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Crimson Blaze

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I'm sorry about the tardiness of this chapter. I've basically been going out with friends all day everyday this summer so I've had very little time to sit down and focus on writing. That being said, I think this chapter is the longest one I've ever written, which may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on your preferences. Personally, I think it's of decent quality but definitely not my best work. However, it does give some more development for a main character that I've probably done a pretty bad job of making into a main character. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the read and as always, comments and critiques are greatly appreciated.

 

[spoiler=Chapter 17]

 

Yu-Gi-Oh! D.T.

 

Chapter 17: Rising Malevolence, The Vengeance of Unseen Shadows

 

January 24, 3051 8:03 AM

 

Aja stood stiffly beside the ever aloof chief of finance as she glanced out the window of his office on the 18th floor, furrowing her brows when she caught sight of Eric Lambert walking into the D.T. headquarters building. Even from 60 meters above ground, she could imagine the arrogant smirk on his face, the smug look of an undisciplined hooligan thinking he could have his way with everything. Clenching her fists, Aja thought bitterly about her unjustified defeat against him.

 

I swear, she thought grudgingly, I will make your life here miserable.

 

“Aja?” she heard Dylan call from beside her.

 

“Y-yes?” she replied as she snapped out of her thoughts and turned to face him.

 

“I said your name three times before you answered,” he said, his expression darkening. “Is something distracting you?”

 

“No sir!” she shouted, embarrassed that she had been caught out of focus.

 

“As I was saying,” Dylan continued, staring at her with a hint of suspicion, “it appears that Commander Lambert will be assigned his squadron today.”

 

“That’s right,” Aja nodded, trying to hide a scowl.

 

Commander? Since when have you recognized his position?

 

“I was told that you had some input in deciding which soldiers he would be in charge of.”

 

“Yes,” she answered nervously. “As a veteran battle commander, I have the most knowledge about our soldiers. I suggested the ones which suited Eric Lambert’s...qualifications.”

 

“And with your...expertise...,” Dylan glared, “you determined that the most suitable soldiers for him were the ones who just so happened to have scored the lowest in our performance evaluations?”

 

“I-Is that so?” she stuttered. “I believe I made the optimal choices. D-do you object to my decisions?”

 

For the next minute, Dylan did nothing but stare at Aja, who turned her face away in fear of his harsh, judging eyes. She had already lost Gareth’s trust, but now, she was facing the scrutiny of a man she held in even higher regard than her employer. If he too abandoned her, then she knew this company would be doomed to the leadership of senseless fools. The very thought of it filled her with anxiety and frustration. Slowly, Aja raised her eyes to meet Dylan’s, bracing herself for his reply.

 

“No,” he said. “I don’t disagree with your decision. Commander Lambert has little experience in military operations. If he makes a fatal decision that risks the lives of an elite squadron, we could lose some of our best soldiers. With the team you decided for him, we can minimize our collateral damage.”

 

After hearing his final verdict, Aja breathed a sigh of relief.

 

So he still doesn’t completely trust Eric Lambert.

 

“Continue observing Gareth and Commander Lambert,” Dylan commanded. “Report to me any irregularities in their activities.”

 

“Yes sir!” she shouted excitedly as she raised her hand in a salute.

 

With a satisfied grin, Aja exited the chief of finance’s office to attend to her mission.

 

January 24, 3051 8:31 AM

 

Gareth sat in his office with an agitated expression on his face as he perused the papers arranged in large stacks on his glass table. With each report he picked up, the news became worse and worse, causing Gareth to furrow his brows and let out an exasperated sigh when he put down the last paper. Clenching his fists, he closed his eyes as he reflected on the reasons why his soldiers were losing fights against the Dark Chasers.

 

I knew this was an uphill battle from the beginning, Gareth thought. The Dark Chasers are a humongous organization with power and influence in the darkest corners of society. But still, there has to be something I can do to even out the score.

 

He swiveled around on his chair and glanced out the window at the busy streets of Muto City, trying to set his mind into top gear.

 

It’s true that the soldiers I recruit are strong, but I don’t have a large enough army to do significant damage. Every base we take out, every Dark Chaser we defeat, they’re all replaced the next day, and tenfold. Meanwhile, we’re dwindling on our resources and each soldier we lose chips away at our already fragile morale.

 

Taking another deep breath, Gareth turned back to face his laptop.

 

What we need right now is to learn more about the Dark Chasers. We need to discover their weaknesses, the focal points of their hierarchy, the people and places we have to strike to collapse their entire organization.

 

For the sake of achieving this goal, Gareth placed his trust in Eric, the most capable duelist and human being he knew. From Eric’s explanation of his Ingenian powers, Gareth had surmised that his sense of intuition and ability to understand people were dramatically enhanced, allowing him to essentially look into people’s hearts and minds. After realizing that this ability, along with Eric’s high survivability as a result of his Ingenian powers, were ideal for intel gathering, Gareth had assigned him to lead a four-man reconnaissance team.

 

Gareth swiftly typed a series of commands on his laptop to bring up the video feed of a meeting room on the fourth floor, where Eric was currently waiting for his other team members to arrive. Through his monitor, he saw Eric standing awkwardly next to the door, checking the time on his new cell phone every few seconds as tapped his feet impatiently.

 

A moment later, a thin man wearing a pair of rectangular glasses entered the room. When Eric greeted him with a smile and a handshake, the man merely glanced at him with an expression of apathy before taking his seat at the far back end of the room, where he took out a small mirror and began combing his gelled up hair.

 

Zachary Joben, Gareth noted mentally. A skilled duelist and strategist, but lazy and disobedient.

 

A second soldier entered the room, this time a sulking teen with long black hair, a hunched back, and a ghastly countenance. He weakly shook Eric’s hand before slowly walking to a chair halfway between Eric and Zachary.

 

Roger Tanton. Expert in stealth and infiltration, but has weak combat abilities and poor communication skills.

 

Next was a young girl in her early teens with blonde pigtails whose eyes were glued to her pink cell phone, causing her to completely ignore Eric and take a seat closest to the door.

 

Beverly Kade. Brilliant actor and social engineer. Unfortunately, her dueling and her maturity leave a lot to be desired.

