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

[Synchronized]

[quote name='The Seal of Eon' timestamp='1357945206' post='6118443']
Cool beans, I don't think anyone has any quarrels with your writing of fight scenes; they're what you do best, frankly.

[i]Thanks! ^^; I try, at least. Definitely could use some improvement, but it's getting there.[/i]

I like that the El Nombre Trio are getting more and more character. I was afraid they'd be a standard Quirky Miniboss Squad with one overarching personality and would be practically interchangeable. Most definitely not the case now, and it's nice to see that power and skill aren't always equated. Would be nice to see Unos doing more than just energy bolts, but that's the point you're at now, isn't it? I want to see more Stage moves, they all seem really cool.

[i]The point of Unos' "energy balls" was to show that he had lost it, and was creating a dangerous situation for everyone. When Calle was obviously able to overcome it, he's got no choice but to use Stage Moves now.[/i]

Is this battle the final one of the arc? I'm not sure if it's major enough, but I'm sure you have something to make it more influential. Otherwise you'd have ended it after Sora's duel. That would've racked up lots of tension, but I trust you know what you are doing.
[/quote]

I was going to have Sora's duel be the last duel of the arc but at the last minute I went a different way. Basically, we're going to see three things in Episode 50, and since it's not really "spoilers", I'll lay it out:

[i]- Why Calle is as powerful as he is, and WHO he is in the first place[/i]
[i]- The conclusion of the fight and SOMEONE will die (won't say who)[/i]
[i]- A hook so big no one will see it coming[/i]

[Synchronized]

Took an hour or two longer than I would have liked because my internet is not-so-awesome, but here it is; the conclusion of the Arc. I threw around the idea of having Sora's duel be the end of the Arc, but I wanted to end it on 50 and I think this ending was much better. I'm sure there will be plenty of questions and stuff so feel free to leave feedback and I'll definitely respond to everything. Sometime this week, probably Wednesday, we'll see the premiere of the Final Arc.

[spoiler=Episode 50: Chaos-End Game, Part Two]

“I will not allow myself to lose to the likes of you, no matter what that means!” Unos exclaimed, the Rakurai inside of him becoming visible. “You are [i]going[/i] to die at my hands, even if I do the same in the process! You scum!” He was rearing for a big attack – Calle could sense it.

[i]As long as that barrier protecting Xiael holds up, I’ll be alright. The only concern is just how powerful his damn thing will get.[/i] The strength comparison was very much lopsided in Unos’ favor, something Calle had already acknowledged. He wasn’t bothered by that. It would take more than one powerful attack to kill him. His attacks, however, had a limit of their own. He wouldn’t be able to manipulate the wind to slice through something of such a high power level, meaning he’d have to attempt to dodge it. [i]He’s awful determined to kill me. Guess I’ve gotten under his skin.[/i]

“{1[sup]st[/sup] Stage: Gravedad Oscura; Dark Gravity}!” The energy which had manifested itself in the palm of Unos’ hand quickly turned from a light green shade to an almost pitch-black. He smiled through gritted teeth; he could feel the power flowing through him at incredible rates! “Take this!” With a whip of his hand, Unos took fire, the energy which had now become a whip in its own right nearly struck Calle on his right shoulder. He dodged it just in time, finding it incredibly difficult to do so.

[i]Just now, I felt something strange; it was not as easy to dodge his attack as it was the others. What was that?[/i] Moments before the attack reached him, there was an insane amount of pressure pushing down on him, doing everything possible to hold him in place. ‘Gravedad Oscura’; the name…somehow, when the energy took a physical form, it carried with an effect that altered the air around him, a gravitational push intended to cement him in place. By the time the victim would realize how the attack had worked, it would be too late; they’d have been struck. Not to mention the spiritual power behind the attack. [i]That[/i] was scary strong.

“So you dodged again, huh?!” Unos screamed. “Let’s see you dodge this time!” He fired once more, this time starting from the opposite side of the room and dragging the whip in Calle’s direction, tearing apart the walls in the process as the pieces of rubble slowly crumbled to the floor. Calle sprung out of the way, but the attack followed, gaining speed. Pretty soon it would catch up to him.

“I didn’t want to do this now, but it looks like I’ve got no choice!” In a desperation move, he placed his hands together. “Ayori Tengukaze!” Just in time, damn! The blast of wind met Unos’ attack head on, holding it back for at least a few seconds, giving Calle a bit longer to retreat. But Unos persisted, his rage only increasing as he forced through the blast. [i]s***, no![/i]

But Calle was too late – the attack hit him right on his left shoulder, having come from the opposite direction this time, forcing him to the ground and shattering the tile around him from the gravitational force. He’d been hit; damnit.

---

The ground was cold. For a few moments, he could feel himself fading in and out of reality, knocked for a loop. He supposed he should be grateful that the rubble hadn’t landed on top of him, but that didn’t make things any easier. [i]I had worried this might happen. Clearly he’s got me outmatched, and if I can’t dodge his attacks, there’s no way to continue and keep him on edge. Damn, I have to...[/i]

But he couldn’t stand up. In fact, he couldn’t move the right side of his body at all. It had gone entirely numb, like something was forcing him to stay on the ground with a pressure so strong he couldn’t overcome it. What was happening? If he couldn’t move, he’d be helpless to defend himself; easy pickings. “Damn, why can’t I move?!”

“That move,” Tres said, piquing Dos’ attention. “Does it do what I think it does? I’ve never seen him actually use any of his Stage techniques in person, but I’ve heard things.”

Dos nodded, a stern calm about him. “Yes. Gravedad Oscura is a controlled energy maneuver, but it’s more than just a powerful weapon. When it makes contact with something, living or not, it releases an extreme amount of pressure, rendering it entirely useless.” He took a breath, taking in the scene, then continued to explain. “You see, because Unos struck Calle’s arm with the whip, the right side of his body has now been shut down, numbed completely. He can’t do a thing with it.”

“So it’s a paralysis technique?” Tres asked.

“More or less, it is.” Dos replied. A truly remarkable move, in fact. The fact that this guy had forced Unos to even use a Stage move was impressive in its own right; he didn’t want to assume the fight was over, but truthfully there was not much Calle would be able to do now with only half a body. “He’s now become a sitting duck. In addition to the pain that comes along with the attack, the after-effects are incredibly devastating. Unos is aware of the power he wields and can now finish this fight with little to no resistance. Not only has he shut down Calle’s body, he’s closed off nearly half of his Rakurai in the process. Even if he could somehow do something, it would be half as strong as normal.”

He needed no further explanation; Dos had spoken loud enough that he was able to hear, understanding now just how much of a situation he’d gotten himself into. And Unos knew it too. ‘Sitting duck’ was the perfect term. He couldn’t channel the Rakurai from his body to use the bow, and using ‘Ayori Tengukaze’ again would have little to no effect. What the hell could he do?

“Now that you understand just how much of a fool you are, allow me to end your meaningless, pathetic life!” Unos charged up for another attack, and this time, there would be no way for him to block it. This was not looking good. “Take this, and die!” He swung the whip, tearing apart more of the stone walls, and directing his attack straight for Calle’s back. The impact would kill him almost on contact. “But before this strikes, I do have one last question. Tell me, why have you chosen to die? Why does all of this mean so much do you? And how the hell is such a measly human so strong in the first place?”

---

He had never known him, but the stories had been passed down through his family. His Great Grandfather, Rakai. A hard working man, who had devoted his life to research and his family. As the years passed he became more and more engrossed in research, science, history, the likes. Calle’s relationship with his Great Grandfather, if they’d been alive at the same time he imagined, would’ve been very interesting. Eventually, things started to fall apart; Rakai’s wife and kids left him, believing he no longer cared for them at all, feeling alone, unwanted, and depressed.

Rakai showed no reaction to these events, though inside his heart he was saddened, he would not let himself acknowledge it; his work was too important. He spent his time more and more researching, working tirelessly, doing whatever he could to hide from the reality that his life had become. Very few people knew of his research at all, and those who did knew not what he was searching for in the first place.

They called him crazy, so the stories say. And perhaps he was. But it was all he’d known. Until one day, everything changed. He received word that his ex-wife (though they had never officially separated) had fallen ill with a sickness doctors had never heard of. Her condition worsened, and he found himself torn between his work and being at her side, despite years having passed since they’d been together.

Weeks went by, and her condition worsened; there was nothing they could do to help her, nothing worked. Eventually, she passed away, leaving Rakai broken. The mistakes he had made throughout his life caught up to him, and he realized that the decision to ignore his family and create a false reality for himself was the reason; this was his fault. If he had been there, he would’ve been able to save her. Somehow, he just knew it.

One day, while he was home mourning, having ceased his research and spent his days alone, he was greeted by a mysterious stranger, whose name had been lost through the generations. This man told him of this idea; they had discovered an energy source, something different, and something from a part of the galaxy that had never before been explored. What it was, they had no idea; but scientists dubbed it [i]Rakurai[/i].

He believed that with a combination of Rakai’s research and energy they had discovered, they could change the future, perhaps even bring restore his wife’s existence. Something like that wasn’t possible. Was it? But what did he have to lose? He had already lost everything. If there was a chance to do good, to make something of his life, if his research could have actually benefitted humanity, then it was worth trying.

The premise was brilliant; humans would be able to harness this energy source and bring about great power, but it would have to be in moderation; it would come with guidance, Spirits that would watch over those with these powers to ensure they did not steer off the path and take advantage of it.

The same man who had proposed this idea took Rakai’s life, an ultimate act of betrayal. But not before obtaining the information he so desired; with it, he would create a power unlike any other, one that would change the world. But not in the way people had intended. He would purposely sabotage it.

---

This story, Calle had not told anyone. But he’d made a promise. The Rakurai was supposed to lead to good things, to help people. That was Rakai’s intent. He swore that he would never let himself put his research before his family, and if that meant that he had to get involved in the fighting, then so be it.

He dedicated two years of his life to training and mastering his own powers, learning all five Stage techniques, and more. Not only would he avenge his Great Grandfather, but he would see to it that those trying to use the Rakurai for evil would not get away with it. That was the promise he’d made. And he couldn’t afford to die now.

He closed his eyes tight as the attack struck.

“Wait a minute, he-!” Tres exclaimed; he couldn’t believe his eyes.

[i]Unreal...he was able to move that fast... [/i] Dos said nothing aloud.

“I’m not quite sure I know who you are, mate. But after everything you’ve gone through for me, I feel the least I can do is return the favor.” He looked up; he was still alive. In front of him was the last thing he’d expected to see. Xiael. With just a wooden staff, the boy had managed to meet Unos’ attack head on, saving Calle’s life in the process. He was in rough shape, but he was alive.

Tres couldn’t even grasp how it had happened. Somehow the barrier, he’d broken through it. And to move that fast. [i]He didn’t use a trace of Rakurai to do it, either. That’s...absolutely incredible.[/i] “He shouldn’t even be able to move, never mind have the strength to resist Gravedad Oscuras!”

“How can you...how can you even be standing right now?” Calle asked. “You...in that amount of time...”

“Sometimes desperation calls for some crazy things, mate.” Xiael said. “Listen, you rest up, I’ll hold him off for a while, eh?”

“Oh, so we’ve got another challenger?!” Unos asked with a cackling laugh. “You guys just won’t die, will you? Well fine, if you want to die first, I’ll kill you and let him watch all of his hard work trying to save you to go to waste!”

“You talk quite a big game, but I’d much rather get straight to the fighting.” Xiael replied. “I refuse to use Rakurai-related techniques, so this’ll be purely hand-to-hand combat on my end. Feel free to give me everything you’ve got. I’d be ashamed if you didn’t.”

[i]He’s not going to use Rakurai? That’s suicidal![/i] Calle felt he should say something, but it appeared the boy had his mind made up. [i] I couldn’t stand a chance with them; he’s basically walking right into a death trap. And he’s in no condition to fight on top of that.[/i]

“I presume this one will be over quick, don’t you think?” Tres asked with a half-hearted smile.

“Don’t be so sure,” Dos replied. “The fact that this boy was able to break through your barrier and single-handedly hold off Unos’ attack says a lot about his strength. I’m truly intrigued.”

“Is that a joke?” Unos quipped. “I’ll kill you on the first attack!” He recoiled the whip, bringing it around for another attack. Xiael kicked off the ground, heading towards him, staff extended. [i]He’s fast![/i] Unos had to double-take to bring the whip back, using it as a defense this time as Xiael swung to strike him. The two forces collided, Xiael somehow being able to withstand Unos’ attack despite the lack of Rakurai. “What the hell! How are you able to defend yourself with that measly stick?!”

“I guess I’m a skilled fighter, ha!” Xiael jumped back, blocking a second strike, before jabbing the end of the staff into Unos’ chest, knocking the wind out of him. He pulled the staff back towards him and thrust him in the gut a second time, knocking him back towards the wall. He kicked off the ground once more, looking for a third shot, but Unos dodged out of the way just in time.

[i]I can’t keep up with his speed! What the hell is going on?![/i] Unos felt himself beginning to panic. It was literally impossible for someone to match his speed [i]and[/i] defend himself without using Rakurai, and somehow Xiael was doing both at the same time. He couldn’t get a shot in. “Enough, take this!” He cracked the whip once more, trying to strike from behind. But just like before, Xiael turned around and met it with the staff, holding off the attack. “You can’t overpower me!”

“Xiael!” Calle called out, still unable to move from the ground.

“Don’t worry about me, I can hold him off! Grr---ahh!” He pushed forward, knocking the attack back once more. Springing into action, he flew forwards and kicked Unos right in the chest, causing him to spit up blood. He knocked him into the air with the staff, then twirled it around in a circle, hurling it straight at his chest.

Unos couldn’t block it in time, as Xiael leapt up into the air and grabbed the staff, kicking him to the ground at the same time.

All three men on the sidelines watched in awe as Unos’ body hit the ground.

“But how?” Tres wondered aloud. “In that state, how could he possibly have held back against those attacks? Those movements, there’s no way he could do that [i]without [/i]using Rakurai. It’s just not possible. He’s got to be bluffing.”

“I’m afraid he’s not,” Dos replied. He had a sense for these kind of things. Out of the El Nombre, he was not only the wisest, but the one with the strongest senses as well. Since the fight had begun, not a single trace of Rakurai had been used from within Xiael’s body. It was there alright, but he hadn’t tapped into it at all. This was purely physical combat. “What the boy says is true. He hasn’t used an ounce.” But how? That’s what was baffling. Unos was an irritance for sure, but even Dos wouldn’t be as naïve as to pretend he wasn’t the most powerful of the three. [i]Is this the end? Surely Unos wouldn’t allow himself to lose like this.[/i]

This punk...this kid had embarrassed him. It was bad enough he had taken a beating from Calle, but at least there was noticeable power levels between the two. To lose to someone like this, however, was inexcusable! Even if he had to use all of his power, he would kill him, to make him suffer for what he did! It was time for his ultimate attack. “You think you’ve won? Don’t dream of it. You got a few lucky shots in, but I hope you enjoyed them, because they were the last ones you’ll ever get. It’s now time for you to die. I may have taken it easy on you before, but there is no escape for you now. You or your friend, for that matter. {2[sup]nd[/sup] Stage: Gravedad Oscuras – Ultimate Finale; [i]Ultimate Darkness Gravity Attack[/i]}.”

Dos knew it was time to act. They had to move. If he was going to pull off a move like this, they had to get as far away as possible. Their involvement in this fight was over. At this point, either Unos would die or the opposition would. But he didn’t plan on sticking around to find out. He looked to Tres, who appeared conflicted for a moment, then nodded. They teleported away at once.

[i]They’re gone…[/i] Calle said, surprised. [i]I don’t like the looks of this. I still…can’t move. And there’s no way Xiael can hold back an attack like this![/i] “Xiael, get out of here, now! Just go, get as far away from here as you can!”

“It’s too late now, there’s nothing you can do!” The room became surrounded in darkness, all of the lights shutting off at once. They could no longer see Unos, but the pressure in the room began to increase; it was imploding on itself, falling down on top of them with the force of the energy. It didn’t have a range; it would wipe out the entire room. And there was nowhere to move. Calle could no longer see Xiael. He closed his eyes.

