Vector Nightmare Posted July 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 Thanks, guys. I'm glad you liked it - I was a bit nervous about this one, since I hadn't written anything in a while before getting it down. Good to see it worked well. Concerning the typo, thanks - put it in my revisions file, going to fix it when I have the time. Ivory's turn will come, quite soon I'd say. I'll be posting Chapter 50 a little earlier than expected, namely now. I will put 51 up on Tuesday, and 52 on Thursday (I'm halfway done with 52, so I will have no problem). The reason is that I'm leaving for vacation on Friday (5 days or so), so I definitely want to have the material up to 52 up for you by then. When I return, I'll probably get down to wrapping up and posting a couple of my half-written Extra Chapters, before I move on with 53, which I don't want to rush. tl;dr expect 2 chapters until Thursday, then 5 days break [spoiler=Chapter 50] [center][b][u]Chapter 50:[/b] Black Hole[/u][/center] Backed into a corner by the Infernity monsters' brutal play, Maya felt fear grip her heart. Ryouga pointed, preparing his three monsters for the assault. "The total power of my monsters is 6000." Ryouga explained. "Your field is completely empty. It's about time we ended this." "Not so fast." Maya snapped, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "Unlike you, I actually do have uses for cards in my hand." She motioned the five cards she was now holding. "I'm well aware of the cards that can save you from death now." Ryouga said. "Battle Fader. Messenger of Hades - Gors - I can't believe they actually released that card, considering how unstable it proved. And... Tragoedia. The card only you should have. A maximum of five cards that can defend you, though only three can block my attack entirely. And there are only two cards in your hand that are possibly one of those. It is a chance I will take. Infernity Destroyer, direct attack!" Unfortunately, Battle Fader was not in Maya's hand. She braced herself as well as she could, but it was a meager resistance against the demonic claws that reached for her. Too late did she realize that she should have blocked the, fully real, attack with her Duel Disk, the only object that could possibly withstand the slashing strike. Clothing and skin alike torn to shreds, she screamed in agony as she fell on the floor. She did not dare to look down - she knew that her body had been injured beyond natural repair. She coughed blood. Her vision blurred, and she felt like fainting. Her breaths became labored and painful. She reached for her rapidly beating hand - but almost threw up when she touched the massive vertical gash that had been carved across her chest, now terribly mangled. [center][i][b]Kirizaki Ryouga[/b] - LP: 3500[/i] [i][b]Kirizaki Maya[/b] - LP: 1700[/i][/center] "Come on, now. You shouldn't die just from that." Ryouga said calmly, observing her with muted interest. "You wouldn't believe just how much a person can endure before dying. I've seen men reduced to unrecognizable masses of flesh, without even the mouths to scream their agony, before they finally gave up on living." Maya was not listening. She had closed her eyes. [i]This isn't real. This isn't your real body. No matter what, this fact hasn't changed. Even if things are real here, the rules of the outside world do not apply. This damage is all filtered through the mind - as long as my Life Points do not reach zero, I should be able to stay alive - !![/i] "You are under a misconception." Ryouga interrupted her thought process. "It seems you are trying to convince yourself that the damage you take here is only mental, and will not affect your physical self. That would have been true, a few days ago. But now, this world and the outside world are almost one and the same. Dunkan needs this world to be fully aligned with our reality, in order to make the gateway to the Nexus operational. I very much fear that the physical damage you take here will be directly transferred to your real body. Perhaps not to the same extent, not yet - you probably don't have to worry about your real body perishing from blood loss, if you persevere here. However, do not delude yourself. This is your reality now." Ryouga's words were probably true, but Maya was incapable of confirming them - no, incapable of even comprehending them at the moment. The dramatic injury coupled with the severe mental shock had knocked her into partial unconsciousness. The world, quickly darkening, was spinning before her eyes. If she lost consciousness now, she would die. Even with that thought on the foremost of her mind, she could not fight it. The pain was so much, too much. It would be easier to just... escape. [i]Stand up.[/i] She stirred. Those words, spoken loudly and clearly in her head, were an intrusion to the all-consuming blackness. However, when she turned her head to the direction of the voice that had commanded her thus, she did not see light. Rather, she was faced with an even greater darkness, a black that was darker than the black of midnight, an infinite abyss where no other color was allowed to exist. Like a black hole in her head, it sucked her in, and though she forcibly tried to resist it, she was quickly pulled by the incredible gravity. She felt her whole body dissolving into particles, sucked into the blackness. "...See, now. You aren't quite dead yet." Maya pushed herself on staggering feet. She stared at her chest in disbelief. Threads of cackling black energy had sprouted from her wounds, connecting skin to skin, knitting her injuries. Her whole body was trembling, but it was now more from the shock, and less from the pain, which was quickly diminishing. She had felt that same force once more, when she had first dueled that Ghost, and it had protected her from crashing with her D-Wheel. Incidentally - or perhaps not so - it was tied to the appearance of the same card. "I... I activate the effect of Tragoedia in my hand." She declared, flipping the card outwards. "When I receive damage, I can Special Summon this monster. Its attack and defense are both equal to the number of cards in my hand, times six hundred." Its gigantic clawed arms brought defensively before its body, the monstrous pitch-black atrocity appeared before Maya, shielding her from further assault. But... [spoiler=Tragoedia][b]Tragoedia[/b] DARK / Fiend Level 10 ?/? You can Special Summon this card from your hand when you take Battle Damage. This card gains 600 ATK and DEF for each card in your hand. Once per turn, you can send 1 monster from your hand to the Graveyard to take control of 1 face-up monster your opponent controls with the same Level as the sent monster. Once per turn, you can select 1 monster in your Graveyard; this card's Level becomes the same as that monster's, until the End Phase.[/spoiler] "With four cards in your hand, Tragoedia's 2400 points of attack are not enough to survive against Mist Wurm." The lightning-bound creature opened its maw, unleashing a stream of thunder that struck down the ancient demon, obliterating it completely. Thankfully, despite the massive explosion, Maya was left unharmed. Despite that, though, there was still Infernity Guardian. If Ryouga attacked with that... she was not sure how much more damage she could withstand, even with those dark threads sustaining her body. "I end my Battle Phase, switching Infernity Guardian to defense mode." Ryouga said. Maya breathed a sigh of relief. Most people would have opted for the option of dealing maximum damage. However, there was no way Ryouga could have finished her off in this turn, and leaving an indestructible, yet weak monster in attack mode could easily backfire. It would not be hard for Maya to produce a total attack power of over 4700, after all, and her monsters could keep battering down that Guardian until Ryouga's Life Points fell to zero. So, Ryouga had cleverly chosen to protect himself. "My... turn." She said, still feeling the after-effects of the blow. "Draw." In her hand now were Demon Roar God Lurrie, Demon Roar God Beast Kokkator, Holy Barrier - Mirror Force, and Demon Roar God Raven. It was, theoretically, possible to bring about a short reprieve with these cards. But the question was, what to do afterwards? She had seen first hand that a single draw could completely turn the game around. Ryouga had brought forth several high-end monsters in one turn, and almost managed to finish her off. If she let him have another turn... She glanced at the card she had drawn. Well, she couldn't have hoped for anything better. "Magic card, Raise Dead!" She said instantly. "Tragoedia is revived, in defense mode!" Reborn by the effect of this last-ditch trump card, the demonic creature rose beside Maya. She took the chance to consider what had happened earlier. She had quickly connected the miraculous regeneration she had experienced to this monster - but she could now sense that that had been an incorrect conclusion. It was unlikely that there was no connection, but... the true source of those black threads that had restored her life lay elsewhere. [spoiler=Raise Dead][b]Raise Dead[/b] SPELL / Normal Special Summon 1 monster from either player's Graveyard to your side of the field.[/spoiler] "Tragoedia's effect activates by discarding Demon Roar God Beast Kokkator to the Graveyard." She said. "With this, a monster of equal Level to the discarded monster on the opponent's side of the field can be taken control of. I choose, of course, Infernity Guardian." Ryouga cringed as the demonic shield that protected him switched sides. "And then, I summon Demon Roar God Raven, and activate its effect, discarding Lurrie to upgrade its Level by one, and increase its attack strength. Of course, Lurrie is Special Summoned by her own effect." Tragoedia's attack and defense had now fallen to a mere 600 points, but that didn't matter any more. She was just as capable of swarming the field as her opponent was. [spoiler=Demon Roar God Raven][b]Demon Roar God Raven[/b] LIGHT / Fiend / Tuner Level 2 1300/1000 Once per turn, you can discard any number of cards from your hand and increase the Level of this card by the number of discarded cards, until the End Phase. This card also gains ATK equal to the number of discarded cards x 400, until the End Phase.[/spoiler] "Now, I activate Tragoedia's other effect." Maya continued. "I target Demon Roar God Beast Kokkator in my Graveyard, to change Tragoedia's Level to match that of the selected monster. And now I tune my, now Level 4, Tragoedia, to my, now Level 3, Demon monster, Demon Roar God Raven!" Bright light seared across the chamber, heralding the birth of a new monster. "Synchro Summon! Demon Chaos King!" Not dissimilar to Ryouga's Infernity monsters, the king of demons was blue-skinned, with bladed burning wings attached to its arms, and a fiery red mane flowing back from its masked head. [spoiler=Demon Chaos King][b]Demon Chaos King[/b] DARK / Fiend / Synchro Level 7 2600/2600 1 Fiend-Type Tuner monster + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters When this card declares an attack, you can switch the ATK and DEF of all face-up monsters your opponent controls, until the end of the Battle Phase.[/spoiler] "Demon Chaos King attacks Infernity Destroyer!" Maya commanded. The creature leapt forth, preparing to strike with its claws. "I don't think so!" Ryouga shouted. "Trap, activate! Dimensional Imprisonment seals your monster away!" Maya nodded - that Trap card had clearly been meant to protect in case of an attack, otherwise Ryouga would have used it to finish her off last turn. Which was why she had made adequate preparations. "Regardless. I set one card face-down, and end my turn. Don't forget that Infernity Guardian now belongs to me, and I can take advantage of its effect, which prevents it from being destroyed while I have no cards in my hand." It was a desperate measure, but one that she hoped would hold long enough for her to come up with a reversal. It would all rely on Ryouga's next draw, of course. "I have underestimated you, but it ends now. Draw." Ryouga declared. He smirked. "This will be too easy. I summon Infernity Mirage!" A small, blue-clad humanoid creature with a feathered red mask appeared on the field. "Infernity Mirage's effect allows me to release it, when I have no cards in my hand, in order to Special Summon two Infernity monsters from the Graveyard!" "Not again!" Maya explained, watching helplessly as Infernity Necromancer and another creature she had not seen before, a small fat man armed with a burning axe, were reborn. [spoiler=Infernity Mirage][b]Infernity Mirage[/b] DARK / Fiend Level 1 0/0 This card cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard. If you have no cards in your hand, you can Tribute this card to select 2 "Infernity" monsters in your Graveyard. Special Summon those monsters.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Infernity Dwarf][b]Infernity Dwarf[/b] DARK / Fiend Level 2 800/500 While you have no cards in your hand, during battle between an attacking monster you control and a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than the ATK of the attacking monster inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent.[/spoiler] "Again." Ryouga stated. "And again, and again. In this space, the dead never stay silent. They scream and rise, and when they fall, they only rise stronger than before. Unfortunately, I don't have another Mist Wurm in my deck. I never considered I might need a second one. Regardless, I activate Necromancer's effect to revive Infernity Beetle! And now I tune Infernity Beetle to Infernity Destroyer! Synchro Summon!" Even darker than before, the coalition of stars gave birth to a monster unlike any seen before. A dragon of demonic origin, its mangled body wretched and ruined, a crown of pronges through which its brain was visible surrounding the top of its skull. "Infernity Death Dragon!!" [spoiler=Infernity Death Dragon][b]Infernity Death Dragon[/b] DARK / Dragon / Synchro Level 8 3000/2400 1 DARK Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters While you have no cards in your hand, once per turn, you can destroy 1 monster your opponent controls and inflict damage equal to half of that monster's ATK to your opponent. This card cannot declare an attack the turn this effect is activated.[/spoiler] Strangely enough, the creature had appeared in defense mode, despite its higher attack. "If you believe you are safe thanks to the monster you stole, think again. Infernity Dwarf's effect activates, allowing all of my monsters to inflict piercing damage to you, if I have no cards in my hand. Now, then. Even if you have Dimensional Imprisonment, two attacks sh0uld be enough to finish this. Infernity Destroyer, attack Demon Roar God Lurrie!" "This is as far as you go." Fully prepared, Maya retaliated. "Holy Barrier - Mirror Force! All your attacking monsters are obliterated!" Strands of white light shot forth from the translucent mirror, driving through Infernity Destroyer and Mist Wurm, wiping them out completely. [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] "However, I have prepared for such a scenario." Ryouga said. "I know full well how troublesome you can be. Infernity Death Dragon's effect activates. By skipping its attack, once per turn, I can destroy a monster you control and deal damage to you equal to its attack. Though I cannot destroy Infernity Guardian now, Demon Roar God Lurrie will have to suffice." The malevolent dragon reared its head, releasing a putrid breath of black acid, which enveloped the winged devil, corroding it to dust. The corrosive wave swept forth - but Maya was prepared. Diving out of the way, she narrowly escaped the deadly stream, and even though her Life Points were reduced by a hundred, accompanied by a small stab of pain, she remained unharmed. shivering, she watched the dark breath sweep through the floor and wall, carving a fuming black line in its path. She held her breath, trying not to inhale the toxic odors. [center][i][b]Kirizaki Ryouga[/b] - LP: 3500[/i] [i][b]Kirizaki Maya[/b] - LP: 1600[/i][/center] So, Ryouga was determined to leave her with as little as possible. Well, she had to make it work, somehow. "My turn." She said. Her opponent had no less than three defensive monsters. During his next turn, they would probably multiply into a whole new array. But, there was little she could do about that, except... "I summon Demon Roar God Beast Catsith!" She declared. Once more, the perfect card for the situation. A small black cat with an ornate headband, toying with a spiked green ball, appeared on her field. "I tune the Level 4, Infernity Guardian, to the Level 1, Demon Roar God Beast Catsith! Synchro Summon! Demon Roar God Reigion!" Uniting the light with the darkness, a large airborne demon, with muscular body and strong, wide wings, wrapped in an armor of black and gold, descended from above. [spoiler=Demon Roar God Beast Catsith][b]Demon Roar God Beast Catsith[/b] LIGHT / Beast / Tuner Level 1 800/600 When this card is discarded to the Graveyard, select 1 face-up card on the field, and destroy it.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Demon Roar God Reigion][b]Demon Roar God Reigion[/b] LIGHT / Fiend / Synchro Level 5 2300/1800 1 "Demon Roar God" Tuner Monster + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters When this card is Synchro Summoned, if you have 1 or less cards in your hand, you can draw until you have 2 cards in your hand.[/spoiler] "That will serve you little." Ryouga observed. "We'll see." Maya snapped. "When Reigion appears, I can draw cards until I'm holding two. Which means that right now, I can draw two cards!" She dragged out a couple of cards from her deck. Even if Reigion had appeared, the moment Infernity Guardian had vanished from the field she was completely vulnerable to Infernity Dragon's effect. In order to win - no, in order to survive the next turn - she was betting everything on those two cards. She gasped. One of those two cards was completely white, one of the blank cards that Lorelei had crafted from the artifacts she now held. The other... "By removing from play the Light monster, Demon Roar God Lurrie, and the Dark monster, Tragoedia, in my Graveyard from play, I Special Summon Chaos Sorcerer!" The malevolent spellcaster appeared in a flash of chaotic energy. "Chaos Sorcerer's effect activates, instantly removing Infernity Death Dragon from play!" Out of reach for the multitude of Ryouga's revival cards, his ace monster disappeared into a different dimension. [spoiler=Chaos Sorcerer][b]Chaos Sorcerer[/b] DARK / Spellcaster Level 6 2300/2000 This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK monster in your Graveyard from play. Once per turn, you can remove 1 face-up monster on the field from play. If you activate this effect, this card cannot attack during this turn.[/spoiler] "And now, I attack Infernity Necromancer with Demon Roar God Reigion!" Putting an end to that revival streak as well, Reigion slashed down the cloaked sorcerer, tearing him to shreds. "H - how dare you..." Ryouga growled, his composure disappearing. His chances minimized, he now had to rely entirely on the outcome of his next draw in order to reverse his situation. "How did you... manage to do all that..." How, indeed. That was a mystery to Maya as well as her opponent. After Tragoedia had appeared, every one of her plays had had an entirely disireable outcome, to the extent that even she, who had been out of many life-and-death situations lately, couldn't believe. This kind of luck... no, it was not luck. There was someting greater at work here, something that had begun with those black tendrils that were now keeping her body intact... And just like that, she realized it. The purpose of this second trial, the reason behind her miraculous draws, and the way to victory. The truth. The first trial was meant to guide her to the light of hope. This trial had sunk her to the pit of darkness, where she could discover herself. The rift that was separating her from Sinclair, the duality that she had no choice but to embrace. Just as nothing was completely black, nothing was completely white. If she wanted to bring out her full power, the darkness within - there was no way but to enlist its great force. And suddenly, she realized what this blank card was meant to do. "What's wrong? It's your turn." She declared with renewed confidence. "If I was able to do it, you should, too. But you can't, can you? Because you have not relinquished everything. You are not true, even to yourself. You are a hypocrite and a coward, too scared to accept the truth." Surprisingly, Ryouga didn't react with outrage. He merely shook his head. "You have grown up well, and your perception is as sharp as ever. However, your conclusions are mistaken." He stated. "You have not yet realized the meaning of giving up everything. You will, soon enough. Draw. I place a monster in defense mode. Turn end." "Whatever you say, you are running out of options." Maya observed. Finally, for the first time in this duel, her opponent was the one on the defensive. "Draw. Come out, Demon Roar God Grimro!" The black-winged angel appeared on the field, joining her already formidable front line. "Battle! Grimro, attack Infernity Dwarf!" With a spray of black bladed feathers, the succubus annihilated her target. "Then, Chaos Sorcerer! Attack the reverse monster!" A slim canine monster was quickly blown away by a sphere of black and white magic. [spoiler=Demon Roar God Grimro][b]Demon Roar God Grimro[/b] LIGHT / Fiend Level 4 1700/1000 If you control a face-up "Demon Roar God" monster, you can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard to add 1 "Demon Roar God" monster from your Deck to your hand, except "Demon Roar God Grimro".[/spoiler] [spoiler=Infernity Beast][b]Infernity Beast[/b] DARK / Beast Level 4 1600/1200 If this card attacks while you have no cards in your hand, your opponent cannot activate Spell or Trap Cards until after the Damage Step.[/spoiler] "Reigion, direct attack!" Maya proclaimed. The raven-like devil flew towards Ryouga, slashing him down with its blades in the same manner that Maya had been attacked earlier, for the same result. Ryouga screamed as a bright crimson gash appeared across his chest, spewing blood. [center][i][b]Kirizaki Ryouga[/b] - LP: 1200[/i] [i][b]Kirizaki Maya[/b] - LP: 1600[/i][/center] "That much... is nothing to me..." He said hoarsely, trying hard to remain upright. "My... turn. Jar of Avarice activates, shuffling five monsters in my Graveyard back to my deck, in order to allow me to draw twice." He replaced Mist Wurm, as well as Infernity Guardian, Dwarf, Destroyer and Mirage, to his deck. [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] Ryouga remained silent for a few seconds, staring at the cards he had drawn as if something had surprised him. "I see." He said finally. "In the end, this choice was allowed to me..." His hand hovered over one of the two cards he held, before decisively grasping the other. "By discarding a card from my hand, I activate the Equip Spell, Different Dimension Revival! This card allows me to Special Summon any of my removed monsters, and right now I have only one - return, Infernity Death Dragon!!" A hole through dimensions twisted open between them, and the corrupted, demonic dragon emerged from within with a blood-curdling howl. Maya cringed - for that thing to have appeared now... [spoiler=Different Dimension Revival][b]Different Dimension Revival[/b] SPELL / Equip Discard 1 card. Select 1 of your removed from play monsters, Special Summon it in Attack Position, and equip it with this card. When this card is removed from the field, destroy the equipped monster.