Chapter 1: Secrets Revealed
(A retelling of my original fanfic, New Dark Horizon)
Summary:
Ten years ago, monsters revealed their existence to humanity. The monsters who believed they were superior beings, declared war on the humans with the intent of turning them into slaves. But the humans weren't planning on going down without a fight. Duel Monsters, which used to just be a popular game and sport, has now become the humans main line of defense against their more powerful enemies.
By harnessing the power of duel spirits, duelists can now summon their favorite cards into the physical world using the new and improved duel disk created by Kaiba Corp. Duel Academy is still in operation but has turned into a military style school which trains duelists how to use this new technology as well as teaches them how to fight.
One of these students at Duel Academy is named Jaden Yuki. He is known as the school's ace because he has a special ability. Jaden can summon duel spirits without the use of a duel disk! But he has a secret that no one knows about.
Jaden is actually a monster himself. But not just any kind of monster. He is an S-class ranked monster called a vampire, but his true form and his powers have been sealed away due to the Rosario he wears around his neck. Where does the source of his strange powers come from? And what is the truth he is hiding about his past?
Chapter 1: Secrets Revealed
In just the span of one decade, society as everyone knew it had flipped upside down. Two worlds existed simultaneously in parallel dimensions. They were supposed to exist without interfering in the lives of each other, but it turns out that fate had different plans for these worlds which were never supposed to meet. In every culture, there were stories of ungodly creatures. These beings were described as monstrous and anything inhuman. These monsters ranged from goblins to ogres. Limia's to harpy's, even the Loch Ness monster and so many more. How would people react if they were to find out that all those creatures spoken only through folklore, actually turned out to be real?
Because that's what happened ten years ago. A portal opened up in the middle of Domino City. It was a portal that connected into another dimension, with creatures of human intelligence spilling out in gruesome forms. These creatures explained the reasoning for their unannounced visit. While the humans were living in ignorant bliss of their existence, the monsters were fully aware of their weaker counterparts, and were tired of having to be forced to live in the shadows all for the sake of peace that their ancestors had declared amongst their kind centuries ago. But with the coming of a new generation, the monsters of today were not interested in following these old practices and wanted more for themselves.
As superior entities, why was it their job to be the ones to hide away like rats? After all, they were the prominent race. Humans in comparison were primitive beings and much weaker than the monsters who finally revealed themselves after thousands of years. To the humans surprise, the monsters revealed to them that they had actually been living beside each other without them knowing for a very long time. For you see, monsters had a special ability to adorn human disguises. Your neighbors and even your best friends could be a monster and people would have been none the wiser. Along with their bold declaration, the monsters had one last announcement to make. They were going to declare war.
They stated their claims and made it clear what was going to happen to the humans if they refused to comply with their demands. They didn't want the annihilation of the human race. What they actually wanted was to oppress the humans and turn them into slaves so that they could finally feel the oppression they'd felt after all this time. It was finally their time to claim the throne of their ever so different, yet intertwined realities and become the prominent species that ruled over the world. It was their time to shine, and the monster's were going to do everything they could to make their dreams a reality.
However, not all monsters were on the same side. There were still plenty of monsters who valued the old traditions and the treaty, but because of their selfish kindreds, they were forced out of their peaceful lives of co-existence and became prosecuted by their communities who used to once treat them like friends. Once the humans found out the truth about monsters, a world scale manhunt was enacted and all monsters who had been living in the human world up until that point had been weeded out and forced to reveal their real identities. But not everything seemed so dreary.
Although they faced massive prejudice, most of these monsters sided with the humans and offered their full cooperation into aiding them. They weren't ready to give up the future that their ancestors worked so hard to obtain and knew that it was a cause that was worth fighting for. But they were no longer able to live the lives that they were used to anymore. If they still wanted safe haven with the humans, these individuals were forced to comply with the new Demon Act that was passed at the start of the war. They and their families had to register under a monster data base that publicly declared their species so that humans could be aware of what they really were, but because of this, it led to plenty of prejudice and often a lot of hostile environments for these monster refugees to live in.
