PRELUDE

"*The beginning of The Wanderers journey*"
***PRELUDE*** is the 5th episode of *Yu-Gi-Oh!: DEVOLUTION*, and a prequel to the entire series.

## Transcript

[*As the episode opens, several grunts from The Wanderer and an unknown foe can be heard alongside thunderous booms.*]
**Voice:** It's no use...

**Wanderer:** GAAAAAAHH!!

[*The Wanderer screams in agony, his Life Points hitting 0. He wheezes, touching blood on his face, and falls to the ground.*]
[*While knocked out, the voices of The Wanderer and his wife, The Dueless, play out.*]
**Dueless:** Promise you'll try to return to me.

**Wanderer:** I promise.

[*More conversation is heard between the couple, while The Wanderer paces through a forest with his Duel Disk.*]
**Dueless:** Is there any other way?

**Wanderer:** There isn't. The Darkness that shrouds the world needs to be defeated. A Duel is the only way.

**Dueless:** But no one's ever defeated The Darkness.

**Wanderer:** I know that. But I have to try.

**Dueless:** How will you find it?

**Wanderer:** According to legend, those who dare challenge The Darkness will be hunted in the deepest part of the forest, by someone, or something.

[*The conversation ends. The Wanderer turns his head, glaring at a masked Duelist in the woods known as Reverse.*]
[*The Wanderer runs and leaps over a rock. He then comes to a halt and begins Dueling Reverse.*]
**Wanderer:** I'll start first! I'll Summon the Skilled Dark Magician in ATK mode! Show me what you've got!

**Reverse:** My turn! Draw! Activate Spell Card, Scapegoat!

[*Four Sheep Tokens are Summoned.*]
**Wanderer:** (*Each of those Tokens has a 0 ATK and DEF. He's trying to buy time.*)

**Reverse:** I lay two cards facedown. Turn end.

**Wanderer:** Now it's my turn!

**Reverse:** Activate Trap Card, Skull Invitation!

**Wanderer:** What?!

**Reverse:** For every card sent to the Graveyard, the owner will lose 300 Life Points.

**Wanderer:** (*This is dangerous. I have to be careful about how many cards I activate.*) First, I'll activate Dark World Dealings.

**Reverse:** Since that Spell Card was sent to the Graveyard, you will lose 300 Life Points.

[*Skull Invitation = The Wanderer LP: 3700*]
**Wanderer:** Both players must draw a card, then discard one to the Graveyard.

[*Skull Invitation = The Wanderer LP: 3400*]
[*Skull Invitation = Reverse LP: 3400*]
[*Skilled Dark Magician gains one Spell Counter.*]
**Wanderer:** Now I'll activate the Spell Card, Graceful Charity! I can draw three extra cards, at the cost of discarding two.

[*Skull Invitation = The Wanderer LP: 2500*]
[*Skilled Dark Magician gains another Spell Counter.*]
**Reverse:** Every time you activate a Spell Card, that Monster will get one Counter. 3 Counters allows you to sacrifice Skilled Dark Magician for the Dark Magician.

**Wanderer:** That's right.

**Reverse:** But I know you don't have one.

**Wanderer:** Heh, I don't need one.

[*He reveals Goddess of the Third Eye, Buster Blader, and Polymerization in his hand.*]
**Wanderer:** My Goddess of the Third Eye will act as a substitute Fusion piece, in combination with Buster Blader! Rise, Dark Paladin!

[*The materials are sent to the Graveyard.*]
**Reverse:** Three cards have been sent to the Graveyard. You lose 900 Life Points!

[*Skull Invitation = The Wanderer LP: 1600*]
**Wanderer:** Finally, I'll activate the Spell Card, Diffusion Wave Motion!

[*Skull Invitation = The Wanderer LP: 1300*]
[*Diffusion Wave Motion = The Wanderer LP: 300*]
**Wanderer:** By paying 1000 Life Points, my Paladin can attack every Monster on your side of the field!

[*Dark Paladin takes out all four Scapegoats.*]
**Wanderer:** Now all your Monsters are destroyed!

**Reverse:** Hahahahah! I've got you now! Activate Trap Card, Nightmare Wheel! This torture device will prevent Paladin from attacking. Plus you'll lose 500 Life Points during my next Standby Phase!

