Chapter 1: The Magician

Duel Academia, the prestigious duel school located on an isolated island kilometres from the mainland. The Academia was divided into three main dorms: Obelisk Blue, the most elite students in both skill and theory; Ra Yellow, the average students neither quite failing or excelling; Osiris Red, the low lying students who feared expulsion due to their terrible grades...but there is a fourth dorm.

The Abandoned Dorm. Once it housed the Academia's honour students but a bit over twenty-five years ago every student, nearly thirty of them, disappeared overnight. There was no sign of struggle...or any sign that it was inhabited in the first place. Those students have been missing to the present day. Not a single honour student has been admitted to the Academia since then. The Honours Dorm had become the Abandoned Dorm, falling into neglect and disrepair. All students had been forbidden from those grounds on threats of expulsion.

But that didn't stop teenagers from being teenagers.

Dennis Macfield, second year student and budding entertainer, waded through the vegetation surrounding the Abandoned Dorm. At the end of his first year he had been promoted to Ra Yellow, to his great pleasure. He was one step closer to reaching his goal, to become an entertainment duelist that would rival the likes of his idol Yusho Sakaki...if he could get into his new dorm room. His seniors, being the kind and considerate people that they were, had locked Dennis out of his room. They gave him an ultimatum, find the key at the Abandoned Dorm or return to Osiris Red.

So now he trekked through the beaten overgrown path to the fourth dorm. Dennis expected it to be quick. The key was most likely just lying on the ground or tied to the gate, he doubted that his seniors would be that cruel to actually put it inside…

There was a rustle of grass behind him. This was a forest so there had to be animals right? A rabbit or a bird or...or a wolf. The wind howls...or was that a fox? Wait. Foxes don't howl, do they? His imagination was getting the better of him. This was the Academia, there wouldn't be any dangerous animals wandering the grounds. That would be a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Dennis saw a flash of red. Another student! An Osiris freshman from the looks of it but that was better than no one. He waded through the shrubs and branches and hopefully not past a snake nest to that bright patch of red-

Purple eyes.

A set of venomous purple eyes were glaring at him.

"Who are you?"

" BWAH!" Dennis yelled, stumbling to the ground.

A boy with purple eyes stared down at him. From the lack of light, Dennis could make out very few details but what his eyes were drawn to what was the Osiris Red blazer. He sighed in relief. It was another student.

"Did your seniors send you out here too?" Dennis said, a showman's smile spreading across his face. "Don't hold it against them, seniors love hazing the fresh-"

A hand grabbed his throat, choking his words and his breath.

"You didn't answer my question." Purple Eyes said, remaining demonically polite.

"De-Dennis Macfield! Second year, Ra Yellow!" he spluttered. "Looking- room key!"

His throat was released and Dennis took a large gulp of air. He was never taking breathing for granted ever again. Dennis looked up but Purple Eyes was gone, vanished without a trace. Had he encountered the ghost of one of the missing students?!

He slowly rose to his feet. Dennis could turn back, but that would mean admitting defeat and putting a year's worth of hard work to waste. Going forward to the Abandoned Dorm though would mean encountering Purple Eyes again. He rubbed a hand around his neck, there were going to be bruises in the morning but by then he'll have a nice comfy room all to himself in the Ra Yellow Dorm. He had come this far, it would be a waste to turn back. This time he would be prepared for angry spirits haunting the area.

Dennis noticed that the closer he got to the dorm, the more red he was seeing. Not blood, luckily, but flowers. Red poppies creating a red carpet to his destination while red rose bushes poked through green shrubs. They were heavily scented too. He appreciated a nice flowery perfume but the smell surrounding him was near overpowering. It settled like a heavy fog over him, restraining his breath and clouding his thoughts like a noose around his neck.

He staggered into a clearing, one hand on his nose and the other rubbing his forehead in an attempt to dispel his headache. The Abandoned Dorm was completely covered in red flowers. The poppies that had guided him now blanketed the ground like spilt blood, glowing under the pale moonlight. The walls, gate and building were crawling with vines sprouting red blooms every so often.

Hidden among all the red, right by the gate, Dennis spotted a blotch of fuchsia and purple. It was Purple Eyes, crouched down and tending to the plants. Dennis took a step forward. Purple Eyes suddenly stood up and turned to him.

"I was wondering when you were going to show up." the boy said, dusting the dirt from his pants.

Under the moonlight, Dennis could now see Purple Eyes clearly. He was wearing an Osiris Red blazer but one that was at least twenty years old with the old white collar and lack of many buttons. The blazer hung from his shoulders like a cape but was obviously several sizes too big for its wearer's slight frame. Underneath was an old fashioned pink vest over matching pale blue pants and a long sleeved shirt, the blue almost fading into pasty white skin. A bulky white Academia-issued duel disk that was discontinued around the same time as the old uniform laid in standby on his arm.

