A,N: I am so sorry for the late update. I am terrible sorry to all of you Gx fans who was waiting for the next chapter. To make up for it, I will update only Gx until the Haou moment are fully over. That is a lot of chapters, since I have extra chapters. Hope you will like this chapter. Please comment or tell me what you think of the chapter. Thanks for following my stories and me. I really appreciate it.

Axel's p.o.v.

A little earlier.

Axel was stunned. He was actually shocked. He couldn't believe it. Jim had lost! He was gone, like all the others and worst part was that the king now had Tara once again. He was lying on his knees and was staring shocked at the king and his lieutenants, when they began leaving inside the castle. Axel could still not comprehend that Tara had made that deal with the king to save him. That she had given up on her own freedom so that he could leave from here alive. She shouldn't have done that! I should have been the one protecting her, and not her protecting me! I promised her to get out of the kings grip, but instead I made her return to him. I should save her right now. I should challenge him to a duel right now.. yeah I should! Axel slowly got up. He was scared. He was actually terrified, but he had promised Tara to free her and he knew Jim wanted that from him too. He got up. He looked over at the door to the castle. The lieutenants had just walked inside and Haou and Tara was about to follow. His eyes meet Tara's. A single tear was running down her check, before the king pushed her inside. Axel took a step forward and froze. A cold breeze was blowing around him. Cold amber golden eyes met his own and made him stop dead in his tracks. Axel was shaken in fear. He had never felt so afraid before. Then without saying a thing, the king turned around and walked inside the castle. Axel shivered and turned around on the heel and rushed away from here. He ran past the guards and away from here as quick as he could, without looking back. Even through the king hasn't said a thing Axel catched his message. Touch her again and you are dead. He let out a terrified scream and began to run even faster. He just needed to get away from here. From the king and his cold amber golden eyes.

Aster's p.o.v.

Time skip.

Aster and Zane had just arrived at their newest hideout, after a little hunting trip to get some food. They had chosen a giant mansion as a hideout and a trap. After Tara had disappeared, the boys had tried everything to get the right amount of information, and a giant mansion in the middle of nowhere, someone would be suspicious right? Aster smirked. He was currently having his duty as watchman, when he noticed two goblins form "Elite Goblin's attack force" and waved Zane over to him.

"Zane I believe it is time again. So which room do you want?" He asked. Zane sneered angry. He had been that cranky since Tara left them.

"The room where I can inflict the most damage" He said and sneered again "I leave them up to you". Then he left into one of the big side rooms. Aster sighed. Sometimes he wondered what ran to that guys head. He could hear the goblins knock on the door. Aster smirked and placed his face in the most innocent expression. Showtime! Then he opened the door. He looked at the goblins.

"Waw, is it halloween already?" He questioned. The goblins sneered.

"We ask the questions around here" The captain goblin said and sneered "The supreme king sent us to round up duelist from the rebel army. Apparently someone is plotting against him. Have you seen any?". Aster smirked an innocent smile.

"Duelists? I am afraid I haven't" He lied innocently "There is no one like that in here". The goblin captain snort coldly.

"You sure?! Because all liars is sent away straight to the stars" He threatened.

"I am not lying. I promise you, you can look around if you like to" Aster replied.

"Okay then I will check the house to see if you are up to level or not. Step beside, I am coming in" the captain sneered "You better not be lying". The captain pushed Aster away and walked inside the house. Then he looked around. Then he snort.

"This is an awful big place to live all alone" The captain said out loud.

"Who said I was living alone?" Aster replied. The captain sneered and placed his duel disk near Aster's throat. Clearly threatening him.

"Who's here? Take me too them, or I make you one with the stars right now" He sneered. Aster pretended he was scared.

"Easy does it" he said and smiled "He is.. eh in the room just over here. I'l take you over to him right away". The goblin snort and moved his duel disk away.

"He better not be a duelist" the goblin captain warned.

"Oh he is perfectly harmless. See for yourself" Aster lied and smirked "Step right this way ehehe".

Zane's p.o.v.

Zane was standing inside the room at the mansion, he in some way had claimed as his. He had claimed it for two reasons. 1. because it was so big and he go full force in duels. 2. because it actually resembled the cyber dojo, Sheppard had. He had after all trained there as child, but Zane didn't want to remind himself of the past. The only thing he wanted was to find Tara, and that couldn't go fast enough. It was actually ironic that they were staying at the mansion, but Aster had persuaded him to stay. The pro duelist was apparently really good at that. After all it worked on the goblin's right now. Secondly the times of rest, was helping his heart condition just a little. Sadly it just made Zane more cranky as well. The fear of waking up death, was kind of dreadful. Especially when Tara was not with him. He could hear voices outside the door right now. One of them was Aster's.

