Disclaimer: No, I don't own Yugioh.

"No," Arms trembling, she didn't move. "You won't be killing anyone!"

"Oh, the joy I'm going to feel by proving you wrong in the most ironic of ways," He began to approach her.

The Infinity Chronicles

Chapter 130: Splintered Soul; Shinkan

Eri stepped back further, hearing the others coming down the stairs rapidly. ("Ichigo…no, Ankikan…his power is too much. He'll kill all of us.") She sweatdropped as she thought about Rysel. ("But if Rysel destroys him, then there will be no chance of bringing back!")

"It's time to die, little mutt." Ankikan lifted an armored hand, the crystal covering it starting to glow. "I will destroy you, and then move on to…" His next words became muffled as a foot imprinted itself into his face, sending him flying into the far wall of the gym.

At first Eri thought she'd done it on instinct, but realized that someone had done what she had planned to do. ("But who could get through that guy's energy, it was so powerful I felt like I was being pushed backwards.")

"You're getting a bit ahead of yourself, aren't you?" The voice was so familiar, and yet distinctly different from what she was used to. However, Eri knew Ichigo's voice no matter what kind of serious tone it took on.

Ankikan stood up from where he'd collapsed, his eyes narrowed angrily. "And just who the hell are you? You can't be Ichigo Pilkington, but you sound like him…"

"You made one major mistake by using Berry A La Mode to fuse with Ichigo's darkness." The remaining clouds of darkness faded away, revealing the speaker. "And that was thinking the parts of Ichigo you used went nowhere." There was a young man standing between Eri and Ankikan, his glittering silver hair styled upwards near the front in a small set of spikes. His cold blue eyes narrowed, and he brushed a part of his silver robe.

"So you're the leftovers?" Ankikan lifted his right arm, a duel disk of dark crystal appearing. "I'd suppose you are. How annoyingly frustrating, even when he no longer exists Ichigo Pilkington just loves to butt in on things that don't involve him!"

His silver-colored duel disk already activated, the newcomer smiled back at Eri. "Just make sure no one comes down here…" Then he was in the duel, eyes locked with Ankikan's. "I am Shinkan."

"I don't give a damn!" Ankikan placed a hand on his deck, which was alight with dark energy. "Since Berry A La Mode resolved at the same time, its effect takes over. We both draw five cards; our opponent draws three…so we both draw eight!" Pulling eight cards from his deck, he smirked at what he had pulled. "How delightful, this deck is so poetically delicious…"

Eri backed up to the end of the stairs just as Mizuki reached the bottom. "Don't move…"

"Ichigo…" Mizuki started to ask, but realized now wasn't the time as the auras of the two beings in the middle of the gym collided with enough force to crack the walls and ceiling more. "What incredible energy…"

Shinkan- 7800

Ankikan- 3400

Ankikan glanced over his shoulder at the unmoving Shiro. "Hmph, in the end you were a useless pawn, nothing more. However, you did help me reach this form, and for that I'll let you live with the knowledge it's your fault the death of the one you care about exists in this world."

"You're a heartless bastard," Shinkan grabbed a card from his hand and slapped it down onto his disk. "Come forth, Splintered Souldier!" A whirlwind of blue energy appeared him, and then formed into a monster on his field. It was a white doll-like humanoid with a harp strapped to its back. "I summon Splintered Souldier Orpheus in attack mode!" (1300/1500)

"That deck…" Ankikan narrowed his eyes dangerously. "So, it's finally appeared, eh? But for it to be in your hands, that's impossible."

Eri looked just as surprised, so Mizuki had to ask. "What's so surprising about that monster?"

"In our world there are five decks created by Industrial Illusions, all of them are warrior decks of incredible power. Ichigo owned the Cyber Shadows, the Hidden Spirit Pack is supposedly held by some Native American kid, the Divine Agents are held by Richard Pilkington, and the Torture Villains are in the hands of Vincent Garlin."

"But that's only four…" Mizuki turned to look at the Splintered Souldier monster in confusion. "Then why is the last deck in his hands?"

"I don't know," Eri frowned, wishing she could understand how it had happened. "The last of the five disappeared after creation."

"It's because they were dimensionally removed from your world," Ankikan commented, before glaring at Shinkan. "So why the hell do you have them!?"

"Because they answered my call, that's all." The silver-haired boy bowed slightly to the silent Orpheus. "You see, the last of the five decks were created to combat a threat that was perceived by Maxmillion Pegasus. The shadow decks and their users were extremely dangerous, so he created a deck based off an old video game where the shadows were the main enemy. While I was forming the Splintered Souldiers heard my call, and knew my enemy was using shadows to cause harm. Therefore, they came to me. This deck is an anti-shadow deck, perfect for guys like you!"

"Is that so? The perfect deck to defeat me?" Ankikan threw back his head, smiling pleasantly. "I beg to differ. There is no possible way you could know what I use, since even I didn't know until just now. Therefore…" He looked at a couple of the cards in his hand, and his eyes widened in amazement. "This…this is impossible!"

