[LOCK PLEASE] [The Final Episode] Yu-Gi-Oh! D-Accel: Episode 74/75: The Ultimate End Game

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

Just for the record, it's observant, not observative.

 

Nevertheless, a short chapter, but crucial for the story, and it raises an interesting point; why are the El Nombre Trio working for Lucien? Dos and Tres seem to have nothing against the protagonists, they don't have emotions (so you say, but Unos seemed pretty pissed a few chapters ago), and they seem to gain nothing from the plan, so what's in it for them, if anything? Don't answer, cause I have a feeling that this will be explained later. Just an interesting point.

 

Keep on truckin'

[Synchronized]

Just for the record, it's observant, not observative.

 

Nevertheless, a short chapter, but crucial for the story, and it raises an interesting point; why are the El Nombre Trio working for Lucien? Dos and Tres seem to have nothing against the protagonists, they don't have emotions (so you say, but Unos seemed pretty pissed a few chapters ago), and they seem to gain nothing from the plan, so what's in it for them, if anything? Don't answer, cause I have a feeling that this will be explained later. Just an interesting point.

 

Keep on truckin'

 

I'm not even sure the Chapter was all that short compared to the others, at least not length-wise.  The fact that it was mostly dialogue and exposition is probably what made it feel like a faster read.  It had been somewhat short, but I extended it before I posted it because I didn't want to throw it off balance too much.

 

Like you said yourself, those answers will be coming forward soon, when you consider the fact that we officially have less than 30 episodes left until it's all over, which if I keep up at the pace I'm going at now will be before the end of April.

[Randomflyingobjects]

Thank the heavens for your table of contents. After reading the reply about Hayate dying a not-so-obvious death, I went back and found that chapter. As it appears, his apprentice (Kimora) turns into an evil psychopath maniac, who uses a demon (or turns into a demon) and knocks him off a cliff. 

 

So how he survived was probably something that's going to be explained later.

 

Anyway, for the chapter itself: Serious character development. After about two paragraphs, I was really liking Tres, who wasn't the typical villain. He just casually put on his duel disk, and didn't even bother taunting Calle. That's where things are in real-life duels... I mean, besides the high stakes, questions about the other's true intentions behind dueling, and a spear that comes out of nowhere and knocks the other guy's shoulder off.

 

But really, I wasn't expecting that... another interference with another duel. Let me guess... it turns out that Kiryu was just using the spears to get Calle and Tres's attention, so he can duel Tres for himself. Then, a similar thing happens against Unos, but then at some point Lucien gets control over Kiryu's mind and Kiryu duels Calle, Xiael, and all of Hayate's minions, finishes off Hayate, then proceeds to duel everybody that's been mentioned in the story so far (who hasn't died yet), and in the end, realizes that Lucien is the real enemy and takes out him, as well as all of CLEAR.

[Synchronized]

Thank the heavens for your table of contents. After reading the reply about Hayate dying a not-so-obvious death, I went back and found that chapter. As it appears, his apprentice (Kimora) turns into an evil psychopath maniac, who uses a demon (or turns into a demon) and knocks him off a cliff. 

 

Something like that.  I don't remember him falling off a cliff, but something along those lines, it was meant to look like he was killed.  Just for the record, Kimora doesn't 'become' a demon, she is taken over by it.

 

So how he survived was probably something that's going to be explained later.

 

That's the plan.  Now that the story is winding down, everything will be answered.

 

Anyway, for the chapter itself: Serious character development. After about two paragraphs, I was really liking Tres, who wasn't the typical villain. He just casually put on his duel disk, and didn't even bother taunting Calle. That's where things are in real-life duels... I mean, besides the high stakes, questions about the other's true intentions behind dueling, and a spear that comes out of nowhere and knocks the other guy's shoulder off.

 

I've actually heard good things from more than one person about the interaction between Tres and Calle, so I'm glad that worked out well.  The second part of the episode will (hopefully) continue and build on that interaction.

 

But really, I wasn't expecting that... another interference with another duel. Let me guess... it turns out that Kiryu was just using the spears to get Calle and Tres's attention, so he can duel Tres for himself. Then, a similar thing happens against Unos, but then at some point Lucien gets control over Kiryu's mind and Kiryu duels Calle, Xiael, and all of Hayate's minions, finishes off Hayate, then proceeds to duel everybody that's been mentioned in the story so far (who hasn't died yet), and in the end, realizes that Lucien is the real enemy and takes out him, as well as all of CLEAR.

 

That's...a bit over the top and would (in my opinion) be a terrible way to conclude the story, but I won't say whether or not you're wrong or right there.  All I can say is, definitely keep reading and those questions will be answered.

[Synchronized]

[spoiler=Episode 57: An Unlikely Alliance!  The Smarts and the Resilience!]
There were two options, two plans of attack.  Guaranteed, one of them would end much better than the other.  Why?  Because one of them would end in guaranteed failure.  There was only one move they could make that would allow them to stand a chance.  Trapped in the dark confines of the forest, visibility was low and movement in fast bursts was entirely impossible.  In some circumstances, this could actually be a benefit.

If only their opponent wasn't fighting long-range, that is.  With the assassin's main approach of attack being that spear, which could somehow conceal itself until it was within close enough range that moving out of the way to dodge would be useless, they were virtually standing targets.  Tres had got lucky and managed to stop the attack once, but obviously the attacker would change up his strategy next time around; they wouldn't get lucky twice.

"Putting yourself out here in the open, which might have saved my life, was a tactic very much out of your norm," Calle said.  He was still a bit shaken up from the near-death experience, but he'd recovered fairly well.  "For that reason, I hope you've got some kind of plan."

Tres said nothing for a moment.  He'd let go of the spear, and the assassin had retracted it once more.  Calle's point was valid; he had given away their only chance of a surprise attack.  But, as he'd come to realize, letting Calle die before they were able to duel was not a possibility.  He needed him alive, no matter what.  That being said, he did have a plan.

"I do have a plan, but it's what you humans might refer to as 'unorthodox'," he replied.  Certainly he'd grabbed Calle's attention, as the boy turned around to face him.  "Obviously, his tactics are not to fight us face-to-face.  If we can get within a range where we can see him, then we should have a reasonably easy time mounting a comeback.  I'd be willing to bet he's aware of this, and that is the reason he has concealed himself so well."

"I agree," Calle said.  "In between nearly dying and trying to stay alive, I picked up on the fact that his fighting style must be intentionally done to compensate for a weakness in terms of hand to hand combat.  The problem is, I don't think he's going to allow us to get anywhere near him."

One of the first things Tres had been taught upon the beginning of his training was the fact that no battle, regardless of the scale, has a clear-cut approach to victory.  For a while, he'd never been able to understand what that meant.  It was simple, really; you simply kill your enemies and move on to the next battle.  Or at least that's what he'd thought.  It had been his mindset until the trainers had thrust him into a situation where he would either emerge victorious, or die in the process.

---

"It is time," a middle-aged blonde woman, her face concealed as was the standard for the combat instructors, barged into Tres' barracks, waking him from what had been a half-sleep.  The stress had been weighing on his mind, this was the finale, the culmination of all of his training.  It would all pay off here.  "Now, get up, you're expected on the battlefield in three minutes.  Failure to arrive will result in instant termination."

He sat up quickly, nearly falling to the floor as he scrambled to get his things together.  The woman had only stayed long enough to make her announcement before showing herself out.  He threw on his uniform and hurried out the door, rushing towards the examination field.

Two minutes later, he'd arrived, with about thirty seconds to spare.  Only one of the trainers, a head official, had remained.  "Where are the others?"  Tres had asked.

"The others?  The final examination process is carried out one student at a time," he said, his face unchanged.  "As you were the one with the highest scores in training, you were to be the last one that would be tested.  The others, every single one of them, failed the examination."

Every single one of them had failed?  The standards were high, he'd known that, but to think that out of the group of twenty warriors, not even one could have passed?  Without even noticing it, he found his hands shaking, nerves beginning to set in.  Whatever it was, he would pass it.  He didn't come this far just to fail, he wasn't like the others.  He had made it his goal to get out of this awful program, to be able to escape the Mid-World, or at least this part, and become someting more.  And this was the only thing stopping him.

"Whether or not you are ready, the examination will now begin."  The man said, before disappearing, leaving Tres alone in the field.

As he stood, the calm breeze coasting across his face, he wondered what exactly the examination was.  It didn't take long to get his answer, as a series of shuriken were hurled in his direction, almost unavoidable in speed; he'd barely been able to  dodge them.  Where had they come from?  The field was so open, they could've come from any direction, and at that speed, trying to figure it out was impossible.

No one had told him anything.  As the fight picked up in intensity, the proctors were holding nothing back.  He was in the open field, being targeted with various weapons, like they were actually trying to kill him.  What was the objective?  It didn't make any sense!  How could he fight against an enemy he couldn't see?!

Continuing to dodge, he found himself growing tired, weary even.  The longer the 'test' went on, the greater the number of weapons became, almost doubling.  It was crazy.  Soon, he found himself growing frustrated, and losing focus.  This was just an endless cycle of dodging attacks, this wasn't a test at all.  As his focus dwindled, so did his precision in dodging.

And that was when it hit him.  One of the shuriken, he hadn't seen it coming, and it clipped him hard on his left shoulder, slicing a huge cut in the side of his arm.  Once one had hit, the rest followed in succession, creating about fifteen wounds on his body in a matter of seconds.  The pain was absolutely excruciating, and he knew that within minutes another round would be fired.

His entire body was soaked with blood; he could barely move.  What kind of examination was this?  Had the others gone through something similar?  If the objective was to stay alive, and all the others failed...did that mean he was the only one of his class left alive?  "To kill all of them...what kind of sick and twisted stunt was this..."  He couldn't believe it, that the organization would just allow all of those students to die...

It was then he remembered the words he'd been told at the beginning of his training;

"When all is said and done, and you have completed this course and graduated, to the point where you are certified as a fighter by the Mid-World's standards, you will be able to use all of your abilities to the fullest extent, though perhaps not right away.  Some take far longer than others to evolve.  The most important thing you will learn is that there is no clear-cut approach to victory.  If you focus solely on winning by killing your opponent as quickly as possible, you might as well just lay there and die."

He wouldn't die.  Not here.  Not now, not in this twisted system.  Spirits were regarded as nothing more than statistics outside of those in power, and he had promised himself that he would not fall in line with that standard.  He would not, no matter what!  

Inexplicably, he felt a rush of energy overtake him, something he'd never felt before.  His senses heightened, his strength increased, the wounds covering his body began to close.  "This power...this test...all of this training is not what's made me who I am...it is the desire to be something different, THAT is what propels me!"  He stood up, allowing the next round of attacks to strike him directly, ignoring the pain.

"1st Stage: Tengukoshiro!"  Visualizations appeared in his mind, pathways, he could sense them all completely clearly.  With each weapon that had struck him, his mind had traced the attack back to its original destination, the source - the proctor.  Where the attacks were coming from, each one, the shurikens being thrown within seconds of one another, it was all crystal clear.  He had been able to break down the path.  "I found you."

Kneeling down, he picked up one of the shuriken that had struck him.  With that one weapon, he'd end this.  Leaping into the air and following the path his mind had laid out for him, he hurled the one shuriken "aimlessly" into the woods.  There was silence for a moment, until he heard a loud crash.  Rushing in, he found the proctor laying on the ground; he'd caught him right in the chest.

"Whether or not I passed, this examination is over.  After spending so long trying to achieve some kind of title imposed on me, I realized I don't really need it.  True strength doesn't lie in certification, but in the will to fight.  And when it comes down to it, that's all that matters."

---

Calle found himself drawn in by Tres' story.  All of it, it was such an uncharacteristic tale, compared to the person Tres was now, but one thing stood out above the rest.  The comment he'd made about wanting to protect innocent lives.  Somewhere inside, Calle knew that the real Tres was not the same person he projected on the outside.  He didn't have time to try and figure it out now, but when the time came that they would have to fight, maybe there really was another way to solve their issues...

What is it, the change in his expression?  Tres wondered; something about Calle was so strikingly familiar, almost like deja vu.  It was strange, and it affected his mind in a weird way that he couldn't even begin to analyze.  "Enough reminiscing.  The point is this; I believe if we're going to defeat this guy, we have to willingly let him hit us."

Aye, I thought that's where he'd be going with this.  Calle cringed at the thought; that was going to hurt like hell.  "I'm not sure it's gonna be all that friendly, but if you think it'll work, I say we give it a shot.  Problem is, how do we do that convincingly?  And which one of us is gonna take the hit?"

"In order for this to work," Tres hesitated for a moment.  "You're going to need to take the attack."  He looked away, understanding that Calle may not be so trusting.  "I can understand if you doubt me, but believe me when I say that this is not some kind of trick to kill you.  I need you alive for our duel, a mission I cannot afford to fail.  But if you take the attack, I will be able to utilize the power of my Tengukoshiro to track the origin of the spear.  Once we can find him, we'll be able to kill him."

Calle nodded.  He was right; this might have been the only way they had to find the attacker, who was very convincingly concealing himself.  Taking that spear straight up was going to hurt like a bitch, though.  "I'll make myself a target.  From there, I trust you've got the rest of this plan figured out?"

"I do," Tres said.  "I believe it will work."

"Here goes nothing then!"  He rocketed off the ground into the air, landing on one of the branches.  What little sense he could get of the attacker's location was that he was somewhere to the North, so Calle turned himself to face the South.

"Calle, now!"  Tres called out - the attack had been fired.  Such speed, too, seeing it from the ground.  Closing his eyes tight, Calle tried to keep his body as loose as possible.  Before he could even try to react, the spear pierced through his skin like butter, all the way through the eft side of his body, slightly below his chest.  

Literally the second it struck, Tres leapt into action.  "1st Stage: Tengukoshiro!"  He grabbed the rope, sending energy from one end to the other, formulating a visual pattern within his mind.  He got it; the assassin was approximately thirty-five feet away from them, perched atop one of the trees.  He wasn't concealed all that well, but being able to mask his presence was more than enough; the forest provided enough protection beyond that.

"Are you alright?"  Tres asked, ripping the spear out of Calle's shoulder as the boy dropped to one knee on the branch.  A gaping wound had opened in the left side of his body as he began coughing uncontrollably.  

"Not...really..." Calle said.  The absolute beastly nature of the weapon, one that would be near useless in an open range fight, had torn through his body with ease.  If he hadn't been expecting it, and positioned himself so that he would've been able to avoid having a vital organ struck, it was very much possible that he would no longer be alive.  "But...I'll be fine.  Did you get a reading on this guy?"

Tres nodded, looking towards the opposite direction.  "I have.  He's not that far away from us at all.  I think it's possible we can use this to our advantage.  I remember distinctly from your fight with Unos back at Master Lucien's stadium," he said.  "You have the ability to manipulate wind in various manners.  Think about something, if we combine our powers, we could create a forceful wind that doubles as a homing mechanism.  It's brilliant enough to work."