"Okay. He is in here" He could hear Aster say and a goblin got pushed in here.

"He better not be a duelist" The goblin yelled "Or you both are in trouble". Zane smirked. Oh how wrong he could be right now. Then he could hear the doors shut and the Goblin scream that he had locked him out. The case was that Aster had locked him in. A lot of torches got lit and Zane turned around towards the goblin.

"Oh the only one who is going anywhere is you. I hope you like to travel, because I am sending you on a permanent vacation" Zane told him and started his duel disk. Before they knew it the goblin leader was, defenseless and was cornered by Zane's "Cyber end dragon". It was roaring pretty loudly, which scared the goblin.

"Please. I will do anything" the goblin begged. Zane snort coldly.

"Then answer me these questions. Does the supreme king have a girl in his care?" he asked and was holding up a picture in front of the goblin. It was a question Zane always asked, and all monsters they had captured so far had always replied with "No!", which made him sigh relieved. Sadly this time he got an different answer.

"Um yeah" the captain replied "I think I have seen her before". Zane sneered angry.

"You think, or you know!" He screamed at him. The goblin was shaking in fear.

"I.. I only saw her for a second. She was one of the prizes the king won over a stupid human" He replied "She resembled the girl from the picture, brown haired with that uniform on, but I only saw her from the back, when the king pushed her into the castle". Zane sneered angry. It could only be her. His Tara! No one had that uniform on, beside his Tara. Okay maybe Alexis, but Tara said she disappeared. Zane sneered again and clenched his fists.

"Then tell me this" he said in a scary calm tone "Does the supreme king duel with elemental heroes?!". The goblin was silence for a bit.

"I.. think.." He began but quickly noticed Zane's cold eyes "I mean he most likely does. I um only saw his deck once after all". Zane sneered.

"And what did you see in it?" He asked in a scary calm tone. The goblin gulped.

"Once as I was handing the king his duel disk, a card fell to the floor" The goblin began telling "It was an elemental hero, but it was covered in darkness".

"You are certain about this" sneered Zane and looked pisssed at the goblin.

"It is the truth" the goblin said in a scared tone "Have mercy. Just please let me go!".

"Of course" Zane said and smirked "But first I need to end what I started. Cyber end dragon, finish this duel. My wish, you will join the stars". The he made the dragon attack and soon after the goblin disappeared. Zane sneered and slammed his hands at the wall. He did that a couple of times. Jaden! Why the hell are you the king! Why?! He slammed his hand at the wall again. Oh Tara this must be seriously painful for you. If you don't already know! He clenched his fists. I hope for your own sake that you haven't hurt her Jaden. Ahr what to do?! He sneered and decided that Aster needed to know this as well. He walked out of the room and saw small pieces of stardust entering the mansion. Apparently Aster had disposed of the goblin's companion as well. His monsters disappeared on the duel disk as well.

"Aster" Zane said and turned towards the pro duelist "It looks like our worst fear has been proven true. The supreme king and Jaden are one and the same, and he has Tara by his side as well". Zane sneered again. Aster didn't look so good.

"The king.. Jaden is really the king" he said and looked pale "And he has Tara you say. This is not good. This is not good at all. I can't even imagine how Tara must feel knowing Jaden is doing these things..". He shook his head. Zane sneered again.

"Did you find out something useful?" He asked. Aster looked at him and nodded.

"Yeah but not any good news at all" He said and sighed "The goblin told me that a village and a giant human fortress is the only thing left of the supreme king ruling this world". Zane eyes narrowed.

"He is to strong for us to fight alone" He replied "We need allies to fight along our side. Any suggestions?". Aster actually nodded.

"Yeah the goblin mentioned a prison camp. Apparently the king forces duelists to serve him and his cause. Maybe we can find allies there?" He questioned. Zane nodded. They walked outside. The goblins had left some dino animals they apparently had been riding on. Aster and Zane both grabbed them and left towards the prison camp, who was south from here.

"I think we shall go to the village first" Zane commented "I have been wondering why it is still standing. Secondly we can warn people as well. I think that is what Tara would have done". Aster nodded.

