Yu-Gi-Oh! Soul of Silicon

[Dark Sage]

Hello. It's Tuesday, February 26th, and it's 39 degrees.

Welcome to my latest, and final fanfic.

I know I wasn’t going to start this until April, but the preparation is all done, and I’ll get too far ahead of myself if I wait another month.

Some words:

This fic follows the rules of the TCG and OCG to the letter, with the exception that some cards which are illegal in today’s game are legal in this world. The most broken cards are still illegal. (For instance, Pot of Greed is legal. Raigeki is not.)

Second, the Spell Card which players in the anime use to allow each player to draw until their hands consist of six cards will be referred to as “Coins from Heaven” (which is actually the Japanese name for “Card of Sanctity”) From now on, Card of Sanctity will have its true effect, if I ever need to use it. Keep in mind that I’ll try my hardest not to use this card at all unless I must. That card has always been a cop-out.

This fic will use American names in most cases. I emphasize the word most. If I feel that the translation truly went too far and gave a card a name that robbed it of its dignity (the Destiny Heroes are an example of this), I’ll use the Japanese name. Most of the time, however, I’ll use American names, due to the fact that I am American.

As always, when I use an OCG-only card, an anime-only card, or a card of my own design, the vital stats for it will appear at the end of the chapter, along with notes as to where it originally appeared.

With that in mind, I would like to make a statement, if I may. If I use an anime-only card, and you find a source that says I got the effect wrong, especially if the source in question happens to be Yu-Gi-Oh Wikia, please keep your information to yourself, because my source is most likely better. Wikia is not a very reliable source. Wikia does not actually read the Japanese text on the cards in the original version, as my source does. I will not even bother responding to people who believe I got effects wrong due to what Wikia says.

One other thing. I’ve decided to put a stop to my practice of using card images. I realize that the screen takes a long time to load for some people because of this, and they were unnecessary anyway.

This fic is a sequel to “Yu-Gi-Oh! The Legend of the Sorcerer Kings”. That story took place in July of 2053. This one takes place two months later, in September of the same year.

Also, this fic was partially inspired by the original anime’s Virtual Nightmare arc and partially by Code Lyoko (a cartoon that can’t rightfully be called an anime, since it is produced in Europe, but was made in the tradition of one). Fans of that show will see references that will seem familiar. A very important name in this story borrows a name from “Garage Kids”, that show’s trailer. (No, this is not a crossover, if that’s what you are thinking. I simply was inspired.)

The action of this story mostly takes place in a realm that is reachable only from Domino City. A few chapters actually take place in Domino itself. Thus, the characters, whether native to Japan or not, are speaking Japanese unless otherwise noted.

One final thing. I do not own any rights to the Yu-Gi-Oh! TGC, OCG, anime, or Manga, which are registered trademarks of Konami. I am an independent author not affiliated with Konami, and am not an employee or representative of them.

All I can say at this point is, please Read and Review.

So… It begins…



The beginning of the following story was discovered in a musty old tome in the libraries belonging to the Pharaoh Atemu, shortly after he ordered his sages to search its volumes, after his alchemist attempted to take the life of a favored slave.

The rest was recently added:

In the beginning, and even before, before the birth of mortals, the terms Good and Evil were not yet defined. The opposing forces that defined the universe were Law and Chaos.

From the Chaos in which the universe was created came the demons, the living embodiments of Chaos. Hideous beings of pure madness, they were terrible, ravenous creatures.

The Archlords, divine beings who acted as intermediaries between the Almighty and the rest of Heaven, saw the demons as threats to their grand plan, their plan to create mortal life, and bring the universe to a perfect state. So they formed an army of Law to oppose the hordes of Chaos.

At the head of this great Army of Law was the mighty seraphim who would one day be known as Lucifer. His true name is forgotten, as it was eventually purged from the records of Heaven. In better times, he was one of the strongest, wisest, and most beautiful angels in the celestial realms, with eight glorious wings and skin of pure gold. His voice was a dictum that no lesser being could ignore.

Along with other dedicated generals, such as Dispater, Mephistopheles, and others whose names are lost to antiquity, he bravely marched into battle against the demonic army, showing no quarter and expecting none in return. Time and again, the armies of Chaos fell under his mighty sword, and were sent fleeing back to the Abyss.

But these battles slowly started to take their toll…

The demons kept advancing, suggesting that their numbers were infinite. Lucifer and his army suffered wounds with each battle, and each one slowly started to poison them with a strange essence that they had not experienced before. It was not Chaos. Chaos had no way of infecting one so dedicated to Law. This strange toxin that Lucifer and his army was succumbing to was something else entirely.

Eventually, Lucifer became violent and fearsome, a strange reflection of the enemies he was fighting. Anger started to cloud his judgment in the heat of battle, and his flawless form became marred.

Finally, the great general decided that he would rather rule than serve. He rebelled against Heaven, and a war erupted on its sanctified fields.

Lucifer’s army and the defenders of the divine realm clashed. And Lucifer was defeated. The Archlords were forced to admit to a truth that they had suspected for a long time: Law and Chaos were not the only defining forces in the universe. Good and Evil were natural forces as well. The demons were beings not just of Chaos, but of Evil. And the prolonged exposure had created Evil in Law.

Having no choice, they banished the rebellious angels to an uninhabited realm that was then called Baator. Ages later, mortals would refer to it as Hell. There, Lucifer would increase the ranks of his fallen army by seducing mortals to the side of Evil that he was now as much a cause of as the demons.

In order to cope, Heaven formed new armies. They experimented with allies from the Elemental Planes, creatures whom were experts at survival and adapting. Using recruits, they formed new soldiers of Law. These elemental warriors, who formed groups like the powerful Wind Dukes of Aaqa, could safely battle the demons without succumbing to the Evil venom that had befouled Lucifer and his men, as they could quickly develop a spiritual vaccine to the foul energies of the Abyss.

As Lucifer’s power grew in Hell, so did his ambitions. He was now an enemy of Heaven, but even more so, he was still an enemy of the Abyss. As armies of devils began to form, the new Lord of Hell put Heaven secondary, and set about defeating the fiends of Chaos first. The Blood War began, a war of genocide… Evil against Evil…

The Blood War has predated the birth of the first mortal… Some say it will last until after the last one breathes his final breath…

But deep in a foreboding layer of the Abyss, one ancient demon has other plans…

His followers are few, but his might is great. If the Great Helm can be constructed and used at a certain aligning of the stars, he can enact the Grand Rebirth, a terrible ritual that will revert the universe back to the Chaos that it once was, and make it again as one where Law does not exist. The Blood War would end, and Chaos would be victorious…

But there is a flaw in his plan…

A prophesy states that when this happens, he will be opposed by a young mortal woman, with fair skin and golden hair.

He identified his foe long ago… After his first attempt to capture her soul failed, he kept careful track of her, every time she died and her life started again… He knew that she would be given a new life until the time came for their battle…

His second attempt at capture failed…

But in this universe, things often come in threes…

Now, there is a curiosity about the Blood War. Most sages believe that the demons are infinite in number, seeing as Chaos spawns more of them with each passing second. The devils, who follow strict laws, are certainly finite in number. And yet, the demons have not won the war after eons of trying. One would think then, that their incompetence is also infinite.

Well, many demons are incompetent, if not mindless, but some are incredibly clever…

And when the times change, they change along with the times…

Chaotic doesn’t mean stupid.

Yu-Gi-Oh!


Soul of Silicon

A fanfic by Brian “Dark Sage” Corvello

Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
I'm unbeatable!
Walking down this road of life,
My Disk and my friends beside me,
Never give in, we'll never rest…
Heading for the ultimate test!
From the earth, the land, the sea, and sky,
Every challenge that comes, we’ll get by!

Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
I'm unbeatable!
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
I'm undefeatable!

It began in dark of the ancient past,
We can be sure that it will last!

Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
I'm unbeatable!
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
I'm undefeatable!
You think you're tough,
But soon you'll see,
You have to be tougher to beat me!

I'm undefeatable!

He once was living deep inside me,
Once he was there to guide me,
He was in my heart and in my soul,
He pointed me to my ultimate goal.
Before he left, he knew not what would be…
But he did say,
He did have trust in me.

Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
I'm unbeatable!
Yu-Gi-Oh!

Yeah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
I'm undefeatable!

Every move
You attack and choose,
I’ll take you on and I won’t lose!

Yeah-ah-ah!
I'm unbeatable!

Prologue

Thunder rumbled over Domino City. Rain came down in sheets.

It was Saturday, September 13th.

Actually, that would only be the case for one more hour, since it was eleven PM.

It was just over two months since Yumi Mouto’s victory in Duelatopia, and the Pharaoh’s departure.

Most folks were asleep, trying to find warmth from the dreary weather, but in the high-tech computer lab in KaibaCorp’s subbasement, the host of that tournament was hard at work.

She sat at a screen, looking at what appeared to be a landscape. She studied it intensely, looking at a Renaissance village with a palace on a hill.

As she typed, five Duel Monster cards were superimposed over the screen: Dark Magician Girl, Crescent Moon Queen, Vampire Genesis, Dark Ruler Ha Des, and Toy Emperor.

“Coffee,” she said to a woman on the other side of the room.

“Look at you, Ms. Arachne,” said the aide, coming up to her. “You should take a break. You have bags under the bags under the bags under your eyes!”

“And I’ll get bags under them too if I have to!” shouted Sheena, taking the coffee. “The last dry run is almost complete… Soon we’ll be ready to test KaibaCorp’s grandest project with real people…”

The aide sighed.

“I swear,” she said. “I’ve been your assistant for as long as I can remember… You’re the CEO of this company, and yet you work late more than any other employee. I can’t remember the last time you took a vacation.”

“If I took a vacation, I’d only be bored,” mumbled Sheena. “Bored and worried about how this place was doing without me.”

She leaned back on her chair.

“Noriko,” she said. “Question… How is KaibaCorp different than Disney?”

“Uhm…” replied Noriko. “One is a movie studio, and one is a gaming company?”

Sheena nodded. She sipped the coffee. It tasted terrible, but at least it had caffeine.

“True,” she said. “But they have more in common than one might think.

“Both are companies that are worth billions. Both deal with entertainment…

“And both companies run a chain of theme parks worldwide.

“Unfortunately, ever since the first Kaibaland opened, we’ve been second to the Happiest Place on Earth… Despite the fact that we’re not as pricy.

“But not for long…

“I know Disney’s plans. They’re planning to build a new ride in Anaheim called Space Mountain – Light Speed. The greatest roller coaster in the world, for those with a sense of adventure and a strong stomach – and willingness to wait in line for hours, most likely. Disneyland was built on a strange principle… Tearing down California’s real mountains, building fake ones, and charging admission to see them.”

She chuckled.

“Once duelists around the world learn what the newest attraction will be at each and every Kaibaland, they’ll consider Disney’s new ride just another roller coaster…

“Even better… With my attraction, unlike Space Mountain, the lines will move very quickly…”

A message beeped on her screen.

“What the heck?” she said. “Are we logged on to the internet?”

A question appeared on the screen.

What has four wheels and flies?

“Is someone trying to hack into my system?” shouted Sheena. “Who would dare…”

She started to input the security code, but before she finished, the message vanished.

“Noriko, scan the whole system for intrusions!” ordered Sheena.

“On it, boss,” said Noriko.

“We’re on the verge of the greatest contribution to dueling since the invention of the Disk,” said Sheena. “There will be no-one to stop us this time!”

* * * * * * * * * *

Two hours later.

Yumi Mouto was dreaming…

She dreamed she was dressed in futuristic armor that was covered with circuitry. And she was driving a vehicle resembling a cross between a motorcycle and a golf cart at high-speed across a landscape that looked like a digital grid…

…and two similar vehicles were hot on her tail.

She changed gears, and shot ahead. She was about to lose them…

Then she saw that another enemy was heading straight for her. She was about to crash…

She woke up with a gasp.

She held her chest. She sighed and got up.

“Note to self…” she thought, “never watch Tron right before going to bed…”

She walked into the kitchen and opened the door to the refrigerator.

“That is the last time I let Ren pick the movie…”

She poured a glass of milk.

“Evil computer programs threatening the world… As if my family doesn’t already get enough of that…”

She looked in the mirror in her room.

She had changed since Duelatopia. She had lost the fat she had put on from the vacation, and had put on some muscle after using the local gymnasium and switching to a better diet. She figured that when the time finally came to face Shogarr, as the prophecy said she would, she’d best be in top physical condition.

Her hairstyle had changed too. Her long hair was now tied in a long braid, worn down her back in a ponytail.

She sighed.

She looked at her Duel Disk on the bureau, along with her deck of cards.

It had changed a little, and she had learned to duel alone, something she needed to do now that he was gone. She hoped he had finally found peace…

She was now worried about the future. Unus had been defeated, but Shogarr was still watching, most likely. The prophesy stated that she would oppose him when his plan of Armageddon was initiated. He was determined that his plan would go off without a hitch, and had made two attempts to capture her soul – one in this life, and one in a previous life.

Yumi had a sinking feeling that he wouldn’t give up…

* * * * * * * * * *

Ten AM the next morning.

The rain continued to pour. It was a good day to stay inside.

In Yumi’s room, Princess Peach walloped Yoshi with a tennis racket. Yumi grinned and Chelsea frowned.

Most of the money that Yumi had won in the Duelatopia tournament had been put in a trust fund. But her parents had allowed her to use some of it, within reason. She had recently spent some of it on a special modem for her Nintendo Quasar that allowed access to the Nintendo Classics Downloads on the internet.

“So, Yumi…” muttered Chelsea, working at the controls. “Just how many games can you get with this thing?”

“Hundreds,” replied Yumi. “Anything from Gamecube to the previous system. Super Smash Bros Brawl is just a sample.”

Peach butt-slammed Yoshi, knocking him down.

“Ha, ha!” laughed Yumi. “What every good warrior needs is a decent set of buttocks.”

“Oh yeah?” said Chelsea. “Well, Peach’s big behind gives her a big disadvantage… The bigger it is, the easier it is to kick!”

* * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, Ren and his little sister Connie were watching television.

KaibaCorp TV was showing footage of Kaibaland, were a duel was about to begin. One of the duelists was a typical male teenager. The other was a teenager girl who was clearly Native American from the look of her features.

“She’s beautiful,” said Connie.

Strange… thought Ren. I never saw her at Kaibaland before…

“So… Sahkyo, was it?” said the male duelist. “It seems a crime to muss up something so pretty…”

The Disks activated and they drew their first hands.

“Don’t be so sure,” said Sahkyo. “I predict this duel will end before I reach my second turn.”

“How?” asked her opponent. “You’re going first, and you can’t attack on your first turn.”

“You’ll see,” said Sahkyo, quietly, making her first draw.

She played three cards.

“I play a facedown card, a Monster in Defense Mode, and the Field Spell, Canyon.”

Two facedown cards appeared, one vertical and one horizontal, and then the whole room changed. Kaibaland faded away, and the slopes of the Grand Canyon rose around the two duelists.

“I end my turn.”

Then watch out!” said her opponent.

He drew, and then played a card.

“I summon Gene-Warped Warwolf,” he said.

He played a card, and the four-armed Beast-Warrior appeared with a roar. (2,000/100)

“Next,” he said. “I play the Spell Card, Ancient Rules. Now I get to Special Summon a high-level Normal Monster. Like my Frostosaurus!”

With a roar, a huge Dinosaur made entirely of ice appeared, looming behind him. (2,600/1,700)

“You think that’s big? It’ll be small compared to what I’ve got next. I play a second Ancient Rules to summon Gogiga Gagagigo!”

He played the card, and another huge Monster appeared. It suggested Godzilla with scaly, dull, red skin, and sharp horns jutting from each joint, towering twenty feet high. (2,950/2,800)

“Oh, she’s done for…” said Ren.

“I know what your Field Spell does, by the way,” said the duelist. “If I attack a Rock Monster in Defense Mode, and I can’t beat its Defense, the damage I take is doubled…

“But seriously… No Monster you could have set with no sacrifice could have a stronger Defense than 2,600!

“Frostosaurus… Attack with glacial rampage!”

Frostosaurus roared, and prepared to attack…

Stone Statue of the Aztecs appeared on the facedown card. (300/2,000)

“Not even close!” laughed the duelist.

“Activate Trap,” said Sahkyo, quietly. “Fairy Box.”

Her facedown card lifted, and a loony contraption that looked like a whack-a-mole appeared next to her.

“Listen closely,” she said, holding up a coin. “I toss this coin and call it. If I call it right, your Frostosaurus’s Attack Score falls to zero.”

“WHAT?” shouted the duelist. “But… I’d lose… 4,000 Life Points!”

“No…” said Sahkyo. “You’d lose 8,000. The damage is doubled by my Field Spell, and doubled again by my Monster’s effect.

“Heads.”

She tossed the coin. Everyone gasped as the camera zoomed in on it.

The coin fell the ground and spun. It came to a rest…

It was heads.

Frostosaurus’s attack hit the Statue, and the duelist screamed as the incredible backlash hit him, and his Life Points fell to nothing.

Ren’s eyes opened wide.

“Uh, big brother?” said Connie. “Did she win?”

Ren didn’t answer. He was too amazed. He had never seen a defensive OTK before.

And she had been so calm… So calm for someone who would have been facing two powerful direct attacks if that coin flip had failed.

They would have to keep an eye out for this Sahkyo. It seemed they had competition…

* * * * * * * * * *

Somewhere else in Domino…

An elf maiden dressed in a halter and a brief tunic, with red and blue lines painted on her face, bent over an ancient chest.

She hesitated. She muttered some strange words, and some strange clicks came from the mechanisms.

She smiled. Her spell had disabled the trap on the chest.

She slowly lifted the lid of the chest, and gasped in delight at the glowing, golden treasure inside…

Then she frowned. A shadow fell over her.

She turned her head, and saw a hulking man dressed in furs and chain mail, holding a battle axe.

“Step away from that chest, or face my wrath, puny elf!” he shouted.

She frowned at him.

Then a volley of lightning bolts flew from her hands, and the warrior was thrown backwards.

Erik sighed as he watched the scene on his computer. Sam was watching over his shoulder.

“I dunno, Sam,” he said. “Maybe I’m just more intimidating at Duel Monsters than I am at interactive online RPGs.”

His girlfriend giggled.

“It would help if that barbarian of yours learned how to say ‘please’,” she said.

She looked at the screen.

“And he’s going to need to learn how to say ‘I surrender’ in a minute, if you don’t do something!”

“Speaking of interactive,” said Erik, starting to type, “what is this computer thing that your mother is working on that she wants us for?”

“All she’ll say is,” said Sam, “it will put Kaibaland ahead of Disney in popularity.”

“A bold claim…” said Erik. “I’m certainly looking forward to it…”

* * * * * * * * * *

At six AM the next morning, the start of a new week, Yumi woke up as her radio alarm went off.

“Good morning Domino!” said the voice of the female DJ. “This is Live Wire, and to all you teenagers out there, this is your wake-up call!”

Yumi yawned and stretched.

“Seriously,” said Live Wire’s voice, “I know it’s all a drag for you kids… Summer is over, school has started, but what are you gonna do, huh?

“Well, as you’re wiping the sleep dust out of your eyes, let’s all listen to the latest single by America’s newest sensation…

“Here’s White Rain!”

Music on the radio started to play:

Woo-hoo!

Got all of my friends, a teacher, okay,
But why do we really have to study all day?
Well see, I’m on to your scam, and I’ll tell you how
We ended up with a Fall that we know of now.

A time was invented to keep the kids in the hall,
They gave it a name and we now know it as Fall.
The line of the story that I have presented:
Fall is just something that grown-ups invented.

Though some things in Fall are just too good to pass,
Jumping in leaves, and Halloween is a gas,
But I’d rather see to it that the truth be told,
So I better do it now, before I grow old.

They wanted a break after the summer disarray,
To rest up, then handle the stress of Christmas day,
So the grown-ups got together and made up the rule,
That kids shouldn’t be playing,
No, they should be in school!

A time was invented to keep the kids in the hall,
They gave it a name and we now know it as Fall.
The line of the story that I have presented:
Fall is just something that grown-ups invented.

Kick it!

A time was invented to keep the kids in the hall,
They gave it a name and we now know it as Fall.
The line of the story that I have presented:
Fall is just something that grown-ups invented.

Fall is just something that grown-ups invented,
Fall is just something that grown-ups invented,
Fall is just something that grown-ups invented,
Fall is just something that grown-ups invented!

The radio shut off as Yumi’s shoe hit it.

“Not the song I wanted to hear, Live Wire,” she grumbled. “I hear you duel… Well, if you’re ever at Kaibaland when I’m there… I’ll show you no mercy…”

* * * * * * * * * *

After getting through trigonometry, literature, and chemistry, Yumi made her way to the library.

Ren and Chelsea were sitting underneath a large screen used to send messages (the loudspeaker had long since grown obsolete), and since she had some time before her next class, she guessed she’d ask them what was up.

“You look happy,” she said to Ren, who obviously wasn’t very happy.

“Ugh…” said Ren. “I had the worst nightmare last night. I dreamed that Japan was struck by a deadly, crippling epidemic that was spread though tomatoes, making it impossible to get pizza or pasta with marinara sauce.”

“You have crazy dreams,” said Chelsea.

“Hey, we’re duelists,” said Yumi. “When a tomato can be one of the most dangerous Dark Monsters in the game, I’m not surprised.”

She looked at them. They had changed too. Both of them had put on as much muscle as she had, if not more. Chelsea had changed her hair to a pigtail style, while Ren had simply let his grow a little longer.

“By the way,” said Chelsea, “steer clear of Haruhi. Word is that her most recent omiai was a disaster.”

“Let me guess,” said Ren. “He went to kiss her, but he got lost in the cigarette smoke and missed?”

The three laughed. The fact that the principal was a chain-smoker was the worst-kept secret in the school.

At that moment, the screen flashed, and the woman in question’s face appeared on it.

“Attention,” she said in a stern tone. “Would Yumi Mouto, Chelsea Ramset, and Ren Marris please report to my office on the double?”

The three teenagers gulped.

“That is all,” said the principal. Her face vanished.

“Did we do something wrong?” asked Chelsea.

“I swear,” said Ren, “The cook offered me that extra rice cake at lunch on Friday!”

Yumi looked at the blank screen.

Being sent to the office was every students’ nightmare…

Being called to the office was little better. You never knew what to expect…

* * * * * * * * * *

Principal Haruhi was smoking her third cigarette since making that announcement. She was nervous. And the guidance counselor standing next to her was downright angry.

“You cannot let them do this!” he said with a scowl. “I do not see any educational value in this whatsoever!”

Haruhi crushed out the cigarette.

“Fine!” she said to him. “Fine… When she calls back, you can tell her that we don’t approve!

“Are you willing to do that?”

The counselor was silent.

“That’s what I figured,” she said. “We’re a public school, my friend, one that’s steadily losing more and more students each year to private schools, including the one that this woman’s company owns. When we want more money, we have to make a request to the taxpayers, and they usually turn it down.

“When we actually convince them that it’s for the best and they don’t turn it down, we have to pray that the quality of this school improves by at least three-hundred percent, or they won’t even listen to our next five requests.

“Compare that to this woman, whose resources are practically infinite. Most of the members of the school board work for companies that ultimately answer to her, I should remind you, just like half of this crazy city does.

“I don’t like it any more than you do. But we can’t afford to make someone with this much power angry. If we make her mad, she can make our lives miserable.

“So, no matter what she says, and no matter what these students say, you do nothing but smile and nod. That’s an order…”

She hit a button, and then placed the ashtray in her drawer.

“Send them in,” she said into the speaker.

Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea walked into the office.

“Good day, ma’am,” said Yumi. “Uhm… Are we allowed one phone call?”

“Just sit down…” ordered the principal.

As they did, she stood up.

“As you three know,” she said, “you are all in your third year. You were on the honor roll last year.

“Your graduation seems imminent… I trust you are all looking into college?”

“We’ve sent in some applications,” said Yumi. “No responses yet, but we guess that’s normal.”

The principal nodded.

“I trust you’re also looking into possible student internships?” she asked.

“Yeah, we’re looking,” said Chelsea. “We…”

“Stop looking,” said the principal.

“Huh?” said Ren.

She sighed.

“It isn’t often that the CEO of a company comes to me offering internships for my students,” she said. “But one did this morning…

“And she requested you three specifically…”

A light flashed under a screen on the wall.

“That would be her now…”

A familiar face appeared on the wall.

“SHEENA?” shouted Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea at once.

They’re on a first-name basis with her, thought the principal. Terrific…

She wanted to light up more than ever now, but she didn’t dare do so when three students were right in front of her.

“Hello, children,” said Sheena. “Gosh, we haven’t seen each other since…”

“Last week,” answered Yumi.

“Yes, yes…” said Sheena. “I lose track of time.

“Anyway, I have an offer for you three… One that I don’t think you’ll say no to…”

* * * * * * * * * *

The rest of the day passed without much incident.

At six PM, Yumi sat at the bar in a local sushi restaurant. As she spread wasabi on her mirugai, she heard two familiar voices.

“Yumi!” shouted Ren.

“Guys,” said Yumi, and he and Chelsea came up to her, “can’t you see I’m eating? You two don’t have to follow me everywhere… We aren’t joined at the hip, you know.”

“Did you get your parents to sign those papers?” asked Ren, disregarding the comment.

“They’re still in my backpack,” said Yumi. “And my parents are away until tomorrow night. Besides, I’m not sure if I want to do it.”

“WHAT?” said Chelsea.

“Yumi,” said Ren. “What teenager in the entire world would not kill for the opportunity Sheena is giving us?

“We get to miss half of school, three days a week. We’re excused from monthly exams. And she pays us fifteen-hundred yen an hour!

“And what do we have to do in return? We have to playtest her new video game! Sure we have to work with Sam and Erik, but this job is Shangri-La!”

Chelsea chuckled.

“It must have been agonizing for Haruhi to give her approval,” she said. “She once called Duel Monsters, and I quote, ‘the biggest waste of technology since the 8-track cassette player’.”

“She’s a coward,” said Ren. “She’s afraid to say no to Sheena. Course, I wouldn’t blame her…”

Yumi sighed.

“Yeah,” she said. “Who would say no to Domino’s most powerful resident?

“Guys, listen… I know it sounds like a dream job.

“But one, it isn’t a ‘video game’, quote-unquote. It’s KaibaCorp’s new virtual world.

“And in the past, when you add the word ‘virtual’ and the word ‘KaibaCorp’, it equals the word ‘trouble’!”

She shoved a piece of sushi into her mouth and chewed.

Chelsea looked at her.

“Okay, point taken,” she said. “But who are you worried about? The Big Five? Noah? Gozaburo?”

She sat down next to Yumi and put her arm around her.

“Yumi… For almost six decades, ever since Gozaburo’s virtual world self-destructed, both KaibaCorp’s computers and government computers have kept an eye out for them on the off-chance that they survived. Search engines are run through the worldwide web every year looking for them. Every time a card that one of them used is played by anyone, an automatic program kicks in to check it out. An alarm would sound if the duelist were identified as one of them.

“In all that time, nothing. You should face facts… They’re all dead.”

Yumi sighed.

“I’ll think about it,” she said. “Now let me finish dinner. I’m meeting with someone in an hour.”

Chelsea giggled as she and Ren walked away.

“Yumi seems to have a thing these days for British bad boys,” she said. “Maybe we should rent some old 007 movies…”

* * * * * * * * * *

As this was happening, Sam was riding an elevator down to a subbasement of the KaibaCorp building.

Sam had already graduated from high school last year, as did Erik. She had already enlisted in a major college in the States. But she wouldn’t be starting until next Fall. She had debated about spending a year backpacking across Europe, until her mother offered her this job as a beta tester for this strange project.

She exited the elevator, and saluted to two armed guards as she passed.

She approached an iron door.

”Voice identification, please,” said a computerized voice.

“Samantha Arachne,” she said.

”Confirmed,” said the voice. ”Hand print identification, please.”

Sam put her hand on a panel on the wall. It glowed.

”Confirmed,” said the voice. ”Retina scan identification, please.”

Sam looked closely at another screen. A soft, green light scanned her eyes.

”Confirmed,” said the voice.

The door swung open.

“Whatever mom’s working on,” muttered Sam, walking in, “it’s something big…”

The room beyond housed not one supercomputer, but a set of them, linked together. Sheena was working on them with a team of technicians. She was currently looking over some figures on a clipboard.

“No…” she said to a technician. “I don’t think Fortress Whale is a blue whale… I think it might be a sperm whale…

“Well, I might be wrong… Why don’t we go back to that later…”

“No problem,” he replied.

“What can I do for you honey?” she said, as Sam walked in.

“I was just wondering,” muttered Sam. “Just what is this Dueltasia thing I’ve been hearing so much about?”

Sheena looked at her.

“Okay, Sam,” she said. “Here’s what I’m willing to say.

“Dueltasia is a fantasy world, where everyone is a duelist. Like your standard MMORPG, it’s full of locations, characters, and the like. But it’s a virtual world.

“Humans will be able to enter Dueltasia from Kaibaland…

“However, while Kaibaland has many locations, there will only be one Dueltasia. It will be accessible from each of Kaibaland’s locations across the globe.

“You progress in this… game via dueling, of course, meeting new challenges, and gaining access to better locations. You can duel both the natives of Dueltasia, and your fellow players. Duelists can meet each other from opposite sides of the globe! And the game remembers you if you leave and come back, so there’s no need to start over if you get tired and have to go home.”

Sam thought for a minute.

“Is Princess Edina still the ruler?” she asked.

Sheena smirked.

“She’s Queen Edina now, and she’s grown up,” said Sheena. “She’s a duelist herself, one of the most skilled in Dueltasia. Of course, she won’t duel just anyone. A guest has to prove herself worthy for her to accept a challenge. And that will take a good deal of dedication to the game.”

“What’s the reward for beating her?” asked Sam.

“Ah, that’s a secret,” said Sheena.

“Anyway, glad you’re here. It came, and it’s official. Of course, it won’t be available to the public for two more months…”

She handed Sam a card.

Sam looked at the card with wild eyes. She had been waiting for this since Duelatopia…

She was speechless. She could be the Consort of Ha Des more than ever with this card…

“Ms Arachne!” shouted a technician. “Come look at this!”

“Huh?” said Sheena.

She ran to a screen he was looking at.

A message was on the screen:

What time is it when the clock strikes thirteen?

The message vanished again.

“Another one?” shouted Sheena. “Find out who’s sending these!”

“On it…” said the technician.

* * * * * * * * * *

Underneath the towering KaibaCorp offices, a sixteen-year-old with definite Western features was waiting.

He was nervous. He had been expecting Yumi to dump him all these two months. He wouldn’t blame her if she had changed her mind and decided to take back her forgiveness. He had never held her to it.

He felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Huh?” he said, turning around.

As he turned around, Yumi grabbed him and planted a deep kiss on his lips.

Nicholas didn’t resist. He put his arms around her, and the kiss lasted for a minute or two.

Yumi backed away a bit, and smiled.

“Whoa,” said Nicholas. “This means you’re serious, right?”

She nodded.

“So, I hear that Domino City has a new Samurai Master,” said Yumi. “Jade would be jealous.”

Nicholas chuckled.

“Yeah, the deck is working out well,” said Nicholas, “I try to go to Kaibaland as often as I can.

“So what happened to the Puzzle?”

“Huh?” said Yumi. “Oh, that… Well, I stashed it somewhere. I don’t really need it any more. Now that he’s gone, the Millennium Items are powerless. They aren’t worth the gold they’re made of.”

She giggled.

“Say,” said Nicholas. “Olga says she wants to try a two-on-two duel one of these days. Would you and Sam be interested?”

“Well…” said Yumi, “I’ll ask her, but we’re both probably going to be busy.”

She looked up at KaibaCorp.

This wasn’t the original KaibaCorp building. Jaden Yuki had once thought that his most dangerous enemy was the Light of Ruin. But after it had been defeated, Nightshroud decided to prove that Darkness could be just as bad. Nightshroud’s invasion made its beachhead on Domino, and while he was ultimately defeated, the KaibaCorp building was destroyed in the process.

You couldn’t keep Seto Kaiba down, of course. He rebuilt. KaibaCorp had a new structure to replace the old one. And maybe he couldn’t help but think that Darkness had done him a favor. After all, with the destruction of the old building, along with Alcatraz Tower that he himself destroyed in the first Battle City, nothing more remained to remind him of his stepfather.

Yumi sighed.

Chelsea was right. Gozaburo had been a snake with no morals. When this company was a military firm, it thrived on suffering and bloodshed. Where people saw tragedy, Gozaburo saw business opportunities.

When a war broke out in a foreign land, his company would use intermediaries to sell armaments to both sides of the conflict. It would mean more profit for him, and he didn’t care who won, so long as each of them kept paying for weapons until one of them did. Only the winning side would learn who their supplier ultimately was, and the winning side never found out that he had also supplied their enemies.

This evil strategy would have remained a secret if Dartz hadn’t revealed it to Alister, a victim of one of these conflicts. Unfortunately, Alister blamed Seto Kaiba for what his stepfather had done, even though it was something that Seto was completely innocent of.

Oh course, even though this revelation was new to Seto, he wasn’t surprised. He knew his stepfather was a creep. That’s why he seized control of KaibaCorp in the first place, and disassembled it in order to remake it, changing it from a military firm that caused death to a gaming company that caused joy.

Yumi sighed.

Maybe she would accept Sheena’s offer…

It was time to forge ahead…

…and leave Gozaburo buried.

“Nicholas,” she said, “my parents are out of town until tomorrow night, and my homework is done. How daring are you?”

“Uh… What did you have in mind?” he asked.

She put her arm around his shoulder, and they started to walk away from the building.

* * * * * * * * * *

Eight PM

Sheena sighed. She was tired.

“Ma’am,” said an aid, “you really should get some sleep.”

“Maybe you’re right,” said Sheena, as she started to type. “I’ll just complete the last log entry.”

She started to type in the password.

She hit enter.

The computer buzzed.

“ACCESS DENIED,” said the message.

Sheena sat up straight.

“What the Hell?” she said.

She typed in the password again.

“ACCESS DENIED,” it said.

“Denied access to my own system?” she said, angrily, standing up.

“Ma’am!” shouted a technician. “I can’t access my console either! Something’s happening!”

“Override it!” shouted Sheena.

Then a new message flashed on the screen:

What sort of salute does an overachieving U.S. President get?

Then the lights went out…

And all over Domino City, the lights went out…

Blackout.


Coming up next:

Your appetite has been whetted. What strange force has cut the power to Domino, as well as hijacked KaibaCorp’s computers? A force that can bypass this company’s security is surely a force to be reckoned with. Terrorists perhaps? Or something that defies definition?

More revealed soon, in Chapter One, “City Under Siege”. Don’t miss it.

[Shuppet Master]

I seriously apologize for not reviewing earlier, B.C., but I found it just as I was going to my class, so I had to read it on the sly during class. (Before you say anything, I know it was sort of illegal to mess about with the Internet during my class, but I was dog-tired from playing a Pokemon hack all night, so I couldn't concentrate. It'll never happen again. The teacher is lenient as long as we focus on her lecture.)

Anyways, I must say this was a good start. I know about Code Lyoko, because it's usually shown before Saturday's Pokemon two-episode morning beast, so I do catch snips of the episodes, and I must say that it does intrigue me, a story about young teens fighting computers viruses a la Troin - the Tron bit was a blast from the past(and the future - Kingdom Hearts II put a Tron crossover into the game because Tron was made by Disney, I think, and people would remember it), but Lightcycles aren't golf-cart hybrids. Meh, it's not important.

Needless to say, it's interesting that you are using a throwback to the virtual world Kaiba was seized in right after Duelist Kingdom and improved it. I'm sure people who remember that mini-arc will be pleased. (Although, I think it was Princess Adina, not Edina, but again, it's a moot point.)

It's going to be interesting who this Riddler hacker is and whether we get a "City of Souls" remix. Needless to say, I can't take the suspense, but I will as long as you promise to also update your Pokemon fic. Both are very very excellent so far.

I am going to put in an interesting Darkrai siggie since I enjoyed The Rise of Darkrai.

[Mystic_clown]

Hmm, this could be interesting. I know all this is going to be linked to Shogar, that's a no brainer, but I'm curious to see who this hacker is. I can justsee this guy screwing with everyone when they get into the virtual world.

[Inferno_Dragon]

This one is going to be interesting. The only Yu-Gi-Oh Fanfiction that involves a virtual world is Yu-Gi-Oh Junior: Virtual Disaster and that was good. But this might be pure gold. Everyone one of your Yu-Gi-Oh have been great. And it seems each one gets better and better and better ... so I can't wait to read more of this.

[Dark Sage]

Domino’s history dates back almost as far as that of Edo, now known as Tokyo. And in its long history, the city has been very lucky as far as disasters, both manmade and natural, have been concerned.

Despite being a port city, no tsunami has ever hit. No serious hurricane has ever struck.

When the United States decided to use the atomic bomb to end World War II, Domino wasn’t even on the list of possible targets. The citizens mourned for the lives lost in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but they said prayers of thanks that they were spared.

The only major incident that might have been called a terrorist attack was Nightshroud’s invasion several years ago. KaibaCorp’s offices were destroyed, but Nightshroud had the decency to take the populace hostage before destroying anything. So when Jaden sent him packing and the dust cleared, everyone had survived.

Our luck may change…

For the first time in our history, a potentially deadly terrorist attack has paralyzed our city. It came without warning, and we had no defense. Nor do we have any way to fight back or escape. Jaden isn’t here any more, and even if he were, he couldn’t duel his way out.

This terrorist has one demand, and it concerns me…

One thing for certain…

If I survive this, I’m never leaving the house again.

CHAPTER ONE



City Under Siege

Nicholas lay on his back, sighing.

Who would have believed that the Queen of Games was both a lover and a fighter?

It was funny. Just two months ago he was fully prepared to force himself on her if she refused him. That wicked succubus had promised her to him as a reward for some favors.

He should have realized that the promises weren’t worth a thing. Shogarr had nothing planned for Yumi except a lonely prison made of gemstone. He likely had the same thing planned for him as well.

He was thinking right now of asking her to a proper date this weekend… The old dinner and a movie standard. The allowance he got from Scotland Yard to support himself wasn’t near as much as Rasputin gave him, but it was enough. He wondered if Yumi would go for that new all-cheese restaurant that just opened.

He chuckled. He wondered how hard it was for the guys who washed the dishes in that place.

He opened his eyes.

Strange… The lights from the kitchen where Yumi had had gone were off… So were the lights from the buildings outside. The only sources of light came from the scented candles in the room…

“Nicholas!” shouted Yumi’s voice.

“What?” he asked with a start.

“Get dressed,” she said. “We’ve lost power… I think the whole city has lost power…”

“What?” said Nicholas. “That’s impossible… Domino’s power is supplied by the hydroelectric plant outside of town. We have subterranean power lines, and they’re made of titanium-alloy steel. The only way we could have a blackout is if the dam or the plant itself were destroyed.”

Yumi sighed.

“Something’s up…” she said.

* * * * * * * * * *

At the headquarters of the DCPD, Chief Yamaguchi was thinking that this crisis couldn’t have come at a worse time.

He was due to retire in a month. With full benefits. He and his wife were booked to tour France and Italy to celebrate…

His station couldn’t restore its own power, not even with the backup generators, and to make matters worse, even battery-powered radios weren’t working. The only light in the room he was in came from an old-fashioned flashlight that he had found with some difficulty.

“Chief,” said someone walking in.

“What is happening out there?” demanded Yamaguchi.

“We’re trying to maintain order,” said the officer. “But reports are coming in, slowly. It seems that it isn’t just electric power that’s been shut down.

“Cars and other vehicles have lost power. Battery-powered appliances won’t run… Basically anything with moving parts that you don’t pedal or crank has lost power.”

“So everything in the city is paralyzed?” asked Yamaguchi.

“Almost everything,” said the officer. “From what we can garner, a few buildings still have power… Hospitals, retirement homes, the airport… Basically, anywhere where a loss of power would cause death.”

“So we’re dealing with considerate terrorists?” he asked. “This is crazy…”

Then the television next to him flashed on.

All over Domino, every other television turned on.

“HELLO, Domino City!” said a cheery female voice. “You’re all probably wondering, what the Hell is going on, and who cut the power in the middle of primetime?

“Well, I’m not shy… I’ll let you see me…”

The screen flickered, and a young woman appeared on the screen, reclining on a couch. She looked about seventeen to twenty years old, with short, black hair, and was wearing a green halter that revealed her cleavage, and a matching miniskirt.

“Hi, everybody!” she said, waving. “You can call me Daala for now, if you must. Now, let me explain what’s happened, in as simple terms as I can…

“Using KaibaCorp’s computers as a focus – and thanks for the help, Ms Arachne, by the way – I’m now able to control anything within a twenty-mile radius of the KaibaCorp building that has computer circuitry inside it.

“That’s a lot. In fact, it’s almost everything. You’d be amazed at how many things rely on computers to function these days. That’s why so many people were scared of the Y2K problem so many years ago. Heck, I’ll bet that in a thousand years, people will be scared of something that they’ll call Y3K. Go figure.

“Now… Since I’ve used this incredible power to practically take Domino City hostage, you might consider me a terrorist…

“Hmm, let me think…

“Well, I guess that fits the description of what a terrorist does, doesn’t it? So I won’t deny it. But admit it… Have you ever seen a terrorist who was this beautiful?”

She stood up and made a sexy pose, and then blew a kiss at the camera.

“Anyway…” she said, sitting back down, “you might try to find me, but don’t think you’ll succeed. I’m not even in Domino, and you can’t reach me. The United States Army couldn’t reach me, in fact. Even if they knew where I was, they couldn’t take me out even if they used a nuclear missile! The place where I am simply can’t be reached by a method that a law enforcement agent or soldier can get to. And any attempt to lure me to you will fail. This place keeps me in as well as it keeps you out. I’ll tell you right now, I don’t represent any nation, religious group, or political faction, so you have nothing to use to bargain with me. I’m calling all the shots.

“Well, since I’ve admitted to being a terrorist, you likely expect me to make demands. Well, I only have one… But I won’t make it to any cop or any official. I want to make it to the winner of last summer’s Duelatopia Tournament.

“That’s right… Yumi Mouto, if you are listening, come to Kaibaland’s movie studio at eight in the morning. If you hear my demands and agree to them, I’ll happily restore power to Domino and leave the city alone for now.

“If you don’t… Well, remember, I control everything in this city with computer circuitry. So unless you want me to make a gas main explode right under Domino Children’s Hospital…

“Show up… I mean it.

“After all… I just admitted to being a terrorist… And terrorists rarely have any concern for civilian life, right?”

The screen went dark.

“Any chance you were able to trace that transmission?” asked Yamaguchi.

“Using what?” asked the officer.

Yamaguchi sighed.

“Send someone to Ms. Mouto’s apartment,” he said. “See if she’ll cooperate. I don’t like giving in to a lunatic, but it’s our only chance right now. And see what Arachne is doing while you’re at it.”

* * * * * * * * * *

One hour later…

In her apartment, among more lit candles, Yumi and Nicholas were eating from pint containers of ice cream. They had little choice, seeing as it would melt anyway.

They were well aware that this strange woman would only deliver her demands to her.

Yumi was nervous. Was this Daala another follower of Shogarr? Was she going to demand her life in exchange for Domino?

It didn’t make sense though… If Daala controlled every computerized system in the city, why couldn’t she simply take her out by taking out this building?

There was a knock at the door.

“Who is it?” shouted Yumi.

“It’s us, Yumi,” said Ren’s voice.

Yumi sighed, and went to the door. She opened it, and sure enough, Ren and Chelsea were there.

“You two walked up ten flights of stairs in the dark just to comfort me?” she asked.

“Well, it was good exercise,” said Ren, as they walked in. “And we might have a clue. Hi, Nicholas.”

Chelsea shined a flashlight inside, as Ren put a very large book on the coffee table.

“I knew that the name ‘Daala’ sounded familiar,” he said, “and I found a reference to it in this book.”

Chelsea shined a light on the cover, and Yumi looked at it. It was a book called Monsters, Martians, and Madmen: An Encyclopedia of Science Fiction Villains.

“Is Darth Vader in there?” asked Nicholas.

“Are you kidding?” asked Ren. “He has a six-page entry. But I found a reference to someone named Daala…”

He opened to the D section. The picture accompanying the entry didn’t look like the woman who had been on the TV. It was an older woman, coldly beautiful in her own way, dressed in a futuristic outfit.

“Admiral Daala,” said Ren. “One of the most notorious villains in the Star Wars: Expanded Universe novels. Remember Moff Tarkin from the first movie?”

Everyone nodded.

“Well, although he was married, this was his lover and the woman he truly loved,” said Ren. “He promoted her to Admiral, and put her in charge of the Maw Installation, a place where the Empire’s most powerful weapons were designed, including the Death Star.”

“She probably only got that position because she was sleeping with him,” said Nicholas.

“That what’s a lot of Tarkin’s men believed,” said Ren. “One of them dared to actually say it, and when he found out, he put the man in a space suit, and threw him out of an airlock, with the communicator in the suit turned on, so everyone could hear him scream as his air ran out.”

“That does sound like something he’d do,” said Yumi.

“Anyway,” continued Ren, “Daala was just as cruel as her lover. She survived the fall of the Empire, and joined a group of warlords who gave the New Republic trouble for a long time. She had designed even deadlier weapons than the Death Star while at her position, such as the Sun Crusher, a craft that had the power to destroy a star.

“Anyway… Daala was eventually defeated, but never for good. Most assume that she simply retired after deciding that there was no way to rebuild the Empire.”

“And now someone has named herself after her,” said Yumi. “A cyber-terrorist who’s named herself after a villain who could design weapons that could destroy planets…

“Just great…

“Listen everyone… I’d best try to sleep. And I’m going to Kaibaland alone tomorrow.”

“Yumi…” said Chelsea. “But…”

“No buts, Chelsea,” said Yumi. “If I need your help this time, I’ll ask for it…

“If Shogarr is making his move, we’d best prepare for war…

“We must stay on our guard, or innocents will suffer the same sad fate as Rasputin…”

There was another knock on the door.

“Better wait…” she said. “That would be the police…”

* * * * * * * * * *

At six AM, Yumi unlocked the chain on her bicycle in the parking garage of her apartment building. It would take a while to get to Kaibaland.

The police saluted her as she rode down the street, past stranded cars towards the large amusement park. No-one impeded her, but several folks watched from buildings where they were hiding.

At seven-fifteen, she reached her destination.

As Yumi expected, Sheena met her at the gates. She looked almost dead, clearly having gone without sleep for a long time.

“I’m so sorry about this, Yumi,” muttered Sheena. “We’re trying our hardest to regain control of my computer system. But I’ll take note of anything said. Hopefully, we can help any way we can.”

“Understandable,” said Yumi. “Let’s get this over with…”

They walked towards the large movie theater, which now had police officers at every entrance point. Sheena led Yumi into the main theater.

“I guess now all we can do is wait…” muttered Yumi.

The screen flashed to life.

“No need, Yumi,” said Daala’s voice. “I don’t mind you coming early. I did have to leave my book club meeting, but… I hadn’t read it yet anyway, so I was looking for an excuse to leave. Don’t tell anyone, ‘kay?”

Daala appeared on the screen, still reclining on her couch. Two men dressed in clothing that suggested Arabian were fanning her with large fronds.

Yumi noticed something about her that she hadn’t noticed before. Daala’s head was wreathed in dark flames, like some sinister halo.

“Have a seat, Yumi,” she said.

“I’d rather stand, if it’s all the same with you,” said Yumi.

“Suit yourself,” said Daala. “So, how has the Queen of Games been?”

“Let’s cut to the chase, Daala!” shouted Yumi. “Just what are you?”

“There are some things in this world that you are not meant to understand, Yumi,” said Daala. “Suffice to say, I’m complicated.

“But, I will tell you one thing… While you are the Queen of Games in your world, I’m the Queen of Games in mine. Like you, Duel Monsters is my life. So you might say I kind of feel like a kindred spirit to you, Yumi.”

“Your world?” said Yumi. “What are you talking about?”

“I’ll get to that in a minute,” said Daala.

“Fine,” said Yumi. “What do I have to do for you to spare Domino?”

Daala chuckled.

“Okay, Yumi, it’s rather simple,” she said. “I want you to turn down Sheena’s offer to playtest her virtual world…

“…and instead, playtest mine.”

“Yours?” said Yumi.

“My home,” said Daala. “A realm that I’ve created, and that I rule as queen. Not only the Queen of Games, but the actual ruler. It’s called Xanadu. And like Sheena’s Dueltasia, it’s a place where duelists are everywhere.

“Now, when I took over Sheena’s computer, I made a little adjustment to her project. The devices that Sheena intends to use as entrances to Dueltasia now lead to Xanadu.”

“You miserable…” shouted Sheena.

“Pipe down!” laughed Daala. “Don’t get your panties in an uproar. I didn’t destroy Dueltasia. It’s quite safe. You just can’t reach it until I’m done with Yumi.

“Of course Yumi, my world is… far more dangerous than Sheena’s. Let’s just say that it’s a video game with very high stakes.

“But don’t worry… I promise to give you a fighting chance.

“Now, you can choose to come alone if you want… But, if you want to bring your henchmen with you, that’s fine too.”

“Henchmen?” asked Yumi.

“Those four guys who helped you take down Unus,” she said. “Bring them too if you want. The more, the merrier, I always say.

“But no-one else! I mean that. Xanadu isn’t quite ready to handle an influx of tourists yet. Our chamber of commerce isn’t even built yet.

“Anyway, Yumi, you have until two this afternoon to decide. I’ll restore the power to Kaibaland so that Sheena can use her equipment.

“If you’re in Xanadu by then, Domino gets its power back…

“If not… Well, you know the answer to that…

“Any questions?”

“One…” said Yumi. “Exactly why is your head on fire?”

Daala looked at her.

“Oh, uh that…” she said. “Well… That’s one of the things you aren’t supposed to understand…”

She looked nervous.

“No more questions!” she shouted. “You have a choice…

“Good luck, Queen of Games… If you ask me, you’re gonna need it…”

Daala vanished.

Yumi frowned.

“I’ll bet she just doesn’t want to tell me,” she muttered.

* * * * * * * * * *

It was now noon.

Chief Yamaguchi was now speaking to the town officials in a conference room.

“So, it’s official,” he said. “We will start the process of evacuating Domino City…”

“And just how will you do that, Chief?” said Sheena’s voice.

She walked in.

“Daala can control every car, plane, boat, and train in a twenty-mile radius of my building. The only way out of this city is to walk out. What’s more, she can raise the bridge if she doesn’t want people to cross it.”

“Can’t you do something, Arachne?” he shouted.

“I’ve tried!” she shouted. “For sixteen straight hours, I’ve tried to reestablish control over my computer. I can’t. Daala may look and talk like a party girl, but she clearly must be the greatest computer genius on the planet in order to hijack KaibaCorp’s system.

“Three hours ago, I made a terrible decision. I decided to pull the manual kill-switch, which would have destroyed the computer by melting its central processor. I knew that doing so would likely cripple my company for years, but I was willing to do it to save Domino.

“I thought that I was the only one who knew about this kill switch, but I was wrong. Daala had somehow found out about it, and had disabled it.

“I wouldn’t give up! I went to grab the fire axe in order to destroy the computer the old fashioned way! Then Daala herself appeared on the screen, telling me in no simple terms that if I didn’t drop it and leave at once, she’d activate my counter-terrorist system.

“My deadliest defense in that building… It can seal the room and flood it with nerve gas in case of a terrorist attack. And she was going to use it against me… Ironic.

“I was forced to flee for my life. Soon after that, I collapsed from exhaustion. I woke up in time to come here.”

“So there’s nothing we can do?” asked Yamaguchi.

Sheena nodded.

“And it’s going to get worse…” she said.

“Worse?” shouted everyone.

Sheena nodded again.

“Communications may be shut down,” she said, “but it won’t be long before the military realizes that there’s something wrong, and sends some people to check on us. And as soon as their vehicles enter the twenty-mile radius, Daala will seize control of them too.”

“Military vehicles carry weapons!” screamed someone from across the room.

“We’re doomed…” said someone else.

“Daala doesn’t need them,” said Sheena. “She now has dozens of ways to reduce the city to slag. She can rupture gas mains, electric generators, or simply smash everything to pieces with large vehicles. Worst case scenario, she might use my computer to increase her power and range, and start to spread her influence to other supercomputers in other cities. With each one, she would gain more power, and her influence would spread like a cancer.

“She wouldn’t stop after taking control of Japan. She might eventually gain control of the computers belonging to the Chinese military. Then the Korean military… Then the Russian military! Before long, she’d have access to arsenals of nuclear or even biological weapons capable of wiping cities off the map…

“We can try to run… But soon, there’ll be no place to run to…”

There was dead silence in the room.

“But there is one small bit of good news…” said Sheena.

She paused.

“Yumi has agreed to her demand…

“May God have mercy on us all…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Alone in her room, Yumi sighed.

She moved aside a picture of Yui Maki (a Japanese pop star that she admired) revealing the wall safe behind it. Fortunately, this was an old-fashioned safe with a simple combination lock, unlike the high-tech one that her parents had in their room.

She opened it, and took out a large envelope that was sealed.

On it was printed:

Do not open until the death of Yumi Mouto, or her unexplained disappearance for longer than six months, or in the event that she enters a comatose state that she cannot be awakened from for longer than six months.

She hadn’t told her parents that she had written a will. But since she knew that she was still a target for a demon lord, she had done so.

She tossed it on her bed. Then she started to undress. She tossed her school outfit aside.

Then she chose a far more fitting outfit. She pulled on a black leather skirt, and matched it with a leather, strapless halter, which she covered with a jacket made of the same material. Then she put on a pair of black, fingerless gloves, and a pair of boots.

She strapped a belt around her waist that had two pouches. One held her regular deck, the other her side deck.

Finally, she placed her Duel Disk on her arm.

“No tournament this time…” she muttered. “This time… it’s real…”

She walked out of the apartment.

* * * * * * * * * *

It was one-thirty as Yumi was back at Kaibaland, walking into a very large building where the entrance was blocked by a sign that said “Under Construction”.

As she walked inside, she was surprised as both Ren and Chelsea ran up beside her.

“What are you two doing here?” she shouted.

“We were invited, remember?” said Ren, lifting his Disk.

“We can’t let you go in there alone, Yumi,” said Chelsea.

“Guys…” said Yumi. “I don’t think this is a good idea…”

“Hey, no problem,” said Ren. “We’re not gonna let you down. We’ll show this Daala bitch just like we showed Unus!”

Yumi sighed.

“You aren’t asking me, are you?” she said.

“Nope,” said Chelsea.

“Fine,” she said. “Then let’s go. And by the way, I won’t say ‘I told you so’ now, but that doesn’t mean I won’t later.”

They entered a large chamber full of monitors and consoles. As they expected, Sheena was working on one of them…

But they didn’t expect Sam and Erik to be there.

“What?” said Yumi. “You guys too?”

“I tried to talk them out of it…” muttered Sheena.

“Hey, listen Yumi,” said Sam, pointing, “if you’re gonna go in there to save Domino, there’s no way I’m letting you go without me. No way I’m letting you take all the credit and all the reward.”

“And I’m with Sam,” said Erik. “Where she goes, I go.”

“I warn you guys,” said Yumi, “the danger is great, and the rewards may be slight to none.”

“Understood,” said Erik. “Now if we can just be shown to the virtual pods…

“Uhm, check that… Maybe we should use the bathroom first…”

“No pods, Erik,” said Sheena.

Everyone looked at her.

“No pods?” asked Ren.

“This system uses a new technology called virtualization,” said Sheena. “I’ve spent billions of yen and years of work perfecting it. It doesn’t just send your mind into the virtual world. It transports your entire body there, by transforming it into a virtual construct. In a sense, your human body made of flesh is transformed into an avatar made of ones and zeroes.

“Think of it as kind of like the teleporters on Star Trek. The reason I invented this system is simple – if pods were used, guests at Kaibaland would have to wait forever for them to become available.”

“So this thing can actually transform matter into energy?” asked Chelsea.

“Well, no…” said Sheena. “Your virtual forms won’t truly be made of energy, per se. The best way to explain this is, it lets humans assume an incorporeal form that can exist in the virtual reality. In a sense, it turns matter into… phantoms.”

“You know…” said Ren, nervously. “This might explain why you wanted our parents to sign all those forms…”

“The forms are invalid now,” said Sheena. “I will take complete responsibility for anything that happens.

“Even if that means going quietly to jail.”

“Have you even tried this on a human yet?” asked Chelsea.

“No…” said Sheena. “I was planning on sending a well-paid and well-insured volunteer to Dueltasia a few times before sending you guys. But I assure you, the cats and monkeys that were sent there and brought back are still alive and healthy.

“Now listen…

“I don’t know what to expect. However, when I designed Dueltasia, I designed its entry point around a town called Gateway. This town would act as a way of getting to all other locations in Dueltasia, by using both roads and portals. Not all portals would be available right away, of course. You’d have to progress in the game to unlock many of them. Just like completing quests in most video games unlocks additional parts of it.

“I don’t know how Xanadu works, but I can only assume that its entrance has a similar system.

“One other thing you should know…

“Dueltasia would be exited via means of a password. I would tell each participant to choose a password, and they only had to say it in order to leave, and reassume corporeal form. I would tell them to choose something that they were sure to remember, which wouldn’t likely come up in casual conversation.

“But from what I can tell, Xanadu does not have this feature. Once you go in there, you’ll most likely be Daala’s prisoners until I figure out a way to get you out.”

There was a long pause.

“Understood,” said Yumi.

A door in the back of the room opened.

“All you have to do is walk into that room,” said Yumi. “Just relax, and breathe normally.”

“Okay,” said Erik. “But try not to make any mistakes, okay? I don’t want to end up with my arms where my legs should be, and my eyes on my chest. Can you imagine that?”

“No,” said Ren. “Let’s go…”

They walked into the room, which seemed to be a perfect cube, with mirrored panels on the walls and ceiling.

Sheena looked at them on her screen.

“Here goes,” she said, as she input the commands. “Don’t worry children… While you’re in there, I’ll be working on a way to regain control of my computer system… I promise, I won’t abandon you…”

She watched, as the five duelists started to glow with energy…

Then they simply dissolved into grains of light and vanished.

Sheena collapsed in her chair. Tears ran down her face.

“Until then…” she said, “you’re on your own… Be careful… please…”

* * * * * * * * * *

At that moment, Domino came back to life. The lights went back on, and everything that was once halted started moving again.

“She kept her word,” muttered Yamaguchi. “Unbelievable…”

“Should we try to evacuate the city now?” asked an officer.

Yamaguchi held his chin as he thought.

“Let’s not tempt fate,” he thought. “Keep everyone on yellow alert for now, and increase patrol. Impose a midnight curfew.

“We won’t hide like scared rodents… We’ll try to move the city along… Life will go on.

“But if Daala tries something again, we’re going to be prepared…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Coming up next:

Yumi and company arrive in Daala’s Xanadu, only to find a place that’s almost deserted… Almost that is. The first challenge appears, but what is the purpose?

The intros are over… They say a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Step one now begins.

Coming up next, “Standing at a Crossroads”.

[Shuppet Master]

Let the duels begin!

So far, you are doing very very well, Brian. All that stuff put me on the edge of my seat. Nothing is more frightening than a terrorist who can force you to do what she wants, and refusing would endanger the lives of millions.

I hope Yumi and her crew can escape Xanadu and defeat this b-hole.

[Dark Sage]

We’ve taken the first step into Xanadu, and so far, we haven’t seen much.

Daala hasn’t led us right into a trap. She hasn’t deposited us in a hazardous location or a nest full of monsters. And she hasn’t greeted us with a squad of soldiers sent to capture us.

She has, however, apparently sent a challenge, and she expects me to accept it. Well fine… This is what I do best.

I just hope I’m not in over my head…

I have a feeling that in this video game, the opportunities for save points are few and far between.

Ready… DUEL.[

CHAPTER TWO



Standing at a Crossroads

For a minute or two, Yumi and her four friends were falling through a void…

Then, they were unceremoniously dropped on a grassy surface.

They quickly got up, and looked around.

They were surrounded by a system of pathways around grassy knolls. Around them were ruins made of marble… ancient temples and statues, most of them depicting women, all crumbling and broken into pieces.

“Ah,” said Erik, looking at himself. “Two arms, two legs, ten fingers… I think everything’s here…”

“Whoa,” said Ren, looking around. “Kinda… Greco-Roman…”

They looked up at the sky, which was blue with thick, puffy clouds.

Yumi looked at her Disk.

“Everyone,” she said, “double-check your decks. Make sure your cards are all there.”

Everyone took their decks and started to go over the cards.

“And keep alert!” she warned. “If there’s one thing I know about video games, it’s that enemies lurk everywhere.”

She was only partially right. Only two enemies were watching right now, on the top of one of the ruined temples.

One of them was a rotund man with hair that was bright green, worn in a humorous style. He was dressed in an orange and black harlequin outfit.

The other was a young woman with richly tanned skin, and long, dark, straight hair. She was dressed only in a leather bikini top and loincloth, with bare feet, and carried a leather pouch around her hip. Her face was decorated with red and black paints.

Both of them wore Duel Disks on their arms.

“So that’s the famous Queen of Games, huh?” said the harlequin. “Eh… She looks like no more than a hundred and twenty pounds soaking wet.”

“You think the talk about her is exaggerated?” asked the woman. “Why don’t you go down and deal with her?”

