Hey I'm back. I'd again like to thank my Guest for the great reviews, dude, you are awesome, and you give me so much encouragement and motivation to write this. I enjoy writing these but you're really the only one giving me feedback to it. So I hope you enjoy this, I hope you're safe in these times, and I hope I actually get more comments. Have an awesome day.


Yuto woke up startled as if someone had kicked him awake from a deep slumber. He looked around, seeing the sleeping bags of other refugees. All of them were trying to get some rest but some of them were whimpering or praying that they survived another day. He didn't see Ruri or Shun around though, but with a weird feeling in his chest he got up. Yuto walked through the refuge camp heading no place in particular, his mind feeling fuzzy with his head not settling on one idea or the other before finding a secluded place.

Yuto leaned against a rock and looked into the distance, it had been a few months, close to a year since this hell had started, a war that seemed to have no end, and no victory in sight, fear and anger took control, hatred and the need to survive removed any and all reason for happiness. It was painful to see. Yuto missed the old days, the peaceful days, where the worst thing that he had to face was finals or a hard duel against another student.

There was no place for smiles anymore. Just tears, whether of sadness, mourning, anger, or fear. These seemed to be the only emotions going through the citizens of Heartland, and it broke Yuto's heart. He remembered the time the new stranger arrived in a flash of light, Yusho Sakaki, he introduced himself in his bright red suit and black silk hat. He explained that he didn't know how he got here and that he was probably in the wrong place,. But s time went on, he offered to teach the citizens of Heartland about Dueltaining and had brought so many smiles and happiness there.

After the invasion came, there was no hide nor hair from the man. Some people think that he just ran away like a coward, Yuto knew Allen did, others think that he was carded as well. Yuto himself had no idea; he knew Yusho was a great duelist, and he wouldn't fall down so easily. But fighting wave after wave of Obelisk Forces could exhaust the best of them. Yusho was a good man, so Yuto at least hoped that he was okay.

He knew Yusho would not have been happy with the way that they've been dueling. Yusho had always placed the ability to entertain others over winning a duel, putting a smile on people's faces was worth the world. Yuto had liked that thinking, he had liked entertaining others too. He might not have been flashy about it like Yusho, but it used to be fun. Hhe used to laugh and marvel at the way others would duel, their strategies, their monsters' attacks. Heartland used to be a happy place.

Now...Now the only thing a duel is used for is to survive and hurt others. If you did not fight, you would not survive.

Yuto opened his pocket and removed Dark Rebellion to look at him. His dragon had always been attentive to his mood, he was calm and easy-going when Yuto was having fun, prepared to play with the opponent and make Yuto and others laugh, other times when Yuto was angry, Dark Rebellion would be a vicious creature, ready to tear others limb from limb, and in these past few duels he all but drew blood from Academia students, and lately, even more, Dark Rebellion seemed as if he was anticipating something.

Of course Yuto wasn't sorry or guilty for what he did to the Obelisk forces, after all, why should he? They were the ones that attacked Heartland, invaded the peaceful land and started carding everyone, man, woman and child. Yuto's hate for them grew day by day and Fusion itself became a weapon associated with the scum that continue to come to them and destroy everything, take everything from them. No one was safe.

These facts kept repeating in Yuto's mind over and over again, adding nothing but misery and hatred to his heart. It had escalated to the point that one of the few things that would make him smile was to break and hurt an Academia duelist, seeing them whimper in fear and regret, at the look at the pain that he was going to unleash on those red/yellow/blue bastards. All through the duel he would grin and smirk as his monsters drew blood from his opponents, even after the duel was done, he would walk towards the person and break him even more, step on his chest, break his arm, punch them until his hand was made red by their blood, and then Yuto would card them with no hesitation.

It worried him, whenever he sat to think like this. Academia deserved no mercy, and any hesitation would mean his own death and one less defender to Heartland, but… how far was he willing to go? How far could he go?

Yuto gave a sigh before activating his Duel Desk and summoning Dark Rebellion. The dragon roared as it appeared before Yuto before the grey-eyed boy placed his finger over his lips and made a small shushing sound, making Dark Rebellion calm down. Yuto slid down to the ground and opened his arms, making Dark Rebellion coo as he moved closer to Yuto and let his master pet him, placing a soft smile on Yuto's lips. Dark Rebellion placed his head on Yuto's lap, letting the boy pet him.

"My Dark Rebellion," Yuto heard himself think, and Dark Rebellion seemed to respond by giving a small roar. His dragon has always been a source of happiness to Yuto as if he was a part of the grey-eyed boy. He has always been on Yuto's side, he became one of the few comforts Yuto had in the war. The two of them stayed a few minutes like that until something grabbed Dark Rebellion's attention, and made him look to the side.

Yuto's eyes widened as he saw that the person that had arrived was Ruri, and she was crying,. Tears stained her beautiful face, her eyes were red, her knuckles were dirty as if she had been punching something.

"Ruri?!" Yuto asked, panicking, and started to stand up to go check on her. Ruri shook her head and walked closer to Yuto before placing her hand over Dark Rebellion's head, making the dragon nuzzle against her hand and coo worriedly.

"Are you okay? What happened?" Yuto asked, fear and worry gripping his heart, "Should I call Shun?"

Ruri looked at Yuto and silently shook her head before placing a hand over Yuto's shoulder and pressing down a bit, giving him a sign to sit back down. With a few seconds of hesitation, Yuto obeyed.

"Ruri?" Yuto asked again as the black-haired girl sat silently beside him and leaned on him, placing her hand over his shoulder, and resting her head on his chest. Yuto blushed before wrapping his hands around Ruri and pulling her closer, rubbing her back gently.

Ruri had woke up crying after the news about the parasites had hit her and she woke up from Ray and the other girls' comfort she needed some air.

"It's too much sometimes," Ruri whispered.

"Huh?" Yuto asked, looking at Ruri.

"Fighting this war, not knowing when it will all end, worrying that you might lose someone, or that you yourself would be lost," Ruri whispered, her voice shaking a bit. "We have to win, we have to, but when do we know that it's all gonna end?!" her hand clutched Yuto's shoulder as more tears fell down her cheeks.

