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

[Aerion Brightflame]

I promised a review, and a review I shalt give ye. Of course, I've only got one to offer, so I'll start at 32, where I think I last did things.

Sorry if I'm rusty with stuff. I haven't read this in so long... O.O

So uber new power unlocked, and the randomly appearing monster laughs it off to keep punching people. Kinda disappointing given you state how big a change in power level there is

It was alright, worked well as a combat thingy. But a good way for me to get back into the swing of things. Look forwards to a few more reviews.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='Archbaron Barthandelus' timestamp='1353964121' post='6078548']
I promised a review, and a review I shalt give ye. Of course, I've only got one to offer, so I'll start at 32, where I think I last did things.

Sorry if I'm rusty with stuff. I haven't read this in so long... O.O

So uber new power unlocked, and the randomly appearing monster laughs it off to keep punching people. Kinda disappointing given you state how big a change in power level there is

It was alright, worked well as a combat thingy. But a good way for me to get back into the swing of things. Look forwards to a few more reviews.
[/quote]

I actually had to think back to 32 for a bit (because of the break I took), but the whole point was the fact that Alice's abilities work backwards; her magic grows stronger instead of weaker, so that's why the Shopkeeper-monster grew stronger.

As for a new power, if you're referring to Sora's Critical Assault, that wasn't the first time he used it, but the point was to show how strong (at the time) the monster was.

Definitely looking forward to your reviews.

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

As for the duel itself, apart from the first move lol-summon-5 card, I suppose I do like sharks quite a lot, and the Xyz shenanigans amuse me greatly, so I guess there's that. I remembered that there are no DARK or LIGHT monsters to be used, so I suppose Heraldic Beasts fit (apart from Unicorn, but shh don't tell), and they can pull of some neat moves that ARE totally legal, like Leo abuse and such. Seriously, I hope to see more from Calion, and that 30 doesn't do him in (although I feel a bit bad about just writing Nikolai off like that), so that I can see more hilarious abuse of effects. Good writing so far, I feel that you've stepped up the pressure somewhat.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='The Seal of Eon' timestamp='1354033259' post='6079189']
As for the duel itself, apart from the first move lol-summon-5 card, I suppose I do like sharks quite a lot, and the Xyz shenanigans amuse me greatly, so I guess there's that. I remembered that there are no DARK or LIGHT monsters to be used, so I suppose Heraldic Beasts fit (apart from Unicorn, but shh don't tell), and they can pull of some neat moves that ARE totally legal, like Leo abuse and such. Seriously, I hope to see more from Calion, and that 30 doesn't do him in (although I feel a bit bad about just writing Nikolai off like that), so that I can see more hilarious abuse of effects. Good writing so far, I feel that you've stepped up the pressure somewhat.
[/quote]

For the purpose of the story, any Heraldic Beasts that I do use while we're in the tournament, at least, will be considered legal even though I'm going to make an effort to avoid having him use Unicorn until it's absolutely necessary. In planning, it hasn't been yet, but I can't guarantee that won't be the case. The way I see it, changing the Attribute is much better than changing the effect(s) or things along those lines.

While I do suppose it's possible we could see Genome Heriter and/or Coat of Arms at some point (of course, given the Numbers' non-existence in the story this would involve significant backstory which I won't go into now because I don't want to spoil the more important parts of the story.

Thank you for the compliment, and I do think the pressure almost had to be stepped up at this point. The goal is to conclude the story and everything at Episode 75, which while that may seem like a lot, doesn't really leave me too much space left to resolve things. While I do plan on doing a second series, aptly titled [i]D-Accel II[/i], that would depend on the general reception to this story's conclusion and whether or not I'm actually able to get the rest of the plot pieces in place.

[Umbra]

Since this was mostly a duel chapter, I will focus on the story. However, even I know that something like Predatorial Grounds is [i]hilariously [/i]broken and should've won him the game right there.

The story progresses nicely. We learn a bit more about Lucien's abilities (if it even IS Lucien, or one of the Numbered Men?) and exactly how far he will go to take action against the heroes. Sora's and KIoshi's relationship is building up rather nicely as well, I definitely like where you're going with that.

Calion's banter with Nicolai was very anime-esque (the dub in particular) but I suppose that's what you're going for. It does get on the cheesier side of things every now and then, but it's rare enough to be acceptable.

For a story that demonstrates time and time again that it isn't afraid to use custom cards, having the Numbers be "different" simply because they doesn't exist in the timeline strikes an odd chord with the reader. It may make sense in-universe, but since you continuously use so many cards that don't exist in our timeline, the impact of a "card that doesn't exist" doesn't become as significant as the story seems to believe. This is a classic case of Telling rather than Showing; we're told that Acid Golem is different and evil, but we're not really shown it explicitly. All we see is its effect, which, on the grand scale of things, isn't [i]that [/i]evil.

Overall, though, it is definitely a good chapter, and hits all the right spots in my book. Well done.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1354129883' post='6080260']
Since this was mostly a duel chapter, I will focus on the story. However, even I know that something like Predatorial Grounds is [i]hilariously [/i]broken and should've won him the game right there.

[i]It's not even that bad guys! It's decent, but I don't understand how it's broken in the context of Anime cards when things like Card of Demise, Card of Sanctity, Force of Four, Bonfire, and other cards exist that generate FAR more pluses.[/i]

The story progresses nicely. We learn a bit more about Lucien's abilities (if it even IS Lucien, or one of the Numbered Men?) and exactly how far he will go to take action against the heroes. Sora's and KIoshi's relationship is building up rather nicely as well, I definitely like where you're going with that.

[i]Sora and Kioshi's, like we've spoke about, is definitely something I'm trying to focus on. That's the reason I've waited until the end of the First Round to have Sora's duel, so that when they finally do duel, it has meaning to it. Whether or not it is or isn't Lucien I won't spoil; after all I like to have even a few surprises for you given how much we discuss the story.[/i]

Calion's banter with Nicolai was very anime-esque (the dub in particular) but I suppose that's what you're going for. It does get on the cheesier side of things every now and then, but it's rare enough to be acceptable.

[i]Guilty as charged. But that's only because I love Calion's character and writing him in that badass-esque way just makes him seem like a much more interesting character, in my opinion. I can't use the same "overcome the odds, fear" theme in every duel, otherwise it would get way too repetitive. Besides, you don't need me to tell you that we'll see plenty of that in Sora's duel given the characters involved.[/i]

For a story that demonstrates time and time again that it isn't afraid to use custom cards, having the Numbers be "different" simply because they doesn't exist in the timeline strikes an odd chord with the reader. It may make sense in-universe, but since you continuously use so many cards that don't exist in our timeline, the impact of a "card that doesn't exist" doesn't become as significant as the story seems to believe. This is a classic case of Telling rather than Showing; we're told that Acid Golem is different and evil, but we're not really shown it explicitly. All we see is its effect, which, on the grand scale of things, isn't [i]that [/i]evil.

[i]Perhaps this is something that I didn't explain well enough, but I wasn't going for "evil" with Acid Golem as much as I was going for "emptiness", like almost 'creepy' in the sense that it's not existent, it was created artificially and the powers driving it are of some other means, something along those lines. I know I use Custom Cards aplenty, but it gives you much more creativity in the story when you can create cards and make the duel and the story more 'your own', you know? Hopefully I'll be able to impress you going forward with the 'Number' element of the plot.[/i]

Overall, though, it is definitely a good chapter, and hits all the right spots in my book. Well done.
[/quote]

Much appreciated. I'm glad you enjoyed it even after I bugged you to read it because I do that sometimes. Anyway, planning on getting the new Chapter posted tomorrow morning at some point, so hopefully it'll end up working that way!

[Synchronized]

[size=3][font=tahoma, geneva, sans-serif][spoiler=Episode 42: Howl, Terrorfang]!

“Yeah, this is gonna be less fun than I had imagined, but you've actually pissed me off,” Calion said. “I'm guessing this is what it's like when humans feel 'emotion'. I'm disgusted by your presence and I'd love to slash you in half as we speak, but since that's not necessarily an option, I suppose I'll keep my cool and do what I have to do to turn this around. After all, I can't place the blame fully on you.” [i]It's obvious Lucien's behind this. But pointing fingers now isn't going to win me the game. I've got one turn to win before this thing completely crushes whats left of my Life Points.[/i]

With a two card hand, there weren't too many plays left for him to make. There was one face-down card on his field, the Trap Card 'Heraldic Safeguard'. It's ability to negate a monster's effect on the field until the end of the turn at the cost of banishing a 'Heraldry Beast' from the Graveyard would allow him to bypass Acid Golem's summon restriction for a turn and bring out an Xyz, but that was all dependent on the cards in his hand. Oh well. It was his only shot. “I activate the Spell Card Heraldic Armored Reinforcement!”

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

“Here's my one chance to fix this, by banishing Heraldic Beast Twin-Headed Eagle from my Graveyard, I can add a new monster to my hand, and I think I'll take Heraldic Beast Berners Falcon!” Adding the card to his hand, Calion shuffled the Deck. “Now that I've done that part, I get to draw a card from my Deck, and then I have to reveal it to you. If it's a monster, it gets sent to the Graveyard immediately, but if it's a Spell or Trap Card, I can add it to my hand. So let's see, shall we?!”

Slowly, he drew the card, using two fingers to turn it in the opposite direction, allowing Nikolai the first glance. He turned it around to himself, breathing a sigh of relief. [i]Akashic Record[/i]. Brilliant. “And would you look at that, it's a Spell Card, so go, Akashic Record!” A card depicting a fossilized creature and a weird force of light appeared on the field. Nikolai was unfamiliar with its effects. “With this card, I draw two new cards, and as long as neither of them have been used during the current duel, I get to add them both to my hand. If either of them has, however, one or both of them goes straight to the Graveyard.”

“How pathetic, you're really drawing at straws at this point,” came the remark from Nikolai. “It won't matter what you draw, because you've already sealed your fate. Acid Golem of Destruction will not be the reason you lose this duel, your incompetence will!”

