Yu-Gi-Oh! 24 - Finished

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

[quote name='Simdoggy' timestamp='1352809109' post='6068150']
I probably should have posted before now since I read the chapter pretty well the day it was released, but I don't exactly have much to say that hasn't been said already, and I've been kinda lazy over the last few days. The new chapter, while still decent, wasn't quite as good as the standard we've seen till now. Garvin seems to almost be changing allegiances every few minutes, but at least Natsumi is still alive. Daiki being taken out of the final fight was not something I saw coming, but the 4v1 against Death seems almost like it's gonna be a bit overcrowded and prevent most of them from doing too much towards fighting. Metaion appearing was something I enjoyed quite a lot, being as he's both a nearly invincible monster and one of my fav cards, but to just have the duel end and Murtagh taken down that easily was kinda meh, not that great of a conclusion for Murtagh. I kind of like the symbology of fairies being the deck for Death, being as the faries you seem to be using are mostly angels, which is interesting in general, since there is quite a strong connection behind angels and the horseman of the apocalypse. Overall it was still enjoyable, though bits felt kinda meh, but I'm the type to just read the story and not really criticize it much, so most of these things I noticed because of the others criticisms. Besides, I'm used to rants both on here and offline, so you ranting at us doesn't really worry me much.
[/quote]

Thanks for commenting. Now you see why I made the remark about your avi? I was writing this duel at the time. Made a nice change for me to use something other than a specific archtype for once, not as many duelists have gone that route as I originally figured. Ah well.

I really should have mentioned this earlier in reply to other comments over the weekend so it's not to ftw? now, but the final duel isn't actually going to be 4 on 1. Except it sort of still is. But isn't. Don't worry it'll make sense in a minute.

Right, now we've established that... wasn't the finest hour for numerous reasons. But that's okay; we all screw up sometimes and do things not as well as hoped, it's in the past, and other generic confidence boosting phrases (go go confidence boosting phrases ). Sort of. Moving on and trying to superglue some confidence back together after my little breakdown (apologies again for ranting and being a jerk), time to try and piece this story back together a little bit.

Because it's the final hour (literally).

[spoiler=First, about Death's deck (optional/may contain spoilers)]Death predominately uses anime-only cards as well as a few existing in the OCG such as the Fallen Angels, and some of these cards have had slight edits made to them. Nothing major like Dynamite Wall, just a few tweaks for purpose that may not even be noticable in some cases. As for Metaion before, and I'm not that surprised no-one mentioned this given everything else, you might have noticed he is using his anime-effect instead of his OCG one. More because I'm a symmetrical kinda guy than anything else and want him to match any other TMG's that might or might not appear. This means:
-The effect that allows him to be normal summoned without tribute when you control no monsters does not exist.
-All standard TMG effects apply as normal. His unique effect I messed up in the last duel, doing damage per monster leaving the field as opposed to the number actually returning to the hand. Sorry, only realised this mistake at the last second last week.
-Whether he returns to the deck even if face down by his effect is not really relevant, it won't be needed here.[/spoiler]

Yeah, just some housekeeping that can be read before or after, there's not much spoiler wise in there but you may prefer to go in totally blind to the terror thats about to come. If anything about the duel seems questionable ask afterwards and as ever I'll reply. Some of the hyperlinks here are fiddly, so I apologise if you click one and it doesn't work. I assume you can all navigate YGO wikia yourselves with a bit of pointing though.

Now then, we stand on the brink of the abyss, staring into the face of Death. Let's dive in and give the reaper a good slapping shall we? Hope you all enjoy as ever.

[spoiler=Chapter 24:1][b]The following takes place between 8AM and 9AM[/b]

This was it. The final battle. The last stand for humanity, the continuation of life and all of existence, all resting on the shoulders of four individuals who had only met that day. Sakura; an ordinary girl from high school and model student yet amateur duelist, now about to duel for the highest stakes. Jinrei; another face in the crowd of little consequence or importance, now about to define the shape of the future, if there was to be a future at all. Clarissa; the avenging angel who had terrorised a nation to be reunited with her daughter, now about to risk everything to face the ultimate terror. And Kaneko; the engineered child and tool of Real Duel without identity or purpose of her own will, now about to face off with the others against the taker of all souls who threatened all reality. The fourth horseman. The pale armoured and faceless reaper who existed only for the end. Death.

Death folded his thick gauntlets once again, the two halves of his D-Disk cinching seamlessly into place as he rose up into the air towards the great white swirl that was steadily absorbing everything. [i]“You have already seen Murtagh; the self proclaimed most powerful being in existence, fail hopelessly against me. Yet still you believe that together you can succeed where he could not? This is not a turn of events unforeseen to me. Humans always rally together when afraid, to exterminate a common threat to them. But you cannot accomplish this, not against me. You might have defeated the other horsemen, but this and everything else will end here. After an eternity of suffering, only a little while more until it all ends.”[/i]

“Yeah, well what you might not have foreseen is us little humans and our combined strengths toppling you and going home in one piece” Clarissa snapped as her D-Disk armed, Sakura and Jin doing the same beside her. “The only thing that’s going to end today is you. We’re going to stop you.”

[i]“Denial is comforting” [/i]Death replied.[i] “Humanity denies its sins, its weaknesses and its suffering. These moral codes you fight for, it is all just a front. All you care about is self-preservation, like cockroaches. You fight together as humans do, believing it is through unity and friendship, but your words are lies to deny the fear. That’s all it really is. Fear. You live your entire lives in fear. And anger, and suffering. These things Death erases, yet you are fighting to preserve them? Foolish mortals. Deny it all you like, you cannot lie in the face of Death, and neither can you succeed. I will erase you, and everything will follow.”[/i]

“You’re the one who’s foolish!” Sakura yelled. “We’re not fighting to save those things at all. We’re fighting for love and happiness. Such things outshine the fear and suffering. I will not let fear and anger overcome me, and I won’t let you take everything I have left away. Now come down here and fight!”

[i]“My patience is growing short with you. How about you come up HERE and fight?!”[/i] No sooner had the horseman offered this ridiculous suggestion than three stone podiums rose through the floor in front of them. They were nothing extravagant at all, just strange round devices of white marble, red bloodstone, and black onyx, hanging in the air before them. [i]“As I said, this fight will be the grand finale before the curtain on this existence falls, and will thus be fought on a grand stage. The world you want to save will be the backdrop, and all will witness as the harbingers of destruction roar across the skies of fire on their chariots, the last sign of the apocalypse I have brought. Now step onto the podiums, and prepare to die.”[/i]

Without hesitation the two girls stepped forward onto the marble and onyx podiums respectively, each pedestal rising into the air as they got on. However Jin and Kaneko held back in confusion. “Er, don’t we need an extra podium?” Jin asked.

“Hmm, I don’t think so. I wonder” Kaneko thought. She too had armed her D-Disk, standing there as she closed her eyes, entering her fairy princess style duel mode. As the fairy wings appeared on her back, she suddenly rose, unsupported by any means, floating in the air just like Death did. She did not seem surprised by this, and although Jin was he didn’t express it, but he was struck by a thought.

[i]‘So Death, Murtagh and Kaneko can all levitate by the same means? Does this mean they’re connected by similar powers?’[/i] Well he didn’t understand, but hopefully someone would explain when it was all over. Yes, if someone could do that, then it would mean they were all still alive to hear it. With that thought he shrugged and climbed onto the red podium, rising with Kaneko to join the others. The four continued to rise, leaving the castle of the abyss far behind as they reached Death’s level, a fair gap between them as they floated on their little podiums. There they could see something had changed since their arrival; there was the Earth below them! Death hung there imperviously, before he took his battle stance, and they all accelerated through the destroyed sky.

[i]“Now you will see as I have seen how wretched this world is in all its corners”[/i] Death shouted against the rush of wind as they descended through the atmosphere towards the Earth, his billowing cape the only part of him that moved as they clung for dear life onto their podiums, barely able to catch their breath as they raced through the sky, Kaneko flying after them unperturbed. [i]“Come; show me the power of this feeble unity you believe in. Fight as hard as you can, hold nothing back for all the good it will do you, and despair as it all comes to nought against the might of Death and the Temporal Machine Gods!”[/i]

Fighting against the force of their speed, each of them activated their D-Gazers, and as they did so a sphere like shape shimmered around them. Immediately the wind died although they did not slow, as if the ARV dome formed an invisible barrier around them and an oxygen tank, allowing them all to stand normally again. Miles below countries were passing by in a blur of fire and chaos, or what remained of it did anyway. Intermittently they would roar past a twister that stretched from the planet upwards, dragging earth and sea and construct, and Sakura gulped and looked away from the terrified living forms of human, animal or duel monsters alike, away and up into the swirl that dominated the outer shell of the atmosphere, much of the helpless prey dissolving into glowing particles like stardust as they rose.

“Guys, I have an idea” Kaneko shouted to the others as she flew behind them. “We’re all going to have to duel our best to beat him and save everything, and I want to help you all. I want to protect you all; just like you all protected me, and lend my power to all of you.”

“What do you mean?” Sakura asked, scared as were the others of where she might be going with this.

“One thing has united and protected us all throughout this mayhem, and that is the Numbers” she answered. “They might be the only things that can stand a chance against his Gods. I want to help you, by giving you all access to all the Numbers I can when you need them. What do you say to that Death? You stole and separated me from my Numbers as part of your selfish plan, you want their power now?”

[i]“Fine. Call them. Call them all” [/i]Death scoffed arrogantly. To her surprise he just chuckled and shrugged despite the increasing handicap, but heck, she was happy to take any advantage she could. [i]“However if you take up this option then I won’t allow you to actively participate in this duel, making it a three on one match. I need no leveller; my invincible allies more than counterbalance your supposed advantages.”[/i]

“Well... I guess if that’s the choice I have to make to protect my friends, I have no choice” she grimaced, reluctantly deactivating her D-Disk. “Alright guys, I might not be duelling, but I’m still part of this and fighting beside you. Just get in a position to summon and call me, and leave the rest to me k?”

“Alright darling, we trust you” Clarissa nodded, as did the others before turning back to face the faceless one. “This is our last fight. Then we’ll have our lives back. With our united strengths, let’s beat this guy!”

“Duel!”

[i]“I will take the first turn. Draw!”[/i] Death declared; the gemstone of his D-Disk shimmering as the first five cards materialised in his hand, everyone else drawing mixed hands a bit more traditionally. [i]“Let the end begin. Instant magic; [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Celestial_Transformation"]Deification of Light[/url]. This special summons an angel type monster from my hand with its attack strength halved. Come, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Metaion,_the_Timelord"]Temporal Machine God Metaion[/url]!"[/i]

“Already?!” The group gasped as a beacon of light shot out of the magic card, and from it emerged the dreadful contraption that contained a trapped entity within its ruby stained panel, the horrible face staring and grinning madly at them (Lv10, ATK 0).

[i]“I place two cards face down”[/i] Death continued unreceptive to their horror, two hidden cards simply transferring from his hand to the field by a shift of matter. [i]“Then I end my turn, at which point the effect of Deification of Light would destroy my monster. However as we have already established from my match against the puppet Murtagh, my Temporal Machine God is not destroyed by card effects.”[/i] Metaion’s insane grin widened mockingly at them. [i]“Now make your futile move.”[/i]

[i]‘I’ll show you futile’[/i] Sakura thought to herself as her podium floated forward ahead of the others. In her hand she had a combination of Sacred and powerful support cards, the deck bestowed upon her by Yudai. Memories of her receiving them from him before all this madness started swelled inside her as she drew her card. “I might not be as good at this as the others, but these cards given to me still have meaning. They are the swords and shields given to me by my love to protect me, which they will do now against you and punish you for what you did to him. I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Constellar_Leonis"]Sacred Leonis[/url]!”

The lion like warrior of the stars appeared beside her, much to the chagrin of the horseman (Lv3, ATK 1000). [i]“Pfft, you cling to your feelings for that wretch of a horseman? A boy so filled with anger and despair, he was so lost... and easy to transform into my vessel as Pestilence.”[/i]

“Why you... you monster!” Sakura shouted. “Leonis’ effect activates. Once a turn I can normal summon one extra time, which I’ll use to call on the [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Constellar_Sheratan"]Sacred Sheratan[/url]! When he’s normal summoned, I can add another Sacred to my hand. Then I’ll use the instant magic [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Photon_Lead"]Photon Lead[/url] to special summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Constellar_Kaust"]Sacred Kaust[/url] to the field!” The starlight ram (Lv3, ATK 700) and archer (Lv4, ATK 1800) appeared in similar columns of stardust. “Kaust’s effect activates, increasing the levels of both Leonis and Sheratan to four. Now fuelled by the light of these guardians of mine, I call on the strength of my other friends for their help. Now Kaneko, please lend me your strength!”

“Alright” Kaneko replied, flying past her. “I overlay Sakura’s three level four monsters. Xyz summon!” The three Sacred warriors spirits spiralled and clashed together, smashing into the swirling galaxy opening before them and giving birth to the first seal. A four pronged seal with a green orb at its heart, unfurling itself to reveal first an armoured horse, then its skeletal rider, its Number reflected on its shoulder and on Sakura’s bare arm. The horse reared as the rider drew its sword (Rk4, ATK 2400). “The light of life will overcome the darkest of fears. Shine [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_10:_Illumiknight"]Number 10: White Knight Illuminator[/url]!"

[i]“It begins, the first Number has appeared”[/i] Death growled as the horse and rider flickered, facing off against the giant machine. [i]“But it will do you no good little girl; only weaken the seals further...”[/i]

“Don’t you ever shut up?” Sakura sniped. She was angry, but she grudgingly realised she had to keep her composure. [i]‘No, stop it and concentrate. Don’t let him get to you, that’s what he wants. Now calm down and think; what do I know about this monster? What did I learn from that last duel?[/i]’ Jin and Clarissa were more experienced than her, so she would have to be calm and use her experiences to help her.[i] ‘I can’t destroy it by battle or do any damage to it, but it can’t destroy my Number either. However it can get rid of it by its effect, and do damage to me. I have to be careful and not fall into a trap.’[/i] That was all, for now she just had to not make a mistake. “I use the effect of White Knight Illuminator. By detaching an overlay unit and sending a card to the cemetery, I can draw a new card. Then, I...”

[i]“Not so fast”[/i] Death suddenly interrupted, stunning her as one of his cards pulled back. [i]“I activate one of my face down cards, the permanent trap [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Battle_Route"]Battle Route[/url]! This forces the battle phase of my opponents to go ahead as long as I control a monster and their monsters into attack, forcing your Number to battle!”[/i]

“What!? But that means...” Helpless to prevent this, Sakura could only watch as the horse reared and charged towards the floating machine, the swordsman swinging at the ruby plate. To its credit it did at least make Metaion blink as the sword smashed into the panel, but it did nothing, only increasing the twisted grin of the fiendish creature inside the pane as it hung there, like Death, totally unharmed.

[i]“Now the battle has taken place, Metaion’s effect activates” [/i]Death maliciously confirmed her fears.[i] “The monster on your field is returned to your hand, and you take three hundred points of damage.”[/i] Metaion counter attacked with a shockwave, blowing the flailing Illuminator backwards as it vanished. Sakura only got a seconds warning as through the space where the Number had been a ball of flame shot towards her before it smashed into her stomach, knocking her backwards! Jin Clarissa and Kaneko all cried out in fear of her falling of the podium and down towards the earth far below, but she seemed to bounce of some invisible barrier, keeping her on the platform as she fell to her knees (LP 3700).

“Ugh... ow...”

[i]“A dismal attempt” [/i]Death commented disdainfully.[i] “This is the power of your unity and will?”[/i]

“Ugh, this is... just the start...” Sakura gasped, taking deep ragged breathes. “I place one card face down... and end my turn.” With that her podium withdrew, and Jin’s floated forward in its place.

“Alright, guess it’s my turn then. I’ll show you that as long as I’m with my friends, we can overcome any fear, even you. I draw!” His confidence was more for show, his opening hand lacked much in the way of doing anything explosive for a first turn until he drew his card. “Alright! I normal summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Wind-Up_Dog"]Mainspring Dog[/url]. Then at the same time, I can special summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Wind-Up_Shark"]Mainspring Shark[/url] as well by its effect, and activate the effects of both monsters to increase their own levels to five! And you what that means. Kaneko!”

“Right!” Kaneko replied overhead, as the two wind-up toys appeared side by side before their spirits spiralled into the new galaxy like vortex. From the swirl came a sphere of dripping lava, the egg cracking and exploding to release the flaming dinosaur within. “I overlay Jin’s level five monsters and Xyz summon! Come forth molten destruction and embodiment of rage. [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_61:_Volcasaurus"]Number 61: Volcasaurus[/url]!” The molten behemoth ace snarled at the grinning machine, spitting flame and brimstone (Rk5, ATK 2500).

“Kaneko, you sure?!” Jin asked, looking up at the flaming monster with a degree of uncertainty.

“Trust me” Kaneko responded. Her gaze was focused entirely on Metaion with a savage determination. “This will work. There’s no way that thing can be immune to everything, that’s just him saying that to try and scare us. Its immunity must just be to spells and traps. Volcasaurus can do it.”

“Er, okay. I activate the effect of Volcasaurus. By detaching an overlay unit, your monster is destroyed!”

With a great breath of flame Volcasaurus showered Metaion in a torrent of lava, the force of it smashing into the glassy face and engulfing it completely. However Death remained unmoved, only a scowl came from him. [i]“Foolish child”[/i] he snorted derisively. [i]“I already told you, the Temporal Machine God’s cannot be destroyed by battle or by ANY card effects. Not even your precious Numbers can defeat them!” [/i]The swirl of flame suddenly snuffed out, powered through by Metaion which bore not the merest dent from the onslaught, still grinning insidiously at Kaneko. Her reaction matched the others total horror.

“No way. It’s... it’s really true. Not even Volca could destroy it...”

[i]“Ha ha. That’s right, and now you shall pay for your mistake! Battle route activates, forcing your Number to battle with Metaion!”[/i] Once more the effect of the trap took hold, forcing Volcasaurus to attack with equal futility to Illuminator. Once more Metaion shrugged off the blast and responded in kind, the shockwave bouncing the flaming hulk back to Kaneko. [i]“Now your friend pays the cost of your vanity!”[/i]

“YAAAAARGH!!!” Jin yelled as the fireball passed through him. The attack set his entire insides alight, robbing him of strength as he too buckled onto one knee (LP 3700). He was vaguely aware the others cried out to him, his senses were kind of fuzzy for a second, but when they cleared he could see Kaneko was looking at him and crying.

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t take him seriously. I can’t believe his monsters are so strong. I’ve never seen them before; they’re like an otherworldly force. How can they be so powerful?”

“It’s alright, it’s just a scratch” he tried to sound reassuring. “We had to try. It didn’t work, so we’ll just have to try something else. We just don’t know enough yet.” Looking back at the smirking face, he tried to think. [i]‘There has to be a way to defeat it. It can’t be completely invincible. We just need a new plan.’[/i]

“I set one card face down for now. Turn end.” Once again his platform decelerated and fell back into line with Sakura as she struggled back up, whilst Clarissa became the last to advance forward. What she had seen happen to the others against the insane Metaion concerned her, as did the twisters of destruction and the devastated earth they were passing by. But still she swallowed her fear and took her card.

“Guess it’s left up to me to sort this thing out. But you can bet that’s what I’m going to do. My turn.” Death did not respond to her assuredness, but she drew well. “I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Stygian_Street_Patrol"]Stygian Hell Patrol[/url]!”

A demon biker reared and shot past, leaving blazing trails of rubber in its wake (Lv4, ATK 1600). “Next I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Double_Summon"]Dual Summon[/url] to grant myself an additional normal summon this turn, which I’ll use to summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Sting"]Inverz Sharp[/url]. Now the path is open to us, we will advance down it together.” With a smile she looked up at Kaneko, as the black wasp appeared beside the biker (Lv4, ATK 1850). Weakly she smiled back. “I will have my daughter Kaneko overlay my two level four monsters. Show him the strength gained from finding our precious loved ones and protecting them.”

“I... I understand. Here we go, Xyz summon!” The two monsters shot into the third vortex, and with Kaneko and Clarissa’s wishes in their place rose the shining white seal of their missing loved one. The gold winged swordsman unfurled itself, taking arms and soaring out to face Metaion. “Light of the skies and bringer of eternal promise for the future, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_39:_Utopia"]Number 39: Aspiring Emperor Hope[/url]!” (Rk4, ATK 2500).

[i]“Hope appears once more” [/i]Death commented impassively.[i] “But still you don’t learn, it will do you no good. There is no hope, no future. Hope is but a blind denial of fear, and the future will be extinguished. You cannot hope to defeat me even with these Numbers. Battle Route activates, forcing Hope to attack Metaion and become yet another helpless victim to its power.”[/i]

“Not this time” Clarissa shouted as the swordsman was dragged towards the waiting time god. “Hope’s effect activates, detaching an overlay unit to negate an attack, including its own.” The sword simply dematerialised in Hope’s hand, ending the attack and saving itself from the same lure that had got the others. Clarissa smirked at her success, although Death was less than fazed. “I end my turn.”

[i]“Then we come back full circle to me”[/i] Death said, another card transferring from his shimmering D-Disk to his hand without movement as he flew backwards through the skies, the group trailing after him. All around them swirled chaos as they passed over what remained of a once huge city, who knew where now from the ruins that remained, steadily trickling into the sky. [i]“You consider your evasion a success? It is hardly something to celebrate, if all you can do is dance around the jaws of Death. During my standby phase, another effect of Metaion activates. At this time of my turn it is shuffled back into my deck.”[/i]

“Shuffles back into the deck?” Kaneko repeated. Indeed, a swirling maelstrom of time that looked quite similar to the black holes opened behind Metaion and pulled it inside, the thing leaving them with its haunting gaze before nothing remained of it. It was really gone. “So that’s the price of their power?”

