Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted October 12, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Right, good level of responses to the (re)opening of this story. Thanks guys. And a lot of excitement generated for this duel. So no more delay, here it is (conveniently at the top of this page as this threads 400th reply. Huzzah!) Since we're here, want to make a special thank you here where everyone can see to [b]Archbaron Barty[/b], who has been a terrific help over the next few parts of this fic in a duel planning/proof checking capacity as there have been some tricky duels coming up (do not badger him for spoilers, or I will have to kill him). Added to credits and cheers dude. Thanks also to everyone I've badgered for help with card effects the last few weeks. [spoiler=Chapter 19:2]Scowling up at the delighted Asami in the royal box up to her left, Izura watched her opponent draw his opening card. That deadly look on his face; was the effect of the Savage Coliseum doing that to him and drawing out his hatred of her because of her betrayal, or because he genuinely wanted to hurt her for her role in everything, or something else. She had no idea Rokuro duelled before today, having been most surprised to see him earlier in the night, and he couldn’t know her deck, which made her even more wary of him. “Stop Rokuro, I don’t want to fight you. We’re being set up.” ... Rokuro shook his head, trying to drown out the words floating out of the thick mist uttered by his smug opponent. [i]“You fool Rokuro; you’ve fallen straight into a trap yet again. All I have to do is finish you and the other survivors off, and then nothing can stop us!” [/i]How could he have fallen for another trap so easily? He had left for the Realm of Light when he received her message asking for help, as he genuinely had seen a light of hope in it. It might have been desperate but he couldn’t help it, Izura must have been equally desperate to call him in such a way, knowing he would be distrustful. But still he had come in the hope that she had come to her senses, that she did need his help to stop this and find a way to save the world from this. Warping to the area had proved easy enough after seeing Piotr do it, but how he had got here from the front steps of the ruined palace to the coliseum escaped him. He had entered the palace as stealthily as he could and he couldn’t remember an alarm or a guard, just blacking out. Knocked out from behind probably and then bought here. When Izura had revealed her alliance he hadn’t believed her, even facing her in the VDS he couldn’t accept that she was an enemy. But now she seemed to have lured him to this bloody arena and was attacking him, seeing was believing. There was another thing to consider; Vladimir. Throughout the crisis his main concern had been the wellbeing of his bride to be’s son, and trying to make sure he was safe. Now Natsumi had confirmed he was involved somehow and far from alright. Clarissa was in part responsible for that, but as he realised now as he stood facing this traitor in combat, Murtagh and his group were more so. “Even so, I came here believing there was still a shred of goodness and hope in you” he shouted back at his conceited foe. “Now I see there is nothing at all, just a desire for conquest and supremacy! More fool you for thinking me being caught means you will kill me easily. For what you’ve done to the country and people I love; the deck built for me by my stepson, my cards and I will smash through you. Because you control a monster and I have no cards on the field, I can summon this monster without tribute. Come forth, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Hammer_Bounzer"]Hammer Rush Bouncer[/url]!" ... “What? No Rokuro, it’s not like that. It’s a trap.” Hearing his words of anger and hate shocked her. Izura had never seen her cabinet associate, who had always treated her with respect and kindness, act in this frenzied way. But her words fell on deaf ears as Rokuro’s monster emerged. A wolf like creature capable of standing tall on its hind legs, dressed similarly to Rokuro with its maroon battle wear and wild mane, the beast snarled, clanging together its two bone crushing, hammer shaped fists (Lv6, ATK 2300). [i]“Ha ha, such a weak monster that befits you and your precious family! You don’t stand a chance and you never have done. You’re doomed, and so is everyone else you love.”[/i] Izura’s taunting hit a sensitive spot. “You’ll regret that remark. I activate the magic [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Double_Summon"]Dual Summon[/url], to bring out another monster from my hand. [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Blade_Bounzer"]Blade Bouncer[/url] hits the field.” A panther like warrior with two blades sticking out of its forearms charged the field (Lv4, ATK 1800), as Rokuro indicated battle. “Now Blade Bouncer, attack her monster!” Izura gulped (or smirked from where Rokuro was standing) as the panther warrior lunged, slashing towards the emerging monster. A moth like insect with glistening wings floated gently from the reversed card (Lv4, DEF 1600), before it was mercilessly dispatched. As the moth exploded, Izura staggered. Which, although it did not hurt her, was a troubling reaction. [i]‘The force of destruction, does it feel greater than it did in the VDS an hour ago?’[/i] “When the monster [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Moonlit_Papillon"]Moonlit Papillon[/url] is sent to the cemetery, I can special summon one of my key monsters straight from my deck. I choose [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Morpho_Butterspy"]Phantom Butterfly Assassin Morpho[/url]!" Half woman, half insect; one of Izura’s key allies emerged from the portal on dark blue wings. The main body was humanoid; the warrioress carrying two blades in her hands, but the body tapered off at the waist to that of a butterfly and sprouted great wings from the back. Knowing her monster was weaker, Izura frowned. Words clearly weren’t working, she’d have to use actions which Asami was powerless to manipulate. By summoning in defence, hopefully that would show Rokuro something was off (Lv4, DEF 1600). [i]‘Come on, work it out. Please. I need your help.’[/i] “A monster in defence? So much for my monsters being weak then, for you to be using cowardly tactics already.” Izura swore mentally as Rokuro dropped a card into the cemetery slot. “Blade Bouncer’s effect activates. Because it attacked and you still control a monster, I can discard [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Phantom_Bounzer"]Phantom Bouncer[/url] from my hand to have it attack again. Now clip that bug’s wings!” [i]‘Damn it, so much for that plan! Now I’ve got to defend myself![/i]’ “I activate my face down, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Butterflyoke"]Insect Scales of Servitude[/url]! This trap activates when a monster attacks and changes it into defence mode.” The panther warrior was repelled and forced to kneel. As it did so, the butterfly warrior’s wings began to glow. “Now because your monsters battle position has been changed, it loses one thousand attack and defence points (DEF 400). Also, Scales of Servitude permanently equips itself to your monster.” “Hammer Rush Bouncer, attack!” Unfazed and unrelenting, Rokuro sent the snarling wolf warrior on the charge. “When Hammer Rush Bouncer attacks, no spell or traps can be activated for the entirety of the battle, leaving you defenceless this time!” Indeed, the crushing blow of metal striking head easily dispatched the butterfly, and again sent Izura staggering a little despite no damage. [i]‘What’s doing that? Is it this arena? Is Murtagh’s new world as a whole like this? Is it something of that poisonous witch’s doing, or... something else?’[/i] Izura shuddered as the memory of Kaneko speaking twisted words predicting doom in that horrible voice sent chills through her. [i]‘If I had Morpho in attack...’[/i] Across the field, Rokuro set a card and ended his turn. “You want to finish what you’ve started and dispose of me as some means of completing your mission for Murtagh, I invite you to try.” Wordlessly Izura drew and considered her options. They were reasonable if this was a normal duel, but then again what should she do in this one. She didn’t want to attack Rokuro, but now it definitely seemed she had no choice. [i]‘I’m sorry Murtagh. I know how much this means to you, but I can’t let you go on with this madness. I should have stopped you earlier, but I hope now is not too late to save you. To have any chance do that, I have to win this duel and keep myself alive. I’m sorry Rokuro, and may God forgive me for what I have to do. I’ve prayed so often for forgiveness it must sound meaningless now, so I guess one more sin against my name probably makes no difference now.’[/i] “I activate the magic card [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Reinforcement_of_the_Army"]Reinforcement of Army[/url]. This lets me add a level four warrior to my hand, which I will immediately summon in the form of [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Swallowtail_Butterspy"]Phantom Butterfly Assassin Ageha[/url].” Another butterfly warrior with more decoratively patterned amber and violet wings and armed with twin swords descended beside her (Lv4, ATK 1800). “Then I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Monster_Reborn"]Raise Dead[/url] to bring back Morpho.” Rokuro cringed as the butterfly returned, having spotted the two monsters matching levels (ATK 1200). There was only one thing that could mean, something he’d dreaded facing. In the stands, Asami continued to gleefully watch her little spectacle in macabre enjoyment. [i]‘Seems like Izura is finally going to get a little aggressive. Good, I can’t afford to stay too long and watch a dull match drag out. I’m glad I chose this place to be my personal arena, for these two to spend this torment in.’[/i] Izura was going to attack, this should be exciting, but still she’d have to be aware of if she was needed at her palace. “I’m sorry. Now I activate the effect of Scales of Servitude. During my Main Phase, I can change the monster it’s equipped to back into attack mode. And once more because of this position change, Morpho’s effect activates and your monster looses all its remaining strength.” The panther warrior stood, forced to expose itself in its weakened state (ATK 0). “Now Morpho, attack Blade Bouncer!” Well this couldn’t be allowed to happen. “You think it would be that easy? I activate my trap, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Bounzer_Guard"]Bouncer Guard[/url]! This targets my Hammer Rush Bouncer, and makes it immune to destruction by battle this turn. Also, all your attacks this turn are intercepted by the targeted monster...” “I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Seven_Tools_of_the_Bandit"]Seven Tools of Bandit[/url]! By paying one thousand life points, your trap is negated!” Izura activated the trap without thinking, and immediately felt the effect. All her strength being drained out of her by some invisible vampiric force, her head went light as she swayed violently (LP 3000). If that didn’t confirm the effect of what was happening, she recovered enough to see the attack certainly did. Morpho attacked with incredible speed and grace, the panther howled as it perished. To Izura’s horror, Rokuro flew across the arena, landing in a heap in the dirt (LP 2800). “Rokuro?!” Gasping in terror, she could see his face burnt and marked from the explosion as he struggled upright. [i]“Ahahaha, this is just the beginning. Now the effect of my assassin Ageha activates. Because you’ve taken damage from Morpho’s attack, your other monster loses attack and defence equal to the damage you took. So prepare to take some more hurt!”[/i] The wolf warrior strength plummeted (ATK 1100) before the second butterfly lunged, swords plunging into the beasts heart. Rokuro flew across the arena again, smashing backwards into a stone pillar and laying in a heap (LP 2100). Izura hung her head, hating what she’d done despite all the necessity of doing so. [i]‘Damn it, I don’t know how I can keep this up. But if I don’t then Rokuro is only going to come back stronger. He won’t hesitate to attack me now. I’ve got no choice but to defend myself.’[/i] “Now I overlay my two level four monsters and Xyz summon!” The two butterflies disappeared and plunged into the vortex, from which emerged another butterfly with a more complete feminine body and radiant wings, more elegantly dressed than her minions and carrying two bladed sai. “Shine, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Photon_Papilloperative"]Photon Butterfly Assassin[/url]!” (Rk4, ATK 2100) [i]‘If all Rokuro can do next turn is defend, then my key Butterfly Assassin will be able to deal with that defence, and a direct attack from her would finish it. But given the last two attacks and with no Numbers to protect him, that would certainly be...’ [/i]Furious, Izura glanced back to the royal box as she set another card, but to her surprise Asami could not be seen for the moment. [i]‘She’s gone? Maybe I can use this. Come on Rokuro, wake up.’[/i] ...03:37:22... Indeed Asami had gone, and was making her way back across the main chamber of her palace towards the struggling machine. She could see Evos had got all his gear and was working as best he could on keeping the thing going, but what was more concerning was who was standing watching him. “So let me get this straight. You left the machine for what, ten minutes to get your gear, and came back to find this place empty? You tried calling either of them?” “Yeah, but couldn’t get hold of either of them, so I just got on with it. Thought it was best you knew though. If someone attacked her...” Evos and Murtagh fell silent as Asami slunk into light. “Oh, hello darling. I wasn’t expecting you back yet.” Asami embraced her partner before he could speak, trying to mask herself and give nothing away with her voice. “You had any luck finding whoever it was that possessed the kid earlier?” “No, but I’m working on it. I was hoping looking at the converter might give me some clues to follow, but then Evos called me saying you two had vanished. You seen Izura?” Asami shook her head in reply. “No, I’m afraid not. She said she’d look after the machine while we fetched Evos’ tools, but I came back and she had gone. I searched the ground of the palace looking for her, but I can’t find her anywhere and I can’t contact her either.” Murtagh’s frown drilled through her, and she could feel her soul tightening inside. Could he see through her? Why did she feel so afraid if he could? Izura had tried to betray him and ruin his dream, why did she get the feeling he would be angry with her for stopping her? They had some connection, but she didn’t know what it was. She didn’t know all that much about Izura, except she had a young daughter who was very frail. Did she... “I see” Murtagh said, somewhat scolding in his voice. “This is troubling; someone must have got to her. You shouldn’t have wandered off by yourself looking for her Asami, don’t put yourself in danger. I’ll go and look for her. If she’s is in trouble, I swear whoever hurts her...” With a nod to Evos Murtagh disappeared once again. As quickly and inconspicuously as possible Asami made her excuses and moved into the next room, bringing up a display of the duel. That man Rokuro who she’d caught was struggling back to his feet and beginning his turn, faced with the ace monster of Izura’s Butterfly deck. Such a weak monster, she was holding back on her Number for now then. But she couldn’t risk going to watch the rest of the duel now, so it was of no concern. [i]‘I’ll just have to leave them to kill each other and deal with the victor when one’s decided. Murtagh won’t find them, and what he doesn’t know can’t hurt him. Now Izura, do the decent thing, die painfully and get out of our lives.’[/i] ... Groaning in pain, Rokuro staggered back to the battlefield. Izura’s laughter echoed around his head, sore from the battering he had taken. Her attacks had been brutal, and only from weak monsters. Anything bigger in this situation, or a Number..., he shuddered at the thought. He had seen the effects of those monsters first hand, and those were on others protected by their own Numbers, and this environment was worse than the VDS. But looking at the Xyz monster across the field, he was surprised to see it was not a Number. [i]‘Her Number must be a higher rank, or this one is somehow more beneficial for her now. I’ve never seen it before, but I can run it over. I just hope I can beat her before she does bring out her Number. If I let that happen, it would be curtains, and I’ll never be able to rescue Vladimir and help the others.’[/i] “I draw!” He was down on resources, with only one card and this draw left. This had to be good. “First I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Dododo_Warrior"]Dododo Warrior[/url]!” A Viking axe wielder crashed onto the field beside him, crouching behind its shield (Lv6, ATK 1800). “I can summon this monster without tribute by lowering its attack by five hundred. Then I activate my own Raise Dead, to resurrect Hammer Rush Bouncer!” The snarling warrior returned, and with it Izura’s monster had no defence from its traps. As long as it didn’t activate its own effect, he could get back in this. “Bouncer, crush that butterfly with justice!” The butterfly screamed as she was crushed, vanishing in a blast of light. Izura lost some ground, her expression in the mist furious, as far as he could see (LP 2800). “Now Dododo Warrior, attack directly!” Izura couldn’t stop herself, and screamed as the Viking lunged with its axe high over its head, only to be struck mute as it slashed threw her, launched across the arena. She landed face down in a heap, a trickle of blood underneath her, completely still and silent (LP 1000). Suddenly, seeing her like that, Rokuro swallowed at the sight. [i]‘Have I... done the right thing? Maybe, now I don’t know... No, she attacked me, and she will do so again now I’ve pushed her. I have to push on and keep fighting or I’ll be killed.’[/i] “I overlay my two level six monsters and Xyz summon! Behold my mighty ace!” Worked up and confused by the arena effects and the misinformation he had been lead to believe, Rokuro watched alone as his two monsters plunged into the vortex. “You wanted a fight? Well no one can stand toe to toe with this great warrior. Come on, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Photon_Streak_Bounzer"]Photon Streak Bouncer[/url]!” A tall and powerful animal warrior whose skin glowed brightly under its thick red armour, the Bouncer’s ace growled as it hit the field with a powerful strike (Rk6, ATK 2700). But still Izura didn’t move. ...03:42:01... The sounds of dead tone and failure to load were getting too much for Hideo. Overcome with frustration in his desperation to get in contact with Baron, the prime minister snapped and hurled his personal networker pad across the room, not caring to see it land in a broken heap by the door the stunned Kenji had just entered with a rather shaky expression. Mai watched mouth open in amazement for the sofa as his head sunk into his hands. “Hideo please, that’s not helping.” “Nothing is helping. Nothing I’ve done is helping. Everything is just getting worse and worse.” “Sorry sir, but the city seems to be crawling with these winged demons coming out of the earth all across the city” Kenji nervously reported. “It’s impossible to calculate how many they are or the death toll, but it is only going to rocket with them around, along with these dragons roaming the skies of the country. Sir, what of the rest of the world? Is there anywhere we can escape?” Kenji jumped as Hideo’s fist hit the desk. “We can’t run. Where is there for us to run too? The whole world is probably just as chaotic as it is here. We can’t worry about other nations now or rely on them helping us; it’s our mess and we’re going to have to fight our own way out of this. We can work out the figures later; all that matters now is getting out of this damn fix. But how can we get in touch with Baron and the others? Do you think they’ve...” “We can’t assume anything about their status” Mai interrupted, calmly yet firmly. She looked to be deep in thought as she spoke. “So, this world we’re seeing, it is like the virtual world of RDL?” “Blasted if I know, I’ve never been involved with them on a customer level.” “Hmm... I wonder.” Rummaging around in her bag, Mai quickly found what she was looking for. She pulled out her own D-Gazer, the mass market non-duelling model that she used while she was driving or in conferences. “Let’s see... this is a long shot, but do either of you have a D-Gazer network number for anyone at the service base. Anyone at all?” Hideo rummaged through his desk. All his contact numbers were saved on his speaker phone or his now broken networker pad, but he had always been old and paranoid enough to keep a written back up. Finding his details of all of Baron’s contacts, he passed them to Mai to make the call. “Thank you, hopefully I’m right about this. If this really is the VDS world come to life, maybe they’ll still have a communication system used by the... hello? Hello Baron?” [i]“Hello, who’s that?”[/i] Miraculously, Baron’s voice was clear and true. Mai removed the D-Gazer so all three of them could listen and talk, and told him who it was. He seemed oddly surprised. “[i]Ah, the prime minister’s office. You’re all okay then?” [/i] “Yes Murakami-san, thank you for your concern” Hideo replied. “Although how long that will remain the case for looking outside, I have no idea. Tell me, what is your status? Have you been able to assess the situation and come up with a plan yet?” [i]“We’re working on it. Our status is stabilised now and we’ve got our top remaining people working on locating Murtagh and preparing to combat with him. Haven’t you had this discussion with your man?”[/i] “Rokuro?” Hideo exchanged a baffled look with the others. “No, we haven’t heard from Rokuro. I thought he was with you and the VDS team that was searching for Kaneko. What happened?” [i]“Hmm, that’s concerning. Well long story short, the team failed and are telling me Murtagh used some hulking great machine of some kind that used the girl Kaneko as the batteries.”[/i] Several meanings of that flashed through Hideo’s mind, each more graphic and appalling than the last. [i]“That’s what caused this, and is going to be the focus of our attempt to fix things. My men are gearing up for combat now.”[/i] “Baron, what about Sakura?” Mai asked. There was a long pause. “Is she safe? Please tell me.” [i]“Sakura is fine. She is making herself useful aiding our medical team. You have nothing to worry about.”[/i] Relief. Hideo and Mai both sighed and collapsed in relief. Without realising what he was doing Hideo hugged her for a moment. She responded, but they only held it for a moment before a withdrawal was mutually made. Kenji meanwhile took the line. “Baron, what about the rest of Japan? Do you have any plans on how to combat the monsters swarming the city?” [i]“Excuse me?”[/i] “How can you not have seen them? There are dragons and wicked creatures attacking the city and...” [i]“Hey hey hey, I have got a lot on my plate here with limited resources” [/i]Baron snapped back.[i] “I’ve had no indication of anything like that nor time to think about the possibility and we’re down on equipment and men. But now I know and can do something about it alright? So I take it your position is in jeopardy?”[/i] Kenji replied this was true with a nervous glance out the window. He could see a dragon in the sky from here. [i]“Right, well this might sound weird, but with the world like this you can use the D-Gazer to teleport here. I can pass you over to someone to instruct you how.”[/i] “Sorry but I don’t think that will work. This is only a standard D-Gazer, not a VDS one” Mai replied. Baron grumbled at her inconvenience of not having a proper D-Gazer. [i]“Well I can’t spare anyone to come and pick you all up. Doesn’t your building have a safe bunker built underneath should you ever need a hiding place in times like this?”[/i] Hideo knew what he was referring to; a fully sealed bunker under the building built in the times of fear against radioactive chemical warfare, that was completely nuclear and radiation proof and could be lived in for several days. It was a safe place, isolated from the world outside. [i]“Well I suggest you go in there for a while then.”