This was it.

---

“{[i]1[sup]st[/sup] Stage: Jikokusori; Time Warp[/i]}.”

[i]Sheesh, part of me liked it better when I didn’t feel the urge to protect everyone. Damnit. Barely made it here in time to stop the attack, too.[/i]

“What the, who’s there?” Calle asked, hearing a voice but unsure of its source. Everything sounded different, as if everything he was hearing was within his mind, but not actually spoken aloud. “Xiael, is that you?”

“I’m a bit rough, but I’m over here mate, I heard it too.” He replied. Calle breathed a sigh of relief; the boy was still alive.

“You don’t know me, but I presume given the circumstances we’ll all get to know one another fairly quickly,” the voice replied. “My name is Calion. Just like the two of you, I was a participant in this tournament, and I’ve got some personal issues with these gentlemen as well. You’ll have to forgive me; I planned on being here much earlier, but I had to make a stop. Sora Tenjioshi is a close personal friend of mine, and his condition was of utmost importance. Right now, he’s yet to regain consciousness. Unfortunately, I believe the worst is his fate.”

Xiael opened his mouth to respond, but could not. Saddened, he lowered his head.

“Understood. But I must ask, how are we even alive right now?” Calle asked.

“What you’re experiencing is the effects of the Jikokusori, my 1[sup]st[/sup] Stage technique.” Calion explained. “Using Rakurai, I’m able to temporarily freeze time within a certain range. For all of us, we’re separated from the current time line. Meaning that in a moment, when I restore things to normal, Unos’ attack will have resolved. I expect that he will attempt to continue the fight, but my power is limited right now. I cannot fight against him. Once we’ve broken the seal, we’ll have to escape. Otherwise we’re all going to die. And I’m not interested in dying at the hands of such an arrogant prick.” He lowered his hands. The others nodded.

In a second, they were back in the real world. What had once comprised Lucien’s quarters was now completely annihilated; they were practically standing outside. All that had remained was the floor and a few pieces of the wall that weren’t destroyed by the attack. Unos stood in the center of the room, stunned to see them still alive.

“Unos, that’s enough.”

The voice was different than any they’d heard before; someone of power, depicted clearly by Unos’ reaction to her words. He withdrew his hands; [i]she[/i] had decided to reveal herself now? But why! Just when he’d had them finished no less! “But I…”

“No,” she said. “No words. This fight is over for now. It appears that you are not capable of handling yourself. Wildly using attack after attack is not the way to fight a battle. If things had continued in this manner, you would’ve been killed. I have come too far now to risk something like this happening.”

“Who are you?!” Calion demanded, breathing heavily as he stood in front of the others. “Answer me!”

The girl let loose a playful laugh, then stepped forward out of the shadows. She was rather young-looking in appearance.

“No…it can’t be.” Xiael said, prompting the others to turn their faces towards him quickly.

“Ah, Xiael, so nice to see you again,” she laughed once more.

“You know her?” Calion asked. “Who the hell is she?”

He swallowed. He couldn’t even say the words.

Standing above them, looking just as normal and unfazed as ever…

was Scarlet Mitiashi.

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

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

OK, first, you called them Los Numeros. Now, they're the El Nombre Trio, which was my name for them, if you read my comments. This is the part I played in writing this fic. Just wanted to point that out (Please don't change it).

I kind of feel like the bad guys get the short end of the stick here, though. I mean, Calion and Dos being reasonably evenly matched is alright, but Dos was still shocked at how powerful Calion was. And now, Unos gets pounded by someone weaker than him, not to mention a guy who not only won't use Rakurai, but also just woke up less than a minute ago. And now Calion is here to pull a rescue. I don't think he should be the (and I hate to say this) Deus ex Machina that can beat/save everyone else. Give the guys a break, and let them beat someone for once, sheesh! Losing all the time can do awful things to a guy's ego; I should know ; )

I still have no clue who all the new characters are; was she the sister of that guy, or who was she? I have a feeling we'll find out next arc, but I could use some clarification.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='The Seal of Eon' timestamp='1358185809' post='6120659']
OK, first, you called them Los Numeros. Now, they're the El Nombre Trio, which was my name for them, if you read my comments. This is the part I played in writing this fic. Just wanted to point that out (Please don't change it).

[i]Lmao, that wasn't done intentionally, but I suppose that's the case. I can change it if you like! [/i]

I kind of feel like the bad guys get the short end of the stick here, though. I mean, Calion and Dos being reasonably evenly matched is alright, but Dos was still shocked at how powerful Calion was. And now, Unos gets pounded by someone weaker than him, not to mention a guy who not only won't use Rakurai, but also just woke up less than a minute ago. And now Calion is here to pull a rescue. I don't think he should be the (and I hate to say this) Deus ex Machina that can beat/save everyone else. Give the guys a break, and let them beat someone for once, sheesh! Losing all the time can do awful things to a guy's ego; I should know ; )

I still have no clue who all the new characters are; was she the sister of that guy, or who was she? I have a feeling we'll find out next arc, but I could use some clarification.
[/quote]

Let me try to clear things up, because I think in writing I assumed you guys would know a bit more than is actually the case, due to me actually knowing the outcomes;

[spoiler=]

* I was going to take things differently in terms of the fight with Unos and Calle, but think about it; Sora just died. We lost a main protagonist, so I couldn't exactly kill off ANOTHER protagonist in the process. The thing is, and Calion says this, too, if the fight had continued, they probably would have lost. Calle was still crippled, Xiael had just woken up, and Calion only had enough power to save them from the attack.

* Definitely agree that it was a Deus ex Machina moment, but I don't use them very much (if at all) and given the circumstances, I wanted to bring the three together to establish our "Main Characters" for the final arc as we answer the rest of the questions that were posed at the beginning of the series.

* Of course, the door has been opened for another character to make their return after a lengthy absence, so stay tuned for that too.

* Xiael's fighting ability will be explained in the next Chapter, but I'll give you a bit of an explanation; due to his promise not to use Rakurai as he was attempting to fight to save Scarlet from the others who [i]were[/i] using it, his trainer gave him the power to "repel" Rakurai, I'll go into more detail in Chapter 51-52, where we'll get a better understanding of that. Don't want to spoil too much.

* Scarlet, who is very much an important character, is Xiael's protege, as explained in 46-47. The island he lived on had a small population of like 40+ people, and he had sort of "taken her under his wing". When they were attacked by the mainland and they were all taken, she vanished along with them. So in Xiael's mind, he's been fighting to save her, which poses the question of how in such a short amount of time she not only escaped but is revealed to be involved in things.[/spoiler]

I hope that makes sense, at least sort of.

[Randomflyingobjects]

Finally got to this thing.

The fight was great, but in my view, repetitive. Calle can barely continue, but then Xiael jumps in to save the day... somehow. Then, Xiael's about to die, and [i]Calion [/i]shows up to save the day. See what I'm saying?

You've gotten rid of [i]both [/i]main characters from the beginning. Sora: Dead. Kenji: In hospital. Now we have two characters you just introduced as the main characters, and the only veteran is Calion, who didn't actually hit the spotlight until the 3rd arc.

Plus, I'm still trying to figure out where the 2nd arc plays into all of this. And now we find out that one of the villains is somebody that a good guy (Xiael) was fighting for. Confusing, but obviously going to be resolved soon.

Just keep 'em coming.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='Randomflyingobjects' timestamp='1358204489' post='6121019']
Finally got to this thing.

The fight was great, but in my view, repetitive. Calle can barely continue, but then Xiael jumps in to save the day... somehow. Then, Xiael's about to die, and [i]Calion [/i]shows up to save the day. See what I'm saying?

You've gotten rid of [i]both [/i]main characters from the beginning. Sora: Dead. Kenji: In hospital. Now we have two characters you just introduced as the main characters, and the only veteran is Calion, who didn't actually hit the spotlight until the 3rd arc.

Plus, I'm still trying to figure out where the 2nd arc plays into all of this. And now we find out that one of the villains is somebody that a good guy (Xiael) was fighting for. Confusing, but obviously going to be resolved soon.

Just keep 'em coming.
[/quote]

There's some relevance to it. I can't get into too much of it yet, but I'll address a few points with your next response all in one. Maybe things will be somewhat more simple after you've read Episode 51. Speaking of which:

[spoiler=Episode 51: Go Forward! The Final Battle Begins!]

Exactly three days have passed since the events that brought about the abrupt conclusion of the Grand Tournament. The final first round duel between Sora Tenjioshi and his opponent Xiael Rioten ended in a draw, but not before Sora's final act of valor forced Lucien Grasciou to temporarily deactivate the abilities of the Spirital, a rare device which holds a great power, the ability to absorb Rakurai. With each defeat, Lucien would then capture the Rakurai of the loser, leaving them near helpless. To make things worse, many duelists were and still are unaware, so they will carry about their lives as normal and end up dead due to the strain the Spirital will have put on their bodies.[/size][/font]

Attempting to stop this, Sora used his 2[sup]nd[/sup] Stage technique, Rinkaitotsugeki, to release a massive amount of power within his body, so strong that the Spirital could not absorb it. Doing this allowed them to ensure that the duel would finish without one's life being at stake. However, in an unexpected turn of events, Sora's body could not hold up as long as he'd hoped, and the duel began to take its toll on him. Knowing he didn't have much time left, Sora put all of his strength into one big play, bringing forth the Winged Illuminator, a monster which allowed him to end the duel in a draw, ending his life in the process.[/size][/size][/font]

[font=Calibri, sans-serif][size=2][size=2]Currently, Kioshi's whereabouts are unknown, but it is widely assumed that with Sora's passing came his as well, due to the Spirit's existence within Sora's mind. Three days have passed and still Sora has not been able to break out of his unconscious state. Calion and the others retain belief that he may somehow be able to be saved, but they do not know how. The decision was made after Sora's death that the tournament would no longer continue, and many of the spectators and tourists had already left the island, carrying on as though nothing had changed.[/size][/size][/font]

But for our heroes, things weren't so simple. Now aligned with the Swedish duelist extraordinaire and researcher, Calle Anden, as well as Xiael, Calion finds himself in a difficult position as a new enemy has revealed herself, but not made her intentions known. The girl, identified by Xiael as Scarlet, was believed to be his close friend, a girl a few years younger than him who was attacked and seized with the rest of Xiael's village off the cost of Australia. It is because of this same girl, who Xiael swore to protect and was the driving factor behind his competing in the tournament, that Xiael was here in the first place, but her betrayal and appearance here leaves so many unanswered questions, just as things were beginning to resolve.

Scarlet's presence was enough to intimidate Unos, the 'leader' of the El Nombre trio working under Lucien, to retreat from his battle with Calle and the others. But it made no sense; she was so young, and so innocent, how could she have even gotten here, having been in captivity before? There were so many things that made this whole situation very, very dangerous. The tournament may be over, but the fight is still ongoing. Will there finally be answers?

---

“I don't get it. No matter how many times I play the scenario through my head, it's not making sense.” Xiael stood against the wall of the stadium, face-to-face with Calion as Calle stood off to the side, taking a puff of his cigarette. “She became everything to me, like my little sister. I would give my life to keep her safe, and I was prepared to do that if necessary. This whole tournament, everything I've gone through to get to this point was to save her and bring her home. So I don't understand, tell me, how is she involved in this? How could she be with them?”

Calion wished he had an answer. Xiael had filled them in on the whole story from start to finish, everything that Kioshi had been able to understand through his memory translation, the others were now fully aware of. As much of a twisted situation as this whole thing had become, they had made significant progress. But this girl, who he'd never heard of before, for that matter, to be involved or aligned with Lucien in some way? He wouldn't have believed the story had he not witnessed it with his own eyes; the way the girl was able to command Unos, a defiant, deadly fighter, with just words.

“I'm sorry, but I truly don't know.” Calion shook his fist before slamming it against the stadium's stone wall. He wanted nothing more than to help; what had happened to Sora, he should've been able to stop it. Sora shouldn't have had to die that way. “I can promise you this; if she's involved with them or not, we'll get answers. And Lucien, the El Nombre, they're going to pay for what they've done, for the innocent lives they've taken. No more playing games. We're going to stop him, and rescue Rai Valiant, and restore things to the way they were supposed to be. I know Sora's life can be saved, there [i]has[/i] to be a way to fix things.”

[i]Aye, such a weird fellow. [/i]Calle remarked to himself. [i]On the outside, he's as tough as they come, and without a doubt the strongest I've ever seen, but his determination, something about him...I barely know the guy and I know we can trust him. Funny what happens in times of desperation.[/i] He took one last drag of his cigarette before pressing it against the cement, then stepping on it. “Well then, it looks like the only solution we have at this point is to get out there and find the answers we're looking for, because they aren't going to just come to us.”

“Got something in mind?” Calion asked, regaining his composure.

“Indeed,” he replied. He took a deep breath. “You mentioned earlier that you squared off against Dos, correct?” Calion nodded. Of the three El Nombre, it was Dos who appeared to be the most rational. His devotion to Lucien could not be broken, but how that related to the girl, Scarlet, was another thing. The two of them had known Unos was going to use his 2[sup]nd[/sup] Stage move, and left quickly to avoid putting themselves in harm's way. But there was always the off chance that perhaps...no. Never mind, that was a foolish idea. “Perhaps there's a way we could get some information out of him.”

---

Your failure, it is unacceptable to me,” Lucien spoke to the three men who had gathered around him. “I have purposely waited until now to address the situation because many things have gone wrong, and I wanted to at least be able to do so with a clear head. My tournament, my precious dream has been ruined because of you.” As he said the words, he shifted his attention to Unos.

“Placing the blame on me?” Unos asked angrily. He remembered the events clearly, but there were certain things he did not wish to mention. “I would've had them all killed, had they not managed to escape. These two had vanished from the scene before the fight was over, in a three against one situation catching up to them wasn't as easy as you'd think. They're lucky, too. Because I would've killed them all at once.”

“Save your excuses, Unos,” Lucien replied, stern. “Next time, I will not tolerate such failure. As for the two of you, I understand your reasoning behind it, though you should have put personal feelings aside and made sure that they did not escape for the sake of our goals. I can forgive this. The problem here is Calion; ever since he went rogue, he's become quite a problem for me. And now that there are others involved, this is becoming a bother. I'm afraid that if you cannot get things handled properly, that I will have to take action myself. That's something I can assure you, you do not want to happen.”

“With all due respect,” Dos interjected, “and my sincerest apologies, this tournament is over. Realistically, there is no way for it to continue. That in mind, I suppose both sides need substantial time to recover before we can fight hand-to-hand once more.”

Lucien nodded, noticeably upset. “I'm aware. What are you getting at?”

“Sure we can't fight them, but how about a series of duels?” He asked. “In that situation, we've got the upper hand, don't we? We've seen all of their Decks and it wouldn't take much to get their strategies down-pat.” Lucien raised his eyebrow, half-intrigued. “On the other hand, they know nothing of our capabilities and dueling them would be an ideal way to finish them off, with the chances of failure being virtually non-existent.”

Tres nodded in agreement. “I think he's got a point sir. I for one wouldn't be opposed to taking them on.”

“I suppose it could work, at this point,” he said. The three men stood still, neither of them daring to move or say anything as it was clear Lucien's generosity was running out. “Unos, Dos, see yourselves out. I wish to have a word with Tres.”

[i]Huh? A—a word with me?[/i] That couldn't be good. Tres felt his hand shake, but quickly placed it in his pocket to avoid Master Lucien's attention. Just as surprised as he was by the command, the others moved to the hallway, closing the door behind them, leaving he and Lucien alone in the room. “You wanted to speak to me, sir?”

“Don't worry, it's nothing bad,” he said calmly. The boy took a breath, somewhat reassured. “After all, you're the only one whose yet to fail me. Dos let his weakness and the temptation of emotional thought hold him back from victory, and Unos allowed his blind rage affect his competency, nearly getting himself killed in the process. I fail to understand how out of four of these punks, we've only managed to kill one of them, and even then, he almost managed to destroy the Spirital.”