“Oh yippee, it’ll go away all on its own if we wait long enough” Jin groaned. “That’s a fair balance for all its other effects. Well at least it’s something.” Indeed, if Death had to use a lot of resources to summon a monster that could only stay on the field for one turn, he would have to run out eventually.

[i]“You wish to complain about me being unfair boy?”[/i] Death scowled. [i]“The Temporal Machine God’s are the most powerful cards ever created, designed for one purpose alone, designed for my use alone, as the most powerful being that is eternal. Never dying, never stopping, always returning in an endless cycle, conquering all others in the end, from the beginning until the end. Such is the totality of Death. That they are unfair for the likes of you to face head on was never a consideration in their making. You cannot comprehend such forces and their reasons for being, nor can you stand against them for long.”[/i]

“So enlighten us then” Clarissa spat. “Who created them and why? Just for the end of the world!?”

“Why would anyone create something solely for such a purpose?” Sakura added, shocked by what Death had said. It didn’t seem to sit right somehow. “How is it even possible? How could anyone make such destructive cards especially for a madman like you, when you’re...well... not of our world?”

[i]“So many questions, when the answers are so simple to come to those who seek them for themselves instead of demand them. And all irrelevant at this late hour. You should concern yourself less with the creation of the Temporal Machine Gods, and more on the end they are about to serve you to. I activate my other face down card, the permanent trap [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Zero_Machine_Ain"]Zero Machine Ain[/url]!”[/i] The trap pulled back, revealing a design of a single ring against a stormy sky. The image became reality as the ring rose from the card, with an unnerving haunting about its grandness. Especially given Death’s perceived confidence. [i]“With this card in play while I control no monsters, I am allowed to normal summon level ten monsters without the necessary tributes, but their attack points become zero. Descend, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Razion,_the_Timelord"]Temporal Machine God Razion[/url]!”[/i]

Through the ring emerged the second time god, no less horrible than the first. Another pendulum shaped body of strange metal, purplish red and silver in colour with gold trim, sprouting four curved wings from its back. The shoulder blades burnt with amber flame, and at its heart was another gem screen of lighter red, through which stared the face of an older, bearded male; sage like and looking down on them imperiously. Its stats mirrored Metaion’s (Lv10, ATK 0). Death allowed them to stare at in awe for a moment, before proceeding with judgement. [i]“Now Razion, attack Aspiring Emperor Hope!”[/i]

“Hope’s effect activates again!” Clarissa reacted instinctively as Razion raised a hand and flames extended from the shoulder down to it. She had no idea what this thing did, but she certainly did not want to find out! “By detaching its second overlay unit, the attack is negated!” Throwing its steely wings in front of it, Hope blocked the stream of flame that struck hard.

[i]“However, you have now used Hope’s final overlay unit, leaving itself defenceless against further battles against the Gods”[/i] Death regarded impassively. [i]“You made a good decision to block. Had Razion’s attack gone through, Hope would have been returned to your deck, along with all the cards in your cemetery, albeit without damage. This is all that awaits you. You will all steadily be stripped of your resources, and your life points, whilst my Gods remain immortal beyond the limitations of this existence as it is erased by the abyss. All you can determine is how long the process takes. I set one card and end my turn.”[/i]

“Then it’s my turn” Sakura tried to sound confident as her podium advanced again, snatching at her deck. “I don’t understand who you are or what you’re saying, but I understand one thing. You have to be stopped from your selfish crusade, and I will stop you. Even if I have to defy the rule of Gods!”

[i]“Then you shall suffer for those words”[/i] Death retaliated, shifting slightly to clench a fist in her direction. [i]“And you shall start right now! Razion’s additional effect activates! When my opponent draws a card during their regular draw phase, they take one thousand points of damage!”[/i]

“What!?” Sakura barely got the word out when an eruption of flame suddenly shot at her. She screamed as it hit. It was ripping her apart! Her senses went haywire, all sight and sound except for the flames erased for a moment as they swirled around her. Or was it a millennia? Concept of time was warped for however long it was. When the flame finally subsided she found herself slumped on her hands and knees, barely aware of the others helplessly calling out to her. Her body covered in burns (LP 2700).

“Why...?” she stuttered, choking for breath as she struggled to push herself up. “Why are you doing this...?” Looking up at the pale knight, images of the duel with Murtagh replayed before her. How Murtagh, despite everything, just duelled against him with burning hatred, dismissing the offer of the truth he made. Helplessly staring at the motionless knight, she couldn’t stop herself. “Who are you?”

The group waited with bated breath, as a slow, menacing chuckle reverberated from the helmet. As Death looked down on her and the others, she felt very small, very powerless. She knew that no matter what she heard next it was going to be bad. It was just a question of how bad.

[i]“So you, a total stranger, will open your eyes and mind to me when Murtagh would not? Very well. If you desire to know who you face and why, then I will tell you. So that with this knowledge you might finally grasp how certain the end is for you.”[/i] Death broke off for another chuckle, either for effect or because he was that deranged, before giving them the shocking answer. [i]“My name... is Shinawatra...”[/i]

...08:14:22...

Groggily shaking his head, Daiki sat up and stretched. His head hurt for some reason, it took a second to get it together and remember why. He was lying in the middle of a street, he had no clue as to where given that all that surrounded him that he might once have recognised was now lying in flaming ruins. Nothing around him suggested there was any life. Was this... Tokyo?

[i]‘Was I... did I lose consciousness’[/i] he wondered. [i]‘Did it have something to with the... damn, the teleport!’[/i]

Recollection hit him all at once. Remembering how he’d got here and where from, he almost broke his neck he looked up so fast. There he could see for himself how bad things truly had got. The swirl of the abyss had engulfed the sky completely since they entered the castle, and he could see steady trails of matter stretching between it and earth. The image transfixed him for a moment, and he knew somewhere up there, the others were fighting. ‘[i]Good luck guys, I’m praying for you all.’[/i]

It wasn’t the same as being there fighting with them though. He wanted to be, desperately, but cruel circumstances had intervened. Or more specifically one warped moron had. Remembering why he was down here and not up there, he swore. “Damn it, how long have I been out? What’s the time?!”

Only one way to find out. Springing to his feet despite his wounds, cringing from the lingering stab wound in his abdomen, he set off in a random direction, scrolling through his D-Gazer at the same time.

[i]‘Let’s see, warp... warp. Come on give me the destination’[/i] Finally finding somewhere vaguely close to the hotel, he selected the option for the virtual world style warp. To his frustration, nothing happened.

[i]‘Oh come on, not now!’[/i] Swearing like hell he continued running, he had no idea where. As he jogged he tried the cell option. Hopefully that would still work, and someone would pick up and help him.

Finally the call was answered. [i]“What the hell? Masuro, is that you?”[/i]

“Good to hear from you too Baron” Daiki replied as he jogged along. “How are you guys getting on?”

[i]“Never mind us, what the flaming hell are you doing calling me?” [/i]Baron swore.[i] “Have you taken out Murtagh? Have you discovered a way to reverse what is happening?”[/i]

“Sort of” Daiki replied as he stopped. His eyes lit up. There was a bike lying under some rubble in front of him! It was a miracle, as long as it still worked. He ran over and started pulling, Baron continuing to press him for answers. “Murtagh’s gone” he huffed, struggling to free the bike. “However someone much nastier and crazier is in control now. The others are fighting him; Clarissa Jin and Sakura. If they beat him, then maybe things will be returned to normal.”

[i]“Don’t give me maybe’s Masuro” [/i]Baron snapped.[i] “And why the hell aren’t you with them?”[/i]

“I... had to come back and take care of some stuff here.” He didn’t want to elaborate on exactly what, he doubted his reasons would wash with the director general. “I need to do something here while they take care of things up there. Listen, why can’t I warp anymore? I tried but nothing happened.”

[i]“Doctor Zielinski noticed that a short while ago”[/i] Baron growled in reply as he finally hauled the bike free. [i]“He’s got no solid answer, only a theory that the world is too unstable now, too close to this swirl thing. Even if you could warp again, it would be highly unsafe to do so. Listen to me Masuro, what are you doing? Why are you here?”[/i]

“Sorry sir, but something important I’ve got to take care of” Daiki replied. His insides swelled with relief, the bike started! “Look, I need to get to the Royal Hotel in Kawaguchi before the hours up. Can you give me co-ordinates? And a time check would be nice!”

[i]“Kawaguchi?”[/i] The director’s surprise was odd, as was his next statement. [i]“That’s where we are.”[/i]

“Really? Why?”

[i]“We had to abandon the base after heavy fire from these winged fiends. They’ve been swarming all over the city along with these other big dragons. We set up in the hotel, and have had to take in all these refugees as well. We’re all holed up and sealed ourselves in the basement. How’s it looking up there?” [/i]Daiki couldn’t see any demons himself as he saddled up. Maybe they’d been taken away by the swirl, like the Mist Valley he had seen earlier. He relayed this to Baron, but he seemed less convinced. [i]“Well lucky you, but we’re in no position to come out. I don’t know what you’re planning on doing, but it had better be useful and those other guys had better be up to the job with whatever it is they’re doing. It’s not like everyone’s counting on you or anything.”[/i]

“I get the situation and they’re working on it!” Daiki shouted down the phone. “I trust them, they’ll do it. Now do you have the bloody co-ordinates or not!?”

Baron swore back, but eventually the co-ordinates came and a mini-map was reflected in the D-Gazer’s eye piece. The image was catastrophic. The horseman had dropped him on the complete opposite side of the city! He had less than forty five minutes to get to the hotel. If he ran into any trouble on the road, if the bike failed, if any delay whatsoever happened and prevented him making it, then Natsumi...

[i]“Ah hell, this is going to have to be some run! I’m coming Natsumi. Please be alive.”[/i]

...

All four of them stood there in shock. Nobody could believe what they had just heard. The pale knight waited for them, chuckling to himself from behind the silent form of Razion, as he waited for it to settle in. But it just couldn’t. Sakura, Jin and Kaneko were all speechless. Clarissa took a few attempts.

“That’s... that’s impossible. You’re... Shinawatra? The chairman of Real Duel... Shinawatra Taiyo? But... you can’t be? I killed you! I killed you only this morning! I put a bullet in your head and threw you down a garbage chute into an incinerator damn it! How can you possibly still be alive now?”

[i]“Heh heh heh, your ignorance is amusing. You still don’t get it” [/i]Death mocked.[i] “You’re right, that is not possible at all. It’s simpler than that. The man you killed is not I. The old man you killed, Shinawatra Taiyo, is my brother. My name is Shinawatra... Zabarnacht. The true leader of Real Duel.”[/i]

“Zabarnacht?” Jin repeated. “Shinawatra Zabarnacht? True leader of Real Duel? I don’t understand, I’ve never heard of you.” Glancing to Kaneko and Sakura, they clearly hadn’t either and were as confused as he was. However Clarissa was looking at the pale horseman most suspiciously. Death, or Zabarnacht, continued to chuckle at them in their ignorance.

[i]“Of course you haven’t. You’re far too young to have heard of me. Very few people who were alive yesterday would have recognised my name if you’d asked them. Decades ago they might have, when me and my brother’s partnership was starting to flourish in new directions and building a mighty business empire, one that I had built with my adoptive father and associates that would dominate Japan and the world thanks to my ingenuity and Taiyo’s application. That was until the accident. Clarissa was wrong about one more thing. I of course am no longer alive. I have not been alive for over forty five years, no longer apart of the world you know, existing only as a shadow in the virtual world of your creation. Of my creation. My vision for dominance, and my platform to save the world from itself. The VDS.”[/i]

“You’re... oh hell no” Kaneko gasped as the truth dawned on her. The background, the timescale, the nature of the Temporal Machine Gods, it all pointed to only one possible answer. “You’re my sensei’s predecessor. The original VDS avatar.”

[i]“Exactly”[/i] Zabarnacht laughed, as the other three’s reactions became only more horrified with the enormity of what they faced. [i]“I am the original one, the first person to have their mind successfully integrated as a part of the VDS operating system. I am the be all and end all, and my rule is absolute.”[/i]

“The original VDS avatar?” Sakura repeated, trying to comprehend the impossibility of this. “So is that why you have these cards that no-one else has? They were created solely for you in the position of administrator of the entire virtual world?”

[i]“Administrator? My dear girl, I was much more than some lowly administrator. I was and still am the heartbeat, the very soul of the virtual duel world; every digital fibre and strand of data coursing out and through my submersed mind, flowing with my dreams and aspirations of the pinnacle experience in virtual game play. Expanding my mind as the system world did, growing more diverse and complex. You are correct about the Temporal Machine Gods though. As the ultimate authority and heart of the system, I was free to design a set of special cards for myself to watch over the world by my side. Divine entities who would last the test of millennia, stronger than any other. The girl’s deck was created by similar means, but never to the same level as mine, an heir to the company. My successor Kodai Orion, an orphaned youth who was the ideal successor of my choice, he was the people’s avatar; he elected not to have an exclusive deck. And as for Murtagh, well you have seen why he was never considered suitable for such power. Myself and the Temporal Machine Gods watched over the fledgling world as it continued to expand and diversify through me, not directly interfering; just guiding and guarding silently until our presence became necessary. That necessity came ten years ago, when it became clear that we had to act to prevent the world’s downward spiral into depravity and despair.”[/i]

“Oh really?” Clarissa snapped. “Well I’d say that the system broke your mind! I’ve seen records on you during my research. There was never a name or any detail specifically to you, just a reference to an original avatar when the VDS started to develop and gain popularity whose mind failed to cope with the early level of technology and surge in use. He lasted barely anytime before a fatal mental collapse. So it turns out that Shinawatra Taiyo was even more of a repulsive roach than I thought. Not even causing the death of his own brother would stop his insatiable greed.”

[i]“Taiyo was many things. Greedy is certainly one of them.” [/i]Clarissa blinked as the horseman just started laughing at her again. [i]“I’m sorry; you were expecting to rile me with your comments about my brother? That his death by your hand would throw me into a bloodthirsty rage? I’m afraid I must disappoint you. The death of Taiyo does not affect me in the slightest. He was exactly what you thought; a greedy and ambitious man who clung to his power and guarded his designs, my designs, jealously, hiding behind a mask of generosity and compassion. But in death, he is free from his sins and his suffering. However with this he was still everything I needed in a partner; obedient and loyal, and he took my dreams and made them reality. I had the vision and inspiration he never had, hence my adoption into the family business, but he had the power and connections to new technological advances that could make them come true. He made sure that my name was erased from history and forgotten in the ravages of time, so that I could exist in the shadows to fulfill my plans. He even saved my life, after the accident that almost ended me.”[/i]

“What?” Jin blurted. “Mister Shinawatra-san saved your life?”

[i]“In a manner of speaking”[/i] the horseman shrugged casually, allowing Sakura more time to recover from the blast of the motionless time god. [i]“More that he extended my life artificially to be exact. Forty seven years ago, during the final tests before the public release of the VDS, there was an explosion at our lab. A saboteur from a rival company, come to steal our plans and destroy our designs. Upon his capture during the final test, he decided to go out with a bang to take us all with him. I was mortally wounded by the kamikaze. But although my body could not be saved, my mind still could be, and with a new body I could live on. Clarissa, do you remember the guardian of the record vault from your visit, Yamada Gorou?”[/i] She did indeed, the strange employee who existed despite his absence from the company building or in its files, unable to leave the vault, to who she gave two Numbers to guard it while she did her research. [i]“A devoted servant, he was not the only one to have his mind implemented into the system to continue his service after his body failed. Originally we planned to use an employee for the first avatar, who we would control as the systems mind, but that day I became the avatar instead in an attempt to extend my life. I was becoming an old man in real life, but in the VDS I was reborn. It was wonderful for a time. Everything became as I willed, a world that would make my company the richest and most powerful in the world as it looked to escape its wars and poverty and diseases. But it was not to last. All these people came, addicted to my world and demanding more and more. We gave them more, but their gluttony was never satisfied. The online population boomed, the duelling got more intense as more came, my old mind...”[/i]

“And that’s when your mind snapped and failed” Clarissa interrupted daringly; Zabarnacht presumably shot her a glare through the helmet. “But all this was ancient history. Like you said, you died forty five years ago. How can you still be here now?”

[i]“Impudent woman. I offer no explanation as for how, other than parts of me were so deeply enrooted in the world itself, some slivers of my conscious remained even after death. These slivers scattered and floated through the VDS without purpose, until over time they regathered in a place without light or matter. All the time I remained aware of what was happening in my virtual world, how it continued to operate more successfully, and I watched it begin to change. It came to reflect the real world in ways I did not desire, mirroring its sins and suffering. There was no joy in what I saw, only anguish and pain. In the outer shell my scattered consciousness began to rebuild, and over time I took this form, as I decided upon the action that I must take.”[/i]

“The VDS world began to mirror the real world? Only filled with anguish and pain?” Jin found himself asking, struggling to see Death’s point of view. His words didn’t really add up to him. “That doesn’t sound like the VDS I use at all. Unless.... Guys, I think I’ve worked this guy out. After so long of existing in this way after death, he didn’t get pieced back together right. I think he’s just genuinely lost his mind.”

“Oh you think?” Way to go genius” Clarissa rolled her eyes at him cottoning on to what to her had been obvious for some time.

“I can see where you’re coming from Jin” Sakura added, able to stand in a bit less pain after Razion’s assault now. “If I was in that situation, living as a shadow for decades after dying with all that information going through my overworked head, I don’t think I’d come back alright either.”

[i]“It is predictable of you all to dismiss me as such” [/i]Death remained unfazed by the remarks.[i] “Insanity is a judgement of the fearful. However in my regeneration, I gained clarity and perspective of the worlds. I saw the despair and the anger and the fear, and I refused to continue to exist in such a miserable place. That was when I began my quest to bring about the final judgement. Now behold its culmination.”[/i]

Right on cue, something exploded beneath them. Looking down, they could see they were flying across the once great city of Beijing. The whole city and its iconic monuments were covered in a heavy blanket of ice and snow, and all life had seemingly perished in the intense freeze that had taken place. However now there were explosions coming from the Forbidden Kingdom, as parts of the great walls and palaces and temples began to disintegrate into the glowing stardust and float into the sky. Beneath them they could see great crystal dragons circling the frozen ruins. The screeching cries of the holy ice dragons [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Brionac,_Dragon_of_the_Ice_Barrier"]Brionac[/url], [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Gungnir,_Dragon_of_the_Ice_Barrier"]Gungnir[/url] and the almighty [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Trishula,_Dragon_of_the_Ice_Barrier"]Trishula[/url] echoed across the city, their wailing cries reverberating through them as the majestic creatures bodies dissolved into nothing and ascended, up towards the swirl on the edge of the atmosphere above them, never to return. The selection of death was chaotic and random as they continued to soar forward, some areas worse than others, relatively unharmed or totally obliterated, but Death was relaxed, even relatively cheery about this.

[i]“Over the years I constructed the abyss that you see above us” [/i]Death offered without request.[i] “On the very edge of the virtual world, barely touching, an alternate existence attached to the parent world. It was a masterful creation. All I needed after that was a way for the virtual world to become attached to the real world in a similar way, and thus I could attach the abyss with it and destroy them both. That is where Murtagh came into my plan. When he entered the contest held to determine Orion’s successor, it was as if all my prayers had been answered. Here was a troubled young man, bitter and power hungry. I extended my growing influence out of my outer sphere of sub-existence, and used it to influence Taiyo into selecting him as the next avatar despite his relatively moderate duelling skill. Over time I shaped him into my puppet, using the influence of my growing strength to subliminally put thoughts of power and world dominance in the world around and into his head, and give him the ideas for his world merging, just as I needed. I manipulated him into doing my work; I manipulated all things to this point. Everything that Taiyo did in the last ten years connecting to Murtagh, Kaneko and the creation of her Numbers, all comes back to me. Now my plan is nearly complete. Everything will be consumed by the abyss and this existence with it. Within approximately one hour, there will be nothing left. The world will be rendered a barren husk, and then even the very core of the earth itself will be broken and absorbed until nothing at all is left. This is the only salvation for it.”[/i]

“You... influenced everything?” Clarissa felt her fists tighten and shake. Tears of rage obscured her vision as she stood there, blinding her to the world below or the others. Jin and Sakura were just as stunned and upset by his gloating revelation of absolutely control over everything that had happened. He was really responsible for everything? Kaneko flew just behind her mother, numb and still from the tidal wave of shock that washed over her. Even her own creation, to serve his ends? “What do you mean you influenced Kaneko and the Numbers creation?” Clarissa rounded on the horseman. “How could you do that! Why?!”

[i]“I have my reasons. Kaneko and the Numbers had their role to play as much as Murtagh, Taiyo and the other pawns on the chess board of my scheme.”[/i]

“Pawns? You mean the other horsemen?” Sakura swallowed. “What did you do to Yudai and the other two guys? Why did you do that to them?”

[i]“The other horsemen’s existence came about in similar circumstances to mine”[/i] Death explained casually. [i]“Like me they had died violently whilst immersed in the VDS system. A part of their conscious lingered, vengeful and afraid. I was able to use my powers to find and piece them together much more quickly than I had been, shaped into my servants to assist my plans at this late stage. The white horseman was slightly different that he died in the real world hours after falling unconscious from a sudden attack in the VDS, but the process of his resurrection was much the same. I don’t see why you are so upset. I extended his existence and gave him purpose, allowing you to see him one more time. You could have spent even longer with him, but either way, it and his weak betrayal are little but irrelevant now.”[/i]

“Don’t say that” Sakura shouted. She had almost forgotten it was her turn, that she was in control now and had a chance to act. And inflict as much pain on this guy as she could, for all the pain he had caused her. With this, she would do it. “You turned my boy into a weapon for your warped plan and treated him like a puppet. I won’t forgive you for that, and with Yudai’s guidance through the Sacred and Kaneko’s help I’m going to show you what I fight for, and reject your apocalypse. My turn begins now!”