[/spoiler] "I activate Infernity Death Dragon's effect." Ryouga continued. "Since I have no cards in my hand, I can select a monster and destroy it. When this happens, you will take damage equal to half that monster's attack. I destroy Chaos Sorcerer!" Prepared, Maya ran out of the way as another corrosive stream ripped through the floor, her monster, and the opposing wall, dissolving them to nothingness. A stab of pain struck her mind as she received the corresponding damage. [center][i][b]Kirizaki Ryouga[/b] - LP: 1200[/i] [i][b]Kirizaki Maya[/b] - LP: 450[/i][/center] "During the turn that I used this effect, Infernity Death Dragon cannot attack. Turn end." Ryouga said. Unsteadily, Maya returned to her position. Dodging those blows could only take her so far. To begin with, they weren't even aimed at her. If she was targeted by a direct attack, or a different sort of technique, she could not be certain she'd avoid it. And even the feedback from the mental damage was powerful. If her Life Points reached 0, it would be the end. Then... "I end my turn." Ryouga said. Maya frowned. He sounded a little... different now. Calmer, more collected. As if he had forgotten this was a duel with their lives at stake. "Draw." She said. She steeled her nerves. What she was about to do had entered her nightmares many times, but it was the only way to put an end to this. "I activate the effect of Demon Roar God Krus, discarding her, in order to revive Demon Roar God Raven from the Graveyard." She stated. [spoiler=Demon Roar God Krus][b]Demon Roar God Krus[/b] LIGHT / Fiend Level 2 1000/800 When this card is discarded to the Graveyard, select 1 Level 4 or lower "Demon Roar" monster in your Graveyard, except this card, and Special Summon it.[/spoiler] "And now..." Trembling fingers gripped the last card she was holding. [i]Please.[/i] She prayed, though she did not know to whom or what. She held up the blank card, and called onto the darkness that filled her. --- Like a living thing, the portal to the Nexus churned and roared before the onlookers' stunned eyes. It had been laying low ever since they had first opened it, only occasionally spewing some excess energy in the form of wild silver lances. Now it was a chaotic maelstrom, writhing like the raging sea in the middle of the storm. "What is happening?" Dunkan demanded, anger evident in his voice, and... fear. That was not unnatural. They might have had no idea what was causing this disturbance, but were well aware of the implications. If this state grew too unstable... then suddenly, Jacqueline found the answer. She did not realize it via any form of logical conclusion, but instinctively, she knew the source, if not the exact circumstances, of the mayhem. "The Pylons!" She exclaimed. "Something's wrong with the Pylons!" Everyone turned to glare at her, venom dripping from Nakahara's and Dunkan's eyes. Cultural differences had been all but forgotten in the past few days, but Jacqueline was suddenly all too aware that she was alone here. Lynette was Dunkan's lapdog, maybe his lover, and while Lee, at best, might offer a neutral standpoint, Nakahara would certainly delight to see her fall. "Devereaux." Dunkan stated coldly. "If you have anything - " "Hold on." Nakahara interrupted quickly. "The two active Pylons..." She opened a panel of data right in front of her, displaying a visual replica of the entire structure's current conditions. "...they're both fine. The new one..." She squinted and glared, but no matter how they looked at it, Jacqueline's hastily manufactured framework for the final Pylon, now almost halfway complete, was flawless. Then... "...stop spewing nonsense." Nakahara spat angrily. She had hoped to find a flaw in the Pylons that she could accuse Jacqueline of. "The Pylons are fine. Something else..." But then, Lynette, in her calm, collected voice, offered a new, horrible perspective. "What about the original third Pylon?" She asked. No matter how smoothly the question was posed, it still sent shivers up everyone's spine. That Pylon was still part of the framework, though incomplete, and useless as things stood to their purpose. Due to the nature of its disappearance, they had not had the ability to remove it correctly, and it had the capacity to influence the whole system, even to breaking point, quite easily. Everyone remained silent, contemplating the possibility. "Damn you, Klein!" Dunkan slammed his fist against the wall, but the sound was drowned by the noise from the energies of the portal. Everyone watched helplessly as the whiteness bulged and expanded, threatening to devour everything that existed. --- All was black. Maya had thought she had understood the concept of duality, the fact that no living thing - no thing at all - was an existence consisting of only one aspect. Multiple, often conflicting, sides of one's personality formed their true self. Just like a part that was white, there was a part that was black, too. She understood that, but... when faced with this overwhelming abyss, this pitch-black bottomless chaos, she wondered just what was there that she had [i]not[/i] understood. The infinite darkness that lay at the heart of the infinite cosmos. The beginning and the end of eternity. Concepts too large for the human mind to wrap around. It did not matter. She reached out into the black mass. Her hand sank in, and she winced with disgust - it felt like plunging her arm in a dead mire. She pulled it out, and between her fingers was a card she recognized. "I sacrifice all three of my monsters!" [i]I sacrifice everything.[/i] The ground disappeared underneath, turning into a swirling quicksand - except rather than the alabaster glow of desert sand, it was pitch-black, and as it touched the three creatures it bore into their bodies, reducing them to putrid, screaming corpses before they were even halfway submerged. She could no longer see Ryouga, or his monster. He was no longer her enemy. The only enemy left to fight - she had discovered her darkness, and now she had to fight against its overwhelming force. She could not hide behind pretty words and noble ideals. If she was going to save herself, she had to embrace her darkness. If she was going to save the world, she had to embrace its darkness. There were no two ways about it, no convenient way out, no box where she could lock up all the bad things and forget about them. To save this world bathed in sin, [i]defined[/i] by sin - she had to dive head-first into the sin as well. "I summon THE DEVIL'S DREAD-ROOT!!" From the murky depths of her underworld, the eternal void of infinity, a creature rose. She had only seen it once inside this virtual world, and that was one too many times. That visage did not compare to this. Even though it had wielded terrible power, even though it had been far too real even then, it was only a ghost, a spectre of some greater phantasm lying outside the reach of reality. Now it was [i]here[/i]. It was five times as tall as her, and its body was structured out of bleached bones forming an exoskeleton of sorts, wrapped around a sickly green-skinned, yet incredibly muscular, body. The skull perched atop its neck released guttural growls that shook the very foundations of this plane of existence, and the twin wings that stretched on its sides curved like blades, poisoed to strike. [spoiler=THE DEVIL'S DREAD-ROOT][b]THE DEVIL'S DREAD-ROOT[/b] DARK / Fiend Level 10 4000/4000 This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set except by Tributing 3 monsters. Halve the ATK and DEF of all monsters on the field, except this card.[/spoiler] The legacy she had inherited from a time in the distant past, a time she could barely accomodate in her recollections. The walls around them crumbled, revealing a vast emptiness beyond. Everything she could see, except herself, her opponent, and the two monsters that stood on either side of the field, became less defined, distorting into weird, unnatural space. Even presuming the virtual world had the capacity to survive the presence of a creature like this, this isolated space did not. It was only a matter of time before it would break apart. Maya had to finish things by then. "The effect of the DEVIL'S DREAD-ROOT activates, halving the attack and defense power of your monster!" Infernity Death Dragon squirmed as it was surrounded by a black cloud, which poisoned even the very incarnation of death, draining it of its energy. Ryouga did not react - since he had reappeared into her field of vision, he had done nothing but stare impassively as events unfolded. He most likely recognized it was over. "Attack!" Maya ordered, pointing forward. The gargantuan devil roared, rearing its massive upper body. Its arm rose, and a spiralling black shockwave rippled through the empty air between them. There was no grand explosion, no fanfare. The opposing dragon simply disappeared, banished beyond existence. The black pulse devoured Ryouga, and when it subsided a moment later, there was not even the slightest trace of him left. [center][i][b]Kirizaki Ryouga[/b] - LP: 0[/i] [i][b]Kirizaki Maya[/b] - LP: 450[/i][/center] And just as Maya began to wonder what would happen to her now, everything disappeared in a flash of multi-colored light, and her consciousness slipped away. [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndlessOcean Posted July 3, 2011 Report Share Posted July 3, 2011 That was epicly AMAZING. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reinforce Posted July 4, 2011 Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 [quote name='Insanious' timestamp='1309728138' post='5331195'] That was epicly AMAZING. [/quote] Agreed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cakey Posted July 4, 2011 Report Share Posted July 4, 2011 [quote name='Insanious' timestamp='1309728138' post='5331195'] That was epic[b]al[/b]ly AMAZING. [/quote] WHOOOOO LET'S MAKE A FAN FIC FORUM MEME!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexadin Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 That was truely an amazing chapter. For some reason I have the feeling you're even better then before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 While a meme would be fun, more detailed responses would also be just as fun. Anyways, since the downtime ruined that plan, I'll go with a double chapter today, and leave you all to enjoy it until I get back from vacation. [spoiler=Chapter 51] [center][b][u]Chapter 51:[/b] Hidden Soldiers[/u][/center] "...and with this, I tune my Level 5, The Tricky, and my Level 2, Shield Wing, to my Level 1, Turbo Synchron!" Jinrei Yenma declared, scooping up all three cards in his hand to place them in the Graveyard pile to the right. "Synchro Summon! Blackfeather Dragon!" Yuusuke frowned, thinking about how to retaliate. He found that playing atop a table, so out-of-place in the mechanical environment of the Arc Cradle, did little to improve his concentration. He was so used to the Duel Disks and virtual reality systems that he had forgotten that this game had originally been played using playmats, and writing down Life Point scores on paper. Using that method of gaming inside the virtual world designed exclusively to make dueling with the accompanying fanfare possible was a ridiculous irony. Kiishiro was leaning on a wall nearby, lost in his own thoughts. Christina, and the other two boys he had met here, were not present. Having seen the dozens of Cataphracts in Jacqueline's disposal, the who-knows-how-many other minions that served this world's creators, he could only describe this as a ragtag force. However, he couldn't help but acknowledge that victory may not lie with the more numerous faction here. He did not want to acknowledge that it would probably lie with the more lucky faction, either. ZONE had seemed reluctant to divulge information to Yuusuke, especially after learning of his father's circumstances, but Kiishiro had, surprisingly and fervently, vied for him. And so Yuusuke was made privy to the details of the plan regarding the attack on Duel International, as well as many other things that had been happening behind-the-scenes over the past ten days. He found the extent of the truth horrifyingly illuminating. They were fighting a war, here. He studied the cards in his hand. If Duel International's true purpose had been to access the Nexus, why was the game so important? Wasn't it meant to be only a facade, disguising the virtual world's true purpose? Why had they constructed such a critical weakness for themselves? These questions had been some of the first he had asked of ZONE. The answers had been surprising. The ultimate goal was to reach the Nexus. To achieve that, they needed to widen the gap between realities enough to draw the Nexus closer, and subsequently align it to this world - and the real one. That meant that they needed to bring in phantasms from other realities - which meant that, soon enough, they might be bringing in hordes of uncontrollable creatures, some powerful enough to manipulate reality at will. To prevent that, they had been using the Duel Monsters game to regulate that influx. And for that, they needed people to play the game, so that they could realize the phantasms that lay beyond this world. It was a complex, yet ingenious procedure. Every time something that should not happen occured, such as a phenomenon from outside materializing within the boundaries of this existence, entropy - chaos - increased, and the Nexus stirred ever a bit closer. The velocity of that approach had to be regulated as well. The amount of planning and detail that had gone into it was amazing, but it had one fatal flaw: it relied too much on details, like a massive domino-based design. A flick at a single piece could tear the whole creation asunder. And ZONE planned to give it just the right flick at just the right time, to foil the plan without unraveling the entirety of existence in the process. A bold move, but the only path available to them now. "Blackfeather Dragon attacks Lightlord Angel Cherubim." Yenma declared, lightly tapping the cards. Yuusuke grunted as he moved the card to his Graveyard. At least the Life Point scores were automatically calculated - it was only 'conceptual materialization', as he called it, that ZONE was afraid to activate, even inside the Arc Cradle. Yuusuke's score fell to 1300, while Yenma's still stood at 1700. Yuusuke had asked ZONE why they needed to play the card game. If they could summon monsters at will, which the others, at least, seemed capable of, why not just lash out with them while the enemy was unprepared, unbound by complex mechanics and pointless rules? ZONE had cryptically said that this was the way the world was structured. Any deviation from the base framework would inevitably lead to chaos, causing more harm than good. Another reason that had been left unsaid was that, in a fight where rules were disregarded, their opponents would definitely have the advantage, as their control over this world's fineries was far more complete. Their side would avoid such conflict because it was risky under these circumstances, and ZONE's side was not willing to push them. So warfare would have to be largely conducted by the usual rules, it seemed, which was why Dunkan had created an army of Ghosts and later Cataphracts, and why ZONE had prepared and was training this task force. Yuusuke drew a card, and smiled. "While four or more Lightlords are in the Graveyard, I can Special Summon Jugdment Dragon!" The legendary creature's appearance wasn't nearly as overwhelming when represented by a card on the table as it was when it was brought to virtual life by projected holograms - more than just holograms, now - but it was enough to make his opponent flinch. "Judgment Dragon's effect activates, paying 1000 Life Points to destroy all other cards on the field!" Yenma placed his Blackfeather Dragon, along with a Mirror Force he had not had the chance to use, in his Graveyard, while Yuusuke's used up Call of the Living Dead was also eliminated. "It's over! Judgment Dragon attacks directly!" "Not so fast!" Yenma countered, slamming a card from his hand onto a monster slot. "Battle Fader negates your attack and ends the battle phase!" Yuusuke was just about to set up his cards in preperation for Yenma's inevitable counter attack next turn, when Kiishiro interrupted them. "ZONE is calling for us." He said impassively. ZONE had stopped using the Arc Cradle's communication systems, fearing that recent outside interference had affected it and could leak information to their opponents. Now most messages were relayed by Kiishiro, who seemed to be carrying some other communication device. "Yuusuke, he says it concerns you." Silently, they walked into the closest portal chamber. Yuusuke had been amazed at the transportation system within the Arc Cradle, which seemed to offer a way to get anywhere from everywhere. But when he had learned the truth about it, he had been even more overwhelmed. The insides of the fortress were not stationary - rather, they were a mass of rooms that could connect and disconnect with each other, and the whole structure was rotating around a central axis, while corridors divided it into further segments, which followed their individual rotation. Based on relativistic theory, this was an advanced model, which could theoretically take you through any distance in a minimal amount of time via a set of simultaneous rotations. Coupled with four central nodes which provided the mundane warp services, this was how the Arc Cradle operated - rather than transferring the people inside to the rooms they wished to be, it transferred the rooms they wished to be close to one of the nodes, and then brought the room they were in close to another node, through which they could teleport. The system's natural rotations brought the fortress to one of the many predetermined states shortly thereafter. It was a technological miracle - but that was only to be expected, if ZONE's claims were to be believed. Whatever the case, thanks to this revolutionary transportation system, it did not even take two minutes to reach ZONE. Yuusuke silently observed Kiishiro, who had taken the lead, as he walked into the chamber. Kiishiro had changed a lot from the quiet, solemn boy that had been Yuusuke's classmate. However you looked at him, he had been an average student - attended classes regularly, and got reasonably good grades. Rather difficult to approach, he usually kept to himself. Yuusuke, who heatedly believed that people should open up to others, had repeatedly and unsuccessfully prodded him into his company, much to Kiishiro's and Maya's annoyance. And now... there was no doubt about it, he was still quiet and solemn, even moreso than before. But what had been an aloofness, a shyness that kept him closed up, was now a dark shadow that had wrapped around him. He had no idea what had caused him to be like this, as neither ZONE nor Kiishiro had said anything, but one thing was for certain - his time in the virtual world had hardened him, influenced him much more than Yuusuke himself had been - and judging by what exactly had happened to Yuusuke, either Kiishiro had been more prone to being affected, or some really drastic circumstances had caused this change. "You've arrived." ZONE stated matter-of-factly. Yuusuke had a bit of difficulty adapting to the strangeness of ZONE's form - even comparing it to any machine, he could not seem to be able to give the thing that supposedly contained ZONE's body a proper name. "Yuusuke, contact from the system administration has been intercepted. It is meant for you." System administration. That could mean two people at this point - his father, or Jacqueline. His lips tightened as he thought of that accursed woman that had forced Maya and himself to fight against each other. He had promised himself that, the next time they saw each other, he'd settle the scores with her. If she had the gall to contact him after that... "Let it through." He said crisply. ZONE complied, and a communications panel opened before him. To his relief, he saw his parents' anxious faces. "Yuusuke!" His mother snapped. "We've been trying to contact you for hours now! What happened?" Yuusuke looked at ZONE, but he did not need his confirmation. That was the first signal that had gone through, and besides, it was barely a couple of hours since he had entered the structure. That had to mean that, while he was still in the Battlegrounds of Asgard, attempts at contact had failed - which definitely indicated that the drug his mother had prepared did not work exactly as intended. He knew that she had enough knowledge and expertise to ensure safety, at least - but who knew what unexpected effects it might have? He pushed that question out of his mind. "There have been... complications." He said. He avoided mentioning Maya. Though she had told him that his mother had found out her secret, it was not something he wished to talk about now. "It's alright now, however. I met some people and - " "You are in the Arc Cradle? Good." His mother did not wait for confirmation. Yuusuke jumped - how had she found out about that already. "Iseya Yuko revealed the relevant information to us." The name was unfamiliar to him, but by the way the others reacted, he guessed they recognized it. "Listen carefully, now. We don't have much time. Duel International has brought almost sixty million people into the virtual world." There was stunned silence, while everyone considered the implications. There was no need for discussion - everyone instantly understood the meaning, and consequences, of this drastic development. "Those people." Yenma said hoarsely. "They are going to..." "...die." Hikari finished bluntly. "They're going to use them against you, and kill them." Yenma swallowed. Yuusuke flinched - Shugo had died in that manner. Had been murdered by him. And now sixty million people - were they going to turn them all into Cataphracts? If they used them as a human shield, they could stall for as much time as they needed. "And that's not the worst of it." Hikari continued. "We have discovered evidence that another person has been meddling with the virtual world, with or without Duel International's cooperation. His name is Miyataka Eizan, and he's been involved in some pretty dubious research... I'll send over the relative files, I don't know if you will be able to - " She paused as a stream of files began transferring through the network, opening in various other display screens near Yuusuke. "Yes. Well. They'll explain it better than I can." A few silent moments passed. Everyone seemed absorbed into their own thoughts. Suddenly, Yuusuke's father coughed slightly. "Look, Yuusuke. We really shouldn't have left this all up to you. If I get there, I can..." He didn't get to finish. An invisible, yet very clearly substantial, shockwave rippled through the chamber, knocking everyone but the floating ZONE onto the ground. All transmissions vanished, and the very light that was illuminating the room went out. It was not over. The quake, if it could be called that, struck again and again, shaking the very core of the Arc Cradle to its foundations. Everyone scrambled for something to hold onto. It lasted less than five seconds, but it had seemed like an eternity. Besides the physical