Yu-Gi-Oh! The Thousand Year Door (Act Two) [Archive] - Page 2

Dark Sage

16th December 2005, 09:50 AM

[B][I]We defeated the Shadow Spawn once...

…but we would have been foolish to think that their threat was gone forever.

Like Merlee warned us, Melissa was waiting for us, and now she’s challenged me to duel with incredible stakes...

…a Shadow Game.

I’d like to think that beating her will be as easy as Francesca did last time, but Melissa seems to have changed. She isn’t quite the airheaded bimbo I remember. And this creepy arena looks like some funhouse, but I’m not having any fun...

If this is anything like Gloomtail...

...it may be my toughest duel to date...

[B][size=3]CHAPTER FIFTY

Inner Demon

The door opened...

And the three of them found themselves in what looked like a hall of mirrors!

The only difference was, these mirrors did not cast their reflections.

“Weird...” muttered Andy.

They started to work their way though the mirror maze, and after wandering for a while, came to a large chamber. It was circular, and the walls and ceilings were covered with the strange mirrors.

A girlish laughter echoed through it.

“Show yourself!” shouted Stan.

An orb of light appeared out of nowhere...

The orb formed into Melissa, once again wearing her bright white halter and tight shorts.

“Hi, y’all!” she giggled.

Her eyes narrowed.

“You ever get mad at a person and tell him to go to Hell?” she giggled. “Well I’m not going to tell to go there… I’m actually going to send you there!”

“Beans!” replied Francesca. “I’ve beaten you once, and I’ll do it again!”

“That’s very flattering, Fran,” chuckled Melissa, “but this time, I want to duel Andy!”

“Huh?” muttered Andy.

He paused.

“Fine, sure!” he responded. “I’ll take you on, Shadow Game or no Shadow Game!”

Melissa chuckled.

“You have no idea what you’re in for, Andy!” she laughed. “You should have seen all the others...”

She gave a grin, with a flash of bright, white teeth.

“They never expected that cute, little Melissa would doom them to eternal darkness forever, but they learned otherwise!”

“I’m not scared of you,” muttered Andy.

“You will be,” warned Melissa, activating her Disk, “but in this duel, you might be more afraid of yourself than me!”

“Huh?” asked Andy.

“I’ll get to that in a minute,” sighed Melissa. “But first…”

She took a card from her deck.

“…meet my Deckmaster!” she laughed. “Say hello to my little friend... Kaiser Sea Horse!”

She held up a card, and the aquatic creature of Light appeared behind her, holding up its trident.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SKE-015.jpg

As Andy took out his deck, Francesca came up behind him.

“Andy,” she whispered, “remember what Merlee said… Keep your eye out for a Monster that suggests Sloth… laziness. Destroy it, and you’ll win…”

“Thanks…” muttered Andy. “I’ll keep that in mind…”

Then his eyes fell on his Lord of Dragons…

If her Soul Card is destroyed, he thought, her chances of winning go down… Will the same thing happen to me if MINE is destroyed?

He thought…

Maybe, maybe not, he thought, but either way, I’ve got one heck of an idea…

He held the card up.

“I choose Lord of Dragons!” he shouted.

In a flash, the draconic Spellcaster appeared behind him, and crossed his arms.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SDK-041.jpg

This way, if he’s destroyed, I’ll lose anyway, thought Andy, And as weak as he is, it’s not like I’m going to summon THIS Deckmaster to the field…

“All right Melissa,” snarled Andy. “Time to throw down!”

“Aren’t you the least bit curious about the special rules I’ve put in place for this duel?” chuckled Melissa.

“Rules?” asked Andy.

“Old Gloomtail had the subtlety and creativity of a demolition ball,” said Melissa with a sweet smile. “In a Shadow Game, you have to think creative! Prolong a victim’s agony with a little… theater!”

Her eyes glowed, and the lights started to dim…

“What did you have in mind?” asked Andy.

“A little something to unnerve you, Andy,” she answered, “and to let you know what fate awaits you. If you’ll just… uh… well… turn around…”

Andy slowly turned around, and saw in the mirror behind him… Himself!

The image looked at him with a slight smirk…

“Who’s that?” asked Andy.

Melissa chuckled.

“Every person has a dark side, Andy,” she said. “A part of him that represents all his negative emotions and frustrations. That creature in the mirror is the embodiment of your dark side… your inner demon!

“He’s powerless to harm you now, but that will change. As you lose Life Points in this duel, he will grow stronger… Until finally, when you are defeated, his power will be enough to enter the real world and grab you… At which point you’ll be dragged to his realm, and be at his mercy forever…”

She chuckled.

“Not really something to look forward to, huh?”

Andy looked over, and saw that an image of Melissa had appeared in the mirror behind her.

“I see you have a demon of your own to worry about,” he added.

“Shadow Games can’t be one-sided,” said Melissa with a shrug. “But I’ve done this so often, I’m not afraid of her in the least… I can keep her at bay…”

She turned to her demon.

“Isn’t that right?” she said with an evil grin.

The demon in the mirror bowed her head sadly…

“Now let’s duel!” laughed Melissa.

The Life Points set to 8,000, and they drew their first hands.

“All right,” chuckled Melissa, drawing her first hand. “I’ll place a Monster in Defense, and that will be all.”

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

“Fine,” stated Andy drawing, “now watch out!”

Not bad, he said, looking at the card.

“I summon Spear Dragon in Attack Mode!” he shouted.

He placed the card down, and the long-beaked Dragon appeared.

“Spear Dragon, attack her facedown Monster! Cyclone blast!”

Spear Dragon blasted forth a gust of wind… A man in a toga with feathered wings appeared on the card… He cringed and shattered.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SRL-EN088.jpg

Melissa’s Life Points fell down to 6,900. The demon behind her started to glow… She grew horns on her forehead, and her eyes started to glow red.

“Seems I’ve taken the lead,” said Andy, triumphantly, as Spear Dragon moved to Defense Mode.

“No,” chuckled Melissa. “You’ve taken the bait! That may have cost me some Life Points, but since you destroyed Shining Angel, I’m now allowed to Special Summon a Light Monster from my deck with 1,500 Attack Points or less, and I choose Mystical Elf!”

The peaceful, blue-skinned elf appeared on the field. (800/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SDY-001.jpg

“Fine,” said Andy. “It’s your move…”

Melissa grinned as she drew a card.

“And I’ll gladly make it,” she said. “I’ll move Mystical Elf into Defense…”

Mystical Elf knelt.

“And now I’ll summon… Airknight Parshath in Attack Mode!”

She threw a card down, and a bright light appeared on the field. A tall man dressed in armor covered with feathers with a haloed helmet appeared. (1,900/1,400)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN062.jpg

“Hey, hold on!” shouted Francesca. “Time out! No fair! You can’t just summon Airknight Parshath to the field! You have to sacrifice something first!”

“Heh, heh, heh,” chuckled Melissa. “Wrongo! My Deckmaster downgrades the star level of all my Light Monsters by two, so for all intents and purposes, my Airknight is considered a three-star Monster when I’m using it!”

“Oh no…” gasped Stan. “That guy has a trampling effect, Andy’s Spear Dragon is in Defense Mode…”

“And its Defense is zero!” screamed Francesca.

“Bingo!” laughed Melissa. “See, I was kind of hoping you’d use Spear Dragon when you saw me put a Monster in Defense Mode… And like an idiot, you did!

“You can’t always rely on what usually works in a Shadow Game, Andy, especially when you’re facing someone who’s a pro at them! The consequences could be dire…”

She let out a laugh.

“Welcome to my world Andy… The Shadows may frighten most folk, but my siblings and I feed on them!

“Airknight Parshath, attack his Spear Dragon with feather wind!”

Airknight raised his arms, and a swarm of feathers shot forward, blasting Spear Dragon into gibbets!

Andy’s Life Points fell to 6,100.

Andy nervously turned around, and saw that his own demon was starting to change. First his eyes started to glow green, then his hands turned to wicked claws…

“And due to Airknight’s other effect, I get to draw one card,” chuckled Melissa, drawing. “Now make your move…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

For three creatures who were watching, seeing Shadow Magic at work wasn’t much to be excited about. After all, the Shadow Realm was where they were from…

(And frankly, they were starting to get homesick by now…)

…but to two of them, this was something very new.

“Inner Demons?” asked the Unfriendly Amazon. “What is that?”

She and Peten looked at the End of Anubis.

“Why are you asking me?” he asked, somewhat annoyed.

“Because, of the three of us, you’re the demon!” accused Peten.

End sighed.

“Melissa explained it pretty well, and there’s not much to add on,” he stated. “Let’s just say that the thing in Andy’s mirror is what is responsible for everything he’s ever done that has been even the slightest bit evil. And it’s also what tries to tempt him into doing more evil.

“Andy is pretty moral, so I doubt that he’s listened to it much over the course of his life…

“And that puts Andy in a very bad situation. An inner demon hates being ignored. Those that belong to more honest folk are full of rage at their owners out of frustration…

“If Andy loses, what that thing plans to do to him won’t be pleasant…”

“Well,” chuckled Peten, “Melissa’s demon must be much happier! If she loses…”

“Don’t count on it,” interrupted End. “If she loses, her demon will not let her go. Melissa has a good side, believe it or not… But that thing is the embodiment of her dark side. It may be pleased with all the evil it’s convinced her to do, but it would be more pleased to finally get its claws on her.

“See, the goal of these creatures is to claim their host entirely. Usually it doesn’t happen until the person dies and is condemned for sins…

“But this type of Shadow Game is a way for them to do it early...”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Melissa chuckled.

“Seems I’m already ahead of you Andy,” she gloated. “You made a sloppy move, and that’s never smart when you’re playing with the Shadows!”

“Yeah, yeah…” muttered Andy.

He drew.

I don’t have anything that can beat Airknight, he thought, but this guy can block his attack…

“I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode!” he exclaimed.

He placed a card down, and the sleepy, rocky Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

Melissa giggled.

“Scared already, Andy?” she asked. “Cowering behind a wall?”

She drew.

“Well, I can’t bust though your Dragon yet, but I will augment my forces…”

She placed a card down.

“Thunder Nyan Nyan, in Attack Mode!”

A burst of electricity erupted onto the field, and a strange creature appeared. She was a cat-like female, dressed in a leopard-skin, sitting behind a set of drums. (1,900/800)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN059.jpg

She twirled her drumsticks and grinned at Andy.

“Your move,” chuckled Melissa.

Andy made a draw.

“I play… Graceful Charity!” he exclaimed.

The angel flew out and handed him three cards.

Good… he thought.

He handed her A Wingbeat of Giant Dragon and Dragon’s Rage.

“You aren’t the only one who’s Deckmaster lets her summon powerful Monsters, Melissa,” he warned. “First I’ll summon Masked Dragon!”

He put a card down, and the Fire Dragon wearing a metal mask appeared. (1,400/1,100)

“Then I’ll use my own Deckmaster ability, paying 500 Life Points to sacrifice it for Luster Dragon #2!”

Lord of Dragons glowed, and Andy’s Life Points fell to 5,600. He switched cards on his Disk, and the mighty emerald Dragon appeared! (2,400/1,400)

“Go!” shouted Andy. “Attack Airknight Parshath with emerald flash blast!”

Luster Dragon blasted his breath weapon, and the Fairy knight was blown into pixels!

Melissa cringed as her Life Points fell 6,400.

“And it’s still my turn,” stated Andy. “I play Snatch Steal…”

He played the card…

“And since I know that Thunder Nyan Nyan will die as soon as she appears next to a non-Light Monster, I’m using it to snatch Mystical Elf…”

Two tendrils flew out of the card, and grabbed Mystical Elf, pulling her over to Andy’s side.

“I don’t see the point…” said Melissa.

“You will in a minute…” said Andy, playing a card. “I play Draconic Offering.”

“What does that do?” asked Melissa.

Andy chuckled.

“Mystical Elf is a beautiful young girl, Melissa,” he answered. “To a dragon, that makes her delicious!

“Luster Dragon, chowtime…”

Mystical Elf’s eyes opened and she gasped!

Luster Dragon closed in…

Melissa rubbed her chin as she watched Mystical Elf get eaten.

“Gee Andy, I’m impressed,” she mused. “If my mom didn’t order you done away with, I’d be on you faster than…”

“Enough Melissa!” shouted Francesca.

“Yes, enough,” sneered Andy. “And now I can take her Defense Score and add it to my Life Points.”

His Life Points rose to 7,600.

Andy turned and looked at the inner demon behind him. He moaned, as his claws shrank and the lights in his eyes went out.

“Finally, I play a card facedown,” said Andy. “It’s your move…”

Melissa drew.

Continued…

Dark Sage

16th December 2005, 09:54 AM

Continued from last post:

“So, you like Dragons, huh?” she chuckled. “Why don’t I summon one of my own… Kaiser Glider, in Attack Mode!”

A large, shining Dragon that seemed to be made of golden metal appeared. (2,400/2,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-051.jpg

“Yikes!” shouted Stan. “Now she summoned a six-star Monster with no sacrifice!”

“Humph,” said Andy. “I’ll admit that that’s a new one to me, but if you attacked Luster Dragon with it, it would be a draw…”

“Wrongo!” said Melissa again. “Kaiser Glider has not one, but two great effects! First, it can attack and destroy a Monster with equal Attack Points without being destroyed itself!”

“But before I do that, I’m going to play Rush Recklessly, and hotwire it to Thunder Nyan Nyan!”

She played a card, and Thunder Nyan Nyan’s Attack went up to 2,500.

“Kaiser Glider, attack Luster Dragon with golden blast!” she shouted.

Kaiser Glider’s eyes glowed, and it blasted forth a stream of golden energy, vaporizing Luster Dragon!

“Thunder Nyan Nyan, destroy The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave with drum solo of death!”

Thunder Nyan Nyan twirled her drumsticks and started beating on her drums…

She hit the cymbals, and a blast of lightning shot forth, blowing the Dragon away!

“Take a bow!” laughed Melissa.

Thunder Nyan Nyan got up and bowed.

“Maybe I’ll have her do an encore next round,” chuckled Melissa.

That is, she thought, Unless I draw my secret weapon… A great beast that linger in the front of Andy’s mind for the whole length of the time he spends in his dark prison!

“I’ll end by placing one card facedown,” she stated.

She played a card, and a facedown card appeared.

“My draw…” said Andy.

He waved his hand...

“I activate Call of the Haunted!”

His Trap Card lifted.

“Do you believe in ghosts, Melissa?” he asked. “Well I sure do, because I’m bringing Luster Dragon back from the grave!”

Luster Dragon returned in a flash of light. (2,400/1,400)

“Luster Dragon,” he commanded, “destroy Thunder Nyan Nyan!”

Luster Dragon shot forth his breath weapon! Thunder Nyan Nyan screamed and exploded!

A cymbal fell to the ground and wobbled before vanishing.

Melissa’s Life Points fell to 5,900.

“So much for an encore…” said Andy with a shrug. “I’ll place a card facedown and end my turn…”

He played a card, and it appeared.

“Hee, hee,” chuckled Melissa, drawing a card. “Weren’t you listening just a minute ago? Kaiser Glider, attack!”

Kaiser Glider’s eyes glowed again…

“Activate… Scorching Ruin!” shouted Andy.

His Quickplay flipped up, and Luster Dragon’s Attack shot up to 3,400! It blasted Kaiser Glider into shards!

Melissa’s Life Points fell to 4,900.

“Look!” said Stan, nervously.

The demon behind Melissa stretched out her arms…

And two extra arms sprouted from below them.

Melissa looked at her in disgust.

“Don’t get your hopes up!” she warned.

She turned to Andy.

“Nice job, but Kaiser Glider has another effect. When it’s destroyed, I can send one card back to your hand, so your Luster Dragon goes bye-bye!”

Luster Dragon vanished.

“Smarter than I thought…” muttered Stan.

“Huh?” asked Francesca.

“Since Melissa sent Luster Dragon back to Andy’s hand, his Call of the Haunted remains…” answered Stan. “But now it’s doing nothing except taking up space…”

Melissa fit a card into a slot and it appeared in front of her.

“That will end my turn,” she said.

Andy drew a card.

“I activate… Solemn Wishes!” shouted Melissa.

Her Trap Card lifted.

“Will you now?” sighed Andy.

He put a card down.

“I summon Luster Dragon #1!”

The smaller, sapphire Dragon appeared. (1,900/1,600)

“Attack directly!” shouted Andy.

Luster Dragon breathed his lethal breath at Melissa and she cringed!

Her Life Points tumbled to 3,000.

Stan and Francesca looked at the image behind Melissa. The demon was looking even more demonic. Her top had torn away, and her skin was now scaly and green. Her eyes looked like that of some reptile…

Melissa saw it too, and she started to get nervous. Perhaps this was the first Shadow Game she had played where her inner demon had gotten this powerful…

“My draw…” she muttered.

She drew, and a shower of gold rained on her, bringing her Life Points up to 3,500.

“And now I’ll play Pot of Greed,” she added.

She played the card, and the Pot handed her two more cards. Her Life Points went up to 4,000.

The demon’s scales started to fade.

“Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…” she chuckled.

“What?” asked Andy.

“I summon… Maju of the Ten Thousand Hands!” laughed Melissa.

She played the card, and the weird creature with a multitude of hands appeared. (1,400/1,000)

“That lets you pull a Ritual Magic or Monster Card from your deck…” muttered Andy.

He paused.

“I know what you’re up to!” he gasped. “You’re going to summon Shinato, King of a Higher Plane!”

“Him?” chuckled Melissa. “Uh, no…”

She giggled.

“The guy I’m going to summon is better than that!”

She held up a card in front of her.

“Let me tell you a story,” she said in a spooky voice.

The lights got even dimmer.

“Long ago, there was a race of people who are now known as simply the Ancients. They worshipped a god of light, a benevolent deity who represented life and warmth.

“But the Ancients were foolish in some regards. They sought forbidden magic, and researched a spell that would bring their god to the mortal realm where he could personally rule them as a king.

“But when they actually tried it, something went horribly wrong. Rather than summon their god, they summoned another creature of light, a horrible abomination who was born from the union of a god of the sun who was seduced by an arch-demon at the beginning of time. This abomination enslaved the Ancients, feeding on their souls slowly, until eventually, few were left.

“How it was eventually defeated, no one knows. But the last surviving Ancient buried the blasphemous spell that had summoned it, hoping that no-one would find it…

“He failed… I’m going to use it now!

“But first, I’m going to play Luminous Spark!”

She opened her Field Slot, and fit a card in. The field became awash with an overpowering light!

“And now…” chuckled Melissa, “I play the spell that doomed that foolish race… the powerful Ritual called Final Ritual of the Ancients!”

She played the card… spooky music started to play, and an altar with a weird symbol on it arose.

“This is creepy…” said Francesca.

“To complete this ceremony, I need to sacrifice eight stars worth of Monsters,” explained Melissa. “Since my Deckmaster downgrades them, I’ll sacrifice Manju, and my old friend The Creator…

“Ironic, isn’t it… I’m using The Creator to summon… a destroyer!”

The immense form of The Creator appeared on one side of the altar, and Maju appeared on the other…

A bright light emanated from the altar, and the two Monsters were slowly consumed in flames…

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-088.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN044.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/RDS-EN005.jpg

“And now,” chuckled Melissa, “lets have a warm welcome, for [I]Reshef the Dark Being!”

Slowly, a huge shape started to take form in the flames…

If such a thing were possible, it was beautiful and terrible at the same time. The creature was an enormous, hulking, fiendish thing made of gold. It suggested perhaps a piece of artwork in an evil palace… One that was ten feet tall and twice that wide. It had horns, claws, and several other unpleasant things on its body, and it glowed with a bright aura. (2,500/1,500) –> (3,000/1,100)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN033.jpg

Andy gulped.

“Oh… my… God…” gasped Francesca.

“Okay, I’ll admit that’s… impressive,” said Andy. “But how is it stronger than Shinato?”

Melissa chuckled. She discarded a card.

“Can Shinato do THIS?” she asked.

Reshef’s eyes glowed red…

Luster Dragon gasped, and then moved over to Melissa’s side of the field!

“MY DRAGON!” shouted Andy.

“Let me explain how this guy works,” chuckled Melissa. “Reshef can entrance and enslave opposing Monsters. If I discard one Magic Card, one of your Monsters becomes mine for one turn!”

“Luster Dragon, show him how it feels!” laughed Melissa.

Luster Dragon shot forth his bright blue energy, striking Andy in the chest!

Andy clutched his chest… He’d never felt that much pain from a direct attack before…

He barely heard Melissa’s next command…

“Reshef… attack with unholy light!”

Andy screamed as a searing light shot forth from the creature and engulfed him!

Andy’s Life Points fell to 2,700, and he fell flat on his face…

Francesca nervously looked at the figure in the mirror behind Andy. It wasn’t pretty. Huge batlike wings sprouted from his back, his hand turned to claws again, and his feet turned to talons.

He looked at Andy eagerly.

“I’m ending my turn,” said Melissa.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Melissa certainly doesn’t fool around,” commented the Amazon.

“Look at the size of that thing!” shouted Peten. “It has to be the most fiendish Fiend I’ve ever seen!”

“Indeed,” stated End. “And Andy is in trouble. The Dark Being is incredibly powerful. So long as Melissa can discard a Magic Card, she’ll be able to enact its brainwashing effect every round. Even if Andy summons a second Monster, 3,000 Attack Points will likely destroy it, and Melissa can attack directly with whatever she steals.

“Andy’s only chance for winning now depends on whether his draws are better than hers…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Luster Dragon appeared back on Andy’s side.

“Oh Andy?” chuckled Melissa. “This may be a good time to mention that, if you don’t draw within two minutes, you lose… The Shadows aren’t very patient…”

“Andy, get up!” shouted Francesca.

“It’s no good, Fran,” laughed Melissa. “I doubt he can hear you!”

Indeed, Andy seemed to be out cold…

Then, Lord of Dragons knelt down and nudged him. Andy groaned.

He slowly lifted his head…

The Spellcaster helped him to his feet.

“Th-thanks…” muttered Andy.

That’s impossible… thought Melissa. No one has EVER been able to recover from a direct attack from Reshef!

But the impossible was happening!

Andy drew a card.

“Now where were we?” he stammered. “Oh yes… I play… Sweet Feast!”

He played the card, and the bountiful cornucopia appeared.

“Since the most powerful Monster on the field is that… thing in front of you,” said Andy, “and it has eight stars, I get a big boost to my Life Points!”

His Life Points soared to 10,700!

Wow! thought Andy, as energy flowed through him. Feels like I just drank a hundred Gatoraids!

“Now I get to draw eight cards!” continued Andy, as cards flew off of his deck. “Of course, I can’t play any of them since I played Sweet Feast, so now I’ll have to discard three, but I have a lot to choose from!”

He looked over his hand. He discarded Red Eyes, Komori Dragon, and Divine Dragon Ragnarok.

He looked over at his inner demon. Not only had he lost the demonic features, but he had been weakened. He was on his knees with his head bowed.

“Your move…” snarled Andy.

“Fine!” shouted Melissa. “Pad your points as much as you like! Being decked out won’t save you from him in case you were wondering!

“And all I have to do is draw another Magic Card, and Reshef will be able to take control of that Dragon again!”

She made a draw. Her Life Points went up to 4,500.

She snarled.

“Disappointed?” asked Andy.

“Reshef!” shouted Melissa. “Blow his Luster Dragon to bits!”

Reshef blasted forth his burning beam and Luster Dragon exploded!

Andy’s Life Points dipped to 9,600.

“Your move…” she growled.

As Andy drew, he looked at the huge Fiend.

Wait a second… he thought. Reshef the Dark Being is a Monster that can brainwash other Monsters… It’s powerful, but it lets other creatures to do its dirty work for it…

He chuckled.

I think we have a winner! A Monster that represents Sloth! That thing is her Soul Card!

He looked at his hand.

Of course, destroying that monstrosity will be difficult. But I might be able to protect myself for a while…

Think I’ve got an idea…

He placed a card down.

“Cave Dragon in Defense Mode!” he shouted.

The huge, elderly Dragon appeared. (2,000/100)

“Now I play Stamping Destruction!” he shouted, playing a card.

Cave Dragon stamped his foot down, and Solemn Wishes shattered! Melissa cringed as her Life Points fell to 4,000.

“That will be my turn,” he said.

Melissa drew a card.

“I play Pot of Charity!” she exclaimed, playing a card. “And I’ll remove Mystical Elf from play to do so!”

Three cards flew into her hand.

“And now I have plenty of Magic Cards to discard!” she laughed, discarding one.

Reshef’s eyes glowed, and Cave Dragon was dragged over to Melissa’s side.

“Now, I’ll move your Dragon into Attack Mode,” cackled Melissa, “and I’ll attack you with him!

“Attack, my slave!”

Cave Dragon looked at her. He made a long sigh.

“I said attack, you big, fat idiot!” she shouted.

Cave Dragon refused.

“What?” gasped Melissa. “Why won’t he attack?”

“He can’t, stupid!” snapped Andy.

Melissa looked at him.

“Cave Dragon couldn’t attack me right now even if he wanted to, Melissa,” sighed Andy. “Maybe before this duel, you should have asked your brother Kurtis for more information about Wind Monsters!

“Cave Dragon can’t attack unless there’s another Dragon on the same side of the field as him, and Reshef is most likely a Fiend!”

Melissa’s eyes narrowed.

“Yeah, you’re right, he is,” she pouted. “Ah, so what? Cave Dragon’s effect may protect you from him… But what will protect you from Reshef? Reshef, attack!”

The demon blasted forth its unholy light, and Andy cringed…

But as his Life Points fell to 6,600, it didn’t seem to hurt as much…

Continued…

Dark Sage

16th December 2005, 09:55 AM

Continued from last post:

Melissa stared at him…

“What the Hell are you made of?” she asked. “None of my opponents could take even one hit from Reshef in a Shadow Game! Taking two and still being able to stand is beyond impossible!”

“If it’s impossible Melissa, than how come I’m still here?” asked Andy. “Is it my turn yet?”

“Yes…” she growled. “Make it quick!”

Cave Dragon returned to Andy’s side.

Andy drew.

“I’ll move Cave Dragon back into Defense Mode, and that will be my turn…” he added, as Cave Dragon curled up into Defense.

“Fine,” said Melissa, drawing. “Well, since it would be a waste of time to steal your Cave Dragon again, I’ll just have Reshef destroy him!”

Reshef blasted forth its attack, and Cave Dragon was blown away!

“Now I’ll summon Spirit of the Harp in Defense Mode,” she added.

A beautiful Fairy woman playing a harp appeared, looking quite out of place beside the hideous Fiend. (800/2,000) –> (1,300/1,600)

“So Andy,” sighed Melissa. “Is there any way for you to win a duel without attacking?”

“I’ll find a way to defeat your big beast!” warned Andy, making a draw.

He looked at the card.

“I play Reload!” he said, playing the card. “Now, I’ll just return my five cards to my hand, reshuffle, and draw five more!”

He did so.

“All right Melissa,” he said, “I’m placing a card facedown…”

A facedown card appeared.

“And then I’ll play Monster Reborn, to summon an old friend…”

Red Eyes Black Dragon appeared! (2,400/2,000)

“Say WHAT?” shouted Melissa. “I never sent him to the Graveyard!”

“True,” responded Andy. “I put him there myself when I discarded cards after playing Sweet Feast!

“Red Eyes, take out Spirit of the Harp! Inferno fire blast!”

Red Eyes blasted his flames… The harpist screamed as she was roasted alive!

“Your move…” muttered Andy.

“You know,” chuckled Melissa, as she drew, “I almost like the fact that you summoned him…”

She discarded a card, and Reshef’s eyes cast its powerful spell again! Red Eyes flew over to Melissa’s side.

“I mean, I rarely get a chance to fry someone with one of his rarest cards!” she laughed. “I’ll let you in on a little secret… This is exactly what I’m going to do to Kaiba. I’m going to wait until he summons one of his Blue-Eyes, then summon Reshef, and then blast his lights out with his own Dragon!

“The time he spends in the Shadow Realm will be spent with one embarrassing thought on his mind – that his own signature Monster did him in!

“Red Eyes, attack his…”

“I activate Threatening Roar!” shouted Andy.

His Trap Card lifted, and the great beast roared! Melissa and the two Monsters in front of her stopped dead in their tracks.

“Quite an interesting speech,” muttered Andy. “Too bad that attack was ruined.

“And let me tell you something, Melissa. Even if you beat me here – which you won’t – Kaiba will destroy you! He doesn’t own Threatening Roar to my knowledge, but he does own a Negate Attack. And I guarantee that if the exchange you just described were to take place, he’d have had it set.

“And since Blue-Eyes has an Attack Score higher than Reshef, and Blue-Eyes would benefit from your Field Card as much as it would, Reshef would be gone on his next turn.

“Know why I know? Because he’s a duelist with integrity, honor, and a great deal of strategy who earned his way up to the top, while you’re nothing more than a spoiled brat who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and up her…”

“JUST MOVE!” shouted Melissa.

Red Eyes Moved back to Andy’s side.

“You don’t have to yell…” he said softly, as he made a draw.

He chuckled.

“You’re the one who made the sloppy move this time, Melissa,” he sighed. “You were so anxious to attack me with my own Dragon, you wasted the opportunity to destroy him, which is what you should of done…

“Because now I can sacrifice him… to summon THIS!”

He threw a card down…

Red Eyes Black Dragon slowly grew and mutated…

Red Eyes Darkness Dragon emerged!

“Want to know how many Dragons are in my Graveyard?” asked Andy. “Do ya? EIGHT!”

(4,800/2,000)

“Red Eyes…” ordered Andy, “attack Reshef the Dark Being with diabolic fire blast!”

The mighty Dragon blasted forth a great stream of flames, and the Dark Being roared! It erupted in fire, and then exploded!

Melissa was thrown to the ground, as her Life Points fell to 2,200.

The demon behind her grinned. A third set of arms grew under her second set, and her fingers sprouted claws. Her hair also turned from blonde to black.

“Super!” shouted Francesca. “Andy just clobbered her best Monster!”

“Not just her best…” stated Stan, as they saw Melissa get up.

Melissa started to quiver in fear…

“I think that Andy did it…” continued Stan. “Melissa’s Soul Card has been destroyed, so now she’s in trouble…”

“Make your move,” demanded Andy.

Melissa slowly drew a card.

“Heh, heh,” she chuckled, looking at it.

“HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!” she laughed.

“Don’t go nuts now…” sighed Andy.

Melissa placed a card down on her Disk.

“I summon Jowgen the Spiritualist!” laughed Melissa.

A tall man rose up onto the field. It looked like a priest dressed in golden robes, carrying a long crooked staff. (200/1,300) –> (700/800)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LON-EN061.jpg

“What on Earth?” asked Stan. “Her Life Points aren’t low enough for her to play Last Turn!”

Francesca sighed.

“Melissa is smart, Stan,” she answered. “She’s using Jowgen for his intended purpose, which isn’t for playing Last Turn! If she simply discards one card, she can destroy all Monsters on the field that were Special Summoned!”

“Wait…” said Stan. “Red Eyes Darkness Dragon is a Special Summon!”

“That’s right folks!” chuckled Melissa, choosing a card. “I must be the only duelist on earth who uses Jowgen the way he’s supposed to be used! Heck, I don’t even have Last Turn in my deck!”

She discarded the card. Jowgen spun his staff, and Red Eyes Darkness Dragon was obliterated!

“Your move, Andy…” she chuckled with a nervous laugh.

Andy made a draw.

Darn… he thought. I have the cards to summon something that could win this duel, but I can’t so long as Jowgen is on the field!

But maybe she can be tricked…

“I choose to make no move,” he said. “I pass.”

Melissa chuckled.

“That was a mistake, Andy. “Because just as I can summon a six-star Monster with no sacrifice, I can summon a seven-star Monster with one!

“So I sacrifice Jowgen…”

Jowgen vanished.

“…to summon Hyozanryu!”

A huge creature appeared. Francesca remembered this creature from her own duel with Melissa – a giant Dragon made entirely of diamond with beautiful scales. (2,100/2,800) –> (2,600/2,400)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SKE-011.jpg

“Hyozanryu,” laughed Melissa, “attack directly with diamond devastation!”

Hyozanryu shot forth a blast of diamond crystals from his jaws, and Andy cringed…

His Life Points fell to 4,000…

But he chuckled.

“Fool,” he laughed. “If you had kept Jowgen on the field, you might have had a chance to finish me. But now, it’s too late!”

He made a draw.

“I play Polymerization!”

Two Cyber Dragons appeared on the field…

They swirled together, and fused into Cyber-Twin Dragon!

Melissa gasped.

“And by the way,” added Andy. “This big fellah is your favorite brand of Monster – Light! That means your own Field Card boosts his Attack Score!”

(2,800/2,100) –> (3,300/1,700)

“Your move,” he dared.

Melissa’s hand shook… She drew…

“I, uh…” she stammered. “I switch Hyozanryu to Defense Mode… And that will be all.”

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Andy making a draw. “That won’t help. Cyber-Twin Dragon has the ability to attack twice in one round!”

“No…” moaned Melissa.

“Odd,” sighed Andy. “You like Light Monsters so much… But if your powerful Field Card hadn’t been in place, Hyozanryu’s Defense would have been equal to my creature’s Attack, and I wouldn’t be able to touch you right now!

“Ironic, huh?

“Cyber-Twin Dragon, finish off Hyozanryu AND its master with double strident blast!”

Cyber-Twin Dragon’s left head blasted a gout of flame, incinerating Hyozanryu, and then his right shot forth another, striking Melissa in the chest!

Melissa fell to her knees, as her Life Points tumbled to zero…

Behind her, the demon appeared to have reached her true form. Her legs had been replaced by a snaky trunk…

And she glared at Melissa. She started to slither forward…

“You lose…” growled Andy. “And just from the look on that demon’s face, I think she’s wanted to get her paws on you for a long time…”

Melissa looked at her inner demon in terror… And then the thing grabbed her! She tried to scream, but she clasped a claw over her mouth.

With Melissa struggling, the demon dragged her back into the mirror, and they were gone.

Andy turned, and saw that his own demon had vanished.

He took a deep breath…

“Thank goodness for that,” sighed Francesca.

And then a piece of paper tied into a scroll fell to Andy’s feet.

“Huh?” he said.

He picked it up.

“What’s this?” he mused, opening it.

He read:

Dear Andy,

I can’t thank you enough for finally defeating that brat. After so many Shadow Games in which she’s mocked me, I’ve finally claimed her.

You may think me a beast for what I intend to do to Melissa. But consider her my own business now. She made the wager, she lost, it’s her own fault.

Consider this a warning. Your own inner demon is a part of you, but always keep it in check. A wise man controls his dark side, he does not let it control him. Just look at what happened to Melissa. She continually brought her inner demon to the surface, and now she will pay for it.

If I ever see your own inner demon again, if it pleases you, I’ll laugh in his face.

Sincerely,

Melissa’s Demon

“Well, that was creepy…” sighed Andy, ripping it into pieces.

Another door appeared in the middle of the room.

“Onward?” asked Stan.

“Only way to go,” added Francesca.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

In Petal Meadows, Merlee opened his eyes.

Strange, he thought.

He got to his feet.

You’d almost think that Francesca and Andy were as experienced in this sort of thing as the Spawn are. But that’s impossible. Unless…

He looked at the strange pendant he carried.

Unless there are things about them that even I didn’t know…

He gestured, and a card appeared in his hand.

Reshef the Dark Being.

His magic had grabbed it right before Melissa was snatched.

I’ll keep hold of this for now, he thought, putting it into a pouch on his belt. If the Queen plans what I think she’s planning, it may be of use later.

He looked at his own Duel Disk.

This contraption had taken a little getting used to, and mechanical devices weren’t his style, but he was a smart man. He had eventually gotten the hang of it.

If she goes though with that plan, it may be time for me to be involved as more than a spectator…

Kaiser Sea Horse: Sea Serpent/Light, (1,700/1,600)

Deckmaster SA: “Summoning Light”: Downgrade the star level of all LIGHT-Attribute Monsters in your hand and on your side of the field by two.

Note: Kaiba used Kaiser Sea Horse as his Deckmaster in the multi-part anime episode “Brothers in Arms”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

[B][I]Coming up next:

The heroes proceed deeper, and find that Kurtis will not go down as easy as Melissa did. The Spawn of Wind has a brand new strategy, and it doesn’t bode well for Francesca. Can she take on a second Shadow Game so soon after the first?

Stay tuned for “Disappearing Act”, coming soon

Silencer

16th December 2005, 11:10 AM

So Refesh huh. After the explination it seemed to be logical.

Great duel, nice shadow game.

So next time we get lust, wonder which card...

Blademaster

16th December 2005, 11:16 AM

...I think I know which one.

Think about it-a Wind Monster that can affect Monsters of the opposite gender...

Anyway, I knew Reshef would be here, but I never figured it'd be lazy! Good explanation, though.

So, Kurtis is coming back with a new Wind Deck, huh? I wonder what he'll use-the Harpies are the only decent family of Wind Monsters I know of...

Well, let's see the new chapter soon, no? Then we'll find out.

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

Master of Paradox

16th December 2005, 11:43 AM

First off, let me vent. I don't care if it does end your turn instantly, I still think Sweet Feast is broken. (Wait, isn't Andy the one with Supernova, too? Cripes, how many cheap cards can one guy have?)

And Andy's little speech after the Red Eyes incident was both cheesy and rang patently false - Kaiba's the guy who threatened to commit suicide to win a duel once; where's the "integrity, honor, and a great deal of strategy" in THAT? (Granted, he got better later on, but not by much.)

Oh, and one more thing: that "inner demon" business was rather lame and predictable.

And on a dialogue-attribution note, 1) you can't "sneer" words, and 2) heroes don't sneer, jerks do, so your heroes look bad when they do it.

On a positive note, that's the first time I've ever seen anyone play Reshef in a story; nice backstory on the Ancients, as well. Nice touch with actually using Jowgen as it was designed to be played, as well.

In fact, aside from my (copious) complaints, I found the duel fairly entertaining.

But if this is going to be par for the Shadow Spawn duels, my hopes just sank.

At least I got to see a new chapter before the holidays kicked in on me.

Dark Sage

16th December 2005, 12:59 PM

Well MoP, you're in luck...

Andy will not use Sweet Feast OR Supernova again for the remainder of the fanfic.

At least I don't think so.

They've helped him enough, and he has to stop relying on them.

Shuppet Master

16th December 2005, 01:32 PM

I really enjoyed this chapter, even though I feel a little upset that Melissa is the one who is the worst of the Spawn. Anyways, I was a bit confused to how Reshef would be the symbol of Sloth, but when Andy thought his explanation, it made sense. I was sort of hoping Andy would summon Cyber End Dragon and, since Hyozanryu would be at 2400 defense due to Luminous Spark's effect and Cyber End Dragon has a piercing effect, she would have lost the duel with one attack. But your ending was okay. I'm sure you're saving Cyber End Dragon for a special occassion. :biggrin:

Oh, and Blademaster, if you are thinking about Maiden In Love, no it's not. Maiden In Love is a light monster, not a wind monster.

Anyways, keep up the good work, Brian.

goldenzigzagoon

16th December 2005, 02:24 PM

That duel was great. So Reshef represented Sloth, I was expecting an Ojama.

opaltiger

16th December 2005, 07:13 PM

ooh ooh I bet I know exactly what's oging to happen with duel #6. And if it does I shall like you for you shall be like the first author I know to have ever done something similar but now I'll be quiet so I don't confuse any more people. :D

Blademaster

16th December 2005, 07:52 PM

Maiden in Love...ah, how I'd like to know that card's effects... talk about broken...

Well, she would be if there were support for her, like maybe a 'DNA Reversal' Trap that made all male Monsters female and vice-versa. I'd love to see 4Kids try to edit that!

(Moron #1: I summon Dark Magician Girl! Attack Mode! And with my Trap Card still out...)

(Moron #2: Wow, she's hot! Nice face, pretty good! Nice chest, we're on our way!! Nice...penis, what'd you do!?!?!? AAGH!!!)

:xd: :xd: :xd: :xd: :xd: :xd: :xd: :xd: :xd: :xd:

Anyway, Maiden in Love isn't what I meant. I have some ideas about the Spawn's Soul Cards, but not all of them.

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

...sigh...I need a signature...

Dark Sage

16th December 2005, 07:57 PM

If anyone wants the official rulings for Maiden in Love or any anime-only cards, I know where to get them. Just drop me a line, and I'll give them to you.

All of Blair's cards do have actual game mechanics effects. (You might be surprised that Blair's cards do NOT specify "male", so it would have been a very curious situation if Jaden had attacked her with Burstinatrix first.)

Shuppet Master

16th December 2005, 08:28 PM

I don't the writers would be dumb enough to show male anatomy. Japan may allow boobs, but I don't think they'd go so far as showing the male counterpart. :D

Anyways, I was thinking about Blair when you said "a wind monster that control men." But honestly, I was sort of joking. (BTW, I will be using Maiden in Love in Anansi, but not in the next chapter I put up.)

Dark Sage

21st December 2005, 07:05 PM

Don't get excited, there's no new chapter yet. I had one and was ready to put the finishing touches on it, but the New york transit strike ruined my plans.

This strike is crippling the city on all levels. I heard that Donald Trump had to come to work today with three chauffers.

See, I had to relocate to a hotel near my job, and tomorrow I'll be going home for Christmas. I was in such a rush, I had no time to backup my files from my main computer to my laptop.

So anyway, the new chapter will not be up until next Tuesday.

Until then, Merry Chistmas, and hope that New York survives this mess.

Shuppet Master

22nd December 2005, 01:31 AM

Oh dear, I didn't know you lived in NYC! I'm so sorry, Brian! I hope you have a nice Xmas and please be careful. :)

Pokemasterkatie

22nd December 2005, 01:12 PM

I don't the writers would be dumb enough to show male anatomy. Japan may allow boobs, but I don't think they'd go so far as showing the male counterpart.
The Dragonball series says otherwise(even though it's just Young Goku's they show)...other than that, nope.:p

I'm with SM here--be careful out there, DS.:(

Dark Sage

26th December 2005, 11:19 AM

Merry Day-After-Christmas everybody!

Well, my favorite reviewer is away on vacation, but I'm going to post the next chapter without him. After all, there's no need to delay the story.

So sit back, relax, have a Dr. Pepper, and witness Kurtis's return.

This may be a lot different than you thought.

Dark Sage

26th December 2005, 11:20 AM

[B][I]When I first laid eyes on Kurtis, I didn’t like him at all. He was a bully and a sadist who picked on those weaker than himself. Stan showed him what happened when he picked on someone who could fight back.

I’m facing him now, and my opinion of him hasn’t changed much. He’s now showing me that he’s not just a bully and a sadist…

…he’s a coward.

He’s fixed his strategy to try to make sure I can’t fight back at all.

At least that was his goal.

But Kurtis can plan in advance all he wants. I believe I can beat him, because I’m a better person than he is…

Yeah…

The truth is, I’d like to believe that…

…but the fact is, his strategy may have been sneaky, but it’s smart. And finding a way to defeat it is going to be difficult, to say the least.

[B][size=3]CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

Disappearing Act

The door they opened led out into what looked like a large meadow.

They looked up to see overcast clouds overhead. Weird trees were growing here and there.

“Are we still inside the Palace?” asked Stan. “Boy, the Shadow Queen has waaaay to much free time.”

“What do you expect?” sighed Francesca. “She’s been cooped up in here for ten centuries…”

Then they heard a loud buzzing noise…

From up ahead of them, a large swarm of Insect-like creatures flew at them.

“Killer Needles!” shouted Stan.

He drew a card off of his deck.

Swords of Revealing Light.

“Back!” he shouted.

He threw the card into his Disk, and the Swords appeared. The swarm froze.

“Good thinking,” gasped Andy.

And then a card appeared facedown behind the Swords…

It lifted up…

Dust Tornado!

The Tornado flew forward, and the Swords shattered!

“Aw, geeze…” sighed Stan.

The three of them threw cards down on their Disks; The Illusory Gentleman, Twin-Headed Behemoth, and Amazoness Swords Woman sprang up.

The three Monsters started to blast and slash at the Insects, but more kept coming!

“They’re all over the place!” shouted Francesca.

“Why don’t you tell them to buzz off?” asked a voice. “I’m sure they’d understand…”

They looked up at a tree, and saw someone sitting on the tallest branch.

“Kurtis…” snarled Stan.

“I’d tell them to go away,” chuckled Kurtis, “but it’s none of my beeswax!”

“All right, I’ve had enough,” said Francesca.

She placed a card into a slot.

“Mirror Force!” she shouted.

The light from the Trap Card consumed the Insects, and they shattered.

“Good job,” sighed Kurtis.

He leapt down from the tree.

“But you three will wish they had gotten you once I’m done with you,” he snarled.

“Upset, Kurtis?” asked Andy. “Upset because your little sister has been banished?”

“You’re too smart for your own good, Andy,” answered Kurtis.

He growled.

“You know, the Spawn are able to communicate with each other telepathically, and once she started screaming for help, well, it just infuriated me.

“That beast is torturing her like you wouldn’t believe. Just five minutes ago, it promised to stop and simply lock her in a cell after she had begged for mercy a hundred-thousand times. She’s agreed to it, but I don’t believe it will keep its promise once she has…

“And I’m powerless to do anything about it…”

“What do you want me to do?” asked Andy. “Cry?”

“Oh, you’ll be crying pretty soon,” muttered Kurtis, raising one of his talons.

“You think you can take me?” asked Andy. “I’ll blow your dumb Harpies back to… uhm… uh… wherever Harpies come from!”

“Oh yeah,” moaned Stan. “That got him…”

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Kurtis. “Naw, I don’t think so, Andy. You’re still tired from your duel with Melissa, and I like to think of myself as an eagle, not a vulture.”

He pointed to Francesca.

“I choose to take on you, Fran!” he demanded.

“Give her a break, Kurtis!” answered Stan. “She’s still winded from dealing with Gloomtail…”

“You want to make excuses?” asked Kurtis.

His Disk flicked open, and he threw a card into it.

A Trap Card appeared: Nutrient Z.

Francesca started to glow. To her surprise, she felt her muscles getting stronger, and the weariness leaving…

“You’re… you’re healing me?” she asked.

“Now they can’t make excuses,” said Kurtis. “Now either duel me or I’ll bring back those Insects, and you won’t hold them off a second time.”

“All right, fine!” said Francesca, taking out her deck. “I might even like this…”

She looked through her cards.

“And this time my Deckmaster will be Amazoness Fighter!”

The card glowed, and the muscular female Warrior appeared behind her.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DR1-EN115.jpg

“Well then,” chuckled Kurtis, “here’s mine… Something you no doubt have seen…”

He held a card up, and a Killer Needle appeared behind him.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN006.jpg

“That’s a pretty pathetic Deckmaster…” stated Francesca.

“Is it?” asked Kurtis. “I’ll have you know that weak Monsters can sometimes make great Deckmasters. The King of Games once used his Kuriboh as his, and it saved his life!”

“What?” asked Stan. “Yugi dueled using this system?”

“Yes,” answered Kurtis. “Him, Kaiba, Joey, and a few of their companions. But I have neither the time or the desire to tell you the whole story!

“So let’s duel!”

The Life Point counters both set to 8,000.

“And let the Game commence!” laughed Kurtis.

The sky above darkened, and strange shapes appeared in the clouds…

Super… thought Francesca.

Kurtis drew his first hand.

“You know, Stan,” he growled, “when you defeated my Harpies, it was traumatic for them! They cried for hours, and then they cried to their brother. And now their brother is angry at all of you!”

He threw a card down.

“So now he’s here to teach you a lesson. Harpie’s Brother in Attack Mode!”

In a gust of wind, a tall man with wings and black hair, dressed in leather with a scarf over the lower part of his face appeared. He had long talons. (1,800/600)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SDJ-011.jpg

“Not bad,” said Francesca, making a draw.

She paused.

She turned to Amazoness Fighter.

“Really?” she asked.

Fighter nodded.

“Okay…” she muttered.

She looked at her hand. One of her Paladins was there.

She concentrated.

No, this was only the cheap one. Playing it was safe.

“I summon Amazoness Paladin in Attack Mode!” she shouted.

She put the card down, and Paladin appeared. (1,700/300) –> (1,800/300)

“Heh, looks like we have a standoff, Kurtis!” chuckled Francesca. “But not for long… See, all I have to do is summon another Amazon on my next turn, and she’ll be strong enough to take that guy down… and by the way, I already have one in my hand!”

“Do you now?” said Kurtis, drawing. “Well, maybe you should worry about what I have in my hand…”

He placed another card down.

“Bladefly, in Defense Mode…”

A Monster materialized. It looked like a wasp of some type, with cleavers for front legs. (600/700)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN118.jpg

“Bladefly has two powerful effects,” explained Kurtis. “First, it raises the Attack of all Wind Monsters on the field by 500 points…”

Harpie’s Brother rose to 2,300 Attack, and Bladefly itself rose to 1,100.

“And also,” chuckled Kurtis, “it lowers the Attack of all Earth Monsters on the field by 400!”

Paladin’s Attack sank to 1,400.

“Harpie’s Brother, attack with talon slash!”

Harpie’s Brother flew forward, and swiped at Amazoness Paladin! She shrieked and then shattered.

Francesca’s Life Points fell to 7,100.

“Fine,” snarled Francesca. “I can take it…”

“Can you?” asked Kurtis. “Look at your arm…”

Francesca looked…

And to her horror, the part of her left arm from the shoulder to the elbow faded away!

“What on earth?” she shrieked. “What are you doing?”

She put her right hand between her shoulder and her left forearm, and it passed right through! She had no idea what was holding her forearm up.

“This Shadow Game’s rules are very different than Melissa’s,” chuckled Kurtis. “I got the idea from a guy named Marik Ishtar… Who was great at this sort of thing before he chickened out.

“As you lose Life Points, small parts of your body will fade away, and when you lose, you’ll vanish completely! Just like a fog that fades in the morning light…”

“You’re sick…” she growled.

“And you’re finished,” responded Kurtis. “Unless you can summon something with more than 2,300 Attack Points right now…”

Francesca drew a card.

This might cost me, she thought, But I have to take out that bug!

“I summon Getsu Fuhma in Attack Mode!” she shouted.

She placed a card down, and the redheaded Warrior carrying a katana appeared. (1,700/1,200)

“And since she’s a Dark Monster, she isn’t affected by Bladefly.”

“She can’t destroy Harpie’s Brother…” remarked Kurtis.

“No, but she can swat your Bladefly!” answered Francesca. “Getsu Fuhma, attack Bladefly!”

Getsu Fuhma leapt at Bladefly.

Kurtis chuckled.

“I don’t think so…” he said softly.

He waved his hand, and the Killer Needle started to glow…

Harpie’s Brother leapt out in front of Bladefly and slashed his talon at Getsu Fuhma! She fell backwards and shattered into pixels!

“Huh?” gasped Francesca.

Her Life Points fell to 6,500, and now part of her right arm faded…

“You just found out my Deckmaster’s ability the hard way,” chuckled Kurtis. “If you try to attack an Insect Monster on my side of the field, I can redirect that attack to another of my Monsters! Bladefly is untouchable!”

Francesca’s eyes narrowed.

“You planned this the whole time, didn’t you Kurtis?” she accused. “That’s why you wanted to duel me… Because most of my Monsters were Earth. You planned a strategy that would strengthen your Monsters and cripple mine!

“You aren’t an eagle or a vulture… You’re one of those annoying birds that leaves droppings all over my dad’s car right after he washes it!”

“You know Francesca,” chuckled Kurtis. “You are ugly when you are angry!”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“I gotta hand it to Kurtis,” muttered Peten, “that may have been a nasty trick, but it was a smart one.”

“Yeah,” chuckled The Unfriendly Amazon. “Let’s see how far Francesca gets when all her Monsters are running at low power, and his are boosted…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“This is terrible…” groaned Andy. “Francesca is completely defenseless!”

“You got that right,” chuckled Kurtis.

He drew a card.

“I summon Faith Bird in Attack Mode!” he laughed.

He put a card down, and a huge bird of prey with shining blue feathers appeared. (1,500/1,100) –> (2,000/1,100)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TP2-021.jpg

“Harpie’s Brother, attack directly!”

Harpie’s Brother took to the air and swooped down on Francesca.

“NOW!” shouted Francesca.

Amazoness Fighter grasped Francesca by the shoulders and braced them both! Harpie’s Brother bounced off!

“What?” asked Kurtis.

Francesca grinned.

“My Deckmaster has a total of 1,500 Attack Points,” she stated, “but once per turn, she can spend 300 of them to protect me from a direct attack!”

“Clever,” stated Kurtis. “But now, what will protect you from Faith Bird?”

Faith Bird swooped down on Francesca and dug its talons into her! She screamed…

Her Life Points fell to 4,500, and half of her torso faded away…

“Fran, think of something!” begged Andy.

Francesca caught her breath…

She made a draw.

“I play… Pot of Greed!” she stated.

She played the card, and drew two more cards.

This will help, she thought.

“I’ll place these two cards facedown,” she said, fitting them into her Disk.

Two facedown cards appeared.

“And now I’ll summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode.”

She put a card down, and Swords Woman appeared, brandishing her huge blade. (1,500/1,600) –> (1,100/1,600)

Continued…

Dark Sage

26th December 2005, 11:22 AM

Continued from last post:

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Kurtis. “I know what she can do, Fran, but it hardly matters! I can stand to lose a few Life Points…”

He drew a card.

“I’ll shift Bladefly into Attack Mode,” he stated.

Bladefly flew up into Attack position.

“And now I’ll summon Spirit of the Books in Attack Mode!”

He put a card down, and an eagle-like humanoid wearing a long robe appeared. He held a large tome under his arm. (1,400/1200) –> (1,900/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TP2-020.jpg

“No…” gasped Andy. “Even with her Deckmaster ability, Francesca will lose 3,000 Life Points!”

“Harpie’s Brother…” started Kurtis.

“I activate a Trap Card!” shouted Francesca. “The Regulation of Tribe!”

Her Trap Card lifted.

“And I choose Winged Beasts!”

Chains sprang up and seized the three Winged Beasts!

“Now I activate… Scapegoat!”

The other facedown card lifted, and four sheep tokens appeared.

“You’re free to attack my Swords Woman with Bladefly, but then they’ll both be destroyed,” stated Francesca.

“I don’t think so,” stated Kurtis, “but I will have it attack one of your Scapegoats!”

Bladefly flew forward, and cleaved the sheep in half.

“Your move,” stated Kurtis.

Francesca made a draw.

“I’ll sacrifice one Scapegoat to keep the Trap,” she said, as another one vanished, “and I’ll summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode.”

She put a card down, and Blowpiper appeared, squatting down. (800/1,500) –> (400/1,500)

“And that’s my turn,” she said.

“Good,” said Kurtis, “and you’ll soon see that your Trap Card isn’t as useful as you think… because not all of my Monsters are Winged Beasts.”

He drew a card.

“First I’ll switch Bladefly back to Defense Mode, just in case,” he started.

Bladefly shielded itself.

“Next,” he continued, “I’ll summon a little guy named Little-Winguard in Attack Mode!”

A small cute-looking creature in blue armor carrying a small sword appeared. (1,400/1,800) –> (1,900/1,800)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-013.jpg

“And since Little-Winguard is a Warrior, he’s free to attack! Little-Winguard, attack another Scapegoat!”

Little-Winguard flew forward, slashing through one of the sheep.

“And that will be my turn,” chuckled Kurtis.

Francesca sighed as she drew.

“I’ll sacrifice the last Scapegoat,” she said, as the last token vanished, “and then summon Amazon Archer in Defense Mode.”

She put a card down, and Amazon Archer appeared, holding her bow in her lap. (1,400/1,000) –> (1,000/1,000)

“Very well,” chuckled Kurtis, making a draw. “Little-Winguard, attack the Archer!”

Little-Winguard flew forward again, and sliced Archer in two.

“Pretty soon, you’ll have nothing left to sacrifice,” warned Tyson, “and then my army will destroy you!”

Francesca closed her eyes…

She drew a card…

She looked at it.

“I’ll deactivate my Trap Card…” she said.

The Regulation of Tribe shattered.

“And now,” she continued, “I’ll sacrifice Swords Woman and Blowpiper to summon Guardian Angel Joan!”

She threw a card down on her Disk, and the two Amazons vanished…

The immense, radiant form of Joan descended, glowing with holy light! (2,800/2,000)

“HUH?” gasped Kurtis. “This isn’t supposed to happen!”

“Oh, but it is!” answered Francesca. “And Joan doesn’t care about Bladefly either, because like most Fairies, she’s a Light Monster! Joan, attack Spirit of the Books! Searing light of Heaven attack!”

Joan shot forth a blast of pure light, and Spirit of the Books was consumed by it!

“Way to go Fran!” shouted Andy. “Whoo-hoo!”

Fran’s Life Points went up to 6,400. She was relieved to see some of her flesh restored.

Kurtis wasn’t so lucky. His Life points went down to 7,100, and part of his left arm faded.

And it hurt. Badly. The intense holy energy of Fairy lords as powerful as Joan tended to be agonizing to people like him during Shadow Games. After all, she was an angel, and he was part demon.

“Your move,” dared Francesca.

Kurtis growled as he drew.

“I’ll move Little-Winguard, Faith Bird, and Harpie’s Brother to Defense Mode…” he said with a scowl.

The Warrior shielded himself, and the two Winged Beasts folded their wings.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Ergh,” growled The End of Anubis. “I hate Fairies. Especially ones that are stronger than I am!”

“Talk about a lucky draw,” mused Peten. “She managed to draw the most powerful Monster in her deck just when she needed her!”

“I hate that dame,” muttered The Unfriendly Amazon. “She cost me the duel with her last time…”

“Well, unless Kurtis can do something soon, it looks like he’s not going to be winning this…” muttered End.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Francesca drew a card.

“I play Premature Burial!” she exclaimed. “And I’ll bring back Swords Woman!”

She played the card, and her Life Points slipped to 5,600. Swords Woman arose.

“But I’m only bringing her back so I can sacrifice her,” she continued, “to summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!”

She switched cards, and Swords Woman vanished, replaced by the beautiful Warrior of Darkness. (2,100/1,400)

“Penumbral Soldier Lady,” ordered Francesca, “take out his Faith Bird!” Sword of Shadows!”

Penumbral Soldier Lady made a swipe, and Faith Bird burst in an explosion of Feathers!

“Guardian Angel Joan, destroy Harpie’s Brother!” she shouted.

Joan shot forth her light, and Harpie’s Brother screeched. He burst.

Francesca’s Life Points rose to 7,900. Almost all her body had been restored by now.

Kurtis cringed again…

“Looks like the shoe is on the other foot, Kurtis,” she warned. “Soon, I’ll be able to take out your rotten Bladefly and you’ll neither be able to boost your Monsters or weaken mine…”

Kurtis growled.

He drew a card.

“I play Pot of Greed!” he exclaimed.

He played the card, and the pot handed him two cards.

He looked at them.

“I’ll place two cards facedown, and that will be my turn,” he stated.

He threw the cards into slots, and they appeared behind his two Monsters.

Francesca looked at them.

Probably Traps, she thought. I’ll have to be careful…

She drew a card.

“I activate a Trap Card!” exclaimed Kurtis. “Spiritual Wind Art – Miyabi!”

One of his facedown cards lifted…

A young girl in a brown robe with long, green hair appeared on the field. She carried a staff with a white gem on the end.

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/ba0vstqq.jpg

“Who’s THAT?” asked Francesca.

“Her name is Wynn the Wind Charmer,” answered Kurtis, “and she has great powers over Wind, including the powerful spell called Miyabi. I can now sacrifice one of my Wind Monsters to get rid of any card you have on the field. So I’ll sacrifice Little-Winguard…”

Wynn raised her staff, and it glowed. Little-Winguard faded away.

“And I’ll use that ability on Guardian Angel Joan!”

Wynn pointed her staff at Joan, and she vanished.

“And when I said I ‘got rid of her’,” continued Kurtis, “I don’t mean I sent her to the Graveyard, I meant I sent her to the bottom of your deck! So unless you have some way to shuffle it, you won’t be using her again.”

“Clever,” snarled Francesca, as Wynn the Wind Charmer vanished. “But now you have no Monsters to redirect an attack to, so its curtains for your Bladefly!

“Penumbral Soldier Lady, attack!”

She lifted her sword…

“Activate… Windstorm of Etaqua!” shouted Kurtis.

His other Trap lifted, and a fierce wind blew towards Fran. Penumbral Soldier Lady staggered back, and then crouched in Defense Mode.

“All right, fine,” muttered Francesca. “It’s your move.”

Kurtis drew a card.

“I’ll remove Little-Winguard from play…” he stated.

The card slipped out of his discard slot.

“And in return, I’ll summon Garuda the Wind Spirit!”

A new Winged Beast appeared in a gust of wind. It was a muscular humanoid with an eagle’s head and wings. He wore red trousers and a sash. (1,600/1,200) –> (2,100/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LON-EN070.jpg

“Go!” he shouted “Blow away Penumbral Soldier Lady with wing gust!”

Garuda took to the air and started to beat his wings furiously! Penumbral Soldier Lady tried to shield herself from the gust, but eventually she lost and was blown to pieces.

“Well, Francesca,” chuckled Kurtis. “I really don’t think you have much left in your deck that can put up a resistance…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“He’s got a point,” chuckled Peten. “Other than Joan, Penumbral Soldier Lady, and Getsu Fuhma, I think ALL of her Monsters are Earth.”

The Unfriendly Amazon slammed a fist down on her armrest.

She was really disappointed, not by the fact that the Amazons were being defeated, but that she wasn’t the one doing it.

Ah well, she thought. So long as someone manages to take down that bitch, I’ll be happy…

She leaned on her arm and sighed again.

She was likely going to be stuck with these two idiots for a long time, if not forever…

And she started to wonder whether or not dying was better than being trapped here…

She sighed again.

And then a thought came to her…

What would happen if these three actually managed to destroy the Shadow Queen?

Her magic spells would all be broken, including the one that kept her in the human world. Would she wake up back home?

The Unfriendly Amazon was an exile, but being exiled on her home world was better than being stranded in this place. She was more homesick than she had admitted…

“Guys?” she said to End and Peten.

“Yeah?” asked the Fiend.

“You know, maybe we’re supporting the wrong people…” she answered.

They looked at her strange.

“Listen…” she said.

[B]* * * * * * * * *

“So now what?” asked Andy.

“Fran has a chance,” answered Stan. “IF she manages to summon Flurrie. Flurrie’s a Wind Monster, so she would benefit as much from that Bladefly as Kurtis’s Monsters…”

“Hey, Fran!” shouted Andy. “Do you have Madame Flurrie in your hand?”

“Don’t you think I would have summoned her by now if I did?” snapped Francesca.

“Sorry…” said Andy, sadly.

Francesca looked at her hand.

“I’ll summon another Swords Woman in Attack Mode,” she stated.

Swords Woman appeared again, swinging her blade. (1,500/1,600) –> (1,100/1,600)

“Now I’ll place a card facedown, and that will be all,” she stated.

A facedown card appeared.

Kurtis made his draw.

“I summon Takuhee is Attack Mode,” he stated, placing a card down.

A huge eagle with brown feathers appeared. (1,450/1,000) –> (1,950/1,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TP2-022.jpg

“Attack her Swords Woman!” shouted Kurtis.

Takuhee swooped down on the Amazon…

“I activate Waboku!” shouted Francesca.

Her Trap Card lifted, and the Winged Beast was stopped dead in its tracks.

“I must say, Fran,” snarled Kurtis, “you are a stubborn one, but you must admit, you don’t have much chance of winning. Why continue?

“I’ll tell you that no physical pain is waiting for you, mostly because when we’re done, you won’t really have anything that can feel pain…”

“Kurtis, number one, I don’t believe you further than I could throw you,” answered Francesca. “Number two, being turned into a bodiless phantom isn’t very appealing, so excuse me if I try my hardest here!”

“Your funeral,” he sighed.

Francesca drew.

“I play Graceful Charity!” she shouted.

She played the card, and the beautiful angel flew out with three cards.

She waited.

“Give me a minute…” said Fran, looking at them.

Continued…

Dark Sage

26th December 2005, 11:24 AM

Continued from last post:

If the key to winning this duel is defeating his Soul Card, she thought, I have to figure out what it is first. Lust, huh? A certain attractive Winged Beast with a gorgeous figure and a whip comes to mind…

Then it hit her.

Ooh, I just got the best idea!

She handed two cards to the angel, and she vanished.

She fit a card into a slot.

“I play Dark Designator!” she shouted.

“Huh?” asked Kurtis.

“Here’s how it works, Kurtis,” stated Fran. “I can name any Monster that I can think of, and if it’s in your deck, you have to add it to your hand!”

Kurtis looked at her strangely.

“Now let me think,” said Francesca. “I choose… Cyber Harpie Lady!”

What in the name of… thought Kurtis, going for his deck.

He took out the card.

Why the heck would she let me have access to my favorite card? Heh… She was almost at the bottom of the deck… I never would have gotten to her otherwise…

“Now I summon…” said Francesca. “Amazoness Chain Master!”

She played the card, and the chain wielding Amazon appeared. (1,500/1,300) –> (1,100/1,300)

Kurtis raised an eyebrow.

“Chain Master…” shouted Francesca, “attack Takuhee!”

Chain Master swung her chain, and charged at the huge bird!

“What the…?” gasped Kurtis.

Takuhee swiped with its claws, and Chain Master shattered.

Francesca’s Life Points fell to 7,050.

“I have to say, Fran,” muttered Kurtis, “I’ve been in Shadow Games, where my opponent went crazy from fear, but never this crazy!”

“I’m not crazy,” chuckled Francesca. “I’m smart! When Chain Master is destroyed in battle, her effect activates. I may have to spend 1,500 Life Points…”

Her Life Points fell to 5,550, and her chest started to fade.

“…but I’m willing to take that risk, because now I can see your hand and take one Monster Card from it!”

Kurtis gasped!

Francesca walked up to him.

“And in case my strategy hasn’t sunk in by now, kindly hand over the Harpie!”

Kurtis growled a little, but he handed the card to her.

“Thank you!” said Francesca, snatching it.

She slipped the card into her own hand, and walked back to her position.

“I think that’s enough for one move,” she chuckled.

Amazoness Fighter grinned at her.

“Is Fran trying what I think she is?” asked Andy.

“Sure looks like it,” chuckled Stan. “Instead of trying to defeat his Soul Card in a straight fight, she took it from him!

“And Kurtis doesn’t seem to like it…”

Indeed, he didn’t… He started to perspire a little…

He drew a card…

“Garuda…” he muttered, “attack Swords Woman!”

Garuda spread his wings again and blasted forth his windstorm. Swords Woman cringed, and shattered.

“Forget?” asked Fran. “I don’t take any damage, you do!”

Kurtis’s Life Points fell to 6,100, and the lower part of his right leg faded…

“Takuhee, attack directly!” he shouted.

Takuhee swooped down on Fran.

Amazoness Fighter grabbed onto her shoulders again, and the Winged Beast bounced off.

“Forget about my Deckmaster?” asked Fran. “She may be down to 900 Attack Points now but she still has enough strength left for three more times!”

“Your move…” snarled Kurtis.

Francesca drew.

Monster Reborn.

“I play Monster Reborn!” she shouted.

The holy ankh appeared on the ground, and Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared on it. (2,100/1,400)

“And now I summon…” chuckled Francesca, “Cyber Harpie Lady!”

She threw the card down, and the lovely female Monster appeared, and gave her whip a lash.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SP1-EN001.jpg

“I always wanted to give one of these gals a try,” she said with a smirk. “And I don’t need to tell you that Bladefly’s benefit applies to Wind Monsters on both sides of the field!”

(1,800/1,300) –> (2,300/1,300)

[B]* * * * * * * * *

“Hmmm,” stated The End of Anubis. “Fran might actually win this…”

“You’d better hope she does,” replied The Amazon.

Her two unwitting partners glared at her.

“Look,” muttered the Amazon. “I don’t like you two, and you two probably hate me just as much. Do we really want to be sitting here until the mountain erodes?

“As much as I hate to say it, we have to put our support behind those three kids… because if they don’t take care of the Queen, we might never go home again…”

The End of Anubis sighed.

“Well, I have to admit, I liked this place at first,” he stated, “but the air here kinda sticks to my lungs in a bad way…”

“Mmm,” muttered Peten. “It is kind of rubbing me the wrong way too…”

“So?” asked The Amazon.

There was a pause. She finally spoke up.

“Show that brat who’s boss, Fran!”

[B]* * * * * * * * *

“Penumbral Soldier Lady, attack Takuhee!” shouted Francesca.

The Warrior made one swipe, and cut the bird in half!

“Cyber Harpie Lady, attack Garuda with whiplash attack!”

The Harpie lashed her whip, and Garuda shrieked! He shattered!

Kurtis staggered backwards, and his Life Points fell to 5,750.

“Traitor…” he grumbled.

“Your move now,” dared Fran.

Kurtis slowly drew a card.

“I summon… Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress,” he muttered. “In Defense Mode…”

He put a card down, and the small blue Dragon with smaller wings appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,400/1,200) –> (1,900/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN002.jpg

Not my strongest Monster, he thought, sweating heavily, but it was the best I could do…

Francesca drew a card.

“First I’ll place a card facedown,” she stated.

A facedown card appeared.

“And then I’ll summon… Command Knight, in Attack Mode!”

A flame appeared on her side of the field. The splendid image of Command Knight stepped out. (1,200/1,900) –> (1,600/1,900)

“Know why birds hate fire?” asked Francesca. “Because if their wings catch fire, they can’t fly, and a bird that can’t fly is a sitting duck! And since Penumbral Soldier Lady is a Warrior, she gains 400 Attack Points!”

Penumbral Soldier Lady’s Attack grew to 2,500.

“Command Knight, attack his Dragon!” shouted Francesca.

Command Knight’s sword blazed with fire, and she cleaved Winged Dragon in two!

“Cyber Harpie Lady…” she ordered, “destroy the Bladefly!”

Cyber Harpie Lady swooped, and brought her talon down on the Insect, crushing it!

“Good riddance!” sneered Francesca. “Penumbral Soldier Lady, attack directly!”

Kurtis screamed as Penumbral Soldier Lady stuck him with her Sword of Shadows!

His Life Points tumbled to 3,250, and he turned translucent!

“Darn you, Fran!” he shouted. “I will defeat you, even if it means destroying my own Harpie!”

“Go on!” laughed Francesca. “I dare you! I double dare you!”

“I never turn down a double dare,” snarled Kurtis, making a draw.

Yes! he thought. I drew Lightning Vortex! Now I can…

His train of thought was interrupted.

“I activate… Showstopper!” shouted Francesca.

Her Trap Card lifted.

“I have to sacrifice my three Monsters and pay half my Life Points…” she stated.

The three Monsters in front of her vanished. Her Life Points fell to 2,275. Her body started to fade even more than Kurtis’s…

“But now you have to discard everything in your hand!” she laughed.

Kurtis gasped as the cards in his hand were wrenched away.

“I hope Fran is okay…” muttered Andy. “I can barely see her over there!”

“Now, I think it’s my move,” continued Francesca, drawing.

Perfect, she thought.

“I summon Amazoness Priestess in Attack Mode!”

The slender Amazon sorceress appeared, her staff glowing with green fire. (1,500/1,500)

“Know how many Amazons are in my Graveyard?” she asked. “Six.”

(2,100/1,500)

“Attack directly!” ordered Fran.

Kurtis screamed as the Priestess blasted him with her powerful spell.

His Life Points fell to 1,150, and he was now less than translucent. He was nearly transparent.

“Make your move…” she demanded.

Kurtis was bordering on panic. He never imagined that this would happen…

His hand shivered as he drew…

“Well!” he exclaimed, playing the card. “I play Monster Reborn!”

Cyber Harpie Lady reappeared.

“Why did you do that?” asked Fran.

“Take a look!” mocked Kurtis. “With the boost from Bladefly, she’s more than strong enough to…”

“Uhm, I hate to interrupt,” muttered Francesca, “but it appears you got so scared that you got confused. Your Bladefly has been gone for several turns now…”

(1,800/1,300)

“Now, since you have no other cards to play…” started Francesca.

She drew a card.

“I summon Amazoness Paladin in Attack Mode!”

Paladin appeared, holding aloft her sword. (1,700/300) –> (1,900/300)

“Mercy… please…” begged Kurtis.

“Mercy?” said Francesca, disgusted. “You should have thought of that before you started these things and became a big creep!

“Priestess, destroy the Harpie!”

Amazoness Priestess shot forth her spell, and Cyber Harpie Lady was destroyed.

“Now Kurtis,” stated Francesca, “time for you to vanish into the Shadows! Paladin, attack directly!”

Paladin swung her sword, and Kurtis screamed as his Life Points fell to nothing…

And then with the sigh of a breeze, he vanished into nothing as well.

Francesca took some deep breaths…

To her relief, she saw her body regaining substance…

“FRAN!” shouted Andy, running up to her.

He hugged her.

She was whole again.

“I was worried for a while,” he muttered.

“So was I,” she sighed, “so was I…”

She took the Cyber Harpie Lady out of her discard slot as another door opened in the middle of the field.

“So what are you going to do with that?” asked Stan.

“I think we both know the answer to that,” muttered Francesca.

She was about to rip the card in half…

Then a strange sensation came over her.

“Meh,” she said with a shrug.

She tossed it over her shoulder, and they started walking towards the door.

They didn’t see it disappear…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Merlee looked at the Cyber Harpie Lady.

Francesca’s strategy was certainly unusual, he thought, but it was deadly. She actually used Kurtis’s soul as a weapon against him…Good thing she never managed a direct attack with this, or he might have wound up brain-dead!

He carefully placed it in his pouch.

I hated using a little mind control magic on her, but I couldn’t let her destroy it. It’s too useful for me right now.

They are progressing, I think their chances are improving…

”Killer Needle”: Insect/Wind, (1,200/1,000)

Deckmaster SA: “Insect Vassal”: If your opponent declares an Attack on an INSECT-type Monster on your side of the field, you can redirect the attack to another Monster on your side of the field.

Amazoness Fighter”: Warrior/Earth, (1,500/1,300)

Deckmaster SA: “Feminine Strength”: Once per turn, if you are attacked directly, you can deduct 300 points from the Deckmaster’s ATK to negate the attack. If the Deckmaster’s ATK reaches zero, you can no longer use this ability.

[B][I]Coming up next…

Two down, four to go, but it gets even harder from this point.

Stan now has to face his first Shadow Game, in a deadly contest where fire as well as Shadows threaten to consume him. Tyson breaks out a whole new strategy, in a chapter called “Shadow Flames”.

Don’t miss it!

Perfect Chaos

26th December 2005, 01:45 PM

In all honesty DS, this chapter and duel was mediocre at best.

I liked the fact that you managed to use different types of WIND monsters which I believe most of us probably never even heard of before. But the fact that Kurtis's stragety was basically a lockdown of Fran's deck had me bored for a bit.

Also, I know that your story involves the Shadow Spawn being connected with the Seven Deadly Sins, but I feel that you aren't really doing that well of a job. I thought that maybe each of the Spawn would somewhat reflect their Deadly Sin based on their attitude, even if it was tidbit.

Plus, I didn't really think Cyber Harpie fit the deal of being the "Soul Card of Lust" but hey, I probably couldn't have done a better job.

It was actually funny seeing Amazon, End and Peten change their loyalties to our Three Heroes. Maybe it might pay off in the end for them...

Well, I look forward to the next chapter since Fire is one of my favorite deck-types (after Fiends of course :D)

-sean

P.S. I believe this is the longest review I've ever did for any chapter in your story, lol

Blademaster

26th December 2005, 02:10 PM

I'll admit, DS, I didn't really like this chapter, either. Kurtis' new deck 'strategy' was just a random bunch of Wind Monsters-Spiritual Wind Arts was the only card I didn't see coming...

Don't feel bad, though-like I said, the Harpies are the only decent set of Wind Monsters to date...

I was actually kinda expecting(and hoping) that these chapters would be like the movie Seven. and each Spawn would be punished in an ironic sense depending on their sin. Sadly, there hasn't really been any originality in these punishments.

Cyber Harpie Lady was a good choice for a Soul Card, though-she doesn't have the effect, like Reshef, but she damn-sure has the looks...

I hope I haven't already figured out Tyson's strategy and Soul Card, too-a Greedy Fire Monster isn't too tough to decipher...

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

Dark Sage

26th December 2005, 02:14 PM

Actually, Blademaster, from this point on, the punishment will reflect the Attribute they represent (as it sort of did with Kurtis).

I have no idea whether you've figured it out or not. Let's just say that Tyson's Soul Card is a Monster that steals power, and hates to share.

Shuppet Master

26th December 2005, 08:17 PM

I think I know what Tyson's soul card is...it was a card Chazz used in the early GX anime.

As for your newest chapter, it's nice we got something right after Xmas. ^_^

The new deck Kurtis used wasn't very good, but then it's hard to come up with a good wind-attribute deck. I knew you wouldn't use Rising Air Current because the spawn aren't as stupid as Melissa. The only thing I didn't like(yes, I didn't like something, shock and awe!) was that the punishment was too cliche. I don't think Kurtis would have used something like that if he was challenging Fran, considering that she was "cursed with a pretty body" and Kurtis, as Merlee said, loves to claim pretty women. I'm not saying the chapter was bad, but you turned Kurtis into a generic villian("You're ugly when you're angry!") instead of focusing on his sinful nature. Other than that, your chapter was spot-on.

jkBAKURA

26th December 2005, 11:40 PM

You know, I actually liked a lot of things in this chapter. Some flaws yes, but I'm focusing on the positive first.

First of all, major points for originality. The Bladefly trick was a stroke of genius, and I could feel Fran's frustration of being stuck with it on the field, which leads right into the point of Kurtis having an unusual, but clever Deckmaster. Nice twist on dealing with his Soul Card too, taking it instead of battling it outright. (on that note I like Cyber Harpy as a choice. Maybe it's lust that powers up the Dragon, who knows?)

I did notice Kurtis's distinct lack of a kill-card, or a tribue monster in general (I personally was expecting Roc from the Valley of Haze) but that didn't effect the duel in the end. And conterary to an earlier comment, I think Kurtis pulled off his role quite well. I also noticed the Regulation/Scapegoat developing into a trademark combo, which is nice to see from any character from time to time.

Now for the negatives, again no Kill-card per-say, but the assortment of Winged Beasts was nice. The few monsters that weren't bothered me a little, as it seemed out of character, but with that trap out, a counterattack is always more exciting then stalling.

Minimal use of the Enchanted cards too. Showstopper was unnessisary, but I suppose you wanted it to have another appearance after so long. The Punishment brought me back to the anime, and I personally didn't mind.

I kind of wish Kurtis was a little more diverse with the Wind stratagy, but what's done is done, and I did like what ended up on the page.

Only one part seemed to really bother me, and that was the ending. True, I myself have gotten carried away, but in a situation of life and death, one whould think he would remember a monster was gone for a few turns. Although it was on the field for so long he might take it for granted. Maybe he was simply desperate to have his Soul-Card back. Whatever the reason, for me it just didn't work.

Still hopeful as always, and I hope Paradox doesn't give you too hard of a time when he returns.

Dark Sage

31st December 2005, 07:41 AM

Happy New Year!

Yes, 2005 is breathing its last, and a new year is around the corner.

And since last chapter was so crummy, I thought I'd bring out the new one.

So, save the champagne for later, and read the new chapter now.

And I'll see you all next year!

- DS

Dark Sage

31st December 2005, 07:43 AM

[B]A year ago, I babysat my little cousin, and on a whim, I took her to see a movie called The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl[I]. The movie had three protagonists, Shark Boy, Lava Girl, and the dreamer who had created them.

Lava Girl was the character I found the most interesting, which is odd, because the characters in children’s movies usually don’t have much substance. She had a bit of an identity crisis. She was a creature of fire, and couldn’t touch anything without it burning. She was dismayed, and thought that because she was made of fire, she had to be a creature of evil and destruction.

But the hero of the movie proved her wrong. What she truly was… was a creature of Light.

In most cases, fire does indeed come side-by-side with light. Up to this point, I’ve never heard of a fire that didn’t create light…

Up to this point, that is…

My mind has changed, because a fire is trying to consume my very flesh, and it isn’t light, it’s very dark.

In the depths of the Shadow Queen’s palace, rules of nature can change on a whim…

[B][size=3]CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

Shadow Flames

As Stan, Andy, and Francesca walked down the cave-like passage, they started to sweat…

It was getting hot.

They entered a room lit by a bright red glow. And then they saw the source…

They were in a volcanic cave. To their left was a large pool of lava, being fed by a lava flow coming from the ceiling.

“This can only mean one thing…” muttered Andy.

He spoke up.

“Tyson? Are you in here?”

There was no response for a minute or two…

Then a form burst out of the lava! A figure crawled out of it…

Tyson stood upright, and lava dripped from his clothing, which they guessed was enchanted in some way.

“Boy, I was getting pruned…” he chuckled. “Nothing like bathing in boiling magma… It does wonders for my skin… Care to try?”

“Tyson, I find you no more funny than last time,” stated Andy. “And back then, I found you as funny as a canker sore…”

Tyson smirked.

“You and Francesca must think you’re so special,” he sighed. “Being able to defeat Melissa and Kurtis in Shadow Games… Well, let me tell you something; Even if by some miracle you do away with all of us, you may never sleep soundly again…”

“I don’t follow,” answered Francesca.

Tyson stepped out of the pool, and his footsteps melted the stone floor…

“Once you’ve experienced the Shadows, you’re a changed duelist,” remarked Tyson. “Two things can happen to you now…

“Either the darkness will overcome you as you try to hide in your beds, and you’ll be reduced to quivering wrecks…

“Or, you’ll become stronger as a result – but that might not occur for a while. When we started, we all had nightmares for months before we got used to it.”

“Not that I intend to let you go, Stan,” he added. “You and I are going to duel, and you won’t be as fortunate as your two friends!”

“If we must, we simply must,” stated Stan. “But you won’t scare me, Tyson…”

Tyson’s body burst into an aura of flames!

“Step a little closer and say that!” he laughed.

“You’re still not scaring me,” sighed Stan. “I’ve had scarier birthday parties…”

“Fine,” said Tyson, as his fiery Duel Disk appeared on his arm. “Scaring you isn’t my job. That’s for the beasts in my deck!”

He took a card from his deck.

“And my Deckmaster is a force to be reckoned with,” he stated. “Meet Mr. Volcano!”

A fiery wizard in a suit and cape appeared.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PSV-EN044.jpg

“And just what does he do?” asked Stan.

“There’s no rule that says I have to tell you!” exclaimed Tyson. “Now choose yours!”

Stan pulled out his deck…

”Stan!” cried a voice. ”Let me out this time!”

“Goombella?” muttered Stan.

He looked at Goombella’s card.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

Goombella smiled.

“All right then,” he said. “I choose Goombella the Scholar!”

He held the card aloft, and the sassy Goomba perched on his shoulder.

“Hey, wait!” laughed Tyson. “Some trash just blew into here! Oh wait, that’s just your Monster… Looks like we’ve got fungus among us!”