**Wanderer:** (*I'll lose in the next turn...*) I lay one card facedown, ending my turn.

**Reverse:** My turn. It's over for you.

**Wandeer:** It's not over yet! Activate Trap Card, Last Turn! When my Life Points are less than 1000, all the cards in our hand and field are sent to the Graveyard. Then one Monster you choose from your Deck will do battle with one Monster on my side of the field. Whosever Monster survives this turn wins the entire Duel.

**Reverse:** I'll Summon this Monster...

[*He Summons Marshmallon.*]
**Wanderer:** I've never seen that Monster before. But it's still weaker than mine! Paladin! Battle Razor!

[*Marshmallon is not destroyed.*]
**Wanderer:** His Monster can't be destroyed by battle?!

**Reverse:** Yes. Meaning this Duel is a draw. You are indeed worthy of facing The Darkness. Farewell!

[*Reverse uses a mystic art to quickly vanish in a bright light.*]
**Wanderer:** Was that...an illusion? [*sigh*] ...Huh?

[*He spots a card in the dirt, and upon picking it up, sees that it is Marshmallon.*]
**Wanderer:** This card...

[*He slides it into his Deck.*]
**Voices:** *Run... The Darkness calls... Help meee... It waits for you...*

[*The myriad of voices overwhelms The Wanderer. He is suddenly transported to another dimension with a meadow, and standing before him is a tall willow tree.*]
**Wanderer:** What is this place?!

**Darkness:** Here lies the remains of those who dare challenge me.

[*Looking around him, The Wanderer sees swords, Duel Disks, and cards scattered about.*]
**Darkness:** What do you seek?

**Wanderer:** To destroy you once and for all!

**Darkness:** A Duel? I accept...

[*A wall of cards fades in front of The Darkness.*]
**Darkness:** My turn. Activate Spell Card, Card Destruction. Both players send their hand and draw new cards. I put one Monster in DEF mode.

**Wanderer:** My turn! Draw! I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior! Now attack!

[*The facedown card is revealed to be the Right Hand of the Forbidden One.*]
**Wanderer:** (*A piece of Exodia?! Why defend with that?*) I lay two cards facedown. My turn's over.

**Darkness:** For my turn, I activate Change of Heart. Your Monster will now become mine for one turn. Now I Tribute him to summon Vampire Lord.

**Wanderer:** Activate Trap Card, Massivemorph! When you Summoned Vampire Lord, I can create a copy Token of your Monster on my side of the field!

**Darkness:** I will not attack. Instead, I'll end my turn by laying one card facedown.

**Wanderer:** I draw! I'll Tribute my copy Token for Different Dimension Dragon! Activating the Spell Card, Graceful Dice. The number the dice lands on will be multiplied by 100, and added to my Monster's ATK points!

[*The dice lands on 6.*]
**Wanderer:** Now Different Dimension Dragon's ATK is 1800!

**Darkness:** It's still not enough to destroy Vampire Lord.

**Wanderer:** We'll see about that. Launch Trap Card, Reinforcements! Now my Dragon's ATK will increase by 500 for the turn!

**Darkness:** Then I activate the Trap Card, Dragon Capture Jar. Now all Dragons on the field must be in DEF mode.

**Wanderer:** (*Tch. His strategy... First he uses Card Destruction, then sends a piece of Exodia to the Graveyard. Could it be he's trying to Summon...!*) Activate Spell Card, Dark Designator! If the Monster's name I call is in your Deck, then you must put it in your hand! And the Monster I name...is Exodia Necross!

[*Exodia Necross is added to The Darkness's hand.*]
**Wanderer:** That's why you're sending Exodia pieces to the Graveyard. I'll end after laying this card facedown.

**Darkness:** Activate the Nightmare Steelcage Spell Card. This cage will prevent both of us from attacking for two of your turns. I Summon Giant Germ in ATK mode. Finally, I lay this card facedown.

**Wanderer:** My turn! (*I can't do much with this cage, but now I can make Exodia Necross completely useless.*) I activate the Spell Card, Confiscation! After paying 1000 Life Points, I can see your hand and send one card to the Graveyard. I choose Exodia Necross!

