Chapter Text
Nelson Andrews was scavenging for food. This world used to be lovely, filled with many people playing duel monsters, his best friend Yuma Tsukumo was one of the duelists, though he was very bad at the game. However, after Yuma collected all the Number cards, Astral took over.
He made this world a dystopian wasteland.
Nelson was taking the food back to his base of operations, the place he filmed “The Sparrow” at for the first time in Heartland City. He sat down on the ruined couch and grabbed his deck, placing it on the table.
“Never give up what you believe in, and always have fun!!”
Echoed in his mind, that is what Yuma always told him, but now being 16, five years older since the whole ‘Number apocalypse’ started. He doesn’t feel the same anymore, he witnessed his mother turn stone after Astral’s Number C39 Utopia Ray V was used to turn people into stone. He was the only one in Sector A of Post-Heartland city to make it out alive. That very day, he swore he saw a female entity, who was blue and white, saving him.
He pulled out his deck and laid out the deck so he can see which cards he can edit. He pulled out the packs of duel monster cards from his backpack and opened them, nothing of interest so he sat there pondering about his strategy for his current deck.
“Having fun?” Nelson heard, he turned around and it was the entity who saved him before.
“W-Who are you?!” Nelson shouted as he grabbed a pillow ready to throw it.
“I am Enna, I have come. . . bearing a gift.” She floated over to him and covered his face. He was too stunned, shocked, and out of fear he couldn’t move. “Hold still,” Her hands glowed red, and sent an energy throughout Nelson’s body.
“Wh-What happened?” Nelson finally squeaked out.
“I bestowed you, the breaker mark. The ability to duel without a Duel Gazer, and the power to erase Number Cards,” Enna spoke floating away. She waved her hand, and a new deck of duel monsters appeared.
“We have found these cards scattered throughout Astral World, I will give them to you…” She faded, her voice echoing while she disappeared.
He sat down grabbing the deck and looked through the deck. “Phantom Knights…” He mumbled, searching the deck. “I never heard of these cards before…” He muttered, before sleeving the cards up and placed them in the case. He placed his old deck into a briefcase for safe keeping.
He went to the kitchen, putting the savaged canned soup into a bowl, then he sat down and sat down, eating his cold tomato soup.
— FLASH BACK —
An 11 Year old Nelson Andrews, and his mother were running through the crowded streets of Heartland City. Number C39: Utopia Ray V was slashing through people, turning them to stone, before he sent massive energy throughout Heartland, Nelson’s mother wrapped her arms around Nelson, using her body to shield her son. “I know this will sound crazy, but with you surviving this… The world has a chance…” She spoke, before she turned to stone. Nelson’s eyes widened, as he watched everything around them turn to stone.
Thirty minutes went by, Nelson broke out of his statue mothers arms and crawled away before he saw him.
Astral, his body was jet black. With red markings on his face. Walking proudly through the destroyed Heartland City. He recalled Utopia back to its card form.
Nelson growled, making a fist. “I promise mom, I promise everybody, I will defeat Astral with everything I got,” he whispered.
— END OF FLASH BACK —
Nelson finished his tomato soup, putting the empty cup into the bathroom sink. Returning to the table in the dressing room, he collected his red deck case, knowing he was going to go out and defeat an Astral Knight in a duel.
Moving to outside next, Nelson mounted the motor bike, pulling on his motorcycle helmet that was stashed within arm's reach. The black and purple motorcycle was found in the dark alleyway near the abandoned cardshop.
Upon his ride, Nelson was ready to conquer more of Heartland City, on a mission to reclaim territory from the Astral Knights. Due to their number cards, he had only been able to push them back bit by bit, rather than take them out completely on his own. This didn't bother him, as every time he pushed them back, it took him one step closer to finding Astral. He wants to fix Heartland City, save his friend and hopefully return the world back to its proper state.
As he rode, Nelson nearly lost control of his motorbike due to a tremor in the ground. They were becoming more frequent, as duels during the end of the world caused the side effects of dueling to become more and more lethal, even though duel gazers were still required to see the monsters themselves.
He arrived at the scene he went to reach for the duel gazer but instead a sudden sharp pain went across his eye. A red mark similar to those wielded by the number hunters back then appeared on his left eye, his pupil turning red. He was able to see the monsters duking it out. It was Number 62, Galaxy Eyes Prime Photon Dragon fighting Number 40, Gimmick Puppet of Strings.
Nelson looked down seeing Kite dueling Quattro. Nelson felt a surge of energy from his new deck, it was dark, not evil but dark. He reached into the deck case and pulled out his deck, seeing The Phantom Knight of Stained Greaves glowing.
“Nelson?” Kite responded, looking back at Nelson.
