Shadow Games '97: Awakening of the Dark Dragon & The Lurker Army
The heat of the desert sun was nothing compared to the ancient weight pressing down upon the hall of Ashlina.
Long ago, when the pyramids were still young, Egyptian kings played a game of great and terrible power. These Shadow Games erupted into a war that threatened to destroy the very fabric of the world, until a brave and magical Pharaoh locked those dark powers away in the deepest vaults of time. But darkness, once awakened, never truly sleeps. It simply waits for the world to fracture.
And now, the world was breaking.
Deep within the sacred groves of the realm, Professor Avalon stood staring up at the grand trunk of the Great Tree, his breathing shallow, his face pale under his dark-rimmed glasses. The bark was blackening, curling like burnt parchment.
"The Tree of Life is sick, there’s no doubt about it," Avalon whispered, his hand trembling as he reached out toward the weeping leaves. "If the Tree should fade and die, the pixies from this world will fly..."
He reached into his coat and drew out a smooth, iridescent visor-mask humming with pure magical resonance. He had spent years researching its dormant energy, but now time was up.
My magic is contained within the mask, Professor Avalon thought, feeling his heart hammer against his ribs. But perhaps I can use it on myself... It's quite dangerous in my condition, but it's worth the risk.
Far to the north, watching through a scrying mirror, two figures stood in the dim twilight of a cavernous fortress.
"Those two could be trouble," the younger brother muttered, eyeing the magic surging around Avalon's sanctuary.
"Don't worry, dear brother," the elder replied, a cruel smile curling his lips. "I'll dispatch the Lurker army to deal with them. Just make sure they don't get too close to our northern operations."
"I don't think they'll make it that far," the younger brother sneered. "But just in case... Claw will be there waiting for them."
The air in the sacred city of Ashlina tasted of ash and copper. It was the ancient people of the holy nation of Ashlina that first discovered the existence of a sacred power—Soma—which flows through all things like waves rolling in upon the shores of existence. But these days, a shadow lurks over the purity of Soma and brings with it anxiety, as if ill tidings and bad omens floated in the very air which blows through Ashlina.
Standing at the edge of a shattered stone bridge overlooking the valley, an unlikely council had gathered.
Yami Yugi stood with his dark cape billowed behind him, the Millennium Puzzle resting heavy against his chest—its ancient Egyptian gold gleaming as if sensing the resurgence of the Shadow Games. beside him stood Bloom, Princess of Domino, her Dragon Flame flickering nervously around her fingertips. At their feet, Jak adjusted the armor plates on his shoulders while Daxter, perched precariously on his shoulder, wrung his orange furred hands.
"I don't like this place," Daxter chattered, glancing around at the jagged cliffs. "The vibe is totally off, Jak. Bad Soma, sick trees, metal-headed Lurkers—can we go back to the beach?"
Before Jak could answer, a tall warrior clad in dark leather stepped out from the shadows of the ruins, examining the cold body of an Ashlinan guard lying near the altar.
"There's no doubt about it," the warrior grunted, rolling the guard over. "He was one of my men. It would take the skills of a Svall to accomplish a strike this silent."
"A Svall?" Bloom asked, stepping forward, the golden light of Domino warming her eyes. "I thought your order was scattered."
"The only living Svalls are you, Shadow Skill, Hawkeye, and myself," Scarface growled, his lone eye fixing on the group.
Yami Yugi stepped forward, his voice resonant and calm despite the looming dread. "There is one more," Yami said softly, his eyes flashing with ancient knowledge. "Or should I say... there was one more."
"That's ridiculous!" Scarface snapped, turning sharply to Yami Yugi, Jak, Daxter, and Bloom. "He's dead—and has been for three years!"
"In a world where shadow magic bleeds into Soma," Yami Yugi replied, raising his hand as the Millennium Puzzle began to glow with a sharp, golden light, "death is rarely the final move on the board."
A low roar echoed from the northern mountains. The sky darkened as thousands of shadowy forms began to pour over the horizon—the Lurker army had been unleashed, and at their head, a hulking figure with glowing red claws stepped into the light.
The Shadow Games had begun anew.
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