Purple Eyes placed his hands on his hips and scowled. "What are you standing there like a fool for?"

"Admiring how your eyes glow among these blooms." Dennis said with a wink.

The specter was not impressed. "I thought you wanted your room key."

Dennis grinned. "You know where it is?" If Purple Eyes found it then that means he would have to search the Abandoned Dorm.

Purple Eyes jerked his thumb towards the building. Dennis' heart sank. "I saw some idiots in yellow trying to climb over the gate earlier. They gave up after a while and threw something over it. I assume it's what you're looking for."

"Thanks." Dennis said, walking up to the gate. He should be counting his blessings, at least it wasn't inside the dorm.

A thick padlock held it shut. He wouldn't be able to open it unless he had the key or a large pair of pliers. Climbing over wasn't an option either. There was nothing that he could grip on except the vines and he doubted those would be able to support his weight.

"What are you planning to do?" Purple Eyes said, leaning his head on Dennis' shoulder.

The yellow jolted forward, banging his head against the gate's bars. Purple Eyes had been a metre behind him a moment ago, not right at his ear. Now Purple Eyes was laughing at him.

"That wasn't very nice." Dennis said, rubbing his forehead. By the end of the night, he was going to have an entire collection of bruises.

"Well, I'm not a very nice person."

"You won't be making any friends with an attitude like that."

"Friends are a liability. All I need is to be the strongest there is."

'But that would be awfully lonely' was what Dennis wanted to say but arguing with the red would be pointless. Spirits were often dead set in their ways, trying to change one would either end in a waste of breath or a painful death.

Dennis took several steps back, careful not to run into Purple Eyes. He had heard that ghosts were chilling to touch and he didn't want to get colder on this windy night. The gate was an extra metre or so taller than him with the top made of spear-like points.

Purple Eyes lifted a fuzzy eyebrow, intrigued. "A card for your thoughts?"

Dennis smirked, he had an audience so might as well make this fancy. "Ladies and gentlemen!" he declared, as he had seen Yusho Sakaki do on tv so many times before. "Watch as the Daring Dennis overcomes the towering gates of despair!"

He charged at the gate, leaping off the ground when he was half a metre away from smashing his face into the bars. Tucking himself into a ball, Dennis somersaulted over, the spikes nicking the edge of his yellow coattails. He landed crouched on the other side, hands spread out to help balance himself. He stood up, taking a large gulp of flower-free air.

Dennis heard a single applause from behind. He smiled and turned to bow to an amused Purple Eyes.

"Entertaining." Purple Eyes said. "Three points."

"Only three?!" Such a tough crowd tonight.

"It was predictable. I was expecting that given your lanky frame and the spring in your step." Purple Eyes explained. "Also, you should have taken your blazer off. If the spikes had caught it, you would either be left dangling like a fool or split your skull on the ground. Idiot's blood would be bad for the poppies. Besides…" a flat smile spread across his face. "You didn't ask if I could help."

"Oh? How?" Dennis asked. Did Purple Eyes have a key or something?

Purple Eyes clicked. Dennis noticed nothing immediately but he saw the vines around the gate tighten as more slinked up the bars to join them. Then, with a sudden application of force, the plants wrecked the gate open with an ear-splitting creak. Pieces of broken chains and metal scattered along the ground. Purple Eyes sauntered through, head held high.

"H-How?"

"The plant spirits favour me." Purple Eyes said with a dismissing wave of his hand. "Now come along. I've been wanting to explore this place for a while."

Dennis had half a mind to retreat, room key be damned he could just report it to the dorm leader, but he couldn't help but be curious. Ever since he heard of the dorm from old Daitokuji-sensei last year, Dennis had an itching urge to explore the Abandoned Dorm. He would have too, if it didn't come with the risk of being expelled. At least now he had a plant-controlling ghost and the yellow seniors to scapegoat.

The pair entered the Abandoned Dorm, the red several paces ahead of the yellow. Purple Eyes' plants made swift work of any lock that got in their way. Luxurious was the first word Dennis would use to describe this place. Everything was decorated in a Victorian era fashion with the printed wallpaper and the dusty gold trimmings that trimmed the furniture. It made the dorm look at least a century old rather than its twenty-five odd years, creating a haunting timeless aesthetic. The dorm had originally been a subsection of Obelisk Blue and it definitely showed. The upper dorm's crest adorned every doorway the past and hints of blue peaked through the dust and mold.

"Maybe with a bit of clean up, I could move in here myself." Dennis mused.

"No." Purple Eyes said plainly. "I would rather be burned alive than have you live here."

"Fine, fine. But I'll visit." Then a thought struck Dennis. "It kind of stupid for me to ask now…"

"It's a given. You are stupid."

"Harsh." But in all honesty, Dennis had walked into that one. "So what's your name?"

Purple Eyes stopped. "My name?"

