Yu Gi Oh! Dark Messiah [Archive] - Page 4

Dark Sage

22nd November 2006, 06:23 PM

I still remember quite clearly the horrible day when my brother, someone I thought of as family and a kindred spirit, was exposed as a cheater. I remember how he was expelled, and how I spoke to him for what I thought would be the last time.

I said that I wouldn’t consider him my brother anymore, and that for as far as I was concerned, he was dead. His breaking the rules in order to succeed at the Academy was like betrayal.

It hurt me even more when he came back, only under two months ago, looking for revenge, holding a Seal of Orichalcos card. He challenged our chancellor to duel, and she humiliated him, making the duel end in a draw on purpose – even though she could have won – to prove that she could defeat the Orichalcos. The duel technically ended in a draw, but for all intents and purposes, Patrick was clearly the loser. And if his boss hadn’t taken a hostage, the crisis would have ended before it started.

Maybe this is why Critias came to me in the first place…

I want nothing more than for this black mark on my family to leave and never come back.

Which leads me to my current situation.

If I win this duel, he’ll trouble me no more… But if I lose, my role in this conflict will likely be over…

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh-dr1-en103.jpg

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 7:05 PM

Trisha and Russell sorted through the huge pile of Monster Cards with yellow borders that indicated no effects.

“Kojikocy…” muttered Trisha, looking at a pile, “Gyakutenno Megami, Terra the Terrible, Dark Titan of Terror, Master and Expert, Destroyer Golem, Pale Beast…”

“Something’s familiar about those cards…” muttered Russell.

Trisha paused.

“Hmmm…” she said.

She sighed.

“How many important rooms can he even have in this building?” she asked.

“I don’t think some of them lead to places in this building,” said Jason, who was looking at the Interdimensional Matter Transporters. “From what I can tell, these things can lead to places farther away…

“Maybe alternate worlds, alternate dimensions…

“So using a random card is just too dangerous. The place you end up might be a place where humans can’t even survive. Maybe a world of fire…”

They shuddered…

Trisha sighed and took out her deck.

She leafed through it and found Nanobreaker. She looked at the card.

When a man’s an empty kettle,
He should be on his mettle,
And yet I’m torn apart…
Just because I’m assumin’
That I might be kinda human
If I only had a heart…

For some reason, that old song from the old movie had been running through her head for awhile. The Tin Woodsman had sought a heart, desiring emotion and feeling, not realizing until the end of the movie that he had possessed those qualities all along.

Her family had always been good with machines, and the duelists in her family had always used them. But no member of her family had ever been crazy enough to think that machines were anything but devices. Non-sentient tools. She had been the same way…

…until this Monster had introduced her to Critias.

It seemed that even Machine Monsters had Duel Spirits attached to them…

She wondered, as she looked at her cards, with Nanobreaker in the forefront…

Did these creatures have souls?

Souls of silicon, perhaps…

…but souls nonetheless.

And then they were startled as one of the Transporters started to hum…

Trisha and Russell got up.

“Stand back everyone…” said Jason. “There’s no telling what’s coming out of that thing… It could be another of the Puppeteer’s specters for all we know…”

“Or some sort of demon…” said Russell. “Or a hostile Duel Spirit…”

A form materialized.

“Or something much, much worse…” muttered Trisha, as they saw who it was.

Patrick stepped off the pedestal, ignoring Jason entirely.

“Hello, sis,” he said. “I see you’ve made a lot of progress.”

“Drop dead…” she said, through her teeth.

“What?” asked Patrick. “Nothing kind to say to your big brother?”

“Patrick, you have a lot of nerve,” started Jason.

“Butt out, Jason,” said Patrick. “You think you’re so big. ‘Oh, I’m the Dark Messiah! I’m all powerful!’ Don’t make me laugh. You’re small potatoes compared to who I’m working for.”

He smirked at him.

“Why are you called the Dark Messiah, anyway?” he asked. “Don’t you work for the powers of Light?”

Jason stared at him for a minute.

Actually, that was a valid question, and he didn’t know the answer.

He changed the subject.

“You want to see how powerful I am?” he asked. “What if I were to smite you with a bolt of lightning?”

Patrick stepped back nervously.

“He’ll do it, bro…” said Trisha with a grin.

She knew Jason was bluffing, but a little fear never hurt. At least she was pretty sure he was bluffing…

“I don’t want to mess with you, Jason,” said Patrick. “I want an honorable duel… One with my sister.”

Trisha shut her eyes tight, half in frustration, half in anger.

“Trisha!” said Jason. “You have nothing you have to prove. And as for honor, this guy has none of it. I see his soul, and it’s rotten to the core. No love for you exists in him any more, if any ever did in the first place.”

Trisha stepped up to Patrick.

“What do I have to do…” she asked, “to get you out of my life forever?”

Patrick held his chin for a second.

“Okay, how about we make a wager?” he said.

“A wager?” she asked.

“We duel, fairly,” said Patrick. “I don’t use any Seal, you don’t use any Legendary Dragon. If you win, I’ll go out of your life, and you’ll never see me again…

“But if I win…

“You have to come with me to meet the Master, without your two friends…”

“Trisha…” said Jason.

“Don’t worry, Jason,” said Trisha. “His deck doesn’t have anything I haven’t seen before. And I’m not scared of that Mechanical Exodia either.”

Poor, poor, deluded Trisha, thought Patrick. I never saw the cards in my new deck before today, and I guarantee, you haven’t either. You have no idea what you’re up against.

“All right, Patrick,” said Trisha, shuffling her deck. “I’ll duel you, and then you’ll be on the next train out of Dodge.”

Patrick placed his own in his deck in his Disk and it activated.

“Then prepare to face the Royal Army of the Machine King!” he exclaimed.

Royal Army of the Machine King? thought Trisha, as she activated her own. That’s a… new one…

* * * * * * * * * *

Fortunado watched the unfolding scene with interest.

”So…” said the voice of his benefactor. ”How much did those fourteen cards that you gave him cost?”

“All together, around fifteen-hundred euros,” replied Fortunado. “And they were hard to get. I had to send people to over ten shops on the continent to find them all. I believe only two professional duelists, one from England and one from France has actually collected enough of the cards to put together a deck like this. But it will be all be worth it if our pawn can take Trisha down.”

”Indeed,” said the voice. ”If he can, Trisha will learn that making that wager was her last mistake. She’ll face her final duel alone, in the darkness, without her allies. She’ll be easy to dispose of.”

“Well, for now let’s watch…” said Fortunado.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Ready?” asked Patrick.

“Oh yeah…” replied Trisha.

(Trisha: 8,000) (Patrick: 8,000)

“Game start…” said Trisha.

“I’ll win this duel…” said Patrick, drawing a sixth card, “because Chosen One or no Chosen One, you’ll always be the baby of the family!”

He placed two cards on his Disk, and a facedown Monster and a facedown card appeared.

“Heh, heh…” he said. “Your move…”

“Fine,” said Trisha, drawing a card.

She added it to her hand.

“And I’m starting out with my favorite Monster…” she said, playing a card. “Nanobreaker in Attack Mode!”

Her Machine look-alike appeared in front of her, brandishing her sword. (1,600/1,800)

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“Attack his facedown Monster!” she shouted. “Nano-blade!”

Nanobreaker flew forward. Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive appeared on the card, and with one slash of the sword, it was reduced to scrap.

“I don’t think I need to tell you what happens when Dekoichi is flipped,” said Patrick, drawing a card.

“Now, before you end your turn, I’ll activate my Trap Card…”

His facedown card lifted.

With a rumbling noise, a huge machine rose up behind him. It looked like a cross between a dish antenna and a laser gun, mounted on a pedestal on tank treads. It whirred, and pointed at Trisha.

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“Wh… what’s that?” she asked.

“It’s a Continuous Trap called Cyber Summon Blaster,” said Patrick, “and it’s got you in its crosshairs. Here’s the skinny. Each time either one of us Special Summons a Machine-Type Monster, you get zapped. And it costs you 300 Life Points with each shot.”

I was wrong… thought Trisha. He DOES have something I’ve never seen before…

“Good lord…” muttered Russell. “They’re both using Machines! It’ll fire every time anything is Special Summoned!”

“I think that was the whole point…” replied Jason.

“Now I’ll draw…” said Patrick.

He drew a card.

“And it’s time for my army to start its offensive,” he said.

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I summon Machiner’s Soldier in Attack Mode,” he said.

In a beam of light, a tall robot appeared. It was green and silver, shaped like a marine in a flackjacket and helmet, with one glaring eye. Its right arm ended in a nasty blade. (1,600/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh_pp9_jp004.jpg

“Huh?” asked Trisha. “A… Machiner?”

“It may not look very impressive,” said Patrick, “but when it’s summoned when I have no other Monsters on my side of the field, I get to Special Summon another low-level Machiner from my hand, except for another Soldier. And I think that Machiner’s Sniper will do.”

He placed another card on his Disk, and another robot appeared. This one was taller and thinner, and colored beige. It held a large rifle in its right arm. (1,800/800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh_pp9_jp005.jpg

“And let’s not forget about my Cyber Summon Blaster,” he added. “Fire!”

The Cyber Summon Blaster glowed, and then shot a beam of energy, striking Trisha in the chest!

“And wait until you hear about Sniper’s effect,” continued Patrick. “When it’s on the field, you aren’t allowed to attack any Machiners, except for Snipers.

“Not that you could. Machiner’s Sniper, attack the Nanobreaker with sniper-shot!”

The Machiner aimed its rifle and fired ten rounds of hot shells. Nanobreaker gave a cry as she was hit in the chest; she fell over, and shattered into pixels.

“Machiner’s Soldier, attack directly! Bayonet blade!”

The Soldier flew forward and slashed at Trisha with its blade arm. She shrieked and fell on her behind.

(T: 5,900) (P: 8,000)

Patrick grinned.

“Your move…” he said.

Jason was already worried at seeing Trisha lose so many Life Points in one round. But as she drew her next card, something caught his eye that made him worry even more…

…the shadows were rising…

“Patrick, you big jerk!” he shouted. “You would lure your own sister into a Shadow Game?”

“And what if I did?” he asked. “She should be able to take it by now.”

“I’ve seen some sleazy characters since this whole deal started, Patrick,” said Jason, “but you’re in a class of your own.”

“Thank you!” he replied. “I do like to be unique.”

Trisha was surprised at the card she had drawn. She had put this Spell Card in her deck at the start of the school year, but up until now, it had always seemed to hit the bottom of her deck.

She shook her head as she added it to her hand. It was powerful, but she couldn’t use it right now. Hopefully, its power would be unleashed later.

“Ahem,” she said, choosing three other cards. “I’ll place two cards facedown, and one Battle Footballer in Defense Mode.”

She played three cards. Two facedown cards appeared, and the android athlete materialized, crouching in Defense. (1,000/2,100)

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“Try getting past that!” she dared.

“I can try…” said Patrick, drawing.

He looked at the Trap Card.

Hmm, he thought. Rising Energy. This could be useful…

He fit it into his Disk.

“I place one card facedown…” he said.

The card appeared facedown.

“Then I’ll play… Rush Recklessly.”

He played another card, and Machiner’s Soldier rose to an Attack of 2,300.

“Soldier, send her Footballer to the showers!” he ordered.

Machiner’s Soldier flew forward, and with one downward swipe, Battle Footballer exploded.

“Sniper, show her how Nanobreaker felt!”

Sniper raised its rifle and pumped ten rounds into Trisha’s chest. She screamed and fell over.

(T: 4,100) (P: 8,000)

Trisha slowly got up.

Swords I can handle… she thought. Claws and teeth I can handle. Destructive magical spells, energy blasts, and being slugged by bludgeons I can handle. But being filled full of lead?

I’m going to be feeling that in the morning…

She looked out to the street, where the inky blackness of Jason’s Yami Spell was still shrouding the city with darkness.

That is, if there is another morning…

As she got up, Patrick placed a card on his Disk.

“I’ll place a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn…” he said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

“Huh?” asked Russell. “Why Defense Mode? If he had summoned something in Attack Mode, he could have attacked her twice.”

“Clearly, that Monster he just set has a flip-effect,” said Jason. “But exactly what… I have no idea.

“I don’t think it’s another Dekoichi…”

Trisha drew a card.

“Okay, bro…” she said. “I play Pot of Greed…”

She played the card, and the chuckling jar appeared. She drew twice.

She looked at one of the two cards.

It was the card that the Sage of Duelists had given to her!

Continued…

Dark Sage

22nd November 2006, 06:48 PM

Continued from last post:

“Patrick!” she shouted. “A question…”

“Yes?” he asked.

“What Attribute of Monster are these Machiners?” she asked.

“Why?” he asked with a laugh. “Planning to use your Elemental Blight card that you’re so fond of?”

“Answer the question…” she demanded.

“They’re Earth Monsters,” he said. “Happy?”

No harm in her knowing, he thought. I put Rising Energy in my deck because I knew she had that Trap. And I have it facedown right now. If she uses it to decrease the Attack of my Sniper by 1,500, I only need to discard one card from my hand, and its Attack will increase by 1,500, back to its original level.

And with the Monster I’m ultimately preparing to summon, losing 1,500 Attack Points won’t make much of a difference.

Trisha added the card to her hand, and took the other one.

“I summon Bokoichi the Freightening Car in Defense Mode,” she said.

Bokoichi appeared, shielding itself. (500/500)

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“And next…” she continued, “I play Machine Duplication, to bring two more to the field.”

She played a Spell Card, and two more Bokoichis appeared.

“You make this too easy!” laughed Patrick, as the Cyber Summon Blaster started to glow. “That means my Blaster gets to fire twice!”

It fired two more times, and Trisha screamed again.

(T: 3,500) (P: 8,000)

She stopped to catch her breath.

“Your move…” she growled.

* * * * * * * * * *

Fortunado watched, rubbing his chin.

”It goes against my better judgment,” said the voice of his benefactor, ”but I must admit, I’m impressed. Having him add that Trap to his deck was a stroke of genius.”

“Oh, I can’t take credit for that one,” said Fortunado. “It was his own idea. All cheating aside, he’s a pretty good duelist.”

”Indeed,” said the voice. ”One can’t win a duel by Normal Summoning alone. Special Summoning makes up half of every duelist’s strategy. But every time that happens, Trisha will get hurt, and her life will ebb away slowly but surely.

“This will finally tip the odds in our favor…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Patrick drew a card.

“You see, Trisha?” he said. “I don’t need to cheat to win! I don’t need the Orichalcos or counterfeit cards or trick shuffling! My own skill as a duelist can still far outshine that of even the elite ones at your miserable school.

“And I can surely beat you. You’ll always be my little sister…”

He looked at the card he had drawn.

He looked at Trisha with an evil expression.

“I’m guessing you got what you wanted…” she said.

“Indeed…” said Patrick. “But to summon it, I need to do a few things first….

“I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode. Meet… Machiner’s Defender.”

The card flipped up, and another robot appeared. This one was a bulky tank with a grim face and two rocket launchers on its “shoulders”. (1,200/1,800)

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Patrick took his deck out of the holder.

“And its flip-effect lets me search my deck for a specific Monster and add it to my hand.”

He got what he needed, and then reshuffled.

“And I summon him now…” he continued. “Meet the supreme commander of the Royal Army of the Machine King!

“I summon… General Commander Covinton.”

He placed a card on his Disk.

In a flash, a small form appeared next to the Machiners…

It was another robot, about five feet tall, built to look like he was wearing beige riding pants, a military jacket, and a necktie. He wore a pointed helmet that concealed most of his face – only beady, green, glowing eyes were visible under it. (1,000/600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh_pp9_jp003.jpg

Russell stared for a minute.

“He’s the general?” he asked in disbelief. “Marauding Captain hasn’t made major yet, and he could beat that guy.”

“Be wary,” said Jason. “I sense that this Covinton has a powerful effect…”

“Indeed…” said Patrick. “Show them what you can do, General!”

General Commander Covinton produced a bugle, and started to play a rousing tune…

“Reveille…” muttered Russell. “A call to arms…”

Then Machiner’s Soldier, Machiner’s Sniper, and Machiner’s Defender vanished.

“You see, Trisha…” said Patrick, “when Covinton is on the field, I can sacrifice the three lesser Machiners to summon my ultimate weapon!”

He placed a card on his Disk, and with a rumble, a huge Machine rose up behind him! It was a huge mecha, as big as Ancient Gear Golem, with armor, thick limbs, and a large rifle in its hands. On its back was a unit, out of which reached two mechanical limbs that held two giant missile launchers!

“Meet Machiner’s Force!” shouted Patrick.

(4,600/4,100)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh_pp9_jp007.jpg

“Forty-six hundred Attack Points?” shouted Trisha. “You gotta be kidding!”

She was interrupted as the Cyber Summon Blaster zapped her again.

“And this gets even worse, Trisha,” continued Patrick. “Did I mention that as well as being a towering, unstoppable juggernaut of death, Machiner’s Force has a nifty effect as well? I simply have to send one card on my side of the field to the grave to activate it, and since Covinton has served his purpose, I’ll use him…”

Covinton saluted, and then shattered into pixels.

“In return,” said Patrick, “I get to Special Summon Machiner’s Soldier, Machiner’s Sniper, and Machiner’s Defender right back from my Graveyard.”

The three Machiners reappeared in front of the enormous juggernaut!

“And that counts as three more Special Summons…” he said with an evil grin.

Trisha shrieked as the Blaster blasted her three more times.

(T: 2,300) (P: 8,000)

“Now to finish you!” shouted Patrick. “Soldier… Sniper… Defender… Destroy her toy train set!”

Soldier slashed with its blade, Sniper blasted its rifle, and Defender launched a barrage of missiles, and the three Freightening Cards were blown to bits.

“And now…” said Patrick.

“I activate Hyper Refresh!” screamed Trisha, as one of her facedown cards lifted. “It doubles my Life Points, to 4,600!”

“HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!” laughed Patrick. “A futile attempt! 4,600 is exactly how many Attack Points my Machiner’s Force has!

“Of course, this Monster does have one little downside. I have to pay 1,000 Life Points to order it to attack. But since this duel will be over once I do…

“Machiner’s Force, attack her directly with scud missile death barrage!”

Machiner’s Force started to glow.

“I activate Nutrient Z!” screamed Trisha.

Her other facedown card lifted, just as a volley of burning, flaming missiles flew forward, honing in on her.

She was thrown back ten feet, and her cards scattered all over the room.

Her Trap had activated successfully…

…but it hadn’t stopped a direct attack with more power behind it than Kaiba’s Ultimate Dragon…

* * * * * * * * * *

“Oh, for the love of…” groaned Fortunado. “He was so close! How lucky can these kids be?”

The reply was sinister laughter.

“Take heart, my friend,” said the voice. ”The Shadow Game makes such a mighty attack a tremendous shock to the duelist’s system, and to the very soul. Trisha has been knocked out cold.

“She may have Life Points left, but whether or not she can rise after that blow to her system… That is a much different question.

“Let’s find out, shall we?”

(T: 4,000) (P: 7,000)

“Trisha!” pleaded Jason. “Get up!”

“Oh, stand aside, Mr. Dork Messiah,” said Patrick. “I’ve won, and I want my side of the bargain to be honored.”

“Stay… away…” said Russell, angrily. “She activated Nutrient Z, so she gained 4,000 Life Points before that attack hit. This duel isn’t over.”

“Oh, please…” muttered Patrick.

“If you want to get a punch from something that isn’t a hologram,” said Russell, “then by all means, come closer.”

“Fine, have it your way,” said Patrick. “We’ll use Pro League rules.”

“Pro League rules?” asked Russell.

“Yes,” said Patrick, looking at his watch. “I’m ending my turn right now. That means she has one minute to start her turn. If she doesn’t, it counts as a forfeit.”

“You sleazy, slimy, piece of…” snarled Russell.

“You’re something else,” said Patrick, tapping his foot. “I’m only giving you sixty seconds to wake her up, and you’re spending them insulting me?”

“Sixty seconds?” yelled Jason.

“Well, actually, it’s more like forty-five now…” replied Patrick, looking at his watch again.

“Trisha…” begged Jason again. “Please get up…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Trisha looked around.

She remembered this place.

She was in the factory where she had been taken during her first Orichalcos duel, where Nanobreaker had introduced her to Critias.

Nanobreaker and Critias weren’t here now. Only the pounding of machinery in the strange factory of brass and silver remained.

Her eyes fell on a large golden chest.

She walked over to it. She knelt down, and slowly opened it…

A soft glow came from within…

* * * * * * * * * *

“Fifteen seconds…” said Patrick.

“No…” moaned Jason. “It can’t end like…”

Trisha’s eyes opened.

“…this?”

Trisha sat up.

She reached for her deck. Her hand fumbled…

And then she drew a card off her deck.

Slowly, she got up, stumbling once. She slowly picked up the cards she had dropped.

“I’m not… out of… this yet…” she muttered.

(T: 4,000) (P: 7,000)

“That’s what I get for being nice…” muttered Patrick. “You are tough. You got that from dad’s side. But as tough as you are, you’ll never withstand another blow. Nothing you could summon could stand up to my Machiners.

“Not unless you have the Winged Dragon of Ra in your deck.”

Trisha looked over her cards.

“I place one card facedown,” she said, fitting a card into her Disk, “and that will end my turn.”

A facedown card appeared.

“HA, HA, HA!” laughed Patrick, drawing a card. “And I’m supposed to believe that you drew Mirror Force just when you needed it?

“Well… I hardly need to summon a fifth Monster… But I want to humiliate you.”

He threw a card on his Disk.

“I summon Robotic Knight in Attack Mode.”

In a flash of light, a golden droid in the shape of a cavalier, holding a sword appeared. (1,600/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-051.jpg

“I activate my Trap Card!” shouted Trisha. “Courtesy of the Sage of Duelists! Go, Elemental Absorber!”

Her facedown card lifted.

“Here’s how it works, bro,” she said. “I remove from play one Monster in my hand. And for as long as this Continuous Trap is in effect, it negates the attacks of all of your Monsters who have the same Attribute as the one I’m removing.

“So it’s a good thing that the card I just drew was this one… Red Gadget, an Earth Monster!”

She held up the Monster Card, and it vanished. A dome-shaped carousel with four spires on the top appeared in front of her, and one of the spires glowed with tan light.

“All right!” shouted Russell. “She’s shielded herself from all those Machiners!”

Patrick frowned.

“The Machiners, yes,” he said. “But Robotic Knight is a Fire Monster.

“Go! Attack her directly!”

Robotic Knight flew forward, and slashed across Trisha’s torso with his blade.

“And it’s only a matter of time before I smash that barrier down, dear sister…” he said. “I end my turn…”

(T: 2,400) (P: 7,000)

Trisha drew a card.

“I play my Graceful Charity,” she exclaimed.

She played the card, and the angel appeared. She drew three cards.

She smirked. She discarded Soul Release and Advanced Robotics.

“Next, I summon Machine King Prototype,” she continued.

In a beam of light, Prototype appeared. (1,600/1,500) –> (2,100/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/soi-en012.jpg

“And now I play this Spell Card,” she continued. “It’s called Imperial Upgrade.”

She played the card. A Continuous Spell Card appeared, bearing the image of several Mighty Guards fixing Machine King with wielding torches.

“And what does that do?” asked Patrick.

“Nothing, yet,” answered Trisha. “You’ll just have to wait and see. Next, I’ll play Mystical Space Typhoon, to destroy…”

She paused.

“…your facedown card!”

She played the card, and the whirlwind tore forward. Rising Energy lifted…

“I chain-activate my Rising Energy!” he shouted, discarding his last card. “Now Machiner’s Sniper gains 1,500 Attack Points for this round!”

Sniper rose to 3,300 Attack.

“Oh, but it wasn’t my target…” said Trisha. “Your Robotic Knight was.

“Prototype, attack the Robotic Knight! Laser phaser!”

Prototype fired its eye beams, and Robotic Knight burst in a fiery explosion. Patrick shielded himself…

(T: 2,400) (P: 6,500)

“It’s your move, brother…” said Trisha.

Patrick angrily drew a card as Sniper returned to 1,800 Attack.

Hey… he thought.

“I’ll place this card facedown,” he said, “and that will be my turn.”

Trisha nervously looked at the facedown card.

She drew. She paused.

“Well then,” she said, “during my Standby Phase, the first effect of Imperial Upgrade activates. It lets me sacrifice Machine King Prototype to Special Summon the real Machine King from my deck.”

Prototype faded away, and was replaced by the full-grown Machine King. (2,200/2,000) –> (2,700/2,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/db2-en099.jpg

The Cyber Summon Blaster glowed. Trisha cringed as it zapped her once again.

“Oh, really?” said Patrick, as if nothing had happened. “Well, why don’t I activate this Trap Card…”

His facedown card lifted, showing the image of a group of peasants in front of two knights, one of whom was reading an edict.

Continued…

Dark Sage

22nd November 2006, 07:26 PM

Continued from last post:

“Royal Writ of Taxation,” he said. “It’s a mouthful. And it could be a handful. I’ll explain…

“According to the terms of this writ, we choose one card in your hand at random. Of course, you only have the one you just drew. You then have until the end of my next turn to Normal Summon it, if it’s a Monster, or activate it, if it’s a Spell or a Trap.

“If you can’t, you pay a tax of 1,000 Life Points. If you can, I pay the tax. Understand?”

“Yeah…” said Trisha, looking at it, “and that shouldn’t be hard…”

She showed him the card…

Premature Burial.

She played the card. Nanobreaker burst out of the ground. (1,600/1,800)

Patrick grunted as he was shocked by a burst of energy from the Trap Card.

“That still counts as a Special Summon!” he shouted.

The Blaster zapped Trisha yet again!

“I end my turn…” she muttered, gripping her chest.

(T: 1,000) (P: 5,500)

“Heh, heh…” chuckled Patrick. “I may have lost that gambit, Trisha, but I still came out ahead in the end. It cost you more Life Points than it did me…”

“He’s right…” muttered Russell. “Patrick may have lost 1,000 Life Points, but Trisha lost 1,100… 800 from playing Premature Burial, and 300 from the Blaster.”

“At least now she has another Monster on the field,” said Jason. “Machiner’s Force is still a threat, but slowly but surely, she’s chipping away at his Life Points.”

“Why did she end her turn without attacking?” asked Russell.

“I have a pretty good idea…” said Jason.

He looked at the field.

“I draw…” said Patrick.

He looked at the card…

“Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…” he chuckled, looking at it.

“I’ll place this card facedown, and that will do for now…” he said.

A facedown card appeared as he placed it in his Disk.

“A facedown card?” said Russell.

“Yeah…” muttered Jason. “And I’m afraid I can guess exactly what it is…

“Let’s just hope my suspicions are correct…”

“All right,” said Trisha, “here goes…”

She drew.

“And here goes my Trap Card!” shouted Patrick, as his facedown card flipped up. “Dust Tornado!”

The tornado blew across the field, and the Elemental Absorber was blown to pieces!

“So much for that,” he said with an evil grin. “Your shield is gone, and next round, I’ll attack with everything!”

“I don’t think so,” said Trisha, playing the card she had drawn. “I’ve got just enough Monsters in my Graveyard to play this… Pot of Avarice.”

The ridiculous, pink version of the Pot of Greed appeared in front of her. All three Bokoichis, Battle Footballer, and Machine King Prototype slipped out of her discard slot. She combined them with her deck, reshuffled, and drew twice.

“And I don’t need Elemental Absorber any more,” she said, looking at them. “In case you didn’t notice, my Imperial Upgrade hasn’t left the field. You see, this Standby Phase, I can sacrifice Machine King to Special Summon Perfect Machine King from my deck.”

Machine King vanished, and the even bigger robotic monarch appeared. (2,700/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/rds-en0121.jpg

The Cyber Summon Blaster shot its beam at her again.

“And that will be the final time…” she said, angrily. “Next, I’ll Normal Summon Mechanicalchaser.”

She played a card, and the blade-wielding machine hunter appeared. (1,850/800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/db2-en093.jpg

“I didn’t forget about your Sniper’s ability, Patrick,” she said. “I have to get rid of it in order to attack any other Machiner. So Mechanicalchaser, attack Machiner’s Sniper!”

Mechanicalchaser’s blades spun like a demented lawn mower, and it flew at Machiner’s Sniper. The robot dropped its rifle, sparked, and exploded in a burst of energy.

“Now Patrick…” she said. “A math problem. If Perfect Machine King gains 500 Attack Points for every Machine on the field other than himself, and there are now two other Machines on my side of the field and three on yours, what Monster is most likely going to be blown to Hell in a few seconds?”

Perfect Machine King glowed…

(5,200/1,500)

“Hey! Wait a minute!” shouted Patrick.

“Perfect Machine King…” ordered Trisha, “take down his Machiner’s Force! Mega missile assault!”

Perfect Machine King fired a barrage of missiles from his shoulders, and the larger robot staggered back. Explosions erupted all over Machiner’s Force’s armor… Finally, it collapsed, and burst into a flaming explosion of hot metal and slag.

“I’m not done!” yelled Trisha. “Nanobreaker, destroy Machiner’s Defender! Nano-blade!”

Nanobreaker leapt up, and cleaved her sword down the middle of the tank. A look of shock appeared on its face, and it exploded into flames.

CRUD! thought Patrick. Why the Hell didn’t I move it into Defense Mode?

(T: 700) (P: 4,450)

“I’ll place my last card facedown, and that will end my turn…” she said. “And now you’re in trouble. Only one Monster left, and no cards in your hand…”

She played her last card, and a facedown card appeared. Perfect Machine King fell to an Attack of 4,200.

Patrick slowly drew a card.

“Heh, heh…” he chuckled. “Ha, ha… HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!

“You almost turned it around Trisha, but now it ends…”

He showed her the card.

“I just drew Limiter Removal!”

“No…” muttered Russell.

“Once I play it,” continued Patrick, “Machiner’s Soldier will double in strength from 1,600 Attack Points to 3,200, and once he attacks Nanobreaker, you’ll lose 1,600 Life Points, which is 900 more than you have.

“Sorry it has to end like this, with me striking down your avatar… But you should have chosen a better one anyway. She’s a pretty useless Monster when you come to think of it, anyway…”

“Now wait just a minute!” snapped Trisha.

Nanobreaker looked pretty angry too.

“What?” asked Patrick. “So she automatically wins any battle she starts with a Monster who has three stars or less. Big deal. Useful against Injection Fairy Lily or Giant Soldier of Stone, I guess, but a Monster with 1,600 Attack Points could defeat ninety percent of low-level Monsters anyway.”

Tears started to form in Trisha’s eyes.

“Patrick, you…” she muttered.

“What?” asked Patrick. “You wanna know something Trisha? When I first came to work for Fortunado, he didn’t tell me to go after Dr. Artemis. He told me simply to choose a target.

“And she was not my first idea for a target! I wanted to take you down more. After what you said to me when I was expelled, I felt betrayed. I wanted revenge against you more.

“But I didn’t want to seem like some ogre who’d steal the soul of his own sister, so I reconsidered. I made a mistake. If I had, Critias may never have come.”

“Betrayal?” shouted Trisha. “What about how I felt?

“Patrick, when it was first suggested that you were cheating, I defended you. I stood behind you. I told anyone who would listen that no member of the Moise family would sink so low…

“And I repeatedly asked you to look me in the eye and tell me that all the accusations weren’t true.

“You did. You looked me in the eye and lied. When proof was released, I was the one who was betrayed. I had defended someone who didn’t deserve it.

“And now you’ve sunk to the ultimate low. Siding with the forces of darkness for an insane desire for revenge. Don’t you have any decency?

“If you don’t, you may as well play that card… I don’t want to live with you in my shadow any more…”

“Touching…” said Patrick with a smirk. “Utterly pathetic. I didn’t think you of all people would stoop to pleading with me, Trisha…”

He threw the card into his Disk.

“Guess you aren’t so tough after all… You’re soft!”

Machiner’s Soldier glowed with fire, and rose to 3,200 Attack Points.

“Attack the Nanobreaker!”

The Soldier flew at Nanobreaker…

Trisha grinned a wicked smile.

“That’s exactly what I wanted you to do… sucker…” she said.

Her facedown card lifted. It showed a group of colorful-dressed warriors floating in space.

“I activate my Zero Gravity Trap!” she said with a laugh. “This forces all Monsters on the field to switch Modes.”

Perfect Machine King, Nanobreaker, and Mechanicalchaser all crouched in Defense Mode. Then, Machiner’s Soldier backed away, and also crouched in Defense Mode.

Patrick gasped...

“You…” he muttered. “You were just playing with me… You were distracting me so that I’d forget about your facedown card!”

“Yeah, pretty much,” said Trisha, crossing her arms. “Did you actually think I’d try to plead and reason with you? I figured you were beyond redemption the minute you used the Seal against Dr. Artemis.

“You’re the one who’s soft, Patrick. Soft in the head, that is.

“And since that was your only card, you have to end your turn now, and since you played Limiter Removal, that means Machiner’s Soldier is destroyed.”

The Soldier burst into pixels.

Trisha smirked. She drew a card.

“Time to end this…” she said. “I move Perfect Machine King and Nanobreaker back into Attack Mode.”

The two Machines stood back up.

“Perfect Machine King, attack him directly!”

The Machine monarch fired its missiles, and Patrick screamed as they exploded around him.

“And finally,” she continued, “Nanobreaker wants a piece of you for calling her worthless…”

Nanobreaker leapt up, and slammed her sword into Patrick.

He fell over, and was out cold.

(T: 700) (P: 0)

“Game over… brother…” said Trisha with a grin.

Nanobreaker turned and looked at Trisha. She grinned before she and the two other Machines vanished.

Then the Interdimensional Matter Transporter behind Patrick hummed, and slowly, he vanished as well.

Jason came up to Trisha and hugged her.

“Easy…” she said. “I’m still a little tender…”

“We were worried…” said Jason. “You were knocked out for a while…”

“I know…” said Trisha. “I was in the place where I met Critias…”

She paused.

“There was a golden chest… I opened it… And it had the answer to his question inside.”

“What question?” asked Russell.

“About the title,” she replied. “Why Dark Messiah?”

She paused.

“We aren’t fighting for Light. We aren’t opposing Darkness. We’re trying to preserve them both.

“The world can’t survive if one is eradicated. It’s an old saying that if there was no darkness, we wouldn’t know light.

“The opposing forces in the Reckoning are the Divine and the Chaos. The outcome will decide what controls Light, Darkness, Dreams, and Shadow…

“We must ensure that Divine wins, or even the Light will be corrupted.

“So the title has two parts: ‘Dark’, meaning Darkness, and ‘Messiah’, a symbol of Light. No matter how opposed they are, we must save them both.”

Jason paused.

He took the two cards off the top of his deck.

They were Ryu-Kishin Powered and Blade Knight.

He nodded…

Then a pain ripped through his head.

“Ergh!” he groaned, holding his head.

“What!” exclaimed Russell.

“An Orichalcos duel…” he replied.

“One of our friends?” asked Trisha, in near panic.

Jason concentrated.

“Dr. Artemis…” he said. “She was forced into one… She’s in trouble right now…

“It’s her draw right now, but if something isn’t done…

“I fear it might be her last…”

* * * * * * * * * *

In the Master’s throne room, Cleo and Sebastian were on their knees. The Master stood in front of them.

”I didn’t expect to give anyone a chance like this,” she said. ”After all, you two have seen me in full light, and I normally do not share my looks with those who I don’t intend to devour…”

They shuddered.

”But you two know the deal,” she continued. ”One last chance, due to Cassius’s… generosity. And he’s counting on you most of all.”

They didn’t respond. They knew by now when to speak, and when to be silent.

The Master handed a deck to Cleo.

“I got your deck back,” she said, as she looked through them. “Good as new, with a couple of improvements I thought of myself.”

She handed another deck to Sebastian.

“I was able to retrieve yours too, and I made some adjustments to it, so that the two decks will work together. The Spirits may have left, but that is hardly needed.

“Now go… Your quarry awaits. And any time you think you can’t handle it, remember that Cassius is still trussed up and held prisoner inside me. He’s counting on you…”

They nodded.

They turned to leave…

The Master slumped in her chair.

I want this done with as soon as possible, she thought. This all went wrong…

By making Cassius choose, I had hoped to spawn several things in the one who had been left behind. Envy… wrath… hatred… I would have come out ahead whether they’d have won or lost.

Win, and I’d have a much better servant. Lose, and he or she would be better… seasoned when the time came for me to consume.

But instead…

She frowned.

Instead, Cassius chose compassion and mercy. Normally it would bring me pleasure to feed on one who showed such traits, but I simply can’t until I have greater powers. And so long as his soul is trussed up inside me, the spark of generosity he had…

It pains me… Like an ulcer.

Even worse, while Cleo and Sebastian will still try to win, they have a motivation I can do without. Now they are feeling true feelings of loyalty and compassion towards Cassius. That’s all I need…

I need this over with, fast. I need them to win…

Russell and Trisha will be excellent for the first course…

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 7:50 PM

MACHINER’S SOLDIER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Machine/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 1,600
DEF: 1,500

Card Description: When this card is successfully Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned when you have no other Monsters on your side of the field, you may Special Summon one Monster of four stars or less from your hand that has the word “Machiner’s” in its name, except for a “Machiner’s Soldier”.

MACHINER’S SNIPER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Machine/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 1,800
DEF: 800

Card Description: When this card is face-up on your side of the field, your opponent cannot target Monsters with the word “Machiner’s” in their names, except for “Machiner’s Sniper”(s), for an attack.

MACHINER’S DEFENDER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Machine/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 1,200
DEF: 1,800

Card Description: Flip: Search your deck for one “General Commander Covinton” and add it to your hand. Then reshuffle your deck.

GENERAL COMMANDER COVINTON (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Machine/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 1,000
DEF: 600

Card Description: When this card is face-up on your side of the field, you may offer one “Machiner’s Soldier”, one “Machiner’s Sniper”, and one “Machiner’s Defender” as a Tribute to Special Summon one “Machiner’s Force” from your hand.

MACHINER’S FORCE (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Machine/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 10
ATK: 4,600
DEF: 4,100

Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by the effect of “General Commander Covinton”. You must pay 1,000 Life Points to attack with this card. If you send one card from your side of the field to the Graveyard while this card is on the field, you may Special Summon one “Machiner’s Soldier”, one “Machiner’s Sniper”, and one “Machiner’s Defender” from your Graveyard.

Note: “Machiner’s Soldier”, “Machiner’s Sniper”, “Machiner’s Defender”, “General Commander Covinton”, and “Machiner’s Force” are Japanese promotional cards that have not yet been released in the United States.

IMPERIAL UPGRADE (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Continuous
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Several Mighty Guards working on Machine King with wielding torches.

Card Description: You can only activate this card immediately after Normal Summoning, Flip-Summoning, or Special Summoning “Machine King Prototype”. On your first Standby Phase after playing this card, offer that “Machine King Prototype” as a Tribute to Special Summon one “Machine King” from your hand or deck. On your second Standby Phase after playing this card, offer that “Machine King” as a Tribute to Special Summon one “Perfect Machine King” from your hand or deck. If this card is destroyed, destroy the Monster that was Special Summoned by this card. If the Monster Special Summoned by this card is destroyed, destroy this card.

Coming up next:

You’re going to have to wait for Cassius and Sebastian to make their move. Next chapter, we’re switching locales. In case you didn’t notice, Dr. Artemis has run into trouble as she holds down the fort. A dark secret from her past has come back to haunt her.

What skeletons does this woman hold in her closet? Find out, in a chapter called “Scapegoat”, coming up next.

Dark Sage

22nd November 2006, 07:48 PM

It's Thanksgiving, and I'd like to commemorate the occassion with this timeless tune:

Over the river, and through the wood,
To Grandfather's house we go;
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh
Through the white and drifted snow.

Over the river, and through the wood,
To Grandfather's house away!
We would not stop for doll or top,
For 'tis Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river, and through the wood,
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.

Over the river, and through the wood.
With a clear blue winter sky,
The dogs do bark and the children hark,
As we go jingling by.

Over the river, and through the wood,
To have a first-rate play.
Hear the bells ring, "Ting a ling ding!"
Hurray for Thanksgiving Day!

Over the river, and through the wood,
No matter for winds that blow;
Or if we get the sleigh upset
Into a bank of snow.

Over the river, and through the wood,
To see little John and Ann;
We will kiss them all, and play snowball
And stay as long as we can.

Over the river, and through the wood,
Trot fast my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground like a hunting-hound!
For 'tis Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river and through the wood,
And straight through the barnyard gate.
We seem to go extremely slow,
It is so hard to wait!

Over the river, and through the wood,
Old Jowler hears our bells;
He shakes his paw with a loud bow-wow,
And thus the news he tells.

Over the river, and through the wood,
When Grandmother sees us come,
She will say, "Oh dear, the children are here,
Bring pie for everyone."

Over the river, and through the wood,
Now Grandmother’s cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

Have a happy holiday. And save room for one more piece of pie.

Shuppet Master

23rd November 2006, 11:30 AM

Happy Thanksgiving to you too, Brian. :D

Blademaster

23rd November 2006, 02:55 PM

(chuckles)

Good old Brian, always ahead of schedule...

Happy Thanksgiving to Brian, Shup, Jason, JK, MC, Mookie, and all the rest of the Dark Messiah crew.

And keep an eye out in FanArt later - I may just have a little something there for TPM... ;)

-Blade

Dark Sage

25th November 2006, 12:02 PM

Hello everyone!

My last chapter irked so much ire, I decided to put up my next one a day early. But I have to hurry; I'm home with my folks, and we're having a belated Thanksgiving dinner in an hour.

First, credit is given where credit is due.

The antagonist in this chapter was outlined by Master of Paradox as a result of him winning a contest. Creative credit goes to him, and I'd like to thank him.

So, without further ado...

My voice intimidates my students. My face makes them tremble. They’re afraid of me… They know I won’t hesitate to punish them if they break the rules or step out of line.

Some think I’m flawless… That I’m without guile. They think of me as a genius who has no faults. They think I’m perfect, even though I’ve never told anyone I was…

I have no right to say I am.

If only they knew… If only they knew of the painful secret I’ve had to endure. There’s a reason I asked Ben to go with Jason’s team rather than chaperone myself. I wanted to with all my heart… But I’m not worthy to fight for a holy cause.

I’m locked it up inside me for so long. The guilt it has inflicted on me has caused me no end of pain. What I did cannot be undone, but I do my best to educate the future of dueling, and make sure it doesn’t happen again…

And now…

…on this horrible night, the personification of my crime has come back to haunt me…

Have the Lords of Heaven finally passed judgment for a crime that has gone unpunished for so many years? We’ll have to see…

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

http://www.ideal808.com/images/sdj-0411.jpg

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 7:15 PM

Dr. Artemis sat at her desk in her office, in dim light, her chin on her hands.

Twinky was in the corner. The robot was shut down, its internal battery recharging. Artemis looked at it and recalled the question that author Philip K. Dick had once asked in a novel: “Do androids dream of electric sheep?”

Her eyes fell on her coffee cup, which was half-full of coffee that had long gone cold.

She sighed.

“Everyone feels sorry for alcoholics,” she mumbled, walking to the water cooler. “They say it’s a disease. Does anyone care about those who are addicted to caffeine? No…”

She dumped the remains of the coffee into the drain, and went to the coffee pot to get a fresh cup.

She paused before taking a sip. She stared into the darkness.

“What have you done Andorra?” she asked herself. “You’ve sent your best students to storm a stronghold of evil, and they might meet their doom. All of the other students are likely having bad dreams in their beds right now… Tonight will be a night that won’t soon be forgotten…”

As she sat back on her desk, a blip on her computer flashed on…

”You’ve got mail!” said the familiar voice.

She looked at it. She turned pale.

She clicked on it.

Andorra,

I’m sorry we couldn’t meet again under better circumstances. The school’s security system has been sabotaged. I want to deal with you personally.

Bring your Bandoleer and deck to the Arena.

- Isaiah

The coffee cup fell to the floor and smashed to pieces, sending the hot liquid splattering.

Tears started to stream down the chancellor’s face.

She got up and took her Duel Bandoleer out of the closet, and then took her deck out of the drawer…

* * * * * * * * * *

Dr. Andorra Artemis… No one really knew why she had never married.

No one knew that she had once come close.

Many years ago, there was a young man named Isaiah Rackham-Kerwin. He was a man who was born into a family of scholars and bureaucrats, and you’d have assumed he was born to be a professor. His father was the president of Columbia University; his uncle taught at New York University, and other family members were in prominent education positions. In short, it was the family trade.

After leading a fairly quiet childhood, Isaiah rose through the educational ranks, graduating valedictorian from Columbia and moving on to graduate student work. And then he began the portion of his life that would lead, ultimately, to a rise and a fall…

He met Andorra Artemis.

She was smitten by his good looks and charm, and he was entranced by her beauty and intelligence. A relationship began that lasted throughout most of their graduate studies. The details are not important, but she believed it was love… She could honestly say she had feelings for him.

Finally, he proposed. She said yes, and was the happiest she had ever been.

But then, Isaiah did something he shouldn’t have. You see, throughout his life, he longed for acceptance. His chance seemed to leap at him when he discovered a set of obscure, forgotten academic papers on a topic he was intimately familiar with; no one recognized the names of the authors when he mentioned them.

And so, he committed the one crime that, in the world of academia, is unforgivable – plagiarism. He "cannibalized" the papers and rewrote them just enough to keep them together, publishing the result in an academic journal under his own name. For a brief moment, he seemed to have his fame...

…until Andorra discovered the source of the information.

Her conscience being what it was even then, Andorra exposed his crime. Isaiah's reputation was destroyed, and his dreams with them. He could forgive her for this, but he couldn't live with her; breaking the engagement, he left New York behind him, seeking to rebuild his reputation and academic career elsewhere.

But it wouldn’t end there between them.

Shortly afterward, she did something that was almost as bad, which he would never forgive. The two had worked together on another paper, this one on the history and advancement of Duel Monsters. Andorra realized that no one would accept the paper with the currently blackened name of Isaiah Rackham-Kerwin on it, and with him being persona non grata, the odds were in her favor that nobody would call her on it...

And so she erased any evidence he'd had anything to do with it before publishing it under her own name. This was the paper that started her on the path of success and advancement that would one day bring her the chancellor's seat at NYC Duel Academy.

Artemis heard that Isaiah had earned a doctorate of his own at another school, and she figured that he might come back someday seeking revenge. But in the meantime, she had to live with herself. She knew that what she had done was wrong, and it gnawed upon her soul almost constantly. This was the very reason she punished cheaters so vehemently, far more than her role called for.

All this went through her mind as she walked towards the Arena…

It seemed that he had come back, and he had chosen the Orichalcos as his weapon of vengeance.

* * * * * * * * * *

The Arena was dark. No one was in sight at the moment…

Artemis looked around.

Dim lights came on…

“Hello, Andorra,” said a tired voice. “You’re still as beautiful as always… Time has been kind to you.”

She turned around, and could see him in the dim light. Time hadn’t been very kind to him. He was a statue of a man with a stiff face. His auburn hair was thinning, and his eyes were half-closed – but then, they always had been. He dressed in a good suit, but while it was clean and in good shape, it was rather old. While he still reflected an athletic past (like Artemis, he was a student of Jujitsu) his build had begun to slack.

He carried an Orichalcos Disk on his arm.

“That’s more than I can say for you,” she replied. “What do you want, Isaiah?”

“Simply put, Andorra,” he said, “your students are giving my current employer a very hard time right now.”

“Good…” she replied.

“Well…” he answered, “I happen to know that they’ll call off their assault if you tell them to.”

“I don’t intend to,” she answered.

“Not on your own,” he said. “But once I defeat you, I could control you, and force you to give the order.”

“Like a puppet,” she said with a scowl.

He nodded.

“And it would be a pleasure. All my life has been preparing for the day I would bring you down. If I have to do other things for the Orichalcos, I don’t care. This is what I want the most.”

She glared at him. Then she turned her back to him.

“I don’t even know why the Orichalcos would recruit you, Isaiah,” she said. “You play an Archfiend Deck. Everyone admired you for that, because that’s one of the hardest strategies to master.”

“Is that a problem?” he asked. “Most would consider an Archfiend Deck the deck of an expert duelist.”

“I won’t deny it,” replied Artemis. “But without the Pandemonium Field Spell Card, Archfiends are far too dangerous to use. So they can’t be used with The Seal of Orichalcos.”

She paused.

“Come to think of it, the Seal ruins a lot of strategies. Gravekeepers, Fairies, Elemental Heroes, Water Monsters…”

Isaiah made a small smirk.

What she doesn’t know is, he thought, I’ve adapted a completely different deck, one that is specially designed to defeat hers. After all, I know her strategy just as well as she knows mine…

“You will duel me Andorra,” he said, “or I will lock you in this Arena, and then drag some of your Freshmen out of their beds and force them into Orichalcos duels. Do you want that?”

Artemis narrowed her eyes and clenched her fist.

She placed her deck in her Duel Bandoleer and it activated.

“And to think I once loved you,” she said, turning to him. “Fine, I’ll duel you… Tonight, one of us will put the past behind us for good.”

“I couldn’t agree more…” he replied, activating his own Disk.

(Artemis: 8,000) -------------------- (Isaiah: 8,000)

Is there some other way to avoid paying Life Points from Archfiends? she thought, as five cards flew off of her deck. None that I know of…If it’s a Card of Sin, he’d need a lot of luck to get both it and the Seal in his opening hand.

“To show you I can still be chivalrous,” said Isaiah, “I’ll let you have the first move.”

Artemis just glared at him. Another card flew off her deck. She looked at her six cards and considered.

I have to summon this guy, she thought, but to do so, I have to discard a card. And I need most of these cards.

She chose a card from her hand.

I hate to discard this Monster, but he’s of no use in a starting hand anyway.

“I discard one card to the Graveyard,” she said, discarding it. “And by doing so, I can activate the effect of one Monster in my hand, summoning him with no sacrifice. I summon… The Tricky.”

A dark vortex appeared as she placed a card on her Disk, and a Monster flew out who looked, for lack of a better term, weird. He was dressed in a yellow and black jester’s outfit with a blue cape. Where his face would be was a red question mark, and another question mark was on his chest. (2,000/1,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/le6_jp004.jpg

“Been improving the deck, I see,” commented Isaiah.

“Yes, and as his name implies, he has plenty of tricks up his sleeve,” said Artemis. “I place three cards facedown, and end my turn.”

She fit three of her cards into her Disk, and they appeared behind The Tricky.

“Very well then,” said Isaiah, drawing a card. “First I will play… Swords of Revealing Light!”

He placed the card in his Disk, and the flashing swords rained down on Artemis and The Tricky.

“Next…” he said. “I play the Continuous Spell Card called Heart of the Underdog.”

He fit a card into his Disk, and a card appeared with the image of a rugged young man staggering against a blow.

Heart of the Underdog? thought Artemis. That doesn’t fit an Archfiend Deck at all…

What am I up against?

“Finally…” he continued. “I’ll summon my Acrobat Monkey in Defensive Mode.”

He played the card, and a small robot in the shape of a monkey hopped out. Twin question marks flashed in its eyes, and it scratched its metal noggin. Then it shielded itself in defense. (1,000/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/dcr_003.jpg

“I’ll end my turn there,” he said.

Artemis looked at him strangely as she drew her next card.

“Okay then, I play Pot of Greed,” she said.

She played the card, and then gestured as two cards flew off of her deck.

She looked at them.

“But I think I’ll save them for later and end my turn.”

“Then, as you are no doubt aware,” said Isaiah, “due to Heart of the Underdog, if a card I draw during my Draw Phase is a Normal Monster, I can draw again if I’m willing to show it to you.”

He drew a card.

“And I drew Mad Lobster,” he said, revealing the card.

He drew again.

“Dragon Zombie,” he said, revealing the next one.

He drew a third time.

“Eh, this one doesn’t qualify,” he said, adding it to his hand. “So, I’ll place one card facedown, and then summon Mad Lobster in Attack Mode.”

He played the cards. A facedown card appeared, and then a huge lobster with a skull for a head scuttled out onto the field. It snapped its pincers eagerly. (1,700/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/crv_en0031.jpg

“It’s your move,” he said.

Artemis gave him a strange look again. She drew a card.

Almost there… she thought, looking at the eight-star Monster.

“I pass for this turn,” she said.

Isaiah drew a card.

“And I drew Jerry Beans Man,” he said, revealing the card. “Lucky me.”

He drew again.

“Sonic Duck!” he said, showing her the card.

He drew again.

“Have to stop there,” he said, adding the third card to his hand.

What is his game? thought Artemis. The only thing these Monsters have in common is, they’re all Normal Monsters that are three-star… Strong as far as three-star Monsters go, but still…

“I summon Jerry Beans Man in Attack Mode,” he said.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a creature that looked like a big, green jelly bean with a big smile and arms and legs, wearing a cape and holding a wooden sword and shield appeared. (1,750/0)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/crv_en0041.jpg

“Your Monster looks like it popped out of a toy box,” said Artemis.

“It may be a toy,” answered Isaiah, with a frown, “but it isn’t going to play around. I place another card facedown, and end my turn.”

He fit a card into his Disk, and it materialized.

Artemis drew a fifth card.

“All right…” she said. “Time to get serious!”

One of her facedown cards lifted, showing a capsule with the numeral four on it.

Well, THAT’S a surprise, thought Isaiah.

“I activate Tricky’s Spell 4,” said Artemis. “Now, by sacrificing The Tricky, I can create one Tricky Token for every Monster you have on the field.”

The Tricky vanished, and then, three Monsters who looked exactly like him appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode. (2,000/1,200 x3)

“I can’t attack with them,” she continued, “but they have other uses. For instance, I’ll activate another facedown card, Mystik Wok.”

Her second facedown card lifted, and one of the tokens vanished.

“This gives me Life Points equal to its Attack Score, and I’m gonna need them,” she said.

(Artemis: 10,000) -------------------- (Isaiah: 8,000)

“Now I activate my final facedown card…” she said. “Ultimate Offering.”

Her last facedown card lifted.

“I’m sure you know that this lets me make as many Normal Summons as I want during my turn, so long as I pay 500 Life Points for each extra one.

“So first, I’ll set one Monster in Defense Mode.”

She placed a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

“Next, I’ll pay 500 Life Points to summon Grave Ohja in Defense Mode.”

She placed another card on her Disk, and the bulky statue with a tutan mask for a head rose up, and crouched in Defense. (1,600/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/tlm-en017.jpg

“Next,” she continued. “I’ll pay 500 Life Points two more times, sacrificing my Tricky Tokens to summon two Hieracosphinxes in Attack Mode!”

The Tricky Tokens vanished, and two of the half-bird/half-lion statues appeared. (2,400/1,200 x2)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/tlm-en012.jpg

“And finally, I’ll make a Special Summon that won’t cost me a dime,” she said, taking her last card. “I’ll sacrifice one Hieracosphinx to summon Exxod, Master of the Guard!”

One of the sphinxes vanished, and with a loud rumbling noise, the enormous, golden statue appeared, kneeling and shielding itself in Defense Mode. (0/4,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/sd7-en001.jpg

Impressive, Andorra, thought Isaiah. You’ve managed to set up your whole strategy in one turn…

But it will all be for naught soon…

“My turn ends,” said Artemis, “as does the effect of your Swords.”

The Swords of Revealing Light flickered and vanished.

(A: 8,500) -------------------- (I: 8,000)

“Then I draw…” said Isaiah.

He drew a card.

“Well, this card isn’t a Normal Monster,” he said, “but still…”

He opened his Field Slot.

“…Heart of the Underdog certainly let me reach it quicker! I play The Seal of Orichalcos!”

He played the card, and in a flash of light, the unholy Seal illuminated the dim Arena.

The eyes of Isaiah’s three Monsters glowed. Acrobat Monkey rose to (1,500/1,800), Mad Lobster to (2,300/1,000), and Jerry Beans man to (2,350/0)

“I’m so scared,” said Artemis, sarcastically. “Perhaps you have forgotten how my Flip Lock strategy works…

“Grave Ohja cannot be attacked so long as I have a facedown Defense Mode Monster on my side of the field. The facedown Monster cannot be attacked so long as Hieracosphinx is on the field.

“And might I add, even with your Seal, none of those Monsters are strong enough to defeat Hieracosphinx.”

“Maybe so,” said Isaiah, choosing a card from his hand. “But my strategy will be unveiled shortly. In the meantime, I’ll summon Dragon Zombie in Attack Mode.”

He threw the card on his Disk, and a dragon with rotting, decayed skin, dead eyes, and broken teeth and fangs appeared. (1,600/0) –> (2,100/0)

http://www.yugioh-cards.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/deck-s/SDY-014.jpg

“I end my turn,” he said.

“And I begin mine,” said Artemis, drawing a card.

She looked at it.

“I’ll place this facedown,” she said, fitting it in her Disk.

A facedown card appeared.

“Then I’ll flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode… Moai Interceptor Cannons.”

Her facedown card flipped up, and three large statues that looked that tall, oblong heads appeared. (1,100/2,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/tlm-en014.jpg

“Ever been to Easter Island, Isaiah?” she asked. “It’s a very beautiful and mysterious place.

“And since I Flip-Summoned a Monster, Grave Ohja blasts 300 points off your Life Points…”

Grave Ohja’s eyes glowed, and fired a blast, striking him in the chest.

“And since my Cannons are an Earth Monster, Exxod blasts you for 1,000 more!”

The larger statue’s eyes glowed, and a larger blast of energy shot forward, striking him! He screamed.

“I could attack any of your Monsters with Hieracosphinx, but you have two facedown cards, and since I hardly need to, I’ll flip Moai Interceptor Cannons back to Defense Mode and end my turn.”

The Cannons reverted to a facedown card.

(A: 8,500) -------------------- (I: 6,700)

Continued…

Dark Sage

25th November 2006, 12:08 PM

Continued from last post:

“My draw…” he muttered, drawing a card.

“I drew Mechanical Devil…” he said, showing it to her.

He drew another card.

At this rate, he might deck himself out before this is done, she thought.

He added the card to his hand.

“And now I summon one of the keys to my strategy…” he said, placing a card on his Disk. “I summon… Man-Thro’ Tro’.”

A huge, fat troll with folds of flabby skin and muscular arms waddled onto the field. It glared at Artemis, and made a sinister smile. (1,000/1,000) –> (1,500/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ast-0811.jpg

“So that’s it…” she muttered.

“Yes…” said Isaiah. “Beginning to get the idea, Andorra? I don’t care about your lock… Because with this deck, I don’t have to actually attack in order to hurt you.

“Man-Thro’ Tro’, hit her with everything!”

The troll grabbed hold of the Dragon Zombie, and it roared. It spun the Zombie around, and then hurled it, sending it crashing into Artemis!

As she slowly got up, it took hold of the Jerry Beans Man, and then lifted it above its head. It threw the candy warrior, flooring her again.

It was a choice between either staying down or getting back up. She chose to keep her dignity and get up. She did so just as the Mad Lobster crashed into her, sending her to the floor a third time.

Slowly, she got up again. The Man-Thro’ Tro’ grabbed the Acrobat Monkey and crushed it into a lump. He hurled it, beaning her in the head and knocking her glasses off.

“Are you done?” she asked, putting them back on.

“For now…” he said.

(A: 5,300) -------------------- (I: 6,700)

Artemis drew a card.

“I play Mirage of Nightmare…” she said, placing a card in her Disk.

The card appeared.

“Now I flip my Cannons again!”

The Moai Interceptor Cannons flipped up. Beams of energy shot from Grave Ohja and Exxod again, and Isaiah screamed again.

“You always were a tough lady…” he said. “That’s why I was attracted to you at first…”

“Just move…” she said, annoyed.

(A: 5,300) -------------------- (I: 5,400)

“I draw…” he said.

“And I will too,” she said, “thanks to my Mirage of Nightmare…”

Four cards slipped out of her discard slot.

“And I suppose that facedown card is Emergency Provisions,” he interrupted, “which you’ll use to send Mirage to the Graveyard.”

The Emergency Provisions card lifted.

“Mirage AND Ultimate Offering,” she corrected, as both cards vanished.

(A: 7,300) -------------------- (I: 5,400)

“You are one lucky bitch,” he said. “But your luck is about to change, thanks to the card I just drew…”

He played a card.

“I play… Breath of Light!”

A huge, blue cloud with a woman’s face on it appeared behind him. Andorra stared with a look of horror…

“This Spell Card erodes all Rock-Type Monsters on the field into dust,” he said.

The woman’s face blew a blast of sparkling wind, and Grave Ohja, Hieracosphinx, and Exxod, Master of the Guard crumbled into sand.

This deck… thought Artemis, as her eyes widened in fear. He built it simply to defeat mine!

“Now I summon Mechanical Devil,” continued Isaiah, placing a card on his Disk.

A tall Machine appeared. It looked like a four-armed metal Fiend, with steam shooting out of a vent in its face. (1,750/0) –> (2,250/0)

“Destroy her facedown Monster!” he shouted.

The infernal contraption flew forward, and shattered the Moai Interceptor Cannons.

“Man-Thro’ Tro’, attack her directly!”

The huge troll lumbered up, and slugged her in the face, knocking her over.

She barely had time to get up, before it grabbed the Mechanical Devil, smashed it into a ball, and then hurled it like a bowling ball, sending it slamming into her stomach.

She fell on her behind and saw stars.

(A: 5,000) -------------------- (I: 5,400)

“Your lock is defeated, Andorra,” said Isaiah. “I prepared specifically to do so. A few more rounds, and this unpleasant part of my life will be behind me forever.

“What will you do? Your whole strategy is defeated! You can’t win…”

Artemis wiped her mouth.

“How much did you study the career of Jaden Yuki?” she asked.

“Only a little,” he replied. “He was a duelist who relied more on luck than any real intelligent strategy.”

“You’re absolutely wrong,” said Artemis. “He was full of life, yes, and he took everything with a positive attitude, but he was also a very intelligent duelist who could analyze his situation and always come up with the right solution. True, he wasn’t ‘book smart’, as they say, but being ‘book smart’ isn’t the key. You need to be a certain type of smart to succeed as a duelist.

“Anyway, in his first year, he was paired against his classmate Bastian Misawa in a very important duel. Misawa was smart enough not to underestimate Jaden, and thought he had a strategy to defeat him. He’d use Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell to keep Jaden from using Polymerization, and stop him from summoning his heavy hitters.

“Of course, that strategy had holes in it from the start… Jaden was known to use Fusion Gate and could also use Miracle Fusion.

“But anyway, do you know what Jaden said when Misawa told him that his strategy had been defeated?

“Jaden said that if couldn’t use one strategy, he’d just find another one.

“He did. And he won.

“And I will beat you!”

She angrily drew a card.

“And to think I once agreed to marry you,” she said, with anger in her eyes.

She added the card to her hand.

“I play Heavy Storm!”

She played the card, and the fierce wind tore across the field. Heart of the Underdog was blown to bits. Then Isaiah’s two facedown cards, a Dark Mirror Force and a Justi-Break, lifted up and shattered.

“Figures…” said Artemis. “Now it’s time for Exxod to make his return…”

She showed him her Monster Reborn.

“Don’t insult my intelligence, Andorra,” he said. “Exxod is a NOMI, you can’t raise him with Monster Reborn.”

“I’m quite aware of that!” she replied.

She played the card, and Hieracosphinx reappeared on the field. (2,400/1,200)

“That may be true,” she continued, “but did you actually think I only had one copy of a card that’s so important to my deck?”

She switched cards on her Disk, and Hieracosphinx vanished. Exxod rose again. (0/4,000)

“That was stupid,” said Isaiah. “You should have attacked my Monster with the Sphinx. Now all you can do is defend with that thing while it continues to throw Monsters at you!”

“Defend?” said Artemis, with a grin. “Take a closer look, Isaiah… I’ve summoned Exxod… In Attack Mode!”

Isaiah just stared in confusion for a minute…

Then it truly sank in what Artemis’s plan was…

She played a Spell Card.

“I play Shield and Sword!” she shouted.

A glow surrounded both Monsters on the field. Exxod changed to (4,000/0), while Man-Thro’ Tro changed to (1,000/1,500).

The troll looked at Isaiah with a frightened whimper…

“Exxod…” ordered Artemis. “Obliterate!”

Exxod formed a ball of energy in its hands, and hurled it at Man-Thro’ Tro, blasting it into nothing. Isaiah staggered back, and fell over.

“I place a card facedown and end my turn…” said Artemis.

She fit her last card into her Disk, and it appeared. Exxod was reduced to (0/4,000)

(A: 5,000) -------------------- (I: 2,400)

“I see you haven’t lost your touch,” he said, getting up.

He drew again.

“But then again, neither have I! That ugly thing was far from the only Monster I have in my deck to defeat your strategy… Although it hardly matters. Exxod is in Attack Mode, which means it’s truly a lamb in lion’s clothing, because its Attack is zero.

“I summon Disc Fighter in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and a tall figure appeared, dressed in futuristic leather armor and a full-head helmet, holding two glowing disks. (1,000/1,000) –> (1,500/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ast-0281.jpg

“I activate my Trap,” said Artemis, as her facedown card lifted. “Desert Sunlight. It moves Exxod into Defense Mode.”

Bright light shone on the darkness of the arena, and Exxod knelt in Defense.

“Well, you saved yourself some Life Points,” said Isaiah. “But you won’t save your Monster, because any defensive Monster with 2,000 Defense or more that Disc Fighter attacks is destroyed automatically.

“Disc Fighter, attack with deadly disks!”

Disc Fighter hurled his two weapons like lethal Frisbees, and Exxod was sliced cleanly in half. The two pieces shattered. The two disks flew back to Disc Fighter, and he caught them.

“Well…” he said with a laugh. “I end my turn. So what will you do now? You have no cards in your hand!”

Artemis paused.

He was right…

She had nothing in her hand, and nothing on the field. And even if she drew one of her wall Monsters, Disc Fighter would destroy it easily, and he would attack her directly with whatever he summoned next.

It would take a miracle… And frankly, she didn’t deserve one…

She closed her eyes…

Is this my punishment? she thought. Is it finally time to face the consequences for what I did?

Maybe it is…

* * * * * * * * * *

“Dr. Artemis?” said a voice.

She opened her eyes. She was in a void of darkness.

“Jason?” she said. “Is that you?”

“Uh huh,” replied Jason. “I kind of figured Fortunado would try something like this. You don’t have to face this alone…”

“No, Jason, please…” she said, with tears forming in her eyes. “I don’t deserve the Dark Messiah’s help.”

She paused.

“It’s a stretch, I know,” she continued, “but when you weigh all the facts, I’m as bad as he is…

“But I’m glad you’re here. I have to tell you, when he beats me, he’s going to try to…”

“Trick me?” interrupted Jason. “I know. I sensed that all along. But are you really undeserving? I don’t see you using the Orichalcos.

“I don’t know what dark secret you have… But ever since I was given this inward sight, I’ve learned a few things… And I know that the first step towards redemption is confession.

“So… Why do you think you’re no better than he is? I’m all ears.

“And trust me… Whatever is said here will stay here.”

Andorra paused.

The words came out of her mouth quickly. It started with her exposing Isaiah’s plagiarism. Then it turned to her own academic fraud and hypocrisy. Jason listened as the whole story came out…

There was a brief pause.

“Well?” she asked. “Can someone who did what I did ever be worthy of help?”

“Dunno,” said Jason, as a card appeared in front of her. “I wonder… What judgment would Solomon make?”

She slowly reached for it…

* * * * * * * * * *

All this had taken only an instant…

Artemis quickly drew a card.

She looked at it.

She paused.

…Prudence…

“No cards in my hand, Isaiah?” she asked. “Well, that may change…”

She played a card.

“It seems the higher powers may be more willing to forgive me than they were willing to forgive you,” she said. “Maybe. But then, I never sold my soul to evil. I play this… The Card of Virtue called Judgment of Solomon!”

A Spell Card appeared. It bore the image of a very regal king sitting on a throne of gold, with two women kneeling before him. Next to him, a soldier held an infant in his arms. The king was clearly thinking very hard.

“What does that do?” he asked.

“You know about Solomon, don’t you?” she asked. “One of the wisest rulers who ever lived? This card tests how smart you are, Isaiah. Solomon will reward whoever outsmarts the other.

“Here’s how it works. I have to pick any Monster that I’m able to use in this duel. It can be in my deck, hand, Graveyard, anywhere.

“Then I have tell you its Type, Attribute, Star Level, Attack Score, and Defense Score.

“If you can guess the name of the Monster after that, I lose 2,000 Life Points, and every card in my Graveyard is removed from play.

“But if you can’t… I get to enact one of four effects, and you wouldn’t like any of them.”

Heh… thought Isaiah. I know her deck by heart! I can’t miss!

And once this turn is over, she’ll be down to 3,000 Life Points and be completely defenseless! And I have Sonic Duck in my hand and Disc Fighter on the field!

I’ve won!

“Well?” he said.

Artemis paused.

“Type: Dragon…” she said. “Attribute: Dark…”

What? thought Isaiah. Since when did she have a…

Artemis continued.

“Star Level: Eight.”

Well, I don’t know why she has a Tri-Horn Dragon, he thought, but that’s obviously what it…

“Attack Score: Zero,” she continued.

Isaiah looked surprised.

“Defense Score: Zero.”

She crossed her arms.

“Well?” she asked.

“You’re lying…” he said. “There’s no such Monster!”

“Are you sure?” asked Artemis. “Or could it be that that the great Dr. Isaiah Rackham-Kerwin isn’t as smart and knowledgeable as he thought he was?”

There was a long pause.

“All right…” said Isaiah, with a sneer. “I’m going to concede that I don’t know what it is. But I want proof that this high-level Dragon with a nonexistent Attack and Defense even exists!”

“Well sure…” said Artemis. “I wouldn’t want you to think I was some sort of liar…”

Artemis took a card from her discard slot, and then covered the name with her index finger. She slowly walked to the center of the Seal…

Isaiah couldn’t believe it. It was a frightening creature, that was for sure, and the symbol for Dark and the word “Dragon” was definitely there. But despite having eight stars, its Attack and Defense were both zero.

Artemis stepped back to her position.

“I discarded it to summon The Tricky,” she answered before he could ask.

“Wait!” he shouted. “What does it do?”

“Not telling,” she said, returning it to her discard slot. “And since you failed to guess, I can destroy all of your Monsters, or all of your Spells and Traps, or force you to discard your hand, or draw six cards. I’m going to draw six cards.”

Six cards slid off of her deck.

At least it’s in her Graveyard, he thought. It can’t hurt me now…

She looked over her cards.

“I summon Gear Golem the Moving Fortress in Defense Mode,” she said.

She played the card, and the bulky Machine made of spiked gears appeared. (800/2,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ast-0181.jpg

“Now I’ll play… Yellow Luster Shield. This increases the Defense of my Monsters by 300 points.”

She played the card, and Gear Golem’s Defense went up to 2,500.

“I’ll place two cards facedown, and end my turn.”

She fit two cards into her Disk, and they appeared.

Isaiah angrily drew.

Oh, she’s just goading me to attack that Golem with Disc Fighter… he thought. Well, I’m not that stupid…

“I play Pot of Avarice!” he shouted.

The goofy jar appeared on his side of the field, and Dragon Zombie, Mad Lobster, Jerry Beans Man, Mechanical Devil, and Acrobat Monkey slid out of his discard slot.

He shuffled them back into his deck, and then drew twice.

“I’ll follow up with the normal Pot of Greed!” he said.

He played the card, and the original version appeared. He drew twice.

He looked at the seven cards in his hand.

Well… He thought. Who needs Disc Fighter with what I can do now?

“I play Double Spell,” he said, playing a card.

He discarded his Linear Accelerator Cannon.

“The card I choose to duplicate will be… Mystik Wok.”

The Spell Card appeared on his side of the field, and Disc Fighter vanished.

(A: 5,000) -------------------- (I: 3,900)

“Now,” he continued, “I bring Man-Thro’ Tro back with Monster Reborn…”

He played the card, and the ugly troll appeared again. (1,000/1,000) –> (1,500/1,000)

“And next…” he said, “I play Enchanting Fitting Room!”

He played another card.

“I know you know what this card does, but I’m going to explain it anyway,” he said. “I pay 800 Life Points to look at the top four cards in my deck, and if any are Normal Monsters of three stars or less, I get to Special Summon them.”

A white curtain appeared on the field. It opened, and then four cards flew out…

Mechanical Devil, Mad Lobster, Jerry Beans Man, and Dragon Zombie.

Isaiah smiled.

“Seems like luck smiled on me this time, Andorra!” he laughed, as the four Monsters appeared.

(1,750/0) –> (2,350/0), (1,700/1,000) –> (2,300/1,000), (1,750/0) –> (2,350/0), (1,600/0) –> (2,100/0)

“This may not finish you…” he said, “but it will come close… Man-Thro’ Tro’, begin the assault!”

The troll reached for Mechanical Devil…

“Oh… no… you… don’t!” shouted Artemis. “I went through that once, and I’m not going to take it again…”

Her Trap Card lifted.

“I was going to use this on Disc Fighter,” she said, “but it will work now just as well. I activate Divine Wrath! Now by discarding one card…”

She discarded her Medusa Worm.

“I can negate your Monster’s effect, and blow it to bits!”

Thunder rolled…

And then lightning stuck the Man-Thro’ Tro’! It screamed, and then shattered into triangles.

Continued…

Dark Sage

25th November 2006, 12:10 PM

Continued from last post:

Isaiah sneered.

“I’m not done with you…” he said. “Not by a long shot. Since I haven’t made a Normal Summon yet, I’ll summon Sonic Duck in Attack Mode.”

He played the card. A large, green duck wearing a scarf and a pail on its head appeared in a gust of wind. (1,700/700) –> (2,300/700)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mfc-057.jpg

“And next, I’ll Equip Mechanical Devil with this… Orichalcos Fury!”

He played the card, revealing the image of a demonic iron statue with four arms smashing through a wall.

“This Card of Sin can only be Equipped to Monsters that are three stars or less,” he said, “but it lets it attack directly, so long as I pay 500 Life Points each time it does so.

“Mechanical Devil… Attack with quadruple slash!”

The Machine charged. Artemis couldn’t help but scream as it stabbed her with its four blades.

(A: 2,650) -------------------- (I: 2,600)

He placed his last card in his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

“I’m ending my turn,” he said. “And all I need to finish you is two more rounds. One if I draw my Shield Crush.”

Shield Crush… thought Artemis, drawing. I have to make every move count…

Isaiah smiled inwardly.

Even if she summons a Monster strong enough to destroy Mechanical Devil, he thought, my Bottomless Trap Hole that I just set will send it to oblivion.

Artemis looked at the card she had drawn and the card in her hand.

“I place one card facedown,” she said.

A facedown card appeared.

“Now I activate… Call of the Haunted.”

Isaiah grinned as the Trap Card lifted…

…but then he frowned as he saw that it was Moai Interceptor Cannons that she was Special Summoning. (1,100/2,000)

She obviously brought it back for a sacrifice, he thought. Well, no matter…

“Now I sacrifice my Cannons…” she said.

The Cannons vanished.

“To summon Millennium Shield, in Defense Mode.”

A solid, steel shield with the Eye of Wdjat on the front appeared in mid-air. (0/3,000) –> (0/3,300)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mp1-001.jpg

Ergh… thought Isaiah. Bottomless Trap Hole only works on Monsters that have at least 1,500 Attack Points, and that thing has zero Attack Points!

“It’s your move…” said Artemis.

Isaiah was getting angrier by the minute. He felt like he wanted to run over there and start hitting her…

As he looked at her, thoughts of rape followed by murder entered his mind…

He held his head…

The card! he thought. That special card that I have Equipped to Mechanical Devil! It’s what’s making me angry…

He nervously drew a card. It was his own Mystik Wok.

“It’s starting to affect you, isn’t it?” asked Artemis. “That Card of Sin is a Wrath Card, and it’s filling you with more anger than you’ve ever felt. You’d better hope you win soon, or it’s going to turn you into a feral beast.

“Pitiful… The man I respected once is going to be consumed by pure rage…”

“I can control my rage…” he said. “Mechanical Devil, attack her directly!”

“I activate a Trap!” exclaimed Artemis. “Staunch Defender!

The Trap lifted.

“Now, all your Monsters must attack, and they must attack what I tell them too. I tell them to attack my Millennium Shield.

“And once they’re done, you’ll have lost 5,100 Life Points, and you’ll have lost this duel.”

“Never!” shouted Isaiah.

He threw his Spell Card into his Disk.

“I play Mystic Wok, to sacrifice my Jerry Beans Man before he attacks!”

The candy warrior vanished.

“Now I gain 2,350 Life Points, and then I’ll only lose 4,150, so I’m not dead yet!

Mechanical Devil, Sonic Duck, and Mad Lobster leapt at the Shield and bounced off of it, sprawling on the ground. Dragon Zombie breathed a blast of toxic breath, but the Shield still withstood without a scratch.

(A: 2,650) -------------------- (I: 800)

Isaiah growled.

Artemis narrowed her eyes.

“You don’t have enough Life Points left to use Orichalcos Fury twice more,” she said. “If you wish to win this duel, you must find another way…

“It’s my move…”

She drew a card she looked at it.

“Now it ends…” she said. “I play Awakening From Beyond…”

“And what does that do?” he shouted.

“It lets you draw two cards,” said Artemis, “and lets me take one Monster from my Graveyard and add it to my hand.”

Isaiah drew two cards.

He started to sweat as he looked at them…

Shield Crush and Rush Recklessly! Next round, he had her!

“And now…” said Artemis. “Remember that Monster I used to activate Judgment of Solomon? Prepare to meet him!

“I sacrifice Millennium Shield and Gear Golem the Moving Fortress…”

The two barriers vanished…

“To summon… Gandora, the Dragon of Destruction!”

In a great burst of energy, a huge Dragon with scaly, black skin, batlike wings, and claws like scythes appeared! (0/0)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh_vb8_jp001.jpg

It let out a roar that shook the whole school. In their dorms, the students trembled…

“Meet one of the most destructive forces in the Duel Monsters universe!” shouted Dr. Artemis.

Isaiah drew back in fear at the colossus in front of him… but then he regained his composure.

“Excuse me?” he said. “It has zero Attack Points…”

Artemis glared at him.

“How can a man who claims to be so smart be so stupid?” she asked. “My great grandfather was given this card… by the son of Yugi Mouto himself!”

Gandora glared at Isaiah, saliva dripping from its massive jowls… Isaiah drew back in fear again.

“I only use it for… special occasions…” she said. “And to activate its incredible power, I have to pay half my Life Points!

“Gandora… Boundless Giga Rays!”

The great beast roared…

Isaiah screamed as the whole cursed arena was consumed in a huge explosion…

(A: 1,325) -------------------- (I: 800)

When the flames subsided, the only things left were the Seal, and the huge Dragon.

“What happened?” he asked.

“When Gandora’s effect is used,” said Artemis, “it destroys every card on the field except itself. Even that wasn’t powerful enough to destroy the Seal, I’m afraid…

“But that’s too bad for you, because it now gains 300 Attack Points for every card it destroyed. And it destroyed seven… your four Monsters, your Card of Sin, your facedown card, and my Yellow Luster Shield!”

(2,100/0)

“No fair!” shouted Isaiah.

“No fair?” asked Artemis. “Like I said, when my original strategy fails, I find a new one.

“Attack directly!”

“AH!” screamed Isaiah. “Stay back!”

Gandora fired a blast of burning black flames, and the once proud Dr. Isaiah Rackham-Kerwin’s final scream echoed all over campus…

(A: 1,325) -------------------- (I: 0)

Artemis panted for breath…

Gandora glared at her with a look that didn’t seem at all friendly.

Then it vanished into mist.

Sweat poured down Dr. Artemis’s face…

There was a reason she only rarely used that card – it scared her. And every time she did, she was sure to have nightmares for a week. That card had a mind of its own, and she knew she had to respect it, and not treat it like just another card.

She went over to her foe’s prone body, and started to look through his coat. She knew it was in there somewhere.

Finally, she found it… Isaiah’s cell phone.

She turned it on and opened the menu.

* * * * * * * * * *

Fortunado was nervously watching the progress of the students in his building when his cell phone rang.

He looked at the number. He answered it.

“Talk to me,” he said.

“Isn’t it amazing the numbers some people will put on their cell phones?” said Dr. Artemis’s voice. “I’m calling to tell you that Dr. Rackham-Kerwin’s idea didn’t work.”

Fortunado turned white.

“And thank you so much for bringing back such unpleasant memories,” continued Artemis. “While you’re at it, why don’t you give me a nice paper cut and pour salt on it? Next time you want to face me, why not come yourself?

“You hide at the top of your ivory tower, Fortunado, but you can’t hide behind your henchmen forever. Eventually, you will have to confront the Dark Messiah, and he’s going to beat you black and blue.”

She hung up.

Fortunado looked at the phone… He snarled…

Then he crushed it in his hand.

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 8:05 PM

THE TRICKY (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spellcaster/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 5
ATK: 2,000
DEF: 1,200

Card Description: You may Special Summon this card from your hand by discarding one card to the Graveyard from your hand.

TRICKY’S SPELL 4 (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Quickplay
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A colorful capsule with the number 4 on it.

Card Description: Offer one “The Tricky” on your side of the field as a Tribute. Special Summon one “Tricky Token” in Defense Position for every Monster your opponent has on his side of the field. (Spellcaster/Wind/5 Stars/2,000 ATK/1,200 DEF) “Tricky Tokens” cannot attack.

GANDORA, DRAGON OF DESTRUCTION (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Dragon/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 8
ATK: 0
DEF: 0

Card Description: This card cannot be Special Summoned. Pay half your Life Points to destroy all cards on the field except this card. This card gains 300 ATK for every card that it destroys with its effect. This card is destroyed at the End Phase of the turn in which it is Normal Summoned or Flip Summoned.

Note: “The Tricky”, “Tricky’s Spell 4”, and “Gandora, Dragon of Destruction” are Japanese cards that have not yet been released in the United States. They were used by the Pharaoh and Little Yugi during the Pharaoh’s Memory Arc.

AWAKENING FROM BEYOND (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A ghostly face superimposed over a group of coffins.

Card Description: Your opponent draws two cards. Take one Monster Card from your Graveyard and add it to your hand.

Note: “Awakening From Beyond” was first used by the Pharaoh in the anime episode “The Final Duel (Part Three)”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

JUDGMENT OF SOLOMON (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Card of Virtue
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Virtue: Prudence

Image: King Solomon on a throne of gold. Beside him is a guard holding an infant. Before him are two women on their knees.

Card Description: Take one Monster from your hand, deck, Graveyard, or Fusion Deck. Tell your opponent the following information on the card: Type, Attribute, star level, ATK, and DEF. If your opponent can identify the card’s name, remove the card and all cards in your Graveyard from play, and take 2,000 points of direct damage. If your opponent cannot identify the card’s name, return the card to the previous location and choose one of the following effects:

* Remove all Monsters on your opponent’s side of the field from play.

* Destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on your opponent’s side of the field. The cards cannot be activated.

* Your opponent discards all the cards in his hand.

* Draw until your hand consists of six cards.

MECHANICAL DEVIL (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Machine
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: 1,750
DEF: 0

Flavor Text: Built by forgotten demons, this creature runs on a core of pure darkness, hunting down whatever it wishes.

Note: “Mechanical Devil” was created by Master of Paradox for his fanfic “Yu-Gi-Oh! Tilting the Balance”. All creative credit goes to him.

ORICHALCOS FURY (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Equip/Card of Sin
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Sin: Wrath

Image: A demonic iron statue with four arms smashing through a wall.

Card Description: This card can be Equipped to a Monster with three stars or less. The Equipped Monster can attack your opponent directly. Pay 500 Life Points every time the Equipped Monster attacks directly.

Coming up next:

Old Ben enters a place in Fortunado’s tower where no-one except Duel Monsters have names. He can’t remember his name, and the duelist he encounters can’t remember either. So why does this strange duelist with stranger cards seem so familiar?

Find out… In a chapter called “The Unhappy Girl”, coming soon.

Master of Paradox

25th November 2006, 01:41 PM

That's not Isaiah. At least, not the Isaiah I designed. Mine didn't scream quite so much...

First of all, you did the same thing you did with Ric - you just copied and pasted the backstory from my proposal. It rings of laziness, as if you didn't care about this chapter because it wasn't one of your own villains.

Secondly... well, you told me Isaiah's deck would have touches of Oliver's from TTB, and frankly, I didn't give you much to go on... but with the exception of Breath of Light and the Card of Sin, you copied the deck card-for-card. Even seeing one of my own cards didn't help, as it just made it feel even more like you were stealing from me.

And then there's another problem - what the living hell happened to Dr. Artemis? Confession may be the first step to redemption, as Jason said and Alcoholics Anonymous teaches, but my gods above, she completely abandoned her guilt as soon as she played that Card of Virtue. Speaking of which, you told me privately that Andorra wouldn't use one, as it was part of her facing her private guilt that the Divine wouldn't help her. Well, so much for that...

Now as for Isaiah... well, you couldn't have matched how I pictured him, because everyone's interpretation of an idea differs. But he turned out too much like every other villain, in my opinion. Isaiah blurs into Ric who blurs into Patrick and so forth... It's like you didn't expend an effort to make him different.

As for the duel itself, from a technical standpoint it was all right - but what on Earth was the Tricky (a Wind Spellcaster) and Gondorra (a Dark Dragon) doing in a Rock deck? Please give me an answer that amounts to more than "I always wanted to use them". And you're slipping back into your old habits with things like that "Take a closer look" line...

I'm disappointed with this one... so disappointed. I tried to keep my expectations reasonable, but you missed even them.

And on another note, I'm almost certain I know who Old Ben will be running into. I can think of one other story involving a place where nothing has names...

Dark Sage

25th November 2006, 02:01 PM

The Tricky was there to give her a lot of sacrificial bait. It isn't a Rock Deck. It's a Defense Deck.

Gandora was there mostly to show how powerful she is, and prove she is not one to be messed with.

I'm sorry you didn't like it. And the incidentally, it wasn't the Divine who decided to help her. Jason did. He was working for the Divine, but he made the decision without consulting the Divine (because he cannot). Jason simply had enough trust in his teacher to help once he heard her side, and decided she deserved a chance.

Blademaster

25th November 2006, 02:05 PM

Secondly... well, you told me Isaiah's deck would have touches of Oliver's from TTB, and frankly, I didn't give you much to go on... but with the exception of Breath of Light and the Card of Sin, you copied the deck card-for-card. Even seeing one of my own cards didn't help, as it just made it feel even more like you were stealing from me.

I knew this chapter looked familiar...

Anyway, I have to say, I agree with Jason once again - the villians - and the duels as a whole - all seem to be running together now; it just seems like every duel now follows the same basic pattern:

-Villian shows up
-Villian and hero exchange insults (Actually, the heroes seem to be more insulting than the villians.)
-Duel begins
-Hero and villian swap blows back and forth
-Hero takes a slight lead
-Villian takes a huge lead
-Hero receives Card of Virtue and turns duel around
-Villian begins to panic
-Villian tries to make one more comeback and gets countered
-Villian loses
-Hero leaves villian to rot

I'm sorry, but as has been said before, the chapters are starting to all look the same, and it takes away from the story.

Now, the next chapter I honestly don't have a clue about, but you I'll be waiting for it. Until then...

Laterz! :wave:

Inferno_Dragon

25th November 2006, 02:18 PM

Although this is a good chapter (I always try to see the good in anything), I have been noticing the past three chapters have seemed too similiar. I think it is the whole relation thing tha has been throwing it off. First it was Amanda and Ric (sure they didn't duel but it had the same effect.) Then it was Trisha and Patrick. And now it is Artemis and Isaiah. Hopefully, this will help you learn something (though it was nice to see the Seal again althought I thought we wouldn't see it until the end of this fanfic.)

Well, keep up the good work and the next chapter is something I am interested in because it sounds mysterious to me.

Mystic_clown

25th November 2006, 03:43 PM

Well, first of all, I'm happy to see that Artemis isn't the little miss perfect, but htis ends up making me dislike her even more. It's not that I think she's a bad character, I just don't like her. I don't really have any love for people who act all self riteous. Then we learn that she not only ratted out her fiance, but destroyed his life and built her career on doing the exact same thing. Not only is she self riteous now, she's a total hipocritical bitch. I couldn't help but sympathis with Isaiah in this one (but then again, I sympathis with a lot of the villians).

Also, what happened to the love? I mean, sure, Isaiah's using the Orichalchos, but he has every right to be pissed at her. She ruined his life, she deserves to die!

Wait, you told paradox that she wouldn't be using a card of virtue? Lies make baby Jesus cry.

So Paradox, how did you picture Isaiah to be?

Dark Sage

25th November 2006, 04:04 PM

"Lies make baby Jesus cry?"

Okay, here's what happened...

My original intent was for Artemis to miraculously draw Card of Sanctity. However, that sort of miraculous draw seemed to be a cliche, and I don't like using Card of Sanctity anyway unless I truly need to.

So I needed a new way for her to get more cards, so I thought a way to a few things: For her to confess to someone who was nonbiased, and to pave the way for the card that represented her true power.

As for whether Artemis deserved to lose or not, she felt like she did. She has felt remorse and guilt all these years for what she did. Isaiah on the other hand was nonrepentant. He never saw what he did as wrong, and felt that he was denied something that he deserved. He did not. Both of them did something wrong, but Artemis is different in that she knows it and felt remorse. Unfortunately, by the time she realized this, it was too late to undo the crime.

Isaiah would have been justified if he had settled it with her in several ways... But NOT by siding with an evil organization, threatening her students, and attempting to take her soul. That crosses the line.

Mystic_clown

25th November 2006, 10:45 PM

It's not the fact that she used a card of virtue that bugs me, it's the fact that it always saved her in the end. I've said it before in a previous review, but you're over doing the whole 'drawing the card of virtue at the last moment' to the point where everyone's getting a little sick of it. I personally wouldn't have cared if you used Card of Sanctity. It would have been nice to see her win a duel without cards you made up yourself.

As for Isaiah, we never really got the fact that he was unrepentant about the whole thing. It seemed like he was angry at Artemis doing the exact same thing (since she virtually destroyed him when he did it). It said at the beginning Isaiah could forgive Artemis for ratting him out, suggesting that he did. However, you said that he couldn't forgive her for what she did afterwards, suggesting that that was the reason why Isaiah wanted revenge.

jkBAKURA

27th November 2006, 04:40 PM

OK, I may be the target of a lynch mob, but I stand by what I say, I liked this chapter an aweful lot.

I don't have the original vision that Paradox had, but Artemis's old flame came off as a character who had a ligitimate reason to be angry (if a bit over the top about how he dealt with it.)

I also know about the issues involving the deck theme. Yes, Oliver played the same thing. I'm not applauding the idea, but reguardless of the source, the deck was portrayed with skill, and the style of play was indeed different, since the opposing deck wasn't a lockdown.

As for Artemis herself, unlike some other characters in the past, she seemed to still be playing her same deck from the last appearance, and her new moves were beautifully mastered as well.

True, the plot is the same, but this one differed enough that it seemed like the same thing in a new way, but I have my doubts on how long you can continue to pull that off. The plot is indeed being stretched thin, and though we know of your predicamnent, we can't wait around forever.

The one bitter taste in my mouth is the Card of Virtue issue. It did give you more to deal with and stretch the chapter out, but playing it as a "real" card instead of a gift might have worked too. You are talented enough to find other ways of using two paragraphs worth of space.

As for next chapter, I have to say I'm a bit disappointed already. I can't see anything of Ben's that you haven't used already, especially with the multiple Beast decks present. I fear you trying a stretch that won't work, but I'm getting ahead of myself and worrying about something that isn't even up yet.

As for the rest of you, I see your complaints, but this was a chapter I liked, and I liked it enough to declare that out loud. See you all next chapter.

Shuppet Master

27th November 2006, 07:40 PM

Man, where are all the spellcheckers? It looks like the last three posters had seizures and made tons of typos. And I worked hard to keep from having spelling errors! (Don't get mad, guys, I was just pointing out an observation.)

First off, what I say is not idle worship and fanboyism, as Paradox thinks. But then, we've been there before. :) But I really liked the chapter, especially the reference to Solomon and the two women arguing over an infant from the Bible. (I remember reading that Biblical story a long time ago, back when we had a Bible.)

I admit that it was odd that Artemis was all miserable with guilt, then suddenly became confident after a pep talk from one of her students.

Phoenixsong

27th November 2006, 09:36 PM

I haven't replied to the last few chapters because, well, I really don't think I have much to add. I agree, more or less,with what everyone else has said, although your ideas are a bit fresher to me than they are to everyone else as I haven't read many other YGO fics. I'm also a bit less critical about it because, no matter whether or not everyone else thinks the way you're writing the duels themselves is getting old, I'm still in total awe of you because I can't do that worth a crap. So, if it's reassuring at all, the story is excellent to someone all uninitiated like me; it's just that (I suppose) you could be putting in a bit more effort to keep your other readers happy. I don't know.

