Chapter 27: Shadows of the Past
Dueling is Magic!
Many Futures
Chapter 27
Shadows of the Past
/*********************\
Three figures knelt down. A shadow stood silhouetted against the tall window behind his desk. He gazed out at the city. The sun was rising, its warm light playing across his face.
“Aporia,” said the figure, “you first. Report.”
“The invasion was a failure,” said Aporia. “None of the injured were taken, and my front army was beaten, as was I.”
“Who defeated you?” the Black King asked.
“The unicorn, Twilight Sparkle.”
“You underestimated her, didn’t you?”
“I did. She had only defeated me the first time because of Leo and Sherry. I thought I would be victorious this time as it was just her, but I was mistaken. You were right; she is very strong. I will not underestimate her or her friends again.”
“I should hope not. Antinomy, what of your mission?”
“Crow sought out Paradox instead of Jack,” Antinomy said. “I suspect he was seeking information.”
“Information about what?”
“Does it really need saying, Highness?”
“I suppose not. Where is he now?”
“He is probably going to find Jack, or else wait for him to show up himself.”
“And Paradox?”
“He is still operating on his own. He knows that I am tailing him and goes out of his way to avoid me or outrun me. I cannot force him into Turbo Duels either. The firewall in his D-Wheel’s computer is too strong, and is constantly changing. I will have to challenge him, and he will have to accept.”
“Very well. Sayer, what about your proposed mission? How did it fare?”
“I have reason to believe that my troops were captured,” said Sayer. “As for myself, I fought two duelists, both of them from among our visitors.”
“The dragon and pegasus?” the Black King asked.
“No,” Sayer replied. “The dragon, yes, but the other duelist was a white unicorn that he referred to as ‘Rarity’.”
“So she can duel now as well,” muttered the dark figure. “How did the duel go?”
“I threw the match,” Sayer said simply. “But that was enough to deliver the message. Aki will confront me in the future. I will defeat her and bring her to our side then.”
“You had better,” said the Black King. “You are dismissed.” Sayer and Antinomy stood and left the room. Aporia, however, remained kneeling.
“Sire,” said Aporia, “if I may be so bold, what is our endgame? What is the goal of all this?”
The man turned from the window and looked upon his general. “That is sensitive information you’re asking for, Aporia,” he said. “You have been defeated by Twilight Sparkle twice now. I have no doubt that you will grow stronger from this latest defeat, but so will she. If you were to lose, she and the others might be able to extract that information from you.”
“I will not lose to her again, Highness,” Aporia answered. “And if that happens, I will delete the information from my memory banks, but I will still know that I was not fighting for the sake of mere conquest. My previous incarnations never fought for so petty a goal. I wish only to know that my battles are the same.”
“Very well,” the Black King sighed. “I suppose it’s only fair that I tell you. Find Antinomy. Both of you are to meet me at the primary Momentum control station.”
“What of Sayer?” Aporia asked.
“He is not an android like you, and he is unpredictable and selfish. I don’t believe I can trust him with this.”
“As you say, Highness.” Aporia stood and left. As the door clicked shut behind the android, the Black King heard a hissing groan.
“Informing your generals of our plans could prove fatal,” came a deep voice.
“They are my friends,” replied the man. “They have a right to know.”
“You have no need of friends now,” the voice growled. “Friendship will not save your race from extinction. Only I can do that.”
“It’s not as though you’ve told me everything either.”
“This is true. But I do not need to tell you everything. It is only required that I tell you what you need to know to perform the tasks that I give you.”
“If I’m going to help you save humanity, then you should tell me how you plan to do that. Reversing Momentum was only the start, wasn’t it?”
“It was, yes.”
“Then what’s next?”
“Next, I return.”
*****
Antinomy and Aporia were waiting for him when he arrived. So was Sayer.
“What are you doing here?” asked the Black King.
“I could ask you three the same thing,” the man replied. “Having a little get-together without including me? I’m hurt, Majesty.”
“Leave. Now.”