Yuto's heart hurt and he pressed his lips together, a power buried inside of him rose, filling him with righteous fury and hatred, spreading through his body. Yuto's hand reached out and whipped Ruri's tears away. "We can win this, we have to, no matter the cost, no matter what we have to do, this is our home, and we will defend it. They will pay for all that they did Ruri, I promise," he whispered to Ruri against her lips, he placed his fingers under Ruri's chin, gently pulling her for a kiss, it made both of them shiver.

"I wish I could protect you," Yuto thought, "I wish that I can end all of this, that I was strong enough to destroy everyone in Academia."

"Yuto," Ruri whispered. "You know you can lean on me too when you feel that it's all too much."

Yuto shook his head with a smile. "I'm fine Ruri," he replied.

Ruri sat up straighter and ran her hand through Yuto's hair and down his cheek, before pressing their foreheads together. "We're all in constant anxiety and fear, smiles are few and fleeting, so any happiness, any small comfort that we can take from each other... it's alright to ask," she whispered, giving Yuto's lips another kiss.

Ruri broke the kiss slowly but Yuto pulled her in for another, the kiss became heated and Yuto's hand threaded through Ruri's hair, while the other one was placed between her shoulder blades. Yuto's lips kissed down Ruri's jaw and down her neck as she clung to him, placing her palm over the back of his neck and the other grabbed his shirt.

After a while Ruri sat on Yuto's lap, as she buried her head in his neck, Yuto ran his hand through her hair, taking comfort in each others' arms, breathing each other in, so familiar and comforting, yet making the fear grow, the fear to lose all of this, the little happiness between them, the small sweet comfort, making them fight for a new day.

"Once this war is done, once we win and everything is back to normal, I want to smile again, I want to laugh, I wish a duel would come where we're just smiling again, where everyone is laughing," Ruri said. "I want happiness to come back to our world."

Yuto nodded. "I miss all of it too, now the only thing I feel when I duel is anger and rage, I just want nothing but to destroy."

"They deserve to be destroyed," Ruri whispered with venom in her tone, clutching Yuto's hand. "We will beat them, and we will win, and we will be safe again. No matter the cost, no matter the power, no matter the depths of darkness that we have to fall to."

Before Yuto could mull over Ruri's worlds they were interrupted. "Yuto? Ruri?" The two of them heard Shun calling. The two smiled slightly before letting go of each other and Ruri got up, followed by Yuto.

"What's going on?" Yuto asked.

"We're sending groups to search for more food and supplies," Shun answered. "One to search the abandoned houses, and another to raid an Obelisk Force camp, are you in?"

"I am," Yuto said with a nod.

"So am I," Ruri replied.

Shun nodded and led the two of them to the planning room. They saw Allen working hard on a few Duel Desks so that they could finally reach out and head to other dimensions.

"Everything going well?" Yuto asked Allen.

Allen stopped his work for a few seconds to look at Yuto and nod. "A day or so and I'll be done."

Yuto nodded. "Good." and went back to the meeting.

"Yuto, Ruri, Kaito and I are the best to head out and raid the camps."

"But only four of you would be suicide," Sayaka said.

"The camp is relatively small," Kaito said, "Each of us showed that they could take on three students at the same time. And the four of us can take them by surprise instead of a bigger group, if more of us went they could easily spot us.

"I'm with Kaito on this," Shun said, "If we can raid the camp, get more supplies that we need and get rid of some of these scums then all the better."

"And that way we can take the attention of the forces while others go look for food more safely," Yuto added.

Sayaka had to sigh and conceded with a nod. "Just please be safe, everyone." The girl would pray for all of them to return, even if whatever cruel god in Heartland was listening.

Ruri placed a hand on Sayaka's shoulder, giving her a weak smile that was meant to give the other girl some encouragement. Sayako returned the smile, but couldn't help but be worried.

The mission went well for both parties, the Xyz Dulests had managed to get a few supplies from the camp, and got to card a few soldiers, but were forced to retreat, activating a card, blinding the Obelisk Force Students with a flash, the four of them ran away in different directions.

As Ruri ran she was stipped by three disheveled Obelisk Force students standing in her way. Their duel desks were turned on, ready to duel and destroy.

Ruri stood there with hatred and venom in her eyes, unshed tears appeared as she shook with rage and fury and activated her duel desk. Since she found out about the Parasites, each time she looked at any student from Academia she knew that her fate would not be being carded, but a much worse fate.

"Little girls like you shouldn't be walking around all alone like that," the Obelisk member with a red jewel said with a chuckle, his other two companions snickering along.

Ruri stood silently between the ruins of her home and watched as the Academia students activated their Duel Disks.

"She's just one Xyz user, one of us could probably take her out," said the one with the green jewel. There were moments when Ruri used to wonder if Academia's students had names, wants, faces, something that made them human, with time she stopped asking or wondering, all she saw were monsters, faceless, nameless, cruel, and cowardly. All there was left in her heart was hatred.

Ruri activated her Duel Desk and stood there, her tears burning away as a dark aura rose from her. The Obelisk Force students' eyes widen behind their masks, not sure what was going on.

"Go ahead then," Ruri said, her voice echoing in the empty land, her eyes becoming darker as she looked at the three enemies before her. "Show me what you three can do. Impress me."

"Why you…" The one with green jewel said between gritted teeth.

"Okay then! Once we're done with you, you'll beg us to be carded Xyz scum!" The one with a yellow jewel said.

The three students summoned their monsters one by one and swarmed Ruri with three giant ancient machine monsters. The young girl didn't look impressed, she glared at the monsters and their masters, making each want to take a step back.

"I am curious about something," Ruri said. "Do you feel fear? Cause you will soon."

In the blink of an eye, it was over, two of Ruri's monsters were able to defeat three Academia students in one turn. The three of them were flung to the wall of destroyed buildings. The ones with green and red jewels on their masks had scratch marks on their chests and shoulders courtesy of Ruri's monster.

The black-haired girl walked towards the three who cowered and tried to crawl away from her. With a flick of her wrest, three feathers appeared in her hand, throwing them at the three men on the ground, one piercing through a hand, the other an arm, and the third through a leg, making the three scream from pain.