All the same, there are some other things that were bugging me. While this duel was fairly similar to the previous two, it was still a bit fresher and more distinct, as jk said. Isaiah could have been a bit more remorseless, yes, and that whole "wrath beginning to consume him" thing sort of came out of nowhere. I know that Cards of Sin affect people that way, and I know that he only got to use the card once, but considering the potential for what could have happened, well... you mentioned it once and then dropped it, which made it sort of anticlimactic and meaningless. You could have used his wrathful (if temporary) mood to get him all worked up, have him start screaming at Dr. Artemis and used that opportunity to have him say how truly remorseless he was, or something like that. It's just that it seems like you wasted an opportunity for some tension... and used it to make a big deal out of the Card of Virtue.

Like everyone else, I'm beginning to get a bit bored with them. They're interesting, yes, and I know they're supposed to be "divine intervention", but it would be nice to see one played in a situation that wasn't gamebreaking. You know, something like what happened to Zane when he dueled Camula--she took his little brother hostage and forced his hand. Had she not threatened Syrus, the duel would have continued... a "Card of Virtue" would have been useful for saving his brother, and then he could have won the duel a bit later during the actual climax, using a normal (but still interesting) card. I think a situation somewhat along those lines would be a more welcome change, if you're going to keep using the Cards of Virtue before the story's final climax.

Oh, and on a more technical note, you made a little mistake. When Isaiah played the Seal and increased his monsters' attack points, you brought Mad Lobster's ATK to 2300 and Jerry Beans Man's to 2350. The last time I checked, 1700 plus 500 was 2200, not 2300... in fact, the only time you didn't do that was the first time he summoned Mechanical Devil. Every other time a monster with 1700 or 1750 ATK was summoned, you increased the ATK by 600 instead of 500. I don't believe that this miscalculation affected anything, but you might want to go back and double-check your math.

As usual, I have no idea what's coming next. I'm eagerly awaiting it, however.

Dark Sage

2nd December 2006, 04:18 AM

Hello, everyone, time for a new chapter...

And hopefully, as far as folks like Blademaster are concerned, this chapter will be a change of pace.

Also, those who were fans of a certain very violent video game based on classic literature some years ago might like this chapter...

Read on.

Who am I?

I know that I’m a duelist. I know that I’m the gym teacher for a school, and the headmaster for one of their dorms. I know that I used to be a boxer before I lost my arm and had to quit.

I know that I’m helping someone fight an incredible evil that’s in this tower.

But like the Duel Spirit told me, nothing in this forest-like place has names. I can’t remember my name, the name of the school, my title when I was a boxer, the name of the student who’s leading this invasion, or the evil that I’m fighting, even though I can see them all in my mind quite clearly.

And this duelist I’ve met… She’s in the same situation.

I feel sorry for her. But somehow… There’s something familiar about her that I can’t put my finger on. I know we’ve never met… But it feels like I met another… version of her.

Will a duel clear things up?

I can only try my best, and see…

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ast-0101.jpg

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 7:15 PM

Twentieth floor.

Old Ben was a little more durable than his students, so he felt very little discomfort when the Transporter deposited him out on the floor.

But that couldn’t prepare him for the surprise.

He seemed to be between two hedge walls. Grass was on the floor. He saw trees over both the walls, as if he was in the middle of some indoor forest.

“Fortunado has way too much free time on his hands,” he said.

He looked down the hedge corridor, and saw what looked like a campfire. A campfire usually meant someone tending it, so he assumed his opponent was nearby.

He adjusted his Duel Bandoleer, and shuffled his deck as he walked towards the fire.

When he got there, he drew back in shock…

The hedge wall opened, revealing an entrance to a deep forest. But that wasn’t what shocked him. Sitting on a rock and tending the fire was a creature that certainly wasn’t a man. It seemed to be a humanoid mantis of some sort, wearing armor with a beige exoskeleton. A jagged sword was at his side. He was toasting a sausage on a wiener fork.

Being a duelist, Ben recognized what the creature was – it was an Insect Knight. But he never expected to see one having a wienie roast by a campfire.

Was this a Duel Spirit?

“Curiouser, and curiouser…” he muttered.

He paused.

“Why on earth did I say THAT?”

The Insect Knight looked at him.

“Oh,” said the Monster, in a rude voice. “It’s you.”

“Uhm, excuse me… mister…” said Ben, “Uh, I mean creature… uhm… I’m looking for…”

“I know…” muttered the Insect Knight. “You’re looking for a duelist. Well, I can’t help you with that… I’m not that type of Spirit. You might find someone in there…”

He pointed to the entrance.

“…but I warn you, if you go in there, you might regret it…”

“What’s in there?” asked Ben.

“It’s called the Forest of Painful Memories,” said the Spirit. “But you won’t know that if you go inside. In there, nothing has names.

“Except for Duel Monsters. When I go in there, I know I’m an Insect Knight. But nothing else has names.

“But there should be a duelist in there if you look long enough… Of course, if you look for anything long enough, chances are you’ll eventually find it.”

“Then I have to look for one,” said Ben.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you…” grumbled the Spirit.

“Oh no…” answered Ben. “I’d never do that…”

The Insect Knight shrugged as he walked into the gate.

“None of my business anyway…” muttered the Insect.

“Eh…” growled Ben, as he walked in. “Of all the rude people I have ever met…”

He walked into the dense forest.

“No one has names?” he asked, as he started walking. “That’s silly. My name is…”

He paused.

He paused for a long time.

“My name is…”

As hard as he tried, he couldn’t remember. No trace of his name was in his head.

“Lovely…” he thought. “Let’s hope I get it back when I leave…”

He looked around.

The place was downright creepy. Vines and thorny plants stood among the dark trees, which only cast a dim illumination. He didn’t even know what was making the illumination that was coming down. He knew he was still indoors…

“Got to find someone…” he thought.

He heard the babbling of a stream up ahead.

As he walked towards the steam, he saw a rather-depressed looking girl bathing her feet in the water. She looked to be about eighteen or so… Her hair was long and blonde, and tied in a long ponytail. Her face had cute dimples, and she had large, violet eyes. She wore a shirt that she had tied into a halter (revealing a good deal of cleavage and her navel) and a pair of shorts made from jeans that had the legs cut off.

A standard-issue Duel Disk was by her side.

“Oh!” she said, looking up. “Hi…”

“Uhm, hullo…” said Ben. “Who are you?”

“I wish I knew…” said the girl (calling her a young woman just seemed… wrong). “I can’t remember my name. I haven’t been able to since I came in here.”

“Yeah…” muttered Ben. “I’m, uh… kinda having the same problem…”

The girl paused.

“I, uh… I see you’re a duelist,” she said. “You know, a duel always helps me think. How about it? Maybe it will clear both our heads.”

“Well…” said Ben.

He paused.

“Don’t I know you?” he asked.

“I don’t know…” she replied.

Ben looked at her. She certainly didn’t seem like an evil Shadow Duelist. Somehow, he thought that he could trust her.

“Okay,” he said with a smile. “A duel might be a good way to clear the air.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Fortunado was more than a little confused when he looked at this scene. He scratched his chin.

He had built that forest using powerful cursed magic. This was the first time he had used it, and frankly, this had NOT been what he was expecting when a victim was lured into that place.

”Fortunado,” said his benefactor’s voice. ”Just who is Ben’s opponent? She hardly looks formidable.”

“I’m not sure,” said Fortunado. “The Forest of Painful Memories is supposed to create a duelist from the victim’s… well, his painful memories. Frankly, I was kind of expecting someone from his boxing career, not a teenage girl who was all smiles.

“Frankly, I have no idea who this innocent-looking teenager is. But don’t worry, I’m certain that she has evil on her mind.”

”I’ll view the situation to make sure,” said the voice. ”Let’s hope this one has at least moderate success.”

* * * * * * * * * *

The two of them gathered in a clearing, around a tree stump. The strange girl shuffled her deck on it.

“So, been dueling long?” asked Ben.

“It’s a… hobby of mine,” she said. “I found this collection of promotional cards that kind of… clicked with me. My deck is my life…”

“A deck should be, to a duelist,” said Ben.

They slowly took their positions.

“Well,” she said, as her Disk activated, “as they’re so fond of saying, it’s time to duel!”

Ben’s Bandoleer activated, and five cards slipped off of his deck.

(Ben: 8,000) -------------------- (?: 8,000)

“I always say, ladies first,” said Ben.

“Thanks…” said the girl, drawing a first card.

She looked at it, and then placed it on her Disk. A myriad of caws came from overhead as what looked like a flock of birds flew from their perches.

“I summon Alice the Warden of Wonderland in Attack Mode,” she said.

A dark shadow materialized on her side of the field…

Ben raised an eyebrow when he saw who it was. It was Alice from Carroll’s famous book… But while the blonde hair, bow, and blue dress was still there, Alice was a great deal older, having grown from child to teenager.

And her expression… She was serious, determined, maybe even a little pissed.

(1,300/1,000)

“Okay…” said the girl. “I’ll place a card facedown, and that will be enough for my turn.”

She smiled sweetly as a facedown card appeared.

Ben drew a card.

That facedown is likely a Trap, and that weak Monster is likely the bait, he thought, but I don’t need to bite.

“I place a Monster in Defense Mode,” he said. “And that will do.”

He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

The girl drew a card and added it to her hand. She chose another one.

“I’ll put a Monster in Defense Mode just like you!” she said.

Alice looked with a curious expression as a facedown Monster appeared next to her.

“That’s my turn,” she said.

“All right!” said Ben, as a new card flew into his hand.

“I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode… Des Koala!”

The card flipped, and Des Koala appeared, ready to pounce. (1,100/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh-dr1-en132.jpg

“And that means you lose 400 Life Points for every card in your hand! I see four of them.”

“Hmm?” said the girl.

And then she shrieked, as she was hit by four bolts of lightning!

She held her head and staggered.

“I… I didn’t mean to…” said Ben.

She smiled sweetly again.

“Oo…kay…” he muttered. “I’ll next activate Poison Fangs.”

He played a card.

“And then I’ll summon Des Wombat.”

He played another card, and the large, feral mole appeared. (1,600/300)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/tlm-en031.jpg

“Des Wombat, attack Alice!” he commanded.

Des Wombat scurried towards the Warden…

…and then it seemingly tripped over its feet, and fell over.

The girl smiled.

“What?” asked Ben. “It didn’t work?”

“Alice can curse her enemies,” said the girl, “at least ones who have 2,000 Attack Points or lower. If you try to attack her with such a Monster, there’s a flat fifty percent chance that the attack will fail. Looks like she was lucky.”

Ben considered.

“Des Koala… uhm… attack the facedown Monster…” he said.

Des Koala pounced…

A creature that looked like a flower with a face appeared on the card. Des Koala slashed it to ribbons.

http://www.ideal808.com/images/vjc_jp013.jpg

“Thanks for killing my Dandelion,” said the girl. “When it’s destroyed, I get to summon two Fluff Tokens.”

Two small pieces of fuzz on stalks appeared on her side of the field. (0/0 x2)

“I’ll place a card facedown and end my turn,” said Ben.

He fit a card into his Bandoleer, and it appeared on the field.

(B: 8,000) -------------------- (?: 6,400)

The girl drew a card.

“Let’s start by getting rid of that Poison Fangs, cards, ‘kay?” she said.

She played a card, and Mystical Space Typhoon appeared on the field. It blew the Spell Card to pieces.

“Now…” she continued. “I’ll sacrifice my two Fluff Tokens…”

The tokens vanished. A wind started to blow through the dark woods…

“…to summon… The Jabberwock!”

An enormous creature rose up beside Alice, horribly revealed! Ben had seen Tenniel’s illustration of this horrible monster enough times to recognize it… A dragon with a flat face with beady eyes on a long snaky neck, a pear-shaped torso – clothed in a vest! – and long limbs with wicked claws! (2,600/2,000)

The jaws that bite, the claws that catch…

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/d/d0/Jabberwocky.jpg/250px-Jabberwocky.jpg

“And what can he do?” asked Ben, nervously.

He had to admit, seeing these creatures as Duel Monsters was kind of exciting…

“The Jabberwock is Alice’s bodyguard,” said the girl. “You can’t attack her while he’s on the field.

The Jabberwock growled… Smoke poured from its nostrils…

“Jabberwock, attack the Des Wombat with merciless flame attack!”

The Dragon breathed a blast of fire, eradiating the small marsupial.

“Alice, attack the Des Koala. Vorpal blade attack!”

Alice produced a long knife and charged at the Des Koala. The vorpal blade went snicker-snack, and she sliced it in half.

“That will be my move,” said the girl.

(B: 6,800) -------------------- (?: 6,400)

Ben nervously drew a card. Clearly, his opponent was no amateur…

It was Golden Road.

Oh yeah, he thought.

“I play Golden Road,” he said, playing the card. “Now, each player must draw four cards, and then discard two.”

The girl gave a shrug. She made four draws.

“Very well,” she said, looking at them. “And one of the ones I choose to discard is this one… Elegant Light LV 4.”

She discarded the strange Trap Card, along with Sword of Dark Destruction.

“You didn’t have to tell me,” said Ben, as he discarded two cards.

“Oh, but I did,” said the girl. “You see, the effect of Elegant Light LV 4 only activates when it’s sent from my hand to the Graveyard by a card effect.”

A glowing lantern appeared over her.

“Now I get to special summon any Monster from my deck that has four stars,” she said, taking her deck. “And I choose to summon The Cheshire Cat in Defense Mode.”

She put her deck back, and then placed a card on her Disk.

A big grin appeared floating in the air next to Alice. The grin slowly formed into a large, tabby cat with a cheerful expression on its face. (500/1,800)

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~rgs/alice23a.gif

“And what can he do?” asked Ben.

“The Cheshire Cat is Alice’s familiar,” replied the girl. “With him on the field, her Attack Score goes up by 700 points.”

Alice went up to 2,000 Attack.

Ben just looked at her for a minute.

“Continuing my turn…” he muttered. “I activate Call of the Haunted, to bring back a Monster I put in my Graveyard with Golden Road… The Trojan Horse.”

The Trap lifted, and the large, wooden horse appeared. (1,600/1,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/sod-en0291.jpg

“Next, I’ll place two cards facedown,” he continued.

He fit two cards into his Disk.

“Then I’ll dispose of them and my Call of the Haunted, by using Emergency Provisions.”

He played another card, and both the Trap Card and his Beast Soul Swap and Big March of Animals were consumed.

“Now I sacrifice my horse… for Big Koala!”

The Trojan Horse vanished, and the huge marsupial appeared under the trees. (2,700/2,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ioc-004.jpg

“Slay the Jabberwock!” he shouted. “Takedown from down under!”

Big Koala charged on all fours, and slugged the huge Dragon, blowing it to pieces.

“Well…” he said, “we’re getting there…”

(B: 9,800) -------------------- (?: 6,300)

* * * * * * * * * *

”Fortunado!” said the voice. ”I’ve probed Ben’s mind… as gently as I could without him realizing it. And I know the identity of his opponent.”

“Oh?” asked Fortunado. “Well tell me… Because I sure don’t.”

An annoyed grunt came from the voice.

”Ten years ago, he was a father figure towards a leukemia patient named Nichole, a little girl who practically worshipped him,” said the voice. ”She didn’t survive the disease, and she’s been a part of him ever since.

“What your forest has done was create a phantom of Nichole as she would have been if she had survived and grown up. She’s more or less a construct of his memories of her. And since he’s a duelist, she’s been given the skill of one, even though the real one never played Duel Monsters herself.”

“Why the Wonderland cards?” asked Fortunado. “These were part of a set that was released in 2032, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s birth… But they never really caught on, except among collectors…”

”That ridiculous fairy tale apparently had significance to her,” said the voice. ”But as for the intentions of this ‘Nicole’, I can’t tell what they are. This is a Shadow Game, but I don’t even know if she even knows that.”

“Calm down,” said Fortunado. “If Ben loses, the Shadow magic will overcome him, regardless of this spirit’s intent.”

”In case you didn’t notice,” said the voice, ”he’s winning…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Nichole (for it would now be appropriate to identify her as such), drew a card and looked at it.

“I summon Tweedledee in Attack Mode,” she said.

She played the card, and a stout, fat little man in a purple and orange schoolboy uniform and a beanie appeared. (1,600/1,800)

“And when he’s Normal Summoned,” she continued, “I can pay 800 Life Points to Special Summon his brother from my deck. I summon Tweedledum.”

Another Monster who was the mirror-image of the other appeared. (1,800/1,600)

“Now I activate my facedown card,” she continued. “Enchanted Mushroom!”

The facedown card behind Alice lifted, revealing a Quickplay Spell. It had Tenniel’s famous picture of Alice confronting the Caterpillar on it.

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~rgs/alice15a.gif

“How does that work?” asked Ben.

“I have to first choose one Monster, like Alice,” she explained. “Then I choose one card in your hand.”

Ben looked at the only card in his hand.

“I have to guess whether it’s a Monster, Spell, or Trap Card,” she continued. “If I guess right, Alice will grow to giant size for one round, and her Attack Score will double. If I guess wrong, she’ll shrink to pixie size, and well, you’ll get her next round.

“So, let’s see… Since you didn’t set it or sacrifice it along with the others when you played Emergency Provisions, I’ll say it’s a Monster.”

Ben sighed and showed her the card. It was a Monster called Rainbow Snake Eingana.

Alice closed her eyes and started to grow, and grew until she was just as big as Big Koala. (4,000/1,000)

“Attack that Koala!” yelled Nichole.

Continued…

Dark Sage

2nd December 2006, 04:21 AM

Continued from last post:

Alice swung with her knife, and Big Koala crashed to the ground. It shattered.

“Now let’s see…” said Nichole. “Tweedledee, Tweedledum… Attack directly!”

The two twins leapt up and did handstands. Then they cartwheeled towards Ben, and kicked him in the stomach. He fell over.

(B: 5,100) -------------------- (N: 5,500)

“I’ll end my turn there,” she said, as Alice shrank to her normal size.

Ben started to sweat.

I gotta do something… he thought Ben. This fairy tale has taken a nasty turn…

He drew a card.

He placed the card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

He waved his hand.

Nichole drew a card. It was a Trap Card that she didn’t have a use for now.

“Tweedledee, attack his facedown Monster!” she shouted.

Tweedledee leapt towards the card.

“Now you’ve done it!” said Ben, with a grin.

Des Kangaroo appeared on the card, crouching in Defense. (1,500/1,700)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ioc-005.jpg

He responded with an uppercut, and Tweedledum was blasted into shards.

“What? How?” asked Nichole.

“If you attack Des Kangaroo and your Monster’s Attack is lower than his Defense,” explained Ben, “your Monster bites the dust.”

Nichole grinned.

“Tweedledum, you attack!”

Tweedledum cartwheeled towards Des Kangaroo, blasting it to pieces.

“Alice, attack directly!” she shouted.

Ben roared in pain, as Alice swiped at him with her blade.

(B: 3,100) -------------------- (N: 5,400)

Ben caught his breath and looked at the one card in his hand.

Rainbow Snake Eingana. It needed two sacrifices to summon. If his next draw wasn’t dyno-supreme, he was finished.

He drew.

Pot of Greed.

Well, he thought, that’s something.

He played the card, and the jar appeared. He drew twice.

He almost fell over when he saw what the two cards were…

“I play Koala March!” he exclaimed playing a card. “Now I can Special Summon one Des Koala from my Graveyard, and one from my hand.”

He played the card, and two Koalas appeared, ready to pounce. (1,100/1,800 x2)

“And now I’ll sacrifice them…” he stated.

Both of them vanished.

“…to summon Rainbow Snake Eingana.”

A huge form loomed over the trees. It was a gargantuan serpent, even bigger than Big Koala, with rainbow-colored scales all over its sinewy coils. (2,200/2,400)

Alice gave a look of fright…

“Attack Alice!” shouted Ben.

Alice the Warden of Wonderland covered her eyes as the Rainbow Snake darted down. It swallowed her with one gulp!

Ben sighed.

“That’s enough for one turn…” he muttered.

(B: 3,100) -------------------- (N: 5,200)

Nichole’s eyes narrowed as she drew a card.

She looked at it.

“First I’ll move Tweedledum to Defense Mode…” she said.

She turned the card, and Tweedledum crouched and shielded himself.

“Then I’ll play… Fiend’s Sanctuary.”

She played the card, and the forest dimmed…

A pentagram formed on the ground, and a small creature that looked like it was made of metal beads formed in the center.

“That gives me one Metal Fiend Token,” she said, “and now I’ll sacrifice it to summon Heart Guard in Defense Mode.”

A new Monster rose up. It was one of the Queen of Hearts’s famed soldiers, this one apparently a two of hearts, carrying a spear that was topped with a heart. He knelt and held his spear to the side. (1,000/1,000)

A Tribute Monster with only 1,000 Attack Points? thought Ben. Its effect has to be pretty special…

“I’ll place a card facedown, and end my turn,” she said, fitting a card into her Disk.

A facedown card appeared.

Ben drew a card. It was Silent Doom, not something that would be especially good now.

“Eingana…” he said. “Attack the Heart Guard!”

“I activate… Taunt,” exclaimed Nichole.

Her facedown card lifted, showing the image of two goofy monsters.

“Now you have to attack the Monster I choose first. And I choose The Cheshire Cat.”

Eingana closed in on the Cat and devoured it.

She’s smart, thought Ben. She knew that he was worthless without Alice, so she drew my attack away from the Monsters she could still use…

He nodded. She drew a card.

Nichole looked at in.

She quickly placed two cards in her Disk. A facedown card, and a facedown Monster appeared.

She waved her hand.

Ben drew another card.

Think I’ll wait before putting this guy on the field… he thought.

“Eingana…” he said, “let’s try it again… attack the Heart Guard.”

The Rainbow Snake darted down.

“I activate… Mirror Force!” shouted Nichole.

Her Trap Card lifted up, and Rainbow Snake Eingana was blown to shards by the bright light.

“Heh, heh…” laughed Ben. “Maybe you don’t know about Eingana’s special effect! When he’s destroyed by a card effect, so are all of your Monsters!”

Tweedledum, Heart Guard, and the facedown Monster were blasted to shards.

Nichole smiled.

“Heart Guard’s effect is activated when he’s destroyed as well,” said Nichole, taking her deck. “When that happens, I can summon three specific Monsters from my hand or deck…

“So say hello to Club Guard, Spade Guard, and Diamond Guard.”

Three more soldiers appeared, these in Attack Mode. The first was a three of clubs, carrying a spear topped with a playing card club. Next was a four of spades, whose spear had a spade on the end. Finally, there was a five of diamonds, whose spear was topped with a red diamond. (1,000/500 x3)

“And the facedown Monster that you destroyed was Sangan,” she said. “You obviously know what he can do. I’ll use him to search for my second copy of Alice.”

She showed him the card.

“Well I haven’t summoned for this turn yet,” said Ben. “So I summon another Des Kangaroo in Attack Mode.”

Des Kangaroo appeared, and took a few warm-up jabs. (1,500/1,700)

“It’s your move…” he said.

Nichole made a draw.

“I’ll summon Alice again…” she said.

She played the card, and Alice appeared next to the three guards. (1,300/1,000)

“Now I play this,” she said, holding aloft a Spell Card. “It’s a card made for a different type of deck, but I’m sure my Card Guards will fit in. It’s called Forced March.”

The Spell Card appeared, showing the image of a troop of exhausted toy soldiers marching up a staircase.

Alice pointed with a stern look (indeed, unlike her role in the book, she seemed to have a lot of authority here as a Duel Monster) and the three Guards started to march forward. Her Attack Score dropped to 650, and that of the Guards dropped to 500 apiece.

“This Spell pushes my Monsters hard,” she said, “letting them attack directly, but they have to give up half their Attack Points for the round.”

Ben stepped back nervously…

He grunted as the three guards marched right past Des Kangaroo and jabbed him with their spears…

Then he grunted again, as Alice hurled her knife, and it slashed across his chest.

“That will be my turn,” she said, as the Attack Scores went back to normal.

Ugh… thought Ben, drawing a card.

(B: 950) -------------------- (N: 5,200)

It was Premature Burial, a card that at this point, would be incredibly risky to play…

…especially if she had another Forced March…

I could attack Alice with Des Kangaroo, she thought, but if she gets lucky again, it would be a wasted turn…

“Des Kangaroo, attack the Club Guard!” he shouted. “Dreamtime combination!”

Des Kangaroo hopped forward and socked Club Guard in the face. He dropped his spear, and shattered to pieces.

“That’s all for now…” he muttered.

(B: 950) -------------------- (N: 4,700)

Nichole made a draw.

“I’ll simply move all three of my Monsters to Defense Mode,” she said.

Alice sat on her haunches, and the two guards knelt and held their spears to the side.

She waved her hand.

Ben made a draw.

“Hmm…” he muttered.

Well, this is a risk… he thought, but I may have to take it…

“I play Premature Burial,” he said.

He played the card, and The Trojan Horse rose up. (1,600/1,200)

“Now I’ll sacrifice it… For another Big Koala!”

The Horse vanished, and another Big Koala reared up, just as big as the last one.

“And he’s plenty strong enough to attack your Warden without having to worry about her curse.

“Big Koala, attack Alice!”

Big Koala leapt at the Warden of Wonderland. Alice covered her head before he came down on her, smashing her flat.

“Des Kangaroo, destroy the Diamond Guard!”

Des Kangaroo flew forward, fist first, and flattened the card guard.

(B: 150) -------------------- (N: 4,700)

* * * * * * * * * *

This is bad… thought Fortunado, looking at the field. He already has the two Monsters he needs to summon something that’s nearly impossible to beat. Once he gets Polymerization, we can write this duel off as another flop.

* * * * * * * * * *

Nichole made a draw.

“Uhm, uh…” she said. “I choose to pass for this turn…”

Ben gave her a look. He drew a card.

“I play Pot of Avarice,” he said.

He played the card.

Both Des Koalas, The Trojan Horse, Rainbow Snake Eingana, and his first Des Kangaroo slipped out of his discard slot.

He shuffled them back into his deck, and then made two draws.

I’m getting back up to snuff, he thought, looking at them.

“I place one card facedown…” he said.

A facedown card appeared.

“Now, I attack Spade Guard with Des Kangaroo!”

Des Kangaroo clobbered the last Guard, and it shattered into pixels.

“And now…” he continued, “Big Koala attacks you directly! Takedown from down under!”

Big Koala charged at Nichole…

She quickly threw a card into her discard slot. A swarm of little, furry creatures appeared in front of her. Big Koala got confused…

They exploded, sending him skidding backwards.

“A Kuriboh?” asked Ben.

“Yeah…” said Nichole, wiping her brow. “And I set you up buster! Now my true star is ready to come out!”

“Just move…” he said.

“Get ready, Tough-Stuff,” she said.

Tough-Stuff? he thought. Someone… a long time ago… called me that… It was sort of a pet name… Oh, darn this forest!

Nicole drew a card.

“First I’ll play Graceful Charity, just in case…” she said.

She played the card, and the beautiful angel appeared. She drew three cards.

Then she discarded Dark Designator and Nobleman of Crossout.

“Now, I play the Spell Card, Queen’s Invitation!” she exclaimed, playing a card.

A strange creature appeared in the field. He was dressed as a British footman, in formal clothes and a powdered wig… But his head was that of a fish. He carried an envelope under his arm that was as big as he was.

http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~rgs/alice20a.gif

He strode up to Ben, and held the envelope out, obviously expecting him to take it.

“Uh, what does this do?” asked Ben, reaching out.

As he touched it, the envelope and the strange footman vanished.

“Queen’s Invitation is a Special Summoning Spell,” said Nichole, “but first, I have to remove Heart Guard, Club Guard, Spade Guard, and Diamond Guard from play.”

The four cards fell out of her discard slot. She pocketed them.

“And that lets me summon this charming lady,” she continued. “Presenting her royal majesty… The absolute, uncontested, undisputed ruler of Wonderland… The Queen of Hearts!”

She threw a card on her Disk, and the sky darkened… A tall, female form appeared in front of her out of the shadows…

Tenniel’s illustration of The Queen of Hearts had depicted a portly, middle-aged, and unattractive woman. This version took many liberties. The Queen in front of Ben was a young, attractive woman with a splendid figure. She wore a low-cut dress adorned with playing card symbols, and a headpiece similar to the traditional Queen of Hearts. She also carried a golden scepter with a heart on the end.

Her eyes glowed with an evil light. (3,400/2,400)

Ben gulped.

“Go, my Queen of Hearts!” she shouted. “Attack Des Kangaroo, and win me this duel! Heart of Darkness!”

A storm of black magic started to swirl around the Queen as she raised her staff…

She fired a blast of dark energy at Des Kangaroo.

“Activate… Draining Shield!” shouted Ben.

His Trap Card flipped up, and a dome of energy formed around him. The dark magic plowed into it, and he glowed with energy.

The Queen placed her hand on her hip in anger…

“Heh…” said Ben with a small laugh. “I’m not done yet…”

“Then I’m not done with my turn,” said Nichole, as her Field Slot opened. “I play Mystic Plasma Zone.”

She fit the card into a slot, and the whole sky went dark, and crackled with eldritch energy.

“This increases the Attack power of all Dark Monsters by 500, in exchange for 400 Defense.”

The Queen of Hearts went to (3,900/2,000), while Des Kangaroo went to (2,000/1,300)

“And finally, I’ll place a card facedown.”

She played a card, and a facedown card appeared behind The Queen of Hearts.

(B: 3,550) -------------------- (N: 4,700)

Man, The Queen of Hearts! thought Ben, drawing a card. Anyone who read the book knows that she is one broad you DON’T wanna mess with. And since this version has been upgraded from evil tyrant to evil sorceress…

I only have one guy in my deck who can take her down… Fortunately, summoning him is a simple matter. Let’s just hope that her facedown card isn’t something that will kill him…

“I play Polymerization!” he shouted, playing a card, “fusing Big Koala and Des Kangaroo together to form the Master of Oz!”

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-005.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOB-EN059.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-004.jpg

The two Beasts swirled together into two colors of light…

And then, Master of Oz appeared, raising his fists up high! (4,200/3,700)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/sod-en0351.jpg

“All right!” he shouted. “Attack The Queen of Hearts! Ayer’s Rock uppercut!”

Master of Oz took a stance, and then threw a punch at the evil queen…

“Sorry, you’ll have to find her first,” said Nichole. “I had a Trap ready, courtesy of the Mad Hatter…”

Her facedown card lifted.

“Go, Magical Hats!”

A huge top hat with a question mark on it appeared, and covered The Queen of Hearts… Then three more of them appeared.

Master of Oz’s punch went through, but he socked a hat that burst into air.

“Sorry…” said Nichole. “He missed…”

Ben looked at the remaining three hats.

Yugi Mouto once used this trick, he thought. The Queen is hiding under one of those hats, and the others are decoys.

“I have to end my turn…” he said.

Nichole drew.

“Then I pass,” she said. “Why don’t you try again?”

Ben drew a card. Master of Oz put up his dukes…

“Master of Oz…” said Ben, “attack the middle hat!”

“You made a lucky guess, Tough-Stuff…” grumbled Nichole.

Master of Oz threw a punch, and The Queen of Hearts appeared. She was punched in the chest, and cringed before shattering into pieces.

(B: 3,550) -------------------- (N: 4,400)

“Well, that’s…” started Ben.

He paused.

“…that?”

He looked at Master of Oz, who seemed to be in pain. He was clutching his chest, and a strange, dark aura seemed to be around him.

Continued…

Dark Sage

2nd December 2006, 04:22 AM

Continued from last post:

“Master of Oz…” he said. “What’s wrong?”

“He’s cursed,” answered Nichole. “You must admit, it’s difficult to destroy The Queen of Hearts in battle, but if someone manages to do so, she gets the last laugh. The Monster responsible gets a Dark Heart Token.”

“And what does it do?” asked Ben, nervously.

“Master of Oz can’t attack for as long as it remains,” said Nichole, “and every time you start your turn, it will cost you 1,000 Life Points.”

Ben looked at the cards in his hand.

Silent Doom, and Fusion Gate.

“I… can’t do anything else…” he muttered.

Nichole drew a card.

“First I play Monster Reborn, to bring back Alice,” she said.

She played the card, and Alice reappeared. (1,300/1,000) –> (1,800/600)

“Next, I’ll play Premature Burial to revive the Jabberwock. Remember him?”

She played the card, and the fierce Dragon reappeared. (2,600/2,000)

“That will be all for now…”

“I draw one card…” said Ben.

A card flew into his hand.

He felt a gnawing pain, as Master of Oz glowed with dark energy.

He played the card.

“I play Heavy Storm!”

A wind whipped through the forest, and the Mystic Plasma Zone blew away. Then the Premature Burial card shattered, taking the Jabberwock with it.

“I have to end my turn…” he said.

(B: 2,550) -------------------- (N: 3,600)

“Then I’ll draw one card…” said Nichole.

She drew.

“I’ll summon a second Club Guard in Defense Mode.

Another Club Guard appeared, and knelt. (1,000/500)

“Then I’ll move Alice into Defense Mode.”

Alice sat in Defense.

“And it seems all I have to do is wait you out,” she said. “You’ll run out of Life Points soon enough.”

Ben drew a card. He cringed a little again.

“Well…” he said. “This duel is over…”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

Ben opened his own Field Slot.

“First, I play Fusion Gate,” he said.

He played the card, and a cloud appeared on the field, crackling with energy.

“What good will that do you?” asked Nichole. “Your Fusion Monster is already here.”

“Not for long,” said Ben. “I play… De-Fusion!”

As he played the card, Master of Oz split into two orbs of light, and formed into Big Koala (2,600/2,000) and Des Kangaroo (1,500/1,700).

“Now Master of Oz is back in my Fusion Deck for the moment, which means your Dark Heart Token has been destroyed. And that means first I can attack with his component Monsters. One from Des Kangaroo…”

Des Kangaroo slugged the Club Guard, and he shattered.

“…and one from Big Koala…”

Big Koala tackled Alice, and she was smashed.

“And finally, I can use Fusion Gate, to summon the big guy again!”

The two Beasts were sucked through the cloud…

And Master of Oz fell through, landing with a crash! (4,200/3,700)

“Master of Oz, attack directly! Ayer’s Rock uppercut!”

Nichole stepped back with a look of fear…

Master of Oz slammed his fist into Nichole’s torso and she was propelled backwards violently…

(B: 1,550) -------------------- (N: 0)

Nichole was sprawled on her back, and not moving.

“Oh no…” said Ben, as the goliath vanished. “What have I done…”

He’d only attacked directly with Master of Oz once before… And he’d never done it to a female duelist. Now he thought she was hurt…

He ran up to Nichole and knelt beside her.

Her arms lifted up, and she gently kissed him on the cheek…

“Thanks…” she said. “Thanks for the fun duel…”

She got up.

“I have to be going now… I think you may want this…”

She handed him a small object.

It was a small, blue square, with the letter D on it.

“You never lost your touch,” she said. “Even as a duelist. I’m proud of you…”

She got up and slowly walked away.

Ben didn’t know what she meant.

He tried to follow her, but he lost her in the mist.

Before he knew it, he was walking out a gate, apparently at the other end of the forest.

“ARGH!” he shouted. “Ben… My name is Ben… And…”

He paused.

“That girl…” he muttered. “Nichole?”

He shook his head and took out his cell phone.

“If only she could have been…” he thought. “She was only… a shadow. The magic in this place is weird…”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Really?” asked Trisha. “You were dueling Nichole?”

“Who’s Nichole?” asked Jason.

Trisha waved her hand as she listened on her cell phone.

“I see… blue letter D, you say? Got it… Yeah, we’ll take that into consideration… Be careful Ben…

“Oh, don’t give me that… A little concern never hurt…”

“Who’s Nichole?” asked Jason again.

“Someone he knew who died a long time ago,” said Trisha, hanging up. “Fortunado is sinking to new lows.”

“We should warn the others then,” said Jason, picking up his phone. “If Fortunado would take such a cheap shot, he’s bound to take cheaper ones…”

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 8:05 PM

ALICE, THE WARDEN OF WONDERLAND (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fairy/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,300
DEF: 1,000

Card Description: When this face-up card is attacked by an opponent’s Monster with 2,000 ATK or less, toss one coin and call it. If you call it right, negate the attack.

THE JABBERWOCK (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Dragon/Effect
Attribute: Fire
Level: 7
ATK: 2,600
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: When this card is face-up on your side of the field, your opponent cannot select “Alice, Warden of Wonderland” as an attack target.

Note: “Alice the Warden of Wonderland” and “The Jabberwock” first appeared in “Legacy of the Duelist”.

THE CHESHIRE CAT (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Beast/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: 500
DEF: 1,800

Card Description: When this card is face-up on your side of the field, increase the ATK of all “Alice, Warden of Wonderland” on your side of the field by 700 points.

ENCHANTED MUSHROOM (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Quickplay
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Tenniel’s illustration of Alice confronting the Caterpillar on his mushroom, in black and white.

Card Description: Choose one face-up Monster on your side of the field that has four stars or less. Choose one of the cards in your opponent’s hand at random and guess whether it is a Monster, Spell, or Trap Card. If you guess correctly, double the chosen Monster’s ATK until the End Phase of the current turn. If you guess incorrectly, halve the chosen Monster’s ATK until the End Phase of the current turn.

TWEEDLEDEE (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,600
DEF: 1,800

Card Description: When this card is successfully Normal Summoned, you may pay 800 Life Points to Special Summon one “Tweedledum” from your hand or deck.

TWEEDLEDUM (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,800
DEF: 1,600

Card Description: When this card is successfully Normal Summoned, you may pay 800 Life Points to Special Summon one “Tweedledee” from your hand or deck.

SPADE GUARD (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: 1,000
DEF: 500

Flavor Text: They serve as manual laborers for the Queen of Hearts on most occasions, but can still wield a weapon if they have to.

CLUB GUARD (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: 1,000
DEF: 500

Flavor Text: The rank and file of the Queen’s army. They are little more than grunts.

DIAMOND GUARD (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: 1,000
DEF: 500

Flavor Text: A skilled fighter in the service of the Queen of Hearts. He is dedicated to his liege.

HEART GUARD (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 5
ATK: 1,000
DEF: 1,000

Card Description: This card cannot be Special Summoned. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon one “Spade Guard”, one “Club Guard”, and one “Diamond Guard” from your hand or deck.

QUEEN’S INVITATION (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Tenniel’s illustration of the Fish Footman presenting the Frog Footman with an envelope at the door of the Duchess’s house, in black and white.

Card Description: This card can be activated if one “Spade Guard”, one “Club Guard”, one “Diamond Guard”, and one “Heart Guard” are in your Graveyard. Remove the above Monsters in your Graveyard from play. Special Summon one “The Queen of Hearts” from your hand or deck.

THE QUEEN OF HEARTS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spellcaster/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 9
ATK: 3,400
DEF: 2,400

Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except via the effect of “Queen’s Invitation”. If this card is destroyed as a result of battle, place one “Dark Heart Counter” on the Monster that destroyed it. A Monster with a “Dark Heart Counter” cannot attack, and the owner of the Monster loses 1,000 Life Points during each of his Standby Phases.

DANDELION (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Plant/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 3
ATK: 300
DEF: 300

Card Description: When this card is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon two “Fluff Tokens” (Plant/Wind/1 star/0 ATK/0 DEF) to your side of the field in Defense Mode. “Fluff Tokens” cannot be used as a Tribute on the same round they are Special Summoned.

Note: “Dandelion” is a Japanese promotional card that, unfortunately, has not yet been released in the United States.

FORCED MARCH (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A troupe of exhausted toy soldiers marching up a staircase.

Card Description: During the turn you play this card, the ATK of all face-up Monsters on your side of the field are halved, and they may attack your opponent directly.

Note: “Forced March” was first used by Bonaparte in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Dormitory Demolition”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

ELEGANT LIGHT LV 4 (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A glowing, hanging outdoor lantern.

Card Description: This card is activated when it is sent from your hand to the Graveyard by a card effect. Special Summon one four-star Monster from your deck.

Note: “Elegant Light LV 4” was first used by X in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Not Playing With A Full Deck”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

RAINBOW SNAKE EINGANA (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Sea Serpent/Effect
Attribute: Water
Level: 7
ATK: 2,200
DEF: 2,400

Card Description: When this Monster is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, destroy all Monsters on your opponent’s side of the field.

Note: “Rainbow Snake Eingana” was used by Gansley in the multi-part anime episode “Isolated in Cyber Space” (he didn’t use its effect, but it was written on the card). All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

Coming up next…

Over the course of this story, Old Ben faced the god of tricksters, Jason faced the goddess of discord…

But next chapter, Randy faces the servant of a divine being more merciless and cruel than those two ever could hope to be, who was feared by people long before the Norsemen or the Greeks ever established their gods.

A being so evil, even Fortunado is afraid of her… One who was chained so tightly, she could NOT be unbound by the Scepter.

Does Randy even stand a chance? Find out in “Fengsheng Mirror”, coming soon.

Also, next chapter, you’ll get your first full view of the enigmatic Master who is behind this whole mess. Creepy, huh?

Don’t miss it!

Phoenixsong

2nd December 2006, 08:20 AM

Hmmm... this duel of Ben's was more interesting than his last, to be sure... I know that Ben was focusing on his duel, but perhaps it might have been a tad more interesting if you'd had him struggle with trying to remember who he--and his opponent--were during the match. If she seemed so familiar, you'd think he'd want to do his darndest to defy the forest and try to remember her. Again, I just think you're missing little opportunities to build tension or explore your characters a little more.

Ha! I was able to guess the game you were talking about AND that he would be dueling Nichole... maybe I'm not as lost as I thought, but then again this had precious little to do with Japan-only YGO references. I also still have my suspicions about who the Master is... I suppose I'll get some more clues, if not an outright answer, next chapter.

As I said, Ben's duel was more interesting than his last, but there was nothing really spectacular about this chapter. I did enjoy it, however, if for no other reason than I loved all of the literary references. Yes, I am the kind of person who can get absorbed in something just because there are literary/mythological references in it and for no other reason.

And thank you, thank you, for giving us a break from the Cards of Virtue. They're a wonderful idea, but too many in a row is overkill.

*mumbles to self* "'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves/Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;/All mimsy were the borogoves,/And the mome raths outgrabe."

Master of Paradox

2nd December 2006, 11:26 AM

*mumbles to self* "'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves/Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;/All mimsy were the borogoves,/And the mome raths outgrabe."

I can recite that entire poem in under thirty seconds.

This chapter provided a welcome break from the big "spectacle" duels of the past couple, and (perhaps because of it) was a vast improvement over both. As much as we've complained about filler, sometimes it's necessary to smooth things out, and this the chapter did quite nicely.

I admit, I saw Nicole coming from the instant I identified the next chapter's theme, but... well, it doesn't exactly take guts to create entire tribes (I know several authors who use exactly zero real cards in their stories), but yours at least made some sort of sense. And it was a nice touch with the Tenniel illustrations, I feel.

Ben... well, he's still relatively bland, especially if (like me) you write a surprisingly similar deck on a regular basis, but credit where it's due, the Rainbow Snake worked quite well.

There's only one complaint I have with this chapter, and Phoenixsong already voiced it: you missed a good chance to do some emotional exploration here. Personally, if I realized I had just dueled a long-dead friend of mine, I would break down... but then again, I'm not an ex-boxer. Water under the bridge...

All around, this is a markedly better chapter than previous.

As for the next chapter... I've had a theory about who that high priestess is serving since it first came up. Now I have two theories, but either of them should make for a very interesting duel.

mr_pikachu

2nd December 2006, 04:33 PM

Fanfic’s Rules, Links and Newbie Center

[...]

6) Do not spam (make completely pointless posts). The following are all spam :

[...]

-Making a post just to announce a new chapter (then giving the chapter in a second post)

Since the rule just changed, I'm going to make an exception in this case (though I will still have to merge the announcement post with the first post of the chapter). As a notice to everyone, this is the last exception I'm going to give anywhere for this rule.

For a further explanation of what this means, it may be helpful to check the Fanfic Rules thread.

jkBAKURA

2nd December 2006, 06:16 PM

OK, now would be a good time to pick up my jaw before that flu bug crawls into my mouth.

This may be the first time you've created an entire deck theme on your own. It's a shame the Doll Chimera combo stepped on Alice's toes, and the entire wonderland theme, but as far as I'm concerned, you created the Warden first. (although having both versians in the same story proved slightly akward)

Through what I can only call pure talent, my greatest concern was not only thrown out the window, but hit some rather nasty spikes at the bottom. The Australia deck, while obviously having ome similar moves from the last duel, proved remarkably different. You have no idea how much my eyes bulged when both Big March and Soul Swap were used as E.P. bait. And I had hoped to see Golden Road again.

As for the plot, once again we have a character relation back for revenge, even if it was only a copy, and once again we don't see anything other then what the Duelist sees. An unfortunate neseccity I know, but it would be nice to se what the other victors are up to.

As for what's up next, it proves to be a rather nice clash of Heros and villain (notice the capital "H" *wink*) I don't know why you picked this particular chapter to lift the veil on our villain, but at least it means we get something new to spice the chapter up. For that reason alone I'll be back to find out.

Mystic_clown

2nd December 2006, 07:03 PM

Well, technically jkBakura, Nichole wasn't out for revenge. As Fortunado said, she probably didn't realize that she was in a shadow game.

While this isn't the first time I've seen a Wonderland theme, It's good to see you added onto it. Although, still no Mad Hatter card. *pouts*

As others have said, I'm happy you didn't bring a card of virtue into this one. Finally a duel where the divine keep out of it!

On a final note, did anyone else laugh at the thought of an insect knight having a wieny roast.

Dark Sage

2nd December 2006, 07:37 PM

No, there was no desire for revenge. As far as Nichole was concerned, this was a friendly duel.

Here's how it worked. The Forest created a doppelganger out of Ben's subconscious that took the form of Nichole as she would have been if she had survived and grown up. For all intents and purposes, it was her, and she thought she was her, even though the Forest's effect of stealing names affected her too, so that she couldn't give her name (that was part of the curse of the Forest - the victim would have a hard time identifying how he was related to whoever he met). Because this "was" Nichole, she meant Ben no malice, and just wanted to duel. Her deck was created to match her personality.

It was a Shadow Game, but Nichole did not create it, and did not know it. She likely never would have, because if Ben had lost, she would have vanished into nothing. Without Ben, she wouldn't have existed, because she came from his mind.

Ben did have a Card of Virtue in his deck - what it does, we may never know. He would likely only have drawn it if the situation had warrented it, and it clearly didn't. These cards are made for either fighting evil or achieving greater good. Dueling against someone with this sort of connection to you is doing neither.

As for the Insect Knight, well, read Through the Looking Glass and you'll see that there's a place in that world that's also a forest where no-one has names. Before Alice goes in, she speaks to a giant gnat. That's where I got the idea.

Shuppet Master

2nd December 2006, 07:56 PM

(I know several authors who use exactly zero real cards in their stories),

Are you thinking about SeekerOfSouls' fanfic on Fanfiction.net, "Rising Star of the Heavens?" Okay, probably not. The story started with a bunch of well-known monsters(the Elemental and Destiny Heros, Cyber Dragons), but then they threw all these stupid deck tribes out(Action Warriors and Romance Warriors? Geez!) and the only reason I keep reading it is because it has a deep underlying story.

EDIT: Sorry, forgot to review the chapter.

The duel was pretty nifty, and I was surprised to see the drawings from the books. How did you find those, Brian?

Great characterization of Nichole, and interesting duel.

So we have "S","K","E","R","A", and "D". I hope we can get to the bottom of this puzzle soon, because then we'll see the big duels at the end.

Phoenixsong

3rd December 2006, 01:52 PM

Rainbow... Snake... dammit! *kicks self* I was just thinking about the Rainbow Snake when I read that part of the chapter but for whatever reason that didn't click. I feel stupid... yes, that was a nice addition to Ben's deck and a nice change from the swarm of koalas and kangaroos.

I don't know where DS got the pictures, but I know that Jabberywocky.com has them. Gwar.

Blademaster

3rd December 2006, 09:07 PM

Oh, sure, single me out. >>''''''''''

Well, this chapter was a change of pace, I'll admit; I've never been a fan of Alice in Wonderland, but I was pretty surprised to see you come up with something like that... a whole Alice-theme? You're a clever one, Brian... :cool:

Now, as for the whole nameless forest thing, I'm not familiar with it, but I did get a laugh from that Insect Knight. Still, since insects love sugar so much, mybe he should've been roasting marshmallows instead of weenies...? ;)

Now, looking ahead, we have 'SKERAD'... I see something 'DARK,' myself... Hmmm...

Phoenixsong

4th December 2006, 05:48 PM

Ooh! Ooh! I know what it is! I know what it is... it spells...

...DRAKES...

Ah-ha! I knew it...

Or not. Seriously, I have no idea what these letters are going to spell. If they spell anything at all... I mean, maybe Fortunado's trying to tell them he wants a can of alphabet soup.

Mystic_clown

4th December 2006, 06:25 PM

Hmm, I'm going with Blademasters suspicions. Something with DARK and an S in its name is a lot more likely.

Phoenixsong

5th December 2006, 03:49 PM

As I am. I was being sarcastic.

Blademaster

5th December 2006, 03:57 PM

By the way, seeing Phoenix's last post before that one reminded me of a question I had about why Eingana was in Ben's deck.

EDIT: Never mind - I just checked Wikipedia; seems Eingana was a maternal goddess of Aboriginal folklore. You learn something new everyday...

Dark Sage

9th December 2006, 07:43 AM

It's time for a new chapter.

But while you're at it, read the last chapter of "Pokemonese" as well. You've come this far, after all...

My name is Nadia Tyrelle…

By all means, my brother Randy should be making this introduction. He is the one dueling.

But he can’t.

See, we’re both in big trouble. He’s fighting in the deadliest of Shadow Games, against the worst stakes imaginable, for both me and himself, and the opponent he faces represents an ancient and primordial evil that is very nearly a force of nature.

The fear he feels at this point is greater than he has ever felt, and the sheer evil of the situation threatens to overpower and consume him.

In fact, I think that it’s only the precise nature of the sanctified card he holds in his deck that’s keeping him from throwing down his cards and pleading for mercy… It is the one thing that is holding him – and his sanity – together.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-075.jpg

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 7:10 PM

After the scary duel with Alice, Randy and Nadia walked down a long hallway, Nadia still carrying the doll that had once been her opponent in her backpack.

“So now what?” asked Nadia.

“There are more duelists around,” said Randy. “And I have a feeling that they won’t be as easy as Alice was.”

“You call that easy?” she asked.

* * * * * * * * * *

Fortunado held his head as he saw where they were headed. He had secretly hoped no one would go there. He might have prayed if he didn’t know no one would listen.

“What have I done…” he muttered. “I have to support your opponent in the challenge that awaits you, but the fate that awaits you if you lose… Even feeding you to the Master would be preferable…

“I was against this from the start… But now I must go through with it… I lost all semblance of choice long ago…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Randy and Nadia approached a large set of wooden double doors.

“What do you think…” started Nadia.

They slowly opened with a creek, revealing a dim chamber within.

Nadia slowly went in. Randy followed.

“I’ve seen week-old fish that smelled better than this,” muttered Randy. “Likely someone is waiting to ambush us. Be careful…”

It was a torch-lit chamber, with walls that seemed to be made of stone.

”Randy,” said a voice behind him.

Randy turned. It was Avian.

“Randy, tread with caution,” said the Hero. ”I detect evil in this room… Evil unlike I have ever felt before.

“Clearly, a force of evil of the most powerful type resides here. Be warned…”

“Okay…” answered Randy. “Why don’t you… Rate it on a scale of one to ten, ten being Emperor Palpatine’s level?”

”I’d say… twelve,” replied the Hero.

“Twelve?” gulped Randy.

“Sis…” he muttered. “Maybe we should…”

The far end of the room was occupied by what looked like an altar of sorts, on which was a statue of a beautiful, bare-breasted woman made of white marble. She was sitting cross-legged, and remarkably, had four arms, that were outstretched. Two flaming braziers were to either side of her.

“Lovely,” said Randy. “Living room, dining room… evil temple…”

“This place looks like the Temple of Doom…” muttered Nadia. “Why do these conflicts always happen in dark, creepy places? I mean, why can’t a fight between a good guy and a bad guy ever be in a bakery? Or a flower shop?”

She went up to the altar and saw a mirror next to it. It was five feet tall, three feet wide, had a gold frame, and had swirling lights inside it.

“So strange…” she said, staring at it.

“Nadia!” screamed Randy.

The statue’s eyes glowed with evil light…

Then Nadia screamed…

She was sucked inside the mirror!

The swirling lights stopped.

“Nadia…” gasped Randy.

He saw his sister in the mirror. She was trapped inside, pounding on the wall of the glass prison, but she couldn’t crack it.

An evil laugh started to fill the air.

“Who’s there?” shouted Randy.

A form stepped out of the shadows…

Randy raised his eyes.

It seemed to be a girl about his age, with dark skin that suggested East Asia. She had long, dark hair, tied in a ponytail, and was dressed in a long, silk skirt and a bikini top that seemed made of leather.

Then there were the more startling features. She wore a garland around her neck that was made of skulls (too small to be human – Randy guessed and hoped they once belonged to monkeys or something), and she had strange tattoos on her arms. Her face and lower torso were decorated with streaks of some sort of red paint (he hoped).

She made a slight grin.

Randy was about to say something, when the strange girl gestured, and a large cobra appeared in her hands. It hissed menacingly.

“Who are you?” he gasped.

The girl’s eyes glowed purple. The cobra slithered in her arms.

“I am Kilralla,” she said, in a deep, husky, voice. “High priestess of Kali. And as for you, I suggest you leave.”

The snake hissed again. Randy shivered. He hated snakes… Especially ones with neurotoxin venom…

“Kali…” muttered Randy, as fear crept over him. “The Indian Goddess of Death?”

Kilralla nodded.

Randy stared at her.

“Release my sister!” he demanded.

“You misunderstand, child,” said Kilralla. “I tell others what to do, not the other way around.

“Two centuries ago, my master was locked in a dark prison, and I was sent there with her, as I was an accomplice. But I am free now.

“All I need to free her is to sacrifice two innocents. I have one already.

“My mirror cannot take another victim until I have offered the first. Go, unless you want to be the second...”

Randy drew back in fear.

“NO!” he shouted. “You’re NOT feeding my sister to some demoness!”

“Fear not for your sister,” said Kilralla. “She will survive. And she will have the honor of serving Kali when she returns to Earth.”

“No…” muttered Randy.

He paused.

“Kilralla…” he muttered. “You wouldn’t be in this building if you weren’t a duelist…”

The priestess smirked.

“I am,” said Kilralla. “I have destroyed many opponents in Shadow Games throughout the ages.”

“Well, I offer you a challenge,” said Randy.

The cobra hissed loudly.

“A challenge?” said Kilralla, with a smirk. “How amusing…”

“I’ll be your next opponent,” said Randy. “If you win, I’ll be your other victim…”

He paused…

“If I win, you let Nadia go…”

“Heh, heh, heh, heh…” chuckled Kilralla.

“Run away, child,” she said. “Run while you can. Trust me, you don’t want to duel me…”

Randy stared at her.

Her eyes glowed again. Her expression turned more serious.

“You do realize this will be a Shadow Game?” she asked, frowning.

Randy nervously nodded.

“Well…” said Kilralla, “if you desire to lose your freedom in a foolish bet when you could have run when you should have, I will not stop you. I will give you one last chance to back away, and I will tell you one thing…

“My master is not as merciful as I am.”

Randy paused.

He could have backed out… He could have run and not looked back…

But all he could remember was the promise he had made to Nadia before they had come…

”Just stay close to me, sis. I’ll keep you safe.”

Randy started to shuffle his deck.

Kilralla grinned. The snake coiled around her left arm, and started to glow. In a bust of dark energy, it turned into a Disk made of black metal, with a blade-like tray and other sharp edges. The deck holder and the discard slot were both shaped like a serpent’s mouth.

“Very well…” she said. “You win, your sister goes free. I win, you both become offerings, and later slaves. Keep in mind…

“This was your idea…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Fortunado nervously mixed vodka with orange juice.

A screwdriver was a drink that was usually too strong even for him, but he needed one as he watched this.

He knew the legend of Kali well…

In prehistory, the gods of India were at war with a terrible enemy, the Rakshasha King, a demon with many heads, and many arms. This demon seemingly couldn’t be defeated, because every time even a single drop of its blood spilled on the ground, each drop grew into a new demon that obeyed its parent without question.

But the leader of the gods wasn’t bad at creating either, so he created Kali. She quickly found a way to defeat the beast – she held it above her head, broke its neck, and drank every drop of blood before it hit the ground.

Witnessing this gruesome act closely was Shiva, the God of Destruction. He was so impressed, he took Kali for his wife, but even he later started to fear her violence.

Kali… A name from that was from that point on, synonymous with death…

Whatever Kali had done to anger her fellow immortals and be locked up in some celestial prison was known only to the gods, but the place was so secure, trying to free her had destroyed the Scepter of Bound Divinity in the process. All he had freed was her most loyal priestess.

Fortunado could only watch…

If Kilralla won this duel, Kali would return, and his side would gain a potent ally… But one that would likely be very hard to control. The Master said she could, but he doubted it.

If Randy won, Kilralla would be imprisoned again, something she wasn’t aware of.

Fortunado was pretty sure that attempting to bring this being to Earth was the worst thing he had done at the Master’s request so far, but he was in no position to argue…

* * * * * * * * * *

“You are quite brave, Randy,” said Kilralla, as the two of them stood apart. “But we will see how brave you are when you see what I unleash.”

They drew the first five cards off their decks.

(Randy: 8,000) -------------------- (Kilralla: 8,000)

“I’ll go first…” said the priestess, drawing her first card (not even giving Randy an option).

She looked over her hand.

She placed a card in her Disk. A facedown card appeared.

“That will conclude my move,” she said.

“No Monsters at all?” asked Randy, drawing a card. “Have a bad first hand?”

Kilralla’s eyes glowed again.

Randy shivered, and placed a card on his Disk.

“I summon Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in Attack Mode,” he exclaimed.

The flaming heroine appeared, with her palms burning with fire. (1,200/800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/dp1-en002.jpg

“And my Trap activates,” said Kilralla, as her facedown card lifted. “A card that’s both Trap and Monster… Embodiment of Apophis.”

Purple smoke rose from the card, and a sinister form slithered out. It was a serpentine creature with the lower body of a snake, and an upper body that was sort of like a man, with two heads, one man-like and one snake-like. It held a scimitar and a shield. Forked tongues darted out of its mouths. (1,600/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/sp1-en003.jpg

Burstinatrix nervously stepped back…

“Ugh…” muttered Randy. “Sorry Burst… I have to end my turn…”

Kilralla drew a card.

“I summon the Flame Ruler in Attack Mode,” she said.

She placed a card on her Disk, and a fiery man in a red jacket with a flaming beard appeared. (1,500/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh_fet_en_031_1.jpg

“Flame Ruler, attack Burstinatrix,” she commanded. “Scorching blast.”

Flame ruler’s hand burned with flames, and he socked Burstinatrix, blowing her to shards with a scream.

“Apophis, attack the foolish boy directly.”

Randy screamed and fell over, as the serpent slashed at him with its blade.

Sweat poured down his face as he got to his feet…

That hurt… Badly. It was as if a real sword had just cut into him…

And for all he knew, perhaps one just had…

(R: 6,100) -------------------- (K: 8,000)

Inside her glass prison, Nadia watched with dismay.

Why didn’t you run when you could have, Randy? she thought. You can’t beat someone this powerful…

Kilralla placed a card into her Disk.

“One card facedown, and my turn concludes,” she said. “The blessings of the Black Mother are already with me. Soon, victory will be mine.

“Soon, Kali will be free…”

Randy drew a card.

Hey… he thought.

“I summon Elemental Hero Shadowblade in Attack Mode!” he shouted.

A shower of lotus flowers fell upon the field, and the heroic kunoichi appeared out of the shadows, holding her katana. (1,500/1,000)

Kilralla’s eyes narrowed.

“Here’s where it gets interesting,” said Randy. “If I don’t order her to attack on the round she’s summoned, Shadowblade can destroy one Spell or Trap Card. And I happen to know that Embodiment of Apophis can be wiped out by effects that destroy Traps.”

Shadowblade produced three throwing knives.

“Shadowblade, wipe out that slimy snake!” he shouted.

“HAI!” shouted Shadowblade. She hurled the knives, and they stabbed into the Apophis, blasting it to dust.

“That’s enough for my turn,” said Randy, grinning.

Kilralla frowned, and drew.

“I activate the Spell Card, Spring of Rebirth,” she said.

She played a card, and with a loud rumble, a huge fountain topped by an angelic statue rose up behind her. The statue’s eyes glowed red.

“Next,” she said, “I’ll sacrifice Flame Ruler for a Spirit Monster known as the Great Long Nose.”

Flame Ruler vanished, and a strange creature appeared. It looked like a seven-foot-tall troll dressed in a wool jacket, with red skin, pointed ears, and – true to its name – a very long nose. It had long white hair and a beard. (1,900/1,700)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-068.jpg

“A Spirit Monster?” asked Randy.

He’d heard of these Monsters before… Strange creatures that Pegasus had discovered on a trip to the East Orient. They all had a powerful ability – they all returned to the user’s hand after attacking, making them able to make hit-and-run tactics…

Bottom line, they were incredibly hard to kill…

“Attack Shadowblade, my Spirit,” ordered Kilralla.

Great Long Nose leapt forward, and slashed at the ninja with its claw. Shadowblade cried out in pain as a spray of blood flew from the wound, and then fell to her knees. She shattered.

Randy drew back in fear at the violent scene…

“And since Great Long Nose damaged your Life Points,” said Kilralla, “you must skip your Battle Phase on your next turn.

“I end my turn, and because it’s a Spirit, Great Long Nose returns to my hand…”

The troll vanished, and a card appeared in Kilralla’s hand.

“…which activates the effect of Spring of Rebirth, granting me 500 Life Points.”

(R: 5,700) -------------------- (K: 8,500)

Continued…

Dark Sage

9th December 2006, 07:44 AM

Continued from last post:

Okay, this may be hard… thought Randy.

He drew a card.

“I summon Elemental Hero Clayman in Defense Mode,” he said.

The bulky Hero of Earth appeared, and crouched in Defense Mode. (800/2,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/tlm-en003.jpg

“What do you say to that?” he asked. “Just try getting past him. I end my turn.”

Kilralla glared at him, and drew a card.

“What do I say?” she asked. “I activate my facedown card…”

A Trap Card lifted, showing the image of a gaunt, ghostly form caught in spiritual bindings.

“It’s called Spirit’s Invitation. This Trap costs me 500 Life Points for each of my turns that I want to keep it, but now, whenever a Spirit returns to my hand, I can send one of your Monsters back to yours.

“Next, I’ll place one card facedown…”

She placed a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

“And as for getting past him, I will summon Inaba White Rabbit in Attack Mode.”

A strange form appeared on the field. It was a basin full of flaming energy with a pole in the center. A small, white rabbit clutched the pole. (700/500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/db2-en176.jpg

“This Spirit can go right past your pathetic Clayman and attack you directly,” she explained.

Inaba White Rabbit leapt off its perch, and grabbed onto Randy’s face. He shrieked as it clawed at his eyes!

“I end my turn,” said Kilralla. “Meaning Inaba White Rabbit returns to my hand, and thanks to my Trap, Clayman returns to yours…”

Inaba White Rabbit vanished. Then a haunting ghost flew out of the Trap Card and dove into Clayman. He vanished as well. Cards appeared in both of their hands.

“And my Spring of Rebirth activates again, granting me 1,000 Life Points this time.”

(R: 5,000) -------------------- (K: 9,500)

She planned her strategy perfectly, thought Randy. She’ll lose 500 Life Points every round due to Spirit’s Invitation, but she’ll gain even more due to that Spring of Rebirth, bouncing my Monsters off the field each time.

That would be really bad if the Monster she bounced was a Fusion Monster…

I’d best draw something good…

He drew a card.

Yes! he thought.

“I play Reinforcement of the Army!” he exclaimed, playing the card. “Now I can bring one Warrior from my deck to my hand.”

He took his deck.

“Now who should it be? I know… Good old Wildheart.

“Now… I’ll use Polymerization, to fuse Wildheart and Avian…”

Wildheart and Avian appeared on the field… Then swirled into a green and brown blur…

http://www.ideal808.com/images/een-en008.jpghttp://www.ideal808.com/images/tlm-en001.jpg

“Forming Elemental Hero Wild Wingman.”

A new Hero flew out of the vortex. He looked like Wildheart at first glance, but he had pants, claws, and talons similar to Avian’s, and wings that were more splendid than Avian’s wings ever were. A green domino mask was over his eyes. (1,900/2,300)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_en035.jpg

“Now…” said Randy, “by tossing one card from my hand…”

He discarded Clay Wrap.

“Wild Wingman can destroy one Spell or Trap Card. So say goodbye to your Spirit’s Invitation.”

Wild Wingman flapped his wings, causing a virtual hurricane. Spirit’s Invitation was swept up into the air, and never came down.

“Wild Wingman, attack Kilralla directly!” shouted Randy. “Wild talon!”

Wild Wingman flew at the priestess. She shrieked as he clawed her in the torso. She fell over, but caught herself.

(R: 5,000) -------------------- (K: 7,600)

“How dare you strike me?” she said angrily, as her eyes glowed. “Once this duel is over, you and your sister will suffer…”

“You have to win first,” said Randy. “It’s your move.”

She drew a card.

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

A tombstone appeared on the field, and a hand reached out of what appeared to be an earthen grave. The rest of the creature pulled itself out, revealing itself to be Flame Ruler. (1,500/1,600)

“But he’s going right back to the grave,” said Kilralla, “because when this Monster is sacrificed to summon a Fire Monster, it can count as two Monsters. So Flame Ruler, be gone…”

Flame Ruler vanished.

“I sacrifice you to summon Yamata Dragon!”

From out of the shadows, the ugliest Dragon Randy had ever seen appeared. He knew he was a true duelist when he had to make a comparison to all the Dragons he had ever seen. Reaching twenty feet long, it had eight hideous heads, and whatever body it was connected to was not clearly visible. (2,600/3,100)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-0671.jpg

“Attack the Wild Wingman!” shouted Kilralla. “Raging inferno!”

Yamata Dragon shot forth eight fiery blasts. Wild Wingman hollered, and was burned alive.

(R: 4,300) -------------------- (K: 7,600)

“And when Yamata Dragon damages your Life Points,” continued Kilralla, “I get to draw until I hold five cards.”

She drew one card. She looked at it and added it to her hand.

“And my turn is hardly over,” she said. “I now play this… The Ritual Spell Card, Spirited Away.”

She played the card, and it appeared, showing the image of a shadowy hand reaching for a young girl.

“For this Ritual,” she explained, “I must sacrifice at least eight stars worth of Monsters. So I will sacrifice Yamata Dragon, and Inaba White Rabbit from my hand…”

Inaba White Rabbit appeared on the field, and then the two Spirits were shrouded in blue flames. Quickly, they were consumed…

“Descend, my warrior…” she ordered. “I summon Balfael, the Guardian of Ten-Thousand Terrors.”

The creature that appeared was a fiendish, frightening creature. It was humanoid, apparently made of rock, and stood twenty feet tall. It had stocky legs, and four arms, each holding a scimitar. Its face had definite East Oriental features, and it wore a crown made of blackened metal. (2,300/2,000)

“Uh, impressive…” said Randy. “But a little weak for an eight-star Monster, wouldn’t you say? I’ve seen better ones.”

“His true power makes up for it,” said Kilralla. “Of course, this creature is no Spirit, but he works with them in ways you will soon see. My turn now ends.”

Randy slowly drew a card.

“Uh…” he said. “I’ll summon Clayman in Defense Mode again…”

He played the card, and Clayman reappeared. (800/2,000)

“That’s all I can do.”

Kilralla drew a card.

“I summon Asura Priest in Attack Mode,” she said.

She played the card, and a strange creature appeared. Like some Hindu deity, it had six arms and three faces, and was dressed in a cloak and loincloth. (1,700/1,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-0711.jpg

“Balfael, destroy his Clayman,” ordered Kilralla. “Sword smash!”

The huge statue swung down with one of his scimitars, and Clayman was blown to pieces. Randy cringed from the impact.

Asura Priest produced something with its upper arms. It seemed to be a long, knotted cord.

“And what’s it going to do with that?” asked Randy.

“You’ll see,” said Kilralla. “Asura Priest, attack Randy directly.”

Asura Priest vanished.

Nadia tried to scream as she saw the Monster appear behind Randy, but he couldn’t hear her. The Spirit pinned Randy’s arms with its lower four hands, and then wrapped the cord around his neck and started to strangle him!

Randy fell to his knees, but it seemed that this one wanted to play out the attack for all it was worth. The Monster continued to squeeze, and he started to think it wasn’t going to stop until it killed him. Everything started to turn red.

Finally, it let go, and he gasped for breath. Asura Priest reappeared on Kilralla’s side.

“The favored technique of the old Thagna cult,” said Kilralla. “Outdated nowadays, I’ll admit, but still fun to watch.”

“For a sadist…” gasped Randy, holding his throat.

(R: 2,600) -------------------- (K: 7,600)

“I end my turn,” said Kilralla. “And due to Balfael’s presence, my Spirit Monster does not return to my hand.”

We’re finished… thought Nadia. We failed Russell. And if Fortunado gets someone as powerful as Kali on his side, the fight will be lost…

Sweat poured down Randy’s face as he got up.

“Surrender,” said Kilralla. “Submit to the Black Mother peacefully. You do not want more pain.”

Randy paused. More sweat poured down his face.

He closed his eyes and slowly moved his hand towards his deck…

His hand hovered over it…

From somewhere in his deck, a light shone, and reached to him.

He stopped. He grit his teeth, and then drew the top card off his deck.

“I’ll never give up, Kilralla!” he shouted. “I’ll fight you to the end!”

“I play Graceful Charity!”

He played the card, and the angel appeared in front of him. He drew three cards.

He discarded Silent Doom and King of the Swamp.

“Okay, time to combo…” he said. “First, I summon… Elemental Hero Sparkman.”

In a flash of light, the sparking Hero of Light appeared. (1,600/1,400)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ysd-ens01.jpg

“Next, I play a Spell Card…”

A Spell Card appeared, showing two boxers roughing up a referee.

“It’s called Guard Penalty,” he continued. “Here’s how it works. I choose one Monster on the field, and if that Monster moves to Defense Mode during this turn, I get to draw one card. And I choose that rotten Asura Priest.”

“Oh?” asked Kilralla. “And just how do you intend to move it to Defense Mode?”

“With this…” said Randy, playing a card. “The Equip Spell, Spark Blaster.”

He played the card, and with a flash, Sparkman’s favorite weapon appeared in his hand.

“You like old-fashioned knotted cords?” he said. “Well, time to go modern! This weapon has three charges, and each can change the battle position of a Monster.

“So I’ll move your Asura Priest from Attack Mode, to Defense Mode.”

Sparkman fired a blast from the weapon, and Asura Priest knelt and shielded itself with all six arms.

“So I get to draw once,” said Randy, drawing a card. “Of course, like I said, Spark Blaster has three charges, so why waste them? I’ll use the second charge to move it back to Attack Mode…”

Sparkman fired again, and the Spirit moved back to Attack Mode.

“And one more time,” continued Randy, “moving it to Defense again…”

Sparkman fired again, and Asura Priest crouched in Defense again.

The Spark Blaster shattered

“So I get to draw again,” said Randy, drawing a card. “Even better, Asura Priest has been moved from Attack Mode where it’s strong, to Defense Mode, where it’s weak.

“Sparkman, attack! Shining surge flash!”

Sparkman blasted lightning at Asura Priest, and the Spirit was blown into pixels.

“You dare mock me?” asked Kilralla. “Do you not know the stakes of this battle?”

“Stakes?” asked Randy, placing a card in his Disk.

A facedown card appeared.

“Kilralla…” he said, “if I dwell on them too much, I may come apart at the seams. So excuse me if I keep my sanity in my own way.

“That’s my turn…”

Kilralla growled as she drew.

“Balfael…” she ordered. “Attack his Sparkman!”

The statue lunged forward with its blade…

“Activate… Draining Shield!” shouted Randy.

Kilralla gasped as the Trap lifted, and the force barrier formed around Randy and Sparkman. Balfael’s sword slammed into it, and Randy glowed as energy fed into him.

Kilralla paused.

“Make… your… move…” she said through her teeth.

(R: 4,900) -------------------- (K: 7,600)

Randy drew.

“I’ll move Sparkman to Defense Mode…” he said.

Sparkman knelt in Defense.

“Then I’ll set another Monster in Defense Mode,” he continued.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a concealed Monster appeared.

“That ends my turn.”

Kilralla drew.

Ergh, she thought. These Shadow Games were so much easier when we used stone tablets and talismans rather than these cards… Not as much was left to chance. But if I must use them to adjust to the modern world, I guess I have no choice…

“Balfael, prove to me you can dispose of that blasted Sparkman!” she shouted.

Balfael slashed with its weapon, and this time, nothing opposed the attack. Sparkman exploded from the impact.

“Your move…” muttered Kilralla.

Randy drew a card. He looked at the fiendish-looking Warrior on the card…

“I pass for this turn…” he said.

“Then I draw…” said Kilralla.

She did so.

“I’ll start with one card facedown,” she said.

She placed a card in her Disk, and it appeared.

“Then I summon Fushi No Tori in Attack Mode.”

A bird that seemed to be made completely out of fire appeared, hovering in mid-air. (1,200/0)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-072.jpg

“Balfael, destroy his defense!” she ordered.

Once again, the living monolith lunged forward with his weapon…

Wroughtweiler appeared on the card, and was smashed to bits.

http://www.ideal808.com/images/crv_en012.jpg

“Well,” said Randy, “when Wroughtweiler is defeated, I get to take one Elemental Hero and one Polymerization card from my Graveyard.”

Two cards slipped out of his discard slot.

“And I think Wildheart will do…”

“So be it…” replied Kilralla. “Fushi No Tori, attack Randy directly. Spirit fire.”

Fushi No Tori breathed a ball of flame at Randy, and he screamed as flames burned his skin.

He gasped. Welts were forming on his flesh after that attack…

“And when Fushi No Tori damages your Life Points, I gain the same amount,” said Kilralla. “Once again, I conclude my turn, and Balfael prevents my Spirit from returning to my hand.”

(R: 3,700) -------------------- (K: 8,800)

“As if you needed any more Life Points…” said Randy, drawing a card.

He looked at it.

“Well,” he said. “Now it’s time to clean up!

“I play Polymerization, to fuse together Wildheart with Elemental Hero Necroshade!”

Continued…

Dark Sage

9th December 2006, 07:46 AM

Continued from last post:

Wildheart appeared on the field, and then a fiendish-looking Hero in armor with claws appeared next to him…

http://www.ideal808.com/images/een-en008.jpghttp://www.ideal808.com/images/gx1-en001.jpg

They merged into a vortex…

“And together they form Elemental Hero Necroid Shaman.”

From out of the vortex, a curious-looking Warrior emerged. He was a witch doctor covered with tattoos, wearing face paint, with long red hair. He wore white pants tied with a rope belt, and carried a gold-tipped staff. (1,900/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_en036.jpg

“He can’t defeat Balfael,” said Kilralla.

“Yes he can,” answered Randy. “When Necroid Shaman is summoned, I can destroy one of your Monsters.”

Necroid Shaman started to chant a spell, and his staff started to glow. He shot a beam of dark energy, and Balfael blew into shards of rock.

“Balfael…” gasped Kilralla. “Blown into little pieces… Curse you, Randy, you and your Heroes! He was one of Kali’s most favored servants!”

“You’re breaking my heart,” said Randy. “Anyway, as per the second part of Necroid Shaman’s effect, I now Special Summon one Monster from your Graveyard to your side of the field. Of course, there’s only one Monster in your Graveyard that can be Special Summoned.”

Flame Ruler appeared on Kilralla’s side of the field in Attack Mode. (1,500/1,600)

“And I’m not done,” said Randy, taking another card. “You see, since I Fusion Summoned Necroid Shaman, I sent Necroshade to the Graveyard, and that lets me activate his effect, and summon a high-level Elemental Hero with no sacrifice.

“So, I summon Elemental Hero Bladedge.”

He threw a card on his Disk, and the golden-armored Hero appeared next to Necroid Shaman. (2,600/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/een-en007.jpg

“Now, let’s show her the ropes guys!” he said. “Necroid Shaman, attack Flame Ruler!”

Necroid Shaman twirled his staff above his head, and leapt forward, clobbering Flame Ruler on the noggin with it. The Pyro burst.

“Bladedge, attack Fushi No Tori! Slice ‘n dice attack!”

Bladedge bore his blades, and his jetpack ignited. He flew forward, and swiped at the Spirit, slashing it to ribbons.

“I’ll place one card facedown, and end my turn…” said Randy, placing a card in his Disk.

A facedown card appeared.

(R: 3,700) -------------------- (K: 7,000)

Nadia looked up.

We may have a chance! she thought. He summoned two powerful Monsters in one turn! Maybe we’re not doomed…

* * * * * * * * * *

Fortunado nervously drank the last of the screwdriver.

He looked at the glass for a minute.

How long can this duel last? he thought. Oh, I want Randy to win… But if I show any visible support towards him, the Master will kill me…

And that might not be a figure of speech in her case.

He picked up the carton of orange juice. He’d had enough hard liquor for now, but he had to drink something, and plain old vitamin C would do.

He looked at the clock.

The Black Moon will rise soon, he thought. The Reckoning will begin before we know it…

He paused.

He bowed his head.

This has gone far out of proportion, he thought. This shouldn’t be happening…

But I can’t stop it now…

* * * * * * * * * *

“All right, Randy…” said Kilralla. “I draw!”

She drew a card.

“And my Trap activates,” said Randy, as his facedown card, lifted. “Elemental Recharge! Now I gain 1,000 Life Points for every Elemental Hero on my side of the field, and as you can see, I have two of them.”

Kilralla glared at him.

“I activate my facedown card as well,” she said, as her facedown card lifted. “Ground Breaking.”

A Trap Card lifted.

“Now I can move one Spirit Monster from my Graveyard to my hand…”

A card materialized in her hand.

“And I choose Yamata Dragon.

“Next, I play the Spell Card, Next World. It’s time I introduce you to someone who you will soon become acquainted with…

“Soon you and your sister will bow before her…”

She played the card, and then a large, golden sphere appeared in the center of the arena…

Then a dark, feminine form appeared over it. Randy drew back in fear as she gazed at him. It was the image of Kali herself!

Kali smirked at Randy, and raised her four arms. Then she pointed to Bladedge, and he glowed.

“What’s happening?” asked Randy.

“Kali’s avatar has granted me a blessing,” replied Kilralla, “allowing me to Normal Summon a Spirit with the same number of stars as one of your Monsters. In this case, seven.”

Yamata Dragon appeared on the field again! (2,600/3,100)

“Now I play… Rush Recklessly,” she continued.

She played the card, and Yamata Dragon’s Attack shot up to 3,300.

“Attack his Bladedge!” shouted Kilralla.

Yamata Dragon shot forth its eight streams of flame, and Bladedge screamed as his armor melted like wax. He shattered into triangles.

“I will avenge you…” muttered Randy.

“Again…” said Kilralla, “I get to draw until I have five cards…”

She drew two cards.

“And now, Yamata Dragon returns to my hand, activating my Spring of Rebirth…”

Yamata Dragon vanished.

“Attack me if you dare…” she said.

(R: 5,000) -------------------- (K: 7,500)

Randy drew a card.

“I dare all right,” he said. “Necroid Shaman, attack her directly!”

Necroid Shaman leapt at Kilralla with his staff, and the evil priestess screamed as he clobbered her over the head.

She fell to her knees.

The vision of Kali shook her head, and then vanished.

“Clearly, that was all the help she could give you for now,” said Randy. “It’s your move.”

Kilralla didn’t get up…

“Hello?” said Randy. “Your move?”

“Heh, heh, heh, heh…” laughed Kilralla.

“What?” asked Randy. “Mind letting me in on the joke? Did I hurt you badly, or did that blow to the head knock some sense into you?”

Her eyes glowed purple as she got up. Randy stepped back in fright.

“Randy…” she said. “Not many have ever dared to strike me… Now, you’ve done so twice. I was angry the first time…

“But this time… I’m impressed. You are quite skilled… Indeed you are a powerful warrior of the shadows…

“This duel need not continue, Randy. I will tell you, as much as my master likes to subjugate and enslave, she better likes those who serve by choice.”

“You gotta be kidding…” said Randy.

“Why do you care for your sister so much?” asked Kilralla. “I can see into your past… Oh yes… Many times when the two of you dueled… Duels where she faced you with child Spellcasters and princesses, foes not worthy for your Warriors to face. But more often than not, she bested you, did she not?

“Why try to save her? Join my side, and you will be much better off than she will be.

“She will be the slave, while you will be the favored servant. What better chance could be offered?

“Think… Kali may even give her to you as your slave.”

Randy looked at her in disgust.

“Kilralla…” he said, shaking his head. “A question… Do you have any siblings?”

“No,” she answered, bluntly.

“Then I guess you won’t understand when I say… Go suck a lemon.”

Kilralla scowled.

“Very well…” she said, drawing a card. “If you wish the life of a slave over that of a favored servant, I’ll give it to you!”

(R: 5,000) -------------------- (K: 5,600)

“First, I will activate this Spell Card,” she said.

She played a card. A Continuous Spell appeared on field, bearing the image of Mystical Knight of Jackal looming over some other, unidentifiable Monsters.

“It is called Lighten the Load, and I can use its effect every round. I first have to reshuffle into my deck a Monster who has seven stars or more.”

She held up Yamata Dragon. Then she placed it onto her deck, and reshuffled.

“Then,” she said, putting it back. “I get to draw once.”

She drew a card.

“And I couldn’t have asked for better,” she said. “I summon Susa Soldier in Attack Mode.”

She threw the card on her Disk, and in a burst of lightning, a soldier in East Oriental armor with a broadsword appeared, his body crackling with electricity. (2,000/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-066.jpg

“Attack the Necroid Shaman!” she shouted. “Thunder blade!”

Susa Soldier slammed his sword into the ground, and a bolt of lightning shot towards Necroid Shaman, blowing him away.

“Of course, you only lose fifty Life Points instead of a hundred, but Susa Soldier can defeat almost any four-star Monster you summon.

“Now, return to my hand, my Spirit!”

Susa Soldier vanished.

(R: 4,950) -------------------- (K: 6,100)

“It’s your move…” said Kilralla.

She’s right… thought Randy, looking at the three cards in his hand. Nothing I could summon without a sacrifice or a Fusion could withstand it…

Randy drew a card.

But this might work…

“I place one card facedown…” he said, placing the card in his Disk.

A facedown card appeared.

“Next, I play Monster Reincarnation. I’ll discard this…”

He discarded his one of his two cards.

“And bring Bladedge back to my hand.”

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

“And that’s my turn.”

“HA!” laughed Kilralla, drawing a card. “How did you intend to summon him?
Necroshade’s effect only works once, and you had nothing to sacrifice.”

She placed a card on her Disk, and Susa Soldier appeared again. (2,000/1,600)

“Attack him directly!” she ordered.

“I activate… A Hero Emerges!” shouted Randy.

His Trap Card lifted.

“A Hero Emerges?” asked Kilralla.

“Yeah,” said Randy, “as in, emerges onto the field. When this card is activated, you have to choose a card from my hand, and if it’s a Monster, I get to Special Summon it.”

He held up his two cards nervously…

Kilralla stared at him.

“Left…” she said pointing.

Randy grinned…

He threw the card on his Disk, and Bladedge appeared again in Attack Mode. (2,600/1,800)

Kilralla grunted.

“Well, my turn isn’t over…” she said. “I play Nightmare’s Steelcage.”

She played the card, and in an eruption of fire, the iron, spike-studded cage formed around Randy and Bladedge.

“Now I end my turn…” said Kilralla.

Susa Soldier vanished again.

(R: 4,950) -------------------- (K: 6,600)

Randy drew a card.

“I pass for my turn…” he said.

The steel cage started to chip and rust. Kilralla drew.

“I place a Monster in Defense Mode then,” she said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

“That will do.”

Randy drew another card.

“Eh, I pass again,” he said.

The Nightmare’s Steelcage rusted over, crumbled, and fell apart.

Kilralla drew a card.

“I place another Monster in Defense Mode, and a card facedown,” she said.

A facedown Monster appeared, and then a facedown card.

She waved her hand.

Randy drew a card.

“Do you know what Bladedge’s effect is?” he asked. “He can hurt you even if he attacks a Monster in Defense Mode.”

“If he could attack, which he can’t,” said Kilralla.

Her Trap Card lifted.

“I activate A Feint Plan,” she said. “For this round, you are forbidden to attack my Monsters that are in facedown Defense Mode.”

“Then I have to end my turn,” said Randy, with a sigh.

Kilralla drew a card.

“Then prepare to feel the pain, child…” she said.

She opened the Field Slot on her Disk.

“I play… Temple of Vishnu.”

The walls of the strange chamber rippled and blurred, and formed into a beautiful marble temple. A statue of the six-armed Vishnu rose behind Kilralla, taking the place of Kali’s.

“I hate to use a card that pays homage to another god,” she said, “but it seems I must. So long as I pay 500 Life Points per round to keep this card, Spirits don’t return to their owners’ hands, and they gain 300 extra Attack Points. Now I flip Susa Soldier and Maharaghi into Attack Mode…”

The facedown Monsters flipped face-up, revealing Susa Soldier (2,000/1,600) and a… thing that looked more or less like a clay jar with carved designs all over it. (1,200/1,700)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-064.jpg

“Next I activate Maharaghi’s effect,” she continued. “I get to look at the top card on my deck, and then decide whether or not to keep it on top, or place it at the bottom.”

She looked at the card.

“I believe I’ll put this on the bottom…” she said, putting it under her other cards.

Probably would have been a dead draw… thought Randy.

“And now I’ll sacrifice both my Spirits to summon the king of Spirits… Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi.”

Susa Soldier and Maharaghi burst into flames, and were consumed into a fiery pit. Then, from out of the pit, a giant with flaming hair and flames shrouding its fists rose out! It wore a simple kilt, and was covered with strange tattoos. (2,800/2,900) –> (3,100/2,900)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-0701.jpg

“Attack Bladedge!” she shouted. “Hellish flame fist!”

Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi roared, and punched Bladedge. He screamed, and was consumed by flames from the inside out!

“BLADEDGE!” screamed Randy.

“And its effect is a powerful one, Randy,” said Kilralla. “You must discard your whole hand before you draw on your next Draw Phase.

“He won’t be coming back again. Even if he did, he wouldn’t stand a chance. You can’t win. Just give up.”

(R: 4,450) -------------------- (K: 6,600)

Continued…

Dark Sage

9th December 2006, 07:47 AM

Continued from last post:

“No…” said Randy.

“Then I end my turn…” said Kilralla.

The four cards in Randy’s hand vanished.

Randy paused…

Once again, a faint glimmer glowed from somewhere in his deck.

He drew.

“I play… The Warrior Returning Alive,” said Randy, playing the card.

He played the Spell Card.

“Now I can take one Warrior from my Graveyard, and add it to my hand.”

“None of your Warriors can help you!” laughed Kilralla.

“Depends…” said Randy, as a card slipped out of his discard slot. “It all depends on how lucky I am, and so long as I don’t give up hope.”

“Soon, your hope will be dashed to pieces,” replied Kilralla.

“The Warrior I choose,” said Randy, ignoring the comment, “is one you made me discard…

“Elemental Hero Bubbleman!”

Bubbleman appeared on the field, and struck a pose. (800/1,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/crv_en014.jpg

“Now, Bubbleman will just burst his bubble if he’s alone,” he continued. “So when he’s summoned when I have no cards on the field or in my hand, like right now, I get to draw two cards.”

He made two draws.

“And I just drew a powerful card,” he said, “and an appropriate one. You see, Bubbleman was the fifth member of the Elemental Heroes…

“And the card I drew was… Hope of Fifth.

“Here’s how it works. I take five Elemental Heroes from my Graveyard, and then shuffle them into my deck…”

Wildheart, Bladedge, Shadowblade, Necroshade, and Sparkman fell out of his discard slot, and he combined them with his deck.

“Then…” he continued. “I get to draw three times.”

He made three draws, and brought his hand size up to four.

All right, he thought. Now I still might have a chance…

“I place one of them facedown, and activate Mirage of Nightmare.”

Two facedown cards, and Mirage of Nightmare appeared.

“Now I Equip Bubbleman with this… Bubble Blaster!”

Bubbleman got down on one knee, and his weapon of choice fell from the ceiling. He caught it and pointed it defiantly at Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi as his Attack Points went up to 1,600.

“Do you really think that overgrown squirtgun makes him a match for Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi?” asked Kilralla. “Not even close!”

“We’ll see…” said Randy. “It’s your move.”

“Very well,” said Kilralla, drawing a card. “I draw… And I pay 500 Life Points to keep Temple of Vishnu…”

“And Mirage of Nightmare activates,” said Randy.

He drew three cards.

“And just so I won’t have to discard any…”

One of his facedown cards lifted, and Mystical Space Typhoon blasted forth, shattering the Mirage Card.

“You’ll discard them anyway,” said Kilralla. “Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi, destroy his Bubbleman!”

The giant Spirit flew forward.

Bubbleman shielded himself with the Blaster, and it shattered… But he was unharmed, as were Randy’s Life Points.

“What?” asked Kilralla.

“Forgot to mention,” said Randy. “When Bubbleman is attacked when he has Bubble Blaster, he doesn’t pop, his weapon does.”

Kilralla placed the card she had just drawn in her Disk and a facedown card appeared.

“You have one turn left,” she said. “No more.”

She waved to signal the end of her turn.

(R: 4,450) -------------------- (K: 6,100)

Randy looked at the cards in his hand.

One card would make this perfect… he thought.

He drew.

Hey... It’s that card that that strange kid traded to me! This will do…

Kilralla’s facedown card lifted.

“I activate another Ground Breaking,” she said. “Which, as you remember, returns one Spirit from the Graveyard to my hand.”

The card appeared in her hand.

Randy chuckled.

“Your Asura Priest, right?” he asked with a smirk. “Well, it could certainly destroy Bubbleman… IF I ever gave you a chance to use it!”

He opened his Field Slot and placed a card in.

“I play… Skyscraper 2: Hero City!”

The Temple of Vishnu shattered to pieces, and around them, the spires of a shining, futuristic metropolis rose around them! Space age buildings loomed above them, and flying cars sped above on elevated streets.

Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi fell to 2,800 Attack.

“What’s the point?” asked Kilralla, angrily. “What’s with these buildings?”

“Not only did I demolish your Temple,” said Randy, “but in this place, once per turn, I can Special Summon one Elemental Hero who was destroyed in battle. And I choose the one who started it all… Welcome back, Elemental Hero Burstinatrix.”

Burstinatrix appeared next to Bubbleman in an inferno of fire. (1,200/800)

“And I’m just getting started,” he said. “Now I play… Premature Burial. I’ll use it to bring Clayman back to the land of the living.”

He played the card, and the ground cracked, and Clayman rose to the surface. (800/2,000)

“Next, I play Fusion Recovery. Now I can recover one Polymerization card, and one Monster that I used in a Fusion. And I choose Avian. Remember him?”

The two cards fell out of his discard slot.

Then he fit Polymerization into his Disk, and Avian appeared on the field next to Clayman.

“Now…” he said. “I’m going to show you what makes the Elemental Heroes so… well, Elemental…”

Burstinatrix leapt up and flames surrounded her.

”Fire!” she shouted.

Avian hovered over the ground, and a whirlwind surrounded him.

”Wind!” he shouted.

Bubbleman raised his arms, and a wave of water gushed up behind him.

”Water!” he shouted.

Clayman stomped his foot, sending a shockwave forward.

”Earth!” he shouted.

http://www.ideal808.com/images/dp1-en002.jpghttp://www.ideal808.com/images/dp1-en001.jpg
http://www.ideal808.com/images/dp1-en003.jpghttp://www.ideal808.com/images/dp1-en009.jpg

“Combine as one…” exclaimed Randy. “Form… Elemental Hero Electrum!”

The four Heroes turned into pure energy and combined…

…forming into a Hero of solid gold! (2,900/2,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh_pp9_jp001.jpg

“Now let me explain how this guy works,” said Randy. “He gains 300 more Attack Points for every Light, Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth Monster on the field. And your ugly… thing there is clearly a Fire Monster.

“Attack Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi! Elemental radiant burst!”

Electrum’s Attack score rose to 3,200, and he glowed with pure, blinding energy. Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi bellowed, and was blasted into pieces.

“It isn’t over!” cursed Kilralla.

Randy played another card.

“I play De-Fusion!” he shouted. “De-fuse everyone!”

Electrum split, dividing into Burstinatrix (1,200/800), Avian (1,000/1,000), Bubbleman (800/1,200), and Clayman (800/2,000), all in Attack Mode.

“I dare you to attack me with all of them!” shouted Kilralla, angrily. “I’ll survive, and next round my Asura will kill all four of them, and you’ll be punished for it dearly!”

“Uhm, 1,200, plus 1,000, plus 800, plus 800…” said Randy. “Gee, you’re right…

“Oh well…”

He shrugged.