“You need me to get to Aki. But I will refuse if you don’t start letting me in on your little secrets. What do you say?”
The Black King snorted behind his mask. “Your funeral,” he said. He walked past his three generals and sat in the center chair at the console. His fingers flew across the keyboard, and he then turned a dial very slowly.
The dark light of Momentum flashed faster as the core of the reactor gathered speed. A groaning hiss echoed throughout the room. It whispered a single word.
“Darkness...”
“What is that?” said Sayer. “What in the world is that?”
“That is the voice of humanity’s savior,” said the Black King. A skeletal face appeared in the glass of the reactor behind him. “Its name is Nightshroud.”
“Nightshroud?” repeated Antinomy.
“Yes.” The Black King turned to face his generals. “Nightshroud once attempted to replace our world with its own, and unite all of humanity into a single being. I am going to help it try again. As you know, Momentum can be used to generate portals through time and space. But it must be spinning at a specific frequency in order for this to work. What’s more, it must be spinning in reverse. The Earthbound Immortal and Ark Cradle incidents proved this to me.”
“With all due respect, Sire,” said Aporia, “each time Momentum has spun in reverse, it has caused massive devastation.”
“That is because it spun out of control,” the Black King answered. “I have worked out how to control it. Negative Momentum energy is generated while the reactor is spinning in reverse. This energy could travel along the power lines we used to distribute energy to the city, but it is highly destructive and corrodes the lines easily. As they become impassable, the energy builds up inside the reactor itself until it breaks out. This is what caused Zero Reverse over two decades ago.
“But by using the Fortune Network, and the recently developed Negative Transfer Cables, I can spread the load across all reactors in the network. At the same time, I can prepare to open portals to Nightshroud’s world all over the planet. Instead of a gradual replacement as before, the World of Darkness will flood the planet almost instantly.”
The Black King turned the dial again and the face in the glass vanished.
“Humanity will be united in the World of Darkness, sharing all emotions and understanding. It will be a silent existence, but we will survive. And maybe we can find a way to control Momentum and prevent it from going berserk ever again.”
The Black King walked past the three men. “Energy is building in Momentum all over the world,” he said. “I have asked you to attack the resistance in order to buy me the time I need to open the portals. The resistance is still unbalanced, but the ponies will help them recover quickly. They’ll eventually come here.”
“Then we should strike again!” said Aporia.
“No. Not yet. Our goal for now is to keep them busy. The reactor will be ready soon, and then it won’t matter if they come here or not. Even if they do, fighting us will only create more energy for the portal to use. We’re on the defensive now, so we must stop them from coming here until we’re ready for them.”
The Black King left the room.
*****
“And just where are you off to?”
Sayer turned from the open car door to the source of the voice behind him. Aporia stood a short distance away.
“I’m going out,” said Sayer. “Is that such a crime?”
“You’re up to something,” Aporia said. “I’d like to know what.”
“We all have our secrets, android. I’d like to keep mine to myself.”
“Your first duty is to the Black King. Does he know where you’re going?”
“If I told you that he did, would you believe me?”
“Not likely.”
“Then no, he does not. And he doesn’t need to know. I do what I want, and the Black King allows it. It’s not as though he has much of a choice. He needs me for his plans and he knows it.”
“All the more reason he should know what you’re up to.”
“You won’t stop me, android. And neither will he.”
Sayer smiled and stepped into the car. “Tell the Black King that I’m going out if you like. It really doesn’t matter to me.” With that, he closed the door and revved the car’s engine, then peeled out of the garage.
*****
Sayer’s fingers tapped away at the public Card Database terminal in the city library. The card he was searching for was well known in the Turbo Duel circuits as a signature of Jack Atlas. A Speed Spell. He eventually found it.
“End of the Storm,” he muttered. The effect was of no consequence to him. The art was what mattered. That face... he knew he had seen it before. Nightshroud’s legacy lived on. He began a new search, this time for any information regarding that picture.