[/i] “Thank you Baron. Good luck.” Baron grunted a likewise reply before hanging up, leaving the three to brave the corridors of Toshima Halls. Passing through Hideo’s office doors, the prime minister had to look away from the still and cold secretary who had replaced Izura, lying in a poll of her blood with glassy eyes. The first of maybe many horrors they may have to bear the sight of. “Sir, I know this perhaps isn’t the time” Kenji stuttered. Hideo saw he had picked up the defunct laptop as he passed, which still had the USB with its interesting files on Junichi inserted into it. “But what do you think happened to Tarao and Junichi? You think they’re out there too?” Hideo sighed, loath to reply. “Kenji, Ageda Tarao is the furthest thing from my mind right now.” ... Call ended, Baron turned to the rest of the team around him. Now he had to choose his words carefully. “Right, I’ve spoken to the prime minister and he’s safe. The same can’t be said for the rest of the city, as the situation has presented another disturbing development, but we’ll come to that when the others get back. He also hasn’t heard from Tanaka. Has anyone seen him since he went out?” Everyone around him shook their heads, as he suspected they might. He had his own suspicions, but it would serve better to keep them to himself for now. [i]‘Let the rabbit hop ahead and see what nest it leads to’[/i]. “Right, you, go outside and have a look. Doctor Zielinski, if he’s gone, can you track Tanaka-san from his D-Gazer data?” “Easily enough” the doctor replied curtly, opening up his own D-Pad. Several agents including Daiki turned to him in surprise as he started working away. “How come your computer still works?” “Because this is the VDS world come to life, and my D-Pad was built by the same company and configured into the system so I could work at it. I did some work on the world to make it easier for Kaneko to adjust and accept the program, often working from inside the world itself. Kind of like how your D-Gazers and Disks still work” he replied, again as if it was really obvious. Daiki shrugged, and turned his attention to the D-Disk on his arm. It had appeared just as it did in the virtual world, with his familiar deck to protect him, although there were two notable absences since its last use. He didn’t have much time to dwell on the problem that would present as the doors opposite slid open, and in walked just shy of forty armed and ready field operatives of the service, fully geared up in night camo and armed with everything they had, including a D-Gazer each. They fanned out and stood to attention, to reveal following from the back was Clarissa. Through the tears in her outfit Daiki could see a few blood stained bandages wrapped around her, but she was otherwise masking any pain quite expertly. She had also armed herself with as many guns as she could carry, along with her D-Disk. She simply nodded to Daiki, and threw one of her handguns his way. “You really think there’s any point me having this?” he asked as he caught it. “You might not have told those guys, but you and I have already seen firsthand that bullets have no effect on people carrying Number cards, and right now Murtagh and his group possess all of them. We might as well go into battle armed with conkers and water pistols for all the good these will do.” “Not necessarily” she replied. “They didn’t all go to Murtagh. They went on that converter machine to power it. Maybe he has to keep them in place to keep it running, thus sacrificing his protection.” “That’s a mighty big assumption to make.” Indeed Clarissa looked awkward at best trying to believe her own hopeful logic. “And what if that’s not the case and he can freely take his Numbers back as soon as he sees us all coming. What do we do then? It may well only have been because of the power of Kaneko’s Numbers that we survived that last battle, and we don’t have that halo of protection now. You think they’re going to give us the chance to duel and risk losing them to us, when they could just kill us?” “If you don’t think it’s of use or if you don’t want to come, then give it back.” Daiki’s reluctance was enough of an answer. “Of course I’m coming.” Holstering the weapon for now, he joined the other soldiers facing Baron. “There’s probably no way to plan in this situation, given the odds and how everything is stacked in his favour. So do we have a location yet?” “We’re working on it. You’re right, it’s a desperate situation and I can’t guarantee anything, least of all your chances of success or coming back alive. Going into direct battle with Murtagh and his allies is suicidal in these conditions, but we have no choice. You’ll have to assess the situation and how best to complete the mission when you arrive on site, and deal with any situation as it presents itself. Finding and rescuing Kaneko as quietly as possible would be my advice, but how possible that is on alien terrain that is advantageous to them and with limited resources, I very much doubt it. Now since you’re all assembled, I have to inform you of a development that has not helped the situation. I need to split you into two groups.” Using Clarissa and Daiki as the divide, he motioned the agents either side to move into two groups of roughly twenty. “The group on my left will be heading to Murtagh’s location as soon as we discover it. The group to my right will be staying in the city. I have just had a firsthand account from the prime minister about duel monsters roaming and tearing up the city, and have been ordered to use my resources to protect the citizens, as well as stop Murtagh.” There were groans of disbelief and discontent from the soldiers that they would be fighting monsters in even smaller numbers. “No I am not kidding. I know the situation is now desperate, but we have to fight. You have all been trained to fight in extreme circumstances and against impossible odds, and win. This could very well be our last chance to save the world as we knew it. It is imperative that somehow, someway, we must win. Do anything you have to do, give everything you have to give, and do what you all signed up to do which is to be the unsung heroes protected this country, and even more so. Whether you come back or die as a hero is up to you, and probably a whole lot of luck which I wish you, but it is better to die standing and fighting and free, than live on your knees in slavery and cowardice.” “Yes sir!” The respect and devotion Baron commanded was impressive, and Daiki could appreciate the impossibility of the situation he was faced with. The mission of attacking Murtagh’s base and rescuing Kaneko was madness at best, but they couldn’t sit and do nothing, especially if monsters from the duelling world were going to hunt down every living being left. The men and women who would be joining him and Clarissa were psyching each other up, whilst those staying to fight in the city were being taken away and briefed by Yuri. Keylan and a few others were working on a way to support each group from here, whilst at the centre table Piotr had got something on his D-Pad, and was frowning at his discovery. “What is it?” “I’ve managed to get the recorded history of Tanaka-san’s D-Gazer usage. He is no longer where we are now; he was in what is now the area that has merged with the Realm of Light...” “What do you mean was?” Baron asked. “I mean what I said, he was there. He is not there now. He warped to the Realm of Light, and then exactly three and ninety seconds later he warped again, but to a location I can’t identify. Possibly he did not make that warp under his own power. Also, there is something else...” Piotr opened the message that had been sent to Rokuro two minutes before he had warped off and read to the group. “Need your help, something has gone badly wrong. Come to Realm of Light area and meet me in the main chamber, as quietly as you can. Izura.” “Izura?” Daiki asked. “The biker girl from that battle?” “Yeah, and former personal assistant and publicist to the prime minister. But why did that idiot go off on his own? Surely he must have known he would be walking straight into danger doing that.” “Maybe” Baron shrugged. The rabbit had done its job then. “Or perhaps he thought Izura was going to turn on Murtagh. Something doesn’t sound right from that message, hopefully something genuinely is taking up Murtagh’s attention and will lower his defences or allow you all to get in unnoticed. Right, you have your location and orders. Doctor Zielinski will instruct those of you unfamiliar with the D-Gazers how to warp, and go cautiously. Field Commanders, keep radio contact to the minimum and most important, and Daiki. Clarissa.” The two turned to Baron. He seemed oddly solemn for a moment, as if for one time only he was unsure what to say or do. “All of you, good luck. We’re depending on you.” ...03:51:22... Meanwhile somewhere else in Japan, the Demon Roar Gods and their forces continue to soar and search the land. Passing over the ruins of a row of houses they continued to hunt for prey across the country. However as a Grimro, Raven and Ashenveil passed the ruins by, they did not notice some of the rubble begin to crumble away, as a hand pushed up from underneath it. Gasping for air, Natsumi fought her way free and wriggled out of the ruins, choking and wincing at her bruises. “What... the... hell?” she heaved, collapsing on top of the rubble. She’d followed her allies’ instructions and evacuated the VDS seconds before it collapsed, only to come back to her little flat she had been in hiding in as it collapsed around her. Now having got free, finding herself in Sin World all of a sudden was a bit much to take in. As was seeing the Demon Roar Gods flying around and hearing the screams in the distance, along with the more usual inhabitants of this realm of [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Malefic"]dark and distorted dragons[/url] flying overhead. “O...k...?” Another thing that confused her was that she was no longer in her everyday clothes, but those she wore whilst in the VDS; her grey and red riding suit. Her D-Disk was also on her arm, and she had not owned a real D-Disk for a year. “What? Is this... the real world?” Trying to steady her breathing, Natsumi tried to calm herself and think. [i]‘Did Murtagh do this? What happened to Dai and...’ [/i]She stopped herself. What may or may not have happened to Daiki and the others did not bare thinking about, though if she was still alive then maybe they all were. But knowing Dai he’d be even more clueless than her as to what was going on. And she couldn’t go to him anyway, not if he was working for the secret service that she was still on the wanted list of. “What now?” A sudden, horrible screeching overhead drew her attention. Peering into the violet sky, she could see what from the long white body and black wings looked like a [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Malefic_Rainbow_Dragon"]Sin Rainbow Dragon[/url] was struggling against the grip of a dark portal behind it. It definitely was getting pulled backwards into it as opposed to arriving through it, given the frenzied way it was flapping and clawing and going nowhere but backwards, sucked towards this black hole. In horror she watched as the creature was pulled halfway into the portal by its pull, before it shrunk and suddenly closed. Immediately the dragon, or what was left it, stopped thrashing, and started to plummet towards... [i]‘Oh hell!’[/i] Injuries forgotten, Natsumi scrambled out of the rubble and ran, as the upper half of the dead dragon landed right on top of where she had been. Feeling sick, she did not dare to look and investigate the details of its guillotined torso. [i]‘Well that’s not good, and that can’t be Murtagh’s doing.’[/i] Indeed, from what little she knew about Murtagh and his ambitious plans, something about what she had just witnessed didn’t sit right. Something about it seemed very wrong in an unnerving sort of way, as well as a sickening one. But how to find out what was wrong. Daiki and the others... no, they wouldn’t know anything. With a shuddering sigh, there was only one person she could go to and find out what was happening... right from the horse’s mouth. It was a terrible risk, but it seemed the only way. She would have to find someone who she once considered a friend, then an enemy, and right now she really had no idea. Other than he was somebody who might actually know what was happening, might need her help as much as she needed his, and hopefully wouldn’t kill her on the spot. ...03:54:08... Slowly and with great care, groaning from the pain she was in despite her cautious movements, Izura pushed herself onto her knees. Rokuro was watching her suspiciously as she moved, having waited for her to come back. She had been down for minutes, still conscious, but unable to move for pain and weakness. Unable to even have the strength to call out for help. During those agonizing minutes she could feel the blood seeping out of a great slash wound across her front which, as she sat up, could be seen as a crimson line across her body through the mangled tears of her jacket and now formed a considerable pool around her feet. She felt barely alive as she shakily pushed herself upright (LP 1000). “Now can you see the hell we are in, that I’m trying to get us out of?” Her breathing was short and ragged, taking great efforts just to say a few words. She still expected them to fall on deaf ears, and judging from the expression on Rokuro’s face of appalled horror and confusion, she was probably right. [i]“Now you can see firsthand a reflection of how you are going to die.”[/i] Rokuro shuddered at the sight. How can Izura still be standing with such a grievous wound, it was like some kind of witchcraft. The creepiness of her voice made him shudder, although something about it seemed odd, the way it had changed. He had unhinged her completely now, and she was going to come back with everything, and most likely a Numbers. He only had Photon Streak Bouncer left to defend him; once he was gone it would be all over (LP 2100). And he’d have failed. To help Baron and the others. To help Hideo who was depending on him. To save Vladimir. Izura was drawing her card, and all those faces started to flash past him as she looked at the card that was about to end his life. Izura looked at the magic card she had drawn, her breathing having caught in her throat. [i]‘This card. With this... and my face down card... I can bring it out. I can win. I can escape and find Murtagh. I can tell him to stop the machine and reverse it. Make him see what that woman is and she has done to him. Rokuro will certainly die, but he’s just one person... If I don’t sacrifice him and get to Murtagh then millions more will suffer, and whoever is controlling the converter now might do something even more terrible. I have to... don’t I?’[/i] Izura’s voice was so cold when she next spoke, placing the magic card on her D-Disk, even without the confusing air of the arena it would have still sent chills down Rokuro’s spine.“I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/The_Warrior_Returning_Alive"]Return of the Warrior[/url]. This adds a warrior in my cemetery back to my hand, which I then summon. Aegha returns.” The amber spotted butterfly warrior rose from the field only to increase Rokuro’s nerves. “Because I summoned a Butterfly Assassin successfully, now I can special summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Ulysses_Butterspy"]Phantom Butterfly Assassin Ulysses[/url] from my hand as well.” A smaller, light winged butterfly appeared beside Ageha, and Rokuro felt his heart stop. This was it; their levels were identical (Lv4, DEF 1700). Izura’s hand trembled as she reached to the container for her extra deck, no doubt from the blood loss and the excitement of what she was about to do, pausing for a moment still shaking, even more violently as she took out the chosen card, and so did her voice as she held her card high. “Now I overlay my two level four monsters! Xyz summon!” The two butterflies sunk into the swirling vortex, the radiance of it glowing intensely as something in the beyond screamed for release. Izura’s face in the thick fog was stern and guarded, making him panic even more. [i]‘What is it? What’s coming?’[/i] “This is it. I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Photon_Alexandra_Queen"]Photon Alexandra Queen[/url]!” “Wait, what?” Rokuro blinked in disbelief as a long scarlet winged woman of alluring figure rose out of the vortex on light wing beats, floating above him merely on the wind it generated. Desperately he looked over the entire body, the wings again, the long swallowtails, and failing that then over Izura’s crippled frame, and he couldn’t see a mark or symbol anywhere. Again, this creature was not a Number. (Rk4, DEF 1200). “Alexandra Queen’s effect activates” Izura emptily continued, raised her hand and reaching out to her key companion as its bright red wings began to shine. “By detaching both her overlay units, all monsters on the field are returned to their owner’s hands. Then we take five hundred points of damage for each.” Rokuro reacted without thinking. “Photon Streak Bouncer’s effect! By detaching an overlay unit when a monster activates an effect, it can negate that activation.” The bouncer set off with a howl, leaping towards the butterfly queen desperate to get there. “Then you take one thousand points of damage!” Tackling the queen in the midriff and hurtling down with her, the two monsters hit the arena floor with incredible force. The resulting boom sent Rokuro staggering backwards several paces, where Izura had gone he couldn’t see from the dust and fog. Not until the dust settled could he lower the shield over his eyes, removing his D-Gazer to see the outcome of the last battle. “Izura?” She was lying slumped against the arena columns, thrown into the stone arch by the force of Photon Bouncer’s effect. Several cards lay dropped and scattered around her, and her head was rolled limply to one side. He could see a trickle of blood coming from her mouth. All rage forgotten, he sprinted the distance to kneel beside her. She was still breathing, but it was extremely weak and she could barely lift her head to look at him. As he kneeled there, a glow distracted him. One of the card’s beside Izura, another Xyz monster, was glowing. It entranced them both for a second, before her Number card disappeared in a shower of sparkles. “Izura, why? Why did you fight me and then not use a Number?” Izura needed a few shuddering breathes before she could speak. “I never wanted... to fight. I never wanted any of this at all. But I... couldn’t stop my... Murtagh. I’ve failed him so badly... so many times over our lives... but after seeing the consequences of the world merging I got desperate. But that Asami has her claws so deep in him and pushing him to achieve his desires. She’s the one who set this trap up for us. Because she found me trying to reverse the converter and that I’d called you for help.” “So you really did need my help? Why, what’s going on? Why are you turning against Murtagh now?” Izura coughed and shook her head. The bleeding was getting more severe. Desperately Rokuro removed his shirt and tried to wrap it around her to cordon off some of it, but she refused. “Come on; let me take you back to our headquarters. I can get you fixed up there.” She shook her head. “No, leave me here. I deserve it for my failings and cowardice. Asami caught us both and made us fight, trying to manipulate us into fighting and killing each other. But... I couldn’t do it. I had... no choice...” “Of course you had a choice. You could have won. You had a face down. You should have summoned that Number and beat me, then gone to Murtagh or Baron and tried to help.” Again Izura shook her head. “What about Riku damn it!?” “Killing you in order to save myself? No... that’s not a choice. Not one I’m prepared to make anyway. Even with the excuses I tried to convince myself with. Even if my tainted soul is doomed regardless, I couldn’t kill you to save myself. I could never hold Riku again after that, and she wouldn’t want me to. She’s better off without me. I knew what would happen when I used Alexandra Queen, but...” The truth was horrifying. “You knew? You sacrificed yourself?” Izura shrugged. Her breathing was getting weaker; her eyes flickered as she started to fade. “Come on, don’t die on me. I didn’t want to fight you. I just got caught up with my rage and own desperation, I didn’t realise...” [i]“You!”[/i] This time Rokuro’s breathing really did stop. Turning agonizingly to look over his shoulder, his entire body went cold at the sight of Murtagh standing in the middle of the arena. His body looked different, but his expression was one of pure shock and anger as he struggled to take in what he was seeing. “Get away from her!!” Rokuro had no chance to comply. With a wild swipe at thin air, he was caught and thrown by some invisible hand, landing heavily as Murtagh slid down next to Izura. The panic in his voice was evident. “Izura! Please hold on just a second! I can heal you!” Ripping open her jacket to fully expose her wounds, Murtagh placed his glowing golden palms against her, muttering frantically as he tried to pour his godly energy into repairing the wounds. Seconds passed and dragged, and he continued to sweat and curse as Izura just kept fading. The glow receded, and Murtagh howled miserably. Nothing had changed. “Why? Why can’t I heal you?! Why...” The words stuck in his throat as he felt Izura, very weakly, take one of his hands. Why the hell was she smiling at him like that when she was seconds from dying? “It’s simple big brother. It’s because you don’t know how to heal people.” Her words made Murtagh choke, as well as stunning Rokuro. “You think only of power and destruction, not life and sacrifice. That’s why your powers can’t heal me.” Murtagh’s hand tightened around hers. Tears were streaming down to his face. “Sister please... I’m begging you. Don’t leave me...” “It’s okay big brother. It’s not your fault. I should never have let us get separated. I should have been there for you after we were adopted. I should have stopped you earlier. I blame myself for everything that’s happened, for just standing by you and doing nothing but pray you’d see your errors, and allowing things to get this bad. I’m sorry.” Izura coughed again, some blood sticking in her throat. “Stop it! Please. Just let me help you!” “Murtagh, if you want to help me, then end this.” Still Izura kept her fragile, beautiful smile as she touched his face, making him still. “This world, and everyone we’ve dragged into it, is doomed unless you do something. I should have stopped you earlier, but I was too weak. Maybe this is the only way I can help you, having never been able to in life. I just wanted my big brother back and to be happy, I wanted to watch over you, but I’ve failed you, and my daughter and everyone else. Please brother...” Suddenly Izura shuddered, and her eyes closed. The hand against Murtagh’s cheek fell lifelessly away. Desperately he tried to shake her into coming back. “Izura! Izura!” No response was coming, nor would it ever. She was gone. Screaming with rage, Murtagh punched the arch behind her, the stone cracking all the way up from his fist and racing all the way along and past the paralysed Rokuro. As Murtagh slowly turned to look back at him, and glare at him with those wild, tear filled eyes of hatred, he was frozen by them. Slowly Murtagh stood and marched towards him, his knuckles cracking and voice rumbling as he approached. “You... are going to pay for this...” 03:59:58... 03:59:59... 04:00:00...[/spoiler] One hour down... five left... [spoiler=Notes]This is, or at least should be) the only anime only Xyz monster to crop up. Notes on Izura's Number will arrive at a later date.[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canopy Star - Eon Sphere Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 You know, as soon as the first move was made, I facepalmed. For me, not for you. The duel was great, but I understand what you meant by close to Heroics now. This was the kind of duel that should have happened in ZEXAL. Oh, and the Sin Rainbow Dragon got Dark Holed. Guess that's the best way to get rid of them And some spoilers. And more Hideo. I didn't like him at first, but now I understand him. Poor Photon Alexandra Queen. Never gets to shine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerion Brightflame Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Wait What? [spoiler='Spoiler. ']So... Izumi and Murtagh are brother and sister? Mind destroyed.... Also, calling Clarrisa being Izumi's daughter. Just to round things off, and I have 'I am your uncle' moment. [/spoiler] So, the duel was pretty good, but the end was a tad... predictable. Not the self sacrifice, but the Alexandria moment. Deck choices... alright. Not my personal favourite. But Murtagh was awesome.... He will be angry. Very...very angry. And I want him to turn into a dragon randomly. So yeah, not my personal favourite chapter, but still pretty damn good man. And I am happy to help. Since, its a nice feeling when you help others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted October 13, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2012 [quote name='The Seal of Eon' timestamp='1350063593' post='6043014'] You know, as soon as the first move was made, I facepalmed. For me, not for you. The duel was great, but I understand what you meant by close to Heroics now. This was the kind of duel that should have happened in ZEXAL. Oh, and the Sin Rainbow Dragon got Dark Holed. Guess that's the best way to get rid of them And some spoilers. And more Hideo. I didn't like him at first, but now I understand him. Poor Photon Alexandra Queen. Never gets to shine... [/quote] Mwahaha. Well I like Papillioperative and Streak Bouncer and wanted to get them in, plus the archtypes are sort of cool. Well, sort of. Hideo and the political group's story gets chapterly exposure in this arc as it develops rapidly. Have enjoyed writing that. [quote name='Archbaron Barthandelus' timestamp='1350071963' post='6043101'] Wait What? [spoiler='Spoiler. ']So... Izumi and Murtagh are brother and sister? Mind destroyed.... Also, calling Clarrisa being Izumi's daughter. Just to round things off, and I have 'I am your uncle' moment. [/spoiler] So, the duel was pretty good, but the end was a tad... predictable. Not the self sacrifice, but the Alexandria moment. Deck choices... alright. Not my personal favourite. But Murtagh was awesome.... He will be angry. Very...very angry. And I want him to turn into a dragon randomly. So yeah, not my personal favourite chapter, but still pretty damn good man. And I am happy to help. Since, its a nice feeling when you help others. [/quote] Clarissa is 26. Izura is 28. Yeah, kept reading all the 'I'm really excited' comments and was like hmmm, really not going to be the most amazing duel. My record with opening duels is pretty abysmal. But yeah, next week it steps several nothces with two very differing duels, similar only in excitement (groan). Oh biblically angry. Poor Rokuro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brinolovania Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 Someday, I'm seriously gonna actually read a chapter when I say I'm gonna read a chapter. Seriously. Someday. Right, the chapter. The duel kinda reminded of that part from 5Ds where Ruka's in the spirit world, and she has to find Regulus. But then he has a minus staff on him so he heard the popposite of whatever she said to him. Just a random note there. But anyway...the duel was fairly predictable, if only because Butterfly Assassins and Bouncers are such tiny archetypes. Still, it was a nice chapter, and Izura being Murtagh's sister is interesting... But now I kinda feel sad that Rokuro's basically dead. Why do you make me like characters and then kill them off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted October 14, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 [quote name='Pacmanexus' timestamp='1350173384' post='6043885'] Someday, I'm seriously gonna actually read a chapter when I say I'm gonna read a chapter. Seriously. Someday. Right, the chapter. The duel kinda reminded of that part from 5Ds where Ruka's in the spirit world, and she has to find Regulus. But then he has a minus staff on him so he heard the popposite of whatever she said to him. Just a random note there. But anyway...the duel was fairly predictable, if only because Butterfly Assassins and Bouncers are such tiny archetypes. Still, it was a nice chapter, and Izura being Murtagh's sister