Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Lady of Dragons ❯ Seeker, Keeper of Exodia ( Chapter 4 )

"You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present.”

 

- Jan Glidewell

 

Chapter Four: Seeker

Keeper of Exodia

 

The day was beginning to draw to a close. The sun was already setting beyond the horizon of skyscrapers in Domino City, and Isis Kaiba had just stepped out onto the tournament grounds for the first time. She was a little disappointed that she hadn't gotten out to dueling sooner, but she had to wait for a duel disk of her own.

 

She looked at the contraption on her arm. At a far enough glance it could have been mistaken for a large watch, but upon closer inspection you could tell that the readout was not the time of day - it was a Life Point meter. Seto Kaiba and she were the only people to have this new technology. It was so expensive; it would be impossible to have it mass-produced for the tournament.

 

All it looked like from the outside was a silver box with a digital readout on the top attached to a wristband, but this duel disk, if you could call it that, was the most advanced technology Kaiba Corp. had to offer. Simply set the deck into the drawer, and the computer would take care of the rest. Cards were scanned then randomized, and then everything from the deck to the player's hand would be shown in holographic form. The disk was also voice activated, meaning that you didn't even need to change the position of your cards.

 

There was supposed to be six more ready by the time the finals rolled around, but in the meantime, Isis was content to use the normal one for now, which was securely fit on her other arm.

 

Anyway, getting out this late, she would need to move fast if she wanted to win another locater card today. Isis was skilled in finding the things she wanted, not to mention that her dad had helped her find the places that duelists were most active with his tracking system.

 

So she hurried off to the shoreline. There was always a duel going on around those warehouses and the pier.

 

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Meanwhile, Kaiba returned home for the evening, greeting Ishizu along the way. "How did the opening day go?" Ishizu questioned, but in that highly in-tune self-conscious way of hers, she knew that more was going on then there appeared.

 

Kaiba turned to face her, knowing that she was expecting a very specific answer. He only wished he could give it to her, because if he didn't she would tell him. Kaiba wasn't the type of person that likes to be reminded that he doesn't know something. "It went fine… but do me a favor, keep Isis home until morning."

 

Ishizu became worried and confused all at once. "The crew just finished the new duel disks you told them to `get a move on, or they will find themselves working at a fast-food joint until they retire'. Isis wanted to get a quick win before the day was over; she just left. Is there something wrong?" But Ishizu could tell the answer. "I will go look for her."

 

"No, I'll go look for her. You stay here in case she comes home." Turning to the door, Kaiba added a grim statement under his breath: "Or if we get any calls about her." Kaiba was out the door and calling for his limo while Ishizu made a call of her own.

 

Kaiba's wife carefully dialed the number and waited three rings before receiving an answer.

 

"Hello, Ishtar residence."

 

"Brother, I believe Seskera may have revealed his presence at last."

 

Marik Ishtar's voice fumed with rage across the phone connection. "I knew he wouldn't wait forever. That fool always had a mind about things. He must have moved up the ladder when I never returned. But why wait till now to make his move?"

 

"I don't have any better idea then you do. But my daughter is out there and I need someone who knows what is going on out there."

 

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"Agreed, I'll be there as soon as I can. Be strong, sister… goodbye." Marik hung up, sighing.

 

The youngest Ishtar was not thrilled about returning to Japan. He and Bakura had become close friends after he had decided not to return to work in Egypt for a time. Each had their own history of being slaves to an ancient spirit of their own particular Millennium Item. After Bakura's dark spirit finally appeared to be vanquished, they went into researching ancient Egypt, hoping to prevent more disasters like theirs from happening to the unsuspecting. They became roommates and partners, and Bakura even had a steady girlfriend.

 

Marik had trouble finding love. Even in Egypt girls tended to shy away from guys with ritualistic tattoos embedded into their flesh.

 

Bakura entered the room just as Marik hung up the phone. "What was that about?"

 

Marik just looked him straight in the eye and said, "Pack some water. It's a long hike back to Cairo and we have a plane to catch."

 

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Ishizu hoped that her brother would not be too late before being startled by a rustle in the corner. "Shadi, what are you doing here?"