"It's actually a crazy idea," Calle replied.  "But I just allowed myself to be stabbed with a spear, so this one's more on the normal side."  He smiled.  "I just hope we get a chance to meet this guy before we kill him; the fact that we've got a common enemy makes this entire situation all the more complex."

"Agreed," Tres said.  "It means there is much more to this story than meets the eye."

To be continued...

 

NEXT TIME: It's the conclusion of the epic fight that sees two warriors, though enemies, with very similar personalities as they put their skills together for the sake of defeating a common enemy.  But, even after the crazy stunt they pulled to gain the upper hand, they will discover that they're not facing an average opponent.  Can Calle and Tres use their intelligence to find the key to victory, or is this the end for both of them?

 

Episode 58: The Slashing Winds!  Air Blade![/spoiler]

[Randomflyingobjects]

So, this one seems a little bit shorter. Or maybe that's just me.

 

Anyway, my guess is that this enemy is working for Hayate, who probably wouldn't put himself in the open so early. This almost completely confirms that Hayate isn't working with CLEAR, but is somewhere out on his own, with his won intentions and minions.

 

Still, I'm liking Tres a bunch, and it's a shame that he's going to die/beat Calle, because they're both nice guys. ...Unless Tres realizes he doesn't need Lucien any more, and decides not to duel Calle, which may or may not happen.

 

As for the over-the-top prediction I made, I don't actually think that would be a good way to end the story, but I just decided that a horrible prediction is better than no prediction at all.

[Synchronized]

So, this one seems a little bit shorter. Or maybe that's just me.

 

Maybe it is, but it's definitely solid length.  At this point I'm just going with length reading-wise, like what happens and how it happens.  They'll always be between 2000-3000 words but with 80+ episodes they're not all going to be extremely long.

 

Anyway, my guess is that this enemy is working for Hayate, who probably wouldn't put himself in the open so early. This almost completely confirms that Hayate isn't working with CLEAR, but is somewhere out on his own, with his won intentions and minions.

 

Still can't answer that, but we're getting closer to that reveal.

 

Still, I'm liking Tres a bunch, and it's a shame that he's going to die/beat Calle, because they're both nice guys. ...Unless Tres realizes he doesn't need Lucien any more, and decides not to duel Calle, which may or may not happen.

 

Maybe, maybe not.  I do enjoy the fact that people are making bold predictions at this point, though.

 

As for the over-the-top prediction I made, I don't actually think that would be a good way to end the story, but I just decided that a horrible prediction is better than no prediction at all.

 

Fair enough.

 

New Chapter tomorrow!

[Synchronized]

This episode is so different, but it's the first time I've felt a real emotional connection established between characters.  I think, while it may be slightly over-done, the emotional message in this episode might be one of my best works and one of the highlights of the story up to this point.  The conclusion of the Tres/Calle story will come with the next episode, and I'm extremely excited for it.

 

[spoiler=Episode 58: The Slashing Winds!  Air Blade!]
While it may not have been his [i]strongest[/i] technique, Tengukoshiro was Tres' most valuable asset.  Simple in nature, the ability allowed one's mind to utilize Rakurai and formulate a path, a path that could be created with a source of energy.  If the assassin were using a simple weapon, something you'd see in the older days, they wouldn't have been able to track him at all.  However, in order to cloak the spear's presence, it had to have been infused with some a mount of Rakurai.  Such was the key.  Tres had figured that out the first time he'd been struck, but he wasn't exactly sure how the process worked.  

Breaking it down, it was actually a lot less complex than it came off.  Infusing the rope at th end of the spear with enough energy to conceal it, as its physical nature would normally be detected rather easily, allowed the attacker to manuever his way around and launch his attacks with near-perfect precision.  Without Rakurai, it would've been extremely difficult to guide the spear in one direction or another.  Completely unlikely, even.

In order to actually do anything productive, they had to counter-act the spear with a homing device of their own.  Calle's abilities would allow construction of the air, but it would take Tres' Tengukoshiro to trace a path, and allow them to control the direction of the wind.  A perfect counter-attack, but a risky one at that.  They were dealing with an enemy who's movements were so simple, yet so effective.  He didn't have to over-do it because there was no need.

"Your blood loss appears to have calmed quickly," Tres observed.  "Remarkable healing prowess."

Sure didn't feel like it.  The wound in his chest had closed thanks to him shifting a significant amount of Rakurai from one side of his body to the other, but that didn't numb the pain.  He'd have to pull through it for now in order to attack.  "Yeah, took years of practice.  But it won't hold up forever; I have to be careful.  The sooner we end this, the better."

"Agreed," Tres said.  "If we time it right, we should be able to take him down in one attack."

"So let's lure him out," Calle grinned, placing his right hand about a foot's length apart from his left.  [i]It's not like our strategy requires secrecy.  He's too skilled for that.  So if I can at least try and bait him out, it should boost our chances.[/i]  "{Reza Ayori; Razor Wind}," he said calmly as he fired the attack with his right hand, slicing through a series of trees to their right, at least four or five of them falling clean off their foundation, creating large echoing crashes throughout the woodland area.

[i]He's no amateur when it comes to this stuff.  To be able to release that much power in such a small amount of energy takes true power.  During his fight with Unos, I'd noticed the prominence of his smarts and how they allowed him to expertly manuever and control a battle, but even without that, he's still a force to be reckoned with.  I wonder, is it his grandfather's vengeance that drives him?[/i]  "What did you hope to accomplish with that?"

"Your koshiro is still very much active, right?"  Calle asked.  Tres nodded, so he continued.  "Good; if he's aware that we're attacking him, ideally he should attempt to retreat even further.  But, he can only go so far.  Once he reaches the edge of the forest he'll either have to retreat out into the open where we can hit him, or meet us face-to-face.  In either scenario, we have the advantage.

"What about the plan, the homing attack?"  Tres inquired.  "It's surely the only solution that we have at this point."

"I disagree," he replied calmly.  "There's something I learned relatively recently, but I was waiting to mention it one way or the other because I had to test my body's conditioning.  Taking that attack willingly put a significant dent in my energy levels."  He paused for a moment.  "But I think that I might have figured out a way to defeat him in one swoop.  We won't actually have to engage in any hand-to-hand combat.  It'd be just like the fight in the story you told.  One shot."

[i]What's he got in mind?[/i]  "Do you mean something along the lines of a new technique?"

Calle ignored the question.  "Here's what we need to do.  Using your Tengukoshiro, we'll fire an attack.  Even if he's able to sense it, as he moves, we'll be able to move the attack along with it."

"I understand that much," Tres said.  "The one thing we're not covering is the fact that he could try to rebuttal with an attack of his own, and if we're focused on controlling the wind, it'll be impossible to dodge."  

But Calle was prepared for that too.  In fact, it had been the reason he'd knocked all those trees down just moments ago.  "What I did just now, it wasn't for show.  Knocking down all four of those trees alerted him of our whereabouts.  As we speak, he's probably planning his next move.  But knocking down the four I chose specifically forms a nice little crevice where we can take cover after the attack goes through."

"So let's do it then," Tres said.  "Enough talking.  We've got a duel to get to."  Palms pressed tight, he felt his body become surrounded by the same energy, that same veil that allowed him to 'pass' his training exercise.  "2nd Stage; Tengukoshiro!"  A crazy-fast pattern of pathways filled his mind, tracing the information that he'd picked up from the first spear attack.  He placed his right hand on Calle's shoulder, allowing the technique to spread between the two of them.

[i]This is...unbelievable.[/i]  Calle could see it, too.  Everything from Tres' perspective, as his mind guided him in the direction of the assassin's spear, truly amazing power.  He could feel the strength between the two of them on the same wavelength.  And more importantly, he had a clear view of the assassin.  At least the outline of his body.  It's time to end this.  "Ayori Tengukaze!"  

What is this power I'm sensing?  Tres wondered, almost aloud, before catching himself.  In an instant, something had changed, the entire dynamic between them, it felt different.  As Calle prepared his blast, he felt like the two of them were one in the same, interchangable.  Was this a side effect of his abilities?  By linking their minds together for the purpose of taking out a common enemy?  [i]It's not emotion, no.  But it's something...something different.  This human is...remarkably powerful.  I can feel his energy flowing through me, and it's not only physical, it's mental, too.  He's far stronger than he gives off on the surface.[/i]

Calle felt it too, but he didn't have the time nor the focus to pay attention to it now.  Extending his right arm outwards like he were holding a bow and arrow, he pressed his left arm forward, firing the blast in one swift motion.  It released, tearing through the tops of the trees as he kept his eyes closed tight, guiding it through the pathways he saw in his mind.  "I've got him."  Teeth gritted, he pushed forward.

The assassin hadn't been able to see it coming at all.  By the time he'd gotten sense of the Rakurai, the attack was too close to do anything about, crashing straight into him and knocking him off the branch on which he was poised, slicing him open in multiple places along his chest and plummeting to the dirt below.  The rope-spear flew out of his hands, falling into a nearby tree.

[i]In one shot he took him down, he released such a minimal amount of energy, how is that even possible?  His strength, where does it come from?  I cannot understand humans, especially this one.  Maybe it's because I've been taught to carry my life as nothing more than following orders, but the fact that he spared my life, am I supposed to feel some kind of gratitude?  A debt?  I don't understand this confliction!  Damnit![/i]

"He's still alive, so I wouldn't rush into anything," Calle said as Tres took his hand off his shoulder.  "I definitely hit him, and cut him up pretty good too, but there was nothing fatal.  If he was able to survive the fall, which I'm certain was the case, this fight's not over yet."

Tres nodded; he could sense it too.  "I'm aware, I knew we'd be playing a game of chance trying to end the fight in one move.  But at least we've got him on level ground; we'll be able to handle the rest of this fight on an even playing field."

The feeling in the air was tense.  Despite having the upper hand now, they didn't know what they were up against.  Everything they had formulated until now was simply prediction based on the rest of the fight.  Of course, that didn't mean what they had predicted was wrong, but taking that chance wasn't worth it.  Underestimating an enemy, no matter how weak or how strong they were, could cost you the fight.  Or worse.

"Hang tight for a second, I'll go on ahead and see what we're up against," Calle said.  He locked eyes with Tres briefly, and walked a few paces forward to the assassin's body.  He was alive, but still very much on the ground, bleeding profusely, and breathing heavily.  The boy had made no effort to be silent, so it was no surprise when the man looked up from the ground, meeting him face-to-face.  A half-twisted grin sat on the face of the middle-aged man, his short, brown hair tied in a ponytail behind his head.  Nothing about him stood out; his clothes were all black, and the rest of him looked pretty rugged.  There was a strange marking on the right shoulder of his jacket, but Calle was not familiar with it, simply noticing it's difference in comparison to the rest of the attire.

"I wish I could say it's nice to meet you, but I'm an honest guy," Calle said.  "Tell me, do you work for Lucien?  Has he gone that far off the deep end that he'd have his own warriors killed?"

The man, still in rough shape, responded with a laugh.  "You may have injured me, but I'm far from dead.  Do not belittle me by speculating I'd work for that annoyance."  He tried to sit up, clearly a painful task, and some of the blood off his forehead.  "My name is Essudo.  I am among the most elite of warriors of a secret organization with origins right here on this island.  My mission is simple, to do away with the both of you.  Notice I am withholding no information from you; I have made my intentions quite clear.  Before this day is over, the two of you will die at my hands."

"You're talking awful confident for someone who can barely sit up."  Calle continued to speak, readying himself for defense, just in case, as he did so.  "If you're not working for Lucien, then tell me, who are you working for?"  There wasn't someone else, was there?  He must have been bluffing.  But still, why would Lucien send someone to kill Tres, or Calle himself, if he needed them alive to duel?  It didn't make any sense.  Lucien may have been deranged, but it did appear that he had his goals in order.

"You don't understand," Essudo replied, laughing once more.  He had managed to sit up now, but getting to his feet would be a struggle.  "I work for no one, I am a lone wolf, if you will.  You see, I know who you are, Calle Anden."

The name drop caught him off guard, but Calle shook it off.  He wasn't going to fall victim to this guy's taunting, especially when he was more than likely lying.  Especially if he was working for Lucien, it was no surprise he'd have known what his target's name was.  That only made sense.

"Don't seem as surprised as I'd expected.  Perhaps you think I'm bluffing.  But you see, just as I killed your grandfather, I plan to kill you as well."  Essudo laughed once more, beginning to stand.

Calle was frozen in a state of shock.  Locking eyes with the man, he knew then that the words he spoke were not a lie, but truth.  Hearing them, though, was another thing.  It was nearly impossible to process, the realization...it couldn't be.   He was standing face-to-face with his grandfather's killer, the one responsible for all of this...

"I admit, it wasn't necessarily my idea, but I was called upon for the job and boy, was I glad to do it."  He smiled.  "He was always pesky, Rakai.  I was rather young when I first met him, but the one I worked under had worked rather closely with him.  I never liked him, and truthfully, I was happy to do the job.  Your grandfather may have discovered something special in Rakurai, but he failed in executing its uses.  I'd like to think I did the world a favor."

"Shut up..."  Calle said.  Essudo could see the rage burning in his eyes.  Truthfully, he had been looking forward to this confrontation, just to see what the boy's reaction would be.

"And now I plan on doing the same to you!"  Essudo fired a blast of energy from his right hand, but Calle had already moved into action, striking him right in the jaw with an uppercut that sent him reeling.

He regained his composure mid-flight, turning his attention back towards Calle and firing a second attack.  The boy dodged it, springing into the air and landing a few stiff kicks to the chest, followed by another left hook as Essudo was shoved back into a tree.  It didn't give.

"I planned to kill you if I had to, in order to protect those close to me, but now I'm going to make sure you die for what you did to my grandfather!  You bastard!"

[i]Exactly, boy.  Allow your anger to overtake you.[/i]  Essudo smiled through sharp pains, waiting for Calle's next move.  He was playing right into his hands.

"Take this!"  Calle ran towards him, planning to drive his foot right into Essudo's head, but the assassin had other plans, dodging to the side and retracting his rope-spear.  He fired it, how Calle couldn't quite tell, right at his shoulder.  He'd been blinded by his anger, walked right into a trap.  Was he going to end up just like his grandfather now, before he'd even had the chance to process things rationally?  [i]Shit, what did I do?[/i]

"{1st Stage: Okibi Be-ru; Blazing Veil}," Right before the spear made contact, Calle found himself trapped inside an orange colored barrier.  The spear connected, bouncing off the energy-shield and falling to the ground.  He heard footsteps, and saw Tres walking up behind him.  He'd saved his life?  "This is the second time I've had to save you in the span of thirty-minutes.  Don't ask me why, because at this point in the fight, I did not save you because it is my mission to defeat you.  Rather, there is something about you that confuses me, and I cannot allow you to die without resolving this.  The physical and mental pain you've endured has shaped you into a human being different than many others.  I could feel it, I could feel your pain and your hardship while our minds were linked together.  I do not know what it is, true pain, but you do.  I believe you are the key to understanding this thing they call emotion."