“ME?” said the clown, clearly offended. “Why not you?”

“Because, Eddie,” she replied. “I have a Lord, and you don’t. And since they don’t either, me dueling them right now would be a colossal waste of my time.”

“Now look here, Tara!” snarled the clown. “I’ve taken down as many members of the resistance as you have. Just because you got lucky and managed to take down an important one, and got a Lord because of it, doesn’t make you better than me!”

“Care to put that theory to test?” asked Tara, lifting her Disk.

Eddie sighed.

“I’ll go deal with her…” he muttered.

He looked to his sides.

“Stuck-up snob…” he muttered. “Okay… How do I get down from here?”

* * * * * * * * * *

In the real world, back at Kaibaland, Sheena was sobbing softly.

She had likely sent five innocent children, one of them her own daughter, to their dooms. But their decisions couldn’t be swayed.

She would have gone herself if Daala had allowed it. She could still duel. She was no slouch.

Suddenly, an “ahem” roused her from her crying.

She looked up, and saw two other teenagers: Nicholas, and his surrogate sister, Olga. She knew both of them… And she remembered how they once worked for Rasputin. She didn’t know how much she could trust them.

“How long were you two there?” she asked.

“Too long,” sighed Olga.

“How much did you see?” she asked.

“Too much,” sighed Olga.

“Who let you in here?” asked Sheena.

“Two guys,” said Nicholas. “Where’s Yumi?”

“Xanadu,” said Sheena. “Likely fighting for her life…”

“Then send us there too!” he shouted. “We aren’t going to let them…”

“Out of the question!” interrupted Sheena. “Daala said only them. No-one else. If you try to go there, there’s no telling what she’ll do.”

“There must be something we can do,” said Olga.

Sheena looked at them.

She thought for a minute. She was in for a hard task trying to regain control of her computers. She could always use two duelists who were Duelatopia finalists…

Not to mention ones who would be willing to work completely off the record…

“If you two are willing to do everything I say,” she said, “you can help.

“But keep this in mind… If you two are captured or killed, or arrested, for that matter, I’ll deny that I even know you.”

“The old Mission: Impossible routine?” asked Olga. “Okay, I can live with that. Do we get cool spy gear?”

“We’ll see,” said Sheena. “I’m not sure what we’ll need at this point.”

She took a cell phone out of her pocket. She hit a button on it.

“Noriko?” she said into it. “I take it all the power is back on? How are the streets?

“Good… Send the limo.”

“The limo?” asked Nicholas.

“We’re going home,” said Sheena.

“Home?” asked Olga.

“My home,” said Sheena. “I’ll explain when I get there.”

* * * * * * * * * *

“I don’t get it,” said Chelsea, as they wandered around the ruined buildings. “This whole place seems deserted. No instructions, no opening sequence… Not even a tutorial section to start us off. This is a strange way to start a game.”

“I seem to remember an old game that the recently re-released with improved graphics and sound,” said Erik. “It was called Myst. It was a good game, but it also started out on a mysterious, deserted island, and you had to figure out what to do on your own.”

“We’re playing by Daala’s rules,” said Sam. “I’m sure she’ll strike when she’s good and ready…”

“You’d think that you’d encounter a few monsters in a video game,” muttered Ren. “Especially one that had something to do with dueling.”

Then there was a low roar coming from the ruin ahead of them. They froze.

Slowly, a very large beast lumbered in front of their path. It looked like an elderly dragon, its wings withered and eaten away, with earthen-brown scales.

It glared at them.

“Does that qualify as a monster, Ren?” asked Chelsea, nervously.

The creature took a deep breath…

“Scatter!” shouted Sam.

They dodged, as it breathed a cone of corrosive gas in their direction.

“Hold up!” shouted Yumi. “I recognize this thing… It’s a Crawling Dragon…”

She activated her Disk, and drew a card from her deck.

“Let’s see if the rules for Duel Monsters apply for non-duel situations in Xanadu…”

The Crawling Dragon roared as she stepped up to face it. (1,600/1,400)

“I summon Skilled Dark Magician!” she shouted, as she threw a card on her Disk.

In a burst of darkness, a Spellcaster with bulky, dark robes, wearing a skullcap and holding a metal staff appeared in front of her. (1,900/1,700)

“Attack!” shouted Yumi. “Black magic blast!”

Skilled Dark Magician cast a bolt of burning, black flames at the Dragon. It groaned, and then shattered into pixels.

“All right!” shouted Ren. “Two points!”

“Unfortunately,” said Erik, “there doesn’t seem to be any tangible reward… It didn’t turn into coins, and if there is a score, we can’t see it.”

“Like I said,” said Sam. “Daala is setting the rules. I’m pretty certain that hazardous wildlife is only part of Xanadu. Actual duels might be another part.”

Laughter started to fill the air around them. Skilled Dark Magician nodded, and then disappeared.

“Speak of the devil…”

“Show yourself!” shouted Yumi.

The portly jester leapt down in front of them, landing on his hands, and then springing to his feet.

“Who are you?” demanded Yumi.

“Man, I hate clowns…” said Ren.

“They call me Easy Eddie,” said the harlequin. “But if you think that means I’m a pushover, you’re dead wrong.

“Welcome to Nexus, the central point of Xanadu. Here is where every road in this land meets, where paths exist to every other Realm.”

“I suppose the Dragon was your doing?” asked Yumi.

“Naw,” said Eddie. “There are no Monsters native to Nexus, but sometimes they wander into here from the other Realms. That one likely came from the Burnt Paradise. The less intelligent Monsters usually find their way back once they realize there isn’t much to eat here and all the potential prey fights back.

“As that one learned… The hard way.”

He chuckled.

“So where do we go from here?” asked Yumi.

“Uh, uh, uh,” said Eddie. “You’ll soon learn, Yumi, that nothing here is easy except my name.”

He lifted his Disk.

“Duel me… If you win, you’ll find out where to go.”

“And if I lose?” asked Yumi.

Eddie smiled in a way that they did not like.

“I guess there’s no avoiding it,” said Yumi.

She shuffled her deck, and then loaded it into her Disk.

“Fine, I’ll be your opponent.”

“Then prepare for a duel of the most fantastical, spectacular, amazing type!” shouted Eddie. “It’s showtime!”

The two Disks activated.

“Game on!” they shouted.

(Yumi: 8,000) ------------------- (Easy Eddie: 8,000)

“Prepare to have that smile wiped off your face, Easy Eddie,” said Yumi.

“You ever hear of the healing powers of laughter?” asked Eddie, making his first draw. “It’s done wonders for me.

“Anyway… I’ll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and I think I’ll leave it at that.”

In a burst of light, a facedown Monster appeared on his side of the field.

Pretty standard opening move, thought Yumi. He’s keeping everything secret for now…

She drew a card and looked over her hand.

“I summon… Magician’s Valkyria!” she shouted.

She played the card, and an attractive female mage in blue clothing, with brown hair and a fancy staff appeared in a burst of light. (1,600/1,800)

Okay, she thought. It could be something with high defense or something with a nasty Flip-Effect, but…

…I think he’s bluffing.

“Go defensive if you want,” said Yumi. “To me, the best defense is an aggressive offense.

“Attack! Magic illusion!”

Valkyria shot a blast of light from her scepter at the facedown card…

The facedown Monster exploded, sending flames twenty feet into the air. Both Yumi and Valkyria shielded themselves from the shower of ash.

“What was THAT?” shouted Yumi.

Easy Eddie chuckled.

“Something called a Rough Exploder,” he said. “It was a real blast wasn’t it?

“But don’t worry, it can’t hurt you… yet!”

“I’m not amused,” said Yumi. “My turn is over.”

Easy Eddie drew a card.

“Heh, heh…” he said, turning the card forward. “Just the card I needed…”

“Polymerization?” said Ren. “This could be bad…”

“You got it,” said Eddie, holding up two Monster cards. “I’m gonna use it to fuse together my Dream Clown and my Crass Clown…”

Two clowns appeared on the field. One was tall, thin, and wore a red and blue outfit covered with stars. The other was short, fat, ugly, and wore a green outfit covered with polka-dots.

The two of them swirled into a multicolored vortex of light…

Then a large box appeared in front of Eddie. It was covered with stars, and had a hand crank. The crank started to turn, and “Pop Goes the Weasel” started to play…

Then the lid opened, and an evil-looking jack-in-the-box with a sinister grin popped out. (2,300/2,000)

“That’s one toy I’ll never have in my deck,” said Erik.

“Bickuribox,” ordered Eddie, “give Magician’s Valkyria a trim.”

The Fiend laughed hysterically. Then it reached into its mouth and pulled out a huge scythe…

With one slash, the Spellcaster was blown to pieces.

“First blood to you,” said Yumi.

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Eddie. “To end my turn… I’ll play the Spell Card, Branch!”

He fit a card into his Disk, and a Continuous Spell Card appeared. It was a spooky picture of three facedown Duel Monsters cards in front of a tombstone in a cemetery.

(Y: 7,300) ------------------- (EE: 8,000)

“My move,” said Yumi, drawing a card.

She looked at the Spell Card:

“I summon…” she said, “my Gemini Elf!”

She played the card, and in a burst of energy, a pair of elf twins appeared, their arms around each other’s waists. (1,900/900)

“Heh, heh,” said Eddie. “Gonna take more than that.”

“How about this?” said Yumi. “I activate the Spell Card, Rush Recklessly, which gives them a little boost.”

She played the card, and the two elves glowed, rising to an Attack Score of 2,600.

“Destroy his Bickuribox! Dual lightning!”

The two elves shot a pair of lightning bolts from their free hands, and the demented toy’s grin quickly changed to a look of fright. It shuddered as it was electrocuted, and then exploded into shards.

“Oop, too bad,” said Eddie. “But I can still activate the effect of my Spell Card. When one of my Fusion Monsters gets totaled, Branch! lets me bring back one of the Monsters I fused to summon it. Now isn’t that hilarious?”

In a flash of light, Dream Clown appeared on the field, in Attack Mode. He raised his gloved fists in a fighting stance. (1,200/900)

“Oh no!” shouted Chelsea. “Dream Clown’s effect… Bickuribox was just Easy Eddie’s way of summoning that guy to use his effect!”

“Huh?” said Ren.

“If Dream Clown is switched to Defense Mode,” said Chelsea, “he can destroy one Monster. And Yumi will be wide open. Eddie wanted Yumi to destroy Bickuribox!”

Chelsea is right… thought Yumi. Easy Eddie may seem like a joke, but he’s actually a clever duelist.

And since all the other cards in my hand are Monsters, I can’t even set a bluff!

“I have to end my turn…” she said.

(Y: 7,300) ------------------- (EE: 7,700)

“Oo-kay, let’s see here…” said Eddie, as he drew a card.

“As Chels said, all I need to do is move Dream Clown to Defense Mode to activate his effect…”

Dream Clown knelt, and crossed his arms. His eyes glowed with fiery light, and Gemini Elf exploded into shards.

“Now that they’re out of the way,” said Eddie, “meet Peten the Dark Clown.”

He played the card, and a dark shadow crept across the field. It formed into another jester, dressed in yellow and green with a cavalier hat, wearing black and white makeup. He casually palmed a dagger. (500/1,200)

“Don’t you just love this guy?” asked Eddie. “He’s such a card!”

Yumi glared at him.

“Get it?” said Eddie. “I said…”

“You know,” said Ren. “I once read this article. It said that more than seventy percent of people surveyed don’t think clowns are funny.”

Peten vanished into shadow.

“Eh, tough crowd…” said Eddie.

Yumi felt a chill down her spine as the Dark Clown appeared behind her…

“YUMI!” screamed Chelsea.

Before Yumi could react to the warning, Peten drove his dagger between her ribs. Yumi fell to the floor with a gasp.

(Y: 6,800) ------------------- (EE: 7,700)

“I probably should tell you, Yumi,” said Eddie, as Peten materialized back in front of him, “because you’ll find out eventually…”

Yumi glared at him.

“You haven’t traded in your true body for a virtual avatar… You’re truly here, in the flesh. You’re very real, very solid. In Xanadu, you can be hurt just as much as you would be as on Earth.”

“And if I die here?” asked Yumi.

“Then you disappear forever,” said Eddie. “No-one truly knows the fate of unfortunate individuals who suffer from fatal injuries in Xanadu. But to keep the corpses from littering the landscape, they just vanish, much like that Crawling Dragon did.

“Some people think that there’s an undiscovered Realm… A Graveyard of sorts where Xanadu’s dead goes… However, no-one is willing to test this theory.

“But don’t worry yourself. A duelist only dies by accident, or if Daala orders her death. And she hasn’t ordered yours. At least not yet.”

“How thoughtful,” muttered Yumi.

“Well, I think that’s enough for one turn,” said Eddie.

Yumi quickly drew a card.

“Well I have plenty to do for my turn…” she said.

“First, I summon Skilled Dark Magician.”

In a burst of shadow, Skilled Dark Magician appeared once again. (1,900/1,700)

“Now… I play Premature Burial.”

She played the card she had just drawn.

“It may cost me 800 Life Points, but now my Gemini Elf comes back.”

The ground in front of her burst open, and Gemini Elf burst out. They frowned at Eddie and his Monsters. (1,900/900)

“Gemini Elf… annihilate his Dream Clown!”

Gemini Elf shot a volley of lightning at the Warrior, and Dream Clown was blown to pieces.

“Skilled Dark Magician, take out Peten the Dark Clown!”

Easy Eddie cringed as Skilled Dark Magician cast his spell, and Peten was blown to shards.

“Oh, pooh…” he chuckled. “But Peten has a special ability. If he bites the dust, I can remove him from play, and bring out another one.”

A second Peten materialized, crouching in Defense Mode. He stuck out his tongue and blew a raspberry at Yumi. (500/1,200)

“You are really trying my patience, Easy Eddie,” said Yumi. “Make your move…”

(Y: 6,000) ------------------- (EE: 6,300)

* * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, Tara was sitting on the edge of the roof of the temple and watching the duel.

“Boy, the Queen of Games being trashed, and I’ve got the best seats in the house,” she thought. “I’d kill for a bag of peanuts right now…”

Then there was a ringing sound in the pouch by her side. She sighed, and took out a device that looked like a cell phone.

“Yeah?” she said into. “Milady?”

“Tara,” said Daala’s voice. “My readouts say that the latest Battle Phase in a duel happening in the Nexus right now involved Skilled Dark Magician and Gemini Elf on one side, and Dream Clown and Peten the Dark Clown on the other. I take that to mean Eddie’s dueling Yumi?”

“Can’t you see?” asked Daala.

“That accursed Fairy is jamming my transmission again,” said Daala. “Who’s winning?”

“Still too close to tell,” said Tara. “But I can take out Yumi if Eddie fails. I realize you probably want her taken out before you-know-who finds her…”

“Actually, no,” said Daala. “I want you-know-who to find her.”

“Pardon?” said Tara.

“It’s too complex for me to explain, Tara,” said Daala. “And I can’t risk telling you on the off chance that you’re captured. They’ve cracked tougher wills than yours.

“So listen… If Eddie wins, I plan to let Yumi alone. If that happens, summon your Lord, grab him, and both of you fly back to Tzimisce before the enemy shows up.

“If he loses… fly back on your own. I promise you, you’ll get a chance to take one of them down soon.”

“Understood,” said Tara.

* * * * * * * * * *

“My move!” laughed Eddie.

He quickly drew a card.

He looked at the two cards in his hand. Then he set one on his Disk. A defensive Monster appeared.

“That’ll do,” he said.

Yumi drew a card.

“I summon… Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer!” she shouted.

A dark shadow appeared on the field, and a new Spellcaster appeared. It was a bald monk, with one side of his face horribly scarred, clutching a set of prayer beads. (1,800/700)

“Skilled Dark Magician, attack his facedown Monster!”

The Dark mage cast his spell again. Sangan appeared on the card, and exploded.

“Thanks!” laughed Eddie. “Now I get a Monster from my deck, so long as its Attack Score stinks.”

A card slipped out of his deck, and he quickly took it.

Yumi raised an eyebrow. He didn’t have to look through the deck at all – the deck simply gave him the card.

“I’m not done with you,” she said. “Gemini Elf, blast the second Peten!”

The two elves cast their burning lightning, and the second Peten was incinerated.

“Once again,” said Eddie, “I activate Peten’s effect…”

“Actually, you don’t,” said Yumi, closing her eyes.

“Huh?” said Eddie.

“When Kycoo is on the field,” said Yumi, “you aren’t allowed to remove the cards in the Graveyards from play. So Peten’s effect can’t be used.”

“Uh… oh…” said Eddie.

“Looks like you aren’t laughing any more, Easy Eddie,” said Yumi. “Kycoo, attack him directly! Spell of banishment!”

Kycoo called lightning to his hand, and then hurled it forward. Easy Eddie screamed as he was knocked over.

“All right!” yelled Ren. “Way to go!”

(Y: 6,000) ------------------- (EE: 4,500)

“And then there’s Kycoo’s other effect,” said Yumi. “You may not be able to remove your Monsters from play, but now I get to remove two of them. I choose Bickuribox and Dream Clown.”

The two cards appeared behind Eddie and vanished into grains of light.

Eddie frowned as he got up.

This is getting less funny by the minute, he thought. If this keeps up, I’m gonna have to start practicing my Emmett Kelly routine…

He drew a card.

“Okay, I’m gonna play Pot of Greed,” he said, as he played it. “I’m sure no one needs that one explained.”

The evil symbol of Greed in Duel Monsters appeared, and he drew two cards.

He chuckled again.

“Perfect,” he said. “First, I’m gonna play Fusion Recovery. Now I can get back a Polymerization card and a Monster that I used in a Fusion. And since my Dream Clown is gone, I think you can guess who that is.”

Polymerization and Crass Clown slipped out of his discard slot, and he took them.

“Now I’m gonna use Polymerization to summon someone new. I’m gonna fuse Lord of the Lamp, and Invader From Another Dimension…”

The two Monsters appeared on the field. One was a genie with red skin, wearing a turban. The other looked like a big preying mantis.

They both swirled into a vortex of colors…

“Let’s bring out Soul Hunter!”

A large creature stepped out of the vortex. Actually, it could best be described as two creatures, a mount and a rider. The mount was a fierce-looking, fiendish dragon. The rider was a jester holding a scythe. (2,200/1,800)

“Okay…” muttered Sam. “I think this whole clown motif has gone a little too far...”

“Well, isn’t that too bad,” said Eddie. “I’ll set this in Defense Mode too.”

A facedown Monster appeared.

“Attack Skilled Dark Magician!” he shouted.

A blast of purple flames shot from the dragon’s maw, and Skilled Dark Magician was burned to a crisp.

He’s smarter than I thought, thought Yumi. I could have brought out Dark Magician next round if he had still been around….

Damn…

(Y: 5,700) ------------------- (EE: 4,500)

“My move…” she said.

She drew a card and looked at it.

“I move my two Monsters to Defense Mode, and set one card facedown.”

A facedown card appeared in a flash of light, and both Gemini Elf and Kycoo knelt and shielded themselves.

“That’s all.”

“That’s all?” asked Eddie. “I expected more from the Queen of Games…”

He chuckled as he drew a card.

“I set a new Monster in Defense Mode,” he said.

A new facedown Monster appeared.

“Next,” said Eddie, “I flip my Crass Clown into Attack Mode.”

The card turned, and flipped up, and the fiendish clown appeared, holding a staff and balancing on a ball. (1,350/1,400)

“By the way, this lets me send one of your Monsters back to your hand.”

Gemini Elf vanished into grains of light, and their card appeared in Yumi’s hand.

“Next up…” he said. “I Equip my Soul Hunter with Fairy Meteor Crush…”

He played the card, and an aura of fiery energy surrounded Soul Hunter.

“Now I’ll…”

“If I may interrupt here…” said Yumi.

Her facedown card lifted.

“Ergh, a Trap!” growled Eddie.

“Threatening Roar!” shouted Yumi.

A loud bellow echoed over the field, and the two clowns cowered in fright.

“Ooh!” growled Eddie. “I end my turn!”

Yumi drew a card, and then looked over the eight cards in her hand.

“First, I’ll summon Gemini Elf again,” she said.

Gemini Elf appeared once again. (1,900/900)

“Then,” she said. “I play Magical Dimension! By sacrificing Kycoo, I can summon Chaos Command Magician to the field.”

Kycoo vanished, and a powerful-looking mage in glossy, black robes appeared, holding a rod. (2,400/1,900)

“Then I get to destroy one Monster on the field,” continued Yumi. “Guess which one…”

Soul Hunter exploded into shards.

“Good thing I’ve still got Branch!” said Eddie. “I’ll use it to summon Lord of the Lamp in Defense Mode.”

The red-skinned genie appeared again, crouching down and shielding itself. (1,400/1,200)

“Fine,” said Yumi. “Gemini Elf… Destroy it.”

Gemini Elf cast their lightning bolts, and Lord of the Lamp exploded.

“Now, Chaos Command Magician… Attack Crass Clown with chaos magic!”

The chaos mage shot a blast of multicolored light at the clown, and it burst into dark residue.

(Y: 5,700) ------------------- (EE: 3,450)

“I throw down a facedown,” said Yumi, “and end my turn.”

A new facedown card appeared.

Easy Eddie angrily drew a card.

He snarled. He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared next to the other one.

He glared at Yumi.

“I take it that means you want me to move,” she said, drawing a card.

She made a draw.

“I activate Call of the Haunted,” she said, as her facedown card lifted.

A black coffin appeared on her side of the field. It opened, and Skilled Dark Magician stepped out of it again. (1,900/1,700)

“Now, take the one on the left!”

Skilled Dark Magician cast his spell.

A ceramic jar appeared on the card. A dark, snaky shadow with one eye and a toothy mouth lurched out of it and cackled before the dark spell blew it to pieces.

“A Morphing Jar!” shouted Yumi.

“Uh huh,” said Eddie. “That means we have to ditch all the cards in our hands and draw five more.”

Yumi snarled, and discarded her five cards. Eddie, on the other hand, didn’t have any to discard. They both drew five.

“Gemini Elf…” said Yumi.

Gemini Elf cast their burning lightning again…

Another fiery explosion ripped through the field. Clearly, the Monster had been another Rough Exploder.

“Are you gonna tell us just what those things do?” shouted Sam.

“You’re just going to have to wait,” said Eddie.

“We’ll see about that,” said Yumi. “Chaos Command Magician… Attack him directly!

“Aim for his gut… It’s an easy target.”

Chaos Command Magician cast his bolt of raw energy, and the portly clown hollered before tumbling over.

(Y: 5,700) ------------------- (EE: 1,050)

Slowly, he got up.

“You have made me one very sad clown!” he shouted.

“Make your move…” said Yumi. “This is your last turn.”

Easy Eddie drew a card.

Then he laughed out loud.

“My last turn?” he laughed. “Hardly! Take this…

“Swords of Revealing Light!”

He played the card, and a blizzard of shimmering swords shot at Yumi, forming a cage around her and her Monsters.

“Crud…” said Yumi.

“Now, I’ll play a facedown of my own, and play a Spell Card…” said Eddie. “The Shallow Grave.”

A facedown card appeared, and then a Spell Card appeared.

“This requires both of us to Special Summon a Monster from our Graveyards in facedown Defense Mode.”

“I know that,” said Yumi.

A facedown Monster appeared on each side of the field.

Everything’s almost in place, he thought. Soon I’ll be laughing all the way to victory!

Yumi drew a card.

She smiled when she saw who it was.

Well, hello there, she thought.

“I sacrifice Gemini Elf…” she said.

Gemini Elf faded into grains of light.

“To summon Dark Magician Girl!”

In a flurry of hearts and flowers, Dark Magician Girl flew onto the field. She spun around in a pirouette, and gave a sweet smile to everyone watching. (2,000/1,700)

Yumi’s ace Monster? thought Eddie.

He grinned.

It will make victory all the sweeter when she’s obliterated…

Then Dark Magician Girl glowed, and her Attack Score went up to 2,300.

“Huh?” said Eddie. “How’d she get more points?”

“Because your Morphing Jar sent my Dark Magician to my Graveyard,” said Yumi. “Next, I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode.”

The facedown Monster flipped up. Magician’s Valkyria appeared in a flash of light. (1,600/1,800)

“I’m ending my turn, Easy Eddie,” said Yumi. “Two turns to go.”

Eddie drew a card.

“I summon… Fool Clown,” he said.

He played the card, and a very strange clown appeared. Actually, it looked more like a large toy top shaped like a clown. It spun on its base, and let out a silly laugh. (0/0)

“Talk about dumb,” said Chelsea. “Summoning a Monster with zero Attack Points when your Life Points are so low.”

“If you think that’s stupid,” said Eddie, “wait until you hear about its effect. Now I have to send every card in my hand to the Graveyard.”

He discarded his three cards – a second Fool Clown, a third Rough Exploder, and a Ryu-Kishin Clown.

“I’m guessing it has some benefit,” said Yumi.

“Yeah, it does,” said Eddie. “And we’ll get to that in a second. But first, since I’m not stupid, I was quite prepared. I Flip-Summon the Monster I brought back with The Shallow Grave. You remember my Morphing Jar, right?”

His facedown card flipped up, once again, the shadowy, one-eyed creature with a toothy mouth inside leapt out with a cackle. (700/600)

“Now we have to…”

“I know!” said Yumi. “We both toss all our cards, and draw five more.”

Yumi discarded the five cards in her hand, and they both drew five cards apiece.

At least it wasn’t his Crass Clown, she thought.

Eddie looked over his five cards. He grinned.

“Now…” said Eddie, “I’m gonna take a big chunk out of your Life Points. I play Meteor of Destruction!”

He played the card, and the sky turned red. A meteorite fell from the clouds.

“Look out Yumi!” screamed everyone.

The missile exploded on impact. Yumi glared at Eddie as smoke rose from her hair and clothing.

“Now…” continued Eddie, “you were wondering about my Rough Exploders?”

Fool Clown glowed with dark energy. The three Rough Exploders fell out of Eddie’s discard slot…

Then, three bombs rolled towards Yumi, past her Monsters. She tried to shield herself as they exploded around her.

“Ergh!” she groaned.

“When Fool Clown is on the field,” chuckled Eddie, “I can remove them from play, and deal you 500 points of damage for each one!

“I just love comedy…”

“Throwing bombs at people is not funny,” snarled Yumi.

“Oh?” said Eddie. “Well, in that case, I just love drama.”

His facedown card lifted, revealing Burial From a Different Dimension.

“Now I can return those three Exploders to my Graveyard. And that means I can do it again!”

Yumi sighed as the bombs rolled towards her again…

She cringed as they exploded around her again.

“Yumi!” shouted Ren.

“I’m all right…” said Yumi, panting for breath.

“My turn is over,” said Eddie.

(Y: 1,700) ------------------- (EE: 1,050)

Yumi looked up, and saw Dark Magician Girl looking at her with a look of concern.

“Seriously,” she said, “I’ll be fine…

“I… hope…”

She drew a card.

“I activate Skilled Dark Magician’s effect,” she said. “Since he has now absorbed the energy from three Spell Cards, I can sacrifice him…”

Skilled Dark Magician nodded, and then vanished.

Dark Magician appeared on the field in an aura of energy. (2,500/2,100)

“You’re in trouble now, Easy Eddie!” laughed Ren.

“Your jar may have sent him to my Graveyard,” said Yumi, “but he’s back, and he’s mad.”

Dark Magician Girl smiled, and her Attack Score fell back down to 2,000.

“Oh, I’m so scared,” said Eddie, sarcastically.

“Next,” said Yumi, “I play Monster Reborn to bring back someone else you made me toss.”

She played another card, and the golden ankh of life appeared in front of her. Another Magician’s Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)

The five Spellcasters glared at Eddie.

“Man, that’s an impressive front line!” shouted Erik.

“Not only that,” replied Sam, “with two Valkyria on the field, Eddie can’t attack them or any of Yumi’s other Spellcasters!”

“I end my turn, Easy Eddie,” said Yumi. “One round to go. After that, your Swords wear off, and my army of Spellcasters will be more than ready to take you down.”

Eddie drew a card.

Whoo-hoo! he thought. I drew Spell Reproduction! I could use this to reuse Burial From a Different Dimension, and use my Rough Exploders again!

Uhm… Only one small problem…

He looked at his hand.

To play it, I need to toss two Spell Cards, and the only one I’ve got here is Giant Trunade…

He thought for a few seconds.

Why of course! It could not be simpler!

“I play… Giant Trunade!” he shouted.

He played the card, and a wind tore across the field. The Swords vanished.

“Crud!” shouted Ren. “He sent Swords of Revealing Light back to his hand so he could reset it!”

“Nope!” chuckled Eddie. “I sent Swords and Branch! back to my hand so I could toss them to play Spell Reproduction.”

He played the card, and discarded the two Spell Cards.

“Now, I play Burial From a Different Dimension once more…”

He played the card, and then the three bombs rolled towards Yumi again.

This time, the blast was so intense, she fell over.

(Y: 200) ------------------- (EE: 1,050)

“I set a new Monster in Defense Mode,” said Eddie, “then set a card facedown, move Fool Clown and Morphing Jar to Defense Mode, and end my turn.”

Fool Clown scrunched down, and Morphing Jar retracted into its vase. A facedown card appeared.

Little does she know, I have surprise for her that will be a real showstopper, thought Eddie. My facedown Monster is a special Monster called a Mad Bomber. When she attacks it, the Fool Clown that I sent to my Graveyard when I summoned the one on the field will destroy all Monsters on the field.

Then, I can activate Call of the Haunted to bring back Soul Hunter. Along with the Crass Clown in my hand, this duel will be mine.

Yumi drew a card.

“You’re strategy seems good on the surface, Easy Eddie,” she said, “but your deck has one fatal flaw…”

She played a card.

“I play… Double Spell. Now, for the cost of one other Spell Card…”

She tossed her Sage’s Stone.

“…I get to use one Spell Card in your Graveyard. And the one I think I’ll use…

“…is your Fairy Meteor Crush.”

Easy Eddie’s eyes bugged out, as the card appeared in Yumi’s hand. She played it, and Dark Magician Girl was surrounded by an aura of flames.

“Hey, wait!” shouted Eddie. “This isn’t supposed to happen! Stop!”

“Attack his Fool Clown!” shouted Yumi. “Dark burning attack!”

Dark Magician Girl fired a blast that looked like a blazing meteor. Fool Clown exploded into its component parts like a broken toy.

Easy Eddie fell to his knees.

(Y: 200) ------------------- (EE: 0)

“And that’s that,” said Chelsea.

“That’s one clown that’s crying on the inside AND on the outside,” said Ren.

The Monsters vanished, and the duelists all surrounded Eddie.

“Okay, Easy Eddie,” said Yumi. “You lost… so tell us where to go!”

“Can’t…” muttered the clown. “The rules of Xanadu are quite strict…

“As you’ll find out for yourself eventually…”

He grinned a grin at them that made their blood run cold…

And then, he simply dissolved into grains of light, and vanished.

“Huh?” said Sam. “He… Disappeared?”

They all looked around.

“More bad news,” said Yumi. “We’re no closer to finding out what we have to do than we were before…”

There was a long pause.

“Maybe we should find a library,” muttered Erik. “That’s what you had to do to get anywhere in Myst…”

Yumi wasn’t quite right. They actually were a little closer.

A new spectator had been watching them during the last few minutes of the duel, from a grassy hill above. He was a young, teenage boy, his outfit consisting of a blue, above waist length jacket with darker blue outlines, white sleeves with frilled cuffs at his wrists, a lavender shirt, and black pants. His aquamarine hair jut backwards and down.

He took a device out of his pocket, similar to the communicator that Tara had used, but a different design.

“Yeah, it’s me,” he said into it. “I found them. They’re all right, thank goodness. And Easy Eddie has been taken out.

“Uh huh? Mmm? You want me to what?

“Okay, sure, why the heck not? But I can’t promise it’ll be quick.”

He put the device away, and looked down at them again.

* * * * * * * * * *

Back in Domino City, Sheena led Nicholas and Olga into the lounge in her manor house.

This mansion had a long history behind it. Its original owner was Gozaburo Kaiba. Seto Kaiba took it over after he disappeared. Siegfried inherited it from him, and likewise, Sheena inherited it from Siegfried.

“So what are we gonna do, exactly?” asked Olga.

Sheena opened up the top of a roll-top desk, revealing a laptop PC.

“Daala has control of my company’s supercomputers,” she said, turning it on, “but not my home computer.

“At least I… hope not…

“Hell, I truly doubt that even with the power she has using the supercomputer, she has the capacity to eavesdrop on the activities of every single computerized system in the city at all times. That would be impossible. And this home computer is protected not only by firewalls and virus shields, but by dummy codes that hide the user’s identity. Anyone who successfully infiltrated this computer would believe it belonged to Percival Jenkins.”

“Who’s that?” asked Olga.

“A name I made up,” said Sheena. “Who’d name their kid that?

“Anyway, while she may have changed the codes, she didn’t install a new security system.

“Daala must be a good hacker to take over KaibaCorp’s computer, but I’d be a pretty sorry excuse for a computer programmer if I couldn’t hack past a security system that I myself was responsible for.

“I doubt that I’ll be able to regain control of KaibaCorp’s computers this way… This computer’s power is pitiful compared to the one that Daala has hijacked. But at the very least, I’ll be able to spy on Daala, and gain some information that will lead us to a solution.

“So, let’s cross our fingers and hope for the best…”

* * * * * * * * * *

FOOL CLOWN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spellcaster/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 1
ATK: 0
DEF: 0

Card Description: When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, discard all cards in your hand to the Graveyard.



ROUGH EXPLODER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Pyro/Effect
Attribute: Fire
Level: 1
ATK: 0
DEF: 0

Card Description: When there is a “Fool Clown” face-up on your side of the field, you may remove this card in your Graveyard from play to inflict 500 points of direct damage to your opponent.

Note: “Fool Clown” and “Rough Exploder” were first used by Masked Knight of Laughter in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Triple Play (Part One)”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



MAD BOMBER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Pyro/Effect
Attribute: Fire
Level: 1
ATK: 0
DEF: 0

Card Description: This card’s effect activates when it is destroyed as a result of battle and you have at least one “Fool Clown” in your Graveyard. Destroy all Monsters on the field.



Coming up next:

The heroes are lost in enemy territory, but all is not as it seems. From out of nowhere, a figure from the past appears to inform them that they do have allies in Xanadu. However, this figure wishes to test their worth, and Ren must face a deck full legendary creatures which he’s only heard references about in stories.

Coming up next: “Pilgrim in an Unholy Land”. Coming soon.

[Shuppet Master]

So it begins. (Gets kicked in the groin for repeating himself.)

The Myst reference was timeless. I still remember that game, and I think I still have the anthology! "Get the red pages!" "Get the blue pages!" Those games were awesome in their time, but I never visited the library first. I usually ended up screwing around until I got the fountain working in the basement, which had Alganar talking to his wife about something. (I apologize if I got the name wrong, it's been ages since I played Myst.)

I loved the clown deck. This is probably your best one yet. I missed Triple Play's second part, sadly, but it was nice seeing the whole thing.

And... once again, the enemy does the stupid as hell "I play this spell card! Oh crap, I didn't know you would use it against me!" move which was done by Leopold in Thousand Year Door. Timeless.

I can't wait to see this duel between Ren and those "legendary" monsters, and find out who the heck is coming from the past to help the crew. Keep up the good work.

[Dark Sage]

Several decades ago, the dueling world suffered a great tragedy. A team of heroic duelists, still in the primes of their lives, chartered a private plane to New York City to attend a convention. The plane crashed in the Rocky Mountains. When a rescue team found the plane, only the pilot was there. He claimed that his passengers had wandered off. Search parties were mounted, but the duelists were never found. It was assumed that they got lost in the wilderness and starved.

The dueling community mourned, not only for the loss of life, but for the fact that some of these duelists had incredibly rare, and in some cases unique cards, that were now lost forever.

The years have gone by, and all that remains of these heroes is their legacies…

Until now.

One of them, or someone who looks just like him, has appeared before us in this place. He claims to be an ally, but he wants to duel just the same.

And if the stories about this member of that group are true, I may be in over my head.

But I’ve never turned down a challenge, and I’m not about to start.

Let’s duel…

CHAPTER THREE



Pilgrim in an Unholy Land

“Nothing…” said Yumi.

She and her friends looked around, but all they saw were more hills, more ruins, and the roads that didn’t seem to go anywhere.

“Daala is sure taking her sweet time deciding what to do with us,” muttered Erik. “Maybe she’s lulling us into a false sense of security… And just when we least expect it, a squad of troops is going to come out of nowhere.”

Then they all heard a ringing.

“What is that?” said Chelsea.

“I don’t believe it…” said Yumi.

She reached into her pocket. Her cell phone was still there, and it was ringing.

She carefully answered it.

“Uhm… Hello?” she said.

“Hi!” said a cheery voice. “Is this Yumi Mouto?”

“Who is this?” demanded Yumi.

“Easy, Yumi,” said the voice. “I assure you, I’m someone you want to get to know. Not everyone in Xanadu works for Daala.

“In fact, Daala has enemies in Xanadu. And I also assure you, any enemy of Daala is a friend to yours.

“The enemy of my enemy… That sort of thing.”

Yumi paused. Her eyes narrowed.

“Who is this?” she asked again.

“Take a gander at the big ruin on the hill to your right,” said the voice.

Yumi looked up, and saw a figure up at the ruin, waving to her.

“As you can see, I’m all alone,” said the voice. “You outnumber me five to one. So why don’t y’all come up here and I can explain things, okay?”

Yumi took a long look.

“Okay, we’re coming,” she said. “But no tricks, got it?”

She hung up.

“Everyone, be ready to summon a Monster in case this is a trap,” she said.

She started to walk up the hill, and her friends followed. The figure slowly came into view.

Everyone was somewhat startled when they saw who it was.

“Hey, y’all,” he said.

“Jesse Anderson?” said Ren, in disbelief.

“Yep,” said the youth. “See…”

“That’s impossible…” said Ren. “He’s… well, he’s dead…”

Yumi was quiet.

She alone knew that Jesse Anderson and Jaden Yuki’s other allies, along with Jaden himself, had faked their deaths. They were all now in Neo-Space, where they were the rulers. The Neo-Spacians had granted them immortality, among other powers.

But that didn’t explain why one of them was here.

“Strictly speaking,” said Jesse, “I’m not the real Jesse. You see, someone that wants to meet you used advanced virtual technology to create a virtual construct…

“A program, given intelligence, emotions, and all the memories of the real Jesse Anderson…”

“And when he hit the Run command, you came out,” said Ren.

“That’s it!” said Jesse, with a laugh. “This person has done it several times, creating lots of great duelists from the past.”

“Why?” asked Sam.

“All for the cause,” said Jesse. “The rebellion.”

There was a pause.

“Rebellion?” said Yumi.

Jesse gave a sad look.

“Daala rules Xanadu with an iron fist,” he said. “It’s said that she created this place from her dreams, but beyond Nexus, it’s a land of nightmares. We know she has terrible plans for your world too, even though we aren’t sure what they are. Our goal is to take her down. Make Xanadu a better place.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t made much headway. Like I said, I’m only a program, as are most of the members. Daala has a great army, and it has people like me, along with several living creatures.

“And duelists who truly possess life… They have an advantage over ones whose life is artificial.”

“And who’s heading this rebellion?” asked Chelsea.

“I’ll show you to her soon,” said Jesse. “But first…”

He lifted his Disk.

“She wants me to duel one of you first.”

Ren gave him a strange look.

“You want to test us, don’t you?” he said. “You want to make sure that we’re worth your time.”

Jesse just shrugged.

“Or maybe you want to make sure we can be trusted, huh?” asked Ren.

“It isn’t my place to question,” said Jesse.

“Fine,” said Ren. “Yumi just dueled, so I’ll duel you.”

“Hold it,” said Jesse.

He took something out of his pocket.

“Hang onto this.”

He handed him something. It was a feather.

“What’s this for?” asked Ren.

“Remember what happened to Easy Eddie?” asked Jesse. “There’s a rule in Xanadu that even Daala has to follow. So long as a duelist never loses a duel, she can’t use her executive powers as queen to apprehend him, no matter what crime she believes – or claims – he has committed. That’s how members of the resistance can move about reasonably safe.

“But once a duelist does lose, if Daala doesn’t want him wandering her lands anymore, her hand swoops down on him quickly and grabs him. He vanishes.”

“What… What happens to them?” asked Sam.

Jesse shrugged.

“We know that they aren’t dead,” he replied. “But that’s all we know. We assume that they’re either prisoners or slaves somewhere.

“But anyway, those feathers have a special power. If both duelists are holding one, Daala has no authority over the duel. I’ve already got one. If you hold that, it’s safe to lose.”

Ren quickly tucked the feather into his pocket.

“Ren,” said Chelsea, running up to him. “Be careful with this guy… You remember the stories… Jesse’s Monsters… They… weren’t garden variety...”

“I know…” sighed Ren. “I’ll just have to be really careful…”

Both Disks activated.

“Game on!” they shouted.

(Ren: 8,000) -------------------- (Jesse: 8,000)

“Let’s go!” said Jesse, drawing a card.

He added it to his hand, and looked them over.

“I’ll set this, and end with that.”

A facedown Monster appeared in front of him.

“Okay…” said Ren, drawing a card.

Perfect! he thought, looking at his hand. This will do to start off…

“I play Graceful Charity!” he exclaimed, playing a card.

In a burst of light, the beautiful angel of charity appeared over him. She closed her eyes, and three feathers fell from her wings, falling on Ren’s deck.

Ren drew three cards. He quickly made two discards, already knowing what he had wanted to toss.

“Now I summon… My Dark Blade!”

Out of a shadow, a dark knight in black, spiked armor, wearing a red cape and holding two swords, appeared on the field. (1,800/1,500)

“All right!” he shouted. “Attack his Monster! Dark sword slash!”

Dark Blade leapt at the facedown card and swung his sword down…

And then he was thrown backwards in a burst of energy.

Where the card had been was now a very large turtle shell, with green crystals protruding from the top. Two glowing eyes peered out from the front. (600/2,000)

Jesse laughed.

“Sorry, Ren,” he said. “My Crystal Beast Emerald Tortoise’s shell is a little too tough for that guy to crack.”

(R: 7,800) -------------------- (J: 8,000)

Then, to everyone’s surprise, a voice came out of nowhere.

“Jesse?” said the voice, that sounded somewhat nervous. “What’s going on? I thought we weren’t going to deal with any more of Daala’s men again so soon.”

“These aren’t them, pal,” said Jesse. “These are the guys I told you about, remember?”

“Oh…” said the voice, nervously. “Is my shell on straight? I’d hate to look unpresentable…”

“You look fine!”

Ren realized where the voice was coming from… It was coming from the Emerald Tortoise.

“Your Monsters talk?” asked Ren.

Jesse nodded.

“The same program that created me can program virtual Duel Spirits too,” he said. “It isn’t nearly as easy, of course, but the leader insisted that the Crystal Beasts in my deck work with me just as well as the real ones did for the real Jesse. So she pretty much broke the bank when she programmed my deck.”

Ren looked hard at the Monster.

“Uh…” he said, looking at his hand. “Yeah… uhm… I’ll play a facedown, and end my turn.”

A facedown card appeared behind Dark Blade.

Nutrient Z should help if he summons something strong, he thought.

Jesse drew a card and looked at it.

“Time for more bling,” he said. “I summon Crystal Beast Amethyst Cat! Come out!”

He played the card, and a huge, purple gemstone appeared in mid-air. It shattered, and a large, pink she-panther appeared next to the Tortoise. On her chest was a golden brooch with a large amethyst. (1,200/400)

She looked at Ren and licked her lips. Ren was nervous. She was looking at him the way he usually looked at a prime rib…

“Feeling frisky today, old girl?” said Jesse.

“Purr-fect,” said the Cat.

“Uh, I hate to tell you this,” said Ren, nervously, “but her Attack Score is 600 points lower than Dark Blade’s.”

“He’s not the target,” said Jesse. “She can attack directly, so long as cut her Attack Score in half.”

Ren gulped as Amethyst Cat’s Attack Score fell to 600.

“Go!” shouted Jesse. “Amethyst power pounce!”

Amethyst Cat leapt at Ren and tackled him, knocking him over. Ren looked up, just in time to see her bearing her claws.

He screamed as she raked them across his face.

He groaned as she leapt back to her position.

“I’m not done, Ren,” said Jesse. “Now I can use Emerald Tortoise’s effect, which can switch one of my Monsters into Defense Mode.”

Emerald Tortoise glowed with green energy, and Amethyst Cat sat down in a defensive position.

“I’ll set a card facedown, and end my turn,” said Jesse.

A facedown card materialized behind the two Crystal Beasts.

(R: 7,200) -------------------- (J: 8,000)

“Jesse two, Ren zero,” sighed Sam.

“This guy certainly has the dueling skills that the real Jesse had,” said Chelsea. “I don’t even know if Ren stands a chance.”

Ren made a draw.

We’ll soon see… he said. Time to go on the offensive…

“I summon… Getsu Fuhma!” he shouted.

He played another card, and a female, redheaded Warrior wearing an armored battle dress and holding a katana appeared. She and Dark Blade nodded to each other. (1,700/1,200)

“Now, I play Rush Recklessly, which gives her more Attack Points.”

He played the card, and Getsu Fuhma glowed with energy. Her Attack Score shot up to 2,400.

“Time to do some gem cutting! Attack the Emerald Tortoise! Whirlwind blade!”

Getsu Fuhma leapt at the Tortoise, and with one slash, it exploded into shards of green rock.

“Dark Blade, attack the Amethyst Cat!”

Dark Blade slashed with his sword, and the panther shattered into purple shards.

“Looks like I took out your two pets,” said Ren.

“Don’t be so sure,” said Jesse.

Two glowing lights appeared on Jesse’s side of the field…

Then, a large green gemstone, and a large purple one appeared in front of him.

“What the heck?” said Chelsea.

“Crystal Beasts can’t be destroyed,” said Jesse. “If that would ever happen, they can retreat to my Spell Zone, where they transform into precious gems.”

“So… what do they do there?” asked Ren.

“Well, by themselves, nothing,” said Jesse. “But if I were to use other cards…

“Well, allow me to demonstrate…”

He drew a card.

“First, I play the Spell Card Crystal Beacon,” he said. “Since I have at least two Crystal Beasts in my Spell Zone, this lets me summon another one from my deck.

“And I think I’ll summon Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger!”

A huge, yellow gemstone appeared on the field. It exploded, and a large, white, Bengal tiger appeared where it had been. He had huge fangs, and a single horn on the top of his head. (1,600/1,000)

“All right…” said the Tiger, in a gruff voice. “Let me at him, Jesse…”

“In a minute, old pal,” said Jesse, taking a card from his hand. “Next, I play Rare Value. Now, you have to pick one of the Beasts in my Spell Zone, Ren, and it goes to the Graveyard.”

“Then I choose your Cat,” said Ren.

The purple gem dissolved into light.

“Now I get to draw two cards,” said Jesse, making two draws.

He looked them over.

“That was pointless,” said Ren. “Your Tiger only has 1,600 Attack Points.”

“Only when he’s not attacking,” said Jesse. “When he actually attacks a Monster, he gains 400 more Attack Points.”

“Great…” said Ren.

“Attack his Getsu Fuhma!” ordered Jesse. “Topaz incisor shred!”

“Right,” said the Tiger. “Tallyho!”

He pounced at Getsu Fuhma, and the Warrior exploded. Ren cringed.

“I’ll set this facedown, and end my turn,” said Jesse.

Another facedown card appeared in front of him.

(R: 6,900) -------------------- (J: 8,000)

Ren drew a card.

Just who I wanted to see, he thought, looking at it.

“All right, Jesse,” he said, taking another card from his hand. “First, I summon Familiar Knight.”

He played a card, and a knight in shining armor, holding a sword and shield with a red cape appeared. (1,200/1,400)

“Now, in order to summon this next lady, I have to remove one Dark Warrior from play…”

Getsu Fuhma slipped out of his discard slot, and he pocketed the card.

“I summon… La Sombra!”

With a cry, a new female Warrior appeared. It was a brunette and busty young woman with tanned skin, dressed in a low-cut leather leotard with boots, gloves, and a mask over her eyes. She carried a long bullwhip. (1,800/1,000)

“You triggered my Trap!” shouted Jesse, as one of his facedown cards lifted. “One of my favorites, too…”

Ren had never seen this Trap Card before. It bore the image of Celtic Guardian fighting Battle Ox in close combat.

“Triggered Summon?” asked Ren. “What does that do?”

“Since you just Special Summoned a Monster, now we both get to Special Summon another one… So long as each of them is Level Four or less.

“So let’s see what else you’ve got.”

“Fine,” said Ren, taking another card from his hand. “I summon Double Pinaska.”

In a burst of dark energy, another Warrior appeared. It was a bandito in a leather jacket and pantaloons, with dark hair and a slim moustache. He carried a pair of rapiers. (1,500/1,500)

“And I’ll summon this guy,” said Jesse. “Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth!”

A round, orange gemstone appeared on the field. It exploded, and a huge mammoth towered over the field, with four huge tusks, and an orange crystal embedded in its forehead. (1,700/1,600)

“This is one of the ones who’s going to help us against Daala?” said the voice of the new Monster. “He looks pretty scrawny to me…”

“Come a little closer and say that, hose-nose!” shouted Ren.

“Uh, Ren…” said Chelsea. “I don’t think it’s wise to yell at big, talking elephants…”

Ren sighed.

“Anyway,” he said, “La Sombra’s effect still activates. You have to draw one card. What happens next depends on the type of card.

“If it’s a Spell Card, she can destroy one Monster. A Trap, and she can attack directly. A Monster… well, then she’s destroyed.

“So draw.”

Lovely… thought Jesse. This is the downside of using a deck that doesn’t use many Monsters…

He drew a card.

He showed it to Ren. Ren grinned.

“Well, Jesse, I’ve never heard of Counter Crystal… But since that’s clearly a Trap Card…

“La Sombra…”

La Sombra gave her whip a crack, and grinned at Jesse.

“Trap activate!” shouted Jesse. “Last Resort!”

His other facedown card lifted.

The whole arena was engulfed in light.

Ren looked around. Then were standing in the center of a huge Colosseum, with a rainbow in the sky.

“What happened?” asked Ren.

“Since you declared an attack,” said Jesse, “my Trap Card let me play the Field Spell Ancient City – Rainbow Ruins. Welcome to Rome!”

“Yeah, well…” said Ren. “Unless it can block direct attacks…”

La Sombra leapt at Jesse and lashed downward at him with her whip. He staggered backwards.

“About time,” said Chelsea.

“Dark Blade…” ordered Ren, “attack his Tiger!”

Dark Blade looked at Topaz Tiger. He paused…

Then he charged at Amber Mammoth. He made a swipe with his sword, and the huge pachyderm burst into shards.

A large, orange gemstone appeared next to the green one.

“I told you to attack the Tiger!” shouted Ren. “Not that!”

“Don’t blame him,” said Jesse. “Amber Mammoth can draw any attack on a Crystal Beast to him.”

(R: 7,000) -------------------- (J: 6,100)

“My move…” said Jesse, drawing a card.

“I summon Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus!” he shouted.

A brilliant, blue sapphire appeared on the field. It burst, and a gorgeous stallion with a unicorn horn and huge, feathered wings appeared. (1,800/1,200)

“Now I get to take one Crystal Beast from my hand, deck, or Graveyard, and place it in my Spell Zone,” he said. “And I think I’ll go with my Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle.”

He played the card, and a large blue gemstone appeared next to the orange and green ones.

“Just how many of these things are there?” shouted Ren.

“Next,” said Jesse, “I play the Spell Card, Crystal Promise! This lets me summon Cobalt Eagle from my Spell Zone onto the field.”

He played a new card. The blue gem burst, and an eagle with golden feathers and blue gems on its chest flew out. (1,400/800)

“Okey-doke!” said a voice coming from Sapphire Pegasus. “Let’s take them together, guys!”

“You said it!” said Jesse. “Topaz Tiger, attack Double Pinaska!”

The Tiger leapt towards the Spaniard.

“I activate Pinaska’s effect!” shouted Ren. “Once per duel, he can negate one attack!”

Double Pinaska crossed his rapiers, and he swatted the Tiger aside.

“So he can,” said Jesse, with a shrug. “Sapphire Pegasus, attack Double Pinaska with Sapphire cyclone!”

Sapphire Pegasus’s horn glowed with blue energy. A blast of wind shot towards Double Pinaska, and he was blown to shards.

“Cobalt Eagle, take down Familiar Knight!”

Cobalt Eagle screeched, and swooped on Familiar Knight. The Knight tumbled over and shattered.

“I activate his effect!” shouted Ren. “Now we can each Special Summon a Level Four Monster from our hands.”

A second Dark Blade appeared on his side of the field. (1,800/1,500)

(R: 6,500) -------------------- (J: 6,100)

“Well, I’m afraid that’s all I’ve got,” said Jesse.

“Then look out!” said Ren, drawing a card.

“I play The Warrior Returning Alive,” he said, playing a Spell Card. “I’ll bring back someone who I discarded with Graceful Charity.”

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

“Now, I’ll sacrifice one Dark Blade to summon her. I summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!”

One of the two Dark Blades vanished, and another female Warrior appeared. She was tall and blonde, wore armor that was shaped into a skirt and halter, and carried a longsword and a very large shield. (2,100/1,400)

“Attack his Sapphire Pegasus!” he shouted. “Sword of shadows!”

Penumbral Soldier Lady hollered a war cry, and slashed at the Pegasus. The winged horse shattered into blue shards, and a large, blue gem formed in Jesse’s Spell Zone.

“Dark Blade, attack the Tiger!”

Dark Blade struck with his sword, and Topaz Tiger exploded. A yellow gemstone formed next to the others.

“La Sombra, destroy the last one.”

La Sombra lashed with her whip, and Cobalt Eagle shattered. A blue gem formed in the last space in Jesse’s Spell Zone.

(R: 6,500) -------------------- (J: 5,300)

“Huh?” said Ren. “5,300 Life Points? You should have 5,100…”

“My Field Spell has five abilities, Ren,” said Jesse. “How many it has depends on how many Crystal Beasts I have in my Spell Zone. Since I had four when you attacked Cobalt Eagle, I was able to use the second effect, and reduce the battle damage from one attack by half.”

“Wait a second…” said Chelsea. “He has five Crystal Beasts there now… That means…”

“That Rainbow Ruins is at maximum power…” muttered Sam.

“At least his Spell Zone is full,” said Erik. “That means his Beasts have nowhere to retreat to if they’re destroyed now. I suppose that means they’ll go to the Graveyard.”

Jesse chuckled.

“Maybe so,” he said. “But not in the way you think. It’s my turn…”

He drew a card.

Well, hi there, he thought, when he saw who it was.

“I activate the fourth effect of my Field Spell,” he said, “which lets me draw an extra card.”

He made a second draw.

“Next, I activate the fifth effect, which lets me summon a Crystal Beast from my Spell Zone to the field.”

The orange gem glowed, and then burst. Amber Mammoth appeared, looming over the field again. (1,700/1,600)

“Now I have a free space,” he said. “And I’m gonna use it.

“Uhm… Now, Ren… The card that I’m about to play… The real Jesse had it, sure… But he usually kept it in his side deck. Cards with this much destructive power, well, they just weren’t his style.”

He placed the card in his Disk.

“But Ren… This is Xanadu… And we’re at war. And in war, you can’t give quarter, because you can’t expect any.

“I play Crystal Abundance! Since I have four Crystal Beasts in my Spell Zone, I can send all four to the Graveyard…”

All four of the gemstones vanished into grains of light....

“I would cover your eyes if I were you, people…”

The warning came too late. In the next instant, the whole arena was consumed by an explosion of colors.

When Ren could look again, he was shocked. The Spell Card had apparently wiped out the whole field. His three Monsters, Jesse’s Monster, his facedown Nutrient Z, and the Rainbow Ruins Field Spell itself had all been vaporized.

“Destroying every card on the field?” said Ren with a laugh. “That was really smart…”

“Actually, it is,” said Jesse. “Because, for each one of your cards that I destroyed, I get to summon a Crystal Beast from my Graveyard.”

Ren stopped short…

Four flashes of color appeared on the field, and Sapphire Pegasus (1,800/1,200), Amber Mammoth (1,700/1,600), Cobalt Eagle (1,400/800) and Topaz Tiger (1,600/1,000) appeared in front of him.

“And since I haven’t Normal Summoned yet,” said Jesse, “I’ll bring out my old friend Crystal Beast Ruby Carbuncle too!”

He played the card, and a large ruby appeared on the field. It burst, and a small, blue kitten with a ruby orb at the tip of its tail appeared. She let out a cute meow. (300/300)

Ren started to sweat…

“So, tell me, Ren,” asked Jesse. “How good are you at math?”

“Uhm…” said Chelsea. “1,800, plus 1,700, plus…”

“It’s a grand total of 6,800,” said Yumi. “I don’t think Ren will be winning this one…”

“Well, it was fun, Ren,” said Jesse, “but it’s time to end this…

“Sapphire Pegasus, you first.”

Sapphire Pegasus neighed, and his cyclone shot towards Ren…

All of a sudden, a dark figure sprang up behind Ren. It was a fiendish-looking Warrior with studded, spiked, armor, and a mane of white hair.

He put his arms around Ren, and the blast was blocked.

“Huh?” said Jesse.

“That was my Necro Gardna,” said Ren, as the strange Warrior vanished. “He was the other card I discarded when I played Graceful Charity. By removing him from play, your Pegasus’s attack is negated.”

Jesse looked at him.

Then he laughed out loud.

“Looks like you’re full of surprises Ren!” he laughed.

He chuckled.

“Everyone else… Get him.”

Ren braced himself as the Eagle, Tiger, and Mammoth rushed at him. Cobalt Eagle scratched at him with his talons, Topaz Tiger made a savage slash with his claw, and Amber Mammoth made a mighty stomp with his front leg. If he hadn’t been a phantom created by whatever system controlled the duels in Xanadu, Ren would have been smashed flat.

Finally, Ruby Carbuncle shot a beam of pure, red energy from her mouth, striking Ren in the chest.

(R: 1,500) -------------------- (J: 5,300)

“He’s still standing!” shouted Chelsea.

“But for how long?” asked Sam. “He has no cards on the field, none in his hand, and he’s facing five Monsters! It’s gonna take a miracle to win now…”

Jesse placed a card in his Disk.

“I’ll set this facedown, and end my turn,” he said.

A facedown card appeared.

Ren gasped for breath.

“Well…” he said. “Okay… I’ve been clawed, scratched, stepped on, and blasted… But you gotta give me credit… I still haven’t lost my sense of humor!

“Draw!”

He drew a card.

“I play… Card of Demise!” he shouted, playing it. “Now, I get to draw until my hand consists of five cards.”

He made five draws.

Then he was startled as a shadow loomed over him. He turned around and saw an intimidating guillotine, its blade held up by five ropes behind him.

“I should have warned you, Ren,” said Jesse. “Folks in Xanadu don’t use that card very often. Never mind the side effect… The visual effect is kinda scary.”

Ren nervously looked at his five cards.

He smirked.

“First up…” he said, “Mystical Space Typhoon!”

He played the card, and the cyclone tore across the field. Jesse’s facedown Trap Card lifted up and shattered.

“Rainbow Path?” asked Ren. “What the heck is that?”

“Uhm… Nothing…” muttered Jesse, nervously.

Ren looked at him for a few seconds.

“Continuing…” he said, “Since you outnumber me five Monsters to none, I can Special Summon The Fiend Megacyber!”

In an explosion of energy, a hulking, cybernetic Warrior in bronze armor, with blades on his gauntlets, appeared in front of Ren. (2,200/1,200)

“Next,” he said, “I’ll play Premature Burial, to bring Penumbral Solider Lady back to the field.”

He played the card, and his Life Points dipped. Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared in a flash of light, looking a little pissed. (2,100/1,400)

“I’m not half-done!” he said. “Next, I summon New Moon Princess!”

He played the card, and a new Warrior appeared. It looked like a young girl, about fourteen years old, with glossy-black skin and dark hair. She wore leather armor and held a wooden practice sword. (1,300/1,200)

“But she isn’t staying,” said Ren, taking the last card in his hand. “I can sacrifice her to summon her big sister…”

New Moon Princess vanished.

“The queen of my deck… I summon Crescent Moon Queen!”

In a burst of shadow, she appeared on the field. She also had glossy, black skin and dark hair, but she was tall and powerful, with silvery armor, and a cape the color of the night sky. She wore a crown set with a single white gem. Her eyes were pools of silvery light.

She looked at Jesse, and drew two crescent-shaped scimitars. (2,600/1,700)

“Three heavy hitters in one turn,” said Jesse. “Nice…”

“I’ll show you nice…” said Ren. “Fiend Megacyber, attack his Mammoth with mega slash!”

The Fiend Megacyber skid towards Amber Mammoth, and made a swipe with his gauntlet. The huge Beast trumpeted, and then burst.

“Crescent Moon Queen, you’re up. Attack his Eagle! Crescent sword slash!”

Crescent Moon Queen made a fierce cut with her left blade, and Cobalt Eagle exploded.

“And by the way… My Queen gets a double attack!”

The Queen slashed with her right blade, and Topaz Tiger shattered too. Jesse cringed as pieces of crystal flew at him.

(R: 700) -------------------- (J: 2,600)

“Time to end this,” said Ren.