 

The vengeance spirit didn't wait for an invitation to sit down. "I need information on Seskera."

 

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Isis was having trouble finding a duelist this late. She was about to give up and go home, when a bone-chilling laugh broke through the darkness.

 

As Isis turned to look at her company, she barely suppressed a scream. He seemed to have no pupils whatsoever; it took her a moment to realize that he had a sickening layer of film over each eye. He was wearing a filthy and worn purple robe, torn in many places. His hair was well cut, but as filthy as the rest of him. The only thing that seemed clean was the silver pin attached to his shirt collar. She was about to run away in horror until she noticed the duel disk sitting at this man's feet, and even then Isis was ready to make a break for it.

 

"Um, what's your name…sir?" she questioned.

 

All it seemed to do was provoke another round of laughter - this clinched it, the guy was insane. Seeming to regain his composure, the guy finally managed to speak. "I really have no idea who I am, but I do know that I need to duel an `Isis Kaiba' and win."

 

This was really creeping Isis out; how did this hobo know her name? Still, this guy wanted to duel her, and he looked like an easy target. "Okay, um... I'm Isis, and I will duel you, but I still need to know your name."

 

The filthy duelist scrambled to his feet. "Well, my co-workers needed to know the same thing. I told them the only things I remember were the letters R and H.” He shrugged. “They call me that most of the time, but someone came up with the nickname Seeker."

 

"Okay, mister Seeker, what are the stakes?"

 

"How about this?" In his hand, the dirty hobo was holding something more valuable then all the rest of his possessions put together. Isis gasped as the five-card set of Exodia the Forbidden One was flashed before her eyes. The guy smiled and asked, "Are you willing to put up four cards from your deck and a locator card for this?"

 

Seeker had the kid right where he wanted her. Seto Kaiba was famous for all three of his Blue-Eyes White Dragons. He could get them all and this girl's soul card in one duel.

 

But Isis didn't seem to be taking the bait. "How many locator cards do you have…Mister Seeker?"

 

"I have a total of three at the moment."

 

Isis surprised Seeker by raising the stakes even further. "All right, if I win I get those Exodia cards and all three of your locator cards."

 

Seeker swung back into that sickening laughter. "Why exactly? Honestly, give me one good reason!"

 

"Because I have another card I think you want." Searching through her deck, Isis let the shine of the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon come into Seeker's eyes. "This and the Blue-Eyes, and Thunder Nyan Nyan, and the one locater card I have."

 

Who in their right mind would resist an offer like that? The answer: not Seeker. "All right, you're on… let's duel."

 

After shuffling the Exodia set into his deck, Seeker inserted his deck into the wristband on his duel disk while Isis did the same.

 

I-8000 S-8000

 

Meanwhile, Kaiba watched the beginning of the duel from the road on a hill overlooking the pier, and paled. This was unmistakably the same duelist that had faced Yugi in the first match of the original Battle City. If he had the same tactics that he had used all those years ago, Isis had only a sliver of a prayer.

 

The former rare hunter began his turn, but did not find a "forbidden" card within it. No matter, Seeker thought to himself, I learned not to depend so much on my Exodia strategy. My deck is filled with surprises. "I begin by playing the magic card called Final Countdown!"

 

As the card's form appeared before them, Isis suddenly realized that her vision was blurred, and looking up she realized why. Isis was trapped in the holographic representation of a giant hourglass. Several balls of bright flame surrounded the bottom of the giant timepiece as one light disappeared and the sand began to fall onto her. Isis couldn't feel the sand, but she was still plenty scared and it showed, as only then she noticed that the ground under her was churning with dark magic.

 

Seeker was wearing a disgusting grin as he relished in her fear. "As you have noticed, the card has created twenty sacred lights that keep a dark and powerful monster behind the gate… but one of those lights will extinguish each of our turns. Once all twenty lights go out and the sand has completely fallen, you will automatically lose this duel. Unfortunately, activating the Final Countdown costs two thousand Life Points, but even with the loss, you won't defeat me before then!"

