Lamia Duelist Chapter 29 (Patreon)

Yugioh Gx parody: Patreon Request

As requested by the poll we'll be skipping the gravekeeper arc and going into the Rise of Beasts Arc

Chapter 28 

Chapter 29 Shadows Rising

It had been a couple weeks since Chazz returned to Duel Academy. He was surprised at the operation going on at the Red Dorm. Things were a lot different then what he was expecting. It wasn’t as bad as he thought things were gonna be. He was introduced to Jaden’s harem, and while surprised, was kinda into the idea.

The crew were chilling out and having fun unaware of the darkness that was lurking behind the scenes.

-x-

“I think we should wait. The boy is still a mystery, he may become a threat to our plans.”

“Have you discovered what he is?”

“No sir…” He had suspicions but couldn’t risk getting too close or get discovered.

“Have you discovered where he obtained his shadow charm?”

“No sir…” His charm was old and his skill with it was on another level.

“Have you discovered any weaknesses that we can exploit?”

“Yes...it seems he has built a form of harem. There are duelists he’s quite close to.”

“So you are not a total failure then.”

“Please sir, his skills are strong, if we rush in carelessly we will lose any chance of obtaining what we seek.” Many of their routes had already been undone. Though that was seen as a failure on his part, as he was to maintain them for the day of battle.

“Silence!” The tone made the shadowy figure flinch. “We can no longer wait, the time is right and our allies have been gathered. Duel Academy’s treasure will soon be ours.”

The call ended. The shadowy figure moved to prepare things on his end.

-x-

“Soldiers, the hunt shall soon begin. Who will lead us into battle?”

“I’ll go!” A tall young man with long brown hair stood up. He was dressed all in black and had a strange mask on his face. A shadow charm pendant was draped over his neck.

“Nightshroud, very good. Show them the terror of the shadows!”

“I’ll bring us victory!” He put on his duel disk. The initial plan was to move through the shadows and invade the academy in full force, but thanks to Jaden’s meddling the Abandoned Dorm was longer viable. He would invade by air, and bring victory to the Shadow Riders.

He took off, riding on his dragon glider.

-x-

A storm began to brew over Duel Academy, heavy rains pelted the island, while thunder boomed on the horizon. The weather did nothing to stop Nightshroud as he sailed over the sea, over the volcano, and landing on the island. He flew using the cover of darkness, only a couple of people noticed his approach.

Alexis and Zane, who weren’t sure what they saw. Sheppard saw Nightshroud and glared. “So they’ve come, just as I was told.” His hand balled into a fist. “A great battle, a war of shadows!”

Nightshroud landed, his glider shifting and catching fire. It was a sign of confidence, no glider means he couldn’t simply escape. He was putting his life and soul on the line, walking the path of either victory or death.

His shadow charm reacted, it glowed. ‘So others here have shadow charms. I will have to add them to my arsenal. One can never have too much power.’

Jaden’s shadow charm responded as did Belowski’s but he was sleeping. “Someone is here!” His eyes flashed gold. ‘He’s strong with the darkness.’ Jaden slipped out, transforming, he made sure to lock the door behind him.

The male lamia slithered and moved, hunting down the source of the malevolent energy.

‘So that’s his secret.’ Nightshroud chuckled. ‘So he’s a lamia, that’s one mystery solved.’ He touched his amulet.

“There!” Jaden attacked with energy snakes, but Nightshroud’s charm glowed and blocked the attack. “Gah!” Jaden shielded his eyes and the shadow rider vanished. “No way...he’s gone!” He couldn’t sense him, which for Jaden was a surprise. ‘No doubt about it, whoever is here has a true shadow charm, and knows how to use it.’

-x-

Syrus and Chumley were having a rough go of it with the storm raging. “Oh man, it sounds nasty…” Boom!” “Gah!” Syrus hid under the covers.

“Oh man how can Jaden sleep with such a racket?”

“Jaden, can I sleep in your bunk?” No answer. “Jaden?” Syrus checked his bunk and found it empty. “He’s gone!”

“Relax Syrus, he probably just had to take a leak, bad timing in this weather.”