“End it?” said Jesse. “How? Even if you attack Ruby, I’ll still have Life Points left…”

“No you won’t,” said Ren. “Ruby Carbuncle is a Light Monster, which means Penumbral Soldier Lady gains 1,000 more Attack Points when she attacks it.”

Penumbral Soldier Lady charged at the small Fairy. Her Attack Points shot up to 3,100…

She gave it a kick, and Ruby Carbuncle was thrown backwards like a football before shattering into pieces.

“RUBY!” screamed Jesse.

He fell to his knees.

(R: 700) -------------------- (J: 0)

Ren panted for breath.

Jesse chuckled as the remaining Monsters vanished.

“Boy, Ren,” he said, “I’m glad you don’t work for Daala… If you did, it would have been all over… I’m one of the most wanted men in Xanadu, after all…”

“Well, Jesse?” said Ren.

“Yeah,” said Yumi. “Well? Are you going to show us to this mystery figure who’s behind this rebellion? Assuming that there truly is one?”

Jesse chuckled.

“Of course,” he said. “Just take a gander over there…”

He pointed behind himself.

On the largest hill was a building that none of them had seen yet…

They couldn’t believe it. It looked exactly like The Sanctuary in the Sky. If it had been perched on a cloud, it would be an exact match. None of them knew how they could have missed it.

“Any questions?” asked Jesse.

“Yeah…” muttered Ren. “Does the owner stock anything to drink? Because my mouth just went dry from the shock…”



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:



With Jesse leading the way, the duelists entered the huge temple. The inside looked like a palace, with gold furniture, marble statues, and elaborate tapestries. They all felt a warm feeling that could best be described in one word – security.

“Joan?” called out Jesse. “I’ve brought them.”

“Joan?” said Yumi.

Then, a tall, radiant form appeared on a dais above them.

It was the most beautiful woman they had ever seen. A woman with unearthly beauty and a flawless form, which the average supermodel would sell her soul for. She was dressed in a flowing, white robe. She had beautiful, white, feathered wings growing from her back.

“Guardian Angel Joan?” asked Yumi.

“Greetings, children,” said Joan. “Please have a seat…”

They sat down on the splendid furniture (which they didn’t like doing, seeing as it looked like it belonged in a museum).

“So… are you a virtual construct too?” asked Chelsea.

She was very nervous. She remembered her duel with Olga where Olga summoned Joan, and her Vampire Genesis destroyed her.

“No, Chelsea,” said Joan. “I’m very real. To explain, I’d best explain the nature of Xanadu.”

“Is this where you offer us a blue or red pill?” asked Erik.

Joan shook her head sadly.

“I’m afraid it isn’t that simple,” she said. “Unlike Neo, you have very little choice. Your only choice other than joining me is to take your chances in Xanadu alone, and I doubt you’ll last very long if you do.

“Before I go further, let me assure you that this temple is the one location in Xanadu where you are completely safe from Daala. Her minions cannot enter, and she cannot eavesdrop on conversations within.”

“Good to know,” said Sam.

“You see,” said Joan, “as Jesse told you, it is believed that Daala created Xanadu from her dreams. However, it began as a virtual reality world, created by a computer. I don’t know the computer’s location or its manufacturer.

“But somehow, Daala was able to combine the technology of virtual reality with true magic, expanding Xanadu, as well as her power.”

“That’s impossible,” said Erik. “Magic and technology don’t like each other.”

“Then how did Marik, Dartz, and all of those other loonies create Shadow Games using Duel Disks?” asked Sam.

“Hold it…” said Yumi. “Sam is right, and it’s not necessarily true all the time. Arthur C. Clarke had three laws of prediction, and the most famous one is, any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

“In other words, if the average person from five-hundred years ago saw the modern world, and saw us using computers and airplanes, would he not think that we were capable of performing magic?”

“Exactly,” said Joan. “Science and magic can thus combine well when one knows how to do it. One must simply approach magic as one would an advanced science.

“Daala was able to use this combination to draw materials and energies from other dimensions that are populated by Duel Spirits. Not only was she able to expand Xanadu, but she was able to populate it with actual Spirits.

“Some of them went willingly, desiring to serve Daala… Others were dragged here. And with no way to get back, they suffer under her rule.

“Soon, this had a strange effect on Xanadu. It eventually broke apart, and developed new rules.

“I don’t want to scare you children, but…

“Xanadu is no longer solely a virtual world. It is truly a dimension onto itself.”

“Too late!” said Chelsea. “You already scared us!”

“Wait…” said Yumi. “Then… Sheena’s equipment is now functioning as… a portal?”

Joan nodded.

“And despite the fact that Xanadu is its own dimension now,” said Joan, “Daala’s virtual reality equipment still works in its maintenance. By running programs, she can build structures, buildings, and whole landscapes. She has godlike power here.

“A dimension built using her dreams… Dreams of a young woman who likely suffered nightmares. Evil pollutes this land like a virus.

“And she continues to both recruit and kidnap Duel Spirits from other dimensions.

“Neither was the case with me…”

She sighed, and looked behind her.

Yumi took notice of the structure behind Joan. It seemed to be a throne of some sort. An incredibly beautiful piece of furniture, made of marble with silk cushions, with gemstones set in intricate patterns all over the surfaces. Clearly, it was a chair designed for royalty…

But the strange part was, it was huge. No human could possibly sit in it. From the look of the immense chair, it was built for someone who stood thirty feet tall.

I’d hate to see whoever that belongs to, thought Yumi.

After a short pause, Joan continued.

“I was approached by someone who wanted Daala stopped. I do not know his identity for certain. But I accepted the responsibility, and used the opportunity he gave me, and some help from… allies, to come to Xanadu undetected.

“I got right to work, and worked quickly. I am immortal and tireless… I don’t need rest or food. I built this temple, and then usurped Daala’s technology, using it to create virtual duelists. Soldiers who could fight via dueling. Dueling, after all, is the favored method of combat in dimensions where Duel Spirits live. It’s how things are done in most of their cultures.

“I am the one who protects them from Daala. So long as I live, she is bound by the condition that she cannot apprehend anyone who doesn’t lose.

“As you might imagine, Daala has ordered my death…”

“She can never leave this temple to go into Xanadu,” said Jesse. “It’s far too risky. If she were to be defeated, the whole rebellion would fall in an instant.”

“So where do we come in, Joan?” asked Yumi.

Joan gestured, and a large, 3-D map appeared in front of them.

“Xanadu has six main Realms,” she said. “Each one represents one of the six Attributes of Duel Monsters. Nexus has pathways leading to all of them.

“Each Realm is under the control of one of Daala’s top lieutenants. They are the Realm Lords. So long as their presence is maintained in each Realm, the power generated by the individual Realms is Daala’s alone to command. She alone can control the energies of Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Light, and Dark in Xanadu, due to her control over these Realms.

“But if the Realm Lords were defeated, if I could assert my own control over them, I could gain the power that the lands themselves generate. The powers of the elemental forces would be transferred to me… Duel Spirits of those Attributes would quickly find that there was no longer any benefit to serving Daala. My own hold on Xanadu would be strengthened.

“There is a seventh Realm of Xanadu. A mysterious seventh Realm, where Daala’s fortress presumably lies. This seventh Realm is the core of Xanadu, where the evil magic is the most powerful. We simply call it the Core. We believe that no Attribute rules this land… It is dominated by Chaos.”

Yumi jumped a little when she said this. Chaos? Maybe Daala was indeed working for Shogarr…

“It’s far too risky to try to go there now, if it is even possible,” said Joan. “If anyone tried, my protection over them would quickly be overridden, they’d be at Daala’s mercy. She simply cannot be defeated when challenged at the source of her power.

“But if all six of the other Realms were under our control, it would create a full circle that would tip all of Xanadu’s power against her. With most of the population of Xanadu on our side, and all six Attributes under our control, our power just might exceed that of the Core. In theory, it would be possible for us to enter this den of evil, defeat Daala, and be victorious.

“And if I could possibly gain control of the energies of the Core after that…”

She paused again.

“You could turn Chaos into Order,” said Yumi. “You could end the whole nightmare.”

“Our ultimate goal,” said Joan. “Our task is difficult, but we may try. Unfortunately, the resistance has tried, but we have yet to secure even one of the Realms. All of the duelists who have made it as far as the Lords’ fortresses have not returned. We do not even know the Lords’ identities.

“My men try hard, but for each of Daala’s men that we defeat, more of them surface, and more and more of mine fall as well. Almost no headway has yet been made. The Realm Lords’ authority is still strong.”

“I’ve volunteered to try to take them down,” said Jesse, “but she won’t let me…”

Joan sadly sighed.

“As I’ve explained to Jesse several times,” she said, “I can’t risk my most powerful soldiers against such foes. They may well be able to win, but what if they don’t?

“The upper echelons of the resistance have powers to manipulate the magic of the spiritual world that Daala is trying hard to discover how to do herself. If my chief lieutenants were captured while trying to defeat a Realm Lord, vital information would fall into her hands.”

“So that’s why you need us,” said Chelsea. “We don’t have those powers… But we’re strong enough to make the attempt.”

“We hoped,” said Joan, “that you, being fully human, possessing true life and more soul than anything I could program, might stand a better chance. For the most part, all I can create are imitations. Duelists like Jesse know feeling and emotion… But inside each of them, no matter how much they try to hide it, is a sorrow that they are not truly human.”

They all looked at Jesse, and he shook his head.

“I wish that I could give them true life,” said Joan, “but as any practitioner of either science or magic would tell you, that is impossible.

“But you five… You do have life. I’m hoping it will give you an edge. The power to succeed where so many have failed.”

“I dunno…” said Ren. “I never imagined myself as part of some revolutionary army.”

“Ren, you can do anything you set your mind to,” said Chelsea. “Well, except cook. You stink at that.”

Yumi sighed.

“One question,” she asked. “Do you know why Daala forced us to come here?”

Joan sadly shook her head.

“I have no idea,” she said. “I can only assume she will try to capture you for some dark purpose that is known only to her. But at least she must give you a fighting chance, so long as I live.

“I’m afraid that I cannot control the portals back to your world as of yet. Daala’s equipment that is controlling KaibaCorp’s computers serves as the only path from Xanadu to Earth. No transport between the two worlds will occur unless she desires it… Or if, by some miracle, someone else gains control of the system.”

“Then we’re trapped here…” muttered Sam.

“Well,” said Yumi. “If it’s true that our only other choice is to take our chances alone… I’d rather not take that risk.”

Everyone else nodded.

“So… you don’t mind working with a Fiend duelist?” asked Sam.

Joan sighed, and bowed her head.

“Let us keep no secrets from each other, Samantha,” she said, slowly.

As she said this, a dark, phantasmal form appeared behind her. It was a fiendish-looking woman, with black skin, blonde hair, and black, feathered wings.

“Marie the Fallen One?” asked Sam.

“This is a shadow of my former self,” said Joan. “What I became after I was expelled from the Higher Plane. I won’t claim that it was anyone’s fault but mine. I wanted power that wasn’t mine to take, and my greed for it led me to steal it, corrupting me with evil. For this, I was cursed and cast out.

“And it was only through years of excruciatingly hard work that I was able to climb back to the lofty heights.”

The phantom vanished.

“I won’t criticize you for using Fiends, because I know more than ever that just using them does not make one evil. You must admit Samantha, towards the master of your deck, you show a trait now that Evil does not understand – loyalty.”

Sam paused. She shook her head, remembering her promise to Ha Des never to stray again…

“Tell us what we have to do,” said Yumi.

Joan beamed.

“Then I will give you each a gift,” she said. “Daala possesses the power to give her most favored duelists a Deck Lord…

“I can do the same…”

Then the five duelists were shocked, as their decks started to glow.

“What’s happening?” asked Chelsea. “Deck Lords?”

“Let me explain,” said Joan. “Daala has created a system similar to Noah’s Deckmaster system.

“The Monsters in your decks are now discussing the matter among themselves. By the time you need to use a Deck Lord, one of them will be chosen.

“You only use your Deck Lords when confronting duelists who also use them. In a duel, they can’t do anything except use their ability, unless you choose to summon them. And I implore you to do that only if there is no other option.”

“Because if it’s destroyed, the duelist loses automatically,” said Ren.

“Yes,” said Joan. “Now listen closely, there’s more.

“Deck Lords have four types of powers: Minor, Intermediate, Greater, and Extraordinary.

“I’m afraid you can only start with one Minor Power. But your Deck Lord can evolve by defeating other duelists with Deck Lords, and absorbing their power.

“How much power they get is measured in points, depending on the powers that the opposing Deck Lord had. For each Minor Power it had, yours gains one point. For each Intermediate Power, two. For each Greater Power, four. And I believe, for each Extraordinary Power, eight.

“You may spend two points for a new Minor Power. Also, you may sacrifice three Minor Powers for one Intermediate Power. And you may sacrifice two Intermediate Powers for one Greater Power.”

“And Extraordinary Powers?” asked Erik.

Joan sighed sadly.

“I don’t know,” she said. “Only Daala herself and her most trusted followers know how to obtain them. I’m trying to figure that out.”

“Looks like we’ll be at a disadvantage,” said Sam.

“I believe in you,” said Joan. “I believe they will get stronger.

“As far as summoning your Deck Lord goes, there are some rules you must follow should you decide to take such a risk. Doing so is considered a Special Summon that can only be done during a Main Phase.

“However, it only does not have a cost if the Deck Lord is a Monster who could be, under normal conditions, Normal Summoned with no sacrifice. If the Deck Lord would ordinarily need one sacrifice to summon, you must pay 1,000 Life Points. Two sacrifices, and you must pay 2,000 Life Points.

“If the Deck Lord is a kind that cannot be Normal Summoned at all, Fusion Monsters, Ritual Monsters, and NOMIs of all sorts, you must pay half your remaining Life Points.”

“That might be less than paying 2,000 of them,” said Erik.

“True,” said Joan. “But once you summon it, your Life Points rarely matter any more. Once again, I stress that this is the riskiest option, and you should do so only if you have no option left.”

“Swell,” said Sam. “So where do we start?”

“Well,” said Joan, “all six of the Realms have evil auras hanging over them. But the aura is the least intense over the Tzimisce Woods, the Realm that is the source of the power of Earth. It might be a good place to begin.”

“Tzimisce?” said Ren.

“I recognize that name,” said Chelsea. “In an old RPG called Vampire: The Masquerade, that was the name of Dracula’s clan.”

“I don’t get the connection,” said Ren.

“You know what the literal translation of ‘Transylvania’ is?” asked Chelsea. “It means ‘through the forest’ or ‘beyond the forest’. I take it to mean the forest is cursed with evil magic.”

“Yes, Chelsea,” said Joan. “But your Monsters are not guaranteed safe passage. And remember, the fates of five members of the resistance who successfully breached the walls of its Lord’s fortress are not known. If you find them, try to rescue them.”

She gestured, and a map appeared in Yumi’s hand.

“That will help you navigate around Nexus,” she said. “And it will help you get to Tzimisce. I’ve given you all the help I can give for now.

“Remember, I can only protect you from Daala’s clutches so long as you don’t lose. Daala’s men wouldn’t dare carry my feathers. She knows their power, and has publicly stated that being caught with one will result in being marked as a traitor. None of her servants will risk that, as it is one of the few crimes in Xanadu punishable by death.

“Should you lose… I’ll pray for you.”

“We’ll do the best we can, Joan,” said Yumi.

She turned to everyone else.

“Ready people?” she asked.

They nodded.

“Let’s go kick some tail…”

* * * * * * * * * *

In another chamber, the polar opposite of Joan’s, Daala was reclining on her couch as her servants continued to fan her.

She glared at Joan’s temple, a place she hated among all else. Its existence, and Joan’s existence defied her rule, and it drove her mad.

She long ago discovered that an outright attack was pointless. Barrel Dragons, Blowback Dragons, Gatling Dragons, and even XYZ-Dragon Cannons couldn’t scratch its walls. (She once tried a VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon, but the temple’s defenses blew it to pieces before it could fire a single shot. The risk of losing another Spirit that powerful kept her from trying it again.) Blaze Accelerators, Wave-Motion Cannons, and Mega Ton Magical Cannons couldn’t break down the gates, and trying to just gave its defenses time to attack you.

She had tried numerous ways to bypass the front doors – Dimensionholes, Interdimensional Matter Transporters, and the like… Such Spells seemed to backfire and deposit the user in a random Realm of Xanadu (which could be incredibly dangerous if that Realm happened to be the ocean).

She had tried infiltration. Duel Spirits had been sent to approach the place, saying that they wanted to join. It was pointless. The temple’s magic could detect lies.

At one point, Daala thought up what seemed to be a great idea. A lot of captured members of the rebellion had been brainwashed – dealing with obedient slaves was easier than ones who wanted to hurt you, after all. She thought she could order one of them to go to the temple under the presumption that he had escaped, and bring Joan down himself.

She thought that the plan worked when the temple let her slave inside… But then, to her shock and anger, the temple’s magic quickly undid the brainwashing. There was nothing Daala could do about it. A prisoner had escaped for real, and he was taking down her duelists with renewed fury the very next day.

She tried this plan several times, strengthening the brainwashing effect, implanting layer after layer of counter spells and resistances. It was no good. There was no magic that she could do that the temple couldn’t undo. So that plan was scraped.

She wasn’t going to give up… She was going to get into that temple and bring down Joan… And hopefully, Yumi and her friends would help.

She couldn’t spy into the place, but she was keeping a close eye on the outside. And she saw the group leave.

Then she saw as they took the path to Tzimisce.

She waved her hand, and another screen appeared in front of her. A face appeared on it.

“They’re coming,” she said. “Best start preparing. If they get to you, handle Yumi before anyone else.”

“It would be my pleasure,” said a voice. “After what her accursed grandfather did to me, I’m looking forward to it.”

“Don’t let personal vendettas cloud your judgment,” said Daala. “Or your ego. That’s the mistake you made the last time.”

“Understood,” said the figure. “But don’t worry… I’ve more than matured since then.”

“We’ll soon see…” said Daala.

* * * * * * * * * *

The change was gradual for Yumi and her friends, and then became quicker.

As they walked, trees became more and more prevalent. As they continued, they became thicker, and very large thorn bushes appeared by the paths.

Then, by some apparent spatial oddity, the sparse forest suddenly became a very think one. All around them, they were surrounded by twisted trees that blotted out the sun overhead. Think vines and creepers studded with thorns were everywhere. From beyond the path, eyes glowed, and strange noises clicked.

“Stay on the path,” said Yumi. “If we stray from it, odds are we’ll never find it again…”

“Hey, look…” said Erik, pointing up ahead.

In front of them was a very large skeleton that seemed to have once belonged to fiendish dragon or dinosaur. It was entangled with vines.

“What is that?” he asked.

“I think a better question is,” said Sam, “what was it?”

Chelsea felt an odd sensation. Someone’s hand was caressing her buttocks.

“Ren!” she scolded. “This is hardly the time.”

“What?” said Ren.

She looked at him.. Neither of his hands were touching her.

“Everyone… freeze…” she said.

She turned around…

It wasn’t a hand. It was a vine.

She quickly lifted her foot and stomped on the vine. Girlish laughter echoed around them.

A very large, blue flower with large, thorny vines rose up in front of them…

Then a sinister-looking nymph with green skin emerged out of the flower’s blossom. It looked like she was growing out of it from the waist. (800/1,000)

“Good lord…” muttered Chelsea.

Then three more of the flower creatures rose up around them.

“I’ve heard of these Monsters,” said Yumi. “They’re called Arlownay.”

“Well, let’s do some pruning,” said Chelsea, activating her Disk. “Go, Vampire Lady!”

“Opticlops!” shouted Sam.

“Dark Blade!” shouted Ren.

“Toy Magician!” shouted Erik.

They each threw cards on their Disks, and four Monsters appeared. Ren’s Dark Blade took the forefront. (1,800/1,500) A sultry female vampire appeared beside him. (1,550/1,550) Then a hulking, muscular ogre with one eye and a horn on its forehead appeared. (1,800/1,700) Finally, a comical wizard that looked like it was made of plastic appeared, holding a scepter. (1,600/1,500)

“GO!” they all shouted.

Dark Blade slashed with his swords, and one of the Arlownay burst. Vampire Lady made a swipe with her claw, and another one exploded.

Opticlops charged and rammed one of them, blowing it to pieces. Finally, Toy Magician fired a blast of pure light, incinerating the last one.

“Escarole, anyone?” asked Erik.

“Well…” said Chelsea. “Wasn’t so hard…”

She was cut off as an even bigger vine grabbed Vampire Lady. Vampire Lady screamed as the Monster lifted her off her feet. It was an even bigger flower nymph, with a red flower and blue skin on her human half. (2,000/1,800)

The nymph smiled evilly as she crushed Vampire Lady in her coils, until Vampire Lady gave one final gasp, and shattered.

“That’s a Rose Spectre of Dunn!” gasped Sam. “And she doesn’t look too happy that we just killed her sisters…”

“Leave it to me…” said Yumi, drawing a card.

She looked at it.

“I sacrifice Toy Magician and Opticlops…”

Sam and Erik’s Monsters vanished.

“…to summon Dark Magician!”

In a burst of light, Dark Magician appeared. (2,500/2,100)

Dark Magician and Rose Spectre of Dunn frowned at each other…

“Dark… magic… attack!” shouted Yumi.

Dark Magician cast his powerful spell, and Rose Specter of Dunn exploded into shards.

Dark Magician and Dark Blade faded away.

“Look!” said Chelsea.

The deaths of the flower Monsters had apparently revealed another pathway, one sloping downwards.

“Hmm…” said Yumi. “Which road is the right road?”

“Maybe we should split up,” suggested Sam. “I mean, we know our cell phones still work. We could call each other if we get in trouble.”

“Okay, I’m fine with that,” said Yumi. “Sam, Erik, you two take the high road, and the rest of us will take this low road.”

Ren chuckled.

“You take the high road, we’ll take the low road,” he hummed, “and we’ll get to Scotland before ye…”

They didn’t know that they were being watched. Tara had been perched in a tree, watching their battle with the nymphs.

She spoke into her phone.

“They’re splitting up,” she said. “Who do you want me to follow?”

“Follow the larger group,” said a voice that clearly wasn’t Daala’s. “I have someone else who can deal with Sam and Erik.”

Tara nodded, and put the phone away.

She leapt to the next tree, and started to trail Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea.

* * * * * * * * * *

Five minutes later, Yumi and her two friends trudged out of the brush into a wide clearing.

In the clearing was a set of standing stones. They reminded the teenagers of Stonehenge, only much smaller.

“So what do you suppose these are for?” asked Yumi.

“Mokey Mokey,” said a voice next to her.

“Huh?” said Yumi.

She turned her head and saw an odd creature. It looked like a marshmallow with wings, stubby limbs, a face, and a question mark on its top.

“Anyone know what this little guy wants?” she asked.

“Who knows?” said Ren. “The flavor text on Mokey Mokey’s card says that nobody knows what he’s thinking at all.”

“Mokey Mokey,” said the little Fairy.

“Yeah, well he’s annoying,” said Yumi.

“Be careful,” said Ren. “Take it from someone who went up against a Human Wave strategy… It isn’t wise to make a Mokey Mokey mad.”

Then a bellowing roar echoed through the forest. The Mokey Mokey’s eyes popped out, and it flew away as fast as it could.

A shadowy, hulking form lumbered out of the forest in front of them. It was fully fifteen feet tall, resembling nothing less than a giant ape with green fur. It carried a large wooden club. (2,600/1,800)

“People…” said Yumi. “I think this video game’s difficulty setting has just gone up a level…”

* * * * * * * * * *

DOUBLE PINASKA (Monster Card)

Card Specs
Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,500
DEF: 1,500

Card Description: When this card is face-up on your side of the field, you can negate one attack made by your opponent. This effect can only be used once per duel.

Note: “Double Pinaska” first appeared in “Legacy of the Duelist”.



CRESCENT MOON QUEEN (Monster Card)

Card Specs
Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 7
ATK: 2,600
DEF: 1,700

Card Description: This card can attack twice in the same Battle Phase. If this card attacks twice in the same Battle Phase, move it to face-up Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase.

Note: “Crescent Moon Queen” first appeared in “City of Souls”.



LA SOMBRA (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 5
ATK: 1,800
DEF: 1,000

Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing one DARK Warrior-Type Monster in your Graveyard from play. On the round this card is Special Summoned, your opponent draws one card. Enact the one of the following effects depending on the type of card drawn:

Monster: This card is destroyed.

Spell: You may destroy one opposing Monster.

Trap: This card may attack your opponent directly this round.



NEW MOON PRINCESS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,300
DEF: 1,200

Card Description: By offering this card as a Tribute, Special Summon one “Crescent Moon Queen” from your hand.

Note: “La Sombra” and “New Moon Princess” first appeared in “Legend of the Sorcerer Kings”.



CARD OF DEMISE (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: An executioner about to chop a deck of cards in half with a guillotine.

Card Description: Draw cards from your deck until your hand consists of five cards. On your fifth Standby Phase after this card is activated, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard.

Note: “Card of Demise” was used by Kaiba several times in the original anime, originally in “Clash in the Colosseum (Part Four)”.



The heroes at least know where to start, but they are off to a rough start, as the horrors of the Tzimisce Woods try their hardest to block their advance.

Coming up next, Tara appears, and challenges Chelsea to a duel. Eddie’s assumption that she isn’t better than him may be challenged. One thing is for sure – Tara is experienced using a Deck Lord, while Chelsea is a beginner.

Don’t miss “On Feathered Wings”.

[Shuppet Master]

About time, Brian. I was worried you wouldn't update.

I didn't expect Jesse, of all people, to show up and duel someone. I also didn't expect him to lose, though he might have pulled his punches. If he had summoned Rainbow Dragon, well...

It looks like the gang is gonna get raped by Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest. Ha ha ha, just after I read Paradox's update and Chad summoned Green Baboon. Too much Green Baboon, if you ask me.

And we get our first Deck Lord battle next update. I love the Deckmaster system but screwed it up with Sister of Anansi. I'm glad you reworked it into a system where you can "level up" your Deckmaster, I mean Deck Lord.

I didn't expect a Deck Lord duel so soon, but I think I know what Chelsea's Deck Lord(or Lady) will be. Also, I have a feeling I know who the Lord of the Earth Realm is. Hint, think a Bug Maniac from Pokemon gone evil and with a big chip on his shoulder.

EDIT: Oh wait, it can't be Weevil. I killed him in Sister of Anansi, ouch.

[Dark Sage]

Harpie duelist… Duelist Kingdom finalist… Battle City finalist… Soldier of the Orichalcos… These are some of the phrases that describe Mai Valentine. Someone once called her the ‘greatest duelist who was never successful’, but whatever faults she had, she ultimately was someone that could be relied on.

She’s retired now, her once-blonde hair grey with age, but her children and grandchildren have kept her legacy alive, in more ways than one. Jade still teaches martial arts in Domino, while Amber works as a defense attorney for a law firm in America. We even met Jade’s daughter in Duelatopia last year, where she had become an Eliminator, using the playing card Knight Warriors.

Still, this family all goes back to one woman with a badass attitude and a deck of female Monsters who, while beautiful, would tear you to shreds if you so much as looked at them wrong.

Why do I bring this up?

Well, I’m in the middle of a duel, and while my opponent is a far cry from Mai, I can’t help but think that this is how her opponents felt when they were on the receiving end of her Monsters’ claws…

CHAPTER FOUR



On Feathered Wings

“So, Ms. Arachne,” asked Olga. “How are you going to do this again?”

“Okay, let me explain this in simple terms,” said Sheena, as she typed.

“The security system of KaibaCorp’s main computer could best be described as a fortress of sorts. It not only had a powerful defense, but if it were attacked, it could mount a counterattack with powerful counter-viruses, destroying the online intrusion before it even reached its walls.

“From what I can gather, what Daala did was make an outright attack with some sort of security breaker so powerful, that the fortress couldn’t destroy it, and its walls proved ineffective against it. This same… weapon, if you will, is also what enables her to control the system now. In other words, what she used to break into the fortress is now inside the computer, allowing her to control it.

“It also repaired all the damage it did, in order to keep others out. Which makes sense, because if someone else broke in, they could use it as a bridge to access Xanadu’s secrets.

“However… I know a little secret of my own… And I’m wagering that Daala doesn’t know it.

“Siegfried programmed a sort of private entrance to this fortress, to be used in dire emergencies. Its security was comparable to the Pentagon’s. The only way into it, or to change it, was by using the password.

“And only two people in the world knew the password… Siegfried, and me. It wasn’t written down anywhere. We only knew it by memory. The password is a pet name he used to call me when we were alone. No-one else ever heard it.

“Daala must have learned a lot to discover how to break into my defenses, but in order to have disabled this part of it…”

“She’d have to have been spying on the two of you when you were…” said Nicholas, slowly.

“Exactly!” said Sheena. “And since I never used this entrance before, there’s no record of its existence anywhere.

“Now, once I use this entrance, I won’t be able to do much except look around.

“I’ll be like a thief lurking around in my own house, as pathetic as that sounds…

“But maybe, just maybe, we’ll discover a weakness that we can use to mount our own attack, and take back the computer another way.”

She typed in some words, and an image came up on her computer’s screen. It looked like a spider web made of digital ones and zeroes.

“There’s the entrance…” she said. “Both of you, close your eyes… This is one secret I’d like to keep to myself… And cross your fingers.”

They closed their eyes as Sheena typed in the password.

“Bingo!” laughed Sheena.

A menu appeared on the screen.

“We’re in, people. And Daala is none the wiser…

“Now, Daala… Let’s see what we can find out about you and your kingdom…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea stepped back as the huge ape loomed above them and roared, waving its club threateningly. (2,600/1,800)

“Lovely…” said Ren. “A giant, green gorilla…”

“That’s no gorilla,” said Yumi, drawing the top six cards off her deck. “That’s Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest.”

She looked at the six cards.

“And I don’t have anything that can deal with it!”

“Don’t worry,” said Chelsea, looking at her own cards. “If we can use Monsters to fend off danger in this world, I’m betting Spells and Traps work too…”

She threw a card into her Disk.

“I play Call of the Mummy! And I’ll use it to Special Summon Vampire Lord!”

In a burst of shadow, the exotically dressed vampire appeared. (2,000/1,500)

“Nice try, Chels,” said Ren, “but he’s not gonna cut it…”

“Then I’ll trade him in for Vampire Genesis!” shouted Chelsea.

Vampire Lord vanished into grains of light. Lighting flashed, the sky darkened, and the hulking, muscular creature that seemed as much demon as he was vampire appeared in the spot. (3,000/2,100)

Green Baboon roared.

“Attack!” shouted Chelsea. “Crimson shroud!”

Vampire Genesis burst into a cloud of blood-red vapor, and shot at the Green Baboon. The Beast howled, and then exploded into pixels.

A flock of birds flew from the trees overhead. Numerous pairs of glowing, red eyes peered out of the underbrush.

Chelsea shuffled her cards back into her deck nervously as Vampire Genesis vanished.

“Someone’s coming…” said Yumi.

Someone did come, sooner than they thought. Tara leapt from the tree above, and she was clearly angry.

“Well, well, well,” she said, crossing her arms. “Not in Tzimisce for an hour, and you guys have already gotten into trouble…”

“Trouble?” said Chelsea. “Who are you?”

“Tara,” she replied. “I’m the warden for the Realm Lord. But enough small talk.

“First you folks slaughter a grove of flower nymphs. Then you not only kill the Defender, but you do so in the sacred arena.”

She pointed to the standing stones.

“Sacred arena?” asked Chelsea.

“A spot where the most vital duels in this forest take place,” said Tara. “And I’m using its powers to enforce the rules of the Realm Lord. None of you are leaving until one of you duels me. It will be your punishment for what you did.”

“Huh?” said Chelsea.

“Try to leave if you want,” said Tara. “But the forest itself will force you back into this shrine if you do.

“I’m giving you a fair chance. You win, and you can leave. Lose, and Daala takes you.”

“Wait a minute!” shouted Chelsea. “How do we know you weren’t the one who sicced those Monsters on us?”

Tara’s only reaction to this was a slight smirk.

“Guys…” muttered Yumi, “I have a feeling that Daala’s rules only apply when they benefit her.”

“Who is this Realm Lord anyway?” demanded Chelsea. “Green Phantom King? Fairy King Truesdale? Lord Poison?”

“First,” said Tara, “I’m not allowed to say. Second, Green Phantom King and Fairy King Truesdale aren’t welcome here, and we have orders to apprehend them if they show up. Them, Doriado, Queen of Autumn Leaves, and the Charmers. They’d all try to drive out the Lord’s influence if they came here.

“Third, Lord Poisons are hardly unique Monsters, and they all work for the Realm Lord.

“And fourth, you still aren’t leaving until one of you duels me.”

“All, right!” said Chelsea, walking forward. “I knew I’d have to risk my neck in this place eventually… There’s no sense in putting it off…”

“Very well…” said Tara. “I promise you a painful, merciless duel. Present your Deck Lord. I assume you have one…”

“Uhm…” said Chelsea. “I haven’t chosen one yet…”

“Fool,” said Tara. “Your Monsters choose one for you. Don’t tell me they were too slow to make up their minds.”

Then a burst of energy appeared behind Chelsea, and Vampire Genesis appeared again, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Not a bad choice,” said Tara, with a laugh. “Now meet mine…”

An explosion erupted on her side of the field, and a Monster even bigger than Vampire Genesis appeared. It was clearly a Dragon, with rust-red scales, large wings, a jeweled tiara, and a collar with a golden chain serving as a leash.

“Harpie’s Pet Dragon?” laughed Chelsea. “Why don’t you just put a tattoo on your stomach that says, ‘I’m using a Harpie Deck’?”

“Trust me, Chelsea,” said Tara, “you may have discovered the bare basics of my strategy, but enough of it remains hidden to catch you by surprise.”

She smiled again.

“Do you know the legend behind this creature?” she asked.

She started shuffling her deck.

“Legend?” asked Chelsea.

“Why, yes,” said Tara. “This is the fabled Dragon That Never Sleeps.”

There was a long pause.

“The dragon that guarded the Golden Fleece?” asked Yumi.

“The one and only,” said Tara. “Don’t you remember the other creatures that Jason and the Argonauts fought on their quest?”

There was another long pause.

“They fought Harpies…” said Yumi slowly.

“Makes sense, doesn’t it?” said Tara.

“So does that make you Medea?” asked Chelsea. “I think she tended to dress more decently.”

Tara closed her eyes.

“If I’m anything like Medea,” she said, somewhat irked, “that would make me a witch who knew powerful black magic, so making fun of my fashion sense wouldn’t be a good idea!

“Enough talk… Let’s duel…”

The Disks activated. They both snatched five cards off their decks.

“And mythology aside, my Deck Lord is more experienced than yours. That oversized Zombie has, at most, one Minor Power. I guarantee that mine benefits me more.”

“Game on!” they shouted.

(Chelsea: 8,000) -------------------- (Tara: 8,000)

“Chelsea,” said a deep voice.

“Huh?” whispered Chelsea. “Vampire Genesis?”

“She’s only partially right,” said the vampire. “The tiers of Deck Lord abilities only measure raw power. My ability is incredibly useful, if incredibly situational.”

“Okay…” said Chelsea. “So what is it?”

“Should you lose a Monster with the word ‘Vampire’ in its name via battle,” said Genesis, “discard one card from your hand, and I can resurrect it in Defense Mode.

“Good luck.”

“I insist,” said Tara. “You go first.”

“Thanks,” said Chelsea, drawing a card. “Don’t mind if I do…

“I throw two cards facedown, and then summon Zombie Werewolf.”

Two facedown cards appeared, and then a vicious werewolf appeared, wearing only torn trousers and broken shackles on its wrists. He lifted his head and howled. (1,200/1,200)

“I end my turn.”

If she attacks, she thought, my facedown Rush Recklessly will boost his Attack Score to 1,900. Even if she attacks with Harpie Queen, she’ll only manage a draw. And even if she does beat my Werewolf, his effect will let me summon an even stronger one.

“My draw,” said Tara, drawing.

“I play the Spell Card, Summon Storm. I simply have to give up 800 Life Points, and I get to Special Summon a Wind Monster from my hand that’s Level Four or less.

“So I’ll summon the enchanting Harpie Lady.”

A burst of wind blew over the field, and the lovely, female Winged Beast appeared. Chelsea and her two allies were somewhat shocked by her appearance… Especially since her upper body was only covered by a pair of cloths resembling suspenders. This was the one with long, straight, red hair. (1,300/1,400)

“Why Special Summon a Monster that you could just have easily Normal Summoned?” asked Chelsea.

“So I could play this,” replied Tara, holding up a Spell Card. “Inferno Reckless Summon. Now I get to bring out two more Harpies.”

In another burst of wind, the Harpie’s two sisters appeared: one with short, red hair with bangs, and one with bushy blue hair. The three of them looked at Chelsea with evil smiles.

“Fine!” said Chelsea. “Maybe you forgot, I get to summon two more Werewolves.”

Two more Zombie Werewolves appeared in two more bursts of shadow.

“I didn’t forget,” said Tara, “and they’ll be all the more fun to destroy.”

“Hey…” said Ren. “Shouldn’t those Harpies have gained some Attack Points?”

Tara chuckled.

“You make the mistake of thinking that these girls are the Effect Monster versions of the Harpie Ladies, Ren,” she said. “Harpie Lady 1 of that flock does indeed have the ability to increase the scores of Wind Monsters. These aren’t them… These are just the old-fashioned non-Effect variety.

“You’re likely asking, ‘Why is she only using weak non-Effect Harpies? Well, remember when I said that my strategy would take you by surprise?”

She played another Spell Card, one with a picture of three Fiend Scorpions arranged in a triangular pattern.

“I play… Delta Attacker. I can only use this when I have three Normal Monsters on the field with the same name. It lets all three attack directly.”

“Wait a minute!” shouted Chelsea.

“GO!” shouted Tara, as the Harpies flew into the air. “Triple dive bomb! Chew Chelsea to pieces!”

Chelsea remembered what happened next for a long time afterwards, although what she remembered was vague. It was mostly the three Harpies swooping down on her, followed by a multitude of claws raking against her arms, legs, belly, and face.

She collapsed.

(C: 4,100) -------------------- (T: 7,200)

* * * * * * * * * *

In Sheena’s house, Nicholas walked into the lounge carrying a soda. He sighed. It seemed that Sheena only had regular Coke instead of Diet, and she didn’t have any Gatorade. But it wasn’t like he could complain.

“Any progress?” he asked.

“Like the tortoise, slow but steady,” said Sheena. “I never thought I’d be sneaking around my own system…

“I’m getting a little information about Xanadu… Basically, if it were a true video game, I’m getting the stuff you would find in the instruction booklet…

“From what I can see, it’s not a very pleasant place… And there are house rules for some of the duels that I can’t seem to access yet…

“A major difference between Xanadu and Dueltasia seems to be that Xanadu’s population consists of both humans and intelligent Duel Monsters…”

“Strange…” said Olga. “It’s like Daala has created her own alternate dimension… A dimension of Duel Spirits…”

Sheena sighed.

“Duel Spirits,” she muttered. “Very difficult to deal with…”

“You’ve dealt with them?” asked Nicholas.

Sheena nodded.

“Well, maybe,” she said. “One of the Eliminators currently working in Duelatopia is a guy who calls himself the Midnight Caller. He claims to be a vampire, although I’m not sure I believe him… But he’s one of the most mysterious employees I ever brought into KaibaCorp.

“The thing is, he has a retinue of five servants… Five women… And either by some power that he or they have, they’re able to turn themselves into five of the cards that he uses in his deck.

“It leads me to think that they may be Duel Spirits. Where they came from, I have no idea… Maybe he made some sort of deal with them.

“By the way, if you tell anyone, I’ll deny ever having said that, and no-one will ever be able to prove it, I guarantee.”

“Hey, we can keep secrets,” said Nicholas. “He doesn’t drink blood, does he?”

“According to him, that’s a myth,” said Sheena. “He says vampires don’t need sustenance at all. The curse that they use to spread vampirism is simply that – a curse. They don’t drain a victim’s blood to do it.

“He’s not interested in telling me the details, but he’s not interested in creating more vampires either, so I don’t pry.”

There was a beeping noise on the screen.

“What’s this?”

She looked at something that she had just come across.

“Nicholas… Olga…” she said. “I seem to have uncovered something by accident… A private e-mail that Daala is sending to someone…

“And its title reads: ‘Top Secret’.”

She punched in a command.

“What are you doing?” said Olga.

“A special hacker trick,” replied Sheena. “If this works, a copy of Daala’s e-mail will be sent to me, without her even knowing it.

“If this works, we may discover something vital we can use.”

“Let’s hope it’s not just a letter to her boyfriend,” said Olga.

* * * * * * * * * *

“That hurt, Chels?” asked Tara. “Well, shucks… You want my Harpies to kiss it?”

Chelsea looked up and saw the three of them grinning with sinister smiles.

“I’ll pass,” she groaned.

“Chelsea…” said Ren.

“Uh, uh, uh,” said Tara. “You try to help her, Ren, and she’s disqualified.”

Then Vampire Genesis reached down and offered his hand.

Chelsea took it, and struggled to her feet.

“Show off,” said Tara. “It’s still my turn. First I’ll play a facedown…”

A facedown card appeared behind the Harpies.

“Next I’ll play this… Winged Repayment. This Spell Card lets me pay 600 Life Points to draw one card for each Winged Beast I have on the field.”

She drew three cards. She looked them over.

“Thing is, I’m not allowed to use them until my next turn. So I’ll end my turn now.”

(C: 4,100) -------------------- (T: 6,600)

Chelsea slowly drew a card.

“I really hope that facedown card isn’t Mirror Wall,” she whispered.

“Hard to tell,” said Genesis. “It’s hard to say how many of her cards are the ones that Mai Valentine used…

“And furthermore, Mai hated seeing her Harpies die. This duelist may not be so sentimental. She might be willing to sacrifice them without a second thought. So while Mai would never have used Icarus Attack, Tara likely doesn’t have such qualms.”

“Good point,” said Chelsea. “But if she uses another Delta Attacker, this is gonna be over very quickly…

“I sacrifice one Werewolf to summon Vampire Lord!”

The Werewolf in the middle vanished, and the tall vampire appeared. (2,000/1,500)

“Attack the Harpie Lady in the middle!” she shouted. “Children of the night!”

Vampire Lord’s eyes glowed. He lifted his cape, and a swarm of bats shot at the Harpie Lady. She covered herself with her wings and staggered back as the swarm hit her, but when the onslaught subsided, she was still standing.

“Huh?” said Chelsea, opening her eyes wide. “How did she survive?”

Tara chuckled.

“I have no idea…” she said with a laugh. “Wait… Could it have something to do with this big Dragon behind me?”

She pointed at her Deck Lord.

“Her Deck Lord ability is called Harpie Bodyguard. When a Harpie Lady is summoned, she gains a Protection Counter, and if she would be destroyed, I can protect her by removing the Counter.”

Chelsea’s eyes narrowed.

“I see you still lost Life Points!” she shouted. “That means Vampire Lord’s effect activates. I declare Spell Card.”

“Whatever you say…” muttered Tara, taking a card from her deck.

She discarded a copy of Elegant Egotist.

“And I’m not done,” said Chelsea.

One of her facedown cards lifted.

“Go, Rush Recklessly!”

The Zombie Werewolf to Vampire Lord’s right rose to an Attack Score of 1,900.

“Attack the Harpie without the Counter!” she shouted. “Terror claw!”

Zombie Werewolf lunged at the Harpie and slashed with his claw. Harpie Lady screeched, and shattered into bits.

“Now I’ll move my other Werewolf to Defense Mode…”

The other Werewolf crouched down and crossed its arms.

“I’ll throw two more cards facedown, and play Mirage of Nightmare.”

Two new facedown cards appeared, and the Mirage of Nightmare card materialized.

Ren and Yumi grinned. Chelsea was so good at this combo…

“I end my turn,” said Chelsea.

(C: 4,100) -------------------- (T: 5,300)

“Then it’s my move,” said Tara.

She drew a card.

This will do… she thought, looking at the Monster.

“Hold up,” said Chelsea. “Thanks to my Mirage card, I get to draw four cards.”

She made four draws.

“Uh huh,” said Tara. “And one of those facedown cards is clearly Emergency Provisions, right?”

Chelsea frowned. Her facedown Emergency Provisions flipped up. A large mouth appeared, and chomped down on the Mirage card, devouring it.

“Whoa…” muttered Chelsea. “Realistic….”

“Well, I’ll activate my own facedown card,” said Tara. “Call of the Haunted.”

Her Trap Card lifted, and a wicker casket appeared on her side of the field.

It opened, and the Harpie Lady stepped out. (1,300/1,400)

“Not so fast!” shouted Chelsea, as another of her facedown card lifted. “Go, Dust Tornado!”

A tornado shot across the field, and the Call of the Haunted card was blown to pieces.

However, the Harpie just grinned wickedly at Chelsea.

“What?” said Chelsea. “She should have been destroyed…”

“My Deck Lord can protect them from being destroyed by anything,” said Tara. “Not just battle.”

“Oh, this is not fair!” shouted Chelsea.

“Hey!” said Tara. “I started out with a weak Deck Lord, and I worked my butt off to get her to earn an Intermediate Power. And before that, I worked my butt off before Daala recognized my talent and awarded me the right to even use a Deck Lord.

“Unlike you, who was given one by Joan as a gift. Deny that…”

“Okay, I won’t deny it,” said Chelsea. “But was your hard work honest work, or was it all crimes committed in Daala’s name that resulted in the citizens of Xanadu suffering?”

Tara frowned, and put a card on her Disk.

“I summon Hunter Owl!” she shouted.

A new Winged Beast appeared. It was definitely an owl, humanoid in shape, carrying a pike. (1,000/900)

“That’s weak,” said Chelsea.

“Weak?” asked Tara. “I’ll show you weak. Hunter Owl gains 500 more Attack Points for each Wind Monster on my side of the field. My Deck Lord doesn’t count, but I have four of them.”

All four of Tara’s Monsters glowed with green energy, and Hunter Owl grew to an Attack Score of 3,000.

“How’s THAT for weak?” asked Tara. “And it has another effect, by the way. You can’t attack it so long as I have at least one other Wind Monster on my side of the field. But for now…

“Hunter Owl… Attack Vampire Lord with night predator slash!”

Hunter Owl rose into the air. It swooped at Vampire Lord, and with one swipe of its pike, the Zombie was cut down.

Chelsea grit her teeth.

“You aren’t the only one who can use her Deck Lord, Tara!” she shouted. “I’m tossing one card in my hand to do so, and bringing Vampire Lord right back.”

She discarded her Axe of Despair into her Graveyard, and Vampire Genesis glowed. Vampire Lord burst out of the ground, kneeling and covering himself with his cape. (2,000/1,500)

Tara took a card from her hand, and placed it in her Disk. A facedown card appeared.

“I’ll set a facedown card, and that will be all,” she said.

(C: 4,100) -------------------- (T: 5,300)

Huh? thought Chelsea. Why didn’t she have her Harpies attack my Werewolves?

She drew a card.

Oh yeah… she thought.

“I move Vampire Lord to Attack Mode,” she said, “and summon Vampire Lady.”

Vampire Lord stood up, and then the dark, female vampire appeared. (1,550/1,550)

“Vampire Lord, attack…”

“I activate… Windstorm of Etaqua!” shouted Tara, as her facedown card lifted.

A wind that could best be described as hurricane-force blew through the forest. All four of Chelsea’s Monsters strained, and both vampires knelt in Defense Mode, as did the Werewolf in Attack Mode, while the Werewolf in Defense Mode moved into Attack Mode.

Chelsea sighed. She turned the card on her Disk, and he moved back into Defense Mode.

“I’ll play a facedown of my own, and that’s all,” she said.

A facedown card appeared next to her other one.

“Then I’ll move…” said Tara, drawing a card. “And you’re about to lose…

“I play my deadliest Spell Card…

“Harpie Lady – Phoenix Formation!”

“NO!” screamed Yumi and Ren at once.

“Since I have at least two Harpies on the field,” said Tara, playing the card, “I can destroy one Monster for each one, and the total attack points of the destroyed Monsters come out of your Life Points!

“Go!”

Chelsea looked up in panic, as the three Harpies became surrounded in auras of flames and flew skyward…

My Spell Card! she thought.

“I activate… Mystik Wok!”

One of her two facedown cards flipped up, revealing a Quickplay. Vampire Lord vanished into grains of light, and a huge wok with a fire underneath it appeared behind Chelsea. Energy started to flow from the wok into her.

“My little stir-fry lessens the effect of your barbecue,” said Chelsea, “letting me sacrifice Vampire Lord before he’s destroyed, and giving me 2,000 Life Points as a buffer!”

“Yeah?” said Tara. “Your other three Monsters won’t be so lucky…”

Flames fell from the sky, and Vampire Lady and the two Zombie Werewolves were incinerated.

Chelsea held her chest in pain…

(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 5,300)

The three Harpies landed.

“Hang in there, Chelsea!” shouted Ren. “Her Harpies can’t attack after she uses that Spell!”

“Oh, sure,” said Tara, with a laugh. “They can’t…”

She pointed to Hunter Owl.

“Remember him? There’s nothing that says I can’t attack with Hunter Owl.

“Hunter Owl, attack Chelsea directly and finish her off!”

Hunter Owl flew into the air… It swooped at Chelsea.

“Go, Trap Card!” shouted Chelsea, as her last facedown card lifted. “Widespread Ruin!”

Hunter Owl exploded, and feathers filled the air around the arena. Tara scowled.

“I end my turn!” she shouted.

Chelsea drew a card.

“All right!” she said. “I play… Pot of Greed!”

The evil jar appeared in front of her with a chuckle. She made two draws.

“Time to turn this around,” she said. “I play Book of Life. It’s called that because it gives life to creatures that formerly didn’t have any.

“So, I can Special Summon a Zombie from my Graveyard, like my Vampire Lady.”

Vampire Lady appeared in a burst of shadow. (1,550/1,550)

“Of course, to do something like that, a sacrifice has to be made. So I’ll remove your Hunter Owl from play so I won’t have to worry about it again.”

Hunter Owl fell out of Tara’s discard slot.

She took a card from her hand.

“But my vampire’s not staying long… You say your Dragon has a legend behind it? So does the guy I’m about to summon…

“Long ago, there was a powerful wizard who sought the secrets of the universe. He studied forbidden magic, secrets that most feared, and mastered them on all levels. He cheated death by transforming from living to undead, and grew in might and power. He became the master of all secrets, and the lord of darkest arcane power.

“So terrifying were the powers he practiced, only the very brave or the very foolhardy ever spoke his true name aloud… The name… Vecna.

“Those who weren’t so brave spoke of him by his many titles. The Master of the Spider Throne, The Whispered One, The Maimed Lord…”

Vampire Lady vanished, and a creeping shadow appeared.

“Or… Lich Lord, King of the Underworld!”

The shadow formed into a skeletal creature in a tattered, crimson sorcerer’s robe, clutching a golden staff, with black, feathered wings on its back. (2,400/1,200)

“Ugh!” said Tara.

“Attack the Harpie without the Counter!” shouted Chelsea. “Cursed magic!”

Lich Lord chanted, and cast a bolt of flaming black magic at the Harpie. The Harpie Lady screamed and fell backwards before she shattered.

Chelsea looked Tara in the eye.

“Your move,” she said.

(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 4,200)

Tara drew a card.

“I’ll simply move my two Harpies to Defense Mode, and that will be all,” she said.

The two Harpies landed, and covered themselves with their wings.

Chelsea drew a card and looked at it.

“I set a new facedown, and summon a second Vampire Lady,” she said.

A facedown card appeared, and another vampiress appeared, standing under the larger Zombie. (1,550/1,550)

“Both of you,” said Chelsea, “attack the Harpie Lady on the right!”

Vampire Lady flew at the Harpie, and slashed at her with her claw. Then Lich Lord cast its dark spell, and the Winged Beast shattered.

“Looks like Chelsea found a way to defeat this Deck Lord,” said Ren.

“Yeah,” said Yumi. “Take down the Harpies one at a time…”

Tara frowned as she drew a card.

Perfect! she thought. I’ve got just what I need to play Phoenix Formation again.

The only problem is, I need at least two Harpies on the field… But that’s easily taken care of…

She fit a card into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

“Your move,” she said with a cheery smile.

Chelsea drew a card.

“I summon… Blood Sucker,” she said.

She played the card, and a new Zombie appeared. It looked like a fiendish bat, with horns and wing-like membranes under its arms. (1,300/1,500)

“Lich Lord… Vampire Lady… Finish the job…”

The two Zombies rushed at the last Harpie Lady, and with two attacks, she was blown to pixels.

“Blood Sucker… Attack directly!”

Blood Sucker flew at Tara, and clawed at her torso with its claw. She gasped and fell over.

“And then there’s Blood Sucker’s effect,” said Chelsea. “You lose the top card from your deck.”

The top card flew off of Tara’s deck and vanished.

I’ll still have the last laugh… thought Tara.

(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 2,900)

She got up.

“My move…” she said. “Time to fry…”

She drew a card.

Her facedown card lifted.

“I activate… Hysteric Party!

“I just have to toss one card, and all three of my Harpies come back.”

She discarded the card she had just drawn, and funky music started to play, and colored strobe lights covered the arena. All three Harpie Ladies appeared in front of her. (1,300/1,400 x3)

“And guess what?” said Tara. “They all have Counters again. Not like it will matter…

“I play Spell Reproduction! I toss two other Spell Cards…”

She discarded her Pot of Avarice and Harpie’s Hunting Ground.

“…and I get my Phoenix Formation back.”

She took the Spell Card from her discard slot.

“So this duel is over…”

She played the card.

“Don’t think so…” said Chelsea.

Her Trap Card flipped up.

“I play Spell Shield Type-8!”

“Huh?” said Tara.

Chelsea discarded the Symbol of Heritage in her hand, and a strange machine appeared in front of her. As Harpie Lady – Phoenix Formation appeared on the field, the machine spun, grinding it into confetti.

“Damn you!” shouted Tara.

“Since you have no more cards, it’s my move…” said Chelsea, drawing a card.

“And I got just what I needed. Go, Mystical Space Typhoon!”

She played the card, and the cyclone tore across the field, blowing the Hysteric Party card to bits. The music cut short, and the lights died.

“Normally, that would have destroyed all three Harpies,” said Chelsea. “So now all of them lose their Counters.

“Blood Sucker, you attack first.”

Blood Sucker bore its fangs. It flew and tackled the first Harpie, and both Monsters exploded.

“Vampire Lady!” shouted Chelsea.

Vampire Lady clawed at the second Harpie, and she shattered.

“Lich Lord!”

Lich Lord cast its spell at the last one, and she burst.

(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 1,550)

“Your move,” said Chelsea.

Tara drew a card.

She simply set a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

“Lose the attitude, huh?” said Chelsea.

She made a draw.

“Well, that’s usually what happens when people like you realize that they’re finished.”

She pointed, and Vampire Lady pounced. A Harpie Girl appeared on the card and was blown to pieces.

Lich Lord, the King of the Underworld cast the cursed magic one more time, striking Tara directly. She cried out in pain.

Chelsea breathed a sigh of relief.

(C: 2,150) -------------------- (T: 0)

Vampire Genesis started to glow with energy. Then Harpie’s Pet Dragon roared. The Dragon shattered into particles, and Vampire Genesis glowed even more intently.

“What happened?” asked Chelsea.

“We won,” said Genesis. “Harpie’s Pet Dragon’s power is now mine… Next time, I’ll be even stronger.

“You’re off to a good start, Chelsea. Whether your next duel requires me as a Deck Lord or a normal card, I have high hopes.”

He vanished.

Chelsea walked up to Tara, with Ren and Yumi behind her. Tara was chuckling.

“What’s so funny?” asked Chelsea.

“You’re so naïve, Chelsea,” said Tara. “The Realm Lord was using divide and conquer tactics against you. I was supposed to handle you while someone else disposed of Sam and Erik.

“You beat me… But will they be so lucky?

She started to fade away.

“Daala might lock me away for failure… But who knows… Once someone defeats you, she might make us share a cell…

“I’ll be happy to see you…”

And then she was gone.

“Don’t count on it,” said Yumi.

She took out her cell phone, and dialed a number.

She listened to the dial tone.

”The person you are trying to reach is currently dueling,” said the message at the other end. ”Please call back later.”

Yumi gave a strange look. That was not the message Sam had recorded.

Clearly, in Xanadu, the cellular service was pretty good…

And Sam was likely in trouble…

“Ow!” she shouted.

Something had hit her on the head.

She looked up.

Then an acorn hit her in the face. Then one hit Ren, and then two hit Chelsea.

“HEY!” shouted Chelsea. “Who’s the wise guy who’s throwing nuts at us?”

They shielded themselves as the barrage of nuts continued to fall.

“Look…” said Yumi.

They saw the creatures in the trees. They were odd looking animals, resembling hedgehogs at first glance, but with bat-like wings and single horns on their foreheads.

“Archfiend Marmots of Nefariousness,” said Ren. “And they just got on my bad side…”

He went to draw a card.

“NO!” shouted Yumi. “It’s a trick! Someone wants us to waste our cards fighting a flock of weaklings. The Realm Lord will likely send something just as strong as that Baboon after us after we’ve used all our Monsters fighting these dumb squirrels.”

“So what do we do?” asked Ren. “OW! That one hit me in the eye!”

“This way…” said Yumi, pointing to the path they hadn’t taken.

“We’re gonna run from a bunch of chipmunks?” shouted Ren. “This is embarrassing…”

“We’re not running…” said Yumi. “We’re… making a strategic retreat.”

They backed away from the onslaught of nuts, and ran down the path.

“Okay, strategic retreat,” said Ren. “I can live with that…”

On the other side of the forest, someone was watching them.

“Seems you have some brains in that head of yours, Yumi,” he said. “You’ll be a worthy foe… should you manage to get here…

“You’ll… Huh?”

He paused. He noticed something.

“Oh… drat… They’re heading right for my private orchard… That’s all I need… Who have I got guarding it today?”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Good news, people,” said Sheena. “We’ve gotten a copy of the e-mail…

“Now… Let’s see what message Daala was so intent on keeping secret…”

She clicked on it.

Her eyes narrowed.

“Well, this e-mail wasn’t sent to one person,” she said, “but to four.”

“Who?” asked Olga.

“The recipients are AGoW, DoP, LLoA, and FOM,” said Sheena. “Who they are, I have no idea…

“But let’s read this…”

They read the message.


To the Four Elite Bodyguard,

This message is to let you know that the cards have been completed. They have been added to the decks designed to your specifications.

I have sent each of you a messenger to deliver your decks. I won’t say the species name here, but they are Dark Machine-Types that are Level Four. I chose these Machines to deliver them because such creatures are incredibly loyal and do not ask questions. They do not know the contents of their cargo. They have been instructed to deliver their parcels to you, and nothing else. They have been given several Limiter Removal Spells to use in case someone tries to rob them, but if that happens, they should survive long enough to get the decks to you.

Remember the instructions you were given at the time you volunteered. The resistance must not know of the existence of these cards until the time has come to use them for the duels they were created for. Do not let anyone else so much as look at them. And if you use these cards at any time other than the designated time, I will consider it an act of treason.

Good luck.

Power Comes in Combinations


Sheena, Nicholas, and Olga looked at the screen for a minute.

“That’s heavy,” said Nicholas. “She’s created some super-weapons to use against this resistance…”

Sheena smiled.

“But…” she said, “at least now we know that there IS a resistance! Maybe not everyone in Xanadu is an enemy!”

“So what do we do?” asked Olga. “We can’t get to Xanadu with Daala controlling your things… Even if Yumi and the others have allied themselves with this resistance, there’s very little that we can do to help… We have no way to warn them.”

Sheena sighed.

“True…” she said. “We’d best get back to working on regaining control of my computer.

“But now we do know that there’s a resistance in Xanadu. That means that, no matter how cruel Daala is, there exists one driving force in Xanadu that may be her undoing… Something that is created whenever someone decides to take a stand against evil… A powerful force that has sent so many dictators to ruin…

“That thing… is Hope…

“And children… Hope is a tyrant’s deadliest enemy…”

* * * * * * * * * *

ZOMBIE WEREWOLF (Monster Card)

Card Specs
Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,200
DEF: 1,200
Card Description: When this card is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon one “Zombie Werewolf” from your hand or deck. The Special Summoned Monster’s base ATK becomes 500 more than the one that was destroyed to activate this effect.

Note: “Zombie Werewolf” was first used by Camula in the multi-part “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Field of Screams”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



BLOOD SUCKER (Monster Card)

Card Specs
Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,300
DEF: 1,500
Card Description: When this card damages your opponent’s Life Points as a result of battle, your opponent discards the top card from his deck.

Note: “Blood Sucker” is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States.



SUMMON STORM (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: A ninja in the center of a glowing tornado.

Card Description: Pay 800 Life Points. Special Summon one WIND Monster that is Level Four or less from your hand.



WINGED REPAYMENT (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: The image on this card was not clear.

Card Description: Pay 600 Life Points. Draw one card from your deck for every Winged Beast-Type Monster face-up on your side of the field. The card(s) drawn by this effect cannot be summoned, set, or activated during the turn you use this card.

Note: “Summon Storm” and “Winged Repayment” were first used by Harpie’s Brother in the Yu-Gi-Oh GX episode “A New World Order”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



HARPIE LADY – PHOENIX FORMATION (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: A blue, flaming bird inside a rune-covered circle.

