YuGiOh! Accel: Wings of Darkness [Chapter 109: The Battle Lines, Part Two]

[Synchronized]

For those of you interested in reading the original story (Chapters 1-75), you can do so HERE.
 

 
Table of Contents
 
 
I. Prologue
 
II. Episode 1: The Sacred Bonds
III: Episode 2: White Knight Vengeance, 1/2
III: Episode 3: White Knight Vengeance, 2/2]
IV: Episode 4: Failure is Not an Option
V: Episode 5: Breaking Point
VI: Episode 6: Backs to the Wall
VII: Episode 7: Out of the Frying Pan
VIII: Episode 8: The Resolve of a Fr--Comrade?!
IX: Episode 9: The Proud Hunter
X: Episode 10: Thunder from Down Under!
XI: Episode 11: Judgement Reigns, 1/2
XII: Episode 12: Judgment Reigns 2/2 [Arc 1 Finale]
 
Grand Thunder Clash Arc

I: Episode 13: The Path Ahead! The Mysterious Shotei!
II: Episode 14: Invite to the Grand Thunder Clash!
III: Episode 15: The Battle Begins! Introductions
IV: Episode 16: Arrogance or Brilliance?!
V: Episode 17: Promises Kept 1/2
VI: Episode 18: Promises Kept 2/2
VII: Episode 19: This is the Only Time!
VIII: Episode 20: From the Ground Up!
X: Episode 21: The Mystery Unfolds 1/3
XI: Episode 22: The Mystery Unfolds 2/3
XII: Episode 23: The Mystery Unfolds 3/3

The Perfect Soldier Arc

I. Episode 24: Assassin of the Night
II: Episode 25: Defeat is Not an Option!
III: Episode 26: Blazing Storm of the Burning Winds!
IV: Episode 27: Too Much Pressure!
V: Episode 28: Triple-Duel Blockade! We Can't Let You Pass!
VI: Episode 29: The White Knight

VII: Episode 30: Why Do You Fight?

IX: Episode 31: Flames of Rage

X: Episode 32: Keep On Keeping On!

XI: Episode 33: The Determined Rawley!

XII: Episode 34: The Battle Lines, Part One

XIII: [url=http://forum.yugiohcardmaker.net/topic/301213-yugioh-accel-wings-of-darkness-chapter-108-the-battle-lines-part-one/?p=6441273]Episode 35: The Battle Lines, Part Two[/url]

[Aerion Brightflame]

Technically stuff first:

 

You should probably add attach those targets as materials to the targeted card to Fools, since otherwise it makes no sense.

 

Second, if you are going to give the effects of every card used, could you at least Spoiler them? Sorry if it's a lot of work, it just shattered the flow completely.

 

You misspelled fourth when you were introducing Skylar.

 

The duel itself was fine except for maybe not using Plieades's effect. But I can forgive that given it's the arc opener.

 

Otherwise... It kinda felt less like the opening of a new story, and just like a continuation of the first one. I know that's what it's intended to be but... I mean it wouldn't have killed you to spend like a paragraph addressing things like time frame after Lucien's defeat ect. You kinda started it, but it felt to brief.

 

I have in part what I think might be a timing issue depending on how far things develop in the next few chapters. Since you probably could have done this chapter as the actually Phone call and stuff, rather than rushing the duel in before we get any big exposition on the characters involved.

 

But it was a decent enough opening. Much better than the opening for the last one, so you can be thankful there.

[Agro]

[spoiler=The Sacred 007]
 
He thought back to the phone call, and the ever-so-convenient timing that came along with it.  Figures his vacation would be cut short.  For the first time in months he’d been highly anticipating the chance to just sit and relax, just to let his wounds heal and his body rest after the intense training he’d undergone lately.  Since he and Calion had mutually agreed to go their separate ways, Calle Anden had closed his research facility and dedicated his spare time to training to become an even more versatile combatant.  A long road still lay ahead, and this additional time was best used to hone one’s skills.

I'd certainly like to hear more about this intense training he'd undergone lately.
 
He’d barely had any time to get ready before the helicopter arrived. 

Or we can just ignore it and accept that it happened without much explanation why...

Granted, I'm coming into this without reading even your summary of Accel 1, but still...

Just as he’d hung up with the woman, a rather strange sounding mistress with a cunning, yet high-pitched voice creating an odd scenario, it had landed on a platform a few miles from his residence.  She wasn’t kidding when she said she needed his help immediately, he joked to himself.  At first he hadn’t been sure whether or not he wanted to take her up on her request, but something told him that if he did, he’d be able to better prepare the fighters under him for the battles to come in the future.

This paragraph. It's not worded efficiently. Instead of reading that you're describing this woman, I'm reading that a strange sounding mistress has just landed on a platform a few miles from his residence... wait, how does he know that that specific helicopter is his? He DID just get off the phone with her. Actually, where are we? Are we in the jungle where obviously it couldn't be meant for anyone else or are we in the city where it could be for anyone? Context is always helpful, no?

Also, what are these fighters? What's going on. When am I? Why is Hitler? Who is Spain? There's a guy, he got off the phone with someone, and he's decided that a landing helicopter is meant for him even though he was surprised it just showed up.
 
And besides, Tres had agreed, it would be a good way to expand their own knowledge and relationships and perhaps gain more of an understanding of their fusion and co-existence within the same body.  All within due time, of course.  But there were plenty of motives going forward.

Yup. I'm lost.
 
---
”We're almost there, sir.”

If you're talking to me, I must assure you that you're sadly mistaken. I'm nowhere near there. Metaphorically, and of course, literally.
 
He looked out the window, trying to peer through the fog below. They had been going over open waters for quite a while now, and the morning mists had yet to fade away. Outside, the seas looked just the same as before, but he trusted the pilot in that regard. Seeing as he apparently still had a few moments left to his own before they arrived, he opened up his laptop and eyed the files some more.

I'd trust the pilot too. He's the pilot, after all. And I've known him all my life! Wait, no I haven't. WHO ARE YOU AND WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME. Ooo, files. I can't wait for you to tell me what they're about... immediately.
 
He hadn't heard of this... Beatrice woman before, but judging from the data she'd sent him, she definitely knew her stuff. No less than four disciples of her own, with varying levels of dueling skill and Rakurai. Maelstrom, Alistair. Tistro, Andrea and Damien. Skylar, last name unknown. He had raised an eyebrow at the last one, but Beatrice had assured him that her recruiters knew what they were doing.

Tistro's name is Trystero and there's NOTHING YOU CAN SAY TO CHANGE MY MIND. Speaking of which the majority of the lines in this specific excerpt don't make sense. What part of any of these things would make one think that this Beatrice woman has any idea what her stuff is? Also, the underlined sentence is just... let me think of a better word than "blah"... nope, I got nothing.
 
Even so, he couldn't help but to worry a bit. While they all seemed promising, none of them had demonstrated any actual abilities yet. There were many who were born with vast amounts of Rakurai inside them, but lacked the control over it needed to perform stage techniques.

Why do they look promising. What is this data saying that would tell you that this is the case? ...for that matter, the fuck is Rakurai and what lets him know if they have any control over them?
 
There'll be more than enough time for that, Calle. He nodded, seemingly into the empty air. You're right, Tres. Lucien is dead, and Hayate's gone from the face of the earth. If there's any justice in the world, we should have at least a moment of peace. He leaned back in his seat, and prepared for landing.

Wait, what just happened...? There's a line between slowly revealing a mystery and having no clue what the fuck is going on.
 
The island was just a few miles off the coast, and according to Beatrice, entirely self-sustaining. Fishing stations and rice fields on the shores provided food, while forests and plantations further inland gave them all the material they needed. She even ran a mining operation in the bedrock below, searching for raw materials and such to help further construction on the island.

I've taken enough Enviro Studies classes to know that this island isn't self-sustaining. But I'll let it slide. This time...
 
However, the main attraction was definitely the facility. Situated on a hillslope that just broke through the fog, the station was built into the hill itself. A vast complex of steel and solar panels, it seemed large enough to staff at least a thousand – and most likely did. Just before he'd left, he'd done some quick research on the facility, as well as her company, and it seemed like they had been in the business for quite a few years. Not that they'd put ”Rakurai-training” on their business cards, but that's where the  money goes.

No. He didn't do any research. There wasn't enough time at all. Maybe on the plane, sure, but that Helicopter was there JUST as he got off the phone. I don't buy it.
 
To his surprise, the pilot made a sharp turn to the left, away from the facility. Looking ahead, he could see why; there were four large dueling fields just ahead of them. They were not arenas, not by any stretch of the imagination, but they were most definitely fit for testing purposes. He was taken by surprise, though; he hadn't expected to be starting his new job so soon.

I knew this pilot wasn't trustworthy... wait, he has a job here? Since when?
 
They were already waiting for him as he stepped out of the helicopter. He recognized all four of them from the files he'd received. As the only girl among them, Andrea obviously stood out, with her arms crossed in the middle of the group, and the similar-looking boy next to her could only be her brother, Damien. The guy on the far right, dressed like he just crawled out of the outback, could only be Alistair Maelstrom.

Due to recent events, I'm expecting them to be the Luteces from Bioshock Infinite. To the T.
 
And of course, there's him. Skylar, their mysterious forth. He was the only one who didn't look back at Calle as he walked towards them; instead, he followed the helicopter's path across the sky, back toward the facility. He seemed very disinterested in their cause, and the girl seemed almost openly
defiant. He cleared his throat.

I swear I read a fanfic with this guy in it... Wait, who's Calle, I thought his name was Tres... yeah, I may not be getting any character development out of this...
 
”Alright, let's get down to business. My name's Calle Anden and I'm here to train you. You're not as powerful as you could be, and the boss lady's hired me to help you get to that level.”

Wait, I thought he was getting training in.
 
”This is a waste of time. We don't need your help.”

You don't want it anyway.
 
It was the girl who had spoken up, as expected. Calle simply nodded.
 
”That's what we're here to find out, isn't it? If that's the case, that'd make my job much easier.

I don't even know who you are. You were there, now you're here, and you're making poor decisions as far as I can tell. This better be as urgent as I was explicitly told it was.
 
However, I've never been one to rely just on faith. I need to see some evidence. Why don't we go with you and...”
 
His eyes went from one guy to the other, finally settling on...”...you, Alistair. You two can duke it out first, show us what you've got. I'll be watching from here.”

There's less debriefing in this story than me telling someone I'm going to go use the restrooms.

Aaaaaand, there's a duel.

Let's skip ahead...
 
 
“I wouldn’t be making jokes if I were you, they may look royal but that doesn’t mean they should be taken lightly,” she said.  “Just watch, thanks to Kaus’ ability, I can make it so he and Pollux share the same Level.  That means I can build the Overlay Network to Xyz Summon Constellar Hyades!”
 
Constellar Hyades
RK3/LIGHT/Warrior
2 Level 3 LIGHT monsters
Once per turn, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to change all monsters your opponent controls to face-up Defense Position.
1900/1000

That isn't Pleiades. That isn't even close to Pleiades. I take back everything I said, these kids need more help than a Mexican abuela in Manhattan.
 
“Sure, there’s plenty of flash and whatnot, but when it gets down to the wire, this is what duelin’s all about,” he smiled.  “The thrill of the game.  And it don’t get much more thrillin’ than this!"

I beg to differ. I'm fairly bored. This has less character development than a chapter of The Wanderer. And that fic was SH*T!
 
“I’m so sick of you already.  Prancing around here like everything comes so easily to you,” she said blunt.  “As far as I’m concerned, it’s people like you that makes it so I don’t want to be a team player.  I think the entire premise of having to work with anyone to improve my skills is laughable, and if I didn’t have to, I wouldn’t be doing it.  But if you or anyone else,” she paused for a moment and death-stared Calle, “thinks I’m going to be doing this with a smile or even a pretend desire to work as a team, you all can go to hell.”

Work with anyone in yugioh? Are we in a double duel? Cause seriously, I can't tell. There's no teamwork in yugioh unless you're playing WITH someone. They're just playing against each other... I just... Am I watching Yugioh Zexal?
 
“Something’s not clicking with me,” Alistair said.  Suddenly, his tone had changed, reflecting a bit more seriousness.  It actually took Damien and Skylar a minute to catch up with the change.  “You keep talking about how you need to win, how you can’t sit back and enjoy anything, and how all you need to do is hone your skills.  At the same time, you don’t believe Calle has what it takes to train you, and that he’s doing this just because he’s getting paid to, or being forced to, even.”

Wait, we're talking about him now? I wasn't under the impression ANY of them had any support for Calle.
 
Resembling an almost angelic girl in appearance, the masked Virgo appeared on the field with a pair of glistening golden wings.  “Now, when Virgo is summoned, I can bring out a second “Constellar” monster from my hand of the same Level! So I’ll be bringing out Constellar Zubeneschamali!  And now, it’s time to end this! I’ll build the Overlay Network to Xyz Summon Rank 5 Constellar Pleiades!”
 
Constellar Zubeneschamali
LV5/LIGHT/Machine
When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can add 1 “Constellar” monster from your Deck to your hand.
2100/1400
 
Constellar Pleiades
RK5/LIGHT/Warrior/Xyz
2 Level 5 LIGHT monsters
Once per turn, during either player’s turn, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to return 1 card on the field to its owner’s hand.
2500/1500
 
The forces of light were a sight to behold as the mighty Pleiades lowered himself onto the field.  His entire body was glowing, the blue and gold armor that lined him from head to toe glistening like an oasis in the summer sun.  In his hand was a unique weapon, resembling the length of a sword but the curve of a scythe, yet a spear-like tip at the end.

ABOUT TIME YOU SALTY D***-HANDLER. No, but seriously. There were more than several occasions for her to go into her BEST MONSTER. If no one, not even Calle pointed that out, I would not trust anyone to do anything, especially teach.
 
“Uh-oh, that’s on a whole ‘nother level.”  Alistair said, half-tempted to look back at Calle and try to get his reactions on the matter.  “Talk about an epic soldier.”
 
“Save the compliments for after I’ve crushed you!” Andrea demanded.

I'm missing the "complaint" in this conversation.
 
Rearing around for a second attack, Prism-Striker slashed Andrea directly on the shoulder.  She stumbled to keep her balance, but as her Life Points hit zero, the Rakurai’s effects kicked in, knocking her off her feet.
 
0 | 600
 
GAME OVER

AND THE BITCH LOSES. Obviously. And the guy who sort of had character development when he came off as an ass, then came back and contradicted everything by being extremely accepting... you know what, I think we all lost a bit here.
 
