Heyo everyone, this is a Yugioh-themed story of mine, featuring absolutely none of the characters you all know and love, and instead focusing completely on OC's. Exciting, I know. Don't run away just yet.

This is the first chapter of the story "Heaven and Earth", focusing on the character Axel, and his attempt to follow his father's notes that will supposedly affect the world on a massive scale. This story features exclusively Synchro Summoning, and I'm hoping to reveal what I plan for the others once this one ends. It will (probably) make sense. I pinky swear.

The concepts of "the arcane", how monsters are able to duel, why are there more than 5 enemies (don't worry, this won't stick around), where monsters come from and how they become cards will all be explained in due time. This is all being said since the concept is very much a departure from the standard Yugioh formula.

With that said, enjoy the first chapter, and be sure to leave a review if you have any compliments or criticisms.

The night was young in Aether. Oxir, the part of the city far above the surface of the clouds it was floating on, was as serene and tranquil as always - housing only the highest class of both people and the arcane. Lima, the so-named "middle" part of the city laying underneath Oxir, is rowdy and upbeat during these hours, its streets swarming with teenagers and adults alike, gathering to unwind from the day-to-day routines within the walls and towers of Aether. In Lima, the arcane is present solely for the purpose of improving life and keeping things in order.

Karea, the bottom part, is hidden within the clouds themselves and strictly secluded from the citizens, as it serves as a gateway between Aether and the world below - the one people of the city live in blissful ignorance of. It's a long chain of interconnected hallways, leading to various hangars, warehouses and of course, the transportation device known simply as C-1. Here lie arcane-powered security forces, ready for deployment at any moment when necessary, roaming the hallways for intruders at all times - and they're especially busy tonight.

Axel, panicked and anxious, tried to find cover within the hallways and storage facilities of Karea, as the arcane security actively looked for him. He found temporary shelter in a small lab room.

"The Doppels already passed this place", he thought to himself, "but they might return... Gotta make this quick."

Nearby in the lab was a terminal, not unlike the many others spread across Karea. They are operated by access codes and serve for giving out security clearances, interacting with other users and similar functions Karea's workers would need. The means of obtaining an access code from the higher-ups are exclusive to sentient arcane security, so the reason why Axel has one is also why he's being chased at this moment... among other reasons.

"Five... Five... Three, six, eight." He quietly said to himself, inputting the password into the terminal, which soon produced a welcoming jingle as a sign that he was logged on successfully. "Alright, good... But now every single guard is probably informed of where I am."

As he hurriedly swiped the menus of the terminal, he finally ran into the one he was looking for - the map files. Karea was an enormous location, and trying to find one specific room within thousands of same-looking walls was an impossible task for an outsider.

"Alright... It's not too far off", he muttered as he realized the location of the room in relation to his current position. It was a good five minutes of running away, which wouldn't be a problem if there was no security searching the hallways. But he knew he couldn't give up now, as he came closer to the goal than ever before - yet still, he doesn't quite know why he's putting himself in this much danger. For all he knows, the notes left behind by his father could just be ramblings of an aged scientist trying to pass his legacy onto the only person he could trust; yet for some reason, they had a strangely convincing feel and surprising coherency to them that made Axel follow them through, in hopes of reaching his father again.

After skimming over the map and memorizing the long, but relatively simple path towards his goal, Axel took a very careful step outside, looking around for danger. Soon enough, he started running to his last destination - the C-1.

As his boots clanked against the metal floor while getting closer to the device, he had a slight glimmer of hope that the security might've lost him - the hallways were barren and dead quiet. However, considering his position, he knew that couldn't be true, and that he'd have to face them sooner or later. And sure enough, just as he was about to reach the end of a long hallway, a heavy green robot twice his size materialized out of a flash of light, clamping his steel arms together and blocking Axel's path forward.

"Junk Gardna...!" He immediately recognized the mechanical guard, one of the most commonly used by the security forces for blocking off restricted areas.

"I can't waste time getting over it... I have to find another way around", he thought to himself, knowing that time was of the essence. He turned around and ran, hoping to find another way - but suddenly, men in black uniforms carrying guns started started showing up from all sides, lead by the arcane officer T.G. Striker.