Calion shook his head, drawing the two cards per 'Akashic Record's effect. [i]Heraldic Beast Aberconway[/i] and [i]Amethyst Knight[/i]. “Interesting; you throw around a bunch of big words but I'm not sure you understand what they mean. An incompetent duelist would have already lost this duel, given up hope because Acid Golem certainly comes with a share of lock-downs.” He took a breath. “To be fair, I'm actually a bit frustrated. I was hoping that a duelist such as yourself would be easy pickings, and I would be able to save most of my stronger cards until later duels in the tournament, keeping the element of surprise on my side. Unfortunately, you got some outside assistance, and that means I'm going to have to use a card I wanted to save.”

“You talk a big game, but I think you're forgetting something,” Nikolai said. “Even though you've managed to get a few more plays, with Acid Golem on the field, you're not allowed to Special Summon any monsters, meaning what you've got there is as far as you go. And with your Falcon being the only monster on your field, Bahamut Shark can tear it to shreds next turn! You're done for!”

“Don't think so. First, thanks to Akashic Record, since I've already used a copy of Heraldic Beast Aberconway this duel, I'm forced to send the one I've just drawn to the Graveyard.” Placing the monster in the Graveyard slot on his duel disk, Calion gazed up at the menacing creature on his field, albeit briefly. He would take satisfaction in crushing it. It was all going to come down to this one play. Taking an 'Aberconway' from his Graveyard and placing it in his pocket, he pressed the red button on the duel disk. “Here comes the final stretch! Reveal Set card, Heraldic Safeguard!”

[spoiler=Heraldic Safeguard]
Normal Trap Card
Banish 1 “Heraldic Beast” monster from your Graveyard: Target 1 face-up monster on the field; negate that target's effect(s) until the End Phase.[/spoiler]

They had the crowd on the end of their seats, watching this duel with their eyes glued to the center of the battlefield. There was no way Calion could get himself out of this, was there?

“With this, by banishing Heraldic Beast Aberconway from my Graveyard, I'm able to target a monster on the field, and when I do, until the End Phase, that monster's effects are negated and nullified.” From the revealed card, a light blue haze began to surround the field.

“I don't get it, what's the point?” Nikolai asked, smarmy. “Have you finally lost it? Even if you use your Trap Card to negate my Bahamut Shark's effect, you'll still have no way to get over it, and at that point, you'll find yourself beaten during the next turn. There truly is no escape for you, Calion. This duel ends here. Surrender and save yourself the embarrassment.”

Calion shook his head, and grinned. “You missed one important detail. I didn't specify that Heraldic Safeguard had to target a monster on your side of the field.” Wide-eyed, Nikolai watched on with confusion. What did that mean?

“Wait, you can't be suggesting that -” He stopped himself.

“My target isn't Bahamut Shark, it's the Acid Golem of Destruction!” The fans roared with cheers as the haze found its target, surrounding the Golem from head-to-toe, erasing the red aura around it as the creature tried to break through, to no avail. “It gets a bit better though, because now that Acid Golem's effects are negated, I'm free to Special Summon all I'd like! Which means I can put that Amethyst Knight I've just drawn to good use!”

[spoiler=Amethyst Knight]
LV4/WIND
Beast-Warrior / Effect
If you control 1 or more Beast, Beast-Warrior, or Winged Beast-Type monsters, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand). When this card is Special Summoned: You can send 1 Beast, Beast-Warrior, or Winged Beast-Type monster from your Deck to the Graveyard. If you do, the Type of all monsters you control becomes the Type of that monster, until the End Phase.
1800/1400[/spoiler]

Clad in an emerald green coat of armor, lined with amethyst emeralds from top to bottom, the mighty knight appeared on the field, wielding a large sword and shield, both a dark red in color. Once it had a moment to get going, the crystals along its body began to glow. “Amethyst Knight's ability is an unfortunate one for you, because it lets me send a third Heraldic Beast Berners Falcon from my Deck to the Graveyard, and once I've done that, all monsters I control take on the Type of that monster until the End Phase of this turn.”

---

Nikolai watched in fear; he had no control over this duel, except watching from within his own mind. Whatever this force was controlling him, it wasn't taking time to look at the big picture. Calion was clearly setting up for something, something Nikolai himself would've been able to counter with ease. But instead, this, this thing had become so focused on maintaining that “Number” monster, it hadn't taken the time to think about any kind of sound strategy.

He was going to lose this duel and it wouldn't be by his own doing. “I don't know who, or what you are, but you're making a huge mistake here. We're going to lose this duel if you don't do something to stop him!”

[i]Silence, fool. I have told you already, this is no longer your concern. You have played your part and now it's time to sit back and enjoy the scenery. For you see, even if that mortal manages to remove Acid Golem of Destruction from the field, his entire world will come falling down around him. [/i]The voice broke out into a fit of laughter; a dark, booming sound.

---

“Hey, snap out of it, don't zone on me yet,” Calion called out. “At least give me the satisfaction of wiping that confident smile off your face. You thought you'd be able to beat me with some kind of cheap trick? Please. Lightning Plover was just the beginning. Check it out, I'm gonna use Heraldic Beast Twin-Headed Eagle and Amethyst Knight to build the Overlay Network, and Xyz Summon Rank 4, Diawolf the Terrorfang (2000)!”

With a thunderous crash, the four-legged wolf, clad in a turquoise-shaded armor sprawled onto the field, seething to take a bite of the enemy's monster. The aggression had caught on, the fans roaring to see Nikolai fall in defeat; he played the pawn all too well.

[i]Because of his Safeguard Trap, Acid Golem's ability to stop Special Summons has become useless! This is what I was worried about![/i] Nikolai tried to regain control of the duel, but he couldn't push the overwhelming force out of his mind. Knowing his opponent was smart enough to find a way around that move hadn't been enough; whatever this power was, it was set on its own plan and wasn't going to listen to reason. He had to break through...he could still win this duel if he could just grasp reality.

“Ah, it felt good to do that,” Calion smirked. “Not being able to Special Summon would've been an annoyance. Moving on, I think it's the appropriate time to bring Diawolf's special ability into things! By using an Overlay Unit, I can target a Winged Beast, Beast, or Beast-Warrior type monster my field, and a card on your field, and Diawolf will destroy both targets!”

“Too bad you're lacking a monster to fulfill those requirements, you -” Nikolai stopped in his tracks; the power controlling him, rather, had come to the realization that not stopping that play had allowed Calion to do just what the brat predicted. [i]I think I've got it. If that Acid Golem leaves the field, I'll be able to regain control. That's the source of its power...whatever “it” is. I won't win this duel with a card that's not even mine![/i]

“Except I do, it would appear you forgot about my Amethyst Knight's ability,” pointing to the Acid Golem, Calion revealed the creature's change in appearance, sporting a pair of wings that looked horrendously out of place. “As different as it may be, he's still a Winged Beast, and he's still a valid target. So I'll use Diawolf to take both monsters down at once! Go, Howling Razor Shred!”

---

[i]Fool, to think you will actually succeed in such a fashion. We must use this Trap Card and stop him, it appears the pieces to win this duel are set in motion, boy. Even with your words of warning, victory is as it should be.[/i]

Nikolai felt some of his strength coming back to him, the energy flowing in and out of his body. What did it mean? “No, I won't let you. As much as I want to win this duel and shut this guy up, I won't let you be the reason it happens! Not now, not ever!”

[i]Do you dare threaten me? You can do nothing, you are powerless to stop me. Now sit back and watch as I destroy him once and for all![/i]

---

“I thought for sure you'd do something like this,” Nikolai said. “Which is why I plan to use this!”
The boy extended his arm, not by his own actions, but found himself unable to order the Trap's activation. [i]Not if I have anything to say about it![/i]

Calion watched in amazement as the duelist's attempts at playing the card were resisted. Could it be? It appeared he wasn't acting on his own accord. If Lucien was controlling him somehow, he could stand no chance of resisting, but...he was seeing it with his own eyes. It would take incredible strength to resist any technique that involved control...

Looked like the boy did have some guts after all. “This is my chance then, while he's holding it back, to finish this. Diawolf, take them both out!” With a quick flash, the wolf leapt into the air, slicing both Acid Golem and Bahamut Shark before returning to a hunting stance. [i]The[/i] red aura surrounding Nikolai began to disintegrate, falling into itself.

“No, this cannot be!” The tone in his voice changed as the energy escaped, another voice calling out. “Well, looks like things are back to normal around here.”

“I'm actually impressed,” Calion said. “And I don't say that often. I don't know what just happened here and I'm not going to waste time trying to figure it out. But if you're back to normal, it's about time we finish this. Diawolf, attack his Life Points directly with Terrorfang Shockwave!”

[b]Nikolai's Life Points[/b]: 1000

The strike hit hard, and Nikolai wasn't able to just shake it off. But with everything they'd gone through since the duel had begun, he had to ignore the pain for now and finish it. “Look, I don't know what happened either. Before this duel began I was so focused on winning and protecting the pride of the game that I made it possible for another force to gain control. I'm not going to apologize; that's not my style. But maybe you're not so bad. You've certainly managed to earn my respect. Respect, that is, that will be the driving factor behind me giving you everything I've got! If you want to win this duel, then you'll have to survive my last ditch effort!”

Nikolai's speech got the crowd riled; the fans began to cheer for both duelists, many of them still confused by the actions which had taken place, but the thrill of the duel was enough to pull them away from it for now. Two great duelists throwing all they had at one another – that was the highlight of a tournament like this.

“So here I go!” He drew his card with purpose, adding it to his hand. There was only one move to make. “I Summon Hydro Fang (100) in Defense Mode!”