Domino City had become the first monster friendly zone which offered equal opportunity, but even though monsters could legally reside there, it didn't mean that they were welcomed by the public. Domino City was also the origin of the most famous sport in the world, Duel Monsters. But the game, which used to just be a popular way of passing time had transformed into something much greater than that. Seto Kaiba, the CEO of Kaiba Corp had created a new device which could allow duelists to summon their own monsters to fight alongside them as their first line of defense against their enemies who had a variety of powerful abilities.
There were many monsters who were immune to the effects of human weaponry, so Seto found a solution around that problem. Using the power of duel spirits and with the invention of his latest Duel Disk, humans were now able to fight on an equal footing with the monsters who otherwise would be able to destroy them without problem. The prestigious Duel Academy, which was originally created to help train the next generation of duelists was still open for business but had become a military style school which offered support for the war. Now young duelists were being trained on how to cooperate with their duel spirit partners as well as the history and physiology of monsters so they had a vaster knowledge of their enemies in combat.
Ten years after the start of the war, many humans had become a force to be reckoned with. Although it was true that they were still technically losing, with every duelist that becomes active on the field, the humans become that much closer to victory. But there was one individual who showed more promise than the rest. He was a prodigy in his field, and he was a master dueler even before the war started but showed his potential on the battlefield just as much as he did on the duel field. His name is Jaden Yuki, and currently he is a second year student attending Duel Academy.
Currently, he was having a mock battle with his rival Chazz Princeton, with their peers sitting in the bleachers watching them as they attacked each other. Both of the young teenagers were standing on opposite sides of the arena with their partner's summoned in front of them. Jaden had his signature companion, Elemental Hero Flamed Wingman while Chazz had out his handy Armed Dragon level 7. Chazz smirked as he had his opponent backed into a corner due to his monster having a higher attack of seven hundred points more than Jaden's Flamed Wingman. "What are you going to do now, Slacker?! Because you're about to get Chazzed up!" He said proudly as he set up his monster to attack him.
But even though he was at a disadvantage, Jaden didn't seem perturbed in the slightest. "I think you're forgetting something Chazz. But you can't just focus on the opponent in front of you. You need to pay attention to what's happening behind you too!" He said with his signature grin as he pointed at him. Chazz turned his head over his shoulder and his eyes grew wide to see another monster that Jaden had summoned without him noticing. No doubt using that annoying power of his to summon duel spirits at will without the use of technology. "And that's game!" Jaden said before his second monster, Elemental Hero Blade Edge slashed his blade across Chazz's back, depleting the rest of his life points and ending their duel.
The crowd erupted in applause after the winner was decided, and Jaden's best friend Syrus ran onto the field to enrapture his friend in a giant hug. "Just like always! You're amazing Jaden!" He said happily, which caused them both to laugh. On the other end of the field, Chazz had fallen to his knees in defeat with his bangs ominously covering his eyes. He hated that smug Slifer Slacker with a heated passion. As soon as their duel commenced, Chazz already knew that he had lost. And it's not because he acknowledged Jaden's strength, but because he knew that Jaden had the crowd wrapped around his little finger.
You see, Chazz was one of few monster student's that attended duel academy and that alone caused him to receive a natural hate from his fellow classmates. Before the war started, the Princeton's were a prominent force within the duel monster world and were sitting on a fortune. But after the monster hunt, they had no choice but to reveal their true identities. Chazz Princeton actually comes from a long line of werewolves, and ever since monsters stepped out into the light, his family whose name alone used to earn respect, were being treated like nothing more than vermin. Ever since he joined the ranks of the academy elites a year ago, he planned on trying to restore his families honor. But Jaden had gone out of his way to stop his plans and make a fool out of him in front of all the people he was trying to impress.
Moments later, the students who had participated in today's exams were getting cleaned and dressing in their respective dressing rooms. Jaden was at his locker with his back turned to Syrus as he removed his sweat soaked shirt and Syrus, who was also cleaning himself up, couldn't help but notice the special adornment around Jaden's neck. "You know Jay. I never asked but I'm curious. What's up with that goth looking necklace you always wear? It's not really your style if you ask me." Asked Syrus curiously.