pulses, each one stronger than the previous, they could [i]feel[/i] the true impact of whatever was happening. Reality itself was screaming under those shockwaves. "It can't be..." ZONE muttered once the uproar had settled, somewhat. The lights went back on, but the transmissions weren't restored. "Did I miscalculate? Have they made their move this soon?" They heard a muffled scream, and Christina burst into the room, panting heavily. "What happened?" She asked between strained breaths. "I don't know." ZONE replied, having quickly regained his composure. "But I fear we'll find out quickly." Unconsciously, Yuusuke rubbed his temples. What was this uneasiness he was feeling? This intense feeling of dread, this pitch-black fear... it was not for himself. But then... Almost half an hour passed in this unease. Everyone was silent, anticipating something, some aftermath of the event that had almost disheveled reality. But there was nothing. ZONE was restlessly scanning through myriads of files that passed before them faster than their eyes could follow, apparently trying to locate some useful information. Information arrived, but not through ZONE's studies. At first, everyone thought it was another shockwave like the last, and reached frantically for cover. But by the second pulse, it was clear this was different. For starters, it was far less intense. And secondly, it was a clearly physical sensation, contrary to the madness that had occured before. It was as if something was physically shaking the Arc Cradle, which was, of course, a ludicrous conce - "Look!" Christina pointed at the screen that ZONE had conjured up, revealing the exterior of the floating fortress. The sky around it was black and stormy, but it was always like that these past few days according to Yenma, and that was not what drew their attention. Coiled around the metal frame of the building, a humongous plant extended from its sharp peak underneath, to the wide area above, wrapped around it like a snake of unbelievable proportions. And directly on top of the fortress, a small army of Duel monsters, of various shapes and sizes, but mostly flying creatures or bulky beasts suitable for riding, rampaged. Commandeering them was a human force - it took no more than a glance for Yuusuke to connect their glazed eyes and forlorn expressions to the Cataphracts he had seen before. That could only mean one thing. He scanned their ranks, and quickly spotted her, at the head of a small batallion, riding on the back of a gigantic green lion with a flower-shaped red mane. She was shouting orders they could not quite hear, and, strangely enough, her face was contorted with rage. "Jacqueline Devereaux." He whispered. He did not realize he had spoken out loud until he noticed everyone staring at him. "Let's go." ZONE said coolly. "This is more than you can handle alone, for now." ZONE, and from what Yuusuke had seen, Kiishiro as well, didn't have to move using the transportation system - like Ivory, they seemed to be able to open portals from wherever they were to whichever destination they wanted, at least within ZONE's own domain. A huge gateway appeared before them, and all six duelists, as well as their mechanically-entombed leader, stepped through to the upper floor of the Arc Cradle. There were about two dozen Cataphracts up there, each leading a few monsters - it was difficult to tell in the chaos. With a quick glance, Yuusuke confirmed that none of the Cataphracts wore familiar faces. He sighed in relief. Now, all that remained was to see how - Kiishiro, Sugita and Takechi took the lead, moving forward almost mechanically. They each raised their arms, which did not bear any Duel Disks. In front of Yuusuke's eyes, widened in disbelief, three creatures materialized. A carnivorous plant that snapped its jaws at a lizard-like dragon that had wandered in close proximity, devouring it whole. A black-feathered humanoid bird, a rich plume surrounding its head, that conjured up a storm with its powerful wings, throwing the bulk of the assault backwards. And a tall archaic warrior with muscular, granite skin, wielding a burning javelin which he threw directly into the heart of a multi-armed entity that held an equal number of swords. The creature writhed in dismay before dissipating completely. The three Cataphracts to whom the creatures seemed to have belonged staggered and almost collapsed, but held themselves on their feet. One was a middle-aged, slightly bulky man with balding grey hair. The other a youngster in school uniform, his bleary black eyes watching the field of battle impassively. Last, a woman in her thirties, blonde-haired and petite, in office clothing. Yuusuke didn't bother imagining what future those had hoped for by coming here, and how badly those hopes were disillusioned. Despite the brief pause, the horde of the incoming creatures did not lessen significantly. Yuusuke understood that this battle would be a war of attrition - whether they or Jacqueline's side ran out of energy to summon monsters first would determine the outcome. He was just about to enter the fray along with the other two, when Jacqueline steered her mount forward, facing them directly. Her once-human minions, now reduced to mindless slaves, stepped aside for her to pass, and so did their monster servants. Yuusuke gasped. What he had not noticed before, what he, to his utter horror, saw clearly now - Jacqueline was not alone atop the plant-lion. Hanging from the beast's side, held with barely a care by Jacqueline from the collar, was Maya. Though he had only seen her in this form for the first time a few hours ago, he instantly recognized Stiyel Crystal, and the implications of her presence in Jacqueline's hands. "It seems I underestimated you a little, you and this girl." Jacqueline snarled at him. Even though she was the one holding the upper hand, she seemed even angrier than Yuusuke himself felt. "You people keep going on and on about how you will protect the world - and this harlot here almost destroyed it, along with us, and everything else!" Yuusuke tensed. Maya had been involved in the previous event? He carefully glanced at her. She seemed completely unconscious, helpless. He had to find a way to save her. "What did you come here for?" He demanded of Jacqueline, trying to buy some time. "How did you know I was here?" "Who do you think you are talking to?" Jacqueline retorted. "The residue of the portal was clear as day, and we already have all the data we need on this building. Now, I see we cannot leave you alone any longer. You run around like little children, playing with things you shouldn't touch. You will come with me, or I will kill this girl here and now." She raised her hand, and a black dagger appeared in it. She placed it on Maya's neck, and Yuusuke cringed. There were no two ways to go about it, of course. He stepped forward, raising his arms to indicate surrender. "That's a good boy." Jacqueline taunted. "Now - " A gateway opened right in front of the lion and its rider. It was different than the other portals Yuusuke had seen - instead of pure white, this one's entrance was laced by flames. As Jacqueline recoiled in shock, a monstrous D-Wheel, crimson frame adorned with gold designs, jumped out of it. Yuusuke couldn't clearly see the rider, except for his wild red hair which stood upright like spikes, but as the D-Wheel closed menacingly in on Jacqueline, he took the opportunity and grabbed the unconscious Maya with one hand. Before Jacqueline could react, he landed heavily on the floor and spun around, dashing towards Yuusuke and the others, but with surprising dexterity he turned right before he reached them, sliding to a spot a fair distance away from either of the warring sides. In that instant, Yuusuke recognized the person riding the D-Wheel by the name that had appeared beside him. Firesoul - or Adam Fergusson, as he was known in the real world - American champion of the last national tournaments. He had never met him personally, of course, within or without the virtual world, but he was the only one of the three champions to have publically revealed his identity, and had been the focus of attention for a while after the tournaments. He remembered him as a flamboyant man, a little older than himself, rather arrogant and overbearing, usually with a haughty smile on his face. Right now his expression was grim, and that smile had been replaced by a dark scowl. Jacqueline, for her part, looked positively livid. Her hostage had been taken away right under her nose, and now she had no way to ensnare Yuusuke, either. "Get him!" She screamed, and all of the Cataphracts at once turned their attention to the red-haired duelist, bringing their monsters in attack position. But Fergusson's expression only changed into disgust, and he raised his hand. A deafening crash, and from the sky above, a huge meteorite descended at breathtaking velocity. No, not a meteorite - it was a giant dragon-like creature, a dinosaur, whose body had taken the form of a giant, fiery rock. The behemoth crashed in their midst, and everyone sought cover from the massive explosion that accompanied the impact. Thankfully, though the shockwaves shook the entire structure to its invisible foundations, the blast was more focused, and they managed to escape unharmed. When the smoke cleared, all but a few of the Cataphracts' monsters had disappeared, including the beast Fergusson had summoned. "Numbers won't make a difference if you can just take them all out in one shot." Fergusson said, though it was unclear whether he was talking to Jacqueline or to the others. A portal had appeared beside his D-Wheel, and he had already reignited the engine. "Now, Aizawa Yuusuke." His eyes locked on Yuusuke's, and he started - how did he know his name? "We have something important to discuss. If you want to see this girl again, follow me. Alone." With this, he jumped into the fiery cascade, which completely obscured what lay beyond, and vanished. Without wasting time with hesitation or wonder, Yuusuke brought forth his own D-Wheel and leapt on it. "No you don't!" Jacqueline shrieked. In an instant, five of the closest Cataphracts, those who still had monsters left, made to go after him. He gritted his teeth - the portal that was his destination was slowly dissolving, and Jacqueline was making a run for it on her mount, while the five monsters that closed in in front of him would definitely take time to - "Leave this to me." Kiishiro said, suddenly next to him. Before Yuusuke could be surprised, he raised his arm, and a crimson mark similar to the clawed fingers of the dragon appeared on it, glowing through the white sleeve of his clothing. This was what Ivory had been talking about! A lean dragon with a pure black body, wrapped in feather-like crimson petals, appeared above him in a whirlwind of roses. Yuusuke was stunned, momentarily, by the unearthly beauty and power the creature exuded, until it raised its wings, and the whirlwind became a violent gale, sending a cascade of petals all around them. Several bursts of rose fire followed, while they shielded their eyes and faces from the maelstrom. When they looked again, not only was there nothing of the monsters left before them, but the closest Cataphracts were now on the ground, flailing as they bled profusely from numerous slashing wounds. "Go." Kiishiro ordered. Not looking - not daring to look - Yuusuke pushed on the accelerator, diving for the fiery gateway. But he would not make it. Jacqueline was much closer, and the flowery lion ran with speed that belied its bulk. He pressed forward in desperation, but - A spiralling stream, crimson and black intertwined into a vortex of energy, sped past him, slashing a wide line into the ground in front of Jacqueline. Her mount reared, leaping back to avoid being struck. Yuusuke barely wasted a moment to glance at the bird-like black dragon with the bladed wings that had unleashed the attack. With a look of gratitude towards Yenma, he rushed in pursuit of Maya's enigmatic kidnapper, the flames licking his vehicle as he crossed through only a second before the gateway closed. He was in a Riding Arena called Bloodfire Forge. A gigantic pool of lava was in the middle, and the riding circuit initially began circling it - but a quarter of the way through, it climbed through a narrow bridge over the fiery lake, then delving underground once it reached the other side. Yuusuke could not see the underground pathway, but its exit lay on the remote far edge of the arena, climbing over another bridge to reach the starting point. Adam Fergusson was waiting for him, mounted on his D-Wheel. Maya was nowhere to be seen. "What have you done with her?" Yuusuke demanded in a hoarse voice. Despite the situation with Jacqueline, if this guy was associated with Duel International - or worse yet, with that Eizan fellow... "Relax." Fergusson said. "She is safe, and I have no intentions of harming her. She is an old friend of mine, after all." Yuusuke doubted Maya would have considered a person like the Fergusson he had seen on television as a friend. Then again, he hadn't even known the truth about Maya until a few hours earlier. Why did he assume he knew the truth about Fergusson? "You, however... you won't have it that easy." "What do you want from me?" Yuusuke demanded, his temper rising. He hadn't even met this person before! "What have I done to you?" "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Fergusson countered his question. "No." Yuusuke replied crisply. It was uncommon in modern Japan for families to give birth to more than one child. The large increase in birth rates the decade before Yuusuke was born had led to overpopulation problems. "What does this have to - " "I had a brother, once." Fergusson said. "But he's dead now. He's dead, because of Duel International. Because of this world." Yuusuke cringed - those bastards had much to pay for, and it seemed their crimes went way back. However, that didn't explain anything. "Then you should be fighting with us!" He said. "We're also trying to stop them!" "Rest assured, I am not allied with them, and I will fight them in my own way, when the time comes." Fergusson declared. "But I am not finished. My brother died because a certain man let Dunkan know how to find him. That man was your father, Aizawa Taihito." Yuusuke froze. "It - it can't be..." Yuusuke muttered. His father? "It must have been an accident... he would never have..." "Of course, it was not intentional." Fergusson continued, as if he hadn't heard anything Yuusuke had said. "Your father couldn't have known what my brother was up to, or what would happen once he reported the situation to his superiors. So he did, drawing their attention to what he thought was only a small glitch. And that information was all they needed to send two people to their graves, one of which was my own brother." "Then why are you blaming me?!" Yuusuke exploded. "If there's anyone to blame for this, it's the company that runs this crazy world! My father didn't know - [i]couldn't[/i] have known - anything about it! Your revenge is misguided!" "Revenge? You misunderstand." Fergusson shook his head. "I'm not after anything so petty. After my brother's death, I secretly continued the project he had began. You see, we had discovered the truth about Duel International, before the national championships. So we tried to find a way to take advantage of their schemes, and exploit the power of the Nexus ourselves, without letting it fall into their hands. However - " He couldn't continue. At that moment, Yuusuke drove his fist into his face, knocking him off his D-Wheel. Yuusuke immediately grabbed him by the collar of his uniform, leaning close to his face. "You knew about this?" He growled, anger causing every fiber of his being to tremble violently. "You knew, back then, and you didn't warn - you didn't say - so many people died - " Fergusson grabbed his wrist with one hand, and, with shocking force, threw him aside. He climbed smoothly to his feet, rubbing his cheek where Yuusuke's fist had connected. "We did not know of the full implications of their project, yet." Fergusson said calmly, as if nothing had happened whatsoever. "Besides, if your father hadn't revealed Project REVOLT to them, and we could have gone through with our plan, then nothing of this would have occured. But, as I was saying, I do not seek revenge. I only want to complete what we had begun back then. Find a way to get through to the Nexus, before Dunkan can take a hold of it. I have the energy required for it, but, as I discovered earlier, that's not enough. I need something... else. A driving force, to guide and direct that energy. This force shall be our emotions. That's why I brought you here. I will fight you, but you will merely be a conduit for my hatred and anger, and in return, your own hatred and anger towards me will also fuel the path to the Nexus. This is the final stage, and if you want to see Maya again, you'll follow along." There was no further conversation. Yuusuke climbed back onto his D-Wheel. Regardless of reasons and goals, there was one truth here. This person was insane, dangerously so. More than Dread_T, who was simply a bloodthirsty murderer - Fergusson's madness was driven, defined, and he had the means and power to back it up. He'd stop him here and free Maya. And then it was their turn. Scowling, he kicked his machine into high gear. Both duelists activated their copy of Speed World 2, initiating the procedure of the Riding Duel. [spoiler=Speed World 2][b]Speed World 2[/b] SPELL / Field If you activate a non-"Speed Spell" Spell Card, take 2000 damage. During each player's Standby Phase, place 1 Speed Counter on this card (max. 12). You can remove any number of Speed Counters from this card to activate an appropriate effect: • 4: Inflict 800 damage to your opponent for each "Speed Spell" Spell Card in your hand. • 7: Draw 1 card. • 10: Select and destroy 1 card on the field.[/spoiler] "Whoever crosses the first corner goes first." Fergusson said unnecessarily. Though it was only his second Riding Duel, he knew for a fact - he'd have to win this one. [center][i][b]Riding Duel - Acceleration![/b][/i][/center] It was as if twin blazes, one golden and one crimson, crossed the landscape side-by-side. Such was the breathtaking speed of the D-Wheels, and the resolve of their drivers. But, it was no surprise that Fergusson's machine had the higher specs, and slowly, he began gaining ground. In that case, there was only one course of action to take. Preparing for the impact, Yuusuke slammed his D-Wheel into the side of his opponent's engine - - but he only hit thin air, and nearly lost his balance. When he regained his bearings, he saw his enemy was already crossing the first corner, an enormous azure blaze flowing forth from the exhaust pipes. Cursing, he followed suit, passing the breakpoint shortly after Fergusson. [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - LP: 4000[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "My turn." Fergusson said coolly. It was then that the situation dawned on Yuusuke. His fight against Dread_T had been the most difficult he'd had thus far, and he had only won due to a fluke. A trick like the one he had used wouldn't work against an opponent of such caliber. "I summon Miracle Jurassic Egg, in defense mode." A glowing white oval egg appeared in front of him, pulsing with an unknown force. "Two cards face-down, turn end." [spoiler=Miracle Jurassic Egg][b]Miracle Jurassic Egg[/b] EARTH / Dinosaur Level 4 0/2000 While this card is face-up on your side of the field, this card cannot be removed from play. Place 2 counters on this card each time a Dinosaur-Type Monster Card is sent to your Graveyard. By Tributing this card, select and Special Summon 1 Dinosaur-Type monster from your Deck whose Level is equal to or lower than the number of counters on this card when it was Tributed.[/spoiler] Yuusuke gritted his teeth. Dinosaurs. That meant that he was, more than likely, playing his Jurak deck. If so... "Draw!" He declared, and Speed Counters rose accordingly. Against the barrier monster that would accumulate counters and facilitate a Dinosaur's Special Summoning directly from the deck, he had the perfect response. [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - SPC: 1[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - SPC: 1[/i][/center] "I'll call out Lightlord Monk Eileen!" The dark-skinned agile close-quarters fighting monk of the Lightlords materialized next to him. "Battle! Eileen attacks Miracle Jurassic Egg, and at the same time, her effect activates, returning her target to the deck before damage calculation is applied!" [spoiler=Lightlord Monk Eileen][b]Lightlord Monk Eileen][/b] LIGHT / Warrior Level 4 1600/1000 If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, return that monster to its owner's Deck before damage calculation. During each of your End Phases, send the top 3 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] "Naive. Trap, activate!" Fergusson declared seamlessly. "Wrath of God! At the cost of a card from my hand, the effect that was just used is negated, and your card is destroyed!" Yuusuke gritted his teeth as divine lightning struck down his monster before she could complete her assault. [spoiler=Wrath of God][b]Wrath of God[/b] TRAP / Counter Discard 1 card. Negate the activation of an Effect Monster's effect and destroy that Effect Monster.[/spoiler] "Furthermore, since the card I discarded was the Dinosaur monster, Babycerasaurus, Miracle Jurassic Egg gains two Counters!" Yuusuke watched the silver egg grow in size and brightness, as two small cracks appeared on it. He looked at the cards left in his hand. They were, hopefully, enough to orchestrate a successful defense. "I set two cards face-down. Turn e - " "Not so fast." Fergusson interrupted. "During your End Phase, I activate Limit Rebirth, reviving Babycerasaurus from the Graveyard in attack mode!" [spoiler=Limit Rebirth][b]Limit Rebirth[/b] TRAP / Continuous Select 1 monster with 1000 or less ATK from your Graveyard, and Special Summon it in Attack Position. If that monster is changed to Defense Position, destroy it and this card. When this card is removed from the field, destroy that monster. When that monster is destroyed, destroy this card.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Babycerasaurus][b]Babycerasaurus[/b] EARTH / Dinosaur Level 2 500/500 If this card is destroyed by an effect and sent it to the Graveyard, select 1 Level 4 or lower Dinosaur-Type monster from your Deck and Special Summon it.[/spoiler] Yuusuke cringed. He could already see Fergusson's plan unfolding - and he did not like it one bit. He had played right into his hands. "Turn end." He snapped. "Back to me, then." Fergusson said coolly. Speed Counters for the both of them increased. [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - SPC: 2[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - SPC: 2[/i][/center] "First of all, I activate the Speed Spell - Angel Baton, allowing me to draw twice, since my Speed Counters are at 2 or higher. Then, I have to send a card from my hand to the Graveyard." He dragged two cards from the top of his deck, then flipped open one. "As you should have guessed, the card I choose to discard is yet another Dinosaur monster - namely Jurak Brachis. This means that Miracle Jurassic Egg gains another two counters." Two more cracks appeared on the egg - but Yuusuke knew that was hardly all. [spoiler=Speed Spell - Angel Baton][b]Speed Spell - Angel Baton[/b] SPELL / Normal Activate while you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Draw 2 cards. Afterwards, send 1 card from your hand to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] "I switch Babycerasaurus to defense mode." Fergusson continued. "This activates the effect of Limit Rebirth, destroying the revived monster - allowing both Miracle Jurassic Egg to gain another two Counters, and Babycerasaurus' effect to trigger, Special Summoning Jurak Dino from my deck." A small, yet ferocious carnivorous dinosaur wrapped in flames appeared on the field next to the egg, which was now halfway cracked. [spoiler=Jurak Dino][b]Jurak Dino[/b] FIRE / Dinosaur / Tuner Level 3 1700/800 Once during each player's End Phase, if this card destroyed an opponent's monster by battle this turn, you can Tribute 1 "Jurak" monster to draw 2 cards.