"How silly of me, I forgot that you were still alive," Essudo interrupted.  "I'm impressed that my first attack, the one that you wouldn't have seen coming if it were right in front of your face, didn't cause you to bleed to death, you worthless scum.  You want to save him, I'll kill you first!"

[i]Save him...?[/i]  Tres couldn't explain what he was feeling, but his actions, stepping in to Calle's defense a second time, was something he hadn't even done by choice; it had just happened.  What was it, this feeling?  Why was it eating away at him?  Why did he suddenly feel the urge to fight this guy, feel anger towards his words about Calle's grandfather?  "None of this matters anymore.  My loyalty to Master Lucien will always be intact, but this feeling, I must see it through to the end!  I will defeat you, and that is how I will find my answer!"

Calle couldn't help but notice Tres' self-confliction, and it somehow calmed his own rage.  He wanted to stand up and fight, but the barrier held him down; Tres kept it applied, not letting him move.  "Thank you for saving me, but I don't need help, this is my battle now, knowing what this man did, I will make him pay!  Let me fight him!"

Tres shook his head somberly.  "I can't do that.  You are blinded by your hatred, and you're only going to get yourself killed.  If one of us is going to fight him and take the risk of dying here, I'll be the one to do it.  Perhaps, if this is my last battle, I'll reach the resolution I've spent my entire life seeking.  So I can't let you fight him.  You are the answer to my questions.  Now I just have to fill in that gap."

[b]To be continued...[/b][/spoiler]

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

Right, so we now have a partnership between Calle and Tres, the strength and longevity of which remains to be seen. I like that the El Nombre Trio aren't just flat villains, but unfortunately the other villains you write in are falling into this trap, although I suppose this is due to the fact that you only have so much time for exposition of each one. I'm sure their intentions will become clear (heh) soon enough, but until that point they all seem a bit one-dimensional, as if they're all interchangeable villains from the villain multi-pack from VillainMart.

 

And Calle seems to be even more remarkable than we gave him credit for. I like that again the El Nombre Trio aren't clueless about humans and Rakurai, but it seems they are still shocked by our protagonists' displays of power. Surely they must be aware of very powerful humans existing, at least? It seems that every time the protagonists fight, their enemies are shocked by some kind of technique hidden up their metaphorical sleeves. All I'm saying is that surely these experienced villains/anti-heroes know enough about the Rakurai to know some of these things?

 

Those are my only gripes for the moment, just felt that I needed to give something constructive rather than just mindless praise. Don't worry, the writing is still superb.

[Synchronized]

Right, so we now have a partnership between Calle and Tres, the strength and longevity of which remains to be seen. I like that the El Nombre Trio aren't just flat villains, but unfortunately the other villains you write in are falling into this trap, although I suppose this is due to the fact that you only have so much time for exposition of each one. I'm sure their intentions will become clear (heh) soon enough, but until that point they all seem a bit one-dimensional, as if they're all interchangeable villains from the villain multi-pack from VillainMart.

 

I admit that the villains being used here aren't exactly 'Ulquiorra' level complexity (man, how I hate comparing Bleach to this as a reference due to the strong comparisons from readers earlier in the series, but it's the best example), they're one-off characters that don't have much importance beyond their one appearance.  While Essudo is actually going to have a bit more of a prominent role, it's not going to expand beyond the episode(s) in which he's featured.  I guess the mentality is why waste a good character/traits in a villain that isn't even going to be around long?

 

The basic premise behind these guys, and this is all I can say without ruining anything right now, is that they all come from the same place, it's basically just like 'pick a villain' and send them out, kind of thing.  That'll make more sense in a few chapters (wow I say this a lot) but yeah.  Just bare with me.  The focus of the episodes is not the villains, but the relationship/interactions between the El Nombre and the protagonists.

 

And Calle seems to be even more remarkable than we gave him credit for. I like that again the El Nombre Trio aren't clueless about humans and Rakurai, but it seems they are still shocked by our protagonists' displays of power. Surely they must be aware of very powerful humans existing, at least? It seems that every time the protagonists fight, their enemies are shocked by some kind of technique hidden up their metaphorical sleeves. All I'm saying is that surely these experienced villains/anti-heroes know enough about the Rakurai to know some of these things?

 

The El Nombre are very aware of humans existing, and powerful ones at that, but don't forget, this is like their first interaction (what I mean by this is the start of the tournament - onwards) with humans at all.  They've spent the majority of their lives in the Mid-World, they only know what they've been told, learned, etc.  There's no examples in their lives where they've actually been up close and personal and seen/felt that power for themselves.  That's what the difference is. 

 

The Rakurai is different with each person, so unless a person is well known, like Lucien or something, it would only make sense that their abilities would be relatively unknown as well.  It's a somewhat simple concept, but it works well to build the surprise factor at the same time.  As readers, you know what Calle's abilities are, but there's no reason to believe that Essudo would.  Although in this case, Essudo is familiar with these things because of who he's working for and the information he's received.

 

That doesn't mean it's any easier for him to stop that attack, though.  They used a homing attack, no matter where he moved he wasn't going to be able to block it regardless.

 

Those are my only gripes for the moment, just felt that I needed to give something constructive rather than just mindless praise. Don't worry, the writing is still superb.

 

I appreciate it.  It challenges me to come up with responses and make sure I'm doing the best possible job I can, too.  I may not have a ton of readers right now, but the ones I do have are awesome and I always look forward to your guys' responses.

[Umbra]

[spoiler=Personal speculation]Tres is Calle's spirit half, right?[/spoiler]

 

With that out of the way, onto 58. I'll be brief, since a) it is a rather short chapter, and b) I've got to save some things for the next chapter. While I do agree with Eon's statement that Essudo is a bit flat, I do think that he serves his purpose. However, with his revealed role in Calle's past, I can't help but to wonder if he'll become a recurring villain. His role in the story is interesting, but so far, the character himself really isn't. On the other hand, he is a "nameless assassin"-type character... we shall see. I'm sure you'll handle it well.

 

You know how I feel about the Tres/Calle interactions, definitely a strong point of this arc. If my speculation turns out to be true, I shall look forward to see how their relation plays out. 

 

Next one will be longer, I swear.

[Randomflyingobjects]

Okay, guys. I'm here... did I miss anything?

 

...Right, new chapter, 500-1000 point bribe... alright, I'm back in this.

 

We can obviously see some more character development. Calle came across as a calm guy, but this, finding out that his Grandpa's killer is standing in front of him, this has shown us that he has another, uncontrollable side. Then, Tres is entirely refusing for Calle to fight, showing us that Tres both has feelings (or something close to them) and common sense. And what Umbra said does make sense, in that spoiler tag. Actually, I'd completely forgotten that people had spirit halves.

 

Which brings me to remember Sora's spirit half, who either died, or just dropped out of the story when Sora died. I really can't remember. 

 

Now for the money points... ;-)

 

(you don't actually have to give me points)

(unless you really want to, I won't stop you)

[Synchronized]

[spoiler=Personal speculation]Tres is Calle's spirit half, right?[/spoiler]

 

You really think that two people who are about to fight to the death are going to be one in the same person?  That would make for a complex scenario if they were ever re-united, wouldn't it?

 

With that out of the way, onto 58. I'll be brief, since a) it is a rather short chapter, and B) I've got to save some things for the next chapter. While I do agree with Eon's statement that Essudo is a bit flat, I do think that he serves his purpose. However, with his revealed role in Calle's past, I can't help but to wonder if he'll become a recurring villain. His role in the story is interesting, but so far, the character himself really isn't. On the other hand, he is a "nameless assassin"-type character... we shall see. I'm sure you'll handle it well.

 

That's the premise I had, too.  I wasn't looking for Essudo to be this huge villain that everyone was talking about.  The focus in this 'mini-arc' between Calle and Tres was to show their relationship and the character development between the two of them.  Essudo is there to kill them, simple as that.  However, the thing with Calle's Grandfather definitely makes it a little more intriguing than the last fight.

 

You know how I feel about the Tres/Calle interactions, definitely a strong point of this arc. If my speculation turns out to be true, I shall look forward to see how their relation plays out. 

 

Next one will be longer, I swear.

 

Haha, looking forward to it, though I appreciate any response at all.  And I promise I'll get yours posted tomorrow I know I'm slacking on that!  

 

Okay, guys. I'm here... did I miss anything?

 

Nope, nothing to see here.

 

...Right, new chapter, 500-1000 point bribe... alright, I'm back in this.

 

We can obviously see some more character development. Calle came across as a calm guy, but this, finding out that his Grandpa's killer is standing in front of him, this has shown us that he has another, uncontrollable side. Then, Tres is entirely refusing for Calle to fight, showing us that Tres both has feelings (or something close to them) and common sense. And what Umbra said does make sense, in that spoiler tag. Actually, I'd completely forgotten that people had spirit halves.

 

I thought that some people might have, but I definitely tried to do plenty to stress that and get the point across that they are very much a thing.  Sora/Kioshi was an example of that relationship and one I tried to build on in earlier Arcs.

 

Which brings me to remember Sora's spirit half, who either died, or just dropped out of the story when Sora died. I really can't remember. 

 

All I can say about that is don't take anything regarding Kioshi to be certain until the story's conclusion, there's a reason I've left out his appearances/explanations regarding what happened to him up to this point.

 

Now for the money points... ;-)

 

(you don't actually have to give me points)

(unless you really want to, I won't stop you)

 

Sendin' ya some right now!

[Synchronized]

It's finally done, and I'd like to believe this is the longest Episode of the series so far, with a total of 4,084 words, but I could be wrong.  I'm thrilled with the way it came out and hopefully you guys will like it to.  I'm sure there will be some questions and I'll be glad to answer them, enjoy!

 

[spoiler=Episode 59: All or Nothing]

Try as hard as he may, Calle came to the realization that he wasn’t going to be able to break through this barrier.  It wasn’t just a defense mechanism; it could be used to hold an object in place, as well.  He wanted to fight, he wanted to tear Essudo apart and make him pay for what he did and said about his Grandfather, those despicably horrible things, but there was no way out.  Even with his sword, he was unable to pierce an opening anywhere along the barrier. 

 

Tres had made it very clear, [i]he[/i] was going to be the one doing the fighting.  And unless he was to change his mind, which judging by the look on his face didn’t seem likely, Calle was stuck here until the fight was over.  At the same time, it had to be exhausting energy on Tres’ part to hold the structure in place.  That wasn’t good.  It meant he’d only be fighting at about half-strength.  [i]I don’t know why he’s doing this, risking his life to fight this battle, a battle that isn’t even his to fight.  Damnit, he won’t stand a chance against this guy, the man that killed Rakai Anden...you fool, no matter your reasoning for fighting this battle, especially if you’re unable to fight at full strength, you’re going to die.[/i]

 

“You’re foolish, beyond any stretch of normal human will.”  Essudo narrated, re-coiling his spear and winding it up for a second strike.  His face was lined with a hellish grin, such a waste of time and effort.  But if this brat wanted to die too, who was he to stop him?  It’d be awful selfish of him to just let him walk away alive.  “But your intentions have been made clear, so allow me to fulfill your request!” 

 

Kicking off the forest floor, he sprung into the air, releasing the spear in a straight-away fashion, directly at Tres.  Should it strike, he’d be nailed right above his ribs, one of the most vital spots.  The intensity behind the spear was incredible, and not in a good way.  The closer it got, the more velocity it built up, and on top of that it could make its entire trip in a matter of seconds.  The window of response was not very large at all.  “Not even going to try and dodge!  Pfft, it appears you’re even more pathetic than I first thought!”

 

“Don’t be an idiot, move out of the way!”  Calle exclaimed from within the barrier, only to realize Tres couldn’t hear him.  Somehow, the technique did more than just keep him in, it kept anything else from going out, either.  He could hear Essudo’s words clearly, but nothing he said to either of them would matter.  “Damnit, he must have sealed it so he could fight his own battle without my interference.  Why the hell are you doing this...”

 

Tres leapt into action just as the spear came into contact with him, leaping into the air and using the heel of his right boot to kick it into the dirt.  Concentrating the Rakurai in his body towards the lower half of his body, he ran upwards along the rope, tightly secured as the spear was driven into the soil.  Before Essudo could react, he sprung off the rope, greeting him with a boot to the face.

 

Essudo almost lost his balance, but he managed to plant his heels in the dirt to stop himself from falling over.  The kick had hurt like a bitch, but he was relatively unscathed as Tres gathered himself a few feet away, now on the other side.  Before turning around to face the spirit, Essudo ripped the spear out of the ground, whirling it around his head while contemplating his next attack.  “So you waited until the spear was close enough to you that I wouldn’t expect to you to respond, and used it as a launching pad to get close enough to hit me.”  He smiled, explaining what was already common knowledge for the sake of hearing himself talk.  “A neat trick, but mediocre in execution.”

 

Tres readied himself, adjusting his stance.

 

“So you’re just going to stand there silently?”  Essudo asked, laughing uproariously.  “Fair enough, this time you won’t be so lucky!”  He released the spear again, this time looping it around the tree to Tres’ left for a side attack.  “Try and dodge this with the same methods!”

 

Whisking around the corner, Tres could hear the buzzing sound of the spear as it got closer to him.  Calle watched in horror as the spirit remained in his place.  Essudo on the other hand was all smiles; his opponent was acting so strangely but it didn’t matter, if the attack struck him, this fight would be over.  “If you’re not going to move, then it was nice knowing you!”  And just as he said those words, the spear struck Tres’ left arm, piercing the skin with ease.

 

---

 

Calle felt himself shaking as he watched the scene unfold; why hadn’t he at least tried to dodge?  Before, Tres had stopped the spear with his hands, an amazing feat of strength no less, but now, he couldn’t do a damn thing.  He was exhausting too much energy in keeping the barrier in place so Calle would be unable to escape and join the fight, and in the process was killing himself.  It was a foolish tactic!

 

Through his half-mask, Tres flashed a smile.  The blood flow wasn’t all that intense, due to the spear still being wedged in his arm, but it had begun to trickle to the ground, forming a small puddle of blood around him.  In a way, the pain was numb; he couldn’t feel much of it at all.  He had channeled all of the Rakurai in his left arm to his right arm in order to purposely take the attack and not lose any energy in the process.

 

“You’re still standing?”  Essudo asked, his eyes showing disbelief.  “What kind of trick is this?!”  Was he trying to mock him somehow?  That miniscule little punk, acting like this was some sort of game, standing there trying to remain tough when in reality he was seconds away from dying!  How dare he insult the legacy of such an assassin?