Card Description: You may activate this card when you have at least two Monsters named “Harpie Lady” face-up on your side of the field. Destroy one opposing Monster for each “Harpie Lady” face-up on your side of the field. Inflict direct damage to your opponent’s Life Points equal to the combined ATK of the destroyed Monsters. Monsters named “Harpie Lady” on your side of the field cannot attack on the round you use this card.

Note: “Harpie Lady – Phoenix Formation” was first used by Mai in the original anime episode “My Freaky Valentine (Part Two)”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



Chelsea’s Deck Lord: “Vampire Genesis”: “Vampire Regeneration”: When a Zombie-Type Monster with the word “Vampire” in its name is destroyed as a result of battle, you may discard one card from your hand to Special Summon it from the Graveyard in face-up Defense Position. (Minor Power)



Tara’s Deck Lord: “Harpie’s Pet Dragon”: “Harpie Bodyguard”: When a “Harpie Lady” is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, place one Protection Counter on it. If a Monster with a Protection Counter on it would be destroyed, you may remove the Protection Counter to prevent it from being destroyed. (Intermediate Power)




Coming up next:

One of the best things about computer programs is, it’s possible to upgrade them without having to replace the whole system. By doing so, the program improves.

In the next chapter, Sam meets a virtual construct similar to Jesse, modeled after a duelist from the past. Unfortunately, this one isn’t nearly as friendly as Jesse was, nor is he working for Joan. Even worse, Daala has upgraded his strategy, making him far more deadly than the original was – even if his ego is the same.

Don’t miss “Pest Dilemma”. It sounds confusing, but it will all come together.

[Shuppet Master]

Interesting duel, and we see the first Deck Lord duel. Sorry there's not much to say here, because I have been playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

[Dark Sage]

Some folks go from humble beginnings to greatness. Such was the case of Yumi’s grandfather, and my great uncle. Both went from rags to riches.

Such is NOT the case with the guy I’m facing here. He was the opposite.

He was a big shot in the early days of Duel Monsters. He was the national champion of Japan, in fact. So Pegasus delivered his invitation to Duelist Kingdom to him in person, and he went there with V.I.P treatment.

However, he turned out to be a big cheater, and he paid dearly for an act of foul play. The victim of said act defeated him soundly in the first round, and he was forced to go home in disgrace with the others who had lost their first duels.

He had plans for revenge in Battle City. He would lure that duelist to him by defeating his best friend. Again, he tried to win by cheating, but the plan backfired, and the friend defeated him, eliminating him from that tournament too.

The once champion of Japan became a nobody. No respectable tournament would invite him any more. Destitute, he tried to get back in the saddle by making a deal with the ultimate evil, selling his soul for power. But he failed there as well.

He’s dead now, and nobody really misses him. The world should be glad he’s gone…

But this bad memory has been reborn…

And I have a feeling that this has-been might be hiding something… Something big…

It’s time to duel…

CHAPTER FIVE



Pest Dilemma

As Chelsea was dealing with the Green Baboon, Sam and Erik were walking through a part of the Woods that seemed to be part forest and part cavern. The overhanging branches didn’t let much sunlight onto the path.

“Pretty dark,” muttered Sam.

“I can’t say for sure…” replied Erik. “But I think it’s gonna get darker before it gets lighter…”

Then they were startled as a group of glowing eyes appeared in front of them.

Sam and Erik stood their ground, and their Disks activated.

With a cacophony of squeaks and squawks, a flurry of black shapes flew from above them and flew overhead.

“Bats?” asked Erik.

“Dark Bats,” said Sam. “Rather weak Monsters. But stay on your guard…”

“Hey…” said Erik. “There’s a signpost up ahead…”

There was indeed. A wooden signpost pointed ahead, and the words “Paradox Grove” were printed on it.

“Paradox Grove?” said Sam. “What the heck is that?”

They walked forward, and the path opened up into a clearing.

Chills went down the spines of the two teenagers. The clearing was bordered by frightening-looking, twisted oak trees, who all had fiendish-looking faces on their trunks, with mouths full of sharp teeth.

“Don’t go near them…” muttered Sam. “I saw The Wizard of Oz…”

“These are not apple trees, Sam,” said Erik. “They might do something other than pelt their victims with fruit…”

“Hey,” said a deep voice.

They turned. It was one of the trees that had said it.

“What’s the sound of one hand clapping?” asked the tree.

”Huh?” asked Sam. “Uhm, uh…”

“How many angels can stand on the head of a pin?” asked another of the trees.

“What?” said Sam. “Slow down!”

“Do humans have free will?” asked a third tree.

“What’s your favorite color?” asked a fourth.

The other trees joined in, asking a barrage of questions, all of which seemed to have no simple answers.

“Sam!” shouted Erik, covering his ears. “Run!”

The two ran for the path, but a branch crashed down, blocking their advance.

“What would happen,” asked the tree that the branch belonged to, “if an unstoppable force collided with an immovable object?”

“Hey, bark-brains!” shouted a voice.

Everyone was stunned. Sam and Erik looked up at the path they hadn’t taken yet, and saw a figure standing there.

“What time is it?” asked the figure, in a high, nasally voice.

“It’s four thirty-two PM and twenty-nine seconds,” said one of the trees.

“No,” said another tree. “It’s four thirty-two PM and thirty-one seconds.”

“No,” said another. “It’s four thirty-two PM and thirty-four seconds.”

Then the trees started to argue. Sam and Erik looked at each other with confused looks.

“This way, you two!” shouted the figure. “That will keep them occupied for about a minute!”

Sam and Erik weren’t about to ask questions. They ran out of the clearing, towards the figure, who was chuckling in that high, nasally voice.

“Stupid paradox trees,” he chortled. “They fall for that trick every time…”

“Well, thanks a bunch, buddy, we…” said Erik.

Then he stopped short.

He recognized who it was.

It was a youth who was rather short, about five-foot-four, wearing an odd outfit – a closed green jacket with a black design on the front and back resembling a beetle. What truly made him recognizable was his hair – green and cut into a bowl-style – and his large, yellow-rimmed glasses. He wore a Duel Disk on his left arm. He also had a machete strapped to his side.

“Weevil Underwood…” muttered Sam. “I thought you were dead.”

Weevil chuckled.

“The real Weevil is,” he said. “Joan isn’t the only one who knows how to make virtual constructs, you know.

“The real Weevil is rotting in his grave, but Daala has made me… A copy that’s just as good.”

“Or just as bad,” said Sam. “Why’d you save us, bug-brain?”

“I’d say I haven’t yet,” said Weevil. “You two had best follow me…”

“Why should we trust you?” asked Sam. “You’re not only a copy of one of the most untrustworthy duelists that Yumi’s two grandfathers had the pleasure of beating, but you just admitted you work for Daala!”

“Why am I untrustworthy?” asked Weevil.

Sam sighed. She started counting on her fingers.

“You destroyed Yugi’s Exodia cards,” she said, “you sabotaged Joey Wheeler’s deck, you sided with the Orichalcos, you stole the God Cards… Need I go on?”

“You want my professional opinion?” asked Weevil.

There was a pause as he looked at them.

“I’m not a professional!

“But I do know that you two have found your way into one of the deadliest parts of Tzimisce. If you wander into another grove of those trees, they’ll badger you with questions until they drive you mad.

“I know how to get to the other end of Paradox Grove without running into them. Let me put it this way… What choice do you have?”

He started to walk ahead.

“Just stick close to me, and it’ll be like a walk in the park.”

“We’re gonna regret this…” muttered Erik. “Somehow, I just know it…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Weevil slashed through the vines in front of him with his machete.

“Soon this will all just be a happy memory,” he said. “The Tzimisce isn’t a very pleasant place for most duelists… But when you run a deck full of Monsters that benefit from the Forest Field Spell, like yours truly, it’s actually rather nice after a while.

“Occasionally, I even find some powerful Insect Duel Spirits, and convince them to join my deck… It’s gotten better by leaps and bounds since I was first programmed…

“In fact… I think I may be a better Insect duelist than the original Weevil Underwood ever was…”

He turned to Sam and chuckled.

“Maybe I’m even better than your mom, Samantha.”

Sam fumed with anger.

“She’d be more than willing to come here and duel you,” she growled.

“That’s the idea!” laughed Weevil.

They walked into a clearing. In the center was a giant cocoon.

“That’s a Cocoon of Evolution!” shouted Sam.

Weevil chuckled.

“That’s right, Samantha!” he laughed. “And it’s been there much longer than the equivalent of six rounds. I can bring out Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth and have it crush you any time I want.

“You didn’t really think I was going to lead you to safety for free, did you?”

“What do you want, Weevil?” asked Sam, now getting angry.

“Here’s the deal…” said Weevil. “The exit to Paradox Grove is right behind it. If you want out, you’re gonna have to duel me. Win, and you two can pass.”

“And if I lose?” asked Sam.

“Then when Daala takes you, you get marked prisoner status,” said Weevil. “Meaning I’m free to use you for one endeavor.”

“Bait to lure my mother into a duel when Daala finally lets her come here…” growled Sam.

Weevil laughed.

“You catch on fast!” he chortled.

“All right!” shouted Sam, “I’ll duel you. Just give me a minute.”

She took her deck out of her Disk and started looking through the cards.

“What are you doing?” asked Weevil.

“Checking to make sure my deck doesn’t have any cards that I didn’t put in it!” snapped Sam.

Weevil laughed out loud.

“You think I’m going to resort to foul play?” he asked. “Bah… Even without cheating… Even without cursed magic… I’ll wager I’m still a far better duelist than you are! Like I said, Daala made me even better than the real Weevil.”

“I’m not sure if that’s much of an improvement,” said Sam.

“You’ll be a believer soon,” said Weevil. “Now… Let’s see you bring out your Deck Lord…”

“Huh?” said Sam.

Then her deck started to glow…

In a burst of shadowy energy, a powerful figure appeared behind her. It was a fiendish man wearing leather armor and a mask, with blades on his wrists. Strapped to his back was a huge sword – a zanbatô.

“Gors?” whispered Sam.

“Indeed,” said the Fiend’s powerful voice. “As the Dark Ruler’s right-hand man, he has given me the task of acting as your Deck Lord.

“Do not fear, Samantha. We will vanquish this fool…”

“Okay…” said Sam.

She shuffled her deck thoroughly and turned to Weevil.

“Messenger of Hades – Gors is my Deck Lord,” she said. “So what’s yours?”

“Fool…” said Weevil. “It’s right in front of you!”

The Cocoon of Evolution burst open in a spray of slime and other nasty residue, and a moth the side of a small bus crawled out. It shook the gunk off of its wings, and then rose into the air.

“Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth was once the real Weevil’s trump card,” said Weevil, “but in today’s game, it’s almost worthless. Way too hard to summon. However, as a Deck Lord, it’s incredibly useful.

“That’s often the case in Xanadu… Monsters that are often useless in a regular duel make powerful Deck Lords.”

“We’ll soon see…” said Sam.

“Game on!” they both shouted.

(Sam: 8,000) -------------------- (Weevil: 8,000)

“You think you can beat me, Weevil?” asked Sam. “I’ve studied all your duels. I know all your moves. I can predict every move you could make.”

“Oh, is that so?” asked Weevil, angrily, making his first draw.

“Well then, see if you can ‘predict’ what this facedown card is.”

A facedown card materialized.

“And while you’re at it, see if you can ‘predict’ the identity of the Monster I’m putting in Defense Mode.”

A facedown Monster appeared.

“It’s your move…”

Sam drew a card.

No problem… she thought. The facedown card is probably DNA Surgery. And the Monster is clearly a Pinch Hopper…

She paused.

Wait… No… No… It could be Parasite Paraside… Or Parasite Caterpillar… Or Kiseitai… Man, that thing isn’t even an Insect, why’d he even have it? Or it could be a… Argh!

“Heh, heh, heh…” chuckled Weevil. “See? It isn’t as easy as you think, Samantha.”

Sam started to sweat.

“I… uh… I summon Opticlops…” she said.

She played the card, and a one-eyed, one-horned, muscular ogre appeared. (1,800/1,700)

“Now… Uhm… Uh…”

“Take as long as you like,” said Weevil. “I’ll just take a nap while you’re deciding…”

Sam turned red with anger.

“I’m not scared of your Monster!” she shouted. “Opticlops, attack!”

“Sam! Wait!” shouted Erik.

Steam blew from the ogre’s nostrils. It charged at the facedown Monster. A large, black beetle with a skull imprinted on its back appeared on the card. Opticlops squashed it flat.

“Thank you,” chuckled Weevil, as he glowed with golden energy.

“A Skull-Mark Ladybug?” said Sam, putting her hand on her hip. “You got me riled up over that?”

“Scared you, didn’t I?” chuckled Weevil.

Laugh it up, thought Sam, looking at her cards. I’ll have the last laugh soon…

She had a Monster in her hand that had replaced Lesser Fiend as her secondary one-Tribute Monster (the primary one, naturally, being Ha Des). Once she summoned it, she could take this duel by storm.

“I end my turn,” she said.

(S: 8,000) -------------------- (W: 9,000)

Weevil drew a card.

“Hee, hee…” he chuckled. “I summon… Chainsaw Insect!”

A roar of chainsaws sounded over the clearing, and a huge beetle with wicked, serrated mandibles burst out of the ground. (2,400/0)

“Scared yet?” asked Weevil.

“Feh,” said Sam. “No. It may be incredibly powerful, but I happen to know that whenever it fights a Monster, I get to draw a card.”

“Actually,” said Weevil, “the rules say you must draw a card. You have no choice in the matter…”

As Sam was trying to figure out what he meant, his facedown card lifted.

“I activate… Greed!” he chuckled. “If either of player draws any cards outside of their Draw Phases, this Trap Card makes them regret it, inflicting 500 points of damage for each one!

“Chainsaw Insect, cut her Opticlops in two!”

The Insect scurried at Opticlops, and grabbed it with its mandibles, graphically slicing the Fiend apart at the middle. Fortunately, its remains shattered before much more gore could be seen.

“Well?” asked Weevil. “Draw a card…”

Sam growled, and drew.

A dagger appeared in the air in front of her, and then stabbed into her chest. She grunted in pain.

“I’ll end with one more facedown card,” said Weevil, as a facedown card appeared. “Over to you.”

(S: 6,900) -------------------- (W: 9,000)

“Hang in there, baby!” shouted Erik.

“I’m trying!” said Sam, who was getting a little annoyed.

She looked over her cards. The Monster she had been intending to summon was no good now..

“Any ideas, Gors?” she asked. “What’s your Deck Lord ability, anyway?”

She listened as he started to explain it.

“Wonderful…” she said, sarcastically.

She played a card.

“I set a Monster in Defense Mode,” she said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

“That’s all I can do,” she said.

Weevil made a draw.

He looked at the powerful Monster on the card.

I’ll save this for when I need it, he thought.

“Chainsaw Insect, wipe out her facedown Monster!” he shouted.

Chainsaw Insect scurried towards the facedown card. A sinister looking wooden puppet holding an axe appeared on the card. Chainsaw Insect sawed it in half.

“So much for Malice Doll of Demise…” muttered Sam.

“Forget?” asked Weevil. “Draw!”

Sam drew again. Again, the dagger appeared, and plunged into her stomach this time.

Sam gasped, and looked at the card she had drawn.

Hey… she thought.

“Trap activate!” shouted Weevil.

“Huh?” said Sam, as the facedown card lifted.

“It’s called Null and Void,” said Weevil. “It sends that card you drew straight to the Graveyard!”

Sam growled as the card vanished.

He wasn’t kidding… thought Sam. He is better than the real Weevil ever was…

However… A key part of his strategy seems to be that Chainsaw Insect. Maybe if I take it out, I can turn this around.

“Your move,” said Weevil.

(S: 6,400) -------------------- (W: 9,000)

Sam made a draw.

It was Pot of Greed.

Eh, this is going to cost me, she thought, but I really don’t have much choice.

“I play Pot of Greed,” she said, playing the card.

The evil jar appeared with a laugh, and she drew two cards.

Then she shrieked as two daggers appeared and she was stabbed twice.

She gasped for breath as she looked at the cards.

“I play Monster Reborn, to summon Opticlops in Attack Mode,” she said.

The holy ankh appeared, glowing with golden light. Opticlops appeared, none the worse for wear. (1,800/1,700)

“Next, I summon The Bistro Butcher.”

With a cackling laugh, a new Fiend appeared. He had blue skin, and was dressed in a stained chef’s outfit and hat. His right hand was replaced by a hook, and his other hand held a cleaver. (1,800/1,000)

“I’ll play a facedown, and end my turn.”

A facedown card appeared.

(S: 5,400) -------------------- (W: 9,000)

Weevil chuckled as he drew a card.

“Nice try,” he said. “You obviously think I’m going to fall for that trick because the real Weevil fell for it in his duel with Wheeler… Twice.

“Well, let me tell you something Samantha. I doubt that even the real Weevil would have been dumb enough to make that mistake again, and I certainly wouldn’t.”

“Okay, we get it!” shouted Erik. “Daala upgraded you! Don’t make me downgrade you…”

“Just make your move, Weevil,” said Sam.

“I will,” said Weevil, smugly, “but I’m not dumb enough to attack. I’ll summon Neo Bug in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and a new Insect appeared. This one resembled a cross between a wasp and a large scorpion, with a green exoskeleton. (1,800/1,700)

“I end my turn.”

“Then I draw!” shouted Sam.

She looked at the card. Then she played it.

“First, I summon Archfiend Soldier.”

She played the card, and a bonfire appeared out of it. A tall Fiend with mauve skin, armor, a green cloak, and ram-like horns stepped out of the flames. (1,900/1,500)

“Now…” said Sam. “Bistro Butcher… Attack his Chainsaw Insect!”

“Huh?” said Weevil.

The Butcher raised his cleaver, and rushed at the huge bug.

“And to help him, I activate… Bark of Dark Ruler!”

Her facedown card lifted, and the intimidating form of Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared in a burst of fire and smoke.

“I’ll pay 2,400 Life Points,” said Sam, “and your big bug’s Attack Score is reduced by the same amount. That means it falls to nothing.”

Chainsaw Insect glowed with dark energy, and then fell to an Attack Score of zero. The Bistro Butcher slashed with his cleaver, and it shattered into bits.

“Of course, since your Insect still did battle,” said Sam, “I have to draw a card.”

She made a draw, and the dagger stabbed into her chest again. She winced in pain.

“However, due to my Butcher’s effect, you have to draw two cards. So your own Trap works against you!”

Weevil cursed and made two draws. Two daggers appeared and stabbed into his chest. He grunted.

“And my Battle Phase continues,” said Sam. “Archfiend Soldier, destroy his Neo Bug! Sword of Perdition!”

Archfiend Soldier drew a long, sharp blade. He rushed at the large Insect, and with one slash, cleaved it in half.

“No fair!” shouted Weevil.

“Opticlops… Attack him directly!”

Opticlops roared, and charged at Weevil, slamming its horn into his chest. He tumbled over.

(S: 2,500) -------------------- (W: 4,300)

Sam sighed.

“I play a facedown, and then I end my turn,” she said.

A new facedown card appeared in a flash of light.

“All right, Samantha,” said Weevil, getting up.

He drew a card.

“I was going to be nice about this… But you’re starting to bug me…”

He placed a card into his Disk.

“I play Nightmare’s Steelcage!”

The ground around Sam burst in a series of fiery explosions, and an iron, domed cage studded with spikes formed around her and her Monsters.

“Now your Fiends can’t attack me for two of your turns,” said Weevil.

“Hang in there!” shouted Erik. “He can’t attack you either!”

“Look who knows so much,” said Weevil. “I’ll summon Flying Kamakiri #1.”

He played the card, and a huge, green and yellow mantis appeared in front of him. (1,400/900)

Lovely, thought Sam. Even if I manage to destroy that, he’ll use its effect to summon a Wind Monster.

Which could be trouble… He might have mom’s Flying Scorpion somewhere in his deck. I wouldn’t be surprised.

“I’ll end my turn there,” said Weevil. “Go ahead.”

Sam made a draw.

Dust Tornado, she thought, looking at the card. Hmm, I could tear down his cage with this…

But…

It would be destroyed after I ended my next turn anyway… and if he’s planning to bring that Chainsaw Insect back, that Trap Card of his is the bigger problem.

Besides, the only high-level Insects I can think of that only need one sacrifice that are worth using are Insect Princess and Saber Beetle. And neither are anything I can’t handle.

“I set one card facedown,” she said.

She set the Dust Tornado, and a new facedown card appeared.

“Now…” said Sam, “I sacrifice my Butcher…”

The Bistro Butcher shattered into shards.

“To call forth Gaap, the Divine Soldier!”

With a roar, a new Fiend appeared on the field. It looked more or less like a humanoid bug, but much more diabolic than any of Weevil’s Insects. Most remarkably, in addition to its normal arms, two huge claws that were almost the size of its body grew from its shoulders. (2,200/2,000)

“Interesting…” said Weevil, with a chuckle.

“That’s it for me,” said Sam.

Rust started to cover the Nightmare’s Steelcage, and it started to chip.

“Then I draw,” said Weevil.

He drew, and looked at the card.

“Hmm,” he said.

“Go, Dust Tornado!” shouted Sam.

The facedown card lifted. The tornado tore across the field, and the Greed card blew to pieces.

Strangely, Weevil didn’t seem very upset. He just made a slight smirk.

“Tell me, Samantha,” he said, adding the card to his hand, “how computer savvy are you?”

“Pretty much,” said Sam. “Why?”

“Here’s a question…” said Weevil. “How many bytes in a gigabyte?”

“Easy,” said Sam. “One billion.”

Weevil nodded.

“Well…” he said. “I doubt that a Gigaplant is a billion time as strong as the average plant, but it’s still pretty strong.”

“Gigaplant?” said Sam. “What the heck are you talking about?”

“Gigaplant!” said Weevil. “One of my most powerful Monsters… And I’m going to sacrifice my Kamakiri to summon it…”

Flying Kamakiri #1 vanished, and the ground started to shake…

A mass of vines and tendrils shot out of the ground, and then a gigantic creature rose to the surface. It was a huge, hulking plant, twenty feet tall and ten feet wide, with dozens of pods and even more vines serving as limbs, and a huge maw full of sharp teeth. A deep, throaty laugh echoed over the field. (2,400/1,200)

Don’t panic, Sam, thought Sam to herself. Sure, it’s big, strong, and hideous, but you’ve taken down worse…

“A big man-eating plant…” she said. “That’s corny even for you, Weevil. So what does your big Plant do?”

“Why nothing,” said Weevil. “Not yet, anyway!”

“I don’t understand…” said Sam.

“Oh, but you will…” said Weevil. “Be glad the cage is still there, so it can’t attack. Make your move…”

Sam drew a card.

I don’t know what he plans to do with his oversized eggplant, she thought, but it can’t be good…

And I can’t move my Monsters to Defense Mode! Gaap’s effect prevents both players from defending, damn it…

“All right, Weevil,” she said, “I summon Gil Garth in Attack Mode.”

She played a new card, and a metal, armored Fiend carrying a scimitar appeared. (1,800/1,200)

“So now what?”

The Nightmare’s Steelcage completely rusted over, and collapsed into a pile of dust.

“Now what?” asked Weevil, drawing a card. “Well, the first thing I’m gonna do, is summon my Gigaplant.”

“Summon your Gigaplant?” asked Sam. “But… It’s already on the field. How can you summon it?”

“Gigaplant is a Gemini Monster,” said Weevil, raising a finger.

Sam just stared at him.

“You lost me,” she said.

“Okay, I’d better explain it,” he said. “Gemini Monsters were a passing fad in Duel Monsters several years ago. They never really caught on as a group, and only the most useful ones, like this one, are still used. And even then, they’re only good in the right decks.

“A Gemini Monster has an effect that might seem too powerful for its Level… However, when it is first summoned, and when it’s in the Graveyard, it’s considered a Normal Monster. In order to use its effect, it has to be summoned twice. You have to Normal Summon it a second time.

“So… I’ll Second Summon my Gigaplant, to awaken its effect!”

Gigaplant laughed again, as it glowed with a sickly green aura…

“What’s this effect, you may ask?” he continued. “Once per round, I’m allowed to Special Summon any Insect or Plant from either my hand or my Graveyard. So I could bring Chainsaw Insect back…”

He took a card from his hand.

“But I’ve got a better one right here… Meet Brain Crusher!”

Gigaplant dropped one of its huge pods. Then the pod hatched, and a huge form rose out of it in a burst of slime. Sam couldn’t believe it… This was an Insect that she had never seen her mother use.

It was as big as Insect Queen, and resembled, bluntly, a cross between a giant hornet and a dragon. It had large insect wings, a large abdomen, a blue and red exoskeleton, and a dragon-shaped head on a long neck. (2,400/1,500)

“By the way,” said Weevil. “This is where my Deck Lord can do its thing…”

Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth shook its wings, and odd pollen fell on Brain Crusher. It glowed with energy, and its Attack Score went up to 3,150.

“WHAT?” shouted Sam.

“It’s called Strengthening Spores,” said Weevil. “My Deck Lord can increase the Attack Score of an Insect that’s Level Five or greater by half of its Defense Score.”

The Field Slot on his Disk snapped open.

“And I’m going to make it even stronger… I play the Forest Field Spell.”

He played the card.

“The change it actually makes to our surroundings will be slight, because we’re already in a forest,” he chuckled, “but in this Field, Insects gain 200 Attack and Defense Points. Plants too, by the way…”

Brain Crusher grew to (3,350/1,700), while Gigaplant grew to (2,600/1,400)

“Enough chit-chat,” he said. “Brain Crush, attack her Divine Soldier with sonic scream.”

Brain Crusher let out a terrible sound, that could best be compared to the drone of a wasp amplified a thousand times. Gaap groaned and covered its ears before it exploded into shards.

“Erk…” muttered Sam. “Now I know why it’s called a Brain Crusher… It gives you a splitting headache!”

Her Trap Card flipped up.

“I activate Option Hunter. Now, for each Attack Point Gaap had, I gain one Life Point.”

“Big deal,” said Weevil. “Gigaplant, attack Gil Garth. Tendril tangle!”

Gigaplant let out its deep laugh, and a swarm of vines shot at the metal Fiend. They grabbed it, and crushed it like it was made of tinfoil.

Weevil chuckled.

“I move to my End Phase,” he said. “And that means Brain Crusher’s effect activates. I get to Special Summon another Monster, and I think it will look familiar to you.”

A tall creature rose out of the ground.

Sam couldn’t believe it. It was Gaap. It was covered with a gossamer film of webbing, but there was no mistaking that it was the Fiend. (2,200/2,000)

“My Divine Soldier!” shouted Sam.

“When Brain Crusher kills a Monster, it becomes mine,” said Weevil. “Be thankful I can only Special Summon it during the End Phase.”

(S: 2,750) -------------------- (W: 4,300)

Sam fumed with anger as she drew a card.

I gotta do something, she thought, or I’m gonna be bug food, plant food, AND Fiend food!

She looked at the card.

She had drawn her star – Dark Ruler Ha Des.

He was the key to using Gors’s ability. And she could use him to destroy Gigaplant…

But if she summoned him, he would be defeated on her next turn by Brain Crusher. Weevil couldn’t Special Summon him from the Graveyard, but nonetheless, she couldn’t risk that yet.

She fit two cards into her Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

“That’s all,” she muttered.

“My move…” said Weevil, drawing a card.

“And the fun just continues! I summon Insect Knight!”

He played the card, and a much more familiar Monster appeared, the mantis fighter carrying his sword and shield. (1,900/1,500) –> (2,100/1,700)

“Now… I use Gigaplant’s effect again…”

Another pod fell from the huge Plant.

“I summon Insect Queen!”

The pod burst open, and Weevil’s signature Monster appeared, the Monarch of Insects that resembled a cross between a demonic woman and a huge beetle. She roared with bloodlust. (2,200/2,400)

“Let’s see…” muttered Weevil, scratching his head. “Anyone here have a calculator?”

“Calculator?” asked Sam.

“Wait…” said Erik. “She gains 1,200 Attack Points from his Deck Lord… 200 more from the Field Spell… And 600 from her own effect… Carry the one…

“Good lord, that’s 4,200 Attack Points!”

“Exactly!” laughed Weevil. “Time to finish you off!

“Gaap… Attack the Archfiend Soldier!”

Gaap’s eyes glowed. It leapt at Archfiend Soldier, and made a slash with its right claw, tearing it to shreds.

“Insect Knight, destroy Opticlops!”

Insect Knight flew at Opticlops, and slashed at it with its sword. The ogre shattered into pixels.

“You’re out of Monsters!” shouted Weevil. “And now I’m going to sacrifice your Divine Soldier so that my Queen can attack.

“Dinner time, your majesty…”

Insect Queen seized Gaap, and then chomped her jaws down on its torso, causing a spray of blood to spurt from it. Sam forced herself to look away, not willing to watch her Monster be devoured.

She only opened her eyes when she heard Weevil give the command.

“Attack Samantha directly!” he shouted. “Queen’s Hell breath!”

Insect Queen drooled. Then a blast of venom mixed with energy shot at Sam…

“I activate my Trap Card!” shouted Sam. “Draining Shield!”

“Curses!” shouted Weevil, as the facedown card lifted. A dome of force formed around Sam, and the blast hit it, feeding energy into Sam.

“You have nothing left to protect you…” said Weevil with a scowl. “Brain Crusher, you attack!”

Brain Crusher let lose its sonic scream again.

“Go, Kuriboh!” shouted Sam, throwing a card into her discard slot.

A wall of Kuribohs sprang up, and the blast plowed into them. They burst, but the blast was halted.

Weevil grinned.

“Now you really have nothing left to defend yourself with,” he said. “Gigaplant… Get her.”

Gigaplant’s vines shot at Sam, and she screamed again as they wrapped around her and lifted her off her feet. She closed her eyes as they squeezed, and the horrible laughter echoed through the air.

Finally, they dumped her back on the ground. She gasped for breath.

“Your move…” said Weevil. “Heh, if I had summoned my Deck Lord to the field, this duel would have been over… Too bad there’s no way to have six Monsters on the field.”

(S: 3,750) -------------------- (W: 4,300)

Sam got to her feet, breathing hard. She sweat heavily. She felt her ribs, hoping that they were only bruised and not broken.

Could her bones be broken in a duel in this world? How much of the duels in Xanadu were illusions, and how much was real? She didn’t know, and she didn’t want to find out.

She knew what Weevil was referring to in that last statement. This guy had all of the real one’s memories all right. And he hadn’t changed a bit.

Man… she thought. Starting college next year is suddenly starting to look so appealing…

She looked at Weevil and his army.

No way I can survive another onslaught like that…

She looked at her deck.

“Come on, Sam!” shouted Erik. “Do something! Weevil might choose something different for that one endeavor than using you as bait.”

Sam’s eyes opened wide…

He was right. The rights that someone working for Daala had over a prisoner that was marked for his use could be vast…

She wasn’t about to lose…

She drew a card.

“I play… Pot of Avarice!” she shouted.

The ridiculous pink jug appeared on the field, and Opticlops, Malice Doll of Demise, Kuriboh, Archfiend Soldier, and The Bistro Butcher slipped out of her discard slot. She shuffled the five Monsters into her deck, and then drew two cards.

She looked at them.

“Hey, Weevil!” she shouted. “Guess what? I’m gonna take down your Queen, AND your big Plant!”

“I’d like to see you try it!” he replied.

“All right, fine,” said Sam. “First, I play Silent Doom. This lets me bring back Gil Garth in Defense Mode.”

The metal Fiend holding the scimitar appeared again, kneeling and holding the sword in its lap. (1,800/1,200)

Her last facedown card lifted.

“Next, my Call of the Haunted brings Gaap back, all in one piece.”

A stone casket burst out of the ground, and it opened. Gaap the Divine Soldier crawled out, looking angrier than he had been before. (2,200/2,000)

“Then… I sacrifice Gil Garth…”

Gil Garth vanished, and the sky darkened. Thunder rumbled.

“To summon the King of the Underworld… Dark Ruler Ha Des!”

A black bonfire appeared on the field. The dreaded ruler of Fiends stepped out of it, dressed in his long, rich robes with a skull on the chest and bejeweled helmet. He clutched a wine goblet full of smoking, green liquid in his clawed hand. (2,450/1,600)

“Ah, Ha Des, Shma Des,” laughed Weevil. “He’s no match for my Queen or my Plant!”

Both Ha Des and Gors gave Weevil a dirty look.

“You’ll soon learn otherwise, Weevil,” said Sam. “My Deck Lord’s ability works in synchronization with Ha Des.

“It’s called Summon Servants. While Ha Des is on the field, I can pay 800 Life Points to Special Summon a Fiend-Type Monster that’s Level Four or less from my Graveyard.”

Gors started to glow with dark energy.

“So say hello… To Winged Minion!”

A small creature appeared next to Ha Des. It was an imp the size of an infant, with blue skin and bat-like wings, wearing only a ragged pair of shorts. (700/700)

“Hold on!” shouted Weevil. “I never sent THAT to your Graveyard!”

“Yes you did,” replied Sam. “Remember a little thing called Null and Void?”

Weevil stopped short.

“See?” said Sam. “What helped you so much before is going to hurt you now. Because by sacrificing Winged Minion, I can increase the Attack and Defense Scores of any Fiend by 700 points!”

Winged Minion vanished, and Ha Des flexed his muscles. (3,150/2,300)

“You might be able to destroy my Plant,” shouted Weevil, “but my Queen will still devour your Dark Ruler!”

Sam grinned, and took one of the two cards she had just drawn.

“I play… Hellfire Flame!” she shouted.

“What?” said Weevil.

Ha Des chanted in an ancient language… The ground rumbled…

Then flames burst out of the ground. The trees around them started to catch fire.

“What’s happening?” shouted Weevil.

“Hellfire Flame is a Spell Card that channels the fires of the Underworld for a devastating effect,” said Sam. “I can only use it when I have at least one Fiend on the field. When I do, then the current Field Spell is destroyed.”

Weevil cringed, as the trees around him were reduced to ash, and all four of his Monsters lost 200 Attack and Defense Points.

“Then, both players lose 1,000 Life Points,” said Sam.

Weevil groaned as a flaming aura surrounded both him and Sam.

“Then,” said Sam, “all Monsters on the field except for Fiends lose 1,000 Attack Points.”

Weevil’s four Monsters groaned as the fiery aura surrounded them as well. Insect Knight fell to an Attack Score of 900, Brain Crusher fell to 2,150, Insect Queen fell to 3,000, and Gigaplant fell to only 1,400.

“No…” said Weevil.

“Ha Des…” ordered Sam. “Wipe out Insect Queen! Stygian blast!”

Dark Ruler Ha Des formed a ball of black flames in his hands. He hurled them forward. Insect Queen screamed as she erupted in fire, and then she exploded into ash.

“Try to laugh this off! Gaap, destroy his Gigaplant! Terror rend!”

Gaap bore its two larger claws. It leapt at the gargantuan vegetable, and made a large slash down the center of it. The Gigaplant moaned, and then collapsed before exploding into green shards.

(S: 1,950) -------------------- (W: 2,350)

“By the way,” said Sam, “with Gaap on the field, neither player can put Monsters in Defense Mode.”

She placed a card on her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

“It’s your move, Weevil, and the tide of this battle is turning.”

Weevil glared at her.

He drew a card.

He played it, and the Pot of Greed appeared. He drew two cards.

“We’ll see about that!” he shouted. “I sacrifice both my Monsters…”

Insect Knight and Brain Crusher dissolved into grains of light.

“…to summon Metal Armored Bug!”

With a burst of dirt and dust, a huge beetle with a metal exoskeleton burst out of the ground. Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth shook its wings, and it glowed with energy. (2,800/1,500) –> (3,550/1,500)

“Woo-wee,” said Sam. “You’re a big one, aren’t you?”

Her facedown card flipped up.

“Go, Shadow Spell!”

Weevil gasped, as a mass of chains shot out of the ground. Metal Armored Bug roared as it was seized by them, and its Attack Score fell to 2,850.

Weevil growled. He placed another card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

“Make… your… move…” he hissed.

“I draw one card…” said Sam, drawing.

“Trap activate!” shouted Weevil. “Call of the Haunted!”

His facedown card flipped up, and the ground rumbled. Insect Queen burst out of the ground, now angry. (2,200/2,400) –> (3,800/2,400)

“Sorry Weevil,” said Sam, taking the card she had just drawn, “but I’m gonna swat your Queen again.

“I play Mystical Space Typhoon!”

Weevil screamed as the cyclone tore across the field. The Call of the Haunted card was blown to bits, and Insect Queen burst along with it.

“Time to end this,” said Sam. “Ha Des, destroy his Bug!”

The Dark Ruler cast one final Stygian blast, and cracks formed all over Metal Armored Bug’s shell. It exploded into shards.

“Gaap… Finish him.”

The Divine Soldier leapt at Weevil, and the Insect duelist screamed as he was slashed with the huge claw. He fell on his back.

(S: 1,950) -------------------- (W: 0)

Gors’s eyes began to glow with fiery light. The Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth screeched, and then shattered into pixels.

“Curse you, Arachne,” growled Weevil. “You may have escaped from Paradox Grove… But getting out of Tzimisce Woods once you’re in is almost impossible… The Realm Lord will never let you leave alive…”

“Who is this Realm Lord?” demanded Sam.

Weevil cackled, and then vanished into grains of light.

“Fear not, Samantha,” said Gors. “I’m more powerful than before, thanks to the energy I got from that moth. When you need me again, it will be a much easier time.”

He vanished in a dark shadow.

Sam turned to Erik.

“I vote we try to find the others,” she said.

“I second the notion,” he replied.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Ugh!” groaned Sam, as they pushed their way through some weeds. “You don’t suppose that there’s poison ivy in this forest, do you?”

“Probably,” said Erik. “But poison oak and poison sumac is much worse.”

“You aren’t helping…” she muttered.

They heard a rustling from the bushes ahead of them.

“Oh no…” said Sam. “Another enemy?”

The two of them stood their ground to face the new foe. Three forms leapt out of the bushes…

Five Disks activated at once. On one side, Opticlops and Toy Magician appeared. On the other, Getsu Fuhma, Magician’s Valkyria, and Vampire Lady appeared.

The five Monsters stopped short, as did their owners.

“Sorry guys,” said Yumi, as the five allies called back their Monsters.

“This Woods in dangerous,” said Chelsea. “The Realm Lord wanted us to split up. He was trying to lure us to our dooms.”

“Then let’s not do so again,” said Sam. “United we stand, divided we fall. Who said that, anyway?”

“I think it was Patrick Henry,” said Ren.

“Actually, Henry borrowed it from Matthew Walker,” said Yumi, “who first used it directly in the fable The Four Oxen and the Lion and indirectly in The Bundle of Sticks.”

* * * * * * * * * *

In a castle in the center of Tzimisce, of gothic design, made of stone and covered with moss and vines, the Realm Lord was listening.

“Yes, quite a useful proverb, Yumi,” he said. “One that I can’t agree with more…”

He looked at his Duel Disk, and drew off the top card.

“As Daala is quite fond of saying,” he said, as he looked at the diabolic Monster on the card, “Power Comes in Combinations…”

* * * * * * * * * *

“I don’t get it,” said Olga, as Sheena worked on the keyboard. “What is meant by ‘Power Comes in Combinations’? Fusions?”

“Well, it basically defines what Duel Monsters is about, Olga,” said Sheena. “Every deck strategy needs cards that work together. Every card in a deck needs to combine its power with the other cards if it hopes to be a winning deck.

“But I’m sure there must be a deeper meaning…”

She paused.

“Oh, it’s no good…” she muttered. “We’ve been at this for hours, and I’m still no closer to getting anything good about Daala.

“Seems the only clue we have are these three silly riddles that appeared on my system before Daala struck…”

She hit a key, and the three odd questions came up.

”What has four wheels and flies?”

“What time is it when the clock strikes thirteen?”

“What sort of salute does an overachieving U.S. President get?”

“Uhm…” said Nicholas. “A garbage truck, time to get the clock fixed, and uh, I would say he would get a 22-gun salute.”

“Yeah…” muttered Sheena. “Childish riddles…

“But there must be more to them than that…”

* * * * * * * * * *

MESSENGER OF HADES – GORS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 7
ATK: 2,700
DEF: 2,500

Card Description: If you have no cards on your side of the field, and you receive damage to your Life Points from a card controlled by your opponent, you may Special Summon this card from your hand, and activate one of the following effects depending on the type of damage you received:

Battle Damage: Special Summon one “Messenger of Hades – Kaien Token” (Fairy/Light/Level Seven/? ATK/? DEF). The ATK and DEF of a “Messenger of Ha Des – Kaien Token” are both equal to the amount of damage taken.

Effect Damage: Inflict damage to your opponent’s Life Points equal to the amount of damage you received.



GAAP, THE DIVINE SOLDIER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 6
ATK: 2,200
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: When this card is face-up on the field, all Monsters are switched to Attack Position and cannot change their Battle Positions (Flip-Effects are not activated at this time). Once per turn, by showing one Fiend-Type Monster in your hand to your opponent, you can increase the ATK of this card by 300 until the End Phase of your turn.

Note: “Messenger of Hades – Gors” and “Gaap, the Divine Soldier” are Japanese cards that have not yet been released in the United States.



HELLFIRE FLAME (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: A diabolic-looking fiend in a bonfire.

Card Description: You may only activate this card when a Field Spell is face-up on the field and you have at least one Fiend-Type Monster face-up on the field. Destroy the current Field Spell, inflict 1,000 points of direct damage to each player’s Life Points, and deduct 1,000 points from the ATK of all face-up Monsters except Fiend-Type Monsters.

Note: “Hellfire Flame” was first used by Yugi in the “Yu-Gi-Oh R” issue “Dweller of the Deep Darkness!!”. Creative credit goes to the writers.



Sam’s Deck Lord: “Messenger of Hades – Gors”: “Summon Subjects”: When you have a “Dark Ruler Ha Des” face-up on your side of the field, you may spend 800 Life Points to Special Summon a Level Four or lower Fiend-Type Monster from your Graveyard. You may use this effect once per turn, during your Main Phase. (Minor Power)



Weevil’s Deck Lord: “Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth”: “Strengthening Spores”: The ATK of all Level Five or higher Insect-Type Monsters on your side of the field is increased by half of their base DEF. (Intermediate Power)



Coming up next:

While Sheena and her two helpers try to figure that out, her five interns in Xanadu come across that private orchard that the Realm Lord mentioned earlier, one whose trees hold something that the one guarding it calls Devil’s Fruit. Any fans of One Piece here? If you are, then you might know why the Realm Lord is guarding it. The heroes sure realize why, and Erik decides to duel the guard to get the powerful fruit. However, the guard is both duelist and Duel Spirit, an opponent unlike any whom Erik has faced.

Coming up next, “Guarding the Garden”. It’s gonna be something else.

[Shuppet Master]

So from now on, we're going to have Deck Lord duels?

Nice duel, and I was wrong about Weevil being the Realm Lord. I can't wait to see who this guy is and the meaning of those riddles.

[Dark Sage]

Joan says that Daala built Xanadu from her dreams. It’s clear that she was a duelist.

And as we explore this cursed forest, bits and pieces of her dreams, and possibly nightmares, come to life.

We’ve stumbled across a treasure that the Realm Lord is trying to protect. Not gold and jewels, but stuff that, according to an old Manga, could grant great power. Maybe Daala was a fan of this old Manga, and dreamed this up.

Can this stuff grant us powers? Make us stronger? I’m betting it can…

But to get it, I’m going to have to defeat the guy guarding it. And I’ve never faced a duelist like this before.

But I’m more than willing to try.

Ready… DUEL.

CHAPTER SIX



Guarding the Garden

”What has four wheels and flies?”

“What time is it when the clock strikes thirteen?”

“What sort of salute does an overachieving U.S. President get?”

Sheena sighed.

“This reminds me of how Batman always had to decipher the Riddler’s dumb clues,” she said.

Her two helpers looked at each other.

“You have a point there,” said Nicholas.

“Pardon?” said Sheena.

“The Riddler always left these riddles for Batman that were never simple,” said Nicholas. “He was crazy, but he was a genius at creating puzzles and conundrums. Quite often, there were riddles hidden within his riddles.”

He thought for a minute.

“Hold on…” said Olga. “All three of these riddles have numbers in them. Four… thirteen… and if that answer you gave is right, twenty-two.”

“Yeah…” said Sheena. “And maybe if we were to convert the numbers into letters in the English alphabet. Four is D, thirteen is M, and twenty-two is V…

“DMV…”

There was a pause.

It came to them all at the same time, seeing as English was the native language for all three of them.

“Department of Motor Vehicles!” they all said at once.

They paused again.

“I always knew that they were evil,” muttered Nicholas. “They make you wait in line, give you bad service, the pictures they take of you are terrible… You should see the learner’s permit they gave me in London…”

“Be serious!” said Olga. “What the heck could the DMV have to do with this?”

“Saki,” said Sheena, with a frown.

“Who’s that?” asked Nicholas.

“Saki Masato,” said Sheena. “He was a computer programmer for me who used to tell everyone who’d listen that he got his start as a pencil-pusher at the DMV in Tokyo before his big break…

“He worked on the Dueltasia project. But for some reason, he quit two months ago. Didn’t even give a reason – just gave me a two weeks notice. And he wasn’t even eligible for early retirement yet. It puzzled me. Working at KaibaCorp is too good a job for you to just quit.”

“Could he be working for Daala?” asked Olga.

Sheena thought for a long time.

“Maybe you two could find out,” she said.

“It’s against company policy to find people and shake them down for information, but without proof, that’s what I need to do. And that’s why I was willing to… employ you two.

“Saki’s family are all lifetime members of Diners Club International, and his rich relatives pay the dues, so he can go to places to eat that most folks on his salary can’t afford. He likes to spend evenings in pricy nightclubs. His favorite is the Jade Dragon. At eight, you two will likely find him there.

“Remember you two… If you’re captured, I don’t know you.”

“Don’t worry,” said Olga, “those are actually better terms than what the European mob gives its members.

“Oh, and Sheena? While we’re doing that, try to get a few hours of sleep. This has taken its toll on you. We can plainly see it.”

Sheena sighed.

“My daughter is probably fighting for her life…” she said. “I might sleep… How soundly is another question entirely…”

* * * * * * * * * *

On a pathway deep in Tzimisce Woods, a strange-looking rabbit hopped onto the pathway. It looked like any other rabbit, except that its two front teeth were sharp daggers, and it had an eyepatch over one eye.

A blast of energy shot from ahead, and it was blown to pieces.

Magician’s Valkyria and Getsu Fuhma floated down the path, followed by the five duelists, who were at this point taking no chances.

“A Blade Rabbit,” muttered Chelsea. “Is there anything in this forest that isn’t dangerous?”

“Not likely,” said Ren.

“So who do you guys think the Realm Lord is?” asked Erik.

“Most likely a powerful and evil Duel Spirit who’s also an Earth Monster,” said Sam. “Maybe… a Dark Lucius LV8.”

“I hope not!” said Ren. “I dueled someone once who used him… That guy is a tough customer.”

Chelsea let out a long sigh. She sat down on a stump by the side of the road.

“Want to take a break, Chels?” asked Yumi.

“I miss them, Yumi,” she said.

“Them?” asked Yumi. “Them who?”

“You know…” she muttered. “The ghosts that always hang around me… There aren’t any in Xanadu, apparently…”

“Oh yeah…” said Yumi. “The old ghost whisperer thing…”

“Ever since the Midnight Caller helped me see their problems,” said Chelsea, “they’ve been lining up for me to tell them the answers. They aren’t in Domino for two days before some ghost who doesn’t want to leave tells them, ‘Go see Chelsea, she’ll tell you what to do.’

“Never thought I’d miss them so much…”

Yumi sighed.

“Chels, my family deals with demons and cursed magic,” she said, “but this is out of my league… At least we’re helping… other Spirits. Even if they aren’t dead ones.”

Chelsea sighed. She got up.

“Problem is,” she said, as they started to walk forward, “these Spirits can hurt you, unlike the ones I’m used too…”

There was no talk for about five minutes. Then Yumi stopped short.

“Guys,” said Yumi, “I hear water up ahead. There’s something up there…”

They slowly approached the end of the path and entered a very large clearing.

The source of the water was a large fountain in the center. It was a pool, in the center of which was a tall stone, on top of which was a statue of a woman with feathered wings. They recognized this – the Spring of Rebirth.

But that wasn’t the most surprising thing in this clearing.

Around the edges were clusters of trees that looked like they belonged in a tropical region. They were small, each about eight feet tall, and each one bore odd fruits. They resembled all forms of tropical fruits, such as guavas, mangoes, kumquats, strawberries, and pomegranates.

However, they all had odd colors, and each had strange swirl designs on their skins.

“Fruit?” said Sam.

“Don’t even think of touching them,” warned Yumi. “I’d be wary of eating anything that grows in this cursed forest.”

“You’re damn right, you won’t touch them,” said a surly voice.

Everyone turned and saw a muscular figure who had stepped out from behind the Spring. It was an android in silvery armor, with a gear on his left shoulder, one on his back, and some sort of weapon mounted on his right shoulder.

“Gadget Soldier?” asked Ren.

“A Duel Spirit?” said Chelsea.

“You guys had better take a hike,” said the Spirit. “This here is the Realm Lord’s private orchard. No one is allowed to take the Devil’s Fruit unless they have his okay, and I know you don’t got it!”

“Devil’s Fruit?” said Erik, surprised.

Gadget Soldier frowned at him.

“I probably shouldn’t have told you that,” he said. “But yeah. So you guys have a choice. You can get lost or try to take me down…”

He gestured, and an extension opened on his left arm with an audible sprong. It quickly unfolded into a Duel Disk.

“Why are you of all people guarding it?” asked Sam.

“Because he’s a Machine,” said Yumi.

“What does that have to do with it?” asked Sam.

“Machines don’t eat organic food,” said Yumi. “They have no use for fruit. You use them to guard it, and there’s no danger of them stealing it for themselves.”

Gadget Soldier nodded.

“Maybe we should just leave…” said Ren. “A bunch of fruit isn’t worth a fight. It’s not like any of us are desperate for smoothies.”

“Uh, guys?” said Erik. “A word… Huddle…”

They all huddled.

“People,” he said. “If this is truly Devil’s Fruit, it may indeed be worth dueling him to get it. I read about this stuff in an online Manga collection.”

“What does it do?” asked Sam.

“Well, it gives the one who eats it a superhuman ability,” said Erik. “Not always a useful ability, but sometimes an incredibly useful one.

“Funny thing is… It was supposed to be incredibly rare and always found singly. There were never whole orchards of it.”

“Erik,” said Yumi. “You do realize that dueling this guy is taking a risk.”

“One that we’ll all have to take sometime,” said Erik. “I’m more than willing to try if winning will give us an advantage over Daala. And frankly, we may need all the help we can get.”

Yumi sighed.

She looked at the strange fruit trees. Since it was Devil’s Fruit and not Demon’s Fruit, she guessed it might help in the long run… And she figured it must be very potent if the Realm Lord was guarding it.

And it wasn’t like it was the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge either.

“Okay, Erik,” she said. “If you say so… Good luck…”

Erik stepped up to the Machine.

“Okay, Gadget Soldier,” he said. “I accept your challenge.”

“You just got on my bad side,” growled the Soldier. “Prepare to lose!

“And send out your Deck Lord while you’re at it. I might as well get something out of this…”

Erik’s deck glowed…

Then, a bulky form appeared behind him. It looked like a stout man, made out of Legos.

“Blockman?” said Erik. “How come?”

“All of your more powerful Monsters decided they were better staying in the deck,” said a gravely voice coming from Blockman. “But don’t worry, I have a useful ability…”

He whispered it to Erik.

“No kidding?” he said.

“Okay pal, Blockman is my Deck Lord. What’s yours?”

“Open your eyes, pal!” said Gadget Soldier. “I’m a Gadget Soldier! I’m both the duelist AND the Deck Lord. Double the threat.”

“Works for me,” said Erik. “Game on!”

(Erik: 8,000) -------------------- (Gadget Soldier: 8,000)

Be careful Erik, thought Sam. No duelist in his right mind would use Gadget Soldier these days… It’s a plain vanilla Level Six Monster with less Attack Points than some Level Fours…

And if what Weevil said about useless Monsters having powerful Deck Lord abilities is true, this might be trouble…

“Here we go!” shouted Erik, making a draw.

He looked over his cards.

“I’m summoning this in Attack Mode,” he said. “My Toy Tank.”

He placed a card on his Disk, and the Monster that appeared was… a toy tank. It was a comical army tank, with a turnkey on top. (1,300/1,100)

“A new one, Erik?” asked Ren.

Erik nodded. Gadget Soldier looked at him funny.

“Heh, heh,” chuckled the Machine. “A Toy Tank. Oh look, it’s gonna attack me!”

That’s it, thought Erik. Assume it’s a weak Monster, pal… Go ahead and take the bait…

“That’s all for me. Your move, Spectre Gadget.”

“Very funny,” said Gadget Soldier, drawing a card.

He played it, and it glowed with golden light.

“I play Graceful Charity,” he said. “I’m sure everyone knows how this works. I get to draw three cards, so long as I toss two…”

He made three draws.

“And just ‘cause I’m such a nice guy, I’ll show you what I’m tossing.”

He held two cards forward. They were Acrobat Monkey and Giant Soldier of Stone.

“I’d remember them, if I were you…”

He slipped them into his discard slot.

“Next up, I play a facedown, and summon Hunter Dragon.”

A facedown card appeared in a burst of energy, and then a Dragon appeared in front of him. For a Dragon, it wasn’t very big, but it was covered all over with sharp blades. (1,700/100)

“Question,” said Gadget Soldier. “You’ve got a Hunter Dragon staring you in the face. What do you do?”

“I don’t do anything,” said Erik. “I’ve seen worse.”

“Yeah?” said the Soldier. “Well it’s about to go ballistic on your Toy Tank!”

Three slashing blades shot at the Toy Tank, and it exploded into shards. Erik cringed.

(E: 7,600) -------------------- (GS: 8,000)

“Thank you,” said Erik, with a grin. “I activate Toy Tank’s effect. When it gets trashed, I get to summon another Toy from my deck, so long as it’s Level Four or less.”

He went to reach for his deck, and was surprised when a card simply slipped out of it. He took it, and was surprised again to see that it was exactly what he had wanted.

How’d it know… he thought.

“Don’t worry, Erik,” said Blockman. “In Xanadu, a surprise lurks around every corner, but many of them make the duel easier.”

“Right,” said Erik. “I summon Toy Soldier!”

In a burst of energy, a small figure appeared. It was definitely a toy soldier, made of wood, dressed in the uniform of the soldiers of Revolution-era France. He held a musket that was apparently a pop gun. (800/300)

“How cute,” said Gadget Soldier. “I end my turn.”

Erik drew a card.

“I activate my Toy Soldier’s effect,” he said.

“I love this part,” said Chelsea, with a giggle.

“When one member of my mini-militia is on the field,” said Erik, “I can summon all other members that I have in my deck. So here come two more!”

In two flashes of light, two more Soldiers appeared.

“That’s hardly an improvement,” said Gadget Soldier.

“I’m also playing a Spell Card,” said Erik, holding up a card. “It’s called Fife and Drum Corp.”

As he played the card, music started to fill the air. A parade of Toy Soldiers marched into the clearing, playing drums and flutes.

“Don’t you just love a parade?” asked Erik. “My Soldiers do, because this music doubles the Attack Scores of all my Monsters with Attack Scores that are 1,000 or less.”

The three Soldiers glowed with energy. (1,600/300)

“Unless you can make one of them even stronger,” said Gadget Soldier, “that still ain’t gonna be enough.”

“I’m not gonna make them stronger,” said Erik. “I’m gonna make your Dragon weaker. I play Shrink!”

He played another card, and Hunter Dragon shrunk to half its size. (850/100)

“Toy Soldier number one,” said Erik, “attack the Hunter Dragon!”

The first Toy Soldier aimed its musket and fired, blowing Hunter Dragon to pixels.

“You two… Attack directly!”

Gadget Soldier grunted as two more corks hit him in the chest.

“I suppose you think you’re so hot?” he said.

“I try to be,” said Erik. “My turn is over, so the scores of my Soldiers return to 800. It’s your move.”

(E: 7,600) -------------------- (GS: 4,050)

“Erik is winning!” cheered Sam.

“Don’t celebrate so soon,” said Gadget Soldier, drawing a card.

He played it.

“I play Desperado Manager. I can use this when I have at least one card in my hand. First, I get to draw two cards…”

He made two draws, and looked at them.

“Then I take three cards from my hand, and put them on top of my deck.”

He chose three of his cards, and placed them on his deck.

“Next,” he said, “I’ll drop 800 Life Points to play Enchanting Fitting Room. This lets me look at the top four cards on my deck. And if any of them are Normal Monsters that are Level Three or less, I get to Special Summon them.”

Yumi’s eyes opened wide.

This guy is no rookie, she thought. He’s guaranteed at least three Monsters, because he just put three on top of his deck!

A white curtain appeared in front of him, and four cards flew out. Three of them were Monster Cards, and one was Heavy Storm.

“Well, Heavy Storm doesn’t fit the bill,” said the Machine, as the Spell Card vanished, “but say hello to Mad Lobster, Jerry Beans Man, and Dragon Zombie!”

Three Monsters appeared in flashes of light. One was a huge lobster with a skull for a head. (1,700/1,000) Another was a green jelly bean with arms, legs, and a smiling face, holding a toy sword and shield. (1,750/0) The third was a rotting and decayed dragon, its yellowing rib bones sticking out of its flesh. (1,600/0)

“Ho boy…” said Erik.

“Before I attack, I’m gonna activate this,” said Gadget Soldier, as his facedown card lifted up. “Gift of the Mystical Elf.”

The gentle form of Mystical Elf appeared behind him, and cast a spell.

“Now I gain 300 Life Points for each Monster on the field. And I count six.

“Now… Dragon Zombie, noxious breath!”

Dragon Zombie shot a blast of toxic smoke from its jaws, and one Toy Soldier rotted and turned to dust.

“Jerry Beans Man, attack with Good ‘n Plenty pummel!”

Jerry spit a barrage of candy from his mouth with the force of a machine gun, and another Soldier shattered.

“Mad Lobster, attack with vice grip!”

Mad Lobster grabbed the third Soldier in its pincer and squeezed, until it shattered.

“I throw one card facedown, and that’s all!” he said with a chuckle.

A new facedown card materialized.

(E: 4,950) -------------------- (GS: 5,050)

Okay… thought Erik. Now when exactly did I lose the advantage here?

He had almost considered using his Deck Lord ability at that point. But he would have used up all of his limited uses if he saved all his Soldiers, and he would have given too much advantage to his opponent if he had.

And now he could get the most use out of something else.

Yumi looked at the three Monsters.

Odd, she thought. All of his Monsters seem to be Normal Level Threes. I can’t shake the feeling that he’s building up to something big…

Erik drew a card.

“I play Toy Memorial,” he said, playing a Spell Card. “I have to skip my Battle Phase to play this, but I get to draw one card for each card in my Graveyard with the word ‘Toy’ in its name.

“I have four, three Toy Soldiers and Toy Tank.”

He drew four cards. He looked them over.

“I’ll summon Card Blocker.”

He played the card, and a new toy Warrior appeared. He was dressed in blue armor with a rounded helmet, and carried a shield and a short sword. (400/400)

“And as soon as I summon him, he moves to Defense Mode.”

Card Blocker knelt, pointed his sword down, and held his shield up.

“And I’ll call it a turn.”

“Was that the best you can do?” asked Gadget Soldier, drawing a card. “This is too easy…

“I activate my facedown card.”

His facedown card lifted up, and a figure appeared on the field. It was the youth from the Heart of the Underdog card, holding a glowing light in his hands.

“It’s called Common Charity. This lets me draw two cards.”

He made two draws.

“Of course, if I don’t want to lose my whole hand after I do that, I have to remove a Normal Monster in my hand from play. So I think I get rid of this one.”

He held up a card – it was D.D. Trainer – and it vanished.

He looked over the two new cards.

“Now, I summon Clown Zombie.”

A cackling laugh sounded over the field as he played the card. The Monster that appeared was a rotting, undead version of Crass Clown, balancing on a colored ball and holding a staff. (1,350/0)

“You’re finished,” said Gadget Soldier. “Clown Zombie, destroy his Card Blocker!”

Clown Zombie laughed, and bounced forward on its ball.

“Not so fast, rust-bucket!” said Erik, taking three cards off the top of his deck.

He quickly discarded them.

“Card Blocker has a special effect. For each of these discards, he gains 500 Defense Points.”

Card Blocker glowed with energy. (500/1,900) As Clown Zombie tried to strike him, he struck back, and the Zombie tumbled backwards.

“You little punk!” shouted Gadget Soldier. “Now you really made me mad!”

(E: 4,950) -------------------- (GS: 4,500)

“You really need to find a way to relax, pal,” said Chelsea. “Maybe you should try yoga or something.”

“Hardy, har, har,” said the Soldier. “I end my turn!”

Erik drew a card.

“Just what I needed…” he said.

He opened his Field Slot.

“I play Toy Town!”

There was a flash of light…

When they could see again, the orchard was gone. They were standing in the streets of a fairy tale town, with gingerbread houses and sugarplum trees. A castle was on a hill in the background, and a rainbow was in the sky.

“I don’t even know what this Field Spell does,” said Gadget Soldier, “and I already hate it.”