 

Several minutes passed in awkward silence as they waited for their fifth team member to arrive. After checking his phone for the tenth time since Beverly’s entrance, Eric walked outside the room to see if anyone was coming. To his surprise, however, a thunderous explosion of noise echoed through the room as he felt something deflate beneath his foot, followed by a man’s roar of laughter.

 

“What the hell is this?” Eric exclaimed.

 

“Whoa man!” a topless muscular soldier snickered as he slapped Eric on the back. “Looks like leader man’s gotta take a dump! Guess we can peace out now!”

 

Eric gawked in disbelief as the prankster ran away in playful strides, snickering all the way.

 

Richard Durrell. He has incredible stamina and a great deal of combat experience. But he’s not smart or particularly good at dueling, not to mention he never takes anything seriously.

 

When Eric came back to his senses, he turned around to see the other members’ reactions. To his dismay, the young girl joined in the laughter, giggling in sharp squeals while the other two sat quietly in their seats, both seemingly uninterested in the present shenanigans. To Eric’s compete and utter shock, the others followed the topless man out the door, Beverly skipping with her eyes on her phone, Roger slowly pacing out, and Zachary leaving after he finished trimming his nails.

 

“Where are you guys going?” Eric shouted. “Wasn’t this supposed to be a meeting?”

 

“We met,” Zachary replied stoically. “Call us when we have an assignment.”

 

Left alone and flabbergasted by the desertion of his supposed teammates, Eric fell backwards into a chair, his shoulders sagging in defeat.

 

Gareth switched off the video feed, unable to bear the sight of such unprofessional behavior in his company. Sighing to himself, he swiveled back towards the window, rubbing his chin as one thought crossed his mind.

 

Information isn’t the only thing we’re lacking. With soldiers like these, it’s no wonder we’re losing battles against the Dark Chasers.

 

Gareth knew that if he wanted to stand a single chance against his enemies, he needed a unified army dedicated to a single cause. He needed a spark for change, a role model with a new mindset who could catalyze a massive revolution in his company’s operations. For now, he believed that Eric was the spark he needed.

 

Things may looks dim right now, Eric. But there’s no one who understands people the way you can. And there’s no one I can trust more than you.

 

Content with his musings, Gareth returned to analyzing the reports on his desk.

 

January 24, 3051 8:33 AM

 

Sandra felt an icy spurt of darkness coursing through her veins, numbing her senses and lacerating her soul with the prickling vehemence of a vicious scourge. She had always felt that something was amiss, but she never imagined that things were this bad. Just as quickly as her guardians had obtained their powers, they became engulfed by a corrupt black aura, a haunting malady which persisted and intensified with every moment that passed. Without a doubt, Eric and Gareth were afflicted by sinister thoughts and emotions, troublesome distractions that continuously shaved away at their patience and sensibility.

 

“So why don’t you do something about it?” she heard Gryp say from beside her.

 

“I cannot,” she muttered quietly. “There is nothing I can do for them.”

 

“Because you’re a priest?”

 

“Because I am me,” Sandra whimpered.

 

“What are you talking about?” the griffon spirit snorted. “You know more than anyone about the nature of Ingenian powers and the experiences of past guardians. You know exactly what they’re going through and how to help them. So why don’t you?”

 

“Why are you always asking me to do things that are impossible for me?”

 

“They’re not impossible for you to do,” Gryp said in a stern tone. “You have to do them. If not for the sake of your job, then for your people. And if not for them, then for the sake of the world!”

 

“Gryp please,” Sandra whined. “Not now.”

 

“What about Eric? Don’t you want to help Eric? Comfort him in his time of need?”

 

“Gryp!” Sandra shouted before bursting into tears. “I cannot do it! I am terrified! What if I fail? What if I push them away? What if it was my fault that they are feeling so distressed?”

 

“Sandra,” Gryp sighed. “You can’t keep doing this to yourself. You’re a lot stronger than you think you are. If you keep doing nothing because you’re scared of failure, then you’ll never achieve success.”

 

“Please,” she wept, “just leave me alone for a while.”

 

Breathing an audible sigh, the griffon spirit drifted away from Sandra’s resting chamber, leaving her to calm down from her state of teary distress.

 

January 28, 3051 12:49 PM

 

Huffing loudly as he ran down the alabaster halls of the D.T. headquarters building, Eric felt his heart beating rapidly from anxiety. Having been called to a briefing for his first mission, Eric hurried up the stairs in his desire to make a good impression, earn the trust of the other employees who looked down on him, and justify Gareth’s decision to make him a battle commander.

 

For the last few days that he’d been at the company, he’d felt dark emotions from nearly every employee he passed by, feelings which derived from fear, anger, boredom, and jealousy. Even without them saying so, he could tell from their auras that many despised him for his connection to Gareth, while others were apathetic towards him and the company as a whole. From the duels he had observed, Eric concluded that Gareth’s soldiers were indeed very skilled. However, he knew that they weren’t nearly strong enough to defeat the Dark Chasers. They were far too selfish, careless, and indignant.

 
With every new member he met, Eric wondered more and more how Gareth had managed to control these arrogant men. Knowing him, he probably forced them into submission, bribed them with superficial things like money, and wooed them with promises of glory. Then, he probably kept them under strict discipline with leaders like Aja and Dylan. Eric admitted that logically speaking, these tactics were probably extremely effective for establishing an organization and maintaining its forces. Unfortunately, he also began to observe the downsides of this method: disobedience, disloyalty, and disunity.
 
It was for this reason that Eric was running like a madman to answer his call to arms. He believed that in order to earn his colleagues’ acknowledgement and to inspire them to fight, he needed to perform his job seriously and diligently, guiding them as a beacon of light. He knew that threats and pretty words wouldn’t change anything; he had to lead by example. 
 
As he burst into the rendezvous room on the fifth floor, however, Eric was shocked to see that not even Gareth had arrived. Struggling to catch his breath, Eric slowly made his way to a nearby chair and collapsed on it.
 
What the hell? he thought to himself. I thought at least Gareth would come on time.
 
