Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 [quote name='~ Epic Hero - Saber ~' timestamp='1300299884' post='5077079'] So, he'd be weaker than all of them, at least in theory =/. [/quote] In theory... But a year has passed since those finals... I have my suspicions, that are probably way off but still... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Thanks for the comments, guys! This time, as a bonus, you get an Extra Chapter. Extra Chapters are not part of the main storyline continuation (though they are fully 'canon', of course), but provide some useful insight into the circumstances of some characters. There are two, including this one, that will be posted by the end of this arc, with more to come up in the future, possibly. Enjoy. [spoiler=Extra Chapter 1] [center][b][u]Extra Chapter 1:[/b] Paradise Lost[/u][/center] If something close to paradise could be found on a man-made location, it would certainly be one of the imaginary worlds that composed the Duel Terminal network. It seemed to Yuusuke as if no effort had been spared to make the Duel Fields as visually attractive as possible. A vast variety of locations, from dense forests to beautiful gardens to majestic castles, even to extraterrestrial places of alien designs, and each was crafted with a level of detail that seemed unreal at the time. Thanks to his father's work, Yuusuke already was reaping most of the benefits Duel International's virtual reality system offered to its users. As enjoyable as playing Duel Monsters was, sometimes it was much more relaxing to simply enter the world and hang out there, enjoying the illusory beauty that could not be found in reality. Today, Yuusuke had taken Maya to the <Sunlit Bay>. Pure white sand surrounded them. Without having to care about getting their clothes dirty, or concerns such as heat or cold, Yuusuke had chosen his <Vibrant Summer Attire>, a set of clothing consisting of a colorful short-sleeved linen shirt, a pair of short jeans and sandals. It even came complete with sunglasses, though Yuusuke had let them hang from the neck of his shirt right now. Maya was clad in the <Mermaid's Dress>, a beautiful one-piece light blue dress adorned with flowery shapes. In this space, both looked quite older than they actually were. It was a shame they could not run up to the water and play with the waves, which slowly caressed the edge of the beach. Or enjoy the shade of one of the many pine trees on the background - though there was no actual need for shade, Yuusuke thought he might enjoy the feeling. The motion lock system kept their movements limited to a restricted area, and though they had more than prominent spots in <Observer Mode>, it was sad that in a world so beautiful, so little freedom was allowed. Of course, Yuusuke's father had explained how, due to the system's structure, it was impossible to construct a fully perfect world and, once viewed from different perspectives, huge deficiencies would become apparent. There was a limit to what technology could produce, after all. Still, if a small piece of magic was still left in this world, it resided in this artificial space. "Let's make a deal." He said suddenly, his eyes not leaving the distant horizon, where the crystal clear sea merged with the azure sky. "Another duel?" Maya asked, pretending to be exasperated. "Hey, this time I'm going to add a new rule." Yuusuke declared, going idly through the motions needed to activate <Duel Mode>. "Whoever loses will have to become the servant of the winner and protect him forever. And as proof of that loyalty, they'll have to give the winner their most important card, to be treasured always." "Aren't you watching a few too many medieval movies lately?" Maya sighed. "Fine. I'll accept this challenge." Yuusuke smiled. Maya might be acting all high-maintenance at times, but she had a soft side to her. Soon, the both of them went through the process of relocation, instantly switching from idle <Observers> to battle-ready <Duelists>. "Duel!" [center][i][b]Duel Commencing[/b][/i][/center] "Ladies first." Maya smirked. Yuusuke offered no objection. [center][i][b]Sinclair[/b] - LP: 4000[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "Let's see." She looked over her cards. "I summon Deep Sea Diva to the field!" A mermaid with translucent white skin similar to that of a jellyfish, singing a low-pitched melody, appeared in front of Maya, sprouting a fountain of water. "Deep Sea Diva's effect activates, instantly Special Summoning Sea Archer from my deck!" Another merfolk woman with navy blue hair, wielding a crossbow and riding a peculiar winged sea creature, appeared from the water burst that Diva had created. [spoiler=Deep Sea Diva][b]Deep Sea Diva[/b] WATER / Sea Serpent / Tuner Level 2 200/400 When this card is Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 3 or lower Sea Serpent-Type monster from your Deck.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Sea Archer][b]Sea Archer[/b] WATER / Sea Serpent Level 3 1200/200 Once per turn, you can equip 1 Level 3 or lower monster you control to this card. If you do, this card gains 800 ATK. If this card would be destroyed, you can destroy the equipped monster instead. (You can only equip 1 monster at a time to this card.)[/spoiler] "A Synchro Summon already?" Yuusuke exclaimed, but Maya shook her head. "No, I think I won't go for that right now. I will activate Sea Archer's effect instead, equipping Deep Sea Diva to it. When Sea Archer is equipped with a monster, its attack power increases by eight hundred points." The aquaborne songstress jumped on the back of the creature the bow-wielding warrior was riding, empowering her ally. "I'll set a card. Turn end." "Then I'll go!" Yuusuke drew his card with a flourish. "Watch out! I summon Propher of Genesis in attack mode!" A blue-robed, golden-haired sorceress, shrouded by multiple hovering stars and wielding a gold scepter appeared on the field. [spoiler=Prophet of Genesis][b]Prophet of Genesis[/b] LIGHT / Spellcaster Level 4 1800/600 Once per turn, you can discard 1 card from your hand to add 1 Level 7 or higher monster from your Graveyard to your hand.[/spoiler] "And now, battle! Prophet of Genesis, attack Sea Archer!" Yuusuke ordered. "Attacking with a lower-powered monster?" Maya frowned. "What are you planning..." "The Instant magic, Charge!" He retaliated. "My monster gains 700 points of attack power, until the end of this turn!" Crimson light surrounded the prophet as he charged his stave with holy power, shooting a bolt of energy at the mermaid. However, the diva pushed her comrade out of the way, taking the brunt of the attack for her. She let out a mournful wail before dissipating. [spoiler=Charge][b]Charge[/b] SPELL / Quick-Play Target face-up monster gains 700 ATK until the end of this turn.[/spoiler] [center][i][b]Sinclair[/b] - LP: 3500[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "Too bad, but Sea Archer will survive if Deep Sea Diva is sent to the Graveyard." Maya explained. "But you can only use that effect once." Yuusuke pointed out. "I'll also place a reverse card. Turn end." "My turn." Maya did not seem distraught over the difference in Life Points. "I will summon Hades Frog to the field!" A small toad appeared, floating a fair distance above the earth on a pair of miniature angel wings, heading to an unseen paradise. [spoiler=Hades Frog][b]Hades Frog[/b] WATER / Aqua Level 1 100/100 If this card is in your Graveyard during your Standby Phase and you control no Spell or Trap Cards, you can Special Summon it. This effect cannot be activated if you control a face-up "Hades Frog".[/spoiler] "That monster is weak." Yuusuke said, confident in Prophet's superior attack power. "But what if I use Sea Archer's effect again?" Maya raised an eyebrow. The little frog leapt on the bowmaiden's amphibious steed, once more raising its attack points. Yuusuke remained silent, but smiled inwardly. This time, he would get her. "Battle." Maya commanded. "Sea Archer, attack Prophet of Genesis!" "Not happening!" Yuusuke exclaimed. "Instant magic, Cyclone! I will destroy the Hades Frog that is treated as an equip card!" The aquatic creature was blown to pieces, reducing Sea Archer's attack back to normal just as she prepared to do battle with Yuusuke's now stronger monster. [spoiler=Cyclone][b]Cyclone[/b] SPELL / Quick-Play Select 1 Spell or Trap Card on the field. Destroy it.[/spoiler] "I'll let that pass, then." The oracle scored its second victory against the mermaid, this time utterly obliterating her with a burst of starlight. "Turn end." [center][i][b]Sinclair[/b] - LP: 2900[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "Then I'll draw! I summon Queen's Knight in attack mode!" A female knight wrapped in crimson armor, a tall helmet giving her a few extra points in height, appeared next to the heavenly magus. [spoiler=Queen's Knight][b]Queen's Knight[/b] LIGHT / Warrior Level 4 1500/1600 [i]This knight catches her opponents off guard, dominating them with swift yet graceful attacks.[/i][/spoiler] "Now it's time to battle!" Yuusuke was exhilerated. If both those attacks connected, he'd win the game. "Queen's Knight, direct attack!" Maya did not move herself as the knight's sword cut through her body, not meeting any resistance. [center][i][b]Sinclair[/b] - LP: 1400[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "And now Prophet of Genesis, finish this!" "Not going to happen." Maya raised her hand, and her reverse card was flipped over. "Explosion Armor! Your monster will be destroyed." The magician burst into shards, countered by the power of its own attack. [spoiler=Explosion Armor][b]Explosion Armor[/b] TRAP / Normal Activate only when an opponent's monster declares an attack. Destroy the attacking monster.[/spoiler] "Damn, so close. Turn end." Yuusuke grumbled. "My turn. Draw." Maya stated. "During my Standby Phase, provided I have no Spell or Trap cards on the field, I can return Hades Frog to my side." The toad reappeared from inside a pillar of holy light. "And now I summon Skreech to the field." A mutated green creature, vaguely resembling a fish, appeared. "Skreech will attack Queen's Knight!" [spoiler=Skreech][b]Skreech[/b] WATER / Reptile Level 4 1500/400 When this card is destroyed by battle, select 2 WATER monsters from your Deck and send them to your Graveyard.[/spoiler] "But both our monsters have the same attack power!" Yuusuke exclaimed as the aquatic monster leapt up to the knight, constricting her with its tentacles. Before she dissipated into shards, though, the valiant female warrior slashed down the creature with her sword, annihilating it. "Perhaps, but when Skreech is destroyed by battle, I can send two Water monsters from my deck to the Graveyard." She picked out two cards, flipped them around so Yuusuke could verify them, and placed them in her discard pile. "I think this will be enough for now." "Just that? Then watch out!" Yuusuke drew his card. "I activate Silent Dead, bringing back Queen's Knight in defense mode! And then I summon King's Knight! When King's Knight is summoned, if I control Queen's Knight, I can also Special Summon Jack's Knight from the deck!" The female knight was reborn, and soon, a gold-armored, severe warrior shielded by a round metal buckler and brandishing a longsword with one hand joined her. A third warrior, clad in blue-and-silver armor, appeared between them, completing the formidable front. [spoiler=Silent Dead][b]Silent Dead[/b] SPELL / Normal Special Summon 1 Normal Monster from your Graveyard in face-up Defense Position. It cannot attack.[/spoiler] [spoiler=King's Knight][b]King's Knight[/b] LIGHT / Warrior Level 4 1600/1400 When this card is Normal Summoned, if you control "Queen's Knight", you can Special Summon 1 "Jack's Knight" from your Deck.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Jack's Knight][b]Jack's Knight[/b] LIGHT / Warrior Level 5 1900/1000 [i]A strong master swordsman. His loyalty is to justice, his duty to protect the weak.