Shinkan smiled and slid a pair of cards into his disk. "I set two cards facedown on my field, and activate the effect of Orpheus! King of Strings!" Orpheus removed the harp from his back and started to play it, the sound hauntingly beautiful. "Once per turn I look at the top card of my deck. If it is a card with either 'Tarot' or 'Mask' in its title, then I send it to the graveyard and during this turn I can activate its effect! I reveal this," He held up a magic card with a picture of a smiling mask. "Mask of Charity! Normally this card requires the removal of a Splintered Souldier in my hand to activate! I draw two cards!" Amongst those cards, he slid one into his disk and it appeared down next to the other two he set. "I place another card down, end turn."

"How irritating! Draw!" Ankikan opened his field magic card slot and placed a card into it. "I activate the field magic card Tartarus!" The room disappeared, replaced by a tower that rose into the sky behind it. It was a mixture of dozens of different other structures, a monstrosity that shouldn't have been able to stay standing as it was. "As long as this card remains in play, the effects of all non-Shadow or Splintered Souldier monsters in play are negated! Also, during my standby phase I special summon a Shadow monster from my deck that has a level equal to or less than the number of Shadows in my graveyard!"

Shinkan pressed a hand around one ear, aiming it at his opponent. "What kinds of monsters are unaffected?"

"Shut the hell up! Who cares if your monsters are immune to some of this deck's powers?" Ankikan slid a magic card into his disk. "I activate the magic card Shadow Hunter! By discarding a Shadow from my hand I can destroy one monster in play!" An arrow of darkness appeared on his field.

"Reverse card open!" Shinkan's middle set card flipped up just as his Orpheus was blasted into nothingness. "Persona Change activates! When a Splintered Souldier is destroyed by a card effect, I return it to my deck and special summon a level four or lower Splintered Souldier to my field!" A blast of wind appeared before him, and formed into a black-skinned female dressed in pink that was riding on a bull head-shaped platform. "Splintered Souldier Io in defense mode!" (300/2000)

"I set one monster facedown." A monster card appeared facedown on Ankikan's field. "Also, I set two cards facedown. End turn."

"Draw!" Shinkan added the drawn card to his hand and his left set card flipped up. "Velvet Charge activates! By removing one Splintered Souldier in my hand from the game, I can gain its attack or defense in life! I remove Splintered Souldier Thanatos from the game, gain his 2600 attack point total in life!" A green aura appeared around him.

Shinkan- 10400

Ankikan- 3400

"And then during my standby phase Io's effect activates!" His monster started to chant quietly. "One removed from the game Splintered Souldier is added to my hand!" A card reappeared amongst the others. "Thanatos was my choice, of course." Then he motioned to Io, who suddenly disappeared. "And then I activate the magic card Fool Tarot! Amongst this card's three effects, I select the one which removes a Splintered Souldier on my field from the game to draw two cards!" He did so and held up another magic card. "Evoker Suicide, if I have no monsters in play, let's me special summon a level four or lower Splintered Souldier from my deck to the field! Come forth, Splintered Souldier Hermes!" An explosion of flames erupted onto his field and formed into a sharp-armored being with a pair of golden wings emitting from his back. (1600/1400) "When Hermes is special summoned, I can destroy a card on your field! My choice is Tartarus!"

"A pointless attempt!" Ankikan's left set card flipped up, and a black veil fell over his magic/trap zones, as well as his tower. "Shadow Veil lets me discard a Shadow from my deck, and during this turn my magic and trap cards cannot be destroyed! However, when they would be destroyed you get to draw a card. At this point though, what's another card amongst the seven you are already holding?"

Shinkan frowned and drew a card, while the golden aura around Hermes faded. "Hermes, attack the set monster now! Swift Cleave!" His Splintered Souldier flew across the field and slashed the facedown monster in half with a slash of its wings.

"During this moment, the effect of Shadow Vicious Maya activates now!" A blob of darkness with a red mask in its center appeared as a phantom behind him. "When this monster is destroyed in battle, I can destroy a monster on your field!" Hermes exploded. "Also, I may choose to discard all other copies of Vicious Maya in my hand and in my deck into the graveyard! I choose to…" He slid two more monster cards from his deck into the graveyard.

Shinkan motioned to his remaining set card. "Reveal Mask of Feint! When a Splintered Souldier on my field is destroyed, I may discard a card from my hand to special summon it to my field from the graveyard! Hermes returns!" The gold-winged warrior appeared on his field once more. "I activate its effect, and select Tartarus! Obviously, this doesn't work…but Shadow Veil lets me draw one card!" He pulled a card from his deck. "During this turn, the special summoned monster cannot attack. Therefore, I set two cards facedown and end my turn."

"Draw." Ankikan glanced at the drawn card, and then at Shinkan. "I noticed something interesting about you. Where I have kept Ichigo's demonic features, you seem to lack them…why would that be?"