“R...right,” Tres stuttered a reply. He had been careful not to get involved with fights until ordered to do so; Master Lucien's mere presence caused him to be fearful; never mind the possibilities that could come along with it. “The blame falls on our shoulders, sir. I can assure you, next time we confront them, the outcome will be different. Truthfully, if you don't mind me saying so, I believe a duel might be the most effective option at this point.”

Lucien agreed with the sentiment. There were three of them, and three of those brats remaining. An all-out battle might cause even more damage to his beloved stadium. There were no risks in a duel, a one-on-one battle. They could break off into three separate duels, and he could use the Spirital to capture the Rakurai of those who suffered defeat. For El Nombre's sake, they had better not fail him again.

“So be it,” he said. “That is why I wished to speak with you. I have far more trust in you than the other two do to the job effectively. You've always showed such...dedication to your position, and I assure you it does not go unnoticed. I have no reason to believe you'll disappoint me.”

“And I'm honored to hear you say that, sir” he bowed at his Master's presence. “So shall I be dueling Calion, then? I believe without his presence, what little rebellious power they have will crumble.”

“You're always one step ahead of me.” Lucien remarked with a smile. “I like that. Now then, if you shall wait around for just a short while, I believe I will confront them personally and issue this challenge. I'm almost certain they'll accept it with open arms.”

---

Calion stood at the helm of the group, as a cool wind blew across the island tropics. They had been walking for a good half-hour now, searching for hints. In conversation, Calle had mentioned the device known as the [i]Shihousen[/i], an ancient stone relic on which he and his team had done a significant amount of research. Somehow, this relic was connected to Lucien's Master Plans, plans which may have been foiled with the stopping of the tournament. What that meant was simple; Lucien would have to re-work his strategy.

That meant they had to be prepared for anything; and the reality of it was, none of them were in condition to fight. Using the Jikokusori to protect Xiael and Calle from Unos' 2[sup]nd[/sup] Stage attack had taken nearly every ounce of energy he had left. If his body had been given adequate time to recover after the fight with Dos, he would've been fine. But they didn't have that kind of time. Calle's research log had contained some interesting information on the item's location, but the island was so large and confusing that truthfully, they had no idea where they were.

His mind began to wander for a few moments, until he stopped in his tracks. [i]That presence.[/i] He had felt it before, and it was unmistakable. Lucien. The others had felt it too; he could sense it without even looking at him. But where? Right now...they were in no damn condition to fight. This could be extremely dangerous. [i]I guess my hope that they would need some time to recuperate was nothing more than a naïve plea to figure out a plan of attack. I wouldn't say it aloud, but the three of us...against him in this state. We'd be absolutely annihilated.[/i] He felt his blood beginning to boil, his hatred for the Spirit who had been responsible for taking Sora's life growing in depth by the second.

“Calion”, was all Calle decided to muster. His tone was quiet, just enough to get his attention. “I'm guessing you can sense it too.”

Calion nodded in response. Before he had the chance to do anything further, Lucien Grasciou had appeared in front of them.

---

[i]This is not good at all! We can't fight him like this, we'll be killed in seconds![/i] Calle felt the fear of Lucien's spiritual pressure, much higher than anything he'd ever experienced, within seconds. He hadn't even gained full function-ability in his left arm yet. “So, we meet again.”

“Lucien,” Calion stared into the Spirit's eyes with a glare strong enough to kill.

“Ah, Calion and friends, how thrilling it is to see you again,” he said. “I assume you've used these past few days rather well to rebuild your strength? You look like you've seen better days.” He laughed aloud, a playful, evil laugh and made no effort to hide his true intentions.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Calion reached for his sword, but his energy levels were too low to even draw it. “And tell me what's stopping me from cutting you in half right now!”

Lucien shook his head, smiling. “Don't be a fool, you and I both know that you can't back up the words you speak. While I suppose it's true I could kill the three of you right now, doing so would render my ultimate goals useless. You see I need your Rakurai in order to complete the Spirital, and for that reason I have come to you with an interesting proposal.”

[i]A proposal?[/i] Calle wondered. That was strange. But it did play into his theory that Lucien needed their physical energy to unlock the Shihousen. That [i]had[/i] to be what this was all about. He wanted to use the Spirital to unlock that power, the power he'd always heard about...

“No response?” He asked. “I'm not surprised. What I'm proposing is this. There are three of you and three of my men, all of whom would love to get another chance at you. While none of them are in condition to fight either, I've come up with a much better idea. A duel. It's just a shame your friend Sora won't be around to see it happen.”

“You bastard! Don't you [i]dare[/i] talk about Sora!” Calion reached for his sword again, unable to control his rage.

Calle quickly placed his hand on the Spirit's shoulder. “Listen, don't do anything rash! I know you want revenge for Sora's death and you'll be able to get it, I promise. But think about this for a second Calion, a duel might be the only chance we have of actually defeating these guys right now. It's an even playing field.”

Lucien broke out into laughter once more, wiping a pretend tear from his eye. “Ah, Calion, what's happened to you. I remember you used to be such a feared warrior, but now, you've turned into such a weak being. It's almost as though you yourself have become human. It's quite pitiful, really. But I must ask, what do you say to my challenge?”

[i]Sora...he fought until the very end, and for what? Because of me, because I was the one responsible for bringing him into this fight. And I swear to you, I will make Lucien pay for what he did, no matter what it takes.[/i] “Lucien, if you want us to duel your gang of ass-kissers, I'd be more than happy to oblige. But from this moment forward, I refuse to be held responsible for anything that happens to them. They had their chance and if they choose to continue to work under you regardless of what you're doing, then I can no longer feel regret for taking their lives. Xiael, Calle. I know we've just gotten to know one another, but this is where it all comes to a head. Think you guys are ready for this?”

He turned to face them both. Calle nodded. Xiael did the same. This was it. If they were going to find the answers they were looking for and put a stop to Lucien, they had to first get through the El Nombre. It might be the last time they saw one another, but it was time to put everything they had into this.

After all, time was running short.

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

[Randomflyingobjects]

This is getting good. Now that we're in the final stretch, it's good to see an obvious plot. I also liked how you quickly recapped the fourth Arc, so we knew what was going on.

As for the end of Arc 4, Scarlet shows up, El Nombre stops fighting, and Calion, Calle, and Xiael run away? You weren't really too specific about that.

[Synchronized]

Here's a new one.  Another personal favorite, and I'm finding it's a lot easier to write these now that we're getting so close to the finale.  I'm sure there'll be some questions raised after this, but we'll wait and see.  Just in advance, yes, the duel will finish next Chapter.

 

[spoiler=Episode 52: Noble Victories, Part One]

 

Coastal Forest.  Black Ruins.  Tempest Dunes.   These were the three locations Lucien had given for their respective opponents.  Calion was to take the first one, Calle the second, and Xiael the third.  After Lucien had parted ways with them, the trio took a few minutes to discuss things last minute, and split up.  It was dangerous, but the one thing they had working in their favor was the fact that Lucien actually needed them to duel in order to complete the Spirital, which meant that their safety in arriving at their respective locations was almost assured.

 

It hadn’t taken long for any of them to get there; it was relatively easily laid out.  Calle’s hand-held GPS had given them clear instructions.  Xiael was the first to reach his location, and found his opponent waiting for him.  Dos, the same one Calion had done battle with earlier.  The man said nothing at first, simply standing put across from him, his face concealed by the same mask he’d worn for quite some time.  And it appeared to have some renovation, as well.  The rips and tears were no longer there.

 

“Glad to see you’ve made it,” Dos remarked, calmly.  He had no intention of trying to intimidate his opponent.  There was one objective here; to win the duel.  That was his order and after his first failure at the hands of Calion, he did not wish to upset Lucien again.  “I see no reason to waste time with introductions, after all for you, this is the last duel you will participate in.”

 

Xiael knew it was fact.  Because of his body’s weakened state, if he were to lose this duel, the Spirital’s effects on him would surely kill him.  There wasn’t enough Rakurai left in his body to survive the process.  He gritted his teeth, prepared to activate his duel disk.  “I suppose if that’s the case, I had better make it count, mate.”

 

Dos felt an odd sensation in the air, a change in the spiritual pressure just as he was about to press the red button on his duel disk, activating the game.  He withdrew for a moment, scanning the area.  This spiritual pressure, it’s condensed, so only some of it is traceable.  Its source is able to move freely without being detected because of it!

 

Hm..I’m sensing something different, why did he withdraw right now?  Admittedly, Xiael’s senses were nowhere near the levels of the others, but even he could tell that something was about to happen.  Dos’ mannerisms had changed to the point of concern, something the calm-minded man hadn’t shown up until this point.

 

“You’ll have to excuse the delay, didn’t expect it to take so long, and this whole teleportation process is such a drag.”  A pair of boots, dark blue in color with a white outline, dropped to the sand in front of him, throwing Xiael off guard.  He looked up to see the outline of a cloak, conveniently matching the boots.  This guy’s spiritual pressure was off the charts.

 

Who is he? I’ve never seen this man before.  Dos watched with curiosity, the man’s dark brown hair blowing with the wind from the tides.  His power levels were incredible, arguably stronger than Calion’s.  And the fact that he had been able to mask his presence until he was close enough to appear right in the middle of things…  Something tells me this is yet another twist Master Lucien hadn’t been expecting.  “Who are you, introduce yourself.”

 

“I don’t even get a chance to land, sheesh,” he said, revealing a duel disk on his arm.  “The name’s Kiryu Ryoutari, and I’ve called this island home my entire life.  Even with all the annoying tourists and the like.  But anyway, you don’t care about that, and frankly I don’t care about you.  I’m here to duel.”

 

“Hold up a sec mate, I don’t mean any disrespect but we were about to get a game goin’ here,” Xiael interjected.

 

“I’m aware,” Kiryu replied, turning to meet Xiael’s eyes with a dark blue stare.  “And while it’s somewhat of an inconvenience to me, I can’t find it in my heart to sit here and watch you die.  You’re in no physical condition to fight, physical or otherwise.  The point that we’ve had to get involved now means we can’t afford to take any unnecessary precautions, you know?  All that lingo.”

 

What does he mean by ‘we’?  There are others?  This cannot be good.  He had prepared to duel Xiael, Deck strategy and all.  But with this one, Kiryu, in the mix, there was no guaranteed success.  Surely he’d still be able to win, but it wouldn’t come as easily as it would have otherwise.  Damnit, another risk he couldn’t afford to take. 

 

Something about him, he reminds of me of Calion in some ways, it’s weird.  Xiael thought to himself, noticing the similar resemblance in personality and in style.  As much as he hated to take backseat, Kiryu was probably right.  He wouldn’t be any help to anyone if he wasn’t alive, now would he?  “If you want the duel mate, it’s all yours.”

 

“Awesome, glad to hear it.  Well then, Dos, you ready to throw down or are you just gonna stand there with that stupid look on your face?”  Kiryu asked, activating his duel disk.

 

I don’t like this, not at all.  But it appears I’ve no other choice.  “Duel!”  Dos declared, activating his own.

 

“Now that’s more like it,” Kiryu said, drawing his starting hand.  “Let’s get this going then.  I see no more fitting a way to start things off then with this, Rescue Rabbit (300)!”

 

The small vermin splashed onto the field, for a matter of moments before it was gone again, leaping into the air and bringing a bright flash of light along with it.

 

“And no point in wasting time, you said so yourself!”  Kiryu exclaimed.  “So I’m using Rescue Rabbit’s special ability, which lets me call forth two monsters from my Deck with the same name, so say hello to Noble Knight Artorigus (1800)!”

 

The two golden-armor clad warriors, identical in appearance stood side by side on the field, surrounded with the familiar aura of a noble power.

 

“Stick with me here, I’m almost done, just gotta build the Overlay Network...ha!”  He swung his right arm into the air as the two knights disappeared almost as fast as they’d arrived, leaving a new warrior to take their place.  Hoisted up on cavalry, a sleek, black steed, the knight and his horse had matching black and golden armor, wielding a bow and arrow in both hands modeled in the same design.  “To Xyz Summon Noble Knight – Gandiva (2100)!”

 

Whoa...what kind of duelist is this guy?  He did all that with just one card?!  Xiael felt himself already immersed in the duel, completely blown away by Kiryu’s presence.

 

“An Xyz Monster on the first turn,” Dos replied, quietly.  “So it would appear I’m not facing an amateur here.  At least I know that I’ll have no reason to feel remorse with my easy victory.”

 

“Oh come on, that’s just unfair,” Kiryu said, frowning.  “Being the sarcastic smart-ass is kinda my thing, you can’t just go and take it.”  He grinned, sliding a card into the duel disk.  “One Set card should do it.”

 

Ah, a very ideal start.  “I’ll give you credit, you pulled off one hell of a move on your first turn, but that ends here.  I’ll start by summoning Genex Undine (600) to the field in Defense Mode.”

 

The otherworldly robotic creature, a shade of aqua blue, appeared on the field, knelt down on one knee.  The center of its body began to glow as Dos pressed a button on his duel disk. “Once Undine is successfully summoned, I’m allowed to activate its power, which lets me send a WATER monster from my Graveyard and if I do, I can then add a ‘Genex Controller’ from my Deck to my hand.”

 

Searching his Deck for a moment, the masked man placed a monster in his Graveyard, then one in his hand.  He placed it back in the Duel Disk and it auto-shuffled.  “Don’t think I did that just for show, you see the monster I sent to the Graveyard with Genex Undine’s effect was ‘Atlantean Marksman’, and since it was sent to the deep in order to activate a monster’s ability, I’m allowed to destroy your face-down card!”

 

Kiryu swore under his breath as a fish soldier materialized briefly, hurling a spear at the set ‘Heroic Retribution Sword’ on his field.

 

“Next I’ll set two cards and end my turn.”  Dos said.  He hadn’t been looking to take Gandiva down on the first turn.  Such a thing wouldn’t have been realistic, but by clearing the way of any Set cards, he’d now established a solid back-row.  And if this guy was as predictable as the “hero-types” usually tended to be, he’d play right into his hand.

 

My draw; he’s got just the two face-down cards, but I need to get that Undine off the field this turn, no matter what.  With Genex Controller in his hand, if I don’t attack, he’ll be free to Synchro Summon next turn, and I can’t stop that right now.  “Alright then, let’s get right to it!  Heroic Champion Gandiva, send his Undine to the scrap heap with Shimmering Archery Strike!”

 

Just as I thought, he played right into it.  “Activate Trap Card, Abyss-Squander!”  The Trap Card revealed itself, forming a wall in front of Undine. 

 

[spoiler=Abyss-Squander]

Normal Trap Card

Activate only when your opponent declares an attack against a WATER monster: Negate that attack, and destroy the attacking monster.  Then, you can add 1 “Mermail” monster from your Deck to your hand.[/spoiler]

 

“With this, I’ve now created a barricade that will crush you,” he said.  “Gandiva is too far into his attack to retreat now, and because of this my Trap Card will destroy you!”

 

“Eh, I must really look that predictable to you,” Kiryu said.  “Do you really think I’d be so stupid?  From my hand I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card Forbidden Lance.”

 

The bow and arrow in Gandiva’s hands morphed into a wooden lance mid-attack, shattering the wall.

 

Gandiva: 2100 – 800 = 1300

 

“And I’m guessing I don’t have to explain this one to you, because Gandiva’s still got enough attack points to do away with Undine!” he said as the creature exploded into pixels.

 

---

 

That was some damn skillful play.  Xiael joked to himself, perhaps it was best he let Kiryu take the duel.  He was one hell of a duelist.  Putting on this front that he didn’t care, a veil of overconfidence when he was really one step ahead with all of his plays.

 

He bluffed me, with his facial expressions alone.  Dos found himself let down, how had he fallen for such a trick so easily?  He’d not only underestimated him, but by using the Trap Card when he did, he’d actually played right into Kiryu’s hands, instead of the other way around.  The same thing I hoped to employ on him, he’d already been planning on doing to me.  Damn!

 

“Lighten up man,” Kiryu quipped.  “The duel’s not over yet, I’d guess you’ve still got a turn or two left of cards, if you continue to play at such a basic level.”

 

Basic level?!  Who does he think he’s talking to?  “I’ll have you know I’m an elite duelist, defeat is not in my vocabulary,” he tried to keep his temper maintained.  “Don’t get cocky just because you’ve pulled off a good move.”