Ruri didn't care for the screaming, she didn't enjoy it, nor did she hate it. But it felt satisfying, to cause the pain and fear that Academia had caused them back, to feel powerful over cruel bastards like these three. Ruri almost wanted to laugh' the scene felt far too familiar. She had stood over more than one Academia student, and somehow, they all appeared to be the same, as if she was facing the same person with nothing to make them truly a person worth caring about. Whatever humanity was left in them, Ruri couldn't see or care about it. Now, it was the deaths of these three or the death of another person Ruri knows, the loss of more people, the destruction of more of her beautiful home. The choice had become easier as the war continued, and without hesitation, Ruri pressed the button to card the three.

The dark aura disappeared, she expected herself to be shaking from rage or fear, but she was calm for a simple second before she became slowly aware of the cold wind, around her, of her heart beating in her ear, of feeling every muscle tense for that one single second-

"Ruri?" Ruri heard her name be called and gasped as she turned around and saw her brother looking at her with wide eyes looking… terrified.

"Shun…" she whispered.

"What was that?" Shun asked in complete shock.

"I…" Ruri started to say but didn't know where to start.

"What did I see?"

"I…"

"What did I just see Ruri?!" Shun whispered heatedly, grabbing Ruri's shoulders, looking scared out of his mind. It was a look that rarely ever showed on his face.

Ruri looked away for a second before looking back at Shun. "I'll tell you everything, but we do need to get back to the refugee camp."

"Ruri, wait," Shun started, stopping her but Ruri shook her head.

"Shun, we're out here in the open and I just dueled three Obelisk Force students. Others might be coming soon, we need to take the supplies back to the camp, and we need to stay hidden."

Shun couldn't disagree. Ruri had a point; Academia Dulests might come and catch up to them soon and they didn't have enough time to argue.

The two of them reached the refugee camp, making sure no one was following them

"Ruri, what's going on?" Shun asked with an emotion Ruri couldn't read. She wasn't sure if it was rage or fear or a mix of many others. The two of them had returned to the camp and placed the supplies that they had taken away before regrouping with the others. After almost half an hour Shun was able to get Ruri alone and ask her what was going on.

Ruri's eyes shone with tears before closing her eyes and willing the tears away. "You saw what I did to the Obelisk Force students…"

"I did, and it's why I'm asking you this. What's going on Ruri, what… what power do you have, and where did you even get it?"

"It was a few weeks ago," Ruri answered. She was whispering, but her voice was firm. "I found myself in a dark void with four other girls with the same face as me. We were all confused and scared, two of them were a little hostile," she swallowed and let out a breath. "One of the girls, her name was Yuzu, was getting attacked by an Academia Student, the particular monster that was used to hurt one of us … awakened someone inside of us four. Ray."

"Ray?" Shun asked before remembering the certain woman from his dream that one night. "The woman with your face..." he realized.

Shun had not been sure what to think about that night or dream. He had woken up with the same card that was handed to him in his dream as if by magic. Shun had accepted it back then, not having the luxury of refusing any gift or weapon to help Heartland in the war. With time, it had slipped his mind, and his new monster had simply become something in his arsenal.

But now, seeing Ruri use something, a dark power that didn't seem her own, and with no mercy or compassion destroyed three Obelisk Force students, it disturbed him. Because Ruri, his sweet sister, had changed. They all have. Allen and Sayaka were right about that.

Shun had thought that it was the war...but what if it was that Ray, what if she was putting Ruri in danger? Driving her mad, or worse, controlling her?

Destroying those Obelisk Force assholes was something Shun will never regret; he did not fault anyone in Heartland for the anger and hatred that they feel towards these monsters. But if Ray was dangerous, if it meant losing Ruri forever, then Shun couldn't handle it.

"Ruri, if she's controlling you, if she's-"

"SHE'S NOT!" Ruri screamed startling Shun. He looked at Ruri with wide eyes, surprised at the outburst.

"Ruri?" Shun whispered in a soft tone as the tears began to pour down Ruri's cheeks.

His sister gritted her teeth as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Ray gave me an offer," Ruri continued. "She offered power to us, the four of us, to give us what we want, safely, comfort, recognition, a way to defeat the Obelisk Force and free Heartland from all this destruction and death."

"And what's the price?!"

"To bring her back, her and her lover back. Since her soul was split into four, she became us, a part of us, and we can return her into what she once was, whole again. Powerful again."

"And what about you? If you make her whole then what would happen to you? Will you be gone forever? Will we all lose you?"

"No," Ruri answered, shaking her head. "Ray promised that we will not be lost or destroyed."

"What if she was lying?! What if she wasn't telling the truth?!"

"Well at least Heartland would be safe and we're not in Akaba's hands!" Ruri screamed.

"W-what?" Shun asked, confused.

"The reason," Ruri said, shoulders shaking with rage. "The professor, the man behind this attack, his name is Leo Akaba. Ray was his daughter, and he wanted her back. This attack on us, this destruction, and all of this misery all of it! Because a miserable selfish old man couldn't let go. The people in the cards become a source of energy to power his machine, a machine made to sacrifice all four of us, to bring Ray back. We're all just cattle to the fucking slaughter!"

Ruri screamed, pulling at her hair. "We weren't strong enough, our dimension would have been destroyed, we would have been sacrificed with no hesitation or second thought, people would have been carded all for the wishes of one selfish man. What else could we have done?!"

Shun listened in horror at what his sister said. He didn't know how to process most of it, but what he understood was that he could lose his sister, and this deal that she made was the only thing giving them power, giving them a chance to survive this war, to maybe win it. If Ruri was really safe and acting through her own free will, then is it really that bad? If this power… this deal would save her then from a fate like the one she described then should he object to it? Should he refuse it?

Ray had already given him a weapon and helped him win and be stronger, and all she asked was to be resurrected along with… along with her lover.

"Ruri… when you said you want to resurrect her and her lover, who do you mean?"

Ruri let out a breath. "I think you know," she answered.

Shun's eyes widened again. "Yu-Yuto...Yuto would have been sacrificed too?"

"No," Ruri said, and Shun frowned in confusion. "Akaba would not have wanted to resurrect Zarc. Yuto would have been destroyed."

If Shun hadn't been afraid before of what he had heard before, he was panicking now, "Sacrifice you! And destroy Yuto?!"