 

“Oh, this isn’t a trick at all,” Tres replied, speaking for the first time since the fight had begun.  “As a matter of fact, I took that attack directly.  I had the strength to move, but there was no point.  Think about it, all that would’ve done is brought us right back to step one, and I would’ve had to try and dodge a third attack.”  He clenched his fist on his left arm, tightening his arm as a whole to slow the bleeding.

 

“I don’t understand how this would be any different,” Essudo replied.  “All you’ve done is injure yourself, and even if you’re still standing, the next attack will kill you for sure with the amount of blood you’re already losing!”

 

"I believe where we're not connecting is you believe my goal in this fight is to stay alive," Tres said, grabbing the rope with his right hand. "Whereas I [i]know[/i] my only goal is to kill you, regardless of what happens with the rest of it!" With nearly all of his remaining energy now in his right arm, he grabbed the rope tight and pulled, prying the spear from his arm. But that wasn't all; Essudo was still holding on to his end of the rope, and didn't think in enough time to do anything about it as the end had been tied around his wrist.

 

In a mind-blowing feat of strength due to the energy stored in his right arm, Tres flung the rope up into the air, taking Essudo with it. He twirled it around his head twice, slamming the assassin's body into a thick branch along one of the trees as it fell to the ground. Essudo cried out in pain as Tres pulled him back, slamming him into the tree a second time before letting go of the rope. And all that left was the painful plummet to the forest floor.

 

[i]He...somehow was able to shift his momentum to his right arm! By making his left arm entirely useless, he was able to build up enough strength to throw me around like a feather![/i] In a last minute desperation attempt, Essudo pulled out a knife and cut the rope, allowing himself to fall to the ground detached from his weapon. The soil showed no mercy as he crashed into it.

 

Calle was awestruck as he watched the entire thing play out. So he'd known, then, the entire time that trying to dodge attack after attack would be pointless. Instead of stalling for time, he let the attack hit him directly so he could make a move from there. He hadn't thought of that at all. But even a move like that must've taken so much out of him, especially with the energy he was constantly releasing to keep the barrier intact. Damnit, if only you would let me help you, this fight could've been over already. He slammed the barrier again to no avail. Something told him the fight wasn't over yet, but that didn't mean Tres' bleeding was going to stop, or even slow down in the slightest.

 

With Essudo down, at least for the moment, Tres dropped to his knees, the pain in his left arm really beginning to take effect. He tore off a piece of the sleeve on his jacket, using it to form a makeshift bandage to at least temporarily slow the bleeding. He had lost a lot of blood already, and Rakurai-wise, there wasn't too much left in his system. But he couldn't let Calle fight, no matter what. He didn't know why his mentality had become so strongly set on this, but he knew. Something in his head was telling him that this fight was the only way to free himself from the longing that had hovered over him throughout his entire life.

 

Damnit, that move took a lot out of me. He's...probably not dead yet. I wouldn't be surprised if he had another big move left in him, something more than what I've already seen. If that was the case, he had to use everything he had left for one final attack. He couldn't let Calle fight this guy and get himself killed, if he could...if he could somehow use his 3rd Stage...

 

The only way it would even be doable would be to time it perfectly so that he released the barrier and hit the attack at the same time, so that Calle wouldn't be able to intercept anything or be at risk, and Essudo would be defeated at the same time.

 

"It took a lot of balls to try a move like that," Essudo said, forcing himself to stand. "Unfortunately, as much as it did hurt, it's not going to be enough to defeat me. Tell me, you seem like the smart type. You don't believe the spear was my weapon of choice, do you?"

 

Tres cringed at the thought, but it wasn't the first time he'd thought it. "As much as I'd like to imagine it was and there's not going to be any more to this fight, I'm not naive. I considered the possibility that it might be nothing more than an introductory weapon, especially as an assassin, that allows you to kill an enemy without even having to come into contact with them."

 

Laughing, Essudo replied, "Good, good, so you [i]are[/i] smart. Then you should be able to realize, also, that if you were barely able to survive that, you stand no chance of surviving this. It's been quite some time since I've resorted to using a Stage Technique, but I believe now is as good a time as ever. I can't believe I was forced to go to this Level against a mere pawn."

 

Here it comes, I'm not going to bother with a defense. I'm just going to take it fully, and at the same time, I'll be able to kill him. His 3rd Stage Technique, Okibi Be-ru Finale, was a move that he could not use often. Creating a massive version of the 1st Stage technique, 'blazing veil', the move trapped its target inside the barrier just as he had Calle, except from there, releases particles of energy from within its walls that enter the body and break down Rakurai. Then, a combination of the Rakurai taken from the target's body and Tres' own power is released all at once, and the barrier capsizes on its target, crushing them under the pressure of the energy and killing them all in one swift motion.

 

Calle saw it coming a mile away. Exactly what was going to happen here. And it wasn't going to work. He's going to sacrifice himself in order to kill Essudo before his attack is able to go off. But he doesn't have the strength left for that, so while he thinks he'll be stopping it, he'll only be delaying it. He doesn't understand this guy's power, if he was able to kill my Grandfather than he's much stronger than any of us are able to comprehend. I can't sit here and watch Tres die like this, even if he is the enemy! Come on, I need to get out of this damn thing!

 

“I must commend you for surviving this long,” Essudo said.  “Now just stay with me, it’s been a long time since I’ve been forced to use a Stage Technique.”  He placed his palms together, eyes closed.  “{1^st Stage: Chikara doriru; Power Drill}!”  Appearing before him, a swirling mass of energy took the form of a mechanical drill, only human-size, and somehow hovering in front of him, ready to be fired at a moment’s notice.  “Ah, yes, there we go.  I worried I’d get a bit rusty, but it appears that’s not the case.  Chikara doriru is my 1^st Stage, and it holds a great power.  Once I choose to let it go, it will pierce your entire body, tearing you into shreds, and killing you before you even have the chance to respond.  It’s over.”

 

Frustration building up inside him, Calle thrust his dagger into the barrier with all his might, but it wouldn’t budge.  He couldn’t break through the energy, it was sealed so tight.  Until, wait...was that a crack?  It was.  It had only just formed, but that must’ve meant Tres’ hold over the barrier was starting to slip.  He could do it then, he could break through.  Withdrawing and pressing it forward again, this time directly against the crack, he tried to break it with all its might.  But it still wasn’t good enough. 

 

Essudo’s move would kill him, no doubt.  It was a straight shot; if Tres even had time to pull off a defense, it wouldn’t be enough to end the battle, not with the amount of Rakurai he had left.  And there was no way Calle could do a damn thing about it.  Oh no, here it was.

 

Essudo fired the attack.

 

It was all or nothing now, and Tres knew it.  “{3^rd Stage: Okibi Be-ru Finale; Final Blazing Veil}” In an instant, the entire area around them became consumed by a new barrier, though Calle was still intact, sealed off to the side.  He could no longer see what was going on—it was far too bright.  The drill was moving at a break-neck pace, and the last thing he’d seen was the side of Tres’ face, a trickle of blood falling down his left cheek.

 

---

 

So, are you just going to sit there, then, and allow the fight to end like this?

 

The voice, where was it coming from?  Calle looked around, everything was blurry.  He could hear clearly, but he could not see a thing.   It was coming from within his mind, it seemed.  Was he going crazy? Aye...whose there?  I don’t know who you are.

 

My name is not of importance now, but I am an ally. Know that much.  I do not have much time, this link of communication I have established with you, it is on a very limited basis.  So you must listen to what I have to say.

 

I don’t know what other choice I have, really.  So do your worst.

 

You must be extremely confused, surely seeing the Spirit that you are set to battle put his life on the line to protect yours, I’m aware it makes no sense to either of you.  But there is a reason, this was meant to happen.

 

Huh...?  Are you saying Tres and I were never meant to fight?  But that can’t be, he works for Lucien, he’s as loyal to that bastard as anyone I’ve ever seen.

 

On the surface, things may appear one way, but you must remember that they are not always such.  This fight, the two of you being forced to work together, it had to happen in order for you to unlock the power of D-Accel.

 

The power of D-Accel?  I’ve heard of it once before, it came up in research just recently, something to do with Rakurai, I came to understand that the D-Accel is the ‘pilot chip’ that was installed in the entire Duel Network to make it so duels become real-life battles, with the damage being real.  The Rakurai brings everything to life.  The power of the D-Accel is very much real, and very much unlocked.  You must be mistaken.

 

Your research is incorrect.  The true power behind D-Accel is not in an object, but a state of mind.  When the two of you teamed up using a combination of your Stage Techniques, did you not feel that weird transfer of power, although only for a brief moment?

 

I...

 

You can still win this fight.  Unlock the power of the D-Accel, and once you do, all of the answers will become clear to you.  I must go.  Good luck, Calle.

 

Wait, I!  No, don’t go yet I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do!

 

His Grandfather...Tres...Calion...Xiael...all the others, they were going to need him, he couldn’t just sit here and die.  He wouldn’t abandon anyone, no matter what.  “Let me break free from this damn thing!!”

 

In an explosion of light, the dagger was able to shatter the barrier, crumbling it to pieces.  It shot out of his hands and upwards into the sky, forming a pillar of light.  He felt himself being propelled upwards, but he’d lost control of his body.  Everything was blurry for a moment, he couldn’t see anything.  Except Tres...but wait, he was still alive?  This is freaky, what the hell is going on?

 

The two of them crashed into one another as the pillar of light exploded outwards, forming what looked like small snowflakes comprised of energy around them.  Suddenly, Calle found himself standing, with the ‘snowflakes’ falling around him, landing along his body.  As the Rakurai continued to work its magic, the fallen flakes formed a suit of body armor, sleek, metallic silver in color, streamlined with black lines intersecting throughout it, everywhere except for his head, which was left untouched, except for a weirdly shaped metallic visor that formed along it.  “What is this power?  Tres, are you there?”

 

He looked around, but Tres was nowhere to be seen.  The smoke was still clearing from the explosion, and Essudo’s drill was still being launched in full force.  Either that thing was really slow, or he had just affected the movement of time somehow.  The dagger had replaced itself, sheathed on the left side of his suit, but that wasn’t the most impressive part.  As the remaining snowflakes began to fall, a cannon, about five feet long and dark red in color with streaks of black, propped up on his right shoulder.  It was huge, but somehow had no weight at all.  It sat there, the trigger and handle within arm’s reach.

 

“Talk about some impressive upgrades, aye,” he said, flabbergasted.  Was this the D-Accel’s power?  But Tres...he was gone.  Somehow, Calle could still sense his presence, though.

 

I don’t know what this is, but I know we have to take advantage of it.  That voice, it couldn’t be!  But just like he’d suspected, he and Tres had become one.  Tres was a Spirit though, how was that even possible?  Now’s not the time to research.  Let’s do this.

 

We’re...one in the same now?  What the hell...but I don’t know how to use the—

 

Tres interrupted.  Just shut up and focus.  If you don’t do something, that drill’s gonna tear us to shreds, so come on!

 

“This whole thing is crazy, but I guess there’s not much else to do other than go for it!”  He wrapped his right hand around the holster of the cannon, and closed his eyes, concentrating his energy.  He could no longer feel his wounds, they’d all been sealed.  The drill was reaching them now, it was time to fire.  “{DStage: Ba-suto Terasu Kyanon; Bursting Illumination Cannon}!” 

 

Millions of particles of light gathered at the barrel of the cannon, and with one pull of the trigger, exploded outwards.  The drill was nowhere to be seen.  At least fifty trees in the area were knocked down, creating a gigantic opening in the middle of the forest.  What kind of firepower is this?  Son of a bitch...

 

“You...” Essudo could say nothing more, a crumbled heap of himself on the ground, unable to move.  His entire body had caught the force of their ultimate attack, and he hadn’t even been able to see it coming.  “What are you?  I couldn’t have lost, this has to be an illusion, none of this is real!”

 

“You took the life of my Grandfather, and you tried to take my own.”  Calle said.  “Nothing matters when it comes to myself, though.  I can forgive you for that, but I can never forgive you for the things you said about him, the thought that you’d take pride in killing him.  I could never, ever allow someone like that to walk away.  It didn’t matter what I had to do.”

 

“So...what now...”  Essudo asked, smiling.  “You kill me?  You prove you’re no better off than I am, what a hypocrite.”

 

“Your words mean nothing,” Calle said.  “This fight is over, I have no desire to push it any further.  You have been defeated; this is how my Grandfather would have done things, and how I shall do it as well.  He and I are not the same person, but we share similarities that I will always hold close to me.  I don’t care if it’s Lucien, or someone else, I will fight to protect my friends and I won’t let the innocent people die at the hands of scum like you.”

 

He knelt as the cannon faded into the air.  So what now, we’re one in the same mind?  That must make things complicated when it comes to Lucien, won’t it?

 

Truthfully, I do not know what lies ahead.  Tres replied.  I do not understand how this happened, but I know that somehow we have unlocked a great power.  I will always be grateful to Master Lucien for saving me, but I am prepared to do what must be done.

 

Good, because that’s the plan.  Calle sighed.  But I’m starving.  Man.

 

---

 

“Sir, a moment of your time?”  The man behind the voice was a rather young one, in his mid-twenties, and after being prompted, he stepped into the room.  “I apologize for the interruption, but it appears the tide of the battle has just changed significantly.”

 

“What do you speak of?”

 

“The one you ordered to kill Calle Anden and the Spirit he was fighting alongside,” the man hesitated to explain further, but knew he had no choice.  “He’s been killed, sir.”

 

The man, his face unseen, simply chuckled.  “To think they’d have that kind of power.  I really have been out of the loop for a while, haven’t I?  Give me a few hours, I’d like to consult some of our inventory personally and then I will decide the next plan of attack.  I want to be sure that whoever we choose this time around will be able to get the job done.”

 

To be continued...[/spoiler]

[Randomflyingobjects]

The plot thickens, and we finally figure out why this thing is called 'D-Accel'. And now that Calle has unlocked this new power, he can use a new set of Stage techniques, the 'D' Stage. This probably has something to do with what Lucien is trying to accomplish.

 

Then let me guess, Blue Dialogue=Kiryu or Sora or some new character. That's as far as my predictions go.

 

I did like those final words from that bad guy, saying that the main characters were hypocrites if they killed him.

 

Usually it's the main character who decides that it's hypocritical. When the bad guys start saying it, you can pretty much tell that they've lost and they know it.

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

Just one thing: I wasn't really sure whether Essudo died or not. It wasn't very clear, cause one moment he's saying Calle is a hypocrite, and Calle responds that the fight is over, and the cannon fades. Then suddenly the bad-guy-in-the-shadows says that he's dead. I'd just like a bit of clarity in that respect.