 

“Oh don’t worry, it takes a lot less than that to bring the cockiness out of me,” Kiryu said, placing two cards face-down.  “Anyways, I’m gonna set two cards and that’ll do it.  Maybe you’ll play a bit smarter this time around.”

 

“Heh,” Dos said, scorned.  “Fine then, but don’t forget thanks to the effect of Abyss-Squander I get to add a monster from my Deck to my hand, so before I draw I’ll be taking ‘Mermail Abysspike’.”

 

“Works for me,” Kiryu sighed.

 

“Draw,” he said, doing so.  “I call forth Mermail Abysspike (1600)!”  The half human, half fish creature with long flowing locks of blonde hair appeared on the field, clad in a shining silver armor.  “Now, by discarding a WATER monster from my hand, I can add a different WATER monster from my Deck.”  He explained the move, placing ‘Atlantean Dragoons’ into the Graveyard and adding ‘Mermail Abysslinde’ to his hand.

 

Interesting, it looks like all of those ‘Atlantean’ monsters get their boosts when they’re used as a cost to activate things.  Kiryu remarked.  On the other hand, the Mermail monsters are there to provide those outlets for costs in the first place.  So he’s able to bypass costs and generate tons of advantage for himself at the same time.  That’s a different play style than I’m used to facing but I’ll have to take it down.

 

“Don’t zone out on me yet, I’m just getting started,” Dos called him back to reality.  “Because thanks to ‘Atlantean Dragoons’, I can now add another monster from my Deck to my hand, and this time I’ll be taking ‘Mermail Abyssmegalo’!”

 

That one didn’t look so friendly.  Though he’d only seen it for a brief moment, ‘Megalo’ had twenty-five hundred attack points, and if it followed the theme these other Mermails had been doing, it was probably more than just a powerhouse.  He’d be able to hold off for now, but more reinforcements would be needed on his next turn.

 

“It’s time, for the tide of this duel to change,” Dos said, taking two cards from his hand and placing them into the Graveyard as a spherical blue portal opened on the center of the field.  A sudden rush of pressure swept the dunes, blowing sand into the players’ eyes as Xiael hid for cover.  “By sending both Abysslinde and Abyssturge from my hand to the Graveyard, I can forth the great beast of the seas, Mermail Abyssmegalo (2400)!”

 

From the portal with the force of a great tidal wave, the menacing shark-like creature revealed itself, towering over Gandiva with ease.  Lined with armor covering seventy-five percent of its body and wielding a spiked bone sword, any monster would be fearful of its devastating being.

 

Wha—what the hell is that thing?  Aye, I’ve never seen a fish like that, not even back at home.  Xiael kept a safe distance from the duel, remembering that this was in fact a very real game.  Neither of them had taken damage yet, but he had a feeling that was about to change.  Megalo wasn’t looking all that friendly.

 

“You don’t look all that frightened,” Dos remarked.  “Such a naïve pest, it’s time I change that.  Abyssmegalo, attack his Gandiva with Razor Bone Impact!”  With impressive speed for such a large creature, Megalo took off across the field, swinging for the fences.  Xiael braced for the worst, knowing Kiryu was about to take a painful shot, but as the attack struck, he noticed Gandiva was standing clear, with a metallic silver veil surrounding him.

 

“This can’t be, your monster should’ve been destroyed!”

 

“Hm,” Kiryu smirked.  “Again, even though you play with a very controlled though aggressive mindset, I’m still leagues above you.  That’s why when you declared an attack, I sent my Heroic Challenger – Swordshield to the Graveyard.”  Dos raised his eyebrow.  “Doing so not only grants Gandiva protection from destroying in battle this turn, but makes it so my Life Points remain untouched.”

 

Damn him, stopping me once again.  I’m getting rather irritated.  Dos knew he had to focus; he’d been letting himself get thrown off track due to the change in plans, having faced Xiael would’ve made things much easier, but this one, he was something else.  It was bad enough he was here, but if they had someone like that on their side, it only made things more challenging for Master Lucien.  That’s why there was no way he could accept failure, no matter what it took.  Next turn, you won’t be so lucky.  “I end.”

 

“Figured as much, so I’ll go here,” drawing a card, Kiryu looked over his hand quickly; he’d pretty much seen that entire last turn setup coming, though Megalo had thrown a wrench into things.  He could get over it now, but it would end up using a lot of resources.  He didn’t really have much of a choice, though.  “Here goes, I activate the Spell Card Heroic Battle Tactics!”

 

[spoiler=Heroic Battle Tactics]

Normal Spell Card

Target 1 “Heroic” Xyz Monster you control that has 2 or more Xyz Materials: Detach and Special Summon up to 2 of the Xyz Materials attached to that monster in face-up Defense Position.  Their effect(s) are negated and they are destroyed during the End Phase.[/spoiler]

“I’ll admit, normally I’m not one to stray from the strategy I plan out on the first turn,” Kiryu sighed, after all it was kinda frustrating.  “That being said, I’ll give you credit, you’ve forced me to do that.  But I’m not all too worried.  It’s just a matter of changing things up a bit.  Thanks to Heroic Battle Tactics, I can take the Xyz Materials attached to Gandiva and detach them, then summon them to my field and use them to build a new Overlay Network!”

 

He’s gonna summon another Xyz Monster!  Xiael continued to watch from the sidelines.

 

Maybe this duel will be more interesting than I anticipated after all.  That would suck, though.  I’d never hear the end of it from Hiyoru.  He didn’t know why he had to be the one to come and do this anyway, but Hiyoru had told him this one was the strongest of the three, and that the others wouldn’t have been up for the challenge.  So far he wasn’t proving it, but there was still a chance that could end differently.  That is, if he’s able to survive this turn.  Then, and only then, will I consider him a worthwhile opponent.  And for his sake, I hope he doesn’t push me to that point, because I’ll have to actually start trying.

 

“So here it is then!  I’ll overlay my Noble Knights to Xyz Summon, Heroic Champion – Excalibur (2000)!”  With a strike of lightning, Excalibur appeared on the field, its longsword extended outwards, and after acknowledging Gandiva with a slight nod, prepared for orders.  Come on, prove me wrong, show me that there’s a point in me wasting my time dueling you.

 

To be continued...[/spoiler]

[Randomflyingobjects]

Now we start to see where Arc 2 comes into play. ...This is the same character from then, right?

 

Anyway, I didn't see him coming. Nice work.

 

I'm sorry for not having very constructive reviews, but your storytelling's getting way better, and there aren't really any more problems. The best I can say is good job, well done, and when do we get the next chapter?

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

Aha, Kiryu, now I know who that is. I kinda forgot the whole tournament was taking place on the same island as before, so he surprised me a little, but that's the point, eh?

 

As for the duel, while it would have been fine to see Xiael duel again, I'm sure his 3-monster deck would have become pretty tedious pretty quick. If that was his actual deck, which it might or might not have been. Kiryu seems more interesting, definitely, and I can only hope his cockyness is brought down at least once in the duel. Heroics are good, and I remember that he did use Rabbit/Tour Guide last time, and with more Heroic support I'm liking it so far.

 

Dos' deck being Merlanteans didn't really surprised me, cause I'm guessing they're all using meta decks, non? That would back up their characters as being 'dueling for the win' people rather than if they were running something less professional. It was either that or they would use stereotypey villain decks (Darkness, Numbers, etc). I'm glad you took the more interesting alternative. Can't wait to see what the other 2 and Lucien use. 

[Synchronized]

Now we start to see where Arc 2 comes into play. ...This is the same character from then, right?

 

Anyway, I didn't see him coming. Nice work.

 

I'm sorry for not having very constructive reviews, but your storytelling's getting way better, and there aren't really any more problems. The best I can say is good job, well done, and when do we get the next chapter?

 

It is the same character, yeah.  Kiryu was the "standout" student who dueled Kimora twice in the second Arc, using the Heroic Cards.  Since this is ten years later (real time), he's obviously older, but his personality still remains the same.  I appreciate the comment about the storytelling; that's the reason I've decided to extend the series to 85 instead of 75, just to make sure the pacing isn't rushed or anything along those lines.

 

Aha, Kiryu, now I know who that is. I kinda forgot the whole tournament was taking place on the same island as before, so he surprised me a little, but that's the point, eh?

 

As for the duel, while it would have been fine to see Xiael duel again, I'm sure his 3-monster deck would have become pretty tedious pretty quick. If that was his actual deck, which it might or might not have been. Kiryu seems more interesting, definitely, and I can only hope his cockyness is brought down at least once in the duel. Heroics are good, and I remember that he did use Rabbit/Tour Guide last time, and with more Heroic support I'm liking it so far.

 

Dos' deck being Merlanteans didn't really surprised me, cause I'm guessing they're all using meta decks, non? That would back up their characters as being 'dueling for the win' people rather than if they were running something less professional. It was either that or they would use stereotypey villain decks (Darkness, Numbers, etc). I'm glad you took the more interesting alternative. Can't wait to see what the other 2 and Lucien use. 

 

Xiael would've been an interesting character to have duel, I agree, but readers just saw his Deck in the last duel.  In addition to that, he only uses 3 monsters, so it wouldn't make for a very exciting duel because it would work very similarly to the one that just took place.  Kiryu was a better choice because it's time to start re-introducing the Arc 2/Season 2 characters as we get near the end of the story.

 

All three of the El Nombre will be using Tier-level Decks.  The next duel we'll see is Unos vs. Calle, and Calion vs. Tres is going to be a '3-part special' kind of thing, which will probably have some kind of cool logo and lots of hype because I like to do things like that for whatever reason.  Either way it's going to be a huge duel.

 

I took a few days off with College starting again, but Episode 53 is in 'production' and hopefully it'll be finished some point tomorrow afternoon.

[Synchronized]

And here's a new one.  I think it turned out really well.  Just a point to address;

 

[spoiler=Read this AFTER the Chapter to avoid Spoilers]

- I didn't abruptly end the duel, but for the sake of storytelling and conveying emotion, I didn't actually speak out the last attack.  For those of you unfamiliar with what happen(s), Kusanagi's effect to negate a Trap Card would have negated Abysscorn, then boosted its own ATK up to 4000, inflicting 1200 damage and leaving Dos with 1200 left.  Leviair would've been enough to attack for game.  I just thought that for the sake of the story, Leviair being the one to deliver the final attack wouldn't have made as much sense.[/spoiler]

 

[spoiler=Episode 53: Noble Victories, Part Two]

 

He’s got one set card.  Obviously, he wasn’t expecting a counter-attack of this level; at least I don’t think so.  I wasn’t planning to use Excalibur this early on, so I can’t imagine he was anticipating it either.  Kiryu examined the field.  There was no doubt in his mind that he could get that Abyssmegalo off the field this turn; it would take using both of Excalibur’s overlay units to do it, but if he didn’t, he’d have more to worry about than just that.  “Realistically, I’d hate to make such a rash move, but I don’t have much of an option.  So let’s see if this play-as-I-go thing is going to pay off.  Let’s do this, I hope you’re ready, because I’m throwing both of Excalibur’s overlay units into his blade, and by doing so, I’m able to double his attack points until the End Phase of your next turn!”

 

Heroic Champion – Excalibur: 2000 * 2 = 4000

 

In a brief flash, the spherical orbs surrounding Excalibur were absorbed into his weapon, causing the blade to extend, changing to a color somewhat similar to the red orbs themselves.  The sword had become bigger than Excalibur’s body, a true feat to wield, no doubt.  “Now go, Excalibur, take out his Abyssmegalo with Thunder Slash Uppercut!” 

 

Dos readied himself, but his Trap would be of no use this turn.  Still, he paid it great attention to try and pose a bluff as Excalibur’s sword slashed through the mighty shark warrior with ease, causing it to cry out in pain before vanishing from the field and returning to the ocean’s depths.

 

Dos’ Life Points: 2400

 

The aftershock of the attack sent the masked man reeling, but he released just enough Rakurai from his body to keep himself grounded, hardening the sand around his feet.  The pain was still quite real; Lucien had meant it when he said this duel would be of the highest stakes.  They were his loyal subjects, but their lives were at risk here just as much as the opponent’s. And he wasn’t facing a pushover.

 

Using Rakurai to hold himself in place; an interesting technique.  I must commend him on the fact that he was able to use it that fast.  This is the one who commands stone, or something like that.  Truthfully he had grown bored half-way through Hiyoru’s prepping, but he distinctly remembered the description of Dos’ Rakurai abilities, Stage Techniques included.  It wasn’t hand-to-hand combat, sure, but the attacks might as well have been.  Being able to improvise like that without saying a word to save himself from taking more damage physically was an impressive tactic.

 

“So you’ve done some damage; I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting you to bring out such a powerful monster this early in the duel,” Dos remarked.  “Despite that, it’s going to take a lot more than attack points alone to defeat me.  Now if you’re finished, I’ll gladly make my move.”

 

“Be my guest, you’re up,” Kiryu said.

 

“I draw,” Dos replied, doing so.  “And first, I’ll activate the Trap Card Re-surfacing!”

 

[spoiler=Re-Surfacing]

Normal Trap Card

Tribute 1 WATER monster you control; Special Summon 1 WATER monster from your Graveyard with a Level equal to or greater than the Tributed monster’s Level.[/spoiler]

“Surely it requires a sacrifice, but I’ve no more need for Abysspike, so be gone, and in your place rise once more, Abyssmegalo (2400)!”  As though the beast had never left the field, Megalo reared its head once more, standing tall against the mighty Excalibur.  “It’s time to eliminate your arrogance; with the most powerful beast my Deck has to offer!”

 

Uh-oh, I don’t like the sound of that.  Xiael thought to himself from the sidelines.  There had to have been a reason that Dos returned Megalo to the field, and Kiryu’s lack of concern for it had him frightened.  Kiryu was good, but was he too confident?

 

“If I’m correct, and it’s possible I’m not but I don’t find it all that likely, you brought back Abyssmegalo so you can bring out a second Level 7 monster,” Kiryu observed.  “Then, you can overlay the both of them to Xyz Summon.”

 

“I’m not surprised you’ve caught on, but being aware of my strategy by no means allows you to overcome it.”  Dos placed a card from his hand into the Graveyard, slamming a monster onto his duel disk.  “Because by sending Mermail Abyssdine from my hand, I can Special Summon Mermail Abyssteus (2400) to the field in Defense Mode!”

 

“This can’t possibly be good, Kiryu, you have to be careful!”  Xiael offered his support from standby.  At first there was no response, but Kiryu turned his head and gave a friendly smile, followed by a thumbs up.  Huh...

 

“Appreciate the concern, but I need you to rest up, okay?  You aren’t gonna be of much use to anyone if you don’t heal, and I didn’t come all this way to have you die on me,” he said.  “I’ll have you know, I’ve already planned out this duel to my next move, see?  Watch, Excalibur’s not going to make it through this turn.”

 

“Wait, there’s no way he can take it down right now,” Xiael replied.  “Excalibur’s 4000 ATK is the highest of any Xyz Monster, and until your turn it’s safe.  It’s after that you really need to worry about, if he brings out a stronger monster you won’t have any way to take it down!”

 

Kiryu said nothing; he turned his attention back to the duel, eagerly awaiting this play.  Come on, show me I’m wrong.

 

“By building the overlay network, I can place Megalo and Teus together to Xyz Summon Mermail – Abyssgaios (2800)!”  With the ferocity of a tidal wave, the Mermail king appeared on the field.  “Abyssgaios is the strongest monster my Deck has to offer, and it will be the card to hand you the defeat you cannot escape!  By using an Overlay Unit, Abyssgaios’ effect will activate, which negates the effects of all monsters on the field except himself!  This will bring Excalibur’s attack points back down to normal.”

 

Heroic Champion – Excalibur: 4000 / 2 = 2000

 

“Now feel my power, Abyssgaios, destroy Excalibur with Deep Sea Spear!”  The king hurled his trident across the field, impaling a now-weakened Excalibur and causing Kiryu to feel the impact, crashing into a nearby dune.