[/spoiler] "Needless to say, I'm far from done. I summon Jurak Guaiba!" A creature with a disproportionally elongated neck and flaming body joined the fray. [spoiler=Jurak Guaiba][b]Jurak Guaiba[/b] FIRE / Dinosaur Level 4 1700/400 If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle, you can Special Summon 1 "Jurak" monster with 1700 or less ATK from your Deck. It cannot declare an attack this turn.[/spoiler] "I fear this is the end of the line for you. I tune my Level 4, Jurak Guaiba, to my Level 3, Jurak Dino! Synchro Summon!" The two dinosaurs became rings and orbs of white-hot flame, aligned by an unseen force into a cataclysmic blaze. "Come, Jurak Giganoto!" A bulky blue-skinned monstrosity, its head and extremities ablaze with searing fire, appeared from within the burst, roaring its primitive fury. [spoiler=Jurak Giganoto][b]Jurak Giganoto[/b] FIRE / Dinosaur / Synchro Level 7 2100/1800 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Dinosaur-Type monsters All face-up "Jurak" monsters you control gain 200 ATK for each "Jurak" monster in your Graveyard.[/spoiler] "Two more Dinosaurs were just sent to the Graveyard." Fergusson said. "Miracle Jurassic Egg gains another four counters, for a grand total of ten! But, eight are enough for my purposes. I release Miracle Jurassic Egg to Special Summon Ancient Dino from my deck!" Its scaled blue body toughened and fossilized with age, the new dinosaur that appeared was of comparable size to the Jurak Synchro monster, yet contrary to it, it was protectively guarding itself and its controller. [spoiler=Ancient Dino][b]Ancient Dino[/b] EARTH / Dinosaur Level 8 2700/1400 You can Tribute Summon this card in face-up Attack Position by Tributing 1 Dinosaur-Type monster. When a Dinosaur-Type monster is Special Summoned from your Graveyard, you can draw 1 card.[/spoiler] Stared down by the two enormous dinosaur monsters, Yuusuke felt panic grip him. He remembered one more fact about his opponent, that he had thus far ignored. Shortly after the tournaments, there had been an exhibition match between the European and American champions. And in that battle, Fergusson had prevailed. That meant that Maya had been defeated by him. If so, Yuusuke was quite possibly facing the strongest out of the three national champions. Jurak Giganoto's power rose to 2700, and Yuusuke desperately prepared for the coming onslaught. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Chapter 52] [center][b][u]Chapter 52:[/b] Flame Ruler[/u][/center] Cornered like a rat, Jacqueline glanced wildly around her, searching for an escape - a lifeline. Not from the situation atop the Arc Cradle - she was certain she could fight with these mongrels evenly, if it came down to that. But after that... she had failed, and failed badly. That Fergusson boy, to have crossed her like this - !! Now Maya, who had been delivered to her via Eizan's instructions, and whom Dunkan wanted, was lost to her, and she had even failed to deal with Yuusuke. No, the punishment for her failures would far outweigh the consequences of defeat here. Then, to run away. But where? Even if she could avoid Dunkan's minions, she could never dodge Miyataka Eizan here. The real world? It was not an option. Since their last meeting, they had completely sealed down the entire system. Not even Jacqueline and the others could leave or enter now, not without time-consuming preparation that would definitely alert Dunkan. And, of course, Eizan would know long before she could get to the relative safety of the outside. Then, the only way out would be to offer something of equal value. If she got rid of ZONE and the Arc Cradle here, her failure would certainly be overlooked in favor of the removal of a much larger problem. But the problem was, the Cataphracts she had brought along were already mostly incapacitated, and she was alone against six. She closed her eyes, calling upon the power that was bestowed to her. Conceptual materialization based on the realization of one's ideals. She summoned the relentless guardians of nature, who would fight with fang and claw to protect their home ground. The floral tiger and dragon appeared next to her lion steed. Barkion, Beast, and Gaodrake would be enough for this rabble. Whichever Cataphracts still had the strength to do so brought forth a new batch of lesser monsters, joining the frontline. None of her opponents had moved, though Blackfeather Dragon still soared over their heads, ready to dive in their defense. Suddenly, a single girl walked forward from between their lines. Jacqueline frowned - she had identified the other four children, but she did not know who this one was. She strode purposefully ahead, and raised her hand. Jacqueline's eyes widened with hate as she noticed a third crimson sign form on her arm. Why now, of all times - !! She didn't have to give the command. All three of her monsters struck at once. Despite the blue-and-golden glow that rose like a pillar above their target, there was no way the still-to-be summoned dragon would withstand three simultaneous attacks. Jacqueline would soon be disillusioned, though. The lithe blue serpentine dragon that materialized, wide membrane wings spread out to each side of its body, appeared completely unharmed. A golden glow surrounded the mystical creature, and her three beasts cowered and whimpered, stepping back. "Your resolve must be aligned to your monsters." ZONE said suddenly, floating towards her. "Right now, the ideals that gave birth to these creatures have disappeared, giving way to a primal need to save your own life. You cannot draw out their powers when you reject the reason of their existence. It's time we finished this." A mechanical monstrosity appeared from a spatial distortion in front of zone. She quickly identified the Time Machine God that Moboro had faced - the monster that had dragged him down to his grave. Her courage vanished as the malevolent face trapped within the machine turned its attention to her. It grinned, and its long, thin arms rose towards her. A huge sphere of fire surrounded everything, and Jacqueline felt reality crumble away to dust, as she was warped into a time space vortex. Within seconds, the Arc Cradle was silent once more. --- The huge burning dinosaur roared, as its power increased for the amount of Juraks already in Fergusson's Graveyard. Yuusuke's field was already empty, and though Fergusson had placed Ancient Dino in defense mode, for fear of a potential Mirror Force, Giganoto alone was still enough to take down the vast majority of Yuusuke's Life Points. "Now, I attack you directly with Jurak Giganoto!" Fergusson turned his D-Wheel around, driving on the precarious ground on reverse, and Yuusuke could see a taunting glint in his eyes. Gritting his teeth, he triggered his card - perhaps it was not a fair trade, but he couldn't afford to take that much damage now. "Mirror Force destroys all your attack position monsters!" He proclaimed, and indeed, before the charging dinosaur could reach him, it was struck by the holy energy reflected by the protective mirror. [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] "As I thought." Fergusson said, turning forward once more. "But, if you are scared of taking damage, you won't be able to beat me." He suddenly accelerated, taking the turn onto the bridge that would lead them across the lava lake at high speeds. Yuusuke did not miss the challenge. He knew he would have to take damage eventually, and he knew what that could mean, on a thin line of stone suspended over a blazing pool. He had not come this far just to fall here. Pushing the accelerator, he skidded onto the bridge, catching up with his daring opponent. "Two cards face-down, turn end." Fergusson said expressionlessly. "Then it's my turn!" Yuusuke's hand trembled slightly as it left the handle to grab a new card - the slighest misstep could send him plummeting down to a fiery demise. [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - SPC: 3[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - SPC: 3[/i][/center] "I'll call out Luminous in defense, and use her effect, discarding Garos to Special Summon Eileen from the Graveyard." The dark-skinned summoner of the Lightlord force appeared, waving her staff. In an explosion of light, Eileen also materialized next to her. [spoiler=Lightlord Summoner Luminous][b]Lightlord Summoner Luminous[/b] LIGHT / Spellcaster Level 3 1000/1000 Once per turn, you can discard 1 card to Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Lightlord" monster from your Graveyard. During each of your End Phases, send the top 3 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] "With the revived Eileen, I attack!" He commanded, but Fergusson shook his head. "You are not a fast learner. Trap, activate! Dimensional Imprisonment will seal away your monster before it can complete its attack." Yuusuke cringed - none of his attacks got through, and this time his monster was also removed from the game! [spoiler=Dimensional Imprisonment][b]Dimensional Imprisonment[/b] TRAP / Normal Activate only when your opponent declares an attack. Remove from play the attacking monster.[/spoiler] "I'll set a card." He said, glancing at the remaining card in his hand. This one wouldn't be of much use to him now. "During the End Phase, Luminous' effect sends the top three cards of my deck to the Graveyard." He could only pray that he dropped the right cards. He cast a glance at them as he placed them in the discard slot and grimaced. They could've been worse, but they could've been better, too. "Back to me, then." Fergusson said, unfazed. Both their Speed Counters stood now at four, meaning Speed World 2's first activated effect - perhaps the most dangerous one under these circumstances - could be used. But, with his hand depleted, it was not likely that Fergusson would opt to use it right now even if he drew a Speed Spell. [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - SPC: 4[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - SPC: 4[/i][/center] "I summon Jurak Ptera in defense." A winged dinosaur materialized on the field. "I switch Ancient Dino to attack mode, and activate the reverse card, Call of the Living Dead, to revive Jurak Giganoto from the Graveyard!" Despite Yuusuke's best attempts, it seemed Fergusson's field was only continuing to grow in force. [spoiler=Jurak Ptera][b]Jurak Ptera[/b] FIRE / Dinosaur Level 3 800/1500 If this card is attacked, return the attacking monster to the hand after damage calculation and this card gains DEF equal to the returned monster's Level x 100.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Call of the Living Dead][b]Call of the Living Dead[/b] TRAP / Continuous Select 1 monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it in face-up Attack Position. When this card is removed from the field, destroy the monster. When the monster is destroyed, destroy this card.[/spoiler] "Since a Dinosaur has been Special Summoned from the Graveyard, I draw once." He stated. "And now, let's see if you can withstand this attack. Ancient Dino, attack Luminous!" "I activate my Trap card!" Yuusuke retorted. "Lightlord Barrier will remain on the field, blocking attacks against my Lightlord monsters at a cost of two cards from my deck." He dragged out two cards and glanced at them, before tossing them away. [spoiler=Lightlord Barrier][b]Lightlord Barrier[/b] TRAP / Continuous When a face-up "Lightlord" monster you control is selected as an attack target, you can send the top 2 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard to negate the attack.[/spoiler] "Giganoto will attack as well." Fergusson said. Yuusuke started - usually, an opponent would strive to avoid triggering the 'cost' of cards like Lightlord Barrier, which were much more likely to help its controller than harm him. A silver sphere appeared around Luminous, sealing off the attack, and Yuusuke picked up two more cards. "However, one of the cards sent, is Lightlord Beast Wolf." He said. "So I can Special Summon it instantly!" The ferocious white beast appeared with a roar. [spoiler=Lightlord Beast Wolf][b]Lightlord Beast Wolf[/b] LIGHT / Beast Level 4 2100/300 This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. When this card is sent from your Deck to the Graveyard, Special Summon it.[/spoiler] "I'll end my turn with a reverse card." Fergusson finished, unconcerned by Wolf's appearance. "Draw!" Yuusuke said fervently. They were now halfway over the lake, their ascent complete. Now the bridge led downwards, into the bowels of the earth. Yuusuke picked up speed, almost catching up with his opponent. [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - SPC: 5[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - SPC: 5[/i][/center] His opponent had made a critical mistake - that was, allowing him to get the resources he needed in the Graveyard. Now, he would demonstrate the extent of that error. "The effect of Grow-Up Bulb activates in my Graveyard, reviving itself at the cost of the top card from my deck." Yuusuke explained. "And now I'll tune my Level 4, Light monster, Lightlord Beast Wolf, and my Level 3, Light monster, Lightlord Summoner Luminous, to my Level 1, Grow-Up Bulb!" In a shower of brilliant light, the two Lightlords converged into an array of seven stars, filing into a single green circle. "Synchro Summon! Light End Dragon!" The holy wyrm materialized above him, uncoiling Its lustrous serpentine body, releasing a cascade of silver-white light over the fiery arena. [spoiler=Grow-Up Bulb][b]Grow-Up Bulb[/b] EARTH / Plant / Tuner Level 1 100/100 You can send the top card of your Deck to the Graveyard and Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. Each player can only use the effect of "Grow-Up Bulb" once per Duel.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Light End Dragon][b]Light End Dragon[/b] LIGHT / Dragon / Synchro Level 8 2600/2100 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner LIGHT monsters When this monster battles, you can activate this card's effect at attack declaration. If you do, this card loses 500 ATK and DEF (permanently), and the monster it is battling loses 1500 ATK and DEF until the End Phase.[/spoiler] Yuusuke glanced at the field, thinking intently. Light End Dragon alone wasn't powerful enough to guarantee a victory during this turn. But, if he went just a little further... he was running out of cards, too. If he made a mistake here, and fell into another Dimensional Imprisonment... his opponent had played two cards to stop his attacks already. Was it possible that the card that now lay on his field was also such a card? He did not know. He would not be able to find out, except by lashing out to attack. "What's wrong?" Fergusson said, halfway twisting his head to look at Yuusuke. "If you're going to do something, you should man up and do it. Cowering and hesitating is just unsightly." Yuusuke gritted his teeth. This guy - he was certainly leading him on. No, if he thought about it, from the moment he declared the second attack, something was off. There was no way a player of his caliber wouldn't know that a Lightlord deck would benefit from sending cards from the deck to the Graveyard. So even then, he was trying to bring Yuusuke to attack him at full force, so he could retaliate and reverse the situation. Needless to say, he would not be provoked by a simple taunt. "I attack Ancient Dino with Light End Dragon!" He declared. The sacred creature reared its head, a majestic white halo forming around it. Yuusuke tensed, waiting for the counter attack. But no Traps were activated. "...Light End Dragon's effect activates! By reducing its own power by 500 points, it can reduce the scores of the monster it battles with by thrice that amount!" A holy aura wrapped around the fossilized dinosaur, draining away its strength. The difference that was only 100 points now widened to 1100, and a cataclysmic blast shrouded the field. Terrified, Yuusuke watched the bridge cave where the strike had hit home. Fergusson, nimbly avoiding a direct blow, reared his D-Wheel, leaping on the spot over the gap and landing smoothly on the other side, Yuusuke, on the other hand, had twice as much a distance to jump over, and nowhere near that level of reflex and skill... ...however, maybe he [i]did[/i] have something to compensate. Without the timespan to try anything else, and knowing full well that failure would result in death, he did the first thing that came to his mind. Mimicking how Kiishiro had brought his monster's power to bear, he raised his arm. His D-Wheel slipped over the abrupt end of the stonework, threatening to collapse directly into the lava - Without even knowing for sure himself what it was that he had tried to do, it worked. Light End Dragon dove gracefully downwards, holding Yuusuke and his machine up with a wave of holy light which propelled him smoothly onto the other side of the gap. Landing heavily, Yuusuke breathed a deep sigh of relief - and looked ahead. [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - LP: 2900[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "I'm impressed." Fergusson commented airily. "That wasn't a mean feat." Yuusuke did not speak. Fergusson had not activated anything. Was he reluctant to use his trump card while Yuusuke was still holding back? Most likely. After all, he didn't manage to inflict a great deal of damage this turn, so... "I summon Lightlord Paladin Jean in defense." Yuusuke snapped, calling the white-clad young warrior before him. "During the End Phase, Jean sends another two cards from my deck to the Graveyard. Turn end." [spoiler=Lightlord Paladin Jean][b]Lightlord Paladin Jean[/b] LIGHT / Warrior Level 4 1800/1200 If this card attacks an opponent's monster, it gains 300 ATK during the Damage Step only. During each of your End Phases, send the top 2 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] "My turn. Draw." Fergusson stated. "Now, let's see what you're [i]really[/i] made of." [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - SPC: 6[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - SPC: 6[/i][/center] "I'll start by activating my reverse card. The Speed Spell - Dash Pilfer!" Fergusson declared. Yuusuke nearly fell off the bridge. "What?!" He exclaimed. "Then it wasn't a - " "It wasn't a Trap card." Fergusson explained calmly. "I merely led you to believe it was one, and you played directly into my hands. I know what you're thinking. 'If only I had attacked full-force back then'... unfortunately, matches aren't fought in retrospect. In a duel, where luck governs a great amount of the actual gameplay, what distinguishes the merely good players from the excellent ones is the ability to manipulate their opponent. The moment you started second-guessing your decisions due to my actions, this outcome was already determined. Dash Pilfer activates, taking control of Lightlord Paladin Jean for the remainder of the turn. This mistake shall be your downfall." [spoiler=Speed Spell - Dash Pilfer][b]Speed Spell - Dash Pilfer[/b] SPELL / Normal Activate only if you have 4 or more Speed Counters. Take control of 1 face-up Defense Position monster your opponent controls, until the End Phase.[/spoiler] Yuusuke looked down, enraged. How could he have blundered like this? He failed to grasp the chance for certain victory, and instead he did exactly as his opponent had wanted him to. "It's too late for regret." Fergusson said. "Regret is pointless like that. I sacrifice your Paladin and my Ptera, to Advance Summon this! Come, the king of dinosaurs! Jurak Titan!" A gigantic bipedal dinosaur, surrounded by a violent blaze, burst forth onto the field, next to the small, by comparison, Giganoto. The beast roared with burning rage, producing a wave of wind that almost knocked Yuusuke off his course. They were approaching the entrance of the underground tunnel now, and in those last few feet the bridge drew precariously narrow. Yuusuke tried to remain calm - somehow, it was nearly impossible. [spoiler=Jurak Titan][b]Jurak Titan[/b] FIRE / Dinosaur Level 9 3000/2800 This card cannot be Special Summoned. While face-up on the field, this card cannot be targeted by the effects of Traps or Effect Monsters. Once per turn, you can remove from play 1 "Jurak" monster with 1700 or less ATK from your Graveyard to have this card gain 1000 ATK until the End Phase.[/spoiler] "You will notice that another Jurak exists in my Graveyard. This means that Giganoto and Titan both gain 800 points of attack each." With 2900, and 3800 attack power respectively for the two behemoths, there was little chance for Light End Dragon to survive unaided. But, with its effect, he should at least be able to survive - "I activate Titan's effect, removing Jurak Brachis from play." Fergusson said ruthlessly. "This might reduce the attack of my monsters, but to compensate, it increases Titan's attack by 1000 points." The great dinosaur's power rose to 4600. "And now, battle! Jurak Titan, strike down Light End Dragon!" Hopelessly defenseless, the majestic dragon attempted its attack reducing effect, but it only sufficed to drop the behemoth's power to 3100, whereas Light End's own power fell to 1600. Not knowing what else to do, Yuusuke held on the handles of his D-Wheel tightly. A massive sphere of flame devoured his monster, and then it descended directly on top of him - Pushing his ability to the utmost limit, Yuusuke kicked back. For a moment, he was flying. In that instant, white-hot flames licked his back - he felt his uniform give way under the extreme heat. He landed with a bang on the edge of the bridge, where the path began digging under the ground. Daring one last look behind him, he saw the bridge he had been driving on was gone completely, and the lava underneath was churning, provided with newfound material to devour. It didn't last long, though, as the mental impact struck him hard, and he suffered the 1500 points of damage. He grunted, barely managing to stay on course. [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - LP: 2900[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 2500[/i][/center] "You understand, right?" Fergusson said. "It's nothing personal. However, Giganoto's attack is currently at 2700, which is quite enough to wrap this game up. Direct attack!" "You won't have it that easy!" Yuusuke yelled. "Trap, activate! Illusion of Flashing Light!" They were now within the underground caverns, and even with the light from their D-Wheels and holograms, they could barely see a few meters ahead. His opponent drove intuitively, avoiding uneven ground and abrupt turns with practiced ease, whereas Yuusuke tried hard to keep up. Thankfully, this last Trap card shed plenty of light onto the field, and from within that illumination, a horse-like dragonic creature emerged. "Lightlord Dragon Gragonis, which was sent to the Graveyard thanks to the effect of Luminous, is revived! And for each Lightlord in my Graveyard - namely, Luminous, Wolf, Garos, Jean and Cherubim, Gragonis gains 300 attack points, for a total of 3500! You sure you want to go through with your attack now?" [spoiler=Illusion of Flashing Light][b]Illusion of Flashing Light[/b] TRAP / Continuous Select 1 "Lightlord" monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it in Attack Position. During each of your End Phases, send the top 2 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard. When this card is removed from the field, destroy that monster. When that monster is removed from the field, destroy this card.