Greetings duelists and anime fans!

You might remember me from my “Yu-Gi-Oh Junior” fanfics.

Now, welcome to “Yu-Gi-Oh! The Thousand-Year Door”.

First, some words on the rules of the game in this fanfic.

Most of the rules of the actual game are in effect. Duelists start out at 8,000 Life Points. One sacrifice is needed to normal summon a Monster of five or six stars, two for more stars than that.

Unlike my other fics, players do NOT lose Life Points when a Monster is destroyed via a means other than battle (in most cases).

Like the anime, Fusion Monsters have to wait a turn before attacking. Ritual Monsters require both a Ritual Magic Card and a Monster Card. Some anime effects are in play as well – others are not. You’ll just have to see.

Take, for example, the effect of “Card of Sanctity”. This fic will be using the more powerful anime effect, which allows each player to draw until they have six cards in their hands. The real card is much less powerful – its effect is as follows: You discard your hand and all cards you have on the field, and then draw two cards. As you can tell, this is situational at best, and worthless at worst. However, we’ll be using the anime version.

Also, a little word on the setting. This takes place in the same universe as the anime, but appearances by anime characters will be minimal. The time is shortly after the Doma Arc.

Also, like my previous fic, this fic is rated PG-13. However, it is not due to religious connotations.

And I’ve added a new feature that wasn’t in my previous fics. See if you can notice it.

Also, I am asking all readers to review! Reviews slacked off recently in my last fanfic, and I ask you, don’t be shy.

With that in mind…

Let’s begin!












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Yu-Gi-Oh!


The Thousand-Year Door



[color=blue]By Brian “Venusaur” Corvello




[B][size=3]PROLOGUE





The years haven’t been kind to me. And I’ve got the wrinkles to show it. I should have even more. I’ve lived a lot of years.

Who am I? My name isn’t important yet. Maybe you’ll find out later. But I’ve got a lot of stories to tell.

Here’s an interesting one… Let me tell you the story of The Thousand-Year Door…

See, five thousand years ago, Egyptian kings and nobles played a deadly competition, drawing on a mysterious place called the Shadow Realm. They used powerful magic and ferocious beasts to strike down their enemies. These Shadow Games got so dangerous, they threatened to turn into a war that would rip the world apart!

And it would have – were it not for a brave Pharaoh. He crafted the seven powerful Millennium Items, to halt the Shadow Games, and end the evil practice once and for all.

At least, that was what they were supposed to do… Things don’t always go as planned.

You see, over the aeons, unsavory folk have tried to use Shadow magic on their own – some more successfully than others.

A little over one thousand years ago, someone became very successful. Her name is forgotten, maybe even to herself. Let’s refer to her by what she calls herself now – the Shadow Queen.

Her origins are unclear – some say that she was as much demon as she was human. Her powers over sorcery were unmatched, and she had used foul rituals and unholy bargains to make herself practically immortal.

The Shadow Queen’s goal was world domination, and she wielded the might of powerful Shadow Games. Using magic and monsters from the forbidden Realm, she would leave foes groveling at her feet, begging for mercy.

And they got none from her. She wouldn’t kill them either. The fate she had for her enemies was far worse. She constructed an extradimensional prison which she called The Graveyard, and would simply banish her defeated foes there. With her enemies safely entombed, they were out of the way, and her empire grew.

This went on for years. More kingdoms were conquered, their rulers becoming buried in The Graveyard and their subjects cowering under the merciless Shadow Queen.

Eventually, she built herself a grand palace of her own, situated on an island in the middle of the Atlantic. Built into the side of a mountain, this fortress was the stuff of nightmares to anybody who visited. She ruled from this dark Palace of Shadows, where howls of demons and fell creatures echoed throughout the chambers.

Of course, thoughts of rebellion were on the minds of all the countries whom she had enslaved. But what were they to do? Who could stand up to this tyrant who had defeated the most powerful warriors already?

It was then that three saviors appeared from three corners of the globe. Some say they were gathered together by a mysterious wizard whose identity was known only to them. These three heroes knew the ways of Shadow themselves, and boldly went to confront the Shadow Queen. Confront her they did – in her own Palace.