“Well, it does three things,” said Erik, “as far as Monsters with the word ‘Toy’ in their names are concerned. First, it increases their Attack Scores by 300. Second, it lets them dodge any targeting Trap Cards. Third, if one is destroyed outside of battle, I get to pull another one from my deck that has less Attack Points.

“So… I summon Toy Magician!”

In a burst of light, the plastic sorcerer that he had used against the Arlownay appeared, holding his glowing staff. (1,600/1,500) –> (1,900/1,500)

“Destroy his Clown Zombie!” shouted Erik. “Sparkle blast!”

Toy Magician shot a blast of glowing motes at the undead clown, and it burst into a cloud of dust.

“Punk…” said Gadget Soldier.

(E: 4,950) -------------------- (GS: 3,950)

“Your move,” said Erik.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” said Gadget Soldier, drawing a card.

“I set a new Monster in Defense Mode, and move everyone else to Defense Mode.”

A facedown Monster appeared. Mad Lobster shielded itself with its claws, and Jerry Beans Man just sat down. Dragon Zombie just collapsed in a heap.

“I may not be able to attack, but I’m still gonna get rid of that Card Blocker,” he said. “I play Shield Crush!”

He played the card, and a blast of energy shot out of it, blowing Card Blocker to bits.

“Well, so much for that,” muttered Erik.

“Your move,” said the Machine.

Erik drew a card.

This might be useful, he thought, adding it to his hand.

“I summon a second Toy Magician,” he said. “Double the pleasure!”

A second of the toy Spellcasters appeared. (1,600/1,500) –> (1,900/1,500)

“All right, attack his Mad Lobster and Jerry Beans Man!”

The two Magicians cast their spells, and the two Monsters burst into pixels.

This punk may not know it, thought Gadget Soldier, but the more of my Monsters he trashes, the deeper he’s falling into my trap…

He looked at his deck.

Once I draw both the right cards, it’s gonna be all over for him…

“My move,” he said.

He drew a card, and looked at it.

“I set a facedown, and that’ll be all.”

A facedown card appeared.

Erik drew a card.

No problem, he thought. I have Mystical Space Typhoon right…

“Go, Trap Card!” shouted Gadget Soldier. “Threatening Roar!”

His facedown card lifted, and the intimidating form of Behemoth, the King of All Animals appeared behind him. It roared, and Erik staggered back.

“Afraid your attacks this round are called off,” he said.

“Then I’ll just end my turn…” muttered Erik.

Gadget Soldier drew a card.

“Okay, pal, I play Pot of Greed,” he said.

The evil jar appeared, and he drew two cards.

“Heh, heh, perfect…” he said. “First, I flip my Sonic Duck into Attack Mode.”

His facedown Monster flipped up, revealing a comical-looking green duck the size of a horse with a scarf around its neck and a pail on its head. (1,700/700)


Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:



“Now… I’m giving it something extra… The Equip Spell, Amulet of Ambition.”

He played the card, and a glowing aura appeared around Sonic Duck’s neck. It formed into a glowing amulet with an eye on the setting.

“I’ll explain this as simply as I can,” he said. “This can only be Equipped to Normal Monsters. And when the Equipped Monster battles a Monster that’s a higher Level, the Equipped Monster gains 500 Attack Points times the difference.

“So…

“Sonic Duck, attack the Toy Magician on the right with supersonic dash!”

Sonic Duck squawked and sped towards Toy Magician in a blur. Its Attack Score rose to 2,200, just as it collided with the Spellcaster, blowing him to pieces.

“Wait a second,” said Ren. “This means…”

“This means that the higher the Level of Erik’s Monster, the stronger Sonic Duck will be,” said Chelsea. “Even Erik’s Puppet King would be outclassed… If he tried to attack with him…”

“Sonic Duck would gain 2,000 Attack Points,” said Yumi. “And I don’t think Erik even has a Level Three Monster that can beat these low-level beatsticks.”

True, thought Erik. But I have something else…

“I’ll move Dragon Zombie to Attack Mode while I’m at it,” said Gadget Soldier, as Dragon Zombie picked itself up. “I’ll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn.”

He played his last card, and a facedown Monster appeared.

(E: 4,650) -------------------- (GS: 3,950)

He drew a card.

“I play Mystical Space Typhoon!” he shouted. “Say goodbye to that Amulet!”

He played the card, and the cyclone tore across the field, blowing the Amulet of Ambition off the Duck’s neck.

“That was pointless,” said Gadget Soldier. “That card has another effect. If it’s destroyed, I get to put it on top of my deck, and I don’t have to pay a dime.”

He placed the card on the top of his deck.

Erik frowned. He looked at the card he had just drawn.

“I play… Symbol pf Heritage,” he said. “Since I have three of the same Monster in my Graveyard, this Spell Card lets me bring one of them back to the field.”

He played the card, and Toy Soldier appeared on the field. (800/300) –> (1,100/300)

“Next,” he said, “I play a powerful Spell called Crowning of the Emperor! This lets me sacrifice him…”

Toy Soldier saluted, and held his musket by his side. He vanished in a sparkle of light.

“Come on out, Toy Emperor!”

With a galloping of hooves, a mounted figure rode onto the field. It was another wooden soldier, this one dressed in Napoleon’s military uniform, holding a saber and riding a wooden horse. His eyebrows were narrow, and his mouth was carved into a frown.(2,300/800) –> (2,600/800)

“First, Toy Magician, destroy his Sonic Duck!”

Toy Magician cast his spell, and Sonic Duck exploded in a burst of feathers.

“Second, I have a feeling I know what that set Monster is, seeing as you used up every card in your hand. Let’s see if I’m right…

“Toy Emperor, attack his facedown Monster!”

Toy Emperor gave his mount a kick, and he galloped towards the facedown Monster. A ceramic jar appeared on the card, and a dark shadow with a mouth and one eye appeared out of it. It let out a cackling laugh before Toy Emperor slashed it to bits with his saber.

“Yep, I was right,” said Erik. “Morphing Jar…”

He discarded the one card that was left in his hand, and drew five cards. Gadget Soldier simply drew five cards.

“And Toy Emperor has a powerful effect,” said Erik. “Now I get to take any Trap Card from my deck that I want.”

A card slid out of his deck. Erik gave a puzzled look, and took it.

It was the one he wanted again, all right. Xanadu had strange laws.

He placed it in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

“That’s all for me,” he said.

(E: 4,650) -------------------- (GS: 3,750)

“Draw,” said Gadget Soldier.

He drew a card.

“I Equip Amulet of Ambition on Dragon Zombie,” he said.

The Amulet appeared on the Zombie’s neck.

“Go, Dust Tornado!” shouted Erik.

His Trap Card flipped up, and the tornado tore across the field, blowing the Amulet to pieces.

“Talk about a dumb move,” laughed Sam. “He told you he could search for any Trap Card… Every duelist and his brother uses Dust Tornado.”

“Okay, change of plans!” growled the Machine. “It’s about time I brought out my key player anyway…

“I use my Deck Lord ability, which I can do three times per duel total. I get to Special Summon any Normal Monster from my deck that I want. And I choose Summoned Skull.”

In an explosion of lightning, Yugi Mouto’s signature Fiend appeared on the field. There was no mistaking him… The horns, claws, and bony carapace. (2,500/1,200)

“Of course, there is a catch,” said Gadget Soldier. “It can’t attack, and it will be destroyed when I end my turn.”

“Meaning you’re gonna sacrifice him, right?” said Erik.

“Watch your mouth!” said Gadget Soldier. “I play the Ritual Spell Card, Synthesis Spell.”

Summoned Skull vanished, and a cylindrical tank with a man inside, floating in liquid and hooked up to odd hoses and paraphernalia appeared.

“By sacrificing six Levels worth of Monsters, I can bring out the ultimate beast…”

The man inside the tank changed. He transformed into a more bestial shape…

Then he smashed his way out of the tank, and roared in anger.

Standing in front of Erik was a vicious-looking wolfman, with razor-sharp teeth and claws, dressed in ragged trousers, with odd wires on its chest. (2,400/1,800)

“Whoa,” said Chelsea. “It looks like someone gave my Zombie Werewolf a makeover.”

“This werewolf ain’t a Zombie,” said Gadget Soldier. “It’s a Beast-Warrior called Lycanthrope, and it’s about to go postal on your Toy Emperor!”

“Let him try!” laughed Erik. “My Field Spell makes my Emperor stronger!”

Gadget Soldier played another card.

“I Equip him with Ritual Weapon!” he shouted.

Lycanthrope’s right wrist glowed, and a golden, glowing crossbow appeared on the back of its claw. (3,900/3,300)

Erik turned to Blockman.

“Now?” said Blockman.

“Now,” said Erik, nodding.

“Attack his Toy Emperor!” shouted Gadget Soldier.

Lycanthrope howled. It pointed with its weapon, and a volley of sharp, glowing spires shot towards the toy monarch.

Erik cringed, but Toy Emperor stood fast.

(E: 3,650) -------------------- (GS: 3,750)

“My Emperor isn’t ready to leave yet,” said Erik. “I used my Deck Lord ability. I can also use it three times.

“You get to draw one card, but I can make any Toy Monster withstand any attack.”

Gadget Soldier grinned as he drew a card.

“But you still lost Life Points,” he said. “So Lycanthrope’s effect activates, and you lose 200 Life Points for every Normal Monster in my Graveyard. In case anyone here lost count, I’ve got eight of them there.”

Erik screamed as Lycanthrope’s eyes glowed, and a fiery aura surrounded him. He fell to his knees.

(E: 2,050) -------------------- (GS: 3,750)

“Crud,” said Ren. “And with that extra draw, he likely drew Amulet of Ambition again.”

Gadget Soldier looked at the card he had drawn.

He’s wrong, he thought. When I used my ability to bring out Summoned Skull, my deck was shuffled. What I actually drew was Frostosaurus, an incredibly powerful Level Six Monster.

He won’t be dumb enough to keep his two Monsters in Attack Mode in order to attack my Dragon Zombie, so I’ll easily be able to summon it next turn.

Erik looked at the field.

“Your move,” said Gadget Soldier.

Let me think, thought Erik. If I attack Dragon Zombie with Toy Emperor, I’ll be able to get Mirror Force from my Deck… But if he’s somehow able to destroy it, I’m a gonner…

He drew a card. He looked at it.

Nope, I got a better idea… And to think Sam thought this card was a dumb idea…

He added it to his hand and chose another one.

“First I summon… My third Toy Magician!”

He played the card, and yet another of the plastic, colored mages appeared. (1,600/1,500)

“Eh?” said Gadget Soldier. “Attack Mode?”

“Now,” said Erik. “I play Heavy Storm!”

He played the card, and a fierce wind tore across the field. Toy Town vanished, and the Ritual Weapon crumbled to dust.

“Big deal!” said Gadget Soldier. “You took out your own Field Spell, so he’s still stronger than any of your Monsters.

“And even if you can make your Emperor stronger, you’d best make it count, because I have this.”

He turned one of his two cards in his hand forward. It was Fulfillment of the Contract.

“Oh, but I am going to ‘make it count’, as you say,” said Erik.

He placed a card in his Disk.

“I play… Autonomous Action Unit!”

“Say WHAT?” shouted Gadget Soldier.

“This card may cost me 1,500 Life Points,” said Erik, as he glowed with red energy, “but it’s worth every one to resurrect one of your Monsters and recruit him to my side.”

A pair of space-age doors appeared on Erik’s side of the field, and they opened with a burst of steam…

Summoned Skull stepped out, but he was different. Apparently, he had been reborn using cybernetics. His left arm and right leg were bionic, metal plating was on his chest, and a helmet covered the right half of his head, giving him a glowing red optic sensor for a right eye. An odd metal pack was strapped to his back. He glared at Gadget Soldier. (2,500/1,200)

“Oh, crap…” said Gadget Soldier.

“Summoned Skull…” ordered Erik, “atomize Lycanthrope with electromagnetic cyber lightning strike!”

Two protrusions resembling lasers unfolded from the pack on Summoned Skull’s back, and twin volleys of lightning bolts shot from them, reducing Lycanthrope to a pile of ash.

“All right!” shouted Erik. “Toy Emperor, destroy Dragon Zombie!”

Toy Emperor charged at Dragon Zombie, and with one slash of his saber, the dragon corpse was ripped to shreds.

“Toy Magicians… Finish him off!”

Both Toy Magicians shot their sparkle blasts at the Machine. Gadget Soldier fell to his knees.

(E: 550) -------------------- (GS: 0)

Summoned Skull gave Gadget Soldier an angry look.

“Don’t look at me like that!” he shouted to the Fiend. “Yeah, I lost, but keep in mind… You still couldn’t beat me when you…”

Before he could say anything else, Blockman’s eyes glowed. Gadget Soldier fell to his knees, and shattered into pixilated remains, that evaporated.

Blockman gave a thumb’s up to Erik. He slowly vanished.

Summoned Skull turned to him. The Fiend smiled before he vanished as well.

“What was that all about?” asked Sam.

Yumi rubbed her chin.

“Maybe Summoned Skull was a Duel Spirit too, and he wasn’t serving in Gadget Soldier’s deck willingly,” she said. “Maybe they dueled in the past, and Skull lost…”

“And he became Gadget Soldier’s slave…” said Chelsea. “If Daala’s men can enforce their will like that, I just want to overthrow her more…”

“Well, it seems that Skull is a free Monster now,” said Erik.

He looked at the fruit trees.

“And the Devil’s Fruit is ours.”

“Erik, are you certain this stuff is safe?” asked Yumi. “There must be a reason why it’s called Devil’s Fruit and not Angel’s Fruit.”

“Well, in the Manga there is one known side effect,” said Erik. “Hear this before you decide.

“Devil’s Fruit was supposed to be the fruit of the Sea Devil, whatever that means. And whoever eats it… Well, that person will never be able to swim again.

“The sea itself rejects those who have eaten it. Thus, anyone who has eaten it is helpless in water. If we eat this, and then fall into a large body of water, we’d likely drown.”

They all paused for a while.

“Heck with it,” said Sam. “I never learned to swim anyway…”

“We’ll just stay away from lakes and the beach,” said Chelsea.

“Anything else we should know?” asked Yumi, nervously.

“Well…” muttered Erik, “there was a rather… ghoulish rumor that said that the powers inside them didn’t like each other too much, and that if someone ate more than one, they’d war with each other, and kill the one who ate them. This was never proven, because no-one was known to be dumb enough to test it.”

“Okay…” said Chelsea. “Good safety tip…”

“So, which ones do what?” asked Ren, looking at one of the trees.

“You never know until you eat it,” said Erik. “The Manga said at various times that several catalogues of them existed, but none were ever actually seen.”

Sam picked one. It was pear-shaped, and colored turquoise.

“Now there’s a color found in nature,” she said sarcastically.

“Maybe we should each choose a different one,” said Yumi. “Then, the chances of at least one of us getting a useful one improve.”

Eventually, they all picked one from a separate tree.

“Uhm, one final thing,” said Erik. “I should warn you, these taste pretty bad…”

Ren bit into his. He made a face as he forced himself to swallow it.

“Ugh!” he gasped. “You weren’t kidding!”

Chelsea cringed as she bit into hers. She swallowed hard.

“That tastes like moldy Play-Doh!” she shouted.

Sam took a bite of hers. She simply frowned.

“I’ve eaten worse,” she said, tossing the rest of the fruit aside. “Not as bad as some of the stuff they serve at the Centurion’s barracks at Duelatopia.”

Erik bit into his. He cringed. He knew it was his idea, but that didn’t make it any less disgusting.

Yumi looked long and hard at her piece. She wondered if she was feeling the same way as Alice felt after she had just arrived in Wonderland, and found a bottle with a label that read “Drink Me”.

Secretly, she hoped that they all weren’t being played for suckers.

She took a bite.

* * * * * * * * * *

Daala sighed as she watched something on a screen.

She had watched this duel so many times. Yugi Mouto Sr.’s victory over Marik in the final round of Battle City.

Every time she watched it, she couldn’t help but think what an egotistical idiot that Marik was.

Standing behind her was one of her chief enforcers, a Skull Knight. Everyone in Xanadu knew about him. With the exception of Daala herself, he was the best duelist in Daala’s army.

“Question,” she asked him. “What was Marik’s problem?”

“Overconfidence?” he asked.

“No,” she said, “it was…”

She stopped short.

“Actually, yes,” she said. “That, and ego.

“He thought that Yugi couldn’t have possibly beaten Ra without a God Card of his own. So, to defeat him, and prove with his over-inflated head that his God Card was superior, he attacked Obelisk instead of attacking Dark Magician Girl, who would have been the easier target.

“How little did he know that she was the one whom Yugi truly needed to defeat Ra. That mistake not only proved that his God Card wasn’t superior, but it let Yugi prove that he was superior to all three of the God Cards!

“Anyway, there’s a lesson in there somewhere, but I kinda forget what it is.”

“I take it this is why you turned down the request to create a virtual version of Marik?” asked Skull Knight.

Daala nodded.

“Rule number one of amassing minions,” she said. “Never try to recruit anyone who’s stronger than you are. And rule number two, which pertains to this case, is never create anyone who’s crazier than you are.”

A beeper on the screen went off.

“Hmm,” she said waving her arm.

The screen changed, and a scene of Yumi and company wandering through the forest came up.

“They’re almost there…” she thought. “Maybe one more small hurdle…”

The screen changed, and a face appeared on it.

“They’ll be there in about twenty minutes, give or take,” she said. “Tell whoever is at the gates to challenge Ren. I want to see him at his full capacity.”

“As you wish,” said the figure.

She leaned back on the couch.

“Hopefully, we’ll get what we want from Yumi soon,” she said. “Then we won’t need our friends any more… And we can take them out and any other annoyances with one swift stroke…”

* * * * * * * * * * *

TOY SOLDIER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 3
ATK: 800
DEF: 300

Card Description: If this card is face-up on your side of the field during your Standby Phase, you may Special Summon up to two “Toy Soldiers” from your hand or deck.



TOY EMPEROR (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 6
ATK: 2,300
DEF: 800

Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card must first be Special Summoned via the effect of “Crowning of the Emperor”. When this card destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle and sends it to the Graveyard, you may search your deck for one Trap Card and add it to your hand.



FIFE AND DRUM CORP (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: A parade of Toy Soldiers with drums and fifes.

Card Description: During the turn you activate this card, the ATK of all Monsters on your side of the field whose ATK is 1,000 or less is doubled until the End Phase of the turn.



CROWNING OF THE EMPEROR (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: An elaborate crown, with a spotlight on it.

Card Description: Offer one “Toy Soldier” on your side of the field as a Tribute. Special Summon one “Toy Emperor” from your hand or deck.

Note: “Toy Soldier”, “Toy Emperor”, “Fife and Drum Corp”, and “Crowning of the Emperor” were all first used by Bonaparte in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Dormitory Demolition”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



TOY MEMORIAL (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: A group of Toy Soldiers standing around a broken one of their own.

Card Description: Draw one card for every card in your Graveyard that has the word “Toy” in its name. You must skip your Battle Phase on a turn in which you use this card.

Note: “Toy Memorial” was created by Master of Paradox for his fanfic “Yu-Gi-Oh! Tilting the Balance”. Creative credit goes to him.



TOY TOWN (Spell Card)

Field Spell

Image: A colorful toy village with a toy castle on a hill overlooking it and a rainbow in the sky.

Card Description: Monsters with the word “Toy” in their names gain 300 Attack Points. Negate the effect of any Trap Card that specifically targets a Monster with the word “Toy” in its name and destroy it. If a Monster with the word “Toy” in its name is destroyed outside of battle, the owner may select one Monster from his deck with the word “Toy” in its name that has a lower base ATK than the destroyed card and add it to his hand.

Note: “Toy Town” first appeared in “Legend of the Sorcerer Kings”.



TOY MAGICIAN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spellcaster/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 4
ATK: 1,600
DEF: 1,500

Card Description: This card can be treated as a Spell Card and set facedown into your Spell/Trap zone. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by the effect of an opponent's card while set in the Spell/Trap zone, Special Summon this card onto your field during the next End Phase. In addition, when this card is successfully Flip-Summoned, destroy a number of Spell and Trap cards up to the number of face-up “Toy Magicians” on the field.



CARD BLOCKER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 3
ATK: 400
DEF: 400

Card Description: When this card is successfully Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, it is switched to face-up Defense Position. When a face-up Monster you control is targeted by an attack, you may switch the attack target to this card. When this card becomes the attack target, you may send up to three cards from the top of your deck to the Graveyard. For each card sent to the Graveyard in this manner, increase this card’s DEF by 500 until the End Phase of the turn.

Note: “Toy Magician” and “Card Blocker” are Japanese cards that have not yet been released in the United States.



TOY TANK (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Machine/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 1,300
DEF: 1,100

Card Description: When this card is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard, you may search your deck for one Monster that is Level Four or less with the word “Toy” in its name, except for a “Toy Tank”, and Special Summon it.



DESPERADO MANAGER (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: A burly biker crackling with electricity, with a seedy agent standing behind him.

Card Description: You can activate this card when you have at least one card in your hand other than this card. Draw two cards from your deck. Then, choose three cards from your hand and place them on the top of your deck in any order.

Note: “Desperado Manager” was first used by Chazz in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Head in the Clouds (Part Two)”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



Erik’s Deck Lord: “Blockman”: “Toy Blocker”: Three times per duel, you may negate a “Toy” Monster’s destruction as a result of battle (damage calculation still applies). If you use this effect, your opponent may draw one card. (Minor Power)



Gadget Soldier’s Deck Lord: “Simple Summons”: Three times per duel, during your Main Phase, you may Special Summon a Normal Monster from your deck. The Special Summoned Monster cannot attack, and is destroyed during the End Phase of the round it is Special Summoned in this manner. (Intermediate Power)



Coming up next:

Here’s a question to think about: Did the elves in Lord of the Rings have pointed ears? Despite depictions in various media, Tolkien’s descriptions never addressed that one way or another. But you can’t deny one thing… Tolkien’s elves were tough.

In the fantasy world of Xanadu, races from several dimensions come together, and one from an elven land stands in the heroes’ path. To get into the Realm Lord’s fortress, Ren must get past one of them and her legions of elven warriors.

Coming up next, “The Empress Elf”. It sure isn’t Galadriel.

[Shuppet Master]

Oh, I see where the next chapter is going! That's why you asked me about THAT card!

This is a great chapter. Once again, Erik does it. By the way, what manga did the Devil's Fruit come from?

I need your reading - I was getting upset over something and needed something to calm my nerves.

[Dark Sage]

SM,

Devil's Fruit is a staple of the Manga One Piece a fantasy about pirates. It was made into an anime, which 4Kids screwed up so badly that the original producers fired them and gave the dub rights to Funmation. The Manga is much better.

Anyway, the dub calls it "Cursed Fruit", but I stay with the original. In the Manga, the protagonist himself is a carefree guy named Luffy who himself ate Devil's Fruit. It turned his body into living rubber, enabling him to stretch his limbs and other parts for a variety of purposes (useful when he got into a fight, more often than not). Luffy and his allies constantly encounter others who have used the Fruit, mostly villains. My favorite is Buggy the Clown, whose Fruit gave him the ability to literally separate the parts of his body and control them independently.

[Mystic_clown]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't there a Toy Tank monster in the manga? I believe it had 3000 attack, but no effect.

I wasa bit confused at first about what Gadget Soldier's deck was about, but it all made sense when Lycanthrope came out. Nice work.

And so we've crossed into the realms of One Piece. I'm not quite sure how to make of this. I'm a bit curious as to what Devil Fruit they've eaten. (if anyone got the painting one, I can't remember what it's called, I'll die laughing).

[Dark Sage]

I'll reply to this.

Little Yugi did indeed have a Monster called "Toy Tank". However, its ATK, DEF, Level, and effect (if any) were never revealed. He simply used it as a sacrifice.

Curious? Well, sorry, but I can't reveal any info on what it has done to them right now.

[Shuppet Master]

Ah, so we crossed into the realm of One Piece oince again. If any of you read "Yu-Gi-Oh: The Thousand Year Door", there was a reference to the legend of a pirate offering anyone who found his treasure its booty, which was also from that anime.

I never watched One Piece because the dub got such bad rap, and I'm not into pirate stuff anyways. (Because I loathe Pirates of the Caribbean... even though it made its way into Kingdom Hearts II, one of my favorite video games.) Still, I'm surprised as to you spoiling the origins of Luffy's weird rubber body. (Actually, the reason I didn't like One Piece was because of Luffy, he looks like a deranged monkey. @_@)

I can't wait to see you update your stories, Brian. You're doing great.

[Dark Sage]

What do you think of when you think of the word “elf”?

Small children usually think of Santa Claus. Older folks usually think of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Whether it’s fairy tales or more mature works of fantasy, elves have been a part of many cultures since ancient times, when men thought them up in the legends surrounding their mythologies.

There are elves in Duel Monsters too. Yumi’s grandfather used two of them – Mystical Elf and Celtic Guardian, later replaced by his retrained form, Obnoxious Celtic Guardian (whatever he did to be called “obnoxious”, I have no idea). There’s also Mystical Elf’s sister, Dark Elf (who’s offensive where her counterpart is defensive), Ancient Elf, someone who’s only a fan card these days, and, of course, Gemini Elf, the Level Four vanilla beatstick of Spellcasters who Yumi uses.

I never dreamed there were more than that…

I’m facing someone who’s debunking the myth that elves are lightweights…

CHAPTER SEVEN



The Empress Elf

“So…” said Chelsea, as they walked down the path. “Anyone feel any different?”

“I still have a really sour aftertaste in my mouth,” said Ren, “but offhand, no.”

“The Realm Lord wanted it guarded,” said Yumi. “Unless he somehow gets his kicks by eating fruit that tastes like old gym sneakers, that stuff must do something.”

They walked on in silence for a few minutes, their Disks ready to summon a Monster should a new threat appear…

Then the strange spatial effect of the Woods occurred again, and suddenly, they were in a new location.

They were in a huge clearing, standing before a large, stone castle of gothic design. Gargoyles were perched on the roof, and moss and vines covered the whole structure.

“The Realm Lord’s castle!” exclaimed Ren. “We’ve made it!”

“Careful!” warned Yumi. “We’d be fools to think that there are no guards…”

Almost on cue, three frightening forms burst out of the ground. They were tall, blocky, humanoid creatures made of wood. Their faces had mouths that were sideways, hinged at the top and bottom instead of the left and right, and a series of beady knobs on each side of it. They carried scythes. (1,600/100)

“Rigras Leevers,” said Yumi. “This guy is creative, I’ll give him that…”

Yumi, Ren, and Sam threw cards on their Disks, and Skilled Dark Magician (1,900/1,700), Getsu Fuhma (1,700/1,200), and The Bistro Butcher (1,800/1,000) appeared. The Leevers were apparently too dumb to know that they were outclassed. They lifted their scythes and charged, only to be blown apart by a blast of dark magic and slashes from a katana and a cleaver.

“Talk about dumb,” said Chelsea.

“They had wood for brains, what did you expect?” asked Sam.

“Says the duelist who has a demented puppet carrying an axe in her deck,” muttered Ren.

“Uh…” said Sam.

She didn’t know how to reply to that.

“Is this all?” shouted Ren. “Are you in there? Are you going to give us something more than just weak Monsters?”

As if to respond, the front gates slowly opened…

A feminine form slowly walked out. She was smallish, best described as petite. She had a delicate face, sea-green eyes, tanned skin, long, chestnut hair, and ears that tapered to points. She was dressed in a leather halter and miniskirt, and had bare feet. She also wore a Duel Disk.

“Will I do?” she said, in a haughty voice.

A set of portcullis bars slammed down behind her, blocking the way she came out.

“This is it?” asked Sam, almost laughing. “The Lord’s front guard is some elf maiden?

“She doesn’t even have a weapon…”

“How little you know,” said the elf. “Some say that a Duel Disk is like a sword to a duelist.”

Sam chuckled.

“You don’t look so tough,” she said. “Anyone say we just tackle her and force our way past?”

At this, the elf tapped her Disk, and a blast of energy shot from it, striking Sam in the chest and knocking her over.

“Ow!” she shouted.

“I wouldn’t listen to her,” said the elf. “One of you will duel me if you want to get inside… Or I’ll set it to something stronger than stun.”

“You do have a weapon,” moaned Sam, clutching her chest. “My mistake…”

“Guys…” said Chelsea. “I don’t think our Disks can do that… In fact, I think against a duelist with an actual weapon in Xanadu, we’re unarmed…”

The maiden smiled.

“And I think I want to duel Ren,” she said.

Ren frowned.

“So, what are the stakes?” he said, stepping up.

“Simple,” she replied. “You win, then you all get to go in to see the Realm Lord. But if I win, you won’t be joining your friends when they do.”

“Any hints as to who this guy is?” asked Ren.

“An exceptional person,” said the elf. “He likes to make his own introductions.”

“Fine,” said Ren. “Do you have a name? And where did you come from, anyway?”

“Call me Gallah,” she said. “I was once a citizen in a dimension where elves had a vast empire. But given some… circumstances, I had to leave and migrate to Xanadu.”

“You were a wanted criminal, right?” asked Ren.

Gallah frowned.

“You make it sound so… common,” she said. “I was known as the Bandit Queen, the greatest thief of my time.”

“You were that good, huh?” asked Ren.

“Ever hear of the Dark Scorpions?” asked Gallah.

Ren nodded.

“Morons,” said Gallah. “Even my apprentice could have bested them.

“There was no vault I couldn’t break into, no safe I couldn’t crack. I once snuck up on a party of the Elite Guards of Empress Elf when they were toasting mutton around a campfire… I picked their pockets, took their watches, filched the golden royal badges off their uniforms, and took ale they were drinking, and got away long before they realized I had been there.

“I could take anything that wasn’t nailed down, and take the nails along with what was. But unfortunately, the price on my head became too high, and the Empress stated publicly what my fate would be if I was caught… I fled rather than take further risks.

“And by working for the Realm Lord by dueling… Well, if you meet my best Monster, you’ll see why I like Xanadu better.”

“Lovely,” said Ren, shuffling his deck.

“Now meet my Deck Lord!” exclaimed Gallah.

In a flash of light, a humanoid appeared behind her. It was an elf, similar to herself, dressed in an exotic, purple costume that seemed to be a cross between armor and a wizard’s garment. She held an odd staff.

“Meet Ancient Elf,” she said. “Now let’s see yours.”

“Well, uh…” said Ren.

His deck glowed, and then, to his surprise, Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared behind him, in a burst of dark energy.

“Uhm…” said Ren. “Gee… No offense, not that I’m ungrateful or anything, but I kind of expected the Queen…”

“Fret not, Ren,” whispered the Soldier Lady. “She wanted to… But I insisted. She’s the most powerful Monster in your deck, and she’d be better off staying there. We all agreed to that.”

“I guess so,” said Ren.

“And listen close,” she continued. “My ability is useful, if costly. You can spend 800 of your Life Points for me to strengthen one of your Dark Warrior-Type Monsters by the same amount until the End Phase of your turn.

“However, once you have used it, you may not do so again until three of your Standby Phases have passed.”

“Okay…” said Ren. “I guess that’s good enough…”

He spoke up.

“Ready?” he said to Gallah.

“Oh yeah…” she said.

“Duel!” they both shouted.

(Ren: 8,000) -------------------- (Gallah: 8,000)

Gallah made her first draw, and looked at her hand.

“Let’s see,” she said. “Think I’ll summon this lass… My Learning Elf.”

She played the card, and a new elf appeared in front of her. It was another female, this one with long, blonde hair, dressed in a green halter, skirt, a long cape, and sandals. She carried a leather-bound tome under her arm. (1,400/1,500)

“And I think I’ll end my turn there.”

“Huh?” said Ren.

Oh, be careful, Ren, thought Yumi. If she summoned a weak Monster in Attack Mode with no facedown cards to protect her, it can only mean one thing…

She wants you to attack.

“I don’t know what you’re up to,” said Ren, “but I can still beat you…”

He made a draw. His eyes opened wide when he saw what the card was..

Hey… he thought. I haven’t had a chance to use her yet…

He thought for a minute.

Think I’ll save her for later…

“I summon a charming lady of my own,” he said. “Go, Getsu Fuhma!”

In another burst of shadow, the armored, redheaded, female ronin holding a katana appeared. (1,700/1,200)

“Attack her elf!” he shouted. “Whirlwind blade!”

Getsu Fuhma leapt up, and slashed at Learning Elf with her sword. The elf maiden screamed before she was blasted into shards.

However, Gallah smirked.

“Thank you,” she said. “Learning Elf has a special effect. When she goes to the Graveyard, I get to draw one card.”

She made a draw. Ren frowned.

“I set this facedown, and end my turn,” he said.

A facedown card appeared.

Should have known she was up to something… he thought.

(R: 8,000) -------------------- (G: 7,700)

Gallah drew again.

“Time to show you what my deck lord can do,” she said.

“Huh?” asked Ren.

“Ever read the flavor text on Ancient Elf’s card?” she asked. “It says that she’s lived for thousands of years.

“That’s supposed to be true with all elves, at least the ones in the place where I come from. Elves are as immortal as the forests that we live in. In my home country, most of my people are at least three-thousand years old, and many are much older that. The only way for an elf to die is through violence…”

“Omigod…” said Chelsea.

“What?” asked Gallah.

“You weren’t just a thief…” she said. “You were a murderer, weren’t you? And I’ll bet that murder is thought of as even worse among elves than humans think of it, because they think of it as a great tragedy when an immortal life is cut short.

“That’s why you fled your world… The punishment for murder is so horrible, you chose not to take the chance of facing it.”

Gallah closed her eyes.

“I don’t have to answer that question, and I’m not going to,” she said.

“Anyway, my Deck Lord can make any Monster with the word ‘Elf’ in its name truly immortal. During my Standby Phase, f I have no Monsters on the field, I can summon one from my Graveyard without having to pay a copper...”

Ancient Elf glowed with radiant light, and Learning Elf appeared on the field again. (1,400/1,500)

“Next,” she said, “I’ll summon Thoroughbred Elf.”

Another female elf appeared on the field. This one was tall and muscular, dressed in a leather jacket-skirt combination. (1,800/1,500)

“Attack Getsu Fuhma! Fey fist fury!”

Thoroughbred Elf rushed Getsu, and slugged her with her bare hands. Getsu gasped and then shattered into shards.

“Now, Learning Elf, attack him directly!”

Learning Elf lifted her free hand, and shot a volley of lightning bolts, similar to Gemini Elf’s attack. Ren strained under the blow.

“I’ll set a card of my own facedown, and that will be all.”

She fit a card into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared in a flash.

(R: 6,500) -------------------- (G: 7,700)

“And to think I didn’t believe in elves,” said Sam.

“That’s hardly gonna help Ren,” said Erik.

“My move,” said Ren.

He drew a card.

That’s it, he thought.

“I play Premature Burial,” he said. “I’ll give up 800 Life Points, and Getsu Fuhma comes back.”

He glowed with a red aura as he played the card, and the ground burst open. Getsu Fuhma emerged. (1,700/1,200)

“Next, I summon my Dark Blade.”

He played another card, and the dark, armored Warrior with his twin swords appeared. (1,800/1,500)

“Now, I play the Field Spell, Mystic Plasma Zone!”

He slid the card into his Field Slot, and an aura of darkness, crackling with energy, covered the whole field. Getsu Fuhma rose to (2,200/800), while Dark Blade rose to (2,300/1,100)

“Now my knight is gonna go medieval on Thoroughbred Elf! Attack with dark sword slash!”

Dark Blade lifted his swords, and rushed at the elf.

“That’s just what I wanted you to do,” said Gallah. “I activate the Trap Card, Wonderworker!”

Her facedown card flipped up, and an elven sorcerer in exotic clothing appeared on the field.

“It works as follows,” she said. “I take a Field Spell from my deck and remove it from play.”

A card slipped out of her deck. She held it up, and it vanished.

“And for as long as Wonderworker is on the field, the effect of your Field Spell becomes that of the Field Spell I just removed.”

“Say WHAT?” shouted Ren.

“By the way,” continued Gallah, “the Spell I removed was Gaia Power. So now, your Mystic Plasma Zone powers up Earth Monsters instead of Dark ones.”

The darkness faded away, and the clearing around them grew into an even thicker forest. Ren’s two Warriors returned to their previous stats, while Learning Elf rose to (1,900/1,100) and Thoroughbred Elf rose to (2,300/1,100)

“By the way, it’s too late for you to call off your attack,” said Gallah.

As Dark Blade charged at Thoroughbred Elf, she kicked him in the groin. He collapsed to his knees, and then shattered.

“She’s gonna pay for that,” said Ren, angrily. “I’ll give up 800 Life Points to use my Deck Lord ability, and strengthen Getsu Fuhma.”

Both Penumbral Soldier Lady and Getsu Fuhma glowed with dark energy, and Getsu’s Attack Score rose to 2,500.

She leapt at Thoroughbred Elf and slashed with her blade. Thoroughbred Elf fell over and was blown to bits.

Ren took some deep breaths.

“I end my turn,” he said.

(R: 4,400) -------------------- (G: 7,500)

Sam nudged Yumi on her shoulder.

“What is it, Sam?” said Yumi. “Can’t you see that Ren’s in trouble?”

“We seem to have gained a spectator,” whispered Sam.

She nudged her head to the side.

Yumi slowly looked in that direction.

Someone was indeed watching from the bushes. It was a young woman, dressed entirely in tight, black spandex that covered all of her body except her hands and head. Covering her face was a white mask that made it look like a china doll. She had long, dark hair that was worn loose and fell to her waist.

Yumi’s eyes narrowed.

Curiouser and curiouser… she thought.

Gallah smiled as she drew a card.

“I summon Wonderbeat Elf,” she said.

As she played the card, a new elf appeared. This one was male, dressed in a leather jerkin and cap. He held a decorated hand axe in each hand. (1,700/1,600) –> (2,200/1,200)

“And I’m gonna make him even stronger,” she said. “I Equip him with Invigoration.”

She played a card, and Wonderbeat Elf glowed with golden energy, and his muscles bulged. (2,600/1,000)

“By the way, Wonderbeat Elf has a powerful effect. He gets an additional attack for every Elf on the field, other than himself.”

“No!” gasped Chelsea.

“If all three attacks go through…” said Yumi, “Ren loses…”

“Learning Elf,” ordered Gallah, “destroy Getsu Fuhma!”

Learning Elf shot her bolts of lightning, and Getsu Fuhma was blown into shards.

“Wonderbeat Elf, attack him directly! Swift slash!”

Wonderbeat Elf flew at Ren, and the axe in his right hand slammed into him. Ren staggered backwards.

“Now finish him off! Second swift slash!”

Chelsea hung her head sadly as the left axe slammed into Ren…

Wonderbeat Elf looked a little confused. His second blow hadn’t seemed to have hurt Ren as much as the first one did…

“What’s wrong?” shouted Gallah. “Why is he still standing? He should have no more Life Points!”

Wonderbeat Elf shrugged.

“Maybe he didn’t notice my Trap Card,” said Ren.

Then everyone saw it. He had activated Nutrient Z.

“Since that last attack was strong enough to deal at least 2,000 points of damage,” said Ren, “I gained 4,000 Life Points right before it hit.”

Everyone started to cheer.

(R: 3,000) -------------------- (G: 7,500)

“So you did,” said Gallah. “Well, my turn is over… So what now? Next round, I’ll simply summon another Elf, giving me five attacks total.”

Ren took another deep breath. He drew.

“I play… Pot of Greed!” he said, playing it.

He drew two cards.

Perfect! he thought.

“First thing’s first,” he said. “Feel the wrath of… Heavy Storm!”

Everyone braced themselves as a furious windstorm struck the clearing. Wonderworker, Invigoration, and Ren’s own Field Spell were blown to bits. Wonderbeat Elf fell to (1,700/1,600) and Learning Elf fell to (1,400/1,500).

“Now,” he said, holding up a card. “I’m going to introduce one of my newest girls…”

“I see five stars on that card,” said Gallah. “How are you going to summon that Monster with no sacrifice?”

“Due to her effect,” said Ren, “I can summon her by sacrificing a Monster from my hand instead of the field, so long as that Monster is a Dark Warrior. So I’ll sacrifice Familiar Knight…”

He discarded the card.

“…and let’s all welcome… Black Lotus!”

In another burst of shadow, another female figure appeared. She was dressed in a low-cut, black leotard, with matching gloves and boots. A mask covered the lower part of her face, and her long hair was tied in a braided ponytail. She held a long, sharp sai in each hand. (1,300/1,400)

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Gallah. “She isn’t very strong…”

“She’s an assassin, not a fighter,” said Ren. “So her brute strength is limited… Unless I play Rush Recklessly.”

He played the card, and Black Lotus’s Attack Score rose to 2,000.

“Attack Wonderbeat Elf!” he shouted. “Strike of the shadow!”

Black Lotus pounced, and stabbed Wonderbeat Elf in the stomach. He dropped his weapons and fell to his knees before shattering.

“By the way,” said Ren, “every time Black Lotus kills an enemy Monster, her Attack Score goes up by 200 points.

“I’ll end my turn there.”

Black Lotus fell back to 1,300 Attack Points, and then rose to 1,500.

“He might have turned it around!” said Chelsea, getting excited.

“Yeah, well, he used every card in his hand,” said Sam. “He’s gonna need a lot of luck from this point.”

(R: 3,000) -------------------- (G: 7,200)

Gallah frowned.

“Draw…” she said, drawing a card.

She looked at it.

“Pass…” she said, adding it to her hand.

Figures, thought Yumi. Learning Elf is the only available target now, and she would have been safe from Black Lotus if she moved to Defense Mode… But Gallah wants her to be destroyed so she can use her effect.

Ren looked at his deck.

C’mon, he thought. Baby needs a new Duel Disk…

He drew.

“Sweet!” he said. “I play… Card of Demise!”

He played the card. He looked up nervously as the guillotine rose behind him again.

He had a feeling he might find out this time how the effect would be carried out if this lasted the full five rounds. But he couldn’t worry about that now. He drew five cards.

He looked them over.

“I summon Double Pinaska,” he said.

With a flourish, the mustachioed Spaniard somersaulted in front of Ren, holding his rapiers dramatically. (1,500/1,500)

“Attack Learning Elf again!” he shouted.

Double Pinaska slashed with his two rapiers. Learning Elf fell over, and shattered again.

“I get to draw one card again,” said Gallah, drawing.

“Fine,” said Ren. “And by the way, Black Lotus has another effect, to make up for being a Level Five Monster with such low Attack Scores. If she attacks directly, she gains 500 more Attack Points.”

Gallah’s eyes opened wide…

And then she screamed as Black Lotus stabbed her directly in the navel with her sai.

Gallah looked at Black Lotus angrily. The assassin casually wiped her weapon clean on her leotard.

(R: 3,000) -------------------- (G: 5,100)

“I’m not done,” said Ren. “Next, I Equip Lotus with Necro Shot.”

He played a card, and Black Lotus lifted her arm. A glowing, black bat appeared on her wrist.

“This lets her remove from play up to three Monsters in your Graveyard. So your Deck Lord won’t be able to bring any of them back on your next turn.”

The bat flew at Gallah, and struck her Duel Disk. Three cards, Learning Elf, Thoroughbred Elf, and Wonderbeat Elf appeared behind her and dissolved into grains of light.

“Of course, now Necro Shot is destroyed too…”

The bat shattered.

“But when that happens, I get to toss a Monster from my deck into my Graveyard.”

A card slipped out of his deck. He looked at it, nodded, and then discarded it.

“I throw one card facedown, and end my turn.”

A facedown card appeared in a burst of light.

Gallah scowled as she drew another card.

“I summon Boomerang Elf!” she shouted.

Yet another elf appeared. He was dressed in loose, silken clothing and wore a headband. True to his name, he carried a large boomerang. (1,800/1,500)

“Now… I’ll play a second Invigoration.”

She played the card, and Boomerang Elf glowed with the same golden energy. (2,200/1,300)

“Attack Black Lotus!” she shouted. “Bewitched boomerang!”

Boomerang Elf took a throwing stance, and then hurled his boomerang at the assassin.

“I activate… Rising Energy!” shouted Ren, as his facedown card lifted.

He threw one card in his hand into his discard slot.

“Now, Black Lotus gains 1,500 Attack Points, so your Elf is history!”

Black Lotus glowed with energy, and shot up to an attack of 3,000.

“Or so you think,” said Gallah. “Boomerang Elf knows little a trick that you can’t learn Down Under.”

Boomerang Elf gestured with his hands, and the boomerang glowed with magical energy, stopping in mid-air. Then, it changed course, flying towards Double Pinaska.

“See?” said Gallah. “He can switch targets in the middle of a battle.”

“Pinaska, deflect!” shouted Ren.

Double Pinaska made a slash with his rapier, swatting the boomerang aside.

“Luckily, Pinaska can deflect one attack per duel,” said Ren.

“Well…” said Gallah. “I end my turn. “Let’s see what else you’ve got.”

She looked at her hand.

And very soon, my most powerful Monster will crush you! All I need is one more card…

“I draw one card,” said Ren, nervously, as he drew.

As he looked at it, one of the ropes on the guillotine behind him, snapped.

“I move both Black Lotus and Double Pinaska to Defense Mode.”

Both Warriors sheathed their weapons, and then knelt and shielded themselves.

“Then I summon Dark Squire.”

He played the card, and a new female Warrior appeared. She was a young girl dressed in a grey and black formal noble’s outfit and a beret, with a dagger strapped to her side. (300/300)

“She isn’t very strong, so she moves to Defense Mode as soon as she’s summoned.”

Dark Squire knelt and shielded herself as well.

“I end my turn there,” he said.

She drew.

She smiled a Cheshire Cat grin.

“Look at this, Ren!” she said, showing it to him.

“A Polymerization card?” asked Ren.

“That’s right,” said Gallah. “But before I use it, I’ll summon a second Thoroughbred Elf.”

She played the card, and another of the muscular elven warriors appeared. (1,800/1,500)

“Now… I play Polymerization, to fuse together Mystical Elf, and Dark Elf…”

The two more familiar elves, one blue-skinned with a green robe, the other wearing a dark robe, appeared on the field, and combined into two swirls of light and darkness…

“…to summon… Empress Elf!”

A new Monster appeared between Thoroughbred Elf and Boomerang Elf…

The teenagers gathered around, like most teenagers, had all read Lord of the Rings at one time or another, and had all seen its numerous screen adaptations, the least of which was Peter Jackson’s Oscar-sweeping masterpiece. And right now, memories of the scenes with Galadriel came rushing back as they saw a powerful female elf that radiated magical power… (2,800/2,300)

“I love using this card,” said Gallah. “The empress of my land condemned me to the worst punishment the law allowed… And now, a Monster with her face is mine to command. Ironic, isn’t it?”

Ren didn’t answer.

“By the way,” continued Gallah, “for each Elf on the field, other than herself, she gains 400 more Attack Points.”

Empress Elf glowed with light. (3,600/2,300)

“Time to clean up! Attack Black Lotus! Fey magic!”

Empress Elf blasted a bolt of pure energy, and Black Lotus was atomized.

“Boomerang Elf, take out his Spaniard!”

The Elf hurled his boomerang, and Double Pinaska was blown to pieces.

“Thoroughbred Elf, finish the last one.”

The Warrior made one downward smash with her fist, and Dark Squire was blown to shards.

“Thanks…” muttered Ren. “When Dark Squire bites the dust, we each get to draw two cards.”

Gallah frowned. They both made two draws.

Perfect, she thought. I drew Shield Crush! Now, whatever he defends with, I can blow it away next turn.

“Your move,” she said.

Ren drew a card.

The second rope on the guillotine behind him snapped.

This may be your last chance Ren… thought Chelsea.

“I play… Monster Reborn!” he shouted, playing the card.

The holy ankh appeared on the field. In a flash of energy, Crescent Moon Queen appeared. (2,600/1,700)

“When was she in your Graveyard?” asked Gallah.

“Since I put her there with Necro Shot,” said Ren.

“Well, fine,” said Gallah. “Even if you take out my other two Elves, my Empress will crush her…”

She paused.

“Unless…”

“That’s right!” said Ren. “It’s been more than three Standby Phases since I used my Deck Lord ability, meaning I can use it again, and pay 800 Life Points to increase my Queen’s Attack Score by the same amount.”

Penumbral Soldier Lady and Crescent Moon Queen glowed, and the Queen’s Attack Score rose to 3,400.

“And by the way… She gets two attacks. For the first one, I’m taking out Boomerang Elf.

“Go! Crescent sword slash!”

Crescent Moon Queen charged at Boomerang Elf. He tried to shield himself with the boomerang, but she cleaved it in half, and a second slash cleaved him in twain.

Empress Elf frowned as her Attack Score fell to 3,200.

“Now, attack Empress Elf!”

Empress Elf screamed as the Queen’s sword slammed into her, and she exploded into a burst of fiery light.

(R: 2,200) -------------------- (G: 3,700)

“Of course, since she attacked twice, she moves into Defense Mode…”

Crescent Moon Queen sheathed her swords, and knelt and crossed her arms.

Ren took the three cards left in his hand.

“I’ll toss three cards facedown, and end my turn.”

Three facedown cards appeared in three bursts of light.

Gallah growled as she drew a card.

No problem, she thought. I’ll wipe out his Queen with Shield Crush, then I’ll…

“Go, Trap Card!” shouted Ren. “Final Attack Orders!”

His facedown card lifted. Crescent Moon Queen stood up, moving back into Attack Mode.

“Very clever,” said Gallah. “But I can still kill her…

“I play my own Monster Reborn, to bring back Mystical Elf.”

The ankh appeared on her own side of the field, and the blue-skinned elf appeared, her eyes closed and her hands clasped in a praying position. (800/2,000)

“Huh?” said Erik. “Why didn’t she bring back her Empress?”

“Her Empress must be one of those ‘only Special Summon by Fusion Summon’ Monsters, I guess,” said Sam.

“That’s right,” said Gallah. “But I packed an extra one just in case. When you’re on the run from the law all the time, you have to take ‘just in cases’ into consideration a lot…”

She played a Spell Card.

“I play Fusion Recovery! Now, Dark Elf and Polymerization come back to my hand.”

Two cards fell out of her discard slot.

“Now, I’ll use them to summon Empress Elf again…”

Dark Elf appeared on the field, and the two elves combined again, forming into the much more powerful Elf. (2,800/2,300) –> (3,200/2,300)

“Attack the Crescent Moon Queen!” she shouted.

Empress Elf prepared to cast her spell…

“Go, Trap Card!” shouted Ren. “Attack Guidance Armor!”

“Huh?” said Gallah.

The Trap Card lifted, and an iron breastplate with a fiendish face on it flew towards Thoroughbred Elf. She screamed right before the armor clamped over her chest.

“This armor is like a magnet,” said Ren, “drawing Empress Elf’s attack to her.”

The Empress’s attack turned around in mid-air, and Thoroughbred Elf was blown to pieces. Gallah cringed.

(R: 2,200) -------------------- (G: 2,300)

Empress Elf fell to her original Attack Score of 2,800.

“Well, fine!” shouted Gallah. “Your Queen still falls short of being strong enough to defeat her.

“Make your move… We’ll soon see whose monarch wins this struggle.”

She has a point, thought Ren. I have no cards in my hand, and my facedown card can’t help me now… I need the best draw ever…

He made a draw.

The third rope on the guillotine snapped.

His eyebrow lifted.

I guess my facedown card can help… he thought.

He played the card.

“I play… The A. Forces,” he said. “Now, each Warrior I have on the field gains 200 Attack Points for each Warrior present.”

Crescent Moon Queen rose to an Attack Score of 2,800.

“Their Attack Scores are equal now,” said Gallah. “You attack, they’ll kill each other.”

“That’s the whole idea,” said Ren. “Crescent Moon Queen… Attack.”

The Queen lifted her swords. Gallah opened her eyes wide.

“You’re actually going to…” she gasped. “You’re crazy!”

Crescent Moon Queen charged at Empress Elf. The Empress started to cast a powerful spell…

In a mighty explosion, the Dark monarch and the elven queen were both blown to pieces.

“HA, HA, HA!” laughed Gallah. “I hope it was worth it, Ren!

“Maybe you forgot about my Deck Lord ability, hmm? On my turn, I can just bring Thoroughbred Elf back from the Graveyard. And since you’re defenseless…”

“Uhm, excuse me…” said Ren. “I didn’t say I had ended my turn yet…”

His facedown card lifted…

It was Call of the Haunted.

A coffin appeared on his side of the field. It opened, and Crescent Moon Queen stepped out. (2,600/1,700) –> (2,800/1,700)

Gallah started to sweat.

“Attack her directly!” ordered Ren.

The Queen’s blade slammed into Gallah, and she collapsed to her knees.

(R: 2,200) -------------------- (G: 0)

“Damn you, Ren…” she said.

Penumbral Soldier Lady’s eyes glowed, and Ancient Elf closed her eyes and bowed her head. She vanished into grains of light.

“We are victorious, Ren,” said Penumbral Soldier Lady. “I am stronger now… The next challenge should be easier…”

She vanished.

“Well, you’ve won,” said Gallah. “Be my guest, go in to see the Realm Lord…”

She started to vanish.

“But he won’t go down as easy as me…”

And then she was gone.

“Well, we’ve taken down one enemy,” said Yumi. “But do we have to deal with another one?”

She turned to face the strange woman who had been watching, only to see that she was now running away, as fast as she could.

“Who was that?” asked Ren.

Yumi watched as she disappeared into the forest.

“I have no idea,” said Yumi.

Then the portcullis opened up, as if inviting them in.

The five allies looked at each other, and then slowly walked inside.

The bars shut behind them, as they expected them to do so. In front of them was a long, stone corridor.

“I wasn’t exactly expecting a warm welcome,” said Sam. “But…”

Two creatures scurried in front of them.

They were two lizard-like things. One was white, with a frilled collar. The other was brown, with six legs.

“This guy should take care of vermin better,” said Chelsea, as they scurried off.

“I dunno,” said Yumi. “I’m getting a strange feeling about who this guy is…”

* * * * * * * * * *

After about fifteen minutes of wandering though hallways and halls that seemed deserted, they came to a place that looked important. It was a large courtyard, full of beautiful plants, and a large fountain in the center.

“Look!” shouted Erik.

He pointed to the side, and they saw something that gave them chills. There were five stone statues of teenagers, four boys and one girl, wearing Duel Disks, with unpleasant expressions on their faces.

“The members of Joan’s group who got here…” muttered Yumi. “He turned them to stone…”

Then they were distracted by a whistle.

They turned to the fountain. Standing in it was a lovely woman, wearing an outfit that looked like a blue, scaly swimsuit, with very long, purple hair. She held an earthenware jug.

“Water Omotics?” said Ren.

The Duel Spirit smiled sweetly.

“Who are you?” snapped Sam. “Where’s the Realm Lord?”

“Oh, that would be me,” said the Spirit.

“Don’t hassle us with lies, sister,” growled Sam.

Water Omotics sighed.

“Just once I’d like someone to believe that…” she muttered.

“I’ve had enough of this!” shouted Yumi. “Enough dealing with henchmen! Where’s the boss?”

Water Omotics smiled again, and then slowly sank into the fountain.

“Come back!” demanded Yumi, as she disappeared.

Then another, far more intimidating form burst out of the water. Yumi stepped back.

It was a humanoid wearing green, scaly armor covered with fins, a general aquatic theme. His face was completely concealed by a full-head helmet with a translucent glass covering on the front.

“What?” said Chelsea. “Who’s this? Another Duel Spirit?”

Yumi’s eyes narrowed.

“No, it’s no Duel Spirit…” she said in a voice of contempt.

She faced the creature.

“I should have known you’d have found a way to survive,” she said. “People like you have the tendency to come back when you think they’re gone… When you think you’ve gotten rid of them… You’re kind of like the gas you get from eating baked beans.

“Wouldn’t you say so… Gansley?”

The former human in front of her who had taken the form of Deepsea Warrior let out a sinister chuckle.

“You’re very smart, Yumi,” he said. “Some would say too smart for your own good…”

* * * * * * * * * *

BLACK LOTUS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 5
ATK: 1,300
DEF: 1,400

Card Description: This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card can be Normal Summoned with no Tribute if you discard one DARK Warrior-Type Monster from your hand. When this card attacks your opponent directly, increase its ATK by 500 during the damage step. When this card destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle, increase the base ATK of this card by 200.



DARK SQUIRE (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 2
ATK: 300
DEF: 300

Card Description: When this card is Normal Summoned, move it into face-up Defense Position. If this card is destroyed as a result of battle while in a face-up position, both players draw two cards from their decks.

Note: “Dark Squire” first appeared in “The Legend of the Sorcerer Kings”



ATTACK GUIDANCE ARMOR (Trap Card)

Normal Trap

Image: A man wearing steel armor shaped like a demonic face, glowing with energy.

Card Description: Activate this card when your opponent declares an attack. Redirect the attack to a Monster on the field other than the attack target or the attacking Monster.

Note: “Attack Guidance Armor” was used by Kaiba several times in the anime, originally in “Back to Battle City (Part Two)”.



NECRO SHOT (Spell Card)

Equip Spell

Image: A dark, glowing, skeletal, flying creature.

Card Description: This card may only be Equipped to a DARK Warrior-Type Monster. You may select one Monster in your opponent’s Graveyard and remove it from play. After this effect is used three times, destroy this card. When this card is sent to the Graveyard, select one Monster from your deck and discard it to the Graveyard.

Note: “Necro Shot” was first used by Jaden in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “A Snake in the Grass (Part Three)”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



THOROUGHBRED ELF (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 1,800
DEF: 1,500

Flavor Text: This powerful elven maiden owes her perfect health to the magical energies of the forest.



LEARNING ELF (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spellcaster/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 3
ATK: 1,400
DEF: 1,500

Card Description: When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, you may draw one card from your deck.

Note: “Thoroughbred Elf”, “Learning Elf”, were first used by Gekkou Tenma in the “Yu-Gi-Oh R” issue “The Elf Warriors!!”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that magazine.



WONDERBEAT ELF (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 1,700
DEF: 1,600

Card Description: This card can attack an additional time in the same Battle Phase for every “Elf” Monster face-up on your side of the field (other than this card).



BOOMERANG ELF (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 1,800
DEF: 1,500

Card Description: When you have declared an attack with this card against an opposing Monster, you may switch the target of the attack to another opposing Monster before damage calculation is resolved. This effect may only be used once per Battle Phase.

Note: “Wonderbeat Elf” and “Boomerang Elf”, were first used by Gekkou Tenma in the “Yu-Gi-Oh R” issue “Pegasus’s Minion!!”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that magazine.



EMPRESS ELF (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spellcaster/Fusion/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 8
ATK: 2,800
DEF: 2,300

Card Description: Mystical Elf + Dark Elf

This card can only be summoned via Fusion Summon, using the above-named fusion material Monsters. Increase the ATK of this card by 400 for every “Elf” Monster face-up on your side the field (other than this card).



WONDERWORKER (Trap Card)

Continuous Trap

Image: A female elf sorceress in exotic clothing, casting an eldritch spell.

Card Description: You can activate this card when your opponent has a Field Spell face-up on the field. Chose one Field Spell in your deck that does not have the same name as the one currently on the field, and remove it from play. So long as this card remains on the field, the effect of the currently active Field Spell is changed to that of the one that was removed from play. If that Field Spell leaves the field, destroy this card.



Gallah’s Deck Lord: “Ancient Elf”: “Elven Immortality”: During your Standby Phase, if you have no Monsters on your side of the field, you may Special Summon an “Elf” Monster from your Graveyard in Attack Position. (Intermediate Power)



Ren’s Deck Lord: “Penumbral Soldier Lady”: “Dark Rush”: During your turn, you may pay 800 Life Points to increase the ATK of one of your DARK Warrior-Type Monsters by the same amount until the End Phase. If you use this effect, you may not use again until three of your Standby Phases have passed. (Minor Power)



The Lord of Tzimisce Woods stands revealed, and it seems that his power is far greater than it was when he was nothing more than a pawn for Noah. What new tricks is he hiding? Unfortunately, the answer to that will have to wait.

Next chapter, Nicholas and Olga investigate the latest lead in the real world, Sheena’s former computer programmer. The ex-employee refuses to talk without posing a challenge, and Nicholas decides to accept it. At long last, the Six Samurai cards that Yumi rescued from Samen are put to a more honorable purpose.

Coming up next, “Way of the Warrior”, as the Six Samurai return.

[Shuppet Master]

Oh yeah, should have known. You did mention the Big-5. I sort of forgot the whole thing. (No spoilers, but if Gansley's alive, the others are.)

Anyways, looks like we're going to cut to Team 2 as they try to learn more about Daala's methods by shaking down the computer guy who helped Sheena.

Well, I can't wait to see what happens.

[Mystic_clown]

So, the Big 5 are acting as the Deck Lords huh? Well, I can take a quick stab at who the sixth lord is, but I'm keep quiet. I mist admit it's odd that the Realm Lord of the Earth Realm is a water monster.

Speaking of attributes, I noticed something wrong in the anime. In order for them to ritual summon the F.G.D, they had to sacrifice 5 monsters of different attributes (so they sacrificed themselves). But I noticed something wrong. Gansley (Deepsea Warrior) and Krump (Nightmare Pengiun) are both water attribute monsters. So, in all fairness, they shouldn't have been able to bring out the F.G.D.

[Shuppet Master]

Dark Sage told me that in the anime, Nightmare Penguin was mistyped as a wind-attribute monster. The real card game corrected this.

[Dark Sage]

Note: I do not own the rights to the song featured in this chapter. It is a copyright of Touchstone Pictures. (Ten brownie points to anyone who can name the movie in which it premiered.)