“FOCUS ON ME KITE!” Quattro spoke, but not as himself it was Astral’s twisted voice.
Kite looked over.
Suddenly the darkness from the deck consumed Nelson, revealing a XYZ monster able to destroy Number Cards, a Monster so powerful it is considered a ‘Dimension Dragon’ Nelson collapsed on the floor holding his head with the deck in his hands.
Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon
Nelson thought, as the image flashed over and over before Nelson was back to reality. Kite helped Nelson up. “You alright Nelson?” Kite asked, politely.
“Y-Yeah,” Nelson said as Cathy showed up.
“I have been sent by Astral to bring you in Nelson Andrews, you have been causing a stir among Astral Knights!” Cathy said, putting her duel gazer on and summoning her duel disk.
Nelson sighed and opened his duel disk.
“Let’s duel!”
“I’ll go first, I'll draw! I’ll summon Stray Cat Girl then I'll end my turn.”
[Stray Cat Girl | Effect | 400 Atk 1500 Def ]
“I draw, next I summon The Phantom Knight Torn Scales!”
[The Phantom Knight Torn Scales | Effect | 600 Atk 1600 Def ]
“Next, I’ll use the effect of The Phantom Knights Silent Boots, allowing me to special summon it from my hand if I have a ‘The Phantom Knights’ monster on the field!”
[The Phantom Knight Silent Boots | Effect | 200 Atk 1200 Def]
“Next I’ll fill the overlay network!I XYZ SUMMON Come forth! The Phantom Knights of Break Sword!”
[The Phantom Knights of Break Sword | XYZ Effect | 2000 ATK 1000 DEF ]
“Now I’ll activate The Phantom Knights of Break Sword’s ability by detaching an XYZ Material, targeting my Phantom Knights’ Spear and you’re Stray Cat Lady and I’ll destroy them both!”
Suddenly, a flash happened, revealing a man with purple and black hair and ravaged clothing. “I’ll use my two Shadow Veil’s to fill the Overlay Network, I XYZ SUMMON! DARK REBELLION XYZ DRAGON!”
The dragon from before appeared out of a dark shadowy mist.
The flash ended, his breath shook, unable to think straight he was gathering his breath.
“Are you going to make a move or just stall?” Cathy asked, annoyed.
“I’ll use The Phantom Knights of Break Sword to attack!”
[Cathy 4000 - 2000 = 2000]
“I set a card face down, and I’ll end my turn.”
“I draw!” Cathy pondered, looking over her cards. “I set one monster face down and set one spell or trap card face down and I end my turn.”
“I draw!”
Nelson drew, The Phantom Knights Rank-Up-Magic Force.
Nelson pondered, having only three cards in his hand.
“I’ll use The Phantom Knights Rank-Up-Magic force! Banishing my The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots and targeting my The Phantom Knights of Break Sword to Rank it up one rank! Come forth!”
“Formed from pitch-black darkness, to fight those foolish enough to oppose it with its treacherous fangs! Now, descend! Xyz Summon! Appear! Rank 4, DARK REBELLION XYZ DRAGON!”
A flash and something or someone is sent flying towards Nelson who instinctively took defense with his arms but nothing. When he opened his eyes, there the mighty dragon from his visions was floating in front of him.
The dark dragon looked back at Nelson, and nodded as if it was trying to say something.
[Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon | XYZ effect monster | 2500 Atk 2000 Def]
“Right mighty dragon, attack the face down Monster!”
The Dragon roared and sent a wave of dark energy into the face down monster, destroying Kittytail, Mystical Beast of the Forest.
“N-Never seen that monster before!” Cathy shouts, stepping back.
“Well behold the terror born in this world's darkness!” Nelson said.
“I draw!” Cathy drew a card, looking at her hand she grabbed one card. “I set a Monster face down and end my turn!” Cathy said.
“I draw!” Nelson shouts, drawing a card from his deck. “I summon, D.D. Seeker!”
[D.D. Seeker | Effect Monster | 1500 ATK 800 DEF]
“Now D.D. Seeker! Attack!” D.D. Seeker stabbed the face down, destroying Catnipped Kitty. “Now let’s end this! DARK REBELLION XYZ DRAGON, DESTROY HER!” Nelson shouts.
“MAULING MANDIBLE CHARGE!”
Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon charged at Cathy shooting a dark blast at Cathy.
[Cathy Katherine 2000 - 2500 = -500]
Cathy fell to the ground. Enna’s hand guided Nelson’s hand. “I bestow you the breaker mark…” her voice echoed as Nelson’s eye glowed red and destroyed Cathy’s number. Causing darkness to leave Cathy’s body.
Nelson left before she could wake up…