Sorry it took me so long with this chapter. Life's been really busy. Thanks for your patience and enjoy.

Chapter 10:

Curse of the Steelswarm

"And it looks as though Arlen will be moving on and Ophir will be taking a one way trip back home," Mr. Phool said. Pearl cursed silently. There were only a few people left who hadn't dueled yet, namely Lux, Fay, Nazar and herself. Pearl was still trying to figure out the basic layout of the castle so she could find her way around. There was just so much to look at.

Suddenly, Pearl noticed that there was some light up ahead. She hurried forward and found that it was a window with a small outcropping, like a small balcony. She took a look and was surprised to see that she still had a long, long, LONG way to go. The brown haired girl groaned and slumped against the wall where she started playing with the pink streaks in her hair.

"Milady," Garnet said, appearing beside her. "We must continue."

"I know Garnet, but this place is so huge, how are we going to find an opponent around here?" Pearl asked. Garnet grinned behind his mask.

"Trying to find something is pointless if you stand still," he said. Pearl chuckled.

"I guess I am being a little bit of a downer, aren't I?" she asked. Pearl stood up and smiled at Garnet. "Let's get moving."

"I am with you, milady," the red armored knight promised. The two of them continued on through the hallway for another few minutes, pointing out things that might be clues and trying to find hidden doors and passages, careful of the obviously set trap doors. Suddenly, the two of them could feel a dark aura coming from ahead. There was nothing friendly in the air around it, just the promise of disease and destruction. A familiar feeling to the red knight and one he'd hoped never to feel again.

"Do you remember the promise you made to Dara of the Constellar?" Garnet asked. Pearl nodded.

"Looks like I'll have to fulfill my promise after all," she said. Pearl hurried down the hall and found a set of large double doors where the aura was seeping out and burst through. Inside appeared to be a chapel of some sort. Pews were set up in an orderly fashion around an alter where the boy Nazar was kneeling.

"So you've finally come," Nazar said. He didn't turn around or even flinch. "I was waiting for Dara, but you'll do just fine. After all, where's the fun in winning if I can beat both of you?" Nazar stood up and turned around with a malicious grin on his face.

"You're not fooling anyone Pearl," the boy said.

"What are you talking about?" Pearl asked. "You don't make any sense."

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, freak," Nazar said. Pearl gasped as the memories of school returned to her and all the bullying she had to endure. Nazar seemed pleased with her reaction.

"Oh I'm sorry, did I touch a nerve?" he asked, sarcastically, knowing full well that he had. His grin wasn't making Pearl feel any better either. "I know everything about you," Nazar continued.

"Shut up," Pearl said.

"Bullied for years because you couldn't control your powers," he said.

"Stop it!" Pearl shouted.

"Scared you'd hurt anyone you became friends with."

"Shut up!" Pearl placed her hands to her ears trying to block him out, but his voice pierced her defenses and echoed in her mind.

"Put your own brother in the hospital, and the only person who wanted to call you a friend. I guess he wasn't good enough," Nazar taunted. That was the last straw.

"Shut UP!" Pearl screamed as she allowed a small amount of her power to burst in a strong breeze directed at the over confident boy to shut him up. "I'll make you eat your words," she promised, activating her duel disk.

"Oh, are you going to put me in the hospital too?" Nazar asked. Pearl didn't flinch this time. Her determination to prove this boy wrong had taken over and nothing could cause her to lose her focus. Nazar just smiled. "Bring on the challenge then, girl."

"Duel!" they said together.

"Time to rock your world, I draw!" Pearl said. As she drew her card, another strong wind picked up and dispersed just as quickly. She realized that after letting her power run rampant for a split second, she'd lost some of her control. Part of her didn't care. She wanted to crush him, show him that he was wrong and make him pay for his words. She was angry, upset and wanted to take it all out on him. He deserved it. However, another part of her refused to see another person hurt by her hand. She didn't really want to hurt him and she was scared that her powers would burst and he wouldn't be the only casualty.

Pearl took a few deep breaths and forced herself to relax. She would have to fight these many emotions and desires if she wanted to win the duel. Nazar noticed her hesitating and laughed.

"Something wrong, Pearl? Are you afraid?" he taunted.

"You're the one who should be afraid," Pearl said. "I summon Gem-Knight Sardonyx in attack mode!" Sardonyx – ATK: 1800. The mace wielding knight appeared in another gust of wind that ruffled Pearl's hair and made Nazar smile.

"We face a great enemy, Milady," Sardonyx said. "There can be no time for hesitation." Pearl nodded. Sardonyx was good at advice, although he was more likely to attack rather than plan.

"I set two cards and end my turn," Pearl said. Once again, a burst of wind was sent across the field, causing Pearl to become a little more nervous. If this kept up, bad things would happen. She had to get herself under control before she hurt someone.

"My turn, I draw!" Nazar said. "When I have no monsters on my field, I can special summon Steelswarm Cell in defense mode." Steelswarm Cell – DEF: 0.