 

S-6000 I-8000

 

Isis wondered why he had thrown his Life Points away so easily, especially since one good magic destroyer could ruin his strategy.

 

"I also lay a monster in defense position and a single card face down,” Seeker noted. “Then I end my turn."

 

Isis waited for another light to fade before she remembered that it happened at the end of the turn. Relishing the brief pause in the cascading holographic sand, she drew her first six cards. "I activate Giant Trunade. It creates a storm returning all magic cards to the players' hands - so unless you feel like giving up two thousand Life Points again, I'm rid of your countdown!"

 

Seeker only gawked. This girl was the daughter of a champion, but she still had a lot to learn. "In case you haven't noticed, the card does not remain on the field, so you just wasted a magic card."

 

Isis digested this new information. That meant that the Final Countdown was unstoppable. She still had plenty of time to win, but Isis knew she had a deadline. "Very well, I summon the Kaiser Seahorse in attack mode." As the card faded into view, lustrous blue armor covered the figure of a humanoid fish. (1700/1650) "Kaiser, attack the hidden monster," Isis commanded.

 

The monster was eager to reply as it swung the head of the spear it was carrying into the hidden card. A sickening red monster gave the young girl a raspberry before bursting into triangles. (1400/1100)

 

Seeker grinned in thanks as a small, three-eyed furball rose in its place. (1000/600) "My Mystic Tomato has the ability to call forth a monster of darkness when it is destroyed, and the monster I have chosen is Sangan." I

 

sis hadn't been expecting this. As the second flare below her faded, more sand rained down on her. Isis had been hoping to take out his monster so she could have two to his one next turn.

 

Now Seeker was the one with a monster advantage. He took his turn with relish. "I sacrifice my weak Sangan monster to summon the Lesser Fiend!" The monster let out a shriek of surprise before shattering and reforming into a wolf-headed behemoth with four arms. (2100/1000) "This monster has the power to remove any monster it destroys from the current duel, meaning that your seahorse is now useless. Lesser Fiend, attack the Kaiser!"

 

The fiend did just that, as it took a limb of the target in each of its arms and tore it apart before the monster faded from the field.

 

S-6000 I-7600

 

Isis decided it was time to limit the surprises. "I trigger the trap Light of Intervention, meaning there can be no hidden monsters from either of us."

 

Seeker continued to glare; at least she thought he was glaring. He just continued to ramble about his cards: "Sangan lets me take a monster from my deck and add it to my hand, meaning that the first piece of Exodia is mine. The left arm will do."

 

Isis took note of that; Seeker had said that this piece was the only one in his hand.

 

However, Seeker still had one hidden card to play. "I also chain with the Call of the Haunted, reviving my Sangan as long as it is in play." Three gravestones emerged in the center of the field. The monster almost comically jumped up from the billowing smoke.

 

Isis began to notice a pattern; he didn't need to draw the pieces, he could just bring back his monster and wait for her to destroy it, and then search for a new one. This was getting bad - between Exodia and the countdown card, Isis didn't have time to mess around.

 

The fourth turn arrived with the now familiar feeling of sand, which was now up past her ankles as yet another of the lights at her feet was extinguished. The ground beneath Isis was beginning to churn, like an ocean sensing an upcoming storm. Isis needed a plan, and with her card increasing her hand to five, she managed to get a quick fix. "I summon my Gradius in attack mode, with the modification of the Cyclon Laser." The futuristic spacecraft flew out of its holographic card with a roar; a colorful cannon was now fixed to its back. (1500/800) "Now, I can use the power of my Shine Castle. Any light monster attacking from this mystical fortress gains seven hundred attack points, making my monster strong enough to take out your fiend. Gradius, strike now!" (2200/800)

 

The laser fired a spectrum of focused light at the four-armed creature, as it seemed to melt away with a howl of pain.

 

As her turn ended, Isis felt the sand reach up to mid shin, as another light vanished.

 

Seeker however seemed to be quite fine with the turn of events as he drew a fourth card and smiled. Not being smart enough not to reveal his information, he shouted in victory, "I now have the Right Leg of the Forbidden One in my hand! And it won't be long before the others are mine, because I play this Witch of the Black Forest in defense mode, which thanks to your trap, I can play face up. Then I will set a single card and end my turn."