 

Kiryu’s Life Points: 3200

 

---

 

This victory, I must attain it at any cost.  I have devoted my entire life to serving Master Lucien and fighting for his ideals.  Now that certain events have caused me to question what I am fighting for and whether or not my beliefs are flawed, I must win this duel to prove to myself that I have not strayed away from the path of righteousness, that it is Calion who is wrong, who is misguided.  That all of these humans fighting to stop Master Lucien are selfish, no-good mortals who do not understand what we are trying to achieve.

 

Never before have I doubted myself, and with doubt comes weakness.  I cannot allow myself to be overtaken by weakness, it only leads to failure.  Because I am fighting for ideals, for the good of all existence, I will be guided to victory, of this I am sure.  This is my destiny, and I will fulfill it.  I will avenge those like me who have had to suffer, and give those who have yet to begin their journey the chance to do so without fair of prejudice or judgment.

 

The innocent shall suffer no more!

 

“Just like I was hoping, now the duel can begin.”  Kiryu dragged his fist through the dirt, standing up in the process, shaking off the pain.  If there was any question regarding Lucien’s command of the Spirital, it had been resolved.  With each attack, they did in fact lose a small amount of their life force.  He’d felt it clear as day.  He laughed, meeting Dos with a smile.

 

“What in the world, how dare you be smiling right now after this?”  Dos demanded an answer.

 

“You wouldn’t understand, I wouldn’t expect you to.”  Kiryu drew a card from his Deck, adding it to his hand before going back to his speech.  “In my head, since this duel began, I’ve been one turn ahead of each move, knowing exactly what I was going to do to counter each of your attacks.  Like I said, I knew you would summon a Rank 7 Xyz Monster and I knew you would take out Excalibur in the process.  But the predicting ended there.  For the first time since the duel began, you and I are on a level playing field.  I’m actually going to have to improvise and for that, I’m immensely excited.  If you thought my calm and collective playing was impressive, wait until you see what’s coming next.”

 

His level of dueling was off the charts, Dos acknowledged.  He was not too immersed with himself to recognize a trait such as this in an opponent, but to have the man be staring down his most powerful monster not with fear, but with a smile?  Held tight was his confidence, but that didn’t change the intimidation factor.  This wasn’t a fight; it might have been different if they were going at it with hand-to-hand combat, but Dos had to rely on his skills.  Due to the nature of their Decks, the El Nombre trio did not duel for fun, nor did they duel regularly.

 

Such a thing was reserved for absolute necessities.  There was risks involved, too.  With the Rakurai inside them being so strong, their opponents would be hard pressed to survive a duel, even under normal circumstances.  In other words, whether or not Lucien and the Spirital were involved, the outcome might have been the same.  When this duel had begun, he had thought to himself that he must be careful not to kill Kiryu, as Lucien would need to absorb his energy, but now he found himself being careful not to lose; because as much as he hated to admit it, this was a very real possibility.

 

Or at least it had been.  Before Abyssgaios had been on his field, he would’ve been deeply worried about the duel’s outcome.  But now, he had reason to believe Kiryu’s confidence and self-preaching personality were nothing more than words, powerful words to make up for the weaknesses, for the realization that he had been overcome.  This duel would end soon.  Calmly examining his hand before concluding, Dos placed the last two cards he had face-down, ending his turn.  “Turn end.”

 

Kiryu nodded, drawing a card and flashing a smile as he placed it in his hand.  “Well alright then, talk about the luck of the draw.  I’m playin’ Tour Guide from the Underworld (1000)!”  The short, fiendish looking girl sporting a mailbag adjourned with skulls appeared on the field.  “Since Tour Guide was Normal Summoned, I’m able to call another monster to the field, so I’ll Special Summon Sangan (1000)!”

 

Aye, I’ve seen this play before.  Xiael noted, recalling it from a pro tournament he had watched on TV back at home a few years ago.

 

“Next, I’ll overlay Tour Guide and Sangan to Xyz Summon Rank 3 Leviair the Sea Dragon (1800)!”  As the two monsters were pulled into the devastating tides, a winged creature appeared in their places, with teeth sharp as nails as it spread its wings, screeching in Abyssgaios’ direction.  “Leviair’s ability lets me take an overlay unit and do away with it, and if I do, I’m able to take a monster from the banished zone to the field, so I’ll bring Rescue Rabbit back to the field!”

 

Dos cringed as the small critter spawned alongside Leviair.  As ‘cute’ as it was, it posed one hell of a problem.  I won’t be able to use either of these Trap Cards until he declares an attack, which realistically might pose a serious problem.  But if what he’s saying is true about not planning ahead for his moves at this point, perhaps he’ll attack anyway?  Unless, was it all a mind game?  Would Kiryu have the nerve to try and play it like he didn’t know what he was doing?  It couldn’t be; Abyssgaios was one of a kind – even though he’d accurately predicted an Xyz Summon, he had no idea what the monster was and no way to counter it.  Now, Dos had control of the board, and he would maintain it.  He had to.

 

“This isn’t a new play, so why waste time explaining it again?  Rescue Rabbit, let’s do round two!  Banish yourself and I’ll call to the field two copies of Heroic Challenger – Staticguard (2000)!”

 

[spoiler=Heroic Challenger – Staticguard]

LV4/LIGHT

Warrior / Normal

The front-line of defense of the “Heroic” armies, this powerful warrior watches over his brethren with the strength of justice.

1500/2000[/spoiler]

 

What’s he planning? Surely, Kiryu wouldn’t be making all of these plays if he didn’t have a way to topple Abyssgaios, would he?  Xiael racked his mind for answers on how to take it down, but there weren’t many coming up.  The fact that it was so powerful made it a force to be reckoned with, especially this far into the duel.  To think, this was just the first of three duels that they’d have to win, and the others wouldn’t have Kiryu’s help like he did.  If he’d been forced to play, he probably would have been defeated, and he couldn’t let everyone down.  Scarlet...

 

“Sorry for such a process, but I think I’m ready to take that thing down now.  Boy, this thinking on your feet isn’t as easy as I expected,” Kiryu remarked, his field filled with monsters, though he still didn’t have the upper hand.  Yet.  “I bet you’re wondering why I went through all this trouble just to end up with a bunch of monsters that can’t even touch Abyssgaios.”  Dos grunted, but offered no response, so he continued.  “Summoning the two monsters was nice, but sometimes it takes a little more than that, just one extra step of effort.”

 

“What do you mean?” Dos asked.  “Explain yourself.”

 

“Since I’ve been a duelist, only once before have I had to go beyond using Gandiva and Excalibur,” he said.  “I knew once you were able to take Excalibur down that you were truly a duelist worth the effort.  Undoubtedly, you’re the toughest opponent I’ve ever faced, and tough times call for tough measures.”  A visible greenish glow surrounded his exterior, prompting Dos’ surprise once more.  “The fact of the matter is, and I mean this with the most respect possible, the outcome of this duel was never in doubt.  As much as I enjoy a good duel, my dueling skills usually cause me to show a disinterest in it; I get bored, not having enough competition.  That’s why, when they sent me here, I didn’t think it was even necessary.  But I’ll completely admit that I was wrong – you would’ve crushed any other member of the squad.”

 

He’s acting as though he’s sure he’s got this won.  I don’t understand, such arrogance is exactly what I’m relying on. 

 

“Now then, I suppose it’s time to finish it.  Since I control two Normal Monsters, I’m able to Special Summon Noble Knight Gawayn (1900) from my hand!” He exclaimed, prompting the reveal of the muscled warrior clad in golden armor, wielding a longsword.  “And since I control three Level 4 monsters, I can overlay them to Xyz Summon Heroic Champion – Kusanagi (2500)!”

 

A blazing flame spiraled in the air above the field, before plummeting down into the dunes in one quick motion.  When the smoke cleared, a slim, determined warrior decked out in plain black armor with a feathered bronze helmet remained in its place.  What remained of the flame had turned into a sword, which Kusanagi grasped tight, commanding it. 

 

All that setup for that?  Aye, was expecting something a bit...flashier.  Xiael remarked.

 

“You don’t seem too impressed,” Kiryu said, meeting Dos’ eyes with his own.  “Arrogant, much?  Maybe once I activate this, the Spell Card Noble Arms – Gallatin!”  He placed a card in his duel disk, and a new sword appeared with a sleek, gold holster atop a sharp blade. 

 

Heroic Champion – Kusanagi = 2500 + 1000 = 3500

 

“Now I see what you were doin’, mate!”  Xiael exclaimed.  “That thing’s got enough power to slash Abyssgaios to bits!”

“Hm,” Dos grumbled.  “It won’t matter.  Your arrogance will be your downfall.”

 

“Let’s just see about that!  Kusanagi, attack with Diamond Blade Javelin!”  Leaping into the air, Kusanagi hurled the sword across the field at a crazy pace.

 

“Not so fast,” Dos said.  “You did not heed my advice, and you shall pay for it now!  I activate the Trap Card, Abysscorn!”  The card revealed itself, depicting a vengeful mermaid.  “This Trap Card offers a one-thousand point boost to Abyssgaios until the End Phase of the turn, meaning your Kusanagi is finished.  Suffer for your ignorance!”

 

Hands pressed, Abyssgaios commanded the water from the ocean at their side, bringing forth a menacing tidal wave, the likes of which would strike Xiael as well.  He tried to scramble out of the way, difficult due to his injuries. 

 

Neither one of them could see a thing.  Kiryu yelled out, and when the elemental clash was over, Kusanagi remained, standing tall with its blade in hand, while Abyssgaios was nowhere to be seen.  A piercing wound in his right shoulder, Dos lay on the ground, his Life Points no longer remaining.

 

Dos’ Life Points: 0

 

---

 

How...how can this be?  I don’t...understand.  Master Lucien...

 

Xiael stood up from behind the dune where he’d taken refuge.  The duel is over...it all happened so fast, I didn’t see the finishing blow, but Dos looks like he’s in bad shape.  While he wouldn’t forgive his actions, Xiael did feel sorry for the man.  He had been fighting for what he believed was right, and was suffering as a result.  The wounds were bad; Kusanagi’s sword looked to have struck him in a vital spot.

 

And then there was Kiryu.  He had dropped to one knee, using his right hand to keep himself from falling over, and breathing heavily at the same time.  His jacket had fallen to the ground.  Xiael rushed to his side, fighting through the numbing pain that was still very much there.

 

“Kiryu, are you alright?!”  He asked, helping the boy to his feet. 

 

“I...I’m fine,” he muttered, breathing very heavily.  In truth, his body had lost a lot of Rakurai with the duel’s conclusion, more than he’d expected, actually, thanks to the Spirital.  But Dos, he was in almost irreparable shape.  He had to...help him.  “Thank you; I’ll be okay...”  He stood up, coughing and immediately reaching for his chest, as if grabbing it tightly would somehow numb the pain.

 

He made his way over to Dos, who appeared perplexed to see him there.  “What are...you doing?”

 

“I...can’t exactly let you die, can I?”  He closed his eyes, causing the green aura from before to surround him once more, and placed his palm on Dos’ open wound.  “{1^st Stage: Tachinaori; Restoration}”.

 

In just seconds, the wound was sealed, and the bleeding ceased.  Dos could barely move, and the Rakurai had been drained from his body entirely.  Lucien had followed through on his promise to take the energy of the loser, El Nombre or not.  But was it a worthwhile cause?

 

“Listen, I’m not your biggest fan, but I’m not heartless, either.  You’ve been betrayed and used by the one person you swore your entire life to, and I can’t just let you die.  Sure, I’m weak too, and using a Stage Technique in this condition’s gonna be a bitch later, but I’ll live.”  Kiryu sat back as Xiael watched the situation with a vested interest. 

 

Now Kiryu had saved both of their lives.

 

“Whether or not you believe Lucien’s still in the right, for all of the lives he’s taken and all of the unnecessary sacrifices that have been made on his behalf, I can’t control,” Kiryu said.  “But either way, you’re no longer a threat, and I see no reason to treat you as such.  In addition to healing your wounds, I’ve concealed your presence.  You could live this island now and Lucien wouldn’t be able to detect it.  Or, you could stick around.  Frankly, I don’t really care what you do.  This fight isn’t over yet, but something tells me there’s no reason for us to fear your involvement any longer.”  He looked to Xiael.  “Now come on, I’ll heal your wounds too, and we can hopefully make it to the others in time.”

 

---

 

To be continued...[/spoiler]

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

OK, duel outcome time. I'm sure all of us saw that coming, but you pulled it off really well. I'm slightly disappointed with Kiryu not even being pressed by this duel; he could have taken a direct hit from Abyssgaios and still been in it. Ah well, I'm sure there are plenty more duels before the end, so hopefully we can see him being brought down a bit more. The whole 'I don't know what you're going to do so I'm really enjoying this' thing doesn't count, you know.

 

As for customs, I can see the Heroic Vanilla being made, although I imagined it more to be a beater than anything else. Still, that and the Trap card Re-Surfacing sound alright, so you're good on that front.

 

The actual plays were very good. I love the fact that there are hardly any cards just thrown in for excitement's sake. Seriously, I think the anime builds half the protagonist's deck out of stall/monster protection cards, and half of the villain's decks out of next-turn-I'll-win cards. None of that here. Very good.

[Synchronized]

OK, duel outcome time. I'm sure all of us saw that coming, but you pulled it off really well. I'm slightly disappointed with Kiryu not even being pressed by this duel; he could have taken a direct hit from Abyssgaios and still been in it. Ah well, I'm sure there are plenty more duels before the end, so hopefully we can see him being brought down a bit more. The whole 'I don't know what you're going to do so I'm really enjoying this' thing doesn't count, you know.

 

He could've, and I considered going that route, but in the end I wanted to keep Kiryu looking strong for the sake of the story.  That way, when (and if) he loses a really big duel, it'll pack more of a punch.  What the future holds for him is actually a relevant plot point so I'm not going to spoil it but I'll ask you to have faith in the idea for now until it either succeeds or flops.

 

As for customs, I can see the Heroic Vanilla being made, although I imagined it more to be a beater than anything else. Still, that and the Trap card Re-Surfacing sound alright, so you're good on that front.

 

Pretty much, yeah.  I was going to use another Noble Knight, but it didn't make much sense.  And having the Normals made the Gawayn play possible.

The actual plays were very good. I love the fact that there are hardly any cards just thrown in for excitement's sake. Seriously, I think the anime builds half the protagonist's deck out of stall/monster protection cards, and half of the villain's decks out of next-turn-I'll-win cards. None of that here. Very good.

 

I'm glad you liked it.  I'll have a bit more to say in response to this part later after work.

[Randomflyingobjects]

This final arc is taking some strong turns, with Kiryu showing up and all. This ties up the second arc, and provides additional characters for the last stretch of the series.

 

As for the duel, I really liked it, though I would have preferred somebody in-story to explain the final move (you know... afterwards or something.)  I agree with The Seal of Eon at the fact that the Heroic Vanillas sound practical, but would probably have higher ATK than a measly 1500.

 

For the record, I never doubted Kiryu. Plus, I was pretty sure that there was no way that you'd re-introduce a character from earlier on, then kill him off the third chapter. But now that he's returned and won a duel, he can easily start losing duels.

[Synchronized]

I'm glad you got where I was coming from with that and it didn't seem like I was just trying to over-push the character.  Anyways, new Episode should be up this evening as a pre-Superbowl read, assuming my timing plan works out correctly.

[Synchronized]

So I've been slightly behind with the episodes as of late, just due to a bit of extra work I've been doing and school being a bit more complicated than I had expected, so I'm glad to say the next 3 episodes (54-56) will premiere as a 'special', debuting on Tuesday, February 12th.  Once I think of a catchy name for the special that is.

[Synchronized]

Change of plans, just due to plot structure.  Here's a new episode.  Those of you facing the blizzard right now could certainly take a little while to read!

 

[spoiler=Episode 54: Pulling the Strings, Part One]

Episode 54: Pulling the Strings, Part One

"Don't take another step.  I just picked up something really...strange."  Xiael stopped in his tracks at the words, different from Kiryu's previous tone, which really struck him as odd.  Up until now, the man hadn't strayed from his cool, laid back persona, but with that one line, it didn't take a genius to tell he was concerned.  But Xiael couldn't sense a thing; admittedly he was still weak.  Kiryu had healed his wounds after he'd tended to Dos, but his body was still adjusting to the change in Rakurai, especially after everything that had happened.