[spoiler=Hydro Fang]
LV1/WATER
Fish / Effect
When this card is Normal Summoned: Detach all Xyz Material from all face-up Xyz Monsters on the field. As long as this card remains face-up on the field, neither player can Special Summon a monster(s), and Xyz Monsters with no Xyz Material cannot declare an attack. During your next Standby Phase: Destroy this card and target 1 WATER Xyz Monster from your Graveyard; Special Summon that target and attach this card to it as Xyz Material.
0/100[/spoiler]

“Once Hydro Fang hits the field, all Xyz Monsters either of us control are drained of their Xyz Material, including your Diawolf,” he explained. “And as long as Hydro Fang is on the field, Xyz Monsters without Xyz Material are prohibited from declaring an attack. In addition, you can't Special Summon any additional monsters. Neither can I, but that's besides the point. Because during my next Standby Phase, I'm able to destroy Hydro Fang, and Special Summon a WATER Xyz Monster straight from my Graveyard to the field!”

An excellent play. Hydro Fang's effect was the perfect shield, and all it needed to do was survive one turn in order to bring back a monster that would actually be strong enough to win the game. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be enough. “I commend your efforts, and against any other duelist you'd probably have secured yourself the game, but that won't work here. Because I foresaw this. That's why I chose to send Twin-Headed Eagle to the Graveyard. And by banishing Twin-Headed Eagle from the Graveyard, I'm able to target up to two monsters in my Graveyard and attach them to Diawolf as Xyz Material.”

The bird cried out, soaring into the air albeit briefly as the Overlay Units around Diawolf re-appeared. “Finally, by banishing Heraldic Beast Aberconway from my Graveyard, I'm able to a Heraldic Beast from my Graveyard to my hand. So I'll take Heraldic Beast Berners Falcon!” Slamming the card onto the duel disk, the crowd broke out into applause once more. “Last but not least, Berners Falcon hits the field, and that makes it an ideal target for Diawolf's special ability!”

“It's...incredible.” Nikolai felt himself shaking. “The entire time, since the first turn of this duel, you've been setting up your Graveyard to make sure you had an answer for any play I could possibly make. To think that someone would have that much skill, to be able to play [i]that[/i] well and at the same time still bring out such powerful monsters...”

“Save the compliments, they won't get you anywhere.” Calion replied. “You're not so bad yourself, and beginning to doubt it now isn't going to do anything but hold you back. Accept defeat like an honorable duelist, and learn from it. Learn from your weaknesses and build on your strengths. No point in dragging it out any further. Diawolf, let's finish this! Take out his Hydro Fang and the rest of his Life Points with Terrorfang Shockwave!”

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

---

“AND ITS OVER! FOR A WHILE MANY OF US WERE SPEECHLESS, BUT WE JUST WITNESSED A SPECTACULAR DUEL BETWEEN TWO OF THE BEST DUELISTS THIS TOURNAMENT HAS TO OFFER! LET'S HEAR IT FOR BOTH OF THESE DUELISTS!”

The fans complied, joining the M/C in showing their appreciation for the bout they had just involved. Surely, the biggest duel since the tournament had begun.

---

Calion had already disappeared from the Stadium. He felt the transportation of power beginning and somehow he felt that Nikolai had already realized the fate that awaited him. The unfortunate cost that came with defeat in circumstances like this.

Ultimately, Lucien's plan had to revolve around ridding the world of any potential threats to his power. With each duel, more and more Rakurai was drained from the competitors and taken to...wherever. Wherever Lucien was storing it, he figured. But by the time the finals came, everyone but two competing in the tournament would be powerless.

However, there was no way to actually stop this from happening without actually [i]winning[/i] the tournament and getting to Lucien. What did that mean for Sora? Even if he and Sora both made it to the finals, eventually one of them would be defeated and their power drained. Could he go through with something like that? More importantly, could Sora?

His own emotions weren't as much of an issue; he could shut them out for the greater good; but Sora on the other hand wasn't so simple. He was worried, for the first time. If Lucien would go to those lengths to try and eliminate him from the duel, what would he do if Sora started to gain an upper hand in his match, the last duel of the First Round?

He had to rely on Kioshi's assistance to get the boy through it; the two had communicated briefly; it was difficult to establish a spiritual connection for any lengthy period of time, but Kioshi had assured him he'd do everything in his power to keep Sora's emotions in check.
All he could do at this point was wait and see how things played out.

---

“That was truly strange, what happened out there.” Kioshi said the words aloud, though he wasn't all-there. His mind had begun to wander, trying to take in and break down the aspects of that duel which were still confusing him. He had certainly sensed the involvement of a third party, and was sure Calion had realized it as well. More than likely, Sora was oblivious to it; his spiritual senses were strong, but not enough to pick up on something like that.

Something was troubling him, however. With the conclusion of each duel up to this point, there was a steady movement of energy, the Rakurai being collected by Lucien from the loser of each duel. They had established that from the beginning and it was obvious that the loser would meet such consequences. He could feel it even now, Nikolai's energy being pulled from his body, unbeknownst to the duelist himself.

The trouble came from the difference in energy; the Rakurai being pulled from Nikolai's body felt nothing like the presence that had appeared during the duel. While logic would dictate that Lucien had taken control of Nikolai to rid Calion from the tournament, eliminating one of his biggest threats, the power Lucien was demonstrating now and the power at work during the duel were completely different.

Too different, actually, to be of the same source. But what did that mean? Whatever had possessed Nikolai was strong, with the ability to create a monster at will like the Acid Golem of Destruction. His limited knowledge of CLEAR suggested that Lucien more than likely had such power, but despite his better judgment Kioshi was almost certain Lucien had no involvement this time. That wasn't so much a good thing.

In fact, Lucien's involvement might have been expected and even stoppable; with an unknown force at work, things became far more complicated. Even worse, he couldn't discuss such things with Sora now for fear it would affect his dueling. The two of them would be out there on the battlefield, and Sora's mental track was all sorts of crazy. On the one hand, he understood the importance in winning, but on the other hand, he was aware that victory came with a steep cost.

Kioshi had his work cut out for him.

---

“What have you to report?” Lucien asked, prompting the uninvited visitor at the door to creep it open slowly. Under normal circumstances he would berate one for disturbing him, especially in the midst of the tournament, but he was not blind to what had taken place out there. Things hadn't exactly gone as planned.

Only Tres was present, the mask concealing half of his face. He had sent Unos and Dos to investigate the matter further, so it appeared they'd sent [i]him[/i] back to report. Tres was relatively shy, and Lucien's presence was far from calming, as one might imagine. Amidst the group, he would keep to himself unless absolutely necessary, simply carrying out orders. Socializing was not his forte nor was it something he preferred. Truthfully, he did not trust either of the associates he worked with. But he would keep that information quiet; he was simply here to report.

“My apologies for the interruption, sir,” he bowed his head. Lucien nodded, prompting him to continue. “The duelist, Nikolai Marchev, who just partook in the tournament round, has vanished entirely. We've got people searching the island to try and get him for questioning, but he's nowhere to be found. Perhaps he's caught a flight home?”

Lucien shook his head, sorrowful. “Alas, such is not the case. There aren't any flights scheduled for departure until seven PM this evening; that's one hour and twenty five minutes from now.” He glanced at the watch on his hand, a Rolex, the most expensive money could buy. Yet still he clamored for more. “I must say, I am disappointed by this. I had hoped to share a word with the boy before he was sent home; commend him for his valiant effort.”

“R...right sir, I understand.” Tres replied, unsure of how to word his response. “As far as I know people are still searching; we will report back to you if any new information is found. Until then, please forgive the disruption.” He got down on one knee, showing his respect, and vanished.

[i]How intriguing. The boy's power has been drained completely and somehow I am unable to sense his presence. It appears there are some elements intertwined with my Tournament that I have not yet been able to assess. It's quite a shame, really. I was hoping to get a full night's sleep. [/i]

Carefully, he grasped his wine glass with two fingers, pressing it to his lips and taking a sip, feeling the cool liquid run down his throat, calming him. He placed the glass back down on the table, standing up. He had business to attend to. With a clap of his hands, the lights in the room were powered down, as he made way for the door.

“Leaving so soon?” A voice asked, concealed within the darkness of the second half of the room. “I was hoping we could chat. Think you could spare a minute for an old friend?”

That voice...

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

Well, it took a week longer than I would've liked, but here's the new episode. I'm thrilled with the way the duel concluded and I'd like to think the episode as a whole does a good job of moving the plot forward. We've got 33 episodes left until the Finale, which is crazy if you think about it; that's less than 3 months, if not less than [i]that[/i], until the Series is done.

Would love some feedback.[/font][/size]

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

A nice duel. I must say, much better support this time around. While I don't think it's fair to compare cards from the original series (Card of Demise, etc) to the ones in this ZEXAL era story, the cards in this chapter are fine. Lots of Graveyard support for HBs, which is something I can imagine Konami producing, had they not thrown them out as a one off fad, like every other ZEXAL anime archetype save for Photons.

I think what also needs a bit of work is your characters' emotions. Yes, we know Calion is angry, he doesn't need to state it aloud, or even in the text. Subtle is better. Make him clench a fist, shout a bit, something other than saying "I'm very angry right now". He's not the Incredible Hulk. Same problem with Tres. We can infer that he is shy and unsociable if we get those vibes from him, rather than it being plainly stated. Makes for a better, more realistic flow, n'est pas?

Overall though, very good. I love tournaments, and I think they are waaaaaay underdone in Yu-gi-oh fanfics.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='The Seal of Eon' timestamp='1354905985' post='6087646']
A nice duel. I must say, much better support this time around. While I don't think it's fair to compare cards from the original series (Card of Demise, etc) to the ones in this ZEXAL era story, the cards in this chapter are fine. Lots of Graveyard support for HBs, which is something I can imagine Konami producing, had they not thrown them out as a one off fad, like every other ZEXAL anime archetype save for Photons.