He found it. An obscure little article in the Weekly Duel.
Rumors abound that the creature in the artwork of this card was related to the mysterious World Blackout more than twenty years ago, in which people all over the world found themselves awakening wherever they were last. Many seemed to recall strange nightmares. Most could only remember intense feelings of failure.
A group of graduate students from the central branch of Duel Academy claimed that the responsible party was a being called “Nightshroud”, and that it was also responsible for the Abandoned Dorm Incident, wherein every student that resided in the first Obelisk Blue Dorm had vanished without a trace. The dorm building was abandoned and fell into disrepair; the school claimed that the students had been studying abroad, but most of them say that this is not true, but have no memory of the time during their absence. One student who disappeared from the dorm, Yusuke Fujiwara, insists that Nightshroud was the power behind these events, but claims responsibility for unleashing it on the world. When asked, he refused to elaborate, saying only that, “No one should have anything to do with Nightshroud.”
With the commission of the D-Wheel by Industrial Illusions (I2) and its creation by their partner company KaibaCorporation, many cards in the new Speed Spell series were quickly printed to keep pace with the surprisingly high demand and popularity of Turbo Duels. The premier designer of these cards was Chumley Huffington, a former Duel Academy student and personal protégé of Maximillion Pegasus. In an interview, Huffington told the Weekly Duel that it was his friend Jaden Yuki’s story of Nightshroud that inspired this card.
Jaden Yuki could not be reached for comment. To this day, his whereabouts remain a mystery. His disappearance mirrors that of the King of Games, Yugi Muto, four years prior to the World Blackout.
Sayer leaned back in his chair. “Now I know that the creature is real,” he said. “I need to know more about this thing.”
*****
Sayer’s flashlight shone through the empty shelves. It was plain to see that the underground library at the Goodwin estate had been stripped bare, probably by the resistance movement. If there had been any information on Nightshroud, it was now in the hands of the rebels.
“Then it seems my options are limited,” Sayer said to himself. “Perhaps it’s time I payed Aki that visit.”
*****
Rarity was looking over her deck in the cafeteria. She had yet to really study any of her new cards. Though her pride wouldn’t let her say it out loud, she had a nagging feeling that she shouldn’t have won against Sayer.
“There you are!” came a voice. Rarity looked up from the cards that were scattered about the table. Aki approached her. “Do you mind if I sit down? Spike said I needed to talk to you about your duel.”
“Aki! Of course, please, have a seat,” said Rarity. “Don’t mind the mess, I’m simply trying to learn about these cards.”
“Well, it seems like you have much of it settled already,” said Aki. “I studied a lot of cards while I was in Team 5D’s with Yusei and the others. You seem like you’ve worked out a lot of the patterns already. But did you know about this?” Aki took two of the Fusion Monsters, “Gem-Knight Aquamarine” and “Gem-Knight Amethyst”.
“You can use these cards with each other to clear your opponent’s field easily,” Aki said. “If you fused one into the other, its effect will activate.”
“I hadn’t thought about that!” said Rarity. “Thank you, Aki! I think I’ll have this deck mastered in no time! Now, you said Spike sent you?”
“Yes. He said that there was something bugging him about a duel the two of you had.”
“So I’m not the only one,” Rarity said. “You’re right, something seems off about it. We won, but... well, I don’t think we should have. You see our opponent still had one face-down card when I attacked him. I don’t quite understand how it could have helped, but he told me to show it to you.”
A card appeared in front of Aki. She took it and gasped. “Rarity,” she said, “can you tell me what the duel looked like on the last turn?”
“I think so,” Rarity said with a nod. “Let’s see... Spike and I had sixteen hundred Life Points, and the man we fought had the same. He also had a Synchro Monster on the field called... oh, what was it? ‘HTS Psyhemuth’. And he’d used a monster called ‘Psychic Snail’ to give it the ability to attack twice.”
“How did you win?” Aki asked.