"Yeah, you know mine so I should know your's too, right?" Did he not remember his name? Maybe Dennis shouldn't have brought it up.

"The Cabbage Lord." Purple Eyes said suddenly before continuing walking.

"What?" Was he being serious?

The red turned to Dennis, his blazer flapping around him. "I am the Supreme Cabbage Lord of Interplanetary Purply Thorny Plants." he said blankly yet completely serious. "Fear me."

Dennis stopped for moment. He could be joking or his parents had been a few cards short of a deck.

"I'll stick with Purple Eyes." Dennis muttered to himself as he trailed after 'the Cabbage Lord's' disappearing form.

Considering that they were at a duel school and in a former Obelisk Blue dorm, finding a duel arena wasn't that much of a surprise. It was a circular room at the end of the main hallway behind a pair of ornate double doors that screamed 'ominous evil ahead'. Beyond that, Dennis could see absolutely nothing. The rest of the room was cloaked in complete darkness. It was only due to the way the fading light curved into the abyss and the duel arena crest above the door that Dennis had any idea about the room.

Purple Eyes was staring blankly into the darkness, his eyes glazed over with thought. Maybe he recognized this place? Could this be where all the students disappeared? Did...Purple Eyes die here?

"The darkness…" Purple Eyes muttered. "I...it knows me…"

"You've been here before?" Dennis asked. He had a creepy suspicion that something culty was going on. Purple Eyes was an Osiris Red, or at least wore the uniform of one. Dennis wouldn't put it above a bunch of screwed up elitist blues to kidnap another student…

"No." Purple Eyes said, brow furrowed. "But the darkness knows me, it won't hurt me...I think?"

Purple Eyes took a step forward into the darkness, his steps slow and sluggish. Then something moved amongst the shadows or more exactly, if Dennis's eyes weren't failing him, the shadows themselves moved. The shadows rolled towards the red, slinking in small mounds like tunneling moles. They swarmed his legs and lapped at his feet, greeting him as if he were a long awaited master.

Dennis was still standing in the doorway, huddled on his little island of light in the middle of the sea of darkness.

"Hey, um...Cabbage Lord? Purple Eyes?" Dennis said, inching closer to the edge of the light. "Is everything ok…?"

Dennis stepped into the darkness and the shadows pounched. They abandoned Purple Eyes' side to attack him. It was like drowning as wave upon wave of shadows engulfed his body. He tried to paddle out and push them away but that seemed to only encourage the shadows, enthusiastically leaping at any escaping limbs.

"Purple Eyes!" Dennis cried, trying to get the red's attention but to no avail. "Purple Eyes! Cabbage Lord! Help! Please!"

But there was no response. Purple Eyes simply remained in his trance like state, oblivious to what was happening behind him.

Dennis was being dragged down, his pleas slowly becoming muffled and almost non-existent. He was going to die. He was going to die. With his last breath, Dennis yelled. He wasn't sure what exactly but the darkness pooled over him as the word rang throughout the arena.

He turned his duel disk on himself and leapt.

Falling.

Falling.

Falling.

Into the ocean. Into the darkness. Into his death.

But he didn't care. No one mourns a traitor.

And his duel disk flashed a harsh light…

{~~~}

Dennis heaved, startling himself awake. He was on a bed. A really soft bed, better than the lumpy mattresses of the Osiris Red. He slowly eased himself into a sitting position, wincing slightly as his entire body felt sore. He'd have to check for bruises later, there would probably be colonies of black and blue settling on his skin.

It was dark. He could barely make out the faint shapes of a dresser and a desk from the moonlight filtering through closed curtains but nothing much more than that.

"You're awake. Took you long enough."

Dennis turned and there was Purple Eyes casually tending to the roses that peep through the curtains.

"Where am I?" Dennis asked.

"My room, or rather the room that I claimed for myself." Purple Eyes said.

Despite the low visibility, the room felt surprising warm and lived in rather than the chilling emptiness Dennis expected from a spirit's dwelling. "So we're in the Abandoned Dorm?"

"Where else?" Was Purple Eyes' tired reply. "I haven't moved you for the past three days. You're rather heavy."

"Three days?!" He had been out for that long?! Had someone report him missing? What about classes? If his attendance slipped he'd be demoted to Osiris Red again.

Purple Eyes whacked Dennis over the head, knocking him out of his thoughts and the bed. "Stop fretting. It makes you look more like a fool than you already are." the red said. "Besides, I don't see why you should. You're a competent duelist, at least, that's what your deck boasted."

"My deck?"

"So you're blind and deaf as well as an idiot. Wonderful."

"Hey!" Dennis protested, stumbling to his feet. "I can hear and see perfectly well."

"But what about duel spirits?" Purple Eyes' sighed as Dennis shot him a confused look. "I don't have time to give you a history lesson but in short, every Duel Monsters card is inhabited by a spirit but only a select few can communicate with them. Given how highly your deck spoke of you, I'd expected that you'd be one of them. I thought they had told you my name..."