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Lightlord Dragon Gragonis][b]Lightlord Dragon Gragonis[/b] LIGHT / Dragon Level 6 2000/1600 This card gains 300 ATK and DEF for each "Lightlord" monster with a different name in your Graveyard. 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. During each of your End Phases, send the top 3 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] Fergusson frowned at the field, and the overwhelming disadvantage he was at. He shook his head. "Turn end." Yuusuke breathed a little easier now. Always watching out for the treacherous ground, he drew his next card, examining the field. With Gragonis and Lightlord Barrier, he could pretty much not worry about pure attack power. But if he really wanted to be safe, he had to find a way to get rid of both those dinosaurs at once. He examined his choices. Well, it wasn't the ideal method, but with some luck, it could work. [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - SPC: 7[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - SPC: 7[/i][/center] "I activate Speed Spell - Vision Wind! Since I have more than 2 Speed Counters, this will, for one turn, Special Summon a Level 2 or lower monster from my Graveyard! I choose Sunny Pixie!" The childish yellow-clad fairy appeared on the field, chirping cheerfully as she hovered around the gigantic dragon. [spoiler=Speed Spell - Vision Wind][b]Speed Spell - Vision Wind[/b] SPELL / Normal Activate only while you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Select and Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower monster from your Graveyard. Destroy it during the End Phase.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Sunny Pixie][b]Sunny Pixie[/b] LIGHT / Fairy / Tuner Level 1 300/400 If this card is sent to the Graveyard for the Synchro Summon of a LIGHT Synchro Monster, gain 1000 Life Points.[/spoiler] "Now, I'll activate the effect of Destiny Hero Diabolic Guy from my Graveyard, removing it from play to Special Summon another one." He said. A ghostly figure of a black, feral winged warrior briefly appeared on the field, grinning wildly before it dispersed, replaced by a living counterpart. "And then I Normal Summon D.D. Crow!" A small pitch-black raven joined the fairy in its dance around the field. [spoiler=Destiny Hero Diabolic Guy][b]Destiny Hero Diabolic Guy[/b] DARK / Warrior Level 6 800/800 You can remove this card in your Graveyard from play to Special Summon 1 "Destiny Hero - Diabolic Guy" from your Deck.[/spoiler] [spoiler=D.D. Crow][b]D.D. Crow[/b] DARK / Winged Beast Level 1 100/100 During either player's turn, you can discard this card to the Graveyard to remove from play 1 card from your opponent's Graveyard.[/spoiler] "Behold, I tune my Level 6, Dark monster, Destiny Hero Diabolic Guy, and my Level 1, Dark monster, D.D. Crow, to my Level 1, Sunny Pixie! Synchro Summon!" Clustering black light converged into a misty shroud, preventing even the pale lighting from illuminating their track. They drove blindly, now - but thankfully, the darkness only lasted a few seconds. From within the black cloud, a great black dragon with demonic features rose, the counterpart to the glorious white serpent that had appeared earlier. "Dark End Dragon descends!" [spoiler=Dark End Dragon][b]Dark End Dragon[/b] DARK / Dragon / Synchro Level 8 2600/2100 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner DARK monsters Once per turn, you can have this card lose 500 ATK and DEF, and send 1 monster your opponent controls to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] "And of course, I'm not quite done yet. I know that Jurak Titan cannot be targeted by either monster or Trap card effects. But that doesn't protect Jurak Giganoto! Dark End Dragon's effect activates, reducing its own attack and defense power by 500 points, in order to send Giganoto directly to the Graveyard!" Unleashing a deathly cloud from its mouth, Dark End Dragon simply erased the opposing dinosaur, which wailed desperately before being buried in absolute darkness. "And with Giganoto gone, your Titan falls to a level easily manageable by my other dragon! Lightlord Dragon Gragonis, attack!" A gold stream of light exploded out of the holy creature's maw, enveloping the fiery monstrosity completely. A huge blast echoed throughout the caves. The ground began shaking violently. "It's going to collapse!" Yuusuke exclaimed frantically. Pushed forward by the force of the explosion, his opponent was nowhere to be seen now. Unfortunately, Yuusuke's prediction was quite accurate. Huge chunks of rock began falling down from the ceiling, creating cracks that rippled in all directions. He desperately maneouvered through the chaos, making a beeline for the unseen exit. But, he wasn't going to make it. There were just too many rifts that had torn the ground below apart, too many falling rocks overhead... But the rocks weren't falling around him any more. And though he was clearly driving over gaps wide enough to cause his vehicle to collapse within the endless abyss, he was still pushing forward at unbelievable speed. He should not have been able to even remotely control his D-Wheel at this velocity, but somehow he was dodging everything, turning at just the right points. He looked around in wonder. Dark End Dragon had spread its wings, guarding him from the collapsing ground overhead that did little more than graze the monstrous behemoth. In the meantime, Gragonis had positioned itself behind him, and was breathing a holy aura that had enveloped his D-Wheel, protecting him from the dangers that lurked underneath. Thanks to his two monsters, he soon reached the exit safely enough, barring several scrapes and bruises. Fergusson had stopped a few feet ahead of the exit point, glaring at him. [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - LP: 2400[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 2500[/i][/center] "Your Dark End Dragon does not have enough power to finish this." He said sternly. "It seems I have misjudged your limitations. Regardless, this is enough. Deliver your next blow, for it shall be your last." Yuusuke glared at his opponent. They had run through hell and back, but he seemed as collected as he had been when this insane competition started. Yuusuke looked around him - to his surprise, they were in an entirely different area than the one they had begun from. They were now standing on the bottom of a large basin. A precarious rock ceiling overhead was supported by several stone columns that looked as if they might collapse under some unseen pressure. From the edges of the roof, which seemed to be no more than a massive slab of stone suspended overhead, rather than an actual cave, white-hot lava oozed through, slowly filling the area they were trapped in. This could only be underneath the lake of lava they had seen above! To think there was something like this... but soon, he completely forgot about his location. On a small altar crafted from black stone, directly behind his opponent, Maya lay, still unconscious and pale as death. "Let her go!" He commanded impulsively. Jumping off his D-Wheel, he took a step forward - and paused. Every bone in his body hurt. Every muscle was unresponsive. His eyes fluttered, and his vision lost its clarity. He grabbed the edge of his vehicle to try and steady his body. This wasn't just physical exhaustion. He had not noticed it during the frantic race, but controlling the monsters as he had, calling their powers to reality, had taken a great toll on him. "What's wrong?" Fergusson demanded. "If you want her, get past me." Yuusuke's fist clenched, gripping the handle of his D-Wheel so hard until the pain on his fingers cleared his mind a little. "Dark End... Dragon... attack." He muttered, barely managing to make his voice audible. The black dragon shot forth a vortex of black energy, but Fergusson merely raised his arm, on which a crimson shield-like object was attached. The attack struck the metallic buckler and dispersed, and though he took the damage as normal, he suffered no ill effects from the direct blast. [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - LP: 300[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 2500[/i][/center] Yuusuke knew he could not let it end here. He might have the overwhelming advantage but... something about Fergusson's eyes told him that, indeed, if he allowed his next turn to go through unhindered, he might very well lose. "I activate... Speed World 2's effect." He breathed. "By removing all seven Speed Counters, I can... draw one card." The lines on his counter display vanished one by one, and he snatched the top card of his deck. He glanced at it - and cried out in dismay. [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - SPC: 7[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - SPC: 0[/i][/center] Judgment Dragon. If he had only used that effect earlier, there would have been no need for any of this. He could have summoned this monster, used its effect, and finished the battle instantly. Instead... he had failed again. "You let victory slip right through your fingers once more." Fergusson shook his head. "If your resolve to save your friend is this weak, then you should just die here. Draw." [center][i][b]Firesoul[/b] - SPC: 8[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - SPC: 1[/i][/center] Yuusuke collapsed on the side of his D-Wheel. He had... failed again. In this situation where defeat was unforgivable, he had rejected victory with his very own hands. Because he had been concerned about himself, and his life, he had forgotten about what truly was at stake here. "Speed Spell - Dead Synchron." Fergusson said unceremoniously. "I remove from play the Level 3, Jurak Ptera, the Level 3, Jurak Dino, and the Level 4, Jurak Guaiba in my Graveyard. Now with them, I can Synchro Summon this monster." He held up a card, and the earth trembled. Terrified, Yuusuke watched the stone above their heads slowly crack. It would soon collapse, and then lava would come down like a torrential downpour. "Come, Jurak Meteor!!" [spoiler=Speed Spell - Dead Synchron][b]Speed Spell - Dead Synchron[/b] SPELL / Normal Activate only while you have 5 or more Speed Counters. Synchro Summon 1 Synchro Monster. (Remove from play the appropriate monsters from your Graveyard.) Remove it from play during the End Phase.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Jurak Meteor][b]Jurak Meteor[/b] FIRE / Dinosaur / Synchro Level 10 2800/2000 1 "Jurak" Tuner + 2 or more non-Tuner Dinosaur monsters When this card is Synchro Summoned, destroy all cards on the field. Then, you can Special Summon 1 Tuner Monster from your Graveyard.[/spoiler] "You understand, right? I don't have to finish you off." He addressed the nearly unconscious Yuusuke. "Though I could have, certainly, I'll let you repent in the flames of the purgatory before that." He raised an arm, and a different portal appeared, this one radiating with all the colors of the rainbow. "I took what I required. I'm sorry." He looked truly regretful as he glanced back at the two duelists, doomed to be burned to death, trapped in this hell. "But soon, this might be an enviable end." And Yuusuke, his energy exhausted to the point where he could not lift a finger, watched helplessly, as if in slow motion, as the great meteor-dragon descended from the shattered ceiling, bringing down the fires of the apocalypse. [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiksilver Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 FERGUSSON USES JURRACS. YUS. Nice chapters, once more. Really, if you want some more creative responses, you're just going to have writing such good work. Can't wait to see how Maya and Yuusuke get out of this situation. So...what happened with Jacqueline and those monsters? Did they just materialize and attack each other like real things, kinda like what happened with the jets? P.S. Fergusson is a bit of a tool. Just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Umbra Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 During the last turn of the duel, isn't Galahad Yuusuke's persona? If so, why he take the damage from Dark End Dragon's attack? Enjoyable two chapters nonetheless, although I found Jacqueline's supposed death a bit underwhelming, to say the least. "And then she died." isn't a way I'd expect [b]any[/b] villain to go out, much less one with Jacqueline's story relevance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 At least even after I move, I'll still be able to enjoy reading this as a guest while I'm at work. Anyway, Chapter 49... I'm not as epically amazed as everyone else for the reason of everything seemed to move so fast and was over so quickly. Especially Ivory (love the way her voice connected back to Chapter 3 though) turning up and 'Hi I'm Ivory' bit. Yes I know, that's rich coming from me, and I know there was no point going over stuff we already knew, but it all just moved so fast. Maya up first, yay. Should have suspected Ryouga would still be involved. Infernities, awesome. Now I know what ridiculous plays to make for Fygmorke (nya ha ha ha ha). Really fitted his philoshipy and I love what a small world it is, Maya being the noble champion of a world built on blood money... A solid start to get back into it. Chapter 50 however... great ending. Really good chapter... And if what I think happened happened... absolutely frigging awesome. One thing with the duel, I wasn't aware you could just discard Krus like that? Thought you had to do it by way of another cards effect (Magic Jammer, Gallabas, Monster Reincarnation, etc)? Got to go work now, so will read 51 and 52 tomorrow. Enjoy your holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 [quote name='Quiksilver' timestamp='1310054602' post='5335202']FERGUSSON USES JURRACS. YUS.[/quote] That had been established since chapter 43, though. [quote name='Quiksilver' timestamp='1310054602' post='5335202']Nice chapters, once more. Really, if you want some more creative responses, you're just going to have writing such good work. Can't wait to see how Maya and Yuusuke get out of this situation. So...what happened with Jacqueline and those monsters? Did they just materialize and attack each other like real things, kinda like what happened with the jets?[/quote] The monsters are already real by now, whether you summon them in a duel or not. Those who know how to do it, like ZONE's group and obviously the villains, can simply bring them forth without the aid of a duel disk. [quote name='Quiksilver' timestamp='1310054602' post='5335202']P.S. Fergusson is a bit of a tool. Just saying.[/quote] Well, he's desperate by now, and there is an underlying subplot with him that has been faintly hinted at. You'll know more by the end of the arc. [quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1310061598' post='5335526']During the last turn of the duel, isn't Galahad Yuusuke's persona? If so, why he take the damage from Dark End Dragon's attack?[/quote] Because it was 4 in the morning when I was typing the ending in a sudden flash of inspiration. Needless to say, it didn't work out that well. Thanks for pointing that out, fixed. [quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1310061598' post='5335526']Enjoyable two chapters nonetheless, although I found Jacqueline's supposed death a bit underwhelming, to say the least. "And then she died." isn't a way I'd expect [b]any[/b] villain to go out, much less one with Jacqueline's story relevance.[/quote] However, she didn't die, and I never tried to convey the message that she had. What happened should be semi-obvious by my choice of wording, but you can also think about the monster that attacked her, its stats, its name, and its effect, to get a better understanding (although the effect, maybe not so much). Anyway, you'll find out in the next chapter, but don't worry - I wouldn't make a blunder like that. [quote name='Bahamut ZERO' timestamp='1310064703' post='5335679']At least even after I move, I'll still be able to enjoy reading this as a guest while I'm at work. Anyway, Chapter 49... I'm not as epically amazed as everyone else for the reason of everything seemed to move so fast and was over so quickly. Especially Ivory (love the way her voice connected back to Chapter 3 though) turning up and 'Hi I'm Ivory' bit. Yes I know, that's rich coming from me, and I know there was no point going over stuff we already knew, but it all just moved so fast.[/quote] I sort of needed things to progress though. I know I might have glossed over it a little, considering it was a meeting of much importance, but most of the things discussed were already exposed to us beforehand, and if I just had them talk about some of them, there would be the issue of why only display parts of the conversation. At least now you know it was the right choice to extend this by one arc - if this was going to be the last one, it'd have been even worse. [quote name='Bahamut ZERO' timestamp='1310064703' post='5335679']Maya up first, yay. Should have suspected Ryouga would still be involved. Infernities, awesome. Now I know what ridiculous plays to make for Fygmorke (nya ha ha ha ha). Really fitted his philoshipy and I love what a small world it is, Maya being the noble champion of a world built on blood money... A solid start to get back into it.[/quote] A large part of the story is based on coincidences and how they're not really coincidences. And I always liked the Infernity deck and its relation to Kiryu. At least in season 1. [quote name='Bahamut ZERO' timestamp='1310064703' post='5335679']Chapter 50 however... great ending. Really good chapter... And if what I think happened happened... absolutely frigging awesome. One thing with the duel, I wasn't aware you could just discard Krus like that? Thought you had to do it by way of another cards effect (Magic Jammer, Gallabas, Monster Reincarnation, etc)?[/quote] Oooh, that was epic fail on my part. What's worse, I think I've done this somewhere before, since there was a precedent in my head when I wrote it >.> Glad you guys enjoyed it. It's not rare that a story starts faltering and failing as the end approaches, and everything needs to come together - and since I have a wide scope, I'm somewhat more prone to those failings. Good to see I'm still doing well >.> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Umbra Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 I can definitely relate to things at 4 AM not exactly making sense the next morning. Then again, this proposes another problem: Now that Yuusuke's LP is actually above 1000, can't he use Judgment Dragon? I never saw him remove any Lightlords from his Graveyard, and by now there should be enough in there for him to actually summon it. (Or is it just the exhaustion that's stopping him?) When I read "She felt reality crumble into dust as she was warped into a time space vortex" I assumed it wasn't exactly leading to Happy Fun Sunshine Land. My mistake, I guess. It's been a while since I read the Moboro duel, and I never watched the ZONE duel in 5D's - I can't really connect the Temporal Machine Gods to anything significant. Unless she's going into that whitespace where we first met ZONE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted July 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 [quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1310068846' post='5335870']I can definitely relate to things at 4 AM not exactly making sense the next morning. Then again, this proposes another problem: Now that Yuusuke's LP is actually above 1000, can't he use Judgment Dragon? I never saw him remove any Lightlords from his Graveyard, and by now there should be enough in there for him to actually summon it. (Or is it just the exhaustion that's stopping him?)[/quote] When his turn started, his opponent had 2500ish LP and 2 monsters on the field with high attack. That's why he had to summon Dark End, get rid of Giganoto which was boosting Titan, and then attack Titan, which could not be gotten rid of by Dark End's targeting effect, with Gragonis. That whole thing ended up with him not having enough power left to finish the duel. If, instead of doing that, he had used SW2, drawn Judgment Dragon, and nuked the field, which doesn't target, he could have done it. After he did all this, though, even though he did use SW2 in order to get something that might help him live through the next turn, and drew Judgment Dragon, and had enough Life Points, his opponent simply didn't have anything left to destroy, and he couldn't attack again anyway. He could've done other things too, like use SW2's burn effect first. But this was one case where I did not mind any such subtle 'oversights' / 'mistakes'. A large part of the scene was based on Yuusuke actually being prone to making mistakes like that. [quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1310068846' post='5335870']When I read "She felt reality crumble into dust as she was warped into a time space vortex" I assumed it wasn't exactly leading to Happy Fun Sunshine Land. My mistake, I guess. It's been a while since I read the Moboro duel, and I never watched the ZONE duel in 5D's - I can't really connect the Temporal Machine Gods to anything significant. Unless she's going into that whitespace where we first met ZONE.[/quote] [spoiler=Well, very simply put]she's being warped to a different point in time and / or space.[/spoiler] You'll find out more next chapter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EndlessOcean Posted July 7, 2011 Report Share Posted July 7, 2011 That Was Awesomely Epicly Epawesome! Seriously, that was brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiksilver Posted July 8, 2011 Report Share Posted July 8, 2011 [quote name='~ Epic Hero - Saber ~' timestamp='1310067508' post='5335793'] That had been established since chapter 43, though. [b]Really? Goddammit...I really need to refresh my knowledge after this story being on such a long break. [/b] The monsters are already real by now, whether you summon them in a duel or not. Those who know how to do it, like ZONE's group and obviously the villains, can simply bring them forth without the aid of a duel disk. [b]I suppose that falls under the 'two worlds combining' thing, huh?[/b] Well, he's desperate by now, and there is an underlying subplot with him that has been faintly hinted at. You'll know more by the end of the arc. [b]He seemed to be quite calm up until this point, like Yuusuke noticed after they rode through that tunnel with the falling rocks. Perhaps he's at the point of desperation he's accepted his fate and simply wishes to see it through, no matter what, eh? Well, can't see to see how Fergusson's fate plays out, in any case.