After several minutes of impatient waiting, Eric heard approaching footsteps, prompting him to raise his head and see Gareth walking to the far back corner of the room. Although his face was fierce and harsh as always, Eric saw a downcast look in his eyes, as well as a cloud of murky yellow in his aura.
 
“You look horrible,” Eric said provocatively.
 
“You don’t look so great yourself,” Gareth chuckled weakly as he leaned back against the wall.
 
“Whatever’s bothering you,” Eric commented, “it must be the same reason why you’re late.”
 
“Late, huh?” Gareth smirked. “I used to think so too.”
 
“What do you mean?”
 
“I used to come to these meetings on time,” he sighed, “but I’ve since learned that most soldiers never do.”
 
“You’re the boss,” Eric said, cocking an eyebrow. “Shouldn’t you try to enforce the rules?”
 
“With how lazy these soldiers are,” Gareth muttered, “it’s more productive to get some more work done instead of sitting here waiting for idiots who will always show up late.”
 
“I think I know where you’re coming from,” Eric sighed as he remembered his first meeting with his squad members.
 
“Changing egocentric idiots is a tall task.”
 
“Even for you?” Eric teased, recalling Gareth’s manipulation tactics.

 

“Especially for me,” he grinned in acknowledgment.

 

“This might sound kind of cheeky from someone who’s just joined,” Eric smiled, “but it’s too early to give up. Like you said before, everyone has some good in them.”

 

“Yeah,” Gareth nodded. “Let’s hope you’re right.”

 

As soon as the other members of the squad entered the room several minutes later, Gareth proceeded to begin the briefing. Pressing a button on a remote control, he projected an image of a tall apartment building on a large screen.

 

“Just recently,” he began, “we received a report detailing the activities of many suspicious characters around a certain neighborhood in Beluga City. Based on several witness accounts, we’ve triangulated their location to this residential building.”

 

“So you want us to bust in and beat the snot outta these bozos, right?” the shirtless Richard chuckled excitedly.

 

“No,” Gareth said firmly, glaring at him, “your only job is to investigate this building to confirm our suspicion that it is in fact a Dark Chaser hideout.”

 

“You said there were shady dudes hanging around, right?” Beverly spoke impertinently as she continued to tap away at her phone. “Well no duh they’re Dark Chasers.”

 

“Girly here’s right,” Richard grinned cheekily. “We oughta just break in and kick all their sorry asses.”

 

As rude and uncouth these two were in speaking out against their employer, what Eric found even more disturbing was the fact that the other two were sitting there without contributing any thoughts or opinions to the conversation. Roger slouched silently in his chair with his overgrown bangs covering his entire face, emitting a murky brown color from his aura. Meanwhile, the gray-aura'd Zachary seemed to focus all his attention on his nails, completely disinterested in the content of Gareth’s presentation. Eric still had no idea as to what these aura colors symbolized, but he knew they weren’t good in the slightest.

 

“You’ll do exactly as I instruct,” Gareth raised his voice. “Your mission is to scout the premises of this building without drawing any attention to yourself. Ascertain the number of Dark Chasers occupying the area and the person in charge.”

 

“Boo,” Richard whined, sticking out his tongue.

 

Turning to face Gareth, whose face wrinkled with a look of disdain, Eric could see a dark maroon color erupting from his aura.

 

Well, he smiled to himself, at least I know what that one means.

 

“You will leave immediately and report to me tomorrow morning at 8 AM sharp,” Gareth decreed. “On Commander Lambert’s command, move out!”

 

Eric turned his head as he felt a light hand on his shoulder.

 

“Good luck,” Gareth muttered.

 

With that, he walked out of the meeting room in long forceful strides.

 

Typical Gareth, Eric laughed mentally.

 

Taking a deep breath before facing the clearly irked squad he was placed in charge of, Eric gave his first order as a battle commander.

 

“Alright guys, let’s go.”

 

“Right now?” Richard complained. “He said we’ve got til tomorrow morning.”

 

“The more information we can get,” Eric said patiently, “the more easily we can take down that base. That means we have to go as soon as we can.”

 

“You obviously don’t get how this works,” Beverly prodded. “We don’t even have to go. All we gotta do is leave the building, pretend we did stuff, and make up a dumb report. Either way, we get paid.”

 

“T-that’s a joke, right?” Eric stuttered in disbelief.

 

The blank looks on his squad members’ faces gave him no hopeful indication.

 

My god, Eric thought nervously. These guys have got some real balls. How have they been getting away with this bullshit all this time?

 

“C-come on, guys,” Eric said, trying to give them encouragement. “If we do a good job, I’ll throw in a good word for you guys. Gareth might even raise your salaries.”

 

“Yeah right,” Beverly scoffed. “That stingy bastard Dylan Hewitt won’t give us s***.”

 

“And you thought we were telling bad jokes,” Richard snickered.

 

“I’ll treat you all afterwards?” Eric suggested, trying to give them an impetus.

 

“All that work and just for a shabby meal?” Beverly raised her lip. “I think I’ll pass.”

 

“I’m with her,” Richard snorted. “No way in hell am I gonna bore myself for the next twenty hours for some shitty food.”

 

“Fine,” Eric growled, his patience wearing thin. “What do you guys want?”

 

“To beat s*** up!” Richard shouted, flexing his muscles.

 

“I’m not going against Gareth’s orders,” Eric rebutted.

 

“I could use a new duel runner,” Beverly said in a straightforward manner. “And a new phone. And maybe some new earrings. Oh, and also-.”

 

“No,” Eric shot her down. “I can’t afford any of those things.”

 

Eric glanced at the other two who remained silent during this entire exchange for any hopeful sign, his shoulders sagging when they continued to ignore him.

 

“God damn it,” Eric grunted. “If you guys won’t cooperate, then I’ll go alone! I’ll do the mission and write the report myself! Don’t think I’m not going to mention how selfish all of you are being right now! Is that fine with you guys?”

 

“See ya,” Beverly waved, her eyes never leaving her phone.

 

Shaking his fists in furious agitation, Eric stormed out of the room in a similar fashion to Gareth with half a mind to give up on his team of indifferent egotistical morons.

 

Yup, he thought angrily to himself. I know exactly what you mean now, Gareth. I’m going to need all the luck in the world to manage these guys.