Death: LP 4000, Hand 1, Field of Razion, Battle Route, Zero Machine Ain, and a face down
Sakura: LP 2700, Hand 3, Field of a face down
Jin: LP 3700, Hand 3, Field of a face down
Clarissa: LP 4000, Hand 3, Field of No 39: Aspiring Emperor Hope

“I activate my face down card [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Call_of_the_Haunted"]Cry of the Living Dead[/url]. By activating this, I can special summon a monster from my cemetery and keep it there as long as it remains on the field. The monster I’m summoning is the one I discarded through the effect of White Knight Illuminator; [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Daybreaker"]Daybreaker[/url]!” The cloaked swordsman rose from the depths, sword brandished (Lv4, ATK 1700). “Then because one Daybreaker was special summoned, I can summon the other directly from my hand. Then I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Honest"]Honest[/url], giving me three level four monsters. Kaneko, go for it! Let me borrow it one last time.”

“My pleasure” Kaneko shouted somewhere behind her and the three beings of light. “I overlay Sakura’s three level four monsters. Xyz summon!” Sakura felt the familiar pulse run through her body as from the vortex emerged the cubic seal, unfurling itself to reveal the mysterious angel. This time the pulse was not cold and overpowering, but warm and allied in her thoughts, united to the common goal as Kaneko gave her its power. “Appear in a spectrum of sorrows. [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_16:_Shock_Master"]Number 16: Ruler of Colour - Shock Ruler[/url]!”

[i]“I fail to see where you intend to go with this” [/i]Death muttered unflustered as ever.[i] “I have already seen Shock Ruler from your duel against Pestilence. It cannot hurt Razion.”[/i]

“We’ll see” Sakura yelled back. “Shock Ruler’s effect activates. By detaching an overlay unit, I can declare a type of card, and prevent the activation of effects of cards of that type until the end of the next turn. I choose monster cards.” Razion crackled with static. “Now Shock Ruler, attack!”

[i]“Amateur”[/i] Death sniffed as the winged angel willingly charged. [i]“Although Razion’s unique effect may no longer activate, its permanent effect that prevents destruction and battle damage is not negated.”[/i]

Embarrassed by the hole in her understanding, Sakura tried to shrug it off. “Well, alright, but now your fiendish contraption can’t hurt me either.” Shock Ruler collided with Razion wing first with a resonating clang, neither able to defeat the other. “Also thanks to Shock Ruler, since this effect continues until the end of the next turn, Razion won’t be able to hurt Jin when he draws. As for this turn, I’ll activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Magic_Planter"]Magic Planter[/url], sending Cry of the Living Dead to the cemetery to draw two new cards.”

“Good moves Sakura” Jin shouted encouragingly. She gave him an appreciative nod, before studying the two cards she had drawn. Both were traps, both were new to her. She studied them hard. Shock Ruler had failed where she hoped it would succeed; she had to do better if she wanted to help everyone. But maybe...

“I set two cards face down and end my turn.”

Sakura’s podium withdrew, and Jin’s advanced once more. To his left Shock Ruler floated ominously in the air, protecting him from being burned as Sakura had been. On his right Hope flew on alongside its ally, defying the wizened old god in metal armour facing them. As he looked at his hand though, he didn’t really have much to go on.

[i]‘I really want to capitalise on this and do something, especially after Sakura protected me this turn. I could use the [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Wind-Up_Rat"]Mainspring Rat[/url] in my hand and easily make a Rank Three Number, but that’s not going to be good enough to take down that thing. Not even if I summon Zenmine instead. It can’t protect me when all his cards return mine to the deck.’[/i] Desperately he searched his hand for a solution. He could feel Death’s stare getting into him, pressuring him. He searched and searched, his monsters were good, but nothing looked good enough. It wasn’t good enough. [i]‘I can’t just keep summoning monsters using all my cards and getting nothing but feeding him. We’ve had almost five turns, we’ve attacked with Numbers relentlessly, but we haven’t even made a scratch on him. I don’t know what to do. Nothing I’ve got can lead to anything that can take down those gods. But there has to be a way, there has to be. We just don’t know enough yet.’[/i] His Mainsprings were strong, but they didn’t offer any answers to the time gods. Glumly he looked at his newly drawn card. Maybe this could do something. It was worth a go.

“I set one monster, and one face down card.” The reverses of two cards appeared momentarily. “With that I end my turn.”

[i]“You can feel the despair of your hopeless situation, can’t you?” [/i]Death asked as Jin glumly withdrew.[i] “You can’t accept it and try to fight, leading you to greater despair as you fail time and time again. As for you dear Clarissa” [/i]he added maliciously, turning his attention on Clarissa who was floating forward, about to draw her card. [i]“Your stubborn denial of what I’m about to accomplish will get you nothing but more pain and torment. Now the effect of Shock Ruler has ended, Razion inflicts you with one thousand points of damage during your draw phase!”[/i]

Finally it was Clarissa’s turn to feel the wrath of the time gods. Kaneko cried as her mother was wrapped in the intense flame, piercing shrieks echoed across space until she emerged on her hands and knees gasping for air (LP 3000). She had taken so much pain today; from Evos and Asami and Murtagh as well as the self inflicted cost to her body from fighting Pestilence, but that god was truly the worst.

So far.

[i]‘This pain... it exceeds even that of the punishment dealt out by the Numbers’[/i] she thought, looking up at Hope and Shock Ruler. [i]‘If these guys weren’t out protecting me with Kaneko’s power, I shudder to think if it could have been even worse. This guys cards are nuts. Trust those Real Duel slime balls to create something like this for themselves.’[/i] She couldn’t deliberate on possibilities now though. Right now she had other problems, which this Zabarnacht was keen to point out.

[i]“Battle Route remains active on the field, and will force your monster into attacking once again” [/i]he reminded her. [i]“After this battle, Hope will be returned to the extra deck, and the cards in your cemetery will also return to your deck, abandoning you to die alone. But after death, you won’t have to be alone anymore. You won’t have to suffer any more like you have suffered. All humans desire this.”[/i]

“Oh, do I look alone to you right now do I? Are you blind as well as mad?” Clarissa waved in the direction of the kids. “In case you’d missed them, my daughter’s right here with me. So are two kids who can be really annoying sometimes, but they both have good hearts, better than mine, and they’re looking out for me because... well because they’re both as crazy as I am! But we’re close, and so are the guys who aren’t here with us, like Dai and Natsumi and the rest, and all our individual families. None of them will exist after death and the end of existence? How is that remotely desired?”

[i]“This foolishness! Family and friends are burdens who inflict misery and suffering with their deeds, they will always hurt you in the end”[/i] Death replied bitterly. [i]“You know this yourself. Your father tried to buy your love but never understood you. Your brother rejected you for years. Your precious Daiki hated you when he first found out the truth. Yes I know all about the hurt your family has caused you Clarissa”[/i] he mocked as she just stared at him, gobsmacked, whilst turning to the others. [i]“I have seen everything the company kept on you from Project Eve. As I have studied the records of your so called allies, kept in the most comprehensive database in the world that is Real Duel’s, and watched your rebellious actions over the late hours. I know everything about all of you. How Jin lives a life in poverty that is barely existence.”[/i]

Jin was stunned as the horseman turned to Sakura. [i]“How Sakura lives a sheltered highlife, kept away from harm, ignorant of everything.”[/i] Sakura’s body tensed and fists tightened as he looked on her before turning back to Clarissa. [i]“And how you put on this mask of strength and fearlessness, when all the time you are alone and in pain.”[/i]

“Ah, you don’t know anything!” Clarissa yelled. “I activate my drawn magic card, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Overlay_Regen"]Overlay Regenerate[/url]. This attaches to Hope as a unit, allowing it to use its effect once more to negate its own attack and keep it safe from Razion.” Once more having been pulled towards the waiting time god, Hope was able to banish its own sword before striking the blow killer to itself. They were safe for now, but it didn’t make her relax at all. [i]‘I can’t keep doing this all day. Hope is going to run out of defence eventually and we’re running out of time. Stalling until the end of the world is fine for him. We’ve got to find a way through.’[/i]

“Now that my battle phase is safely over, I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Tour_Guide_from_the_Underworld"]Tour Guide from Hell[/url]. And when she’s normal summoned successfully, I can use her effect to bring out [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Sangan"]Critter[/url] from my deck.” The familiar combination of pink haired girl and three eyed fiend appeared together (Lv3, ATK 1000). “Kaneko.”

“Okay mommy, I’ll try.” The tone of Kaneko’s voice was less than convincing, confirming what Jin had already suspected that there wasn’t a rank three Number she could give them that would really help much in the present situation. Still a cocoon like seal rose, splitting to give birth to an insect creature he recognised, the Number on its steel wing reflecting on Clarissa’s shoulder. “Xyz summon noble trooper of a combined force. [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_20:_Giga-Brilliant"]Number 20: Giganto Brilli-Ant[/url]!”

“Thank you darling. Now because I control two Xyz monsters, I can activate the [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Xyz_Gift"]Xyz Gift[/url] magic card. By detaching both of Giganto’s overlay units, I can draw two new cards.” Giganto was little help on its own, but hopefully this would remedy her less than impressive hand. Snatching the cards (and mercifully not getting blasted by Razion this time for doing so) Clarissa did not really like the result much better. A high level Inverz which would have been perfect... if she had another one to release for it, and a risky trap card. Frowning, she turned to the other one waiting in her hand. “I set one card. Turn end.”

[i]“My turn. Draw. During my standby phase, Razion is forcibly shuffled back into my deck[/i].” For the second time the god exited through a rip of time. Its disappearance left Death low on resources now, but then if he could continue to summon one Temporal Machine God at time and hold all three of them at bay then it was hardly a disadvantage. [i]“Once more you continue to summon Number after Number, yet each time you have failed to do anything against the almighty power of the gods of time and reality. You preach of the great power of your friendship and unity, yet so far it has achieved you nothing. First I activate the permanent magic, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Charm_of_Lamentation"]Cards of Lamentation[/url]! Each time a monster I control attacks your monster but does not destroy it by battle, I get to draw one card. Then I activate Zero Machine Ain’s effect to normal summon a level ten monster. Descend, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Tzaphion,_the_Timelord"]Temporal Machine God Tzaphion[/url]!”[/i]

This time the metal pendulum body was crystal blue and gold, as was the bright sapphire pane at the heart of its delicate frame. What was also different this time, to Sakura and Clarissa’s horror, was that in that pane was captured the face of a woman; a young beautiful lady with a tiara in her long hair. She smiled benignly at them, sadness in her eyes (Lv10, ATK 0).

[i]“When Temporal Machine God Tzaphion attacks, all spell and trap cards will be returned to the player’s deck” [/i]Death said.[i] “With that in mind, Tzaphion, attack Sakura’s Shock Ruler.”[/i] The goddess raised a thin ladylike hand, in which began to form a torrent of water. Sakura gasped, helpless to block.

“Trap card activate” Jin roared in panic. “[url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Dimensional_Prison"]Dimensional Imprisonment[/url]! When a monster attacks, this card banishes it immediately from play. Without destroying it!”

He had no idea if that was going to work. But he had to try something, and try to protect Sakura as she had done for him, and this was the only chance he might get. To Jin and the others amazement, a rip in reality opened right in front of the smiling goddess, and pulled her straight into and sealed around her. The goddess had disappeared without a trace! He’d beaten one! Jin nearly fell off his podium as he jumped and punched the air in success. “Yes; I knew they couldn’t be invulnerable to everything. There is a way for us to win now guys. His gods might be immune to being destroyed by card effects, but we can still banish, bounce, or send them directly to the cemetery without destruction!”

[i]“heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh...”[/i]

Jin baulked as a steady, ominous chuckle interrupted him. Death was standing still as always, staring right at him completely unmoved despite racing through space backwards or having lost his final card, and he was definitely chuckling at him inside the helmet. Jin froze, why was he so happy? “Oh man, I really hate it when he laughs like that. It always means something bad is about to happen.”

[i]“You are beginning to learn little boy”[/i] Death continued to chuckle at him. [i]“So you finally found a small chink in the armour of my almighty deities. Unfortunately for you however, you just so happened to have discovered this against the worst possible target. For you see, when Temporal Machine God Tzaphion leaves the field by any means, another effect activates, allowing me to draw from my deck until I possess five!”[/i] Death broke into full laughter at their reactions, as five shimmering cards suddenly appeared in his interlocked gauntlet. [i]“Now with my hand restored, I will show you the full fury of the gods! I activate my face down; [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Infinite_Machine_Ain_Soph"]Infinite Machine Ain Soph[/url]!”[/i]

Gasps were caught in choked breath as the face down opened, revealing a second golden ring. Draw by a magnetic force to the first one, the two synched together in an infinity like symbol. A symbol of death that provided much pleasure in the normally emotionless voice of the forth horseman. [i]“By sending Zero Machine Ain to the cemetery, I can activate this upgraded model. Instead of just one summon, this lets me special summon unlimited level ten monsters at any point during my turn, with their attack reduced to zero, and it negates effects that prevent me from summoning monsters such as those of the Temporal Machine Gods that I will now summon.[/i]” The insanity of laughing increased as not one, but three cards in Death’s hand started to glow gold![i] “Now descend; [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Raphion,_the_Timelord"]Temporal Machine God Raphion[/url]! [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Michion,_the_Timelord"]Temporal Machine God Michion[/url]! [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Camion,_the_Timelord"]Temporal Machine God Camion[/url]!”[/i]

Three cards flew through the alternating rings, giving birth to three new gods. Raphion; an emerald plated machine with feathery wings and the face of a young man reflected in the pane. Michion; another ruby coloured machine with six golden angel like wings in place of arms, a stern woman with wild flaming hair gazing out at them. Camion; this one was copper brown with a stout, thicker body and broad shoulders sprouting metallic decorative wings, the face being the chiselled wide face of a young atlas. The three gods floated side by side across the space, bringers of a painful end (Lv10, ATK 0). Behind them their cold, calculating, controlling mastermind of disaster Zabarnacht looked supreme.

[i]“Raphion attacks Shock Ruler, and as always it is immune to the destruction and the battle damage. After it has successfully attacked, the monster it has battled is returned to the hand or extra deck.”[/i] A mighty hurricane controlled by the younger deity swirled around Sakura and her protector, battering the sorrowful angel into submission. [i]“Then you take damage equal to the attack points of that monster!”[/i]

Sakura screamed as a shocking pulse of energy ripped through her, knocking her to the floor clutching at her stomach and retching blood. Her insides felt like they’d exploded where the pulse had torn through her (LP 400). Death gave her no sympathy before turning his attention on Jin. [i]“Now Michion, attack his face down monster!”[/i]

Jin’s face down reversed as a stream of flaming bullets hurtled towards it, revealing the set [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Wind-Up_Bat"]Mainspring Bat[/url] (Lv1, DEF 350). The small creature amazingly survived given the perceived difference in sizes, but Jin would not be so unharmed. [i]“After attacking, Michion cuts your life points straight in half!”[/i]

“YARRRRRRRRRRRH!” The flaming bullets exploded all around him, exploding into him as he helplessly threw his arms to try and protect himself. Jin sank to his knees, his exposed skin streaming with rivers of blood streaking all down his arms and smearing across his face like war paint. His eyes glazed over as he flopped sideways, almost fainting (LP 1850). Leaving only Clarissa standing, until the titanic god turned its narrow eyes on her.

[i]“Now Camion attacks” [/i]Death roared. [i]“When it has battled, all monsters you possess that have been summoned from the extra deck are returned there. Then you take five hundred points of damage for each of them! Camion, remove that stubborn Hope from my sight and in doing so extinguish theirs!”[/i]

A stream of rocky debris like energy crashed into the winged swordsman like an avalanche, blowing it backwards and obliterating it. Giganto screeched as it too was caught in the blast, before with the field cleared the incredible force was turned on Clarissa. She couldn’t even cry out as the wave of energy hit her, crushing her from all sides and burying her under the weight of the earth. Clarissa fell backwards, lying flat on her back unable to breath, barely conscious of Kaneko flying down to her and trying to stir her, bawling into her shoulder as she struggled to stand (LP 2000). All of them had been decimated.

[i]“It’s not over! After all, we should not forget that Cards of Lamentation is still active, now allowing me to draw three new cards!”[/i] Zabarnacht’s evil laughter grew louder as they struggled to stand. [i]“My victory is absolute beyond question. I control three mighty, undefeatable gods. Backed up by three powerful cards in my back row and a full hand that combined will keep the onslaught up until you are all sent to the abyss and freed from this existence, whereas I have not attained a single hit. Whereas you have next to nothing combined. It is all but over for you now. It always was. You were all doomed to die here from the start, as the last futile defence against the inevitable. I have seen the past and the future; it is set in stone, protected by the watching Temporal Gods. After an eternity of steady corruption, this wretched world is seconds from midnight on the calendar of its life. Death is inevitable. It is unpreventable. It is absolute. You have all delayed it, but there is no escaping it in the end. There is nowhere left for you where you can run or hide. Everything shall perish and return to nothing, thus relief shall be found. What lies beyond that is nothingness and the freedom from suffering it brings. This is my mission. You cannot stop this. No matter how much you fight it, you will accomplish nothing. This is the end.”[/i]

Unable to do anything as her podium trundled forwards once more into the crosshairs of Death, Sakura forced herself upright, looking down at the world below as she struggled. The world was ablaze with destruction caused by the duel monsters bought to life by Murtagh’s world merging, slowly turning to dust and nothingness. This was... all too much. But she couldn’t just give up. She couldn’t let this deranged old man get away with this. Even if it was hopeless, she had to try.

[i]‘If I don’t try, then it would be an insult to everyone I’d be giving up on and allowing to just be wiped out. I have to try and fight Death and not submit to his mentality. If I do, I would be giving up my humanity and what it is to live.’[/i] Slowly she placed her trembling fingertips to her deck, wincing for a moment as she expected another effect like Razion’s to activate, praying for a miracle. [i]‘Please help me. Give me one last shot at defying Death and protecting love and life. Please.’[/i] She drew, and got half of something. “I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Aurora_Draw"]Aurora Draw[/url]. Because there are no other cards in my hand, I can draw two more cards.” Once more the process repeated itself, this time she drew twice. Plucking the two cards, catching her breath as she saw the last two tiny members of the Sacred race, she realised what she had to do.

“Because I control no monsters, I can special summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Constellar_Schet"]Sacred Schet[/url] from my hand. Then I’ll join him with [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Constellar_Hawwa"]Sacred Hawwa[/url]!” A tiny boy in silver clothes carrying a water urn appeared (Lv1, ATK 100) followed by another child of the stars in gold (Lv2, ATK 900). If it was possible for the Temporal Machine God’s to display amusement looking at the pair, they might have done now. Death certainly did.

[i]“What’s this? These are the gift that Pestilence gave to you? Your weak little defenders of the stars cannot protect you now.”[/i]

“Laugh it up freak! I activate Hawwa’s effect. By releasing it, I can special summon Kaust back from my cemetery and use its effect on itself twice, increasing its level to six!” The archer returned, engulfed in golden light (Lv6). “Then Schet’s second effect activates, enabling to match Kaust’s level.”

“Alright, two level six monsters” Kaneko smirked slyly as she floated forward. “Well now we know the weaknesses of these gods, I’ve got the perfect Number lined up this time. I overlay Sakura’s level six... huh?” She gasped in shock despite her command; the two monsters remained adamantly in place. “Wait, why can’t I overlay them?”

“Sorry Kaneko, but I’m afraid you can’t use your powers this time” Sakura explained as the little water carrier floated forward. “You see, Sacred Schet can’t be used for the Xyz summon of a Number, only a Sacred monster. But that’s fine; this is the path I want to take. I will overlay my two level six monsters. Xyz summon!” This time the two monsters crashed together, the vortex exploded with blinding light. From the edges of the starlight, the outline of sharp claws curled, great wings unfolded, as the great silver dragon of the Sacred, the [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Constellar_Ptolemys_Messier_7"]Messier Ptolemys[/url], appeared with a deafening screech (Rk6, ATK 2700).

“Sacred Messier Ptolemy’s effect activates!” Sakura yelled. “By detaching an overlay unit, Camion is returned to your hand!” A high energy blast of starlight from the messieurs’ jaws slammed full into the face of Camion, blasting it out of existence, the shimmering card returning to Death’s hand.

[i]“You silly girl, I can’t believe how humanity has placed its entire future into the hands of someone so incompetent!”[/i] Death growled incredulously. [i]“By returning Camion to my hand you have ensured that instead of it returning to my deck during my next turn, I can freely special summon it again instead!”[/i]

“That’s presuming you even get to your next turn!” Jin, Clarissa and Kaneko all blinked at the certainty in Sakura’s voice. Even Death appeared taken aback by her sudden confidence. “I activate the trap [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Miracle_Locus"]Miracle Locus[/url]! First this lets you draw a card. Then Sacred Messier gains one thousand attack points!” The silver dragon screeched again with increased fury (ATK 3700). “Not only that, but now it can attack twice this turn, although it cannot inflict any battle damage!”

[i]“This is the most preposterous, disastrous display of duelling I have ever seen in nearly fifty years!”[/i] Death spluttered, unable to comprehend this seemingly appalling set of misplays as he gained a free card. [i]“That card and its effects accomplish you nothing!”[/i]

“Not on its own it won’t. So I’ll activate my other face down, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Constellar_Meteor"]Sacred Meteor[/url]!” The horseman finally flinched as the second card revealed itself, unable to believe what this girl, staring at him with such hatred, was threatening to do. “For the rest of this turn, if a Sacred monster battles but fails to destroy a monster, then it will return it to the deck instead. So both your gods are being sent packing early!”

“But Sacred Meteor activates at the end of the damage step...” Kaneko began to slowly realise.