The plan was to meet up with Calle, who was next to duel, and had about reached his point by now.  In a moment's notice, Kiryu had already concealed his Rakurai.  In their brief encounter following the duel, the man had explained to Xiael that his abilities lied primarily in a medical sense, not in fighting.  His exceptional dueling skills were usually enough to solve his battles, so he'd focused his training on learning to heal and constantly improve his strength.  Because of that, he had an extremely high resiliency and an immense spirital presence.  The amount of energy inside him based on pure healing and instinct alone could surpass that of almost anyone.

"Hey, when I give you a signal, we're gonna try something."  Kiryu looked at Xiael, who nodded in response.  "We're gonna switch sides while concealing our spiritual pressure.  In the case that there's someone hiding nearby, I'm going to need to be closer to the location in order to get a better idea of where.  Think you can handle that?"

"Aye, I should be fine, mate."  He smiled, attempting to zone in on whatever presence Kiryu was referring to, but still he felt nothing.  "Though, I've got to ask, are you sure it's not just some wildebeast or something?  I've got no reading at all."

Kiryu's calm, focused expression was one that seemed completely out of place with his overall character; so much so that Xiael had to constantly remind himself it wasn't some kind of joke - something was actually happening.  "Listen, I'll be the first to admit that I'd prefer to avoid taking things seriously if need-be, but someone's here.  And I'd be stunned if we weren't their, or its, targets."  Whatever it was had begun moving at an increased pace, but was still about three or four miles away.  The fact that its presence had been cloaked made it difficult for Kiryu to keep track of the location - it took an extremely substansial amount of spirit energy.  On the count of three...

Fingers outstretched, Kiryu counted down, with Xiael watching closely for the second in which they'd switch.  Just as he lowered his third finger, something shot out from the woodlands ahead, wrapping Xiael's arm in the process.

"What the hell, this ain't like any snake I've seen back at home!"  He jumped back, trying to pry the bright yellow attachment off his arm.  It vaguely resembled a snake in form, but it was much, much thinner, and didn't look like it was a living creature.  He tried, but he couldn't pry it off.  

"Damn, he's closer than we thought!"  Kiryu exclaimed, rushing to Xiael's aid to try and help cut through the binding.  It won't move, what the hell is this?  A second one shot out, this time going for Kiryu, but he dodged it just in time.  Once it had reached a certain point, it simply dissipated.

With his free hand, Xiael reached for his staff and pulled it forward, trying to break through the bind.  Instead, the string's light grew in force, blasting the staff out of his hands completely as the boy stumbled backwards into one of the dunes.  Not only could the staff not break through it, but it appeared to reflect the attack.  What are these things?

"Xiael, you have to move!"  Kiryu called out to him, attempting to rush towards his location while dodging the oncoming attacks.  That thing has rendered his left arm completely useless.  I'm not sure if it's cutting off circulation or some other sort of trick, but because Xiael's staff is meant to directly repel Rakurai using Rakurai, the attack blew up right in his face!  I can't break those links either, shit!

He knew he had to move, but for some reason he couldn't feel his arm, it was as though the link was weighing him down, affecting him on the inside as well and acting as more than just some sort of trap.  As he tried to stand, a second one shot out, this time wrapping around his right arm - he was helpless to block it.  He could see Kiryu out of the corner of his eye attempting to get to him, but more and more of these things were being fired from the forest, just far enough away where the attacker could conceal himself, and if Kiryu got hit, the two of them would be completely useless.  "I can't, these things are holding me down real tight!  You need to hide, don't worry about me right now!  If you get trapped in these damn things too, we're both gonna die.  I'll figure a way out, just hide, he'll be forced to reveal himself!"

Kiryu met his gaze, showing no particular expression.  It was like he stopped moving for a moment, and at the same time the attacks had stopped.  "And just leave you here?"  He rolled his eyes.  "Well, I guess so.  After all there's no point in both of us getting caught."  His response was so dry, and within a second he was gone in a flash.

Aye, talk about cold-hearted.  Xiael thought to himself, half-jokingly.  But the second of calming didn't last very long; he was in a very real situation, and completely unable to do a thing about it.  With no defense, he was easy pickings.  Both of his arms were held down against the dunes, and he couldn't move them in the slightest, not even his fingers.   "Sure, just leave me here to die why don't ya!"  He yelled out, contradicting his panicked words from earlier.  I really do have the worst luck.

"Ah, such simple-minded prey."  The voice struck a chord; it was piercingly high-pitched, but with a sense of genius behind it.  Xiael had wondered for a moment if his mind was playing tricks on him, until he heard footsteps.  Yep, he was about to die.  The figure of a somewhat tall man emerged from the forest, dressed in a bright pink overcoat, emblazoned with some kind of symbol that was too weird to actually make out.  He had a pair of glasses resting on the bridge of his nose, and the only other distinguishable feature was white pieces of tape, one on the end of each of his fingers.  Extremely strange.  "Another fine example of humanity's weaknesses.  For a species that places such significant focus on morality, seeing acts of abandonment such as this is extreme hypocrisy.  Not that I care, I find it rather humorous, it further proves my points."

"What the hell are you...talking about?"  Xiael asked, struggling to break free as the figure moved closer towards him, walking at a snail's pace.  Damnit, they're not budging!  What the hell are these things made of?

"Just a word of warning, trying to struggle is only going to exacerbate your energy faster," he said.  "The bindings that are holding you in place are known as rioji, highly concentrated strands of Rakurai, so tightly held together that not even Rakurai itself can break it apart.  It's an interesting dyamic, really.  It's like, being able to wield this power makes me the puppeteer, and whatever is bound by my rioji is under my control."

If Rakurai can't break it, that explains why my staff completely backfired.  Xiael said, shifting his gaze to his right, where the staff laid untouched, far too distant for him to actually grab it.  "What is it you want with me?  With either of us!  Are you working for Lucien?"

"Lucien...oh yes, I'm aware now.  That fool, he is overcome with his own power and an overinflated ego," the man said with a cackle.  "I would never lower myself to such standards and do his bidding.  I am acting on my own accord, but eliminating you is a favor for a friend.  Do not worry though, I promise it'll be fun."  He let the word run off his tongue with a twisted smile, continuing to advance towards Xiael.

"Tell me something, these bands, how are you controlling them now?"  Xiael demanded.  After a certain point the visible white energy had cutoff, like they were floating in the air.  It was a weird visual and created unanswered questions.

"Interesting, I wondered if your feeble mind would pick up on such small details," he said.  "As I explained, the rioji is nothing more than highly-compressed Rakurai, modified in such a way that I can manipulate it at will.  This power, the manipulation that is, comes from inside my body.  I can control the rioji with nothing more than my mind.  And each one takes no more than a smidgeon of power to use.  In other words, they are virtually limitless."

The tape on his hands, I wonder if that some way connects with what he's saying.  If his mind is controlling the rioji at a basic level, does the 'control' element come in with a stage technique?  Xiael wondered, because right now he had full control over his body.  However, this guy's tone and blatant lack of regard for anything was enough to convince him that this wasn't a bluff; in fact if he had wanted to, the man probably could've killed him already.  So much for Kiryu's heroic display.  He saved me from the duel but I didn't expect him to actually run away!

"But there's no need to speak it, allow me to demonstrate my abilities to the fullest extent."  He took his glasses off, folding them and placing them in the side pocket of his overcoat.  Staring forward into the distance, and making no sounds at all, the man stood.  As he did, Xiael felt the rioji's grip beginning to tighten, both of his arms.  And he thought going to the doctor to get his blood pressure checked left you sore.  

He wanted to scream out, the pain worsening by the second, but his resolve; he'd show no weakness.  It was like the bands were squeezing his arm, compressing to the point that he could barely feel them.  And as the man closed his eyes, they went limp.  I can't feel my arms at all...have they numbed from the pain or is there something else going on here?  "Tell me what you're doing!  You bastard!"

The man burst into laughter, placing his glasses back on his face.  Slighted brow, he brought forth the answer.  "Do you see what I am talking about?  Total control.  I am able to command each and every single rioji link at the same time, and all I must do is think about it.  What you've just experienced is not even a stage technique.  It is an advanced manuever called Jin Compression.  By concentrating on a rioji link, I am able to draw the Rakurai from within you and use it to tighten the band.  In essence, all of the Rakurai from your arms has been drained and is now being used at my command to further restrict you."

"That explains it," he gritted his teeth, wanting to punch something, ironically the least possible thing he could do.  Before the man had explained it, he hadn't felt much of a difference in spiritual pressure, but it was evident now; he'd lost a lot of energy from that technique alone.

If he's able to do something like that with such minimal power, without a Stage Technique...  He shuddered to think.  That meant...And damnit, I still can't move!  The hell!
 
"Well then, as much as I'd love to stay and demonstrate further, I'm afraid you're not my only target," the man said, beginning to walk again, painfully slow step by painfully slow step.  No matter how hard he tried to break the bands, Xiael could not.  The man brandished a short sword, marked with the same symbol on his coat.  Xiael had only noticed it quickly.  It seemed there was no rush, but he wasn't exactly hesitating either.  "Now go to sleep, little one."  He drove the sword straight to Xiael's chest; he couldn't move a muscle.
 
"Shatter."
 
The man hadn't heard the word, but the plume of energy that exploded from the ground at his feet was unmistakable, blasting the sword out of his hands and causing him to leap out of the way just in time.  Even then, it had still nicked some parts of his jacket off completely.  "What is this?  How could I not have sensed another being?!"
 
Xiael, surprised to be alive, looked up to see just what his senses had already told him; Kiryu.  Standing a solid thirty feet away from them atop one of the dunes, the man looked refreshed and ready to go.  His palms were placed together, and his posture was a bit different than usual.  So he didn't go after all...I wonder if he's the one who triggered that just now.
 
"Sorry about that, man," Kiryu smiled, his hand awkwardly placed on the back of his head.  "Just didn't make a whole lotta sense to stand around and get caught when I could devise a strategy to take this guy down.  You played the whole 'guy in peril' thing really well, great acting!"  He gave a thumbs up, and Xiael didn't bother to argue.  Sure, it was all an act.
 
"But wait, I thought you weren't a combat fighter," Xiael said.  "How do you plan to take this guy down if you can't actually fight him?  And what was that just now?"
 
"I took advantage of the opportunity," Kiryu replied, jumping down from the dune, prompting the man's attention.  "And while he spent some time talking to you, I managed to figure out a thing or two about the way his Rakurai works."
 
The man's laughter interrupted him, much to Kiryu's displeasure.  "Oh, so you you didn't run away after all.  A dirty little trick," he said.  "What frustrates me is that I was unable to sense your presence.  Tell me, how were you able to catch me off guard?  I'm geniuenly intrigued and I'd like to know before I kill you."  Huh?
 
"I'd be happy to, but first might I suggest you move before you die," Kiryu said, and the man whipped around to see a sight that shocked him; Kiryu had teleported behind him.  "Shatter."
 
For a second he felt the ground shake, and another plume of energy exploded outwards, nearly catching him a second time.  It took all of his speed to move out of the way only slightly, and this time it definitely hit.  It was incredibly painful, but it only caught his right arm, so he'd live.  "Your movements, they're incredibly fast!"

"Thanks for stating the obvious, ready for the next one?"  Kiryu asked, prompting the man to look up in fear.  He backed himself against a sand dune, putting distance between he and Kiryu.  At least for a moment, he'd be safe from sneak attacks.

"Quite the humorous one, aren't you?  For the record, before I kill you, I wish to inform you of my name," he said.  Kiryu stopped in his tracks.  "I am the great Marionn, a trained assassin with powers your simple mind can't even begin comprehend.  Your Rakurai techniques will not work on me."

"Hmm, that's a relief then.  As I'm sure you already know, my name is Kiryu Ryouten, and I'm beyond a doubt the island's best duelist.  A pleasure to meet you," he said sarcastically.  "But here's the unfortunate part.  I've got no choice but to kill you myself.  Xiael's right, I'm not a combat fighter, but that doesn't mean I'm not prepared for these situations."

Marionn raised his eyebrow, confused.

"I wasn't just standing around while you taunted Xiael," he said.  "In addition to listening to your little speech, I planted this entire area with explosives.  Each one is controlled by the release of my energy, and they're spread out through the beach as a whole.  Meaning that you take even one step, you could trigger the explosion of an entire minefield."

No way!  Xiael exclaimed, wondering what that meant for the two of them, even.

"However, while I don't fight with Rakurai, I do use Rakurai to control them.  With that said, I control the explosions as well, meaning I can insure Xiael is safe from harm.  But in your case, you did my job for me.  Because the first mine I planted, was inside that dune you're leaning against now."

Marionn opened his eyes wide, there was no time to escape!

"Shatter."

To be continued...[/spoiler]

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

I'm feeling that there is going to be more to this fight than meets the eye. I don't think any plot thread ever is going to be resolved that quickly. I'm on the edge of my seat.

 

New character, new motivations, going against the antagonist but not a nice guy himself, I like it. Always nice to have a bit of villain clash before the end. Just don't make him too much of a pushover. Or don't get him to duel Kiryu. That always ends badly for people.

 

Overall, I like this chapter, as short as it is. It's one of the crucial parts used for developing characters. Nice to see that Kiryu's not as much of a jerk as I thought.

[Randomflyingobjects]

I was rather surprised when Kiryu ditched Xiael, which is very unlike most protagonists. Of course, he was actually being smart and setting a trap for the other guy. 

 

I do like how the team of protagonists is rounded, with generally good duelists, epic fighters, and now a healer joins the team.

 

A question: is Lucien going to be the main antagonist for the rest of the series, or are there going to be other big baddies?

[Synchronized]

I'm feeling that there is going to be more to this fight than meets the eye. I don't think any plot thread ever is going to be resolved that quickly. I'm on the edge of my seat.

 

Of course not.  The duels between the others will take place eventually, but I'm pacing them out over the course of the final arc.  That's why there's other things going on in between, if that makes any sense at all.

 

New character, new motivations, going against the antagonist but not a nice guy himself, I like it. Always nice to have a bit of villain clash before the end. Just don't make him too much of a pushover. Or don't get him to duel Kiryu. That always ends badly for people.

 

We've got a break from dueling for a while.  There's going to be some fights going on that will definitely be can't-miss in terms of the story.

 

Overall, I like this chapter, as short as it is. It's one of the crucial parts used for developing characters. Nice to see that Kiryu's not as much of a jerk as I thought.

 

Of course he's not, he's badass.

 

I was rather surprised when Kiryu ditched Xiael, which is very unlike most protagonists. Of course, he was actually being smart and setting a trap for the other guy. 

 

I do like how the team of protagonists is rounded, with generally good duelists, epic fighters, and now a healer joins the team.

 

A question: is Lucien going to be the main antagonist for the rest of the series, or are there going to be other big baddies?

 

I can't answer that question without spoiling things, good sir.

[Synchronized]

Here's the next new one; the Blizzard over the weekend here in New England gave me plenty of time to write the Chapter; I'm hoping it's to everyone's liking.  Feel free to leave feedback!

 

[spoiler=Episode 55: Pulling the Strings, Part Two]

Episode 55: Pulling the Strings, Part Two

[i]He caught me, but how!  In the amount of time since he disappeared and returned, there was no way he would've been able to fill the entire beach with mines, it's a physical impossibility![/i] Marionn leapt into the air, able to dodge half of the attack as the dune exploded into a jumbled mess of sand and rock, but he couldn't dodge all of it.  A good portion of the charged energy had blasted his arm and the right side of his body, leaving a stinging pain.  Strangely, it only lasted a few seconds before it went away.  But the marks were there.  [i]Damnit, now I have to be careful where I land, if he's truly placed mines here, I could be stepping into one of his traps just by landing on the ground![/i]

Releasing a steady flow of Rakurai to keep himself afloat, Marionn did his best to keep his feet from touching the ground; one wrong step and he could find himself in a position where dodging wouldn't be so easy.  The only thing he had working to his advantage right now was the fact that only one mine would detonate at a time; if Kiryu had placed them all in such a short period of time, there's no way he would've been able to be precise enough to make it so one explosion could trigger the others.  As long as he could conserve his energy, he could dodge them all in no time.  And if he could get a rioji to link to Kiryu, locking down his energy flow, he'd be totally fine.  This fight was a no-brainer.