is interesting... But now I kinda feel sad that Rokuro's basically dead. Why do you make me like characters and then kill them off [/quote] Oh, forgotten about that. Mainly because Leo and Luna were so forgetable. Yeah, pretty much. Because I'm a jerk? Will never forget the reaction to Tyrana's death in Armageddon. Some people were biblically angry and demanding I change it and not kill her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted October 14, 2012 Report Share Posted October 14, 2012 No surprise, 'twas quite good. I got a kick out of the fact that both of our respective 'fics used Butterfly vs. Bouncer duels. The story is developing nicely and you took the less predictable route of having Izura's death lead to Murtagh simply realizing his mistakes and changing things, so I look forward to seeing where it goes from there. Well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted October 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2012 [quote name='Thunder Spark' timestamp='1350236046' post='6044317'] No surprise, 'twas quite good. I got a kick out of the fact that both of our respective 'fics used Butterfly vs. Bouncer duels. The story is developing nicely and you took the less predictable route of having Izura's death lead to Murtagh simply realizing his mistakes and changing things, so I look forward to seeing where it goes from there. Well done. [/quote] Thanks man. I like Bouncers, I thought there original sort of gimmick of playing without a backrow for power was kinda adrenaline rush style (similar to Infernity). I prefer them to Heroics. And I like Butterfly Asassins too (yes the archtype). Knew the duel wasn't amazing, my opening duels are usually shoddy, but... well just trust me when I say they pick up from here on. And yeah, that would be typically corny plot, or normal YGO anime I guess Surely it's more natural for him to extremely pissed, especially with the murderer just sitting there... Anyway moving on, I have a pretty hectic week ahead that I'm not looking forward to immensely; with lots of work shifts and having to do an all day trainer course on Friday followed by another birthday meal at TGI's (okay I am looking forward to that ) and then Saturday I'm going to be out all day again doing my martial arts grading. And am going to be extremely broken afterwards So, would we all be okay with chapters monday and thursday this week? [spoiler=Chapter 20:1][b]The following takes place between 4AM and 5AM[/b] On the great steps leading up to the ruined palace, a series of warp portals opened just long enough for their creators to run through and disperse, before closing behind them once again. The twenty three person force of agents dressed in full camo and armed with everything they could carry quickly split up into their teams and dove for the nearest cover, Clarissa and Daiki crouching with another two agents behind a collapsed pillar. Collecting her breath and ignoring the pain in her sides she chanced a quick look over the palace, assessing the scenario, whilst Daiki couldn’t help notice the broken pyramids, the blasted sands and the blood red river. The savage artistry of it was frightening yet awe inspiring. “Egypt.” “Excuse me?” Clarissa snapped. “I might be wrong, but I think we’re in Egypt. I’ve always wanted to come h...” Daiki gulped as Clarissa’s cold stare dared complete that sentence. “...although not under these circumstances.” “Well then we know where we’re taking Kaneko on our first family holiday don’t we darling?” Clarissa mimicked irritably, before going back to studying the ruins. Her D-Gazer, as had Daiki’s, had been given the secret service treatment of binocular, camera, night vision and see through functions. She’d have loved for the satellite mapping she’d heard of to be available to plan their way in, but satellites did not seem to exist now. The palace seemed oddly quiet, like this was a truly dead place. Turning back to her hiding place, she checked her weapons again. “Right, well they don’t seem to be expecting us. So either Rokuro has somehow evaded detection, or they are confident we’re dead or don’t know where they...” A high pitched screech cut her off, as everyone looked around in panic. Five dragons of various colours and sizes were soaring out from behind the palace and toward them. Daiki recognised [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Blue-Eyes_White_Dragon"]Blue Eyes White Dragon[/url], [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Red-Eyes_B._Dragon"]Red Eyes Black Dragon[/url], [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Phantom_Dragon"]Phantom Dragon[/url], [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Darkstorm_Dragon"]Darkstorm Dragon[/url], and [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Gandora_the_Dragon_of_Destruction"]Destruction Dragon Gandra[/url] as they quickly crossed the grounds, before ducking back behind the stone. “You were saying?” “Oh shut up” Clarissa muttered, taking the rocket launcher passed to her and leaning it against the column to steady her aim. “Well since they already know we’re here, FIRE!!” A barrage of missiles launched all at once, most ramming straight into the shimmering hide of the white dragon. It shrieked, slowing to a hover and shaking itself, before continuing unrelenting and bathing the area in white lightning. Several screams were quickly silently. Red Eyes and Phantom Dragon unleashed their fury at the column Daiki and Clarissa hid behind, forcing them to dive away as the pillar exploded. How he was still alive after that, he had no idea. His world was spinning, senses haywire, until he felt someone grab his wrist and pull him away into some dead shrubbery. “Clarissa, where we going?” “Towards the palace, where do you think?” Shaking his vision clear, Daiki could see the rest of the unit desperately fighting the powerful dragons, their rounds just burning into their thick hides with no effect. “They’re going to be slaughtered.” “Don’t even think about it! We have to rescue Kaneko and stop Murtagh, and it would be a lot easier to do if we were alive. Now use the distraction and run.” He hated admitting it, but she was right. Keeping as low and running as hard as possible, Daiki followed Clarissa towards the grand building. He was certain one of the dragons would notice, but none followed as they continued the massacre of the small force. There was nothing they could do to help them; it would only serve them their own demise. So they had to run, and honour the dead by making their sacrifice not in vain and stopping Murtagh. Hopefully the rest of the world’s population he thought, as they reached the grand threshold into the palace and looked back at the dragons circling the skies with bloody cries of victory, wouldn’t all be killed by the monsters they once commanded by then. ... Leaning over the balcony above the entrance, Asami smiled as she watched two insignificant figures run into the palace beneath her. She had felt the force of one of the dragons blasting past the open window at the detection of intruders, and it didn’t take any guesses to know who it was. Those two certainly were persistent for such wretched beings. Well watching them die should be fun. Reaching to her D-Gazer, she waited for Murtagh to pick up. He had demanded to be informed of any problems after all. The reply took a while in coming, but when it did it made Asami shudder. “What now!?” The anger in his voice unsettled her. It was nothing she hadn’t heard before, but this time the potential cause of his anger was disturbing. She hadn’t had chance to check on her captives and clean up, if he... no. If he knew, she’d have found out by now. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she answered. “It seems the parents still won’t give up. They’ve just entered the palace. You said you...” “I know what I said, but I don’t consider them a problem now. Persistent and annoying, but not a threat. Is the machine stable?” Asami muttered that she wasn’t sure, but only provoked more shouting. “Is it stable!?” Hastily glancing at the machine Evos was still working on, its condition appeared no better or worse than an hour ago. “Right, then you two can deal with it. Make sure you kill them this time.” “With pleasure darling” Asami slipped back into her natural demeanour. That was the answer she had hoped for. But first she had to make sure. “Darling, before I go, I have to ask... what’s wrong? Is Izura still missing?” There was a long pause. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she could hear someone sighing and trying to compose their self. She also thought someone else was there to, someone in pain. “Izura’s dead. I found her too late; she was killed in a duel against that government shill. I... need some time alone right now. Alone with this bastard.” Someone screamed horribly as he growled that last line through gritted teeth, before all was silent once again. “You keep yourself safe alright?” “Will do babe. And I’ll make sure they both suffer the same as your arm, for aiding that man with what he’s done to you.” Murtagh hung up, and as she skipped across the palace towards the machine and Evos, her black heart positively leaped. She could see Kaneko too; hanging there unconsciously, her feeble frame losing its natural radiance as the machine drank it all away. Maybe if the little brat was stronger, the machine would have completed its task and she wouldn’t be in this mess now. Still there was only one person to blame for that she thought, feeling her fists tighten. The doctor looked badly woebegone from his efforts; sweating and cursing as he tried to reverse some of the machine’s energy flow from lesser areas and redirect it into the main function in the hope that it might stabilise and find completion in its task so it could stop. He was tiring, but he couldn’t stop, until Asami tapped him on the shoulder and gave him the news. He seemed oddly surprised. “They are still alive? How did they...” “Doesn’t matter. All that matters is that we don’t let them live any longer. Now come on, put your spanners down for now. We have some bugs to crush once and for all.” ...04:06:17... With a heavy groan, Jin opened his eyes, dazzled by brightness above him. He was lying on something soft from the feel of it, but his body didn’t take to it too kindly as he tried to sit up. He felt sore all over, still feeling the force he had been hit with after Crimson Shadow was destroyed by that demon puppet. Hidden by the light, someone softly eased him back to lie back down. “You’re awake. I’m glad.” “Sakura?” Indeed as his sight recovered Sakura was sat beside him, looking worried as she checked him over. His arms had been bandaged, although several other sores still needed tending. “Where are we?” “We’re back in Tokyo... I think. In the secret service base, in a medical bay. I’m helping the medics take care of the injured.” Over to his other side, Jin looked at all the beds spread across this impromptu bay. He’d been lucky to get a gurney; people with more severe injuries were lying on blankets on tables or the floor as medical staff tended to them. They were so overworked by the numbers of injured people they had not yet noticed his return to consciousness. “I see, thank you.” Jin tried to sit up again, but Sakura denied him again. “Let me go.” “You have to kidding right?” Sakura scolded him in amazement. “You’re in no condition to go anywhere. You took a severe beating, and from what I understand the situation is even worse outside now. You were lucky once; you won’t be if you fight again. Now as your nurse I’m ordering you to stay.” “Why, what’s going on? And why are you still dressed like that?” As best as she could, Sakura explained what she had been told. Her understanding wasn’t brilliant, but she got across the main points, such as the world seeming to have merged with the VDS in every way they knew including her dress, the destruction and death that had been caused by the transformation, and that Clarissa, Daiki and other field operatives were on a last ditch mission to try and reverse it. She had also heard from the medics that some agents were staying to fight monsters that had appeared from the virtual world and that were ravaging the city in droves, indicating some of the patients. Jin listened attentively, but as soon as she got to that he was trying to stand again. “Oh no you...” “Oh yes I do. I have to help them.” “Jin you don’t have to do anything. You’d be insane to even try. We have no idea what’s out there, or where Daiki and Clarissa are going, and we don’t have Numbers to protect us anymore. Stay still!” Jin stubbornly continued to struggle, their fight unnoticed as the medics tended to a field agent bought in with a missing leg, screaming about it being ripped off by some demon. For some reason Sakura didn’t want to look him in the face as he struggled. “Don’t you want to help? You already entered the VDS once for your loved ones in need of help. Why don’t you want to help now they need it even more?” Sakura gulped as he continued to stare at her, her voice hollow. “I do want to help... but there’s nothing I can do. Yeah I tried to help before, but I just messed everything up. Look, everything we’ve tried so far hasn’t worked and Murtagh’s still winning, and now the situation is worse and the odds are stacked even more against us. You’re badly beat up, and I’m just useless. What do you suggest we do?” The pair sat in silence, thinking about their problems. As Jin lay there, he couldn’t help look over Sakura’s pure white and gold outfit again. This made him wonder. It was something she also noticed, and Sakura found him looking at her slightly discomforting. “What are you looking at me like that for?” “You said the world is like the VDS now, right?” Sakura nodded. “Okay, do you have your D-Gazer and D-Disk with you?” Rummaging among his pockets, the thought was wild, but he was sure he had an idea. Sakura simply removed her D-Gazer from her pocket and put it on. “I don’t have a D-Disk. So I’m even more useless.” Jin shrugged, but smiled as he found what he was looking for. “Well I didn’t even have a D-Gazer before, but now...” Grinning childishly he removed his new, real eyepiece and slung it on, falling out of bed while Sakura was too shocked to stop him. “Now if this is the VDS world, I should be able to warp away like we did there. I’m following Dai and Clarissa and rescuing Kaneko. I’ve come this far, and failed to keep my promises, so I’m seeing it through no matter what. But it would be easier if you came with me.” Sakura gulped, teetering back and forth unable to decide. “How are we going to find them?” Jin thought about it for a moment. He could message Daiki, but he doubted he’d get a reply. But then something hit him. Such an obvious solution from such an innocuous memory. “There was this one time when I was young, I went into VDS instead of going home. When my mom found out, she went into the VDS and fetched me out herself. She gave me a right rollicking, but she told me she contacted Real Duel service desk and they gave her my ‘virtual positioning’ or something to find me. We could use that.” “That sounds... feasible” Sakura replied. “But Real Duel was blown up and doesn’t exist in this anymore. How would we get such a thing?” As much as he was starting to find her pessimism frustrating, she had a valid point. Jin’s own understanding was not amazing either, but there must be a simple answer. “Well all these kind of things have a computer based backup, and everything else from the virtual world has come to life. If we just found someone skilled enough who could... Natsumi!” Sakura jumped in her seat as Jin suddenly hit on the answer, nearly drawing the medics attention. “We find Natsumi. When we all entered the VDS, she picked up and found Daiki in almost seconds. She could definitely help.” Still Sakura hesitated. Desperate, Jin turned to indicate the screaming agent with the missing leg. “You’d rather stay here with this going on?” Sakura gulped at the thought, and groaned in frustration as her resolve broke. “Ooh, fine. I’ll come. But don’t expect me to be able to do anything except make sure you don’t dive into anymore trouble.” Making sure no-one was watching, the two snuck into the next room and quietly warped away. ...04:09:12... Moving stealthily through the shadows of the palace, Daiki and Clarissa continued to move through the Lightlords temple. The total silence was unsettling, as they crept through the dust with their weapons drawn and senses on high alert, moving in the silhouettes of large statues of hideous creatures and demi gods, avoiding the little light in fear of detection or traps. They had gone up a floor, then back down and deeper in, checking everywhere and leaving no room unexplored as they hunted, sometimes greeted by treasuries and the like, sometimes only skeletons on the floor welcomed them. They daren’t speak, only communicating to point in a direction and hold for pause. The whole palace was empty, lifeless and still. Approaching a stairway and checking for any sign of danger, Daiki dared whisper as quietly as possible “What do you reckon? Better to search higher up, or deeper into the earth? Or are you just guessing?” Clarissa indicated up, by going on without him. Rolling his eyes, Daiki followed her onto the next floor, another grand open chamber with a towering ceiling and stretching out to either side. Unable to see much in any direction, Clarissa pointed for him to go right, whilst she would go left. Well that seemed like a bad idea. “Hell no. Splitting up is playing into their hands.” “Like us sticking together is going to stop them either. We double our speed of searching, and if one of us is found or gets into trouble, then the other can still keep going. Now move.” Grumbling in frustration, Daiki complied and cautiously moved out of the stairwell. His gun was in hand and his aim felt steady enough, not that he had any confidence in it actually doing anything should the need arise. “This silence is doing my head in. You’d think they’d have a second wave after the first...” Something boomed like a cannon from across the chamber. The initial flash of light and noise stunned them for a second, as a fireball roared across the room, torching the ground in its path. Instinctively the two split, leaping behind the two nearest statutes just in time as the ball of flame smashed into the stairwell they’d just come out of, leaving it a caved in wreck. Coughing and spluttering from the dust, Clarissa ducked round to glower at her partner. “YOU were saying!?” [i]“Ahahahahahahaha!”[/i] Shivers ran through them both as a familiar woman’s shrill hysterical laughter reverberated around the chamber. [i]“Such devoted and loving parents, you just won’t lie down and die will you? Well we can fix that. Come out come out wherever you are, I promise it will hurt less if you do.”[/i] Clarissa looked to him for instructions. Not that he had a clue what to do. Shrugging, Daiki inched from behind the statue, ready to dive behind it again if a second fireball came. He could just about see two figures at the other end of the hall, along with a brilliant white dragon that presumably had been what shot at them. There was something else to, something about the darkness behind them that didn’t seem right. Slowly Clarissa followed him into the clear, and the two cautiously marched the dark mile towards their waiting foes. Getting closer, he could make out more of Doctor Evos and the monster [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Evolzar_Lagia"]Evolkaiser Lagia[/url] crouched beside him, growling and waiting for the command. The doctor looked hagged and fatigued, and regarded him with a disapproving glare. Clarissa stared back at him with equal hatred. Standing more confidently beside him was Asami, beckoning them to her with a malicious grin. Still the darkness behind them did not seem to fade; it was just a sheer black wall that stretched up like... Daiki stopped breathing as he realised, and from the gulp of horror Clarissa had just worked it out too. Craning upwards, they froze as a pair of dead, staring eyes appeared above, and the little puppeteer at the controls of the juggernaut leered down from above. The giant’s full frame had been obscured by the darkness and the pillars, but that creature was the stuff of nightmares which had become all too real. “[url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_15:_Gimmick_Puppet_Giant_Grinder"]Giant Killer[/url]” Daiki gulped. Asami laughed at him again as his torment became apparent. “So, you remember my little friend. I wasn’t sure if you would given you didn’t see him for very long last time before he completely annihilated you. This time though he’s going to finish the job. You’ve done better than I’d have given you credit for to hold on for this long, but this time it ends. Just as it should have done years ago.” Daiki grimaced, but Clarissa wasn’t in the mood to listen to this. Screaming murder in fury and drawing whatever she could, a volley of laser rounds fired towards the pair. To her amazement no sooner had she fired than the air in front of the rippled, and every round disappeared into it and into nothingness, much to Asami’s amusement. “So, you’re going to use our daughter’s power to kill her parents. What a pathetic statement of you.” Asami’s smile slowly turned ugly. “Murtagh made the converter so if any of us got into a battle, a few selected Numbers would return to protect us. Which will be enough; given you have no such protection now.” High above her Giant Killer was starting to move, leaning forward as the chest plate withdrew, revealing the deadly cannon. “You two have been allowed to live far longer than you should have been. Ever since the brat was born your usefulness to anyone ended, as should have your wretched lives. All you’ve done since is struggle to right the so called wrongs against you like wicked ghouls, trying to ruin other people’s lives even though yours will never be restored. All the people you’ve hurt and killed so selfishly to fill your empty hearts, trying to destroy the dreams of me and Murtagh’s and our happiness in vain that your lives would be better.” Her rage bewildered them, but they were paralysed. Asami was shaking; she screamed up at her monster “No more! I will destroy you, and the nightmares you’ve caused me with you! Giant Killer, exorcise these demons that plague my every moment forever!” Neither of them could move in time. Paralysed by fear and confusion, neither reacted as Giant Killer fired straight at them at close range. There was a brief moment of fire; Daiki saw images of his life flash before his eyes in a confused blur of life past and after his rebirth, before fire engulfed them. ... Lightning forked across the sky, throwing the twisted dragon soaring above the half destroyed hillside mansion into an eerie light. Tarao quivered and shrank back out of sight as he looked up at it. In all his life he had never seen anything like it, anything quite so terrifying or alien. He’d only just arrived home after his confrontation with Hideo when a horrible ear splitting, screaming noise bought them all to their knees before they were engulfed in light, and he thought from his spinning head that he had passed out for some time. Now he’d awoken to find the city a dark, sinister place overrun by terrible creatures of hell. Everything was lit in an evil green mist and the monsters were coming out of the earth in steady droves, mercifully heading towards the city rather than towards his home, where his wife was hiding in the basement. Junichi had been calmer throughout, recognising this place as the duel monster world, but was wary of the monsters as he watched with him. Everything they could see, it was a hell on earth. “Hideo... what is this? What have you done?” “Hmmm?” Junichi looked up as he only just caught his father’s barely audible croaking, before continuing to play with D-Gazer. Tearing his eyes away from the dark chaotic world, Tarao turned to look at him fiddle with the device, and flew into sudden fury. “What the hell are you playing with that for now of all times?” “Because I have an idea.” “I find that highly unlikely.” “But dad, I already explained this is an area of the VDS I recognise. That’s why all your regular phones and computers aren’t working. But I think” Junichi passed his father a spare D-Gazer, and tried ringing it. “Ah, success. These are still working, just as they did in the VDS.” “Right, so we can contact whoever else happens to have one of these and has also worked it out. Great” Tarao muttered. “That’s hardly enough. How am I supposed to get hold of Hideo and find out what he’s done now, or better yet expose him for all this? This is all his fault! If he hadn’t been so cautious and indecisive! If I... we were in charge, this wouldn’t be happening. Not to mention all my advantage over him is gone! With no mass media or communication system, even if the situation was resolved and reality restored, Hideo will be able to get the spin and the excuses out before we could spread the truth of his guilt and cover the whole thing up! He must be made to pay!” “Is that really your main concern right now?” Junichi asked. “It should be on working out how to stay alive, and sort this thing out if we can. As for talking to Hideo, that might not be too difficult to arrange.” “What? How so?” “In the VDS, you can warp from area to area directly, as if everywhere was just a step away. Using VDS compatible D-Gazers like these, that may be possible here too.” Tarao was about to tell Junichi not to be so absurd, but was astounded to see a small portal opened. “Toshima Halls, if you wish to go first.” “I... right” Tarao nodded. One dark, soulless eye lingered over the sinister landscape, as another winged demon soared past. “You know... I have a suspicion that bungler will be made to pay after all, if he hasn’t already forfeited with his life. I suspect he’s cowering somewhere like the roach he is, but then if he [i]was[/i] to be ripped apart by some dragon during this chaos, no-one may bat an eye...” Tarao stepped through the portal and into the front reception of the halls, and the cogs in his scheming mind began to turn once again... ...04:16:34... The flames were glorious. The embers dancing against her closed eyes, Asami breathed deeply as she took it in. It was over, they were dead at last. Everyone who tried to oppose her was now dead. She was free to live out her fantasy, her dream, as queen, with Murtagh at her side. The blast of the cannon subsided, and she opened her eyes to see the trail of destruction that had finally released her. And almost double took in disbelief as she saw Daiki and Clarissa were both still standing, uncurling themselves and lowering arms thrown out in front of the faces as they stood, somehow, miraculously, completely unharmed. They looked at each other, seemingly unable to believe it themselves, before turning to the stunned doctor and gobsmacked Asami. “How? Why won’t you just die?” she choked despairingly. Neither of them offered an answer. They were just as shocked as her. Desperately she turned to Evos for answers, but he just shrugged with an equally lost look. Watching them thrown onto the back foot inspiring her, Clarissa took advantage. “Looks like you’re not the only ones with divine protection.” Unable to understand or accept what had just happened, a vein in her temple bulged, an eye twitched, as Asami’s temper spilled over. Shaking and screaming in anger, she flung herself into battle positions, her black D-Disk arming itself. “Fine! You want to drag out your miserable suffering some more, I’ll happily oblige you! Face me!” “Daiki, you okay with taking her out?” Clarissa had holstered her guns and armed her own D-Disk. “I don’t know how, but it looks like the only way any of us are going to get at one another is by duelling. But as much as I don’t like that cow, I’ve got a more personal score to settle.” She indicated to the doctor, who gulped, then suddenly turned and fled into the darkness to their left, the Evolkaiser growling darkly as it vanished. So did the ominous shadow of Giant Killer, as Asami waited impatiently for her opponent to be decided. Her expression was resolute as she stared after him, but as Daiki looked at her, amazed by her grit and composure, she granted him a reassuring nod. One he returned. “I understand. I’ll take care of her. Just make sure you settle up and beat him.” Clarissa smiled, before setting off between the statues in pursuit of her prey. Watching her go, Daiki felt like he didn’t want to look away, maybe because that would mean facing the woman behind him. Blessing himself twice and turning to face the dreaded woman, he activated his D-Disk. “Alright, let’s see what you’ve really got.” [i]‘ARV link established. Duel commencing.’