[/i][/spoiler] "However, when Jack's Knight is Special Summoned, the effect of Dragon Ice that was sent to the Graveyard activates." Maya said coolly. "By discarding a card from my hand, Dragon Ice is Special Summoned in defense position." A monstrous, frostbound flying beast emerged from a pillar of sudden snow, opposing the three knights. [spoiler=Dragon Ice][b]Dragon Ice[/b] WATER / Dragon Level 5 1800/2200 When your opponent Special Summons a monster, you can discard 1 card to Special Summon this card from your hand or Graveyard. There can only be 1 face-up "Dragon Ice" monster on the field.[/spoiler] "Good, but not enough!" Yuusuke held up another card. "Magic card, Fusion! I merge all three of my knights together!" A surging spiralling light appeared over the field, the three warriors leaping towards it, absorbed into the rainbow-colored hole. "Fusion Summon! Come forth, Arcana Knight Joker!" [spoiler=Fusion][b]Fusion[/b] SPELL / Normal Send Fusion Material Monsters that are listed on a Fusion Monster Card from your hand or your side of the field to the Graveyard, and Special Summon that Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Arcana Knight Joker][b]Arcana Knight Joker[/b] LIGHT / Warrior / Fusion Level 9 3800/2500 "Queen's Knight" + "Jack's Knight" + "King's Knight" A Fusion Summon of this card can only be conducted with the above Fusion Material Monsters. Once per turn, if this card is targeted by a Spell Card, Trap Card, or Effect Monster's effect, you can negate that effect by discarding 1 card of the same kind of card (Spell, Trap, or Monster Card).[/spoiler] Yuusuke's goal was to create the strongest decks from Light monsters. He had a long way to go, but even now, he was proud to have called this powerful knight to the field. Clad in majestic black-and-silver armor, its presence was overwhelming. "Battle!" He exclaimed. "Arcana Knight Joker, strike down Dragon Ice!" With a single thrust of his massive broadsword, the elite warrior annihilated the draconic demon. "My turn is over." He said. Maya could not possibly summon something stronger than his Arcana Knight. But, she did not look even slightly fazed as she drew another card. "I'll set one monster face-down. Turn end." She said simply. "My turn! Draw!" Yuusuke said heatedly. Without hesitating, he pointed his finger at the concealed monster. The holy knight charged, but its sword was met with a statue of snow. "Snowman Eater's flip effect will destroy a face-up monster on the field." Maya explained, pointing at Arcana Knight. [spoiler=Snowman Eater][b]Snowman Eater[/b] WATER / Aqua Level 3 0/1900 When this card is flipped face-up, destroy 1 face-up monster on the field.[/spoiler] "I won't let that happen!" Yuusuke retaliated. "By discarding the monster card, Gellenduo, from my hand, the effect of Snowman Eater is negated!" Maya nodded, as if she had expected as much. The warrior's sword glowed, and without the effect of the target activating, it obliterated Maya's monster. [spoiler=Gellenduo][b]Gellenduo[/b] LIGHT / Fairy Level 4 1700/0 This card cannot be destroyed by battle. When this card's controller takes any damage, destroy this card. If you Tribute Summon a LIGHT Fairy-Type monster, you can treat this 1 monster as 2 Tribute Monsters for the Tribute Summon.[/spoiler] "During my second Main Phase, Jar of Avarice in my hand returns King's Knight, Queen's Knight, Jack's Knight, Gellenduo and Prophet of Genesis in my Graveyard to my deck, in order to allow me to draw twice." Yuusuke replaced his cards. [i]Excellent.[/i] He thought. [i]With this, I can win next turn.[/i] [spoiler=Jar of Avarice][b]Jar of Avarice[/b] SPELL / Normal Select 5 Monster Cards in your Graveyard. Return those cards to the Deck, then draw 2 cards. [/spoiler] "Turn end." He announced. However, Maya smiled softly. "I see through your schemes, Yuusuke." She said mockingly. "Don't think you can beat me yet. Draw!" She placed a card on her hand, and glanced towards Yuusuke's side. "First, the Magic card, Earth Crush. One monster on your side of the field with the highest defense power is obliterated." [spoiler=Earth Crush][b]Earth Crush[/b] SPELL / Normal Destroy the 1 face-up monster your opponent controls that has the highest DEF. (If it's a tie, you get to choose.)[/spoiler] "Eh?!" Yuusuke exclaimed. "I activate Arcana Knight Joker's effect, discarding Meteor Bow - Ceal from my hand to negate the effect!" He gritted his teeth as he was forced to abandon the card he had hoped to lead him to victory during the very next turn. Still, it was unlikely that Maya would - [spoiler=Meteor Bow - Ceal][b]Meteor Bow - Ceal[/b] SPELL / Equip Decrease the ATK of a monster equipped with this card by 1000 points. A monster equipped with this card can attack your opponent's Life Points directly.[/spoiler] "You are going to wish you hadn't done that." Maya smirked. "Instant Magic, activate! Enemy Controller! I release Hades Frog from my side of the field, to take control of Arcana Knight Joker for the duration of this turn!" [spoiler=Enemy Controller][b]Enemy Controller[/b] SPELL / Quick-Play Select and activate 1 of these effects: • Change the Battle Position of 1 face-up monster your opponent controls. • Tribute 1 monster. Select 1 face-up monster your opponent controls. Take control of it until the End Phase.[/spoiler] "[i]What?![/i]" Yuusuke watched helplessly as the tiny toad flew up into the sky, but in exchange, his almighty knight switched to Maya's side of the field. She had planned ahead this much - !! "And of course, don't think that I do not have any monsters in my hand right now." Maya said, picking a card. "I call Needle Guilman to the field!" A muscular sea horse warrior wielding a giant red trident appeared next to the swordsman. Now the total attack power of the monsters on Maya's side of the field was 5100. Just like that, the situation had been reversed completely. [spoiler=Needle Guilman][b]Needle Guilman[/b] WATER / Sea Serpent Level 3 1300/0 All Fish-Type, Sea Serpent-Type, and Aqua-Type monsters you control gain 400 ATK.[/spoiler] "And as a reminder..." Maya flipped over the last card in her hand. "Being straightforward and direct is fine, but that's not all there is to dueling. If your opponent can read you like an open book... well, you see what happens. Designator from the Different Dimension! I will call the name of a card, and if it is in your hand, it is removed from play. And of course, the last card remaining in your hand at this moment is - Honest." [spoiler=Designator from the Different Dimension][b]Designator from the Different Dimension[/b] SPELL / Normal Declare 1 card name. Look at your opponent's hand, and if he/she has the declared card in his/her hand, remove that 1 card from play. If he/she doesn't have the declared card in his/her hand, remove 1 random card in your hand from play.[/spoiler] "What - how did you guess?" Yuusuke stared at her, eyes wide open. "Just a hunch." She shook her head. "Needle Guilman, Arcana Knight Joker - direct attack!" [center][i][b]Sinclair[/b] - LP: 1400[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 0[/i][/center] --- A few hours later, Yuusuke and Maya were walking together to their respective houses. They did not live particularly close to each other, but they usually walked a part of the distance together, before each taking the bus home. "I still don't get how you predicted that I had Honest in my hand." Yuusuke grumbled. "And what about your two Spells? You knew I was going to counter the first, so you saved Controller until after I had used Joker's effect!" Maya felt a slight tingling of guilt. Yuusuke was a good duelist, and she believed that, in time, he would become much better. But she had been a champion in Europe long before she came to Japan. Even when she was just playing around with a weak deck, it was easy to win at that level, and she used the opportunity to make Yuusuke try harder and improve. But, it still felt like deception. Maya would have been honest with Yuusuke from the start, but... the past was something she tried to leave behind. And she knew that, if she advertised who she really was, things would never be quite the same. For just once, she was thankful those damnable people at Duel International maintained a strict policy of anonymity, regarding real-life information of participants in their events, unless otherwise arranged. Everyone knew Stiyel Crystal was the European champion, but noone knew who owned that account. "Your expression after using Jar of Avarice clearly betrayed that you had drawn something you could use to push for victory." Maya explained patiently. "Neither of your cards had been a Trap. I did not have any reverse cards set, so there was no reason to keep a potentially useful Trap in your hand at the time. You were confident that you could survive my turn. That meant that you had at least one way to counter Spell cards, and one way to counter monster effects, since I could have used either against you. Therefore, it was logical to assume you had drawn one monster, and one Spell card. I had Enemy Controller in my hand when Arcana Knight appeared, but I wanted to ensure its success, that is why I threatened you with destroying it first, forcing you to give up your card to protect it. And as for Honest - you have a particular expression when you get that card." "It is my favorite." Yuusuke admitted, sighing. "Whatever the theme, I always want to use Light monsters. And Honest is the card that represents this desire." "Then you should treasure it." Maya said firmly, thinking of her own card that was carefully stored in her room. But Yuusuke shook his head. "No. We made a promise, didn't we? It's yours now. You should be the one to use it. That way, we'll be always connected." "Don't be foolish." Maya snapped. "It's just - " But something in Yuusuke's eyes stopped her. [i]It's just a card.[/i] She had wanted to say. [i]It's not even real, it's just something that exists in the game.[/i] Maybe it was. But the will it embodied was certainly real. Yuusuke's feelings that had been entrusted to her were real. So she said nothing. It was rather ridiculous. As Stiyel Crystal, she used Honest in her Demon Roar God deck. In fact, she had numerous copies of this card in both her accounts, divided between various decks - though she had never happened to use one against Yuusuke. Given the restriction that only allowed the use of a single copy of Honest in each deck, the 'gift' was of no material value to her. But even then, she understood its meaning. Since that day, Maya replaced the card in her main deck with the one Yuusuke had given her. Since that day, Yuusuke had never placed Honest in his deck again. But, when the time came that he had to deliver the finishing blow to his friend, kill Shugo in order to survive, he was disillusioned. He could not remain attached to the past. If he could not gather the strength to overcome his foes, he might end up failing again. And with the stakes set so high, failure was not something he could afford. Therefore, he purchased another copy of the card in order to complete his deck once more. The day he had begun his search for Sanjou Kiishiro's whereabouts, he made a commitment to do whatever it took to complete his purpose. Combining his deck of pure light with darkness was the proof of that resolve. The day he had placed his trust in Jacqueline's words and entered the virtual world in search of his father, he made another commitment. He would protect his friends and family, the people who relied on him, no matter the cost. But no matter what he ended up having to do, he would not allow himself to fall into darkness. Honest was proof of the strength he had assembled to achieve his purpose - but it was more than that. The memory of that day, the feelings he and Maya had shared in that sunlit beach - they would keep him true to himself, even during his darkest hour. [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cakey Posted March 18, 2011 Report Share Posted March 18, 2011 Aw...how sweet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 What Cakey said. Enjoyable chapter if slightly random timing of release, but very nice friendly duel. But duel monsters isn't about a friendly game between pals, it's about life and death fights with power hungry megalomaniacs!