"Your name?" So apparently Purple Eyes was making up the whole 'Cabbage Lord' thing.

"That is irrelevant at the moment." Purple Eyes scowled. He tossed Dennis his blazer and cards from somewhere. "Now come on, we've wasted enough time as it is."

"Coming, coming." Dennis said as he slipped on his blazer, noting that one of the sleeves had been completely torn off. "Hey! What happened-" but he was alone in the room. Purple Eyes had disappeared again.

...Next time, he was going to report any hazing attempts by the seniors straight to the dorm leader rather than go along with it.

Dennis found Purple Eyes once again at the double doors leading to the duel arena.

Dennis shivered as he remembered what happened the last time they went through those doors, the phantom feeling of darkness crawling on his skin and pushing him into the depth.

"You're not seriously planning on going back there?"

"Yes." Purple Eyes said, pushing open the door and entering the arena. "This place might be the place."

But nothing happened.

No creeping darkness. No mounds of shadows.

Absolutely nada.

"This is rather disappointing." Purple Eyes said. "I thought if I brought bait the shadows would come alive again…"

"Bait?!" Dennis should be running as far away from this mad spirit as possible. Forget Purple Eyes being an unwitting sacrifice, he was probably the one that made all the honour students disappear!

But once again, his curiosity got the better of him. There was something about Purple Eyes that was oddly familiar, as if Dennis had met him before. That and he genuinely enjoyed the spirit's company even if Purple Eyes was planning on using him as live bait for the darkness. Dennis stepped into the room and once again, nothing happened.

"May I request some light, if you don't mind?" Purple Eyes said, oddly polite and sincerely respectful.

"With what?" Dennis said. Was he expected to pull a torch out of his sleeve or something?

"I wasn't talking to you, idiot." Purple Eyes scowled.

Suddenly several balls of fire blazed from nowhere and flew to hover around the circumference of the arena, bathing the room in a gentle light.

"Thank you, m'lady." Purple Eyes said once again to seemingly no one.

"Duel Spirits?" Dennis guessed.

Purple Eyes nodded. "One of my uncle's oldest friends. She and others have agreed to serve and protect me while I'm imprisoned in this place." He scowled then said aside, "No, I'm not being overdramatic. That is reserved for dueling."

Leaving Purple Eyes to argue with invisible spirits, Dennis inspected the wall carvings that the floating fireballs illuminated. The walls were covered in some sort of hieroglyph with images depicting various items, such as a sceptre, a necklace and a dreamcatcher all with a fancy eye in their centre. Dennis would have thought that it was Ancient Egyptian lore if it weren't for the script that resembled Hebrew or something.

"Interesting."

"Ah!" Dennis yelped as Purple Eyes appeared behind him, despite being in the centre of the arena a moment ago. "Stop doing that!"

"Then be more perceptive." Purple Eyes' leaned over Dennis' shoulder, taking a better look at the carvings. "The Millennium Items. Interesting…"
"You can read this garble?" Dennis asked as the red's eyes darted across the wall.

"Nope." Purple Eyes said plainly. "But my grandfather was always rambling about them. There are seven Millennium Items: the Ring, the Rod, the Key, the Scales, the Eye, the Ring and the Pendant..." He pointed to the respective image as he said the name though his hand faltered as it hovered over the upside-down triangle. "...though the Pendant is no longer whole. Most people call it the Puzzle in recent times due to it being shattered. I'm surprised that there's even an image of it whole."

"And how does this relate to dueling?"

"Everything." Something glinted in those purple eyes. A fascination, a passion. "The card game we know as Duel Monsters was based off the Shadow Games which, according to legend, was brought forth with the Items. Sorcerers of the Pharaoh's Court would summon monsters from stone tablets to do battle against the enemy or judge a guilty soul."

"And…" Dennis hesitated for a moment. Purple Eyes' had steadily grown more sinister over his explanation, as if the thought of such power was alluring to him. "...how did those monsters get into the tablets?"

The smile that cracked across his lips was cold and maniacal. "Through a Shadow Game, of course. Every soul has a monster that embodies it and when one's loses, it is ripped out and sealed in stone. Wouldn't be nice to be able to do that with cards?"

Before Dennis could respond, a dark fog began to swirl around them.

Dennis edged slightly closer to Purple Eyes. "Is it-"

"No." Purple Eyes said, cutting Dennis off. "This is different. Apparently, we have a guest."

They both turned to see a towering man in a black trench coat and fedora standing in the doorway. His eyes were hidden by a grey half mask and in his hand shone a replica of the Millennium Pendant carved onto the wall.

"So this is where you have been hiding your victim, foul spirit." The man said. Huh, so someone had noticed Dennis' disappearance.

Purple Eyes' smile softened into something more neutral and calculating. "Oh?"