“Ptolemy’s could attack Michion and successfully activate Meteor” Jin continued as he and Clarissa struggled upright. “It’s effect would still activate, and Sakura would survive...”

“But if she then attacked Raphion...” Clarissa cut off the sentence halfway. “No Sakura, don’t!”

“It’s okay guys... It’s alright...” Floating far out of reach ahead of them, Sakura had become completely still, her voice was unnervingly tranquil. As she looked back upon them as they protested helplessly, they could clearly see the marks of glistening tears rolling down her face, but she shook her head. “If I do this, then you’ll have two clear shots at defeating him. Just... make them count... ok?”

“Sakura no!” Kaneko cried desperately. “Please, you don’t have to do this. We can beat them, together, without anyone having to sacrifice themselves like this. Please stop!”

“I’m sorry, but my mind is made up. This fiend has taken so much from me. Now I will reverse this, even if I conquer Death by dying myself.” Her expression was no longer sad or afraid, her resolve was set. “Thank you guys, for everything. I’m really glad I met you all, and I hope I might have been able to help you occasionally. The same with Daiki and Natsumi and all the others too. Please thank them for me... for helping me through to this point... and tell mom and dad... I love them...”

Her voice wavered and broke off before she turned back to face the masked horseman and his two remaining monsters. “Alright you, I hope by my doing this, you realise the mistakes you’ve made! Even if I die now, I will do so to protect everyone else! Go Sacred Messier, attack! Sacred Super Nova!”

The silver plated dragon screeched, watched by the helpless trio as it craned back and released a breath of cosmic energy with colossal force, straight into the face of Michion. The fire based god retaliated, showering them both in explosive bullets before it disappeared. The shots made her sway and falter slightly, but she didn’t fall. She wouldn’t fall now (LP 200). Across the space, Death was just standing there, completely astounded by what was going to happen.

[i]“You... you would dare...? You think your death by sacrificing yourself for these people will have any meaning or significance? That it will actually change things, and alter the fate of this existence?”[/i]

“I have no idea. I don’t think this fate is as set in stone as you do” Sakura replied as calmly as she could. “But if the world does survive and existence continues, my death... no, my life will have had meaning. Yours won’t! Now Sacred Messier Ptolemy’s!” Ignoring the screaming behind her, she punched in the direction of the time god. “Attack Raphion and secure the future free from this maniac Death! Sacred Super Nova!”

Another cataclysmic stream of starlight fired from the sacred dragon’s maw and smashed into the emerald time god, bathing it holy light. As the Meteor trap started to take effect and drag Raphion backwards through a portal in space, the machine raised a hand, and unleashed a sharp blast at dragon and warrior. The hurricane force smashed into Ptolemy’s, shaking the screaming dragon to the core as Sakura was blown about, her podium violently shaking as it was caught in the gust. Sakura screamed in pain (LP 0), the all consuming pain that engulfed her as the tornado took her away, but she managed to stand, and forced her eyes open for long enough to watch her life play before her in seconds. There were her parents, family, school friends, all the people she had ever met, and finally Yudai, waiting with open arms...

A shockwave ripped across the skies beneath the swirl. Ptolemy’s was obliterated by the blast, before it ripped through Sakura’s body, instantly disintegrating them both. The others shouted in horror as the marble podium exploded and crumbled into nothingness, as the glowing stars of Sakura’s body ascended into the heavens.[/spoiler]

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

[spoiler=...]You've certainly got back on track with this one. Much better than last time.

As much as I don't like the TMGs, because they are stupid and should feel stupid, if you were an angry Duel Monsters equivalent-of-a-god, wouldn't you use nigh-invulnerable monsters with devastating effects? I feel that they are a good fit for Death, even if I liked his Darklord/Fairy mix from the early duel vs. Murtagh.

I liked how you managed to actually get rid of some of the TMGs. You would have thought it would occur to me that negating destruction meant DESTRUCTION only. I figured that the TMG's effects were being negated somehow, but now I just feel like a dingus.

I eagerly await the conclusion to both the duel and to finally find out how many times Garvan has slammed his Heel Face Revolving Door.[/spoiler]

[Umbra]

[spoiler="TOTALLY CALLED IT"]
Going to have to agree with Eon here; much, much better than last time. Everything flows well, and other than Sakura's sacrifice, nothing felt forced or just for the sake of the plot, and even that was a minor case.

I would've liked to see more of the Fallen Angels as well, but I really can't argue against the appropriateness of the TMGs in this situation.

While I did see Death's identity as the first avatar coming for quite a few chapters now, his exact identity and backstory was still a pleasing reveal. Although... Zabarnacht? I'm all for multiculturality, but what kind of Japanese parents would name their children Taiou and Zabarnacht?

On another note, doesn't Dai know about Garvan's third-agency when he was working for Baron? If so, wouldn't he want to talk about that? Seems kind of important, to me at least.

Overall, it was definitely a pleasing chapter, and definitely a nice comeback from the last one.
[/spoiler]

[Synchronized]

[spoiler=Free Cookies]
Much, much better than the last Chapter. I'm aware the others already said it but I guess the positive reinforcement couldn't hurt. You turned it around quite a bit from the predictability that came with Death's character in the previous Chapter.

The duel itself was quite intriguing, though I am a bit confused as to whether or not Kaneko was simply generating the best Number(s) for the situation or if it was each individual duelist's choice. Probably just me reading too much into it though, so I wouldn't worry about it.

I can't believe we're on the final chapter. That's so weird, especially with how far you've come and how you've actually managed to complete two stories now. So awesome. Hopefully I can follow in your footsteps in that regard.

Looking forward to the finale, mate.[/spoiler]

[Aerion Brightflame]

I was half right....

[spoiler='Gimme the Cookies Neo.... ']
Well it was much better, no glaring errors I could see. And I can kinda guess why no Kaenko. I mean, Neo Galaxy against a field of 0 attack monsters... Overkill.

The reveal of death I thought I had gotten right, but it was the right choice methinks. Nice way to tie everything up together.

Sakura dying? I may sound heartless, but after 3 arcs of her just being silly, her death had no impact. Other than the awesomeness of M7. Though I'm shocked Corn hasn't turned up yet.

Death is more intresting, just being plain insane instead of evil insane. Umm... I'm looking forward to the ultimate time lord appearance, becuase it will end up happening I know it.
[/spoiler]

Sorry for vagueness. I suddenly felt like I had to keep it brief to be fair, stupid mood swings. But much better man, and the whole site will now be in suspense for the End...

[Northern Sage]

[spoiler='Second to final time I do this? Can't believe it.']And called it. Basically. The bait and switch reveal was pretty well done.
Damn, I got myself a new contender for favorite line…
And there goes Sakura's DMoA.
Great work.
[/spoiler]

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Reads comments

Breathes sigh of relief.

[quote name='The Seal of Eon' timestamp='1352826588' post='6068275']
[spoiler=...]You've certainly got back on track with this one. Much better than last time.

As much as I don't like the TMGs, because they are stupid and should feel stupid, if you were an angry Duel Monsters equivalent-of-a-god, wouldn't you use nigh-invulnerable monsters with devastating effects? I feel that they are a good fit for Death, even if I liked his Darklord/Fairy mix from the early duel vs. Murtagh.

I liked how you managed to actually get rid of some of the TMGs. You would have thought it would occur to me that negating destruction meant DESTRUCTION only. I figured that the TMG's effects were being negated somehow, but now I just feel like a dingus.

I eagerly await the conclusion to both the duel and to finally find out how many times Garvan has slammed his Heel Face Revolving Door.[/spoiler]
[/quote]

As explained before; Numbers can only be destroyed by Numbers < can't be destroyed by ANYTHING was the main reason for selection, along with there not being many decks that could really hold off three duelists with a shared 100 card extra deck without drawing 5 negating cards a turn or something. Yeah they are overly stupid... but it makes it so much fun.

The main challenge with this duel has been to make it as unlike Yusei vs Z-One as possible, with Yusei's "I'll sit back and wait for the god's to go away and use silly burn cards based on my synchro monsters" (Wow Saber was right all those years ago, I did go on to hate 2nd season Yusei and his one dimensional "genius" style), especially given the order some of the Gods have turned up in so far (and the Numbers thing is similar to Yusei using everyones Signer Dragons). Hence Battle Route and using actual counter attacks to the gods using bouncing and effect removal, not just getting hammered before almighty TTK.

You don't think in that moment of panic and unknown though. Hence Volca turning up and not the Black Corn. So don't feel like a dingus.

[quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1352830922' post='6068363']
[spoiler="TOTALLY CALLED IT"]
Going to have to agree with Eon here; much, much better than last time. Everything flows well, and other than Sakura's sacrifice, nothing felt forced or just for the sake of the plot, and even that was a minor case.

I would've liked to see more of the Fallen Angels as well, but I really can't argue against the appropriateness of the TMGs in this situation.

While I did see Death's identity as the first avatar coming for quite a few chapters now, his exact identity and backstory was still a pleasing reveal. Although... Zabarnacht? I'm all for multiculturality, but what kind of Japanese parents would name their children Taiou and Zabarnacht?

On another note, doesn't Dai know about Garvan's third-agency when he was working for Baron? If so, wouldn't he want to talk about that? Seems kind of important, to me at least.

Overall, it was definitely a pleasing chapter, and definitely a nice comeback from the last one.
[/spoiler]
[/quote]

Spoiler: A Fallen Angel turns up in the second part.

Thanks, glad I got it back in the right direction and that it was pleasing for the most part.

Yeah... well... you see... um... the thing is.... yeah. It is a bit fantasy based name that doesn't mean anything and doesn't fit to be honest. Sorry, just the appeal of a name beginning with Z won through. Zabarnacht doesn't really mean anything unlike Fygmorke, which was the Danish words for 'dreadful darkness' or something slammed together because it began with F, although Nacht is obviously night to Taiyo's sun. Originally his name was going to be Zaon for the sake of it, but then just Zabarnacht came into my head and sort of... stuck. (Just looked up Night in japanese. It is Yoru... meh).

Another note from pre-script was that Zabarnacht and Taiyo were originally going to be brothers (by adoption. I only recently became aware of the Japanese concept of adopting children to take over the business on a recent QI and thought it would work rather well). Then it changed to father-son as a really old man seemed to fit better especially with his mind struggling to cope with the enormous VDS. But that seemed a bit of a Fygmorke-Dravir ripoff, so it went back to brothers today. Because that totally doesn't rip off Rex-Roman. Just a bit of useless information (let me know which was better).

Er, yes he did. It's simply a case of [s]I[/s] he forgot to mention it. He could have done but... I just didn't think about it for some reason.

[quote name='- Neo -' timestamp='1352834452' post='6068407']
[spoiler=Free Cookies]
Much, much better than the last Chapter. I'm aware the others already said it but I guess the positive reinforcement couldn't hurt. You turned it around quite a bit from the predictability that came with Death's character in the previous Chapter.

The duel itself was quite intriguing, though I am a bit confused as to whether or not Kaneko was simply generating the best Number(s) for the situation or if it was each individual duelist's choice. Probably just me reading too much into it though, so I wouldn't worry about it.

I can't believe we're on the final chapter. That's so weird, especially with how far you've come and how you've actually managed to complete two stories now. So awesome. Hopefully I can follow in your footsteps in that regard.

Looking forward to the finale, mate.[/spoiler]
[/quote]

Positive reinforcement is good

If I've somehow transformed Death/Zabarnacht since last week I have no idea how I've managed to, because as far as I can see he's exactly the same character as he was before 8AM. But there you are, if he is improving and growing into his role then fantastic and I won't complain

Kaneko is making the decisions on what is the best Number to summon since she.... kind of knows what all the Numbers do and the others don't But I must admit I find it rather sweet that so far she's summoned the key Numbers of or those used by herself, Natsumi, Daiki, Sakura and Jinrei so far. Originally she went into Giganto twice instead of Volca, but I just disliked the idea of her summoning the same Number twice and it doing nothing much either time (although I didn't get to use Mainspring Rabbit again, but oh well).

Fingers crossed for you.

[quote name='Archbaron Barthandelus' timestamp='1352835623' post='6068420']
I was half right....

[spoiler='Gimme the Cookies Neo.... ']
Well it was much better, no glaring errors I could see. And I can kinda guess why no Kaenko. I mean, Neo Galaxy against a field of 0 attack monsters... Overkill.

The reveal of death I thought I had gotten right, but it was the right choice methinks. Nice way to tie everything up together.

Sakura dying? I may sound heartless, but after 3 arcs of her just being silly, her death had no impact. Other than the awesomeness of M7. Though I'm shocked Corn hasn't turned up yet.

Death is more intresting, just being plain insane instead of evil insane. Umm... I'm looking forward to the ultimate time lord appearance, becuase it will end up happening I know it.
[/spoiler]

Sorry for vagueness. I suddenly felt like I had to keep it brief to be fair, stupid mood swings. But much better man, and the whole site will now be in suspense for the End...
[/quote]

Yeah, exactly. Plus the predicted clusterstuff.

Awesome, glad most of it sounds reasonable and explained (I hope so anyway?) There's a bit more explanation in the next chapter but not as much, it's mostly duelling.

You didn't feel sad when she was saying her goodbyes? Awwwww I cry when I write deaths. Everytime. Even when they are jobbers or villians like Gorou. Even when I know they're coming back. Yeah, let's get off that subject. Ptolemy's is awesome. I'm annoyed I didn't get Sacred Antares and Rescha or Super Rebirth in the story at all, I intended to and had to be a bit more roundabout with Ptolemy's summoning cuz of it, but I can't summon them and then not go Messier.

Well they've only just discovered the TMG's weaknesses, so his odds of getting summoned are increasing (everyone here loves the Black Corn? There are other good anti-TMG Numbers y'know).

That's cool, hope the end impresses and that you swing up again of course.

[quote name='Tama the Chibi Sage' timestamp='1352836902' post='6068442']
[spoiler='Second to final time I do this? Can't believe it.']And called it. Basically. The bait and switch reveal was pretty well done.
Damn, I got myself a new contender for favorite line…
And there goes Sakura's DMoA.
Great work.
[/spoiler]
[/quote]

Sorry I don't understand. DMoA? New favourite line is?

Thanks for reading and liking and so on though.

[Reinforce]

A very good chapter, though I'm very annoyed that you just killed off my favorite character. Kaneko's supprise at not being able to summon what would most likely have been Force Focus was amusing, but I'm now thinking that you'll now somehow fit in Big Eye and take one of the Temporal Machine Gods to use against him. Overall a pretty good chapter, and I'm looking forward to the final chapter now.

[Brinolovania]

[spoiler=*insert happy emoticon*]
Aaaaand, we're back into the awesome zone! Yay!

So Death's deck is mainly Temporal Machine Gods. I guess that makes sense. Although I assume Destiny Leo's not quite done yet (Putting him on the field, then using some card to redirect all attacks to a TMG seems funny). They are immensly overpowered of course, but he IS the embodiment of Death, so it works for him.

As for Sakura's death...she's dead. Sadface. I've gotta say, her death wasn't as sad as Natsumi's especially, because it's been demonstrated that she has a chance of not actually being dead (although the total vaporization decreased that chance somewhat.)

I kind of feel like some time hax will happen, and make it so the VDS stuff never happens, and Kaneko, Dai, and Clarissa end up happy together and stuff. Not certain, but it might. Hm.
[/spoiler]

[Umbra]

[quote name='Majestic Star Bahamut' timestamp='1352849704' post='6068640']
Sorry I don't understand. DMoA?
[/quote]

DMoA is most likely Dying Moment of Awesome.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

[quote name='Simdoggy' timestamp='1352852325' post='6068725']
A very good chapter, though I'm very annoyed that you just killed off my favorite character. Kaneko's supprise at not being able to summon what would most likely have been Force Focus was amusing, but I'm now thinking that you'll now somehow fit in Big Eye and take one of the Temporal Machine Gods to use against him. Overall a pretty good chapter, and I'm looking forward to the final chapter now.
[/quote]

Focus Force or Atlanto are two equally good cards for facing TMG's. Although Atlanto needs fuel admittedly. Big Eye would also be an interesting strategy, as would False Skeletal God Dragon, or Lucky Stripe...

I'll stop that now. Wait until Friday darn it!

[quote name='Pacmanexus' timestamp='1352852393' post='6068728']
[spoiler=*insert happy emoticon*]
Aaaaand, we're back into the awesome zone! Yay!

So Death's deck is mainly Temporal Machine Gods. I guess that makes sense. Although I assume Destiny Leo's not quite done yet (Putting him on the field, then using some card to redirect all attacks to a TMG seems funny). They are immensly overpowered of course, but he IS the embodiment of Death, so it works for him.

As for Sakura's death...she's dead. Sadface. I've gotta say, her death wasn't as sad as Natsumi's especially, because it's been demonstrated that she has a chance of not actually being dead (although the total vaporization decreased that chance somewhat.)

I kind of feel like some time hax will happen, and make it so the VDS stuff never happens, and Kaneko, Dai, and Clarissa end up happy together and stuff. Not certain, but it might. Hm.
[/spoiler]
[/quote]

Yaaaaaaay!

For the most part; in my notes he has about 21 monsters (not all of which appear). I've kinda made the character fit the deck rather than vice-versa.

Don't panic. Sakura is not 'sent to the stars' or another dimension or any bullsh*t like that. She is dead. She is definately dead.

Time hax was at once a consideration to fit everything in, but that would be dumb. Besides, only Death might have the capability to do that, and why would he do that? (In fact, if you've been paying attention to what Death's been saying, that really puts him at a disadvantage...). It's almost as unlikely as Clarissa Dai and Kaneko all having a happy ending together...

[quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1352852897' post='6068753']
DMoA is most likely Dying Moment of Awesome.
[/quote]

Ty.

Now Tamas just has to explain his favourite line.

I personally enjoyed the chessboard remark

[Northern Sage]

[spoiler='This one:']
[quote][i]"This is the most preposterous, disastrous display of duelling I have ever seen in nearly fifty years![/i]"[/quote]
Just... Death losing his cool for the first time is somehow amusing to me.
[/spoiler]

[Vector Nightmare]

This is just me posting to say that my next review will be much shorter than the previous one. Which is a very roundabout way of saying you did a good job. If a large part of that Death exposition had been moved to the previous chapter, to both help build into Death's character and make Murtagh look a bit less obstinate, the last chapter would've been much better too.

I'll do a proper review along with the final chapter. But for now, here's a quick sum-up of what I liked and didn't like:

[spoiler=The Good]
1) The duel. This is easily shaping up to be one of the best duels in 24. I never could've guessed it, but a Time Machine God duel turning out to be pretty interesting and involving is a very pleasant surprise. Waiting on the next chapter, but fully satisfied by it so far. And the aerial duel is pretty cool too.

2) Death's background. This comes in contrast with point 1) of "The Bad", but there's a difference. As a character, Death is probably one of my least favorite characters in the fic. But the revelation of his identity, backstory, motivation, circumstances etc was great and left me entirely satisfied.

3) The characterization of, well, everyone really except Death, but mostly Clarissa, Sakura and Jin (in that order). I'm actually glad now that Daiki wasn't included in the final duel, although probably for different reasons than you intended. The reason I never really liked Daiki was that... he was the main character alright. But he wasn't acting the part. He was mostly just... doing things because of circumstances. Let's compare Daiki and Juruo for a moment. Juruo didn't have much of a relevance, backstory-wise and all, and was pushed to the protagonist slot mostly by circumstances and his own choices. Daiki was slated to be the main character through his background and all... but he just didn't measure up to the role, he felt too passive, too linear. Nevertheless I felt he would be necessary in this final duel, simply because a large part of the dynamic of a final battle relies on the main hero being there and doing heroic things. But now that I'm seeing how well you're handling the less-main cast in this, I'm actually believing that Daiki's absence is a good thing, because when all is said and done the others (minus Sakura but ok) actually deserve more to be there, and now they don't have to be overshadowed. I'll give you praise because this is one part where I was proven wrong and I'm glad I was.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=The Bad]
1) Death. In general. I just... can't like him (and I don't mean can't like him because he's a villain. I mean in general he just rubs me the wrong way as a character). Everything from his name, I mean seriously, Zabarnacht? Just sounds like a bad pun to Zaubernacht, which is German for "magic night", which sounds a lot like something you would find in some childish fairy tale... to the humor you're trying to force-insert through him (that line that the Chibi Sage mentioned was just so off-putting at the time...) is just not working for me. He's cool as a premise and all and when I just focus on his backstory and overall theme, which are both pretty cool, and ignore his actual attitude and words...

2) Kaneko not participating in the final duel, and instead acting as Numbers generator. No, I LIKE that. I just don't like how it was enforced. Like, Kaneko shouldn't have been able to duel while bringing out the Numbers from the converter, and that would've been fine. But staying out because "Death said so" was so... so wrong. Especially considering that, probably moreso than any of the known Numbers, Galaxy Eyes and Neo Galaxy Eyes were far better countermeasures against the Time Machine Gods.

3) Natsumi's (not-so) dying words: Daiki... there was a man who knew about all this s***... that man's name... was Baron...
*half an hour later*
Daiki: Hey Baron what's up bro? Help me out a bit dawg I'm in a bit of a situation here and I totally trust you and everything because it's not like my friend's dying wish had anything to do about you being a huge bastard who could've done something about this whole mess but didn't.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler=The Not-so-sure-if-good-or-bad]
1) Sakura's sacrifice. On the one hand it was yes... on the other hand it was no. I really don't know how I feel about it. It was pretty cool and all just... Sakura never REALLY felt connected to the plot. She just had a sidestory to fulfill and that was it. I mentioned it before but I don't think her being involved in the final duel worked well and her sacrifice just feels... shoehorned. Unlike Erin's sacrifice which was one of the most amazing things you've ever written... this one really felt like you were attention-whoring Sakura. Eh. But it was kinda cool so... gonna leave it as is for now, and wait for the next chapter.[/spoiler]

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

Thanks for the review Saber.