---
 
“Hmph,” Skylar mumbled under his breath.  So the loser had done it.  He may have been a clown, but perhaps when it came to dueling he wasn’t all that bad.  Still couldn’t hold a candle to him, but still, the result was unexpected.  Maybe things would be slightly more interesting than he had expected.

Or your opponent is terrible. Also, I'm not getting any of this thinking really being over-prevalent in the actual duel.
 
“Sis, you alright?” Damien rushed over to her side, but she brushed him away.

No! She's unstuck in time! So are you! ...you guys should all play some Bioshock Infinite. Then you can listen to me critique that too!
[/spoiler]

I reviewed it, but you're not gonna like it. HAVE FUN WITH THAAAAAAT.

[Ren✧]

Well I am going to start by saying that I did enjoy the chapter, and can't wait to read more, thee were a few things that tugged on me. The first being, that the cards weren't in spoilers. This isn't too big of deal, and I realize that it is a lot of extra work, but I think it will increase the overall appearance of the fic. As Barty stated you might want to add that the materials are attached when using 'Fool' because that confused for a little while. Now my second and biggest complaint was how fast we jumped into the duel. It seemed very sudden, and could have probably used a bit more set up. It really disconnected me from the duel, making it hard for me to fully picture. The monsters on the other hand were beautifully described. I could complain about being slightly confused as to who all these characters are, as well as this magical energy, but that is to be expected having not read the first series. I thoroughly enjoyed this arc opener and I am eager to see more.

[Synchronized]

At the same time, we're aware that some people haven't been able to start Accel I from the beginning and read the whole thing, but would like to give Accel II a try. So here's a Prologue we wrote up summarizing the events of the first Series!

[spoiler=Prologue]


Ah, now where did I put that darned spoon? Come here now, I was just holding it a matter of moments ago. I’ve got to finish the stew before the guests arrive; otherwise we’ll run out, and...
What’s this? You’re all already here? My my, this is earlier than expected. Just seeing all of you makes my jimmies rustle. I’ve got quite a tale to tell, but with all of these new eyes on the scene, I don’t have as much time. You youngins’ with your short attention spans nowadays surely don’t want to listen to an old-timer like me spend hours telling the story. So never fear, I’ll do it as quickly as possible, while not leaving out a single detail.

Forgive me, I’d prepared a stew and even a roast and some bread crumbs, too, but I’ve gone and misplaced everything. We’ll let it sit for now. I’m sure you’ll be too engrossed in the story to realize your hunger. What say we dive right in? Please, no questions. At least not yet. I haven’t the patience for it. Where’s the book...oh yes, there it is. Ah, a personal favorite of mine. A tale that will stand the test of time.

Let’s see here...oh, good good, for a moment I thought I’d lost my monocle. Ahem...
---

Our story begins about eight months in the past from this very day. In the bustling town of Neo Domino City, highly famous for its heritage and background in the sport of Duel Monsters, now a nationwide phenomenon.

But one day, things changed, they fell by the wayside, and a new company known as Code Engine, shortened ‘CodEn’, began to rise. Slowly but surely, they developed technology under very secretive terms that they claimed would be the “next generation in dueling”.

The reality of it was that the game would change, but it wasn’t a new technology at all. In fact, Takumi Moreno, the billion-dollar self-centered CEO of the company wished to revive the Duel Runner, a device that rose in popularity during the Turbo Dueling period, but faded over time. In bringing back these machines, they did not intend to revive the art of the Turbo Duel, but instead to use the Duel Runners as a means of generating power for the city.

Using a chip known as ‘D-Accel’, these machines were implemented with the technology that would see duelists drive around the city and compete, while the chip connected the bikes to an underground charging cell. With each duel, each attack, and every summon, small amounts of electric charges would be gathered, and it would power the city. A brilliant premise, no? For a moment you might even think that Takumi Moreno was a philanthropist, looking to use his remarkable business knowledge to give back.

But alas, such was not the case. For Takumi, it was not about the benefits, it was about the money. Why WOULDN’T the government and the city itself invest in such a technology? The ability to save billions of dollars powering the city while also promoting a new method of dueling, something that would bring forth new tournaments, tourists, and everything in-between. So Takumi rushed it, despite warnings that it may not have been fully ready. Scientists warned that there might have been risks to using the technology without thorough testing; it could affect the duels and the participants. No one knew.

But money spoke louder than morality. And so the technology was released, the ‘D-Accel’ chip as well. But karma would soon catch up. As CodEn became the dominant dueling company, forcing Kaiba Corporation into bankruptcy, Takumi Moreno sat proudly atop his empire. That is, until he was brutally assassinated. A group of unknown intruders raided the CodEn building, killing all of the employees, and taking the life of Takumi in the process. The old man never even got the chance to enjoy his riches.

At the risk of sounding cold, it wasn’t even Takumi’s life that was the greatest loss. In truth, the employees that survived, or should I say former employees, didn’t miss him in the slightest. But the intruders had stolen something much worse – the D-Accel. The worst of it was, while the city had fallen to shreds and chaos had spread amongst the people – no one knew. The intruders had cast an illusion to suggest the city was running as normal – people carried about their everyday lives with no fear at all, creating an extremely eerie scene. They were living a false life.

This is of course where our hero comes in. The mysterious Calion, of whom very much was known, was a being from another world, one we’ve now learned is calledErebos. A planet different than our own, it was home to many Spirits and creatures alike, and much of it is still unknown to this day. Calion had been sent to Earth by CLEAR, an organization of Spirits (and as we’d come to learn some humans, but we’ll get to that shortly) who wished to take revenge on the humans for treating them as inferiors.

Over time, Calion noticed a change amongst himself – after experiencing his actions first hand, and that those above him had interfered because he ‘couldn’t get the job done’, decided that he’d take a different path. While he didn’t sympathize with the humans, his own difficult upbringing and meaningless existence led him to believe that this boy, Rai Valiant, should have the chance to choose his own path, and not be killed based on the actions of his family over which he had no control.

Enlisting the help of two humans with powerful spirit energy, Kenji Christianson and Sora Tenjioshi, Calion set out on a mission to rescue Rai Valiant. The only problem was, they had no idea where he was and there weren’t many leads to follow. So he took off for a while, leaving Sora and Kenji to explore the city while he returned to Erebos. Things were tense and almost creepy what with half the city’s population having been wiped out. They came to realize that the thieves who had stolen the D-Accel released it wide-spread, meaning that every single duel was conducted in this way, making them real because of energy transmitted between them.

This energy, known as Rakurai, allowed some humans and all Spirits the ability to perform remarkable moves, using the energy as a means of combat and as a means of defense. But for normal humans unlike Sora and Kenji, their bodies couldn’t hold up against these forces. Therefore people would duel not being aware of how the outcome would affect them, losing their lives or severely injuring one another in the process.

Through their experiments they came to discover that CLEAR was the means behind the D-Accel’s wide release. In addition, it wasn’t the D-Accel itself, it was the fact that the Rakurai within the D-Accel was their means to unlocking an extreme power. They encountered a few enemies along the way, pushing them to the limits as they learned to harness their abilities and become skilled fighters in the process.

Sora’s resolve to never strike an enemy unless stricken first spoke volumes about his moral character, and as a former police officer Kenji was well trained in the ways of right and wrong. But as more lives were lost, they were forced to up the ante. In order to defend the people, they had to give it everything they had and more against the enemies.

Their first major opponent, one of the highest-ranking members of the CLEAR organization, was Alice. A Spirit who had taken on the form of a young girl, she used her powers of brainwashing to force citizens to fight against Sora and Kenji for her. Eventually though, Calion made his return and Sora and Kenji were able to defeat her in a duel, also revealing for the first time a Number monster, an artificial card not from Earth of which little was known.

Following her defeat, Alice attempted to finish them off with a 5^th Stage Technique. Those who harness the power of Rakurai are capable of five stages, appropriately ranked 1-5. The 5^th Stage, however, used so much energy that it almost always resulted in instant death following its use. The body could not maintain the kind of physical structure and composure necessary to release that much energy and protect the vital organs at the same time. Using his Jikokusori, a technique that allows its user to temporarily freeze a certain portion of time, Calion was able to work with Sora to stop Alice’s attack and banish her once and for all.

Unfortunately, following the battle Kenji was severely wounded thanks to the power of Alice’s Number 6: Chronomaly Atlandis. As Lucien, the leader of CLEAR was preparing to make his next move, hosting a Grand Tournament on Houshou Island, Calion knew that he had to go and partake, and Sora as well. But with Kenji’s conditioning, he insisted upon his resting. For the remainder of this story Kenji would remain hospitalized, driven by his desire to make things right.

As the tournament began, we met our next hero, Calle Anden, a Swedish duelist slash researcher who was very well skilled in the arts of both. Easily winning his first round duel, Calle advanced to the next round. Calion did the same, but unfortunately for Sora, he was unable. Dueling against a young boy by the name of Xiael, residing on the coast of the Australian islands, Sora sacrificed his own life to save Xiael, who was dueling to restore his home, which had also been ravaged by CLEAR’s intruders.
During Calion’s duel with Nikolai, a Russian prospect duelist, he became possessed as we saw the second Number monster make its appearance – Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction. Fighting through the power of this monster to assure he would not achieve a false victory, Nikolai broke the monsters grip and Calion emerged victorious, but Nikolai was sent to the Valley of Souls – our Underworld – in the process.

In the fray, Acid Golem destroyed the tournament stadium, the prize possession of billionaire Lucien Grasciou, who had arranged this tournament to absorb the Rakurai from all of the world’s most powerful duelists for his own gain. With Calion’s betrayal of CLEAR, he’d enlisted the help of the El Nombre Trio – Unos, Dos, and Tres – masked duelists/conquistadors who fought under him and were ordered to take out Calion, Calle, and Xiael, all that remained of the resistance.

While Xiael was saved by the mysterious Kiryu Ryouten who defeated Dos, though spared his life and sent him away, Calion was not so lucky. In his duel against Unos, the latter summoned the mighty Number 9: Dyson Sphere, a terrifying creature of otherworldly being. His confidence shaken, Calion suffered defeat and lost his life, forced to spend it in the Valley of Souls.
Upon arriving there, he discovered that the Underworld, once a resting place of peace and serenity, had been taken over by a dark force and all of those who had passed on were forced to live in fear and act as slaves to the Queen and her subordinates. Reuniting with Nikolai and a few others, Calion decided to oppose this dark power.

Meeting a couple of duelists and defeating them before coming face-to-face with a servant named Shuniro, Calion was faced with a very difficult duel. As he was about to emerge victorious, Shuniro was killed and it was revealed that his body had been taken over by Allier, the former King of Erebos who was banished because he attempted to use his powers to cast darkness upon that world.

Although briefly, and her true motives still unknown, he came into contact with Scarlet Misael, a young girl from the same island as Xiael, and actually a close comrade that Xiael had fought to protect. Masked somewhere in all the chaos, she had been given the power and the opportunity to rule over the Valley of Souls, but clearly not acting on her own accord – at least not one-hundred percent. Rather than duel Calion, she actually saved his life, giving him the small remains of the Spirital from the Valley of Souls, a device created by Allier himself that allowed Calion to escape.

Thanks to the confidence from Nikolai and the power of his own Number Monster, Number 8: Heraldic King Genom-Heritage, Calion was able to unlock the power necessary to defeat Allier and banish him to the shadows, all the while learning the truth about himself. Lucien was not the real enemy, rather Calion’s former mentor Hayate Ayoshi, a human, had truthfully founded CLEAR. Allier despised him and swore vengeance upon him as well, but Calion could not allow him to escape.

Swearing to destroy Hayate and Lucien and restore peace to the Valley of Souls, Calion unlocked the power of D-Accel, which was not just a chip but a level that could only be achieved in true times of need. Doing so, he was able to return back to Earth just in time to save Calle, who had prepared to face off with Tres. In that time, they were attacked by a trained assassin named Essudo, who had in fact killed Calle’s grandfather Rakai, a research who became so immersed in his work that his wife and kids left him, leaving him alone.
Essudo was hired to kill Rakai because of his knowledge about Rakurai as a whole and how to use its power. Combining with Tres in a moment of desperation, they too achieved D-Accel, only this time human and spirit were joined to become one being. They defeated Essudo and reunited with Calion just in time for his rematch with Unos, where Number 8 lent him the power to defeat Unos and finally narrow the battle lines.

In the process, Unos had defeated Xiael, draining all the Rakurai from his body, leaving him barely alive but still intact. Because the Rakurai was still within his body, if he tapped into it at all, he would die soon after due to his body’s inability to maintain such power. It was then that Lucien made his attack.

Summoning a laytr, a phoenix-beast from Erebos with a reputation for vicious hunting and nothing else, it took everything they had to defeat it, due to Lucien using theSpirital, the source of Rakurai itself and an item that had once belonged to Allier, Lucien continued to restore the bird’s life, making it almost impossible to kill. In a well-timed move, Calle used the powers of his Reza Ayori, a wind technique and sliced the creature right in the jugular, killing it.

As the final battle commenced, Xiael sacrified himself to save the others and allow both to survive. At the same time, Lucien informed Calion that he and Rai Valiant were in fact the same, and that they had killed the human part of him and wiped his memory in an attempt to use him to kill his own father, Allen Valiant, who had posed a thread to CLEAR as a whole. With this information and a new hatred, as well as motivation to finally restore the peace, we saw Calle and Calion to achieve D-Accel, combining their efforts to defeat Lucien once and for all.

---
Phew, that was rough. You’ll have to forgive me. I did my best to get it all out there, but it was quite a tale. That being said, I’d like to believe that going forward you’ll have enough information to at least process the story as it continues. After all, our heroes have just gotten started, and Hayate Ayoshi is very much alive.
The battles that lie ahead are even more dangerous than those that preceded them. In other words, you won’t want to miss it.
Anyway, I’ve got to find my spoon and finish that soup. Stick around, the second part of our tale begins...
now.



So with that out of the way , for those of you that did stick through and give it a read, the new Series premieres this Sunday, right here on YCM @ 5:00 PM Eastern Time with the first episode. Of course, only Calle and Calion remain from the original cast, but it's wise to know about the others because you never know who might re-surface.

In addition to that, on the day of the premiere we'll be holding a little incentive giveaway, where two users chosen at random from the comments (assuming you DO, in fact comment) will win Dueling Network Premium Memberships! (The exact amount of time is not yet decided on but we'll notify you in due time with that.)

Just asking you guys to give us a fair shot and hopefully you'll like what you read! Being only the fifth person in YCM history to fully complete a story, I'm excited to see that it's still got plenty of life and will continue into a new series!

Plus, pfft, guys, if you don't do it for me, do it for Umbra. The guy's a phenominal writer who could make a story about a broken broomstick look fantastic. (Copyright pending just in case we go that route...)[/spoiler]

Without further adieu, I present the premiere Episode of Accel II!