[/b] Glad you guys enjoyed it. It's not rare that a story starts faltering and failing as the end approaches, and everything needs to come together - and since I have a wide scope, I'm somewhat more prone to those failings. Good to see I'm still doing well >.> [/quote] Don't worry. Your story is still epically (that is how it's spelled, Insanious) amazing. I wonder where Ebony disappeared to. If my knowledge is correct (and there is a possibilty I'm wrong, so feel free to correct me) she disappeared after dueling Kiishiro. I wonder what she's been up to?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexadin Posted July 9, 2011 Report Share Posted July 9, 2011 Nice chapters. But just wondering, couldn't Yuusuke just use Speed World 2's effect to inflict 800 damage and win? Or did I miss something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted July 11, 2011 Report Share Posted July 11, 2011 Back up to date. Enjoyed reading it, nice to know that Yuusuke is human and can make mistakes under the pressure of the situation. Fergurson... jerk. So much for Maya being an old friend then, leaving her to die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aviv: D's Knight Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 I hope this thread doesn't die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted July 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 Nah, don't worry about it. I'm just preparing some material in advance, and I haven't yet decided where to place some Extra Chapters I've written. An update will come soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aviv: D's Knight Posted July 18, 2011 Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 I have an idea, the nexus gets overloaded and kills someone. The Nexus causes everyone to go insane and attack each other. Also I think you should continue Kishiro's mom's story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted July 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2011 [quote name='Caiba' timestamp='1311015218' post='5366652'] I have an idea, the nexus gets overloaded and kills someone. The Nexus causes everyone to go insane and attack each other. Also I think you should continue Kishiro's mom's story. [/quote] This will be explained in much detail a bit later down the road, but I'll give a small breakdown: you can imagine the energy that is 'stored' in the Nexus as following the same concepts as nuclear fusion. If you can control it, you can gain access to ridiculous amounts of power. If you can't... boom. The Nexus won't cause people to randomly go mad. Even the dimension-fusion that occurs when the Nexus draws near is more of a side-effect rather than a direct consequence of something the Nexus does. Simply put, the boundary that isolates dimensions, referred to as the Outer Sphere, cracks when the Nexus draws closer due to the proximity of such a monstrous energy source, thus making transition between dimensions much easier - and if the pressure gets high enough, the barrier will break, and the world will... end, basically. Sanjou Kotomi will reappear later in this arc. Now to some things I didn't have time to answer before: > Funny Ebony should be mentioned, since she is slated to appear in the directly next chapter. > Concerning Fergusson, it's more like he had been trying for many years to continue what his brother had left behind, went through hell to complete it, was pretty much certain it would work out, and when he tried it went all 'lol, no' on him. So yeah, he's in a pretty bad state right now. > For Yuusuke's misplays, my response to Umbra earlier should cover the specifics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ren✧ Posted July 19, 2011 Report Share Posted July 19, 2011 Alright I have read all the way up to Chapter 40. This story just simply blows my mind. There are so many twists in the plot I can just hold on to it. I love it. It keeps me interested and I am constantly thinking and trying to unravel the plot, but to no avail. Great, Great Job. I am totally astounded. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted July 21, 2011 Author Report Share Posted July 21, 2011 The long-awaited update finally kicks in. As we reach this arc's turning point, we will take a little break from the present, turbulent events, and travel one year to the past. Extra Chapters 5, 6, 7 and 8, composing a mini-arc, will narrate the events and conclusion of the Element Cycle tournament, and give us some insight into Takechi's, Yuko's, and Sugita's stories. Extra Chapters 5 and 6 will be available for your viewing pleasure right now, while 7 and 8 will appear a little later, but before the next arc begins. I hope you enjoy them. [spoiler=Extra Chapter 5] [center][b][u]Extra Chapter 5:[/b] Elemental Burst[/u][/center] The National Tournaments were the most prestigious event in the Duel Terminal system, one that nearly all players wanted to be a part of. The first tournaments were held only a year after the creation of the network, but were extremely small in scope and due to various imperfections, a lot of the tournament's progress was greatly hindered. Six years later, the national tournaments were set up again, this time gathering enormous participation. Those that were crowned champions in this series of battles, which lasted upwards to three months without counting the preliminary rounds, namely Ylaidus in Japan, Stiyel Crystal in Europe, and Firesoul in America, enjoyed worldwide fame. Duel International soon announced the next national tournaments, that would begin in the start of 2038. Countless people who had not had the chance to participate in the first contest started preparing for the event. Rising to a level where one could build a single deck to a comfortably competitive level, namely around rank 30, was not too difficult. However, the slope became much steeper afterwards, and to get as high as rank 60, one needed years of dedicated play. There weren't any official rank requirements to participate in the tournament, but there were other, much more demanding selection procedures, and it was generally accepted that anyone under rank 50 had no chance of joining. One of the ways offered by Duel International to aspiring competitors was to earn prestige through lesser events, which would in turn allow them a chance for a spot at the nationals. One of the largest events the Japanese network had seen was the Element Cycle, thanks no less to its unconventional participation requirements. It was essentially a four-block event, and in each section a player could only participate if his deck included only monsters from a specific attribute. The four attributes chosen were Earth, Fire, Water and Wind, invalidating the use of the more popular Light and Dark monsters. It was an intense challenge, and more than 1000 people participated - but after a whole month, and several grueling rounds, each block finally had a winner. Naturally, these four elite players, each representing their respective block's element, would compete in a 2-round tournament, to determine the placement between themselves, though each and every one of them had most assuredly earned a place in the national tournament just by qualifying for the final rounds. However, that did not reduce their fighting spirit and willingness to compete, not any less because the rewards rose exponentially depending on their final placement. Bando Takechi studied the place upon which they had all gathered with relative disinterest. The Duel Field <Element Cycle>, with the same name as the whole tournament, was an arena which incorporated aspects of all four elements represented. The arena was located within a small basin, surrounded by rock walls atop which a fence of braziers was situated, each blazing with crimson flames. A river wrapped around the inner part of the field, descending into waterfalls through holes in the ground that revealed this was actually a floating island. Occasionally, between the sea of clouds underneath, a distant land could be seen far below. The imagery was fairly impressive, of course, but nothing Takechi found particularly intriguing at the moment. At the northernmost, easternmost, westernmost, and southernmost point of the circle formed, a portal was opened, though Takechi did not know where each led or what purpose they served, as the image behind them was obscured by white mist. He was more interested in his opponents. Gawain, an imposing youth with spiky, silvery hair and a piercing blue gaze. He was sporting the dark grey <Aviator's Uniform>, as fitting with his conquest of the Wind-based block of the tournament. The petite girl with wavy, long azure hair that separated into two bangs falling on the sides of her face, in the pure white silken <Arctic Dress>, was the winner of the Water block, Aurora, her light blue eyes dancing playfully across the landscape. And wearing the <Militant Outfit>, comprised of a dark brown trenchcoat and army pants, over a muscular body, sporting pitch-black flaring hair and green eyes, stood Blightbringer, representing the Earth block. Despite it being slanted as a promotional event, there was surprisingly little fanfare involved. Duel International seemed to maintain the roleplaying aspect of the network. There wasn't even commentary during the duels, which would be broadcast all over the world - though later released records might include as such. The referees for the semi finals, two figures almost fully concealed underneath black cloaks - though their physiques, comparative to one another, suggested one male and one female - materialized in front of the four competitors. "Greetings, finalists." One of them said, though the voice was so expressionless and neutral that gender could not be confirmed by it either, and neither could it be determined which one was speaking. "For the semi-final rounds, you will be divided into two pairs." "Each of these portals leads to an area respective to your attributes." The other continued seamlessly. "The <Sky Ocean>, the <Earthwall>, the <Lava Basin>, and the <Crystal Halls>." "Each fight will be conducted in one of these arenas that matches one of the contestant's attribute. The one who is favored by luck will receive a significant boost - namely, all monsters of the matching attribute will automatically have their attack and defense scores increased by 300." "However, to balance this out, a special power will be granted to the disadvantaged player. Just once during the duel, if it is their own Main Phase, they will be allowed to draw one extra card from their deck, without any other restrictions. Are these regulations clear?" Takechi frowned. What kind of weird rules were they setting? Giving a small boost to each monster might not seem game-breaking, but it could really add up in a prolonged, evenly matched duel. On the other hand, he knew that a single card at the right time could completely twist a losing situation into a victory. What would be more beneficial for him? Though his deck had the capacity of dealing effect damage which would bypass monster attack and defense scores, several of his cards would be at a great disadvantage against higher power monsters. In the end, it all came down to what deck his opponent was using, too. "I understand these rules." Blightbringer said coolly. Everyone else voiced their agreement. It was a fairly simple setup. "Then we shall begin." One of the referees said. Takechi clenched his hands unconsciously - though he was not sweating, of course, not in this virtual reality, he shivered from anticipation. "Out of the decks you have prepared for this fight, select a monster card. You will be given a number from one to four, based on the chosen monster's attack power. Only monsters from the main deck can be chosen - Synchro or Fusion monsters are disallowed." "The match-ups will be: number four versus number one, and number two with number three. In case of a tie, the defense power of the monsters is taken into consideration, then the Level. If it is once more impossible to determine an order, both participants will be asked to repick a card, their former choice excluded." The other continued. More strange rules... couldn't they just pick at random? "You have three minutes to make your choice." Under the pretense of shuffling through his cards, Takechi examined his opponents. Though they put on a collected facade, he could see them hesitating, thinking carefully about their choice. He had had his chance to observe each of his prospective enemies during a few matches in the first phase of the tournament. All three had their own merits as duelists. Whom did he want to face first? The duelist called Gawain had a fearsome reputation, and Takechi had personally watched him plow his way through some weaker duelists. Comparatively, Blightbringer and Aurora seemed more manageable. Ideally, he should face the weakest of his opponents in the semifinals, so he could at least ensure second place with high likelihood. But how could he predict what monsters his opponents would pick? Each of them used a wide array of monsters, with their scores ranging from zero to around three thousand points, so it would all depend on how they reacted to this challenge. "I'm done." Gawain said abruptly. Takechi's head jerked - he had not noticed that there was less than one and a half minutes remaining. Shortly thereafter, Blightbringer settled for his own card. If those two had already chosen... it was not likely that anyone would pick a very powerful monster. Though it was more than likely that the cards chosen for their decks had already been revealed in the past rounds, noone would feel comfortable demonstrating his strongest cards to his potential opponents. He was better off choosing a low-end monster himself. If everyone settled for mediocre attack strength monsters, there was a better chance that either Aurora or Blightbringer would end up in the first place. "I've decided." He called out, nearly at the same time as Aurora. "Very well." The referees said in unison. "The time has come. Reveal your choices." Gawain was the first to flip his card. Takechi cursed inwardly. Was that guy serious? Divine Bird King Alector was not a mediocre monster at all - with 2400 attack points, it might very well be the strongest monster any one of them had selected! Aurora flipped her own card - Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier was, as he had thought, a mediocre monster, but with 1300 attack points it still stood above his own choice. Begrudgingly he revealed his own card - Neoflamvell Origin, which he revealed, didn't even come close to that. So it all rested on Blightbringer's choice. If he had a monster with over 2500 attack, or under 500 attack, it would be good, but... "So it looks like the match-ups are decided, then." Blightbringer said, turning his card around. Takechi felt like both sighing in relief, and gaping in shock. What on earth was this guy using? The monster he had chosen was Beast God Machine King - Barbaros Ur, a monster with 3800 attack points, and quite a mismatch for any of the decks Takechi had seen him use. "It's settled." The referees declared, as a giant screen appeared overhead, demonstrating the match-ups. Takechi, on place four, would face Blightbringer, on place one, while Gawain, on place two, would face Aurora, on place three. "The one with the highest attack power in each match will be granted the right to choose which of the two arenas the match will take place in." Further explanations followed. Takechi gritted his teeth - why had they not said that before? If they had, he - he would have picked a powerful monster, and probably ended up facing Gawain, since there was no way he would beat Blightbringer's Beast God. No, even if he had to abide by his opponent's decision, it was probably the best outcome. "I will choose the Sky Ocean for this match." Gawain said smoothly. "The Earthwall for us." Blightbringer shrugged. So it seemed that both of them had decided that a consistent 300-point bonus was preferrable to a one-time chance for an extra draw. It remained to be seen whether they were right or wrong. Two of the portals activated, glowing with a bright white luster. With the destination revealed, it was obvious which one the competitors were meant to take. Making a series of choices on the menu, one of the referees, along with Takechi and his opponent, warped into the Earthwall, while the other headed into the Sky Ocean with Gawain and Aurora. Takechi had to admit, the Earthwall was easily the most impressive area he had seen in the virtual world. The two duelists were standing opposite to each other atop a massive rampart. Thousands of feet below lay a beautiful, rugged earth, endless expanses of highlands stretching into the horizon. The wall they were standing on split the land in half, continuing for as far as the eye could see in a wavy line in both directions. The sun overhead blazed gloriously upon the pure, untainted soil. "While in this arena, all Earth attribute monsters will receive three hundred attack and defense points." The referee explained again. "This effect cannot be negated, and is not connected to a Field Spell or a Continuous effect. The only way this effect will be negated is if a monster's attribute changes via a card effect." However, the most popular choice for forcibly changing monster attributes, DNA Transplant, had been forbidden for this competition. "However, a duelist with no Earth monsters in his original deck may, once only, draw a card from his deck during his own Main Phase. Life Points will start at 4000. The competitor who did not choose the arena, may instead choose the turn order." "Good news, then." Takechi smirked. "I'll go first." "As you wish." His opponent said smoothly. The guy seemed quite composed, but Takechi did not doubt his tactics would throw him off his game. "Duel!!" [center][i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 4000[/i] [i][b]Blightbringer[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "Draw." Takechi said quickly. "I set a monster, then set one card. Turn end." No need to overextend from the beginning. "My turn. Draw." Blightbringer said. "That reverse monster... UFO Turtle, no?" Takechi's eyes widened in surprise, and his opponent smirked. "You are too easy to read through. I summon God Machine King Ur!" A crimson mechanical construct, with arms and legs forming the shape of a large cone with a faceless head on top, appeared on the field. It might not look quite like a god or a king, but its effect was problematic. Its attack and defense scores rose to 1900 and 1800, respectively. [spoiler=God Machine King Ur][b]God Machine King Ur[/b] EARTH / Machine Level 4 1600/1500 This card can attack all monsters your opponent controls once each. Any Battle Damage this card inflicts to your opponent becomes 0.[/spoiler] "I equip Ur with Break Draw. This equipment spell allows me to draw one card, each time the equipped monster destroys another monster by battle. And now, God Machine King Ur, attack the concealed monster!" Blightbringer commanded. A shockwave exploded from the creature's chest, blowing away Takechi's reverse card, which, as had been correctly predicted, was UFO Turtle. [spoiler=Break Draw][b]Break Draw[/b] SPELL / Equip When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 FIRE monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck in face-up Attack Position.[/spoiler] [spoiler=UFO Turtle][b]UFO Turtle[/b] FIRE / Machine Level 4 1400/1200 When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 FIRE monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck in face-up Attack Position.[/spoiler] "Via the effect of Break Draw, I can draw once." Blightbringer said smoothly. "UFO Turtle's effect activates." Takechi gritted his teeth. He could bring out another monster, but it would be quickly destroyed by Ur. Ur's effect would not deal any damage to his Life Points, but the effect of Break Draw would quickly fill Blightbringer's hand. Obviously, using this chance to fill his Graveyard and thin out his deck was out of the question - but at the same time, he did not want to waste the good opportunity. "I summon Flamvell Paun from my deck!" When destroyed, this monster could add another Flamvell monster from his deck to his hand, countering his opponent's hand advantage. [spoiler=Flamvell Paun][b]Flamvell Paun[/b] FIRE / Pyro Level 1 200/200 When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can select and add 1 monster with 200 DEF from your Deck to your hand.[/spoiler] "How predictable. Machine King Ur will get rid of that creature." Blightbringer said. Another shockwave ripped through the tiny monkey's body, annihilating it completely. Takechi felt shock rip through him as well, as he felt the telltale pain of receiving a large burst of damage. Gasping, he checked his counter. It was instantly down to 1900 points. "H - how...?" He breathed. God Machine King Ur was a powerful monster that could attack every monster the opponent controlled, once each, but as a tradeoff, it could not inflict battle damage at all! "After my attack had been declared, I activated the Instant Magic from my hand, Forbidden Chalice." Blighbringer said, flipping over the named card. "This card negates the effect of my monster - but that is irrelevant, because the second attack had already been declared, and the battle was inside the damage step. In exchange, it boost my monster up by 400 points - culminating in this result." [spoiler=Forbidden Chalice][b]Forbidden Chalice[/b] SPELL / Quick-Play One face-up monster on the field gains 400 ATK, but its effect is negated until the End Phase.[/spoiler] [center][i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 1900[/i] [i][b]Blightbringer[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] Takechi desperately tried to collect his thoughts. More than half his life, in his opponent's first turn! He had been backed into a terrible corner. Could he still make it? "The effect of Flamvell Paun activates, letting me take a monster with 200 Defense points and add it to my hand." He explained behind gritting teeth. He viewed his cards carefully, until finally settling on one, which he promptly revealed to his opponent. "Irrelevant." Blightbringer shrugged. "Thanks to the effect of Break Draw, I can draw once more. I set two cards face-down, turn end." "Then it's my turn." Takechi said angrily. He had to break through, fast. "I summon Neo Flamvell Sabre!" A demonic creature wielding a sword carved out of pure flame appeared on the field. "Since it's this early in the duel, you only have one card in your Graveyard - therefore, by its own effect, Sabre gains 600 attack points, surpassing Ur's power!" [spoiler=Neo Flamvell Sabre][b]Neo Flamvell Sabre[/b] FIRE / Pyro Level 4 1500/200 While there are 4 or less cards in your opponent's Graveyard, this card gains 600 ATK. While there are 8 or more cards in your opponent's Graveyard, this card loses 300 ATK.