“Burstinatrix, you’re up first!” he shouted. “Burstfire attack!”

Burstinatrix roasted the evil priestess with her flame.

“Avian, quill cascade!”

Avian shot a blizzard of feathers.

“Bubbleman, bubble blast!”

Bubbleman shot a burst of water.

“Clayman, clay clobber!”

Clayman ran up and socked Kilralla hard.

(R: 3,450) -------------------- (K: 1,800)

“And finally…” said Randy. “I play my last card…”

He played the last card in his hand.

“It’s Heroic Fusion! This Quickplay lets me fuse them together one more time, so long as the resulting Fusion Monster goes back to my Fusion Deck at the end of my turn.”

The four heroes fused into Electrum again. (2,900/2,600)

“Attack directly and finish this! Elemental radiant burst!”

Electrum blasted his beam of light, and Kilralla screamed…

She fell to the floor in a heap…

(R: 3,650) -------------------- (K: 0)

“Thanks guys…” said Randy, as the spirits of the four Heroes appeared over Electrum. That was one in a million…”

“Don’t mention it,” they all said at once.

The mirror started to glow…

Nadia fell out.

“Randy…” she said.

They looked at Kilralla as she stumbled to her feet.

Then the mirror started to glow again.

Kilralla screamed as she was sucked into it.

And then, the mirror shattered into pieces.

Randy breathed a sigh of relief.

He leafed through the rest of his deck and found the card Jason had given him. It was called Call of the Crusader. For the cost of 1,000 Life Points, it could let him add any Warrior to his hand from his deck or Graveyard; a combination of both Reinforcement of the Army and The Warrior Returning Alive…

But it was a Card of Virtue that represented Hope, and just by being in his deck, it had been the only thing that had convinced him to keep going…

Then he noticed something among the shards… He slowly picked it up.

“Randy…” muttered Nadia. “You could have run when you had the chance…”

“Well…” said Randy. “I guess it wasn’t something that the Elemental Heroes would have done. And when I said I would protect you, I meant it.

“Even if I lost, Nadia, it would have been better for you than if I had run… Because at least then, you wouldn’t have had to suffer alone.”

Nadia paused.

And then she hugged him.

“Next time we duel,” she said, “I’ll try my best not to clobber you!”

He looked at what he had picked up.

A red letter T.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Thank goodness…” muttered Fortunado. “Never thought I’d be glad that a plan failed…”

”Fortunado,” said the Master’s voice.

Fortunado didn’t respond at first.

”Fortunado!” shouted the Master.

“You know…” muttered Fortunado. “It wouldn’t kill you to come in here and talk to me to my face once in a while…”

”As you wish…” said the voice.

Fortunado’s eyes opened wide…

He had NOT actually meant it!

Then he drew back in terror as she walked in.

She was a woman standing seven feet tall, with skin as dark as midnight. She had black hair down to the floor, and glowing eyes. Her well-endowed figure was dressed in a halter top and mini-skirt that seemed to be made of a strange, silvery metal. Dark, feathered wings, that seemed to have a wingspan three times her height grew from her back…

It was incredibly rare that she ever let any of her servants see her. When she did, the servant always wished he hadn’t…

“Fortunado,” she said, walking up to him, “I’m beginning to think you’re having second thoughts about our arrangement… Do I detect a hint of disloyalty in you?”

“N-no!” he gasped. “You have my loyalty, my obedience…”

She reached forward with one claw and grabbed him by the neck.

“…my throat…” he gasped.

“And don’t you forget it,” she said. “Don’t forget that I could snuff your life out with a flick of my wrist. The perks your organization give to me have benefited me greatly, but you are replaceable.”

She released him. He gasped.

“Besides, you don’t want to bail out now. Everything is falling into place. The Dark Messiah thinks he’s winning…

“But every victory only fattens him for the slaughter that eventually will come. Once every piece of the puzzle is put into place, we can attack without restraint.

“Until then, do your job, and don’t question.

“I warn you…

“I can be a pretty nasty bitch when I get mad…”

She turned to leave, leaving him gasping for breath.

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 8:15 PM

SPIRITED AWAY (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Ritual
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A shadowy claw reaching out from the darkness to grab a young girl.

Card Description: This card is used to Ritual Summon “Balfael, the Guardian of Ten-Thousand Terrors”. You must also offer Monsters whose total star levels equal eight or more as a Tribute from the field or your hand.

BALFAEL, THE GUARDIAN OF TEN-THOUSAND TERRORS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Ritual/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 8
ATK: 2,300
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: This card is Ritual Summoned via the effect of “Spirited Away”. You must also offer Monsters whose total star levels equal eight or more as a Tribute from the field or your hand. This card cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard. When this card is face-up on your side of the field, all Spirit Monsters you summon do not return to your hand at the end of the turn in which they are summoned. If this card is destroyed or removed from the field, all Spirit Monsters on your side of the field return to your hand at the next End Phase.

TEMPLE OF VISHNU (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Field
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: An Eastern Oriental temple, dominated by the statue of an eight-armed man sitting cross-legged.

Card Description: Pay 500 Life Points during each of your Standby Phases that this card is active. If you do not pay, this card is destroyed. All Spirit Monsters on the field gain a 300-point bonus to their ATK. Spirit Monsters do no return to the owner’s hands at the end of the players’ respective turns. If this card leaves the field, all Spirit Monsters currently on the field return to their owners’ hands at the next End Phase.

Note: Vishnu is a very old Hindu god (dating from the religion’s founding) who makes up their version of the Holy Trinity. In this Trinity, Brahmin is the Creator, Vishnu is the Preserver, and Shiva is the Destroyer, each playing a vital part of the life cycle. Vishnu is the most popular of the three (and the most popular god in Hindu period) in modern times. As the Preserver who maintains things, it makes sense that his temple would keep Spirits from leaving the field, as his power “preserves” their presence.

NEXT WORLD (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: An angelic form holding a large, golden sphere.

Card Description: Normal Summon one Spirit Monster from your hand with the same number of level stars as a Monster that is face-up on your opponent’s side of the field. No Tributes are necessary for Monsters of five stars or more. This counts as your Normal Summon for the turn.

GROUND BREAKING (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A delicate crystal shrine, covered with cracks.

Card Description: Take one Spirit Monster from your Graveyard and add it to your hand.

Note: “Next World” and “Ground Breaking” were used by Noah in the multi-part anime episode “Noah’s Final Threat”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

SKYSCRAPER 2: HERO CITY (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Field
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A futuristic metropolis, full of space-age buildings.

Card Description: Once per their turns, each player can Special Summon from their Graveyards a Monster with the words “Elemental Hero” in its name that was destroyed as a result of battle.

HOPE OF FIFTH (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Bubbleman kneeling in front of Avian, Clayman, Sparkman, and Burstinatrix.

Card Description: Select five Monsters in your Graveyard that have the words “Elemental Hero” in their card names and shuffle them into your deck. Then draw three cards from your deck. If this card is played when you have no cards on the field and it is the only card in your hand, draw one additional card from your deck.

HEROIC FUSION (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Quickplay
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Avian and Burstinatrix slowly disappearing, as Flame Wingman starts to appear above them.

Card Description: Remove Fusion Material Monsters on your side of the field from play listed on the requirements for a Fusion Monster who has the words “Elemental Hero” in its name. Special Summon the appropriate Fusion Monster from your Fusion Deck. (This is considered a Fusion Summon.) Return the Fusion Monster to your Fusion Deck at the End Phase of the current turn.

Note: “Skyscraper 2: Hero City” and “Hope of Fifth” are cards that will be used by Jaden in future episodes of “Yu-Gi-Oh GX”. “Heroic Fusion” was based on his version of “Instant Fusion”. However, a real version of “Instant Fusion” has been released with much different rules. All creative credit goes to the writers of the episodes. “Skyscraper 2: Hero City” will be released as a real card in the “Strike of Neos” booster pack.

ELEMENTAL HERO ELECTRUM (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Fusion/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 10
ATK: 2,900
DEF: 2,600

Card Description: Elemental Hero Burstinatrix + Elemental Hero Avian + Elemental Hero Bubbleman + Elemental Hero Clayman

This card can only be Special Summoned by Fusion Summon. When this card is Fusion Summoned, return all cards that have been removed from play to their respective owners’ decks. Both players then shuffle their decks. This card is considered to be a Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind Attribute Monster. For each face-up Monster on the field that matches one of this card’s Attributes, increase this card’s ATK by 300.

Note: “Elemental Hero Electrum” is a Japanese promotional card that has not been released in the United States. It was first used by Jaden in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Amnael’s Endgame (Part Two)”.

CALL OF THE CRUSADER (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Card of Virtue
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Virtue: Hope

Image: A pious knight kneeling on a hill, holding a flag.

Card Description: Pay 1,000 Life Points. Take one WARRIOR-Type Monster from your deck or Graveyard and add it to your hand. When you choose to summon this Monster, it cannot attack on the round it is summoned.

Coming up next:

Malvolio Lark comes from a long line of exceptional duelists, whose line started with the famed Demetrius Lark. Demetrius was undefeated as a duelist… But family lore tells of one duel where his flawless record was nearly broken.

Next chapter, Malvolio faces an opponent armed with the weapon that almost took Demetrius down. It’s a chapter called “Pole Position” coming soon.

Master of Paradox

9th December 2006, 08:50 AM

Burstinatrix leapt up and flames surrounded her.

”Fire!” she shouted.

Avian hovered over the ground, and a whirlwind surrounded him.

”Wind!” he shouted.

Bubbleman raised his arms, and a wave of water gushed up behind him.

”Water!” he shouted.

Clayman stomped his foot, sending a shockwave forward.

”Earth!” he shouted.

Anyone else think, "Go, Planet!" at that point?

Well, I was right about who the goddess was - not too mainly highly destructive goddesses in history, so it was an easy guess. Personally, I think Kali gets somethng of a bad rap; I blame Indiana Jones.

I've grown tired of Spirit Decks, I'm afraid - try as you might, every duel with them reads the same. One must note, however, that the spirits are much more violent than usual this time. Given their player, this works rather well.

As for the Elemental Heroes, well... I hate Jaden, and I dislike the Elemental Heroes. They're just boring and overly goody-good in my opinion, and I still don't like Shadowblade. Frankly, I could do without either of the decks involved.

Still, I have to give credit where credit's due - this chapter didn't ruin a key character (like Trisha vs. Patrick), didn't disappoint me personally (like Isaiah), and somehow didn't bore me (like so many others). The duel moved at a good pace, even if I dislike both decks, and the moves involved felt natural and not like you forced them into place.

And good call on leaving the Card of Virtue out of it. Although I'd be careful about overusing the "hit the bottom of the deck" exemption.

I am 90% sure I know what the letters will spell... but why ruin everyone else's fun guessing?

Isaiah broke my heart, so my hopes for next chapter are accordingly low. Here's to hoping... although I won't use my already-limited sleep over it.

Shuppet Master

9th December 2006, 09:37 AM

This was an excellent chapter. I was surprised at the opponent. First, I had thought of Kitiara from Dragonlance, but then I realized that this was an Earth-based divinity, so you couldn't use Takhisis here. (That would have been bloody obvious, no pun intended.)

I'm not as fond of Indian mythos as the others you used, but this was a good duel nonetheless. Good thing you didn't bring out the Card of Virtue, people would have slaughtered you verbally. :D

Mystic_clown

9th December 2006, 03:46 PM

While I still like spirit decks, the Elemental Heroes wore thin on me pretty fast. and that's why CSR makes me so happy, I wont tell you why, I dont think Paradox wants me to reveal any document content outside of fics.

As for the diety of this chapter, well, it seems you made Kali appear a lot worse then she is. I mean, she saved the gods for crying out loud! (in a horrible bloody fashion, but saved them none the less). We didn't even get let in on why Kali was imprisoned anyway.

Once again, this is one of those chapters that makes me root for the bad guys, mainly because as I said before, seeing Elemental Heroes getting slaughtered is always a pleasure. But overall, the duel was pretty good. Especially since you kept the card of virtue out of it.

Speaking of the card, time to play card critic! (yay!) Call of the Crusader doesn't really seem that good. ou loose 1000 lifepoints to get one worrier monster from your graveyard or deck to your hand. Now, 1000 seems resonable, without the other side effect. But when it's summoned, it's handicapped for one turn, giving your opponent a chance to defend or destroy it. If the card assisted in summoning the monster, this could be forgiven, but since it doesn't, this card doesn't seem worth it.

Dark Sage

9th December 2006, 03:57 PM

MC, I must intervene.

Kali's first act may have saved the gods, but other myths involving her told of her doing things that were downright abominable. Rumors had it that she ate some of her own children, sparing only those that she favored the most.

If that weren't enough, her religion spawned a very real cult in the seventeeth century called the Thagna, who were a group of highwaymen who murdered travelers, robbed them, and mutilated their corpses as offerings to Kali. This cult counted among its members the man who is believed to hold the world record for most murders ever committed by one man (not a record you should strive to beat).

Even people who followed Kali who were not killers did things that would sicken you. Tamer cult members made blood sacrifices of animals in horrid rituals that are best undescribed.

No one worships Kali in modern times, because doing so is illegal. The Thagna cult was deliberately hunted to extinction by a joint effort by British and Indian authorities, and its members were hanged.

One good act in one myth does not make Kali a benign goddess. She was a force of evil and destruction that caused a lot of real deaths.

Mystic_clown

9th December 2006, 04:06 PM

Well now, I didn't know that. It wouldn't have hurted to mention some of that in the chapter, since not everyone knows all this. The fact that you only mentioned her good deed and not her evil ones tended to make her appear in a slightly positive light.

Blademaster

9th December 2006, 05:04 PM

Anyone else think, "Go, Planet!" at that point?

(raises hand)

And MC's last post exemplifies another point I'd like to bring up. How did Randy know who Kali is? I'm fairly certain he isn't Hindu, so that's one explanation out the window, and you yourself said nobody worships Kali anymore, so I'd think her name to be rather obscure...

Also, this is the third time a diety/representative of a diety has appeared in this fic. I'm truly hoping there won't be anymore, or if there are, the diety will win, because seeing these divine beings made fools of by mere mortals time and again really doesn't sit right with me...

As for the chapter itself, I was glad to see the Spirits return, the E-Heroes are just as... well, they're the E-Heroes. They're stale, but they're also classics, so I can't really say this or that about them.

Oh, and the whole 'trapped-in-a-mirror' punishment was a clever touch. Points for that.

Anyway, I have an idea as to what's coming next time, so...

Well, let's just say I'll be waiting for it. :cool:

Laterz! :wave:

-Blade

Master of Paradox

9th December 2006, 06:16 PM

Blademaster: Kali's got a few fingers in pop culture. Most notably, the cult in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom worshipped her (under the name "Kali-Ma"). So it's quite likely Randy heard of her from some source other than myth.

Phoenixsong

9th December 2006, 09:17 PM

Yeah, my guess is that Randy saw it from Indiana Jones or something... he doesn't seem the type who reads about this kind of thing just because he's a nerd when it comes to mythology.

Like me. :)

Anyway, about the chapter. I agree... this was a better duel than some of the previous ones. The one complaint that I have is the same as the one I've had for a few chapters now: I just don't think you're building tension to its fullest potential. I know that Randy had to try and laugh everything off in order to keep his cool, but if that was really necessary in this situation, well... shouldn't it have been harder from him? I'm not getting any real sense of urgency or danger out of these latest chapters. Just saying "oh, no, if I lose the duel then my sister and I will go serve Kali, oh, woe is me!" isn't enough, and if you keep saying things in that vein repeatedly then I get the feeling that you're trying to beat the fact into our skulls; my response to that, then, is "Okay, so if Randy loses they serve Kali. I get it already, but I sure don't feel like the characters do and they're just repeating it because apparently they like to hear themselves talk." There needs to be more in your descriptions and in the characters' actions/lines of thought for a true feeling of peril to come through.

It's been said before that randomly throwing various divinities into the story doesn't quite seem necessary, although I guess it does do a good job of showing the power at the Master's disposal. That said, I think that you did a better job with this situation than you did with Loki and Eris... both of those duels bored me just a touch. Interesting how the one I liked the best was the one where the deity itself didn't make an appearance.

Well, keep 'em coming, DS. I'm ready for some more Reckoning action!

...Every time I see the word "Reckoning" in this story, random thoughts of wrestling dance through my head. Which saddens me, because I think wrestling is stupid.

Dark Sage

10th December 2006, 01:34 PM

I'll make a reply...

First of all, I also think that pro wrestling is stupid. I think it's stupid SO much, that I would never watch it, so I never even heard of any pro wrestling event called The Reckoning. So I had no idea.

There will be no more random divinities threatening the heroes. The closest we will come is the main villain, who's origin I cannot reveal right now. I'm surprised no-one has commented on her, now that she has actually shown her face.

As for the Cards of Virtue, only one character who is not one of the three main characters will use one after this. The minor character who does use one will face an opponent where its use is pretty justified. I can't go into detail.

As for the three main characters, Russell will duel once more alone, and he'll duel with Trisha as a team. Everything else will focus on Jason, since he's the leader in this operation. Incidentally, I'm trying hard to make up for Trisha's little transgression... I admit it may have been a little too much.

And by the way, Master of Paradox is beta-reading the next chapter as we speak, so we will be sure that the chapter using his user character will be a good one. I will likely never use user characters again - this has been a pain.

See you next week. And keep reading.

Shuppet Master

11th December 2006, 11:35 AM

Oh come on, Brian. I really enjoyed how you portrayed the user characters(and I'm not saying this because I sent one in) - however, it's up to you. I'm sorry this whole experience made you hate user characters. (I intend to use yours in my future project, though, just letting you know.)

I'm glad you hate pro wrestling as much as I do. (Well, I don't hate it, I feel that it is boring and dumb. Only the stereotypical macho man would ever watch stuff like that.)

I'm curious as to who this strange Master is. She looked pretty interesting, and from what I read, she's responsible for creating a powerful dragon goddess, making her ultra-cosmic.

By the way, I know I had a question to ask you about a card or something, but I forgot what it was.

(Incidentally, I agree with what Mystic_Clown said about Call of the Crusader. It is just a combination of Warrior Returning Alive and Reinforcement of the Army with no level restriction and a bad life point cost. I suggest you either reduce or nix the cost or give a benefit to the warrior summoned this way to justify its title as "Card of Virtue.")

starjake

11th December 2006, 05:16 PM

Time for me to comment.

First off, the chapters. The Alice duel was actually much better than I expected (I believe I now owe Master of Paradox my left arm, seeing as I bet it on the fact that Inaba White Rabbit and/or Bottomless Trap Hole would appear, and neither did - if anyone needs an explanation as to what those two cards would represent, go read Alice in Wonderland again). Ben's deck and character were once again rather stale, but the fun new theme you created made up for it, as did the interesting location.

Spirits vs. E-Heroes: not two tribes I would expect to confront each other. Personally, I like the E-Heroes (though not to the extent that Jaden likes them), and you finally used Spirit's Invitation in a Spirit Deck. It was interesting watching Flame Ruler be Tributed for something other than a 2-Tribute Fire monster (I'm refering to first time it was Tributed, for Great Long Nose), and Balfael was a fun addition. Nice seeing some new E-Hero cards as well.

Second...I'm going to say it again, yes, and I'm going to keep saying it until you do it: your characterization needs work. This may sound blunt, but one of the reasons I, for one, have not been incredibly curious about the mysterious female villain behind all this is that you've shown me nothing I haven't seen before in the Shadow Queen...and, to be honest, in many other villains you've written. In fact, your final villains don't seem to be any more evil than the minor villains; their only difference is that they have more tricks up their sleeve than the average Joe. Many of your characters seem all-or-nothing - I'm not sure what the term in the writing world is, but on stage, those types of characters are known as 'shallow'. Try to make your characters a bit more complex; not only will that help break them out of the GOOD and EVIL columns they tend to fall in, but it will will help break them apart from each other as well. I know Mr. Pikachu commented on this a few times when he commented on your YGO Jr. fics: many of your characters tend to say the same things and have the same reactions and personalities.

Another plot twist or two would be cool. The last huge plot twist I remember was way back in Mandate of Heaven, when Saurius turned Peter against the group with a Change of Heart spirit, which Peter proceeded to duel against in his own mind chambers. Your set-up for both that problem and its solution (the Griggle card) was long-term, well thought-out, well-executed, and - IMHO - one of the best plot twists I've seen on these boards. Translation: we know you're capable of it, so go ahead and do it!

OK, I think I'm done for now. I'll see you next chapter (and possibly sooner).

Master of Paradox

11th December 2006, 06:23 PM

"Many of your characters seem all-or-nothing - I'm not sure what the term in the writing world is, but on stage, those types of characters are known as 'shallow'. "

Writers call them "flat" or "static" characters - as opposed to "rounded" or "dynamic".

And you may keep your left arm, Starjake, as I have misplaced the bonesaw.

Dark Sage

16th December 2006, 04:54 AM

My name is Malvolio Lark. I’m the latest in a family of exceptional duelists. A family of duelists that started with a man who was undefeated. One of his greatest regrets in his life is the fact that he never got a chance to challenge one of the Trinity. Could he have beaten them? I don’t know… Some members of my family think he could have… Others are a bit more realistic.

But right now… I’m afraid.

I didn’t take this duelist seriously at first. His Monsters are silly things that looked easy to defeat.

But for the past hundred years, one card has been infamous among my family. A card which almost defeated our founder’s perfect record.

My father was warned about it… His father warned him…

I hoped I’d never face it…

But as our forces scale this tower of evil, I should have expected that the ones behind it would try every trick in the book to bring us down…

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh_fet_en_050_1.jpg

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 7:40 PM

Malvolio was wandering through a series of rooms on the twenty-fifth floor. He hadn’t found much yet except a lot of empty studios.

His cell phone rang. He answered it.

“Mal?” asked Trisha’s voice. “How’s it going up there?”

“Slow,” he replied. “No sign of any duelists… In fact, I think this floor may well be unused…”

He walked into a room.

“Nothing…” he said into the phone. “Nothing but a bunch of empty rooms…”

Then a metal door slid closed behind him, blocking off the way he came.

Two more doors to each side closed as well.

“Trisha?” he said. “I’ll call you back. Something is happening…”

“Be careful, Mal,” warned Trisha.

Malvolio looked at the door right in front of him. Sure enough, someone was coming.

Malvolio raised an eyebrow when he saw who it was. It was a teenager about his age, with carefully styled blonde hair, blue eyes, and casual clothes. He had an Orichalcos Disk on his arm, and a deck in what looked like a grade-A deck box on his belt. He glared at Malvolio.

“Well…” he said, in an accent that sounded Scandinavian. “Malvolio Lark, right? The heir to the legacy of Demetrius Lark… I kind of expected someone… taller.”

“I am, and you are?” asked Malvolio.

The youth frowned.

“Call me Franct for now,” he said. “My last name is something I can’t reveal. I’ve been waiting to duel you for a long time, Malvolio…”

“Why?” asked Malvolio. “I’ve never met you…”

Franct narrowed his eyes.

“A member of your family humiliated a member of mine,” he replied.

“Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down?” asked Malvolio.

“That’s just the point…” said Franct. “You don’t know who I am, and it’s because the Lark family humiliated mine. But I’m reasonable, Malvolio, so why not I make you a deal…

“Due to the privileges I’ve been given serving Fortunado, I can make this duel a Shadow Game, and you will lose… But… If you manage to figure out who I am before this duel ends, I’ll call it off and your soul will be spared.

“Did I mention you don’t have a choice?”

“Fine…” said Malvolio. “I can beat you anyway… I have trust in my family’s deck, and the skill in my blood. And I won’t be scared the same way I was with Arkana!”

“Arkana was a ghost,” replied Franct. “I’m flesh and blood.”

Franct placed his deck in his Disk, and Malvolio followed suit.

“Then let the Shadow Game commence,” said Franct.

The Disks activated.

(Malvolio: 8,000) -------------------- (Franct: 8,000)

They both drew five cards.

“I’ll give you the honor of the first move…” said Franct. “It really doesn’t matter.”

“Why thank you…” said Malvolio, drawing his first card.

He looked over his hand.

Only one Monster that I can summon, he thought, but he’s a good one.

“I place a Monster in Defense Mode, and a card facedown,” he stated.

A hidden Monster appeared, and then a facedown card followed.

“That will do for now,” he said.

I’ve got it all planned, he thought. When he attacks my Penguin Soldier, his Monster will be shot off the field. Then on my next turn, I’ll use Monster Reborn, and then sacrifice it for Hade-Hane.

Franct drew a card.

“I’ll start by playing the Spell Card… Confiscation,” he said.

“Oh, crud…” muttered Malvolio.

“So, I can pay 1,000 Life Points to see your hand and banish one of them,” continued Franct, playing it.

Images of Monster Reborn, Hade-Hane, Mystical Space Typhoon, and Sword of Deep-Seated appeared in front of him.

“Aye…” he said. “I don’t like your Hade-Hane, so I’ll send that to the Graveyard.”

The card in Malvolio’s hand vanished.

“Now, I’ll place a card facedown…” he stated.

A facedown card appeared.

“And then I’ll summon Patroid in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and a cartoonish robot resembling a humanoid police car with a policeman’s hat appeared. (1,200/1,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/crv_en006.jpg

“Now to decide whether your facedown card is worth me wasting my Spell Card,” he continued. “And with Patroid’s effect, I can see just what it is.”

Patroid produced a whistle, and blew. Malvolio’s facedown card lifted, showing that it was Begone, Knave!

“Can’t have that,” said Malvolio, taking another card from his hand. “I play Mystical Space Typhoon.”

He played the card, and a cyclone whipped across the field, shattering the Trap Card.

“And I’ll end my turn.”

(M: 8,000) -------------------- (F: 7,000)

A Vehicroid? though Malvolio, drawing a card. This is weird. And why did he set a facedown card when he knew I had my own Mystical Space Typhoon?

His mistake…

“I play my own Mystical Space Typhoon!” he shouted.

Another cyclone tore across the field. A strange trap lifted up on Franct’s side, and shattered.

“You took the bait!” laughed Franct. “I wanted you to do that, because that was a special Trap called Wonder Garage.”

A weird, dome-shaped building appeared behind Franct. It had satellite dishes, a raised platform, and a rocket coming out of the roof.

http://www.ideal808.com/images/potd-en055.jpg

“When Wonder Garage is destroyed,” he explained, “I get to Special Summon a Vehicroid from my hand, so long as it has four stars or less, so I summon Gyroid in Attack Mode.”

The Wonder Garage shattered, and a cartoonish helicopter appeared on the field. (1,000/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/crv_en007.jpg

Okay… thought Malvolio. Now I have a problem…

I have no Monsters to summon… Only my Penguin Soldier on the field. If I flip it, I can send two Monsters back to the owners’ hands…

So I can send back both of his, or one of his, and Penguin Soldier itself.

If I take the first option, Penguin Soldier will definitely be destroyed when he attacks it…

The second option will let me reuse its effect, but then I’d be wide open to two direct attacks on his next turn…

The first option is better…

“I flip-summon Penguin Soldier!” he exclaimed.

The card flipped up, and a cute-looking penguin holding a sword appeared. (750/500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/db2-en105.jpg

He waved his sword, and both Patroid and Gyroid vanished. The cards appeared in Franct’s hands.

“Attack!” shouted Malvolio.

Penguin Soldier waddled up and stabbed Franct with his sword. He made a slight grimace.

(M: 8,000) -------------------- (F: 6,250)

“Not bad…” said Franct. “But this is far from over…”

He drew a card.

“I summon the mighty Steamroid in Attack Mode,” he said.

He placed a card on his Disk, and with a low whistle, what appeared to be a cartoon version of Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive chugged into view. It stared at Malvolio with a bored expression. (1,800/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/crv_en008.jpg

“And when this guy attacks a Monster, he gains 500 Attack Points,” added Franct. “Steamroid, attack! Full steam ahead!”

Steam blew from Steamroid’s stack, and it rolled forward, smashing Penguin Soldier flat.

Malvolio grunted…

(M: 6,850) -------------------- (F: 6,250)

“All right,” muttered Malvolio, “you’ve had your fun. If you think you can beat me with a bunch of toys…”

He drew a card.

All right! he thought. Guardian Sphinx!

“I play Monster Reborn,” he exclaimed, “to bring back Penguin Soldier.”

Penguin Soldier reappeared. (750/500)

“And now I sacrifice him, for a Monster that I’ll put in Defense Mode.”

Penguin Soldier vanished, and a facedown Monster appeared.

“Your move…”

“That’s Guardian Sphinx, right?” asked Franct.

Malvolio stared at him.

“I studied your family, Malvolio, I know all your moves. There’s no way you can surprise me.”

He drew a card.

“I play Graceful Charity.”

He played the card, and then drew three.

He made a slight grin…

He discarded Patroid and a Dekoichi.

“Now I summon Drillroid in Attack Mode.”

The floor shook, and another cartoonish robot, this one resembling a drilling machine with a face and drills for hands, burst through the floor. (1,600/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/crv_en009.jpg

“You ever been to the dentist, Malvolio?” he asked.

Malvolio frowned.

“I take it that means yes, but you don’t like doing so,” replied Franct. “Hey, I don’t like seeing mine either… I hate drills. But this drill I like, because any Monster in Defense Mode that it attacks is destroyed automatically.

“Open wide!”

Drillroid’s drill started to spin rapidly, and it rushed towards the facedown card. Guardian Sphinx appeared on the card, and was blasted into pebbles.

“Now, Steamroid, attack him directly!”

Malvolio stepped back as the huge train rushed at him…

It charged into him, and he fell over.

(M: 5,050) -------------------- (F: 6,250)

“They’re pretty effective for a ‘bunch of toys’, wouldn’t you say?” laughed Franct.

Malvolio held his head.

“You’re a mess… You almost look like you were run over by a freight train.

“Oh, that’s right… you just were.”

Malvolio glared at him…

We’ll see who’s laughing soon… he thought.

“I’ll place a card facedown, and end my turn…” said Franct.

He fit a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

“Wonder what it could be?” asked Franct. “Mirror Force? Bottomless Trap Hole? Torrential Tribute?

“Or maybe something far, far worse…”

Malvolio stared at him.

A Trap that’s worse than Torrential Tribute? he thought. That’s crazy!

He drew a card.

Well, if it’s Bottomless Trap Hole, this guy is immune to it… And with the Equip I have, he can destroy both of those Vehicroids.

“I summon Mataza the Zapper in Attack Mode,” he exclaimed.

In a burst of darkness, the green-armored ronin appeared. He drew his katana, and it glimmered in the light. (1,300/800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ioc-0861.jpg

“Next…” he said, “I Equip him with Sword of Deep-Seated.”

Mataza’s katana vanished, and was replaced by the dark blade. His Attack went up to 1,800.

“And by the way…” said Malvolio with a smirk. “I know your toy train’s weakness. It may gain 500 Attack Points when it’s attacked, but it loses 500 when it’s being attacked.

“Mataza… Smash his Roids! Double attack!”

Mataza faded into a blur, and split into two identical Matazas. They leapt forward, and slashed at Steamroid and Drillroid! Two explosions erupted, sending scrap metal flying.

“Ergh…” muttered Franct.

(M: 5,050) -------------------- (F: 5,550)

“Heh, heh…” chuckled Malvolio. “Your move…”

Franct drew a card.

“I play my Pot of Greed,” he said, playing the card. “Now I’ll draw twice…”

He made the draws, and he looked at them.

“Not bad,” he said. “I’ll play my Magical Mallet Spell Card. Now I get to reshuffle the cards from my hand into my deck, and draw the same number…”

He played the card.

“Think I’ll do it with all three of my cards…”

He reshuffled, and drew three times. He looked at them.

“I place another card facedown,” he said, fitting a card into his Disk.

A second facedown card appeared.

“And then, I’ll summon Jetroid in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and another cartoonish Machine appeared. This one was a fighter plane with an angry face. (1,200/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/crv_en011.jpg

Malvolio raised an eyebrow.

“Why that Monster?” he asked. “Why in Attack Mode?”

“Oh, right, where’s my mind?” asked Franct, with a slight smile. “Mataza has 1,800 Attack Points, and Jetroid only has 1,200! So you could destroy it and then attack me with his second attack…

“Ah well, I guess I deserve it for such a boneheaded move. I end my turn…”

Yeah… right… thought Malvolio, drawing a card. It may look funny, but Jetroid is a very dangerous Monster. If that last card in his hand is a Trap Card, he can activate it from his hand when I attack…

“Sorry, Franct, I’m not falling for that… I pass this turn.”

“Suit yourself,” said Franct, drawing a card.

He looked at it.

“Aw, this is no good,” he said, smirking again. “I pass as well.”

Malvolio drew again.

“I activate the Spell Card, The Dark Door,” he said, playing a card.

The Spell Card appeared.

“And so long as this door remains open, both of us can only attack with one Monster per turn.”

“And I attack with Mataza the Zapper!”

Mataza flew forward…

Continued…

Dark Sage

16th December 2006, 04:56 AM

Continued from last post:

“I can’t believe you fell for it!” laughed Franct, throwing a card into his Disk. “I activate Jetroid’s effect, to activate Mirror Force from my hand!”

The Trap appeared on the field, and Mataza was blasted to pieces.

“I’m far from done, you Swedish meatball,” said Malvolio. “I activate my own Pot of Greed from my hand…”

He played the card. The jar appeared, and then vanished as he drew twice.

He looked at the two cards, one of which was Sword of Deep-Seated.

This might be risky… he thought. If he brings Drillroid back… But I have to try…

“Next, I play another Spell Card… The Shallow Grave…”

He played the card.

“Meaning we can both summon a Monster from our Graveyards in facedown Defense Mode…” replied Franct. “I’m okay with that...”

Facedown Monsters appeared on both sides of the field.

“That will be my turn…” said Malvolio.

“Very well,” said Franct. “First, I draw…”

He drew.

“And by the way,” he said, looking at the card, “I resent that ‘Swedish meatball’ crack. It might have been a little funny if I were a Swede, but for your information, I’m a Dane…

“I move Jetroid into Defense Mode…”

Jetroid shielded itself.

“And I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode… Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive.”

The card flipped, and the familiar Monster that Trisha often used appeared. (1,400/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/rds_en032.jpg

What? thought Malvolio. He didn’t bring back Drillroid?

“Now I get to draw one card,” said Franct, drawing.

He looked at the card, and added it to his hand.

“I end my turn there.”

Malvolio drew a card.

“Hmm…” he said.

“You know Franct…” he said. “Every card has a story behind it…”

“Does it look like my bedtime?” asked Franct.

“Once, long ago, there was a monk who wanted to be the greatest swordsman who ever lived,” said Malvolio. “He’d accomplish this feat by defeating one thousand warriors.

“He won 999 battles, and took the swords of his opponents as trophies. However, as fate would have it, his thousandth opponent was a legendary Samurai named Minamoto no Yoshitomo. The swordsman proved no match for Yoshitomo, and was handed his first defeat.

“After the battle, the swordsman became Yoshitomo’s retainer, fighting alongside him in Genpei War against the Taira Clan, and…

“Uh, well, that’s kind of the part of the story where Yoshitomo takes over. But the swordsman is revered as a symbol of honor and loyalty for serving him.”

“Is there a point to this?” asked Franct.

“Yes,” said Malvolio, taking the card he just drew. “I now summon that swordsman…

“Come forth, Armed Samurai Ben Kei!”

In a flash of light, a battle-worn warrior in ragged armor with a white cowl covering his head and a sack full of weapons slung over his back appeared. He held two spears and twirled them above his head. He stared at Franct’s weird Monsters. (500/800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh_fet_en_023_1.jpg

“Next, since he likes weapons so much, I arm him with two Swords of Deep-Seated!”

Ben Kei’s spears vanished, and two of the dark swords appeared in his hands. (1,500/800)

“And since he has two Equips, he can attack three times!

“And this duel is over… I flip-summon my facedown Monster… Guardian Sphinx!”

The card flipped face-up, and Guardian Sphinx appeared. (1,700/2,400)

“It isn’t over yet, Malvolio…” said Franct with an evil grin. “I activate my Trap Card…”

One of his facedown cards flipped up. It showed the image of a Penguin Soldier stuck in a sticky mire.

“Tarfoot!”

Malvolio stopped. He froze.

“Something wrong?” asked Franct. “Hmm… My Monsters don’t seem to have left the field… Wonder why that is…

“Oh yes… It has something to do with this Trap Card. You know about it…

“…don’t you?”

* * * * * * * * *

Malvolio didn’t know how long he stood, simply standing there…

…frozen in fear… too terrified to move…

Frankly, at this point, he would rather have been facing all three of the Egyptian God Cards than the Trap his opponent had just activated…

He knew about it, yes… That card was the dreaded bane of his family…

Demetrius Lark had been an exceptional duelist. He had been the top duelist in America, having taken Rebecca Hawkins’s place in that spot after she lost to Leon Von Schroder in the Kaibacorp Grand Prix. Demetrius had a perfect record… He was undefeated…

But at one point, he came very close to that flawless record being tarnished.

You see, being such a public figure, the theme of Demetrius’s deck was well known. Several of his opponents tried to find ways to combat it. Some cards gave him a hard time, like Nobleman of Crossout, Ceasefire, Mystic Swordsmen, and Sasuke Samurai, to name a few. But his opponent could stock his deck with as many of these cards as he’d like, and Demetrius could find a way around them and win anyway.

But one opponent who was determined to defeat him at all costs did clever research… And found out about the obscure card called Tarfoot.

Simply put, this Continuous Trap could nullify the effect of any card whose effect involved sending a Monster from the field to the owner’s hand.

Demetrius had no idea going into the duel that he was facing an opponent with this Trap. And with just one card, this opponent intended to completely seal off Demetrius’s whole strategy.

Demetrius was rather impressed by the attempt. Fortunately, his opponent may have had a powerful card, but he wasn’t too skilled otherwise. Demetrius easily destroyed the Trap and won the duel.

But he remained wary after that. He kept a copy of Royal Surrender in his deck from that point on, just in case…

But nothing at all could prepare him for his next encounter with Tarfoot, where his opponent was far more skilled, and the stakes were much higher. His opponent tricked him into wasting Royal Surrender on a different Continuous Trap early in the duel, and Demetrius was taken off guard by the Trap, which now looked like it would pose a serious threat.

But he would not give up. He reasoned that if he was truly a duelist, he could overcome even this. And being a man who had trained his mind to near-perfection, his faith and spirit could not be broken. It was hard, but after an exhausting battle, he emerged victorious.

But the memory of that horrible duel lingered on. When he passed down the mantle to his two sons, he warned them about that card. The card that almost defeated him. And they took the warning to heart. Even though they never encountered it, when their own children came of age, they relayed the same warning.

And with each generation of the Lark family line, with each son and daughter who picked up a Duel Disk, the same warning was passed down. The Trap Card became legendary, and all members of the family stood wary, knowing that the bane of the family could show up at any time.

Unfortunately, one hundred years later, with Tarfoot never having shown up since, the warning for Malvolio was incomplete. His father had sadly died when he was young, and all Malvolio had heard about it were ominous stories from his grandfather. Had his father lived long enough to personally give him the family deck, he would have told Malvolio what to do, how to handle it, and mostly, how not to panic…

And now, after a century, it was back, facing a Lark who was just as unprepared. Maybe it had been biding its time, lurking in the shadows until the time was right for another chance to strike at the descendent of Demetrius Lark. It was back…

The card that had almost defeated his ancestor was staring him in the face…

* * * * * * * * * *

“What’s the matter?” asked Franct. “Scared? Scared of a simple Trap Card?”

Malvolio tried hard to come to his senses…

“I’m not scared!” he shouted, lying. “My Guardian Sphinx can still attack, and its Attack Score is higher than Dekoichi’s!

“Attack! Monolith smash!”

Guardian Sphinx clapped its paws, and Dekoichi was smashed flat.

“Now I’ll use its effect…” he muttered. “To switch it to facedown Defense Mode…”

Guardian Sphinx transformed into a facedown card.

“It’s your move…” he muttered.

(M: 5,050) -------------------- (F: 5,250)

Franct drew a card.

“Heh, heh…” he chuckled. “Now I have you just where I want you.

“You’re scared, Malvolio… You’re on the edge of panic, and you aren’t thinking clearly. That will be your undoing…

“I move Jetroid into Attack Mode…”

Jetroid rose up.

“And now I play… Limiter Removal!”

He played the card, and Jetroid glowed with red energy. Its Attack Score shot up to 2,400.

“Attack his Armed Samurai Ben Kei!” he shouted. “Missile assault!”

Jetroid blasted a barrage of heat-seeking missiles, and Ben Kei was blown to pieces.

“You used Limiter Removal to do that,” said Malvolio, pointing. “Jetroid will be destroyed when you end your turn, and you’ll be defenseless.”

“Maybe…” said Franct. “But you have very few options. Since Ben Kei was Equipped with two Swords of Deep Seated when he was destroyed, both of them are now at the top of your deck. Your next two turns will be dead draws!

“Heh, heh…

“My turn is over…”

(M: 4,150) -------------------- (F: 5,250)

Malvolio drew a card. Franct was right, of course…

Guardian Sphinx flipped into Attack Mode.

Pull yourself together, Malvolio! he thought. You have a Monster, he doesn’t… You can attack him directly…

“I still have my Sphinx…” he said. “Attack him directly!”

Guardian Sphinx clapped its paws together, smashing Franct. The Dane staggered back and sneered at him.

Then it moved back into facedown Defense Mode.

(M: 4,150) -------------------- (F: 3,550)

“I’ll end my turn there…” he muttered.

Franct drew a card.

“Now I’ll summon someone who’ll make your Sphinx worthless. I summon Submarineroid in Attack Mode.”

With a series of ping, ping, ping sounds, a large blue and yellow submarine with a face on the front slowly appeared in front of Franct. (800/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/potd-en008.jpg

“Okay, that’s a new one on me…” said Malvolio. “But your toy boat isn’t even close to being able to beat my Sphinx’s Defense.”

“It won’t be aiming for your Sphinx,” said Franct. “Watch what this ‘toy boat’ can do. Submarineroid, attack Malvolio with subterranean sneak attack!”

Then, the floor seemingly turned to liquid, and Submarineroid dove under the surface.

“Still not scared?” asked Franct, as Malvolio saw a shadow under the surface rush towards him. “Well it’s hard not to be when a submarine has you in its sights…”

Then an explosion of liquid burst around Malvolio, and he staggered backwards.

Submarineroid reappeared on Franct’s side.

“And the best part is,” continued Franct. “When it successfully attacks directly, it moves into Defense Mode.”

Submarineroid shielded itself in Defense.

(M: 3,350) -------------------- (F: 3,550)

“You’re Life Points are falling, your strategy has been sealed off…” said Franct. “Seems the only way you can save your soul is to find out who I am… It shouldn’t be hard, Malvolio. Just look at my deck.”

“You’re nuts!” shouted Malvolio. “Heck, Demetrius Lark himself must have dueled guys who used Vehicroids four times! In fact, an opponent in his first major tournament used them. He…”

He paused.

“Oh… God…” he muttered. “Sven Marlowe… In the first National Tournament where Demetrius competed, he was his opponent in the final round, and he used Vehicroids… And he was Danish…

“He was your family’s founder…”

Franct’s eyes narrowed.

“Yes…” he said. “And my family should have been the one with the fame and the glory. The Marlowes would have been at the top of the dueling world. But it was ruined when Sven was beaten. Demetrius humiliated him. His Bounce Strategy couldn’t be stopped…

“Sven had just gotten a card that would have made him a household name…”

He slowly reached into a pouch on his belt (presumably his side deck) and took out a card.

“The ultra-rare Fusion Monster known as Super Vehicroid Stealth Union,” he continued. “It’s a fusion of four Vehicroids, it has 3,600 Attack Points, you can Equip other Monsters to it, and it gains the effect of the Monster that’s Equipped to it.

“Six confirmed copies of this card exist… Syrus Truesdale’s family owns one of them. Rich collectors own four others… This is the sixth.

“And when Sven used it, it was defeated by a blasted Penguin Soldier! It was the worst humiliation…”

“And Sven just gave up after he came in second place in a major tournament?” asked Malvolio in disbelief. “That has to be the most awful thing I ever heard of!”

Franct returned it to his side deck.

“Why don’t you use it?” asked Malvolio.

“The card was ashamed to have been beaten by such a wimp,” said Franct. “That’s what Sven said. He said that not until he or a member of his family defeated a Lark would that card get its dignity back, and only then would a Marlowe be able to play it. For a century, a member of my family has kept it in a side deck, waiting for the chance.”

Malvolio frowned.

“Well, I figured out who you were,” he shouted, “so call off the Shadows like you promised you would!”

“No…” growled Franct. “I told a fib. This duel will continue… I will defeat you, and Sven Marlowe’s prize card will rise again!

“The Lark legacy began with a member defeating a Marlowe, and it will end with a Marlowe defeating a Lark!”

(M: 3,350) -------------------- (F: 3,550)

“Well then, we both know you’re a liar…” said Malvolio, drawing a card. “We’ll see if you’re a very good duelist.”

He looked at the other Sword of Deep Seated.

Sorry, Uncle Iago, he said, but once this is over, I’m replacing these two cards with Fusion Sword Murasame Blades. This was always the weak part of your strategy…

“I’ll keep my Sphinx in Defense Mode for now, and pass for this turn…”

Franct drew a card.

“Now I’ll move Submarineroid into Attack Mode, and attack again! Since you saw the sneak attack, let’s try something new. Attack with Tuscan Torpedo!”

Submarineroid rose up and shot a torpedo at Malvolio, striking him in the chest. He staggered backwards.

He grunted as he held his chest…

(M: 2,550) -------------------- (F: 3,550)

“Pitiful…” said Franct, as Submarineroid moved into Defense Mode. “Pitiful that such a great legacy is going to end like this.”

Malvolio drew a card.

“All right, Franct,” he said, “I play Graceful Charity.”

The angel appeared in a wisp of light, and he drew three cards.

He grinned. He discarded both of his Swords of Deep-Seated.

“First I summon Chain Thrasher in Defense Mode,” he said, playing a card.

The chain-wielding Warrior appeared, and knelt. (1,000/600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/soi-en015.jpg

“Next,” he continued, “I’ll place one card, facedown, and activate Mirage of Nightmare.”

He played his last two cards, and the face-up card and the facedown card appeared.

“And that will end my turn.”

“A clever combo,” said Franct, drawing. “Well, make your four draws and activate Emergency Provisions.”

“I will,” said Malvolio, drawing four.

He looked at them, two of which were the Swords of Deep-Seated.

Continued…

Dark Sage

16th December 2006, 04:58 AM

Continued from last post:

“And by the way, this facedown card isn’t Emergency Provisions,” he said. “I mean, I’m not lucky enough to have both in my hand every time.”

The facedown card lifted, showing the image of three men in suits behind a laser barrier.

“It’s a Trap called Insurance,” he said. “When I activate it, I can send one Spell or Trap Card on the field back to my hand.”

Mirage of Nightmare vanished. He held it up.

“And Tarfoot only negates effects that send Monsters to the owners’ hand, not Spells and Traps… Thought I couldn’t figure that out? That’s the problem with Continuous Traps, Franct, the text is written right there.”

“Clever…” said Franct, as Submarineroid moved into Attack Mode.

He sighed.

“It’s a shame…” he said. “When all is said and done, everything in life always becomes routine. Submarineroid…”

The Roid blasted its torpedo again, and Malvolio fell backwards.

(M: 1,750) -------------------- (F: 3,550)

Submarineroid moved into Defense Mode.

“I’ll place a card facedown, and end my turn,” said Franct, playing a card.

Now two facedown cards were on his side of the field, one to each side of Tarfoot.

Malvolio nervously drew…

If this keeps up, I’m finished in three turns… he thought.

“All right, Franct,” he said, “I play… Reload!

He returned his cards to his deck.

“Now, I return my five cards back to my deck, reshuffle, and draw five new cards…”

He made five draws.

“I flip Guardian Sphinx into Attack Mode once more…” he said.

Guardian Sphinx appeared again. (1,700/2,400)

“Then I play… Mystik Wok,” he said, playing a Spell Card. “I’ll sacrifice Guardian Sphinx to gain 2,400 Life Points.”

The Wok appeared, and the Sphinx vanished.

“Now, I’ll summon Hayabusa Knight in Defense Mode.”

The peregrine-headed, saber-wielding Warrior appeared, and crouched in Defense. (1,000/700)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/psv-en086.jpg

“That’s all for my turn”

(M: 4,150) -------------------- (F: 3,550)

“Eh…” said Franct, drawing a card.

“I could destroy that guy, or attack you directly again…

“But this is getting repetitive. I’m just going to pass for my turn.”

He’s up to something… thought Malvolio. He’s planning something big… I don’t like it…

He drew.

He grinned.

“You know, Franct?” he said. “I was scared for nothing. Tarfoot isn’t a cursed and evil artifact. It isn’t some dark god come to claim my family and drag us into a pit of eternal despair...

“It’s a Trap Card, nothing more.

“And as such, I can destroy it, by playing Heavy Storm!”

He played the card, and the fierce storm erupted over the field. Tarfoot flew into the air, and shattered…

…and so did The Dark Door and the other two facedown cards.

“Nice,” said Franct. “But once again, I’ve set you up! To destroy it, you also had to destroy two Wonder Garage cards!”

A Steamroid (1,800/1,800) and a Drillroid (1,600/1,600) appeared on the field.

“That was your plan all along…” muttered Malvolio. “You wanted me to destroy it with Heavy Storm so I’d take out my own Dark Door, and you’d summon two more Vehicroids in the same instant.”

“Clever again,” said Franct.

Malvolio placed a card on his Disk, and Mataza the Zapper appeared, kneeling in Defense. (1,300/800)

He waved his hand.

Franct drew.

“Perfect…” he said.

“First, I’ll place a Monster in Defense Mode,” he said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

Submarineroid moved into Attack Mode.

“Submarineroid, attack Hayabusa Knight!” he shouted.

Submarineroid blasted its torpedo, and Hayabusa Knight burst.

“Drillroid, attack Mataza the Zapper!”

Drillroid charged forward drill-first, and Mataza screamed as the drill stabbed into him. He shattered.

“Steamroid, attack Chain Thrasher!”

Steamroid chugged forward, and ran over Chain Thrasher.

Malvolio growled.

“And now, Malvolio…” said Franct, taking a card, “I’m going to summon a creature that Sven never got to summon in his match with Demetrius. It’s a Vehicroid that’s second only to Super Vehicroid Stealth Union…”

“If you’re talking about Steam Gyroid, I’m way ahead of you,” said Malvolio.

“That upstart?” laughed Franct. “No, this one is much stronger than Steam Gyroid…

“I play… Vehicroid Connection Zone.”

He played a Spell Card.

“Vehicroid Connection Zone?” asked Malvolio. “I’ve never heard of that one.”

“It’s like Polymerization,” said Franct, “but it can only summon Fusion Monsters with the word ‘Vehicroid’ in their names. I fuse together Steamroid…”

Steamroid vanished.

“AND Drillroid…”

Drillroid followed.

“AND Submarineroid…”

The last Vehicroid vanished.

The floor started to rumble…

“To summon Super Vehicroid Jumbo Drill!”

A gargantuan vehicle burst out of the floor. It was a drilling machine, but it was much larger and bulkier than Drillroid, with a huge drill and claws. It glared at Malvolio with evil eyes. (3,000/2,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/potd-en036.jpg

“This charming Machine has a trampling effect,” said Franct, “so you can’t hide in Defense Mode. And since I summoned it using Vehicroid Connection Zone, it cannot be destroyed by Spells, Traps, and Monster effects, not even my own.”

Not even his own? thought Malvolio. That includes Limiter Removal…

Clearly, that Monster he set in Defense Mode is Magician of Faith…

“However…” said Franct, “I finished my Battle Phase, so I must end my turn, and savor what comes next.”

Malvolio’s hand shook as he drew.

He looked at the card.

“I place a card facedown…” he said, playing the card.

A facedown card appeared.

“And next, I’ll set a Monster in Defense Mode.”

A facedown Monster appeared.

“That’s all for now…” he said.

“HA, HA, HA!” laughed Franct, drawing a card. “Could that facedown card be… Ordeal of a Traveler?”

His facedown Monster flipped face-up, and Magician of Faith appeared. (300/400)

“I’ll use her effect to get back Confiscation,” he said, as a card slipped out of his discard slot. “And I’ll play it!”

He played the card, and two cards appeared in front of him – Lightning Blade, and Chain Thrasher.

“I choose to banish… Chain Thrasher!” he laughed.

The card in Malvolio’s hand vanished.

(M: 4,150) -------------------- (F: 2,550)

“And now that I know that your last card is a Spell,” cackled Franct, “I can’t miss when I guess on your Trap Card!”

He took a Spell Card from his hand.

“Next, I’ll play this… Magic Shard Excavation. By discarding two cards…”

He discarded two cards into his discard slot.

“I get one more Spell Card back…”

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

“Naturally, I choose Limiter Removal.”

He played the card, and the huge Machine shot up to an Attack of 6,000.

“Super Vehicroid Jumbo Drill, attack his facedown Monster!”

The Vehicroid’s drill roared, and it sped forward…

“Who ever said this was Ordeal of a Traveler?” asked Malvolio.

His Trap Card lifted, revealing it to be Negate Attack. The Vehicroid was stopped dead in its tracks.

“I’m not that predictable, you know.”

“Big deal,” said Franct. “Have you forgotten about the effect of Vehicroid Connection Zone? My Monster can’t be destroyed by Spell Cards, even my own. So my Super Vehicroid Jumbo Drill won’t be destroyed by Limiter Removal, and it stays at 6,000 Attack Points.”

“Perhaps you have forgotten how my deck works,” said Malvolio. “I don’t have to destroy your Monsters to beat them, and your Tarfoot is gone.”

Franct turned white…

“Now I draw…” said Malvolio.

He looked at the card.

“Gee…” he said. “Now I get to do something I’ve never been able to do…”

“I summon my third Chain Thrasher.”

He played the card, and Chain Thrasher appeared. (1,000/600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/soi-en015.jpg

“Now say goodbye to your Monsters. I flip-summon Penguin Soldier!”

His facedown card flipped up, and Penguin Soldier appeared. (750/500)

Franct stared in horror as Super Vehicroid Jumbo Drill and Magician of Faith vanished…

“And by the way…” continued Malvolio, “since your Confiscation sent his brother to the Graveyard, and you destroyed another, Chain Thrasher here is now able to attack three times!

“This duel is over…

“Attack him directly! Chain of vengeance!”

Chain Thrasher leapt up, and twirled his chain. He lashed at Franct once… twice…

Franct staggered back, and barely was able to catch his breath before the Warrior lashed at him a third time.

(M: 3,350) -------------------- (F: 0)

The Warrior vanished, and Franct collapsed on the floor.

“Humph,” said Malvolio. “I guess it’s true what they say… History does repeat itself.”

He bent over Franct’s comatose form. He noticed a small red square that he had dropped.

Then he looked through his dropped cards…

He sorted through them, and found the three Tarfoot cards.

He pocketed them. They were far too dangerous to leave in the hands of an enemy of his family.

Then he reached into the side deck, and found it… the Super Vehicroid Stealth Union.

Such an incredible Monster… he thought. Its talent has been wasted all this time, because its original owner… gave up. Such a pity. All these years, it could have done good, but it was used as a symbol of bile and hate.

He placed it in his own side deck.

I’ll find another duelist who uses Vehicroids. This card will be happier not being used as the symbol of one duelist’s revenge.

He punched in a number on his cell phone.

“Trisha,” he said. “Yeah, I beat the guy. And I found a red letter E if that means anything…

“Listen, Trisha, you’d best tell everyone to watch out. These guys might be putting cards in their decks to counter ours. I know there’s no rule against it, but it seems like they’re fighting dirty.

“Of course… I’ll be careful. I’ll get back to you.”

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 8:20 PM

TARFOOT (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap/Continuous
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Penguin Soldier stuck in a sticky mire.

Card Description: Negate the effects of all cards which send Monsters from the field to their owners’ hands while this card remains in play.

INSURANCE (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Three men in business suits behind a laser grid.

Card Description: Send one Spell or Trap Card from your side of the field to your hand. If this card is returned to your hand from the field, gain 500 Life Points.

Note: “Insurance” was first used by Jaden in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Field of Screams (Part Three)”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

Sean finds himself face-to-face with someone he remembers from his first year… Someone he hated. And this reunion might end badly, because this duelist not only has years more experience, but is packing a deck full of cards that Sean cannot possibly have prepared for. The future looks grim, but he’ll try to change that.

Don’t miss “Destruction of Destiny”, coming soon.

jkBAKURA

16th December 2006, 08:01 AM

Well, I'm not one to repeat myself, and to tell you the truth, I've seen so many of these that the Chapter didn't suffer from the usuals.

It was far more entertaining then the Eragon movie I saw yesterday anyway.

Malvolio was kept in character, and you had more Vehicroid support to work with since Crump last used them, so I give you points for that.

In fact, my two negatives aren't as much complaints as they are regrets.

First, this may be a plus for some, but other then Submarineroid (which was used to it's full potential I might add) there are several more Vehicroids released that didn't make an appearance. I suppose it may have cluttered the chapter too much, but it would have made the chapter even more different then your first 'roid duel.

Second, there is one specific monster I kind of wish Malvolio had used, but that's not even my right to talk about.

To Paradox, I hope the chapter didn't spoil too much reguarding your own story.

If I remember right, Sean is the last User character, so we'll have the obligatory returns (most of them good, but they're still obligatory) under our belts, and we can have the fascinating end game to chew on.

I shall return next week, so n the meantime, keep up the good work.

Phoenixsong

16th December 2006, 05:07 PM

Not bad... not bad at all, although I have to say that something is a little rotten in the state of Denmark ([/bad Shakespeare pun] ...whoo, Hamlet! Yes, I caught the little nod to it). Again, I must say that I felt absolutely no tension. Just saying "Oh, no, that Tarfoot card can screw over my whole deck and my entire family's been afraid of it, oh, no!" is not enough. Where were the careless mistakes made out of terror? Where was the description of Malvolio worrying, frantically going through every card in his deck in his head in an attempt to figure out if he could counter it? Your characters are simply too calm in these situations; you have to remember that saying someone is scared is a lot less effective than showing that they are scared. "Show, don't tell" is a common phrase in the writers' world, after all... anyway, it's really taking away from your otherwise interesting story, and I know you can do better.

And I wasn't saying that your Reckoning is in any way similar to stupid professional wrestling. I was just randomly commenting on my bizarre trains of thought. Oh, trust me, DS, if this story were anything like professional wrestling I would have stopped reading forever ago.

Shuppet Master

16th December 2006, 11:48 PM

I'm back! Sorry for not being here.

This chapter was really interesting. I love Vechroids, a shame they were used by an evil character...again. :(

The whole thing about Demetrius nearly getting defeated and then the obligatory descendant running into the "evil card" was sort of cliche, but I liked it. Keep up the good work, and have a happy holiday, Brian! :D

Blademaster

17th December 2006, 12:16 AM

Malvolio stole Franct's cards...

Yes, I know Franct was the bad guy, but he didn't steal those cards from anybody - he (or in one instance, his ancestor who wasn't evil) bought them fairly. Malvolio had no right to take them.

A shame, too - I really liked this chapter. The duel was excellent, the tension was believable, the conflict was very realistic...

And then, Malvolio swiped those cards. I can even understand the Stealth Union being taken, but Malvolio seems to have stolen those Tarfoot cards just so they couldn't be used against his family - kinda how Kaiba stole Solomon Mutou's Blue-Eyes White Dragon back in the first episode, and even he had made a wager before the duel.

I'm sorry, but as much as I enjoyed the chapter, that last scene just ruined it for me - someone should tell Mal that two wrongs don't make a right.

Well, until the next chapter...

-Blade

Dark Sage

17th December 2006, 12:20 AM

Franct didn't buy them fairly. The mastermind behind this plot gave them to him, just like she gives her minions the Orichalcos cards.

I would have told you all that later, but since you didn't like that scene, I'll tell you now.

Now you know.

Dark Sage

19th December 2006, 05:31 AM

It's 6:30 AM, and it is time to read... the funnies.

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum,
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!
O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum,
Du kannst mir sehr gefallen!

The news had come out in the First World War,
The bloody Red Baron was flying once more.
The Allied Command ignored all of its men,
And called upon Snoopy, to do it again.

Twas the night before Christmas, at forty below,
When Snoopy went up, in search of his foe.
He spied the Red Baron, and fiercely they fought;
With ice on his wings, Snoopy knew he was caught.

Christmas bells, those Christmas bells,
Ring out from the land…
Asking peace of all the world,
And good will to man!

The Baron had Snoopy dead in his sights;
He reached for the trigger, to pull it up tight;
Why he didn't shoot, well, we'll never know…
Or was it the bells from the village below?

Christmas bells, those Christmas bells.
Ringing through the land…
Bringing peace to all the world,
And good will to man!

The Baron made Snoopy fly to the Rhine,
And forced him to land behind the enemy lines.
Snoopy was certain, that this was the end…
When the Baron cried out, "Merry Christmas, my friend!"

The Baron then offered a holiday toast,
And Snoopy, our hero, saluted his host.
And then with a roar, they were both on their way,
Each knowing they'd meet, on some other day.

Christmas bells, those Christmas bells,
Ringing through the land…
Bringing peace to all the world,
And good will to man!

Christmas bells, those Christmas bells,
Ringing through the land…
Bringing peace to all the world,
And good will to man!

Happy holidays. I'll be back with more Dark Messiah on Saturday.

Shuppet Master

20th December 2006, 10:19 AM

*squeals in glee* I've heard that song on the car radio a couple of times, and even last year! Probably one of my favorite Christmas songs. :D

Dark Sage

22nd December 2006, 06:38 AM

I’d like to say something before this chapter starts.

This chapter features the Destiny Heroes. I like the Destiny Heroes. However, I think that they got a raw deal when they came to America. The names that they were given for American release turned out ridiculous (Captain Tenacious? He sounds like he should be fighting Captain Planet!)

I refuse to call these Monsters by these utterly stupid monikers. Therefore, just this once, I am using their original names. I don’t encourage or discourage this for any other fanfic writer. It is simply my preference.

On another note, I’d like to, once again, thank Perfect Chaos for the contribution of the user character who appears in this chapter.

The students at the Academy are scared of Dr. Artemis. She’s quick to give detention to anyone who steps out of line, or chew out a student who breaks the rules.

But even the staff of the college are not above her jurisdiction. She has been known to discipline them as well.

The guy I’m facing now was once a teacher who did something bad, and got caught. I didn’t think he’d go this far to get back at us, but he has…

And I really didn’t think he’d ever get a deck like this…

After all, the cards he’s using are cards he simply can’t have. But to my unbelieving eyes, he has them.

How? I don’t know…

How can I fight Monsters that have only been mentioned in passages in a few textbooks?

The future looms before me, and it looks dark.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_en051.jpg

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 7:40 PM

“Sean, where are you?” asked Jason, over his cell.

“Uh, I seem to be in some sort of cafeteria,” answered Sean. “But dinner doesn’t appear to have been served yet.”

“Well, be on guard,” said Jason. “And not that I want to rush you, but we have only about four and a half hours left.”

“Gotcha,” said Sean. “I’ll…”

A loud whirring sound came through the cafeteria. The tables all lowered their legs into the floor.

“Uh, Jason?” said Sean. “How about I get back to you? Something’s cooking… And it doesn’t seem to be beef stroganoff.”

The light went on.

“Okay…” said Sean. “I don’t like guessing games. So come on out already.”

“I’m already, here, Sean,” said a voice that he recognized.

Sean didn’t notice him before, but a man that seemed to be around thirty had been lurking in the shadows. He had straight hair and a goatee, both of which were salt-and-pepper grey. He also wore a grey suit that looked expensive…

But Sean new that Professor Robert Zander always bought off the rack. He was a cheapskate.

“Professor Zander…” said Sean. “My old teacher…”

“Sean Kishore…” said Zander. “My best student. Made Ra, I see. Guess my lessons weren’t for naught.”

“I won’t deny that your classes weren’t… interesting,” said Sean with an annoyed look. “Your theory on how Duel Monsters evolved from pagan tarots and similar fortunetelling tools was… groundbreaking. It was like a death in the family when Dr. Artemis canned you.”

Zander smirked. He took a golden metronex watch out of his coat pocket and looked at it.

Sean frowned. This was the most annoying thing about this man – he checked that expensive watch every five minutes, as if he was obsessed with an appointment.

“By the way,” continued Sean, “I was being sarcastic. That theory was dumb.”

“What did I do that was so wrong?” asked Zander, putting the watch back.

Sean looked at him.

“Promising students to raise the grades on their tests one full letter grade in exchange for a rare card?” he asked. “That was bribery, Zander. And you were greedy for rare cards that you couldn’t – or wouldn’t – pay money for yourself.

“You’d have done anything for the latest secret rare…”

“Yes, but things will change once this night is over,” said Zander. “Fortunado has promised me that Dr. Artemis will be taken down, and that I will be running your Academy once the world is covered with darkness.”

“And what will the students be taught?” asked Sean. “Will they be trained as some sort of Army of the Night who will crush all duelists who oppose the tyrannical rule of this new order?”

“Hmm,” said Zander. “That’s an idea… Let me take a note of that…”

He took a cell phone out of his jacket.

“Note to self…” he said, pressing a button. “Train students as an Army of Night to…”

He paused.

“Uh, what was the rest of what you said?” he asked Sean.

“You disgust me,” said Sean, taking his deck. “I’m taking you down.”

“Very well,” said Zander, taking his own. “But before we start, I have a question for you.”

He quickly shuffled, and then placed it in his Disk.

“This better not be one of your dumb lectures,” said Sean.

“Not at all,” said Zander. “I simply want to ask… Do you believe in Fate?”

“Uhm… No,” said Sean, offhand.

“You’re wrong,” said Zander. “Fate is the predominant force in the universe. Everything happens because it was predetermined. It doesn’t make much sense complaining about the fact that I was caught… If Fate wanted it to happen, it had to happen.”

“That’s a stupid theory!” shouted Sean. “You’re practically saying that humans don’t have free will!”

“Who knows?” asked Zander. “Perhaps they don’t. And I am sure that the way the laws of Fate are written will arrange for your master to fall, and for mine to triumph.”

“Jason is not my master,” said Sean. “I chose to follow him, of my own free will. No one controls me. Not him, and not Fate.

“And I’ll take you down anyway!”

“Easier said than done,” laughed Zander, as the two Disks activated.

(Sean: 8,000) -------------------- (Zander: 8,000)

“Age before beauty, I always say…” said Zander, drawing six cards.

He looked them over.

“And I summon Destiny Hero Devil Guy in Attack Mode.”

A haunting laughter echoed over the room, and a creepy figure leapt from the ceiling. It was a dark figure in black, with claws on his hands, wearing a cape with a high, fancy collar, and a white, skull-like mask. (600/800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_jp001.jpg

What in the name of… thought Sean.

He paused.

Destiny Hero Devil Guy… That… sounds kinda familiar, but…

He paused again.

“I admit he looks creepy,” he said, “but he only has 600 measly Attack Points.”

“Isn’t life full of mysteries?” asked Zander. “I’ll place a card facedown, and end my turn.”

A facedown card appeared behind Devil Guy.

“All right!” shouted Sean, drawing a card.

“You think that Trap is going to protect that weirdo?” he asked. “Guess again! I summon Tenkabito Shien in Attack Mode!”

In a burst of flame, the fiery Samurai appeared on his black horse. He held his fiery nodachi up high.(1,500/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/soi-en017.jpg

“And guess what?” continued Sean. “Traps don’t work on him. Shien, attack Destiny Hero Devil Guy with Zantesuken!”

Shien’s sword burned with flames, and he galloped forward. He smote Devil Guy, and the Dark Hero groaned before bursting into pixels.

“Ergh…” muttered Zander. “What the heck does ‘Zantesuken’ mean?”

“It’s a Japanese term for ‘Sword That Cuts Through Steel’. See, Shien here is Japanese, he’s a Samurai, a nobleman, and he’s very good with a blade.”

“I see…” muttered Zander.

(S: 8,000) -------------------- (Z: 7,100)

Then he grinned.

“I never said that this Trap would stop your Monster,” he said.

The Trap Card lifted.

“Call of the Haunted! Now Devil Guy returns!”

The spooky Hero burst out of the floor with the same haunting laugh. (600/800)

Sean looked at the cards in his hand.

“I’ll place my own card facedown, and end my turn,” he said.

Zander made a draw.

“Let’s see…” he said. “What next… Think I’ll summon another Destiny Hero.

“I summon Destiny Hero Diehard Guy in Attack Mode.”

A large grey stone shaped like an egg appeared, and then it burst open, revealing another strange Warrior who wore the halves of the stone on his arms like shells. He was muscular and bare-chested, wearing trunks and knee-high boots. He had a wild mane of carrot-red hair. (800/800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_jp002.jpg

“These guys are heroes?” asked Sean. “I’d hate to see the villains they’re fighting.”

“We’ll get to him in a minute…” said Zander. “For now, let me show you Devil Guy’s special power…

“Devil Guy… Impending doom grip!”

Devil Guy leapt into the air and reached for Shien… Sean drew back in surprise…

And then Shien and his mount simply vanished in a burst of light.

“What the…?” gasped Sean. “What happened? Shien’s Attack Score was over twice as high!”

“That was not an attack,” said Zander. “It was his special ability.”

He grinned.

“What’s the name of this group, Sean? Destiny Heroes. These Warriors represent Destiny, Destruction, and Death. They can control destiny, manipulate Fate itself. The future isn’t predetermined for them, because they can control it.

“Here’s how Devil Guy’s effect works. So long as I have him in Attack Mode and I’m willing to skip my Battle Phase, he can transport one of your Monsters two rounds into the future.”

“That doesn’t even make sense!” shouted Sean.

“Am I going too fast for you?” asked Zander. “And my turn isn’t over. First, I’ll place one card facedown…”

He played a card, and another facedown card appeared.

“And finally… I’ll play this… One of the Destiny Heroes’ battlegrounds…”

His Field Slot opened, and he placed a card in it.

The room went dark, and mist shrouded the field. And ominous building rose on all four sides… They were in a courtyard…

And behind Zander was what looked like the main part of the building. A fancy and equally ominous clock tower with Roman numerals on its face.

“Welcome… to Clock Tower Prison,” said Zander.

“Hold on one minute…” said Sean. “I remember now… Dark heroes… Clock Towers… These cards were Aster Phoenix’s cards… And he owned the only copies. You can’t have a deck of them!”

“Heh, heh…” chuckled Zander. “Perhaps I defeated his heir and took them from him.”

Sean paused.

He didn’t know, of course, that Phoenix was still alive and still using his deck…

…so the only possibility to him was, Zander wasn’t lying.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Heh, heh, heh,” said Fortunado. “I must say, you did an excellent job…”

”For one who can counterfeit a Sacred Beast,” said the voice of the Master, ”counterfeiting these cards was an easy matter.”

“Too bad you couldn’t have included Bloo-D,” added Fortunado.

“That card was enchanted and cursed,” said the Master. ”Its powers were comparable to a Card of Sin. I could have duplicated it if I had time, but I did not, and even if I did, using my own version might have required the Seal. And the Destiny Heroes are weak without their Field Cards.”

“True,” said Fortunado.

”Too bad Zander is deluded,” said the voice. ”If Fate exists, I certainly have never met such a being, and my own future is certainly not predetermined if I can help it.”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Clock Tower Prison…” said Zander. “Begin the countdown!”

The hands on Clock Tower Prison moved to twelve o’clock, and a single loud chime ran out.

“Noon…” said Sean. “So… What exactly does it do?”

“Not telling…” said Zander, with a grin. “But seeing as it’s a clock, you can likely guess that the time you have before its effect is unleashed is limited.

“I end my turn.”

“Then I draw!” shouted Sean, drawing.

“And the countdown to your demise begins!” laughed Zander.

Clock Tower Prison’s hands moved from twelve o’clock, to one, to two, and stopped at three.

“Each time you start your turn,” he said, “three hours will pass. If you don’t find a way to prevent its power from being unleashed… you’re history, so to speak.”

“Maybe I should just have you look at it,” said Sean. “You do have a face that could stop a clock.”

“Okay, that one wasn’t very funny…” muttered Zander.

Sean placed a card on his Disk.

“I summon Familiar-Possessed Hiita in Attack Mode.”

In a burst of fire, Hiita appeared, holding her flaming staff with her fox by her feet. (1,850/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/een-en028.jpg

“Attack Destiny Hero Devil Guy!” he shouted. “Kitsune flame strike!”

Hiita’s fox blazed with fire, and it leapt at Devil Guy, blowing him to bits.

(S: 8,000) -------------------- (Z: 5,850)

“So much for him…” said Sean.

“Or so you think…” said Zander. “Is that your turn?”

“Mmm!” said Sean.

As Zander drew, a spinning gear appeared on the field, and Diehard Guy glowed.

“What?” asked Sean.

“You were so concerned about Devil Guy, you disregarded Diehard Guy,” replied Zander. “Devil Guy sends things to future, Diehard Guy brings things from the past. On my turn, he can resurrect any Destiny Hero that you destroyed on your turn.”

Devil Guy appeared again. (600/800)

“Great…” muttered Sean.

“Now I’ll use Devil Guy’s ability,” said Zander. “You remember this, right?”

Devil Guy flew forward and grabbed at Hiita. She gasped, and then vanished in a flash of light.

“Not again!” shouted Sean.

“And now I’ll summon someone new…” continued Zander. “Destiny Hero Diamond Guy in Attack Mode.”

A huge diamond appeared on the field, and then it shattered, revealing a new Warrior. He was dressed in black with a tattered cape, with sharp diamond shards sticking out of his body. (1,400/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_jp003.jpg

“Now, let me explain Diamond Guy’s powerful effect,” he said. “Every round, I get to look at the top card on my deck. If it’s a Normal Spell Card…”

He took the top card from his deck.

“…and it is…”

He showed him Pot of Greed.

“I discard it, and on my next turn, it activates… from my Graveyard. That negates any conditions or costs, and keeps you from negating it.”

He slipped it into his discard slot.

“Good lord…” muttered Sean.

“It’s your move…” said Zander.

“About time…” muttered Sean, drawing a card.

“Speaking of time…” said Zander with a grin.

Clock Tower Prison moved to four o’clock, then five, then six.

"...I trust you are keeping track of the ominous ten-story clock tower that's behind me, right?"

Sean nervously looked at his cards.

I don’t know what happens when Big Ben up there reaches midnight, he thought, but I have a feeling that I don’t want to know. I have to stop it somehow…

But I have to deal with the immediate problem first. If Diehard Guy can revive his Monsters, I have to take him out first, and that shouldn’t be hard.

“I summon Flame Ruler in Attack Mode,” he said.

The burning Pyro in regal clothing and a beard appeared. (1,500/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh_fet_en_031_1.jpg

“Flame Ruler, show Diehard Guy how you got your name!” he shouted.

Flame Ruler breathed a blast of flames at the Hero. Diehard Guy didn’t exactly live up to his name… He tried to shield himself with his shells, but he shattered into triangles.

(S: 8,000) -------------------- (Z: 5,150)

“You always were my best student…” said Zander, with a grin.

His facedown card lifted.

“Too bad for you, I was a lousy teacher! I activate Destiny Signal!”

A beam of light shot from the card, into the sky above Clock Tower Prison. It was like the famous Bat-Signal, but instead of a bat, it had the letter D in it.

“Uh…” muttered Sean. “I’m guessing… that’s the Destiny Heroes’ version of Hero Signal…”

“You learn fast,” said Zander, taking his deck. “And it does the exact same thing. When a Monster on my side of the field is destroyed, I get to Special Summon a low-level Destiny Hero from my deck.

“So I’ll summon Destiny Hero Defend Guy, in Defense Mode, naturally.”

A hulking figure appeared in front of Zander. It looked like a statue made of cinderblock in the shape of a bulky human… It had a grate where its face would be that only showed darkness inside. (100/2,700)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/potd_jp013.jpg

“You call that low-level?” asked Sean.

“Four stars, believe it or not,” said Zander. “Your Monsters will find attacking Defend Guy to be like hitting a stone wall, because, well, he is a stone wall!”

“All right prof…” said Sean. “I don’t know how a four-star Monster could have a Defense that high, but I can’t do anything else…”

“Then I draw…” said Zander, drawing a card.

“First, since it’s been two rounds, your Tenkabito Shien arrives from his little jaunt.”

Tenkabito Shien appeared, none the worse for wear. (1,500/1,000)

“Second,” he continued, “the Spell Card I discarded with Diamond Guy’s effect last turn activates.”

Pot of Greed materialized in a spooky mist, and he drew two cards.

“Next, I’ll use Diamond Guy’s effect again…”

He took the top card off of his deck.

“Eh…” muttered Zander, showing it to him. “Sadly, this is a Monster… Which means I put it at the bottom of my deck.”

He slid it under his deck.

Sean drew back in surprise.

That Monster had eight stars! he thought. And he doesn’t seem the least bit upset about losing it?

Something’s up…

“Now, let’s see…” said Zander. “Your Flame Ruler counts as two Monsters if you sacrifice him to summon a fire Monster, right? We can’t have that…

“Oh, Devil Guy…”

Devil Guy flew forward, and grasped Flame Ruler with his claw. The Pyro vanished in a flash.

Sean glared at him.

This was getting out of hand…

Continued…

Dark Sage

22nd December 2006, 06:42 AM

Continued from last post:

“I still have another Monster left this time…” he growled.

“True…” said Zander, “but my turn is far from over…”

He played a Spell Card.

“I play The Warrior Returning Alive. And since Warrior is the… uh, ethnic group of Monster that the Destiny Heroes belong to, that means one of them is returning… uhm, alive.”

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

“You remember Diehard Guy, don’t you?”

He placed the card on his Disk, and Diehard Guy appeared again. (800/800)

“I’ll just kill him again!” shouted Sean.

“No you won’t,” said Zander. “I’ll bet you think this can’t get worse, but it can, because now I’m Equipping Defend Guy with Raregold Armor.”

He played the card, and Defend Guy’s rocky skin turned to solid gold.

“Now the only Monster you can attack is him. So unless you can summon a Monster with more than 2,700 Attack Points, my other Heroes are untouchable.

“Get it yet, Sean? My Destiny Heroes control your future. They’ve looked into it, and they already see you languishing in eternal darkness! You can’t defeat ones who can change the wheels of Fate!”

“Excuse me…” said Sean. “In case you didn’t notice, I’m winning this duel, and you can’t defeat me if you keep skipping your Battle Phase. It seems your strategy has a major flaw.”

Zander just grinned.

He placed a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

“Before you take your turn,” he said, “I should tell you that, although Defend Guy has incredible Defense for a four-star Monster, he comes with a small catch. So long as I have him on the field, you get to draw two cards during your Draw Phase instead of one. Not that I care.

“So draw!”

Sean looked at Clock Tower Prison.

This is it… he thought. If I can’t draw something this round that can stop that crazy clock, there’s no telling what it will do…

Come on… Heavy Storm, Mystical Space Typhoon… Gimme something…

He drew two cards.

Clock Tower Prison moved to seven o’clock, to eight, and then to nine…

Yes! thought Sean, looking at the two cards. Dust Tornado!

“Draw something good?” asked Zander. “Something that can destroy my Clock Tower?

“Well, too bad… Your time has run out…”

His facedown card lifted.

“I activate… Eternal Dread!”

The Trap Card glowed, and the tower moved again, moving to ten o’clock, then to eleven…

Then to midnight…

“How?” shouted Sean. “No fair! I had one round left!”

“Eternal Dread is a special Trap that can fast forward Clock Tower Prison six hours,” said Zander. “But it only needed three…”

A loud chime rang out of the horrible clock… Then another, and it was followed by ten more…

“Like I said, Sean…” said Zander, “controlling Destiny is what these guys are all about. You didn’t really think I couldn’t make it go faster, did you?”

“So now what?” asked Sean, nervously.

“Now, I can’t lose Life Points from battles so long as this Field stands,” said Zander. “No matter how much you attack, you won’t hurt me in the slightest.”

Sean paused. He was relieved. He was almost expecting instant death when the clock hit midnight…

“I set one card facedown,” he said, “and summon UFO Turtle in Attack Mode.”

A facedown card appeared, and the reptilian spaceship appeared. (1,400/1,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mrl-0811.jpg

“And that will be my turn…” he said with a grin.

“Very well…” said Zander, drawing.

“Go!” shouted Sean, as his Trap Card sprang up. “Dust Tornado!”

A violent wind tore through Clock Tower Prison, and the great clock burst into an explosion of glass, bricks, and timbers. Within seconds, the whole structure had been reduced to a pile of rubble.

“Heh, heh, heh…” chuckled Zander. “Thank you… That’s just what I wanted you to do.”

“What?” asked Sean. “WHY?”

Zander grinned.

“The name of that card was Clock Tower Prison, Sean,” he replied. “It was a prison. Where there’s a prison, wouldn’t it make sense that there’d be an inmate hiding inside?

“I didn’t mention that Clock Tower Prison had another power that could be activated if it was destroyed when it was at midnight. Since you did it for me…”

He took his deck, and took the card that was right at the bottom of it.

“…I can summon one of the mightiest of the Destiny Heroes. I summon Destiny Hero Dread Guy!”

With a bellowing roar, a huge figure rose behind the other four Heroes. It was a twenty-foot-tall giant, bare-chested and muscular, wearing a ragged pair of trousers with broken shackles on his wrists and ankles. His face was covered by a mask that made of iron bars that had been bent into shape haphazardly.

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_jp004.jpg

“Okay…” gulped Sean. “Definitely not friendly!”

“In case you’re wondering about his Attack and Defense Scores,” continued Zander, “it’s that of all other Destiny Heroes on the field, combined.”

(2,900/5,900)

“That’s… Not good…” muttered Sean.

“Anyway, now Devil Guy’s effect on Hiita expires,” said Zander.

Familiar-Possessed Hiita reappeared. (1,850/1,500)

“Now, let’s see what boon Diamond Guy will grant me…” he said with a grin.

He took the card off his deck.

He smiled an evil smile.

“One of my rarest cards…” he said, flipping it around. “One that a student gave me so I’d change his grade from a C to a B… Lightning Vortex!”

He discarded it.

“And by the way, Sean, don’t feel so bad. Even if you hadn’t destroyed my clock, I was going to destroy it myself. You see, unlike most Monsters, the Destiny Heroes have two Field Spells unique to them…”

He placed a card in his Field Slot.

“I play Dark City.”

The rubble of Clock Tower Prison vanished, and with a rumble, a group of buildings rose around them. They were ominous, dark structures, with dim lights in the windows. The full moon shone in the sky.

“Welcome to Gotham…” muttered Sean.

“In Dark City,” said Zander, “a Destiny Hero gains 1,000 Attack Points when he attacks a Monster who has more Attack Points than he does.

“But before I attack, I’ll Equip Diamond Guy with this… Cyclone Blade.”

He played the card, and a three-bladed knife appeared in Diamond Guy’s hand.

“All right…” said Zander. “The time for subtlety is over! Diamond Guy, attack Hiita!”

Diamond Guy leapt up, his Attack rose to 2,400, and the Cyclone Blade spun.

“I activate Backfire!” shouted Sean.

His first Trap lifted up…

…and then it shattered…

Diamond Guy struck Hiita, and she screamed before shattering to pieces.

“Confused?” asked Zander. “When a Destiny Hero attacks with the Cyclone Blade, he can destroy one Spell or Trap Card.

“Devil Guy, attack Tenkabito Shien!”

Devil Guy’s Attack rose to 1,600, he made a savage swipe with his claw, and Shien and his mount burst into flames.

“Diehard Guy, attack the UFO Turtle!”

Diehard Guy’s Attack rose to 1,800, and he slammed his shells into the Machine, crushing it.

“Forget UFO Turtle’s effect?” asked Sean. “When it’s destroyed, I get to Special Summon another Fire Monster, like another UFO Turtle.”

A second UFO Turtle appeared.

“Fine…” said Zander. “Dread Guy, take it out!”

Dread Guy roared, and slammed his hand down, crushing the UFO Turtle.

Sean placed a card on his Disk, and Solar Flare Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ast-0321.jpg

“Very well…” said Zander. “I end my turn. You won’t have anything to hide behind next round.”

(S: 5,450) -------------------- (Z: 5,150)

Sean drew twice again.

“I play… Graceful Charity,” he said.

He played the card, and drew three times.

He looked over his hand, and then discarded Fox Fire and Ultimate Baseball Kid.

That Lightning Vortex will wipe out my side on his next turn, he thought. But I’ll have a surprise for him…

“I move Solar Flare Dragon to Defense Mode…” he said.

The Pyro curled up in Defense.

“And then I place one card facedown.”

He played a card, and a facedown card appeared.

“I end my turn, and you know what that means.”

Solar Flare Dragon blasted a stream of flame at Zander. He shielded himself as it hit him.

(S: 5,450) -------------------- (Z: 4,650)

“Then I draw,” said Zander, drawing. “And your Flame Ruler returns…”

Flame Ruler reappeared. (1,500/1,600)

“And now… Lightning Vortex!”

Lightning crashed from the sky of Dark City, vaporizing Sean’s two Monsters!

“Activate… Scapegoat!” shouted Sean.

His facedown card lifted, and the four sheep tokens appeared.

“I always hated those little twerps…” said Zander with a scowl.

“I’m sure they hate you pretty much too,” answered Sean.

Zander looked at the two cards in his hand. He paused.

I could switch Defend Guy into Attack Mode and use him to attack one of those sheep, he thought. One hundred points is better than zero, and I could attack directly with Dread Guy. But that wouldn’t finish him, and Defend Guy would be a sitting duck.

Let’s see what Diamond Guy’s effect brings me.

“I activate Diamond Guy’s effect,” he said.

He took the card.

“Vase of Unholy Blight,” he said, showing it to him. “Not the best, but it will do…”

He discarded it.

“Devil Guy, Diehard Guy, Diamond Guy, Dread Guy…” he commanded. “Take out his tokens!”

The three smaller Heroes slashed with their weapons, destroying three sheep. Dread Guy simply stomped down with his foot, flattening the last one.

He fit a card into his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

“Your move…” he said.

Okay, we’re in trouble now… thought Sean.

He drew two cards.

“Don’t tell me,” said Zander, “that with six cards in your hand, you have nothing useful?”

“Here comes two more,” said Sean. “I play Pot of Greed.”

He played the card, and the green jar appeared. He drew two cards, bringing his hand size up to seven.

“All right…” said Sean. “Time to get serious!”

He played a card.

“I play… Heavy Storm!”

A ferocious wind covered the arena. Zander drew back…

“Not so fast!” he shouted. “I activate Emergency Provisions! I’ll sacrifice my three cards before they’re destroyed.”

The facedown card lifted, and Cyclone Blade, Raregold Armor, and Dark City vanished.

“And I get 3,000 Life Points back to boot,” he continued, “so I’m stronger than ever…”

(S: 5,450) -------------------- (Z: 7,650)

“Well, you’re gonna need ‘em…” said Sean. “I play… Monster Reborn! Return!”

Tenkabito Shien appeared again. (1,500/1,000)

“Next, I summon… Hand of Nephthys.”

He placed a card down, and a young girl dressed in the clothing of an Egyptian priestess appeared. (600/600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh_fet_en_006_1.jpg

“And now I activate the Hand’s special ability,” said Sean. “By offering her and one other Monster as a sacrifice, I can Special Summon her master from my deck…”

“Her master?” said Zander. “Who?”

The Hand of Nephthys and Tenkabito Shien vanished into light…

A great bonfire appeared in front of Sean…

“Lets give a warm welcome to a divine beast who’s truly in charge of his destiny,” said Sean. “I summon Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys!”

A huge, fiery bird with feathers made of golden metal rose out of the bonfire. He was as big as Dread Guy, and radiated burning light. (2,400/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh-fet-en-005.jpg

Fear appeared on the faces of the five Destiny Heroes…

Thanks, Russell… thought Sean.

But Zander was not impressed.

“So you managed to summon a powerful Monster,” he said. “Have you forgotten my unbeatable combo?

“If you attack Devil Guy, Diehard Guy will revive him, and he’ll send your Phoenix away.

“Attack Diehard Guy, and he’ll do it anyway.”

“Actually,” said Sean, “I was thinking of taking them both out at once.”

“And just how do you intend to have that flaming chicken attack twice?” asked Zander.

“With this!” shouted Sean, showing him a card. “The Spell Card, Double Attack!”

“HA, HA, HA, HA!” laughed Zander. “I thought you were taught better! If you want to use Double Attack, you have to discard a Monster who has more stars than the Monster who’s attacking! And that thing has eight stars!”

Sean smiled.

He flipped another card in his hand around.

“Infernal Flame Emperor?” shouted Zander. “That has nine stars!”

“Yep,” said Sean. “And so, I play Double Attack.”

He played the Spell Card, and discarded Infernal Flame Emperor.

“You can’t!” shouted Zander. “I’ve been in control of this duel the whole time!”

“I told you, prof,” said Sean, “my future is NOT predetermined, no one controls it. Especially not you. So prepare to lose your gruesome twosome.

“Sacred Phoenix, attack Devil Guy and Diehard Guy!”

Sacred Phoenix roared.

Sacred Phoenix blasted two streams of fire, and the two Destiny Heroes were burned to ashes. Zander screamed…

(S: 5,450) -------------------- (Z: 4,250)

“There,” said Sean. “And now, Dread Guy loses 1,400 Attack Points, making him truly a lamb in lion’s clothing. And your annoying Diamond Guy is next, by the way.”

Diamond Guy, Defend Guy, and Dread Guy looked at Zander, clearly angry.

“I’ll place a card facedown, and end my turn,” said Sean.

A facedown card appeared.

How could I have lost control of this duel? thought Zander. The one card in my hand is a Monster that isn’t any good right now, and…

Wait… Diamond Guy’s effect… I still have a chance…

“I draw…” he said, drawing a card.

“And now the effect of the Vase of Unholy Blight that I discarded kicks in, letting me draw three times.”

He drew three cards.

He looked at them, and then looked at Sean.

“First I’ll use Diamond Guy’s effect again…” he said.

He took the card off the top of his deck…

Then he snarled.

“Heh, heh…” chuckled Sean. “I have a feeling that the card you got doesn’t qualify, and it’s a good one too.”

Zander showed it to him.

Mirror Force.

“So…” said Sean. “Diamond Guy’s effect has a big drawback after all.”

“It doesn’t matter…” said Zander, placing it on the bottom of his deck, “because I’m sacrificing him. You see, Sean, Dread Guy is NOT the most powerful of the Destiny Heroes… An even mightier one lurks over him.

“And I’m summoning him by sacrificing all three of the Monsters I have on the field!”

Diamond Guy, Defend Guy, and Dread Guy shattered into triangles…

And then a dark shape loomed up where they had been…

It was a huge, hulking creature in black armor shaped like some sort of demon, with wings like a great bat. A long sword blade protruded from his wrist.

His eyes glowed with feral red light. (3,400/2,400)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/potd_jp014.jpg

“Ho boy…” muttered Sean.

“Allow me to introduce Destiny Hero Dogma Guy,” said Zander. “And now allow me to introduce him to your Phoenix!”

Dogma Guy glowed with blue fire, and blasted a steam of pure energy. Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys exploded in a fiery burst. Sean shielded himself from the impact…

(S: 4,450) -------------------- (Z: 4,250)

“I’ve seen more heroic characters in independent comics,” muttered Sean.

“Watch what you say,” said Zander. “Dogma Guy has been known to cut people in half for less than that.

“I’ll end my turn by Equipping him with Invincible Destiny.”

He played a card.

“When a Destiny Hero is Equipped with this,” he explained, “I can negate any Spell, Trap, or Monster effect that would destroy him. Unless you can summon something that’s stronger, he’s… invincible.

“Now make your move, if you dare…”

Sean drew a card, now regretting the fact that Defend Guy had left the field…

Apollo’s Blessing, he thought. This might…

And then he screamed as flaming energy erupted around him! He fell to his knees…

“What happened?” he gasped, sweating.

His Life Points started to plummet.

“On the round after Dogma Guy is summoned, he cuts your Life Points in half,” said Zander. “Didn’t I just tell you he’s been known to do that?”

(S: 2,225) -------------------- (Z: 4,250)

Please let this get me something that can get me out of this mess… thought Sean.

“I play Apollo’s Blessing…” he said, playing the card.

In a burst of flame, Apollo appeared on the field, mounted on his solar chariot.

Sean took a second Solar Flare Dragon from his deck, reshuffled, and then drew three times.

“I play Pot of Avarice now…” he said. “I’m sure you know how this works…”

He took Tenkabito Shien, Solar Flare Dragon, Familiar Possessed Hiita, The Hand of Nephthys, and Infernal Flame Emperor from his Graveyard, combined them with his deck, and reshuffled.

Then he drew twice…

“Hmm…” he said.

“Hey, Prof…” he said. “Care to see Infernal Flame Emperor again?”

“That Monster can’t be Special Summoned,” said Zander. “So even if it was one of the cards you just drew, you’d never be able to summon it this turn.”

“It isn’t,” answered Sean. “But I did draw a Spell Card called Fire Soul.”