Ruri nodded. "Ray's the only person, the one giving me the power to fight back and beat the Obelisk Forces, without her, I'm significantly weaker. I'm afraid, Shun. I'm so afraid. The things I've learned, it's just too much and I just want it all the end. I know that this seems like I'm selling my soul to the devil, I don't care how much danger I'm put in by making this deal." she said, her voice becoming tired. "Look around you Shun, our home has become hell. What else could I choose?"

"Nothing…" Shun whispered. "I can't lose you, I can't lose either of you," he said, shaking his head. "This Ray...she promises? Promises to stop the war and to keep you and Yuto safe?"

"She does," Ruri said firmly.

"And you believe her?" Shun asked.

"I do," Ruri reassured him. "I feel her anger, hatred, and love, I know in my soul that she's telling the truth; this war would end if the four of us reunited and brought her back."

Shun looked away in thought and Ruri waited anxiously until Shun locked eyes with his sister once more. "...Then let me help."

"Shun…" Ruri whispered, more surprised that her brother immediately accepted the offer.

"I can't bear the thought of losing you or Yuto. It's unthinkable, I can't. I will not let that happen," Shun placed his hands on Ruri's shoulders, looking at her eyes. "I'm your big brother Ruri, I won't let anything happen to you. I'll protect you and Yuto. I promise"

Ruri's body shook with sobs before she threw herself at Shun hugging him tightly.

"You're right," Shun whispered. "Our home became hell because of Academia. I won't spare a single person affiliated with that dimension, and I won't let them take you."

"I want them all dead, especially Leo Akaba. Shun, you don't know… you don't know the half of it."

"Then tell me everything," Shun said. "And I promise to not ask any questions until you're finished."

Ruri nodded, starting from the beginning about the original dimension, the meeting she had with the other girls and Ray, needing to let Yuto and the other counterparts become closer to Zarc's mentality to obtain some of his powers, and the parasites that they had found out about recently.

With each and every sentence, Shun became more and more livid, his body shaking with fear, anger, and hatred. He could only see red in his path. Now he understood why his sister was acting strange and violent; not only were they in a war but she was dealing with all this information, the fear of being singled out, taken and sacrificed by an uncaring bastard, to be mind-controlled and losing all freedom with no way to truly protect herself except through Ray's help.

"You're such a good brother, Shun. I'm glad one of my girls got a family to care about her."

Shun's head snapped to Ruri, he could sense that something was completely wrong, and it happened in the blink of an eye, it made his blood run cold with fear. Ruri was being controlled, taken, he couldn't let that happen!

"Ruri!" Shun yelled before he was cut off.

"Still here, my dear. I'm only using her to speak to you, Shun."

"You're…" Shun whispered as he realized who this person standing in front of him was, looking at her eyes, they were different from Ruri's - they were the same eyes that she had had in that dream.

"Ray," she answered with a smirk. "Yes, it's me," the girl using Ruri's body answered.

"Why…?" Shun asked.

"I simply wish to talk to you Shun. You see, I am quite glad that Ruri has you. You have no idea how blessed she is. Some of the other girls were not as fortunate, Rin lived alone with Yugo as an orphan, and Serena was unfortunately raised by Leo Akaba. For one of my girls to have a strong brother who will do anything to protect her and his friends is something that fills me with joy. I did not expect you to still feel the same way, especially once you found out the truth."

"The only truth I know is that Ruri is my sister, my family. Nothing will change that, nothing could make her any less important to me."

For just a moment, Ruri seemed to take back control, having a loving smile and happy tears in her purple eyes at Shun's words, before Ray came back.

"You'd make a wonderful knight Shun, truly you would. So I will make you a deal, you help us be resurrected, and you can have more power, just like your sister. What do you say?" Ray asked before placing a hand over her chest and from a small black hole, she pulled a card obscured by darkness before presenting it to Shun. "If you accept this card from me, you accept the power I give you and work for us in order for us to return. And as I promised Ruri, I promise you, the war in Heartland will be over, your dimension will go back to its former glory, and your sister will be safe. So do you accept this power that I bestow upon you, Shun?"

"You swear to me? You swear that Ruri and Yuto will stay alive, that this war would end when you return?"

Ray nodded. "I swear."

"...Then yes, I will be your agent," Shun swore, taking the card from Ray. Dark powers flowed freely from the card as Shun felt first hand the power that that card contained. It almost overwhelmed him, bringing him to his knees, flowing through his veins. As the darkness in the card settled, Shun took a good look at the monster that he was given, his hand shaking. "This is…"

"Powerful, isn't it? And she fits your deck well." Ray said with a smirk.

"Yes… she is," Shun whispered, still in awe at what had happened.

Ray placed her hand on top of Shun's, like a mother consoling her child that there were no monsters hidden in their bed. "I am confident that you will use her well. Destroy your enemies, show them no mercy, and protect what matters most, Shun."

Shun nodded. "I will."

Something new was inside him, strange and powerful. It made his body shake with it. Was this truly the power that Ray had?

Ray smirked hearing Shun's thoughts, she placed her hand under Shun's chin drawing his attention to her. "Merely a fraction of my powers, my dear. Don't be afraid, it's yours now. To crush those who oppose you."

"...Thank you," Shun whispered, an unfamiliar feeling of respect and fear running through him, a rush like nothing he had felt before.

Ray smiled and the next thing Shun knew he was being hugged tightly. "Shun," Ruri whispered, tightening the hug more.

Shun smiled, wrapping his arms around his sister. He couldn't fathom or accept a world without her in it, making it brighter, making it better. Ruri, his sister should be protected at all costs, he'll never let anything happen to her or Yuto.

"It's okay, Ruri, I'm okay. We can win, we truly can, and we will."

Ruri nodded smiling at her brother tearfully. Shun kissed the top of her head, a blossoming feeling of hope grew in his chest.

"What about Yuto then?" Shun asked.

"What do you mean?" Ruri wondered tilting her head.

"Why not just… tell Yuto about this? Zarc and Ray? Don't you think that he'll join us too? If he found out about all of this?"

"It's a risk, he might not agree, he might be scared…"

"Ruri, our entire dimension would take the chance to end this war, just as the two of us did. As would Yuto. If what I'm feeling now is a fraction."