"Kiryu, any chance you can get me out of these damn links?"  Xiael called out, still trying to pry himself free.  "Lost all the damn feeling in my arms, they're completely useless!"

"I'm still working on that part," he said.  "I think I've figured it out, but with all of these mines, it wouldn't be smart to just rush over there and try to free you.  Hell, I think I forgot where I planted some of them."  He smiled awkwardly.

"You what?!"  That meant that even too much struggling on Xiael's part could trigger a mine!  They were in a walking death trap!  "You're crazy, and here I thought this was some kind of brilliantly executed scheme!  I'm not up to blow up right now, mate!"

With Marionn holding tight in the air, there was a standstill for a moment, with Kiryu not taking his gaze off their new enemy.  He shrugged his shoulders.  "Oh well.  I only had so much time to plan this out, and while you were sitting there being lazy, I had to come up with something on the fly.  So let's just hope it works."

Bewildered, Xiael's jaw dropped.  "Being lazy?!  I'm stuck here, if you didn't notice!  I was getting my ass kicked while you were chilling in the forest!  How can you--ARGH!"

"Let's worry about who did what later," Kiryu said, his voice growing far more serious.  This fight's not over.  Marionn, lemme ask, how long do you plan on floating up there?  Eventually you'll exhaust all of your energy, and then you're not going to be able to jump and save yourself from the next mine.  Are we going to fight or are you just going to play the role of sparrow?  I'm already getting bored."

"You [i]dare[/i] mock me?!  You were able to land a few lucky shots, but you're at just as much of a disadvantage as I am," he replied frustrated.  "Let's make you play chicken, try and dodge this!"  With the palm of his hand, he fired three [i]rioji[/i] in Kiryu's direction.

"You idiot, move out of the way!"  Xiael exclaimed, watching as the three bands headed straight in Kiryu's direction.  "You're going to get hit and if you do we're done for!  Move!"

[i]Come on...just a little closer...[/i]  Kiryu stood his ground, ignoring Xiael's pleas.  Marionn had him, the man was sure of it.  So he had to burst his bubble.  The links got closer, a rapid fire pace controlled by Marionn's own movements.  The more energy he exerted, the faster they would move.  [i]Here we go...[/i]  "Shatter."  He muttered the words as the bands were within a few feet of his position, and a series of plumes exploded from the sand, encompassing each band and causing it to disintegrate.

[i]Woah, how did he do that?  Aye, this guy's just full of surprises isn't he[/i]?  It didn't take long for Xiael to realize that Kiryu had been bluffing; the mines weren't a mystery at all.  But he had been so convincing in his performance that even Marionn must have fallen for it.  Kiryu knew the location of each one, and it was his energy that triggered their releases.  That was what saved him the first time.  As long as he positioned himself in the right spots, Marionn couldn't touch him.  Because those plumes...they had been able to break the rioji.

Marionn on the other hand, had also caught onto his own mistake.  [i]That pest, he managed to fool me into believing that we were fighting on a level playing field.  He may not be a combat fighter, but his delivery and lack of concern makes for an extremely convincing performance.  I've got to admit, I didn't see that coming.  He's figured out a way to stop the rioji.  Surely, I did not expect this much of a challenge from two mere humans.[/i]

Kiryu turned to face his still chained-up ally.  "I've got to thank you again for the convincing performance.  You're doing excellent.  Keep it up, would you?  I don't have the acting skill for that."  He smiled.  Now for Marionn.  "Now, I think it's my turn to strike!  Ha!"  He leapt into the air, flying straight towards Marionn, his right fist outstretched.

[i]His movements, so unbelievably fast![/i]  Marionn noted.  [i]I can't dodge it![/i]  Kiryu struck him right in the jaw, sending him crashing into the sand below.  [i]Damnit, he got me again![/i]

"Incredible, this guy's bloody amazing," Xiael remarked.  [i]He's using his strengths as a medical fighter to fight hand-to-hand, I'm not sure what's more genius, this or his dueling![/i]

"Shatter."  Still in the air, Kiryu commanded another release, and Marionn knew it was too late to move.  He had fallen onto another mine, hadn't he?  Wait, he could move.  There was still time!

"You won't get me that easily!"  Using what little strength he had, he willed his body to the right, getting a good distance away from the location where he'd originally landed.  As soon as he hit that new spot, a plume exploded from directly below him, striking him one-hundred percent.  [i]What...he...no!  Impossible![/i]

"You made that a hell of a lot easier than I expected, moving right into the mine like that," Kiryu grinned, lowering himself to the dunes.  His opponent was laying in a helpless heap on the sand, his clothes torn and tattered.  The blast really had connected in full.

"Fighting's a lot like dueling.  They're almost one in the same, except when you duel, you wield cards as your weapons.  In a fight, the purpose and the goal is to achieve victory, which is done by rendering your opponent unable to fight back.  You don't always kill them, it's not always necessary.  Just get them to a point where they're out of options.  That's how you win a duel.  Strategy.  People that rush blindly into combat are just as naive as those who rely on giant beatsticks to win them the game -- it's foolish.  You didn't make a single move in this fight that caught me off guard.  I was always one step ahead.  For someone who presented themselves as a big deal, above the level of Lucien himself, I expected far more of a challenge."  He turned his attention to Xiael for a moment.  

"And you, I was made well-aware of your hesitance to fight with Rakurai given your backstory.  Because of that, I purposely manuevered myself in a way that would allow you to get caught, knowing he would be unable to cause any significant damage to you.  My apologies for what may seem like a selfish tactic, but you would not have been able to fight him with just strength alone, and I didn't want to put you in a spot where you had to go against what you were sworn to.  It all worked out, and I'm gonna break those rioji, too."

[i]That's such a twisted plan...but it's brilliant.  I suppose I should be mad, but in essence he's right, he's the one who saved us.  Enduring a little pain isn't nothin' I haven't experienced back at home.[/i]  "Alright mate, I'm on board, but tell me, how you gonna break these things?  They don't budge, no matter how hard I pull."

"Don't get too cocky."  Somehow, Marionn was still able to move.  Both Kiryu and Xiael were fixated on him as he got to his feet, not in the best of conditions, but looking his as sinister as ever.  "This fight is not over.  I will be the first to admit that you are quite talented, and I underestimated you, believing I would need nothing more than a mere ability of mine to crush you into dust.  So I was wrong.  If you had so much trouble dealing with a non-Stage Technique, imagine how much more I have up my sleeve."

"Trying to bluff me?"  Kiryu asked.  There was no way the guy had enough Rakurai left to perform a Stage Technique.  "We both know you're out of energy.  Just let it go."

An outright fit of laughter ensued; Marionn threw his head back and roared to the skies, bellowing with laughter in an uncontrollable fashion.  "Is that what you believe?  You've but scratched the surface!  If you think I'm bluffing, believe what you will!  It'll make it all the more easy to do away with you!  [i]1st Stage: Grasping Bind![/i]"  A large release of energy from within him took the form of a giant hand, shooting across the way and grasping Kiryu before he could even move.

[i]What in the world?!  How could he have enough energy to create something like this?  And how didn't I see it coming![/i]  He had allowed himself to be caught, and unlike the previous portion of the battle, he hadn't been able to plan ahead.  To think that this guy would still have the strength to perform a stage technique, let alone something of this level, set him apart from the others.  This was a unique power.

"Kiryu!"  Xiael called out.  Was this part of the plan?  He had to have known this was coming - with the brilliant execution of his strategy up to this point, he found it best not to get involved.  The man knew what he was doing.  But still, he didn't look that comfortable.  The amount of energy it took to create and maintain something like that was truly frightening.

"I...can't...move!"  Kiryu tried to struggle, but Marionn grinned, adjusting his glasses as the hand tightened its grip.  [i]It's like he's literally squeezing the life out of me![/i]

"You said some of the most effective approaches need careful planning," Marionn said.  "I prefer to differ!  When you have power on the level of my own, sheer strength is more than enough to crush weak insolence!  I am the puppet master, I have both of you under my control and you are helpless to defend yourselves!"

Kiryu was losing consciousness, and fast.  This wasn't a scheme.  He had virtually no way to escape and without being able to utilize his arms he couldn't even trigger some of the mines left in the area.  There was no way it could all end like this...would Lucien truly send someone so powerful to dispose of them?  That couldn't be - Lucien didn't even know of their existence on the island up to this point.  But what did it mean...wait a second...[i]That mark...I didn't notice it before...it CAN'T be...[/i]

The symbol...on the upper right hand corner of Marionn's jacket - what little of it was left, at least.  The eight crossed lines, with the book in the center, so simple, yet with so much meaning behind it.  He remembered vividly the first time he had seen it.  His duel with Kimora, ten years ago.  When he dueled the girl for the first time, that same symbol had been emblazoned on her sword.  It could only mean one thing.

Hayate was still alive.

---

Something about Kimora had always struck him as odd; they were positioned as rivals right from the start, but he had felt something towards her that he hadn't ever felt about another person in his life.  It wasn't like he cared for her, or did he?  They were feelings he didn't understand and chose not to.  But what had happened to her, being forced to become nothing more than a mindless drone to do Hayate's bidding, becoming a shadow of her former-self, it had always enraged him.  He'd done everything he could to save her, but in the end, it was Hiyoru who had come to his aid.

In a matter of seconds, he had put the entire thing together.  That explained Marionn's incredible power; he was working for Hayate, not Lucien.  Where Lucien fit into this whole thing he was unsure, but if Hayate was still alive and secretly carrying out operations on this island, Marionn must have been one of his experiments.  Rumor had been that those who were operated on were killed due to the dangerous nature they posed to others, incredible power, humans that had become partially spirits due to Hayate's attempt to combine the two.

So it wasn't over.  The same war they had been fighting ten years ago was still very much real...it was just until now they hadn't realized it.  This mission wasn't just a mission anymore - in a second, it had now become personal.  They weren't just fighting Lucien, they were fighting a much greater evil.  And he would not allow himself to die at this evil's hands.  Even if Marionn was nothing more than a puppet himself, ironically.

"You're going to die, I'll squeeze every ounce of life out of you and then I'll kill your friend while your last remaining seconds of life dwindle away!"  He exclaimed, having all but lost it at this point.

..."I don'...don't care how much...it takes out of me physically...I'm not going to die now that I know who you are!!"  Kiryu's body began to glow, his energy becoming visible once more.  He didn't understand where this strength was coming from, but now wasn't the time to sit and analayze it.

"What, how can this be?!"  Marionn exclaimed.  "You can't possibly have this kind of power left!  I'm sensing that your spiritual energy is not only still there, but it's increasing!  I...I can't hold you still anymore!"

[i]Is he...this is something I've never seen from Kiryu before...maybe he wasn't bluffing...maybe he really was trapped.  But this power, the look in his eyes...[/i]

All he could see, staring at the enemy, was the shell of Hayate himself, the look, the evil in his eyes the first time they'd met.  He wasn't fighting a human.

His entire body, he felt it break down, splitting into small particles.  [i]What is going on?![/i] Unable to feel anything, his body reassembled itself, now out of the clutches of Marionn's attack.   [i]I just...split into millions of individual particles of Rakurai to move from one place to another?  That's insane...but I'll take it...[/i]

[i]How could he do something like that?  That's a physically impossible movement, everything about physics would suggest it's impossible!  In order to break his body down like that at will, he would have to be fully intertwined with the Rakurai, meaning that his power level is even greater than I could have imagined!  This can't be happening, he should be dead![/i]

"Shatter."

[i]Another mine?  I won't be caught by it this time![/i] With a great sense of refreshed power, Marionn raised himself into the air.  As he did, he felt a shaking feeling coming from beneath him.  But it wasn't from the ground, it was his right leg, and his right arm.  The marks left from the first attacks were glowing, the same bright blue energy that the plume had fired each time.  [i]Wait a minute, what is this?![/i]  The energy began to spread throughout his body, until it consumed all but his head.  [i]I can't feel anything, what the hell has he done?![/i] "You...what have you done to me?!  You scum!"

"I get it now.  The same way he was able to break through the rioji, Kiryu fired those attacks at Marionn directly, but not with the intent to hurt him or even kill him, because that's not what his power does.  It breaks down energy, has the adverse effect and does the opposite.  Just like he was able to break down and disintegrate the rioji, by spreading the Rakurai throughout Marionn's body, he was able to detonate a "mine", causing all of the Rakurai that would normally give him power, to do the opposite, and break him down from the inside out.  Such an incredible move."

"Xiael explained it almost perfectly," Kiryu said, breathing heavily.  "Truthfully, I wasn't even setting you up for something like that.  I had hoped that the final attack would have reversed and done it on its own.  Your sudden resurgence of power was out of the realm of realism for me, and I thought for a moment I was going to die.  But then I saw that mark, the mark on your jacket.  The symbol of Hayate Ashiori."  Marionn looked surprised to hear that name.  "I'm quite familiar with him and had I known he was alive, I would've made it my effort to kill you even faster.  But in truth, as much as I'd like to take credit, you dodging the mines like you did is what allowed me to kill you.  Each time you moved, you did it so that each side of your coat was hit by the mine just slightly; some of the energy remained.  Since I am able to control the energy at will and detonate it, I thought of the idea of using your own defense against you.  When you fell to the ground, you received a small cut on your left leg; you probably didn't even notice it, so miniscule that it wouldn't have made a difference."

He's right...Marionn looked down, confirming.

"That cut allowed an opening into your body, and once the Rakurai was able to enter, all it took was for me to detonate it, and from there, your entire body and all of your cells were rendered useless.  While I don't believe in killing if unnecessary, you would've continued to try and kill us until such happened to you.  Therefore, forgive me, because I know you're not like this by choice.  But you've got to die."

---

[i]This can't...be happening!  I've been bested, and outsmarted by such measly brats![/i] Marionn tried desperately to move, to free himself from the clutches of Kiryu's technique, but with his body affected inside and out, there was no escape.  [i]How could I have allowed myself to be defeated?  My chance at escape, at proving myself to be a worthy asset, it's failed!  Damn you![/i]

"So that's it then, the fight is over..." Xiael said aloud, not really speaking to anyone.  Things had become much more intense than he'd expected, but to see Kiryu's brilliance on full display was incredible.  

"You think your victory means anything?!"  Marionn exclaimed, bursting with rage, and a combination of twisted laughter.  "It does not!  You had to use all of your resources to defeat me, and I am the least of your worries!  There are others just like me out there, waiting for the chance to kill you!  You've all become a giant target; and no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to stop it."  He smiled.  "This is the truth.  Deny it all you want, but you cannot disprove it."

[i]Others like him?[/i] Kiryu wondered, and it only made sense.  If Hayate was beginning to put his resurgence in motion, using previous operated patients would be the perfect way to do it.  But the thought of having to fight others like Marionn, in a situation where he'd been able to get extremely lucky with his timing on top of that, didn't leave him with a pleasant feeling.  But no...it didn't matter.  As long as Hayate was alive, he could not die.  The entire scope of this mission had changed.  He'd tear through whoever he had to in order to take Hayate down.  "Well, tell the others I welcome the challenge.  If you can even make it to them, that is."  

Calmly, he walked over to Xiael and broke the rioji links, helping the boy to his feet, careful not to face Marionn as the Rakurai spread throughout the rest of his body, and his last sound was a cry of pain.

"We don't have any time to waste, so save the thank you's for later," Kiryu said.  "The others don't know what's coming.  We have to alert them."

"Right, whatever you say, I'm on board mate."  Xiael replied, but his mind was in another place.  Something had happened in the middle of that fight that took Kiryu from tactical genius to vengeful fighter, and he had no idea what it was, but it was unmistakable.  This was more than just a mission.  

All of the questions had been laid out, but the answers still remained vague.  But he had a feeling once they found out the answers they were seeking, things would become much worse.