Another note. When I created this alternate timeline, I naturally had no idea that “Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D” would ever be made. Quite likely, even the heads of Konami had no idea yet. If you’ve seen 5D, you will notice that society has changed dramatically in the decades after GX. Although this story takes place in the same time period that 5D is supposed to take place in, we can assume that the world turned out differently in the reality I have created in this fic, and the characters in 5D simply do not exist.

Now, that does not necessarily mean that this fic will not use any cards from 5D. I might have a Synchro Monster make a cameo, if nothing else. But we can assume that in this alternate reality, the world turned out differently than it did in the anime world, where the future is defined by the world of 5D.

And if you can watch 5D, do so. It promises to be a fun show.



The people of Domino know me as Joshua St. John, an exchange student from Great Britain.

What they don’t know is, it’s a cover created for me by Scotland Yard. They chose the name for me, and I don’t like it much, but now I have to live with it. Anyway, if I value my life, I can never go back to Britain. A lot of mobsters in Europe are awaiting trial and looking at lots of hard time because of the evidence Olga and I gave as part of us turning state’s evidence, but that doesn’t mean they or their allies who are still free wouldn’t have any means to reach us.

My true name is Nicholas Algernon, former ward and heir to the criminal empire once run by Rasputin Lamont. He’s dead now, his empire has been divvied up by his allies (many of whom are those mobsters I just mentioned who are in jail because of us turning informant) and I’ve grown to regret everything I’ve done as his henchman, more or less. I’ve even been going out with the one who opposed him. I don’t deserve the attention she’s given me…

And I certainly didn’t deserve the great cards she gave me when I told her I had to make a new deck.

Now, she’s in trouble, and while I can’t go to Xanadu to save her, Olga and I can work on the outside towards that end… It’s time for me to duel again…

Hang on, Yumi…

CHAPTER EIGHT



Way of the Warrior

In Domino City, nightclubs had come and gone. There existed ones on all ends of the spectrum. There were those where you only needed proof of age if you wanted to buy liquor, and others where you needed to be twenty-one in order to get in, due to the nature of the entertainment. No matter where you went, those types of clubs were always in demand.

The Jade Dragon was a rather old establishment, dating back to the 1990’s, and a rather successful one, seeing as it catered to all sorts of clientele. Rich folks could go there and order the escargot salad as an appetizer for around 4,300 yen (about thirty dollars). But, if you were on a more modest budget, you could just get a Reuben for only a thousand yen.

Despite its success, the place wasn’t seeing much business tonight. Despite being ready to open when the power came back on (with a somewhat limited menu, but still ready to open), most of its regulars were too afraid to come and dine.

Only about seven tables were occupied. In the center of the dining room, a pianist played a slow melody. A young woman in a green dress (all of the female entertainers in this club wore green, as the name of the place suggested) sat on the piano, and sang a gentle song in a lovely voice:

Sooner or later you're gonna be mine,
Sooner or later you're gonna be fine.
Baby, it's time that you face it,
I always get my man.

Sooner or later you're gonna decide,
Sooner or later there's nowhere to hide.
Baby, it's time, so why waste it in chatter?
Let's settle the matter.

Baby, you're mine on a platter,
I always get my man.

But if you insist, babe, the challenge delights me.
The more you resist, babe, the more it excites me.
And no one I've kissed, babe, ever fights me again.
If you're on my list, it's just a question of when.

When I get a yen, then baby, Amen.
I'm counting to ten, and then ...

I'm gonna love you like nothing you've known,
I'm gonna love you, and you all alone.
Sooner is better than later but lover,
I'll hover, I'll plan.

This time I'm not only getting, I'm holding my man.

At a table near the bar, a man in a casual jacket and slacks, who looked about thirty, sat alone, listening. He had a worried look on his face. A lot had been going through his mind recently.

A briefcase was at his feet. It contained something he was expecting to use eventually…

A waiter came up to the table.

“Another martini, Saki?” he asked.

“I guess,” said the man. “Maybe it will quiet the nagging voice in my head.”

“Using alcohol is a bad way to forget your problems,” said a voice. “All it will do is make you feel miserable in the morning. I used to know someone who knew that all too well.”

Saki looked up, and saw Nicholas and Olga approach him.

His eyes narrowed when he saw that they were wearing Duel Disks.

“Uhm…” he said. “So, how did you two get past the doorman?”

“He said they were desperate for business today,” said Nicholas. “Saki Masato, I presume?”

“I am, and you are?” he asked.

“Call me Joshua,” said Nicholas. “And if I may ask…”

“Arachne sent you, right?” he asked.

Nicholas stopped short.

“So, you admit sending those riddles?” he asked.

“And what if I did?” asked Saki. “If there was a law against sending riddles via e-mail, half the people who used the internet would be in jail.”

“There are laws against being an accessory to terrorism, Saki,” said Olga.

“You have no proof,” said Saki. “And I was expecting Arachne to come find me, not a couple of interns.”

“And why is that?” asked Nicholas.

Saki smirked.

He opened the clasps on the briefcase, and it opened slightly. They could see that a Duel Disk was inside.

“To humiliate her, of course,” he said. “I figure that I could outduel the president of KaibaCorp and make her look bad…”

He stopped short.

“Well, let’s just say I have my reasons…”

Nicholas glared at him.

“Saki,” he said, “the riddles appeared in conjunction with Daala’s attack. If it is ultimately discovered that you are in any way connected with it, you will go to jail for a very long time.

“And Sheena will not demean herself by…”

He paused.

“Tell you what…” he said. “I have a deal for you…”

“A deal?” said Saki. “I’m listening…”

“Sheena likely won’t come and duel you if you just make advances like that,” said Nicholas. “She’s the president of the world’s biggest gaming company after all. She won’t accept just any challenge. However, she owes the two of us a little favor.”

“She does?” asked Olga.

Nicholas raised his hand.

“Duel me instead of her,” he said. “If you win, I’ll use that favor to convince her to come duel you.

“But… If I win, you spill your guts about everything you know about this whole thing…”

Saki rubbed his chin.

“I assure you, Saki,” said Nicholas, “Sheena is better than me. So if you can’t beat me, you stand no chance against her.”

At this moment the waiter came up to the table with the martini.

“Can I get anything for your guests?” he asked.

Saki slowly drank the martini.

“No,” he said. “But ask the manager if we can use the stage. As soon as Miho finishes her next song, we’ll have some more… energetic entertainment.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Nicholas faced Saki on the stage, while Olga watched from a table next to it. The waiter brought her a soda.

“Uhm, Saki?” said the pianist. “I’m more than willing to play background music for you, but… I really don’t know of any classical music that was composed with this in mind.”

“Well, let’s see,” said Saki. “Can you do Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition?”

“Sure!” said the pianist. “Any particular part?”

“Start with the first ‘Promenade’,” said Saki. “Then go onto ‘Gnomus’, then continue the piece in order until we’re done.”

“Do you do this every time you duel?” asked Nicholas, as the Disks activated.

“You should try it sometime,” said Saki, as the music started. “Music can give you energy.”

The pianist started to play a rousing piece.

“Game on!” they shouted.

(Nicholas: 8,000) -------------------- (Saki: 8,000)

“I’ll start this show,” said Saki, drawing a card.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared. Then he played a card, and a facedown card appeared behind it.

“You were right… A little warm up duel before going after Arachne will be refreshing.

“Your move.”

You’d better not lose, Nicholas, thought Olga, as he made his first draw. You made a wager that your ass can’t keep if you do…

“I summon…” said Nicholas, “Six Samurai – Yaichi!”

He played the card, and a column of water shot up in front of him. When it receded, a Warrior in Japanese armor, colored black with golden seams, wearing a crested helmet appeared. He carried a long bow, and a quiver of arrows. (1,300/800)

“Whoa,” said Saki. “Never saw that guy before.”

“I’m gonna summon one of his allies too,” said Nicholas, playing a Spell Card. “I play, Double Summon. This lets me make a second Normal Summon this turn.

“So, I’ll summon Six Samurai – Nisashi.”

A whirlwind appeared on the field, and a second Samurai appeared out of it. This one wore green plate armor, and carried a paired katana and wakisashi, the traditional weapons of the Samurai. (1,400/700)

“Now I activate Yaichi’s effect,” said Nicholas, “which I can do because I have another of the Six Samurai on the field. If I don’t attack with him this round, he can destroy your facedown card.”

Yaichi drew back his bow, and fired an arrow at the facedown card, skewering it.

“I chain it!” shouted Saki. “Jar of Greed!”

The bright red jar appeared, and then shattered. Saki made one draw. Nicholas frowned.

“Nisashi has a cool effect too,” said Nicholas. “Since another Samurai is on the field, he can attack twice.

“Attack! Strike of the Driving Gale!”

Nisashi sped towards the facedown card in a blur. Sangan appeared on the card, and was cleaved in half.

“Thanks a bunch,” said Saki, taking his deck.

He found what he wanted, and then reshuffled.

“I’m not done,” said Nicholas. “He gets to attack twice, remember?

“Attack him directly!”

Saki grunted as Nisashi slashed at him with his blade.

(N: 8,000) -------------------- (S: 6,600)

“Not bad,” said Saki. “But we’ll soon see who comes out ahead in the end…”

He drew a card.

“First,” said Saki, “one card facedown…”

A new facedown card appeared.

“Now, I summon Masked Dragon.”

In a burst of energy, a smallish Dragon appeared, with rust-red, metallic scales, wings, and a metal mask over its face. (1,400/1,100)

Nicholas’s eyes narrowed.

Okay, so it’s a Dragon Deck, he thought. Nothing I haven’t seen before…

“Attack Nisashi!” shouted Saki.

Masked Dragon breathed a burst of flame at the Samurai.

Then, to Saki’s surprise, Yaichi leapt in front of the blast. Both Yaichi and Masked Dragon were blown to pieces.

“Huh?” said Saki.

“The Six Samurai will do anything to protect each other,” said Nicholas. “If ever one of them would be destroyed, another can take the fall for him. This is one group that truly knows the value of teamwork.”

“Indeed?” said Saki. “Well, since my Masked Dragon was destroyed in that battle, I get to summon another weak Dragon. So I’ll summon a second Masked Dragon.”

A second Masked Dragon appeared. (1,400/1,100)

“And my Battle Phase continues… Attack Nisashi again!”

The second Masked Dragon breathed a stream of flames at Nisashi. The Samurai strained, and deflected the blast, and both Monsters shattered.

“Once again,” said Saki, “I use its effect. And this time, I think I’ll summon Armed Dragon LV3.”

The Dragon that appeared on the field this time was equally small, and looked partially mechanical. It was colored orange and grey, and had small spikes on its body. (1,200/900)

“And you have no Monsters left, so I can make a direct attack!”

Armed Dragon LV 3 opened its mouth, and a small missile launched, exploding upon hitting Nicholas’s chest.

An Armed Dragon? thought Nicholas, holding his chest. He’s using Armed Dragons?

Great… That’s all I need…

“I end my turn,” said Saki.

(N: 6,800) -------------------- (S: 6,600)

Nicholas drew a card.

“Sorry, Saki,” he said, “but I’ll destroy your Dragon long before you manage to evolve it into something stronger.

“I summon Marauding Captain.”

He played the card, and one of the most widely-used Warriors in the game appeared, the aged, battle-scarred veteran in armor and a cape, holding two swords. (1,200/400)

“I’m sure you’re aware of his effect. I’ll use it to Special Summon Six Samurai – Irou.”

A shadow appeared on the field, and a new Samurai appeared. This one wore a long, dark kimono, had long, dark hair, and wore a blindfold over his eyes. He held a katana in his right hand. (1,700/1,200)

“Interesting,” said Saki. “You think whoever designed that card based him on the blind Samurai from Zatoichi?”

“Wouldn’t know,” said Nicholas. “Never saw that one.

“Destroy his Dragon! Setting Sun Strike!”

Irou rushed forward, and cleaved the Armed Dragon in half. Saki cringed.

“Captain, you’re up,” said Nicholas.

Marauding Captain rushed at Saki, and slashed at him with his sword. Saki fell over.

(N: 6,800) -------------------- (S: 4,900)

“You’re doing great, N…” shouted Olga.

She caught herself.

“…Joshua! Keep it up! You’ve taken the lead!”

Saki got up.

“Wrong,” he said. “He’s taken the bait. You’ll soon see that there’s more than one way to level up a Monster, as they’re so fond of saying…”

He drew a card.

“I summon Flying Kamakiri #1,” he said.

He played the card, and a huge, yellow and green mantis appeared. (1,400/900)

“Masked Dragon isn’t the only Monster I can use to search for an Armed Dragon,” he said. “This one works too. But I can also use it another way.

“I activate my facedown card… Level Soul.”

His Trap Card lifted. It showed the image of both Silent Magicians LV4 and LV8, glowing with magical energy.

“I have to sacrifice a Monster on the field to use this card…”

Flying Kamakiri vanished into grains of light.

“But, I get to level up the Armed Dragon in my Graveyard by removing it from play.”

Armed Dragon LV3 fell out of his discard slot, and he pocketed it.

“And just like so, I get to summon Armed Dragon LV5!”

In an explosion of energy, a much bigger Dragon appeared. It was big, but stout, with spikes and blades all over its body. (2,400/1,700)

Oh no… thought Nicholas. My two Monsters have no defense… And on the round that thing wins a fight…

“I know you think this can’t get any worse,” said Saki, taking a card from his hand, “but it can. I play the Spell Card, Level Copy. This lets me summon a Leveled Monster from my deck that matches the one I have on the field, so long as it isn’t a higher Level than Five.”

In another explosion, a second Armed Dragon LV5 appeared next to the first one. (2,400/1,700)

“TWO of them?” shouted Nicholas.

“That’s right!” shouted Saki. “Armed Dragons… Attack Marauding Captain and his Samurai with infernal rage!”

Both Dragons let out thunderous roars, and blasts of fire shot towards the two Warriors, blowing them to pieces. Nicholas cringed.

(N: 4,900) -------------------- (S: 4,900)

“Now…” said Saki, “I move to my End Phase, meaning I can take it to the next Level…”

“No…” muttered Nicholas, as both of the Dragons started to glow.

In the next instant, two much larger Dragons were standing before him. Again, they were armored, and covered with spikes, blades, knives, drills, and other unpleasant weaponry. Both of them let out loud roars. (2,800/1,000)

A husband and wife sitting at another table started clapping.

“We should come here more often!” she said. “I didn’t expect a show like this!”

Yeah… thought Olga, in a sulk. My brother is a hit… Too bad he’s losing…

“All right, my move!” said Nicholas.

Here goes nothing… he thought, looking at his deck.

He drew a card.

“Okay,” he said. “I play my Pot of Greed.”

He played the card, and drew twice.

He frowned.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

“Looks like your Pot of Greed was running on empty,” said Saki. “Is that all?”

“Yes,” said Nicholas, sternly. “It’s your move.”

Saki drew a card.

“Armed Dragon number one,” he said. “Attack with terror claw!”

The first Armed Dragon lifted its claw…

A small form appeared on the card. It was a small Warrior that looked like a monkey or other small primate in armor, holding a spear.

Armed Dragon’s claw crashed down, and crushed him.

“You just took out Shien’s Footsoldier,” said Nicholas. “And when he bites the dust, they call for backup. I get to summon one of the Six Samurai from my deck, up to Level Three.

“So let’s see… I’ll summon Yariza, and have him defend me.”

In a burst of energy, another Samurai appeared. He wore black, leather armor, a peaked helmet, and a mask over the lower half of his face. He carried a spear. He knelt down and held the spear in his lap. (1,000/500)

Saki frowned. He pointed, and the second Armed Dragon struck with its claw, crushing Yariza.

“I think that’s enough for one turn,” said Saki.

Nicholas drew.

“All right,” he said, playing the card. “I play… Pot of Avarice.”

The goofy pink jug appeared on the field.

“Now I get to take five Monsters from my Graveyard and shuffle them back into my deck…”

He took Yaichi, Nisashi, Irou, Yariza, and Marauding Captain from his discard slot, placed them in his deck, and reshuffled.

“Then I get to draw twice.”

He drew two cards.

“Okay…” he said. “I play the Spell Card, Six Samurai United.”

A Continuous Spell Card appeared, bearing the image of all six of the Six Samurai in a somber, pious pose.

“Now, I’ll summon Six Samurai – Zanji to the field.”

A brilliant light appeared on the field, and a new Samurai appeared out of it. The one that appeared this time looked the most like the classic Samurai, wearing the traditional armor. He carried a glowing naginata. (1,800/1,300)

“I got news for him,” said Saki. “That weapon he has is used more often by female martial artists.”

Both Nicholas and Zanji scowled at him.

“That’s only true in modern times, wise guy!” said Nicholas. “In feudal Japan, it was used by both genders who belonged to the upper class. But women used it more often than any other weapon, because it had reach, and they could use it to keep male fighters at a distance, where their greater height, weight, and upper body strength was less of an advantage.

“Anyway, since I have one Samurai on the field, I can Special Summon their sensei. I summon Grandmaster of the Six Samurai!”

In another burst of energy, a new Warrior appeared. This one was an old man, with white hair and a beard, wearing an eyepatch. He wore a dull blue and grey kimono, and carried a longsword. (2,100/800)

“Ha!” said Saki. “Big deal! Neither of them can defeat my Dragons, and you have only one card left in your hand.”

“But my card on the field might help,” said Nicholas. “I’ll have you know, that since my Grandmaster has the words ‘Six Samurai’ in his name, he qualifies as a member of the group.

“Now, that’s important, because each time I summoned a Samurai, my United card gained something called a Bushido Counter, and now that it has two, I can ditch it to draw two cards.”

The United card vanished, and Nicholas made two draws.

“Oh yeah…” he said, looking at them. “Time to summon someone else… Since I now have two Samurai on the field, I can Special Summon their liege…

“Come forth, Great Shogun Shien!”

A bonfire erupted on the field, and a tall, hulking form walked out of it. It was a powerful-looking man, dressed in crimson, Japanese plate armor and a helmet, his face covered with war paint, holding a burning katana. His eyes glowed like embers. (2,500/2,400)

“I’m not done!” said Nicholas. “Now I play… The A. Forces!”

He played a new card.

“When this card is on the field, each of my Warriors gains 200 Attack Points for each Warrior present.”

Zanji grew to an Attack Score of 2,400, Grandmaster grew to 2,700, and Shien grew to 3,100.

“Argh!” shouted Saki.

“Shien,” ordered Nicholas, “attack the Armed Dragon on the left with Sword of Burning Pride!”

Great Shogun Shien burned like a furnace. He slashed downward with his blade, and the Armed Dragon erupted in flames. It exploded into shards.

“You may have destroyed one of them,” cursed Saki, “but your other two Warriors aren’t strong enough to take down the second!”

“Oh no?” asked Nicholas. “Maybe I should tell you about Zanji’s effect. When there’s another Samurai on the field, like Grandmaster is now, and he attacks a Monster, that Monster is automatically destroyed, regardless of the battle’s outcome.

“Zanji, attack with Rising Sun Strike!”

Zanji leapt at the second Armed Dragon, and stabbed it in the chest with his naginata. The Armed Dragon groaned, and then shattered.

“Of course,” said Nicholas, “since Zanji technically lost that battle, he goes with your Dragon.”

Zanji shattered into pixels.

“But now you’re defenseless, and my Grandmaster still wants in.

“Show Mr. Saki why you’re called the Master!”

The Grandmaster lifted his sword. He leapt at Saki and savagely slashed at him with the blade, knocking him down.

Saki groaned and got up.

“Moves pretty fast for an old guy,” he muttered.

“Some practitioners of martial arts only get better as they get older,” said Nicholas.

“By the way, just so you know, my Shogun has two powerful effects. Like his underlings, if he would ever be destroyed, one of the Samurai can take the fall for him.

“And even better, when he’s on the field, you’re only allowed to activate one Spell or Trap per turn.

“I’ll play a facedown, and that will be all.”

He placed his last card in his Disk. A facedown card appeared behind his two Warriors.

(N: 4,500) -------------------- (S: 1,900)

“Then I draw!” said Saki, making a draw.

He chuckled softly when he saw what it was.

“All right, Joshua,” he said, as a Spell Card appeared. “Only one Spell Card, huh? Well one is all I’m gonna need.

“I play… Level Modulation!

“Since I played this, you get to draw two cards, so do it!”

Nicholas sighed. He made two draws.

“Now my Armed Dragon comes back, good as new.”

In another burst of energy, Armed Dragon LV7 appeared again. (2,800/1,000)

“You forget one thing,” said Nicholas. “It can neither attack nor use its effect this round.”

“He can’t, yes,” said Saki. “But I’m going to trade him in for something better!

“Time to take this duel… to the ultimate level!”

“You can’t mean…” gasped Nicholas.

“I do!” said Saki. “I sacrifice my Armed Dragon…”

The huge Dragon vanished.

“To summon Armed Dragon LV10!”

A dark form loomed over Nicholas and his Warriors, standing a full thirty feet high. It seemed to be all metal and no flesh, and practically every part of it was bladed or serrated. (3,000/2,000)

No… thought Olga.

“So…” said Saki, taking a card from his hand. “Can your Shogun use that effect of his if I do something that destroys all of your Monsters at once?”

Nicholas gulped. He knew that the answer to that question was no.

Saki discarded a copy of Level Up! from his hand. A burst of green flames blasted across the field, vaporizing Nicholas’s two Warriors.

“Grandmaster has an effect that I can still use!” shouted Nicholas. “When he’s destroyed by a card effect, I get to take add one Samurai from my Graveyard to my hand.”

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

“That includes Grandmaster himself, by the way,” he said, holding it up.

“Too bad that effect doesn’t let you move him to the field,” said Saki.

Let’s just hope I can do something with him, period, thought Nicholas, looking at the other two cards in his hand. I’m taking a big risk…

“Armed Dragon,” said Saki. “Attack him directly! Genocide Blast!”

Armed Dragon opened its jaws. Energy started to glow in its maw. Nicholas looked at his facedown card.

“I activate a Spell Card!” he shouted, as it lifted up. “And it’s gonna cut your Dragon down to size! Shrink!”

“Grr…” growled Saki.

Armed Dragon shrunk to half its size (which was still pretty big), and its Attack Score fell to 1,500. Its beam blasted at Nicholas, knocking him over.

Sweat poured down Nicholas’s face. He took some deep breaths and got up.

“I play a facedown, and end my turn,” said Saki, as a facedown card appeared in front of him. “That means your Shrink wears off.”

Armed Dragon was restored to its true height, and rose back to 3,000 Attack Points.

(N: 3,000) -------------------- (S: 1,900)

Nicholas looked at his deck.

“Here goes…” he said.

He drew a card.

He looked at it.

“I activate Dust Tornado!” shouted Saki.

His Trap Card lifted, and the tornado tore across the field. The A. Forces was blown to pieces.

“So now what?” he asked.

“I’ll show you,” said Nicholas.

“I play… Premature Burial. I’ll bring Zanji back to the field.”

He glowed with a red aura, and Zanji appeared again. (1,800/1,300)

“Now, I’ll Special Summon Grandmaster again.”

Grandmaster appeared on the field yet again. (2,100/800)

“Next, I play The Warrior Returning Alive. Now I can bring Shien back to my hand.”

Shien’s card slipped out of his discard slot.

“Now, I’ll summon him again.”

Great Shogun Shien appeared once more. (2,500/2,400)

“Nice,” chuckled Saki. “Three Monsters in one turn. Too bad none of them can defeat my Dragon…”

He paused.

“Wait a second…”

“Yep,” said Nicholas. “You remember Zanji’s effect, right? And I have more than enough Life Points left…

“Zanji, attack!”

Zanji leapt at the huge Dragon. As he stabbed with his naginata, the great beast roared, and both of them were consumed in the explosion.

“You’re finished,” said Nicholas. “Shien… take him down.”

Great Shogun Shien charged, and slashed at Saki with his burning katana. He screamed and collapsed.

(N: 1,000) -------------------- (S: 0)

Saki groaned. He held his head.

He looked up as Nicholas stood over him.

“Okay, buddy, you lost,” he said. “Now start talking.”

Olga walked up to him.

“Or we’ll come here when this place is packed and tell all the regulars that he beat you,” she said.

Saki sighed, and got up.

“Hiroku?” he said the waiter. “Another martini… Actually, on second thought, I need something a little stiffer…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Saki stirred his scotch and soda for a few seconds.

“Nicholas, look…” he said.

“What?” replied Nicholas. “I’m not…”

“I won’t tell anybody,” said Saki. “But I know that you’re on some sort of witness protection program…

“The thing is, so am I, more or less. I got involved with some heavy stuff a while back in Tokyo.

“Anyway, I can’t tell you what the whole deal with that is. I’ll wager you aren’t allowed to talk about your ‘deal’ either…”

“You’d be right,” said Nicholas.

“Well,” said Saki, “the whole reason I left my dream job at KaibaCorp was because a police detective that was keeping an eye on me told me to leave. And he wasn’t very nice about it. He knew I was working on the Dueltasia project, and he told me that some big problem would come out of it soon. He said that if I didn’t leave, old skeletons might be dug up.

“Or even worse, that some friends of some guys who were in jail because of my testimony might find out where I am. Let’s just say I turned stool pigeon on some very dangerous people.

“I’d hoped to challenge Arachne to a duel as my way of… Breaking the ice, giving her a warning. We could duel, and maybe have cocktails later in some quiet place like this one. As we both know, my encrypted challenge came a little too late.”

“What do you know?” asked Nicholas. “Is there anything we can use?”

Saki sighed.

“To tell the whole truth, I actually know very little…” he said. “Basically, anything I could have warned you about you already know. Just that some, quote, ‘big problem’ was coming to the project, unquote. And as we already know, some pretty big problems have indeed come to it.

“I think the cop that told me to quit might know more. I don’t really trust him.”

“A crooked cop,” muttered Olga. “Lovely… We’ve dealt with them before…”

“His name is Detective Akuma Mitsuharu,” said Saki.

He sighed.

“I’ve already said too much…”

He got up.

“How do we find him?” asked Nicholas.

Saki gave his Diner’s Club card to the waiter.

“If I know him,” he said, “he’ll find you before the night is out…”

Nicholas sighed, and turned to Olga.

“You want to go back to Sheena?” she asked. “She has contacts in the police department.”

“Maybe not yet,” he said. “We’re both hungry, and there’s no way we can afford to eat at this place…

“Hamburgers?”

“Why not?” said Olga. “Let’s just hope that Yumi and the others are making better progress than we are…”

* * * * * * * * * *

LEVEL SOUL (Trap Card)

Normal Trap

Image: Silent Magician LV8 standing over Silent Magician LV4, both glowing with light.

Card Description: Offer one Monster on your side of the field as a Tribute. Remove one Monster in your Graveyard with the word “LV” in its name from play. Special Summon the Monster written in the card text of the removed Monster from your hand or deck, disregarding its summoning requirements.



LEVEL COPY (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: The image on this card was not clear.

Card Description: Target one Monster on your side of the field with the word “LV” in its name that is Level Five or less. Special Summon a Monster with the same name as the targeted Monster from your hand or deck.

Note: “Level Soul” and “Level Copy” were first used by Chazz in a fourth season episode of “Yu-Gi-Oh GX”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



Coming up next:

Back in Xanadu, it’s Yumi versus Gansley! You can bet that this former corporate tycoon has gotten better after staying hidden for so long. The duel is on, so can Yumi succeed where so many of Joan’s men have fallen? And what secrets is Gansley hiding? Find out, in “Deck of Pure Power”, coming soon.

[Shuppet Master]

“That weapon he has is used more often by female martial artists.”

Curious, I Wiki'd "naginata" and found that, while Asian women do study the naginata more often(I saw a couple of photos of a bunch of women sparring with wooden ones), it's used predominately by men in Europe and Australia.

This was an awesome duel, Brian. Keep up the good work.

[Dark Sage]

Almost sixty years ago, when Noah put his master plan into action, he used the Big Five as pawns; a group of greedy corporate tycoons, all of whom had the same mindset towards the world as their former boss, Gozaburo – that being ruthless paid off. The only reason they dueled Yugi and his allies instead of just killing them outright to take what they wanted was because Noah demanded it. An important part of Noah’s mad plan was proving himself superior to Seto Kaiba; thus, he had to beat Kaiba at his own game.

One of the Big Five was Gansley, the founder and eldest member of the group, and the former senior vice president of KaibaCorp. If I had to guess, he more than likely orchestrated the initial plan to overthrow Kaiba, and dispelled any doubts that the others had.

Even so, Gansley wasn’t the most powerful member of the Five, nor would I truly accuse him of being the smartest (proven by the fact that he even trusted Noah). But he may well have been the bravest. He had a great deal of raw nerve, if nothing else. I’m not sure why he favored the form of Deepsea Warrior, since his deck strategy really had nothing to do with the Water Attribute (and as far as Water-Attribute Monsters go, there are lots of better ones) but he tried to take on my grandfather himself. That takes guts.

Now, almost six decades later, I learn that he’s alive, in Xanadu, and the ruler of one its Realms…

I have a feeling this might be difficult… Because as much as my grandfather hated to admit it, for all his ego and thick-headedness, this guy was a formidable foe… And it seems he hasn’t lost any of that raw nerve either.

CHAPTER NINE



Deck of Pure Power

Yumi looked the former human who was now in the guise of Deepsea Warrior in the eye.

“Impossible!” shouted Ren. “People have been looking for you guys for years! How could you have stayed hidden for so long without a single blip on the screen?”

“Not all computers are connected to the worldwide web, Reginald,” said Gansley, “as hard as that is to believe. I was lying low in a place that simply couldn’t be found unless one specifically knew where to look. Fortunately, Daala did know where to look. She contacted me and offered me a much better position than that brat Noah ever did. Although, when she contacted me, I was in a state where I would have accepted a job picking up her dry cleaning.

“As to how I survived in the first place, well, I’m afraid that’s a secret that I can’t share.”

“Does this mean that the rest of the Big Five are around here somewhere?” asked Sam. “Does this mean that Noah and Gozaburo are still lurking around?”

“For the first question, that’s for me to know, and you to find out,” said Gansley. “If you can, which I doubt. Frankly, I’m surprised you all made it this far.

“For the second question, I’m pretty sure that Gozaburo and his delinquent of a son are dead, may the two of them rot. Daala wouldn’t have worked with anyone like them. Never recruit someone who might turn against you, as Gozaburo himself learned too late. But then, she never told me what happened to them. Not like I even care.”

“So what’s the deal this time, Gansley?” asked Yumi. “Still the same thing? Trying to steal a living body so you can live in the real world again? I assume you want one of ours, right?”

“One of yours?” asked Gansley. “Now, what’s wrong with the one I have?”

“Huh?” said Yumi.

“Okay, let me get this straight…” said Erik. “You actually like having a fishbowl for a face? I’m guessing your time away from the real world messed with your mind…”

Gansley chuckled.

“On the contrary,” he said, “I’ve never felt better.

“Yumi, things have changed a great deal in the past half-century. When I confronted your grandfather, the guise of Deepsea Warrior was but an illusion. A false face. Nothing was real in Noah’s world, and what your grandfather saw when he confronted me was… a ghost.

“Now, thanks to Daala, there’s no illusion any more. I truly am Deepsea Warrior, in the flesh. And I wouldn’t want it any other way. Daala helped me see the light.”

Then he reached forward and grabbed hold of Yumi’s arm.

“HEY!” she shouted.

“See?” asked Gansley. “Solid… I’m no longer some immaterial phantom, Yumi. I have the living body of a Duel Spirit… A strong body, unlike my old, sickly, crippled human form. One that never ages. One that never gets sick…”

“One that smells like rotten fish…” added Sam.

Gansley let go of Yumi.

“This is worth more to me than the stock in silicon I bought when I was thirty,” he said, ignoring the wisecrack. “Even better, Daala has appointed me ruler of Tzimisce. I’m not just a servant, like I was with Noah. I’m much, much more.”

“Gansley, I’m a little confused,” said Ren. “If you could really become a Duel Spirit, why stay with Deepsea Warrior? Why not someone powerful and handsome, like say… I dunno, Gilford the Legend?”

“It would make more sense,” said Chelsea. “After all, wouldn’t it be easier for an Earth Monster to rule the Earth Domain?”

Gansley frowned.

“Are you saying there’s something wrong with Deepsea Warrior?” asked Gansley. “It may not be the strongest Monster, but since I rule as Daala’s vassal, I get respect from other Spirits. I walk into a room, and people stand up and take notice.

“And even if I’m not Earth, it hardly matters. The Earth Monsters in the Realm don’t seem to mind having a Water Monster as a ruler. And if they DO mind, well, they can either like it or lump it.”

“I think there’s another reason, and you just don’t want to tell us,” said Erik.

“Believe what you will,” said Gansley. “I still rule this part of Xanadu.”

“And you rule with an iron fist,” said Yumi.

She pointed to the statues.

“You turned those poor duelists to stone and displayed them like trophies!”

“Your point being?” asked Gansley. “They were rebels, they were defying the rule of the land, and now they are being punished. As will you once I deal with you.”

“Enough!” said Yumi. “You can’t buy your way out of this one, Gansley. I’m taking you down.”

“Uh, Yumi?” said Chelsea. “A word?”

“What?” said Yumi, clearly upset.

“Yumi, we’ve seen some powerful Deck Lords so far,” said Chelsea. “If Gansley is the ruler of this Realm, his Deck Lord must be incredibly powerful.”

Gansley simply crossed his arms. Yumi looked at him.

“I’m not afraid of you…” she said.

“And this will be a pleasure,” said Gansley. “I still remember the humiliation that your grandfather handed me…”

“Bring it!” said Yumi. “I know your strategy front and back, after all. That old Reptile Swarm strategy may have caught my grandfather off-guard, but I’m more than ready for it.”

What she doesn’t know, thought Gansley, is that I’ve adopted a completely different strategy since her grandfather’s time. I’ve given up the Reptile Swarm tactics and changed almost every card in my deck. This new one will take her completely by surprise.

After all, the saying, “If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it” may be common. But a lesser used saying is, “If it is broke, throw it away and get a better one.”

He twitched his eyebrow, and a microphone activated inside his helmet.

“Water Omotics,” he whispered. “Ready to begin?”

In a hidden alcove, the Water Omotics that they had seen before Gansley appeared was working the controls of a monitor.

“All set, Mr. G,” she said. “As soon as the duel starts, I can start the scan. Just make sure not to kill her before it’s done.”

As the others watched Yumi shuffle her deck, another Mokey Mokey – or perhaps the same one as before, it was hard to tell – floated up beside them. It didn’t say anything, but seemed interested in what was happening.

Gansley gestured, and a Disk appeared on his arm, one with a deck tray that suggested amphibian fins.

“So, if I win, will you release those duelists?” asked Yumi.

“Whatever,” said Gansley. “Now present your Deck Lord.”

In a burst of energy, Dark Magician Girl appeared behind Yumi.

“Figures,” said Gansley. “Well, I guess she’s better than that fuzzball that your grandfather used.”

“Watch it,” said Yumi. “My grandfather beat you using that ‘fuzzball’.”

“Don’t remind me!” snarled Gansley. “But if you think her ability in this duel will be as powerful as it was when your grandmother used her against Krump, you’re dead wrong. That would have been the equivalent of a Greater Power, and she’s not nearly experienced enough.

“As for me, as you can clearly see, I have taken the form of Deepsea Warrior.”

“Enough talk,” said Yumi.

“Game on!” they both shouted.

(Yumi: 8,000) -------------------- (Gansley: 8,000)

“My draw!” said Gansley, drawing a card.

He looked at it, and added it to his hand.

“Chelsea was right, you know,” he said. “I actually have two Deck Lord abilities. However, one of them I have to activate on my first turn, or it’s wasted.

“It’s called Recruitment Drive. I name one Type of Monster. Then, on my second turn, and every other turn thereafter, I get to move a Monster of that Type that’s Level Four or less from my deck to my hand.”

“That is powerful!” shouted Yumi.

“What did you expect from a Greater Power?” asked Gansley. “I name Fiends, by the way.

“Anyway, I’ll start by playing my Graceful Charity. I’m sure that no-one needs to be told how that works.”

As he played the card, no angel appeared, but he drew three cards nonetheless. He looked at them, and then discarded a Fusion Devourer and Mystic Tomato.

“Now, I play a facedown, and summon Zure, Knight of Dark World.”

A facedown card appeared, and then a tall, ugly-looking demon appeared in a dark shadow. He had upward-curving horns on the sides of his neck and a skull-like face with glowing eyes. He was dressed in armor and a cape, and held a longsword. (1,800/1,500)

Sam’s eyes opened wide.

Is he playing a Dark World Deck? she thought.

“Just try to get past him,” said Gansley.

“I’ll do more than try,” said Yumi, drawing a card.

She smirked when she saw what it was.

If he tries the same trick he used against grandpa, she thought, this will make him regret it…

She fitted a card in her Field Slot.

“I play… Mausoleum of the Emperor!”

The room darkened, and then changed. Two temples rose, one behind each duelist, flanked by flaming braziers. A bridge over a dark pit separated both of them.

“A Field Spell?” asked Gansley.

“Creepy, huh?” asked Yumi. “Welcome to the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, the First Qin Emperor of China. He was a guy who had a trait much like you… He thought he could use wealth and power to get everything, even immortality.”

“Seems like my kind of guy,” said Gansley.

“And to make even scarier,” said Yumi, “in the basement is lurking the Terracotta Army, a collection of hundreds of ancient statues. Each player can use one of these statues by paying 1,000 Life Points, and they can be substituted for the sacrifices needed for Normal Summoning Monsters.

“So, I’ll pay 2,000 Life Points…”

Two statues depicting soldiers in feudal Chinese armor floated up. They disintegrated into grains of light.

“That’s a pretty shrewd investment you’re making,” said Gansley. “Are you sure it’s wise?”

“You tell me,” said Yumi. “I summon my newest Spellcaster… Cosmo Queen!”

In a burst of dark energy, a tall, female figure appeared in front of Yumi. She stood out mostly due to her exotic, oversized headdress, and wore a long, maroon robe with a golden collar. She opened her eyes, and they glowed with eldritch light. (2,900/2,450)

“Yeah!” shouted Ren.

“Go, Cosmo Queen!” cheered Chelsea.

“Cosmo Queen…” ordered Yumi, “attack his Knight with cosmic nova!”

Cosmo Queen’s eyes glowed, and she put her hands together. A pulse of energy that resembled a miniature galaxy appeared in them, and she shot the pulse forward in a blast of dark energy. Gansley shielded himself as Zure, Knight of Dark World was blown to shards.

“Ergh…” muttered Gansley. “Not bad…”

(Y: 6,000) -------------------- (G: 6,900)

“I’ll end my turn with one facedown card,” said Yumi, as a facedown card appeared behind Cosmo Queen. “It’s your move, Gansley.”

“Indeed,” said Gansley, drawing a card.

He looked at it.

“Remember my Deck Lord ability?” he said. “I get to take any Fiend from my deck now, that’s Level Four or less.”

A card slipped out of his deck.

“I think my Power Annihilator will do.”

Power Annihilator? thought Yumi. What the heck is that?

“Now, then…” said Gansley.

The Field Slot on his own Disk opened. He placed a card in it.

“I play… Power Zone.”

As Yumi watched, a huge, glowing, crackling orb of purple energy materialized in the air above the Mausoleum…

“What the…” said Yumi.

Then the orb crashed into the center of the field. Yumi cringed as the two temples, the bridge, and the whole Terracotta Army shattered into shards of rock.

When she looked again, the Mausoleum of the Emperor had been reduced to a burned out crater surrounding them, covered with ash.

“Mokey Mokey!” squeaked the small Fairy who was watching in fear.

“Quiet down, little guy,” said Ren.

“What’s going on?” said Yumi. “It feels like there’s a huge weight on my shoulders…”

“It’s the pressure, Yumi,” said Gansley. “You need to use this Field a few times before you truly get used to it. As you can feel right now, I’ve tipped the odds in my favor dramatically. I always like to conduct an interaction when I have the upper hand, as you might well imagine.”

“And just what does this Field Spell of yours do?” asked Yumi.

“It makes battle between Monsters more dangerous,” said Gansley. “Not to mention more interesting. When a Monster is destroyed in battle, its owner loses Life Points equal to the destroyed Monster’s base Attack Score.”

“Yeah, right!” said Sam, with a laugh. “And just how are you going to summon something right now that can beat Cosmo Queen in a head-to-head battle?”

“I’ll show you,” said Gansley. “I summon Power Annihilator.”

He played the card, and an even uglier Fiend appeared. It was a lanky, think, hunched-over creature with claws and spurs on its joints, long tusks, and a long tail jutting out of its spine – one which had a very large blade on the tip. (1,800/1,800)

“That’s not nearly strong enough,” said Yumi.

“We’ll soon see,” said Gansley, as his facedown card lifted. “I activate Shield Spear. This increases both the Attack and Defense of my Monster by 400.

“I was planning to use it in case you had summoned Skilled Dark Magician or Gemini Elf, but when I saw that it wouldn’t have made a difference, I decided to save it.”

Power Annihilator rose to (2,200/2,200).

“Still not gonna do it,” said Yumi.

“Power Annihilator,” ordered Gansley, “attack Cosmo Queen with Power Pulse Slash!”

“Huh?” said Yumi.

Power Annihilator leapt into the air and did a somersault. It lashed its bladed tail at Cosmo Queen like a grapple. Then, to everyone’s surprise, its Attack Score went up again, rising to 3,200. The blade stabbed into her torso, and she screamed before exploding into fiery shards.

“And don’t forget the effect of Power Zone,” said Gansley.

Yumi screamed as the aura of purple energy surrounded her. She collapsed to her knees.

(Y: 2,800) -------------------- (G: 6,900)

“Yumi,” said a voice over her.

Yumi looked up and saw Dark Magician Girl offering her hand.

“Get up, Yumi!” said the Spellcaster. “He may be strong, but I can help you any way I can…”

Yumi took the hand, and Dark Magician Girl lifted her to her feet.

Sweat poured down her face.

“How did your Fiend get even stronger?” gasped Yumi.

“Allow me to explain how Power Annihilator works,” said Gansley. “It really could not be simpler. Whenever it battles a Monster with a higher attack Score, it gains 1,000 Attack Points. Consequently, whenever it battles a Monster with a lower Attack Score, it loses 1,000 Attack Points.

“You see, Yumi, in my day, I’ve dealt with many complicated things… But sometimes, it pays to just keep things simple.

“By the way, I don’t want to see your Cosmo Queen again, so…”

He discarded a card from his hand.

“What was that?” asked Yumi.

“A D.D. Crow,” said Gansley. “By discarding it, I can remove one of your cards in your Graveyard from play.”

Cosmo Queen fell out of Yumi’s Graveyard. She sighed, and pocketed the card.

“I’ll set two more cards facedown,” said Gansley, “and then play Mirage of Nightmare.”

Two new facedown cards appeared in flashes of light. Then the Continuous Spell appeared.

“Aw, he’s using the Mirage Combo?” moaned Chelsea. “It’s just losing its novelty now…”

Gansley spoke into the microphone.

“How’s it coming?” he asked.

“Getting there, chief…” said Water Omotics. “We’ve never used this on a human before. Their minds work differently than Duel Spirits. And the minds of teenagers are pretty confusing too.

“One reason why I don’t like kids,” muttered Gansley.

“But I think the scan should be complete shortly,” said Water Omotics.

Yumi made a draw.

“Hold up, Yumi,” said Gansley. “I get to draw four cards now.”

He made four draws.

“And, as you might have guessed…”

One of his facedown cards lifted, revealing Emergency Provisions. A huge mouth appeared, chomping down on the Mirage card and devouring it.

Yumi looked at the card she had just drawn.

His strategy seems to have done a complete one-eighty, she thought. It’s gone from almost all defensive to a strong offense.

Well… It isn’t like I can’t handle an offense…

“Fine,” she said. “I play Pot of Greed.”

She played the card, and the evil jar appeared in front of her. She drew twice.

She looked at the two cards.

“I summon… Magician’s Valkyria!” she shouted.

In a flash of light, the blue-garbed female mage holding her ornate staff appeared. (1,600/1,800)

“All right!” shouted Ren. “Valkyria’s Attack Score is lower than Annihilator’s!”

“So Gansley’s Fiend is in big trouble!” said Erik.

“You heard her,” said Yumi. “My Valkyria is pulling the plug.

“Attack his Power Annihilator! Magic Illusion!”

Valkyria aimed her staff.

“I activate a Trap Card!” shouted Gansley. “Astral Shift!”

His facedown card lifted.

“This lets my Fiend dodge your attack, and let it hit me.”

Valkyria fired her blast, and it struck Gansley. He winced in pain.

And then he chuckled.

“Not only did my Trap protect my Monster,” he said. “But now it lets me draw one card…”

He made a draw.

“And… due to the Life Points I just lost, I’m able to Special Summon one of my longest-term employees. Someone your grandfather would remember…”

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I summon Ruklamba the Spirit King!”

A new creature appeared. It was a humanoid that suggested a crocodile, with a long tail and a mane of tangled, dark hair. It knelt and crossed its arms in Defense Mode. (1,000/2,000)

“All right, fine,” said Yumi. “I end my turn.”

(Y: 2,800) -------------------- (G: 6,300)

“My move,” said Gansley, drawing a card.

“I think I’ll play… my own Pot of Greed.”

As he played the card, and drew two cards from his own deck.

“Now I activate the Spell Card, Power Spirits.”

A red aura surrounded him as Continuous Spell Card appeared on his side of the field, showing the image of a Banderillo Fiend surrounded by an aura of fiery energy.

“I have to pay 1,000 Life Points to play this card, but that’s an investment that I always expect a big return on.

“Anyway, I choose one Monster on the field, and I choose my Power Annihilator. Now, so long as this Spell Card remains on the field, it can’t be destroyed in battle unless it’s attacked by a Monster that has at least 1,000 more Attack Points than it has.”

“But that means…” said Chelsea.

“It means trouble, that’s what it means,” said Erik. “Given Power Annihilator’s effect, Yumi would need to attack it with a Monster that had at least 3,800 Attack Points to destroy it. I don’t even know if her deck is capable of summoning something with that much raw strength.”

“Your move, Yumi,” said Gansley.

(Y: 2,800) -------------------- (G: 5,300)

I’ve got to think of something, thought Yumi. On his next turn, he’ll be able to use his Deck Lord effect again… And who knows what he’ll come up with next…

Yumi drew a card.

“I throw down two facedown cards,” she said, “and move Valkyria to Defense Mode.”

Two facedown cards appeared next to the first one, and Valkyria knelt and held her staff in her lap.

“That’s all for my turn,” said Yumi. “And by the way, Gansley… I’m curious… If you don’t want a new body, what do you want? There must be some method behind your madness. Whatever Daala’s plan, there must be something in it for you.”

Gansley drew a card.

Hmm, he thought, looking at it. I could finish her off this turn… But I have to wait for Water Omotics to finish that scan… Maybe I’ll drag this out for a minute or two…

“Afraid I’m not at liberty to discuss, Yumi,” he said, adding it to his hand. “But… While I don’t want a new body, I do intend to move to the human world eventually…

“And once I do, and once I finish doing everything that Daala needs me to do, you’ll be happy to know that I’ll end my wicked ways forever and never again harm another soul.

“I’ll retire. Get a nice little private home in Waikiki… Spend my days watching the ladies and sipping cocktails… Perhaps open a seafood restaurant… Live a peaceful existence for the rest of my life. Which would be a pretty long time, seeing as I’m practically immortal now.”

“Oh, really?” said Yumi. “And just how do you intend to do that? Even if you could hide the fact that you were… no longer human, last I checked, homes in Waikiki cost money, Gansley. Lots of money.

“That may not have been much of a problem for you in the past, but in case you forgot, you were declared legally dead a long time ago. Who knows where all of your assets went? I doubt someone like you ever raised a family and sired an heir…”

Under his helmet, Gansley frowned.

“On the contrary…” he grumbled, “I know exactly where all the money I made over my long career went… Since I was, as you say, declared dead, and was in no position to defend that ruling, seeing as my lawyer in such matters was Johnson, who was in the same condition I was in, it was all bequeathed to my niece, Caroline. She was my only surviving relative…

“And I never liked her, for that matter. She never listened to my advice, and called me, in her own words, a ‘greedy old miser’ who worshipped nothing but materialism. Her favorite line to me was, ‘you can’t take it with you’.”

“She had a point, Gansley,” said Chelsea. “Folks like you have to realize that there are some things that money just can’t buy.”

“Bah!” said Gansley. “That’s what a lot of people say. Well, I’ve always told such people that if money can’t buy it, it isn’t really worth having.

“Ironic, isn’t it, that in Xanadu there is no currency. Money doesn’t exist in places where Duel Spirits reign. They have no need for it.

“In dimensions like this, power is the only thing that counts. I wouldn’t have lasted a day in my old human form. Duel Spirits wouldn’t have cared about my stocks or financial clout. They would have seen nothing but the crippled old man that I was without them. But now, thanks to Daala, the power I once had that only existed on paper in my stock portfolio has been replaced by true power! The power to crush anyone who opposes me!

“Ahem, excuse me…

“Anyway, I tried to teach her to see things my way, but she wanted to take a different path. She said that there was too much of a ‘glass ceiling’ in my business anyway…”

“Oh, just try to deny that,” said Yumi. “Did Gozaburo ever promote a woman to any important position? Who was Noah’s mother, anyway? I wager whoever it was divorced him.

“Or he killed her and made it look like an accident… Wouldn’t surprise me…”

Gansley scowled.

“Anyway, Caroline wanted to become a doctor, saying it was a more honorable profession than my choice of careers,” he said, not bothering to answer the question. “She said that if she made it, she would help people rather than hurting them.”

“Did she make it?” asked Ren.

“I don’t know, and I don’t care!” shouted Gansley. “Once I found out she inherited my hard-earned money, and found out that I was helpless to get it back, I stopped following up on her. She can rot for all I care!

“And as for how I’ll retire, let’s just say I’ll have plenty of ways to get money once Daala’s plans come to fruition.”

“Mr. G?” said Water Omotics’s voice.

“Go ahead,” whispered Gansley, as he quickly calmed down.

“The scan is complete,” said the Duel Spirit.

“And the Key?” asked Gansley.

“Uhm, I hate to tell you this, boss,” she said, “but it isn’t here. There’s no sign of the Key anywhere…”

She giggled.

“Most prominent thing in her subconscious is a crush on some boy named Nicholas.”

Gansley paused.

“It isn’t in Yumi’s subconscious?” he said. “How unusual… Daala was certain Joan would have entrusted it with her…

“Well, if that’s the case, Yumi is of no further use to Daala. I’ll crush her, and then she’ll be my favorite decoration…”

He spoke out loud.

“I believe it’s my move!” he shouted. “And my Deck Lord ability activates again. This time, I’m adding Power Bombard to my hand.”

“Another Power card?” said Yumi.

A card appeared in Gansley’s hand.

“Indeed,” he said. “And thanks to that move, I have not one, but three of them in my hand right now.

“First, I’ll activate Ruklamba’s effect, sacrificing it to summon two of my Power Bombards.”

Ruklamba vanished into grains of light, and two new Monsters appeared. They looked similar to Power Annihilator, but with smaller limbs, batlike wings, and large snouts.

“Now, I’ll Normal Summon a third one.”

He played a card, and a third of the Fiends appeared. (1,000/1,000 x3)

“Wondering what the deal is with these creatures?” asked Gansley. “They form the perfect combination with Power Annihilator. When Power Annihilator’s Attack Score changes, they explode, and for each one that does, you lose Life Points equal to the base Attack Score of Power Annihilator.”

“That’s 5,400 Life Points!” shouted Ren.

“Yumi!” shouted Chelsea.

“It’s been swell,” said Gansley. “Power Annihilator, attack Magician’s Valkyria.”

Power Annihilator leapt into the air again, and hurled its grapple at the Spellcaster…

“Not so fast, Gansley,” said Yumi.

One of her facedown cards lifted.

“Huh?” said Gansley. “A Trap?”

“Draining Shield!” shouted Yumi.

A dome of force surrounded Yumi, and the grapple crashed into it, sending sparks of energy from the point of impact. Power Annihilator fell on its back with a crash, and energy flowed into Yumi.

“Your attack was negated,” said Yumi, “so your Fiend never reached the Damage Step, and its Attack Score didn’t change. So your Bombards didn’t explode. Even better, I gained Life Points equal to Annihilator’s Attack Score.”

(Y: 4,600) -------------------- (G: 5,300)

“That will hardly be enough,” said Gansley. “I play a Spell Card…”

He played a card from his hand, showing the image of Summoned Skull with a glowing ring around its finger.

“Ring of Fiendish Power,” he said. “With this card on the field, you can only attack the Fiend-Type Monster with the highest Attack Score, meaning my Annihilator.”

Power Annihilator’s wrist glowed, and a golden, bejeweled bracelet appeared around it.

“But that means…” said Yumi.

Gansley chuckled again.

“Don’t forget,” he said. “You need a Monster with at least 3,800 Attack Points to destroy it, and even if you somehow manage to do that, my Bombards will explode, and you lose…

“It’s your move…”

Yumi slowly drew a card.


Continued...

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:


It was Breaker the Magical Warrior.

Hmm… she thought. I could destroy one of his Spells with this guy… But not both of them, damn it… There has to be another way…

“There is a way, Yumi,” said a voice.

She turned to Dark Magician Girl.

“I can help you Yumi,” said the Spellcaster. “I know how to exploit the flaw in his strategy… I just need you to trust me…”

Yumi sighed.

“You do trust me, don’t you?” said Dark Magician Girl.

“Okay…” said Yumi. “I’m listening… What have you got in mind?”

Dark Magician Girl quickly explained it.

“Are you going to move, or do you concede?” asked Gansley.

“I’m going to move,” said Yumi. “I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior!”

She played a card, and a red-robed Spellcaster with a peaked hood and cape, carrying a sword and a shield with a gem in the center appeared. (1,600/1,000) –> (1,900/1,000)

“Now, I activate his effect. By reducing his Attack Score by 300, I can destroy one of your Spells or Traps.”

“And I choose to destroy… your Power Spirits!”

Breaker’s shield glowed, and his Attack Score fell to 1,600. The Power Spirits card shattered into pieces.

“Now I don’t need a mega-powerful Monster to destroy your Annihilator.”

Gansley laughed out loud.

“That was the dumbest move I’ve ever seen!” he laughed. “If you attack it, my Bombards will still explode, and you’ll still lose!

“If you had any sense, you would have destroyed the Ring of Fiendish Power so you could attack my Bombards.”

“Yeah, I thought of doing that, but I kinda had a suspicion,” said Yumi. “See, if I did that, your Annihilator would still have been invulnerable. And I remembered that on your first turn, you summoned Zure, Knight of Dark World. You likely have two more in your deck, and you can get them with your Deck Lord ability. So you would have done so, and gone on the offensive.

“See, I learn fast. But Gansley, you may think your strategy is foolproof, but it has one major flaw. I have someone in my deck who can exploit it, and my Deck Lord is going to help me get him.”

“Your Deck Lord?” said Gansley, in surprise. “Humph… I was wondering what she actually did…”

“It’s a power called Contribution,” said Yumi.

Dark Magician Girl lifted her scepter, and it glowed with energy.

“I get to draw one card for each Spellcaster I have on the field. However, when my turn ends, all of the cards in my hand go to the Graveyard.

“So, I draw two cards…”

Gansley chuckled as Yumi drew twice.

“I haven’t seen a dumber move since Coca Cola unveiled New Coke,” he said.

“Say what?” asked Yumi.

“Uhm…” said Gansley. “Never mind, it was before your time. So, Yumi… Did you get the cards you need?”

“Actually, yes,” said Yumi. “First, I play… Graceful Charity!”

She played the card, and in a burst of light, the beautiful angel appeared behind her.

“Mokey Mokey!” chirped the little Fairy who was watching.

Three of her feathers fell on Yumi’s deck, and she drew three cards. She discarded two very quickly.

“That was fast,” said Ren.

“I think she already knew what she wanted to discard,” said Sam.

“Now…” said Yumi, “I activate Call of the Haunted!”

One of her facedown cards lifted.

“You’re bringing back a Monster you just tossed, right?” asked Gansley.

“Bingo,” said Yumi. “The one who can exploit the flaw in your strategy…”

A black coffin appeared on her side of the field. It slowly opened…

The Monster that stepped out of it was Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer. (1,800/700)

“Huh?” said Gansley.

“Take a look at Kycoo, Gansley,” said Yumi. “Notice any similarities between him and Power Annihilator?”

Gansley paused for a few second. Then it sunk in.

“They have equal Attack Scores!” he shouted.

“Exactly!” said Yumi. “His Attack Score is neither higher nor lower. Therefore, when he attacks Power Annihilator, its Attack Score won’t increase or decrease. It will remain exactly the same, and your Power Bombards won’t explode!

“Sure, it will be a draw, but that’s a small price to pay to avoid losing.

“I move Valkyria to Attack Mode too…”

Valkyria stood up.

Gansley growled…

“Kycoo,” ordered Yumi, “attack the Power Annihilator!”

Kycoo gestured, and called lightning to his hands…

“I activate my other Deck Lord ability!” shouted Gansley. “Your grandfather would remember this… Reflector Hole!”

Two of the Power Bombards vanished, and a black hole appeared in front of him. Kycoo was sucked into it.

“I sacrifice two Monsters, and I can turn your attack into a direct attack on you!”

Kycoo flew out of the hole. His hands glowed with magical energy…

“Thanks a bunch, Gansley…” said Yumi, with a grin. “I wasn’t sure if you still had that power.”

Her last facedown card, the one she had set on her first turn, lifted up.

“Magic Cylinder?” shouted Gansley.

“Now your redirected attack is redirected right back at you!” laughed Yumi.

Two cylinders appeared in the air. Kycoo shot his blast at Yumi, and it was caught in one cylinder and shot out the other, striking Gansley. He groaned in pain.

Yumi paused.

He still has one Power Bombard, she thought, but I can take 1,800 points of damage…

“Breaker, you attack the Annihilator!” she shouted. “Breaking blade!”

Breaker flew at the Fiend.

“I activate Reflector Hole again!” shouted Gansley.

Power Annihilator and the last Power Bombard vanished, and the black hole appeared again, sucking Breaker into it. He flew back out, and slashed at Yumi with his sword, knocking her over.

“Did you forget I still had two Monsters?” asked Gansley.

“No…” muttered Yumi. “I was kinda hoping you had forgotten that you still had two Monsters.

“But now you have no Monsters. And by the way, since you have no Fiends on the field any more, your Ring of Fiendish Power is destroyed.”

The Spell Card shattered into shards.

“Valkyria, attack him directly!”

Valkyria flew at Gansley, and with a burst of magic, he toppled over.

He angrily got up…

“Not the brightest idea!” he said, throwing a card on his Disk. “I summon a second Ruklamba! Defense Mode!”

In a burst of energy, the Spirit King appeared again, kneeling and shielding itself. (1,000/1,200)

“Uhm…” said Yumi. “That’s… not good…”

“There’s a golden rule you have to follow,” said Gansley, “whether you’re a motorist, camper, or a power player in the world of business… Always carry a spare!”

(Y: 3,000) -------------------- (G: 1,900)

“I end my turn, Gansley,” said Yumi.

“I seem to remember you saying that now,” said Gansley, “every card in your hand goes to the Graveyard.”

Yumi sighed. She discarded the five cards in her hand.

“My move!” said Gansley, drawing a card.

“And I couldn’t have asked for better,” he said. “It’s time for a round of layoffs.

“The Spell Card, The Beginning of the End. And as the name suggests, it means it’s the beginning of the end for you.

“I can only use this when I have at least seven Dark Monsters in my Graveyard. Now I can remove five of them from play to draw three times.”

All three Power Bombards, Fusion Devourer, and D.D. Crow slipped out of his discard slot. He held them up, and they vanished.

He drew three times.

“Perfect!” he said. “Your presumption that I had three copies of Zure was exactly right, by the way. I summon my second one!”

In a burst of energy, the fiendish Knight appeared again, holding aloft his sword. (1,800/1,500)

“Oh…” muttered Sam.

“What is it, baby?” asked Erik.

“I’m sorry…” said Sam. “Whenever I see a Dark World card, it gives me the chills…”

Gansley grinned.

What Sam doesn’t know is, he thought, most of the cards I’m using were part of the deck that the real Zure used. Jaden Yuki defeated him, and he perished, but his master Brron managed to save his deck.

Then, when Jaden defeated Brron, the Mad King’s castle was ripe for looting. A Duel Spirit that now works for Daala stole Zure’s deck, and Daala was generous enough to give the cards to me. I just made a few adjustments.

Of course, Zure wasn’t egotistical enough to have any copies of his own card in his deck… But I put them in for a little ironic twist.

“Attack Magician’s Valkyria!” he shouted.

The Fiend slashed at Valkyria with his blade. She shrieked before she was blown into shards.

“My Field Spell is still in play,” said Gansley, “so you’re about to get another power surge.”

Yumi cringed in pain as the pulsating aura surrounded her again.

(Y: 1,200) -------------------- (G: 1,900)

“By the way, Yumi,” said Gansley, “you may be thinking you could beat me if you summoned your Deck Lord to the field. After all, where she goes, Dark Magician is never far behind. You have just enough Life Points to do it right now…

“I’m not going to take that chance, so I’m going to activate this…”

He played a card, and a Continuous Spell appeared on his side of the field.