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 I disagree with the random timing, the timing was very precise. This is exactly the time I had a writer's block with the next chapters, so I had to use this in the meantime >_>. But seriously, I don't think it was a bad addition. The arc is slowly ending, and Maya and Yuusuke did not get to make much of an appearance in this one, so I wanted to give them some focus. Furthermore, that battle was already mentioned earlier, and I wanted to show how it played out. And last, a lot of bad stuff happens to a lot of people in the next arc. It felt like a good time to cut them some slack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexadin Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 What Dr.Cakey said. And a big hurai for Sea-Serpents! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 @Lex: Yep, another one of the reasons I wanted to do these was to have a few decks played that none of the characters would realistically use now. Anyways. Now is the time for the next chapter. Be warned, as my time is short, that updates will significantly slow down. This chapter has been completed for at least a week now (I did not want to post it without writing the duel to the end, of course). It is a testament to how little time I have that within that week, I've only been able to write one-and-a-half extra chapters, and half of an actual chapter. Meh. [spoiler=Chapter 33] [center][b][u]Chapter 33:[/b] Invasive Ripples[/u][/center] Takechi quietly called upon his cards, standing firmly against an opponent he did not expect. Dueling here, though it was still conducted through the usual methods, contained no visual aids. Each duelist would have to rely on their experience and knowledge to face their opponent's deck. And he was quite worried this particular opponent was not likely to use a deck Takechi was familiar with. "Let's do this." He said, watching as his enemy materialized a disk of his own. "How do we decide who gets the first turn?" "I'll let you decide." Ross offered, shrugging his shoulders. "Fine, then I'll go second." Takechi said carefully. He could not afford to make mistakes. "As you wish." Both drew their opening hands, and Ross added one extra card. "Duel!" [center][i][b]Draco Ross[/b] - LP: 4000[/i] [i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "I summon Knight of the End." Ross said quickly. A warrior with tattered black-and-red clothing and armor, wielding a long silver rapier, appeared on the field. "Knight of the End will send a Dark monster from my deck to the Graveyard." He held up a monster, not displaying it before placing it into his discard slot. Takechi gritted his teeth - in these conditions, he could not find out what monster had just been tossed away. [spoiler=Knight of the End][b]Knight of the End[/b] DARK / Warrior Level 4 1400/1200 When this card is Summoned, you can send 1 DARK monster from your Deck to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] "Turn end." "Then watch out! Draw!" Takechi slammed a monster onto his duel disk. "Come, Flamvell Helldog!" The burning cerberus appeared. [spoiler=Flamvell Helldog][b]Flamvell Helldog[/b] FIRE / Pyro Level 4 1900/200 When this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 FIRE monster with 200 or less DEF from your Deck, except "Flamvell Helldog".[/spoiler] "Battle! Helldog attacks Knight of the End!" The canine beast rushed through the warrior, who tried in vain to block its charge with his sword before being swept away in the searing flames. [center][i][b]Draco Ross[/b] - LP: 3500[/i] [i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "Flamvell Helldog's effect activates, Special Summoning Flamvell Archer from my deck." A muscular bow-wielding warrior, embraced fully in bright flames, materialized out of a burst of fire. "Archer, direct attack!" Without pause, the bowman released an arrow, its tip aflame, which struck down Ross square in the chest. [spoiler=Flamvell Archer][b]Flamvell Archer[/b] FIRE / Pyro / Tuner Level 3 1000/200 Once per turn, you can Tribute 1 face-up Pyro-Type monster you control to have all face-up "Flamvell" monsters on the field gain 800 ATK until the End Phase.[/spoiler] [center][i][b]Draco Ross[/b] - LP: 2500[/i] [i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "The battle phase is over, but I'm not done! I tune my Level 4, Pyro monster, Flamvell Helldog, to my Level 3, Fire monster, Flamvell Archer!" Three concentric rings of flame appeared on the field, forming a row for four blazing stars to file through. "Synchro Summon! Descend, Ancient God Flamvell!" A dark-skinned giant efreet, shrouded by an ever-burning blaze, appeared on the field, towering behind Takechi. [spoiler=Ancient God Flamvell][b]Ancient God Flamvell[/b] FIRE / Pyro / Synchro Level 7 2500/200 1 FIRE Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Pyro-Type monsters When this card is Synchro Summoned, select and remove from play cards from your opponent's Graveyard, up to the number of cards in their hand. This card gains 200 ATK for each card removed from play this way.[/spoiler] "I do not know what your plan is, but I will take care of it before it happens." Takechi said. "Ancient God Flamvell's effect activates. When it is Synchro Summoned, I can remove from play cards in your Graveyard up to however many cards you have in your hand. So I'll simply remove both Knight of the End and that unknown Dark monster - therefore, Ancient God Flamvell's power rises to 2900." Knight of the End, as well as a small bug-like creature wearing a headdress similar to a gas mask, briefly appeared before being vanquished by a hellish blaze. "I've never seen that monster before!" Yenma cried out. Takechi gritted his teeth - neither had he. But now it was removed. "I place one card face-down. Turn end." He stated. "My turn." Ross said expressionlessly. If he had been at all shaken by that last move, it did not show. "It seems you caught onto my plan a bit too soon. But, it means nothing in the long run. When I control no monsters, I can Special Summon this card from my hand - come, Inverz Evil Cell!" [spoiler=Inverz Evil Cell][b]Inverz Evil Cell[/b] DARK / Fiend Level 1 0/0 If you control no monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. This card cannot be Tributed, except for the Tribute Summon of an "Inverz" monster, and cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster.[/spoiler] "Inverz..." Takechi muttered, watching the small armored insectoid creature that had appeared on the field. It looked like a black beetle, except with a steel carapace surrounding its body, jagged teeth protruding from a disproportionately large mouth, and a strange claw-like symbol carved on its upper side. He had never heard the card before. And the way Inverz stood out, Takechi understood there were more cards like that. And he didn't know what any of them did. "Subsequently I'll release Evil Cell." Ross continued. Tribute summon? Takechi thought that was almost obsolete. "Advance summon! Inverz Gilafer!" Instead of vanishing, the metallic bug spread the layers of its shell, like a flower blooming. A pillar of dark light shot upwards, reaching to that vortex in the sky. When it receded, Evil Cell had... transformed... into a new creature. A demon, standing on its hind legs, twice as tall as Ross - who was the tallest in the room by a fair margin - whose armored skin seemed to be made out of the same black material the little beetle was crafted out of. One of its arms, instead of claws, ended up in a massive cannon. [spoiler=Inverz Gilafer][b]Inverz Gilafer[/b] DARK / Fiend Level 7 2600/0 You can Tribute Summon this monster in face-up Attack Position by Tributing 1 "Inverz" monster. When you Tribute Summon this card with a "Inverz" monster as a Tribute, you can select 1 card your opponent controls and send it to the Graveyard, and gain 1000 Life Points.[/spoiler] "Level seven?" Takechi recoiled from the monstrous sight. "But - that requires two sacrifices!" "Correct, usually." Ross said. "But, Gilafer can be advance summoned with one release, if the tributed monster is also an Inverz monster. Furthermore, in that case, it gains an additional effect. When it is summoned, I can send one card of the opponent to the Graveyard, and gain a thousand Life Points." The demon spread its clawed fingers, and a dark circle formed underneath the God of Flamvell, shooting up tendrils of black energy. The efreet tried to repel them with fiery fists, but it was consumed entirely. The evil energy flowed into Ross, whose Life increased. [center][i][b]Draco Ross[/b] - LP: 3500[/i] [i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "And now, direct attack!" Ross commanded, pointing towards his opponent. The monster charged its cannon. "I activate Magic Cylinder, negating your attack, and countering for the same amount of damage!" Takechi raised his hand, and the concealed card flipped open. Twin cylinders appeared on the field, one ready to intercept the blast, the second ready to send it back. [spoiler=Magic Cylinder][b]Magic Cylinder[/b] TRAP / Normal Negate the attack of 1 monster your opponent controls and inflict damage to your opponent equal to its ATK.[/spoiler] "Nice try, but I activate the Instant magic from my hand - Invasive Move. By returning an Inverz monster that was Tribute Summoned from the field to my hand, I can draw one card. This means that the attack is interrupted, and Magic Cylinder dissolves without effect." [spoiler=Invasive Move][b]Invasive Move[/b] SPELL / Quick-Play Return 1 face-up Tribute Summoned "Inverz" monster to the hand to draw 1 card.[/spoiler] Takechi was beginning to understand the concept of this deck. Its purpose was to use Tribute summons the way other decks would use Synchro Summons, and take advantage of the fact that their monsters came from the hand so that they could reclaim and reuse them. It was certainly unconventional, but obviously effective. "I set three cards face-down. Turn end." Ross said. "My turn." With those reverse cards, Takechi would have to tread very carefully. But with the card he had drawn right now, he did not need to hold back. "I summon Flamvell Grunika, and Special Summon Neo Flamvell Origin!" A cross between a dragon and a lizard dressed in the clothing of a man, and the small fire sprite that could be Special Summoned if another Flamvell monster was present, appeared on the field. "But they won't stay here for long! I tune my Level 4, Flamvell Grunika, to my Level 2 Neo Flamvell Origin! Synchro Summon, Flamvell Urquizas!" The armored, burning giant materialized on the field. [spoiler=Flamvell Grunika][b]Flamvell Grunika[/b] FIRE / Pyro Level 4 1700/200 When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the Level of the destroyed monster x 200.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Neo Flamvell Origin][b]Neo Flamvell Origin[/b] FIRE / Pyro / Tuner Level 2 500/200 If you control a face-up "Flamvell" monster, except "Neo Flamvell Origin", and your opponent has 3 or less cards in their Graveyard, you can Special Summon this card from your hand.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Flamvell Urquizas][b]Flamvell Urquizas[/b] FIRE / Pyro Level 6 2100/400 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters During battle between this attacking card and a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent. This card gains 300 ATK each time it inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent.[/spoiler] "Urquizas may not have some removal effect like Ancient God, but he can definitely pack a punch! Urquizas, direct attack!" The monster charged, but Ross made no move to defend himself as he was enveloped in illusory flames. [center][i][b]Draco Ross[/b] - LP: 1400[/i] [i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "You may have heard a saying, young man." He said calmly, ignoring the surrounding blaze. "No pain, no gain. And thanks to you, I've gotten quite some gain. Damage Condenser activates, letting me Special Summon a monster from my deck whose attack power does not exceed the damage I just took. I'll settle for Inverz Sharp." A flying insectoid creature, following the same black theme as the others, materialized in front of Ross. [spoiler=Inverz Sharp][b]Inverz Sharp[/b] DARK / Fiend Level 4 1850/0 When this face-up card you control is sent to the Graveyard, select 1 face-up Ritual, Fusion or Synchro Monster on the field and destroy it.[/spoiler] "Urquizas gains three hundred points, for having damaged your Life Points." Takechi scowled, as the flames surrounding his monster intensified. "I'll place two cards face-down, and call it a turn." [spoiler=Damage Condenser][b]Damage Condenser[/b] TRAP / Normal Activate only by discarding 1 card when you take Battle Damage. Special Summon, in Attack Position, 1 monster from your Deck with ATK equal to or less than the Battle Damage you took.[/spoiler] "Draw." Ross said smoothly. Takechi tensed - if he released that thing to summon Gilafer... "You are probably thinking I am going to repeat my last move." Ross said. "Let me disillusion you - I release Inverz Sharp, to advance summon Inverz Madith!" The flying scarab grew, its black armor expanding, to form a mantis with two sharp blades attached to its arms. [spoiler=Inverz Madith][b]Inverz Madith[/b] DARK / Fiend Level 5 2200/0 When this card is Tribute Summoned with an "Inverz" monster as Tribute, you can pay 1000 Life Points to select 1 "Inverz" monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it.[/spoiler] "You are probably wondering why I did not opt for Gilafer's effect." Ross said. "The reason is simple. I did not need Gilafer to destroy your monster, because the effect of Inverz Sharp will destroy any Ritual, Synchro, or Fusion monster on the field when it is sent to the Graveyard." A spectral image of the previous Inverz monster appeared, rushing to ram into Urquizas. "I don't think so!" Takechi retaliated. "Trap, open! Sub-Space Matter Transfer Device will remove Urquizas from play until the End Phase!" [spoiler=Sub-Space Matter Transfer Device][b]Sub-Space Matter Transfer Device[/b] TRAP / Normal Select 1 face-up monster you control and remove it from play until the End Phase of this turn.[/spoiler] "Very well." Ross said calmly. "Inverz Madith's effect activates. By paying one thousand Life Points, an Inverz monster in the Graveyard is revived. The monster discarded for Damage Condenser - return, Inverz Gilafer." The great demon reappeared. [center][i][b]Draco Ross[/b] - LP: 400[/i] [i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "Now your field is empty." Ross noted. "Inverz Madith, direct attack!" Takechi cringed as he was assaulted by a black stream, cutting down over half of his Life Points instantly. "And now, to finish it. Inverz Gilafer, attack as well!" [center][i][b]Draco Ross[/b] - LP: 400[/i] [i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 1800[/i][/center] "I'm not going down so easily! Trap, activate! Guard Block!" Takechi retaliated. "One instance of battle damage is reduced to zero, and I can draw one card!" At this point, it did not matter if he lost some Life Points. [spoiler=Guard Block][b]Guard Block[/b] TRAP / Normal Activate only during damage calculation during your opponent's turn. The Battle Damage you would receive becomes 0. Draw 1 card.[/spoiler] "I end my turn." Ross said. "During the End Phase, Flamvell Urquizas returns." Takechi announced as his Synchro monster materialized on the field. [i]Not yet. I must dismantle whatever defenses he has set first.[/i] "My turn, draw. I summon Flamvell Baby!" A tiny fiendish creature made entirely out of bright yellow flames burst into being. "And now I tune my Level 6, Flamvell Urquizas, to my Level 1, Flamvell Baby!" The two burning monsters split into an array of flame, but Takechi had no intentions of summoning a Fire monster. "Synchro Summon, Scrap Demon!" A gargantuan creature wrapped in black armor, not unlike that sported by the Inverz monsters, wings sprouting from its back and horns from the sides of its head, burst out of that stream of fire. [spoiler=Flamvell Baby][b]Flamvell Baby[/b] FIRE / Pyro / Tuner Level 1 800/200 During your Main Phase, you can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard to select 1 face-up FIRE monster you control and have it gain 400 ATK.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Scrap Demon][b]Scrap Demon[/b] EARTH / Fiend / Synchro Level 7 2700/1800 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters[/spoiler] "Battle! Scrap Demon, strike down that Inverz Madith!" Takechi had gone to the specific trouble of Synchro Summoning, rather than simply use Baby's effect, to see if Ross would retaliate against it. He had not, but now, with a difference of five hundred points in favor of Takechi's monster, Ross would either respond to its attack, or lose the match. --- "Takechi is doing well..." Yenma muttered. "What do you think, Ivory?" But the girl did not respond. Yenma glanced at her. She seemed to be watching the duel, but Yenma could tell she was intently focusing on something else. "Ivory?" He whispered, so as not to draw Draco's attention. "I am trying to dismantle whatever this guy has set up in the Zero Zone." She muttered angrily in reply. "Even if we defeat him, I'm sure he'll just trap us in here until he can find a way to get rid of you two. I could escape easily, but..." "Can I help?" Yenma asked tentatively. Ivory wasn't known for her patience, and especially Yenma and Takechi getting in over their heads as far as their abilities in the Zero Zone were concerned seemed to tick her off. But she cast him a calculating glance. "Give me your hand." Without waiting for a reply, she grabbed his left arm, where the sigil of the dragon's wings was emblazoned. Moving discreetly to the back of the miniature space, she closed her eyes again. Yenma felt his mark throb slightly. "As I thought, the strength sealed in this mark is enough. But, unless you call out the avatar of this power, you cannot release it." "You mean I should summon Blackfeather Dragon?" Yenma asked. Ivory had not yet demonstrated how to summon monsters outside of a duel, though it was possible, according to her. "No. Not yet, anyway. It's too dangerous." Ivory said. "The space we are in is controlled by that man. Perhaps, if he is pushed hard enough, he will slip. We will see how Takechi fares." --- Much like the entirety of the network was a massive structure of individual spaces, all linked together through a spider-like web surrounded by the Outer Sphere, the Zero Zone itself was a tapestry of subspaces. The difference was that the number of spaces found here far exceeded those that composed the 'inner world', the rest of the network. Here, a mere fleeting thought could create a world, just like that. In one of those worlds, Sanjou Kotomi had been trapped after she lost her duel. In another, Draco Ross had lured Takechi and Yenma in an attempt to get rid of them. And in a third, the mysterious woman who called herself Ebony lounged comfortably in an velvet-shrouded armchair, watching the events unfold. Here, the stronger the will and focus that went into the creation and maintenance of a world, the more stable it became, and the more possibilities it offered. Ebony had been trapped by her 'sister' - they called themselves that, though, as they had been born by the very force that swept through the Zero Zone, perhaps carried here from beyond even the Outer Sphere, they had no true relation to speak of - in a cluster of subspaces, but within them, she had obtained almost unlimited power. So, even though she had already succeeded in breaking that prison by using Sanjou Kotomi's mind as a medium, she still used that specific space created by her, which allowed her to perceive events in the entirety of the Zero Zone, even those sealed within other subspaces, with remarkable clarity. It had been a smart decision by Draco Ross, a man who was, apparently, quite versed in the ways of the Zero Zone for an outsider, to lure his prey to a domain crafted by his own mind. There, he definitely held the upper hand, and if not for Ivory's presence, he could have erased those two hapless boys who ended up stranded here without the slightest need for a duel. Ebony made a mental note to follow the guy's example - when the time came to extract her final revenge upon her sister, she should definitely fight on her own territory. However strong Ebony had become during her years of imprisonment, as far as control of this Zero Zone went, Ivory could probably still match her. Yet, there was another impulse in her head. In her plan to escape her confines, she had lured Sanjou Kotomi here. She had managed that by using her strong emotions as a link to drag her directly into her own fragment of the Zero Zone. Kotomi's mind, guided subtly by Ebony, had done much of the remaining work for her, including trapping its very self into a prison of its own design. Once that was done, Ebony had used Kotomi's own imagination as a 'bridge' to escape the isolated cluster of existence she had been trapped in. However, that method certainly had a few side-effects. Ebony literally incorporated an aspect of Sanjou Kotomi's mind unto herself, and though it was dominated by her superior control, her host's primary desire, her need to protect her son, became a driving force almost as strong as Ebony's own will. Whatever the case, a weakness that crucial could not be allowed when the time came to fight against her sister. Something had to be done about Sanjou Kiishiro. Assuming Kotomi's form, which she found more suitable for the moment, Ebony opened a gateway to the inside of the network. Each of the Duel Fields was instanced. Each time a duel initiated, a 'new' field was replicated so that multiple duels could happen in the same field at the same time. Those instances were created and destroyed constantly, only serving as temporary, isolated locations for the duelists who entered them. But the servers held a 'prototype' of each instance, the 'original', where data from all the instances was accumulated and stored. The core of the network held, in compressed form, data about all the Duel Fields and other areas of the world, and when the need occured to create an instance of them, it used them as the base framework. Of course, they were inaccessible to most people, but Ebony was not 'most people'. She warped to the location Sanjou Kiishiro had last 'officially' appeared in, the Duel Field <Blossom Garden>. She could easily trace the boy's whereabouts via the system's log, but she already knew there was no record of them - otherwise, this whole thing wouldn't have been such a puzzle. However, she did not have to rely on such crude methods. She was part of this dimension. The world [i]spoke[/i] to her, responding to her desire without her even having to call out to it. In a matter of minutes, she knew where Sanjou Kiishiro was. Ebony would not violate the terms of her own bargain. It was time to fulfill her part of the contract. She opened a portal to the <Arc Cradle>, walking directly into the flying fortress. --- Yuusuke was having a nightmare. He knew it was a dream, but he could not escape from it. He was floating, invisible, intangible, over a world ablaze. People were running, screaming. Pleading for help. And amongst those people a single figure, cloaked fully in black and wielding a blood-stained sword, ran around cutting them down, laughing maniacally. Yuusuke screamed for him to stop, but he had no voice. The people kept running to their deaths. The killer kept killing. The world was consumed by flames. There was no escape, no salvation. They'd either burn to death, or be slashed down without mercy. Finally, his desparate efforts caught up. He slowly felt his body phase into existence. Without stopping to think, he rushed downwards, confronting the killer. The black cloaked slayer's hesitation lasted only a fraction of a second. The bloodied blade plunged into Yuusuke's stomach. The hood fell back. It was Death_T, half his face burned away. "You cannot deceive me." He hissed through his ruined mouth. "You are just like me." And the face shifted to that of Yuusuke's. He woke up. Something was wrong. He was in his room, and his chest was throbbing with an intense pain. It seemed his experience in the <Soul Chamber> had some lingering effects. But that was not what concerned him. His window was open, but neither the light of day nor the dark of night could be seen outside. The world was tinted red, He got up with difficulty, walked to the window and glanced outside. The sky was shattering. At first, he thought he was still dreaming. But that was no spectre of his imagination. Cracks had appeared in the sky, converging into a single red sun overhead, and stretching to the far reaches of the horizon. [i]It's happening. Reality is breaking apart.