 

I do like the fight scenes, as much as a I am more of a duel kind of guy, and Tres' fight was no exception. It was all of about 5 moves, but it was reasonable, not too dramatic, and pretty well paced. The whole ZEXAL D-Accel business seems familiar, but I can't quite place where the idea might have come from... /sarcasm

 

Nevertheless, I did enjoy that, and I can only hope that it won't be a one off thing, and that other characters might get the chance to do a fusion dance as well.

[Umbra]

My, oh my, we have a lot of ground to cover here. First off, my speculation almost came true, although not exactly. I do like how you combined them, though, and it'll be interesting to see where you take the concept. I've already voiced some of my concerns to you, but I have faith that you'll be able to handle them.

 

One thing first, though, before I dive into the chapter proper. Some of Calle's thoughts aren't italicized properly, which makes your descriptions and such a bit disjointed. Kind of breaks up the flow a little; nothing too major, but definitely something that could be polished up.

 

Tres certainly has an interesting fighting style, if you can call it that. Purposefully taking hits to throw his enemy off-balance and use it as an attack of opportunity does carry a certain element of risk with it, but it does go in line with his defensive style from earlier on. 

 

Calle being sealed up in a barrier feels a little gimmicky, but again, it goes in line with Tres' defensive fighting style, so it makes sense. And Tres' final comeback against Essudo (the rope trick) makes that more than worth it.

 

And then, the final scene. I don't know what to call it, but it's really, really good. Tres' and Calle's unintentional two-stage punch with the Final Blazing Veil and the D-Stage was a good way of seeing Essudo off. I was expecting to see more of our shadowy assassin friend, but I suppose he wasn't that important anyhow.

 

As for the D-Accel exposition, it's interesting. Something really huge is definitely happening here, bigger than our heroes could anticipate or expect. I do have my own theory as to who the blue-fonted character is, but I'll talk to you about that in private.

[Synchronized]

First of all, I'm going to respond to all of your guys' posts in detail, but I'm headed to work so I just wanted to get the next Episode up.  Those of you anxious to see a duel after all the fighting will be in luck, because we're back to basics here.

 

[spoiler=Episode 60: The Valley of Souls, Part 1/3]

 

"Well if you're ready, then I see no reason to prolong it any further, Duel!"  Calion pressed the button on his duel disk, as the device extended outwards and activated; the wind whisked heavily across the field as both of them readied their starting hands.  This was the biggest duel either of them would ever partake in.

 

---

 

Both Calion himself and Unos had sensed a massive release of power, coming from Calle's general direction, though they could not be sure what was behind it.  That said, they chose not to acknowledge it aloud; unlike the others, these two were warriors, ready to do battle with one another.  But in an interesting turn of events, Calion had not been lead to the location specified by Lucien at all.

 

Following Unos' presence, he'd stumbled upon a large open valley, inclined on both sides, so the area in which they were standing was down quite deep.  Apparently hidden to the general public on the island, it was known as the Valley of Souls, said to be the resting place of those on Houshou Island who had lost their lives.  Unos had made it quite clear that this duel was more important to him than any of Lucien's orders.  After being shown up by Calion in their earlier encounter, this was his chance to redeem himself.

 

In the Valley of Souls, Rakurai would not matter one way or the other.  Outside energy forces were rendered useless here, but the stipulation was simple; when two beings partook in a duel inside the Valley, only one was able to leave, the other having their soul captured by the Valley's inhabitants.  This was close to a Shadow Game as they were going to get.  And while Calion had been hesitant to believe the realities at first, now that they were standing within the confines, he could feel the odd aura about this place, an almost eerie feel.  

 

Here, they could battle without remorse, fear, or anything.  Two warriors clashing in an ultimate encounter with only one being able to escape alive.  Unos' resolve to stray away from Lucien's orders didn't come as much of a surprise to Calion himself - he could sense the warrior's independence and anger, his desire to prove that he was the strongest; nothing really mattered to him beyond that.

 

In some ways, Calion could relate to his enemy.  He well understood the premise of being a lone wolf, a fighter who relied on no one but himself and spent his entire life testing his own strengths.  But now, he had begun to understand that there was more to life than just fighting battle after battle in an endless cycle.  Sora had shown him that.  This duel, he had no choice but to win it and avenge Sora's death.  That was his resolve.

 

Even if Sora wouldn't have wanted things to end this way, would have maybe wanted Unos to somehow survive, Calion could tell the warrior was almost clamoring for someone to defeat him and allow him to leave the painful existence of this world.  But the time for talk was over.  Now that they were here, it was time to fight.

 

---

 

"The Valley of Souls will act as a judgment of both our character and our skill," Unos said.  "It is the ultimate test and only the strongest warrior will survive.  That is why I've chosen this location for our battle, it is time to defeat you and prove that I am the most powerful!"

 

"I admire your drive but it's not going to come that easily," Calion said.  "With no distractions and no risk of injury to anyone else outside of this place, I can duel you at full power, and that's exactly what I plan to do!" 

 

"Then bring everything you've got!"

 

"I'll begin with the Spell Card Heraldic Emblem!"  Placing the card into his Duel Disk, a virtual image appeared depicting a white crest surrounded by a red aura.  "With this, by sending a "Heraldic Beast" monster from my Deck to the Graveyard, I'm able to draw two new cards.  So I'll do just that, placing Heraldic Beast Aberconway into the Graveyard!"

 

[spoiler=Heraldic Emblem]

Normal Spell Card

Send 1 "Heraldic Beast" monster from your Deck to the Graveyard; draw 2 cards.  You must control no cards to activate and resolve this effect.[/spoiler]

 

With his hand now at seven cards, his options had become much greater.  "Moving on, I'm activating another Spell Card, Into the Void!"  He said.  "With this, as long as I have three or more cards in my hand, I can draw an additional card.  But there's a drawback.  See at the end of this turn if there are any cards left in my hand, I have to send them all to the Graveyard."

 

You can draw as many cards as you want, it won't make a difference once I've had a chance to go.  Unos stood, poised.

 

"Up next, I'm activating the Spell Card Heraldry Reborn, which lets me Special Summon a monster straight from the Graveyard to my field, so rise, Heraldic Beast Aberconway (1800)!"  The youthful dragon surfaced upon the field, its crimson red wings spread wide as it let out a fearful roar.  "But that's not all, because now I'm going to Summon Heraldic Beast Twin-Headed Eagle (1500) to join him!"

 

With two monsters on the field, he could now build the Overlay Network, and get his first turn off strong.  "Now, by putting Aberconway and Twin-Headed Eagle together, I'm able to Xyz Summon the mighty Diamond Dire Wolf (2000)!"  Glistening bright from the sun that seemed so many miles away, the diamond-plated kanine appeared on the field on all fours, as it turned to face the sky and let out a threatening howl.  "From here, I'll set three cards face down, and now since it's the turn's End Phase, I'm forced to send the last two cards in my hand to the Graveyard."

 

Drawing a card, Unos exclaimed, "I'll admit, that was quite an impressive first turn!  You've set up your field nicely and managed to summon a powerful Xyz Monster at the same time.  But unfortunately, your wolf is going to become extinct.  Watch, as I activate the Spell Card Fire Formation - Tenki!"  A blazing ring of fire surrounded the inline of the valley as Tres searched his Deck for a monster card, revealing it.  Calion was unfamiliar with the image, but he was certain he'd become acquainted with it sooner rather than later.

 

"Time to take care of that wolf, I summon Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Bear (1600)!"  The human soldier, clad in a black and orange armor appeared on the field, crouched in a kneeling position as the ring of fire provided him with an ATK boost.  [b](1600 + 100 = 1700)[/b].  Behind him appeared the feint outlines of a bear spirit.  "Bear is a mighty warrior, but don't take my word for it, just watch!  By sending Fire Formation - Tenki on my field to the Graveyard, I can destroy your Diamond Dire Wolf!"

 

The ring of fire condensed, morphing into a small fireball and landing in the warrior's hands.  As he prepared to fire, Calion prompted his response.  "Don't get too overzealous, I didn't set a bunch of cards for no reason.  Reveal Trap Card, Heraldry Charge!"  One of the two overlay units circulating Dire Wolf detached itself, vanishing from the field, in order to allow the Trap to take effect.  "With this, if an Xyz Monster on my field has a "Heraldic Beast" monster as Xyz Material, I can send one of those monsters to the Graveyard in order to activate it's effect during your turn!"

 

"Hold on, what?!"  Unos asked, Bear's attack already half-way in effect.  

 

"You heard right, so watch, now I can send Dire Wolf's second overlay unit to the Graveyard in order to activate his special ability," Calion explained.  "Once Dire Wolf consumes an overlay unit, he gains the power to target one card on each side of the field and send it to the Graveyard.  And since Bear is going to take him out anyway, I might as well bring Bear down with it!  Go, Diamond Dire Slash!"  

 

Following the commands, the beautiful beast leapt into the sky, meeting Bear's molten fireball with a razor-sharp slash, causing a collision between the two of them that resulted in a major explosion across the field.  Both duelists shielded themselves from the force of the attack, or at least tried to.

 

Once the smoke cleared, breathing heavily, Calion was the first to speak.  "Sorry, that was one hell of a move, but I'm not about to let you get the upper hand, especially not this early on.  If you think this duel is going to be easy, you might as well quit now."

 

"Heh," Unos scowled.  "I don't consider anyone a true challenge, but you're undoubtedly the strongest I've met.  With that being said, I'll only take more satisfaction in crushing you, because once I've gotten through you, there's no one left to provide any sort of challenge to me at all!"

 

"Well then instead of talking, prove it."  Calion dead-stared him, and Unos returned the gaze with one equally full of tension.  

 

"I'll set one card and end my turn," Unos said, not moving his eyes from Calion's.

 

"Good, because now I'll go!"  He drew a card forcefully.  "And I'll begin by activating this, the Trap Card Soul Booster!  Soul Booster can be activated if I have one or less cards in my hand, and by sending my entire hand to the Graveyard, I can draw three new cards!"  He yelled, the Trap Card depicting a fallen man, offering himself as a sacrifice to allow the rest of his army to continue on without him.  "From one offering comes three new cards, so I'll discard Heraldic Beast Berner's Falcon and take three!"

 

[spoiler=Soul Booster]

Normal Trap Card

If you have 1 or less cards in your hand: Send your hand to the Graveyard; draw 3 cards.  You can only activate 1 "Soul Booster" per duel.  Then, skip your next Draw Phase.[/spoiler]

 

Awesome, just what he needed.  Calion smiled (though only a little) as he slammed the card into his duel disk.  "I'm activating the Spell Card Advanced Heraldry Art!"  Two circular portals, one blue and one neon green, appeared on the field, as shadowy outlines of both Aberconway and Berner's Falcon were pulled upwards into their respective circles.  "Since I've got more than two Heraldic Beasts in the Graveyard, Heraldry Art allows me to use two of them to perform an instant Xyz Summon!  Come forth, Lightning Chidori (1900)!"

 

The winds picked up in ferocity as the winged creature spawned upon the field, letting loose some tenacious forces that began to tear up the ground around them.  Shit, that's the same monster he Summoned against that Russian brat in the tournament!

 

"Judging by the look on your face, you're familiar with Chidori's effect, so I'll spare myself the explanations," Calion said.  "But your Set card is about to go bye-bye, Thunder Hurricane!"  

 

"Not so fast, since it's going to be put back in the Deck anyway, I might as well use it now!"  Unos responded, pressing the button as the card revealed itself.  "Crashing Magma Calling!"

 

[spoiler=Crashing Magma Calling]

Normal Trap Card

Special Summon 1 Level 4 FIRE monster with 200 DEF or less from your Deck in face-up Defense Position.  Its effect(s) are negated and it is destroyed during the End Phase.[/spoiler]

 

"My Trap Card here lets me Special Summon a monster to the field, so my Life Points are completely safe!  Flamvell Firedog (200)!"  Firedog appeared on the field as the Trap Card left it, kneeling down on all fours, its powerful presence not so much evident with such a weak defense.

 

Interesting, Firedog's a different choice than I would've expected.  Calion thought, but maybe he had done it on purpose knowing Chidori's second ability.  Sure, he could use Chidori's effect immediately to put Firedog back on top of the Deck, but that would set Unos up for a draw that he could definitely make use of next turn, to at the very least take Chidori down.  Instead of spinning it, he'd just destroy it.  It was the smartest move.  "Fair enough, looks like you saved yourself this turn, Lightning Chidori, destroy his Firedog with Shattering Windstorm!"  

 

Firing a charge from its mouth, Chidori demolished the dog with ease.  Unos was knocked back by the attack, but relatively unscatched.  Chidori's mere presence was causing the Spirits to rile; Calion could sense them, but they were not speaking.  Humans might have feared the spirits of the deceased, but it had no effect on him one way or the other.  Right now, he was in a good spot.  Letting himself be overcome by fear was not going to do anything at all.  He had to remain focused on the duel.

 

Damnit, I was hoping he would put Firedog back on top of the Deck.  Unos scowled once more.  Why did this guy have to be such a skilled player?  It was throwing him off, usually his opponents were no match for him.  It was time to stop playing around.  He had to mount a serious comeback this turn.  "Draw," he said.  "You may have disrupted my strategy, but I'll just shift gears, by summoning Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Spirit (500)!"  

 

"But that's not all, because now I'm activating the Spell Card Fire Formation - Tensu!"  Tensu would allow him an additional Normal Summon this turn, which meant that if he was going to take the opportunity to bring out a powerful monster to combat that thing, he'd have to do it now.  "Now, thanks to Tensu, I can bring another monster out to battle, Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Gorilla (1600)!"  

 

Two weaker monsters, Calion observed.  But one of them is a Tuner monster, which means this could end up interesting.  The fact was, his Set card was a bluff.  He wouldn't be able to use it this turn, but in order to avoid having to discard too much with Into the Void, he'd set it, figuring it might work to at least throw Unos off.  If somehow he was able to bring out a Synchro Monster though, the likes of which Calion hadn't battled in quite some time, things might become difficult.

 

"First things first, thanks to Gorilla's special ability, I can send Tensu to the Graveyard in order to destroy a Spell or Trap Card on your field," Unos declared.  "And since you've only got that one, let's get rid of it, shall we?"

 

In a burst of flames, Calion placed the card on his field into the Graveyard slot.  'Mind Control', it might have helped him at one point, but there was no way he could've used it effectively up to this point.  Oh well.  That was the least of his concerns right now.  "Next, I'll activate the Spell Card Star Changer from my hand, and that takes Gorilla's Level and brings it down by one!  [b](LV4 - 1 = LV3)[/b]

 

"Of course, so now you can Synchro Summon a Level 6 monster," Calion said.  "Are you all talk, or can you actually dent me?!"

 

"You want it, you've got it!  I'll tune the Level 3 Spirit with Level 3 Gorilla to Synchro Summon the Level 6 Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Horse Prince (2200)!"  Atop a steed created from flames themselves, the armored knight took his place, awaiting further orders.  "Chidori doesn't stand a chance, Horse Prince, take out his monster with Spiral Lance!"  Hurling a flaming lance at the winged beast, Chidori stood no chance it exploded into pixels, with Calion being the first to take damage.