[/i] “Duel!” “Suffer!” Asami shouted as she drew her sixth card with frenzied venom. “I’ll make you kneel and cower before me! I set one monster in defence mode!” The contrasting play compared to her wild rage threw Daiki slightly as the reverse card appeared before him for real, whilst Asami tried to compose herself after her fit. “Then I set another card face down and end my turn. Let’s see what you can do.” “Alright then, I draw.” He didn’t know what it was; the atmosphere or his opponent’s unhinged anger or the menacing shadow of something lurking in the beyond of the darkness and his own mind, but Daiki shuddered. Studying his cards, he had a good array of options to attack, but seeing them in his hand he hesitated as he noticed it shaking slightly. Seeing straight through his cards he shook his head, why did he so desperately feel like he wanted more defensive traps? [i]‘Don’t be stupid, you told Clarissa you’d sort her out. Stop wishing for other cards when you know you’ve got a good hand here.’[/i] Mentally scolding himself, Daiki reached for a card, but as he went to play it, his body suddenly stopped. [i]‘Damn it, why am I doing that? Knock it off.’[/i] “Alright. First, because you have a monster on the field and I don’t, I can special summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Level_Warrior"]Level Warrior[/url] from my hand.” With a swish of his cape, a masked superhero in spandex appeared before him, posing heroically as it stood there like it was as real as he was (Lv4, ATK 300). “When Level Warrior is summoned by his own effect, he becomes level four. Next I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Goblindbergh"]Goblindbergh[/url], and overlay my two level four monsters. Xyz summon!” The goblin pilot appeared only momentarily, before it and the superhero vanished into the opening vortex, allowing an old ally to burst free, the stone dragon smashing through the ground with a roar. “Crush her, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Kachi_Kochi_Dragon"]Kachi Kochi Dragon[/url]!” (Rk4, ATK 2100) “Now Kachi Kochi, attack that face down monster!” The dragon plunged into the earth and sped towards the reversing face down, to reveal the monster within. Daiki choked on his breath as a small doll revealed itself, smiling creepily at him before the dragon drove up from underneath it and devoured it in its jaws (Lv1, DEF 0). The doll was crushed, but its mere appearance unnerved him. [i]‘That monster. That was that Baby Face monster she used in our last duel!’[/i] His back and the scars across it twinged as memories of what had happened little over an hour ago flooded back. Clarissa using Acid Golem to crush the small doll, and the trap lying in wait that had been sprung. The leering grins of that trap monster, laughing at them and Jin before it turned into that expressionless, heartless killing machine. The destruction of all their Numbers they were powerless to prevent, and then... The wounds of battle twinged just at the thought. He barely noticed the dragon looming over the field, waiting for the command to strike his vindictive foe. “What are you waiting for Daiki?” she asked, smiling innocently. “Aren’t you going to attack me again?” [i]‘That’s right. When Kachi Kochi destroys a monster by battle, I can use its effect to attack again. If I attack her successfully, I’ll knock out over half her life points.’[/i] Daiki raised his hand to his disk to remove the overlay unit, but then something stopped him. Out the corner of his eye he caught sight of the trap. [i]‘Wait a minute, that’s [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Gimmick_Box"]Gimmick Box[/url]! If I attack her directly, I’ll just be setting her up to summon that... that thing.’ [/i]His lungs seemed to have stopped working, needing rapid breathes to keep him going. Once more the pain of the cannon fire exploding around him, and the giant’s whip lashing across his body, throwing him through the air and almost breaking him in two, breaking every bone in his body.[i] ‘Even with Hope’s protection, that thing nearly killed me and the others. I can’t let her do that to me again.’[/i] That was insane. How was he going to win if he couldn’t attack? For a minute he fought with his head and all his instincts, Asami thoroughly enjoying watching him struggle. He had to make a decision, and he had to make the right one. “No. I end the battle phase without using my dragon’s effect.” The stone dragon growled as it reluctantly came back to heel. “Then I set one card and end my turn.” “Aw, is little daddykins scared me of me?” Asami mocked, rubbing away fake tears. “Heh heh, you should be. I draw. Now because you’re the one now controlling a monster, and more specifically an Xyz monster, while my field is empty, I can special summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Gimmick_Puppet_-_Magne_Doll"]Gimmick Puppet Magne Doll[/url]!” A puppet pieced together with bits of metal assembled itself in the darkness ahead of him (Lv8, ATK 1000). “Next I activate the magic [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/One_for_One"]One for One[/url], discarding a monster to special summon a level one monster from my deck. [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Gimmick_Puppet_-_Gear_Changer"]Gimmick Puppet Gear Changer[/url]!” An awkwardly gangly, headless figure with a great metal bandit melded to its shoulder flew up beside the other doll (Lv1, ATK 100). “Now I can use Gear Changer’s effect; targeting one other puppet I control and bringing its level up to match, and you know what that means!” Daiki swore in his head, his voice unable to do so as every part of him went numb, watching the two monsters sink into the vortex and the accursed seal rose. Behind it Asami punched the air, the matching symbols appearing on her palm. “With the strings of destruction, I will rule this world. Rise Number 15: Gimmick Puppet Giant Killer!” The great mechanical juggernaut rose up to full height behind her once again, ready and waiting to lead the carnage (Rk8, ATK 1500). “Now I activate the effect of Giant Killer. Up to twice a turn by detaching an overlay unit, I can destroy all other Xyz monsters on the field!” Daiki’s dragon struggled against the strings that caught it, pulling it towards the hellacious buzz saws inside the giant’s chest. Daiki watched helplessly as it was ripped apart inch by inch, frozen in terror as the saws retracted and the cannon appeared. “Now you take damage equal to its attack!” This time the cannon made its mark. Launched halfway across the hall, Daiki howled in pain as he landed awkwardly on his arm, his D-Disk digging into his already broken back (LP 1900). He was bleeding internally, he was certain of it as he awkwardly rolled himself over to free his arm from under him, clutching his shoulder and forcing the limp lifeless appendage out of the way, coughing up blood as he did. Asami laughed insanely at his pain, but refused to let up. “You think you know suffering? Well don’t worry, it ends now! I activate the effect of [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Gimmick_Puppet_Princess"]Gimmick Puppet Baby Face[/url] from my cemetery. After it has been destroyed by battle, I can banish it from play to special summon the monster that destroyed it back to the field.” Barely aware of what was happening, Dai suddenly choked on fear as it grabbed him by the throat with the doll reappearing above him, sinking a line into the abyss in front of him to pull up his dragon. This was what got Clarissa last time! If that happened... “I activate my trap card... [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Crevice_into_the_Different_Dimension"]Crack into the Different Dimension[/url]! This banishes two monsters of the same attribute from play!” It was a desperate defence, but it was all he had, as the ghosts of Kachi Kochi and Goblindbergh vanished into nothingness. “Ha ha ha, what a desperate move! Still you prolong your helpless suffering? Is that all you do against me, just keep dragging out your life and holding off your inevitable demise? So you’ll get one more turn. That is if you can take this. Giant Killer, direct attack. Final Dance!” Once more the lasso weapon struck him across his back, driving him into the earth and crushing him underneath it. Daiki roared again, all his senses exploded with pain, until it became too much to bear and he blacked out, barely alive (LP 400). ...04:22:41... Pounding through the palace at a relentless pace, deeper down into its heart, Clarissa continued to hunt after her fleeing prey. She had no idea how Daiki was getting on and wasn’t overly concerned about him right now. She was breathless from the exertion, but she had to be catching Evos. She could hear his laboured breath, his heavy scrambling footfalls ahead of her. She increased her speed, not looking or caring for any traps that he might be trying to lure her past, as she followed him down another stairwell leading into another grand open hall. Her heart tightened as Evos suddenly came into sight, coming to a stop and standing in the middle of the hall thirty metres away with his back to her, trying to get his breath back as he waited. “You really want to fight me that badly Clarissa?” The question threw her; it hadn’t been asked satirically or rhetorically, it seemed a genuine question. “You backstabbed me for Murtagh, and you’ve hurt my little girl. Those crimes are foul enough, but I might have forgiven you for them if you’d have begged hard enough. But I’m not going to do that now. Not after what you did, what I hate you most for. For murdering my brother.” She waited for his reply. Waited for his pathetic excuses and pleas to spare his miserable life. But none came. Instead a low, drawling chuckle broke the silence. “What’s so damn funny?” The chuckling got louder as Evos recovered from his running and turned to face her, laughing at her and looking at her with that superior, intellectual smugness. “Ha ha ha, I’m sorry. But murdered? Really? You make me sound like some petty gangster. I did your brother a favour. By ending his pain, I saved him from a life of misery and suffering. He wouldn’t have been able to survive in this world; he barely could in the old inferior world without constant care. I showed him mercy. And as for your daughter... ha ha ha.” “Shut up” Clarissa shouted, arming her D-Disk as her deck shuffled, hoping in her anger that every one of the most powerful Inverz within would come to her now and rip that despicable lunatic limb from limb for what he’d done. “You don’t have the right to talk about my brother or my daughter like that...” “Humph, as far as Kaneko is concerned, I have more right than you” the doctor scoffed, arming his own D-Disk. “I must admire your bravery to come and fight against all sane reasoning, such is your devotion for people you love despite their inability to reciprocate or are completely unrelated to you. I guess these are traits that saw you were chosen to be the mother specimen finally emerging. But you are stupid to do so. You don’t have a chance of defeating me, it’s a complete impossibility. My Evol deck is far stronger than any other, even without the advantage of the Numbers I possess.” “Oh yeah?” Clarissa asked, taking her opening hand as the darkness around them rippled slightly with the duel to the death ready to commence. “You’re the one who ran.” “Tactical strategy” Evos shrugged as he took his own, flicking his D-Gazer attachment down over his glasses. “If I really wanted to flee I’d have simply warped away, but it’s too late for that to happen now. Now you’re all alone without that detective to give you his meaningless support. So, if you want to end your torment and be reunited with your dear brother so desperately, allow me to give you... my mercy.” [i]‘ARV link established. Duel commencing’[/i] “Duel!” “The only thing that I’m going to reunite here is my Inverz with your neck! I activate the magic card One for One, discarding a monster in my hand to summon a level one monster from my deck in the form of [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Scout"]Scout of the Inverz[/url].” A small roach like fiend with sharp teeth and claws flew out beside her, grinning maliciously at Evos (Lv1, ATK 200). “Then by releasing Scout, I can advance summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Mantis"]Inverz Madith[/url]!” The scout vanished to release the deadly mantis, flexing its sickle like blades like swords (Lv5, ATK 2200). “I set one card and end my turn.” The reverse card appeared as Clarissa passed on her turn, waiting for Evos to make the move she wanted. [i]‘Come on, summon Lagia. You know you want to.’[/i] The doctor frowned as he studied the field, drawing his card and contemplating his options. Could he work out what her strategy was? “I activate the magic card [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Akashic_Record"]Akashic Record[/url]. This lets me draw two more cards, although if either of them has been used already in the duel I must banish them both.” Not that he was in any real danger of that, as he revealed to have picked up an Evolgo monster and a seemingly related spell, the monster he immediately turned to. “I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Evoltile_Lagosucho"]Evolgo Lagosuchus[/url].” A large lizard with a spine covered tail dropped heavily onto the field under its sluggish bulk (Lv3, ATK 1200). “When Lagosuchus is summoned, I can send an Evoldar monster from my deck to the cemetery. But now that this weakling has had its use, I will sacrifice it with [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Evo-Force"]Forced Evolution[/url] to make way for the much stronger [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Evolsaur_Vulcano"]Evoldar Vulcanodon[/url]!” The lumbering quadruped hit the field with earth shaking force, bellowing at Clarissa as she waited. [i]‘That’s it, keep going.’ [/i]“Now because Vulcano was summoned by Forced Evolution, its effect activates; summoning [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Evolsaur_Cerato"]Cerato[/url] from my cemetery so that I can now overlay level four, and bring out the great dragon of your precious brother’s demise! Xyz summon!” Clarissa’s heart was pounding out of her chest as the two dinosaurs plunged into the starry vortex between them, though all her concentration was focused on what was coming. The shrieking cry that heralded the arrival of the pure white six winged dragon rising to prominence once more (Rk4, ATK 2400). “Behold the most terrifying rank four, the ruler of dragons that will reunite you and your brother in the afterlife! Evolkaiser Lagia!” “I don’t think so!” Clarissa cried as she activated the trap ready and waiting for this. “Your dragon is about to go the same way as your dinosaurs, because I activate the trap [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Infestation_Wave"]Invasion Wave[/url]! By returning Madith to my hand, your monster is destroyed and there’s nothing it can do about it!” “You really think a man of my superior intelligence would not have foreseen such a simplistic strategy?” Clarissa gulped as Evos laughed at her, whilst throwing another card into his D-Disk. “From my hand, the instant magic [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/My_Body_as_a_Shield"]My Body as a Shield[/url]! By paying fifteen hundred life points, this card negates an effect that would destroy monsters on the field!” She didn’t really register the blood red aura surrounding him as the card activated, or his fragile masked look trying to hide its crippling toll (LP 2500). All that she saw was the trap exploding, and Lagia drawing in its fiery breath. “Now Lagia, burn that insignificant insect!” The mantis perished helplessly as Clarissa staggered backwards. The damage in life points was minimal, but now the disadvantage to come back from was huge and Evos would be more than happy to take full advantage (LP 3800). “So what are you going to do now Clarissa? All your petty anger and determination to right things against you is futile against the mighty Lagia. You’re just a helpless child against him, unable to raise a hand in protest. It’s practically over, but at least you can join dear Wilhelm soon.” “You really think you’ve got me beat already?” Clarissa spat. Everything about him was getting to her. “Like you said yourself, your bosses picked me for a reason. You should know better than to think I’m just going to lie down because a worthless grub like you tells me to.” “Throw mindless generic insults at me all you like” Evos cackled. “It won’t change the situation you’re in. You’re helplessly outmatched by the better person, and this is only going to serve as proof to you that this world is how things should be, where the superior minded and bodied prosper and take their rightful place above those who sneak or buy their way to the highlife, the sort of people who’ve shackled me and tied me down because of their fear that I would threaten the order of elitism and power that they maintained.” Clarissa rolled her eyes and prepared to listen to the big reveal. “Well go on then, enlighten me. What do you get from joining Murtagh? Some power or rule of something? The cow I understand, being his slut and all. But what is it about his plan that got you to sign up?” “What do I get? Are you seriously that simple minded?” Evos made his disbelief annoyingly theatrical in his excitement. “With the success of Project Eve, when I created the perfect child Kaneko; I gave the old, corrupt world a chance to develop at the fastest rate in its history. That’s right; I’m the one who created her!” Clarissa gave him no reaction, she was barely surprised now. “With my research, I could eliminate inherited disease and disfigurement in unborn children, and enhance their abilities to make them stronger or smarter. Each generation would become stronger than the next in a way that could only better the human race. But they refused to accept that, as it would destabilise their order and influence. My research was destroyed by them. My dreams for a better, perfect world were ruined. But Murtagh showed me another way to purify the human race. If people refused the cure, they would simply die from the disease. The weakest would be wiped out by his new world, leaving only those worthy to live in a Utopian society of civilisation here, where the most artistic and intellectual and athletic would prosper as they should and not be dragged down by the Neanderthals that chained them down before. I do not want power; I want immortality and recognition as the greatest mind of my time, and now I will have it!” “Are you done?” Evos came crashing back from his fantastic raving with a bump to see Clarissa just standing there with a bored expression. “I’ll be honest, I tuned out when you started using the paranoid blame of the great unseen ‘they’ who control everything. One thing I do question though, how do you except to last five minutes in a world full of hungry dragons and the like genius?” “You insolent little...” Evos started furiously. “No, I won’t lower myself to you. And no, I’m not done. I set one card and end my turn. So you don’t see that I’m trying to purify and better the human race, I wouldn’t expect someone like you to understand. You just keep denying it and trying to struggle out of your little hole all you want. But Lagia’s got you in its claws and you won’t be escaping with your life.” “We’ll see about that. I draw.” She had to admit though that he was right. Lagia and its devastating effect that could wipe out any threat to it be it monster, spell or trap had her cornered. She already had [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Girastag"]Gilafer[/url] in her hand, but that was no good now. She studied her drawn card, Tour Guide. Normally she’d be able to go Acid Golem with this, but she’d lost it and her other Number Fran Ken and their protection. So now she’d have to come up with a different tactic. One that was risky, but maybe... “I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Tour_Guide_from_the_Underworld"]Tour Guide from Hell[/url].” The pink haired conductor appeared beside her, looking defiant (Lv3, ATK 1000). “Do you want to use Lagia’s effect?” The doctor paused, then shook his head. “Alright then. When Tour Guide is summoned, she brings out a level three fiend from my deck. I choose [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Sangan"]Critter[/url] to be summoned.” The three eyed furball bounced past her and into the conductor’s arms (Lv3, ATK 1000). “Again, any objections?” “Pfft, let’s see what you’re going to Xyz summon first. I doubt it can threaten Lagia.” Clarissa shrugged as if offended the offer had been passed up. “Well if you say so. I overlay my level three monsters and Xyz summon.” The two monsters disappeared, and in their place rose a monster not naturally in keeping with her deck, only included as a backup nature that might prove useful one day. A turquoise bodied serpent, hissing viciously in a way that belied its lack of strength (Rk3, ATK 1800). “I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Leviair_the_Sea_Dragon"]Empty Space Sea Dragon, Leviair[/url]. Now last chance! Are you going to negate this summon?” The doctor twitched as uncertainty crept up on him, at the confidence of her words. Cursing himself he tried to shake off his paranoia. “Do you think I’m stupid woman, trying to goad me into such an idiotic misplay? That little snake is no threat to me, when I know full well you’re sitting on a Black Hole in your hand or similar! Of course I’m not going to bloody well waste Lagia’s effect on that thing!” His refusal confirmed, Clarissa relaxed and allowed herself a little chuckle. “No, I know you’re not stupid. But you are very gullible, and you [i]really[/i] should have got rid of Leviair. I activate the effect of [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Overlay_Eater"]Overlay Eater[/url]! By banishing it from my cemetery; I can snag one of Lagia’s overlay units and attach it to my monster instead, and there’s nothing you can do about it! Making your dragon as good as worthless!” If it was ever possible for a dragon to look surprised, Lagia did at that moment as the little lizard poked its head up out of the ground, before using its long tongue to whisk away one of its precious overlay units (DRU 1) and attach it to the screeching Leviair. Clarissa enjoyed the gawping look of dragon and master before continuing. “With that done, I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Allure_of_Darkness"]Allure of Darkness[/url] to draw two cards, but I then must banish a dark monster from play.” Gilafer was already safely in hand in case, but chucking one of her draws was preferable. “I set one card, and then I use Leviair’s effect. By detaching an overlay unit, I can summon the banished [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Caller"]Inverz Caller[/url] back to the field.” The winged black beetle creature buzzed onto the field through the portal the serpent made for it, giving her a bit more protection (Lv4, ATK 1700). “Your move. Funny how the most intelligent can be the most blind to the obvious isn’t it Evos? So what was that about you having the superior intellect to me?” Evos didn’t reply at first. He was standing statuesque, head bowed and only his shoulders rising and falling as he took in deep steadying breaths. Clarissa studied him curiously as he just stood there, shaking ever so slightly, as he slowly reached for the collar of his pullover. “You... make a mockery of me? Your superior? You think I’m going to let an insignificant little snake like you beat me, when I am better in every way?” Pulling the neck of his pullover, the whole garb suddenly ripped away in his grasp along with the smart shirt underneath, torn apart and revealing his body underneath for Clarissa to take in. His upper body was toned and bulked to an abnormal and disfigured degree, bigger than most boxers. His tanned skin was unblemished, except for the multitude of what looked like tattoos of dark monsters wrapping around his body. Veins were bulging across his skin and up his thick neck as he cracked it uncomfortably, acknowledging her sickened look with a smug grin. “What the hell?” “The results of my early research in gene correction, combined with DNA from the perfect human” Evos grinned as he flexed. “As I said, I am superior mentally and physically. You wanted to know how I would survive here, or how my civilisation would be built in this world. Well with my brilliant mind and my new body, along with other specimens like me perfected by my experiments, then a few monsters will not be able to touch us. We will build an empire; a paradise that makes Atlantis or Rome look like nothing. If you still insist on clinging to the old world and pathetic weaklings like your brother, then I will happily send you to him.” Desperately trying to keep her rapidly going composure, Clarissa gulped as Evos took his card. “I play [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Evo-Diversity"]Varied Evolution[/url] to add an Evolgo of my choice to my hand. [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Evoltile_Najasho"]Evolgo Najasho[/url].” A grey snake like creature appeared as Evos summoned the chosen monster (Lv2, ATK 100). “Next, the trap [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Evo-Instant"]Instant Evolution[/url], releasing Najasho to summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Evolsaur_Diplo"]Evoldar Diplodocus[/url] from my deck.” The long necked dinosaur stomped onto the field (Lv4, ATK 1600). “And because it was released, Najasho’s effect activates to summon another monster from my deck. [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Evolsaur_Darwino"]Evoldar Darwinos[/url].” A large crocodile with a long horned snout and winged limbs emerged next (Lv5, ATK 2200). “When Darwinos is summoned by an Evolgo, it can increase the level of another monster by up to two. Thus I’ll make Diplodocus level five.” [i]‘Oh no.’