Goombella gave him a dirty look, and then turned to Stan.

“Stan,” she whispered into his ear. “Listen closely. My Deckmaster Ability is very powerful…”

“I’m listening,” answered Stan.

She quickly whispered into his ear.

“Got it?” she asked.

“Got it!” answered Stan.

“All right Tyson,” he exclaimed. “It’s time to duel!”

The scores set to 8,000…

And then the lights in the room dimmed.

“Uh oh…” muttered Francesca.

“You’ll find this duel much less pleasant than your two friends found theirs, Stan,” said Tyson, waving his hand.

And then Stan gasped in fear…

He was on fire!

Well, sort of. Surrounding him was an aura of black flames of some sort. His skin tingled.

He noticed that the same aura was around Tyson.

“What’s going on, Tyson?” he demanded.

“Ever get mad and tell a person to burn in Hell, Stan?” chuckled Tyson. “Well, I’m going to send you to a Hell, and you’ll burn there!

“These are Shadow Flames… A special type of fire found in the darkest voids. It doesn’t hurt much now, as you can feel, but as you lose Life Points, it will get hotter, and more intense…

“The loser of this duel will be trapped in a virtual inferno forever!”

“You’re mad…” muttered Stan.

“Do I look angry to you?” asked Tyson. “Actually, I’m quite happy…”

He drew his first hand.

“And I’ll place a Monster in Defense Mode…” he stated.

A fiery little creature appeared…

“Flame Dancer!”

The creature was a little imp with one eye, and flames shooting out of a spout in its head. (550/450)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LON-EN058.jpg

“HA, HA, HA!” laughed Stan. “What’s the matter, Tyson, have a bad first hand?”

Tyson didn’t respond.

“Why’d you even put that little thing in your deck in the first place?” he asked.

No response.

“Have it your way…” muttered Stan, drawing a card.

He looked over his hand.

“I’ll fight fire with fire!” he shouted. “And I’ll summon Blast Magician in Attack Mode!”

“He put the card down, and a bonfire erupted on his side of the field. The flaming magician arose! (1,400/1,900)

“Attack Flame Dancer!” shouted Stan. “Blast attack!”

Blast Magician shot forth a stream of flame from his staff, obliterating the imp.

“So now what, Tyson?”

“Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…” chuckled Tyson.

He drew a card and looked at it.

“Fight fire with fire, Stan?” he chuckled. “That’s an old saying, but it’s a half-baked idea. The truth is, trying to fight fire with fire usually only makes the fire worse!

“See, the reason I put that weak Monster out on the field was so you wouldn’t waste a strong one to destroy it… But this is even better than I anticipated!”

He placed a card down…

And a great flame erupted in front of him! A gargoyle-like Fiend with bat-like wings, a flaming mane, and a fiery sword appeared! (1,000/1,000)

“What the Hell is that?” gasped Stan.

“Good choice of words,” chuckled Tyson. “He’s called a Gorlag. And he might not look like much, but he gains 500 extra Attack Points for all Fire Monsters on the field. That includes Blast Magician, so thank you so much, you fool!”

“So, he has 1,500 Attack Points?” asked Stan.

Tyson chuckled.

“I said ALL Fire Monsters,” he answered, “and Gorlag is one too!”

(2,000/1,000)

“Gorlag…” he shouted, “attack Blast Magician with infernal blade!”

The demon roared, and flew forward, striking Blast Magician with its sword! The Fire mage was burned up.

Stan cringed, as his Life Points fell to 7,600.

“And now let me show you Gorlag’s other great ability…” chuckled Tyson, snapping his fingers.

Another flame spouted up, and Blast Magician appeared next to Gorlag!

“You summoned him on your side?” gasped Stan.

“Uh huh,” answered Tyson. “Any Monster that Gorlag destroys is reborn as my slave. Of course, Blast Magician lost his effect, so feel free to use all the Magic Cards you want, not that it will help…”

“All right!” stated Stan. “My move!”

He drew a card.

Nuts, thought Stan. Only one Monster that I can summon… she’ll have to do for now…

“I summon Ebon Magician Curran in Defense Mode!” he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and Curran appeared, shielding herself. (1,200/0)

“Putting a Monster in Defense Mode, Stan?” chuckled Tyson. “Well, that would be great, except that Curran’s Defense has a grand total of zero!”

He made a draw.

He looked at the two Monsters in his hand.

Plan B is ready should Plan A fail, thought Tyson. And little does Stan know, I have a Plan C and a Plan D after that. Because unlike that stupid Melissa and Kurtis, I’m far from a one-hit wonder. I have several contingency plans should my initial one turn out to be a dud.

“Gorlag, destroy Curran!” shouted Tyson.

Gorlag flew forward. Curran screamed…

The Fiend swung his sword, and she was blown apart.

“Blast Magician, attack Stan directly!” shouted Tyson.

Blast Magician pointed his staff, and shot forth a blast of fire! Stan cringed as he was struck, and his Life Points fell to 6,000.

Even worse, the Shadow Flames around him started burning fiercer! His skin started to throb, and it got hotter.

“If you can’t stand the heat,” chuckled Tyson, “stay out of the kitchen. And you know what happens next…”

Another bonfire appeared, and Curran appeared on Tyson’s side.

“And now,” chuckled Tyson, “Gorlag is even stronger!”

Gorlag increased in size, and his Attack grew to 2,500!

“Hold it!” shouted Stan. “Curran isn’t a Fire Monster!”

“Oops!” remarked Tyson. “Forgot to mention. Any Monster I enslave with Gorlag’s effect has its Attribute changed.

“Anyway, make your move…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“End,” asked the Amazon, “does that thing’s strength have any limit?”

“The only limit,” sighed End, “is the number of Fire Monsters that could conceivably be on both sides of the field at one time…”

He sighed.

“Gorlags aren’t very popular with other Fiends,” he remarked. “Archfiends aside, most Fiends are Dark, and they make fun of those who don’t conform. And Gorlags have it worse off, because other Types, including Pyros and Fire Monsters of other Types, don’t like Fiends much…”

“I wonder why…” said Peten, sarcastically.

End ignored the wisecrack.

“And as you can see,” he continued, “their base power isn’t much. So they can only be handled if you know how to use them right.”

“And Tyson clearly does,” sighed the Amazon. “Super…”

“Ah, who cares?” snarled End.

The Amazon grabbed him by the collar.

“Need I remind you?” she snarled. “These three kids are our ticket home! We’ve got to think positively!”

The Fiend glared at her.

“Think positively,” he sighed. “Well, I’ll try anything once…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Now what?” said Andy. “With every Monster that thing strikes down, it gets stronger! Stan’s really in hot water!”

“Bad choice of words, Andy…” muttered Francesca.

Stan drew a card.

Nothing good, he thought. Unless…

“All right Tyson,” he stated, “I’m using my Deckmaster’s ability!”

“Do tell…” chuckled Tyson.

Stan removed his deck.

“It’s called Tattletale, and here’s how it works,” stated Stan. “I can return as many cards as I want back to my deck, reshuffle, and the draw the same number, plus one. And I’m going to return all six to my deck!”

He placed his cards back in his deck, and Goombella closed her eyes. She glowed…

Stan’s cards all floated out in front of him, and then flew in a chaotic pattern, eventually rebuilding into a deck again. Stan held up his Disk, and it slid back into the tray. Then seven cards flew out.

“The downside to this move is, I have to let you do the same if you so choose,” continued Stan.

Tyson chuckled.

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll do the same with four of my cards…”

He added four cards to his deck, and Goombella glowed again. The same thing happened…

Five cards flew out of Tyson’s reshuffled deck.

Stan looked at his cards.

Good… he thought.

“Now,” stated Stan. “I’ll summon Magician’s Valkyria in Attack Mode!”

He placed a card down, and the attractive brunette Spellcaster appeared. (1,600/1,800)

“What good will she do?” laughed Tyson. “I’ll just add her to my collection too!”

“You aren’t going to get a chance, pal,” stated Stan, “once I play this… Shrink!”

He played the card, and Gorlag bellowed! He shrank down to half his size, and his Attack Score fell to 1,250.

“Valkyria, destroy him!” shouted Stan.

Valkyria aimed her scepter and fired, blowing the Fiend to pixels!

And then, both Blast Magician and Ebon Magician Curran burst into pixels as well!

“Figured that might happen…” muttered Stan.

Tyson’s Life Points slipped to 7,650.

“Clever…” he stated. “But I’m just getting started…”

“Your move now,” dared Stan.

Tyson made a draw.

“I’ll place a card facedown,” he stated.

A facedown card materialized.

“And then I’ll summon Flame Ruler in Defense Mode…”

He placed a card on his Disk, and a tall, bearded man, awash with flames appeared. He knelt in Defense. (1,500/1,600)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/FET-EN031.jpg

“And that will be my turn,” said Tyson with a grin.

“Oo-kay…” said Stan, as he slowly drew.

He turned the card on his Disk, and Magician’s Valkyria moved into Defense Mode…

Then he fit three cards into slots, and they appeared behind Valkyria.

I know his plan, he thought. He set it all out in front of me…

If he sacrifices Flame Ruler for a Fire Monster, it counts as two Monsters. So he plans to sacrifice it to summon Fire Queen…

…which will let him Special Summon Fire King…

which will let him use his Volcano Palace Field Card!

But now, I’m prepared…

As soon as Fire Queen appears, I’ll activate my first facedown card, A Rival Appears! to summon my eight-star Dark Magician of Chaos from my hand…

Then, as soon as he plays Volcano Palace, my facedown Dust Tornado will reduce it to rubble!

Now, he can’t attack Dark Magician of Chaos when Magician’s Valkyria is there, and Fire Queen won’t be strong enough for him, so he’ll attack Valkyria with Fire Queen…

And then, when he attacks Dark Magician of Chaos with Fire King, I’ll spring my Spellbinding Circle! Then I’ll pick both of them off…

“It’s your move,” he said.

“Fine,” said Tyson, making a draw.

He switched cards.

“I’ll sacrifice Flame Ruler…”

Flame Ruler erupted into a huge bonfire…

And then the bonfire grew…

The creature that appeared wasn’t the sexy, armored, female Warrior of Fire, but a hideous demonic figure made of flames! (2,700/1,600)

“That’s not Fire Queen!” shouted Stan.

“No,” chuckled Tyson. “It’s a Pyro called Infernal Flame Emperor!”

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SD3-EN001.jpg

The huge, blazing creature glared at Stan.

“A useful rule about engaging the enemy, Stan,” chuckled Tyson. “Always keep them guessing!”

That’s a nine-star Monster! thought Stan, in panic. A Rival Appears! is useless!

Continued…

Dark Sage

31st December 2005, 07:45 AM

Continued from last post:

“Now watch his great effect!” exclaimed Tyson. “When he’s summoned, I can remove Fire Monsters in my Graveyard from play, and destroy Magic and Trap Cards! So I’ll remove the three I have…”

Three cards fell out of his discard slot…

Infernal Flame Emperor pointed, and Stan’s three facedown cards burst into flame!

“Not so fast, Tyson!” shouted Stan. “By destroying my Dust Tornado, you activated it!”

The Tornado blew across the field, shattering Tyson’s facedown card!

“Humph,” said Tyson with a shrug. “Like I really need that Shadow Spell anymore. Infernal Flame Emperor, attack Magician’s Valkyria with infernal inferno!”

The Emperor blaster forth a wave of flame, and Magician’s Valkyria let out a bloodcurdling scream before she shattered.

“Lucky for you, she was in Defense Mode,” laughed Tyson. “Well, I place another card facedown, and call it a turn…”

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

Could this be his Soul Card? thought Stan, making a draw. I’m not sure… That Monster is powerful, but I don’t think it suggests Greed… More like Wrath… And if Gorlag was his Soul Card, he likely wouldn’t have removed it from play…

He looked at the card he had drawn.

“I play Pot of Greed!” he exclaimed.

He played the card, and the jar handed him two cards.

All right… he thought, looking at them.

“I summon Watapon!” he stated, placing a card down.

The tiny, puffball of a Monster appeared. (200/300)

Tyson raised an eyebrow…

“And since I drew Watapon using Pot of Greed,” continued Stan, “I can now sacrifice it to summon Neo Aqua Madoor!”

He switched cards on his Disk, and the huge, icy Spellcaster emerged, surrounded by a protective blizzard of frost. (1,200/3,000)

“Clever,” chuckled Tyson. “But let me tell you one thing… Fire melts ice!”

“Just make your move, okay?” snarled Stan.

“I’ll move alright,” chuckled Tyson, making a draw. “First I’ll summon Molten Zombie…”

He put a card down, and the thick, gloppy Pyro appeared with a low moan. (1,600/300)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-064.jpg

“However,” continued Tyson, “I only summoned him so I could use my facedown card… Spiritual Fire Art – Kurenai!”

His facedown card lifted, and a young girl emerged onto his side of the field. She had fiery red hair that fell to her knees, and wore a revealing girdle, covered by a grey cloak. She carried a staff tipped with a flame.

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/ba0vstm8.jpg

“Huh?” asked Stan.

“Meet Hiita the Fire Charmer!” laughed Tyson. “She’s even more skilled at controlling the element of Fire than I am! And she knows a powerful spell called Kurenai!

“By sacrificing one Fire Monster, she can blast your Life Points for the amount equal to the Attack Score of the Monster that I’m sacrificing… So goodbye Molten Zombie!”

Molten Zombie vanished into pixels, and Hiita aimed her staff at Stan…

A stream of flames shot forth, and he screamed!

He fell to his knees, and his Life Points fell to 4,400.

The Shadow Flames on his skin started to burn with even more intensity…

Can you feel it Stan? thought Tyson. Well, I sure can… the pain you’re feeling isn’t just burning you…

Just like my father’s style, the Shadow Flames I can inflict upon someone will not only be agonizing, but they help me immensely. When I duel my next victim, I’ll be even stronger, because you’ll be feeding me with energy like fuel that can’t be consumed, just as all the past ones are doing for me right now…

That’s another rule common to all Shadow Games that I didn’t mention, Stan. With each victim claimed, one gets better and stronger, until he’s truly unbeatable.

Heck, who knows? Maybe once mom gets what she wants and we’ve done away with all opposition, I’ll add Leopold, Maria, and Vladimir to the fire too…

He chuckled.

And why stop there?

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“This isn’t good people…” muttered Peten.

“Tell me about it,” sighed the Amazon. “Tyson hasn’t lost control of this for even a second…”

“Weren’t you the one who told me a minute ago to think positive?” asked End. “Stan has one of his Enchanted Cards in his hand…”

“Yeah,” replied the Amazon. “Only problem is, using it might be risky…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Stan!” shouted Francesca. “Get up! You can still beat him!”

“That’s a lot… easier said… than done…” muttered Stan.

He pulled himself to his feet.

He drew a card.

“Mystical Elf in Defense Mode…” he stated, playing a card.

Mystical Elf appeared, kneeling in her meditative state. (800/2,000)

“Don’t know when to quit, do you?” chuckled Tyson, drawing a card.

He grinned.

He flicked open his Field Slot.

“I play… Molten Destruction!” he shouted, placing the card into it.

What happened next fit the description of the card perfectly – it was destruction. The center of the arena exploded as a burst of lava erupted onto the field! Within seconds, The two of them were standing amid a boiling magma pool!

“Intimidating, isn’t it?” chuckled Tyson, as Infernal Flame Emperor rose to (3,200/1,200). “And now I’ll summon Great Angus in Attack Mode!”

He placed a card down, and a furious creature burst out of the lava! It was a beast with the head of a boar, with enormous tusks! (1,800/600) –> (2,300/200)

“Infernal Flame Emperor, melt his Madoor!” shouted Tyson.

The Emperor blasted forth his flame, and Neo Aqua Madoor shattered.

“Great Angus, attack Mystical Elf!”

Great Angus breathed forth a blast of fire, and Mystical Elf was burned up!

“So now what Stan?” asked Tyson. “Pardon the cliché expression, but you’ve got nowhere to go but up in smoke!”

“I don’t think I’ll pardon the expression…” muttered Stan.

He drew a card.

“I play Graceful Charity!” he shouted.

He played the card, and the angel flew out of his deck, handing him three cards.

He looked at the six cards he now had.

Well, he thought, what have I got to lose?

He handed her two cards, and she flew into his discard slot.

“I’ll summon… Silent Magician Lv. 4 in Attack Mode!” he stated.

He placed the card down, and the young child-mage appeared, holding her staff aloft. (1,000/1,000)

http://www.yugioh-cards.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/promo/NTR-EN001.jpg

“Huh?” asked Francesca. “Stan still has her in his deck?”

“I’m just as surprised…” muttered Tyson.

Stan shrugged.

“I haven’t used her since I dueled your brother Leopold,” he replied. “For some reason, I just never drew her, or was able to use her effectively. But now, let’s try her out again! I play… Clock Out!”

He played the card, and his Life Points fell to 3,400.

He started to sweat as the clock appeared and started to spin…

It landed on the three.

“HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!” laughed Tyson. “Nice try, Stan, but not nice enough!”

He chuckled slowly.

“I know her power… She gains 500 Attack Points each time I draw a card… That Magic Card will keep me from attacking her for three turns…

“Unfortunately, you’ll need to keep me from attacking for four of my turns before she’s strong enough to defeat Infernal Flame Emperor! And unlike my dumb brother, I am NOT dumb enough to do anything that will make me draw outside of my Draw Phase!”

“We’ll soon see,” muttered Stan. “It’s your move…”

Tyson drew a card, and Silent Magician glowed. Her Attack rose to 1,500.

“So, I can’t attack, huh?” he asked. “I’ll just pass the time by summoning a few more Monsters… Blazing Inpachi, in Attack Mode.”

He placed a card down, and the burning tree-man appeared. (1,850/0) –> (2,350/0)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-061.jpg

“Well, that’s enough for me for now,” chuckled Tyson.

Stan drew a card.

Good, he thought. Just what I needed.

“I summon White Magician Pikeru in Attack Mode!” he exclaimed.

He put a card down, and Pikeru appeared in a flash of light.

Infernal Flame Emperor growled, and Pikeru drew back in fear.

“Stay calm,” assured Stan. “He can’t hurt you right now…”

“He’ll be able to soon enough,” laughed Tyson.

He drew, and looked at the card. Silent Magician rose to 2,000 Attack.

“Darkfire Soldier #1, in Attack Mode,” he stated.

He put the card down, and the bare-chested, flaming soldier with his curved sword appeared. (1,700/1,150) –> (2,200/750)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SDJ-010.jpg

“One turn to go!” he warned.

Stan drew a card, and Pikeru cast her healing spell. His Life Points went up to 4,200.

“I’ll place a Monster facedown in Defense and that will be all,” he stated.

He put a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.

“Well, let’s see what else I’ve got,” laughed Tyson.

He drew, and Silent Magician went up to 2,500 Attack.

“Well, I’ll summon Darkfire Soldier #2 this time!” he laughed.

He put a card down, and a fifth Monster appeared on his side, this one a fiery ronin with two blazing katana. (1,700/1,000) –> (2,300/600)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PSV-EN045.jpg

“On my next round, I’ll be free to attack,” chuckled Tyson, “so your little girl will be going down…”

The clock vanished.

“We’ll soon see,” said Stan, making a draw.

Pikeru cast her spell again, and Stan’s Life Points went up to 5,400.

“I’ll flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode!” he shouted. “Magician of Faith!”

The card flipped up, and Magician of Faith appeared. (300/400)

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

“I’ll use her to retrieve my Pot of Greed and play it again!”

He played the card, and the jar handed him two more cards.

“Good!” he said, looking at them. “Now I’ll sacrifice her…”

Magician of Faith shattered into pixels.

“…and I’ll summon Chaos Command Magician!”

The powerful Spellcaster of Light arose! (2,400/1,900)

“Chaos Command Magician,” shouted Stan, “attack Darkfire Soldier #2 with chaos blast!”

The sorcerer pointed his staff and shot forth his multicolored spell, blowing the fiery ronin to shards!

Tyson’s Life Points fell to 7,550.

“Big deal!” he mocked. “When it’s my turn, it’s curtains for your Silent Magician!”

“You really think so?” asked Stan. “It’s still my turn…”

He played a card.

“I play Card Destruction!”

Tyson gasped.

“Now we must each fold our hands and draw an equal number,” continued Stan. “And just watch…”

Tyson growled. They each discarded their hands and drew new cards.

“And since that counts as drawing cards,” laughed Stan, “Silent Magician gains a boost!”

Silent Magician grew to 3,000 Attack!

“Now it’s your turn,” stated Stan. “And after you draw, Silent Magician will grow to 3,500 Attack Points, and she’ll be stronger than Infernal Flame Emperor!”

“Curse you, Stan…” muttered Tyson, making a draw.

Sure enough, Silent Magician rose to 3,500 Attack.

He looked at the card he had just drawn.

He turned the cards on his Disk.

“I’ll move all my Monsters to Defense Mode…”

The four Monsters knelt in Defense.

“And I’ll place two cards facedown too…”

He played the cards, and they appeared behind his Monsters.

“Looks like Tyson is running scared!” laughed Francesca.

“Indeed!” laughed Stan, drawing a card.

Pikeru cast her spell again, and his Life Points went up to 6,600.

“Now that Silent Magician Lv. 4 has grown as powerful as she can,” he stated, “I can sacrifice her to summon her big sister, Silent Magician Lv. 8!”

Silent Magician started to grow, transforming into a tall, adult version of herself. (3,500/1,200)

http://www.yugioh-cards.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/promo/NTR-EN002.jpg

“And don’t try using Magic Cards on her, because they won’t work!” he added.

“And that’s not all. I’ll also summon… Skilled White Magician!”

He put another card down, and the robed Magician of Light appeared. (1,700/1,900)

“Silent Magician, wipe out Infernal Flame Emperor with solar beam!”

Silent Magician cast a mighty spell, and the huge Pyro howled! It exploded into pixels!

“Pikeru, take out that Inpachi!” shouted Stan. “Sparkle blast!”

Pikeru cast her white magic, and Blazing Inpachi burst into an explosion of fiery logs.

“Chaos Command Magician, destroy Darkfire Soldier!”

The Chaos Mage cast his spell, and Darkfire Soldier was blasted out of existence!

“Skilled White Magician, take out the last one! White magic attack!”

Skilled White Magician fired a beam of light at Great Angus! The Beast howled and burst into flames!

Nothing was left on Tyson’s side but burning embers…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Go, Stan, GO!” shouted the Amazon. “Teach that firebug not to play with matches!”

“Will you lower your voice?” snarled End.

“Aren’t you ever happy?” asked Peten. “Stan’s got him cold! Nothing he might summon could be a match for that Silent Magician!”

“I’m suspicious,” growled End. “I have a sneaking suspicion that Tyson is saving his best cards for last.

“After all…

“His Deckmaster has done nothing but stand there so far…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Well, Tyson, what now?” asked Stan. “I’ve got four Monsters on my side on the field, and you’ve got nothing except two facedown cards that I’m pretty sure were just a bluffs!”

“We’ll soon see about that, Stan…” he snarled.

He made a draw…

And then he laughed like a maniac!

“Um, that might be a good card…” muttered Andy.

“It’s a great one!” laughed Tyson. “But first I’m going to use my Deckmaster ability…”

Mr. Volcano started to glow with fire…

“Volcanic Eruption!” laughed Tyson. “Once per duel, I can summon up to five Fire Monsters from the Graveyard in Defense Mode, on the condition that they stay in Defense Mode!

“BUT, I’m only going to summon four…”

Four flames erupted out of the lava. Both Darkfire Soldiers, Great Angus, and Molten Zombie appeared, crouching in Defense.

“And by the way,” chuckled Tyson. “When Molten Zombie is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, I get to draw one card…”

A card flew off of his deck.

“Yeah, what are you going to do with them all?” asked Stan. “Your Field Card makes their Defenses weak, if not nonexistent.”

Continued…

Dark Sage

31st December 2005, 07:48 AM

Continued from last post:

Tyson laughed, and then put another card down.

“I summon Ultimate Baseball Kid in Attack Mode!”

A small form leapt out of the lava with a yelp! It was a little boy wearing a fiery-red little-league outfit and a batter’s helmet, holding a metal bat studded with spikes. (500/1,000) –> (1,000/600)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SOD-EN021.jpg

“Sure, he may not look like much,” added Tyson, “but he gains 1,000 extra Attack Points for every Fire Monster on the field, other than himself.”

(5,000/600)

”Five-thousand Attack Points!” gasped Francesca.

“AND it gets worse!” laughed Tyson. “I’ll also activate my Trap…”

One of his cards lifted.

“It’s called Line Drive!” he announced. “On the round this Trap is activated, my Ultimate Baseball Kid can hit a shot past your Monsters and strike you directly! Sure, I have to cut my Life Points in half to do it…”

His Life Points fell to 3,825.

“…but this ballgame is over…”

Stan started to sweat…

“Think again, Tyson…” he snarled. “I’ll still have 1,600 Life Points left!”

Tyson chuckled.

“Have you forgotten about the Shadow Flames that are trying their hardest to burn away at your skin, Stan?” he mocked. “When this blow hits, you’ll likely be burned to ashes!

“Ultimate Baseball Kid! Bat him out of the park with home run slammer!”

A ball of flame appeared in the Kid’s hand… He tossed it into the air, and walloped it with his bat! Stan’s four Spellcasters dove for cover and it plowed into him!

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Stan could hear faint screams in the distance – he vaguely recognized them as Andy and Francesca. But right now, all he could feel right now was that intense burning feeling.

He was being burned alive…

Help… he thought in panic. Someone help…

“STAN!” shouted a voice in his ear.

“G-Goombella?” he responded.

“You have to draw a card, Stan!” she begged. “Pikeru is on the field… but she can’t heal you unless you draw a card! Please, you have to get up! Don’t let that bastard win!”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Stan, please get up!” shouted Francesca, in tears.

“Save it, Francesca,” laughed Tyson, “stronger duelists than him have…”

Stan’s arm moved towards his Disk.

“That’s… impossible…” gasped Tyson.

Stan yanked a card out of the deck tray…

Pikeru cast her spell, and energy flowed into Stan. His Life Points went up to 3,200.

Stan slowly picked up his cards and glared at Tyson.

“Tyson…” he growled. “Your batter’s hit was foul… Which means strike one…”

“You are tough,” snarled Tyson, “well, let’s see how well you handle this…”

His other facedown card lifted.

“I activate Fires of Vesuvius! For as long as this Continuous Trap is in place, each of us is only allowed to attack with whatever Monster is currently our strongest! So you can’t weaken my Ultimate Baseball Kid by taking out my other four Monsters! At least you can’t do it in one round!”

“We’ll soon see…” muttered Stan. “I’m using my Deckmaster ability again…”

He put his three cards back into his deck, and Goombella glowed again. Once again, the cards in his deck rearranged themselves, and when they were done, four cards floated out.

“Don’t forget,” chuckled Tyson, “I get the same benefit!”

He returned three of his cards to his deck, and Goombella glowed again. The same happened to his deck, and he drew four cards.

Stan fit a card into a slot. A facedown card appeared in front of him.

“That will do it for me,” he snarled.

Tyson looked at him with surprise.

He drew a card.

“Ultimate Baseball Kid, take out Pikeru!” he shouted.

The batter produced another flaming baseball… Pikeru squeaked in fear…

“Activate Negate Attack!” shouted Stan.

His Trap Card lifted, and Ultimate Baseball Kid’s baseball hit against an invisible barrier.

“Foul ball again…” mumbled Stan. “So that’s strike two against him…”

“Aren’t we funny!” growled Tyson. “This isn’t fun anymore, Stan...

"I'll place another card facedown. Make your move…”

A facedown card appeared.

Stan drew a card, and Pikeru raised his Life Points to 4,800.

The feeling was starting to come back.

“So, I can only attack with my strongest Monster, huh?” asked Stan. “Well, I see no problem with THAT!”

He played a Magic Card.

“I play Diffusion-Wave Motion!”

“WHAT?” shouted Tyson.

Stan’s Life Points fell to 3,800.

“Now a Spellcaster on my side of seven stars or more, like Silent Magician, can attack every Monster on your side of the field!” shouted Stan. “And once your four defensive Monsters are gone, your Kid will be weak!

“Silent Magician, ultimate solar blast!”

Silent Magician aimed her staff, and shot forth four blazing beams, eradicating Molten Zombie, Blazing Inpachi, and both Darkfire Soldiers!

Ultimate Baseball Kid looked on in fright as his Attack Points plummeted to 1,000…

Silent Magician aimed her staff at him and fired! He screamed and was blown to pieces!

“Strike three,” said Stan with a smile. “He’s out!”

Tyson grunted, as his Life Points plummeted to 1,325.

“This ballgame isn’t over yet, Tyson,” said Stan. “We’re going into extra innings, and I assure you, your winning streak in Shadow Games is about to end!

“Make your move…”

Tyson made a few low gasps… it was hard to say whether they were of pain, anger, or both…

For the first time in his life, the heat was a little too much, even for him…

He drew a card.

“I play the Trap Card… Forge of Hephaestus!” he shouted, as his facedown card lifted. “Now, both of us must take whatever Monster in our deck or Graveyard has the highest base Attack Score and add it to our respective hands!”

Stan looked at him in surprise. He went for his deck, and took out Sorcerer of Dark Magic.

“Now then…” continued Tyson, playing a card. “I play Silent Doom! Now I can bring back a Monster from my Graveyard in Defense Mode… And I’ll use it to bring back Darkfire Soldier #2!”

Darkfire Soldier #2 appeared, kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,700/1,100) –> (2,300/700)

“Want to know what I’m up to?” asked Tyson. “To summon my most powerful Monster, I have to sacrifice a Monster with 2,000 Attack Points or more, and discard the rest of the cards in my hand!”

He switched cards on his Disk, and discarded the rest of his cards.

“Arise!” he shouted. “Come forth, Infernal Incinerator!”

A huge, fiery explosion rocked the arena! An enormous creature emerged, resembling a multi-legged beetle of some sort with an enormous, fiendish face! (2,800/1,800)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/bu0rboaj.jpg

“Adorable, isn’t he?” asked Tyson. “And he’s powerful, too… Not only does he gain 500 Attack Points from my Field Card, but he gains 200 more from each Monster you have on your side of the field! Of course, he’d lose 500 for every other Monster I had… But I don’t see a problem with that right now, cause he’s enough!”

(4,100/1,400)

“Infernal Incinerator, roast Pikeru with infernal blast!”

The great beast roared, and Pikeru screamed!

Stan could do nothing but watch… The Fiend shot forth a blast of Hellfire and Pikeru was blown away.

Stan’s Life Points fell to 900...

The Shadow Flames around him grew more intense, but somehow, Stan didn’t care. They didn’t seem to hurt as much as they did before.

“Is that your move, you monster?” asked Stan.

“Still think you can win, Stan?” chuckled Tyson. “Please. I’ve been watching you duel, and I know your deck! I know you don’t have a single Monster that can stand up to this!”

“It isn’t how strong your cards are,” stated Stan. “It’s what you do with them!”

He looked at Infernal Incinerator.

And I think this thing might be the key to beating him, he thought. Infernal Incinerator is a Monster that steals power from others, and can’t share… Can any Monster further embody Greed?

But he wasn’t far off… I don’t have much that can defeat that thing… Let’s see…

He looked at his cards.

I have Sorcerer of Dark Magic, Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, and Polymerization… None of them are really useful in this situation…

He drew a card.

Huh… he thought.

He remembered the last time he had used this card… It had helped him defeat Kurtis at the Great Tree, so very long ago, it seemed…

A plan started to form…

“Okay Tyson, I sacrifice Chaos Command Magician, and Skilled White Magician…”

The two Spellcasters vanished.

“To summon Dark Magician!”

Dark Magician appeared! (2,500/2,100)

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Tyson. “Your favorite Monster, huh? Can’t wait to barbecue him!”

“You won’t get a chance to, Tyson!” answered Stan. “Because now I’m going to sacrifice him and my Silent Magician to Special Summon my most powerful Spellcaster, who you so graciously let me have with your Trap Card…”

Dark Magician and Silent Magician stood back to back…

“Both of you,” ordered Stan, as they vanished, “step aside and make room for… Sorcerer of Dark Magic!”

An aura of ultimate darkness appeared on Stan’s side of the field, and the most powerful Dark Spellcaster in Duel Monsters appeared out of the aura! (3,200/2,800)

“And…” added Stan, “now that I have only one Monster on my side of the field, your Infernal Incinerator’s power is greatly reduced.”

The Fiend fell to 3,500 Attack.

“Big deal!” laughed Tyson. “He’s still stronger than your Sorcerer!”

“Really?” chuckled Stan. “Remember back when you said that fighting fire with fire only made a fire worse? I’d like to challenge that theory…”

He fit a card into his Disk.

“I play Scroll of Bewitchment!”

The reams of a mystical scroll encircled Sorcerer of Dark Magic, and he glowed…

His robes turned fiery red!

“What’s happening?” gasped Tyson.

“This Equip Card lets me change the Attribute of the Equipped Monster,” replied Stan. “So I’m changing his Attribute from Dark, to Fire!”

Tyson looked dumbfounded.

“What good will THAT do you?” he asked.

“Think about it,” answered Stan. “It’ll hit you in a minute…”

Tyson’s eyes opened wide…

“If he’s a Fire Monster…” he gasped, “he gets powered up by Molten Destruction!”

“Bingo!” laughed Stan. “Give the man a cigar!”

The Sorcerer’s stats changed to (3,700/2,400).

“Eee…” stammered Tyson.

“All right!” shouted Stan. “Sorcerer of Fire Magic, quench Infernal Incinerator’s fire with celestial fire blast!”

The Sorcerer shot forth a blaze of flame from his staff, and Infernal Incinerator howled! It burst in a deafening explosion!

Tyson gasped…

His Life Points fell to 1,125…

“Well Tyson, I’m ending my turn,” said Stan, “and since you discarded your whole hand to summon that thing, I think your fire is about… to go out…”

Tyson’s hand shook as he drew a card…

He looked at it.

“One card… facedown…” he stammered as the card appeared.

He was clearly in great pain… Stan almost felt sorry for him...

He drew a card…

…almost.

“Sorcerer, attack him directly!” he shouted.

“Activate… Ring of Destruction!” shouted Tyson.

His Trap Card lifted.

“I may lose, Stan,” he yelled, “but I’ll drag you to the Shadow Realm with me!”

And then the card shattered…

“Idiot,” said Stan. “My Sorcerer can negate and destroy your Traps! Now where were we?”

The Sorcerer blasted Tyson in the chest, and he screamed…

The Shadow Flames around him started to burn fiercer, and he laughed, not like he was before, but more like a madman…

Eventually, the black flames seemed to consume him, and both they and he dissipated.

Stan took some deep breaths, as the Shadow Flames around him vanished. Slowly, energy started coming back to him…

“Stan!” shouted Francesca.

The lava in the cavern vanished, leaving a cold, stone floor.

“You okay?” asked Fran.

Stan looked at where his opponent had been.

“Play with fire,” he mused, “you get burned…”

He sat on the floor.

“How much longer can we keep this up?” he asked.

“We have to try,” urged Andy. “We can’t turn back at this point…”

Stan sighed.

“I know…” he muttered. “But how much more intense is it going to get before this nightmare is over?”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Merlee was walking through Petal Meadows again.

He gestured, and the Infernal Incinerator card appeared in his hand.

Don’t give up, children, I beg you, he thought.

You are halfway through the gauntlet, and by now you have proven yourselves adequately. The remaining Spawn are starting to get nervous, and even the Queen is starting to become afraid.

Don’t give up. Soon, you can rest, and prepare for what is to come…

GORLAG (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Fire
Level: 4
ATK: 1,000
DEF: 1,000

Card Description: This Monster gains 500 ATK for ever Fire-Attribute Monster on the field. When this Monster destroys an opposing Monster, Special Summon the destroyed Monster to your side of the field during your next Main Phase. Monsters Special Summoned by this effect have their Attribute changed to Fire, and cannot use any Effects.

Note: “Gorlag” was used by Alister in the anime episode “Deja Duel! (Part Two)”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

SILENT DOOM (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a hand with a glowing orb on the palm. Select one Normal Monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it to the field in face-up Defense Position. The selected monster cannot declare an attack for as long as it remains face-up on the field.

Note: “Silent Doom” is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was used many times in the anime, first by Kaiba in “A Duel With Destiny”.

FIRES OF VESUVIUS (Trap Card)

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of a volcano with a lava flow cascading down the mountain. So long as this card is active, both players can only attack with the Monster on their side of the field that has the highest current ATK. If one player has two Monsters with the same ATK that are higher than all others, he can only attack with one of them.

FORGE OF HEPHAESTUS (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a powerful blacksmith striking a sword on an anvil with a hammer. Both players move the Monster in their deck or Graveyard which currently has the highest base ATK to their hand, and then shuffles their decks.

LINE DRIVE (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of Ultimate Baseball Kid hitting a flaming baseball over a centerfield wall. This card can only be activated when you have at least one “Ultimate Baseball Kid” face-up on the field. Pay half your Life Points. During the round this card is activated, all “Ultimate Baseball Kids” can attack your opponent directly.

Note: “Line Drive” was created by Starjake for his fanfic “Yu-Gi-Oh: Virtual Disaster”. All creative credit goes to him.

”Goombella the Scholar”: Spellcaster/Earth (500/2,000)

Deckmaster SA: “Tattletale”: Once per turn, you can return any number of cards in your hand to your deck, reshuffle your deck, and draw as many cards as you returned to your deck, plus one. If you use this ability, your opponent may do the same.

”Mr. Volcano”: Pyro/Fire (2,100/1,300)

Deckmaster SA: “Volcanic Eruption”: Once per duel, you can Special Summon up to five Fire-Attribute Monsters from your Graveyard in face-up Defense Position. Monsters Special Summoned in this manner cannot be switched out of Defense Position except via the use of Magic Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster effects.

[B][I]The team comes to Leopold’s domicile, and the prideful Spawn has never given up his claim that he’s the best. Those wishing to see another Dinosaur based duel will be disappointed, because that deck was just Leopold’s practice deck!

See his true deck, and a greater power, once Andy takes him on in a chapter called “Forbidden Forest” coming up next.

jkBAKURA

31st December 2005, 11:22 AM

Not bat indeed, I think this was without a doubt the best Spawn rematch yet, and yes, the Incinerator is the perfect Greed monster.

The one thing I had a problem with was the Baseball Kid, as it seemed out of character for our firey friend/foe.

Speaking of out of character, where did all of Tyson's comparisons from the first round go?

The Incinerator went down a bit too early too, but don't let that get you down. The reason I'm not listing positives specificly, is that the chapter was so good in general that it includes them all already.

I have to wonder what Leo will be using, as most of the Earth themes you've used already, but I know you better then to give anything away.

Leo was my favorite Spawn duel so far, so as long as he's kept in character, it will be worth the wait. (Despite the fact I'm exploding with anticipation)

Nice work as usual, Even Paradox will like this one I'm reasonably sure.

Dark Sage

31st December 2005, 11:29 AM

JK,

Tyson's Dennis Miller routine was so annoying the first time, I decided to dump it this time. So that's why there were no comparisons.

- DS

Shuppet Master

31st December 2005, 02:30 PM

Happy New Year, Brian! I can't wait for your lineup for 2006. :)

That has had to be your longest duel ever and your most intense. Tyson's deck was one of the most varied decks ever seen, and the Infernal Incinerator at the end was nasty. Too bad Stan utilized his field card, he would have won.

Anyways, have a neat New Years' celebration and I'll see you later.

Blademaster

31st December 2005, 03:26 PM

Nice work as usual, Even Paradox will like this one I'm reasonably sure.

LOL, that's asking too much, Bakura. He'll find something to compla-er, critique on, like Stan's use of a Companion as a Deckmaster.

Anyway, I'm kinda surprised Lava Golem didn't appear at all, but I'm glad to finally see Infernal Flame Emperor appear in a fic.

Anyway, the chapter was good overall, but I'm a bit cionfused by one part: when Stan was attacked by UBK, he drew a card, signaling his turn. Then, he seemed to end his turn instantly and Tyson took his turn (without drawing) to activate his Trap, set a facedown, and then end. Then Stan took his turn (without drawing) and used his DM ability, and from there it seemed to go back to normal again. I'm not sure I understand how that could be, unless Tyson somehow set a facedown during Stan's turn, or something...

Well, anyway, have a good New Year's party, and don't forget to put FOX on so you can throw stuff at Regis Philbin on TV! :keke:

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

Dark Sage

31st December 2005, 03:29 PM

Blademaster -

Stan's turn at that point consisted of him placing one card facedown, which was his Negate Attack Trap. And Tyson did indeed draw after that.

Sorry if that was confusing.

- DS

Perfect Chaos

31st December 2005, 04:11 PM

Not a bad chapter DS,

I really don't have much to say honestly. I'm glad that Tyson dropped the Dennis Miller act, but I felt that in this chapter, he had no other type of character whatsoever. Also, most of us could see Infernal Incinerator coming from a mile away, but hey, it was made-up with the fact that Infernal Flame Emperor managed to make an appearance, which is always a plus in my book.

I have no idea what Leopold's Soul Monster would be as EARTH-type monsters are the second most common after DARK-types and I don't know of any monster that exhibits Pride. Guess we'll have to wait and see...

-sean

Shuppet Master

2nd January 2006, 12:08 PM

Knowing Brian, he'll surprise us. The only clue was that Leo's not uisng Dinos this time around.

Pokemasterkatie

2nd January 2006, 01:34 PM

Indeed--as he said before Leopold's first appearance, Earth is one of the most common types in the game! But I wanted the Dino deck returning, but that's just me.:p

*looks through another site for a good Earth theme* I'll let you know when I've hit a good one.:p

Blademaster

2nd January 2006, 04:49 PM

All right! Post #300! I finally did something useful!

Anyway, I've been thinking a lot about Leopold's Soul Card, and I think I may have the answer. I won't spoil anything, but if said card is what I think it is, Leopold will be using a deck similar to a certain Crystal Star holder...

...BTW, if any of my loyal... n, scratch that.

my tolerant... no, that won't work either...

my fans who don't care what they read so they settled for my fic are wondering, the next chapter of 3.0 will be up soon. I'm working on it right now.

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

Dark Sage

2nd January 2006, 08:03 PM

I have a question:

Who here liked Master of Paradox's "Shadow Realm: Fifteen".

For all those who did, you're gonna love a secret project that will start in two days!

MoP has made his CSR setting public, and he has given me permission to go ahead with my own proposed story for the setting.

Do not worry - neither this story, nor "Pokemonese" will suffer. In two days, "Shadow Realm: P.I." will begin. A private eye story with a Shadow Realm feel.

Also, a message regarding my upcoming duelist story, which will be started when TYD is finished... You know, the one where all of you sent in some great user characters!

The name of the fanfic, which took me a long time to come up with, will be "Yu-Gi-Oh! Dark Messiah".

Oh, does the name frighten you already?

Who is the Dark Messiah? What are his/her goals, and what does he/she want?

I'm afraid I can't tell you that... You'll have to wait.

When "Thousand Year Door" ends, I won't stop writing - it is my hobby, after all. "Dark Messiah" will begin... and I hope that even Master of Paradox will have little to complain about.

That's all for now.

- Dark Sage

starjake

3rd January 2006, 12:08 AM

I see much has happened in my absence. The world does not stop when I am not around...oh well.

I know I haven't replied in a while, but I'll only reply right now to the chapters I missed while I was on winter break.

Inner Demon: I liked the concept of that Shadow Game. It was certainly new and unusual, and it did fit the Light Attribute, if you think about it (what do mirrors normally reflect?). Personally, I think Ojamas fit the Sloth idea better than Reshef, but that was for you to decide, not me. And, for all that Paradox says, it really was needed that Andy use his Enchanted Card; after all, if the good guys lose in this type of story, there isn't much of a story, now, is there?

Disappearing Act: One comment I have is that it might have been better to mention the setting more during the duel. It seemed like they were in a grassy meadow the whole time, which certainly did not fit Kurtis' style or the mood of the chapter. Other than that...well, there's not much you can do with a Wind deck that isn't all Harpies. His strategy was interesting, but there were too many birds. I was surprised that monsters such as Slate Warrior or Luster Dragon didn't appear (yes, I know Andy uses them, but I think someone like Kurtis could use that fact to his advantage, especially considering his opponent)..

Shadow Flames: First of all, yay Fire! Second of all, Tyson had no personality at all. True, the Dennis Miller thing might have been aggravating for people to read and for you to write, but it did set him apart from the other Spawn. In fact, in all honesty, none of the Spawn seemed different from each in the last three chapters. This is worsened by the fact that they're all supposed to represent a different Sin. You did an OK job showing Tyson's, but I saw no trace of Lust from Kurtis (though, amusingly enough, I did see it for a brief sentence from his youngest sister!) and I didn't really see any sign of Sloth from Melissa. And where was Melissa's Valley Girl routine that we saw the first time she dueled?

Pretty good duels over all, but your characters need some major developing.

As for Leopold's Soul Card...I have a couple of suspicions, but I can't be sure. Pride is a difficult Sin to express in the form of a card effect.

P.S.: To all those reading, my nect chapter of Virtual Disaster is ready to go; it should be up either tomorrow or the next day, depending on when I find the time to edit it.

Mookie

3rd January 2006, 06:58 AM

I started thinking. Again.

I was wondering, what kind of ability would Exodia the Forbidden one have as a deckmaster?
There are 2 possibilities - 1) Exodia The forbidden one or his Left Leg or Right Leg or Right Arm or Left Arm. Basically, just a piece of Exodia. (Also, it would rock to see a duelist with a dismembered Left leg as its Deckmaster.)
2) Exodia as whole. All of the five pieces are used for the deckmaster, which means, Exodia appears as itself. I dont know, if that is possible, but it might be, seeing as Amazoness Queen used both fusion material monsters and in Starjake's Virtual Disaster Jake used the ritual card and Legendary Flame Lord to get a deckmaster.

Of course, for the second option, I dont know, if the 5 pieces and the examples are even connected, but its just a thought. Meh.

Anyway, about the Shadow Spawn rematches. (Im going to be a butthead and criticize a bit.)
Melissa - It was good. I think she could've used a bit more ditzy airhead-ness, but thats just me. The use of Reshef as a Soul card was good. The explanation made sense. Overall, I would say 4/5.
Kurtis - I hate to be honest with you, but this chapter didnt excite me. It just didnt. I think, that the fact that he didnt have any big, huge, evil Monster with a lot of attack points was a part of it. Without it, I just didnt get the feeling that Francesca was in danger. Yeah, she almost lost and there was basically an army of monsters waiting to slaughter her at a point, but still. The copy of Marik's Shadow Game - that I enjoyed. I liked it. But yeah. Sorry, but 2/5.
Tyson - The best rematch yet. In my opinion. The Soul card was great, the duel kept me excited and overall, it was good. I cant think of a single bad thing about this chapter. 5/5

So basically, keep up the good work.
Im waiting for the next chapters. :smilie:

P.s. Sorry, that I didnt reply/review earlier. I got lazy.

Master of Paradox

4th January 2006, 03:07 PM

A little clarification, my friends:

Although the CSR universe is now "open", as opposed to "Don't touch, you little brats!", I request that you ask me first. There's a procedure I have set up for applicants.

But yes, the Central Shadow Realm is open for business... and it's bigger than you probably thought possible.

Blademaster

4th January 2006, 07:45 PM

"Don't touch, you little brats!"

I nearly fell over laughing when I read that! I never knew Paradox had a sense of humor!

Oh, and Mookie, please stop thinking. It's scary when you think: Yesterday, at about 8am, lightning struck my house as a result of it! :eek:

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

Zcade0

4th January 2006, 09:44 PM

*points to post subject*

*walks to CSR, shoots all earthlings exept himself and MoP, walks back to ramdomland*

NO ONE CAN IMPROVE ON THIS!!! NO TOUCHY!!!! UNLESS YOUR THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE: MoP
THATS IT! DONE! NO ENTERY UNLESS JUST VISITING!!!!
BEST STORY EVAH! NO ONE WRITES ABOUT IT!! CAN'T IMPROVE! EXEPT LONGER! (plz plz plz plz!!! make a sequal MoP!!!!!!) SHOOTS DS AGAIN FOR TRYING!!!!!!! THIS STORY WAS BETTER THAN ALL BOOKS I'VE EVER READ, ALL TV SHOWS, BETTER THAN EVEN VIDIO GAMES!!! I REPEAT, NO TOUCHY UNLESS MoP IS A CO-WRIGHTER OR WRIGHTER!!! *kicks DS's body* *tries not to sound bossy, then goes back to praying to evey god he has heard of for a sequal writted by MoP*

in other news, it is funny when the l;eft leg of Exodia attacks a monster on the vidio game for the PS2. I laufed my butt off.

*steals Blademasters end tag*

Zcade0, Dark-Dragon Dulest

jkBAKURA

4th January 2006, 10:24 PM

Sheesh Zcade0, just chill for a moment. And if you want someone else to yell at, I'm in the planning stages of a CSR story too. Rest assured that Paradox has certain peramiters in place so that it doesn't go too far off track from the original. Not only that but this is Dark Sage we're talking about. Possibly the most well followed writer on the board, I know he'll do a good job. That was a little uncalled for personally.

The_Missing_Link

5th January 2006, 01:13 AM

I believe Zcade0 was joking, but his post made little sense to me so what do I know?

I was hoping the CSR background that Paradox created would be prohibited to other people. I don't know if there will be a mass outbreak of CSR themed fics in the near future but Fifteen was unique in itself. With so many Yu-Gi-Oh fics out right now, it's hard to branch out while still retaining that creative quality

Blademaster

5th January 2006, 01:35 PM

ZCAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADE!!!!!!!

(Vanishes into a whirlwind, out of which materializes alter-ego: a gigantic, dragonic skull with a black hat and eyepatch.)

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo Oo...

YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU...

...HAVE...

...STOLEN...

...MY SIG-NAT-URE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's the only signature I have, and you took it!!!

And not only that, muchacho-you mauled it in the process! You do NOT spell 'duelist' like that, idiota! And there are no Dark-Dragons in Yu-Gi-Oh!!!

...Well, bien, there are, but they're not una familia like the Dark Scorpions!

And YOU REPLACED MY NAME WITH 'Zcade0!!!!!!!!!' What does that even mean anyway?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

And to top it all off, you claim that no one else can write a Shadow Realm story, when that decicion is not yours to even make!?! You've got some cojones, muchacho!

AND NO ONE DISRESPECTS THE FINE WRITING OF DARK SAGE WHILE THE GREAT CORT- er, BLADEMASTER IS AROUND!!!

What have you got to say for yourself?

(Waits for reply.)

...I see. Well, if you won't answer me, muchacho, then...

...you...

...will...

...PERISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Sprouts 50-foot backbone and ribcage, out of which grow 4 hands holding a hook, a rapier, a cutlass, and a sword. Exposed eye socket glows blue briefly; hundreds of evil blue fireballs with yellow specks for eyes appear and swarm all over Zcade0, chasing him down the street.)

(Picks up reclaimed signature and sighs.)

It doesn't pay to get out of the hold, some days...

-Blademaster, the Dark Sorpion Duelist

Muy bien!

Pokemasterkatie

5th January 2006, 01:44 PM

O_o Okay...*holds up a familiar one-star card* Break this up, Kuriba!

*the purple Kuriboh sibling comes between the two members and squeaks cutely. She then promptly self-destructs with her fur barely touching both of them*

Do this again and I call upon Kage Bunshin no jutsu, kay?-^_^- *runs before they realize what happened*

Shuppet Master

5th January 2006, 03:08 PM

Chiil, Pokemasterkatie. I'm sure they won't extend this little spat on the thread, since it would constitute a flame war and get Dark Sage to report them. It was probably a joke.

Anyways, I don't think I'm gonna infringe on CSR like I did on Brian's work, although I do have an idea for White Magician Pikeru and Ebon Magician Curran in my head. (Quickly gives it a mercy killing...I don't need any more works to be saddled with! I still stuck in the middle of Sister of Anansi! ARGH!)

White Princess Pikeru(ask Brian about her): But maybe, after you've gotten it finished...

ACK! NO! NO! I promised Cullen Pittman I'd write a next-gen fic for his Poke-Odyssey stories! Bad girl! (Spanks her.) ;)

Pokemasterkatie

5th January 2006, 06:38 PM

Meh, I hate getting involved in flame wars, but, sometimes I have to go to extreme measures.:p

And that idea you had wouldn't have anything to do with three certain new support cards, would it?;)

Mystic_clown

6th January 2006, 02:48 PM

O.O...*wishing the next chapter will come along so this will end*

Shuppet Master

6th January 2006, 04:17 PM

To Mystic_clown: Don't worry, Brian will get his new chapter out soon.

To Pokemasterkatie: Brian would know about those cards, he's got more info on Shadow of Infinity than I do. *can't wait for the next sneak preview and the Spellcasters structure pack*

Dark Sage

7th January 2006, 04:19 PM

What Monster represent's Pride?

Prepare to find out, because a new chapter is coming up!

Hoo-Ha!

Pokemasterkatie

7th January 2006, 04:20 PM

DS, in response to your PM; I honestly don't have a clue how to tell the other Kuri bros. apart(Kuriba seems like a girlish name(for a Kuriboh anyway), and purple's a usual girly color...I thought it fit).;_; I'm really sorry. But I believe the colorful fluffballs each said thier names as they were summoned in their debut episode, so you might want to check Yugi vs. Raphael: Round 1. But I think a lot of fans will be pleased with this deck...I know I will!-^_^-

Dark Sage

7th January 2006, 04:21 PM

[I]The deeper we go, the more frightening this twisted Palace becomes.

I didn’t admit it at the time, but dueling in a Shadow Game is more tiring and tolling than anything I’ve ever encountered. I feel really sorry for Francesca – she’s had to endure two of these horrible battles. And if the pattern is any indication, she has another waiting for her.

But now, I’ve refreshed myself, and one of the most annoying duelists I’ve ever seen wants to put me through another one…

How long can it go on before we eventually lose?

I’ve long since regretted not refusing that invitation I got. I remember saying that I had nothing to lose and so much to gain…

Boy, was I wrong…

[B]CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

Forbidden Forest

A new door opened, and three weary teenagers stepped out of it…

They were already scared, and this place made it worse.

They were in a creepy forest that was even darker than the woods around Twilight Town. The trees were all twisted and lifeless. Above them was nothing but a dim light.

“Stay close, everyone,” warned Francesca. “Unless I miss my guess, Leopold is around here…”

“And what are we going to do when he comes?” asked Stan. “I don’t think any of us are in any condition to duel him…”

Behind a tree, a figure activated a Disk… He placed a Magic Card into a slot…

A card appeared before the three teenagers…

Mesmeric Control.

“Guys…” muttered Francesca.

The spiral on the card started to turn, and they started to get tired…

Fran never finished her sentence. She fell into a deep slumber.

Andy wanted to help her, but he couldn’t look away. He fell asleep too.

Got to fight it… thought Stan. Got to fight it…

Oh, what the heck…

He collapsed…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

The three of them dreamed, and each of their dreams replayed the three painful duels with the three Spawn. The dreams were accurate up to a point…

But in every case, just when the duels started to turn in their favor, something nasty happened to the three dreamers, and in the dream version of the duel, the outcome became quite different…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“You loused up, Melissa,” sighed Andy. “You were so anxious to attack me with my own Dragon, you wasted the opportunity to destroy him, which is what you should of done…

“Because now I can sacrifice him… to summon THIS!”

He threw a card down…

Red Eyes Black Dragon slowly grew and mutated…

Red Eyes Darkness Dragon emerged!

“Want to know how many Dragons are in my Graveyard?” asked Andy. “Do ya? EIGHT!”

(4,800/2,000)

“Red Eyes…” ordered Andy, “attack Reshef the Dark Being with diabolic fire blast!”

The mighty Dragon blasted forth a great stream of flames, and the Dark Being roared! It erupted in fire, and then exploded!

Melissa was thrown to the ground, as her Life Points fell to 2,200.

The demon behind her grinned. A third set of arms grew under her second set, and her fingers sprouted claws. Her hair also turned from blonde to black.

“Super!” shouted Francesca. “Andy just clobbered her best Monster!”

“Not just her best…” stated Stan, as they saw Melissa get up.

Melissa glared at him…

“I think that Andy did it…” continued Stan. “Melissa’s Soul Card has been destroyed, so now she’s in trouble…”

“Make your move,” demanded Andy.

Melissa slowly drew a card.

“I’m not out yet, Andy,” she said. “I play Fulfillment of the Contract!”

She played a card, and Reshef the Dark Being reappeared in a flash of light!

“It lets me revive a Ritual Monster from my Graveyard,” she stated, “so long as I pay 800 Life Points, and Equip it with this card…

“And since that was a Special Summon, I’ll also summon Hysteric Fairy!”

The tall Fairy in a blue suit with glasses appeared. (1,800/500)

“And don’t forget about Reshef’s effect…” she chuckled, discarding a card.

The Dark Being’s eyes glowed, and Red Eyes Darkness Dragon was dragged over to Melissa’s side!

“Of course, his Attack is only 2,700, because there’s only one Dragon in my Graveyard,” she said. “But that hardly matters!

“All three of you, on three… One… two…

“Three!”

The three Monsters fired on Andy, and he howled…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“I play Monster Reborn!” shouted Francesca.

The holy ankh appeared on the ground, and Penumbral Soldier Lady appeared on it. (2,100/1,400)

“And now I summon…” she chuckled, “Cyber Harpie Lady!”

She threw the card down, and the lovely female Monster appeared, and gave her whip a lash.

“And I don’t need to tell you that Bladefly’s benefit applies to Monsters on both sides of the field!” continued Fran.

(1,800/1,300) –> (2,300/1,300)

“Penumbral Soldier Lady, attack Takuhee!” she shouted.

The Warrior made one swipe, and cut the bird in half!

“Cyber Harpie Lady, attack Garuda with whiplash attack!”

The Harpie lashed her whip, and Garuda shrieked! He shattered!

Kurtis staggered backwards, and his Life Points fell to 5,750.

“Your move now,” dared Fran.

Kurtis slowly drew a card.

“I’ll place one card facedown,” he stated, playing a card, “and then play Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress in Defense Mode.”

The small blue Dragon appeared, and folded its wings. (1,400/1,200) –> (1,900/1,200)

“All right,” said Fran.

She drew a card.

“I activate my Trap!” shouted Kurtis. “Remove Brainwashing!”

His Trap Card lifted.

“When this Trap is triggered,” he said with a smirk, “all Monsters on the field go back to their true owners, so Cyber Harpie Lady goes back to where she belongs!”

Francesca gasped, as the Winged Beast vanished, and reappeared on Kurtis’s side.

“I uh…” she said. “I move Penumbral Soldier Lady into Defense Mode…”

“Fine…” said Kurtis. “My draw!”

He drew.

“I play Monster Reborn, to bring back Harpie’s Brother!”

He played the card, and Harpie’s Brother reappeared. (1,800/600)

“And I’ll summon Birdface in Attack Mode too…” he continued.

Yet another Winged Beast appeared. (1,600/1,600) –> (2,100/1,600)

“And, I’ll move Bladefly and my Winged Dragon into Attack Mode as well…”

Bladefly and Winged Dragon rose up.

“And finally, I’ll get rid of Penumbral Soldier Lady!” he shouted. “I play Lightning Vortex!”

Francesca screamed as her last Monster was incinerated!

“Now, all you, attack directly!”

The five Monsters plowed into Fran… Amazoness Fighter fended off the first, but it wasn’t enough to save her…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Ultimate Baseball Kid, take out Pikeru!” shouted Tyson.

The batter produced another flaming baseball… Pikeru squeaked in fear…

“Activate Negate Attack!” shouted Stan.

His Trap Card lifted, and Ultimate Baseball Kid’s baseball hit against an invisible barrier.

“Foul ball again…” mumbled Stan. “So that’s strike two against him…”

“Aren’t we funny!” growled Tyson. “This isn’t fun anymore, Stan. So make your move…”

Stan drew a card, and Pikeru raised his Life Points to 4,800.

But the card was Sibling Rivalry – no good in this situation.

“I’ll move all my Monsters into Defense Mode and end my turn there,” he said, as all his Spellcasters knelt.

Tyson drew.

“Well Stan,” he stated. “My batter may have two strikes against him, but it only takes one home run to win this game!”

He fit a card into a slot.

“I’ll Equip Ultimate Baseball Kid with Fairy Meteor Crush!”

Stan stepped back in fear…

“And need I remind you,” said Tyson with a grin, “that Pikeru’s Defense is… zero. Ultimate Baseball Kid, attack White Magician Pikeru!”

Ultimate Baseball Kid hit a screaming liner at Pikeru, and she burst into flames! Stan was thrown back, and the Shadow Flames on him started to burn fiercely…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Slowly, they woke up.

At first, they thought that the horrid dreams had been real… And they were quite relieved to see that they weren’t prisoners in some dark void.

“Have a nice sleep, folks?” asked a voice.

They looked up, and saw Leopold above them. He was holding the Mesmeric Control card.

“That was a cheap shot, Leo,” growled Andy, as the Spawn of Earth crumpled it up.

“Cheap?” asked Leopold, adjusting his glasses. “I saw that you three were exhausted, and I thought you could use a break.”

“How thoughtful,” said Stan, sarcastically.

“And now that you’re rested,” continued the Spawn, “on your feet Andy. If you thought that nap was a rough one, you’re in for a rude awakening…”

“Fine,” muttered Andy. “If we have to crash though the rest of you goons to get to your mother, we’re as game as you are…”

He shuffled his deck.

“…and I’ll send your Dinosaurs back to the Stone Age!”

“Dinosaurs?” asked Leopold. “Don’t be stupid. That deck you saw was a practice deck…”

He took out a deck of cards.

“Why do you think I lost that time to Stan? Now I can use my real power!”

“I think you’re just making excuses because you hate to lose,” replied Stan.

“Say what you want,” said Leopold, loading his deck. “But I estimate my chances of winning this time are a hundred percent!”

“Please, Leopold,” said Andy. “Someone who’s as smart as you claim to be should know…”

His Disk activated.

“…that there’s only one absolute in life, and that’s the fact that there are no absolutes!”

“We’ll see…” said Leopold.

“I have something for you to think about,” said Andy with a grin. “Who controls the concept of Law?”

“What?” asked Leopold. “I don’t know what you’re…”

“Well, is whoever controls Law a lawful being himself?” asked Andy. “He couldn’t be, because then there’d be a higher law for him to follow, which makes no sense, because he’s the one who controls Law!

“The other alternative is that the being who controls Law is not lawful, but that would make no sense either, because a being of chaos simply cannot control Law… Can he?”

Leopold closed his eyes and smiled.

“I know what you’re doing, Andy and it won’t work,” he said with a chuckle. “You’re trying to make me doubt my own intelligence by posing a paradox. Unfortunately for you, I know that particular paradox well. It was posed by Plato, although he attributed it to Socrates.

“And believe me, Andy, I’ve read of philosophers who posed much more confusing paradoxes than that. I also know of a lot of theoretical problems, like the famous ‘How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?’

“The answer to all of them is, they don’t have an answer, and you shouldn’t worry about them. Someone who even tries to answer them is stupid.”

Okay… thought Andy. Maybe he’s smarter than I’m giving him credit for... Getting into a battle of wits is likely futile.

But Merlee was right, he’s full of Pride…

“But onto business…” continued Leopold.

He waved his hand, and darkness shrouded the already dark forest!

“Not again…” said Francesca with a shudder.

“So what’s the deal now, Leopold?” asked Andy.

“You’ll find out soon,” answered the Spawn. “But for now…

“Let’s duel!”

The Life Point counters each set to 8,000.

“Try not to be scared when you see my Deckmaster, Andy,” chuckled Leopold, holding aloft a card. “The mighty Leogun!”

A fierce lion appeared behind him, and roared!

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN033.jpg

“Leogun?” said Stan, surprised. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No one uses five star Monsters that weak anymore,” commented Francesca. “This isn’t 1994.”

“True, Leogun is a pretty pathetic Monster by today’s standards,” admitted Leopold.

The Beast growled.

“But,” he continued, “his Deckmaster ability is incredibly powerful… and don’t think I’ll tell you what it is!”

“Fine!” replied Andy. “Meet my Lord of Dragons!”

He held up a card, and Lord of Dragons appeared in a flash of light.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SDK-041.jpg

“You’re getting sloppy, Andy!” laughed Leopold. “I saw your duel with Melissa… I know exactly what that guy can do!”

“A guy as smart as you should know the old saying,” said Andy, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

“Touché,” said Leopold, drawing six cards. “Now, let’s get started…”

He gave them a look-over.

“I’ll place a card facedown, and then summon Nekogal #1 in Attack Mode.”

A facedown card appeared, and then a tall form appeared. It was a young girl with catlike features, claws, and a tail, wearing a green bikini. She purred. (1,100/900)

http://www.yugioh-cards.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/tp6/TP6018

“You gotta be kidding,” said Andy, drawing a card. “I’m surprised she even has as Attack Mode!”

He put a card down.

“I’ll summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in Attack Mode!”

The fierce, two headed Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

“Twin-Headed Behemoth, turn that cat into Meow-Mix!”

Nekogal gasped as Behemoth shot fire towards her…

“I activate… Interdimensional Matter Transporter!” shouted Leopold.

His Trap Card lifted. A strange machine, just like the one that took the three teenagers to the Crystal Stars appeared…

Both it and Nekogal were sucked into a portal, and the blast hit nothing.

“What happened to your Monster?” asked Andy.

“My Trap Card removed her from play until the end of the turn!” laughed Leopold. “So your attack missed!”

He chuckled.

“You really didn’t think I was so dumb as to put an obviously weak Monster in Attack Mode without protection, did you?”

“Clever…” muttered Andy. “Fine, that’s all I can do…”

Nekogal reappeared out of the portal.

I’ve got to stop underestimating this guy, thought Andy. Maybe he’s not the smartest duelist in the world as he claims to be, but he’s likely pretty smart. Thinking that he’s incompetent might well lead to doom…

“I’ll place another card facedown,” said Leopold, playing a card.

Another facedown card appeared.

“And since you weren’t impressed with Nekogal #1,” he stated, “I’ll sacrifice her to summon the stronger Nekogal #2!”

Nekogal #1 vanished, and another Beast-Warrior appeared. She looked pretty much the same as the first Nekogal, but her bikini was purple. (1,900/2,000)

“Oh, Nekogal?” stated Leopold.

She turned to him.

“See that Dragon?” he told her. “He tried to attack your little sister.”

Nekogal #2 snarled…

And then she pounced, clawing at the Dragon! Behemoth shattered.

“Tattletale,” muttered Andy, as his Life Points fell to 7,400.

He waved his hand, and Twin-Headed Behemoth reappeared. (1,000/1,200)

“Ow…” muttered Andy, looking at his hand. “I feel…”

“…stiff?” asked Leopold with a chuckle. “Yeah, that’s usually the feeling one gets when his body starts to petrify…”

Andy looked at him with a look of fright.

“You mean the loser gets…” he gasped.

Leopold nodded.

“As usual, the loser will be banished,” said Leopold, “but also, as you lose Life Points, your flesh will slowly start to be replaced by fine, white marble. When you’re defeated, you’ll be turned to solid stone…

“A living monument to your dueling career…not a bad way to go, even though no one will be able to view you to appreciate it…”

He chuckled again.

“I assure you that as long as you have at least a few Life Points left, your muscles will be flexible enough to draw and use the Disk… But I can’t say it will be easy…”

“This is madness…” muttered Andy.

“I’ve seen bigger examples of madness,” said Leopold. “This particular punishment was developed by an early practitioner of the Shadow Games, five millennia ago… He would smash his defeated foes to pieces to ensure their defeat was final.

“But he got his in the end… His apprentice turned on him, and defeated him.

“I promise not to shatter you Andy… But I wonder… Is spending eternity as a piece of marble preferable?”

“You’ll be able to see for yourself!” replied Andy. “My move!”

He drew a card.

“I’ll place one card facedown,” he stated, “and then I’ll sacrifice Behemoth for Des Volstgalph!”

Twin-Headed Behemoth vanished, and the powerful sand Dragon appeared. (2,200/1,700)

“Attack!” he shouted.

Des Volstgalph reared up…

“I activate… Curse of Aging!” shouted Leopold.

His Trap Card lifted, and he discarded a card.

The Dragon moaned, and its scales started to molt. Its stats fell to (1,700/1,200). It tried to attack anyway, but Nekogal leapt over his attempt, and struck back!

The Dragon shattered, and Andy’s Life Points fell to 7,400.

He felt a tightening in his stomach…

“Meow!” said Nekogal, with an evil smile.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“This is getting serious,” said the Unfriendly Amazon. “This has only started, and Leopold already has Andy on the ropes.

“Andy will come back, trust me,” assured Peten. “After all, he beat me twice…”

“And what does that prove?” asked the Amazon. “I could outduel you on my worst day!”

“You want to make a bet on that?” asked Peten.

“People, we’ll argue about who the better duelist is later,” sighed End. “That won’t change the fact that Andy is getting his butt kicked…

“And he’s about to get it kicked harder…”

Continued…

Dark Sage

7th January 2006, 04:23 PM

Continued from last post:

“My draw!” exclaimed Leopold.

He drew a card.

He placed a card down.

“And I’ll summon Alligator’s Sword in Attack Mode!”

A ferocious gator man bearing a scimitar leapt forth! (1,500/1,200)

The two Beast-Warriors stared Andy down.

“Take him down!” ordered Leopold.

“Activate… Threatening Roar!” shouted Andy.

The Trap lifted, and the great beast bellowed!

Nekogal screeched, and ran, hiding behind Leopold.

“Don’t hide behind me, stupid!” scolded Leopold.

He sighed.

“It’s bad enough I have to deal with stupid humans, but now I’m dueling using stupid Monsters too! That’s the problem with Beast-Warriors – they’re strong, but they have the intelligence of bricks!”

“That’s just sad, Leopold,” said Stan. “Your Monsters fight for you, they protect you, they even die for you, and you insult them? You should really be more respectful… As a duelist, without your Monsters, you’d be nothing!”

“Stan,” remarked Leopold, “if I wanted your advice, I’d ask for it, and I didn’t ask for it. And just so you know, I’ll insult them if I want to! What are they going to do about it?”

Nekogal’s face fell…

“Hello? Can I take my turn?” asked Andy.

“Fine,” muttered Leopold.

Andy drew.

“I’ll summon Luster Dragon in Attack Mode,” he stated.

He played the card, and the large, sapphire Dragon appeared.

“And since you’re getting tired of Nekogal,” he continued, “why don’t I take her off your hands? I play Snatch Steal!”

He played the card. Two tendrils grabbed Nekogal and dragged her over to Andy’s side.

She glared at Leopold…

“What are you doing?” asked Leopold.

“Just giving her a dinner invitation,” answered Andy. “But she’s the main course. I play Draconic Offering!”

He played the card.

As the hungry Dragon bore down on her, Nekogal seemed to take her fate with acceptance. She continued to stare angrily at Leopold, and it was only broken when Luster Dragon picked her up with its jaws.

The Dragon swallowed the Beast-Warrior, slurping up her tail last like a string of spaghetti.

Andy’s Life Points rose to 9,400.

The stiffness slowly started to go away.

“And I’m not done yet, Leopold!” shouted Andy. “Luster Dragon, attack Alligator’s Sword with sapphire flash blast!”

Luster Dragon shot forth his breath, and Alligator’s Sword shattered!

“Not bad,” chuckled Leopold, as his Life Points fell to 7,600.

He slowly bent his elbow.

“But those two were among the weakest of my servants.”

“Oh, so they’re servants now?” asked Francesca, getting annoyed herself.

“If you care about your Monsters so much,” answered Leopold, “what position does that put you in during a duel? Certainly, they aren’t equals.”

“A duelist is more the commander of a regiment,” answered Francesca. “Monsters should be willing recruits, not slaves!”

“Well who cares what you think?” said Leopold, drawing.

He fit two cards into slots, and placed a card on his Disk. A facedown Monster appeared, followed by two facedown cards.

“That will be all,” he said.

Andy drew.

Aw, this hand is terrible, he thought.

“Luster Dragon, attack!” he shouted.

Luster Dragon shot forth his Attack; a Morphing Jar appeared on the card and cackled before it was blown apart!

“I’m sure you know what that means, Andy,” said Leopold.

“No problem!” answered Andy, discarding his hand. “The cards I had stank anyway!”

He and Leopold drew five new cards.

Andy grinned as he looked at them.

“I can tell by your satisfied expression that you drew some good cards, Andy,” said Leopold. “Well don’t end your turn yet…”

A facedown card lifted.

“I activate Scapegoat!”

Four sheep tokens appeared.

“Fine,” sighed Andy. “Just move…”

Leopold drew.

“I summon Panther Warrior in Attack Mode!” he shouted.

He played the card, and the fierce panther-man in armor, and a cape, carrying a sword appeared. (2,000/1,700)

http://www.yugioh-cards.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/tin/CT2-EN006.jpg

“Make that slayer mode, because he’s going to destroy your Dragon!”

“Aw, cripes,” muttered Stan. “That’s one of Joey Wheeler’s favorite Monsters… and Leopold is using the same combo that he does…”

“Panther Warrior can’t attack unless I sacrifice another Monster first,” stated Leopold, “so I’ll sacrifice one Scapegoat…”

The yellow token vanished.

“And Panther Warrior, slay his Dragon!”

Panther Warrior leapt forward and swiped with his sword, and the Dragon was blown into pixels!

Andy’s Life Points fell slightly, to 9,300.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Beast-Warriors,” sighed The End of Anubis. “I’ll say one thing for the Spawn, they certainly know how to create useful decks out cards that aren’t otherwise useful.”

“I dunno,” muttered the Amazon. “I heard him talking about a special Beast-Warrior that he had…

“An incredibly powerful and rare card that has never been defeated. One that’s… cursed…”

“Cursed?” asked Peten. “Never been beaten?”

“Well,” sighed the Amazon. “He might have exaggerating, but this special card was created in the image of a creature that even the practitioners of the original Shadow Games were afraid of. It was only summoned in those contests on only one occasion…”

“…and let me guess,” muttered End. “Something went terribly wrong.”

“That’s the theory,” replied the Amazon. “When Pegasus created the game of Duel Monsters, the Egyptian God Cards were far from the only mistake he made. Several times he unleashed forces in his cards that simply should have stayed buried with the Pharaohs…

“One powerful Monster Card that he created… Pegasus produced a few of them as promotional cards, but even in normal duels, they were frightening. These cards seemed incredibly evil… The duelists who owned them were successful, but using them was like using some demonic spirit. It was as if the card was controlling them, and not the other was around…

“He stopped producing them, but a few were left…

“And I believe Leopold has one…”

“What’s the name of this card?” asked End.

“Uhm…” said the Amazon.

She thought for a minute.

“Now what was its name?” she asked herself. “Oh, it’s on the tip of my tongue…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Andy drew a card.

“I summon Koops the Bashful in Attack Mode!” he exclaimed.

He put the card down, and the shy Koopa appeared. (1,800/500)

“I knew you were small-minded, but that was just stupid,” said Leopold. “He’s not strong enough to defeat Panther Warrior…”

“Who said he was going to attack your Panther Warrior?” said Andy with a grin.

Leopold looked at him strangely.

“He’s going to attack his power supply!” shouted Andy. “Koops, take out the three Scapegoats with shell slam!”

Koops retracted into his shell, and shot forward, striking one Scapegoat after another, blowing them to particles!

Koops leapt up on Andy’s side.

“Now you’ll have to sacrifice real Monsters to have him attack,” stated Andy.

“Good thinking, Andy!” shouted Francesca.

“Well, it seems I underestimated you,” chuckled Leopold.

He drew a card.

“But I’ve still got plenty of tricks in store for you…”

He played a Magic Card.

“I play Tribute Doll!” he stated. “That means…”

“I know what it means!” interrupted Andy. “You can sacrifice one Monster to summon a seven-star Monster. So do it already!”

Leopold gave a disdainful sniff.

“You know how the lion is called the King of the Jungle?” asked Leopold. “Well, that’s a misnomer. I sacrifice Panther Warrior to summon Garnecia Elefantis!”

Panther Warrior vanished, and a hulking form arose. It was a muscular, humanoid elephant, dressed in African trappings and holding a wavy sword. (2,400/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN125.jpg

“Even the mighty lion stands aside to acknowledge the mighty power of a pachyderm!” laughed Leopold.

“You call that a seven-star Monster?” asked Andy. “I’ve seen six-stars that were stronger.”

“True, he isn’t much for a seven-star,” replied Leopold. “But I put him in my deck for a vital reason, which you’ll soon see.

“Since he can’t attack this round since I summoned him with Tribute Doll, I’ll end my turn.”

Andy drew a card.

I may have talked tough, he thought, but the truth is, I have nothing in my hand right now that can even come close to beating Garnecia Elefantis. Guess I’ll have to defend for now…

“First, I’ll summon Mirage Dragon in Defense Mode,” he stated.

He put a card down, and the wispy Dragon of Light appeared. (1,600/600)

“Then I’ll use my Deckmaster ability, to summon Grey Wing in Defense Mode.”

Lord of Dragons glowed, his Life Points fell to 8,800, and the small Dragon appeared. (1,300/700)

“And Koops goes into Defense Mode too,” he added, turning the card.

Koops shielded himself.

“You’ll have to smash through my defenses before you can get to my Life Points!” warned Andy.

“No problem!” laughed Leopold, drawing a card. “You’re about to see the incredibly useful ability of my Deckmaster!”

“What?” gasped Andy. “Your Deckmaster?”

“Yes,” stated Leopold, adjusting his glasses. “It’s called Frenzy. By paying only 500 Life Points…”

His Life Points fell to 7,100.

“…I can have a Beast or Beast-Warrior of seven stars or more attack ALL of your Monsters at once!”

“Holy…” muttered Andy.

“Garnecia Elefantis,” he ordered, “attack with tusk trample!”

The huge creature trumpeted! It charged forward, plowing into the three Monsters, blowing them to pieces!

Andy looked in disbelief.

“To end, I’ll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and that will be my turn,” he stated.

A facedown Monster appeared in front of him.

“All right…” muttered Andy, making a draw.

He placed a card down on his Disk.

“I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode…”

The large, rocky Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

“Clever,” chuckled Leopold, “but not clever enough…”

He drew a card.

“I summon Beaver Warrior in Attack Mode…” he stated.

A cute-looking rodent dressed in knight-like armor holding a sword and shield leapt up with a squeak! (1,200/1,500)

“And now I’ll Flip-Summon my other Monster,” he continued. “Mostly because it can only be summoned via Flip-Summon… Boar Soldier!”

The card flipped, and a creature resembling a warthog in armor holding a huge, stone axe appeared. (1,000/500)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOB-EN064.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SRL-EN089.jpg

“Garnecia Elefantis, wipe out his wall!”

The pachyderm Beast-Warrior charged, and the Dragon was blown to bits!

“Beaver Warrior, attack directly!”

Beaver Warrior leapt forward, and stabbed Andy in the stomach with his blade. He winced…

“By the way,” added Leopold. “When you have no Monsters on your side of the field, Boar Soldier’s Attack Score doubles…”

Boar Soldier’s attack rose to 2,000…

Leopold pointed, and the Beast-Warrior charged, and clobbered Andy with his axe!

Andy fell over, and his Life Points tumbled to 5,600.

“Andy!” shouted Francesca.

“Ooh…” muttered Andy.

He searched himself…

He was still in one piece, but his skin was starting to turn pale, and his skin was getting taunt…

He got up, and doing so took effort!

He could tell now that Leopold wasn’t just trying to scare him… If he lost, he’d be entombed in stone forever… He started to wonder if Leopold’s spell would render him unconscious, or if he’d be able to remain aware…

He didn’t want to find out!

He slowly took some deep breaths, and even breathing was starting to get difficult. He drew a card…

“I’ll summon… Cave Dragon… in Attack Mode…” he said, placing the card down.

The large, elderly Dragon appeared. (2,000/100)

“And also, a card facedown,” he stated.

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

“Your… move…” he said.

“Heh, heh, heh…” chuckled Leopold, making a draw. “Please Andy, only someone who was very stupid would fall for something that obvious…”

He drew a card.

“And since I’m not very stupid, unlike you, I’m simply going to draw one card, and pass for this turn…”

“Swell,” muttered Andy, making a draw. “You aren’t very stupid… But you were dumb enough not to know that I didn’t really care what you did that turn…”

“You don’t mean…” said Leopold, stepping back.

Andy’s Trap Card lifted.

“Oh, criminy, not Burst Breath!” shouted Leopold.

Cave Dragon blasted a burst of vapor at the three Beast-Warriors, and they howled!

Within seconds, the arena was clear.

Andy fit another card into a slot.

“Now I’ll play Premature Burial to bring back Des Volstgalph,” he stated.

His Life Points slipped to 4,800, and the huge Dragon appeared.

“Attack…” ordered Andy.

Des Volstgalph blasted forth his breath, and Leopold screamed…

His own Life Points fell to 4,900.

“So Leopold,” muttered Andy, as his foe picked himself off the ground. “You’re smart, and I’m stupid, right? So how come the score is almost tied?”

“It’s going to change soon…” cursed Leopold.

He drew a card.

“I summon Wolf Axwielder in Attack Mode!” he stated.

He placed a card down, and a humanoid wolf holding a nasty axe appeared. (1,650/1,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN052.jpg

“Now I play… Wild Nature’s Release!”

He played a Magic Card, and Wolf Axewielder glowed with green fire! His Attack Score rose to 2,650!

“Attack Des Volstgalph!” shouted Leopold.

Wolf Axewielder pounced, and beheaded the Dragon! It shattered.

Andy cringed a little as his Life Points fell to 4,350.

“You think that scares me?” he asked. “You played Wild Nature’s Release to destroy my Dragon, meaning your Monster will be destroyed when you end your turn, meaning you’ll be defenseless!”

Leopold placed a card into a slot, and it appeared in front of him.

“You’re never defenseless so long as you plan ahead, Andy,” he stated.

He waved to signal the end of his turn, and Wolf Axewielder shattered.

I’ve almost got all the cards in my hand that I need to make him sorry he ever set foot in this Palace, he thought. I’ll show him who the superior one is…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“This is getting tense,” muttered Peten. “That Monster you mentioned… Think Andy’s Cyber-Twin Dragon could beat it?”

“Just barely,” answered the Amazon. “But Leopold has ways of strengthening it. He has Equip Cards in that deck that can cross the gap, and make it even stronger than Cyber-Twin Dragon…”

Peten sighed.

“Heaven help him…”

Continued…

Dark Sage

7th January 2006, 04:27 PM

Continued from last post:

Andy drew a card.

“I play… Pot of Greed…” he muttered, playing the card.

The jar handed him two cards.

He made a smirk.

“I play Monster Reborn, to bring back Des Volstgalph again!”

Des Volstgalph reappeared!

“And now I play… Stamping Destruction!”

“Hey, wait a minute…” muttered Leopold, as Andy played the card.