[spoiler=Episode 1: The Sacred Bonds]

Episode 1: The Sacred Bonds

He thought back to the phone call, and the ever-so-convenient timing that came along with it. Figures his vacation would be cut short. For the first time in months he’d been highly anticipating the chance to just sit and relax, just to let his wounds heal and his body rest after the intense training he’d undergone lately. Since he and Calion had mutually agreed to go their separate ways, Calle Anden had closed his research facility and dedicated his spare time to training to become an even more versatile combatant. A long road still lay ahead, and this additional time was best used to hone one’s skills.

He’d barely had any time to get ready before the helicopter arrived. Just as he’d hung up with the woman, a rather strange sounding mistress with a cunning, yet high-pitched voice creating an odd scenario, it had landed on a platform a few miles from his residence. She wasn’t kidding when she said she needed his help immediately, he joked to himself. At first he hadn’t been sure whether or not he wanted to take her up on her request, but something told him that if he did, he’d be able to better prepare the fighters under him for the battles to come in the future.

And besides, Tres had agreed, it would be a good way to expand their own knowledge and relationships and perhaps gain more of an understanding of their fusion and co-existence within the same body. All within due time, of course. But there were plenty of motives going forward.

---
”We're almost there, sir.”
He looked out the window, trying to peer through the fog below. They had been going over open waters for quite a while now, and the morning mists had yet to fade away. Outside, the seas looked just the same as before, but he trusted the pilot in that regard. Seeing as he apparently still had a few
moments left to his own before they arrived, he opened up his laptop and eyed the files some more.

He hadn't heard of this... Beatrice woman before, but judging from the data she'd sent him, she definitely knew her stuff. No less than four disciples of her own, with varying levels of dueling skill and Rakurai. Maelstrom, Alistair. Tistro, Andrea and Damien. Skylar, last name unknown. He had raised an eyebrow at the last one, but Beatrice had assured him that her recruiters knew what they were doing.

Even so, he couldn't help but to worry a bit. While they all seemed promising, none of them had demonstrated any actual abilities yet. There were many who were born with vast amounts of Rakurai inside them, but lacked the control over it needed to perform stage techniques.

There'll be more than enough time for that, Calle.
He nodded, seemingly into the empty air.
You're right, Tres. Lucien is dead, and Hayate's gone from the face of the earth. If there's any justice
in the world, we should have at least a moment of peace.
He leaned back in his seat, and prepared for landing.

The island was just a few miles off the coast, and according to Beatrice, entirely self-sustaining. Fishing stations and rice fields on the shores provided food, while forests and plantations further inland gave them all the material they needed. She even ran a mining operation in the bedrock below, searching for raw materials and such to help further construction on the island.

However, the main attraction was definitely the facility. Situated on a hillslope that just broke through the fog, the station was built into the hill itself. A vast complex of steel and solar panels, it seemed large enough to staff at least a thousand – and most likely did. Just before he'd left, he'd
done some quick research on the facility, as well as her company, and it seemed like they had been in the business for quite a few years. Not that they'd put ”Rakurai-training” on their business cards, but that's where the money goes.

To his surprise, the pilot made a sharp turn to the left, away from the facility. Looking ahead, he could see why; there were four large dueling fields just ahead of them. They were not arenas, not by any stretch of the imagination, but they were most definitely fit for testing purposes. He was taken by surprise, though; he hadn't expected to be starting his new job so soon.

They were already waiting for him as he stepped out of the helicopter. He recognized all four of them from the files he'd received. As the only girl among them, Andrea obviously stood out, with her arms crossed in the middle of the group, and the similar-looking boy next to her could only be
her brother, Damien. The guy on the far right, dressed like he just crawled out of the outback, could only be Alistair Maelstrom.

And of course, there's him. Skylar, their mysterious forth. He was the only one who didn't look back at Calle as he walked towards them; instead, he followed the helicopter's path across the sky, back toward the facility. He seemed very disinterested in their cause, and the girl seemed almost openly
defiant. He cleared his throat.

”Alright, let's get down to business. My name's Calle Anden and I'm here to train you. You're not as powerful as you could be, and the boss lady's hired me to help you get to that level.”

”This is a waste of time. We don't need your help.”

It was the girl who had spoken up, as expected. Calle simply nodded.

”That's what we're here to find out, isn't it? If that's the case, that'd make my job much easier.

However, I've never been one to rely just on faith. I need to see some evidence. Why don't we go with you and...”

His eyes went from one guy to the other, finally settling on...”...you, Alistair. You two can duke it out first, show us what you've got. I'll be watching from here.”

DUEL 1
Andrea vs. Alistair
4000 | 4000

“You don’t have the slightest idea what you’re in for, prepare for a whooping unlike any you’ve ever seen!” Andrea grinned excitedly as she drew her starting hand. Psh, proving herself? Like she had anything to prove. “I summon Constellar Pollux in attack mode!”

Constellar Pollux
LV4/LIGHT/Warrior
Once per turn, you can Normal Summon/Set an additional “Constellar” monster during this turn.
1700/1000

In a glistening white armor, the horned warrior appeared, wielding a lengthy katana. “But that’s not all, because during the turn Constellar Pollux is brought out, I gain an additional Normal Summon! And that’s bad news for you, because now I‘m summoning Constellar Kaus!” The shorter Kaus, sporting a slight variation of Pollux’s majestic armor, flipped onto the field.

Constellar Kaus
LV4/LIGHT/Warrior
Up to twice per turn, you can target 1 “Constellar” monster on the field and increase its Level by 1 OR decrease its Level by 1.
1800/1000

“Some shiny monsters you got there,” Alistair cracked. “Hope they don’t mind gettin’ a bit dirty.”

“I wouldn’t be making jokes if I were you, they may look royal but that doesn’t mean they should be taken lightly,” she said. “Just watch, thanks to Kaus’ ability, I can make it so he and Pollux share the same Level. That means I can build the Overlay Network to Xyz Summon Constellar Hyades!”

Constellar Hyades
RK3/LIGHT/Warrior
2 Level 3 LIGHT monsters
Once per turn, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to change all monsters your opponent controls to face-up Defense Position.
1900/1000

Wielding a lance reminiscent of the medieval times but lined with an array of gold, the swift and agile knight materialized upon the field. “Try and take her down, but you’ll fail! I set one card and end my turn!”

“Well, we’ve established that you can put on a show, but all this nobility’s a little too calm and royal for me,” he laughed, drawing a card. “I think we need to kick things up a bit!”

Slamming a card on the duel disk, he called out, “So I’ll try my hand! Come on out, Mayhem Beast Magna-Sabre!”

Mayhem Beast Magna-Sabre
LV4/LIGHT/Machine
You can Special Summon this card from your hand. While you control a “Mayhem Beast” monster(s), you cannot Special Summon a non-“Mayhem Beast” monster. All face-up “Mayhem Beast” monsters you control gain 200 ATK and DEF for each “Mayhem Beast” monster you control. You can only control 1 “Mayhem Beast Magna-Sabre”.
1000/1200

Uproariously, the mechanized sabertooth composed itself on the field, sporting a pair of wings made of molten rock. “But you’re not the only one who can bring out two monsters in one turn, mate. See, any time I summon a “Mayhem Beast” monster, it’s treated as a Special Summon, meaning I can bring out a bunch of these little fellas all in one turn! Of course there’s a drawback, I can’t use non-“Mayhem Beast” monsters, but I don’t see that being much of an issue.”

“Enough with the commentary,” she snapped. “I’ve got a duel to win, so speed it up!”

“Looks like someone’s a bit feisty,” Alistair noted with a laugh. “As you wish, milady. I’ll just wing it then! With this, Mayhem Beast Strato-Wing!” Another mechanized creature, this one vaguely resembling a hawk with wings made of static electricity soared onto the battlefield. “So here’s the fun part! Thanks to Magna-Sabre, all “Mayhem Beast” monsters out in play gain two-hundred ATK and DEF points for each “Mayhem Beast” monster out there with ‘em. Since I’m sure you’re skilled enough to do that math, that means both of my monsters gain four-hundred ATK points!”

“Too bad for you, that’s still not going to be enough to topple my Hyades,” she smirked. “Not even close.”

Mayhem Beast Strato-Wing 
LV4/WIND/Machine
You can Special Summon this card from your hand. While you control a “Mayhem Beast” monster(s), you cannot Special Summon a non-“Mayhem Beast” monster. You can make this card’s ATK 0 and target 1 “Mayhem Beast” monster on the field other than this card; that monster gains ATK equal to the this card’s original ATK, until the End Phase.
700/1500

“That may be, but Strato-Wing’s got a surprise of his own,” revealed Alistair. “In addition to a badass getup, I can drop Strato Wing’s ATK points down to 0 in order to allow another monster to utilize those points, so I’ll be doing just that with Magna-Sabre!”

Mayhem Beast Magna Sabre = 1000 + 400 + 700 = 2100

“That means your Magna-Sabre has a total of 2100!” She exclaimed, half in a panic.

“Indeed, and contrary to what you said earlier, that’s enough to topple Hyades! Go, Magna-Sabre, attack with Volcaic Wing!” The wings attached to the creature’s frame shone with molten lava as it leapt into the air, hurling a blast straight at Hyades, incinerating it in moments.

3800 | 4000

“Damn you,” she said, a rugged look on her face. It was evident that she wasn’t enjoying the duel at all. A rather strange contrast to Alistair, who took a great pride in dueling and giving it his all every time. Why was winning a game like this so essential to her, especially if she didn’t need to prove herself? He wondered. “It’s just a minor set-back.”

“Say what you will there,” Alistair said. “Looks like your dueling spirit hasn’t been awakened yet. I guess it’s up to me to test you to the max! Go, Strato-Wing, attack her Life Points directly with Static Cyclone!” Whisking itself into a whirling tornado, the creature fired a thunderbolt directly at Andrea herself. She wasn’t any happier when it was over.

3400 | 4000

“Aye, guess that didn’t make a difference either,” he replied, somewhat saddened. The chance to make a good first impression on their new mentor was all the fun – but for whatever reason she appeared to have a vendetta against the guy despite the fact that they’d just met. Sometimes you just had to sit back and enjoy a competitive game. He’d have to try harder to bring that out of her. “I’ll pass it back to you then,” he said setting one card.

“Don’t worry about me, focus on yourself,” she snapped. “I don’t need anyone’s attention nor help. I can do this on my own. And besides, if he thinks I need to prove what I’m capable of, I’ll be happy to oblige. Now watch, I summon Constellar Algiedi!”

Constellar Algiedi
LV4/LIGHT/Spellcaster
When this card is Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 “Constellar” monster from your hand.
1600/1400

Sporting a slimmer, trimmed frame and a keylock staff, the white-robed mage lowered herself onto the field, raising her staff in the air as she prepared to call allegiance to the field. “If you thought Hyades was impressive, just wait, because now thanks to Algiedi’s power, I can Special Summon another “Constellar” monster to the field! Rise, Constellar Acubens!” Towering over his summoner, the bulky, over-sized warrior knelt down on the field, crossing its arms as its two razor-sharp claws prepared to tear into the enemy.

Constellar Acubens
LV4/LIGHT/Machine
When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, all “Constellar” monsters you currently control gain 500 ATK until the End Phase.
800/2000

“He’s not just strong in appearance, because Acubens comes armed with an ability that will tear you to smithereens!” She exclaimed. “See, during the turn he’s brought out, all “Constellar” monsters I control gain an extra five-hundred attack points!”

Constellar Algiedi = 1600 + 500 = 2100
Constellar Acubens = 800 + 500 = 1300

Now we’re talking, she’s prepared a sweet counter-attack. Alistair said, encouraging the girl to make her move. This was what dueling was about, a battle of true grit. “So you’re not relying on an Xyz Summon this turn? Interesting change of pace.”

“I don’t need an Xyz Summon to beat the likes of you,” she said, a glare in her eyes that suggested her feelings towards him weren’t exactly positive. “You’re so happy-go-lucky, like nothing could wrong if you give it one-hundred percent, but you’re blind to the realities that exist around us. Pretty soon you’re going to see things aren’t that easy. And I’ll start now, by having Algiedi destroy our Magna-Saber! Sapphire Blast!” The mage fired a burst of purple energy from her staff, warping the creature into such a disjumbled mess that it eventually exploded into pixels.

3400 | 3300

“Up next, it’s Acubens’ turn to do some damage! You thought you were playing smart by bringing your bird’s attack points down to zero, but now you’ve left yourself wide open for an attack. Go, Acubens, crush him with Symphonic Grasp!” The hawk tried to fly out of the way, but was pulled in by the clutch of Acubens’ claws. The menacing warrior squeezed and squeezed until the bird was devoid of life, vanishing into the air.

3400 | 2000

Alistair brushed it off, glancing towards the rest of the group as they stood watching the duel commence. Calle stood a few feet away from the others, more than likely breaking down and analyzing the moves and duelists’ skills. He said nothing, and showed no particular sense of interest one way or another. Whether or not that was good or bad, Alistair couldn’t be sure. He laughed to himself to try and keep the pressure down. “Not a bad move at all, mate. I guess I’m the fool for doubting whether or not these guys could get rough and tough. But, ha! It’s my turn, and I’m about to make one ‘ell of a counterattack!”

“Draw!” He shouted, adding the card to his hand. Perfect timing. He showed it to her, depicting a rather sleek-looking warrior holding a lance made of flames. “And what ‘a ya know, I drew just what I needed! See this little doozy here is Mayhem Beast – Pyro Lance,” he said. “And if I draw Pyro Lance, I can send it straight to the Graveyard in order to draw a brand new card.” Doing so, he drew as Andrea scowled at his confidence. “So now thanks to that, I can Special Summon Mayhem Beast – Bolt Tiger from my hand!”

Mayhem Beast Bolt-Tiger
LV4/LIGHT/Beast
You can Special Summon this card from your hand. While you control this card, you cannot Special Summon a non-“Mayhem Beast” monster. Once per turn, you can Tribute 1 “Mayhem Beast” monster on the field to destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card on the field. If you Normal Summoned a monster(s) this turn, you cannot activate this effect.
1700/1000

“I hate for Bolt Tiger to come and go so quickly, but that face-down there is worryin’ me a bit, and I’m hesitant to make a solid push while it’s sitting there! So I’ll use Bolt Tiger’s effect, sending it to the Graveyard in order to bid adieu to that one!”

Andrea slammed her fist against her duel disk as she placed the set card, Constellar Meteor, into the card Graveyard. “You’ll pay for that one.”