“Yeah…” Syrus didn’t want to think badly of Jaden, but strange things kept happening and Jaden seemed ready to face them head on. There was all his stories, the way he talked, the way he was so full of energy. This wasn’t the first time Syrus has woken up in the middle of the night and found Jaden gone. ‘Why do I feel he’s keeping something from me?’

Boom!

“Wah!” he hid under the covers, shaking. ‘Jaden…’

An hour later...

The door opened and Jaden entered, in human form. “It’s really coming down out there.” He took off his soaked clothing, and shook himself off.

“Jaden...you’re back!” His lovers ran over to him and hugged him.

“You guys okay?”

“Yeah, this storm has just been intense!” Chumley scratched the back of his head.

“Well let’s get to sleep, let’s share my bunk.” He held the two close as the trio settled down for the night. Syrus could feel that Jaden was on edge about something, it wasn’t the storm that had him worried, but something lurking in the dark. Little did Jaden know there was something far dangerous lurking beneath Duel Academy.

The next morning…

Jaden and the crew went to class like normal. Belowski was tasked with checking on the abandoned dorm, which was all secure. He had his spirits scouring the whole island, but whoever this guy was he had completely hidden himself.

Yuki was focused in Banner’s class, the man was certainly not human. He didn’t seem to mean any harm so he left him be, the two were essentially in a stalemate not confronting each other. Even Belowski said Banner always had chill waves so thought he was a decent guy.

At Lunch, Jaden, Chazz, Bastion, and Alexis were called into Sheppard’s office along with Banner. ‘What’s going on?’ They met up with Crowler and Zane outside of Sheppard’s office.

“Are we in some kind of trouble?”

“I don’t think so.”

“We certainly have a distinguished group of duelists here, but I think we have an odd man out?” Crowler leered at Jaden.

He was not in the mood for this. “Seems so, so why did you come?” Zane fought back a chuckle, but even Chazz and Bastion chuckled at that. Crowler’s face was priceless. He was so pissed off.

“Why you?!”

“Now that’s enough.” Sheppard’s door opened. “We have much to discuss, come inside!”

-x-

“Three Mythic Demons?” Chazz spoke.

“Yes, three powerful cards entrusted to us to keep sealed.”

‘The three mythic demons...are they insane!?’ Jaden was sweating. In ancient times those three terrors brought destruction and suffering. They were the shadows of the god cards, though not inferior to their holy counterparts. Many monster clans worshiped Uria, Raviel, and Hamon like they were the guardian gods of monsters where as Slifer, Ra, and Obelisk were the guardian gods of humans.

In some circles they were even given the title of Sacred Beasts, but there was nothing sacred about these devils. Those three didn’t care about humans or monsters. They only wished to surpass their holy counterparts, so they fed, and fed, even their own supporters; who believed they were becoming part of the great ones when really they were just being devoured for their souls. Much of the vast wastelands of their world were caused by these horrors.

Many had traded their souls for their power, and brought doom upon themselves and so many others. The demons could draw out a person’s darkest desires, twist and corrupt them, making them become so blind they don’t realize the chaos they are making.

‘If those three see the light of day...they’ll plunge this world into darkness. The darkest and most evil desires in people’s hearts will be unleashed and amplified.’ That would just be the start of it, the world itself would suffer. The seas will burn, buildings crumble, light will fade, and souls would fall. The demons wouldn’t stop until the whole world was destroyed. A thousand years of darkness...

Jaden was shaken. He had heard they had been confined into card form and sealed somewhere in the human world so no monster could release them.

This island was more special than they knew as it was crafted with a temple deep...deep...deep below. The school was built over it and they have been guarding the temple and the gate. The gravity of the situation wasn’t lost on the students, even Zane seemed shaken. “That is why you seven have been brought together.”

“Those who seek to challenge us, who have the ambitions of breaking the seal and releasing the demons, have appeared.”

“Who exactly are they?” Zane asked.

“They are known as the Shadow Riders, duelists shrouded in mystery and tainted by darkness. One of them is already on the island.”

‘So he’s one of these Shadow Riders.’ He hadn’t gotten a good look at him. ‘I’m sure he saw me. I shouldn’t have let him escape.’