[/i] The two monsters roared as the vortex opened beneath and the seal rose. A great block of ice, shaking to the point of shattering, as the huge bulk of a frozen behemoth crashed onto the field. The mark of its number appeared on its chest, along with the doctor’s matching marks. “With this monster I will bury you along with your wretched brother. I Xyz summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_19:_Freezerdon"]Number 19: Freezerdon[/url]!” The frozen dinosaur roared as it advanced with heavy, thunderous footsteps that shook the whole palace, the dust on the pillars shaken loose and clouding the air (Rk5, ATK 2000). High on whatever was coursing through his modified body, Evos punched towards her. “Now my precious beasts, attack!” “Fool! I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Mirror_Force"]Holy Barrier - Mirror Force[/url]! This destroys all attacking mon...” “I activate Lagia’s effect!” the doctor interrupted with a roar, knocking her backwards. “What!? How, you can’t do that!” The white dragon didn’t seem to care as it unleashed its fiery breath at the open trap card that threatened it. “But Lagia needs two overlay units to activate its effect!” “When an Xyz monster I control activates its effect, Freezerdon’s is also triggered” the maddened doctor explained in delight. “This allows it to use one of its own materials in place of the other monsters to make the payment. Now burn and perish, and lay waste to those miserable pests and their master!” To her horror the two monsters continued to charge their respective fire and ice attacks, her trap blasted into nothing by Lagia as the icy Number passed its power over to it. Caller was engulfed by the intense fiery breath, disintegrating in the flame as the sea serpent Leviair was encased by ice, shattering into nothingness. The force of the two explosions sent Clarissa flying, landing in a sprawled heap across the field (LP 2900). Evos was crookedly standing there watching her struggle, whilst elsewhere in the palace Daiki was lying flat and broken on his front, struggling to stand as Giant Killer and the malicious Asami stood over and laughing at his suffering. Both fighting for their child, for themselves, and for their world, and suffering the ultimate consequences for their insolence...[/spoiler] As stated above, next chapter will be sometime Thursday or something. Hope everyone was able to keep up alright. The real test will be Thursday, which as you can imagine having read that will be a bit of a longer one. [spoiler=Sorry if any hyperlinks have failed]Confusion between TCG and OCG names regarding Evolgo/tile, Evoldar/saur, etc may have happened, especially given each creature seems to have an additional letter in their name in one or the other. Plus Gimmicks all got renamed this week, annoyingly So yeah, two duels. Enjoy[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerion Brightflame Posted October 15, 2012 Report Share Posted October 15, 2012 Well, for starters I wont't comment much on the Daiki duel, given the obvious. Evos having that number? Kudos for getting it in, I didn't expect that. I really didn't. A nice suprise even now. Evos has become a lot more intresting now, rather than jsut a scientist in the background, he seems to actually matter. Though the whole Ned Flanders shirt off moment was just odd... I mean really? Murtagh I could understand. But Evos? The actually writing of the Daiki duel was as good as i hoped it would be. Ummm... I like the sakura is doing something productive for once. And I want to see a Felgrand Dragon... If there are dragons flying everywhere, I want to see him. Again, great chapter dude. And good luck with the grading. I remember how hellish they are from when i used to do them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reinforce Posted October 15, 2012 Report Share Posted October 15, 2012 That schedule sounds fine to me. About the previos two chapters, the photon xyz decks were unexpected, but definitely an interesting duel, even if I think izumi should have somehow won and turned against Murtagh. Asami is seeming more and more twisted the longer we see her, and the Evols revelation was weird. It's good you found a way to add in number 19, considering how useful it usually is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brinolovania Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 I'm actually commenting on a chapter the day it was put up. Holy crap, 2012 is real. Right, anyway. Card games! Daiki vs Asami was pretty standard for Gimmick Puppets. Now, Clarissa and Evos...that's just awesome. The way she stopped Lagia and he countered with Freezerdon was epic (Freezer was actually useful! Further proof of 2012!) And I still feel very, very sorry for Rokuro. Poor guy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted October 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 [quote name='Archbaron Barthandelus' timestamp='1350332213' post='6045095'] Well, for starters I wont't comment much on the Daiki duel, given the obvious. Evos having that number? Kudos for getting it in, I didn't expect that. I really didn't. A nice suprise even now. Evos has become a lot more intresting now, rather than jsut a scientist in the background, he seems to actually matter. Though the whole Ned Flanders shirt off moment was just odd... I mean really? Murtagh I could understand. But Evos? The actually writing of the Daiki duel was as good as i hoped it would be. Ummm... I like the sakura is doing something productive for once. And I want to see a Felgrand Dragon... If there are dragons flying everywhere, I want to see him. Again, great chapter dude. And good luck with the grading. I remember how hellish they are from when i used to do them [/quote] I am really useless at putting credits in where I'm meant to aren't I? Credit to Barty for assisting/proof reading Daiki vs Asami, and to Black Scar for assisting/proof reading Clarissa vs Evos. Will comment on Freezerdon at the bottom since it's been mentioned by everyone. Evos has been a pretty dreary character up til now, but hopefully revelations here gave him some life, and there will be a few more next chapter. But there's always one in YGO isn't there (Kagemaru/Goodwin/Faker in the opening credits)? It had to be done, and Murtagh has enough going for him with spitting flame and stuff Sakura is going to be doing stuff over the next few chapters, a bit. Don't worry, I hate characters who do nothing (ahem, Kotori) and she will be dragged out of that role she's fell into in good time. I'm going to need it. I'm barely going to be at home for much of the next four days anyway, but it's going to be brutal [quote name='Simdoggy' timestamp='1350337714' post='6045161'] That schedule sounds fine to me. About the previos two chapters, the photon xyz decks were unexpected, but definitely an interesting duel, even if I think izumi should have somehow won and turned against Murtagh. Asami is seeming more and more twisted the longer we see her, and the Evols revelation was weird. It's good you found a way to add in number 19, considering how useful it usually is. [/quote] The last has not been heard of that duel. (Nobodies commented on how Izura had a face down unactivated...) I am determined to push Asami She does also get character development, importantly in way of the reason for her being so twisted, next chapter. Didn't mean for Evos stuff to come across as really weird, maybe it is a bit. Given the context of that sentence, I'm assuming you meant to say 'useless' [quote name='Pacmanexus' timestamp='1350356676' post='6045489'] I'm actually commenting on a chapter the day it was put up. Holy crap, 2012 is real. Right, anyway. Card games! Daiki vs Asami was pretty standard for Gimmick Puppets. Now, Clarissa and Evos...that's just awesome. The way she stopped Lagia and he countered with Freezerdon was epic (Freezer was actually useful! Further proof of 2012!) And I still feel very, very sorry for Rokuro. Poor guy... [/quote] They get more awesome. I loved that whole exchange in the build up. And Lagia's reaction. Just 'WHA?!' I'm determined to get as many as possible in, and yeah Freezerdon's only recommended use is Lagia. The effect isn't the same as I originally thought when I started, but it worked out pretty well. Oh you have [i]no[/i] idea yet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canopy Star - Eon Sphere Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 I'm guessing that Rokuro is as good as dead now. Just sayin', if you've pissed off the strongest person in the world, well, I imagine we won't be seeing him again. You switched up the duels, which was nice. I was expecting Clarissa vs Asami, but this is a lot more interesting. Evos: My deck is superior! And then he runs cards that meta Evol decks wouldn't even consider (Ahem, the Level 5, and one of the Evoltiles). The irony is delicious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted October 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 [quote name='The Seal of Eon' timestamp='1350402573' post='6045664'] I'm guessing that Rokuro is as good as dead now. Just sayin', if you've pissed off the strongest person in the world, well, I imagine we won't be seeing him again. You switched up the duels, which was nice. I was expecting Clarissa vs Asami, but this is a lot more interesting. Evos: My deck is superior! And then he runs cards that meta Evol decks wouldn't even consider (Ahem, the Level 5, and one of the Evoltiles). The irony is delicious. [/quote] Somebody might potentially die by something [i]other[/i] than card games? In a YuGiOh fic? WHAT MADNESS IS THIS?! Clarissa annoyed me during the planning of this arc. Really struggled to get her a duel in arc three aside from the battle royal, shoehorned in the late duel against Sakura, then she could have viably been inserted in five duels in this arc. Still, more Clarissa is not necessarily a bad thing. I thought Darwino was supposed to be good. Mind all Evol decks seem to consider running is Kabazaulis, Sabersaur, Rabbit, and that's about it (I know nothing about meta or IRL duelling). Some of the other cards he uses are a bit weird too I admit, but they work in the context of this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted October 16, 2012 Report Share Posted October 16, 2012 You should probably listen to [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8"]this[/url] while reading this post. A short foreword. This is my first post after a long time. I have been lurking in the shadows, and I have been keeping up with this story, lending out a helping hand here and there. Though I haven't posted anything here, I hold this story in great esteem. Matt has done a great job with it during the three previous arcs, weaving a great plot through a multitude of intriguing characters. But inevitably, the ending can make or break a book, and it is the author's greatest challenge to complete his story in a satisfactory way. So I will oversee this last part from up close. Generic comments aside, I will move on to chapter 20.1, which would be the first chapter that I have not read in advance before it was posted. Taking a look at chapters 19.1 and .2, it is obvious that a common writing technique has been employed by the author. When a story arc ends with a climax, the next one begins with slightly unrelated events, moving away from the central spotlight to focus on supporting characters, and less central, but equally important aspects of the plot. This is seen here with the well-choreographed duel between Izura and Rokuro. These two chapters revealed a lot of important information about the so far central antagonist, information that will no doubt result in crucial developments during the endgame. That said, 20.1 takes us back right into the core of things. Daiki and Clarissa begin their desperate assault on Murtagh's stronghold, determined to rescue their daughter. Since this is my first official review, I will throw in a few comments on these two characters, who are currently sharing the protagonist status. They both have the same goal. The difference is that Clarissa has had that goal from the beginning, and her drive was what carried the entire story through. Daiki was a far less well-defined character without many distinguishable qualities, which I admit was offputting during the start. However, in retrospect, it really fits well with his character development. A really nice gender reversal has also been played here - a dynamic woman, capable of making quick, efficient decisions, and a man who is mostly taking a back seat and a supporting role during confrontations, lost and uncertain of himself. This carries out well even now, with Clarissa leading the way and Daiki hesitantly following suit. At the same time, the dynamic between the pair allows for enough subversion of this so that it doesn't become overbearing, and doesn't detract from Daiki's character. Parallel to observing the progression of the main pair, we catch glimpse of both the enemy faction, and another pair of central characters. Sakura's and Jin's segment, while small, is important to throw them back in to the plot, and reveals some interesting developments on either side. Sakura is becoming more mature and level-headed, acknowledging her own weaknesses, while Jin is steadily acquiring courage and willpower. In a way, they are each building on the other's character and learning from them. Subtle, but well-done character development. I must admit that Murtagh's group did not appeal to me very much dynamically, since its official formation. Compared to the far more diverse main roster, Murtagh and his servants, leaving Garvan and Izura aside, often came across as little more than a collection of generic villains doing evil mostly for the sake of being evil. Murtagh, Asami and Evos are all stereotypical villain archetypes that so far have failed to impress with their originality. This important task seems to have been undertaken in those two chapters. Murtagh is already undergoing some critical development, and Asami and Evos are brought to face the main protagonists, in what will presumably be the first in a series of long battles between the two groups. It becomes quickly apparent that Asami and Evos have access to Numbers, the critical tools of survival in the mad world. However, soon it is revealed that Daiki and Clarissa are also afforded some divine intervention, whose source is not quite clear. This, of course, leads to the main spectacle - the duel. Or rather, the duels, as instead of facing off in a two versus two team battle, Daiki and Clarissa split up, fighting individually. This was a critically correct decision at this point. Both Asami and Evos, and in turn Daiki and Clarissa, need to develop in their own personal way, and that kind of development cannot usually be afforded in a team battle, where the emphasis is placed on the connection between the partners. The choice of match-ups, though, becomes rather questionable. From the beginning, Asami had been connected to Clarissa, without much personal relevance to Daiki, and had been her antagonistic figure in the villain group ever since she was established as its member. Evos was also tied to Clarissa, but as she herself later notes, it was not until recently that he became a nemesis to her. I feel Evos could have done better with Daiki as his opponent. Daiki would both be trying to conquer his own past, and fight for Clarissa's sake and revenge, showing hands-on the development of their turbulent relation, and how he is now truly sympathizing with her. Clarissa and Asami would make a self-explanatory pair without much question. Comparatively, Clarissa vs Evos works just as well, or even better, than Daiki vs Evos would have. But Daiki vs Asami... just doesn't have much substance to it. Fighting for Clarissa's sake does not have much meaning here as Clarissa and Asami have natural synergy due to being counterparts, and Asami is much less tied to Daiki than Evos. I can understand at this point that the choice was made more for aesthetic / variety, and going for unpredictable. However, unpredictable does not always mean good by default. In this case, my personal feeling is that the match-ups were a misstep. But that remains to be seen, as developments in the next chapter may change the status quo. Moving on to the games themselves. Clarissa vs Evos was beautifully mapped out, playing nicely on both strategy and counter-strategy, showcasing some underused cards effectively, and earning credit for both fighters' ability. Evos' character arc, even though it feels kind of overbearing, ties in well with his playstyle. Clarissa will not have an easy time breaking through the Freezerdon and Laggia combination. Comparatively, Daiki vs Asami was a lot more banal. Daiki's fear and hesitation getting in the way was good, but, perhaps moreso due to the aforementioned lack of synergy, the fight felt a lot less engaging than Clarissa's. As a final note, it seems that Tarao and Junichi are finally going to become properly involved in the events. So far they have been a relative hindrance with no real impact, and a background element in the politics scene, but it is hopefully time to see something more from them. Well then. This is it for this time. I look forward to the continuation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 Another excellent chapter, and lengthy too. Very well done. I didn't expect that number in the slightest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted October 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 [quote name='~ Epic Hero - Saber ~' timestamp='1350431954' post='6046332'] You should probably listen to [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bzWSJG93P8"]this[/url] while reading this post. A short foreword. This is my first post after a long time. I have been lurking in the shadows, and I have been keeping up with this story, lending out a helping hand here and there. Though I haven't posted anything here, I hold this story in great esteem. Matt has done a great job with it during the three previous arcs, weaving a great plot through a multitude of intriguing characters. But inevitably, the ending can make or break a book, and it is the author's greatest challenge to complete his story in a satisfactory way. So I will oversee this last part from up close. Generic comments aside, I will move on to chapter 20.1, which would be the first chapter that I have not read in advance before it was posted. Taking a look at chapters 19.1 and .2, it is obvious that a common writing technique has been employed by the author. When a story arc ends with a climax, the next one begins with slightly unrelated events, moving away from the central spotlight to focus on supporting characters, and less central, but equally important aspects of the plot. This is seen here with the well-choreographed duel between Izura and Rokuro. These two chapters revealed a lot of important information about the so far central antagonist, information that will no doubt result in crucial developments during the endgame. That said, 20.1 takes us back right into the core of things. Daiki and Clarissa begin their desperate assault on Murtagh's stronghold, determined to rescue their daughter. Since this is my first official review, I will throw in a few comments on these two characters, who are currently sharing the protagonist status. They both have the same goal. The difference is that Clarissa has had that goal from the beginning, and her drive was what carried the entire story through. Daiki was a far less well-defined character without many distinguishable qualities, which I admit was offputting during the start. However, in retrospect, it really fits well with his character development. A really nice gender reversal has also been played here - a dynamic woman, capable of making quick, efficient decisions, and a man who is mostly taking a back seat and a supporting role during confrontations, lost and uncertain of himself. This carries out well even now, with Clarissa leading the way and Daiki hesitantly following suit. At the same time, the dynamic between the pair allows for enough subversion of this so that it doesn't become overbearing, and doesn't detract from Daiki's character. Parallel to observing the progression of the main pair, we catch glimpse of both the enemy faction, and another pair of central characters. Sakura's and Jin's segment, while small, is important to throw them back in to the plot, and reveals some interesting developments on either side. Sakura is becoming more mature and level-headed, acknowledging her own weaknesses, while Jin is steadily acquiring courage and willpower. In a way, they are each building on the other's character and learning from them. Subtle, but well-done character development. I must admit that Murtagh's group did not appeal to me very much dynamically, since its official formation. Compared to the far more diverse main roster, Murtagh and his servants, leaving Garvan and Izura aside, often came across as little more than a collection of generic villains doing evil mostly for the sake of being evil. Murtagh, Asami and Evos are all stereotypical villain archetypes that so far have failed to impress with their originality. This important task seems to have been undertaken in those two chapters. Murtagh is already undergoing some critical development, and Asami and Evos are brought to face the main protagonists, in what will presumably be the first in a series of long battles between the two groups. It becomes quickly apparent that Asami and Evos have access to Numbers, the critical tools of survival in the mad world. However, soon it is revealed that Daiki and Clarissa are also afforded some divine intervention, whose source is not quite clear. This, of course, leads to the main spectacle - the duel. Or rather, the duels, as instead of facing off in a two versus two team battle, Daiki and Clarissa split up, fighting individually. This was a critically correct decision at this point. Both Asami and Evos, and in turn Daiki and Clarissa, need to develop in their own personal way, and that kind of development cannot usually be afforded in a team battle, where the emphasis is placed on the connection between the partners. The choice of match-ups, though, becomes rather questionable. From the beginning, Asami had been connected to Clarissa, without much personal relevance to Daiki, and had been her antagonistic figure in the villain group ever since she was established as its member. Evos was also tied to Clarissa, but as she herself later notes, it was not until recently that he became a nemesis to her. I feel Evos could have done better with Daiki as his opponent. Daiki would both be trying to conquer his own past, and fight for Clarissa's sake and revenge, showing hands-on the development of their turbulent relation, and how he is now truly sympathizing with her. Clarissa and Asami would make a self-explanatory pair without much question. Comparatively, Clarissa vs Evos works just as well, or even better, than Daiki vs Evos would have. But Daiki vs Asami... just doesn't have much substance to it. Fighting for Clarissa's sake does not have much meaning here as Clarissa and Asami have natural synergy due to being counterparts, and Asami is much less tied to Daiki than Evos. I can understand at this point that the choice was made more for aesthetic / variety, and going for unpredictable. However, unpredictable does not always mean good by default. In this case, my personal feeling is that the match-ups were a misstep. But that remains to be seen, as developments in the next chapter may change the status quo. Moving on to the games themselves. Clarissa vs Evos was beautifully mapped out, playing nicely on both strategy and counter-strategy, showcasing some underused cards effectively, and earning credit for both fighters' ability. Evos' character arc, even though it feels kind of overbearing, ties in well with his playstyle. Clarissa will not have an easy time breaking through the Freezerdon and Laggia combination. Comparatively, Daiki vs Asami was a lot more banal. Daiki's fear and hesitation getting in the way was good, but, perhaps moreso due to the aforementioned lack of synergy, the fight felt a lot less engaging than Clarissa's. As a final note, it seems that Tarao and Junichi are finally going to become properly involved in the events. So far they have been a relative hindrance with no real impact, and a background element in the politics scene, but it is hopefully time to see something more from them. Well then. This is it for this time. I look forward to the continuation. [/quote] Awesomeness on a plate served with a side of relish. To an epic background too. Happy as always to get such praise from Master Obi Wan. Glad to hear about the improvement of characters, Dai and Sakura especially. I know you weren't exactly thrilled with his character at any point (especially after the Jin/Dark Mist debacle) so it's good he's improving by teaming with Clarissa and feeding off her awesomeness. Funny Sakura and Jin are developing together. Guess teamwork really pays in this. For villians, Garvan will be getting exposure next chapter, plus the reasoning for Asami being such a b*tch will be made clear. Will try to improve Murtagh. As I said in an above comment, Clarissa had a say in being involved in over half the duels in this arc. Her duel with Evos, I'm glad it's impressive as a card game so far, and it will get more so and her facing him will be justified next chapter. That did kind of leave Daiki and Asami as the leftovers, hopefully that card game will impress more next chapter. Also just glad the duelling was justified better than in Armageddon, where it was just duelling 'because it's YGO'. Somebody finally mentioned Tarao and Junichi. Yes! Their plot is a side worth looking forward to. At least I hope anyway. The governmental story gets almost chapterly exposure this arc and hopefully it works out well. So yeah, thanks for all your help so far and hope that by the end everything will reach a satisfactory conclusion. [quote name='Thunder Spark' timestamp='1350442537' post='6046434'] Another excellent chapter, and lengthy too. Very well done. I didn't expect that number in the slightest. [/quote] Sorry for quoting you under that wall of text from Saber Still appreciate all comments of all kinds. Thanks man. Yeah, well I've got a limited pool to choose from now remember. This is going to be the average chapter length for the majority of the arc. The next chapter is longer, probably the second longest of the story with two chapters left to write. Speaking of; people may want to set aside an hour or something tomorrow, because as stated the chapter will be up early, around this time tomorrow, and it will be lengthyish. Well, I say up tomorrow, depending of course on whether this site is still working at that time or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Synchronized Posted October 17, 2012 Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 How close to the end are you, anyway? I'm not sure how you manage to pace so well - I'm at 35 Chapters now and I still see myself needing another 35 to get to the reasonable end-point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted October 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2012 [quote name='Thunder Spark' timestamp='1350478673' post='6046576'] How close to the end are you, anyway? I'm not sure how you manage to pace so well - I'm at 35 Chapters now and I still see myself needing another 35 to get to the reasonable end-point. [/quote] At the start of publishing this arc I'd written 10 out of 12 chapters. Typing this right now I've written... 