"A fraction but it is a part of her, Ray can't just give power to everyone. But you showed her that she can trust you, that you will use this power to protect Yuto and we're still only two people, with a fraction of the true power Ray and Zarc have. There are many more Academia students around, we still need the help of other dimensions, and we still need to destroy Academia and Akaba, so that they can never attack another dimension again."

Shun nodded. They worked for Ray and Zarc now, they would do as asked for their dimension and for each other. "And Yuto…"

"Yuto needs to tap into that power. To use the Darkness himself and accept Zarc's powers as his own. And there is something else."

Shun blinked. "Something else?"

Ruri nodded. "Back when Ray and Zarc were whole, four people from different times gathered together to defeat them, using Special Cards that split the two of them into four each. Each of the duelists responsible for that is in every dimension, and if they happen to remember, then they would try to stop us."

"We can't let that happen," Shun said.

"No, we can't. So for now, we should make sure that he doesn't regain those memories." Ruri agreed.

"But... Who's the duelist?" Shun asked.

It didn't take much to convince Ruri of telling Yuto, after all, Shun was right, if Yuto knew about it all and was on their side then their mission would be easier, Zarc and Ray would come back faster and Heartland would be saved sooner. So after they returned inside, both giving a briefing about what happened, the two of them spotted Yuto and told him to follow them, as they had something important that they wanted to tell him.

"What is this about?" Yuto asked as he followed Shun and Ruri into a secluded place. Having privacy in a world half destroyed was near impossible with most buildings destroyed, and most rooms are needed and used to let people rest and recuperate from what was happening around them.

Ruri and Shun had called him, wanting to talk to him alone. He didn't understand what the two of them could want that they wouldn't just talk to him while others were around.

Shun looked at Yuto before looking at Ruri who looked unsure and a little scared. Yuto frowned in concern. He moved closer to the siblings and placed a hand on Ruri's shoulder, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. "Did something happen?" Yuto asked worriedly.

Ruri looked down before looking back at Yuto. "Lord Zarc, I think it's time that you introduced yourself to Yuto," she whispered.

Yuto frowned in confusion, before feeling something go through him, he pressed his hands against his head, closing his eyes shut as he fell to his knees feeling as if he was drowning. Yuto opened his eyes and gasped. He was no longer in Heartland, he stood in a palace, or rather a throne room with gold and red schemes along the walls, with windows that reached the ceiling, a crystal chandelier, and a floor that he could see his reflection in.

In front of him on a stage were two thrones made of gold, with gems and crystals embedded in them. On the right one sat a man, a man that looked far too familiar, making Yuto's heartbeat fast from fear, he could almost hear it echoing in his ears.

The Xyz user took a step back as the man stood up. He had Yuto's face, albeit he looked just a bit older than him, white-silver hair like the moon's light. Bangs that framed his face with green locks. He had golden eyes that slit like a snake's own, Yuto could have sworn that they glowed, a sharp smile and even sharper fangs. He looked at Yuto strangely, with intensity and pride, giving Yuto a strange sense of satisfaction. The man tilted his head slightly and Yuto took a step back as the person stood up from his throne. He wore a dark grey suit, with long sleeves, and a black V neck vest.

"Who… who the hell are you? Why do you look like me? And where am I?" Yuto asked, panicking a bit before standing firmly in his place. He was a soldier, he had faced several academia students and won, he can hold his ground against this stranger, no matter how strange the situation was.

The stranger took a few steps down the stage and came closer. Yuto had no idea what he should do, instinctively, he raised his arm ready to activate his Duel Desk, and demand some answers from the man, but to his horror, Yuto didn't have it attached to his arm anymore.

"Calm down Yuto," the man said gently as he kept moving forwards, and despite the strange situations and logic, Yuto found himself relaxing slightly, but keeping his guard up.

"My name is Zarc, it's a pleasure to finally, truly meet you."

Yuto blinked at the answer, not sure what to do with it, he wanted to ask more questions, but before he could say anything the man continued. "We are in your mind, well, a crafted room of our linked minds to be more accurate."

"That… doesn't explain much…" Yuto said before the man… Zarc's hand landed on his head, ruffling his hair slightly. Yuto should have wanted to move away from the man on instinct, but the overwhelming urge was not there. And Yuto had to mull over the reason why before his thoughts were intubated once more.

"Well I suppose that's true where to start, ah, yes," Zarc answered, "I suppose the beginning would be appropriate. You see, I am the original you."

Yuto swallowed audibly. "The original me?" he asked.

"Yes, long ago, there were no four dimensions as you know them now, but just one, one that encompassed all of the summoning mechanics. And I along with my beloved Ray were the strongest duelists to have ever lived. To the point of becoming like gods. We could not be beaten, and our powers grew more and more. But, some people did not like that, and decided to take our powers from us," Zarc explained, extending his hands and moving them about dramatically as he told his story.

"Four duelists with special cards created by a man named Leo Akaba tried to destroy us, and in the ensuing battle, the worlds and Ray and I were split into four, each dimension echoing the image of the timeline each duelist came from, Fusion, Synchro, Xyz and one where all the summoning methods could easily be used. Standard."

"Now, because of Leo Akaba, the man that leads Academia, Ray and I have been awakened, and he will not rest until he brings Ray back by sacrificing her counterparts, and destroy me by destroying my own."

"Ray's counterparts?" Yuto asked, his heart beating fast with fear at what he heard and at the answer echoing in his mind.

Zarc nodded, knowing who Yuto was thinking of. "Your Ruri and three others would be sacrificed without care to bring Ray back. Akaba thinks that I brainwashed her and forced her into the position she was in, it wasn't true of course, but he is adamant that once he brings her back, she'll be his perfect daughter, an image he refuses to part with, and he will not care who gets hurt along the way. Heartland is a very clear example isn't it?"

Yuto's eyes widened in shock and horror. "All this… all this for one girl? All this for destruction and death? All this pain and suffering! This entire war! For one girl?" He yelled, his mind unable to comprehend any of this.

" I know your anger, your hatred, I feel it as if it were my own, and I can help you, Yuto, " Zarc purred, running his finger down Yuto's chest and pointing at Yuto's heart. "Some of my powers run through you. Let me help you, let me be your guide, work to return me and Ray as one, and we will stop this senseless war, and return Heartland to the beautiful dimension it once was. Isn't that what you want the most?"