He was referring to the special choker that Jaden always wore and refused to take off no matter who asked him to. It was a black leather choker with a special cross hanging from the front of its neck. It had a red ruby gem hanging in the center of it with unsettling detail. It looked almost like an eyeball with red colored, cat like slit eyes and two pearl strands that attached onto the cross which connected back up onto the choker. Jaden turned to face his best friend with a grin still plastered on his face. "It was a gift from my mother. She gave it to me not long before she was murdered." He said solemnly, which caused the room to fall into an awkward silence.
Syrus looked at him with sympathetic eyes, admittingly ashamed that he had asked such a personal question. Many people had lost their families during the war, but Syrus happened to be apart of the lucky few who never had to experience such heart break. So he couldn't relate to his best friend's pain, but he felt bad for him, nonetheless. "I'm sorry Jay. I shouldn't have asked. It's obviously important to you considering you never take it off. I shouldn't have asked." But Jaden couldn't help but chuckle at Syrus's innocence.
"Don't sweat it! That happened a long time ago so it doesn't really bother me anymore. I don't even really remember her since I lost her when I was so young. But all I remember was that I promised her that I would never take it off. And it's for that reason alone that I've never even tried once." He said with a delicate expression as he reminisced thinking about the woman that brought him into the world. It's true that he couldn't really remember her, but he still cherished her all the same. She was the reason that he fought so hard every day. His mother was murdered by a monster, and that alone was the drive that kept him pushing to get stronger so that one day he could get the justice that she deserved.
After getting dressed into fresh clothes, both Jaden and Syrus had their lunch period. They met up with their other friends and sat down with them after ordering their food to enjoy their lunches together. Jaden was eagerly munching away at his favorite dish, fried shrimp with his best friend by his side and Alexis and Bastion sitting across from them at the table. "Geez Jaden. You can really eat a lot can't you?" Alexis said as she giggled, watching him scarf down his dish like a depraved beast. "What can I say? A growing boy has got to eat if I want to stay in tip top shape!"
While they ate, a still angered Chazz walked over towards their direction and loomed over Jaden's shoulder who nonchalantly turned around to address him with a piece of shrimp clamped between his lips. "Oh! Hey Chazz! Can I help you with something?" He asked inquisitively while totally ignoring the dense atmosphere which was created by Chazz's distain. "You cheated you Slifer Slacker. I don't care if you have some kind of special power! Do you realize how hard it is for those of us with limitations when you're bending the rules?! I don't care how much the headmaster favors you! It's total bullshit! You should have been disqualified the minute you pulled a cheap trick like that!"
Without even thinking, Chazz grabbed Jaden by the collar of his blazer and pulled him in closer. The more angry he got, the harder it was for him to contain his human form. Wolf ears and a wolf tail sprouted from his body as well as his fingernails turning into claws which poked holes within the fabric of Jaden's blazer. "I challenge you! And this time, I want a fair a match!" He said with his canines snarling at the boy within his grasp.
Jaden stared at him with a serious expression which was unusual for a free spirit like him. "Okay. Go ahead and ask the monsters that. Do you really think they care if a fight is fair or not?" He said as he continued to glare at him. "You know why I use my powers? Because in a life or death situation, I don't have the time to think about what's fair or not. All I care about is surviving. And if using my powers is cheating, then call me a cheater!" He yelled louder than he meant to. Everyone who was still sitting in the cafeteria stopped what they were doing to watch the fight that was about to unfold.
"Alright boys. Let's calm down here for a second." Said Bastion as he stood up from his seat to step in between the both of them before things got really bad. "Especially you Chazz. Do you not realize you've exposed your monster form? People are already starting to talk. So if you don't want anymore unwanted attention, you should just stop now while you're ahead." He said seriously as he glanced around to the many unwanted eyes that were prying in on their conversation.