"Axel Orvis!" The elite-equipped warrior addressed the tall blue-haired young man, whom he had many encounters with during the past month. "You are surrounded and under arrest for the violation of Aetherean laws! If you surrender now, the security will have mercy and you will spend the rest of your life in capti-"

-"Not gonna happen, chief", Axel nervously grinned as he cut him off. "I activate Enchanting Fitting Room!" - he exclaimed, casting the drawn spell from his hand. He slightly trembled as the card took its toll of 800 LP, but he brushed it off quickly.

"I reveal the top 4 cards from my Deck and Special Summon all revealed Level 3 or lower Normal Monsters!" His deck shone a bright blue color, casting two rays of light on the ground to indicate two appropriate revealed Monsters.

"Alright! I Special Summon Tune Warrior and Mad Lobster!" - he said as the humanoid robot and a freakish sea spawn materialized in front of him.

-"Give it up, Orvis! There is no monster that can save you in this situation!" - Striker insisted. He didn't genuinely believe what he said, but he knew Axel was at a massive disadvantage.

"Save it. I tune Mad Lobster to Tune Warrior! Level 6 Synchro Summon! Gravity Warrior!" - the two monsters merged into a rapidly spinning circle of light, blinding the surrounding foes for a few moments. As they regained sight, they witnessed Axel's Synchro Monster, the Gravity Warrior, standing firmly in front of them in all its glory. The fierce mechanical Lion-man roared to instill fear into the opposing side and to signify its fury.

"When Gravity Warrior is Synchro Summoned, it gains 300 ATK for each opposing monster! And seeing how there's one of you, six Doppelwarriors, and one Junk Gardna, that's 2400 attack points!" - he shouted, filled with confidence of ending the encounter quickly. Gravity Warrior snarled angrily, filling itself up with immense power, reaching 4500 ATK, almost enough to end the Duel. "Now I shall go into the Battle Pha-"

-"Junk Gardna's effect activates! Gravity Warrior is switched to Defense Position!" - Striker exclaimed, much to Axel's shock and surprise, as he had never faced it in an actual Duel before. Junk Gardna started stomping through the hallway, almost tearing the walls apart, to reach Gravity Warrior so that the effect can be applied. What was more important though, was that he was running toward Axel, who had no place to move.

-"Hold it! I activate Forbidden Chalice! Gardna's effect is negated!" The green mech was suddenly rendered immobile as a surge of sparkles shone upon it. Axel sighed a breath of relief as Stiker stood angrily.

-"Merely a stroke of luck!"

-"Heh... Call it whatever you want, chief." Axel chuckled and smirked, taking the advantage again. "Alright then, Battle Phase engage!" Axel quickly analyzed the situation for what would be the best target - obviously, destroying Junk Gardna would clear him a path to proceed, destroying Striker himself would leave the warriors without a leader for a short while - they definitely wouldn't be as proficient as him. Still, clearing the way was Axel's priority at the moment.

"Destroy Junk Gardna with Spatial Rend!" - he commanded his loyal monster to attack. Soon enough, Junk Gardna was torn to bits by Gravity Warrior's enraged strikes, followed by a victorious roar. "I set a card and end my turn!" A face-down card appeared behind Axel as he started running away again, a bit safer now that a duel was engaged and he had a monster to protect him.

-"I summon Junk Synchron, a Level 3 Tuner!" - Striker said, not wasting any time. The small orange robot flew out of a flash of light and ran along with the rest of the security. "I use its effect to respawn an already used Doppelwarrior, and then I tune it to Junk Synchron for a Level 5 Synchro Summon! Junk Warrior!"

-"Junk Warrior...? I only heard stories about that thing... Here's hoping they're not true..." - Axel thought to himself as he heard Striker's voice from a hallway away. "Hm... Now would be a good time for this."

Axel stopped and turned around to face the oncoming threat. He pulled back the face-down card, activating its effect. "I activate Tuner Capture! When the opponent performs a Synchro Summon, I Special Summon the used Tuner monster from their Graveyard to my side of the field!" Junk Synchron jumped out of a circle of light on the ground, with a determined look in its small eyes. Axel waited firmly for the security to appear, nervous about what Junk Warrior might be.