[/spoiler] "Now, battle! Neo Flamvell Sabre, attack God Machine King Ur!" The blazing swordsman sliced through the mechanical construct with no resistance, inflicting minimal damage on Blightbringer's Life Points. [center][i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 1900[/i] [i][b]Blightbringer[/b] - LP: 3800[/i][/center] "Is that the best you can do? Don't make me laugh." His opponent said scornfully. "I expected more from someone who made it to the semi finals." "I'm just getting started." Takechi snapped. He would not be provoked into making a mistake here. Another rushed move, and it would be over. "I activate Sealing Swords of Light! With this, all of your attacks are blocked for three turns!" An array of golden blades fell from the sky, forming a restrictive boundary around Blightbringer's field. [spoiler=Sealing Swords of Light][b]Sealing Swords of Light[/b] SPELL / Normal Flip all monsters your opponent controls face-up. This card remains on the field for 3 of your opponent's turns. While this card is face-up on the field, monsters your opponent controls cannot declare an attack.[/spoiler] "With this, I set another reverse card. Turn end." "It's going to take more than something at this level to stop my attack." Blightbringer added a new card to his hand. "I summon Red Gadget!" A small red robot carrying a heavy gear on its back appeared on the field. "Thanks to Red Gadget's effect, I can add Yellow Gadget to my hand. And now I activate the reverse card, Compensation of Blood! While it does cost me 500 Life Points per use, it allows me to keep summoning monsters to the field! So I'll bring out Yellow Gadget, and use its effect to add Green Gadget to my hand! And then I'll summon Green Gadget, and bring my second Red Gadget to my hand!" [spoiler=Red Gadget][b]Red Gadget[/b] EARTH / Machine Level 4 1300/1500 When you Normal or Special Summon this card, you can add 1 "Yellow Gadget" from your Deck to your hand.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Compensation of Blood][b]Compensation of Blood[/b] TRAP / Continuous You can pay 500 Life Points to Normal Summon or Set 1 extra monster. You can only activate this effect during your Main Phase or your opponent's Battle Phase.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Yellow Gadget][b]Yellow Gadget[/b] EARTH / Machine Level 4 1200/1200 When you Normal or Special Summon this card, you can add 1 "Green Gadget" from your Deck to your hand.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Green Gadget][b]Green Gadget[/b] EARTH / Machine Level 4 1400/600 When you Normal or Special Summon this card, you can add 1 "Red Gadget" from your Deck to your hand.[/spoiler] [center][i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 1900[/i] [i][b]Blightbringer[/b] - LP: 2800[/i][/center] "Three monsters..." Takechi muttered, observing his opponent's ever-growing field. None of them was particularly strong even with the boost, and the Swords locked down attacks either way. However, even at the cost of Life Points, he had already created such a powerful front without depleting his hand. Worse, Takechi had a sinking feeling that something worse was at hand. "This will settle it." Blightbringer said. "I invoke Compensation of Blood's effect again! By paying another five hundred Life Points, and offering all three of my monsters as sacrifices - come, the king of beasts! God Beast King Barbaros!" [center][i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 1900[/i] [i][b]Blightbringer[/b] - LP: 2300[/i][/center] The earth roared and rumbled, and for an instant, Takechi feared the very wall they were standing on might collapse, sending them plummeting into abyssal depths. Of course, nothing like that happened, but that didn't make the descent of the terrifying monster, a brutal centaur-like creature with a pitch-black lower body bearing lion-like strength, and an unarmored, yet imposing upper body. Its right hand was wielding a giant lance, while the left one a metal buckler. A golden mane flowed behind its head which was framed by giant spikes. 3000 attack points - 3300 now - and with that effect... [spoiler=God Beast King Barbaros][b]God Beast King Barbaros[/b] EARTH / Beast-Warrior Level 8 3000/1200 You can Normal Summon or Set this card without Tributing. If you do, its original ATK becomes 1900. You can Tribute 3 monsters to Tribute Summon this card. When you do, destroy all cards your opponent controls.[/spoiler] "God Beast King Barbaros, when summoned by releasing three monsters, can instantly destroy all of the opponents cards." The god king of beasts raised its spear, and thunder roared overhead, striking it as if it was a lightning rod. With a bestial roar of fury, Barbaros prepared to launch the overcharged weapon towards the opponent. A terrifying single attack that would blow away all of his defenses, but - "Trap, activate!" Takechi countered. A card made as a safeguard against the terrifying Emperor monsters, that provided an unlikely way out of this predicament. "Tatami Flip will negate the effect of a monster that activates upon a Normal Summon, and destroy it! Therefore, God Beast King Barbaros' effect is meaningless!" [spoiler=Tatami Flip][b]Tatami Flip[/b] TRAP / Counter Negate the activation and effect of an Effect Monster whose effect activated when a monster was Normal Summoned (even itself), and destroy that Effect Monster.[/spoiler] "So that's how it is." Blightbringer said, as his monster shattered to shreds. "You escaped death on the second turn... but, you won't have that luck for much longer! I activate the effect of this monster in my hand, removing from play God Beast King Barbaros, a Beast-Warrior monster, and Machine King Ur, a Machine monster!" "D - don't tell me..." Takechi stuttered, trying to step back as the two monsters reappeared on the field, slowly combining into one, greater entity. Its body was covered by blue metal plates, and each hand held a monstrous crimson drill-like lance. Almost twice the size of the original Beast King, Beast God Machine King - Barbaros Ur was a fearsome sight to behold. [spoiler=Beast God Machine King - Barbaros Ur][b]Beast God Machine King - Barbaros Ur[/b] EARTH / Beast-Warrior Level 10 3800/1200 You can Special Summon this card from your hand by removing from play 1 Machine-Type monster and 1 Beast-Warrior-Type monster in your hand, field, and/or Graveyard. When this card battles, any Battle Damage to your opponent becomes 0.[/spoiler] "Thanks to the Sealing Swords of Light, I cannot declare an attack." Blightbringer said distastefully. "I'll set another card. Turn end. This marks the end of the first turn since Swords of Light have existed on the field - but rest assured, I will get rid of their hindrance much faster." Takechi sighed. On his field was only Neo Flamvell Sabre, with far less attack power than Barbaros Ur, which was boosted by the field they were fighting on, and his single reverse card. His opponent had two concealed cards, and one card in his hand, which should be Red Gadget. There was no way to beat Barbaros Ur in battle. He had to find an alternative method. "My turn, draw!" He declared. His breath caught as he looked at the card he had added to his hand. This could be exactly what he needed. "I release Neo Flamvell Sabre to Advance Summon Flamvell Devil!" He said. A blue-skinned demon, its entire body wrapped in unholy flames, appeared to replace the fiery swordsman. "One reverse card, turn end." [spoiler=Flamvell Devil][b]Flamvell Devil[/b] FIRE / Fiend Level 5 2100/1200 When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, inflict 200 damage to your opponent for each Pyro-Type monster in your Graveyard.[/spoiler] "Draw." His opponent said quickly. "I activate the reverse card, Dust Tornado, to destroy your Sealing Swords of Light." A wild gust picked up, obliterating Takechi's defensive golden blades. "Without anything shielding you - Beast God Machine King - Barbaros Ur! Attack Flamvell Devil!" [spoiler=Dust Tornado][b]Dust Tornado[/b] TRAP / Normal Target 1 Spell/Trap Card your opponent controls; destroy that target. Then you can Set 1 Spell or Trap Card from your hand.[/spoiler] But, Takechi had been expecting that much. "Trap, activate! Magic Cylinder will negate your attack, and reflect it right back at you! Even if Barbaros Ur cannot deal battle damage, his effect won't protect you from this!" [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] "Naive." Blightbringer retaliated. "Destruct Potion activates. This was my true purpose - I sacrifice Barbaros Ur, in order to gain Life Points equal to its attack power!" Takechi gritted his teeth as, before the shockwave unleashed from its heavy lances could be absorbed and returned by the twin magical cylinders, Barbaros Ur exploded into thousands of tiny fragments, the entirety of its enhanced attack power converted directly into his opponent's Life Points. [spoiler=Destruct Potion][b]Destruct Potion[/b] TRAP / Normal Select 1 monster you control. Destroy it, and gain Life Points equal to its ATK.[/spoiler] [center][i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 1900[/i] [i][b]Blightbringer[/b] - LP: 6400[/i][/center] "You thought I'd recklessly reduce my own Life Points to use such a monster without an emergency plan? You are foolish." Blightbringer scolded him. Takechi clenched his fists. The guy was right - how could he have let this happen? He was simply walking from one blunder to another, and now the difference in their Life Points was too large. "And now that my Life has been replenished, I'll use the effects of the Gadget monsters, along with Compensation of Blood, again. I summon Red Gadget, then pay a total of 1000 Life Points, to Normal Summon Yellow Gadget and Green Gadget once more." With an army of the toy-like Gadget monsters facing him, Takechi wondered just how exactly he could escape this predicament. [center][i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 1900[/i] [i][b]Blightbringer[/b] - LP: 5400[/i][/center] "I'll set a card. Turn end." Blightbringer said. He was left with only a single Red Gadget in his hand, and one reverse card, but his field was full of monsters which, powered up, stood at a respectable attack power of 1600, 1700, and 1500. "It's my turn..." Takechi said thoughtfully. He could not make any more mistakes. His last plan had all but backfired. He carefully observed the field. Those Gadget monsters... at first, it seemed as if his opponent had the upper hand. But the truth was, they were at an impasse. No matter how many of them, even powered-up, those monsters wouldn't be able to beat Flamvell Devil. Therefore, Blightbringer was just stalling in order to draw something that could. That wouldn't take long. He had to settle things, now. "Draw!" He mentally grunted. This wouldn't be enough - but, maybe there was just something that would. "By the rules of the match, I invoke the right to draw one more card." He glanced at the judge, who nodded, and he picked up another card from the top of his deck. [i]It's here.[/i] "First, I activate the Trap card, Call of the Living Dead! This lets me Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard!" [spoiler=Call of the Living Dead][b]Call of the Living Dead[/b] TRAP / Continuous Select 1 monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it in face-up Attack Position. When this card is removed from the field, destroy the monster. When the monster is destroyed, destroy this card.[/spoiler] "Sorry, but I chain this! Proclamation of the Royal Palace negates your card's effect before it can trigger!" Blightbringer countered hastily. But Takechi nodded. This was what he had hoped for. [spoiler=Proclamation of the Royal Palace][b]Proclamation of the Royal Palace[/b] TRAP / Continuous Negate the effects of all other Trap Cards on the field.[/spoiler] "I summon the Tuner monster, Nitro Synchron!" He proclaimed. A small cylindrical creature filled with a pink liquid, atop its head a speed meter, appeared on the field. "Since I control a Tuner monster, I can Special Summon Boost Warrior in defense position from my hand!" A futuristic trooper with flaring red head, its eyes covered by a green vizor and its body protected by a metallic blue armor, entered the fray. [spoiler=Nitro Synchron][b]Nitro Synchron[/b] FIRE / Machine / Tuner Level 2 300/100 If this card is sent to the Graveyard for the Synchro Summon of a "Nitro" Synchro Monster, draw 1 card.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Boost Warrior][b]Boost Warrior[/b] FIRE / Warrior Level 1 300/200 If you control a face-up Tuner monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand in face-up Defense Position. All Warrior-Type monsters you control gain 300 ATK.[/spoiler] "And now I tune my Level 5, Flamvell Devil, to my Level 2, Nitro Synchron!" The indicator on top of the small Tuner charged to the max, and it exploded in a burst of flame, forming two fire-laced circles aligned neatly in a row. The fire demon roared and charged through them, its whole body illuminated into a burning mirage, before its shape dissolved to form five crimson stars that filed through the rings. There were not many Synchro monsters of the Fire element that Takechi found useful, but he had included this one on a whim. He was thankful for it, now. "Come out, Nitro Warrior!!" A large green-skinned beast, featuring sharp claws and giant horns, jumped out of the blazing light, the massive booster engine attached to its back roaring fiercely. [spoiler=Nitro Warrior][b]Nitro Warrior[/b] FIRE / Warrior / Synchro Level 7 2800/1800 "Nitro Synchron" + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters Once during each of your turns, if you activated a Spell Card(s), this card gains 1000 ATK during its next attack, for damage calculation only. Once per turn, if this attacking card destroys an opponent's monster by battle, you can change 1 face-up Defense Position monster your opponent controls to Attack Position, and attack it with this card.[/spoiler] "Thanks to Nitro Synchron's effect, I draw once." Takechi added another card to his hand. "And now, I activate the Magic card, Raise Dead! This allows me to Special Summon any monster, from either of our Graveyards!" [spoiler=Raise Dead][b]Raise Dead[/b] SPELL / Normal Special Summon 1 monster from either player's Graveyard to your side of the field.[/spoiler] "You bastard, you are planning to take Barbaros Ur?!" Blightbringer demanded angrily. Takechi was not fooled, though. "Hardly. My target is... Flamvell Paun!" The monkey-like creature reappeared on the field, kneeling in defense mode. "And what do you plan to do with that?" His opponent asked, eyeing it warily. "You'll see. First of all, because a Spell card was activated, Nitro Warrior receives an additional 1000 attack points, for the next attack." A violent green flare lit up around the bestial fighter, increasing its power. "Then, I'll activate another Magic card! With Creature Swap, each of us has to select a monster on their field, and then the selected monsters change sides! My target is, of course, Flamvell Paun!" [spoiler=Creature Swap][b]Creature Swap[/b] SPELL / Normal Each player selects 1 monster they control and switches control of those monsters with each other. Those monsters cannot change their battle positions for the rest of this turn.[/spoiler] "So this is what you were after!" Blightbringer exclaimed, the realization striking him forcefully. But there was nothing he could do except select his weakest Green Gadget, which appeared on Takechi's side, just as his own Flamvell Paun joined the array of mechanical toys. "But..." He suddenly smirked. "Nitro Warrior's attack is 4100, thanks to its own effect and Boost Warrior. If you attack Yellow Gadget, that would deal 2500 damage to me. Then Nitro Warrior's power will drop to 3100, and even if you switch Flamvell Paun to attack position and destroy it, you won't be able to finish me off! Next turn... definitely, next turn, I will draw the card that will beat you!" "You won't have a next turn!" Takechi shouted heatedly, flipping over the last card in his hand. "Flamvell Baby's effect activates from my hand! I can discard it to increase the power of a Fire monster on my field by four hundred points, until the End Phase!" Another layer of flames wrapped around Takechi's Synchro monster, its overall power rising to an improbable 4500. His opponent's eyes widened with outrage. [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] "Nitro Warrior, attack!" Takechi ordered. "Destroy Yellow Gadget!" Obediently, the creature spun forward across the field, landing a burning fist on the miniscule toy, which screamed in horror as it was obliterated. Blightbringer brought his hands in front of his face, shielding himself from the heated wave that enveloped him, inflicting 2900 points of damage. [center][i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 1900[/i] [i][b]Blightbringer[/b] - LP: 2500[/i][/center] "And now, for the finale! Nitro Warrior's effect activates, switching Flamvell Paun to attack mode!" Takechi pointed at the monster he had used to break the enemy's almost flawless strategy, and it jumped on its arms, tauntingly motioning for Nitro Warrior to attack. Fueled by the explosive force of its boosters, Nitro Warrior changed trajectories, diving into the smaller monster's direction. Flamvell Paun's much less overwhelming fist collided with the mechanized warrior's, and it was blown away by a huge blast. Though Nitro Warrior's power had dropped to 3500, it was more than enough to still wipe out the rest of Blightbringer's Life Points in one shot. [center][i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 1900[/i] [i][b]Blightbringer[/b] - LP: 0[/i][/center] Takechi breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. He had been close to losing, very close, but in the end he had pulled through, and that was all that mattered. He hardly noticed his opponent shaking off his disappointment, or the area around him dissolving as he was transported into the Element Cycle. He had won. However, all elation soon vanished as he once again found himself in the convergence point. The other semi-final match was already over, and the results were obvious, judging by the two duelists' expressions. Takechi gulped. He had prevailed in the previous battle, but an even greater challenge lay ahead of him. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Extra Chapter 6] [center][b][u]Extra Chapter 6:[/b] Ice Queen[/u][/center] Iseya Yuko glanced at her designated opponent for the semi-final round, concealing her nervousness underneath a blank expression. She had watched a few matches from the person called Gawain, and he was a dangerous enemy. She went through the motions of the initial selection without much thought - she knew that, although it was important, the real fight would not be fought here. Yuko had never been an over-achiever. She had lived with her mother, Iseya Ayami, a rather successful politician, since she was eight years old, when she had divorced Yuko's father. Her mother always claimed that her marriage had been a result of a fleeting romance, and once she realized her husband would never fulfill her expectations in terms of either money or social prestige, she abandoned him with no regrets. Her father had disappeared shortly after the divorce, and Yuko neither remembered not cared much about him any more. With him gone, her mother's ambitious nature turned into more pressure for Yuko. She was pushed into studying hard and participating in a lot of activities, and was scolded when she, more often than not, did not succeed. She learned to take it in stride - but she grew increasingly bitter and began loathe almost everything she was forced to take part in, even failing on purpose to spite her mother. A few years later, she starred in a promotion event for the new arcade center to be built in the area, which introduced her to the virtual reality game Duel Monsters. That was her first contact with the game, and it was enough to get her sufficiently interested - especially since her mother scorned it. Soon, the virtual became her main hobby, and she became quite strong. Wanting to chase down an accomplishment that matched her own interests, she entered the Element Cycle event and, as luck would have it, proceeded to the very semi-final rounds. She had not known any of her current opponents previously - that was not strange as, even within Japan, the number of people who played the game was very large. She knew that, of the three, Gawain was probably the most dangerous one to face. Even accepting the fact that she might have to face him in the final rounds, the awards scaled with final position, so it would have obviously been the best scenario to secure at least second place, rather than have to struggle for third. Well, she didn't intend to lose anyway. Gawain declared his intent to use the Sky Ocean as the field for this match. Yuko nodded - this worked well for her deck, which used a lot of control and ensured that she would rarely be under attack, thus rendering the power advantage less significant. Instead, the chance for an extra draw would probably prove much more important. She wordlessly followed the referee and her opponent into the portal - and her breath caught at the majestic sight. They were standing on two small islands opposite to each other, atop an endless sea of clouds. Above and around them, only the crystal-clear sky could be seen, the blazing sun casting a glorious light that formed beautiful shapes amidst the white clouds. Birds of various shapes and sizes, some creatures Yuko had never heard of even in fairy tales, soared across the heavens, crying out in praise of its glory. Yuko took a moment to appreciate the realism of the scene - due to technical limitations, a lot of the virtual world's features seemed scripted and awkward, but it seemed that Duel International had taken great care to prepare these fields, whose debut would be made today, as flawlessly as possible. "While in this arena, all Wind attribute monsters will receive three hundred attack and defense points." The referee, who seemed to be simply floating in mid-air, said, distracting her from her observations. "This effect cannot be negated, and is not connected to a Field Spell or a Continuous effect. The only way this effect will be negated is if a monster's attribute changes via a card effect. However, a duelist with no Wind monsters in his original deck may, once only, draw a card from his deck during his own Main Phase. Life Points will start at 4000. The competitor who did not choose the arena, may instead choose the turn order." "I understand." Yuko said. Gawain simply shrugged. "Then, I'll take the first move." Each of them activated their Duel Disk, which ignited with the Life Point indicators, and drew their opening hands. [center][i][b]Aurora[/b] - LP: 4000[/i] [i][b]Gawain[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "Draw." Yuko added a card to her hand, examining her options. With this hand, she had quite the strong opening move to make. "I summon Deep Sea Diva." She called out. The aquatic songstress, a mermaid with a lithe semi-translucent skin clad in a tight white dress, appeared on the field, her melodical singing a pleasant addition to the arena's serene atmosphere. "When she appears on the field via a Normal Summon, I can call out any Level 3 or lower Sea Serpent monster from the deck. I choose Sea Archer!" A more battle-ready mermaid, riding a winged amphibian bird and armed with a crossbow, joined the seaborne singer. Both looked rather distressed, floating in the middle of the sky rather than in their natural environment. [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] "I tune my Level 3, Sea Archer, to my Level 2, Deep Sea Diva." Yuko announced. Both fish-tailed women nodded firmly, their bodies wrapped in azure as they dissolved into aquatic light, formulating two light blue circles and three similarly colored stars that crossed them, resulting in a mid-air fountain, from which a new creature emerged. "Synchro Summon!" An enormous winged dragon with an elongated neck, its lean body and wings a lucid blue, now hovered gracefully in front of her. "Divine Ocean Dragon Gishilnodon!" [spoiler=Divine Ocean Dragon Gishilnodon][b]Divine Ocean Dragon Gishilnodon[/b] WATER / Sea Serpent / Synchro Level 5 2300/1800 1 Tuner + 1 Level 3 non-Tuner monster When a face-up Level 3 or lower monster on the field is sent to the Graveyard, this card's ATK becomes 3000 until the End Phase of this turn.