 

[b]Calion's Life Points: 3700[/b]

 

Everything went silent for a moment.  While he could still the the Horse Prince visibly, he could feel the spirits calling out to him.  With the first bit of damage, he had experienced the first crack in his armor.  They were clamoring for him to join them amidsts the depths, trapped here forever.  But he wasn't going to let that happen.  You won't be taking my soul, especially because I don't have one.

 

"I'm excited," he said.  "I'm glad you chose this location.  It allows me to play without holding anything back, and you to do the same.  I've longed to be able to face someone with as much as you have."  Calion said.  "When it comes down to it, we're both fighters.  Warriors.  The battlefield is where we're most comfortable, and I couldn't think of a better way to take out my frustration then by crushing you."

 

"Oh really?"  Unos said.  "Because in a fight we were evenly matched, and I can promise you that once this duel really gets going, you're going to be blown out of the water!  I've never once lost, and I don't plan on allowing you to be the first!  You won't be able to withstand the fire!"

 

"I disagree," Calion said.  "But at least when all is said and done, we'll know who the best [i]really[/i] is.  I hope you're prepared, because now that you've cracked my armor, it's time to really unload."

 

"I wouldn't expect anything less."

 

The two locked eyes.  The winds were beginning to pick up.  The spirits hungry for a soul.

 

To be continued...[/spoiler]

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

Just to ask, did you previously use OCG names in duels? Because now you're using the TCG names, and it's caught me off guard. Then again, I might be thinking of the other fics I've been reading on YCM.

Oh, and your card description spoilers dun goof'd. But I'm sure that can be fixed.

 

Onto the duel, and it's another meta archetype, as you say, but since there are many meta archetypes I didn't really have a specific prediction. However, with Dos' being WATER and Unos' being FIRE, I was thinking that Tres' might be WIND (that is, if we actually see him duel at all).

 

Your custom cards are still good, although anything to do with sending Heraldics to the Graveyard from the Deck irks me somewhat; I almost had a heart attack before I saw Heraldic Emblem's conditions. Nevertheless, you continue to draw me in like this, and I'll be here till the very end.

 

Of your second story.

[Synchronized]

To be honest, it's more up to your interpretation.  I left it open-ended so the readers could form their own conclusions as to what happens.  Calle/Tres chose not to 'finish him off', but whether or not he died from just the battle itself was purposely left out.
 

 
I do like the fight scenes, as much as a I am more of a duel kind of guy, and Tres' fight was no exception. It was all of about 5 moves, but it was reasonable, not too dramatic, and pretty well paced. The whole ZEXAL D-Accel business seems familiar, but I can't quite place where the idea might have come from... /sarcasm

 
It's kind of funny, because the idea for 'D-Accel' was done before I actually knew anything about the ZEXAL power.  I follow the Dub so when I started this in June of last year I hadn't even seen the episode, at least as far as I remember.  The idea didn't come from Zexal though, which is actually strange.
 

 
Nevertheless, I did enjoy that, and I can only hope that it won't be a one off thing, and that other characters might get the chance to do a fusion dance as well.

 
I could tell you, but that would be no fun.  After all, what other characters exist that could get one right now?
 

My, oh my, we have a lot of ground to cover here. First off, my speculation almost came true, although not exactly. I do like how you combined them, though, and it'll be interesting to see where you take the concept. I've already voiced some of my concerns to you, but I have faith that you'll be able to handle them.

 
Like I said, I'm aware that the D-Stage is a powerful, useful tool, but carries many risks with it.  The way I've planned out the story will definitely make sure that it's not over-done.
 

One thing first, though, before I dive into the chapter proper. Some of Calle's thoughts aren't italicized properly, which makes your descriptions and such a bit disjointed. Kind of breaks up the flow a little; nothing too major, but definitely something that could be polished up.

 
I'll go through and polish that up.  I guess the Spoilers were having some issues in Episode 60, too, so I wanna fix that up as well.  Thanks for pointing it out.
 

 
Tres certainly has an interesting fighting style, if you can call it that. Purposefully taking hits to throw his enemy off-balance and use it as an attack of opportunity does carry a certain element of risk with it, but it does go in line with his defensive style from earlier on. 

 
It's a bit of a different fighting style but it's unique; the difficult part in having a lot of characters like I do is that you want to be careful to give characters different traits to separate them from being generic.
 

 
Calle being sealed up in a barrier feels a little gimmicky, but again, it goes in line with Tres' defensive fighting style, so it makes sense. And Tres' final comeback against Essudo (the rope trick) makes that more than worth it.

 
I couldn't think of a better way to make it so Calle would stay out of the fight.  I think it worked in the context of the story, too.  Tres' big attack, even though it wasn't enough to win the fight, was done without a Stage technique which showed his real strength.
 

 
And then, the final scene. I don't know what to call it, but it's really, really good. Tres' and Calle's unintentional two-stage punch with the Final Blazing Veil and the D-Stage was a good way of seeing Essudo off. I was expecting to see more of our shadowy assassin friend, but I suppose he wasn't that important anyhow.

 
Believe it or not, that was really challenging to write.  I wanted to convey that it was a big moment without over-doing it, and I'm glad to see it translated that way (at least to some extent).  Like I said, I never specified whether or not Essudo was truly dead.  That's up to the reader to interpret.  I've done this trick before earlier in the story.
 

 
As for the D-Accel exposition, it's interesting. Something really huge is definitely happening here, bigger than our heroes could anticipate or expect. I do have my own theory as to who the blue-fonted character is, but I'll talk to you about that in private.

 
I must say I found your guesses interesting, but I'm not going to reveal that one way or another, at least not yet.  With only twenty-four episodes left in the story, the answers are going to be revealed now more than ever, so I'm sure it won't be that long of a wait.
 

Just to ask, did you previously use OCG names in duels? Because now you're using the TCG names, and it's caught me off guard. Then again, I might be thinking of the other fics I've been reading on YCM.
Oh, and your card description spoilers dun goof'd. But I'm sure that can be fixed.

 
I did.  Before I knew Dire Wolf and Chidori's TCG translations, I had used the OCG names.  Now that they've been revealed, I use the TCG names just because it's easier for people that might read the story and not be familiar with it.  With the amount of views this story has, I'm assuming there are more people reading and just not commenting, so I'm trying to appeal to everyone by making it as simplistic as possible when it comes to duels.
 
And thanks for the note on the spoilers, I'll see what I can do to fix that.
 

 
Onto the duel, and it's another meta archetype, as you say, but since there are many meta archetypes I didn't really have a specific prediction. However, with Dos' being WATER and Unos' being FIRE, I was thinking that Tres' might be WIND (that is, if we actually see him duel at all).

 
I'm not sure we'll see Tres duel individually now that he and Calle are one in the same person, but it's possible.  I'm still finalizing some things for the finale and whatnot so I'll have some more details on that later on.
 
Heraldics need some broken support in order to be even remotely decent. :P  
 
I might not have the most readers, but the ones that I do have are awesome.

[Synchronized]

D-Accel II Update

Did tons of planning today for the second series with Umbra, which was really cool. Those of you who are fans of the 1st Series, I hope you'll stick with the second one and give it a chance, because it has the potential to be really, really special.

But anyway, that's still a while away.

---

There's still plenty of awesome stuff to come with the first series, and I'm in no rush, so here's Episode 61. The duel between Calion and Unos continues, and it's coming along really well. I hope everyone likes it, and again I encourage those of you who read but don't comment to leave feedback, it would be very much appreciated.

[spoiler=Episode 61: The Valley of Souls, Part 2/3]

"It's funny, you know, I didn't think I'd be the first one to take damage."

Calion brushed his forehead, sweat dripping from his brow. The Valley of Souls, it was an interesting place, and one that lived up to its namesake. Even in the silence, he could feel the spirits calling to him, calling for another soul to consume. Something must have happened to them, something that prevented them from being able to rest peacefully, without carrying such a vengeance for the living. This wasn't like any of the stories he'd heard about those in the afterlife. It was very strange, almost unsettling.

As best he understood, the afterlife was home to both humans and spirits alike, but there, things were different. It was not like here, hatred and tension between the two. So why was it then, here in the Valley of Souls, that things were so different? What inspired the hatred? This island was beautiful, the scenery was amazing. Before Lucien's arrival, things had not been chaotic like they were now; something must have happened between the last time he'd been here and now. Something in those ten years.

He didn't want to think about it anymore. The thought made his stomach turn.

"Right, back to the duel," Calion snapped himself back to reality. "Are you finished?"

"Heh, I see you're already shaken up by the potential fate that awaits you, you really are more pathetic than the humans, aren't you?" Unos smirked, drawing a reaction. "I'll place two cards face-down and end my turn."

"I'm gonna ignore your snide remarks in favor of focusing my attention on beating you," Calion snapped. "You've always been one to talk a big game, but so far the most impressive play you've been able to make is a mediocre Synchro Monster. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to make my comeback."

"Let's see what I can do," he exclaimed placing a Spell Card into the disk slot. "I'll activate the Spell Heraldic Armored Reinforcement!"

[spoiler=Heraldic Armored Reinforcement]
Normal Spell Card
Banish 1 "Heraldic Beast" monster from your Graveyard; Add 1 "Heraldic Beast" monster from your Deck to your hand. Then, draw 1 card and reveal it. If it is a Spell or Trap Card, add it to your hand. If not, send it to the Graveyard. You can only activate 1 "Heraldic Armored Reinforcement" per turn.[/spoiler]

"Now if I banish Twin-Headed Eagle from my Graveyard, I can take a new Heraldic Beast to my hand," he said, choosing 'Heraldic Beast Leo', before placing the Deck back into the holster as it auto-shuffled. "Then, I draw a new card and reveal it, and if it's a Spell or Trap Card, I'm able to add it straight to my hand."

"Draw all the cards you want," Unos growled. "It won't make a difference in the end."

"You seem awful confident, let's leave it up to chance, shall we?" The duel disk spat out a card, which Calion revealed, both Unos and himself seeing it at the same time. 'Akashic Record'. "That worked out well then, and why wait to play it? I'll activate Akashic Record!"

Per the Spell Card's effect, he drew two additional cards, showing them both to Unos at the same time. "Well, looks like chance wasn't so friendly this time around." Unos said. One of the cards, 'Heraldic Beast Aberconway' had already been used earlier, meaning Calion had no choice but to discard it. He'd get the other one, 'Ressurection Emblem' to his hand, but it wouldn't be of any use to him now.

"If you want to call it that," he replied, placing the monster in the Graveyard. "Time to make a play. And I'm about to introduce you to my newest monster, Heraldic Beast Leo (2000)!" With a glowing golden mane, the lion-warrior stood strong on the field, it's razor sharp talons ready to tear into the enemy. "And since I'm aware Leo's not gonna be able to do too much on his own, I'm giving him some back-up in the form of Amethyst Knight (1800)!"

The royal knight, clad in silver armor lined with the richest of emeralds, appeared on the field in a fighting stance with his blade firmly in his grasp. "I don't know if you recall Amethyst Knight's ability from the first time I played him, but I'm able to bring him out if I've got another Beast monster on the field, and when he's Summoned, I can then place a monster from the Deck into the Graveyard!"

"All these clever plays are just ways to avoid admitting that you're not strong enough to take me down," Unos noted. "Stop hiding behind your weak monsters and end your turn already!"

"Getting awful hasty, aren't you?" Calion asked with a smile. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting, I'll try and speed up the process. See, with Amethyst's effect, I'll be placing Heraldic Beast Unicorn into the Graveyard! And here comes the fun part, the Spell Card The Big March of Animals!"

(Heraldic Beast Leo = 2000 + 400 = 2400)
(Amethyst Knight = 1800 + 400 = 2200)

Unos recognized the card, he'd come across it in the past, but what concerned him was the fact that Calion had the firepower to take down his Synchro monster now, thanks to the Spell, all Beast-Type monsters would gain a 200 point power boost for each Beast on the field. And since there were two on Calion's field, both of his monsters got 400 points stronger. Damnit, he was going to have to waste a Trap Card already, and even then it wouldn't be enough to save his monster.

"No comment, that's fine, I wouldn't have expected you to have something to say," Calion said, as Leo prepared to unleash its ferocity. "I'll just fire back! Heraldic Beast Leo, bring that horseman out to pasture with Hyper Talon!" Claws outright, the lion slashed the Horse Prince in two, exploding into pixels.

Unos' Life Points: 3800

"Unfortunately, that's not all of it. The worst is yet to come! Amethyst Knight, attack his Life Points directly with Emerald Cutter!" The knight leapt into action, raising his sword high as he prepared to slash down on Unos.

"Not so fast, I'm activating the Trap Card Fire Formation - Tenshio," Just in time, the Trap Card sprung up, forming another one of the flaming circles around the battlefield. "With this card, since you destroyed a Fire Fist monster during this turn, any Battle Damage I take is automatically split in half!" Amethyst's attack still struck, his blade piercing the skin on Unos' right shoulder, drawing blood.

[spoiler=Fire Formation - Tenshio]
Continuous Trap Card
Activate only during a turn in which a "Fire Fist" monster you control is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard. For the rest of this turn, any Battle Damage you take is halved. When you take Battle Damage during this turn: You can target 1 FIRE monster from your Graveyard with less ATK than the damage; Special Summon that target. All FIRE monsters you control gain 200 ATK.[/spoiler]

Unos' Life Points: 2700

Ignoring the pain, he continued, explaining the remainder of the card's effect. "But that's not all, now that I've taken the damage, I'm allowed to target a Fire Fist monster in my Graveyard with less attack points than the damage I took and Special Summon it back to the field! So welcome back, Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Spirit (200)!"

As the monster resurfaced on the field, both duelists could sense the Valley beginning to act up once more. The feint outlines of spirits and eerie winds graced them. With each Life Point lost, the spirits knew they came closer to consuming a soul.

Unos wasn't prepared to let that happen. "I know you can hear me, spirits; don't get worked up, I'm far too strong for the likes of you! That's why you're all dead and I'm still here, alive." He turned his attention to Calion. "I hope you were prepared, because that was the last shot you had to inflict damage to me."

"I hope you're wrong, but I guess we'll see," he replied, placing a card in his Spell and Trap Zone. The last card in his hand, no less. He was slowly running out of options; he'd need to turn things around pretty soon. And he wasn't going to lie, the spirits were starting to creep him out a bit. Something about the entire place felt off, just entirely un-natural. It wasn't the concept of the afterlife that did it, either. He had no idea what was causing him to be so on-edge, especially with a lead in Life Points.

"How pathetic," Unos said once more. "What happened to your arrogant, can't fail personality? Have you become so weak that you're not even going to try a smart-ass remark now? And to think I thought this would be a challenge."