But Chazz wasn't listening at all. By now, he couldn't give a single shit about what people thought about him. His reputation was already in ruins anyways and it was all that Slifer Slackers fault! "If you know what's best for you, then you better stay out of my!" He shouted before he roughly grabbed Bastion by the arm and shoved him forcibly to the ground. But not before accidentally tearing a hole in his uniform by using his sharp claws and cutting into his skin, drawing blood to the surface. "HELP! THAT MONSTER IS ON A RAMPAGE!" Shouted a random bystander who started to panic as soon as she saw blood.
This triggered a full out panic as students started scrambling, and a loud blaring alarm could be heard on the overheard speakers. It wasn't long before reinforcement's came to get a handle on the situation. One of the security guards that rushed in had an electrified net gun which he used to shoot a net at Chazz which quickly incapacitated him. He fell to the floor, groaning in pain as the electricity continued to shock his body, and he eventually reverted back into his regular human form. "When I get out of here you are so dead, Slifer Slacker! Do you hear me?!" He continued to scream as he was handcuffed by the guards.
Syrus stood protectively in front of his best friend while he helped Bastion back up to stand on his feet. "Just forget him Jaden. We all know how he is anyways. He's just an arrogant prick and I don't think that would have changed even if he was a human." Syrus said judgmentally as he turned his attention to Jaden who looked like he had seen better days. "Hey Jay, are you alright? I know it was a stressful situation but still. I don't think I've ever seen you this pale before." Syrus asked concerned to Jaden who had a sickly look on his face as he cupped a hand over his mouth. "I-I'll be fine. It's just the blood. It's making me feel queasy." He said with his voice muffled because of the hand that was over his mouth.
"You guys continue lunch without me. I just need to get some fresh air. Please don't follow me, I just want to be alone right now." He said as he forced a friendly grin which he quickly flashed to his friends before he took off running for the exit, and out of the cafeteria. Syrus watched him leave with a worried expression alongside Bastion and Alexis. "Do you think he'll be alright? I know the sight of blood makes him feel sick, but I don't think I've ever seen him get this bad before."
Bastion was now standing and was getting medical attention to his injury by the staff as he replied. "Even the strong have their weaknesses. No matter how reliable Jaden will be to our cause, he has his own limitations. It's just a shame to see a warrior like him have such a detrimental weakness. He has all that power, but yet the sight of blood has a giant effect on him. It's unfortunate really." Bastion said matter of factly while his wound finished getting patched up.
Jaden continued to run through the halls, ignoring everyone who told him a passing hello as he aimed for his destination, which was his favorite place to relax on the entire campus, the school roof. He climbed up the stairs and busted through the double doors at the top, and finally made it to the roof. As soon as he was up there, he slumped against the wall and slid down with his back pressed against its surface while he tried his hardest to restrain his rasped breath. Jaden had a secret you see, one that he never even told his closest friends.
With himself hunched weakly against the ground, his guardian spirit Yubel materialized next to him in a translucent form that only he could see. "You can't keep doing this to yourself Jaden. You're growing weaker every day." They said with a worried tone as they knelt by their master to comfort him during his time of need. Jaden finally removed his hand from his mouth to reveal two long sharp fangs that protruded from his upper lip and drool dribbling down from his chin. "I can't go back now. I've already come so far. I promised myself that I wouldn't indulge ever again. I don't plan on going back on that promise." He said with undertones of pain as he groaned and clutched his hands over his stomach which growled with hunger pains.
"But still. You need to start taking care of yourself. Even if you refuse to feed, you can't starve yourself. If you do, you pose even more risk to revealing your true nature." They said while they sat beside him and stroked his hair affectionately. Jaden sighed as he knew that they were right. But regardless of that, he didn't like the idea one bit. "I understand. I'll take care of it tonight. After Syrus falls asleep, I'll go ahead and sneak out so I can do what needs to be done. I just hate when this time draws near." He said as he sat straight back up and tiredly rubbed at his eyes. He finally calmed down enough that his fangs started to shrink, but the discomfort in his stomach refused to go away.