Glad the duel is doing well, it suprisingly wasn't the most difficult to script of the fic by a long way (compared to say the tag turbo, both Murtagh vs Kaneko duels, and others). It took a while for me to get it going and get Death through to Turn 9 and his full field setup without taking damage, and towards the ending took a bit of fiddling, but I'm happy with how it's turned out overall. Of course we're only halfway through and moves get even more outlandish and ridiculous in the second part.

Damn... Zauber! I knew it was something because I saw the word Zabarnacht somewhere I forget where on the Internet and got the night part, but couldn't find what Zabar translated as. Didn't realise it was a distorted word and I assumed it was something bad, not freaking 'magical'! Damn it! Glad Death is sortof *sigh* satisfying at last *shot for bad Kalin impressions*. Can understand the critisisms given he and his story arc is too much like Z-One and Arc Cradle, which was a low point of the 5D's story for me. I hoped I could do something better than it managed. And annoyingly I feel a bit stupid with myself about bad Point 2 - because it's the exact same thing that was a bad point about the final duel of Armageddon with Fygmorke and Ancient Fairy Dragon having an argument about duel rulings! So very disappointed with myself on virtually doing the same thing twice and very lazy of me, I should have done something like you said about Kaneko and made it work somehow.

Point taken about Dai and Baron. Leave it with me a moment.

That's okay, I accept Sakura was never really impactful or such.

So yeah, the FINAL CHAPTER is up TOMORROW!!! (As if you didn't all know that by now.) Because I'm an overly dramatic jerk I'm aiming for a midnight GMT release. Sorry European readers

[Reinforce]

It's lucky I'm not a european reader then, GMT midnight should be about 10 am for me, perfect timing since I'll probably be one of the first readers because of that.

[Catterjune]

Midnight GMT is at 7PM EST. And YCM is pretty damn alive around 7PM EST considering how many Americans visit the site.

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

[quote name='Hatcher' timestamp='1352991050' post='6070216']
Midnight GMT is at 7PM EST. And YCM is pretty damn alive around 7PM EST considering how many Americans visit the site.
[/quote]

Exactly. I know this is YCM's most active time for me to hit it with the end. And now it will be more active than usual *inflated ego*

Just proofread the final chapter (thank goodness, the amount of times I write properly instead of prabably is ridiculous). Feels so weird this is nearly over, in a way that Armageddon just... didn't. Dunno why. Conflicting mess of emotions already.

(Ps: God. Why do I get struck by a dreadful fear when I see the last comment is by Pika?)

(Answer: Because Pika IS God!)

[Aerion Brightflame]

Ah I'm glad its a Friday so I can stay up and read it. Otherwise I would find you and make thee suffer for the suspense....

But seriously, I'm looking forwards to the end... It shall be good. I hope, and Know

[Synchronized]

Pretty excited for this myself...

So if my timing is right, it'll be about two and a half hours before we get this.

[Northern Sage]

Wait, tonight?
*holds knife and fork up straight*

[guuu1234]

[color=#222222]I can't do this. I can't just sit by silently while you finish the best fan fic I have ever read. Seriously this is amazing, and if someday it was made into a book, I would buy it just to read it again. Anyway I don’t have much to say that was not already said. I figured out who Pestilence was at the end of Daiki/Clarissa's duel and he spoke, and I loved the entire duel. What really, really, REALLY rubbed me the wrong way was the Double Honest. It was random in his deck, and no reason I have read from your post really justifies its random use. Then there was the misplay on the summoning of the 3 dragons (their materials), and Pestilence redemption use, which just made everything so anti-climatic after the buildup.[/color]
[color=#222222][font="Times New Roman"][size="3"] [/size][/font][/color]
[color=#222222]Then you feel in quality with your writing skills in a way that I have, quite honestly, been feeling since the . . . 3rd chapter into this Final Arc. I wanted to say something, but I'm nowhere near your skill in writing. I felt wrong to criticize you, and I didn't have the words to use either. I'm quite glad Saber was able to say what I couldn't, because I know you WILL grow from this experience.[/color]
[color=#222222][font="Times New Roman"][size="3"] [/size][/font][/color]
[color=#222222]Anyway, this story is amazing and I’m glad it’s near its conclusion. I was honestly wondering how death would hold out against 4 (or 3) duelists, but I guess I have my answer. The crazy thing is that since the TMG’s are level 10, I was total expecting some Broken rank 10 Xyz. And to make things worse, every number summoned is being hinted to something worse. I will be thoroughly disappointed if you don’t deliver on the constant references that the Numbers are breaking the seals.[/color]
[color=#222222][font="Times New Roman"][size="3"] [/size][/font][/color]
[color=#222222]Finally Sakura’s death. You have a habit of killing off main characters. Me Gusta. The sad thing is that her death didn’t really impact me. Idk it just didn’t have that extra push that Natsumi or Hunter (bias character death btw) had. Oh well. Garavan is just getting confusing, so I stopped trying to think too deeply about him.[/color]
[color=#222222][font="Times New Roman"][size="3"] [/size][/font][/color]
[color=#222222]The final thing I want to do is ask some questions. Do you plan on writing another story after this? In regards to this story, you have included extra chapters after each arc. Will you include a final extra chapter to completely wrap things for 24? Like a past for Death, or a look into life 10 years from the conclusion of the story? These are things I’m really curious about, and I can't wait for the conclusion to this wonderful story.[/color]

[color=#222222]P.S. How many pages on Microsoft Word is your story?[/color]

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

[quote name='guuu1234' timestamp='1353021256' post='6070606']
[color=#222222]I can't do this. I can't just sit by silently while you finish the best fan fic I have ever read. Seriously this is amazing, and if someday it was made into a book, I would buy it just to read it again. Anyway I don’t have much to say that was not already said. I figured out who Pestilence was at the end of Daiki/Clarissa's duel and he spoke, and I loved the entire duel. What really, really, REALLY rubbed me the wrong way was the Double Honest. It was random in his deck, and no reason I have read from your post really justifies its random use. Then there was the misplay on the summoning of the 3 dragons (their materials), and Pestilence redemption use, which just made everything so anti-climatic after the buildup.[/color]

[color=#222222]Then you feel in quality with your writing skills in a way that I have, quite honestly, been feeling since the . . . 3rd chapter into this Final Arc. I wanted to say something, but I'm nowhere near your skill in writing. I felt wrong to criticize you, and I didn't have the words to use either. I'm quite glad Saber was able to say what I couldn't, because I know you WILL grow from this experience.[/color]

[color=#222222]Anyway, this story is amazing and I’m glad it’s near its conclusion. I was honestly wondering how death would hold out against 4 (or 3) duelists, but I guess I have my answer. The crazy thing is that since the TMG’s are level 10, I was total expecting some Broken rank 10 Xyz. And to make things worse, every number summoned is being hinted to something worse. I will be thoroughly disappointed if you don’t deliver on the constant references that the Numbers are breaking the seals.[/color]

[color=#222222]Finally Sakura’s death. You have a habit of killing off main characters. Me Gusta. The sad thing is that her death didn’t really impact me. Idk it just didn’t have that extra push that Natsumi or Hunter (bias character death btw) had. Oh well. Garavan is just getting confusing, so I stopped trying to think too deeply about him.[/color]

[color=#222222]The final thing I want to do is ask some questions. Do you plan on writing another story after this? In regards to this story, you have included extra chapters after each arc. Will you include a final extra chapter to completely wrap things for 24? Like a past for Death, or a look into life 10 years from the conclusion of the story? These are things I’m really curious about, and I can't wait for the conclusion to this wonderful story.[/color]

[color=#222222]P.S. How many pages on Microsoft Word is your story?[/color]
[/quote]

Thank you for commenting Guu.

Yeah, they are critisisms that have been raised, but if they're raised by multiple people it's harder for me to argue that it's just one person's opinion. No, it's everyones, you genuinely screwed it up Yes I had the idea for double Honest when Coat of Arms was confirmed for Pestilence and I got a bit starry-eyed with the idea. Don't see what misplay you are refering to regarding summoning the Verz dragons though, unless you were refering to using Honest for them? (Um... it can still be used for Ouroboros and his non-Verz.... er... maybe...) As for Yudai regaining 'concious thought', well it didn't seem right for him to go screaming and spitting murder like Vladimir and Unmai (who shouldn't have had his little awakening). And someone had to give the guys some hints or explanation. So personally I disagree on that part, but glad the chapter overall was positive if flat ending.

Regarding writing, probably chapter lengths effect on writer and reader hasn't helped, some part could be discredited to getting sloppy with the end in sight, just general feeling down, etc. I can't offer a firm explanation otherwise obviously flick the switch and its fixed, but there could be many reasons. Don't be scared to critisise if you feel its necessary (despite my last... ahem... reaction ).

Death Xyz summons Super Robo Galaxy Destroyer; calling it now!

Ooh, someone picked up on that. You'd be right to be throughly disappointed. Fair enough about Sakura and Garvan, probably the impression of 'good guys never die, honest' YGO seems to try to instill into all its viewers (and this fic hasn't helped)

Interesting questions, which will be addressed... after the final chapter. There'll certainly be no more 'history' and as for the future... well that's not guaranteed beyond the next 30 minutes or so. What I can guarantee however, speaking of questions, is there will be a questionnaire from me about the story as a whole, along with full decklists for those who duelled in the final arc. As for how long the whole story is... long. Arc four alone totals at 228 pages on Word.

As for everyone else who's wondering where the chapter is, I meant midnight tomorrow. As in the end of Friday. As normal. In 23 hours from now. Stop turning this place into a spamfest otherwise you won't get it! Because Pika will lock the thread. So stop posting spammy things! *laughs at everyone who just lurched on the thread expecting the final chapter. Don't post to say you're angry*

Although I will say I am very happy that despite being a good 20 chapters or so shorter, this has now well eclipsed the amount of replies Armageddon got.

23 hours to go...

[Bahamut - Envoy of the End]

The time is upon us... for the end.

First of all, thank you to everyone reading this who has stuck with it to the end, despite all the crappy cliches and wtf moments in the plot, and the petulance and sulking on my part. But it's been largely fun hasn't it? Second of all thank you to everyone mentioned in the credits but I will mention again; Saber, Barty, Stark, Black Scar, DA and evilfusion; for all their help with duels, characters, writing, encouragement, ear-bending, etc. Third of all thank you to YCM and everyone keeping the site going for providing the platfrom to do this and managing to survive this long, because has been, despite a lot of frustration and agony, been a pleasure and really good fun exploring the stories of these characters. And putting them through hell. And letting me experience this game that I enjoy but struggle to do so on a competitive TCG level. So yeah, thumbs up everyone.

But anyway, the time is nearly up on the time of such innocence. After 53 chapters totalling to about 450,000 words, 33 duels featuring I've lost count of how many cards, I know 90 different Xyz monsters have featured throughout, several deaths and other tear jerking moments, several epic reversals and other heroic moments, two or three really frigging crappy moments of rage, five DUES EX MACHINAAAAAA's from Umbra, three scorning guest posts from Hatcher, a partridge in a pear tree, and tons of other stuff I can't remember now (I may have made one up somewhere in there), the curtain is about to come crashing down. The only question is how much of life and reality is going to be crushed by it, as Jin Clarissa and Kaneko make their final stand for the future against the deranged avatar and leader of Real Duel Zabarnacht. (As with the first part of this duel some card effects have been tweaked slightly for purpose/to fit. Please excuse or pull me up as need be). If you have some doomy music you've been holding back for a special occasion, now might be appropriate.

And now, ladies and gentleman, boys and girls... as for the story of YuGiOh 24...

Time is almost up...

Enjoy...

[spoiler=Chapter 24:2]The trio of Clarissa, Jin and Kaneko watched helplessly as the starry remains of Sakura and Ptolemy’s slowly ascended into the swirl above. None of them could move or tear their eyes away from the fading stars, or speak, or even cry at all. All they could do was watch from their podiums as they thundered across the skies, struggling to take in what had just happened. In the distance ahead of them Death was standing there possibly in shock, having not moved since the last of his three Temporal Machine God’s vanished from the field with her sacrifice. When he finally re-mastered speech, he was seething.

[i]“Naive child. Does she honestly believe in her anger and vengeance that her sacrifice will make a difference to this duel, or the future? Or does she think somehow that in Death she will find a happy reunion with that abhorrent boy Pestilence. Pitiful girl. I tell you know that she will find neither. There is no other place beyond this world or the abyss where the dead reunite. Such a place would only mirror the world below us in time, with all its sorrows spreading through it like a plague. She will find nothing beyond, and with this nothing existence her suffering has ended. She has found relief. Her pain is gone. When this duel is over and I am victorious, everyone else on this miserable planet will feel the same relief. You shall join her in the abyss first.”[/i]

Kaneko didn’t respond to him, other than a glare of hatred matching her mother’s. Tears welled up in her eyes, she wanted to shout and scream at this madman for his stupidity and selfishness. But she couldn’t; her thoughts were taken up entirely by the girl she knew that, despite what the others would tell her and try to convince her otherwise, she had led to her death. [i]‘Sakura...’[/i]

...

Three comets screamed across the sky high above the continents, one rider short of the group that was portrayed to herald the rapture in this fashion. Not that anyone on the ground was looking up to notice this. The earth was barren and empty as all life had either ceased, or gone into hiding wherever it might be safe. A ludicrous notion, there was no safe now. Even the various duel monsters roaming the world were trying to find refuge, and those who didn’t found themselves quickly paying the price. On America’s west coast, in the destroyed cities of flames buried by the volcano’s, the [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Flamvell"]Flamvell[/url] race made for the safety of their molten hideaways, away from the twisters forming nearby, but one by one their bodies melted away in the same shower of stardust and were taken by the winds and away. The silver destroyers that had invaded Britain, the [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Ally_of_Justice"]Allies of Justice[/url], tried fruitlessly to escape into their warp holes, only to find their systems were scrambled and evacuation methods down, leaving them helpless as their bodies began to disintegrate. In Japan, the screams of the remaining Demonic Roar Gods and their pets were a terrifying mangle to hear, as their fallen spirits ascended once more, not into the heavens. Even the great [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Malefic_Truth_Dragon"]True Sin Dragon[/url] was not immune with all its considerable might as he lumbered through the city taking all in his path in flailing rage, before he too perished and turned to stars.

The ocean’s waves writhed and crashed in the storm, rising like monsters themselves and towering higher than any recorded in history as the earth began to shake to its core. The land shook beneath the feet of startled looking monsters as great cracks raced into the horizon, before to a horrific splitting noise the two sides were ripped apart, leaving mile wide scars in the earth as it was torn asunder. Entire cities fell into the fissures. The world was dying to the sound of chaos and the screams of a million deaths were a haunting choir, as hiding just below the surface people were beginning to lose hope, allowing themselves to lose the will to keep fighting and in the arms of mothers or brothers or partners slipped into a sleep or coma like state from which they hoped they would never wake, their spirits dying of all good. There was no good anymore, it would all be stripped from them soon. All good, bad, happiness, sadness, love and pain would soon be erased.

The critical point had almost been reached.

...

Observing this chaos from above on their flaming ‘steeds’, the last three trustees of the world and its conductor looked down in silence. They could see the fissures from up here as continents were split in half, the ocean waves wiping out entire islands in one mighty blow, the rapidly increasing number of the vicious twisters being born from the black holes and feeding the abyss more life. The end looked truly irreversible now.

[i]“Do you accept it now? Even with the girl’s sacrifice, there is nothing you can do.”[/i] Death of course, was keen to emphasis this point. [i]“She might believe she has given you a modicum of a chance of defeating me, but it was useless. The idea that Death could be defeated is nonsense. With this deck I have created and the undying power of the Temporal Machine Gods that is second only to my own immortality, it is impossible. Even if I was to entertain the ridiculous notion that I might actually lose this duel by some chance, it would change nothing anyway. There is nothing you can change. It is over.”[/i]

“Shut up!” Kaneko found herself shouting without thinking, flailing and kicking tantrum like as she flew beside the others. “How dare you call Sakura useless and everything else! You took everything from her, and she sacrificed herself to protect us! I won’t let her do that in vain.”

[i]“I assure you that although she might have presented this facade of trying to protect you all, with which she succeeded in deceiving you little girl, that it was a lie. The true motive for her suicidal attack was her hatred of me, spitefully hoping to drag me into the abyss with her. And look what her anger got her in that respect. Nothing.”[/i]

“Knock it off Zabarnacht!” Clarissa shouted. Now that she knew the true name of Death and his real past, she was keen to cut through the illusion he’d created, starting by refusal to call him by his chosen title. “She might not have hurt you directly, but in her sacrifice she removed all the Temporal Machine Gods from your field. Giving us two turns with a clear route of attack!”

“Yeah, and we’re going to use them to bury as many attacks in you as possible” Jin added spiritedly. “I won’t let you talk about my friends or hurt them like that, and I’ll stop you. We still have time, as long as the Earth is still there below us in some form. We can still stop you and your insane apocalypse.”

[i]“That is a most amusing notion” [/i]the horseman chuckled in his mechanical, dead fashion[i]. “I would love to hear how you intend to do that. So enlighten me, tell me little boy. How can the three of you possibly undo Armageddon?”[/i]

“Well, er... I hadn’t got that far yet” Jin muttered awkwardly. “I was kinda hoping defeating you would somehow fix everything. Um... ooh I know. If we beat you, we can take your Temporal Machine Gods and make them turn back time to before this all started. Then everything will be fixed!” He was genuinely excited by his brilliant idea at first, right up until to his crushing disappointment Clarissa and Kaneko both face palmed, and Death burst into laughter.

[i]“AH HA HA HA HA! That’s hilarious! You really believe my servants would listen to you, or that you could force them to do anything? And you think me and my plan insane! A HA HA!!”[/i]

“Oh, okay maybe that wasn’t a brilliant idea after all” Jin admitted, turning to the other. “What do you guys think? Any ideas?”

“Not really” Clarissa said, Kaneko floating in thoughtful silence behind her. “Without the converter which merged our world with the VDS in the first place, I don’t know what to do. Maybe it is...”

“Mommy, that’s it!” The two jumped as Kaneko suddenly interrupted with a burst of enthusiasm, she was positively beaming once more. “The Number Converter, I’ve worked out a way we can solve everything. Well maybe it’s not guaranteed, but it’s a chance. I can’t believe I didn’t think sooner.”

“Um, Kaneko, care to share this plan soon?” Jin asked, pointing downwards and making her blush.

“Oh... right yeah. Anyway, you remember when Zabarnacht said how he created the abyss on the edge of the VDS world as like a sub reality, and needed Murtagh to create a way to attach the VDS world with the real world in order to bring the abyss with? Well what if the VDS and real worlds were separated again? Maybe the abyss would be pulled back out with the virtual world and separated again too. Then all this would just disappear, right?” She looked hopefully at the other two’s stunned expressions.

“So... what you’re saying is that if the worlds were stuck together, they can be unstuck the same way.”

“The Number Converter was what created this world, when Murtagh fired it” Clarissa vaguely recalled a laser like beam being fired before she was hauled out of the virtual world, having been severely beaten and madly desperate at the time. “So if the converter and the process were somehow reversed, then...”

“Uh huh, uh huh” Kaneko nodded encouragingly. “That must be why he stole it. I dunno why he couldn’t do so until I was separated from the machine, but as soon as I was he nabbed it. He must have feared its reversal. Well there’s a plan. It’s a long shot, but it might work.”

Slowly they all turned and looked at Zabarnacht. He had watched this conversation in silence, carefully listening to their plan. He didn’t seem to be in such a great rush to tell them all how hopeless everything was now. But it didn’t stop Jin from gulping. “But to power the converter, we need you and all the Numbers. We’re still one short, and he’s not going to let us anywhere near it while he’s still around.”

“You think I need an excuse to get stuck into him?” Clarissa asked. For the first time since this hell in the abyss began, her devilish smile returned. “Well now, we know his weaknesses; in his plan and in the armour of his gods. Now we are in control of our future again. Let’s grasp it. Jin, do the honours first.”

“Gladly” the teenager replied, snatching a card as the blood coloured pedestal floated forward.

Death: LP 4000, Hand 7, Field of Battle Route, Cards of Lamentation and Infinite Machine Ain Soph
Jin: LP 1850, Hand 2, Field of Mainspring Bat and a face down
Clarissa: LP 2000, Hand 2, Field of a face down

“Summon; [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Wind-Up_Rat"]Mainspring Rat[/url]” Jin cried, slamming the card onto his D-Disk with renewed heart. With a plan in place, a plan that might actually work and stop Death, his spirit was restored. And thanks to Sakura, as much as the manner of her death filled him with grief, had given them the best chance to do it. The little creature appeared, wheeling in circles (Lv3, ATK 600). “Then I use Rat’s effect. By switching it into defence, I can summon Mainspring Dog from my cemetery. Now Kaneko, do it!”

“Alright! I overlay Jin’s two level three monsters! Xyz Summon!” Kaneko shouted as she flew to his side, they both smiled as they reached out to the vortex of stars exploding before them as a great sapphire seal emerged. “Appear coiled explosion of anger. [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_17:_Leviathan_Dragon"]Number 17: Leviath Dragon[/url]!" The seal hatched to unleash the horned, snakelike dragon within. Levaith dragon’s thin tail cracked like a whip as it came screeching down onto the field, staring at Death with its red eyes (Rk3, ATK 2000).

“Now I activate the effect of Leviath Dragon” Jin cried, ignoring the pulsing force in his head coming from the rune marks that had appeared on him. “By detaching an overlay unit, Leviath Dragon’s attack is increased by five hundred.” The dragon snapped at a passing comet and unleashed a bloodier screech (ATK 2500). “Now to give them all to you.” The two kids joined and shouted together as the dragon charged and released its intense breath of energy “Vice Stream!”