"What about Tara? Are we just gonna leave her at the castle?" Aster questioned.

"I am not sure. If I know Tara, she wouldn't leave Jaden's side right now anyway" Zane replied and sneered "I have no idea why Jaden is doing all this, but Tara would never let him hanging. We are talking about a girl who loves her brother regardless what. I just hope Jaden doesn't make her part of the army so we have to battle her".

"You really believe Jaden would do that? Doesn't Jaden love her as much as she does? Surely he would never make her fight for him?!". Aster replied.

"I hope you are right phoenix. I hope you are right. If you are, then Tara is hopefully more save with the king, that us" Zane replied and they both made the monsters run faster. Zane just hoped it was the case.

Tara's p.o.v.

"And this is the throne room" said Skilled magician white and pointed at the room.

"I know that" Tara mumbled and sighed deeply "I kind of walking in here and challenged your king to a duel". Tara could hear the two magicians brothers sneer.

"It is your majesty to you girl" Skilled magician Black sneered "I know his majesty treasures you for some stupid reason, but you can't be rude".

"Now, now brother just calm down" White said and sighed "The little lady here, knows his majesty's rules. After all he did explain them to her himself". Tara sighed and nod a little, when she noticed Black sneer at her.

"I can't believe you're taking her side brother" Black said in a cold tone. White sighed.

"I am not talking her side. I am fulfilling the mission his majesty gave us" He said "Give her a tour around the castle, until he has decided on her rank". Tara sighed. They were at it again. The two magician's were twins like her and Jaden, but could end up arguing over small stuff. Tara wondered if they really were as close as they claimed to be. Then again, it could be that she was wrong and their bizarre argueing was a sign of how close they were. Black was the more aggressive and cold out of both of them. White was calm and more kind, in some way.

"Um you promised me to show me where the servants quarters were" Tara reminded the brothers, and the two magician's looked at her. They had been all around the castle beside the only place Tara actually wanted to go. The servants quarters. The castle was actually filled with maids and monster servants. She had never noticed it the first time she entered, but now that she had a tour, she had noticed the few ladies or males who was walking around and was cleaning, or doing errands. Tara wondered how Haou had managed to establish some many servants in such as short time. After all they were not restricted in any way. At least not what Tara noticed.

"Oh yeah, you asked that" Black said and snort "Why do you want to go there anyway?". Tara sighed deeply.

"I told you, I wanted to know why they are serving the supreme king of this world" She replied. White actually chuckled a little.

"Well that is easy. His majesty pays them of course" He said "Maybe not with gold and stuff, but every servant get's food, a bed and their life spared, when he has taken over this world. I think it is a great deal". Tara bit her lip.

"So the servant's choses to stay? Why? They can leave if they want to right?" she questioned. The two magician's looked at her.

"Yeah they can" Black said and snort "But why do that? I mean every human and monster who hasn't been approved by the king to live, will be considered enemies and killed". Tara clenched her fists a little. So Haou thinks he so superior to everyone since he can control people's lives. Just like that?! Tara sneered and decided that when she ever was alone with the king, she wanted to ask him a few questions. That was for sure. The magician's began leaving and asked her to follow them. They had just entered the hallways, when Baou, the vampire, rushed towards them.

"There you are, his majesty has decided on the girls rank here in the castle" He said and smirked evilly "I can't wait. The lower rank, the more fun I can have with her. After all the higher you are, the more you are in charge here". The magician's and Tara looked at each others, then over at the vampire.

"Then what is her rank?" Black questioned. Baou shrugged a little.

"I don't know. The only thing I know is that his majesty ordered me to find you and her" He said and pointed at Tara. Tara sneered inside. Of all the lieutenant Baou was the one she didn't like the most. "Apparently his majesty wants to tell us all this at his chambers. Or that's how think it is. I mean why else should he order us all there after all?". The lieutenants looked at each other and shrugged. They were as clueless as Tara was right now. However some minutes later, they all decided to go up the stairs towards Haou's room at the top of the tower.

"Your majesty" said Baou said and kneeled towards the king "I found them as you requested". Haou, who was standing at the balcony at the room, turned towards Baou and the restly lieutenants and walked inside the room. As soon as he did, the lieutenant all kneeled down. They were all 5 in here. Tara was not sure what to do. She was just staring confused at them. She looked around in the room. She actually never been in Haou's room before. Not in these couple of days she had been here already. She had mostly been in her room, or with the lieutenants if Haou had ordered them to do something. That beside the servants brought her food of course. However Haou's room looked like hers, beside that the size was a lot bigger. Tara would have had a better look around if it wasn't for the fact that Black pushed her down on her knees as well. He actually looked a little angry.

