Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Season 5: Light and Darkness

Chapter 20: Branded as Evil

Syrus was in awe at Jaden's story. He was naturally horrified too. Jaden explained all about the attack, the end of the duel, Bonaparte's capture and Blair's revelation.

"Zorath Newman?!" cried Syrus. "The duelist champion you replaced for the tournament?"

"Yeah, according to Blair." said Jaden sullenly.

"No wonder he didn't join up!" said Syrus worriedly.

"Yeah...possessed by Nightshroud." sighed Jaden.

"I wonder what darkness he had to ally with that monster." said Syrus.

Jaden hadn't thought of that. What could possibly have happened to Zorath Newman to make him susceptible to Nightshroud's evil?

"Wait...could Zorath be the evil we were looking for?" asked Syrus.

"No."

Yubel appeared from her card, in solid form. This made Syrus leap off the bed and land with a thud on the floor.

"Newman isn't the threat." she said to Jaden, not paying the slightest notice in the terrified Syrus. "He isn't in the tournament for a start. Plus I can still sense Darkness at the venue. It's someone else."

"Can you tell who yet?" asked Jaden.

"No, all I can sense is that it IS there." replied Yubel.

"Okay." sighed Jaden.

He could eliminate eight of the thirty two suspects who had been knocked out of the tournament so far, including Missy and the two elder Princeton brothers. He couldn't imagine that Syrus, Chazz and Aster Phoenix were in Nightshroud's grasp either. Certainly not Syrus, anyway, as he, Jesse and Jaden were still at Duel Academy at the time.

"So who is it?" he thought to himself. He felt frustrated.

"Hey, Jaden."

Syrus brought him back to Earth.

"Yeah, Sy?"

"Shouldn't we contact Jesse?" asked Syrus. "He's due to duel tomorrow just after you."

"Oh, yeah, you're right!" said Jaden, and he went to make the call.

********

At Duel Academy, Jesse, Alexis and Axel were waiting at the harbour.

"Your helping hand is coming tonight?" asked Alexis.

"Yep." replied Axel. "Bound to run a little late on these waves."

Indeed the waves were certainly strong this evening. It was almost as if Nightshroud was trying to prevent the help from coming.

"You say it's just one person?" said Jesse.

"Yeah, don't know many others who can make it. Most friends of mine are serving in the army somewhere." said Axel with wistfulness. He wanted to be fighting right now, not staying put and waiting, but his friend's incoming arrival would hopefully brighten his spirits until a fight came.

After another forty-five minutes, they saw a boat appear suddenly on the horizon.

"There he is!" said Axel.

Alexis and Jesse looked on as they saw the boat come in to the harbour. The captain looked edgy and pale. There were two reasons for this. The harsh waves would make any sailor anxious for his or her health, let alone for the passengers aboard too. The second reason was that he had a crocodile on his deck.