[*Confiscation = The Wanderer LP: 3000*]
**Darkness:** My turn again. I Tribute Vampire Lord and Giant Germ, to Summon Gilford the Lightning. Due to Nightmare Steelcage's effect, I'm unable to attack, so I end my turn.

**Wanderer:** Draw! I'll activate Pot of Greed and draw two more cards from my Deck. Now I'll activate the Pot of Avarice. After putting five Monsters from my Graveyard into my Deck, I can draw another two cards.

[*He chooses Breaker the Magical Warrior, Curse of Dragon, Il Blud, Pendulum Machine, and Jinzo.*]
**Wanderer:** I Set one card facedown and finish my turn.

[*Nightmare Steelcage wears off.*]
**Darkness:** With the cage gone now, I can attack. Gilford the Lightning, crush Different Dimension Dragon!!

**Wanderer:** Activate the Trap Card, Virus Cannon! I'll Tribute my Dragon in order to destroy one Spell Card from your Deck!

[*Virus Cannon destroys Dark Core.*]
**Darkness:** Dark Core will be sent to the Graveyard. I put one Monster in DEF mode. My turns ends.

[*The Wanderer draws.*]
**Wanderer:** This dragon will destroy your Monster.

**Darkness:** Not with my Trap Card still on the field.

**Wanderer:** Then I'll just have to get rid of it. I activate Remove Trap on your Dragon Capture Jar!

[*Dragon Capture Jar is destroyed.*]
**Wanderer:** Now I Summon Spirit Ryu! Use Spirit Sonic on Gilford the Lightning! By discarding one Dragon-type card from my hand, I can increase Spirit Ryu's ATK to 2000!

[*He discards Serpent Night Dragon.*]
**Darkness:** Fool. Your Monster is still too weak.

**Wanderer:** Heh. You're right, so I'll activate the Trap Card, Burst Breath! By using Spirit Ryu as a Tribute, all faceup Monsters on the field whose DEF is lower than my dragon's ATK will be destroyed!

[*Since Gilford the Lightning's DEF is 1400, Burst Breath destroys it.*]
**Wanderer:** With that, I'll end my turn.

**Darkness:** I activate the Pot of Greed Spell Card, then I'll lay two cards facedown. My defending Monster will switch its position.

[*The Flip Summoned card is Morphing Jar.*]
**Darkness:** Because Morphing Jar was Flipped, both players must discard their entire hand to the Graveyard, and draw five new cards. This Monster will be Set in DEF mode. Next, I activate Card of Safe Return. Every time a Monster is Special Summoned from my Graveyard, I can draw an extra card. Which is why I'll activate Monster Reborn on my Witch of the Black Forest.

[*Witch of the Black Forest is Summoned, so the Darkness draws.*]
**Darkness:** Finally, I'll put one card facedown.

**Wanderer:** (*It didn't attack when I had a clear field. Is it just toying with me?*)

**Darkness:** There's no need to rush. Enjoy this mercy before I rip you apart!

**Wanderer:** I'll activate Offerings to the Doomed. At the cost of skipping my next Draw Phase, I can destroy Morphing Jar!

**Darkness:** Why choose Morphing Jar?

**Wanderer:** Killing Witch of the Black Forest would've allowed you to search for a new Monster to add to your hand. I can't have that happen. Next, I activate Foolish Burial! This card allows me to put a Monster from my Deck into my Graveyard. Now I'll activate Silent Doom to revive Pendulum Machine in DEF mode! Since I won't be able to draw next turn, I'll activate Upstart Goblin! It allows me to draw one card, but you gain 1000 Life Points.

[*Upstart Goblin = The Darkness LP: 5000*]
**Darkness:** You'll regret that... Launch Spell Card, Question! You must guess the first Monster Card in my Graveyard. If you're right, it will be removed from play. Guess wrong, and it will be Special Summoned to the field.

**Wanderer:** The *first* Monster... It's Exodia's Right Arm.

**Darkness:** Wrong. Exodia's Head will be Special Summoned to the field in DEF mode!

**Wanderer:** (*Tch. It must've discarded it using Card Destruction.*)

[*Card of Safe Return triggers.*]
**Darkness:** I Tribute Witch of the Black Forest for Puppet Master. When Witch of the Black Forest is sent to the Graveyard, I can add one Monster to my hand with 1500 or less DEF. I will add Exodia's Left Arm.