10 out of 12 chapters And have planned the final duel. Well, almost. I just need like four cards to drop into places (I know what I need, just selecting which ones to do the job). Well, I was kind of forced into fitting it all in this time given the timeframe. Armageddon went a whole 16 chapters longer than originally planned. Given the concept of 24 I couldn't really let that happen this time (hence some shoehorning all the resolutions in this arc) I'm sure it will come good for you too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Sage Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 [spoiler='You know how this goes by now.']I am starting to hate Evos more and more. One could almost hope the opposition had already died, but alas. Ooh, Murtagh development. Great chapters.[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted October 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 Cheers Thor. Damn Evo(l)s. Hey, I've got the top post of the page again (depending on personal formatting), awesome. Good place to stick this. As promised, an early release for Chapter Number 40. (heh heh heh heh heh). Warning: This is (with two chapters left to write) the 2nd longest chapter of the fic, equal in length to the final chapter of Armageddon for those who read that. I didn't want any chapters to be this big, but two simulataneous duels kinda do that, as well as having to get exposure in on a couple of characters we haven't seen that much of yet at the start to look forward to, plus the govermental plot is stepping up. That's a lot to look forward to, but a lot to take in and a lot of time consumed. Had considered putting it into two spoilers, but decided against it. If anyone strongly believes this was wrong/right, then let me know for when I post the longest and third longest chapters. Anyway, enjoy. [spoiler=Chapter 20:2]Still bound to the black machine, Kaneko blearily opened her eyes. Even such a small task took a massive effort; she could barely open them for more than a few seconds of blurry sight, before closing again. She couldn’t see or hear anyone around, but that didn’t matter. She was alone, she was powerless, and she was trapped. The cursed machine was draining all her energy, forcing her to feed her power and that of her friends and guardians into its insatiable stomach, powering its operation for... whatever it did. She had no idea, only that it was devouring her power and continuing to struggle regardless. She had lost so much she thought she had lost conscious at some point, although wasn’t entirely sure. Time had lost all meaning, reality was beyond her grasp, and her existence was now just a confusing memory. All that passed through her mind was the pain and the lack of energy to fight it, but she must keep going, and keep giving her energy in the hope it might become full and release her. There was no other way out. ... Blasting across the dark and deformed wastelands of wherever this now was, Garvan continued his weighty challenge alone. A challenge that was not welcomed. Murtagh had left him in charge of finding the ones who held the four missing Numbers, like it would just be that easy. He had been left with a couple of devices, such as a tracker that detected Numbers which Murtagh had used to amass his own to battle with earlier on. They’d been silent for nearly two hours, which only increased his apprehension about the nature of those who opposed them at this late hour. He had expected continued opposition, of course those who had tried to undo Murtagh’s plans so far would not relent now, but whoever had spoken through Kaneko and told them of the death of the world had truly blind sighted them all. “[i]Looking into the darkened abyss, the emergence of four horses were witnessed, each with a rider setting out across the land bringing disease, war, starvation and ruin in their path, with the devil following close behind. This wretched and cursed world and everyone who soils it, it is all going to die.”[/i] The words made him shiver. How much did he really want to find that guy? He was almost certain that as soon as he did, he wouldn’t be alive for very long to tell Murtagh. Well, perhaps the faceless enemy would do that for him, by returning his head to the palace in another display of his power. Hell, he wanted nothing to do with this madness. But he was deep in the quicksand of it now, what was he meant to do? Leave that madman unchecked and to his own devices that threatened to destroy the whole world? Like there was any getting away from him now. And then there was... Shaking his head and breaking from these dark thoughts, he wondered how the others were doing... As he drove across the thunderous plains, the CPU on his dash beeped and grabbed his attention. The radar had spotted something, dead ahead. In his preoccupied state it had got surprisingly close, when he looked up he could see another runner parked in the road with its rider sitting on top, waiting for him. [i]‘You’ve got to be kidding me?’[/i] Slowing to a steady halt, Garvan pulled up a good dozen metres short of the red and grey runner in his path. The opposite rider had removed her helmet and was drilling through his own with that fiery stare, one he hadn’t seen or fell afoul of for so long, so he was courteous enough to remove his own and meet her glare. She just continued to look at him in silence, waiting for him as he sat there stoically in this barren landscape, with only a few dead bushes about and dark mountains on the horizon. At least he was well practised in his neutrality now. “How do you even do that?” “Virtual Positioning System” Natsumi shrugged. “Even with Real Duel gone, even with the VDS gone in a sense, a backup integrated into the system itself remains active in this amalgamated world that it once was, for those who know how to access it. I’m surprised your buddy Murtagh hasn’t realised and used that, but I guess he has other things on his mind.” “Just a bit. I guess becoming a god who can spit fire and rearrange the world as pleased can make you overlook small things” Garvan replied. The pair talked quite calmly, like casual acquaintances, although there was an odd tension between them still. “This isn’t a chance meeting. What do you want?” “Just a few things, but things we have in common.” Garvan’s eyes narrowed. What could she think they had in common? Natsumi didn’t relent though, her stern gaze on him at all times. “When I emerged into this new world, I recognised it as our own world merged with the VDS, and I accepted it was Murtagh’s work. However, there was something else I saw that suggested things weren’t entirely as they seemed, and you riding around in a frenzy confirms it, something is wrong. So what is it? What else do we face?” She couldn’t bring herself to retell of that terrible creature falling dead from the sky, having been cut seamlessly in half like that. Hopefully Garvan would know what she referred of without having to do so, but predictably he wasn’t going to admit it to her easily. “We face nothing together Natsumi. You have chosen your side, and I have mine, and they are opposites of a coin that cannot see each other.” “Oh really now, is it all that black and white to you? Because I don’t think it is.” Garvan frowned at her, but remained silent again. “I am not on any side, not permanently at least, only the one at a time that enables me to be alive and free as is allowed. You should know this... more than you admit.” His suspicions were already alert, but if anything was ‘wrong’, it was her. The way she was talking to him, her wording seemed oddly deliberate, and was getting on his nerves. She could pretend and bluff all she wanted, she knew nothing. “I’m going to ask you nicely one more time, and this time I want a straight answer. What do you want?” “A straight answer?” Natsumi chuckled to herself. Garvan felt his knuckles tightening around the throttle of his D-Runner, making the engine rev threateningly. The bush nearest to Natsumi ruffled nervously, but she only smiled at him more confidently. “Alright, then let’s be straight. I saw something; I would describe it as a black hole if nothing else. I’m assuming that wasn’t your doing?” “Humph, correct” Garvan muttered. “We might have seen similar. I assume you know something?” “You insult me, I always know something” Natsumi smirked. “So we’re at deadlock; both with information that the other needs, but neither will share what they know without safety.” Garvan just sat there frowning, making her sigh. Guess she’d have to go first, in part at least. “So the black holes in this reality aren’t your doing. I have a suspicion as to whose they are from firsthand experience in the VDS. Does that loosen your tongue?” “Oh really, because you have a great record with the truth. And don’t call me a hypocrite, I already know” Garvan shot her down as she went to reply. “But say I believe you this time; that we are both faced with a common enemy that threatens all of us. I take it that’s why you’ve searched me out.” “Looks like you could do with my help with it to. Don’t get me wrong, I still don’t like you and Murtagh and what you’ve done, but we have bigger problems now. Besides, I understand you...” She’d pushed too far. Before she could move Garvan had pulled out two monsters from his deck and slammed them onto the D-Disk of his runner. [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Tin_Archduke"]Tinplate Archduke[/url] landed with a heavy crash on the earth and jabbed, stopping with the tip of its thin sword a few inches from her unflinching neck, whilst [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Magi_Magi_%E2%98%86_Magician_Gal"]Magi Magi Magician Girl[/url] floated beside it, staff brandished. The bush nearest to her quivered again. That he had chosen not to threaten her with a Number seemed fleetingly curious, but she couldn’t be overly worried about that as she looked round the duke at him. He looked obviously furious. “You understand nothing” he muttered in a deadly whisper. “Now enough games. Tell me; prove to me why I shouldn’t just kill you where you sit right now.” Natsumi shrugged, and tapped into her runners CPU. The video she’d recorded just recently was sent straight to Garvan’s to view, which he did with one eye kept suspiciously on her. He got about halfway through when his livid expression changed to amazement, blinking several times, and he’d seen enough. Sitting back in his D-Runner he considered his options, although his two monsters didn’t relent from their positions. “I assume that this will be sent to Daiki in some automated way, unless I spare you.” Pretty much. Garvan sighed, then just started talking. “After the dust settled and the new world was clear to see, Murtagh’s victory seemed apparent. However the Number Converter, that machine you saw all the Numbers get placed on earlier, suddenly was overcame by this illusion of black fire and started to fail. Turns out that there were Numbers missing from it when it was activated, four to be exact, thus it has been unable to completely finish the world merging. It struggles on but its running out of power and this new reality is not stabilised, as seen by the black holes. Kaneko is keeping it going, but when she runs out, the machine stops, and then things will get very nasty I fear.” [i]‘Four missing Numbers?’[/i] A sudden chill gripped her. “These Numbers you are missing...” she said slowly. “They wouldn’t happen to include nine and seventy five would they?” Garvan was astonished. She knew!? “How on earth did you know that?” “Because about four hours ago, a man called Hunter and I entered the Polar Star Radiance area in search of the gate to Kaneko’s home. As soon as we set foot in there, we were attacked. Warriors in the guise of the harbingers of destruction, the four horsemen of the apocalypse, War and Famine, bent on killing us. They used Numbers 9 and 75, their power killed Hunter. It was only thanks to him that I escaped.” Garvan processed the information slowly, taking in what she’d said whilst seeming to relive his own nightmare. “When we tried to get Kaneko to find the missing Numbers, someone started speaking to us through her. They quoted the passage of the birth of the four horsemen, telling of the end of the world and its final judgement. So four Numbers for four horsemen, makes sense. So... what now?” Natsumi didn’t reply, she was just looking at him. Or rather... past him. His skin started to crawl eerily as they held their ground. It felt like something was behind him. [i]‘No, it’s a trick’[/i] he thought. He shuddered, as something growled. Something was definitely behind him! Spinning around and shouting for Magi Girl to attack whatever it was, Garvan jumped at the sight of the trio of hungry flame spitting dinosaurs that were sneaking up on him. Magi Girl’s attack caught the hulking tyrannosaurus [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Jurrac_Giganto"]Giganto[/url] in the face, obliterating it, but the nimbler [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Jurrac_Velphito"]Velphito[/url] dodged it and leapt for her, sinking its teeth into her leg. The witch disappeared with a scream. The third Jurrac, the hulking great monster [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Jurrac_Meteor"]Meteor[/url] crushed the archduke before it could turn to face it, leaving him defenceless as the two monsters faced him... Two streams of fire launched from over his head, catching each distracted Jurrac in the midriff. The dinosaurs roared in pain, but two more volleys of flame sorted that out and destroyed them, each monster disappearing like in a duel. Stunned, Garvan turned to see Natsumi casually leaning on her handlebars, with the giant golem [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Laval_Stennon"]Laval Stellaid[/url] and black [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Lavalval_Dragon"]Lavalval Dragon[/url] floating either side of her. “So, truce?” Garvan grimaced at the thought. Well this was a precarious development, but then again he needed the help, and Natsumi could prove just that. “For now. So what do you suggest we do?” “For starters, I think getting away from here might be a good idea before any more of those things turn up. Don’t you want to tell your boss you know what’s going on?” “And tell him we’re relying on you? Forget it; you know Murtagh isn’t going to be the kind of guy who wants to rely on others. Besides, he was searching with me and went back to the palace pretty quickly to deal with... an internal matter; I assume he hasn’t resolved it yet. We’re doing this on our own.” “Very well” Natsumi shrugged. Relieving the Laval and donning her helmet, she set off after Garvan as he blasted off, no doubt wanting to get away from anymore Jurrac that may be hunting for a light snack, casting one last glance back as she followed. Leaving the small bush that had somehow not given itself away, as it watched her and their strange new ally of sorts disappear over the horizon in a trail of dust. “Er, Jin” the bush asked itself. “How many palaces exist in the duel monsters world?” ...04:35:12... In the dark depths of the palace, two battles continued to rage. Or rather, one did. Daiki still lay face down in the dirt (LP 400), ravaged by the brutal assault of the wicked puppet Giant Killer and its master Asami. Two floors down, Clarissa was forcing herself back to her feet, clutching her arm and wincing as she faced her menacing enemy Evos. After everything he’d done; to betray her and kill Wilhelm, but that he had been the one who used her to create a child to be forced into running the virtual world made him even more disgusting. The disfigured doctor, flexing his genetically bulked muscle, sneered at her as she faltered slightly (LP 2900), but hatred and vengeance spurred her on. Behind him, the vicious Lagia and his Number Freezerdon loomed ominously. As she stood, the darkness to the right of her shimmered, as some kind of mirror like window opened in the darkness. In it, she could see Daiki lying in the dirt, twitching with pain. Evos looked at the projection and shook his head. “That woman. What is she playing at?” “Just trying to rub it in, or hoping to see me in a similar way” Clarissa suggested, studying Daiki carefully. He was still alive, just, and that was a relief. “Like I’d give her the satisfaction of seeing me on my knees.” “Still you struggle on, even when you and your partner are beat. Unsurprising I guess, given how self-righteous you are.” Evos slotted another face down card into his D-Disk. “Why can’t you appreciate that what I did was for good, that you played your part by kindly donating your DNA, and go away quietly?” “Good? Your experiments must have messed with your head. What you did to me was disgusting! Robbing me and Daiki of our lives, and denying Kaneko a life of her own as Real Duel’s slave to lace their purses. The only good to come from it was my daughter, and you’ve abused us both. It ends here!” For all her aggression, Evos looked oddly surprised. “Oh, we’re still referring to Kaneko as your daughter are we?” “What? Of course we bloody well are!” she snapped. “She’s our daughter, whatever the circumstances!” “You, a mother?” Evos chuckled uncontrollably at the idea, unable to contain his amusement. “And that Daiki, the father? Oh please. Genetically yes, you are close to her in that sense. But you, neither of you, have ever held her. Ever been there while growing up or nurtured her. The avatar Kodai did all that. She wouldn’t even know who you are. No, it is only thanks to me that Kaneko exists, that you even have this so called daughter of yours. I’m the one who gave her a life at all. I was there at her birth, having bought her into the old world, and was there during her early days. I even took her as my own.” Clarissa gasped as he cackled at her. “I couldn’t stand that my perfect creation was the spawn of you and that Daiki, two unremarkable people entirely, when I gave her life. So I took some of her DNA samples and injected them into me! The cocktail has had some side effects, but now everything about me is perfect, and now every way, even genetically, I am more her parent than you two!” “Shut up!” Clarissa shook as Evos continued laughing at her, his overly built body and ugly stretched tattoos rippling. This couldn’t be. This monster considered himself her parent? And taken from her? Clarissa twitched. Somewhere inside, unable to take any more, the final straw emphatically snapped. “You beast!” she howled, going for her deck. “You have abused me, you killed my brother, and you have dared to lay your foul hands on my daughter and call her yours! All for your sick and miserable obsession with perfection and superiority over others, now you will pay for it all! My turn!” Clarissa: LP 2900, Hand 1, Field empty Evos: LP 2500, Hand 2, Field of Evolkaiser Lagia, Number 19 Freezerdon, and a face down “From my cemetery, I activate the effect of Scout of the Inverz. At the start of my main phase while I control no spell or trap cards, I can special summon this monster from the dead again and again, just as I rise from the dead and never stay down until all my enemies are destroyed!” The small roach rose from the grasp of hell, grinning at Evos. “I can’t special summon again after resurrecting Scout, but I can release it to advance summon the monster of your demise! [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Girastag"]Inverz Gilafer[/url], bring the pain of my wrath!” The giant black scorpion emerged from the vapour of Scout’s sacrificed soul, growling venomously at the indifferent doctor (Lv7, ATK 2600). “Huh, still you won’t learn to accept my vision for the world’s progression and cling to your weak emotions. Thankfully I have had such trivial things purged from me. Now Gilafer is relatively powerful, but it is useless against Freezerdon. And thanks to the permanent trap [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Xyz_Veil"]Xyz Veil[/url] which I chain to Gilafer’s summon, it won’t be able to use its effect to get rid of it.” “Bah, but I can use it to get rid of Lagia!” Unprotected by the veil, Lagia was vaporized, and Clarissa was soothed for a moment by the healing effect, her aching bones and muscles steadily repaired a little (LP 3900). Not that she paid her injuries much heed. “Now attack Freezerdon!” Another hail of cannon fire battered against the icy hide of the Number, but got nothing but a shriek of fury from it and a grunt from the wounded doctor (LP 1900).“I set one card face down, now it’s your turn. Let’s see if you’re so clever after all, or if you just have to steal everything from my little girl to attain your sick ambitions.” Grumbling and rubbing his head from the effect of Gilafer’s attack, Evos snatched his next card. The draw seemed to pose him a conundrum, but he played on anyway. “I activate the magic card [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/The_Shallow_Grave"]Shallow Grave[/url]. Now we can both summon a monster from our respective cemeteries. I chose Najasho.” “Obviously, I’m going with Critter” Clarissa simply stated, as the two reverses of the selected cards appeared opposite each other as she pondered his choice of cards. He seemed to read her thoughts. “This isn’t the ideal use for this card, but no matter. In the end, the strongest always come out on top. There is no way to buy your way or be born into the upper echelons now, only the most intelligent and psychically capable will survive. Now by releasing Najasho, I advance summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Evolsaur_Elias"]Evoldar Elias[/url].” The face down disappeared, in its place emerging a large brontosaurus like creature with a sickly yellowish hide and spines all down its neck and tail (Lv6, ATK 100). “Now once again because Najasho was released, I can summon another Elias directly from my deck, and overlay my two level six dinosaurs. Xyz summon! [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Evolzar_Solda"]Evolkaiser Solde[/url]!” Clarissa gulped as the two matching dinosaurs sank into the abyss. Another Evol, and a rank six, was not good news. From the vortex a great white pterodactyl rose, shrieking at ear splitting pitch, spreading its huge wings to reveal its thin and gangly body that belied its fierce power (Rk6, ATK 2600). As it hovered beside Freezerdon, the doctor revelled in delight. “This will confirm my victory. First Freezerdon, which you cannot beat in battle, and then Solde, which cannot be destroyed by effects. Both protected by Xyz Veil, preventing any cards from targeting either of them. And if you try summoning any of your monsters, Solde can simply swat them away like nothing with its own effect. You’ve lost woman. You who consider yourself so noble, so determined to fight against everyone for your revenge, and all along you were just playing into the hands of others. You are going to fail hopelessly, and my Utopian world will be less one terribly worthless person.” “You have an awfully high opinion of yourself. Maybe those dreadful ‘they’ condemned your research because of how detestable you are. Besides, there are a few flaws with your plan.” Evos blinked as Clarissa pointed to Gilafer. “That Solde might be able to survive card effects, but it’s not immune to battle and its strength is matched by Gilafer. I can happily ram it next turn if I need to. Besides I have two monsters on my field. Do you really want to leave them there, knowing what I could draw next?” The doctor stuttered, undecided on what to do. He was a cautious man who risked nothing, unless attainment of his goal was certain. The chances of Clarissa drawing a high end boss she could normal summon and defeat Solde and Freezerdon with, such as Gasath or Longhorn, were miniscule. But this woman had come back from impossible situations so many times before, when they were certain she was dead only to return as if possessed, never resting until she killed every last person who had ruined her life. Any other and this would be over, but against her, he was second guessing. No, she couldn’t do it again... could she? Even with a face down, it couldn’t harm either of his monsters. And her face down monster was Critter; she couldn’t use it to summon the likes of Gasath effectively. But still, something made him uneasy. He might have to sacrifice Solde to do it, but if it was going to be run over by some miracle draw anyway... but there was nothing she could do to come back without an Inverz to release. “You think I won’t sacrifice even my Evolkaiser to achieve my aims? Fool, nothing is too dear to hold onto and yourself back for. Not family, not duel monsters, nothing! Solde, sacrifice yourself and attack Gilafer!” “I thought you might say something like that” Clarissa grinned, as the pterodactyl swooped in. “I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Infestation_Tool"]Means of Invasion[/url]! By sending Gasath to the cemetery from my deck, Gilafer gets an eight hundred point boost!” The doctor blinked in disbelief at his mistake as the powered up Inverz (ATK 3400) shot down the helpless pterodactyl (LP 1100). “What now doctor?” she taunted confidently, catching another glimpse at Daiki through the glimmering window. [i]‘Come on Dai, please get up.’