Suddenly, a loud cracking noise could be heard as the wall of the hallway in front of Axel broke down and quite literally destroyed the one on the opposite side by flying off into it, and a blue flying robot with a huge metal fist burst through the opening. Axel shivered at the sight, knowing it might prove to be a very strong opponent. Soon after, T.G. Striker and the soldiers appeared as well.

-"Junk Warrior's effect activates! He gains the ATK of all Level 2 and lower monsters under my command! That includes me, six Doppelwarriors and two Doppel Tokens created by using one as a Synchro Material, amounting to an increase of 6400, making his total ATK into 8700!"

Axel started panicking - one attack from that monster could wipe him out for good, not just end the Duel. However, he had one last resort remaining, even though he didn't want to reveal it to anyone on the surface of Aether.

-"...I discard Effect Veiler from my hand! Junk Warrior's effect is negated!" - he said as a tiny shining sprite flew into Junk Warrior and dissipated, lowering its ATK to the original state of 2300.

-"Where did you get that creature?!" Striker yelled angrily. "There is nothing of that sort in Aether!"

-"Oh, wouldn't you like to know?" Axel grinned and stepped back, ready to run again.

-"The nerve... I activate Synchro Blast Wave! Target is Gravity Warrior!" Striker cast a Spell Card from his hand, ready to end the Duel here and now - and this time, Axel had no defenses ready. Junk Warrior swung its hulking fist at Axel's Synchro Monster, destroying it with the effect of Synchro Blast Wave. Knowing he was one Battle Phase away from getting caught, he took his one last chance and pulled out a blank grey card from his pocket.

-"I hope you didn't like this Junk Synchron too much... I'll be taking it." He said, pressing the card quickly against the monster's back, making it spin in a flash of shining dust and absorbing it into his own card.

-"What?! He has captured a Security-owned Tuner Monster! For your crimes, there is no absolving! Battle Phase, Junk Warrior attacks directly! Scrap Fist!" Striker yelled, at the zenith of his rage. Axel was now open to defeat easily, left with only one option - to run.

He started sprinting away while panicking as Junk Warrior lit up its fist and started fiercely flying towards him. Just as he was about to turn at a corner and save some time, he felt it. The massive, red-hot metal arm of the robot hit his back at full power, slamming him into a wall and quite possibly breaking a few of his ribs, along with burning off the clothes off his back. He yelled in pain as he fell down and started breathing heavily, coughing up blood on the ground, his vision starting to blur. But he had to keep moving.

As Junk Warrior flew back to its owner who was a few hallways back due to the monster's immense speed, Axel barely got up on his legs and started limping towards the door - and not just any door, as it was the access gate into C-1. He pressed the earpiece in his ear with his trembling hand.

-"Hey, Axel, you're in front of the C-1! How'd you even manage?" The voice from other side of the contact spoke.

-"N-not important... Open the d-ugh... Open the door right now...!" - Axel replied with the little strength he had left.

-"What... Are you o- Okay, okay, I'm opening the door, hang tight!" The other person sounded concerned, but knew they shouldn't waste any more time. The clicking of keyboard buttons could be heard from the other side.

Axel heard footsteps incoming - he knew they were coming to finish him off. At 900 LP left, all it would take are two attacks, and he wouldn't want to give Striker the satisfaction. And well, he also had to survive.

-"Any time now, Cody..." Axel mumbled to his partner as the door started opening slowly, but not enough for him to squeeze through.

-"It can't hack it to open any faster! There's nothing else I can do now but close it!" - Cody replied. Striker and the soldiers finally appeared in front of Axel, standing in a formation, ready to fire.

-"Doppelwarrior #1, direct attack." - He commanded him to fire at Axel. The warrior shot a burst of bullets into Axel's chest, making him fall back and leaving him at 100 LP. He couldn't stand anymore. "I'll finish him off myself", Striker added as he started walking toward him, cracking his fists.

"You've made a great effort in escaping us, young Axel, but your little adventure has come to an end. Shame nobody will ever know of what you learned, isn't it?"

Axel held his chest in pain as he spoke. -"Why?! What is the crime in letting people know there is a world below and what's on it?!"

-"It is not up to you to decide what's good for the people and what is not. If everyone else can live happily, not knowing of The Below, why couldn't have you and your insane father?"

