To Save Zelmore

In an abandoned sewer pipe beneath Duel University, Arachnir was a horrifying creature whose only human feature was his face. It was attached to a small, rectangular metal body supported by eight mechanical legs. He stood before an ancient magic book containing countless spells and prophecies of the future.

With meticulous care, he used one of his mechanical legs to turn each page, searching for the passage that would reveal how Minkus had obtained the Sourcers Magic.

When he reached the chapter devoted to the future, his eyes widened in disbelief.

He slowly raised one of his mechanical legs and scratched the side of his head, unable to tear his eyes away from the prophecy.

Meanwhile, inside the Duel University dormitory, River spotted Zelmore lurking near Abby's door. He tried to conceal himself in the shadows, waiting for Abby to return alone, but he did a poor job of hiding. River watched him from down the hallway, immediately sensing that something was wrong.

Suddenly, the symbols on River's shoulder began to glow.

She clenched her fists as a vision overwhelmed her. A shadowy figure, its face concealed by darkness, leaned close to Zelmore, whispering poisonous words into his mind. Each whisper fueled his hatred, twisting his thoughts and strengthening the evil that possessed him.

The vision shifted.

River saw Zelmore's plan unfold before her eyes. He intended to attack Abby the moment she returned to her room alone.

The vision ended as abruptly as it had begun, leaving River breathing heavily. She knew she had only moments to stop whatever was about to happen.

River hurried toward Zelmore.

"Zelmore, stop! You don't have to do this!" she called.

Zelmore slowly turned to face her. His eyes blazed with an unnatural yellow light.

"Stay out of this, River," he said, his voice warped into something cold and inhuman.

Dark magic spread through his body like black veins beneath his skin, tightening its grip on his mind.

"Zelmore, you're a good person," River pleaded. "Fight the evil inside you. Don't let it control you!"

"I said... stay out of this!" the distorted voice roared.

With a violent shove, Zelmore knocked River to the ground.

River pushed herself back to her feet, refusing to back down.

"Then I challenge you to a Shadow Game. If I win, you'll release Zelmore's mind from your control."

A sinister grin spread across Zelmore's face.

"And if I win," the evil voice replied, "Master Arachnir will claim your body as his own."

River met his glowing eyes without flinching.

"I accept."

"Excellent," the voice hissed. "To make things even more interesting... this duel will take place in the Umbral Realm."

Darkness erupted from beneath Zelmore's feet, swallowing the hallway. Shadows twisted around the two duelists, forming a vortex that tore open the barrier between worlds. In an instant, River and Zelmore vanished, leaving the dormitory corridor

Darkness consumed River and Zelmore as the Shadow Game carried them into the Umbral Realm.

The world around them was nothing but black stone, crimson skies, and jagged mountains that stretched endlessly into the distance. Rivers of violet mist wound through the barren landscape while shadowy spirits watched from afar, their glowing eyes fixed on the duelists.

A stone Duel Arena rose from the ground beneath their feet.

"Welcome to the Umbral Realm," the evil voice controlling Zelmore sneered. "Here, every point of damage you take is felt by both your body and your soul."

River took a deep breath.

"I didn't come here for myself. I came to save my friend.”

"Shadow Game... begin!”

The duel opened with Zelmore overwhelming River. Empowered by dark magic, he summoned terrifying monsters that struck without mercy.

"You're too weak!" the evil spirit laughed through Zelmore. "Soon your body will belong to Master Arachnir!"

River staggered backward as the attacks shook the arena, but she refused to surrender.

"No... Zelmore is still in there."

She glanced into his glowing yellow eyes and, for a split second, saw the real Zelmore struggling beneath the darkness.

"River..." he whispered before the evil voice drowned him out.

"Silence!" the spirit roared.

River smiled.

"You're afraid."

The spirit hesitated.

"You wouldn't be trying so hard to silence him if he'd already lost."

Drawing her next card, River felt the symbols on her shoulder begin to glow.

"The light of the Seven Realms will never bow to darkness! I activate my spell!"

Golden light burst across the battlefield, tearing through the shadows surrounding Zelmore's monsters.

One by one, they crumbled into dust.

"What?" the evil spirit shouted.

"I summon my strongest monster!"

A radiant warrior descended from the heavens, its armor gleaming like the rising sun.

"Attack!"

The warrior charged forward, its blade blazing with brilliant light.

It cleaved through Zelmore's final monster before striking him directly.

"No!"

The spirit screamed as beams of light erupted from Zelmore's body.

Dark smoke poured from his eyes and mouth, twisting into the shape of a monstrous shadow with glowing red eyes.

"This isn't over!" it shrieked. "Master Arachnir will possess all five duelists! The Seven Realms will belong to him!"

The creature dissolved into nothingness.

The crimson sky faded.

The Umbral Realm began to collapse.

River rushed forward and caught Zelmore before he could hit the ground.

His eyes slowly returned to their normal color.

"River..." he said weakly. "What... happened?"

River smiled with relief.

"You fought back. That's what happened."

The Shadow Game ended.

The shattered arena disappeared, and a pillar of golden light carried them back to the dormitory at Duel University.

As they reappeared in the hallway, Zelmore fell to one knee, exhausted but finally free from the darkness.

Far below the university, in the abandoned sewer pipe, Arachnir slammed one of his mechanical legs against the floor.

"No!" he hissed. "The spirit failed... and Zelmore has been freed."

He looked once more at the ancient book.

"Five duelists..." he muttered. "Very well. If fate insists on giving me five heroes... then I shall destroy all five before the prophecy can come to pass.”