[i]“Oof!”[/i] Zabarnacht grunted as the torrential stream of energy hit him. He had to lean in with the shoulder to not get blasted away, but impressively he didn’t otherwise move (LP 1500). [i]“You think that will help you?”[/i]

“Next I switch [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Wind-Up_Bat"]Mainspring Bat[/url] into attack mode” Jin declared. “Because you don’t control a monster, I don’t have to attack with it because of Battle Route, so I can use his effect to put him back in defence and return the detached Rat to my hand.” Jin smiled as the trusty rodent returned to him. “I’ll set one more card face down and end my turn. He’s all yours Clarissa.”

“Thanks” Clarissa smirked as she floated past him, snatching her card. She didn’t really have a means to summon another Number this turn, but then she didn’t need one. “I activate the trap [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Limit_Rebirth"]Limit Release[/url]. With this I can summon a monster from the grave with one thousand attack points or less. I choose Critter.” The three eyed fiend appeared only momentarily, before its body sank again to give life to an advance summoned monster, the terrifying form of [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Moth"]Inverz Moth[/url] (Lv6, ATK 2400). “By releasing Critter to summon Moth, I can activate his effect to add a monster to my hand with fifteen hundred attack or less.” Given her experience with Evos, she considered her choice this time; selecting a small bug that was not of the Inverz. She was still confident however that this would finish it. “Moth, direct attack!”

Cannon fire from the moth’s tail gun scattered and exploded all around the stationary horseman. He however refused to panic, as a card in his hand began to glow. [i]“Fool, you think this would finish me, envoy of the end? I activate a trap card.”[/i]

“YOU WHAT!?” Clarissa almost collapsed in disbelief. She was sure she’d just imagined that in paranoia or something; it made no sense. “What trap?! You don’t have anything face down on the field?”

[i]“Your point is?”[/i] Death replied mechanically as suddenly, miraculously, this trap card she had never seen before materialised face-up on the field. [i]“When I am attacked directly, the trap card [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/The_High_Priestess%27_Staff"]The High Priestess' Staff[/url] can be activated from my hand, negating the attack and ending the battle phase.”[/i] All were stunned as a flash of light emerged from the staff depicted on the trap, and Moth’s attack simply bounced off the barrier. [i]“Also, you take five hundred points of damage!”[/i]

Clarissa shielded herself as the bullets reflected around her, leaving her burnt and shaken (LP 1500). But she was more shaken, and frustrated, by the nature of his escape. And with seven cards in his hand once he drew and knowing the Temporal God Camion was among them at the very least, not finishing him now was a blow. “Of all the ridiculous, underhanded get outs! You’re a pathetic old man Zabarnacht, just twisted and mad! But rest assured, your time is limited. For now I set two cards and end my turn.”

[i]“We’ll see about that”[/i] Zabarnacht sneered as another card materialised in his hand. [i]“But I think instead that you are about to pay for your failure. I activate the effect of Infinite Machine Ain Soph. This lets me special summon level ten monsters from my hand, limited only by reducing their attack to zero. Now watch in terror as I summon not one, but FOUR Temporal Machine Gods! Descend my servants and purge this world of these obstinate meddlers! [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Gabrion%2C_the_Timelord"]Temporal Machine God Gabrion[/url]! [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Hairon%2C_the_Timelord"]Temporal Machine God Hairon[/url]! [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Zadion%2C_the_Timelord"]Temporal Machine God Zadion[/url]! And the returning Temporal Machine God Metaion!”[/i]

“Oh god no!” everyone shouted as several cards shot through the double rings and transformed into the horrifying contraptions that enslaved the angels themselves. Each was a different shape and colour but no less awful. Gabrion was of water and was small and thin and delicate. Hairon was of earth and had an ornate design of body, with four arms and artistic design to the trim, a brunette’s face smirked through the russet pane. Zadion was of wind and had powerful thick armour protected him, an older bearded face looked sternly out of the emerald pane. And finally the dreadful Metaion was back, insane grin in placeand wild eyes leering at them once again. Four unstoppable gods (Lv10, ATK 0).

[i]“This ends here”[/i] Death declared, almost crushing the cards remaining in his hand as his fists tightened. [i]“Now suffer the wrath of the gods for your defiance. Gabrion, attack first!”[/i]

Two twisting streams of water formulated in the smaller god’s hands, smashing together. Despite its size, Clarissa didn’t like where this was going. “Trap card, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Fiendish_Chain"]Demon Chain[/url]. By wrapping itself around a monster it stops it from attacking, and negates all of its effects.” Heavy black chains wrapped around the water god, halting its attack.

[i]“I see. Unwittingly you have panicked your way into relief, as Gabrion returns all cards on a player’s field to their deck after it attacks successfully.”[/i] Clarissa swallowed at such a revelation. This guy’s cards were getting more and more insane, and he had those other two left to come. [i]“Now let’s see how you defend against this! Zadion, attack!” [/i]Neither of them able to stop this, Clarissa and Inverz Moth were blown about by a blast of wind. She did not feel harmed this time, but Zabarnacht was chuckling at them again.

[i]“After Zadion has attacked successfully, its unique effect activates. This returns my life points to their starting value of four thousand.”[/i] Kaneko and Jin gasped as a soft aura enveloped the horseman, healing him (LP 4000). [i]“With this, the sacrifice of that wretched girl is rendered completely meaningless.”[/i]

His comments made Clarissa furious and Kaneko clearly upset. Beside them, Jin was shaking with anger. “Damn you” he swore quietly.

[i]“You are beginning to feel the same hatred for me as your friend?”[/i] Death asked mockingly. [i]“How does it feel? To be consumed by anger and sorrow, letting it control you and tear you apart just like the rest of your kind. Don’t you want to be spared a lifetime of this suffering, that I offer you? Your naive hopes of happiness and prosperity are an illusion that in reality are unachievable. Why not save yourself?”[/i]

“You’re a jerk!” Jin shouted. “Just because you see the world in such misery after decades of nothing doesn’t mean it is for the rest of us. I want to live and be happy. Why do you need to take it away?”

[i]“You, be happy? How can you possibly be happy?”[/i] Zabarnacht sniffed. [i]“You are a nobody; destined for a life of little consequence beyond your own suffering. I in comparison had everything before my untimely death; money, power, influence and control. If I could not find happiness in my life for all its highs, how could you possibly hope to be happy with your wretched existence?”[/i]

“Because I’m not like you!” Jin snapped back. “You don’t get it; people don’t need power and money. You just didn’t have or have forgotten about after so long about other stuff that really matters. Yeah the worlds full of stuff that isn’t so good and people who are twisted about it, but for the rest of us we get through it for the good stuff, with our family and friends and loved ones beside us. You might not be able to see any of that anymore, but you can’t take it all away from everyone else this way.”

“Yeah!” Kaneko offered encouragingly, whilst her mother beside her nodded her approval.

“Jin is right. He has many good things to look forward to, even in hardship. I have already endured much horror and pain, enough to make me give up and end it all, but I didn’t. I kept going because I wanted happiness. I have found it in my daughter... and in Dai to an extent. They make it worth it!” She smiled at Zabarnacht, making him grumble into his helmet.

[i]“I grow tired of your garbage. This is all foolishness; there is no happiness for the future, and you all need to be saved from yourselves and your blind wishful thoughts of this impossible fantasy. Temporal Machine God Hairon attacks Inverz Moth!”[/i] Another torrent of cataclysmic energy crashed into the dark insect creature without any destruction or damage. However... [i]“When Hairon has attacked successfully, its effect activates. This inflicts damage to the target equal to the difference in our respective life points. Thanks to Zadion, that difference is twenty five hundred.”[/i]

Clarissa gulped, that meant... (LP 1500). [i]“Hairon, bury her and her futile wishes, and bring her salvation!”[/i]

Kaneko screamed as the brunette goddess smirked evilly, and released another stream of earthly energy straight at her helpless mother. She had no way to save her from this.

“I activate my trap card!” Jin shouted. “[url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Damage_Diet"]Damage Diet[/url] reduces all the damage to players from card effects by half for the rest of this turn.” Just as the energy stream struck a barrier formed around Clarissa, deflecting away half of the blast. Some got through, making her grimace and buckle in pain a little bit, but she just about managed to hang on (LP 250). “See Shinawatra senior? I won’t let you kill anyone else?”

[i]“You will suffer for your ludicrous interference”[/i] the horseman swore. [i]“Metaion, attack Number 17 and return it and that bat to the hand.”[/i] A shockwave from the mad god ripped through the two creatures, forcing them backwards. [i]“Then you take damage for the monsters leaving the field.”[/i]

“Damage Diet is still in effect and protects me as well” Jin said bravely, albeit ducking as a familiar volley of fireballs landed around him.

[i]“I activate another trap card from my hand” [/i]Zabarnacht could just be heard over the noise.[i] “When cards are returned from the field to your hand ,I can activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/The_Magician%27s_Wisdom"]The Magician's Wisdom[/url]. Now you take an additional three hundred points of damage for each card, thus restoring the damage done by Metaion to normal.”[/i] Jin buckled as more flames exploded all around him, just keeping upright (LP 1250). [i]“Also now the battle phase has ended, Cards of Lamentation activates, letting me draw three new cards for each battle that I conducted without destroying a monster.”[/i]

Zabarnacht took the extra cards with little more than a glance, before one of them set itself. [i]“I set one of these cards and end my turn.”[/i]

“Jinrei. Mommy. Please be okay” Kaneko begged as the two struggled upright. How they were still alive at this point was beyond belief, they had both been so badly beaten and hurt by the constant attacks of everyone they had faced. Jin’s entire body was covered in blood, smeared across his arms and face, and her mother looked terrible and ill, with great rips in her body suit exposing bloody wounds and burns. But still they both stood defiantly, finding strength from somewhere despite everything to carry on.

“I’m fine darling, thank you” Clarissa said, fiercely staring at the horseman and trying to control the shakes in her arms and fingers as she struggled to hold onto her hand. “I will continue. As long as there is a single ounce of strength and life in me to stand and fight, I will do so.”

“Yeah, me too Clarissa. Kaneko” Jin replied adamantly, ignoring the blood he’d just spat up as he podium floated forward again. He was tired, but he couldn’t rest. Something exploded and harsh screams were heard far below him, but he couldn’t lose focus. Not as long as that fiend and his four gods remained standing. “It’s my turn. Bring it!”

This draw was a start. “I activate the spell card, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Card_of_Variation"]Treasure Card Turnover[/url]. This lets me draw two new cards, but during my end phase I’ll have to discard one, otherwise I’ll take three thousand points of damage!” The gamble was hopefully minimal given his plentiful hand, and as he snatched at his two new cards, a huge sense of relief washed over him as he got the monster and spell he needed. [i]‘Finally’[/i].

“First I summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Wind-Up_Warrior"]Mainspring Warrior[/url] to the field.” The small amber plated robot rose before him (Lv4, ATK 1200). “Warrior’s effect allows him to increase his level by one, and his attack by six hundred. And because Warrior’s attack is now above fifteen hundred, I can activate my face down [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Zenmailstrom"]Spiral Style Spring[/url]. By releasing Warrior, I can summon a Mainspring from my hand, and then another one from my deck with matching attack points. I choose Mainsprings Rat and [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Wind-Up_Magician"]Magician[/url].” The little rodent and mechanical wizard appeared side by side, a powerful combination (Lv4, ATK 600). Death did not seem perturbed.

[i]“Those two monsters may be capable of swarming effectively, but it’s for naught. There is nothing you can summon that can take down four eternal gods.”[/i] Despite this, Jin looked surprisingly confident.

“We’ll see about that. But I know something that will help. I activate the magic card [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Heavy_Storm"]Raging Storm[/url]!” he cried, slamming the drawn card onto his disk with authority to activate the devastating card. As soon as he did, a vicious hurricane swept around them. “This card destroys all magic and trap cards on the field. So that means no more luring our monsters with Battle Route, no more drawing with Lamentation, and no more summoning gods with Ain Soph. With this, when your next turn starts, you’re done.”

[i]“Oh really? You think I, who have seen all things and had an eternity in death to prepare for them, will allow you to something like that so easily.”[/i] Death did not move despite the hurricane threatening to rip his strategy apart. His assuredness was unnerving, making Jin jump as two cards in his hand suddenly started glowing. [i]“[url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Herald_of_Green_Light"]Green Declarer[/url] activates from my hand. By discarding it and [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Darklord_Zerato"]Zerato[/url], I can negate your little gust and destroy it. Poor boy, did you honestly think your plan would work against me?”[/i]

Jin grimaced as the wind suddenly died in a flash of green. [i]‘Damn, this guy has an answer for everything we throw at him. Whenever his gods are under threat, he negates it with something weird’[/i]. Studying the horseman, he noticed the two remaining cards in his hand. He knew one of them was Camion. [i]‘Hmm...’[/i]

“I activate the effect of Mainspring Rat once again, switching it into defence to summon Mainspring Dog back. This triggers Magician’s effect, summoning another Mainspring from my deck in the form of [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Wind-Up_Kitten"]Mainspring Kitten[/url].” Suddenly Jin’s forces doubled in number, as the mechanical pooch and a small cat joined the party (Lv2, ATK 800). “Kitten’s effect activates. Once while its face up on the field, I can return one monster to its owners hand. I choose Metaion” he said, pointing at the grinning god.

[i]“Grr, you don’t learn do you boy? [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Herald_of_Orange_Light"]Vermillion Declarer[/url] activates from my hand. By discarding it and Camion, your Kitten is stopped, strung and gutted.”[/i] The wind up cat’s springs and cogs burst. [i]“You still don’t understand that the Temporal Machine God’s will not be brought down by such poor... huh?”[/i]

To Death’s amazement, Jin suddenly broke into a grin. “No, I did learn. I learnt you’re very predictable, and as soon as your gods are under threat you will react impulsively to protect them, without thinking about how doing so has just set me up. I was rather hoping you’d be so kind as to do that. Now that your hand is empty, I activate the [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Zenmailfunction"]Overwound Spring[/url] magic card, summoning Warrior back with its effect negated; giving me two level four monsters. Now Kaneko, do it!”

“Great moves Jin” enthusiastically Kaneko gave him the thumps up as she reached out to the two toy monsters, and delved deep into her soul once again. Now she knew the god’s weaknesses, she had just the thing. “I will overlay Jin’s level four Warrior and Magician! Xyz summon!” Hauled up from the murky depths of the vortex between them, a great pirate ship rose with a great shudder before them (Rk4, ATK 2100). “Vessel of adventure, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_50%3A_Blackship_of_Corn"]Number 50: The Black Corn[/url]! Jin, do it now!”

“Right. I activate the effect of the Black Corn! By detaching an overlay unit, this mighty battleship can target one monster on the field with attack lower than its own and send it directly to the cemetery, evading the god’s immunity to destruction!” Cannon fire from the ship’s guns fired and round like missiles on the stunned goddess Hairon, the look of shock on her face as her gemstone pane shattered, and with its trapped spirits demise the mechanical body failed and sank into hell. Jin wasn’t done there.

“When Black Corn successfully sends a monster to the cemetery in this way, you take one thousand points of damage!” Death grunted as more cannon fire honed in on him, having to shake off the blast (LP 3000). “I’m not done there though. I still have my Rat and Dog ready to go. Kaneko!”

“This time we’ve got you!” Kaneko yelled as the two remaining toy monsters shot into the next large vortex. “You have caused such suffering to all my friends and everyone else with your corruption. Now I’ll show you real suffering like I have felt, as has my mom.” Clarissa looked poignantly at her; she knew what she was going for even before the accursed behemoth punched its way out of the seal. Kaneko nodded back and smiled. This would end all their suffering. “I’m sorry to make you see it again, but this will be the last time. Come pure power and devastation; [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_30:_Acid_Golem_of_Destruction"]Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction[/url]!”

“This attack...” Jin gasped, suddenly remembering Acid Golem from his duel with Clarissa before. It’s insane might that belied its rank (Rk3, ATK 3000). And thanks to Clarissa, and the chain wrapped god across the field... “This... this will do it! Acid Golem, attack Temporal Machine God Gabrion!”

Roaring murderously, the poisonous behemoth pulled back for a giant swing and bought its hammer like fist crashing into the small, suddenly terrified looking god that was powerless to defend itself. Gabrion’s sapphire glass pane shattered into a million sparkling pieces, the metal body folding up and exploding as its captive spirit died. For the first time the explosion knocked Death backwards, if this went through...

[i]“You think you can defeat me like this? I don’t think so. Trap activate; [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Defense_Draw"]Guard Block[/url]. This reduces all battle damage to zero, and allows me to draw one card.”[/i] Jin cursed as the horseman somehow clung on. After all the hand traps, he’d forgotten about the one actually set on the field.

“When the Black Corn has used its effect, it cannot attack during that turn, regardless of Battle Route.” Thankful that he wasn’t forced to ram into the two remaining god’s and undo all his good work he discarded the remaining Bat in his hand, saving himself from his magic card. Well he’d made a few dents at least, and proved it could be done. As long as they kept fighting and believing, anything could be done. “I end my turn. You and Kaneko take it from here Clarissa.”

“Of course” Clarissa smirked as she flew forward. She was confident now, all her injuries and weariness almost forgotten. Jin’s turn had renewed her fire. Now they were winning; she just had to keep on doing the same things and crush the gods one by one. They would not rule her. “I activate my face down [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Spirit_Art_-_Greed"]Dark Spirit Technique - Greed[/url]. Now that your hand is nice and empty thanks to Jin, I can activate this to release Moth and draw two new cards.” Her initial draw had not been brilliant in its own regard, but combined with the powerful Inverz and the magic card given to her by her brother, the one that meant so much to her and she’d kept close in all her times of worry and sadness as she struggled through the recovery of her memory, planning to get her revenge and finding her lost daughter, she had a way.

[i]‘Wilhelm. You’re still watching over me, even after I failed you. I promise I won’t let you down again.’[/i] “I activate the [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/One_for_One"]One for One[/url] magic card; discarding a monster to special summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steeelswarm_Scout"]Scout of the Inverz[/url] from my deck. Then by releasing Scout on its own, I can advance summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Girastag"]Inverz Gilafer[/url]!”

From the splitting husk of the small beetle emerged the form of the terrifying scorpion (Lv7, ATK 2600). “When Gilafer is summoned this way, I can send one monster on the field directly to the cemetery in the same way as the Black Corn. Then instead of damage, I’ll gain one thousand life points.” Growling maliciously, Gilafer fired its grafted arm cannon at the bewildered Zadion. Emerald glass shards flew in all directions as the armoured body sagged forward and disappeared, allowing Clarissa a moment to recover as the soothing aura of life point recovery stitched up some of her wounds (LP 1250). Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the glaring Metaion. [i]‘One more to go.’[/i]

“Next I activate the effect of the discarded [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Level_Eater"]Level Stealer[/url] from my cemetery. By reducing the level of a level five or higher monster I control by one, I can special summon it from the dead.” A small beetle with a star on its back appeared beside Gilafer as it absorbed its level (Lv6). Remembering what Kaneko had attempted to do just before Sakura... prevented her; Clarissa smiled as she whirled her brother’s card around her fingers. This was perfect. Nothing else; the world below or the carnage or the threats of its complete end being imminent seemed to matter for a few seconds as she savoured a treasured memory of them. Such memories could not be allowed to be erased. “Your time is almost up Zabarnacht. I activate the magic card [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Star_Light%2C_Star_Bright"]Wish Upon a Star[/url]. Because Gilafer and Level Stealer have matching defence points of zero, I can use this to align their levels at six.”

She turned and smiled at Kaneko, Zabarnacht across the field hopefully starting to sweat in his helmet. “This card... it’s your uncle’s. He gave it to me, to give me strength to endure, as a promise that things would get better for the both of us. That was his wish. He entrusted me to do this, and with you with me now, I know we can make that wish come true. That’s why you won’t beat me Zabarnacht. These wishes from the people I love and our feelings for the brighter future, they transcend your despair and agony. I have transcended suffering; all I need to do now to secure the future is remove you from it. Kaneko...”

“Mommy...” Kaneko didn’t know what to say for a moment, before bursting into a bright smile. “Yay, you’re so awesome Mommy. I hope my uncle is too. I’ll do my best to secure this future together with you and live up to my uncle’s hopes. I overlay the level six Gilafer and Level Stealer.” Swelling with pride and happiness, Kaneko reached deep into her heart again for the Numbers that had been her only friends and family for so long. They were still dear to her, as the great floating camera weapon rose (Rk6, ATK 2800). But as she looked at her mother and Jin, and though of the others like her dad and this mysterious awesome uncle she hoped to meet, she was now surrounded by others who loved her too. And although she couldn’t provide a way to defeat Zabarnacht this turn, she could at least destroy the insane Metaion once and for all. “Appear, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_25:_Force_Focus"]Number 25: Fullmetal Photoglide - Focus Force[/url]!”

“Thank you dear” Clarissa smiled before turning back to Zabarnacht. “With this Number, your end will be bought to a crashing halt. Focus Force detaches an overlay unit, and negates all the effects of a level five or higher monster until the end of the turn. Meaning Metaion is just a regular mortal now.” The horseman did not react, but the god suddenly stopped grinning, looking most ugly as Focus Force lined it up for a snapshot, stunning its effect. A little way behind, Jin was cheering. Clarissa and Kaneko stood side by side, arms raised and shouting in unison. “Focus Force, attack and slay the god Metaion!”

Laser fire from the main camera lens fired down on the amazed looking god, piercing straight through the ruby heart and right in its ugly face. The whole body exploded, flaming shards of gemstone flying in all directions. The blast sent Zabarnacht skidding backwards a dozen or so feet, grunting in pain as he tried to shield himself (LP 200). He was on the brink. He was stunned.

“I end my turn” Clarissa said calmly as her podium decelerated back into line with Jin. “You’re through Zabarnacht. Your mad plan for total destruction is going to fail. There’s no shame in losing to us though. You never stood a chance; not when you are fuelled by such twisted bitterness, and we are driven by hope and friendship. It’s over.”