I think what also needs a bit of work is your characters' emotions. Yes, we know Calion is angry, he doesn't need to state it aloud, or even in the text. Subtle is better. Make him clench a fist, shout a bit, something other than saying "I'm very angry right now". He's not the Incredible Hulk. Same problem with Tres. We can infer that he is shy and unsociable if we get those vibes from him, rather than it being plainly stated. Makes for a better, more realistic flow, n'est pas?

Overall though, very good. I love tournaments, and I think they are waaaaaay underdone in Yu-gi-oh fanfics.
[/quote]

I was very content with the Custom Cards used in this one, as opposed to the massive amounts of outrage over Predatorial Gathering being, well, not so balanced. So I tried to take a little extra time to make sure the cards I was using supported the archetypes without being broken and at the same time, were usable more than once, meaning Calion may play many of these cards again.

In regards to the emotions, let's just say I've got some plans in the works to "step up the game" tremendously, in the sense that I'm planning on doing a complete overhaul with my writing style and trying to focus a lot more on dialogue and just character depiction as a whole. It was something I briefly (very much briefly) tried to convey at the end of the episode with those three separate scenes with Calion, Kioshi, and Lucien.

I realize now that I can't really afford to waste time with filler and things like that; there's 33 episodes left and while that may seem like a lot, it's really not, especially not when there's so much story to tell. Expect things to be in a much higher gear going forward.

[Randomflyingobjects]

...Wait. You have this series planned out all the way down to the [i]number of episodes?[/i]

But seriously. Calion's totally epic. What I'm liking here is how easy it seemed Calion got out of it all. Not really much of 'I've got to draw this one card!', but instead, 'I'm about to draw the card I need. There's no way I'm about to lose this.'

...So, Nikolai just disappeared, out of thin air? Odd.

And I like what you're doing, putting Sora last, because Calion doesn't have many emotions, so no real regret for beating up a bunch of random kids. That one duelist at the beginning didn't know what was going on. But Sora know that what he's doing is potentially wrong, and we can all see that it's gonna effect his dueling. Good luck with the next chapter.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='Randomflyingobjects' timestamp='1354925216' post='6087875']
...Wait. You have this series planned out all the way down to the [i]number of episodes?[/i]

But seriously. Calion's totally epic. What I'm liking here is how easy it seemed Calion got out of it all. Not really much of 'I've got to draw this one card!', but instead, 'I'm about to draw the card I need. There's no way I'm about to lose this.'

...So, Nikolai just disappeared, out of thin air? Odd.

And I like what you're doing, putting Sora last, because Calion doesn't have many emotions, so no real regret for beating up a bunch of random kids. That one duelist at the beginning didn't know what was going on. But Sora know that what he's doing is potentially wrong, and we can all see that it's gonna effect his dueling. Good luck with the next chapter.
[/quote]

I have the series planned out to the number of episodes and a very rough draft of the first episode of the sequel series. As long as people keep reading there's plenty of story to tell.

Yeah, I tried to have a moment of vulnerability for Calion, but I could only get so far. Nikolai being "honorable" at the end was a result of Calion's incredible display, and he realized he'd had no chance from the getgo. As for his disappearance, I won't get into that, but I can almost guarantee he's not completely finished as a character yet.

Saving Sora's duel for last has been the plan because its a huge part of the story for reasons I won't get into. It should definitely be a test because if Sora loses, Kioshi's gone for good, so there will be a really intense inner conflict there that I've been working to build up to.

Glad you enjoyed it.

[Synchronized]

[spoiler=Episode 43: Twist of Fate, Part One]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]An old friend? My my, how off that sounds,” Lucien replied, his friendly grin hidden by the shadows. Truthfully, he had expected such a conversation, but not so soon. “I suppose it can't be helped; suspect this should end much differently than I'd first imagined.” Clapping his hands together, he called for the lights to return. Such was not the case, as the room remained shrouded in darkness.[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Let's leave the lights off, shall we?” The voice responded, its distance from Lucien being a rather solid amount. “Don't worry, as much as I'd love to kill you right here and now, I've sadly accepted the fact that such isn't plausible right now. It's just that if I had to look at you, it might make my resistance more of a challenge.”[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]It wasn't intimidation that threw him off, no. Lucien was the most powerful being on this island by a long shot, but to be in a situation where he did not have full and total control was somewhat off-putting. He bit his upper lip, disgruntled. “As you wish, then. I would say I'm surprised you managed to bypass my security, but that would be an untruthful statement. In fact, I knew this conversation would come up sooner rather than later; I'm always one step ahead.”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Are you?” The voice asked. “We'll test that theory soon enough, but first I've got a question. Are you that frightened by my presence that you'd intervene in the first round match like that? Creating a monster out of the blue to help a nobody duelist, you've sunk that low? I suppose I should feel honored.”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Don't flatter yourself,” Lucien replied. He smirked at his own words. “While I operate under certain objectives, I don't dislike you. In fact, I almost admire what you've done, joining forces with the enemy for a common goal. Your duel, while I would like to take credit for the display that happened out there, was not my doing. The fact that someone else has become involved has posed quite a problem for me.”[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Calion's next set of words were of a different tone; he carried heavy surprise in his voice, bordering on fear. He didn't trust Lucien as far as he could throw him, but he was certain the man's words were true. Something about the way he said those words; someone of his stature would have taken credit and gloated for his involvement for braggart’s sake. “If it wasn't you, then what the hell happened out there? That monster, the Acid Golem of Destruction, of all people you had to have sensed the artificiality that came along with it, Lucien.”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Indeed, and its concerning.” Lucien looked around into the darkness, attempting to locate Calion within the room; it spanned nearly a football court's length in size, his own private quarters in the stadium. He couldn't get a read on the Spirit's location. “I will not tolerate this tournament, my dream, being destroyed, no matter who is behind it. My men are already out searching, trying to find the boy for questioning. Nikolai, is it? You made rather quick work of him, as always. I don't think you showed a sign of worry even after he summoned that “Number” monster. You continually surprise me, Calion.”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Kissing my ass won't get you anywhere,” Calion snapped. “I'd call off the search if I were you. You're not going to find him; I'd say he's long since left the island at this point.”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]That's impossible,” Lucien replied. “There are no out flights for at least another hour!”[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Calion answered. “Not through your flight service, but I know a guy. And let's just say Nikolai, as obnoxious as I find him, might be a valuable asset in the future.”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]How dare you get involved in tournament proceedings?” Lucien shouted. There was no way Calion, or anyone for that matter, would've been able to get someone off the island without his knowledge. It wasn't even remotely do-able. “You're bluffing, are you not? This is no business of yours.”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]But it is. Do you truly believe that I haven't figured out you've been using the Spirital to capture Rakurai of defeated duelists?” Calion pressed on. “Many of the duelists themselves don't realize until its too late, but you of all people should know how strong my spiritual senses are. You're not fooling anyone, you bastard.”[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Shaking his head, Lucien waited a moment before offering a response. “Of course I'm aware of this. What makes it amusing is the fact that while you know exactly what is going on here, there is nothing you can do to stop it. Your only hope, which is futile, is to participate in the Tournament, meaning no matter what happens I am always one step ahead.” He laughed, wallowing in his own amusement.[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]So this is CLEAR's big plan then?” Calion asked. [/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Oh, not at all.” Lucien laughed once more. “For you see, I am acting entirely on my own accord. With Alice's defeat, we began to reconsider the way things were, where they were headed, you know, the usual. And going our separate ways appeared to be the best option. The brilliance that you are witnessing is my own brainchild. It's such a simple tactic, a grand-scale tournament that will rid the world of Rakurai as a whole.”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]That's your ultimate plan?!” Calion asked, wide-eyed. “Something like that would leave thousands of people in an almost fatal state!”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]A sad, but necessary evil. You see, I believe that although I am not human, I do serve a purpose. Rakurai was a failure and has brought nothing but chaos and destruction to this world. By draining that power and capturing it, I will harness and utilize all of the power I've gathered to right the wrongs that have been caused as a result. If a few thousand people die in the process,” he trailed off for a second. “So be it.”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]I knew this had nothing to do with a tournament, but to think you'd be willing to carelessly toss aside so many lives...” The Spirit said. He wasn't human and truthfully he didn't “care” about anyone, but even he had enough morality to realize something like this was pure madness. “This isn't about righting the wrongs, it's about power. Once a human has been drained of Rakurai, they can no longer return to a normal state. An attempt to use any Rakurai-influenced technique will result in death due to physical exhaustion. They don't [i]know[/i] what's happening to them! You're leaving all of these people to die for your own self-gain. You've truly lost it, haven't you?” [i]This must be what evil truly looks like.[/i][/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Don't you find it funny that only now you see the morality in things?” Lucien asked. “You act as though you're a hero, when in reality you were the one who laid the groundwork for my plan to come to fruition.”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]What the hell are you talking about?” Calion said, feeling the rage build up inside of him. “I would not associate myself with something like this. Even when I was allied with CLEAR, I did so because I was searching for my purpose. I had no intent to kill innocent people.”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]But you did just that, when you took the life of Allen Valiant.”[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]That name. He couldn't help but remember.[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]---[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Over the next hour or so, a few more duels had reached their conclusion. The fans were as alive as ever, contrary to the belief that after a full day of dueling, they might be worn out. But the most newsworthy duel was yet to come. The final due of the first day, the one which would award a next-round Bye to the winner as a form of “gratitude” on Lucien's behalf. That didn't matter; incentive or not, Sora had not been able to think about anything but what he was being asked to do. All day long, he had been forced to sit and watch as countless duels were defeated and drained of their energy, reverting to full humanity but at the same time, in a state that would kill them at a moment's notice.[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Innocent or not, these people were here to compete, not to put their lives on the line; it would be one thing if they knew what awaited them, maybe it would've even driven them to fight harder. No, these people were being thrown into situations where losing truly meant losing everything. Calion had taken some time to break down and explain the way the Rakurai worked; when a human was infused with the energy, it became one with the body, intertwining through every part of the body, altering cells, merging with organs, and becoming just as important to the body as, say, cells themselves.[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]The Rakurai not only modified physical strength and abilities, but it would also alter the body's resistance, tolerance, and mental capabilities. Once the body had familiarized itself with this, for it to be ripped away without time to be processed at all left the user completely helpless. As far as the body was concerned, the Rakurai was still there, still active. Someone without the Rakurai in their body could attempt to perform a 1[sup]st[/sup] Stage technique, requiring minimal energy in most cases. The body, not realizing that the energy was no longer there, would carry on as normal, even performing the technique, but no longer holding the physical or mental capability to sustain the effect(s) on the body, resulting in near instant death.[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Sora's physical strength was beyond that of most others; he had come to learn that much through battle and through training; he even wondered sometimes if his mentor was aware of his abilities, or how long he had possessed them. How long has Kioshi been within his mind? Was it before he was born? Had it happened recently? Kioshi couldn't remember much and was completely unfamiliar with anything in the outside world that didn't have to do with facts or statistics; he was a genius, but spending years sitting in a person's mind and simply observing would do that to you. [/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]In a fight, or any form of hand-to-hand combat, Sora could hold his own with ease. But dueling had never been his strong point. Sure, he was probably an above-average duelist, but above-average was nothing considering the competitors in the Tournament. Without a doubt, he was the least skilled duelist here. Kioshi, on the other hand...well, Sora didn't have much of an idea. Perhaps Kioshi was familiar with Duel Monsters. After all, it related to his origins in some way, didn't it? Not knowing much about the history of Rakurai or where it came from aside from what he'd heard from Calion, he didn't have many answers.[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]It all came down to one point, the same thought that had played in his mind over and over again throughout the day, no matter what he did to get away from it. If he lost, Kioshi would be gone. Completely disappear. The two had grown closer, sure, and Sora felt as though he owed a significant debt to the Spirit for helping him to save Kenji's life when this whole thing began, but more importantly than anything else, the two of them had been paired together for some reason. There was [i]some reason[/i] that fate had brought them together, that they were the only ones to survive the original Rakurai bolt as one cohesive unit. Sora's true aspirations, whatever they were and whatever it was he was meant to do with his life, he needed Kioshi to find those answers, just as Kioshi needed him. He couldn't afford to lose this duel, no matter what it meant.[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]But that meant that whoever he defeated would become nothing more than easy pickings; a target for death. He swallowed, feeling a stinging pain in the dryness of his throat. “Kioshi, we don't have much time now. Once this intermission is over, our duel will begin.”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]I'm aware,” the Spirit replied, calming Sora. “You were, as the humans put it, “in another world”, so I figured it would be best to allow you time to think. Are you ready to face this challenge, knowing what we have to do?”[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Sora shook his head, trying hard not to doubt himself. “Truthfully, I'm not sure. But I know we don't have any other choice. When this mission began, I promised I'd do whatever it took to save Rai Valiant; that is what this is about. And in doing so, that means defeating CLEAR. In order to accomplish either of those goals, I have to win this tournament, and defeat Lucien. Maybe, just maybe once it's all over, we'll be able to use that Spirital to restore the lives and the Rakurai of the people affected by this tournament. That potential hope is the only thing that keeps me going right now.”[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"][i]He is clearly shaken up. The boy has gone through so much trying to protect people, yet now he is being asked to willingly do the opposite to someone he does not even know. That must be very hard.[/i] Kioshi couldn't process “feelings”, but even he felt something, for Sora's inner conflict. “Well, let us prepare, I will do whatever I can to help you get through this. Sora, it is time to duel.”[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]---[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Struck a chord, have I?” Lucien smiled. “I can't even see you and I can tell you're on edge. What, did you think that because you're a hero now your past sins would exist no more? Let us take a moment to recall. I believe it was two years ago, the duel, wasn't it? You joined up with the organization as the top prospect, and your first mission was to retrieve a set of rare cards, the [i]Lightray[/i] cards used by Allen Valiant, the same man who is now dead because of your actions.” Letting the words sink in, Lucien paused for a moment. He could imagine the look on Calion's face despite his inability to see him. “Allen Valiant, the father of the same person you are fighting to save now. Tell me, Calion, why is it that instead of killing the boy you were supposed to kill, you now choose to protect him? What changed your mind?”[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]There was no response to the rhetorical question.[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Your duel with Allen, which took place between the Mid-World and the Human World, in a realm from which the loser would not escape,” Lucien recalled, “ended in a draw, as the human made one last-ditch effort to protect his family. Being as powerful as you are, you were able to escape and return to the Mid-World while Allen did not have the strength to do so. But you were hindered too, weren't you? The toll that duel took on your body made it impossible for you to move to Earth, and it took almost a year for your body to recover.” There was an awkward silence.[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Calion recounted the events in his own head, remembering the pain and suffering he had endured throughout that year. Allen's determination to fight no matter what, in some way, reminded him of Sora. He had never known Allen and had no personal bias against him; it was business. But still, Lucien's words had broken through to him; he [i]was[/i] to blame for all of this. What he was fighting against, was his own doing.[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]You had failed, and where you had failed, we had others who would not. The organization was able to regroup quickly and retrieve the cards.” Lucien explained, growing tired with the conversation but enjoying the effects that his comments were having on his former ally. “Rather than kill the boy, though; it was decided that he would be taken hostage, and held in a secret location, where he remains to this day. All of this allowed for this tournament to take place. Where Alice failed, being defeated by the likes of a few weaklings, was attempting mindless destruction. My goals are pure, and they have been from the get-go; you fail to realize this and you are still fighting for the wrong reasons. No matter what you do, I will succeed in capturing the Rakurai of all the participants in this competition, and from there, I will use that power to eliminate the Rakurai that remains and create a world free of senseless violence!”[/size][/font]