**Wanderer:** What?!

**Darkness:** Activating the Trap Card, Soul Demolition. For every 500 Life Points I pay, I can remove from play one Monster from your Graveyard, as long as I have one Fiend on my side of the field.

**Wanderer:** Then I can remove the same amount from *your* Graveyard.

[*This is a slight bending of the rules. 500 Life Points are paid to banish one Monster Card only.*]
**Darkness:** I pay 1500 Life Points to remove these three Monsters from your Graveyard.

[*Serpent Night Dragon, Spirit Ryu, and Different Dimension Dragon are banished.*]
[*Soul Demolition = The Darkness LP: 3500*]
**Wanderer:** (*Tch. Exodia's Head is on the field, its hand contains the Left Arm, the Right Arm is in the Graveyard. That means the last two would be in the Graveyard as well.*) I pick the three remaining pieces of Exodia in your Graveyard!

**Darkness:** Activating Interdimensional Matter Transporter. Puppet Master will be removed from play until the End Phase of the turn. Next, I activate Dimension Fusion. After paying 2000 Life Points, I can Special Summon the three pieces of Exodia you removed from play.

**Wanderer:** Don't forget that your Spell Card *also* revives my three dragons as well!

[*Serpent Night Dragon, Spirit Ryu, and Different Dimension Dragon return for The Wanderer. The Right Leg, Left Leg, and Right Hand of Exodia return for The Darkness.*]
**Darkness:** I'll Flip Summon Penguin Soldier, allowing me to return two Monsters on the field to my hand.

[*The Right and Left Legs return to The Darkness's hand.*]
**Wanderer:** It wanted me to pick the pieces of Exodia...!

**Darkness:** Finally, I activate Compulsory Evacuation Device. I can return one Monster on the field to the owner's hand.

[*The Right Hand returns.*]
**Wanderer:** That's why he removed Puppet Master! To make room for the Exodia pieces!

**Darkness:** My turn ends after laying this card facedown. Puppet Master will now return to the field.

**Wanderer:** My turn.

**Darkness:** You can't draw because of Offerings to the Doomed. But I can... Activating the Trap Card, Jar of Greed. This allows me to draw one card.

**Wanderer:** (*I can only use the Monsters I have on the field. Pendulum Machine can't attack after being revived by Silent Doom. And the two of its weak monsters [Puppet Master and Penguin Solider] are still left in ATK mode.*) I'm finishing this Duel! Now, my dragons, attack his Monsters!

**Darkness:** Reveal Trap Card, Relieve Monster! When you declare an attack, I can return Exodia's Head to my hand, and replace it with a Level 4 Monster.

[*He swaps in Wall of Illusion.*]
**Wanderer:** No... That means...!

**Darkness:** All the pieces of Exodia have been assembled! You have lost!

[*The five Exodia cards align on a pentagram, Summoning Exodia the Forbidden One. When it is Summoned, the opponent instantly loses.*]
**Wanderer:** GAAAAAAHH!!

[*The Wanderer screams in agony, his Life Points hitting 0. He wheezes, touching blood on his face, and falls to the ground.*]
[*The Darkness speaks out after The Wanderer's vision goes black.*]
**Darkness:** I will not let you die here.

[*The Wanderer appears in the forest where he fought Reverse.*]
**Darkness:** Your punishment is that the one you love most shall be taken from you. And you shall live your entire life knowing nothing but pain and suffering, BECAUSE OF IT!!

**Wanderer:** No... Not her!

[*He gets up and runs back to his home, hastily lifting the door to a cellar. Looking around, he sees broken glass and furniture covered in blood. Distant screams of his wife and a male echo in the madness.*]
**Dueless (echo):** No!

**Voice (echo):** Where is he?!

**Dueless (echo):** I don't know!

**Voice (echo):** I WANT HIS WEAPONS!

**Dueless (echo):** [unclear]

[*The Wanderer picks up a card left behind.*]
**Voice (echo):** YOU'RE COMING WITH ME!

**Dueless (echo):** NO!!

[*He drops the card. It too is bloodstained, with the name MADMAN written on its face.*]