“Pay I might, but not quite yet! See there’s a reason Pyro-Lance sends himself to the Graveyard upon being drawn, and this is why! If a “Mayhem Beast” monster that isn’t Pyro Lance gets sent to the Graveyard, I can grab Pyro-Lance and call him out to the field!” With a storming hot intensity, the infernal warrior rose from the ground, holding his lance out-right.

Mayhem Beast Pyro-Lance
LV4/FIRE/Beast
When you draw this card, reveal it and send it to the Graveyard. Then, draw 1 card. While this card is in your Graveyard, when a “Mayhem Beast” monster, except “Mayhem Beast Pyro-Lance” is sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon this card from your Graveyard. Then, it gains 800 ATK.
1400/1100

Mayhem Beast Pyro-Lance = 1400 + 800 = 2200

“Sure, there’s plenty of flash and whatnot, but when it gets down to the wire, this is what duelin’s all about,” he smiled. “The thrill of the game. And it don’t get much more thrillin’ than this! Pyro-Lance, let’s show that lobster who the real alpha male is! Attack with Infernal Sear!” Acubens readied to defend itself, but the high velocity of Lance’s spear pierced it in seconds.

1900 | 2000

“I’m so sick of you already. Prancing around here like everything comes so easily to you,” she said blunt. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s people like you that makes it so I don’t want to be a team player. I think the entire premise of having to work with anyone to improve my skills is laughable, and if I didn’t have to, I wouldn’t be doing it. But if you or anyone else,” she paused for a moment and death-stared Calle, “thinks I’m going to be doing this with a smile or even a pretend desire to work as a team, you all can go to hell.”

“Something’s not clicking with me,” Alistair said. Suddenly, his tone had changed, reflecting a bit more seriousness. It actually took Damien and Skylar a minute to catch up with the change. “You keep talking about how you need to win, how you can’t sit back and enjoy anything, and how all you need to do is hone your skills. At the same time, you don’t believe Calle has what it takes to train you, and that he’s doing this just because he’s getting paid to, or being forced to, even.”

She looked up at him.

“I’ll be the first to admit I don’t trust anyone right off the bat, but think about it like this,” he said. “This guy’s doing this of his own free will. He’s a skilled tactician and he’s offering to spend his time trying to help us get stronger. I’m aware the importance of learning to use these skills for the battles that lay ahead, but what’s your rush? Why’s it so bad to sit back and enjoy the action?”

Andrea shook her head. “Enough of this back and forth, you wouldn’t understand. It’s time we finish this duel. And I’m going to show you why it’s more important than anything to me! You made the mistake of leaving my Constellar Algiedi on the field, and that means I can offer it to summon Constellar Virgo!”

Constellar Virgo
LV5/LIGHT/Fairy
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 Level 5 “Constellar” monster from your hand in face-up Defense Position.
2300/1600

Resembling an almost angelic girl in appearance, the masked Virgo appeared on the field with a pair of glistening golden wings. “Now, when Virgo is summoned, I can bring out a second “Constellar” monster from my hand of the same Level! So I’ll be bringing out Constellar Zubeneschamali! And now, it’s time to end this! I’ll build the Overlay Network to Xyz Summon Rank 5 Constellar Pleiades!”

Constellar Zubeneschamali
LV5/LIGHT/Machine
When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can add 1 “Constellar” monster from your Deck to your hand.
2100/1400

Constellar Pleiades
RK5/LIGHT/Warrior/Xyz
2 Level 5 LIGHT monsters
Once per turn, during either player’s turn, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to return 1 card on the field to its owner’s hand.
2500/1500

The forces of light were a sight to behold as the mighty Pleiades lowered himself onto the field. His entire body was glowing, the blue and gold armor that lined him from head to toe glistening like an oasis in the summer sun. In his hand was a unique weapon, resembling the length of a sword but the curve of a scythe, yet a spear-like tip at the end.

“Uh-oh, that’s on a whole ‘nother level.” Alistair said, half-tempted to look back at Calle and try to get his reactions on the matter. “Talk about an epic soldier.”

“Save the compliments for after I’ve crushed you!” Andrea demanded. “Because with Pleiades’ effect, I can use an Overlay Unit in order to take a monster on your field and return it to your hand! That means your Pyro-Lance is no more!” Vicariously thrusting his staff into the air, Pleiades drew in energy from the sun above, directing it straight at Pyro-Lance, who despite being made of flames himself couldn’t withstand the force, and retreated back to the hand. “Now here’s the fun part, and the difference between you and I! Whereas you focus on the ‘thrill’, I focus on the will to win – there’s no time to enjoy the game! And you’ll learn that first hand! Constellar Pleiades, finish him off with Solar Nova Flare!”

Everyone watching was stunned as Pleiades raised the staff again, this time firing a massively huge supernova straight at Alistair, who could do nothing but stand there and take it. And man, was it going to hurt like hell. They could see nothing as the attack struck.

“Looks like this duel is over,” Skylar said. “What a pathetic waste of time. There’s no potential in either of them.” Glancing in Calle’s direction to make sure he heard the words, he began to walk away.

“Hang on a sec...” Damien half-spoke, his jaw wide open as he witnessed the spectacle in front of him. He was the first to see it, but Skylar sensed something too – and turned around to confirm it. Alistair was still standing. His body was rough and the flames had done a number on his clothes, but he was still standing.

1900 | 900

“This...this is inexcusable!” Andrea cried out. “How do you have any Life Points left, I returned your monster to the hand and –” she stopped in her tracks. She’d forgotten...he still had a face-down card. Damnit, how could she have been so careless?! She could’ve returned that to the hand instead and then attacked the monster leaving a clean slate, but instead...

Adjusting his snakeskin hat, Alistair looked up at the girl, smiling. “You were about to tell me what the difference was between you and I, acting as though we’re two completely different people. Trust me, I’ve been briefed. I know that we’re dealing with a very powerful enemy and that somewhere down the line we’re going to have to put our lives on the line. At the same time I know that I need to learn to better my own skills, and I’d never go as far as to act so conceited and suggest that I’m already better than all of my comrades.” He said. “So while there are a few noticeable differences, the fact remains that we’re both fighting for the same side. But Andrea, if you live your whole life preparing to do nothing but defend that same life, what are you living for at all? I look forward to each duel and even each fight, because it gives me one hell of a thrill to be able to engage in battle. So I make ‘em all count, I write my journey along the way.”

What does he mean? Where’s the happy-go-lucky kid from earlier, why this sudden change in tone? She wondered, questions running rampant through her mind. I don’t understand it, I don’t understand what he’s trying to say.

“Don’t get me wrong, you’re a hell of a duelist, but you made such a simple mistake because you weren’t taking the time to focus on the duel itself and instead you were worrying about what lies ahead. All I’m sayin’ is, lighten’ up a bit mate. You might find it makes you stronger in the long run. Anyhow, it’s time to finish this one up! First off, thanks to the Trap Card I activated just in time, Harmonic Rhythm, I was able to send a “Mayhem Beast” monster from my hand to the Graveyard to reduce your monster’s attack points by an equal amount!”

Harmonic Rhythm
Normal Trap Card
Discard 1 “Mayhem Beast” monster to decrease the ATK of an opponent’s monster by that monster’s original ATK.

Constellar Pleiades = 2500 – 1400 = 1100

“But it gets a bit better now,” he said. “Because what I had to do here was get your Life Points down to an amount where I could make one play to take the game here! So watch as I activate the Spell Card Fool of the Jester’s Court!”

Fool of the Jester’s Court
Continuous Spell Card
Target 2 monsters from your Graveyard with the same Level. Then, Special Summon 1 Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck with the same Rank as those monsters’ Levels, attaching those monsters to it as Xyz Material. If this card leaves the field, destroy that monster and take damage equal to its original ATK points. You can only activate 1 “Fool of the Jester’s Court” per duel.

“Thanks to Fool of the Jester’s Court I’m able to use two “Mayhem Beast” monsters in my Graveyard to Xyz Summon Mayhem Beast Prism-Striker!”

Mayhem Beast Prism-Striker
RK4/DARK/Rock
2 Level 4 “Mayhem Beast” monsters
While you control this card, you cannot Summon a non-“Mayhem Beast” monster(s). When this card destroys an opponent’s monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; inflict damage to your opponent equal to the original ATK of the detached material.
2300/2450

Metallic black in color, the armored knight struck the field with great ferocity, wielding a long sword encrusted with millions of rare jewels. “This is what it’s all about! Prism-Striker, slash his Pleiades to bits with Diamondine Breaker!” The sword almost bigger than the knight himself, Prism-Striker lifted his weight and leapt across the field, slicing Pleiades in two. But he wasn’t done yet. “And hold up just a second, because now by detaching an Xyz Material, I can hit you for an additional seven-hundred points of damage! I’m sure it doesn’t take a special kind of math to figure that one out, but it’s game over!”

Rearing around for a second attack, Prism-Striker slashed Andrea directly on the shoulder. She stumbled to keep her balance, but as her Life Points hit zero, the Rakurai’s effects kicked in, knocking her off her feet.

0 | 600

GAME OVER

---

“Hmph,” Skylar mumbled under his breath. So the loser had done it. He may have been a clown, but perhaps when it came to dueling he wasn’t all that bad. Still couldn’t hold a candle to him, but still, the result was unexpected. Maybe things would be slightly more interesting than he had expected.

“Sis, you alright?” Damien rushed over to her side, but she brushed him away.

“I’m fine,” she sat up, brushing the dust off her shoulder, which had been wounded slightly from Prism-Striker’s last attack. But she’d be fine. What concerned her more was Calle’s reaction. As she sat up, he looked her right in the eyes from afar, and flashed a slight smirk, followed by a nod of approval.

Not that she needed his approval, but...perhaps she could afford to learn a little more.

To be continued...[/spoiler]

 

 

Alright, so first things first:

 

- I fixed the cards.  They're all in Spoilers now.  That's how I did it in Accel I, but I wanted to try something different and I thought maybe it would just look cleaner, but I can understand that this may not be the case, so I've fixed it.

 

- Also fixed Fool of the Jester's Court to make the effect realistic.  Thanks for pointing that out, guys.

 

---

 

So I'll try and address everything.

 

@Agro, I appreciate you taking the time to go through it but a lot of the questions that you asked were definitely answered (in detail) in the Prologue I sent out to everyone, which of course was the purpose in doing so.  Spending time re-capping everything that happened out of seventy-five Chapters would've been crazy and an extremely long read; people would've gotten bored.  That's why I tried my best to accomodate everyone before-hand.  You don't need to read the first story to get this one, and in fact a lot of it will be very self explanatory once we get a few chapters in.  I'd suggest (if you actually liked the story) to go back and read the pre-cap.  For those who have, they'll know that Calle/Tres are Spirit Halves, i.e. two beings in the same body, one being human the other not.  Rakurai is also clearly explained and the focus of the entire Series, really.

 

@Barty Like I mentioned, took care of the Spoilers for you.  I can understand that they may not have been everyone's cup of tea so I'll stick to what works.  Thanks for pointing it out.  However, she did use Pleiades effect to bounce Pyro-Lance back to the hand.  This was pointed out that she should have used it to bounce the Set card, but because her mind wasn't "in the game", she mis-played.  Simple as that.  But I wouldn't have had it so she didn't use the effect at all.

 

As far as the opening is concerned, really I wanted to jump right into the story.  We have so much story to tell, and this takes place not long after everything with Lucien happened.  About a month, maybe.  Not much has happened other than Calle training and Calion deciding to go his own way.  For now, we won't be seeing much of Calion; it's time to sit back and introduce some new characters into the mix while Calion explores himself, really.  After all he just found out that Rai Valiant and he were the same and that Rai was killed, and also that his memory was wiped, so there's plenty to try and figure out there.

 

My thought is that once we dive a little bit more into the story, we'll really be able to pick up the pace as far as storytelling goes.  Accel I had a lot of filler episodes and the story was really slow at some parts - we don't want that to be the case here.

 

This was the first time writing a new Episode of a series (a Premiere) in a long time for either of us so there were no expectations for it to be perfect, but I hope everyone enjoyed it.

 

@Spike I'm glad to see you liked it, and even more glad to have a new reader on board! Like I mentioned I fixed the spoilers and stuff and I'm aware there's some confusion to the characters, but all of them except for Calle/Tres are brand new, and we'll be learning a lot more about them over the next couple of Chapters.  I'd like to think we didn't disappoint with Accel I and I think this one is already off to a more solid start.  We'll try to work on those timing issues a bit, too.  

 

Sometimes finding the right way to tell the story can be a little challenging.

[Agro]

@Agro, I appreciate you taking the time to go through it but a lot of the questions that you asked were definitely answered (in detail) in the Prologue I sent out to everyone, which of course was the purpose in doing so.  Spending time re-capping everything that happened out of seventy-five Chapters would've been crazy and an extremely long read; people would've gotten bored.  That's why I tried my best to accomodate everyone before-hand.  You don't need to read the first story to get this one, and in fact a lot of it will be very self explanatory once we get a few chapters in.  I'd suggest (if you actually liked the story) to go back and read the pre-cap.  For those who have, they'll know that Calle/Tres are Spirit Halves, i.e. two beings in the same body, one being human the other not.  Rakurai is also clearly explained and the focus of the entire Series, really.

The amount of information I needed to know was assuredly not literally everything you went through in the first 70-some chapters.

 

Things such as "Who is calling him? Why is she calling him? Why is that important and why is he so quick to accept the offer?" And even when you DID answer them- specifically the first two, though I don't remember if you actually stated her name- they were certainly much later than they should have and needed to be. There's certainly things that could have been answered if I read the re-cap, but don't write off the issues I DID point out that you did NOT answer just because some of them could have been answered by your prologue. :\

 

Btw, you haven't accomodated everyone. Take, for example, myself. Who has not read anything from something called a PRIVATE Message and am just showing up to read your story. I know nothing about what's going on or anything about the characters. I feel no connection to them and feel no reason to like any of them. I also have the attention span of a squirrel on crack, but that's another issue entirely.

[Synchronized]

The amount of information I needed to know was assuredly not literally everything you went through in the first 70-some chapters.

 

Things such as "Who is calling him? Why is she calling him? Why is that important?" And even when you DID answer them- specifically the first two- they were certainly much later than they should have and needed to be. There's certainly things that could have been answered if I read the re-cap, but don't write off the issues I DID point out that you did NOT answer just because some of them could have. :\

 

Btw, you haven't accomodated everyone. Take, for example, myself. Who has not read anything from something called a PRIVATE Message and am just showing up to read your story. I also have the attention span of a squirrel on crack, but that's another issue entirely.