“[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Enough,” Calion replied. Lucien could feel his spiritual energy levels increasing. “You've lost it, even if what you're saying is true, I've made my mistakes, but I won't deprive you of the ability to use me like some kind of pawn! Lucien, I'll kill you where you stand! {[i]3[sup]rd[/sup] Stage: Crimson Thunder-blade}!” [/i]With a swipe, Calion pulled out his sword, illuminating the entire room in seconds. He could see Lucien standing near the door, cocky and conceited as ever. He would take pride in killing him.[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"]Before he could even realize it, he'd leapt into the air, flying sword-outright towards the man he had once worked alongside. Lucien wasn't moving, for some reason, but he was too far in to reconsider. As he reached the target, he drove the sword forward, but Lucien remained untouched. Instead, a barrier that he could not visualize had intercepted his attack.[/size][/font]

[font="Times New Roman, serif"][size="3"][b]To be continued...[/spoiler][/b][/size][/font]

Brand new!

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

Ooh! I like dueling, but you always have a talent for writing interesting fight scenes. Can't wait to see the result of this, as well as Sora's foray into the realms of Pro Dueling with the help of his dueling spirit, [s]Astral[/s] Kioshi. This will make for an interesting combination, hopefully.

Calion remains badass, and yet here we see where out arcs overlap. I always wondered whether that guy survived or not. Shame he didn't, I liked the Lightray archetype expansion going on there, but no matter. You have a lot more archetypes to expand on, I'm sure.

Eagerly awaiting the next chapter.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='The Seal of Eon' timestamp='1355244278' post='6090696']
Ooh! I like dueling, but you always have a talent for writing interesting fight scenes. Can't wait to see the result of this, as well as Sora's foray into the realms of Pro Dueling with the help of his dueling spirit, [s]Astral[/s] Kioshi. This will make for an interesting combination, hopefully.

Calion remains badass, and yet here we see where out arcs overlap. I always wondered whether that guy survived or not. Shame he didn't, I liked the Lightray archetype expansion going on there, but no matter. You have a lot more archetypes to expand on, I'm sure.

Eagerly awaiting the next chapter.
[/quote]

I can always count on you, or RFO for that matter, to leave a quick reply and it's one of the things I look forward to. It's definitely time for a fight scene, in my opinion. It's been too long since we've had a real one and I don't think the Shopkeeper's attack/fight was really on par with what I'm capable of writing if I put the time into it. Going to see if I can get some serious intensity.

Alright, so I'll admit I noticed too the similarities between Astral and Kioshi, but there's two differences; one, Sora can't see Kioshi, as far as he's concerned he has no visual form. And two, Sora and Yuma are worlds apart, so the dynamics are different. Still, I'd like to differentiate the two a bit down the line.

[Randomflyingobjects]

I'm extremely sorry for the 'late' comment, because I may or may not have a social life outside of the YCM.

So. Calion got burned. By an old man. Cool, but I really didn't see him sitting in the shadows. I expected him to be some new character, probably an old man, who becomes an additional threat.

As we can all see, our hero Sora's about to duel. Not a big, relevant duel (as far as I can tell), but a bigger plot on Calion's behalf. However, I'm pretty sure that Lucien is going to beat Calion up, to the point where he's going to back off... for now.

Unless you have some sort of plot twist looming overhead, like in the next chapter.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='Randomflyingobjects' timestamp='1355280865' post='6091053']
I'm extremely sorry for the 'late' comment, because I may or may not have a social life outside of the YCM.

[i]Lmao, same. I actually didn't even check until just now to see if there were any responses, so completely understood. As far as I'm concerned, the fact that you take the time to comment at all is awesome. [/i]

So. Calion got burned. By an old man. Cool, but I really didn't see him sitting in the shadows. I expected him to be some new character, probably an old man, who becomes an additional threat.

[i]Without spoiling things, I think you might be under-thinking here. Calion didn't get 'burned' as much as Lucien knew how to manipulate his wording to really try and get through to Calion, making him question his own motives. Whether or not everything Lucien was saying is right or wrong has not been answered yet. I think you'll be surprised by the next Chapter.[/i]

As we can all see, our hero Sora's about to duel. Not a big, relevant duel (as far as I can tell), but a bigger plot on Calion's behalf. However, I'm pretty sure that Lucien is going to beat Calion up, to the point where he's going to back off... for now.