"No defense points?" Pearl questioned. "What good is that?"

"Perfect for a sacrifice," Nazar explained. "I sacrifice my Steelswarm Cell to summon Steelswarm Moth from my hand." Steelswarm Moth – ATK: 2400.

"That's one powerful monster," Pearl said softly.

"We meet again," Sardonyx said.

"Ssso it would ssseem," Steelswarm Moth hissed.

"Moth, attack Sardonyx!" Nazar ordered. "Steelswarm Wind!" Pearl tensed up. Sardonyx was no match for Steelswarm Moth, but her traps were. She could destroy his monster this turn, but that wouldn't do much to damage his life points. That left her only other option.

"Time for an upgrade! I activate Pyroxene Fusion!" Pearl declared. "This card allows me to choose monsters on my field or in my hand and fuse them during the battle phase. So by sending Tourmaline and Garnet to the graveyard, I can fusion summon Gem-Knight Topaz!" Gem-Knight Topaz – ATK: 1800. Another burst of wind forced Pearl and Nazar to cover their faces as Topaz stood up tall in his yellow armor.

"Would you like to continue the battle?" Pearl asked. Nazar simply cursed as he set three cards and ended his turn. Pearl drew and gazed at her hand.

"Milady, there is no time for hesitation. We must win this and continue onward," Topaz advised.

"Agreed," Pearl said. "I activate Gem-Knight Fusion.!" Another strong wind kicked up. Pearl realized that there would be no controlling her powers until she won. "So be it," she thought.

"With the power of this card I fuse Effect Veiler and Obsidian in my hand to summon Gem-Knight Seraphinite," Pearl declared. A bright light joined the wind and Seraphinite appeared from within it, veiled in white. Seraphinite – ATK: 2300.

"I'm not done," Pearl said. "Since Obsidian was sent from my hand to the graveyard, I can target one level four or lower normal monster in my grave and special summon it. Say hello to Gem-Knight Garnet!" Garnet – ATK: 1900.

"Lady Pearl, you must use my ability now. Together we will win," Seraphinite said.

"Now, as for Seraphinite's ability, he allows me to normal summon one extra time per turn. If you notice, I have not yet normal summoned. Meet Gem-Knight Iolite in defense mode," Pearl said. Iolite – DEF: 2000. "Iolite is a Gemini monster, therefore, my second normal summon will be to give him the use of his effect." Pearl grinned, despite the wind that wouldn't die around them.

"Are you prepared to face the Gem-Knight army?" Pearl asked.

"Yes I am," Nazar said. "I activate a trap card called Infestation Tool. With this, my mother gains eight hundred extra attack points until the end of this turn." Steelswarm Moth – ATK: 2400 + 800 = 3200.

"You and your pathetic knights can't touch me now," Nazar taunted. Pearl clenched her fist and bit her tongue. Words would do her no good now.

"Milady, set that card in your hand," Garnet advised. Pearl looked at the final card she held. If there was one thing that she hated it was an empty hand, but the card in question was a trap card that couldn't be activated unless it was first set. That aside, the requirements to activate it were costly.

"Do not fear for the requirements," Garnet advised, reading her expression easily. "You must do this if you are to win." Pearl nodded.

"I set one card and end my turn," she said. Steelswarm Moth's attack points returned to normal and Nazar laughed.

"Is that all little girl?" he asked. "I was right, you are a joke. You're nothing but a little child with anger issues." Pearl clenched her fists until her knuckles turned white.

"My turn, I draw," Nazar said. "I summon Evilswarm Castor in attack mode!" Evilswarm Castor – ATK: 1750. "When I summon this card I'm allowed to normal summon once more this turn, just like you. Now I sacrifice my two monsters to summon Gorz, the Emissary of Darkness!" Gorz – ATK: 2700.

"Twenty-seven hundred attack points?" Pearl said.

"But I'm not finished yet," Nazar said. "I can now special summon Illusory Snatcher because I tribute summoned a monster this turn." Illusory Snatcher – ATK: 2400. "Next I activate my trap card, Infestation Ripples which allows me to summon one level four or lower Steelswarm monster from my grave, so I choose Steelswarm Cell."

"Again?" Pearl asked.

"Yes again," Nazar said. "Now, I activate Double Summon so that I can tribute Steelswarm Cell and summon Steelswarm Mantis." Steelswarm Mantis – ATK: 2200. "Now, his effect is as follows; if he is summoned by Tributing a Steelswarm monster, then I can summon one Steelswarm monster from my grave if I pay one thousand life points, and I choose Steelswarm Moth!" Steelswarm Moth – ATK: 2400. Nazar now had three thousand life points, but he also had four incredibly powerful monsters on his field, and all of them outmatched Pearl's loyal Gem-Knights. "I'm still not finished," Nazar said.

"Can it get any worse?" Pearl asked Garnet.

