Greetings fellow readers and writers! This is my sixth story to date, believe it! Once again we enter the world of W.I.T.C.H. This story is a follow up to 'Of Ninjas and Pirates,' so if you haven't read that story yet, don't read any further until you do.

Okay then, assuming you've read 'Of Ninjas and Pirates,' by now, we can move on. Time wise, this story takes place about two months after the events described in 'Of Ninjas and Pirates,' which should make it sometime towards the end of August in Heatherfield. Now I don't own W.I.T.C.H., YuGiOh GX, Naruto or One Piece. This story also contains elements of the hit anime/manga Berserk, which I also don't own. What I do own is the cards I made up for this story. And so, without any need for an argument to start things off, on with the show!

Heart of the Cards

By AndrewK9000

Chapter 1: My Cousin Jaden

With just over a week left in summer vacation, Will and her friends were doing their best to enjoy their freedom before returning to that 'boot camp,' The Sheffield Institute. Today found Will and Matt, along with Taranee and Nigel, plus Cornelia and Caleb in the town park. "So who are we meeting that's so special to you?" asked Matt. "My cousin from out of town," said Will, "He's been at a private school across the ocean."

"I didn't know you had a cousin," said Taranee. "We're not related by blood," said Will, "His aunt married my uncle when I was six and he was seven. We were next-door neighbors back in Fadden Hills. My cousin and I were very close, like brother and sister." "What happened?" asked Caleb. "My mom and I moved here," said Will, "And my cousin got accepted into a private school last fall. I haven't seen my cousin since, but we've kept in touch over the Internet."

"Just how close were you with your cousin?" asked a concerned sounding Matt. "Close enough to have our own secret code phrases," said Will. Just then she saw a teenage boy of about a year older than Will, he was standing next to a grove of trees. He had shoulder length unkempt hair, brown eyes, and whore a red jacket. On a brown cord around his neck was a medallion of some sort with strange symbols and a red stone in the middle

Will waked up to the boy and said, "The sun is shinning," in a tone like this was something ordinary. The boy responded, "But the ice is slippery." Without any further hesitation, the two embraced. "I assume that's Will's cousin," said Cornelia, "So you can stop feeling jealous." "Me jealous?" asked Matt, "The thought never crossed my mind."

"Everyone," said Will, who was smiling like crazy, "This is my cousin, Jaden Yuki. Jaden, this is Cornelia and Taranee, two of the best friends I've ever had, or ever will." "Hi," said Jaden as she shook Cornelia's and Taranee's hands. "This is Caleb, Cornelia's boyfriend," said Will as she introduced the boys to her cousin, "Nigel, Taranee's boyfriend, and Matt, he's all mine."

"So you're the one Will's e-mailed to me about so much," said Jaden, "From the way she talks about you, it looks like I'll have a cousin-in-law before too long." "Really," said Matt, saying it rather than asking it. "I forgot to mention," whispered Will to Taranee and Cornelia, "Jaden doesn't really know how to keep his mouth shut sometimes."

"So," said Taranee in an attempt to make conversation, "Where do you go to school?" "Duel Academy," said Jaden, "A school for learning how to play Duel Monsters, but I really haven't learn anything new since starting there." "You're a Duelist?" as Cornelia, her interest peaked. "You bet," said Jaden, "And I aim to be the next King of Games."

"You'll have to aim high if you're gonna beat Yugi Moto," said Cornelia, "I here he's the best." "I know," said Jaden, "But I already defeated a Duelist who used the same deck Yugi used at Battle City." "What are you talking about?" asked Caleb. "Duel Monsters," said Cornelia, "It's a trading card game." "And how do you know so much a trading card game?" asked Nigel.

At this Cornelia blushed somewhat, as if she hadden't realized what she was saying until then. "Well," she said reluctantly, "I don't play the game; I just like to collect the cards, for the artwork and the collecting value. I must have over 4,500 cards in my closet, including copies of the more common cards." "And this is the first of this we've ever heard of this?" asked Taranee. "Oh shut up!" exclaimed Cornelia, "I'm sure you've got a guilty pleasure of your own in your closet."

"She sure does," said Nigel with a grin on his face. "I thought we weren't going to talk about that in public," said Taranee through gritted teeth. "Talk about what?" asked Matt. "Nothing!" exclaimed Taranee hastily, "Hey now, let's change the subject. Jaden, why don't you tell us about what you've been doing at Duel Academy?"