Des Volstgalph stamped his foot, and a shockwave tore through Leopold, and his facedown card shattered.

“Shadow Spell, huh?” asked Andy. “I should have known.”

Des Volstgalph’s Attack rose to 2,400.

Leopold gulped.

“Attack!” shouted Andy.

Des Volstgalph blasted Leopold again!

His Life Points tumbled to 2,000.

Leopold groaned. Now his skin was starting to turn pale…

“Way to go Andy!” shouted Francesca.

“Isn’t it ironic, Leopold?” asked Andy. “Ironic that an Earth Monster has kicked your behind twice now?”

“There are many ironies in the universe, Andy,” muttered Leopold, “and you’ll soon have lots of time to ponder them all…”

He drew a card.

“I’ll play my own Pot of Greed…” he stated.

The Pot handed him two more cards.

He fit a card into a slot.

“I play Frontline Base!” he stated, as the card appeared. “This card lets me summon an extra Monster every round. Of course, it has to be a specific kind of Monster, but I have that covered.

“Next, I summon Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei in Attack Mode!”

A hulking brute in armor with hairy arms appeared. (2,300/0)

“And now I’ll use Frontline Base to summon Protective Soul Ailin!” continued Leopold.

He placed another card down, and a delicate, pink fairy with wings dressed in a toga appeared. (0/0)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/ba0vsrmj.jpghttp://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/ba0vsrq1.jpg

“You’re probably wondering why I summoned a Monster with a nonexistent Attack Score who isn’t even an Earth Monster,” started Leopold. “Well, you may have noticed that Lei Lei here has the same stats as Goblin Attack Force… He also has the same weakness as Goblin Attack Force. Are you getting this? I can slow down if it’s too much for you…”

“Yeah… pretty much,” stated Andy (as much as he could, seeing as it hurt to talk). “He has to shift into Defense Mode after he attacks, right?”

“Right,” answered Leopold. “But Ailin is a Union Monster that can be Equipped to him. When they’re together, he can switch right back into Attack Mode after being forced into Defense Mode!”

Protective Soul Ailin floated behind Lei Lei, and the Beast-Warrior’s eyes glowed…

“Lei Lei, attack Des Volstgalph with berserker punch!” shouted Leopold!

The Indomitable Fighter socked the huge Dragon, and it shattered into shards.

Andy’s Life Points fell a little, to 4,250.

“It’s not that much!” assured Francesca.

Yeah, but what now? Andy asked himself.

Lei Lei knelt in Defense Mode… Then Ailin massaged his shoulders, and he stood back up into Attack Mode.

“Your move…” dared Leopold, looking at the two cards in his hand.

Andy drew a card.

“I summon…” he muttered.

He put a card on his Disk.

“Divine Dragon Ragnarok, in Defense Mode…”

The wispy Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,000)

Yeah, I know, he thought, looking at Stan and Francesca. They think I’m out of my mind. I know it’s a weak Monster, but it’s the best I can do…

“My draw!” laughed Leopold, drawing a card.

“I always say Andy, when one is good, two is better, so I’ll just summon another Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei!”

A twin of the first Fighter appeared!

“And thanks to my Frontline Base, I can summon another Protective Soul!” he continued.

He put a card down, and another Fairy appeared… And then it merged with the second Lei Lei.

Oh, this is going to hurt… muttered Andy.

“You…” said Leopold, “take down his Dragon!”

The first Lei Lei punched Ragnarok, and it burst.

“You!” he said to the second. “Attack directly!”

The second Indomitable Fighter socked Andy in the face…

His Life Points fell to 2,050, and he fell on his behind.

Andy tried to get up…

Only to find that he couldn’t. His legs had no feeling.

He pulled himself up into a sitting position, and felt his legs, which were bent with the knees upward…

They were solid marble.

He shivered, and did a quick check…

The same was true of the rest of his body below the waist…

Andy looked as the two Fairies urged their hosts back from defense to offense.

If I don’t do something fast, he thought, the next round will be it…

”You still have one more round to turn it around…” said a voice.

A hand fell on his shoulder.

”What?” replied Andy. ”Lord of Dragons?”

”Indeed,” replied the Spellcaster. ”Your hour may be dark, but I’ll guide you through it.”

“There is a difference between you and Leopold, Andy,” continued the Spellcaster. ”While both of you are skilled duelists, Leopold uses his victories as an incorrect proof that he is superior to others. Even if you are better at a skill, that doesn’t make you a better person than your peers. Leopold has skill, but skill alone doesn’t make him a superior duelist.

“To be superior duelist, one must have traits that Leopold lacks – honor, integrity, loyalty, and respect for others. These are the traits of the true duelist. Leopold was destined for failure a long time ago.

“If you possess such traits, you can defeat him; because you know you’re not only a better duelist…

“You’re a better person.”

“Are you going to take all day?” asked Leopold.

“I just needed a pep talk, Leo,” said Andy. “And if I have to duel you sitting down, I will!”

He drew a card.

“And I play Graceful Charity!” he exclaimed.

The angel flew out of his deck with three cards.

He took them, looked them over, and handed her two.

“I summon Warrior Dai Grepher!” he shouted.

He put a card down. Grepher appeared. (1,700/1,600)

“And now I’ll pay 500 Life Points to use my Deckmaster’s ability!” he said, as his Life Points fell to 1,550. “I’ll sacrifice Grepher, to summon Luster Dragon #2!”

Grepher shattered, and the huge emerald Dragon appeared! (2,400/1,400)

Lord of Dragons gave him a thumb’s up.

“Luster Dragon, attack the Lei Lei on the left!” shouted Andy. “Emerald flash blast!”

The Dragon shot his blast at Lei Lei, and the Beast-Warrior cringed…

Leopold’s Life Points fell to 1,900, but the Monster was still there.

“What?” said Andy, in surprise.

“Don’t you know anything about Union Monsters?” said Leopold, in disgust. “When a Monster is attacked when a Union Monster is Equipped to it, the Union Monster takes the hit for it! You only managed to destroy the Protective Soul.”

“Then make your move,” said Andy.

Leopold drew a card.

“Ergh…” he growled.

“Disappointed with your draw, Leo?” asked Andy, with a smile.

“I’ll move my two Indomitable Fighters to Defense Mode…” growled the Spawn, as the two Beast-Warrior’s knelt.

“Then I’ll draw…” said Andy.

Aw, Tyrant Dragon? he thought. I need to swap two Monsters for that!

“Luster Dragon, attack the un-Equipped Fighter!” he ordered.

Luster Dragon attacked, and the first Lei Lei was blown away.

“Your move again…” said Andy.

Leopold drew.

“I play… The Shallow Grave…” said Leopold, playing a card. “This Magic Card lets us both revive a Monster from our Graveyards in facedown Defense Mode.”

A facedown Monster appeared next to Lei Lei.

“Great!” answered Andy.

He placed Divine Dragon Ragnarok on his Disk, and it appeared facedown.

Now I’ll be able to summon my Tyrant Dragon! he thought.

“And now I’ll Flip-Summon the Monster I just brought back!” continued Leopold. “Morphing Jar!”

The card flipped face up, and the Morphing Jar appeared! (700/600)

Andy was clearly disappointed…

They both folded their hands, and drew five new cards.

“Leopold just took a big risk…” said Stan.

“I hear you,” said Francesca. “That Morphing Jar has only 700 Attack Points, and now it’s in Attack Mode. If Andy manages to attack it…”

“Wait…” said Stan.

He paused.

“What?” asked Francesca.

“I felt something…” said Stan, getting afraid. “When Leopold drew the fifth card, I sensed something… A force of incredible…”

He paused again.

“…incredible evil…”

Leopold grinned a sinister grin.

“I’ll move Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei to Attack Mode…” he stated.

Lei Lei stood up.

“Then I’ll separate him from Protective Soul Ailin…”

Protective Soul Ailin floated away from the Beast-Warrior.

Thunder started to roll over the forest. The sky darkened even more as Leopold held up a card…

“And now, I’ll sacrifice my Morphing Jar and my Protective Soul Ailin…” he continued. “To summon a Beast-Warrior of legendary might…”

The two Monsters vanished…

“I summon… Sengenjin!”

What happened next resembled an earthquake. The ground shook, and a huge form rose out of the ground…

It was a huge ogre, fifteen feet tall, with blue skin and red hair. It had one eye, and a maw of sharp teeth. It wore a spiked harness, and fur trunks and boots. On its back it carried axes, maces, and other dangerous looking weapons.

The huge creature roared…

(2,750/2,500)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/WCS-EN403.jpg

“What is that?” yelled Andy.

“His name is Sengenjin,” chuckled Leopold. “Quite a looker, isn’t he?”

Leopold chuckled softly.

“There’s a history behind this card, Andy,” he continued. “In the days of the ancient Shadow Games, this creature was only summoned in one Shadow Game. When he was, he broke free, intending to conquer the Earth!

“To do so, he embarked on a quest to collect all seven of the Millennium Items, and he collected three of them before he was defeated and banished back to the Shadow Realm.”

Leopold chuckled again.

“Pegasus was a fool to immortalize his image in a card when he created the game. Bad luck stuck every duelist who used this rare card. They said these cards were cursed with his wicked aura! Sengenjin won’t serve anyone willingly. He hates serving others. But he’ll serve me… Do you know why?

“Because as one of the most powerful Earth Monsters in existence, Sengenjin only obeys a true master of Earth! His evil curse has no effect on me!”

Sengenjin growled in acknowledgement.

“But onto what we were doing…” he continued. “I play the Equip Card Mystical Moon! This Equip increases the Attack and Defense of a Beast-Warrior by 300 points.”

He played the card, and Sengenjin rose to (3,050/2,800)

“God help him…” muttered Francesca.

“Now I activate my Deckmaster ability!” laughed Leopold, as his Life Points fell to 1,600. “Sengenjin, Frenzy!”

The huge ogre charged forward, first striking Luster Dragon and blowing it to pieces, and then punching at the facedown card, destroying Ragnarok.

Andy’s Life Points fell to 900.

No… thought Andy. I lost… As soon as he attacks with Lei Lei…

“Now, Lei Lei…” said Leopold with a grin.

He paused. Andy closed his eyes, waiting for the end...

Then Leopold laughed!

“Scared you, didn’t I?” laughed Leopold. “I was joking, Andy… If I use my Deckmaster’s ability on one Monster, I can’t attack with any others. It’s just like Diffusion-Wave Motion.”

Andy stared at him, and Leopold laughed out loud.

The three teens gave him dirty looks.

“It was a joke, people!” laughed Leopold. “Where’s your sense of humor?”

“It wasn’t funny!” shouted Francesca, now angry.

“Ah, well,” muttered Leopold. “Since I’m getting sick of Lei Lei anyway, I’m going to play Mystik Wok, and sacrifice him to do so.”

He played the card, and Lei Lei vanished into smoke. Leopold’s Life Points went up to 3,700.

“That’s my turn, Andy. Bet you’re feeling really stiff now, huh?”

Andy was numb all over. He felt his chest, and it was solid stone too. Whatever was keeping him alive right now, it clearly wasn’t his heart…

Go ahead and summon anything you want, Andy, thought Leopold, looking at the Monster Reborn in his hand. I just played Mystik Wok to lure you into a false sense of security. Nothing you summon can have a defense that Lei Lei can’t break when I bring him back. And then, one direct attack from Sengenjin will finish you!

Andy looked at his hand.

Only one card in my deck can possibly save me… he thought. Given that backstory he gave, Sengenjin is clearly a Monster of Pride… but to defeat it, I have to draw that one card…

He paused.

I don’t have much of a deck left… I have pretty good chances…

He strained to reach his Disk… He drew a card…

The card shone in the dim light of the forest…

“Okay, Leopold,” he said grimly. “Sengenjin is a powerful Monster, I’ll admit that, but he’ll be small potatoes compared to what I’m about to summon…”

Both Leopold and his Monster gave him confused looks…

He showed Leopold the card…

Polymerization.

“HA!” laughed Leopold. “Your Cyber-Twin Dragon isn’t strong enough, Andy!”

“I’m not fusing two Cyber Dragons together this time, Leopold…” answered Andy.

He played the card.

“I’m fusing THREE!”

All three Cyber Dragons appeared on the field, and then swirled into a morass of light…

And then they formed into a huge, three-headed beast! It was half-again as big as Sengenjin, with enormous metal wings, and furious jaws!

“Meet my Cyber-End Dragon!” shouted Andy.

(4,000/2,800)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/ba0vswjk.jpg

Leopold gasped, and the huge Beast-Warrior drew back in fear…

“Four-thousand Attack Points?” gasped Leopold. “How… where…”

Stan and Francesca were just as surprised.

“Where did Andy get that?” gasped Francesca.

“Marty sure had some good stuff…” chuckled Stan.

“I’m ending my turn, Leopold,” said Andy. “Now use your smarts to think of a way out of this… If you can.”

Leopold shakily drew…

“I… I shift Sengenjin to Defense Mode…” he gasped, as the huge Beast-Warrior knelt.

“And now I’ll play Monster Reborn, to summon back Nekogal #2 in Defense Mode!”

He played the card, and the catlike Beast-Warrior reappeared, crouching in Defense. (1,900/2,000)

“Is that all?” asked Andy.

“Yes!” cried Leopold.

Andy drew a card.

“Then I should tell you that defending doesn’t work with this guy,” he said, “due to his trampling effect! Cyber-End Dragon, ultimate strident blast!”

Cyber-Twin Dragon shot forth three blasts of flame, and Sengenjin was incinerated!

Leopold screamed as his Life Points fell to 2,500.

“And I’m not done with you yet, Leo!” shouted Andy, playing the card he had just drawn. “I play De-Fusion!”

Cyber-End Dragon faded into a blur, and split into three Cyber Dragons! (2,100/1,600 x3)

“And that means I get three more attacks!” shouted Andy. “One…”

A Cyber Dragon shot forth a stream of flame, and Nekogal was burned up.

“Two…” continued Andy.

The second Dragon attacked, and Leopold hollered as his Life Points fell to 400.

“Three!” commanded Andy.

The last Cyber Dragon attacked, and this time there was no scream…

Andy looked up, as his three Dragons vanished. Leopold had been frozen in mid scream…

He was solid stone.

And then, darkness started to surround the statue, and he faded away.

The feeling came back to Andy’s body, and slowly, his flesh was restored.

“Oh, Andy…” said Francesca, almost crying. “I thought for a minute you would…”

“It’s okay, baby…” he said, slowly getting up. “It’s okay… It was a terrible joke he made, but I had the last laugh…”

The stiffness slowly went away, and he could move with ease again…

But he was now exhausted. He knew he wouldn’t be able to duel a normal duel again today, much less a Shadow Game…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Take heart, Andy, thought Merlee. For the time being, the Shadows will not plague you again. I can only hope your two friends are just as successful.

The Sengenjin card appeared in his hand.

This card is a destructive thing that does nothing but destroy. I should burn it. But it is still of use for now. And my faith is growing that the Chosen Ones will succeed in the current task…

But when the Queen plans the next one, I will throw a wench into her machinery…

”Leogun”: Beast/Earth, (1,750/1,550)

Deckmaster SA: “Frenzy”: Pay 500 Life Points. One of your Beast or Beast-Warriors of seven stars or more can attack all opposing Monsters during the turn you use this ability. If you use this ability, none of your other Monsters can attack on the same turn.

[I][B]Coming up next:

Maria greets the heroes, and she’s itching for revenge for the humiliation that Francesca handed her last time! Fran may be in over her head now, as Maria literally tries to put her on ice. Tyson’s Shadow Flames were bad enough, but Shadow Ice is just as bad.

Don’t miss “Cold Shoulder,” coming soon.

starjake

7th January 2006, 06:09 PM

Sengenjin, the monster of Pride?

Meh, it's a stretch, but...I guess it works.

I liked the Shadow Punishment, and the fact that Andy finally got to use Cyber End Dragon.

I wasn't too fond of Leo's deck, though. It seemed pretty boring, full of mostly Normal Monsters and not too many Magics or Traps. While that's not really a bad thing (it did do a pretty good job against Andy), I don't think soemthing that blunt fits Leo's smarts. He might not be the smartest person in the world, but Andy himself said that his smarts were not to be taken lightly. I would think that someone with that sort of intelligence would use something more strategic.

ON a good note, you did much better with incorperating Leo's Pride into the duel than you did with the other Spawn. Kudos.

So Maria's next, hmm? Well, I do know a little bit of her deck, but not enough to know what Water monster would embody Wrath. from the title, I'm guessing that we're not just going to see Water monsters, but Ice monsters as well (penguins, maybe?)

Put it up soon!

Pokemasterkatie

7th January 2006, 06:17 PM

I'd guess Gogiga Gagagigo, but I think that Maria's(as well as the two Spawn after) using a new theme as well, like the rest. Which is too bad, as I really like the Gagagigo monsters. Awesome story that their description told.*nods*

Blademaster

7th January 2006, 09:37 PM

POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Ice Monsters next time, eh?

Can we say 'Mobius?'

Beast-Warriors were a good concept, I'll admit, but like Kurtis' deck, there seemed to be no real theme-just a bunch of random creatures.

Also, I don't think Sengenjin is REALLY the proudest Monster in the game-Sengenjin is like the Hulk: He's a powerful beast of a behemoth with a single eye and a feral look; ergo, many people leer in fear of him, much to his chagrin. As a result, he's a destroyer. He's almost like King Kong...

Now that I think about it, a cool idea for Leopold's deck could've been an all-Cyclops theme, using Hitotsu-Me Giant, Cybernetic Cyclopean, Sengenjin, Gorgon's Eye, Bottomless Trap Hole, Narrow Pass, etc. But maybe that's too exclusive...

So, what theme is next, DS? Or, more importantly, what PUNISHMENT is next?

Hmmm...

The human body (I dunno if Maria counts as such, but she is a living creature nontheless.) is 70% water, so, maybe as more Life Points are lost, each duelists' organic components will vanish little-by-little; the loser's body will collapse into water and evaporate, like in that one episode of FMA.
Now, THAT'S creativity!

But, I digress. I've probably accidently said too much already, so...

Bye!

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

Shuppet Master

7th January 2006, 11:04 PM

I really enjoyed this chapter, Brian. The way Leopold made them have nightmares about them losing their duels was scary, and a rotten joke. Leo deserved his fate. :) I really liked his story about Sengenjin, due to the description that it carries Millennium Items.

Can't wait for the next chapter. Keep it up.

Mystic_clown

8th January 2006, 03:08 AM

Great chapter DS, Leo certainly lived up to his sin.

Although, I do agree with Blademaster. I really don't see Sengenjin as a proud monster. But, it's your fic and your decision goes.

Zcade0

8th January 2006, 04:00 PM

btw, wasn't kiddin earlier. *plans to nitpick to the point of mr. pikachu on all CSR stories that are posted that arn't by MoP.*

sub-par pride monster. don't even know why he is pride, almost all dark monsters probably want to take over the world and think they are best...

interesting punishment, not a very good duel though... (in my eyes)

starjake

8th January 2006, 06:35 PM

Zcade, just an FYI: Sengenjin is an Earth monster, not Dark. Vladimir uses the Dark deck, and his Soul Card will embody Envy.

Oh, and I think I figured out Maria's Soul Card. Don't know why I didn't think of it at first...I of all people should have guessed it...

Master of Paradox

9th January 2006, 06:42 AM

Zcade, this is the Master of Paradox, creator of the Central Shadow Realm and distributor of rights to write within it, calling. Call off the frickin' dogs. I'm the only one who can nitpick CSR stories, got it?

Now, to turn to the chapter: meh. Just meh.

While Beast-Warriors are an interesting theme persay, I have to say this was only a mediocre duel at best. I'm glad to see it didn't hinge on a created card, but I was counting the pages until Cyber End Dragon showed up and was not surprised when it did. In fact, I think the main characters are officially out of surprises.

Leopold's still as entertaining as ever (much like Tyson, he benefited from losing his chief "character" action - Tyson's jokes and Leopold's statistics both got old fast), but he didn't change much from last time.

The punishment was... interesting, I suppose. However, it was far too much of a stretch when Andy's chest turned to stone. You'd think the heart would be the last thing to go, wouldn't you?

As for Sengenjin (spelling?) being the Pride card, I agree it didn't quite make sense. (And the "demonic" comments rather fall through if you know its Japanese name: Millennium Neandrathal...)

The next chapter may be better, but as I'm already tired of the Spawn duels, I rather doubt it...

Zcade0

9th January 2006, 05:49 PM

*says srry to above to people*

I really can't wait for Vladimar. the only iteresting one in my opinion. I liked the stats and jokes.... :mad: darn... oh well. bye

Zcade0, idea stealing person (ha! I altered it! :p)

Dark Sage

14th January 2006, 08:13 AM

What the... two fanfiction chapters in one day by my illustrious hand?

Yep. Here's the next chapter of TYD, and I worked hard on this one, trying to make it so that it wouldn't fit the stereotype of a Water Duel. But even that was hard.

- DS

Dark Sage

14th January 2006, 08:15 AM

[B]When I dueled Maria the first time, I hated her. I hate to say that about anyone, but it’s true in this case.

She insulted me, degraded me, and worst of all, she cheated. If it weren’t for her mother’s intervention, I likely would have lost.

Melissa, Kurtis, Tyson, and Leopold seemed to get smart – none of them wanted a repeat of their first defeat, and chose a different opponent the second time around…

But like Merlee said, Maria is heavy with the Sin of Wrath. She apparently never forgave me for humiliating her. And now she has demanded a rematch.

Well, big deal. I defeated her once, so I can do it again…

Yeah, believe that, Francesca…

Try your hardest not to lie to yourself in this situation, when the cold is overpowering, and your body heat is slowly being leeched away…

[B][size=3]CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

Cold Shoulder

Andy lay down under the dark trees in the Forbidden Forest, and his shirt was off. Francesca was trying her hardest to massage the stiffness out of him.

“Mmm…” muttered Andy. “Remind me to get those hands of yours donated to the Smithsonian, Fran.”

“Be serious, Andy,” sighed Francesca. “We aren’t out of the woods yet, so to speak.”

Stan nodded.

“Maria’s likely going to come gunning for us next,” he said. “I know of a lot of Water Monsters that could embody Wrath… like Gogiga Gagagigo…”

“I was able to take down that stupid thing last time…” muttered Fran.

“Even worse,” muttered Stan, “I know of a powerful card called Ocean Lord – Neo Daedalus. It’s hard to summon, but if you summon it with Umi or A Legendary Ocean on the field, you can sacrifice the Field Card to destroy every card on the field and in both players’ hands except the Monster itself.”

“How much more Wrath can you get?” asked Andy.

“Winning then if that maneuver is used would take a miracle…” muttered Stan, “seeing as it has enough Attack Points to defeat anything that can be summoned without a sacrifice…”

“I’ll still find a way,” said Francesca, as Andy started to get up.

“How do you know she won’t go after me?” asked Stan.

“Bzzt! Wrong!” shouted Maria’s voice over the trees.

They looked up.

“Hey, Maria,” sighed Fran. “Long time no see… And I still don’t see you…”

“You will in a minute,” responded Maria. “And I want some payback after that humiliation at Keelhaul Key, Fran, so we’re going to duel NOW!”

A peaceful-looking spring of sparkling water appeared twenty-feet in front of them.

“So if you’ll kindly take a dip in there,” she continued, “you’ll be taken to my room, and we can…”

“We’ll come,” said Andy, annoyed, “but we’ll come when we’re good and ready!”

There was a pause.

“Andy…” sighed Maria’s voice. “I’m not very patient…”

And then three tentacles reached out of the spring and grabbed their legs!

They screamed and tried to resist, but whatever the creature was, it was too strong for them, and they were dragged into the pool…

“I tried to be nice,” chuckled Maria, “but did you comply? No… Deep breaths now…”

They held their breaths as they were dragged under…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

A second later, they seemed to be thrown out of the pool…

Their clothes were dry, but it was very cold.

They looked around. They were in a cavern made entirely of ice, beautiful and cathedral-like, but chilling. Stalactites and stalagmites with razor-sharp points and other ice formations decorated the place, and a cold wind blew through. Shadowy lights flickered.

“Ice…” said Maria’s voice. “Solid water… hard, delicate, beautiful…”

“Cold…” muttered Francesca.

“Like the swift arm of vengeance…” continued Maria.

She walked out of the shadows. She had traded her pirate costume for a one-piece, strapless, blue bathing suit with a revealing thong and a great deal of cleavage (and was barefoot on top of it). The three teenagers couldn’t imagine how she kept from freezing.

“After all,” she said. “Revenge is a dish best served cold… And I’m going to force-feed it to you, Francesca!”

“Nice fashion statement,” muttered Fran. “Your mother must be the worst parent in the world – a mother who would let her teenage daughter wear a swimsuit like that…”

Maria chuckled.

“She doesn’t care, Francesca,” she answered. “And besides, my dad was native to a dimension that’s all ocean. Often, the folks there don’t bother with clothing at all – it gets in the way of swimming.”

“So, exhibitionism is in your blood,” muttered Andy. “Nice…”

Maria glared at him.

“Speaking of blood…” she said, balling her fist.

She paused, and then lowered it.

She chuckled.

“Let me tell you three one thing…” she said. “I could freeze all your blood solid right now or just make it boil… Or drown you all by filling your lungs with water. And I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it if I did. However, if I did that, my mom would kill me, and that isn’t an exaggeration.

“But I intend to get even with you anyway, Francesca! So we’re going to duel!”

“Bring… it… on…!” muttered Francesca.

She activated her Disk.

A Duel Disk appeared on Maria’s arm, and she activated hers.

“By the way, Fran,” warned Maria, “I’m a lot nicer than my siblings…”

She chuckled.

“I’ll tell you right away the punishment that’s waiting for you… not that it will help…”

“How thoughtful…” muttered Francesca.

“As usual, the loser is banished,” continued Maria, as the lights started to dim, “but take a look around… This ice that you see all around… It isn’t just frozen water… It’s Shadow Ice…”

Francesca didn’t like the sound of that.

“As each player loses Life Points, her body will start to freeze,” continued Maria, “until, when she loses, she’ll be trapped in an unbreakable shell of ice… Nicely preserved and frozen forever.”

She turned to Stan.

“Stan…” she said with a chuckle, “Tyson led you to believe that Hell was fire, but some philosophers are certain it’s ice…”

She turned to Francesca.

“Prepare for Hell, Francesca!” she cackled.

Francesca gulped…

“Now for my Deckmaster…” said Maria, taking a card out of her deck. “You remember my Nightmare Penguin, don’t you?”

She held up the card, and with a squawk, the evil-looking, tuxedoed penguin appeared behind her.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/RDS-EN010.jpg

“I’ll even tell you what he does!” laughed Maria. “When I have a Water-Attribute Monster in Attack Mode, he gives it 200 more Attack Points! And while that may not seem like an awful lot, trust me, it can work wonders!”

Francesca skimmed though her deck…

“Francesca!” said a voice.

“Madame Flurrie?” whispered Francesca.

“Yeah, it’s me darlin’,” answered Flurrie. “How about lettin’ me out this time? I can help a great deal!”

Francesca looked at the card.

“Well, if you say so…” she said.

“I choose Madame Flurrie of the Fog!” she shouted.

In a puff of smoke, the glamorous Wind spirit appeared behind her.

“Good choice, darlin’,” whispered Flurrie into her ear. “Now listen close…

“If you’re hurt, I can take the total Attack Points of all that bimbo’s Monsters on the field, divide the number in half, and add them to your Life Points. But I can only do it once, so wait until you need it.”

“Okay…” said Francesca.

“Well,” said Maria, drawing five cards, “it’s time to duel!”

She looked at her hand.

Perfect… she thought. She’ll never know what hit her!

“I’ll give you the first move,” she said. “Again, not like it will make a difference…”

“Fine,” answered Francesca, drawing six cards.

Crud, she thought. Only one Monster… fortunately, she’s a good one…

“I summon… Getsu Fuhma!” she shouted.

She played the card, and Getsu appeared on in front of her. (1,700/1,200)

“That will do for now…” she said.

“Perfect,” chuckled Maria, drawing a card. “I’ll simply place a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn.”

A facedown Monster appeared.

Francesca drew.

No Monsters at all now… she thought.

She looked at the facedown Monster.

That thing could have a strong Defense or a powerful flip-effect, but if I know Maria, she’s bluffing…

“Getsu Fuhma, attack!”

Getsu Fuhma leapt up and swung with her sword…

A strange, slug-like thing appeared on the card before it was cut in half.

“What was that?” asked Francesca.

“It was a T.A.D.P.O.L.E.!” answered Maria, with a laugh. “It’s an acronym. It stands for: This Aquatic Denizen Prepares Overwhelmingly Large Encounter! And since you destroyed it, I get to pull another Monster out of my deck!”

A card slipped out of her deck.

“So, any other moves?”

“No,” said Francesca. “Go ahead…”

“Then I’ll place a Monster in Defense Mode again!” laughed Maria, as another facedown Monster appeared. “And that will be all…”

Strange… thought Francesca.

She drew.

Now we’re talking!

“I summon Beautiful Headhuntress!” she shouted.

The kimono-wearing girl carrying a cleaver appeared. (1,600/800)

“Attack her facedown Monster!” shouted Francesca.

Beautiful Headhuntress struck…

…and destroyed another T.A.D.P.O.L.E.

“Another one?” asked Francesca.

“Yep!” laughed Maria. “That was what I got from the first one’s effect! Of course, that means I get to add another Monster to my hand!”

“But not to the field…” stated Francesca. “Getsu Fuhma, attack her directly!”

Maria shielded herself, as Getsu Fuhma swiped at her with her blade!

Maria’s Life Points fell to 6,300…

And then she shivered…

Ice slowly formed on her left foot, and then covered all of her leg!

“Seems your own punishment is starting to do you in, Maria!” laughed Francesca. “Sure you don’t want to change your mind?”

Laugh while you can, thought Maria. With what I’ve got planned for you, you’ll soon be a lot colder than I am right now…

She drew a card.

“Another Monster facedown,” she stated, as a third defensive Monster appeared, “and that’s my turn.”

“I don’t like this…” muttered Andy. “It seems way too easy…”

“I know…” answered Stan. “She’s baiting Francesca into something… Something I don’t like…”

Francesca drew a card.

Hmm, Mirror Force… she thought, looking at her hand.

“I’ll place a card facedown…” she said, playing the card.

“But I’m not gonna fall for it, Maria, and do you know why? Because I know that that thing is another T.A.D.P.O.L.E.! For some strange reason, you WANT all three of them in your Graveyard! Well, I’m not going to attack, you hear me? Send it to your Graveyard on your own!”

Maria chuckled as she drew a card.

“You were only half-right,” she said with a snicker. “Truthfully, I only needed two of them in my Graveyard…”

She switched cards on her Disk…

“I sacrifice my weak T.A.D.P.O.L.E.,” she exclaimed, “to summon a powerful amphibian called a Des Frog!”

The facedown card vanished, and a large frog, the size of Maria, appeared in front of her. (1,900/0)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/ba0vsrx0.jpg

Nightmare Penguin glowed, and its Attack increased to 2,100.

“A frog?” said Andy, puzzled. This was the weirdest thing he had ever seen.

“And I’m not done!” chuckled Maria. “When a Des Frog is summoned via sacrifice, I can summon another one from my hand or deck for each T.A.D.P.O.L.E. I have in my Graveyard! Lucky for you, I can only have three in my deck!”

Two more Des Frogs appeared, each one with 2,100 Attack Points!

Francesca gulped. Then she remembered her Mirror Force…

“So…” she stammered. “Are you going to attack?”

“Eventually,” replied Maria. “But first, I’m going to play a Magic Card…”

She played the card…

“Des Croaking!” she laughed. “When I have three Des Frogs on the field, this card lets them destroy every card you have on the field!”

The three Des Frogs let out a colossal croaking noise, and Fran’s two Warriors covered their ears! They shattered into pixels! Then the Mirror Force shattered as well!

“No…” gulped Andy.

“It may have cost me a few Life Points to pull this combo off,” chuckled Maria, “but now, you’re defenseless! Attack directly my Des Frogs! Resounding ribbit!”

The three Frogs let out a loud croak again, and Francesca staggered back as the terrible sound waves ripped through her…

Her Life Points plummeted, all the way to 1,700…

And a fierce chill penetrated her body…

She shrieked as ice started to form over her legs… Then over her waist… It didn’t stop until it had covered her breasts.

“Maria…” she whined. “What are… you doing…?”

“Remember the rules?” snickered Maria. “You just lost over three quarters of your Life Points, so that’s how much of you gets frozen… Not very comfy, is it?”

Francesca was too taken back by the shock to reply.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“NO!” screamed the Unfriendly Amazon. “Francesca, you have to come back! We’re rooting for you!”

“You’re showing an awful lot of compassion for that girl,” muttered Peten, “seeing as just a few hours ago you said you hoped she would, and I quote, ‘rot in the Graveyard’.”

The Amazon sighed.

“That was then, this is now,” she mused. “And if Fran is beaten, the rest of them won’t last long…”

“She’s right,” sighed End. “The three of them are like a chain. If one link is destroyed, I don’t think the others can function. If they lose one member, the remaining two will likely be at the Queen’s mercy… They can’t let that happen…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“What’s the matter Fran?” gloated Maria. “Cold? Hard to move? Hard to even breathe?”

“Want to know what will happen to you after you’re sent to the Shadow Realm, Fran?” she asked in a mocking tone. “You’ll be unbearably cold for a while, and then you’ll get very sleepy. Sure, you’ll try to fight off sleep, but you won’t be able to do it forever. Soon, you’ll collapse into an eternal slumber, where you’ll suffer hideous nightmares until the end of time…”

She laughed out loud!

“I’ll end my turn by playing one card facedown,” she stated.

She played the card, and a facedown card appeared.

“F-f-flurrie?” gasped Francesca. “Now is… as good a time… as any…”

“Don’t worry, darlin’, I’m here…” said Flurrie.

Francesca struggled to draw a card…

“I’m… I’m activating my Deckmaster ability!” she shouted. “Lip Lock!”

Flurrie concentrated, and drew in energy from the three Des Frogs…

Then she gently kissed Francesca on the cheek, and her Life Points went up, reaching 4,850.

The ice started to shatter, until it was only up to her lower waist.

“Much better…” gasped Francesca, looking at the card she had drawn.

“Thank you lord…” muttered Andy.

“So you padded your points,” gloated Maria. “I have three powerful Monsters on the field, and you have none! What can you summon that could stand up to them?”

“We’ll… see,” cursed Francesca. “I play… Pot of Greed!”

She played the card, and the Pot handed her two more cards.

All right, she thought. Now I can make frog’s legs out of those things!

“I summon… Amazoness Swords Woman, in… Attack Mode!” she shouted.

She played the card, and Swords Woman appeared. (1,500/1,600)

Maria raised an eyebrow.

“And now…” she continued, “I’m going to… Equip her with The Girdle of Hippolyta!”

She played the card, and the golden belt appeared around Swords Woman’s waist, raising her Attack to 2,300.

“Swords Woman, take down… one of those Frogs!” she ordered.

Swords Woman made a swipe with her blade, and blasted one of the Frogs to pixels!

Maria’s Life Points fell to 6,100.

“You’re no fun anymore, Francesca…” she muttered.

“Make your move…” cursed Francesca.

“Well,” muttered Maria, drawing, “since you’re going to destroy my Frogs anyway, I’ll make the most out of it…

“I activate my facedown card… Spiritual Water Art – Aoi!”

Her Trap Card lifted, and a form appeared on the field. It was a young girl in a white cloak with blue hair down to her ankles. She carried a staff tipped with a sapphire.

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/ba0vstif.jpg

“Meet Eira the Water Charmer!” chuckled Maria. “The most powerful Water Wizard alive. And she knows a powerful spell called Aoi, which lets her sacrifice one Water Monster…”

Eira waved her staff, and a Des Frog vanished.

“…so that I can see your cards and make you discard one!”

Eira aimed her staff, and Fran lost control of her hand! It was forcibly turned towards Maria’s sight.

“Interesting, interesting…” muttered Maria. “Now which one should I dispose of… I know… Premature Burial!”

The card flew into Francesca’s discard slot, and Eira vanished.

“Now then, it’s still my turn,” continued Maria, “and I’ll summon my Poison Draw Frog in Attack Mode.”

She placed a card down, and another frog, this one smaller than Des Frog, with a card attached to its tongue, appeared. (100/100) –> (300/100)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/ba0vss4u.jpg

“In… Attack Mode?” gasped Francesca. “But it… only has 300 Attack Points!”

“True, but if it were on your side of the field, it would have only 100,” chuckled Maria. “Thus, I’m playing the Magic Card called Shien’s Spy!”

She played the card, and a strange looking woman dressed in a peasant’s outfit and a straw hat appeared.

She started to cast a spell, and the Poison Draw Frog appeared on Francesca’s side, dropping to 100 Attack!

“Shien’s Spy transfers one of my Monsters to your side of the field for one turn,” explained Maria, as the spy vanished. “So now I’ll attack it with my Des Frog!”

Des Frog let out another terrible croak, and the Poison Draw Frog was eradicated!

Fran’s Life Points fell to 2,850

Francesca screamed, as ice started to cover her torso up to her breasts again…

“Even better,” chuckled Maria, “since that Monster was sent to my Graveyard, I get to draw one card…”

She drew.

She grinned…

“This will be fun,” she chuckled. “I get to gamble!”

“G-g-gamble?” asked Francesca, shivering with cold.

“I’ll place two cards facedown,” said Maria, playing two cards, “and then I’ll activate a Continuous Magic Card…”

She played a card…

“Dangerous Machine Type-6!”

With a rumble, a huge machine appeared behind Maria! It had a circular face, with six numbered panels, and it sparked with electricity!

“That does look dangerous!” gasped Andy.

“If you think Dangerous Machine Type-6 looks dangerous,” chuckled Maria, “you should have seen Dangerous Machines Types 1 though 5! However, the effect of this thing won’t start until my next turn, so I’m ending my turn now.”

Francesca shivered as she drew…

“I summon… Amazoness Chain Master… in Attack Mode…” she shuddered, playing the card.

Chain Master appeared. (1,500/1,300)

“Well that’s a surprise, chuckled Maria, sarcastically. “I saw that gal in your hand, remember?”

Fran ignored her.

“Swords Woman,” she ordered, “smash the last Frog!”

Swords Woman leapt forward and brought her sword down on the Frog, blasting it to bits!

“Chain Master, attack directly!”

Chain Master swung her grapple at Maria, and she cringed.

Her Life Points fell to 4,400, and the ice grew, covering half of her.

“Bitch…” she cursed.

“I’ll play a card… facedown, and end,” said Francesca, playing it.

A facedown card appeared.

“All right, Fran,” said Maria, making a draw, “let me explain how this Machine works… every one of my standby phases, it will choose a number between one and six, at random. Each number does something different, which can hurt or help either of us…

“So let’s see what it does this time!”

The numbers on the Dangerous Machine flashed in a chaotic pattern…

Continued…

Dark Sage

14th January 2006, 08:17 AM

Continued from last post:

And finally, the number 3 lit up.

“Three,” said Maria. “That means I get to draw one card!”

A card flew off of her deck.

“And now I play Call of the Haunted!” she said, as her facedown card lifted.

A Des Frog appeared again.

“But I’m only bringing him back to sacrifice him,” she continued, “for Amphibian Beast!”

Des Frog shattered, and a semi-humanoid Monster resembling the Creature From The Black Lagoon appeared. (2,400/2,000) –> (2,600/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LON-EN008.jpg

“Go!” shouted Maria. “Attack her Swords Woman with sea claw!”

Amphibian Beast lunged forward…

“I activate… Waboku!” shouted Francesca.

Her Trap Card lifted, and the Beast was stopped dead in its tracks.

“Fran’s barely holding on…” muttered Andy.

“She can do this,” urged Stan. “I know she can…”

“My… draw…” said Fran with a shiver.

She drew, and looked at the card.

“I play… Gift of the Martyr!” she exclaimed. “And I’ll sacrifice Chain Master to do it!”

She played the card, and Chain Master shattered. Swords Woman grew to an Attack Score of 3,800!

“Attack Amphibian Beast!” shouted Fran.

Swords Woman leapt forward, and cut the Beast in two!

Maria’s Life Points fell to 3,200…

And the ice formed up to her breasts… She started to shiver…

“I’ll play a card facedown, and end my turn…” muttered Francesca.

A facedown card appeared.

“You are good,” muttered Maria. “But you’re still nothing but a slut to me!”

“…coming from the girl wearing the thong bathing suit…” muttered Andy.

Maria growled as she drew.

The Dangerous Machine whirred again…

And this time the 5 lit up.

“HA, HA, HA!” laughed Maria. “Five! That lets me destroy one Monster!”

She pointed.

“Slaughter her Swords Woman!”

A large mechanical arm with a rotary saw reached out of the Machine! The saw started to spin, and lunged towards Swords Woman…

“Not so… fast!” shouted Francesca. “I activate… Dramatic Rescue!”

Her Trap Card lifted, and Swords Woman vanished. The saw only hit the ground, sending shards of ice flying!

“This let her… escape back to my hand,” said Francesca, as the weapon retracted. “And now… I can summon… another Monster – Amazoness Fighter!”

She placed a card down, and the muscular Amazon appeared. (1,500/1,300)

“Fine,” muttered Maria. “I’ll summon this in Defense Mode… Humanoid Slime!”

She put down a card, and a glob of watery protoplasm appeared in front of her. It changed shape into a man-shaped glob wearing golden armor with gloppy hands. (800/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LON-EN003.jpg

“I end my turn…” she said.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Yes!” shouted the Amazon. “Fran, you know what to do!”

“She does?” asked Peten.

“Maria set up a wall Monster,” explained the Amazon. “If Francesca simply summons Swords Woman again, she can attack it, and keep attacking it, dealing Maria 500 points of damage with each blow!

“Do it, Fran!”

“Could Maria really have been that stupid?” asked Peten.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Let’s just hope that thing doesn’t land on a five again,” muttered Stan.

“Are any of the results good for Francesca?” asked Andy.

“Wouldn’t you like to know!” laughed Maria.

Francesca drew a card.

She forced a smile, and placed a card on her Disk…

Amazoness Swords Woman appeared again. (1,500/1,300)

“You… messed up, Maria,” she chattered. “You forgot about this gal’s special ability…

“Attack the Humanoid Slime!”

Swords Woman swung her blade at the amorphous creature! She bounced backwards, but Maria’s Life Points fell to 2,700.

Maria snarled in rage…

“Your… move…” gasped Francesca.

Maria drew. The Dangerous Machine whirred again, and this time, the number 2 lit up.

Maria smiled.

“That number makes you discard a card, Francesca…” she chuckled.

A card flew out of Fran’s hand, and into the Graveyard.

“We are having no luck!” gasped Andy.

Maria took the card she had just drawn, and placed it facedown. It appeared next to her other one.

“Now…” she muttered with a shiver. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Francesca… I usually play this card along with Bad Reaction to Simochi. But since it likely hit the bottom of my deck, and my Life Points are pretty low, my options are rather limited…

“I’m helping you now, but I’ll still bury you…”

She played a card.

“I play Rain of Mercy…”

Thunder rolled overhead in the cavern, and a warm rain fell on the two duelists. Some of the ice that was constricting them cracked and fell away, and some warmth started to return…

Francesca’s Life Points rose to 3,850, and Maria’s rose to 3,800.

“This is one of the closest I’ve ever seen!” exclaimed Andy.

“Yeah, but unless Maria can trade that Slime for an offensive Monster, she’s in big trouble,” added Stan.

“I’ll end my turn there,” said Maria.

Francesca drew a card.

“Swords Woman, attack the Slime again!” she shouted.

Swords Woman attacked with her sword…

“I activate… Destruction Punch!” shouted Maria.

One of Maria’s facedown cards lifted…

As Swords Woman struck, she was propelled back fiercely, and then she shattered into pixels!

Maria laughed as her Life Points fell to 3,300.

“See, Fran?” she laughed. “I knew you would try this when I set up a wall Monster. So I put this Trap in my deck. That exchange may have cost me some Life Points, but your Amazon was destroyed for attacking a Monster with more Defense than she had Attack!”

She and Nightmare Penguin snickered.

Fran sighed.

Flurrie put her arm on her shoulder.

“Have faith, darlin’,” she said. “You can still beat her. You’re in the lead, and there’s more to your deck than that.”

“I hope…” answered Francesca.

She played a card.

“I’ll end… my turn by playing… Art Attack!” she said.

The card appeared.

Maria stared at her.

She drew.

Once again, the Dangerous Machine hummed…

It landed on the 4.

“Four?” asked Francesca. “What does… that do?”

Maria chuckled.

“It lets you draw a card,” answered Maria, with a smirk, “but I’m not gonna let you!”

Her other facedown card lifted.

“I was prepared… I activate Dice Re-Roll! Now my Machine will spin again!”

The Machine whirred again…

And this time, it landed on the 6.

“AWK!” shouted Maria. “Not a six!”

“What does… that do?” asked Fran, in fright.

The Dangerous Machine Type-6 looked broken. It started to spark, sputter, and shake…

And then it exploded into pixels!

Maria was clearly angry…

“Does that answer your question?” she asked.

She sighed.

“It’s not wise to tempt fate…” muttered Stan.

“Shut up!” shouted Maria.

She chose a card.

“Continuing my turn,” she growled, “I’ll sacrifice my Humanoid Slime to summon my Defender Iceberg!”

Humanoid Slime vanished, and the ground rumbled…

An immense form rose out of the ground! It was a huge mountain of ice, with giant arms and a horned head! (0/2,450)

“…and as you can tell from its name,” said Maria, “it goes in Defense Mode…”

“That’s… uh… impressive…” muttered Francesca.

“Impressive and powerful,” chuckled Maria. “Because for as long as it’s on the field, it’s the only thing you can attack!”

“No way…” gulped Andy.

“That will end my turn,” said Maria. “So what will you do?”

Francesca drew.

“Nothing,” she muttered. “I have to… pass…”

Maria drew a card.

“I summon Water Omotics in Attack Mode!” she exclaimed.

She played the card, and a female fairy in a scaly blue swimsuit and long, purple hair appeared, holding a jug. (1,400/1,200) –> (1,600/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN021.jpg

“She kind of looks like me, huh?” asked Maria. “But I’m more beautiful…”

“That’s open… for debate…” muttered Francesca.

“Water Omotics, drown her Fighter!” shouted Maria.

Water gushed forth from Water Omotics’s jar, and formed into the shape of a dragon! It plowed into Amazoness Fighter, and she was washed away.

Her eyebrows narrowed.

“Your move…” she said.

Francesca drew a card.

“I play… Monster Reborn, to… bring back Getsu Fuhma!” she exclaimed.

She played the card, and Getsu Fuhma appeared on the ankh. (1,700/1,200)

“And that’s all… I can do…” she muttered.

Maria chuckled.

“I know what your plan is, Francesca,” she said, making a draw. “Next turn, your Art Attack card will summon four Monsters, one of which will be your Tiger. You’ll blast down my Iceberg, and then attack me all at once!

“Well, I was prepared for your strategy. Watch as your plans go down the drain!”

She played a Magic Card.

“I play The Dark Door. Now, both of us can only attack with one Monster per round.

“And I know you might summon another Swords Woman, so I’m getting rid of the Iceberg…

“I’m going to summon my most ferocious Monster with this, the Ritual Magic Card, Turtle Oath!”

She played the card, and a huge altar with a turtle-shell covering appeared over the field.

“I’ll offer my Iceberg and Water Omotics as sacrifices,” she said, as the two Monsters vanished, “and in return, summon the incredible Crab Turtle!”

The altar vanished, and a huge creature, resembling a humanoid tortoise with one glaring eye and crab-like pincers appeared! It was fifteen feet tall, and eight feet wide! It roared in bloodlust…

(2,550/2,500) –> (2,750/2,500)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SRL-EN069.jpg

“Crab Turtle, show these teenage mutants what a full-grown turtle can do!” laughed Maria. “Attack Getsu Fuhma with vice grip!”

Crab Turtle roared again, and rushed forward. It grabbed Getsu Fuhma in its claw, and she screamed before shattering into shards!

Fran’s Life Points fell to 2,800. The ice covered her breasts again, and once again, her body started to feel numb…

“Yeah?” muttered Francesca, making a draw. “Well it’s my turn… And my Art Attack card… kicks in!”

She drew, and then the card on the field glowed.

Four cards flew out of Francesca’s deck, and they landed on her Disk. First came both Amazoness Paladins (1,700/300) –> (2,100/300), then Amazoness Blowpiper, kneeling in Defense Mode (800/1,500). Finally, Amazoness Tiger appeared next to them. (1,100/1,500) –> (2,700/1,500)

Maria laughed!

“I hate to state the obvious,” she snickered. “But one more Amazon, and you would have beaten Crab Turtle!”

Francesca glared at her.

“I’ll place a card facedown, and that will be all…” she muttered.

She played the card she had just drawn, and it appeared.

Maria drew.

“Heh, heh,” she chuckled, “perfect. I summon Penguin Warlock in Defense Mode.”

She played a card, and a cartoonish penguin dressed in a wizard’s outfit holding a staff appeared (0/0).

“Zero Attack… and Defense?” asked Francesca.

“Yes,” said Maria with a grin, “but he can’t be destroyed in battle! Also, if you target a Water Monster other than him with a card effect, such as Amazoness Spellcaster, I can discard one card to have him negate it!

“Face it Francesca, you’ll never defeat Crab Turtle! You’ve lost! You’re history! You’re next stop is the frozen foods section of the Shadow Realm! Crab Turtle, attack her Tiger!”

Crab Turtle lunged forward and crushed the Tiger! She shattered.

Fran’s Life Points fell to 2,750.

She doesn’t know it, but her plan isn’t as foolproof as she thinks, thought Francesca. And I have a feeling that her overgrown surf and turf there is the embodiment of Wrath that we’re looking for. Not the best version of Wrath, but it’s certainly wrathful. I just need the right card…

She drew.

“I almost feel… sorry for you, Maria,” she said. “Almost…

“I move Blowpiper… into Attack Mode…”

Blowpiper stood up.

“And now I play… Amazoness Spellcaster!”

She played a card.

“Weren’t you listening?” asked Maria. “I can discard a card to have Penguin Warlock negate that effect!”

She discarded a card… Penguin Warlock raised his staff, and it glowed…

“Yes… but I can counter that!” answered Francesca. “I activate… Divine Wrath!”

Her Trap Card lifted and she discarded one of her own cards… thunder rolled…

“Since your Monster… tried to activate its effect, that effect is… negated, and your Monster is… destroyed!”

Penguin Warlock was struck by lightning! He screamed and shattered into pixels!

“And now…” continued Francesca, “my Amazoness Spellcaster’s effect goes through!”

The aged Amazon gypsy appeared and started to chant…

Amazoness Blowpiper: (800/1,500) –> (2,550/1,500)

Crab Turtle: (2,750/2,500) –> (1,000/2,500)

“Blowpiper!” shouted Francesca. “Fillet that fish!”

Blowpiper leapt up and landed a kick in the Crab Turtle’s huge eye! The great beast roared, and then shattered into a million pieces!

Maria’s Life Points fell to 1,750…

And she shivered, not just in cold, but in terrible fear as well…

“I end my turn, Maria,” said Francesca.

“Curse, you… bitch…” shuddered Maria, making a draw. “I’ll beat… you… yet…”

She placed a card down on her Disk.

“I summon Psychic Kappa… in… Defense Mode…” she shivered.

An ugly cross between a turtle, a frog, and a bird appeared, shielding itself. (400/1,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SRL-EN053.jpg

“My… Dark Door… is still in place!” she shivered. “You can’t get… to my Life Points!”

Francesca drew a card.

Yes I can, she thought. I destroyed her soul, and now I’ll destroy her… by using my own soul as a bullet!

“I summon… Amazon Archer!” she shouted.

The young Amazon with a bow and arrows appeared. (1,400/1,000)

“And now,” said Francesca, “I can use her special ability, and sacrifice two Monsters to hit you directly for 1,200 points of damage! So I’ll sacrifice my Blowpiper and one Paladin!”

Blowpiper and a Paladin vanished, and Archer pulled her bow back. She fired, and Maria screamed!

Her Life Points fell to 550, and the ice reached to her neck…

“Almost…” she gasped. “But you don’t have enough ammo… to finish me off!”

“Yes I do…” said Francesca. “Because now I’m going to sacrifice my other Paladin… AND the Archer herself!”

Maria gasped in fright…

Archer pulled back her bow. The other Paladin vanished…

Archer started to fade too, but before she vanished, she fired another arrow, striking the Shadow Spawn of Water!

There was a scream that was quickly silenced. The three teens looked, and saw that Maria had been frozen solid in a block of ice…

And then she vanished completely.

The ice constricting Francesca vanished, and she flopped to the ground. Her cards spilled all over the floor.

“FRANCESCA!” shouted Andy.

He ran up and hugged her.

“It’s okay, baby, it’s okay…” he said, comforting her.

“Cold…” she muttered. “So cold…”

“We’ll be warmer soon…” he assured her. “The Queen will pay for this…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

In Rogueport, Merlee sighed.

He gestured, and the Crab Turtle card appeared in his hand.

“Only Vladimir remains,” he mused. “He’ll target Stan, for sure – Andy and Francesca are too tired to fight in a Shadow Game under fair conditions…

“But Vladimir is the deadliest yet. He has more tricks than simple Skull Servants. I was confident about the abilities of the Chosen Ones up to this point…

“But now…

“All I can say is, I’m not sure…”

DANGEROUS MACHINE TYPE-6 (Magic Card)

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of a crazy machine with six panels, sparking with electricity. Once per turn, during your Standby Phase, you can roll one die. Enact the following effects depending on the roll: 1) Discard one card from your hand. 2) Discard one card from your opponent’s hand at random. 3) Draw one card. 4) You opponent draws one card. 5) Destroy one opposing Monster. 6) This card is destroyed.

Note: “Dangerous Machine Type-6” is a Japanese promotional card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was used by Joey in the anime episode “Down in Flames (Part 2)”.

DEFENDER ICEBERG (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Aqua/Effect
Attribute: Water
Level: 6
ATK: 0
DEF: 2,450

Card Description: This impenetrable sheet of ice protects its master at all costs. When this Monster is face-up on the field in Defense Position, your opponent cannot target another Monster for an attack.

Note: “Defender Iceberg” was used by Crump in the anime episode “Freeze Play (Part 2)”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

PENGUIN WARLOCK (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Aqua/Effect
Attribute: Water
Level: 3
ATK: 0
DEF: 0

Card Description: This strange bird practices stranger magic. This Monster cannot be destroyed as a result of battle. When a Water-Attribute Monster (other than this one) is targeted by a card effect, you can discard one card from your hand to negate the effect.

”Madame Flurrie of the Fog”: Wind/Fairy (1,800/1,000)

Deckmaster SA: “Lip Lock”: Once per duel, take the total current ATK of all face-up opposing Monsters, divide the sum in half, and add the total to your Life Points.

”Nightmare Penguin”: Aqua/Water (900/1,800)

Deckmaster SA: “Water Enhancement”: All Water-Attribute Monsters on your side of the field in Attack Position gain 200 Attack Points.

Note: Crump used Nightmare Penguin as his Deckmaster in the anime episode “Freeze Play”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

[B][I]The end of the gauntlet is within sight, but Vladimir challenges Stan to a terrifying battle, held within the endless void of the Shadow Realm itself – without his friends to support him!

What happens at the end of this duel might surprise you.

It’s all coming to a head in a chapter called “Deeper Darkness”, coming soon.

starjake

14th January 2006, 09:31 AM

First off, that was really short.

Second, I think that in your zeal to try and surprise us with what the Wrath monster might be, you picked a pretty lame one. The characteristics you gave Crab Turtle's holographic form made it seem pretty Wrathful, yes, but I still think that Ocean Dragon Lord would've fit the bill much better...not to mention that it's a stronger monster anyway.

Third, Dangerous Machine Type-6? How does that fit Maria's deck? Sure, the word 'Dangerous' is in its name, but only two of the effects (2 and 5) actually hurt the opponent. Bizarre choice, if you ask me.

On a happier note, Maria's expression of her Sin was the best description yet. You also really played up the whole cold factor; then again, I despise cold weather (why, why, WHY do I live in New England?), so I could kind of relate to Fran there to a point.

Maybe I'm just being so negative because Water is the mortal enemy of Fire...

Dark Sage

14th January 2006, 09:36 AM

Starjake -

I didn't want to use a Field Card at all in this duel, because I wanted to stay away from cliches. So Neo-Daedalus was out.

I also didn't want Maria to use a Water Dragon deck, because that would be almost expected.

And I think you are being prejudiced of Water, seeing as it destroys Fire.

Zcade0

14th January 2006, 01:57 PM

*comments that you forgot to mention that Dangours Machine: Type 6 is also in the vidio game "Yu-Gi-Oh: Nightmare Trobador" for the DS in the credits*

not bad

though I would have waited a day for ether this or shadow realm:P.I. to many chappies in a day gets tiring

treeible wraith monster though, y did u even pic it?
*continues to copy sig*

Zcade0, 2nd best duelist in his area

Shuppet Master

14th January 2006, 05:30 PM

Don't let it get you down, Brian. I thought it was good...

I just hope you can get your loyal readers back with Vladimir, but I'm not holding my breath.

That thing where Maria dragged the kids into her lair reminded me of a book I read called "Into the Ice." It was by one of my favorite authors - Piers Anthony - and it was a one-shot novel. Basically, it had four main characters, one from each incarnation of the world, with the fantasy world being the last incarnation. The leader of the group, a man called Seth, ended up in this world by drowning in an icy lake, and the main villian, a vicious warlock, used his mind magic to make the group have nightmares based on their elemental fear, so Seth had nightmares of everyone turning to ice and a tidal wave flooding the Earth. Near the end, as the group reaches the villian's lair, a giant squid captures them and drops them at the feet of their nemesis, just like Maria did to the heroes of your chapter.

Keep up the good work. It's hard to make a good water deck without going through cliches.

Dark Sage

14th January 2006, 05:41 PM

Okay, look...

This is an idea that backfired on me.

I thought that by playing a villain with a water deck that did NOT use the staples (Daedalus, The Legendary Fisherman, or even ANY Field Card), it would be a unique idea, I'd be thought of as creative, people would think I WASN'T a conformist, and it would be a good chapter.

How wrong I was. People seemingly don't want original writing. They want the old, boring stuff that they can predict. You guys WANT predictable? Is that what you really want?

When I read a good work, I don't want predictable, I want to be surprised! If someone else had written a water duel and had used that Monster, I would NOT have liked it. I'd have said something like, "I saw that coming from the start."

Well, excuse me for trying to be creative!

I'm a writer, and I refuse to conform.

I'm getting sick of this particular fanfic myself, and I would love to start my new project, but I always finish what I start.

But remember this - my new project will have all-original stuff, and very little predictability! Those of you hoping for an old-fashioned Fiend Deck there will be disappointed.

And no Water Decks at all. At least not pure ones.

I'm sorry, but I had to rant. I try hard to write a good chapter, and it turns out what I thought was a good idea was apparently a lousy one.

Excuse me for being creative...

The_Missing_Link

14th January 2006, 06:32 PM

Well, I liked the chapter because the deck was changed up a bit. As I've said before, I'm not into the TCG like some other people so the more unique cards I see, the better. Maria was one of the better spawn to battle against and although the chapter was short, it was interesting

I have really high hopes for the Vladamir battle so take your time to make it the best

Shuppet Master

14th January 2006, 07:06 PM

See my above post, Brian. I think you're the Wylie Dufrense of fanfiction. :D So screw those judges! As long as you have one fan of your work like me, you're a winner.

Zcade0

15th January 2006, 11:45 AM

I like the deck, just not the wraith monster, water not very good for wraith monsters.... I thought it was good! Honestly! (excluding the wraith monster)

Perfect Chaos

15th January 2006, 02:06 PM

It's WRATH Zcade, not wraith. Check your spelling next time.

I think I know where the little rant that Brian gave us stemmed from, but I'll still give my thoughts:

I did not like this chapter wholeheartedly.

Yes, while it was nice to see different Water monsters that most people don't see in a regular Water deck, it sort of then makes the character using them seem sortof "lackluster"

I know you were trying NOT to conform to the rest of the world by not using Daedalus, but let's stick with the facts: Daedalus is one of two monsters (including Gogiga Gagagigo) that represent Wrath properly concerning Water monsters. While yes they are not a surprise when using them for a fic, it still fits the theme and thus, I think you should've still used them.

Let me go back to the duel between Tyson vs. Stan. I believe ALMOST everyone managed to guess that Infernal Incinerator was going to be Tyson's Soul Card, and lo and behold, we see it appear in the chapter. Did everyone get on your case for your lack of originality? No, in fact, most people actually said that chapter was your best Spawn duel at that point because everything managed to fit and make sense despite the lack of a surprising factor and the level of predictability (I personally liked Leopold's duel best but that's me).

Anyways, what I'm trying to say is that don't try to change something does fit and make sense concerning a character's traits and personality just because we the readers manage to figure it out ahead of time and its predictable. If you kept with what relates to a character in a fic, then everything would make much more sense for the readers and there wouldn't be as much confusion about certain aspects.

Well, there's my 2 cents

-sean

Master of Paradox

17th January 2006, 07:03 AM

Sheesh, Dark Sage! All they (two people, for that matter) said was that Crab Turtle was a bad idea for Wrath! (Which I happen to agree with, by the way, but that's not important...)

I do have to wonder how they'll react when I get to the Water duel in "Tilting the Balance", though.

Most of what I was going to say was said by Perfect Chaos already. I liked seeing the Des Frogs, but then again I play that deck in the real world, so I have an attraction to them.

Actually, I'm afraid to say anything, since what was already said triggered a fairly... strong reaction. In fact, I'll shut up right now.

Blademaster

19th January 2006, 01:35 PM

Wow...

Dark Sage still hasn't come back...

Is he still mad at us (By which I mean me.) for being so mean last chapter?

...

I hope he didn't do something drastic, like rewrite Vladimir's deck to be a stereotypical Fiend Deck starring Necrofear and Zorc, or worse, abandon this fic altogether...

What have I done?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

DARK SAGE, COME BACK!!!

(ECHO, ECHO, ECHO, ECHO, echo...)

...

(darkness)

Dark Sage

19th January 2006, 02:14 PM

Calm down.

The next chapter is tomorrow.

- DS

Shuppet Master

19th January 2006, 04:39 PM

Please, Blademaster, stop overreacting! I'm mad that G4TechTV has cancelled its best shows and bowed to the darn Trekkie fad and Food Network may have cancelled the original Iron Chef series, but that doesn't make me throw myself off a cliff, does it? :rolleyes:

Dark Sage has commitments, so do I. I just finished writing the next chapter of Sister of Anansi, but the chapters may be coming slower than molasses in December in Alaska because I have started school again and I want to do well in my classes. If he hasn't replied to this thread, he's probably at work or something, okay?

Master of Paradox

19th January 2006, 06:23 PM

Shuppet: Far as I can tell, Food Network is still showing the original Iron Chef... which was cancelled several years ago in Japan.

Blademaster: Surprised you didn't notice my work stoppage. What I'm up to... well, I'm mostly working on the secret TYD sequel project. Thus the lack of updates to Lady of Dragons and lack of other works.

Wait. I just gave away the existence of the secret TYD sequel project.

Everyone who read this post must now be neutralized.

Blademaster

19th January 2006, 07:03 PM

I understand that, Shup, but DS still sounds kinda mad... I can hear it in his voice...

...Er, rather, I can see it in his posts...

And as for you, Para, what makes you think I haven't noticed your work stoppage? I'd assumed you were on a short hiatus since you completed SR: 15.

Besides, as far as I know, Lady of Dragons is JKBakura's fic, not yours. ^_^'

...Now, what's this about a TYD sequel? I own the game, and TYD WAS the sequel! Are you making a game set in a tournament (Or just in some place conjured by an evil mastermind.) based on the original, with places like Shiver City, Lavalava Island, and Dry, Dry Desert? If so, good for you!

AND... while we're on the subject of new works...

...Well, just check out MY fic a little later!

Back to you, though, though, a realistic cross-over fic would be awesome, Pardox-you crashed through the threshold with your CSR fic, and a cross-over of series (A good one, though-not like one of those crappy ff.net cross-overs.) would absolutely rule! YGO meets Mario... I can only imagine it...

In fact, Paradox, I wanna know more about-

Paradox: (Puts on sunglasses and holds up neuralyzer.)

FLASH!

...What happened?

EDIT: This has absolutely nothing to do with anything, but am I the only one who has (or hasn't) noticed that DS' signature has changed?

For as long as I can remember, his 'ASB Team' consisted of a Charmander, a Ralts, a Seedot, a Lotad, and an Aron.

But I just noticed while skimming this page that his 'ASB Team' now contains 1 Charmander, Kirlia, Nuzleaf, Lombre, and Aron!

He's a writer, a worker, and a Pokemon Trainer!

Nice resume...

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

P. S. Para is right, Shup-Iron Chef America is still on the Food Network-on Sunday nights, I believe.

jkBAKURA

19th January 2006, 08:41 PM

Guess Who's Back Man!

Well, after a single questionable downloaded picture crashed the school's computers, It's taken me a while to get back working again. Now on to the belated reviews.

Leopold was kept in character this time around, and even though it wasn't constant, the slip in of a single statistic made me remember one of my favorite duels of the story. Beast Warriors are a tricky theme, as there isn't much suppot geared directly twords them, and though I did like the Dinos, you had enough in Leo's last appearance that a repeat may have been sub-par. As a side note, I thought you'd go for the pun and have Leogun be the soul card. And like the othewrs, Sennengin fell through as a monster of Pride. (Mostly because I envision him as too stupid to get the concept)

On to the Water duel. Clever continuation of the slight Ice theme we saw in the last appearance. (I would also like to note that this is the only Spawn duel in which the opponent was the same as in their first matches) A bit short, but I have to say that after thinking about it, and looking at the picture long enough, I could imagine Crab Turtle as a monster of Wrath, although Daidalus or the Gagas used in the previous chapter were indeed the difinitive answers.

As for tommarow, I have to wonder, if a Spawn useed their Soul card as a Deckmaster, then it would be rather dificult to distroy and make the win easier. I for one, am hoping that Vladimir survives the chapter, he's too cool to be cut short. As for a theme, Dark World and Gravekeepers are taken, as well as several Fiend stratagies. Personally, I'm expecting Spellcasters.

Monster of Envy... and I have a guess, but the last couple choises took everyone by surprize, so I'm keeping my big mouth shut.

Read here tommarow, and It feels great to be back.

Shuppet Master

19th January 2006, 10:32 PM

(Hides behind neuralsis shield)

AH MAN! THAT SUCKS! I had a great idea for a TYD sequel! (Growl...) :(

Well, don't worry too much about it, guys. Your secret is safe with me. ;)

Dark Sage

19th January 2006, 10:37 PM

SM, concentrate on "Sister of Anansi" first.

But anyway, Paradox has given me a few hints as to what his project entails. It will not premier until TYD is over, because he must know the whole story, and I'm not giving him spoilers.

JK, glad to have you back. Get LoD back up soon.

As to the theme of Vladimir's new deck, well, it's a very clever and deadly strategy, and I'd like to point out a few things right now, for the second time:

Many cards that are very well known in the real world are almost unknown in the anime world. You'll recognize Vladimir's major cards on sight, but Stan will not.

And here's something else... By the end of the chapter, a special guest will appear!

More than that, I cannot say.

Be here tomorrow.

- Dark Sage

Shuppet Master

19th January 2006, 10:47 PM

SM, concentrate on "Sister of Anansi" first.

Well, there's no point in working on it now that Paradox has revealed he'll do it.

Are you making a game set in a tournament (Or just in some place conjured by an evil mastermind.) based on the original, with places like Shiver City, Lavalava Island, and Dry, Dry Desert?

That was what I was thinking of doing, using...well, if Paradox is going to do it like that, I won't spoil who the bad guy would be! :)

Master of Paradox

20th January 2006, 07:09 AM

Now that the cat's out of the bag concerning the sequel, I'll reveal only minor details and then go silent.

It will NOT be tournament-based.

It will NOT be based around one of the Mario RPGS. (This is to some extent because I couldn't find a way to translate Yaridovich to the real world.)

It will PROBABLY NOT include most of the characters from "Yu-Gi-Oh! The Thousand Year Door", being set a year after the events of that story and seeing as I'm not the guy who made most of them up..

It will NOT include the Dark Magician, Blue Eyes White Dragon, or for that matter spellcaster or dragon decks in general. They're among the deck types I made off-limits to myself during the planning stages.

It WILL feature one character from the previous story - a minor character who takes over as the main character.

Which one? Well, think about it... which character could I use without asking anyone's explicit permission?

I will now go silent. Don't bother asking for more details until TYD's done.

Dark Sage

20th January 2006, 07:59 AM

[B][I]Call me Merlee. I can’t give you my real name just yet.

I’ve watched the progress of the six children known as the Shadow Spawn since they were each born. Evil was implanted in their hearts at an early age, and wickedness was planted within them; it only grew worse when they received the power over Shadow…

One might think that the one whom the Queen raised as her heir would be the most evil of the siblings, the most wicked…

But Vladimir is a strange case. Maybe because he, alone of the Spawn, had a human father, maybe because of inborn wisdom, maybe because of a bump on the head when he was a kid… I don’t know…

But for some reason, there is more hope for him than for the others.

I firmly believe that all the Spawn can be saved… All except Vladimir have fallen victim to their own diabolic punishments by now, but I know secrets about these Games, and so does the Queen. The Spawn were not born evil, and they are young… It isn’t too late…

Crimes cannot be undone, but sins can be cleansed.

But before that can be done, the Queen’s evil plans must fail. She lost all hope for redemption centuries ago.

I can only watch this duel between my protégé and Vladimir now, and see the result. This will be the duel I will learn the most from…

[B][size=3]CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

Deeper Darkness

In the dark bowels of the Palace of Shadow, cells with bars and manacles lined the walls. There wasn’t much use for these cells – the Queen used the Graveyard as a prison.

In one large room, a young man brooded.

As he looked at the cards in a dueling deck, a thought came to his mind…

What am I?

His name was Vladimir. He had two major titles: The Shadow Spawn of Darkness, and The Heir of Shadow.

Both were titles he didn’t want, and would gladly have given to someone else if he wanted them.

Merlee had been only partially right in identifying the sin which weighed down his heart. Yes, Envy was thick in it…

But he was mostly envious of the average duelist – the type who laughed and played with his friends… The type who could play card games for enjoyment.

Duel Monsters was never a form of recreation for him… It was a deadly weapon.

He possessed powers over Shadow, and he was one of the best duelists his mother had. So when the most skilled duelists had to be disposed of in a Shadow Game, it was his responsibility.

He’d done it nineteen times in the past ten years…

Nineteen Shadow Games…

Nineteen souls locked away in the darkness.

Every time his mother made him do it, he grieved for the victim. He remembered them all plainly. Their terrified looks… Their screams… But refusing to do it wasn’t an option…

The one time he had refused, he had been tortured for a fortnight.

He fully planned on taking his own mother down in the same fashion someday. But until he was strong enough, he had to obey…

And if things went as planned, in less than an hour, the number would be an even twenty…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

After Maria’s defeat, the ice cavern gave way to a much warmer cave, and the three teens stopped to rest.

Andy and Francesca sat slumped against each other, almost too tired to move.

“That leaves Vladimir…” sighed Stan. “But there hasn’t been any word from him yet…”

“Maybe he’ll leave us alone,” gasped Francesca. “He doesn’t seem like the type…”

“Trust me,” answered Andy, “he’ll come…”

But after half an hour, nothing happened.

“Well, we’re just wasting time here…” muttered Stan.

And then the walls started to melt away.

“Ho boy…” he said.

The walls of the dark dungeon rose up, and they saw the last of the Shadow Spawn in front of them.

They looked at each other for a few seconds…

“Vladimir…” said Francesca. “It doesn’t have to go down like this! You’re better than the others! You don’t want to…”

“It isn’t a question of what I want to do, Fran,” sighed Vladimir, shaking his head. “I gave up my right to decide what I wanted a long time ago.”

“You aren’t evil!” protested Andy. “You can still…”

“Am I, Andy?” he interrupted again. “Whether I am or not is up for the greater powers to decide, but it’s too late to turn back…

“Evil or not, I’ve committed too many crimes against humanity in my brief life to ever be forgiven. If you knew some of the things I’ve done, you’d be appalled…

“You’d hate me as much as you hated my siblings, damn them… I wouldn’t blame you. I hate myself as it is.”

“Vladimir…” protested Stan. “I remember when we entered the Palace and your brothers and sisters tried to kill us… You weren’t with them! You’re better than they are!

“You don’t have to do this…”

“I must…” said Vladimir, raising his hand. “And let me say in advance, Stan, I’m so sorry…”

At that moment, Stan felt himself falling! He was falling through a void of darkness!

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

In the room where the Unfriendly Amazon, Peten the Dark Clown, and the End of Anubis were held prisoner, they were shocked to see that the viewing orb in front of them went dark.

“What happened?” asked Peten.

The Fiend near him concentrated.

“Dark energy,” he said. “Shadow magic of the most powerful type. I can feel it in my bones.

“Whatever Vladimir has done with Stan, Stan may be in for the fight of his life…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Stan got up…

He was in a void, with a dark sky both above and below. Starry points of light twinkled in the ether.

He was standing on what looked like a rocky platform, eight feet across.

He looked ahead of him, and Vladimir appeared on a similar platform, with his Disk in his hand.

“Where are we?” asked Stan.

“I’ve altered the rules a bit, Stan,” said Vladimir. “In the previous Shadow Games, you and your friends had to worry about being banished here…

“But now, the actual duel is going to take place in the endless void. The loser remains… The winner gets to return.

“Other than that, no special rules apply. I’m not one to savor pain like my siblings do.”

He took a card from his deck.

“But I will try my hardest to defeat you,” he said, holding the card out in front of him. “And my Deckmaster is one of the most powerful in the whole system…”

“How bad could it be?” asked Stan.

Vladimir’s eyes narrowed.

“It’s one of the most feared and hated creatures of darkness in the game, Stan,” he replied. “But I’ll let it speak for itself…”

The card flew from his hand, and fluttered over his head…

In a flash of light, an intimidating form appeared behind Vladimir…

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PSV-EN000.jpg

“JINZO?” gasped Stan.

It was indeed Jinzo. The robed android with the bionic cranium, glowing goggles, and fanged grill for a mouth was clearly recognizable.

The creature crossed its arms and stared at Stan, and though him as well.

“I take it you can figure out what this means,” said Vladimir.

No kidding, thought Stan, taking out his deck. It means my Trap Cards are worthless, and I really don’t have time to replace them all! If he’s going to use a Deckmaster this powerful, I’m going to need to find one that’s just as powerful!

He looked at a card…

This one is worth a shot… he thought.

“I choose Sorcerer of Dark Magic!” he exclaimed, holding it up.

In a flash of light, the powerful Spellcaster appeared behind him.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MOV-EN002.jpg

And then a voice of timeless wisdom came from the Monster…

“Stan…” said the Sorcerer. “Our foe is powerful, that I can sense, but calm yourself, and listen carefully…

“My Deckmaster ability of Reincarnation can allow you to Special Summon any Spellcaster of four stars or less from your Graveyard, if you simply discard one card from your hand.

“But be careful. If such a Monster is sent to the Graveyard a second time, it will be removed from play.

“Use this ability wisely, and with a great amount of luck, we may yet emerge victorious…”

“Okay…” answered Stan.

“It’s time to duel!” he said, drawing five cards.

The Life Point counters each set to 8,000.

“I’ll even let you go first,” said Vladimir, drawing five.

“Fine,” said Stan, drawing a sixth. “I summon Magician’s Valkyria, in Attack Mode!”

In a twinkle of light, Valkyria descended, floating over the void in front of Stan. (1,600/1,800)

“That will do for now…” he stated.

“I see…” said Vladimir, drawing a card.

He placed a card down.

“I summon an infernal contraption known as Drillago, in Attack Mode!” he exclaimed.

A hideous Machine that was almost all drills and screws appeared in front of him. (1,600/1,100)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-026.jpg

“Oh, and by the way,” mentioned Vladimir, “when the only cards you have on your side of the field are face-up Monsters with 1,600 or more Attack Points… like right now… this thing can attack you directly.”

“Oh geeze…” muttered Stan.

“Drillago, attack!” ordered Vladimir.

The drills on the crazy Machine spun, and it lunged forward! Valkyria was thrown aside, and the thing rammed into Stan!

He fell back, and was caught by the Sorcerer.

He took some deep breaths. His Life Points fell to 6,400.

“Well, that was… unpleasant…” he said, making a draw.

He looked at the card.

“You like Dark Monsters, Vladimir? Here’s one… I summon Vivian the Shadow Siren!”

He played the card, and the cute, ghostly Spellcaster appeared! (1,800/1,000)

“Vivian, take out Drillago with your Fiery Jinx!” shouted Stan.

Vivian shot a stream of flames at Drillago, and the Machine burst into pixels!

“Valkyria, attack directly!” he shouted. “Bright rainbow blast!”

Valkyria leapt up, and shot a blast of light at the Shadow Spawn! He cringed, and his Life Points fell to 6,200.

“Who needs Traps?” chuckled Stan.

“This duel is just starting Stan,” sighed Vladimir, drawing a card.

There it is, he said, looking at it and the other cards in his hand. The final piece I need to make my strategy complete…

“I’ll place three cards facedown,” said Vladimir, placing three of them into slots.

Three facedown cards appeared. Stan raised an eyebrow, and then looked at Jinzo.

“Next I’ll play Premature Burial, to bring back Drillago…”

He played the card, and his Life Points fell to 5,400. The Machine returned.

“And now, I’ll sacrifice Drillago to summon forth a beast from your darkest nightmares… I summon… Helpoemer!”

Drillago shattered, and a new creature appeared…

It was clearly a Fiend, but Stan had never seen something so fiendish in his life. It looked like a humanoid made of black leather, with fanged mouths all over its body! It wore a purple kilt, and was seated on a throne made of dull, chipped rock. (2,000/1,400)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PGD-058.jpg

Stan gulped.

Get ahold of yourself! he thought. Yeah, it’s ugly, and creepy, but I can handle it…

“Helpoemer…” ordered Vladimir. “Attack Valkyria with nightmare gaze!”

The beast’s eyes opened, and it glared at Valkyria…

Stan quickly discarded White Magician Pikeru.

“Vivian! Protect Valkyria!” he shouted.

Vivian grabbed hold of Valkyria, and they vanished into the shadows. The Fiend’s attack struck nothing.

“Very well,” said Vladimir. “I end my turn…”

He stared at Stan.

Stan drew a card.

Cybernetic Magician, he thought. This guy can wipe out creepshow there, but I need to trade another Monster for him…

But which?

Sigh, Vivian is useful, and I hate sending her away, but having two Monsters whose effects require discarding is not a good idea…

“I sacrifice Vivian to summon Cybernetic Magician!” he shouted.

Vivian grinned at Vladimir, and then spun around before vanishing…

And then Cybernetic Magician arose! (2,400/1,000)

“Attack Helpoemer!” shouted Stan. “Cyber magic attack!”

The Magician’s punch-dagger glowed, and he shot forth a beam of light! The Fiend screamed with all of its mouths, and shattered!

Vladimir’s Life Points fell to 5,000.

“Valkyria, you know what to do…” said Stan with a grin.

Valkyria aimed her staff at Vladimir.

“Activate… Draining Shield!” shouted Vladimir.

His Trap Card lifted, and a dome of energy surrounded him! Valkyria’s blast was absorbed, and his Life Points rose to 6,600.

“What?” gasped Stan. “Hey, that’s a Trap! Jinzo is supposed to negate ALL Traps!”

“Normally, that’s true,” replied Vladimir, “but when Jinzo is a Deckmaster, it lets me use all the Traps I want, while only negating yours.”

Stan paused.

“But…” he stated. “Why didn’t you use that to save Helpoemer? Unless you…”

Vladimir looked at him.

“When your turn comes around again,” answered Vladimir. “You’ll see what Helpoemer can truly do.”

“What are you talking about?” asked Stan. “I just sent it to your Graveyard!”

“Wrong,” said Vladimir. “Since it was destroyed as a result of battle, it’s not in my Graveyard…

“It’s in yours…”

Stan’s eyes opened wide… He looked at his Disk…

“W-w-what’s it doing in there?” he asked.

“You’ll see,” said Vladimir. “But don’t try removing it with Monster Reborn or a similar card, because it can’t be Special Summoned from a Graveyard.”

He drew.

“I play Pot of Greed,” he said, playing the card.

As always, the jar appeared, and handed him two more cards.

“Next I’ll activate my other two Traps…” he said. “Both of them are Continuous.”

The two facedown cards lifted.

“The first is called Coffin Seller. This Trap will cause you to lose 300 Life Points whenever one of your Monsters is sent to the Graveyard. And it doesn’t matter whether that Monster is destroyed, sacrificed, or otherwise discarded.

“The other one is called Magical Thorn. This will cause you to lose 500 Life Points whenever a card is discarded from your hand, for any reason.”

“Who are you going to use, Don Zaloog?” asked Stan.

“No,” replied Vladimir, placing a card on his Disk.

A Monster started to appear.

“I summon one of Kaiba’s favorite Monsters… Vorse Raider!”

The wicked Beast-Warrior in armor holding a huge axe appeared, swinging it menacingly. (1,900/1,200)

http://www.yugioh-cards.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/tin/CT2-EN003.jpg

“Attack Magician’s Valkyria!” ordered Vladimir.

Vorse Raider growled, and hurled his axe! Valkyria screamed and was blasted into pixels!

Stan’s Life Points fell to 6,100, and then again to 5,800.

The axe flew back to Vorse Raider’s hand.

“As you can see,” said Vladimir, “the Coffin Seller Trap is already working…”

“All right… my move!” shouted Stan.

He drew a card and looked at his hand.

He left that Vorse Raider on the field in front of my Cybernetic Magician, completely defenseless! he thought.

He paused.

His problem…

“Cybernetic Magician, attack Vorse Raider!” he shouted.

The Magician cast forth his cyber magic, and Vorse Raider howled before blowing up!

Vladimir’s Life Points fell to 6,100.

“Well that was incredibly…” started Stan. “HEY!”

A ghostly hand reached out of his discard slot and grabbed his A Rival Appears! card! It pulled it into the discard slot with it!

Stan stared in disbelief, and his Life Points fell to 5,300.

“The secret’s out,” said Vladimir. “Now, every time you end a Battle Phase, Helpoemer will grab a card from your hand, at random… You’ll lose 500 Life Points from Magical Thorn, plus another 300 from Coffin Seller if the card happens to be a Monster.

“You see my strategy now, Stan? The only way you can avoid losing Life Points from Helpoemer is by not attacking at all, and you can’t win that way… But if you attack, your hand will be destroyed, and you’ll lose Life Points a little at a time.”

“I’ll beat you yet, Vlad…” muttered Stan.

But he had to admit, this was one of the deadliest strategies he’d ever seen…

“My draw…” said Vladimir.

He drew a card.