Unless you have some sort of plot twist looming overhead, like in the next chapter.
[/quote]

Sora's duel is going to be [i]very[/i] relevant because the winner gets a bye for the next round, meaning they instantly go to the Semi-Final Rounds. Not to mention, Sora rarely duels and it'll be the first time he's dueling without using LIGHT and DARK monsters. I designed the set he's going to be using a few months ago, but I doubt many people saw it.

The next episode will be very action-packed and will more than likely be a two-parter.

[Synchronized]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][spoiler=Episode 44, Twist of Fate, Part Two][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“I'm not sure whether to be impressed or disappointed that I couldn't kill you on the first attempt,” Calion said, lowering his sword as he caught his balance, trying to get a grip. “So tell me, Lucien, is this going to be a two-on-one battle or is your friend here just acting as a shield?”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“Didn't take you long to figure out I wasn't behind the shield, did it?” Lucien's question was not met with an answer, nor did he expect one. “While I did not particularly request his aid, it would appear one of my underlings has decided to intervene. Since I do have far more important matters to attend to, I suppose I'll let him take care of you. Though I must say, it would be a shame if you were unable to compete in the next round of the tournament.” He turned his head back to face his adversary, who was now clearly visible thanks to the energy resonating from the Thunder-blade. “Maybe you'll try and stay alive, just for entertainment's sake? Dos, make this quick, would you? I'd prefer minimal damage to my hall.”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“Quick? Even that sounds too long for my liking.” This voice was different, and as it spoke, a masked figure revealed himself, clad in a black attire from head to toe, complete with a mask that covered nearly all of his face, with the exception of his right eye. His figure wasn't anything remarkable; he was probably similar in frame and size to Calion himself. Something about the look in his eye told a story of hardship, but to sit and examine it now wasn't exactly Calion's forte. “You can be on your way, sir. I'll get this taken care of. No need to waste your time on someone as mediocre as this.”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]With a nod of his head, Lucien pulled the handle on the door, exiting the room and stepping into the hallway. Silently, he closed the door behind him, and the few people scattering the halls paid him no attention. To even look at someone of his caliber the wrong way could result in serious consequences, and that wasn't a risk people were willing to take. He smiled as he walked down the hallway, eagerly awaiting the final duel of the evening, after which he would make a brief speech. It was too bad Calion would miss out.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“So tell me, are you really that naïve that you believed you stood a chance of making a scratch on Master Lucien, or are you just that arrogant?” The man, simply referred to as Dos, spoke with a strict tone, that of a teacher criticizing a young child. He kept the palms of his hands pressed together, the means of keeping his barrier intact. “Don't worry, I don't intend to stand here and have a lengthy conversation. But before I kill you, it intrigues me to know what makes you think you're such a hot-shot. You have not experienced true fear, such is demonstrated by your words [i]and[/i] by your actions. I intend to allow you to experience this before I bring an end to your life.”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“I'm not sure whether to take your words seriously.” Calion said. “Tell me, have you ever tried to see how far you can stick your nose up Lucien's ass, or is that reserved for another one of his lackeys?” Shifting hands, Calion placed the sword in his left hand; different than usual, but he thought trying to attack from a different angle might allow him to strike his enemy. Before giving Dos a chance to offer a response, he darted forward, swinging straight. Dos muttered a few words under his breath, and that same invisible barrier appeared once more, stopping the sword in its tracks. Calion withdrew once more, taking a breath. [i]If I'm going to hit this guy, I have to figure out the source of this barrier. He's used it twice now, but I haven't seen him do anything other than keep his hands pressed together. What is the driving force behind it?[/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“Might I suggest that you spend less time flinging careless insults, and more time focusing on the battle in front of you?” Dos asked, being sure to keep his palms pressed firmly together, keeping himself safe from any harm in the process. There was nothing secretive about his strategy – truly he was standing out in the open, a target standing still. So it still didn't make any sense; why couldn't Calion hit him? “While you continue to struggle to break down my defenses, allow me to note that I find it quite ironic, the fact that you were so offended by Master Lucien's words. You were so shaken up by the fact that you came to the harsh reality that [i]you[/i] played a very significantly role in this. You had the nerve to call him out on taking the lives of innocent people, but you just made an attempt to do the same. People like you sicken me; such hypocritical comments, truly you are the one who deserves to suffer.”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]The words echoed in Calion's mind, he couldn't find an escape from them. What was this sudden rush of confliction within his own mind? Killing had become a normal part of his life, it was necessary to survive especially in a place as brutal as the Mid-World, no less. He had never given it a second thought – it was not out of maliciousness, simply the fact that until he found his true purpose, he could not allow himself to die. Now it was different; since he had met Sora and Kenji and this adventure had began, it was like he was [i]becoming[/i] human, adapting to the ways that were so familiar to them and beginning to second-guess his own actions.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]The emotion, they called it [i]hatred[/i], he believed that was what lie in his heart, geared towards Lucien and the rest of CLEAR, but where that hatred had come from he could not be sure. This resentment, this desire to kill was not for his own survival's sake. Nor was he carrying out a mission. He wanted to be the one to take Lucien's life to make him pay for the heartless actions he had committed and the ones he planned to commit. Dos was right; he was no better than Lucien himself for attempting to take the latter's life. Why all of the sudden had morality come into play? It wasn't making sense.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]These feelings...I don't understand them. It's like a blind rage, senselessness and strategy don't factor into any of my thoughts, I'm geared towards my emotions. But I do not have a 'heart', or a 'conscience', I exist solely because of circumstance; so what role do I play in all of this? If I kill him, I will be going against everything that my mind is saying to me, calling out...Though, I'm a warrior.[/i] He gripped his sword tight, noticing that Dos had not moved, maintaining the same stance. This next attack wouldn't hit, he would purposely avoid it. All he wanted to do was get a look at Dos' hand movements, the motions that manipulated the barrier as a means of defense. There must've been a split second in between that could completely alter the outcome.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“You can make all of the attacks you want,” Dos said, smugly. “I'll simply stand here and block them all, without exerting even the slightest of energy. And I know you're not one-hundred percent, considering the duel you just endured. You'll probably end up killing yourself from exhaustion.”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“We'll just see about that, ha!” Sword out-right, Calion sprung forward, slashing towards the right shoulder. He glanced – just a swift motion – Dos raised his hands upwards and to the right, moving the shield to protect him clean from the strike. [i]Such a fast movement, but he must have a limited range. Let's try again![/i] Kicking off the wall, he flipped back and still in motion went for the left shoulder this time. Dos sensed his presence from behind, shifting his hands to the left and bringing the shield with it. Again, Calion was unable to break the forcefield.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“Finished yet?” Dos cackled. “This is getting to be boring.”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“You're more than welcome to make a move, but I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing until I break through your shield.” Heightened senses in full effect, Calion couldn't pick up on any Rakurai transportation at all. What that meant was, however Dos was protecting himself, he wasn't using the inner energy at all. Or if it was, it was the absolute minimum. If the barrier was made of energy, likely the Thunder-blade would've been able to break through it already, amplifying its own force in the process. But if that wasn't the case, then what was it? His only option was to move in so swift a motion, it would be impossible for Dos to block one of the strikes. [/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]Focus, momentum, he paid attention to nothing but the edge of the sword, keeping his opponent in view but focusing on the points he was intending to hit. A three-strike attack was the plan; it would take an extremely precise amount of timing. Right shoulder, block. Left shoulder, block again, with no more than a swipe of his hand. Third time, back to the right, bluff, and Calion struck the left shoulder straight on point, slicing through Dos' jacket and a bit of his arm. “[i]Sanjuu bure-do!”[/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]My...how did he...[/i]Dos broke his hand-lock and immediately grabbed his shoulder, trying to prevent it from bleeding too much. Calion caught himself and landed back on his feet, a safe enough distance away. Steadily releasing Rakurai throughout his body, the sword extended slightly, its brightness increasing as well. He held it out, issuing Dos to make the next move. “You...struck me...but [i]how[/i]?!”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“It wasn't easy, but I noticed your defense mechanism wasn't all that complicated to figure out,” Calion explained. “Basically a complex illusion. Instead of having a long range, it only covers a specific area, but you're able to control it by moving your hands in any direction. Because the shield is an energy source, there's no need for a physical connection to it; you release just enough Rakurai from your body to allow your hands to function as the controller, moving it at will.” He paused for a moment, as Dos continued to grasp his shoulder through gritted teeth. “So all I had to do was follow your hand movements. Of course, you had to be careful not to make your movements obvious so that I wouldn't catch on. But [i]Sanjuu bure-do[/i], my Triple Blade technique, delivers three strikes at once with the sword in the same amount of time it would take for me to hit one without it.”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“So even if I had wanted to, I wouldn't have been able to move my shield fast enough to block all three of your attacks,” Dos replied, disgusted with himself. To have allowed a move like that to get through – he was hoping to have finished this battle without getting dirty. “You bastard, damn you.”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]Calion smirked. Through a pseudo-smile, he replied, “Well, I made the first strike, so now I suppose it's your turn. If you're as good as you say you are, why don't you do more than just defend yourself?” Part of him hoped that Dos would bring him more of a fight than just a defense game. The more this fight went on, the more he'd be able to better understand this situation; fighting was the best way to clear his head. “Really, I'll stand here and give you a free shot.”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“[i]Cascajo[/i],” was the one word Dos muttered before placing his palms together once more. He had taken a few seconds to allow the wound on his arm to close itself up; it wasn't worth the risk to fight with an injury, even if his opponent stood no chance of victory. Calion scanned the room, waiting to defend himself, but nothing was happening. At a moment's notice, he felt the ground begin to shake. Dos wouldn't budge, but as he kept his hands firmly pressed together, a stone pillar began to rise from the ground, causing Calion to leap back just in time to avoid becoming a splattered mess on the ceiling.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]Stepping two feet back, a second pillar shot up, this one almost catching him too. They began to pop up on all sides, gaining speed and thrusting power with each one. It was getting crazy, and fast. There was nowhere to run; the entire room was comprised of stone, and whatever power Dos was utilizing allowed him to control each block at will. Calion found himself trapped; surrounded by a circular formation of stone pillars too high up for him to jump over. He found he could no longer see Dos, though his presence was easily sensed now.