 

January 28, 3051 2:47 PM

 

“Move it,” Olivia commanded as she kicked her short and stocky informant forward.

 

“Shut up!” the man turned around and barked angrily. “I don’t even know why I’m being forced into doing this! I already told you what you wanted to know!”

 

“Remember who you’re talking to,” she growled, brandishing a knife. “The only reason you’re here is because I know bastards like you wouldn’t hesitate to give me false information. This way, if you’re lying to me, you’ll regret it in hell.”

 

“A-Alright,” he trembled, raising his hands as a gesture of surrender. “I get it. S-So just put that away, will you?”

 

Scoffing spitefully, Olivia sheathed her knife into her belt and walked after the middle-aged man, who perspired fiercely as he increased his pace. Along the way, she kept her eyes wandering around her surroundings, taking every precaution to protect herself from any traps this man could possibly spring on her.

 

They were in a suburban ghetto surrounded by shoddy houses, decrepit drug stores, and miserable cripples with the life in their eyes slowly growing dim. Under such circumstances, even the most courageous of individuals would find a lump in their throats, trembling from fear and insecurity. To Olivia, however, this was an all too familiar scene. The crumbling sidewalks, the spilled sewage, the stench of death, all of these brought back scorned memories from her time in the Orient.

 

Yet, despite her adverse feelings towards her childhood, Olivia’s experiences in the ghetto were probably her greatest asset in her career. Aside from the survival skills and combat prowess she had developed to protect herself, she had obtained something else, something metaphysical and humanly unfathomable. Something in her eyes reflected the agony and hopelessness felt by all those who had lived in a pit of despair, yet simultaneously retaining the will to fight and survive. It was an unexplainable attribute which transcended secular comprehension, a quality which commanded respect from everything mortal.

 

Everyone she passed by recognized the look in her eyes, the eyes of someone who had looked into the same abyss, yet managed to return from it. It wasn’t long before she stopped watching for danger. She knew that no one around her posed a threat any longer.

 

Minutes later, her corpulent informant stopped in front of what looked like an abandoned building. Judging from the among of dust and spider webs, Olivia deduced that no one had set foot in this building for many years. A chill ran down her spine as her instincts told her that something was horribly wrong.

 

“What the hell are you trying to pull?” she growled, turning towards her guide.

 

“I don’t understand,” he gasped. “T-This is definitely the address! I-I-!”

 

Before he could speak any further, a surge of flashing electricity shot through him, causing him to scream in torment and spasm wildly on the ground.

 

Another beam fired, striking her directly in the chest and sending her flying several meters backwards.

 

It penetrated my nullifier! she thought to herself. What kind of DED is this?

 

From the corner of her eye, Olivia saw a man in his thirties with brown gelled-back hair wearing a black suit approaching from within the abandoned building.

 

“W-why are you doing this?” the writhing informant whimpered. “I did what you said! I followed through with the plan! I-I-!”

 

“This was also part of the plan,” the suited man smirked.

 

Olivia watched in horror as he shot a relentless barrage of discharges at the already suffering informant, inducing howls of increasing hoarseness and volume which eventually faded into a haunting silence.

 

“You…bastard…,” she muttered, wincing from the stinging pain in her chest.

 

“Still not dead yet, huh?” the man grinned haughtily. “Looks like you’ve got some fight left in you.”

 

“You’ve got that right,” Olivia sneered.

 

Pressing a button, she dispersed the electricity afflicting her and charged at her attacker, thrusting her fist at his face. However, he seemed prepared, as he parried the punch and countered with a jab to the gut. After a small grunt, Olivia quickly recovered and launched an uppercut, which the man easily dodged once again. This time, he followed with a roundhouse to the head that she barely managed to block with both arms. Unfortunately, the force of the kick was enough to knock her off balance, enabling him to strike her stomach once again.

 

Realizing that her opponent was both stronger and faster, Olivia backed off, performing a series of backflips to distance herself.

 

“Not bad,” he complimented her. “But not good enough.”

 

“Don’t underestimate me,” Olivia shot back, huffing slightly.

 

Initiating her attack with another charge, she prepared a lethal finishing move which made use of the force behind her full weight and running start. Realizing the danger of taking the attack head on, the man swiveled sideways, causing Olivia to fly past him with her attack.

 

However, she was waiting for this moment. Grabbing the man’s arm to use as an anchor, she pulled herself around him, making use of her high force and velocity to overpower him. Completely caught off guard, the man shouted in pain as he was slammed against the ground and pinned in an inescapable arm bar.

 

“Who sent you?” Olivia barked in a threatening tone.

 

The man didn’t reply, only turning around with smile in an attempt to taunt her.

 

“I asked you a question!” Olivia snarled, pulling his arm and inciting a harrowing scream.

 

“I’m not going to tell you who they are,” the man panted.

 

“They?” she asked, pulling harder. “Who are they? Why did they send you to kill me?”

 

“You really don’t know anything, do you?” the man chuckled weakly.

 

“What are you talking about?” Olivia asked with a hint of concern in her voice.

 

“You have no idea who you’re dealing with,” he replied, his laughter intensifying to a degree of madness.

 

“Tell me!” Olivia shouted. “Who is it you’re working for?”

 

“If I tell you,” the man screeched, tears streaming from his shuddering eyes as his laugh slowly crumbled into a pitiful moan, “they’re going to kill me anyway, along with my family.”

 

Olivia’s eyes widened in shock as she beheld the sight of a once strong and confident man breaking down, weeping with tears of sorrow and anguish.

“Just hurry up and do your worst,” the man sniveled, his shoulders heaving vehemently.

 

Upon hearing these words, she felt the blood drain from her face as her heart raced with anxiety. If the people sent to kill her would rather die than betray their employers, she couldn’t imagine just how powerful these people must be. She began to realize that the ones she was looking for, the villains who were responsible for her mother’s death, sat in far higher and darker corners than she had imagined.