After they talked for a little while longer, Yubel dematerialized and Jaden was able to muster up enough strength to rejoin his friends so that they could go to class together. What he didn't know though was that someone who had been hiding behind a wall had been listening to his entire conversation with Yubel. The blue haired female smirked as she recounted every minor detail that she had overheard and let out a small giggle. "Now I wasn't expecting this. Wouldn't it just be terrible if other people were to find out about our ace's big secret?" She said with a sinister smirk before she herself left the roof to go about the rest of her day.
Later that night, Jaden waited for the sun to fall and for Syrus to drift asleep. After waiting for a little while, he heard the soft snores of his small companion and slowly climbed down the latter of their bunk bed so that he could dress out of his pj's and into his regular clothes. He tiptoed over to the door and slipped on his sneakers before he opened the door and headed out into the cold night air. While he stood outside, he looked back at the door to his and his best friends dorm room with a frown etched into his brow. "I'm sorry I have to keep lying like this to you, Sy. But if you ever found out the truth, you'd probably never want to see me again." He said solemnly.
Jaden made his way through the night, navigating his way in the darkness with ease because his eyes were adjusted to seeing through even the most blackest of places. He made his way off the beaten path and into the nearby wooded area that rested near the Slifer Red Dorms. And then he sat patiently in a bush as he waited for his prey to approach. Jaden was now starting to let his instincts kick in. Once again, his elongated canines peaked out past his top lip, and his warm honey brown eyes had turned into an eerie shade of red that illuminated in the darkness.
He closed his eyes and could easily hear the loud beating heartbeat of the deer that was near him, and he could feel his mouth start to water. His mind imagining the taste of the thing that he craved the most. The deer was now standing a few feet in front of him, and he knew that it was almost time to act. The unsuspecting animal didn't even see it coming when Jaden pounced on it and swiftly sunk his fangs deep into its neck. It belted out a cry before it weakly collapsed, with Jaden hovering over it, greedily drinking away at its blood.
Animal blood was in no way a good comparison to human blood, but it was still a treat for Jaden who had been lacking in blood for over a couple of weeks. Once a month, Jaden had to do this distasteful act. He hated doing it, because it always reminded him that he truly wasn't a human being, although he wished with all his heart that he was one. He despised monsters, but he could never ignore his inner callings and would always end up acting just like the creatures he hated the most.
As he continued to consume his fill, he heard rustling footsteps coming from behind him. With his mind flooded by the taste of blood, he spun his neck around and let out a drawn out, snake like hiss with his fangs bared. But soon he quickly came back to his senses and gasped in shock. The skin surrounding his mouth was already stained in that crimson shade of red, and he tried to hide his shame by covering his mouth with his hands, but it was already too late. "I always knew there was something wrong with you, Slifer Slacker. But never in my life did I think it would be because of something like this." Said Chazz who stood adjacent to him, his head tilted to the side with a wide mocking grin.
"I can recognize those features anywhere. The glowing red eyes, the long fangs. Oh Jaden, did you think you could hide something like this forever?" He said as he got closer. Jaden stood up on his feet and wiped his mouth on his red sleeve. His piercing glowing red eyes glaring at his rival with a look of utter fury. "Don't you dare say another word! I mean it Chazz!" But Chazz just laughed at his plight as he slowly started to transform into his werewolf form. "Say what? That you're not a human?" But Jaden had rushed him and tackled him to the floor. Sitting on top of his waist with his hands threateningly wrapped around his throat. "I SAID SHUT UP!" He shouted angrily.
"Haha! Seriously! I can't believe this! That the one and only Jaden Yuki is actually a monster! But not just any monster. You're one of the worst ones of them all. Your kind are the bastards who started this whole damn war. With your wicked sense of superiority, making you all think that you're better than the rest of us!" Chazz said as he finished his transformation and was able to switch positions with Jaden, with him being on the top and Jaden being on the bottom. "You, Jaden Yuki, are an S-Class ranked super monster! You're a vampire!"
Weekly Power Status
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