[/i] ... Groaning heavily, Daiki forced himself to his knees, his arm hanging limply by his side. His back felt like it had been shattered in several places, although it couldn’t be, he wouldn’t be able to stand if it was. He was choking on blood though, and unless he was much mistaken, his shoulder was dislocated (LP 400). Grimacing he pushed himself up, watching Asami smirk at him; unharmed and confident in the power of Giant Killer looming behind her. To his left, something had appeared while he’d been down. A sort of window in the dark, showing the other duel. Clarissa was facing Evos, who looked weirdly muscled with his jumper off. She was facing a Number too, but seemed to be doing okay. “You created that? Why?” “Meh, I thought in your dying moments you might appreciate knowing your partner is suffering the same fate. Or not, as the case appears to be” Asami replied simply. “That bungler Evos, I knew he’d be unable to beat her. But that’s fine by me. It means once I’m through with you I can finish her myself.” “Yeah about that” Daiki couldn’t help but ask. “What’s your problem with Clarissa anyway? Ever since I met the pair of you at the RDL Building, you’ve had it in for her more than the average grudge, and I can’t work out where it stems from. Given her background, I can’t see where you come into it.” Asami twitched again. “Well, I guess it doesn’t matter when you’re both going to die in a few minutes. It’s because I have every reason to hate her, for what she denied me. For what Real Duel denied me in favour of her. It’s because that piece of worthless trash... ” Asami shook as she pointed at Clarissa, who seemed to have no idea this conversation was going on “... was chosen for Project Eve instead of me! After I offered myself to Shinawatra, but he turned me down and destroyed my dream... for her!” “You... what?” Daiki asked. “You’re jealous of Clarissa, because you [i]wanted[/i] to be in Project Eve?” “Jealous? Of her? How dare you!” Asami spat. “Of course I did! Who wouldn’t take the chance to be part of something momentous, when the result was a daughter unlike any other, who was something special and would make me, otherwise unable, something special too? I’d served Real Duel for years, recruiting the best from across the world. When they came to me about Project Eve, I thought all my prayers had been answered. That I was to be rewarded the honour of mothering the next avatar. But no! I wasn’t ‘suitable’. I wasn’t ‘the ideal parent’. No, they just wanted me to find those who were!!! They shot down all my dreams of being a mother, to the avatar who I could raise to greatness, and I’d rise with them!” “Asami” Daiki asked, caught out by something she’d said. “You... can’t have children?” “Huh?” Asami choked, realising she’d said more than she meant to. Daiki saw a half formed tear in her dark eyes blinked away, and for the strangest moment felt a pang of sympathy for her. The condition for someone, whatever reason, to be unable to have children was near impossible these days. To be one of the unlucky ones, and to have a chance cruelly dangled before you and then taken away, no wonder she was like she was. However, his sympathy disappeared quickly as she quickly riled up again. “That’s none of your damn business! How dare Shinawatra and his allies on the board deem me unfit for the project and relegate me to some recruitment officer, when I had everything they and the child required!” “Yeah, except you’re vindictive, insecure, and slightly unhinged and psychotic” Daiki muttered. “You needn’t be so smug. After all, you should have been the partner of my choice. If you focused more on yourself than my personal problems, you’d have realised that I’m the one responsible for everything wrong in your life!” Daiki blinked as she laughed again. “You know that I, Evos, and Garvan through his father, were all part of Project Eve. Well I was responsible for the recruitment of the parents. One with duelling skill, one with other personal qualities, and both easily disposable. So you see, the lie that is your identity and the holes in your memory, and everything else you have gone through in the last six years not knowing and hating who you really are, it’s all because of me!” Daiki let her words sink in, let her have her little moment of triumphant laughter, as he took it in. He wasn’t really surprised by this; he realised someone must have recommended him and Clarissa to Real Duel at some point. Might as well be someone he already hated anyway. “You really are a b**** aren’t you?” “Funny, Shinawatra said that at some point to” Asami cackled. “What’s funnier is that he’s dead now, and you soon will be as well. As will be anyone who stands against the queen of this new realm. You, Clarissa, those puny kids, even that little woman who tried to backstab me and Murtagh...” “Huh, you mean Izura?” Daiki asked, but Asami merely laughed and shook her head. “Heh heh, she’s not important now. Now make your move so that I can add your body to the pile.” “You really have a power addiction don’t you?” Daiki drew his card. His arm was in pain from the weight of the D-Disk pulling it down and straining the joint and muscles, but at least he could draw. He could still fight, just about, and he would do so until he could no longer, for the girl’s sake. “Alright, gladly.” Asami: LP 4000, Hand 2, Field of Number 15 Giant Killer and a face down Daiki: LP 400, Hand 3, Field empty [i]‘Darklon?’[/i] Daiki thought, studying the small monster he had drawn. [i]‘Alright Asami, let’s see how you laugh at this.’[/i] “First off, by banishing the light monster Level Warrior from my cemetery, I can special summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Ghost_Ship"]Soul Convoy[/url]. Then I normal summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Darklon"]Darklon[/url].” A spectral ship, with tattered sails and a skull figurehead, sailed into their midst (Lv5, ATK 1900). It was joined by a small hairball of a fiend, grinning wickedly (Lv1, ATK 300). “When summoned, Darklon boosts the levels of all monsters I control by one, and changes their attribute to dark (Lv2 and 6). Now because my monsters are both fiend type and dark attribute, I can activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Resonance_Device"]Resonance Device[/url] to up Darklon’s level to six, and overlay my two monsters! Xyz summon!” Where the two monsters sank emerged a new power, in the form of a knight in white armour, carrying every sword, mace, spear, axe and explosive imaginable as it crashed onto the field. “The specialist knight of arms, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Sword_Breakere"]Sword Breaker[/url]!” (Rk6, ATK 2700) “Ha, you’re an idiot” Asami cooed. “Sure it’s got some attack points, but it can’t beat Giant Killer since it’s not a Number and all. Besides, you know I can negate all the damage it will do, and what’s going to happen to you next turn now you control another Xyz monster.” “Oh you think? I activate Sword Breaker’s effect! By detaching an overlay unit, I can declare one type of monster. Then when he battles monsters of that type, he destroys them instantly. I’m going machines.” It was a guess at best, and one he had to get right as Breaker chose a blade with an electric current running through it and leapt towards Giant Killer. Plunging the sword into the Numbers chest, the mechanics screeched and the support gave way, and Daiki knew he’d guessed right. Another slash and the strings holding Giant Killer upright snapped, leaving the whole thing to collapse. “What’s more, Sword Breakers effect activates before damage calculation. How do you like that?” Asami didn’t like that. As her great destructive engine collapsed and exploded, blowing smoke and dust all around her, she was visibly overcome with rage and humiliation. She stood unmoved, glaring at him murderously as her dress billowed in the destruction, until she reached to her D-Disk. “My. Turn.” Asami didn’t really look at her card, focused entirely on him and Clarissa through the portal, who was waiting for Evos to recover from a blow. “As to be expected of the duelist I chose to give their skills to the brat. You think you’re clever, because of your legacy? Because you were the chosen one? When it should have been me! I am better than you at duelling, and certainly better than her! I will prove it by crushing you both for stealing my glory. I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Trade-In"]Trade In[/url]; discarding a level eight monster to draw two cards.” With unnerving assuredness she drew two new cards, her words increasingly dark. “You did well to survive Giant Killer’s wrath, but now you condemn yourself to a whole new nightmare from which you will not escape. I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Junk_Puppet"]Junk Puppet[/url], to resurrect Magne Doll from my cemetery.” An unsettling feeling clutched Daiki as the metal pipe doll reassembled itself. “Next I activate the effect of [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Gimmick_Puppet_-_Necro_Doll"]Gimmick Puppet Necro Doll[/url] from my cemetery. Because there are two of them there, I can banish one to summon the other.” A coffin rose, opening to reveal a doll with a bandaged face (Lv8, ATK 0). “No... no way!” Daiki gasped. “How did you get... this set up again?” “Enough talk, more screaming!” Asami ignored him as she rose a shaking hand high, as the two monsters descended into the abyss, and a dark winged seal rose. As it did, the marks of a second Number appeared on her exposed thigh. “Perish to the symphony of death that will echo across my kingdom to all who oppose me. Come, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_40:_Gimmick_Puppet_of_Strings"]Number 40: Gimmick Puppet Heaven's Strings[/url]!” The seal split, emitting its dark aura from which Asami’s new ace revealed itself. A green haired doll with pitch black skin, dressed only in a sort of skirt and basic armour covering the arms legs and shoulder that its one massive metallic wing sprouted out from, the number forty emblazed on it. In its opposite hand, the puppet warrior brandished a huge sword. (Rk8, ATK 3000) “Please tell me that’s a machine” Daiki hoped against hope, glancing at the outmatched Sword Breaker. “Annoyingly, it is” Asami grumbled. “But I wouldn’t look so relieved. I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Forbidden_Garment"]Forbidden Garment[/url] from my hand. By reducing Heaven’s Strings attack by six hundred, it becomes immune to destruction by effects this turn. Then I activate my face down.” Daiki gasped in shock as the trap revealed itself to be not ‘Gimmick box’ at all, but one of the traps he found most unthreatening. Until now that was. “[url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Reinforced_Space"]Enhanced Space[/url] boosts the attack of my Xyz monster by three hundred for each of its overlay units, restoring its attack to normal.” (ATK 3000) “That trap?” Daiki stuttered, unable to believe it. “It wasn’t Gimmick Box? All along I was playing in fear of just a stupid little trap like that, I stopped myself from attacking you because of that?” “Heh heh, that’s right” Asami sniggered at his despair. “Isn’t it remarkable how powerfully fear affects people? How funny it’s been to watch you suffer as you’ve chased a nightmare of your own creation. Now you will suffer very physically. Heaven’s Strings; annihilate his monster.” The angel of death descended, cleaving the outmatched warrior in two with its heavy sword, cracking and breaking the armour underneath its weight until it exploded. The blast knocked Daiki down again, landing on and reinjuring his arm (LP 100). Asami’s laughter reached new levels of delirium as her unstoppable weapon of death floated eerily overhead, leaving him hanging by the thinnest of strings. ...04:47:22... Pacing the underground bunker of the Toshima Halls, Hideo continued to wring his hands and chase the nightmarish thoughts whistling around him head. Mai and Kenji were sat in silence; he didn’t know what they were thinking. He barely knew what he was thinking or what he was just imagining; the city outside being destroyed by the fiends he’d seen, the whole world in ruins, his daughter caught up in it all. “I can’t take this. I’m going over there.” “No. We’ll never get across the city the way things are.” Hideo ignored Kenji and still went for the bunker door. Even trying to forcibly stop him proved futile as he fended him off, forced the heavy door open and stepped outside. “Sorry, I can’t sit around here while the world outside is crumbling, and a part of it is my fault. Mai, you can stay here, where you’ll be safe.” “Are you kidding?” Mai was quickly by his side, nodding to him in a way which made his heart warm and smile brighter than it had been all day. “Of course I’m coming. Sitting here on my own would drive me nuts. Besides, I have the fastest car and can drive much more aggressively than you, if need be.” “Thank you. Kenji?” Reluctantly Kenji stepped out after them and followed. “Let’s leave the door open, in case there are any more survivors around so they can use it.” That seemed a generous idea, so the three left the vault accessible as they quickly and cautiously set off towards the underground car park. They had only evacuated the bunker and gone for about twenty seconds when two contrasting figures in suits walked around the corner passageway and came face to face with the open, vacant bunker. “Huh, well where do they think they’re going?” Junichi wondered. Tarao did not really react to his son’s question as he continued to fiddle with a D-Disk he had procured from one of the bodies outside, brow scrunched up in concentration. “What are you doing dad?” “Oh, er, just thought given the circumstances that one of these might be needed to defend myself with, should the need arise.” There was an odd nervousness about his voice as he continued to pick through the deck he was assembling from the previous owner’s collection of cards. “After all you bought your D-Disk, but better safe what not. Tell me, those winged things outside, what are they called actually?” “I take it you don’t mean the dragons?” Junichi asked. “They’re known as the Demonic Roar Gods. Kind of fitting really. Come on, if they’re not here they must intend to leave the building, so let’s head to the car park. Hopefully we’ll be able to catch them and see how we can solve this emergency together.” Solve it together? Ha, Tarao thought, they would do no such thing. Hideo deserved no help, only the sword, and by happy coincidence he would be there to pick up the pieces. If Junichi was too weak to see and use this, was even daring to go try and help him, then alas; it would be unfortunate that he might meet a similar misfortune as the dear prime minister he thought. Hastily jogging after his blonde child, Tarao began examining all the cards the previous duelist possessed with the name ‘Demonic Roar God’. ...04:49:34... Clarissa gulped as she looked at the new Number Asami controlled, and the damage it had done. Daiki was struggling back to his feet, only just clinging on after finally defeating Giant Killer. He in turn could see she was slightly ahead with Gilafer, as the frustrated doctor switched his icy Number into defence, looking most annoyed with himself for whatever reason. In the knowledge that the other was still alive and fighting, they turned to their respective foes. Evos was furious with himself, Asami typically smug. “I place one card face down” Evos and Asami declared near simultaneously, each placing the sole remaining cards in their hands into their D-Disks with varying degrees of confidence. “Right. I draw” Daiki barely gasped as he snatched his card with difficulty. Clarissa might be doing okay, but his situation was desperate. All he had left was a single monster, and now a magic card that was not that helpful. [i]‘This card? Well if I could get two monsters on the field then I might be able to do something with it, but I don’t think I’ve got anything left that could take on a Number with that strength. Unless...’ [/i]Suddenly a wild idea came to him, but it was a wild one at best. He would need great fortune for it to work, especially if Asami drew a monster. Even if he got to his next turn, he would need so many things to go his way, and even then he might be going down a doomed path anyway. Still he had no other plan. “I s... I set one monster... in defence mode” he managed weakly, the hidden monster appearing on the field sideways on. “And that’s... that’s all.” “That’s all indeed” Asami sniggered as she drew, her eyes glinting with malice as she slammed it onto the field without so much as a glance. “Time to finish this, for once and entirely all. I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Gimmick_Puppet_-_Bomb_Egg"]Gimmick Puppet Bomb Egg[/url], and have it attack your face down monster!” A strange egg shaped fiend bounced onto the field before launching into a spinning attack (Lv4, ATK 1600). His card reversed to reveal a small flag bearing knight on horseback, easily decimated (Lv1, DEF 500). “Now Heaven’s Strings will finish it!” “Sorry but you’re going to have to wait a little longer Asami” Daiki interrupted. “Because when [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Little_Trooper"]Little Trooper[/url] is destroyed, I can summon another one from my deck in defence face down.” As calmly as he could Daiki searched for another card and placed it face down, much to Asami’s annoyance. On the other side of the veil, Clarissa watched Daiki stall once more without comment. Still clinging on. Instead with a mere nod of approval, she proceeded with her offence. Evos was weakened, now to go for the jugular. “Oh Evos. All your vaunted supremacy setting up your little lock, then you stuff it up with one silly mistake. Well, I say one...” Her smile faded into a hateful glare. “Except when you murdered Wilhelm, on top of everything else, I swore that yours would be the most painful death I’d ever have to inflict. Then you decide to take me on, thinking you could beat someone who’d taken such a pledge? That was your final, fatal mistake. I activate the effect of Scout once again, summoning it once more.” The little bug appeared once more, undying and unrelenting. “Next I activate the magic card [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Recurring_Nightmare"]Nightmare Again[/url]; to add two dark monsters with zero defence points to my hand. So now I can do exactly what I told you I would, and summon your final nightmare. I can advance summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Caucastag"]Inverz Gasath[/url]!” Evos swallowed as the bodies of the giant scorpion and little bug split, releasing their poisonous spirits for the great clawed prince of the swarm to emerge (Lv8, ATK 2800). “When Gasath is summoned by using two Inverz as tribute, I can activate one of two effects. I chose the effect that destroys all other monsters on the field, something your Number isn’t immune to!” Pillars and statues around them crumbled as Gasath fired its tail laser in a sweeping, scattergun fashion at everything in range. The face down Critter’s card exploded into a million pixels. Across the field the giant Freezerdon screamed, as a great chunk of stone fell from the ceiling down onto top of its thrashing dying form. Evos was backing off helplessly as Clarissa advanced through the smoke and the dust of the destruction. Critter automatically made her add a card to her hand, she selected the first available target in her deck. It was irrelevant now. “Now Gasath, for the family this monster has taken from me, attack!” Laser fire exploded all around the doctor as he threw his arms in front of him. The almighty noise of the devastation, Gasath’s harsh screams, Evos roaring in pain as he desperately played his last card. “No! It’s not over!” Clarissa blinked as the face down opened. “You won’t get me that easily! I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Survival_Instinct"]Survival Instinct[/url]! This gives me four hundred life points for each dinosaur I can banish from my cemetery!” Everything that had to go went. The ghosts of Diplodocus, Darwinos, Vulcano, the two Elias, and even the Number Freezerdon appeared and disappeared into the ether in a blur as Evos desperately tried to cling on, gaining just enough life points before Gasath’s attack hit home. Roaring in agony, great bloody burns singed into his untarnished flesh and blazing into his warped mind (LP 700). As the attack subsided Evos staggered; his hair a mess, his glasses askew, as he clung onto whatever he could to stand. “You... weak... inferior...” Evos was clutching his neck as he struggled to speak, his throat heavily burnt. Clarissa waited, but surely this was won. What could he possibly do with one card to destroy Gasath and get on the attack? “You will... never... be better than me... you unworthy... parasite! [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Magic_Planter"]Magic Planter[/url]... send Xyz Veil to ceme... draw two cards.” Okay, so he had two cards now, but still. Clarissa frowned as the doctor blearily took in the cards, and broke into a slow, hacking chuckle. “I... [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Monster_Reborn"]Raise Dead[/url]... summon Cerato” the doctor choked. “Then... summon... [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Rescue_Rabbit"]Rescue Rabbit[/url]...” “Of all the draws!” Clarissa swore as the flame bodied dinosaur was joined by a small bunny in a hard hat (Lv4, ATK 300) A despised card to run into at the best of times for its tendency to transform straight into a Lagia. Except Lagia was no threat now. But her skin was crawling with a crippling dread, then cold tendrils suddenly gripped her heart as she realised what was about to happen. “Oh no...” “Oh yes...” the doctor hacked with a malicious grin. “Rescue Rabbit’s effect... banish... to summon two [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Sabersaur"]Saber Zaurus[/url] from deck. Then overlay level four... Xyz... Summon!” Two identical triceratops like creatures appeared briefly before joining the raptor in plunging into the chaotic vortex, suddenly exploding with power. Clarissa could only watch in horror as the spherical seal of pure white lightning rose, already knowing what was coming as Evos forced himself to speak. “The sickness... of your existence... will be wiped out. Just as the dinosaurs failed to change... you will be rendered extinct. Completely... obliterated! By your brother’s Number! [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_91:_Thunderspark_Dragon"]Thunderspark Dragon[/url]!” The sphere exploded, unleashing the electric blue serpent within to burst forth (Rk4, ATK 2400). Clarissa looked at it helplessly and unmoving, straight into its small amethyst eyes, seeing green and purple reflected back in them as the serpent screeched, helpless to stop itself. She barely heard Evos as lightning sparked across the field, obliterating the stronger Gasath. Leaving her defenceless...” “You will join... your brother in hell... and it’s all thanks to the Number you gave him... to protect him. A beast of pure destructive malice. Poetic... justice! You failed! Go Number 91! Destroy her!” Clarissa barely felt the lightning bolts rip straight through her body, launching her across the hall. Landing in a small, writhing heap, she just lay there, looking up at the monster with glassy eyes as it loomed over her (LP 1500). [i]‘I’ve... lost. I’m sorry. Wilhelm... Kaneko... Dai. I’ve failed you all.’[/i] “Clarissa!” Daiki shouted as her still body lay on show under the great serpent. Forgetting his duel entirely he ran, ignoring all the pain and shakiness in his legs to the window like veil, hopelessly trying to reach through and cursing Asami’s amusement at his efforts. “Knock it off!” “Aw, don’t worry Daiki. You’ll be with her again soon. We’ll all get what we want soon. I will get the world I deserve with my man, and you and her can rejoin all your loved ones in the beyond. Just a few moments more, and you’re stalling won’t stop me. I activate my [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Nightmare_Archfiends"]Nightmare Demons[/url] trap card. By releasing Bomb Egg, I can summon three Nightmare tokens to your side of the field!” Daiki froze as three wicked spectres appeared and swirled around him (ATK 2000). It was still Asami’s battle phase; all she had to do was attack. She was reaching out to Heaven’s Strings and his innards froze, but at the last second she winked at him, and went for an overlay unit instead. “Now I activate Number 40’s effect! Requiem Strings!” A sorrowful melody resonated around him as the puppet played the harp attached to its shoulder, using its blade as the bow. The chorus made him shudder. “Now when this effect is activated, each of those tokens has a string counter put on it” Asami explained gleefully. “During the end phase of the next turn, all monsters on the field that have a string counter on them are destroyed. Then you take damage equal to the number of monsters destroyed multiplied by five hundred. Plus when a Nightmare token is destroyed, you take a further eight hundred damage. All adding up to a heart stopping total of thirty nine hundred!” High pitched laughter replaced the harp music; it was hard to decide which was worse. “And to think, if things had been different we could have had what you and her do. All this could have been avoided; we could have ruled the virtual world together with our daughter, maybe even more. Oh well, I guess this isn’t a bad ending, for me at least. Enjoy your last ever turn Daiki darling.” Breathing ragged through injury and dread, Daiki paused on his deck. [i]‘This is it. This has to be one hell of a card to turn this. But there must be one somewhere. I have to help Clarissa and Kaneko, and beat this madwoman. This is gonna take a miracle.’