"Release the poor boy at once!" The man declared. "Or I, the Dark Duelist Titan, shall banish you to the Shadow Realm!"

Dennis had no idea what the Shadow Realm was but he definitely didn't want Purple Eyes to be sent there. Despite the ghost being a callous little thing, he had grown on the yellow during this misadventure through the Abandoned Dorm. He took a step forward only for Purple Eyes to step in front of him.

"This idiot in mine." Purple Eyes said, activating his duel disk.

"You leave me with no choice, spirit." Titan said, activating his own duel disk, a vest with a bat-like wing component spreading across his arm. "I will make your defeat swift."

"DUEL!"

Titan: 4000 LP

Purple Eyes: 4000 LP

"This shall be the beginning of your demise." Dennis' 'rescuer' said, drawing a card. "I summon Infernalqueen Archfiend in attack position and with her effect, every Archfiend monster has their attack increased by 1000."

A demonic woman with skeletal wings dressed in red and purple materialised on Titan's field. A ghostly blue aura surrounded her as her effect activated.

ATK: 900 - 1900

"Archfiends, eh?" Purple Eyes said. "You must want this duel to end quickly then. There's a hefty cost to keep those monsters on the field."

"That is why I activate the field spell, Pandemonium!"

The fog that surrounded the duelists soon encroached the entire field, materialising into a rib like structure over the arena. The skulls of two horned beasts towered over the duelists and lava bubble from the pit in the centre of the field. The field spell circumvented the need to pay the lifepoint cost of keeping Archfiends on the field.

"The wonders of Solid Vision." Dennis muttered to himself as he marvelled and shivered at the field. Not many people he had dueled played field spells so rarely did he get to see the full extent of the technology's capabilities. Not even the stakes of this duel could shake off its inherent wonder.

"I end my turn."

Purple Eyes quirked an eyebrow. "Really? That's it?" He said, unimpressed. "I was expecting more from the 'Dark Duelist' hell bent on sending this foul spirit to the Shadows."

"I'd like to see you do better!" Titan growled.

"Uh, uh, uh." Purple Eyes said. "Don't break character on me now, 'Dark Duelist'. Your princess is still in need of saving." He drew a card, starting his turn. "I summon Elemental HERO Avian in attack position."

Purple Eyes' HERO made an appearance by swooping down from the top of one of the skulls to his summoner's field. Avian flexed his broad wings, striking a pose of confidence despite his measly stats.

ATK: 1000

"You run HEROs?" Dennis asked, surprised. It didn't really fit with the red's character. He had been expecting something darker and ghosty or at least plant related.

"It's a borrowed deck." Purple Eyes admitted as he set two cards face down and ending his turn. "But they are loyal and willing to serve. That is all I can ask." And there it was again, the softer eyes and quieter smile. The tenderness when he talked about cards that was absent when dealing with people.

"It's pathetic." Titan interjected as he started his own turn. "That puny monster will do nothing to protect you from your fate. Since I control an Archfiend monster, I can normal summon Terrorking Archfiend!"

The male counterpart of Titan's preexisting monster appeared, spreading his own pair of skeletal wings as Infernalqueen's effect increased his attack points.

ATK: 2000 - 3000

Purple Eyes gave a slow clap. "Wonderful. You summoned a big beater."

"And you will feel every drop of its power! Terrorking attack that birdman! Bursting Plague!"

"Trap activate, Mirror Gate." Purple Eyes said. "But since it's an opponent's effect that targets it, you get to roll a die to see if Terrorking negates and destroys it. Go on, roll one...or don't you have a die to roll?"

"Who needs a die when I have my Roulette from Hell!" Six balls flew from the lava it to hover above Titan's hand in a circle.

"Fancy." Dennis said. If Shadow Duels created effects reminiscent of Action Duels, maybe they were worth risking your soul for.

"So you forgot to bring a die." Purple Eyes deadpanned. "That 'roulette' is rigged, isn't it?"

"Shut up!" Titan said with a frustrated growl. "The roulette landed on two, so your trap is destroyed. The attack continues!"

A swarm of locust exploded from Terrorking's chest and engulfed the opposing HERO, destroying it and taking out half of Purple Eyes' lifepoints.

Purple Eyes: 4000 LP - 2000 LP

As his lifepoints depleted, Purple Eyes' legs began to fade away.

"What?" Purple Eyes said, shocked as his body vanished from beneath him.

Titan chuckled. "This is the weight of the Shadow Game. Feel yourself falling into darkness. Let your legs become like stone, let your breath be stolen from your throat." The pendant in his hand glowed. "Foul spirit, your days on this plane are numbered."