“I’ll help us both out, Stan, by playing Card of Sanctity!”

A bright flash lit up the dark void, and coins fell from above!

Vladimir drew four cards, and Stan drew two.

Help me… thought Stan. Right. He’s really giving Helpoemer more to choose from…

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

A facedown Monster appeared.

Stan drew a card.

Attacking will just hurt me, he thought. But not attacking will give him a chance to summon something nasty.

“Cybernetic Magician, attack!” shouted Stan.

Cybernetic Magician blasted the facedown card…

And a spooky grim reaper holding a scythe appeared before shattering.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-076.jpg

“Emissary of the Afterlife?” asked Stan. “Like I told Johnson, Vlad, I don’t have any Normal Monsters of three stars or lower in my deck!”

“Well I have one,” said Vlad, going to his deck.

He took out a card and showed it to Stan.

“A guy called Ancient Brain. And since you declared an attack…”

The ghostly arm reached out and grabbed Stan’s Sibling Rivalry card!

His Life Points fell to 4,800.

This is nuts… muttered Stan.

“Make your move…” he said.

Vladimir drew a card.

“Since you like Spellcasters so much, Stan,” he said, “I’m going to summon a very powerful one myself…”

He fit a card into a slot.

“I play Polymerization, to fuse the Ancient Brain I just got with Tainted Wisdom!”

Two creatures appeared. The first was an ugly Fiend with a huge brain for a cranium, a green robe, and raven-like wings. The second was simply a shriveled-up brain.

The Polymerization card appeared, and they swirled into a murky blur…

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN082.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOB-EN059.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN081.jpg

A dark portal appeared in front of Vladimir, and a sound like armor clanking sounded… A hulking form stepped out, hideously revealed!

It was a fiendish creature, clad in a breastplate shaped like a skull, and a skull-like helmet with huge horns. He had a nasty sword, and a shield that was also shaped like a skull. (2,650/2,250)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN123.jpg

“Uh…” muttered Stan. “Uh huh… That’s Skull Knight, huh?”

“Yes,” stated Vladimir, “all 2,650 Attack Points of him. And I’ll end my turn by placing a card facedown…”

He placed a card in a slot, and a facedown appeared.

Continued…

Dark Sage

20th January 2006, 08:02 AM

Continued from last post:

Stan drew.

This will cost me some Life Points, he thought, looking at his Spellbinding Circle, But I have to use Cybernetic Magician’s special ability!

“All right, Vlad!” he exclaimed. “I’m activating Cybernetic Magician’s special ability! I’ll discard this Trap that I couldn’t use anyway…”

He discarded Spellbinding Circle, and his Life Points fell to 4,300.

“And your Skull Knight is reduced to 2,000 Attack Points!”

Skull Knight fell to 2,000 Attack.

“Attack!” shouted Stan. “Destroy him!”

Cybernetic Magician powered up his magic.

“Not so fast, Stan!” shouted Vladimir. “I knew all about your Magician’s effect, so I put something to protect my Knight… Activate Rush Recklessly!”

His facedown card lifted. Stan gasped in fear as Skull Knight’s Attack rose to 2,700!

Skull Knight knocked the blast aside and struck with his sword, blasting Cybernetic Magician out of existence!

Stan stared in disbelief for a second…

Then Helpoemer’s hand reached out, and grabbed his Ebon Magician Curran!

He looked at his Life Point counter: 2,900.

One stupid move had cost him a total of 1,900 Life Points. 500 from activating his Magician’s effect, 300 from his Magician’s death, 300 from Coffin Seller the first time, 500 from Magical Thorn, and another 300 from Coffin Seller a second time!

As he took another card from his hand, he realized that another mistake like that would be his last…

“Mystical Elf in Defense Mode!” he stated.

He played the card, and Mystical Elf appeared, kneeling. (800/2,000)

“That will end my turn, Vladimir,” he said, “that’s enough for one turn, I must say…”

“I must say…” agreed Vladimir, drawing a card.

“Skull Knight, attack the Elf!” he shouted. “Off with her head!”

Skull Knight swung his sword, and beheaded Mystical Elf.

Stan’s Life Points fell another 300 points, to 2,600.

“Your move…” he said.

What can I do? he thought. Every move I make just brings me closer to losing!

”Stan…” said a voice behind him.

He turned and saw Sorcerer of Dark Magic.

”As grim as this situation is,” said the Spellcaster, ”you can still fight so long as you still have Life Points left…”

“But how?” asked Stan. “I can’t even use your effect… I’ll just lose more Life Points. Even worse, I’m all alone…”

”No you’re not,” said the Sorcerer. ”Your friends are standing behind you back at the Palace, and the three of you have other allies supporting you…

“Your tower is strong, Stan… Your allies are numerous. In your quest so far, people have supported you with their cheers and their hopes… Hopes that the Shadow Queen would be defeated.

“Let me show you…”

He raised his hand…

Images flashed in Stan’s mind…

He imagined himself in the Great Tree, where Punio and Petuni urged him to fight Kurtis the first time…

He remembered Francesca’s duel in Glitzville against her brainwashed friend… He swore then that the Queen would pay for the vile act…

He remembered his duel with Leopold for the first time, how the jerk had forced him to duel with the lives of the entire population of Twilight Town on the line… They were so grateful afterwards…

He had dueled tag-team with Francesca against Roboyarou and Robolady… Fran had sacrificed all her Life Points to save him, and he had defeated their Master of Oz to save her and Andy…

In his duel against the ghost pirate Cortez, he had not only won his Crystal Star, but freed a soul from a terrible curse…

Soon after, he had helped free Diana from the same wicked brainwashing that enspelled Yumi…

All the duels that had gotten him here, and Monsters, real and holographic, that he had defeated… Gate Guardian, Sacred Phoenix, Vampire Genesis, even a Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth…

So many victories were now looking back at him, and with each, an ally was cheering him on.

He wasn’t alone… He had a fortress of iron…

And he could defend it!

He drew!

“I summon Goombella the Scholar in Defense Mode!” he shouted.

He played the card, and Goombella appeared. (500/2,000)

“And now for her Tattle!” exclaimed Stan.

Goombella winked, and four cards floated off his deck.

Hey… he thought. I’ve got an idea…

He made some rearrangements, and they floated back.

“That’s it for my turn,” he stated.

“Fine,” said Vladimir, drawing.

He placed a card down on his Disk.

“I summon Witch’s Apprentice in Defense Mode…”

A blue-robed Spellcaster with a peaked hat carrying a broom appeared, with white, feathered wings on her back, in a sitting position. (550/500)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN121.jpg

“This Spellcaster makes Dark Monsters even darker,” said Vladimir, “increasing their Attack Scores by 500 Points.”

Skull Knight rose to 3,150 Attack, and Witch’s Apprentice herself rose to 1,050.

“Skull Knight, attack!”

Goombella stared defiantly, as Skull Knight closed in with his sword…

She was smashed to pieces, and Stan’s Life Points fell again, to 2,300.

“Fine,” said Stan. “But she helped me a great deal…”

“What do you mean?” asked Vladimir.

“Because now I know what my next four draws will be,” answered Stan, “and they’re gonna throw your strategy into that abyss down there!”

He drew a card.

“And now I play Heavy Storm!” he yelled, playing a card.

Skull Knight and Witch’s Apprentice braced themselves, as fierce winds swept through the void! Coffin Seller and Magical Thorn were blown to pieces!

“Clever…” muttered Vladimir. “But that didn’t get rid of Helpoemer, and I still have a very powerful Monster on my side of the field.”

“Well then,” said Stan, “I’ll just summon The Illusory Gentleman in Defense Mode, and end my turn there…”

He played the card, and the cyclopsed Spellcaster appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,500/1,600) –> (2,000/1,600)

“Fine, Stan,” muttered Vladimir. “But you aren’t the only one who’s capable of drawing a Monster…”

He drew.

Kuriboh? he thought. Then again, I’d rather save this…

“Skull Knight, attack the Gentleman!”

With one slash of his sword, The Illusory Gentleman was no more.

“Your move…” said Vladimir.

“Okay, here goes… something!” yelled Stan, making a draw.

“I play my own Pot of Greed!” he shouted.

The Pot handed him two more cards.

He looked at the cards. His eyes opened.

He could solve the immediate problem now, but a light sparked in his head.

Hey… he thought, looking at his cards. Maybe that rotten Helpoemer can actually help me!

A strategy started to form.

“I’ll play two cards facedown,” he said, placing two cards into slots.

What is he doing? thought Vladimir. He knows his Traps won’t work…

“Now I summon Watapon!” exclaimed Stan, playing the card.

The puffball Fairy appeared.

“And since I drew Watapon using Pot of Greed,” he continued, “I can now sacrifice it, to summon Chaos Command Magician, in Attack Mode!”

Watapon vanished, and the robed sorcerer of Light appeared, casting a shining glow on the void! (2,400/1,900) –> (2,000/1,900)

“Sure,” said Stan, “Your Witch’s Apprentice reduces his Attack Score by 400…”

Chaos Command Magician aimed his staff at Witch’s Apprentice, and she gulped.

“…but that’s far from enough to save her! Chaos Command Magician, chaos magic!”

Chaos Command Magician shot forth a beam of light, and Witch’s Apprentice was blown into fragments!

Chaos Command Magician returned to 2,400 Attack, and Skull Knight fell to 2,650 Attack.

Okay, Helpoemer, thought Stan. Be a good abomination, and do what I want…

The hand reached out of the discard slot, and grabbed a card…

Ye-ess! thought Stan.

“Welp, that’s my turn, Vlad old boy,” he said.

Now, let’s just pray Vladimir doesn’t draw a four-star Monster stronger than Vorse Raider right now… thought Stan. If by some chance he draws a Giant Orc, I’ve had it…

“That was a foolish move, Stan,” said Vladimir, drawing. “You killed Witch’s Apprentice but now what price will you have to pay? Now your Magician is doomed, and you will be too…”

He placed down a card.

“I summon Gil Garth in Attack Mode!”

A creature looking like another infernal machine, this one humanoid with a hunched back and carrying a nasty sword, materialized. (1,800/1,200)

“Skull Knight, attack his Magician!” shouted Vladimir.

Skull Knight leapt forward, and cut down Chaos Command Magician!

Here it comes… thought Stan.

“Gil Garth, attack directly!” shouted Vladimir.

The machine-Fiend flew forward and slashed with its sword! Stan screamed and fell over…

Sorcerer of Dark Magic caught him again, as his Life Points plummeted to only 250.

It’s almost over… thought Vladimir. Well, at least Stan put up more of a fight than the others…

Congratulation, Vladimir… this is an even twenty. I do hope you’re proud of yourself…

“Heh, heh…” chuckled Stan.

He wiped his mouth.

“HA, HA, HA!”

“Why are you laughing?” asked Vladimir, surprised. “Are you aware of the stakes of this duel!”

Stan drew a card, still chuckling.

“Oh yeah…” chuckled Stan. “I’m aware. But you didn’t see my own strategy, Vladimir, even when it was right in front of your face!

“I activate my first facedown card… Soul Release!”

His facedown card lifted.

“See, I put this on the field to make sure Helpoemer wouldn’t grab it. Now I can remove from play up to five cards in either Graveyard. But I’m only gonna get rid of one… Helpoemer, begone!”

A vision of Helpoemer appeared behind him. The creature screamed, and shattered into pixels!

“It’s gone, Vladimir, gone for good,” continued Stan. “But y’know, I really ought to thank the guy!”

“Thank him?” said Vladimir, shocked.

“Yeah!” laughed Stan. “You see, the last card it snatched was a very powerful Monster, that normally needs two sacrifices to summon… But because he grabbed it out of my hand and threw it in the Graveyard, I don’t have to sacrifice squat!

“I only have to play the other card I put on the field…

“…Monster Reborn!”

The other facedown card lifted… The holy ankh appeared…

And Dark Magician of Chaos arose! (2,800/2,600)

“Ho boy…” muttered Vladimir.

“Magician, wipe out Skull Knight!” shouted Stan. “Chaos scepter blast!”

Dark Magician of Chaos spun his scepter, and shot forth a burning wave of black energy, blasting Skull Knight apart!

Vladimir’s Life Points fell slightly, to 5,950.

Incredible… he thought. That was the best strategy I have ever seen…

“And that’s my turn, Vlad,” said Stan.

Vladimir drew a card.

“Okay,” he sighed, “Gil Garth goes into Defense Mode…”

He turned the card, and the Fiend shielded itself.

“And I also summon Wall of Illusion in Defense Mode.”

He set a card down, and a frightful wall with a fiendish woman’s face on the center appeared. (1,000/1,850)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SYE-016.jpg

“Just so you know, Stan,” he added, “if this Monster is attacked, the Monster responsible will be returned to your hand.”

“We’ll see…” said Stan.

He drew a card.

“I play Double Spell!” he exclaimed. “Now, I’ll discard this…”

He discarded his Diffusion-Wave Motion.

“…and I think I’ll duplicate your Card of Sanctity!”

The bright flash lit up the void again. Stan drew five cards. Vladimir wasn’t so lucky; he only got to draw one.

“And I couldn’t have asked for better,” continued Stan. “First I’ll summon Skilled Dark Magician!”

The robed, black Spellcaster appeared. (1,900/1,700)

“And now I’ll play a card that will put me right back into this… Sweet Treat!”

He played the card.

His Enchanted Card! thought Vladimir.

The gingerbread cookie appeared, holding its die. It threw it.

Come on, roll high… thought Stan.

The die bounced on the nonexistent floor…

…it landed on a four!

So, thought Vladimir, as Stan’s Life Points shot up to 4,250, It’s not over yet…

But while he may have defeated my Helpoemer strategy… another deadly creature lurks in my deck. And soon it will be unleashed…

“I’m ending my turn, Vlad,” said Stan.

Vladimir drew a card.

“I’ll place a Monster in Defense Mode,” he said, “and that will be all…”

He played the card, and a facedown Monster appeared.

Stan drew a card.

All right, he thought. His Soul Card embodies Envy… I really don’t think Helpoemer fit the bill… That guy was more like Greed.

Which likely means he has something else planned…

“I summon Neo the Magic Swordsman!” he shouted.

He threw the card down, and Neo appeared.

“Now, let’s clean up!” he said, pointing. “Skilled Dark Magician, take out Wall of Illusion! Black magic blast!”

Skilled Dark Magician aimed his staff, and fired, shattering Wall of Illusion!

The Spellcaster flickered and vanished. Stan caught the card.

“I’ll just summon him again next turn,” continued Stan. “Dark Magician of Chaos, take out Gil Garth!”

Vladimir cringed as Gil Garth was blown into teeny-tiny pieces!

“Neo, destroy his facedown Monster!”

Neo charged with his sword…

Sangan appeared on the card, and was cut in two!

“Aw, crud…” muttered Stan. “I should have attacked that with my Chaos Magician.”

“But you didn’t,” said Vladimir, taking a card from his deck, “so now I can pull the most powerful creature in my deck!”

Stan stared at him.

“The most powerful creature in your deck has less than 1,500 Attack Points?” he asked.

”Much less,” answered Vladimir. “But anyway, I can’t summon it without… special conditions. Is it my move yet?”

“Yeah,” muttered Stan, trying to think of what powerful Monster with a low Attack Score he had gotten…

Vladimir drew.

He covered his eyes as he looked at the card.

“Vladimir, what’s wrong?” asked Stan, suspiciously.

Vladimir maintained some trace of a poker face, but it was clear he was upset.

“I was fully prepared to duel you, Stan,” said Vladimir, with an evil grin, “so I put this Magic Card in my deck…”

His hand shivered as he played the card.

“I play Last Day of the Witch!”

The card appeared, and fired twin beams of energy, and both of Stan’s Spellcasters were eradicated!

“That’s playing dirty, Vladimir!” cursed Stan.

Vladimir held his head for a minute.

I know it is, Stan, he thought. I know…

He clenched his fist.

Curse you mom, curse you to Hell! I protested a hundred times, telling you that it was an unfair card to use against him, and that I shouldn’t put it in my deck, but you just wouldn’t let it go!

I don’t deserve to win after playing such a cheap card…

He took another card from his hand.

“I summon Opticlops in Attack Mode…” he growled.

He played the card, and the one-eyed cyclopsed Fiend appeared. (1,800/1,700)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN009.jpg

“Attack…” he muttered.

He averted his gaze, as the Fiend blasted a ray of energy at Stan, striking him in the chest and knocking him down again.

Stan’s Life Points fell to 2,450.

The Sorcerer helped him up a third time.

“Vladimir,” he cursed. “You’re going down…”

He drew a card.

Lovely, he thought. Skilled Dark Magician can take out that guy, but without my Trap Cards, he likely wouldn’t last long…

Hey wait… My Deckmaster might be able to help…

“I summon Skilled Dark Magician again…” he stated.

He played the card, and Skilled Dark Magician reappeared. (1,900/1,700)

“And next,” he said, “I’ll discard my Negate Attack to use my Deckmaster’s ability! Reincarnation!”

Sorcerer of Dark Magic glowed with dark energy. Magician’s Valkyria reappeared next to Skilled Dark Magician! (1,600/1,800)

“Skilled Dark Magician, destroy Opticlops!”

Skilled Dark Magician fired, making short work of the Fiend.

“Magician’s Valkyria, attack directly!”

Magician’s Valkyria fired her blast, striking Vladimir in the chest!

He gasped, and his Life Points fell to 4,250.

“My… move…” he said.

He drew a card.

“Well Stan,” he said, “now I’m going to summon that almighty low-Attack Monster… But first I’m going to summon… Kuriboh!”

He placed a card down, and the tiny, cute, furry Fiend appeared. (300/200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN071.jpg

“You summoned Kuriboh?” asked Stan in surprise. “That isn’t a Monster you summon! You’re supposed to discard it from your hand to negate battle damage!”

“True, but it suits my needs right now,” said Vladimir. “But let me tell you about the set of cards I’m about to use…”

“Set of cards?” asked Stan.

Vladimir nodded.

“You see,” continued Vladimir, “originally, Pegasus only made one set, and he made them for his own personal use… In fact, he designed them specifically for his inevitable duel with Yugi Mouto to act as his assassin…”

What? thought Stan. This creature was some sort of an… assassin? Created with my mentor in mind?

“…but his plans failed, and the prototypes were eventually made into some very rare promotional cards,” continued Vladimir. “Prepare yourself…”

He played a Magic Card.

“I cast the Black Illusion Ritual!”

A creepy altar with the Eye of Wdjat on the front, and two vessels that looked like smoking cups appeared…

“Considering how powerful this creature is, this Ritual is incredibly easy,” said Vladimir. “Only one star level is required as sacrifice, so Kuriboh is enough…”

Kuriboh was sucked into the altar.

“And now… behold Relinquished!”

The altar burst into fragments, and a huge form appeared! It was a hideous abomination with clawed arms, a conical spire in place of legs, a circular maw, and two huge protrusions that suggested wings. On a stalk in the center was perched a single golden eye, thrust forward. (0/0)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MC1-EN003.jpg

“What the hell is that thing?” gasped Stan. “Zero Attack and zero Defense?”

“Not for long,” said Vladimir. “Relinquished, your target is Magician’s Valkyria! Absorption force!”

Relinquished’s single eye glowed, and a light appeared on Valkyria’s mid-section…

She screamed, and was sucked into the beast’s maw!

Stan almost screamed himself…

Continued…

Dark Sage

20th January 2006, 08:06 AM

Continued from last post:

Then he noticed that the stats of Relinquished itself changed…

(1,600/1,800)

…exactly what Valkyria had!

“Surprised?” asked Vladimir. “Relinquished can assimilate opposing Monsters, and its Attack and Defense become that of the victim.”

Stan growled as he drew a card…

“Skilled Dark Magician, kill that thing!” he shouted.

Skilled Dark Magician aimed his staff…

And then Relinquished folded his wings, and Magician’s Valkyria’s body appeared, held prisoner on one of them!

The Magician fired, and she shattered!

“It isn’t so easy, Stan,” said Vladimir. “Attack Relinquished, and you’ll only destroy the assimilated Monster. And while that attack cost me 300 Life Points, it cost you just as much!”

Vladimir’s Life Points fell to 3,950, and Stan’s fell to 2,150.

“I can’t do anything else…” muttered Stan.

“In that case,” said Vladimir, drawing, “Relinquished, now target Skilled Dark Magician!”

Relinquished cast its evil spell again, and swallowed the Spellcaster!

(1,900/1,700)

“And now since you’re defenseless,” continued Vladimir, “Relinquished, pilfered power attack!”

The abomination shot a beam from its single eye, and Stan was thrown backwards yet again!

Sorcerer of Dark Magic caught him yet again.

“That hurt!” shouted Stan, as his Life Points tumbled to 250.

“To end, I’ll place a card facedown,” said Vladimir, placing the card he had just drawn into a slot.

A facedown card appeared.

Stan slowly got up and drew.

This has to be his Soul Card, he thought. Envy, huh? This creature is helpless without aid from others… It has to be!

I think I know how to defeat it… I have to have two Monsters on the field at once, one of which can destroy the assimilated Monster, and the other to attack the big guy itself…

But attacking while it has an assimilated Monster might finish me off! What can I do?

He discarded a card.

“I’ll discard my Dust Tornado, to use my Deckmaster ability, and bring back Mystical Elf in Defense Mode!”

Mystical Elf appeared. (800/2,000)

That will buy me one round at least, he thought.

“Very well,” said Vladimir, drawing, “now too…”

He looked at the card. His eyes opened.

“Well, time to take this duel even further…” he said.

“Further?” gasped Stan in fear.

“Yes,” answered Vladimir, “by making an upgrade on my Monster…”

“Upgrade?” gasped Stan, in terror.

He placed a card down on his Disk.

“I summon Thousand Eyes Idol…”

A weird creature appeared. A thousand eyes might have been exaggerating, but it sure had a lot of them all over its green, bulbous body. (0/0)

“What does that do?” gulped Stan.

“On its own, nothing,” answered Vladimir. “But I can use Polymerization to combine it with Relinquished to form something even stronger!”

He played the card, and the two Monsters vanished into the vortex…

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MC1-EN003.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOB-EN059.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PSV-EN083.jpg

And then, a beast even more hideous emerged. It was the same general shape as Relinquished, but bigger, uglier, with a fanged mouth, two glowing red eyes to each side of the central one, and gruesome bumps all over it… (0/0)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PSV-EN084.jpg

“Oh… my… God…” muttered Stan.

“He can’t help you now,” said Vladimir. “And although I lost Skilled Dark Magician, Thousand-Eyes Restrict can do the same thing as Relinquished…”

The beast’s fanged mouth opened, and for the first time Stan ever saw, Mystical Elf screamed! She was sucked into the creature’s maw!

(800/2,000)

“Of course, since this is a Fusion Monster, I can’t attack right now,” continued Vladimir, “but I can use its effect…”

He held out his hand.

”Sengan Jubaku!” he shouted.

Then the “gruesome bumps” all over the thing opened, and Stan saw them for what they were… eyes. Hundreds of evil, glowing, beady eyes! They cast a horrible light over the whole arena!

“What’s going on?” shouted Stan.

“It’s a curse, Stan,” said Vladimir. “Thousand-Eyes Restrict’s thousand orbs cover the whole playing field in an aura of fear so terrifying that not even the bravest Monsters can oppose it! So long as this Monster is on the field, it is the only Monster that can attack!”

Stan looked in terror.

“Make your move…” sighed Vladimir.

You won’t be getting out of this one Stan, he thought.

He looked upwards.

Well, mother, I hope you’re satisfied…

Stan made a small prayer, and drew a card…

He looked at his hand, then at the field.

“I’m using my Deckmaster ability… twice!” he said, discarding two cards. “I’ll Special Summon Ebon Magician Curran, and The Illusory Gentleman from my Graveyard!”

The two Spellcasters appeared.

“Now, I’ll sacrifice Curran, to summon Dark Magician Girl!” he shouted.

Curran vanished, and Dark Magician’s cute apprentice appeared. (2,000/1,700)

Both Spellcasters drew back in horror from Thousand-Eyes Restrict…

“Perhaps you didn’t hear me the first time,” said Vladimir, nervously. “Due to the curse of Sengan Jubaku, they can’t attack, and even if they could, you’d lose all your Life Points in the process.”

“I don’t need to attack,” said Stan, “I’m taking down your monstrosity another way! I play…”

He played a Magic Card.

“…Magical Dimension!”

Vladimir’s arm went to his Disk… He was about to activate his Trap Card…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

It is amazing how much can happen within the span of one second…

Just one second.

Stan did not know the nature of the facedown card Vladimir had placed, and before the second began, Vladimir had every intention of triggering it…

If he did, Stan would lose on Vladimir’s next turn… One attack against The Illusory Gentleman would cost both of them 700 Life Points, more than Stan had.

If he didn’t, Stan would win… Vladimir knew what Magical Dimension could do.

But during the span of that one second, Vladimir weighed the two options…

What would happen if he triggered that Trap?

Stan would be banished… That was what his mother wanted… His mother would be proud of him then…

But did he really want that?

What would happen after?

He was the last Spawn left… More Shadow Games would surely follow. His record wouldn’t stop at twenty. More duelists would fall, and he’d be the one responsible. His mother might even tell him to dispose of Francesca and Andy after this… They were exhausted right now; they had no chance.

The darkness inside him would grow until his soul was an empty shell… Just like that of his mother’s…

And what if he didn’t trigger it? What then?

He wouldn’t be coming back from this place, but maybe at long last, it would be a release from his mother…

…a small chance to find salvation in the solitude… Penance for his crimes…

…and a final chance to prove, at least to her, that he could not be controlled.

All this he considered in the span of one second…

…one second to make the hardest choice he had ever had to make…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“…Magical Dimension!” shouted Stan.

Vladimir lowered his hand…

The facedown card did not activate…

“To activate this card,” stated Stan, “I need a Spellcaster on the field, and I have two… Then I can sacrifice one Monster to summon any Spellcaster from my hand!”

The Illusory Gentleman vanished, and Dark Magician appeared! (2,500/2,100)

“And then,” he continued, “I can destroy one Monster!”

Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl clashed their staffs together, and a mighty spell lit up the void!

Thousand-Eyes Restrict groaned, and exploded into tiny pieces!

Vladimir bowed his head.

“Finish it,” he muttered.

“Go!” shouted Stan. “Double dark magic attack!”

The two Spellcasters fired their powerful spells at Vladimir…

He strained against the onslaught, and then fell to his knees…

…a small grin appeared on his face…

His Life Points hit zero.

He didn’t look up at Stan.

“I’m beaten…” he said. “Go…”

“Wait…” said Stan.

A portal started to appear behind him…

“I said go!” ordered Vladimir.

The Spawn looked up, and his eyes glowed red. He made a push with his hand, and Stan flew backwards…

…through the portal.

Vladimir looked for a while where his opponent had been.

He took the Trap Card out of the Disk.

He looked at the Magic Jammer…

He sighed, and placed it and the rest of his cards in the discard slot…

Then he hurled the Disk itself into the void.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

At the very front of the Thousand Year Door.

The Relinquished card appeared in Merlee’s hand.

Strange, he thought. Vladimir chose what he thought was eternal imprisonment rather than continue to serve his mother…

This is all the proof I need to do what I must do…

I know what the Queen’s next move will be… and it is time I intervened personally.

The Spawn are still alive. I hear their cries of anguish and fear through the void. And the Queen is not through with them yet. Her opinion of them has changed, and she will use them as practical slaves from this point on… But I will change that.

There is still hope for you, Vladimir… There is still hope for all six of you.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Stan fell through the portal, back into the dark dungeon.

“STAN!” shouted Francesca.

“Ugh…” muttered Stan.

“What happened?” asked Andy.

Stan slowly got up.

“Suffice to say… I won…” he muttered.

He paused.

“Still, something just wasn’t right about that whole exchange…”

He paused again.

“Well, I’ll figure it out later. Now let’s get out this dungeon…”

He sighed in exhaustion, and opened the next door.

It didn’t lead to a way out.

It led to some type of computer room. A large computer with a huge screen stood in front of a keyboard, drives, cabinets, and other paraphernalia.

“A computer?” asked Andy. “What on earth…”

Then the computer came to life.

“Hello?” said a voice. “Is someone there?”

“Huh?” said all three of them at once.

“Is anybody there?” asked the voice, with a sense of urgency.

There was a pause.

“Is that you Josephine?” said the voice, angrily.

“Uh, there’s no Josephine here…” muttered Francesca.

“Wait, I know you three…” said the voice. “Quick, you have to let me out!”

“Let you out?” asked Stan, going up to the computer. “From where?”

“I’m in the computer!” said the voice. “The Shadow Queen locked me in here!”

“Okay, this is weird…” muttered Andy.

“I can help you, really!” pleaded the voice. “Just get me out of this thing…”

They looked around.

“How?” they all asked.

“See that thing next to the keyboard that looks like a credit card scan?” said the voice. “You need to scan a Dark Spellcaster with at least eight stars!”

Stan looked at his deck.

“Well, I have one…” he said. “But how do we know you won’t hurt us?”

“Look,” said the voice, “wouldn’t a prisoner of the Shadow Queen want to help you?”

Stan paused.

“I can’t argue with that…” he said.

He took his Dark Magician of Chaos out of his deck, and scanned it through the scanner.

Slowly, like something out of Star Trek, a small form materialized in front of them.

They didn’t expect this. The figure in front of them was a boy who couldn’t have been more than ten years old. He wore a spotlessly clean, white, schoolboy’s outfit – the kind worn by rich kids – and his hair was dyed aquamarine.

He stood up and looked at them.

“Thanks…” he said.

“You’re welcome…” said Fran in surprise. “Excuse me for stating the obvious… but… who are you?”

The boy sighed.

“My name is Noah,” he said. “Noah Kaiba…”

GIL GARTH (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,800
DEF: 1,200

Card Description: This half-Fiend/half-mechanical monstrosity was created using the technology of the Dark World. It has no soul, and shows no emotions as it kills its victims.

Note: “Gil Garth” was used by Marik in the anime episode “The Darkness Returns (Part One)”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

”Sorcerer of Dark Magic”: Spellcaster/Dark (3,200/2,800)

Deckmaster SA: “Reincarnation”: Discard a card from your hand to Special Summon one SPELLCASTER-Type Monster of four stars or less from your Graveyard. If a Monster Special Summoned in this way is sent to the Graveyard, it is removed from play.

”Jinzo”: Machine/Dark (2,400/1,500)

Deckmaster SA: “Trap Nullification”: Your opponent cannot activate Trap Cards. So long as the Deckmaster is not summoned to the field, you can activate Trap Cards of your own normally.

Note: Leichter used Jinzo as his Deckmaster in the multi-part anime episode “Settling the Score”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

[B][I]Our mystery guest has shown his face – the inventor of the Deckmaster system, Noah Kaiba!

But with him comes a lot of questions…

How did he survive the destruction of his father’s virtual world? What is he doing here? And what does he want?

And most importantly… Is he friend… Or foe?

Coming up next, see the answers to these questions, and also…

The origin of the Shadow Queen!

It all comes out in a chapter called “Shadows Lengthen”, coming soon…

Dark Sage

20th January 2006, 08:07 AM

Now, some words of explanation:

If you are wondering what the heck “Sengan Jubaku” means, it’s Japanese for “Thousand Eyes Curse.” In the original Manga, during Pegasus’s duel with Yugi, that was the command he gave for Thousand-Eyes Restrict to use its effect.

Also, if you have not yet seen or bought the Judgment of Spellcasters structure deck, here is an explanation of “Magical Dimension”:

MAGICAL DIMENSION (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic/Quickplay
Attribute: –
Level: –
Attack: –
Defense: –

Card Description: You can only activate this card while there is a face-up SPELLCASTER-Type Monster on your side of the field. Tribute one Monster on your side of the field and Special Summon one SPELLCASTER-Type Monster from your hand. Then you can destroy one Monster on the field.

Master of Paradox

20th January 2006, 08:21 AM

How utterly anticlimatic.

I'm sorry, but Vladimir throwing the duel ticks me off to no end. A duel should be honestly fought, or what's the point? You've gone on at length (in your stories and personally) about how no one should surrender, but not taking the chance to win is just as bad. Perhaps it fit his character, but I'm still disappointed.

And I already knew about Noah, so no real surprise there, either.

Now that I've vented: this was probably the best of the Shadow Spawn rematches. You managed to find the one set of Dark strategies you hadn't used yet and put them to good use, and for once it didn't feel artificial when Stan countered them.

And Relinquished is such an obvious candidate for Envy (the one monster that has to borrow from others to have any power of its own) that I'm still kicking myself for not guessing it.

But it fell apart at the end, in my opinion. This chapter was going well until then.

My thoughts concerning the next chapter are unworthy of me, and thus I'll cease typing.

starjake

20th January 2006, 09:56 AM

Hmm.

Like the last chapter, this was too short. It seemed as though I started reading it, and it was over in a few paragraphs. I'm not sure whether this was because too much happened too quickly, or not enough happened.

This might seem strange, but I liked the ending and also didn't like the ending. I liked the whole do-I-spring-Magic-Jammer-or-not deal, but I agreed with Master of Paradox (O_o) in that it was anticlimatic. How I can like and not like the exact same thing is beyond me, but...

Actually, that's kind of how the whole chapter was. I liked it, and I didn't like it. Not sure how else to explain it.

Seeing the Shadow Queen's history is sure to be interesting.

And what the heck does Noah have to do with anything? That has to be the most random thing I've seen yet.

Pokemasterkatie

20th January 2006, 01:47 PM

Noah~! I wonder how he survived, though? ...and don't even TRY deux ex machina; I'm smarter than that. Of course, I mean the coverup 4Kids gave for Noah's death.-_-; Hard drive... Still, I'm glad he's back. Evil he may have been, but I somehow found him totally cute.^_^ In your face, Seto!

Surprised to see Relinquished and Thousand-Eyes Restrict brought into play...they're neat monsters, and bring back good memories of Yugi/Pegasus.:D Seeing as they were dueling in the actual Shadow Realm, I approve this.:) Though I didn't realize how friggin' USELESS Thousand-Eyes Idol is outside of its fusion! And they call Kuriboh the weakest monster in the game(Kaiba... :mad: )...

I feel Vladimir did the right thing. Better to be free in the Shadow Realm than be enslaved by that...woman. Heck, even death's better than that.;) Being the oldest of the Spawn, I sort of expected something like this from him...

Silencer

20th January 2006, 02:30 PM

I found this chapter very entertaining. One part seemed familiar to me, the you-have-allies-routing-for-you part. Seemed like it came from samurai jack XD.

Shuppet Master

20th January 2006, 03:01 PM

Brian, you win the gold trophy of Duel Monsters, I could never be as great as you.

I was sort of glad to see it like that. I knew Vlad was not like his mother, and knew that if he gave in to her, he would end up just like her. Before, he was just being honorable, but the fact that he's really tortured with his crimes and how he didn't want to use cards that would give him advantage was interesting.

By the way, this is probably the most random deck I've ever seen. But then, it utilizes all the common deck types.

I hate Thousand-Eyes Restrict and am glad it got limited. Everyone and their mother used it, ruining creativity. But I don't get it, what does stealing powers from others have to do with Envy? I guess it could be that the monster is jealous because it can't have the true attack power of a real monster, so it steals power from other monsters.

Good job, keep it up.

Pokemasterkatie

20th January 2006, 04:39 PM

Well, the Envy in FMA had the ability to transform into others...he didn't really have a true form, but he always assumed the form of the palm tree headed teen we know and loathe when he was done.:p I do have an idea why TER was used, but it's hard to put into words. Stealing another's body since it's dead weight otherwise(remember those stats...). Seems like Envy to me. We're not far enough in FMA to hear the backstory of Ed and Al's father, but it's going to be pretty soon...

Perfect Chaos

20th January 2006, 05:04 PM

SM: Yeah, that aspect of Relinquished/Thousand Eyes Restrict probably makes it fit as a monster of Envy

Like the others say, the ending was a bit anticlimactic, but don't think we're trying to burst your bubble. I like how you portrayed Vladimir in this chapter and I realize that the ending did fit even if we the audience didn't really like. But based on what you had Merlee said, I can assume that this is not the last of the Shadow Spawn.

I have to say that this is the second-best duel of the Shadow Spawn (Leopold's was the best IMO and I liked Tyson as the third best).

The origin of the Shadow Queen huh? This should be interesting...

And I look forward to seeing how Merlee "personally intervenes" with the plot

Until then,

-sean

Blademaster

20th January 2006, 05:24 PM

(claps hands)

Dark Sage, after last chapter, I owed you a debt-a review that should've been as positive as my others, but instead was negative because I focused on all the wrong things.

Today, I repay my debt...

That was the best Spawn rematch. No doubt about it. Vladimir used a deck like Marik's, but the Helpoemer/Thorn/Seller combo was a stroke of genius. I think that the only other combo I've seen that was that creative was the Heiracosphinx/Ohja/Maoi combo that Kyle used.

And the ending was so NOT anticlimatic. I never saw it coming, and it seemed to be truly befitting. Given Vladimir's humane personality and his hatred of doing anything wicked, I began to not doubt he was as good as he claimed, but I never thought he'd throw the duel. Still, it was good that he did.

Paradox, your logic was honestly fawed in that sense. You SHOULD try your best and never surrender-when you WANT to win. Don't take into account what you or another reader would LIKE to see, or what you're used to-think instead of what you'd do if you were in Vladimir's position.

I think I'm beginning to understand why Vladimir is the only good Spawn. His father was a mortal being, so Vladimir knows things his brethren don't know. He knows what it's like to feel, to have a heart, and to be capable of being humbled. Vladimir is only half-immortal; in every other Spawn's case, both of his/her parents were divine or otherwise invulnerable beings, but Vlad has the blood of a fragile human within him-he's like Inuyasha, while his siblings are like Sesshomarou. Even Melssa, who's parent was an angel, was immortal, and more importantly, the light in her could easily be erased. Remember that light can and will eventually fade away into darkness; by itself, however, darkness, won't become light. It's basic astronomy-except in the evnt of the Big Bang, light can't come from darkness alone.

But, enough about that, what about Noah?

He was an evil little demon seed, but just before Gozaburo's virtual world went bye-bye, he became good. I think that Noah is...

...No, he can't be!

...Can he?

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

P. S. ...Envy is a guy?

P. P. S. Relinquished was the perfect Envy Monster; one thing that bugs me is Relinquished itself. What the Hell is it? Am I the only one who thinks that Spellcaster is a bad Type for it? Relinquished should've been a Fiend, or a Zombie, or even, dare I say, an Insect?

...No, I don't.

The name is another odd thing. 'Relinquished' means 'surrendered.' And surrendering is the LAST thing that that Monster does! It's not a surrenderer-it's a parasitic conqueror!

Well, anyway, that's more than enough of my rambling. Let's see a new chapter soon, ah?

And I don't necessarily mean this fic...

Bye now!

Zcade0

21st January 2006, 02:29 PM

Blademaster- he is called relinquished because he makes others relinquish their powers. Spellcaster because he used magic to absorb the creatures he preys upon. There ya go.

EXCELLENT ENVY CARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! best soul card yet. Bets Shasdow Spawn duel yet. Best (I thought) punishment/ending (anti-anti-climactic so ha!)(the void also fits the darkness, darkness is not harmful. Therefore, no hurt while dueling) Darkness can be good. I mean, look at the one guy with 3 eyes of Yu-Yu-Hackasho. If he don't be dark, then I'm a dog. Vlad's tossing of his deck made sence because he was trying to sever his last ties with his mother (me thinks). It makes sence. She basically made his deck, made the disk, ect. anywho... KEEP BLOODY WRITING!!!!!!!!! i WANT NEXT CHAPPY! I LOVE NON DUEL CHAPPYS! (me thinks there wont be a duel. ) BYE!

- Zcade0, abyss duelist (don't ask, private joke)

Mystic_clown

21st January 2006, 02:55 PM

Nice chap dude. It's good to see a number of monsters that haven't been used in a fanfic before. Relinquished does make a pretty good envy monster as well.

I wonder how Stan's going to react when he realises that Vladmir threw the match? To any skilled duellist, that'll just plain hurt knowing you only one because your opponent LET you win. Well, if the two ever get in an arguement, at least Vlad has a decent comeback :biggrin:

Shuppet Master

21st January 2006, 10:57 PM

What about Merlee's intro, when he called Stan his protege? I have a suspicious feeling that it's connected to Stan's uncle...

Master of Paradox

23rd January 2006, 07:11 AM

Blademaster: if it makes any more sense, "Relinquished" was "Sacrifice" in Japan. And Thousand Eyes Restrict was "Thousand Eyes Sacrifice".

Blademaster

23rd January 2006, 01:11 PM

Well, since 1 is a Ritual Monster and 1 is a Fusion containing a Ritual Monster, I guess that that's slightly more logical.

Nonetheless, I think a better name would've been 'Parasite.' Or 'Symbiote.'

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

Dark Sage

26th January 2006, 04:55 PM

Caution! Long Chapter!

And finally, the origin of the Shadow Queen is revealed!

Hang tight... It's gonna be a wild ride...

Dark Sage

26th January 2006, 04:56 PM

[B][I]I am known as the Shadow Queen…

But as much as many would believe, that isn’t always what I was.

Every powerful being has a beginning. Some are born into power and wealth, as the Queen of England was.

People of power like this are often boring. People who earn power are more interesting. Those who start at the bottom and work their way up.

Abraham Lincoln was born into a family so poor, they couldn’t afford paper. He never went to college, or even high school. But he clawed his way up from poverty to become a wise and powerful man who saved America from destruction.

Americans admire him today, but he wasn’t well-liked in his time, even by many on his side of the conflict. No American President had a harder and more difficult presidency than him. He was faced with a nation that had turned against itself. He did his job while cannon fire could be heard in the distance from the White House.

And he accepted the difficulties. He took them in stride. One story says that a political opponent once called him two-faced. His response was: “If I had two faces, do you think I’d wear THIS one?”

The way I achieved my crown was easier than Lincoln’s task, and unlike him, I have survived attempts by assassins. Many times.

But the opponent I am facing has reminded me of my origins…

And reminiscing about the past can be dangerous in my line of work…

[B][size=3]CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

Shadows Lengthen

Stan, Francesca, and Andy wanted answers…

Fortunately, the strange child was full of them.

As he led them through the twisting dungeon, the boy with the same last name as one the greatest duelists in the world told a bizarre story, which seemed too incredible to believe.

They were frightened by one aspect…

…what cause would he have to lie?

“So what are you, Noah?” asked Stan. “A ghost of some sort?”

Noah sighed.

“Essentially, I’m pure mental energy,” he replied. “Thoughts made solid. My true body is gone, and getting a new one is a pipe dream that will likely never happen…”

“And you dueled Kaiba and Yugi?” asked Fran.

Noah sighed again. He nodded.

“And I caused them a lot of anguish they didn’t deserve,” he answered. “When the virtual world was destroyed, I thought I’d be… deleted, something I deserved. Something I would have accepted as a punishment up to the part that it happened.”

“How did you survive?” asked Andy.

“Someone was watching over me,” replied Noah. “I got ‘lucky’, sort of…”

They turned a corridor.

“A virus was implanted in the system that neither I nor my father knew about. It was magical in nature, and normal firewalls and anti-virus programs aren’t designed to combat magical glitches.

“All during the time Yugi and his allies were fighting for their lives in that nightmare, the Shadow Queen was spying on them and me.

“I don’t know what her eventual goals were to that matter, but when I programmed my father’s satellite to attack the base, she acted. At the exact instant the reality was erased, she used something along the lines of a wireless modem and a storage system with a near infinite capacity to download me into the Palace of Shadow. I still don’t know how I’m able to live outside a computer in this form…

“Magic… who knows?

“Anyway, she was brief and to the point when we met. I had invented the Deckmaster system, and I implemented it using technology. She wanted to adapt the system using her magic, and needed my help.”

He grimaced.

“I refused, of course. I had caused enough people enough pain. But she didn’t need me to be willing. She simply locked me in shackles and painfully downloaded the information right out of my mind…”

“That’s horrible…” muttered Francesca.

Noah opened a door. They entered a circular chamber.

“Is there any way we can help you?” asked Stan.

“You should be asking how I can help you,” replied Noah with a grin. “I’ve caused enough pain, so I want to do something to make up for it now… I want to atone for my sins…

“I’m going to take care of the Queen myself…I’m going to duel her.”

They gasped.

“Noah, wait!” urged Francesca. “The Queen might well be too powerful to defeat! We don’t even know what she’s capable of in a duel!”

Noah looked in her eyes.

“That’s my intention, Francesca,” he replied. “My chances may be slim… But you’ll at least see this happen. Even if I lose, you have to pay close attention. You might see her strategy and figure out a weak spot in it.”

“There’s no telling what she might do to you if you lose…” warned Stan.

Noah let out another sigh.

“You people have no idea what’s at stake,” he answered. “If she gets free, the Armies of Shadow will march all over the world, with little to oppose them! It will start a whole Age of Darkness that would make previous attempts at domination look tame…

“You can’t worry about me. By all rights, I should have been dead nine years ago. There’s really nothing left for me in my life. I have nothing to lose whatsoever. But by helping you…”

He paused.

“…maybe I can face death knowing that I helped make a difference.”

They watched him as he walked to the center of the room.

“I know you’re watching,” he said. “I escaped… Aren’t you going to try to chain me up again?”

There was dead silence for a minute.

“I’m waiting, Josephine!” he shouted, tapping his foot.

“Josephine?” asked Stan. “Who’s Josephine?”

The three teenagers looked at each other.

Creepy shadows started to lengthen in the room…

“I told you, Noah…” snarled the Shadow Queen’s voice. “You are not to call me that!”

“How about if I just call you a bitch instead?” asked Noah. “Is that better?”

From out of the darkness, the coldly beautiful form of the Shadow Queen appeared. Her eyes glowed with red light…

Stan, Andy, and Francesca had seen her three times before, but now she was much more frightening. An aura of fear that crept into them seemed to radiate from her body.

The Queen herself was beautiful in the way a thunderstorm was beautiful. Her figure and bone structure was perfect, and her skin was porcelain white without the slightest blemish. Her black, low-cut dress was frilled and fancy, seemingly revealing too much and not enough at the same time. A necklace of emeralds graced her neck, and a golden crown set with a single large diamond was set upon her waist-length, golden hair.

“Uh…” muttered Andy.

“Why don’t we let Noah handle this?” said Francesca with a shudder.

The Queen drifted up to Noah, and he looked her in the eye.

“I’m not afraid of you, Josephine,” he said. “When you’ve been through as much as I have, that evil sorceress getup just doesn’t cut it…”

“Uh, Noah…” muttered Stan. “Maybe you’re forgetting that she’s a real evil sorceress?”

She glared at them.

“You three be quiet…” she commanded.

The change started to come over Andy.

“Maybe we don’t want to be quiet,” he snapped. “You’ve been causing us grief for weeks now, and frankly, I’ve had about enough…

“And we only now find out that your name is Josephine? Why keep your real name hidden? It isn’t like…”

The Queen glared at him, and he stopped.

She drifted over to them.

“Yes, that is my real name,” she stated. “At least… I assume it is…”

“You assume it is?” asked Andy. “You aren’t even sure what your real name is? You have serious issues…”

The Queen chuckled.

She took a pocket watch out of her dress and looked at it.

“Well,” she sighed. “The stuff I was cooking needs two more hours to simmer, so I suppose I can stay and chat a while this time…”

She sat down… On nothing!

It was like some invisible chair had been conjured up.

“Noah hacked into my system and read some private files before I could stop him,” she stated. “Diary entries from over twelve-hundred years ago, which was the last time I went by that name…

“Want to know how I got the title of Shadow Queen, children? It’s quite a story…”

Yeah, keep talking… thought Andy. The more we know, the better.

“Before becoming a queen, I was a princess,” she continued. “The daughter of a minor king of a small nation that no longer exists. He had several concubines, and he never told me which one was my mother. He didn’t want me to have a mother, and whichever member of his harem was her, she would have been doomed if she had told me…

“He forbade it, and she would have been sealed in the Shadow Realm if she disobeyed. See, he knew Shadow Magic, and he made everyone believe he was a master of it.

“I wanted to know it too, but he wouldn’t teach me. But I was curious… I wanted the power he had. So when I was about your ages, I did research into forbidden knowledge…

“And I found a way to summon a demon who could grant such power.”

She chuckled.

“You know how it usually goes in books and movies?” she asked. “A mortal wants wealth, power, or almost anything, so he summons this mighty creature, and signs a contract in his blood promising his soul upon death in exchange…

“That wasn’t how it went this time. There are many types of demons, and some ask for different prices. This one didn’t want souls. He wanted names.”

“Names?” asked Stan. “Are you serious?”

The Queen chuckled again. Noah grinned.

“Crazy, right?” she asked. “That’s what I thought at first. From what I could discern, these demons had no names of their own. Their race didn’t even have a name. So they got mortals to give them theirs in unholy bargains.

“And when I spoke to this guy, I discovered that I had hit the proverbial jackpot. He thought that the name ‘Josephine’ was the best name he had ever heard of, and he wanted it badly. Maybe it would have made him the envy of all these other nameless demons, I don’t know.

“So he sweetened the pot. He would give me the power of Shadow, plus other incredible powers, and even immortality…

She laughed.

“He said he’d even make me beautiful as a bonus. I was really a Plain Jane back then… A short, fat little thing with bad hair…

“All I had to do was sign a contract saying that my name was now forever his.

“My initial response was that I would be stupid to refuse. So I agreed. And once he was done, I had incredible powers… But the name ‘Josephine’ was totally wiped from my memory. I had forgotten every single instance when I had been called that.

“It didn’t occur to me at the time that it might have been a bad decision.

“See, I was prepared. I had known that he’d want my name. So beforehand, I had written it down in dozens of places, and told all of my loyal servants to tell me what it was when I was done…

“But every time I saw it written, every time someone called me by that name, it just didn’t fit. I couldn’t identify myself with it. It was like it just wasn’t me anymore.

“And that’s because, quite simply, it wasn’t. The demon had stripped my name from my body, spirit, and soul. I wasn’t a girl named Josephine anymore. The name simply wasn’t mine. It was his.

“I tried to adjust… But it was impossible. When folks addressed me as Josephine, I didn’t know who they were talking to! Try to imagine if everyone called the three of you ‘Roger’ repeatedly, and you might get a comparison.”

There was a long pause. It was hard to make a comparison.

“But while I had no name, I had power. And I tested it out on my father. His powers were nothing compared to mine! I knew then that the reason he didn’t teach me was because he was no master… He was an amateur at using Shadow.”

“Your own father…” muttered Francesca in disgust.

“He was a rotten parent anyway,” said the Queen.

“So I gave up trying to accept my old name, and took a title instead…

“The Shadow Queen.”

“An interesting story,” muttered Noah. “You should sell the movie rights! It would win an Oscar…”

The Queen got up and looked at him.

“Noah,” she sighed. “You have long since outlived your usefulness, and I’m getting tired of your big mouth…”

“Why don’t you duel me then?” dared Noah. “You’ve done nothing so far except have servants and your own children torture these poor kids and do your dirty work for you. I’d say you’re a coward!”

The Queen’s eyes flashed with evil light…

She crossed her arms.

“I’m no coward, Noah, but that’s the pot calling the kettle black. Do you really think you stand a chance? Your own dueling history has been abysmal at best. In your duel against Kaiba, he would have beaten you if you hadn’t used his brainwashed brother as a shield…”

Stan looked at Noah.

“Is that true, Noah?” he asked.

“Uhm…” muttered Noah, tugging his collar.

“Your duel against Yugi was even more pathetic,” continued the Queen. “You started with over seven thousand Life Points, while Yugi started with four-hundred, with no cards in his hand, and a Deckmaster that was practically worthless to him…”

“WHAT?” shouted Andy.

“Uh heh…” muttered Noah.

“You even tried to horribly demoralize him by turning his allies to stone, one by one…” continued the Queen.

She paused.

“…and yet he beat you anyway,” continued the Queen. “You’re one of the biggest losers I have ever known…”

“Noah, please tell me she’s lying…” begged Francesca. “That seems like the dirtiest trick I have ever heard…”

Noah bowed his head.

“I’m not proud of what I did…” he moaned. “Yeah, I cheated, I stacked the odds completely in my favor…”

He glared at the Shadow Queen.

“But if you want me to prove that I’m not a coward, Josephine, I’ll take you on at equal terms!

“No cheating, no lies, just the two of us, 8,000 Life Points apiece, six cards to start, free choice of Deckmasters, and NO excuses!

“And you can prove to these kids that you aren’t a coward either…”

The Queen closed her eyes and chuckled.

“Well sure,” she muttered. “I could use some amusement…”

She waved her left arm, and a fiendish-looking Duel Disk appeared on it.

Then a deck of cards appeared in her right hand and she started to shuffle.

Noah gestured, and a regular Duel Disk appeared on his own hand. Light formed on the deck tray, and a deck appeared.

They stood facing each other.

“Here we go,” whispered Stan. “Remember, look for a Monster that suggests Gluttony. Defeating that is the key to defeating her…”

Then the necklace on the Queen’s chest glowed, and darkness started to cover the room.

“Oh no!” gasped Francesca. “This is another Shadow Game!”

“Hear her Noah?” chuckled the Queen. “You may have absorbed libraries worth of information during your time in solitude, but the Shadows are one subject which you know nothing about! You claim you’re not a coward, but you’ll be scared enough by the time your last Life Points fall away!”

The counters each set to 8,000.

“Let’s just get on with it…” demanded Noah.

“Uh, uh!” scolded the Queen. “Don’t forget your Deckmaster, Noah…”

“I didn’t forget!” snapped Noah. “Or have you forgotten who invented this system?”

He took a card from his deck.

“I’ll use the same one I used against Yugi,” he said, “a guy called Shinato, King of a Higher Plane!”

In a huge flash, a gargantuan form arose behind Noah! The lord of all Fairies appeared, glowing with radiant light!

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-016.jpg

“Whoa…” muttered Stan. “Didn’t see that one coming…”

“Well, I see where the ‘Higher’ part comes in,” chuckled the Shadow Queen taking a card out of her dress. “Anyway, I’ll see your King and raise you a Queen. My Deckmaster will be… Cosmo Queen!”

Another blinding flash formed behind her. Another giant form, as big as Shinato, rose up. It was a dark lady in a fancy gown with a huge, bizarre headpiece.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MP1-002.jpg

“Nice hat…” muttered Andy.

“So,” declared the Shadow Queen. “It will be one immortal cosmic entity against another, and we’ll soon see which is the better Deckmaster…”

“Oh please…” muttered Noah. “I know exactly what she can do, and her Deckmaster ability is far too situational for you to make use of it. Now let’s duel!”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Merlee carefully walked down the hallways of the Palace.

Then he felt something…

“No!” he muttered. “The Queen has started a duel personally! I didn’t expect this… So soon…”

He concentrated.

“Thank goodness…” he thought. “My protégés are only spectators… But… who is the victim?

“I have to watch this and see…”

He held his head in deep concentration…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“I’ll start this!” exclaimed the Queen, making her first draw.

“Let’s see…” she sighed, looking over her cards. “So many choices, but I’m going to have to go with putting this guy in Attack Mode… Come on out, Archfiend Soldier!”

She placed a card on her Disk, and the infernal soldier with curved horns wearing a tattered cape appeared. (1,900/1,500)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-057.jpg

“Oh, wow, a Fiend,” sighed Andy. “Like that’s a surprise…”

“Yeah,” said Noah, drawing, “well, he’s going to be trashed anyway…”

He placed a card down on his Disk.

“I summon the powerful Susa Soldier in Attack Mode!” he shouted.

Lightning sparked, and a swordsman in East Oriental armor with a bronze sword appeared. (2,000/1,600)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN066.jpg

“And now,” he continued, “here’s a move you might not be expecting… I summon my Deckmaster to the field!”

Shinato slowly floated above Noah, and alighted beside the much smaller Monster… (3,300/3,000)

“Is he freakin’ crazy?” gasped Andy. “That guy is powerful, but he’s not indestructible!”

“I know what I’m doing!” said Noah. “Susa Soldier, destroy that Fiend!”

Susa Soldier slammed his sword to the ground, and lightning shot forth! Archfiend Soldier was torn apart.

The Queen chuckled, as her Life Points fell slightly, to 7,950.

“Of course, he only does half the expected damage,” said Noah, “but every little bit helps, and thanks to my Deckmaster’s ability of Life Transfer, any damage you take as a result of a battle is added to my total!”

His Life Points rose to 8,050.

“Wow… he sure knows how to pick them…” said Stan.

“I widened the gap by 100 points,” said Noah with a grin, “and now I’m going to widen it by another 6,600! Shinato, attack directly! Divine ring!”

Shinato gestured…

“Oh, this is gonna be good!” laughed Fran, excitedly.

Six orbs bearing kanji symbols appeared around Shinato’s hands… They started to spin…

…and he threw them!

The Queen calmly took a card from her hand and slipped it into her discard slot…

And just before the blast hit, a wall of little, furry puffballs rose up and blocked it in a huge explosion!

Noah frowned. Then he smirked.

”Very clever,” he chuckled. “You know that discarding a Kuriboh can fend off the attacks of the most powerful Monsters. But you can only have so many Kuribohs, and this is just getting started!

Continued…

Dark Sage

26th January 2006, 04:59 PM

Continued from last post:

“And since Susa Soldier is a Spirit, he returns to my hand as I end my turn!”

Susa Soldier vanished.

“No, please, have mercy,” sighed the Queen, sarcastically, as she drew a card.

“Uh, Fran?” muttered Andy. “Maybe I’m missing something, but if I were facing an opponent who had a Monster with two-thousand Attack Points, and one with over three thousand, I’d be a bit more worried than she is right now…”

The Queen placed a card down on her Disk and a facedown Monster appeared.

“That will do for now,” she said.

“Very well!” said Noah, drawing. “Here comes Susa Soldier again!”

He played the card, and the Spirit appeared again. (2,000/1,600)

“Take out her facedown Monster!” he shouted.

Susa Soldier swung his sword, and lightning flashed towards the facedown card…

And a dark creature in a black robe, holding two blades appeared.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-080.jpg

“A Night Assailant!” screamed Francesca.

“No!” screamed Stan. “If Shinato is destroyed, Noah loses!”

“You got that right,” chuckled the Queen. “Night Assailant, destroy Shinato!”

Night Assailant’s blades glowed.

“Oh, I don’t think so!” replied Noah. “Shinato, activate Reversal!”

As Night Assailant fired a beam of energy, the King of a Higher Plane vanished…

And then reappeared behind Noah.

“Huh?” said Andy.

Noah chuckled.

“I may have summoned my Deckmaster to the field,” he explained, “but I didn’t intend to keep him there for long. Unlike most Monsters, Shinato has two Deckmaster abilities! See, if he’s about to be destroyed by a card effect, like what just almost happened I can instantly return him to the sidelines. Of course, now I can’t summon him again for the rest of the duel, but it was worth it…”

Night Assailant shattered.

“And my turn isn’t over yet,” continued Noah, playing a card. “I play Spring of Rebirth!”

A huge spring, with a tall stone in the center, topped with an angelic statue, appeared behind him.

“The text on this card doesn’t mention Spirits,” he continued, “but it works great with them, because now, every time a Monster returns to my hand, I gain 500 Life Points.

“Okay,” he said, stabbing his thumb down, “I’m ending my turn NOW!”

Susa Soldier vanished, and the Spring glowed. Noah’s Life Points went up to 8,550.

“Boy, this guy’s good…” said Stan.

“My move!” stated the Queen.

She drew.

And then she chuckled.

“I summon a Monster from the darkest depths of the underworld…” she stated, as a chilling wind started to blow through the room. “See the terror of… Shadowknight Archfiend!”

She played the card, and the wind picked up. Two glowing eyes appeared, and a frightening-looking knight in armor appeared. He had wings on his back, a blood-red sword, and a huge claw for his left hand. (2,000/1,600)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-068.jpg

Francesca gulped.

“An Archfiend…” she said with a shudder.

“Those guys are to normal Fiends what Fiends are to other Monsters!” gasped Andy.

“Puh-lease!” exclaimed Noah. “That guy doesn’t scare me! I happen to know that in order to even have him on the field, you have to pay Life Points every turn!”

The Queen chuckled.

“If you knew so much about Archfiends, Noah,” she said, “you’d know I wouldn’t summon one unless I also had this card…”

A Field Slot opened on her Disk, and she placed a card into it…

“I cast Pandemonium!” she shouted.

A circle of flames surrounded them and everyone watching! Demonic gargoyles rose up, the floor became paved with a ribbed pattern, and a pool of lava formed between them!

“What the…?” muttered Stan.

“When this card is active,” explained the Queen, “one of its effects prevents me from paying any Life Points to use Archfiends!

“And since you’re defenseless… Shadowknight, attack him directly with four-square fury!”

Shadowknight flew forward and slashed at Noah with his blade! Noah stumbled back, and his Life Points fell to 7,550.

“Fortunately for you,” said the Queen, “Shadowknight is so powerful, he doesn’t waste his full energy on insignificant worms like you, so like your Susa Soldier, he only does half the damage you’d expect.

“Now I’ll finish my turn by placing a card facedown…”

A facedown card appeared behind Shadowknight.

Noah drew.

“Speaking of Susa Soldier…” he said.

He played the card, and Susa Soldier appeared a third time. (2,000/1,600)

The Queen laughed out loud.

“Both our Monsters have equal Attack Points!” she laughed. “You attack with him, they’ll both die!”

“Mine won’t!” answered Noah, playing a card. “I play… Kishido Spirit!”

A Magic Card appeared in front of him.

“Now, any Monster I summon can battle a Monster with equal Attack Points, without being destroyed in the process,” he explained.

“Susa Soldier, attack her Shadowknight!”

Susa Soldier raised his sword…

“Not so fast, Noah!” shouted the Queen. “I activate… Archfiend’s Curse!”

Her facedown card lifted.

“This diabolic Trap can only be used when I have an Archfiend on the field,” she explained, “and then I must pay 1,000 Life Points…”

Her Life Points fell to 6,950.

“But now, all Monsters on your side of the field have their Attack Scores cut in half!”

Susa Soldier’s Attack fell to 1,000! As his blast shot forward, Shadowknight knocked it aside with a backhand! Susa Soldier was propelled backwards and shattered!

Noah’s Life Points fell to 7,050.

“Fine,” muttered Noah. “I’ll set one card facedown, and end my turn…”

A facedown card appeared in front of him.

The Queen drew.

“I play… Pot of Greed,” she said, playing the card.

The jar appeared, and handed her two cards.

“Well,” she chuckled, looking at them, “prepare to meet one of my Knight’s lieges… I summon Infernalqueen Archfiend in Attack Mode!”

She played another card. Flames erupted next to Shadowknight, and the hideous Queen of the Archfiends appeared! (900/1,500)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-071.jpg

“That’s just what I wanted you to do, Josephine!” laughed Noah. “I activate my Trap! Earthshaker!”

His Trap Card lifted.

“Let me explain,” he stated. “You have two Monsters, a Wind Monster, and a Fire Monster. This Trap will destroy one, but which… that’s for you to decide….”

The Queen chuckled.

“A simple matter…” she replied. “I choose my Wind Monster!”

“Earthshaker, demolish her Shadowknight!” shouted Noah.

The whole chamber shook, and Shadowknight screamed. He was blasted to pieces.

“I don’t get it…” muttered Fran. “She chose to spare Infernalqueen, when Shadowknight was more than twice as strong…”

“No he wasn’t,” answered Stan. “Infernalqueen has a powerful special ability. During each of her standby phases, she can increase the Attack of any Archfiend by 1,000 for one round.”

“And that’s not all,” added the Queen. “If an Archfiend is destroyed outside of battle, like Shadowknight just was, Pandemonium lets me search my deck for another one and add it to my hand…”

A card slipped out of her deck, and she took it.

“Naturally, this one can’t be as powerful as Shadowknight was, but it will do.

“Now, Infernalqueen, attack with cross-the-board capture!”

The Archfiend erupted in flames, and sped towards Noah, swiping with a fiery claw!

He groaned, and his Life Points fell to 6,150.

“He’s losing…” muttered Andy.

“That’s enough for one turn, I think,” stated the Queen.

Noah drew a card.

He played two cards. A facedown Monster appeared, followed by a facedown card.

“That’s all for me,” he said.

“Heh, heh,” chuckled the Queen. “Not much, huh?”

She drew a card.

“First I’ll use Infernalqueen’s ability on herself!” she continued.

Infernalqueen erupted in flames, and her Attack rose to 1,900.

“And since I have one Archfiend on the field, I can summon one of the most powerful ones… the King of the Archfiends…”

She played a card.

“Terrorking Archfiend!”

With a roar, a new Archfiend appeared. He wad wings, a bony carapace, spiky protrusions all over his body, and wore a cape that suggested fiendish royalty. He held a diabolic weapon that was a cross between an axe and a sword. (2,000/1,500)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-072.jpg

“This is getting serious…” said Andy.

“And I’m not done…” continued the Queen. “I play a powerful Magic Card… It’s called Court of the Ninth Circle!”

She played the card.

“What does that do?” asked Noah.

“Court of the Ninth Circle can only be played when Terrorking and Infernalqueen are both on the field,” she answered, “and it lets me Special Summon any Archfiend of four stars or less from my hand or deck to the field.

“The hardest part now is deciding which one…”

A card slipped out of her deck.

“I do believe that Vilepawn Archfiend will do,” she said, playing the card.

The ground rumbled. A skeletal Fiend with a rapier in his right hand and a large claw for his left crawled out of the floor. (1,200/200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-067.jpg

“By the way,” added the Shadow Queen, “you now aren’t allowed to attack any other Archfiend until you get rid of him!

“Infernalqueen, attack his facedown Monster!”

Infernalqueen shot forth a blast of fire…

And a woman appeared on the card. She had hair tied in exotic braids, wore a white halter and skirt, and had strange tattoos on her arms and legs.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN069.jpg

The odd Spellcaster shattered, and Noah laughed.

“Sorry, Josephine, but that was Otohime!” he exclaimed. “And since you flipped her, I can change one of your Monsters to Defense Mode! Like your Terrorking!”

“Sure!” laughed the Queen. “Switch my King to Defense Mode! With only 1,500 Defense Points, he’d be easy prey…

“If you can…”

Five orbs rose out of the lava and arranged in a circle.

“See,” she said, as glowing numbers appeared on them, “when an Archfiend is targeted by a card effect, the laws of chance intervene, and give it a chance to resist. If this roulette wheel lands on a two or a five, Otohime’s effect will fail!

“Archfiend roulette, go!”

A flame appeared on the one, and started to spin around the numbers.

“Don’t worry, Noah!” shouted Fran. “You’ve got more than a fifty percent chance!”

The flame spun…

And it landed on the three.

“Darn,” muttered the Queen, as Terrorking knelt in Defense.

“And by the way,” added Noah, “if you think you’re gonna attack me with Vilepawn, think again! Because you destroyed Otohime, I can activate this Trap…”

His facedown card activated.

“Vessel of Illusion!” he stated. “When a Spirit is destroyed, this lets me conjure up a Spirit Token! Defense Mode!”

A creature similar to Otohime appeared, kneeling in Defense. (0/0)

“Vilepawn, smash that token!” shouted the Queen.

Vilepawn flew forward, and swung his sword. The Spirit faded into mist.

“Finally, I’ll place a card facedown, and that will be all,” said the Queen.

Another facedown card appeared.

Infernalqueen’s Attack Score returned to 900.

“You may be wondering why I chose to use these Monsters against you Noah,” chuckled the Queen. “See, I’m not without compassion. Archfiends are a lot like chess pieces, and I know how much your dad loved chess…”

“Don’t do me any favors for Gozaburo’s sake!” shouted Noah, making a draw. “That monster locked me up alone for eight years and then used me for his own insane goals! You say your father was a rotten parent, well, you never met mine!”

He added the card to his hand.

“Now I’m going to clear the field of all your abominations,” he said. “I summon the dreaded Asura Priest!”

He played a card, and a strange creature appeared. He looked like some Hindu deity, with three faces and six arms. His hair was tied in a ponytail, and he wore a kilt. (1,700/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN071.jpg

“Asura Priest can attack as many Monsters as I want him to,” stated Noah, “so all three of your Archfiends are going to be gone after this attack!

“Asura Priest, attack the Vilepawn with daggers of demise!”

Six daggers appeared in Asura’s hands… He threw them at the Vilepawn…

“Oh they will, will they?” asked the Queen. “I activate… Bark of Dark Ruler!”

Her Trap Card lifted, and the monstrous form of Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared behind her!

“Doopliss used that against me!” gasped Francesca.

“Then you know how it works,” continued the Queen. “I’ll spend 600 Life Points to weaken Asura Priest by the same amount!”

Her Life Points fell to 6,350, and the Spirit’s Attack Score fell to 1,100…

Vilepawn swung his sword, and the daggers were deflected, skewering their owner! Asura Priest groaned and shattered.

Noah growled as his Life Points fell to 6,050.

“I’ll end my turn by placing a card facedown…” he said, placing a card into a slot.

A facedown card appeared.

“That card better be a good one…” muttered Stan.

The Queen drew a card.

“This time I’ll use Infernalqueen’s effect on Terrorking,” she stated.

Infernalqueen gestured, and flames shrouded Terrorking. His Attack rose to 3,000!

“Now I’ll switch him back to Attack Mode,” she continued.

Terrorking rose…

“Face it, Noah,” said the Queen, “the combined Attack Score of my three Monsters is 5,100!

“This might sting a little…

“Terrorking, attack with locust storm barrage!”

Terrorking roared! His chest burst open, and a swarm of hideous flies blasted out!

“I don’t think so!” shouted Noah. “You activated one of my deadliest Traps! Go, Chaos Barrier Field!”

His Trap Card lifted.

“Not only does this card protect me from all your attacks,” laughed Noah, “but it forces your strongest Monster to attack your weakest!”

Infernalqueen vanished, and reappeared in front of Noah… She gasped before she was literally eaten alive by the swarm of locusts!

“You little brat!” shouted the Shadow Queen, as her Life Points fell to 4,150.

“Go, Noah!” shouted Francesca.

“Not my fault you didn’t watch out for Traps,” chuckled Noah. “And don’t forget my Deckmaster… since you just lost 2,100 Life Points, I gain just as much!”

His Life Points rose to 8,150.

“Make your move…” cursed the Shadow Queen.

Noah drew a card.

“I’ll play my own Pot of Greed!” he exclaimed, playing the card.

The jar appeared, and handed him two more cards.

Perfect, he thought. Now I can get rid of both her nightmares…

“I summon Inaba White Rabbit!” he shouted, playing the card.

A strange form arose. It was a flaming basin, with a pole topped with odd pipes jutting out of the center. A small rabbit clutched the pole. (700/500)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN065.jpg

The Queen chuckled.

“I figured as much,” she said. “I know what that thing can do, Noah, it can attack directly. So attack me! Losing 700 Life Points won’t hurt me that much…”

“That isn’t my plan, Josephine,” said Noah. “I have other plans for it…”

He played a card.

“I play Change of Heart! And my target will be… Vilepawn!”

“Hold on a minute, Noah…” said the Queen.

The flaming roulette wheel appeared again.

“Vilepawn still has a chance to resist your card,” she warned. “If this lands on a six, your Change of Heart will mean nothing… Spin!”

The flame flew from one number to the other…

It landed on the two.

“Seems luck just isn’t with you!” laughed Noah, as Vilepawn vanished and appeared on his side.

Continued…

Dark Sage

26th January 2006, 05:01 PM

Continued from last post:

“And now I play another Magic Card… Squaring the Circle!”

An energy circle appeared around Inaba White Rabbit and Vilepawn Archfiend…

“This card lets me make an extra summon in one turn, so long as said summon requires a sacrifice, and I sacrifice at least one Spirit. So I’ll sacrifice my Rabbit and your Vilepawn…”

The two Monsters vanished…

“And I’ll summon Yamata Dragon!”

A huge creature appeared behind Noah. Andy remembered this one – he had used it against Tyson at the Glitz Pit. It was just as he remembered, with eight hideous heads on long necks. (2,600/3,100)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN067.jpg

“Attack the Terrorking!” shouted Noah. “Eight-headed flame attack!”

Yamata Dragon blasted forth eight streams of fire, and Terrorking was incinerated!

The Queen’s Life Points fell to 3,550.

“Terrorking is vanquished!” laughed Noah.

“Not yet, he isn’t…” replied the Queen.

She discarded a card…

With a roar, Terrorking burst out of the ground!

“What?” asked Noah.

“That card I just discarded was a special Archfiend called Desrook Archfiend,” explained the Queen. “When Terrorking is destroyed in any way, I can discard it to Special Summon him right back from the Graveyard!”

“Yeah?” said Noah, “well, regardless, since you lost 600 Life Points regardless, I gain 600…”

His Life Points rose to 8,750.

“Also, Yamata Dragon has a special ability,” he continued. “Since it damaged your Life Points, I get to draw until I’m holding five cards…”

Five cards flew off his deck, and he caught them.

“Now I’m ending my turn, which means Yamata Dragon returns to my hand…”

Yamata Dragon vanished.

“And don’t forget my Spring of Rebirth!” he added.

The Spring glowed, and his Life Points rose to 9,250.

“Well, he’s turned this around,” said Andy, “but he really should have used that Change of Heart on Terrorking…”

“Noah wasn’t taking chances,” answered Stan. “He knew that Terrorking had a two-in-six chance to resist the Change of Heart, but Vilepawn’s chance was only one-in-six. So he made the safer decision.”

“My move…” chuckled the Queen.

She drew a card.

“First I’ll summon the Darkbishop Archfiend, in Defense Mode…”

She played the card, and a spout of foul water sprung up next to Terrorking. A Fiend in an evil parody of a clergyman’s robes and a papal crown appeared, holding a staff topped with a skull. (300/1,400)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-069.jpg

“Next, I’ll play Archfiend’s Favor,” she said, playing a Magic Card. “This useful card restores my Life Points by 500 for every Fiend on the field, so long as Pandemonium is active… And there are two.”

Her Life Points rose to 4,550.

“And since your side is clear,” she continued, “Terrorking, attack him directly!”

Terrorking howled again, and the swarm of locusts burst from his chest! Noah shielded himself as they flew into him.

“You think that hurt?” he mocked, as his Life Points fell to 7,250. “You’re talking to a guy who took a direct attack from all three Blue-Eyes White Dragons at once!”

“Noah, you’re really starting to scare me…” gulped Stan.

“Well, my move is over,” said the Queen. “Let’s see if you can defeat Terrorking this time…”

Noah drew a card.

“One card facedown, and a Monster in Defense Mode…” he stated.

Two facedown cards, one in his Monster Zone and one behind it, appeared.

“That will do…” he said.

“Then I’ll draw…” said the Queen, drawing.

“I activate my Trap!” exclaimed Noah.

His Trap Card lifted.

“Ground Breaking,” he continued. “When this card is activated, I can move one Spirit Monster from my Graveyard to my hand.”

A card slipped out of his discard slot.

“You think that scares me?” asked the Queen. “I play Pot of Charity!”

She played the card.

“Hey, wait a minute…” said Andy. “To use that card, you have to remove a Light-Attribute Monster in your Graveyard from play! Where the heck are you going to find one in a deck full of Fiends?”

“Good question, Andy,” replied the Queen. “In the entire game of Duel Monsters, there are only two Light Fiends. The second one to be designed was that Ritual Monster my daughter used, Reshef the Dark Being…

“But the first was Desrook Archfiend!”

The card slipped out of her discard slot, and she drew three cards.

“Hmm…” she said, looking at them.

“Aw, disappointed?” asked Noah.

“Maybe,” replied the Queen, “but my Terrorking is still on the field. Terrorking, attack!”

Terrorking shot forth his barrage of locusts at the facedown Monster…

And a strange woman appeared. She was dressed in an exotic dress, had dark hair, and had tattoos similar to Otohime’s.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-075.jpg

She screamed as she was devoured by the locusts.

“Ha!” laughed Noah. “You just flipped Tsukuyomi! Now her effect can…”

“Her effect can do nothing, Noah!” interrupted the Queen. “Terrorking Archfiend has a little bit of Dark Ruler Ha Des inside him, being a dark ruler himself. Any Monster he destroys has its effect negated. With him on my side, I don’t have to worry about Magicians of Faith, Man-Eater Bugs, Cyber Jars, Mystic Tomatoes, and a five-page list of other Monsters with effects that can be triggered when they’re destroyed!

“And it’s your move…”

“Fine!” cursed Noah, drawing. “Then I’ll just destroy him. I’ll summon the guy I got from Ground Breaking… You remember Susa Soldier, right?”

He played the card, and Susa Soldier appeared again. (2,000/1,600)

“What good will he do you?” asked the Queen.

“Take a look…” said Noah with a smirk.

The Queen drew back…

“Your Kishido Spirit card never left the field!” she gasped.

“Exactly!” laughed Noah. “And since you have no Traps to protect your Terrorking, good luck blocking this!”

Susa Soldier slammed his sword down, and Terrorking Archfiend was torn apart!

The Shadow Queen chuckled.

“Clever,” she said. “Pointless, but clever…”

She showed Noah a card in her hand…

“Another Desrook Archfiend?” he gasped.

“Uh huh…” she said, discarding it.

Terrorking Archfiend arose again, and this time, he was mad!

“Don’t worry Noah!” shouted Fran. “She can only have three of those cards in her deck!”

That’s true, thought Noah, but she still likely has one left, and for all I know, it’s already in her hand…

“I end my turn…” he said.

Susa Soldier returned to his hand, and the Spring glowed again. His Life Points rose to 7,750.

“My move…” chuckled the Queen.

She drew a card. Then she chose another one.

“I play… Heavy Storm!”

She played the card, and a fierce wind erupted around the arena! Pandemonium crumbled to dust, as did Noah’s Spring of Rebirth and Kishido Spirit.

“I just took away your edge…” warned the Queen.

“Fool,” answered Noah. “You had to destroy Pandemonium to do that! So you destroyed your own ‘edge’!”

“Noah, you may have the memory capacity of a thousand hard drives,” scolded the Queen, “but you still have the common sense and naiveté of a ten-year-old little boy…”

She flicked her Field Slot open again and placed a card into it.

With the same flaming display, Pandemonium arose again!

“You don’t build an Archfiend deck without including three copies of that card!” she continued.

“And it’s still my turn…”

She switched cards on her Disk.

“I sacrifice my Darkbishop…”

Darkbishop was consumed in flames…

“…to summon the Skull Archfiend of Lightning!”

Lightning struck the spot next to Terrorking, and an even more fiendish version of Yugi Mouto’s Summoned Skull appeared with a roar! (2,500/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-073.jpg

“Terrorking Archfiend, attack Noah directly!”

The locust swarm erupted out of Terrorking, and Noah gasped as it hit him.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he panted, as his Life Points fell to 5,750.

“Oh, shut your mouth,” said the Queen with a smirk. “Or better yet, why don’t I have my Skull shut it for you? Skull Archfiend of Lightning, demon lightning attack!”

The Archfiend shot forth a barrage of lightning bolts, and Noah screamed as he was hit by them…

He fell to his knees, and his Life Points fell to 3,250.

“NOAH!” screamed Francesca.

“I’ll live…” he muttered.

“Not for much longer…” chuckled the Queen.

“My move…” gasped Noah, getting up.

He drew a card.

“I play… Next World…”

He played a card.

A fancy carpet appeared on the floor of the arena, and Skull Archfiend of Lightning’s picture was in the center!

“Huh?” asked the Shadow Queen.

“This Magic Card lets me summon a Spirit with the same number of stars as one of your Monsters, with no sacrifice required,” explained Noah, “in this case, six.”

“So I summon… Dark Dust Spirit!”

A hideous-looking Zombie with blood-red, wrinkled skin and long, white hair appeared. (2,200/1,800)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PGD-017.jpg

“When this Spirit is summoned,” gloated Noah, “it destroys every Monster on the field except itself!”

Dark Dust Spirit exhaled a gout of toxic dust, and Terrorking and Skull Archfiend of Lightning were eroded into nothing!

“Nice try, Noah, but you won’t be getting a free shot!” cursed the Queen. “I’ll discard my final Desrook!”

She discarded a card.

“And this time I’ll bring back my Terrorking in Defense Mode!”

Terrorking reappeared, and shielded himself.

“Fine,” said Noah. “Don’t forget, Dark Dust Spirit can still attack!”

The Spirit flew at Terrorking and made a savage swipe! The King of the Archfiends shattered!

“Now I’ll play a card facedown, and end my turn,” said Noah.

A facedown card appeared, and Dark Dust Spirit vanished.

The Shadow Queen drew a card.

“I play Monster Reborn!” she exclaimed.

She played the card, and Skull Archfiend of Lightning returned!

“Attack him directly!” shouted the Queen.

The Skull powered up his lightning bolts.

“Not this time, Josephine!” shouted Noah. “I activate Magic Cylinder!”

His Trap Card lifted, and the two cylinders appeared in front of him.

“This will throw your Archfiend’s attack right back at you!”

The lightning was caught in one cylinder, and then shot out the other! The Shadow Queen cringed as she was hit by her own attack!

Her Life Points fell to 2,050.

“Could Noah actually win?” asked Stan.

The Shadow Queen’s eyes glowed red again.

And then she smiled… A smile that seemed both pleasant and sinister at the same time…

“Well Noah,” she said, sweetly, “maybe I’ve underestimated you… You’re holding your own… And you can really duel…

“Tell you what… I’ll make you an offer… If you forfeit the duel this minute, I’ll upgrade your status from slave to favored servant… My children just aren’t making the grade anymore.

“Heck, I could even create a new body for you… One that matches your true age. My magic has few limits. You must admit, being cursed with the inability to grow up must have been maddening all those years.

“Who knows? With a little training, you could be the new Heir of Shadow!”

Noah stared at her.

“Noah, don’t do it!” shouted Francesca. “You’ll be selling your soul!”

“She’s only bargaining because she’s losing!” yelled Stan.

“I’m quite aware of all that, people,” said Noah, making a draw. “Josephine, does the phrase ‘go suck a lemon’ mean anything to you?”

“You can’t say I didn’t offer…” muttered the Queen.

“I play Graceful Charity!” exclaimed Noah.

He played the card, and the angel flew out of his deck with three cards.

Noah looked at the powerful Monster and the two Magic Cards.

Now I have all I need to bring her to her knees… he thought.

He handed her Yamata Dragon and Dark Dust Spirit.

“Yugi inspired me to put this card in my deck,” he said, playing a card. “Swords of Revealing Light!”

The cage of Swords crashed down around the Shadow Queen.

“Big deal!” cursed the Queen.

“I’ll place a Monster in Defense Mode, and that will be my turn,” continued Noah.

A facedown Monster appeared.

“Fine,” sighed the Queen, making a draw. “In that case, I’ll pass for my turn…”

Noah drew.

“Another Monster in Defense Mode,” he said, placing a card facedown.

A second hidden Monster appeared.

“Your turn again,” he said.

The Queen drew.

“Then I pass again…” she said. “One round to go…”

“That’s all I need,” chuckled Noah, drawing a card. “I sacrifice my two facedown small fries…”

The two facedown Monsters evaporated.