 

The fifth light died, and sand covered Isis up to just below her knees, the shadows below her getting more restless. Isis still had three cards in her hand, and they had promise, but either one of those monsters would let her opponent search for a new Exodia piece; still, she had no choice. "I summon the Gradius Option, creating a copy of my Gradius." It seemed identical at first glance, but this hologram shone with a meteor-like fire surrounding it. (2200/800) "Next, I tribute these monsters for the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

 

Isis made sure to sacrifice her Option card first; if she made the mistake of tributing the original first, the copy would self-destruct, leaving her without a second monster. The legendary monster bellowed with its trademark roar, dazzling Seeker with its sheer amount of power. (3000/2500)

 

Isis continued her turn with yet another Special Summon: "Next, I can remove the two monsters I just sacrificed to bring forth the Soul of Purity and Light!"

 

The souls of the two spacecrafts shimmered for a moment before delicately intertwining into the form of an elderly winged spirit wrapping her wings around her in defense mode. (2000/1800)

 

Isis was still in a bind; she had two monsters, but attacking would do more damage to her than to her opponent. Reluctantly, she finished her turn, allowing the sand to pour over her once more as turn six passed by.

 

Seeker only had the two pieces of Exodia for a hand, but that could change in a hurry. He just looked at his draw with those creepy eyes of his (no one could tell if he was actually capable of sight) and played it. "I play a personal favorite of mine, the Graceful Charity card! This lets me…"

 

"I know full well what it does, so draw your cards and discard something already," Isis said, not liking her opponent in the least.

 

"Very well, these will do." Isis looked in shock as his Exodia pieces were shown before her. Sliding the limbs into his Graveyard, Seeker continued his move: "Next, I activate the Dark Hole, sweeping the field of all monsters… which means that two more pieces of the Forbidden One are mine."

 

Each of the monsters scrambled to hang on to something, but in the end, every last one of them was sucked down into the vortex as if it was a shower drain. The Blue-Eyes in particular gave a defiant roar before disappearing.

 

Seeker searched his deck for the two remaining limbs before revealing a trap. "I also have a Backup Soldier card hidden, and with two Exodia pieces, Mystic Tomato, my Sangan, my Witch, and the Lesser Fiend in my Graveyard, I have more than the five monsters needed to activate it. Now the Right Leg and Left Arm are back in my possession, and I still have a card to set." Seeker ended his turn with that.

 

Isis was in a bad spot now; she was down to no monsters and nothing but a Light of Intervention on her side of the field. Now she had a single card in her hand, but she was reluctant to play it, still she had no choice but to and her turn.

 

Isis had nothing left to do as yet another light faded and the sand began to fall. Isis was now very uncomfortable. She tried to remember that it was all just a hologram, but Isis was deathly claustrophobic, and can anyone really be calm when they are up to their pantyhose in sand?

 

Seeker quickly drew and activated a Pot of Greed, card, one every duelist uses if they can help it. "I activate Mystical Space Typhoon,” he began, “blowing away your Light of Intervention! Next, I activate Premature Burial, paying eight hundred Life Points to revive my Witch of the Black Forest."

 

S-5200 I-7600

 

A circle of blood-red magic swirled into a cone that was spread aside like a curtain by the witch that now had a greenish tinge to her skin.

 

Isis felt the sand begin to pour over her hips as the ninth light vanished. The girl knew she had to work fast - if she didn't attack his monster he was sure to tribute it himself - but what could remove it without activating its ability?

 

Wait, “remove”, she thought to herself, that's the key to this mess.

 

Isis hoped that this card would be one that could help her. It ended being her own Pot of Greed, but in this situation who is to complain about that? Not bothering to declare such a well-known card, she found the one thing that could turn this match around. "I activate Monster Reborn, and I have just the monster in mind to get me out of this mess. I Special Summon your Lesser Fiend!"

 

The wolf-headed creature appeared under Isis's control, and looked just as menacing as ever.