“Naturally we will help defend the seal.”

“How do we keep them from getting these cards?” Alexis asked.

“The 7 Spirit Gates!” He gave them the keys to the gates. “The Shadow Riders are here for these, but they can only be taken from you in a duel.”

“Then we should destroy one of the keys.” Jaden’s eyes flashed gold. “We can’t allow a chance for the demons to escape!”

“That wouldn’t work, they’d just have to defeat whoever destroyed the key to unlock the gate. In kind, they can’t just swipe the keys from you to free the demons either, they have to defeat you in a duel.”

Jaden sighed. Magic always found a way to be both helpful and annoying. Ancient runes tended to be specific and binding, they had to be to seal something so destructive. Sheppard had brought them together, he respected their skills, and chose them to protect the keys. Though Banner and Crowler, to him, were simply stand ins.

He wouldn’t force them, the Shadow Riders were skilled in the art of Shadow Games, where their lives could be put on the line. He gave them a chance to either take a key or walk away. They each took a key but Jaden was warry about giving keys to Banner and Crowler.

In terms of battle one might seek out the strongest one first, that would be either Jaden or Zane. Crowler thought in terms of skill he was superior, but Jaden had already beaten him once. Though if these guys were as evil as believed they may go after the weakest ones to hurt morale. ‘Or worse, go after the ones closest to us to hurt us.’

Jaden called a harem meeting. “Why is Chazz here?” Syrus asked.

“He can be considered a probationary member, plus he’s a guardian too.”

“That’s right half pint, my skills earned me a seat at the table.” Syrus pouted.

Jaden filled them in on what’s happening. “Oh man, bad vibes man, seriously bad vibes. These guys will likely have shadow charms and know how to use them.”

“Shadow magic, you must be joking?” Chazz huffed.

“Says the dude with the Ojama Yellow spirit.” Jaden points out.

“I do not!”

“So you can see spirits too?” Chumley asked with a chuckle. “That’s a pretty rare power.” Chazz crossed his arms in a huff.

“Being in denial won’t help you. We don’t know what we are up against. So we need to be on guard.”

“I think we should have a united front. I’ll go pack some things and move in.”

“Wait what?” Syrus gasped.

“It’s not a bad idea. Torrey, I want you and Harrington to pack and move down here, there’s too much open area between our dorms. I don’t want you guys getting jumped.” He had Belowski go with them for Shadow Charm support. They’d meet up with Bastian and walk as a group back to the home base.

They set the plan in action, but Jaden was still on edge. ‘That’s why he didn’t fight me, I didn’t have a key so I wasn’t a target. Next time I won’t let him escape.’

-x-Later that Night-x-

Alexis was swinging by the red dorm. She had a concern that the Shadow Riders would see Jaden as weak, giving his dorm position. She came by just in time as Nightshroud worked his magic. “It’s time!” His charm glowed and light swallowed up Syrus, Chumley, Jaden, and Alexis.

Bastian, Torrey, Chazz, and Harrington, witnessed the burst of light but weren’t taken by it. The group was taken away and brought to the volcano on a field of magic suspending them over the magma.

“What the hell?!” Jaden snapped.

“Jaden…” He turned to see Alexis. “What’s happening?”

“What’s happening, is I’m here to duel you and take your key!” Nightshroud stepped out.

“What did you do to my friends?” Jaden hissed.

“Ohh so angry, are your fangs gonna show?”

“Not unless you tell me what I want to know!”

Nightshroud smirked and revealed a small orb closer to the magma. “Syrus! Chumley!” Jaden gasped.

“They’ll be fine...for now...that barrier they are in will slowly fade away, and once it does...poof!”

Jaden growled. “You bastard!” His fury raged, his shadow charm releasing a lot of energy.

“Oohhh I’m scared.” He laughed. “You should have learned from our last encounter my shadow charm can counter others. You can’t touch me.”

“You want to duel you got one!”

“Not just any duel, a shadow duel. Not only will I get your key, I’ll get your soul.” He revealed a blank card.

“You won’t take anything from me.”

“You think so...I wonder!” Their duel disks were loaded.

“Duel!”

To be continued...Shadow Revelations