“…and I’ll summon the King of the Spirits… Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi!”

A flaming pit appeared in the floor, and a gargantuan form arose! It was a giant with flames for hair, wearing a kilt, with a bare chest, and decorated with the same tattoos that Otohime and Tsukuyomi had. (2,800/2,900)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN070.jpg

“Ho boy…” muttered the Queen.

“Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi,” ordered Noah, “attack Skull Archfiend of Lightning with hellish flame fist!”

The giant Spirit roared! Flames appeared on its hands, and it socked Skull Archfiend of Lightning, blasting it out of existence!

The Queen’s Life Points fell to 1,750.

“Since you lost 300 Life Points, I gain them,” chuckled Noah, as his Life Points went up to 3,550. “And that’s not all… You now have to discard your whole hand before you draw on your next turn…

“But it’s still my turn, and I’m not done! I play a Magic Card…

He played a card.

“Dimensionhole!”

A black hole appeared over Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi, and it was sucked into it.

“This Magic Card removes my Monster from play until my next turn,” he explained.

“Why would you do that?” asked the Queen.

“I have my reasons…” answered Noah.

Noah turned and winked at his three allies.

Continued…

Dark Sage

26th January 2006, 05:04 PM

Continued from last post:

“Now move,” he said, “and your next draw had better be a something that can block an attack, or you lose!”

The Shadow Queen frowned. She discarded her hand, and drew one card.

“I place a Monster in Defense Mode…” she stated, placing it on her Disk.

A facedown Monster appeared.

The Swords of Revealing Light vanished.

“Good, said Noah,” making a draw. “And now you’ll see what Dimensionhole can do…”

The black hole opened, and Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi fell out.

“See, a Spirit only returns to your hand on the round it is summoned. Since I didn’t technically summon it at all this turn, it won’t return to my hand anymore! Nifty trick, huh?”

“That is one killer strategy…” gasped Francesca. “He managed to keep a Monster on the field with 2,800 Attack Points that can make her discard her whole hand if it deals a single point of damage… This guy is good.”

“And now I summon another Inaba White Rabbit!” shouted Noah.

A second Rabbit appeared on its strange basin. (700/500)

“Go!” he shouted. “Attack directly!”

Inaba White Rabbit rammed its pole into the basin and then shot out like a rocket! It slammed into the Queen’s back and she stumbled forward.

Her Life Points fell to 1,050, and his rose to 4,250.

“Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi, take care of her facedown Monster!” yelled Noah.

The huge Spirit lunged towards the Monster, and another Vilepawn appeared before shattering.

“I end my turn,” chuckled Noah, as Inaba White Rabbit vanished.

The Shadow Queen panted…

“I draw one card…” said the Queen.

She looked at the card, and smirked.

“I play Spoiled Brat…” she chuckled.

“Huh? What does that do?” asked Noah.

A card bearing the image of Ebon Magician Curran throwing a tantrum appeared on the field.

“It’s a very rare and powerful card,” answered the Shadow Queen. “I can now take both my Pot of Greed and my Pot of Charity from my Graveyard and use them again. Of course, I then have to remove them and this card from play…”

Five cards flew off of her deck.

“…but now I get to draw five cards, so I see no problem…”

She looked at the cards and chuckled.

“And I drew just the right cards, Noah…” she said. “You see, most people think that Terrorking and Infernalqueen rule Pandemonium. But only the two monarchs themselves know that they are actually puppets that answer to a shadowy figure who rules from behind their thrones, in secret. Would you like to meet him?”

“Even if you have such a powerful Monster, how will you summon it?” asked Noah. “You have no Monsters on the field to sacrifice!”

The Shadow Queen chuckled.

“It isn’t a Monster that’s summoned that way…” she snickered.

She placed a card down…

“I summon Warrior of Zera…” she chuckled.

A tall Warrior appeared. He wore a green vest, blue pants, and a green helmet with red horns. He carried a sword with a hilt shaped like a skull. (1,600/1,600)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-002.jpg

“And now, since Pandemonium is on the field, I can sacrifice him, to Special Summon forth the greatest Monster in this deck…”

She switched cards on her deck, and a transformation started to take place…

Darkness shrouded Warrior of Zera, and a huge, demonic form arose. He had brown flesh, with green, bony plating over his head, huge green claws, and large red horns. Huge green wings grew from his back. He had trousers similar to Warrior of Zera’s, but his legs were goat-like.

He let out a fierce roar!

“I give you the true master of Pandemonium…” chuckled the Shadow Queen. “[B]Mazera DeVille!”

(2,800/2,300)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-111.jpg

She chuckled. The three teens cringed in fear…

“Or maybe I should name him ‘Josephine’,” she added. “This guy looks almost exactly how I remember that demon who I sold my name to in exchange for my powers!

“Are you getting this?”

“Holding onto every word…” gulped Noah.

“Then watch…” said the Queen.

Three flaming daggers appeared in Mazera’s hand, and he hurled them! Three cards in Noah’s hand caught on fire!

Noah gasped.

“Just by summoning him,” explained the Queen, “I can send three cards in your hand straight to the Graveyard!”

Noah grimaced, and discarded the cards.

“Fine,” he said. “But your big, bad Fiend is just as strong as Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi! A battle will end in a draw!”

“No it won’t,” said the Queen, playing a card. “Because I’m arming him with Axe of Despair!”

A huge, ugly axe appeared in Mazera’s hand, and his Attack Score went up to 3,800!

“No…” gasped Francesca.

“Mazera DeVille…” commanded the Queen, “attack that Monster whose name I can’t pronounce with demon axe slash!”

Mazera flew forward and made a savage slice, cutting the huge Spirit down the middle!

Hino-Kagu-Tsuchi was vanquished.

Noah’s Life Points fell to 3,250.

“I’ll place a card facedown, and end my turn,” continued the Queen, playing a card.

It appeared.

“Uh…” muttered Noah, slowly drawing.

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I place a Monster in Defense Mode…” he said.

The facedown Monster appeared, and he bowed his head.

The Shadow Queen drew a card.

“I activate my facedown card,” she chuckled.

The card lifted.

“Archfiend’s Roar,” she said. “To activate this Trap, I have to pay 500 Life Points…”

Her Life Points fell to 550.

“But in exchange, I get to Special Summon an Archfiend from my Graveyard for one round. And I choose my Terrorking!”

Terrorking arose again, madder than ever! (2,000/1,500)

“Terrorking, take out his last line of Defense!” she ordered.

The locust storm blasted forward, and Inaba White Rabbit was destroyed.

“Well, Noah…” laughed the Queen. “Any last words?”

“Yes, three,” replied Noah. “Go… to… Hell!”

“Go to Hell?” laughed the Shadow Queen. “Heh, heh, heh… Why Noah…

“I’ve been there…

“Mazera DeVille… finish him…”

The huge Fiend flew at Noah.

To Stan, Andy, and Francesca’s horror, he slashed at Noah with his axe, and his Life Points fell to nothing.

Noah fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. Pandemonium and the two Deckmasters vanished.

The Shadow Queen’s eyes glowed, and she drifted towards Noah.

“Look at you,” she muttered. “Pathetic. All you are is a corrupt file infecting my system… And if there’s one thing my system doesn’t need, it’s a virus!”

Her voice turned sarcastic.

“But thank you so much for bringing up the past… Bringing back memories just encourages me to bury them…”

She raised her hand, and a bolt of darkness struck Noah! He screamed, and then shattered, just as his Monsters had!

The Queen pocketed a card as the three teens ran up to her.

“What did you do to him?” demanded Stan.

“What did I do to him?” asked the Queen with a chuckle.

She started rebuilding her deck.

“You three tell me what happens to someone who loses a Shadow Game!”

“You unholy, evil…” cursed Andy.

“But here,” muttered the Queen, tossing the cards at them. “Take these as a souvenir. I don’t really need them…”

They were surprised to say the least.

Stan bent over and looked at them.

“This is your deck…” he muttered. “Why would you…”

“That isn’t my deck!” she laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. That was a practice deck… I only use my real deck against someone who’s worthy of facing it… And that little brat certainly wasn’t!”

A door appeared, and she opened it.

“Why don’t you bring it out right now?” asked Andy, angrily. “I may be tired, but I can handle you!”

“Andy, choose your battles wisely…” warned Stan.

They followed her through the door into a vast cavern.

“You think you’re so hot!” said Andy. “He’d have beaten you good if you hadn’t been lucky enough to draw that Spoiled Brat card!”

“I’d love to stay and chat some more,” sighed the Queen, ignoring the remark, “but unfortunately, I’d better check up on that project that’s simmering in my private sanctum…”

“You aren’t getting away from me that easily!” shouted Andy, running after her. “You think you can avoid us forever? We know the curse you’re under! You have no way out of this place!”

The Queen chuckled.

She waved her hand, and a Monster Card appeared in it.

Labyrinth Wall.

“True,” she laughed, “I have no way out… But for you, the ways in are pretty difficult to find too!”

She placed the card on her Disk, and suddenly, the stone walls of a huge labyrinth erupted from the floor, surrounding the three teens!

“Find your way through that, and then we’ll talk,” her voice said. “And just so you don’t have too easy a time… Look up…”

They looked up, and two cards appeared far above them…

Imperial Order, and Skill Drain.

They sighed and sat down.

“Noah’s plan failed…” muttered Francesca. “We didn’t see her real deck, so we have no idea what her true strategy is… Or what her Soul Card is…”

“Did you guys notice something?” asked Stan.

They looked at him.

“All through that duel… Her Deckmaster… Cosmo Queen…”

He paused.

“She didn’t do a thing…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Merlee sighed.

“Noah tried his best, and he sincerely wanted to help,” he mused. “There is only one thing I can do…”

He gestured with his hand, and Noah’s Shinato card appeared in it.

“Even with this in a position where it could not be destroyed, he was overwhelmed…” he muttered.

“If my protégés succeed, perhaps I can use this bring his suffering to an end… maybe after so long, I can help him find peace…

“But I must make haste. My protégés must be triumphant before that can ever happen, and I estimate that they will be attacked again in a matter of hours…

“But this is an attack that I will put a stop to…”

He rushed down the hallway.

ARCHFIEND’S FAVOR (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a man and a woman bowing before Terrorking Archfiend and Infernalqueen Archfiend. You can activate this card if “Pandemonium” is active. Increase your Life Points by 500 for every FIEND-Type Monster on the field.

ARCHFIEND’S CURSE (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of Infernalqueen Archfiend casting a fiery spell on victims fleeing in terror. You can activate this card when you have at least one Archfiend Monster face-up on your side of the field. Reduce the ATK of all face-up Monsters on your opponent’s side of the field by half.

Note: “Archfiend’s Favor” and “Archfiend’s Curse” first appeared in “The Mandate of Heaven”.

COURT OF THE NINTH CIRCLE (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of Terrorking Archfiend and Infernalqueen Archfiend on thrones made of skulls holding the end of chains that hold a captive Dark Magician Girl. You can activate this card when you have at least one “Terrorking Archfiend” and at least one “Infernalqueen Archfiend” face-up on your side of the field. Special Summon one Archfiend Monster of four stars or lower from your hand or deck.

CHAOS BARRIER FIELD (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a silhouette of a man in front of a white circle and a red circle. You can activate this card when you have no Monsters on your side of the field, your opponent has more than one, and your opponent declares an attack. Redirect the attack of your opponent’s Monster with the highest ATK against the one with the lowest ATK, and negate all other attacks.

NEXT WORLD (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of an angelic deity holding a glowing orb in her hands. Normal Summon one Spirit Monster from your hand that has the same number of level stars as one of your opponent’s Monsters (no Tribute is needed for Monsters of Level Five or greater). This counts as your Normal Summon for this turn.

GROUND BREAKING (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a shrine made of fragile crystal. Add one Spirit Monster from your Graveyard to your hand.

VESSEL OF ILLUSION (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a beautiful fountain, overflowing with water. You can activate this card when one of your Spirit Monsters is destroyed in battle. Summon one “Spirit Token” to your side of the field in Defense Mode. (Spellcaster/Light/1 star/0 ATK/0 DEF)

Note: The previous four cards were used by Noah in the two-part anime episode “Noah’s Final Threat”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

SQUARING THE CIRCLE (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a summoning circle inside a rune-covered square. Make an extra summon for your turn, so long the extra summon is a Tribute summon, and at least one of the Monsters you use as a Tribute is a Spirit Monster.

Note: “Squaring the Circle” was first used in “The Mandate of Heaven”.

SPOILED BRAT (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of Ebon Magician Curran throwing a tantrum. You can activate this card when you have two Magic Cards in your Graveyard that allow you to draw outside your Draw Phase. Use both of these cards again, negating any costs. Then remove them and this card from play.

Note: “Spoiled Brat” was created by Shuppet Master for his fanfic “Yu-Gi-Oh: Sister of Anansi”. All creative credit goes to him.

”Shinato, King of a Higher Plane”: Fairy/Light/Ritual, Level 8, (3,300/3,000)

Deckmaster SA: This Monster has two Deckmaster Abilities:

- “Life Transfer”: Any battle damage inflicted upon your opponent is added to your Life Point total.

- “Reversal”: If your Deckmaster is on the field and is about to be destroyed by a card effect, you can return the Deckmaster to its position off the field. If you use this ability, you cannot summon the Deckmaster for the remainder of the duel.

”Cosmo Queen”: Spellcaster/Dark, Level 8, (2,900/2,450)

Deckmaster SA: ?

[B][I]Coming up next:

A chapter so secretive, I will not reveal anything about it except the title!

And here it is:

“The Remnant Returns”.

What can it mean?

Wait and see!

Master of Paradox

26th January 2006, 06:07 PM

There are three Light Fiends, actually. Reshef, Desrook, and a little-known Fiend from Ancient Sanctuary named "Theban Nightmare".

And Dark Dust Spirit only destroys face-up monsters. (That fact once cost Eric a duel against me.)

And I'll admit that this chapter was better than I thought it would be. Noah's backstory was nothing special, but the Shadow Queen's story was far better than I had hoped - a refreshingly unique "deal with a devil" tale.

Now as for the duel... If Peter had dueled the Noah memory imp in "Mandate of Heaven", this is a good example of what it would've been like. I'm afraid the hype over the Shadow Queen dueling in Chapter Fifty-Six automatically doomed any hopes of this duel being a blockbuster.

I'll admit I thought Merlee would be dueling her, thanks to your scenes of him claiming the Spawn's Soul Cards. Red herring or plot point?

While the duel was fine from a technical standpoint, I have three objections. One was the overuse of created and show-only cards. While I understand a Spirit Deck wouldn't have worked otherwise, it's jarring to see a card you've never heard of every three paragraphs.

The second was that the outcome was predetermined - Noah never stood a chance

The third, and this may be hypocritical, was that Noah did too well. How big a threat is the Shadow Queen when a sacrifical lamb can take her that low?

All in all, this chapter couldn't have hoped to meet expectations, but it still fell lower than it should have.

I have no idea what will be in the next chapter, so I will not comment.

Pokemasterkatie

26th January 2006, 06:29 PM

*looks up Cosmo Queen's Deckmaster effect* No wonder it wasn't used...

I like Noah, and I like the Archfiends. I was fine with this chapter. But I'm agreeing with the Shadow Queen on her practice deck...Archfiends seem way too obvious for someone who lurks in the shadows. And besides, a couple years from now a certain 'Shadow Duelist' will try the exact same strategy...but with a twist that matches his undertaker-like look.(heh, you have no idea how hard I resisted capitalizing the 'U'! Damn Calloway...:p)

Dark Sage

26th January 2006, 06:34 PM

I make up the Deckmaster effects entirely on my own. Whatever you looked up, it likely isn't what you think Cosmo Queen does.

Blademaster

26th January 2006, 06:53 PM

Paradox, your ability to find something to complain about never ceases to amaze me... :wink:

I was gonna mention Theban Nightmare, actually-I guess Paradox has more dueling experience under his belt than I thought...

So, the Shadow Queen is 1200+ years old? And she's got no name? Hmmm... interesting...

I was expecting Merlee to duel, too; Noah was a bit of a shock... (I guess my theory was wrong, huh...? :redface:)

it's jarring to see a card you've never heard of every three paragraphs.

Good-not being able to figure out every card thrown at you makes the duel more exciting, if you ask me.

Poor Noah-he really does seem like a good kid, but...

Oh, and by the way Paradox, Noah has a quadruple-digit IQ, so what's so shocking about him doing well in any duel (Besides, Queenie likely was holding back and just toying with Noah-why else use a practice deck and a Deckmaster that can't do anything?)?

I have no idea what will be in the next chapter, so I will not comment.

Bastion: "Well, we have nothing if not our dreams, I suppose, however far-fetched..." :biggrin:

Now, let's see what I can dig up...

Cosmo Queen's effect and the next chapter's title... hmmm...

Wait... Cosmo Queen is a ruler of the cosmos...

Hmmm... I might have a suspicion...

And 'The Remnant Returns...?'

Remnant... remains...

...

?!?!

No, it couldn't be!!!

...Could it? :confused:

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

Dark Sage

26th January 2006, 07:05 PM

Again, I'll respond.

Yes, Blademaster is right. The Queen was toying with Noah, holding back her true skill. Like she said, the Archfiend Deck was not her real deck. The reason she used Archfiends was to insult Noah. She knew he hated his father, and his father's favorite passtime was chess.

I will not reveal anything right now about the next chapter. However, the Queen will stay with Cosmo Queen for every duel she partakes in. You'll just have to look forward to when she decides to reveal what secrets she's hiding.

starjake

26th January 2006, 08:14 PM

Hmm.

Well, I apparently was only half-right when I thought that Josephine was the Queen's name...since, for all intents and purposes, it no longer is. That certainly was an interesting concept, the transferral of a name...I can't remember who said the following quite, but since you're an English major, you might remember: "You have stolen my pride, now leave me my name!"

I will freely admit that I am clueless as to Cosmo Queen's Deckmaster ability. I certainly think it represents the Shadow Queen very well, and I suppose it could be her Soul Card.

Then again, you've picked some...er...unusual...Soul Cards in the past.

I knew from the start that she wouldn't play her real Deck. Not only did you tell me so, but it would have been a rather poor choice plot-wise. So, the theme of her true deck remains a mystery.

Interesting curveball: Merlee now holds what I assume to be Noah's Soul Card. I can understand why he'd need the Soul Cards of all the Shadow Spawn, but I thought he would stop after that. Oh well.

One side note: I know this card did not show up in this duel, and it didn't show up in Mandate of Heaven either. Why did we not see one of the most powerful of all the Spirit accessories: Spirit's Invitation?

Well, I can't really comment on my expectations for next chapter, since we know nothing about it, so...see you later!

Shuppet Master

27th January 2006, 06:40 PM

Actually, all that hype was a misunderstanding, Paradox. You only assumed that Merlee would duel the Shadow Queen. His duel will be against a powerful entity. I won't say any more for fear of spoilers.

Also, I know you didn't like the thought about seeing the outcome being predictable, but if you wanted Noah to win(I sort of like him too, so I'm not biased here) you're seriously mistaken. Noah knew he didn't stand a chance, even when he was winning. If you want unpredictable outcomes, stop reading books and start playing MMORPGs, because every known novel has a predictable outcome. (Of course, if you want to prove me wrong, please PM me so we can talk privately. I don't want to start a flame war here.)

Anyways, on to my fellow author, Dark Sage:

Brian, I do have to be a little hyprocrite and agree to what I had chided Paradox on, but he's got a point. Seeing that duel was similar to a reversal of roles with Noah being the good guy. I like the whole origin story, that was sort of unexpected. Her father was a spellcaster of the Shadow Games? Scary. But he was a horrible parent. See, moms and dads of the world, if you would tutor us with love and give us examples of why things are wrong, we wouldn't go summoning our own demons and selling our souls(as in the modern demons of gangbanging, drugs, and illicit sex, amongst other things)! :D

Surprised to see you using one of my cards, but Paradox has a point. While new cards which don't exist in RL are a treat, using them too much makes them cliche and everyone wants the real cards. :) I admit I had made up some of those cards, but I was doing it out of necessity, which was a mistake. Future duels won't rely too much on non-real cards. In fact, as I speak, I'm writing a very nasty duel and I'm using several cards from Shadow of Infinity, keeping the non-real cards to a mininum. I'm doing the same for my next chapter as well(but some cards have to be fake...such as a certain magic card...).

Keep up the good work, Brian.

Perfect Chaos

31st January 2006, 07:03 PM

Decent chapter DS,

I liked how despite the fact that Noah was GOING to lose, he still put up the good fight and held nothing back. Too bad none of the more IMPORTANT secrets of the Queen were revealed during this duel.

So our three heroes must now navigate through a treacherous Labyrinth Wall? What was the point of the Shadow Queen leaving an Imperial Order and Skill Drain cards with the Labyrinth Wall?

Well, looking foward to the next chapter and when Merlee finally struts his stuff in a duel

-Sean

Shuppet Master

31st January 2006, 07:09 PM

I can answer that, Chaos. Imperial Order is a trap that negates magic cards, so they can't be used. Skill Drain should be obvious, since The Unfriendly Amazon played it in her first duel with Fran(it negates monster effects).

So basically, the trio cannot use effect monsters(which include almost all of Fran's monsters, and many of Andy's dragons and Stan's spellcasters) and magic cards(which are vital to Stan's and Andy's decks). If they run into Jirai Gumo and Labyinth Tank pincer-attacking them, they're dead meat unless they throw down a trap card... (But then, the Queen isn't probably going to make them fight monsters, since she wants them alive until her minions defeat them, so she probably did that just to make it impossible to destroy the Labyrinth Wall - Smashing Ground and Mystic Swordsman Level 2 would be a threat to the Wall.)

Dark Sage

2nd February 2006, 08:01 AM

Hello everyone. It's time for a new chapter.

Now, I took some liberties on one powerful card for the sake of story. Sorry about that.

So, on with the show!

- DS

Dark Sage

2nd February 2006, 08:02 AM

[B][I]One thousand years ago, the Shadow Queen’s armies of darkness marched over the world, enslaving and subjugating all in their path… Until she was stopped by three saviors, three powerful Heroes.

That you know well.

But there’s a piece of the puzzle you never learned…

What motivated the Three Heroes to take up arms and become the world’s saviors? Who brought them together? What was the driving force behind these three great warriors?

If left alone, they would not have come together. Certainly, someone or something must have helped them find each other and convinced them that they were able to perform such a daunting task, or they would not have dared oppose the Shadow Queen. After all, her Graveyard was full of prisoners who had tried and failed.

Who or what stood behind the Three Heroes?

It’s a story that only a few know…

[B][size=3]CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

The Remnant Returns

Still exhausted, the three teens hurried down the corridors of the winding Labyrinth, with Fran’s Amazoness Swords Woman ahead of them.

“Right!” said Fran, as they approached an intersection they had yet to mark.

Swords Woman made a slash on the right side of the wall with her blade, and they turned right.

They’d been doing this for half an hour. Each time they’d come to an intersection, Fran would tell her to mark one side, they’d go that way, and when they’d come to a place they’d been, they’d take the other way.

But still, they were getting nowhere fast.

They stopped to catch their breaths.

“Boy…” muttered Andy. “It’s like this stupid maze goes on forever!”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

The Queen poured blue liquid into a cauldron.

“That’s because it does, Andy,” she said with a grin. “From the inside, the Labyrinth Wall is infinite. You’ll have to get out some other way. You can if you stop to think about it.

“But it should slow you down long enough for me to finish this…”

The red liquid in the cauldron turned orange, then yellow, then green, then blue, then purple…

…then murky black…

Have to recite this just right… she thought. If I mispronounce even one syllable, I could wind up with six corpses… And that would be a waste… well, sort of…

“Ah quan lah trep soo!” she chanted.

The liquid started to bubble.

“Mah goun rah nep tarh!”

The liquid caught on fire, and a dark portal started to form in the center of the room.

“Dasta laste mah cahn eranus!”

The room went dark, and the cauldron exploded in a burst of foul slime! The portal crackled with dark energy, and several beakers and test tubes on the walls shattered to pieces!

When everything settled down, the whole room was a wreck, and six shivering, prone forms were on the floor in the center.

She crossed her arms and looked at them.

“Pathetic…” she muttered.

The first one to look up was Vladimir.

“Mom?” he said in fear. “You…”

He turned and saw his five siblings.

“You brought us back? But how?”

“Anyone who can send people to the Shadow Realm can also recover people from the place,” answered the Queen. “It took me a colossal amount of magical energy that I would have really rather have spent on other things and gave me a bad migraine in the process, so you six fools should consider yourselves very lucky that I decided to be nice.

“Now, we’re going to try this again, and…”

“No!” begged Melissa. “We don’t want to!”

“They’re too strong!” pleaded Tyson. “They’re better at Shadow Games than we are! The blood of the Three Heroes is in them!”

“I’m not giving you all a choice!” scolded the Queen. “Since you all are incapable of doing this on your own and they’re almost at the Heart of the Palace, we’re going to use the Amalgam Spell!”

“NOOO!” screamed Maria in panic.

“Mother, please reconsider!” begged Leopold. “Our bodies will be consumed if you use that spell, and…”

“They won’t be consumed, Leopold,” said the Queen. “I’ll be able to keep them in magical stasis.”

She glared at them.

“However,” she warned, “you only will get them back if you can defeat those brats. Fail this time, and I’ll just lock you up in shackles until I decide I have some other use for this plan.”

They all moaned.

“Succeed,” said the Queen, “and we might just consider forgiveness… But no guarantees.”

She took a card out of her dress and picked up her Duel Disk.

“Now all of you sit still and be quiet,” she warned. “If you move or talk while this is working, your chances of surviving go down from sixty percent to about thirty percent…”

“We only have a sixty percent chance?” gasped Kurtis.

“Kurtis, sit still, and be quiet…” ordered Vladimir.

The Shadow Queen played the card…

And a strange spell started to take effect…

“Powers of Light…” said the Queen.

Melissa closed her eyes, and a spiritual form of radiance floated out of her body.

“Wind…” she continued.

Kurtis closed his eyes, and a blue, airy form floated out of him.

“Fire…”

Tyson followed. A flaming spirit floated out of him.

“Earth…”

Leopold did the same, and a spirit that seemed both immaterial and solid at the same time floated from his body.

“Water…”

Maria closed her eyes. A completely fluid form rose from her.

“And Darkness…”

A pitch-black shadow rose out of Vladimir’s body…

And then, the physical bodies of the six Spawn melted away.

“Combine…” said the Queen.

The six spiritual forms coalesced…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

The three teens were too tired to run anymore. They stopped at a four-way intersection.

“There’s got to be another way out of here…” muttered Francesca.

“Wait…” said Stan. “Recall Swords Woman.”

Fran shuffled the card back into her deck, and the Amazon vanished.

“This is a Labyrinth Wall,” said Stan. “It’s another one of the Queen’s living Monsters. We can’t find our way though it… We have to destroy it.”

“That might be hard,” said Andy, pointing upward. “The Queen set up an Imperial Order and a Skill Drain Trap, so destroying it with Magic Cards and Monster effects won’t work.”

“True,” stated Stan, taking five cards from his deck, “but we can destroy it if we summon someone strong enough to defeat its 3,000-point Defense. And with those two Traps up there, there’s only one possibility…

“So, first I’ll summon Magician’s Valkyria and the Illusory Gentleman.”

He placed two cards down on his Disk, and the two Spellcasters appeared. (1,600/1,800), (1,500/1,600)

“Next,” he continued, “I’ll sacrifice Valkyria to summon Chaos Command Magician, and then sacrifice the Gentleman to summon Dark Magician Girl…”

The two Spellcasters vanished, and the two stronger Spellcasters appeared. (2,400/1,900), (2,000/1,700)

“And then,” he continued, “I’ll sacrifice them both… to summon Sorcerer of Dark Magic!”

The two Spellcasters vanished, and the powerful black Spellcaster appeared! (3,200/2,800)

“All right!” he shouted. “Smash down these walls! Celestial Blast!”

Sorcerer of Dark Magic fired a mighty spell from his staff, and the Labyrinth Wall was smashed to rubble!

“All right!” shouted Andy.

They saw an exit in the far end of the vast cavern.

“Hey, Shadow Queen!” laughed Andy, looking at the two Traps. “You should have put a Mask of Restrict up there! If you had, we’d have been trapped forever!”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

The Shadow Queen laughed.

“You missed the whole point, Andy!” she laughed. “I only wanted to slow you down! And I succeeded admirably!

“As soon as you reach the access to the Heart, my newest duelist will challenge the three of you. Those that defeat her will progress to the finals. Those that can’t…

“My Graveyard is waiting…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

The three teens entered a very long and wide hallway.

It was ten feet wide, with blood-red carpeting, with stone walls lit with torches.

Far down, about a thousand feet, were huge doors.

They started down the hallway…

As they reached the halfway point, a mystical circle appeared on the floor…

Then a whirlwind erupted from it, followed by a column of fire, followed by a column of rock, followed by a waterspout…

Then a beautiful woman appeared where the energy gouts had been. She wore a decorated blue robe and a fancy headdress. She had strawberry blonde hair, and carried a Duel Disk on her arm.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN034.jpg

“Now what?” sighed Stan.

“Hiya folks!” said the woman in a familiar voice. “Long time no see!”

“That’s Melissa’s voice!” gasped Andy.

The figure laughed in another voice.

“True, but she isn’t alone here!” laughed Kurtis’s voice.

The voice switched to Tyson.

“Today’s special is, six for the price of one!” he laughed.

“We’re all working as a team now,” said Leopold’s voice. “You know what they say… The whole is greater than the sum of its parts!”

“You’re all going to get six times the pain this time!” cackled Maria’s voice.

“Can we can the melodramatics and get on with this?” growled Vladimir’s voice.

The other five chuckled.

“No Shadow Games this time,” chuckled Tyson, “but we can still defeat you on our mother’s behalf. So who’d like to go down first?”

The three of them looked at each other.

Impossible… They were far too tired to take them on now…

And then a voice came from nowhere…

“I believe that honor belongs to me,” it said.

A form appeared between them and the woman.

“MERLEE?” they shouted at once.

The old man crossed his arms, one of which bore a Duel Disk, and stared at the six children who were somehow sharing one body…

“Merlee?” asked Kurtis. “Wait, mom mentioned him… He was mom’s deadliest enemy one thousand years ago!”

There was a pause.

“He was the one who recruited the Three Heroes and convinced them to take her down!”

“Yes,” said Merlee. “I helped take down the Queen once, and I’ve been helping their heirs now… Call it payback…”

“Payback?” asked Maria. “What did she ever do to you?”

“What didn’t she do?” shouted Merlee, angrily.

“Merlee…” muttered Francesca. “You can’t…”

“I’ll handle them, Francesca,” interrupted Merlee. “You three take it easy…”

He looked at the Spawn.

“It’s a sad story…” started Merlee. “One that most people have forgotten…

“Eleven hundred years ago, I was just a child, who lived in a small city-state that history never learned about. We were a society of intellectuals who studied philosophy, science, and art…

“We did… until the armies of the Shadow Queen came…

“She thought that, because of our pacifistic nature, we were worthless. She called us weak. That we weren’t even worth enslaving. All she could use from us was what wealth and knowledge we had. So she simply ordered everyone in the city executed…”

Stan, Andy, and Francesca gasped.

“Nine-thousand innocents died horribly that day…” he continued. “One thousand more managed to flee, and the Queen didn’t bother to pursue. But it was winter, and the survivors quickly succumbed to hunger and the cold…

“Slowly, they starved and froze to death, until only one child was left… That child found a strange shrine in the wilderness… He wandered inside, hoping that it would provide warmth from the cold. He didn’t find it, and he fell asleep, not expecting to ever wake up…

“In his dreams, he came face-to-face with the deity whom the shrine was once dedicated to… The God of Kings and the Sun, Re-Horakhty…

“Are you getting this, or should I go slower?”

“Hanging onto every word…” muttered Leopold.

“The God of Kings sympathized with the child, and said he would help him. He used his divine power to save his life, and would grant him immortality, as well as the potential to learn powerful magic…

“Even Shadow Magic…

“The boy made his way to a civilization where the Shadow Queen had not yet reached, and for the next hundred years, kept one step ahead of her. As he grew into a man, he studied knowledge that most men would not dare to delve into…

“And eventually, he discovered three individuals who he believed could defeat the Shadow Queen. He convinced them to take up arms to oppose her together…

“But even after they had, the survivor’s job was not done, and wouldn’t be until the Queen was defeated forever…”

He pointed at the creature.

“Shadow Spawn, I am that survivor… The last remnant of a civilization that your mother butchered because she thought we were weak…

“And if you want to defeat these children, you will have to defeat me first!”

Maria laughed.

“You aren’t worth our time, old man!” she cackled. “Why should we waste our energy with you?”

“Because I have some things you need…” answered Merlee.

He took six cards out of a pouch by his side.

He showed them to them – Reshef the Dark Being, Cyber Harpie Lady, Infernal Incinerator, Sengenjin, Crab Turtle, and Relinquished.

They were silenced.

“I’ll make you six a deal,” he stated. “Duel me instead of these kids. If you win, you get these cards back. But if I win, you have to surrender to me…”

“And what would that entail?” asked Leopold, getting suspicious.

Inside the creature’s head, Melissa pulled him aside.

“Leo, Leo, chill!” she laughed. “It isn’t as if we actually have to keep our word… Besides, we can kick the adult diapers off this guy! He’ll be a pushover!”

“Let’s be careful nonetheless,” warned Vladimir. “Merlee might well be crafty…”

“You worry too much, Vlad…” chuckled Tyson. “We’ll beat him in three rounds!”

They turned to Merlee.

“Okay, Merl,” laughed Melissa, “we’ll duel you… this shouldn’t take long…

“Anyway, you need a Deckmaster…”

“I’m quite aware of that,” said Merlee. “And I’ve got the perfect Monster…”

He held a card above his head…

A little Monster shaped like a white square with a face, stubby limbs, little wings, and a red question mark on his head appeared.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-057.jpg

“My Deckmaster is Mokey Mokey!” he exclaimed.

“HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!” laughed Tyson. “And what exactly does that little marshmallow do?”

“I believe it was you who told Stan, Tyson,” said Merlee, “that there is no rule that says I have to tell you what my Deckmaster can do!”

“Wait a second…” said Stan, looking through his spare cards. “When I found my Sweet Treat card, that guy was in a pile with a lot of other cards…”

He pulled out another Mokey Mokey card and read the flavor text:

An outcast angel. Nobody knows what he is thinking at all. Sometimes he gets mad and that is dreadful.

“That text isn’t entirely true,” noted Merlee. “Some people know what he’s thinking. I certainly do!”

“Well, let us tell you about our Deckmaster!” laughed Melissa. “See, we’re all sharing the body of a Ritual Monster called Elemental Mistress Doriado. And while she is technically a Monster of Light…”

“She is also considered a Monster of Wind,” said Kurtis.

“Fire,” continued Tyson.

“Earth,” said Leopold.

“AND Water at once!” finished Maria.

“And her Deckmaster ability is quite simple,” stated Vladimir. “She can influence the field even when she hasn’t been summoned to it!”

“Then enough talk,” said Merlee, activating his Disk. “It’s time to duel!”

The Spawn activated their own Disk, and the Life Point counters each set to 8,000.

“We’re all behind you, Merlee!” shouted Francesca.

“Be careful!” warned Stan. “These guys are dangerous!”

“I know what ‘m doing…” answered Merlee.

“Yeah, right…” chuckled Maria.

“I’ll make the first move…” said Merlee, drawing a sixth card.

“And for my first move, I’ll activate a Continuous Magic Card… the powerful Heart of the Underdog!”

The card appeared on his side of the field.

“What this card does will come to light on my next turn,” he stated. “Next I’ll place one card facedown on the field…”

He played a card, and it appeared facedown.

“And finally, I’ll summon Kozaky in Attack Mode.”

A cackle sounded over the field, and a fiendish mad scientist appeared in front of him. (400/400)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-058.jpg

“And that will end my turn,” he said.

“HA!” laughed Tyson. “You call THAT a Monster?”

“Don’t mock Kozaky,” scolded Merlee. “He’s a scientist, an intellectual, and a hard worker, just like my people were.”

“Touching,” said Tyson. “Well, we’ll show you a real Monster…”

They drew a card.

“You see, Doriado has six servants, and to each of them, she bestowed two elemental gifts… And we’ll summon one now… Element Valkyrie in Attack Mode!”

They placed a card down, and a beautiful woman in a skimpy one-piece, gloves, boots, a blue cape, and a winged helmet, carrying a flaming spear appeared.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/FET-EN010.jpg

“Element Valkyrie was given the Gift of Fire and the Gift of Water,” continued Tyson. “So when there’s a Fire Monster on the field, she gains 500 Attack Points, and when there’s a Water Monster on the field, she can’t be brainwashed.

“And remember, Doriado is considered a Monster of five Attributes, and she can influence the field even now, so Valkyrie receives both of those benefits!”

(1,500/1,200) –> (2,000/1,200)

“Element Valkyrie,” shouted Tyson, “attack that sorry excuse for a Monster with scalding steam blast!”

The Valkyrie twirled her spear, and shot a blast of steam at the mad scientist. Kozaky covered his face…

“I activate my Trap Card!” shouted Merlee. “Silver Dollar!”

A Trap bearing the image of two silver coins lifted up and the blast was halted inches from Kozaky!

Merlee grinned.

Continued...

Dark Sage

2nd February 2006, 08:04 AM

Continued from last post:

“This Trap Card can negate one attack against one of my Monsters, so long as the Monster that’s being attacked has 1,000 Attack Points or less.”

“He is crafty…” muttered Vladimir.

“Fine…” said Tyson. “It’s your move…”

“Then it’s time to see what Heart of the Underdog can do,” exclaimed Merlee. “See, during my Draw Phase, if a card I draw is a Normal Monster, I’m allowed to draw again, so long as show you the Monster…”

He drew.

“And I just drew Clown Zombie!”

He drew again.

“Goblin Calligrapher!”

He drew a third time.

“Gigobyte!”

A fourth time…

“Skull Servant!”

He drew yet again…

“Well…” he said, “this card doesn’t fit the profile, so I have to stop drawing there…”

“Finally…” muttered Kurtis.

“That’s a powerful card…” muttered Andy.

“Yeah, but he used it to draw a bunch of weaklings…” answered Stan.

“Next, I’ll summon the Clown Zombie I just drew…” continued Merlee, “in Attack Mode…”

He placed the card down, and a hideous, decayed clown balancing on a ball appeared. (1,350/0)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TP6-EN020.jpg

“Well,” chuckled Melissa. “That’s better than the other guy, but he still stinks!”

“Really?” said Merlee. “Well, he’s going to destroy your Valkyrie, because I also have a Magic Card…”

He played a card.

“Thousand Energy,” he said. “When I play this card, all Normal two-star Monsters on my side of the field, like Clown Zombie, gain 1,000 Attack Points!”

Clown Zombie glowed, and rose to 2,350 Attack Points!

“Clown Zombie,” ordered Merlee, “kill Element Valkyrie with acrobatic daggers attack!”

Clown Zombie cackled. Three glowing knives appeared in his hand… He leapt up, landed on the ball on his other hand, and threw them! Element Valkyrie screamed as they flew into her breast! She fell over and shattered.

The Spawn’s shared body looked in disbelief…

“Kozaky, you attack too…” ordered Merlee.

The Fiend laughed, and produced a smoking test tube. He hurled it, and Doriado staggered backwards slightly.

Their Life Points fell to 7,250.

“Finally, I’ll place one card facedown on the field,” stated Merlee, playing a card.

A facedown card appeared behind Kozaky.

“Now I’ll end my turn,” he said. “Unfortunately, since I played Thousand Energy, that means Clown Zombie goes to the Graveyard…”

Clown Zombie shattered.

Inside Doriado’s head, the Spawn were a little upset.

“He’ll be a pushover, huh?” asked Kurtis, sarcastically.

“Hey, he may have won the first round,” said Leopold, “but it takes more than that to win a duel… Now let’s draw…”

They drew a card.

“Now we summon another of Doriado’s servants,” said Leopold, “a fiendish fighter known as Element Soldier!”

They put a card down, and a knight in bronze armor holding a long blade appeared. (1,500/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SOD-EN024.jpg

“This creature was given the Gifts of Earth and Water,” said Leopold. “You already know what the Gift of Water entails… The Gift of Earth lets him negate the effect of any Monster that he destroys.

“Element Soldier, attack with mire sludge blast!”

Element Soldier swung his blade, and a stream of slimy mud shot forward, blowing Kozaky to pieces!

Merlee shielded himself as his Life Points fell to 6,900.

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I summon Ruklamba the Spirit King!” he exclaimed.

A frightening-looking lizard-man with long, black hair, sharp teeth, and a long tail appeared on Merlee’s side of the field. (1,000/2,000)

“Hey!” shouted Maria. “It’s still our turn!”

“True,” nodded Merlee, “but due to one of Ruklamba’s special effects, when I lose 1,000 or more Life Points in a single attack, I can summon him to the field immediately!”

Maria growled.

“I think I see the Spawn’s strategy,” said Francesca, “I’ve seen this before…”

“Huh?” asked Andy.

“It’s called an Alchemy Deck,” explained Francesca. “All of their Monsters gain multiple benefits from having Doriado on the field.

“The problem with this strategy is, Doriado is a Ritual Monster, so she’s hard to summon… And she’s weak, so she’s hard to keep on the field.

“But since Doriado is their Deckmaster and can influence the field from the sidelines, her presence was helping them from the start, and she can’t be gotten rid of. That makes the strategy hard to defeat…”

Meanwhile, the Spawn were discussing this new development.

“Vladimir,” said Tyson. “What is the story with this Ruklamba? You’re the expert on Dark Monsters…”

“I have no idea, Tyson!” replied Vladimir. “But I did see that that thing is an eight-star Monster…”

“An eight-star Monster with only 1,000 Attack Points?” said Maria, startled. “Most eight-stars are three times as strong!”

“Indeed…” muttered Vladimir. “So its effect is likely… deadly…”

“All right, Merlee…” said Leopold, slowly. “We end our turn…”

“Then it’s time for Heart of the Underdog to work again!” said Merlee, making a draw.

“And I drew Souls of the Forgotten!”

He drew again.

“Another Kozaky!”

He drew again.

“And this card doesn’t do the trick…” he said, adding it to his hand.

“First, I’ll place one card facedown on the field,” he said, playing a card.

A card appeared next to the other one.

“Next I’ll activate Ruklamba’s other special ability,” he stated. “See, by offering it as a sacrifice, I can Special Summon as many Monsters as I can, so long as the lump sum of their Attack Scores does not total more than 2,000!

“So say goodbye to Ruklamba…”

Ruklamba the Spirit King shattered into pixels.

“And say hello to Skull Servant, Gigobyte, Goblin Calligrapher, Petit Moth, and another Kozaky!”

Five Monsters materialized on the field! First came a small skeleton clad in rags (300/200). Then there was a tiny, cute-looking lizard man (350/300). Next came a little Fiend with purple skin and a horn on his forehead, holding a quill pen behind his ear (400/400). He was followed by a large silkworm with colored markings. (300/200). Finally, another Kozaky appeared. (400/400)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOB-EN004.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-056.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SOD-EN004.jpg

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN023.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-058.jpg

“Ho boy, it’s a battalion of weaklings…” muttered Maria.

“All my Monsters are physically weak,” answered Merlee. “Your mother called my people weaklings! This is my way of proving that creatures who are physically weak are not as worthless as she thought!”

“Fine,” laughed Maria, as they drew a card. “Well just take them all out like bite-sized candies!

“We play Pot of Greed!”

The jar handed them two cards.

“Perfect!” chuckled Kurtis. “Since we’re getting sick of you making extra draws, we’re going to blow away that Heart of the Underdog card with Mystical Space Typhoon!”

They played the card, and the fierce wind blasted the Magic Card to pieces!

They took another card.

“And now we’re going to summon Doriado’s most powerful servant! We summon Element Dragon!”

They played the card, and a Dragon with orange skin and a mane of red hair appeared. (1,500/1,200) –> (2,000/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SOD-EN023.jpg

“Not only does this guy have the Gift of Fire,” laughed Kurtis, “but he has the Gift of Wind, which means so long as there’s a Wind Monster on the field, he can attack a second time, so long as he destroys one Monster first!”

“Merlee…” gasped Francesca.

“Element Dragon…” ordered Kurtis, “attack the Petit Moth with blazing breeze!”

Flames appeared in the Dragon’s jaws…

“I activate Gravity Bind!” shouted Merlee, as his Trap Card lifted.

A wave of energy covered the whole field.

“Now,” he said, “all Monsters of four stars or more can’t attack!”

Doriado sneered.

“Fine, we end our turn then…” muttered Kurtis.

“Then I’ll draw…” said Merlee.

He drew.

“And I’ll activate my other facedown card… One of my personal favorites…”

A Magic Card lifted.

“The Law of the Normal?” gasped Melissa. “What the heck does that do?”

“This Magic Card can only be played when I have five Normal Monsters of one or two stars on my side of the field,” explained Merlee. “Since I do, all Monsters on your side of the field that don’t fit that criteria are wiped out!”

The five minor-league Monsters’ eyes glowed, and they fired burning beams! Element Soldier and Element Dragon howled, and shattered into pixels!

“And now that you have nothing to protect yourselves,” said Merlee, “get them, boys!”

Doriado screamed with six voices as the five Monsters all made a flying tackle, hitting her with a barrage of punches and ramming attacks. She fell on her behind!

The Spawn fell to 5,500 Life Points.

“Old man…” said Leopold, “we’re really starting to get angry…”

“You ever read the Bible, Shadow Spawn?” asked Merlee.

Doriado stared at him.

“Didn’t think so,” he continued. “I’m fond of a certain passage from Mathew 5:5, where Christ says ‘Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth’.”

“That may be true,” growled Maria, “but until then, the strong will give the meek a hard time!”

“In one ear and out the other,” said Merlee, shaking his head. “Well, my turn is now over.”

“Oh, I get it!” said Stan. “I know Merlee’s strategy now!”

“Oh?” asked Andy.

“Professionals call it a ‘Human Wave’ deck,” said Stan. “People who think it doesn’t work call it a ‘Weenie Rush Deck’. In any case, it consists of using one- and two-star Monsters with no effects and Spells and Traps made especially for them. It can be quite effective in the hands of an expert.”

The Spawn drew a card.

They gave it some careful consideration.

“We’ll place one card facedown,” Maria, fitting a card into a slot.

A facedown card appeared.

“Next, we’ll summon Element Magician in Attack Mode.”

In a swirl of what looked like sea spray, a woman dressed in flimsy clothing and streamers with her hair tied in a Princess Leia do appeared, dancing a pirouette. (1,500/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/RDS-EN013.jpg

“This princess was given the Gift of Water and the Gift of Wind,” stated Maria.

“She still can’t attack me with my Gravity Bind,” answered Merlee.

“So we’ll end our turn,” said Maria.

Merlee drew.

“We activate our Trap!” shouted Kurtis. “Go, Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan!”

The Trap activated, and an armored samurai appeared, kneeling in the center of the field.

“Wait just a minute!” shouted Francesca. “I know that Trap! You need four Monsters to activate it!”

“No we don’t!” laughed Kurtis. “We only need a Monster of Fire, one of Wind, one of Water, and one of Earth! And remember, Doriado fills all four requirements!

“Now we have a choice to make; while we could wipe out all your Monsters, that wouldn’t do much good with that annoying Gravity Bind Trap still there, so we’re going to use the one that lets us destroy all your Magic and Trap Cards!”

A fierce wind erupted over the field, and Gravity Bind shattered!

The samurai vanished.

“Very well,” said Merlee, shrugging. “I’ll move all my Monsters into Defense Mode…”

The five Monsters backed up.

“I’ll end my turn.”

“Perfect!” laughed Kurtis as they drew a card. “Element Magician, wipe out his Kozaky AND his Gigobyte with tempest spray!”

Element Magician chanted, and fired a blast of freezing mist, eradicating Kozaky. Then she fired another blast with her other hand, blowing Gigobyte away.

“Now we’ll place a card facedown, and we’ll end our turn,” said Kurtis, as a facedown card appeared behind Element Magician.

“Very well…” said Merlee, drawing.

He added the card to his hand.

“I’ll first move my three Monsters back… to Attack Mode!” he stated.

Skull Servant, Petit Moth, and Goblin Calligrapher got up.

“And next I’ll play a powerful Magic Card… The incredible Triangle Power!”

He played the card.

Andy remembered this card… Vladimir himself had used it against him using his Skull Servant Deck!

“When this card is played,” continued Merlee, “as Vladimir no doubt knows, all Normal one-star Monsters on my side of the field gain 2,000 Attack Points!”

The three Monsters were surrounded by a glowing energy triangle. Skull Servant rose to 2,300 Attack, Goblin Calligrapher rose to 2,400, and Petit Moth rose to 2,300…

Element Magician gasped in fear…

“Skull Servant, attack the Magician!” shouted Merlee.

Skull Servant flew forward and slashed at Element Magician with its claw! She screamed and shattered.

The Spawn fell to 4,700 Life Points.

“This is it!” shouted Stan. “If these next two attacks hit, Merlee will win!”

“Goblin Calligrapher!” yelled Merlee. “Show them that the pen is truly mightier than the sword!”

The Fiend cackled, and took the pen from behind his ear… It grew to the size of a lance. He charged point-first…

“Ergh, activate Trap Card!” shouted Melissa.

The Trap lifted as the Goblin stabbed them with his pen…

Doriado grinned, as Nutrient Z revealed itself.

“You aren’t the only one with clever Traps, dad!” she laughed. “Thanks to this, we gained 4,000 Life Points before your attack hit!”

Their Life Points went up to 8,700, and then down to 6,300.

“Don’t forget that my Petit Moth still has an attack…” muttered Merlee. “And he intends to use it!”

Petit Moth flew at them and rammed into Doriado’s gut, knocking them down. Their Life Points fell to 4,000.

“And my turn is far from over,” continued Merlee. “Next I’ll play the Magic Card called Enchanting Fitting Room…”

He played the card.

“To play this, I must pay 800 Life Points…” he explained.

His Life Points fell to 6,100.

“And now I get to pick up the top four cards of my deck, and if any of them are Normal Monsters of three stars or lower, I get to Special Summon them. Anything else I reshuffle back into my deck.”

He took the top four cards from his deck.

“And I got two of them…” he stated. “Firegrass and Kagemusha of the Blue Flame! Defense Mode!”

He placed two cards on his Disk, and two Monsters appeared. The first one was a weird patch of weeds with a grimacing face. (700/600). The second was a bare-chested Warrior with his hair tied in a ponytail, holding a short sword and a staff. (800/400)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOB-EN018.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOB-EN028.jpg

“My turn is over,” said Merlee, as he returned the other two cards to his deck. “Unfortunately, since I played Triangle Power, that means the three Monsters who benefited from it go to the Graveyard.”

Skull Servant, Goblin Calligrapher, and Petit Moth shattered.

“All right, our move!” shouted Maria.

They looked at their card and frowned.

“You seem disappointed with your draw…” said Merlee.

They placed a card down.

“We summon the dreaded Element Doom in Attack Mode,” stated Vladimir.

A hideous Fiend that looked like a cross between a snake and a bat with large wings appeared. (1,500/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/FET-EN011.jpg

“This creature possesses the Gift of Earth and the Gift of Wind,” continued Vladimir, “and I’m sure you realize what that means by now. Element Doom, wipe out both his Monsters with diabolic sandstorm!”

The Fiend shot two blasts of sand and grit from its maw, and Merlee’s two Monsters were wiped out.

“We’ll place a card facedown, and that will do it for now…” said Vladimir.

A facedown card appeared.

“Fine,” replied Merlee.

He drew a card.

“Activate, Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan!” shouted Maria.

“Another one?” gasped Francesca, as the Trap lifted.

“This time, we’re going to use the effect that lets us draw two cards…” she continued.

Two cards flew off their deck.

They seethed as they looked at them.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Inside Doriado’s head, an argument started.

“Where is it?” cursed Maria. “We are having the worst luck!”

“Don’t blame me!” shouted Tyson. “If we had included my Forge of Hephaestus card in this deck, we could have brought it out instantly!”

“If my memory serves me correctly, Tyson,” chuckled Leopold, “that silly Trap let Stan draw his Sorcerer of Dark Magic, and blow your best Monster to Kingdom Come!”

“Whose idea was it to put that stupid Monster in this deck anyway?” asked Vladimir.

They all looked at Melissa.

“It was a good idea!” she shouted. “Once we draw it, he’s history!”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Merlee took a card from his hand.

“I play the Magic Card, Level Limit Area B!” he exclaimed, playing the card.

The card appeared, and Element Doom curled up in Defense Mode.

“Now, all Monsters of four stars or more must move to Defense Mode and stay there,” he continued. “I’ll end my turn with that…”

What was clearly Maria’s voice growled.

“We’ll summon Element Saurus in Defense Mode then,” said Tyson.

They played a card, and a mean-looking dinosaur with smoke pouring out of its nostrils appeared. It sat in Defense Mode. (1,500/1,200) –> (2,000/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/RDS-EN014.jpg

Merlee drew a card.

“I’ll keep you guessing by placing two more cards facedown…” he stated.

Two facedown cards appeared.

“And I’ll end my turn.”

“ARGH!” shouted Maria inside their head. “Two strong Monsters on our side, none on his side, and we can’t touch him!”

“Shut up, Maria!” shouted Leopold, who was getting frustrated himself.

They drew a card.

“I activate a Trap Card!” shouted Merlee. “Go, Ojama Trio!”

His Trap lifted, and then shattered…

Three ugly imps appeared on the Spawn’s side of the field. One was green, had one eye, and a lolling tongue. One was yellow and had eyes on stalks. The third was black and bulky. (0/1,000 x3)

“What are these things?” shouted Melissa. “They’re creeping me out!”

“What kind of a Master of Light Monsters are you, Melissa?” asked Merlee. “You don’t recognize the Ojamas? This Trap creates three Ojama Tokens on your side of the field, preventing you from summoning any more Monsters. Getting rid of them will be difficult, because they can’t be sacrificed to summon Monsters… And as you can see, attacking me with them would be pointless.”

“Fine…” growled Melissa. “We’ll pass for this turn…”

Merlee drew a card.

“I first play Emergency Provisions,” he said, “and use it to send Level Limit Area B and my other card to the Graveyard.”

He played the card. A large mouth appeared, and swallowed the two cards. His Life Points went up to 8,100.

Continued...

Dark Sage

2nd February 2006, 08:05 AM

Continued from last post:

“And by the way,” he stated, “the ‘other card’ was a special Magic Card called Ojamagic. When this card is sent from the field or my hand to the Graveyard, I get to pull the three real Ojamas from my deck…”

Three cards slipped out of his deck.

“…so now I have Ojama Green, Ojama Yellow, and Ojama Black.

“Next I’ll place two more cards facedown on the field, and end my turn…”

Two cards appeared in front of him.

“Are you sure?” asked Tyson.

“Positive…” said Merlee.

The Spawn chuckled as they drew a card.

“Then we’ll move our two Monsters to attack Mode…” chuckled Tyson.

Element Doom and Element Saurus rose up into attack position.

“Element Doom, diabolic sandstorm!” shouted Leopold.

The Fiend blasted its sandstorm, and Merlee cringed as it hit him…

“MERLEE!” screamed Francesca.

“Element Saurus,” yelled Tyson, “magma blast!”

Element Saurus shot a gout of burning lava from its jaws, striking Merlee in the chest!

His Life Points fell to 4,600.

“Well, that’s our turn, Merl, old girl…” snickered Melissa.

Merlee stared at them in anger. He drew a card.

“I play Card of Sanctity!” he exclaimed.

They were shocked.

They each drew until they held six cards.

“Incidentally,” chuckled Merlee. “Did you perchance draw what you’ve been looking for this whole duel? Don’t think I don’t know what it is…”

They stared at him.

“I’ll take that as a no,” he chuckled, wagging his finger. “It must have hit the bottom of your deck…”

He played a card.

“I summon Souls of the Forgotten in Attack Mode…” he stated.

A collection of ghostly faces appeared. (900/200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PSV-EN098.jpg

“Next I’ll play another Thousand Energy,” he stated, throwing a card into a slot. “You remember how this works…”

Souls of the Forgotten rose to an Attack of 1,900!

“Souls of the Forgotten, destroy Element Doom!” he shouted.

The ghostly Fiend let loose an unearthly moan, and Element Doom shattered!

The Spawn fell to 3,600 Life Points.

“And to finish my turn…” he said.

His facedown card lifted.

Polymerization.

“I’ll use this to fuse together the three Ojamas in my hand…” he stated.

Three Monsters looking just like the three Tokens appeared on his side of the field… they swirled into a vortex of light…

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-056.jpg

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-001.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOB-EN059.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-002.jpg

And then a huge creature resembling a balloon with googly eyes, stubby limbs, and wearing a pair of trunks and a cape appeared! (0/3,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SOD-EN034.jpg

It crouched in Defense Mode.

“What is THAT?” gasped Kurtis.

“He’s Ojama King!” laughed Merlee. “Quite a looker, isn’t he?

“My turn is over…”

Souls of the Forgotten shattered.

The Spawn drew a card.

“We pass…” growled Tyson. “We can’t do anything.”

“In that case,” said Merlee, making a draw, “I’ll move my King into Attack Mode…”

Ojama King stood up.

“WHAT?” stuttered Tyson. “But he has zero Attack Points!”

“Not for long,” answered Merlee.

His facedown card lifted.

“This is a Magic Card called Ojamuscle!” he stated. “When I play this card, all Ojama Monsters on the field except my King are destroyed…”

The three Ojama Tokens exploded!

“Oh, and I forgot to mention,” added Merlee. “When an Ojama Token is destroyed, you lose 300 Life Points… for each.”

The Spawn fell to 2,700 Life Points.

“And Ojamuscle has a second effect,” he continued. “Now my King gains 1,000 Attack Points for every Ojama that was just destroyed!”

Ojama King flexed his muscles and glowed, and his Attack Score rose to 3,000!

“Good grief…” muttered Andy.

“Ojama King…” ordered Merlee. “Flatten Element Saurus with Ojama smash!”

Ojama King chuckled a throaty laugh. It leapt into the air, and super-flied the dinosaur, squashing it flat!

The Spawn cringed, as their Life Points fell to 1,700.

“OOHH!” shouted Maria. “YOU, mister, have just reached number one on our most-hated duelist list!”

“Why thank you, Maria,” chuckled Merlee. “I do like to stand out…”

They drew a card.

“Heh, heh, heh…” chuckled five members of the Spawn. “HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!”

“Knock it off!” scolded Vladimir.

“What’s so funny?” asked Stan.

“Prepare to lose!” shouted Tyson. “We now remove Element Magician… and Element Doom from play…”

The Spellcaster and the Fiend appeared in front of them.

“They wouldn’t…” gasped Andy.

“One soul to the Light…” stated Melissa, as the Magician vanished.

“One soul to the Darkness…” continued Vladimir, as the Fiend vanished.

“And the Gates of Chaos are blown wide open!” they all shouted at once, throwing a card on their Disk. “Come forth, Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning!”

In an explosion of raw, primal energy, one of the most dreaded Monsters in all of Duel Monsters erupted onto the field with a roar! (3,000/2,500)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-025.jpg

“NO!” screamed Francesca. “They can’t!”

“We can and we have!” shouted Leopold. “Black Luster Soldier, obliterate Ojama King! Luster blade!”

The Soldier flew forward, sword first, and a flurry of blades shot forward! Ojama King burst in a puff of smoke!

The Spawn laughed evilly.

“You may as well give up…” they chuckled. “You have only one card in your hand, and we have someone who can eradicate anyone you summon!”

Merlee calmly drew a card.

“Well,” he muttered, “I guess it’s time…”

He paused.

“I summon my Deckmaster to the field…”

Mokey Mokey floated out in front of Merlee. (300/100)

The Spawn seemed like they were going to bust a gut laughing.

“You want to lose on purpose?” laughed Kurtis. “Summoning that pathetic excuse for a Deckmaster when we have our strongest Monster out…”

Merlee stared at them.

“You do realize, that if it’s destroyed, you lose automatically,” chuckled Kurtis, “and seeing that Black Luster Soldier is ten times stronger, that won’t be hard…”

“Really?” asked Merlee. “Well, unless you have some way to attack or use that broken Monster’s effect during my turn, you’re going to lose right now! Let me explain Mokey Mokey’s powerful Deckmaster ability…

“It’s called… Infinite Anger Burst…”

They looked at him strangely.

“Infinite… Anger… Burst?” asked Maria, getting nervous.

“During this whole duel,” explained Merlee, “my Deckmaster stored 500 points of energy every time one of my one-star or two-star Normal Monsters was sent to the Graveyard…

“This gives him a special ability that can be harnessed once. Only once.

“Once per duel, for one attack, he can add those stored points to the Attack Score of a one-star Normal Monster.

“And since Mokey Mokey himself is a one-star Normal Monster, and eleven qualifying Monsters have been sent to my Graveyard…”

Mokey Mokey started to get very angry… And his Attack Score started to skyrocket!

1,000… 2,000…. 3,000….

“ARGH!” screamed Melissa in panic. “When’s it gonna stop?”

It finally stopped… at 5,800!

“Now then,” scolded Merlee, “for a group of brats who were laughing at me just a minute ago, you don’t seem to be laughing now!”

He raised his finger in the air.

“The anger of ten-thousand murdered souls is behind this next blow, Shadow Spawn!” he shouted. “You will fall now, your mother will follow, and my people will be avenged!

“Mokey Mokey, attack the Envoy of the Beginning with Infinite Anger Burst!”

Mokey Mokey screamed in rage, and shot a stream of blazing energy from his eyes! An explosion tore apart the Warrior, and blew the merged body of the Spawn against the wall!

The duel was over…

Merlee walked up to their prone body. Tears were flowing down their cheeks.

“We lost…” sobbed Melissa. “We’re done for… When mom gets our hands on us…”

Merlee took a crystal orb out of his cloak.

“She won’t Melissa,” he said. “Remember our deal?”

He took the six Soul Cards out.

“Trust me,” he said, “this is more merciful than the punishment that she now has planned for you…”

The six cards glowed, and then Doriado glowed…

She split into six multicolored orbs, and they were sucked into the crystal.

A bright light shone in the crystal as he pocketed it.

“You actually won…” said Andy in disbelief, as they walked up to him.

“Andy, my boy,” said Merlee, “you’re looking at a man who has over a thousand years more experience than they have. When we first met, I never told you I couldn’t duel… I just said that I didn’t have time at that point.”

“Gee, Merlee…” muttered Stan. “What did you do to them?”

“I sent them to a small pocket dimension,” he sighed. “They’re forbidden to leave until I allow them too, but it’s quite pleasant in there… sort of like a tropical paradise. They’ll have a little time to think about this, and I assure you, they won’t bother you again.”

He paused.

“My friends,” he stated, “I fear that this was the final time I could help you. Beyond those doors, the finals of the Monster Island Tournament await, but that is the very Heart of the Palace of Shadow. If I tried to sneak past there, the Queen’s magic would be too strong… I could not keep concealed for even a second.

“I could duel her myself, but even if I won, that would accomplish nothing. Only if you, the true Heirs, can defeat her, will she truly be finished. Otherwise, losing a duel would mean nothing to her but humiliation. Tempting, but worthless. And my involvement from this point would only put you at risk.

“You must win the finals, and only then will the Queen concede to duel you herself… If you defeat her, this will at long last be over…

“The blessings of Re-Horakhty, the God of Kings is now upon you…

“Good luck…”

And then he vanished.

The three of them turned to the door.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

The huge doors opened, and they found themselves in a large lounge. A table had been laden with a buffet of food and drink.

Five duelists whom they had all seen before were sitting on lush couches or helping themselves to the food.

Wanda Underwood was filling a plate at the table. Chico was next to her, trying to choose between two sodas.

Raven was sitting on a couch sipping from a cup. Her eyes went to Stan as he entered. Her eyes narrowed as his met hers.

On another couch, Kyle and Drake were scarfing down the Swedish meatballs.

“Looks like everyone’s here…” muttered Andy.

“Hey guys!” laughed Wanda. “Help yourself! Sydney said it was all for us!”

“Really?” asked Stan, suspiciously. “And did you guys have any trouble getting here?”

“We’ve been fighting Monsters who could duel,” muttered Chico. “I guess you had much of the same thing, huh?”

“And then some…” sighed Stan.

“So, how’s our finalists?” asked a voice.

Sydney Meyers came in, smiling.

Please, you don’t fool us with that disguise… thought Francesca.

“I won’t beat around the bush,” chuckled Sydney, “you all worked hard to get here, and you’re probably itching to compete in the finals…

“But everyone’s tired, so we’re going to have everyone sleep on it tonight. Tomorrow morning is the first round of the elimination matches, where you’ll be paired at random.

“Eat up, and once you’re done, the guest rooms are all ready!”

As hungry as they were, Stan, Andy, and Francesca couldn’t say no to food.

“Stan,” whispered Andy. “What happens if two of the three of us are paired up?”

“Then we’ll just have to fight,” muttered Stan, motioning to Sydney. “The ball’s still in the Queen’s court, and until she decides to face us, we can only play her little game.”

A glimmer appeared in Sydney’s eye as she turned to leave.

Eat, drink, and be merry, she thought, for soon, you die…

SILVER DOLLAR (Trap Card)

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of two silver dollars, one with the heads up, one with the tails up. You can activate this card when your opponent declares an attack against one of your Monsters with 1,000 ATK or less. Negate the attack.

Note: “Silver Dollar” was first used by Joey in the anime episode “Merger of the Big Five”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

RUKLAMBA THE SPIRIT KING (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 8
ATK: 1,000
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: This strange creature is said to rule over evil spirits. If you lose 1,000 Life Points or more from one attack, you can Special Summon this Monster from your hand. Offer this Monster as a Tribute to Special Summon Monsters whose Attack Scores add up to 2,000 or less.

Note: “Ruklamba the Spirit King” was used by Gansley in the anime episode “Isolated in Cyber Space”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

”Elemental Mistress Doriado”: Spellcaster/Light/Ritual, Level 3, (1,200/1,400)

Deckmaster SA: “Alchemy”: All cards on your side of the field receive the benefit from the Deckmaster’s regular effect even when she has not been summoned.

”Mokey Mokey”: Fairy/Light, Level 1, (300/100)

Deckmaster SA: “Infinite Anger Burst”: Every time one of your 1-star of 2-star Normal Monsters is sent to your Graveyard, collect 500 “anger points”. Once per duel, for the purposes of one attack, you can add all collected anger points to the ATK of one of your 1-star Normal Monsters.

[B][I]Coming up next:

You might remember that Raven dueled Stan before, and defeated him…

Well, in the first duel of the finals, the two come face to face again!

What will happen this time?

As the last arc of this fic begins, it’s time for a “Rematch”, coming soon…

Silencer

2nd February 2006, 08:32 AM

Nice duel, 2 very underused (if at all) deck strategies.

So the finals are coming up... Guess I'll have to wait 4 more chapters b4 I know if I won the quiz or not...

jkBAKURA

2nd February 2006, 08:53 AM

Well, It's not a spoiler, because I think we all know what's comming. Paradox will be thrilled to see Raven clobered. I know a little bit secondhand, and with the Dark Scorpion support at a minimum, I can only assume that Raven's Prize card is one of your origionals. I personally love the Alchemy theme, (Not suprising since I outsed my villain's deck theme just to play them) and I even noticed you used My attack name for the Doom. The Reason Seskera plays them is to make the perils of the elements into reality, and though I admit I liked my Derik vs. Alchemy deck more, I'm the most biased person you'll find on that point. The hardest part was to make a "Ra" moment when you already used Gren Maju, but this is about your story not mine. This is what I've been waiting for, and the first match will likely be only the beginning. Keep it up, there is so much we are in suspense for.

Master of Paradox

2nd February 2006, 09:41 AM

Well, I was waiting for Merlee to do something with those Soul Cards. Not what I was expecting, but que sera sera, or however you spell that.

I must admit, I rather liked this chapter. I had forgotten the cards Merlee dropped back in the beginning of the story, and so his deck theme caught me by surprise. And while I knew there would be an Alchemy deck, the circumstances surrounding it were unexpected.

Merlee's backstory was fairly neat as well.

And Heart of the Underdog was more powerful than I thought... Now it's a shoo-in for that Exodia deck I'm working on.

However, since I can't let the chapter go by without a nitpick, the Amalgam thing was far too much like the Big Five in Tristan's body (which, oddly, was when Silver Dollar showed up in the show). In addition to that, there weren't too many surprises on either side. And Mokey Mokey's Deck Master ability was what I like to call "the Message Sledgehammer".

Still, good chapter.

So... the next chapter is Raven (the #1 slot on my "Worst Fanfiction Moments in Dark Sage's Career") vs. Stan? Get me a front seat and opera glasses, I'm not missing this!

jkBAKURA

2nd February 2006, 11:12 AM

(after a severely long double take)... WHAT!!! Merlee is Melissa's Father?! Where did that come from?!

Dark Sage

2nd February 2006, 11:13 AM

He isn't. She was being sarcastic.

Blademaster

2nd February 2006, 01:16 PM

That was very cool. One of your best chapters so far; the Normal Monster Deck and the Element Deck (cough, cough) are both severly underused themes, and it's about time Black Luster Soldier appeared in one of your stories...

...It's a shame it got blasted so soon, but, c'est la vie.

Yeah, it was a lot like the Big 5 battle; the Queen, therefore, is likely gonna be like Noah or... dare I say, Gozaburo... (shudders)

Well, anyway, aside from the fact that you once called Merlee a girl, that was a great duel, chapter, and backstory.

...Almost. I don't think the ultimate Egyptian God would ever appear personally before any mortal, but whatever works, I guess...

So, yeah, rematch between Stan and Raven, huh? I'm hoping to see a new strategy/card/combo...

And also, I've been thinking-it'd be an awesome idea to create a Companion Fusion, you know? Maybe Yoshi and Amazoness Tiger, or Bobbery and Cyber Dragon...

Well, I'm rambling now, so I'll be on my way...

Peace out!

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

Silencer

2nd February 2006, 03:51 PM

The reason Melissa, I think, called Merlee a girl is probably because it rimed with Merl.

And BLS was alrdy in this fic (part one) as it was clobbered by the then unknown Gren Maju Da Eiza

Blademaster

2nd February 2006, 04:45 PM

Yeah, but BLS should've been out longer, so sayeth the Warriors!!! :cool:

...Well, anyway, there are two things I was curious about:

1. Where did the Shadow Queen's magic words come from?

2. Why didn't Doriado have BLS attack a second time after cutting up Ojama King?

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

Dark Sage

2nd February 2006, 04:48 PM

Since BLS and Ojama King had equal ATK, BLS didn't actually attack. He used his removal effect. And if he does that, he cannot attack on the same turn.

Shuppet Master

2nd February 2006, 05:40 PM

You see? That's exactly why you should never have the two effects look the same! That sort of stuff goes over the head of the readers! :D

Perfect Chaos

2nd February 2006, 06:12 PM

Very nice duel Brian,

I really wasn't sure what deck Merlee or the Spawn were going to use, but both were very pleasant surprises. I'm not a fan of the "Human Wave" or "Weenie Rush' (whichever you prefer/use) decks, but they're very uncommon, so seeing one is not too bad. And I liked the touch of an Alchemy deck, I think its very creative and whatnot.

Nothing else to really nitpick about. I'm glad we finally saw Merlee duel. One of your best chapters if you ask me.

-sean

Pokemasterkatie

3rd February 2006, 02:42 PM

*squeals happily* Have you known how long I have wanted to see one of those Alchemy decks in action?!:D Heck, Daitokuji/Banner is my second favorite character in GX(first place goes to his cat^_^). It's like I'm actually getting more interested in Science!*teh shock!*

Gravity Bind decks(as I like to call them) are always cool, so nice work there. Mokey Mokey's effect was very well done--with that effect, who needs Mokey Mokey Smackdown?;) *realizes* SM, you think that would be sort of a spoiler for your story--after all, Mokey Mokey is Brigit's signature monster.^_^;

Blademaster

3rd February 2006, 03:00 PM

Oh, OK... yeah, Luster Blade is the name of BLS' attack, so I was thrown off; I didn't even realize the Ojama King was in Defense Mode...

Katie: Oh, so you like Alchemy Decks, huh?

(grins expectantly at Dark Sage)

-Blademaster, the Dark Scorpion Duelist

Pokemasterkatie

3rd February 2006, 06:12 PM

Katie: Oh, so you like Alchemy Decks, huh?
Blame Fullmetal Alchemist...THEN blame Banner.:p I find the concept interesting.^_^

Dark Sage

5th February 2006, 08:56 AM

I know I said I would wait until Master of Paradox were here...

But although he doesn't like Raven, I kind of like her myself.

So here is the next chapter. And to MoP, I'm sorry this duel is not a shutout. I didn't want Stan to win too easily.

- DS

Dark Sage

5th February 2006, 08:57 AM

[B][I]We’ve reached the epicenter…

The lion’s den…

The Heart of the Palace of Shadow.

Five other duelists who we’ve seen before stand between us and the Shadow Queen… They’re likely clueless, but we have to beat them nonetheless.

This road has been a long time coming… It’s been rough, and rocky…

But we’ve been hardened… We’ve been toughened…

And the beginning of the end is starting…

[B][size=3]CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

Rematch

The woman who called herself Sydney Meyers walked down a hallway. She was pretty sure that all the victims were fast asleep, and comfortable by now. She’d let them sleep. Tomorrow would be a rough day.

She entered a very large room. It looked like a gladiatorial arena, with frightening gargoyles adorning the walls. A balcony was above the entrance where she had entered.

She took a deep breath, and the disguise melted away.

“Grodus…” called the Shadow Queen.

Grodus appeared before her.

“Yes, my liege,” he said, nervously.

He was still uncertain just how angry she still was at him for his thoughts at rebellion, but since the pounding he had gotten from the Spawn, she hadn’t mentioned it.

“It seems it has come down to this,” said the Queen. “The children were kidnapped, but no matter. They were failures anyway, and with me holding their physical bodies, there’s little chance of them becoming a threat.

“Now, the final stage begins…

“Chico, Kyle, Drake, Wanda, and Raven have all proven themselves champion material. And they’re holding in their decks incredibly rare cards that, unbeknownst to them, I provided for them…

“Which means, from a technical standpoint, they’ll be dueling on my behalf.”

“Which means,” answered Grodus, “that if Stan, Andy, or Francesca lose to any of them, they’ve had it…”

“Exactly,” answered the Queen. “Not even Merlee could warn them of this one, because even he didn’t keep tabs on the other finalists.”

“My liege,” asked Grodus. “What are we to do if two of the three of them are paired against each other in the first round?”

The Queen laughed.

“Then we let them duel!” she laughed. “It might even be funny!”

She paused.

“Seriously, if that’s the case, I’ll duel whoever loses the match personally later on. However, although I doubt Sydney fools the three of them, we must remain in disguise to deceive the other finalists…”

“No problem…” answered Grodus.

He waved his scepter and cast a spell, and slowly began to change…

…and he transformed into a tall, handsome man in a referee’s uniform with dark glasses and a moustache.

“Not bad…” said the Queen. “But you might want to rethink the moustache…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Breakfast was to be served in the lounge at eight…

At seven, Stan was looking over his deck.

He removed his Buster Blader, Neo Aqua Madoor, and Polymerization card…

…and then took three cards from his side deck and shuffled them into the deck.

These should surprise even Fran and Andy, he thought.

Andy, meanwhile, only had one change to make.

He had never gotten much use out of Rare Metal Dragon, so he was trying to decide between it and a Trap Card he had gotten quite a while ago. He rarely dared use it, because he didn’t truly have the right kind of deck…

Eventually, he shuffled it into his deck, and put the Dragon in his side deck.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Everyone was thinking something differently as they surrounded the table that was laden with Belgian waffles and sausage.

I clawed up here tooth and nail, thought Raven, looking at her Don Zaloog card. And now anyone who gets in my way is going to feel my sting!

Wanda was pretty excited.

My stupid brother could never dream of getting this far, she thought. Well, I’m going to prove that I’m better than him in the only way I know how…

First round of the tournament, I’m going to use his own failed strategy, and show you DON’T have to cheat to succeed with it!

Chico was nervous.

I know that the evil I have to defeat is here somewhere, he thought. But it isn’t these seven finalists… I have to win…

He took a strange-looking Monster from his deck.

That Vampire Lady gave me a powerful tool, and it may be unorthodox… but I will use it…

Drake was slowly shuffling his deck.

The powers of Chaos have never been stronger, he thought. With some luck and a great deal of strategy, I might just do this…

Kyle was the most excited of all.

Hard to believe, he thought. No one is ever known to have pulled off this difficult combo before… And if I pull it off, I’ll be the first…

Goosebumps…

Stan, Andy, and Francesca spoke privately.

“Friends,” said Andy, “you realize that if one of us is to win, we’ll have to duel each other eventually.”

They all looked at each other.

“Well,” answered Stan, “maybe that’s for the best. It will determine which one of us is best suited for taking on the Queen. And when it comes to that, let’s all agree to duel the way a duel should be held…

“With honor and respect.”

“Agreed,” said Francesca.

They put their hands together.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

When little remained of the food except greasy plates, Sydney and Grodus (in disguise) came in.

“Good morning contestants!” she said. “I’m sure you’re all ready to begin, so we’ll stop beating around the bush… Alphonse, if you would…”

The disguised henchman by her side took out a remote and clicked a button on it. A large contraption resembling a bingo machine with a statue of the Monster called Maximum Six lifted out of the floor. Eight colored balls were in it.

“Okay contestants,” he announced. “I’ll explain the rules. Whoever wins these quarter final rounds will compete in the semi finals… The two winners of those matches will compete in the final round. And the winner of the finals will be allowed to challenge the Palace of Shadow’s Battlemaster, for the ultimate prize.

“Wonder who that could be…” whispered Andy.

“To determine who duels who in the quarter final matches,” continued Alphonse, “we’ve filled this machine with orbs the same color as the Crystal Stars you now hold…”

He pressed a button, and Maximum Six picked up the orbs with his six arms and started to juggle them.

“He’s a good juggler, but eventually, he’ll drop two of them,” continued Alphonse. “Whatever two duelists own the two Stars that correspond to the two colors of the orbs he drops will duel in the first match.

“To keep everyone from planning unfair strategies, the pairings for the next match will not be determined until a winner of the first match is decided.

“And here we go…”

All eight of the contestants watched the Warrior as he started to strain with the orbs…

And finally, two of them fell out of his hands. He caught the other six, and the two he had dropped fell out of a slot.

They were colored black and shiny blue.

“And the first matchup will be between the holders of the Sapphire Star and the Onyx Star!” exclaimed Alphonse. “Stan and Raven!”

Raven chuckled.

“Hear that, buster?” she laughed. “Now I get to kick your butt again! And I’m gonna kick it harder than last time!”

“I can hardly wait…” muttered Stan.

Inside, he was both worried and excited. He didn’t know if he could beat Raven…

But on the other hand, he wanted to kick her ass good…

Two doors opened behind Sydney.

“Will the two duelists take the left door, please,” she said. “Anyone who wishes to watch, please take the right door…”

Raven and Stan looked at each other and walked through the left door. Everyone else walked through the other.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Stan’s two allies and the other four finalists arrived on the balcony overlooking the ominous arena. They watched as Raven and Stan walked into the center.

“Think Stan can do it this time?” asked Francesca.

“Well, it’s iffy at best,” answered Andy. “She really walloped him good the last time… But Stan can learn from his mistakes.”

Sydney appeared at the far end, seated on a throne made from what appeared to be amber.

“All right, Carmen San Diego!” warned Stan. “You and your Dork Scorpions aren’t going to take me down so easy this time!”

“Gee Stan, I’m getting the feeling you don’t like me!” answered Raven.

Alphonse stood between the two duelists.

“Before we begin,” he said, “please present your Deckmasters.”

“This is a no-brainer,” said Stan, taking a card out of his deck. “I choose my friend… Dark Magician!”

He held the card aloft, and the powerful mage appeared behind him.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/BPT-007.jpg

Raven smiled as she took a card.

“Your Spellcaster may be dark,” she said, “but I choose a creature that’s darker still. He’s an infernal footsoldier for the armies of Hades… Come on out, Chthonian Soldier!”

Her card flashed, and a bulky knight in black armor and a helmet holding a jagged sword appeared behind her.

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/bu0rc7or.jpg

“Then let the duel commence!” shouted Alphonse.

The Disks swung into position, and the Life Point counters each set to 8,000.

“Here we go…” muttered Andy.

Stan made his first draw.

“I’m throwing a Monster in Defense Mode, Raven!” he exclaimed. “Mystical Elf!”

He put a card down, and Mystical Elf appeared in her kneeling position. (800/2,000)

“That will do it for now…” he said.

“Whatever you say…” said Raven, drawing a card.

She looked them over.

“Since you put up a defensive Monster, I’ll put up one of my own,” she said. “I summon a Fiend known as Glasya, Duchess of Desire, also in Defense Mode!”

She played a card. A woman in a skimpy outfit with large, batlike wings, a forked tail, and horns appeared. She crouched in Defense. (800/2,000)

“Then I’ll place four, count ‘em, four cards facedown…” she said, as four facedown cards appeared behind Glasya.

“And finally, I’ll activate Mirage of Nightmare!”

A Magic Card appeared in the last slot in her Magic/Trap Zone.

“How’s that?” she chuckled.

“Clever…” said Stan.

He drew a card.

I’d give anything for my Heavy Storm right now, he thought, but unfortunately, I don’t have it…

“Hold it, Stan!” interrupted Raven. “Before you do anything else, my Mirage card lets me draw until I have four cards in my hand…”

Four cards flew off of her deck, and she caught them.

“Uh, actually, I knew that,” answered Stan. “I also know that when your turn comes around, you’re going to have to discard four of them.”

“No I won’t…” said Raven with a grin.

She gestured, and one of her facedown cards lifted.

“Thanks to Emergency Provisions, I can send Mirage of Nightmare to the Graveyard, and gain 1,000 Life Points in the process!”

A large mouth appeared and swallowed the Mirage of Nightmare card. Her Life Points went up to 9,000.

“How about that, Stan?” she chuckled. “I was able to refresh my hand, ditch Mirage, and pad my points all in the same move!”

“Clever…” muttered Stan.

Raven looked at her hand and grinned.

Yes, she thought, looking at Gorg the Strong. I was worried about him… He was the only one my Deckmaster couldn’t help me with…

Stan placed a card down.

“I summon The Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode!” he stated.

The cyclopsed, colorfully dressed Spellcaster appeared. (1,500/1,600)

“And that will be my turn,” he said.

“Good,” chuckled Raven, making a draw.

She looked at the card for a minute.

“Now let me show you what my Deckmaster can do…” she started. “See, Chthonian Soldiers are Warriors of Darkness… And thus, by spending only 500 Life Points, he lets me search my deck for a Warrior-Type Monster of the Dark Attribute, so long as its Attack Score is 1,500 or less…”

Chthonian Soldier glowed with a dark aura.