“It’s called Hurricane’s Nest. Should you Special Summon a Monster, it activates, and I can destroy it instantly by discarding this…”

He flipped a card in his hand around.

“Special Hurricane?” asked Yumi.

“That’s right,” said Gansley. “That means she’ll die as soon as she sets foot on the field.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, Yumi… I have lots of strategies to use against duelists using Deck Lords.

“It’s your move. And it’s your last.”

Yumi paused.

“This is trouble guys,” said Ren.

“Yeah,” said Chelsea. “Even if Yumi summons something stronger, he has two Monsters… He can use his Deck Lord ability…”

“Yumi…” said Dark Magician Girl.

Yumi looked at her.

“Don’t despair. Remember your duel with Unus. You didn’t give up then, and you can’t give up now.”

She touched Yumi’s hand.

“Thanks…” said Yumi.

She drew a card.

“Heh…” she said, looking at it. “Hey Gansley… You know what I love about this game?

“One draw changes everything!

“I sacrifice Breaker and Kycoo…”

Both Spellcasters vanished…

“To summon Dark Magician of Chaos!”

In a dark aura, the mighty chaos mage in his exotic costume flew onto the field, holding aloft his scepter. (2,800/2,600)

“You think that scares me?” asked Gansley. “Have you forgotten my Deck Lord ability?”

“No,” said Yumi, “and I also know that it’s worthless if you have only one Monster.

“And just like before, your overblown ego and stupid overconfidence is going to be your downfall. Playing that Hurricane’s Nest card is going to be your last mistake.”

“What do you mean?” said Gansley.

“When Dark Magician of Chaos is summoned,” said Yumi, “I get to take a Spell Card from my Graveyard. And I’m choosing one that I had to discard due to my Deck Lord’s effect…”

A card fell out of her discard slot, and she took it.

“And now I’m going to use it… I play Hand Control!”

“Hand Control?” said Sam. “Isn’t that the name of a deck strategy?”

“It’s also a Spell Card, and it works as follows,” said Yumi, as she played it. “I get to call out the name of any Spell Card I can think of, and if you have it in your hand, you are required to activate it at once.

“And I name the one you just showed me… Special Hurricane.”

“What?” said Gansley. “But… Guh…”

The Special Hurricane card appeared on his side of the field, and one of the two other cards in his hand vanished.

“ARGH!” he shouted. “If I play it the normal way…”

“All Special Summoned Monsters will be destroyed,” said Yumi. “That means Ruklamba.”

A fierce wind erupted over the Power Zone. Ruklamba the Spirit King cried out in pain, and then exploded into shards.

“Erk!” said Gansley.

“I’m afraid you can’t use your Deck Lord ability now, Gansley,” said Yumi.

Gansley glared at her.

“One thing before I attack, Gansley,” said Yumi. “Seto Kaiba had wanted to tell you something, but he was never able to, for obvious reasons. He wanted to thank you for advising him to invest in Microsoft when it first went into business. As you know, that stock turned into a rather large fortune.”

Gansley screamed.

“I thought it was bad advice!” he hollered. “I thought it would fail, damn it! I thought Bill Gates was an idiot and an upstart! Apple Computers had ruled the business for years… How could a new system possibly have dethroned them?”

“Because, Gansley,” said Yumi, “times change. It’s true in every aspect of life. And fossils like you who refuse to change are doomed to fail. You may have changed your deck strategy, but it was mostly a cosmetic change. Your hunger for power remained the same.

“Attack his Knight of Dark World! Scepter strike!”

Dark Magician of Chaos twirled his staff, and slammed it to the ground. A shockwave shot towards the Fiend, and it was torn apart.

“I still have Life Points left…” growled Gansley.

“Forget about your Field Spell?” asked Yumi. “It affects both players.”

Gansley screamed as the same pulsating aura surrounded him.

(Y: 1,200) -------------------- (G: 0)

The Power Zone vanished, and the pressure mercifully lifted. Gansley collapsed.

“Curse you, Yumi…” he growled. “Curse your whole blasted family… But mark my words, you won’t…”

Dark Magician Girl frowned. She pointed her staff at him, and he cringed in pain.

After about a minute, he shattered into black shards that evaporated into mist.

“Mokey Mokey!” chirped the Fairy.

“Huh?” said Yumi. “When did he come in?”

Then the small Fairy got up, and flew out the exit.

Yumi turned to where the statues were, or rather where they had been. The duelists had been returned to flesh, and they didn’t seem very happy. They were all groaning and rubbing their joints, as if they were incredibly stiff.

“You guys okay?” asked Yumi.

“We will be,” said one of them. “Gansley… You took him down?”

“Uh huh,” said Yumi, taking out her cell phone. “He won’t be hurting anyone any more.”

As she had noticed before, Joan’s number had been programmed into her autodial. She hit it.

“Joan?” she said. “Mission accomplished. The Tzimisce Woods is secured. And we found your duelists. They’re safe and sound.”

“Congratulations, Yumi,” said Joan’s voice. “Once I speak to them, they’ll be able to set up in that castle and I’ll be able to cement my hold on it. The Woods will be ours within the hour.

“Once that is done, you and your allies can return to the temple so you can rest and we can plan our next move.

“The fact that the Realm Lord was Gansley was an interesting fact, to say the least.”

“I know,” said Yumi. “You don’t suppose that the rest of the Big Five are the rulers of four of the other Realms?”

“I’d say at this point it seems probable,” said Joan. “But perhaps we can plan accordingly.”

“Well guys, we…” said Yumi.

“Ow!” shouted Erik.

He clutched his head.

“Erik?” said Sam. “Baby?”

Erik stared into space…

* * * * * * * * * *

At this time, in a darker place, Gansley and Water Omotics were before Daala, who was still reclining on her couch. Skull Knight and two Battle Ox stood by. Water Omotics was visibly nervous.

“Well?” asked Daala. “What did your scan find?”

“Nothing, milady,” said Gansley. “The Key was clearly not in Yumi’s subconscious.”

Daala frowned.

“Damn…” she said. “Joan must have put it in one of the others because she knew Yumi would be the first place we’d look. We’ll have to find it the old fashioned way… through trial and error…”

“I tried my best,” said Water Omotics.

Daala motioned to one of the Battle Ox.

“Show her to her new assignment, will you?” she said.

“Huh?” said Water Omotics.

The Beast-Warrior grabbed hold of the now-frightened Aqua and marched her out of the room.

“Where’s he going with her?” asked Gansley. “I’m going to need her when I retake the Tzimisce.”

“Hold up, Gansley,” said Daala. “You’re forgetting that you lost that duel, and as a result, Dark Magician Girl drained all your Deck Lord power, making you about as useful in such duels as a beginner. In other words, nearly useless.”

“I know…” muttered Gansley, in a sulk.

“Normally,” said Daala, “It would mean that you’d have to start all over, and defeat more duelists to regain your powers.

“But fear not… I’m able to cheat the system a little. I have a little… procedure that will restore your powers without you having to duel at all…

“However, it will take time… Days. Until then, you’ll be in no condition to retake Tzimisce. And since you’re the only member of my army who is attuned to its power source, I’m afraid that, for the time being, we’ll have to concede control of it to Joan.”

“Damn!” shouted Gansley. “Her men are going to eat everything I’ve got stocked and ruin the carpeting! They’ll…”

“Gansley…” purred Daala. “Come here…”

She motioned for him with a seductive look on her face. Gansley gulped.

He walked over to her. She held his chin.

“The Earth Attribute is one of the most abundant Attributes in Duel Monsters,” said Daala. “Since you lost, Joan now controls the Realm that is the source of Earth’s power in Xanadu. I have no power over Earth any longer.

“As a result, Duel Spirits of that Attribute will soon learn that pledging their allegiance to me will get them… nothing. Only threats will make them serve me now. It won’t be long before the more intelligent Earth Spirits leave me, and swear allegiance to Joan, because now, she can give them the power I once gave them. In fact, she might be able to combine it with the holy power of the Higher Plane, to give them even more than I was ever able to.”

The flames surrounding her head burned more fiercely. She stood up.

“And who do I have to blame for this? Who did I put in charge of the Tzimisce Woods? What Level Five Warrior-Type Water Attribute Duel Spirit is responsible for this loss because he failed miserably?”

Her hand closed around Gansley’s neck. Gansley started to choke.

“Gansley, you should be incredibly grateful that I’m not sentencing you to the same fate that befalls other failures… Believe me, I almost did! The only reason I’m not locking you up is because I would need unlimited access to the power source of the Tzimisce to appoint another governor, and I can’t do that now because Joan has control of it!

“So you get another chance… We can retake the Tzimisce if we take out Joan, so you’re still of use. But fail me again, and them raiding your refrigerator will be the least of your worries…

“Don’t forget, the reason you lost was because of the same flaw that caused you to lose the last time, which I specifically warned you about… Your stupid ego!”

She let go of Gansley, and he fell to his knees, holding his throat. Daala lay back on her couch.

“Imagine, showing your opponent a card in your hand in order to gloat…” she muttered. “And it wasn’t the first time you did that either. If I had more men like you, I’d have less men like you…”

“Uhm, yes,” he said. “Yes, yes, of course… Milady…”

“Skull Knight,” said Daala. “Show him where to go.”

“This way, pal,” said Skull Knight, lifting him to his feet.

“Uh, this procedure you’re talking about,” said Gansley. “Will it hurt?”

“You won’t remember any pain,” said Skull Knight.

“That doesn’t answer my question!” said Gansley, nervously, as he was led away.

“Phone,” said Daala.

The other Battle Ox handed her a mobile. She punched in a number.

“It’s me,” she said, speaking into it. “And it’s time. Wait by the border of Tzimisce and Nexus, and challenge one of them to a duel.

“Oh, I don’t care who. Any of them.

“It’s time to see if all our hard work paid off…”

She hung up.

“Okay, Yumi…” she muttered. “You and your friends have cleared the first world of my video game, and defeated the first boss, so to speak. But that was the world where new players go for training.

“You’d best hope that you all have increased in level enough to handle the true dangers of Xanadu, because it’s only gonna get harder from this point on…”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Erik?” said Sam.

“I… I saw something…” said Erik, holding his head. “I think it was a Duel Monster of some sort… But I didn’t recognize it…”

He sat down on the edge of the fountain.

“I think it was a Warrior… In scarlet armor… Nasty, red armor with a red sword… Really nasty… I’d say I was having a nightmare, but I was wide awake…”

Everyone else looked at each other.

“Erik, baby…” said Sam, feeling his forehead. “Are you feeling okay?”

“I feel just fine…” said Erik.

But maybe a little scared… he thought.

* * * * * * * * * *

HAND CONTROL (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: A hand over five Duel Monsters cards, their faces down.

Card Description: Declare the name of one Spell Card. If the named Spell Card is in your opponent’s hand, he/she must activate it at this time.

Note: “Hand Control” was first used by the Pharaoh in the original anime episode “Fate of the Pharaoh (Part Three)”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



RUKLAMBA THE SPIRIT KING (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Reptile/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 8
ATK: 1,000
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: When you take at least 1,000 points of battle damage from a single battle, you may Special Summon this card from your hand. By offering this card as a Tribute during your Main Phase, you may Special Summon any number of Monsters from your hand whose combined total ATK does not exceed 2,000.

Note: “Ruklamba the Spirit King” was first used by Gansley in the original anime episode “Isolated in Cyber Space (Part Two)”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



POWER ANNIHILATOR (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,800
DEF: 1,800

Card Description: When this card battles a Monster that has higher ATK than this card, increase this card’s ATK by 1,000 during the Damage Step. When this card battles a Monster that has lower ATK than this card, decrease this card’s ATK by 1,000 during the Damage Step.



POWER BOMBARD (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,000
DEF: 1,000

Card Description: When the ATK of a “Power Annihilator” on your side of the field changes, destroy this card and inflict direct damage to your opponent’s Life Points equal to the base ATK of the “Power Annihilator”



POWER ZONE (Spell Card)

Field Spell

Image: A blazing, purple energy ball over a blasted, burned crater.

Card Description: When a Monster is destroyed as a result of battle, the controller of the destroyed Monster takes direct damage equal to the ATK of the destroyed Monster.



POWER SPIRITS (Spell Card)

Continuous Spell

Image: A Banderillo Fiend surrounded by an aura of fiery energy.

Card Description: Pay 1,000 Life Points to activate this card. Select one face-up Monster on your side of the field. The selected Monster cannot be destroyed in battle by a Monster with an ATK less than the ATK the selected Monster + 1,000 for as long as this card remains on the field. (Damage calculation still applies.)



RING OF FIENDISH POWER (Spell Card)

Continuous Spell

Image: Summoned Skull, wearing a glowing, silver ring on his finger.

Card Description: If you do not have a Fiend-Type Monster face-up on your side of the field, destroy this card. Your opponent can only attack a face-up Fiend-Type Monster on your side of the field that has the highest base ATK of all of your face-up Fiend-Type Monsters. When a Fiend-Type Monster destroys a Monster as a result of battle, the owner of the destroyed Monster takes direct damage equal to the destroyed Monster’s DEF.

Note: “Power Annihilator”, “Power Bombard”, “Power Zone”, “Power Spirits”, and “Ring of Fiendish Power” were all first used by the spirit of Zure, Knight of Dark World in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Dueling with the Dark Army”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



HURRICANE’S NEST (Spell Card)

Continuous Spell

Image: The image on this card was not clear.

Card Description: When your opponent Special Summons a Monster, you can take one “Special Hurricane” from your hand or deck and send it to the Graveyard to destroy the Special Summoned Monster.

Note: “Hurricane’s Nest” was first used by the spirit of Scarr, Scout of Dark World, in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Friend or Fiend”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



ASTRAL SHIFT (Trap Card)

Normal Trap

Image: A young girl in magician’s robes, casting a spell, standing in front of an explosion.

Card Description: You may activate this card when your opponent targets one of your Monsters for an attack. The attack becomes a direct attack on your Life Points. After damage calculation, draw one card.

Note: “Astral Shift” was first used by Jaden in a fourth season episode of “Yu-Gi-Oh GX”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



Gansley’s Deck Lord: “Deepsea Warrior”: “Reflector Hole”: When your opponent declares an attack, you may offer two of your Monsters as Tributes to turn the attack into a direct attack against your opponent. (Greater Power) “Recruitment Drive”: You must use this ability on your first turn. Name one Type of Monster. On the Standby Phase of your second turn, and every second Standby Phase afterwards, you may search your deck for one Monster of the named Type that is Level Four or less and add it to your hand. (Greater Power)



Yumi’s Deck Lord: “Dark Magician Girl”: “Contribution”: Once per duel, you may draw one card for each face-up Spellcaster-Type Monster on your side of the field. At the End Phase of the turn in which you use this effect, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard. (Minor Power)



Coming up next:

Remember that e-mail that Sheena intercepted to four guys called the Four Elite Bodyguard? Well, next chapter, the heroes are ambushed by one of them! Ren is lured into a duel against an opponent with a strange strategy, with a deadly secret in his deck. What is the nature of Daala’s strange secret weapon, and how will it affect their mission? I’m not even going to give the name of the chapter… that would be giving it away…

And here’s a question to think about. In this fic and the fic before it, why is Chelsea the member of the group who uses the Mirage of Nightmare/Emergency Provisions combo?

[Dark Sage]

Although the effect of “Mirage of Nightmare” has nothing to do with Zombies, they are depicted on the artwork of the card. Thus, Chelsea is the one who uses the combo.



No one forced me to come to Xanadu. Daala only insisted that Yumi come. My reasoning was, what sort of friend would I be if I let her go alone?

I thought I could handle it. I had seen horrors before in Duelatopia, and I had been pummeled in Shadow Games. And I knew that eventually I’d likely be helping Yumi fight the demons of the Abyss.

But nothing could have prepared me for this… This… This thing in front of me…

Someone… Someone help…

CHAPTER TEN



Ren versus the Horseman

It took about an hour before the five of them left the castle. They wanted to make sure the freed duelists were in a condition to hold the place until Joan sent reinforcements there.

After many reassurances, they left. Their watches said six o’clock as they made their way through the forest again, and the sun was moving towards the horizon.

“The border to Nexus is just around the bend,” said Ren, who was leading the way. “Won’t be long before we’re safe at the temple, and the Tzimisce Woods will be behind us.”

As they entered a large clearing, there was a loud crash in front of them.

“What was that?” asked Chelsea.

“Sounded like…” said Erik. “Sounded like a tree falling…”

“No…” said Sam, activating her Disk. “It sounded like something pushing a tree over!”

They all activated their Disks.

“Don’t tell me it’s another Baboon!” said Ren.

A huge creature loomed in front of them, ripping up the pair of trees that flanked the pathway. It was a huge Machine, thirty feet tall, armored, with gears and pistons forming its joints. It had a single optic sensor that glowed red. (3,000/3,000)

“Ancient Gear Golem?” yelled Yumi. “Now that’s not fair!”

They all raised their Disks. However, the Golem just looked at them.

“Why isn’t it attacking?” asked Chelsea.

“It’s waiting for something…” said Yumi.

Then they heard a galloping noise.

A golden chariot drove towards them from ahead, pulled by two fiery horses with flaming wings. (2,250/1,800 x2) It drove right under the legs of the Golem, and into the clearing they were in.

Standing at the reins was a tall, muscular man, wearing decorated, glossy black armor that resembled that of soldiers in ancient Greece. He carried a sword slung to his side, and on his left arm was a bronze Duel Disk with a tray shaped like backwards curving blades.

The two Firewing Pegasus neighed as the rider stepped down.

“And who are you?” asked Ren.

The man took off his helmet, revealing a face with a black, neatly-trimmed beard, and eyes that were pools of red light.

“I am Ares,” he said.

“Ares?” asked Ren. “As in, the God of War?”

“Indeed,” he replied. “And master of all forms of warfare and combat, Duel Monsters included.”

“I’ll bet Athena is a great deal better,” said Ren.

Ares frowned.

“He can’t be the actual Ares,” said Chelsea.

“Maybe this is another virtual construct,” said Sam. “Maybe he’s a program that Daala wrote, based on some story from a book of Greek myth.”

Ares smirked in a way that made their blood run cold.

“But I’d be wary…” said Sam. “If he’s programmed to think that he’s the God of War, dealing with him would be just like dealing with one of the Olympians. And they tended to be obnoxious louts at the best of times.

“Especially Ares. He was more a god of violence than actual warfare.”

“I simply seek one duel,” said Ares with a scowl. “If one of you should accept my challenge, I’ll call my friend here off…”

He pointed to the Golem.

“And if we don’t, it’ll flatten us, right?” said Ren.

“Yes,” said Ares. “And since you insulted me by bringing up that lightweight of a goddess, I think I’ll duel you.”

“Oh, all right,” said Ren. “Why not…”

He stepped to face the warrior.

“Ren, be careful,” said Yumi. “This guy is probably working for Daala.”

“Don’t worry, Yumi,” said Ren. “I mean, God of War? He’s more than likely playing a Warrior Deck, and it’s nothing I haven’t seen before…”

Ares smirked.

You couldn’t be more wrong… he thought. My deck doesn’t use just any warrior, but the ultimate warrior… One that will tear you to shreds! As one of Daala’s Four Elite Bodyguard, I’ve been entrusted with the ultimate weapon… A Monster unlike any other…

He looked at his deck.

“So,” said Ren, “will we be using Deck Lords?”

“Afraid not,” said Ares. “I could get a Deck Lord if I wanted one… But I never had any use for one.”

Ren looked at him strangely.

Truthfully, thought Ares, the dark power held by the key Monster in my deck would corrupt any true Duel Spirit in such close proximity. Thus, the other Monsters in my deck are insentient and mindless, and Deck Lords cannot be used when this deck is used. It might lead to a disaster.

Not that I care, but Daala insisted.

“Game on!” shouted Ren, as his Disk activated.

“Good luck,” said Ares, smugly. “You’ll need it!”

(Ren: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Ares: 8,000)

As both of them drew their opening hands, Sam nudged Yumi, and pointed to the side.

That odd female figure, wearing the black spandex and china mask, was watching again.

Who IS she? thought Yumi.

“The first move is yours,” said Ares.

“Thank you,” said Ren, making his first draw.

“I summon… Double Pinaska!”

He played the card, and with a flourish, the rapier-wielding Spaniard somersaulted onto the field. (1,500/1,500)

“That will be all for now.”

Ares made his first draw. He looked at the card and the cards already in his hand.

He quickly chose one. He placed it on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

“That will end my turn,” he said.

Ren drew a card.

If my Warrior theory is correct, it’s most likely Big Shield Gardna, he thought. I don’t have a Monster that can defeat it in one blow… But, I can defeat it and deal some major damage if I attack with two Monsters.

“I summon Dark Blade!” he shouted.

He put another card on his Disk, and the armored, dark knight appeared, holding his twin scimitars. (1,800/1,500)

“Attack his Monster!” he shouted. “Dark sword slash!”

Dark Blade charged towards the card. However, the Monster that appeared on it was not what he expected. It resembled a blob of blue liquid in humanoid form, wearing a golden breastplate. (800/2,000)

Dark Blade’s sword hit it, and it bounced back, throwing the Warrior on his behind.

“Seems my Humanoid Slime was a bit too strong for him,” said Ares.

Humanoid Slime? thought Ren. What sort of deck is this?

“I end my turn…” he said, slowly.

(R: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 8,000)

Ares made a draw.

“Heh, heh,” he chuckled. “First, I summon my Worm Drake.”

He played a card, and a weird creature appeared. It was a large, reptilian snake, with a large mouth at one end with an eye inside, and a stinger at the other. (1,400/1,500)

“Now… I combine the two using Polymerization!”

He played the Spell Card, and both Humanoid Slime and Worm Drake swirled into a morass of blue and brown colors…

The mass burst, and a much larger creature appeared. It looked like some snake made of semi-solid slime, with two limbs, one ending in a claw, and the other shaped like a cleaver. (2,200/2,000)

“Humanoid Worm Drake?” asked Ren. “You didn’t pay money for that card, right?”

Ares frowned.

“Attack his Double Pinaska!” he shouted.

Humanoid Worm Drake flew towards the Warrior.

“Pinaska, deflect!” shouted Ren.

Double Pinaska crossed his swords, blocking the Drake’s huge claw. He gave a shove and it flew backwards.

“In that case, I end my turn,” said Ares.

Ren drew a card.

“I summon… Getsu Fuhma!” he shouted.

In a burst of shadow, the redheaded female Warrior appeared. (1,700/1,200)

“Next,” said Ren, “I play Rush Recklessly, to make Dark Blade stronger.”

He played a card, and Dark Blade glowed as he rose to an Attack Score of 2,500.

“Splatter his Humanoid Worm Drake!” he shouted.

Dark Blade slashed with his sword, and the huge Drake burst into an explosion of liquid.

“Getsu, Pinaska… Attack him directly!”

The two Warriors charged at Ares. He staggered as their swords slammed into his armor, denting it.

“What was Daala thinking?” asked Sam. “This guy’s Monsters are lame, his strategy has major room for improvement… Ren’s gonna walk all over him.”

(R: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 4,500)

Ares drew a card.

“I play… Pot of Greed,” he said.

The evil jar appeared, and he drew two cards. He looked at them.

“Enough play time,” he said. “Time to get deadly serious.

“I first play the Spell Card, Gold Sarcophagus.”

He played the card, and a golden ark with the Eye of Wdjat on the front rose out of the ground.

“Now, I can take any card from my deck that I desire, and seal it in the Sarcophagus.”

In a flash of light, all the cards in his deck appeared in front of him. He pointed to one and it vanished. The cards formed back into his deck, and the Sarcophagus sank into the ground.

“In just two short turns, I’ll be able to retrieve that card.”

“It sounds like the same thing as Different Dimension Capsule,” said Erik.

“Not quite,” said Sam. “Unlike Different Dimension Capsule, Gold Sarcophagus is NOT a Continuous Spell. Since Ren can’t destroy it, there’s no way he can stop Ares from getting that card in two turns.”

“That’s too powerful!” shouted Chelsea.

“It’s a very rare Spell Card,” said Yumi. “You can’t just walk into a card store and buy it. In fact, in terms of rarity, it’s on the same level as my Dark Magician Girl. I’m surprised this guy has one.”

Ares smirked.

I could have gotten any card I wanted, he thought. As one of the Elite Bodyguard, Daala spared no expense when constructing my deck.

He placed a card on his Disk.

“Continuing,” he said, “I summon Revival Jam.”

The creature that appeared was more or less a shapeless, formless mass of protoplasm. It had almost no features at all. (1,500/500)

“Revival Jam?” said Chelsea. “You mean someone actually uses that card?”

“You think that scares me?” said Ren. “We aren’t playing by Battle City rules, fellah. You have to pay 1,000 Life Points each time you want to use that thing’s effect.”

“I’m well aware of that, Reginald,” said Ares.

Ren seethed with anger. He hated being called Reginald.

Ares played another card.

“I’ll also play Jam Breeding Machine.”

He played a Spell Card, and in a burst of smoke and steam, a dome-shaped contraption covered with vents and pipes appeared.

“This Spell Card is more or less a Monster creator. It will create a Slime Token every round. The downside is, I can’t summon any other Monsters while it’s on the field.

“Anyway, I’ll also set a facedown card, and play The Dark Door.”

A facedown card appeared, followed by a new Continuous Spell Card.

“So long as this card is in play, each of us may only attack with one Monster per round.

“And with that, my turn is complete.”

I don’t like this, thought Yumi. Almost card for card, he’s using the exact same strategy that Strings used when my grandfather faced him.

Could Daala have somehow recreated Slifer?

No… That’s impossible… But he’s clearly up to something…

Ren drew a card.

“If I only get one attack, I’ll put someone in defense,” he said. “I summon Dark Squire.”

He played the card, and the young page appeared. She knelt, and shielded herself in Defense Mode. (300/300)

“Dark Blade… Destroy his Revival Jam!”

Dark Blade rushed at the glob, and with a slash of his sword, it splattered into globs of goo. The globs fell all over the ground.

Ren shook his head.

“I have to end my turn,” he said.

(R: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 4,200)

“Then I draw,” said Ares, drawing a card. “And as you said, I pay 1,000 Life Points to revive Revival Jam.”

He glowed with an aura of red energy, and the globs on the ground moved. A mass of liquid flowed together, forming back into Revival Jam. It was in Defense Mode this time, although it was hard to tell the difference. (1,500/500)

“And now Jam Breeding Machine activates.”

The Machine started to whir and hum, and steam poured from its pipes. A small glob of slime with a face on it rose from the indentation on top. (500/500)

“I think I’ll end my turn there,” he said.

(R: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 3,200)

Odd, thought Ren, drawing.

He looked at his card.

“I sacrifice Double Pinaska…”

Double Pinaska vanished in a blur.

“To summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!”

In another burst, the armored female fighter appeared, holding aloft her sword. (2,100/1,400)

If that facedown card is what I think is, he thought, this is gonna be a big waste of time… But I might as well try…

“Penumbral Soldier Lady… Attack his Slime Token! Sword of Shadows!”

Penumbral Soldier Lady charged at the mini-Monster.

“Go, Trap Card!” shouted Ares. “Jam Defender!”

His facedown card flipped up, and Revival Jam leapt in front of the blow. It splattered again.

“I thought so,” said Ren.

He looked hard at his opponent.

He’s clearly going to keep this up until he has enough of those Tokens to summon something powerful, he thought. Question is… What?

Well, at least I have one more round before he gets three of them.

“You can’t pay for that thing forever,” he said. “I end my turn.”

“Then I draw,” said Ares, drawing a card. “And once again, I pay 1,000 Life Points to revive Revival Jam.”

Revival Jam reformed once again. (1,500/500)

“Now, another Slime Token appears…”

The Jam Breeding Machine shook again, and a second Slime Token formed. (500/500)

“And, I get the card that I sealed inside the Sarcophagus.”

The Gold Sarcophagus rose out of the ground, and opened. A card floated out of it, and he took it. The ark vanished.

“Next up,” said Ares, “I play the Spell Card, Giant Trunade.”

“Huh?” said Ren.

The Spell Card appeared, and a wind blew across the field. The Jam Defender card, The Dark Door, and Jam Breeding Machine vanished, and the cards reappeared in Ares’s hand.

“Now, Magical Mallet,” he said, playing a new Spell Card. “I’ll send three cards back to my deck to draw three replacements.”

He placed Jam Defender, The Dark Door, and Jam Breeding Machine in his deck and reshuffled. He drew three times.

He looked at the new cards and smirked.

“Next, I play Soul Taker!” he shouted. “This card grants you 1,000 Life Points… But one of your Monsters dies…

“Now, let’s see… Which of your Warriors should feel my wrath…

“I think… Her.”

The Spell Card appeared, and a blast of pure light shot from it, striking Getsu Fuhma. She screamed and was blown to particles.

“HEY!” shouted Ren. “Oh, you are asking for it, buddy… Big time…”

“Oh, yes…” sighed Ares, taking another card from his hand. “I forget how much you young duelists are attached to your Monsters… a shame…

“Moving right along, I play Monster Reborn.”

He played the card, and the glowing ankh appeared in front of him. Humanoid Worm Drake appeared in a flash of light. (2,200/2,000)

“Not good…” said Ren.

“Tell me, Reginald,” said Ares. “Do you ever read the Bible?”

There was a long pause.

“Uh…” said Ren. “Okay, I was with you until you said that…”

“I’ll take that as a no,” said Ares. “Well, I don’t read it much either. Holy scripture usually sickens me…

“But there is one passage in it that I kind of like… King James version, Revelations 6:3…

“And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, ‘Come and see.’

“And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword…”

Ren stared at him.

“Uh, is there a point to this?” he asked.

Ares smiled evilly.

“I sacrifice Revival Jam and my two Slime Tokens…” he shouted.

HUH? thought Ren. He’s sacrificing the Revival Jam?

The three plasma Monsters vanished…

The sky darkened… Thunder and lightning flashed…

“What’s happening?” shouted Ren.

The sky turned blood red. A windstorm blew through the woods, causing the trees to sway. A sound rang over the storm… It sounded like the neighing of some demonic horse…

“I summon…. War, the Red Horseman!” shouted Ares.

A huge bolt of lightning stuck where he was standing…

Then, a hulking figure stood forward. It was a man in crimson plate armor, with spikes on the shoulder guards, a horned helmet that obscured his face, and a large shield with a picture of a skull on it. He held a nasty-looking sword made of the same red metal. He was surrounded by a shadowy, dark aura. (2,500/2,500)

“THAT’S IT!” shouted Erik. “That’s exactly the Monster I saw when I had that weird vision! It’s the exact same one!”

“But what in blazes is it?” shouted Sam.

“I think…” said Yumi. “I think that Ares just summoned one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse!

“People… Ren’s in for the fight of his life…”

“Indeed,” said Ares.

His eyes glowed with a red light.

“I may not be the true Olympian God of War, humans,” he said, in a voice that now sounded truly fiendish, “but I’m no virtual construct… I’m something much more… No AI program could control this creature…”

“So what are you then?” asked Ren. “A demon of some sort?”

“You might say that,” said Ares. “One who is spawned through the act of mortals killing each other for needless purposes… When such acts are committed on a large scale, like during the times when men wage war, dark essence is released into the ether… And sometimes, this violent essence takes on a life of its own, forming creatures like myself…

“Some might say I am violence, given corporeal form…

“My race has ebbed and flowed… We haunted the American South by the dozens during the Civil War… We were around in large numbers in Europe during the World Wars. And we try hard to keep tempers uneasy between large groups so there’s never a lack of unrest... If mortals don’t start wars, we do our best to encourage and manipulate events to cause them.”

“That’s awful…” said Ren. “A race of demons spawned by violence, dedicated to causing it?”

“Our only regret is that we rarely get to join in the carnage that we cause,” said Ares. “But now, I have a chance to stop encouraging the acts of violent warlords, and start being one…

“On with the duel! Humanoid Worm Drake, attack his Dark Blade.”

The Aqua lunged at the Warrior, and made a slash with its claw. Dark Blade shattered.

“War, kill his Soldier Lady! Red blade strike!”

The Red Horseman slashed at Penumbral Soldier Lady with his sword. She fell to her knees, bleeding from a deep wound across her entire torso. She exploded into pixels.

“Now my Horseman’s effect activates,” said Ares. “When he defeats an enemy Monster, his Attack Score increases by that of the fallen enemy’s Attack Score.”

(4,600/2,500)

“Say WHAT?” shouted Ren.

“This increase doesn’t wear off until the end of your next turn,” said Ares, “making him practically unbeatable in battle by anything you could summon. So just try to find a Monster in your deck that can defeat mine.

“My turn is now over…”

(R: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 2,200)

At least I’m in the lead, thought Ren. There’s got to be some way to take this guy down…

He drew a card.

Yes! he thought. I drew La Sombra!

“I remove Dark Blade from play to summon La Sombra!” he exclaimed.

In a burst of energy, the sexy, female swashbuckler appeared. (1,800/1,000)

“Now you have to draw a card,” said Ren. “So let’s see who’s luckier.”

Ares drew a card. He turned it forward.

It was Electromagnetic Turtle.

“NO!” shouted Chelsea. “That’s a Monster! That means…”

La Sombra clutched her stomach in pain. Then she shattered into pixels.

“HA, HA, HA!” laughed Ares. “Didn’t work out exactly as you planned, did it?”

Ren threw a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

“Just shut up and move,” he said.

War’s Attack Score fell back down to 2,500.

“I draw,” said Ares, drawing a card.

“Next, I play Dian Keto the Cure Master.”

He played the card, and the matronly form of Dian Keto appeared behind him. A soft glow covered him.

“Now, I summon a second Humanoid Slime.”

A second of the plasma Monsters appeared. (800/2,000)

“And it attacks your Dark Squire.”

Humanoid Slime reached out with two tentacles. They coiled around Dark Squire, literally absorbing her.

Ren growled.

“Well, when she’s destroyed, we both get to draw two cards.”

They both made two draws.

“War,” said Ares, “destroy his facedown Monster.”

War made a slash with his sword, and another Dark Blade appeared on the card. He shattered.

Ren cried out in pain. He held his chest.

“Forgot to mention,” said Ares. “War has another effect. When he attacks a Monster in Defense Mode, and his Attack Score is stronger than the target’s Defense Score, the difference is taken out of your Life Points.”

“Now you tell me…” muttered Ren.

War rose to an Attack Score of 4,300.

“Humanoid Worm Drake, attack him directly!” shouted Ares.

Ren screamed again as the other plasma Monster slashed at him with its claw.

“I’m not done,” said Ares. “I play the Spell Card, Mystik Wok.”

He played a card, and a giant wok appeared behind him. Humanoid Slime vanished.

“Now I can sacrifice my Slime, and gain Life Points equal to its Defense Score.”

The wok vanished.

“It’s still my turn. I’m giving Humanoid Worm Drake an Equip Spell… It’s called Metalsilver Armor.”

He played the card, and the Drake’s liquid hide turned silver.

“Now, you can’t target any of my Monsters with a Spell, Trap, or Monster effect, except my Drake. So my Horseman is well-protected.

“And my turn is over…”

(R: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,200)

Ren started to sweat heavily as he drew a card.

It was Rising Energy.

This may be my last chance, he thought.

“I throw one card facedown,” he said, fitting it into his Disk.

The facedown card appeared.

“Then I Special Summon The Fiend Megacyber.”

In another burst of energy, the hulking, cybernetic Warrior appeared. (2,200/1,200)

“Next,” he said. “I’ll Normal Summon my Armageddon Knight. Ironic, isn’t it?”

He played another card, and a new Dark Warrior appeared. He was dressed in rusty banded mail, with a scarf over his face, and a tattered red cloak. He carried a battered old cutlass. (1,400/1,200)

“By summoning him,” said Ren, “I get to send a Dark Monster from my deck to my Graveyard.”

A card slipped out of his deck and he took it.

He looked at Crescent Moon Queen and nodded. He discarded her card.

“And that’s all.”

War fell down to an Attack Score of 2,500 again.

“Ready for more pain, Reginald?” asked Ares, drawing a new card.

He took another one from his hand.

“I play… Graceful Charity.”

He played the card, and then drew three cards. He quickly discarded two.

“I set one card facedown,” he said.

A facedown card appeared.

“Next, I play Pot of Avarice. And to its activation, I chain Emergency Provisions, sacrificing it and my facedown card.”

The Pot of Avarice card appeared. Then the huge mouth appeared, and devoured it and the facedown card, which was briefly revealed to be Jam Breeding Machine.

Five cards slipped out of his discards slot: Both Humanoid Slimes, Revival Jam, the first Worm Drake, and a second one that he had just discarded. He reshuffled, and then drew twice.

“Now, War… Attack his Armageddon Knight!”

The Red Horseman lunged at the Knight.

“Go, Rising Energy!” shouted Ren, as his facedown card lifted. “Now, for the cost of one card…”

He discarded a card from his hand.

“…Armageddon Knight gains 1,500 Attack Points!”

The Knight rose to an Attack Score of 2,900…

“STOP,” ordered Ares.

Then, War halted right before reaching him.

“Huh?” said Ren. “How’d you do that?”

Ares chuckled.

“Remember that Electromagnetic Turtle?” asked Ares. “I just discarded it when I played Graceful Charity. And that let me end the Battle Phase any time I wanted to this turn.”

“Clever…” said Ren with a frown. “Well, I guess it’s my turn…”

“Not yet it isn’t,” said Ares, taking a Spell Card from his hand. “I pay 800 Life Points to play Unfair Judge. Since my Monster’s attack was unsuccessful, it’s now allowed to reenter the Battle Phase and attack both of your Monsters.”

“You gotta be kidding me!” shouted Chelsea. “I’ll bet that card isn’t even tournament legal!”

War slashed at The Fiend Megacyber, and it exploded into burning slag. War’s Attack Score rose to 4,700.

“And now,” said Ares, “your Knight’s extra 1,500 Attack Points is hardly a problem…”

The sword struck Armageddon Knight, and it shattered into a burst of shards.

“Oh,” said Ares, “and in case you’re thinking of using that Queen of yours against my Monster…”

He played the last card in his hand.

“I Equip War with the Spell Card, Favored Enemy. I get to call out a Type and Level, and if my Monster battles a Monster that matches, it gains 1,500 Attack Points.

“I name Warrior-Type, Level Seven.

“NOW I end my turn.”

(R: 2,900) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 6,400)

Ren fell to his knees.

“Surrender,” said Ares. “My ultimate warrior will conquer you!”

“It is impossible…” muttered Ren.

“So, will you give up?” said a voice in his head. “Are you a quitter?”

Ren’s eyes opened. He hadn’t heard the voice before. It was stern, and female.

He turned slightly, and saw the masked woman.

“If you lose, Joan can no longer protect you,” said the voice. “Your future will be dark and grim. You don’t want that.”

“But what do I do?” whispered Ren. “Even if I summoned my Queen now, she wouldn’t be enough…”

“Think, Ren,” she said. “This Monster has a weakness that you can exploit. You just have to think it over…

“I know you aren’t a quitter. You didn’t quit in Duelatopia when you were facing Bast, the Queen of Cats, or when you were facing Vennominaga. I don’t believe you will quit here.”

Ren’s eyes narrowed.

“You’re right…” he muttered.

“I’m not a quitter…”

He got up.

“My move…” he said.

He drew a card.

“I play Pot of Greed!” he shouted.

He drew two cards.

He looked at the four cards in his hand.

Weakness… he thought. Its weakness…

Wait… Can it be?

I think I know…

“First, I play Premature Burial!” he shouted.

He glowed with a red aura as he played the card, and The Fiend Megacyber appeared in Attack Mode.

“Next,” he said. “I play The Warrior Returning Alive.”

He played another card, and a card slipped out of his discard slot.

I’ll put all my faith in you, he thought, looking at it.

He set the card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

“Fiend Megacyber, attack his Humanoid Worm Drake!”

The Megacyber bore his blades.

“WHAT?” shouted Ares. “They’ll kill each other!”

“Exactly,” said Ren.

The two Monsters rushed at each other. They collided, and both of them exploded.

“Ergh…” muttered Ares. “You’ll pay for that…”

“I throw a card facedown, and end my turn,” said Ren.

A facedown card materialized in front of him. War’s Attack Score fell back down to 2,500.

(R: 2,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,400)

Ares quickly drew a card.

It was Polymerization. It was worthless.

“War,” he shouted, “destroy his Monster!”

The Red Horseman charged at the facedown card. Getsu Fuhma appeared crouching on it.

“NO!” screamed Ares.

War’s blade crashed down, and Getsu Fuhma was blown to bits. Ren cringed in pain.

However, War groaned and staggered back. He dropped his sword, and smoke poured from his armor. Then he burst into an explosion of shards.

“Gotcha!” shouted Ren. “See, I figured it out. You wanted me to believe that your Horseman was a Warrior, but he was really a Fiend. I mean, what else would the embodiment of War itself be?

“That’s why you used Soul Taker on Getsu instead of on Penumbral Soldier Lady. Because you knew you couldn’t attack Getsu with War. Because you knew that any Fiend that battles Getsu Fuhma is automatically destroyed.”

Ren’s four allies cheered.

“Way to show him!” shouted Chelsea.

“Ugh… Ergh…” grunted Ares.

“I take it that means it’s my move…” said Ren, drawing a card.

“Do your worst!” shouted Ares. “I still have far more Life Points than you do!”

(R: 800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 6,400)

“That’s gonna change real soon,” said Ren. “Remember that card I discarded when I played Rising Energy? It was a guy named The Immortal Bushi.

“And there’s a reason he’s called Immortal. When I have no Monsters on the field, and the only Monsters in my Graveyard are Warriors, I get to Special Summon him from the Graveyard.

“So come on out!”

The ground cracked open, and a new Warrior burst out. It was an aged veteran, dressed in ragged and worn Japanese armor that was pierced by arrows. He held both a katana and a wakisashi. (1,200/600)

Ren’s facedown card lifted.

“Now, I activate Call of the Haunted!”

A black coffin appeared on his side of the field. It opened, and Crescent Moon Queen stepped out. (2,600/1,700)

“Immortal Bushi, you first. Attack directly with ancestral blade!”

Immortal Bushi slashed at the god of war with his katana, and he staggered backwards.

“Crescent Moon Queen, double direct attack! Crescent sword slash!”

The Queen lunged at Ares. She made a downward slash with her right blade, and an upward slash with her left one.

Ares groaned and fell to his knees. Smoke started to pour from his own armor.

(R: 800) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 0)

Then, he collapsed on his face. He vanished.

Ren fell on one knee, gasping for breath.

Yumi and the others looked up. The Ancient Gear Golem and the chariot with the two Firewing Pegasus vanished as well.

“Gone without a trace,” said Sam.

“Not quite,” said Yumi. “Look.”

Ares’s Duel Disk had been left behind.

She picked it up, and took the cards out of the discard slot. She looked at the card depicting War, the Red Horseman.

“I sense great evil in this card…” she muttered.

“Hey…” said Chelsea.

They turned and saw the masked woman. She was running away again.

“Wait!” shouted Ren. “Don’t go away!”

“What?” asked Chelsea.

“She helped me,” said Ren. “She gave me support…”

Yumi looked at the War card again.

“Erik…” said Yumi. “You never saw this card used before now… How could you have envisioned it back at the castle?”

Erik shrugged.

A light went on in Yumi’s head.

“The Fruit…” she whispered.

“Huh?” said Ren.

“It actually worked…” whispered Yumi. “The Devil’s Fruit… It made Erik precognitive…”

“Precog-what?” said Chelsea.

“It let him see the future!” shouted Yumi.

She turned to Erik.

“Erik, you think you can do that again?”

“Uh, I could try…” he said.

He closed his eyes and concentrated. Then he held his head.

Then he shook his head.

“Not a thing,” he said.

“It must be involuntary,” muttered Yumi.

“So it gave me a power I can’t control?” asked Erik.

Yumi nodded.

“But if you have another one of those, let us know as soon as possible,” she said. “They might be useful… In the meantime…”

She looked at the War card closely.

“Can we keep it?” asked Sam.

“Under no condition,” said Yumi. “Let’s get back to Joan… She’ll know what to do with this card, and maybe she can shed some light on who that woman is…”

* * * * * * * * * *

It didn’t take long to get back to the temple. No Monsters or members of Daala’s forces impeded them.

Joan looked at the War card with a look of worry.

“This is a new move by Daala,” she said. “One that might foretell similar attacks in the future.”

“What do you mean?” asked Erik.

“The Book of Revelations stated that the Apocalypse would be heralded by Four Horsemen,” said Joan. “War, Famine, Pestilence, and Death.

“If Daala has created one, logic would state that, perhaps, she has created the others as well, and they may be even stronger than this one was…

“The spirit in this card is very strong. And incredibly evil. I don’t think trying to destroy it is wise. I’ll keep it in cold storage until I find a way to dispose of it.”

“Uh, Joan,” said Yumi. “Twice now, we’ve seen a strange woman. She wears black spandex…”

“And a mask over her face that makes it look like a china doll?” asked Joan.

They nodded.

“Oh, that’s just Vita,” said Joan.

“Vita?” they all asked at once.

Joan walked over to a wall, and moved a large painting aside, revealing a safe.

“That’s the name she gives when we ask her name,” said Joan, working the dial. “We don’t know who or what she is, exactly. She shows up all over Xanadu, watching the duels between my men and Daala’s men. We’ve asked her to join us in the rare times that she doesn’t run away, but she refuses. As far as I can tell, she’s harmless.”

She opened the safe, and placed the card inside.

“That will hold it,” she muttered. “It’s warded by celestial magic, and I’m the only one who knows the combination.”

She closed the safe.

“Anyway, children, you must rest. We will plan our move on the next Realm in the morning.”

“Uhm, Joan?” said Ren. “Not to be rude, but we’re all really hungry…”

Everyone else nodded. He had a point.

“Ah, yes…” said Joan. “Most of my men don’t truly have to eat… I often forget that most mortal creatures do…

“Well, I can cook… But you kids will have to do the dishes later.”

“No problem,” said Chelsea. “I do that all the time.”

“Just out of curiosity,” said Ren, “what is our next move?”

“We move on to the Realm not under our control that now has the least powerful concentration of evil,” said Joan, “now that Gansley has been driven out of Tzimisce. The Sea of Infinite Tears. The Realm of Water.”

Suddenly, fear appeared in the eyes of all five of the teenagers.

“Sea of Infinite Tears?” asked Erik. “It’s… an ocean?”

Joan nodded.

“One with a collection of islands,” she said. “The one where the Realm Lord lives is the farthest out, on the border of the Realm and the void that surrounds all of Xanadu.”

They were dumbstruck. They debated in their minds whether or not to tell her about the Devil’s Fruit, but they kept silent.

“A small town named Rye sits on the border of this ocean and Nexus,” said Joan. “Not many Spirits actually live there, but the ones that do are indifferent towards Daala, so they won’t give you any trouble. By morning, I’ll have a guide there with a ship that can take you to the Realm Lord’s island.

“If our presumption that the rest of the Big Five are ruling under Daala, Krump seems the most likely candidate.”

”Heh, no problem!” laughed Sam, nervously. “He was the worst duelist in the world. He couldn’t even beat Yumi’s grandmother! Right, Yumi?”

Yumi didn’t respond.

That was true, yes. But even her grandmother had admitted to her that the way she had won was more than likely cheating. The Dark Magician had come from Yugi’s deck, not hers. A spectator simply can’t give a duelist a new card in the middle of a duel.

Why had her Sage’s Stone even worked? The best conclusion they could reach was that Noah was getting annoyed with Krump, and had made it work. After all, he had intended to double-cross the Big Five the whole time.

The fact was, her grandmother won, but she didn’t win fairly.

“If it truly is Krump,” said Joan, “he has gotten better. Four duelists have made it to his stronghold so far, and have not returned. After all, Gansley’s strategy was completely different. The same is likely true for the rest of them.

“But enough about that for tonight… Sit, relax…

“I hope you like Italian.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Daala sighed as she reclined on her couch.

She waved her arm, and a screen appeared in front of her. A face appeared on it.

“Philippe, is that you?” she asked.

The figure simply nodded.

“Speak up,” said Daala. “Oh, right, you can’t. Listen…

“Our… Guests are more than likely going to be in Rye early tomorrow morning. I want you there to greet them. Think you can handle Yumi for me?”

The figure nodded.

“Great,” said Daala. “I’ll be watching closely…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Night fell, and a full moon rose over the Temple.

Inside, stretched out on beds in rooms that their host had prepared, the five humans slept off fettuccini Alfredo, and had very strange dreams. All of them, at some point of the night, dreamed of falling into the sea and drowning.

They didn’t know if the next day would bring another victory… Or doom…

* * * * * * * * * *

WAR, THE RED HORSEMAN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 10
ATK: 2,500
DEF: 2,500

Card Description: This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card can only be Normal Summoned by offering three Monsters as a Tribute. When this card destroys a Monster as a result of battle and sends it to the Graveyard, increase this card’s ATK by the base ATK of the destroyed Monster. (This increase lasts until your opponent’s next End Phase.) When this card attacks with an ATK higher than the DEF of your opponent's Defense Position Monster, inflict the difference as battle damage to your opponent's Life Points.



UNFAIR JUDGE (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: A referee making a call at a tennis court.

Card Description: Activate this card during your second Main Phase after your Monsters have unsuccessfully attacked. Target one of your Monsters in Attack Position and pay 800 Life Points. If the total combined ATK of all opposing Monsters in Attack Position plus the total combined DEF of all face-up opposing Monsters in face-up Defense Position is greater than the ATK of the targeted Monster, you may enter a second Battle Phase, and the targeted Monster may attack all opposing face-up Monsters once each. Only the targeted Monster may attack.

Note: “Unfair Judge” was first used by The D in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Ultimate Destiny”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



FAVORED ENEMY (Spell Card)

Equip Spell

Image: Buster Blader charging at King Dragun with his sword held high.

Card Description: When this card is activated, declare one Monster Type and Level. When the Equipped Monster battles a face-up Monster that matches the declared Type and Level, the Equipped Monster’s ATK increases by 1,500 during the Damage Step only.



ELECTROMAGNETIC TURTLE (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Machine/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 4
ATK: 0
DEF: 1,800

Card Description: During a turn that this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can end the Battle Phase at any time. You choose the timing for this effect.

Note: “Electromagnetic Turtle” was first used by Yugi in the original anime episode “Clash in the Colosseum (Part Three)”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



Coming up next:

We take a detour back to the real world, where Nicholas and Olga have stopped for a bite to eat. But Saki’s prediction rings true, as that police detective he mentioned does indeed find them. Is this a case of Good Cop, Bad Cop? Or will it lead to an answer? Olga will have to duel to find out, calling forth the celestial forces once again.

Don’t miss “The Antaeus Factor”.

You should always trust the police… But even they have secrets…


I’m starting a new feature on my fic, and I’m calling it “Name That Card!”

This Monster Card that was used by Yugi has two Alternate Art versions in the OCG, one of which was released for the TCG. Can you name it?

[Shuppet Master]

Dark Magician? I know that has an alternate art version where it has blonde hair instead of dark. *shrug*

Awesome duel. So, Daala has recreated the Four Horsemen of the Apocolypse... but why wasn't War riding a red horse? Geez. Still, a very broken card. Good thing it was a Fiend or Ren would have lost that duel.

And now the heroes will have to risk drowning. I bet someone does come close to drowning. I can't wait to see this Sea of Infinite Tears.

Oh, and I think the Fire Realm is the Burning Lands. That clown duelist mentioned it earlier.

EDIT: Something got my attention. Since it might spoil the story, PM me the answer. Is the effect of the Devil's Fruit just going to be in this story and both its good and bad effects wear off when Yumi et al return to Earth(after they kick Daala's arse, which i know they will - what would a great action fic be if they good guys lost?), or will it be there forever? The reason I ask is because these people went in completely, 100% non-virtual, thanks to Sheena's technology. THEY ARE ACTUALLY THERE, ableit as semi-ghosts. So, if the Devil's Fruit was real in Xanadu, it might affect theuir real bodies.

[Mystic_clown]

Hmm, I'm not sure what to think of this. I'm hoping the 'god duellist' thing from Dark Messiah isn't going to start up again (I never enjoyed those chapters).

So, now they have to deal with an ocean. My first reaction was they're completely and utterly boned, but a part of me is telling me that's not the case.

BTW, Shuppet, Dark Magician had four different art versions, so that's not it.

The card is Gaia the Fierce Knight. There was an art version in OCG that wasn't released in TCG.

[Dark Sage]

MC,

If you reread the chapter, you would notice that Ares admitted that he was not the true Ares. Rather, he one of a race of demons who are created from large-scale acts of violence, such as war.

No real mythological figures will be showing up in the flesh in this fanfic, unless a card - in either reality or the anime or manga - was made in their image. For example, Mythical Beastking Barbaros might appear, but he'll be a Duel Spirit, not the figure mentioned demonolgy as one of Hell's rulers. Daala does not have enough influence to channel the powers of the gods.

[starjake]

"Real mythological"... isn't that an oxymoron?

I find it unusual that you went to such lengths to describe the Horseman as a demonic figure. According to the Bible, each of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse will be sent to Earth by God's command in order to unleash His wrath. While that wrath would certainly be destructive (to say the least), it would also be equally considered righteous, and it seems odd that a team of demons be sent out to unleash righteous wrath. Then again, I don't know exactly how the Bible describes these four creatures, whether they be angels, demons, or something else entirely. It just seemed...strange.

Other than that...Ares seemed to be your typical one-off villain, never to be heard from again. I think it might have been a better idea to not reveal the fact that he was not, in fact, the actual Ares of Greek mythology until later on in the chapter; as it is, he's just your average bad guy with a powerful card and some 'meh' strategies to back it up.

Though I must admit that Sam's "Can we keep it?" reaction after the duel was priceless. I can almost see the bright, wide eyes and hopeful grin on her face.

[Dark Sage]

Okay, I'll respond to this too.

Yes, I know that the Bible said that the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse would be sent to the world by God's command. However, I find it hard to classify a Monster modeled after them as anything except a Fiend. it would be far too destructive to call them anything else. Maybe they aren't demons, but I doubt they were meant to be perceived as angels either. And no, the Bible does not go into great detail in describing them (the Bible never goes into great detail with descriptions). The only thing we know about War from the Bible is that he rides a red horse.

Furthermore, these are not the true Horsemen. These are evil spirits that Daala reshaped, being given the names of iconic figures. Why? Well, Daala's ultimate plan with these cards is something I can't reveal yet. War may yet appear again, even if Ares is not the one using it. Or it may be something else. Keep reading and you'll see.

[Dark Sage]

If your answer was Dark Magician, you were wrong. That card has three Alternate Art versions in the OCG, and two of them were released for the TCG. Kuriboh is wrong too; it has two Alternate Art versions, but one is exclusive to TCG, and the other is exclusive to OCG. Gaia the Fierce Knight is incorrect as well. It only truly had one Alternate Art, and Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight is considered a different card.

The correct answer is Dark Magician Girl. If that was your answer, you were successfully able to Name that Card!

Another “Name that Card!” will be coming up at the end of this chapter, so sit tight!



For purposes of identification, you can call me Madelyn Clair, the name that Scotland Yard gave me when they gave me a new identity. I don’t really like the name much, but I don’t have much choice. The name Olga Warren is on too many hit lists.

I don’t regret turning coat on the European mob. I intended to the whole time. I only worked with Rasputin because I wanted to bring him down, so that my father’s soul would rest easy…

It didn’t occur to me then that I would have to leave England forever, but it’s too late to change my mind.

Now a new crisis has struck. The duelists whom I once helped are in trouble again, and maybe I can help again…

After all, I want to. Rasputin is dead, my father is avenged… And the downside of living a life of revenge is this: What do you do after you succeed?

I need a new purpose now…

CHAPTER ELEVEN



The Antaeus Factor

Around the time that Ren was scoring the final blow against Ares, Nicholas and Olga were sitting in a local MOS Burger. These restaurants (which stood for “Mountain Ocean Sun”) are the Japanese equivalent of McDonalds (even though Japan has those too, and has more of them than MOS), and are quite popular. If you are willing to spend a thousand yen, you can buy their Takumi Burger, a sandwich that puts the Big Mac to shame – it’s a burger with ten layers of ingredients.

Olga and Nicholas, however, were willing to settle for regular cheeseburgers and fries tonight.

Nicholas sighed sadly as Olga brought the food to their table.

“Something wrong?” she asked.

“It’s Tuesday, right?” he asked.

“Uhm, yeah…” said Olga.

Nicholas sighed again.

“Don’t you remember, Olga?” he asked. “Tuesday nights we used to go down to that place on the thoroughfare and get fish and chips.

“You can’t get them in Domino the way that place makes them. Or the way any good place in Britain does, wrapped in newspaper that keeps all the flavor in… Some students have given me the locations of specialty shops, but none of them can do it just right.”

Olga shook her head.

“We either did this, or we went to jail, Nicholas,” she said. “I’m homesick too…

“I can’t tell you how much I miss seeing Westminster Cathedral, Piccadilly Circus… If Aster Phoenix were alive, I’d challenge him in an instant in hopes of seeing his Field Spell, just to remind me of the Clock Tower of the House of Parliament…

“So many things that make London what it is, that we can never see again…

“But we’re going to have to cope.

“Besides, fish and chips are bad for you.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” said a voice. “They’re bad for the brain.”

They were a little startled by the sudden voice that was speaking in English, albeit with a Japanese accent. They looked up, and saw a man who seemed to be in his early thirties, wearing a black business suit and sunglasses.

“And who might you be?” asked Olga.

The man opened his jacket slightly, revealing a badge. Only slightly.

“I’m the long arm of the law,” he said, still speaking in English. “Detective Akuma Mitsuharu.”

“Small world,” said Olga. “We’ve heard of you.”

“So nice to be popular,” said Akuma. “May I have a word with you two?”

Olga’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you arresting us?” she asked.

Akuma frowned.

“No,” he said. “I just want to have words.”

Olga glared at him.

“Any reason why you’re speaking our language instead of yours?” she asked. “Maybe so the casual passerby doesn’t understand you?”

Akuma didn’t answer.

“Do you want to talk to us, Detective,” she asked, “or do you want to silence us?”

“I wouldn’t make such accusations if I were you, Ms. Warren,” he said.

“Oh?” said Olga. “Look over there…”

She pointed to another table.

“You’ll notice that there are two other cops over there,” she said. “They’re on break, but they’re still on duty. If I were to scream, they’d run over here.

“You know my real name, Detective, so you probably did research. Let me tell you, both of us are quite used to dealing with crooked cops.”

“Now see here!” said Akuma, getting angry. “I’m perfectly legit!”

He calmed down a little.

“It’s just that… I handle some cases where it doesn’t pay to be friendly…”

“What do you want?” said Olga.

Akuma sat down. He took his sunglasses off.

“This is… off the record,” he said. “Big things are happening in the underworld, and this Daala person might be connected to them.”

“What?” said Nicholas, getting excited. “Tell us what you know!”

“I most certainly will not!” said Akuma. “I heard you two were poking your noses into this business, and I wanted to give you a warning. Stay out of it. For your own safety, if not for everyone else’s.”

Olga looked at him intently.

Her eyes turned towards his belt.

“Detective Akuma,” she said. “I’m quite familiar with police-issue equipment… And that pouch on your belt clearly isn’t anything issued by the DCPD. In fact, if I didn’t know better, I’d swear it was a deck case.”

Akuma smirked a little.

“What would you say to a duel?” she said. “One with a wager… You win, we’ll stop snooping and quit working for… Whoever we’re working for. I win, you give us this information. Off the record, naturally.”

Akuma just stared at her for a minute.

He stood up.

“Department regulations prohibit such activities among its members while they are on duty,” he said.

He paused.

“However…”

He took something out of his pocket that resembled a cell phone.

“I am not currently on duty. And it might even convince you to stop what you’re doing.

“You’ll soon find, Ms. Warren, that I can be a very dangerous man…”

He clipped the item to a wristband on his left wrist, and it started to unfold, quickly turning into a wafer-thin version of the standard Duel Disk.

“A Pocket Disk,” muttered Nicholas. “Whoa… This guy is serious…”

“Just give me ten minutes,” said Olga.

She picked up her hamburger.

* * * * * * * * * *

The restaurant staff was more than willing to move the tables. In Domino, a duel was always interesting to watch.

“Just a warning,” said Akuma, as he placed his deck into his Disk. “I don’t intend to hold anything back.”

“Neither do I,” said Olga.

“Game on!” they shouted.

(Olga: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Akuma: 8,000)

“Ladies first, I always say,” said Akuma.

Olga drew her first card.

Not the time for this guy just yet, she thought, looking at the Monster on the card. I’ll save him for just the right moment.

She chose another card, and her Field Slot opened.

“I activate The Sanctuary in the Sky,” she said.

As she played the card, the restaurant surrounding them vanished, and was replaced by a cloudy surface under a sapphire blue sky. An imposing, ancient temple with a tall spire – the Sanctuary itself – loomed behind Olga.

“Interesting…” said Akuma.

“Now,” said Olga, “I summon Radiant Jeral in Attack Mode.”

She played the card, and a Monster appeared in a flash of light. It was a short, stout, dome-shaped creature that appeared to be made of green glass, with feathered wings and a large halo over its top. (1,000/2,000)

“Attack Mode?” asked Akuma. “What are you up to?”

“I end my turn,” said Olga.

Akuma frowned, and drew a card.

“I know what your Field Spell does,” he said. “You’ll take no damage if I attack that Fairy, no matter what Mode it’s in.

“But direct attacks are a different story. So I’ll destroy your Monster by playing Smashing Ground.”