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]On the inside of the circle, there were about five floor tiles, meaning Dos could control and create another five pillars. The first two would be somewhat simple to dodge; from there, space would be extremely limited. If he was to get smacked around by one of those things, it could damage his internal organs severely, or worse, depending on the speed of the attack. At this point, the only means of escape would be to slice them down. The Spirit held his sword at eye-level, focusing all of his energy towards upper region. With a deep breath, he plunged the sword forward into one of the pillars. [i]Not even a single crack?![/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]Dos remained quiet, but the energy flow was growing stronger. Another pillar shot up from the ground, and Calion jumped to the side, almost slamming into another already formed pillar at the same time. Somehow, Dos must have been able to see him even though the pillars had formed a wall between the two men. [i]I'm basically a sitting duck right now...s***. If the Thunder-blade can't break through these stone pillars, how the hell am I supposed to get out of here? I can dodge maybe one more, if that, before I end up on an involuntary flight.[/i] Closing his eyes, he tried to read the energy being moved through the room; if he could get even a one second “heads up” on which tile the next pillar would come from, he might be able to dodge it in time, and if so, maybe he could use the momentum of the pillar to break it down.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]Calmly, but heavily, he took a few breaths, forcing the chaotic thoughts from his mind and trying to zone in on nothing but Dos' energy levels. Of the four tiles on the floor, only one of them could move at a time. If he was standing on the one that would move, jumping out of the way would be risky, especially since with each release, the pillars got faster. Dos was clearly investing more energy into each attack, knowing it would really only take one to do significant damage. He didn't even have to set foot onto the battlefield; keeping his distance and manipulating the floor like this was the perfect counter to a hand-to-hand enemy like Calion. Wait, what was that? He sensed something. Left, right, down, left. The order of the four tiles. He was standing on the right tile, but it seemed the next one to move would be the first left. If he stood where he was, he should be fi-[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]Just as he tried to sort out his thoughts, Calion was thrust into the air as the left and right pillars exploded out of the ground at the same time, the latter striking him in the chest with the force of a two-ton vehicle, forcing him to cough up blood without being able to do a damn thing to stop it. The pillar was going to crash right into the ceiling; Dos had managed to outsmart him, hiding the energy like that so only one line of it was readable. Unable to move, he lost the grip of his sword, dropping it down to the floor of the quarters, which honestly seemed like miles from how high up he was. He could just barely spot Dos out of the corner of his eye, standing and watching, his hands still pressed together. To think someone would be able to have that much control over a physical object with nothing more than a controlled energy release...[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“Here comes the part where you die.” The cold, unforgiving words from Dos' mouth clicked with Calion at once.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]Ji...koku...sori...[/i]Muttering the words just barely, his body was surrounded by a bright light, and for a moment everything around him froze, except his own actions. Dos and the outside world looked like a still-frame photograph, and he pushed himself off the pillar, falling down to the ground below in an unmerciful landing. He could only manage to hold the technique for about five seconds before it wore off, and the pillar crashed into the ceiling. At first, Dos thought he had succeeded. The battle had been his. But as he prepared his victory celebration, Calion's destroyed figure lay on the cold floor, bleeding in multiple places and looking like he was hardly even alive.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“So...you're still alive?” Dos asked, turning his head to spit on the ground, disgusted by this discovery. “How could I have failed? My timing was perfect; concealing the stream of energy that I released to the right pillar, and allowing you to think that you had everything all figured out, there's no way you should have been able to survive my attack.” He took a few steps forward, the only noise in the room. “Do you realize now how pathetic you have become? I have spent many years on the sideline, carrying out Master Lucien's tasks, while you had everything handed to you because you were an elite prospect. And you threw everything away, for what, morality? We do not fit in in this world, or in our own; as Spirits morality serves us no purpose. You have become just like the rest of the humans, misguided and incapable. I would kill you all, were it up to me, but Master Lucien is far more gracious. He wishes to rid the world of evil and lead the humans on a much better path, a much brighter one. I have sworn my loyalty to him and I will do everything in my power to see his dreams come to fruition. The humans should consider themselves lucky; you, not so much. Because I'm about to finish you.”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]Calion brought his head up, just as Dos went to kick him in the head. With every last ounce of strength in his body, he grabbed the boot, forcing it away from his face. Dos was beside himself; the ingrate still had the strength to move? “You...have the nerve to say morality serves no purpose? Tell me, then, if as Spirits we don't exist for anything other than to kill and manage our own survival, why do you blindly support Lucien? Flat out, you said that you'd much rather kill the humans, but because Lucien has other ambitions, you ignore your own desires, and for what? Because just as much as I'm a hypocrite, you're one all the same. It's funny, I've never claimed to be the hero.” He coughed, spitting blood on the ground as he tightened his grip on Dos' boot. “I used to believe it was an unfortunate reality that we as Spirits were created separate from the humans, alone and deserted, unlike how it was supposed to be. For years I resented the human race, but is resentment not an emotion? Is jealousy not one, either? Do those things not have to do with morality? After all, did we not feel alone because we were abandoned, something considered unjust? It's long been said that Spirits are incapable of feeling emotion, that it is not physically possible. Well I say...I say you make your own path, and wherever that path leads you, that's what defines who you are.”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]I...he's got that grip locked on tight. Damnit, why can't I move?! [/i]Dos struggled to pull his foot away, but Calion held on with his life; what little of it he had left. “Let go of me, stop trying to hold onto a dream that doesn't exist! Accept the fact that you are going to die here!”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]Those words...those months ago...when he met Sora for the first time.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]---[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]Not once showing a change in emotion, the figure began to walk away, leaving the carnage that lie around him just so. As he took a step, he felt something grasp his leg.[/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]Hm? It was Sora's hand. He had appeared to be unconscious; the figure was sure he had been knocked completely unconscious.[/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]How could this be? He had only begun to learn the technique, but the effects it had on all the others should have been even less intense than this one. The energy required to control this situation had been far greater due to the increase in people as well as energy, so much so that he felt even himself becoming a little fatigued.[/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]"Clearly you are too weak to fight now," the figure replied, expecting Sora would release his grasp. "We shall do battle very soon, for it is of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, if you aren't even able to stand, you most certainly aren't able to survive a duel with me. And that wouldn't do either of us any good."[/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]"You need to tell me...tell me what happened just now." Sora managed to muster up the words, but just barely. "Why...why were they unable to fight while I was able to move freely? For just a few moments, they were frozen in time, or so it seemed."[/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]He was able to move freely inside the Jikokusori? That's impossible! "Unfortunately, I am unable to go into any further detail. All that matters is that they were taken care of; you said you didn't want to fight, anyway. Consider this a favor. Now if you please, I must be going."[/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]He tried to pry his leg free, but Sora refused to let up, infact tightening his grip, shooting pain the entirety of the leg. He had never felt such a strong pain before. What kind of individiual is he? There's nothing special about him; I've got no reading on an inner-energy or anything like that, so how could he...I don't understand. Why would Ankoku insist I challenge him?[/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]"I prefer to stray away from violence, but will defend myself if necessary," Sora replied, a collected confidence in his voice. "With that being said, the remaining two, they never physically provoked me, there was no reason to harm them; whatever that was, it created fighting that was entirely uncalled for. I detest those who employ violence. If it is a duel you want, I will give it to you."[/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]"Don't be a fool; there is no way you could even stand, never mind - " How is this possible?[/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][i]Slowly, Sora forced himself to his feet, brushing his hair out of his eyes. Not once taking his eyes off the cloaked figure who stood before him, he walked towards the sidewalk, opening up the drawstring bag which had been the reason for all of this violence from the get-go. He opened it, pulling out a sleek black duel disk, lined with a lightning bolt along the sides, crimson in color. He placed it on his arm and stood; waiting for the cloaked figure to take his place on the other side.[/i][/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]---[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“You say humans are not strong enough, or smart enough, to wield the power that many of them possess,” Calion said, his eyes closed tight. “We've spent our lives blaming the human race for our existence like it was the entire world's idea to create the Rakurai in the first place. We've been selfish, we've made excuses, and we've tried to justify our actions based on what? The fact that we're outcasts? So be it. Human being or not, nothing gives us the right to dictate the lives of others. The humans don't try and control us, and it is foolish to think it would be acceptable for us to do the same. I believe that killing for the sake of killing is the most cruel task one can accomplish, but you're the exception to that. I'm going to use every last bit of my power to kill you, and give you that same fate that you wish to bring to everyone else. You claim emotion is weak, well then let us see how afraid you are when I slash you in half.”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“You...you're just talking,” Dos tried to keep his composure. “Mindless banter, you're in no position to stand, let alone fight. Now let go!” With a giant step backwards, he freed his foot, and Calion collapsed back to the ground. Dos placed his palms together, looking to create another stone fragment. “You are pathetic. You may have survived the first onslaught, but now you have no way...I will kill you. [i]Cascajo[/i].” This time, he was directing the stone from above; a pillar from the ceiling now crashing down in Calion's direction. With one shot, it would crush him like a bug. He couldn't move in time. This fight was as good as over.[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]“Tell me, would I have sat here, all this time, delivered that huge speech in a kick-ass fashion no less, only to die from your giant brick?” Suddenly, the Spirit was surrounded by a flurry of colors, and a series of hieroglyphic symbols appeared amongst his cloak. Dos had no idea what was going on, but it seemed to slow his pillar down tenfold. [i]Sora, I may not make it out of here alive, but I think I've finally realized what it is you were talking about when we first met. You didn't have the strength to fight me at all, but you did it, ignoring that fact. The refusal to surrender even when it could mean your death, that is what makes a true warrior. Human, Spirit, it doesn't matter; when it comes down to it, it's what you fight for.[/i] “{[i]4[/i][sup][i]th[/i][/sup][i] Stage: [/i]Jigoku Moeru Ryuu no Honou; Hell Blazing Dragon Flame}!”[/font][/size]

[size=4][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][b]To be continued...[/spoiler][/b][/font][/size]

[font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif]Might be one of my favorite episodes since the Series started. Long-awaited character development for Calion, which is something that's been lacking a bit; plus, Dos is just a cool villain in my opinion. My apologies for anyone who thought Calion would be fighting Lucien; I know we're past the half-way point but that's like a Final-Arc kind of fight.[/font]

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

Big smushy pillars! I like it. I like it a lot. I must say, your fighting scenes are some of the best I've seen, and this is after reading books specifically focusing on fights as a resolution to the plot. I was never once in doubt about where people were, or what was going on, and it seemed perfectly timed. Just... don't kill off Calion. For all of our sakes.