A card slipped out of her deck as her Life Points fell to 8,500.

“Talk about a powerful ability…” muttered Francesca.

“What do you mean?” asked Kyle.

“Raven uses the Dark Scorpions,” answered Andy, “and that effect will enable her to search for any of them except Gorg…”

Indeed, thought Raven. But Gorg is already here, and now with the addition of Don Zaloog himself, my strategy is coming closer to being complete.

“I won’t actually play a card this turn,” said Raven. “I’ll turn it over to you…”

Stan drew a card.

I still have nothing that can destroy her facedown cards, and nothing that can break Glasya’s Defense… he thought. So I’ll just add to my forces…

“Neo the Magic Swordsman, in Attack Mode!” he exclaimed.

He placed a card down, and Neo appeared, holding his glowing sword aloft. (1,700/1,000)

“And that will be my turn,” he stated.

“Very well…” said Raven drawing a card.

She smirked as she drew a card.

“I summon Sangan in Defense Mode,” she stated, placing a card on her Disk.

The spherical, three-eyed Fiend appeared. (1,000/600)

“Then I’ll use my Deckmaster ability again,” she continued.

Chthonian Soldier glowed again. Her Life Points fell to 8,000, and another card slipped out of her deck.

Welcome to the party, Cliff, she thought.

“Now, I’ll end my turn there,” she said. “And I’ll… oops! Seems I have too many cards in my hand!”

She discarded a card.

“Didn’t really need that anyway,” she chuckled.

Stan frowned as he drew.

Not bad… he thought.

“I sacrifice the Illusory Gentleman,” he exclaimed.

The Spellcaster vanished in a mote of sparkles.

“…to summon Dark Magician Girl!”

In a flurry of hearts, Dark Magician Girl flew into view. She winked to the onlookers. (2,000/1,700)

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Raven. “Sorry, Stan, but your magical fairy can’t beat Glasya’s Defense!”

“Not yet, maybe…” said Stan. “And I’m not dumb enough to attack Sangan right now either. But it’s just a matter of time.

“Next, I’ll place one card facedown…”

A facedown card appeared behind Mystical Elf.

“And it’s your turn…”

“Indeed!” laughed Raven, drawing.

She looked at the card and added it to her hand.

“I’ll use my Deckmaster’s ability a third time!” she exclaimed.

Her Life Points fell to 7,500, and another card slipped out of her deck.

She looked at Meanae the Thorn’s card.

“Now I activate one of my facedown cards!” she shouted. “The Magic Card… Exile of the Wicked!”

The card lifted.

“What?” said Stan, startled. “That card destroys all Fiends on the field, and…”

Glasya gave a look of shock…

“True,” said Raven, “the only Fiends on the field are mine. But Glasya has served her purpose, so now it’s time to say farewell…”

A group of ghostly spirits flew out of the card, and attacked both Glasya and Sangan! They gasped, and were blown to pixels!

“And,” continued Raven. “Since I just sent Sangan to the Graveyard, its effect activates…”

Another card slipped out of her deck.

She looked at Chick the Yellow’s card.

“And my turn is just starting, Stan,” she said. “Now that I’ve cleared the field of my defense, it’s time to go on the offense!”

She threw a card on her Disk.

“I summon the king of all thieves, the one, the only, Don Zaloog!”

A tall figure leapt up, and did a flip. The leather-clad bandit with an eyepatch holding a dagger and a rapier struck a pose. (1,400/1,500)

“And just how is he supposed to get past Dark Magician Girl?” asked Stan. “He can’t even get past my other two Monsters!”

Raven chuckled.

“Don Zaloog is more than a thief, Stan,” she chuckled. “He’s the leader of a group of thieves. Thus, I have a powerful Magic Card that can only be played when he’s on the field…”

One of her two remaining facedown cards lifted.

“Mustering of the Dark Scorpions!”

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-093.jpg

Stan looked at the card.

“That… doesn’t sound good…” he muttered.

“It isn’t,” she answered. “For you. You see, when this card is played when Don is on the field, I can Special Summon all original members of the team that I have in my hand.

“And Stan… I have all four of them!

“Let’s start with the guy who, if he gets the treasure, he’s outta there, Chick the Yellow!”

She placed a card down, and the teenage, blonde-haired thief holding a wooden mallet appeared. (1,000/1,000)

“Next, the most lethal lady this side of Kill Bill, Meanae the Thorn!”

The raven-haired female member of the team appeared, holding her whip aloft. (1,000/1,800)

“Next, the guy who can disarm all the traps in Switzerland before breakfast, Cliff the Trap Remover!”

The brown-haired, bespectacled safecracker appeared, holding a long knife. (1,200/1,000)

“And finally, the guy who you always want watching your back, Gorg the Strong!”

The hulking, bald, muscleman of the team appeared, holding his iron mace. (1,800/1,500)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PGD-029.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MFC-078.jpg

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-026.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-061.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-060.jpg

“Oo-kay…” answered Stan. “That’s… impressive. But I’ll tell you this: Quantity is not quality. None of them can beat Dark Magician Girl…”

“They don’t need to!” answered Raven. “Gorg, attack Neo!”

Gorg raised his mace and flew forward! He clobbered the Magic Swordsman, and he shattered!

Stan’s Life Points fell to 7,900.

“See,” continued Raven, “when a Dark Scorpion damages your Life Points, I can choose to enact one of two effects… And one of Gorg’s effects can now spin one of your cards on the field to the top of your deck!”

Dark Magician Girl vanished, and her card materialized on the top of Stan’s deck.

“My turn is over,” said Raven, crossing her arms. “So draw your card, not that we both don’t know who it is…”

“Fine…” muttered Stan, drawing.

He drew the card.

“I activate my last facedown card!” shouted Raven.

A Trap flipped up.

“It’s a powerful Trap, Stan…” she said, “Dark Scorpion Combination!”

The five thieves looked at Stan with evil grins that he did not like…

“This Trap can only be activated when all five original Dark Scorpions are on the field,” she explained, “and when it is, they all can attack you directly, dealing 400 Life Points worth of damage per attack!”

“Oh… great…” muttered Stan.

“Don Zaloog, attack with double revolver!” shouted Raven.

The leader of the Dark Scorpions leapt up, and slashed at Stan with his rapier and dagger.

“Chick, attack with genki zuchi!” she shouted.

Chick the Yellow leapt up and slugged Stan with his mallet.

“Cliff, attack with trap knife slash!”

Cliff the Trap Remover skidded up to him and stabbed him in the gut with his blade!

“Meanae, attack with ibara no muchi!”

Meanae the Thorn leapt into the air and made a downward slash with her whip, striking Stan in the chest. He staggered back.

“And finally,” exclaimed Raven. “Gorg, attack with gouriki hammer!”

Moving with remarkable speed for someone his size, Gorg the Strong clobbered Stan with his mace, and Stan fell backwards!

Stan’s Life Points plummeted to 5,900.

Inside, the Shadow Queen chuckled.

Wonderful, she thought. The one opponent he couldn’t beat is about to do it again, and this time, it will be for good. Perhaps after this is settled, I’ll offer Raven a chance to serve me on a permanent basis… I’m sure she’d like that better than a trip to the Graveyard, and I could use a good thief on my payroll…

And furthermore I…

She paused.

What the…?

She paused again.

Strange, it felt like someone was watching me… Well, the feeling’s gone now… Maybe that accursed meddler Merlee is still keeping an eye on his protégés.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

In a dark room, in a building located far from Monster Island, in a different part of the world in fact, a device similar to a dark magic mirror had been turned off.

Two shadowy men, one dressed in black and one dressed in green had been watching it.

“Well that was a close call,” said the one in green. “She almost noticed us.”

“We’ll have to be more careful,” said the one in black. “But we only need to watch casually…

“After all, the outcome of this conflict will benefit us either way…

“But, if the Shadow Queen is defeated, it is all the better.”

Continued...

Dark Sage

5th February 2006, 09:00 AM

Continued from last post:

Stan caught his breath and got up…

“It will take more than that to make me stay down, Raven…” he muttered.

“Don’t forget,” said Raven, “you now have five effects to worry about…

“Let’s start with Gorg… I think this time, I’ll use his effect that makes you discard the top card from your deck…”

The top card from Stan’s deck flew into his discard slot.

“Then there’s Chick. Now I can see the top card of your deck without you seeing it, and either put it on the top or bottom of the deck.

An image of Dark Magician of Chaos’s card appeared behind Stan.

“Uh huh…” muttered Raven. “Think I’ll keep that on top…

“Next we get to Cliff, who can destroy your facedown card…”

The facedown card in front of Stan blasted to pieces.

“Then there’s Don,” she continued. “Now I can make you discard one card from your hand, or two from your deck. And I think I’ll go for your deck…”

Two more cards flew off of Stan’s deck and into the discard slot.

“And finally, Meanae,” she continued. “Now I can add one card with the words ‘Dark Scorpion’ in it to my hand from my deck or Graveyard…”

A card slipped out of her deck.

“…and this one will do.”

“If that’s all,” said Stan, angrily, “I’d like to finish my turn!”

He took his Dark Magician Girl card.

“I sacrifice my Mystical Elf to…”

He paused.

He gave Raven a hard look.

“Uhm…” he said.

He paused again.

“On second thought,” he said, “just forget you heard that. I think after all that, I’ll just pass for my turn.”

Everyone was shocked, including Raven.

“What is Stan doing?” asked Wanda. “He could have summoned Dark Magician Girl and hurt her badly!”

“Something’s not right…” agreed Drake.

Raven slowly drew.

“Uh, uhm…” she said, looking at the card. “I’ll pass as well…”

You almost had me there, Raven, thought Stan, drawing a card, but your strange strategy gave it away…

See, I figured it out… You could have just used Gorg’s effect to spin Mystical Elf back to my deck, but you didn’t…

Also, you could have used Don’s effect to make me discard a card from my hand, but you didn’t…

Why?

Because if you done the first, I’d have no Monsters to use as a sacrifice, and if you had done the second, I might have lost Dark Magician Girl.

You WANT me to summon Dark Magician Girl again!

And I know why…

The card you used Meanae’s effect to search for is that dangerous Warrior, Dark Scorpion Tornas the Joker. You plan to summon him and kamikaze him against my Dark Magician Girl, which would increase the Attack of all your other Dark Scorpions to 3,000, ensuring your victory…

But so long as I don’t destroy any of your Monsters and only keep Mystical Elf in Defense Mode, whose Defense none of your Warriors can defeat, you simply can’t!

“I play… Pot of Greed!” he exclaimed.

The jar appeared, and handed him two cards.

He gave them a look.

“Next, I’ll place a card facedown, and end my turn!”

A facedown card appeared.

Raven was clearly upset as she drew a card.

He’s on to me, she thought. Well fine. Foil one plan, and I’ll just come up with another…

“Oh, look at this, Stan!” she said, sarcastically. “I just drew Chick the Yellow’s favorite Magic Card! It’s called Secret Pass to the Treasures!”

She played the card.

“Know why it’s his favorite?” she asked. “Because this card lets a Monster with 1,000 Attack Points or less attack you directly, and he fits the bill perfectly!

“Chick, attack!”

Chick leapt over Mystical Elf and socked Stan with his mallet again!

Stan gasped as his Life Points fell to 4,900.

“And now I’ll use Chick’s other effect!” shouted Raven. “It lets me send one card on your side of the field back to your hand! Like Mystical Elf!”

Mystical Elf vanished.

“He’s defenseless!” she shouted. “Get him everyone!”

The other four Dark Scorpions raised their weapons…

“Not so fast, Raven!” shouted Stan. “I activate… A Rival Appears!”

His Trap Card lifted.

“What?” gasped Raven.

“Now I can Special Summon a Monster from my hand who has the same number of stars as one you have on the field,” explained Stan. “You sent Mystical Elf back to my hand, she has four stars, two of your Warriors have four stars, so she comes right back, in Defense Mode!”

Mystical Elf reappeared.

“Boy, that was a close one…” muttered Andy.

“Yeah, but Stan has to do something soon…” added Francesca.

“Make your move…” growled Raven.

“I will…” said Stan.

He drew.

“And now to take down your whole line!” he exclaimed. “I play… Magical Academy!”

He played a Magic Card, and a card bearing the image of scholarly wizards appeared.

“Here’s how it works,” explained Stan. “First I have to discard two cards and recall one Monster on the field to my hand…”

He made two discards, and Mystical Elf vanished.

“And now, I get to Special Summon a Spellcaster from my hand!”

Dark Magician Girl appeared in a flash of light!

“But that’s not all,” he continued. “She gains 500 Attack Points and her star level is increased by two!”

(2,000/1,700) –> (2,500/1,700)

“Big deal!” responded Raven.

“It is a big deal!” chuckled Stan, playing a card. “You see, because now that she’s an eight-star Spellcaster, I can use her to play… Diffusion-Wave Motion!”

The card appeared.

“At the cost of 1,000 Life Points,” he said, as his Life Points fell to 3,900, “she can attack every Monster on your side of the field at once!”

Dark Magician Girl aimed her scepter, and the five Dark Scorpions gasped…

“WHAT?” gasped Raven. “You can’t! I’ve been in control of this duel since the start!”

“Don’t tell me what I can’t do…” growled Stan.

“GO! Dark burning attack!”

Dark Magician Girl let loose a mighty blast, and six screams pierced the huge arena! The five Warriors were blown to bits, and Raven was thrown back ten feet!

“Ooh…” she muttered.

Her Life Points tumbled to 1,400.

Dark Magician Girl smiled and blew smoke off of her scepter.

Raven groaned as she staggered to her feet.

How could I go from top of the heap to down in the dumps in one turn? she thought. I was ready to wipe him out, but he wiped out all five of them, and now I have a Super-Girl to deal with!

She slowly drew a card.

“I play… Graceful Charity…” she said.

She played the card, and the angel flew out of her deck with three cards.

Her eyes popped open!

It’s the card that the Agent of Judgment gave me! she thought. And I have just what I need to summon him! I’ll win this duel yet!

I’ll just discard these…

She handed the angel Tornas and another Mustering card. She flew into her discard slot.

“First I’ll play the Magic Card, Seventh Inning!” she said, playing the card.

An umpire appeared in the middle of the field, and held up seven fingers.

“You remember how this works, right Stan?” she asked. “It takes the difference in our Life Points, divides it in half, and then adds that amount to both our Life Points.”

“I remember,” said Stan. “But unlike last time, I benefit from it too! We both gain 1,250 Life Points!”

His Life Points rose to 5,150, and hers rose to 2,650.

“Next,” she said, “I’ll summon Mystic Tomato!”

She played a card, and the silly-looking Plant Monster with a lolling tongue appeared. (1,400/1,100)

“Next, I’ll return Don Zaloog to the field by playing Monster Reborn…”

She played the card, and the master of thieves reappeared. (1,400/1,500)

“But like you,” she continued, “neither will be staying for long… I sacrifice both of them…”

The two Monsters vanished.

“…to Special Summon… The Thief in the Shadows!”

The creature that appeared was strange to discern. It could best be described as an inky, amorphous cloud of darkness. Two glowing red eyes appeared out of it. It gave the impression that the actual creature was hidden in the strange darkness… (2,800/2,800)

Well, it’s about time… thought the Shadow Queen.

“Why can’t I see him?” asked Stan.

Raven grinned.

“Stan, Stan, Stan…” she laughed. “No one ever saw The Thief in the Shadows. The greatest thief in history not only was never caught, he was never identified!

“No one knew who he was or where he came from; but you couldn’t deny that a thief who could manipulate the darkness itself was stealing riches that most thieves only dreamed of. He stole from nobility, royalty, and sometimes even the gods… Millions were offered as rewards for his head, but no one had a clue where to start looking.

“And his ability to steal grew… He learned how to steal more than material things. He could steal emotions like joy or anger; he could steal dreams from a sleeper. He could even steal rainbows and the voices of songbirds.

“No one is certain how – or even whether – he met his end. Some say he sought the richest treasure in the world, but died at the hands of its guardian. Others say he stole the secret of immortality, and now lives in a hidden lair full of deadly traps, surrounded by dozens of kingdoms worth of treasures. Still others say that the God of Thieves recruited him as his apprentice and heir.

“But the only way to call him forth again is by offering the soul of another master thief. In game terms, he can only be Special Summoned by sacrificing two Monsters, at least one of which must be a Dark Scorpion.

“But enough chit-chat… Attack Dark Magician Girl! Shadow rush!”

The dark shadow rushed forward… Dark Magician Girl gasped as she was consumed by it!

Stan’s Life Points fell to 4,850.

“Oh, and wait until you see his special ability!” added Raven. “When he damages your Life Points, I get to take the top card from your deck and add it to my hand!”

The top card from Stan’s deck flew off towards Raven, and she caught it!

“What?” she said, looking at it. “Sibling Rivalry? Talk about worthless!”

“Ah well,” she said, adding it to her hand. “It’s your move now…”

“How is Stan going to beat that thing?” asked Andy. “The only Monster he has who can trump it is Sorcerer of Dark Magic, and Raven will never give him time to summon him!”

“Don’t give up hope yet…” assured Francesca.

Stan drew a card.

“I’ll summon Mystical Elf again in Defense Mode,” he said.

Mystical Elf appeared again. (800/2,000)

“That’s all I can do,” he said.

Raven drew a card.

“I’ll place one card facedown…” she said.

Two facedown cards appeared.

“And then I’ll move my Monster… into Defense Mode!”

Somewhere in the inky cloud, the creature must have knelt, because it got shorter.

“Confused?” asked Raven. “You’ll see what I’m up to soon. It’s your move.”

Weird, thought Stan, drawing a card. But that guy is just as good at defending as he is at attacking…

He looked at the card he had drawn and almost hit himself.

ARGH! he thought. Since I took Buster Blader out of my deck, I should have taken THIS guy out too!

Oh well, at least I can use him to defend…

“I summon Skilled White Magician in Defense Mode!” he exclaimed.

He played the card, and the robed Spellcaster of Light appeared, kneeling and holding his staff on his lap. (1,700/1,900)

“That will do for now…” he said.

“Good,” said Raven, making a draw.

“Now I’ll activate my Trap… Non Aggression Area!”

Her Trap Card lifted.

“I just need to discard one useless card…” she continued.

She discarded Sibling Rivalry.

“And as a result, you are forbidden from summoning a Monster on your next turn!”

“Super…” replied Stan.

“Next, the reason I moved The Thief in the Shadows into Defense Mode was so I could play this Magic Card,” she continued. “Curse of Fiend!”

She played the card.

“This card moves all Monsters on the field from defense to offense, and vice-versa!” she exclaimed. “So all our Monsters move to Attack Mode!”

Stan gasped as both Mystical Elf and Skilled White Magician stood up, as did Raven’s Monster.

“Attack Mystical Elf!” she shouted.

The Thief in the Shadows flew forward, and Mystical Elf gasped as she was consumed by darkness.

Stan’s Life Points fell to 2,850.

“And don’t forget his effect!” laughed Raven.

Another card flew off of Stan’s deck. Raven caught it.

“Uhm…” she said, looking at it.

She paused.

“Gee, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of this Monster before,” she said. “Vivian the Shadow Siren?”

Andy and Francesca gasped…

And Stan opened his eyes wide.

“Raven, hold it a minute!” he exclaimed.

“Hold on…” she said, reading the card text. “Wait… Well, this is useful…”

“Raven, listen to me!” warned Stan. “I’m telling you this as one duelist to another… Do NOT use that card!”

Raven gave a sinister grin.

“Why not, Stan?” she said. “It’s a great four-star beatstick, and it has a great effect! I’d be dumb not to!”

“Raven, you don’t know what you’re doing!” shouted Stan. “If you use that card, you’ll be sorry!”

“Aw, what’s wrong Stan?” she said, sarcastically. “Can’t bear to see one of your rarest cards used against you?

“Well, since I haven’t summoned yet for my turn…”

“Raven, do NOT summon that Monster!” shouted Stan. “Do you hear me? Do not! You don’t know what you’re doing!”

“I summon Vivian the Shadow Siren in Attack Mode!” exclaimed Raven.

She placed the card down, and Vivian appeared next to the Thief in the Shadows. (1,800/1,000)

Vivian looked a little confused…

And then, just as Stan had feared, she looked a little pissed…

“Your move…” said Raven. “Don’t forget, you can’t summon a Monster…”

Stan sighed as he drew.

“I’ll move Skilled White Magician to Defense Mode,” he stated. “And that will be my turn.”

Skilled White Magician knelt in Defense.

I couldn’t have planned this better! thought the Shadow Queen, getting excited. Stan’s about to be attacked by his own Companion! What tragic irony!

Heh, and that pathetic display of begging… You’d think he’d have more pride.

Raven drew a card.

“Go, my Shadow Thief!” she shouted. “Attack Skilled White Magician!”

The Thief darted forward, and the mage was destroyed.

“And now, Vivian…” she ordered, “direct attack!”

And then there was a long pause…

A long… dead pause.

“Huh?” said Raven. “I said attack! Why won’t you…”

She never finished the sentence…

Vivian turned around 180 degrees, and shot a plume of flame at her! Raven screamed from the surprise attack, and fell on her rump!

And her Life Points fell to 850.

“Huh?” said Kyle.

“Huh?” said Drake.

“Hmm…” said Chico.

“What on earth…” gasped Raven in fear. “I ordered it to attack… And I was attacked! How?”

“Hmph!” grunted Vivian, crossing her arms.

“I tried to warn you, Raven…” said Stan, shaking his head.

Raven looked up in disbelief…

“Didn’t your mentor ever warn you, that there are some things that are just too dangerous to steal?” asked Stan.

“I mean, what would happen if you managed to steal the Mona Lisa? What the Hell would you do with it? Take it to the local fence and hop the next car to jail?

“That card you have on your Disk isn’t just a card. It contains a living soul that’s bonded to me in a way you’d never understand. Vivian would never harm me, and she certainly won’t obey anyone who tells her to!

“And by the way, I truly doubt she’ll use her ability to protect any of your Monsters…”

Vivian glanced at Raven over her shoulder with an angry scowl, and Raven drew back in fear…

“I don’t believe it!” exclaimed Chico. “Hoisted on her own petard!”

“Petard?” asked Wanda. “What the heck is a petard?”

A card with a soul… thought Raven. I took a soul?

She shuddered in fear.

I have no way to get rid of it! she thought. There are no Monsters left in my deck that need a sacrifice! What if it attacks me next round even if I don’t tell it to do anything?

“I… end my turn…” she said with a gulp.

Stan drew a card.

“All right!” he exclaimed. “I summon Magician’s Valkyria in Attack Mode!”

With a flash of light, Valkyria appeared! (1,600/1,800)

“Next, I play… Shrink! I’ll use it to cut the Attack Score of The Thief in the Shadows in half!”

The dark cloud shrank, and its Attack Score fell to 1,400.

“But I’m not done!” continued Stan. “I’m using my Deckmaster’s ability, spending 1,000 Life Points to play Shrink again!”

His Life Points fell to 1,850, and the Thief shrank again, to 700 Attack.

“Magician’s Valkyria, end this!” he shouted. “Attack The Thief in the Shadows with bright rainbow beam!”

Valkyria shot forth her multicolored ray of light, and the dark cloud burst!

Raven fell to her knees, as her Life Points fell to zero.

Alphonse raised his hand.

“Stan is the winner!” he announced.

Vivian gave Raven a cold stare. She and Valkyria and the two Deckmasters vanished.

Stan went up to Raven.

“I believe you have some things that belong to me…” he said.

“Just take it!” yelled Raven, pushing Vivian’s card towards him. “I never want to see this creepy card again!”

“AND the other card…” growled Stan.

“Uh, yeah…” said Raven with a shudder, taking Sibling Rivalry from her discard slot.

Well, thought Stan, looking at Vivian, I got through round one, and I must say, Raven got her just desserts. Seems her own secret weapon backfired on her, and she found that in the end, crime just doesn’t pay.

Let’s just hope that the rest of the finals are this good…

He looked at Sydney.

And once one of us has to deal with her, it will truly be a clash of the titans…

The Shadow Queen rubbed her chin.

Unfortunate, she thought. But then, I really don’t know how… good magic works. Apparently, the Companion cards have even tighter restriction than the Enchanted Cards… They are truly living things…

Well, that was only the first duel… Many more remain…

And we’ll soon see if Andy and Francesca are just as lucky.

“Well, that was certainly an interesting duel…” muttered Chico. “So many strange things that we don’t know about.”

“Yeah,” replied Wanda. “Like, what the heck is a petard?”

MAGICAL ACADEMY (Magic Card)

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of four scholarly wizards wearing mortarboards. Discard two cards from your hand and return one Monster from the field to your hand. Special Summon one SPELLCASTER-Type Monster from your hand. Increase the ATK of the Special Summoned Monster by 500 and increase its star level by two. During the turn this card is activated, negate the effects of your opponent’s Magic and Trap Cards that designate the Special Summoned Monster as a target.

Note: “Magical Academy” was first used by Yugi in the anime episode “A New Evil (Part Two)”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

THE THIEF IN THE SHADOWS (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 9
ATK: 2,800
DEF: 2,800

Card Description: This mysterious creature was the greatest thief who ever lived. This Monster cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This Monster can only be Special Summoned by offering two Monsters as a Tribute, at least one of which must have the words “Dark Scorpion” in its name or be named “Don Zaloog” or “Cliff the Trap Remover”. When this Monster damages your opponent’s Life Points as a result of battle, take the top card from your opponent’s deck and add it to your hand.

”Chthonian Soldier”: Warrior/Dark, Level 4, (1,200/1,400)

Deckmaster SA: “Dark Reinforcements”: Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can spend 500 Life Points to search your deck for one Dark-Attribute WARRIOR-Type Monster with an ATK of 1,500 or less and add it to your hand.

[B][I]You’re probably wondering about those two mysterious figures who were watching through their magic mirror. All I can say is, ask Master of Paradox, because it has to do with his fanfic.

Coming up next:

If you wanted to see a rematch between Andy and Chico, you’re out of luck. In the next chapter, Chico goes up against Francesca, as the Amazons clash with the Gravekeepers in a chapter that I call “Culture Clash”!

Be here, because if you aren’t…

We’re starting without you.

Blademaster

5th February 2006, 11:52 AM

ALL RIGHT, DARK SCORPIONS!!!!

...Oh, wait. They lost... NOOOOOOO!!!

Well, in any case, let's see here...

1. That was kinda short.

2. Where did you get the names of those Dark Scorpion attacks?

3. WHAT IS A PETARD!? I CAN'T FIND IT IN THE DICTIONARY!!!!!

Yeah, this chapter was OK, but not great, sorry. Too many things I didn't understand...

-Blademaster

Dark Sage

5th February 2006, 11:57 AM

1. I know, but I really didn't know how to make it any longer.

2. I got the names of the attacks from the Japanese anime.

3. To be "hoisted on your own petard" means to be done in by your own ill thought out plan.

Shuppet Master

5th February 2006, 02:36 PM

That was interesting. Poor Raven, she must be scarred for life after trying to use a Companion card. I bet they can only be used by the heroes. Anyways, keep up the good work. ;)

Blademaster

5th February 2006, 08:25 PM

(sighs irritably)

DS, I KNOW what the phrase 'hoisted by your own petard' means; what I WANT to know is WHAT A PETARD IS! 'Hoisted' is a word with a definition! 'By' is a word with a definition! 'Your' is a word with a definition, and 'own' - you guessed it - is a word with a definition! What is the definition of 'petard!?' TELL ME!!!!! TELL ME OR ELSE!!! TELL ME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(calms down)

OK, now, I've been thinking some more, and I have two other comments:

1. Why does a Warrior Monster have to be tributed to summon a Fiend Monster? Mirage stays a Warrior. Des Guardius needs two Fiends. Megarock Dragon relies on Rock Monsters, and Five God Dragon needs Dragons to Fusion Summon. What's up with that?

2.
Vivian glanced at Raven over her shoulder with an angry scowl, and Raven drew back in fear…

Vivian gave Raven a cold stare.

Vivian wears that giant traffic cone of a hat all the time. A scowl I guess I can allow, but how does one even know what Viv's staring at? It just seems kinda strange to me...

Well, enough complaints. Let's see what new strategies that that lovable little punk Chico has in store...

-Blademaster

Mystic_clown

5th February 2006, 10:41 PM

It was alright, I just didn't like the ending.

Master of Paradox

6th February 2006, 06:48 AM

A petard is a type of explosive used in the Middle Ages. They were set by castle walls and lit; if you didn't get out of the way in time, you were "hoisted by your own petard" - usually fatally.

I've already made clear how I feel concerning Raven, so I'll keep from reiterating. As everyone else said, this chapter was rather short, but I didn't mind...

...mainly because Raven got precisely what she deserved. Seeing her get blasted by Vivian and knowing it was her own damned fault was worth all the trouble.

But still... not only was this chapter short, I saw both the Mustering and the Combination from a half-mile away. The duel was all right (inching into great when Vivian nailed Raven), but most of the moves were either predictable or bland.

And the Thief in the Shadows might be the least inspired created card we've seen so far.

The next chapter looks to be better, mainly because not only does the Gravekeeper's Mummy show up again, but I already know what Chico's got in store... and that should be fun to see...

(P.S. to the other readers: if you want to know who those shadowy men are... that'll have to wait for "Yu-Gi-Oh: Tilting the Balance". Let's just say they have very disturbing reasons for preferring that the Shadow Queen lose.)

Blademaster

6th February 2006, 02:34 PM

Thank you, Paradox.

(chuckles)

That's pretty funny, actually... Like setting a land mine, turning around and setting another one, and then turning back around to-

PLA-POOMPH!!! :biggrin:

See how easy that was, DS? :rolleyes:

OK, enough of my sarcasm... Good to see ya again, Paradox. We can all rest easy once again knowing that our best efforts at decent stories will not be without criticisms and revelations of our own foolishness. :xd:

Seriously, though, he's right, DS. I mean, a cloud with eyes? You can do better than that.

...And now that I think about it, the Dark Scorpions aren't the only thieves in this game. You could've made the duel last a bit longer if Great Phantom Thief had appeared. Also, your custom cards didn't show up! What happened to Great Escape, Fallen Comrade, Dark Scorpion Pilfer...?

Well, what's past is past; here's to the next chapter (I have strange feeling I know what Chico might do...).

-Blademaster

Perfect Chaos

6th February 2006, 05:32 PM

Eh, not bad of a chapter.

Like everyone else said, it was a bit short, but I guess there wasn't much to be used in Raven's deck to being with. Speaking of Raven, glad she got what she had coming to her. I found it very funny and fitting that Vivian decided to attack Raven instead of Stan.

Look foward to seeing the next duel. Gravekeepers are a very interesting "Tribe" to see being used.

-sean

Dark Sage

9th February 2006, 03:34 PM

Time for a new chapter everyone.

And chapters might be coming more frequently for two reasons:

One, I want this story done with, so I can start my new one...

Two, I want Master of Paradox to start his own.

So, enjoy.

- DS

Dark Sage

9th February 2006, 03:36 PM

[B][I]When we first met Chico, we knew he had potential, even though Andy beat him. He wanted to defeat the evil on Monster Island as much as we did.

We asked him to join us, but he refused, saying he could do better alone. We respected that wish. But before we parted company, he gave us some advice:

“No matter how bleak it seems, no matter what obstacles life throws you, don’t lose hope. Have faith in your skills and your abilities, and mostly in yourself.

“You will prevail.”

We took that to heart, and so far, we have prevailed.

I hate the fact that I have to duel him, but if what Merlee said is true, as noble as Chico’s goals are, he simply can’t defeat the Shadow Queen. Only Andy, Stan, or I can.

So, it’s the Amazons versus the Gravekeepers…

Which is the better group?

Only time will tell…

[B][size=3]CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

Culture Clash

Raven sat on a couch in the lounge and sulked.

Maybe it’s time to rethink my life, she thought. Maybe I should look into some college applications… strive for a real career…

She took The Thief in the Shadows out of her deck.

One thing’s for sure, I’m getting rid of you! You’re the one who stole that creepy Monster! My deck is better off without you!

She grinned.

And you’ll be worth a fortune on eBay…

“May I have your attention, please!” announced Alphonse.

Everyone turned towards him and the machine that contained Maximum Six.

“The duelists for the second duel of round one will now be chosen,” he stated.

Maximum Six picked up the remaining six orbs, one in each hand, and again started to juggle them…

Everyone started to watch intently…

Please don’t let it be me and Francesca, thought Andy. Please, please, please…

Maximum Six dropped two orbs and caught the other four.

The colors he dropped were yellow and gold.

“And, the two duelists are the holders of the Citrine Star and the Golden Star!” exclaimed Alphonse. “Francesca and Chico!”

Thank goodness… thought Andy.

Chico closed his eyes.

“Well, this should be interesting…” he said.

“Again,” said Alphonse, “the two contestants follow me to the arena. Anyone who wishes to watch is welcome to.”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

The Shadow Queen watched as Chico and Francesca entered the arena.

This should be interesting… she thought. Those cards I gave Chico aren’t ones that can be simply be played at any time. It isn’t just a matter of playing them, it’s a matter of playing them right. It will take a lot of good draws, and a lot of strategy by Chico. But if he manages to use them right, Francesca won’t stand a chance.

“So, what’s the deal with Chico?” asked Kyle.

“He uses Gravekeepers,” answered Andy. “I can tell from experience, they’re tough… but only when their special Field Card, Necrovalley is on the field. Take away that, and they’re weak.”

“Let’s begin!” announced Alphonse. “Contestants, present your Deckmasters!”

Chico drew a card from his deck.

“I choose Mystical Knight of Jackal!” he exclaimed.

In a flash of light, the jackal-headed Beast-Warrior appeared before him.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PGD-069.jpg

“I believe his ability will put a positive ‘spin’ on my strategy,” he said with a smirk.

Fran, meanwhile, was having a harder time deciding.

So many choices… she thought. Maybe I’d best try someone new…

She saw Yoshi’s card.

He seemed to wink at her.

Eh, why not?

“I choose Yoshi the Loyal Steed!” she exclaimed.

She held the card aloft, and the small, scrappy Dinosaur leapt up behind her.

Oh no! thought the Queen. She’s using one of those accused Companions! And even worse, it’s the only one I don’t know about Deckmaster-wise!

“All right toots,” urged Yoshi’s voice. “Let’s get this guy, huh?”

“Wait a sec,” said Fran. “How do we ‘get’ him?”

“I can help a lot!” answered Yoshi. “My Deckmaster ability is called Encouragement. Just discard one card, and I can increase the Attack Score of a Warrior or Spellcaster by 400 for one round. But if I do, I can’t do it the next turn, so make it count!”

“Okay…” replied Fran.

“All right!” announced Alphonse. “It’s time to duel!”

The Disks flipped into position, and the counters set to 8,000 apiece.

“Let’s go!” exclaimed Francesca, making her first draw.

She threw a card on her Disk.

“And I’ll summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode!”

With a war cry, Swords Woman appeared. (1,500/1,600)

“Impressive,” said Chico, making a draw.

He took a card from his hand.

“I play the Magic Card, Terraforming,” he said, playing the card. “Now I can search my deck for any Field Magic Card.”

A card slipped out of his deck.

“Here is comes…” said Andy.

“I’m not afraid of Necrovalley!” said Francesca.

Chico closed his eyes and smirked as he pulled a card out of his deck.

“I didn’t use Terraforming to search for Necrovalley, Fran,” he said. “In fact, I took all three of those cards out of my deck…”

Everyone looked shocked.

“WHAT?” exclaimed Stan. “What good are Gravekeepers without Necrovalley?”

“And what sort of Field Card is that?” asked Andy.

Chico’s Field slot opened, and he slid a card inside…

The walls of the arena started to change. It turned into a stone temple, bleached white, with hieroglyphics covering the walls. Behind Chico was a dais, on which was an arc made of black stone, flanked by two statues of Anubis. Paintings of the Egyptian gods surrounded the dais.

“Chico…” gasped Francesca. “Where are we?”

“This is Temple of Kings,” answered Chico. “Within this five-thousand year old temple lie the greatest treasures of the great Pharaoh!

“And to ensure that those treasures are protected, both duelists cannot play, set, or activate more than two Magic and/or Trap Cards on one of his own turns.”

Francesca looked at him.

“Why would you play a card that only hinders you?” she asked.

“It has another ability which will be revealed later,” he answered. “In the meantime, I’ll summon Gravekeeper’s Spear Soldier in Attack Mode!”

He placed a card on his Disk, and the robed nomad holding a spear appeared. (1,500/1,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PGD-062.jpg

“It’s a standoff…” said Francesca.

“For now, yes,” answered Chico. “My turn is complete.”

Francesca drew.

“I activate my Deckmaster ability!” she said, discarding a card. “Encouragement! Now my Swords Woman gains 400 Attack Points!”

Yoshi glowed, and Swords Woman grew to 1,900 Attack.

“Attack the Spear Soldier!” she shouted.

Swords Woman slashed through the Spear Soldier, and he shattered!

Chico’s Life Points fell to 7,600.

“I activate my own Deckmaster’s ability!” he shouted, as Mystical Knight of Jackal started to glow golden. “Self Spin! I’ll pay 500 Life Points, and instead of going to my Graveyard, Gravekeeper’s Spear Soldier goes to the top of my deck!”

His Life Points fell to 7,100, and the card materialized on his deck.

“Well, Fran’s winning…” muttered Andy. “And he can’t do that forever…”

“My turn’s over,” said Fran, as Swords Woman fell back to 1,500 Attack.

“My draw…” said Chico, drawing his card.

He placed the card on his Disk.

“I’ll summon Gravekeeper’s Spear Soldier again, and that will be all.”

Spear Soldier reappeared. (1,500/1,000)

“Oo-kay…” said Fran, drawing a card.

Can’t use Yoshi’s effect this turn… she thought.

“I summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode!” she exclaimed.

She placed a card down, and Blowpiper appeared, crouching in Defense. (800/1,500)

I’ll use her effect next turn, she thought.

“And that’s my turn,” she said.

Chico drew a card.

“I sacrifice Gravekeeper’s Spear Soldier…” he said.

Spear Soldier vanished into mists.

“…to summon Gravekeeper’s Mummy!” he shouted.

A golden sarcophagus appeared on the field, and it slowly opened.

“Huh?” said Andy. “Gravekeeper’s Mummy?”

The embalmed corpse, clad in rotted linens and golden jewelry, carrying a crook walked out. (2,000/0)

“A new one?” asked Fran.

“Indeed,” said Chico. “Gravekeeper’s Mummy, attack Swords Woman with Spell of Souls!”

Spiritual energy flowed around Gravekeeper’s Mummy. He shot forth a blast of energy! Swords Woman screamed, and was eradicated!

Chico’s Life Points fell to 6,600.

“That may have cost me some Life Points,” he said, “but your Swords Woman has died…

“However, her punishment for opposing the Gravekeepers will not stop there…”

A dark mist rose next to Gravekeeper’s Mummy, and a form appeared out of it…

It was Amazoness Swords Woman… but she was a Zombie! (500/500)

“What did you do to her?” screamed Fran.

“The Mummy has enslaved her soul, and turned her body into a Gravekeeper’s Servant,” answered Chico. “And now it’s your move…”

“Well, that’s unpleasant…” muttered Drake.

“Yeah…” added Raven. “And unless Francesca can summon something to beat that Mummy, it will just take more of her Amazons…”

“Francesca may be ahead on points,” said Kyle, “but Chico clearly has the advantage.”

Francesca drew.

“I have to pass for this turn…” she muttered, adding the card to her hand.

“Fine,” said Chico, drawing. “Gravekeeper’s Mummy, attack her Blowpiper!”

Blowpiper screamed as she was blasted into nothing by the Mummy’s spell.

“Now, slave, attack directly!”

The Amazon-turned-Zombie slashed at Francesca with her sword, and she winced.

Her Life Points fell to 7,500.

“And don’t forget my Mummy’s effect…” added Chico.

The dark mist rose again, and a Zombie Blowpiper appeared. (500/500)

“My turn is complete,” he said.

Francesca drew a card.

“I play… Graceful Charity!” she announced.

She played the card, and the graceful angel flew out of her deck with three cards.

Hey… I’ve got an idea… she thought.

She handed the angel two cards, and they flew into her Graveyard.

“I place one card facedown,” she said, playing a card, “and also a Monster in Defense.”

A facedown card and a facedown Monster appeared.

“And that’s my turn,” she said.

Chico drew.

“I summon Gravekeeper’s Cannonholder in Attack Mode!” he exclaimed, playing a card.

A nomad holding an ancient cannon on his shoulder appeared. (1,400/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PGD-066.jpg

“With this Spellcaster on the field,” he said, “I can sacrifice Gravekeeper Monsters, and hit you for direct damage equal to 700 for each.”

“The only other Gravekeeper I see is that Mummy,” answered Francesca.

“Heh, heh, heh,” snickered Chico. “How soon we forget. Don’t you remember what I called your transformed Amazons? They’re Gravekeepers too now!”

The two Gravekeeper’s Servants transformed into orbs of energy and were absorbed into the cannon…

Cannonholder fired two blasts, and Francesca staggered back!

Her Life Points fell to 6,100.

“Well?” asked Chico.

“Thanks…” muttered Fran, sarcastically. “Seeing them like that was upsetting me.”

“Well, I’m just going to get another,” stated Chico. “Gravekeeper’s Mummy, attack the facedown Monster!”

The Mummy aimed his spell…

“I activate Waboku!” shouted Fran.

The Mummy shot forth his spell, and Getsu Fuhma appeared on the card. The three emissaries appeared to block the blow.

“No big deal,” said Chico.

“Oh yeah?” asked Fran with a grin. “Take a look at your Mummy…”

Gravekeeper’s Mummy groaned, and he started to sizzle and smoke…

Then he shattered into pixels!

“What?” said Chico in surprise.

Francesca grinned.

“Getsu Fuhma’s family was murdered by creatures of darkness when she was young, Chico,” she explained. “So when she became a Warrior, she swore an oath in her own blood to destroy these creatures, even if it meant dying herself. As a result, any Zombie or Fiend who battles her is automatically destroyed, and although my Waboku saved her, the battle still happened!”

“All right, Fran!” shouted Andy.

“Clever,” muttered Chico. “I’ll end with a facedown card.”

A facedown card appeared in front of him.

Fran drew a card.

“I’ll move Getsu Fuhma into Attack Mode,” she stated.

Getsu stood up and held her sword in front of her.

“Next,” she said, “I’ll summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode.”

The muscular Amazon appeared. (1,500/1,300)

“Go, Getsu Fuhma!” she shouted. “Attack the Cannonholder! Whirlwind blade!”

Getsu leapt forward and made two slashes. Cannonholder’s weapon flew from his hands with the first, and he was blown away with the second.

“Fighter,” continued Fran, “you know what to do…”

Amazoness Fighter leapt at Chico and slugged him in the face. He grunted and fell over.

He groaned as his Life Points fell to 4,800.

He rubbed his eye as he got up.

“I hope you don’t believe that one nasty haymaker is going to keep me down, Fran,” he said. “Pretty soon, my secret weapon will come to light, and it won’t be pretty.”

He paused.

Of course, he thought, I need three cards to use it, and I have twenty-nine cards left in my deck… The problem lies in drawing them all…

The Queen looked at him intently. Chico looked back.

That Sydney bugs me, he thought. Vampire Lady affirmed that there was some great evil in this place, and I wouldn’t be surprised if this emcee was working for him…

But until I find out one way or another…

He drew a card.

“I activate my facedown card,” he announced. “Rite of Spirit.”

The card lifted up.

“Now I can raise one Gravekeeper from my Graveyard,” he continued, “and I choose Spear Soldier.”

Gravekeeper’s Spear Soldier arose. (1,500/1,000)

“And now I’ll sacrifice him, to summon Gravekeeper’s Chief.”

Spear Soldier vanished, and the leader of the Gravekeepers appeared. (1,900/1,200)

“And just by summoning him,” continued Chico, “I can raise another Gravekeeper, so you can probably guess who’s coming back…”

With an aura of black energy, Gravekeeper’s Mummy appeared again. (2,000/0)

“I seem to remember you saying that Getsu Fuhma destroys any Zombie whom she battles,” said Chico. “Fortunately, the Mummy may be a Zombie, but his descendants are Spellcasters. Gravekeeper’s Chief, attack Getsu Fuhma with mystic purge!”

A ball of glowing energy appeared in the Chief’s hand, and he hurled it… Getsu Fuhma gasped and shattered to bits.

“Gravekeeper’s Mummy, attack the Fighter!” commanded Chico.

The Mummy cast his powerful spell, and Fighter howled! She burst.

The same black mist appeared on Chico’s side of the field, and a Zombie Fighter arose. (500/500)

Francesca’s Life Points fell to 5,900.

“Okay, that’s not good…” muttered Francesca.

Chico stared at her.

“Your move…” he said.

Francesca drew a card.

“All right Chico,” she said, “I’ll place one card facedown…”

A facedown card appeared.

“And then I’ll summon Amazon Archer in Defense Mode.”

Archer appeared, crouching and holding her bow in her lap.

Chico drew a card.

“Just as you did,” he said, “I’ll play Graceful Charity…”

The angel flew out of his deck with three cards.

There it is, he thought. One of the three remaining cards I need for my big combo… Still, without the other two, it’s worthless…

He handed her two cards to discard.

“I’ll place two cards facedown,” he stated.

Two facedown cards appeared.

“And now… Gravekeeper’s Mummy, attack!”

The Mummy powered up his dark spell…

“Go!” shouted Fran. “Magical Mirror Force!”

Her Trap Card lifted… Chico gasped…

A shimmering shield appeared around Archer, and the blast ricocheted back, blasting the three Gravekeepers to bits!

“All right!” laughed Yoshi. “And you were thinking of taking that card out of your deck because it never worked! See how well it worked?”

“Well, it’s track record is pretty bad…” answered Fran.

“My turn is done…” said Chico.

Fran drew a card.

“You probably think I’m going to attack you with my Archer, Chico,” said Fran. “Well, I would, but I’m cautious… There are those two facedown cards…”

She paused.

“I don’t like them, so I’m not going to attack…

“But, with the card I just drew, I don’t have to truly attack to get at your Life Points…”

She played the card. Her Scapegoat card appeared, and the four fluffy sheep popped out.

“See, Amazon Archer can shoot off 1,200 of your Life Points, so long as I sacrifice two Monsters… And right now, I have enough ammo for two shots!”

Chico’s eyes opened wide…

“Archer, get ‘im!” ordered Fran.

Archer propped herself on her knee, and the Scapegoats vanished…

She fired two arrows, striking Chico in the chest!

Sweat poured down his face, as his Life points fell to 2,400.

Eh, maybe this was a bad idea… thought the Queen. Almost all of Chico’s Monsters are pretty bad without Necrovalley supporting them…

It’s like Seto Kaiba often said, never base a whole strategy around one powerful card…

Of course, when such a philosophy comes from a guy whose deck has the only three copies of Blue Eyes in the world, it loses a little in the translation…

Chico drew a card.

“I play… Pot of Greed…” he stated.

He played the card, and the jar handed him two cards.

There, the second card, he said. And I can slow Francesca down a little too…

“I’ll place a third card facedown, and that will end my turn…” he said.

A third facedown card appeared.

“That will be all…” he said.

“He’s losing it…” said Wanda.

“I dunno…” answered Andy. “I think I might know what those three facedown cards might be…

“I’ve dueled this guy before…”

“I draw one card…” said Francesca.

She looked at her card.

“And I’ll summon my second Fighter in Attack Mode!”

Another Fighter appeared.

“Now I’ll…”

“I activate all three of my Traps!” shouted Chico.

“All three?” gasped Fran, as they lifted up.

Purple smoke rose from the cards.

“Come forth my Embodiments of Apophis!” he exclaimed.

The three two headed, snaky-tailed, sword-wielding statues appeared, their eyes glowing with evil light. (1,600/1,800 x3)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/by0v9dtg.jpg

“Bingo…” muttered Andy.

“A Trap that creates a Monster?” asked Raven in shock. “I’ve never heard of such a thing!”

“That card is a both a Trap and a Monster,” answered Andy. “It sounds strange, and it isn’t exactly common, but they were a nasty surprise when I faced him.”

Continued…

Dark Sage

9th February 2006, 03:37 PM

Continued from last post:

“Oo-kay…” muttered Francesca. “Think I’ll end my turn by playing this…”

She played a card and it appeared.

“Art Attack. It needs a few rounds to kick in, but I can wait…”

Here it comes… she thought, as Chico drew a card.

“GO!” he shouted, as they slithered forward. “Cut down her Fighter!”

With one slash, Fighter was destroyed.

“And her Archer!”

Archer gasped and was destroyed.

“Now attack directly!”

Fran cringed as the last Embodiment slashed at her with its kopesh.

She caught her breath as her Life Points fell to 4,300.

“Eesh…” she muttered.

“I agree with ya, toots,” said Yoshi. “Those guys are ugly!”

“I know…” muttered Fran, looking at the cards in her hand, “and I’d best draw something good right now, cause I’m fresh out of Monsters….”

She drew a card.

She grinned.

“I summon Amazoness Paladin!” she shouted.

She placed a card down, and the general of the Amazon Army appeared! (1,700/300) –> (1,800/300)

“Well, talk about lucky…” said Raven. “Drawing a beatstick just when she needed it.”

“You got that right,” said Fran. “Paladin, send one of those creeps back to Apophis!”

Amazoness Paladin leapt up and slashed at one of the statues. Cracks appeared all over it, and it shattered into shards of onyx.

Chico’s Life Points fell to 2,200.

“Well, your move,” she said with a grin.

Chico drew a card.

“I’ll move my two Monsters to Defense Mode,” he said.

The Embodiments crouched, and covered themselves with their shields.

“That’s all for me…” he said.

Francesca drew a card.

“Well Chico,” she said with a smile, “I remembered that your snakes are still Traps, and they can be destroyed like Traps…”

She played a card, and Mystical Space Typhoon appeared.

“So say bye-bye to that one!” she laughed.

A whirlwind shot forward, and one of the Trap-Monsters was consumed by it.

At least it wasn’t Heavy Storm… thought Chico.

“Next,” she said, discarding a card, “I’ll use my Deckmaster’s ability… Encouragement!”

Yoshi glowed, and Paladin rose to 2,200 Attack Points.

“Paladin, take out the last one!”

Amazoness Paladin leapt forth and swung her sword, blasting the statue to scrap!

“Well, my turn is over…” she said.

I’ve got to slow her down… thought Chico. Without Necrovalley, none of my remaining Gravekeepers are strong enough to defeat Paladin… There’s no guarantee I’ll draw Monster Reborn or another Rite of Spirit, and if I call my Deckmaster to the field and he’s defeated, this duel will be over…

He drew…

“I play Swords of Revealing Light!” he exclaimed.

The card appeared, and the glowing Swords blasted forth from it!

“Well, that sucks…” muttered Fran, as the cage of Swords formed around her.

“Well, you won’t be able to touch me for three of your turns,” said Chico. “And I’ll end my turn on that note…”

“Fine,” said Fran, drawing. “But it has been three turns since Art Attack was played, so now it kicks in!”

Four cards flew out of her deck, and she threw them on her Disk.

“So, say hello to Amazoness Chain Master, another Amazoness Paladin, another Amazoness Swords Woman, and Warrior Dai Grepher!”

The four Warriors appeared.

“Now then,” she said, playing a card, “I’ll play Polymerization, combining one of my Paladins with Warrior Dai Grepher, forming Amazoness Queen!”

Paladin and Grepher stood back-to-back, and were consumed in an intense light…

The powerful, armored Queen flew out of the light, holding her twin scimitars! (2,500/1,700)

“I’ll end my turn there…”

“I see…” said Chico, drawing.

Hmmm, he thought, looking at the Magic Card. Playing this card is always a risky endeavor… But if I don’t take the risk, I might lose… She has a Monster that’s stronger even than the Mummy right now…

“I play a Magic Card,” he stated. “Different Dimension Capsule!”

As he played it, the black arc behind him vanished, and was replaced by a glowing blue sarcophagus.

Chico removed his deck.

“Now,” he said, “I can take any card I desire from my deck and seal it in the Capsule, and in two turns, I can add it to my hand.”

He looked though his deck.

Good thing I did, he thought, looking at the Monster Card. It was the next to last card from the bottom of the deck…

The image of a card appeared above the sarcophagus. It opened, revealing a dark void. The card was sucked inside, and the door slammed shut.

Lovely, thought Francesca. That card is likely the most powerful card in his deck, and I have a feeling I don’t want to see it…

“Chico has made a very chancy move,” said Drake.

“Oh?” asked Kyle.

“Yes,” said Drake. “It’s true that Different Dimension Capsule can get any card from your deck, and help you get an important card…

“However, the risk lies in the Capsule itself. If Francesca manages to destroy it, the card inside is removed from play, and Chico will likely have no way to get it back.”

“All right, my move!” shouted Fran.

She looked at the card.

“I sacrifice my Chain Master to summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!” she exclaimed.

She switched cards, and Chain Master vanished. She was replaced by the lovely Warrior of Darkness. (2,100/1,400)

“That’s my turn,” she said.

“Then I draw…” said Chico.

He looked at the card.

“And I will pass for this turn,” he said.

“Okay…” muttered Fran, drawing.

She let out a squeal of joy.

“I can tell from how happy you are that you just drew a powerful Monster,” muttered Chico.

“My most powerful!” answered Francesca. “And prepare to meet her! I sacrifice my Swords Woman and my Paladin to summon the goddess of the Amazons, Guardian Angel Joan!”

The two Amazons vanished, and the lovely Joan descended in a beam of light! (2,800/2,000)

“WHOA!” exclaimed Wanda. “Fran’s side is stacked! And Chico’s got nothing! On her next round, Fran will attack him with everything!”

“I gotta admit,” said Raven with a smile, “whatever’s in that Capsule will be small potatoes compared to those three…”

That’s what you think, Raven, thought the Queen. Chico’s next move requires perfect timing, but I do believe he’ll pull it off.

“I’m ending my turn, Chico,” said Fran, “and now your Swords are gone.”

The Swords slowly faded.

“So, let’s see what you’ve got.”

“Indeed…” said Chico.

The Different Dimension Capsule burst into pieces, and was replaced by the black arc.

A card appeared in Chico’s hand.

“Time to reveal a Monster unlike any you’ve ever seen,” he said. “I play the Magic Card… Cup of Sealed Souls!”

He played the card, and a golden goblet appeared in the air to his right, with dark smoke flowing out of it.

“Next I play a second card… Seal of Serket!”

He played a second card, and a golden, rune covered seal with the image of a scorpion on it appeared to his left.

“When these two powerful spells are cast while inside Temple of Kings,” he continued, “the almighty Guardian of the Temple is awakened!”

“Guardian?” gulped Francesca.

Well, about time… thought the Queen.

Chico raised his hand.

“Guardian of the Temple, hear me!” he shouted.

The lights dimmed, and a red mist appeared behind him.

He threw a card on his Disk.

“Come forth… Mystical Beast Serket!”

An immense creature started to lumber forward. At first it was translucent, like a ghost, but then it solidified…

It resembled in outline a huge scorpion with a rust-red exoskeleton, but it had sharper claws, and a maw of razor-sharp teeth!

(2,500/2,000)

“Uh, has anyone ever heard of this thing?” asked Kyle.

“Not a clue…” muttered Wanda. “And you think I’d recognize a Monster that looked like a big bug…”

“Whew!” said Fran, in relief. “You had me worried for a minute there. That Fiend may look scary…”

“Fiend?” replied Chico. “Actually, it’s a Fairy.”

“Really?” laughed Francesca. “Well, it’s a pretty ugly one…

“But while it’s powerful, Joan will kill it in one shot!”

“True, Guardian Angel Joan has three-hundred more Attack Points,” said Chico. “But I’m not attacking her yet!

“Serket, attack Penumbral Soldier Lady!”

Penumbral Soldier Lady screamed as the Mystical Beast bore down on her…

The thing lifted her up and stuffed her into its mouth, chewing her up with its teeth!

“YUCK!” shouted Andy.

“I’m gonna be sick…” muttered Stan.

Francesca gave a cold stare, as her Life Points fell to 3,900.

“Penumbral Soldier Lady is gone,” said Chico, “and since I can’t tolerate waste, half of her Attack Points are now added to Serket’s Attack Points!”

Serket’s exoskeleton turned the same golden color of Penumbral Soldier Lady’s armor, and its Attack Points grew to 3,550!

“Ho boy…” muttered Francesca.

“It’s your move,” said Chico.

Francesca drew a card.

She added it to her hand and looked at the three cards.

Recruitment Drive (no good), Amazoness Spellcaster (Serket would keep it’s bonus, so no good), and Dramatic Rescue (couldn’t stop an attack, so no good).

“I’ll move my Queen and Joan into Defense Mode,” she said, turning the cards.

Both Monsters knelt in Defense.

“Very well,” said Chico, drawing.

“Serket, devour Guardian Angel Joan!”

The creature lunged forward and grabbed Joan. To everyone’s shock, she was eaten as well.

“No way…” muttered Andy.

“He beat her best card…” muttered Stan.

Huge feathered wings, colored red, grew on Serket’s back, and its Attack Score rose to 4,950.

“Your move again…” he said.

“Good lord…” muttered Drake. “It’s strong enough to defeat Obelisk the Tormentor now! Does Fran even have something that can stand up to it?”

“I hate to say this but… no…” muttered Andy.

Fran drew.

She growled.

Gift of the Martyr? she thought. One round too late!

“I’ll pass for this turn again,” she stated.

“I thought so…” said Chico, drawing a card.

“Serket, swallow Amazoness Queen!”

Fran looked away so she wouldn’t have to see the Queen eaten.

Serket grew to a more humanoid form, and its claws became more arm-like and muscular. Its Attack Score rose to 6,200!

“Now it’s even stronger than the Five God Dragon…” muttered Raven. “I think this duel has a winner.”

At last, thought the Shadow Queen. Little Francesca might think that she’s only seeing a powerful Monster right now, but she’s actually seeing her doom looking her straight in the face. One more round should be all it will take.

Of course, should Chico ever dare to challenge me, I’ll be happy to oblige… I gave him that card, and I know exactly how to defeat it…

“My turn is over,” said Chico. “Ready to give up?”

Francesca slowly drew.

“I play Pot of Greed…” she muttered.

The jar handed her two cards.

No good… she thought. Monster Reborn can summon something to shield my Life Points, but what then? How long can I hold out?

“Fran!” said Yoshi. “Don’t give up! That other card you drew might be the key!”

“Huh?” asked Fran, looking at it.

“Serket may be powerful,” said Yoshi, “but it must have a weakness. And I think that card may be able to exploit it!

“Think about it!”

Fran gave the card a long stare…

She fit the first card into a slot.

“I play… Monster Reborn!” she shouted.

The glowing ankh appeared in the air…

Amazoness Paladin appeared. (1,700/300) –> (1,800/300)

“A desperate move,” said Chico. “Defending with her will only prolong the inevitable and make my Beast stronger.”

“Take a closer look, Chico,” said Fran with a smirk. “Paladin has been summoned… in Attack Mode!”

Everyone gasped.

“What is Fran thinking?” exclaimed Wanda. “Paladin won’t be able to scratch that monstrosity!”

Serket drooled and stared at Paladin, anticipating another meal…

“You see, Chico,” explained Francesca, “I’ve got a little theory about your big bug…”

“A theory?” asked Chico.

“Yeah,” answered Francesca. “Here’s the deal… If my theory is right, you lose this duel. If my theory is wrong, well, on your next turn, you can attack Paladin, and I’ll lose…

“Here’s the basis of my theory. This Temple of yours is a Field Card… And even a beginning duelist knows that only one Field can be active at once. Play a Field Card while one is active, and the active one is destroyed and displaced by the second.”

“Your point being?” asked Chico.

Francesca opened her Field Slot.

“I play my own Field Card…” she exclaimed. “Themyscira!”

Temple of Kings crumbled into dust, and the lush rainforest arose! The ancient temples of the Amazons, surrounded by statues and waterfalls appeared.

“Now, let’s see if I’m right…” said Francesca.

Then Mystical Beast Serket screamed! Its immense form crashed to the ground, and then shattered into pixels!

“What happened?” asked Raven.

“Francesca figured it out,” said Andy with a smile. “Serket is the Guardian of the Temple of Kings. So she reasoned that, without the Temple, Serket can’t exist. Remove the Temple of Kings, and Serket is gone.”

“And I’ve done more than just destroy your Monster,” said Francesca. “Themyscira increases the Attack and Defense of all my Amazons by 500 points!”

Paladin grew to (2,300/800).

Chico bowed his head.

“Fine,” he sighed. “Then finish it…”

“Gladly,” said Francesca. “Amazoness Paladin, attack directly!”

Paladin leapt up in the air and did a flip…

She brought her sword down hard on Chico, and he fell backwards as his Life Points were drained.

“Francesca is the winner!” shouted Alphonse.

Pity… thought the Queen. It seems Francesca got smart…

Chico groaned.

“Chico?” asked Francesca.

Chico staggered to his feet.

“Don’t feel bad,” she said, “it was pretty close…”

“Uh huh…” muttered Chico. “You certainly…”

Sydney walked up to them.

“Yes, an exciting duel,” she said, “and let me be the first to congratulate…”

Chico’s eyes locked with hers.

He gave her a long stare.

“Uhm…” said Sydney. “One hour intermission for lunch! Hot dogs and hamburgers will be served in the lounge!”

“Well…” muttered Chico. “I am hungry…”

No doubt about it… he thought. She’s the evil that has poisoned this land. Evil emits from her like a bonfire…

Unfortunately, I can go no further officially in this tournament seeing as I lost…

But if whoever wins these finals cannot defeat her, I will challenge her unofficially. Until then, I’ll do my best to support anyone who seems strong as a duelist…

Such as Andy. After all, before Francesca, he was the only one who could defeat me.

The Queen watched as they headed for the lounge.

He’s on to me, she thought. I could confront him and cast him into the Graveyard right now…

But that might be unwise… The others would become suspicious if Chico vanished and I gave no reason.

Well, he won’t be allowed to duel again, so he isn’t much of a threat now, but should he become one, I’ll do whatever it takes to eliminate him…

Now we’ll have to see what happens in the third match…

TEMPLE OF KINGS (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic/Field
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a fancy Egyptian temple. When this card is active, both players cannot play, set, or activate more than two Magic and/or Trap cards during their own turns.

CUP OF SEALED SOULS (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a fancy, golden goblet with black smoke rising from the cup. You can only play this card while “Temple of Kings” is active. Playing this card allows you to play “Seal of Serket” from your hand on the same round.

SEAL OF SERKET (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a circular seal inlaid with runes, with an image of a scorpion in the center. You cannot play this card without first playing “Cup of Sealed Souls” on the same round you intend to play this card. Special Summon “Mystical Beast Serket” from your hand.

MYSTICAL BEAST SERKET (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fairy/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 6
ATK: 2,500
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: This divine creature is the guardian of the Temple of Kings. This Monster cannot be Normal Summoned. This Monster cannot be Special Summoned except via the effect of “Seal of Serket”. If “Temple of Kings” is not on the field, destroy this Monster. When this Monster destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle, remove the destroyed Monster from play and add half of the destroyed Monster’s ATK to this Monster’s ATK.

Note: The above versions of “Temple of Kings” and “Mystical Beast Serket” are anime versions of Japanese promotional cards that have not yet appeared in the United States (the real versions are not as powerful). “Cup of Sealed Souls” and “Seal of Serket” appeared only in the anime. All four cards were used by Odion in the multi-part anime episode, “Awakening of Evil”.

Yoshi the Loyal Steed: Dinosaur/Union/Earth, Level 4, (1,600/1,000)

Deckmaster SA: “Encouragement”: Discard one card from your hand. Increase the ATK of one of your WARRIOR of SPELLCASTER-Type Monsters by 400 for the remainder of the round. You can use this effect once per turn, during your turn. You cannot use this effect two turns in a row.

[I][B]Coming up next:

Wanda has made it farther than her brother could ever dream of, and now only Andy stands in her way. What will be the outcome of this duel, and what new secrets does her deck hold? Find out, in “Pest Problem”, coming soon.

Shuppet Master

9th February 2006, 03:53 PM

That was a pretty nifty duel. I was surprised to see Chico use the same combo that Odion used. Joey had given up and almost let Odion win, but then Marik had to interfere and make Odion sacrifice it for Ra...

Blademaster

9th February 2006, 04:28 PM

I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! DARK SAGE, I TOLD HIM I KNEW THAT THAT MOVE WOULD SHOW UP EVENTUALLY!

(dances proudly)

I'm glad that you used Serket's more powerful anime effect, too...

This chapter seemed a little short, too, but maybe that's just me...

So, it's Insects versus Dragons next time, huh?

Wait... haven't I heard of a Dragon-Insect combination somewhere before...?

...Nah!

-Blademaster

Master of Paradox

9th February 2006, 05:02 PM

Odion being one of my favorite characters out of the anime, and the Gravekeeper's Mummy being one of the creations out of "Lady of Dragons", I was hoping this chapter would be good. And it was fairly good, indeed.

Although it was surprisingly short. In fact, that makes two short chapters in a row. Must be hard finding things to do when you throw two tribes at each other.

Still, what was there was of high quality. Serket is both interesting and disgusting, and Chico made good use of everything in his arsenal.

However, as usual, I found Fran's moves tolerable at best and her victory not entirely deserved. (Themyscira still seems unnecessary to me - wouldn't Sogen fit her deck just as well, especially since your version of the Amazons aren't forest-dwellers?) I guess my Amazon burnout is still in effect.

I still can't work out what Wanda's new card is, so I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

(P.S. to everyone who saw today's episode of Yu-Gi-Oh GX: don't hold your breath waiting for the Charm, Tamer, or Arena to show up in Francesca's possession...)

Dark Sage

9th February 2006, 05:06 PM

From what I understand, Amazoness Arena is a magical card that can only be used in a Shadow Game, so no, Fran won't have it. And no, she also won't have the rest of Tanya's cards.

Sorry if you were expecting them.

- DS

Shuppet Master

9th February 2006, 07:19 PM

I may use the Amazoness Charm and Amazoness Tamer in a future project, but not the Arena. Like Brian said, it's only useful in a Shadow Game because it forces both players to throw their souls at each other. I won't spoil the episode with Jaden vs. Tanya, but he pulls out a nifty combo that turns the Arena against Tanya.

Perfect Chaos

9th February 2006, 08:16 PM

Meh, I didn't really like the episodes with Tanya. I thought the whole concept of it concerning Bastion was very pointless really. All the other Shadow Riders were cool though (Nightshroud and Camila)

Very nice chapter Brian. I definitely wasn't expecting a variation of Odion's deck for Chico, but it fit in very well, and the duel came out pretty good in the end.

Insect monsters, hmm? I have a feeling most of the monsters will be from a future set that will come to the U.S., but who knows...

-sean

Blademaster

9th February 2006, 09:48 PM

Yeah, I might use Charm and Tamer for a... future project, too... :wink:

Oh, and Perfect Chaos, I'm pretty sure you're right - I mean, I'm a complete idiot, but I at least figured that much out...

-Blademaster

Mystic_clown

10th February 2006, 04:40 AM

Again, this is one of those duels where I really wanted the hero to loose. Sure, Chiko may be a bit of a simple character, but I'm the only one who wants to see her amazon's crushed.

But aside from that, not a bad duel.

Dark Sage

12th February 2006, 10:00 AM

[size=3][B]A Preview

(Thunder)

Long ago, there were three duelists...

Their names are immortalized in the minds of every duelist...

Yugi Mouto... Seto Kaiba... Joey Wheeler...

(Thunder)

The first was a boy who shared his body with the soul of a brave Pharaoh. On a quest to find his partner's purpose and place in the world, he strived to be the best, and eventually earned the title of King of Games.

The second was a self-made man, who went from a poverty-stricken boy to the billionaire head of the world's largest game company. Though his attitude was arrogant at best, and he was an agnostic concerning the supernatural, he was dedicated to the art of dueling, and was one of the greatest strategists in the game.

The third started as a common street punk, until true friendship brought him out of the gutter. His skill at the duel was not to be underestimated, and though he relied on luck and chance more often than not, the laws of fate most often landed in his favor.

These three were competitors and rivals at times...

But as much as Kaiba hated to admit it, they were friends.

And together, they helped save the world numerous times, from the deadliest of demons...

Pegasus... Marik... Dartz...

(Thunder)

The greatest threat they ever faced pushed them to their limits. They nearly perished in the struggle. But after fighting tooth and nail with their monsters and magic, they prevailed.

They thought the evil was gone.

They thought it was over.

They thought it was buried forever...

They were wrong...

(Thunder)

But on the off chance that it ever were to return, a prophesy told that a figure would come to combat it again. A savior taken from the ranks of duelists. The evil would be challenged again.

The prophesy named this figure The Dark Messiah.

Yugi, Kaiba, and Joey are long gone...

The evil is about to return...

http://www.yugioh-cards.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/tin/CT2-EN003.jpg

http://www.yugioh-cards.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/een/unl/EEN-EN018.jpg

http://www.yugioh-cards.net/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/sd/SD5-EN001.jpg

Soon, evil will wear a new face. Goodness will have new allies. And the Dark Messiah will prepare to emerge.

Who is the Dark Messiah?

Whoever he is, even he does not know yet...

[color=blue][B][size=5]YU-GI-OH!

Dark Messiah

[color=gold]COMING SOON

Blademaster

12th February 2006, 10:51 AM

...Whoa... just whoa... :eek:

'The greatest threat they ever faced...'

Who could that be? Zork, maybe (Aw, I never even saw that Arc!)?

Man, this sounds like it's gonna be good... Maybe the best one yet...

I'll be there to read it all the way, DS! You can count on me!

-Blademaster

Perfect Chaos

12th February 2006, 06:55 PM

Very interesting indeed.

I wonder what the monsters represent. If they represent Yugi, Kaiba, and Joey, then two of the three make sense.

Looking foward to this fic. For sure.

-sean

Master of Paradox

13th February 2006, 06:31 AM

As I understand, the three card images he put up represent the three deck themes used by the main characters in Dark Messiah.

As I'll be reading it as a matter of course, it matters not what I say.

Mega Horny

13th February 2006, 08:10 AM

this fic rocks keep up the good work!!!

Blademaster

13th February 2006, 11:34 AM

Hey, who's that? A new dude?

Aw, and I used to be the new guy... :redface:

lol, j/k

Welcome to the review team, Mega.

-Blademaster

P.S. I like that mauve Dratini on your sig - you really catch one of those in a game?

Mega Horny

13th February 2006, 11:59 AM

indeed, however i'd say it was more of a very berry.

Mystic_clown

13th February 2006, 11:55 PM

...what? Very berry?

Anyway, sounds interesting. Just don't forget you're still working on this one.

Speaking of which, I've gotta get back to rewriting mine! *runs off*

Dark Sage

15th February 2006, 10:41 AM

[B][I]The career of the duelist named Weevil Underwood was long, and to most who heard it, pathetic.

He started out good – the national champion of Japan, in fact. But rumors stated that he cheated his way to the top. Those rumors were confirmed soon after.

His road from the top to the bottom started at Duelist Kingdom. He had high hopes, but he lost his first duel to Yugi Mouto. Yugi was just an amateur at the time, so it was a humiliating end to his place in the greatest tournament to date.

He attempted to make a comeback in Battle City, but that tournament only brought him from decline into steeper decline. He was booted out by Joey Wheeler, a duelist whom most people believed to be a joke at the time.

So after that, Weevil himself became the joke. From riches to rags. From a top-ranked duelist to almost nothing. And he had no one to blame but himself.

I didn’t even know he had a sister. I suppose it’s natural that I didn’t – if I was a member of his family, I’d stay hidden. He does, and I’m dueling her. She seems nicer than her brother was… I’d like her to succeed…

But my duty is clear – I have to win.

Only by progressing in the tournament can the Queen be defeated. Sorry Wanda, but you can’t go any further than this…

[size=3][B]CHAPTER SIXTY

Pest Problem

In front of Chico were the remains of his second hamburger (he hadn’t been able to finish it) and two empty potato chip bags.

He started to study his cards.

Eventually, he took Gravekeeper’s Vassal, Dark Room of Nightmare, and Divine Wrath out of his deck, and replaced them with his three Necrovalley cards.

I’ll stand a fighting chance against… Sydney if my deck has both Necrovalley and Temple of Kings, he thought. That is, if it comes to that.

I have a strong feeling Andy might be dueling next… We’ll see how he does…

He looked at Andy, then at Drake, Kyle, and Wanda.

Wanda most likely has an Insect Deck, but there are many strategies she could use. I haven’t seen any of Kyle or Drake’s cards, but they must have been doing something right to get this far…

Sydney and Alphonse entered.

Chico gave Sydney “the eye”.

Speak of the devil, he thought.

“Will the remaining four duelists please approach?” asked Alphonse.

Andy, Wanda, Drake, and Kyle went up to where the Maximum Six machine was. Andy still had half a hot dog in his hand.

“Only two more matches wait to be decided,” said Alphonse. “Maximum Six will decide the match-ups, as well as who duels first.”

The Warrior lifted the four remaining orbs, and started to juggle them.

Andy looked at the three other duelists. He considered.

All three of them were pretty powerful. Insect Monsters were rarely powerful in terms of Attack Points, but they had tricky effects.

Drake’s chaos Monsters were dangerous customers. Gren Maju Da Eiza’s power was limited only by the number of cards a duelist had in his deck, and how many he could remove from play.

Kyle was a tough customer too. That Ancient Gear Golem made Traps and Quickplay Magic Cards worthless against it, and also made defending futile… Not to mention the fact that it had 3,000 Attack Points, something that only two of his Monsters could beat on their own.

Maximum Six finally dropped two of the orbs, catching the other two. They were colored green and red.

“And the next duel will be between the holders of the Ruby Star and the Emerald Star!” exclaimed Alphonse. “Wanda Underwood and Andy Markova!”

Andy ate the rest of his hot dog slowly…

“Well!” laughed Wanda. “This should be fun!”

“Indeed,” said Andy.

Time to swat a few bugs… he thought.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Everyone except the two duelists met on the balcony.

“I’m a little worried,” muttered Stan. “I dueled Wanda, and she’s one tough cookie. She actually managed to bring out that Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth in our duel.”

“Andy has a couple of Monsters that are even tougher than that,” answered Francesca.

“I dunno,” said Raven. “In a fight between Insects and Dragons, I think I’d give Dragons the edge.”

“On the contrary,” said Kyle, “using Insects usually requires an intelligent strategy, to make up for their apparent weakness. Wanda could use one of many different strategies, all of them deadly…”

Wanda and Andy were on the arena floor, shuffling each others decks. They each had a special card in their pockets…

Wanda’s job should be easier than Chico’s, thought the Shadow Queen, as she watched. Using the Monster I gave her is a simple matter of sacrificing one other Monster for it. And once it gets started, it’s almost impossible to stop…

The two duelists handed each other their decks back.

“Okay, people,” said Alphonse. “I take it you’ve chosen your Deckmasters?”

Andy took the card from his pocket.

“A no-brainer,” he said, holding it up.

Lord of Dragons appeared behind him!

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SDK-041.jpg

“Interesting,” said Wanda with a smile. “Well, meet mine…”

She took her card from her pocket and held it up…

And with a rumble, a huge tree sprouted from the ground behind her and grew into a mighty oak!

“A tree?” asked Andy. “That’s your Deckmaster?”

“Take a closer look,” said Wanda.

Andy looked at the huge plant…

Then he was shocked to see that the tree had a face!

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN052.jpg

“He’s called Trent,” explained Wanda, “and I’ll tell you what he does. He’s the immortal guardian of the forest, and when he’s my Deckmaster, the whole field is considered to be under the benefit of an indestructible Forest Field, giving Insects, Plants, Beasts, and Beast-Warriors a 200-point bonus to their Attack and Defense.

“So, do you have any in your deck?”

“No,” answered Andy, “but that isn’t much of a bonus…”

“We’ll see,” said Wanda.

“Very well,” stated Alphonse. “Let the duel begin!”

The Disks activated, and the Life Point counters each set to 8,000.

“YA!” shouted Wanda, drawing her first card.

My hand’s stacked already, she thought. Now my strategy can begin, and my brother’s shame can be broadcasted.

Weevil is a drowning man, and I swear upon all that’s holy, this duel will throw him an anchor!

She placed a card on her Disk.

“I summon Vampiric Leech in Attack Mode!” she shouted.

An ugly looking leech with a toothy mouth appeared in front of her. (500/1,200) –> (700/1,400)

What? Attack Mode? thought Andy. Even with the two-hundred point boost, it’s still pretty…

His train of thought was interrupted when Wanda shouted, “ATTACK!”

Andy yelped as the Vampiric Leech flew forward and chomped on his arm!

He hadn’t been expecting that!

He stared at her as his Life Points fell to 7,300. Wanda giggled.

“In case you haven’t caught on yet,” she said with a smirk, “this little guy can attack even on the first turn of the duel. Neat, huh?”

“Yeah, neat…” muttered Andy. “Like a canker sore…”

Wanda’s expression turned serious.

“I first used this guy in a duel against my brother,” she said, “and he was just as surprised. Then he was furious, mad that I had a powerful Insect that he didn’t have. Then he got all sweet, almost to the point of being sickening, not that he isn’t usually sickening, and tried to convince me to trade for it. Well, I wouldn’t have traded it for his whole filthy deck…

“He never even washes his hands, after all…”

She took a card from her hand.

“Now I’ll activate its other ability. Since it damaged your Life Points, I can discard one card to the grave in order to switch it to Defense Mode.”

She discarded a card, and the Leech curled up.

“And it’s your move.”

Andy drew a card.

“If you think you can protect your Life Points that way, you’re wrong,” he said, “thanks to Lord of Dragons…”

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I summon Mirage Dragon!”

The radiant Dragon of Light appeared in a flash. (1,600/600)

“But don’t let his name fool you… His Attack is no illusion! And so long as he’s on the field, you aren’t allowed to activate Traps during the Battle Phase.

“And I’m not done… I also use my Deckmaster’s ability like I said I would…”

Lord of Dragons glowed, and his Life Points dropped to 6,800.

“…by paying 500 Life Points, I can summon another Dragon, so I’ll also summon Luster Dragon #1!”

The large sapphire Dragon appeared. (1,900/1,600)

“Ho boy…” muttered Wanda.

“Mirage Dragon…” ordered Andy. “Take out Vampiric Leech with spectrum blast!”

Mirage Dragon blasted forth a beam of multicolored energy, and the Leech was blown to bits!

“Luster Dragon, attack directly! Sapphire flash blast!”

Luster Dragon breathed a beam of blazing blue energy! Wanda screamed as it hit her.

She fell to her knees as her Life Points fell to 6,100.

“Well, Andy has taken the lead,” commented Chico.

“That hurt just watching it,” said Raven.

“I don’t know,” answered Kyle. “Wanda might have something else planned. Playing that weak Effect Monster… It seemed a little too easy.”

Wanda got up…

She drew.

And then she placed a card on her Disk.

“I’ll defend myself with Prickle Fairy!” she said.

The Plant-spirit in her violet dress with thorny vines for limbs appeared, shielding herself in Defense. (300/2,000) –> (500/2,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-077.jpg

“That will be my turn,” said Wanda.

2,200 Defense Points? thought Andy. Okay, this will take some time to get around…

He placed a card on his Disk.

“Grey Wing in Attack Mode,” he said.

The large lizard with dragonfly wings appeared. (1,300/700)

He waved his arm to signal the end of his turn.

Wanda drew a card.

“I summon Insect Soldiers of the Sky in Defense Mode,” she stated.

A large dragonfly appeared. (1,000/800) –> (1,200/1,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN101.jpg

“This might be a good time to mention,” said Wanda, “that so long as Prickle Fairy is on my side of the field, you aren’t allowed to attack any of my Insects!”

“Impressive,” said Andy, drawing a card.

“Okay, Wanda is definitely up to something,” said Drake, scratching his chin.

“Huh?” asked Raven.

“Insect Soldiers of the Sky isn’t the best Monster around,” said Drake, “but it has an effect that Wanda could have utilized in this situation.

“See, it gains 1,000 Attack Points whenever it battles a Wind Monster, and both Grey Wing and Luster Dragon fit into that category. So if she Attacked them with it, she’d more-or-less be attacking with a Monster that had 2,000 Attack Points.

“So she could have destroyed either of them, and with Prickle Fairy out, there wouldn’t have been much that Andy could have done to stop her. But instead… She’s defending with it…

“Again, she’s up to something…”

Andy looked strangely at the Insect…

He placed another card on his Disk.

“I summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in Attack Mode,” he stated.

The fierce, two-headed Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

“That’s my move,” he stated.

“All right…” said Wanda, drawing a card.

She looked at the card and smirked.

There it is, she thought, the next part of my master strategy…

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

“That’s my turn,” she stated.

Come on… thought Andy.

He drew.

Yes!

“I sacrifice Grey Wing…” he said.

Grey Wing burst.

“To summon Luster Dragon #2!”

The huge emerald Dragon arose! (2,400/1,400)

“Now, attack the Prickle Fairy!” he shouted. “Emerald flash blast!”

Luster Dragon shot a blast of green energy from his jaws, and Prickle Fairy was blown to bits!

“Well, you activated her other effect,” said Wanda with a grin. “Now your Luster Dragon moves into Defense Mode.”

Luster Dragon #2 crouched in Defense.

“Like it will matter,” said Andy. “Now I’m going to clean up! Mirage Dragon, obliterate Insect Soldiers of the Sky!”

Mirage Dragon shot forth its spectrum blast, and the dragonfly was blown into bug-guts.

“Luster Dragon #1, make me just as proud!” he continued.

Luster Dragon #1 shot his breath weapon towards the facedown card…

…and a weird, creepy creature appeared on it.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PSV-EN003.jpg

“Parasite Paracide!” gasped Andy.

“That’s right!” laughed Wanda, evilly. “And since you flipped it…”

The card flew towards Andy and struck his deck! Andy yelped!

“Heh, heh…” laughed Wanda. “That Parasite is crawling around somewhere in your deck right now, and as soon as you draw it, something… special will happen.”

“Don’t forget, my battle phase isn’t over Wanda…” growled Andy. “Behemoth…”

Twin-Headed Behemoth shot twin gouts of flame! Wanda cringed as they struck her!

She gasped for breath as her Life Points fell to 4,600.

“And just because it’s in my deck doesn’t mean I’ll draw it,” added Andy. “I’ve still got a lot of deck to go through.”

“Oh, really?” asked Wanda, drawing a card. “We’ll see about that.”

She added the card to her hand.

Then she played a Magic Card.

“I play… Insect Barrier.”

“What does that do?” asked Andy, as the card appeared.

“It blocks any attack you make with an Insect Monster,” she answered.

“What the…?” said Andy. “What good will that do you? I don’t have any Insects in my deck.”

“I’ll show you,” answered Wanda. “See, I not only put that Parasite in your deck, I had a way to ensure you’d draw it on your next turn, no matter where it landed…”

She played another Magic Card.

“I play… Jade Insect Whistle!”

A large, green whistle made of stone appeared above her, and let out a shrill noise.