Continued…

Dark Sage

22nd December 2006, 06:44 AM

Continued from last post:

He played the card.

“Here’s how it works. First, you get to make one draw…”

Zander shrugged, and drew one card.

Doom Guy… he thought. He’ll be useful…

“Now…” continued Sean, “I take any Pyro-Type Monster in my deck and remove it from play, and then you lose Life Points equal to half that Monster’s Attack Score.”

“Hey, wait one minute…” said Zander, as Sean looked through his deck.

“So…” said Sean with a slight grin, as he held up the Infernal Flame Emperor card. “How quickly can you divide 2,700 by two?”

In an eruption of flames, a ghostly Infernal Flame Emperor appeared in front of Zander, and socked him with a flaming fist. Zander shrieked and fell over.

http://www.yugioh-cards.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/sd3/SD3-EN001.jpg

(S: 2,225) -------------------- (Z: 2,900)

“Not bad…” he grumbled, getting up. “But you still have nothing that can stand up to Dogma Guy…”

“It’s still my turn…” said Sean.

He looked at the other cards in his hand.

Let’s see… he thought. Offerings to the Doomed, Inferno, Abaki, Flame Barricade, and…

Hmm…

He looked at his facedown card.

I’ve got an idea…

“I activate Call of the Haunted,” he said, as his Trap Card lifted. “Now my Phoenix rises again.”

Sacred Phoenix appeared again. (2,400/1,600)

“Next,” he said. “I’ll remove Fox Fire in my Graveyard from play, to summon Inferno in Defense Mode.”

The flaming elemental appeared, in Defense. (1,100/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/dr2-en019.jpg

“And now…” he said, “I play Big Bang Shot.”

“News flash,” said Zander. “That Equip will only raise Sacred Phoenix to an Attack of 2,800, and that isn’t strong enough.”

“I’m not Equipping it to my Sacred Phoenix,” said Sean. “I can’t attack this turn anyway, since I used Fire Soul. I’m Equipping it to Dogma Guy.”

He played the card, and Dogma Guy’s Attack rose to 3,800.

“WHAT?” shouted Zander. “That has to be the stupidest move I’ve ever seen!”

“Next…” said Sean, “I’ll place one card facedown…”

He placed a card in a slot, and a facedown card appeared.

“And then I’ll play Offerings to the Doomed.”

“This is why only darkness looms in your future,” said Zander. “You don’t listen! My Invincible Destiny can negate that Spell.”

“Only if I target Dogma Guy with it, which I’m not,” said Sean. “I’m targeting my Sacred Phoenix.”

He played the card, and a beam of light blasted from the card, blowing Sacred Phoenix to shards.

“I stand corrected…” said Zander. “That was the stupidest move I’ve ever seen! You’re nuts! Destroying your own Monsters, making mine stronger… I’d almost think you want to lose.”

“Your move…” said Sean.

“Well fine,” said Zander, drawing a card. “But you brought this on yourself…”

He looked at the card, and then placed it on his Disk.

“I summon Destiny Hero Doom Guy in Attack Mode.”

In a flash of light, a grey and green creature appeared that seemed to be a cross between a robot and a walking tank. A pair of wings like those of a jet plane was on its back and a huge blaster replaced its right hand. (1,000/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/potd_jp016.jpg

“Dogma Guy… Attack Inferno!”

“I activate… Flame Barricade!” shouted Sean.

His Trap Card lifted, and Inferno erupted into a wall of flames.

“Now, by sacrificing one Fire Monster on my side of the field, I can’t lose any Life Points this round.”

“But then what?” said Zander, as the flames subsided. “Look at you… You have no cards on your side of the field except the one that’s Equipped to my Monster, and you have to skip your next Draw Phase because you played Offerings to the Doomed! Unless that one card left in your hand is… Frankly, I don’t know what you could do with one card.

“Nothing can save you! You’re through! It’s over! Accept it…”

“You’re something else…” said Sean. “You were so greedy for secret rares and hard-to-get cards, and you know nothing about the rarest card in my deck?”

“What do you mean?” screamed Zander. “What are you planning?”

“Let me take my turn!” said Sean, through his teeth. “I am NOT going to surrender!”

Zander looked at him hard.

He took a card from his hand.

“Just in case…” he muttered, “I play the Spell Card called Doctor-D. This lets me remove one Destiny Hero in my Graveyard from play to Special Summon another one.”

He played the card.

“So I’ll remove Defend Guy to summon Diehard Guy in Defense Mode.”

Diehard Guy appeared, shielding himself with his shells. (800/800)

“Your move…”

“I skip my Draw Phase…” said Sean. “Go right to my Standby Phase… and then…”

He snapped his fingers.

“Abracadabra…”

A burst of flame erupted on the field, and Sacred Phoenix flew out of it! (2,400/1,600)

Zander stepped back…

“When Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys is destroyed by a card effect,” said Sean, “even my own, he is automatically resurrected on my next Standby Phase, and when this effect activates, all Spells and Traps on the field go up in smoke.”

Invincible Destiny and Big Bang Shot burst into flames!

“And when Big Bang Shot is destroyed, the Monster that it is Equipped to is removed from play.”

Destiny Hero Dogma Guy looked startled, and then faded into nothing.

“Wha… buh… guh…” said Zander.

“Still think my moves where stupid?” asked Sean. “Next I summon Abaki in Attack Mode…”

He played the card, and vicious devil with a toothy mouth holding a spiked club appeared. (1,700/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/cdip-en0131.jpg

“Abaki, destroy Diehard Guy with flaming smash!”

The Fiend’s club burned with fire, and he brought it down hard on the Hero, blasting him to bits.

“Sacred Phoenix, attack Doom Guy!”

Sacred Phoenix blasted his fire, and Doom Guy melted into slag before exploding into triangles.

(S: 2,225) -------------------- (Z: 1,500)

“Very clever…” snarled Zander. “But by destroying Doom Guy, you activated his effect, allowing me to Special Summon one Destiny Hero from my Graveyard. You remember Diamond Guy, right?”

In a flash of light, Diamond Guy reappeared. (1,400/1,600)

“And since you can’t do anything else, I’ll make my move…”

He drew a card.

“First, let’s see what the hands of Fate deal me with Diamond Guy’s effect…”

He took the top card off his deck.

“Heh, heh…” he said, showing the card to Sean. “It’s a card called Misfortune. And you’ll experience its painful effect next turn…”

He discarded it.

Misfortune? thought Sean. Wait… That one I know about…

“Now I’ll sacrifice Diamond Guy, to summon Destiny Hero Double Guy, in Defense Mode.”

Diamond Guy vanished, and a new figure appeared on the field. It seemed like the kind of guy you’d meet on a dark, foggy night in London. He was a tall figure in a black formal suit, gloves, cloak, fedora, and a scarf covering the lower half of his face. Only his eyes were visible, and they were glowing white. He held a cane in his right hand.

He crouched in Defense Mode. (1,000/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/potd_jp012.jpg

Sean looked at the new Hero.

I don’t know what’s creepier, he thought. His looks, or the fact that he’s a Tribute Monster with less Attack and Defense than some three-star Monsters…

“Now I’ll place my final card facedown, and that will be all,” said Zander.

A facedown card appeared.

He drew a card.

Hmm… Molten Destruction. This would just make it worse next turn…

“Sacred Phoenix… Attack Destiny Hero Double Guy!”

Phoenix blasted its fire, and Double Guy was incinerated…

Or was he? Scattered on the floor were his clothes in a haphazard pile.

“Abaki, end this!” he shouted.

“Stop right there!” shouted Zander. “I activate D-Fortune!”

His Trap Card lifted.

“Now all I have to do is remove one more Destiny Hero from play, and your direct attack is negated, and your Battle Phase ends.”

Doom Guy slipped out of his discard slot.

Abaki stopped short.

“Uh, that will be my turn…” muttered Sean.

“Then I draw!” said Zander, with a sneer.

A misty cloud appeared on the field, and two figures materialized. They looked just like Double Guy, again crouching in Defense Mode. (1,000/1,000 x2)

“Double Guy, you might say, has a multiple personality,” said Zander. “By destroying him, you’ve let me summon these two Double Guy Tokens.

“And now, Misfortune activates!”

The Spell Card appeared on the field, and Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys glowed.

“That means you lose Life Points equal to half your Monster’s Attack Points.”

Sean screamed as fire erupted around him.

(S: 1,025) -------------------- (Z: 1,500)

Zander looked at the card he had drawn.

“And now to seal your fate!” laughed Zander. “I couldn’t have drawn a better card… Looks like Fate was truly on my side…

“I sacrifice one Token, to summon Destiny Hero Dash Guy!”

A sound like a noisy motorcycle erupted as one Token vanished. A robot made of black metal with wheels on its feet “skated” into view, and glared at Sean with eyes that looked like headlights. (2,100/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/potd_jp017.jpg

“Now, I activate his ability,” he continued. “I sacrifice my other Token, to raise his Attack Score by 1,000 for one round.”

Dash Guy looked surprised at this. Sean frowned, as the other Double Guy Token vanished, and the Hero’s Attack rose to 3,100.

“Let’s see you get out of this,” laughed Zander. “Dash Guy, attack his Abaki!”

There was a long pause.

Dash Guy glared at Zander, and then crossed his arms.

“What?” shouted Zander. “I said attack, you bucket of bolts!”

“He can’t, pal,” said Sean. “I think you may not know as much about your cards as you think…”

“What do you mean?” shouted Zander.

“I may not know much about Destiny Heroes,” said Sean, “but Misfortune I know about. You can’t attack on the round you activate it. Didn’t you know that?”

“Of course I did!” shouted Zander. “But I activated it with Diamond Guy’s effect! He removes conditions and costs!”

“You should have read the rules closer, prof,” replied Sean. “Not being able to attack when you use it is neither condition nor cost. It’s part of the Spell’s actual effect. It’s a drawback that Diamond Guy could not remove. Guess I learned that before you did.

“How can you control Destiny… When you don’t even know the limitations of the Destiny Heroes?”

Destiny Hero Dash Guy looked at Zander with an angry glare.

“My move!” shouted Sean, drawing a card.

Dash Guy’s Attack fell back to 2,100.

“…and now I attack with Sacred Phoenix!”

Sacred Phoenix blasted its flame. Dash Guy didn’t budge as the flames hit him and he burst into pixels.

“Abaki, let’s finish this twisted lesson. Attack directly!”

The fiend rushed Zander and clobbered him with his club. Zander bellowed in pain, and fell over.

(S: 1,025) -------------------- (Z: 0)

Sean paused to catch his breath as the Monsters vanished.

He walked over to Zander’s prone form, and took the cards from his Disk.

“Everything is predetermined…” he muttered. “Things are controlled by fate… Isn’t that what Ishizu Ishtar thought before Kaiba beat her good in the Battle City finals?”

He sighed.

“Everyone should have a philosophy to live by, but you have one that’s more optimistic… One that stresses freedom rather than some sort of… cosmic slavery…

“Are these really Aster Phoenix’s cards?”

“No…” said a spooky voice.

Sean jumped and turned around.

He backed away in fear…

The ghostly form of Destiny Hero Devil Guy was behind him.

“Stay away…” gulped Sean.

The Warrior raised his hands.

“Aster Phoenix’s cards are safe,” said the Hero. “Those are forgeries, created by an unholy spell. The Monsters you battled were nothing more than imposters. Unworthy imitations.

“So speaking on behalf of myself and the other Destiny Heroes, thank you for defeating them. They were abominations.

“Now finish the job, and tear them to shreds.”

“I will, but… a question…” said Sean.

Devil Guy looked at him.

“Uh… Can you guys really see the future?” he asked.

“Why?” asked the Duel Monster. “Do you want to know yours?”

“Well… uhm…” answered Sean.

“Sean…” said the Hero with a sigh. “Humans are better off not knowing their destinies. If I told you that you were destined for great things, your ego would inflate. If I told you your future was bleak, you’d work hard to change it, regardless of whether you could or not.

“Suffice to say this…

“For most mortals… destiny is not yet written… Only you have the power to do so…”

He vanished into mist.

Sean held his head…

He collected the counterfeit cards…

And then he noticed it on Zander’s pocket. Another metal square, this one a blue letter A.

He picked up his cell.

“Jason?” he asked. “Scratch one more duelist.”

“I hope so,” said Jason. “Time is running out.”

“Please don’t say that,” said Sean. “Anyway, I found a blue letter A.”

“Really?” said Jason. “Uh, hold on…”

Jason turned to his two friends.

“Silver won,” said Trisha, “but no letter.”

“Ami did too,” said Russell. “But nothing.”

Jason sighed.

“Sean, take it easy for half an hour,” he said into the phone. “And that may be a cafeteria, but for the love of God, do NOT eat anything you find in there!

“This puzzle is starting to take shape. But we seem to be missing a few pieces…”

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 8:25 PM

INVINCIBLE DESTINY (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Equip
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Destiny Hero Dogma Guy on a dark street being shot at by Cyber Commander and Ancient Gear Soldier, with the bullets bouncing off his chest.

Card Description: This card may be Equipped to a Monster with the words “Destiny Hero” in its card name. The Equipped Monster is not affected by Spells, Traps, or Monster effects that destroy Monsters.

ETERNAL DREAD (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Clock Tower Prison with the full moon looming over it, and the letter D on the moon’s face.

Card Description: This card may be activated when “Clock Tower Prison” is face-up on the field. Place two Clock Counters on “Clock Tower Prison”.

Note: “Eternal Dread” will be released in the Aster Phoenix Duelist Pack. It was used by Aster in the anime.

DOCTOR-D (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A nutty mad scientist surrounded by beakers of smoking chemicals.

Card Description: Remove one Monster with the words “Destiny Hero” in its card name in your Graveyard from play. Then, Special Summon one Monster with the words “Destiny Hero” in its card name from your Graveyard.

D-FORTUNE (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Destiny Hero Diamond Guy fading into shadow.

Card Description: You may activate this card when you are attacked directly. Remove one Monster with the words “Destiny Hero” in its card name in your Graveyard from play. Negate the attack, and end the current Battle Phase.

Note: “Doctor-D” and “D-Fortune” were used by Aster in a second season episode of “Yu-Gi-Oh GX”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

FIRE SOUL (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A shadowy silhouette of a man in an explosion of flames.

Card Description: Your opponent draws one card. Choose one PYRO-Type Monster from your deck and remove it from play. Inflict damage to your opponent’s Life Points equal to half the ATK of the removed Monster. Your Monsters may not attack during the round you use this card.

Note: “Fire Soul” was first used by “Fiery” Austin O’Brien in a third season episode of “Yu-Gi-Oh GX”. This card will supposedly be released as a real card in a future set, but it has not been 100% confirmed.

FLAME BARRICADE (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Hiita the Fire Charmer chanting and conjuring up a wall of fire.

Card Description: Offer one face-up Fire-Attribute Monster on your side of the field as a Tribute. During this turn, any Battle Damage and Effect Damage you take from your opponent becomes zero.

Double Guy is not the only one with a multiple personality. You might remember that one of the folks that Jason has recruited, Janus Omastus, has lived with a dark personality in him for a long time.

Most sufferers of Dissociative Identity Disorder can never confront their other personalities. For Janus, that is going to change in a big way. What may be a chance to defeat Omaly forever is coming up next chapter.

I call it “De-Fusion”. Don’t miss it.

Silencer

22nd December 2006, 11:20 AM

“And now…” he said, “I play Big Bang Shot.”

“News flash,” said Zander. “That Equip will only raise Sacred Phoenix to an Attack of 2,800, and that isn’t strong enough.”

“I’m not Equipping it to my Sacred Phoenix,” said Sean. “I can’t attack this turn anyway, since I used Fire Soul. I’m Equipping it to Dogma Guy.”

He played the card, and Dogma Guy’s Attack rose to 3,800.

That combo seems vaguely familiar to me. I wonder why :)

Anyway, latest chapters are a nice twist since they reintroduce the other characters with their decks. It's good to see something different then 3 themes through out the entire fic.

Phoenixsong

22nd December 2006, 11:38 AM

Hmmm... this one was better than the last few, in my opinion. Certainly more of Sean and Zander's personalities and reactions came through, and the duel was well orchestrated. Now personally (I've said this before, but whatever), I don't care for the names of the Destiny Heroes in either English or Japanese. Names like Captain Tenacious are incredibly stupid, as you said, and the "Dude" moniker is immature and sophomoric... but then again, "Guy" isn't much better, and Dogma by itself definitely sounds better than "Dogma Guy". Now, if I were to write a duel that included the D-Heroes, I'd probably be tempted to just rename the little weasels entirely. But that would wreck the integrity of the story, I suppose... that's probably part of why I'm avoiding the idea of using D-Heroes like the plague, anyway. Oh, well. Whatever the heck their names are, you did a pretty good job with them.

On a side note, heh... uh... I believe that Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys would be female, not male. Only, y'know, because Nephthys was a goddess and all, and, well, my little brother has that card (grrr... must steal...), and, uh... I'm pretty darn sure those are, uh, breasts there. I'm just sayin'.

jkBAKURA

22nd December 2006, 01:51 PM

I have never been torn between handing a chapter a trophy, or wanting it shot in the street like this one. As such, my review will likely be confusing.

First of all, except for the small section near the end, almost all of the D-Hero menuvers were either taken from the show, or Jason's chapter, along with many of the lines.(Does DevilGuy always have to be the first monster played) Flattery it may be, but it makes it look like you couldn't come up with better lines yourself.

In fact, most of the one liners made me want to shoot myself in the foot. There just wasn't anything original about Sean's opponent. Not to mention that you killed a great oppertunity for tension by once again turning the sympathetic familiar face into a rotten jerk. The Orichalcos must do a DNA test looking for recruits or something.

Seriously, I knew before the duel began that I was going to have at least one sledge to throw at the monitor.

Were there good points? Yes. I happen to have a soft spot for the D-Heros, and you managed to hit all of the key monsters worth using. As for Sean, I feel bad for him that Horus wasn't even mentioned, but his deck kept the old theme with some new twists. I've lost track of how many times Flame Ruler has shown up though, but I give you points for not using the effect. Fire is rapidly becoming another theme that you either need to spice up, or stop using, as even this began to run dry. (and is it just me, or is anyone else tiring slightly of Apollo's Blessing and Vase of Unholy Blight?)

Ironic that he used Big Bang though. Must have gotten the idea from Tricia.

Well, I've rambled on enough. Next chapter will be nice, but it's the one after that that I'm waiting for.

Until then, everyone. And Happy Holidays

Master of Paradox

22nd December 2006, 02:26 PM

I know your next story concludes the Yu-Gi-Oh Jr. series, Brian, but you don't need to write like you did back then.

First of all, the largest sticking point I have with this chapter: Why on Earth did Zander use the Destiny Heroes without knowing what they did? Who could be that stupid? Having a hero win because a villain didn't know how their own cards worked is among the worst cheats you can pull - and yes, I know Eric and I did it back in "Lady of Dragons". It was our mutual first attempt at a YGO fic, though, so we had an excuse. You don't.

Secondly, I think this is a first for me - as Eric pointed out, every single quip and comment fell utterly flat. If you can't make one-liners sound natural, then have the characters shut up. Don't force it.

The duel... well, having written a Destiny Heroes duel, I admire how you used several cards I didn't get around to using (and several I didn't know existed), but that makes the omissions all the more puzzling. Where'd Daggerguy/Blademaster and D-Shield go? And why did you bother with Dreadguy if you weren't going to take full advantage of him?

As for Fire decks... friends, allow me to assure you that when Lucifer duels again in TTB, what he uses isn't really a Fire deck, persay, more like a deck with Fire. I'm as tired of Fire decks as everyone else is.

After the Malvolio chapter raised our hopes agian, this chapter dashed them. How unfortunate.

We've seen you do a Fiends vs. Fairies chapter before. That was back in Mandate. Let's hope you 1) didn't copy that directly and 2) didn't steal from a certain other source...

Blademaster

22nd December 2006, 04:25 PM

Well, this chapter was pretty good, up until the last few paragraphs. I mean, a former professor of all people not knowing what his cards do? And at the most critical moment of the duel, no less...

The rest of the duel, though, I liked (Well, except when Nephthys was continuously referred to as a male, heh heh. :sweat2:) - despite zander's blatant screw-up at the end, it was nice to see a villain providing a real challenge for the hero - I actually thought Sean was gonna lose at a few points! Well done. :yes:

So, next time is the proverbial Bakura-Ryou showdown... I'll be waiting for that with baited breath, I will. Until then...

Laterz! :wave:

starjake

22nd December 2006, 04:28 PM

...tired of Fire decks? Ouch; that's a burn in my face.

The chapter...well, the duel was fine. But - again - your characters need work. Zander seemed no different from Ric or any of your other villains. And he was made worse by the fact that you stole many of his one-liners (almost all of them, it seems) from Aster himself.

Oh, and Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys is very female.

There is good news, though: you have provided yourself with a fantastic opportunity for character work and tension development in your next chapter. A duel against oneself...I can tell you right now (and I'm sure others will agree) that the next chapter wil either be amazing or an amazing letdown - no middle ground there. Take your time; just because you have a good duel written up doesn't mean the chapter's ready for posting.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

StarJake

Dark Sage

22nd December 2006, 04:46 PM

Let me explain a few things.

In the anime world, Edo/Aster is the only duelist who was ever meant to use the Destiny Heroes. Anyone else who tries to use them is doomed to fail. That's why Zander screwed up.

Second, let me explain what I was trying to create with Zander. I was trying to create a villain who symbolized Greed in the form of someone who'd do anything for rare cards. He liked having cards that no-one else could have. His reason for serving the Orichalcos was, they could give him his dream - cards that were actually unique, even if they were imposters. But like I said, he was not meant to use them, he was not worthy of using them, so he failed.

I mean, if I were using a unique card, I likely would have misread a ruling somewhere too. Wouldn't you.

As for next chapter, I've worked very hard on it. It will not be a repeat of Peter versus Persephone, and I don't know what other source MoP is talking about.

Confusing the gender of Sacred Phoenix... Well, maybe I'm too much of a Harry Potter fan and I got her confused with Fawks. I really have no excuse, since I own the card, and I plan to use it in the Fire Deck that I eventually will make. (Before JK asks, I plan to trade away the cards in some other decks to do so, so I'm not turning into Bastion here.) I'm sorry for the confusion.

Phoenixsong

22nd December 2006, 06:57 PM

To be fair, I didn't think that Zander was exactly like the other villains. I can tell that you tried to make him a little different. And besides, people... forget destiny or knowing your cards. I think Zander's mistake was actually fairly excuseable...

Think about it. This is not the real world, where people go to Jump tournaments, having memorized the cards better than their own names so that they can finish a duel in three turns without looking at their cards or ever caring. This is a world of duels where the monsters become solid and enter the physical world, either through holograms or actual, ancient magic. This is a world where the stakes of a duel are more than just who walks home with a Cyber Stein card. If you win, then ultimate power--or perhaps just the assurance that you'll live to duel another day--is yours. If you lose, then your soul gets eaten by something. Not to mention that even an indirect hit from the monsters can be quite painful. This is the kind of environment that will give you the ultimate adrenaline rush, and it would take some serious willpower or desperation (or divine intervention *cough*) to be able to focus. Zander doesn't strike me as the type to have that. He wanted to win so he could have his power right-now-thank-you-very-much, he was right on the brink of defeating Sean... maybe it's just me, but if I'm an evil maniac who is risking gaining power or losing my soul and I have what looks like a killer combo set up, my greed and impatience is going to get to me and I'm gonna jump on it.

...Besides, Zander apparently was an incompetent teacher, right? He doesn't have the stainless-steel-trap mind or the steadfast resolve that someone like Old Ben or Dr. Artemis does.

That said, DS, if you're going to pull things like "people who use counterfeit cards are destined to get screwed", well, you might want to find a way to tactfully explain that during the course of the story. That sort of excuse isn't always obvious to people, and just getting it out of the way before hand would prevent such complaints and awkward explanations later.

As before, I have nothing to say about how "old" certain deck types are getting, this being only the second YGO fic I've read. I swear, you people present such a convincing argument for totally making up every single card used in a fic, and yet you get annoyed when too many fan-cards are used... I mean, I know there's more than one way to make a fire deck, but not to hear you guys tell it. Besides, this was a user character and a user deck. Except for a few edits here and there, what was DS supposed to do? Wreck the integrity of someone else's idea?

And the thing about ripping lines/moves from the show... again, I wouldn't have noticed. Maybe it's because I still can't decide whether or not I even like GX, or maybe it's because I suck at strategizing and wouldn't catch things like that, I don't know.

Ahem. Janus vs. Omaly should be interesting. I'm done now.

starjake

22nd December 2006, 08:38 PM

Let me explain a few things.

See, that's the thing. You shouldn't have to explain a few things. That's what the story is for. The argument you just gave is completely understandable and convincing; I, for one, have no problem with it. Now, if you had found a clever way to incorporate that into the chapter, it would have solved plenty of problems.

Also, a reminder: just because you give someone a different background doesn't mean you've given them a different personality. You made it clear what Zander's history was and explained (to a degree) what motivates him, but he still seems dangerously close to your other villains character-wise: a relatively large ego, fond of witty one-liners, and just generally nasty and cruel. Hasn't anyone joined this sect with good intentions?

Dark Sage

22nd December 2006, 08:44 PM

Starjake,

Once you find out who the main villain is, you'll see that no-one would EVER join this sect for good intentions, and she would not ALLOW anyone to join for good intentions. She is NOT Dartz!

Unlike Dartz's men, these villains are not deluded and are aware of what they are doing. That is not to say some of them might not see the light eventually, but none of them are doing this thinking that they're doing anyone a favor. The nature of this particular villain attracts evil, because this is the Reckoning, and her goal is for Evil to defeat good. Quite different than Dartz, who was deluded into thinking he WAS good.

It will all become clear soon.

Shuppet Master

23rd December 2006, 05:34 PM

Sorry for not getting to this chapter, somehow Hotmail screwed me over with a new format and the subscription alerts stopped coming. :(

Anyways, this was a pretty good chapter. I was shocked to see the Destiny Heroes again, but when I heard the bad guys talk about it, I was relieved. For once, I was scared that something bad had happened to Aster! :o

As for all of those complaining about the villians being all the same, it's sort of hard to have a minion of an evil deity not be evil herself. The only ones who had any differences were Alice and Naomi(or whoever Ben dueled, sorry about the name), but they were different - one had an evil card that wanted to destroy the enemy, corrupting the duelist, and the other was just a shadow formed from Ben's memories by wicked magic. The ones who were loyal to the cause had to be b-a-you-know-whats.

I can't wait to see who this major-domo is. :)

Blademaster

23rd December 2006, 10:59 PM

As for all of those complaining about the villians being all the same, it's sort of hard to have a minion of an evil deity not be evil herself.

Without getting into a huge debate, that argument doesn't really hold much water - you and me are both on the good side, right? Look how different we are - me, the wise-cracking, fast-talking teenager whose brain is always running (sometimes in the wrong direction), and you, the soothsaying, religious gentleman with an anime obsession. ;) Even little differences like those are evident with each post we make; the point starjake and MC are trying to make is that in the much larger length of an entire chapter, there are a great myriad of different character traits each minor villain can but typically doesn't display. That's all.

Dark Sage

24th December 2006, 11:10 AM

And now, let us celebrate this occasion with a timeless song:

Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled."
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
Join the triumph of the skies;
With the angelic host proclaim,
"Christ is born in Bethlehem."
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!”

Christ, by highest heaven adored:
Christ, the everlasting Lord;
Late in time behold him come,
Offspring of the favored one.
Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see;
Hail, the incarnate Deity:
Pleased, as man, with men to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!”

Hail! the heaven-born Prince of peace!
Hail! the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
Risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
Born that man no more may die:
Born to raise the son of earth,
Born to give them second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
"Glory to the newborn King!”

Merry Christmas to you and yours. Happy holidays to everyone.

Peace.

- DS

Mystic_clown

25th December 2006, 04:28 AM

Merry Christmas everyone!

Sorry to get back onto this subject, but what Blade says is true. While at the beginning of chapters, your villians may seem different, by the end, they all seem the same, evil obnoxious and just plain jerks. I can understand it being hard for you to come up with so many different characters, but when you do give them a personality, try to stick with it.

As for your post about your characters having to be evil. While that's not a bad thing, you seem to portray your characters just being plain evil. There's no real substance. The main thing I'm looking for is WHY they turned evil. Apart from Sebastion and possibly Cassius, all of them just seem evil for the heck of it there's no real reason.

Giving them a reason to be evil makes it easier to like a character. A character can still be evil and sympathised if you pull it off right. I'll use Pegasus, Thief Bakura and Tenma (from Yu-Gi-Oh R) as examples.

Pegasus kidnapped Yugi's grandpa, tried to trap him in the shadow realm and even blew bandit Kieth's head of in the manga. However, the reason for this was so he could have a chance to revive his wife, hence you really can't blame him for what he's doing. Same goes to Tenma, he was willing to sacrifice someone just to get a chance to see Pegasus again, who was like a father to him. Both men acted out of love.

Even Theif Bakura, whom you said never reformed, can by sympathised. His home and everyone he cared about was slaughtered so the pharoh can make the millenium items. You really can't blame him for wanting revenge on the pharoh's family for that.

The majority of evil minions, including Patrick, seem just plain evil. Hence, there's no roundness to them. We're only seeing one side of them and so they don't get much interest (however, this is not the case. Some of your villians turned out pretty well, such as Sebastion and possibly Fortunado (while we see now reason for his actions, we see there's a little good in him).

Shuppet Master

25th December 2006, 10:29 AM

Happy Christmas Day, everyone! :D

His home and everyone he cared about was slaughtered so the pharoh can make the millenium items.

Uh, if you had examined that story carefully, you would have understood that Atem's father, who approved the making of the items, had not been informed on what would be needed to do so. The real culprit was Akmenomen(sp?), Priest Seto's father, who knew he would be damned for manslaughter, so he denied it by saying "These men are evil and deserve to die." If Thief Bakura wanted a target for revenge, it should have been that guy and not the Pharoah. Zorc possessed Bakura's mind and made him evil.

EDIT: Sorry, Blade, I didn't know it was someone else. I should look at the authors of the messages more carefully. Don't hate me! :(

Blademaster

25th December 2006, 02:33 PM

Merry Christmas, everybody!

And leave me out of this, Shup - MC said it, not me. ^^;;

Dark Sage

29th December 2006, 06:25 AM

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas, and got everything that they wanted.

But enough about that - on with the show!

Not many people know that the kindly and sensitive Janus Omastas and the sadistic, lustful fiend called Omaly are just two sides of the same coin. Russell knows, and I’ve shared it with a few shrinks too.

Some say I have Disassociate Identity Disorder. Well, that’s a nice way of saying it. I have a very extreme case. I would call it Jekyll and Hyde Disorder if there was really such a thing.

I suppose Omaly’s creation was partially my fault. He said he would solve my problems if I let him out, and I agreed. But I thought the voice was that of an angel. It wasn’t. It was a honey-tongued devil, who has caused so many innocent people so much pain.

The whole reason I became a serious duelist myself, using exalted beings of Light, was to find a way to confront him. Russell tried to banish him, but he’s my responsibility. I’m the one who set him loose all those years ago.

Now I have my chance.

It’s him against me…

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lon-0971.jpg

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 7:50 PM

As Janus wandered the hallways, one thing was on his mind…

Omaly.

He remembered Omaly’s first appearance. He was fourteen, and wouldn’t enter Duel Academy for two years. At that point, he played a toolbox Warrior Deck.

He had always been a very effeminate boy, and he was teased and tormented often. One group of three bullies was the worst, a group consisting of one big guy and two toadies. They made the assumption that he was a homosexual, and cruelly harassed him. Time and again, he came home with bruises, with his lunch money stolen.

One night, while wallowing in self pity, he heard a voice that said, “Let me out… I’ll take care of them.”

Janus didn’t know what to say. Eventually, he simply said yes. That was all it took.

He later learned that someone best described as a sinister-looking version of himself had obtained a Disk and challenged those bullies using his deck. He said he could beat all of them one after another – if he couldn’t, his deck and anything they wanted was theirs. But if he defeated them, they would take one-hundred direct attacks apiece.

They never bothered Janus again.

But it didn’t end there. Omaly – as he named himself – started to hunt for lone duelists. Many of them were just as bad as those bullies, but some of them were innocents, and he’d make terrible wagers. It became clear that Omaly was a creation of everything negative inside Janus, parts of him that he had kept hidden and suppressed, too fearful to ever show.

Omaly, it seemed, was a being born from Janus’s negative emotions. Anger, greed, and raw lust. Emotions that he didn’t want.

The climax came when Omaly cornered a girl his age. He demanded a duel, saying if she won, she was free to go, but if she lost, he could have his way with her. The girl had no choice to agree, and Omaly attacked without mercy, winning easily.

Omaly demanded that the girl remove her clothes before he did for her. The poor girl sobbed and started to comply…

Fortunately, Omaly had let his guard down. Janus broke free at that point, and locked his dark side away. He fled… Beginning a struggle that would last for years.

Janus traded the cards in the Warrior Deck away, building a deck of Fairies. He figured that Omaly would never dare attempt evil with such sanctified beings. Unfortunately, Omaly emerged for short periods, and eventually constructed a deck with darker Fairies, a grim parody of Janus’s deck.

Janus knew that the one way to rid him of this curse forever was to challenge him and win…

…but since they both shared the same body, it seemed impossible… A faraway, unreachable goal…

* * * * * * * * * *

It was about ten minutes after Trisha’s duel with Patrick, and she was leaning against the wall of the room.

”Trisha…” said a voice.

Trisha paused. She took The Fang of Critias from her side deck.

“Yes?” she whispered.

”I worry about you,” said the voice from the card. ”I realize in that last duel it was either him or you… But your attitude was downright mean.

“Does no respect towards your own blood still exist? What he did was wrong, for certain, but he was your kin…”

Trisha paused.

“He started it…” she muttered.

”Perhaps…” said the voice. ”But Trisha, there exists a fine line between hero and antihero that one must be careful not to cross. If you become as merciless as they are, you become no better than they.

“I will give you one more chance, Trisha… But if you show any lack of mercy to your next foe, call on me no more…”

Trisha looked hard at the card.

“Still sore?” asked Jason.

“A little…” she muttered. “But… Oh, I feel so helpless! What if one or more of our friends are losing right now? We can’t even help them…”

Jason thought for a minute.

“We can’t help them, no…” he said. “But I think I can make it so we can view one of them.”

“Really?” asked Russell.

“Shouldn’t be too hard…” said Jason.

He thought for a minute.

“Yes… I think we should check in on Janus. Something tells me that he might be in the most trouble right now.”

He concentrated, and a vision appeared in front of them. They saw Janus…

* * * * * * * * * *

Janus didn’t know how he had gotten to this place. A soft voice had been calling his name, and had been urging him towards these strange, black doors. He couldn’t resist it.

He pushed them open, and entered a frightening room. The walls were painted deep purple, and an altar made of black stone was on the far end of the room, on which was a crystal ball made of black crystal.

His three allies saw him quite clearly.

“Janus, are you nuts?” shouted Trisha. “Don’t go near that!”

“He can’t hear you,” said Jason, taking his cell phone, “but I can ring him before it’s too late…”

Janus froze.

“No…” said Jason. “It’s already too late…”

“What?” gasped Russell.

“His opponent is coming…” said Jason. “And I know who it is.”

And then, the looked in horror, as Janus collapsed.

* * * * * * * * * *

They watched for a minute, and nothing seemed to happen.

“No fair!” shouted Trisha. “Fortunado can’t just take him without…”

And then two forms floated out of his body…

One looked just like Janus. The other…

“Omaly…” growled Russell.

The two stared at each other.

“Hello, Janus,” said Omaly, with an evil grin. “So glad we could finally meet like this…”

“The pleasure is all yours, I’m sure,” said Janus.

Omaly grinned.

“Why do you hate me so much?” he asked, walking towards him. “We’re so alike… Two sides, same coin. Do you know where I came from? Do you?”

He walked behind Janus and looked over his shoulder.

“It all started when you were four, and your mother made liver for dinner. You expressed your dislike for it, and your father sternly told you to eat it. You were irked, but you decided to be a good boy and obey your father…

“That small amount of anger that you suppressed planted a seed that became the embryo that would grow into me…

“Over the years, you had so many sinful thoughts. You saw girls and wanted to possess them. You saw things you wanted that weren’t yours and wanted to steal them. People made you angry, and you wanted to punch them. But your conscience said no, and your moral side prevailed.

“But all those negative feelings… All the greed, lust, and anger, it didn’t disappear… It fueled my growth. And eventually, I matured. All I needed to do was trick you into giving me permission to come out… Those three bullies were the chance I had.”

“I thought you were a guardian angel…” muttered Janus. “You were anything but…”

The two looked at each other.

“You led me to this room, didn’t you?” he asked.

“Of course,” said Omaly. “It’s a special room created by the Master of this building, someone who I wish to serve. It was created just for us…

“For only in this room can we meet face-to-face.”

Janus looked and saw his body lying on the ground.

“Don’t worry,” said Omaly. “You aren’t dead. The body we share is simply in temporal stasis. If you ever go back to it, as if, you’ll recover as if you had a great night’s sleep. Now, I want to make you an offer, Janus. It’s in your best interests to hear me out.”

“That seems unlikely,” muttered Janus.

“Listen closely, Janus,” said Omaly. “I don’t like you, and you don’t like me. That’s a given. However, I’m sick of fighting you in order to gain control for only a few hours at a time. I thought I could bury you and gain complete control, but you were just too resilient. I thought you were a pansy wimp, but who would have guessed you were actually quite tough?”

“Sorry to disappoint,” said Janus.

“But I know you don’t like what I’ve done with your body either,” said Omaly. “So I’m going to give you the chance you’ve wanted for so long.

“We’re both duelists, so now that we can confront each other, I’ll duel you if you desire…”

He pointed to the sinister crystal ball.

“…the loser will be sealed in that, and the winner will have total control of our body. He’ll be completely free of the other, permanently!”

“Suppose I say no?” asked Janus.

Omaly shrugged.

“Then we both go back to our body,” he said, “and we continue struggling for dominance for the rest of our days. Do you truly want that?

“I warn you Janus, this room is the only place anywhere where we can confront each other. You’ll never have another chance. Ever!”

“And just how do you intend to duel me?” asked Janus. “I sold and traded all the cards in your deck after Russell gave it to me.”

Omaly smiled.

“I was thinking up the composition for a new one while I was locked up,” he replied, “and it will be a simple matter for the Master to supply me with the cards. No Seal, I promise – I’d love to use one on you, for sure, but the Master has to save the ones she has left.”

“Janus would be crazy to accept such a wager!” shouted Russell. “He doesn’t even know what he’s up against! He…”

“I accept!” exclaimed Janus. “I’ll do anything to be rid of you for good.”

Omaly smiled.

In flashes of light, Duel Disks appeared on their arms.

”Omaly, listen to me,” said the Master’s voice in his head. ”Prove yourself by destroying your good side, and I will give you what I promised you.

“And the new deck has been arranged to your specifications. You will find it sufficient.”

“Yes, your excellence,” he whispered. “Trust me, I am far better than this pansy Fairy Duelist…”

“I hope you’re prepared, Janus,” he said out loud. “Tonight, I send you to the darkness!”

(Janus: 8,000) -------------------- (Omaly: 8,000)

“Can Janus do this?” asked Trisha.

“We can only hope,” said Jason. “Because if he can’t, not only do we lose one of member of our forces, but our enemy adds a member to his.

“And it might be harder than it seems. Dueling an enemy is tough enough, but can a duelist actually outduel himself?”

“The first move is yours,” said Omaly, with a sinister grin.

Janus drew his first card, and considered his hand.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown defensive Monster appeared.

“Go ahead…” he said.

“That’s all?” asked Omaly, drawing. “I expected a more spectacular beginning.

“I do hope you can handle me with more courage than did that girl you tried to ask to last year’s Octoberfest dance…”

“You’re a riot, Omaly,” said Janus. “You think you’re so clever because you know all my dirty little secrets. You think that will give you an advantage here, right?

“Well guess what? I know all of your secrets too. I wasn’t blinded every time you escaped. I was paying very close attention every time I struggled to take back control!

“You talk about me not having courage around girls? I remember one time you bothered the wrong girl, and she turned out to be a tenth degree black belt in Karate. To make it worse, I’m the one who had to explain why I had two black eyes after that was over.”

“Your too smart for your own good, Janus…” growled Omaly. “But anyway, I’ll start by playing Graceful Charity…”

He played the card, and drew three times.

He looked over the cards, and then discarded Lesser Fiend and Chthonian Polymer.

“Then I’ll place a Monster in Defense Mode as well…”

He set a card, and a facedown Monster appeared on his side.

“And I’ll also place a card facedown…”

A facedown card appeared.

“Your move…”

Summon whatever you like, he thought. My Bottomless Trap Hole will annihilate it.

Janus drew a card.

“I summon Royal Knight in Attack Mode,” he said.

He played the card, and in a beam of light, a beautiful male form appeared in front of him. It was an angelic figure in metallic armor with metal wings, holding a sword. (1,300/800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_en017.jpg

Omaly was about to trigger his Trap…

But then…

What the? he thought. Damn… Bottomless Trap Hole only works on Monsters with at least 1,500 Attack Points! He summoned a weakling…

“Since when was that in your deck?” he asked.

“I’ve given my deck a major overhaul,” said Janus. “The money I got from selling your cards helped a great deal, by the way. Now I’m using Fairies of a different variety. I guess you weren’t able to watch after you lost that duel to Russell.”

Omaly frowned. That was true, actually. He had been locked up in chains for a while due to losing the wager, and he would still be there if the Master hadn’t helped him.

“In the Higher Planes,” said Janus, “the Royal Knights are the soldiers of the celestial armies. But don’t call them grunts… There, everyone has value. Not something you’d know about.

“Attack his facedown Monster! Royal slash!”

Royal Knight spread his wings and flew forward towards the card. A fiendish-looking treasure chest appeared on the card, and he cleaved it in half.

http://www.ideal808.com/images/sod-en0091.jpg

“You just flipped my Dark Mimic LV 1,” said Omaly. “That means I get to draw one card…”

He drew. He looked at the Trap Card.

“Royal Knight has a special ability as well,” replied Janus. “When he destroys an enemy Monster, that Monster’s Defense Score is added to my Life Points. So they increase by 1,000.”

(J: 9,000) -------------------- (O: 8,000)

“You’ll need them,” said Omaly, drawing again.

He looked at the very strange Spell Card.

“I’ll place another Monster in Defense Mode,” he said. “And that will be all…”

A facedown Monster appeared.

Janus drew again.

“First, I’ll flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode,” he said. “I reveal the Divine Messenger… Majestic Mech – Senku.”

The card flipped, and a new Fairy appeared. He looked similar to Royal Knight, but lankier, and had no sword. (1,000/500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_en014.jpg

Omaly growled. Not only was this one also too weak for Bottomless Trap Hole to work on, but it was another Monster that was strange to him. Not to mention weird.

“Royal Knight, attack his facedown Monster.”

Once again, Royal Knight flew forward. Sangan appeared on the card, and the Fairy cleaved it in half.

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mrd-en069.jpg

“And once again, the Defense of that Monster is added to my Life Points…” said Janus.

“I still get to enact Sangan’s effect,” said Omaly, looking through his deck.

He found the Monster he needed, and added it to his hand.

“Well I’m not done,” said Janus. “Senku, attack Omaly directly! Bright arrow!”

Senku’s hands glowed, and he shot an orb of light at Omaly. He cringed a little…

“Heh…” chuckled Omaly. “I can tell you’ve wanted to do that for a long time, huh?”

“Yes,” said Janus. “And it helps me too, because when Senku attacks directly, I get to draw one card.”

He made a draw.

(J: 9,600) -------------------- (O: 7,000)

“Of course, there is a little catch,” he continued. “Senku goes to the Graveyard at the end of the turn in which he’s summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned. But before that happens…”

He switched cards on his Disk.

“I’ll sacrifice him, to summon an ally of his… the Divine Protector, Majestic Mech – Ohka.”

Senku vanished, and a new creature appeared. This one looked like some sort of celestial lion, with metallic skin, feathered wings, and a mane of fiery hair. (2,400/1,400)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_en015.jpg

“I activate Bottomless Trap Hole!” shouted Omaly with a grin, as his facedown card lifted.

“I think not…” said Janus.

Continued…

Dark Sage

29th December 2006, 06:28 AM

Continued from last post:

He threw two of the cards in his hand into his discard slot, and the Trap Card shattered in an explosion of light.

“WHAT?” shouted Omaly. “HOW? There were no Counter Traps on the field!”

“No, but I had a special Monster called Herald of Purple Light in my hand,” said Janus. “By discarding this helpful cherubim and one other Fairy, I can negate and destroy any Trap.”

Omaly scowled again.

“I’ll place one card facedown, and that will end my turn,” said Janus.

A facedown card appeared.

“He’s not doing too bad,” said Russell. “This might actually work out pretty well.”

“We can only hope…” said Trisha.

Omaly made his draw.

“I summon the dreaded Opticlops in Attack Mode,” he exclaimed.

He played the card, and a muscular ogre with one eye and a horn on his forehead materialized. (1,800/1,700)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-0091.jpg

“This is too weird…” said Russell. “A guy with a multiple personality, his two personalities dueling each other… The good side using Fairies, the evil side using Fiends… How symbolic can you get?”

“Attack his Royal Knight!” shouted Omaly. “Horn ram!”

Opticlops snorted, and charged, horn first. Royal Knight was thrown backwards from the blow, and broke into crystalline shards.

“Next, I’ll place two cards facedown, and turn it over to my better half,” he said. “By that, I mean you, of course.”

Two facedown cards appeared.

(J: 9,100) -------------------- (O: 7,000)

Janus looked at the field as he drew a card.

“I play Pot of Charity,” he said, “removing Herald of Purple Light from play to do so.”

He played the card. The peaceful ceramic vase appeared on the field, and Herald of Purple Light was drawn into it. He drew three cards.

“I know those two facedown cards are deadly, Omaly,” he continued. “So no attack this round. I’ll simply summon Dunames Dark Witch in Attack Mode…”

He played the card, and a pretty female Fairy in a red dress and metallic wings appeared. (1,800/1,050)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/tp8-en004.jpg

“And now…” he said, opening his Field Slot, “I play The Sanctuary in the Sky!”

He played the card, and the dark temple gave way to a blinding light. The majestic clouds and ancient buildings of the divine Sanctuary appeared around them. The smell of sweet saffron filled the air.

“Good!” exclaimed Trisha. “Now Omaly can’t hurt him by attacking his Fairies.”

“I hate this place…” muttered Omaly.

“Why?” asked Janus. “This is the closest you’ll ever get to going to Heaven.”

“Hardy, har, har,” said Omaly, drawing a card. “I’m going to miss that wit when this is over. I play my Pot of Greed…”

He played the card, and drew twice. He looked them over.

“Opticlops, attack Majestic Mech – Ohka!”

The Fiend’s eye glowed…

“Has he gone mad, you ask?” asked Omaly. “No… I reveal my Trap Card, Bark of Dark Ruler…”

His Trap Card lifted, and the intimidating form of Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared behind him and let out an evil laugh.

“Now, I simply have to pay 700 Life Points, and Opticlops becomes stronger than your Fairy feline.”

Opticlops rose to an Attack of 2,500, and he charged into Ohka, blowing him to shards.

(J: 9,100) -------------------- (O: 6,300)

“Nice,” said Janus, “but thanks to my Field Spell, I don’t lose any Life Points.”

“I know that,” said Omaly. “Continuing my turn… I now summon the Witty Phantom…”

He played the card, and a tall Fiend in a purple tuxedo and derby hat with orange skin and pointed ears appeared. (1,400/1,300)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lob_en072.jpg

“Witty Phantom?” asked Janus. “Why would you have that old thing in your deck?”

“Eh, I gotta agree with Janus here,” said Trisha. “That sort of card just doesn’t cut it in today’s meta…”

“You ever hear the saying that no card is worthless?” asked Omaly. “True, he isn’t much of a card. Still, the world of Fiends may be an evil system, but it’s an orderly one, where each individual plays a vital role. Witty Phantom may just be a rank-and-file paper pusher, but without such folks, the system wouldn’t work.

“And by the way, he won’t be staying for long…

“I play the Spell Card, Stygian Compact.”

He revealed a Spell Card.

“Stygian Compact?” said Janus, in surprise. “What does that do?”

An ominous image of a hooded, cloaked, ferryman on a skiff appeared behind Omaly…

“To play this card, I have to sacrifice one Fiend,” explained Omaly, “so farewell, my Witty Phantom…”

Witty Phantom vanished.

“…and in return, I get to search my deck for any card with the words ‘Dark Ruler’ in its name…”

He looked through his deck and got what he wanted.

“And that includes the Dark Ruler himself…” he said, showing Janus the card.

“Dark Ruler Ha Des?” gulped Russell.

“Of course…” said Omaly, adding it to his hand, “I’ve already summoned this turn, so I’ll just have to save this card and savor my next turn, when he makes his grand appearance. It’s your move…”

The fiendish ferryman vanished.

Janus frowned as he drew.

“Look familiar?” he asked, showing him the card. “You’re far from the only one who can use Pot of Greed…”

He played the card, and drew twice.

“Sorry, Omaly,” he said, “but there’s no way I’m letting you summon a Monster that dangerous!

“I play Celestial Transformation. This Spell Card lets me Special Summon a Fairy from my hand, so long as I cut its Attack Score in half. So let’s bring out Absorbing Kid From The Sky.”

He played the card, and beams of light shone from above. A young, pudgy kid with wings appeared in front of him. (1,300/1,000) –> (650/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ast-0721.jpg

“And now, you’ve seen two of the Majestic Mechs… Now I sacrifice my Absorbing Kid From the Sky to call forth a much greater power…”

The Kid vanished, and thunder rolled…

“I summon the Divine Destroyer, the mightiest of the Majestic Mechs… Goryu!”

Lightning flashed over the Sanctuary, and a huge form appeared out of the ether. It was a metallic, golden serpent-dragon, with wings and stern-looking face. It let out a bellowing roar! (2,900/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_en016.jpg

Omaly drew back in surprise.

“I know…” said Janus. “You’re wondering how I summoned an eight-star Monster with only one sacrifice. Well, Goryu can be summoned with one sacrifice, although if I do that, he goes to the Graveyard at the end of my turn.

“Not that it matters much. Goryu, annihilate Opticlops with Radiant Eruption!”

Thunder crashed from what seemed to be all of creation, and Opticlops screamed as he was struck by it. The Fiend was reduced to ashes!

“I activate my Trap Card!” shouted Omaly. “Call of the Haunted!”

His facedown card lifted, and Opticlops appeared again, still a little dizzy. (1,800/1,700)

“So what are you gonna do now?” asked Omaly.

Janus gritted his teeth and looked at Dunames Dark Witch…

“I’m sorry…” he muttered. “Dunames Dark Witch, attack the Opticlops!”

Dunames Dark Witch flew at the Fiend, and made a flying tackle! There was a great explosion at the point of impact!

“Good lord!” shouted Russell. “It was a draw!”

“Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh...” chuckled Omaly. “Not bad… A desperate attempt, but a worthy one…”

(J: 9,100) -------------------- (O: 5,200)

“To finish my turn…” said Janus, taking another card from his hand, “I’ll play Soul Release, removing from play five of the Fairies in my Graveyard.”

“Why the heck would you do that?” asked Omaly. “If you were smart, you would have removed the Monsters in my Graveyard so I couldn’t use them again.”

“I have my reasons,” said Janus, taking the cards out of his discard slot. “My turn ends, meaning Goryu goes to the Graveyard.”

With a rumble, Goryu sank into the cloudy surface of The Sanctuary in the Sky.

“Attack me if you want… I can take it. Lord knows I’ve been taking it from you for years.”

Janus looked at his facedown card. Then he looked at the two remaining cards in his hand, one of which was Monster Reborn.

I had hoped to keep both of them, he thought, but at least I can bring back Goryu next round.

“All right, Janus…” said Omaly. “I draw!”

He drew a card.

“And all your attempts to stop me were for naught. I not only can summon Ha Des, but another powerful Fiend.”

“First, I’ll play Fiend’s Sanctuary…”

He played the card, and an ominous pentagram appeared on the cloudy surface. A Metal Fiend Token appeared. (0/0)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/vb5_001.jpg

“Now I’ll sacrifice it,” he continued, “to summon the one and only…”

“Dark Ruler Ha Des…” muttered Janus.

A dark shadow appeared over Omaly, and the dreaded ruler of Fiends appeared, dressed in his formal robes and clutching a wine glass full of smoking liquid. (2,450/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/db2-en124.jpg

“This is bad…” said Russell.

“Next, I play Monster Reborn,” said Omaly, “to bring back someone who I discarded with Graceful Charity. You made a big mistake not using Soul Release on my Graveyard. Meet Lesser Fiend.”

He played the card, and a hideous creature with four arms, garbed in a kilt appeared. (2,100/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-003.jpg

“And I’ll just keep going…” said Omaly, playing a Spell Card, “by playing… Metamorphosis. Now I can swap my Lesser Fiend, for a Monster from my Fusion Deck who has the same number of stars…”

Lesser Fiend vanished.

“And since it has five, you can probably guess who I’m summoning. Say hello to Dark Balter the Terrible.”

A hulking Fiend appeared next to Ha Des. He was dressed in golden armor with a breastplate shaped like a bestial face, with a flowing cape, had an evil-looking face, wicked claws, and flowing, tangled hair. (2,000/1,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-0021.jpg

“Ooh, that’s just as bad…” muttered Jason.

“Really?” asked Trisha. “He’s got 100 less Attack Points than Lesser Fiend.”

“Don’t underestimate that guy,” said Jason. “There are two reasons that Metamorphosis is a Limited card, and that guy is one of them.”

“Well…” chuckled Omaly. “Two powerful Monsters on my side… None on yours… I think we both know what comes next, Janus…

“Dark Balter, show him why they call you terrible! Attack him directly!

“I’ve been waiting a long time for this…”

Dark Balter flew forward, and slashed at Janus with his nasty claws. Janus hollered and stumbled backwards.

“And now my Dark Ruler…” continued Omaly.

“I activate my Trap Card!” shouted Janus. “Go, Miraculous Descent!”

His Trap lifted, showing the image of a many-armed seraphim glowing with radiance.

“This lets me Special Summon one of my Fairies that has been removed from play,” explained Janus. “So I’ll bring back my Absorbing Kid From The Sky in Defense Mode!”

In another beam of light, Absorbing Kid From The Sky appeared, crouching in defense. (1,300/1,000)

“Now your Dark Ruler will have to attack him instead of me…” he said, with his eyebrows narrowing.

Omaly paused.

“So be it…” he said.

Dark Ruler Ha Des fired a beam of black energy, blasting apart the Fairy.

“Thanks for taking the blow…” muttered Janus. “I will get your revenge…”

“That was smart…” said Russell. “He let Balter’s attack go through, saving his Trap to block the attack of the stronger Monster.”

“Yeah…” said Jason. “But now Omaly has two powerful Fiends with nasty effects to on the field. Janus had better draw a good card right now…”

(J: 7,100) -------------------- (O: 5,200)

“Draw your card…” said Omaly. “It might well be your last.”

Janus drew. He looked at the card. Then he looked at the other two cards in his hand.

“I play my own Monster Reborn…” he said, playing the card.

“Janus, no!” shouted Russell. “It won’t work!”

“He can’t hear you, Russell…” moaned Jason.

“Are you unaware of Dark Balter’s effect?” asked Omaly.

Balter waved his hand, and the Spell Card shattered.

“When he’s on the field, I can keep you from playing a Normal Spell Card if I don’t want you to, and I certainly don’t want you to. It may cost me 1,000 Life Points, but it’s better than letting you bring that gigantic… thing back.”

Janus bowed his head.

He fit another card into his Disk, and a facedown card appeared. He waved his hand.

“People, he may stand a chance!” said Jason. “That facedown card is the Card of Virtue I gave him!”

“You can tell?” asked Trisha.

“Yes…” said Jason. “I can sense the divine energy coming from it. But I know how that particular card functions. It will only work if Omaly summons a third Monster, and he’s as impulsive as we think. We can only hope…”

He paused.

“He wanted Omaly to counter that Spell Card…” he said. “He did it so Omaly would be forced to spend Life Points…”

(J: 7,100) -------------------- (O: 4,200)

Omaly drew a card.

“Well Janus…” he said. “I hardly need this now, but this Sanctuary of yours is giving me a headache. So I’m going to yank you out of the heights of Heaven and drag you straight into the depths of Hell! Let me treat you…”

He opened his Field Slot.

“…to the last Field Spell you’ll ever see! I play Domicile of the Dark Ruler!”

He played the card, and The Sanctuary in the Sky faded away, and was replaced by a grim, blasted wasteland with a grey sky. Twisted trees sprang up, and a terrible palace made of bones rose up behind Omaly. Flaming pits erupted in the ground. The smell of saffron was replaced by the unpleasant smell of brimstone.

“Much better…” he said. “Nothing like the smell of fire and ash to get my blood flowing…”

“What’s the point?” asked Janus.

“Heh, heh…” chuckled Omaly. “This Field can’t exist if Ha Des isn’t present. But so long as it stands, Fiends cannot be destroyed in battle. My forces can’t be defeated…

“And now I summon another. I summon The Bistro Butcher in Attack Mode.”

With a cackle, a new Fiend appeared. It was a tall demon with purple skin and pointed ears in a chef’s outfit, with a hook for his right hand, holding a cleaver in his other. (1,800/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mrd_1081.jpg

Continued…

Dark Sage

29th December 2006, 06:30 AM

Continued from last post:

…Temperance…

“All right, decision time!” shouted Janus. “I activate my Trap Card, Harsh Reality!”

“Harsh Reality?” asked Omaly, surprised.

The Trap Card showed a grim picture of a pious knight looking over a war-torn battlefield, with points of light breaking through an overcast sky.

“Here’s how it works, Omaly,” exclaimed Janus. “I can only activate this when I have no Monsters on my side of the field, and you have three or more. You now have to decide whether to enter your Battle Phase or not.

“Choose to skip your Battle Phase, in which case you can’t attack me, and I lose 2,000 Life Points.

“Choose to enter it, in which case you can attack me, and I get to draw from my deck until I have six cards.”

Omaly looked at him oddly.

“Choose wisely, Omaly…” said Janus. “Like the name of the card suggests, reality is harsh when you look at it, and the outcome of things might not fall in your favor… After all, I had to accept it when you were created. Did I deserve to be saddled with you?

“I mean, as much as I compare us to Jekyll and Hyde, we’re nothing like them. Mr. Hyde’s creation was completely Dr. Jekyll’s fault. He’s the one who, of his own free will, invented the formula who created his evil self in an attempt to purge the evil from himself. Me… I did nothing but say yes when you knocked on the door, pretending you wanted to help.

“So think before you choose.”

Omaly glared at him angrily. Then he did a quick count.

If I attacked him with all three of my Monsters, he thought, I’d bring his Life Points down to… let’s see… carry the one… 850. I’d be way in the lead… But maybe letting him have that many cards would be dangerous…

“Omaly’s having a hard time deciding…” said Trisha.

“Harsh Reality is a Temperance card,” said Jason. “You can’t act on base impulse with such decisions.

“He no doubt also realizes that one of his Monsters is The Bistro Butcher. That Monster’s effect would let Janus draw two additional cards, giving him a total of eight. An incredibly dangerous situation.”

“Well, Omaly…” asked Janus. “What’s it gonna be?”

A look of shock came over Omaly’s face.

Wait… he thought. He wants me to hold off on attacking because that last card in his hand is something that he needs to spend Life Points to use!

Premature Burial? I’ll bet it’s Premature Burial! Balter can’t counter Equip Spells! I can’t risk dealing with Goryu again! If I attack, he’ll be more reluctant to spend 800 Life Points!

“Fine!” he shouted. “I choose to attack! Draw your cards! It’s worth it to pound you black and blue!”

Janus quickly drew five cards.

“Dark Balter, attack him again!” shouted Omaly.

Janus cringed as the Fiend clawed him a second time.

“Ha Des, Stygian blast!”

The Dark Ruler blasted a wave of dark fire, and Janus screamed.

“Bistro Butcher, cleaver heaver!”

The fiendish chef flew forward, and stabbed at Janus with his blade, and he fell over.

“Now I get… to draw… two more cards…” muttered Janus, drawing two.

(J: 850) -------------------- (O: 5,200)

“Take ten,” dared Omaly. “I don’t care! Your move, you goody-goody… Still think your seraphims and cherubims can save you? Even if you managed to summon Guardian Angel Joan now, she couldn’t destroy my Fiends, and I would destroy her in short order.”

“Joan isn’t… in this… deck…” muttered Omaly, looking at the eight cards in his hand.

He coughed for a minute and took some deep breaths. Then he drew a ninth card and looked at it.

He fit three cards into his Disk and three facedown cards appeared.

“Three cards facedown…” he muttered.

He placed a card on his Disk.

“And one Winged Kuriboh in Defense Mode…”

In a flash of light, the adorable, furry Fairy with wings appeared. (300/200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/dp1-en005.jpg

“Your move…” he muttered.

“Heh, heh, heh,” chuckled Omaly. “Winged Kuriboh and facedown cards… Wonder what they are…”

He drew a card.

He frowned. It was The Puppet Magic of Dark Ruler.

“I suppose, one of them is Transcendent Wings. So I were to attack that pathetic fuzzball, you’d trigger it, discard two of your cards, and turn it into a not-so-pathetic fuzzball who’d destroy all my Monsters and cost me the duel.

“Or maybe not… Maybe that’s what you want me to believe. Maybe those three cards are nothing more than big bluffs…”

Janus crossed his arms.

“Well if that’s truly what you believe…” he said. “Then by all means, attack.”

“Well…” said Trisha. “If Omaly attacks, at least there’s Winged Kuriboh’s effect… Janus will survive one more turn…”

“No he won’t,” replied Jason. “With Ha Des on the field, Winged Kuriboh’s effect will be negated. If Janus is bluffing, it’s all over…”

“Janus…” moaned Trisha.

Omaly stared at Winged Kuriboh.

He raised his hand.

Then he paused.

What if he’s not bluffing? he thought. If I attacked, I’d lose…

He looked at his deck.

I have other cards in my deck that can destroy that Kuriboh… And so long as this Field Spell stands, his attacks can’t defeat my Fiends. I can play it safe for now…

“No attack this round, Janus,” he said. “But I’ll get rid of that winged rat soon enough…”

“Don’t insult my Monsters…” said Janus, with a frown.

He drew a card.

“I summon Bountiful Artemis in Attack Mode,” he said.

He played the card, and in a shimmering light, a new Fairy appeared. It was a female figure with no face, an inverted cone in place of legs, and metallic wings growing from her shoulders. She wore a flowing purple cape. She radiated mysterious silence. (1,600/1,700)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_en020.jpg

“Uhm… That’s … weird…” muttered Omaly.

“Your move…” said Janus.

Omaly drew.

Soul Demolition.

“Ergh, I’ll pass again…” he said with a scowl.

Janus drew again.

“I’ll summon Layard the Liberator in Attack Mode,” he said.

He played the card, and another weird Fairy appeared. This one was also metallic, with six arms, wings, and no legs, with energy coming out of the spot where legs would normally be. (1,400/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_en021.jpg

“I end my turn,” he said.

Grrr… thought Omaly. Dark Ruler Ha Des is dark. He’s a ruler… He rules over Fiends. He’s a sensible and perfectly understandable Monster! At least with him, you know what you’re dealing with. But these weirdo Fairies are downright creepy!

He drew a card.

“I play… Reload,” he exclaimed, playing a card.

“Now, I return my two cards to my deck, reshuffle, and draw two new cards…”

He shuffled and then drew twice.

“Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…” he chuckled. “And this duel is over, Janus… At long last, I’ll be my own person…

“I play Brain Control!”

He played the card, and the hideous brain appeared above him...

“Come to me, Winged Kuriboh!” he shouted.

“That’s exactly what I wanted you to do, Omaly…” said Janus. “You’ve just doomed yourself…”

One of his facedown cards lifted.

“I activate Solemn Judgment!”

Thunder flashed, and an old man in a white robe with a beard holding a cudgel appeared, followed by two beautiful muses.

“It costs me half my Life Points,” said Janus, “but it destroys your Brain Control!”

The fiendish brain shattered.

“Big deal…” said Omaly.

“It is a big deal!” said Janus, pointing. “I was waiting for you to play a card so I could activate this Trap… And since you gave me two free turns, you’re gonna pay!

“You see, since Solemn Judgment happens to be a Counter Trap, you’ve activated the effects of three of my Fairies, two of which are in the field, and one of which is in my hand…

“First, Bountiful Artemis lets me draw one card…”

Artemis glowed, and he drew once.

“Second, Layard the Liberator lets me take two of my Fairies that have been removed from play, and add them to my hand…”

Layard glowed, and two cards appeared in Janus’s hand.

“I choose Dunames Dark Witch and Majestic Mech – Ohka.

“And finally, all because of this Counter Trap, I can sacrifice all of the Monsters on my side of the field to Special Summon the true master of my deck from my hand… Begone!”

Winged Kuriboh, Bountiful Artemis, and Layard the Liberator vanished into orbs of light.

“I summon… Voltanis the Adjudicator!”

In a blinding flash, an intimidating creature appeared on Janus’s side of the field. He was tall and regal, dressed in violet, gem-encrusted robes that seemed to be both cloth and metal at the same time. He had no face, aside from a lavender gem where his eyes would be, and had huge wings that seemed to float behind him rather than attach to his back. He held a jeweled scepter. (2,800/1,400)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_en023.jpg

“And when Voltanis is summoned in this way,” continued Janus, “he destroys one card for each Fairy I used as a sacrifice.

“It’s time judgment was truly passed…”

Voltanis raised his scepter, and lightning flashed, striking Dark Ruler Ha Des, Dark Balter the Terrible, and The Bistro Butcher! They hollered, and were blown to atoms!

Omaly drew back in fear, as the palace behind him crumbled into rubble and the wasteland around them shattered into dust.

“Oh right…” said Janus. “That Field Card can’t exist if the Dark Ruler isn’t on the field, huh?”

“Wow…” said Trisha. “What a Monster…”

Omaly looked at the last card in his hand.

Nightmare Wheel.

He fit it into his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

“Make… your… move…” he muttered.

His finger edged towards his Disk…

(J: 425) -------------------- (O: 3,400)

Janus drew a card.

“I activate Nightmare Wheel!” shouted Omaly.

The hideous torture device appeared, and grabbed hold of Voltanis!

“Did you really think I’d let you defeat me, Janus?” he mocked. “I’ve been the superior one since I first emerged, and I won’t let a waste like you do away with me!

“Now your precious Monster is helpless, and as soon as I start my turn, you’ll lose 500 Life Points, which is more than you have!”

Janus closed his eyes.

“I might pity you, Omaly…” he said. “But you know something? You were created out of my dark side, my negative emotions, my hatred… The part of me I wasn’t willing to show. All humans have both good and evil in them, and you were a product of the evil in me…

“I can’t feel pity for you… Because you have no redeemable features. There was never any good in you… You were born evil. And I’m going to throw you away like the garbage you are.”

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I summon Majestic Mech – Ohka in Attack Mode.”

Once again, the bestial-looking but beautiful Fairy appeared, and roared loudly. (2,400/1,400)

“WHAT?” screamed Omaly. “You sacrificed a Monster to summon that thing last time!”

“So I did…” said Janus. “But I didn’t really have to. Ohka’s effect is similar to Goryu’s. He can be summoned with no sacrifice, so long as he goes to the Graveyard at the end of my turn.

“Attack him directly! Righteous Flame!”

Ohka blasted a burst of divine fire from his jaws, striking Omaly and sending him staggering backwards.

“You’ve still lost…” he gasped. “I still have a thousand Life Points left! And you can’t summon any more Monsters. I’m not finished yet…”

One of Janus’s remaining facedown cards lifted.

“Now you are,” he said. “I activate Solar Ray. This Trap inflicts 600 points of damage to your Life Points for each Light Attribute Monster on my side of the field. And despite the Nightmare Wheel, Voltanis still counts.”

A burning beam of light shot from the card, and Omaly screamed.

He fell down on his knees.

(J: 425) -------------------- (O: 0)

Omaly felt dizzy. His head was swimming.

He looked for his enemy, but he wasn’t there…

Then he saw the prone body that he left – and had forced Janus out of – get up.

Janus walked over to him. He slunk back in fear.

“You lose…” he said. “After all these years, I finally was given the chance, and I finally beat you. Seems I was the superior one all along.”

Omaly started to fade away…

“Begone…” said Janus.

In the next second he was gone.

Janus held his head.

It was strange. His head had never felt clearer. It was if a weight had been lifted off of it that had been there for years.

It was hard to believe it, but Omaly was gone…

Then he noticed something at his feet where his foe had fallen.

As he picked it up, his cell phone rang.

“Hello?” he said, answering it. “Oh, Russell, hi…”

“Congratulations, Janus,” said Russell. “We saw the whole thing. That must have been hard.”

“Oh, I never felt better!” said Janus. “Bring on the next one! I can take him!

“Oh, by the way, I found something… a blue letter B.”

“You don’t say…” said Russell. “Okay, get out of that creepy temple. There might be other dangerous stuff in there, after all.

“And it was a good thing he fell for your bluff, by the way.”

“Bluff?” asked Janus with a laugh. “You actually think I was bluffing? I had a third facedown card, remember?”

“You mean…” asked Russell.

“The Winged Kuriboh wasn’t a bluff…” said Janus with a smile. “That setup had two plans to defeat him. He made a big mistake giving me so many cards.

“But hey, I knew he would choose to attack. If given a choice between hurting someone or doing nothing, Omaly would hurt him, no matter what benefit it gave the guy. But I should have known he wouldn’t attack Winged Kuriboh. He hated being hurt back.”

“Brilliant,” said Russell. “Catch you later.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Karen stood firm as a Sword Hunter charged towards Elemental Mistress Doriado…

Her first facedown card lifted, and Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan blasted the Warrior to pieces.

She smiled. She drew a card.

She ordered a direct attack with Doriado. Finally, she activated her other Trap, Spiritual Fire Art – Kurenai. Doriado erupted into flames and flew into her opponent, knocking him over as his Life Points fell to zero.

Karen wiped her brow and went over to search her opponent.

After about a minute, she frowned, and picked up her cell phone.

“Jason?” she said. “I beat this guy, but he wasn’t carrying anything. Sorry.”

“Okay…” said Jason. “Take a break then.”

He turned to Russell and Trisha.

“It’s all up to Sersei, guys,” he said. “I have a feeling she has to find one last duelist and find the last piece of the puzzle.

“Cause I have no idea what it is…”

Tuesday, November 10th, 2106, 8:30 PM

STYGIAN COMPACT (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Dark Ruler Ha Des standing on the banks of a foul-looking river. A fiendish-looking ferryman approaches him.

Card Description: Offer one FIEND-Type Monster on your side of the field as a Tribute. Search your deck for one card with the words “Dark Ruler” in its name and add it to your hand.

DOMICILE OF THE DARK RULER (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Field
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A hideous palace of bones standing on a dark wasteland.

Card Description: This card is destroyed if there is no “Dark Ruler Ha Des” on the controller’s side of the field. FIEND-Type Monsters on both sides of the field cannot be destroyed as a result of battle (damage calculation still applies).

HARSH REALITY (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap/Card of Virtue
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Virtue: Temperance

Image: A pious knight looking over a war-torn battlefield, with points of light breaking through an overcast sky.

Card Description: You may only activate this card during your opponent’s Standby Phase or first Main Phase. You may only activate this card when you have no Monsters on your side of the field, and your opponent has three or more. Your opponent then decides whether or not he will enter or skip his Battle Phase. If he chooses to skip his Battle Phase, inflict 2,000 points of damage to your Life Points. If he chooses to enter his Battle Phase, draw cards from your deck until your hand consists of six cards.

First of all, I’d like to thank Mystic Clown for the contribution of the user character in this chapter.

I’d also like to warn everyone, and say that Omaly’s defeat may not have been final. MC has hinted that he may want to write a spin-off where Janus and his other personality are the main characters. Whether he does or not is up to him, so once this fic is over, I will transfer the character to his hands

Coming up next:

Sersei finds an opponent, and she may be outmatched, because while this duelist knows little of Winged Beasts, he knows plenty about Wind Monsters. It’s a trip to the mystic land of the Arabian Nights, in a chapter called “Judgment of the Desert”, coming soon.

jkBAKURA

29th December 2006, 09:28 AM

Unique, very unique.

It was aid that this chapter would make or break many people's opinions of this fic. That it would either be a huge sucsess or would blow up in the author's face. Congradulations, you manages the former.

Knowing you, Dark Sage, this must have been a hard chapter to write. The backstory was a whole lot darker then you're used to. That's certainly something worth notice. While I wouldn't suggest an entire fic written in that tone, it did give us something we haven't seen before.

Maybe it was the fact that it wasn't a hired duelist working for Fortunado as the antagonist this time. (well tecnically it is, but I think you get the point.)

Thank you for taking our criticism into your mind, it made the tension feel a whole lot more genuine, and the fact that there were spectators certainly didn't hurt.

As for the duel itself, the Magestic Mechs and an entire deck based around Ha-Des are two decks I haven't seen in their own right. the Fiend deck could have been flushed out a bit more, but things like Balter made it good enough to keep us interested.

Before anyone complains, the Card of Virtue not only was an important component in helping Janus get the hand count to win, this time it was given its due as higher help, especially given Omaly's choice on what effect to use. It also helped flush out his character, so I for one have no complaints.

As for what comes next, I can say I am looking very forward to next week. A battle of WIND monsters isn't something seen very often.

Phoenixsong

29th December 2006, 02:11 PM

Ahem. First of all, DS, I have to point out that you did it again. When Janus's Royal Knight destroyed Sangan, you said that Janus pointed out that he still got to use his effect;if I understood correctly it was supposed to be Omaly talking. Of course, technically Janus and Omaly are the same person, so I suppose I can almost sort of forgive you for this more than I can for, say, confusing Sersei with Cleo or Jason with Russell. But you HAVE to be more careful about that sort of thing; it's very confusing, especially if you read fast like I do. Oh, and you also called Janus Omaly when he used Soul Release, and again on another occasion I can't recall.

This was a good chapter. I still don't think the tension was quite where it could be as far as Janus was concerned... at several points it felt like he had the entire duel planned out beforehand, and it seemed a bit too easy. I guess he was fairly resigned to the fact that this was the "final" (depending on Mystic Clown) confrontation and he knew Omaly well, but... eh... not quite nervous enough for me. It's not enough to be resigned, you have to struggle to keep that resignation. Still, Omaly was believeable and different, and even if Janus seemed eerily confident the duel itself was definitely suspenseful. I was sort of hoping Janus wouldn't use Counter-Fairies, though... ah, well. If I ever get off my arse and write my own story, mein own Fairy duelist Gabriel Lucian's deck will be used for quite different reasons. Mwahaha, fun with pseudo-crossovers.

I have no clue what's coming next (surprise-surprise), although I will say that a fic about Janus and Omaly sounds like cracking good fun, if you ever write it, MC. I think those two were some of the more interesting user characters in the story, so good job with them! I have one question for you, though: where on earth did you come up with the name Omaly?

Mystic_clown

29th December 2006, 03:26 PM

I had a sneaking suspicion that Janus would use counter fairies. Ever since you told me he'd be using a new type of fairy and I learnt about them, I figured you'd use them. As for Janus using fiends, well, when I first say his cards I thought "Oh my God, it's Forte!" since a number of cards he used (with the exception of balter and dark mimic and possibly a few others), were in Forte's deck.

I liked how you wrote their backstory DS. I know I didn't give you much in terms of that, but you actually pulled it off quite well. It trully gave my character more depth.

Overall, I liked this chapter, although I'm a bit curious as to how Omaly contacted the master without Janus knowing.

As for your question phoenix, to be one hundred percent honest, I got Omaly's named from "Red VS Blue", the character O'Mally, who is pretty much like my Omaly. although I didn't know how his name was spelt back then and ended up naming him Omaly.

And finally, yes, I am planning on writing a spin off about those two, but when I'll do it, I'm not sure. I've got enough to do at the moment as it is.

starjake

29th December 2006, 04:05 PM

After all the warnings I gave you about this chapter...how it would end up being a delight or a disaster with no middle ground...

I guess I should do that more often; you seem to produce better results.

Though I'm not sure I would classify this chapter as magnificent, it was leaps and bounds ahead of what you have given us so far. I'm impressed.

That doesn't mean there weren't areas where you could have improved. I think you told us Janus' and Omaly's characters well, but by the end Janus seemed remarkably similar to Russell and Omaly remarkably similar to...well, many other of your evil characters. Even within the generic 'evil' category, there are differences in personality (what happened to Omaly's 'honey-tongued devil' personality that you displayed so well in the flashbacks?) Same with Janus; I thought he was supposed to be weak(er) and easily scared. Even if he was putting on a facade of toughness, why didn't we see that in his thoughts?

Again, I'm not saying this chapter was a disaster; it was very good. Using the Harsh Reality to portray Omaly's character and Janus using Omaly's character against him were very well-done.

Someone already mentioned the name slip-ups, so I won't go find them again to point them out. Just be sure to watch those; those kinds of mistakes really do take away from the chapter.

WIND monsters that have something to do with the desert...intriguing. It can't be Ninjas, because the majority of Ninjas are DARK (that and you've already done Harpies vs. Ninjas before). It's not Bird monsters in general, because the opponent doesn't know much about Winged Beasts. And I can't see the Armed Dragons (the big-baddies of the WIND world) having much to do with the desert. I suppose I'll just have to wait and see (as you're so fond of telling everyone all the time).

Until then, this is StarJake, signing off.

Shuppet Master

30th December 2006, 09:17 PM

(Monty Python voice) I'm not dead!

Anyways, I can't add much to the reviews you got, Brian. I had a feeling the good and evil sides would face off, and there's a spin-off going about them? Good gosh, that will take some work!

(Looks around at the people glaring at him for not finishing the final chapter of Sister of Anansi and slinks off to play more FFX.)

Blademaster

30th December 2006, 10:05 PM

That doesn't mean there weren't areas where you could have improved. I think you told us Janus' and Omaly's characters well, but by the end Janus seemed remarkably similar to Russell and Omaly remarkably similar to...well, many other of your evil characters. Even within the generic 'evil' category, there are differences in personality (what happened to Omaly's 'honey-tongued devil' personality that you displayed so well in the flashbacks?) Same with Janus; I thought he was supposed to be weak(er) and easily scared. Even if he was putting on a facade of toughness, why didn't we see that in his thoughts?

Agreed, however...

This chapter, in all honesty, was quite impressive. I like the Bakura-Ryou struggle that went on the whole chapter, and the mix of old and new themes was somewhat welcome, as well - new Fairies versus old Fiends.

Still, one thing that I noticed that stood out was that Harsh Reality card. Omaly deserved to lose after that moronic decision. Who actually gives their opponent eight cards!? I'd think that Omaly would've been smarter in that respect...

Incidentally, Karen only gets a cameo reappearance? Boo. :D

Anyway, enough looking back - the new year is upon us! It's time to move ahead!

Now, the next chapter...

Well...

Wait! There IS one theme that pertains to the desert and still correlates with WIND Monsters! I just got it!

It's a very obscure theme, but knowing the B-man, he might just be able to pull it off...

Dark Sage

5th January 2007, 04:09 AM

I’d like to make a statement before I post this next chapter.

This chapter debuts a new tribe of Monsters created by a friend of mine that were created in the tradition of the classic Arabian Nights. There is, however, the fear that someone might take this the wrong way.

Neither my friend or I mean any offense to Islam or Middle Eastern culture. I am Roman Catholic myself, but many of my friends are Muslim. I support equality above else, and would never think of writing anything intentionally offensive.

Some people forget that the Middle East was a pleasant place before the turmoil of modern times. Stories like Arabian Nights, tales like those of Aladdin and Ali Baba, are reminders of the wonders that the East used to represent.

If anything, these fanfic cards were created in hopes that someday, the hatred will end. Unlike the Cards of Sin and Cards of Virtue, I encourage that these cards be used in other fanfics.

When I heard that Russell was a part of planning this whole assault on the enemy HQ, I had to be a part of it. He wasn’t going to leave Sersei Rhineheart out, not after what I had done to help so far!

And now I’m in it deep.

I always thought that the best Wind Monsters in the business were the Harpies that live in my deck. But now I’ve met a duelist who claims to use other Wind Monsters, and he claims that they’re better. He has challenged me to a Shadow Game – not my first – in which everything goes.

My response?

Bring it on.

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

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Tuesday, November 10th, 8:25 PM

As Sersei wandered about the twenty-fifth floor (only ten floors below Fortunado’s penthouse, although she didn’t know it), her cell phone rang.

“Talk to me,” she said, answering it.

“Sersei?” said Russell’s voice. “I hate to rush you, but we need you to find the last duelist fast. We think there may be only one more piece of the puzzle, and we only have three and a half more hours left.”

“Okay…” said Sersei, opening a door. “I’ll see what I can do…”

* * * * * * * * * *

It was now only about five minutes after the duel between Janus and Omaly had ended.

“I’m nervous about her…” muttered Russell.

“Russell, if it makes you feel better, we can try to watch her just like we watched Janus,” said Jason. “But we have to be careful. My power isn’t unlimited.”

He concentrated.

* * * * * * * * * *

Sersei looked around, and saw that she was in a sort of library.

“Tired of playing cat and mouse, people,” she said. “Come out, come out wherever you are. Olly, olly, oxen free…”

“Such impatience…” said a voice with a strange accent.

She looked, and saw someone on an armchair, reading a book.

“Greetings, Ms. Rhineheart,” he said, without getting up.

There was a brief pause. Sersei noticed that the title he was reading was The Bridge on the River Kwai.

“Interesting…” she said. “I don’t have much patience for books that long, but I did rent the movie once…”

“Mmm, I don’t get out to movies much,” said the man. “Not my thing…”

He put the book down, and got up. He seemed to be a man who was about thirty, dressed in a black business suit, wearing sunglasses and deeply tanned skin. He also wore a white headdress of some type – Sersei guessed it was the type worn in Saudi Arabia.

He wore a luxury model Duel Disk on his left arm. Sersei winced. Those cost more than her first year tuition…

Lovely… she thought. His deck is likely the dreaded “spoiled brat’s deck” – no theme other than the most expensive cards available… Classic Cookie Cutter…

“Greetings,” he said. “I am Musafa Faruk Bin Baden the Third. I am…”

“I know who you are…” said Sersei. “You think that just because I’m a teenager I don’t watch the news?”

She looked at him.

“Up until two years ago, you were the senior vice president of some big Saudi oil firm. Then your company got into trouble, when its competitors became the victims of corporate sabotage, and evidence was found fingering you.”

Musafa frowned.

“The CEO publicly declared that you had acted alone, and he fired you for doing so. A hearing was held, but charges were dropped for lack of evidence – or maybe it was due to your family’s influence.”

“Are you suggesting for one minute that my family bribed officials?” asked Musafa.

“You’re working for the Orichalcos, aren’t you?” asked Sersei with a shrug. “You’d be capable of anything.”

“Good point…” muttered Musafa. “As for the CEO, that backstabber was as guilty of as many corporate injustices as I was. The only difference was, I got caught. The reason he complied with the authorities was because he wanted to draw attention away from himself. That and he wanted to get rid of me. And after all I had done for that bastard…”

He clenched his fist…

“I even introduced him to the woman he married… Of course, maybe that was the reason he wanted to get rid of me.

“But all I must do is help the Master, and I will be given a chance to gain my revenge.

“I’d take him down myself, but in the politics of my country, he’s a bigger fish, so to speak.”

“I didn’t know rich oil tycoons dueled,” said Sersei with a smirk.

“Dueling is simply a hobby which I happen to be very good at,” said Musafa. “I’m good at other things, like poker, blackjack, golf, and games that you wouldn’t be familiar with. But in this contest I wanted to face you, Ms. Rhineheart, for I heard of your alleged mastery of Monsters of Wind. You think you are superior when it comes to such creatures, but I am about to prove you wrong…”

Well, maybe he doesn’t use Cookie Cutter… thought Sersei.

“Want a bet?” she asked.

“Actually, I do,” replied Musafa. “I will wager my entire deck, against your Guardian Treasure!”

Sersei hesitated.

That was a tempting wager, but that card was not truly hers to give…

“Why?” she asked.

“I’d love to have a card that no other duelist could get,” said Musafa. “There are only seven copies in the world, you know… The cards in my deck are quite rare – together their value is worth that one card.”

“Well…” muttered Sersei, looking at her deck.

“This will be a Shadow Game, after all…” said Musafa, taking off his sunglasses. “The loser will not even have use for his or her cards again.”

He put the sunglasses in his shirt pocket and glared at her…

“Okay…” said Sersei, “it’s a bet…”

In her mind, Sersei could swear she saw Mai scolding her… If she lost this duel…

The two Disks activated…

At that point, Jason had been able to get a fix on the room.

“Sersei…” muttered Russell. “Be careful… He means business…”

(Sersei: 8,000) -------------------- (Musafa: 8,000)

“To prove I have respect for women,” said Musafa, “you may move first.”

Sersei drew, and looked at her first hand.

Boy, talk about a bad hand, she thought. I have that Monster that that weird kid traded me for, but I can’t summon him right now.

“I place a Monster in Defense Mode, and that will be all for me,” she said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

“Playing it safe by starting on the defensive?” asked Musafa, drawing a card. “Well in the business world, one knows that one must always stay on the offensive.

“You see, in the world of business, there are three conditions for success. First, seize the chance.”

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I summon Ancient Lamp in Defense Mode.”

The old oil lamp on spidery legs appeared in front of him. (900/1,400)

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“The second condition is… Use your abilities. To show you what I mean, I’ll use Ancient Lamp’s ability to Special Summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp from my hand in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and the impressive form of La Jinn appeared, giving a throaty chuckle. (1,800/1,000)

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“And this leads to the third condition… Tempt your enemies to destruction! La Jinn… attack!”

La Jinn breathed a gout of flames. Harpie Girl appeared on the card, and was burned up.

“I thought you specialized in Wind Monsters…” sneered Sersei. “That guy is a Dark Monster.”

“Let’s just say he fits the general theme of my deck,” said Musafa, as La Jinn crossed his arms. “Tell me, Ms. Rhineheart… Have you ever read Arabian Nights? Those stories are some of my favorites…”

“Yeah, a few times…” answered Sersei.

“Then prepare to be shocked and amazed,” said Musafa. “It is your move.”

Sersei drew a card.

“All right…” she said. “I play my Graceful Charity.”

She played the card, and drew three cards.

All right… she thought, looking at them. Now we’re talking…

“I’ll discard my Eagle Eye, and my Whirlwind Prodigy,” she said, holding up two cards.

She discarded them.

“Next…” she said, “I’ll toss two cards facedown…”

She placed two cards into her Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

“Then I’ll play Premature Burial, using it to bring Whirlwind Prodigy back from the grave.”

She played the card, and a small boy in a brown leather jacket and pants appeared. Birds and bats fluttered around him. (1,500/1,600)

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“And by the way…” she continued. “He may not look like much, but…”

“Yes, yes, I know…” said Musafa. “When used as a sacrifice, he counts as two Monsters, so long as he is used to summon a Wind Monster. I have one in my own deck.”

“Well, he’s perfect for my next Monster…” said Sersei. “Because she needs two sacrifices, and she can only be summoned by sacrificing Wind Monsters.

“I sacrifice Whirlwind Prodigy to summon Simorgh, Bird of Divinity!”

Prodigy vanished, and a huge, avian creature appeared. It was a beautiful bird of prey, with emerald-green feathers, encrusted with jewels. Her face was that of a young woman, flawless and beautiful. (2,700/1,000)

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“Whoa!” said Trisha. “Now that’s a Monster!”

“Okay… That is rather… impressive…” said Musafa, nervously.

“All right!” shouted Sersei. “Simorgh, attack that genie! Divine wind!”

Simorgh beat her wings, and La Jinn braced himself before he was disintegrated.

“And Simorgh has a great special effect,” continued Sersei. “During each player’s End Phase, she inflicts 1,000 points of damage on each player’s Life Points. But, for each Spell and/or Trap the player has on the field, that amount is lessened by 500.

“And you have none.

“I’m ending my turn now.”

Simorgh’s eyes glowed, and Musafa howled as burning pain ripped through him.

Then Simorgh turned to Sersei… Then she noticed the two facedown cards, and turned back to Musafa.

“I’m worried…” said Trisha. “Worried about the next time I have to duel her…”

(S: 7,200) -------------------- (M: 6,100)

And all she cost me was an Order to Smash card, thought Sersei with a smug smile. What a bargain…

“Very clever, Ms. Rhineheart…” muttered Musafa. “I guess you do know a few things about Wind Monsters…”

He drew a card.

“But your Bird of Divinity has got to go. I play the Spell Card, Share the Pain.”

“Share the Pain?” asked Trisha.

“Musafa has to destroy one his Monsters,” said Jason, “and in return, force Sersei to destroy one of hers.”

“So I’ll destroy my Ancient Lamp,” said Musafa, “and take your Bird of Divinity with it.”

He played the card, and the two Monsters shattered. Sersei drew back in surprise.

“Now I summon… Arabian Thief in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and a short man, clad in rags and wearing a turban, holding a dagger, appeared on front of him. (500/900)

“What?” asked Sersei. “Only 500 measly Attack Points?”

“An Arabian?” asked Trisha.

“Yes, but he has a very special ability,” said Musafa. “Attack her directly, my Thief!”

Arabian Thief leapt up, and stabbed Sersei in the stomach, making her wince.

“Now, since he attacked directly,” he continued, “I get to look at your hand, and force you to discard one card from it.”

Sersei frowned. She turned her two cards around, showing Guardian Treasure and Trap Jammer.

“What?” asked Musafa, stunned. “You had Guardian Treasure all this time, and didn’t play it?”

“I would have had to discard Simorgh,” sulked Sersei, “and she can’t be Special Summoned.”

“Well, you won’t be using it,” said Musafa. “I’ll have you discard that.”

Sersei shrugged, and discarded it.

“And you can forget about ever using that precious card again,” he said. “Once this duel is over, it will be mine.”

“Yeah, yeah,” said Sersei. “Keep telling yourself that…”

(S: 6,700) -------------------- (M: 6,100)

She drew a card.

All right… she thought.

“I activate my first facedown card,” she said. “Pot of Greed.”

The facedown card lifted, and the laughing jar appeared. She drew two more cards.

“Now I’ll summon Harpie Lady 2 in Attack Mode,” she said.

She played the card, and the Harpie with bangs appeared in a flourish. (1,300/1,400)

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“I’ll keep on going by playing my other facedown card,” she said, as the facedown card lifted. “Elegant Egotist.”

She took her deck.

“I’ll use it to summon Harpie Lady 1 to the field.”

Harpie Lady 2’s sister, the one with the long, red hair, alighted beside her. (1,300/1,400)

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“And now that she’s here, both my Harpies get a few more points.”

Both Harpies rose to an Attack of 1,600…

And then, Arabian Thief rose to 800 Attack.

“What?” asked Sersei. “How did your Thief get more Attack Points?”

“Heh, heh,” laughed Musafa. “The bulk of my deck is made up of Arabian Warriors. They are Wind Monsters as well. And Harpie Lady 1’s effect cannot play favorites. It applies to all Wind Monsters on the field.”

“Arabian Warriors?” asked Trisha. “Russell, you’re the expert on Warriors… what can these guys do?”

“I must admit, I’m clueless,” said Russell. “Clearly, Musafa’s cards aren’t garden variety. They must be quite rare.”

“Big deal…” said Sersei. “My Harpies are still twice as strong as he is. And you have no Traps to protect him. Harpie Lady 1, attack the Arabian Thief!”

Harpie Lady 1 flew forward, and slashed at the Thief with her talons. He gasped, fell over and shattered.

“Harpie Lady 2, attack directly! Dive bomb drop!”

The second Harpie swooped at Musafa and came down upon him hard with her leg talons. He fell over.

(S: 6,700) -------------------- (M: 3,700)

“She’s winning!” cheered Russell.

“Don’t jinx it,” warned Jason.

Musafa coughed and got up.

“Maybe you should have stuck to golf,” said Sersei. “It isn’t exactly a contact sport. I’ll end my turn there, sahib. Unless you want to quit now.”

“Never!” said Musafa drawing.

He looked at the card.

“I will play my own Pot of Greed,” he said, playing a card.

He drew twice.

“Mmm…” he said. “This might cost me a few Life Points, but… I will summon Arabian Guide in Attack Mode. And he is a Wind Monster as well.”

He played the card, and in a faint breeze, a new Arabian figure appeared. He was dressed in traveling clothes and a turban, and held a walking staff. (700/800) –> (1,000/800)

“Tell me…” said Sersei. “Are all your Monsters wimps? Who taught you how to duel, anyway?”

“Arabian Guide has a very powerful effect, Ms. Rhineheart,” he said. “I can only activate it when he is Normal Summoned in Attack Mode.”

