summon more this turn." Camula declared. "Per Domain, I now normal summon Vampire Lady(LV 4/1550/1550)."
A female vampire in a purple dress appeared. "Now, I have everything I could possibly need to finish you this turn. It all starts with The Zombie Vampire, who shall now destroy your Triple Hunting Hound with Whirlwind Lance!"
The Zombie Vampire's lances rotated around him rapidly before firing into the fusion, destroying it (Crowler 2800/Camula 1800). The following damage from the fusion's destruction was enough to bring the teacher to his knees.
Camula laughed at that. "My vampires pack quite the wallop, wouldn't you say?" Crowler glared defiantly at his opponent. "Now listen dear, you don't have to endure this." She looked at the cyber dragon user. "Stand down, and I shall duel that one in white."
"You hear that, Zane?" Jaden gently elbowed him, though the older Obelisk was impassive over it. "Sound like she's got her eye on you."
Dimitri smirked. "Yeah, as a snack."
"So, how about it?" Camula asked. "Give me your student, and you shall walk free."
"As tempting as your offer is…" Crowler managed to rise back to his feet shakily, though with a look of absolute determination. "I've made my mistakes, never again! You will not lay a finger on my students, do you understand!? I am the leading professor at the most prestigious duel academy in the world! If you want to get at my pupils, you'll have to get through yours truly!"
"Crowler, you can barely stand as is." Alexis called out, as the rest joined her in being worried.
"Don't worry about me, students." Crowler gave them a reassuring smile. "After all, a Shadow Game is nothing I haven't been through before. As far as things go, I still got my deck, some cards in hand, and a trick left up my sleeve."
"Before you try anything, as you wish to continue this duel, the secondary effect of my Vampire's Domain activates." Camula called out. "Each time a vampire monster I control deals damage to you, I gain an equal amount of life points."
Crimson red particles rained down on the vampire (Crowler 2800/Camula 3000).
"How nice for you, though that's all the damage you'll be getting off this turn." Crowler called out. "I activate my face down, Necro Fusion. In exchange for not attacking this turn, which I cannot do anyways, and banishing the materials from my grave, I can now fusion summon.
Thanks to you, I have every material I could need for what I want to bring out. I banish Ancient Gears Triple Hunting Hound, Hunting Hound, Golem, and Golem – Ultimate Pound. I call upon a tremendous power born from the mass of chaos.
Come forth, the ancients ultimate form for destruction. Fusion summon Chaos Ancient Gear Giant(LV 10/4500/3000)." A colossal blue machine with massive cannons down its arms appeared, effortlessly eclipsing everything in the area.
"It's Crowler's Ultimate Fusion…" Alexis marveled.
"As impressive as your Vampire's are, not a one you have on the field can get over this powerful monster." Crowler called out.
"Well, it is a nice move." Camula smirked. "Shame you will not have many more, though for now I merely set two cards before ending my turn."
"You are correct, in that I don't have many more moves left." Crowler drew. "That's simply because my monster shall finish this duel now. My ultimate fusion is unaffected by spells or traps while also having the capacity to attack every monster you control."
"A monster unaffected by spells and traps does not mean such cards are useless." Camula returned. "I activate my face down, Iron Resolve. At the cost of half my life points, I shall no longer take damage this turn."
Camula was shocked, withstanding it as her life points lowered (Crowler 2800/Camula 1500).
"A card like that also ends the Battle Phase, and while my monster is not affected by such cards, it can do little in the way of changing that." Crowler voiced. "As such, I shall set one card of my own before calling my turn."
"My, you were so predictable." Camula laughed as she drew. "Now, it all ends."
"I don't like how she's talking." Kai noted.
"As you shouldn't." Camula smiled. "After all, I know each and every one of your decks."
"How could she possibly know that?" Chumley asked.
"It's a trivial matter when you have a hundred bats spying for you." Camula informed, as a bat landed on her arm. "With this knowledge, I know this is the finale turn. Simply put, all I must do is sacrifice Ancient Gear Knight to now summon Vampire Red Baron(LV 6/2400/1000)."