Axel knew he said it to provoke him, and kept as calm as he could, even while staring into the face of his own demise. Striker could attack any moment, but Axel kept stalling - it seemed that his adversary wasn't even paying attention to the door.

-"T-then... Couldn't you let me live? I p-promise not to tell anyone about Karea and the world below..." - he started playing the helpless victim game, knowing Striker will take time to make fun of it.

-"How pathetic... But maybe we would let you spend one more day alive in a cell if you tell us where you got that Effect Veiler monster." He said curiously, crossing his arms.

-"A-alright... As soon as you tell me..." He grinned between his words, slightly pulling back. "...where did you get that pointy chin?"

Striker got infuriated again and lunged in to punch Axel, but he managed to pull back far enough to roll into the C-1 room. "Cody, close!" The door slammed shut, leaving the security on the other side.

-"That little ingrate! Not even we are allowed to access that room, how the hell did he do it?!" Striker shouted enraged, hitting the door. "I want a monster that can burst through this gate right now!"

Axel, at the last bits of his strength, looked around the room - it was a large and circular, with consoles and terminals on its sides and a glass chamber in the middle. No sound came from the other side, and it was pleasantly quiet.

-"Cody... I'm in..." - Axel muttered.

-"Good job, Axel... I hope you're okay there."

-"...just a scratch... tell me what do I do now."

-"Look at the paper I gave you, it has all the instructions on what buttons to press and consoles to activate." Axel pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket, filled with various but surprisingly understandable scribbles of Cody's. He started dragging himself across the floor, managing to sit on a chair in front of a terminal, panting heavily.

"A-axel... You don't sound okay... Just what happened over there? What did the security use?"

-"Had a bit of a... Run-in with something called... Junk Warrior... But hey, I got this far, don't think I'm stopping now..." - Axel replied, shaking himself awake and starting to follow the scribbled commands.

-"Junk Warrior? I don't know about that one... Are you sure you're in the state to take such a dangerous task?"

-"It's either that or death... And besides, I'd do anything to piss off Striker further." Axel chuckled as he swiped commands across the screens.

-"If you say so... I hope you find out what happened to your dad. Whatever's down there is definitely gonna be amazing."

-"...what about you? They'll definitely be able to trace the signal back to your place. You can't escape this one."

Cody worriedly chuckled and swayed his head. -"Don't worry about that. It's important you got this far, my freedom is not a factor in the operation anymore. Your dad was a great man and I'm happy to have worked with him in Karea for as long as I did... And I'm glad I helped you, if anything."

Axel managed to put on a smile, even though his conversation partner couldn't see it. They say it improves your attitude in talking. -"Yeah... Thanks for all this." After putting in the last command, the chamber in the middle lit up and started producing a spinning engine-like sound. "I did all it said here... What now?"

-"Head to the C-1... It's the round glass room in the middle. Input the coordinates into the access point in front of it.

-"Right, coordinates... Damn it."

-"What's wrong?"

-"They were in my... back pocket and that kinda evaporated in flames." Axel shuddered, remembering Junk Warrior's strike.

-"Oh... W-well maybe you could check the terminals for previous usages? The last one should be by your dad."

The door suddenly started banging. It was obvious the security found a way to break it down.

-"No time for that... It's now or never."

-"I'm sorry, but... your only bet now is to input a random set of numbers and hope for the best..."

-"...With a chance of landing on jagged rocks?"

-"I don't completely know how it works, I never saw what happens down there!"

-"Great..." - Axel pouted as he typed in three sets of two random numbers and entered the machine with the last bit of his strength. He shut the door and hoped for the best. "See ya in a while, Cody..."

-"Good luck, Axel. I'll make sure your coordinates are instantly erased after you leave."

The security bust the door open with a massive four-armed red mech. However, as they couldn't damage any of the equipment in the room and the process had already begun, all Striker could do is watch as Axel's body slowly disappeared into specks of light, as an effect of the translocation. Before completely vanishing, Axel looked at him through the glass door with a grin and said "...see ya, monster-chin."

And so the trail of light shot out from the bottom of Aether, flying around and under it, traveling to its destination on the planet below, hidden from the denizens of the cloud city. Axel was, for this time, just one of the specks of stardust in the night sky, bound to arrive at the secret land by sunrise, beginning an ordeal that would forever change the state of his world.