"Down and show some respect" He whispered in a angry tone "Or are you trying to get us all punished. His majesty will kill us for not learning the basic step of respect here". Tara was sended Black a angry look, but didn't say a thing.

"Black!" Haou's cold voice rang through the room "Why are you touching her? I didn't give an order for that". The magician froze by that.

"I um I thought.. I am sorry my king.. I just thought she was unrespectful" He began, but Haou cut him quickly off.

"Well she isn't" He sneered "Hurt her, and you will get punished. Tara stand beside me". Tara got slowly up from the floor. She noticed the scared look at Black, who was looking down at the floor now. Haou looked at her for a moment and then over at Chaos sorcerer and made a nod. The lieutenant nodded. He got up from the floor and walked out on the balcony. Tara could hear the lines "He is the power" chanting over and over from there and wondered what it was.

"It is the army Tara!" she could then suddenly hear inside her head and looked surprised up at the king. Haou was talking inside her mind.

"Surprised?" Haou asked "You and Jaden are not the only one able to do this. I am able to as well. Since you both accepted me and serve me!".Tara looked stunned for a moment. Apparently he could read her mind, so maybe she could read his as well. She tried to concentrate and focus like she did when she connected about speaking to Jaden, but she couldn't hear a thing. She didn't understand why. Haou snort a little.

"I can close my mind Tara!" He replied "You and Jaden hasn't learned to do that yet, but that is not important right now. When Chaos are finished talking to the army, you will go out on the balcony as well". Tara looked confused at him.

"And do what exactly?" She questioned. She figured she could talk to him like this, even if she couldn't read his mind. She felt Haou's gloved hand on her shoulder.

"Good you are learning" He just said "Just go over there". Tara nodded. She kind of couldn't disobey him. She walked out on the balcony.

"Fiends, the king has an announcement to make and he asked me to give it to you" Tara could hear Chaos say and all the fiends and monsters went quiet "The girl, the treasure he has claimed, and now ranked. His majesty want to be sure you all know this, so there is no excuses in the future". Chaos turned towards her. Tara looked puzzled at him. She looked down at all the monsters, who was staring up at her now. They were mumbling a lot right now.

"This girl is under the king's protection at all times. Hurt her and death a blessing for you all" Chaos continued "May I represent Lady Tara, the supreme king's highest ranked lieutenant. She goes beyond our ranks as lieutenant and are only serving his majesty. So show her some respect". Chaos had just said that, when he bowed to her. Tara looked shocked around, when every creature of the army did that as well. Even the lieutenant inside. This resembled that dreamworld with the light. She looked back at the king. Haou just waved her over to him, and Tara gladly followed. This was embarrassing. Chaos followed as well. She could hear the creature chant again. "He is the power".

"I knew she was ranked higher than us" Skullknight then said and bowed to her again. Then to the king. "She is stronger than us. It is a honor to serve the lady as well, your majesty". Everyone beside the vampire nodded.

"I don't understand.." Baou mumbled "A girl is higher rank than me..".

"Baou, any problem?" said Haou coldly and the darkness began surfacing in the room. The vampire actually looked a little scared.

"No, no of course not your majesty" He quickly corrected. Haou glared at him.

"Good, you just volunteered to this practice duel" He just said in a monotone voice and placed a hand on top on Tara's head "Tara needs to control her new deck". Tara's eyes widened a little. I shall duel him? She looked at Haou. I need the practice. How shall I else beat him and free Jaden. She turned her gaze over to the vampire. Baou actually didn't look so good. He was a little pale.

"I.. um I.. As you wish your majesty" Baou replied and looked at Tara. Tara glared back. Haou looked at Skullknight for a moment.

"Your wish skullknight has been granted" He then said "You get that mission. Don't fail me!". Skullknight actually smirked a little. He bowed and left the room. Tara looked puzzled after the lieutenant. Then at Haou, but he didn't explain himself.

"Chaos, a prepared field, would be fitting for her first duel" the king said and began leaving. He made a sign for Tara to follow him. She obeyed quickly.

"As you wish your majesty. I will have it ready in an hour" Chaos replied. Haou snort coldly and the lieutenant bowed once again.