"Just shut up!" Calion exclaimed, growing frustrated. Everything was beginning to get to him. He couldn't afford to dwell on outside events right now, he had to focus. There had to be a way to keep the duel in his favor, but he didn't like where it was going. "You rushed me so you could make your damn move, so show me what you've got!"

Drawing his card, Unos burst into a fit of laughter as the flames around him grew stronger. "Panic is beginning to set in, it's amusing. And so it should be! Because now I'm going to summon Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Hawk (1500) in Defense Mode." The archeress appeared on the field, kneeling down, bow in hand. The feint outlines of a hawk spirit appeared behind her.

He's got two Level 3 monsters on the field now, he must be setting up for an Xyz Summon! Calion felt himself tighten up. This side of him, this fear, where was it coming from? He wasn't supposed to be able to feel this, emotion. It was never a thing to him. So why all of the sudden now was he losing focus? Why was he letting himself be intimidated? Damnit!

"Look at you doubting yourself, how adorable. If you think you're experiencing fear, just wait, because I'm about to show you the real definition of power!" He said, placing the two monster cards on his Duel Disk on top of one another. "From two come one, I'll overlay Spirit and Hawk to Xyz Summon the almighty flame, Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Lion Emperor (2200)!"

Unos smiled with delight as the menacing beast rose to the field, protected by a golden coat of armor and backed by two spirits in the form of lion heads, only adding to its intimidating presence. His roar pierced the skies as he stood on the field ready to do battle. "And if you think he's impressive, wait until you see what he's capable of! When Lion Emperor is called upon, I can detach an Overlay Unit to target a FIRE monster in my Graveyard and add that monster back to my hand, so welcome Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Bear!"

Not that thing again, Calion groaned. If he was able to bring Bear out to the field, he could break through his defenses effortlessly.

(Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Lion Emperor = 2200 + 200 = 2400)

"Let's not forget that Tenshio is still active, and as such, Lion Emperor becomes even more powerful." Unos declared, allowing his monster the opportunity to exact revenge. "And now, we'll see which Lion is truly the strongest! Lion Emperor, incinerate his Heraldic Beast Leo with Pouncing Sear Fist!"

Calion's Life Points: 3000

The heat felt real, the fear felt real. No, it was real. As the Lion Emperor reached him, Calion wanted to turn around and flee, to run away. This fear, this was not anything he'd ever experienced. He was the resident badass, the leader-type, the one who'd always show up and kick ass at just the right moment. And yet here he was now, with barely any options left, waiting for someone to come and save him in a situation that just wasn't going to happen.

He had gone through all of his plays. What other option was there? He and Unos, it was like looking at a mirror image of his old self, before his life had been changed by meeting Sora and Kenji, and the others. And he resented that self for the actions he took, but at the same time, that self would be exactly what he needed to win. But it was gone.

That's why Unos was going to win, because he had that lack of regard for everyone and everything. A brutal, remorseless attitude; he would win based on pure power. All hope was lost.

---

Amusing, isn't it? You don't even have to speak and I can sense your negativity, it has encompassed your entire being, hasn't it?

What the...who's there? Are you one of the spirits? From here in the Valley?

I am here, but I am not from the Valley of Souls. But I assure you, you may consider me a friend.

No offense, but I don't really do 'friends'. That's not really my style. There's very few people I care about.

I'm well aware. Poor choice of wording on my end, sincerest apologies. Don't consider me a friend, then, but perhaps you'll listen to what I have to say. As I'm sure you know, you are in a very dangerous situation. Your opponent is a powerful one. The two of you are alike in many ways.

Powerful is an understatement. He's the strongest opponent I've ever faced, I don't stand a chance. I thought I might have before; this duel is all but over.

It's strange, how far you've strayed. You know, just because you've gained a set of values doesn't mean you have to lose your edge. Do you think the others would just sit and give up? Especially those that looked to you as a role model?

A role model? That couldn't be further from the truth. I am anything but a good person, I've taken countless lives and I couldn't even protect the life of the ones that actually meant something to me. I used to think I was a warrior, but I can't even win this duel where it matters.

This display, it's pathetic. You were once a powerful and feared warrior and duelist alike, and now you're nothing more than a coward. Giving up on your friends, and the people that are depending on you. What good are you if you can't even put forth the effort to try?

He stopped in his tracks. Images of Sora, Kenji, Calle, Xiael, and all the others flashed through his mind. Lucien and his allies. All of the people he'd been fighting to protect and those he'd been fighting to defeat. All of it would be for nothing if he just gave up. What kind of warrior did something like that? No, he wasn't going to lose his touch. He could win this duel. That sniveling bastard's ego was way too high for his liking.

You're right. I can crush this guy. Who--

It's about time you come to your senses, Calion. I'm afraid I must go, but I assure you we will meet soon enough. Now win this duel.

---

"The spirits are hungry," Unos exclaimed, calling Calion out of his trance. "You are nothing, you are now in your permanent existence. This is the last duel you will ever partake in. Just know that once this is all over, I'll be sure to kill the rest of your friends, too." He cackled. "You'll all be able to suffer together, except you'll be trapped here, alone! Still, don't say I don't do anything generous. You pathetic piece of trash!"

Everything he says is false, I am a warrior. I'm better than he is, simply because I'm just that much better. "You can keep talking, but I'm just gonna start tuning you out," he replied, smiling. Unos noticed his change in demeanor. He didn't quite like it. "After all, I've spent enough time wallowing in self-pity, when I should've been kicking your ass all over this valley. Unfortunately for you, there are too many people relying on me to come out of this duel in one piece--I can't afford to lose."

What's this? His confidence is restored, but how? He was so close, I had him on the edge! Unos made a fist, seething with anger.

"It's all about believing in myself and believing in my cards, in my ability to win! And that's what I'm about to do," Calion drew a card with great excitement. Exactly what he needed. "And whatt'ya know, I've still got it. If you're done blabbering, I've got a duel to win. So here goes everything! From my hand, I'll summon Heraldic Beast Eale (1000)!"

The strangely-frightening goat appeared on the field, its spiky hair covered by a coat of armor as it stood alongside the emerald knight. "And now, I'll be able to use my Trap Card, Ressurection Emblem!"

[spoiler=Ressurection Emblem]
Normal Trap Card
Activate only if you control 2 or more "Heraldic Beast" monsters: Target 1 "Heraldic Beast" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target. During this turn, if you Xyz Summon a monster using that target as Xyz Material, your opponent cannot activate any Spell or Trap Cards in response.[/spoiler]

"With this, I'm able to bring back Heraldic Beast Leo (2000), but if I were you, I wouldn't worry about that part," Calion replied, stacking the three monsters. "Because now I can call upon the power of the great skies! The power of light and darkness come together to create the strongest Xyz! I overlay my three monsters to Xyz Summon Vylon Disigma (2500)!"

In a spectacle of light, the three monsters were gone, and in their place was a thunderous creature. With wings spanning both sides of its body, sharp as the strongest of blades, Disgima stood tall over the rest of the field, three Overlay Units circulating around its body. Unos was blown away by Disigma's power, as it appeared even the spirits in the Valley took a few steps back in fear.

"What...what is that thing?" Marveled, Unos couldn't help but look up at the monster, his eyes fixated on it. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. So unorthodox, but so noticeably strong. The amount of energy resonating from it was incredible.

"Vylon Disigma is my strongest monster, but he's not all that easy to summon," Calion said. "I'll give you credit for pushing me to this limit. You almost broke my spirit, but just when I needed it most, my confidence came back to me. And now it's time to unleash that confidence on you! You wanted a fight, I'm going to give you all of that and more, and I'll start by showing you Vylon Disigma's special ability! By detaching an Overlay Unit, I'm able to take control of a monster on your field and equip it to Disigma!"

"No, that's impossible!" Unos cried out as Disigma moved in to grab Lion Emperor, crushing it and absorbing in seconds. "Damn you, I refuse to lose to someone like you, not when I came so close!"

Calion shrugged, throwing in a small smile just to really hit home. "Happens to the best of us I guess! Oh, don't forget, thanks to the effect of my Ressurection Emblem, any Spell and Trap Cards you try to use on Disigma this turn are null and void, meaning you can't do a damn thing to stop this! Go, attack his Life Points directly with Energizer Burst!"

Opening a small hole in the center of its chest, Disigma fired a blast of energy straight in Unos' direction. The spirit tried to move out of the way, but there was nowhere to run as the blast struck him directly in a massive explosion.

Unos' Life Points: 200

Everything was fading, he could hear the spirits beginning to call out to him. They were coming for him now. "Get away, this isn't over yet!" He drove his fist into the ground, getting back to his feet. "Damn you Calion! You may have gotten in a good shot, but this game isn't over yet! You've yet to see the full extent of my capabilities! I swear, I'll kill you!"

This time, it was Calion who laughed.

"What's so funny?!" Unos demanded, filled with rage.

"It's just that, I've never been pushed to the point that you pushed me to," Calion replied, his eyes representing his deep thought. "And after experiencing that, I will never allow myself to be pushed to that point again. It doesn't matter what move you make next turn, because I promise you I will win, I have to win. And thanks to Vylon Disigma's ability, if you attack it with a monster of the same Attribute as the one it absorbed, your monster is immediately destroyed. Disigma may be all I have left, but it's a pretty damn good one. But if you insist, take your turn. Show me just how much fight you have left in you, because like you said, the spirits are getting hungry."

To be continued...[/spoiler]

Just a note guys, I know something's going on with the Spoilers but I'm not sure how to fix it. Just work with me for now; I'm going to try and figure it out.

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

Well, we have Calion getting all mopey, and then getting a metaphorical kick up the backside from a wandering spirit (whose identity remains unknown), and then making a comeback. Just a small thing, did Calion search Eale when Leo was destroyed, or does he have another card in hand? Cause you forgot to mention searching when it was destroyed. Nevertheless, it's good that you've got such a good back and forth between Unos and Calion, although I know that Unos can make a comeback (You know what I'm talking about, but shh!). Sometimes duels (not yours specifically) can feel as if they are not much of a challenge, and while it's alright when it's justified like with Kiryu, sometimes there's not enough tension, and it feels sorta dull. Good that this is not an example. Keep up the good work.

[Randomflyingobjects]

What... did I take a break or something? For what, three, four days?

 

Well, I read it. All of it. I must say, I really like the setting for this duel, what, with it blocking out emotions and everything. ...Except when Calion suddenly gets scared, which I thought a) he was incapable of feeling and b) this place blocks out emotions.

 

Anyway, cheers to having a rounded set of antagonists like this one. And what is this... the first Synchro in the fic? That's what it feels like.

 

As for the plot itself, I'm seeing that blue writing again. Now we know that this spirit isn't linked to Calle, but sort of floats around the entire team of protagonists. Well done.

[Synchronized]

Well, we have Calion getting all mopey, and then getting a metaphorical kick up the backside from a wandering spirit (whose identity remains unknown), and then making a comeback. Just a small thing, did Calion search Eale when Leo was destroyed, or does he have another card in hand? Cause you forgot to mention searching when it was destroyed.

 

Just for the sake of the story, I chose not to have Leo's effect activate.  Nor the effect where Leo would've been destroyed during the End Phase because it was Normal Summoned.  If he uses it again, more than likely I will, but it didn't make sense in the context of the duel, so rather than change the effect I just made it so it didn't activate.  Slightly cheating, I'm aware. :P

 

Nevertheless, it's good that you've got such a good back and forth between Unos and Calion, although I know that Unos can make a comeback (You know what I'm talking about, but shh!). Sometimes duels (not yours specifically) can feel as if they are not much of a challenge, and while it's alright when it's justified like with Kiryu, sometimes there's not enough tension, and it feels sorta dull. Good that this is not an example. Keep up the good work.

 

I appreciate the comments.  I'm not the best when it comes to writing duels which is why this duel has taken a while to write; I wanted to make sure the importance was shown more than anything else.  I'm glad you've liked it so far and I hope you enjoy th conclusion.  It's definitely not the last duel of Series I.

 

What... did I take a break or something? For what, three, four days?

 

Something like that!

 

Well, I read it. All of it. I must say, I really like the setting for this duel, what, with it blocking out emotions and everything. ...Except when Calion suddenly gets scared, which I thought a) he was incapable of feeling and B) this place blocks out emotions.

 

The Valley of Souls has nothing to do with emotion.  What it does it block outside energy sources, such as Rakurai and things like that.  Calion is not supposed to be able to feel, which is part of what the story is trying to tell.  Why is he feeling this way?  How is that even possible?  What is going on with him?  Questions like that.

 

Anyway, cheers to having a rounded set of antagonists like this one. And what is this... the first Synchro in the fic? That's what it feels like.

 

I appreciate it; and yes, I think it is.  There will be a few more but there won't be too many until Series II, which should coincide with the release of Judgement of the Light so I'll have more Synchros at my disposal.

 

As for the plot itself, I'm seeing that blue writing again. Now we know that this spirit isn't linked to Calle, but sort of floats around the entire team of protagonists. Well done.

 

Right.  I've seen a few guesses as to who the Spirit is but I won't say.  New episode tomorrow, thanks again guys!

[Synchronized]

After a few days, here's the new Episode, Part 3/3, and I have to say it's another favorite of mine.  Anyone who might have been thrown off by anything up to this point in the story will be completely caught up by the end of the Episode, guarantee.  Hope you guys like it; we're less than 25 episodes away from the finale!

 

[spoiler=Episode 62: The Valley of Souls, Part 3/3]

 

The Spirit was torn and battered, his body barely in stable condition after taking the full force of Disigma's attacks.  While the Rakurai was sealed here, the duels were still very real, and at this point both he and Calion had learned that first hand.  And yet still, given the circumstances and his current situation, Unos was smiling as he forced himself back to a standing position.

 

Standing behind the might of Disigma, Calion found this puzzling.  His last effort had paid off, to the point where now he'd only have to make it through one more turn in order to win the duel.  It was easy, really.  Sure, Unos still had 'Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Bear' in his hand, and would more than likely use it this turn, sending his remaining Trap Card, 'Fire Formation - Tenshio' to the Graveyard to destroy Disigma.

 

After that, Unos would strike him directly with Bear for 1600 points of damage, which would hurt like hell no doubt, but he'd still survive.  Once it rolled back around to his turn, Calion could use the effect of 'Heraldic Beast Aberconway' in his Graveyard to grab 'Heraldic Beast Leo' back to his hand.  Calling the Lion out once more, he could use it to destroy Bear and win the duel, depleting the remaining two hundred Life Points that Unos had.

 

So knowing this, which was all but common knowledge given that Unos had seen him duel before and was likely well aware, why was he smiling?  He could understand the spirit's ego, his almost maniacal desire to win, but the situation didn't call for it.  This was the end of their battle.  What could Unos possibly do to turn it around?  Why was that smile so problematic?  Over and over again the words echoed in Calion's head, whoever it was that had come to him just now and inspired him to continue competing, to not give up, they had broken through to him, restored his confidence.