Dennis tried to call out to Purple Eyes but the air felt thinning, making it hard to breathe let alone yell. His legs gave way underneath him and he crumpled to the ground. The fog, the darkness, was compressing on his entire being. It was overwhelming and Dennis wasn't even dueling. For Purple Eyes, who would be taking the brunt of the assault…

"In response to Avian's destruction, Hero Signal activates." Purple Eyes said, steady and confident. "With its effect, I special summon Elemental HERO Clayman in defence position."

A spotlight with a silhouette of an 'H' shone above the field spell and from the light, a bulky figure leap down. He stood tall and firm before kneeling before his summoner.

DEF: 2000

With his remaining monster unable to topple the new HERO's defences, Titan scowled and ended his turn.

Purple Eyes turned to his fallen 'captive'. "Macfield, stop overreacting. A strong mind will get you through this duel. I expect you to have that at least. Think of it like an illusion."

Was Purple Eyes trying to comfort him? Dennis took a deep breath, closing his eyes and slowly rising to his feet. This was an illusion, he tried to convince himself. Not real, not real, not-

Dennis' eyes flickered opened. The weight was gone and he could breathe easier now. He turned to Purple Eyes to say his thanks and to his surprise, the red was whole again. He flicked to Titan, who was gloating about his successful attack on his opponent. This wasn't a real Shadow Game, he realised. It was all mind tricks and verbal suggestion, misdirection and sleight of hand. Dennis berated himself for not noticing sooner. He considered himself a decent magician yet he had been deceived so easily.

Purple Eyes was smiling, genuinely smiling, at him with a finger raised to his lips. Dennis nodded in understanding and slumped against the wall. They were going to pretend to still be under the hypnosis, for now.

"You should be more careful with the shadows 'Dark Duelist'." Purple Eyes taunted as he drew a card to start his turn. "You nearly knocked out your little princess. I play Pot of Greed, which is self-explanatory." He drew two more cards and a wicked grin spread across his face. "I activate the spell Polymerization! I fuse the Clayman on the field with the Sparkman in my hand…"

The clay warrior leapt up into the swirls of red and blue above Purple Eyes and was joined by a second hero in blue and yellow.

"Hero of Earth! Hero of Lightning! Become one and strike the earth as a new warrior!" Purple Eyes chanted, bringing his hands together almost like a prayer. "Fusion summon! Behold, Elemental HERO Thunder Giant!"

Where the two heroes once stood was a new warrior with Clayman's bulk and electricity coursing from the blue orb at the centre of its yellow chest.

ATK: 2400

Dennis' interest perked. A summoning chant? That wasn't commonly used by anyone outside of action duelists and that fusion motion, Dennis swore that he had seen it somewhere before.

"With Thunder Giant's effect, I destroy your Infernalqueen." Purple Eyes said as his HERO sent a ball of electricity at the female fiend. "And now your Terrorking loses its attack boost. So how are you going to defeat this 'punny monster', 'Dark Duelist'?"

ATK: 3000 - 2000

Titan growled. "This isn't the end spirit! Pandemonium activates! Since an Archfiend monster was destroyed outside of battle-"

"Don't bother with explaining effects." Purple Eyes rudely interrupted. "I know what the cards do and duel disks are automated to carry the effects out."

"I add Desrook Archfiend to my hand." Titan said somberly.

"Thunder Giant attacks Terrorking." Purple Eyes said. "Though it will be revived with the effect of Desrook, you'll still take the damage."

Another ball of electricity was sent at Titan's remaining monster, destroying it before returned to the field as Titan discarded.

Titan: 4000 LP - 3600 LP

But as his lifepoints fell, Titan gave an anguished cry as if the holographic lightning that bounced off of his monster had electrocuted him as well.

"What's going on?!" the man demanded as he tried to stave off the lingering pain.

"Nothing. Just an extremely shocking attack." Purple Eyes said with an unnerving chuckle. "You're not the only one that the shadows favour. I place one card face down and end my turn."

Real damage. Purple Eyes was dealing real damage. Dennis could feel his legs starting to shake while Titan on the other side of the arena looked just about ready to forfeit the duel. The crazed dilated eyes, the unhinging satisfaction at another's suffering...

"Th-this isn't worth it!" Titan cried, backing away towards the entrance. His facade of confidence completely broken. "Keep the boy!"

The cowering man would have fled the arena if mounds of darkness hadn't made their appearance. They blocked the entrance and surrounded the perimeter of the field, chattering and hissing. Dennis slowly edged away from the wall to avoid being overtaken by the shadows again.

"What are these things?!" Titan demanded.

"Our audience, of course! They've finally arrived." Purple Eyes said grandly, arms extended like an announcer. "So hurry up and make your move. Don't forget, though, this is a Shadow Game."

With no other choice, Titan reluctantly drew a card to start his turn. Though shaking, he perked slightly at his new card. "This will end this! I tribute Terrorking Archfiend for Skull Archfiend of Lightning!"

Titan's new monster appeared in a strike of lighting, taking the former fiend's place. It towered over Purple Eyes' Thunder Giant with white bony wings extended and a deep scowl planted on its skull-like face.