“This card requires my opponent to move one Insect Monster in his deck to the top,” she explained, “and since you just told me that there are no Insect Monsters in your deck, it’s a safe bet that the only Insect you have in there right now is that Parasite that I just put in there! Clever, huh?”

A card formed on the top of Andy’s deck.

“Well, I’m ending my turn now…” said Wanda.

“Uh, people?” said Drake. “Anyone with weak stomachs might want to look away, cause this is gonna get ugly… And I mean ugly.”

Andy hesitated… He drew his card…

And then there was a flash of light, as the slimy Parasite Paraside appeared in his last vacant spot, in Defense Mode! (500/300) –> (700/500)

“Heh, heh, heh,” giggled Wanda. “Now that I’ve forced you to play it, it will infect every creature on your side of the field, including you.”

Andy cringed as the thing stabbed him with a tentacle, and his Life Points fell to 5,800.

Then four more tentacles reached out, and jabbed into his four Dragons! They roared, and slimy tentacles and gruesome hairs sprouted from their flesh!

He didn’t seem to notice that all four of his Dragons gained 200 Attack and Defense Points.

“All right!” shouted Andy, “you’ve had your fun! My Dragons may be infected, but they can still attack, and you have no Monsters to defend you!

“I’ll move Luster Dragon #2 back to Attack Mode…”

The huge Dragon rose up…

“Luster Dragons, Mirage Dragon, Twin Headed Behemoth, get her!”

The four Dragons breathed rays of light and flames…

Wanda didn’t flinch, as they bounced off an invisible shield.

“What?” asked Andy.

“Forget about Insect Barrier?” asked Wanda. “The parasitic infection changes the body chemistry of the hosts, so that all creatures and both scientific and magical devices recognize them as Insect Monsters. Thus, your Monsters are Insects for all intents and purposes, and my Magic Card was able to block their attack.”

Andy was clearly angry…

“Boy, she’s gonna get it if he does manage to attack,” said Fran, shaking her head. “You don’t mess with Andy’s Dragons!”

Andy looked at his hand.

The only way I can think of to get rid of that Parasite would be to offer it as a sacrifice, he thought. Unfortunately, I don’t have any Monsters in my hand that need a sacrifice. Even if I drew Draconic Offering, it wouldn’t work… I’d need a Dragon to use it!

“I end my turn,” he said.

“All right…” said Wanda, drawing, “here it comes…”

She played a Magic Card.

“I play… Monster Reborn!”

The holy ankh appeared, and glowed with energy…

And the immense form of Insect Queen appeared in front of Wanda! (2,200/2,400)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/CT1-EN005.jpg

“What the Hell?” gasped Andy. “She wasn’t in your Graveyard!”

“Was she?” asked Wanda with a smirk.

Andy paused…

Then he remembered Wanda’s first turn.

”Since it damaged your Life Points, I can discard one card to the grave in order to switch it to Defense Mode.”

“Oh… yeah…” muttered Andy.

“And in addition to the bonus my Deckmaster gives her,” said Wanda, “she gains 200 extra Attack Points for every Insect on the field, including herself, the ones infected by that Parasite, and the Parasite itself.

“Do the math…”

Insect Queen screeched…

“Let’s see…” muttered Raven. “2,200 Attack, plus 200 from the Deckmaster, plus six Insects for 200 more points each… That’s…”

“Don’t strain anything, it’s thirty-six hundred…” answered Francesca.

(3,600/2,600)

“Ho… boy…” muttered Andy.

Well… thought the Shadow Queen. I couldn’t have planned it out better myself…

Perhaps I won’t bury Wanda after this is over… Such a great strategist in Insect dueling could make a worthy henchman. I may need to brainwash her, but it will be worth it in the end…

Of course, she’d have to win first… And her strategy isn’t completely foolproof. I can already think of a way where each deck that I have could foil it…

“Now then,” continued Wanda, “Since that was a Special Summon, I’ll summon my Sinister Serpent…”

She played a card, and the small snake with a flared head appeared next to the Insect monarch.

“…and I’ll feed it to my Queen so she can attack!”

Insect Queen drooled and grabbed the snake… She slowly chewed it…

“Gross…” muttered Raven.

“And now…” said Wanda, “Great Queen of Arthropods, attack Luster Dragon #2! Queen’s Hell breath!”

Insect Queen screamed, and blasted a beam of burning energy! Andy cringed as Luster Dragon exploded!

His Life Points fell to 4,800.

“At least she lost one Insect…” he gasped.

“But she gained another…” answered Wanda.

Insect Queen squatted, and a gruesome egg came out of her abdomen. (100/100)

“Eww…” said Raven. “Gross…”

“See?” said Wanda. “Every time she destroys one of your Monsters, I get a mini-Monster called an Insect Token, so she doesn’t lose anything!

“Well, I’m ending my turn now…”

Continued…

Dark Sage

15th February 2006, 10:47 AM

Continued from last post:

“So now what?” asked Francesca. “She seems to have him in a lock!”

“His only chance is somehow getting rid of that Parasite,” answered Stan. “Likely, Wanda won’t destroy it until there’s nothing left to destroy… But at that point, that beast will likely be unstoppable.

Andy drew a card.

“All right,” he said. “I’ll move my other Monsters to Defense Mode, and that will be all…”

Mirage Dragon, Luster Dragon, and Twin Headed Behemoth all crouched in Defense.

“Then I draw one card…” said Wanda.

She drew.

“…and, Sinister Serpent comes back to my hand too…”

The Serpent slipped out of her discard slot.

“Want to know why I’m using this strategy for this duel, Andy?” she asked offhand. “Frankly, I want to turn my brothers plunging decline into a total free-fall!”

“Say what?” asked Andy.

“You see,” said Wanda, “he thought that a strategy combining Parasite Paraside with Insect Queen would win him Battle City, and gain him revenge on Yugi Mouto for humiliating him at Duelist Kingdom…

“And he thought he had the perfect way to draw Yugi out. He’d challenge Joey Wheeler, beat him soundly, knock him out of the tournament, and Yugi would get angry and come looking for him.

“But that stinkbug couldn’t resist cheating. Rather than trust luck to use Parasite Paraside the proper way, he bribed a kid to sabotage Joey’s deck and plant one in it! So forcing him to draw it was easy…

“But his plan was flawed, and Joey was a much better duelist than he had thought. Joey defeated him, and Weevil was the one who was thrown out of the tournament, losing his Insect Queen in the process.

“Heh… He had to liquidate his savings to get another one…

“Anyway Andy, to rub his nose in it in the worst way, I’m going to prove that this strategy can win without having to cheat!

“And I’ve already improved upon it… First of all, I didn’t bring Insect Queen out the way he did. He did it by destroyed his own Pinch Hopper using an Eradicating Aerosol card, the height of stupidity. Insect duelists should not have that card in their decks! In the end, Joey was able to snatch it with his Graverobber Trap and kill his Insect Queen! What an idiot!

Also, I’m not using Cockroach Knight like he did. That stupid card only messes with your draws. Sinister Serpent is much better. Weevil, of course, refused to put any Monster in his deck that wasn’t an Insect. He was dumb, but I’m practical.

“And I’ll show you another way I improved…”

She waved her hand over her Disk.

“I’m moving the first Insect Token to Defense Mode!”

The egg retracted.

“Weevil had such a fat head, he didn’t think it was possible for Joey to attack him! So he left the Tokens in Attack Mode just to goad him! Then Joey summoned Gearfried the Iron Knight… Gearfried is immune to Parasite Paraside’s infection, because… Well, because he’s iron! Parasites can’t infect metal!”

And me without my Rare Metal Dragon… thought Andy.

“That let Joey smash the Tokens and hurt him badly,” said Wanda. “But since I’m smart and he’s stupid, I won’t leave such weaklings in Attack Mode in the off chance that you find a way to attack.”

“Wanda, I appreciate you trying to prove that you’re superior to someone who’s a cheater and a creep,” said Andy. “And you do have a good way of doing it…

“But as clever as your strategy is, I will find a way to defeat it!”

“We’ll see,” answered Wanda. “I’ll summon Sinister Serpent again!”

Sinister Serpent reappeared.

Again, Insect Queen grabbed it and devoured it…

“Attack his other Luster Dragon!” shouted Wanda.

Insect Queen shot forth her lethal breath, and Luster Dragon was blown to pieces.

Another egg appeared next to Insect Queen.

“All right!” shouted Andy. “My move!”

He drew a card.

“I play… Pot of Greed!” he announced.

He played the card, and the pot handed him two more cards.

Stamping Destruction, he thought, looking at one of them. I could destroy Insect Barrier with this, but I need a Dragon on the field to do it…

Darn…

He fit a card into a slot.

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

The facedown card appeared.

“Your move…”

Wanda drew a card.

Hey, she thought. It’s that card that Rose Spectre of Dunn gave me… Hmm, think I’ll save it for later…

She placed a card down, and Sinister Serpent appeared again.

Once again, Insect Queen stuffed it into her mouth…

“Attack his…” started Wanda.

“I activate… Threatening Roar!” shouted Andy.

His Trap Card sprung up, and the huge beast let out a roar, causing Insect Queen to cringe.

Wanda tapped her Disk.

“I’ll move the second Token to Defense Mode, and that will be my turn.”

“Well, he’s saved his Monsters for that turn,” said Stan.

“Yeah,” muttered Francesca. “Now all we have to worry about is next turn…”

Andy drew.

He looked at the card, and his eyes narrowed…

“You know…” he said, “I really hate bugs…”

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I just drew a Monster that needs two sacrifices, and we’ll start with this.”

Parasite Paraside shattered into pixels!

“And Mirage Dragon has to go too, unfortunately…” he continued.

Mirage Dragon shattered.

“And I summon… Tyrant Dragon!”

With a bellowing roar, the huge Dragon of Fire arose! (2,900/2,500)

Wanda gasped…

“Well,” said Andy, closing his eyes. “With that Parasite gone, my Behemoth is cured…”

The tentacles on Twin Headed Behemoth crumbled into dust, and he growled.

“And that means your Queen loses three Insects!”

Insect Queen’s Attack Score sank to 3,000.

“She’s still stronger than he is!” shot back Wanda.

“Not for long,” said Andy. “I’ll move Behemoth into Attack Mode…”

Behemoth rose up…

“And since he isn’t an Insect anymore, your Insect Barrier is worthless. Twin-Headed Behemoth, destroy one of those eggs!”

Behemoth blasted his fiery breath forward, and one of the Insect Tokens exploded!

“Eee…” muttered Wanda.

“And by the way…” added Andy. “Tyrant Dragon can attack two Monsters on the same turn! Tyrant Dragon, smash the other one!”

Tyrant Dragon blew a burst of blazing fire forward, and the other egg was incinerated.

“And now for the boss-lady herself!” shouted Andy. “Tyrant Dragon, attack Insect Queen! Imperial inferno!”

The Dragon shot forth a practical furnace at the royal Insect! Insect Queen let out an unearthly howl as she caught on fire…

She slumped to the ground, and then burst into pixels!

“All right, Andy!” shouted Fran. “What a shot!”

Wanda’s Life Points fell to 4,300.

The flames died down and vanished.

Too bad, Wanda, thought the Queen. I guess you should have known that a bad strategy remains bad, no matter how many improvements you make on it…

“Your move…” said Andy.

Wanda drew a card.

She looked at the Magic Card.

She retrieved Sinister Serpent from her Graveyard.

“Well, uh…” she said. “Good job…

“But, defeat one strategy, and I can just come up with another…

“Let me ask you, Andy, you ever hear the stories about archaeologists discovering bugs inside Egyptian tombs that had survived for thousands of years?”

“What are you selling now?” asked Andy.

“Well,” said Wanda, “the Monster I’m about to summon is just such a bug… It’s a Monster Weevil never even heard of, and if I ever speak to him again, which isn’t likely, I’m going to rub this in his face!

“Anyway, summoning it requires a sacrifice, and since I have no Monsters on my side…”

She played the card.

“…I play Soul Exchange!”

“That card…” said Raven. “It lets her sacrifice one of Andy’s Monsters in place of one of hers…”

“Yes, and you can bet which one she’s going to choose,” answered Chico. “A clever case of killing two birds with one stone…”

“But what is she summoning?” asked Kyle.

Tyrant Dragon burst into pixels.

“I summon… Millennium Scorpion!” exclaimed Wanda.

A bizarre Monster appeared in front of her. It was a scorpion, but it appeared to be made of multicolored rock, with strange symbols all over it. (2,000/1,800) –> (2,200/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN009.jpg

“Technically, scorpions are arachnids, not insects,” continued Wanda, “but they grouped arachnid Monsters with Insects because… Well, they’re all bugs.

“Also, scorpions tend to like deserts rather than forests, but since it is an Insect Monster, my Deckmaster still strengthens it!

“Anyway, I can’t attack this turn since I used Soul Exchange, so it’s your move.”

“Anyone ever hear of this thing?” asked Drake.

“No,” said Kyle. “And you think I’d hear of a Monster with the word ‘millennium’ in it. I’m almost certain that thing has some sort of nasty effect built into it.”

That it does, Kyle, thought the Queen with a smile. As Wanda had it set up, her Insect Queen had a limit to her strength – if there were ten Insects on the field, the maximum, her Attack Score would have been 4,400…

However, the limit on Millennium Scorpion’s power…

Well, there really isn’t one…

Andy drew a card.

No good… he thought.

“I’ll move Behemoth to Defense again, and end my turn,” he said.

Behemoth crouched in Defense.

“Very well,” said Wanda, making a draw.

“Millennium Scorpion, attack the Behemoth! Stabbing sting!”

The Scorpion scurried forward… It grabbed Twin-Headed Behemoth with its claws, and then jabbed its stinger into it! Behemoth shattered.

“Well,” said Andy, “when Behemoth goes belly-up, he comes back for another round…”

Behemoth appeared again. (1,000/1,200)

“Really?” said Wanda. “Well, my Scorpion got what it needed…”

Millennium Scorpion grew slightly, and its Attack Score increased to 2,700!

“Millennium Scorpion gains 500 Attack Points every time it destroys a Monster!” giggled Wanda. “Pretty soon, it will be stronger than anything you have!”

She’s right… thought Andy.

He looked at his deck.

If I draw Monster Reborn, I can sacrifice Behemoth to bring Tyrant Dragon back… I don’t know what else can do it…

He drew…

Hmm… he thought.

“I’ll place a card facedown, and end my turn,” he said.

“Lovely,” said Wanda, drawing a card.

Heh, heh, she thought. Perfect. Now this duel is as good as mine…

She hit her Disk, and two cards slipped out.

“I remove Insect Soldiers of the Sky, and Vampiric Leech from play…”

The two Monsters appeared above her.

“What is she doing?” asked Raven. “Is this a summon of some type?”

“I have… no idea…” muttered Drake.

The two Insects shattered…

“And in return for that,” said Wanda, placing a card down on her Disk, “I get to summon the almighty… Doom Dozer!”

A bellowing screech echoed over the field! A huge creature that looked like a centipede from Hell appeared, with huge mandibles, a blood red carapace, and bladed claws! (2,800/2,600) –> (3,000/2,800)

http://www.finalyugi.com/model/finalyugi/images/shadow-of-infinity-SOI/SOI-JP024.jpg

WHAT THE? thought the Shadow Queen. When the heck did she get THAT?

“You’re probably wondering where this guy came from,” said Wanda, softly. “Well, I’ve had him for quite a while… but I just take him out for… special occasions.”

She pointed.

“Millennium Scorpion! Destroy Behemoth!”

The Scorpion scurried forward.

“Enough!” shouted Andy. “Activate Shadow Spell!”

His Trap Card lifted. Millennium Scorpion roared as a mass of chains bound it, and its Attack Score fell to 2,000.

Wanda growled…

“Doom Dozer, you get it!” she shouted.

The huge centipede scurried forward, and crushed the Dragon with its mighty jaws.

“You were lucky it was in Defense Mode,” said Wanda. “Make your move… I’ll get rid of your Shadow Spell soon.”

Andy drew a card.

“I play Graceful Charity…” he stated.

The angel flew out of his deck, and handed him three cards.

He thought for a minute…

He handed her Red Eyes, and Spirit Ryu.

“Now then,” he said, “I’ll play Premature Burial, to bring back the guy I just discarded!”

His Life Points fell to 4,000, as the mighty Red Eyes appeared.

“And now,” he said, “I’ll sacrifice him, to summon the great Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!”

He switched cards, and Red Eyes mutated, growing into the darker, fiercer version.

Images of Mirage Dragon, both Luster Dragons, Grey Wing, Tyrant Dragon, Twin-Headed Behemoth, Spirit Ryu, and Red Eyes himself appeared behind him as his Attack Points rose to 4,800.

“But before I attack,” he said, “I’ll play Stamping Destruction to destroy your Insect Barrier, and take a chunk out of your Life Points!”

He played the card, and Red Eyes slammed his foot down! A tremor shattered the card, and Wanda cringed as her Life Points fell to 3,800.

“Red Eyes Darkness Dragon…” he ordered. “Take out Doom Dozer! Diabolic fire blast!”

Red Eyes shot a blast of hellfire, and Doom Dozer was reduced to ashes.

Wanda’s Life Points fell to 3,000.

“I’ll place a card facedown, and it’s your move,” said Andy.

A facedown card appeared.

Wanda looked ready to cry…

She drew a card…

“I’m not out yet…” she said.

She played a card.

“I play Multiplication of Ants…” she said.

The chains around Millennium Scorpion shattered, and it divided in two, forming into two Army Ant Tokens, placed in Defense Mode. (500/1,200 x2)

“I can last a little longer,” she said.

“No you can’t,” said Andy, drawing a card.

His Trap Card lifted.

“I activate Dragon’s Rage. Now all my Dragons gain a Fairy’s Meteor Crush effect.

“And next I’ll play Monster Reborn, to bring back the regular Red Eyes.”

He played the card, and Red Eyes returned. (2,400/2,000)

The stronger Dragon fell down to an Attack of 4,500, but it hardly mattered.

Wanda bowed her head.

“All right! Take out those Ants and end this!” he shouted.

The two Dragons shot forth streams of hellish fire, and the two Ants blew up. Wanda was thrown back.

Her Life Points fell to nothing.

She lifted her head off the ground.

“Well, that’s it…” she sighed. “I’ve had it…”

“Wanda?” said Andy.

He offered his hand.

She didn’t reply.

“Wanda…” said Andy, “I know you wanted to be better than your brother was, but just winning a duel where he lost wouldn’t have made you better.”

“What do you mean?” asked Wanda.

“Look,” said Andy, “you used his strategy in a more honest way, hoping to prove that you could use it better… And in a way, you did use it better. The fact that it worked at all without cheating is one step up.

“But if you really want to prove that you’re better than Weevil, you can do something that he never did in this situation…

“And that’s learn from defeat, and use it to become better. Weevil didn’t learn from defeat. Each loss filled him with rage and spite. It only led to more defeats, and eventually led to him being a wicked thing who could never truly succeed.

“You can learn from this, and you can not only be a better duelist than him… You can be a better person.”

The Shadow Queen reclined on her arm and frowned.

Intriguing philosophy, Andy, she thought. Perhaps I’ll etch it on your tombstone…

So, the three of them have overcome round one. All that remains is for Drake and Kyle to duel, and hope that one of them defeats one of those three in round two.

I’m getting tired of this… After being trapped for a thousand years, I had to learn patience…

But even so, my patience is starting to wear thin…

As far as the finals go, this isn’t the beginning, this isn’t the end…

…but it’s the end of the beginning…

VAMPIRIC LEECH (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Insect/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 500
DEF: 1,200

Card Description: This ravenous creature strikes quickly with hit and run tactics. This Monster can attack on the first round of the duel. On a round where this Monster damages your opponent’s Life Points, you can discard one card from your hand to change its battle position to Defense Mode.

Note: “Vampiric Leech” was used by Marik in the anime episode “The Final Face Off (Part One)”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

”Trent”: Plant/Earth, Level 5, (1,500/1,800)

Deckmaster SA: “Guardian of the Forest”: Increase the ATK and DEF of all BEAST-, BEAST-WARRIOR-, INSECT-, and PLANT-Type monsters on the field by 200 points. If your opponent activates a Field Magic Card, negate the activation and effect of the card and destroy it (this is not optional).

[B][I]Coming up next:

As you might remember, the two winners of the User Character Contest were Silencer and Starjake. Each had perfect scores, and I had to use a secret system to determine the big winner. I asked each of them to name a Monster who would be in their characters’ decks. Silencer chose Gren Maju Da Eiza. Starjake chose Ancient Gear Golem.

But I did NOT tell them how a Monster could trump the other in this tie breaker. It could have been which Monster was stronger, but it could have the one that was weaker. I could have gone by rarity or expense of the card, or by how new or old it was. It could have had something to do with Type or Attribute.

I won’t reveal how I judged until the next chapter is over. But before then, you’ll discover who the winner is, because he will be the winner of the duel.

And it’s gonna be a blast. It’s a chapter called “Perceptions” coming up next.

Silencer

15th February 2006, 11:03 AM

:s I thought I picked D.D. Survivor as a card. Anyway, nice duel intresting carrd millenium scorpion but I feel like it should have been on the field longer if it was that powerfull. And now I still don't know the effect of Doom Dozer so...

Now we have a duel coming up we don't know the outcome from. This ought to be intresting.

Dark Sage

15th February 2006, 11:07 AM

Oops!

Silencer is right, he did pick D.D. Survivor.

But don't worry, Silencer, I made the decision based on him, not Gren Maju. It has just been a while since then.

Doom Dozer's effect is, when it damages your opponent's Life Points, he discards the top card from his deck.

Master of Paradox

15th February 2006, 11:30 AM

I don't have a way to count words on me, but I'm willing to bet you had Wanda spend over 500 words just bashing Weevil over and over again. It got sickening after a time - it sounded like one of the "Norus is evil!" speeches from SM's "Sister of Anansi".

And you should have warned us you were using the show version of the Parasite Paracide, because it caught me off-guard. (EDIT: I'm sorry, it was the real version after all. Nobody plays it, so I can't really be blamed for my confusion, but it's still an error on my part.)

Other than those two complaints, this was a decent chapter. I saw Doom Dozer coming (who didn't?), but the Millennium Scorpion was a nice touch that I didn't expect.

I'd care more about the next chapter if I had won the contest, but it'll be interesting to see 1) what Drake's got up his sleeve and 2) if the Ancient Combination works.

Silencer

15th February 2006, 11:46 AM

I'm also intrested in what I've got up my sleeve, I do hope Dark Sage posts the next chappy soon, I'm sure I speak for Starjake aswell

starjake

15th February 2006, 12:35 PM

Silencer, you do indeed speak for me. I am very interested to see who wins this next duel.

However, I'm also interested to see what Dark Sage uses in Kyle's Deck. You see, when I submitted that character, I didn't give too many guidelines. The only cards I insisted be in the deck at first were the Ancient Gear monsters, and I later suggested adding a second series of monsters that I believe Paradox has figured out. Other than that, Dark Sage has free reign. There are many, many cards that he could use that fit the History theme; I won't mention any in case they show up next chapter. So, to a large extent, Kyle's Deck is going to be as much of a surprise to me as it will be to you all.

On a different note...Chapter 26 of my fic, Virtual Disaster, is up. I would love to see some more reviewers there.

[/self-props]

opaltiger

15th February 2006, 01:51 PM

I'm pretty sure that Scorpion should have had 2900 attack at one point; after he gained another 500, you forgot to count the field card.

not that it matters, but still. ^o.o^

(why is it that I only comment to point out mistakes in duels? o.o)

Silencer

15th February 2006, 01:55 PM

Maybe because it isn't an error. Seeing as Millenium scorpion starts out with 2000 attack points, he gains 200 from trent so that makes 2200. After an attack it would be 2700, 3200, 3700 and so on.

Blademaster

15th February 2006, 02:42 PM

Nice chapter.

So, Millennium Scorpion is the card she'd gotten from Rose? I was honestly expecting Insect Princess...

Then again, Millennium Scorpion is a more reliable and more powerful version of Insect Princess, so I guess it's not surprising...

The constant Weevil-bashing started to get boring, I'll admit, but at least there was some non-dueling dialogue going on there.

I'll admit, Doom Dozer wasn't as creepy as I'd expected, but that's just my opinion.

Also, since Wanda's out of the tournament and her trump card was Doom Dozer... then my 3.0 use of Ultimate Insect LV7 remains the only one of its kind! Yay me! Yay originality!

Oh, and self-props to me, too - what's with you guys? Almost everyone that responded to this chapter so far has also reviewed my story once or twice, but now you all are MIA! Start reviewing again!

...Please? :p

Not much else to say, so I'm outta here.

Peace out!

-Blademaster

starjake

15th February 2006, 02:50 PM

Also, since Wanda's out of the tournament and her trump card was Doom Dozer... then my 3.0 use of Ultimate Insect LV7 remains the only one of its kind! Yay me! Yay originality!

And just what was Heather's Ultimate Insect LV7? A phony?

Mega Horny

15th February 2006, 02:53 PM

I'm lost and haven't had time to read every page. Have they dueled Grodus yet? If so, on what page?

Blademaster

15th February 2006, 03:26 PM

And just what was Heather's Ultimate Insect LV7? A phony?

^_^''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Uh... heh heh... Sorry.

Mental lapse...

jkBAKURA

15th February 2006, 04:11 PM

You know, I just realised that this is the first duel in the longest time where not one Enchanted card or Companion made an appearance. Points for that. Not much more to say. Silence can be the greatest compliment of all.

Shuppet Master

15th February 2006, 05:38 PM

Yeah, I would say that there's a lot of hate going on for Enchanted Cards, which means a lot of people are going to hate me if I spoiled that there will be "Star Power" cards in my spin-off. :)

But then, those cards represent the character in Paper Mario, where this fic got its DNA from. My spin-off will look more the game it emulates than this one, but even so, I'll try to avoid getting too bizzare.

Loved the chapter, and Wanda did do a better job of playing the Paracide deck than Weevil did, but it still had a flaw - it requires Paracide to remain on the field. Had she thrown in Mask of Restrict, she would have won.

Liked how Andy picked her up and said that she was already better than Weevil and all that, shows how the Queen is irredeemable if she think that's sappy. Keep up the good work, Brian. (I noticed you didn't put your little teaser message before the chapter.)

Also, my money is on Drake. Not because he has the same name as one of my other story characters(Lina's long-lost brother), but because Gran Maju De Eiza is more powerful than anything Kyle has, even that Ancient guy. But I would be surprised if Kyle won. ;)

Silencer

16th February 2006, 11:09 AM

We don't even have a clue what cards Kyle and Drake gotten, maybe they have some power-up effect like the last 2 aswell. So Kyle can have something more powerfull then Gren. And besides, Gren is still vunerable for magic.

Perfect Chaos

16th February 2006, 12:27 PM

Not bad. Pretty good duel concerning Insects. I was actually expecting Insect Knight to make an appearance, but w/e, it's all good.

So Drake vs Kyle huh? Well, my user character ALMOST got to duel Drake, but then again, I do like the Rock monsters. Meh, we shall see.

See you next chapter.

-Sean

Dark Sage

22nd February 2006, 03:09 PM

I'm going to work in a half an hour, so I thought I'd post the next chapter.

I can read all the reviews tomorrow.

The post at the end will tell you how I decided who the winner would be.

- Brian

Dark Sage

22nd February 2006, 03:12 PM

[B][I]Raven took on Stan again, and had him on the ropes with the Monster I supplied her with. But bad luck and a mistake on her part led to her defeat.

Chico summoned Serket successfully, and increased its power to enormous levels. But Francesca figured out its weakness, and destroyed it, defeating him.

Wanda summoned the Monster I gave her, along with an even stronger one of her own that she had saved for the finals. But Andy swatted them like common flies.

Well, too bad for them. When my true victims are done away with, I’ll send the three of them to the Graveyard. Perhaps I’ll offer them a chance to duel for their freedom – it might amuse me.

But now, Drake and Kyle are going to duel. It doesn’t matter to me who wins, but whoever is stronger will face one those three tomorrow in round two…

Hopefully, a victory will mean a better chance to defeat those brats…

[size=3][B]CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

Perceptions

Stan, Andy, and Francesca sat in the balcony.

“Guys,” said Francesca, “you do realize, tomorrow, one of us is going to have to duel another.”

Stan looked down for a minute.

“And if the one who doesn’t wins the other match, it will happen again in the final round,” he said.

Andy took out his deck and looked through it.

“Whichever one of us ultimately faces the Shadow Queen has to be the best one,” he said. “So maybe it’s for the best. Those two matches are the key to finding out which of us is the best.

“Even so, when we have to duel each other, I’d like to make a pact…”

“A pact?” asked Francesca.

Andy lifted up five cards:

Koops the Bashful, Admiral Bobbery the Bomber, Power Lift, Sweet Feast, and Supernova.

“When we duel each other,” he said, “we take our Companions and our Enchanted Cards out of our decks. I don’t think the Three Heroes meant for them to be used against each other.”

Stan and Francesca looked through his deck.

Stan looked at Vivian, Goombella, and Ms. Mowz.

“Good point,” he said. “I don’t think they’d be happy having to fight each other.”

Fran looked at Flurrie and Yoshi.

“I’m jack with that,” she said.

They looked down into the arena.

“So, who do you think looks the best here?” asked Andy.

“Dunno,” said Francesca. “I still remember Kyle’s Ancient Gear Golem with a passion.”

“Only if he summons it early,” answered Stan. “If the duel goes long, 3,000 Attack Points are nothing that Drake’s Gren Maju Da Eiza won’t be able to handle, and might I remind you, he has three in his deck.”

In the meantime, the Shadow Queen was watching the two duelists shuffle each other’s decks.

Kyle’s job will be harder, she thought. In all likelihood, he intends to use the powerful eight-card combo that I made possible… Unfortunately, to my knowledge, no duelist has yet managed to do so yet.

Drake’s job will be even harder. Summoning that Monster I gave him isn’t something that’s likely to happen – but if he manages, he’ll have a powerful weapon that’s nearly invincible.

We’ll just see how this goes.

The two duelists took their decks back.

“You seem like a pretty good duelist, Drake,” said Kyle. “I hate to have to beat you.”

“You seem like a pretty good duelist,” answered Drake. “I’d hate to lose…”

“All right, enough with the jokes,” said Alphonse. “I assume you’ve chosen your Deckmasters…”

Kyle held up a card.

“I choose Avatar of the Pot,” he stated.

With a sinister chuckle, the rocky jar-genie appeared behind him and crossed his arms.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-016.jpg

Drake held up one of his own cards.

“I’ll choose the Different Dimension’s beauty queen,” he said. “D.D. Warrior Lady!”

In a flash of light, the lovely, armored Warrior appeared behind him.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DCR-027.jpg

“Here we go…” muttered Andy. “Chaos Deck versus Ancient Deck… Which one will prevail?”

“Looks like we’ll find out…” said Francesca.

“LET’S DUEL!” said both duelists at once.

The scores set to 8,000 apiece as the Disks swung into position.

Drake drew his first hand.

“For my first move…” he said, looking them over.

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I’ll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and that will be all.”

A facedown Monster appeared.

“I’m guessing that’s a D.D. Assailant or a D.D. Warrior,” said Andy. “Kyle will have to be careful.”

Kyle drew his first card.

“I’ll also summon a Monster in Defense Mode,” he said, “but I won’t keep it hidden… Stone Statue of the Aztecs!”

He put a card down, and the huge, blocky statue appeared. (300/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-014.jpg

“That will be it for now,” he said.

“Swell,” said Drake, drawing, “but this is gonna be a pretty dull duel if all we do is defend. I flip my Monster into Attack Mode… Go, Dice Jar!”

The card flipped over, and a large jar with a goofy face on the lid appeared. (200/300)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/PGD-027.jpg

“Clever,” said Chico. “Drake is trying to get a big lead early…”

Two golden dice appeared, one over Drake, and one over Kyle.

“Here’s how it works, Kyle,” he said. “Since I flipped Dice Jar, both of us has to roll a dice. Whoever gets the lower roll gets blasted for damage equal to 1,000 Life Points times the difference in the two rolls…”

He paused.

“Unless the higher roll is a six, in which case this might be a very short duel!”

“What happens if the winner rolls a six?” asked Raven.

“The loser gets hit for a full 6,000 Life Points worth of damage,” said Chico. “Not the best situation.”

“Fine,” said Kyle. “I’m feeling kinda lucky right now…”

The two dice shot forward, and collided with each other in mid air. They rolled on the floor…

Drake’s roll was a four…

Kyle’s roll was a two.

“Not bad…” said Drake, with a grin.

Dice Jar cackled, and shot a beam of energy from its eyes, striking Kyle! He cringed as his Life Points fell to 6,000.

“And it’s still my turn,” said Drake. “I’ll end by sacrificing Dice Jar to summon Different Dimension Master in Attack Mode.”

Dice Jar shattered, and a tall figure arose. It was a grizzled old monk in a long robe with a beard, with metallic-colored skin. (1,700/1,500)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/ba0vsunh.jpg

“All right, my move…” said Kyle, drawing a card.

“And I’ll play Pot of Greed.”

He played the card, and it handed him two more.

He looked at the Trap and Monster Card.

“I’ll place one card facedown,” he said.

He played the card, and a facedown card appeared.

“Next, I’ll sacrifice my Statue to summon Criosphinx in Attack Mode.”

The Stone Statue shattered, and a new statue appeared, this one resembling a creature that was centaur-like in shape, with the lower body of a lion, the upper body of a man, and the head of a ram. (1,200/2,400)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN013.jpg

“It’s your move…”

“What?” said Drake, drawing a card. “You should have put that guy in Defense Mode!”

“Wait a minute…” said Wanda. “Kyle couldn’t have been that stupid…”

Drake played a card.

“I play Graceful Charity!”

The angel flew out of his deck, and handed him two cards. He quickly handed her one D.D. Trainer and one D.D. Warrior. She flew into his discard slot.

“I’ll play Soul Absorption,” he said, playing a card. “So long as this Continuous Magic Card is in play, every time either of our cards is removed from play, I gain 500 Life Points.”

“Next I’ll summon… Bazoo the Soul Eater, in Attack Mode!”

He threw a card down, and the huge mandrill ape appeared. (1,600/900)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LON-EN064.jpg

“Now then,” he said, “I’ll remove from play my Dice Jar and the two Monsters I just discarded, which brings his Attack Score up to 2,500.”

Bazoo’s Attack soared, and Drake’s Life Points went up to 9,500.

“Bazoo, attack Criosphinx with breath of souls!”

Bazoo growled.

“Called an attack?” said Kyle with a grin. “Too bad. Can’t take it back now…”

His facedown card lifted.

“A Trap?” gasped Drake. “What is it?”

With a rumbling noise, a small version of the Great Sphinx of Gaza arose behind Kyle…

“It’s called Ordeal of a Traveler, Drake,” said Kyle, “and here’s how it works. Whenever you declare an attack, you have to choose one of the cards in my hand, and guess whether it’s a Monster, Trap, or Magic Card.”

He held up his hand of five cards.

“Guess right, and the attack goes through. Guess wrong, and the Monster you tried to attack with goes back to your hand.

“So… choose…”

Clever… thought Drake. He put it in Attack Mode as bait!

“All right…” he said. “Uhm… I believe…”

Everyone looked closely.

“I believe that the card on the far left…”

Kyle’s eyes fell on that card.

There was a long pause.

Man, he has a poker face! thought Drake.

“I believe it’s a Monster!” he said.

“Are you sure?” asked Kyle. “Not to late to change your mind…”

“Heh, heh…” said Drake. “That’s an old trick, Kyle. Yeah, I’m sure…”

“Aw, too bad…” said Kyle, flipping the card around.

It was a Trap called Gaea’s Command.

Bazoo vanished.

“And by the way,” he said, “Criosphinx has a special effect…”

Criosphinx glowed.

“Whenever a card is returned to your hand, you have to discard one card!”

Drake looked at his hand.

“Fine,” he said, discarding Chaos Greed.

“Now, I’ll just rearrange the cards in my hand,” said Kyle, sorting them, “and you’re free to try to attack with that other guy if you want.”

Drake paused.

If Different Dimension Master is returned to my hand, I’d have to sacrifice another Monster again to summon him again. Thanks, but no thanks…

“I’ll end my turn,” he said.

“And by the way,” said Kyle, making a draw, “Ordeal of a Traveler is a Continuous Trap.”

“Yeah,” said Wanda, “but what does that Gaea’s Command thing do?”

Drake turned the card on his Disk.

“Now that the secret’s out, I’ll shift Criosphinx to Defense Mode.”

The sphinx sat.

“And I’ll also summon Giant Soldier of Stone in Defense Mode.”

He played a card, and the rocky stone soldier appeared, kneeling in Defense. (1,300/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SYE-010.jpg

“And I’ll end my turn there.”

Kyle drew a card.

There’s precious little I can do at this point, he thought. Even if I could get by his Trap Card, I have no Monsters to remove from play, making Bazoo too weak to destroy either of them.

But if he can’t attack, he can defend.

“I summon Bazoo again, in Defense Mode,” he said.

He played the card, and Bazoo shielded himself in Defense. (1,600/900)

“And I’ll move my Master into Defense Mode too.”

Different Dimension Master knelt and folded his arms.

“My move then…” said Drake.

He drew… And he grinned.

His Field Slot opened.

“I play Ancient City,” he said, placing a card in it.

“What is that?” asked Drake in surprise.

“As the name suggests,” replied Kyle, “it’s an ancient city…”

With a fierce rumbling sound, the arena melted away, and stone temples resembling those of the early Latin America civilizations appeared, mixed in with beautiful trees. An enormous stone ziggurat appeared behind Kyle.

“Ancient City?” gasped Chico. “Has anyone even heard of this card?”

“Uh… no…” answered Raven.

“Next…” said Kyle. “I’ll play a card facedown…”

He played a card, and it appeared facedown.

“Then I’ll sacrifice Giant Soldier of Stone to summon the lesser guardian of Ancient City… A guy called Ancient Giant!”

Giant Soldier of Stone shattered, and a huge statue of onyx carved like a man dressed in a robe appeared. (2,200/1,100)

Kyle already has two of the components he needs for his ultimate formula, thought the Shadow Queen. But getting the other six will be hard…

“Ancient Giant…” commanded Kyle. “Attack Bazoo with fist of the ages!”

The Giant charged forward and slugged Bazoo, blowing him to pieces.

“I’ll end my turn there,” he said.

“Kyle has clearly built a more powerful deck,” said Francesca. “I’m almost certain that the Giant and the City can be used in some sort of combo.”

“You know what has me worried?” asked Raven.

“What?” asked Fran.

“He said that the Giant was the lesser guardian. Who’s the true guardian?”

“My move!” said Drake.

He drew a card.

“Eh, I have to pass this turn…” he said.

“Then I’ll move…” said Kyle, drawing a card.

He looked at it.

“And I choose to play a Magic Card,” he said. “It’s called Swap Meet.”

“Cool name,” said Drake. “But I’m still clueless.”

Kyle played the card.

“Here’s how it works,” he said. “I have to discard three cards of the same type. In return, I can search my deck for any card of that type.

“So I’ll discard three Magic Cards to search my deck for another Magic Card.”

He discarded the three remaining cards in his hand Ancient Gear Castle, Ancient Gear Drill, and Machine Duplication.

He took his deck, got what he wanted, and reshuffled.

“Now I’ll play the card I got,” he said. “Ancient Key!”

He played the card, and a large, bronze, antique key appeared. It fit into the lock of the door of the huge ziggurat behind him.

Two cards slipped out of his deck.

“By playing Ancient Key,” he said, “I can summon two Monsters from my deck in Attack Mode. Arise, mighty Stone Giants!”

He threw the card down, and two statues made of unhewn rock appeared, to either side of Ancient Giant. (400/2,000 x2)

“Ancient Giant, attack Different Dimension Master!”

Ancient Giant charged forward and slammed his fist into Different Dimension Master, smashing him to bits!

“Stone Giants, attack Drake directly!”

Drake cringed as the two statues punched him. His Life Points fell to 8,700.

“Not bad…” he muttered. “But you have no cards in your hand! Your Ordeal of a Traveler is now useless!”

“Think again,” said Kyle. “I’m activating my Deckmaster’s ability.”

Avatar of the Pot glowed, and his Life Points fell to 5,000.

“By paying 1,000 Life Points, I can draw five cards.”

Five cards flew off his deck, and he caught them.

“Your move…”

Drake drew a card.

“I’ll play Pot of Greed!” he stated.

He played the card, and the pot handed him two more cards.

“Heh, heh, heh…” he sniggered.

“What are you planning?” asked Kyle.

“Oh nothing, nothing much…” answered Drake. “Just thought I’d…”

He played a card.

“…reduce your City to rubble! Feel the wrath of Heavy Storm!”

A fierce Wind started to blow over Ancient City.

“Not so fast, Drake!” exclaimed Kyle. “I activate my Trap Card! Gaea’s Command!”

His facedown card lifted, and a stern-faced woman wearing a toga and a laurel crown with raven hair appeared. She angrily held up her hand, and the Heavy Storm card shattered!

“What?” gasped Drake.

“Gaea is the Goddess of Nature, Drake,” said Kyle, “and she doesn’t like nature being destroyed. Since that card would have destroyed a Field Magic Card, my Trap Card negated and destroyed it!

“And Gaea’s Command is a Continuous Trap. Before you can destroy or displace Ancient City, you must get rid of Gaea first.”

“Ingenious,” said Chico. “I should look into that… It would stop my opponents from destroying Necrovalley.”

Drake frowned, and took another card.

“I’ll summon D.D. Assailant in Defense Mode,” he said.

He set the card, and the masked, armored woman appeared, holding her huge cleaver defensively. (1,700/1,600)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DBT-EN002.jpg

At least he negated Heavy Storm’s effect, so I got to keep Soul Absorption, he thought. So, will he sacrifice his Giant to attack Assailant, or will it hold him off?

Kyle drew a card.

“I play the Spell Card… Ancient Tome,” he said, playing a card.

A large, leather-bound book with a dragon on the cover appeared, floating in the air. It opened, and positioned itself in front of him.

The Ancient Key turned slightly in the lock.

“Hmm… could use some illustrations…” he said, looking at it. “Next, I’ll move my two Stone Giants to Defense Mode.”

The two Stone Giants knelt in Defense. The Ancient Key turned even more.

“But I won’t attack this round. Unfortunately, since I’m not, I have to pay 300 Life Points to keep the big one on the field, and 500 each for the small ones.

His Life Points fell to 3,700.

“And now that it’s my second Main Phase, the effect of Ancient Tome activates. I get to draw one card…”

He drew.

“…but then I have to place one from my hand on the top of my deck.”

He did so.

“It’s your move.”

“As soon as Drake gets past those Giants, Kyle has had it,” said Wanda. “He has more than his starting total Life Points, and Drake has less than half.”

“I dunno…” said Francesca. “Kyle’s strategy is very strange. He’s leading up to something big…”

Indeed… thought the Queen. Kyle has six components of his strategy, and he’s strengthened it in ways that even I didn’t think of. If Drake doesn’t destroy one of the components on his next turn, Kyle will complete the strategy, and he’ll be very hard to defeat.

Kyle drew a card.

Continued...

Dark Sage

22nd February 2006, 03:14 PM

Continued from last post:

“I summon D.D. Survivor in Defense Mode,” he said, playing a card.

The mysterious warrior clad in rags appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,800/200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN023.jpg

“That’s all I can do,” he stated.

“Then it’s time to bring out my star!” said Kyle, drawing a card.

“I have to discard a card to keep Ancient Tome on the field,” he said, discarding an Ancient Gear Cannon, “but it’s worth it…”

He turned cards on his Disk.

“I’ll move my Stone Giants back to Attack Mode…”

The Giants stood back up. The Ancient Key turned a full circle.

“By doing that, I can sacrifice the two Stone Giants and the Ancient Key to play Ancient Gate from my deck!”

The two Stone Giants shattered, and the door to the ziggurat opened.

Kyle played a card, and the door was replaced by a huge gate…

Two glowing red eyes appeared behind it, and a low growl was heard…

“Now, I can sacrifice Ancient Giant, Ancient Tome, and Ancient Gate, to call forth the immortal true Guardian of Ancient City…”

The Giant, Tome, and Gate shattered. A huge form lumbered out.

“Meet [B]Ancient Dragon!”

The sky above Ancient City darkened, and a huge Dragon with golden scales, wings, and a mane of red hair reared up behind Kyle. It roared! (2,800/2,100)

“Okay…” muttered Drake. “That’s impressive…”

It will have to attack my Assailant eventually, he thought, and she’ll send it to Never-Never Land…

“Ancient Dragon,” commanded Kyle, “attack D.D. Survivor with sacred fire!”

Ancient Dragon blasted forth a wave of intense flames…

…and not only did D.D. Survivor shatter, but so did D.D. Assailant!

“What?” screamed Drake. “How did…”

“It’s my Dragon’s special effect,” said Kyle with a grin. “When he destroys one of your Monsters, all your Monsters in Defense Mode bite the dust!”

“Well, that’s quite an effect,” said Raven. “But I’m not sure if it was worth all the trouble Kyle went through to summon it.”

“Don’t be so sure,” said Chico. “That Dragon likely has multiple effects.”

“My move…” said Drake with a shudder.

He looked at the card.

Mystical Space Typhoon, he thought. A lot of good that will do…

“I’ll play… D.D. Scout Plane in Defense Mode…” he said.

He played the card, and the weird, spherical Machine with a single eye appeared, and shielded itself with its arms. (800/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-012.jpg

Kyle drew a card.

“I summon Grave Ohja in Attack Mode,” he said.

He placed the card down, and the stone statue with bulky claws and a tutan mask appeared. (1,600/1,500)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN017.jpg

Drake started to sweat.

“Grave Ohja, destroy his Scout Plane!” ordered Kyle.

Grave Ohja lumbered forward and clapped its hands together, crushing the small Machine.

“Ancient Dragon…”

Drake bowed his head.

“Attack Drake directly!”

The Dragon shot forth his sacred fire, and Drake screamed!

His Life Points plummeted to 5,400.

He gasped for breath.

“And I’ll end with a facedown card,” said Kyle.

He played the card, and a facedown card appeared.

Man, I gotta do something! thought Drake.

He looked at Kyle’s side, which was stacked with Monsters, Magic Cards, and Trap Cards.

Ordeal of a Traveler, which would make attacking a risky endeavor…

Criosphinx, who not only had a powerful Defense, but would make him discard a card if Ordeal of a Traveler worked…

Ancient City, which let Kyle summon the key part of his strategy, and had lord knows what other effects…

Gaea’s Command, which made it impossible to destroy Ancient City unless he destroyed it first…

Grave Ohja, which he knew nothing about…

And finally, the Ancient Dragon itself, which not only had 2,800 Attack Points, but he knew was hiding some dark secret.

Not to mention a facedown card.

All he had on his side of the field right now was Soul Absorption, which had seen little use.

And the cards in his hand were another D.D. Survivor, Mystical Space Typhoon, Double Attack, Soul Release, and one of the strange cards that General Freed had given him. D.D. Survivor had a weak defense that Grave Ohja would have no problem with… If his next draw wasn’t a good one, that Dragon would attack him again!

“I draw one card…” he said, drawing.

“And my Trap is activated!” said Kyle. “Dust Tornado!”

A tornado whipped across the field… The Soul Absorption card was swept up and shattered.

Drake looked at his card.

He smirked.

He took another card.

“I play Soul Release!” he said, playing it.

“Well sure!” said Kyle, sarcastically. “Remove the cards in my Graveyard. It isn’t like there’s anything useful in there anymore…”

“I’m not using it on yours, Kyle,” replied Drake. “I’m using it on mine!”

D.D. Survivor, D.D. Assailant, Different Dimension Master, Bazoo the Soul Eater, and Chaos Greed fell out of his discard slot.

“That could only mean…” gulped Stan.

“Now I summon…” said Drake, placing a card down.

A huge bonfire erupted in front of him…

“…wait for it…”

A huge beast crawled out of the bonfire, and let out an unearthly roar!

[I]”…Gren Maju Da Eiza!”

The Red Lotus Beast blazed with an aura of flames, and its eyes sparkled.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-024.jpg

“And for every card of mine that’s been removed from play, eight, this adorable beast has 400 Attack and Defense Points!”

(3,200/3,200)

“Have you forgotten about my Ordeal of a Traveler card?” asked Kyle. “As strong as that thing is, you’re still gonna have to guess right.”

“No I won’t,” said Drake. “I play Mystical Space Typhoon!”

He played the card, and whirlwind shot forth, blowing the Sphinx behind Drake into shards!

“Next,” said Kyle, playing a card. “I’ll play Double Attack! This lets my Monster attack twice, so long as I discard a Monster who has more stars. So seeing as Maju has three stars, I’ll discard my four-star D.D. Survivor!”

He discarded the card.

“Gren Maju Da Eiza, attack Criosphinx with chaos flames!”

The beast roared, and shot forth a blast of super-hot fire, incinerating the sphinx.

“And now… attack Ancient Dragon!”

Maju blasted forth its chaos flames, and Ancient Dragon roared! It shattered into pixels.

Kyle’s Life Points fell to 3,300.

“Now I’ll place a card facedown, and end my turn,” he said.

A facedown card appeared.

Kyle grinned at him.

Drake’s eyes narrowed.

“You look awfully happy for someone who’s just had his best Monster blown to Kingdom Come,” he said.

“Heh, heh, heh,” answered Kyle. “Drake, maybe you didn’t hear me right when I summoned that Dragon. I said he was the ‘immortal true Guardian of Ancient City’. Immortal. As in, can’t be killed?”

With a roar, the Ancient Dragon rose up behind Kyle again!

“WHAT?” gasped Drake.

“So long as Ancient City stands,” said Kyle, “he’ll just come back during your End Phase after you destroy him.

“And since Gaea is still protecting Ancient City, and you’ve used both Heavy Storm and Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Ancient City seems unlikely…

“And it’s my move…”

He drew a card.

“What did I say?” said Chico. “Multiple effects.”

“Yes, but Drake still has the stronger Monster,” said Raven. “Kyle will have to switch to the defensive for now.”

“First I’ll move Ancient Dragon and Grave Ohja into Defense Mode,” said Kyle.

Grave Ohja knelt and shielded himself, and Ancient Dragon folded his wings.

“Then I’ll place one card facedown…” he said.

A facedown card appeared.

“And next I’ll get rid of it with Emergency Provisions.”

He played the card, and a huge mouth swallowed the facedown card. His Life points went up to 4,300.

“That’s my turn…”

Drake drew a card.

“Maju, take out Grave Ohja!” he shouted.

Maju shot forth his Chaos flames, and Grave Ohja shattered into shards of rock.

“I’ll summon another D.D. Scout Plane in Defense Mode, and that will end my turn.”

Another Scout Plane appeared, shielding itself.

Kyle drew a card.

“Eh, I’ll pass…” he said.

Kyle drew a card.

An Equip Card, he said. Not useful for Maju… I almost wish that he could defeat Maju now…

“Well, since attacking that Dragon would be pointless,” he said, “I’ll pass as well.”

“It’s a stalemate!” exclaimed Raven. “Kyle can’t defeat his Monster, and Drake can’t defeat his!”

“Something will break soon…” said Wanda.

Kyle drew a card.

“All right!” he said. “I’ll move Ancient Dragon into Attack Mode…”

Ancient Dragon rose…

“And now I’ll play… Pump Up!”

He played the card.

“This Magic Card doubles the Attack of my Monster for one round!”

Ancient Dragon grew to an Attack of 5,600!

“Destroy Gren Maju Da Eiza!” shouted Kyle.

Ancient Dragon shot forth his sacred flames! The Red Lotus Beast roared, and shattered into pixels!

Then D.D. Scout Plane shattered too.

Only a smoking stain on the ground remained where Maju had been…

Drake grinned as his Life Points fell to 3,000.

“What are you so happy about?” asked Kyle.

“They say that what doesn’t kill you can only make you stronger…” said Drake. “I’m not dead yet, and I’m about to become stronger than I ever was! I activate my Quickplay Magic Card, courtesy of Freed the Matchless General!”

His facedown card lifted.

“Dimensional Rupture!”

Lightning appeared in the sky of Ancient City, and a swirling vortex started to form…

“This card can only be played when Gren Maju Da Eiza is destroyed in battle,” he said. “And it lets me summon his master from my deck! I summon the mighty D.D. Assassin!”

An orb of darkness flew out of the vortex, and it formed into a tall figure. He was dressed entirely in black, with clothes resembling some sort of futuristic ninja. Only his eyes could be seen under his clothes, and they were evil, glowing red eyes. He held a glowing sword. (2,700/2,700)

“D.D. Assassin can’t be destroyed by Magic Cards, Trap Cards, and Monster effects,” continued Drake. “In short, only an outright attack can kill him.”

“Fine!” laughed Kyle. “I end my turn. You do realize that that my Dragon is one-hundred Attack Points stronger than him, right?”

Drake drew a card.

“Not for long,” he said. “I equip him with Dimensional Blade!”

He played a card, and D.D. Assassin’s sword vanished, and was replaced by a nastier sword. His Attack Score went up to 3,500.

“D.D. Assassin,” ordered Drake. “Attack with duo dimensional slice!”

The Assassin leapt up into the air, did a flip, and slashed with his sword, cleaving the Dragon in two! It shattered!

Kyle’s Life Points fell to 3,600.

“Forget?” asked Kyle. “He’ll just come back as soon as you end your turn!”

“No he won’t!” answered Drake. “When a Monster attacks another Monster while armed with Dimensional Blade, the target is removed from play! He’s not coming back this time!”

Kyle’s eyes opened wide.

“It’s your move…” said Drake.

“Uh oh… Kyle’s in trouble!” said Wanda.

Kyle drew a card.

“I’ll use my own Soul Release,” he said, “on my Graveyard, and I’ll remove Stone Statue of the Aztecs, Giant Soldier of Stone, Ancient Giant, and both Stone Giants from play…”

Five cards came out of his discard slot.

“Now I’ll summon Lost Guardian in Defense Mode,” he continued.

He played a card, and a large statue appeared, crouching in Defense.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN011.jpg

“And since I removed five of my Monsters from play, it has 700 Defense Points for each!”

(100/3,500)

“That will do for now.”

Kyle drew a card.

“I use my own Deckmaster ability,” he said, as D.D. Warrior Lady started to glow. “By paying 500 Life Points…”

His Life Points fell to 2,500.

“…I can summon to my side of the field any Monster in your Removed From Play pile. And I know just which one I want…”

A vortex appeared behind him…

And Ancient Dragon crawled out of it! It roared!

“That’s impossible!” shouted Kyle. “Ancient Dragon can’t be Special Summoned any way except the proper way!”

“My Deckmaster can override Special Summoning restrictions!” laughed Drake.

Kyle stared at it.

Well, at least neither of them can bust down Lost Guardian… thought Kyle.

“D.D. Assassin,” ordered Drake, “attack Lost Guardian!”

“Huh?” said Kyle.

D.D. Assassin leapt up and slashed his sword against the statue…

He stood back…

And Lost Guardian shattered.

“HUH?” gasped Kyle. “His Attack Points were equal to its Defense Points!”

“I said that a Monster armed with Dimensional Blade had to attack a Monster to remove it from play,” said Kyle. “I didn’t say it had to destroy it. So long as the battle happens, the Monster he attacks goes to La-La Land.”

Kyle started to sweat.

“Ancient Dragon,” shouted Drake. “Attack Kyle directly! Sacred fire!”

Kyle screamed as the Dragon shot a blast of flames at him, and he was thrown back.

His Life Points fell down to 800.

Lovely… thought Drake, getting up.

He looked at his hand.

The only cards I have right now are Statue of the Wicked and Medusa Worm… Medusa Worm is useless against that Assassin, and if I managed to use it against Ancient Dragon, Ancient City would cause it to regenerate, and Drake would likely remove it from play and use his Deckmaster to take control of it again.

Even worse, Gaea’s Command protects the City from my cards too! Winning now is going to take a miracle…

He drew a card.

“I play… Card of Sanctity!” he shouted. “Now we must draw until we hold six cards!”

They each drew four cards.

Kyle looked at his four new cards.

One of them was Ancient Gear Golem.

He had taken out a lot of cards from his deck to make room for his eight-card combo, but he could never have taken this one out. Seeing it now was like seeing an old friend.

Kyle didn’t understand the concept of Soul Cards, but this one was clearly his.

Oh, what was I thinking? he thought. That Dragon was a mistake from the start… It may have been a dream, but once I got it, I forgot what really mattered… Where my heart was…

He looked at the Golem.

I promise, I’ll never neglect you again!

He took another card from the ones he just drew.

“I play… Giant Trunade!”

A fierce wind erupted on the field. Ancient City vanished, along with Gaea’s Command, and Dimensional Blade. They reappeared in their owners’ hands. D.D. Assassin’s Attack Score returned to 2,700.

“Next, I’ll place two cards facedown…”

He fit two cards into his Disk, and they appeared.

“…and I’ll play… Heavy Storm!”

He played the card, and a fierce wind of a different type blew over the arena! His two facedown cards shattered.

“Fool,” said Drake. “The only cards you destroyed were your own.”

“I know…” said Kyle, as a spooky fog lifted over the field.

With twin screeches, two fiendish golden serpents with claws and headdresses rose up in front of him! (1,000/1,000)

“What?” said Drake.

“Those cards I destroyed were Traps called Statue of the Wicked,” said Kyle. “When one of them is destroyed, I get to create a Wicked Token!

“And now I’ll sacrifice my Wicked Tokens…”

The two token’s shattered…

“…to summon… [I]Ancient Gear Golem!”

Slowly, the enormous, jury-rigged, but powerful-looking Machine appeared, glaring at Drake with its glowing red eye! (3,000/3,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN006.jpg

“Attack his D.D. Assassin!” shouted Kyle. “Mechanized melee!”

The gears and pistons on the Golem pounded, and it threw a punch at D.D. Assassin, blowing him to smithereens!

Drake cringed as his Life Points fell to 2,200.

“Your move…” said Kyle.

“Uh…” said Kyle, drawing a card.

Worthless, he thought. And with that thing’s trampling effect…

Hey, I’ve got an idea…

“I’ll use my Deckmaster ability again!” he said, as his Life Points fell to 1,700. “And I’ll bring back your Lost Guardian in Defense Mode!”

The vortex opened, and Lost Guardian appeared.

“And since I have seven Monsters removed from play,” said Kyle, “you won’t be able to touch me!”

“Better look again,” said Kyle.

Drake looked at the Lost Guardian…

(100/700)

“Only 700 Defense Points?” he gasped.

“You didn’t read the fine print,” said Kyle. “It doesn’t gain Defense power from any Monsters, just Rock Monsters. And you only removed one of those from play – your Dice Jar.”

Drake sighed.

“It’s been a good duel…” he said. “So finish it…”

“Right!” said Kyle, making a draw. “Ancient Gear Golem, attack the Lost Guardian!”

The Golem threw a punch at Lost Guardian! It shattered, and Drake was thrown backwards!

“Ooh…” he said.

“Kyle is the winner!” shouted Alphonse.

Indeed, thought the Queen, And round two should be epic…

She got up.

“Well, everyone,” she said, “It has been decided… Stan, Andy, Francesca, and Kyle will progress to Round Two tomorrow.

“Until then, we can eat, and then rest…

“For I expect two battles like none other, starting at noon tomorrow!”

Enough time for me to remake my deck, thought Kyle, looking at the Ancient Dragon. No more of this… But that’s what I get for taking gifts from strange Monsters anyway.

In fact…

He paused as the one he knew as Sydney walked past him.

Strange, he thought. Like someone just walked over my grave…

“Dinner will be served in two hours,” said Sydney. “Until then, everyone in the balcony, because we’ve arranged some entertainment for everyone…”

As Kyle and Drake sat in the balcony, the lights in the arena started to dim, and music started to play…

And then the three Harpie Lady Sisters appeared below.

Microphones appeared in their hands, and they started to sing in lovely voices.

The song was captivating, but the eight duelists knew that this was no hologram they were watching…

ANCIENT CITY (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic/Field
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of an ancient, primitive temple. Send one “Ancient Giant”, one “Ancient Tome”, and one “Ancient Gate” on your side of the field to the Graveyard to Special Summon one “Ancient Dragon” from your hand or Deck. As long as this card remains face-up on your side of the field, if “Ancient Dragon” on your side of the field is destroyed, you can Special Summon it from your Graveyard during the End Phase of the turn in which it was destroyed.

STONE GIANT (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Rock/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 3
ATK: 400
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: This Monster cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This Monster is Special Summoned through the effect of “Ancient Key”. If this Monster does not attack during your Battle Phase, inflict 500 points of damage to your Life Points at the end of the Battle Phase.

ANCIENT GIANT (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Rock/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 5
ATK: 2,200
DEF: 1,100

Card Description: This giant statue of stone is the lesser guardian of the Ancient City. If this card does not attack during your Battle Phase, inflict 300 points of damage to your Life Points at the end of the Battle Phase.

ANCIENT KEY (Magic Card)

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of a dull, metal, antique key etched with runes. When the effect of this card resolves, Special Summon two “Stone Giant” cards from your hand or Deck in face-up Attack Mode. When the two “Stone Giant” cards summoned by this card’s effect are switched from face-up Defense Mode to face-up Attack Mode, send this card and the two "Stone Giant" cards summoned through this card's effect to the Graveyard to activate one “Ancient Gate” from your hand or Deck.

ANCIENT GATE (Magic Card)

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of an ominous doorway made of stone, marked with runes. This card cannot be activated except through the effect of “Ancient Key”. This card remains on the field until your third End Phase after this card’s activation.

ANCIENT TOME (Magic Card)

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of a golden, sealed book, with runes and a picture of a dragon on the cover. During each main phase, draw one card from your Deck, then select one card from your hand and place it face-down on top of your Deck. Discard one card from your hand during each of your Standby Phases; if you do not, destroy this card.

ANCIENT DRAGON (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Dragon/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 8
ATK: 2,800
DEF: 2,100

Card Description: This great Dragon and guardian of the Ancient City is believed to have lived for millennia. This Monster cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except through the effects of "Ancient City". When this card destroys a Monster on your opponent's side of the field as a result of battle, destroy all Monsters in Defense Mode on your opponent's side of the field.

Note: These seven cards were used by Solomon Mouto (in his alter ego of “Apnarg Otuom”) in the two-part anime episode “Let the Games Begin!” All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

GAEA’S COMMAND (Trap Card)

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of a woman in a toga and a laurel crown surrounded by trees, raising a hand. When this Trap is active, all cards that would destroy or displace a Field Magic Card are negated and destroyed.

SWAP MEET (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of Goblin of Greed displaying a vase to an indecisive Magician of Faith. Discard three cards of the same type (Monster, Magic, or Trap) to your Graveyard. Search your deck for any card of the same type.

DIMENSIONAL RUPTURE (Magic Card)

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of a flaming portal tearing a city apart. You can activate this card when one “Gren Maju Da Eiza” on your side of the field is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard. Special Summon one “D.D. Assassin” from your hand or deck.

DIMENSIONAL BLADE (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic/Equip
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a cloaked figure kneeling and handing D.D. Warrior Lady a sword. This card can be Equipped to any Monster with “D.D.” or “Dimension” in its name. Increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 800. When you declare an attack on an opposing Monster with a Monster Equipped with this card, the opposing Monster is removed from play.

D.D. ASSASSIN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 8
ATK: 2,700
DEF: 2,700

Card Description: This dark figure is the true master of the Different Dimension. This Monster cannot be normal summoned or set. This Monster can only be Special Summoned via the effects of “Dimensional Rupture”. This Monster cannot be destroyed by Magic Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster effects.

[B][I]Coming up next:

No, the second round doesn’t start.

Kyle throws a serious wrench in the Queen’s plans, when she discovers he isn’t as clueless as she thought. A dark battle begins, one which will lead to a drastic change.

Don’t miss “Dark Duel” coming soon.

Dark Sage

22nd February 2006, 03:22 PM

And now, my reasons for choosing the winner.

Both winners got perfect scores, so I told them to name a Monster that would be in each of their user characters' decks, not telling them the criteria for judging. Starjake chose Ancient Gear Golem, and Silencer chose D.D. Survivor.

Why did Kyle win? It wasn't because Ancient Gear Golem trumped D.D. Survior on ATK or effect.

My judging would be based on which card was more rare. The reader who submitted the card that was rarer would win.

Ancient Gear Golem was an Ultimate Rare from The Lost Millennium. D.D. Survivor was an Uncommon from the same set.

Sorry silencer, but if you had chosen D.D. Assailant (who was a promotional) or D.D. Warrior (a Tournament Pack Ultimate Rare), that would have trumped Starjake's Monster. And Starjake, I'll bet you're glad NOW that you didn't choose Megarock Dragon.

As for Starjake's prize, his character will get to star in a chapter of his own, which just happens to be next chapter. What will happen, remains to be seen.

starjake

22nd February 2006, 03:35 PM

That was certainly a close match. Either player could have won that battle.

A few corrections on your rarities...D.D. Assailant was a promo card, yes, but it was printed as a mere Super Rare (as opposed to, say, Ancient Lamp, which was still a promo but printed as an Ultra Rare). Not to mention that getting a D.D. Assailant is much easier than finding an Ancient Gear Golem, since all you have to do is buy a video game. Also, D.D. Survivor is a Rare, not Uncommon (from what I understand, UDE has not printed Uncommon cards since Soul of the Duelist).

Kudos to Kyle for managing to pull off the Ancient Dragon combo; it's no small feat.

Until next chapter, then...

Dark Sage

22nd February 2006, 03:52 PM

Well Randy, you still won, because Ancient Gear Golem and D.D. Survivor were released in the same set, and after all, the Golem was the mascot of the set. It was the rarest card in Lost Millennium.

jkBAKURA

22nd February 2006, 04:58 PM

One minor correction, Dice Jar is 500 times the roll unless 6, not the full 1000. Other then that, it's nice to have the winner have a broader theme that more can be done with then a single stratagy. Congrats

Shuppet Master

22nd February 2006, 07:16 PM

Well, that was a fun duel. I was rooting for Kyle, but thought Drake had a better chance. Nice of you to end it that way. Can't wait for the next chapter.

So, the rarity of the card determined the winner, eh? Good thing Cyrus wasn't in the finals! Speaking of him, if my planning goes off well, I plan to have him star in a spin-off of this story. In the meantime, I'm working on Anansi(Brian is reviewing the next chapter now).

Great work, Brian. Just really great. ;)

Blademaster

22nd February 2006, 07:51 PM

Not bad at all...

I never saw the KC Grand Prix Arc, so the Ancient City strategy caught me by surprise...

...Well, you've mentioned it before, so it didn't catch me by surprise - I just didn't know how it worked until I read this chapter.

And as for your D. D. Assassin... It's weird, but I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before...

Oh, what do I know? It was still a good duel. I'd give it a 7 out of 10 for originality but not being too surprising.

Well, next chapter definitely sounds interesting; I'll be waiting for it...

And this isn't a complaint, but it kinda irritates me that the Harpie Lady Sisters are always being depicted as supermodels or pop stars...

(sigh)

Being a left-winger isn't always easy. Or fun.

Anyway, there seemed to be a few more made-up cards this time around. Oh, well... Seeing something new always makes me happy...

But enough of my bantering. Next chapter soon, please! Anyone?

Peace out!

-Blademaster

Master of Paradox

23rd February 2006, 07:25 AM

So, rarity was the criteria... suddenly I'm glad I lost that contest.

While it was a duel that won't mean much in the long run, this was an entertaining chapter nonetheless. It was fairly obvious that Kyle would pull off the Ancient Combination, but that didn't affect how fun it was to see that set of cards once again, and Drake relying on tricks other than Gren Maju was interesting to see.

However, I must complain on one score - D. D. Assassin seems far too weak. A NOMI that has to be summoned by a Magic Card that itself requires the death of a specific monster, and its only effect is that it must be destroyed in battle? If it ran into a Shadow Spell, all your work would be wasted.

On the same token, Dimensional Blade seems far too powerful.

I know both problems stem from the same cause (you didn't want another ultra-powerful Shadow Queen gift), but they're still legitamite problems.

As for the next chapter... my fanfic senses tell me Kyle's lifespan just rivaled the mayfly's for shortness...

Silencer

23rd February 2006, 08:45 AM

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...

*3 years later*

...OOOOOOO! What was I screaming about?

Anyway the chaos deck just seemed to get overpowered by the ancient deck. Hardly any combos. The reason I feel Drake lost was that he neglected the key strategy in his deck but I guess Kyle had him in a good lock-down.

Sad I lost but glad for Kyle. Chaos decks get to repetitive for fanfics anyway :p

Perfect Chaos

24th February 2006, 02:29 PM

Sweet, Kyle won!

I like Rock monsters. I think they used to be one of least-supported types in game, but The Lost Millenium changed that, so good for them.

I was actually hoping that Megarock Dragon would've made an appearance, but hey, Kyle's in the second round AND the next chapter.

Predictions for the second round (unless the next chapter changes something):

Stan vs. Kyle ---> Stan
Andy vs. Francesca ---> Andy

Stan vs. Andy ---> Stan

Those are my thoughts :D

-Sean

The_Missing_Link

24th February 2006, 07:37 PM

I'm afraid that's not happening. I can't spoil anything, but the final round isn't what you'll think...

This is just a suggestion but I think it would be best if you refrained from trying to answer or shoot down theories other people are posting. I believe you ruined one surprise in the past and considering this is Dark Sage's fic, it would only seem fair for him to answer anything that comes his way. Besides, people posting theories lets them hope of what's to come. It would only seem fair to let them wait and see rather than telling them before the chapter comes out

To get back on topic, the chapter was good. I didn't really care who won but it was interesting how Kyle pulled it off

Dark Sage

24th February 2006, 07:40 PM

I hate to say this, SM, but TML makes a valid point. When someone posts a theory, let it stand. Don't ruin it. I have not given away anything in your story, don't give away anything in mine.

- SM

Blademaster

24th February 2006, 08:15 PM

This is why no one else knows anything about my story. Not even DS, and it's a sequel to his stories, for the gods' sake!

Shuppet Master

24th February 2006, 08:17 PM

I'm very sorry for that. :redface: I deleted the post I had put, okay? I promise to every Elemental Hero that I will never spoil anything again. I'm very sorry, Brian. Honestly, I am. :redface: :redface:

Dark Sage

26th February 2006, 12:15 PM

What's this? A new chapter up so soon?

You'd better believe it. Maybe I wanted to get to the good stuff sooner.

So, enjoy.

- DS

Dark Sage

26th February 2006, 12:17 PM

[B][I]My name is Kyle Stevens…

Intellectual… Archaeologist… Duelist.

I never thought I’d add “sleuth” to that list.

Ever since I passed through the Thousand Year Door, I had a feeling that this whole tournament was some ugly scheme. After all, I had to duel Infernalqueen Archfiend.

I just found out that it’s more than an ugly scheme – it’s a mad trap.

And being unable to reach everyone else from this chamber of horrors, I’m going to have to try to stop it myself.

And I’m not dueling for my place in a tournament now…

…I’m dueling for my life.

[size=3][B]CHAPTER SIXTY-TWO

Dark Duel

It was comforting to the three teenagers that the Shadow Queen could use her Duel Monster servants for more than duelists.

After the Harpies, a Muse-A played a more enchanting melody on a lyre, and then a Spirit of the Harp played while a Performance of Sword did a blade dance.

The last act was the most entertaining. A Vampire Lady played the piano, while a Vampire Lord sung Memories. Chico watched the pianist carefully during the whole act – he wasn’t certain whether or not it was the same one who had dueled him.

After a while, Alphonse led them to a dining room, where diner was laid out. He told them that Sydney had business and would greet them tomorrow.

Over linguini with clams, they discussed the duels that got them to this point.

“HA, HA, HA!” laughed Wanda. “Seriously, Drake? He called himself the Shyguy General?”

“He looked funny, but his dueling was no joke,” answered Drake. “That Des Guardius would have been a problem if hadn’t drawn Maju.”

“Eh, I don’t like that Gren Maju Da Eiza…” muttered Stan. “It seems a little too evil for my tastes…”

“I dunno,” said Wanda. “I kind of like grotesque Monsters…”

She took out a card.

“…like this guy.”

It looked like a humanoid tick or louse with sickly white skin, carrying a quiver full of javelins.

“He’s called Parasitic Ticky,” she said. “His Attack and Defense are 500 for every Token Monster on the field.”

“Wanda, we’re trying to eat here!” said Francesca.

“Well, you know…” said Wanda, “in some countries, chocolate-covered ants are considered a delicacy.”

“Yeah…” added Chico. “The same places where they eat snails and set desserts on fire.”

“Just pass the parmesan, would you?” asked Fran.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Kyle knew it would be a while before he could sleep. Italian food always gave him heartburn.

He looked at the eight cards in front of him.

Ancient City, Ancient Giant, Ancient Key, two Stone Giants, Ancient Tome, Ancient Gate, and Ancient Dragon.

He placed them in his pouch where he kept his spare cards. He could manage quite well with his deck the way it had originally been.

Maybe he could sell them somewhere. There had to be someone else who wanted to create the combo…

He took a few other cards out of his deck too. Gaea’s Command was no longer necessary, and Swap Meet wasn’t really needed either.

So now he had the makings of a much easier Ancient Deck.

As he was going over the forty-one cards in his newly constructed deck (forty plus Avatar of the Pot, his intended Deckmaster for tomorrow), he heard talking outside.

He heard the words “majesty”, and then “Shadow Queen”.

Curious, he went up to the door.

“It doesn’t seem fair, sire,” said a voice. “Burying them when this is over…”

“Perhaps I’ll give them a chance Grodus,” she said. “I’ll duel them all personally to see if they can hold their own. I doubt they can… But if the grave is their destiny, then so be it.

“Of course, I promised Vampire Lady I’d give her Chico…”

He strained to hear, but the voices started to get faint.

Kyle picked up his Disk and slowly opened the door.

He went to the door across the hall and knocked on it.

After about a minute, a very tired Drake opened it.

“Kyle?” he muttered. “What are you doing up?”

“Drake, there’s something weird about this whole thing,” he said. “I swear I heard Sydney talking about sending people to a grave or something. Maybe we should look around…”

“Kyle…” moaned Drake. “I’m sure it was just a bad dream brought on by that second canole you had. Look, you’re dueling tomorrow, so get some rest, ‘kay?”

He closed the door.

Kyle sighed.

I know what I heard… he thought.

He wandered down the hallway in the direction he had heard the voices fade.

Eventually, he reached a hallway with several suits of armor holding swords…

Except one, which held a mace.

Kyle walked up to the one that held the mace. He had a feeling that there was something special about it.

His ears perked up…

Someone was coming!

He squeezed behind one of the other suits of armor.

He watched, and saw the Shadow Queen, now undisguised, float up to the odd suit. Her eyes glowed, and it moved aside…

Then a secret door opened in the wall. She floated in.

Curiosity got the best of Kyle. He followed.

If the Queen had turned around at that moment, she’d have seen him. But Kyle didn’t take much time to look around the place which was some sort of alchemy lab. He saw a cabinet, and darted behind it.

The Queen went up to the metal sphere that was heated by a Bunsen burner. She turned off the burner, and put on a glove…

She reached into the sphere, and removed a glowing card.

“Finished at last,” she said. “Once Stan, Andy, and Francesca are defeated, this will assure that they can never challenge me again… And then the Shadow Queen will be unopposed!

“Only one thing remains to be done with it…”

She waved her hand, and another door opened at the far side of the chamber.

She floated through it, and Kyle carefully followed…

The Queen went down a dark stairway, three flights down, until she reached a doorway carved in the shape of a demonic face. The doors opened, and eerie mist came out.

She entered a dark chamber, circular and dome-shaped, lit by what seemed like hundreds of candles made of black wax, on chandeliers and around the circumference.

She placed it on a pedestal on one end.

“Powers of Shadow,” she chanted, “infuse your energy into this card!”

As Kyle watched, ghostly shadows rose, and dove into the card! It burned with black fire.

“Marvelous…” she said. “Now I just have to wait for Round Two…”

“There isn’t gonna be a Round Two, you maniac!” shouted Kyle.

The Queen spun around and gazed at him.

“This twisted game ends now!” he shouted.

The Queen’s eyes blazed.

She tucked the card into her dress…

Then she smirked.

“The game is never over, duelist,” she said. “But I’m afraid you are disqualified!”

The doors slammed shut!

“I don’t know how you managed to get into my private sanctum,” said the Queen with a sneer, “but you most certainly are never getting out!”

“We’ll see about that,” said Kyle. “I figured it out… You want to get rid of them, so you tried to have us do your dirty work for you… Well, change of plans… I’m the one who’s gonna take you down!”

“Ha!” laughed the Queen, raising her hand.

Flames appeared around Kyle’s skin!

He gasped, but they strangely weren’t hot.

“I could burn you to a cinder…” she mocked.

She rubbed her chin.

“But then again, you could help me practice…”

She waved her left arm, and her Duel Disk appeared on it.

“Tell you what Kyle,” she said with a smirk. “Defeat me, and I’ll spare you. Lose, and…

“Well, try not to think about that…”

“Fine,” said Kyle. “Whatever you are, I’ll take you on…”

A warm-up duel couldn’t hurt… thought the Queen.

A deck appeared on her Disk.

But this upstart is still not worth me bringing out my true deck.

“Don’t forget, Kyle, the Deckmaster rules still apply here…”

“Fine,” said Kyle. “I choose Avatar of the Pot!”

He held up the card, and the Avatar appeared behind him, now looking more serious than usual.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-016.jpg

The Queen lifted up a card.

“And I choose… Cosmo Queen!” she exclaimed.

In a flash, the enormous, intimidating form of Cosmo Queen appeared, and crossed her arms.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MP1-002.jpg

“Uh… neat hat…” said Kyle. “And just what does she do?”

“I don’t use her ability unless I absolutely have to,” said the Queen. “But tell you what… After you lose, I promise to tell you what she does before I bury you.

“Now let’s duel…”

As the Life Point counters each set to 8,000, her necklace glowed, and the room darkened…

“The first move is yours…” said the Queen.

Kyle made his first draw.

“I’ll summon Stone Statue of the Aztecs,” he said. “And I’ll have it defend me.”

He placed a card down, and the blocky statue appeared. (300/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-014.jpg

“That’s my turn…” he said.

The Shadow Queen made her first draw.

“You may remember the Monster I’m about to summon,” she said. “Raven used him as her Deckmaster… I summon Chthonian Soldier in Attack Mode.”

She placed a card down, and a Dark Warrior in armor and a helmet holding a jagged sword appeared. (1,200/1,400)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/bu0rc7or.jpg

“And I’ll end with a facedown card,” she said, setting a card.

A facedown card appeared.

“Heh, heh,” said Kyle, drawing. “You don’t fool me! That facedown card is a Trap, and that weak Warrior is the bait! But it isn’t going to make a difference…”

He played a card.

“…cause I summon Ancient Gear Soldier!”

The robotic soldier made of gears with a machine gun for its right arm appeared. (1,300/1,300)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN008.jpg

“Oh, and by the way,” he added. “You can’t activate Traps when Ancient Gear Monsters attack! Ancient Gear Soldier, attack with rapid-fire shot!”

Ancient Gear Soldier aimed his gun and let loose a burst of blazing shells! Chthonian Soldier groaned and shattered.

“Well, that was…” started Kyle. “Huh?”

The Soldier’s sword was flying towards him! He cringed as it hit him!

“You should have done your homework, Kyle,” said the Queen with a laugh. “A curse strikes anyone who harms a Chthonian Soldier. To wit, if he’s destroyed in battle, you lose the same amount of Life Points as I do.”

Both their Life Points fell to 7,900.

“Then it’s your move…” muttered Kyle.

The Queen drew.

“Well, much as I hate to repeat myself…” she said. “I’ll summon another Chthonian Soldier in Attack Mode!”

Another Chthonian appeared. (1,200/1,400)

“That will be my move…” she said.

“Fine!” said Kyle, drawing a card. “I’ll sacrifice my Soldier to summon someone better…”

Ancient Gear Soldier shattered.

“…Ancient Gear Beast!”

The robotic wolf made of gears and pistons appeared, and growled. (2,000/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN007.jpg

“Heh, heh…” said the Queen. “Someone has a bad memory! If you attack with that, I may lose 800 Life Points, but so will you.”

“No, I won’t, Miss Know-It-All!” replied Kyle. “Ancient Gear Beast has a potent effect too. He negates the effect of any Monster he destroys!”

“I see…” said the Queen.

“Ancient Gear Beast,” shouted Kyle, “attack the Chthonian Soldier with piston pounce!”

The Beast leapt up and tackled Chthonian Soldier! He shattered.

The Shadow Queen fell to 7,100 Life Points.

Her eyes glowed.

She drew a card.

“Heh, heh…” she said.

Her facedown card lifted.

“I activate Call of the Haunted…” she said. “Now I can bring one of my Chthonians back from the Graveyard.”

A Chthonian Soldier reappeared.

“But it’s going to be a round trip,” she continued. “Because I cast the Dark Dragon Ritual!”

She played the card, and two dark torches appeared to either side of her.

“This incredibly easy Ritual only requires me to sacrifice four stars worth of Monsters, so I’ll sacrifice Chthonian Soldier…”

Chthonian Soldier was consumed in dark fire…

“And that lets me summon a Warrior known as Knight of Dark Dragon!”

A dark knight in black armor appeared, holding a long blade. (1,900/1,200)

“He can’t beat either of my Monsters,” said Kyle.

“True,” said the Queen. “But he isn’t called Knight of Dark Dragon for nothing. I can now sacrifice him to summon one of the darkest of Dragons of all…”

Knight of Dark Dragon shattered.

“I’ll give you a hint… He has red eyes… black scales…”

A shadowy form started to appear.

“I summon Red Eyes Black Dragon!”

It was indeed Red Eyes Black Dragon. But this version seemed a lot more sinister than Andy’s. (2,400/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SDJ-001.jpg

“You have a Red Eyes in your deck?” gasped Kyle. “That card is mega-rare!”

The Queen laughed.

“Andy thinks he’s a big deal because he has a Red Eyes…” she said. “It’s so rare, most duelists have never seen it! Well, thanks to the generosity of Marik Ishtar, this deck has three copies of this card. And I can use him in ways that Andy never even knew about!

“Fortunately for you, since I summoned him with my Knight’s effect, he can’t attack this round. So it’s your move.”

Kyle drew a card.

“My move will consist solely of moving Ancient Gear Beast to Defense Mode,” he said, turning a card.

Ancient Gear Beast sat.

“Fine,” said the Queen, drawing a card.

“I play Pot of Greed!”

She played the card, and the jar handed her two card.

“Well,” she said, “seems that Greed was good!”

She placed a card on her Disk.

“I summon Red Eyes’s servant,” she said. “A Warrior known as Eric the Red, in Attack Mode.”

A stout fighter with a red beard carrying a battleaxe appeared. Red Eyes growled in approval. (800/500)

“So long as Eric is on the field,” explained the Queen, “Red Eyes is immune to Magic Cards, Trap Cards, and Monster effects.”

“Impressive,” said Kyle. “But Eric himself is pretty weak. You’d have been better off with Lord of Dragons.”

