Soul of the Dragon

Chapter 56: Hey, Look, a Whale Tale! Part 1

Roman glared at his candelabra. "Devack has failed us. But where one falls another may rise." He stood, taking the candelabra with him. "Time to pay our prisoner a little visit."

A door creaked and Roman stared down at the prisoner. "Stand up. Your time has come, Greiger."

The enormous man obliged and followed Roman out to a large ledge.

"The moment you attacked Goodwin at the Fortune Cup, I knew I liked you. I couldn't let you be sent away to some maximum security cell, so I had you freed and brought here so that you may come face to face with your true destiny."

Greiger stared uneasily at the swirling light vortex below them. Normally light would be comforting, but this light gave off a more sinister feeling. "What is all this?"

"We stand above the gateway to the Netherworld. The doorway to the shadows."

"And why have you brought me here?" Greiger demanded.

"To help you, Greiger. I brought you here to give you power like you've never known in your life. You're going to become a Dark Signer."

"And what is that?"

"Tell me something, Greiger. Now that you have had some time to sit on it, have you forgiven Goodwin? Have you found it in your heart to forgive him for what he did to your village? To your family?" Roman pressed, relishing the answer he already knew would be given.

"Are you kidding? I'm as angry as I was that day at the goddamn tournament. I will never forgive Goodwin for what he did!"

"Which is why you must become a Dark Signer," Roman explained patiently. He stepped away from the ledge Greiger stood on. "Embrace your anger. You're going to need it."

The floor beneath Greiger gave way. He began to fall, screaming, but a spider Roman had upon the ceiling spit thread that encircled Greiger's neck. Although his fall had stopped, he was still being choked to death.

Roman sneered wickedly. "The shadows will consume the man you once were, Greiger, sparing only your thirst for revenge! You will lose yourself and become your anger! This will give you the power to defeat Goodwin and his precious Crimson Dragon. Now the path of vengeance begins with the one who first stood in your way! The one who stopped you from destroying Goodwin when you had the chance! For your brother and sister, for your village, taken from you by the Crimson Dragon you must finish what you started, and you must start with Yusei Fudo! Greiger, I give you new life as a Dark Signer!"

The light from below rose up and engulfed Greiger in its folds. His eyes closed and opened to reveal black where brown had been.

Roman laughed maniacally. "Go out and destroy Yusei Fudo! Send his soul to the Netherworld, and from the cold, dead fingers of his corpse tear my daughter away, and bring her to me! That is your mission!"

Crow pulled up to his hangout beside the Daedalus Bridge, with Fish close behind. It was eerily quiet. They had decided to check to see if everyone was all right before going patrolling.

"I dunno, Crow," Fish said sadly. "It looks just as deserted as the streets."

"We gotta try," Crow responded. He pulled the curtains that concealed his hideout out of his way. "Hello? Anyone here? It's me, Crow! Guys? Fish is here too!"

"Crow?" a small voice said. "Is it really you?"

"We're all over here!"

"Hey!"

"Did you say Crow?"

"And a girl too! Crow's got a girlfriend!"

The group of kids appeared from their hiding spots. Crow beamed as they rushed for both teenagers.