"Yes, it can, because I activate Monster Reborn from my hand. Now say hello once more to Steelswarm Cell," the boy said. "But like last time, he won't be sticking around, because I now activate Ultimate Offering, which means that I can summon one more monster this turn by sacrificing five hundred life points," Nazar said. "By sacrificing Steelswarm Cell, I summon Steelswarm Girastag. I can only do this when I use a Steelswarm monster as the tribute." Girastag – ATK: 2600, Level 7. Nazar now only had twenty-five hundred life points left, but his field was full of monster prepared to strike.

"One more thing, Girastag allows me to destroy one card on your field, so I'll choose that little trap card you've got on the right hand side," Nazar said.

"No," Pearl said, as she sent Justi-Break to the grave.

"It's over," Nazar said. "Mantis, take on Iolite!" Iolite turned as the attack headed his way and nodded to Pearl before being destroyed. "Moth, Seraphinite is yours!"

"No!" Pearl called through the damage.

"Gorz, take out Sardonyx," Nazar said.

"Sardonyx!" Pearl said.

"Illusory Snatcher, take Topaz down!" he said.

"Topaz!" Pearl called.

"Girastag, you've got Garnet," Nazar said. Pearl was left with no monsters, no cards in her hand and only nineteen hundred life points to her name. Nazar had gotten the lead, and he wasn't going to let Pearl forget it.

"You've got no cards in your hand and a little facedown card. Not enough to beat me this turn. And next turn, I plan to revive my monsters," Nazar said. Pearl looked around the room at the damage she'd caused. The wind that represented her power had taken on a violet aura that formed a whirlpool of wind around the now ruined chapel. Could she win in this one turn with just a little over half her life points? Nazar was still at three thousand and while he didn't have any monsters, he still had his facedown card. Fear and loneliness crept back into her heart and Pearl felt the urge to break down and give up.

"It's just like I thought; you're just a worthless little girl who can't do anything without your precious guardians. You can't trust anyone or be trusted. A useless monster. You should've killed yourself and saved me the trouble," Nazar taunted. Something flashed in Pearl's eyes. Whether it was the statement itself or the tone in his voice, Pearl would never know for sure, but something in that last sentence replaced all her fear with rage and another burst of wind forced Nazar to shut his mouth.

"It's my turn, I draw!" Pearl said. She gazed at the card and realized what she had to do. "I'll make you eat your words." The darkness in her voice made Nazar second guess his opinion, but he didn't have time to react.

"I activate Fragment Fusion," Pearl said. "With this by banishing monsters from my graveyard, I can fusion summon one Gem-Knight monster, I choose to banish Iolite, Topaz and Seraphinite!"

"Three monsters?" Nazar asked.

"That's right, by doing this I can fusion summon, Gem-Knight Master Diamond!" Pearl said. Gem-Knight Master Diamond – ATK: 2900. "His effect lets him gain one hundred attack points for every Gem monster in my graveyard." Diamond – ATK: 2900 + 500 = 3400. "That's not all, I activate Burial from a Different Dimension from my hand. With this, I can return the three monsters that I removed from play, giving Diamond even more attack points." Diamond – ATK: 3200 + 300 = 3700.

"Whoa, thirty-seven hundred attack points?" Nazar asked. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Pay back," Pearl said. "Diamond, attack Nazar directly! Adamant Slash!" Nazar was struck down and Pearl's power was let loose one final time before the duel was over.

"Who's the monster now?" Pearl asked. Nazar laughed and leaned up.

"Still you," he said. "Using all your strength against me just for a few words. What kind of a knight are you? Just like I thought, untrusting and untrustworthy." Then he passed out.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Pearl has moved on to the next round and, it looks as though Nazar may need medical attention," Mr. Phool said over the comm. Pearl collapsed as the wind died down and tried to catch her breath. The rage was still fresh in her heart and she had the powerful urge to turn the little chapel to rubble. That is until a hand was placed on her shoulder.

"You did well, milady," Garnet's familiar voice said.

"I went too far," Pearl said. "What if it happens again?"

"That is why Jaden has offered to help you, so that you won't have to fear yourself any longer," the red armored knight comforted. Pearl stood on shaky legs and walked to the front of the destroyed chapel to gaze at the cross on the back wall.

"Who can I trust Garnet?" she asked. "I don't know what to do." All the warnings she had received came back to her then and seemed to echo around the room.

"I am here merely to warn you that the boy you are travelling with is not who he appears to be."

"You will face many hardships in your life and a future that is not as you expect."

"In my world he is known as Haou, the most ruthless warlord to have ever ruled any dimension."

"You will be betrayed by one who is shrouded in darkness. Yet you will not realize it until it is too late. Take this warning my dear. Beware the one you trust."

"Who is the one I trust?" Pearl asked herself out loud. Garnet approached and once again placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"I know one thing, Milady," he said. "You can trust us." Pearl smiled.

"Thanks Garnet, I needed that," she said. It was then that she noticed a small door behind the cross and decided that it was better than returning to the unending hallway. Her next challenge would be her greatest yet.

So, what'd you think? Good? Bad? Too Short? Let me know and hopefully it won't take me quite as long on the next chapter.