 

Valid points, too.  But it's like give a little at a time, you know? When you just throw all the information out there it's no fun for the writer and more importantly the reader.  It's just a different writing style, I suppose.  And once we post the second episode I'll be adding the Prologue from the PM to the first post under the Table of Contents so anyone who has any questions will be able to understand what's going on much better. 

[Agro]

Valid points, too.  But it's like give a little at a time, you know? When you just throw all the information out there it's no fun for the writer and more importantly the reader.  It's just a different writing style, I suppose.

It's not how much information you throw onto the board. It's how you throw it.

[Synchronized]

It's not how much information you throw onto the board. It's how you throw it.

 

Can't argue with you, man.  Everyone's entitled to their own opinions and all I can really do is work harder to churn out a better Chapter next time! Thanks again for all the quick feedback guys! :)

[a bad post]

I noticed two grammar mistakes not already mentioned, when Algedi attacks Magna-Saber you put our instead of your, which is what assume your going for, and  you refered to Andrea as he when she's hit by Prism stalker,  but I don't think its all that important just thought I'd point it out. 

 

All in all I like what you did for the introduction it does a fairly nice job of introducing the characters of Andrea and Alastair, and was generally pleasing to read, and I hope to get to know Damien and Skylar too, but I have a few things I'd like to point out:

 

Alastair seems to come off as a bit to Mary Sue, being I have to bring out her dueling spirit all kind of attitude. Then his really quick shift into this serious mentor kind of guy was really weird, but I assume it'll be explained more as the story goes on.

 

Andrea just seemed to mean, like more of an @$$ than Kaiba. I felt like at times her stubborness was forced, and she was being to b****y. Again like Alaister her quick shift in attitude, even though its mental, felt too sudden. 

 

All in all you've got a great start here, but I've got two questions: when will new episodes come out, and how old is each person exactly. 

[Synchronized]

New Episodes will more than likely be on a week-to-week basis.  With Accel I, it was usually 2 episodes a week, one on Mondays and one on Friday/Saturdays.  Seeing as Episode 2 is almost done and almost in post-production/editing, I'd say probably Tuesday.

 

I'll go through and fix the grammar mistakes.  We do a read-through before we post it, but sometimes we miss things.  It happens.

 

The characters will definitely be expanded upon.  Alistair is intended to be that somewhat generic character.  Not entirely, but much more than the others.  Given the context we needed a "protagonist" that was clearly a protagonist, but he's not the main character or anything.  He's basically supposed to be what Jim "Crocodile" Cook could have been but wasn't.  

 

It should make a lot more sense going forward! :D

[Canopy Star - Eon Sphere]

OK, I'm here, and there's not even any dueling nit-picks to be had.

 

*grumble*

 

Anyway, I like the idea of NEW CHARACTERS, but it seems a bit odd that you add a Jim Crocodile Cook expy, right after you were finished KILLING the other one. I mean seriously, is there a mandatory 1 Australian (or was he a Kiwi?) limit on this thing?

 

Duel was good, I like the Constellars apart from the blatant missing of the opportunity for turn 2 Pleades. I know why you did it, and that's fine, it just seems a bit odd, especially given her whole win-no-matter-what thing she's got going on. As for your Mayhem Beasts, while I like the concept they represent, I would suggest that Pyro-Lance have a Plaguespreader/Birdman effect (if this card is Special Summoned by this effect; when this card leaves the field, banish it) just to balance it, but it didn't matter so much during this duel.

 

As for Agro, I'd recommend you read D-Accel from Chapter 51, the start of the third arc. It would give some measure of backstory whilst not being too much to read. However, there are some characters and plot threads from previous arcs, so it might do more to confuse you than anything. I don't know, do what you feel comfortable with.

[Aerion Brightflame]

The Plieades misplay I was talking about, was not using the fact that his ability is a quick effect to bounce back Prism Striker when it attacked. Since like... farily obvious play is obvious there. But again, first duel of the thing, misplays can be forgiven here.

 

And yeah, looking forwards to tuesday then.

[Synchronized]

OK, I'm here, and there's not even any dueling nit-picks to be had.

 

*grumble*

 

Anyway, I like the idea of NEW CHARACTERS, but it seems a bit odd that you add a Jim Crocodile Cook expy, right after you were finished KILLING the other one. I mean seriously, is there a mandatory 1 Australian (or was he a Kiwi?) limit on this thing?

 

Duel was good, I like the Constellars apart from the blatant missing of the opportunity for turn 2 Pleades. I know why you did it, and that's fine, it just seems a bit odd, especially given her whole win-no-matter-what thing she's got going on. As for your Mayhem Beasts, while I like the concept they represent, I would suggest that Pyro-Lance have a Plaguespreader/Birdman effect (if this card is Special Summoned by this effect; when this card leaves the field, banish it) just to balance it, but it didn't matter so much during this duel.

 

As for Agro, I'd recommend you read D-Accel from Chapter 51, the start of the third arc. It would give some measure of backstory whilst not being too much to read. However, there are some characters and plot threads from previous arcs, so it might do more to confuse you than anything. I don't know, do what you feel comfortable with.

 

I've used this argument before and I'll use it once again - if every duel in an Anime setting was played out like real life, there would be no real substance at all, what with everyone trying to OTK and whatnot.  Sometimes I try to nerf effects slightly so that they make more sense in the context of the Anime.  Yeah, Pleiades is a quick effect, but it builds more suspense and overall tells a better story if she's using it on her turns instead of the opponents.  Sometimes it's just about knowing where to make slight changes for the sake of better storytelling.
 

As for Alistair, I've always been a big fan of Jim Cook and I think there was much more to do with the character than what was actually done.  With that in mind, Xiael was a poorly constructed character because I tried to introduce a new main guy 50+ chapters in and it just made for an inorganic story, it felt forced.  With Alistair I'm going to try to avoid that and actually design the character the way I wanted to originally.

 

The Plieades misplay I was talking about, was not using the fact that his ability is a quick effect to bounce back Prism Striker when it attacked. Since like... farily obvious play is obvious there. But again, first duel of the thing, misplays can be forgiven here.

 

And yeah, looking forwards to tuesday then.

 

Yeah, the second episode is being worked on and finished up now, and will feature the beginning of our second duel.  Hopefully it's a bit better paced, too, so that you guys have a smoother read.  It won't be as long as the premiere as I usually like to strive for 3000-3500 words per episode, not 5,000 like the premiere had.

[NoshpalStefan]

Okay, since I have a bit more expertise in objectively reviewing non-fan fiction books aka books that have to utilize a lot of elements that capture the reader's attention, I'll mention that I'll review this as if I'm reviewing an actual novel - meaning that even if I like the duels or the manner in which they are presented, I won't ever say "Oh, that duel was rad, 100000 / 10 from me!". I've far outgrown the days when I looked at things subjectively, so this is going to be pure objectivity. That being said, let us begin:

 

Firstly, Grammar Nazi here. I'd suggest having someone proofread your chapters before making this an official thing you guys are doing because, for one, a mistake such as putting forth instead of fourth changes things dramatically at times. I also think I saw another mistake, but I can't remember what it was right now.

 

Secondly, remember that this IS the opening chapter. so you undeniably need a hook. This chapter, however, doesn't have one. Now, I understand that this is most probably going to have a lot of chapters, and since this is a free site and all that, people are going to read it because it's free. But, imagine people were looking at this book in a book store or library, no one's going to bother to read the whole thing if the first chapter - dare I say it, if the first paragraph - doesn't intrigue them. I'm saying this from experience because every work that I have ever written has been criticized badly if it doesn't have a well written, even witty opening. Think of Pride and Prejudice, if anyone here is a literary fanatic that is, and think of the book as a whole - it isn't very interesting is it? It's told in a sophisticated fashion and the irony is clear, but overall it's a bit boring. But, now think of the first line - It's utterly witty and interesting. Perhaps not to the young generation of readers nowadays, but it is actually witty and unexpected. So, people think it's going to be like that so they read on. And even if it isn't like that, they say "Okay, 50 pages more, I can finish it" or something along those lines. Trust me, as a fellow writer who really hopes to do this as a career and do it successfully, a book without a hook is like a fish without its gills - no matter what else it does, it's going to die. This may be a harsh metaphor, but currently it's the only thing that comes to mind.

 

Thirdly, this one also regards the chapter, but I don't think you should have presented this story as you did. I'm not talking about a hook here, but presenting a duel in the first chapter is what every YGO fan fiction piece does - be original! Put more development to the characters in the first chapter and then, in the second one, proceed to the duel. Let the first one be the hype for the second chapter! Maybe put how the main character is still coping with the events of the first Accel, play out the Iron Man 3 card would be my suggestion, or in other words, make him the target interest before moving on to the other characters, because when you have so many characters - him, the four duelists, and so on - it's smart to take care of a bit of development for one of them before moving out to the others. I realize you can develop them simultaneously as the story proceeds, and you will do so, but considering that compared to the other four this one survived an abundance of other events and is ultimately more important, it is necessary to present him as such. Put some psychology to him, present the readers with him in regard to the previous events. After all, good sequels need to connect to each other, that way you even give people the desire to read the other piece(s) as well.

 

Fourthly and finally, something that I did enjoy but was not as used in your writing as it should have been is this: descriptive writing. You and Umbra (if both of you wrote this chapter, or to whoever it might have been) really do have a splendid writing style, I won't lie. But, you focused so much on the dueling that you forgot to describe the setting and feelings of the characters thoroughly, and where you did have descriptions, it was of the duels. Descriptions open doorways to interest and intrigue in the reader's imagination, and I think if you really want to regard this piece with the upmost solemnity, then you need more descriptive writing regarding other things than the dueling itself, because even if imagining the holographic sword of the monster slashing the body of the other is interesting, it is certainly not more intriguing that a description of the environment and the character's appearances and inner thoughts.

 

Overall, I won't lie that I DID enjoy the chapter, and strangely through the way that the two duelists acted a sensed some friction between them (almost as if one was flirting with the other and the girl was, as per usual, attacking him ruthlessly, and he continues with kindness and all that, but again that might just be due to my somewhat romantic nature :P). The duel seemed kind of cliched, IMHO, but I have faith that it'll get better. I just hope that you follow and listen to what I said if you indeed want to make this a serious piece rather than another fan fiction piece (because, let's be honest, we have a dozen of those, and a change would be so welcoming to readers that I can't even describe it). If you do, indeed, just want to make this another cliche fan fiction piece, then by all means ignore all that I said because I am treating this as a real literary work.

 

All these suggestions brought to you by someone who actively had meetings with a creative writing teacher and gathered information from writing forums, so I honestly hope that you don't question their validity. :)

[Randomflyingobjects]

Congratulations, Alestaire (or whatever you want me to call you... you change your name so often...). You've got a real party cooking up here. Honestly, all these readers... all for the first chapter... impressive. You did not hesitate to advertise, I'll give you that.

 

As for the story, I hate Viglink. Every other word was blue, no joke.

 

@LiteratureDude   On the topic of beginning with a duel vs being original, I think this was a pretty good way to do the chapter. After all, it's about 33% Yugioh, 60% fighting, and 7% other stuff. If these guys are new, a huge fight breaking out to show the characters' strength wouldn't make much sense. As I said, it's either duel or fight. Duel just works better. (And 'Iron Man 3 card'? The movie came out less than a week ago. To think it already has it's own '-card'.

 

@Agro   Yeah, you should at least read the summary of the previous series before reading the new series...

 

@BartytheOverlord   I agree thoroughly. This guy's like a weird mix of Kiryu and Xiael.

 

Back on topic! The story itself was well presented, neatly organized, and had a good overall plot. It didn't really seem like a new story, though. It was more like the next arc in the story of D-Accel. I do like the new formatting, new characters, etc., though the first several paragraphs need some polishing up. They were a little bit confusing and all over the place.

 

The Hectic Beasts (or whatever they're called) are broken. Most definitely. They can very easily Summon Utopia, or anything else, because the only restriction is 'you cannot Special Summon any non-(archetype) monsters while this card is on the field.' Thus, you Summon two of these guys, Xyz, summon two or three more, Xyz, etc. There's also the aspect of these guys working in the Tribute Summon department.

 

Overall, the episode itself worked pretty well for a pilot. But seriously, what happened to Kenji? He sort of got thrown into the hospital, broke out, and disappeared entirely...

[Synchronized]

Alright, so first things first.  Literaturedude took a ton of time to write up a well detailed and thought out response, and RFO did too, and I'll get back to both of you guys before the night is over, I promise.  But I've got some studying to do first so I wanted to post up the second Episode now (since it's Tuesday).  I have tons of things to say but I'll post in an hour or so about that.

 

[spoiler=Episode 2: White Knight Vengeance, 1/2]

 

Episode 2: A Lesson...Taught?

 

There were four of them at the table, now that the old man had joined them. Their long, uniform robes of black and silver would have made it difficult for any onlookers to distinguish their features, but after working together for so long as they had, they had no need for such things. You never

knew who could be watching these days.

 

The eradication of CLEAR had left a storm brewing in Erebos, or Mid-World as they had been taught to call it, and now that storm was coming for them, full force. They could not afford to sit back and simply let things play out; the time had come to make a move. An empty throne was nothing but a cry for a new leader, after all, and with Lucien Grasciou and his lackeys out of the

picture, the entire court was empty.

 

It was delightful to see their plans come together... almost, that was. There was still one piece they were missing, one key that had yet to be turned. They were so close to their goal, and yet, they remained peaceful and quiet in what could very well be their last meeting. They always had, as the

old man had taught them to. Even in his wheelchair, he instilled a sense of respect and fear in them as he took his seat, even after all these years. He cleared his throat, and spoke.

 

”I suppose you are all aware of why we're here.”

The three of them, sitting across from him on the long table, nodded in unison.

”The game's on. She's made her move.”

The man who had spoken was taller than the other two by a foot, if not more, and almost barked out his words in the gruff manner they had grown used to. At his side, between her two compatriots, the only woman in the group was smiling.

”She's gathering her army, still, but the storm will catch up to her. It will be so much fun to watch her fall to pieces.”

The man to her right, who had yet to speak, put a hand on her shoulder. His thin, pale fingers twitched at the touch.

”Don't get ahead of yourself. It will come for her when the time is right. You'll get your chance to pluck that hen and all her little chickens, don't you worry. Let our friend here share his brilliant plan

with the rest of us.”

The girl flicked his hand off her shoulder, and the tall man scoffed.

”Careful, little one. I was put in charge of this mission for good reason. I won't let the master down... as others have.”

 

The skinny man was just about to get to his feet when a loud slam rang through the chamber, deafening them for just a moment. They all turned to the old man, lowering their eyes. He may have lost all feeling from his hips down, but their master was still unquestionably powerful. The stern,

still look on his face said it all.