 

"I know that you are only allowed to search for a monster from your deck if the Witch is sent to the Graveyard,” Isis noted. “But you said yourself that this monster removes them from play entirely, so kiss your Witch of the Black Forest and your fifth piece of Exodia goodbye!"

 

The monster wasted absolutely no time in ripping the witch into four equal sizes and watching them explode.

 

S-4200 I-7600

 

Seeker was discouraged of course, but not to be outdone. "Foolish girl, you still have my Final Countdown to worry about, and Exodia is far from banished! I set a monster and end my turn."

 

The hourglass was now half full, as half of the sequential lights had gone out. The ground beneath Isis's feet was actually beginning to tremble. Isis looked at her draw and decided to save it for later, besides, that fiend had helped her so far. "Lesser Fiend, I command you to attack Seeker's facedown monster."

 

Her monster obeyed, but Isis got a brief glimpse of a very unattractive monster before it was obliterated. Isis became aware, however, of the five flowing spheres above Seeker's head.

 

"Thank you for attacking my Big Eye!” Seeker said. “It has the power to let me rearrange the top five cards of my deck, so if the final section of Exodia the Forbidden One is there, your time has just run out.”

 

Isis almost cried within her holographic prison - this was it, it was all over. She had lost her father's dragons for nothing.

 

The only thing that brought her out of her self-inflicted coma was the angry shout of her opponent.

 

"No! It isn't here! How can it not be here? This isn't happening! This is a nightmare! It has to be here!" But try as he might, Seeker didn't have the head of Exodia in those cards. Scowling, he only changed the position of a single card before beginning his turn by drawing it. "You may have dodged the bullet this time, kid, but feast your eyes on this, my Different Dimension Capsule.”

 

For a brief second, Isis had thought she had lost, as the grinning face of Exodia himself came into view, only to be sealed in a sarcophagus suspended above the field.

 

“This magic card lets me search my deck for one card and draw it into my hand in two turns…” Seeker flashed a devious smile. “But with this card, I only need one." The hidden card swung around to reveal an ancient stone carving bursting into flame. "The Pyro Clock of Destiny speeds up time by one turn for all cards, including my Final Countdown."

 

Fresh sand began to pour on Isis's face as light number eleven faded, and a screech was heard beneath her feet.

 

Seeker broke into a new stretch of triumphant laughter. "You don't have the slightest hope for victory now. Exodia will be summoned in my next turn, and there is nothing you can do to stop it!"

 

Twelve lights down, and Isis was up to her chest in sand, but then she realized something - Seeker had been so preoccupied with summoning Exodia that he had no protection on his field at all. A lot of good it will do you, Isis muttered to herself internally, he has so many life points left that even with his Lesser Fiend I can't stop him.

 

Isis did the quick math; if she attacked with the fiend she would need another 2100 in damage. She had one card she needed; she just needed another to go with it and it arrived in spades. "I activate Harpie's Feather Duster!" she declared.

 

Seeker choked - if his Different Dimension Capsule was destroyed while in effect, the card chosen would stay removed from play.

 

A feather-laced cyclone blew across the field, first eating away at the capsule itself, then dissipating the monster inside.

 

Isis just let out a cute chuckle and said, "Care to see what else I've got, or do you just want to give up?"

 

Seeker just panted for breath before making a sprint for a building behind him, only to be knocked flat by a blow to the stomach.

 

"Not a chance, bub,” Seto Kaiba hissed. “You're going to finish this duel with my daughter, and that's final."

 

Seeker cringed before doing the first thing that came to his mind. Quickly sinking to the ground, he faked being unconscious from the blow.

 

Kaiba let out a snort of satisfaction before speaking again. "I guess we can count that as a forfeit."

 

S-0000 I-7600

 

Without saying another word, Kaiba handed his daughter the full Exodia set she had been promised.

 

Isis bent down to take the locator cards, but looked at her dad with a kind of admiration. "No, dad, you keep them, I was going to give them to you anyway."

 

Kaiba smiled, he was so proud of her, but she was still in danger out here alone. "I'll walk you home, okay? You have a big day tomorrow."

 

"Alright, but can I tell you all about my win?"