 

Truthfully, she was terrified. In her career, she had seen the worst of evils committed by those in the underground world, sadistic hyenas with no moral boundaries and no respect for any human virtue. Torture, extortion, murder, these men had no limits to their villainy. But the terror she saw in this man’s eyes wasn’t something any ordinary person could incur. It was something eerie and supernatural, something she knew would doom her to a fate of unparalleled torment if she made a single mistake. Despite her simmering urge to seek justice for her mother, Olivia dreaded the thought of just how far this trail of darkness descended, and how much suffering she would encounter if she followed it.

 

After pondering her options for a moment, Olivia took a deep breath and released the man.

 

“What are you doing?” he asked, his eyes wide with shock.

 

“I don’t want your life,” she replied softly.

 

“Don’t you get it?” the man shouted. “If you don’t kill me, I won’t stop until I kill you!”

 

“I know,” she said somberly. “But I’m not going to let it end like this.”

 

Pulling out her duel disk and pressing a button on it, a bright barrier formed around both her and the man.

 

“What is this?”

 

“This is a Duel Engager,” she explained. “It surrounds each of us in a magnetic barrier induced by the current generated from the potential difference in our duel energies. It can only be disabled when one of our duel energies disappears.”

 

“That means one of us has to die,” the man said, his brows furrowing. “Do you expect us to just sit here until one of us drops dead?”

 

“Each duel disk runs on a Dynasium battery that absorbs the user’s duel energy,” Olivia continued. “Many are built to limit the amount of duel energy that can be drawn by the battery for safety purposes, but this device overrides that safety mechanism.”

 

“I don’t get a thing you’re saying,” he growled. “Just get to the point!”

 

“The more duel energy a Dynasium battery absorbs, the higher the voltage. Past a certain point, the battery’s capacity will be overloaded with too high of a current, which will result in the release of a powerful electromagnetic pulse containing duel energy. Get the picture?”

 

“If you’re going to kill me anyway, why didn’t you do it earlier?”

 

“If one of us has to die,” she answered, “I’d rather do it by my own terms. This is a duel to the death, one where we can fight with honor and dignity. No torture. No murder.”

 

“I see,” the man frowned, wiping his tears. “One of us still has to die, but you don’t want to get your hands dirty.”

 

“I guess that’s one way to think of it,” Olivia nodded, activating her duel disk. “I hope you duel better than you fight.”

 

“Better not regret giving me this chance,” the man said dryly.

 

“Duel!” both shouted simultaneously.

 

“I’ll go first,” Olivia declared. “I summon Fragrant Tulip!”

 

A pink ballerina flower bloomed elegantly onto her field, waving its two petals in air to assume the fifth ballet movement.

 

[spoiler=Fragrant Tulip]

 

Level 3

EARTH/Plant

ATK 0 DEF 0

Effect-Once per turn, when this card is in attack position, you can inflict 600 points of damage to your opponent. During your End Phase, this card is changed to defense position.

 

 

“I activate Fragrant Tulip’s effect to deal you 600 damage!” Olivia announced.

 

Rotating in a graceful pirouette, the pink tulip unleashed a gust of petals at its opponent, who raised his arm in defense as they blew past him.

 

Olivia: 4000  ????: 3400

 

“Fragrant Tulip changes to Defense Mode at my End Phase,” Olivia explained. “I set 1 card. Turn end.”

 

“My turn,” the brown-haired man declared. “I summon Dusk Conscript.”

 

A muscular swordsman clad in a set of black armor descended on the field, unsheathing its large broadsword.

 

[spoiler=Dusk Conscript]

 

Level 4

DARK/Warrior

ATK-1800 DEF-300

Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, increase this monster’s ATK by 400 until the End Phase.

 

 

“My monster gains 400 ATK when it’s summoned,” he explained. “Dusk Conscript attacks Fragrant Tulip.”

 

“I activate my Trap card Season Shift,” Olivia countered. “I return Fragrant Tulip to my hand to Special Summon Fragrant Hydrangea from my deck!”

 

As the dark knight lunged at Olivia’s tulip, a cluster of vines rose from the ground, enshrouding the pink flower and replacing it with a different one: a long green stalk holding a pair of lavender petal shields. Mustering its strength to swing its sword at the plant, the warrior found itself knocked back by the recoil of its blow against the hydrangeas’ shields.

 

[spoiler=Season Shift]

 

Normal Trap

Return 1 Plant-type monster to your hand and Special Summon 1 Plant-type monster from your deck.

 

 

[spoiler=Fragrant Hydrangea]

 

Level 4

EARTH/Plant

ATK-0 DEF-2000

Effect: Once per turn, this card cannot be destroyed by battle.

 

 

“My monster can’t be destroyed once per turn,” Olivia explained.

 

“Not bad I guess,” the man praised her. “I set 3 cards. Turn end.”

 

“If I’m only ‘not bad,’” Olivia said as she drew a card, “then I guess I’ll have to do better. I summon Fragrant Tulip and burn you for another 600 damage!”

 

Blooming once more, the ballerina tulip unleashed another windy blast of petals at its opponent, leaving less than three quarters of his Life Points remaining.

 

Olivia: 4000 ????: 2800

 

“Fragrant Tulip switches to defense mode,” she continued. “I set 1 card. Turn end.”

 

“A stall and burn strategy, eh?” the suited man smirked. “Reminds me of someone I knew.”

 

“Oh?” Olivia teased. “Someone special?”

 

“Something like that,” he chuckled. “Like you, she preferred not to attack head, always hiding behind a wall of monsters. Sadly, being the kind and timid person she was, she cared more about protecting her monsters than herself, but she wasn’t too serious about dueling. Neither of us were.”

 

Olivia’s smile faded as she watched his eyelids lower.

 

“But things were different back then,” he said somberly. “I was naive.”

 

“What do you mean?” she asked with a slight hint of concern.

 

“I was careless to think that I could play with people’s lives and get away unscathed,” the man persisted. “I thought I could keep doing what I did and still lead a normal life. But I was wrong.”

 

A lump formed around Olivia’s throat as she saw her opponent’s eyes suddenly grow dark.

 

“Life isn’t so forgiving to those who are unprepared for it,” he muttered cynically. “I activate my Quick Spell Onset of Darkness, destroying your set card and dealing you 800 damage!”