He took his deck.

“You see, as a guide, he knows the locations of secret places and hidden pathways. So he leads me to a specific card in my deck…”

He took the card and shuffled his deck before putting it back.

“The Field Spell Card, Cave of the Arabians! Which I’ll play now!”

The Field Slot on his Disk opened, and he placed the card in it…

With a rumble, the library vanished, and the stony walls of a great cavern appeared around them. They were also surrounded by baskets, barrels, and bushels of gold, silver, gems, and precious things, a king’s ransom in treasure.

Continued…

Dark Sage

5th January 2007, 04:12 AM

Continued from last post:

“One of the most popular stories in Arabian Nights,” continued Musafa, “is the story of ‘Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves’. It is a timeless tale that tells of a commoner who finds the lair of a group of cold-blooded bandits and highwaymen, who not only steal and rob, but command evil magic. Their lair where they hide their ill-gotten gains is this cave, which can only be entered by one who knows the secret password. The commoner learns that password, and becomes rich by stealing their spoils… But he is protected from the thieves’ wrath only through the dedication of a very loyal slave girl.”

“And what does this Field Spell do?” asked Sersei, nervously.

“First,” replied Musafa. “It raises the Attack Scores of any Monster with the word ‘Arabian’ in its name by 200.”

Arabian Guide went up to 1,200 Attack.

“Second…” said Musafa. “In this cave, neither player is allowed to make direct attacks…

“Not without help, that is…”

Sersei looked at him strangely.

“Without help?” asked Russell. “What does he mean by that?”

“I fear he might have a way around that restriction,” said Jason. “Just what it is, I don’t know.”

“I place one card facedown…” said Musafa.

He played a card, and it appeared.

“…and I end my turn.”

Sersei drew a card.

What a time not to have Harpies’ Hunting Ground in my hand… she thought.

“I place two of my cards facedown…” she said.

She fit two cards into her Disk, and they appeared.

“Next, I’ll complete the set… I summon Cyber Harpie Lady in Attack Mode.”

She played the card, and the armored Harpie with a whip appeared. (1,800/1,300) –> (2,100/1,300)

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“If I can’t attack you directly…” she said. “I’d best attack your Guide with my strongest Monster. Cyber Harpie Lady, attack!”

Cyber Harpie Lady flew forward, and lashed with her whip, blowing Arabian Guide to particles. Musafa cringed.

(S: 6,700) -------------------- (M: 2,800)

“You’re way behind,” said Sersei, “and frankly, I’m disappointed. From a guy like you, I expected some cool cards. All I’ve seen are a few tricky effect Monsters and a Field Spell Card that may be more of a hindrance than a help.”

Musafa drew a card.

“I play Card of Sanctity!” he exclaimed.

A bright flash illuminated the cave.

“Humph,” said Sersei. “I admit that’s a rare card, but I’m getting more out of that than you are…”

She drew five cards, and Musafa drew three.

Or am I? she thought, looking at them The only Monster I just drew was Roc From The Valley Of Haze, and he needs a sacrifice. Sacrificing one of my Harpies might not be a good idea.

She looked at the one Monster that had already been in her hand.

Oh, if only I could get her on the field…

“Now, I play Nightmare’s Steelcage,” said Musafa, playing a card.

Flames erupted around Sersei and her Harpies, and the iron, domed cage formed around them.

“Not again…” muttered Sersei.

“Next…” said Musafa, “I activate my facedown Call of the Haunted.”

His facedown card lifted, and Arabian Thief reappeared. (500/900) –> (1,000/900)

“And what’s he going to do?” asked Sersei. “He can’t hurt my Harpies.”

“And that’s exactly why I’m going to sacrifice him,” replied Musafa. “To summon Arabian Charmer.”

Arabian Thief vanished, and another figure appeared. It was an old man with a beard, wearing ragged trousers, no shirt, and a turban. He held an elaborate flute in his hands. (1,700/1,800) –> (2,200/1,800)

“Now I activate his effect,” continued Musafa, “which I can do by discarding one card, like my Rivalry of Warlords here.”

He discarded the Trap Card.

Arabian Charmer put the flute to his lips, and started to play a haunting melody. Slowly, two large cobras appeared next to him. (800/0) –> (1,100/0)

“As you can see…” said Musafa, “he summons these two Snake Tokens.

“I’ll end my turn there.”

Sersei nervously drew a card.

Topdeck Quiz? she thought. Why do I even still keep this in my deck? Playing it would be too risky…

She added it to her hand and played another card.

“I Equip Cyber Harpie Lady with Arrow Nail,” she said.

A nasty blade appeared on the Harpie’s left wrist, and her Attack went up to 2,400.

“And that will end my turn.”

The Nightmare’s Steelcage started to chip and rust.

“I see…” said Musafa, drawing.

He looked at the card.

“I sacrifice one Snake Token to summon my Arabian Visser in Attack Mode,” he said.

He played the card, and one of the snakes vanished. A more regal-looking Arabian appeared. He was dressed in expensive-looking robes, and wore a fancy-looking turban. A sharp-looking kopesh was slung to his side. (2,000/1,000) –> (2,500/1,000)

“That will end my turn…” he said.

“Oo…kay…” said Sersei, as she nervously drew.

She looked at the card, and sighed.

“I’ll place this facedown, and move my three Harpies to Defense Mode…” she said.

A third facedown card appeared, and the three Harpies shielded themselves with their wings.

“That’s my turn…”

The Steelcage crumbled and fell apart.

“She’s in trouble…” muttered Trisha.

“Then it’s my turn,” said Musafa. “And Arabian Visser has a powerful effect.”

He took his deck and looked through it.

“By skipping my Draw Phase while he’s on the field, I can instead add to my hand from my deck any Monster with the word ‘Arabian’ in its name.”

He found what he wanted, and reshuffled.

“Oh, another Monster with a searching effect,” said Russell. “And I used to think that Freed was… well, you know, unique…”

“And I choose my most powerful one…” continued Musafa, “Arabian Sultan.”

He put his deck back.

“Now, I summon him, by sacrificing Arabian Charmer, and my other Snake Token.”

The Charmer and the other cobra vanished, and yet another Warrior appeared. This one looked like the Visser, but while he was a nobleman, this one was clearly royalty. He was clothed in robes of fine satin, encrusted with precious gems, and wore a practical fortune in jewelry. (2,500/1,400) –> (3,000/1,400)

“Okay…” said Sersei, nervously. “Three-thousand Attack Points… I guess that’s pretty…”

“I’m not done…” said Musafa, with a grin. “What would a sultan be without a few of his servants behind him? I mean, you couldn’t really call him a sultan then, could you? When he’s summoned, I can Special Summon two more Arabians from my hand…

“And I just so happen to have two of them right here.

“First I’ll summon Arabian Mercenary…”

He played the card, and in a gust of wind, a fighter dressed in a black robe, a black turban, and wearing a veil over the lower half of his face appeared, holding a nasty kopesh sword. (2,000/800) –> (2,500/800)

“And I’ll follow up by summoning Arabian Girl as well.”

He played another card, and in another gust of wind, a young teenage girl appeared. She was dressed in a pink harem girl’s outfit, with a veil covering the lower half of her face, but she also was armed with a kopesh. (1,300/900) –> (1,800/900)

“And Arabian Girl is not only lovely, she has an impressive ability…” continued Musafa. “She gains 200 more Attack Points for each Arabian in my Graveyard, and I have three.”

The Girl glowed, and rose to (2,400/900).

Sersei looked at the formidable army facing her…

Thank goodness he can’t attack me directly… she thought.

“Right now you’re probably thinking it’s a good thing that I can’t attack directly,” said Musafa. “Well guess what, Ms. Rhineheart…”

He played the last card in his hand.

“I actually can. I play the Spell Card, Arabian Password. Open sesame!”

The Spell Card revealed itself, and with a rumble, part of the cave wall behind him opened into a door, swinging open into an outside egress.

“What’s happening?” asked Sersei, getting scared.

“By playing Arabian Password,” replied Musafa, “for one round only, the feature of this Field Spell that forbids direct attacks does not apply to me.”

Sersei drew back…

“First…” said Musafa, “I’ll pay 500 Life Points so that my Mercenary can attack. Attack Cyber Harpie Lady.”

The Mercenary flew forward and slashed at Cyber Harpie Lady with his sword. She shrieked and shattered into pixels.

“Now, Arabian Girl, destroy Harpie Lady 2.”

Arabian Girl leapt up, and smote the Harpie with her kopesh. She shattered as well.

“Arabian Visser, attack the last one.”

The Visser drew his own weapon, and made a swipe at Harpie Lady 1, destroying her.

“Well…” said Musafa. “Since she’s gone, my Warriors all lose 300 Attack Points… But it’s not much of a difference…”

“Arabian Sultan, attack her directly!”

The Sultan’s eyes glowed red, and he pointed at Sersei.

Okay, time to make a decision! thought Sersei. If I spring one of my Traps, I can block his direct attack… But then, I’d lose a Harpie… Can’t have that…

Ah well… Sometimes you have to fall down before you can get up…

Arabian Sultan shot forth a stream of lightning bolts, and energy coursed through Sersei! She screamed…

(S: 4,000) -------------------- (M: 2,300)

“Leave her alone!” screamed Russell.

“He can’t hear you, Russell…” sighed Jason.

“Heh, heh…” muttered Musafa. “My turn is over, so the effects of Arabian Password wear off…”

The stone door closed again with a rumble.

“So make your move…”

Sersei slowly drew a card.

“I place this facedown, and end my turn,” she said.

A fourth facedown card appeared.

“HA, HA, HA!” laughed Musafa. “Seven cards in your hand, and that was the best you could do?”

“Yeah?” asked Sersei. “Well, like I said, this cave may be more of a hindrance to you than a help.

“You may have four strong Monsters on your side of the field, but none of them can attack me unless your next draw is another Arabian Password.”

“Or I could draw something that I could use to get rid of the Cave…” added Musafa. “I have in my deck two more Arabian Passwords, one Heavy Storm, one Mystical Space Typhoon, one Emergency Provisions, and one Giant Trunade. If I draw any of them, you lose. Plus I have a special Equip that would let one of them attack you…”

Sersei paused.

She hadn’t considered that…

Musafa drew a card.

“Well, you’re lucky for now…” he said. “I’ll simply place this facedown, and end my turn.”

He played the card, and a facedown card appeared.

Jason looked and held his chin.

Musafa may think he has the advantage, he thought, but to build up his forces, he’s used up every card in his hand, reducing him to topdecking. Not exactly the best strategy…

Sersei drew.

“I play… Magical Mallet!” she exclaimed.

She played the card.

“Now, I’ll take four of the six cards in my hand, shuffle them back into my deck, and draw four new ones…”

She shuffled, and drew four new cards.

She looked at them, and grinned.

“You lose, sheik…” she said.

“Oh? Why?” he asked.

One of Sersei’s facedown cards lifted.

“I activate Hysteric Party,” she said. “Now, I’ll discard one card…”

She discarded her Heavy Storm.

“And now I can bring back all three of my Harpies from the Graveyard.”

Harpie Lady 1 (1,300/1,400) –> (1,600/1,400), Harpie Lady 2 (1,300/1,400) –> (1,600/1,400), and Cyber Harpie Lady (1,800/1,300) –> (2,100/1,300) appeared.

“And my Monsters gain 300 Attack Points each…” replied Musafa.

“Good!” replied Sersei. “Because now I play… Harpie Lady – Phoenix Formation! Now I can destroy one of your Monsters for each Harpie I have, and their Attack Points come out of your Life Points!”

“Yes!” shouted Russell. “She’s won!”

She played the card. The Harpies screamed, and flew upward, transforming into a great bird made of fire…

“I activate my Trap Card!” shouted Musafa. “Arabian Rope Trick!”

“Huh?” asked Sersei, as the Trap lifted.

A cloudy portal appeared on the roof of the cave, and a golden rope fell out of it. Quickly, the four Warriors scurried up the rope, vanishing into the portal.

“What happened?” asked Sersei.

“Heh, heh…” laughed Musafa. “This Trap Card can protect Arabian Monsters from being destroyed by card effects. When such an effect is activated, it removes them from play until the End Phase of the turn. So now your Phoenix Formation has nothing to destroy.

“And since you played it, your Harpies can’t attack. Not that they could attack me anyway.”

The firebird vanished, and the Harpies reappeared.

Then again… thought Jason, this guy seems to having incredible luck…

“All right…” muttered Sersei. “I end my turn…”

The four Warriors slid back down the rope. It and the portal vanished.

Musafa drew a card.

“I play Pot of Avarice,” he said, playing the card.

Figures, thought Jason.

La Jinn, Ancient Lamp, Arabian Thief, Arabian Guide, and Arabian Charmer slipped out of his discard slot, as Arabian Girl’s Attack fell down to 1,800. He combined them with his deck, reshuffled, and drew twice.

He looked at them.

“Next, I play the Spell Card, Treasure of the Arabians,” he said. “This lets me search my deck for any Spell Card I want, but I can’t play it this turn…”

He took a card from his deck.

“…like my second Arabian Password. You get to take one from your deck too, but let’s face it… It won’t matter. With your Phoenix Formation spent, no Harpy accessory can be as good as this…”

Sersei gave him a strange look.

She took her deck, and quickly found a card. She added it to her hand.

“Now I play the Spell Card, Arabian Palace,” he said with a laugh. “This card gives my Warriors a few more Attack Points…”

A beautiful, golden palace appeared behind Musafa. Arabian Sultan grew to 3,300 Attack Points, Arabian Visser and Arabian Mercenary grew to 2,800, and Arabian Girl grew to 2,100.

“Sultan, attack Cyber Harpie Lady!”

“Not this time!” shouted Sersei, as the Trap she had most recently set activated. “I activate Harpie Lady – Sparrow Formation!”

The three Harpies leapt up, and formed into a huge, brown bird. The Sultan blasted his lightning bolts, but they bounced off.

“This Trap needs at least two Harpies on the field,” explained Sersei, “but it works just like Waboku.”

“Swell,” said Musafa. “But Arabian Palace has another effect. It prevents all face-up Monsters on the field from entering Defense Mode. So I’ll get your birds next round… I end my turn.”

Sersei smirked.

She drew a card.

“See this card?” she said, showing him a card.

“That’s a Ritual Card!” he shouted.

“Yeah…” said Sersei. “The one I got from your Treasure of the Arabians. The one you said wouldn’t matter.

“Well guess what? It matters. A lot.

“I play Chant of the Harpies!”

The three Harpies flew into the air, and started to fly in a circular pattern. They started to sing a lovely chant.

“I have to sacrifice six stars worth of Monsters,” said Sersei, “and since Harpie Ladies 1 and 2 total eight, they’ll do…”

The two Harpies vanished.

“And this lets me summon… Calypso the Harpie Queen!”

In a bright light, a large form descended. She looked like a Harpie Lady, but more beautiful than the others, with long, golden hair, platinum armor, and metallic wings. She was decked in gold jewelry and a crown.

(1,900/1,900)

“Humph…” said Musafa. “She doesn’t come close to being able to beat my Warriors…”

“Did I mention her cool effect?” asked Sersei. “When she’s summoned, I can summon all three of her subjects back from the Graveyard, so Harpie Lady 1 and 2 are coming right back…”

The two Harpies reappeared, and Calypso rose to (2,200/1,900)

“Bah!” shouted Musafa.

“And I’ll keep on going…” continued Sersei. “By Equipping her with Ritual Weapon!”

She played the card, and Calypso glowed, rising to a score of (3,700/3,400)

“Wait a minute!” shouted Musafa.

“And now for the final part of my plan…” said Sersei. “I play another Spell Card…”

She played one.

“Gift of the Martyr,” she continued. “Now I can sacrifice one Monster, like Cyber Harpie Lady, and give her Attack Points to another, like Calypso, for one round.”

Cyber Harpie Lady vanished.

“That’s 2,100 more points…” he gulped.

“Bingo…” said Sersei, with a smile.

(5,800/1,900)

“So let’s see…” said Sersei. “Who should die? Your Mercenary, or your Girl? The end result will be the same…”

Both of the two Warriors shivered in fright…

“Okay, I’ve decided…” said Sersei.

“Calypso… attack his Arabian Mercenary! Royal swoop!”

Calypso soared into the air, and brought her talons down on Arabian Mercenary. Both he and Musafa screamed…

(S: 4,000) -------------------- (M: 0)

Continued…

Dark Sage

5th January 2007, 04:13 AM

Continued from last post:

Fortunado rubbed his chin with worry.

”Fortunado,” said his benefactor’s voice, ”the last of our rank and file has fallen. Jason should get the last piece of the puzzle shortly.

“The time for games is at an end. It is time to strike with serious opposition.”

Fortunado listened carefully.

”I’m sending Cleo and Sebastian to the lobby,” she continued. ”We’ll use them to take Jason’s two allies from him.

“Then we will lure him to the Shrine, where its occupants will engage him.

“If they fail, you will face him yourself. You know what to do…”

“Humph,” said Fortunado. “Your plan has a flaw… Trisha and Russell might win the duel against those two jerks.”

”If that happens, so be it,” said the Master. ”Taking them away is only an attempt to demoralize him. Even if the attempt fails, the horrors in the Shrine will serve that purpose nicely.”

There was a pause.

”Fortunado… For several millennia, on many worlds, I have orchestrated many Reckonings. Most of them were lost by my side. The ones where my side was victorious proved cold comfort when they lost the next one and the two after that.

“This is the reason why I have decided to become involved personally in this one.

“I grow tired of failures… It sickens me knowing that Issac, Obrimos, and Arcanthum now sit upon golden thrones in Heaven, while my champions only faced oblivion.

“If I must spend the next millennia confined to the Abyss while the celestial forces laugh in my face, you are going to be there with me!”

Fortunado shuddered in fear…

* * * * * * * * * *

“Well, a deal’s a deal…” said Sersei, kneeling over Musafa’s form.

She took his cards, and looked over them

“You know…” she thought, “these cards might actually be fun to use… I always wanted a Card of Sanctity…”

Then she noticed something in his jacket pocket.

She took it, and picket up her cell phone.

“Hello, Russell?” she said. “Yeah, mission accomplished. Mmm, this guy has some rare cards. Arabian Monsters.

“I’ll show them to you later. Anyway, I found that letter you told me to look for. It’s a blue L.”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Okay, I copy that, Sersei…” said Jason.

He wrote down the L next to the other blue letters that his allies had collected.

He looked at them:

A E D B L

S R K T E A

“Hmm…” he said.

Trisha looked at it.

“Blade Skater,” she said.

Jason paused.

“Of course!” he said. “You mix up the blue ones to get ‘Blade’ and the red ones to get ‘Skater’.

“Look for the Blade Skater!”

They all started to look through the Non-Effect Monsters.

“Gotta be one here somewhere…” muttered Jason.

“Don’t waste your time,” said a familiar voice. “There isn’t one there…”

They slowly turned.

Sebastian and Cleo were standing by the Transporters.

Jason’s eyes narrowed.

“So they let you out,” he said. “Figures. Where’s Cassius?”

“None of your business,” said Cleo. “If you must know, we’re here due to his loyalty… And generosity…

“I believe you want this…”

She held up a Blade Skater card.

“You want to make some sort of deal for it, right?” asked Jason. “Well sorry… No.

“You see, I happen to know that Ansel has three copies of that card, and he’ll gladly lend it to us.”

Sebastian paused…

“Sure… uhm, he would,” he said. “If he could come down here and give it to you, which he can’t…”

He smiled evilly.

Jason looked at them.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

Sebastian grinned.

“Did that note ever tell you how to use the Transporters to get back to the lobby, Jason?” he asked. “The Master played you and your friends for fools.

“A different method is needed to get back down here. The cards they used to get up there won’t take them anywhere now. They’re currently stranded on the floors that they’re on.

“Once the Master is done with you, they’ll be easy pickings…”

Jason stared at them…

He had never considered that…

…and now…

…he was pissed.

“And since Ansel can’t come to you…” continued Cleo, “the only way you’ll get this is if your two friends duel us. You’ll get the card regardless of the outcome. But if we win, they have to come with us. Without you.”

“The same offer Patrick made…” muttered Trisha. “Well, I guess we have to…”

“You don’t have to do anything…” interrupted Jason, angrily.

He looked at the two Swordsmen.

“I see inside the two of you…” he said, “and I see worry and fear. A lot is riding on this duel…”

He sat down.

“No. My friends will not duel you…”

“WHAT?” shouted Cleo.

“Go back to Fortunado, and tell him that if he wants us, he can come down here and get us himself. This little game made me sick after about fifteen minutes, and now I learn that it was a setup? You must think I’m pretty stupid. Well, I’m not. He’s not calling the shots any more.

“It seems that the bad guys always control the situation… Well, not this time. Like it or not, I’m taking control away from you.

“The only way my friends will even think about dueling you, maybe, that is, is if you first reveal to me how my other friends can leave. If you don’t, there’ll be no duel…”

“You’re bluffing…” said Cleo, angrily.

“Am I?” asked Jason. “Sorry, that is the only offer I am willing to make. If your boss wants the Reckoning to start on time, he’d better comply.”

* * * * * * * * * *

The Master brought her fist down on her throne so hard that the armrest shattered.

“NO!” she screamed. “I will not allow this! I have worked too hard!”

She concentrated.

“Cleo! Sebastian! Agree to his terms! Agree to any of his terms! Just make sure they agree to duel!”

* * * * * * * * * *

Cleo and Sebastian shook in fear.

“To get down…” squeaked Cleo, “you have to arrange your deck by placing all the Monsters together from highest Attack Points to lowest, the highest on top. Put the Spells below them, and put the Traps below the Spells. If your deck is like that, then the Transporters will take you back.”

“See what you can work out if you try?” said Jason. “Now just wait while we make a few phone calls…”

* * * * * * * * * *

The Master slumped on her chair, seething in rage.

So much for her victory banquet. Her whole plan to trap her enemy’s troops had been ruined…

…all because her henchmen had been forced to spill the secret, because one of her enemies already had three Blade Skaters… How was she to know that Ansel had changed his deck since his duel with Panik?

She wasn’t used to being outsmarted, and she didn’t like it. Now it seemed like the Messiah’s troops would escape. The Dark Messiah was a worthy foe…

But she made a mental note…

Once she was victorious, and was able to craft more Orichalcos cards, she’d hunt every last one of them down.

After all, she had taken the ones they had defeated, and she could access their memories. Their faces could be called to the front of her mind at any time.

She’d win in the end.

Tuesday, November 10th, 9:10 PM

ARABIAN MERCENARY (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 4
ATK: 2,000
DEF: 800

Card Description: This card cannot attack your opponent directly. When this card successfully attacks, pay 500 Life Points.

ARABIAN THIEF (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 2
ATK: 500
DEF: 900

Card Description: When this card attacks your opponent directly, look at your opponent’s hand and choose one of his cards. Your opponent discards that card.

ARABIAN GUIDE (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 2
ATK: 700
DEF: 800

Card Description: When this card is Normal Summoned in Attack Position, search your deck for one “Cave of the Arabians” and add it to your hand. Then, shuffle your deck.

ARABIAN CHARMER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 5
ATK: 1,700
DEF: 1,800

Card Description: When this card is face-up on your side of the field, you may discard one card from your hand to Special Summon two “Snake Tokens” in Attack Position (Reptile/Wind/3 stars/800 ATK/0 DEF). There cannot be more than two “Snake Tokens” on the field at any given time. “Snake Tokens” cannot be used as a Tribute for a Tribute Summon except to summon a Monster with the word “Arabian” in its name.

ARABIAN VISSER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 6
ATK: 2,000
DEF: 1,000

Card Description: When this card is face-up on your side of the field, during your Draw Phase, you may add one Monster with "Arabian" in it's name from your deck to your hand instead of drawing a card. Shuffle your deck
afterwards.

ARABIAN GIRL (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 3
ATK: 1,300
DEF: 900

Card Description: This card gains 200 Attack Points for each Monster in your Graveyard with the word “Arabian” in its name.

ARABIAN SULTAN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 8
ATK: 2,500
DEF: 1,400

Card Description: When this card is Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon up to two Monsters with the word “Arabian” in their names from your hand.

ARABIAN PASSWORD (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A man in a turban chanting outside a cliff wall.

Card Description: If “Cave of the Arabians” is active, during the turn you play this card, the effect of “Cave of the Arabians” that prohibits direct attacks does not apply to your Monsters.

CAVE OF THE ARABIANS (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Field
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: The interior of a cave, full of chests and pots overflowing with gold.

Card Description: All Monsters with the word “Arabian” in their names gain 200 Attack Points. Neither players’ Monsters may attack their opponent directly.

TREASURE OF THE ARABIANS (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A peasant in cave laden with golden treasure.

Card Description: You may activate this card when you have two or more Monsters on the field face-up with the word “Arabian” in their names. Both you and your opponent search your decks for any Spell Card except for “Treasure of the Arabians” and add them to your hands. You may not activate or set the Spell Card you search for on the round you use this card.

ARABIAN ROPE TRICK (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap/Counter
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A magician waving his arms and causing a rope to float upwards.

Card Description: You can activate this card when one or more Monsters with the word “Arabian” in their names would be destroyed by a card effect. Remove the Monsters that would be destroyed from play until the card effect is resolved.

ARABIAN PALACE (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Continuous
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A beautiful palace made of gold.

Card Description: Increase the ATK of all Monsters with the word "Arabian" in their names by 300. Also, all face-up Monsters in play are changed to Attack Position, and cannot be changed to Defense Position except by the effect of another card.

Note: With the exception of “Treasure of the Arabians” the Arabian cards were designed by jkBakura and used with permission. All credit goes to him.

CHANT OF THE HARPIES (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Ritual
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Three Harpie Ladies dancing over a stone altar decorated with a bird-like motif.

Card Description: This card is used to Ritual Summon “Calypso the Harpie Queen”. You must also offer Monsters whose total Level Stars equal six or more from the field or your hand.

CALYPSO THE HARPIE QUEEN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Winged Beast/Ritual/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 6
ATK: 1,900
DEF: 1,900

Card Description: This card is Ritual Summoned with the Ritual Spell Card “Chant of the Harpies”. You must also offer Monsters whose total Level Stars equal six or more from the field or your hand. When this card is successfully Ritual Summoned, you may Special Summon up to three Monsters named “Harpie Lady” from your Graveyard.

Note: “Chant of the Harpies” and “Calypso the Harpie Queen” were first used in “The Mandate of Heaven”.

Coming up next:

Russell and Trisha must combine their efforts to face an onslaught from two duelists who now truly have nothing left to lose. And someone with nothing to lose can truly be a dangerous opponent. Both Cleo and Sebastian have a few new tricks in store, but then again, Russell and Trisha haven’t exhausted all of theirs either.

And even Jason might help a little. How? Prepare to find out.

The title of the chapter is “United We Stand”, for obvious reasons.

Oh, and brownie points for anyone who can point out the significance of that book that Musafa was reading.

jkBAKURA

5th January 2007, 08:00 AM

For information's sake, there were 4 Arabian cards originally designed that didn't make it into the chapter...

-------------

Arabian Merchant *** wind/warrior/effect 600/2000
Flip: Add one "Arabian Saber" to your hand from your deck. The selected card cannot be played this turn. Shuffle your deck afterwards.

Arabian Camel **** Wind/beast/effect 1600/1400
This monster gains 300 ATK for each "Arabian" on your side of the field (excluding itself) If your opponent plays a card with "Arabian" in its name, control of this monster shifts to your opponent. (If there is no open monster zone, this monster is destroyed)

Arabian Saber - Equip-magic -
This card can ony be equipped to a monster with "Arabian" in it's name. The equipped monster gains 500 ATK points. Sacrifice one monster allow the equiped monster to attack directly if your opponent controls no monsters, and "Cave of the Arabians" is active on the field.

Arabian Carpet -Equip-Magic-
This card may only be equipped to a monster with "Arabian" in its name. Decrease the ATK of the equipped monster by half. The equipped monster may attack your opponent directly as long as your opponent controls at least one monster.

-------------

These ideas were something I had designed a while ago, but I never found a place for them. Thanks DS for showing interest.

As for a proper review, well done. This chapter was definately one of the better ones of the story, and not because it used cards of mine, or even that it brought this story arc to a close.

You really seemed to take your time both before and after the duel itself, and really flushed out some of the diolouge. The opponent, while not truely memorable for any particular characteristic, lacked the hostility of many former opponents, therefore making the chapter easier to read. Once you get a "here we go again" feeling, it's distracting to the rest of the chapter.

The duel itself, well, I'm a bit mixed. The Arabian deck was played quite well, and I like the lead up factor you presented. You have stated before that Sersei had a Wind, and not a true Harpy deck, but to tell you the truth, I kind of missed some of the support.

The Devine Bird coming out of nowhere was distracting, as Calypso, the Baby Dragon, and other monsters took up most of the Trump slack. Harpy decks don't usually focus on base ATK much anyway. I give you points however for using Egotist on fetching a basic Harpy, and not just using it for the Sisters. Nice to see Guardian Treasure and the Formationd get more screen time, even if the former wasn't played outright.

I noticed one minor error though. The "Cave" only prevents direct attacks on an empty field. Things like Leghul or Submaroid can still attack. (makes me picture Gerald vs. the Arabians)

Anyhow, I'm not disapointed. It seems this story's slump is at an end and things are looking bright. The end isn't that far away.

Shuppet Master

5th January 2007, 11:17 AM

This was a really nice chapter, Brian, and yes, I'm sort of glad this is entering the endgame. Your Yu-Gi-Oh story this far was pretty amazing, even if it did degenerate into a "save the world" plot like your other stories. :)

The thing I liked most was what Jason did at the end. I know he has superpowers now, but the fact that he forced Cleo and Sebastian to hand over the secret so their friends could escape was quite intriguing. Now there is nothing to stop him from going right past Cleo and Sebastian and fight Fortunado himself. The Master is truly pissed, seeing someone take control away from her.

However, I'm sure that there will be a way to get that tag duel in, because you're that type of guy. :D It just won't be as high-stakes as before.

I liked the duel, and how you had Russell worry about Sersei. Nice touch. Keep up the good work, Brian.

EDIT: I wanted to add in that I feel that the reason Brian put in that disclaimer was because of events in a past September which involved fanatical terrorists of the Middle East, and I would probably have done the same. I agree with Brian - not all Muslims are terrorist bombers who want to destroy America, people like Osama Bin Laden and his ilk gave his people a bad rep. My father had a student who was Muslim(unfortunately, said man ended up falling on the bad side of the law).

Phoenixsong

5th January 2007, 02:55 PM

Hmmm... again, this was a good chapter, although I wasn't as impressed with it as everyone else. It felt... I dunno... a little rushed. While it was obviously part of Musafa's strategy to play his Arabian cards as quickly as he could, that seemed a little... too... fast. Also, are you sure that Simorgh is a girl? Maybe I missed the female face, I dunno... I see feathers and a beak, but maybe I didn't look hard enough. More importantly, though, the stories I've heard about the Simorgh (or Senmurv, or Saena-Meregha, whatever you want to call it) generally reference it as male (or perhaps both male and female at the same time, but "acting" more male, if that makes any sense). Of course, they also said it had a dog-like head, which this one obviously doesn't, so I don't know. The point being, though, the duel seemed a little forced to me. (Forced meaning rushed, not that Sersei had to duel... of course she did. :) ) I also didn't get much out of Russell worrying over Sersei... not that he had to be biting his nails with fear for her, but still. It did seem just a touch too shallow.

On a more complimentary note, I liked the Arabian cards (I didn't see anything that could possibly be offensive about them at all, really... not that I'd really know, I'm not Muslim. But they certainly seemed harmless to me). I was expecting you to include a few more actual references to the Tales, however, and not just generic stock characters; Aladdin, Scheherezade, Ali Baba and the rest would have been welcome additions, but if you couldn't think of cards or didn't have the space for them then that's okay. Kudos to both you and jk for such interesting cards. (Actually, I might borrow them someday, if it's really okay with you two...)

Blademaster

9th January 2007, 05:46 AM

(screams like Tarzan; swings towards window on rope)

KA-ROOMF!!

(plaster beside window cracks, then shatters and breaks)

..........Ow...

(drywall breaks away; he crashes through hole and into pile of rubble)

I'm... gonna need a Band-Aid for that... :dead:

(gets up; spits out a stray tooth)

I know, I know, I'm late. Sorry for not getting here sooner...

OK, the chapter was pretty good overall; the Arabian Monsters reminded me of the fake Dark Scorpions in a way (Remember, I'M not one of the folks who hated them.), and Mufasa himself didn't bother me too much - I agree with Phoenix, not seeing a need for the disclaimer, but that's just me.

Anyway, looking forward to the next chapter, as usual. So, until then, laterz. :wave:

Dark Sage

12th January 2007, 03:21 AM

Sigh…

Some folks never learn.

These people are persistent, we’ll give them that. We saw Cleo and Sebastian fall, we saw their soulless bodies…

But now they’ve come back. Whoever took them gave them one more chance than we would have gotten.

At least now neither me nor Trisha is alone. We’ll be standing beside each other as we face them. We can only hope that we can work as a team better than they can.

However, I doubt we can.

See, I use Warriors, Trisha uses Machines.

Our opponents both use Warriors. Different tribes, maybe, but that still works to their advantage.

We’ve learned a few new tricks since we last faced them. Unfortunately…

…I have a feeling that they have too…

CHAPTER SIXTY

http://www.ideal808.com/images/db1-en244.jpg

Tuesday, November 10th, 9:15 PM

Sebastian and Cleo were getting impatient as the three of them spoke on their phones.

Finally, they hung up.

“Okay you two…” said Jason. “Our friends will wait until ten before coming down here. This duel shouldn’t take longer than that.”

“So they’ll duel us?” asked Cleo.

“On one condition,” replied Jason. “If my friends win, you two and Cassius are never to bother us or any student at Duel Academy again! Ever!”

The two paused.

“Agreed…” they both said at once, sounding a little sad.

“Russell, Trisha, a word with the two of you…” said Jason.

They huddled. Jason produced two cards.

“I never gave you two any new Cards of Virtue,” he whispered. “I was waiting for the right time. These might work for this time.

“But be careful. These fiends can’t be trusted.”

They took the cards and looked through their decks.

Trisha also took a few other cards from her side deck.

I wanted to save these for the deal I made with Jason, she sadly thought. I was going to surprise him, and then I’d be able to love him forever.

But we have to win this duel… And that deal won’t be valid any more anyway after tonight.

She made some changes, and shuffled her deck.

“Can we get started?” asked Sebastian, angrily.

“Fine,” said Russell, annoyed.

He took a toothpick out of his pocket and clenched it in his teeth.

“Let’s end this right now.”

* * * * * * * * * *

In utter darkness, Cassius was chained down on his back.

“Afraid?” said the voice of the Master.

Cassius saw her eyes look into his…

Then he felt a horrid sensation. She was embracing him.

He’d rather have cuddled with a rabid pit bull…

”Fear not…” she said. ”I have faith in them… Why don’t you watch with me? It will pass the time, won’t it?”

Cassius didn’t answer…

…but she had a point.

”Honestly Cassius…” she said with a snarl, ”if you don’t like this, it’s your own fault. I don’t know why you made the decision you made…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Cassius didn’t react to that statement…

Why had he made his decision? It was… complex.

When the Master had first told him to choose, he had indeed decided to stay behind. Why? Because he knew that no matter who went with him, he’d lose the duel. He had little faith in himself, Cleo, or Sebastian at that point, and didn’t think that any combination could defeat Russell and Trisha. So why leave only to be swallowed again after losing?

Then he thought he was crazy. He’d do anything to leave, if only for a little while. He’d choose… Sure, he’d be leaving one of his allies to suffer, but he was sure he could do it.

But which one? Cleo or Sebastian? That was a tough choice… Which one deserved to suffer more? Which one did he dislike?

He considered Cleo… He had never thought of her as a serious lover, only someone to get him in the mood before he took someone’s soul using the Orichalcos…

…but on the other hand, she had been faithful the whole time. She had never cheated on him or done anything that the most dedicated of lovers wouldn’t have done. The sex… It was rather enjoyable, actually…

So then… Sebastian?

Sure, he was an ally, but he wasn’t a friend… There weren’t many friends in this business, especially among ruthless criminals like him…

Then again, Sebastian had never truly done him any wrong… And he had watched his back several times when they dealt with the more unsavory elements of the city. Being a ruthless criminal did have its up side. They had even dueled tag team once before, and he clearly remembered when Sebastian had let Meanae the Thorn die to protect Cassius from a brutal direct attack from an Infernal Incinerator…

Maybe Sebastian was a friend…

Maybe he didn’t dislike either of them…

When he had to make his choice, something from out of the darkness of his prison came to him, a small light in the darkness that had covered his heart for so long…

It was loyalty… And he liked the feeling.

So, he changed his mind again, and went back to his original decision.

Maybe it was too late for it to do him any good… While he had little faith in his two allies…

His friends?

…he did not think that Jason could defeat the Master. He had recently been forced to duel her three times, and none of his strategies seemed to stand up to her Reckoning Deck. Even Horus LV 8 had been obliterated on the round after he had summoned it.

But maybe this way, someone, somewhere, would remember his last act as an act of loyalty, not one of betrayal…

* * * * * * * * * *

The four of them stood in a rectangular pattern.

“We’ll follow standard two-on-two rules,” said Cleo. “No sharing of advice, no sharing of strategies, no sharing of cards that aren’t already on the field. But you can use anything that is already in play. You must get by both your opponents’ Monsters before you can reach your opponents.”

“We know how to do team dueling,” said Trisha. “I’ve done this before, you know…”

“Then let the battle begin!” shouted Sebastian.

“Good luck, you two…” muttered Jason.

All four of them snatched the top five cards from their decks.

(Russell and Trisha: 8,000) -------------------- (Cleo and Sebastian: 8,000)

“Let’s get things rolling!” said Cleo, with a smirk, drawing a sixth card. “I’ll start by summoning one of my favorites… Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode.”

She played the card, and the scantily-clad female fighter with a huge sword appeared. (1,500/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mfc-0611.jpg

“And I’ll end with this…” she said, placing a card in her Disk.

A facedown card appeared.

“Quick and to the point, I see…” said Russell, making his first draw.

“I’ll throw out Marauding Captain in Attack Mode,” he said.

He played the card, and the battle-scarred veteran appeared, holding his two swords. (1,200/400)

“Now let’s use his effect…” he continued.

Marauding Captain whistled, and Axe Raider trudged out, holding his weapon. (1,700/1,150)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN018.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TP3-006.jpg

“I can’t attack until everyone has drawn once,” he continued, “so consider yourself lucky.”

Sebastian drew a card.

“I’ll place one Monster in Defense Mode, and two cards facedown,” he said.

He played the cards, and one vertical card and two horizontal ones appeared.

“Over to you, sugar,” he said.

“Still haven’t given up on that stupid crush on me, huh?” asked Trisha, drawing. “You sicken me.”

“It isn’t about some crush any more,” replied Sebastian. “This duel is about survival…”

She looked at him.

“If we lose this time,” he continued, “it’s over, not just for us, but for Cassius too. He gave up a lot to get us out.”

He stared at her.

“He’s still rotting in the place where everyone who loses an Orichalcos duel goes. He had a chance to get out, but he gave it up to let both of us out.

“We are gonna beat you. We’re gonna get him out too.”

Trisha stared at him. She stared at him for a long time.

“So, you’re trying to save Cassius…” she said. “I guess I can respect that… But there’s too much at stake for us to let up in this duel. You all made the choice of using the Orichalcos in the first place.”

She looked at her hand and grinned.

“I play Advanced Robotics!” she shouted. “Which I can do because I have no Monsters in my Graveyard.

“Now, by discarding two Spell and/or Trap Cards…”

She discarded Sakuretsu Armor and Soul Release.

“…I can Normal Summon Perfect Machine King without a single sacrifice!”

The huge robot appeared on the field, crackling with electricity. (2,700/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/rds-en0121.jpg

Yes! thought Jason. She summoned her most powerful Monster on her first turn!

Trisha thought.

Attacking that Swords Woman would only hurt me and Russell. I’ll deal with Sebastian and let Russell handle her with a weaker Monster.

“Perfect Machine King, attack Sebastian’s Monster!”

The machine monarch fired a round of missiles, blowing the Monster to particles. Only a crater was left when the smoke cleared.

Sebastian coughed.

“That was a Mystic Tomato, Trisha,” he said. “And now I use its effect…”

He took a card from his deck and placed it on his Disk.

“Don Zaloog in Attack Mode!”

The eyepatched bandit, holding his two rapiers appeared. (1,400/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/pgd-029.jpg

Trisha gave him a look.

“I’ll place this facedown, and end my turn,” she said.

“Good job, Sebastian,” said Cleo, drawing. “You summoned the headliner of your deck quickly.”

“Too bad he’s all alone…” sighed Sebastian.

“Is he?” asked Cleo, with a grin.

She chose a card.

“First I’ll summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode,” she said.

The muscular, female bodybuilder appeared, flexing her muscles. (1,500/1,300)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mfc-060.jpg

“Now I’ll play this… Card Destruction!”

She played a Spell Card.

“Now all four of us must fold our hands, and draw an equal number.”

Russell snarled.

They all discarded. Cleo drew three, Russell drew four, Sebastian drew three, and Trisha got only one new one out of it.

Cleo looked at her new hand.

“Well, Trisha…” she said. “I see that you only have one card in your hand, and that’s a shame. You may think we’re all mean, but we can be nice when we want to be. I’m gonna help you out.

“I play this: The Spell Card, Contingency Fee.”

“What?” asked Trisha. “What does that do?”

“It lets you draw until you have six cards in your hand,” said Cleo, playing it. “But there is a little catch… My partner and I gain 1,000 Life Points for each one you draw.

“So start drawing.”

Good lord… thought Jason. That will bring their Life Points up to… 13,000!

Cleo clearly has a more powerful deck. And Sebastian likely has the same.

Trisha growled as she drew five cards.

“Still my turn,” continued Cleo. “And I play Amazoness Spellcaster, which I’ll use to swap the Attack Scores of my Fighter with Perfect Machine King!”

The Amazon and the Machine glowed, and their Attack Scores switched.

“Amazoness Fighter, attack that hunk of junk!”

Fighter leapt up, and brought both of her fists down on Perfect Machine King, blowing it to fiery pieces!

“Amazoness Swords Woman, attack Marauding Captain!”

Swords Woman locked swords with the Captain. He grunted, and then his swords flew from him. Another swipe, and he shattered.

“That’s all for my move…” said Cleo.

(R and T: 6,500) -------------------- (C and S: 13,000)

Russell angrily drew.

He was surprised at the card he had drawn…

Saint Knight Issac.

Sir Issac… he thought. You want to help me again?

A twinkle in the Warrior’s eye was all the proof he needed.

“Very well…” said Russell. “I sacrifice Axe Raider, to summon Saint Knight Issac!”

Axe Raider smiled as he was surrounded by pure light. He vanished, and the mighty Issac flew out of the orb! (2,300/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/vjc-jp011.jpg

Let’s see… thought Russell. Sebastian has two facedown cards… But if I took a risk, I could remove Don Zaloog from play, and completely ruin his whole deck.

It’s worth the risk…

“Issac, attack Don Zaloog with Crusader’s Blade!”

Issac roared and flew at the bandit. Don stepped back in fear…

“Go, Trap Card!” shouted Sebastian. “Dark Scorpion Trip-Up!”

The Trap lifted, and suddenly, Meanae the Thorn appeared behind Issac and lashed her whip, entangling his feet. She yanked, and he fell over.

“Close…” said Sebastian.

Meanae vanished, and Issac knelt down.

“This Trap can only be used when a Scorpion is attacked,” explained Sebastian. “The attacker is forced into Defense Mode. And you can’t switch him back until your next turn.”

“Really?” said Russell. “Well get this… Issac has 1,800 Defense Points. Not many of either of your Monsters can beat that without help.

“So just try it. I’ll end my turn.”

Sebastian drew a card.

“I play the Vase of Unholy Blight…” he muttered, playing a card.

The evil version of the Pot of Greed appeared in front of him, with its wicked scowl.

Sebastian took a card from his deck (it was another Mystic Tomato) and placed it inside his jacket. Then he reshuffled, and drew three cards.

“Well…” he said. “Maybe after the Reckoning is over, I might go to Vegas! I have a feeling I could clean up!

“I play Mustering of the Dark Scorpions.”

He played a Spell Card.

“Since Don is on the field,” he continued, “I can summon all members of the team that are in my hand…

He turned four cards towards his opponents.

“And Lady Luck is truly smiling on me today…”

“You cheated!” shouted Trisha.

“No, he didn’t…” interrupted Jason. “I was watching closely for cheating… And I hate to say this, but he drew them on his own.”

“Thank you!” said Sebastian, placing the four cards on his Disk. “I’m glad someone here realizes that we’re aren’t cheating…”

“That’s right!” shouted Cleo. “We’re gonna win this duel fair and square, even if we have to cheat to do it!”

Sebastian moaned…

“Uhm… that didn’t quite make sense, did it?” asked Cleo.

“No, it didn’t,” replied Sebastian.

Continued…

Dark Sage

12th January 2007, 03:25 AM

Continued from last post:

Four forms appeared in front of him, two to either side of Don. First came Chick the Yellow (1,000/1,000), then Cliff the Trap Remover (1,200/1,000), then Gorg the Strong (1,800/1,500), and finally, Meanae the Thorn (1,000/1,800).

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-026.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MFC-078.jpg
http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-060.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-061.jpg

“All five of them, huh?” asked Russell. “Well sorry… Not even Gorg can beat Issac’s Defense.”

“Oh, but he isn’t the target, Russell…” said Sebastian.

His other facedown card lifted.

“…you are, due to my Trap Card, Dark Scorpion Combination.”

“You didn’t use that against me!” shouted Trisha.

“True, because I didn’t draw it in time,” answered Sebastian. “Here’s how it works. When all five Scorpions are on the field at once, this Trap lets them all attack an opponent directly, doing 400 points of damage per strike.

“Get him boys! And girl…”

The four Scorpions leapt at Russell…

Meanae slashed with her whip, Chick swung with his mallet, Gorg smashed with his mace, Cliff stabbed with his dagger, and Don made a swipe with his rapier.

Russell fell to his knees and clutched his stomach and chest.

He looked up. The five thieves looked at him with wicked grins.

(R and T: 4,500) -------------------- (C and S: 13,000)

“Don’t forget,” said Sebastian, with an even more wicked grin. “Now I get to enact five effects. First, Gorg’s effect returns one card on your side of the field to the top of your deck.”

Saint Knight Issac vanished.

“Next, Cliff forces you to discard the top two cards from your deck.”

Russell growled. He took the two cards and discarded them.

“Third, thanks to Don, you lose one card in your hand.”

The Warrior Dai Grepher card in Russell’s hand glowed. He discarded it.

“Fourth, thanks to Chick, I get to see the top card on your deck, and decide whether to keep it on top, or put it at the bottom.”

A card appeared in front of him. Freed the Matchless General.

“I choose the bottom.”

Russell growled again, and placed it at the bottom of his deck.

Lovely, thought Trisha, that was probably a good one.

“Finally,” he continued, “thanks to Meanae, I get to take any Dark Scorpion-related card from my deck or Graveyard and add to my hand…”

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

“…even this one.”

It was Dark Scorpion Combination.

“Think I’ll place it facedown. And you’re next, Trisha!”

The facedown card materialized.

This is madness! thought Jason. He’ll trigger it again as soon as Trisha draws!

“To end my turn,” said Sebastian, “I play this, the Spell Card, Spell Economics. It will be useful later.”

He played the last card in his hand, and it appeared on the field.

“Your move, sugar.”

Trisha hesitated.

She looked at her deck.

“Come on, draw…” he said. “It’s not like you can stop me…”

Okay, the moment of truth… thought Trisha. If the card I draw right NOW is the right kind of card, I can stop his Trap. If not… Russell and I are in deep, deep trouble…

She drew a card.

“I activate Dark Scorpion Combination!” shouted Sebastian.

His Trap Card lifted again.

“Get her!” shouted Sebastian.

The Scorpions leapt at Trisha…

…and then, a void of pure darkness rose in front of them, and they were thrown backwards! They fell, sprawled on the ground!

“What?” shouted Sebastian. “What happened? Why didn’t it work?”

“Heh, heh…” chuckled Trisha. “Seemed luck was with me too.”

Her Trap Card had lifted – Elemental Absorber.

“The card I drew at that very moment was Dekoichi the Battlechanted Locomotive,” she said, “a Dark Monster, just like your Scorpions. By removing it from play, I was able to activate this Trap, and now, I can negate the attacks, directly or otherwise, of all Dark Monsters. Your Combination is worthless, as are all your Scorpions.”

Sebastian was speechless.

“Not much to say, huh?” said Trisha.

* * * * * * * * * *

In the dark place, Cassius found it hard to watch. After all, a demoness was hugging him tightly in a grim parody of affection, and he didn’t dare tell her to let go. He’d have thrown up if he was still in his body…

“Fear not, Cassius…” she said, stroking his cheek. “They are far in the lead, and Trisha’s Trap cannot hold them back forever…

“Soon this will all be but a memory…”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Continuing my turn,” said Trisha, “since that Contingency Fee card gave me a lot to work with, I’ll summon Bokoichi the Freightening Car in Attack Mode.”

She played the card, and the fiendish freight car appeared. (500/500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/rds-en0031.jpg

“Ha!” laughed Sebastian. “That guy has 500 measly Attack Points. What were you thinking putting him in Attack Mode?”

“I was thinking of playing Machine Duplication,” said Trisha, “which I can do because he has only 500 Attack Points…”

She played the card, and two more Freightening Cars appeared.

“Three times nothing is still nothing,” said Sebastian.

Trisha lifted a Spell Card.

“I Equip my central Car with Jumper Cables,” she said.

She played the card, and two cables sprouted out of the Bokoichi and clamped to the other two.

“Since I have three of the same Monster on the field,” she continued, “this raises their Attack Points by 1,000 apiece. They’d all be destroyed if the Equipped one were destroyed, but it’s worth the risk for now.”

(1,500/500)

“Bokoichis, take out Meanae, Chick, and Don with…”

She paused.

“Gee, I’ve never had these guys attack before… I don’t know what to… Oh, just attack!”

The three Bokoichis shot beams of energy from their eyes, which stabbed into Don Zaloog, Meanae the Thorn, and Chick the Yellow. They fell to their knees, and burst into pixels.

(R and T: 4,500) -------------------- (C and S: 11,900)

“Ooh, you’ll pay for that…” muttered Sebastian.

Trisha smirked.

“Do you take cash, check, or credit?” she replied. “I don’t use American Express.”

Cleo drew a card, frowning at the mention of that silly joke.

She placed a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

She stared at Russell, not saying a word, and motioned for him to move.

Russell drew a card.

Well… he thought. Now I can finally try out this new trick…

“I play… Monster Reborn!” he shouted. “Return my Marauding Captain!”

He played the card, and the glowing ankh appeared. Marauding Captain reappeared on the field. (1,200/400)

“Talk about dumb,” said Cleo. “If you had any sense, you would have brought back Issac.”

“Don’t need to,” said Russell. “I’m going to give Marauding Captain a new weapon. I Equip him with this card, called the Grade Sword.”

He played the card, and Captain’s blades vanished, and were replaced by a fancier longsword with a golden hilt and a silver blade.

(1,500/400)

“Big deal,” said Cleo. “You raised his Attack Score by 300 lousy points.”

“Well, maybe I should bring out someone with more Attack Points then,” said Russell. “I sacrifice Marauding Captain…”

The Warrior vanished…

Darkness fell upon the room…

“…to summon my royal terror! Come forth… Crescent Moon Queen!”

From out of the darkness, the ebon-skinned lady Warrior appeared, dressed in her armor, cape, and crown, holding her twin crescent scimitars. Her eyes glowed with pinpoints of light! (2,600/1,700)

“Hold on!” shouted Sebastian. “She needed two sacrifices!”

“Most of the time, yes,” replied Russell. “But my Captain was Equipped with a Grade Sword, meaning he counted as two Monsters when I sacrificed him.

“Now, your royal majesty, attack Gorg and Cliff! Double crescent swipe!”

Crescent Moon Queen charged with her two blades outstretched. The two Dark Scorpions screamed as they were cut down.

(R and T: 4,500) -------------------- (C and S: 9,700)

“Of course, now she has to move into Defense Mode,” added Russell, as the Queen crouched in Defense. “But her Defense Score is only slightly weaker than Issac’s was. I’ll end my turn on that note.”

Seems Russell is still full of surprises, thought Jason. I had no idea he had put Crescent Moon Queen back in his deck, much less added that Equip.

I wonder what else Trisha has in store for them?

Sebastian angrily drew a card.

“See this?” he said, showing them the card. “It’s called Pot of Avarice, and I’m playing it now.”

He played the card, and five cards came out of his discard slot.

“Now I can return the Fab Five to my deck, reshuffle, and draw twice…”

He placed the cards in his deck, and quickly shuffled.

Then he made two draws.

“And I’ll play one of them. It’s a Dark Scorpion accessory called The Perfect Crime.”

He played the card. It showed the picture of the five Scorpions around a table in a dark room, with Don looking over a map.

“Uh, Russell…” muttered Trisha. “He never used this against me either…”

“Let me explain, because it’s complicated,” said Sebastian. “This card has to remain on the field for three of my Standby Phases for its effect to activate. If it is destroyed or removed from the field before then, my partner and I lose 3,000 Life Points.

“However, if it survives that long, I can remove it from play and then move all five of the Dark Scorpions from my deck to my hand.”

“This had better work, Sebastian…” muttered Cleo out of the corner of her mouth.

“I know what I’m doing…” said Sebastian, looking at the other card in his hand. “I’ll end my turn there.”

All right… thought Trisha, drawing. Come on, Heavy Storm…

She drew a card. It wasn’t Heavy Storm, but it was her favorite Monster.

“I summon Nanobreaker in Attack Mode,” she said.

She played the card, and Nanobreaker rose up, holding her blade.

http://www.ideal808.com/images/een-en0181.jpg

“And since she only has 100 more Attack Points than Amazoness Swords Woman…” she continued. “She’s taking her down!”

Nanobreaker leapt forward, and slashed at Swords Woman. The Amazon held her gut, and then shattered into shards.

(R and T: 4,400) -------------------- (C and S: 9,700)

“And now for your facedown Monster,” continued Trisha. “Bokoichi, attack!”

The central Bokoichi blasted its eye beams at the facedown card…

A small tiger cub appeared on the card, and was blown to bits.

“Heh, heh…” chuckled Cleo. “You just flipped my Amazoness Cub. That means I can search my deck for one Amazon who’s four stars or less, and add her to my hand…”

She looked through her deck.

“And Amazoness Paladin should do…”

Trisha sighed.

She fit one of her cards into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

“Then move,” she said. “I’m sorry, Russell…”

Cleo drew a card.

“Well…” she said with a grin, “now that I have Amazoness Paladin, I’d be a fool not to summon her…”

She played the card, and the regally decked Amazon appeared, holding her slim sword aloft. (1,700/300)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mfc-059.jpg

“And don’t forget her ability,” said Cleo. “With two Amazons on the field, she’s got more than enough to break your Queen’s Defense.”

(1,900/300)

“Go!” she shouted. “Attack Crescent Moon Queen!”

Crescent Moon Queen just stared as Paladin leapt at her…

And then she vanished into sparkles of light. Paladin stopped, and looked around in confusion.

“What?” asked Cleo. “Where did she go?”

“Ahem…” said Trisha.

Cleo looked.

Trisha had activated her facedown card – Mystik Wok.

“I knew we were gonna lose Crescent Moon Queen regardless,” said Trisha, “but it wouldn’t have to be in vain. I triggered this to sacrifice her before your Paladin reached her… So now we gain 2,600 Life Points.”

She turned to Russell.

“Sorry, I should have asked…”

“No…” said Russell, “you did great!”

“Fine!” shouted Cleo. “Since Paladin’s target was removed from the field, now she can choose another! Paladin, attack the Equipped Bokoichi!”

Paladin charged, and slashed at the Machine, and all three Freightening Cars exploded into scrap metal.

(R and T: 6,600) -------------------- (C and S: 9,700)

“And I’m not done…” she continued. “Say goodbye to that Trap Card, Trisha!”

She played a card, and Mystical Space Typhoon blew across the field. Elemental Absorber was blown to bits.

“Your move, Russell…”

Russell drew a card.

He looked at it and the other card in his hand.

Queen’s Knight and Hero Kid.

All either would be good for right now was a shield.

“I summon…”

”Wait,” said a voice.

Russell paused.

“Issac?” he whispered.

”Mmm,” replied the Knight. ”I can still view what’s happening from the Graveyard.

“Listen… Summoning her in Defense Mode is a bad idea. You must ready Queen’s Knight to face her foes head-on.”

“You mean in Attack Mode?” answered Russell. “But there’s nothing to protect her… she’ll be destroyed… We’ll lose more Life Points…”

”You have an ally in this battle, Russell. Don’t underestimate her. Queen’s Knight will succeed.”

There was a pause.

”Russell, trust me…”

Russell put the card on his Disk.

“Queen’s Knight in Attack Mode,” he said.

Queen’s Knight appeared, readying her blade. (1,500/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/een-en004.jpg

“And that will be all.”

Both Sebastian and Cleo gave her strange looks as Sebastian drew.

Sebastian played his card, and Pot of Greed appeared. He drew twice more.

He looked at them.

“Can’t do anything this turn,” he muttered. “Go ahead, Trisha.”

Trisha drew a card.

Huh? she thought, looking at it.

It was the card Jason had just given her.

She looked at Queen’s Knight.

She smirked, and then placed it in her Disk. A facedown card appeared.

“I summon Red Gadget in Defense Mode…” she said.

She played the card, and Red Gadget appeared, shielding itself. (1,300/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/sd10-jp007.jpg

She looked through her deck until she found Yellow Gadget, and then reshuffled.

“Nanobreaker, attack Amazoness Fighter!” she shouted.

Nanobreaker leapt up, and slashed her sword across Fighter’s torso. She groaned, and shattered.

“That’s my turn, Cleo…” she said.

I know what card you put facedown, Trisha, thought Jason. I can feel it. Let’s hope Cleo takes the bait…

Cleo angrily drew a card.

“Heh, heh…” she chuckled. “I summon Amazoness Tiger in Attack Mode,” she exclaimed.

Tiger appeared, and roared!

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mfc-063.jpg

“And as Jason no doubt remembers, this lovable kitty-cat gains 400 Attack Points for every Amazon on the field. She just hates being alone.”

(1,100/1,500) –> (1,900/1,500)

“But first thing’s first,” she said. “Paladin, take out that stupid Queen’s Knight!”

Paladin raised her sword, and leapt at Queen’s Knight…

…Faith…

“I can’t believe you fell for it!” shouted Trisha. “I activate… Against All Odds!”

Her Trap Card lifted. It was beautiful artwork, showing the image of Sir Issac slamming his sword into the demon Malastus.

Amazoness Paladin simply vanished into haze.

“What happened?” asked Cleo, as Tiger fell to 1,500 Attack.

“Not only has your Amazoness been removed from play,” said Trisha, “but her intended target now gains her Attack Score.”

Queen’s Knight rose to 3,200 Attack.

“No fair!” shouted Sebastian. “That Card of Virtue is more broken than any Card of Sin!”

“It only works when the target has 1,500 Attack Points or less,” explained Trisha. “And even so, I had to pay 1,000 Life Points. Doesn’t seem so broken now, does it?”

(R and T: 5,600) -------------------- (C and S: 9,700)

Continued…

Dark Sage

12th January 2007, 03:32 AM

Continued from last post:

Cleo frowned.

“Make your move…” she said through gritted teeth.

Russell drew a card.

“I play Graceful Charity,” he said, playing the card.

He drew three cards, and then looked them over.

He discarded two of them.

“And now I’ll play one of them… Pot of Greed.”

“Lucky…” said Sebastian.

Russell played the card and drew twice.

None of them were any good.

“Queen’s Knight, attack Amazoness Tiger!”

Queen’s Knight leapt up, and slammed her Sword into the Tiger, smashing her to pieces. Cleo recoiled.

(R and T: 5,600) -------------------- (C and S: 8,000)

“Your move, Sebastian,” he said. “And you two have no Monsters left…”

Sebastian drew a card.

“I have one now,” he said, “and I’ll place it in Defense Mode…”

He played the card, and a facedown Monster appeared.

“I’ll also place two cards facedown,” he continued.

He played two of his three cards, and two facedown cards appeared.

“That will do for now…”

Trisha drew.

Her eyes perked up.

“I’ll also place a card facedown…” she said.

She played the card she had just drawn, and it appeared.

“Then I’ll switch Red Gadget to Attack Mode…”

Red Gadget stood up…

“…AND, summon Yellow Gadget in Attack Mode!”

She played the card, and Yellow Gadget appeared next to Red Gadget. (1,200/1,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/sd10-jp008.jpg

She went to her deck, and found Green Gadget, and then reshuffled.

“Nanobreaker, take out his facedown Monster!”

Nanobreaker made a slash with her sword. Magician of Faith appeared on the card, and cringed before shattering.

“Uh oh…” muttered Trisha.

“Uh oh is right,” said Sebastian, taking a card from his discard slot. “Think I’ll use it to get back Mustering of the Dark Scorpions.”

“I’m not through with you two!” shouted Trisha. “Red Gadget, attack Cleo directly!”

Red Gadget leapt up, and socked Cleo in the gut with its fist.

“And just to show you I don’t show favorites…” continued Trisha, “Yellow Gadget, attack Sebastian directly!”

Yellow Gadget leapt up and punched Sebastian in the face.

(R and T: 5,600) -------------------- (C and S: 5,500)

Amazing… thought Jason. Cleo and Sebastian are fighting tooth and nail… For a while, they had the advantage, and they aren’t even using the Orichalcos… I don’t sense any trace of it in their decks. But now, Trisha and Russell have managed to even the score. For the first time, it seems we have an even fight…

It could go either way… And frankly, I’m worried for Russell and Trisha.

I almost pity Cleo and Sebastian. Their motives aren’t wicked or selfish this time. I can sense it…

There’s a spark of light in them, where there was once only darkness…

“Ergh…” muttered Cleo, drawing a card. “Your little tinkertoys are going down…”

She smirked as she looked at the card.

“I place one card facedown, and summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode…”

A facedown card appeared, and Blowpiper appeared, kneeling in Defense. (800/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mfc-062.jpg

“Your move, Russell…”

Russell drew a card.

“I activate my Trap Card!” shouted Cleo. “Compulsory Evacuation Device!”

The Trap lifted, and a large machine appeared in front of Queen’s Knight. She gave a confused look…

Then four chains grabbed her, and drew her into it…

BOOM! She was shot out of the machine like a cannon, and her card appeared in Russell’s hand.

Russell stared at her.

“What?” asked Cleo. “Just because I use Amazons, I can’t use an incredibly useful Trap? And if you summon her again, she’ll be back to her original Attack Score.”

“Maybe…” said Russell, playing a card, “but I have someone with a better Attack Score. Gearfried the Iron Knight.”

Gearfried appeared, holding aloft his blades. (1,800/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/psv-1011.jpg

“Attack!” shouted Russell.

Gearfried made one swipe with his blades, and Blowpiper was eradicated.

“I end my turn there.”

Sebastian made an evil grin as he drew.

“Then the time has arrived…” he said.

“No… he’s right…” said Trisha. “This is his third Standby Phase since he played The Perfect Crime…”

The Spell Card glowed with dark energy, and then vanished.

“You got it…” said Sebastian, as five cards appeared in his hand. “And that means all five of the Dark Scorpions go from my deck to my hand.”

He showed them the five cards.

“Now my ultimate strategy can unfold. I play Card of Sanctity.”

He played the card.

“What?” asked Trisha. “WHY? You have seven cards in your hand! You won’t benefit from it at all!”

“Yes I will,” he replied. “Now all three of you, start drawing…”

Russell drew three cards, Trisha drew four, and Cleo drew six.

“Next, I play this…” he said, showing them a Spell Card. “Look familiar? Both of us had a Card Destruction.”

He played it.

“WHAT?” asked Russell. “You went through all that trouble of getting the Dark Scorpions to your hand only to discard them?”

“And what if I did?” asked Sebastian, discarding his cards.

All of them discarded, and drew six new cards.

“Next…” continued Sebastian, “I activate a Trap Card…”

One of his facedown cards lifted.

“Disgraceful Charity.”

Trisha almost considered activating her Trap Card. If she did, Sebastian would lose his Dark Scorpions… But then, she’d also lose The Fang of Critias, and she had no idea what Russell would lose…

She decided against it…

A winged form flew out of the card. It was Marie the Fallen One. She cast a spell, and all four Disks glowed.

“Now all players get back the cards we just discarded,” explained Sebastian.

Six cards came out of each discard slot.

“But if you think I’m letting you two have twelve cards to use,” said Sebastian, “forget it. I did this for me and my partner alone.”

His other Trap Card lifted.

“I activate Purse With A Hole.”

The card showed the goofy image of a purse with a cartoony face.

Trisha almost considered activating her own Trap again, but then she realized, if she did, she and Russell would lose.

“Here’s how it works,” said Sebastian. “When my opponents have seven cards or more in their hands, this Trap forces them to discard at random until they only have five.”

Seven cards in both Trisha’s and Russell’s ample hands glowed. Grudgingly, they discarded them.

“Well, I have twelve cards here…” said Sebastian. “Let’s play some of them, shall we? I summon Don Zaloog in Attack Mode…”

He played the card, and Don appeared on the field again. (1,400/1,500)

“And now…” he continued, I play the card that Magician of Faith gave me, Mustering of the Dark Scorpions.”

He played the card, and Cliff, Chick, Meanae, and Gorg appeared on the field. (1,200/1,000), (1,000/1,000), (1,000/1,800), (1,800/1,500)

“Now, I play Sneak Attack of the Dark Scorpions,” he said, as he played a Spell Card, “cutting Chick’s Attack in half so he can attack directly.

“Attack Russell!”

Chick drew a dagger and vanished…

Russell screamed as the knife was driven between his ribs!

Gearfried vanished, and appeared back in Russell’s hand.

“Gorg, attack Yellow Gadget,” ordered Sebastian. “Whammer hammer!”

Gorg flew forward and clobbered the small robot, blowing it to scrap.

Nanobreaker vanished, reappearing on top of Trisha’s deck.

“Don, destroy Red Gadget. Double slash!”

Don slashed at the red robot, cutting it in twain. The pieces exploded.

A card in Trisha’s hand glowed. She winced as she discarded it – that was her Mirror Force.

“Cliff, attack Trisha directly. Trap knife!””

Cliff ran up and stabbed Trisha in the belly with his knife. She groaned.

“Now I’ll use the effect to make you discard the top two cards from your deck,” said Sebastian.

Trisha sadly discarded Nanobreaker and another card.

“Now, Meanae, attack her directly too. Thorn whip!”

Meanae leapt up, and vanished… Trisha looked around…

Trisha yelped as she felt the lash of a whip across her buttocks.

(R and T: 2,100) -------------------- (C and S: 5,500)

“And I’ll use Meanae’s effect to recover this…” he said, getting a card from his discard slot. You remember my Dark Scorpion Combination, don’t you? Think I’ll set it facedown…”

No! thought Jason. That will bring their Life Points down to 100!

“Well, make your move…” said Sebastian.

Trisha drew a card.

“I activate Dark Scorpion Combination!” shouted Sebastian, as his Trap lifted.

Now’s the time… thought Trisha.

“Don’t count on it, freak!” shouted Trisha. “I activate a Trap of my own. Go, Seven Tools of the Bandit!”

Her own Trap lifted, and the Combination Trap shattered.

“Ironic that I should use such a Trap against the Dark Scorpions…” said Trisha, with a chuckle.

“Big deal,” said Sebastian. “You still had to pay 1,000 Life Points to use that Trap, and you’re running low as it is.”

Trisha ignored him.

“I’ll summon Cyber Phoenix in Defense Mode,” she said, “and play Swords of Revealing Light.”

Cyber Phoenix appeared (1,200/1,800), and the shimmering swords fell down upon the two Swordsmen.

http://www.ideal808.com/images/eoj_en009.jpg

“That will hold you,” said Trisha. “That will end my turn.”

(R and T: 1,100) -------------------- (C and S: 5,500)

Cleo drew, and then looked over the thirteen cards in her hand.

“I’ll place two of my cards facedown…” she said.

She played two cards, and they appeared.

“Now I’ll summon a second Amazoness Paladin…”

She played the card, and Paladin appeared. (1,700/300)

“Next, I’ll remove her from play, to summon Amazoness Princess…”

Paladin vanished, and Princess appeared. (2,100/1,800)

“And now I’ll remove her from play, to summon Amazoness Queen!”

Princess vanished, and the most regal of the Amazons appeared. (3,000/3,000)

“Next, I play The A. Forces. I’m sure you know how this works, Russell. For each Warrior on our side of the field, each Warrior gains 200 Attack Points. And we have six of them.”

As she played the card, Russell and Trisha gasped. Amazoness Queen grew to an Attack of 4,200, Chick and Meanae grew to 2,200, Cliff grew to 2,400, Gorg to 3,000, and Don to 2,600.

“Now I’ll discard this, and end my turn.

She discarded a card.

Russell drew. He looked at his hand.

“I activate Dust Tornado!” shouted Cleo, as one of her Traps lifted.

The tornado blew across the field, and the Swords shattered.

Russell paused. He had to hope that the card he needed was in his next four cards…

“I play Double Spell,” he said. “And I’ll discard Fusion Sword Murasame Blade to duplicate… Card Destruction.”

“What?” shouted Sebastian. “But you have only… nine cards left in your deck as is!”

“My decision…” said Russell.

They all discarded their hands. Trisha sighed. So much for using The Fang of Critias…

Russell drew four cards, Cleo drew six, Sebastian drew five, and Trisha drew four.

Then, as Trisha looked at her new hand, her eyes widened as she saw two of the cards that were there…

Russell smirked as well.

“I play Premature Burial,” he said, “and I’ll use it to bring back Warrior Dai Grepher.”

Grepher appeared. (1,700/1,600)

“And now I play… Blessing of Balance!”

…Prudence…

Thunder flashed as the Spell Card appeared, showing the image of the blindfolded form of Justice, holding her scales forward.

“This card can only be used when my Life Points are below 1,000 and I have at least thirty cards in my Graveyard,” he continued, “so thanks to all your discarding effects, the conditions are exactly right. First, I can destroy your Monsters until you have the same number that we have – two.”

Don Zaloog, Meanae the Thorn, Chick the Yellow, and Cliff the Trap Remover burst into shards.

“Then, you two discard cards until you have the same amount that I have. So you each now only have two apiece.”

Cleo and Sebastian looked in horror as their cards were yanked from them.

“Next,” said Sebastian, “you lose Life Points until our scores become equal.”

“WHAT?” shouted Cleo.

(R and T: 300) -------------------- (C and S: 300)

“And finally,” he continued, “since it destroyed at least three Dark Monsters, I get to Special Summon a Light one from my Graveyard. So I summon Freed the Brave Wanderer.”

In a flash of Light, the Brave Wanderer appeared. (1,700/1,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ioc-0141.jpg

“Now then…” continued Russell. “I’ll remove King’s Knight and Jack’s Knight from play, and since his effect won’t work on Amazoness Queen, I’ll use it on Gorg the Strong!”

He took the cards out of his discard slot, and Freed’s blade glowed.

Gorg hollered, and he shattered.

Amazoness Queen fell to an Attack of 3,200.

“Okay,” said Russell, looking at his last two cards. “Guess I’ll end by…”

Then he noticed Trisha giving him an odd look…

“Actually, I think I’ll just end there,” he muttered.

That was a powerful card, he thought. But I have to hope Trisha can somehow summon something stronger than Amazoness Queen… Because if she can’t, we’re finished…

“Right!” said Sebastian, drawing. “And I’m actually glad Gorg was destroyed. Know why? Because now I can play Revival of the Dark Scorpions, which I can do because Spell Economics never left the field. Come on back everyone!”

He played the card. In five shadowy auras, Don, Chick, Meanae, Gorg, and Cliff returned, and their Attack Points all went up by 1,200.

“No…” muttered Russell.

“Don’t worry…” said Trisha. “I remember this. They can’t attack on this round.”

“That’s right,” said Sebastian. “So I end my turn… Just try to beat them. It’s all over… You’ll never summon anything strong enough.”

Trisha drew. Her own deck now had only five cards left in it, but her current hand had just the right cards in it now.

“Want a bet?” she asked. “I first summon my Proto-Cyber Dragon.”

A large Machine that looked like a prototype version of a Cyber Dragon appeared on her side of the field. But it looked pathetic compared to a real one. (1,100/600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/soi_en0101.jpg

What? thought Jason.

“What?” said Cleo. “What good will that do you?”

“You’ll see…” replied Trisha. “You two have forced me to bring out the card I’ve been saving for a special occasion.

“You see, Proto-Cyber Dragon may look weak, but while it’s on the field, it is considered a Cyber Dragon for all intents and purposes.

“And that leads to me playing this Spell Card… Overload Fusion!

“Let me explain… Overload Fusion lets me fuse together Monsters on my side of the field and my Graveyard by removing them from play, so long as the Fusion Monster I’m summoning is Dark Attribute and Machine Type.

“Now, for the Monster I’m thinking of, I technically only have to fuse a Cyber Dragon and one other Machine. On the other hand, I could fuse together every Machine I have access to, and that’s seventeen total.

“But since I believe in moderation in all things, I’m just gonna do what I must…

“I remove from play Proto-Cyber Dragon, Cyber Phoenix, my three Gadgets, and one Bokoichi…”

She played the card, and a dark vortex opened. Proto-Cyber Dragon and Cyber Phoenix were drawn through first, and then the four other Machines were sucked through.

Continued…

Dark Sage

12th January 2007, 03:39 AM

Continued from last post:

“Now it’s time to meet the mightiest Machine in the Duel Monsters universe,” said Trisha, as a hulking form started to crawl out of the portal. “Let’s all welcome… the Chimeratech Overdragon!”

The gigantic creature that stepped out the portal was unreal. It looked like a giant Cyber Dragon with six heads and serpentine necks. Its twelve optic sensors glowed with fiery light!

* * * * * * * * * *

The Master let go of Cassius and stood up in surprise.

“Chimeratech Overdragon?” she shouted. “Where in all of creation did she ever get a card that rare? At last count, there were only eight confirmed copies!”

* * * * * * * * * *

http://www.ideal808.com/images/potd-en034.jpg

Cleo and Sebastian drew back in horror at the mechanical beast in front of them.

“This creature is so powerful,” said Trisha, “that when it’s summoned, I have to destroy all other cards on my side of the field. So guys, I’m sorry…”

Freed the Brave Wanderer and Warrior Dai Grepher shattered.

“But it’s a sacrifice that’s worth it,” she continued, “because for every Machine I fused to summon it, its Attack and Defense is 800!”

(4,800/4,800)

“Four-thousand, eight hundred?” shouted Sebastian.

“Calm down!” shouted Cleo, as one of her Traps lifted. “I activate Desert Sunlight! Now all our Monsters move into Defense Mode!”

Amazoness Queen and the five Scorpions knelt in Defense.

“So you survive one last turn,” said Trisha. “But your Monsters won’t. Because Chimeratech can attack one Monster for every Monster I fused to summon it. That means it can attack six Monsters!”

“Chimeratech Overdragon, wipe out their Warriors with Evolution Resort Blast!”

Chimeratech glowed, and fired a blast of burning energy from each mouth, incinerating all six Monsters and knocking both Cleo and Sebastian off their feet!

“Give up?” asked Trisha.

“No…” said Cleo, crawling to her feet.

She drew a card.

“Do something…” muttered Sebastian.

Cleo put a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

“That’s all I can do…” she muttered.

Russell drew a card.

“Ah, Command Knight!” he said, playing the card. “Let’s take them down.”

Command Knight appeared in front of him. (1,200/1,900) –> (1,600/1,900)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ct1-en003s.jpg

“Attack Cleo’s Monster!” he shouted.

Command Knight flew forward. Amazoness Chain Master appeared on the card, and was cut down.

“I place two cards facedown,” he said, “and end my turn…”

He fit his last two cards into his Disk, and they appeared.

“Sebastian, think of something!” shouted Cleo. “We don’t have much left!”

Sebastian drew a card.

He made a sinister smirk.

“It’s over…” he said. “You two have lost…”

He played a card.

“I play Monster Reborn!” he shouted. “And I’ll bring back a Monster from my partner’s Graveyard!”

Amazoness Swords Woman appeared on the ankh. (1,500/1,600)

“NO!” screamed Trisha.

“Yes!” shouted Sebastian. “She may lose the battle, but your Life Points will take the hit! You’ve lost!

“Amazoness Swords Woman, attack the Chimeratech Overdragon!”

Amazoness Swords Woman bravely charged at the huge Machine.

“I activate both my facedown cards!” shouted Russell. “First, Call of the Haunted! Return, Queen’s Knight!”

Queen’s Knight reappeared in a flash of light. (1,500/1,600)

“And next, a gift from the Sage of Duelists… Order to Charge!”

A Quickplay Spell lifted up, showing the image of Freed the Matchless General leading troops on a battlefield.

“Now, by sacrificing one Normal Monster, such as Queen’s Knight, I can destroy one Monster. Take her down, Queen’s Knight!”

Queen’s Knight dropped her sword and made a flying tackle, catching Swords Woman in mid-air! In a great explosion, both of them were wiped out!

There was dead pause for a few seconds…

Cleo and Sebastian bowed their heads.

“Right…” muttered Trisha.

She paused.

“I’ll show mercy this time and give you two a chance to avoid the worst pain you’ll likely ever experience,” she said. “Surrender now, and you’ll be spared a direct attack. From my Chimeratech. If you don’t, I’m just going to toss a coin to decide which one of you gets hammered for a 4,800-point direct attack.”

Sebastian and Cleo looked at each other. Tears formed in their eyes.

Slowly, they raised their right hands and placed them over what was left of their decks.

It was over.

(R and T: 300) -------------------- (C and S: 0)

As Trisha caught her breath, a round of applause came up from the alcove with the Transporters. They suddenly realized that an audience had formed. Their small army had come down earlier than they were told to, and had been watching for some time.

“Uh, thank you…” said Trisha. “You guys are too kind.”

Cleo and Sebastian were standing in a daze.

“We’re still here?” asked Cleo. “We expected to be swallowed again…”

Jason came up to them.

“Your employer doesn’t want you anymore,” he said. “I see things in you that would pain him now… Loyalty, dedication, compassion. You weren’t fighting this duel for you, were you? You were doing it for Cassius.

“The darkness inside you… The stuff that let you play the Orichalcos in the first place… It’s weakening, and while it isn’t gone yet, in time, it might die completely, given time. It all depends on where you go from here.”

They bowed their heads.

“And I’d wager she doesn’t want Cassius anymore either,” continued Jason. “I feel him as well, his soul fleeing from wherever it was he was locked up. You three will be safe as long the Reckoning is won by our side.”

They looked at him.

“What can we do?” asked Sebastian.

“Pray…” said Jason. “Pray that the night ends with victory for the Divine.”

There was a pause.

Cleo handed him the Blade Skater card.

“A bargain’s a bargain…” she muttered. “We owe you this. And we promise, you and the other students will never be bothered by us again.”

Jason sighed as she took it. He turned to Old Ben.

“Look, Ben,” he said. “I need you take these students somewhere safe. How about… uh…

“Go to Times Square, to where the big screen is. No one would attack you in a place so public.

“The three of us will take it from here.”

“You got it,” said Ben. “Everyone follow me. Walk… Don’t run…”

Jason walked up to Trisha as they started to file out.

“Uh, Trisha…” he muttered. “Where did you get that card?”

“This?” muttered Trisha, holding up the Chimeratech. “Uhm… You ever hear of Zane Truesdale?”

Jason nodded.

“One of the first members of my family ever to duel,” said Trisha, “the great Marcus Moise, met him in a nightclub in Chicago once. I was told the story so many times. Zane was lonely that night, nursing a dry sherry and buffalo wings, and he was willing to talk to anyone. When he found out that Marcus played Machines, they compared decks.

“Then Zane showed him this card. He told Marcus that it was extremely rare, and worth thousands of dollars… But if he wanted, he was willing to sell it for only a small fraction of the price.

“Marcus asked why, and Zane basically said that the card had turned him into a savage beast at one time, and he had nearly lost his soul to anger. He wanted no part of it anymore.

“He sold Marcus the card, but warned him never to summon it out of anger, because Chimeratech was a dark creature that fed on emotions. As you might expect, it’s rarely seen much use over all these decades.”

“You were saving it for a special occasion…” said Jason. “What?”

Trisha blushed.

“For our bargain…” she said. “You remember… You said that when we graduated, you’d marry me if I could beat you…”

Jason stepped back. He remembered that…

Trisha looked at the card.

“If Zane had played it out of anger, I’d do so out of love,” she said. “I’d surprise you with it, I’d win, and I’d be able to love you forever…

“It didn’t seem to make a difference any more. Because even if we win tonight, once you lose the power…”

Jason hugged her.

“It’s okay…” he whispered. “We’ll think of something.

“Right now… We’ve got a date with Fortunado…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Fortunado bit his nails nervously.

“Chimeratech Overdragon…” he muttered. “Wonder how much that would be worth on auction?”

”Did you hear that?” said the Master’s voice.

“Uh, yeah…” muttered Fortunado. “Touching…”

”Yeah, yeah, touching,” said the Master. ”I trust that the occupant of the Shrine hasn’t gotten out.”

“If he did, you’d know before I did,” said Fortunado.

“Very well,” said the Master. ”We’ll soon see just how powerful the Dark Messiah truly is…

“He and his two disciples approach even now… Round one is over. The main event begins…”

* * * * * * * * * *

The Master slumped in her chair.

Cassius had already been giving her a stomach ache, and taking Sebastian and Cleo again would have made it worse. She would let Cassius go for now, but once she defeated Jason, she’d reclaim them.

“So, it used to be Zane’s Chimeratech Overdragon…” she said. “How ironic…”

She remembered the event where Zane had first surrendered to anger. How could she forget it?

She was the one responsible.

Sure, Mr. Shroud had arranged for him to fight in that savage underground dueling arena that night…

But while Shroud waited safely outside the cage, feeding Zane lies, she was much closer, right beside him in fact. All through the painful match, she had whispered into his ear, persuading him to give in to Wrath, telling further lies about how it was the only thing that could save him…

…and eventually, when Chimeratech was summoned, she knew it had worked. A new recruit had entered the darkness.

The Master sighed. Now it was the Reckoning, and the very same Monster that she had used to bring out the anger in Zane Truesdale was being used by the forces of the Divine…

It was too ironic for words.

Tuesday, November 10th, 10:00 PM

AMAZONESS CUB (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Beast/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 2
ATK: 600
DEF: 700

Card Description: Flip: Search your deck for one Monster with the word “Amazoness” in its name, or one that is named “Amazon Archer” that has four stars or less, and add it to your hand.

DARK SCORPION TRIP-UP (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Meanae the Thorn tripping Getsu Fuhma with her whip.

Card Description: You can activate this card when a Monster with the words “Dark Scorpion” in its name, or one that is named “Don Zaloog” or “Cliff the Trap Remover”, is the target of an attack. Shift the attacking Monster to Defense Position. The shifted Monster cannot change Battle Position until your opponent’s next turn.

Note: “Amazoness Cub” and “Dark Scorpion Trip-Up” were created by Shuppet Master for winning a contest. Creative credit goes to him.

CONTIGENCY FEE (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A man in a wielder’s mask hotwiring a machine.

Card Description: Your opponent draws cards from his deck until his hand consists of six cards. For each card that was drawn, increase your Life Points by 1,000.

Note: “Contingency Fee” was first used by Mad Dog in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “No Pain, No Game”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

THE PERFECT CRIME (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Continuous
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: The five Dark Scorpions gathered around a table in a dark room, as Don Zaloog looks over a map.

Card Description: After this card has remained on the field for three of your Standby Phases after it was played, remove it from play and search your deck for one each of the following cards and add them to your hand: "Don Zaloog", "Cliff the Trap Remover", "Dark Scorpion: Chick the Yellow", "Dark Scorpion: Meanae the Thorn", and "Dark Scorpion: Gorg the Strong". If this card leaves the field by any means except its own effect, inflict 3,000 points of damage to your Life Points.

PURSE WITH A HOLE (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A cartoonish purse with a goofy face.

Card Description: You can activate this card when your opponent has six cards or more in his hand. Your opponent discards cards from his hand at random until his hand consists of five cards.

Note: “Purse With A Hole” was first used by X in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Not Playing With a Full Deck”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

GRADE SWORD (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Equip
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A fancy sword surrounded by eldritch blue energy.

Card Description: This card can be Equipped to a WARRIOR-Type Monster. Increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 300. If a Monster Equipped with this card is offered as a Tribute for a Tribute Summons, it can count as two Monsters for the conditions of the Tribute.

Note: “Grade Sword” was first used by Reggie in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Champion of Chazz-Been”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

AGAINST ALL ODDS (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap/Card of Virtue
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Virtue: Faith

Image: Saint Knight Issac slamming his sword into the demon Malastus.

Card Description: You can activate this card when one of your face-up Monsters with an ATK of 1,500 or lower is the target of an attack. Pay 1,000 Life Points. Remove the attacking Monster from play, and add the attacking Monster’s ATK to the target’s ATK.

BLESSING OF BALANCE (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Card of Virtue
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Virtue: Prudence

Image: The female figure of Justice, blindfolded and wearing a robe, holding a sword and a scales.

Card Description: You can activate this card when you have less than 1,000 Life Points and at least thirty cards in your Graveyard. Destroy Monsters on your opponent’s side of the field until he or she has as many as you have. Your opponent then discards cards from his hand until his hand size is the same as yours. Then, his or her Life Point score becomes the same as yours. If three or more Dark Attribute Monsters are destroyed by this effect, you may Special Summon one Light Attribute Monster from your Graveyard.

Note: “Against All Odds” and “Blessings of Balance” were created by Starjake for winning a contest. All creative credit goes to him.

Coming up next:

If this fanfic were a video game, it would have four end bosses. Next chapter, the first one shows up.

Remember when the Puppeteer bargained for his life and claimed he could summon a much stronger specter? Well guess what? He succeeded. But why hasn’t this dark villain from the past challenged our heroes yet?

The answer comes next chapter, as Jason faces his first challenge as the Dark Messiah, in something I’m calling “Dark Room of Nightmare”.

Hang on… The clock is ticking down…

Master of Paradox

12th January 2007, 08:30 AM

Well... most definitely an improvement, but it still bears several flaws. I shall begin with the good.

First of all, a hearty thanks for not treating Cleo and Sebastian as unredeemable monsters. For a moment I thought you were just going to have them be destroyed outright when the duel was over... I am quite glad you can do more with a villain than have them be a purely evil fiend. (Although given what you've established the Orichalcos as doing to a person, it may not be quite as good as it looks.)

Secondly, as someone who just finished plotting a long, irritatingly complex tag duel myself, I have to admire your work here. You managed to go through almost the entirety of all four decks involved without stumbling at any obvious points. And Starjake's creations, while I could quibble about the names, had a good feel to them.

Now that that is over, it is time for me to earn that "Least Likely to Have an Iota of Fun in Life" award.

To start, despite my above compliment, I must admit I felt that duel went on a bit too long. Seriously... those last few moves felt like a desperate desire to stretch things before breaking out the Chimeratech.

Speaking of the Chimeratech, one, I'm a little ashamed of you for using that piece of (EXPLETIVE DELETED). Two, did it need the backstory? Especially since it once again held to the theme of "Some cards are just plain evil" that I've never liked to begin with. (Although, granted, this was a personal case.)

On the next subject... You just can't quip anymore. None of the dialogue stood out as notable. Not even notably bad, which is a good thing, but made the chapter kind of a boring read. Especially in the middle, when things got complicated.

And my last complaint, a nitpicky one but serious nonetheless: Zane/Ryo's transformation into the Hell Kaiser in the arena was one of the most serious and powerful moments in Yu-Gi-Oh GX, one that even the dub failed to seriously damage, precisely because it was entirely through his own will that he gave into his dark side. (Although Shroud's badgering didn't help him on that score.)

Having you go back and rewrite it so we suddenly have this mythical evil whispering encouragement into his ear cheapens that moment considerably, and at the same time damages your own story in the comparison. If Zane's getting egged on by this supernatural bully, then the responsibility is partially taken out of his hands, robbing that moment of power. And it cost you a certain amount of my respect in the process.

That last moment notwithstanding, I have to say I didn't have that much fun reading this chapter. The duel was rather dry, and we didn't see much of anything new on either side, altogether. Overall, it could have used a little more editing. 4/10; the Zane scene cost it a point.

I'm not going to play the guessing game on who the specter is.

Shuppet Master

12th January 2007, 09:14 AM

Rikku: "That's bad...isn't it?"

Honestly, Paradox, you sure earned that "Least Likely to Have An Iota of Fun In His Life" award. You also earned from me the award of "Doesn't Like Any Fanfics But His Own." :mad:

Okay, so maybe Zane's turning to the dark side was his own doing, but there's nothing wrong with editing that. I hated Zane's transformation because he basically became a fiend. He even "killed" his little brother in a duel, which showed that Zane was dead - only this monster remained. I want to believe that Zane couldn't have possibly have chosen to turn dark freely.

Anyways, anime quibbling aside(I'm going to stop enjoying the anime because I missed two episodes already), the duel was pretty tense. I was glad that the Master released those three. Now, I'm not saying that they won't be tried for their crimes, but at least they won't suffer a fate worse than death.

Yeah right, Master, keep dreaming. :D

Anyways, I liked Trisha playing Chimeratech and then explaining that she was going to defeat Jason with it and reverse the curse on that monster by playing it out of a positive emotion instead of a negative. It was very sweet.

Don't feel bad, Trishy, I'm sure that Jason will still marry you after this is all over. :)

Keep up the good work, Brian.

Dark Sage

12th January 2007, 09:23 AM

I never implied that Zane's turn to evil was not his own fault. It indeed was, even with my addition. When you see the nature of the Master, you'll understand why.

Zane still turned to the dark side on his own. He was just encouraged a little by his anger. But that anger did come from somewhere and pushed him in the right direction.

jkBAKURA

12th January 2007, 12:09 PM

Wow, that was a rather harsh review even for Paradox.

Not to say that the chapter didn't have it's problems, but I'll try to adress them with a reasonable amount of tact.

Issues with Cleo and Sabastian have been adressed before, but you managed a good amount of damage control. Sabastan seemed to take a bit more control, making up for his last slightly lackluster appearance. His stratagies were new, but in theme, as were Cleo's. In all, a very well done reappearance.

Tricia's final duel gave her a worthwhile sendoff, though I am sad that there were no dragon creations in this part of the story. I don't remember if this is Russel's last, or second to last. I will say that you incorperated cards not used very often well into this chapter. Some of the moves were brilliant uses of resources, and it came together well.

While a little long, that's just the nature of a tag duel. This one didn't have some new trump like Dark Avatar or that one Chaos spell card. Makes it so much better when an author uses what's avzailable well. That's one of the biggest stregths one can have as a YGO author. (in my opinion)

Chimeratech did leave a bitter taste in my mouth, but I can understand why Tricia would use it stratagy wise. From a story standpoint, I unfortunately agree (though not quite so loudly) with Paradox.

In all, the chapter fits with the rest of the story, and I look forward to seeing how Jason's new title affects his playing style. I'll find out next week. Till then... Well, you know the jist.

Dark Sage

19th January 2007, 04:03 AM

What is the definition of Evil?

Think about it for a minute. It may not be as easy a question as you believe.

You might think that Evil is doing whatever you want without concern for others. But is being selfish truly evil? Is looking out for yourself and doing all you can to further your own goals evil? It isn’t good, that’s for sure, but it might not be truly wicked.

Maybe Evil is trying to dominate others, and force them to follow your beliefs. But then, that is just what many supposedly lawful governments, including ours, have done throughout history. Maybe no-one has the right to force his will on others, but is it truly evil?

Some say that a force that engages in wanton acts of destruction is evil. Maybe that’s true. But then, a hurricane destroys everything in its path, and it isn’t evil. It’s a mindless force of nature.

What is the true definition of Evil? More likely than not, it’s a combination of all of these things. The answers are not all too cut and dry, not all too black and white, and when dealing with most people, you don’t have the right to judge them as evil.

The creature I’m facing is a different story.

I see his soul quite clearly…

…and evil is all I see…

CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

http://www.ideal808.com/images/pgd-082.jpg

Tuesday, November 10th, 10:05 PM

In the Master’s inner sanctum, the Puppeteer of Death was kneeling before the Master.

Words couldn’t describe how scared he was. She was more than a little mad at him.

“Puppeteer…” she said. “I seem to remember saying I would spare you if you managed to summon that specter…”

“Well, uhm…” he muttered. “Technically, I did… But unfortunately…”

“Unfortunately,” interrupted the Master, “there technically was a problem with that plan that we did not foresee – he would not cooperate…”

“Well, yes…” muttered the Puppeteer. “He always was a bit of an… egotist…”

She got off her throne, and the Puppeteer shivered.