The battle was long and hard. For days, the evil queen clashed with the three heroes. Monsters were summoned from portals and were blasted to oblivion by each other.

Finally, the Shadow Queen fell. Defeated.

But for all their might, the heroes could not kill the Shadow Queen. She was far too powerful. Instead, they managed to cast a powerful spell that would turn her grand palace into a magical prison.

Having done that, they left, leaving the Shadow Queen sealed behind the grand doors of her palace, a captive of it, hopefully for eternity.

It is said that on an island somewhere in the mid-Atlantic, you can find a huge door built into a mountainside. This is The Thousand-Year Door. Behind it lies the Shadow Queen’s prison, where she will hopefully remain.

Hopefully.

But as I said, things do not always go as planned.

For one thousand years, the immortal Shadow Queen has one thought on her mind – escape. Through her servants, who are not as imprisoned as she is, she has become active in the outside world, gaining information, and adjusting to the modern era. And now, after ten centuries, she has found an escape clause in the spell that holds her prisoner.

It reads as follows: If she or servants working for her can defeat the blood heirs of her three jailers in a fair fight, she will be freed.

And she will escape to start her reign of terror once more.

Now, after years of planning, her goal is within reach.

Her prey is within sight.

Anyway, that’s my story. Call it a tall tale if you want, but I’m sticking to it.

Oh, by the way…

Do you like to play Duel Monsters?


* * * * * * * * * *


New York City.

Madison Square Garden.

Right now, it was hosting the Big Apple Duel Monsters Tournament.

Final round.

On one side was a boy named Stanley Mason. He wore a jean jacket and blue jeans, and a Yankees cap on backwards. His long brown hair was tied in a short ponytail.

He had 2,000 Life Points remaining, and on his side was Blast Magician. (1,400/1,700)

On the other side was a boy names Patrick Malta; he had 1,500 Life Points remaining, and his side was clear.

However, it was his turn.

“Make your move, Pat,” smiled Stan. “Send out another one of your Machines so I can junk it!”

“Yeah, I’m moving!” growled Patrick.

He drew a card from his Disk.

“I play my Pot of Greed!” he announced, plugging a card into a slot.

The evil jar appeared in front of him, and two cards popped out of the lid.

He made two draws.

“My Blast Magician thanks you,” smiled Stan.

“Huh?” said Patrick.

He looked, and saw that Blast Magician was absorbing the energy from the Magic Card!

He glared.

“I’ll place this Monster facedown in Defense and end my turn,” he said.

Stan drew.

Monster Reborn.

Don’t really need this now, he thought.

“I summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode!” he shouted.

He placed the card down, and the shadowy magician in bulky black robes appeared, carrying his steel staff. (1,900/1,700)

“Blast Magician,” he ordered, “attack his facedown Monster with blast attack!”

Blast Magician raised his sickle-ended blade, and it burned with fire! He shot forth a stream of flames at the facedown card!

“Ha!” laughed Patrick. “Always be wary of facedown cards, Stan!”

A Cyber Jar appeared on the card!

“NO!” yelled Stan.

Blast Magician and Skilled Dark Magician were sucked into the Jar, and it exploded.

“Now then,” smiled Patrick, “we both have to make five draws, and summon all the four-star or less Monsters we draw!”

“I know the rules!” growled Stan.

He made the draws.

“I summon Battle Footballer, and Cyber Commander, both in Defense Mode!” announced Patrick.

He set the cards down. First, an android in a football jersey and helmet appeared, crouching as if ready to receive a play. (1,000/2,100) Then a cyborg soldier in army fatigues, and a gas mask, with a rocket launcher on his shoulder, holding a rifle appeared. He knelt in Defense. (750/700)

Stan looked at the cards he had drawn. He had only one Monster he could summon – Apprentice Magician. His other four cards were Dark Magician Girl, The Sage’s Stone, Polymerization, and Miracle Restoring.