”Look at you. Bickering amongst yourselves, like children. It is not only pointless, it is dangerous. Have I taught you nothing? Patience is key. Patience is what will hold us together when the storm comes, when our enemies blow in the wind, like leaves. If we play our cards right, patience can unfold this house of cards for us all by itself. The people will realize that we are their saviors.”

 

His apprentices nodded, although not all of them shared his view. Beneath a forced-calm surface, one of them had plans of their own. He's a fool, an idealist without a plan. We can't simply sit around and wait for something to happen, for the world to fall into our lap. We have to take action soon, or we'll lose what little advantage we have. The storm will swallow us too, if we aren't careful. Even so, they kept their mouth shut; not a single expression could be read on their face.

 

Meeting all of their eyes at least once, the old man continued.

”I know that we have our differences, and that all of you have different opinions on how this matter should be handled. However, you have to trust me on this. We have to do this deliberately, not leaving a single matter up to chance.”

He turned his focus to the giant, who visibly shifted in his seat.

”I am trusting you with this mission, simply because you have yet to fail me. You may be our newest recruit, but you show much potential. You will lead the charge against the woman, and procure what we need. As for you two...” He turned to face the others, who held his gaze with pride. ”... don't disappoint me. Stand united against our foes, and they will know that the Four Star Siege is a name to be feared.”

 

---

 

“So, tell me something.”  Calle Anden stood in the open field where the helicopter had landed.  While the decision to order a duel within moments of his arrival may have seemed strange, he found sometimes that spontaneity was the most effective way to truly train.  Not to mention, Andrea’s incessant whining from the moment he’d stepped off had gotten quite annoying.  Two birds, one stone.

 

 While he could have offered critiques, he chose not to speak during the duel because in truth, this wasn’t about him.  He had been asked to train and teach these four to improve their skills, not his own.  In the least conceited way possible, there was no question that he was leagues above all of them.  He could tell simply by reviewing the files and seeing them in person.  But there was potential in all of them.

 

Even with her hot-headed personality, Andrea was a fantastic duelist and he was intrigued by what her Deck brought to the table.  She must’ve been crazy effective in combat, too.  But they’d get to that.  As for Alistair, from the moment he’d seen him he realized his passion for dueling – there was something in his eyes that reflected it better than words could.  That’s why he’d chosen to assign them the first duel.

 

Andrea’s focus on something, though truthfully he had no idea what, seemed to make her resent everything that didn’t involve fighting to win and get stronger.  But the mentality of continuing to expand and never taking time to sit back and enjoy what’s around you never works.  Even legendary tacticians like Alexander the Great fell victim to the drive for power, the drive for more.  But he could see that her attitude was only that on the outside.  There was something driving her to act that way, and eventually he’d have to figure out what. 

 

But right now, his energy was focused on Skylar.  Following the duel, Andrea had stormed off to walk, frustrated.  He hadn’t bothered to say anything – he’d let the girl have time to clear her head.  It was a stressful duel and whether she wanted to admit it or not, Alistair pushed her to the limit.  Speaking of which, he’d gone down to the watering hole to grab a drink and cool off after the game, while Damien was standing by idly shuffling through his cards.

 

Something about Skylar had stuck out from the second he dropped off the helicopter.  Dressed in all black, with an overcoat that almost resembled a cape of sorts, lined with neon green stripes along the sides that matched the color of his weapon, Skylar was about as arrogant as they come.  However out of the four he’d been asked to train, Calle could tell that Skylar was different.  They all had their stories; his must’ve been a good one.

 

“I’m not going to stand here and pretend that I’m trying to be your friend,” Calle said, straight and to the point.  Skylar wouldn’t look him in the eyes, just the same as on the flight here.  His eyes wandered off into the distance, though he was still listening to the words.  “It’s quite obvious to me that you’re not exactly a “make friends” type of guy.  With that being said, I’m here because I’ve been asked to train you.  No one’s forcing you to be here, so I assume you’ve got a reason for signing up for this recruitment process.”

 

“What’s it matter to you.” Skylar said, his voice cold and stern. “You seem like a smart enough guy yourself.  For that reason I assume you can understand when I say I don’t need training.  I’m more than capable of handling myself in combat and on the duel field.  This whole process is a giant waste of time.”

 

“You don’t need training?” Calle asked rhetorically.  Tres found it intriguing, the way he was going about this process.  Each of these humans was not only young, but clearly inexperienced.  It was almost as though Calle was playing along with their arrogance to get them to realize their own lack of preparation.  “Well that’s just fine then.”

 

Skylar raised his eyebrow and looked up, briefly.  When he caught on that Calle noticed his concern, he quickly shifted his gaze back to the ground.  It was that easy? Something had to give.  “Hmph, I-”

 

“That’s just fine,” Calle interrupted.  “Assuming you can pass one test.  I can tell you’re skilled, but I need to see it for myself.  Skill alone is not enough.  I tell you what, Skylar.  I know you’re not into this whole training thing, and I can respect that.  I’d be willing to pass you immediately,” he said, grabbing Skylar’s attention.   “Provided you’re willing to duel.”

 

“A duel with you?” Skylar asked.  Was he serious?  He didn’t want to give in, but at the same time getting out of this training program as quickly as possible...that’s what his focus had been.

 

Calle shook his head.  “No no, not me.  You’re nowhere near ready for that,” he said.  Skylar scowled.  “I gave Andrea and Alistair the chance to prove themselves, so it’s only fair I give you and Damien the same.”

 

“You and I both know that’s a poor idea,” Skylar replied.  “His skills do not lie in his dueling like his sister, and to be totally honest her dueling ability is pathetic.  If you want to provide any sort of team unity, you’d be hurting the morale from the get-go by asking him to duel me.”

 

Hm, that was interesting. Tres said.  It could appear that on the inside, at least somewhere in there, he’d like to see them succeed.  Maybe I’m just reading too much into it.

 

“I respect your confidence, reminds me of an old friend,” he noted.  “But I’m not here to be your friend; I’m here to be the judge of whether or not you’re fit to stay on the boss lady’s crew or if they need to look elsewhere.  I don’t know your reasons, and I won’t ask, because quite frankly it has nothing to do with my decision one way or the other.  If you’d like this all to be over and done with sooner, then I suggest you take me up on my offer.”

 

Skylar thought about it, still refusing to lock eyes with his superior.  He sighed.  “Fine, I’ll take up your challenge.  But don’t say I didn’t warn you beforehand.  I’m fully aware of my power and I don’t intend on holding back.”

 

“Well then,” Calle nodded.  “I would hope your opponent feels the same.  Else wise, I’ve got a feeling he’s not the type of person we’re looking for.” Then again, I’ve got the feeling the duel will be the judge of that.

 

“Damien,” Calle called, prompting the young boy’s attention.  He’d been sitting quietly, his head in the clouds, and it appeared he’d stopped going through his cards shortly before that.  Beatrice had noted in the files that while his combat skills were above average, his dueling skills were sub-par at best.  Should make for an interesting duel.

 

“Yes?” He looked up, noticing that Calle had called to him.  Andrea hadn’t returned yet; strange.  “What—what is it sir?”

 

“Call me Calle,” he nodded.  “I’m not a big fan of fancy titles.  Appreciate the respect, but we’re here to train as warriors, not to file papers.”  Damien nodded in response, taking in the words with a somewhat shy look, as though he’d offended Calle in some way.  “With that in mind, I find it very interesting that two of the students I’m working with are brother and sister.  You may be family, but the dynamic between the two of you is certainly very different.”

 

“Haha yeah,” Damien laughed awkwardly, placing his hand on the back of his head. “She’s a...bit of a hothead.  I’m not sure why, I guess it’s just in her nature.  She means well, though.  Don’t let her actions speak for both of us.  I’m perfectly willing to learn.”

 

“Good,” Calle said.  He liked this one better already.  Okay, not really.  The truth was he saw a lot of potential in Andrea, too.  But her attitude was going to be quite the challenge to overcome.  “So am I.  I’m willing to learn about each and every one of you individually by assessing your skills and pushing you to your limits.  This is why I’ve decided to assign a duel.”

 

“Another duel?” He asked, tilting his head slightly sideways.  Quickly, he got himself back on track.  “I mean, that’s great and all.  Just seems like we’re moving awfully fast here.”

 

“I’m not sure about you, but the memo I received said we were here to train,” Calle noted, causing Damien to lower his head.  “I can see you’re far more laid back than your sister, and noticeably less determined.  If you don’t think you can hang, then by all means feel free to see yourself out.  I’ll schedule a helicopter to fly you out of here and back home.”

 

Damien’s eyes lit up, realizing the hole he’d begun to dig himself into.  He shook his head in a panic.  “No, no, don’t do anything drastic.  Listen, I’m sorry, I can get a bit ahead of myself.  I’d be best suited to keep my opinions to myself, sir.  I can see that now.  I’m game to duel.”  He said, pressing the red button on his duel disk as it shot outwards.

 

“That’s more like it, I’d like to believe your opponent is too, aren’t you Skylar?” Calle looked at the boy.

 

“Heh,” he scoffed, activating his duel disk.  “Let’s get this over with.”

 

I’ve got to duel THAT guy?! Damien almost blurted the words out loud, but he put his hand over his mouth at the last second.  Then, he gulped.  Let’s get this over with indeed...

 

“DUEL!”

 

---

 

Why do I get the feeling you never planned to send him home? Tres asked.

“I see you catch on quick,” Calle laughed.  “You’re learning human interaction rather well.  Of course I’d never send him home.  He’s probably the best fighter we’ve got.  But self-doubt can lead to some powerful turnarounds.”

Interesting.  So by making him believe you could care less whether or not he chose to stay, you were able to bring his best foot forward, as they say.

Calle smiled.  “I think I could listen to you attempt to utilize well-known human sayings all day and not get tired of it.” He stepped to the side, allowing enough space between Skylar and Damien to begin their duel.  “But we can talk about that later.  This should be a show.”

Right. Tres replied.  But in reality, he had no idea how Damien could even begin to pose a threat to Skylar.  There was great spiritual energy coming from that one.

 

---

 

DUEL 2

Skylar vs. Damien

 

“Since this duel is a waste of time anyway, I’ll go first,” Skylar said. “I draw!” He whipped his hand back as he drew the card from atop his disk, causing the bottom of his jacket to fly upwards.  “I told you this duel was pointless,” Skylar looked at Calle, who simply stared.  “But if I need to show you, then so be it.  I activate the Spell Card White Illusion!”

 

[spoiler=White Illusion]

Continuous Spell Card

All “White Knight” monsters and “White Night Dragon” you control gain 300 ATK.  While this card is face-up on your field, the effect(s) of your Effect Monsters cannot be negated.  During each of your Standby Phases, pay 700 Life Points or destroy this card.[/spoiler]

 

In deep contrast to the dark black of Skylar’s leather overcoat, a white seal formed around them, whirling around like a riptide of light.  “Next, I summon White Knight Lancer!”  Thriving from the added power and comfort of the light, the armed warrior struck the field, poised to battle in a bright white suit of armor.

 

White Knight Lancer = 1700 + 300 = 2000

 

[spoiler=White Knight Lancer]

LV3/LIGHT/Warrior

If you control another “White Knight” monster, this card inflicts piercing Battle Damage.  When this card is destroyed, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower “White Knight” monster from your Deck in face-up Defense Position.  Then, make its DEF 0.

1700/1600[/spoiler]

 

“Two thousand attack points on the first turn?” Damien bellowed.  “This can’t be good.  How am I supposed to take that down?”

 

“You’re not,” Skylar remarked.  “You don’t have what it takes to make a scratch.”

 

Damien tried to maintain his confident appearance.  On the inside, he wasn’t confident at all.  Just by looking at Skylar he could tell this guy was on a whole nother level; he wasn’t like the rest of them.  He didn’t have anything to learn...right?

 

His hand shaky as he tried to steady his confidence, Damien declared “I draw!” Alright Damien, stay focused.  You can do this.  “I’ll start by summoning Herald of Purple Light in defense mode!”  A small spherical angel in the shape of a disco ball with purple lights radiating from its center sprawled onto the field, hovering.  “Next, I’ll set one card face-down and end my turn.”

 

[spoiler=Herald of Purple Light]

LV2/LIGHT/Fairy

You can discard this card and 1 other Fairy-Type monster to negate the activation and effect of an opponent’s Spell Card and destroy that card.

300/500[/spoiler]

 

“That has to be some kind of joke, right?” Skylar asked, drawing a card with the most disgusted of looks on his face.  His knight seemed to share the sentiment, raising its lance into the air, ready to tear into the defenseless fairy.  “This is what I was talking about when I said this duel wouldn’t be good for morale! Oh well, I tried!  White Knight Lancer, tear that thing apart with White Impaler!”  Without a second’s hesitation, the warrior hurled its lance across the field, popping the Herald like a balloon

 

4000 | 2500

 

While the creature cried out upon its destruction, the backlash of the attack carried over to Damien, who was almost knocked to the ground from the force of it.  Alistair, who had just arrived back onto the scene, watched with intrigue as the duelist struggled to regain his footing.  My monster...he destroyed it without breaking a sweat.

 

“Let me guess, you thought that by setting a face-down card behind a weak monster, I’d hesitate to attack in fear of that same card,” Skylar said.  “At the same time, you took a significantly stupid risk when you were aware of my White Knight Lancer’s ability to inflict the difference between its attack points and your monster’s defense points as damage.  Playing a monster like that was a stupid decision in the first place, but expecting me not to call your bluff was an even bigger one.”

 

“But I-” Damien tried to respond, but Skylar interjected once more.

 

“I’m not finished talking,” he said with authority.  Alistair cringed at the sound of his holier-than-thou attitude, but at the same time couldn’t argue with what he was saying.  Summoning a monster like ‘Herald of Purple Light’ whose best use was in the hand on the field wasn’t the best choice.  “I’ll admit the thought ran through my mind that maybe attacking wasn’t the best approach, but then I looked at you and realized I’m facing off against a nobody.  That may sound harsh, but the cold hard truth is you’re not a duelist at all.  And while they say you’re one of the most talented recruits when it comes to combat, if you can’t handle both, then you might as well not even try.”

 

Damien hung his head in shame.  Alistair wanted to say something to try and motivate him, but Calle waved him off.  Right away he silenced. 

 

Don’t you think you ought to say something? Tres asked. He’s being awfully harsh; I’d say it’s almost cynicism for the sake of it.