 

Olivia watched in shock and discomfort as her protection Trap was ensnared by an ominous pool of black clouds and melted into a pile of thick sludge before exploding chunks of muck in each direction. (3200/2800)

 

[spoiler=Onset of Darkness]

 

Quick Play Spell

While you control a Dusk monster, you can destroy 1 Spell or Trap card on the field and inflict 800 points of damage to its controller.

 

 

“My turn,” the man announced with a grim scowl. “I summon the Tuner monster Dusk Monger.”

 

A black portal formed beside the man’s armored knight, revealing another muscular warrior draped in gray rags wielding a humongous steel axe.

 

[spoiler=Dusk Monger]

 

Level 4

DARK/Warrior

ATK-1800 DEF-200

Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, increase this card’s ATK by 400.

 

 

“My monster gains 400 until the end of my turn,” he explained. “But that’s not all. I activate my Trap card Midnight Onslaught, giving both my monsters 400 ATK and letting them attack twice this turn.”

 

Olivia gritted her teeth in anxiety as she watched the two burly warriors in front of her unleash an sinister black aura and howl threateningly into the air.

 

[spoiler=Midnight Onslaught]

 

Normal Trap

All Dusk Monsters you control gain 400 ATK and can attack twice until the End Phase of this turn.

 

 

“Dusk Conscript attacks Fragrant Hydrangea twice,” the man commanded without hesitation.

 

Raising its shields, the purple flower monster successfully defended against the heavy impact of the swordsman’s blade. However, the second attack broke through, shattering the plant’s defenses and making a clean cut through its stem.

 

“Dusk Monger attacks Fragrant Tulip,” he continued, ignoring his opponent’s worried expression.

 

Without the slightest bit of mercy, the axe-wielding warrior swung its weapon at the pink ballerina, who shrieked miserably as it was utterly decimated, petals and all.

 

“Now,” the man muttered, “direct attack.”

 

Roaring ferociously, the ragged warrior leaned back with all its might and threw its axe, which flew straight through Olivia and incited a torturous scream from her.

 

Olivia: 600  ????: 2800

 

“I’m tuning level 4 Dusk Conscript with level 4 Dusk Monger,” he continued without missing a beat. “Dark shadows envelope the world’s light of hypocrisy. Rise forth from the injustices of glorified sinners. Synchro Summon! Stand strong, Fortress of Angelic Sanctity!”

 

The two dark warriors dissolved into black particles and rose into the air, forming a cluster of foreboding storm clouds which churned in convulsing snake-like patterns. After a few moments, a black hole emerged in the center of the murky cloud assemblage and released a flashing burst of light which illuminated the overcast sky. With the slow and gentle grace of a seraph, a lustrous mass of stone and metal descended from the shining orifice, its massive walls shimmering under the gleam of holy light.

 

[spoiler=Fortress of Angelic Sanctity]

 

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuners

Level 8

LIGHT/Rock

ATK-0 DEF-3000

Effect: During the End Phase of your opponent’s turn, destroy 1 card on your opponent’s field. During your End Phase, inflict 1000 points of damage to your opponent.

 

 

As Olivia laid her eyes on this gleaming bastille, she became entranced by its placid beauty, a delicacy that was characteristic of a truly pastoral spirit. The more she looked at it, the deeper she fell into its alluring spell, and the more she became aware of an inherent contradiction.

 

This monster, she thought to herself, it doesn’t feel like something this man would play. His bitterness, his anger, none of these feelings reside within this tranquil monster. If it’s not his monster, then maybe-.

 

“Don’t tell me…,” Olivia gasped as she realized the truth.

 

“That’s right,” the man replied softly. “This was my wife’s favorite card. Before she was taken from me.”

 

“Taken?” Olivia asked, a chill running down her spine.

 

“The men I work for heard about me and requested my services,” he explained. “I knew there was something dangerous about them, so I didn’t comply with their demands.”

 

“They killed your wife…,” she whispered, lowering her eyelids as her heart bled with sympathy.

 

“And now they’re threatening my daughter,” the man said gloomily before raising his eyes in cold determination. “That’s why I can’t afford to be half-assed about anything I do. That’s why I can’t afford to lose this duel.”

 

Olivia dropped her head and remained silent as she once again came to the realization that no matter who won this duel, no one would truly win. Both of them had far too much to lose.

 

Why? Why do things have to be this way?

 

“At the end of my turn,” the man declared firmly. “ Fortress deals you 1000 damage. I’m sorry it had to end like this.”

 

A cylindrical contraption protruded from the bastille’s walls, collecting bits of energy for a second before unleashing a tremendous burst of scintillating light energy at Olivia, who shrieked as she was struck and caught in a thunderous explosion.

 

The man sighed of relief and proceeded to turn off his duel disk before realizing that the electromagnetic barrier surrounding him had not been lifted. Raising his head in shock, the man furrowed his brows when he saw his opponent still standing behind a layer of dissipating dust clouds, flustered but very much alive. In front of her was a slender plant with oval leaves as arms, a flowing green dress as a stem, and a pink multi-layered blossom as a sun hat. (600/2800)

 

“When my opponent activates an effect or declares an attack,” Olivia explained, “I can Special Summon Fragrant Peony and increase my Life Points by 1000.”

 

[spoiler=Fragrant Peony]

 

Level 4

EARTH/Plant

ATK-300 DEF-600

Effect: When your opponent activates an effect or declares an attack, you can Special Summon this card and increase your Life Points by 1000.

 

 

“Looks like you don’t know when to give up,” the man muttered.

 

“I can commiserate with everything you’ve been through,” Olivia replied, “but you’re not the only one who has something to fight for. I can’t afford to lose this duel either.”

 

“No,” he frowned. “I guess not.”

 

“My turn!” Olivia declared, swinging her arm in a wide arc as she drew. “I activate my Equip Spell Thorn Barrier, protecting my monster from destruction once.”

 

A collection of sharp vines slithered from underground, wrapping themselves around the delicate peony to form a cage of thorns.

 

[spoiler=Thorn Barrier]

 

Equip Spell

You can only equip this card to a Plant-type monster. Once per turn, when the equipped monster would be destroyed, you can destroy this card instead and inflict 800 points of damage to your opponent.