An armored vampire atop a steed appeared. "By paying 1000 of my life points, Red Baron allows for me to exchange any 1 Vampire monster I control for any 1 monster you control. As you only have one monster, exchanging it with Vampire Lady is a no brainer."
Red energy flowed out of Camula as Red Baron collecting it before holding his lance aloft to release it (Crowler 2800/Camula 500). The energy washed over Vampire Lady and Chaos Ancient Gear Giant, compelling them to switch sides.
"My face down is Ancient Gear Reborn…" Crowler thought before closing his eyes and resolving himself to what would happen, prompting him to now look to the others. "My students, no matter what happens to me, always remember this.
I've made mistakes in my career, and while it took my biggest to correct my course, it was all of you who solidified my change. As such, know with certainty I believe in all of you. You will rise to the occasion where I have failed."
"Don't talk like that." Zane chided.
"This isn't good…" Jaden added.
"Have you finished your final lesson, Crowler?" Camula asked.
"Mock my lessons all you want, Camula." Crowler returned. "In the end, it will be that final lesson which will be your undoing. After all, every other key bearer you see is more skill than I."
"Words which I will immortalize on your tombstone." Camula called out. "Chaos Ancient Gear Giant, destroy Vampire Lady with Chaos Mechanized Melee!"
As Chaos Giant punched down on Vampire Lady, Crowler smiled to the group. "Sorry, but I must leave it to all of you now."
"Dr. Crowler!" All the students yelled.
The fist came down, devastating the vampire monster and with the resulting wave of energy knocking Crowler off his feet as he cried out in agony (Crowler 0/Camula 500).
"His key is mine." Camula declared.
"This can't be happening…" Dimitri stated.
"We can't do a thing about it." Kai shook his head. "This was a Shadow Game."
Camula approached. "One down…" She claimed the key. "…six to go." It then vanished before she looked at the others. "Now children, to take my second prize."
She held out the doll, which glowed with purple energy at the same time as Crowler. Soon enough, the doll looked just like the ancient gear user.
"She took Crowler's soul!" Alexis exclaimed.
"Dolls are pretty, though this one is decidedly not." She tossed the Crowler doll on the ground. "It's garbage now!"
"That's it!" Jaden called out, attempting to step forward only to be stopped. "Zane?"
Camula smiled. "Now, I bid you all farewell."
A castle appeared out on the lake.
"Er, we'll find you!" Dimitri called out.
"When we do, we'll duel you!" Kai added.
"That's precisely what I hope for children." Camula voiced.
She turned into a flock of bats, laughing as she flew to the castle.
After a discussion with Greg's creator, I decided to switch out his role as a key bearer with Dimitri. That said, I am now whipping up a little plot for Greg and Topher. I got something important for those two to do this arc that goes beyond simply taking on the filler characters. Not that there aren't some fun ones, which I still plan on using for those who simply won't fit into the plot duels.
MerlockVonBaron: That would be far too many characters to juggle.
Threebranch: Ah, I got some great stuff planned.
CrimsonRose268: On the subject of characters, everyone is entitled to their favorites. Personally, canon Chazz does appear above Jaden on my list. Though, on the topic of decks, this is the anime we're talking about. Despite Yugi Muto using modern cards, his deck is still a hodge podge of the most archetypes one could cram into a single deck. He is also still number 1 above even this version of Kaiba who pretty much solely uses Blue-Eyes now, with a smidge of his other cards.
Vital Info: As far as the staff is concerned, Syrus did drop out. There are cameras on the island, though the Kaiba brothers and Sheppard aren't the only high-ranking people who have access to those. Not to mention Nightshroud doesn't necessarily have to hang glide onto the island as we later see in the same episode, he seems to have a form of teleportation. Couple all that with the fact we know who Banner is... Well, you can understand they won't know Syrus needs rescue until he reappears.
As we've discussed, I did end up taking the role and giving it to Dimitri. That said, as alluded to above, Greg and Topher will have their part to play in this whole Shadow Rider business. All I need is a little trust. As for the Shadow Riders, I've still made some changes beyond just the inclusion of Syrus. I got some past points to make good on. At this point, with Nightshroud and Camula having appeared, all seven Shadow Riders have been at least mentioned in this story at some point.