"You shunned his light, so that light became part of me. Regardless of how good a person Ichigo is, his demonic side is still born of darkness." Shinkan smiled confidently. "I cannot say I know for sure what Ichigo what would honestly want, but I know what a hero would do. He would defeat you, regardless of whether or not this prevented Ichigo from ever returning to life."

"God, on and on about heroes, just like the annoyance he was. I'm going to enjoy killing you so much I may actually shed a tear or two!" Ankikan motioned behind him, and a black blob of darkness flew from Tartarus' top to his field. "There are five Shadows in my graveyard, so I special summon Shadow VI; The Lovers!" A giant heart with wings appeared on his field. Atop it was a pink mask, and from its wings and body dripped plenty of blood. (1000/1500) "I activate its ability! Once per turn, I can deal you the attack of a monster on your field in damage at the cost of my battle phase! Charmed Lovers!"

Hermes turned and kicked Shinkan in the side of the head, flooring him.

Shinkan- 8800

Ankikan- 3400

"I set one card facedown and end my turn." A card slid out of the darkness next to his other remaining one. "Come, show me your anti-shadow deck's power!"

"I'll show you more than that!" Shinkan drew and smirked at what he'd pulled. "You don't like me talking about being a hero? Then let me show you the darkness!" One of his two set cards flipped up. "I activate the trap card Splinter Shift Tactic! During the end phase of this turn, for every Splintered Souldier sent to my graveyard you take 500 points of damage!"

The next magic card that appeared had a picture of a tower falling and a dark angelic form rising from out of the ruins. "Tower Tarot activates only if I have at least one magic/trap and one monster in play! All cards on my field are destroyed, and one Splintered Souldier in my hand is special summoned! Let the Avatar of Death descend!" Hermes and his set card exploded, and from within the smoke rose a howling dark form. "Splintered Souldier Thanatos is special summoned!"

Ankikan glared at the new arrival as its features became discernable. It was faceless, a white bone jaw around its head serving as a helmet. In one hand it held a white sword, and in the other hand it held a length of chain wrapped around its arm. From its back came a half-ring of white plates, each one clanking together as it lowered onto the field. (2600/1900) "You think you're evil because you summoned this ridiculous thing? Don't be absurd…"

"Battle! Death Avatar's Blade!" Thanatos launched at the Lovers and it suddenly shifted to attack mode. "When Thanatos battles I can switch the modes of all monsters on your field as I wish!" Then it flew into the bloody heart, and the entire thing popped in a spray of digital black fluid before it disappeared.

Shinkan- 8800

Ankikan- 1800

Amidst the gagging coming from Mizuki, Thanatos returned to Shinkan's field. "I set one card facedown, and at the end of my turn Splinter Shift Tactics deals you 500 points of damage! End turn!"

Shinkan- 8800

Ankikan- 1300

"Draw!" Another blob of darkness erupted from Tartarus' top and landed on Ankikan's field, forming into a lithe female form that was completely black on one side and white on the other. "Shadow II; The Priestess is special summoned!" (1000/1000) "When this monster is summoned, I can special summon a level five or lower Shadow in my graveyard!" The bloody form of the Lovers reappeared on his field. "Charmed Lovers!"

Thanatos turned and slashed its sword through Shinkan, then turned back around as if nothing had happened.

Shinkan- 6200

Ankikan- 1300

"And then I summon Shadow Wealth Hand to the field!" A golden hand with a blue mask where the wrist began appeared on his field, its body as big as his. (300/300) "Then I play the quickplay magic card Killing Hand. One Shadow Hand on my field is sacrificed, and a monster on your field is destroyed!" The Wealth Hand launched at Thanatos, latching onto its neck. Both struggled a moment, and then exploded. "And when Wealth Hand is sacrificed by a magic effect, I draw one card." At the sight of the drawn card, he sneered evilly. ("It's always fun drawing your ace monster, especially when you know you can summon it right when the other guy thinks he's got your number.") "End turn."

"Draw!" Shinkan glanced at the drawn card before nodding. "End turn."

"Are you serious?" Ankikan drew. "Five cards in your hand and nothing you can do? That's fine with me, as it means I can smash you even harder! Tartarus activates!" A blob of darkness erupted from his deck and formed into a tall barrel-chested shadow holding a sword in a fencing stance. "Shadow IV; The Emperor, when special summoned, special summons Shadow IIIl; the Empress!" Another blob of darkness appeared, forming into a round-bodied female shadow holding a scepter. (2100/1200) (1200/2100)

Shinkan glanced at each of the shadows in turn, and a slow smile appeared on his face. "Wow, an army of lower power attackers. I'm terrified." He didn't sound it.

"My Shadows, attack his life points directly!" The four shadows on Ankikan's field unleashed their respective attacks all at once. The Lovers shot a spray of black fluid from a valve, the Priestess's long hair formed a spear that was launched, and the Emperor and Empress flew across the field towards Shinkan.

To be continued…