[/i] He climbed down the stairs on unsteady feet. His mother was sitting in the kitchen table, a cup of coffee forgotten in front of her. She stood when she saw him enter. "How are you feeling?" She demanded, looking at him carefully. "A little dizzy." Yuusuke did not mention the pain in his chest. His mother's eyes already told him she knew. "How long - ?" "Four hours." She did not wait for him to finish. "You've been unconscious for four hours. Your father is still asleep. And since this morning, it's been like this outside." So his father was safe. Yuusuke did not ask how his mother had gotten him here - unless he missed his guess, Jacqueline was somehow involved. "Mom - " He began, but she raised her hand. "I do not know what exactly happened to you today. But, judging from the injury on your chest, it was different than the other times. The boundaries between the worlds are crumbling. We are not just talking about falling into a coma here, although that would be bad enough. Now, you could really die." Yuusuke nodded, despite himself. He had realized as much in that last duel. "Is dad alright?" "He's fine, as far as I can tell. He suffered no physical damage, but his mind is extraordinarily stressed. I already gathered the gist of the situation from him. He should be up soon enough." "What... what can we do?" Yuusuke asked. He had not realized himself how desperate he felt. "It's not just about the people who got struck down in the virtual world now. Everyone is in danger. But will anyone believe us if we say that the cause for [i]this[/i] is the Duel Terminal network?" He pointed to the sky outside. "I already tried talking to some people." Hikari sighed. "Most official sources attribute this to some sort of freak accident. Blame shifts from nuclear experiments to biochemical warfare to ozone layer collapse. Theologists say the apocalypse is coming. Duel International has covered their tracks well - only those like you, who have experienced the virtual world for what it truly is, could testify for the truth. And, so few, with no tangible proof, you will never make a convincing stand. It's been a week since the incidents started, and despite the cases numbering in the hundreds now, police investigation has been to no avail. Doesn't that already prove it? It is exactly in these times of dire need, that people are hopelessly blind to the truth that could save them." "Save them..." Yuusuke did not know. Perhaps it was already too late. Perhaps, no matter what they did, from the moment that crimson sun had appeared, the whole of existence was doomed. "The person who contacted me earlier..." Hikari said. Yuusuke looked up - perhaps for the first time, his mother seemed hesitant to speak out what she was thinking. "She told me that there was a way. With her instructions, I was able to produce a... drug that should, theoretically, counteract whatever nightmare they've unleashed upon their network." "You managed something like that?" Yuusuke asked incredulously. "Yes. According to her words and my design, if you take that drug before you enter the virtual reality, you should be able to disconnect at will from the virtual world regardless of system regulations. And it should also act as a buffer against lethal brain damage. But it's still untested, and its design is too imperfect. However, it should provide an adequate layer of safety. I'm urging you not to do it, Yuusuke. One miscalculation on my part, and it could be disastrous. But... I understand there might not be another choice." "I trust you." Yuusuke caught her hands between his own. "If anyone could do it, it's you. And I do have to settle things. I have no other options." "Very well." Hikari sighed. "Give me a day. Tomorrow morning, I'll have... completed my preparations. In the meantime, that person told me that, if you decided to take up the fight once more, the opponent you should go after next is waiting in the <Battlegrounds of Asgard>. That's all she said." [i]Jacqueline.[/i] The person Yuusuke regarded as his worst enemy might still be the only chance he had to... to do what? He didn't know, exactly. But he knew now where the answer could be found. He also had preparations to make. The <Battlegrounds of Asgard> was a Riding Duel Field - that meant the next enemy he had to fight would challenge him to a Riding Duel. He had no experience with those yet. He figured he could at least familiarize himself with the system theoretically, before the time came for the crash test. The next enemy he had to fight. The next enemy he might have to kill. [/spoiler] [spoiler=In case you did not notice]Infestation = Invasion, as far as Inverz support cards are concerned. I went with that because I think it's a more appropriate translation of the word "Shinryaku". Ergo, First Step towards Infestation = Invasive Move, Infestation Ripples = Invasive Ripples etc.[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 Read the new chapter. Hooray for OCG names. I shall never call them by their TCG ones. Loving the reappearace of a certain little miss. So this 'drug' means that a duelist could pull out of the network before any final blow connected, even though the damage would be supressed by it anyway. Well I guess thats setting up Maya and Yuusukes streaks up for jeopardy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexadin Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 They really are starting to feel the heat now. Well it just makes me more curious for the next chapter. I'll be waiting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 [quote name='Bahamut ZERO' timestamp='1300651998' post='5085796']Read the new chapter. Hooray for OCG names. I shall never call them by their TCG ones. Loving the reappearace of a certain little miss. So this 'drug' means that a duelist could pull out of the network before any final blow connected, even though the damage would be supressed by it anyway. Well I guess thats setting up Maya and Yuusukes streaks up for jeopardy.[/quote] It's supposed to act as a buffer against lethal brain damage, much like the removed limiters were (except, well, it's more of an 'emergency solution' that patches up the problem). It's also supposed to be able to disconnect you at will - again, much like you are supposed to be able to do - so they can't, say, imprison you like they did with Taihito. But let's not forget who helped create them. Who knows what she might be plotting... [quote name='Lexadin' timestamp='1300652802' post='5085841']They really are starting to feel the heat now. Well it just makes me more curious for the next chapter. I'll be waiting.[/quote] Hell yeah, it's getting real now. And hopefully you won't have to wait for long. I'll try to kick myself into high gear again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brinolovania Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 [quote name='~ Epic Hero - Saber ~' timestamp='1300649273' post='5085651'] Be warned, as my time is short, that updates will significantly slow down. [/quote] NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cakey Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 I think you made an error in this duel. Actually, you didn't. The problem was that in the spoiler you listed Flamvell Archer as having 1200 ATK instead of 1000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 [quote name='Dr. Cakey' timestamp='1300738151' post='5087872']I think you made an error in this duel.[/quote] FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU - [quote name='Dr. Cakey' timestamp='1300738151' post='5087872']Actually, you didn't. The problem was that in the spoiler you listed Flamvell Archer as having 1200 ATK instead of 1000.[/quote] Oh. Phew. Fixed. Dunno how that happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiksilver Posted March 21, 2011 Report Share Posted March 21, 2011 I am, like totally addicted to this story. I can't stop reading it, which sucks when you're on chapter 11 and have seven pages of English homework to do. So I've decided to stop you from posting chapters until I can finish reading it. LET THE DISTRACTIONS BEGIN! But, seriously. This is a really good fanfic, one of the best I have ever read. Nice job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Hurr durr, Chapter 34. Have fun doing your homework, Luxray =/. The duel initiated in the previous chapter concludes, and more exposition is delivered concerning Ebony and Ivory, as well as the past of Duel International. [spoiler=Chapter 34] [center][b][u]Chapter 34:[/b] Surging Resonance[/u][/center] [i]What is this?[/i] Kiishiro had nowhere near the ability of ZONE, who seemed to know at every given time what was happening in any part of the Arc Cradle. But he still [i]sensed[/i] something... irregular. Like an unpleasant odor creeping up from a meadow of sunflowers, a stain of oil in the middle of a crystal clear lake. Something was here that did not [i]belong[/i]. Or, more accurately, something was here which existed on a different 'wavelength' than Kiishiro. He had learned to identify entities in the network by how they adjusted themselves to the network's signals. The duelists who had simply logged in from the real world, like himself and Yenma, or that Gawain person, had a specific 'signature' that was different from that of the Ghosts, or other forms of artificial intelligence. Sinclair and CrossWing were unique as well, and ZONE was simply unreadable. But this... thing that had entered, it was by far different than any of them. Rather than not belonging, it was more accurate to say that she felt much more a part of this world, even this alien structure that ZONE called his fortress, than anything else Kiishiro had seen. And yet that presence felt very, very familiar. He was sure he had encountered something like that before, but he could not point his finger at it. As if on cue, ZONE's message came. He had not spoken - rather, words simply appeared on Glass Stream's control panel. This intruder had to be found and identified. ZONE warned extreme caution. If at all possible, Kiishiro should avoid fighting this opponent, if he had come with hostile intentions, directly. He should retreat and wait for ZONE to finish dealing with Duel International's agents. Kiishiro did not need to be told that. He had failed already. He was not fit to do battle to begin with. He was too weak to be entrusted with that duty. If anything, it was peculiar that ZONE would even give this much responsibility to him. Sighing, he set up the tracking system of the modified D-Wheel. The invader was closer than Kiishiro had expected, given what he had sensed. Opening another portal, he prepared to travel to a different part of the Arc Cradle. Unbeknowst to him, his prey had tracked him down long before he had begun to sense her presence. --- "Scrap Demon, attack Inverz Madith!" Takechi commanded. The mechanical monstrosity prepared its strike. "Trap, activate." Ross countered smoothly. "Invasive Wave. Like Invasive Move, this returns a Tribute Summoned Inverz monster to my hand - namely, Inverz Madith - to destroy a card on your field. Naturally, my target is Scrap Demon." [spoiler=Invasive Wave][b]Invasive Wave[/b] TRAP / Normal Return 1 face-up Tribute Summoned "Inverz" monster to the hand to destroy 1 card your opponent controls.