[/spoiler] Gawain did not seem fazed by this early appearance of a powerful monster. The truth was, Yuko hadn't summoned Gishilnodon for its power. She hoped that he would at least keep her opponent at bay for a turn or so, but her true intent lay in the preparation of her Graveyard. "I'll place two cards face-down. Turn end." "And with this, your Graveyard is prepared, I see." Yuko started - had he seen through her move? She tried hard to maintain a composed expression. "But, I do not intend on this duel lasting long. Draw. I activate the Field Spell, Divine Wind of Mist Valley!" Yuko tensed as they were surrounded by a barrier of furious air currents. The very wind seemed to be glowing with all the colors of the rainbow. Here it was - Gawain's fearsome return-to-hand strategy. [spoiler=Divine Wind of Mist Valley][b]Divine Wind of Mist Valley[/b] SPELL / Field Once per turn, if a face-up WIND monster you control returns to the hand, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower WIND monster from your Deck.[/spoiler] "Prepare yourself. I summon Mist Valley Thunder Bird." A small, peculiar green avian with lightning shapes painted on its lower body appeared before him, fluttering energetically atop the magically-enhanced wind. "And then, I activate the effect of Mist Condor in my hand. This monster, by returning a Mist Valley monster from my field to my hand, is not only Special Summoned, but gains an additional 300-point boost as well." A gust of wind picked up, sweeping the Thunder Bird away in its wake. Gawain put the card back in his hand and replaced it with another, a broad-winged blue bird with elaborate plume surrounding its neck. [spoiler=Mist Valley Thunder Bird][b]Mist Valley Thunder Bird[/b] WIND / Thunder Level 3 1100/700 When this face-up card on the field returns to the hand, Special Summon it. This card cannot attack during the turn it was Special Summoned by this effect.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Mist Condor][b]Mist Condor[/b] WIND / Winged Beast Level 4 1400/400 You can Special Summon this card from your hand by returning 1 face-up "Mist Valley" monster you control to your hand. If you do, this card's ATK becomes 1700.[/spoiler] "And here is where it starts. The effect of Divine Wind of Mist Valley activates when a Wind monster I controlled returned to my hand. I can instantly Special Summon any Level 4 or lower Wind monster in my deck! I choose Mist Valley Soldier!" A sword-bearing airborne knight with a fierce expression appeared seemingly out of nowhere. "Furthermore, the effect of Thunder Bird itself allows it to return to the field, upon being called back to the hand." Yuko blinked as three flying monsters were now on her opponent's side, forcefully flapping powerful wings to stay afloat. Even powered up to 1400, 2000 and 2000 attack points respectively, though, none of them could match up to her Ocean Dragon. Unless - [spoiler=Mist Valley Soldier][b]Mist Valley Soldier[/b] WIND / Winged Beast / Tuner Level 4 1700/300 While you control this face-up card, any opponent's monster that battles this card, but is not destroyed by battle, returns to its owner's hand at the end of the Damage Step.[/spoiler] "Mist Valley Soldier is a Tuner monster." Gawain explained, without missing a beat. "Then, you know what comes next. I tune the Level 3, Mist Valley Thunder Bird, to the Level 4, Mist Valley Soldier." A great thunderstorm brewed overhead, lightning lacing over the edges of dark clouds that had suddenly formed. "Synchro Summon!" A monstrous bipedal creature, its muscular body shaped like powerful armor, equipped with black feathered wings and surrounded by streaks of electricity, burst out of the storm, roaring its challenge against the opposing Synchro monster. "Mist Valley Thunder God Ogre!" [spoiler=Mist Valley Thunder God Ogre][b]Mist Valley Thunder God Ogre[/b] WIND / Thunder / Synchro Level 7 2600/2400 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner "Mist Valley" monsters Once per turn, you can select and return 1 card you control to the hand, and this card gains 500 ATK until the End Phase. This effect can be activated during either player's turn.[/spoiler] Certainly a powerful monster, Yuko admitted as she beheld its mighty visage. But, there was one factor that her opponent had thankfully ignored. "Mist Valley Thunder Bird is a Level 3 monster." She explained. "That means that, since it was sent to the Graveyard, the effect of Divine Ocean Dragon Gishilnodon activates, allowing its attack power to rise to 3000. Even with the boost, your monster's power is not enough!" "But you have forgotten that Thunder God Ogre has an effect as well." Gawain smiled. "Once per turn, I can return this card on my field to the hand - I choose Divine Wind of Mist Valley - and its attack power will rise by 500 points, just like that." Yuko cursed inwardly - she had been careless. "Now, battle." Gawain ordered. "Mist Valley Thunder God Ogre attacks Divine Ocean Dragon Gishilnodon!" The powered-up creature jumped against the aquatic dragon, smashing a lightning-charged fist into its body. The sea serpent howled as it was wrapped in a massive shock, completely obliterated by the ogre's ferocious ability. Yuko braced herself for the minor impact. Only four hundred points of damage, but it was a start. [center][i][b]Aurora[/b] - LP: 3600[/i] [i][b]Gawain[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "Furthermore, Mist Condor on my field, with 2000 points of attack power, still has not declared an attack." Gawain said calmly. "Now, attack directly!" "Oh no you don't! Trap, activate!" Yuko retaliated furiously. "Call of the Living Dead revives Gishilnodon from my Graveyard!" The aquatic serpent reappeared, its long body coiling as it growled menacingly against the incoming attack. "Then I will hold off this strike." Gawain said. "During the second Main Phase, I will reactivate Divine Wind of Mist Valley, and place a single card face-down. Turn end." Yuko sighed, and drew. "I activate Salvage!" She said. "This lets me add two low-power Water monsters in the Graveyard to my hand - so I'll return Sea Archer and Deep Sea Diva." She picked up the cards ejected from her disk's Graveyard slot. [spoiler=Salvage][b]Salvage[/b] SPELL / Field Add 2 WATER monsters with an ATK of 1500 or less each in your Graveyard to your hand.[/spoiler] [i]Now, let's try this again.[/i] "I call out Deep Sea Diva, and activate her effect to Special Summon Transport Unit of the Ice Barrier from my deck in defense mode." With the small group of heavily-clad humans riding an amphibian serpent meant for transportation, all the pieces were set. [spoiler=Transport Unit of the Ice Barrier][b]Transport Unit of the Ice Barrier[/b] WATER / Sea Serpent Level 1 500/200 Once per turn, you can select 2 "Ice Barrier" monsters in your Graveyard. Return the selected monsters to the Deck and each player draws 1 card.[/spoiler] "I'm going to stop you there for a moment." Gawain said unexpectedly, activating the Trap card he had placed on his field last turn. "Compulsory Evacuation Device will target one monster on the field, and return it to its owner's hand. The monster I choose is Divine Ocean Dragon Gishilnodon." Yuko grimaced as the card deactivated, her monster dissolving into mist. Her Synchro monster had no place in her hand, of course, so she returned it to the Extra Deck instead. [spoiler=Compulsory Evacuation Device][b]Compulsory Evacuation Device[/b] TRAP / Normal Return 1 monster on the field to its owner's hand.[/spoiler] "Your plan was obvious to me." Gawain said coolly. "You intended to Synchro Summon Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier - a monster that, unless its very summon was negated, could still use its effect. You would discard two Ice Barrier monsters, in order to destroy Divine Wind of Mist Valley and Thunder God Ogre, then return those two to your deck via the Transport Unit's effect in order to maintain your hand size. Such a strategy was easy to disrupt." Yuko grunted - he had read completely through her. But, that didn't mean it was over. "I release the two Water monsters, Deep Sea Diva and Transport Unit of the Ice Barrier, to Special Summon Ice Blizzard Master from my hand!" The imposing form of a white-clad sorceress, her lower face concealed by a mask of ice, wielding a crystal blue scepter, appeared. Behind her, Yuko's two monsters were slowly encased in ice until they were frozen solid, then dissipated into a white mist. [spoiler=Ice Blizzard Master][b]Ice Blizzard Master[/b] WATER / Spellcaster Level 8 2500/2000 You can Special Summon this card from your hand by Tributing 2 WATER monsters. Once per turn, you can place an Ice Counter on 1 face-up monster. You can Tribute this card to destroy all monsters with an Ice Counter(s).[/spoiler] Ice Blizzard Master wasn't quite strong enough to take down Thunder God Ogre, so Yuko pointed at Mist Condor, and mimicking her, the frost sorceress raised her staff. A sheet of hail surrounded the winged creature, which tried in vain to escape the frozen wind. Within seconds, it was entombed in an ice pillar, but instead of dissolving like before, it shattered into a thousand pieces. [center][i][b]Aurora[/b] - LP: 3600[/i] [i][b]Gawain[/b] - LP: 3500[/i][/center] "Don't think I'll let your monster remain on the field, though." She warned. "I activate Ice Blizzard Master's ability, placing one Ice Counter on Mist Valley Thunder God Ogre." A snowflake-like formation appeared in the ogre's chest. "And now, Ice Blizzard Master will sacrifice herself, in order to destroy your monster!" Both creatures were enveloped in huge pillars of ice, which shattered simultaneously. "I'll set a card." She said carefully. "Turn end." "As expected from my opponent in the semi-finals." Gawain said smoothly. "I'll commend you on getting this far - but the fight has just begun. Draw. I summon Mist Valley Falcon in attack mode!" Despite its name, the creature that appeared was a humanoid white-haired sword-wielding warrior, with brown wings protruding from its back. [spoiler=Mist Valley Falcon][b]Mist Valley Falcon[/b] WIND / Winged Beast Level 4 2000/1200 This card cannot declare an attack unless you return 1 card you control to its owner's hand.[/spoiler] "Mist Valley Falcon is a powerful monster, but it can only attack if I return a card from the field to my hand." He explained. "For now, I'll remove from play Mist Valley Thunder Bird in my Graveyard, in order to Special Summon Silpheed from my hand." A fey, wrapped in silken white threads of clothing that swirled around her along with the strong breeze, appeared next to her fellow swordsman. "And, as a cost to enable Mist Valley Falcon's attack, I will return Silpheed to my hand. Of course, you understand what this means, right?" Yuko gasped as the air currents took on a new form, convering on the now-disappearing fairy. "Divine Wind of Mist Valley reactivates, letting me Special Summon Dragonfly from my deck, in attack position." The bee creature that appeared on the field indicated that Yuko's enemy intended to leave no blind spots in his attack and defense. [spoiler=Silpheed][b]Silpheed[/b] WIND / Winged Beast Level 4 1700/700 This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing from play 1 WIND monster in your Graveyard. When this card is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard, your opponent discards 1 random card from their hand.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Dragonfly][b]Dragonfly[/b] WIND / Insect Level 4 1400/900 When this card is sent to the Graveyard as a result of battle, you can Special Summon 1 WIND monster with an ATK of 1500 or less in face-up Attack Position from your Deck. Then shuffle your Deck.[/spoiler] "And now, with my two monsters, I attack!" Yuko braced herself for Dragonfly's whirlwind attack, which struck true. [center][i][b]Aurora[/b] - LP: 1900[/i] [i][b]Gawain[/b] - LP: 3500[/i][/center] "I activate Damage Condenser!" She exclaimed. "By discarding Sea Archer in my hand, I get to Special Summon a monster from my deck whose attack power is lower than the damage I just took. So I summon Elemental Hero Ocean!" An azure aquatic warrior in futuristic light armor, wielding a stave that ended in a crescent blade, materialized before her, striking a boastful pose. [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] [spoiler=Elemental Hero Ocean][b]Elemental Hero Ocean[/b] WATER / Warrior Level 4 1500/1200 Once per turn, during your Standby Phase, you can return 1 "HERO" monster from your side of the field or your Graveyard to its owner's hand.[/spoiler] "I see. So that is your plan." Gawain nodded. "Regardless, I will press on. Mist Valley Falcon, attack Elemental Hero Ocean!" The duel between the two warriors was one-sided. The airborne creature was much faster and slipped back the opponent's defensive attempts, slashing it directly through the midsection with its blade. [center][i][b]Aurora[/b] - LP: 1100[/i] [i][b]Gawain[/b] - LP: 3500[/i][/center] "Next, I'll remove another Wind monster from play, namely, Mist Valley Soldier, to Special Summon Silpheed again, in defense mode. I'll end my turn, with one reverse card." Gawain placed the final card in his hand face-down. It looked like neither of them would be able to go on for much longer. But, Yuko had a plan for reversal. "My turn. Draw!" She declared. "I - " "I activate Mind Crush." Gawain interrupted, flipping over his reverse card. "This allows me to guess for a card in your hand, and if it is indeed present, it is sent to the Graveyard. The card I choose is the Spell card, Miracle Fusion." Yuko was left there with her mouth hanging half-open, the card she had been about to activate now utterly useless. Bitterly, she placed the Fusion card in the discard slot. [spoiler=Mind Crush][b]Mind Crush[/b] TRAP / Normal Declare 1 card name. If that card is in your opponent's hand, they must discard all copies of it in their hand. to the Graveyard. If it is not, you randomly discard 1 card.[/spoiler] There was now only a single monster in her hand that she had just drawn. Her face-down card was a simple bluff that she had set to divert her opponent. With these cards, she could not work out a solution. Then, the only thing left... "According to the rules, I am entitled to draw one card." Her deck glowed a bright azure, and she picked up the top card. Surprised, she realized this might actually work. "I activate my face-down, permanent Magic card, Water Hazard." She announced. "It allows me to, once per turn, Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Water monster from my hand, provided I control no other monsters. So I Special Summon Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier! Then, I Normal Summon Water Reflection of the Ice Barrier!" A muscular, dark-skinned warrior and a black-clad assassin wielding twin curved daggers appeared on the field. [spoiler=Water Hazard][b]Water Hazard[/b] SPELL / Continuous Once per turn, if you control no monsters, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower WATER monster from your hand.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier][b]Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier[/b] WATER / Aqua / Tuner Level 2 1300/0 While you control another "Ice Barrier" monster, Level 4 or higher monsters cannot declare an attack.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Water Reflection of the Ice Barrier][b]Water Reflection of the Ice Barrier[/b] WATER / Aqua / Tuner Level 2 1200/800 If the only face-up monsters you control are Level 2 or lower monsters, this card can attack your opponent directly.[/spoiler] "These two monsters have complementary skills." Yuko explained. "While I control another Ice Barrier monster, Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier will prevent all Level 4 or higher monsters from attacking. And while I only control Level 2 or lower monsters, Water Reflection of the Ice Barrier can attack directly. Since that condition is fulfilled right now - " The rogue disappeared, swiftly rematerializing directly in front of her opponent, stabbing him with his daggers before swiftly retreating. [center][i][b]Aurora[/b] - LP: 1100[/i] [i][b]Gawain[/b] - LP: 2300[/i][/center] Yuko breathed a sigh of relief. She was safe, for now. As long as he didn't draw a card that would somehow break her temporary lock, she should have some time. But - "Draw." Gawain, seemingly ignoring the precarious position he had been placed in, smirked. "It's over." Despite herself, Yuko found her virtual body shivering. Granted, her lock was far from impregnable. But, with a single card in his hand, could he have found a way to - "You should have already been aware of this method." Gawain held up his card, its back turned to her. "It is, after all, a card I revealed to you earlier. Since you control at least two monsters of the same attribute, I can Special Summon this! Come, Divine Bird King Alector!" A flying creature with a body made of pure, shining steel appeared on the field, flapping its massive red wings to stay afloat in mid-air. Yuko bit her lip. This monster - its effect meant that this duel was over for her. [spoiler=Divine Bird King Alector][b]Divine Bird King Alector[/b] WIND / Winged Beast Level 6 2400/2000 If your opponent controls 2 or more face-up monsters of the same Attribute, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. Once per turn, you can select 1 face-up card on the field. Its effect(s) is negated during that turn. There can only be 1 face-up "Divine Bird King Alector" on the field.[/spoiler] "Divine Bird King Alector negates the effect of Cryomancer of the Ice Barrier." The great bird shot an array of steel-bladed feathers, which restricted the warrior-monk's movement completely by pinning him to the ground. The protective dome of translucent thin ice that had been erected around them evaporated, and Yuko found herself stared down by no less than four powered-up creatures of the sky. "Alector, attack." Gawain commanded. Yuko hung her head. Just like that - it was done. [center][i][b]Aurora[/b] - LP: 0[/i] [i][b]Gawain[/b] - LP: 2300[/i][/center] --- The four duelists were back in the Element Cycle now. Ryusaki Sugita quietly observed the state of the competition. The one named Vortexflame, the Fire duelist, would be facing him in the finals. As always, he would not underestimate his opponent. He would fight at his best, and win or lose, he would make it a good match. "The semi-finals are now complete." One of the judges, who had also returned with the contestants, said, his words not tinted with much in the way of emotion. "We will have a half-hour break until the final rounds for the competitors to rest and rethink their strategies. In the meantime, in this here field, we shall broadcast the matches that took place. We will return later to initiate the final matches." And with that, the two black-cloaked figures disappeared. Noone spoke as two huge screens, similar to the displays that were used to demonstrate the cards that were played during a duel, appeared opposite to each other, each simultaneously transmitting their battles. Sugita didn't pay much attention to his fight against Aurora. He instead observed with interest the unconventional strategies used during the battle between Vortexflame and Blightbringer. Opposite to his own match, which had been an exchange of calculated strategies that built up to an inevitable conclusion, that battle was much more back-and-forth. Sugita was able to appreciate the tactic Vortexflame came up with to defeat his opponent. He had truly used every card that he had access to to the fullest, and his deck had responded to that by providing him with the necessary material to go on. He would be a worthy opponent. Neither match had ended with a particularly close Life Point difference, but that didn't matter much. Both could have truly gone either way. Vortexflame was oddly quiet, even though he looked like the type to boast about his victory. Sugita realized he was observing [i]him[/i]. The fights had taken less than a quarter of an hour, and even with added material and recaps of the most exciting scenes, there was still some time after their conclusion until the appointed time. There was an awkward silence among them, as everyone reflected on their previous battle. "It was close." Blightbringer finally said, with an edge that dared someone to challenge that claim. "Yeah, right." Vortexflame muttered, stifling a laugh. "If it was me facing either one of you, I'd have won." Aurora complained. They all turned around in surprise, to realize she was smiling. As if that small, joking conversation had been a cue, everyone relaxed a little. Certainly, they would be opponents in a bit, facing off against each other in another critical battle. But just for now, they were only people who had gathered to play a game together. "We've all got a ticket straight to the national tournament." Vortexflame was saying. "If the competition is anything like it was here, I have no doubt we'll make it to the final rounds again." "It is, after all, why they set this tournament up." Blightbringer added. "To weed out strong duelists for the nationals. I expect the level will be quite higher there." "Most likely..." Aurora sighed. She had seemed quite crestfallen directly after her defeat, but her mood seemed to have picked up by now, a little. "Hey, since we all got here..." She produced a panel displaying various Duel Terminal options, and clicked on a few. Surprised, Sugita noticed an incoming friend request alert. He had a few people as friends, but mostly those whom he knew in real life. Feeling a little strange, he accepted Aurora as a friend - and after a few moments, every one of the four had added the others. "My name is Bando Takechi." Vortexflame said. "Iseya Yuko." Aurora piped in. "Sakakibara Danjuro." Blightbringer added. "Ryusaki Sugita." He said finally, after the others had introduced themselves. He was feeling a lot less tense now, and he guessed that, now that the awkwardness had passed between them and the trepedition of the first matches was over, everyone would fight with a much clearer head. He smiled. He was looking forward to it. [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aviv: D's Knight Posted July 22, 2011 Report Share Posted July 22, 2011 I always wondered about the earth duelist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brinolovania Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 Nitro...Warrior... YEEEAAAAAAH!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cakey Posted July 23, 2011 Report Share Posted July 23, 2011 [quote name='Lonely Horus' timestamp='1311313055' post='5376714'] I always wondered about the earth duelist. [/quote] >Gadgets >Ultimate Offering ... Xyz OTK. owait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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