Yuto looked down but nodded his head. It was taking him a while to wrap his head around everything he had just heard. He'd almost believe that he was going insane, maybe the war was too much and he was losing his mind, he was so so afraid and unsure of what was happening, and yet… yet if what Zarc was saying was true, then there was hope, hope for his world to survive. In one breath and the next Yuto felt tears running down his cheeks, his body shaking.

"You poor boy," Zarc whispered, wiping the tears with his thumb, and cupping Yuto's cheek tenderly. "They broke you. He broke you," Zarc whispered with an underlying rage and hatred in his voice, yet his touch was soft and loving as if comforting Yuto.

"They took everything from you: your home, your safety, your friends, and their families. Smiling and laughing at the destruction as if it's all a game for them. As if other people's lives were beneath their feet like dirt. And why? Because they were different? Because they were told by someone of a high authority that they had to hate someone because of the cards they use? If you must hate someone, make it personal at the very least."

Yuto shook with anger, gritted his teeth, and screamed with rage as memories flashed back through his mind of all the destruction and harm, of the blood that was spilled, of the screams of children and adults alike as they were imprisoned and carded.

"It's not fair, none of it is," Zarc whispered. "They should pay, shouldn't they?" the golden-eyed man asked.

Yuto nodded, his body shaking, as he clenched his hands into fists. "And you made them pay, didn't you, Phantom Knight? You showed them what it meant to be in pain, to be afraid, to lose it all. Do you regret your viciousness? Do you believe that these Fusion duelists deserved your mercy?"

"No, they didn't. They deserved far worse," Yuto growled, and Zarc smirked.

"Yes, they did," Zarc agreed easily. "And you can make them all pay. Pay with their fucking lives."

"Why...why are you telling me now?" Yuto asked, with a small shaking in his voice. Not sure why this man… Zarc was offering this to him now and not before, not when the war started.

"I haven't been awakened for long, so I wasn't able to speak to you before. And the sweet songbird decided it was time, and I trust her judgment."

"Sweet song bi- Ruri?"

"Yes, in order for my powers to truly reach you, and for you to use them, you had to use your darkness willingly. All that rage, all that anger inside you, it feeds my power. Our power. The more you were willing to dive through that darkness, the more powerful I became until we are here, having our little conversation, and Ruri thought that you were ready to hear the truth."

Yuto placed a hand over his heart, looking a little worried. "Darkness" was never a good thing as far as any text or story was concerned, and to have it inside of you or to succumb to it meant to lose yourself. Was he… was he willing to use that? Would he drown in it? Lose himself? Lose the ones he loved?

"Do not be afraid, Yuto," Zarc whispered reassuringly. "You need this power, it's what keeps you going, what lights the fire inside you to keep on fighting. Your own Phantom Knights are a Dark Attribute, aren't they? As is Dark Rebellion. Darkness has always aided you, always been your ally."

It was true. The Phantom Knights were a brigade of soldiers who rose from the grave to fight off against those who would unleash evil and wickedness. It felt so natural to use them as if they had called for him as if he was meant to lead them to victory. The coldness of the night was always refreshing to Yuto, he had always preferred the soft light of the moon, the silver streaks of stars falling from the dark sky, the whispering of the wind, the night, the darkness. It was in his nature.

"And it seems that Ray and Ruri were able to get that friend of yours on our side too."

"Friend? You mean Shun?" Yuto asked, frowning a bit.

"Yes, he seems to know what was happening. I didn't know him before though. All I know is what I saw through your eyes. He's quite powerful and loyal."

"Yeah, I trust Shun," Yuto said firmly.

Zarc grinned, "Then I will trust your judgment, and Ray's. You all certainly vouch for him."

Yuto blinked. Shun, like him, was affected by the war too. He used to be a little laid back, used to smile and laugh and get a little awkward, but it all changed. His heart became colder, his anger rose faster and higher than before. Yuto had never truly thought of how much they all had changed until Ruri's own was brought up, everyone and everything had changed so fast, Yuto had never truly noticed or had time to think about it all. The fact that he agreed to follow this… dark power, maybe it was to protect Ruri. Shun had always been a doting brother to her, a bit overprotective, but he loved her so much, Yuto knew Shun would do anything to protect his sister, even this.

"How… how would I even bring you back?" Yuto asked.

"You have counterparts, each living in one dimension. You four need to come together in order to bring me back, the same with Ruri and her counterparts," Zarc explained.

"Then why don't you just tell the others?" Yuto questioned. "Wouldn't it have been easier to just tell them what's going on?"

"Not exactly," Zarc with a sad shake of his head. "As I said, you, my dear were ready. The anger and hatred in your heart gave way to darkness and my power and voice to reach you. Your Standard and Synchro counterparts, Yuya and Yugo respectively, are only able to hear my voice so far."

"And my counterpart from the Fusion Dimension?" Yuto asked, not trusting anyone from Academia, even if they were a part of him or something. All he could feel was loathing and hatred towards anyone from that dimension, for anyone who used Fusion.

"Yuri has… his own agenda, you don't have to worry about him," Zarc answered with a smile. Yuto looked away, still uneasy about him, and Zarc decided not to push, verbally that is. "So what do you say, Little Phantom. Do you accept my offer?" Zarc asked, raising an eyebrow and extending his hand. "My power and my help to destroy Academia and the man responsible for this war, for my and my beloved's return."

Yuto looked up at Zarc with a determined look in his eyes, taking Zarc's hand in his. "Yes," Yuto accepted. "I'll do it. I'll do anything if it means that this ends, and we survive, that all of Academia would pay for what they did to us.."

Zarc smirked. "Good boy~ Here you go then," he whispered.

Black flames traveled down from Zarc's arm and through Yuto's own, licking his skin softly, lovingly. A dark aura surrounded Yuto completely, rising up and filling the grey-eyed boy with so much power that he had never felt before. Intense as a thunderstorm and filled with the rage of a monsoon. His grey eyes glowed before they changed into a pure silver hue as if they were filled with purple lights shining like the stars. Yuto screamed, powerful and loud, a scream that reminded him of Dark Rebellion's roars. His skin felt on fire, as if after an intense duel. He could feel his fingers crack slightly, his nails growing, his heart beating like thunder that drowned out everything else.