"As you wish, in half an hour then" He replied "I will see to it at once". Haou snort again and made gestus for them all to follow him. Tara did as she asked. She just hoped they were not doing any bad stuff. She did however not notice Baou's angry expression in the background. He was sneering deeply inside.

"Just you wait, your stupid supreme king. You might rule now, but soon that will all change. My plan are soon fully assembled, and then your crown and power will belong to me!". Then Baou sneered one more time and followed Tara and the king towards the throne room.

Axel's p.o.v.

Time skip. Some couple of days later.

Axel was running and running. He was running in a rocky terrain with some few dried trees. However Axel didn't care about where he was. He just needed to get away.

"Axel! I am coming for you" he could hear a voice say and saw the supreme king, riding a giant skeleton fiend monster. "You can run as fast as you want, but you will never get away!". The king and the monster was following him and was slowly gaining on him. Axel let out a scream and began running even faster. However a minute after Axel was standing at a cliff. It was the end station. A bottomless pit was shown in front of him now. He looked frightened back. The king was getting closer and closer.

"Where do you think you are gonna stumble to now?" the king asked in his cold monotone voice "There is nowhere to go.. but down!". Then the king and the fiend pushed Axel over the edge and fell and fell down in the abyss.

"Ahr!!" Axel woke up and gasped for air. He found himself lying on the floor in a old house. He looked around and remembered. Last day he decided to rest in an old abandoned and destroyed village. Axel had a hunch that the king had destroyed it. Therefore he had thought he was safe here, but sadly the king still haunted him in his dreams. Axel took a deep breath and grabbed his blanket. He tossed it over his body and hid under a table until his body stopped shaking in fear. He was so frightened.

"Oh man, ever since Jim disappeared. My dreams keep getting worse and worse". He slowly relaxed and crawled out from under the table. He sighed deeply. He still remembered everything that happened at the castle. Jim disappearing after the duel with the king. His last words. "Axel you will take care of the rest" and Tara's crying eyes when she saved his life. He had let her down too. Then the king's eyes and.. Axel was now shaken. He placed his hands and head at the table.

"Jim I am sorry" He said slowly "I am not able to take care of the rest. I can't free Jaden from the King's clutches. I can't even save his sister. I am a failure as a duelist". He sighed deeply and got up. He packed his things down in the backpack and began leaving. Before he left the house, he placed down his duel disk on the table. He sighed once again.

"I don't deserve to be a duelist" He said and touched the duel disk one last time "I mean how can I? I couldn't even keep my promise to neither Jim and Tara". Then he left the house and hit the road once again.

Ember's p.o.v.

"This is worst than we feared" mumbled Ember and stuck her head out from the rubbles of a destroyed home. She and Syrus had been following Axel for a while now and was not sure if they should approach him or not. They had been there every time Axel had a nightmare. Maybe not beside him, but they had heard his screams in the night. Right now they were following Axel to see how things played out.

"This is really getting to him right Sy?" Ember questioned. After a minute she found out that her partner Syrus, was not standing beside her. He was standing near some other rubbles and was actually looking at a duel disk together with Ojama Yellow.

"Another duel disk" Yellow commented. Syrus nodded. Ember sighed a little. It pained her as much as it did Syrus to know that Jaden was this bad guy who kind of destroyed everything in his path. Maybe Syrus more than her, since Jaden was Syrus's best friend. Ember decided to go over there and cheer him on, when Yellow was pulling at Syrus's cloak. He had a scared expression on his face.

"Ah someone's coming" he said. Ember and Syrus looked around and saw a girl with a trident running towards her. She was a duel monster. If Ember remembered correctly her name was "Maiden of the Aqua" and she was accompanied by 3 fairies called "Dancing fairy" on a duel monster card. They all stopped up when they saw Ember and co. Syrus looked confused at the girl.

"What are you running from?" He questioned.

"The supreme king's men" she replied scared "A herd of 'Goblin elite attack force". Ember and Syrus looked at each other. In the background a lot of noises could be heard. Ember quickly grabbed the girl and they all hid in the ruins. Seconds later the goblins rushed past them on dinosaur monsters. Minutes later Yellow told the cost was clear and they all sighed relieved. The maiden bowed to them.

"Thank you strangers" she said and smiled. The fairies was flying around her.

"You are our heroes" they told them. Ojama yellow looked at them and Ember noticed that he was slight red on his cheeks now. She mentally facepalmed.