Zabarnacht did not react. He was just standing there, arms hanging by his sides separating the D-Disk combination, oblivious to the world still dying beneath them as he looked at the three Numbers lining him up for the finishing blow. It didn’t appear that defeat was comprehensible. [i]“Four of my Temporal Machine Gods... completely defeated? This is... impossible...”[/i] His draw took place without input, as a second card materialised and partly restored his devastated resources. He was... going to lose?

[i]“...ah hah hah hah hah hahh... ah hah hah hah hah hahh... ah hah hah hah hah hahh!!!”[/i]

“Oh come on” Jin despaired as the low, maniacal chuckling reached them. “I hate it when he does that.”

[i]“You foolish mortals, you think you can erase Death? The unending, eternal keeper of taker of souls and bringer of the final judgement to this wretched world? You thought you could destroy me with your precious memories and hopes of creating new ones with these people you cherish so hollowly? Fools. It is my sole purpose to destroy this world and sweep all its accursed souls into the abyss, and I will not be stopped by your blind misguided words or the monsters you foolishly continue to depend on! I activate Infinite Machine Ain Soph to summon from my hand! Appear, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Sandaion%2C_the_Timelord"]Temporal Machine God Sandaion[/url]!”[/i]

Lightning flashed across the swirl as the last Temporal Machine God flew through the dual rings. This one, another earthy coloured machine, was larger than the others with a bulky main body and cross shaped gemstone of a sandy gold colour, through which a pair of dark brown eyes stared through. The face in the gem was scarred and leering at them with a broad twisted grin; it looked somehow more powerful and evil than the others (Lv10, ATK 0). Below it, Zabarnacht clenched a fist at them.

[i]“Your misplaced hopes and dreams will be shattered by Sandaion, the most destructive god of eternity, leaving you with the nothingness that will save you from crushing reality, for it will only let down and break you. Sandaion will be your destroyer and your liberator from existence!”[/i]

“I don’t think so” Clarissa yelled. “Focus Force activates during either turn, negating its effect!”

A second flash from the camera rendered Sandaion ineffective for this turn. Hopefully. Zabarnacht shrugged it off. [i]“Fine, but Focus Force’s effect only lasts until the end of the turn, and it is now out of overlay units. Also Battle Route does not force me to attack, so I will set one card and end my turn.”[/i]

Looking up at the powerful machine god, Jin gulped. The silence was awkward. It was his turn, but something about it, it filled him with foreboding. “Clarissa. Kaneko. That things bad news isn’t it?”

“Yeah” Kaneko breathed. “That one looks even creepier than Metaion.”

He agreed with her on that front. The aura the god was giving him, as it looked down at this insignificant little boy floating forward all alone on his little podium, it just made him feel cold and numb. There was a horrid wrongness to it. He couldn’t explain why he felt so nervous; he still had the Black Corn after all. All he had to do was use it, and that would finish it. But something just felt like that wouldn’t work. As he drew his card, a trap that wasn’t particularly helpful, he swallowed. “Okay then. Black Corn...”

[i]“That’s not going to work on me a second time”[/i] Zabarnacht suddenly interrupted with malicious glee before he could get to the Black Corn. [i]“I activate the permanent trap [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Infinite_Light_Ain_Soph_Ohr"]Infinite Light Ain Soph Ohr[/url]!”[/i]

Jin and the others froze as the trap pulled back, revealing a third golden ring. The ring floated upwards and joined with the other two, magnetically locking into place. [i]“By sending Ain Soph to the cemetery I can activate the final upgraded form of the god’s power. Soph Ohr has the same abilities as the previous trap in that I can special summon high level monsters from my hand. However Ain Soph’s restriction that lowers their attacks to zero is now lifted, unlocking Sandaion’s full power!”[/i] The horseman laughed at their horrified reactions as suddenly the strength of the machine god skyrocketed to a dizzying four thousand (ATK 4000). [i]“Now Sandaion cannot be defeated by your silly little pirate ship!”[/i]

“Four thousand attack points? But that means... with Battle Route out on the field...” Jin gulped as he took a final look at the trap in his hand, hoping that by some miracle it had changed into something he could use. It hadn’t. It was over. He was going to be forced to attack, and there was nothing that he could do to stop it. He was... going to die. There was no if, but or any doubt about that, it was certain. He was going to die here, now, miles above the surface of a burning planet with only the shocked Clarissa and Kaneko with him, at the hands of this maniac Zabarnacht. It was over.

“Jin” Clarissa breathed. Looking at the scrawny little teenager in the space ahead of her, just standing there staring emptily up at the golden god and powerless to help him, her heart had stopped beating.

“No” Kaneko cried, large pearly tears rolling down her cheeks. “Jin, I’m so sorry. This is my fault. I never meant to get you involved in something like this. I can’t bear to see you die too.”

“It’s not your fault Kaneko.”

Jin turned to face them. He looked... calm. He wasn’t crying or anything. He was shaking a bit, but other than that he was just about managing to keep it together in front of them. Clarissa could tell he was hiding it, she had enough experience to recognise inside he was crumbling with despair. But he refused to show it to her or Kaneko, and he would keep his composure as he spoke to them with honesty.

“I could have run away if I wanted to. A part of me did to begin with, when I first met you. Everything you told me, when you asked me to help you, it blew my mind. I didn’t believe I could help you. It was all so impossible, I couldn’t possibly help you. But you made me believe in myself, and you were so nice to me like no-one else I knew. I don’t know how or why, but I decided to help. It was my choice, and I’m glad I did. I’ve met you and the others, and I’ve seen and grown so much. I was just a scared and lonely kid, but I’m not anymore. I’m not scared, and I’m not alone. And maybe I’ve helped out a little and made a difference with what I’ve done. I’m really glad you found your parents and your friends Kaneko. I’m just sorry I won’t be there to hang out with you after you and Clarissa beat this guy and go home. Because you are going to do that, right?” He looked at them hopefully, neither could respond. Neither of them could promise that. He still didn’t waver though. “Yeah, I know it looks tough right now. But you can do it together. Nothing can stop you two. You’ve both overcome loads; this loony old fart is nothing you can’t handle together.” Jin laughed despite himself. “Just look after each other after I’m gone, okay?” he asked, looking pointedly at the pair of them.

“Jinrei...” Kaneko cried. “Please...”

“Sorry Kaneko, but there’s nothing any of us can do now. If this is as much as I can do, and where it ends for me, then that’s all. Crying about it won’t make a difference. All I can do is go on, and hopefully put a dent in that thing and at least see what it does. You never know, it might not kill me.” He didn’t believe that for a second, but still as Clarissa grabbed her screaming daughter and held her tightly he was able to give them one last forced smile and turn to face the inevitable. If he was going, he’d go swinging. “I set this card, and then proceed to the battle phase. Acid Golem, attack Sandaion.”

Even Acid Golem’s defiant roar sounded half hearted. Outmatched by Sandaion, it struck the gold plated entity full in the face, achieving nothing. The reflected blast of battle damage struck Jin like a hammer, making him dizzy. He’d lost all feeling, along with most of senses (LP 250), but he remained aware just long enough to hear Death’s familiar evil laugh, and inform him as to just how exactly he would perish.

[i]“I commend your display of courage in the face of your demise boy”[/i] he said simply. Well what do you know; a compliment from the embodiment of Death, wonders never ceased. [i]“But courage is a mask quickly stripped off by undying fear, which you will now be relieved from forever. After battle, Sandaions’ effect activates. This deals my opponent direct effect damage to the total of four thousand points!”[/i]

“What!?” Jin shouted in surprise at this insane effect. He didn’t have time to move. He just managed to say the one word and look horrified before the demented god released a blast of divine lightning and thunder straight at him, striking him full on. The blast obliterated his body completely on contact, leaving a shower of starry particles to ascend into the swirl above. In less than a heartbeat, Sakamoto Jinrei was erased from existence by the gods.

“Jinrei!” Kaneko wept and hung limply in Clarissa’s arms as the blood stained podium crumbled and fell to the earth, the Numbers Acid Golem and Black Corn simply faded from existence. Death just stood there watching them, her despair probably fuelled his insane reasoning of world destruction, but she didn’t care. After a lifetime alone with only the Numbers to play with and keep her company, the closest person she’d ever had to a true best friend had just been erased. She continued to cry helplessly into her mother’s arms as she just stood there, numbly hugging her and staring as the evil time god, in the awful position of knowing how she and her daughter were about to die. Because unless she drew something, something amazing, she and Kaneko were about to be killed in the same way. Shakily she managed to draw a card, gave it a seconds glance, and her heart stopped.

[i]‘A trap card. That’s it. It’s all over. We’re doomed.’[/i]

“Kaneko, I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do to stop this.” Without looking up at her the little girl’s crying only increased. She could feel tears rolling down her face to. She couldn’t believe it. After so long trying to find a way to get her daughter back and put her whole life back on track, it was all going to be taken away from her. Pleading to the horseman was going to get them no mercy, there was no-one out here in the middle of the atmosphere above the dying earth who could come and heroically rescue them, there was just nothing they could do with what they had left. They had come so close, agonizingly close to victory and securing their future safely together to spend as they pleased, finding somewhere they could live in peace where she could watch Kaneko grow and be happy again. But all her wishes were going to dashed from reality, along with the wishes of every other person on the planet because of this twisted madman and the heartless machines and the corrupt angels they entombed, and because of her failure. Helplessly she watched the remaining Number Focus Force float forward, firing up its laser, and Zabarnacht standing there revelling in his victory.

[i]“Do you see now Clarissa? On the brink of the end, all the despair you have felt in your life surrounds you, all the suffering washes over you again in one crushing wave, consuming all hope and happiness and leaving you drowning only in sorrow and pain. But you will not have to drown in your despair anymore. You, Kaneko, and the rest of humanity will be delivered into safety now and forever, immune to pain in the beyond of emptiness. Come, there is no shame or guilt to be had with your defeat. It was written in the future for eons, the future that I command, and it ends soon. You were always going to fail against me, there was never any doubt. Death is all that is eternal, and it can never be conquered, not until the very end of reality itself. That time is now. Now come, and be freed from despair.”[/i]

Unable to stop itself, Focus Force fired its laser up at the stronger god. Sandaion shrugged the ineffective attack off before unleashing its horrible counter attack, battering the Number with lightning. Focus Force survived, but the blast slammed into Clarissa as she spun to protect Kaneko. She screamed as it ripped through her, the podium swaying and rocking violently as it was engulfed by the divine energy. Still she remained standing as she held Kaneko, refusing to falter as lightning bolts pierced through her broken back as she shielded her daughter. The lightning paused for a second after the battle, freeing her, she could feel her heart weakly struggling to beat occasionally as she slipped in and out of consciousness, but it was only a temporary reprieve before the finishing blow (LP 50). Somewhere behind her, Death raised his arms to Sandaion to revel in complete victory. [i]“After battle, Sandaion’s effect inflicts damage of four thousand points directly to you. I win.”[/i]

The gold plated god smirked, and raised its arms, firing its divine lightning straight at her.

“Trap activate!” Both Clarissa and Zabarnacht jumped as Kaneko suddenly screamed in anger, reaching out into space in the direction of a card that was just floating there. That had been left floating there, which miraculously revealed the only trap that could save them. “I activate the face down left for us by Jin; [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Damage_Polarizer"]Damage Polarizer[/url]! This reduces effect damage to zero! Then both duelists get to draw a card!” The lightning bolts were about three feet away when they suddenly hit an invisible barrier in front of them, and were deflected.

It took a moment for either adult to react. When he did, Zabarnacht was livid. [i]“You? You little... how did you... how dare you interfere like that you impudent brat! I...”[/i]

“I don’t care!” Kaneko shouted back. “I hate you! You killed all of my friends, all these people who came to protect me, despite not having known me or the danger to themselves. But even after they’ve gone, they still protect us because of the friendship we built so quickly in these desperate times.” She was crying with anger and trembling in Clarissa’s arms, her mother just stunned to still be alive thanks to such an escape. “Jin set that card sure he was going to be killed, hoping that it might be able to protect us afterwards. He asked us to protect each other, and I promise I will. I don’t care if you and your warped god don’t like it, I don’t care about anything at all... I just want my friends and family...”

[i]“Brat!”[/i] Zabarnacht snapped, suddenly punching towards Sandaion. Its face looked down at them with ugly distain, before another bolt of divine lightning launched from it. Broken and caught off guard, Clarissa didn’t move fast enough this time as the smaller bolt caught Kaneko. She screamed in pain for a few seconds, before going limp as the attack ended, unable to move or talk as she took deep desperate breaths. [i]“I should kill you both on the spot for that little act of petulant behaviour. That was just a warning shot for you to teach you some manners. I will not tolerate any further of the sort.”[/i]

Kaneko barely acknowledged him as she tried to numb the pain. However Clarissa, as what had just happened and what Zabarnacht had just done to her precious girl sunk in, went completely over the edge. “You demented bastard! How could you just hurt a child like that, just for trying to protect her loves ones?! How dare you! Even if you are an immortal force, I’m still going to kill you for hurting her!”

[i]“Your compassion is touching”[/i] Zabarnacht replied. [i]“Do you have any idea how ridiculous your threats are in your blind rage? Just consider yourselves fortunate that I was merciful in only hitting you with a small portion of Sandaion’s strength for her insolent behaviour and don’t push my patience further.” [/i]

“And what about your threats huh?!” Clarissa retorted rather unwisely continuing to shout. “If you could do that why not just kill us both off on the spot and be done with it. Your power is unmatchable for me, even with the protection of Numbers. Your Temporal Machine Gods clearly outmatch their power in a straight fight. Why didn’t you just wipe us all out as soon as we set foot here like the pests you see us as and remove our threat to you? Why damn you!?”

[i]“You think very highly of yourself”[/i] Zabarnacht muttered darkly. [i]“You want to know why I didn’t simply erase you all immediately and entertained this duel instead. The answer is simple. Look below you and you will see.”[/i]

Despite herself Clarissa looked. The earth didn’t seem much different, given that it was clearly dying when the duel started. But something about it seemed off. There seemed to be more twisters appearing from the rips in reality, rapidly devastating the places where they appeared. “So?”

[i]“Do you understand how much chaos energy is needed to cause the destruction that is happening down there?”[/i] Zabarnacht asked rhetorically. [i]“Do you at least notice how much the level of destruction has increased over the course of this duel? This is not simply just a matter of time and patience. As more chaos happened and conflicts with the laws of reality, upsetting its balance with an abnormal presence, the more it begins to fail and unravel. Over the course of your self-righteous invasion there was been more and more phantasmal energy poured into this reality, an anomalous force of chaotic wrongness gradually pulling the world apart. All to aid the culmination of my final judgment.”[/i]

Clarissa and Kaneko got there at the same time, to dreadful realisation. If they were right, it would be disastrous. “The Numbers...”

[i]“Exactly”[/i] Zabarnacht nodded smugly. [i]“The Numbers that you have relied upon to protect you and to save your reality have been in actual fact tearing it apart. Their presence is not of this world, they are beings born with a phantasmal power that is unnatural to this worlds being, and reality cannot cope with the chaotic nature of their sudden existence in it. That is why I obtained the four Number cards I did, and created the other horseman to wield them in battle against you. Because every time a Number has been summoned, a little more phantasmal power pours into reality, creating more unbalance in the form of the rips and the twisters feeding the abyss. Each time a Number has been summoned, it has sped up the end of the world. Now it has only minutes left until the critical breaking point of no return is surpassed, and everything is instantly consumed!”[/i] Zabarnacht broke into evil laughter as they stood there in shock.

“You mean... this entire duel... we’ve just been helping you” Kaneko stuttered weakly. “My power... my friends... they are so unnatural that reality itself rejects them... and me...”

“No Kaneko, don’t think like that” Clarissa hushed her as she started crying again, before turning her attention back to the horseman. “So you’ve just been stringing us all along this whole time, playing us like puppets just like Murtagh?”

[i]“Like I said, all of you are pawns in my plans. I have seen everything, I have made my plans carefully on what I have seen, accommodating and manipulating as I needed. Even the defeat of the other horsemen was not without success, as they forced you to summon Numbers and accelerate realities plunging into the abyss. You think your plans to expose my company and rescue your daughter were extensive? I have had almost a decade of planning and building, never resting or stopping once as it was all I had. Even you and Kaneko, with her Numbers and your bloody return with your crusade, were foreseen and used by me. You think you could destroy my company? I am my company! I know everything, I have seen everything, and I will destroy you now, before the rest of reality follows!”[/i]

“Grr, well if you truly see and know everything, then you’ll surely already know that I’m not just going to lie down and die quietly.” Clarissa stood and drew the card that had been waiting produced from her deck by Damage Polarizer. Another not immediately useful trap. ‘[i]Thanks for saving us Jin. I wish I could pay you back by being able to do something against this guy. But I won’t dishonour you by giving up. You or Sakura. I hope you’re both watching us, and know you won’t have died in vain protecting us.’[/i]

“I set two cards face down.” Two reversed cards materialised briefly, while across the field Zabarnacht’s extra card from Jin’s trap materialised in his hand. “Well that’s all very well and good you saying all that, but I think you’ve forgotten something. Now that it’s your turn, your precious god Sandaion is going to be forced back into your deck. We still have a chance to stop you.”

[i]“Hmph, I think not”[/i] he chuckled, making her choke as he drew another card.

Death: LP 200, Hand 2, Field of Sandaion, Battle Route, Cards of Lamentation and Infinite Light Soph Ohr
Clarissa: LP 50, Hand empty, Field of 25: Focus Force and two face downs

[i]“During my standby phase, Sandaion would usually return to my deck” [/i]Zabarnacht pronounced darkly.[i] “However the effect of Infinite Light Ain Soph Ohr overrules. It negates any effects that return monsters to my deck by their own effects. Meaning that Sandaion is not going anywhere.”[/i]

“Oh for goodness sake!” Clarissa yelled as Sandaion refused to budge, smirking more broadly at her. She’d been relying on that. “You really went on a power trip when you created these ridiculous things!”

[i]“It was only fitting that I, creator of the VDS, should become its most powerful duelist and have a deck with these principles in mind. I am the original one, the creator, and therefore I am the ender of it all too. Now Sandaion, attack Focus Force and finish everything once and for all!”[/i]

“I don’t think so!” Clarissa shouted back, suddenly a bit more relieved with what she’d drawn. “I activate the trap [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Threatening_Roar"]Threatening Roar[/url]. This prevents any of your monsters attacking this turn!”

[i]“Still you evade the inevitable by a hair’s breadth” [/i]Zabarnacht grumbled in frustration.[i] “It’s futile. I set two cards which confirm that fact. There is nothing you can do to stop me and the final judgement now.”[/i]

“We’ll just see about that! Kaneko darling, you willing to give this fight one more go?”

Kaneko took a big gulp to stop herself from crying and nodded, recovered enough to float off and fly just beside her mother again as they flew across the struggling planet, allowing her to draw her next card. She needed something good, and this was a start. “I draw and activate the magic card, ‘Beginning of the End’! Because there are so many dark monsters in my cemetery, I can banish five of them from play to draw three new cards!” Snatching a handful of cards, she got two of her Inverz, and just the card she needed to maybe, just maybe, get rid of that twisted god for good. [i]‘I’ve got you this time.’[/i]

“I activate the effect of [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Stygian_Street_Patrol"]Stygian Hell Patrol[/url] from my cemetery. By banishing it from play, I can special summon a fiend type monster with two thousand attack or less from my hand. I elect to summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Gatekeeper"]Inverz Gatekeeper[/url]. Then by releasing Focus Force, I can advance summon [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Mantis"]Inverz Madith[/url]!” The respective tributes, Focus Force and the demonic biker from hell, disappeared to make way for the dark insects arrival, the familiar mantis (Lv5, ATK 2200) and a hard shelled beetle-like creature (Lv4, ATK 1500). “Now because Madith is level five, I can have Level Stealer special summon itself again by its own effect.”

[i]“Such a pathetic array of useless monsters”[/i] Zabarnacht dismissed the small bug carelessly as it reappeared, lowering Madith’s level by one in the process. [i]“Well, everything is pathetic before Sandaion. Have you forgotten Battle Route forces them to plough hopelessly into my immortal being?”[/i]

“Providing its still on the field of course” Clarissa replied sweetly, revealing her trap that surprised the horseman and god to see. “But it won’t be after I activate this, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/A%20Major%20Upset"]Stunning Upset[/url]! By releasing the low level monster Level Stealer, all level seven or higher monsters are returned to the owner’s hand. Your god is about to fall in the most humiliating circumstances to a tiny bug, just like you are.”

[i]“You really think you can pull off such an audacious move?”[/i] Zabarnacht spat. [i]“There is going to be no god killing here! [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Bribe"]Dark Shrine Bribery[/url] negates your trap card, protecting Sandaion.”[/i]

“However your trap lets me draw another card” Clarissa retorted without hesitation, swiping bloody- mindedly at her deck. Despite the failure of that trap, she had expected it. And unless he had a second one, it would make no difference. “I set a card, then activate the drawn [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Card_of_Reversal"]Treasure Cards of Reversal[/url]. Because there are no cards in my hand, I can draw a number of cards equal to the number you have face up on the field, to a maximum of three.”

Three more cards were drawn. Amongst them was the card she needed, just to be absolutely certain. Hopefully she could finish this quickly, before things got irreversible, but it was risky. If they wanted to secure the future, they might need to take a gamble on it. She looked to Kaneko for answers. “I know what he said about what your power is doing, but it’s a hopeless situation without it. You think the world can survive one last time?”

Kaneko swallowed. She wasn’t sure; there was no way she could be. But she nodded.