[/spoiler] "Reverse card, open!" Takechi did not wait for the move to be concluded, as Ross retrieved his card. "Flamvell Counter will remove from play Neo-Flamvell Origin in my Graveyard, which is a Fire monster with exactly 200 points of defense, and negate your card's effect." [spoiler=Flamvell Counter][b]Flamvell Counter[/b] TRAP / Counter Remove from play 1 FIRE monster in your Graveyard with 200 DEF. Negate the activation of a Spell or Trap card, and destroy it.[/spoiler] "Merely that level of tactic won't suffice." Ross frowned. "Counter Trap, open - Dark Shrine Bribery. Though it comes at the cost of allowing you one draw, it will completely seal off the effect of your Trap card." Indeed, Flamvell Counter dissolved harmlessly, and Scrap Demon was obliterated. [spoiler=Dark Shrine Bribery][b]Dark Shrine Bribery[/b] TRAP / Counter Negate the activation of an opponent's Spell or Trap Card and destroy it. Your opponent draws 1 card.[/spoiler] "Then I'll draw." Takechi muttered, rather desperately. If it went wrong, if he drew the wrong card here - "I end my turn with one reverse card." He said expressionlessly. It would all ride on that one. "Draw." Ross said. He glanced over the cards at his hand. Takechi knew one of them was Inverz Madith. The identity of the other two could determine the outcome of the match. The two opponents locked glares. A very long moment passed, until finally - "Battle. Inverz Gilafer, direct attack." The oversized demon charged its cannon. But, Takechi was prepared. "Trap card, open! Holy Barrier - Mirror Force! All attacking monsters are destroyed!" He declared, and strands of white-hot energy struck the opposing devil, obliterating it. [spoiler=Holy Barrier - Mirror Force][b]Holy Barrier - Mirror Force[/b] TRAP / Normal Activate only when an opponent's monster declares an attack. Destroy all Attack Position monsters your opponent controls.[/spoiler] For an instant, it seemed as though Ross would not speak. Only an instant, and then he resumed his usual cool facade. "Don't think I was not prepared for such an occasion." He said coldly. "I place one reverse monster, and one reverse card. Turn end." Takechi nodded, adding a card to his hand. --- Draco Ross was being pushed further than he would have liked. Bando Takechi. One of the three duelists Moboro had chosen from a tournament in Japan - it seemed as if, for once, that crazy bastard had actually made a good choice. But, nothing would change. His reverse monster was Necro Gardna. His reverse card was Burial from the Different Dimension. In conjunction, those two cards could stop up to three consecutive attacks. Then, Inverz Scout could also be returned to his Graveyard. Whatever that Takechi kid could pull off with just two cards, he would persevere, and finish this instantly next round. "It's time to wrap this up." Slightly taken aback, Ross looked up - but it was with terror that he recognized the card that was now revealed to him. The ultimate card of the Flamvell monsters, and indeed, perhaps the only card that could initiate a true reversal. "Pureflame Eruption activates." Takechi announced. "Its effect lets me Special Summon, from my Graveyard, as many Fire monsters that happen to have exactly 200 points of defense as I can. And there are currently just about as many as I need - be reborn, Flamvell Helldog, Flamvell Archer, Ancient God Flamvell, Flamvell Grunika, Flamvell Baby!!" Five bursts of flame leapt up in front of Takechi, and all five of his accursed monsters were reborn in the blink of an eye. [spoiler=Pureflame Eruption][b]Pureflame Eruption[/b] SPELL / Normal Special Summon from your Graveyard as many FIRE monsters as possible with 200 DEF. During the End Phase, remove from play all monsters that were Special Summoned by this effect.[/spoiler] Ross was now sweating profusely - he could defend against as many as three attacks, but [i]five[/i]?! This was insane! But, there was still a chance. Takechi had Pureflame Eruption in his hand before he drew his current card. Therefore, he had been too wary to use it thanks to the reverse cards Ross had had on his field during the last turn. If he hesitated now, if he used up some of his monsters to Synchro Summon something which could protect him - "Battle!" Takechi did not wait, though. "Ancient God Flamvell, attack that reverse monster!" Necro Gardna was obliterated in an instant. [spoiler=Necro Gardna][b]Necro Gardna[/b] DARK / Warrior Level 3 600/1300 Remove from play this card in your Graveyard to negate 1 attack this turn from a monster your opponent controls.[/spoiler] "Battle continues!" The boy went on, not pausing. "Flamvell Helldog, direct attack!" "Necro Gardna activates in my Graveyard, removing itself from play!" Ross grunted, as an illusory spectre of his fallen monster appeared to block the infernal canine's charge. "Then Grunika will attack as well." Takechi pointed, but Ross flipped over his reverse card. "Instant magic, Burial from the Different Dimension! Inverz Scout, Knight of the End, and Necro Gardna which are currently removed from play return to the Graveyard! And, Necro Gardna blocks Grunika's attack by removing itself again!" [spoiler=Burial from the Different Dimension][b]Burial from the Different Dimension[/b] SPELL / Quick-Play Select up to 3 Monster Cards that are removed from play, and return them to their owners' Graveyard.[/spoiler] "But now you are out of options." Takechi noted. Ross fumed - he was not going to lose - !! "Flamvell Baby, attack directly!" More than any actual pain, the shame of his Life Points being evaporated by just that tiny creature's attack swallowed Ross. [center][i][b]Draco Ross[/b] - LP: 0[/i] [i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 1800[/i][/center] He had not enforced any 'special' rules to this duel, therefore, no after-effects followed his loss. He simply stood there, staring at his prey. His prey, which he would now be forced to capture in more... conventional means. "Done!" Ivory, whom Ross had put completely out of his mind, exclaimed suddenly. A vibration rattled the confines of this illusory subspace, and reality began being torn asunder. Ross glanced around, rage contorting his features. This... thing was breaking down the world he himself had created! More than that, though, it was time to flee. Staying in a collapsing subspace was never a good idea, and he had no way to achieve his goal at the moment. "We will meet again." He promised the two boys. And the woman, too. Ivory was proving too troublesome. She would have to be dealt with, sooner rather than later. A portal opened in mid-air, and he escaped to a different part of the virtual reality. It was time to formulate another plan. --- "That bastard, he just left..." Takechi fumed. Yenma, who was as startled by Ivory's accomplishment as by Draco Ross' sudden disappearance, looked around, bewildered. "It's high time we got out, too." Ivory warned them, opening a portal and pushing them both inside. As the gateway closed behind them, they found themselves in one of their usual resting places in the Zero Zone, a complex crystal rock formation. There seemed to be few traces of the [i]thing[/i] that had been sent by Ross before - the Zero Zone was an inconsistent place of wildly volatile structure; any damage done to it would be regenerated quickly, unless one took great care to make it permanent. Ross had unleashed a chaotic attack upon the Zone, but not focused enough to leave its mark. "We managed to shake him off this time." Ivory sighed. "We will be better prepared for his next attack. You did well, Takechi. Without your efforts, I would never have been able to breach his control over the subspace he had trapped us in." Yenma couldn't tell in the dark, but he thought the other boy blushed a little. "Anyway, right now we should - " The sentence was left hanging. Yenma whirled around to see what had distracted Ivory - but she was only staring at the sky overhead, a look of - despair? - in her face. That couldn't be right. Ivory never expressed worry, or concern, or... she only stated the facts, and made life and death look like a series of chess moves. It was her stalwart demeanor that reminded the pair of an unmovable pillar they could rely on, even if she looked younger than either of them - even in the face of the most extreme emergency, she remained cool and collected. Not now. "This... impossible..." She muttered, her eyes never moving. Yenma tried to see what seemed to be distressing her, but he only saw the usual, black stormy sky of the Zero Zone. "What's going on?" Takechi asked, sounding more than a little worried. If Ivory was this concerned, they should be panicking right now. Yenma mentally prepared himself for an attack, a nightmare appearing, a... hell, the world collapsing around them could not have shaken her this much! Just what was - "We're leaving." Ivory spun around suddenly, her usual self once more. Usual, except with a much stronger sense of urgency. She sighed deeply, as if making her resolve. "There's no choice left. I will prepare things so we can leave this place. In the meantime - I owe you an explanation about what we are about to face." "It began a long time ago. How much, I could not say, and it is not important anyway. When this world was freshly born, the entirety of this dimension was much like this." She spread her hand to indicate the desolate Zero Zone. "In this empty world, though, something was born, something that even its creators could never fathom would come into existence. The world formed a 'conscience' and a 'will'. Two entirely human concepts, but they exist in every thing, living or otherwise." Dark swirls of energy began forming around them, as if brought together by Ivory's very words. She began waving her hands around in peculiar patterns, twisting the shifting strands of power - upon closer inspection, Yenma realized they were actually filled with small, glowing particles, as if rays of light passing through clouds of dust. "I was the conscience of this world, a force that would protect it and hold it together, guard it from the chaos that reigns beyond its boundaries. And the will, the dark will of the world that wants to expand and conquer, devour and assimilate - that was Ebony. She was... she is... for lack of a better word, my sister. Born from the same principle, yet shaped to entirely different patterns. We are opposite to each other, like the Sun and the Moon, and though we are very much part of this world, one's existence was a foreign concept to the other that could not be tolerated. For a long time we antagonized each other, yet neither could prevail. It was not until after a grueling contest of will and raw strength that I was able to lock her away in a prison, near the very edge of existence. Namely, in this space." "And now she has broken free." Yenma shivered. Takechi had not really asked a question. It was incredible how much they had not known about their benefector. The very extent of the truth revealed to