“However, I know the value of keeping my word…”

The Puppeteer felt relieved. It seemed he was going to survive this audience after all.

“I’ve manipulated the Transporters so that Jason and his two henchmen will arrive at the Shrine,” said the Master. “With any luck, that rogue will give them a run for their proverbial money anyway. He still has that Duel Disk you had brought for him, right?”

“Uhm, yes,” said the Puppeteer. “Unless he got mad, and broke it…”

“Hopefully not,” replied the Master. “Once he is done…”

She grinned.

“…would you like a chance to gain revenge against Russell?”

The Puppeteer’s eyes opened wide.

“Why yes!” he said, anxiously. “Yes, yes I would! Let me at him!”

“So be it…” said the Master. “Of course, your old deck was too inclined towards Raviel.”

She handed him a deck.

“This one will be better. Look at the top card, and you’ll see what I mean.”

The Puppeteer’s eyes bugged out when he saw what it was.

“Do not ask how I got it,” said the Master. “The important part is, I got it. And it should be perfect as your ultimate weapon.

“I’ve also placed two copies each of some special cards in there. Fiends who held a special place to a favored servant of long ago.”

The Puppeteer skimmed through the deck.

“Yes… They are sufficient.”

“Go…” said the Master. “Watch from the shadows, and when Jason is through, you will pay Russell back for humiliating you.”

“It will be my pleasure…” said the Puppeteer, bowing.

* * * * * * * * * *

On the thirty-third floor, a Transporter hummed to life, and Jason stepped out, followed by Russell and Trisha.

Then the Transporter itself vanished, as they expected it to.

“No turning back,” said Jason, as they looked down the dark hallway in front of them. “We’d best be prepared.”

They walked down the dark hallway a few feet, and it ended in a set of large, wooden doors, carved with strange runes.

Russell tried the handle.

“Locked…” he said.

Jason frowned. His hands started to glow.

He shot a blast of pure light from them, and they shattered into splinters under the force.

“Unlocked,” he said.

“Remind me not to get on your bad side,” said Russell, as they walked in.

“I’m through fooling around…” said Jason. “If we have to tear this place apart to get to Fortunado, we will.”

The large room was set up like a temple of sorts, with sinister-looking décor. Candles made of black wax provided illumination, and ghastly pictures adorned the walls.

“Look…” said Jason, pointing to the wall.

A picture on the wall depicted three huge Monsters. They looked like the Egyptian God Monsters at first glance, but closer inspection revealed what they truly were – the three Sacred Beasts. Uria, Lord of Searing Flames… Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder… and Raviel, Lord of Phantasms.

“I can feel it,” said Jason. “Many unholy rituals were done in this room… Evil lingers in the air like a stale smell. This is likely the place where that counterfeit Raviel card was created.”

“It’s also a useful place for magical wards,” said a sinister voice. “A place for keeping creatures inside that you don’t want getting out.”

They turned, and saw a pair of evil eyes glaring at them from the shadows.

“All right…” demanded Jason, “come out…”

A figure walked out into the light, and their blood ran cold.

He was instantly recognizable. They had seen him in old DVDs of the finals of the original Battle City. His spiky, long, platinum blonde hair was a dead giveaway, as was the leering expression.

His clothes were still casual – a black overcoat worn over a t-shirt and jeans, but it was a poor cover for the aura he seemed to emit. The only thing missing was the golden necklace he had always worn.

“Bakura…” said Trisha, with a gulp.

“Bakura?” asked the figure. “Well, if you want to call me that, I guess that’s fine. After all, of all the hosts I’ve had over the millennia, he was always my favorite. Maybe it was because of his purity and childlike innocence… I always loved controlling such folk…”

“Maybe that’s because they had weak willpower,” said Jason, “and couldn’t put up much resistance. How can you be here? I heard that Yugi pulled the plug on you.”

The Evil Spirit shrugged.

“To tell you the truth, I’m not sure,” he said. “One minute I was nothing, the next minute I was in this shrine, facing some loser calling himself the Puppeteer of Death. I suppose he fancied himself a conjurer or summoner. An inept practitioner of dark magic.”

The Puppeteer himself was listening from just outside the door.

Inept? he thought. Why, I oughta…

“The fool wanted me to serve some Master whom he wouldn’t even give the name of…” said Bakura. “But he didn’t know one thing…”

A glimmer appeared in his eyes.

“I am nobody’s servant!”

“Looks like the Puppeteer summoned someone he couldn’t control,” muttered Russell. “That’s what always happens to folks like him. So I guess you killed him, huh? Or banished him to the Shadow Realm or something?”

“No,” said Bakura, with a frown. “He fled, and when I tried to leave, I found a ward cast on the door of this shine, preventing me from leaving. I’ve been cooped up here ever since… Alone and crushingly bored…

“Although I do find my host’s taste in artwork rather nice… When did they decide to make evil versions of the God Cards anyway?”

“Long story…” muttered Trisha.

“Anyway…” said Bakura with a grin. “I can’t thank you three enough for breaking the ward for me by breaking down the door.”

“Uh oh…” muttered Russell.

“So if you don’t mind – or even if you do – I’ll be bidding you fools adieu…” he said.

“Wait…” said Jason. “What will you do once you leave?”

Bakura shrugged again.

“Not sure…” he replied. “The Pharaoh is gone… The Millennium Items are gone. I don’t even know how I can exist without the Millennium Ring. Maybe I can start from scratch, and find another way to achieve my goals. The world is a big place, and it’s likely changed. But I have all the time in the world. I’m truly immortal.”

“No way!” shouted Jason. “As the Dark Messiah, I won’t subject the world to your evil again!”

“I don’t recall asking permission,” scowled Bakura, as his eyes glowed with evil light.

“I’ll make you a deal…” said Jason. “You’re obviously starved for power after being denied it for so long…”

Bakura frowned.

“Maybe…” he said.

Actually, Jason had hit the nail right on the head. Almost all of his dark power had been drained since his final duel with Yugi and Zork’s defeat.

“Well then,” said Jason, “a deal… I’ll duel you, as my first duty as the Dark Messiah. If you win, you’re free to do with me as you please.

“But if I win… I banish you to Hell – forever. A punishment for all you’ve done.”

There was dead silence in the room after that statement.

“You can do that, Jason?” gulped Trisha.

“Only to someone who actually deserves it,” said Jason, “and he certainly does. I can tell just by looking at him… His crimes are many and unforgivable, dating back thousands of years, and his victims number in the hundreds. He’s practically a demon in human shape. Only his spiritual form has kept him from true judgment so far.

“I’m changing that.”

The Evil Spirit scratched his chin as he thought it over.

You know, this may well be worth it, he thought. I sense great power in this… Dark Messiah… His personal might may actually rival that of a Millennium Item! If I could claim it for myself and his soul to boot…

And as powerful as he may be, I truly doubt he actually has the ability to damn souls… He’s obviously bluffing.

“Very well, Jason was it?” he said. “I accept that deal…”

He reached behind him, and picked up a Duel Disk.

“Fortunately, the Puppeteer supplied me with one of these,” he said, slipping it on his wrist, “although I must say, it’s been a long time since I’ve used one of these contraptions…”

“Be careful, Jason…” warned Trisha. “This guy is dangerous…”

“Don’t worry…” replied Jason. “I saw this guy duel in Battle City. He can’t surprise me.”

Bakura’s hand glowed with black fire, and a deck appeared in it.

If that’s the case, he thought, he’s expecting me to use my Dark Necrofear and Destiny Board combo. Won’t he be surprised when he discovers my new strategy…

…not my Zombie Lock Deck… but the new, improved Zombie Lock Deck.

An eerie howl filled the room, and a swarm of ghostly spirits flew into the cards he was holding. Russell and Trisha shivered…

Jason frowned as he shuffled it his deck.

“I’m not impressed…” he said.

“Are we ready yet?” asked Bakura. “It’s a mystery to me how you could even see that…”

“Yes,” said Jason. “And as for my eyes, I don’t need them.”

Both Disks activated.

“All right!” shouted Jason, as he drew five cards. “Once more… Get your game on!”

* * * * * * * * * *

Fortunado nervously watched.

“Master…” he said. “I have a question…”

There was no objection, so he ventured to ask.

“What happens if Bakura wins?”

There was a pause.

”Good question,” said the Master’s voice. ”In truth, I do not know. Never before in history has the champion of Good failed to make it to the Reckoning.

“There have been theories on what would happen if he fell. The most widely believed one states that one of his allies would inherit the title and fight on.”

“I’m guessing that’s why you tried so hard to take out Trisha and Russell…” muttered Fortunado. “It was a mistake choosing those three buffoons as our Swordsmen…”

“Everyone makes mistakes, Fortunado,” said the Master. ”I thought they would do the job. But we will try our hardest to weaken the Dark Messiah before he gets to us.

“And perhaps we will find out what happens… If he can’t make it…”

* * * * * * * * * *

(Jason: 8,000) -------------------- (Bakura: 8,000)

“I must say, this should be invigorating…” said Bakura, drawing his first card. “Dueling in a foreboding shrine for the most unimaginable stakes… It would get my heart pumping if I had one…”

He looked over his cards.

“So then…” he said. “If you win, you condemn me to Hell… But if I win, I consume you!”

“That’s what I said,” replied Jason, “now make your move.”

“I will,” said Bakura, playing a card. “I summon Headless Knight in Attack Mode!”

With a spooky moan, a figure in bronze armor holding a shield and a sword burst out of the ground. Like its name suggested, it had no head. (1,450/1,700)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lon-054.jpg

“Give… me… a break…” said Russell. “That guy is all bark and no bite.”

“I’ll bite soon enough,” said Bakura, placing two cards in his Disk. “Two cards facedown, and my turn is complete.”

Two facedown cards appeared.

Jason drew a card and considered.

In his duel with Yugi, he played a bunch of weak Fiends so he could have them in his Graveyard to summon Dark Necrofear, he thought. But if he tries to use Dark Sanctuary and Destiny Board, I have Heavy Storm right here. I’ll just save it until he uses it.

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I summon one of my favorites…” he said. “Vorse Raider, in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and Vorse Raider appeared, lifting his axe.

He let out a low growl when he saw who Jason’s opponent was. It was as if he had met Bakura… in some other place and time… (1,900/1,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/Le5_007.jpg

“Attack his Headless Knight!” he shouted.

Vorse Raider didn’t need any prompting. He flew forward and slashed with his axe. Headless Knight gave a chilling moan, and shattered.

(J: 8,000) -------------------- (B: 7,550)

“Well…” said Jason. “So much for him…”

“Or so you believe…” said Bakura, drawing a card.

“I will play Pot of Greed, to draw two cards.”

He played the card, and the jar appeared, only this time, its eyes burned with red embers. It shattered as the Spirit drew twice.

“Next,” he said, “I activate my facedown card, Call of the Haunted.”

The Trap lifted, and a coffin appeared in front of him. It opened, and Headless Knight stepped out. It laughed a chilling laugh. (1,450/1,700)

“To continue,” said Bakura, “I will play a Spell Card… Card Destruction.”

Jason gasped as he played it.

“We must now fold the cards in our hands and draw an equal number,” said Bakura, with a grin.

“I know how it works,” muttered Jason, discarding his hand.

He drew five cards, and Bakura drew four.

“Now,” said Bakura, “I activate my other facedown card… Spiritualistic Medium.”

The Spell Card lifted, showing the image of a cemetery swarming with ghosts.

“What does that do?” asked Jason, nervously.

“For this round,” answered Bakura, “my Monster gains 500 Attack Points for each of my cards that was destroyed, and I destroyed four of them by playing Card Destruction.

“Go, my Spirits!”

Four howling ghosts flew out the Spell Card, and flew into Headless Knight! Its Attack rose to 3,450!

“Good grief!” shouted Trisha. “He’s turned that weakling into a powerhouse!”

“Headless Knight, attack his Vorse Raider!” shouted Bakura.

Headless Knight flew forward, and slammed his sword into Vorse Raider, practically cutting him in half! Jason cringed.

(J: 6,450) -------------------- (B: 7,550)

Well that was a new trick… muttered Jason. I’d better be more careful… This guy is clearly not a one-shot wonder…

Bakura placed a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.

“It won’t be long…” he said. “Soon, the shadows will savor you… Make your move.”

“We’ll see about that…” said Jason, drawing a card.

He looked at it.

“Your Spell Card has worn off, so now I summon Cyber Dragon in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and Cyber Dragon appeared in a flash. (2,100/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ct03_en002.jpg

“And by the way, that was a Special Summon,” he continued, “so I’ll Normal Summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp, also in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and La Jinn appeared in a puff of green smoke. (1,800/1,000)

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“Clever…” said Bakura. “I activate my Trap… It’s both Trap and Monster… Zoma the Spirit.”

The Trap Card lifted, and a creature that looked like a rotting, decayed dragon lumbered out. It curled up, apparently in Defense Mode. (1,800/500)

“Wait a second…” said Trisha. “It has 1,800 Attack Points, and only 500 Defense Points. Why Defense Mode?”

“I guess he didn’t have a choice,” answered Russell with a shrug.

Jason paused.

“Cyber Dragon, attack Headless Knight!” he ordered. “Strident blast!”

Cyber Dragon breathed a stream of flames, and Headless Knight was reduced to ashes.

Continued…

Dark Sage

19th January 2007, 04:13 AM

Continued from last post:

“Your turn, La Jinn,” he said, “take out that… thing.”

La Jinn shot a volley of lightning bolts, eradicating Zoma.

“HA, HA, HA!” laughed Bakura.

His eyes glowed for a second.

“Fool, you fell right into my Trap,” he said. “You may have destroyed Zoma…”

A huge, spectral version of Zoma loomed over him….

“…but when that happens, it gets a parting shot at you, and does damage equal to twice the Attack Score of the Monster that destroyed it… Tell me, how fast can you multiply?”

Jason stepped back…

Zoma the Spirit opened its jaws, and shot out a blast of vile filth and decay, striking Jason! It was all he could do to keep from screaming…

* * * * * * * * * *

Fortunado heard the Master laughing.

”I do hope you are filming this,” she said. ”I would love to see that again.”

“Of course I am,” replied Fortunado. “You do remember your side of the bargain.”

“Ah, yes…” replied the Master. “Your desire to make a documentary of the Reckoning. Don’t worry, Fortunado, I assure you that it will be a success.

“After all, once I am in control, folks will want to see what led to my rise to power. I’ll make certain of it.”

Fortunado sighed.

He couldn’t help but think how the desire to be recognized made people do strange things…

* * * * * * * * * *

(J: 2,850) -------------------- (B: 6,900)

Jason gasped for breath. Vile-smelling vapor rose from him…

“Lord… Jason just got nailed!” shouted Trisha. “Talk about a nasty Trap!”

“That was why it was summoned in Defense Mode…” muttered Russell. “He wanted it to be destroyed.”

I can’t let it end here… thought Jason, looking at his hand and sweating. If I let this demon beat me, I was never worthy of being the Dark Messiah…

“Make your move…” he growled.

“Gladly…” said Bakura, drawing a card.

“First, I play Silent Doom to bring back you-know-who once again…”

He played the card, and Headless Knight appeared, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,450/1,700)

“But like you, he won’t be staying around for long this time,” continued the Spirit. “I play Polymerization, to fuse him with The Earl of Demise, to summon an even greater Fiend…”

The ghoulish nobleman appeared on the field, and the two Fiends turned into orbs of darkness and swirled together…

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LON-EN054.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOB-EN059.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LON-EN056.jpg

The creature that emerged was something that no KaibaCorp hologram could ever have created. The ghostly form was dressed in a nobleman’s clothes that were rotting and decayed, and its graying flesh was also decayed, and swarming with maggots and worms. I held a rusted and pitted sword. It glared at Jason with eye sockets that held no eyes. This Monster suggested one thing – Death.

(2,000/1,700)

“Meet The Duke of Demise,” said Bakura.

“Don’t let it get me!” shouted Trisha, hiding behind Russell.

“Right, what am I gonna hide behind?” asked Russell, nervously.

“Calm down you two!” shouted Jason.

He turned to Bakura.

“Your worm feast is one-hundred Attack Points less than my Cyber Dragon, you do realize.”

“Maybe so,” said Bakura, “but it beats your Genie. Destroy him, my Duke of Demise.”

With a bone-chilling cackle, the living corpse flew forward and made a slash with its sword, obliterating La Jinn.

(J: 2,650) -------------------- (B: 6,900)

“All right, my move…” said Jason.

He drew a card.

Got to be careful… he thought. This Duke of Demise has exactly the same Attack Points as one of the Monsters he fused to summon it. That means it has to be an Effect Monster. But what can it do?

He switched cards on his Disk.

“I sacrifice Cyber Dragon to summon Luster Dragon!” he shouted.

Cyber Dragon shattered, and the huge, emerald Dragon appeared. (2,400/1,400)

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“Attack the Duke of Demise!” he shouted. “Emerald flame!”

Luster Dragon fired a blast of flames, and the Fiend exploded into misty ectoplasm…

But then, it reformed until it was whole again.

(J: 2,650) -------------------- (B: 6,500)

“What?” asked Jason.

Bakura grinned.

“Did you actually think that you can destroy ghosts so easily?” he asked. “The Duke of Demise cannot be destroyed in battle.”

“That’s… not good…” muttered Jason.

“Unless you can do anything else…” said Bakura. “I’ll move…”

He met no objections, so he drew a card.

“I’ll pay 500 Life Points to keep The Duke of Demise,” he said. “Then I’ll switch it into Defense Mode…”

The Fiend crouched in Defense.

“…and that will be all for my turn.”

(J: 2,650) -------------------- (B: 6,000)

He’s stalling for some reason… thought Jason, drawing a card. Note to self… Next time you invade an evil stronghold, pack a few copies of Exile of the Wicked.

“I’ll throw down one facedown, and end my turn,” he said.

He played a card, and a facedown card appeared.

Bakura drew.

The Duke of Demise collapsed on the floor in a heap, and the maggots quickly devoured the rest of it.

“What happened?” asked Russell.

“Uh, I think he decided not to pay the cost any more,” said Trisha. “So it was destroyed. And that might be bad, because that means he might have something worse…”

Bakura played a Spell Card.

“I play Spirit Sword of Sealing,” he said.

“What?” asked Jason.

Before he could determine what this meant, a sword flew at Luster Dragon, and struck him! He roared, and then simply vanished.

“What happened?” demanded Jason.

“Look behind you,” said Bakura.

Jason did. A stone tablet with Luster Dragon’s image carved into it had risen behind him.

“Your Dragon is imprisoned in that tablet,” said Bakura, “and will remain so while my Spell Card remains. While he is, he can’t attack me nor defend you, and you also can’t sacrifice him.

“And by the way, this Spell Card can’t be destroyed by card effects – it can be destroyed, however, if you manage to send a Monster to your Graveyard…

“But until you manage to do so…

“I summon Disgraced Mage in Attack Mode.”

With another chilling moan, another ghastly specter appeared in front of him. It was a phantom mage with a disfigured face, dressed in a tattered white robe and hood, carrying a staff. (1,700/1,200)

“What is that?” asked Jason, in shock.

“They say that Disgraced Mage is the restless ghost of a monk who killed himself,” said Bakura, “and as a result, was buried on unhallowed ground. He despises the living, and anyone who has the right to decent burials.

“I’ll show you… Disgraced Mage, attack directly with cursed cudgel!”

The specter moaned, and aimed his staff, firing a blast of unholy energy…

“Activate… Draining Shield!” shouted Jason.

His Trap Card lifted, and the blast hit an invisible barrier. Energy flowed into him.

“Sorry pal,” he said. “Your Mage missed.”

Bakura growled…

(J: 4,350) -------------------- (B: 6,000)

“Your move…” muttered the Evil Spirit.

Jason drew.

Darn… he thought. Nothing I’ve got right now can defeat his Disgraced Mage. I’m going to have to use a Monster as a sacrificial lamb in order to free my Dragon.

“I summon Blade Knight in Defense Mode,” he said.

Blade Knight appeared, crouching in defense. (1,600/1,000)

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“That will be all,” he said.

“I see what you’re trying to do,” said Bakura, drawing a card. “And it won’t work. I first place one card facedown…”

A facedown card appeared.

“Then I’ll summon Necro Soldier in Defense Mode.”

A spooky mist appeared on the field, and a Zombie dressed like a toy nutcracker appeared. (0/0)

“What?” said Trisha. “It has no points…”

“I wouldn’t underestimate any of this guy’s cards,” said Russell. “I have a feeling that almost all of them are reflections of Evil…”

“Disgraced Mage, attack his Blade Knight,” ordered Bakura.

Disgraced Mage cast his powerful hex, and Blade Knight was blown away.

“Ha, ha!” laughed Trisha. “You just sent a Monster to his Graveyard, dummy!”

“No I didn’t,” said Bakura, with a grin. “I’m not that stupid. As you can clearly see, his Dragon is still trapped.

“When Disgraced Mage destroys a Monster, the destroyed Monster goes to the top of the owner’s deck, not the Graveyard. Didn’t I tell you that he despises anyone who has the right to a proper burial? He’d never willing give anyone that right…”

There was a long pause.

“Jason…” muttered Trisha. “Please tell me that one of the cards in your hand is stronger than Blade Knight…”

Jason looked at his hand…

Peten the Dark Clown, Saggi the Dark Clown, Double Spell and Photon Generator Unit.

He shook his head.

Bakura smiled evilly.

“Seems I have you in a lock!” he said with a laugh. “That is, unless you’re willing to take a direct attack… But just how many can you take before you perish? My turn now ends.”

“It isn’t over yet…” said Jason.

He drew a card, and it was, indeed, Blade Knight.

“I activate the effect of Necro Soldier,” said Bakura. “During your Standby Phase, it can summon another one to the field…”

A second Necro Soldier appeared next to the first.

“And now I can use that one’s effect, to summon a third!” he said with a laugh.

A third of the demented toys appeared.

Jason nervously looked at his hand.

This Double Spell may be my only chance… he thought. Let’s see… What Spell Cards has he used?

Wait…

Of course!

“I play Double Spell!” He shouted playing the card.

He discarded Photon Generator Unit.

“And the card in your Graveyard that I’ll duplicate… is Polymerization!”

Polymerization appeared on the field.

“Now, I’ll fuse Saggi the Dark Clown, and Peten the Dark Clown…”

The two clowns ran onto the field, and merged together…

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/EP1-EN005.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOB-EN059.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN066.jpg

“Forming Dark Harlequin!”

The tall jester dressed all in black appeared, and made a cackling laugh. (2,000/1,500)

“And since I just sent not one, but two Monsters to my Graveyard, my Dragon is freed!”

The Spirit Sword of Sealing card shattered, and Luster Dragon burst free from the tablet! It roared in rage!

“Not only that, Bakura, but Dark Harlequin gains 600 extra Attack Points for each Dark Monster on the field other than himself. And I see you have four of them!”

Dark Harlequin glowed and flexed his muscles. (4,400/1,500)

“And I’m not done!” he continued. “Since a Fusion is Special Summon, I’ll Normal Summon Blade Knight, this time in Attack Mode.”

Blade Knight appeared, ready to attack.

“And guess what? When Blade Knight is on the field when I have no cards in my hand, like right now, he gains a few more Attack Points.”

(1,600/1,000) –> (2,000/1,000)

“Ergh…” said Bakura. “I activate a Trap Card… Narrow Corridor!”

His facedown card lifted, showing the image of a warrior crawling through a narrow shaft.

“Confused?” asked Bakura. “While this Continuous Trap is in place, both players are only allowed to attack with two Monsters per turn.”

Jason paused.

“Fine…” he said. “Dark Harlequin, attack the Disgraced Mage! Acrobatic flip attack!”

Dark Harlequin did a somersault, and brought his foot down on the ghost. It moaned, and then shattered into particles.

But when Jason looked at Bakura, he was holding his deck, and smiling…

(J: 4,350) -------------------- (B: 6,000)

“What…” muttered Jason. “You didn’t lose any Life Points… You should have lost 2,700…”

Bakura started to shuffle.

“Disgraced Mage has another effect,” he replied. “If he’s destroyed in battle, I can shuffle him and my whole hand into my deck, and in return, take no damage at all. I had no cards in my hand, so it was no great loss…”

Jason frowned.

“Luster Dragon, destroy the Necro Soldier on the far right!” he ordered.

Luster Dragon blasted his breath, and the twisted toy exploded.

“Your move…” he said.

“I draw one card…” said Bakura.

He drew.

“I play Vase of Unholy Blight,” he said. “Now I must remove one Dark Monster in my deck from play, and since Disgraced Mage has outlived his usefulness – not to mention the fact that I hate him…”

The evil black vase appeared in front of him. Then Disgraced Mage appeared and was sucked into it. It shattered.

“You hate one of your Monsters?” asked Trisha, frowning.

“I hate all of them,” said Bakura. “But that doesn’t mean they aren’t useful. Anyway, now I get to draw three times.”

He drew three times and looked at the cards.

He frowned.

“Aw, disappointed because you got bad draws?” asked Russell.

“No…” said Bakura. “I’m disappointed because I drew a key part of my strategy, and I so wanted to prolong this a bit more…

“But trust me… The terror has just begun. I play the Spell Card, Cursed Twin Dolls.”

He played the card, and two evil-looking female dolls appeared in the middle of the arena. One held a red box, and one held a black box.

“Eek…” muttered Trisha. “This is why I never played with dolls when I was a kid… I was more into toy cars and planes…”

“Quiet!” ordered Bakura. “Let me explain, Jason… See those boxes the Dolls are carrying? There’s one for each of us…

“I should warn you about the contents, however… One will bless you… The other will curse you…

“I’ll be nice and let you have first choice. After all, I already know which is which…”

The two Dolls walked up to Jason and offered their boxes. Jason did not like the looks on their faces.

Okay… he thought. This could turn the tide of the whole duel…

Only an idiot would take a gift wrapped in black… But what if Bakura wants me to take the red one?

Wait…

He could easily perceive the two Cursed Twin Dolls, and he sensed that they were both evil… But somehow, he sensed a much greater evil coming from the one holding the black box…

He reached out and touched the red box.

“You chose wisely…” said Bakura.

The Doll opened her box, and a golden light flowed out of it.

“The blessing it bestows will grant you 200 Life Points every time a card goes to your Graveyard,” said Bakura.

“Well…” said Jason, with a grin, “I guess the curse is yours…”

“Indeed…” said Bakura.

The other Doll opened the black box, and foul mist flowed out of it…

Bakura’s discard slot started to glow, and then all of a sudden, a mob of ghosts flew out of it!

Trisha screamed and Russell backed up in fear, as over a dozen spooky phantoms rose behind Bakura.

“Heh, heh…” chuckled the Evil Spirit. “The curse removes the cards in my Graveyard from play, turning them into phantoms. But fear not… They can’t hurt you…

“…not yet anyway!”

Continued…

Dark Sage

19th January 2007, 04:17 AM

Continued from last post:

Jason looked up, and saw the ghosts of every card Bakura had used during the duel so far. He guessed he could assume now that he was not planning to summon Dark Necrofear…

That assumption turned into a certainty when he saw Dark Necrofear itself among the phantoms. He must have discarded it with Card Destruction.

“All right, I’m officially creeped out,” said Jason. “But is there a point to it?”

“You’ll see…” said Bakura. “For now, I’ll place one card facedown…”

He played a card, and a facedown card appeared.

“…and then I’ll summon Necro Mannequin in Defense Mode.”

A weird looking thing resembling a mannequin made of bones appeared next to the two Necro Soldiers. (500/500)

“It’s your move…” he said.

Jason drew a card.

Hey… he thought. It’s that card that Athena gave me! Let’s take him for a test run…

“I activate a Trap Card…” said Bakura.

The facedown card he had set the last round lifted. It showed the image of four multicolored Necro Mannequins.

“Necro Cycle,” he said.

“And what does that do?” asked Jason.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” said Bakura.

“Fine,” said Jason. “I summon someone who was given to me by the Goddess of Wisdom. Meet Double Pinaska!”

He played the card, and a figure leapt onto the field with a flip. He looked like a Spanish bandito dressed in a leather jerkin and trousers. He had an elegant moustache and long, black hair. He held two sharp machetes, which he twirled dramatically. (1,500/1,500)

“Interesting…” said Russell.

“Double Pinaska, destroy one of those Necro Soldiers!” ordered Jason. “Double slash!”

Double Pinaska made two swipes with his machetes, and the Necro Soldier shattered.

“Luster Dragon, take out the last one!”

Luster Dragon blasted his breath weapon, and the last Necro Soldier was burned up.

Two more phantoms appeared behind Bakura, as he smirked.

“That’s all I can do…” said Jason.

“I draw…” said Bakura, drawing a card, “and thanks to my Necro Cycle card, I can summon another Necro Mannequin from my deck, since I have one on the field…”

A second Necro Mannequin appeared (500/500)

“Now I summon… Necro Wall in Defense Mode.”

He played the card, and a creepy looking barrier made from bones, skulls, and tombstones appeared on the field. (0/0)

“I’m ending my turn, and that means Necro Wall can create one Necro Wall Token for each Zombie I have on the field. But I only have room for two of them…”

Two more Necro Walls appeared. (0/0 x2)

Jason drew a card.

Polymerization. It was worthless now.

Decision time… he thought. I can only attack twice. If I don’t get rid of both those Mannequins, he’ll summon his third on his next turn. But if I don’t get rid of Necro Wall, he’ll summon more tokens on his next turn.

What to do…

He paused.

“Double Pinaska, destroy the real Necro Wall!” he shouted.

Pinaska leapt forward, and shattered the Necro Wall.

“Luster Dragon, take out one of the Necro Mannequins!”

Luster Dragon breathed fire, and one of the Mannequins was blown apart.

Two more specters appeared behind Bakura.

“Your move…” said Jason.

Bakura drew.

He looked at the Trap Card he had drawn.

“I get another Necro Mannequin…” he said.

Another Necro Mannequin appeared. (500/500)

“But I believe I’ll pass for this turn…”

Jason drew a card.

Yes! he thought.

“I play Mystical Space Typhoon!” he shouted.

He played the card.

“Go! Destroy his Narrow Corridor!”

Bakura gasped, as his Trap Card was blown to pieces.

“Now…” said Jason, “Double Pinaska, Blade Knight, Luster Dragon, Dark Harlequin, wipe out his Zombies!”

Russell and Trisha cheered as the two Mannequins and the two tokens were blasted out of existence under the onslaught of Jason’s small army.

Bakura’s eyes narrowed, and three more phantoms, two Monsters and one Trap, materialized behind him.

“Very good…” he said. “But this duel is not over yet…”

“Please…” said Jason. “With Double Pinaska on the field, Dark Harlequin has 2,600 Attack Points, and any Monster you summon is bound to be Dark too. Can you really summon one with no sacrifice that can beat 3,200 Attack Points?”

Bakura drew a card.

He grinned a grin that made all of their blood run cold.

“Perhaps…” he said. “But first, let me tell you about my final duel with Yugi… The one that the public wasn’t privy to.

“Not with the Pharaoh… He wasn’t with Yugi at the time…

“See, I had used a deck like this, and like this time, I used Cursed Twin Dolls to transform all my cards into phantoms.

“At a crucial point in the duel, I played a Spell Card called Counterbalance. This card required both players to discard cards from their decks equal to the number of Monsters on the field during their End Phases.

“Since my phantoms counted as being on the field, that was a lot of Monsters. And I was unaffected, since the curse prevented me from discarding. My goal was to win by decking him out.”

Jason gulped. Was that card in his hand right now?

Then he calmed down. Even if it was, he would finish Bakura off before its effect forced him to discard anything.

“And I would have won…” continued Bakura.

He bowed his head and clenched his fist.

“But…?” replied Jason.

“But I got cocky and overconfident,” grumbled the Evil Spirit. “I wanted to see Yugi squirm. So I attacked with a Monster called Necro Jar, purposely destroying it, and due to its effect, its death forced Yugi to discard four extra cards from his deck, leaving him with only one left…

“…and the card at the very bottom of his deck turned out to be his most powerful card. He used it to defeat me… soundly…

“Well I won’t make that mistake again, you hear! I got rid of that stupid Counterbalance card, and adapted a totally new strategy!

“It isn’t quite as subtle or… clean, but it’s incredibly deadly…”

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I summon The Darkchild in Attack Mode!”

A dark shadow appeared on his side of the field…

And in front of him, what looked like a little girl, with black hair, dressed in a black dress appeared.

She stared at Jason, and then her eyes glowed red!

“Look out!” shouted Trisha. “I’ve seen something like this in Children of the Corn!”

“Good analogy…” said Bakura, with a chuckle. “Although the Darkchild may seem like a harmless little girl, she’s actually a demon who has taken a deceiving form. And in case you were wondering what she can do…

“For every card, Monster, Spell, AND Trap, that has been affected by the curse of my Cursed Twin Dolls, regardless of which player was cursed, her Attack Score is 500.”

“Wait a second…” said Russell, looking at the phantoms. “One, two, three…”

“Twenty-three…” muttered Trisha. “That means her Attack is… Let’s see…”

She gasped.

“Eleven-thousand, five-hundred!”

(11,500/0)

“And she didn’t even need a calculator!” laughed Bakura. “Well, ‘Dark Messiah’… This has indeed been an invigorating duel… But I’m afraid it’s all over now!”

Good lord… thought the Puppeteer, from his hiding spot. Whatever was I thinking summoning someone this dangerous? What was I on?

“Darkchild,” ordered Bakura, “attack Double Pinaska with unholy surge!”

The evil child laughed, and her hands became enveloped in orbs of pure, black energy. She blasted a ray of pure, evil magic at Double Pinaska… The whole shrine was engulfed in a bone-numbing chill…

“NO!” screamed Trisha.

“Jason!” shouted Russell.

“Double Pinaska!” screamed Jason. “I’m activating your effect NOW!”

The Warrior nodded to him, and raised his machetes… The blast struck him…

There was a huge explosion…

“Hmm…” said Bakura, as he looked at the smoke the impact had caused. “Something… isn’t right…”

The smoke cleared…

(J: 4,350) -------------------- (B: 6,000)

“What?” said Bakura, shocked. “Your Life Points should be nothing!”

He paused.

“Wait… Your Warrior survived too…”

Double Pinaska was gasping for breath. His blades slumped down.

“You didn’t take into account Double Pinaska’s effect,” replied Jason. “He has an ability that I can use only once per duel. Just once…

“An any time, he can negate one attack, towards him, towards another of my Monsters, or even towards me, no matter how powerful it is.”

Double Pinaska wiped his brow.

“Thanks,” said Jason.

The Spaniard gave him a thumbs up.

“Very well…” said Bakura. “I’ll finish my turn by placing this card facedown…”

He played his last card. He smirked as the facedown card appeared.

He’s only survived one last turn, thought the Spirit. He’ll logically move all four of his Monsters to Defense Mode. But when he does so with the last one, my facedown card will activate, the Trap Card, Tragedy. It will destroy all his Monsters in Defense Mode when one of them switches to Defense.

He can’t win… This duel, and his power… will be mine…

Jason drew a card…

It shone in the dim light…

“I place this card facedown…” he said, fitting his Polymerization card into his Disk.

The facedown card appeared.

“And then…” he said, taking the card he had just drawn, “come on out, Timaeus!”

With a fierce roar, and a flash of lightning, Timaeus appeared, this time materializing in the shrine like some sort of radiant phantasm. The Evil Spirit backed up at the sight of him.

Such… power! he thought.

“Timaeus…” shouted Jason. “Merge with Blade Knight to form Shining Dragon Knight!”

The Dragon and the Warrior merged together in a bright flash…

Flying out of the light, was a form that looked like Blade Knight, but he was not alone. He was mounted on a large dragon with brilliant, silver armor and shining wings. Pure light radiated from the mount and its rider. (2,000/2,000)

“Sorry, Jason,” laughed Bakura, “but that isn’t nearly strong enough!”

“Oh, is it?” replied Jason. “Maybe I should explain its ability. See, if I have no cards in my hand, I can forfeit its attack in order to destroy one Monster on the field.

“And guess what, Bakura?”

He waved his hands, revealing that he was holding no cards.

“Shining Dragon Knight, wipe out the Darkchild!”

Shining Dragon Knight blasted a beam of pure light, and the Darkchild shattered into dark pixels.

“Now, Luster Dragon would like a word with you…” said Jason. “Especially after you used that Spirit Sword of Sealing on him.”

Luster Dragon roared, and breathed a blast of fire! Bakura screamed as he was covered in it.

“Dark Harlequin, your turn! Direct attack!”

Dark Harlequin leapt up, did a flip, a kicked Bakura in the chest.

“Double Pinaska, finish him off! Double Slash!”

Double Pinaska leapt up, and made two slashes across Bakura’s torso…

The Evil Spirit of the Ring fell to his knees…

(J: 2,350) -------------------- (B: 0)

“Well, Bakura…” said Jason. “That’s game.”

The Spirit looked at him with an expression that could only be construed as hate…

“And all kidding aside…” said Jason, walking up to him, “we had a deal…”

His eyes glowed with a golden light.

“So begone from this world, and never trouble mortals again…”

Jason glowed with a golden aura. A look of sheer terror appeared on the Spirit’s face…

Then a flaming crack opened at his feet, and he screamed as he was swallowed by it, plunging into the fiery depths!

Jason fell on one knee as the pit vanished, and gasped to catch his breath. Sweat was pouring down his face.

Russell and Trisha were too scared to move for a minute. Finally, Trisha came up to him slowly.

“You actually did it…” muttered Trisha. “I… I thought you were bluffing. But you actually…”

“Sent him to Hell?” replied Jason.

He nodded.

“Oh yeah… I guess I did. Like I said, I can do it to someone who’s truly deserving… Demons like him…

“It isn’t something I’d do on a whim. I don’t have a right to judge most people. But with some people, I don’t have a problem with it. He was pure Evil.

“He said he hated his Monsters… A guy like him, that didn’t surprise me. Now fiends like the ones he hated can show him how much they like abuse.

“But it took a lot of energy… I hope I don’t have to duel again for…”

He paused.

“…oh, a half hour or so…”

Watching from the splintered remains of the door was the Puppeteer of Death.

Fear not, Jason, he said, I have no intention of targeting you… Especially since I don’t want you to do to me what you did to him…

I should really thank you for disposing of that specter. I really didn’t know how I was going to get rid of him. I certainly couldn’t have dueled him myself. Even the strongest Monster in my new deck would have been defeated by that Darkchild. I only agreed to try to summon him because it was the only way I knew how to placate the Master.

Now to business…

Russell… You will soon regret what you did to me… I don’t need Raviel to take you down this time…

I’ll face you with the Ultimate Fiend Deck…

Tuesday, November 10th, 10:45 PM

SPIRITUALISTIC MEDIUM (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A derelict cemetery swarming with ghosts.

Card Description: Choose one FIEND or ZOMBIE-Type Monster on your side of the field. For every one of your cards that has been destroyed this turn, increase the ATK of the chosen Monster by 500 until the End Phase of the turn.

Note: “Spiritualistic Medium” was used by Bakura in the anime episode “Shadow of a Duel”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

THE DUKE OF DEMISE (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Fusion/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 6
ATK: 2,000
DEF: 1,700

Card Description: Headless Knight + The Earl of Demise

Pay 500 Life Points during every Standby Phase that you have this card face-up on the field. If you do not, this card is destroyed. This card is not destroyed as a result of battle (damage calculation still applies).

Note: “The Duke of Demise” was used by Bakura in the anime episode “Spiritual Awakening”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

ZOMA THE SPIRIT (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap/Continuous
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A rotting and decayed dragon.

Card Description: This card can only be activated during a Main Phase. When activated, this card becomes a Monster Card and is placed in your Monster Zone in Defense Position (Zombie/Dark/4 stars/1,800 ATK/500 DEF). It is also considered a Trap. When this card is destroyed as a Monster as a result of battle, inflict damage to your opponent’s Life Points equal to twice that of the Monster that destroyed this card.

Note: “Zoma the Spirit” is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was used by Bakura in the multi-part anime episode “The Dark One Cometh”.

DISGRACED MAGE (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,700
DEF: 1,200

Card Description: When this card destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle, return the destroyed Monster to the top of your opponent’s deck instead of the Graveyard. Also, if this card is destroyed as a result of battle, you can reduce the damage you take from the battle to zero by returning this card and all the cards in your hand to your deck. If you do so, reshuffle your deck.

SPIRIT SWORD OF SEALING (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Continuous
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A thin sword flying forward in a blur.

Card Description: This card cannot be destroyed by Spell Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster effects. Upon activation, choose one Monster on the field and place one “Seal Counter” on it. The Monster with the “Seal Counter” cannot attack or use its effect, cannot be offered as a Tribute, cannot be targeted for an attack, and cannot be destroyed by a card effect. If the Monster with the “Seal Counter” is the only Monster on a player’s side of the field, his opponent may attack directly. If a Monster is sent to the Graveyard belonging to the player who owns the Monster with the “Seal Counter”, this card is destroyed and the “Seal Counter” is removed.

NECRO CYCLE (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap/Continuous
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Four multicolored Necro Mannequins.

Card Description: If you have at least one “Necro Mannequin” face up on your side of the field when this card is active, you can Special Summon one “Necro Mannequin” from your hand or deck during your Main Phase.

NECRO MANNEQUIN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Zombie
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: 500
DEF: 500

Flavor Text: A weird construct made of pieced-together bones.

NECRO WALL (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: 0
DEF: 0

Card Description: During your End Phase that this card is on the field, you can Special Summon one “Necro Wall Token” (Zombie/Dark/1 star/0ATK/0DEF) in Defense Position for every ZOMBIE-Type Monster on your side of the field.

NECRO SOLDIER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: 0
DEF: 0

Card Description: If this card is face-up on your side of the field, you can Special Summon one “Necro Soldier” from your hand or deck during your opponent’s Standby Phase. The “Necro Soldier” that is Special Summoned by this effect can use its effect during the turn that it is Special Summoned.

NARROW CORRIDOR (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap/Continuous
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A warrior crawling through a narrow shaft.

Card Description: When this card is active, both players cannot attack with more than two Monsters during each of their turns.

CURSED TWIN DOLLS (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Continuous
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Two evil-looking female dolls, one dressed in blue and the other in dressed in red.

Card Description: Give your opponent the option of flipping a coin, or letting you flip a coin. The player who flips a coin calls heads or tails. If the player wins the toss, he is considered “not cursed” and his opponent is considered “cursed,” or the opposite if he loses the toss, for as long as this card remains in effect. The “not cursed” player gains 200 Life Points whenever a card goes to his Graveyard. All cards in the “cursed” player’s Graveyard are removed from play, and his cards are taken out of play when they would be sent to the Graveyard for as long as this card remains in play. Cards removed from play by this effect are placed on the “cursed” player’s side of the field, but do not occupy any zones, cannot attack, cannot defend from an attack, and cannot use their effects. The “cursed” played cannot discard cards from his hand and is unaffected by card effects that require him to do so.

Note: The proceeding eight cards were used by Bakura in the multi-part anime episode “The Dark One Cometh”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

THE DARKCHILD (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: ?
DEF: 0

Card Description: This card is destroyed if “Cursed Twin Dolls” is not active on your side of the field. This card’s base ATK is 500 for every card that has been removed from play by the effect of “Cursed Twin Dolls”.

DOUBLE PINASKA (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,500
DEF: 1,500

Card Description: If this card is face-up on your side of the field, and your opponent declares an attack, you may negate that attack. You may only use this effect once while this card remains face-up on the field.

Note: “Double Pinaska” first appeared in “Legacy of the Duelist”.

SHINING DRAGON KNIGHT (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Dragon/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 7
ATK: 2,000
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: This card is descended by activating “The Eye of Timaeus” and offering one “Blade Knight” as a Tribute. You can activate the effect of this card when you have no cards in your hand. When you activate this effect, destroy one face-up opposing Monster. This card may not attack during the round you use this effect. After you use this effect three times, destroy this card.

Coming up next:

The Puppeteer returns with a vengeance, and Russell might face his toughest challenge ever, because he’s back with a Monster that would put even Raviel to shame. What dark entity awaits?

Find out, in a chapter called “Return of the Doomed”, coming soon…

Master of Paradox

19th January 2007, 08:05 AM

To begin with, I think you found the one character Jason could do that "His soul is completely evil" trick with and not have it come across as desperate justification for whatever bad things the heroes plan to do.

There are two characters in canon Yu-Gi-Oh who count, in my opinion, as pure evil, and the fangirls have long since spoiled Yami Marik for me. Unfortunately, I don't quite think you got Bakura down. Maybe it's just because a long time's passed since I last saw those episodes, but it didn't feel quite like him somehow. Not evil enough, maybe?

At least it's his deck, although I wasn't familiar with most of his cards for a personal reason (I skipped Pharaoh's Memories out of protest over 4Kids's translation). It's a decent theme, but I do have one complaint: The Darkchild - nice effect, terribly lame design.

Now to register another complaint (you knew this was coming): Jason's deck never had much of a theme to begin with, short of Kaiba worship. It's since grown and evolved to the point he no longer has any theme, only a few combos. While that should make The_Missing_Link happy, it does tick off those of us who care about such things.

The duel, despite my aforementioned misgivings, is one of your better ones so far this story. Granted, due to the Zombie Lock not a lot happened near the center, but it still flowed quite well, and it had one of your better Timaeus concoctions so far. Admirable.

Now for a plot hole: You revealed in this chapter that the movie Fortunado was planning (which seems to have vanished for the last ten chapters or so) is a documentary on the Reckoning. Fair enough, although once the world turns into a hell I don't think people will care how it got there. But in the beginning chapters of the story, up until around "Question", Fortunado was attempting to rig the results and vociferously complained when the outcome was not how he planned it. How does that fit? Documentary filmmakers are typically shunned if they try to stage events; their goal is to capture what really happened. Shouldn't he have approved of things not going as planned? (And if he was angry about the Master's response to it, wouldn't he have complained about something other than a wrecked scene?)

All in all, though, this was a great improvement over the last chapter.

As for next chapter... Time to see how "they" turned out.

jkBAKURA

19th January 2007, 08:48 AM

And for the first time, I think I'll title my review...

BAKURA on Bakura. Has a nice ring I think.

I had kind of started to miss Jason dueling, and I mkust express a slight disappointment. I thought his new powers would change the character somewhat, even if the deck remained unchanged. Still it was a nice addition to his appearances.

Bakura was unexpected, I was thinking Yami Marik myself (though he'd be even harder to recover) As such, I have good news and bad news. I never saw Bakura's final duel in the anime, but I've read the summary countless times. I think you made a good choice in bringing back the Pharoh's Memory deck, while still keeping a slight Battle City feel.

One thing that got on my nerves was that while you were indeed true to the charcter's actions, his diolouge didn't seem authentic. Some of the stories and quips just weren't Dark enough, but that's just creative differenses, as I have also had Bakura make an appearance.

(for the morbidly curious, the last LoD chapter is finished, but still needs major editing)

So, that's enough on that. Not much more I have actually. See you and Russel next week.

starjake

19th January 2007, 03:35 PM

I believe I'm going to try something Paradox does frequently and not sugarcoat my thoughts.

This chapter was decidedly boring.

I was never a huge fan of Jason's duels; Kaiba's deck seems to lose some of its granduer if its not being played by Kaiba in my eyes. Bakura's deck was a decent blend of battle city and Pharoah's Memories. All in all, the duel in and of itself was ok.

However...I'm sorry to be so blunt, but your character work stank here, particularly when it came to Bakura. I had to continue telling myself that this was, indeed, Bakura talking; I could not hear that whispering, English-accented voice in my head if my life depended on it. Even the words he said didn't sound much like things Bakura would say. By the end of the duel, he seemed to be almost whining. IMO, Bakura had the most complex character out of all the villains the anime has yet presented us with, and I failed to see much of that complexity in your representation of him.

That being said, I look foward to the Puppeteer's rematch with Russell. Until then, this is StarJake, signing off.

The_Missing_Link

19th January 2007, 04:48 PM

Now to register another complaint (you knew this was coming): Jason's deck never had much of a theme to begin with, short of Kaiba worship. It's since grown and evolved to the point he no longer has any theme, only a few combos. While that should make The_Missing_Link happy, it does tick off those of us who care about such things.

I really don't see how that would make me happy. The only reason I don't reply in this fic that often is because I have no knowledge of the card game. I watch the anime but aside from that, I'm clueless. I can't really gripe about cards being used because I don't want to gripe about something I don't know anything about. And quite honestly, I think some of the made up cards are cool, as long as the creator made it interesting

With that said, it didn't seem like you did Bakura justice. He was decidingly dull and didn't have the same cunning and evil aura that the anime portrayed. The duel was ok also, albeit a bit boring. Not much of a fan of the filler chapters

Shuppet Master

20th January 2007, 12:41 PM

Well, the evil spirit of Zork the Dark One, wearing Bakura's body, huh? That was...unexpected. :D

I admit that this character was one of my favorite villians - he was a schemer and worked behind the scenes, not fully revealing himself until the time was right. His Zombie Lock deck was one I had seen in action and, let me tell you, it was a scary one. (I hadn't seen Ghost Duke because I missed the duel he had with Kaiba.)

Anyways, that chapter was quite a thriller. When "Bakura" summoned the Darkchild, I was reminded of that creepy girl that appeared in the XBOX 360 game, F.E.A.R., the one that appears at times while you're being attacked by infected soldiers and demons? Creepy!

I really enjoyed this chapter, and I hope that I can enjoy the next one, where Russell will kick the Puppeter's can again. (C'mon, you all know it's gonna happen!)

Mystic_clown

21st January 2007, 12:11 AM

It's Bakura!...and you killed him -.-

While it's good to see one of the series' most awesome characters make an appearance, I have to agree with the others about the whole charicterisation.

Oddly enough, I was reading that duel in the manga before reading this chapter. Nice to see Bakura's creepy toy cards making an appearance. It's good to see another dragon creation. I find it a bit strange though that the greek gd of wisdom would give a card like that to Jason.

I'd have to agree with Paradox's verdict on the Darkchil card. Awesome effect, lame design.

Well, no prize as to guessing this new monster the puppeteer has.

Dark Sage

26th January 2007, 03:17 AM

My history with the duelist I’m facing consists of two duels.

In the first duel, I was beaten, but it wasn’t exactly fair. His deck contained a card that I was completely unprepared for, and he also cheated by trick-shuffling.

In the second duel, I won, but to be fair, maybe the odds were too stacked in my own favor that time. I was using a deck specially designed to counter his.

Anyway, I’m facing him a third time, so I guess this is the tie-breaker.

I know he’s hiding something this time, but maybe I have a plan of my own.

CHAPER SIXTY-TWO

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lon-021.jpg

Tuesday, November 10th, 10:50 PM

In the evil Shrine, Jason sat against the wall and took deep breaths.

As hard it was to believe, he had faced one of Yugi’s deadliest foes, and won. The Evil Spirit of the Ring was burning in Perdition. He would never trouble the world again.

Somehow, this gave him a boost of confidence. Maybe after winning such a battle, Fortunado wouldn’t be so hard.

And now all he had to do was find a way to get to him. He wanted to get out of this place. The evil stink was still in the air… And he didn’t like it.

He started to prepare his deck. He knew just what cards he wanted in it.

“Taking it easy, Mr. Dark Messiah?” said a voice.

They all sat up.

“I know that voice…” said Russell.

Their eyes turned to the door, as the Puppeteer of Death entered.

“We thought you were dead,” said Jason, with a snarl.

“I was already was dead, in case you forgot,” said the Puppeteer. “Keeping track of the time, people? Almost midnight, you know, and you need to find a way to the top floor of this tower…

“Well I can send you there…”

“There’s a condition, I’ll bet…” answered Jason.

The Puppeteer stared at Russell.

“Russell…” he said. “Our record stands tied, one victory apiece. I want a decisive duel from you…

“…winner take all.”

Russell looked at him.

“You don’t know when to quit, do you?” he asked. “Well fine. After all, Raviel is gone now, so all you are is some second-rate Fiend duelist.”

Under his mask, the Puppeteer grinned.

If only you knew, Russell, he thought. If only you knew that in my new deck, I have something that would put even Raviel to shame…

He started to shuffle his deck.

“Ah…” said Russell, walking up to him, “just to be safe, this time, I’m gonna do that for you. “

“Be my guest,” said the Puppeteer, handing it to him. “I don’t need to cheat to defeat you. This time, I’m going to beat you fair and square. I can be a gentleman when I want to be.”

“Bull,” said Russell.

He took the deck and gave it a thorough shuffle and a cut.

“There,” he said, giving it back. “No trickery this time.”

“Be careful Russell,” said Trisha. “This is one guy I don’t trust.”

“Me neither,” said Jason. “Just looking at him, I sense he’s hiding something.”

And it isn’t just him… he thought. Raviel may be gone, but a definite sense of malice is lurking in his deck. Several of the Monsters don’t seem like garden variety… Great evil emits from those cards…

“We all have things to hide…” muttered the Puppeteer. “I ask you folks… Do you even have any idea what the motivations are behind this whole scheme? What the true thing is that empowers it?

“I’ll tell you… It’s frustration.”

“Frustration?” asked Jason.

“Let me just tell you one thing, Jason…” said the Puppeteer. “The Reckoning may happen every thousand years until the end of time… I don’t know, it isn’t up to me…”

He paused.

“But tonight, if my side loses, next time there will be changes… Because the one who has run things up to now has truly burned every bridge.”

“What are you talking about?” demanded Jason.

“I’m not here to explain,” said the Puppeteer. “I’m here to duel.”

Russell placed a toothpick in his mouth, as his Disk activated. The Puppeteer activated his.

“Fine with me!” shouted Russell. “Ready… battle!”

They drew five cards…

(Russell: 8,000) -------------------- (Puppeteer of Death: 8,000)

“Prepare to meet your worst nightmares,” said the Puppeteer, making his first draw, “as I summon one of the darkest Fiends from the underworld you’ll ever meet. I summon the Darksphinx in Attack Mode.”

In a dark shadow, a bestial form appeared. It resembled the Grecian sphinx in general outline, having the head and upper torso of a woman and the hindquarters of a lion. But her head had two sets of horns, her fur was black, and she had black, feathered wings. She clutched two double-bladed, curved daggers. (1,400/1,000)

Russell knew that Industrial Illusions didn’t make this card – they’d never approve a female Monster with exposed breasts…

He frowned.

“I don’t know what your game is,” he said, “but that doesn’t look too formidable. Only 1,400 Attack Points?”

“Maybe,” replied the Puppeteer. “But be wary…You’ll have to be careful to solve the riddle of this sphinx. I end my turn.”

“Be careful, Russell!” shouted Trisha. “Low Attack Points usually means tricky effects!”

Russell drew a card, and then carefully considered…

He played a card.

“I summon Command Knight in Attack Mode,” he said.

In a burst of flame, Command Knight appeared, holding aloft her sword. (1,200/1,900) –> (1,600/1,900)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ct1-en003s.jpg

Russell paused for a minute as Command Knight and Darksphinx stared each other down.

“Command Knight…” he ordered. “Attack the Darksphinx!”

Darksphinx grinned an evil smile as Command Knight lifted her sword…

“Hold on, Russell,” said the Puppeteer. “It isn’t that easy. Since you declared an attack against Darksphinx, you activated her special ability…”

He held his hand of cards forward.

“You see, she’s like a Monster version of Ordeal of a Traveler. You have to choose a card in my hand and guess if it’s a Monster, Spell, or Trap. Guess right, and Command Knight can attack. Guess wrong, and she goes back to your hand.”

Russell drew back, rather startled.

“Uh… yeah…” he said. “Okay…”

He considered for a minute.

“I believe…” he said, “That the card on your far left is… A Monster…”

The Puppeteer glared at him.

He flipped the card around.

Darksphinx started to laugh cruelly when they saw what it was. It was a Trap called Pact of Greed.

“Better luck next time…” said the Puppeteer with a smirk, as Command Knight vanished.

“Ooh,” cursed Russell, looking at his hand. “Fine, that’s all I can do for now…”

“Oh no…” muttered Trisha.

The Puppeteer made a draw.

“First I’ll place this facedown…” he said, placing a card in his Disk.

A facedown card appeared.

“Then a Monster in Defense Mode.”

A facedown Monster appeared.

“And now… Darksphinx, attack him directly!”

Darksphinx flew forward, and made two downward slashes, stabbing into Russell with her daggers.

Russell fell to his knees. This was even worse than usual. He actually felt like he had been stabbed by knives.

He saw the Darksphinx looking down at him, with a cruel smile on her face.

Then he heard the Monster’s voice!

”Perhaps I won’t toy with you…” she said. ”Perhaps I’ll just EAT you!”

“Get back here!” commanded the Puppeteer. “You made your attack…”

The Darksphinx frowned, and walked back to the Puppeteer’s side.

“Sorry about that…” said the Puppeteer. “In these games, some beasts can be hard to control until you show them who’s boss…

“But… when you are beaten, I won’t hold her back.”

Russell got up, shivering…

He had known all along that this would be a Shadow Game, but he realized now, this Darksphinx was not a creature of the Shadows…

She was a demon straight from the depths of Hell.

(R: 6,600) -------------------- (P: 8,000)

* * * * * * * * * *

The Master smiled.

“Yes…” she said. “The first one has been released…

“Skorne was one of the most powerful evil forces ever to represent Evil in the Reckoning on this world. He may be dead, but with care and precision, his four guardians have been reborn in the form of Duel Monsters cards.

“And even if they should fail…

“The true master of that deck will finish Russell off but good…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Russell sweat as he got up. He tried to collect himself.

Okay… he thought. Sure, she’s a demon, sure, she has a powerful effect, but this is still a duel, and she’s still a Monster. And like all Monsters, she can be defeated.

And since the size of his hand has just gotten smaller, I have a better chance now.

He drew a card.

“I activate a Trap Card,” said the Puppeteer.

His facedown card lifted, showing the image of Kozaky in front of several computer screens.

“It’s called Success Probability 0%.”

“I know that card!” shouted Trisha. “It’s in my side deck!”

“Then you know what it does,” said the Puppeteer. “It forces Russell to take two Monsters from his Fusion Deck at random and discard them.”

Russell gave him an angry look. His Fusion Deck only had two cards!

“After all…” said the Puppeteer, “it was your Arcana Knight Joker who defeated me the last time, and I want no part of him this time.”

Russell frowned as he discarded that card along with Flame Swordsman.

I’ll get your revenge, guys, he thought.

“Continuing my turn…” he said, “I summon my Marauding Captain…”

He played the card, and Captain appeared, brandishing his blades. (1,200/400)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod_018.jpg

“And I’ll use his effect to summon Command Knight yet again…” he continued.

Marauding Captain whistled, and Command Knight stepped out onto the field. (1,200/1,900)

Both of their Attack Scores rose to 1,600.

“Get the picture, Puppeteer?” asked Russell. “Now I get two chances to solve your sphinx’s riddle, since I have two Monsters.

“Marauding Captain, attack!”

Captain raised his blades.

“Be my guest…” dared the Puppeteer, raising his hand.

“Card on the far right… Monster,” said Russell.

Darksphinx grinned, showing her fangs as the Puppeteer turned the card around, showing it to be The Puppet Magic of Dark Ruler.

Marauding Captain vanished.

“Be careful, Russell!” shouted Trisha.

The Puppeteer put his cards together, and then spread them out again.

Russell grit his teeth. If she attacked him again…

“Command Knight, attack!” he shouted.

Command Knight raised her own sword.

“Card in the middle left… Monster,” said Russell.

Both the Puppeteer and Darksphinx looked surprised this time…

“Well what do you know…” muttered the Puppeteer, turning the card around. “You actually got it…”

It was a Monster called Silver Chimera.

“And I’m not the only one who’s gonna get it,” said Russell.

Command Knight made a slash with her sword, and Darksphinx howled. She burst into globules of darkness.

(R: 6,600) -------------------- (P: 7,800)

So much for that creepy thing, thought Russell. But I have a feeling this is just starting.

“So you destroyed Darksphinx…” said the Puppeteer, drawing a card. “So what? She was only the first of many…”

He played two cards.

“I place one card facedown, and I summon Silver Chimera in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and a new Monster appeared. It again resembled a mythical creature, this time the Chimera. But its lion and goat heads were both demonic and had eyes that glowed with evil light. Its body was covered with silvery scales rather than fur. (1,600/1,200)

“Why play that Monster?” asked Russell. “It has exactly the same Attack Score as Command Knight.”

“She isn’t the target,” answered the Puppeteer. “When your Monsters are all in Attack Mode and all have equal or more Attack Points than Silver Chimera, it can attack you directly.”

Russell stepped back.

“Attack!” commanded the Puppeteer. “Black flame scourge!”

Silver Chimera’s three heads shot blasts of black energy, flying past Command Knight. Russell felt pain unlike any that should have come from a Monster with only 1,600 Attack Points…

Clearly, this thing was the same variety of Fiend as Darksphinx…

(R: 5,000) -------------------- (P: 7,800)

“I’ll end my turn there…” said the Puppeteer.

Russell glared at him in hate as he drew a card.

“How’s your hand?” asked the Puppeteer. “Maybe not so good? Well, maybe I can help…”

His facedown card lifted.

“I activate the Trap Card, Pact of Greed.”

The Pot of Greed appeared in the center of the field, and started spinning around as it made a low chuckle.

“Now we both get to make one draw,” said the Puppeteer.

Russell shrugged as they both drew a card.

“All right then…” he said. “I Equip Command Knight with Fusion Sword Murasame Blade.”

He played the card, and the large, sharp sword appeared in Command Knight’s hand. Her attack rose to 2,400.

“Now I’ll summon Marauding Captain again…”

Marauding Captain appeared again. (1,200/400) –> (1,600/400)

“And I’ll use his effect to summon Warrior Dai Grepher!”

Grepher appeared, holding his broadsword. (1,700/1,600) –> (2,100/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-020.jpg

“Grepher, attack the Silver Chimera!”

Grepher slashed with his sword, cutting the Fiend down the middle. The two pieces shattered like crystal.

“Marauding Captain, take out his facedown Monster!”

Marauding Captain flew at the facedown Monster. Sangan appeared on the card, and was sliced in half.

“Don’t celebrate yet,” said the Puppeteer, taking his deck. “I’ll use his effect to search for a new Monster…”

He got what he wanted.

“One like The Queen of Spiders!”

“Fine!” shouted Russell. “Command Knight, attack him directly!”

Command Knight angrily charged the Puppeteer, and slashed at him with her blade. He grunted and fell backwards.

(R: 5,000) -------------------- (P: 4,900)

“All right!” shouted Trisha. “Russell is in the lead!”

“I know…” muttered Jason. “But I don’t like it. I have a feeling that the Puppeteer is keeping his best Monsters in reserve.”

The Puppeteer glared at Russell. His eyes glowed red.

He drew a card.

“Well Russell…” he said, playing a card, “since your Command Knight had the gall to attack me, I’m going to bury her. I play Tribute to the Doomed.”

He played the card, and discarded The Puppet Magic of Dark Ruler.

Command Knight screamed as a swarm of linens erupted around her and wrapped her up. A huge hand grabbed her, dragging her into the grave.

Russell stared at his foe, now more than angry.

The Puppeteer placed a card on his Disk.

“I summon The Queen of Spiders in Defense Mode,” he said.

Another creepy form rose up in the shadows. This one looked like a huge black widow spider, but where the head would be was the decrepit body of an ugly hag. (800/800)

“Go ahead,” he said.

“You think that ugly thing scares me?” said Russell, drawing. “It’s pathetic.”

“I play The Warrior Returning Alive to bring Command Knight back to my hand.”

He played the card, and took the card from his discard slot.

“Now I’ll summon her,” he said, playing the card. “Welcome back…”

Command Knight appeared again, and shook her limbs, as if trying to get the stiffness out of them. (1,200/1,900) –> (1,600/1,900)

“Now swat that spider!”

Command Knight brought her sword down on spider demon, and it moaned before it shattered.

“Nice try…” said the Puppeteer, “but when that Monster is destroyed, she leaves behind a few friends. Four Spider Fiend Tokens in Defense Mode.”

Four small spiders appeared on the Puppeteer’s side of the field. (0/0 x4)

“Marauding Captain, Grepher!” shouted Russell. “Destroy two of them!”

With two slashes of swords, two of the tokens were stomped.

Jason held his chin in worry.

He just knew the Puppeteer was leading up to something…

“My move…” said the Puppeteer, drawing a card.

He looked over his hand.

“I’ll play Pot of Greed…” he said, playing the card.

He drew two cards.

Where the Hell is it? he thought. Maybe playing fair was a bad idea…

He played a card.

“I summon Brimstone Golem in Attack Mode.”

A fire erupted on his side of the field, and a hulking, muscular figure, apparently made out of flaming charcoal, rose up. (2,200/300)

“Okay…” muttered Russell, “what’s the catch?”

“I can’t fool you can I?” asked the Puppeteer. “Actually, it has two catches, but I’ll only tell you one of them now. Similar to Panther Warrior, I have to sacrifice a Monster in order for it to Attack.

“So I sacrifice one Spider Fiend Token…”

One of the tokens vanished.

“Attack Marauding Captain! Ember punch!”

Brimstone Golem socked the Captain with its fiery fist, and the Warrior shattered.

(R: 4,400) -------------------- (P: 4,900)

Continued…

Dark Sage

26th January 2007, 03:21 AM

Continued from last post:

“So what are you going to do now?” asked the Puppeteer.

Russell drew a card.

“I sacrifice both my Monsters…” he declared.

The room darkened, and Command Knight and Grepher vanished.

“Arise, Crescent Moon Queen!”

The ebony-skinned warrior queen in silvery armor appeared, holding her blades threateningly. (2,600/1,700)

The Puppeteer stepped back in surprise.

“Destroy his Golem!” shouted Russell.

Crescent Moon Queen made a slash with her sword, and to everyone’s surprise, the Golem exploded, throwing the Puppeteer backwards.

(R: 4,400) -------------------- (P: 3,500)

“So that’s it…” said Russell. “That’s the other catch. If it’s destroyed, you lose 1,000 more Life Points.”

“Well what do you know,” said the Puppeteer, sarcastically, “he figured it out all by himself.”

“Make jokes while you can, pal,” said Russell. “Queen, destroy his last token!”

Crescent Moon Queen cleaved the last spider in half.

Then she backed up and crouched in Defense Mode.

“Your move…” said Russell. “So now what? I can hardly wait to see what comes next…”

The Puppeteer drew a card.

“I play Graceful Charity…” he said, drawing a card.

He made three draws.

There it is… he thought. The true lord of this deck. Of course, drawing it and summoning it are two different things…

He discarded Gil Garth and a second Silver Chimera.

“I place two cards facedown…” he said.

Two facedown Monsters appeared.

“Then I summon Opticlops in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and the more familiar Fiend appeared. (1,800/1,700)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-0091.jpg

“No…” moaned Trisha. “It can beat Queenie’s Defense…”

“I think that’s the least of Russell’s worries,” said Jason.

He paused.

“Ever since he played Graceful Charity, the evil smell in this room has increased…

“Before it was just the smell of a dung heap…

“Now, I’d liken it more to the smell of an arson attack at a condemned slaughterhouse.”

“Attack!” shouted the Puppeteer.

Opticlops charged, and rammed the Queen with its horn, blasting her to pixels.

Russell closed his eyes. A tear fell down his face.

“My… move…” he said.

He drew.

He played a card, and Pot of Greed appeared on the field. He drew two cards.

He looked them over.

He didn’t say a word as he made his next move. He played three cards, and three facedown cards appeared.

Then he played another, and Queen’s Knight appeared in front of them. (1,500/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/een-en004.jpg

Then he played yet another, and Rush Recklessly appeared.

“Kill…” said Russell.

Queen’s Knight was more than happy to comply, and swung her sword, decapitating the Fiend. Its remains shattered.

“Move…” said Russell.

(R: 4,400) -------------------- (P: 3,100)

“Run out of clever banter?” asked the Puppeteer, drawing.

“I’m not in the mood anymore,” said Russell. “Maybe I’m just getting tired of nuts like you. This has been happening for over two months now, and so help me, it’s gonna stop tonight.”

“I agree…” said the Puppeteer.

His facedown card lifted.

“I activate Call of the Haunted.”

The Brimstone Golem reappeared.

“Now, I sacrifice it… To summon a Monster who I can’t help but love… You’ll see why in a minute.

“I summon the dreaded… Puppet Master.”

The Golem vanished, and a frightening-looking Fiend appeared. It was a gaunt creature, dressed in a jester’s outfit, floating over the ground. (0/0)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/gb7_b02.jpg

“That thing has no points!” shouted Trisha.

“Don’t underestimate it…” warned Jason. “I not only know about this Monster, I faced it once before.”

“Then you know what I’m about to do,” continued the Puppeteer. “I may have to pay the heavy price of 2,000 Life Points, but I can summon two Fiends from my Graveyard.”

Puppet Master cackled, and cast an evil spell. Opticlops and Gil Garth appeared in Attack Mode. (1,800/1,000), (1,800/1,700)

“You forgot one thing,” said Russell. “They can’t attack on this round.”

“Then I guess I’ll end my turn…” said the Puppeteer.

(R: 4,400) -------------------- (P: 1,100)

Russell drew a card.

“I don’t know what you’re planning…” he said, “but I’m going to end this now…

“I Equip Queen’s Knight with Grade Sword…”

Queen’s Knight’s sword vanished, and the fancier one appeared in her hand. (1,800/1,600)

“And now that that’s done…” he said, “I sacrifice her, to summon Gilford the Legend!”

Queen’s Knight vanished, and the mighty Gilford arose, his cape fluttering in unseen wind. (2,600/2,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/sd5-en001.jpg

“Whoa!” shouted Trisha. “He hasn’t used him in a while!”

“And as an interesting side note,” continued Russell, “due to his effect, I can Equip him with both the Grade Sword and Fusion Sword Murasame Blade in my Graveyard.”

The two Equips appeared, and were absorbed into Gilford’s blade. (3,700/2,000)

“Attack his Puppet Master!” shouted Russell.

“Forget that I had one more Trap left?” asked the Puppeteer, as his facedown card lifted. “This was no bluff… It was Curse of Anubis.”

The jackal-headed god appeared, and howled. Both Gilford and Puppet Master moved into Defense Mode.

“This Trap moves all Effect Monsters into Defense Mode, and reduces their Defense Scores to zero for the rest of the round. Of course, it doesn’t affect Opticlops and Gil Garth, because they’re Normal Monsters.”

“Too bad you can’t attack on my turn,” said Russell. “On your turn, he’ll be back to 2,000 Defense.”

“Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…” chuckled the Puppeteer.

He drew a card.

Perfect… he thought. This Spell was just what I needed…

“I sacrifice Gil Garth…” he said.

Gil Garth burst into flame…

“AND Opticlops…”

Opticlops caught fire too.

“AND Puppet Master…”

Puppet Master caught fire.

“Three sacrifices?” shouted Trisha. “What the Hell…”

“Exactly…” said the Puppeteer.

They all watched in horror as the floor of the room turned to a pool of molten lava and the three fiends were consumed…

* * * * * * * * * *

The Sage of Duelists got up with a start.

“No!” he shouted. “The fools! They’ve unleashed the forbidden evil that was never to resurface!

“How… Strict orders were given… It should have remained imprisoned for all eternity…”

He paused.

“Russell…

“May the forces of pure Good come to your aid, for this is your darkest hour…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Russell could only watch, as the whole arena seemed to be transported to the fiery depths of Hell itself.

And behind the Puppeteer was a hulking creature standing thirty-feet tall! It would have been much taller, but it rose out of the lava, and only the parts of it body from the waist up were visible.

The Fiend – there was no doubt – had a bony exoskeleton, huge claws, and a horned carapace covering its head like a helmet. Its eyes glowed fiery red, and flames danced from every pore.

“Meet the last Monster you’ll ever see…” said the Puppeteer. ”Wicked God Dreadroot!”

(4,000/4,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/vjc-jp009.jpg

Russell took a step back…

“How can you have that?” he asked in fear. “That card was locked up in some Swiss vault!”

“My employer could steal from Fort Knox, given time,” said the Puppeteer. “I know you were taught about this creature… How Pegasus created the prototype, but how even he was afraid of it, and ordered it sealed away…

“But there’s something you didn’t know. You don’t know the true reason why Pegasus created it.

“He never intended to mass-produce this card. It was for his own personal use.”

“Balony!” shouted Jason. “Why would someone who played a Toon Deck want such an abomination?”

“Because of a more well-known mistake he had had made,” replied the Puppeteer. “He was afraid of the Egyptian God Cards. He needed a weapon in case anyone used them against him, and this beast could do it.

“Want to know why? Because of his great effect. He’s so terrifying, that while he’s on the field, an aura of supernatural fear cloaks the whole arena, making it difficult for anyone to attack or defend because they’re paralyzed with fright. In other words, all Monsters except this one lose half of their Attack and Defense Points.”

Russell looked at Gilford.

It was true. His stats were now at (1,850/1,000).

Russell stared in fear… This thing could even beat Slifer if the duelist using him had a full hand of six cards!

“Now where were we?” continued the Puppeteer. “Oh yes… I play the Spell Card, Smite of Dark Ruler. It works just like Meteorain in Spell form, except that only Fiends gain the benefit.”

He played the card. Trisha gasped as Dreadroot glowed with an aura of black flames.

“ATTACK!” screamed the Puppeteer. “Armageddon explosion!”

Wicked God Dreadroot raised his arm, and a ball of molten fire appeared in his hand…

He hurled it, and Russell braced himself as an explosion tore through his side of the field!

He panted and caught his breath…

(R: 4,400) -------------------- (P: 1,100)

“WHAT?” said the Puppeteer. “You didn’t lose a thing!”

Russell took some deep breaths.

“I had facedown cards too, buster,” he said. “I chained Emergency Provisions, sending my Reinforcements, Grade Sword, and Fusion Sword Murasame Blade to the Graveyard, and gaining 3,000 Life Points before your attack hit.”

“Fine…” said the Puppeteer. “As if it will make a difference. Unless you can somehow summon something with 8,000 Attack Points, you’ll never defeat Dreadroot! It’s your move…”

“I’m not through yet, Puppeteer…” said Russell.

Russell paused. Actually, maybe he was. He had no cards in his hand, and his last facedown card wouldn’t make much of a difference.

This next card had better be a Monster… he thought.

He drew.

“I place this in Defense Mode,” he said, setting the card.

Trisha cheered as the facedown Monster appeared.

“Very well…” said the Puppeteer. “I draw…”

He drew a card.

Metamorphosis.

Darn… he thought.

“Attack!” he shouted.

Dreadroot hurled its fireball. Warrior Lady of the Wasteland appeared on the card, and was incinerated.

“I activate her effect…” said Russell. “Come forth… Obnoxious Celtic Guardian!”

The elven Warrior appeared, holding his sword. (1,400/1,200) –> (700/600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ct1-en006s.jpg

“Clever…” said the Puppeteer. “I suppose you’ll shift him into Defense Mode… Well all I have to do is draw a Monster with less than 1,800 Attack Points, and you’re finished, and since Dreadroot affects my Monsters too, that won’t be much of a problem!”

“My move…” said Russell.

“Does Russell have anything that can beat that thing?” asked Trisha.

“Well…” muttered Jason. “Exiled Force could, if he even has that in his deck any more. That Order to Charge card could too… But he’d need a Normal Monster on the field, and the Puppeteer certainly isn’t going to let one last long enough for him to use it…”

Russell drew a card. He looked at it.

“I will move him into Defense Mode, and end my turn.”

The Guardian crouched in Defense.

The Puppeteer drew a card.

Dreadroot growled, impatiently. It strummed its clawed fingers on the surface of the arena…

The Puppeteer grinned.

“Well, no Monster…” he said. “But something almost as good…

“I Equip Dreadroot with Fairy Meteor Crush. I know it sounds contradictory to use a Spell with the word ‘Fairy’ on him, but…”

Dreadroot glowed again as he played the card.

“Anyway, your elf may survive this attack, but your Life Points will still take a hit.

“Dreadroot, attack!”

Trisha and Jason watched in fear, as Dreadroot hurled his fireball, and both Obnoxious Celtic Guardian and Russell screamed.

(R: 1,000) -------------------- (P: 1,100)

“Your move…” said the Puppeteer.

Russell was down on one knee. His Monster was intact, but wasn’t in the best shape either. He slowly got up…

This may be my last chance… he thought, drawing a card.

He looked at it. His eyes narrowed.

“First, I move Obnoxious Celtic Guardian into Attack Mode…” he said.

The elven Warrior stood up.

“What?” said the Puppeteer.

“Is he crazy?” shouted Trisha.

“Now I activate Call of the Haunted!” shouted Russell.

His facedown card lifted, and Marauding Captain reappeared. (1,200/400) –> (600/200)

“And now I sacrifice him… To summon Saint Knight Issac!”

Captain glowed with blinding light, and vanished. The imposing form of Sir Issac stepped out of the light. (2,300/1,800) –> (1,150/900)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/vjc-jp011.jpg

“You’re a fool,” said the Puppeteer. “He can’t help you now. Dreadroot’s power even weakens him.”

“We’ll see about that,” said Russell.

He took the card he had just drawn.

Continued…

Dark Sage

26th January 2007, 03:24 AM

Continued from last post:

“I play The Claw of Hermos!”

He threw the card on his Disk, and in a burst of light, Hermos appeared beside him!

“And I merge Hermos… With Issac!”

Jason and Trisha gasped…

* * * * * * * * * *

“Russell has done the unthinkable…” said the Sage. “He has combined one of the Dragons with a Card of Virtue…

“But what has he created?

“Can he even control it?”

* * * * * * * * * *

Outside the building, the dark fog burned away, and a beam of light shot down from the Heavens!

Saint Knight Issac transformed into a huge, glowing weapon resembling a cross between a sword and a large cleaver covered with ancient runes, and Obnoxious Celtic Guardian took hold of it. It shone with blinding light!

“Obnoxious Celtic Guardian,” said Russell, “take the Awesome Blade, and bring down that abomination!”

“Awesome Blade?” shouted the Puppeteer.

“Let me explain,” said Russell. “This is the exact weapon that Issac used in the last Reckoning, to slay the demon Malastus. He had his own name for it that only he knew, but folks who told of his story called it the Awesome Blade.

“Here’s what it does in game terms. I can use the effect of this Equip only when my opponent’s Monster has at least twice the Attack Points of mine, and yours has over five times as much. Then, for the cost of half my Life Points, the opposing Monster is destroyed automatically, and battle damage is reduced to zero.

“And due to his own effect, my Guardian will be spared.

“Obnoxious Celtic Guardian… Attack with Awesome Blow!”

The elven Warrior leapt up and hollered a war cry, and slammed his sword into Wicked God Dreadroot! The massive Fiend deity groaned an unholy groan, and then toppled back into the lava, falling with a mighty splash.

He never surfaced.

The lava cooled, and then vanished. Obnoxious Celtic Guardian returned to his regular stats of (1,400/1,200)

(R: 500) -------------------- (P: 1,100)

Russell stared at his foe.

“Your move…” he said.

The Puppeteer nervously drew.

He grinned.

“I summon my second Darksphinx in Attack Mode!” he shouted. “She’s back…”

Russell drew back, as the sinister Monster appeared again. (1,400/1,000)

“That will do,” he said.

Russell drew a card.

“I play Monster Reborn,” he said, “to bring back an old friend.”

He played the card, and Crescent Moon Queen reappeared.

“Obnoxious Celtic Guardian, attack the Darksphinx!”

Guardian raised his blade.

“Not so fast…” said the Puppeteer.

“I know…” said Russell. “I believe that the one card in your hand is…”

He paused.

“…a Spell Card.”

The Puppeteer gasped.

He slowly turned the card around, revealing it to be Metamorphosis.

Obnoxious Celtic Guardian charged. He slashed the Darksphinx with the Awesome Blade, she slashed at him with her daggers, and both Monsters exploded.

“Crescent Moon Queen, attack him directly!”

The Queen slammed her sword into the Puppeteer, and he was thrown backwards.

He slumped to the ground.

“Cease fire…” said Russell.

(R: 500) -------------------- (P: 0)

When the Puppeteer looked up, Jason was standing over him.

“You lost,” he said, “so I expect you to keep your word, and send us to meet the main man.”

The Puppeteer didn’t say a word. He gestured, and a Transporter appeared in the corner of the shrine.

“Let’s go, people!” shouted Jason.

They walked up to the Transporter.

“Jason?” said Trisha. “Before we go up… Here…”

She handed him a card.

“Put this in your deck. That way, there’ll be a little of me with you when you face him.”

Jason looked at it.

“Jason…” said Russell.

He handed him one.

“Take this one too. I know you don’t use many Warriors, but his main effect doesn’t need them.”

Jason looked over the two cards.

“Thank you, my friends,” he said.

He started to consider what two cards to remove…

Then he figured that a deck of forty-two cards wasn’t too oversized for him to handle. He shuffled his deck.

“Uh, Russell…” he said, “didn’t Issac tell you what the Awesome Blade’s true name was?”

Russell looked at the Puppeteer and then lowered his voice so he couldn’t hear.

“I was bluffing,” he whispered. “Issac had no name for it. The sword itself was indeed magical, but only with simple enchantments. It had no great power. Issac used the power within himself, channeled through the sword, in order to slay the beast.

“But you know how stories start. Folks started to believe his sword was a mighty holy artifact, and called it the Awesome Blade.”

Jason shrugged. He touched the Transporter, and it activated, whisking them away to their next destination.

“Humph…” said the Puppeteer in a sulk. “Touching…”

He dropped his cards on the ground.

“Worthless. Good riddance to bad rubbish… Huh?”

He looked up…

Four Monsters were in front of him…

The Darksphinx, the Silver Chimera, the Brimstone Golem, and The Queen of Spiders.

“Patience, everyone,” said the Darksphinx, evilly. “There’s enough of him to share…”

A scream echoed through the building…

* * * * * * * * * *

The three of them opened their eyes, and they were in a very lavish apartment. It seemed to be a penthouse suite of some sort.

They looked around. Everything was expensive. The furniture, the rugs, the artwork…

Clearly, they had reached the apex.

They heard music start to play. Someone was playing on a piano, but apparently, whoever was doing so was rushing though the work.

They walked into a large room, and saw the pianist seated at the instrument. He was hard to miss – a middle-aged man with a gentle face and shaggy white hair. His clothes seemed to be centuries out of style.

He ignored them for a few seconds, and then played the final stanza.

“That was Chopin’s Minute Waltz,” he said, “performed in fifty-one seconds. Not bad, don’t you think?”

They stared at him.

He lifted a bottle of champagne and picked up a glass.

“The night of the Reckoning…” he said. “Quite an occasion… You three care for any?”

“You’re gonna be in enough trouble if you survive this,” said Jason. “Do you want add offering liquor to minors to the list?”

“I’m in too deep to turn back now, Mr. Conrad…” muttered Fortunado. “Frankly, it would be hard for me to get into any more trouble. I never really intended it to go this far, truthfully…”

He sipped the wine.

“But desperation makes one do strange things…

“Go into show business, my dad told me… That’s where all the money is. When I was a kid, my original dream was to open my own seafood restaurant. But that never got off the ground.

“Thirty years ago, I was a very big name in Hollywood. I made smash hits like The Black Rose and Rise of the Martyr…”

“I saw The Black Rose…” said Trisha. “It was pretty good…”

“But it seemed that ten years into my career I was putting out nothing but trash,” continued Fortunado. “The worst one was Barbarian Princess. People group that one with other movies that are so bad, they’re sort of entertaining – to a point.

“My contacts stopped calling me, and I was lucky to make a film with reasonable success. The critics looked at me as a joke.

“When I got the deck of cards that Sartorious made all those years ago, I didn’t want to use it. But then… someone contacted me saying that the event it was made for was coming, and offered me the chance of a lifetime…

“A grand documentary of the Reckoning, with live footage!”

“More like a snuff film,” said Jason. “Do you have any idea how many have died since…”

“They’re not dead… yet…” interrupted Fortunado. “But anyway, my role was simple. Do a few favors, handle the important stuff, and be allowed to film the action. And I must admit, the fringe benefits were pretty good.”

He placed a cigarette in his mouth and then held his hand in front of it. A ball of flame ignited in his palm, lighting the cancer stick.

“See what I mean?” he said. “By the way, the nicotine doesn’t hurt me either.”

Jason gestured, and the cigarette burst into fire and then crumbled into ash.

Fortunado coughed and looked at him.

“I’m guessing you don’t like second-hand smoke…” he said, nervously.

“So that’s why you’re doing this…” said Jason. “All this time, you’ve been putting us through the ringer, sending souls to some cruel, dark fate… All in order to make box office profits…”

“You say that as if it were a bad thing…” replied Fortunado. “You know, Mr. Conrad, one of the most important rules in show biz is, you have to step on people to get ahead.”

Jason glared at him.

Fortunado took a small remote out of his pocket.

“Another rule is…” he said, “always give the public what they want. So I’m giving your troops a little preview before we take them down…”

“What do you mean?” asked Jason.

“I know your allies are all congregated in Times Square,” said Fortunado. “Likely eating pizza and resting. Well, I’ve hijacked control of the big screen. They’ll all be able to watch as the true Reckoning happens!”

He hit a button on the remote.

Then he tossed it aside, and from out of nowhere, an Orichalcos Disk appeared on his arm.

“I warn you, Dark Messiah…” he said, “I was the state champion of both California and Nevada years ago. And I’ve been preparing for this event longer than you have…

“So as they say in the movies, let’s cut to the chase.

“Take a look outside…”

They looked out the window. The dark fog cleared up, revealing the full moon…

And then a dark shape moved across the sky, slowly covering the moon. Only the city lights now illuminated New York.

“Midnight…” said Fortunado. “The witching hour… The time has come… It truly begins…

“Ready for your close-up?”

Jason’s Disk activated.

“Come and get me!” he shouted.

He saw in his mind the two Monsters Trisha and Russell had given him.

We’re all in this together guys…

“Lights… camera… action!” shouted Fortunado. “And we’re gonna get this all in one take, I assure you…”

Tuesday, November 10th, 11:59 PM

DARKSPHINX (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,400
DEF: 1,000

Card Description: If this card is attacked by an opposing Monster, the controller of the attacking Monster must choose one card in your hand and call the type of the card (Monster, Spell, or Trap). If your opponent calls it wrong, the attacking Monster is returned to its owner's hand.

SILVER CHIMERA (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,600
DEF: 1,200

Card Description: If the only Monsters on your opponent’s side of the field are in Attack Position and have ATK greater than or equal to this card, this card may attack your opponent directly.

BRIMSTONE GOLEM (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 2,200
DEF: 300

Card Description: This card cannot attack unless you first offer a Monster on your side of the field as a Tribute. If this Monster is destroyed, deduct 1,000 points from your Life Points.

THE QUEEN OF SPIDERS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 800
DEF: 800

Card Description: This card cannot be Special Summoned. If this card is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon four “Spider Fiend Tokens” (Fiend/Dark/1 star/0 ATK/0 DEF) in Defense Position. ”Spider Fiend Tokens” cannot be Tributed for a Tribute Summon.

PACT OF GREED (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: The Pot of Greed behind two hands handing cards towards each other.

Card Description: Each player draws one card from his/her respective decks.

Note: “Pact of Greed” was used by Aster in a second season episode of “Yu-Gi-Oh GX”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

SMITE OF DARK RULER (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Dark Ruler Ha Des looming out of the darkness, reaching forward with one claw.

Card Description: On the round this card is activated, when any of your FIEND-Type Monsters attack an opponent’s Defense Position Monster with an Attack Score lower than the target’s Defense Score, the difference is deducted as battle damage from your opponent’s Life Points.

PUPPET MASTER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 6
ATK: 0
DEF: 0

Card Description: When this card is Tribute Summoned, you may pay 2,000 Life Points to Special Summon two FIEND-Type Monsters from your Graveyard. The Special Summoned Monsters cannot attack on the turn they are Special Summoned.

Note: “Puppet Master” is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States.

WICKED GOD DREADROOT (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 10
ATK: 4,000
DEF: 4,000

Card Description: This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card can only be Normal Summoned by offering three Monsters on your side of the field as a Tribute. When this card is face-up on the field, the ATK and DEF of all face-up Monsters on the field except this one are halved.

Note: “Wicked God Dreadroot” is a Japanese promotional card that has not yet been released in the United States.

AWESOME BLADE (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Equip
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: This card is descended by activating “The Claw of Hermos” and offering one “Saint Knight Issac” as a Tribute. This card can be Equipped to a WARRIOR-Type Monster. You can activate the effect of this card when the Equipped Monster attacks an opposing Monster who has at least twice the Equipped Monster’s ATK. Pay half your Life Points. Destroy the opposing Monster, and reduce battle damage to zero.

Coming up next:

It’s Jason versus Fortunado! What strategy does this fiendish filmmaker have up his sleeve? Not telling. Find out in “Thunder of Ruler”, coming soon.

Master of Paradox

26th January 2007, 09:15 AM

For one of the last duels of the story, this one was rather disappointing. The first reason: it was rather short compared to most of the other chapters. When some of the opening "for fun" duels are longer than one of your final battles, you may need to do some radical rethinking of your strategy. It was like reading the syndicated version.

Secondly, your lack of description has gotten panfully obvious. I couldn't feel any impact from Dreadroot's presence, because you gave me nothing to use to judge it. I'm not asking you to be Starjake, but a little more could have helped.

Thirdly, this is going to be one of those complaints that only I register, but the finale (involving Awesome Blade) rang rather painfully of the end of Laura vs. Graz'zt in TTB, right down to the weapon of a previous Reckoning champion. And that raises another point: you can't call something "awesome" anymore and expect anything but snickers. Stoners ruined that word years ago.

This chapter just felt empty. The dialogue was uninspired, the cards felt hollow, and all in all it felt like you didn't put any real effort into it. Perhaps if you had had the Puppeteer explain the significance of his monsters it would have helped, I don't know...

To sum up, I was disappointed. Severely. I expect something better of you.

Let us hope the next chapter survives past the discovery of Fortunado's theme.

Shuppet Master

26th January 2007, 12:10 PM

This was an okay chapter. The part where the gang meets Fortunado in the flesh was probably the best part. I'm probably the only person who reads for the duels nowadays, though.

Blademaster

26th January 2007, 12:38 PM

I'm honestly at a loss for words... I agree with some of the points Jason made, but for the most part, I enjoyed this chapter. I was initially surprised to see Dreadroot appear, but seeing him appear how he did reminded me so much of when Pablo used him in 3.0... It was really a good feeling, to see so much of something being based off my work... It made me proud...

Aw, crap, I'm rambling now... Great chapter overall; I can't wait for the next one.

Laterz. :wave:

starjake

26th January 2007, 04:50 PM

I'm not asking you to be Starjake, but a little more could have helped.

Wow. Is my description really that good?

About the chapter...um, yeah. That was kind of drab. Duel-wise, it was fine, but otherwise, it was boring. In fact, the ending scene, where they're all in Fortunado's place, was more interesting to me than the actual duel, if only because I could visualize it. Your description of Darksphinx made me think of Sphinx Teleia, and it was difficult to get that picture out of my head and replace it with what you were attempting to show. I still have no idea what the Golem looked like.

And I'm not even going to get into the fact that the Puppeteer's character seems to be exactly like every other evil character you've created.

On a lighter note, I am interested to see Fortunado's deck.

Perfect Chaos

27th January 2007, 12:23 AM

Wow, haven't reviewed for a while now. Better get started

The Bakura chapter was OK. Don't have much to say, since I'm also a HUGE fan of Bakura. I actually thought you did a mediocre job on portraying him. Not good, but not bad either. Anyways, while I'm not too big of a fan of his Zombie Lock deck, it was still nice to see. I was actually expecting you to use Death/Doom Calibur Knight as well.

Unfortunately, I won't try to sugarcoat this chapter as well. I saw Dreadroot coming from like 5 miles away as soon as you revealed, "something FAR worse than Raviel". Thus, I was not at ALL surprised when he finally made his appearance. Furthermore, I felt his appearance was bit short-lived. I actually thought the duel was moving along at an OK pace, but as soon as you had the Puppeteer pull out Dreadroot out, it went pretty much downhill from there.

I must admit though, I like the little "cliffhanger" you left us with in which Jason is about to confront Fortunado now. I wonder what type of deck a director would use...

Anyways, see you next chapter.

Mystic_clown

27th January 2007, 02:46 AM

I hate to say this dude, but I'm going to have to agree with the others. Ever since you told me about Dreadroot I had a feeling you'd use it and it was obvious in the chapter discription.

The main problem is the fact you didn't really set the mood for Dreadroot. You said so yourself that Dreadroot's one of the most powerful monsters in the game. You said in the chapter he distilled fear upon everything. B7ut the problem was, he didn't seem that scary the way you put him. At least one of our heroes should fear him.

Apart from that, only a few lines here and there bugged me. How was Russel 'bluffing' by lieing about the fact that the 'Awesome Blade' didn't have a name?

However, as everyone else said before, the final scene with Fortunado was pretty good. I look forward to seeing what deck he uses.