But a plan started to form…

“And I summon a Monster facedown in Defense,” he announced. “That will end my turn.”

“Great,” said Patrick, drawing.

He looked at his card.

“I sacrifice my Cyber Commander to summon my Machine King!” he exclaimed, putting a card down.

Cyber Commander burst into pixels, and a tall form arose. It was a huge robot covered with lights, gears, pistons, and gewgaws. (2,200/2,000)




“This mean Machine gains 100 extra Attack points for every Machine on the field,” he laughed, “including itself!”

(2,400/2,000)

“Now,” he said, “Machine King, blast his facedown Monster with photon beam!”

Machine King blasted a beam of energy out of its chest!

A female wizard in purple robes carrying a wooden staff appeared on the card. She cringed and was vaporized.

“You just killed my Apprentice Magician,” smiled Stan. “And when she’s destroyed in battle, I get to search my deck for a Spellcaster of two stars or less, and summon it in facedown Defense Mode!”

He took his deck and leafed through it until her got what he wanted. He placed it down on his Disk, and the facedown card appeared.

“Now I’ll just shuffle my deck…” he said.

He shuffled.

“And is that your turn?”

“Yeah,” grinned Patrick. “As if your Magician of Faith will do you much good…”

Stan drew.

“This isn’t my Magician of Faith,” smiled Stan. “Would you like to see who it is?”

He hit a command, and the facedown Monster flipped into Attack Mode. It was a gnarled old wizard in colorful robes, leaning on a large staff. (450/600)

“It’s my Old Vindictive Magician!” smiled Stan. “And when he’s flipped, he destroys one opposing Monster! Old Vindictive Magician, destroy his Battle Footballer!”

Old Vindictive Magician chanted a spell, and strange symbols appeared in the air. He thrust his staff forward, and black magic shot out, vaporizing Battle Footballer.

Machine King’s Attack went down to 2,300.

“You fool!” gloated Patrick. “You could have destroyed Machine King!”

“I have other plans for him,” smiled Stan. “Because now I sacrifice my Old Vindictive Magician for Dark Magician Girl!”

Old Vindictive Magician vanished, and beautiful music started playing. The gorgeous female sorceress appeared in a flurry of hearts. She smiled sweetly. (2,000/1,700)

“Nice try, Stan,” chuckled Patrick, “but your magical fairy isn’t strong enough!”

“Yes, she isn’t…” said Stan, ominously.

He took a card from his hand.

“So I’ll use this Magic Card,” he continued. “The Sage’s Stone!”

He threw it into a slot. A diamond appeared in the air, and Dark Magician Girl took hold of it. A light shone on the entire area…

“What does THAT do?” sputtered Patrick in fear.

“It let’s Dark Magician Girl summon her master from my hand or deck!” smiled Stan.

“Master? You don’t mean…” stuttered Stan.

Stan removed a card from his deck and threw it down on his deck.

:”That’s right,” he said. “Meet Dark Magician!”

The light coalesced into darkness, and the mighty Dark Magician appeared beside his protégé! (2,500/2,100)




“Dark Magician,” yelled Stan, “destroy Machine King with dark magic attack!”

Dark Magician aimed his staff and fired, blowing Machine King into scrap!

“Now, Dark Magician Girl, blow him a kiss!” he yelled, “with a direct attack!”

Dark Magician Girl giggled. She leapt up into the air and fired with her scepter! Patrick screamed and fell over, and his Life Points fell to zero.

The referee came up and held Stan’s hand up in the air.

“The winner of the Big Apple Duel Monsters Tournament is… Stanley Mason!” he proclaimed.

The crowd cheered.


* * * * * * * * * *


“Hmm…” said a voice.

In a dark room, a figure was seated on a throne, watching the action.

“You certainly have skill, Stanley,” said the figure. “Perfect strategy, perfect timing, good deck construction, the right amount of luck…

“And not just any duelist can properly wield the power of Dark Magician. My first spouse would commend you…

“…posthumously.

“Well, enjoy your award money while you can. As dark as your sorcerers are, things are going to get darker…”