He played a Spell Card, and a shockwave tore across the cloudy surface. Radiant Jeral shattered like the glass it resembled.

“I was hoping you’d do that,” said Olga, as she glowed with a soft, golden light. “You knew what my Field Spell did on its own, but you obviously didn’t know that Jeral’s effect works in conjunction with the Sanctuary. When he’s sent to the Graveyard in any way other than battle when the Field Spell is active, he leaves behind a gift… 1,000 Life Points added to my score.”

“You’ll need all the Life Points you can get!” exclaimed Akuma, playing a Spell Card. “I play Reinforcement of the Army. Now I can search for a Warrior up to Level Four.”

So he’s using Warriors? thought Olga.

“Now I’ll summon the Warrior I just searched for,” said Akuma. “Meet The Creator Incarnate!”

In a burst of energy, a tall man in golden plate armor and a helmet, holding a glowing sword, appeared in front of Akuma. (1,600/1,500)

“Now, I can sacrifice him,” he continued, “to summon his master…”

The Creator Incarnate vanished.

“I summon The Creator!”

A lightning storm erupted over the field, and a giant creature rose over the field. It was a golem of some sort with golden armor, and a huge discus on its back that was covered with arcane runes. (2,300/3,000)

“Ho boy…” muttered Olga.

“I’m not done,” said Akuma. “I activate The Creator’s effect. I toss one card, and The Creator Incarnate returns.”

He discarded a Kaiser Sea Horse, and The Creator erupted in glowing lightning. The Warrior appeared again. (1,600/1,500)

“And you’re defenseless,” said Akuma. “Incarnate, attack her directly!”

The Creator Incarnate lifted his blade and flew at Olga. She grunted as he slashed at her with his sword.

“That was nothing,” said Akuma. “Creator, fires of creation!”

Olga braced herself as the huge Monster reached for her…

She screamed as white-hot lightning surged through her, sending her to her knees.

She panted for breath.

(O: 5,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 8,000)

“Olga!” shouted Nicholas, forgetting to use her pseudonym, something he would kick himself for later.

“I’ve dealt with worse…” said Olga.

“It’s your move, young lady,” said Akuma. “Feel free to surrender at any time.”

“Never!” shouted Olga, standing up.

She drew a card.

“I summon… Harvest Angel of Wisdom!”

She played the card, and in another bright light, a far more humanoid Fairy appeared. His unclothed skin was metallic and golden, with green highlights, with a handsome face, golden hair, and feathered wings that grew from his ankles. He carried a large trumpet that looked like the one on the now obsolete Horn of Heaven Trap Card. (1,800/1,000)

“Destroy The Creator Incarnate!” she shouted. “Heaven’s horn!”

Harvest Angel of Wisdom sounded a blast of intense sound from his horn, and the Warrior cringed before exploding into shards.

“I throw a card facedown, and end my turn,” said Olga.

A facedown card appeared behind her Monster.

(O: 5,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,800)

“Clever,” said Akuma, drawing a card. “You want me to think that the facedown card is something deadly.

“Well, I think it’s a bluff. After all, you’ll lose no Life Points if I attack your Angel…”

He played a Spell Card.

“We’ll soon see. I play Trade-In. This Spell lets me draw two cards, so long as I first toss a Level Eight Monster. So I’ll get rid of Reshef the Dark Being.”

He discarded the card, and then drew twice.

“Now I’ll play Pot of Greed.”

He played the card, and drew twice more.

“Perfect,” he said, looking at his cards. “First, I’ll use The Creator’s effect again. And I’ll bring back the Monster I discarded when I used its effect last turn.”

He discarded a card, and another Monster appeared on the field. It was a sea creature with brilliant blue scales and fins, holding a spear. (1,700/1,650)

“I suppose you know, that when Kaiser Sea Horse is sacrificed to summon a Light Monster, it can count as two Monsters. So I’ll sacrifice it to summon my best Monster…”

Kaiser Sea Horse vanished, and a brilliant light appeared on Akuma’s side of the field.

Can it be? thought Nicholas. He’s using The Creator… Could this be that incredibly rare Monster who has to die and be reborn before its true power is unleashed?

“I summon…” said Akuma, “Felgrand Dragon!”

In a burst of light, a Dragon that was even bigger than The Creator appeared on the field. It looked like a Dragon that had been sculpted out of solid gold, long and thin, standing on its hind legs, with wings in place of forelegs.

It let out a majestic roar. (2,800/2,800)

Olga’s eyes opened wide.

“Intimidating, isn’t it,” said Akuma. “Creator, destroy her Harvest Angel.”

Lightning danced over The Creator’s armor again. It reached for Harvest Angel of Wisdom.

“Activate… Negate Attack!” shouted Olga, as her Trap Card flipped up. “Your Monsters are gonna have to back off!”

A dome of force surrounded Olga and her Monster, and The Creator was stopped cold.

“In that case,” said Akuma, “I end my turn.”

Olga made a draw.

“I activate… Graceful Charity,” she said.

She played the card, and the lovely Angel of Charity appeared, looking right at home in the sacred field. Olga quickly drew three cards. She considered for a minute, and then discarded two of them.

“I throw this facedown, and move Harvest Angel to Defense Mode,” she said.

A new facedown card appeared, and the Fairy knelt and crossed his arms.

“That’s it for me.”

“Then I draw!” said Akuma.

He drew. He looked at the Spell Card.

“Creator, let’s try this again.”

The Creator blasted its fires of creation, and Harvest Angel of Wisdom was blown to pieces.

“I activate Harvest Angel’s effect,” said Olga. “When he bites the dust in battle, I get to harvest a Trap Card from my Graveyard, so long as it’s a Counter Trap.”

The Negate Attack card slipped out of her discard slot, and she took it.

“Too bad you can’t use it now!” laughed Akuma. “Felgrand Dragon, attack her directly! Burning beam!”

Felgrand Dragon roared, and then breathed a burst of pure light at Olga.

“Forget about my other Trap?” asked Olga. “Go, Magic Cylinder!”

Her facedown card lifted up, and Akuma’s eyes opened in surprise.

He was thrown backwards as he was hit by his own attack.

“I’m guessing you’re wearing a vest under that suit,” said Olga. “But I’m also guessing that such protection doesn’t do much in a duel.”

“You’re pushing it, young lady,” he said, getting up. “I play a facedown, and that will be all.”

He fit a card into his Disk, and it appeared facedown behind him.

(O: 5,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,000)

“Go on and make your move. We both know that you’re going to set that Negate Attack again.”

Olga drew a card.

“I throw down a facedown,” she said, “and then summon Meltiel, Sage of the Sky.”

A facedown card appeared, and then another new Fairy appeared. This one had a long, white robe, feathered wings, and was surrounded by a gold ring entwined with a red ribbon. (1,600/1,200)

“I end my turn.”

Predictable, thought Akuma, drawing a card.

He looked at the three cards in his hand.

The facedown card is obviously Negate Attack, he thought. And since I can’t destroy it, my best option is to force her to use it.

“Felgrand Dragon, attack her Sage!”

The Dragon blasted its brilliant breath weapon.

“Go, Negate Attack!” shouted Olga.

The blast was halted by the dome of energy again.

“No big deal,” said Akuma.

“I’m afraid it is a big deal!” laughed Olga. “You fell right into my trap, in more ways than one.

“Negate Attack is a Counter Trap, as you may remember. And Meltiel has an effect that activates whenever a Counter Trap is activated.

“I gain 1,000 Life Points. And what’s more, if the Sanctuary is on the field at the time, he can also destroy one of your cards.

“Meltiel… Wipe out The Creator!”

The Sage of the Sky glowed with intense golden light. The Creator groaned, and then exploded into slag.

“You think you’re so hot, do you?” said Akuma. “Well, it’s still my move!”

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I set a Monster in Defense Mode, and that will be all.”

(O: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,000)

“I guess it’s my move,” said Olga.

She drew a card.

She placed a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared again. Then Meltiel knelt, and moved to Defense Mode.

“That’s all,” she said.

Akuma drew a card.

Perfect, he thought.

“I play… Mystical Space Typhoon!” he shouted. “Now I can get rid of this annoying Field Spell!”

He played the card, and a cyclone shot at the huge temple…

“Stop right there!” shouted Olga.

“Huh?” said Akuma.

Olga’s facedown card lifted up…

“I activate… Dark Bribe!” shouted Olga. “Now you get to draw once, but your Spell Card goes away.”

The Spell Card shattered, and the cyclone died before it reached the Sanctuary. Akuma growled as he drew one card.

“And by the way,” said Olga. “Dark Bribe is also a Counter Trap, and you know what that means.”

Meltiel glowed with golden light again, and Felgrand Dragon roared before exploding into a blast of multicolored pyrotechnics.

Oh no! thought Nicholas. If what I’ve heard about that thing is true, Olga may have done just what Akuma wanted her to do…

It sure seemed that way. Akuma chuckled softly.

Now’s the time, thought Olga, looking at the card in her hand.

“I’m not done!” she shouted. “Since I activated a Counter Trap, I can sacrifice Meltiel…”

Meltiel vanished.

“To summon… Voltanis the Adjudicator!”

In a blast of light, an intimidating being appeared in front of Olga. He was as big as The Creator, and seemed to be made as much of metal as he was of flesh. His skin – or armor, it was hard to tell – was royal purple, his face was featureless except for a large sapphire which served as an eye, and he had huge wings that seemed to float behind him, rather than connect to his body. He clutched a scepter that was topped by a glowing blue orb. (2,800/1,400)

“You’re a cop, Akuma,” said Olga. “You likely work with judges all the time. Well, this guy is the judge of the Higher Plane, and he doesn’t listen to lawyers who seek acquittals due to loopholes, and he doesn’t accept plea bargains. He only cares about guilt and innocence, end of story. And he’s very good at what he does. Legend has it that in his court, an innocent man has never been convicted, nor has a guilty one ever gotten off.

“So let’s see what his verdict will be this time, huh? Because when Voltanis is summoned via this method, I can destroy one card on your side of the field for every Fairy I sacrificed.”

Voltanis raised his scepter and lightning flashed. Spirit Reaper appeared on the facedown card, and was blown to shards.

Akuma frowned.

“I set a new Monster in Defense Mode, and I end my turn…” he said.

A new facedown Monster appeared.

(O: 7,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,000)

Olga made a draw.

“Not bad,” she said. “I summon Dunames Dark Witch.”

She played a new card, and a pretty, young, female Fairy in a red dress with white, metallic wings appeared. (1,800/1,050)

“Attack his facedown Monster!” she shouted. “Shadow flux!”

Dunames Dark Witch formed a ball of sparkling, shadowy energy in her hands, and threw it forward in a burst.

The Monster that appeared on the card looked like a small dollop of whipped cream with two eyes, and an upside-down smile above them. It merely grinned as the blast hit it. (300/500)

Olga clutched her chest in pain.

“What happened?” she gasped.

“You attacked my Marshmallon,” said Akuma. “And not only can’t it be destroyed in battle, but now you lose 1,000 Life Points.

“Come to think of it, even if you attacked with a Monster that could trample, you wouldn’t hurt me. Marshmallon is a Fairy, so it benefits from your own Field Spell.”

Olga glared at him.

“I end my turn…” she muttered.

(O: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,000)

“I draw one card…” said Akuma, making a draw.

Perfect… he thought. This is just what I need to crush her…

“I summon Slate Warrior,” he said.

He played the card, and a weird-looking creature appeared. It had a metallic, blue face, a golden, blocky breastplate, and ruffled sleeves and pants. It held a long staff with a knob at the top. The strangest thing about it was, its upper torso was not truly connected to its lower body, and its upper part slowly rotated like a turntable. (1,900/400)

“Slate Warrior?” asked Olga. “What’s the connection?”

“Just a Level Four beatstick with an impressive ability,” said Akuma. “Attack her Dark Witch!”

Slate Warrior blasted a bolt of green energy from its staff, and Dunames screamed before she was vaporized.

“Forget?” said Olga. “My Field Spell protects me from taking damage.”

Akuma placed his last two cards in his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

“Soon to change,” he said. “I end my turn.”

Olga nervously drew a card.

Might help… she thought, looking at it. But if I attack Slate Warrior now, Voltanis will lose 500 Attack Points…

“Trap Card, activate,” said Akuma.

“Huh?” said Olga.

Akuma’s facedown card lifted.

“Compulsory Evacuation Device,” he said. “This sends Voltanis back to your hand.”

A strange machine appeared on the field, and a series of chains shot out and grabbed Voltanis. He struggled, but was drawn in, and then shot out like a cannon.

He vanished, and his card reappeared in Olga’s hand. She growled.

She placed a card on her Disk, and a defensive Monster appeared.

“Just move,” she said.

Akuma drew a card.

Good, he thought. This is just what I needed to take control of this duel.

“I sacrifice Slate Warrior and Marshmallon,” he exclaimed.

Both of the two Monsters vanished.

“To summon… Yamata Dragon!”

In an explosion of flame, a Monster appeared which was likely the ugliest Dragon that Olga had ever seen. She knew she was a duelist when she had to make a comparison to all the Dragons she had ever seen. It had eight ugly, snakelike heads, that seemed to be connected to a central point that was hard to define as a body. The whole thing was about thirty feet long. (2,600/3,100)

“Ugh!” said Olga.

“And there’s more,” said Akuma. “I activate… Call of the Haunted!”

His Trap Card flipped up…

In a burst of energy, Felgrand Dragon reappeared. (2,800/2,800)

“Ever read mythology much?” he asked.

“All the time,” said Olga.

“Yes…” said Akuma. “The Twelve Labors of Heracles are always an entertaining read. And in that story, I find his battle with Antaeus to be incredibly interesting.

“He was a giant, who challenged every warrior to pass by his home to battle via wrestling. What these hapless victims didn’t know was, Antaeus couldn’t be defeated. He was the son of Gaea, Mother Earth, and so long as he stood on bare soil, he drew power from the earth itself. His wounds healed instantly, and his strength grew with each passing minute.

“My Dragon is similar. The Graveyard feeds it power. By being sent there, and returning, its power is unleashed.

“In game terms, its effect only activates when it’s Special Summoned from the Graveyard. When that happens, I choose another Monster that’s in my Graveyard.

“I think the Monster I’ll choose is Reshef the Dark Being, which, as you recall, I discarded when I played Trade-In. Now I take Reshef’s Level, which is eight. I multiply that by 200, and add the total to my Dragon’s Attack Score.”

(4,400/2,800)

“Forty-four hundred attack points?” gasped Olga.

“That’s right,” said Akuma. “But I’ll spare you his wrath this turn.

“Attack her facedown Monster!”

Felgrand Dragon blasted its brilliant breath at the facedown Monster. A winged cherub appeared on the card, and was incinerated.

“You just flipped my Skelengel,” said Olga. “That means I get to draw once.”

She made a draw.

“Well, fine,” said Akuma. “I’m about to get far more. Yamata Dragon, attack her directly! Eight-headed flame fury!”

No… thought Nicholas.

Olga tried hard to brace herself as the eight bursts of fire honed in on her, but they hit with the force of a sledgehammer. She toppled over, and fell backwards ten feet.

For a few minutes, she understood what a lot of Seto Kaiba’s opponents must have felt…

(O: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,000)

“And Yamata Dragon has a special ability,” continued Akuma. “When it hurts you, I get to draw until my hand consists of five cards.”

He made five draws quickly. He looked them over.

“One of which I’ll use. You see, because Yamata Dragon is a Spirit, it would go back to my hand when I ended my turn. So before that happens, I’ll sacrifice it by using Mystik Wok.”

He played the card, and Yamata Dragon vanished into grains of light.

“Now I gain Life Points equal to its Defense Score, which is 3,100.

“It’s an interesting but very overlooked fact… Yamata Dragon has more Defense Points than any other Monster in the game that can be Normal Summoned.

“It’s your move. Make it, if you can.”

“Give me a second…” muttered Olga.

(O: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 8,100)

“Olga, hang in there!” shouted Nicholas. “Even Antaeus had a weakness!”

“Huh?” said Olga.

“Heracles found out the source of his power,” said Nicholas, “and lifted Antaeus off the ground, breaking his contact with the earth, and crushed him to death. You just have to find a weakness in this thing!”

She slowly got up, holding her chest, which hurt badly. She looked at the four cards in her hand, then at her deck.

She drew a card.

“I play… Double Spell,” she said, playing a card.

She tossed a second Sanctuary in the Sky.

“Now I can use one Spell Card in your Graveyard. And I seem to recall that you used a good one…

“Your Smashing Ground!”

The shockwave tore across the field, and Felgrand Dragon roared. It shattered into golden shards.

“No fair…” muttered Akuma.

“Next,” said Olga. “I play Premature Burial. And the Monster I’m bringing back is a pair of guys I tossed with Graceful Charity.”

“A pair?” shouted Akuma.

“That’s right,” said Olga. “It’s two Monsters in one… Meet Gellenduo!”

In a burst of energy, two adorable little Fairies appeared on Olga’s side of the field. One was pink and had a heart-shaped head. The other was green and had an almond-shaped head. Both of them had haloes surrounding their little torsos. (1,700/0)

“How cute,” said Akuma, sarcastically.

“Cute, and dangerous,” said Olga. “You see, these two pastel-colored pixies have an ability that’s similar to your Kaiser Sea Horse. But it only works for Light Fairies.

“So I’ll sacrifice Gellenduo…”

The little Fairies vanished.

“…to summon Voltanis again!”

In a burst of lightning, Voltanis appeared once more. (2,800/1,400)

“Attack him directly!” she shouted. “Divine judgment!”

The lightning flashed again, and Akuma screamed as he was hit by it. He fell on one knee.

He held his chest and growled.

“That’s all for me, Detective,” said Olga, in a slightly seductive tone. “You want to play some more?”

“I’ll show you…” growled Akuma, drawing a card.

(O: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,300)

Olga’s luck keeps going back and forth, thought Nicholas. This duel may not last much longer…

Akuma drew one card.

“Sorry, young lady,” he said, “but my Dragon is coming right back. Remember, the Graveyard is the source of its power.”

He turned around the card he had just drawn.

“Look familiar?” he asked. “I have a Premature Burial too.”

He played the card, and Felgrand Dragon appeared on the field again. (2,800/2,800)

“Once again, I’ll choose Reshef the Dark Being.”

(4,400/2,800)

“I realize that my mistake last time was sending Voltanis back to your hand instead of destroying it,” he said. “I won’t make that mistake again.

“Felgrand Dragon, attack Voltanis the Adjudicator with burning beam!”

The Dragon breathed its scorching ray, and Voltanis was blown into violet shards.

“Good thing I still have the Sanctuary,” said Olga.

“Maybe so,” said Akuma. “But it’s only a matter of time before I tear that defense down.

“Make your move…”

(O: 2,700) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 4,500)

Olga slowly drew a card.

“I play… Pot of Avarice,” she said.

She played the card, and Gellenduo, Dunames Dark Witch, Radiant Jeral, Harvest Angel of Wisdom, and Skelengel slipped out of her discard slot. She shuffled quickly, and then drew twice.

“All right…” she said. “I throw two cards facedown, and then summon Hysteric Fairy.”

She played three of the four cards in her hand, and two facedown cards appeared. Then a Fairy appeared whose features could best be described as androgynous. Whether it was male or female – it was incredibly hard to tell – it looked very fussy, with a pair of spectacles (who knew that Fairies became nearsighted?) and wore a formal outfit. Its feathered wings, however, clearly indicated that it was a native of the Higher Plane. (1,800/500)

“That’s all for me,” she said.

I’m getting tired of this blasted Field Spell protecting her, thought Akuma. If it wasn’t here, I’d have won this duel last turn…

He drew a card. He smiled broadly.

“Trap Card, activate!” shouted Olga. “Call of the Haunted!”

One of her two facedown cards lifted, and a radiant glow appeared in front of it.

“You remember Meltiel, right?”

Meltiel, Sage of the Sky appeared once again. (1,600/1,200)

“And that other facedown card is another Negate Attack, right?” said Akuma, angrily. “Well sorry…”

He played the card he had just drawn.

“I’m going to take it, Meltiel, and you out in one swift stroke! I play Giant Trunade!”

A fierce wind started to blow across the field…

Olga grinned evilly.

“That’s just what I was hoping you would do, Detective,” she said. “This isn’t Negate Attack… This is my most powerful Trap…”

The Trap Card flipped up.

“Solemn Judgment!”

Lightning flashed again. A stern-looking old man with a beard and a white robe, holding a cudgel, accompanied by two beautiful muses appeared on the field, glowing with radiant light.

“Sure, it costs me half my Life Points, but it quells your little windstorm.”

The Giant Trunade card shattered.

“And don’t forget, Solemn Judgment is a Counter Trap, so Meltiel’s effect is activated.”

The Sage of the Sky glowed. Felgrand Dragon roared, and then shattered for the third time.

Akuma glared at her.

“Then finish it…” he growled.

(O: 2,350) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 4,500)

Olga drew one card.

“Well, well,” she said. “Looks like I can end this on a bang…

“I sacrifice Meltiel and Hysteric Fairy…”

Meltiel and Hysteric Fairy vanished into grains of light.

“To summon a guy who is now, who has always been, and who always will be my favorite Monster.

“I call forth Neo-Parshath the Sky Paladin!”

In a burst of energy, another huge, angelic form appeared. It looked similar to Airknight Parshath, a winged centaur of sorts, but much larger, with golden wings attached to his body by a bronze ring, armed with a glowing sword and shield. (2,300/2,000)

“Now I play… Monster Reborn!”

She played the card, and the holy ankh appeared. Voltanis appeared again in a flash of light. (2,800/1,400)

“Voltanis, you first,” said Olga.

Voltanis cast his divine lightning at Akuma, hitting him squarely in the chest. He screamed.

“Now, Neo-Parshath, attack directly! Divine blade!”

Neo-Parshath flew at Akuma, and with one slash, sent him toppling over.

Akuma groaned.

(O: 2,350) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 0)

The two Fairies and the Sanctuary vanished.

“All right, Detective, pay up,” said Olga. “I doubt this will be good for your rep if word that I beat you got out.”

“Are you threatening me?” asked Akuma.

“No more than you were casually threatening us,” said Olga. “It really doesn’t pay for us to be friendly either.”

Akuma sighed.

“All right, you win…” he muttered.

* * * * * * * * * *

It took awhile for him to say anything. He placed an order at the counter and they had to wait for it to come before he was willing to talk.

“Nuts,” he said, looking at the hamburger. “They forget the mustard again…”

“Look,” said Nicholas. “What can you tell us?”

Akuma sighed.

“This is completely off the record,” he said. “I’ll deny having told you this if you tell any other cops about it.

“Ten years ago, a businessman in Tokyo was working on a project called Xanadu. The name means ‘Beautiful Utopia’ by the way. We think the name was a front. Or an inside joke.

“It had something to do with computer systems, that’s all we know for sure about it. But whatever the project was supposed to do, its funding was supplied by one of the Yakuza families.”

“Yakuza?” said Nicholas, in shock. “As in, Japanese organized crime?”

“The very one,” said Akuma. “Some illicit deals and several bribes of government and law enforcement officials were made for this project, and Saki, someone whom you already met, was working for them. Being a computer programmer for a legit organization, the DMV, he was able to handle some issues that they couldn’t be bothered with. But he got cold feet, and turned informant.

“I personally arrested the one who was in charge of the illicit funding, and we were able to charge him with bribing of officials and various internet-related fraud crimes, but the actual project was never found, nor was the actual head of this Yakuza family arrested, even though we have suspicions about who it is.

“We assume that Xanadu was created by a supercomputer whose power matches that owned by some governments. But we have limited information. All the funding was made via electronic transfers to a Swiss bank account, and we doubt that these mobsters even knew the name of the one they were dealing with. The records called him by…

“Well, by a name that I can’t tell you due to legal reasons, but telling it to you wouldn’t do you any good anyway. We have had zero luck identifying this name. We checked every name database in Japan, then checked with Interpol, Scotland Yard, the F.B.I., and every search engine we could. No record of this name exists anywhere.

“At least ‘Daala’ is the name of a character in science fiction novels… This name is just plain weird.

“Xanadu’s origin could literally be located anywhere. Anywhere in the world.

“However, since there seems to be a link to Duel Monsters, our suspicions are more than likely confirmed. It’s almost definitely the Usagi Family that’s behind it.”

“Usagi…” said Nicholas. “That’s Japanese for rabbit, isn’t it?”

“A symbol of good luck,” said Akuma. “Let me give you some advice about good luck charms… You may think a rabbit’s foot will bring you good luck, but keep in mind that the rabbit it belonged to wasn’t very lucky.

“As for why we believe the Usagi are involved, they’re known to handle problems using Duel Monsters. They may still be linked to this Xanadu thing.

“And furthermore, we already have a warrant for the arrest of the leadership of the heads of Usagi. They’re in very big trouble right now. I’m talking a federal offense…”

He reached into his jacket pocket. Then he took something out and held it up in front of them.

“You know what this is?”

“Uhm,” said Nicholas. “It’s a 10,000 Yen note.”

“Wrong,” said Akuma. “It’s a counterfeit 10,000 Yen note, not worth the paper it’s printed on.

“You see, two months ago, the Usagi sent a spy into the Japan Mint in Tokyo, and used a special device, disguised as a simple camera, to make a virtual scan of a mould used to print 10,000 Yen notes. They used this scan to build their own moulds, and have been printing fake Yen that are nearly perfect.

“In fact…”

He took something else out of his pocket. It was a cigarette lighter.

“There’s only one way to tell the difference…”

He flicked the lighter, and set the bill on fire. It burned with a bright, red flame.

“A real note will burn with a green flame. But a fake note, which uses a different type of ink, burns red.

“He can mass-produce one-hundred of these phony notes at a cost of 500 yen. Then they can be sold on the black market for only 1,000 yen apiece. If a buyer uses them, his net gain is 9,000 yen. They’ve been making a fortune with this scheme. Of course, it’s incredibly illegal. The leadership of the Usagi is looking at a lot of hard time once they’re caught.”

He deposited the burning bill in an ash tray, and let it burn out.

“I’ve told you two all I know, so I believe I’ve lived up to my end of the bargain. I strongly advise for you to now stay out of it, and leave this up to the professionals. The Yakuza are killers. You mess with them, you endanger not only yourselves, but possibly your friends as well.

“Good night.”

He packed up the rest of his meal, and walked away.

“So what now?” asked Olga.

Nicholas thought for a minute.

“It isn’t like we haven’t dealt with organized crime before,” he said.

“Granted,” said Olga. “But how will we even find these Usagis?”

Nicholas thought again.

“I have an idea,” he thought. “We might be able to look into something tomorrow. For now, let’s check back with Sheena.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Nicholas and Olga walked into Sheena’s lounge. It was nine o’clock.

“Sheena?” said Nicholas. “We…”

Sheena didn’t answer.

She was slumped over her computer, fast asleep and snoring loudly.

Olga chuckled.

“Well…” she said. “We could let her sleep…

“Or we could shave her head…”

“I really hope you’re joking,” said Nicholas. “Let’s just leave her alone. We’ve done enough for one day anyway.

“I hope Yumi can hold on until tomorrow…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Coming up next:

Back in Xanadu, Yumi and company prepare to continue their journey, and brave the Sea of Infinite Tears. But at the dockside town of Rye, Yumi is challenged by one of Daala’s strangest minions, a duelist whose actions truly speak louder than his words. Can Yumi defeat a strategy with a powerful lock?

Don’t miss “The Sound of Silence”, coming soon.


Name that Card!

The weapon that this Monster is holding on its card is known to archaeologists as The Was Staff, a symbol of power and dominion. Can you name it?

[Shuppet Master]

That was an interesting chapter.

[spoilers]Just checking the spoiler tag...[/spoiler]

Anyways, I knew I wouldn't do well on that name the card, and I can't answer this one because I haven't collected that many cards. Great trivia thing though.

Anyways, it was a nice duel between those two, and nice to see Felgrand Dragon. I haven't seen the card myself, and since you stopped putting up pics of them, I guess I have to search for it at Metagame.com. ^_^

Still, I've been making fan cards in Sister of Anansi that alter a card's stats by the level of a monster, and now I'm surprised that they made a real card with such an effect.

So, for the heroes, we're going to see Yumi throw down against one of Daala's big guns, eh? This is getting serious, without the added danger of dying by drowning. Keep up the good work.

[ssj4supernerd]

One Piece reference?

Now, I'm reading through the whole thing now, but I gotta say, it's getting boring. The only thing that really changes are the Decks(nice work on those tho). Also, I got a deja vu feeling when that unknown voice told Ren not to give up, and deja vu's aren't usually a good thing in fics. Let characters themselves come to the conclusion that they won't quit.

[Dark Sage]

What Monster holds The Was Staff? If you said “Gravekeeper’s Curse”, you were successfully able to Name that Card!



Before Marik fell victim to the true darkness, he stayed hidden in the shadows, and struck at my grandfather through minions. This presented a problem when he wanted to make an attempt to defeat him using one of the God Cards. You see, the God Cards wouldn’t obey just any duelist, and certainly wouldn’t obey any common thug. One who tried to use one who hadn’t been specifically chosen by the gods themselves risked madness or death.

Strings was Marik’s solution to this problem. He was once a mime who had gone mad long before, and was rendered comatose. With an empty mind, Marik could control him like a puppet, and there was very little that Slifer’s spirit could do, seeing that Strings had no mind to assault.

Why do I bring this up? Well, my opponent isn’t Strings, and he isn’t using Slifer…

But there is a common thread… And I don’t like it…

CHAPTER TWELVE



The Sound of Silence

Early in the morning, Yumi was dreaming…

She dreamt she was on a beach, near a tropical forest, under an alien sky…

She recognized this place… She was back in Neo-Space.

Then she noticed that a duel was happening.

It was two against one. She recognized the duelists on one side. One of them was clearly Jaden Yuki. The other was easily recognizable by his spiky black hair and black trenchcoat – Jaden’s ally-slash-rival, Chazz Princeton, one of the allies whom she knew had accompanied him to this place after they had faked their deaths.

Jaden had Elemental Hero Clayman in Defense Mode (800/2,000), while Chazz had Armed Dragon LV7 in Attack Mode (2,800/1,000). He also had a facedown card.

Yumi didn’t recognize their opponent. It was a woman wearing a sinister-looking black dress and a black, winged mask covering her eyes.

But her Monster was one that Yumi recognized all too well… The Wicked Eraser. The half-devil-half-dragon abomination that seemed to be made as much of metal as it was of flesh glared at the two duelists with its evil eyes.

She also had Treeborn Frog in Defense Mode (100/100), the Continuous Spell Card, Spell Absorption, and a facedown card.

Jaden and Chazz seemed to be losing. Jaden had only 1,000 Life Points remaining, Chazz had 1,500, and their opponent was well ahead at 4,200.

She drew a card.

“Summoning that thing only hurt yourselves,” she mocked. “My Eraser gets stronger with each card you have on the field.”

(3,000/3,000)

“Wicked Eraser, destroy his Dragon with Digestive Blaze!”

The Devil God vomited a stream of burning acid, and Armed Dragon was melted into slag.

Its Attack Score fell down to 2,000.

“Jaden…” growled Chazz. “I hope you have a plan, because I’m running out of them fast…”

Jaden looked at his cards.

“Yeah, I might,” he said. “Think you can bring the Level Three version back?”

“What good will he do?” asked Chazz. “He’ll only make that thing stronger!”

“Trust me,” said Jaden.

“Fine!” said Chazz, drawing a card.

His facedown card lifted, revealing Call of the Haunted.

“I bring back Armed Dragon LV3!”

In a burst of energy, the lowest evolutionary form of the Armed Dragon appeared in front of him. (1,200/900)

The Eraser rose back to an Attack of 3,000.

“I end my turn. So let’s see this idea.”

“Right!” said Jaden, drawing a card.

He looked over the six cards in his hand.

He glared at his opponent coldly, and his eyes changed color, one of them turning orange, and the other turning bright green.

“First up,” he said, “I play Tag Request.”

He played a Spell Card.

“Now I get to Special Summon an Elemental Hero from my hand, so long as it has the same Attack Score as a Monster on the field. Since Chazz has his Armed Dragon on the field, I’ll summon Burstinatrix.”

In a burst of flame, the heroine clad in red spandex appeared. (1,200/800)

“Thank you,” said his opponent, “you’re too kind.”

The Spell Absorption card glowed, and her Life Points rose to 4,700, as the Fiend rose to an Attack of 4,000.

Jaden ignored her, and threw a card into his Disk.

“Next up… I play Cross Change. This lets me send a Hero back to my deck, and then summon a Neo-Spacian from my deck that’s the same Level.

“So, goodbye Burstinatrix, hello Grand Mole!”

Burstinatrix vanished, and a new Monster appeared. It was a chubby little mole, with a drilling mechanism around its neck. (900/300)

“Not so fast!” shouted the woman, as her Life Points rose again, to 5,200. “I was prepared for that annoying hedgehog…”

Her facedown card lifted.

“I activate The Regulation of Tribe. Now I name one Type of Monster, and that Type can’t attack. I name Rocks.”

Grand Mole looked at Jaden and shrugged, but Jaden just nodded to it.

“I’ll just keep going by playing E N Shuffle,” he said, holding up another card. “This lets me send Clayman to my deck, to summon another Neo-Spacian. Like my Flare Scarab.”

Clayman vanished, and a large, black, humanoid beetle with a large frontal horn appeared. (500/500)

“Are you quite though?” asked the woman, as her Life Points rose again, to 5,700. “You’re only hurting yourself…”

“Not by a long shot,” said Jaden. “I haven’t Normal Summoned yet. And since Necroshade is in my Graveyard, since I sent him there to summon Darkbright, I can summon this guy with no sacrifice. I summon Elemental Hero Neos!”

In a burst of energy, the powerful cosmic Elemental Hero appeared. (2,500/2,000)

The Wicked Eraser rose to an Attack of 5,000.

Yumi’s heart leapt. She remembered him from her own duel with Jaden. Clearly, Jaden was about to enact Contact Fusion.

“Now…” said Jaden. “Triple Contact Fusion!”

Yumi’s eyes nearly bugged out. Triple Contact Fusion?

Neos, Grand Mole, and Flare Scarab flew into the sky, and combined in a bust of light…

A new Hero descended. He was dressed in glowing green and silver armor, with bear-like arms, and beetle-like wings. (3,000/2,500)

“Meet Elemental Hero Magma Neos,” he said.

“Lovely,” said the woman. “Now we have a standoff.”

It was true. The Wicked Eraser fell to an Attack Score of 3,000.

“Oh, really?” said Jaden. “Magma Neos gains 400 Attack Points for every card on the field.”

“Wait…” said the woman, opening her eyes wide. “With four cards on my side of the field, and three on yours…”

“You got it!” said Jaden. “2,800 more Attack Points!”

(5,800/2,500)

“Magma Neos… Attack The Wicked Eraser with Meteor Meltdown!”

“Jaden, no!” screamed Yumi. “It’s a trick!”

Jaden didn’t seem to hear her. Magma Neos raised his hand, and formed a great ball of fire that was larger than himself. He hurled it, and the devil god screamed as it erupted in a fiery conflagration. The woman cringed as her Life Points fell to 2,900.

But she grinned evilly.

“Thank you,” she said. “When The Wicked Eraser is destroyed, it drags every card on the field into the grave with it!”

There was a huge burst of dark flames, and Elemental Hero Magma Neos, Armed Dragon LV3, Treeborn Frog, and her Trap and Spell Card were incinerated.

Jaden took the last card in his hand. A Quickplay Spell appeared on his side of the field.

“Actually, I knew that,” he said. “And I was counting on it.

“I play… Reverse of Neos! Since Magma Neos was destroyed, this lets me Special Summon the regular Neos, with 1,000 more Attack Points!”

In a flash of light, Elemental Hero Neos appeared on the field in a heroic pose. (2,500/2,000) –> (3,500/2,000)

“WHAT?” shouted the woman.

“Neos,” commanded Jaden, “attack directly with cosmic crusher!”

Neos flew at the duelist, and struck at her with a mighty karate chop. She screamed and collapsed…

Yumi woke up with a start.

She took some deep breaths. It wasn’t just a dream. She knew it was a vision.

Jaden was facing The Wicked Eraser? she thought. Is someone working for Shogarr trying to assault Neo-Space?

She sighed.

I don’t have time to find a way to help him… I have bigger problems…

Besides… I think he can handle himself.

* * * * * * * * * *

Yumi had to admit, Joan treated her guests well. When she got up, she found that someone had washed her clothes, and the shower she had been provided with was supplied with scented soap and perfumed shampoo.

After getting dressed, she walked into the common room of the temple, where breakfast had been set out. Croissants, bagels, and a pot of hot chocolate sat on a long table where her friends were already helping themselves.

“Where’s our host?” asked Yumi.

“We aren’t sure,” said Sam. “She left this…”

She handed Yumi a note. She read:


Children,

I have made a short trip out of Xanadu to consult the powers of my home realm. I will be back around noon.

I suppose I must tell you now. Due to a special privilege I was given by someone of great power, I am able to transport myself from Xanadu to my home realm and back, despite Daala’s control over the borders. But this ability is of no use to anyone else. I cannot bring anyone or anything with me on this trip except the clothes I am wearing. Perhaps in the future, I can increase my control over this power, and an escape from Xanadu will indeed be possible. I’d enjoy showing you my home.

I ask that you get an early start. The map will lead you from Nexus to Rye, the small town that borders the Sea of Infinite Tears. Your guide will be waiting. His boat does not have its name printed on its hull, but it is recognizable by the figurehead, which is shaped like me.

Again, I wish you luck. And should you find the four duelists who made it to the Realm Lord’s island and did not return, try to rescue them.

Take care,

Guardian Angel Joan


“Her home realm?” asked Yumi.

“I’m guessing the Higher Plane,” said Chelsea. “That’s the best bet…”

Yumi shrugged.

“So, should we leave, or should we wait?” she asked.

Sam drained the last of her hot chocolate.

“Waiting for her won’t help us any more than she has already,” she said. “And besides… I personally feel like kicking some ass!”

“Agreed,” said Ren. “So we’ll go, we’ll take down Krump, and we’ll have penguin au gratin for dinner.”

They walked out of the temple as Yumi looked over the map.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, people,” she said. “Krump is the most likely suspect at this point, but we can’t know for sure.”

“Well, I think we can rule out Nezbitt,” said Erik. “He’d rust if he were in charge of an ocean domain. Not that his motor was ever running very smoothly to begin with.”

“Whoever it is,” said Chelsea, “we can handle him…”

* * * * * * * * * *

After taking the right path, the strange spatial effect kicked in again, and the location changed.

The first thing they noticed was the chill. The weather had turned brisk, the sky had turned overcast, and the smell of seawater was in the air.

They were in the middle of a run-down series of wooden buildings next to a series of docks looking over the sea. Moored at the docks were various boats and ships, some functional, others looking like they were about to sink. In fact, the whole town looked seedy and derelict.

“Welcome to Rustbucket Bay,” muttered Erik.

“Huh?” said Yumi.

“Nothing,” said Erik. “You’d have to be there.”

They looked out to the sea, and saw islands in the distance, but not many distinguishing features.

As the wind blew over the docks, they heard an ominous sound that brought to mind the sound of someone sobbing softly. It gave them chills – clearly, this region was well-named.

Then they saw someone walking towards them from ahead. Yumi raised an eyebrow.

It was a man dressed in the colorful clothes and makeup of a street mime. His face was covered with white rouge and black markings, and he wore a striped shirt, a bow tie, black pants, suspenders, and a beret. He was apparently engaged in his strange art, despite the fact that there was a lack of an audience.

He turned towards the group and bent his head sideways. Then he lifted his hands, and pressed them against an invisible surface, moving them as all mimes are wont to do.

“Is this guy for real?” asked Chelsea.

“Man, mimes have to be the only guys I hate more than clowns,” said Ren.

“Hey, buddy, beat it!” said Yumi. “Go walk against the wind somewhere else!”

The mime responded by simply staring her in the face.

“I mean it, Frenchie,” she said.

She stepped aside to walk around him, and the mime copied the move. She put her hands on her hips, and so did he.

She waved her hand, and he copied that move too.

“Oh, the old Harpo Marx gag, huh?” she said. “Look, if you’re looking for handouts, I left my purse back on Earth.”

“That’s not what he wants, Yumi,” said a voice.

Everyone gasped and turned around.

Hanging in midair was Daala… Or rather, what seemed to be a holographic projection. She was reclining on her couch in a seductive pose, and was dressed in a very low-cut cocktail dress, with fishnet stockings. She also wore a hair clip that had two silk rabbit ears on top. If it weren’t for the halo of dark flames surrounding her head, she would have looked very sexy.

“What do you want, Daala?” demanded Yumi.

“And why the heck are you wearing a bunny outfit?” asked Chelsea.

“Heh, got your attention, didn’t it?” asked Daala, picking up a coffee cup. “You all are probably wondering who the hell this mime is, and why is he bothering you?

“Well, his name is Philippe, and I’ll explain.

“Early in Joan’s rebellion, she had a very powerful duelist. This guy had a powerful strategy, and was wasting my best men left and right.

“I needed a duelist who could handle him, and I needed one PDQ. In other words, fast. When writing the program for the virtual construct, I was forced to take several shortcuts to get it done faster.

“Philippe was the result. He was programmed with his own very powerful dueling strategy. But due to the shortcuts I had taken, he came with a few small problems. The most obvious one was, he couldn’t talk!

“So I made due… I had him dress like a mime and programmed him to act like one to make up for it. And he took care of that annoying duelist quickly.”

She sighed, and sipped the coffee.

“He may have flaws, but he got the job done… I have no regrets…

“So Yumi… Can you beat the strategy that took down one of Joan’s best duelists? Time to find out…”

She vanished.

All the time she was saying this, Philippe was doing an old mime trick – mimicking a man trapped in a shrinking box.

Then he bounced up, and a Duel Disk appeared on his arm.

“I can’t believe this!” said Ren. “Usually, mimes are just annoying. Now they’re dangerous?”

“Have my grandfather tell you how he won Slifer some time,” said Yumi.

She looked at Philippe.

“Can’t talk huh?” she said. “Can you at least hear?”

Philippe nodded (in fact, he nodded his head far more dramatically than was necessary).

“All right,” said Yumi. “Fine… You obviously won’t leave us alone until I get rid of you…”

Philippe nodded again.

Her Disk activated.

“So game on!”

Philippe’s own Disk activated.

(Yumi: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Philippe: 8,000)

Philippe lifted his finger, and then drew a card.

“Want to go first, huh?” said Yumi. “Fine, go ahead…”

Philippe placed three cards on his Disk, and a facedown Monster and two facedown cards appeared.

He nodded.

“Guess that means your done,” said Yumi, making a draw.

“I summon… Magician’s Valkyria!”

She played a card, and the brunette female mage appeared. (1,600/1,800)

Boy, this guy has a pretty serious game face, she thought. Attacking may be a bad idea…

Aw, heck with it…

“Valkyria, attack!”

Magician’s Valkyria shot a blast of light towards the facedown Monster…

Shining Angel appeared on the card, and was blown to pieces.

Then Philippe gestured, and one of his facedown cards lifted.

“Aw, crap!” shouted Ren. “That’s Michizure!”

The ground cracked, and a huge crevasse tore open. Valkyria screamed and plummeted into the pit.

“You’re gonna pay for that…” said Yumi.

Then a flash of light appeared on the field, and a new Monster materialized where Shining Angel had been. It looked like a child, wearing a blue sea captain’s jacket, a helmet with a bladed crest, and holding a sword that looked too big for him to use. (1,000/1,000)

“Crap… again…” said Ren.

“Who is that?” asked Chelsea.

“Silent Swordsman LV3…” said Ren. “Figures, in a strange way.”

Yumi started to sweat. She knew how these Warriors worked…

She took a card from her hand, and fit it in her Disk. A facedown card appeared.

“That’s all I can do,” she said.

Philippe drew a card.

Silent Swordsman glowed with energy, and started to change. In a flash of light, he turned into an adult version of himself, holding an even larger sword. (2,300/1,000)

“I assume he went up a Level?” asked Chelsea.

“Two levels, actually” said Ren. “And if that facedown card can’t stop a direct attack, Yumi is in very big trouble.”

Then Philippe’s other facedown card lifted up, and a Dust Tornado ripped across the field. Yumi’s Mirror Force was blown to pieces.

“No…” gasped Ren.

Philippe pointed, and Silent Swordsman slammed his sword into Yumi, knocking her over.

(Y: 5,700) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 8,000)

“So now what?” asked Chelsea.

“On Philippe’s next turn, he can trade him in for Silent Swordsman LV7,” said Ren. “And if he’s on the field, neither player can use Spell Cards.

“And it’s going to be even harder for Yumi, because the Level Five version is already immune to Spell Cards.”

“Yumi…” muttered Chelsea.

As Yumi got up, Philippe placed three of his cards into his Disk, and three facedown cards appeared.

He nodded.

Okay, thought Yumi, drawing a card. His facedown cards are definitely NOT bluffs! But I have to try to do something, or that Swordsman will be nearly unstoppable!

“I play… Pot of Greed!” she said.

She played the card, and made two draws.

Here goes nothing… she thought.

“I summon Kycoo the Ghost Destroyer,” she said.

In a dark shadow, the bald monk appeared, clutching his beads. (1,800/700)

“Now I play… Rush Recklessly!”

She played the card, but as she did, Philippe gestured, and one of his three facedown cards activated.

“Ah, no!” shouted Sam. “That’s Dark Bribe! A powerful Counter Trap… I should know…”

The Rush Recklessly card burst into pixels. Yumi frowned, and drew a card.

She looked at it.

“All right, buddy…” she growled. “I have to end my turn…”

Philippe drew. Then he gestured, and Silent Swordsman glowed again…

In a burst of light, he transformed into a far more radiant form, with a flowing cloak and a sword that was as long as he was tall. (2,800/1,000)

Then Philippe gestured, and another of his facedown cards lifted. The Jar of Greed appeared on the field, and he drew once.

Then he played a card, and Marauding Captain appeared on the field. (1,200/400)

“More bad news,” said Ren. “Now Yumi can’t even attack the big guy.”

Philippe pointed, and Silent Swordsman slashed with his blade, cutting Kycoo down.

Then Marauding Captain’s sword slammed into Yumi, and she staggered backwards.

(Y: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 8,000)

Philippe nodded again.

“Well,” said Erik, “at least he can’t use Spells either.”

“Hello! Anybody home?” asked Sam, knocking on his head. “He’s playing a Silent Swordsman deck! He likely hardly has any Spells in it at all! He probably makes up for that handicap with an arsenal of Trap Cards!”

Yumi nervously drew a card.

She placed the card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

“Go ahead…” she muttered.

Philippe drew a card.

He placed it in his Disk, and another facedown card appeared next to the first one.

Then he pointed again, and Silent Swordsman charged at the facedown card.

Old Vindictive Magician appeared on the card.

“All right!” shouted Chelsea.

Then Philippe waved, and the facedown card that was already on the field lifted.

“Divine Wrath?” she shouted. “Man, this guy has something for everything!”

Philippe discarded one of his cards. As Silent Swordsman’s blade struck, there was a crash of thunder. Lightning fell from the heavens, and Old Vindictive Magician was obliterated.

Then Marauding Captain slashed at Yumi again, and she fell on her behind.

(Y: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 8,000)

“Yumi’s in big trouble, guys!” shouted Chelsea.

“I’d say she passed ‘big trouble’ two rounds ago,” said Sam. “Her Spells are shut down, she’s lost Old Vindictive Magician and Mirror Force, her Life Points are nearly down to 2,000 while his aren’t even touched.

“Frankly, it’s gonna take a miracle.”

Yumi started to sweat hard…

I’m beginning to see how he took down one of Joan’s best duelists, she thought. I haven’t been in a bind like this in a very long time…

She looked at the cards in her hand.

She closed her eyes as she made a draw.

As she looked at what she drew, Philippe gestured, and his other Trap Card lifted.

“Huh?” said Yumi. “The Transmigration Prophesy?”

“What does that do?” asked Erik.

“It lets Philippe add two cards from either Graveyard to the owner’s deck,” said Sam. “Useful in many ways.”

Yumi’s eyes narrowed.

Michizure and Dust Tornado slipped out of Philippe’s discard slot. He combined them with his deck, and reshuffled.

So, he just wanted to recycle his Trap Cards, thought Yumi. Thank goodness… He’d have beaten me if he had chosen another option…

“I throw one card facedown, and summon a second Magician’s Valkyria,” she said.

A facedown card appeared, and a twin of the first Valkyria appeared. (1,600/1,800)

“Attack his Marauding Captain!” she shouted. “Magic illusion!”

Valkyria cast her spell, and the Captain was blown to shards. Philippe frowned.

(Y: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 7,600)

“I end my turn…” said Yumi, with a slight smirk.

Philippe made a draw. He pointed, and Silent Swordsman lifted his sword.

“Not so fast!” shouted Yumi. “I activate… Call of the Haunted!”

Her facedown card lifted, and in a burst of energy, the first Valkyria appeared on the field next to the other one. (1,600/1,800)

“Gotcha!” said Yumi. “When Valkyria is on the field, you can’t attack any Spellcasters except her. I have two of them, and they’re both Spellcasters!

“That means you can’t attack me at all. So what are you gonna do?”

Philippe frowned. He placed the card he had drawn into his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

He nodded.

Yumi drew a card.

“I summon… Breaker the Magical Warrior!”

She played the card, and the red-robed mage appeared, holding his sword and shield. (1,600/1,000) –> (1,900/1,000)

“Breaker, wipe out his facedown card.”

Breaker’s shield glowed, and the Mirror Force on Philippe’s side of the field was blown to shards.

“Well, Yumi’s on the right track,” said Sam. “But she still doesn’t have anyone on the field who can actually beat that Swordsman.”

“Give her time,” said Ren. “If there’s one thing I know about Yumi, she can often find a solution where most folks would find nothing.”

“Maybe,” said Sam. “But with all his Trap Cards, he likely has three Dust Tornadoes in his deck. And he sent his first one back there. Yumi has to find a solution before he draws even one.”

Philippe drew a card. He looked at it.

He placed it on his Disk, and a defensive Monster appeared. He nodded again.

“All right watch out!” shouted Yumi, drawing a card.

She added it to her hand.

“First, I throw a card of my own facedown.”

A facedown card appeared behind her three Spellcasters.

“Then, I sacrifice Breaker and one Valkyria…”

Breaker and one of the two Valkyria (the one that had been summoned with Call of the Haunted) vanished into grains of light…

“To call forth Dark Magician of Chaos!”

In a burst of dark energy, the mighty chaos mage appeared on Yumi’s side of the field. (2,800/2,600)

“All right!” shouted Chelsea. “But… But wait, wait… His Attack Score is equal to Silent Swordsman’s…”

“And that’s good enough for me!” said Yumi. “But first, due to his effect, I get a Spell Card back from my Graveyard.”

Pot of Greed slipped out of her discard slot, and she took it.

“Dark Magician of Chaos… Attack the Silent Swordsman!”

The Spellcaster lifted his scepter and flew towards the Warrior. Silent Swordsman lifted his sword and charged to meet him…

Yumi’s friends all cringed as an explosion lit up the whole docks, eradicating both Monsters.

“It was a draw!” shouted Ren.

“But guess what?” said Erik. “Since Dark Magician of Chaos destroyed Silent Swordsman in battle, both Monsters were removed from play!”

“I’m not done,” said Yumi. “Valkyria, attack his facedown Monster!”

Valkyria cast her Magic Illusion at the facedown card. A withered, yellow mask appeared on the card, and was blown to pieces.

“Mask of Darkness,” said Sam. “Figures. Now he gets one of his Trap Cards back.”

A card slipped out of Philippe’s discard slot, and he took it.

“Next up,” said Yumi, “Now that I can use Spell Cards again, I play Pot of Greed.”

She played the card, and the jar appeared. She made two draws.

“And I’ll use one of them right now… Monster Reborn!”

She played the card, and the Magician’s Valkyria that she had just sacrificed appeared next to the other one. (1,600/1,800)

“All right!” shouted Ren. “Go, Yumi!”

“I end my turn,” said Yumi.

Philippe quickly drew.

Then he threw a card into his Disk.

“Uh oh,” said Sam. “That’s Level Modulation. Seems he does have a few Spell Cards after all. Yumi gets to draw twice, but he gets to bring back one of his Leveled Monsters.”

Yumi made two draws. In a flash of light, Silent Swordsman LV5 appeared again. (2,300/1,000)

Philippe placed his last two cards in his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared behind Silent Swordsman.

He nodded again.

Yumi drew, and looked at the field.

My facedown card is my own Dust Tornado, she thought. One of his is clearly Mirror Force, which he obviously got back using Mask of Darkness. He wants to clear my side so he can attack and finish me.

Okay… So it’s a fifty-fifty chance…

Her facedown card lifted up, and the Dust Tornado tore across the field. One of Philippe’s cards lifted up and shattered. Yumi was relieved to see that it was indeed Mirror Force.

“I sacrifice one Valkyria to summon Dark Magician Girl,” she said.

The Valkyria on the left vanished. In a flurry of hearts, Dark Magician Girl appeared with a pirouette. (2,000/1,700)

“Next,” she said, “I play Sage’s Stone. Dark Magician, you’re on!”

In an explosion of energy, the powerful sorcerer appeared. Dark Magician Girl smiled sweetly. (2,500/2,100)

“Dark Magician… Dark magic attack!”

Dark Magician cast his powerful spell, and Silent Swordsman was blown to pieces.

“Dark Magician Girl… Valkyria… Attack directly!”

The two female mages leapt up, and clashed their scepters together. A powerful blast of magic shot towards Philippe, knocking the mime on his back.

“Yeah!” shouted Ren.

“Clobber that clown!” shouted Chelsea.

“I play a facedown, and end my turn,” said Yumi.

A new facedown card appeared on her side of the field.

(Y: 2,300) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,800)

For the first time, Philippe actually looked angry. He made a draw.

He played it right away, and the Pot of Avarice appeared in front of him. He took Mask of Darkness, Silent Swordsman LV3, Silent Swordsman LV5, Shining Angel, and Marauding Captain from his Graveyard, shuffled them into his deck, and then drew twice.

“Talk about a lucky draw,” said Erik.

Philippe looked at the two cards for a minute.

Then he gestured, and his last facedown card lifted. Purple smoke drifted out of it…

A frightening creature slithered out of the card. From the waist down, it was a large serpent. From the waist up, it was semi-humanoid. It had two heads, one human-like, and one that was a snake. It clutched a sharp kopesh in one hand and a decorated shield in another. (1,600/1,800)

“Embodiment of Apophis?” said Ren. “What’s he up to?”

Philippe gestured, and the Reptile vanished into grains of light.

“Looks like he’s gonna sacrifice it,” said Chelsea.

In a flash of light, Silent Swordsman LV5 appeared again, brandishing his sword. (2,300/1,000)

“I should have known you had another one,” said Yumi. “Well, I’ll just destroy him again.”

Philippe smirked. He played the other card.

“Oh no!” shouted Sam. “That’s Level Up!”

In an explosion of energy, Silent Swordsman was transformed into his Level Seven form. He glared at Yumi with brilliant, blue eyes. (2,800/1,000)

“Not again…” said Ren.

Philippe pointed, and Silent Swordsman made a slash with his blade. Magician’s Valkyria screamed and toppled over before shattering. Yumi cringed.

(Y: 1,100) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 3,800)

“I don’t get it,” said Chelsea. “You said that the Level Five form was immune to Spell Cards. How could he have used Level Up! on him?”

“Level Up! doesn’t ‘affect’ a Monster per se,” said Sam. “The Monster on the field is sent to the Graveyard as a cost. Thus, you can indeed summon the Level Seven version using Level Up!”

And I’m in big trouble, thought Yumi, looking at the cards in her hand. I’ve only got one Monster in my deck that can deal with this… And I have to draw her NOW.

She quickly drew a card. She closed her eyes.

She looked at it.

“All right!” she shouted.

“I sacrifice both my Monsters…”

Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl vanished into grains of light.

“…to summon… Cosmo Queen!”

In a burst of energy, the mighty ruler of the galaxy appeared, her eyes glowing with eldritch light. (2,900/2,450)

A look of fear appeared on the mime’s face.

“Cosmo Queen…” said Yumi, “prepare to attack. Cosmic nova!”

Cosmo Queen gestured with her palms, and a ball of dark, cosmic energy formed in them.

“While she’s doing that,” said Yumi, “my Trap Card activates… Magician’s Circle!”

Her facedown card lifted.

“Now, each player must Special Summon in Attack Mode, a Spellcaster that has 2,000 Attack Points or less. And I choose Gemini Elf!”

In a burst of energy, the two elf sisters appeared. (1,900/900)

Philippe frowned again. He gestured, and Magician of Faith appeared on his side of the field. (300/400)

Cosmo Queen blasted her cosmic nova, and Silent Swordsman was blown to bits.

“Gemini Elf, attack!” shouted Yumi.

The two elves cast their lightning bolts, and Magician of Faith was incinerated.

“And finally,” said Yumi, throwing a card into her Disk, “I play Magical Dimension! I’ll sacrifice Gemini Elf, to summon Chaos Command Magician to the field.”

The two elves vanished. The powerful mage in his glossy, black robe and hat appeared. (2,400/1,900)

“Attack him directly and finish this! Chaos magic!”

Chaos Command Magician cast a blast of multicolored energy, and Philippe toppled over. He fell on his face with a splat.

(Y: 1,100) - - - - - - - - - - (P: 0)

“All right!” shouted Ren.

He and the others ran up to Yumi.

“I never doubted you for a minute, Yumi…”

Chelsea hit him in the back of the head.

“Well, uh…” he said. “Maybe I had a few teeny-tiny doubts for a while, but…”

Yumi looked at the mime, as he slowly vanished into grains of light.

“Enough clowning around,” she said. “Let’s find this boat before Daala sends anything else after us…”

* * * * * * * * * *

“So what are we looking for again?” asked Erik.

“Remember?” said Yumi. “A boat with a figurehead shaped like Joan…”

She looked up.

“There!”

The boat moored at the dock in front of them did indeed have a figurehead shaped like Joan, but they didn’t like the look of the ship. It was apparently an old fishing vessel made of wood, and was in a desperate need of a paint job, with a great deal of wear on the hull. The sails were still intact, but looked like they might not stay that way for long.

“Good lord…” muttered Sam. “We’d be better off on the Merrimac!”

“She doesn’t look like much,” said someone from up above, “but she’s got plenty of wind in her sails.”

They looked up.

Standing at the bow was a muscular youth, with spiky, black hair held back with a blue bandana. A long scar was on the left side of his face. He wasn’t wearing much – only a pair of blue shorts with a work belt and a Duel Disk.

Yumi noticed that a white feather – clearly one of Joan’s – was stuck in his bandana.

“Mako Tsunami?” said Ren, in surprise.

“That’s me,” said the youth. “Or rather, a virtual imitation. I’m Joan’s primary transport for the Sea of Infinite Tears.

“And don’t you folks worry about traveling across the place in The Sea Angel, she’s much sturdier than she looks. I’ve taken her across this Realm more times than I care to count.

“I just wish that at least once I could come back to Rye with the passengers I took across it…”

“We’ll take down the Realm Lord this time,” said Chelsea.

“I hope so,” said Mako, as the gangplank lowered. “I’d take him down myself, but Joan won’t allow it. She’s afraid that if I lose, she’d lose her most reliable means of transport across this accursed sea.

“Now, I’d love to chat some more, but I’d like to get going. Large groups tend to attract a lot of attention.

“With good weather, we’ll be there by two…

“Although, I must admit, good weather in this Realm is incredibly rare…”

* * * * * * * * * *

CROSS CHANGE (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: Elemental Hero Avian and Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin standing side-by-side with their arms crossed.

Card Description: Select and activate one of the following effects.

* Return one “Elemental Hero” Monster on your side of the field to your deck. Special Summon from your deck one “Neo-Spacian” Monster that is the same Level as the Monster that you returned to your deck.

* Return one “Neo-Spacian” Monster on your side of the field back to your deck. Special Summon from your deck one “Elemental Hero” Monster that is the same Level as the Monster that you returned to your deck.

Note: “Cross Change” was first used by Jaden in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Return of the Sacred Beasts”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



TAG REQUEST (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: Elemental Hero Clayman inside a wrestling ring, while Elemental Hero Bubbleman waits outside the ring.

Card Description: Select one face-up Monster on your side of the field. Special Summon an “Elemental Hero” Monster from your hand that has the same ATK as the selected Monster.

Note: “Tag Request” was first used by Jaden in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Unleash the Dragon! (Part One)”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



E N SHUFFLE (Spell Card)

Normal Spell

Image: Elemental Hero Avian striking a heroic pose as Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin flies up behind him.

Card Description: Return one “Elemental Hero” Monster on your side of the field to your deck. Special Summon one “Neo-Spacian” Monster from your deck. The Monster that is Special Summoned by this card cannot use its effect.

Note: “E N Shuffle” was first used by Jaden in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Unleash the Dragon! (Part Two)”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



Coming up next:

Yumi and her friends had better take their Dramamine, because they will soon find that the Sea of Infinite Tears holds far more hazards than the Tzimisce did. Next chapter, another villain from the past challenges Sam with a deck that holds a beast with great power.

Don’t miss “Lost Parts”, coming soon.



Name that Card!

This Warrior is known for its incredible defensive properties. Despite this, it is shown being destroyed on the artwork of two Spell Cards. Can you name it?