Yuto couldn't help but gasp and fall to his knees in front of Zarc. This was intense, more intense than the rush he felt beating an Academia soldier to the ground.

"I take it that you found it to be satisfying?" Zarc said with a purr.

Yuto was shaking, but for the first time since the war had started, it wasn't from rage or fear. His body was humming with power, his mind working a mile a minute trying to catch up to the intense almost suffocating feeling.

The silver-eyed boy gasped a few times before a manic grin spread through his lips and he began to laugh. "Wh...what-" Yuto kept gasping. He hadn't expected this level of power, every part of him didn't believe that it was real. He had felt nothing like this before as if a lost part of him was returned, something he never even knew that he lost. A fragment of his soul, perhaps?

Yuto climbed to his feet, and Zarc placed a hand on his shoulder to keep Yuto from falling again. The hand felt so warm and inviting, a simple touch now brought Yuto comfort and reassurance, his own soul in resonance with Zarc's own.

"That's it, I got you," Zarc said with a soft and gentle e smile like a father helping their child when they try to skate or bike for the first time. "Now, any questions?"

"Just one. What exactly do my counterparts look like?"

"You'll know when you'll see them. Even now, you can sense them. A pull in your soul, wishing to fill in that void before it completely tears you apart from the inside."

"Can you at least tell me what they're like?"

"Oh I could spin yarns about how Yuya Sakaki just loves to entertain people, wanting everyone watching him hold their breaths as he-"

"Yuya Sa…Sakaki?" Yuto gasped.

"Oh? You know that name?" Zarc asked with a curious voice.

Yuto nodded. "Yusho Sakaki arrived here about three years ago. We didn't know where he came from, he just said he was in the wrong place but try as he might he couldn't leave, so he kind of stayed here for a while, dueling and teaching everyone about Dueltaining. He was a good man but… we don't know where he is anymore, he just disappeared. He never said that he had a family back where he came from..."

"Hmm...that might help you endear yourself to Yuya. I can sense Yuya's pain and suffering; for three years he has had to deal with his father's sudden disappearance and to be ridiculed as the 'son of a coward'.

"I see...Yuya, the one from Standard," Yuto clarified.

"Yes, and Yuri from Fusion, those are the ones that you could meet in Standard. You can't miss them; just find the boys who look like your reflection. The moment you meet, there will be a bond forged and your soul will feel more and more complete. I suggest going to meet Yuri first. He may be a bit teasing and playful, but you can trust him."

Yuto sighed. The idea of allying with a Fusion Duelist still made his skin crawl, but he had a job to do, an end of the bargain that he had to fulfill. So if he could, he'd try to tolerate Yuri.

"Just one question...does this Yuri have his own personal dragon?"

"What gave you that idea?" Zarc asked with a chuckle.

"Dark Rebellion seems lonely sometimes, he would roar as if calling to someone. He's an Xyz Dragon so I thought my other counterparts must have a special dragon for that dimension's summoning method. So Yuri has a Fusion Dragon, Yugo has a Synchro Dragon and Yuya has a…."

Zarc grinned. "I'll keep that a surprise. Trust me, you'll find it to be quite a game-changer," he answered ruffling Yuto's hair, making the goggles slide down Yuto's face.

"And the one from Synchro?" Yuto asked, readjusting the goggles.

"Yugo is… a very sweet boy, with a big heart, but he is quick to anger and to come to conclusions, not very willing to listen to strangers. But he is willing to do anything for his girl, Rin."

"Ruri's counterpart?" Yuto asked.

"Yes," Zarc answered. "Rin, Yuzu, and Serena, Ruri's counterparts. You can trust them impeccably."

"Which one...uses Fusion?" Yuto asked

"Hmm, well I think Ray has been training all of them to use all Summoning Methods," Zarc replied.

"E...even Ruri?" Yuto questioned. He didn't believe that Ruri had it in her to use fusion at all, and he wasn't sure how he felt about it.

"I think they were taught the basics, but whether they use Fusion or not I'm not sure. I've only seen two of the girls use it so far. Serena and Yuzu, from Fusion and Standard."

Yuto nodded. So he just needed to find two girls who had Ruri's face and at least learn how to tolerate Fusion if it could be used for good.

"Oh that reminds me, I also have a gift for you," Zarc said.

"A...gift?" Yuto asked.

"Yes," Zarc answered before handing Yuto three cards that just appeared from the shadows themselves.

Yuto's eyes widened when he took the cards into his hand, seeing their art and sensing how powerful they were. "Th...those…"

"I'll give you more soon, I promise, for now, these are yours… oh, and a copy of this for your Shun," Zarc said. One of the cards in Yuto's hand glowed and was replicated. Now there were three powerful Xyz monsters in Yuto's hand.

Zarc smiled and placed his hand on Yuto's shoulder. "Unleash your rage, Phantom mine. And be very careful when you use these cards. After all, not every ally of yours will be one of mine. Cards that just randomly appear out of nowhere? That will draw suspicions."

Yuto nodded. "Of course, I understand."

"Good. There are things I have not told you yet, but I believe Ruri can fill you in about them," Zarc whispered with a smile. "Go now, it's time to return." Darkness took Yuto's vision, and he felt himself fall, before a gust of wind raised him up into a dim light. "Good luck, my herald," Yuto heard Zarc whisper in his ear.

"Yuto? Yuto?" he heard Ruri's voice calling.

"Yuto!" Ruri cried. "Yuto, are you all right?"

His eyes fluttered open and he found himself looking up at the two worried faces of his two best friends. He heard Ruri gasp, and Shun's eyes widened in confusion as Yuto opened his eyes, but he wasn't sure why.

The silver-eyed boy smiled and tried to set up, and Ruri helped him, placing her hand on his back, making Yuto lean to her touch like he always did.

"Are you okay Yuto?" Shun asked, worriedly.

Yuto looked up at Shun and smirked sharply. "I'm perfect," he whispered, before turning to Ruri and running his knuckles down her beautiful face, tucking a lock behind her ear, wanting to place a thousand kisses on her face.

"And Lord Zarc…" Ruri started.