 

 

“Next,” she continued, “I activate my Spell card Poison Burst! I destroy 1 monster on each side of the field. However, Thorn Barrier is destroyed instead of my monster and you take 1000 damage!”

 

“Good,” the man said with a scowl, “but not good enough! I activate my Trap card Repel Shock! I negate the effect of Poison Burst and deal you 500 damage!”

 

A large cerulean bulb rose from the ground, pulsating violently before exploding and releasing toxic sludge in every direction. However, a transparent shield appeared in front of the silver fortress, shielding it and reflecting the acid back at Olivia, who gritted her teeth as she watched her Life Points fall to a critical level.

 

Olivia: 100 ????: 2800

 

[spoiler=Poison Burst]

 

Normal Spell

While you control a Plant-type monster, target 1 card on each player’s field and destroy them.

 

 

[spoiler=Repel Shock]

 

Normal Trap

When your opponent activates an effect that would destroy one of your monsters, negate and destroy that card and inflict 500 points of damage to your opponent.

 

 

I should’ve known, Olivia frowned. This man would go to any lengths to protect the things dearest to him. This monster is a momento of his wife. It’s the last thing he’d let die.

 

“I set 2 cards,” she announced. “Turn end.”

 

“I activate my Quick Spell Shadow Talons,” the man asserted. “I remove my two Dusk monsters from play to destroy your 2 set cards!”

 

Olivia’s heart skipped a beat as two skeletal hands rose from the ground, crushing the last lines of her defense and dragging them mercilessly into the ground.

 

[spoiler=Shadow Talons]

 

Quick Play Spell

Remove from play 2 Dusk monsters from your Graveyard. Destroy 2 set Spell or Trap cards on the field.

 

 

“At your End Phase,” he continued, “Fortress will destroy your Fragrant Peony.”

 

“Thorn Barrier will prevent its destruction and deal you 1000 damage!” Olivia shouted with a tone of chagrin.

 

The silver barricade unleashed another gigantic beam of light, incinerating the pink flower’s shield. Even when thorns scattered in the man’s direction and grazed past him, he paid them no heed and continued to glare at his opponent with determined eyes.

 

Olivia: 100 ????: 1800

 

“I set 2 cards,” the man said immediately after drawing. “At my End Phase, you take 1000 damage.”

 

“From my Graveyard,” Olivia shouted, “I activate my Trap card Miracle Oasis! When I control a Plant monster, I can remove it from play to increase my Life Points by 1000 and draw 1 card!”

 

A glistening stream of water coursed around Olivia and recovered her Life Points before she was struck with another vicious burst of energy, leaving her hanging by a thread.

 

Olivia: 100 ????: 1800

 

[spoiler=Miracle Oasis]

 

Normal Trap

When a Plant-type monster is attacked by your opponent’s monster, negate the attack. During either player’s turn, while you control a Plant-type monster, you can remove this card in your Graveyard from play to increase your Life Points by 1000 and draw 1 card.

 

 

“Stop this futile resistance,” the man said sardonically. “The sooner you give up, the less pain you’ll have to endure.”

 

“You know,” Olivia replied softly, “I’ve been living my whole life trying to avoid pain. I didn’t realize how selfish I had been, hurting others just to preserve my own sense of security.”

 

“That’s life,” he growled. “It’s either you hurt others or others hurt you. There’s no one who will let you have your way without paying a price.”

 

“Maybe you’re right,” she frowned. “Maybe there’s no way that people can actually avoid inflicting pain on each other. Maybe the only way to survive in this world is to take a more assertive role. Maybe sitting back and hoping nothing bad will happen to you is a fool’s dream.”

 

“Yeah,” the man grimaced. “It took me too long to realize the truth. But that’s why I won’t lose this duel. That’s why I won’t ever lose anything ever again.”

 

“I don’t completely agree with your mentality though,” Olivia said. “Someone taught me that feelings of bitterness and rage aren’t what make a person strong. It’s the courage to overcome those feelings and use them to try to make a difference in the world.”

 

“Bullshit,” he grunted.

 

“I used to think so too,” she murmured. “But lately, I can’t seem to get that person’s words out of my mind. And now, I want to try believing in something again, something I’ve abandoned a long time ago.”

 

“And what’s that?” the man asked, furrowing his brows.

 

Closing her eyes, Olivia drew the top card of her deck and raised it to her eye level. When she opened them once more, her eyes glistened as a gentle smile formed across her face.

 

“Hope.”

 

Before she even played a single card, the man took a step back in fear, sensing the presence of something powerful and earth-shattering.

 

“I summon the Tuner monster Fragrant Iris!” Olivia declared.

 

Blooming from a long green stalk, a set of blue violet petals swelled and descended to form the flaps of a long dress. Then, three more petals rose from the bud, forming the head and raised arms of a gracious opera singer.

 

[spoiler=Fragrant Iris]

 

Level 4

EARTH/Plant

ATK-0 DEF-1400

Effect: When this card is Special Summoned, increase your Life Points by 1000.

 

 

“I’m tuning level 4 Fragrant Peony with level 4 Fragrant Iris!” Olivia announced. “Perennial petals dance along the resilient wind. Give bloom to the heiress of nature’s grace! Synchro Summon! Rise forth, Terra Force Dragon!”

 

Olivia’s two plants burrowed into the ground, leaving trails on the earth as they closed in on each other. Merging together, they created a thunderous roar as a gargantuan mound of rock surfaced, churning and rumbling slowly as the stones which comprised the boulder grinded against one another. Suddenly, the gravel exploded into pieces of flying rubble, revealing the slender, cream-colored Nature Dragon of Earth. Howling vociferously, the brown-crested dragon bared its salient fangs at its opponent. The immense amount of pressure emitted by this menacing creature was apparent in the man’s petrified expression.

 

[spoiler=Terra Force Dragon]

 

1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuners

Level 8

EARTH/Dragon

ATK 2500 DEF 2000

Effect-Once per turn, you can destroy all Spell and Trap cards on the field and increase your Life Points by 500 for each card destroyed. During your opponent’s turn, you can tribute this card to negate all damage you receive until the End Phase of that turn.