"I think I am in love" Yellow said and smiled happily "Aren't they the cutest".

"Yeah they are cute" Syrus replied "But we really don't have time for romance". Yellow sighed deeply. He looked so sad now. The maiden just smiled.

"Are you duelists?" she questioned and looked at Ember and Syrus "Rumors has been spreading around about warriors who fights the supreme king". Yellow smiled proudly, which made Ember facepalm once again. What you wouldn't do to impress someone you loved. Ember was having a slight thought on Jesse for a moment. At that time with Rainbow dragon. She wanted to make Jesse happy at that time too.

"Warriors!" Yellow said proudly "Yep! That is us. In fact we are heroes. The bravest the smartest..". Ember sighed and pushed him away. She was not going to take credit for others hard work. She smiled at the maiden.

"The truth is that we are no heroes. More like the sidekick" She said and Syrus nod.

"Yes, call it being an observer" He told them "We are really just looking for a friend we lost. We are just trying to get him back safely. Sorry if we misguided you".

"Sorry?" the maiden questioned "You are heroes. You saved us remember". Ember and Syrus looked at each other for a moment. Then at the path Axel had left on.

"Listen. You want heroes. I know where you might find one" Syrus said slowly.

Axel's p.o.v.

Axel was just wandering around when the troops of goblins could be heard. He quickly hid behind some rocks. He was not gonna get caught after all.

"There he is! Our hero" said some voices suddenly and three small fairies was floating in front of him. Axel looked puzzled at them.

"Hero?" he questioned confused. The fairies nodded happily.

"We were told that you could defeat the supreme king" an aqua maiden said and walked over to him as well. Axel looked at her with sad eyes.

"Wrong feller lady" He replied and sneered a little cold. She looked puzzled at him.

"But the two kids in cloaks told us you could" the maiden questioned confused. "They said you were brave and that you would help us, but if not, then all of us would properly be sent to the stars, or be slaves by the supreme king's army".

"Would you please help us?" the fairies begged. Axel looked at them.

"Help you? Help you do what?" he asked and looked slightly emotional "Because I couldn't even help my friends when they needed me". He coughed a little and tried to hide the painful, sad cries and scared emotions inside of him. Then he pulled himself together and walked passed the girl.

"Just leave me alone" he said in a cold tone and walked away. Not caring where he was going.

After a little while Axel hit another village. He was not sure if it was the one he had been in before, but it was possible since he was just wandering around with no goal at all. He could hear sounds and noticed another group of goblins.

"Come out, come out wherever you are maiden" they yelled. Axel quickly figured it was the girl he had meet before. He quickly got out of site, so they didn't notice him.

"Hmm if you truly want to hide" one of the captains said and grinned "Then I guess I have to play seek". In some chains one of the goblins was holding some flaming wolf like monsters, which they of course released. Axel looked in horror and was actually afraid they would sniff him out, but luckily the wolf's ran passed him. Axel sighed relieved. They didn't find him.

"They didn't find me" he said slowly "But that maiden, might not be so lucky". He followed the light from the wolfs. Then he shrugged. He began leaving. Then he stopped up again.What am I doing? Am I really that afraid that I am bailing on a innocent woman? Come on Axel step up! They think you are their hero. It is time to show them, that they are right.. sort of!Then without warning he rushed after the wolfs and the maiden.

Minutes after he found the maiden, and she and the fairies was chased by the wolfs. They were gained on them too. What was even more unlucky, the maiden tripped over a little rock and fell to the ground. Axel whistled a little and got the wolf's attention. Then he jumped down from the clift he was standing at and was standing in front of the monster. He was about to attack, when he found out, he had left his duel disk. Not good! Easy doggy! He still shielded the girl. Then a package got tossed towards him by the girl, and in it was his duel disk. Axel looked surprised at her.

"The two hooded kids gave it to me" she replied "They said you would come back for us and that you wouldn't let us down". Axel sighed a little, but then pulled himself together, placed his deck in the duel disk and was ready for battle. There were only one big problem. His deck was a vulcano deck, and the wolf's fire, just grew bigger.

"Ah my volcanic deck is useless, I am just fanning the flames" he said and sneered.

"I think.. he needs.. water" commented the fairies in unison and looked at the maiden.