“Alright, here we go. I activate the effect of Inverz Gatekeeper. Because I advanced summoned a monster while it was present on the field, I can normal summon one more time.” The spindly figure of [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Steelswarm_Caller"]Inverz Caller[/url] appeared beside the others (Lv4, ATK 1700). “Now I will call on Kaneko’s unique gift one last time to overlay my three monsters, and the only thing it’s going to destroy is you. Do it!”

“Okay. I overlay my mom’s monsters. Xyz summon!” The three black insect’s spirits dissolved and smashed into the golden vortex, from which rose a triangular seal. The seal broke and opened, to give birth to the purplish-red aquatic dragon, screeching venomously at the horseman, bent on revenge and destruction. “[url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_32:_Shark_Drake"]Number 32: Marine Biting Dragon Shark Drake[/url]!” (Rk4, ATK 2800)

[i]“You know that this will further accelerate the demise of your precious existence, yet you proceed regardless”[/i] Zabarnacht spluttered. [i]“And you waste it on this Number? What are you planning?”[/i]

“It’ll be alright, he won’t need to be here for long” Clarissa smiled. “I activate the trap card [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Dimension_Slice"]Dimension Slide[/url]. Because I’ve special summoned a monster, I can target one face up monster you control and banish it immediately.”

[i]“What?!”[/i] For the first time, Zabarnacht was stunned as the trap card opened and revealed itself. [i]“But you only set that card this turn...”[/i]

“Yeah, but because the monster I summoned was an Xyz monster, I can activate Dimension Slide during the turn it was set” Clarissa smirked slyly. “Don’t complain to me about traps with weird activation timings, not when you’ve been activating them from hand and cemetery. Now it’s goodbye Sandaion.”

Sandaion looked amazed for a second before a smoky portal enveloped it, fading away to leave only empty space, gone forever. Zabarnacht just stood there in numb shock, as Clarissa and Kaneko reached out to the snarling red dragon. “You’re finished! Attack directly Shark Drake! Depth Bite!”

The dragon snarled and hurtled towards the horseman, unleashing a breath of dark energy. Desperately, he reacted. [i]“I’m not finished yet you insolent pests! I activate [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/The_Fool%27s_Ruling"]The Fool's Ruling[/url]; reducing all damage to zero this turn!”[/i]

“Damn it” Clarissa grimaced as the attack was rendered ineffective. They didn’t have much time left, the destruction below was getting worse, and their best chance had gone. Beside her Kaneko just floated, equally frustrated. “Kaneko, we need something else. Do you think we can do what Murtagh did?”

Kaneko gasped as she realised to what she was referring. “I don’t know... I’m sorry mommy, I don’t think I have the strength. And something of that power, it’s an awful risk.”

“I know darling, but it’s one we have to take. With our spirits combined, supporting each other, I think we can do it. We have to try.” Kaneko took a deep breath; her mother was relying on her to do this with her. She would be with her. Eventually, she agreed. “Alright, together then. One more time!”

“Alright. We overlay Shark Drake. Chaos Xyz Change!” Kaneko shouted, floating back to back against her mother and reaching out to the giant dragon for help. The beast roared and sank into an opening portal, a great golden vortex that exploded with power. Immediately both girls found their little remaining strength drained, something dark pulsing through their bodies and overflowing into their minds. It was a dangerous move, but they fought it as a crystal like seal rose, giving birth to the great white dragon of chaos! “Appear unlimited fury and power to sink all challengers! [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Number_C32:_Shark_Drake_Veiss"]Chaos Number 32: Marine Biting Dragon Shark Drake Vice[/url]!” The dragon snarled in reply as it took a defensive position (Rk4, DEF 2100).

“Kaneko, thank you” Clarissa gasped, swaying slightly. “I won’t let this power corrupt me like Murtagh. I will keep strong for you, always. I set two cards and end my turn. Now Zabarnacht, if you still want this destruction, try and fight us with the power we’ve achieved through our unbreakable relationship!”

“Yeah, you won’t beat us” Kaneko added. “This power we’ve formed through the love between mother and daughter and propelled by all our friends, it is unconquerable. No amount of despair or hatred can ever overcome this kind of light! It’s probably too late for you to see that now, but that’s why we fight!”

Zabarnacht just stood there in the middle of space, looking at them, his pale armour glistening with its own aura. The whole suit was shaking, as if he was either overcome by great stress, or insurmountable anger. The gemstone glistened and a card appeared in his hand, which he looked at, before to their dread unlocking his D-Disk to hold the shining card high, his words rumbling like thunder.

[i]“Love? Friendship? These values are breakable and betrayed. All that is certain and unquestionable is death, and I will deliver you from your blind persistence to it now, once and for all. Because I control no monsters, having summoned all ten Temporal Machine Gods, I can activate the final effect of Infinite Light Ain Soph Ohr. By sending it to the cemetery, I can special summon this ultimate deity, one who will destroy your precious ideals. Behold it; the final judgement in all its glory, in physical form...”[/i]

The golden rings shattered and crumbled as lightning flashed across the sky, and in their wake emerged the shadow of another, eleventh Temporal Machine God. The high deity; much bigger and grander than the rest. Kaneko gasped as it took full shape. Its heavily plated body was mostly gold, as were the grand arch like wings, along with a black main body and cobalt pendulum. However the pane at the centre was an unnerving human pink, and trapped inside was an elderly man with white hair and beard, a wise sagely looking elder. For Kaneko, although it wasn’t him, it looked disturbingly like her sensei Orion. The god descended, arms spread, staring emptily down at these heretics to its dominance (Lv10, ATK 4000), whilst below it, Zabarnacht broke into his grandest laugh of insanity. [i]“This will end it. Cower before me you [/i][i]worthless infidels, and bow before the might of [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Sephylon%2C_the_Ultimate_Timelord"]Ultimate Temporal Machine God Sephiron[/url]!”[/i]

They did neither. Kaneko just gulped and grabbed her mother, Clarissa held her tightly as she looked up at the god. Its aura filled her with fear. More fear than anything else she had seen that day, even in this duel. She couldn’t move or even speak as they flew helplessly after it, and it was only about to get worse as Zabarnacht went for the jugular. [i]“Sephiron activates his effect! This special summons angel type monsters from my hand, deck or cemetery. And the attack points of all the monsters summoned becomes four thousand! Rise again my gods and unleash your fury!”[/i] Four portals opened and the now comparatively tiny Metaion, Gabrion, Raphion and Camion returned, all revelling in their terror and seeming supremely confident (ATK 4000). [i]“Also, Sephiron gains attack equal to the combined total of all the other monsters on the field!”[/i]

Clarissa gasped as she and the horrified Kaneko watched Sephiron’s attack sky rocket to extortionate levels (ATK 20,000). In her short time as avatar, Kaneko had seen nothing like this. This was impossible. How were they meant to defeat this? “That’s... that’s insane! There’s... mommy, what do we do?”

[i]“You perish and disappear!”[/i] Zabarnacht shouted, as the elder god aimed a golden plated arm in their direction. [i]“Sephiron attacks, and it negates the effects of the monsters it battles, leaving your dragon hopeless against it. Now decimate that dragon and erase those two!”[/i]

It probably wouldn’t matter that Shark Drake was in defence. It probably wouldn’t matter that it was a Number and wouldn’t be destroyed. If Zabarnacht was attacking with it he must be confident in its power to do something, and with such attack strength it was hard to doubt. If this attack went ahead, if that mechanical angel was allowed to unleash its godly might, then they and half the earth would likely all be erased immediately regardless of any actual card rulings. Terrified and with Kaneko yelling in her ears, Clarissa desperately snatched at her D-Disk. “Trap card, [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Super_Junior_Confrontation"]Super Junior Showdown[/url]! This negates this attack on my monster!” Mercifully, Sephiron lowered its hand and the light glowing in the palm faded.

[i]“You might have saved your skin from Sephiron, but your reprieve is only temporary” [/i]Death roared.[i] “Super Junior Showdown forces the monster with the lowest attack points I control to attack now. All of my monsters outmatch your Shark Drake, and as they are all tied at four thousand I can choose freely. Go Raphion; attack Shark Drake Vice and use your effect to erase this meddlesome pair and this accursed reality forever!” [/i]The emerald plated god floated forward, charging its wind based attack.

“Other face down, instant magic [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Enemy_Controller"]Enemy Controller[/url]” Clarissa yelled over the building storm. “This switches Raphion into defence mode!” The wind died as Raphion was deterred. “Now after this one attack, Super Junior Showdown shuts the battle phase down entirely!”

[i]“You are most persistent Clarissa” [/i]Zabarnacht said calmly despite his latest failure to finish her off, folding his powerful arms once more in an authoritive manner.[i] “But you have no hope left now. You have used everything you have, and all it has succeeded in doing is delaying your demise. But it won’t happen again. There is nothing you can do against Sephiron and the other empowered gods he leads. There is nothing you can do against me. Death will never end, not until all of reality ceases to exist. Something which is barely minutes away now. All of your suffering will end in moments. It’s over.”[/i]

“Mommy” Kaneko whispered, clutching Clarissa tightly. “I’m scared.”

“I’m scared too sweetie. But it’s alright that you’re scared.” The girl was shocked by her mother’s admission as she tried to sooth her. What did she mean it was alright? “We all get scared sometimes. Even your father and me. You being scared makes you human. And not running from things that make you scared makes you especially brave. You are so special Kaneko.” Kaneko accepted the hug.

“Do you think there’s any way we can beat that thing?”

“I don’t know. But we have to try. Everyone is relying on us. I’m... I’m not giving up now. I’ve come too far... I’ve lost too much. I refuse to accept Death like this! You hear me over there? I will beat you!”

Slowly Clarissa placed her hand on her deck, and Kaneko placed her hand upon hers. Both girls closed their eyes and wished together, high in space above the dying world, praying for help. Reaching out to the spirits of all their lost loved ones; Jin and Sakura and Wilhelm and Orion and the rest, and the others hopefully still with them, putting all their combined feelings and hopes into this one last shot for the future. As they prayed Kaneko thought of everything she had ever experienced, had ever known and all the people she’d met, and as she thought all of those feelings poured into the top card. Slowly the card started to glow. As it did Clarissa felt suddenly warm inside, as something touched her heart. She had no idea what it was, but something felt... awakened. And far below them on the devastated remains of Japan, riding his bike at breakneck speed across the city, Daiki gasped as he felt the same feeling pour through him from nowhere. He didn’t know what it was, but somehow he knew it was Clarissa and Kaneko reaching out to him and the others. He stopped, in the middle of the destroyed city all alone, and he prayed for them. The feelings in Kaneko grew, and the card she was touching glowed brighter and pulsed as it changed. All their hearts and wishes combined, Clarissa acted as their arm, and drew.

The draw was wondrous. This card Kaneko had created, if it worked, was a saviour. It was a miracle.

“I activate the effect of Shark Drake Vice” Clarissa declared. “By detaching an overlay unit and banishing a monster from my cemetery, the attack of one monster on the field is reduced to zero.”

[i]“Irrelevant. Sephiron cannot be targeted by your monsters effect”[/i] Zabarnacht sniffed dismissively.

Clarissa though just smirked. “Who said I was going after Sephiron? The monster I was targeting was Metaion. It can be targeted, and with its attack reduced, so is Sephiron’s.” Indeed Metaion lost its strength as Critter’s spirit appeared and passed through it, and with it Sephiron’s dipped (ATK 16,000). “Vice’s effect isn’t restricted to just once a turn. So by continually detaching all of its units and banishing the respective monsters, I can reduce the attacks of the other three to nought as well.”

One by one Shark Drake launched its effect and the banished Inverz’ ghosts into each of the machine god’s, each one losing their power and with it, little by little, Sephiron got weaker and weaker until finally, as the original Number itself was banished, it was only thing with any attack left (ATK 4000). Zabarnacht remained impervious. [i]“This is futile. You still cannot harm any of them with their attacks lowered, and their effects still apply, and Sephiron is still stronger.”[/i]

“Not for long” Kaneko said, siding with Clarissa and joining their voices as one as she held up the glowing card. “With this miracle, born from our feelings and those of the others, we will beat you. We equip the Chaos Number we control with this monster from our hand; the spear of justice [url="http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/ZW_-_Unicorn_Spear"]Zexal Weapon Unicorn Spear[/url]!” From the stars far above burst a shower of light, from which galloped a golden unicorn with flaming wings (Lv4, ATK 1900). As it raced towards the shark dragon, it transformed into a spear! “This weapon of light boosts the attack of the equipped monster by nineteen hundred, putting Vice above Sephiron!” (ATK 4400)

[i]“What is this?!”[/i] Zabarnacht spluttered in disbelief. This... this couldn’t be! [i]“This is nonsense!”[/i]

“This is over!” Clarissa shouted. She had to hope this would work. They still didn’t know everything about Sephiron, this could fail. No, this wouldn’t fail. “Shark Darke Vice, attack Sephiron and destroy Real Duel, the corrupt gods, the abyss and the madness of Death once and for all. Chaos Depth Bite!”

[i]“No! I won’t let you!”[/i] Death roared back, his voice for the first time notably panicked. [i]“Sephiron’s final effect activates. When it is attacked it can send another machine god to the cemetery to protect it, and reduce the battle damage to zero!” [/i]Clarissa gasped as the elder god went to defend itself.

“Nah ah, this is over!” Kaneko yelled. “Unicorn Spear effect counters. When the monster it’s equipped to attacks, no effects can be activated for the duration of the battle. Rendering Sephiron and you... mortal!” Screaming furiously Shark Drake took the spear and threw it at Sephiron, past the blocking Camion and straight into the armour, knocking it backwards. “Finish it! CHAOS DEPTH BITE!!”

A million streams of dark energy shot out of the chaotic Number and rocketed towards the amazed god. Each bullet smashed into the glass pane, exploding as the heart shattered and the spirit inside died. The excess bullets dispersed and smashed into the other four gods, each one blowing up one after the other outwards in one spectacular chain reaction. Still screeching with rage as the twisted metal and broken gemstones fell into nothingness, Vice released a second stream of dark energy rounds, all of them honing straight in on the stationary, powerless Death. With outrageous force they all buried into him relentlessly, pounding into his shaking, shimmering armour, as Zabarnacht screamed in pain (LP 0).

[i]“D-Defeated? This... this cannot be! A decade of planning, I... I can’t fail now! I was meant to be eternal, until the end. You meddling... it’s too late anyway! The judgement is unstoppable now!”[/i] Zabarnacht’s voice wavered as his body started to lose shape, the glimmering gauntlets and two part D-Disk blades turning to stars and floating upwards.[i]“I-I-Impossible! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”[/i]

Before their eyes Shinawatra Zabarnacht’s entire body faded away along with his dying screams, as he was absorbed into his own abyss. He was gone.

“I... I can’t believe it!” Kaneko breathed as the mighty Chaos Number Vice faded out of reality. “The original avatar and leader of Real Duel, we really beat him. We won!” Delighted she hugged her mother, who exhausted with emotion and the almighty battering she’d taken just held her numbly and laughed. And cried. And breathed a huge sigh of relief.

They were quickly shaken out of this moment by a huge explosion below. Looking down in panic, things were getting really critical. The twisters were out of control, bursting into life all over the place fuelled by the abnormal energy swirling around and tearing up everything within reach. Kaneko gulped. “The destruction of the planet, it’s still happening. Even with him gone.”

“We’ve got to get back to the castle, and find the converter” Clarissa decided quickly, realising the floating podium was still hurtling along but was changing direction. “It’s our only chance.”

The castle came back into sight within a minute, but it was still the longest minute ever endured by anyone in history. A minute was not time they could spare, not when the world had barely any, barely seconds left to cling on before reality collapsed. Clarissa was starting to feel weird as the podium homed in on its base; even Kaneko looked pale and lost for energy. As the podium landed back on top of the castle they hurtled inside, down into Death’s personal chamber on nothing but instinct and praying in blind luck they’d find it, until they burst through a door hidden behind the throne and came across the dark machine of Murtagh’s creation. Clarissa’s heart stopped. It was sat there in silence, completely dead. Kaneko however flew up onto the top plate, and examined the Numbers Grid that powered it. There she saw some remaining hope.

“They’re all here” she said, pointing at the returned Destiny Leo in the bottom right. “They’re all back together, all one hundred of them. We could use them to power the machine and reverse it, undoing the conversion; we just need to give it a kick start to get it going.”

“Okay, so how do we do that?” Clarissa asked. “It’s broken; it would take a colossal amount of energy to restart. Where can we get the energy from?” Kaneko searched around, then summoned her D-Disk.

“We’ll need everything we have” she said. “Every phantasmal monster we possess. Please, aid us.” At her command, the guardian angels Tiras and Adreus appeared beside her, along with the mighty Galaxy Eyes on the other side. Each phantasm connected with the machine and poured their divine essence into it, and the Number Grid slowly lit up. The machine shuddered and coughed. “Ooh, not enough.”

“Let me help” Clarissa tried to sound encouraging, flicking through her deck. She did not have much in the way of true phenoms beside those already present, the king Inverz Greys and the reborn Unicorn Spear would have to do. They had to. They also poured their energy into the machine, which started to hum as the Number Grid glowed brighter. Still not enough. They had one last chance. Kaneko reached into her heart once more with one more prayer, and a starry portal opened above them. The great Neo Galaxy Eyes crashed through, snarling orchestrally and slamming its mighty claws onto the top of the plate, shaking the castle, pouring its universal power into it. Still the machine spluttered and whirred, trying to start as the limply hanging satellite disk on the end began to move. Desperate Kaneko started to pull at the metal, trying to pull it upright, only stopped by soft hands that wrapped around her.

“Kaneko” Clarissa whispered. “If this works, and the reality the world knew before and your reality of the VDS are separated along with the abyss, what will happen to you? Real Duel was destroyed along with the system, and the abyss might still destroy whatever is left of its remains. And... and Murtagh said that you no longer were part of our world. Would you... what will happen to you?”

“I... I don’t know” Kaneko admitted. She was welling up at the thoughts of what might be about to happen. “But we can’t think about it. This whole thing is about to go up. I’m so sorry mommy.”

“Don’t be, I should be sorry” Clarissa soothed her. With her daughter in one arm and using all her remaining strength, she pulled at the leaning satellite. “Despite everything, this time we’ve had together, I’ll never forget it. I don’t want to be separated from you again. Please Kaneko.” She gasped as she looked at her beautiful, teary eyed mother. “You’re right; we must do this and get this machine, no matter what the cost to us. Please use my energy as well, and save the future.”

Kaneko gulped, but nodded. “Not you. Both of us.”

“I love you.”

Something behind them roared, as Neo Galaxy Eyes grabbed the disc and pulled it upright. The whole machine was glowing; the whole of everything they could see was glowing as the grid fully lit up, all of Kaneko’s soulful allies lending their power as they all combined their energy, pouring it all into the tip of the disk that was beginning to charge. Things were exploding. The end was seconds away. Holding each other tightly, Clarissa kissing Kaneko on the forehead, they were united together in this last desperate act as the machine finally reached full power. The laser tip fired, and everything whited out.

...

The sky flashed white. Everything went white, blinding all remaining life on the surface for a long thirty seconds. When the veil of nothingness cleared and they were able to see again, those still on the surface looked up at the sky above them in amazement. The stars were shining high above, and for those on the other side of the planet, the sun hung brightly in a clear, cloudless sky. The swirl of death was gone.

08:59:58... 08:59:59... 09:00:00..[/spoiler]

[Aerion Brightflame]

Ok, well the first thing is, I'm assuming that there are going to be extra chapters. Becuase you said. Time is [b]almost [/b]up. At least, I hope there are

[spoiler='JI ENDO']
Sooo. Lets run through my thoughts.

For starters, it didn't suck. So HOORAH. The duel flowed well, kinda reminded of Z-ONE, but at least you killed the Time Lords. You out did Yusei.
Jin's death was so very touching, and unexpected. I mean... I really didn't expect it, and it set up a lovely 'I'm a demigod so feth you' moment for Kaneko.
Super Junior Confrontation has to be my favourite card used in the entire fic. For some reason it just made me laugh. I just get flashbacks to the Kuriboh off in GX.
Shark Drake Vice was very nicely handled, and I didn't expect that to be the finisher, though ZW appearing was kinda to be expected. At least it was kept to a minimum in the fic, and not Lets make something broken for the sake of it.
The twist where the Numbers were destroying the world was actually brilliant, becuase it just made Death seem much more badass. I mean the fact he managed to bait them into destroying the world was amazing. And yes, Death has stopped being generic for me now, and its a very, very good thing.
My one issue was... its kinda not wrapped stuff up? I mean, even though I hope there's the extra chapters going, you have left it on a massive cliffhanger, and not given us anything about any of the others... I wanna know dude

And if you asked me to compare it to Armageddon, I have to say, Armageddon was better personally, becuase it had Erin's sacrifice, which was just plain amazing. Don't get me wrong, this was amazing as well, but... Neh I have my gripes.
[/spoiler]

But I do have to say dude, well done. I mean, you've completed 2 frankly insanely good fics and put a lot of effort into them. And I know everyone who helped at any point is happy they did given how great you've made it. I'll probably do a whole fic review fairly soon. I may even reread the whole thing.

[Brinolovania]

[spoiler= The last of the spoilers! Well, maybe]
Amazing. First thing I have to say, that was awesome. Jin's death was more moving than Sakura's (poor Jin ), and the endgame of Clarissa and Kaneko vs Death was epic. Shark Drake Vice as the final trump card was a surprise, but it was an awesome one (screw you, Yuma! Shark was better than you all along!) Technically, Unicorn Spear can only equip Hope Ray, but in the context of the fic it's completely fine the way you did it.

I do assume you're not quite done yet. Clarissa and Kaneko seem to be dead, but who knows? Dai's pursuit of Garvan was never finished, and there does need to be some general conclusion on things. I expect we'll be seeing an epilogue soon.

Anyway, like I said, awesome. And amazing. And some other positive descriptive words I can't be bothered to type.
[/spoiler]