them was almost unfathomable. "She could never have done it while I was on alert in the Zero Zone, not without me noticing early enough to prevent her." Ivory gritted her teeth. Her motions became more frantic, more forceful. "She took advantage as that man lured us away and distracted me to flee. She must have done... something, something terrible, to be able to break my safeguards. It is very, very troubling." "What will she do, now that she is free?" Yenma asked tentatively. "I cannot as much as hazard a guess." Ivory sighed. "As I said, we are beings that cannot understand each other. The current situation is to her advantage. The chaos that reigns in this world can, and will, assuredly be exploited by her. And Ebony will definitely seek revenge against me. This is about as much as I can say." "Then, we need to find her." Yenma stated bleakly. "How... how do we go about... defeating her?" "Her powers should be just about equal to mine." Ivory sighed. "Her skill and intelligence could have only been honed over the years. Truthfully, she is not an opponent you can fight. Even the very creators of this world, like the man you faced, can be defeated here. They made this world, but while they exist as a part of it, they have to abide by its laws. Ebony and I are one with this world, and though we do have our limits, they cannot be defined except as the very boundary of reality itself. No, the question is, how can we contain her before she does damage that cannot be reversed. And until we can, at the very least, find her, I can give no answer to that either." "Well, do you know where she is?" Takechi asked. Ivory smiled faintly. "So eager to rush into battle?" She raised an eyebrow. "No, I do not know. If it was anyone else, I could probably find them, but her... but still, I could tell, with a little work, where she travelled to. Her destination was the <Blossom Garden>, and I fear I have a small notion about the context of her visit there. Still, it will take more time to travel out of the Zero Zone with you in tow, after whatever has happened here. I would leave you behind - it would normally be safer here, than going out to confront Ebony - but I cannot run the risk of another enemy attacking you. You two are fairly important, perhaps equally important. Ah, I'm just about ready." Takechi and Yenma had travelled many times from one area of the Zero Zone to another, and now they had experience with warping to a subspace as well. Ascending back to the 'surface' of the virtual reality, though, was another story altogether. It felt as if a rope violently jerked them into the air from the waist, then dragged them through a corridor too narrow to fit their size properly. A kaleidoscope of colors whirled before their very eyes, the blackness of the Zero Zone shattered to shreds. To replace it, a beautiful, almost dream-like garden filled with flowers of all varieties, endless expanses of greenery filling the air with a lush smell. There had never been any sense of smell in the virtual world before. But it seemed as if, like Ivory had said, thanks to the time they had spent in the Zero Zone, they were now able to 'understand' this reality better. And yet, Yenma did not have the time to enjoy the new outburst of sensations. As soon as they were in this new field, his arm began throbbing, more violently than ever before. He cried out, collapsing to his knees. The mark was blazing crimson, pulsing - it seemed to his eyes as if the carved wings were vibrating, seeking to fly towards an unknown sky. Images and emotions burst into his head. Kiishiro! Yenma thought he could make out his figure within that blur. He was standing opposite a black-clad woman whose features he could not discern. He could... "We're too late." Ivory muttered dejectedly. Already, a new portal was forming in front of her. "She already left. And where she's going - we should follow immediately." Yenma, between the searing pain and the dizziness, was able to identify, to his trepedition, the place the portal led to. It was the Arc Cradle. --- Christina suddenly screamed, clutching her lower arm. The left claw mark engraved upon it was a bright scarlet, violently glowing under the bright sunlight. "What... is this..." She groaned. "I feel... pain... and anger, so much anger..." "This is troublesome." Dryad said, quickly walking up beside her. "This mark connects you not only to your dragon, but also to the others who bear symbols such as this. If that young man, Sanjou Kiishiro, who is now in possession of Ancient Fairy Dragon, is experiencing such an intense rush of emotions, nothing good is going on. We should find him, now, and prevent disaster before it strikes." "How do we find him?" Christina asked desperately. Her heart was overflowing with darkness - hatred, rage, and agony were alternating, pulsing counterbeat to each other in a symphony of despair. "I'll use that mark to guide us." Dryad held Christina's hand up. "For now, at least, I have created a deck for you, that you should use should the need arise. As soon as we leave this place, I can exist as no more than a card in your deck, but I can still help you, until you gain your dragon's guidance." She waved her fingers, and a... hole appeared in front of them, leading to an unknown area. "There. That's as close as I can make it." Dryad said, nodding. "Once we are inside this Arc Cradle, you'll be able to find Kiishiro easily. The mark will guide you." Nodding weakly, Christina walked on unsteady feet into the gateway, barely registering as the spirit next to her vanished into thin air. Feeling a warm presence in the deck she kept attached to her belt, she moved onward, allowing the opening to close behind her. Now that she was focused on something, the pain had lessened. It was easy to locate the origin of those flaring emotions. She had come to terms, more or less, with her memory loss. She had been leading a happy, even enviable life. She had resolved that the past was not as important as the present, and even less than the future. But from the moment she entered this illusory realm, fragmented shreds of reminiscence were slowly coming together, like a massive puzzle with only a few pieces attached to the edges. And the more those pieces made themselves known, the more incomplete she felt. The more she yearned to discover her true self. If this Sanjou Kiishiro, if the peculiar scar on her arm, if this mysterious dragon that had apparently saved and protected her held any of the answers she sought, then she'd do whatever it took to find them. --- Nine years ago, the world was a simpler place. Duel International, still a relatively new corporation, had not expanded to its current, monstrous size. Few of the plans that were now unfolding had been set into motion. Abraham Lee was a good-natured person. He had joined forces with the rest of the group that was now the core of Duel International, the world's most aspiring company, spearheaded by the brightest minds of the generation, in order to help his fellow humans. The existence of the Nexus, a beacon of chaos beyond this world, was something that should be researched and tamed, and used for the good of mankind. That was what he had believed at that time. He was on a journey to Africa, where he was looking into the purchase of a new infrastructure to house one of Duel International's subsidiaries. Africa was still a third-world continent at the time, consumed by war, poverty and disease - thus, wages and equipment were considerably cheaper. It was the perfect place to set up an advance base of operations, which would help support both the European and the Asian server network. It was during a business meeting with some representatives of the Ethiopeian government, that he saw it. Like a rain of meteors, thick red lines streaked across the sky, carving a flaming tail deep into the distant reaches of the horizon. It was an unprecedented sight, a mirage that made the northern aurora look like a mass of fireworks. But there was more to it. None but Lee had seen it, of those present in the area, but for an instant, just an instant, the sky parted, letting an even greater phenomenon come into view. The shape of a massive serpent, seemingly long enough to embrace the entirety of the sky, was flowing along that gap, to disappear into reaches beyond this world. And Lee heard its cry, the call of a God from beyond existence as they could comprehend it. He immediately contacted Dunkan and the others, but in vain - it seemed as if, even amongst their faction, though everyone had seen those crimson meteors in the sky, only he had been allowed to witness the descent of God. Or, it had something to do with this place. Which is why he took great care, exhausting all efforts to ask around, locate someone who had caught even a glimpse of what he had witnessed. All his attempts seemed to bear no fruit, however. Three days afterwards, as he was finalizing the plans for the installment of the new offices, and Dunkan, Klein, and Ross would be arriving shortly to settle the details, he came across a makeshift playground, where a few boys were playing soccer with a patched-together ball of paper, and several girls, as well as younger boys that had not been allowed to join the game were watching from the sidelines. One such girl, though, was not paying attention to her peers. Instead, as Abraham Lee walked quietly by, never casting the group more than a cursory glance, she walked up to him, adjusting her pace with his. "You saw it too, right?" She asked hesitantly, her voice brimming with youthful innocence. Lee froze. It could not be... "That dragon in the sky..." At that time, it was settled. Lee quickly arranged for young Reesha - that was the girl's given name - to be taken in by Duel International's new branch. In fact, her parents had been more than delighted to give her away for the amount of money Lee had offered them - that was the cruel reality in the underdeveloped world. Though Dunkan and the rest had not shared Lee's vision, they took his words seriously, and began a series of new, experimental processes to identify its origins. As nothing came up, though, Dunkan grew more and more impatient. Lee argued, saying that there was nothing to be found, but Dunkan wanted results. He pushed too hard. And one day, during a test run of the new <Fairy Ring> area, in an attempt to see how deeply her mind could be immersed into the virtual reality, her physical and mental endurance gave in, and she perished. Dunkan simply dismissed her as a lost cause, and Lee was left alone in the empty chamber, watching the lifeless body of the child he had taken under his wing. The minutes went on, and just when he was ready to give up and call to arrange for the body's disposal, a miracle occured. The girl's pulse started once more, faint, but definitely active, and where she had been thought dead, she was reborn. Lee knew that, if his associates found out, they would be even more keen on conducting research on her than before. A life that was restored by nothing short of a divine blessing could not be allowed to be thrown away so easily, though. So he said nothing, and secretly brought Reesha to a nearby hospital, hoping for her to receive a decent treatment. He kept track of her throughout the next several years from afar, but she seemed to have lost her memory, which was just as well. Deciding to allow whatever had transpired during that fateful day run its full course without interference, he left the girl alone, even if he knew that, eventually, fate would bring her back into the struggle. He sighed, reminiscing upon those events. He had been busy those past few days, too busy to check up on her. Had she been swept up already in the chaotic maelstrom that raged across the world, virtual and real alike? Or was she still protected by the bliss of oblivion? Sarunoki Moboro had, regrettably, unleashed the <God Mode> against his