Shuppet Master

27th January 2007, 07:19 AM

Well, I happen to know what deck Fortunado is going to use, but Dark Sage will burn me in Hades if I told you guys. I can't even give you guys a hint because it's too obvious. But needless to say, I'm eager to see those monsters in play in this story, considering their nature and how they were introduced in the anime, even if they are...(gets lynched by Dark Sage)

I had a feeling Dreadroot was coming, ever since Dark Sage had a teacher lecture about it way way back. I have to admit, though, Perfect Chaos had a point - why wasn't any of the heroes going nuts when that thing showed up? With all the buildup, I don't see the point. Sorry, Brian, this is the first time I have to agree with your critics. :(

Dark Sage

27th January 2007, 08:01 AM

Heck, I even agree with the critics. I didn't like the chapter myself, but I decided to keep it, because I wanted to do away with the Puppeteer with some closure, and give Russell one more shot.

As for Fortunado's deck, my lips are sealed completely - I don't even remember telling Chris. Next chapter will also have a big revelation which hopefully will explain a lot.

Sit tight. We're in the home stretch.

starjake

27th January 2007, 03:40 PM

Heck, I even agree with the critics. I didn't like the chapter myself, but I decided to keep it

??? This is something you seem to do fairly often that I really don't understand. Why on earth would you post a chapter if you don't like it? If you don't like a chapter, chances are that much higher that other people won't like it either. This is the reason I haven't posted my next chapter yet: because I don't like how it turned out. I realize it's been forever and a day (and then some, I know) since I posted a chapter, but I'm not going to give something to the public unless I feel comfortable with it myself. I'd much rather have a few high-quality chapters than a bajillion lower-quality ones. Sure, it might take longer than usual, but chances are higher you'll have a better reaction, and you'll be prouder of yourself (something tells me 'prouder' is incorrect grammar, but oh well).

Dark Sage

2nd February 2007, 02:31 AM

Well, here we are again. I’d like to say a few words.

A lot of people have been a little upset by the way I messed with the cannon. Boy did I hear it when I said that the villain claimed responsibility for turning Zane evil.

I’ve been suffering in silence, because the villain’s identity was my greatest secret. I couldn’t defend myself, because I couldn’t give it away.

With this chapter, I hope that it becomes clear.

I realized a long time ago, that what Zane does in GX is via his own free will, he is NOT under any kind of control, and he has no-one to blame but himself. He turned evil because he wanted to, sad as it is to say.

So why did the villain make that claim?

Read on…

The time has come. The Black Moon has risen.

After facing assassins, mad computers, and evil gods, we have fought our way to the top of this fortress, the apex of evil. We need go no further.

I now stand face-to-face with someone who seems to be in charge, at least for now. His motives are insane. He’s serving someone who promised him the opportunity to turn this whole deal into a major motion picture. Has he no conscience? No concern over who he’s hurt?

Dozens of our foes are lying comatose, their souls snatched from their bodies. They weren’t nice people, for sure, but for all we knew, they had siblings, lovers, spouses…

…maybe even children…

…and all of these duelists… Their souls are languishing in some dark prison because this fiend wanted to make a box office draw.

No more hiding for him. It’s him against me.

I almost want him to use the Orichalcos… I want him to know the terror that his henchmen must have known before it took them.

CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mfc-042.jpg

Wednesday, November 11th, 12:00 AM

Across the city, folks were surprised. If a total lunar eclipse was to occur tonight, why didn’t the news mention it?

Only a small group in Times Square were not surprised…

But Jason’s small group definitely was surprised when the big screen started showing live footage of him.

“It’s Jason…” said Randy. “What’s he doing?”

“Looks like he’s dueling,” said Amanda. “And his opponent looks serious.”

“What do we do?” asked Ansel.

“The only thing we can do…” muttered Old Ben. “Give him our support…

“Because the outcome of this is what decides whether or not the sun comes up in the morning…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Jason and Fortunado stared each other down.

“This is indeed a treat,” said Fortunado. “Just like the good old days.”

“You say you’re good at this?” asked Jason.

(Jason: 8,000) -------------------- (Fortunado: 8,000)

“Well I’m no amateur myself. Just ask any of your goons who’ve dueled me.

“Oh right, they can’t. I tell you pal, it must be a bummer having to put part of your salary into your company’s retirement plan. None of your employees last until retirement.”

“I’m the movie producer,” said Fortunado, “I’ll make the bad jokes around here if you don’t mind…”

“Well what are you waiting for?” asked Jason, angrily. “An engraved invitation?”

“I take it that means you want me to go first…” said Fortunado, drawing a sixth card.

He looked over his hand.

“And from the look of my opening hand, that was a dire mistake.”

“Oh no…” muttered Trisha. “He got the Seal.”

“Heh, heh, no, not yet Ms. Moise…” he replied. “I don’t like to rush with such matters anyway. A good film always starts slowly. It whets the viewer’s appetite.

“I’ll start by playing my Pot of Greed…”

He played the card, and the jar appeared. He frowned and pointed at it…

A blast of flame shot from his hand and blew it to pieces.

“Never liked that giggling goon,” he said, drawing twice.

“Next, I’ll place a card facedown, and summon my White Knight Swordsman in Attack Mode.”

In a burst of light, an ominous-looking knight in white, ceremonial armor with a huge sword on his right arm appeared. He had a winged helmet with a visor covering his eyes. (1,200/0)

“Huh?” said Russell. “I’ve seen every Warrior in the book, but that’s a new one on me…”

“I’m full of surprises,” said Fortunado. “And like I said, Mr. Conrad, since you let me go first, you left yourself vulnerable to an attack.”

“Bull!” said Jason. “Everyone knows you can’t attack on the first turn of the duel. That’s the rule.”

“I know the rules,” said Fortunado, choosing a card. “You see Mr. Conrad, a common misconception folks have about people with money and power is that we study the rules just so we can learn how to break them.

“That isn’t true. The fundamental rules of the universe are set in stone, and can’t be broken.

“But when you know the rules as well as I do, you learn ways to manipulate them so that they serve you, not the other way around. You discover loopholes and technicalities that let you get around the rules without truly breaking them.”

“How can he attack on the first turn?” asked Trisha.

“I play the Spell Card, Mischief of the Time Goddess!” shouted Fortunado, playing a card.

“THAT’S how…” moaned Russell.

In a shower of dust, a cute, young girl with blue pigtails in a green and golden robe appeared. She winked, and waved a magic staff.

“This gets a little complicated, so I’ll explain,” said Fortunado. “This powerful Spell lets me skip the rest of my turn, then skip your turn, then skip my next Draw Phase, Standby Phase, and Main Phase One, going right to my next Battle Phase…

“So in effect, it’s my second turn now, so I’m free to attack unopposed. White Knight Swordsman, attack! Blade of the forsaken!”

The Swordsman flew forward, and slashed his blade across Jason’s chest. He shouted and fell over.

“Ouch…” he muttered.

“That will be enough for now…” said Fortunado.

(J: 6,800) -------------------- (F: 8,000)

* * * * * * * * * *

Deep inside the Monastery…

It was hard for any of the residents to relax. They knew well that the hour had finally come.

They were all doing their best to keep calm. Most were in meditation…

…among the ones who were was Chazz.

In his private quarters, he was deep in thought, engaged in a practice that he would have called idiotic decades ago. Nowadays, it was a part of life…

And then, his eyes opened…

…and he screamed…

He fell on the floor and screamed again. He might have a third time if someone hadn’t heard him and rushed in.

“Chazz!” shouted Alexis. “What? What is it?”

Chazz sat up and took deep, gasping breaths. He was sweating…

“Alexis…” he whispered. “The cards… My cards… Jason is facing them…”

“What?” she asked. “Ojamas? Armed Dragons?”

He shook his head.

“The Knights…” he muttered.

She drew back.

“The White Knights?” she asked, surprised.

Chazz took some deep breaths again, and nodded.

“Yeah…” he said. “The ones I used when I was… blinded by the Light…

“Those evil cards… They once served the Light of Ruin… They serve the Orichalcos now… Jason was just struck by one…”

“Get ahold of yourself!” she shouted, shaking him.

“Those abominations were beaten once… Jason can certainly beat them again…”

“It’s worse, Alexis…” he replied. “You know as well as I do… The special cards that Sartorious gave us… No Monster Spirits ever existed in them. Their only soul was the Light of Ruin. The Light of Ruin was destroyed when Sartorious was defeated the first time…

“So now…

“Jason is facing Monsters who are soulless shells. They’re Light on the outside, but inside lies ultimate darkness…”

* * * * * * * * * *

Jason got up and drew a card.

Okay… he thought. So he has a few clever strategies…

But that Swordsman isn’t exactly the King of Warriors…

He has a facedown card, but…

I think he’s bluffing…

“I summon my old friend…” he said. “Fortunado… Meet Vorse Raider!”

In a dark shadow, the fierce Beast-Warrior appeared, holding aloft his mighty axe! (1,900/1,200)

http://www.yugioh-cards.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/tin/CT2-EN003.jpg

“Go!” he shouted. “Destroy his White Knight Swordsman!”

Vorse Raider ran forward, and made a savage slash! The Swordsman dropped his sword and gasped… And then exploded in a burst of light.

(J: 6,800) -------------------- (F: 7,300)

“Not bad…” said Fortunado. “Brought out your lead character for the opening scene, I see. That’s rare.”

“I’ll throw down a facedown, and that will be my turn,” said Jason, ignoring the dumb comment.

A facedown card appeared.

Fortunado drew.

“Time to reveal a surprise twist…” he said, playing a card. “I play Infernal White…”

A skull-like torch with bat-like wings on it appeared in the air.

“Now, you get to see the cards in my hand,” he said, as four cards appeared above him. “Why am I doing this, you may ask?”

“I know why,” interrupted Jason. “I was warned about that card, actually. It causes me 600 points of burn damage during each of my Standby Phases, right?”

“Humph…” said Fortunado. “Someone’s been leaking info on the screenplays…”

Jason looked at the four cards. Two of them he recognized, the other two were a Monster and a Trap he had never even heard of.

“Continuing…” said Fortunado. “I activate Call of the Haunted, so it’s encore time.”

The Trap Card lifted, and a large, silver coffin rose out of the floor. The lid opened, and White Knight Swordsman rose up out of it, holding his sword aloft.

“Next,” he said, choosing a card. “I play Inferno Reckless Summon.”

He played the card, and two more Swordsmen appeared. (1,200/0 x3)

“Your Monsters have the same problems as your movies Fortunado,” said Jason. “They’re poor quality, without much diversity.

“Anyway, I don’t have any other Vorse Raiders. Mine is one of a kind. So is that your turn?”

“Mmm…” said Fortunado.

“This is dumb,” said Russell. “This is the type of movie I’d walk out on even if it were showing on an airplane.”

Jason drew…

And then he felt a burning feeling, as the Infernal White glowed.

(J: 6,200) -------------------- (F: 7,300)

This may be a problem… he thought.

“I summon Ryu-Kishin Powered in Attack Mode,” he said.

He played the card, and the fiendish gargoyle appeared. (1,600/1,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/db2-en056.jpg

“Attack the Swordsman on the left!” he shouted.

The gargoyle made a swipe with its claws, and the knight exploded.

Then the other two glowed, and rose to an Attack of 1,500 apiece.

“What?” said Jason, surprised. “How did they get more points?”

“Oh…” said Fortunado, in a sinister voice. “Did I forget to mention its special ability? It may have an Attack of only 1,200 and a Defense of zero, but when it’s in my Graveyard, the Attack of all other White Knights on my side of the field increase by 300.”

Jason paused.

“My Vorse Raider can still handle them,” he replied. “Vorse Raider, get ‘em!”

Vorse Raider swung his axe, blowing another one to bits.

The Attack Score of the third rose to 1,800.

Jason frowned.

“That’s all I can do…” he said.

(J: 6,200) -------------------- (F: 6,500)

“Then I draw…” said Fortunado, drawing.

A new card appeared above his head. It was Mystical Space Typhoon.

“Well…” he said, “since you know what card I just drew, there’s no sense in me not using it, now is there?”

He played the card, and the cyclone ripped across the field, blasting Jason’s Mirror Force apart.

“Swordsman, take care of that Ryu-Kishin Powered, would you?” he said. “I found his performance in that last scene rather crude anyway…”

White Knight Swordsman flew forward, and with a slash of his sword, smashed the gargoyle into pebbles.

“Now for a surprise guest,” said Fortunado, playing a card. “I summon White Knight Gardna in Defense Mode.”

A new White Knight appeared with a war cry. This one had a full-head helmet with a yellow plume, and had shields on both of its arms. It crouched down and put the two shields together, forming a shield in front of it just as big as the one used by Big Shield Gardna, surrounded by sharp blades. (800/2,000) –> (1,400/2,000)

“That will be my turn, Mr. Conrad,” he said. “So who do you have lined up for us next? Let’s not disappoint, now…”

Jason drew…

And he cringed as the Spell burned him again.

(J: 5,400) -------------------- (F: 6,500)

“I’m sensing a trend here…” he said. “And frankly, it’s getting annoying…”

He played a card.

“I summon Blade Knight in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and the shining Warrior of Light appeared. (1,600/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ct1-en002scr.jpg

“Vorse Raider, destroy the last Swordsman!” he shouted.

Vorse Raider swung his axe, blasting the Knight to pieces.

“Yes!” said Trisha. “No more Swordsmen.”

Gardna rose to an Attack of 1,700.

“Your move…” said Jason.

Fortunado drew, and again it was a Monster that Jason had never seen.

“He’s having rotten luck,” said Trisha. “Most of these guys would have drawn the Seal by now.”

“You’d think a guy like him would have put three copies of Terraforming in his deck,” said Russell.

Fortunado paused.

He placed a card on his Disk.

“Time for Vorse Raider to attempt a feat that all actors find difficult, Mr. Conrad,” he said. “A convincing death scene. But don’t worry… White Knight Lancer is here to help him with it.”

“Lancer?” said Russell.

A more powerful-looking knight appeared in a burst of light, this one in a more form-fitting suit of armor, with a helmet with a red plume, and a white mask over its eyes. It also had a short red beard on his chin. It was holding a double-edged lance in its right hand, and a small shield in its left. It hollered a battlecry. (1,500/0) –> (2,400/0)

“Your Monsters are just one bad sequel after the next,” said Jason with a sneer.

“Tell me about it…” said Fortunado. “You can count on one hand the directors in history who could make sequels look good.

“Attack! Forsaken charge!”

Lancer charged, and speared Vorse Raider, blowing him to bits.

“Nuts…” muttered Fortunado. “Like I said, death scenes are always hard… That one… I wasn’t convinced at all. Where was the feeling, I ask?”

(J: 4,900) -------------------- (F: 6,500)

“Oh, by the way…” he continued, “all kidding aside, shifting your Blade Knight to Defense Mode will only make it worse for you… Lancer has a trampling effect.”

“Thanks for the info…” said Jason, drawing.

He cringed again.

“I sacrifice him, to summon Luster Dragon #2!”

Blade Knight vanished, and the huge, emerald Dragon appeared with a roar! (2,400/1,400)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/db2-en165.jpg

“Nice try!” laughed Fortunado. “But if you attack with him, it will be a draw.”

“No it won’t,” replied Jason, playing a card. “I play Rush Recklessly.”

Luster Dragon’s Attack rose to 3,100.

“Attack the Lancer!” he shouted. “Emerald flame!”

Luster Dragon breathed flames, and White Knight Lancer groaned before blowing to pieces.

(J: 4,300) -------------------- (F: 5,900)

“Your move…” said Jason.

Fortunado drew a card. Jason saw that it was Waboku.

“Lull in the action here…” he said. “I pass.”

“WHAT?” shouted Jason. “You just drew Waboku and you didn’t set it?”

Fortunado just looked at him.

“Well, fine by me…” said Jason, drawing.

He groaned again.

“I summon Luster Dragon #2’s little brother, Luster Dragon #1.”

He played the card, and the smaller, sapphire Dragon appeared. (1,900/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/yugioh-dr1-en113.jpg

“Luster Dragon #2, wipe out his last Monster.”

Luster Dragon breathed flames, and White Knight Gardna was blasted apart.

“Luster Dragon #1, attack him directly!”

The smaller Dragon breathed a stream of flames, and Fortunado groaned as he shielded himself.

(J: 3,700) -------------------- (F: 4,000)

“Yeah!” shouted Trisha. “Show him who’s boss!”

“Make your move…” said Jason. “I must admit, I can hardly wait to see what comes next…”

Fortunado panted for breath.

I just remembered… he thought. The ‘good old days’ weren’t really all that pleasant!

He drew (the card was Shining Angel).

Without a word, he fit two cards into his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.

“Your move, Mr. Conrad…” he said.

Jason was a little stunned.

Continued…

Dark Sage

2nd February 2007, 02:34 AM

Continued from last post:

“What?” asked Fortunado. “Did I confuse you?”

Jason paused…

The two cards in his foe’s hand were Sangan, and Shining Angel… Why hadn’t he set either of them?

The two cards he had set facedown were Trap Cards. One was Waboku, which was familiar enough…

The other… Well, he had never heard of it. Something called The Sealed Gates. He didn’t like the look of it at all.

He drew a card, cringing again as Infernal White burned at him…

But he was relieved to see what he had drawn.

He can certainly chain that Waboku, he thought, but now his Infernal White and his weird Trap are history.

“Fortunado!” he shouted. “Time for a drastic change of scenes! I play Heavy Storm!”

Jason played the card, and Russell and Trisha cheered as the storm blew across the room. Infernal White shattered, followed by Waboku and The Sealed Gates.

“Heh, heh…” said Fortunado. “I couldn’t have said it better myself, Mr. Conrad…”

A spooky mist formed around the whole arena…

And then, to everyone’s horror, a hideous-looking iron gate flanked by torches and closed by chains rose behind Fortunado!

“What’s happening?” asked Jason.

“Always be wary of strange Trap Cards, Mr. Conrad,” said Fortunado. “By destroying The Sealed Gates, you’ve enabled me to free the prisoner that was locked inside them.

“Time to meet the true star of my production… But first, I must remove White Knight Gardna, White Knight Lancer, and one White Knight Swordsman from play…”

Three cards slipped out of his discard slot…

“And now…” said Fortunado, placing them inside his jacket, “making a return after a long hiatus, let’s all welcome White Knight Lord!”

The chain on the gates snapped, and they blew open…

Walking out was a knight that was hulking, and who stood head and shoulders above the others. Its armor was much fancier, and it held a shield in one hand, and a nasty spiked mace in the other. It had no helmet, wearing its long blue hair loose, and it wore a white mask over its eyes.

It looked at Jason and roared...

(2,000/2,000)

* * * * * * * * * *

Watching with dismay was Jason’s congregated group.

“White Knight Lancer, Gardna, and now Lord…” muttered Nadia. “These guys are… Bizarre…”

“In a hundred years, the Lark family traveled from one end of the world to next looking for duels,” said Malvolio, “and they never saw anything like these.”

“Where did Fortunado get these cards?” asked Nathan.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Where indeed?” asked Fortunado’s benefactor, who had heard.

She paused.

“Chazz Princeton used these special Warriors while he was a member of Sartorious’s Society of Light, when he was little more than a favored slave under Sartorious’s control… They were Chazz’s reward for his loyalty…

“The cards were symbolic of what he was… A warrior lord who had been overthrown by a rival and was struggling to gain his position back, no matter what the cost…

“But fortunately for him, Jaden defeated him, and he broke free, came to his senses…

“And these cards? What Chazz should have done was burned them, but at the time, no one ever accused him of being all that smart. He just tossed them in the nearest trash receptacle and didn’t give them any more thought.

“He didn’t know that a student who was still loyal to Sartorious was watching. The student fished out the cards and gave them back to him…

“And when Jaden was fighting the final battle with Sartorious a year later, no-one knew that the house was being ransacked, and not only was the deck he had been working on taken, but these cards as well…

“I don’t even know who the student was who fished them out of that trash can…”

She chuckled.

“For all I know, it could have been Alexis. Wouldn’t it be ironic if this was all her fault?”

She laughed out loud…

* * * * * * * * * *

“What is THAT?” shouted Russell. “I mean, besides trouble?”

“For years,” said Fortunado, “I couldn’t get an A-list actor for my films if my life depended on it. Now I have one, and it’s all I need to make this a smash!

“Remember, Mr. Conrad, my Knights gain 300 Attack Points for each Swordsman in my Graveyard, and even though I removed one, I still have two left, making my Lord quite worthy of the name.”

(2,600/2,000)

“Okay, plan B,” said Jason, looking at his hand. “I’ll throw down a facedown, and move both my Dragons to Defense Mode.”

A facedown card appeared, and Luster Dragons #1 and #2 curled up in Defense.

(J: 3,100) -------------------- (F: 4,000)

“My move,” said Fortunado, drawing a card. “Time to reach the crescendo…

“I place one Monster in Defense Mode…”

A facedown Monster appeared.

“And I attack with White Knight Lord! Forsaken wrath!”

White Knight Lord slowly rose into the air, and started to spin around…

Then his mace head crashed to the ground, connected to a long chain. Luster Dragon #2 was smashed to bits. Jason shielded himself.

“There’s a plot twist!” said Fortunado. “Whenever it crushes an opposing Monster, it deals an additional 300 points of damage to you.”

The Lord’s mace crashed down again, this time striking Jason in the stomach. He groaned.

(J: 2,800) -------------------- (F: 4,000)

Jason held his stomach. That hurt.

“I’ll turn it over to you there…” said Fortunado.

Jason looked at the one card in his hand.

Only thing I’ve got is my facedown card, and Attack Deflector Unit, he thought. Better draw something good.

He drew, now grateful that Infernal White was gone.

“Okay, Fortunado,” he said, playing the card, “I play Graceful Charity. I’m sure you know the drill… I draw three cards, and then discard two…”

He made three draws.

He looked over the cards.

The he discarded Attack Deflector Unit and Peten the Dark Clown.

“Now it’s time for your Lord to retire…” he said. “I activate my facedown card, Call of the Haunted.”

His facedown card lifted, and Luster Dragon #2 reappeared. (2,400/1,400)

“Now I’ll move my other Dragon to Attack Mode…”

Luster Dragon #1 stood up.

“Now I’ll play Monster Reborn…” he said, playing a card. “I’ll bring back someone who I’m certain you’ll recognize…”

The ankh appeared…

Everyone was stunned. It was White Knight Swordsman! (1,200/0)

“What?” asked Fortunado. “You summoned my Monster to your side of the field? Why?”

“Because…” said Jason, with a smirk, “doing so took it out of your Graveyard, meaning that your Lord now has one less Swordsman powering it up. As you can see, its Attack has been reduced from 2,600, to 2,300.”

They all looked. It was true.

“Good going, Jason!” shouted Trisha. “Great strategy!”

Fortunado smirked.

Or so you think… he thought.

“So much for your star,” said Jason. “Well, I have one thing to say to it, in the style of Hollywood…

“Don’t call us… We’ll call you.

“Luster Dragon #2, attack the White Knight Lord!”

Luster Dragon roared, and blasted burning flame…

Then, White Knight Lord simply shielded itself with its arm. A glowing forcefield appeared around it, and the flames merely glanced off.

“What?” shouted Jason. “It’s unharmed?”

White Knight Lord glared at him as smoke rose from the field.

“Did you really think my star would let you upstage it, Mr. Conrad?” asked Fortunado. “This is another one of its special abilities. When it’s attacked, battle damage is reduced to zero.”

“So it has a permanent Waboku field around it?” asked Jason.

“More or less,” replied Fortunado. “In short, it cannot be defeated in battle by another Monster.”

Fortunado chuckled.

“I know your dream, Mr. Conrad…” he said. “Your fantasy… You dream of owning Kaiba’s three Dragons, don’t you? Well, even if that dream came true at this very moment by some miracle, even they couldn’t defeat my Lord… Not even the Ultimate Dragon could.”

“That’s crazy…” shouted Russell. “This thing has to have a drawback…”

“It has a few, yes,” said Fortunado. “But don’t think I’m going to tell you what they are.”

Jason looked at the facedown Monster.

I could attack that with my other Dragon, he thought, but I remember that the two cards in his hand were Shining Angel and Sangan. Attacking might not be wise…

“I’ll throw down a facedown, and end my turn…” he said.

He played his last card, and a facedown card appeared.

“Then it’s my move…” said Fortunado.

He drew a card.

“Now…” continued Fortunado, “I’ll sacrifice my facedown Shining Angel, to summon my co-star… Jinzo!”

The face-down Monster vanished, and the grotesque android appeared. (2,400/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/bpt-011.jpg

“Lovely…” muttered Trisha. “All your movie needs now is the sexy female lead…”

“Couldn’t find one for this one,” said Fortunado. “Jinzo, take care of that Swordsman. If there’s one thing I don’t need, it’s a sell-out.”

Oh no… thought Jason, looking at his facedown card. With Jinzo on the field, I can’t use my Trap Card…

Jinzo formed a ball of black energy in its hands, and fired its cyber energy shock, blasting White Knight Swordsman to particles.

“And with it back in my Graveyard,” said Fortunado, “my Lord gains its strength back, to 2,600.

“White Knight Lord, attack Luster Dragon #1…”

White Knight Lord rose into the air again, and his mace crashed down again. The Dragon was smashed to pieces.

The mace fell another time, striking Jason yet again.

(J: 600) -------------------- (F: 4,000)

Jason gasped for breath…

“I’ll end my turn there,” said Fortunado. “It’s almost over, Mr. Conrad. Next round the curtain is going down…”

“Stop with the movie analogies!” shouted Jason.

“But it’s true…” said Fortunado. “You have no cards in your hand, and the only thing you have on the field is your Luster Dragon – he could destroy Jinzo, but he’d die with it. And even if you drew a Monster to defend yourself with it, my Knight would cost you 300 Life Points when he destroyed it.”

And he has Sangan in his hand! thought Jason.

He bowed his head.

It can’t end here… he thought. I can’t let him beat me…

I’m the only one who can prevent the terror that lies beyond… A thousand years of darkness…

He looked at his deck.

The fate of the world is resting on this draw… he thought, as he reached for the card. Guide me…

He drew…

“Time to get back into this, Fortunado…” he said. “I play… Pot of Greed!”

He played the card, and the sinister jar appeared.

“Humph…” muttered Fortunado. “Like I said, I always hated that giggling goon.”

Jason drew twice.

“You’re about to like it even less…” he said. “Because one of the cards I just drew was Card of Demise. By playing it, I get five more draws.”

He drew five cards.

He looked at them.

“Well Fortunado, it seems your script is going to have a few last-minute changes. I’m going to play… all six of these cards!

“First, I play Polymerization, to fuse together the two Cyber Dragons I just drew, into Cyber Twin Dragon.”

Two Cyber Dragons appeared on the field, and swirled together, merging into the fierce, two-headed Machine. (2,800/2,100)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/crv_en035.jpg

“So what?” said Fortunado. “It still can’t hurt my Lord. Even if it can attack twice, the battle damage will be reduced to zero both times.”

“I’m not done,” said Jason. “I only summoned him so I could play… De-Fusion. I’ll split him up into two Cyber Dragons.”

Cyber Twin Dragon split into two orbs of light, and each formed into a Cyber Dragon. (2,100/1,600 x2)

“A useful trick when you want to get two Monsters on the field quickly,” he continued. “Then, I’ll play Photon Generator Unit.”

He played the card.

“I’ll trade in my two Cyber Dragons, for Cyber Laser Dragon.”

The two Machines vanished, and the upgraded Cyber Dragon appeared. (2,400/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/soi_en007.jpg

“And now…” he said, taking the last card from his hand. “I haven’t Normal Summoned yet, so I’ll summon Slate Warrior in Attack Mode.”

He played the card, and the blank-faced, alien-looking Fiend appeared. (1,900/400)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/sd8-en005.jpg

“Impressive…” said Fortunado.

It’s over, thought Jason. First I’ll use Cyber Laser Dragon’s effect to vaporize that Knight… Then I’ll have it attack Jinzo… The attack will take out Cyber Laser Dragon too, but it will clear the way for Luster Dragon and Slate Warrior to attack directly, and bring his Life Points down to negative levels…

He took a deep breath.

“Splendid, Mr. Conrad, splendid…” said Fortunado.

“Heh, heh…

“You’ve given what every smash movie needs… An explosive climax!

“I tell you… The lines are going to be around the block for this one… All I need now is a title… Strange… I haven’t even thought of one yet…”

Jason looked at him with a strange look…

Then he slowly looked at White Knight Lord…

He lifted his hand…

“Cyber Laser Dragon…” he said.

He paused.

“Use your effect…”

He paused again.

“…on Jinzo! Blue lightning lash!”

Cyber Laser Dragon roared, and fired a beam of energy from its tail, blasting Jinzo to atoms.

“What?” shouted Fortunado. “That wasn’t supposed to… Why did you…”

“Because you aren’t only a bad director,” answered Jason, “you’re a bad actor. You overplayed your part, Fortunado.

“See, you think too much in movie terms. In the movies, everything is planned out. Everything goes according to what the script says. What the director wants happens, it happens.

“But this is not a movie. You can’t control the actions of people who aren’t actors, Fortunado. In the real world, things are much more unpredictable…

“…and people aren’t so easily fooled.

“See, I was getting a nagging little feeling just then, that White Knight Lord might have more to it than I’ve seen so far. Maybe, just maybe… It has another secret hidden inside it…

“You see, I was about to win this duel, but you didn’t seem the least bit worried. You had prepared for the Reckoning for years, and you were about to lose… Yet, you seemed almost happy…

“I wasn’t about to win, was I? You were leading me into your deadliest trap yet…

“Not to mention the fact that I’ve been suspicious for several rounds now. You’d think a guy like you would have devoted a fourth of his deck towards searching for and using the Seal of Orichalcos. But if even one card that would help you look for it exists in your deck, you haven’t drawn one yet. It can’t simply be bad luck.

“The turn is yours. We’ll see if I’m right soon…”

Fortunado looked angry. He drew a card.

“Well, Jason…” he muttered.

“Oh, we’re suddenly on a first-name basis now, are we?” asked Jason.

“Big deal!” shouted Fortunado. “You forgot one thing… Your Slate Warrior is in Attack Mode, my Knight has 700 more Attack Points, and you have only 600 Life Points left!

“White Knight Lord, destroy his Slate Warrior!”

The Lord rose up, and its mace shot forward…

“They say that memory is the first thing to go when you get older,” said Jason. “You obviously forgot that I had this, and Jinzo is gone. Activate… Draining Shield.”

His Trap Card lifted, and the Lord’s mace slammed into a force field. It struggled to pull its weapon free, and then was thrown backwards when it succeeded.

“Phew…” said Trisha. “Heart, resume beating…”

A look of fear came across Fortunado’s face.

He paused.

“Very well…” he said. “Time for a true surprise ending…”

He played a card.

“First, I set this Monster in Defense Mode…”

A facedown Monster appeared.

“Now I Equip my Lord with White Doom!”

He played the card, and an iron belt with a diamond for a buckle formed around the Lord’s waist.

“What does that do?” asked Jason.

“It’s a bomb,” replied Fortunado. “Is that enough of an explosive climax? At the End Phase of my next turn, all the Monsters on my side of the field will be blown to Kingdom Come, and we’ll both take damage equal to their combined Attack Points.

“And if you think you can reduce the damage by destroying my facedown Monster, guess again… It’s my Sangan, which will let me search for another Monster.

“So I end my turn…”

White Knight Lord glared at him, and its eyes glowed red. Fortunado cringed.

“That would be… one of the drawbacks I mentioned…” he muttered. “If it can’t battle, I lose 800 Life Points…”

(J: 3,200) -------------------- (F: 3,200)

What? thought Jason. The scores… He’s… He’s trying to end this in a draw!

He couldn’t do that… This battle is too important…

Unless…

Unless there’s someone or something else hiding around here who we didn’t consider…

He paused.

Then he remembered his duel with Cleo.

Fortunado isn’t the boss… he thought. He’s as much a servant as the rest of the goons we’ve been facing…

But he’s so nervous now, I think my Trap Card changed the situation a great deal…

He drew a card.

“Time to end this!” he shouted. “I’m going to end this duel with a real showstopper… Meet Timaeus!”

He played the card, and in a flash of light, the mighty dragon loomed over him!

Fortunado drew back in fear…

Continued…

Dark Sage

2nd February 2007, 02:37 AM

Continued from last post:

“Now, Timaeus, merge with Cyber Laser Dragon to form Cyber Blast Dragon!”

The Dragon and the Machine melted into pools of light, and in a flash, a huge Dragon made of silvery metal with huge, metallic wings was in their place. It had three optic sensors. One was orange, one was green, and one was purple. (2,400/1,800)

Fortunado gulped.

“Now I can activate his effect a total of three times before he has to leave,” said Jason. “Each round, I get to draw one card, on the condition that I then remove it from play. And I can then destroy a face-up card that’s the same type as the card I draw.

“So here goes… You might want to get a close up…”

His hand reached for his deck.

Every eye on the room was watching him…

Every eye in Times Square was watching him…

He drew a card…

He turned it over…

It was Tyrant Dragon. Jason smirked.

“Monster,” he said, pocketing it. “That means your Lord is toast.”

Cyber Blast Dragon’s orange optic sensor glowed, and then shot out a blast of burning energy. White Knight Lord hollered, and then exploded into a brilliant display of pyrotechnics.

Jason felt a pain in his chest…

(J: 2,200) -------------------- (F: 3,200)

“So that was the deal…” he muttered. “If I had destroyed it, I would have lost a thousand Life Points. A clever plan… too bad it failed.

“Cyber Blast Dragon, destroy that face-down Sangan! Blast attack!”

Cyber Blast Dragon shot a burning fireball from its jaws. Sangan appeared on the card and shattered.

“Well, Fortunado,” said Jason, “unless you happen to have a Kuriboh in that deck…”

“I don’t…” he muttered. “I never liked those guys either…”

“Luster Dragon, Slate Warrior,” ordered Jason, “attack directly!”

Slate Warrior flew forward and walloped the madman on the chin. Then Luster Dragon breathed fire…

Fortunado slumped to his knees… His Duel Disk fell to the floor.

(J: 2,200) -------------------- (F: 0)

“That’s game, Fortunado…” muttered Jason.

Thunder rumbled outside.

“And what a game…” said Russell. “Thank goodness he didn’t draw the Orichalcos.”

Trisha went up and picked up the Disk. Fortunado didn’t move. He was stunned.

“He must have been having the worst luck…” she said, going through the rest of the cards. “It must have hit the bottom of the deck…”

She tossed the cards aside, one by one…

“Jason…” she said. “Uh… The Seal isn’t even in this deck…”

“I figured so…” said Jason. “It’s starting to make sense…”

He looked up…

“Enough hiding…” he said. “Would the one who’s really in charge please show himself?”

Thunder rolled again, and then lightning flashed.

“You’re too smart, Jason,” said a female voice that sounded familiar. “He wasn’t allowed to use the Seal. I didn’t want your soul lost in that battle…”

A familiar woman in a familiar-looking dress walked into the room. Fortunado quivered in fear.

Russell and Trisha stepped back in shock.

“Mayor Barna?” shouted Trisha.

Jason looked at her.

“That isn’t her…” he said.

“Of course it is,” said the mayor, with an evil glint in her eyes. “In fact, I’ve never felt better…

“You have to admit, Jason… For the past two decades, this façade has been so much fun… Playing the city’s politics became sort of a… hobby of mine.”

Her eyes glowed red…

And then she glowed with a black aura, and her clothes burst off…

The female figure in front of them now stood seven feet tall, with curves covered by a metallic halter and mini-skirt. Her skin was black as midnight, and her hair reached down to the floor. Her fingernails were long and silvery. She had, huge wings, covered with black feathers.

“What did you do to Barna?” demanded Jason.

“So naïve,” said the demoness. “You three are so innocent, it’s disgusting! Mayor Barna never truly existed. She was only a fiction I used to hide among mortals.”

“I knew it…” said Russell. “Like my dad said, ever since Teddy Roosevelt, there has never been a good politician.”

“And to think my parents voted for you twice,” said Trisha with a scowl. “You do realize that the Democrats are going to have a field day with this.”

“Political parties will be meaningless after tonight,” replied the demoness.

“Who are you?” asked Jason.

The demoness smiled. Lightning flashed.

“In the Beginning…” she said. “Before the birth of mortals, a powerful seraphim whose name is lost to time had an impure thought. That thought was cast out… It grew, and took form. It became me. The angels spoke one word upon seeing me, and it became my name.

“That word… was Sin.

“Unwelcome in the heavenly realms, I could only find refuge in the nether regions, where the evil forces, both demonic and diabolic welcomed me. They were too busy fighting each other in eternal Blood Wars to worry about the young race of mortals yet, but mortals did interest them… So they made me an offer…

“The offer to spread vices and impulses, my seven gifts of Evil upon the young world of mankind.

“And so it began… But it went slowly. When the first Reckoning occurred, I took charge, trying to turn the whole world towards evil… But my champions failed…

“As they did a thousand years after that, and every millennia after.

“I tried on other worlds and other realities. My champions were the victors on occasion, but it was cold comfort when my reign was ended after ten centuries, when a new Reckoning was lost by my side…”

She paused.

“I’ve grown frustrated, Jason. At times, the champions of Good have perished in the struggles…”

She clenched her fists.

“But I know that in the loftiest heights of Heaven, where I can never go, they have been rewarded with the pleasures of several empires, while my champions burn in Perdition.

“Do you know what mistake I realize I’ve made every time? Do you? I’ve regulated myself to the sidelines, and not gotten involved myself. If you want something done right, do it yourself.

“I had expected to face you all along…”

“What?” said Jason. “You wanted me up here?”

“Yes…” said Sin. “I was preparing for it for a century.

“The whole business with Dartz was to strengthen my powers early. I whispered evil thoughts into his ears, I told him how to craft the first Orichalcos cards and use them to draw power from his precious Leviathan. If his plans had succeeded, I would have consumed Leviathan along with him and all the souls it had taken, gorging on power.

“But that plan failed…

“I had to resort to trickery for my next stage. Sartorious was an easy man to manipulate, and I used him to craft my ultimate weapon. And when I was done with him, my other servants stole it, and killed him.”

“You bitch…” muttered Russell. “Sartorious was a patsy all along… You wanted him to fail, you must have chosen him because he had a history of failure.

“His evil side didn’t kill his good side… You did!”

“No, I merely whispered things to him that made his evil side come to the surface and be strong enough to do so,” she replied. “I can be very persuasive.

“Of course, I was working hard even earlier. Eight years sooner, I planted the seeds of tonight’s confrontation. If you doubt how influential I can be, I was even able to tempt a few folks who resided in your precious Monastery, when they left the safety of its walls…”

Jason gasped in fright.

“The story you told me after I had dueled Sally…” he muttered. “Those three terrorists who dueled Yugi, Kaiba, and Joey… They were…”

“Dupes,” said Sin. “Members of the Sage’s group who were easily manipulated. Easy to convince that a little evil had to be done to achieve a greater good. I told them whenever I could that a passive role would never accomplish anything, and eventually they believed it. By the time the current Sage realized the seed of evil that had been planted, it was too late to stop them…”

Jason clenched his fists in anger.

“Over the decades,” said Sin, “I watched as the deck switched hands. Finally, twenty years ago, I found another dupe who I could convince to work with me. A movie producer who was desperate for a money maker…”

Fortunado shook his head.

“In case you’re wondering, Jason,” she continued, “I’m not like Dartz… I never had to tell outright lies to get anyone to join my side.

“No duelist you and your friends have faced was brainwashed or under magical enslavement. They all came to me because they wanted too.”

“Yeah…” said Jason. “After you made your side look more appealing, that is. After you made them think that the easy way was better than the right way. That’s how it is with you isn’t it?

“Temptation… It’s the way Evil recruits more…”

“Indeed,” she answered, “but it hasn’t always worked… Take your brother, Trisha…”

“Patrick?” said Trisha, in surprise.

“Yes, he was a pretty good duelist…” said Sin. “If I hadn’t convinced him that he could have made valedictorian by… bending the rules, he probably wouldn’t have attempted to learn to trick shuffle…”

Trisha stared at her…

“You… you personally convinced him to cheat!” she shouted.

“Yes…” answered Sin. “Unfortunately, when he told his girlfriend about it, one of my… counterparts got to her before I did, and pushed her in the direction of morality.”

She scowled.

“Once that had been done, she couldn’t be convinced to my side. So the most I could do was continue to work on Patrick until he was utterly committed to my side.”

Trisha looked at the demoness.

She bowed her head. It was a lot to take in. She would never had accepted “the Devil made me do it” if her brother had used that as an excuse…

…but now it seemed that the excuse was valid in this situation. She had been baiting him to take an easy way to the top…

For so long she had hated him for all he had done… But now she was face-to-face with the monster who was truly responsible…

And during that duel with him, she had practically kicked him when he was down…

“Patrick…” she whispered. “My brother… What have I done…”

A tear fell down her cheek.

Sin smirked at her. Then she continued.

“My original plan was to grow strong for this confrontation by consuming the Sacred Beasts. But as you saw, one of my servants ruined that plan. So I decided simply to gain power through duels, feasting on every fallen duelist…”

“You consumed them?” asked Jason. “Then they’re… Gone?”

“No…” said Sin, holding her stomach. “They’re still inside me. And once you are with them, I’ll use your power to digest them, and grow powerful enough to cover the world with darkness unlike it has ever seen…”

“Bitch…” whispered Trisha.

“Quiet…” growled Sin. “Once I consume Jason, you two are going to be dessert.”

She looked at Jason.

“You have to beat me first…” said Jason.

A deck appeared in Sin’s hand.

“I intend to, Jason,” she said. “This is the infamous Reckoning Deck you heard so much about. I tested it on Cleo, Sebastian, and Cassius, and none of them lasted more than ten rounds. More will fall to it… Starting with you.

“The night is not over, and the challenge has only begun.”

“Count on it…” said Jason. “The Black Moon may have shrouded the city in darkness…

“But before this is over…

“I’m going to light the night!”

The two of them stared at each other. Both of their eyes glowed…

…and then an aura of thick darkness started to cover the room…

Wednesday, November 11th, 12:45 AM

MISCHIEF OF THE TIME GODDESS (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A woman in royal clothing with blue hair in a ponytail, winking and holding a scepter.

Card Description: Skip the rest of your turn, your opponent’s next turn, and your next Draw Phase, Standby Phase, and Main Phase One.

Note: “Mischief of the Time Goddess” was first used by Ziegfried in the anime episode “One Step Ahead (Part One)”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

WHITE KNIGHT SWORDSMAN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 4
ATK: 1,200
DEF: 0

Card Description: When this card is in your Graveyard, increase the ATK of all Monsters on your side of the field with the words “White Knight” in them by 300.

WHITE KNIGHT LANCER (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 4
ATK: 1,500
DEF: 0

Card Description: When this card attacks with an ATK higher than the DEF of your opponent’s Defense Position Monster, inflict the difference to your opponent’s Life Points as battle damage.

WHITE KNIGHT GARDNA (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 4
ATK: 800
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: When this card is in your Graveyard, you may remove it from play to reduce the battle damage towards a Monster with the words “White Knight” in its name to zero for the remainder of the round.

WHITE KNIGHT LORD (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 7
ATK: 2,000
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: At the End Phase of a turn in which this card does not engage in battle, inflict 800 points of damage to your Life Points. This card cannot be Tributed. All battle damage this card receives if it is attacked is reduced to zero. When this card destroys an opposing Monster, the owner of the destroyed Monster loses 300 Life Points after damage calculation. If this card is destroyed by your opponent’s card effect, inflict 1,000 points of damage to your opponent’s Life Points.

THE SEALED GATES (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: The image on this card was not clear.

Card Description: This card can only be activated if it is destroyed by a card effect while facedown on your side of the field. Remove one “White Knight Swordsman”, one “White Knight Lancer”, and one “White Knight Gardna” in your Graveyard from play to Special Summon one “White Knight Lord” from your hand or deck.

Note: “White Knight Swordsman”, “White Knight Gardna”, “White Knight Lancer”, “White Knight Lord”, and “The Sealed Gates” were first used by Chazz in the two-part “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Blinded by the Light”. All creative credit goes to the writers of the episodes.

INFERNAL WHITE (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Continuous
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A skull topped by a bat-like statue topped by a torch.

Card Description: While this card is in play, you must play with your hand revealed. During each of your opponent’s Standby Phases, 600 points are deducted from his Life Points.

Note: “Infernal White” was first used by Chazz in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Obelisk White?”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

WHITE DOOM (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Equip
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A sacred temple being struck by lightning.

Card Description: This card can only be equipped to one of your Monsters. On your second End Phase after activating this card, destroy all face-up Monsters on the side of the field as the Equipped Monster and inflict damage Equal to their combined ATK to both players’ Life Points.

CYBER BLAST DRAGON (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Machine/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 7
ATK: 2,400
DEF: 1,800

Card Description: This card is descended by activating “The Eye of Timaeus” and offering one “Cyber Laser Dragon” as a Tribute. Once per round, you can reveal the top card on your deck. Choose one face-up card on the field of the same Type (Monster, Spell, or Trap) as the revealed card and destroy it. Then remove the revealed card from play. After this effect is used three times, destroy this card.

Coming up next:

It’s Jason versus Sin. The duel he faces is with his deck containing the souls of his two friends. And this is gonna be a two parter, by the way.

Don’t miss “Dark Designator”, coming soon.

Master of Paradox

2nd February 2007, 04:09 AM

Not for the first time, I'm torn.

To begin with, I finally worked out what deck Fortunado would be using the other day, between SM's interrupted comment and previous statements in the story. But my gods, that duel was short. Couldn't think of anything else to do with him?

I'll say it again: your final battles should not be shorter than your duels-for-fun.

And to be honest, I was bored. Once we realized he was using the White Knights, Fortunado's deck became predictable. Much like the Dolls, you can't make a deck using just those and hope to get away with it outside the show.

As for Jason, well... I don't know. The Timaeus creation was rather neat, but other than that, he had nothing of import.

So the duel flopped, as usual... but then Sin stepped in. And with that, you covered at least one apparent plot hole and finally made Trish look like something better than a heartless (CENSORED). Her speech essentially saved the chapter from the bottom ranks.

But as much as I don't want to nitpick even there... you tried for a big reveal and it flopped. Mayor Barna just wasn't a big enough character that having her be the Big Bad would be any real shock.

In addition, you tried, but I still can't forgive you for cheapening the transformation of Zane with an outside agency. Even one as vague as Sin.

And this only applies to Final Fantasy X players like myself, but every time I see the word "Sin" used as a name, I think of a giant flying darkness whale. You could have gone with Lilith just as easily.

All in all, my hopes aren't very high as we go into the final stretch. In my opinion, your one good final battle was the 2-on-1 against the Shadow Queen; the first half of Yugi vs. Saurius worked well, but you cheapened and killed it in the second half. Cross your fingers, everyone.

Dark Sage

2nd February 2007, 04:22 AM

Lilith didn't have the motivations. I'll explain where I got this idea. Ever read Milton's Paradise Lost?

In it, Sin was a female. She was the daughter of Satan, created by an evil thought while he was still among the angelic hosts. She was also the mother of Death through an incestuous relationship with her father.

When Satan and his minions were confined to Hell, Heaven appointed Sin and Death to guard the entrance to make sure they wouldn't get out, because they were able to kill the otherwise immortal fallen angels if they tried. Technically, they were prisoners as well.

When Satan did try to escape, he bargained with them, promising that when he tempted the first mortals to evil (original sin, Garden of Edan, everyone knows about it), they'd be free to introduce sin and death among their descendants, the young race of humanity. They agreed, and let him pass.

So I incorporated this into a more modern story.

And don't worry. The final battle will be much more original than anything I've ever outlined before. I'm not going to use cards that follow any predictable pattern. In fact, the chapter might not be ready next Friday. I'm putting a lot of care into it.

I can only hope I succeed.

Phoenixsong

2nd February 2007, 08:44 AM

MoP is right, this was not the most... inspiring duel you've ever written. It was better than some of the previous ones, but, meh... I also agree that Mayor Barna should have been built up a bit more if you were going to make her Sin. Even though I knew it was her all along. I'm so proud of myself...

The one thing that REALLY bugged me about this chapter, though, was the movie-themed clichés. There were TOO MANY and they made my brain burn with their lameness. I mean, hey, it's not YGO fiction if the characters don't crack the occasional lame joke based on their deck theme; we've all grown accustomed to that. But you totally overdid it here, especially considering that, IIRC, more of them came out of Jason's mouth than out of Fortunado's. Even having the two of them admit that the jokes were bad didn't justify the amount that you used. Please try to keep yourself from getting carried away like that... Another minor nitpick: I know that in the show the LP counter will sometimes set itself in the middle of a speech before a duel or something, but doing it here disrupted the flow of the story; I couldn't tell whether Jason or Fortunado was talking in that first few paragraphs. I was able to figure it out, but with more thought than I should have needed. A bit more care should be taken when striving for clarity, I think. Oh, and in addition to the White Knights becoming predictable, that whole bit with Chazz talking about how they were now soulless and evil... once again, you took a great opportunity for some tension and threw it out the window almost immediately. I completely forgot Chazz had said that by the time I'd moved four paragraphs down the page. Not good.

So, yeah, the duel definitely fell flat. It wasn't terrible, no, but it wasn't too impressive either. C'mon, DS, we all know what you're capable of... make sure that this final (?) duel really knocks our socks off and blows them to kingdom come.

One more thing before I go... if I may draw your attention back a few chapters, I'd like to bring up a tiny little thing that's been bugging me about the Cleo/Sebastian/Trisha/Russell duel. First of all, it really wasn't anything too big... and I know that the story is rated PG-13, so it's not like I'm being prudish or anything... but when Cassius was debating with himself about whether or not he considered Cleo and Sebastian friends, that comment about Cleo being his lover felt like it was coming out of nowhere. I dunno, it just felt like it slapped me in the face; not because it was "bad" or anything, but it just seemed... out of place, I dunno... meh. Not important, just wanted to get it off my chest.

Oh, and who's Sally again? When did Jason talk with Sin before the duel with Cleo? It's probably glaringly obvious in some earlier chapter, but currently I'm feeling too apathetic to look.

...Just trying to actually earn that "Best Reviewer" award that I got out of nowhere. I still need to slap whoever voted for me, remind me to do that.

starjake

2nd February 2007, 01:39 PM

Well, if nothing else, that was informative.

Unfortunately, I'd have to say it was nothing else. The entire thing kind of had no luster to it (regardless of how many Luster Dragons appeared in it). And, this may just be me being thoroughly negative, but Sin's speech seemed like you were trying to cover up mistakes you had made earlier in the story. While it logically made sense, all those other things earlier in the story logically made sense as well (shallow sense, but sense nonetheless). They didn't need further explanation, really; those events just sort of...were. For example, no one questioned Patrick being evil - more people questioned Trisha's reaction to Patrick, if my memory serves me correctly. And, speaking of my memory, it tells me that Jason learned about the triple-threat duel against the Trinity in school; it was one of the very first things described to the readers as he walked by the Trinity's mural. Who is Sally, when did Jason duel her, and when on earth did Sin speak to Jason?

A duel against Sin itself has extreme potential. Here's hoping all of that potential is used.

Shuppet Master

2nd February 2007, 03:22 PM

[removed because of a nasty business I wish not to speak of ever again]

The chapter was pretty good, because I remember using those White Knights in my final evil battle and sucking hard at using them. (And when I mean "sucking hard", I sadly do mean the R-rated version of that phrase, because I deserve the sting of that phrase's meaning after making my duel between the good vs. evil flop like a flapping fish.) You did a lot better at it than I did.

I found the reparte witty, even if everyone else hated it.

Oh, and who's Sally again? When did Jason talk with Sin before the duel with Cleo? It's probably glaringly obvious in some earlier chapter, but currently I'm feeling too apathetic to look.

It was many chapters ago, when Jason and the gang were doing their duel tests. Sally was a student who dueled Jason using a deck she had created using the Kuriboh Brothers.

That's one of the drawbacks of a multi-chapter epic: You have trouble recalling stuff from twenty chapters back. That is why, if I decide to do this spin-off in my head, I'm going to be extremely careful to warn people to keep re-reading chapters so I don't have to say "Go read Chapter XXX for this part."

Let's just hope that this final duel goes well. Brian deserves more respect than what some people are giving him.

Mystic_clown

2nd February 2007, 03:49 PM

I'm probably the only one here who didn't see Chazz's white knight deck and therefore they seemed completely new to me. Although, I must agree with the others in saying that this duel was a bit short. But that's what happens when you use a deck from the series. You really can't expand on it.

I'm one of the few that remember Mayor Bardna and Sally, although I must agree with the others, having Bardna appear a few more times would risen the shock value at the end.

I actually find the name Sin to be totally justified, since she is just that. The embodiment of sin. (I think I know who the angel who originally created her was). Sin in FFX was justified as well, as everyone thought it was a punishment for their sins.

I'm actually now quite curious as to what this Reckoning deck really is. I hope it's as deadly as everyone's making it out to be.

Phoenixsong

2nd February 2007, 08:51 PM

Now, now, Shup, I'm certainly not angry... I don't think anyone's been angry per se ever since Trisha's duel with Patrick. Personally, I were just livin' up to that Silver Pencil I got and don't deserve. The thing is (as far as I see it), no one's mad at DS, but perhaps somewhat let down; everyone knows what DS's best work is, and this has been falling a bit short lately. Personally, though, I have faith that he will make this last duel spectacular. As long as he takes some of this constructive criticism and tough love to heart, takes his time with it and is certain that he enjoys writing it, Jason vs. Sin should be incredible.

And DS, take a hiatus? I doubt that, man. I mean, the decision is entirely up to him, but he's been on a roll lately and already has another story planned and more or less ready to go... maybe it's just me saying this, as I've had writer's block like nobody's business of late, but even if my writing was currently sucking like a Hoover I would keep going. You can't keep improving and you can't keep enjoying it if you stop just because a few critics are disappointed every now and then.

Oh, and the FF/Sin reference thing everyone keeps making... ha, well, that's one association I can't make. The one time I tried playing an FF game it was old, I had no idea what I was doing and I repeatedly died after taking three steps... this giant whale-thing-whatever means nothing to me XD I'm fine with the name.

Hey, M_c... unless you want to go find it on YouTube, I'm sure they'll be rerunning those episodes on Cartoon Network sometime next week. When they started showing the reruns on Miguzi again I watched until I was caught up and then stopped... the last one I saw was the one with Zane vs. Sheppard, and I don't quite recall whether that was this week or last week... so yeah, they either haven't rerun it yet or you just missed it.

Master of Paradox

2nd February 2007, 10:50 PM

Let's just hope that this final duel is not going to suck. I might like it, but everyone else might shake their heads and leave the Brian Corvello fan club for the Jason "Master of Paradox" club.

Oh, he need not worry about that. No matter how low the story sinks, Brian Corvello will always have an army of fans.

Meanwhile, Jason O. (me) will have to be content with what little he gets when people are done with Brian's work.

Hmmm? Oh, no, I'm not bitter. Not bitter at all.

Gavin Luper

3rd February 2007, 01:51 AM

Alright, enough is enough.

Here in Fanfic, we encourage people to read fics and reply to them if they wish. A reply is to let the author know your thoughts on a chapter, to give feedback and criticism - constructive criticism. Just about every reader's reply to the last few chapters of this fic have been not only unhelpful, but downright destructive and utterly disrespectful to Dark Sage.

So Dark Sage's new chapter might not meet your expectations: let him know in a helpful way by suggesting ideas, not demanding them, and certainly not by putting him down left, right and centre. The kind of pressure placed on Brian by some of you is ridiculous and not wanted in a place like TPM's Fanfic Forum. Authors write stories because they want to write, not because they wish to follow the demands of people who read their stories.

What is needed here is balanced reviews. If you're going to point out a flaw in someone's writing, balance it out with a compliment about something they are doing well. Some recent comments have nearly crossed the line into flaming, which is not only unkind but against the fanfic rules.

I think some of you need to give some serious thought to the way you treat other people's writing: just because you don't like the way something happens, doesn't mean you can't still have respect for the author.

Keep in mind that any author needs and probably wants constructive criticism, but in the end the fic is his work alone.

mr_pikachu

3rd February 2007, 01:55 AM

Gavin’s right. This has gone way too far.

Seriously, everyone. I've been going through the last several chapters of this fic - or more appropriately, your replies to those chapters - and I'm irritated.

Nearly every reply is laden with criticism and points to improve upon. That's not bad in and of itself. But there's nary a compliment or an encouragement to be found.

Dark Sage may have areas in which he can improve. But there are certainly a lot of good aspects to his work, as well. The best replies show what a writer could do better and what parts are already solid. That helps the writer to focus on improving the things that really need it and to learn what devices they should continue.

Let me be perfectly clear. There's a fine line between constructive criticism and destructive criticism. From what I've seen, that line is being crossed in just about every recent reply in this thread. Criticism is good, but like Gavin said, some of these posts border on outright flaming.

Yes, Dark Sage has weak spots. Everyone does. Every person who has posted in this thread has weaknesses in his or her writing. So how would you feel if all of your chapters got utterly blasted in nearly every reply? What would you do if everything you said was attacked relentlessly?

My point is that he doesn't deserve such ire. You've all been commenting about one thing after another that you think is subpar without giving any mention to the areas that are of good quality. Maybe you don't realize it, but your posts are doing more to tear apart Dark Sage than to make him a better writer.

So in the future, when you tell a writer something that you think they need to develop, add something that's already respectable. That applies to this fic and all others on the forum. There's always something that's good, even if there are other parts that aren't so great. Fanficcers deserve to hear about both.

Dark Sage

3rd February 2007, 04:08 AM

I would like to thank Gavin and Mr. Pikachu for saying what I was dying to say, but didn't have the guts to.

From now on, tone down. I write because I like to write. Try finding a few positive things to say, why don't you? It would make me feel a lot better.

Master of Paradox

3rd February 2007, 07:33 AM

Well... if we are now required to compliment him, in that case, I have nothing more to say. Ever.

I'm sorry, but Dark Sage seems to inspire divisive responses in people. Either there's harsh criticism or there's blind praise. I rarely see constructive, positive criticism on this board... and I'll admit I'm not good at it myself. I'm more a "tear them down so they can rebuild" kind of reviewer.

But if we have to find something to praise him on every time, then I'm rendered mute. Sometimes it's just impossible to find something nice to say.

This is my last response in this topic. Anything I have to say afterwards will go unsaid.

ssj4supernerd

3rd February 2007, 09:24 AM

Yowza. What was the last time I replied to one of your fics? 2004? =p(I think I contributed Ryo in the TYD)

I'm currently going through the beginning chapters and also reading some other fics, like The Mandate of Heaven. Keep going DS, these fic own. Well, I can't say much, since I'm only reading the first chapter, but they are currently rocking.

Go for it, dude.

(It would be cool if your final duel was the best one ever. I would read it just to see wat MoP will say :p)

dratinihaunter13

3rd February 2007, 04:57 PM

There's a topic up in the Writer's Lounge right now which focuses on constructive criticism. Everyone should take a look and post there, so we can figure out our idea of good criticism. MoP since you don't want to post here anymore, this would be a good place to voice your opinion.

http://www.pokemasters.net/forums/showthread.php?p=311257#post311257

ssj4supernerd

4th February 2007, 05:45 AM

Hmm, with that there...

I don't know if it has already appeared in this fic in another way or so, but with the latter chapters of The Mandate of Heaven, Yugi was angry because Siegfried made DM kill DMG.

Please don't anymore. It makes characters look a bit childish, even if you're 'connected' with your cards.

So if you didn't write that here, sorry. If you did, keep it in mind.

Dark Sage

10th February 2007, 03:09 AM

I have lurked among mortals since the dawn of time… Immortal… ageless… anxious…

Countless times, I have stood invisible at the sides of tyrants and dictators, whispering into their ears, promoting the spread of the vices I had created. With all sins committed, the infernal and abyssal powers grew stronger…

…but not strong enough…

I needed to do more… I had to turn the whole world to ultimate darkness. And so, every thousand years, I appointed a champion of Evil to oppose the one chosen by Good…

But Good is tenacious. Its light pierces the darkest fog. No matter how intense the doom and despair, Sin is always overcome by Virtue…

I grow frustrated… I grow angry…

I have thrown caution to the wind at this point. Evil must reign!

For this Reckoning, I have decided… It’s time I’ve intervened. This time, I will not appoint a champion. I will face Good’s champion…

…personally…

CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

http://www.ideal808.com/images/pgd-079.jpg

Wednesday, November 11th, 12:50 AM

Russell and Trisha were looking out onto a nightmare…

A blood-red sky covered a city that had been reduced to a ruin. Only blasted, burned-out remains stood where the Freedom Tower and the Empire State Building had been. Spires of sharp rock jutted out of the broken streets. The East River ran with lava, and while the Statue of Liberty still stood, her face was marred and chipped.

Hideous creatures flew overhead and clung to the buildings. Cries and howls filled the air.

The two teens fell to their knees and sobbed…

…until finally, a voice called to them…

“Snap out of it!” shouted Jason.

They woke up…

It was night. The darkness of the Black Moon was still over the city, and they were outdoors, on some sort of courtyard. A chill filled the air.

“Jason?” said Trisha, with tears in her eyes.

“It’s all right…” said Jason. “It’s all right… That bitch is playing mind games with us…”

“HA, HA, HA!” laughed the voice of the demoness. “I thought I would give you three a vision of the future, since you won’t be around to see it yourself. Sit tight… I’ll be right out… I always powder my nose before I have to get dirty…”

Thunder rolled…

They looked around. In the center of the dark courtyard was a building of sorts; a hideous temple with demonic statues.

“Where on Earth are we?” asked Russell.

“The roof…” said a scared voice.

They turned, and saw that it was Fortunado.

“This is the top of the building…” he said. “That temple… It’s her inner sanctum. All anyone’s ever seen of it is her audience hall. No one knows what else is in there… Chances are there’s a portal to Hell somewhere in it…”

More demonic laughter filled the air, and more thunder rolled.

“Okay…” said Fortunado. “I’m ready to leave now…”

“Quiet!” shouted Jason, shoving him down. “You do know we’re turning you in once this is over, right?”

Lightning flashed.

“I can handle prison…” he said with a shudder. “What she has in mind for us is much worse…”

“It’s a little late to come to your senses now!” shouted Russell. “Look, movie man, if you want to help, tell us what’s in this infamous deck. You must have looked at it…”

“Well, for starters, there’s…” he started.

He glowed with fiery energy, and collapsed, clutching his throat.

The door to the temple opened, and the demoness walked out.

“I’ll deal with you later, Fortunado…” she said. “Winning that duel with you only encouraged Jason, and he wouldn’t have won if you hadn’t made such an obvious bluff.

“But what I have waiting for you is going to get much more painful if you breathe a word about it to them.”

Jason stared at her.

“So…” he said. “The creator of the Orichalcos was the actual embodiment of Sin… Tell me… Are you the one who tempts every human being to every evil act?”

“No…” she said. “I can’t do everything. I can’t start every single illegal and immoral action. I just get the ball rolling… I whisper a few words to the right people, and like a domino effect, it spreads…

“So many times in history I started small things that grew into big ones… The Spanish Inquisition… the Russian Revolution… the Holocaust…”

Jason drew back in pure disgust…

“Oh, yes…” said Sin with a smile. “In every conflict where man has opposed man, I sowed the seeds that started it. With every evil act, the forces of the infernal planes have grown strong…”

“And now you want the whole deal…” said Jason with a scowl. “You want to offer the whole planet to Hell…”

Sin nodded.

Jason shook his head.

“Attempting to reason with you would likely be as pointless as trying to hit the moon with a squirtgun,” he said. “I didn’t exactly sign up for this, but…”

“And I didn’t expect you at first,” said Sin. “I expected a world-class Pro-League duelist. But alas… Here I am, the night of the Reckoning, and I’m facing a seventeen-year-old dressed in jeans and a college blazer!”

Jason stared at her.

Then he started to glow with a golden light…

“Huh?” said Trisha.

The golden glow enveloped Jason, and when it died down, his clothes had vanished, replaced by golden armor that shone in the dim light. A helmet with a visor that covered the upper part of his head completely was over his head, and his Disk was now part of the gauntlet.

“That better?” he asked.

Sin smirked.

“Jason, have you been able to do that all along?” asked Russell. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“It just never came up…” he replied. “I have a lot of special powers, I’m just saving them for when I need them.”

He turned to Sin.

“Okay Sin…” he said. “You want me and the rest of the world, you’re gonna have to get it from me… But just so you know…

“If I win, you get just what I gave Bakura.”

“Oh, you mean you’re going to condemn me to Hell…” said Sin, casually. “Actually, Jason, if you win – as if – that won’t be necessary.”

“What do you mean?” asked Jason.

“Tell you later…” said Sin. “But first, let me explain just what we are fighting for… You deserve answers, after all… You’ve come so far.

“Four metaphysical forces exist that define the universe. They are, simply put, Light, Darkness, Dreams, and Shadow. Light opposes Darkness, and Shadow opposes Dreams. Light and Dreams are often allies, but not always… Darkness and Shadow simply avoid each other. All four of these forces must stay balanced, or the world will collapse.

“Several times over the eons, one of these forces has tried to gain dominance. In the first decade of the 21st Century, a force of Darkness tried to eclipse the Light. Ten years later, a source of evil Light tried to consume the Darkness. Some called it the Light of Ruin, for lack of a better term. These plots were foiled…

“But what will rule over all four of them? The Divine, or Chaos? Those are the true opposing forces in each Reckoning. In each of them, the four metaphysical forces are at stake, and the Reckoning decides how they will be run.

“You see, there exist supremely powerful forces who are trying to figure out whether Divine or Chaos is superior. They demand these contests in an attempt to decide…”

She frowned.

“My side is not doing a good job of convincing them…”

“Good!” shouted Jason. “Maybe once I kick your sorry ass back to where you came from, they’ll agree that the Divine is superior, and decide to end these stupid contests once and for all! Enough people have gotten hurt as it is!”

“Once you see the forces I will unleash…” replied Sin, “you won’t be so confident…”

Lightning flashed, and a nasty-looking Disk made of green steel appeared on her arm.

“New York…” she said. “Like the song goes, it’s a Hell of a town… From Hell’s Heart, to Hell’s Kitchen… And tonight, the forces of Hell itself will be unleashed!”

“Bring it…” said Jason.

“Just a reminder for when I cast you into the depths of Hades,” said Sin. “It’s BYOP.”

“BYOP?” asked Jason. “What the heck is that?”

“Bring Your Own Pitchfork!” laughed Sin.

Thunder crashed…

(Jason: 8,000) -------------------- (Sin: 8,000)

Trisha shivered as the two drew their first hands.

“Be careful, Jason…” said Trisha with a gulp.

“Yeah…” said Russell. “Try not to think about the fact that the fate of the world rests upon you winning.”

Trisha elbowed him in the ribs.

“Since it’s only fair…” said Sin, “I’ll let you go first…”

“Very well…” said Jason, as he made his first draw.

As he looked them over, Sin’s eyes glowed bright green…

…and then he was startled as The Seal of Orichalcos appeared around them!

“Cheater!” shouted Jason. “You can’t play a card during my turn!”

“Did I?” asked Sin.

She lifted her hand, and there were still five cards there.

“Remember when I dueled you while I was possessing Cleo, Jason?” asked Sin. “Such faulty memory. I don’t need any card to create the Seal. I can create it from my own body.

“In a sense, Jason, I am The Seal of Orichalcos. The Orichalcos is pure, concentrated Sin. Like me.

“Most of the rules remain. My Monsters all gain a bonus, and I can play more than five…

“Although, if you lose, you won’t be trapped in any card…

“When that happens, I’ll be able to skip a step, and consume you right away.

“I believe you were about to move…”

Jason looked over his hand.

Better play it safe for now… he thought, taking two cards.

“I’ll throw down a facedown, and then summon Ryu-Kishin Powered in Defense Mode,” he said.

A facedown card appeared, and the fiendish gargoyle appeared, crouching and shielding itself. (1,600/1,200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mrd_0921.jpg

“Using a Fiend against me?” asked Sin with a chuckle. “Ironic, wouldn’t you say?”

“All right…” he replied. “Let’s see what this Reckoning Deck of yours can do.”

Sin gestured, and a card flew off her deck. She caught it between her index finger and middle finger.

“Show off…” said Trisha.

Sin added the card to her hand, and looked over them.

“You may think I’m pure evil, Jason,” she said, “but I’m not without a little compassion. As an anesthesia for the pain you will experience, I play Upstart Goblin.”

She played the Spell Card, and a fat goblin in royal robes appeared in front of Jason and let out a throaty chuckle. He waved his hand, and golden dust showered over him.

“Now you gain 1,000 Life Points,” she said.

“And you get to draw one card,” added Jason. “I’m not stupid, you know.”

Sin made one draw.

“Moving right along…” she muttered, “I play the Spell Card, Magical Mallet. I’m sure you know the drill.”

She played the card, and removed her deck.

“I think I’m going to reshuffle all five of my cards.”

“Oh no…” muttered Trisha. “She’s doing just what Amethyst did…”

Sin replaced her deck, and five new cards flew out of it.

“Much better…” said Sin. “You know, Jason… The major problem with the Orichalcos is, the user can’t play any other Field Spells. That means it ruins a lot of strategies. But since I don’t need it, I made a special Field Spell for my own use…

“It’s the only Field Spell that’s also a Card of Sin. Isn’t that strange? No one but me can use this card, because it’s a Field Spell that requires the Orichalcos to play.”

Her Field Slot opened, and she placed a card inside.

“Take us to… The Bronze Citadel!”

A haze filled the air, and the roof started to fade away… With a rumbling, a building started to surround them…

Jason looked around. They were in the middle of a large parade ground inside some large fortress made of blackened iron (definitely not bronze, despite the name). On each wall were iron gates, and each one was guarded by two fiendish creatures; reptilian demons in armor with snaky, wiry beards, holding wicked-looking glaives.

“What are those?” asked Russell, nervously.

“Barbazu devils,” said Sin. “The shock troops of Hell. But don’t worry, these guys are just for show…

“Let me tell you about this place, Jason. On the first circle of Hell, the infernal armies gather under the command of the warlord Bel, for countless forays and assaults against their eternal enemies, the demons of the Abyss. And every military campaign begins at The Bronze Citadel. And since the first circle would be the beachhead of any invasion, this fortress is constantly being fortified with defenses. If it was ever made of actual bronze, that metal was covered by layers of hard steel centuries ago.

“And if you’re wondering what this Field Spell does, from now on, any Monster that would normally go to my own Graveyard, with some exceptions, is instead drawn into the Citadel’s inner sanctums.”

“Huh?” asked Trisha. “Doesn’t that mean they’re removed from play?”

“Why would you banish your own Monsters?” asked Jason.

“You’ll find out soon,” said Sin. “Now then… I summon a gal you’re sure to love… Glasya, the Duchess of Desire in Attack Mode.”

In a flame, a tall figure appeared on the field. It was an absolutely gorgeous woman, dressed in a skimpy bikini made of black leather. Her beauty, however, was somewhat tarnished by her dark eyebrows, coppery skin, forked tail, small horns, and bat-like wings. (800/2,000) –> (1,300/2,000)

Jason drew back, a little nervous…

“Fear not…” said Sin. “This is just a Normal Monster…

“Or is she?”

Glasya grinned an evil grin at Jason.

“There’s a story behind this card, Jason…” said Sin. “Pegasus designed it after he had a horrid nightmare in which the real Glasya was seducing him…”

“The real Glasya?” asked Jason.

“The daughter of Asmodeus…” said Sin, with an ominous voice. “He’s the most powerful devil in existence, and the one who made the finer points of this deck possible. You’ll see what I mean soon.”

“Yeah, well, the apple must have fallen far from the tree,” replied Jason. “Even with the Seal’s bonus, she isn’t much.”

“Say what you will,” said Sin. “I’ll set a card facedown, and that will end my turn…”

Jason was more than a little surprised as the facedown card appeared.

She isn’t much… he thought. But her 1,300 Attack Points could still have beaten my Monster’s 1,200 Defense Points. Is she worried about my facedown card? And she has 2,000 Defense Points… Wouldn’t it have made more sense to put her in Defense Mode?

He drew a card.

Her own facedown card is a concern, but if I summoned someone else, I could take out Glasya and move in for a direct attack… And take an early lead…

“I move Ryu-Kishin Powered to Attack Mode…” he said.

The gargoyle leapt up, and bore his claws.

“And I summon Double Pinaska in Attack Mode.”

The Spaniard leapt onto the field, bearing his machetes. (1,500/1,500)

“Not so fast,” said Sin, “as you duelists often say. I was prepared for that…”

Her facedown card lifted.

“I activate Compulsory Evacuation Device.”

A weird machine appeared on the field, and then four chains shot out and grabbed Double Pinaska by the arms and legs!

“Sorry he has to leave so soon…” chuckled Sin. “Maybe we’ll see him again later.”

Double Pinaska struggled as he was dragged into the machine…

And then he was shot out of it like a cannon. He shattered, and his card reappeared in Jason’s hand.

Glasya chuckled a little.

“Oh, you think that was funny?” said Jason, angrily. “Ryu-Kishin Powered…”

Glasya stopped laughing.

“…attack!”

The gargoyle swiped at the Duchess of Desire with his claws, and she shrieked. She was blasted into pixels.

The pixels formed into a globe of light, and the gate behind Sin opened. The globe flew through it, and the gate slammed shut.

(J: 9,000) -------------------- (S: 7,700)

“First blood to Jason…” muttered Trisha.

“Yeah…” said Russell. “But this has just started.”

“I must say, you have guts…” muttered Sin, drawing a card. “No devil in Hell is mad enough to strike her… Especially not after what her father did to the cad who killed her mother. He isn’t afraid to discipline those who rule under him…”

“And I suppose you’re an expert in the politics of Hell?” asked Jason.

“You don’t spread vices without knowing how devils function,” said Sin. “So yes, I’ve learned a great deal from them.

“I’ll freely admit that the whole concept of politics was invented in Hell. I’ll even tell you where specifically – the city of Grenpoli on the Seventh Layer.”

The three of them stared at her, not wanting to believe her, but knowing she had no reason to lie unless she was truly crazy…

“It was there that every aspect of politics has ever been thought up,” she continued. “Centuries ago, they conceived the idea of the Divine Right of Kings, and when it no longer was feasible, they thought up the ideas surrounding the Magna Carta. In modern times, they helped design blueprints for every mortal system. Their ideas for state representation, the Electoral College, and my favorite, business lobbying. All political ideas start at Grenpoli.”

“What do they hope to accomplish?” shouted Russell.

“What they do accomplish!” laughed Sin. “Politicians consumed by greed. Countries run by the influence of money. Politics are a power struggle to decide who gets power and who keeps it.

“And when a politician makes mistakes with his power, people curse his name and he’s hated, he’s a disgrace, and he’s ripe for the picking…”

Thunder rolled.

“George Washington was opposed to the idea of political parties…” muttered Russell. “He thought they’d ruin the country. If only they’d have listened to him when he said that…”

Sin took a card from her hand.

“I summon Goblin of Greed in Attack Mode,” she said.

She played the card, and a wealthy-looking Fiend in expensive clothing carrying a Pot of Greed under his arm appeared. He grinned as the Orichalcos bonded to him. (1,000/1,800) –> (1,500/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/dcr_065.jpg

“That will be all for my turn,” she said.

Another weak Monster in Attack Mode, thought Jason. And no Traps to protect it this time. What is she up to?

At least now I know she’s using Fiends. No surprise there.

He drew a card.

Hey… he thought. It’s Russell’s card…

“Okay, Sin…” he said, “It’s time to bring someone new out, on loan from a friend of mine. Come on out… Marauding Captain!”

He played the card, and the aged veteran marched out, with a determined look on his face. (1,200/400)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-0181.jpg

“And now I’ll use his effect,” he continued, “to bring out someone you might remember…”

The Captain whistled, and Double Pinaska leapt forward again, brandishing his blades. (1,500/1,500)

“Oh, this is gonna be great!” said Trisha, anxiously.

“Ryu-Kishin Powered…” ordered Jason, “attack the Goblin of Greed!”

The Fiend made a swipe with his claws, and the Goblin clutched his fat stomach and his eyes bugged out. He shattered into pieces.

Again, the pieces formed into a ball of light, and flew through the gate.

“And now, Pinaska…” continued Jason, “attack Sin directly!”

Double Pinaska charged at the demoness…

“Hold it right there…” said Sin. “I’m bringing out someone you might remember…”

The gate behind Sin glowed, and opened again, and a globe of light flew out…

It alighted in front of Sin, and transformed into Glasya, who crouched in Defense Mode. (800/2,000) –> (1,300/2,000)

“What?” asked Jason. “How? She was removed from play…”

“Heh, heh…” chuckled Sin. “Did I say she was? Did I? I didn’t tell you about the added effect of The Bronze Citadel. If I’m about to be attacked directly, one of the Monsters that occupies it will come back out to defend me.

“Of course, now she must remain in Defense Mode, but she’ll make a decent shield.

“Try as hard as you like, Jason… Your Monsters will never be able to get to me.”

Jason stared at her.

“And by the way, Jason,” she continued, “if you think you can tear this Field down, think again. It can’t be destroyed so long as the Seal of Orichalcos stands.”

“I knew you’d cheat…” muttered Jason.

“Cheat?” asked Sin.

She smiled evilly.

“I’m the embodiment of human vice, Jason…” she said. “I’m Sin itself. Didn’t you think I’d have access to the most powerful Cards of Sin?”

“Kind of makes sense…” muttered Russell. “In a sick way…”

“Think you can win?” asked Sin. “The only way to take out my Field is to destroy the Seal…

“You know, when I whispered to Dartz the forbidden magic on constructing his cards, even I thought that no force in the universe could shatter the Seal except for someone using my own magic.

“Well, Yugi may have proven me wrong…

“But Jason, no card you have could do it now. Know why? Because this time, The Seal of Orichalcos isn’t even a card. You can’t destroy something in this game if there’s no card for you to destroy!”

“This was your plan all along…” muttered Jason. “You tipped the odds completely in your favor…”

“Well…” she replied. “I’ve had a whole century to prepare, haven’t I?”

Continued…

Dark Sage

10th February 2007, 03:15 AM

Continued from last post:

(J: 9,000) -------------------- (S: 7,600)

“And now…” she continued, “I believe it’s my move…”

She drew a card.

“Now Jason…” she said, lifting a card. “Prepare to experience fear unlike you ever saw before…”

Lightning crashed in the sky, and horrid little phantom devils started flying around the arena.

“I just drew a key part of my strategy…” she said. “It’s another Card of Sin… I pay 1,000 Life Points to play the Continuous Spell Card called Faustian Pact.”

She fit the card into her Disk, and the Spell Card appeared on the field. It depicted an ominous contract, written in red ink.

Jason looked at the card, and saw that, on the contract, it was signed with Sin’s name.

“Another Card of Sin?” moaned Trisha.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if all of the cards that were essential to her strategy were Cards of Sin,” replied Russell. “After all, she IS sin.”

“This card is just as durable as The Bronze Citadel,” said Sin, “so don’t bother trying to destroy it.

“Now, according to one of the terms of this Pact, the Lords of the Nine Circles Hell agree to give me aid in the form of their servants. We’ll call these creatures Archdevils… Fiends who are one step below the Lords themselves.

“In game terms, this card must be on the field for me to summon the key players of my deck. However, the Archdevils, even ones who serve the same Lord, are all bitter rivals who would never share the spotlight. So, I can never have more than one of them on the field at one time.”

“Good to know…” said Jason, nervously.

“Now, prepare to meet one of them!” laughed Sin. “Appear before me, Ipos, Lord of Masques!”

A bonfire of flame appeared on her side of the field, and an ominous form strode out. It was a Fiend who was bizarre to say the least. His head was that of a lion, and his legs resembled some sort of webbed bird – a goose or duck of some sort. He was dressed in the colorful clothing of a Renaissance nobleman, with a cavalier hat with a large plume. He carried a long, silver rapier. (1,200/1,200) –> (1,700/1,200)

Jason’s three Monsters stepped back nervously…

“Weird…” muttered Russell.

“This guy is a sorry story these days…” said Sin. “Centuries ago, he used to be worshipped. He was the patron of actors, comedians, and entertainers… Back when such folk were regarded as unsophisticated jesters. In those days, actors were ridiculed and mocked by the wealthy and respected, and they needed a crutch. But times have changed. These days, entertainers are wealthy and respected, and they rarely have any reason to join the cult of some devil. So these days, Ipos no longer has any followers… Poor guy.”

The Fiend growled…

“Anyway…” said Sin. “I’m not ready to attack yet, so I’ll just end my turn here.”

(J: 9,000) -------------------- (S: 6,600)

Now why did she do that? asked Jason, drawing a card. She’s going to have to deal with Double Pinaska eventually…

He looked at his hand.

“Everyone, move to Defense Mode…” he stated.

Ryu-Kishin Powered, Marauding Captain, and Double Pinaska knelt and shielded themselves.

“Now I summon Winged Kuriboh in Defense Mode,” he said.

He played the card, and the little, furry Fairy appeared. (300/200)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/dp1-en005.jpg

Its eyebrows narrowed, and it growled a little at Sin…

She crossed her arms.

“How I hate that little rat…” she said. “Jaden Yuki’s spirit guide…”

“So, the rumors were true,” replied Jason.

“Yes…” answered Sin. “And Jaden was one who simply could not be tempted, no matter how much I tried. Every time I got near him, his purity and innocence sickened me. The closest he ever came to accepting one of my gifts was when he flew into rage after he defeated Sartorious the second time… But his allies quickly calmed him down, and the rage ended as soon as it began…”

“The whole reason he had friends in the first place is because he was pure,” replied Jason. “That’s likely the reason a Fairy chose to guide him, too. There are a lot of benefits you get from following the moral path, most of which you simply wouldn’t understand, so I won’t waste my breath explaining them.

“Anyway, it’s your move.”

“Very well, Jason…” said Sin. “I draw…”

She drew a card.

“And since I didn’t insult Ipos by making him fight last turn,” she said, “he gives me a bonus… of 800 Life Points.”

Ipos erupted in flames, and then pointed at Sin. She smiled, and absorbed the energy.

“A Fiend who doesn’t like to fight?” asked Russell. “That’s a new one on me.”

“Don’t get the situation wrong,” said Sin. “Ipos is no pacifist. But as an exemplar of Pride, he considers fighting beneath him. He despises having uncultured grunts swing swords at him.

“Anyway, I just drew one of my favorites… Pot of Greed.

“As a side note, when Pegasus wanted to design a Spell Card that would let the user draw twice, I planted this card’s image and name in his head… And lucky me, he liked it! Since the start of Duel Monsters, a card named after one of my seven vices has been used by almost every duelist! Even those who fought for the side of the Divine. Even you three.

“Ironic, don’t you think?”

She frowned.

“But it was ruined when he approved of the Monster called Spirit of the Pot of Greed. That card mocked my gift by being a… Fairy…”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” moaned Jason, sarcastically.

She played the card, and the sinister jar appeared. She drew twice…

…and then she smirked.

“Now, this round, anyway,” she continued, “Ipos isn’t going to have a choice. I know about the effect of you mustachioed friend there, so I’m going to force you to use it up.

“Ipos, attack Marauding Captain with blade of tragedy!”

Ipos growled a little. Then he raised his rapier, and it burned with fire. He made a dramatic pose, and then leapt at Marauding Captain.

“Double Pinaska!” shouted Jason. “Deflect the attack!”

The Spaniard leapt up, and blocked the sword with his machetes. He strained, until finally, he shoved the creature away.

He turned to Marauding Captain and nodded.

“My turn isn’t over, Jason,” said Sin. “I’d like to tell you a story…”

“I’m… not… in… the… mood…” growled Jason.

“Did you ever hear of the legend of Tharizdun?” asked Sin, ignoring the response.

Jason stared at her.

“Not many people have,” said Sin. “Everyone keeps it a secret. In ancient times, when the Titans reigned, Tharizdun was the supreme force of Evil in the universe. He was a force of darkness, madness, and decay. Where his followers went, destruction followed.

“Eventually, his goals became clear. He sought to destroy the whole universe, no matter what the consequences.

“Everyone agreed that Tharizdun had to be stopped. For the first and only time, Light, Darkness, Dreams, and Shadow formed an alliance to bring him down. A temporary truce was called in the Blood Wars, Heaven and Hell joined forces, and the armies of the planes marched against Tharizdun.

“He was defeated, and locked away in a prison demi-plane for all eternity.”

“I find that hard to believe,” said Jason.

“Believe it,” replied Sin. “I was in that army that opposed Tharizdun. I personally killed one of his high priests in a battle of spells.

“Anyway, over the years, he has reached out from his prison, forming evil doomsday cults with wicked plans. He has been known as the Dark One, the Lord of the End…

“And the Elder Elemental God…

“And now…”

She took a card from his hand.

“Chained primordial scion, Elder Elemental God, I channel your power! Hate me if you desire, but I hold the spell that can siphon your vile spirit! I play the Card of Sin known as… Tharizdun’s Touch!”

She threw a card into her Disk. A Continuous Spell Card appeared, showing the image of an upside-down, black, two tiered ziggurat on a purple background.

Then the sky started to ripple, and a haunting laugh, like that of a madman cackling, filled the air. Two evil eyes appeared in the sky, and then two spectral arms appeared, hovering over the arena.

“Hold me…” said Trisha to Russell.

“Only if you hold me…” he replied.

“Calm down!” shouted Jason.

He turned to Sin.

“What does your card do?” he asked.

“Simply put, it activates any time I Normal Summon a Monster,” said Sin. “If the Monster’s original Attribute was Dark, nothing happens. If it was Light, it is destroyed. But if it was anything else, something will happen that you won’t like.

“And now… I end my turn…”

(J: 9,000) -------------------- (S: 7,400)

“Finally,” said Jason.

He drew a card.

There we go… he thought.

“I summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp in Attack Mode,” he said.

He played the card, and in a puff of smoke, the impressive genie appeared. (1,800/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/mdp2-en007.jpg

“Yes!” shouted Trisha. “La Jinn’s Attack is greater than Ipos’s! And Sin has no Traps on the field!”

“You got that right,” said Jason. “La Jinn, show the Lord of Masques some tragedy of your own! Attack!”

La Jinn fumed in rage, and blew flames from his mouth. Ipos the Lord of Masques groaned, and then burst into an explosion of fire.

Trisha and Russell cheered.

“Heh, heh, heh…” laughed Sin. “Your pathetic excuse for a Fiend only helped me, Jason. That may have cost me 100 Life Points, but there’s another term in the Faustian Pact that I didn’t mention.

“Every time one of their servants goes to my Graveyard, the Lord he serves agrees to give me 1,000 Life Points.”

“What?” said Jason in surprise. “Wait a second, your Field Spell prevents Monsters from going to your Graveyard.”

“Perhaps you weren’t listening the first time,” said Sin. “I said that it claims any Monster, with some exceptions. Monsters that happen to be Cards of Sin are an exception, and that includes all of the Archdevils.

“And Ipos was among the weakest of the Archdevils. More are to come, and they’ll just get stronger…”

“Please…” muttered Jason. “This card has to have some catch…”

Sin gave him an evil look. Thunder rolled…

“Oh course it has a catch, Jason,” she replied. “A very, very, dangerous catch. One that has prevented all previous owners of this deck, from Sartorious to that loser over there…”

She pointed at Fortunado.

“…from daring to actually use it. Using this deck and demanding the services of the Lords is playing with eternal fire. That Monster you just destroyed was not a hologram. It was truly the servant of a Lord of Hell.

“Remember when you said you’d banish me to Hell if I lost, and I said that it wouldn’t be necessary? Well, if you win, which you won’t, you needn’t dirty your hands…

“This is a real Faustian Pact, not just a card. The terms I’ve agreed to are similar to those agreed to by Dr. Faustus when he made the deal with the Archduke Mephistopheles. If I should lose this duel after using it, the Lords supplying me with these creatures obtain all rights to my soul, forever.”

Jason looked at her.

“You’re crazy…” he said, pointing a finger.

“No, I’m just doing what I have to do to defeat you,” she replied. “I’m sick of losing every thousand years, so this time, I’m burning every bridge, and going for broke. This time, I don’t mind taking the greatest risk imaginable. I will defeat you…”

“Fine…” said Jason. “I end my turn…”

(J: 9,000) -------------------- (S: 8,300)

Sin drew a card.

“Case in point…” she said. “Time to meet another Archdevil… Come forward, patron of forbidden knowledge… I summon Haagenti the Ultimate Alchemist!”

She played the card, and in a flash of light, a new Fiend appeared. He was an eight-foot-tall, muscular figure resembling a humanoid bull made of amber, wearing an iron kilt and boots. He had large, feathered wings growing from his back. (1,400/1,400) –> (1,900/1,400)

The evil eyes in the sky glowed…

“And, since I just summoned an Earth Monster,” continued Sin, “Tharizdun’s Touch activates, and you lose one card at random from your hand.”

A beam of energy shot from the eyes, and struck the Cyber Laser Dragon in Jason’s hand.

“Hey!” he shouted, as it vanished.

“And since your Captain only protects Warriors…” said Sin, “Haagenti, attack that foolish genie with alchemic blast.”

Haagenti breathed a cloud of noxious fumes from his jaws. La Jinn turned to stone, and then shattered into shards.

Jason stepped back in shock.

“He’s able to turn lead into gold…” said Sin with a smile, “or flesh into just about anything.”

“I activate… Flat LV 4!” shouted Jason, as his Trap Card lifted. “Now, both of us may Special Summon a four-star Monster from our decks.”

“Very well…” said Sin, taking her deck. “I’ll summon The Portrait’s Secret.”

She played the card, and an elaborate painting appeared next to Glasya. Then, two scaly green arms and a ghostly, hideous head emerged. (1,200/1,500) –> (1,700/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lon-052.jpg

“And I’ll summon my favorite,” said Jason. “Go, Vorse Raider!”

In a flash, Vorse Raider appeared, and growled menacingly. (1,900/1,200)

http://www.yugioh-cards.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/tin/CT2-EN003.jpg

Then Jason noticed his score…

(J: 8,800) -------------------- (S: 8,300)

“I lost 200 Life Points?” he said. “I should have only lost 100…”

“That’s Haagenti’s ability,” said Sin. “Battle damage he inflicts is doubled.”

“No way…” muttered Trisha. “If he managed to attack directly…”

“He can’t,” interrupted Sin. “Or more appropriately, he won’t…

“Haagenti is a devil who has based his whole career around never taking risks. He seeks the formula for achieving godhood, and he couldn’t do that if he were killed in battle. So while this Fiend will destroy your Monsters, it won’t attack you. Haagenti would never engage with a foe so powerful.

“Now let’s continue… Portrait’s Secret, attack Ryu-Kishin Powered!”

The ghostly painting reached out with long arms and throttled the gargoyle. It gasped, and then shattered into bits.

“Your move…” she said.

(J: 8,700) -------------------- (S: 8,300)

Jason drew a card.

Oh yeah… he thought.

“I sacrifice Winged Kuriboh and Marauding Captain…” he said.

The Warrior and the Fairy vanished.

“To summon Tyrant Dragon!”

In a burst of flames, the huge, mighty Dragon of Fire erupted onto the field! (2,900/2,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lod-0341.jpg

“Yeah!” shouted Trisha. “Way to get a great Monster out early!”

“Tyrant Dragon…” ordered Jason. “Attack Haagenti the Ultimate Alchemist! Imperial inferno!”

Tyrant Dragon roared, and breathed a blast of flames. Haagenti staggered, and then exploded in a burst of white shards.

“Now…” said Jason, “attack Glasya!”

Tyrant Dragon breathed flames again, and the Duchess of Desire screamed. She was burned up.

“Vorse Raider, dismantle that twisted mantelpiece!”

Vorse Raider charged forward, and slashed with his axe, splitting The Portrait’s Secret in two.

Sin looked at Jason.

“Dramatic, yes…” she said, “but pointless. I may have lost 1,200 Life Points, but due to my Pact, I gain 1,000 right back.”

“Need I remind you that my Tyrant Dragon is now on the field?” asked Jason. “Make your move… Let’s see how you intend to defeat him without anything to sacrifice.”

(J: 8,700) -------------------- (S: 8,100)

At least it’s possible to destroy these things, he thought. According to Pegasus, that wasn’t the case with Dartz’s Monsters. They were invincible.

But I don’t believe for a second she doesn’t have more tricks she can use…

Sin drew a card.

“Time to summon one of the most dreaded of the Archdevils,” she said. “Appear before me, Queen of Lust… Namia the Erinyes Queen, arise in Attack Mode.”

In a burst of flame, another female Fiend appeared. She looked similar to Glasya, but had blonde hair and no wings. Like Glasya, she was dressed indecently, in a brown, leather bikini, and an aura of flames was around her. Her ears were fiendishly pointed. (500/500) –> (1,000/500)

“Oh, please…” said Jason. “Your teenage prostitute is no match for my Dragon even with the Seal.”

“Have you forgotten about my Tharizdun’s Touch card?” asked Sin.

The evil eyes started to glow.