“And tell me, what purpose would that serve?” Calle replied.  “Do we pity him? Is that going to hone his skills? Shielding him from the reality of things? Whether we like it or not, Duel Monsters has become a significantly intertwined part of this entire battle.  There is a reason I chose to pair these two up against one another as opposed to the other way around.”

I see what you’re saying. Tres said. He too was not the most skilled when it came to dueling, and admittedly had only seen Calle duel but once.  The duelist had chosen to keep his dueling prowess hidden, for the most part.  But the thing we cannot deny is that he is far from a skilled duelist.  In fact to be honest, he’s quite poor.  And pairing him up against someone who has vast dueling expertise is guaranteed failure.

“I don’t know,” Calle smiled.  “Is it?  I guess that’s what we’re here to find out.”

 

To be continued...[/spoiler]

[Ren✧]

Alright, so first things first.  Literaturedude took a ton of time to write up a well detailed and thought out response, and RFO did too, and I'll get back to both of you guys before the night is over, I promise.  But I've got some studying to do first so I wanted to post up the second Episode now (since it's Tuesday).  I have tons of things to say but I'll post in an hour or so about that.

 

[spoiler=Episode 2: White Knight Vengeance, 1/2]

 

Episode 2: A Lesson...Taught?

 

There were four of them at the table, now that the old man had joined them. Their long, uniform robes of black and silver would have made it difficult for any onlookers to distinguish their features, but after working together for so long as they had, they had no need for such things. You never

knew who could be watching these days.

 

The eradication of CLEAR had left a storm brewing in Erebos, or Mid-World as they had been taught to call it, and now that storm was coming for them, full force. They could not afford to sit back and simply let things play out; the time had come to make a move. An empty throne was nothing but a cry for a new leader, after all, and with Lucien Grasciou and his lackeys out of the

picture, the entire court was empty.

 

It was delightful to see their plans come together... almost, that was. There was still one piece they were missing, one key that had yet to be turned. They were so close to their goal, and yet, they remained peaceful and quiet in what could very well be their last meeting. They always had, as the

old man had taught them to. Even in his wheelchair, he instilled a sense of respect and fear in them as he took his seat, even after all these years. He cleared his throat, and spoke.

 

”I suppose you are all aware of why we're here.”

The three of them, sitting across from him on the long table, nodded in unison.

”The game's on. She's made her move.”

The man who had spoken was taller than the other two by a foot, if not more, and almost barked out his words in the gruff manner they had grown used to. At his side, between her two compatriots, the only woman in the group was smiling.

”She's gathering her army, still, but the storm will catch up to her. It will be so much fun to watch her fall to pieces.”

The man to her right, who had yet to speak, put a hand on her shoulder. His thin, pale fingers twitched at the touch.

”Don't get ahead of yourself. It will come for her when the time is right. You'll get your chance to pluck that hen and all her little chickens, don't you worry. Let our friend here share his brilliant plan

with the rest of us.”

The girl flicked his hand off her shoulder, and the tall man scoffed.

”Careful, little one. I was put in charge of this mission for good reason. I won't let the master down... as others have.”

 

The skinny man was just about to get to his feet when a loud slam rang through the chamber, deafening them for just a moment. They all turned to the old man, lowering their eyes. He may have lost all feeling from his hips down, but their master was still unquestionably powerful. The stern,

still look on his face said it all.

”Look at you. Bickering amongst yourselves, like children. It is not only pointless, it is dangerous. Have I taught you nothing? Patience is key. Patience is what will hold us together when the storm comes, when our enemies blow in the wind, like leaves. If we play our cards right, patience can unfold this house of cards for us all by itself. The people will realize that we are their saviors.”

 

His apprentices nodded, although not all of them shared his view. Beneath a forced-calm surface, one of them had plans of their own. He's a fool, an idealist without a plan. We can't simply sit around and wait for something to happen, for the world to fall into our lap. We have to take action soon, or we'll lose what little advantage we have. The storm will swallow us too, if we aren't careful. Even so, they kept their mouth shut; not a single expression could be read on their face.

 

Meeting all of their eyes at least once, the old man continued.

”I know that we have our differences, and that all of you have different opinions on how this matter should be handled. However, you have to trust me on this. We have to do this deliberately, not leaving a single matter up to chance.”

He turned his focus to the giant, who visibly shifted in his seat.

”I am trusting you with this mission, simply because you have yet to fail me. You may be our newest recruit, but you show much potential. You will lead the charge against the woman, and procure what we need. As for you two...” He turned to face the others, who held his gaze with pride. ”... don't disappoint me. Stand united against our foes, and they will know that the Four Star Siege is a name to be feared.”

 

Alright, I have a feeling that we are meant to be left in confusion here...or rather suspense...or something of that nature. Needless to say, I am a bit confused here. Do we know who these people are from the first series or are they an entirely new entity? They seem a bit dramatic. I know that no story is good without drama, but I feel like there are too many metaphors in here(house of cards, storm, etc.). It makes them sound strange and unrelatable...but maybe that's what you are going for?

---

 

“So, tell me something.”  Calle Anden stood in the open field where the helicopter had landed.  While the decision to order a duel within moments of his arrival may have seemed strange, he found sometimes that spontaneity was the most effective way to truly train.  Not to mention, Andrea’s incessant whining from the moment he’d stepped off had gotten quite annoying.  Two birds, one stone.

 

 While he could have offered critiques, he chose not to speak during the duel because in truth, this wasn’t about him.  He had been asked to train and teach these four to improve their skills, not his own.  In the least conceited way possible, there was no question that he was leagues above all of them.  He could tell simply by reviewing the files and seeing them in person.  But there was potential in all of them.

 

Even with her hot-headed personality, Andrea was a fantastic duelist and he was intrigued by what her Deck brought to the table.  She must’ve been crazy effective in combat, too.  But they’d get to that.  As for Alistair, from the moment he’d seen him he realized his passion for dueling – there was something in his eyes that reflected it better than words could.  That’s why he’d chosen to assign them the first duel.

 

Andrea’s focus on something, though truthfully he had no idea what, seemed to make her resent everything that didn’t involve fighting to win and get stronger.  But the mentality of continuing to expand and never taking time to sit back and enjoy what’s around you never works.  Even legendary tacticians like Alexander the Great fell victim to the drive for power, the drive for more.  But he could see that her attitude was only that on the outside.  There was something driving her to act that way, and eventually he’d have to figure out what. 

 

But right now, his energy was focused on Skylar.  Following the duel, Andrea had stormed off to walk, frustrated.  He hadn’t bothered to say anything – he’d let the girl have time to clear her head.  It was a stressful duel and whether she wanted to admit it or not, Alistair pushed her to the limit.  Speaking of which, he’d gone down to the watering hole to grab a drink and cool off after the game, while Damien was standing by idly shuffling through his cards.

 

Something about Skylar had stuck out from the second he dropped off the helicopter.  Dressed in all black, with an overcoat that almost resembled a cape of sorts, lined with neon green stripes along the sides that matched the color of his weapon, Skylar was about as arrogant as they come.  However out of the four he’d been asked to train, Calle could tell that Skylar was different.  They all had their stories; his must’ve been a good one.

 

“I’m not going to stand here and pretend that I’m trying to be your friend,” Calle said, straight and to the point.  Skylar wouldn’t look him in the eyes, just the same as on the flight here.  His eyes wandered off into the distance, though he was still listening to the words.  “It’s quite obvious to me that you’re not exactly a “make friends” type of guy.  With that being said, I’m here because I’ve been asked to train you.  No one’s forcing you to be here, so I assume you’ve got a reason for signing up for this recruitment process.”

 

“What’s it matter to you.” Skylar said, his voice cold and stern. “You seem like a smart enough guy yourself.  For that reason I assume you can understand when I say I don’t need training.  I’m more than capable of handling myself in combat and on the duel field.  This whole process is a giant waste of time.”

 

“You don’t need training?” Calle asked rhetorically.  Tres found it intriguing, the way he was going about this process.  Each of these humans was not only young, but clearly inexperienced.  It was almost as though Calle was playing along with their arrogance to get them to realize their own lack of preparation.  “Well that’s just fine then.”

 

Skylar raised his eyebrow and looked up, briefly.  When he caught on that Calle noticed his concern, he quickly shifted his gaze back to the ground.  It was that easy? Something had to give.  “Hmph, I-”

 

“That’s just fine,” Calle interrupted.  “Assuming you can pass one test.  I can tell you’re skilled, but I need to see it for myself.  Skill alone is not enough.  I tell you what, Skylar.  I know you’re not into this whole training thing, and I can respect that.  I’d be willing to pass you immediately,” he said, grabbing Skylar’s attention.   “Provided you’re willing to duel.”

 

“A duel with you?” Skylar asked.  Was he serious?  He didn’t want to give in, but at the same time getting out of this training program as quickly as possible...that’s what his focus had been.

 

Calle shook his head.  “No no, not me.  You’re nowhere near ready for that,” he said.  Skylar scowled.  “I gave Andrea and Alistair the chance to prove themselves, so it’s only fair I give you and Damien the same.”

 

“You and I both know that’s a poor idea,” Skylar replied.  “His skills do not lie in his dueling like his sister, and to be totally honest her dueling ability is pathetic.  If you want to provide any sort of team unity, you’d be hurting the morale from the get-go by asking him to duel me.”

 

Hm, that was interesting. Tres said.  It could appear that on the inside, at least somewhere in there, he’d like to see them succeed.  Maybe I’m just reading too much into it.

 

“I respect your confidence, reminds me of an old friend,” he noted.  “But I’m not here to be your friend; I’m here to be the judge of whether or not you’re fit to stay on the boss lady’s crew or if they need to look elsewhere.  I don’t know your reasons, and I won’t ask, because quite frankly it has nothing to do with my decision one way or the other.  If you’d like this all to be over and done with sooner, then I suggest you take me up on my offer.”

 

Skylar thought about it, still refusing to lock eyes with his superior.  He sighed.  “Fine, I’ll take up your challenge.  But don’t say I didn’t warn you beforehand.  I’m fully aware of my power and I don’t intend on holding back.”

 

“Well then,” Calle nodded.  “I would hope your opponent feels the same.  Else wise, I’ve got a feeling he’s not the type of person we’re looking for.” Then again, I’ve got the feeling the duel will be the judge of that.

 

“Damien,” Calle called, prompting the young boy’s attention.  He’d been sitting quietly, his head in the clouds, and it appeared he’d stopped going through his cards shortly before that.  Beatrice had noted in the files that while his combat skills were above average, his dueling skills were sub-par at best.  Should make for an interesting duel.

 

An interesting duel? Probably not. Unless Damien pulls out some heart of the cards thing, it seems like he is hopelessly outmatched here. Perhaps if we would've gone to a fight...which leads me to wonder. Does Rarukai(is that the right word for the spiritual energy?) affect duels in any way? Because if it does, then the story might be a little different here. 

 

“Yes?” He looked up, noticing that Calle had called to him.  Andrea hadn’t returned yet; strange.  “What—what is it sir?”

 

“Call me Calle,” he nodded.  “I’m not a big fan of fancy titles.  Appreciate the respect, but we’re here to train as warriors, not to file papers.”  Damien nodded in response, taking in the words with a somewhat shy look, as though he’d offended Calle in some way.  “With that in mind, I find it very interesting that two of the students I’m working with are brother and sister.  You may be family, but the dynamic between the two of you is certainly very different.”

 

“Haha yeah,” Damien laughed awkwardly, placing his hand on the back of his head. “She’s a...bit of a hothead.  I’m not sure why, I guess it’s just in her nature.  She means well, though.  Don’t let her actions speak for both of us.  I’m perfectly willing to learn.”

 

“Good,” Calle said.  He liked this one better already.  Okay, not really.  The truth was he saw a lot of potential in Andrea, too.  But her attitude was going to be quite the challenge to overcome.  “So am I.  I’m willing to learn about each and every one of you individually by assessing your skills and pushing you to your limits.  This is why I’ve decided to assign a duel.”

 

“Another duel?” He asked, tilting his head slightly sideways.  Quickly, he got himself back on track.  “I mean, that’s great and all.  Just seems like we’re moving awfully fast here.”

 

Don't worry Damien, I was thinking the same thing. 

 

“I’m not sure about you, but the memo I received said we were here to train,” Calle noted, causing Damien to lower his head.  “I can see you’re far more laid back than your sister, and noticeably less determined.  If you don’t think you can hang, then by all means feel free to see yourself out.  I’ll schedule a helicopter to fly you out of here and back home.”

 

But it appears we've been overruled...lol...:D

 

Damien’s eyes lit up, realizing the hole he’d begun to dig himself into.  He shook his head in a panic.  “No, no, don’t do anything drastic.  Listen, I’m sorry, I can get a bit ahead of myself.  I’d be best suited to keep my opinions to myself, sir.  I can see that now.  I’m game to duel.”  He said, pressing the red button on his duel disk as it shot outwards.

 

“That’s more like it, I’d like to believe your opponent is too, aren’t you Skylar?” Calle looked at the boy.

 

“Heh,” he scoffed, activating his duel disk.  “Let’s get this over with.”

 

I’ve got to duel THAT guy?! Damien almost blurted the words out loud, but he put his hand over his mouth at the last second.  Then, he gulped.  Let’s get this over with indeed...

 

“DUEL!”

 

---

 

Why do I get the feeling you never planned to send him home? Tres asked.

“I see you catch on quick,” Calle laughed.  “You’re learning human interaction rather well.  Of course I’d never send him home.  He’s probably the best fighter we’ve got.  But self-doubt can lead to some powerful turnarounds.”

Interesting.  So by making him believe you could care less whether or not he chose to stay, you were able to bring his best foot forward, as they say.

Calle smiled.  “I think I could listen to you attempt to utilize well-known human sayings all day and not get tired of it.” He stepped to the side, allowing enough space between Skylar and Damien to begin their duel.  “But we can talk about that later.  This should be a show.”

Right. Tres replied.  But in reality, he had no idea how Damien could even begin to pose a threat to Skylar.  There was great spiritual energy coming from that one.

 

---

 

DUEL 2

Skylar vs. Damien

 

“Since this duel is a waste of time anyway, I’ll go first,” Skylar said. “I draw!” He whipped his hand back as he drew the card from atop his disk, causing the bottom of his jacket to fly upwards.  “I told you this duel was pointless,” Skylar looked at Calle, who simply stared.  “But if I need to show you, then so be it.  I activate the Spell Card White Illusion!”

 

[spoiler=White Illusion]

Continuous Spell Card

All “White Knight” monsters and “White Night Dragon” you control gain 300 ATK.  While this card is face-up on your field, the effect(s) of your Effect Monsters cannot be negated.  During each of your Standby Phases, pay 700 Life Points or destroy this card.[/spoiler]

 

In deep contrast to the dark black of Skylar’s leather overcoat, a white seal formed around them, whirling around like a riptide of light.  “Next, I summon White Knight Lancer!”  Thriving from the added power and comfort of the light, the armed warrior struck the field, poised to battle in a bright white suit of armor.