ATK: 2500

"Amazing! You summoned a monster stronger than my own!" Purple Eyes said enthusiastically. "Now hurry up and attack."

After such a declaration, Dennis expected Titan to end his turn there. Purple Eyes was obviously baiting him and that face down would probably be a Mirror Force or something.

"Come on, 'Dark Duelist', hurry up."

But Titan was hesitating, unsure whether to attack or not.

"Hurry up. Hurry up. Hurry up." Purple Eyes chanted softly, dynamic increasing with every phrase.

"Hurry up."

"Hurry up."

The spectating shadow creatures joined in Purple Eyes' maniacal mantra, swaying and chittering with each word.

"Hurry up!"

"Hurry up!"

"Skull Archfiend attacks Thunder Giant!" Titan said suddenly, unnerved and terrified.

Purple Eyes' hand moved to activate his face down but the he stopped. A bolt of lightning struck down the HERO and... the attack went through. Thunder Giant was destroyed.

Purple Eyes: 2000 LP - 1900 LP

"It was a bluff?" Dennis said. Why would Purple Eyes want to get his monster destroyed?

"Ha, ha." Titan laughed, gaining confidence. "HahahaHAhaHAHAHA! See spirit! You will fall to-"

"'The might of the Dark Duelist blah blah blah, yada yada yada'." Purple Eyes said, flipping back to a more grounded and sarcastic tone. Was this guy bipolar or something? "I draw. I activate Fusion Recovery to return Avian and Polymerization to my hand. Next I activate Polymerization and fuse the Avian and Burstinatrix…"

Once again, the red and blue of the spell swirled behind Purple Eyes as his winged warrior reappeared alongside a red female warrior.

"Hero of wind! Hero of flames! Become one and soar through the skies as a new warrior! Fusion summon, Elemental HERO Flame Wingman!"

But nothing appeared.

"Uh...is your monster stuck in traffic or something?" Dennis asked as he scanned the arena for any sign of Purple Eyes' monster.

Titan's ego boosted at the sight of his opponent's empty field. "See how futile your struggle is, spirit?! Even your monsters have abandoned you!"

Purple Eyes simply shrugged. "Flame Wingman is sadly a fan of dramatics and refuses to make an appearance on an inappropriate stage. So, I activate the field spell Skyscraper!"

The skeletal structure of Pandemonium shattered as black buildings erupted from the ground, soaring upwards and through the ceiling. Dennis had seen Skyscraper activated in the past, three prominent duelists in the pro leagues utilized the archetype after all, but he had never seen it like this. The normally bright lights of the buildings had been dimmed to darkness and a purple mist swirled around their feet. The shadow mounds had infested the new walls, swarming like flies to a corpse and with the way the duel was going, it was going to end with a new one.

High above, on the tallest spire and half cloaked in shadows, a lone figure stood boldly.

ATK: 2100

"Ha…" Titan said. "Your monster's attack is still lower…"

"But that's the point. You apparently don't know the effect of Skyscraper." Purple Eyes said, voice sinking once again. "But don't wait for my explanation, let the card speak for itself. Flame Wingman attacks Skull Archfiend. Skydiving Hellfire!"

The HERO leapt from his perch and dove towards the Archfiend, flames blazing around him as the field spell increase his attack.

ATK: 2100 - 3100

Skull Archfiend was destroyed in a fiery inferno, sparks leaping from the main blaze to singe Titan.

Titan: 3600 LP - 3000 LP

"Now Flame Wingman's effect activates." Yuri grinned.

The warrior landed in front of Titan, his dragon like arm raised and spewing fire as Titan took damage equal to his destroyed monster's attack.

"GRAAHH!"

Titan: 3000 LP - 500 LP

"Heh...heh…" Titan heaved. His coat had been reduced to a collection of burnt rags over his shoulders and his mask was cracked in several places. "Heh...heh...ha! I...still have lifepoints...on my...next...turn-"

"There is no next turn." Yuri said, activating his face down. "Quick-play spell, De-Fusion."

Flame Wingman bowed as he dissolved into his fusion materials. Elemental HEROes Avian and Burstinatrix towered over the cowering duelist.

"Direct attack."

Titan: 500 LP - 0 LP

The field dissolved around them as the duel ended. Titan collapsed into a crumpled heap, the 'Dark Duelist' utterly defeated. The shadows pounced, more and more of the little mounds consuming the fallen duelist as the man was too weak to resist.

Dennis quickly looked away, not wanting to witness what very nearly became his fate three days ago. He instead turned to Purple Eyes, who had yet to move since he declared the final attack.

"Hey, you won." Dennis said, placing a hand on his shoulder and turning to face him.

Those purple eyes were glowing. His face was blank and he was completely unresponsive, just like when they first entered the arena.