“Well, first I destroyed his Synchro Monster. He took five hundred damage from the battle. After that, I used Gem-Knight Ruby to inflict thirteen hundred points of piercing damage to win the game.”
“That’s what I thought. Rarity, this card is called ‘Psi-Curse’. If a Psychic-Type monster is destroyed by an attack, the attacking monster is destroyed, and you would have taken three hundred points of damage multiplied by the destroyed Psychic-Type monster’s Level.”
“The Synchro was a Level Six monster,” said Rarity. “If Sayer had used that Trap Card, we would have lost...”
“Wait! Did you say ‘Sayer’?” said Aki.
“Yes, I did,” said Rarity, puzzled. “Actually, he told us to show you that card once everything was over.”
“I can’t believe it... Sayer’s alive...” Aki looked up at Rarity. “He must have let you and Spike win in order to get my attention. I don’t know why. But you have to listen to me. That man is dangerous. If you or any of your friends see him again, run. Just run.”
“I know how dangerous he is Aki,” said Rarity. “He made real much of the damage he inflicted on Spike and myself. I’m still bruised in places.”
“Rarity, I’m serious! You cannot fight him again! Just leave him to me. He’s my responsibility.”
“Aki, dear, I understand that this is a serious matter, but I get the feeling that there’s something you’re not telling me, something that happened between you two.”
Aki averted her gaze.
“Darling, tell me about it. What did he do?”
Tears welled up in Aki’s eyes.
/*********************\
Next time on Dueling is Magic! Many Futures
The invasion of the resistance base has been repelled and Twilight has awakened. To celebrate, Pinkie Pie organizes an enormous party with the help of Yeager and the twins. Jack, however, has had enough of frivolity and hiding and thinks it’s time to strike back instead of celebrating barely-won victories. As the argument becomes heated, Jack’s temper reaches a breaking point...
Chapter 28
The Fallen King - Rage of Jack Atlas!
/*********************\
Featured Card
Psi-Curse
TRAP
Normal Trap Card
Activate only when a face-up Psychic-Type monster you control is destroyed by battle with an opponent's attacking monster and sent to the Graveyard. Destroy the attacking monster, and inflict damage to your opponent equal to the Level of your destroyed Psychic-Type monster × 300.
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3767703 In a word: Information.
Is it thing that he said about having past incarnations...but i doubt it as this is his third one considering
3767984 No, it's not that. Everybody knows that this is his third time around. He was blown up by Yusei at the end of the WRGP, then got his butt whooped by Jack and the Twins, then used up the last of his energy earning another sound butt-kicking from his boss (Z-one).
Here's another hint: It's one word.
3768059 I was thinking the kuriboh thing, but you said it wasn't that.
Then I thought the "The black king would gain from your recruitment" line was it, but you said it was one word just now.
Damn it.
Lots of facts this chapter, and thanks for the tip with the Gem Knights, must confess I'd never thought of that either.
So in the end, both Yugi and Jaden just up and vanished, no note, no hint, nothing? Well, that's very odd, does this fact play any role in the grand scheme of things at all?
As for Aporia, I can only assume it's either endgame or conquest. Those are the only things that jump out at me, that you haven't shot down yet.
3770804 Neither.
3770984 WHAT?!?!
Now I'm afraid you completly thown me.
for some reason, this sounds a bit familiar... heh. maybe i'm trying to tie it too much. and maybe i'm crazy.
but something i know, is that the Supreme King/Jaden couldn't have died or disappear just like that. and i bet he will have something to do with this...
also, Nightshroud. i Hate that guy.
3789186 Let me guess the identity of the Black King?
3789204 Possibly. Like I said in the comments on the latest chapter, you guys have until Chapter 28 to figure out what the clue is.
3789229 What exactly is the information that the clue would point to? Not asking for what the clue itself but what it is a clue for.
3789253 It will point to the identity of the Black King. That's what this whole mystery has been about, hasn't it?
3789366 Have you said what chapter the clue is in and if so can you repeat it?
3789398 The clue shows up in the two latest chapters.