 

White Knight Lancer = 1700 + 300 = 2000

 

[spoiler=White Knight Lancer]

LV3/LIGHT/Warrior

If you control another “White Knight” monster, this card inflicts piercing Battle Damage.  When this card is destroyed, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower “White Knight” monster from your Deck in face-up Defense Position.  Then, make its DEF 0.

1700/1600[/spoiler]

 

“Two thousand attack points on the first turn?” Damien bellowed.  “This can’t be good.  How am I supposed to take that down?”

 

“You’re not,” Skylar remarked.  “You don’t have what it takes to make a scratch.”

 

Damien tried to maintain his confident appearance.  On the inside, he wasn’t confident at all.  Just by looking at Skylar he could tell this guy was on a whole nother level; he wasn’t like the rest of them.  He didn’t have anything to learn...right?

 

His hand shaky as he tried to steady his confidence, Damien declared “I draw!” Alright Damien, stay focused.  You can do this.  “I’ll start by summoning Herald of Purple Light in defense mode!”  A small spherical angel in the shape of a disco ball with purple lights radiating from its center sprawled onto the field, hovering.  “Next, I’ll set one card face-down and end my turn.”

 

[spoiler=Herald of Purple Light]

LV2/LIGHT/Fairy

You can discard this card and 1 other Fairy-Type monster to negate the activation and effect of an opponent’s Spell Card and destroy that card.

300/500[/spoiler]

 

“That has to be some kind of joke, right?” Skylar asked, drawing a card with the most disgusted of looks on his face.  His knight seemed to share the sentiment, raising its lance into the air, ready to tear into the defenseless fairy.  “This is what I was talking about when I said this duel wouldn’t be good for morale! Oh well, I tried!  White Knight Lancer, tear that thing apart with White Impaler!”  Without a second’s hesitation, the warrior hurled its lance across the field, popping the Herald like a balloon

 

4000 | 2500

 

While the creature cried out upon its destruction, the backlash of the attack carried over to Damien, who was almost knocked to the ground from the force of it.  Alistair, who had just arrived back onto the scene, watched with intrigue as the duelist struggled to regain his footing.  My monster...he destroyed it without breaking a sweat.

 

“Let me guess, you thought that by setting a face-down card behind a weak monster, I’d hesitate to attack in fear of that same card,” Skylar said.  “At the same time, you took a significantly stupid risk when you were aware of my White Knight Lancer’s ability to inflict the difference between its attack points and your monster’s defense points as damage.  Playing a monster like that was a stupid decision in the first place, but expecting me not to call your bluff was an even bigger one.”

 

“But I-” Damien tried to respond, but Skylar interjected once more.

 

“I’m not finished talking,” he said with authority.  Alistair cringed at the sound of his holier-than-thou attitude, but at the same time couldn’t argue with what he was saying.  Summoning a monster like ‘Herald of Purple Light’ whose best use was in the hand on the field wasn’t the best choice.  “I’ll admit the thought ran through my mind that maybe attacking wasn’t the best approach, but then I looked at you and realized I’m facing off against a nobody.  That may sound harsh, but the cold hard truth is you’re not a duelist at all.  And while they say you’re one of the most talented recruits when it comes to combat, if you can’t handle both, then you might as well not even try.”

 

Damien hung his head in shame.  Alistair wanted to say something to try and motivate him, but Calle waved him off.  Right away he silenced. 

 

Don’t you think you ought to say something? Tres asked. He’s being awfully harsh; I’d say it’s almost cynicism for the sake of it.

“And tell me, what purpose would that serve?” Calle replied.  “Do we pity him? Is that going to hone his skills? Shielding him from the reality of things? Whether we like it or not, Duel Monsters has become a significantly intertwined part of this entire battle.  There is a reason I chose to pair these two up against one another as opposed to the other way around.”

I see what you’re saying. Tres said. He too was not the most skilled when it came to dueling, and admittedly had only seen Calle duel but once.  The duelist had chosen to keep his dueling prowess hidden, for the most part.  But the thing we cannot deny is that he is far from a skilled duelist.  In fact to be honest, he’s quite poor.  And pairing him up against someone who has vast dueling expertise is guaranteed failure.

“I don’t know,” Calle smiled.  “Is it?  I guess that’s what we’re here to find out.”

Duel is meh, obviously just the start so can't really judge it on that. Obviously portraying Damien as the underdog here, but I feel like he is going to have an epiphany ..or perhaps a Joey Wheeler moment and turn things around through the mistake of Skylar or from sheer luck...

 

To be continued...[/spoiler]

 

 

Truth be told, I didn't like this chapter as much as your previous one. It was lacking the same flare of action and emotion, and instead traded it in for almost a childish display from the characters. I am picturing Damien as this little school boy who accidentally walked into the wrong class and then Skylar is being too harsh. I know that is his character, but I can honestly say that I have never met someone that is so overplayed as he is. 

 

The chapter isn't bad, just more boring which doesn't help to turn the attention away from the cliche reaction of the characters. I also wasn't too fond of the way the first duel between Andrea and Alistair flared out, nothing really said except for they walked away. I would've liked to get something from them before they left. Probably Alistair trying to maintain peace and Andrea going nuclear. I feel like there could have been something more there.

[Synchronized]

Alright, so now that I've got the time (at least a little) I'll get around to replying to what everyone said.  Since a few of you repeated similar things, I'd rather just go ahead and generally reply instead of repeating myself a bunch of times, so this is really directed at everyone's commentary.

 

- I'll admit (and I'm sure Umbra would too) that we didn't have the best hook that the opening of a Series could have.  I think the mistake there was the fact that we were continuing on from the previous series (in terms of character establishment) and those of you who did read Accel I know that the battle isn't over, despite the fact that we're getting a story reset.  For now, at least, nothing that has happened up to this point in Series II has anything to do with S1, aside from Calle/Tres, obviously.

 

- I'm also aware that starting a Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan-Fiction with a duel is overly cliched and generally not the best idea, but the thing is, with the first Series (and we'll get to that point in this Series, too), dueling isn't the be-all-end all.  So in order to appeal to the Yu-Gi-Oh! fans and get them to give the characters and the story a chance, the first couple of Arcs have to be really dueling-centric.  The first Series did not involve much of a significant start, so I think I tried to make up for it here by introducing the characters and kicking things off with a fast pace.  It was intentional.

 

- As for grammar and spelling, we each write our own parts (and spend hours discussing material), but generally I write a rough draft, send it to Umbra, he reviews it for spelling/grammar and then makes his own changes and additions.  Because we're on totally different hours (he's six hours ahead of me), doing it at the same time becomes quite challenging.  That being said, we're human and it's possible that we'll miss some things even in read-throughs.  I appreciate you guys pointing all of these things out but I hope they don't affect the story as a whole because one or two minor grammatical issues shouldn't define one's opinion of an entire story.

 

- I believe you were referencing Mayhem Beasts in your post, RFO, and while I'm aware in theory they're certainly good in being able to quickly spam Xyz's, as a general rule they won't be used to Xyz Summon non-Mayhem Beast monsters.  In the context of the Anime, they're meant to be more like Crystal Beasts than anything else.

 

- Kenji? There was a very brief mention of him in the Prologue.  All we can say at this point is that his disappearance and subsequent "removal" from the story was intentional and was done for plot-related reasons.  I don't want to make any promises but it's almost a 100% guarantee that we will at some point see him again.  His character had reasons for doing what he did.

 

- As far as Spike/Renegade; I read your post but it was a bit jumbled (I'm assuming that was YCM, not you).  Rakurai is something that will be re-capped and explained even though it was mentioned in the Prologue and obviously a strong factor in Series 1.  The best I can compare it to is either Kai from Dragonball Z or Reiishi from Bleach, in that it is necessary for combat and techniques to be performed.  We've developed quite a niche for our fight scenes as multiple people have said, so I think things will be different when the first one happens.  But yes, Rakurai does affect duels by making the attacks and energy transmitted between the two duelists real, inflicting legitimate pain.

 

- The duel will continue but to be honest the personalities aren't meant to come across as forced, just blatant.  Skylar is cold-hearted and harsh because that's who he is.  It's not his personality toned up for the sake of drama, his backstory has caused him to become a very heartless person for multiple reasons.  But there's more to the story and this is a form of backwards storytelling in the show first, tell and explain later kind of way.

[a bad post]

I have to say I like Damien (despite the fact that he's a bit cliche moe, hotheaded twin + shy twin kind of thing), but all in all I like his more relaxed nature. I don't really want to make a judgement yet, because the duel is not finished yet, but another great chapter, even though I liked the first one better. 

 

So, I'll post a more complete review after next weeks chapter. 

[NoshpalStefan]

I realize that the story is a direct continuation, but a hook is always, UNDOUBTEDLY, necessary. For an example, let's say the Lord of the Rings Trilogy - from what I remember, yes the story basically continues directly, but each one has a hook - and that's why it works. If any help regarding a hook is required, I'd honestly offer to help, but this is your series so it might not be the best idea.

 

As for whoever said that Iron Man 3 came out a week ago and it already has a card, I'm talking about the card that is shown in the series, you know the traumatic MC who suffers Insomnia and is in despair and all that.

 

I have to go do something else now, but in a couple of hours I'll thoroughly review the next chapter soon.

 

Furthermore, if you so wish I can write a brief summary of how I think the first chapter should have been and what kind of hook it should have had - just a brief summary, not actually writing the whole thing for you guys, just an idea that has circled in my head. This, of course, being after I've read the second chapter.

[Synchronized]

I have to say I like Damien (despite the fact that he's a bit cliche moe, hotheaded twin + shy twin kind of thing), but all in all I like his more relaxed nature. I don't really want to make a judgement yet, because the duel is not finished yet, but another great chapter, even though I liked the first one better. 

 

So, I'll post a more complete review after next weeks chapter. 

 

Well, to be honest I think the cliche is what makes it work so well.  Because of the plans that we have for all of the characters, starting them out that way makes it so that when they all evolve into their respective characters, there's a base to build upon.  At the same time you don't want to over-do the cliche so it's all about finding a right balance.  I expected a lot of people to like the first Chapter better - there's definitely going to be a few "trudging" moments as we really get going, but I think for sure that people will enjoy the next one.  The dynamic between Andrea and Damien is going to make for some great storytelling if I do say so myself.

 

Cool, looking forward to it.  The new Chapter will be posted on Friday.

 

I realize that the story is a direct continuation, but a hook is always, UNDOUBTEDLY, necessary. For an example, let's say the Lord of the Rings Trilogy - from what I remember, yes the story basically continues directly, but each one has a hook - and that's why it works. If any help regarding a hook is required, I'd honestly offer to help, but this is your series so it might not be the best idea.

 

As for whoever said that Iron Man 3 came out a week ago and it already has a card, I'm talking about the card that is shown in the series, you know the traumatic MC who suffers Insomnia and is in despair and all that.

 

I have to go do something else now, but in a couple of hours I'll thoroughly review the next chapter soon.

 

Furthermore, if you so wish I can write a brief summary of how I think the first chapter should have been and what kind of hook it should have had - just a brief summary, not actually writing the whole thing for you guys, just an idea that has circled in my head. This, of course, being after I've read the second chapter.

 

Oh, don't get me wrong - that was a mistake on our (mostly my) part and I take full responsibility for that.  We should've had a bit more of a hook, but at this point I don't see any need to go back and change it now.  In the future however, that's one of the things I'll definitely try to focus on more.

 

I'm not sure what you meant by the Ironman thing, haha.

 

Feel free to review whatever you like, I'll take the time to respond to all of it. :)

 

The second Chapter was more focused on storytelling and further character development.  For anyone wondering, the characters introduced in the first part of Episode 2 are NOT from Accel I and were not identified by name on purpose.

[NoshpalStefan]

Look, you as the author can always edit the first chapter and change it, thus it is never too late for anything. However, if you really don't want to change it, then there really is no need for me to do a summary in which I improve it.

 

I will however take my time to review the second chapter soon, it's just that I've had APs this week and really little time for reading (however one of the AP subjects is English Lang. so I guess reading and reviewing fiction might help me :P)

 

Also, watch the Iron Man 3 trailer and you'll understand, in short he has insomnia and is still coping with the events from the Avengers, thus what I'm talking about: making the MC cope with previous events instead of just continuing the story without regard towards the previous one.

[Synchronized]

Look, you as the author can always edit the first chapter and change it, thus it is never too late for anything. However, if you really don't want to change it, then there really is no need for me to do a summary in which I improve it.

 

I will however take my time to review the second chapter soon, it's just that I've had APs this week and really little time for reading (however one of the AP subjects is English Lang. so I guess reading and reviewing fiction might help me :P)

 

Also, watch the Iron Man 3 trailer and you'll understand, in short he has insomnia and is still coping with the events from the Avengers, thus what I'm talking about: making the MC cope with previous events instead of just continuing the story without regard towards the previous one.

 

Oh, I know what you mean.  It's just that I have this habit where once I write and "publish" something, I like to leave it as it is unless it's a grammatical issue.  I use it to learn from my mistakes and strive to improve on future Chapters.  It's how I've always done it and it's worked to decent success. =)

 

With that in mind, the actual main character of the series isn't Calle.  We will see him later on in the series but those who DID read the first one will know based on the ending that he kinda disappeared to find himself.  He has plenty of unfinished business so he'll return and we'll learn how he's coping but right now we're trying to introduce some new characters into the mix to enhance the story somewhat. 

[NoshpalStefan]

I did read the short summary you posted, and I don't mind that you play around with old and new characters alike, I'm just saying what I find interesting and worthy of comments so far.

 

As for publishing and then learning from your mistakes, I understand your point there, but it's still good if you try, after writing something, to give it for a thorough reviewing so that you can have an objective view of it - people often tend to get too attached to their own creations, and often times they purposefully neglect the need to work on those creations in favor to the opinion that those pieces might be masterpieces. In any case, I'd say write this second part as you would and after it's finished leave it a few weeks and then look at it objectively, without any special attachment to it.

 

On another note, how long is the first Accel - not chapter wise, I'd say page-wise, like Word pages if it can be put that way. Was thinking that once summer comes I'll have a lot of time on my hands, so I can read the first one and truly give a thorough investigation over it, you know helping you look at it through an objective pair of eyes. I'm saying this because I think you (and Umbra) have wonderful writing styles, and with the help of someone proofreading it and editing it, you really could have something wonderful written. :)