"Agreed. I use my effect" she said and began chanting "From the watery deeps of the oceans, I call upon the seven seas to drown these foxes of fire. Extinguish their flames". A bright light came from her trident and suddenly water appeared. The wolf's quickly rushed up on some of the small rocks, so they didn't get hit. Axel looked down at himself. Water was up to his knees now.

"Axel, the time is now. Attack!" the maiden told him and Axel nodded. He fired out three copies of the spell "anchor bind" and tied up the wolves, so they tripped and fell down in the water and disappeared. At the same time the water did as well. Axel fell down to the ground. He was pretty exhausted. The maiden quickly rushed over to him. The fairies flew over as well.

"Are you okay?" she said and smiled "You really are our hero. I knew you would come back to us". The fairies nodded.

"You saved us" they said in unison. Axel sneered a little.

"Stop it! I am not what you think I am" He said and snapped at her "Don't you see, I am a coward. I am everything a hero isn't. I ran from the supreme king. I was scared. I mean I am a soldier, I can take on any man or monster, but the darkness in the king's eyes, I have never seen anything like it before. You can't escape them". Axel shivered just by thinking of it. The king who had taken over his friend.. Axel shook his head.

"Those eyes are evil" he continued "The boy, my friend, the king uses as his host, is normally a good guy, but as long as the king and his darkness is in control, my friends will stay in his clutches forever and I can't do a thing. You see my hand, the darkness has me shaken. It felt me with so much fear, that I couldn't fight for my friends. I just turned and ran. I was just so weak with fear". He let out a little cry and hid his face in his hands. He just felt so useless. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Being afraid is not a sign of weakness" the maiden then said "You see it is the path you take when you are afraid, that will define you. You chose to save us. Now that is courage. You could just have walked away and never come back, but instead you fought the darkness and the fear". Axel looked at her. He had removed his hands, but seconds later he looked down in the ground. He was still ashamed.

"I didn't" He said slowly "I just ran away". The maiden shook her head.

"What I am trying to say Axel, is that you already have beaten the darkness" she said, but Axel didn't believe her. He was just staring out in the air a couple of minutes.

"Yeah right" He said "You weren't with us. HE can't be defeated". As he said that a picture of Haou the supreme king entered his mind and Axel was once again scared.

"Just go away" he told the maiden. She shouldn't be here. Not when he had a nervous breakdown. It was to embarrassing. The girl sighed.

"Very well" she said and got up "But I think you shall at least know my name. I am called Aqua. I just hope you find the hero inside you. I know it is there". Then she slowly left. Axel was just sitting on the ground. Still shaken and terrified.

"Axel" said a voice suddenly. Axel looked surprised up at two hooded figures.

"Ember, Syrus?!" he questioned "You were the two hooded kids? You shouldn't have given that girl my duel disk". Ember and Syrus both sighed and shrugged.

"Maybe, maybe not" Ember said "Maybe we shouldn't have given it to her, but we gave her it, because we still believe in you Axel". Syrus and Yellow nodded.

"If it is true your dueling days are over then so be it" continued Syrus "But when I see in your face, I can still see the duelist in you. Plain as the day". He smiled and was holding a hand towards him. Axel hesitatingly took it. As he did a picture was surfacing inside his head. The picture of crying Tara in the prison cell and his world "I will come back Tara. Believe me one day I will return!" Axel shook his head. He remembered the time, when Tara was afraid after they got stranded in that other dimension and the events with Marcel. Tara had faced her fear. She had been useless when she couldn't walk. She was scared of the ghouls, but she still kept on fighting. She never gave up, and now she was waiting. Waiting for him to keep his promise. Axel sneered and got up on his feets. He was still not sure what to fully do, but he knew that he couldn't give up. Like Tara he needed to keep on fighting.

"Thanks you two" He said to Ember and Syrus "I think I understand now. I have to go out there to face my fear. I am not sure where that brings me, but I think I will start by helping that maiden named Aqua". Ember and Syrus nodded. Axel placed his duel disk in his belt again and began walking. He hoped he could still catch up to Aqua. Ember and Syrus looked at each other and nodded. Then they began slowly to leave the field. They needed a break and a good cooked meal.

A,N: well that was that chapter. I know I kind of cut it in the middle of the episode, but I kind of have to, for the extra chapter to fit. :D The next chapter is a Tara, Haou, Zane and Aster chapter. Well let's just say Tara and Zane are sort of meeting each other. Under certain events. Secondly Baou's plan is begin to sprout. Hope that sounds interesting.