"The darkness…" Purple Eyes muttered. "Make me whole again…"

"No, no, no, no!" Dennis cried, furiously shaking the smaller boy. "Don't do this again!"

Something cracked. Something rumbled.

Dennis looked up to see that the ceiling was crumbling. Apparently, the buildings were just as real as the attacks and had pierced the roof. The shadows, having had their fill of Titan, began creeping closer. Though it was unlikely they would harm Purple Eyes, Dennis himself was still a prime target.

"We've got to go now." Dennis said, hoisting Purple Eyes over his shoulders. For a spirit, he felt surprisingly solid and heavy.

"...help me...become one…" Purple Eyes continued to mumble.

"Maybe later, when we're not about to be crushed!"

Dennis sprinted for the doorway, leaping over the collective mounds of shadows in his way. However, just as he was about to reach the exit, a large piece of plaster fell, blocking the doorway and their only escape route.

The shadows, having finally decided that Dennis would make a tasty meal, were encroaching and he was forced to back up as far as he possibly could. What happened next, Dennis wasn't quite sure. There was a blinding light and the sound of flapping wings and hooves. Then he was outside the Abandoned Dorm, the building crumbling behind the vine wreathed gates.

"Wha...?"

Dennis turned to see a blonde woman dressed in a customised version of the old Obelisk Blue uniform. Her duel disk was active with an effect monster and a ritual monster on the holographic blade, despite no holograms being in sight.

"Tenjoin-sensei?" Dennis said as the teacher approached.

"Macfield-kun! You made it out alive." She smiled, deactivating her duel disk. She perked when she noticed the boy he was carrying on his back. "Oh? And you found Yuri-kun, too."

"Yuri? You know him?"

"Yes, he's the nephew of an old friend." Tenjoin-sensei said. "He entered the Academia on the recommendation of his uncle...though no one has seen him since he arrived a week ago."

"So he's not a ghost?" Dennis said dumbly. To think he had been going off the wrong assumption this entire time.

"No, Macfield, I am very much alive." a now lucid Purple Eyes, or rather Yuri, said. "Though I wouldn't mind being dead. Imagine the fun of haunting and possessing people."

Yuri kicked himself off Dennis' back and, in one fluid motion, landed gracefully before Tenjoin-sensei.

"Asuka-san." Yuri said with a Cheshire grin.

"It's Tenjoin-sensei, Yuri-kun." the teacher said, arms crossed.

"Asuka-sensei." Yuri said instead, trying to get a rise out of the woman. "I entered the Abandoned Dorm, forbidden grounds to all students…"

There was crash as another part of the dorm crumbled. "I can see that." Tenjoin-sensei said. "And no, you are not getting expelled. Neither is Macfield-kun."

Dennis sighed in relief. Yuri's smile, however, cracked into a scowl.

"But I demolished school property!" he protested. "I held another student hostage for three days! Shouldn't I be punished?"

"Hostage...?" Dennis said. "Wait! You did all this to get expelled? But why?!" He had poured blood, sweat and tears into his efforts to enter Duel Academia. He couldn't possibility think of a reason why someone would actively try to get expelled.

The red's scowl deepened. "Why not? This is a school based on a card game. I can learn the entire curriculum from my grandfather after a bottle of hot sauce. What's the point?"

"The point is that you learn the values of good sportsmanship and friendship." Tenjoin-sensei said before Dennis could say anything. "Both myself and your uncle are well aware of your capabilities. We're not trying to patronize you but you need more people in your life."

"More people? I have three younger brothers and nearly half a dozen meddling cousins! The last thing I need is more nuisances. Besides, 'friends' are a weakness. All that matters it being the strongest there is."

"And what will you do when you're the strongest?"

"I'll have all the power to crush anyone who opposes me."

The woman sighed, massaging her temples. "Judai was right. You are a difficult case." She muttered. She pulled a card out of her deck and handed it to Yuri. "While you won't be expelled, you will still be punished. From here on out, all your actions will be closely monitored. Don't think that you'll be able to get away with another stunt like this."

Yuri took one look at the card and growled. "Great. Another jailer."

Tenjoin-sensei then turned to Dennis causing him to straighten immediately. "As for you, Macfield-kun...you should have reported your seniors' actions to your dorm leader. For now, you'll have to share your room with Yuri-kun."

"Bunk with him?!" Yuri said. "But he snores! Loudly!"

Dennis was about to protest too but after a moment, he realised this 'punishment' wasn't that bad. Sure he won't have a room to himself anymore but after a year of bunking with two other students in Osiris Red, he wouldn't mind the company. At least he hadn't been demoted.

"Ok." he said with a shrug. It could have been a whole lot worse.

Yuri shot him a look of betrayal. "I will murder you in your sleep."

Dennis should have flinched or something, but after what had happened over the past couple days, a death threat was nothing. He just laughed. To quote his idol: the real fun starts here.