 

 

“I activate Terra Force Dragon’s effect!” Olivia shouted. “All your Spells and Traps are destroyed, and I gain 500 Life Points for each!”

 

“I activate my Trap card Umbral Mist!” the man reacted. “My monsters can’t be destroyed by battle or by effect this turn and I take no damage from battles involving them!”

 

The sandy scaled behemoth raised its claws and slammed them into the ground, creating a massive shockwave that resonated with and shattered the man’s set cards. However, one of them managed to resolve, releasing a cloud of smoky black ash on his side of the field and masking the location of his monster.

 

Olivia: 1100 ????: 1800

 

[spoiler=Umbral Mist]

 

Normal Trap

Until the End Phase of this turn, monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effect, and you take no damage from battles involving those monsters.

 

 

“You got lucky by summoning that monster,” the man growled, “but it’s going to take a lot more than that to beat me. At the end of your turn, Fortress will destroy your dragon and you’ll have nothing left to protect you. Not only that, but Umbral Mist will protect my monster from anything you have up your sleeve. Admit it. You’ve lost.”

 

“I think I finally understand you’re coming from,” Olivia said, closing her eyes. “You try so hard to protect your monsters because you feel guilty for not being able to save your wife. You want to don’t want any harm to come to your daughter. That’s why you continue to work for them. That’s why you continue to fight.”

 

“That’s right,” the man replied. “I can’t lose anyone I love. Never again.”

 

“Fate really loves to spit in the face of good people, doesn’t it?” she muttered weakly, tears streaming from her eyes.

 

“You mean-?” he gasped, his eyes widening in shock.

 

“Yeah,” Olivia nodded as she wiped her face. “Tectonic Burst. My monster can attack directly.”

 

Gritting his teeth as tears emerged from his eyes as well, the man fell to his knees, the blood draining from his face as he stared blankly at the night sky. Unable to bear the sight of his suffering, Olivia turned away from him, her breath becoming shaky as her chest heaved with pity.

 

[spoiler=Tectonic Burst]

 

Normal Spell

Target 1 Earth attribute monster you control. That monster can attack your opponent directly this turn.

 

 

“Why?” she asked dejectedly. “Why does it have to be like this?”

 

“I’ve said it before,” the man whispered with defeated eyes. “Life isn’t forgiving to anyone who isn’t prepared to live and let die. This time, it just so happened to be me.”

 

“But this isn’t fair!” she shouted angrily. “You’re not a bad person! So why do you have to go through so much pain? Why does your daughter have to live without a father?”

 

“We both knew what was at stake when we started this duel,” he said bitterly. “We both had everything to lose. And now the deal’s done. I’ve lost.”

 

“I just can’t accept it!” Olivia screamed. “I don’t want things to end like this!”

 

“Well too bad!” the man shouted back. “This is life and it isn’t pretty! Not everyone can have a happy ending! If you really want to show me pity, you should just hurry up and spare me the embarrassment of earning your sympathy!”

 

“No!” she bawled. “I can’t!”

 

“Yes you can!” the man glared. “And you will. If you have something you need to do that you’d risk your life for, then you should be prepared to step over as many corpses as you need to. If you’re this half-assed, you’ll never reach your goal. If you’re too scared to follow through with what you started, then end your turn and let me put you out of your misery.”

 

“I…,” she whispered, gradually calming down.

 

“Everybody has their story,” he explained. “Mine is over and yours continues. I can only pray that yours lasts a little longer than mine. Now please do me a favor and end this quickly!”

 

Both remained silent as the weight of the atmosphere lifted and Olivia thought about the man’s words. She knew that she couldn’t die now. She had too many things to do. She wanted to seek justice for her parents. She wanted to stop this wicked organization from hurting any more people. She wanted to change this god forsaken world that brought so much pain and suffering to those who didn’t deserve it.

 

“You’re right,” Olivia said softly as she sniffled and wiped her last tear. “I have an important mission. My story can’t end here.”

 

Lowering his head, the man resigned himself to his death.

 

“But I won’t let yours end either.”

 

“What do you mean?” he asked, raising his head once more.

 

“I won’t let fate have the last word in this,” she grimaced. “I’ll find your daughter and save her from whoever’s behind this. I’ll shut down their whole operation. I’ll make all of them pay. Then, you and your wife can rest in peace. This I promise you.”

 

The man’s widened eyes slowly closed as a weak grin of bittersweet content appeared on his face.

 

“Thank you.”

 

He’s absolutely right, Olivia thought to herself. Crying about how unfair this is won’t solve anything. If I want anything to change, I have to be ready to face more pain and ugliness. There are many others like him out there who are suffering at the hands of these bastards. I can’t be afraid. I have to do whatever is necessary to make sure no one else has to go through this ever again.

 

“Terra Force Dragon,” she declared, “direct attack! Terra Firma Collision!”

 

Spreading its wings and taking flight, the sand-colored dragon howled in the air before descending straight down at its opponent, striking him with a catastrophic amount of force which generated a tremendous explosion of dust. After everything cleared moments later, Olivia’s barrier disappeared and all that remained was the corpse of a poor man who had suffered a cruel fate.

 

Olivia: 1100 ????: 0

 

Olivia slowly approached him and gazed upon his face, which wore a peaceful expression and a fragile smile. The more she looked at his lifeless body, the more her fists shook with an insatiable fury and hatred for those responsible for this tragedy.

 

I swear to god, I will find the bastards who did this. I’ll make sure they won’t lay a finger on your daughter. And I’ll make them all pay.

 

Kneeling down to take a closer look, Olivia noticed a sheet of paper in the man’s hands. Curious, she pulled it from his fingers, unfolded it, and soon realized that it contained the man’s instructions for this particular job.

 

“Josh Kinion,” she whispered somberly to herself, “you have my complete and utter respect.”

 

Standing back up, Olivia walked down the desolate streets with cold eyes of rage and began making her way to her next destination: Vellian City.

 

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Thanks, Dude! I've actually never heard of Wattpad before, but after seeing it, I think I'll give it a try. I've actually been posting this story on fanfiction.net but I've found that the inflexible formatting and the readers of that site aren't the most preferable. Maybe I'll have better luck on Wattpad.

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