opponent. Whatever the outcome of the duel, he was unlikely to survive. The man was intoxicated with power, with perfection - the temptation of absolute knowledge, absolute control, was not something he could resist. Draco Ross had also entered the fray, though he had not resorted to such drastic measures. Jacqueline Deveraux was making her move as well. Three of them had already entered the battlefield, four if you counted Cornelius Klein, who had been assassinated, but not before stealing one of the precious Pylons and disrupting a large part of their plans. How much longer until the rest would have to move as well? Lee had come to terms with the eventuality. Evil had to be performed sometimes in order to accomplish greater good. This was the resolve that led them all. --- As soon as Maya entered the Vision Cathedral, she realized something was different. Irregular. It only took her a moment to pinpoint it. The doors to the final battlefield, the <Dead Zone>, where she had dueled Cornelius Klein what seemed like an eternity ago, were wide open, inviting any potential trespasser to enter as they would. Just what was going on here? Disregarding all caution, she walked into the last arena. "I knew you'd come here, sooner or later." Maya's lips tightened at the sound of that voice. Sinclair. Her alter ego walked into view from behind one of the shadowed corners of the arena. Maya readied herself - she had accepted the possibility of an encounter, here. But Sinclair raised a hand. "Relax. I'm not here to fight you, not today. My orders are different." Her stance stiffened, as if she disapproved of those orders, or at least disapproved of not being able to settle things with Maya. "Did you learn something from your fight against the Machine Emperor?" "Learn what?" Maya demanded. The last time she had seen Sinclair, she had been desperate to settle the scores with Maya. What was keeping her from it now? "That Machine Emperor is like all living things. We all have different sides in us, different aspects of ourselves that all serve to compose our completed existence. Humans are a 'collection' of parts, like the Machine Emperor is. And just like you defeated the Emperor by destroying it parts, so too will a human be destroyed if the elements that compose him fall apart. The same is true for everyone, it's just that with us, here, two different aspects manifest in two different entities." She smiled. "Like a part is worthless without the whole, if we are not reunited, we will be extinguished by those that would fight us." "No." Regardless of the rest, there was one part about Sinclair's speech that Maya could not accept. That Machine Emperor definitely was not a living being of any sort. It was a soulless thing, foreign, void. Something that should not be allowed to exist. But that was beside the point. "Who was it, Sinclair? Who... did this to you? To us? You are not working for Dunkan, are you?" "The man who split us apart and governs my actions is as much an enemy of Gregory Dunkan and his lackeys as he is of you." Sinclair said. "I do not care about him. I only want to be whole again - but I cannot do as I wish. If you are thinking about stopping him, then don't. He is too dangerous, too volatile. He is chaos himself. He has raised an army from the purged accounts of fallen duelists, and is controlling them, using them to thwart Duel International's plans - but his true goal is nothing less than complete destruction, the erasure of everything. He is insanity itself, and he is manipulating this reality as if it were his own arms and legs." "Who is he?" Maya demanded. She had long suspected the existence of a third party apart from Duel International and themselves, even without a clear idea yet as to whom exactly 'themselves' encompassed. If she could find that bastard, she could at least settle things with Sinclair and perhaps find out some more information she could use in her battle against Dunkan. "I do not know of his identity." Sinclair shrugged. "Listen, Maya. I was not sent here without a reason. If we fight, no matter the outcome, we will perish and, in oblivion, become one once more. But, if you wish to defeat me without purging us both from existence, there is a lot more you should learn. The necklace you are wearing is merely the beginning." She pointed a the <Soul-Binding Pendant>, hanging forgotten from Maya's neck. "Chaos is not forged only from light. Remember the darkness, embrace the darkness. The light will illumine the truth and guide you, but darkness will shield you when the light starts to burn." Despite the cryptic words, Maya thought she had grasped a part of the meaning. She nodded quietly, contemplating what to do from here on. "What are you supposed to do now?" She asked tentatively. "My purpose has already been completed." Sinclair said. There is nothing more left in this place for you to find out. "Then I will go." Maya replied. "I will leave for now, but the next time we meet, we will finish this." Sinclair nodded in agreement. "I would not accept anything less." Maya gave her one final nod, then disappeared. She did not head back to reality, however. --- "My, my, what a complicated story." Adam Fergusson walked in from another hidden spot of the arena. Thanks to the <Red Bird's Feather>, Maya had not been able to identify his presence while they both were inside the Dead Zone's boundaries. Sinclair did not turn around. "They are using us all." She spoke softly. "Ever since Duel International was founded, they have been gathering people who could serve their purposes. You, us. The other champions - it is the ones with the strongest will, the strongest capacity to materialize miracles, that can open the pathway to the Nexus. We will all be sacrificed to that end." "However, I won't allow myself to be used so easily." Fergusson grinned. "In order to take advantage of us, they made us stronger, able to fight on even grounds with them. Both Dunkan and that fellow who has you under his control, they will find us more than a match." "Suit yourself, if you wish to fight." Sinclair responded. "I am only interested in reclaiming myself." "You should be more honest with yourself." Fergusson said, shaking his head. "Anyway, I now know what I need. I will make my own preparations." He looked around the colosseum. "This place will soon be stained with blood again. I hope that you will not be forced to stand as my enemy. Well, until the next time." He waved his hand, and he, too, vanished, leaving the ghost that was once a person alone in the desolate void. [/spoiler] Only two chapters left until the end of this arc, and only one duel left to conclude. Stay tuned for the next chapter: Buster Mode! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted March 23, 2011 Report Share Posted March 23, 2011 Things are beginning to fall into place. I liked the ending of the duel. I had expected Takechi to lose, but the fact he won and Ross wasn't defeated/killed off was pretty satisfactory ending. Liking the back story on Christina. Kinda makes me think of Aeris from FFVII. Like Sinclairs role, in that she cleared up the intentions of the hacker a little, but then Ferguson entered as a replacement for the mystery motive role (if you get what I mean). I'm using the word like a lot aren't I? It's all better than 'like',awesome really. Chapter was a bit location-jumpy, as Yuusuke was about the only character with no exposition, but in time it'll probably be proved this was a better place for all the little stories rather than Chapter 36. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Borg Posted March 24, 2011 Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 So this is the end game in all of it's glory and madness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Thanks for the comments, guys. @Bahamut: Fergusson's motives and character weren't supposed to be so... mysterious. Anyway, things will clear up more in the future chapters. Yuusuke didn't get in this chapter because he's fairly ahead of the others, time-wise (if you've been keeping up, he is currently around the afternoon of the day the events in the Arc Cradle take place, and though he'll get a scene in the next chapters, I don't want him to get into the next day while the others are lagging behind before we move into the next arc). I know it may have felt clustered a bit, but the duel didn't have many moves left, and trust me, there's gonna be a lot going on in the last two chapters as well. @Cat: Yep, we're getting there. A small update; I finished what I had planned for the second Extra Chapter. However, since it turned out very large, I decided to split it into two parts, and reserve them for the next arc. That means that there's still an Extra Chapter to be written for this arc (the theme of which I've already decided on). It will be posted between Chapters 35 (which should be coming up sometime during the weekend) and 36, which will conclude the arc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexadin Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 Ah, it all starts too make sence now, anyway it was a good chapter and I'll (as always) await the next one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legolover09 Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 Oh, hey, I just realized I forgot to post saying how great this thing is. So that task is over now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiksilver Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Alright, finally caught up. And I just have one word to say about this fanfic... ...Epic. Seriously, this is one good fanfic you got going. While I'm still trying to figure out a couple of things (The Gap is where worlds and dimensions draw close, and the Nexus is what is formed when you finally break through the Gap, amirite?) the complexity and elegant writing style draws me in and forces me to read more. I was astonished to learn you weren't a native English speaker- though I guess I shouldn't figured that out when I saw you were using the Japanese names- because, frankly, you write better in this language then most people I have met. One question; is Christina's real name Sheena or Reesha? You spelled it Reesha the first way you said the girl's name and Sheena the second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Wtf, it's Reesha. Dunno how that happened XD. Fixed. Thanks for pointing it out - I'm really in need of people who can spot such mistakes. The Gap is the place where worlds intersect. If you think of the world as an egg, the Outer Sphere is the shell which prevents it from interacting with what is outside. The Gap is tiny cracks in the shell, where bridges between worlds can be built. The Nexus is a conglomerate of chaos, which can be found in the Gap. It is formed and amplified essentially when people mess with the time-space continuum, as our friends are trying to do right now. More analytical descriptions and explanations will be given in the near future. Chapter 35 is in the works, got delayed a little, partially thanks to the abrupt collapse of the site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiksilver Posted March 31, 2011 Report Share Posted March 31, 2011 Ah, I get it now. And can't wait to see Moboro and ZONE'S duel... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aviv: D's Knight Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 I have all 3 arcs on my I iPad. In one word, SUPERF*CKINGEPICITSSOAWESOME. Oops that was six words. Does anyone know what happened to the site anyway? I am also currently writing a fanfic, I keep making my duels to short, any pointers? My favorite part is the mechanics of the zero zone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cakey Posted April 1, 2011 Report Share Posted April 1, 2011 gdi where's the next chapter???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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