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

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

And there's MOAR linking to previous arcs. I'm really liking this. First with Calion, now with Kiryu, it's great. Can't wait to see if others that I remember come back. Then again, that's awkward because I forget who died in Kiryu's arc. Oh well, I guess it'll keep the suspense up.

 

Well, who's next then? I think it's Calle vs Unos, which should be interesting given the outcome of their fight earlier. Can't remember what Calle played, but of course he might have a different deck based on the whole no-LIGHT no-DARK thing they had going on in the tournament. Also looking forward to Unos' deck, cause all of the El Nombre Trio are having their decks revealed for the first time.

 

Keep going, I'm hooked.

[Randomflyingobjects]

Ah, Hayate. The villain from the 2nd arc that completely disappeared with the rest of the characters. ...Until he's suddenly proclaimed alive, and now this piece of information jumps back to the front of our heads.

 

Now for the question I'm questioning, which you probably won't answer: Does Hayate have anything to do with CLEAR? I honestly don't know. It would make sense- he's a villain, and we haven't revealed the whole of CLEAR yet. Then again, Lucien wants the El Nombre Trio to duel them, so I doubt he'd let one of his agents run out to kill our heroes, or not yet, anyway.

[Synchronized]

And there's MOAR linking to previous arcs. I'm really liking this. First with Calion, now with Kiryu, it's great. Can't wait to see if others that I remember come back. Then again, that's awkward because I forget who died in Kiryu's arc. Oh well, I guess it'll keep the suspense up.

 

Well, who's next then? I think it's Calle vs Unos, which should be interesting given the outcome of their fight earlier. Can't remember what Calle played, but of course he might have a different deck based on the whole no-LIGHT no-DARK thing they had going on in the tournament. Also looking forward to Unos' deck, cause all of the El Nombre Trio are having their decks revealed for the first time.

 

Keep going, I'm hooked.

 

I'm considering taking a few bits and pieces from that arc and including them at the beginning of a Chapter coming up just so people can be familiarized with them, but I'll more than likely just do a re-cap so people can be aware and not have to worry about reading new material if they already know.

 

The next duel will be Calle vs. Tres, which should go down without a problem since Kiryu was able to stop Hayate's assassin.

 

Ah, Hayate. The villain from the 2nd arc that completely disappeared with the rest of the characters. ...Until he's suddenly proclaimed alive, and now this piece of information jumps back to the front of our heads.

 

Now for the question I'm questioning, which you probably won't answer: Does Hayate have anything to do with CLEAR? I honestly don't know. It would make sense- he's a villain, and we haven't revealed the whole of CLEAR yet. Then again, Lucien wants the El Nombre Trio to duel them, so I doubt he'd let one of his agents run out to kill our heroes, or not yet, anyway.

 

I could answer these questions, but it would just give away too many plot details.  There are people I know for sure were aware that Hayate wasn't actually killed in the arc; it was meant as a write-off and to look like that was the case, but I'm not surprised some people saw through it.

 

Either way, here's Chapter 56, with the next part of the story.

 

[spoiler=Chapter 56: Linked Together]
Silence was all that filled the gap between them as Calle Anden had reached his destination.  His opponent, the quiet though fierce Tres, didn't offer much in terms of words.  His mask covering the right side of his face and revealing a small portion of his bleach blonde hair, and turquoise blue-eyes that had definitely seen better days, told of a darkened soul, but not evil.  Calle could sense that about him, though he worked for Lucien, there was an emptiness within him, a void that was longing to be filled.

In a few moments, their duel would commence.  Few words had been spoken between the two of them, merely a word of acknowledgement.  Briefly, the two had worked together during the fight with Unos, but by no means did Calle believe Tres was on his side.  This duel would take place and neither of them would be able to show any mercy to the other - as intense and brutal as that may have sounded, the situation called for it.  What else was there to do?  He hated the thought of using the violence if it was unnecessary.

At least in a duel, there was no physical combat involved.  That gave him a bit of a calm; there would still be extreme consequences, but at least Tres would have a chance to survive if he were to lose; he had to win, no matter what.

"So, do we begin?"  Tres asked, quite blunt.  He wasn't in a hurry to get this going, but might as well get it over with.  "For the record I'm no more anticipating this duel than you are, but at the same time, I believe we both know it's necessary."

Calle nodded in agreement.  Truthfully, there were no hard feelings between the two of them.  "I understand, don't feel the need to explain yourself.  We both have motives that we must carry out, whether we wholeheartedly agree with them or not.  I can not only accept, but understand that as well."

"Before we begin, I do have one question I wish to ask," Tres said.

Calle said nothing, but nodded his head.

"You joined the tournament as a competitor, here because you wanted to achieve victory and gain further knowledge on your abilities," he said.  "Knowing what you know about your Grandfather and the role he played in Rakurai becoming such a prominent force in our world, you thought you would be able to find the answers you seek.  Am I correct?"

Once more he nodded.  "That sounds about right."

"Alright," he continued.  "So tell me, then, what has propelled you to continue further into this?  With the tournament being over, would it not have been wise to return home, keeping yourself safe, rather than involve yourself in something that truthfully did not choose to target you?  If I'm making any sense, I guess what I'm saying is why intentionally risk your own life when you have no need to get involved.  You have no emotional connection to these people."

"You're very observative, and I can't even begin to assess the logistics of the situation.  If I were to stand here and tell you that my actions are based on logic and the most reasonable scenario, I'd be blatantly lying."  Calle took a deep breath, breathing in the cool, calming forest air around him.  "However, I do not believe my actions are based on what I believe is the smartest option.  I may be a researcher, but at heart, I have spent the majority of my life trying to discover the secrets that my Grandfather carried with him to the grave."

"And these secrets, they're important to you?"  Tres replied.  "I suppose I can understand this, given what I've learned about humans as a whole, but if your Grandfather is no longer alive, what would discovering these secrets do?  You can make no actions with them, those who had betrayed him are either no longer alive or living in the safety of the Mid-World.  It truly is a hopeless cause, whether or not Lucien is alive makes very little difference."

Calle wasn't surprised by what he'd been hearing; part of him had considered these facts time and time again; it was true, Tres wasn't bluffing or trying to strike a chord.  He was speaking on a solely factual basis, lacking the ability to feel or understand emotion and what made it so, as a spirit.  In fact, much of what he said was correct.  What would happen if he'd discovered the information, the secrets, who it was that betrayed his Grandfather and used the Rakurai to manipulate humans?

"You pose a very valid point, and it's not one I haven't considered before," he said.  "I am only nineteen years old, I have the benefit of youth on my side.  But with that in mind, I've spent the majority of my life researching.  I continue to try and understand and examime facts that might point to revealing more of the Rakurai's secrets.  But just when you believe you've found an answer that will explain the Rakurai, it changes.  That is why I believe this is a never-ending question.  The secret to understanding Rakurai is not a clear-cut answer.  It is not something you can research, and I believe Calion and the others have taught me that."

Try as hard as he might, Tres could not grasp the concept behind his words.  Calion was a spirit, too.  He had once been allied with Lucien and the others, CLEAR as a whole.  Had he been alive fifty years ago, he would have been an enemy of Calle's Grandfather, based on what the boy was saying.  So why, when his goal would be to avenge his family, would he align himself with someone who showed no remorse for those actions?  "So in order to defeat what you believe is the enemy, you align yourself with someone who wants to destroy Master Lucien, whose main goal is to restore the world to the way it was before Rakurai existed?"

Calle shook his head, flustered.  "Trying to explain this part of it would certainly get me nowhere.  You are so blindly loyal to Lucien that you cannot see the wrong in his eyes; you cannot see his true intentions.  Taking innocent lives is never a just cause, no matter what.  The lives that have been lost since this whole thing began, in combination with what I've personally witnessed and what I've learned from Calion and the others.  I cannot blindly stand by while Lucien continues to take innocent lives.  And that is the reason I must defeat you."

"So it is," Tres said.  "Then let us begin."

---

It happened so fast, Calle didn't even have a chance to react.  As Tres pressed the button to activate his duel disk, a flint spear tore through his upper right shoulder, cutting clean through it and leaving a circular gash the size of the palm of his hand.  It couldn't move further, stuck in his arm, attached to a string of some kind.  The blood spattered out quickly, making its presence known on the previously white get-up.

[i]Wha...what th...the[/i]...Tres hadn't felt the pain right away, but once it took effect, it struck him like a bolt of lightning, coarsing down his arm and spreading a stinging pain throughout his veins.  Breathing heavily and grasping for the end of the spear, he dropped to one knee.  Still visually shocked, Calle had no idea how to respond.  He couldn't just let him sit there and die, could he?

[i]I'm about to save this guy's life just so I can kill him again...aye.[/i]  It didn't make any sense, theoretically just leaving him there to die and escaping while he had the chance was the reasonable option.  They were going to duel and the end result would have been similar for one of them regardless.  But morally, he couldn't bring himself to leave Tres to die.  It wasn't as simple as just rushing to his side and saving him; someone or something was out there and for whatever reason was going after Tres.  And it was safe to say if Tres was being targeted by something on Lucien's island, that same thing would more than likely show no hesitancy in going after Calle himself, as well.

[i]Damnit...that...that attack caught me directly.  I coul...couldn't sense it coming at all[/i].  There was no denying it; he'd taken the full force of the spear, and the velocity at which it had torn through his body was unreal.  He was losing blood at a fast rate, and there was no way to stop that.  He'd probably survive this attack, but using his arm for much of anything was going to be nearly impossible.  Would Calle take this opportunity to finish him off?

[i]The fact that I'm even considering this is bloody ridiculous, but I think I'm going to have to save this guy.  Oi vey[/i].  Calle tossed his duel disk aside; probably scuffed it up a bit in the process but that wasn't the concern now.  After struggling with his inner emotions, he started the slow walk towards Tres, who looked at him with no emotion one way or the other.  He was still bleeding, and the only way to stop that was to free the spear.

"So...is this it then...are you going to finish me off and move one step closer to the...answers you seek..."  Tres tried to speak fluently, but coughing up blood between every other word made that a challenge.  "I...don't know what...this is...but it is my fault...my senses have weakened...and I cannot hold it against you for doing...what I would not have hesitated to do."

Calle held strong.  He reached for the short sword at his waist, pulling it out of the sheath.  Gripping the handle tight, he drove it forward.  Tres closed his eyes, his final moment.  "I can't believe I'm doing this, but here goes nothing!"  He plunged the sword into Tres' right shoulder, head-to-head with the tip of the spear, forcing it outwards as the strings holding it retracted like a tape measure.  

Blood washed over his right arm as he did so, but he took a step back as Tres opened his eyes, realizing he was still alive.  [i]He...why would he chose to...spare me instead of finishing me off?[/i]  

"All my life, I've heard it classified as fact that spirits are uncapable of feeling emotion of any kind," Calle said.  "They possess a physical presence, but lack a soul.  As though they were unintentional existences.  Isolated from the rest of the world, in a world of their own created as a safe place to exist, yet they know nothing of feelings.  In truth, I can see the sadness in your eyes.  The longing for an existence that brings meaning to your life.  It's something I noticed the moment I saw you here, there is much more to you than emptiness."

[i]His words[/i]...  Tres thought to himself.

"For a second, when I brought forth my sword, I swear something in your eyes was asking for me to kill you right here and now, just so you could escape this existence you believe has no meaning," Calle said, sheathing the blade.  As he spoke, he was careful to survey the area; whoever it was would likely make another strike any minute now.  "But killing you before you had the chance to carry out what you believe is right, that's just not my style.  You and I are going to fight, but right now, I think we've got a common enemy."

"You're suggesting we...work together?"  Tres shook his head.  "That's entirely unplausible.  My orders were to ensure that you were defeated, not to help you survive.  Even with you doing what you've done, I cannot go against Master Lucien's orders."  

Calle said nothing; he got the answer he had been expecting.  Saving the guy wasn't done so he could have an ally; it was done so he could beat him later, and maybe find some of the answers he was looking for in the process.  But right now, he couldn't worry about Tres.  If Tres didn't want to help him fight, so be it.  The man wasn't in any condition to hurt him at the current time, so he could focus his attention on this attacker.

"Just what I thought," Calle said.  "That's fine with me.  You can stay here and bleed out for all I care, at least I know I did the right thing by saving your life.  But while you do that, I'm going to find out who our new friend is."  He leapt into the air, over Tres' head, sprinting into a different section of the woods, the direction where the original attack had come from.

[i]Even knowing I still intend to kill him, he chooses to leave me alive.  I cannot grasp this idea of sparing an enemy because it is the 'right thing to do'.  In war, there is no right and wrong, it is all about following orders[/i].  Unless...that was it.  Calle wasn't following orders.  Despite the alliance between he and Calion, and the others, they were here not because they were forced, but because they were fighting to save people.  Calle believed what he was doing was what he needed to do, just like Tres himself.  In that case, were they not on the same side, in some weird way?

If the enemy was trying to kill the both of them, which would then prevent either of them from achieving their goals, would it not make sense for them to work together?  Not as friends, or even allies, but as he'd once heard Master Lucien say, the 'enemy of your enemy is your friend'.  His orders had been to defeat Calle in a duel, but if Calle went and got himself killed, that would not be possible.  Therefore, he...he had to fight [i]with[/i] him.  Temporarily working together would allow them to battle it out and see who was truly deserving of victory.  

[i]I don't like the thought of owing anyone anything, and I do not believe that him saving my life means I am indebted to him in any way, but if I don't join in on the fight, I will fail Master Lucien once again.  And I cannot allow that to happen[/i].  He stood up, still clutching his right shoulder.  The blood had all but stopped, but he was definitely woozy.  [i]These humans are so strange, applying 'meaning' to everything.  I'm aware of what feelings are, but I don't understand how they can drive a person to act in one way or another.  So I'm doing this based on logic alone[/i].

[i]But maybe I won't have to kill him when it's all said and done[/i].
 
---

Man, the trees weren't exactly human-friendly, as Calle leapt from one branch to the next, trying to keep track of the presence he'd sensed earlier.  Whoever it was, they had to be moving around in circular motion; that's all these woods were, just one giant circular path.  He wondered if the spear was the man's (or woman's) main weapon of attack, or if it was just part of something else.  [i]Guess I'll find out once I catch up to him, aye[/i].

His senses...what was that?  An attack - just now!  He felt the spear's point whisk by him, just barely missing his arm and even tearing a small fabric of clothing off his shirt.  [i]Shit, that was so close!  Looks like he's done running away![/i]

He had to admit, waiting until now to strike was actually a smart move.  By letting Calle chase him deeper into the forest, the attacker gained an advantage; it was hard to see much of anything past the few trees around here.  Where they had been dueling was a much more open space; this allowed for sneak attacks far more effectively, and that was going to pose a problem.

For some reason, he couldn't sense the presence.  It was fading in and out, and he couldn't get a direct lock on its location.  If the spear struck, he wouldn't be able to move out of the way.  Unless he could get a damn reading...[i]come on, this is not the time for my abilities to be failing[/i]!  

He decided to try a different approach.  "So, why don't you show yourself?  Don't worry about me running away.  But if you want to kill me, why not come out here and face me like a man.  Unless of course, you're too afraid."  The taunting wasn't working.

It was too late as he heard the whizzing noise behind him.  The spear, no!  His own talking had provided a perfect distraction for his failure.  Damnit!  There was no time to move!  And if he did, he risked throwing the trajectory off, risking being hit in a major organ.

"If it hits you once, it's unmistakable the second time around," the voice came from out of nowhere as Tres appeared before him, gripping the end of the spear with his right hand, still blood-soaked.  "It's not as fast as you think it is, it's merely an illusion.  I learned that the hard way."

[i]Tres...[/i]"What are you doing here?  I thought working together was completely out of the question?"  He asked, somewhat rhetorically.

"Yeah, well there's been a change of plans," Tres said.  "If I want to carry out my orders, this guy needs to be stopped first.  And if that means we have to work together long enough to get it done, then I'll do it.  But don't think this means our business is through, not by a long shot."

"I wouldn't have expected anything less," Calle quipped.  "So you ready to do this?"

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

[b]NEXT TIME[/b]: An Unlikely Alliance!  The Smarts and the Resilience![/spoiler]