And so Jaden told Will and her friends about his time at Duel Academy; the three houses of the school (Slypher Red, Obelisk Blue and Ra Yellow); his friends and rivals; his many duels; culminating with how Jaden saved the world from a mad Duelist who had three extremely powerful cards.

"Okay," said Caleb, "I get the part where the game Duel Monsters is based on a 5,000 year old game played in ancient Egypt, a game involving magic and real monsters, that I can believe. What I find hard to believe is that you've had help from a small furry animal that you and only a handful of people in the world can see."

"Oh he's real alright," said Jaden. Just then a transparent image of a small furry animal appeared over Jaden's shoulder. The creature was nearly all shaggy hair, with huge round eyes and a small pair of white wings on its back. "What is that thing!" exclaimed Cornelia. "You can see him too?" asked an amazed Jaden. "I'm looking right at it!" exclaimed Cornelia.

"I can see it as well," said Will. "Me too," said Taranee, "It's so cute!" "I can see something," said Matt, "But I can't make it out." "It looks like a large fuzzy thing," said Nigel. "Same here," said Caleb. "Well believe me," said Jaden, "Winged Kuribo is real" "It has a name?" asked Cornelia. "Of course," said Jaden, "All spirit monsters have a name."

"This is unbelievable," said Taranee, "The characters in a card game are real." "It's easier to believe that than what Will told me about her and her friends having magic powers," said Jaden, "Not to mention saving the world on a regular basis." "You told him!" exclaimed Cornelia, "You told him about us and our powers!"

"I have no secrets with Jaden," said Will, "I trust him with my life. I should; he saved it once." "Who-did-the-what-now?" asked Matt. "Well," said Jaden in a somewhat embarrassed tone, "I guess you can say I did save Will's life once." "Don't sound so modest," said Will, "If you didn't do what you did, I wouldn't be alive."

Just then Will noticed that Matt was scratching at the back of his neck. "What's wrong with your neck?" asked Will. "I don't know," said Matt, "I think it's a mosquito bite or something. Anyway, I'd like to know what Jaden did to save your life."

"Oh yes" said a cold female voice, "I'm sure we'd all like to know why my successor is still alive." "That voice," said Cornelia, who was sounding shocked and horrified, "I know that voice." "We all do," said an equally shocked Will, "But it's not possible, she's dead."

"Dear Will," said the voice, which turned out to be coming from (at first look) a young looking woman with long black hair, she was dressed in long flowing purple robes; "Reports of my demise are highly exaggerated." "Nerissa!" exclaimed Will.

"Yes," said Nerissa, "I'm back. And this time, the crystal is mine." "Friend of yours?" asked Jaden. "Bite your tongue," said Will, "Jaden, meet Nerissa; my evil, insane predecessor as Keeper of The Heart of Candracar." "A fact I shall shortly rectify," said Nerissa, "Now Will, do be a dear and give me the crystal." Will already had The Heart of Candracar in her hand, with no intention of handing it over to Nerissa. "We've been over this before Nerissa," said Will, "You're not getting the crystal; not today, not tomorrow, not ever!"

"Now would be a good time for you to get out of here," said Matt to Jaden, "This could get ugly." "Are you kidding?" asked Jaden, "I wouldn't miss seeing my cousin in action for anything!"

"I hate to spoil your fun, mother," said Caleb with much distaste on the word 'mother,' "But you're outnumbered six to one, seven if you count Jaden." "She's your mom?" asked an understandably confused Jaden. "It's a long, long story," said Cornelia.

"My dear estranged son," said Nerissa, "You may have been a great leader of the rebellion against Phobos, but you were never that good with numbers. It's more like six against two, isn't that right Pai-Mey!" Will and the others turned around to see whom Nerissa was talking to. They saw another young looking woman; this one was dressed in red and black robes, with shoulder length brown hair and completely black eyes. Her left arm was colored red.

"Pai-Mey Matoya!" said Will, saying it rather than asking. "You sent me to hell Will Vandom!" exclaimed the former Empress of the Naz'riak demons, "I'm here to repay the favor!"

The end of chapter 1. Next time, we learn of Nerissa's plan, and how she teamed up with Pai-Mey. See you next time!