The fact that Arc 1 is made reference to again is good; as much as you might want to forget some of the story, things seem to make a lot more sense now that you're referencing it. It seems to clear a lot up. Dos now has a bit more character, but I'm sure there'll be some kind of revelation about who exactly the El Nombre trio are in the future, which I look forward to immensely. Nothing like a good bit of villainous exposition. Keep going, man, you're doing well.

[Aerion Brightflame]

Just becuase I'm a little slow doesn't mean I don't get it done.

Mostly I've spent the time as of recent rereading the start of the fic to save my confusions.

But yes Chapter 33 where I trailed off.

The start seemed dull to me, just blankly stating the uniqueness of Alice's power. Partially ruined by the fact I already knew this, but I think the chapter could have opened better.

In fact, that's one annoying thing about these fight scenes. They are to much like Bleach, where abilities are stated the instant they get used generally. It kinda kills the flow. Alice seems... sadistic to say the least. Psycopathic women are always nice to see.

Overall view, the chapter was alright, if a little flat to me, needed something more.. eye catching.

And since I'm feeling nice, and as a rough attempt to say sorry for being lazy, I'll do 34 as well.

So OOParts and now Geagkuris? Hmm...I like, muchly

Is it just me, or did you make a mistake after Machu Mach's first attack? Should it have dealt 900 damage and 800?

And hugely broken trap card for the win? I mean, really? That was just frankly crazy at the end. At least if I'm not misunderstanding the card. I understand its a custom so it has to fit the situation, but that was just really stupid.

As for the overall flow... Alice isn't living up to my expectations of her being a serious threat so far, and whilst I'm fairly sure it will change, its dissapointing to say the least. Also, I'm looking forwards to a presumed Atlanthal, becuase its Atlanthal.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='The Seal of Eon' timestamp='1355425183' post='6092178']
Big smushy pillars! I like it. I like it a lot. I must say, your fighting scenes are some of the best I've seen, and this is after reading books specifically focusing on fights as a resolution to the plot. I was never once in doubt about where people were, or what was going on, and it seemed perfectly timed. Just... don't kill off Calion. For all of our sakes.

[i]Thanks dude, I appreciate it. I was actually proud of the fight scene and I think when it comes to fight scenes, I'm much better with that than I am with Duels. They're much easier to write, especially when it comes to dialogue. Either way, this is a Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan-Fiction, so I'll have to improve regardless.[/i]

The fact that Arc 1 is made reference to again is good; as much as you might want to forget some of the story, things seem to make a lot more sense now that you're referencing it. It seems to clear a lot up. Dos now has a bit more character, but I'm sure there'll be some kind of revelation about who exactly the El Nombre trio are in the future, which I look forward to immensely. Nothing like a good bit of villainous exposition. Keep going, man, you're doing well.
[/quote]

I'm still not thrilled with the first half of the story but it's happened and it is what it is. Still, there were definitely some important moments in there and it's only right to incorporate them so people are on the same page and understand what's going on. Now that the flow is working, I'm just trying to right the wrongs from the first chapter. Los Numeros, as they're titled, are definitely going to have some more exposition especially in the next Chapter, more specifically their relation to Lucien and things like that.

Thanks man, seeing that comment definitely made my day much better. I know I have a lot of work to do but I'm hopeful. =)

[quote name='Archbaron Barthandelus' timestamp='1355427279' post='6092192']
Just becuase I'm a little slow doesn't mean I don't get it done.

[i]Wouldn't doubt you, my friend.[/i]

Mostly I've spent the time as of recent rereading the start of the fic to save my confusions.

[i]That's good to hear, as much as I don't like the beginning now. Still, it's a necessary evil and hopefully things are making more sense for you now.[/i]

But yes Chapter 33 where I trailed off.

[i]Still seems like so long ago.[/i]

The start seemed dull to me, just blankly stating the uniqueness of Alice's power. Partially ruined by the fact I already knew this, but I think the chapter could have opened better.

[i]I was going with the idea that if I were to explain her power (both to the viewers and the characters), they would have to play much more carefully and save their strength otherwise they'd be annihilated.[/i]


In fact, that's one annoying thing about these fight scenes. They are to much like Bleach, where abilities are stated the instant they get used generally. It kinda kills the flow. Alice seems... sadistic to say the least. Psycopathic women are always nice to see.

[i]Yeah, this fight scene was bad. I completely agree. It was far too one-sided. The Fight Scene in 44-45 was much better, in my opinion. It takes practice.[/i]

Overall view, the chapter was alright, if a little flat to me, needed something more.. eye catching.

[i]Yeah, I agree. There were definitely some problems with the early stages of that Arc. But the Duel with Alice did get good reviews and I was proud of that.[/i]

And since I'm feeling nice, and as a rough attempt to say sorry for being lazy, I'll do 34 as well.

[i]No apologies needed. Take as much time as you need, I look forward to the comments. [/i]

So OOParts and now Geagkuris? Hmm...I like, much.

[i]Indeed.[/i]

Is it just me, or did you make a mistake after Machu Mach's first attack? Should it have dealt 900 damage and 800?

[i]It's possible. I'll have to go back and check. I'm not sure that it would have affected the outcome, though.[/i]

And hugely broken trap card for the win? I mean, really? That was just frankly crazy at the end. At least if I'm not misunderstanding the card. I understand its a custom so it has to fit the situation, but that was just really stupid.

[i]Genuinely don't know what you're talking about, I'm going to have to go back and double-check. I don't remember using a crazy Trap Card.[/i]

As for the overall flow... Alice isn't living up to my expectations of her being a serious threat so far, and whilst I'm fairly sure it will change, its dissapointing to say the least. Also, I'm looking forwards to a presumed Atlanthal, becuase its Atlanthal.
[/quote]

Alice's serious threat background as well as he reasons for doing what she's doing will be explained much better as the duel continues. I think once you start to understand it better and actually get into it, it'll make more sense.

[Synchronized]

[i][b]Next time:[/b][/i]

[i]In the biggest episode since the Series' beginning, for the first time-ever, a Yu-Gi-Oh! D-Accel 2-Part Episode Special: Fight to the Finish! This two-part episode, about the length of 2.5 normal episodes, will comprise episodes 45 & 46 of the Series, and feature arguably the biggest duel since the series began, as Sora Tenjioshi does battle with his First Round opponent. But what makes this opponent so special? Xiael, a duelist from an island off the coasts of Australia, is an extremely unknown duelist with incredible skills, fighting to protect his village and restore hope to the people he's dueling for. With two duelists dueling for a moral cause and knowing the potential outcomes, can Sora bring himself to commit the ultimate victory? Plus, what does that mean for Kioshi, should Sora suffer defeat![/i]

[i]New and consistent fans alike won't want to miss this one, and you can catch the Premeire (and the final episode(s) before we take a Christmas Vacation on December 20, 2012!)[/i]

[Randomflyingobjects]

Wow. It's taken me forever to start reading this, but I got it done.

So, a fighting episode? I liked all the problems Calion ran into, because Dos is extremely strong. But, how exactly did Calion survive the last attack? A bit confusing.

The only problem I see is the ranting. The characters keep talking for long moments, and it disrupts the flow. Then, there were long paragraphs of fighting. Long paragraphs are hard to read. The occasional lengthy paragraph is fine, but when the entire story is full of long ones, then its harder to concentrate on.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='Randomflyingobjects' timestamp='1355869564' post='6097322']
Wow. It's taken me forever to start reading this, but I got it done.

[i]Many thanks! I was wondering where you'd gone, but I figured more important things came up.[/i]

So, a fighting episode? I liked all the problems Calion ran into, because Dos is extremely strong. But, how exactly did Calion survive the last attack? A bit confusing.

[i]Really? I thought that part was rather simple. He used the jikokusori, which is his 1st Stage technique he's used multiple tmies. The move allows him to 'freeze time' within a limited range, so he was able to slow down the pillar and move himself and then 'unfreeze time' to fall to the ground without taking that attack that would've killed him.[/i]

The only problem I see is the ranting. The characters keep talking for long moments, and it disrupts the flow. Then, there were long paragraphs of fighting. Long paragraphs are hard to read. The occasional lengthy paragraph is fine, but when the entire story is full of long ones, then its harder to concentrate on.
[/quote]

So make the paragraphs shorter? I got it.

[Randomflyingobjects]

That makes sense. In retrospect, I should have figured that out. But if he could 'freeze time' so easily, then why didn't he use it to avoid the hit completely? ...Unless the falling hurt him, but I don't think a little fall would hurt too badly.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='Randomflyingobjects' timestamp='1355923552' post='6098036']
That makes sense. In retrospect, I should have figured that out. But if he could 'freeze time' so easily, then why didn't he use it to avoid the hit completely? ...Unless the falling hurt him, but I don't think a little fall would hurt too badly.
[/quote]

Remember, he tried sense where the attack was coming from so he could, but Dos concealed the energy so when the pillar shot out, Calion wouldn't know which one it was. By the time it struck him, it was too late for him to do anything.