[/i] Daiki had by no measure been devout to faith in his life, but now seemed a good time to turn to a higher power as he closed his eyes. [i]‘Kaneko... it might be the first time today I’ve felt like this, but I think I know how your mother feels. I want to meet you for myself. You’ve kept me safe through your power, now I’m going to rescue you, and your mother. Because I...’[/i] Why, because it might right things with the world? Or something more personal deep down? Was this what he wanted? Did he want to admit it? Could he admit it? Asami was waiting for him as he paused, just waiting for the finishing chorus of Heaven’s Strings to go off and extinguish his life. “Come on Daiki, there’s nothing you can do. I have a rank eight Number you can’t destroy. It’s over for you all!” [i]‘There is something I can do. Because I’m...’[/i] “I draw, and activate the [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Pot_of_Avarice"]Jar of Avarice[/url] magic card. By returning five monsters to my deck, I can draw two more cards.” Emptying his cemetery he immediately drew again, snatching the two cards without hesitation. The results were perfect, his gamble had worked, now his luck just had to hold. “I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Kagemucha_Knight"]Kagemusha Knight[/url] to the field. Then I flip summon my face down [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Key_Man_the_Key_Warrior"]Key Warrior Keyman[/url].” “Ahem. That is [i]not[/i] a Little Trooper” Asami scowled as the spectral warrior (Lv3, ATK 0) was joined by the bronze plated swordsman emerging from the reversed card (Lv2, ATK 1000). Daiki shrugged. “Isn’t it remarkable how arrogance affects people? I figured winning with an attack from Bomb Egg wouldn’t be good enough for you and you’d get frustrated with the prospect of me stalling.” “Well, whatever. There’s not much you can do with those two pathetic monsters.” “We’ll see. I activate the magic card [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Tannhauser_Gate"]Tannhauser Gate[/url]! When I have two monsters with the same type and who both have one thousand attack points or less, their levels are increased by each other. Making both my monsters level five.” Asami blinked as the two monsters borrowed each other’s power (Lv5). “Now I overlay my two monsters. Xyz summon!” The two monsters plunged into the swirling abyss, the vortex bursting with light as Daiki went for his extra deck. Removing the card he received two hours ago, given to him by Doctor Zielinski as Kaneko’s birthright, as his bond to her. The card that might reunite them yet. “Illuminate the hearts that connect me and my daughter. Descend, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Tiras,_Keeper_of_Genesis"]Protector of Precepts, Tiras[/url]!” On golden wings, the champion of the angels descended. Dressed in fine gold and white armour and carrying a sword and shield, the bright warrior brandished its weapon at the stunned Asami (Rk5, ATK 2600). “Next I equip Tiras with [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/United_We_Stand"]Power of Unity[/url]. This increases its attack by eight hundred for every monster I control. Thanks to your nightmare demons, that means a huge bonus.” The sword began to glow brilliantly as Tiras powered up (ATK 5800). “Now attack Heaven’s Strings!” The puppet fought back as the angel lunged for it, swinging its heavy broadsword over head, but Tiras overpowered. The power of the blast forced Asami back a few steps, but even with the huge damage inflicted by this new phenom she remained somehow defiant (LP 1200). “Stubborn until the end, but not good enough. That blasted thing can’t take down my Number no matter how... strong?” “Sorry, but now the battle phase ends Tiras’ effect activates” Daiki cried. “After it’s battled, one card gets destroyed. So your puppet is about to have its strings cut.” Asami watched in disbelief, then horror, as the puppet’s mask began to crack, emitting a dark aura as the monster slowly died. To a haunting melody the thing sank into the hellish portal below. Daiki watched it die stoically, but he had to keep focused. The duel was still on, even if it had finally swung his way Asami was still there. “I end my turn.” [i]“You.” [/i]Asami had been still and looking away from him whilst watching her monster fall into hell. But as she rounded on him now, she was livid, but from her wicked grin oddly confident. Cackling slowly and madly she went for her deck again, like Tiras floating over her was nothing. “You think you’ve got the last laugh over me? Well afraid not, because as much as that was impressive, this duel and your life is now over.” “You sound confident?” Daiki replied, stunned at the certainty in her voice. Asami continued to just giggle wildly, groping for her deck. “I’m the one who identified you at that tournament years ago, remember? I knew you were good. So I took precautionary measures just in case you were able to get through my puppets, and it looks like I was wise too. Measures such as the conveniently placed [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Hole"]Black Hole[/url] I’m about to draw...” “You rigged your deck” Daiki realised through gritted teeth as Asami nodded. He wasn’t surprised; something had seemed off for a while. Well, if she was going to kill him like this, there was nothing he could do now, other than hope Clarissa would avenge him. With grim acceptance, he watched Asami go for her deck, the D-Disk glowing with a strange purple aura while she grinned at him, and drew. “Say goodbye. I activate...” Asami suddenly choked mid-sentence, eyes wide as she looked at her drawn card. Daiki blinked in surprise, what was going on? Asami was just standing there; looking at the card like it was the most terrifying thing in existence. This small, laughing [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Gimmick_Puppet_-_Night_Joker"]scythe wielding demon[/url]. [i]‘Night Joker? But how? I knew exactly what order my deck was in, I was supposed to get Black Hole now.’[/i] Scowling in frustration, she snarled at the expressionless Daiki. “You... have not seen the last of me...” With that, she disappeared in a blaze of purple flame. Sighing as Tiras faded into the darkness, Daiki almost collapsed. Asami had got away for now, but he’d survived, just. Now battle was over he realised how much pain he was in. His arm was absolutely killing him. Removing the D-Disk and taking his belt between his teeth, he looked around for a distraction for his attention whilst reinserting it. They fell on the veil she’d left open, and his mouth fell open. [i]“Clarissa!”[/i] Seeing her still laid out and motionless before Evos, thoughts of his injuries and where Asami might have gone disappeared as he saw her. Cursing himself he abandoned the arm, scooped up his D-Disk, and hurried off into the darkness after where she’d gone. She couldn’t move. It was hopeless. There was nothing she could do against this. There was no way she could defeat that serpent, that creature she had given to her brother in the hope that if he was ever in danger it could protect him and get him out of trouble. But Wilhelm was dead, and she was too weak to take vengeance. Kaneko was trapped, but she couldn’t reach her. She had failed them. As Clarissa lay there in her despair, with the haggard and burnt doctor waited until he could launch the final blow, it was all over. Helplessly she managed to look up at the veil. She just felt compelled, for some reason she didn’t understand, to just see Daiki one last time before she died. She could see Daiki standing there, looking back from the other side of the window in shock, and Asami was nowhere in sight. Her spirit rose a little; he had beaten her somehow, now he could rescue Kaneko. That was good, but how? Asami had that unstoppable monster out. Well whatever, at least he was safe, and he might rescue their daughter. After all, he wasn’t going to come for her. [i]‘That’s alright, as long as Kaneko survives and is with one of us, I’m fine.’[/i] A strange glow was emanating from his D-Disk. [i]“Clarissa!”[/i] She looked up, that was Dai’s voice. She could see him hurtling off in a panic past the same statutes she’d passed, and out of sight. [i]‘Wait... he’s not going for Kaneko. He’s coming for... me?’[/i] She could hear the doctor’s rough restricted breathing. Crap, it was her turn. If she didn’t do something quickly she would be at his mercy. Shakily she went for her deck. The cards she had left weren’t bad, but nothing that could beat Evos. Until she looked at the magic card she’d drawn, and gasped in shock. [i]‘This is?’[/i] Turning from the card to stare up at the dragon and its new master again, she saw Wilhelm’s eyes again, and her heart beat. Sitting upright with gritted teeth, a new wave of determination slowly surged through her. A new revulsion towards Evos, and a new undying resolve to overcome everything was reborn. She was on her feet. Her D-Disk was glowing, as she took her cards in hand. [i]‘I will never give up.’[/i] “I have no monsters on my field, so now I can summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Cell"]Evil Cell of the Inverz[/url] from my hand. Then by releasing it, I can advance summon Madith.” The black mantis rose again, sharpening its blades (Lv5, ATK 2200). “When advanced summoned, I can pay one thousand life points to summon another Inverz from the cemetery. I choose Caller.” Clarissa winced, but refused to fall again (LP 500) “That’s... nothing...” Evos croaked as the second Inverz appeared. “You can’t... beat... my Number...” “That’s not your Number. Yours was Freezerdon, and you’re about to go just the way it did. I activate the magic card, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Light,_Star_Bright"]Wish Upon a Star[/url]!” Bright light suddenly engulfed both her monsters, with the power of this card she had received from her brother. “Because Caller and Madith have the same defence points of zero, I can match their levels (Lv5). So now I overlay level five. Xyz summon!” Reaching for her extra deck, a darkness engulfed her as she took Doctor Zielinski’s card. “You will pay for the suffering you’ve inflicted on my family, with this card that proves my relationship with my daughter and how strong it is. Come punisher, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Adreus,_Keeper_of_Armageddon"]Protector of the End, Adreus[/url]!” Whereas Tiras descended from the heavens, its dark brother rose from hell. Climbing through the air before her with powerful beats of crow like wings, a male witch with wild hair, long wicked claws clutching its enchanted dagger and garbed in soulless black armour, the red eyes of the avenging angel of death Adreus burned as he took to the arena, floating level with the electric serpent and only slightly outmatching it (Rk5, ATK 2600). Evos choked at the sight (LP 700). “That’s... not... enough...” “Adreus’ effect activates” Clarissa stated coldly. “By detaching an overlay unit, any one card face up on your field is immediately destroyed. Even a Number.” Grinning silently, Adreus floated forwarded and plunged the dagger in to the heart of Thunderspark, letting it shriek and writhe completely unflinching and uncaring. The giant serpent’s body began to glow fiercer and fiercer, until it exploded in a blinding flash, leaving the stunned doctor helpless before her. She didn’t even need to say anything, simply pointing at her target for Adreus to attack, and letting it swoop in towards the motionless Evos... It was over. Evos was flat on his back, struggling for breath and grasping the bloody wound that was wide open in his side (LP 0). Adreus continued to float over Clarissa as she stepped across him, watching her back as she focused on him, calmly stepping on his bloated neck and removing one of the guns from her hip holster. Evos was too paralyzed by pain and exertion to do anything, only his eyes following in terror as she aimed squarely between them and making a slight gurgling noise. “Clarissa. You... won’t...” The loud blast of the pistol echoed around the cavernous chamber, and silence prevailed for a moment. Silence as Clarissa stared down at the still remains of Doctor Hank Evos, looking up at the lost ceiling with a glazed expression, just as unseeing as the third eye burnt into his forehead. Silence that held out for a few long moments, remaining as the guardian Adreus faded away, until finally the empty chamber awoke to the sounds of gentle sobbing, broken by harsh erratic gunfire. Daiki came hurrying and puffing down the steps into the chamber, and was welcomed by the sight of Clarissa standing over the dead man, tears streaming down her face as she emptied the charge of one gun, only to throw it away to replace it with another and keep firing. Evos was clearly dead, yet still she cried more uncontrollably and riddled his body with laser fire, not noticing him cautiously approaching until he was a few feet away and she stilled. Watching her empty the last magazine and fall silent, Daiki put his arms awkwardly around her, and she embraced him back and started crying into his shoulder. “It’s okay now. He’s gone. It’s okay. It’ll all be over soon.” “I know... and I’m sorry. It’s just all been such a nightmare, losing Wilhelm and Kaneko and watching you and thinking you were... and he said all these things. Did all those monstrous things...” “Ssssh, shush. I know” Dai continued to hold and soothe her as her sobbing slowly abated. As they stood there he noticed two cards rise from the dead man’s D-Disk, no prizes for knowing what they were, rise into the air but, rather than go to the victor, simply disappeared. Well that was secondary for now. Feeling relieved and maybe strong enough to stand again, Clarissa broke from the hug first, albeit a little less awkwardly than before as she stood there looking at him, noticing him wince as he let her go. “Oh Dai, your arm...” she said, realising his dislocated shoulder. “Here...” “No it’s fine. Really I can... I’d rather do it myseYAAAAR!” Despite his protest, Clarissa was insistent on helping as she took hold of it. She was surprisingly gentle, and capable, as the shoulder excruciatingly popped back into place. Wincing as he rolled the arm, she backed away with an odd smile. “Thanks.” [i]“Aaaaaah!”[/i] Clarissa looked suddenly startled as the wild scream behind him made Daiki jump, too late, as somebody grabbed him from behind, shuddering as he recognised the coldness of metal pressed against his neck. Clarissa drew what she had left but Asami, who had simply materialised behind Daiki and grabbed him, shook her head and grinned, moving behind her hostage and laughing as she tried to get a clear shot. “I wouldn’t do that” she crooned sweetly, before turning her sweet attention to Daiki as she pulled him against her as her barrier. “I told you Daiki. I said you hadn’t seen the last of me, but you didn’t think we’d be together again so soon huh? Well you might have caught me off guard with that new toy of yours the first time, but I’d like to see it protect you from this.” Indeed, Daiki could feel a slow trickle of blood running down his neck. Clearly she was confident she had no ordinary blade. “Shoot her.” Clarissa blinked at the tone of his order. “Just do it. Shoot her.” “Don’t be stupid” both women replied at once, Asami giggling as she mimicked Clarissa. “You both know full well you can’t hurt me. Oh and how you have both hurt me so much, your very existence is just an insult for everything you’ve made me endure. But not for any longer. With you two out of the way, as soon as that final pest is taken care of, I can finally start to enjoy my rule as queen of this new realm. I don’t care how I have to do it, who I have to crush to do it, this is my kingdom!” [i]“Oh really Asami. Since when?”[/i] Asami froze at the sound of the curt, emotionless voice behind her, as a pair of heavy boots echoed around the hall. Clarissa and Daiki didn’t move as Murtagh emerged from the darkness, ignoring them completely as he focused on his partner. “Murtagh. Darling. Of course I meant your queen of your kingdom” Asami backtracked rather quickly, hastily shoving Daiki away and approaching the stern looking ruler. With Dai safe Clarissa took an unsteady aim at Murtagh instead, but he very minutely shook his head and ignored her, his attention entirely on Asami as she came to his side. His expression was so oddly void of anything as he looked down at her, it was strangely frightening. Asami didn’t seem to notice though as she turned back to them. “You’re going to get it now. No one humiliates us. Now you’re going to get what you deserve...” “I know what happened to Izura Asami.” Asami stopped midsentence as if she’d had her voice taken away by his unemotional statement, a look of absolute terror on her face as she turned back to him. “Wh... what do you mean?” “What I said. I know what happened. Everything that happened about her death. And so do you.” The duo exchanged glance as they watched the confrontation. Asami was trembling and going into full panic now, but still Murtagh bore no emotion at all. “Now Murtagh... I don’t know what you’re talking about. She dis...” “Don’t, lie, to me.” Daiki gulped, the blunt tone of his voice did not disguise what must be colossal anger. Asami sensed it too. She was crying now, and absolutely pleading as she tried to put her hands on Murtagh’s face and move close to him, but he stepped back. “Please... she was going to betray us all. She was going to undo everything. All your dreams, everything you’ve worked for. I tried to warn you but you had gone and she was about to reverse the machine. I had to stop her.” For a minute, it looked like he’d forgiven her. Murtagh just sighed and beckoned her towards him, which she seized upon with a tight hug as he put his arms around her head. It was only when his expression soured, and his claws started to glow with their fiery godlike essence that they realised something was badly wrong. “And my sister... tried to warn me... there’d be girls like you. I wish I’d listened sooner.” Panicked Asami tried to get free, but Murtagh grabbed her tightly by the head. “No! Darling, please! I...” “No. You don’t.” Clutched by the terror unable to tear their gaze away, Dai and Clarissa watched as the struggling Asami was engulfed in the aura. Her thick auburn curls were turning thin and grey. Her beautiful face started to sag, becoming wrinkled and withered and her eyes and cheekbones sunk and hollowed, her screaming as she realised what was happening becoming more shrill and haunting every second as her hands turned gnarled and claw like, her entire body contorting and changing as she continued to age at an alarming rate. Still Murtagh refused to let up, even as all her beauty was ripped away, staring her in the face with that deadly hateful expression as her screaming turned more horrific. Feeling sick both of them had to look away now as the punishment went on to nasty levels. The flesh was corroding away, exposing the bones and now screaming skull as Asami went through a hundred years worth of a zombie state in seconds, and living through it all in the most painful way as slowly even the bones started to rot and turn to dust. A full minute passed and finally the screaming died, and Murtagh relaxed. All that remained at his feet was a small pile of dust, blowing away in the little wind. “A beautiful face but a black heart, she was so lovely once” he uttered heartlessly, before turning to the spectators of this horror. Both of them were rightly appalled as they looked at him, drawing their guns with trembling aim. Irrelevantly he waved them to put them away. “You will come with me.” There was no argument to be had. In three blazes of purple flame, Murtagh Daiki and Clarissa vanished, leaving the corridor empty barring a smoking body and a small pile of ashy remains. 04:49:58... 04:59:59... 05:00:00...[/spoiler] *insert Eastenders dun dun dun dun dun du-du-du-du here* Hope everyone kept with everything alright. Feedback certainly appreciated on how the two duels, and all the stuff happening with everything else, went. Four hours to go... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Sage Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 [spoiler='…']Nice inclusion of Mister Dude-who-everyone-forgets-about a.k.a. Sword Breaker. Can't say I expected Adreus and Tiras. Great chapter.[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aerion Brightflame Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 Holy.... **** That was insane dude. The ending. I mean.... [spoiler='Spoiler'] Love the symetry between Adreus and Tiras. Works so well. The actually way you finished the duel between Asami and Dai... was kinda the feth? O.o I mean, i expected something better than just do a death eater vanishing trick. Thats my main critism aside from Evos losing his cool from the last chapter and just being annoying. Asami was increadable in this chapter. I love the character. And best line in the entire thing so far 'less talking. more screaming.' And her ending was just what i wanted. Muragh's entrance perfectly dramatic enough. And exactly the kind of way I guessed she was going to get it. [/spoiler] So well done man. Yet again it makes me sad I am nowhere near your level. This has been worth the wait, and looking forwards to the next one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brinolovania Posted October 18, 2012 Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 2 in a row! I may actually be back on top of this. [spoiler=Stuff and stuff] Adreus and Tiras...that really works. I don't really know what I was expecting, but those two work really well for the role of guardian cards. Even the OCG names are good. So, the duels. Evos vs Clarissa was kind of a disappointing ending, honestly, if only because Evos completely lost control at the end. And Asami vs Daiki...did either of them actually hit 0 LP? Asami was just like "awe crap my cheating failed. Evacuate!" Still, good chapter. The only people left of Murtagh's group are himself and Garvan, correct? Interesting...hm. [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted October 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 18, 2012 Rapid responses from regulars are rapid. [quote name='Archbaron Thor the Just' timestamp='1350589983' post='6047539'] [spoiler='…']Nice inclusion of Mister Dude-who-everyone-forgets-about a.k.a. Sword Breaker. Can't say I expected Adreus and Tiras. Great chapter.[/spoiler] [/quote] I like Sword Breaker too. And I liked the smarty pants way of getting into him (not that Daiki has many other ways besides Tannhauser). Give it a couple of duels, and another Xyz from the same set who is similarly forgotten will be making her appearance in deliberately contrasting fashion. I'm amazed (and this goes for all commentors so far) that nobody called Tiras and Adreus. Glad you enjoyed. [quote name='Archbaron Barthandelus' timestamp='1350593565' post='6047601'] Holy.... **** That was insane dude. The ending. I mean.... [spoiler='Spoiler'] Love the symetry between Adreus and Tiras. Works so well. The actually way you finished the duel between Asami and Dai... was kinda the feth? O.o I mean, i expected something better than just do a death eater vanishing trick. Thats my main critism aside from Evos losing his cool from the last chapter and just being annoying. Asami was increadable in this chapter. I love the character. And best line in the entire thing so far 'less talking. more screaming.' And her ending was just what i wanted. Muragh's entrance perfectly dramatic enough. And exactly the kind of way I guessed she was going to get it. [/spoiler] So well done man. Yet again it makes me sad I am nowhere near your level. This has been worth the wait, and looking forwards to the next one. [/quote] More will becoming from Tiras and Adreus which I... nearly explained now by mistake. You'll have to wait a bit longer, but their role is pretty majorish. The reason it ended there was actually, try as I might when scripting, couldn't get Dai to OTK her. At all. That was the closest I could get without a ton of silly broken anime only cards for +1ing. But then I thought 'I could have Asami run away when defeat is inevitable and try something else' and just ran with that, rightly or wrongly. I was kinda hoping people will think 'we haven't seen the last of her' then be thrown by her coming back almost immediately. Some aspects of her sudden reappearance are a bit wut I admit, but a full explanation of what happened will be at the top of the next chapter, to hopefully clear up any other 'wut?' Thanks Raiders of the Lost Ark for that. Chapters back to regular Tues/Fri slots next week. [quote name='Pacmanexus' timestamp='1350596051' post='6047627'] 2 in a row! I may actually be back on top of this. [spoiler=Stuff and stuff] Adreus and Tiras...that really works. I don't really know what I was expecting, but those two work really well for the role of guardian cards. Even the OCG names are good. So, the duels. Evos vs Clarissa was kind of a disappointing ending, honestly, if only because Evos completely lost control at the end. And Asami vs Daiki...did either of them actually hit 0 LP? Asami was just like "awe crap my cheating failed. Evacuate!" Still, good chapter. The only people left of Murtagh's group are himself and Garvan, correct? Interesting...hm. [/spoiler] [/quote] I thought the OCG names were different to that when I went to double check them, but yeah I like them too. Evos was more grievously injured than anything. Must admit I'm surprised no-one marked for him using Thunderspark though. Or Wish Upon a Star for that matter Nope, no official result (although Asami had clearly lost given her draw). Hmm, disappointing that the duels seem to have both ended flat. And correct. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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