 

"You sure can."

 

They began to walk towards the mansion that was their home. Kaiba, with the slyest of motions, took the cards behind his back, cleanly tore them in half, and dropped them in the nearest trashcan.

 

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As Seeker scrambled to his feet, trying to think of a lie to get him out of eminent trouble, he noticed a dark figure coming closer to him. "Master Seskera,” he gasped. “Thank you for finding me. I will not disappoint you again, but this girl…"

 

"Drop it Seeker. Tell me, why did you give up?"

 

Seeker knew what happened to a duelist that failed. He was about to mutter something when his master spoke again.

 

"I guess it really doesn't matter, though,” the head of the Order said, “and I have another job for you now, anyway."

 

Seeker was confused; it was out of character for Seskera to be this forgiving. "What is it? I will not fail again, I swear it!"

 

Seskera managed a dark chuckle before explaining, "Even you can't fail at this."

 

Without a word, the dark figure bent down and proceeded to pick up the fallen Graceful Charity… and quickly tore it in half.

 

Seeker slumped to the ground, giving no sign that he was not a fresh corpse.

 

Seskera pleased himself with the fact that he was now so skilled with the chant that he not only recited it from memory, but said it so quietly under his breath that the fool hadn't even noticed. He then hung his head as he turned to get back to business. "Good help is so hard to find these days."

 

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Back at the Kaiba Mansion, Ishizu had just finished telling her story, and Shadi was keen to comment: "So, that is why he is after the power of the shadows."

 

Ishizu nodded. “Seskera was a minor member of the Rare Hunters several years ago. Out of all the ones who tested the fake Winged Dragons of Ra, he alone survived. Seskera felt the powerful magic of the shadow realm that day, and he craved it all the more. Surviving the blast made him to believe that he was one meant to control its power. Seskera spent most of his life devoted to trying to contain it. My brother and his partner found an ancient papyrus in a hidden temple of Set. The truck containing it never arrived at the museum."

 

"I am familiar with these scrolls," Shadi interrupted. "I am a guardian bound by my destiny to keep the powers of the millennia from falling into the wrong hands. Only seven mortals are fated to control its magic. It has been difficult at first to see if the humans are the ones who have been chosen, but at last there seems to be harmony between the powers."

 

"Seskera knows that as well," Ishizu replied. "This is why he isn't even trying to obtain them. Messing with the destiny of the Millennium Items is dangerous and sometimes even fatal; he isn't stupid enough to even try. But from what Marik has told me, the scroll that was stolen told all the secrets, not of the items, but of the very dark magic itself. Now with the information you have given me, the puzzle seems to be complete."

 

Shadi nodded, and then muttered, "If, however, he manages to fully unleash the power of the Shadow Realm in its entirety…" He trailed off, not quite knowing how to phrase it. "The magic of the items is held under control, these are just tricks and illusions. The Shadow Realm is unrestrained, untamed…" He paused for a moment more. "And virtually unstoppable. Seskera has no comprehension of what he is trying to do. He assumes he will have it under control, but all he would do is send all of us into an existence of eternal torment."

 

Ishizu, although looking grim as ever, tried to comfort the guardian. "He can be stopped. Now not only are the people connected with the Shadow Games still within their prime, but many of them have offspring that may possess some magical talent as well."

 

Despite the reassurance, Shadi was depressed and all-out furious now. He stomped out as he turned to pull off his trademark disappearing act, giving a final statement as he turned to go. "Let me say this, Ishizu, I will do anything in my power to prevent this madman from carrying out his plans. If I succeed, may Osiris and Anubis have mercy upon him, for it will not come from me. And if I fail…" He glared into Ishizu's eyes to get the point across. "May the Egyptian gods save us all."

 

Slowly turning into the shadows, Shadi disappeared into the night.

 

Coming next chapter: Things grow very, very dark indeed, as someone kidnaps Peter Wheeler's sister. In order to save her, he's drawn into a Shadow Game with who may be the creepiest duelist to ever live. Will he survive and what will be left of him? Find out in Chapter Five, “Hasker, King of the Sewers”!