“Since I just summoned a Fire Monster,” she continued, “I can destroy one of your Monsters. Guess which one…”

Flames fell from the sky, and Tyrant Dragon screamed as it was roasted alive. It collapsed, and burst into pieces.

“You’ll pay for that…” muttered Jason.

“We’ll see…” said Sin. “I end my turn…”

Jason drew a card.

I don’t trust this Namia… he thought. She must have some dark secret…

Better not summon anyone new yet…

“I move Double Pinaska to Attack Mode…” he said.

Double Pinaska stood up.

“And now I attack with Vorse Raider!”

Vorse Raider charged. Namia cringed as he slashed at her with his axe…

But the Fiend did not shatter. She quickly got up. Her eyes glowed evilly…

Then she grabbed Vorse Raider, and planted a deep kiss on his fanged mouth.

“What?” said Jason. “What’s happening?”

“Namia can’t be destroyed in battle if she’s in Attack Mode,” said Sin. “And as one of the greatest seducers in Hell, any Monster who battles her becomes her slave.”

Vorse Raider’s eyes glowed, and he walked over to the Fiend’s side. He held his head, as the Seal appeared on his forehead… (2,400/1,200)

“Vorse Raider, snap out of it!” shouted Jason. “Can’t you see she’s using you?”

“Save your breath, Jason,” laughed Sin. “You can’t break Namia’s spell for as long as she’s on the field…”

Jason paused.

If I attacked with Double Pinaska, he’d fall under her spell too… As would any Monster I summoned…

“I summon Blade Knight in Defense Mode,” he said.

Blade Knight appeared, and knelt in Defense. (1,600/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/db2-en034.jpg

“I end my turn…” he angrily said.

(J: 8,700) -------------------- (S: 7,200)

Sin smiled, and drew a card.

“I summon The Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams in Attack Mode,” she said.

A spectral bed with a sleeper on it appeared. Then, a ghostly, skeletal phantom armed with a shield and sword floated out of the sleeper’s body. (1,300/1,800) –> (1,800/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/lon-053.jpg

“Now…” ordered Sin, “attack his Blade Knight, my Ghost! Nightmare sword!”

The Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams flew forward with a chilling moan, and struck Blade Knight. The Warrior shattered to bits.

“Vorse Raider… Attack your former ally now. Destroy Double Pinaska.”

Namia pointed, and Vorse Raider flew forward, slashing at Double Pinaska with his axe. The Spaniard groaned, and shattered to bits.

“Namia, attack directly!” ordered Sin. “Show him what your kiss can do to humans!”

Namia’s eyes glowed.

“Oh, I dare you…” said Jason.

Like some savage cat, Namia leapt, and locked her legs around Jason’s waist. He tried to pull away, but she grabbed his head and kissed him deeply…

Get off, get off, get off… thought Jason.

“GET OFF!” he screamed.

With a mighty shove, he pushed the Fiend off of him. She tumbled to the ground.

Namia looked up at him with a look of anger. Jason started spitting on the ground.

He stared at the Archdevil.

“Well, the Earth didn’t exactly move for me either, that’s for sure,” he said with a snarl.

Sin chuckled.

“You only resisted her kiss once, Jason,” she said, “obviously due the divine power you hold. Next round, she’ll make another try, and you won’t be so lucky…

“It’s your move…”

(J: 6,800) -------------------- (S: 7,200)

She has a point… thought Jason. Even if I hadn’t lost my Cyber Laser Dragon, its effect wouldn’t work on her. I don’t have many ways to kill a Monster without attacking… This deck wasn’t designed for that…

He drew a card.

“All right, demoness…” he said, “I’m playing Graceful Charity…”

He played the card, and drew three cards.

Continued…

Dark Sage

10th February 2007, 03:19 AM

Continued from last post:

His eyes opened.

He discarded Photon Generator Unit and Double Spell.

Then he took one of the cards he had just drawn.

“I summon someone new…” he said. “A little gift from Trisha… I summon… Nanobreaker!”

In a flash of light, the attractive female android appeared on the field. (1,600/1,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/een-en0181.jpg

“Oh, I get it…” said Sin with a laugh. “You think she can resist Namia’s powers because she’s a female Monster. Guess again. Namia has seduced and enslaved many women throughout the ages.”

“I figured as much,” replied Jason. “A devil devoted to Lust would certainly go both ways.

“But Nanobreaker won’t give her a chance to use her kiss, due to Nanobreaker’s effect. Namia is a three-star Monster. And when Nanobreaker attacks a Monster with three stars or less…”

“…the attacked Monster is automatically destroyed…” gasped Sin.

Namia gave a look of fear.

“You got it!” replied Jason. “Nanobreaker, attack Namia the Erinyes Queen with nano-blade!”

Nanobreaker leapt up, and slashed at the she-devil. Namia shrieked, and then burst into fiery shards.

“And now my Vorse Raider is free…” said Jason.

Vorse Raider stepped back to Jason’s side… The Seal on his forehead vanished…

He hung his head, as if in shame.

Then Nanobreaker lifted his head with her hand, and looked at him with a compassionate glance. Vorse Raider looked at her, and then nodded.

Then they both turned to face Sin.

“My Battle Phase isn’t over, I believe,” said Jason. “Vorse Raider, destroy her Ghost!”

Vorse Raider roared, and slashed his axe at The Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams. The fiend moaned, and shattered to bits.

(J: 6,800) -------------------- (S: 7,500)

“Big deal,” said Sin, laughing. “You aren’t even close to beating me. With every Archdevil you strike down, I get stronger. With every other Monster you destroy, another minion is added to The Bronze Citadel, assuring you’ll never be able to attack me. You can’t win!

“And now… It’s my move…”

She drew a card.

“Come forward, Exemplar of Gluttony,” she said. “I summon you forth… Behemoth the Great Beast.”

The ground shook, and an immense form burst out of the ground. In height, he was fifteen feet tall, and resembled nothing less than an obese, humanoid elephant, with four tusks, powerful arms, and clawed feet. Hideous maggots crawled all over his flesh, and a fanged maw was at the tip of his trunk. (1,400/1,000) –> (1,900/1,000)

Everyone present except Sin clutched their noses. This guy was not only ugly, he had a terrible stench.

Then Jason noticed the terrible eyes of Tharizdun glowing again.

“I’m sure you remember what Tharizdun’s Touch does when I summon an Earth Monster,” said Sin, “right Jason?”

A beam shot down from the eyes, and struck a card in Jason’s hand.

“No!” he shouted. “Not that one!”

His Luster Dragon #2 vanished.

“Oh, was it a good one?” asked Sin. “Well, losing it is nothing compared to what’s about to happen. Behemoth, attack Nanobreaker…

“Oh, Trisha? Better brace yourself…”

Behemoth roared, and lunged forward, and slugged Nanobreaker with his mighty fist. She shrieked, and then exploded.

Then Trisha screamed. She fell to her knees…

“TRISHA!” shouted Jason.

He tried to run to her, but slammed into the wall of the Seal.

“Have you forgotten that you can’t escape?” asked Sin.

Trisha bowed her head and started to sob…

“What did you do to her?” demanded Jason.

“Like I said, Jason,” said Sin, “these creatures are truly the nobles of Hell. Their weapons and claws don’t just attack the body, they strike the soul.

“A key link exists between Nanobreaker and Trisha, so in a sense, when Behemoth destroyed Nanobreaker, he was slamming his fist right into Trisha’s soul, an attack which she could not defend herself from, since this is not her duel.

“You thought you could succeed by using your friends’ cards. By sending them into battle against my forces, you have only put Trisha and Russell at risk.”

Jason looked, and saw Russell trying to comfort Trisha, who was sobbing and crying.

“Bitch…” he muttered. “I’ll show no more mercy…”

“Well, your Vorse Raider is next…” said Sin, “because as the Exemplar of Gluttony, Behemoth grows stronger with each foe he squashes. With every Monster he destroys, his Attack Points rise by 500.”

Behemoth grew to (2,400/1,000).

“Your move…” said Sin.

(J: 6,500) -------------------- (S: 7,500)

“Oh, I’ll move…” said Jason, drawing a card.

He added it to his hand.

“And your giant, smelly freak over there is going down…”

Behemoth growled.

“I sacrifice Vorse Raider, to summon Cyber Dragon.”

Vorse Raider vanished, and the giant, mechanical serpent appeared. (2,100/1,600)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ct03_en002.jpg

“Pathetic…” said Sin. “It can’t beat the Great Beast.”

“Want a bet?” asked Jason.

He showed her a Spell Card.

“That…” gasped Sin. “That’s the card you used to defeat Eris!”

“Yes…” said Jason. “I told you I’d light the night. I play… Sol’s Searing Orb!”

Behind him, the radiant disk of the sun rose, shedding light on the city below! Behemoth covered his eyes, and the dark form of Tharizdun scowled.

“You remember how it works…” continued Jason. “I have to choose one Light Monster, one like, oh, I dunno, my Cyber Dragon.

“Then, said Light Monster can’t be destroyed in battle for this turn, and the Monster it attacks is automatically destroyed.”

Sin growled.

“Cyber Dragon, go!” he shouted. “Wipe out Behemoth the Great Beast with solar strident blast!”

Cyber Dragon breathed a fierce stream of luminous flames, and Behemoth roared as he was engulfed by burning light. He toppled over with a crash before exploding into pixels.

A final tear rolled down Trisha’s eye. She slowly stood up…

“That was for Nanobreaker…” said Jason.

(J: 6,200) -------------------- (S: 8,500)

“Heh, heh, heh…” chuckled Sin.

The sun faded away, and was replaced by the gloomy darkness again.

“You’re only hurting yourself… You may have defeated Behemoth, but you lost 300 Life Points, while I gained another thousand.”

“I will find a way to defeat you…” snarled Jason. “How many Archdevils can there be?”

“How many?” asked Sin, crossing her arms. “Hmm… Good question…

“Each of the nine Lords of Hell keeps a considerable court… dukes, vissers, ambassadors, heralds, courtesans… Hell may be an evil system, but it prides itself on being an orderly one. It needs a hierarchy to function.

“If you want to know about population, one diabolist in the seventeenth century named Wilhelm had a theory. He said that the infernal army was divided into six legions… Those legions were further divided into sixty-six companies… Each of them were divided into six-hundred and sixty-six units… And each of them had 6,666 soldiers…”

“Oh, give me a break!” shouted Russell. “I may not have a calculator handy, but that would be over a billion! No army could be that big!”

She chuckled.

“Ever see a Blood War battle, Russell?” she asked. “The smallest one would have made D-Day look like a birthday party. Besides, I don’t think that Wilhelm was correct.

“So to answer your question, Jason, I’m not sure. No one has counted, but several hundred at least.

“But, as far as this deck is concerned, there are eight of them, Jason… And the ones you saw so far were the bottom tier. They were only the middle-upper class of Hell. In the lower layers, the true upper crust waits to send me their blessings, courtesy of my Pact…

“You’ve defeated four so far…

“The ones that remain will destroy you!”

Lightning flashed in the sky…

Wednesday, November 11th, 1:45 AM

GLASYA, THE DUTCHESS OF DESIRE (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 800
DEF: 2,000

Flavor Text: This attractive female noble of Pandemonium delights in seducing mortals and consuming their souls.

Note: “Glasya, The Duchess of Desire” first appeared in “The Mandate of Heaven”.

THE BRONZE CITADEL (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Field/Card of Sin
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Sin: Sloth

Image: An evil fortress on a blasted wasteland.

Card Description: This card cannot be destroyed while “The Seal of Orichalcos” is in play. All your Monsters that would normally go to your Graveyard, except for Cards of Sin, are removed from play. If you are about to be attacked directly, you can Special Summon a Monster that this card has removed from play in face-up Defense Position. A Monster Special Summoned via this method cannot change its battle position.

FAUSTIAN PACT (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Continuous/Card of Sin
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Sin: Greed

Image: An evil-looking contract signed with red ink. The signature is that of the duelist using it.

Card Description: Pay 1,000 Life Points to activate this card. This card cannot be destroyed while “The Seal of Orichalcos” is in play. Whenever an Archdevil is sent to your Graveyard, gain 1,000 Life Points. If an Archdevil destroys an opposing Monster that has a connection to its owner’s soul, the owner’s spirit is damaged. If you lose the duel after using this card, you will be banished to Hell.

THARIZDUN’S TOUCH (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Continuous/Card of Sin
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Sin: Wrath

Image: An inverted, black, two-tiered ziggurat on a purple background.

Card Description: If this card is destroyed, destroy all Monsters on your side of the field. You can activate the effect of this card once per turn, when you Normal Summon a Monster. Enact one of the following effects depending on the original Attribute of the summoned Monster.

Fire: Destroy one face-up opposing Monster

Earth: Your opponent discards one card in his hand at random.

Wind: Destroy one Spell or Trap Card on your opponent’s side of the field.

Water: The Monster you summon to activate this effect may attack directly this turn. Reduce this Monster’s ATK by half until the End Phase of the turn.

Light: The summoned Monster is destroyed (this effect is not optional).

IPOS, LORD OF MASQUES (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect/Card of Sin
Attribute: Fire
Level: 4
ATK: 1,200
DEF: 1,200

Sin: Pride

Card Description: This card is considered an Archdevil. Only one Archdevil may be face-up on your side of the field at one time. This card is destroyed if “Faustian Pact” is not active on your side of the field. This card cannot be Special Summoned. If you do not attack with this card during your turn, gain 800 Life Points during your next Standby Phase.

HAAGENTI , THE ULTIMATE ALCHEMIST (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect/Card of Sin
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 1,400
DEF: 1,400

Sin: Sloth

Card Description: This card is considered an Archdevil. Only one Archdevil may be face-up on your side of the field at one time. This card is destroyed if “Faustian Pact” is not active on your side of the field. This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card may not attack your opponent’s Life Points directly. Battle Damage this card does to your opponent is doubled.

NAMIA THE ERINYES QUEEN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect/Card of Sin
Attribute: Fire
Level: 3
ATK: 500
DEF: 500

Sin: Lust

Card Description: This card is considered an Archdevil. Only one Archdevil may be face-up on your side of the field at one time. This card is destroyed if “Faustian Pact” is not active on your side of the field. This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card cannot be destroyed as a result of battle if it is in Attack Position (battle damage still applies). If this card engages in battle, and you take damage, take control of the Monster that it did battle with it for as long as this card remains face-up on the field.

BEHEMOTH THE GREAT BEAST (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect/Card of Sin
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 1,400
DEF: 1,000

Sin: Gluttony

Card Description: This card is considered an Archdevil. Only one Archdevil may be on your side of the field at one time. This card is destroyed if “Faustian Pact” is not active on your side of the field. This card cannot be Special Summoned. When this card destroys an opposing Monster, increase this card’s ATK by 500.

Coming up next:

Sin’s unholy army continues to march forward, and the Dark Messiah is backed into a corner, facing a strategy that seemingly cannot be defeated. But Jason may have his own strategy ready to unleash, if he gains an opening. Who will be the final victor on this terrible night?

Discover the answer, in the conclusion, called “Absolute End” coming soon.

Don’t miss it… It’s gonna be a Hell of a time…

jkBAKURA

10th February 2007, 10:31 AM

Wow. I had expected the first part of a 2 parter to be rather lackluster, but boy was I wrong.

The absolute moralist has composed a Hellish themed deck! That seemes more like Paradox's type of work. I'm sure it was tough to go that far, but man, you nailed it.

The fact that it's not against a deck of pure heavenly creations maked the match seem one-sided in the Villain's favor, and for the most part she's dominating the match. We all know who the victor in the end is going to be, but we're so distracted by the sheer overwhelming force, that thought was almost pushed to the back of my mind.

The detail you've put into the backround stories of this chapter is indeed impressive. I do have a couple criticisms, but they're more on a personal note, and it doesn't matter now that the story is completed anyway.

I'll be back next week. I don't know wnough about demonology to guess the other four archdevils. (on that note, it's a shame you have to catogorise them as "Fiend")

Dark Sage

10th February 2007, 10:53 AM

Yes, Eric, the names of some of them were indeed taken from demonology. And I am sorry I had to categorize them as Fiends. Kind of the same problem as when you have to call a powerful Monster of Light a "Fairy". But I make do.

I invite everyone else to respond. And I warn you, you ain't seen nothing yet.

Phoenixsong

10th February 2007, 11:43 AM

Hm... "Fairy" doesn't always mean a weenie little thingie with wings that annoys the crap outta me... depends on who you ask. The Irish/Celts in particular might have something different to say... like the Dullahan. By the mythological definition, he's definitely a fairy, but he's big and evil and ugly and generally bad news. Of course, the spelling "faerie" would be used then, and I suppose that looks a bit more impressive... I dunno. I personally don't have a problem with the Angel/Fairy switch, because almost any of them could be Fairies depending on who you ask, but things like Hoshiningen, Silpheed, Asura Priest, Kelbek... I can't think of any reason to call those angels (though again, it would really depend on who you ask). I do agree, however, that Fiend is not a strong enough descriptor for the Archdevils.

This was a very good chapter, DS. The pacing was nice, the description was good... you did rush through a few things just a tad, like when Nanobreaker was destroyed, but in general you kept it together very, very well. I don't think even MoP would find much to complain about here, although he's not going to reply here anymore so we'll probably never know.

As an avid self-taught student of mythology, I absolutely love this deck and all of the nifty little references in it. Unfortunately, I haven't looked much into demonology, so I was dashing back and forth between here and Wikipedia for a while; I can see that the demons you've chosen to work with are working out wonderfully. I also don't know much about D&D, so those were also a little lost on me, but whatever. A few things, though:

Since when are the Erinyes succubi? I mean, it's your story, but as far as I know sex and seduction would be the last things on the minds of the Furies. (Oooh, and I bet Trisha was pissed when Namia jumped on Jason like that... :) ) Actually, I don't even think the Furies are technically evil. They torment lots of evil people, really. But whatever, it's your story. I wonder, though... "Namia" isn't in Wikipedia, so might you have twisted the word "Lamia" to get that? It would certainly fit.

Also, when Sin described Haagenti's effect, I first got the impression that Haagenti couldn't directly attack anyone. Then she started talking about how the Archdevil wasn't fool enough to attack "a powerful enemy", which I then took to mean just Jason. Yeah, in the card description you said that Haagenti just plain couldn't direct attack, but that would also technically mean he's "not fool enough" to attack a seven year-old that Sin could theoretically be dueling. Absurd, yes, but so is the idea of Haagenti fearing a seven year-old. Then again, I guess there do have to be some strings attached in order for Sin to borrow the servants of the Lords of Hell, so...

Pay 1,000 Life Points to activate this card. This card cannot be destroyed while “The Seal of Orichalcos” is in play. Whenever an Archdevil is sent to your Graveyard, gain 1,000 Life Points. If an Archdevil destroys an opposing Monster that has a connection to its owner’s soul, the owner’s spirit is damaged. If you lose the duel after using this card, you will be banished to Hell.

I'm sorry, but that made me laugh. "If you lose, you're banished to Hell." It's just... so abrupt and blunt... and the idea of seeing that written on a card (are those kind of rules directly written on Cards of Sin?) makes it funny. Yes, I am strange.

I also enjoyed the stories... as I said, I'll drool over anything that has to do with mythology and the arcane. Oh, and I still think it's creepy how you've got some of these Faust and Dante references in there, and that's more or less what we've been working on in school over the last few months. I can, like, totally relate. Weirdness.

I believe I also have a few guesses as to who's up next. Again, I don't know that much about demonology (or D&D), and really I haven't been the one reading Dante so I can't base too much on that. Still, I think I know one or two more Archdevils. Whee.

There were a few other minor nitpicks, but I won't bother you with those. Overall, I think this was a very good chapter. Most of us seemed to think you were slipping some in the more recent chapters (and I apologize if I personally said anything that discouraged you), but I know you've been trying hard and it shows. Now... bust out "Absolute End" and bring it on home!

If you will excuse me, I have to go get some stuff done so I can come back and have your Machop and MoP's Shroomish beat the snot out of each other. Good day.

Dark Sage

10th February 2007, 11:50 AM

Phoenixsong -

Calling her an "Erinyes" was a D&D reference. There, the erinyes are the Hellish equivalents of succubi, who are demons from the Abyss, a different group of fiends entirely.

Just so you know.

Blademaster

11th February 2007, 09:06 AM

(raises eyebrow)

Well, now...

In all honesty, I wasn't really sure what to expect in this chapter - I figured that all the Heaven and Hell and Sin references and whatnot would bore me (Yes, for those of you that don't know, I'm an atheist.), but after reading this.....

Well, I must say, I'm impressed - the Archdevil deck is a clever idea if ever I've seen one, the conflict thus far is intense, to say the least, and best of all, like Eric said, while we all know who's going to win in the end, this chapter actually made it easy to forget that fact.

Overall, Brian, a job well done, but I'm curious about one thing:

If there are 8 Archdevils and only 7 Deadly Sins, then what does the eighth Archdevil represent?

Hmmmmmm.......

Shuppet Master

11th February 2007, 05:53 PM

I was going to reserve my review until Brian put up the last chapter(and Brian, I apologize for asking about what the last chapter was, I forgot this was a two-part episode; my bad), but I have to give my answer on Blade's question(Brian no doubt will reveal the answer in the second part, this is just my theory) and my thoughts about his work.

I have never heard any of the Archdevils which Sin summoned, and part of me thinks that he made them up, but I trust Brian did some serious research in the D&D sites before planning these chapters out. And yeah, even if D&D is fantasy, the creators did their research to bring out the whole "demons and angels" bit. I used to be a fan of AD&D and Dungeon magazine(which is a publication that publishes D&D and AD&D adventures for struggling Dungeon Masters) and I've learned about the Planescape setting from there.

The AD&D universe utilizes various planes of existence, including divine planes of good and evil. When I heard Sin talk about the Blood Wars, my mind flashed back to my youthful days of hacking up old "Unlimited Adventure" modules to run through and downloading such files for my own pleasure.
Sadly, I never have heard any of those Archdevils used in this chapter before, but that was a redundant remark.

Sin is really pulling out every last stop to make sure she wins and floods the Universe with evil, squelching every last bit of good. But then, if I were her, I'd probably do the same thing.

Two things though:

(1) Even if she lost, I doubt she would care. After all, she IS sin incarnate. I doubt the Archdevils are going to do anything bad to her because if she ceased to exist, they would too. Brian's call here, though.

(2) Something tells me that, no matter who wins this duel and defeats the other, the Reckoning are gonna continue for all eternity. There is no way that the Divine and Chaos argument will ever be settled as long as there is intelligent life in the universe. Again, Brian's call here.

Continue on, Brian. We're all waiting for the thrilling conclusion.

Dark Sage

15th February 2007, 04:18 AM

Hello everyone! I know it's only Thursday, but I know everyone is anxious for the conclusion.

So, without further ado...

”Here we may reign secure; and in my choice,
To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell:
Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.”

So said John Milton, quoting Satan, in his poetic masterpiece Paradise Lost.

And right now… The meaning of that quote changes dramatically.

I disagree with it. As the Dark Messiah, I serve Heaven (more or less), and I have no desire to reign in Hell.

…and now, I’m caught in a conflict that threatens to spill the armies of Hell into the mortal world, giving its rulers more to reign over.

My enemy stands with an unholy alliance behind her… She’s planned her strategy for a century…

But no matter how bleak it seems, I won’t give up. I am convinced that I can find a weak spot in this strategy.

I just hope I can find it before I’m finished…

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

http://www.ideal808.com/images/sod-en0501.jpg

Wednesday, November 11th, 1:46 AM

Jason surveyed the situation in front of him.

His field had his Cyber Dragon in front of him (2,100/1,600), and his foe had no Monsters right now…

But four important parts of her strategy still remained.

One: The Field Spell called The Bronze Citadel. With it in place, it was impossible for him to attack directly. If he tried, she could use it to summon a Monster he had already destroyed to shield herself.

Two: The Continuous Spell Card, Faustian Pact. A Spell so powerful that it would damn her to Hell forever if she lost, it enabled her to summon Archdevils, the most evil Fiends he had ever seen. In addition, whenever one of them went to her Graveyard, it gave her 1,000 Life Points.

Three: Another Continuous Spell Card called Tharizdun’s Touch. This card had not only summoned an evil pair of eyes and a spectral pair of arms that was now looming in the sky (he assumed it was some reflection of this ancient being she had called Tharizdun), but whenever she Normal Summoned an Earth, Fire, Wind, or Water Monster, something happened to hurt him. And he didn’t even know what Wind and Water did yet.

Four…

The Seal of Orichalcos, which had been plaguing him and his friends for over two months. She didn’t even need a card to create it. In a sense, she was the Orichalcos.

Lightning flashed in the sky again…

(Jason: 6,200) -------------------- (Sin: 8,500)

“How does that old song go, Jason?” asked Sin. “Oh yes… Better laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints. The sinners are much more fun…

“Only the good die young…”

“You’re a riot…” said Jason. “I never expected the embodiment of vice to be so funny… Of course, I never expected her to be an exhibitionist either. I mean, who knew that demons shopped at Fredrick’s of Hollywood?

“Eh, what am I saying? One of them likely owns that place.”

“Heh…” she muttered. “If that’s the best insult you can think of, then torturing you isn’t going to be much fun at all…”

“I’ll find a way to beat you…” he said slowly.

“Yes, we all have our dreams…” replied Sin. “And one of the things I like to do the most with dreams is crush them.

“Take Heinrich Luitpold Himmler…”

“Hitler’s second in command?” gasped Jason.

“Yes…” answered Sin. “You know, when he was a boy, all he could dream about was joining the clergy when he grew up, but one sour experience made him hate the priesthood.

“See, he attended confession and told the priest of something bad he had done. And then the priest violated his vows, and told his parents about it.

“Of course, in order to commit such a crime against his station, that priest needed a little… persuasion…”

Jason’s eyebrows narrowed…

“You?” he asked.

Sin nodded.

“I saw in Himmler a greater potential for Evil than Good…” she said with a smile. “So I needed to make him hate the symbols of Good and Light more than anything to set him on the right path…”

“It was the wrong path!” shouted Jason. “One can only hope that he had regret for it all right before he killed himself!”

“I believe it’s my move…” said Sin, still smiling.

She drew a card.

“I’ll place this facedown, and summon Winged Minion in Defense Mode.”

A facedown card appeared, and then a nasty little imp appeared, the size of an infant. It was bald, had blue skin, and a lamprey-like mouth, and true to its name, bat-like wings. It knelt, and shielded itself. (700/700) –> (1,200/700)

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Jason slowly drew a card.

Winged Minion can increase the Attack and Defense of any Fiend-Type Monster by 700 points, he thought. She clearly intends to summon something else whose Attack isn’t too great, and use its effect on it.

She has a facedown card, but I have to try…

“I summon Battle Ox in Attack Mode,” he said.

He played the card, and the minotaur appeared, holding his axe. (1,700/1,000)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/ske-0021.jpg

“Cyber Dragon, attack…”

“Hold it…” said Sin. “I activate… Threatening Roar.”

Her facedown card lifted, and a huge beast appeared behind her. It made a great bellow, and Jason’s two Monsters cringed.

“And just like that,” continued Sin, “your Battle Phase is over.”

Jason growled.

“All right…” he said. “I end my turn.”

“So now what?” asked Trisha.

“I think this is just getting started…” said Russell.

* * * * * * * * * *

Deep within the Monastery, the Sage and his four bodyguards brooded with worry. They knew what was happening well – the evil that emitted from that tower reached even their sanctified halls now, and the Duel Spirits were restless. They knew that if the Dark Messiah failed, Sin would quickly overcome their defenses and take them all down…

At the Academy, Dr. Artemis was restless, still shaken after her duel with Isaiah. She went around to every dorm, checking on the welfare of every student, knowing full well that her school would be one of the first targets should the Reckoning be lost.

In Times Square, Jason’s troops and everyone else there still watched the big screen. Unbeknownst to Jason, the duel was still being shown, and the horrible Fiends frightened everyone present. Most of them were saying silent prayers, hoping that the sun would eventually rise and burn away this uncanny darkness.

And across the whole world, overcast clouds covered places where daylight still should have shown, and a grim stain hung over all of creation…

Everyone knew in their bones that the fate of the world was resting in a horrible struggle…

* * * * * * * * * *

Sin drew a card and smirked.

“Let’s continue down the Pit,” she said, “the way Dante once did.

“I’ll set yet another card facedown…”

A facedown card appeared.

“And next, it’s time to meet another Archdevil. I’ll sacrifice my Winged Minion…”

Jason gasped as Winged Minion vanished.

Another Archdevil? he thought. And this one is stronger than four stars?

“Come forth from your watery domain…” chanted Sin. “I summon Vepar, Master of Angry Waters.”

A large blob of water appeared on the field, and then it burst, revealing a hulking, diabolic form. It was an immense humanoid figure with the lower body of a fish. His dull, grey skin hung loosely from his bones, and he wore a chipped and broken crown made of coral. He carried a battered and rusty trident. The smell of rotting fish and salt wafted over the field. (1,900/1,900) –> (2,400/1,900)

“Good grief…” muttered Trisha. “Now she’s really getting serious…”

The eyes of Tharizdun glowed again…

“Not again…” muttered Jason.

“Yes, again,” said Sin, evilly. “Since I just summoned someone who was originally a Water Monster, Tharizdun’s Touch allows him to attack you directly this round, so long as I cut his Attack Score in half.”

The fiendish sea lord grinned, and his Attack fell to 1,200.

“Vepar…” ordered Sin, “attack Jason directly with foul trident.”

The Archdevil leapt up, and made a stab with his spear, jabbing Jason right in the stomach.

Jason fell over. His armor had taken the brunt of that blow – he had a feeling that he might not have survived it if he had been wearing his street clothes…

(J: 5,000) -------------------- (S: 8,500)

“And wait until you hear about Vepar’s effect,” continued Sin. “When he damages your Life Points, I get to search my deck for any Fiend I desire, except for another Archdevil.”

She took her deck and looked through it.

“I think my Archfiend Soldier will do this time,” she said.

“I kind of figured you had one of those lurking in your deck,” said Jason.

“Well, my turn is done…” replied Sin, “so I’ll turn it over to you.”

Jason paused to catch his breath.

“All right soul stealer…” he said, drawing a card. “My move now…”

He looked at the three cards in his hand.

“I summon Peten the Dark Clown in Defense Mode…” he said.

Peten appeared, kneeling in Defense . (500/1,200)

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“And Cyber Dragon and Battle Ox move to Defense too.”

Cyber Dragon curled up in its coils, and Battle Ox knelt and placed his axe on his lap.

“That’s all for now…” he said.

Sin gestured, and another card flew off her deck.

“First, I play the Spell Card… Goblin Thief…” she said.

“Huh?” said Jason, as the card appeared.

Sin glowed, and then she blurred…

“What?” said Jason.

A form resembling a spirit version of Sin floated out of her. The spirit grinned and vanished.

Jason nervously paused.

“Behind you!” screamed Trisha.

Before Jason could react, the spirit throttled him from behind, and sank her fangs into his neck, through his armor. He screamed, and Sin’s true body started to glow…

He fell to his knees. The vile spirit released him, and Sin smiled at him.

“As you know…” she chuckled, “this Spell Card takes 500 of your Life Points, and adds them to mine. But I added an interesting twist… Tasty…”

Jason got up and glared at her…

“But on to work,” she continued. “I summon Archfiend Soldier in Attack Mode.”

She played the card, and the demonic, horned footsoldier appeared, holding a nasty sword. (1,900/1,500) –> (2,400/1,500)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/dcr-057.jpg

“Now I activate… Meteorain…”

Her facedown card lifted, showing the image of Enraged Battle Ox in a meteor shower.

Russell got up in shock.

“Now all her Monsters get a trampling effect for one round!” he shouted.

“You got it,” laughed Sin. “Archfiend Soldier, destroy his Cyber Dragon! Sword of Perdition!”

The Fiend leapt up, and slashed at the Machine, and it burst in a great explosion. Jason cringed from the blow.

“Vepar, take out his clown…”

With one stab of his trident, Vepar ran Peten through.

“I activate his effect…” growled Jason. “Peten number two, come forth!”

A second Peten appeared, still kneeling in Defense. (500/1,200)

(J: 2,500) -------------------- (S: 9,000)

“Well, I still get to enact Vepar’s effect,” said Sin, taking her deck. “And I think Earthbound Spirit will do this time…”

“No…” groaned Trisha. “That’s an Earth Monster… When she summons it, that nasty thing up there will make him discard another card from his hand…”

“I think that was the whole idea…” replied Russell.

“Be glad I can’t summon it this turn,” said Sin, with a smile. “It’s your move.”

There has to be something I can do… thought Jason.

He drew a card.

Then he grinned…

“Well, Sin…” he said, “your Bronze Citadel and your Faustian Pact may be indestructible so long as the Orichalcos stands, but I’ll bet Tharizdun’s Touch is a lot less durable.

“So kiss it goodbye. I play Mystical Space Typhoon!”

He played the card, and the cyclone shot forward. The Tharizdun’s Touch card waved back and forth, and then finally, shattered into a thousand pieces.

The eyes of Tharizdun above burned in anger! A roar echoed all over New York!

Then, two burning beams of energy shot from the eyes, and both Archfiend Soldier and Vepar, Master of Angry Waters were incinerated!

Then the immense form of the ancient god faded away and dissipated.

“Well, one point for our side…” said Russell.

“I figured as much…” said Jason. “Tharizdun seems like a very destructive power source, so channeling his power is dangerous. If that card is destroyed, all your Monsters are destroyed.”

“Big deal,” said Sin. “Did you forget about the terms of my Faustian Pact? Since Vepar went to my Graveyard, I get 1,000 Life Points, courtesy of Prince Levistus.”

“Prince Levistus?” asked Jason.

“Didn’t I tell you that these creatures were servants of even stronger devils?” asked Sin. “All of them are watching closely… They have great interest in this duel… Each one of them has much to gain…”

“Fine…” muttered Jason. “Since attacking would be pointless, I end my turn.”

(J: 2,500) -------------------- (S: 10,000)

Sin drew a card.

“I summon Earthbound Spirit in Defense Mode…” she said.

The ground rumbled, and a head and two arms made of dirt rose out of the ground in front of her. (500/2,000) –> (1,000/2,000)

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“Your move…” she said.

Clearly… thought Jason, that thing is there for another sacrifice. But there isn’t really much I can do…

He drew a card.

Mirror Force! At least I can give her a surprise…

“I throw down one facedown, and end my turn,” he said.

He played a card, and a facedown card appeared.

Sin smiled as she drew a card.

“Nice try, Jason…” she said. “But I was prepared for that. I play Heavy Storm.”

She played the card, and a cold wind blew through the whole wasteland. The Field Spell and the Faustian Pact stood, but the Mirror Force was blown away.

“And now…” said Sin with a laugh, “I sacrifice Earthbound Spirit to summon Azazel, Guardian of the Goat.”

Earthbound Spirit vanished, and a large form burst out of the ground. This Fiend looked like a bare-chested, muscular human, dressed only in a loincloth, with bat-like wings and the head of a demonic goat. He held in his hand a halberd that was adorned with human skulls.

He twirled his weapon above his head and let out a ferocious, bleating roar… (2,100/1,600) –> (2,600/1,600)

“Okay…” muttered Jason. “Now we’re getting worried…”

“Azazel…” ordered Sin, “wipe out his Battle Ox! Berserker rage!”

Azazel’s halberd blazed with fire, and he leapt forth with it, blowing Battle Ox to pieces.

“You’re lucky he was in Defense Mode…” laughed Sin. “So what will you do now?”

Jason growled. He drew a card.

He considered again.

He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

“Just move…” he said.

“I will…” said Sin, drawing a card.

“Hmm…” she said, looking at it.

“Want to know what Azazel’s great effect is?” asked Sin. “If I sacrifice another Monster, he gets to attack a second time in a row.

“So, I’ll summon Stray Asmodian in Attack Mode.”

She played the card, and a Fiend appeared that was… weird. It was dressed in a blue robe, but had no limbs. It seemed to float in the air. Its head had three ugly faces, colored blue, green, and red, and a sort of smokestack on top that spouted out flames. (1,300/1,700) –> (1,800/1,700)

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“First my Asmodian will destroy your facedown Monster,” she said, “and then I’ll sacrifice him so that Azazel can destroy both of your clowns.

“Stray Asmodian, attack the facedown Monster!”

The Fiend flew at the facedown Monster with flames shooting from its smokestack...

“Oh really?” asked Jason. “I reveal… Ancient Lamp!”

The old oil lamp on spidery legs appeared on the card. (900/1,400)

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“Now I’ll reroute his attack… To Azazel!”

Stray Asmodian flew towards Azazel and breathed fire. Azazel angrily stabbed with his spear, and the smaller Fiend was destroyed.

Sin growled.

“Fine,” said Sin. “But when Stray Asmodian is destroyed in battle, we both gain 800 Life Points.”

A red aura surrounded both of them.

“Good grief!” shouted Trisha. “As if she needed any more Life Points?”

“Azazel, attack Peten!” she shouted.

Azazel lunged again, and Peten was blown to bits. Jason cringed.

He gestured, and a third Peten appeared. (500/1,200)

“You are persistent…” muttered Sin, “but you’re far from defeating me. I’ll place my last card facedown, and my turn ends.”

A facedown card appeared in front of her.

(J: 3,300) -------------------- (S: 10,000)

Jason drew a card.

“I really have to thank your old pal Tharizdun,” he said. “Without him, I wouldn’t be able to do this. I play Premature Burial, to revive Luster Dragon #2.”

He played the card, and the large, emerald Dragon appeared in front of him. (2,400/1,400)

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“Ha!” laughed Sin. “He’s not strong enough to bring down Azazel.”

“Not by himself,” replied Jason, “but I also have… Rush Recklessly.”

He played the card. Luster Dragon’s attack rose to 3,100.

Sin growled…

“Luster Dragon…” he shouted. “Wipe out Azazel, Guardian of the Goat! Emerald flame!”

Luster Dragon blasted a breath of scorching fire, and Azazel roared. He dropped his halberd, and then shattered into shards of rock.

(J: 2,500) -------------------- (S: 10,500)

Sin growled again.

“I activate… Card of Last Will,” she said, as her Trap Card lifted. “Since you attacked when I had no cards in my hand, I get to draw five times.”

She made five draws.

She looked at them.

Continued…

Dark Sage

15th February 2007, 04:22 AM

Continued from last post:

“You do realize…” said Jason, “you have eleven cards left in your deck now. If you run out of cards, you lose.”

“I’ll defeat you…” growled Sin. “I don’t have a choice now…

“The forces of Hell are getting very angry now. Do you think the Lords like it when their servants are defeated? It’s both embarrassing and insulting. They’re mad enough at Cassius, Cleo, and Sebastian… When I tested this deck out on them, they managed to send a couple of these Monsters to the grave.”

“Then you’re in deep trouble,” said Jason.

“Not if I beat you,” said Sin. “They’ll forgive me once I do, and I’ll reap the rewards.”

She drew another card.

“I play Brain Control,” she said, playing a Spell Card. “Now, all I must do is relinquish 800 Life Points, and I get to control one of your Monsters.”

The evil brain appeared on the field, and grabbed Peten, pulling him over to Sin’s side.

“Now I sacrifice him…” she continued, “to summon an Exemplar of Pride even greater than Ipos. Come forth, Decarabia, Sovereign of the Seventy-Seven Airs.”

A foul wind blew through the Bronze Citadel as Peten vanished, and hideous black birds flew overhead!

“AH!” shouted Trisha. “They’re all over the place!”

“This Archdevil likes making an entrance…” muttered Fortunado, who had been cowering in fear this whole time.

“You be quiet,” ordered Russell.

A tall form appeared in front of Sin. It looked like a tall woman in a black, leather bikini and jewelry made from bone. She had feathered wings on her arms, an eagle’s tail, and leg talons like those of some bird of prey. Diabolic horns grew from her forehead. (2,300/1,500) –> (2,800/1,500)

“Ho boy…” muttered Jason.

“Want to know what her effect is?” asked Sin. “Her effect is that of any Monster in either Graveyard that I choose, and since Behemoth is hardly in any position to argue, I think I’ll give Decarabia his effect.”

“What was that again?” asked Trisha.

“He gains 500 Attack Points every time he destroys a Monster…” answered Russell.

“Decarabia…” ordered Sin, “wipe out Luster Dragon with winged scourge!”

The she-devil glowed, and then threw her hands forward. A flock of black birds flew out, and swarmed at Luster Dragon! Luster Dragon roared, and was literally eaten alive!

(J: 2,100) -------------------- (S: 9,700)

Jason stared at his foe, as Decarabia’s Attack rose to 3,300.

“Well…” said Sin with a smile. “Only your Ancient Lamp left… Make your move… It may well be your last…”

Jason grit his teeth and drew a card.

“I play Card of Demise,” he said, playing a card. “Now I get to make five draws…”

He drew five cards.

Now I’m the one running low on cards… he thought. But now I can show her that I really mean business…

“I play… Monster Reborn!” he shouted. “Cyber Dragon, return!”

The ankh appeared, and Cyber Dragon appeared on the field. (2,100/1,600)

“And now…” he continued, “I play Polymerization, to fuse this one with the two I just drew… Come on out, my Cyber End Dragon!”

Lightning flashed again, and the three Cyber Dragons merged into a vortex of light! With three roars, the enormous, triple-headed Machine loomed over the field! (4,000/2,800)

http://www.ideal808.com/images/crv_en036.jpg

“Yes!” shouted Trisha.

“His strongest Monster!” cheered Russell.

“Cyber End Dragon…” ordered Jason.

The great beast roared.

“…dethrone the Sovereign of the Seventy-Seven Airs! Super strident blaze!”

Cyber End Dragon’s roar echoed over the city. Three streams of intense energy shot at the female Fiend, and a huge explosion lit up the dark sky! Sin shielded herself…

(J: 2,100) -------------------- (S: 10,000)

Sin glared at Jason.

Her eyes glowed with an evil light…

She snatched a card off her deck.

“I’m starting to get… angry!” she growled.

“Just a reminder…” said Jason. “Your Citadel can’t defend your Life Points anymore, due to this Monster’s effect…”

“Notice how not worried I am…” snarled Sin. “I told you there were eight Archdevils in my deck… I have one left, and he’s the strongest…”

She looked at the card she had just drawn.

And I just drew the true master of this deck, she thought. Should Jason manage the impossible, the last sight he will ever see will be one that only the shades from doomed, lifeless worlds can remember…

She lifted a Spell Card.

“I play this…” she said slowly. “It’s called Blood Note…”

The Spell Card appeared, showing the image of an evil-looking notebook.

“Now I choose one Monster on your side of the field,” continued Sin, “such as your Cyber End Dragon, and for every multiple of four in its star level, I get something called a Blood Token…”

“Wait…” said Trisha. “Cyber End Dragon has ten stars…”

“That means two tokens…” added Russell.

Two small fountains of gore erupted in front of Sin, and two small forms rose out of them. They looked like the tokens created from Fiend Sanctuary, but were red and slick. (0/0 x2)

“Now…” she said, taking a card, “I sacrifice both of my Blood Tokens…”

They vanished, and the floor cracked up. A burst of fire erupted out of the ground!

The creature that stepped out was a Fiend that exuded evil from every pore. His skin was green and scaly, and he wore fiendish armor. He had claws, horns, and wings, and a white veil covering his face. None of the mortals present could see his face, but he was looking at them…

“Meet Anarzel, the Face of Death,” said Sin, with a smile, “Herald of the Lord of Hellfire. And as you can assume, to see his face is to know horrors beyond imagining. But as far as you’re concerned, and as far as Attack and Defense Points go…

“He copies those of whatever the strongest Monster on the field is at the time he’s summoned.”

“If that’s true, if you attacked Cyber End Dragon now, it would be a draw,” said Jason.

“Fool…” said Sin. “Do you so soon forget the bonus that every Monster I summon gets from the Orichalcos?”

(4,000/2,800) –> (4,500/2,800)

“No…” gasped Jason.

“Anarzel…” commanded Sin, “wipe out his Cyber End Dragon with infinite terror!”

The devil in front of Jason glowed with dark flames, and slowly moved the veil aside…

The explosion threw Jason backwards, and he slammed against the wall of the Seal.

He slumped to the ground.

(J: 1,600) -------------------- (S: 10,000)

“You might as well stay down…” said Sin. “Only that Ancient Lamp stands between you and the Face of Death. And should you see Anarzel’s face yourself, you won’t survive… You’ll die of fright, having seen things that would panic even other Archdevils.”

Jason closed his eyes…

* * * * * * * * * *

“Beelze Frog, attack Cyber Barrier Dragon with frog-fire!”

Beelze Frog shot a blast of flame from its mouth! The force field sprang up, and the attack was deflected.

“And now, my D.3.S. Frog will finish what he started…”

D.3.S. Frog let out his colossal croak, and the force field shattered. Cyber Barrier Dragon exploded! Jason shielded himself from the debris.

“Face it, Jason,” said Alphonse, smugly, “while you’ve held out longer than most of my opponents, you’re finished. Even if by some miracle you find a way to destroy D.3.S. Frog, he won’t stay in the Graveyard for long... For all you know, I’ve got plenty of ways to use him again.”

Does he mean Monster Reborn? thought Jason.

He paused.

I could get rid of that card with D.D. Designator…

No, it would be too risky! If that isn’t what he’s talking about, I’d lose a card from MY hand!

“Why not just give up?” continued Alphonse. “I’ll be merciful and quick…”

“Never…” said Jason. “I’m not finished yet…”

But the truth is… he thought, as he reached for his Disk, …maybe I am. His strategy is too well thought out, and his cards are too powerful. I don’t know what I’m gonna do, bearing a miracle…

“Why do they always want to do it the hard way…” mumbled Alphonse.

Jason’s hand slowly reached for his deck…

His vision started to blur…

* * * * * * * * * *

“Now…” ordered Arkana, “Dark Magician, attack!”

Dark Magician aimed his staff.

“That’s just what I wanted you to do, Arkana,” said Jason with a grin. “Reveal… Ancient Lamp!”

As Dark Magician flew to attack, an old oil lamp on spidery metal legs appeared on the card. (900/1,400)

“Ancient Lamp?” said Arkana, confused. “What does that do?”

“I thought you were a master of magicians,” said Jason. “This is another Spellcaster…

“And since you attacked it while it was in facedown Defense Mode, I can force your Dark Magician to attack one of your other Monsters!”

Dark Magician turned towards Dark Eradicator Warlock.

“ARRGH!” shouted Arkana. “If he attacks him…”

“They’ll both be destroyed…” said Jason.

The two Spellcasters fired blasts of black magic at each other, and they shattered into pixels!

Arkana looked in disbelief.

“Not much to say, huh?” asked Jason. “I’d be speechless too, if my whole strategy had just been blown to Hell…”

* * * * * * * * * *

He threw a card on his Disk.

“I summon Z-Metal Tank…”

With a whir, a yellow robot on tank treads with one optic sensor rolled into view. (1,500/1,300)

“And the best thing about these three Monsters is…” he said. “They combine!”

Z-Metal Tank rolled into the center of Jason’s field. Y-Dragon Head retracted its wings and hovered over it. X-Head Cannon extended a device from its underside, and hovered over it…

And then the three Machines locked together, in a burst of steam and a blaze of energy, creating one huge, multicolored robotic creature!

“Meet Kaiba’s second-favorite merged Monster,” said Jason. “The XYZ-Dragon Cannon!”

(2,800/2,600)

“And now to activate its effect. See, by discarding one card from my hand, like Safecracker here…”

He discarded the Trap Card.

“…I can wipe out any card on the field. So Spear Woman dies!”

Spear Woman gulped as the massive Machine’s guns glowed…

It fired, and she was blown into her component atoms.

“And that was just its effect…” said Jason. “I still have its normal attack to use on you…”

XYZ-Dragon aimed its guns at Cleo.

“So…” asked Jason. “Exciting enough?”

“Uh, huh, huh…” chuckled Cleo, nervously.

“ATTACK!” shouted Jason. “De-fission blasters!”

A barrage of lasers blasted, and Cleo was thrown back, her cards scattering all over the floor of the car!

“Ugh…” she moaned.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Not so fast, Eris!” shouted Jason. “I activate… Ring of Destruction!”

One of his facedown cards lifted, and a ring of grenades appeared around Golden Homunculus’s neck. It grunted in surprise, and tried to pull it off…

“That’s the dumbest move I’ve ever seen!” laughed Eris. “We’ll both lose 4,500 Life Points! Look at the scores… I’ll have 1,000 left, but you’ll have zero!”

“I won’t lose any!” replied Jason. “Time for a classic Seto Kaiba combo!”

His other facedown card lifted.

“I activate Ring of Defense!”

A green pinwheel appeared in front of him, and started to spin.

“This Quickplay Spell will protect me from all damage from Trap Cards. It works great with Ring of Destruction. So you lose your Monster, and your Life Points take a serious blow!”

With a fierce eruption of energy, Golden Homunculus was blown into shards of rock, sending the evil chaos goddess tumbling onto the floor of her temple. Pieces of burned gold and raw flames flew in all directions, but all of it that would have hit Jason was blown back by the spinning pinwheel.

* * * * * * * * * *

In his mind, every victory, every part of this struggle raced by his eyes… Bits and pieces like some twisted kalidescope.

He had defeated powerful enemies, risked everything, been trusted with the fate of the world…

He stood up…

He wasn’t about to quit now!

“You still think you can win?” asked Sin.

“Not think…” said Jason.

He paused.

“I know…

“I know with all my soul!”

He drew a card, and lightning flashed again.

“I play… Pot of Greed!” he shouted.

He played the card, and drew twice.

He looked at one of the cards. Formerly, this card had no text on it…

But before his eyes, text was now starting to appear.

Slowly, he nodded…

“Yes…” he muttered. “Yes, I understand…”

He added it to his hand.

“I throw down two facedowns,” he said, throwing cards into his Disk.

Two facedown cards appeared.

“And it’s your move.”

“Such a fool…” laughed Sin. “Your Ancient Lamp has only 1,400 Defense Points. If I draw a Monster with an Attack Score of 1,000 or more, you lose. And even though I’m running short on cards, I’m sure I have a few left…”

She drew a card.

Chthonian Polymer.

She scowled.

“I can see from the look on your face that you got a bad draw,” said Jason.

I drew this too late… she thought. I put it in there hoping to use it against one of his Fusion Monsters… What might have been… Using his own Cyber End Dragon against him would have made victory all the sweeter…

“Who cares?” she shouted. “Anarzel, destroy that pathetic excuse for a Monster!”

Anarzel erupted into black flames again, and Jason shielded himself as Ancient Lamp was blown to bits.

“I’ll place one card facedown…” she said, “and my turn ends…”

Jason drew a card. He looked at it, nodded, and added it to his hand.

“I activate… Call of the Haunted…” he said.

His facedown card lifted, and a hand burst out of the ground. A form crawled out of the ground, and it was revealed to be Double Pinaska. (1,500/1,500)

“And what good will he do you?” asked Sin. “You’ve already used his effect, and you can’t reset it.”

“He’s only here for a sacrifice,” said Jason. “I play… Legend of Heart!”

The Spell Card appeared, and Sin made a slight smirk.

“Now…” said Jason, “by sacrificing one Warrior…”

Double Pinaska vanished.

“…AND paying 1,000 Life Points…”

(J: 600) -------------------- (S: 10,000)

“The greatest forces of Good will descend!”

Trisha and Russell got up in surprise. Their own decks were glowing.

Then, Hermos and Critias appeared in their hands…

Thunder flashed out of the sky… Not a thunder storm anymore, a thunder battle. From out of the dark clouds, the three great Legendary Dragons flew, their roars echoing all over the city…

They dove through the Seal, landing behind Jason. They growled…

And then they started to glow with golden energy. Their immense forms started to reduce in size, becoming man-sized and humanoid…

“It’s time for them to shed these monstrous forms…” said Jason. “Timaeus… Critias… Hermos… Show your true faces once again…”

Three armored forms walked out, one dressed in green, one in blue, one in red. The three teens had not seen this since they had received the gifts… And even now, it was different…

Timaeus’s face was changed. Now he had Jason’s hair, eyes, and the same expression…

Hermos had adapted a new look too. Russell’s rugged features were clearly evident below his helmet.

And as for Critias, it was likely wrong to address him in masculine terms now. The knight now had Trisha’s feminine features, and the same long, dark hair fell from behind her helmet.

The three Knights looked at Sin…

(2,800/1,800 x3)

“So…” muttered Hermos, “after all this time, the true villain reveals herself… The chameleon shows her true colors after hiding in the shadows for so long.”

“The night is far from over, demoness,” said Critias. “We are not defeated, and your plans will fail, just as they have every millennia.”

“As powerful as you are…” said Timaeus, “greater power exists. Raise the beasts from the lowest pits of Hell, if you desire… You will not triumph.”

“Strong words…” said Sin. “But what are you going to do? You can’t break the Seal this time… Like I said, no card exists for you to break…”

The three Knights raised their swords, and they glowed…

“What are you doing?” said Sin.

And then she clutched her stomach in pain…

“Looks like they’re gonna try anyway…” said Jason.

Sin started to strain. Then a pain formed in her head… Perspiration beaded on her forehead.

“Stop…” she groaned. “Stop… Stop…”

“STOP!” she screamed.

She fell to her knees.

And then, with one more scream, The Seal of Orichalcos was smashed to bits!

“Impossible…” she gasped.

“I guess you miscalculated how powerful they were…” said Jason. “It may not have been a card, but then, they aren’t truly cards either. Like you, they’re living beings.

“And by the way… I happen to know that without the Seal, Cards of Sin can’t function…”

Sin watched in horror as The Bronze Citadel started to crumble and collapsed into dust. Then the Faustian Pact was blasted to pieces. Finally, Anarzel the Face of Death fell down on one knee, and let out an unearthly moan before he shattered into bits.

“Ain’t that a shame…” said Jason.

“I still have one facedown card…” said Sin, angrily, “and it’s no Card of Sin! Activate… Superior Duelist!”

Her facedown card lifted, showing the image of the youth on Heart of the Underdog holding a Disk and ordering an attack.

“Now, neither player is allowed to summon anything that has more Attack Points than his opponent has Life Points,” she said. “So your Divine Knight of Destiny is off-limits. His Attack Score is greater than infinite.”

“Oh really?” asked Jason. “Need I remind you that your Superior Duelist is the only card on your side of the field, it certainly can’t stop an attack, and your Bronze Citadel can’t defend you from direct attacks anymore? And I have three Monsters with 2,800 Attack Points apiece. Multiply it…”

Sin’s eyes opened wide…

“He can inflict… 8,400 points of direct damage!” shouted Trisha.

“I’ve wanted to do this since the duel started!” shouted Jason. “Timaeus… Critias… Hermos… Attack her directly!”

Lightning flashed again, and the three Knights leapt forward, and three slashes of swords stabbed into the demoness! She was propelled backwards, and skidded towards the steps of her temple and landed at the front door with such a crash that the stone smashed into pieces.

(J: 600) -------------------- (S: 1,600)

“And with that, Sin…” said Jason, “I end my turn… One more round, and you’re finished.”

Sin got up… The lightning flashed again.

“No I’m not…” she whispered. “I have one last gambit, Jason… You see… it isn’t true that every Card of Sin needs the Orichalcos to function…”

She got up, and drew a card.

“I’m going to summon the most destructive creature the world has ever seen or ever will, and it will annihilate you…”

“Uhm, excuse me…” said Jason. “Perhaps you are forgetting… Due to your own Trap Card, you are forbidden from summoning anything with more than 600 Attack Points.”

Sin’s eyes glowed, and she smiled a smile that Jason did not like…

She played a Spell Card.

“I play… Portal to Nessus…” she said. “Now, I first have to pay half my Life Points. Then, I have to remove seven Cards of Sin in my Graveyard from play, and they have to represent all of the Seven Deadly Sins.

(J: 600) -------------------- (S: 800)

“First I’ll remove the Prince of Pride, Ipos, Lord of Masques.”

A spectral image of Ipos appeared on the field.

“Then the Queen of Lust, Namia the Erinyes Queen.”

A ghostly Namia appeared on the field.

“Next, the Lord of Sloth, Haagenti the Ultimate Alchemist.”

Haagenti appeared.

“Then, the Exemplar of Gluttony, Behemoth the Great Beast.”

The immense form of Behemoth appeared.

“Followed by the Duke of Envy, Vepar, Master of Angry Waters.”

Vepar appeared on the field.

“Then the King of Wrath, Azazel, Guardian of the Goat.”

The powerful form of Azazel appeared on the field.

“And finally, the Master of Greed, Anarzel the Face of Death.”

The spectral form of Anarzel appeared with them.

“Begone!” shouted Sin, as they vanished.

Then, the ground started to shake…

And the temple behind her exploded in a fiery burst of flame and lava!

“Tell me when it’s over…” gasped Trisha.

She buried her head in Russell’s lap.

Rising out of the ruins was a titan that stood forty feet tall. It stood on four legs, with claws like huge swords, and resembled a cross between a hydra and a demonic dragon. It had seven terrible heads, each of which was horned and bearded, with glowing eyes and terrible teeth.

It roared in pure bloodlust, and the whole city heard and cowered in fear… In every borough, children hid under their bedclothes, and girlfriends clung to their boyfriends in terror…

No one knew what had come, but all were certain that doom had come to the city…

(0/0)

“What in the name of?” gasped Russell.

“Make it go away…” begged Trisha, not even looking. “Please make it go away…”

“What is THAT?” shouted Jason, taking a step back.

“Well, Timaeus…” laughed Sin. “You dared me to raise something from the lowest pit of Hell, never dreaming that I’d be capable of doing so. Now the Reckoning to end all Reckonings has begun!”

The sky turned blood red, contrasting the dark shape that had been the moon.

Continued…

Dark Sage

15th February 2007, 04:25 AM

Continued from last post:

“Remember when I mentioned Asmodeus? The most powerful devil in existence? According to legend, before I was even created, he was a powerful angel. One who was thrown out of Heaven when he turned to evil.

“When that happened, he fell. He fell through space and time. He landed in what would become Hell, and crashed. Still he fell. He fell through each layer, the impact forming the very landscape.

“He fell until he reached the bottom layer, and still he fell…

“He fell until he could fall no more, and there was no place left to fall. At the very bottom of the universe, the lowest pit of Hell, he lay shattered and bleeding.

“That was uncounted eons ago. And the wounds he suffered from that great fall have not yet healed. Every time he bleeds a little, a powerful devil hatches from his blood.

“And very rarely, maybe once in a thousand years, he bleeds a lot, and from the spilled blood grows one of these creatures, known as an Armageddon Beast.

“Asmodeus uses these creatures for one purpose only: When he desires a race’s extinction. When one appears on a mortal world, it usually results in that world’s destruction. Many pagan religions have prophesies of a seven-headed beast who will come and bring about the end of all things…”

“But…” said Jason.

“I know…” she continued. “You’re wondering why it has zero Attack Points and zero Defense Points. Quite an about-face from that fool Dartz. His ultimate Monster had infinite Attack Points.

“Well, let me shed some light on the situation before I send you all to eternal darkness…

“Whenever it engages in battle, all battle damage done to it is reduced to zero, and the Monster it battles is destroyed. Plus, the owner of the destroyed Monster loses Life Points equal to his Monster’s Attack Points.

“Plus, it’s immune to card effects that destroy Monsters. In short…

“It’s invincible…

“Time to end this… Since I know well what your Knights can do…

“Armageddon Beast… Destroy Timaeus! Beam of obliteration!”

The great beast’s fourteen eyes glowed. Then, streams of black energy shot from its seven terrible mouths…

“Oh no you don’t!” shouted Jason. “I activate… Attack Guidance Armor!”

His last Trap Card lifted.

“Now, I’ll reroute your attack… To Hermos!”

The armor formed around Hermos.

The energy beams shot towards Hermos, and the Knight lifted his sword. He strained and sweated, and his muscles bulged. For a second, it looked like they would burst…

Finally he deflected the beams aside. He panted for breath.

“What?” said Sin.

“I activated Hermos’s effect,” said Jason, also panting. “He can duplicate the effect of any Effect Monster in my Graveyard, so I had him duplicate Double Pinaska’s.”

He looked at his Disk.

If Athena hadn’t given me that card… he thought, I’d have just lost… She is truly the Goddess of Wisdom…

“Fine…” said Sin. “I’ll destroy you next round.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“Just surrender…” she hissed. “You can’t defeat pure Evil…”

Jason quickly drew a card.

He looked at the two cards in his hand and nodded.

“Time to end this, Sin,” he said.

“And what do you plan to do?” she asked. “By the way, if your plan involves taking control of my Beast, forget it. That won’t work either. No power in the universe could make it obey an enemy of Hell.”

The Armageddon Beast growled, and eyed Jason and the three Knights hungrily…

“I dunno, Sin…” replied Jason. “You may be using the most powerful Card of Sin right now… A beast spawned from the blood of the King of Hell, capable of destroying the world…

“But I hold in my hand the most powerful Card of Virtue… A weapon of ultimate Good.

“Shall we test the age old question? What is truly more powerful? Good… or Evil?

“Time to find out… Once… and… for… all…”

He held up a card. It glowed with a soft light.

“I play a Spell Card. It’s called simply… Stigmata.”

The card shone in the darkness, and the three Knights in front of him started to glow. They rose off the ground.

“You see, Sin…” said Jason, “summoning Divine Knight of Destiny wasn’t my intention. I had someone else planned. This Spell Card lets me invoke the true power granted to me as Dark Messiah. But to do so, I must sacrifice Timaeus, Critias, and Hermos. So, see you later guys…”

The three Knights were enveloped in golden light. They rose into the air, and vanished.

“And in return…” he said, placing his last card on his Disk, “I get to summon someone who I can’t say enough about because, well…”

He took ten steps forward.

“Because… well, he’s me.”

Russell and Trisha gasped as Jason’s armor glowed, and he faced Sin and her huge abomination. (0/0)

Sin stared at him for a second.

“Well…” she said with a slight chuckle. “This is certainly unexpected… So, The Dark Messiah is not only Good’s champion, but a Monster as well.”

“Are you surprised?” asked Jason. “Did Issac do nothing but stand on the sidelines when his troops fought Malastus? Did Obrimos and Arcanthum do nothing but send their minions after Skorne and his guardians?

“No, and no. They challenged the champions of Evil personally, just as I’m doing right now.”

“Humph…” said Sin. “I notice you have the same statistics as my Monster… zero in both areas.

“I only start out with zero…” said Jason, reaching for his Disk’s discard slot. “However, I’m now able to remove from play up to five Monsters in my Graveyard, and for each one, I gain 1,000 Attack and Defense Points. However, I’m only going to remove three…”

He held up three cards.

“These three, to be exact…”

The spectral forms of Marauding Captain, Nanobreaker, and Vorse Raider appeared behind him. (3,000/3,000)

“The spirits who guided you to the Dragons in the first place…” said Sin with a smirk. “How dramatic… How noble… How utterly useless and pathetic. Have you forgotten my Armageddon Beast’s ability? Try to attack, and not only will your Life Points be gone, you’ll be annihilated.”

“I have another ability,” replied Jason. “During every turn, yours and mine, I can duplicate the effect of any Spell, Trap, or Effect Monster in either my Graveyard or yours.”

“Feh…” said Sin. “I dare you to try find one that can defeat my Beast.”

“Dunno, Sin…” said Jason again, crossing his arms.

The images of dozens of cards appeared around them…

“I mean, it’s been a long duel… and I’m pretty sure I can find one somewhere in here that will do the trick…

“In fact…”

A card appeared in his hand.

“The very first Trap Card you used in this duel will fit my needs nicely…”

He waved his arm, and the Trap Card appeared on the field.

Sin drew back in fear…

It was Compulsory Evacuation Device.

“I don’t need to destroy septuple-ugly up there…” said Jason. “I just have to blast it off the field!”

The machine appeared, and the Armageddon Beast roared in rage! It melted into a globe of dark energy, and was sucked into the machine, which fired like a cannon, that knocked Sin over.

The card fluttered to the ground as she looked in disbelief.

There was silence for a few seconds.

“No fair…” muttered the demoness.

“Oh, and summoning a creature with that much power is fair?” asked Jason, angrily. “Using a Field Spell that makes you untouchable is fair? Sin, you’re the one who dared to use the power of the Lords of Hell… By bringing such evil forces to Earth, you opened the door for the forces of Good to react. Did you really think that Heaven was going to do nothing while Hell tried to invade? I don’t know where it was written that only the bad guys can have incredible powers, but I changed that this time.”

The point was lost on the demoness…

“What… have… you… done…” she gasped. “When word gets out that the Lords of Hell were defeated like this…”

“It will be the worst humiliation for them in ages,” replied Jason. “I do believe that this Blood War you speak of is going to turn against them for the next few centuries – fiends of other types aren’t going to take the forces of Hell seriously, and are going to laugh at them behind their backs.

“And they’ll only have you to blame for it, Sin… For another Reckoning not only lost, but lost after you got help from every infernal prince who had a stake in it.

“I don’t envy what’s going to happen to you in a few seconds, but let me end this with a word of advice.

“If you ever get out of Hell… I mean, if you happen to find a loophole in that Pact, or the Lords get bored with you, or, heck, if you just manage to escape…

“…don’t come back. Because in another thousand years, I’m sure the next champion of Good would love to kick your ass even harder.”

His hands glowed.

“Ultimate divine light!”

A beam of the most intense light ever shot from his hands, and Sin bellowed an unearthly scream as she was burned by holy energy. The Duel Disk fell off her arm, and shattered to pieces.

She fell to her knees, and her eyes glowed white. Her mouth opened, and like some sort of hideous vomit, spectral forms started flying from it.

Jason, Trisha, and Russell looked closely as the souls started flying free. They saw a few people they knew… Trisha recognized Patrick and Duncan. Russell swore he saw Ouka, and Jason recognized Alphonse. There were plenty others who they didn’t recognize immediately, but they were relieved… Her victims would be spared the dark fate she had in store for them.

Sin collapsed in heap…

And then, she was surrounded by a fiery circle. She lifted her head slightly…

And then, a group of demonic hands reached up and seized her. She tried to scream, but one of them clamped over her mouth. The flames rose, and she was slowly dragged under…

(J: 600) -------------------- (S: 0)

Jason fell to his knees. The storm subsided, the red color went away, the clouds cleared, and once more, the full moon shone brightly in the night sky, amid a thousand stars…

“That’s game…” he whispered.

Wednesday, November 11th, 3:05 AM

VEPAR, MASTER OF ANGRY WATERS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect/Card of Sin
Attribute: Water
Level: 5
ATK: 1,900
DEF: 1,900

Sin: Envy

Card Description: This card is considered an Archdevil. Only one Archdevil may be on your side of the field at one time. This card is destroyed if “Faustian Pact” is not active on your side of the field. When this card damages your opponent’s Life Points, search your deck for one FIEND-Type Monster except another Archdevil and add it to your hand. You cannot summon the Monster you search for on the same round you search for it.

AZAZEL, GUARDIAN OF THE GOAT (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect/Card of Sin
Attribute: Earth
Level: 6
ATK: 2,100
DEF: 1,600

Sin: Wrath

Card Description: This card is considered an Archdevil. Only one Archdevil may be on your side of the field at one time. This card is destroyed if “Faustian Pact” is not active on your side of the field. This card can make a second attack during your Battle Phase if you offer another Monster as a Tribute. The second attack may not be used to attack your opponent directly.

DECARABIA, SOVEREIGN OF THE SEVENTY-SEVEN AIRS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect/Card of Sin
Attribute: Wind
Level: 6
ATK: 2,300
DEF: 1,500

Sin: Pride

Card Description: This card is considered an Archdevil. Only one Archdevil may be on your side of the field at one time. This card is destroyed if “Faustian Pact” is not active on your side of the field. When this card is Normal Summoned, choose one Effect Monster in either Graveyard. The effect of the chosen Monster becomes the effect of this card for as long as this card remains face-up on the field.

ANARAZEL, THE FACE OF DEATH (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect/Card of Sin
Attribute: Dark
Level: 7
ATK: ?
DEF: ?

Sin: Greed

Card Description: This card is considered an Archdevil. Only one Archdevil may be on your side of the field at one time. This card is destroyed if “Faustian Pact” is not active on your side of the field. The base ATK and DEF of this card are equal to that of the opposing face-up Monster currently on the field with the highest ATK at the time this card is summoned.

BLOOD NOTE (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: A notebook surrounded by evil-looking magical energy.

Card Description: Choose one Monster on your opponent’s side of the field. For each multiple of four in that Monster’s star level, Special Summon one “Blood Token” (Warrior/Dark/1 star/0 ATK/0 DEF) to your side of the field.

Note: “Blood Note” was first used by the villainous DD in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Ultimate Destiny”, and I am not sure whether, as far as the anime world was concerned, this was a custom-made card or not. (I have used the original, undubbed name for effect.) Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

SUPERIOR DUELIST (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap/Continuous
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: The youth on “Heart of the Underdog” holding a Duel Disk and ordering an attack.

Card Description: You may only activate this card when you have more Life Points than your opponent and your Life Point total is 5,000 or more. While this card in play, neither player may Normal Summon, Flip-Summon, or Special Summon a Monster who has a greater base ATK than his opponent’s current Life Points.

PORTAL TO NESSUS (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Card of Sin
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Sin: All

Image: An ominous portal, ringed by fire, with a shadowy, seven-headed form on the other side.

Card Description: This card can be played when “The Seal of Orichalcos” is not active. Pay half your remaining Life Points. Remove from play from your Graveyard seven Cards of Sin, each of which represents a different sin. Special Summon one “Armageddon Beast” from your hand or deck.

ARMAGEDDON BEAST (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect/Card of Sin
Attribute: Dark
Level: 12
ATK: 0
DEF: 0

Sin: All

Card Description: This card can be played when “The Seal of Orichalcos” is not active. This Monster cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This Monster cannot be Special Summoned except via the effect of “Portal to Nessus”. When this card battles another Monster, reduce battle damage to this Monster to zero and destroy the opposing Monster. The owner of the destroyed Monster loses Life Points equal to the ATK of the destroyed Monster. This Monster is not affected by Spell Cards, Trap Cards, and Monster effects that destroy Monsters. Control of this Monster cannot switch.

LEGEND OF HEART (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Image: Three swords meeting in a Y-pattern with three dragons in the background.

Card Description: Offer one WARRIOR-Type Monster as a Tribute and pay 1,000 Life Points. Special Summon “Timaeus”, “Critias”, and “Hermos”. Destroy “The Seal of Orichalcos”.

TIMAEUS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 10
ATK: 2,800
DEF: 1,800

Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card is Special Summoned via the effect of “Legend of Heart”. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you may take “The Eye of Timaeus” from your deck or Graveyard and add it to your hand. Also, you may offer this card as a Tribute along with “Critias” and “Hermos” to Special Summon “Divine Knight of Destiny”.

CRITIAS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 10
ATK: 2,800
DEF: 1,800

Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card is Special Summoned via the effect of “Legend of Heart”. If this card is targeted by the attack of an opposing Monster, you may take one Trap Card from your Graveyard and activate it from your hand.

HERMOS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Light
Level: 10
ATK: 2,800
DEF: 1,800

Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card is Special Summoned via the effect of “Legend of Heart”. If this card is targeted by the attack of an opposing Monster, the effect of this card becomes that of any Effect Monster in your Graveyard.

Note: “Legend of Heart” and the true forms of Timaeus, Hermos, and Critias first appeared in the multi-part anime episode “A Duel With Dartz”. Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

STIGMATA (Spell Card)

Card Specs

Type: Spell/Card of Virtue
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Virtue: All

Image: A pious-looking woman in a ragged robe. She is bleeding from wounds in her arms.

Card Description: Offer “Timaeus”, “Critias”, and “Hermos” on your side of the field as a Tribute. Special Summon “The Dark Messiah” from your hand or deck.

THE DARK MESSIAH (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect/Card of Virtue
Attribute: Light
Level: 12
ATK: 0
DEF: 0

Virtue: All

Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by the effect of “Stigmata”. When this card is summoned, you may remove up to five Monsters in your Graveyard from play. Increase the ATK and DEF of this card by 1,000 for each Monster removed from play in this manner. Once per turn, during your turn and your opponent’s, you can treat the effect of one Spell or Trap Card or the effect of one Effect Monster in either your or your opponent’s Graveyard as the effect of this card.

Stay tuned for the epilogue! You’ve come this far… Don’t miss the ending…

Dark Sage

15th February 2007, 04:29 AM

EPILOGUE

Jason was silent. He didn’t rise from his knees.

The armor around him faded away, returning him to his normal clothes.

Russell and Trisha looked around. The evil temple had been blasted into small pieces of rock. No trace of the demoness remained. The full moon shined brightly in the sky.

The Reckoning was over… The forces of Good were triumphant.

Still, Jason didn’t move.

“Jason…” said Trisha, walking up to him. “You did it… It’s finally over…”

Jason raised his head.

“Yeah…” he said. “I did it…”

He drew a card from what was left of his deck.

“…but it’s cold comfort. I’m truly blind now. I can’t see you… I can’t see them…”

He took the rest of the cards in his deck and placed all of them in the discard slot.

“That may have been my best duel ever… But it was my last…”

Tears fell down Trisha’s face. She hugged him.

“Don’t be so hasty, child,” said a familiar voice.

Jason raised his head. He couldn’t see, but a feeling of warmth came from in front of him that he could turn to.

Trisha and Russell turned, and the Sage of Duelists had appeared. His four bodyguards were behind him.

“You again…” muttered Jason. “So what now?”

“Oh, I came to take back the loan,” said the Sage, “and return the collateral…”

He raised his hand, and it glowed. Jason gasped, and felt a pain in his eyes. He gripped them…

He pulled off the blindfold, and slowly opened them. It came slowly… first he saw light and darkness, then shapes; finally, blurry images gave way to true sight.

“What… but…” he stammered. “Loan? Collateral? You said I’d have to give up my sight…”

“I didn’t say permanently,” said the Sage. “Jason, it’s a little complicated, but we have the time…”

He paused.

“That witch made a joke by quoting an old song… ‘Better laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints; the sinners are much more fun…’

“She meant it as a sick joke, but there’s a lot of sad truth in it…

“You ever wonder why in comic books, each hero has dozens of villains as enemies? Certainly, supervillains must outnumber superheroes by over ten to one. We all used to admire folks like Superman, but truth be told, if given his powers, most people would be doing what Lex Luther did.”

“Keep going…” said Jason.

“You ever hear the saying that with great power comes great responsibility, Jason?” he continued. “Most folks with power ignore that. Being a hero takes a lot of self control and restraint.

“Sin has whispered into the ears of men with power since time began. And it got worse in the modern age. Folks these days worship the dollar as much as they worship God. Just ask Chazz… For the first sixteen years of his life, he lived under the thumb of two older brothers who thought money could solve any problem…”

“And it couldn’t get them out of their biggest problem,” said Chazz with a smirk. “They eventually got so desperate to control Duel Monsters and make their dumb plan work that they decided they didn’t have to follow laws to do so. And that decision cost them everything. They got in trouble for stock fraud, forgery, and then perjury, spent five years in jail, and during that time, all their assets collapsed. After that, they practically begged me for help, and I reminded them that they had dumped me. I don’t even know what happened to them after that…”

“Anyway…” continued the Sage, “the phrase ‘lead us not into temptation’ has little bearing most of the time. Mortals are tempted by power, and most succumb. They seek the easy way, using power to satisfy greed and do what they want to do…

“If the power I gave you were to have been used for a selfish reason, the blasphemy it would have caused would have created repercussions… to horrible to describe…

“So recently, the higher powers needed a way to be sure that the power of the Dark Messiah would not be misused. So to be given it, a collateral had to be left, for two reasons…

“One, as a test to prove that you would give up something precious…

“And two, to have something that you’d want back in exchange for giving the power back.

“So, I give back your sight, and you return the power of the Dark Messiah, so it will be available again… Should the need ever arise.”

Jason paused.

“By all means…” he said. “But… Heck, I know it’s far in the future, but is this ever going to happen again?”

The Sage shook his head.

“It’s hard to say, frankly…” he said. “Sin raised the forces of the nether regions themselves, and left an opening for Heaven to strike back. Heaven proved superior, and Sin has been banished to Hell forever. She won’t return, and perhaps this victory is proof enough that the Divine was meant to rule over the Balance…

“And this was a great victory. The seven vices that Sin created still linger, but she can no longer personally tempt mortals with her lies and false promises. Whoever comes as a replacement will be green and inexperienced. Perhaps a new golden age will start, and a true Age of Virtues will begin…

“It may take some time, of course…

“But know one thing…

“If, in a thousand years, someone new takes Sin’s place, he won’t be able to top what she did. Whoever holds the title of Dark Messiah next should have a much easier time than you did.”

“One other question…” said Jason. “Those terrorists that forced Yugi, Kaiba, and Joey to duel them…”

“Yes…” muttered the Sage. “She told you about them in her guise as Barna, didn’t she?”

He gave a sad look.

“I wasn’t the Sage of Duelists yet at the time,” he sighed. “My mentor was still in charge, and I was an apprentice…

“No coercion or force is used with my group, Jason. We express free will among our members. And some over the years who could not understand the lessons have perverted them, and fallen to evil.

“Those three… I don’t truly know what their intentions were. Perhaps they sought to start the Reckoning early by making the power of the Dragons and the Dark Messiah known. Whatever the case, they thought that evil had to be done to achieve a greater good, something that is never the case.

“And we tried to stop them… We hunted for them once we learned their plans. But eventually, the duel began, and we could only watch. Fortunately, the ramifications were minor.

“To this day, we mourn them and any others who were lost to evil…”

There was a long pause.

“You know…” said Russell, “it’s too bad Fortunado’s movie won’t see production. This should be known to everyone…”

Then the three teenagers got up with a start.

“Fortunado!” exclaimed Trisha. “We forgot about that slimeball…”

The madman was nowhere in sight…

“Not to worry…” said the Sage with a laugh. “He thinks he’s in the clear, but a few of your… friends went after him…”

* * * * * * * * * *

With Sin’s defeat, the magical powers in the Mastech Building all vanished…

But the technological parts still remained. An express elevator shot down towards the sub-basement.

Fortunado had fled the moment the Armageddon Beast had fallen. He had actually been preparing for this possibility for years.

Things weren’t going to be good for him. Not only would the authorities be looking for him, but every duelist in his employ who had fallen in a Shadow Game or Orichalcos Duel was now waking up, and they’d all want his head.

Well, they could look for him all they wanted. He had kept enough money in a foreign account to live for a very long time, and before anyone got out of the building, a private plane he had chartered would be ready to take him to a place where the weather was warm, the women were frisky, and the extradition treaties were nonexistent.

The elevator door opened…

And he drew back in fright…

Standing in front of him were Marauding Captain, Nanobreaker, and Vorse Raider.

The three Monster Spirits looked at him. Their eyes narrowed…

“Stay back…” he said. “You can’t…”

He would never finish the sentence.

Three slashes of three blades later, and he fell to the ground.

* * * * * * * * * *

Jason was half-asleep in his dorm room, as the morning sun rose.

Words couldn’t tell how exhausted he was, and how relieved he was that it was all over.

But now what? Go back to classes and exams? It seemed a little minor league after all they had been through.

“Jason!” yelled Trisha’s voice, from behind his door. “Wake up, will you?”

“Trisha, come on…” muttered Jason, “can’t I sleep a little more after all we went through?”

Trisha opened the door.

“Actually, Jason…” she said, “it’s Friday. You slept for two days.”

Jason got up and stared at her.

“Everyone did, to tell the truth,” she continued. “Dr. Artemis put classes on hold until Monday. But she, uh, wants to talk to us and Russell about something…”

“What?” asked Jason.

“No clue…” replied Trisha.

* * * * * * * * * *

The three friends watched as Dr. Artemis sipped coffee.

“You know, Russell…” she said. “I’ve been looking hard for a rule I can use that will make you get rid of that cheesy trenchcoat… Unfortunately, I have yet to find one…”

“What can I say?” asked Russell. “I think it looks good on me…”

Dr. Artemis paused.

“Let me tell you all a story,” she said. “When Yugi Mouto defeated the Dark Lord Zork, his spiritual guide was told of a way that he could be freed from the Millennium Puzzle after being bound to it for so long…

“The Pharaoh had to know something that the strongest men had to know – defeat. He had to face an opponent in a duel, and lose.

“Kaiba quickly volunteered to be his opponent, but Yugi wouldn’t let him. He insisted that he was going to duel the Pharaoh himself.

“It began… A Ritual Duel…

“It seemed like the Pharaoh had the advantage. His deck had all three of the Egyptian God Cards. But Yugi knew of their weaknesses, and quickly exploited them, destroying all three.

“In the end, Yugi was triumphant. The Pharaoh left this world, the Millennium Items were buried forever…

“And as a side effect, as a result of Yugi’s victory, every portal and gateway from the Earth to the Shadow Realm was supposed to close and seal forever, ensuring that Shadow Games would never threaten the world again…”

She sipped from her coffee…

“It seems that, whoever researched that part… misinterpreted…

“Shadow Games didn’t end, as you are well aware. They went away for a few years, but they made a comeback. And for the past century, they have come and gone. Every now and then, some would-be conjurer has attempted to recreate those old rituals, usually with poor results, but there have been some close calls.

“That’s why this school started Exodia Gold…”

The three teens drew back in shock.

“Exodia Gold is real?” asked Jason.

“Yes…” said Artemis. “And the most important requirement for getting in is to have won a Shadow Game. Students who enter are given special training and conditioning to fight the shadows, should they ever arise again.

“I’m going to be having this talk with some other students… But I’m offering you membership first. You’ve already been approved by the board of directors.”

They all paused.

“There are many benefits,” added Artemis. “Full scholarship, priority for other positions, internships… You only have to keep it secret…”

They looked at each other.

“How can we say no?” said Jason. “We’re hardly regular students anymore…”

Artemis smiled.

“Come by tonight at six, and you can do the paperwork,” she said.

“Oh, in the meantime…” she said, taking something out of her desk.

She handed something to Jason.

“Someone came by who wanted to meet with you at the Kit Kat at noon.”

Jason took the card.

The card said Bradford Winchester, Attorney at Law.

The Kit Kat? he thought. That’s a pretty fancy bar…

* * * * * * * * * *

The Kit Kat was indeed a pretty fancy bar. Most ordinary people would say that only snobs went there. Whoever wanted to meet with them had to be rich, important, or both.

As the three entered the lavishly decorated bar, the man at the door turned to them.

“Mr. Conrad?” he said.

“Uh, yeah…” he muttered.

“Right this way,” he said. “Mr. Winchester is waiting for you.”

Jason and his two friends were very confused as they were led to a table occupied by one man, wearing an Italian three-piece suit that likely was custom-tailored. His watch was clearly either a Rolex or a close relation. He seemed about fifty, his hair already going grey. He had a short beard and moustache.

He had a metal briefcase in his hands that had a digital lock on it.

“Mr. Conrad,” he said, in a deep, gravely voice. “I feel I know you already… Please, sit down…”

The three friends sat down.

“Feel free to order any drinks or hors d’oeuvres,” he offered. “Anything that you’re old enough to have. After all… It’s tax deductible.”

“I take it you’re a lawyer of some sort?” asked Jason.

“Yes, but not the kind who handles courtroom cases,” said Winchester. “I work for the legal department of KaibaCorp…”

He paused.

“That duel of yours…” he said. “Heavens knows how that creature hacked into Times Square’s big screen, but it’s been recorded. I can even send you three a recording if you want…”

“No thank you!” shouted Trisha.

“Mmm, I don’t blame you…” said Winchester. “I wouldn’t want a reminder either…”

He paused, as a waitress handed him a martini.

“Are you a duelist?” asked Jason.

“Heh…” said Winchester, with a chuckle. “I was, a very long time ago. You really can’t work for KaibaCorp without having some sort of history with that sort of thing. But it’s been about twenty years since I last used a Disk…”

He paused.

“You know, my friends… A hundred years ago, Seto Kaiba likely would have assumed that your opponent in that duel was a very human terrorist, using a great deal of smoke and mirrors, and a lot of custom cards.

“The current head of our company is more willing to believe the truth. And let me tell you…

“It isn’t every day that a duelist fights back an invasion from the depths of Hades…”

“So what’s the point?” asked Jason.

“After watching that duel three times…” said Winchester, somberly, “the KaibaCorp board of directors had a meeting. A vote was taken…

“…and it was unanimous, as it needed to be. They decided that the terms of Seto Kaiba’s will have finally been fulfilled…”

“What w…” started Jason.

He paused, half in shock, and half in fear.

“The terms of his will regarding his most important cards,” said Winchester. “The one that said they would only go to his equal… After a century, that person has been found.”

He punched a code into the briefcase, and it opened.

“That person is you, Jason.”

The three precious cards were there in plastic cases on a bed of felt – the three Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards.

And there were five other cards below them. Four cards that Jason knew were designed exclusively for Kaiba’s use, and one that was just as rare as Blue-Eyes: White Dragon Ritual, Paladin of White Dragon, Kaibaman, Burst Stream of Destruction, and Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

“Go on…” said Winchester. “No strings attached. The will insisted there be no red tape. Kaiba wants you to have them… We’re sure…”

Jason’s hand trembled as he reached for them…

Slowly, he gathered the cards…

“Well…” said Winchester, “I’m sure you…”

“Can the three of us have a few minutes alone?” asked Jason.

“Hmm?” asked Winchester. “Well, certainly…”

Jason looked at the cards as he got up.

“So what are you going to do, Jason?” asked Russell, in awe.

“Well…” muttered Jason. “My deck will have to be changed dramatically… I’ll have to invest in a few other cards… Maybe King Dragun and its components, Kaiser Sea Horse, Dragon’s Mirror…

“But…”

He took out his deck.

“There is something I can do right now…”

He leafed through his cards, and found nine of them.

“Trisha…” he said. “I want you to have these…”

She looked at them.

His three Cyber Dragons, Cyber Laser Dragon, Cyber Barrier Dragon, Photon Generator Unit, Attack Deflector Unit, Cyber Twin Dragon, and Cyber End Dragon.

“I don’t need them any more…” said Jason. “They’ll make your deck even stronger. You’d best get a couple of Polymerization cards… And look into Power Bond too.”

Trisha hugged him.

“Looks like I’m gonna take you up on that offer after all!” she said with tears of joy. “When we finally duel, it will be a clash of the titans!”

* * * * * * * * * *

The sun started to set in the November sky – which was warmer than usual – as the three friends walked across the Green.

“Strange…” said Russell. “Somehow, I still think that something is missing…”

The pouches that held their side decks glowed…

They quickly took cards out of them…

“Timaeus…” said Jason.

“Critias…” said Trisha.

“Hermos…” said Russell.

In a flash, and in beams of light, the three Knights appeared before them.

“My friends,” said Timaeus, “the time has come for us to take our leave. But we wanted to speak one more time.”

“No more remains for us to do,” said Critias. “The Orichalcos has lost the true source of its power, and it will never trouble the world again.”

“You looked pure Evil in the face and prevailed,” said Hermos. “No matter what the demon brought forth, you found a way to overcome them.”

“So what will happen to you now?” asked Jason.

“We go home,” said Timaeus, “to where our kind lives as you do, in other ways.”

“But take heart,” said Critias. “In the Dominion of the Beasts, your images will be put next to those of Yugi, Kaiba, and Joey, and you will be remembered until the end of time.”

“Remember us as well…” said Hermos. “Never lose faith, and no matter how bleak the situation, never lose hope…”

The three Knights faded into sparkles of light, and rose into the sky. Jason, Trisha, and Russell watched as they faded away…

…and then the three cards in their hands faded into motes of light.

“Goodbye…” said Jason.

The rest of that fall and the following winter were unusually warm. The sun shone most days, and the nights were clear. It only snowed once, and that was on Christmas, when the birth of Christ was celebrated, and the heavens seemed to celebrate with a brisk snowfall. Not a nasty, wet, packing snow that tied up the highways and caused all amounts of trouble, but just the right type of snow for children to play in and make snowballs and snowmen.

And indeed, Christmas seemed fuller of joy than ever that year. Folks would greet each other with kind words, help people who were less fortunate, and folks were often satisfied with what they had. It was a common sight for people to simply take a deep breath, look into the sky and feel more warmth and love than they had before.

In fact, the most violence that happened between folks occurred among those who played Duel Monsters. The game continued, both at the Academy and elsewhere, but no evil reared its head in any competition. And no matter how hard a loser was hit by his opponent’s attack, the duel was certain to end with a handshake.

On Christmas Eve, Trisha received a hand-wrapped gift delivered to her certified mail. She was surprised to see a full deck of forty cards, and was even more surprised to see that it was the Machiners Deck that her brother had used against her in the invasion. After thinking about it and changing her mind at least twenty times, she finally decided to meet with him, and slowly they began the process of reconciliation. Why Patrick had decided to initiate this meeting, she didn’t know, but she assumed that with Sin gone, so was all the evil she had planted in him.

It was hard deciding what to do with Cassius, Sebastian, and Cleo. They had given up, and had been through a terrible situation, but many were quick to remind them that they were criminals who had committed many terrible injustices in the past. Eventually, Jason found them, and convinced them to turn state’s evidence, suggesting that they would be treated more leniently as informants rather than simply fugitives. They took his advice, and again promised they would never bother them or the other students again.

For members of the Dark Messiah’s Army of Light, some also entered Exodia Gold, but all did well from that point on.

Bugsy would enroll at the Academy the next year, easily passing the entrance exams. Still using Insects, he never lost his taste in finding new ways to use them.

Randy and Nadia’s rivalry never seemed to end. The spirits never left Randy, guiding him in every duel. Nadia kept Alice above her bed, and while Alice never spoke to Nadia again, all she needed to do when she wanted inspiration was look at the doll’s smile, and she knew that the doll spirit was watching, and was still grateful.

Ansel never used his weak Recreation Deck again. Ever since Cyber Blader spoke to him, he had become closer to her and the rest of the Cyber Girls than ever. It still pained him whenever one of them died in a duel, but he took heart in knowing that as long as he could duel, they were truly immortal.

It was a full year before Amanda would speak to her brother again, even though the experience seemed to teach him a lesson. Eventually, contempt turned into tolerance, until she finally decided that to forgive was divine. She traded away the cards in her OTK Deck, and with help from Nathan, managed to build the V to Z Machine Deck that she had dreamed of, a deck that truly came from her heart. Nathan became her favorite study partner and sparring partner, and eventually, the two were inseparable.

Malvolio started to become more popular. He dropped the fake insanity act for good, and started to duel more often. Franct never came back for the card he had taken (Malvolio assumed that he was too ashamed over losing) and Malvolio eventually did indeed find a duelist who used Vehicroids to give it to. Giving away such a valuable card and expecting nothing in return earned him a friend… Who later became a girlfriend, and with that came the promise that the Lark legacy would continue still.

Sean was a bit inspired by his experience with the Destiny Heroes, even though they were fakes. He did a great deal of research on them and other rare and unique cards, and eventually started submitting card designs to Industrial Illusions, hoping to start something himself. Eventually, he was noticed; his first successful design was a Fire Warrior named Warrior Princess Freya, and eventually, he would be asked to design more.

Janus found it hard to believe that Omaly was gone, but after dreading for a long time that he would come back, he assumed he was gone for good. Janus figured that when Sin had been banished to Hell, Omaly was dragged down with her, because while he was not sin, he was the negative emotions that caused it. Janus was able to socialize and mingle without fear, and he led a more active life, leaving his evil side buried. And he knew that if, by some means, Omaly did ever return, he’d be able to control him. After all, he had beaten him once, he could do it again.

Old Ben didn’t change much after the assault. He still minded the Ra Dorm, as much as a responsible headmaster could. He did make one change in his schedule, however. On weekends, he’d go to the cancer ward of the local children’s hospital, and read to the patients. Naturally, he often read Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland sharing the enchanting fairy tale that he had once read to another cancer patient. For children with grim futures, he brought laughs and smiles that they desperately needed.

Dr. Artemis was never bothered by Dr. Rackham-Kerwin again, even though his involvement with the Orichalcos ruined a great deal of his good standing in the academic community. Little legal proof existed, but his participation became well known, and he was never trusted again. In any event, with him gone and her secret finally gotten off her chest by the confession, a weight was lifted off her shoulders that seemed to break a chain that had bound her for years. She became friendlier and more approachable, and more easy-going with the students. Jason kept his word, and her crime of fraud was never exposed.

And what of the three who released the Dragons?

Did Trisha and Jason live happily ever after once their duel occurred?

Did Russell find happiness with Sersei? Did he ever lose the need to deal retribution on a large scale?

Was Trisha and Sersei’s rivalry ever settled?

The future holds a lot of mysteries, and not all of them can be explored. No matter what paths the lives of these three heroes took, you can be assured that while they were full of challenges, struggles, and tight spots…

…they always prevailed.

And until at least the year 3106, if even then, the world that we know would earn a respite from evil…

We duel for hope!
We duel to feel!
We duel for the truth,
For all that is real.
We duel for your mother, your sister, your daughter, your wife,
We duel for you and me my friend…
We duel for life…

http://www.ideal808.com/images/sdk_001.jpg

FINIS