"Told me many things," Yuto replied, as the three of them stood up. The silver-eyed boy took a breath, feeling the cold air fill his lungs. He felt so much lighter, stronger, as if he could fly, weightless and ready to strike down from the heavens. For once since the war started, he could smile easily. The color faded from his eyes and the silvery irises returned to the usual stormy grey.

"He told me what we should do, and who to look for in Standard. He promised me to stop this war, to give us the power needed to return Heartland to what it once was."

"We're all on the same page then," Shun said with a grin.

"Mostly. Lord Zarc told me that there were things I don't know yet, but you could fill me in," Yuto explained.

Ruri nodded with a soft smile on her face, before running her hand through Yuto's hair affectionately.

"Oh which reminds me, he gave me a few gifts too. One for you Shun," Yuto said, flicking his hand as if doing a sleight of hand trick Yusho usually did when he dueled and presenting Shun with a card.

"Me?" Shun asked, blinking. He hadn't expected anything from Lord Zarc; he had already agreed to work for him and Ray, he'd thought the Card he was given was all he was going to get for now.

"Yes, he is grateful that you're standing by our side, as am I," Yuto purred. "And this is yours," the silver-eyed boy presented Shun with the card. The older boy took it without hesitation, and just like Ray's gift before it, pure power ran through him, taking his breath away, running through his veins.

Yuto wrapped his arm around Ruri's waist and pressed her closer, placing a kiss on top of her head and resting his chin tenderly on top of her head. He placed his hand on Shun's shoulder, the movement brought the Raidraptors duelists' attention to the two of them. His sister had a happy smile, after all these days she seemed to finally feel safe with the three of them together, relaxed, with a truly happy smile on her lips. Yuto gave him a confident grin, and Shun mirrored it. The three of them were ready to burn Academia to the ground and run through its ashes.

The cold winds blew through the night, howling away through the empty homes, the camps, and streets as if Heartland itself was getting ready to strike back, harder and stronger than before. And Zarc and Ray watched with pride and anticipation for the massacre that was about to happen.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Sayaka was the first to notice the change. It was subtle so she didn't think anyone had caught on to it, but she saw it; Ruri's smile. It was soft and small, yet it was true with no hint of being strained or fake. Her shoulders that were constantly raised and tense looked more relaxed, her eyes that seemed dead at times sparkled with life and hope.

Moreover, Yuto's body language shifted as well, easily leaning more to Ruri's space or even Shun's. He would place his hand on Ruri's cheek without a hint of shyness, running his knuckles down her face.

More importantly, Shun, Yuto, and Ruri moved and spoke with a strange union and synchronicity that wasn't that intense before, with one look Yuto or Ruri would communicate an order or a request and the other two would understand and act accordingly.

It was too natural that it made Sayaka uneasy. However she didn't say anything, what could she do? The very fact that Yuto, Shun, and Ruri have been successful more than usual to drive back Academia's students meant that whatever that was between them made them better. It made them stronger, and despite her fears and uneasiness at the strangeness of it all, she couldn't help but be grateful for it.

For now, she could look past her unease and hope that when everything would be over, that the three of them would go back to being normal.

"Are you sure you can handle this without us?" Yuto asked Kaito, as he placed the new Duel Desk on his arm, placing his deck and Extra Deck in the right slots.

"Yeah, we can hold them back until you come back with reinforcements, or at the very least hide everyone until you do return," Kaito answered.

"We'll be back as soon as we can," Yuto promised, and Kaito nodded, placing his faith in the three of them. Despite everything, all of them were worried, even Yuto, Shun and Ruri. They were about to leave their homes to go to a strange land, where hopefully they will get the help and reinforcements that they need in time. But things could always go wrong, they could return too late. They couldn't afford to mess up, couldn't afford to lose. They were all scared and determined to do what they could, no matter the cost.

Shun placed his hand on Kaito's shoulder and squeezed it, both exchanging a look and nodded. No words were needed. They were all on the same mission. Even if they were in different places of execution, none of them would hold back against the enemy, and they would protect what's important to them.

...

Ruri hugged Sayaka and a few of the girls and small children as she said goodbye. It was painful, leaving her home, her loved ones and comrades, despite Heartland being soaked with blood, it was still home to her, and she wouldn't be able to defend it herself. But she had to do it. Ruri took a deep breath as she walked to the planning room.

She stopped as she saw one particular kid that was waiting outside of the room, with light blue hair and eyes. Ruri smiled softly at the kid as she moved closer and placed her hand on top of his head.

"Haruto," Ruri said with a smile, and the kid spread his arms and wrapped them around her waist.

"I don't want you guys to go," he blubbered, fat tears in his eyes and Ruri could hear his whimpers clearly.

"I'm sorry, but we have to," she whispered to him and pulled him closer, hugging him tightly, before moving him a step back and kneeling in front of him, giving him an encouraging smile. "We'll be back with help I promise, we'll try to not be too long. And when we're back, this nightmare will be over, okay?"

Haruto still had tears in his eyes but nodded.

"You're a brave and strong kid Haruto, we're all so proud of you," Ruri whispered, patting Haruto's head. "Can you do me a favor then? Can you watch out for your big brother for us? Make sure Kaito's fine and doesn't work himself until he collapses okay?"

"O-okay," Haruto sniffed, and looked at Ruri with a determined look, wiping the tears with the back of his arm.

Ruri smiled and hugged Harouto once more. "I'll see you soon kiddo," she said before opening the door and entering the room. "Are we ready?" she asked.

"Just about," Allen answered before handing Ruri her own modified Duel Desk. "There."

The black-haired girl nodded and removed her deck and Extra Deck and placed them in the new Duel Disk just as Yuto and Shun before her.

"Good luck," Kaito said.

"You too," Shun replied.

"Please, stay safe," Ruri begged.

The three Xyz duelists wrapped their red scarves around their shoulders, Yuto placed his mask on his face, and lowered his goggles down, as Ruri lowered her own. The three of them needed to look for Yuto's and Ruri's own reflections, as well as find the highest authority in Standard in order to ask for help. It was a tall order, but they had to fulfill it, for Heartland, for everyone in their dimension, to survive, to be saved, they had to succeed.

The three of them pressed a few buttons and with a blinding light, they were gone.