 

But who [i]was[/i] it?  So many unanswered questions.  He decided it was best to stop thinking for a minute and let Unos take his turn.  After all, he needed to see what that smile was all about.

 

"This duel has been fun, but I believe it's time to end things," he said, drawing a card.  "To be fair, I didn't believe I would have to resort to using such methods to defeat you.  Even someone of my skill level is well suited to keep a trick or two hidden just in case, but it would appear I have no other choice."

 

[i]What's he talking about?  It's got to be some kind of bluff.[/i]  Calion shook his head, smiling.  "You just don't know when to give up, do you?  You issued this challenge and now you can't come to terms with the fact that I've got you beat."

 

Cackling, Unos broke into another fit of laughter.  "Don't be so naive, Calion.  You think you've got all the answers with this second burst of strength, but I promise you, I'm about to crush you."  A very darkened aura overtook his character, an almost black shade of green, as he revealed the card in his hand.  Calion could feel his strength growing at exponential rates.

 

"I can tell by the look on your face that you're aware of exactly how the first part of this situation will play out," he said.  "So I shall commence with your destruction!  I summon Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Bear (1600)!"  Bear struck the field once more, only this time with a renewed purpose.  "Now, Bear's ability shall activate again, by sending Fire Formation - Tenshio on my field to the Graveyard I can destroy your Vylon Disigma!  Go, Inferno Blaster!"

 

Bracing for the backlash, Calion tried to prevent himself from being in the line of attack as Disigma exploded into pixels, the wind-force almost causing him to fall to the ground.  "You can feel the power, can't you?!  I can see it in your eyes!  But I'm not done by a longshot!  Because I'm activating the effect of my Fire Formation - Terion!"

 

[spoiler=Fire Formation - Terion]

Continuous Spell Card

Special Summon 1 "Fire Fist" monster from your Deck in face-up Attack Position.  Its effect(s) is negated.  During the turn this card is activated, the ATK of all "Fire Fist" monsters you control is treated as 0.[/spoiler]

 

"Now feel the flames as I call to the field Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Swallow (2000)!"  Dual wielding a pair of flame-covered longswords, the new warrior appeared on the field, hindered by the restrictions placed on him thanks to the effects of Terion.  "And now is the time, for me to reveal my ultimate card!  I play the Spell Card Tannhauser Gate!"

 

The green aura which had become a part of Unos was now shared by his monsters, as the two "Fire Fist" warriors stood side by side, appearing soul-less, no longer themselves.  "With the power of Tannhauser Gate, since both of my monsters have no attack points until the End Phase of this turn, their Levels become added together, and then both monsters take the total as their new Level!"

 

Did this mean what he thought it meant? A Level 9 Xyz Monster?  That couldn't be!

 

But Calion's expectations, while strong, were nothing compared to what he was about to experience.

 

"Now comes the final piece to the puzzle, I build the Overlay Network to Xyz Summon the unstoppable power, Number 9: Dyson Sphere (2800)!"  With Unos' power reaching maximum level, the fields around them were torn up, the gravitational force of the now hovering airship construction above them too great for the land to handle.  Opening itself to reveal a five-sided outer base, this incredible creature had finally been unleashed.

 

A Number monster?! It was just like the other one, Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction, that he'd faced back in the tournament...except the feeling was different.  It was obvious during their duel that Nikolai was under the Number's control, only now, Unos had complete control of the card, ordering and commanding it at will.  This one, it did not feel like it had been created then and there, that 'artificial' sense that he got from the Golem was not the same.  But the fear, he couldn't control it.  The Number's presence overwhelmed him.

 

He had only seen four, counting this one, in his entire life-time.  Alice possessed two of them, although no one had ever known how she came to obtain them.  It was obvious that whatever the "Numbers" were, they were on a completely different level then other cards.  They weren't just part of the game.  It was much, much more.  Unos hadn't been bluffing.  And now, there was nothing else he could do.  He was out of cards, out of options, and certainly wasn't expecting to face down such a powerful beast.

 

This really was the end.

 

"Can you sense it now, my power?!  The power of the ultimate monster, Dyson Sphere!  You can't hope to survive now, Calion!  You had your fun and your moments of inspiration but now it's time for this duel to end!  And I'll ensure that's the case with the last card in my hand, Xyz Unit!"

 

[b](Number 9: Dyson Sphere: 2800 + 200 (9) = 4600)[/b]

 

"This card allows my monster to gain attack points equal to its Rank times two-hundred, which means more than enough to wipe you out in one blow!  Go, Dyson Sphere, annihilate what's left of his pathetic existence with Ultimate Blaster!"  

 

All he saw was a flash and that was the end.  The impact hit him so hard he couldn't even hear the sounds of the spirits rising up to consume his soul.

 

[b]Calion's Life Points[/b]: 0

 

---

 

Feeling, what was that?  Was it the act of actually touching something, knowing it was there?  If not, how was it possible to ‘feel’ something you couldn’t physically see or touch, leaving no proof of its existence?  Humans had this capability to ‘feel’ things that weren’t there, to care for one another, and allow emotions to get in the way of what might otherwise be considered ‘survival of the fittest’, or ‘doing what needs to be done’.  It was a different way of life, but to call it ‘wrong’ one way or another was not something that any one being could say.

 

Spirits lacked the ability to feel, due to the way they were created.  When the power of Rakurai was unleashed intending to create these separate entities that became one with humans, giving them incredible power, whatever went wrong caused this to fail, and they became their own person, although not literally.  Because they were not humans and had faced no human interaction, ‘emotion’ didn’t exist.  In the same way that a baby is not born knowing how to speak, Spirits lacked the essential human traits that caused them to stand out from the rest of the Animal Kingdom.

 

That was the gap Calion had never been able to fill.  The first time he arrived on Earth, it had been to complete a simple task—obtain the Lightray cards and kill Rai Valiant.  For nearly a year he tried to construct the best way in which to go about it, because failing once would mean he didn’t get another shot.  If he had been defeated on Earth in his physical state back then, he would’ve been killed and trapped in between the two worlds, never to return to either.  Did he fear the outcome?  Not really.  It wasn’t fear as much as it was determination.  The determination to become stronger, to establish himself as someone that had reached his full power.

 

The day finally came where he made his move, but it was not as easy said as it was done.  In order to obtain those cards he had to partake in a duel, a duel against World Class Duelist Allen Valiant, notably Rai’s father.   Allen was an extremely skilled duelist, and the Lightray cards had been created exclusively for his use after winning a very high level tournament.  But what made the cards so special wasn’t just their dueling prowess, it was the powers they carried along with them.  Somehow, the cards had been infused with Rakurai, in its earliest of stages.  It was concentrated so much so that whoever possessed those cards would be able to wield great power.  There was nothing complicated about the goal.

 

In order to be accepted into CLEAR, as he’d been attempting to do, he simply had to win the duel and retrieve these cards.  When the two finally met, Calion had been able to control a large portion of the duel using power-based cards, but Allen’s will was strong, much stronger than he’d anticipated.  This was Calion’s first experience with human emotion, and the true power that it held.  Despite the fact that his body should not have been able to hold up under such conditions, Allen continued to fight, refusing to give up and willing to do whatever he had to in order to protect his son.  It had never made sense how Allen was aware of what was going on, but trying to figure out things outside the mission was not Calion’s objective.

 

Through the power of his determination, Allen was able to fight until the duel ended in a draw, but his body could not bring forth the same fire as his spirit.  He did not lose the duel, but he did not have the strength to escape from the in-between, the realm between Earth and the Mid-World.  What he had succeeded in doing, however, was preventing Calion from escaping to Earth.  He had done enough damage that the Spirit would not be able to retreat and survive there long enough in his current form. 

 

Calion had failed his mission.

 

Rai Valiant had survived, and the Lightray cards as well.  But it was only a matter of time before CLEAR sent someone else to do the job, retrieving the cards and the boy, whose whereabouts were still unknown.  When this mission had first begun, Calion had not expected to fail, never mind meet someone such as Sora Tenjioshi.  The boy’s incredibly unique moral style and overwhelming strength shook him to his core.  Again, his experience with human emotion and its abilities left him confused.

 

Then there was Kenji.  Somewhat older than Sora, but not by much, Kenji risked his own life to protect the boy, fighting to defend the honor of a fallen comrade.  For a Spirit, if an ally were to die in battle, it was business as usual.  They were expected to do what was best to survive.  It did not work that way for humans.  Kenji and Sora became inseparable and decided to use their strengths to lead the search for Rai Valiant, now under CLEAR’s control.

 

While the goal had been clear, no pun intended, at first, things got out of hand rather quickly as Alice introduced herself into the equation.  One of CLEAR’s leaders, the emotionally unstable Spirit unleashed destruction upon the city and pushed all of them to their limits, eventually leading to a two-on-one duel between herself, Sora, and Kenji.  Going as far as to use two Number monsters, the origins of which were still unknown, she nearly killed them both, but when Kenji was rendered unconscious by taking the brunt of the attack, Sora unlocked a power within him that allowed him to continue fighting, and pushed through to win the duel.

 

In defeat, Alice attempted to use a 5^th Stage technique, the strongest of moves and one that almost always results in death for both sides, to end the battle once and for all, taking her enemies down with her.  Knowing that they were essential to what his new objectives had become, Calion stepped in to save them, using the power of his Jikokusori combined with Sora’s Feuer-zerbrechen to stop her attack and defeat her once and for all.

 

It was at this point that Kenji was hospitalized, unable to move much at all.  They were worried about him, even Calion had some concern, but more-so for the mission itself than anything else.  It wasn’t that he was cold, it was that he had no idea how else to feel.  When he received the news of Lucien’s Tournament, the decision was made that he and Sora would go to compete, but Kenji would stay behind.  He was in no condition to battle and losing the both of them would have made it very difficult to save Rai at all.

 

Once on the island though, everything had changed.  The goal of rescuing Rai, if he was even alive, seemed like a far off thought at this point.  Lucien’s secret motives and the El Nombre trio proved to be more than just lackeys, and put them in a situation where they had to fight just to stay alive and save the people who were being drained of their life before Lucien gained enough to control the world.

 

Duels became life or death, and in Sora’s case, it was the latter.  Rendered nearly useless after his own fight with Dos, Calion was forced to watch from a hospital bed as Sora sacrificed himself to save his opponent from Lucien’s wrath, ending the duel in a draw in the process.  These events caused him to meet Calle Anden as well, a duelist whose goals were morally similar to Sora’s own.  This is what emotion stood for.

 

They could have just run away and decided to fend for themselves, but seeing Sora’s life end before his very eyes opened something inside of him that he did not know existed, something that made him feel unlike he’d ever felt before.  He had actually begun to care for someone.  It should have been him; that’s what he believed.   Sitting there helplessly while the events took place, it was a feeling that made him want to end his own life, to just give up and stop trying.  But he couldn’t.  He couldn’t allow Sora’s sacrifice to go in vain.  This was fighting for a comrade, for a friend.  Putting it all on the line.

 

And now Lucien would win.  He believed in Calle, and Xiael too.  But it was two of them against an incredibly powerful force, including the El Nombre trio.  He had failed, Unos had defeated him.  All of the trash talk, the smart-alec remarks, none of it mattered.  Because his life was fading before his very eyes, and now what?   He had become one with the Valley of Souls, to remain here, another lifeless Spirit.  Just as he had started out.  This was the realization of his failure.  And it made him sick to his stomach with sadness.

 

A tear fell down the side of his cheek.

 

Goodbye.

 

---

 

“You’re just going to lay there and accept this?  And to think, you called me a failure.”

 

Huh?

 

He heard the words spoken to him as if they were close by, like he was still alive.  He couldn’t see a thing, it was all black.  But not to be mistaken, he had heard something.  Could he speak?  Was it worth it to try?  Everything had faded.

 

“You don’t remember me, do you?”  Came the words, a half-mocking tone.  Even though the voice carried itself in such a way, there were hints of sympathy as well, like it was trying to awaken something inside of him.  “Open your eyes, Calion.  You may not be alive, but you’re not dead.”

 

Wait, what?  Standing in front of him was a slightly built figure, his face somewhat hidden by the shadows, but not enough that the Spirit couldn’t make it out.  Nikolai Marchev, his opponent from the first round of the Tournament.  Wherever they were, it wasn’t Earth anymore, but he was right, he wasn’t “dead”.

 

But if he was truly in the Valley of Souls now, and Nikolai was as well, that meant...he had seen to it personally that the boy had escaped from Houshou Island before Lucien could take all of his energy.  Somehow, Lucien must have gotten to him.  No...

 

“It’s not much for looks, but this is the Valley of Souls,” Nikolai explained. “I’ve been here a while now, as have the others.  Lucien has begun taking many more lives, quietly, those of us who lost, he’s begun draining our energy as well.  The fact that he could not defeat you and the others so easily has forced him to resort to more extreme measures.  Time is running out.”

 

The thought saddened him, as he tried to hold back a frown.  He wanted nothing more than to kill Lucien, to end his life and make him suffer for his actions, but what could he do?  “Believe me, I would do anything to change it, but I failed.  There is nothing more I can do, I’m trapped here now.  Just like the rest of you.”

 

Nikolai shook his head, turning and pointing to a large structure off in the distance.  “Drop the whining act, Calion.  The Valley of Souls may be home to fallen humans and Spirits alike, but no one ever said there wasn’t a way out.”    Nikolai explained, as Calion’s eyes perked up.  “You see that, the buildings off in the distance?  They’re sealed off, but if we can get in, rumors are that there’s a portion of the Spirital sealed away there, containing the power to travel between here and Earth.  If you can get in there, you can return to Houshou Island and have a second chance at saving your friends…and the rest of us.”

 

“What do you mean?”  Calion asked, already standing up and glaring towards the gates, determined to find that item.  “We’ll all leave, together.”

 

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” Nikolai replied, saddened.  “The Spirital here is only strong enough for one person to use it, but if you are somehow able to defeat Lucien, you can use the power of the actual thing to restore things, to return the lives of those of us who have been killed back.  There’s a chance to save everyone, even Sora, but not if you continue to act like this.”

 

He was silent, staring into the distance, the faded, eerie skies of the Valley of Souls looming overhead.  Whatever was inside those gates, he was going to break it.  “Then what are we waiting for?  If there’s a chance to save everyone, to save Sora, you, and the others, and protect those that are still alive, and defeat Unos, and kill that bastard Lucien,” he wiped the tear from his face and thrust his fist into the sky.  “Then it’s time  to break out of this place.”

 

“That’s more like it,” Nikolai said with a cheerful grin.  “Because eventually, I plan to get my revenge on you and beat you like I should have in our first encounter.  But for now, you’re the only hope we’ve got, so let’s get down to business.”

 

To be continued...[/spoiler]