“HA, HA, HA!” laughed the Queen. “Let me tell you something about Lord of Dragons, Kyle… He has a rotten job!”

“What do you mean?” asked Kyle.

“He works hard, using his powers to protect Dragons, and for what?” asked the Queen. “He doesn’t get anything in return!

“But because Eric chose to serve one particular Dragon, he does get something in return! See, so long as Red Eyes is on the field, you can’t attack him!”

Kyle paused.

“Okay, that is rather impressive…” he said.

“Well, back to business,” said the Queen. “It’s time to teach that pooch of yours some tricks. Like how to play dead! Red Eyes, attack Ancient Gear Beast! Inferno fire blast!”

Red Eyes blasted a stream of flame, and Ancient Gear Beast exploded!

“And it’s still my turn…” said the Queen, taking a card. “I’m going to play a Magic Card. The dreaded Lullaby of Obedience!”

“I don’t like the sound of that…” said Kyle, as she played the card.

“To play this card, I have to pay 1,000 Life Points…” said the Queen, as her Life Points fell to 6,100. “But then, I get to name a Monster that has eight stars or more, and if you have it in your deck, I get to take it!”

Kyle gasped…

And then he smirked…

“Now, let’s see…” said the Queen, scratching her chin. “I think… Ancient Gear Golem!”

“All right, fine,” said Kyle, taking his deck. “Come here…”

As the Queen walked up to him, he looked though his deck.

“Come on…” he muttered, looking through his cards. “Where the hell is it…”

After a few seconds of searching he held it up. She snatched it.

“Thank you!” she said.

She chuckled as she walked back to her side.

“Don’t feel too bad,” she said. “After all, it was almost at the bottom of your deck… You probably never would have gotten to it anyway…”

Kyle smirked.

“You look awfully smug for someone who just lost his most powerful card…” she said.

“Is it my move?” he asked.

She nodded.

He drew.

“True,” he said. “I never would have drawn it… But you solved that problem nicely!”

He played a card.

“I play Exchange!”

The Shadow Queen gasped!

“Isn’t it funny how things work out?” asked Kyle, walking up to her. “Now give back my card!”

The Queen held her hand out, and Kyle took the Golem.

“Now you take one, so we can get on with this.”

The Queen snatched a card.

“I appreciate the help,” said Kyle, as he walked back, trying hard to hold back laughter.

Well, I got my most powerful card, he thought, And all it cost me was my Giant Soldier of Stone. Things are looking up…

“Don’t get too self conscious,” said the Queen. “Having that card and summoning it are two different things.”

“We’ll see,” said Kyle. “It’s still my turn, and I sacrifice my Stone Statue of the Aztecs to summon Criosphinx, in Defense Mode!”

The Stone Statue shattered, and the ram-headed sphinx appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,200/2,400)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN013.jpg

“His Defense is exactly the same as Red Eyes’s Attack,” said Kyle. “So what are you gonna do now?”

The Shadow Queen drew a card.

“Heh, heh…” she said. “No Monster has strong enough Defense to protect you from this next card. It’s a direct damage Magic Card that can only be played when Red Eyes is on the field…”

She played the card.

“I play Inferno Fire Blast!”

A ball of flame appeared in Red Eyes’s jaws, and it shot forward…

Kyle was engulfed in flames, and he screamed!

ARGH! he thought. I can actually feel it burning on me! This is no dueling hologram… This is real!

That can only mean one thing…

…this is a Shadow Game!

His Life Points tumbled to 5,400.

The flames subsided, and he gasped for breath.

“To end my turn,” said the Queen, “I’ll summon the Monster I got from you in Defense Mode.”

Giant Soldier of Stone appeared in front of her, crouching in Defense. (1,300/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SYE-010.jpg

Kyle slowly drew a card.

Can’t give up… he thought.

“I summon Ancient Gear Cannon,” he said.

He placed a card down, and a small cannon made of gears and cogs appeared. (500/500)

http://www.finalyugi.com/model/finalyugi/images/shadow-of-infinity-SOI/SOI-JP009.jpg

The Queen raised an eyebrow.

“Then I’ll play a Magic Card,” he said. “Machine Duplication!”

He played the card.

“Since Ancient Gear Cannon only has 500 Attack Points, I can now summon two more from my deck.”

Two more Cannons appeared.

“You think you can use them to summon your Golem?” asked the Queen. “Please. My three Monsters will destroy them before you get a chance.”

“That wasn’t my plan,” said Kyle. “By sacrificing an Ancient Gear Cannon, I can blast away 500 of your Life Points!

“Fire one!”

One of the cannons fired, and the Queen cringed.

“Fire two!”

The second cannon fired, and she cringed again.

“Fire three!”

The third cannon fired, and she winced in pain. Her Life Points fell to 4,600.

The three Cannons shattered.

“My move…” growled the Queen.

She drew a card.

“Ooh, I’ll pass this turn…” she muttered.

“Okay…” said Kyle, drawing a card.

“I summon another Stone Statue of the Aztecs,” he said.

Another of the blocky statues appeared.

“And now I play… Enemy Controller!”

He played a Magic Card, and a large video game control pad appeared in front of him.

“By sacrificing this Monster, I can control one of yours for one round,” he said.

“Forget?” asked the Queen. “So long as Eric the Red is on the field, Red Eyes is immune to Magic Cards.”

“True, but Eric isn’t!” replied Kyle.

“Go, Enemy Controller! Left! Right! A! B! X! Y! B! R!”

Stone Statue of the Aztecs shattered, and Eric the Red floated over to Kyle’s side.

“Now, I sacrifice Criosphinx and Eric the Red…” he stated.

The two Monsters shattered.

“…to summon my Ancient Gear Golem!”

With the whir of gears and the pounding of pistons, the huge Golem arose! (3,000/3,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TLM-EN006.jpg

The Shadow Queen snarled…

“Ancient Gear Golem…” shouted Kyle, “attack Red Eyes Black Dragon with mechanized melee!”

Continued…

Dark Sage

26th February 2006, 12:21 PM

Continued from last post:

The Golem lunged forward and punched the Red Eyes, smashing it to pieces!

The Shadow Queen hissed as her Life Points fell to 4,000.

“It’s your move, Queenie,” he said.

The Shadow Queen drew a card.

“I play Nightmare’s Steelcage!” she shouted.

She played a card, and flames erupted around Kyle and his Golem. A huge, dome-shaped cage formed around them.

“And I’ll summon my third Chthonian Soldier,” she said.

Another Chthonian appeared. (1,200/1,400)

Now what? thought Kyle. If I attack that thing with my Golem, we’ll both lose 1,800 Life Points!

He drew a card. He looked at the Trap Card.

“I’ll place a card facedown, and end my turn,” he said.

A facedown card appeared.

The Queen drew.

Only need one more card… she thought.

“I’ll pass for this turn,” she said.

“Okay…” said Kyle, making a draw.

He looked at the card.

“I’ll pass too…”

The cage crumbled into dust.

The Shadow Queen drew a card.

She grinned.

“I play Silent Doom!” she said, playing a Magic Card. “Now I can summon a Normal Monster from my Graveyard in Defense Mode!”

Red Eyes appeared again, crouching in Defense.

“You think that scares me?” asked Kyle. “Since you summoned it with Silent Doom, it can’t attack.”

“No, it can’t,” she said. “But I have this… It’s another Ritual Card called Red Eyes Transmigration.

“To complete this ceremony, I have to sacrifice Red Eyes and one Warrior…”

Red Eyes and Chthonian Soldier transformed into fire…

And then the flames covered the Shadow Queen!

“What the hell…” muttered Kyle.

“Good choice of words…” said the Queen’s voice.

The Queen walked out of the flames…

…but her black dress was gone, replaced by dark red, demonic armor, with a fiendish helmet and wings on the back. The gauntlets had claws, and an aura of flames surrounded her!

“Like it?” she said, in a voice that sounded amplified. “Be honest… Be brutal! I was never a big fan of armor back when it was popular, but I think this set looks good on me.

“From this point on, you can call me Lord of the Red!”

(2,400/2,000)

“That armor has no more Attack Points than Red Eyes,” said Kyle.

“Then let me show you its special effect,” laughed the Queen. “First I’ll play Graceful Charity.”

She played the card, and the angel flew out of her deck with three cards. She gave them a quick look-over, and then handed her two.

“Next, I’ll play Mystik Wok, sacrificing Giant Soldier of Stone and adding its Defense Points to my Life Points.”

She played the card, and the Soldier evaporated into smoke. Her Life Points rose to 6,000.

“And when two Magic Cards are played on the same turn…”

Her armor erupted into flames, and they shot forward! Ancient Gear Golem was incinerated!

“…I can wipe out every Monster on the field!”

Kyle drew back in fear.

“And now I can attack you… personally!” she laughed.

She threw her hand forward, and shot forth a stream of dark flame! Kyle screamed and fell to his knees…

His Life Points fell to 3,100.

“Give up yet?” asked the Queen.

“Not yet…” muttered Kyle, pulling himself up. “I still have a few tricks left… Like this one!”

His facedown Trap Card lifted, and he discarded a card.

“I activate Damage Condenser!” he shouted. “Now, for the cost of just one card, I can Special Summon a Monster from my deck that has less Attack Points than the Life Points I just lost from that attack! In other words, the more pain I feel, the more damage I can deal!

“And I think I’ll summon another Ancient Gear Soldier!”

A new Ancient Gear Soldier appeared. (1,300/1,300)

“Fine, it’s your move now…” said the Queen. “As if that pathetic toy can break my armor…”

“Then I draw…” said Kyle, drawing.

“Then I activate my Deckmaster ability, paying 1,000 Life Points to draw five cards!”

His Life points fell to 2,100. Avatar of the Pot glowed, and five cards flew off his Disk.

“You have seven cards there,” laughed the Queen. “Are any of them good ones?”

He ignored the wisecrack.

“First I’ll place a card facedown…” he said, fitting a card into a slot.

A facedown card appeared.

“Next, since I have an Ancient Gear Monster on the field, I can play this card, Ancient Gear Drill.”

He played the card, and a huge drilling machine appeared on the field. Ancient Gear Soldier took the controls, and its bit bored into the floor.

“Now, by discarding one card, I can take any Magic Card I want from my deck and place it facedown on the field.”

He discarded a card, and a facedown card appeared.

“Next, I’ll play Monster Reincarnation,” he continued. “I’ll discard this…”

He discarded a card.

“And bring Ancient Gear Golem back to my hand.”

“Forget about Lord of the Red’s effect?” asked the Queen, as her armor started to flame. “You just played two Magic Cards!”

The inferno shot forward, and Ancient Gear Soldier was burned up.

“I end my turn,” said Kyle.

The Queen drew a card.

“Then burn!” she said, pointing at him.

Flames shot towards Kyle.

“I activate Negate Attack!” shouted Kyle, as his Trap Card lifted.

A shield formed around him, and the flames bounced off.

“I didn’t forget,” he said. “Actually, I was counting on it.”

“Then make your move,” she said.

“Whatever you say,” he said, drawing a card. “It’s time to bring back Ancient Gear Golem.”

“Oh, where are the sacrifices?” asked the Queen.

“In my Graveyard,” replied Kyle. “I activate the card I got from Ancient Gear Drill…”

His card lifted.

“Ancient Gear Factory. This lets me summon a high level Ancient Gear Monster without a sacrifice, but first, I have to remove from play Ancient Gear Monsters in my Graveyard whose total star levels equal twice the level of the Monster I intend to summon.

“In this case, I have to remove a total of sixteen.

“So, I’ll remove from play my Beast, my two Soldiers, and one Cannon…”

Four cards fell out of his discard slot.

“…and Ancient Gear Golem, welcome back.”

The huge Golem appeared in front of him again. (3,000/3,000)

Amazing, thought the Queen. He planned that move out like a genius…

“Go!” shouted Kyle. “Attack Lord of the Red!”

Ancient Gear Golem threw his fist forward, and the armor around the Queen shattered!

She cringed as her Life Points fell to 5,400.

She stared at him.

“My move…” muttered the Queen.

She drew a card.

She frowned.

“I summon another Eric the Red in Defense Mode,” she said.

She played the card, and another of the Warriors appeared. (800/500)

“Just move…” she said.

Kyle drew.

“I summon Grave Ohja in Attack Mode,” he said.

The bulky, muscular statue appeared, and bore its claws. (1,600/1,500)

“Grave Ohja, attack Eric the Red!” he ordered.

Grave Ohja made a mighty swipe, and Eric shattered.

“This can’t be…” muttered the Queen.

“Oh, it be, all right,” said Kyle. “And now you be in serious trouble, because you be defenseless. Ancient Gear Golem, attack her directly!”

Ancient Gear Golem socked the Shadow Queen directly in the torso, and she tumbled backwards!

Her Life Points fell to 2,400.

The Queen struggled to get up.

Her hair was a mess. Her ribs ached. No one since the Three Heroes had ever managed to hurt her that badly during a Shadow Game.

Kyle had a lot of potential…

…maybe something useful could come out of this.

She drew a card.

“Well,” she said. “You may have seen part of Andy’s combo, but you didn’t see all of it…

“I summon the Red Eyes Black Chick!”

She played a card, and a blood-red egg appeared. It cracked open, and two evil eyes peered out of it. (800/500)

“What the?” asked Kyle.

“It won’t be staying for long,” said the Queen. “I can instantly sacrifice it to summon his dad… And like I said, I have three Red Eyes in this deck…

“So I sacrifice it to summon the full-grown Red Eyes Black Dragon!”

The Chick vanished, and another Red Eyes appeared. (2,400/2,000)

“Actually, full grown is a misnomer,” she added. “Because now I can sacrifice it to summon that guy you saw Andy use against Wanda…

“The Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!”

Red Eyes mutated, growing even darker and larger, but the result was far more demonic than Andy’s version.

(3,300/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SD1-EN001.jpg

“Destroy his Golem!” shouted the Queen. “Dark inferno blast!”

The Dragon shot forth a blast of blazing black fire, and the Ancient Gear Golem exploded!

Kyle’s Life Points fell to 1,800.

“It’s… your move…” said the Queen, softly.

“Uh…” muttered Kyle, drawing a card.

He set a card on his Disk.

“I summon a Monster in Defense Mode…”

A facedown Monster appeared.

“And I move Grave Ohja to Defense Mode.”

Grave Ohja knelt and shielded himself.

“And by the way,” he said, “When I have a facedown Monster, Grave Ohja can’t be attacked.”

“Indeed?” said the Queen, drawing a card.

She played a Magic Card.

“I play Fulfillment of the Contract.”

Her Life Points fell to 1,600, as flames surrounded her again.

“This lets me revive one Ritual Monster from my Graveyard, so long as I spend 800 Life Points and Equip it with this card.”

The Lord of the Red armor appeared around her again.

“So as far as that special ability goes, big deal!” she mocked.

She pointed, and shot forth a stream of fire, and Kyle’s Moi Interceptor Cannons blew up.

Red Eyes Darkness Dragon attacked, and Grave Ohja shattered.

“So what now?” asked the Queen.

Kyle drew.

He said nothing as he simply placed a Monster in Defense Mode and waved his hand.

“Defiant to the end, huh?” she asked.

She pointed, and her armor blazed with fire…

Her flames shot forward… Dummy Golem appeared on the card and was blown to pieces.

Well, I tried, thought Kyle, as flames appeared in the Dragon’s mouth. I can only hope that the others can do better…

He screamed as the dark flames hit him, and he fell to his knees.

Smoke rose from him as the Dragon and the Queen’s armor vanished. The Queen walked up to him.

“Hmm…” she said, scratching her chin.

“So what are you going to do to me?” he growled.

“Good question,” she answered. “What am I going to do to you? You’re an excellent duelist… Far too valuable to simply bury. I could use someone like you working for me…”

“In your dreams…” muttered Kyle.

“Well, I could simply brainwash you,” said the Queen, taking a card out of her dress, “but I think I’ll use a little persuasion first… I warn you, I’ve cracked better folks than you…”

She looked at the card – Shadow Spell.

She played the card, and a mass of chains gripped Kyle, forcing him into a half-kneeling, half-crouching position.

“HEY!” he said, struggling.

The chains tightened, and he couldn’t struggle.

“I can wait a long time, Kyle,” she said. “The chains will come off when you agree to serve me. Until then, I’ll just leave you to the darkness…”

“Wait…” he gasped. “You promised… Your Deckmaster…”

The Queen stopped.

“Oh, right…” she said. “Well, I guess I owe you that…”

She bent over and whispered something into his ear.

“What?” he gasped. “That’s monstrous! How could you…”

“Good night, Kyle,” she said.

She left the chamber, and it was plunged into darkness.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Back in her alchemy lab, the Shadow Queen slumped into a chair.

“Humph,” she grunted. “So much for that plan. Four of my unwitting servants flopped, and the one who didn’t wised up…”

She slouched in the chair.

“I guess it’s true what they say,” she grumbled, “if you want something done right, you gotta do it yourself…”

She paused.

A light went on in her head.

“Do it yourself!” she exclaimed. “Now there’s a novel idea!”

She waved her hand, and a deck of cards appeared in a burst of flame…

The backs of the cards were each etched with the symbol of a pentagram – a five-pointed star in a circle.

She looked through the cards in the deck… Her real deck. Cards that had been based on the tablets she had used in her epic clash with the Three Heroes, one thousand years ago…

“Well,” she said, “who to challenge first?

“The easy way would be to take out the weakest first, but a better way would be to take out the strongest. If the others see their strongest member fall, they’ll go down easier.

“But how to determine the strongest?”

She thought…

“Maybe the tournament isn’t over quite yet…”

DARK DRAGON RITUAL (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic/Ritual
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: This card is used to Ritual Summon “Knight of Dark Dragon”. You must also offer Monsters whose total star levels equal four or more from your hand or the field.

KNIGHT OF DARK DRAGON (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Ritual/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,900
DEF: 1,200

Card Description: This Monster is Ritual Summoned via the effect of “Dark Dragon Ritual”. You must also offer Monsters whose total star levels equal four or more from your hand or the field. Offer this Monster as a Tribute to Special Summon one “Red Eyes B. Dragon” from your hand or deck. A “Red Eyes B. Dragon” summoned in this way cannot attack on the turn it is summoned.

RED EYES TRANSMIGRATION (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic/Ritual
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: This card is used to Ritual Summon “Lord of the Red”. You must also offer one “Red Eyes B. Dragon” and one WARRIOR-Type Monster as Tributes from your hand or the field.

LORD OF THE RED (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Ritual/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 8
ATK: 2,400
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: This Monster is Ritual Summoned via the effect of “Red Eyes Transmigration”. You must also offer one “Red Eyes B. Dragon” and one WARRIOR-Type Monster as Tributes from your hand or the field. When two Magic Cards are played in the same turn, after the resolution of the second Magic Card, destroy all Monsters on the field, except this one.

Note: The proceeding four cards were first used by Joey in the multi-part anime episode “Fighting For a Friend”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

LULLABY OF OBEDIENCE (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Pay 1,000 Life Points. Name one Monster with eight stars or more. If your opponent has the named Monster in his deck, take it and add it to your hand. Your opponent then shuffles his deck.

Note: “Lullaby of Obedience” was first used by Kaiba in the anime episode “Clash in the Coliseum (Part One)”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

ERIC THE RED (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: 800
DEF: 500

Card Description: When this Monster is face-up on your side of the field, Monsters on your side of the field with the words “Red Eyes” in their names are not affected by Magic Cards, Trap Cards, and Monster Effects that target a specific Monster. This Monster cannot be attacked when a Monster with the words “Red Eyes” in its name is face-up on your side of the field.

[B][I]Coming up next:

The Queen’s final plan begins, in a battle that will test the friendship and the spirits of the three heirs to their limits, and feature a duel which, to my knowledge, the likes of which has never been seen even in the anime! Don’t miss “Triple Play”, coming soon.

Mookie

26th February 2006, 12:56 PM

Hmm. Why didnt Kyle attack Eric the Red with Ancient Gear Golem and THEN with Grave Ohja...The queen would've lost more lifepoints that way.

But otherwise, it was a good chapter. Of course, we all knew that Kyle would lose, but the duel was still exciting.
I'll reread it someday and then I'll see, if I can find anything negative. I sure hope that doesnt happen. :smilie:

-mookie.

Silencer

26th February 2006, 02:04 PM

I also noticed the mistake Mookie mensioned. But this chapter kinda makes me dissapointed I lost the quiz...

Maybe you could do me a favour and write a chapter where drake would have dueled SQ? pretty please? :(

Good chapter, exciting till the end. But knowing the end results can ruin the chapter a little bit. A well beggers can't be choosers.

Dark Sage

26th February 2006, 02:11 PM

My only defense is that Kyle was a little too anxious to punch the Queen's lights out with the Golem.

Silencer, as for me writing an alternate chapter, sorry, I can't do that. I'm working too hard on the remaining chapters. I'm very sorry.

But trust me, you'll like it when your user character appears in Dark Messiah, even if he isn't a winner.

- DS

Perfect Chaos

26th February 2006, 03:14 PM

Very nice chapter DS,

We already discussed the whole issue I had with Megarock Dragon, so I suppose there's not point mentioning it here.

I'm glad that you didn't make Kyle's duel "pushover-like" and that the Queen actually almost thought she would've lost. Who knows, we might see him later on in the fic.

Well, now that my first theory has been completely shot down, time to come up with a new one!:

The next chapter will have a three-way free-for-all, with the two losers dueling each other, and then the winner of the two "losers" will duel the winner of the three-way free-for-all.

Until next chapter!

-Sean

Silencer

26th February 2006, 03:21 PM

Silencer, as for me writing an alternate chapter, sorry, I can't do that. I'm working too hard on the remaining chapters. I'm very sorry.

Was expecting that answer. but maybe if you got some free time :p j/k. You still have 2 chapters running and yet another coming up so... Don't strain yourself ^^

The_Missing_Link

26th February 2006, 05:49 PM

The next chapter will have a three-way free-for-all, with the two losers dueling each other, and then the winner of the two "losers" will duel the winner of the three-way free-for-all.

-Sean

Isn't that what happened in Battle City? Except it was a 4-way battle between Yugi, Kaiba, Joey and Marik (honestly, I can't remember what happened). Your theory sounds good though

jkBAKURA

26th February 2006, 08:17 PM

I'm tired, so I won't give a very long review, but how was Kyle supposed to summon Stone Statue of the Aztecs AND Aincent Gear Golem in the same turn? Just a small nitpic, otherwise, nice work as always

Blademaster

26th February 2006, 08:24 PM

Well, JK and Mookie stole what I was gonna say, so forget it. :p

And I'm going to have to disagree with Perfect Chaos: I think it'll simply be a three-way duel to the end, and the last duelist standing will go on to face her royal majesty...

Well, that's all I can think to say, so I'm outta here.

Peace out!

-Blademaster

Mystic_clown

27th February 2006, 01:09 AM

I don't think Kyle's out of this yet. After all, the queen did say that she could use him. Besides, if all the other finalists are out of the tourney, doesn't that really defeat the purpose of them being tricked into working for her? What's the point of that if it doesn't work to some extent (ie; at least getting rid of one of them).

Hmm, I wonder what Cosmo Queen's ability is.

Master of Paradox

27th February 2006, 06:51 AM

It seems "Nice hat" or some variant is now the official response to the Cosmo Queen. I've created a meme!

To be honest, I have no opinion of this chapter at all. Its only purpose seemed to be to push the final battles a further chapter away. I don't mind filler, mind you... in fact, I'm the one who wrote most of the filler for "Lady of Dragons"... but when it's this predictable, it's a chore to read through.

Interesting deck theme for Her Majesty, though.

I don't think I'll join in the speculation over the next chapter.

Shuppet Master

27th February 2006, 09:00 AM

I'm glad they managed to fix the tower today, so I could get on the net to see this!

This was an excellent duel, but the only thing I could say against it was that I picked out a lot of quotes from Yu-Gi-Oh GX. I spotted Kaibaman's quotes(when the Queen was introducing her first Red Eyes Black Dragon & "It's...your move.") and Crowler's(when Kyle explained Damage Condensor). However this is a nitpick. The whole thing was just amazing.

You have only a few more duels left, Brian, keep up the good work.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that this "deck of the day" was really interesting. A Red Eyes Black Dragon deck. That Queen is certainly tricky. Oh, and she's going to use her real deck for the Chosen Ones. This is going to be a neat ending!

Dark Sage

2nd March 2006, 12:10 PM

[B][I]I guess we all knew it would come to this. It was inevitable. Some time during this tournament, we would face each other.

We just didn’t know it would be like this.

But maybe this is for the best. This is truly the best way of determining who is the strongest…

Because after this contest, the Shadow Queen doubtlessly waits, and only the strongest of us should conceivably face her.

For the past few weeks, we’ve been friends, allies, confidants…

But until this duel ends, we’re rivals…

…as much as it kills us.

[B][size=3]CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE

Triple Play

The Unfriendly Amazon sulked. She looked at her two unwilling companions, who were snoring loudly.

“Wake up!” she shouted.

“Huh?” said Peten. “Is it morning already?”

“Man, I have a stiff back…” muttered End.

“We all do…” snarled the Amazon. “These chairs aren’t good to sleep on. But one of those brats will duel the Queen before the day is out…”

She paused.

“And if the Queen is beaten, we get to go home…”

“Ah, home…” said Peten with a smile. “It’s been so long…”

“Let’s just hope that they succeed,” muttered End. “This may be our only chance…

“Our last chance…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Empty breakfast dishes were beginning to pile up in the lounge.

“Say,” said Andy, quizzically. “Where the heck is Kyle?”

Then Sydney and Alphonse entered.

“I’m afraid Kyle will not be joining us today,” said Sydney. “He has been disqualified for trying to sabotage the decks of the other semi-finalists.”

“No…” said Stan, in disbelief.

“Well, he was acting weird last night…” said Drake.

Andy stared daggers at Sydney.

More likely he knew too much, right? he thought. I swear Josephine, when my Dragons get their claws on you…

“We have decided on a new way to determine the winner,” said Sydney. “If the three remaining semi-finalists – who shall now be referred to as the finalists – will follow me to the arena… Anyone who wishes to watch, please go to the balcony as always.”

Stan, Andy, and Francesca looked at each other. They followed the two officials, while Wanda, Raven, Drake, and Chico took the stairs to the balcony.

When they got to the arena, a large triangle inlaid with runes was drawn upon the center of the floor.

“Alphonse…” said Sydney.

Alphonse walked to the center of the triangle.

“We are going to resolve the winner in a special three-way match, also known as free-for-all,” he said. “Three duelists in one duel, each competing against the other two.

“I’ll explain the rules slowly so it all is understood.

“On each player’s turn, he can choose to attack or defend, and set cards as always. He may direct his attacks against either of his opponents, or even both of them if he has more than one Monster or is otherwise capable of attacking twice.

“Effects that effect the whole field apply to everyone. For example, Swords of Revealing Light would protect you from both of your opponents.

“As usual, each duelist starts with 8,000 Life Points. When one duelist’s Life Points reach zero, he or she is eliminated, and the match becomes a standard one-on-one. The last man standing at the end is the winner.

“Whoever wins this match will go on to challenge the Palace of Shadow’s Battlemaster, two hours after the conclusion of this match. Any questions?”

“Uh…” said Andy. “Can we have a minute?”

“As long as you like,” said Alphonse.

He motioned to his allies, and they got into a huddle.

“Okay,” he said, “things just changed. I want to add a little something to our pact…”

“Yeah?” asked Francesca.

“In a fight like this, if one duelist has no Monsters on the field, it would be possible for the other two to ‘gang up’ on him or her, so to speak. Let’s all promise that this doesn’t happen.”

“Seems fair,” said Stan. “If one of your opponents is defenseless, no ‘ganging up’.”

“Well…” said Francesca, “may the best duelist win…”

They all clasped their hands together.

They walked up and each of them stood on one of the sides of the triangle.

“All right,” said Alphonse. “Some additional rules. An attack may not be declared until each duelist draws once. To determine the order of play, each of you chose a Monster from your decks. Whoever chooses the strongest Monster will go first… Second strongest will go second, weakest will go third.

“However the Monster you choose must then be removed from your deck, and not used for the duel.”

“Interesting,” said Chico. “If they want to go first, they’re going to have to give up something powerful…”

They each searched through their decks.

The three of them held up cards.

Stan’s was Neo the Magic Swordsman.

Francesca’s was Amazon Archer.

Andy’s was Cyber Dragon.

“Very well,” said Alphonse. “So it will be Andy, then Stan, then Francesca.”

I’d never dream of using Cyber-End Dragon against them anyway, thought Andy, putting the card in his pouch.

“Now, present your Deckmasters!” said Alphonse.

The three of them thrust a card forward…

Dark Magician appeared behind Stan. Amazoness Paladin appeared behind Francesca. Lord of Dragons appeared behind Andy.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/BPT-007.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MFC-059.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/BPT-004.jpg

Interesting… thought the Shadow Queen. Each of them has put their Soul Cards behind them. This may well be the most intense duel of the whole tournament to date

“All right…” said Alphonse, stepping aside. “As they say…”

They each drew five cards, and the Life Point counters each rose to 8,000.

“It’s time to duel!”

“Ya!” shouted Andy, drawing his first card. “For my first move…”

He placed a card on his Disk.

“I’ll summon Luster Dragon #1, in Attack Mode!”

The beautiful sapphire Dragon rose up, and growled. (1,900/1,600)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TP5-EN004.jpg

“My move…” said Stan, drawing.

“This guy’s effect may not help me, but he can meet your Dragon’s Attack. Skilled Dark Magician, Attack Mode!”

He placed the card down, and the robed, cowled sorcerer appeared. (1,900/1,700)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MFC-065.jpg

“My turn,” said Fran. “I’ll start with one card facedown…”

She played a card, and it appeared.

“And now I’ll summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode.”

She played another card, and the buff Amazon holding her huge sword appeared. (1,500/1,600)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MFC-061.jpg

“Well, they’re off to a good start…” said Wanda. “Although Fran seems to be at a disadvantage.”

“Don’t forget,” said Drake, “even if that Swords Woman loses a battle, it’s Francesca’s opponent who gets hurt.”

Andy drew a card.

“I sacrifice my Luster Dragon…” he said.

Luster Dragon vanished.

“…to summon his big brother… Luster Dragon #2!”

The larger, emerald dragon appeared. (2,400/1,400)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN050.jpg

All right… thought Andy. I could attack that Magician… But if Francesca gets one of her fancy Amazon Magic Cards into play, she’s the greater threat. This may cost me some Life Points, but…

“Luster Dragon, attack Amazoness Swords Woman! Emerald flash blast!”

Luster Dragon roared, and green energy formed in his jaws.

“I’m activating my Deckmaster ability!” shouted Francesca, discarding a card.

The blast shot forward. Swords Woman cringed as it hit her in the chest, and she fell to her knees.

“You remember how it works, right Andy?” asked Fran. “If I discard a card, Paladin can save another Amazon from dying. But since you attacked…”

Andy’s Life Points fell to 7,100.

“Clever,” he said. “I end my turn.”

“Care to do that twice?” asked Stan, drawing a card. “Magician, attack Swords Woman!”

Skilled Dark Magician prepared to fire…

“I activate Waboku!” shouted Fran, as her Trap Card lifted.

The three emissaries rose up to block the attack.

“Fine,” said Stan. “Back to you…”

Fran drew a card.

“I summon Amazoness Chain Master in Attack Mode…” she said.

She put the card down, and Chain Master appeared, brandishing her weapon. (1,500/1,300)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/bm0rwkrc.jpg

“And now I play… Gift of the Martyr!”

She played a card, and Chain Master shattered. Sword Woman’s Attack rose to 3,000!

“Attack Skilled Dark Magician!” she shouted.

Swords Woman leapt forward, and cleaved Skilled Dark Magician in twain!

Stan’s Life Points fell to 6,900.

“Well, it seems Francesca’s in the lead…” said Chico with a grin.

“It’s far from over,” said Raven.

Andy drew a card.

Snatch Steal… he thought looking at it.

He looked at his hand.

Hey, and I have Draconic Offering too! Now I can…

He was about to play the first card.

Wait, what am I doing? he thought. I can’t just turn one of Fran’s Amazons into some sort of snack! She isn’t like one of the Queen’s henchmen after all…

He paused.

“There a problem, Andy?” asked Francesca.

“Uh…” said Andy.

“I can tell just by looking at you Andy,” she said. “You have something powerful, but you don’t want to use it.

“Well use it. Now.”

“Huh?” asked Andy.

“This is a duel, Andy, and I’m your opponent. We agreed to this in order to see who was best suited to take on… You know who. And the last thing we need is someone who will wimp out. That isn’t what a strong duelist does. A strong duelist does whatever it takes.

“So prove to me that you’re strong, Andy!”

Andy smiled.

“I play Snatch Steal!” he shouted.

He played the card, and two glowing arms reached out and grabbed Amazoness Swords Woman, bringing her over to Andy’s side.

“Next, I play… Draconic Offering!”

He played the other Spell Card…

Swords Woman got down on her knees as the Dragon closed in on her… Andy couldn’t help but look away.

After a minute, it was over, and his Life Points went up to 8,700.

“Now…” he continued, “attack Francesca directly!”

Luster Dragon breathed forth his powerful flash, and Fran cringed as it hit her in the torso.

She clutched her stomach as her Life Points fell to 5,600.

“Now that’s a strong duelist…” she gasped.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“HA, HA!” cackled The End of Anubis. “I can’t believe Andy just clobbered his own girlfriend!”

“She was asking for it…” replied the Unfriendly Amazon.

“Well this is great!” exclaimed Peten. “Man, I could sure go for a box of Crackerjacks right about now…”

“The last time you ate those, you almost broke your tooth when you tried to eat the prize by accident,” answered End.

Peten frowned.

“There’s always someone to remind you of the dumb things you’ve done…” he mumbled.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Stan looked at the situation.

“My move…” he said.

He drew a card.

Excellent… he thought. Everything in my hand for one big combo…

He placed a card down.

“I summon someone I think you’ll both recognize,” he said. “Ebon Magician Curran, in Attack Mode.”

The cute, child Spellcaster in her black dress and bunny-eared hood appeared. (1,200/0)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/ba0vssi0.jpg

“Please, Stan,” said Andy. “You’ve used Curran so often, we’re both well aware of what she can do. We’ll destroy her long before she gets a chance to use her draining ability.”

“You aren’t aware of everything she and her sister can do, Andy,” answered Stan. “You see, the ones in charge of Curran’s and Pikeru’s upbringing gave them special birthrights to be gained when they reached a certain level of experience. And since they’ve helped me so much during this whole tournament, I believe they’ve gained enough.

“However, the birthrights cannot be given for free – they have to be earned…”

He played a card.

“I’m Equipping her with Trial of the Princess!”

A strange card appeared behind Curran. It looked like Curran and Pikeru in a castle fighting some monstrous infant.

“What does that do?” asked Francesca.

“First it raises Curran’s and Pikeru’s Attack Score by 800,” said Stan, as Curran rose to 2,000 Attack. “But that’s not all. It gives Curran the chance to earn her birthright.

“To do so, she has to challenge and defeat a Monster who has five stars or greater…

“And the rules don’t forbid anyone from helping her…”

He played another card.

“Her sister is going to help her this time,” he continued. “I play Sibling Rivalry to Special Summon Pikeru from my deck.”

With a flash of light, White Magician Pikeru appeared. She cast a cold glance at her sister. (1,200/0)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/AST-033.jpg

“Next I play… Double Spell,” he said, playing a card. “I’ll just discard one other Magic Card…”

He discarded a card.

“And it enables me to copy any Magic Card from either of your Graveyards. And I’ll use it to copy Gift of the Martyr!”

Pikeru shattered, and Curran rose to 3,200 Attack!

“Curran, attack Luster Dragon with ebon blast!”

Curran leapt into the air, and fired a burning beam of dark magic at Luster Dragon! He howled, and shattered.

Andy’s Life Points fell to 7,900.

“The Trial has been completed!” announced Stan, as Curran started to glow. “Now Curran can claim her birthright, and evolve into Princess Curran!”

Curran started to grow and change, transforming from child to teenager. Her clothes transformed into a royal dress, and her hood became an elaborate headpiece. She gripped a golden scepter. (2,000/0)

http://www.finalyugi.com/model/finalyugi/images/shadow-of-infinity-SOI/SOI-JP028.jpg

“I’ll place a card facedown, and end my turn,” he said, playing a card.

A facedown card appeared.

“Wow, talk about a combo…” said Raven. “So what can this Princess Curran do?”

“I’m not sure,” said Chico. “This is certainly the first time I’ve seen her…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Gee…” muttered Peten. “I’ve never seen this Princess Curran either…”

“Lovely…” said End, sarcastically. “This from the Spellcaster here…”

“Hey, if they keep making new Monsters, it isn’t my job to keep tabs on them all!” protested Peten.

“I think we’ll find out soon…” said the Amazon.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Francesca drew a card.

“I’ll summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode,” she said.

She placed a card down, and the young Amazon holding a blowgun appeared. (800/1,500)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MFC-062.jpg

“That will be my turn.”

“Right…” said Andy drawing.

“I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode…”

He put a card down, and the rocky, sleepy dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

“And now I’ll use my own Deckmaster ability,” he said, as his Life Points fell to 7,400, “to also summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in Defense Mode.”

The two-headed, winged Dragon appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,500/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN037.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN063.jpg

“My move again?” said Stan.

Andy nodded.

“Good,” he replied, drawing. “You might like to know that, now that Curran is grown up, her draining power is doubled. So each time I draw, you both lose 600 Life Points for every Monster you have on the field…”

Curran aimed her staff at Francesca and fired a beam of black energy, striking her in the chest. Her Life Points fell to 5,000. Then she fired two blasts at Andy, and his Life Points fell to 6,200.

“Now I’ll play Pot of Greed…” he said, playing the card he just drew.

He played the card, and the evil jar appeared. It handed him two cards.

“And next I’ll use my own Deckmaster’s ability, paying 1,000 Life Points to play Pot of Greed again.”

His Life Points fell to 5,900, and the jar handed him two more cards.

“Perfect,” he said. “I’ll summon Watapon…”

He placed a card down, and the tiny puffball Fairy appeared. (200/300)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MOV-EN003.jpg

“But he won’t be staying long,” he added. “Since I drew him using Pot of Greed, I can instantly sacrifice him, for Dark Magician Girl!”

Watapon vanished, and the cute, buxom apprentice of Dark Magician arose in a shower of motes. (2,000/1,700)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MFC-000.jpg

“Dark Magician Girl, attack Twin-Headed Behemoth! Dark burning attack!”

Dark Magician Girl yelped for joy and aimed her scepter, firing a blast of energy. Twin-Headed Behemoth blew up.

Energy started to form, and it reappeared. (1,000/1,200)

“I end my turn…”

“I don’t get it…” said Wanda. “Why didn’t Stan use Curran to Attack Behemoth again? Or attack Blowpiper?”

“Because Stan is smart,” said Chico. “The more Monsters his opponents have on the field, the more damage Curran can do. He just attacked Behemoth once to weaken it.”

Francesca drew.

Continued…

Dark Sage

2nd March 2006, 12:13 PM

Continued from last post:

Chico has a point, she thought, but while Stan might not attack me, I still have to defend myself from Andy! And I don’t like that facedown card that Stan has out…

She played a card.

“I summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode,” she said.

She played the card, and the muscular Amazon appeared. (1,500/1,300)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MFC-060.jpg

“That will do it for me,” she said.

Andy drew a card.

Have to take a risk, he thought.

“I sacrifice Behemoth to summon Des Volstgalph!” he shouted, switching cards.

Behemoth shattered, and the huge Dragon of Earth appeared. (2,200/1,700)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/bb0rkx16.jpg

“Sorry, Stan,” he said, “but Curran has to go! Des Volstgalph, attack Princess Curran!”

Des Volstgalph roared…

“I activate Spellbinding Circle!” shouted Stan.

His Trap Card lifted, and Des Volstgalph was trapped in the shimmering pentagram! His Attack Score fell down to 1,500.

Well, it was worth the risk, thought Andy.

“I’m ending my turn now,” he said.

“Then I draw,” said Stan, “and Curran can do her work…”

Curran fired four dark blasts from her staff, two of them striking Francesca and two striking Andy. Andy’s Life Points fell to 5,000, and Fran’s fell to 3,800.

“Next I’ll summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode, and end my turn,” he said.

He placed a card down, and Mystical Elf appeared, kneeling. (800/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SDY-001.jpg

Stan is clearly in control, thought the Shadow Queen. But he made one mistake, which will cost him if Francesca can take advantage of it…

Francesca drew a card.

“I use my Blowpiper’s special ability,” she said. “Blowpiper, your target is Curran!”

Blowpiper put her blowgun to her lips, and shot a dart that struck Curran in the neck! Curran gasped, as her Attack Score fell to 1,500.

“Next, I’ll summon Amazoness Priestess,” she continued.

The young, scantly-dressed Spellcaster appeared, holding her staff. (1,500/1,500)

“I only have two Amazons in my Graveyard,” she said, “but that still brings her Attack up to 1,700, enough to take down Curran!”

The Priestess aimed her staff and fired! Princess Curran was blown into pixels.

Stan’s Life Points fell to 5,700.

“I’ll end my turn there…”

Andy drew a card.

Hmm… he thought.

“I summon Spear Dragon!” he shouted.

He placed a card down, and the pterodactyl-like Dragon appeared. (1,900/0)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/LOD-EN035.jpg

“Attack Amazoness Priestess!” he shouted. “Cyclone blast!”

Spear Dragon shot a blast of wind from its beak, and Amazoness Priestess was blown to pieces.

Fran’s Life Points slipped to 3,600.

“That’s my turn for now,” said Andy, as Spear Dragon moved into Defense Mode.

Stan drew a card.

Time to go back on the offensive… he thought.

“I sacrifice Mystical Elf…” he stated.

Mystical Elf shattered.

“…to summon Cybernetic Magician!”

The tall sorcerer clothed in a silver cloak appeared. (2,400/1,000)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/ba0vsvv6.jpg

“Now to clean up,” he said. “Dark Magician Girl, attack Blowpiper!”

Dark Magician Girl pointed her scepter and fired! Amazoness Blowpiper was blown to pixels.

“Cybernetic Magician, finish off Des Volstgalph! Cyber blast!”

Cybernetic Magician threw up his arms, and shot forth a mighty spell, blowing Des Volstgalph to shards of rock.

Andy’s Life Points fell to 4,100.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Ingenious…” said the Amazon. “Stan divided his Attacks against both of his opponents. He’s adjusting to this free-for-all pretty well…”

“I must say,” said End, “I’d put my money on him right now…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“My move…” said Francesca.

But I’m gonna need a pretty good draw right now…

She drew.

She grinned.

“I sacrifice my Fighter…” she said.

Amazoness Fighter vanished.

“…to summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!”

The beautiful Dark Warrior in her armored halter and skirt appeared, holding her shield and sword. (2,100/1,400)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SOD-EN033.jpg

“You remember how this gal works, right Stan?” asked Francesca. “When she battles a Light Attribute Monster, she gains 1,000 Attack Points!

“Attack his Cybernetic Magician! Sword of Shadows!”

Penumbral Soldier Lady charged, and with one swipe of her blade, cut Cybernetic Magician down.

Stan’s Life Points fell to 5,000.

“That’s enough for my turn…” she said.

Andy drew a card.

“I move Spear Dragon back to Attack Mode…” he said.

Spear Dragon prepared to attack.

“Next I play… Scorching Ruin!”

He played the card, and Spear Dragon rose to an Attack of 2,900.

“Attack Dark Magician Girl!” he shouted.

Spear Dragon shot forth his cyclone blast. Dark Magician Girl tried to shield herself before she shattered.

Stan’s Life Points fell to 4,100.

“That’s it for now,” he said, as it moved back to Defense Mode.

Stan’s eyes narrowed as he drew a card.

“I summon The Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode,” he stated, placing a card down.

The one-eyed Spellcaster in colorful clothes appeared, brandishing his cane. (1,500/1,600)

“Attack Spear Dragon!” he shouted. “Dark illusion!”

The Gentleman shot a blast of multicolored lights forward, eradicating Spear Dragon.

“Nice,” said Andy. “Too bad it was in Defense Mode.”

“I’ll end by placing a card facedown,” he said.

A facedown card appeared.

“This is intense,” muttered Raven. “All three of them are dueling with all their might, and none of them show any signs of tiring. It’s truly anyone’s game…”

“I know…” said Drake. “But someone’s gotta win…”

Francesca drew.

“I summon my second Swords Woman in Attack Mode,” she said.

She played a card, and another Sword Woman appeared. (1,500/1,600)

“And now I’ll have her attack The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave!”

Swords Woman leapt up, and slammed her sword into the Dragon that was crouched in Defense Mode…

Her Sword cracked in half, and the shard flew forward, striking Andy!

He cringed as his Life Points fell to 3,600.

Nuts, thought Andy. She’ll just do that again next round unless I can get rid of that Swords Woman…

“Penumbral Soldier Lady,” ordered Francesca, “attack the Illusory Gentleman!”

The Warrior lifted her sword.

“Activate… Negate Attack!” shouted Stan.

His Trap Card lifted, and Penumbral Soldier Lady was stopped cold.

“It’s your move, Andy,” said Fran.

Andy drew a card.

He looked at the Trap Card with a strange look…

He had never used this before, and now certainly wasn’t the right time…

“Uh, I’ll pass for this turn…” he said.

“Then I’ll move…” said Stan.

He drew.

Monster Reborn.

“Check this out…” he said.

He played the card.

“I play Monster Reborn, to bring back Mystical Elf,” he said.

Mystical Elf reappeared. (800/2,000)

“Next, I’ll sacrifice her and The Illusory Gentleman to summon Dark Magician of Chaos!”

The two Spellcasters vanished, and the powerful Chaos Mage appeared! (2,800/2,600)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-065.jpg

“And just by summoning him, I can retrieve one Magic Card from my Graveyard, and I choose, Monster Reborn!”

He took the card.

“And I’ll play it now, to revive Dark Magician Girl!”

Dark Magician Girl arose again! (2,000/1,700)

“And finally,” he continued, “I’ll play 1,000 Life Points to use my Deckmaster ability, and use Monster Reborn again!”

His Life Points fell to 4,000, and Cybernetic Magician arose! (2,400/1,000)

“He played Monster Reborn three times in a row?” gasped Wanda.

“And summoned three powerful Monsters,” added Chico. “Looks like we have a winner…”

“Dark Magician of Chaos,” ordered Stan, “attack Penumbral Soldier Lady! Chaos scepter blast!”

The Chaos Mage spun his staff, and slammed it into the ground! Penumbral Soldier Lady screamed before she was eradicated.

Fran’s Life Points fell to 2,900.

“Dark Magician Girl, take out Amazoness Swords Woman!” he shouted. “Dark burning attack!”

Dark Magician Girl fired, and Swords Woman was blown to pieces!

Stan’s Life Points fell to 3,500, but he barely cared.

“Cybernetic Magician, destroy The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave! Cyber magic blast!”

Cybernetic Magician blasted his beam of energy, blowing the defensive Dragon into pixels.

“It’s your move, Francesca,” he said.

[B]* * * * * * * * *

“Well, this duel is practically decided,” said End. “Stan has three powerful Monsters on his side of the field, and both Andy and Fran have nothing… summoning something that could even take out Dark Magician Girl is going to be very hard.”

“I’ve gotta admit,” said Peten, “this looks like Stan has it cold…”

“And that means Stan will face the Queen,” said the Amazon. “Ironic… One master of magic against another…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Francesca drew a card.

I don’t have many Monsters left, she thought, and not much at all that can stand up to them…

“Command Knight in Defense Mode…” she said.

Command Knight appeared, crouching in Defense. (1,200/1,900) –> (1,600/1,900)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/CT1-EN003.jpg

“Over to you, Andy,” she said.

Andy drew a card.

“Mirage Dragon, in Defense Mode,” he said.

He played the card, and the golden Dragon of Light appeared. (1,600/600)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/RDS-EN027.jpg

“That’s all I can do…” he said.

Stan drew a card.

“I summon Gemini Elf in Attack Mode,” he said.

He played the card, and the two elf twins appeared. (1,900/900)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-SE1.jpg

“Now, let’s get down to business,” he said. “Gemini Elf, take out Mirage Dragon.”

The two elves shot a barrage of lightning bolts, and the Dragon shattered.

“Dark Magician Girl, attack Command Knight.”

Dark Magician Girl blasted her scepter, and Command Knight shattered.

He paused. He looked sadly at his two friends…

They were completely unprotected, and his Battle Phase wasn’t over. He wanted to end his turn now… But there was truth in what Francesca had said.

“All right,” he said. “Dark Magician of Chaos, you take Andy. Cybernetic Magician, Francesca is yours…”

Dark Magician of Chaos cast his dark spell. Andy screamed as the powerful direct attack hit him.

Cybernetic Magician cast another spell, and Francesca cringed…

When the smoke cleared, Andy had 800 Life Points left, and Francesca had 600.

“That’s it for my turn,” said Stan.

Francesca drew.

Only one Monster to defend with, she thought. Stan will win on his next turn regardless…

I could take Andy out, but I promised not to gang up… I won’t break that promise…

She played a card.

“Amazoness Fighter in Defense Mode…” she said.

Amazoness Fighter appeared, crouching in defense. (1,500/1,300)

Andy drew.

“I play Pot of Greed…” he said, playing the card.

The jar handed him two cards.

Hey… he thought.

“I summon Red Eyes Black Chick…” he said, playing a card.

The small, red egg appeared. The small Dragon poked its head out of it. (800/500)

The Shadow Queen got up.

His combo… she thought.

“And now I sacrifice it… for Red Eyes Black Dragon!”

The Chick vanished, and the adult Red Eyes appeared, and roared! (2,400/2,000)

“And finally,” continued Andy, “I’ll sacrifice it too, to summon Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!”

Red Eyes grew and mutated, forming into the huge, darker-than-night Dragon!

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SD1-EN001.jpg

Images of both Luster Dragons, The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave, Twin-Headed Behemoth, Spear Dragon, Mirage Dragon, Red Eyes Black Chick, and Red Eyes Black Dragon appeared behind it…

(5,100/2,000)

“Whoa, this changes everything!” shouted Drake.

“Attack Dark Magician of Chaos!” shouted Andy. “Diabolic fire blast!”

Red Eyes Darkness Dragon shot forth a blast of dark fire, and Dark Magician of Chaos was burnt to a crisp!

Stan shielded himself as his Life Points fell to 1,200.

“I’ll end with one card facedown…” he said playing a card.

A facedown card appeared.

“Heh, heh,” said Stan. “Have you forgotten about Cybernetic Magician’s ability, Andy? This duel isn’t over…”

He drew a card.

“You couldn’t be more wrong, Stan!” said Andy. “It most certainly is over! I activate my Trap Card…”

His facedown card lifted.

[I]”Last Turn!”

You gotta be kidding… thought the Shadow Queen.

The whole arena started to shake!

“Here’s how it works,” said Andy. “First, all cards on the field and in our hands are destroyed except one Monster on my side of the field of my choice, and I choose my Dragon!”

Gemini Elf, Dark Magician Girl, Cybernetic Magician, and Amazoness Fighter all shattered!

“Then you both Special Summon any Monster you haven’t summoned yet. Then, Life Points don’t matter any more. Our three Monsters fight to the death, and whoever’s Monster is the last one standing wins the duel!”

Stan and Francesca paused.

Stan kind of wished he hadn’t taken Buster Blader out of his deck now…

…but since he had, Andy had them cold. Without Magic and Traps, no Monster they had left could defeat his Dragon.

“Well, Stan,” said Francesca. “We might as well go out with a bang…”

Stan nodded.

They threw cards on their Disks. Guardian Angel Joan and Sorcerer of Dark Magic appeared…

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-087.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MOV-EN002.jpg

Joan blasted forth her burning light… The Sorcerer fired his celestial blast… And the Red Eyes shot forth his stream of dark fire…

The three blasts met, and a huge explosion covered the whole arena!

When the fires died down, Sorcerer of Dark Magic and Guardian Angel Joan were burned, battered, and on their knees. They collapsed, and shattered. Red Eyes Darkness Dragon roared, and spouted flame!

“The winner,” shouted Alphonse, “by means of Last Turn, Andy Markova!”

Everyone in the balcony applauded.

Sydney walked up.

“Congratulations, Andy,” she said, “you dueled admirably…”

Andy gave her a look.

“Yeah,” said Francesca. “That was the best duel yet!”

She came up behind Andy.

“Go get her, baby…” she whispered.

“Now rest, everyone,” said Sydney. “In two hours, the Battlemaster will appear, and it will be time for Andy’s final challenge!”

Indeed, thought Andy. And it’s a challenge I intend to win…

Then this nightmare will be over, and you’ll pay for everyone you’ve hurt…

…with interest…

The Shadow Queen walked out of the room.

Well, it has been decided, she thought. Andy has won the contest, so I will face him first…

And once he is disposed of, the other two should be easy.

This might even be enjoyable…

She took her true deck from her pocket and looked through it.

I haven’t commanded these beasts into battle for quite awhile, she thought. Only those worthy of facing my true deck will ever face it…

But they are the heirs of the Three Heroes, so they fit the profile.

And soon they will see the power of my Divinity Deck.

[B][I]Coming up next:

At long last, Andy faces the Shadow Queen!

Can he defeat what may be his greatest foe?

Stay tuned for “Shifting Shadows”, coming soon.

Master of Paradox

2nd March 2006, 12:31 PM

Dragon decks seem to have a thing for Last Turn, don't they? Kaiba used it against Noah, Peter used it in Lady of Dragons, and now Andy's used it. Odd. (Okay, Kaiba doesn't strictly count as a Dragon deck, but given how he's so focused on the Blue Eyes, he's at least honorary.)

Well, what is there to say? The Three Heroes went at each other with what can only be called restraint. Given how meaningless the results were (because you'd have to be crazy to end the story before all three of the group got a turn against the Shadow Queen), this chapter ended up working pretty well.

And I was counting the paragraphs before Trial of the Princess showed up.

Given that, as mentioned before, the entire story seems aimed at pitting all of the Three Heroes against Her Majesty, odds are good Andy's solo effort won't turn out so well...

Silencer

2nd March 2006, 12:32 PM

I was rooting for Andy to tell the truth. Dark Magician decks have been used in EVERY SINGLE fic (atleast yours) and are starting to get boring. I never really liked the amazones anyway and dragons just rule ^^.

Perfect Chaos

2nd March 2006, 12:36 PM

I see...

So Andy is the one who will take down the Shadow Queen. I REALLY thought that Stan was going to be the one. Ah well, the end of the story is nearing and I can't wait until the final chapter is posted.

By the way, many kudos to for actually being able to do this three-way free-for-all duel. It must've been extremely difficult for you to write this chapter, having to remember what cards each player had and their Lifepoints and everything.

-Sean

Master of Paradox

2nd March 2006, 12:43 PM

Mega Horny

2nd March 2006, 01:31 PM

well done, i was on my toes that whole match, but I had a feeling Andy would win.

Given that, as mentioned before, the entire story seems aimed at pitting all of the Three Heroes against Her Majesty, odds are good Andy's solo effort won't turn out so well...

Still, I completely agree with MoP's theory and cannot wait for the next installment.

Blademaster

2nd March 2006, 01:43 PM

So, it all comes down to this...

Andy against the Shadow Queen...

Props to me for being right about the three-for-all duel, but that's not important right now.

The Shadow Queen called her true deck 'Divinity.' What could that mean... Divinity... Divine... A god is divine...

...The highlight of the Queen's deck is... a god of shadows?

Considering what DS has told me before, I know what it isn't... Ha Des would be too predictable... Zorc has been done...

...!

No... it couldn't be!

...Oh, Hell, if I'm right (for once)...

...Then our heroes' quest may be over...

Shuppet Master

2nd March 2006, 02:06 PM

Well, I haven't read my messages yet, but if that deck has what I think it has, I'll be impressed.

I was surprised to see Trial of the Princesses(yes, it's called "Trial of the Princesses", but I won't go against Brian), and I was surprised Princess Curran appeared first. If I bet money, Princess Pikeru is not far behind. (And before you ask, don't. Brian will kill me ifI spoil anything else.)

Andy won, that's nice. Dragon cards are my favorite. ;) Anyways, good work Brian. Didn't expect Last Turn, but considering how things were going, Andy wanted to end the duel ASAP.

Meowth

2nd March 2006, 04:29 PM

can't wait for the next chapter, it should be a smash!

Master of Paradox

2nd March 2006, 05:58 PM

...The highlight of the Queen's deck is... a god of shadows?

Considering what DS has told me before, I know what it isn't... Ha Des would be too predictable... Zorc has been done...

...!

No... it couldn't be!

...Oh, Hell, if I'm right (for once)...

...Then our heroes' quest may be over...

There's only one god of shadows I can think of that wouldn't require serious canon-breaking to use.

Well, actually, I can think of two.

Both would qualify it to be a "Divinity Deck"... and both are very, very unpleasant.

Mega Horny

2nd March 2006, 06:12 PM

....Two?....OH! I see! This will be interesting if my hunch is right....

Mystic_clown

3rd March 2006, 03:07 PM

A pretty impressive duel dude, although, it would have been a lot more interesting if they had gone all out. I know they made a promise to eachother, but we really can't tell who's the strongest unless you give it your all, which they didn't.

It doesn't take a genius to know this won't end well for Andy.

Pokemasterkatie

4th March 2006, 12:34 PM

Sorry for the leave of absence, but I made an idiotic mistake which cost me my computer(in other words, I killed the hard drive). I had to get a new one.^_^;

Nice duels while I was gone(ooh, Red-Eyes!), and excellent Triple Threat final.:) But I've been practicing my dueling game-wise, and I might just PM DS about a couple of cards that would be great in my fan-submit deck...

Dark Sage

8th March 2006, 02:33 PM

[B][I]So, it’s finally come to this… Me versus her…

I’m facing the greatest duelist of Monster Island, the Queen herself.

I don’t expect this to be easy. In fact, I expect it to be anything but easy.

But I will try my hardest to win… Only if I can will this nightmare finally be over…

[size=3][B]CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR

Shifting Shadows

“So, Andy is the one dueling her?” muttered Peten.

“Yeah…” answered the Amazon.

There was a long pause.

“This might be our last hope, people,” said The End of Anubis. “Those kids have conquered every trial, every test… But if they fail this one, we may be prisoners forever…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

In the lounge, Andy nervously shuffled his deck, over and over again. He had put back his Enchanted Cards and his Companions, and he hoped that they would be enough.

“What’s he worried about?” Wanda asked Francesca.

“Everything…” mumbled Francesca.

Finally, Sydney came in.

“Andy,” she said, “you may come to the arena now. Everyone who desires to watch can go to the balcony, as usual…

“Except for Francesca and Stan. I want them to come to the arena itself to get a closer look.”

“How come they get special treatment?” said Raven, as she headed for the balcony stairs.

“Beats me,” said Drake.

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

As Stan and Francesca stood at the edge of the arena, Andy walked to the center, where Sydney stood.

“One moment, Andy,” said Sydney, “the Battlemaster will be here shortly.”

“Sydney,” he answered, “we are duelists, people of action. Lies and deceptions do not become us…”

Sydney’s eyes narrowed.

“Therefore,” said Andy, angrily, “I demand you show everyone who you truly are!”

Sydney grinned, and her eyes glowed red…

“Well, if you insist…” she hissed, as her form melted away.

The tall and coldly beautiful form of the Shadow Queen arose, looking down upon Andy!

“Good lord!” shouted Wanda.

“She’s the one!” said Chico. “The blight on this island!”

“So…” said the Queen. “It is down to you, and it is down to me. My servants have failed, so I must use my own hands.

“And once I have personally dealt with the three of you, I will at last be free of this accused dungeon!

“And I will do it here, in the exact same room where the battle with the Three Heroes occurred, one thousand years ago…”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” said Andy. “Now get your deck ready, because I’m going to finish you off.”

A Duel Disk appeared on the Shadow Queen’s arm, and in a burst of blue fire, her deck appeared in her hand. She placed it in her Disk, and it activated.

“Good luck, Andy…” whispered Francesca. “We’re right behind you…”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Merlee was outside the Thousand Year Door.

He looked up at the sky…

Storm clouds started to form, and the sky started to grow dark…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Andy and the Queen stood apart from each other.

“Now, choose your Deckmaster,” ordered the Queen.

“I’ve already chosen him,” said Andy. “Come forth, Lord of Dragons!”

In a flash of light, the draconic sorcerer appeared.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SDK-041.jpg

“Interesting…” said the Queen. “He’s a dead ringer for the man who I fought in this very chamber, so long ago… The burns from his pets’ fire didn’t fade for weeks…”

“What do you want me to do about it?” answered Andy. “Cry?”

The Queen scowled.

“Well then…” she said. “Here’s mine…”

She raised a card, and the giant, intimidating form of Cosmo Queen appeared.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MP1-002.jpg

“Uh…” muttered Wanda. “Neat hat…”

“Now, Heir of the Dragon Master,” said the Queen, “prepare, for this is the last duel of your life!”

The Life Point counters rose to 8,000 and the Disks activated.

The Queen’s necklace glowed with unholy light, and a shadowy fog covered the arena!

“What’s this?” asked Wanda.

“Be careful, Andy…” whispered Francesca.

“Since it’s only fair,” said the Queen, as they drew their first hands, “I’ll let you go first…”

“Fine!” said Andy, drawing a sixth card.

He looked at it.

“I’ll first summon an old friend in Attack Mode,” he said. “Cave Dragon!”

He played a card, and the elderly, wingless Dragon appeared. (2,000/100)

“And then I’ll use my Deckmaster ability,” he said, as his Life Points fell to 7,500, “to also summon Twin-Headed Behemoth!”

He played another card, and the two-headed, winged Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

“Make your move…” he said.

“It would be my pleasure…” said the Queen, drawing a card.

She added it to her hand.

“First, I believe I will play… Pot of Greed.”

She played the card, and the jar appeared, handing her two more cards.

“Now that I’ve done that, I will summon Witch of the Black Forest,” she said.

She played a card, and with a cackling noise, the black-robed sorceress appeared. (1,100/1,200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SKE-020.jpg

“Next, I will play a Magic Card,” she stated, “a powerful one called Tribute Doll!”

She played the card, and it appeared.

“This card allows me to sacrifice a Monster to Special Summon a seven star Monster from my hand. So I will bid adieu to my Witch…”

Dark tentacles reached out of the card, and consumed Witch of the Black Forest.

“And I choose to summon a beast who was crafted in the fires of the Celestial Forges! Come forth, Emes the Infinity!”

A huge shape rose up. It was a mechanical being, made of gold and silver, with six arms clutching a sword, shield, and rod. Instead of legs, it had a serpentine trunk. (2,500/2,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/DBT-EN001.jpg

“A seven star Monster on her first turn?” said Raven, with a shudder. “She doesn’t fool around!”

“Yes, and a very dangerous one at that,” affirmed Chico. “Fortunately, she can’t attack with it right now, since she summoned it with Tribute Doll… But unless Andy can summon something better, that won’t matter.”

A card slipped out of the Queen’s deck, and she took it.

“Since I sent my Witch to the Graveyard, her effect lets me search for a Monster with low Defense,” she said. “And with that, I end my turn…”

Andy paused.

He nervously drew a card.

“I’ll just move both my Monsters to Defense Mode and end mine…” he said, turning his cards.

The two Dragons crouched in Defense.

“Very well,” said the Queen, drawing a card.

“First, I play a pawn…”

She put a card on her Disk, and a Kuriboh appeared. (300/200)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/MRD-EN071.jpg

“And then, she continued, “once again, I will play Tribute Doll!”

She played the card, and again the dark tentacles consumed Kuriboh.

“I’ll sacrifice it to summon… Zoa!”

A shadowy form rose, and a fiend with dark skin, hunched over on four legs appeared. It glared at Andy with an evil look. (2,600/1,900)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/TFK-001.jpg

“Good lord…” muttered Stan.

“In case you’re wondering, Andy,” said the Queen, “the theme of this deck is divinity. Servants and creations of the gods themselves, both celestial and infernal… Quite fitting for someone who will be a goddess herself one day, don’t you think?”

“I call it nothing more than a way to feed your ego…” replied Andy.

“Well soon see,” said the Queen, with an evil light in her eyes. “Emes… attack Cave Dragon with divine blade!”

Emes lunged forward, and cleaved Cave Dragon in half! The two pieces shattered.

“And by the way,” said the Queen. “When Emes destroys a Monster, it gains 700 Attack Points.”

The Monster’s Attack Score rose to 3,200.

“It’s your move…”

Andy drew a card.

“I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode,” he said.

He placed a card down, and the rocky, sleepy Dragon appeared. (1,300/2,000)

“That all?” asked the Queen, drawing a card.

“Well,” she said, “I’ve had enough of big Monsters for awhile… time for a smaller one… After all, sometimes the little creatures hide big talents…”

She placed a card on her Disk.

“I summon Imperia in Attack Mode.”

Before Andy could question what that was, a small, white lizard with a fur collar appeared. (500/500)

“And by summoning this creature,” she added, “I get to draw one card.”

She made a draw.

“Emes, attack Twin-Headed Behemoth!”

Emes charged forward, and cut the Dragon down.

Twin-Headed Behemoth regenerated. (1,000/1,200)

Emes the Infinity glowed, and its Attack rose to 3,900.

“Geeze!” said Wanda. “Does that thing have any limit?”

“No,” said Chico. “Hence the term ‘Infinity’.”

“Zoa, attack it again!” ordered the Queen. “Glimmer strike!”

Two shining sparks shot out of Zoa’s eyes, and Twin-Headed Behemoth shattered into pixels.

“Andy had better do something good on his next turn…” said Stan, “or she’ll hit him hard!”

Andy drew a card.

“I’ll place one card facedown,” he said, playing a card.

A facedown card appeared.

“And then I’ll sacrifice my Dragon for Des Volstgalph.”

The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave vanished, and Des Volstgalph appeared. (2,200/1,700)

“That will end my turn,” he said.

“No…” whispered Francesca. “She can attack him directly with Emes once Zoa is done with Des Volstgalph…”

The Queen drew a card.

“Well,” she said, “next I’ll summon… Yowie, in Attack Mode…”

Another small lizard appeared, this one brown, with six legs. (500/500)

“And by summoning him, it means you can’t draw on your next turn!” she laughed.

“Now, Zoa…”

“I activate… Burst Breath!” shouted Andy.

Des Volstgalph opened his jaws, and a wave of energy covered the entire field!

When the smoke cleared, all five Monsters had been vaporized.

“I suspected as much…” muttered the Queen. “Well, I’m ending my turn. Don’t forget, you aren’t allowed to draw.”

“I don’t care…” said Andy, putting a card down on his Disk. “Luster Dragon #1, in Attack Mode!”

The large, sapphire Dragon appeared! (1,900/1,600)

“Attack directly!” he shouted. “Sapphire flash blast!”

Everyone cheered, as the Dragon shot his ray, striking the Shadow Queen in the chest! She grunted and staggered back.

She sneered as her Life Points fell to 6,100.

“Go, Andy, go!” shouted Francesca.

The Queen drew a card.

“I place a Monster in Defense Mode…” she said, “and end my turn…”

A facedown Monster appeared.

Andy drew a card.

“I summon Spear Dragon!” he shouted.

The small, long-beaked Dragon appeared. (1,900/0)

“Attack her facedown Monster!” he shouted.

Spear Dragon fired his cyclone blast. A spherical, three-eyed creature appeared on the card…

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SDJ-019.jpg

“Sangan?” asked Andy, as the Queen’s Life Points fell to 4,800.

“Yes,” said the Queen, taking a card from her deck. “Thanks!”

Andy looked at her strangely as Spear Dragon moved to Defense Mode.

“Luster Dragon, attack directly!” he shouted.

The Queen cringed as she was hit by the powerful blast.

Her Life Points fell to 2,900.

“He’s winning!” shouted Francesca. “He’s winning!”

“Dunno…” muttered Stan. “This seems a bit too easy…”

The Queen took a minute to straighten her hair…

Then her eyes glowed with a red light.

“Are you through?” she asked.

“Yes,” answered Andy. “Your move.”

The Queen drew.

“I have to congratulate you for getting this far, Andy,” she said, “but I’m afraid this is as far as you get…”

“First I’ll take care of Spear Dragon. Why bother attacking it, when I can destroy it by playing a Magic Card… Shield Crush!”

She played a card, and Spear Dragon shattered!

“This card can destroy any Monster who’s cowering in Defense Mode…” she said with a chuckle.

“Now,” she said with a sinister voice. “I have a story to tell you…”

“A story?” asked Andy.

“Yes…” said the Queen. “Long ago, in the bliss of the Higher Planes, Shinato tried to create a consort for himself… But in his creation, chaos and evil polluted his work, and the creature he created was a vessel of pure destruction. Aghast, Shinato put her in chains, and locked her in his most secure prison.

“At the same time, deep in Pandemonium, the Terrorking Archfiend tried to create an heir. But he made a mistake, and the Fiend he created was so destructive, that he knew that if he was allowed to roam free, he would pose a threat even to the Archfiends. So the Terrorking imprisoned the creature in his dungeons as well.

“These two creatures of destruction were crafty, and often escaped to the mortal realm, where they were free to sow destruction on humans for a time, before their jailers found them and dragged them back to their prisons…

“Each one was well aware of the other, and they hated each other with a passion! They were polar opposites… The Yin and the Yang… But the Fairies and the Fiends knew that the two could never meet…

“For if that happened and the two met, the resulting battle would be so intense, that the mortal world would be destroyed…”

Continued…

Dark Sage

8th March 2006, 02:36 PM

Continued from last post:

“Scary,” said Andy. “But does this have any bearing on our duel?”

“Yes…” said the Shadow Queen. “I’m about to summon forth Shinato’s failed creation!”

She played a card.

“To summon either one of those two apocalyptic beings, you have to play the exact same card…

“To get it, I summon the Monster I got from Sangan… Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands!”

The ugly Fairy with a multitude of hands appeared. (1,400/1,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/IOC-088.jpg

“Now I can add a Ritual Magic Card from my deck to my hand…” she continued.

A card slipped out of her deck, and she took it.

“But it won’t be staying in my hand, because I’m using it! I cast the mighty Ritual… End of the World!”

“End of the World?” gasped Raven.

“That… doesn’t sound good…” muttered Drake.

“No, it sounds downright awful,” said Chico.

Angry clouds appeared over the arena, and thunder rolled…

“To cast this ceremony, I need to sacrifice exactly eight stars worth of Monsters,” said the Queen. “So, I’ll sacrifice Manju, and from my hand, Dark Elf…”

Dark Elf appeared beside Manju, and the two were struck by lightning!

“Now break your chains and descend from your prison…” chanted the Shadow Queen, “descend, mighty [B]Ruin, Queen of Oblivion!”

A tall form floated down from the clouds. It was a woman of sinister beauty, wearing a red dress and a tiara. She had white, floor-length hair and glowing red eyes. She held a wickedly bladed staff.

http://www.finalyugi.com/model/finalyugi/images/shadow-of-infinity-SOI/SOI-JP034.jpg

She grinned at Andy with an evil smile. (2,300/2,000)

“She kind of looks like me…” said the Queen. “But I’m much cuter…”

Chico rubbed his chin.

“This Ruin has only mediocre stats for an eight star Monster,” he mused. “Her effect must be quite deadly…”

“Indeed it is, Chico,” said the Queen. “Ruin, why don’t you show them? Attack Luster Dragon with Rod of Ragnarok!”

Ruin’s eyes glowed with fire… She aimed her staff, and fired a beam of blazing light! Luster Dragon howled in pure agony, and was reduced to bones! Then the bones shattered!

“Now…” laughed the Queen, “attack Andy directly!”

Ruin fired another blast, and Andy screamed as it hit him squarely in the torso!

He fell to his knees, as his Life Points fell to 4,800.

Smoke rose from his body as he clutched his sides in pain…

Of all the hits he had taken in Shadow Games, that one was the worst…

“In case you haven’t realized it yet…” said the Queen, “Ruin can attack a second time, so long a she destroys one Monster first…”

“That… hurt…” muttered Andy.

“It’s supposed to hurt!” laughed the Shadow Queen.

She smiled sweetly.

“Want a hint on how to defeat Ruin?” she said. “Don’t look her in the eye!”

It was too late… Andy already had…

And what he saw in them was pure evil. This creature didn’t want to hurt him – she wanted to kill him.

Andy started to get up…

He stumbled and fell.

Then he pulled himself up and staggered to his feet.

“It’s my move…” he groaned.

He drew a card.

“I’ll place a card facedown…”

A card appeared in front of him.

“…and summon Divine Dragon Ragnarok in Defense Mode.”

The wispy, gaseous Dragon appeared, curled up in Defense. (1,500/1,000)

The Shadow Queen drew a card.

“Heh, heh,” she said. “Names mean nothing. My Monster is the true spirit of Ragnarok!”

She pointed.

“Ruin, attack…” she started.

“I activate Threatening Roar!” shouted Andy.

His Trap Card lifted, and the great beast roared, causing even Ruin to cringe!

“Fine,” said the Queen, looking at the card she had just drawn.

This might be good for later, she thought.

“You’ve bought yourself one turn, no more.”

Andy drew.

“One turn is all I require!” he said. “I sacrifice Ragnarok, to summon Luster Dragon #2!”

Ragnarok shattered, and the huge, emerald dragon appeared. (2,400/1,400)

“All right!” shouted Wanda. “His Monster’s Attack is higher than hers!”

“Just enough!” said Chico with a smile.

“Luster Dragon…” ordered Andy. “Attack the Queen of Oblivion! Emerald flash blast!”

Luster Dragon blasted a spout of green energy! Ruin screamed, and was blown to pixels!

The Shadow Queen’s eyes narrowed as her Life Points fell to 2,800.

“This duel might as well be over,” said Andy. “Your best Monster has just been blown to Kingdom Come!”

The Shadow Queen paused.

“Heh, heh, heh,” she said. “HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!”

“Uh, Francesca?” said Stan. “Maniacal laughter is never a good sign…”

The Queen drew a card.

“Whoever said that was my best Monster, Andy?” she laughed. “I’ve got lots more where she came from…

“And now I’m going to do us both a favor, by playing Card of Sanctity!”

She played the card, and a flash lit up the arena, and coins fell from above.

She drew four cards, and Andy drew two.

“Now then, Andy,” she said, “We’re going to play a little game…”

“A game?” he asked.

“Yes,” said the Queen, “and it starts with this Magic Card called Educated Guess.”

She played a Magic Card. It looked like a nutty professor at a blackboard covered with equations.

“Here’s how it works,” she said, going to her deck. “I take any Monster from my deck that I want.”

She took a card from her deck.

“Then, you have to guess whether its Attack Score is less than 2,000, or equal to or greater than 2,000. Guess right, and I have to remove it from play. Guess wrong, and it goes to my hand.

“So… It’s your call…”

“Uh…” said Andy.

“Should be easy…” said Raven. “He’s got a fifty-fifty chance…”

“I’d say it’s even easier,” said Wanda. “Why would she waste such a card on a weak Monster?”

“Take as long as you like, Andy,” said the Queen. “I have the time…

“After all, I’ve been waiting one-thousand years… I can wait a few more minutes…”

Her eyes glowed.

Andy started to sweat.

That card is likely a key to her strategy… he thought. I can’t blow this…

“Calm down, Andy!” said Francesca. “Focus!”

“Why do you think it’s called Educated Guess, Andy?” asked the Queen. “You have to make an educated guess based on how well you know me… Would I use this card to search for a weak Monster, or a strong one?”

Wait… thought Andy. If it were weak and were important, she would have used Sangan to search for it!

“I believe…” he said.

Everyone looked.

“…that its Attack Score is greater than 2,000!” he shouted.

“Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh…” laughed the Queen.

She flipped the card around.

The Monster’s Attack – and Defense for that matter – were zero.

Everyone groaned.

“I don’t know what that Monster was,” muttered Francesca, “but it sure was ugly…”

“Well, I did see that it was an Effect Monster,” said Stan. “Andy will have to watch out.”

“Now,” said the Queen. “I’ll place two cards facedown…”

Two facedown cards appeared.

“And then I’ll place one Monster facedown… in Defense Mode…”

A hidden Monster appeared.

“And I await your next move…”

Andy drew and looked at his hand.

That weird Monster she has obviously has a deadly flip-effect, he thought. But what am I worried about? I have Nobleman of Crossout right here! I’ll nip her plans in the bud!

He played a card.

“I summon Koumori Dragon…” he said, playing a card.

The small, Dark Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

“And now…” he said, playing a card, “Nobleman of Crossout!”

Everyone cheered as the knight appeared, and stabbed into the card…

A Kuriboh appeared on the card, and shattered.

“What?” said Andy, surprised. “A Kuriboh…”

“Heh, heh, heh…” said the Queen.

“I said I was placing a Monster facedown in Defense Mode,” she said. “I never said it was the one I searched for.

“When one uses a card like the one I searched for, one must always be wary of Nobleman of Crossout… I figured you might use it, so I placed a decoy to protect it!”

“No matter!” shouted Andy. “Once I attack, you lose! Luster Dragon…”

“I activate both my facedown cards!” shouted the Queen.

Her facedown cards lifted.

“The first, everyone is familiar with…” she said.

The three Waboku emissaries appeared.

“The second is called Hyper Refresh. Since I have no Monsters on my side of the field, and my Life Points are lower than the combined Attack Scores of your two Monsters, my Life Points are doubled!”

Her Life Points shot up to 5,600.

“All right…” muttered Andy. “It’s your move…”

The Queen drew a card.

“I play Pot of Charity!” she said. “And I’ll remove Emes the Infinity from play to do so…”

Emes fell out of her discard slot, and a ceramic vase appeared in front of her. A spectral, woman’s arm reached out, and took three cards off her deck, handing them to her.

“Well, now that I’ve tricked you into wasting your Nobleman card,” she said, taking a card, “and you can’t have two copies in your deck, I’ll really set my secret weapon facedown in Defense Mode!”

She played the card, and a facedown card appeared.

“But I’m not done yet…” she said. “To protect myself, I’ll play Monster Reborn, to bring back my first Kuriboh…”

She played the card, and Kuriboh appeared.

“And next, the Magic Card, Multiply!”

Kuriboh vanished, and then four Kuribohs flew out of the card! (300/200 x4)

“By sacrificing my Kuriboh, I can create Kuriboh Tokens, on each vacant spot, in Defense Mode,” she explained. “And now it’s your move…”

“Be careful, Andy!” shouted Francesca.

Now why didn’t she resurrect her Queen of Oblivion? thought Andy.

He paused.

I have to do something, he thought, making a draw.

“Koumori Dragon, take out one Kuriboh!” he shouted.

The Dragon blasted fire, and one of the tiny Fiends was vaporized.

“Luster Dragon, destroy another!”

Luster Dragon shot his breath weapon, eradicating another one.

“I end my turn,” he said.

“HA, HA, HA!” laughed the Queen, drawing a card. “What’s the matter Andy? Are you scared?”

She looked at the card.

“I’ll place one card facedown…”

A facedown card appeared.

“And summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode…”

Mystical Elf appeared, kneeling in prayer.

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/SDY-001.jpg

“And it’s your turn…”

Andy gritted his teeth as he drew.

The Dragon’s Bead, he thought.

“I’m NOT scared!” he shouted.

“I’ll place one card facedown…”

The facedown card appeared.

“Luster Dragon, take out her Elf!”

Luster Dragon fired, and Mystical Elf was blown to pixels!

“Koumori Dragon, attack her facedown Monster!”

“Andy, NO!” screamed Francesca.

Too late…

As Koumori Dragon breathed fire, a hideous, red skull appeared on the card. It gave out a bone-chilling scream before it was smashed to bits.

“Heh, heh, heh, heh…” said the Shadow Queen.

She grinned.

“What you just destroyed was a very rare card called The Screaming Skull of Cytorrak,” she said. “Its effect can only be activated when it is attacked while in facedown Defense Mode, and when that happens, it becomes the ultimate searcher, so long as you can pay the price…

“Here’s how it works. I remove Monsters in my Graveyard from play, then add together their star levels…

“And then I can take Monsters from my deck whose total star levels equal the total of those I removed.

“So, I’ll remove Ruin, Manju, Zoa, and my original Kuriboh…”

Four cards fell out of her discard slot.

Then two cards slipped out of her deck.

“…and I’ll add these two Monsters to my hand…”

“Hold on a minute…” said Raven. “Ruin had eight stars, Zoa had seven, Manju had four, Kuriboh had one…”

She paused.

“Great McGonagall’s ghost! That’s twenty! Each of those Monsters she searched for are ten star Monsters!”

“Calm down, Raven,” said Chico. “If they can be Normal Summoned at all, she’d need to sacrifice a total of four Monsters to summon both of them, and those tokens don’t count.”

“Still your move, by the way…” said the Queen.

“Then I’m ending it…” said Andy.

The Queen drew a card.

“Then I’m activating my facedown card,” she said. “Non Aggression Area.”

The Trap lifted, and she discarded one card.

“I simply discard one card, and you are forbidden from summoning anything on your next turn. Clever, huh?

“I’ll end my turn there…”

Andy drew a card.

“Dragons, take out the last Kuribohs!”

The Dragons breathed fire and energy, and the two tokens were blown away.

“I end my turn,” said Andy, discarding his Grey Wing.

“Then, I draw…” said the Queen.

She drew a card.

She looked at it.

Perfect, she thought. This is just what I need to finish him…

Continued…

Dark Sage

8th March 2006, 02:39 PM

Continued from last post:

“I place one card facedown, and end my turn…” she said.

A facedown card appeared.

Andy hesitated.

He drew a card…

“Activate Trap Card!” shouted the Queen. “Feel the fury of… [I]Pyramid of Light!”

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

Merlee looked up, as the storm clouds thickened, and the darkness increased, covering the land with a thick blanket.

The Queen has tapped into a well of pure evil, he thought. Power that she has not dared call upon since she battled the Three Heroes. I fear that my protégé may soon be overwhelmed…

[B]* * * * * * * * * *

“Pyramid of Light?” gasped Andy, as a bright light glowed over the whole arena. “What does that do?”

“It allows me to summon two of the most powerful Shadow Beasts in existence!” laughed the Queen. “I simply pay 500 Life Points for each of them…”

Her Life Points fell to 4,600.

“And first, say hello to Andro Sphinx…”

A giant form appeared. It was a humanoid creature clad in a blue tunic, with sharp claws for hands, and a bestial face with a mane of golden hair. (3,000/2,500)

“…and his companion, Sphinx Teleia!”

Another creature appeared. This one was just as big, and had the body of a great cat, with grey fur, and small wings. She had the head of a beautiful woman with long, purple hair. She wore a chained leash. (2,500/3,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/EP1-EN002.jpghttp://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/EP1-EN003.jpg

Andro Sphinx growled and crossed his arms, and Sphinx Teleia smiled wickedly.

“Look at the size of those things!” shouted Drake.

“What are these creatures?” asked Wanda.

“Why do you always ask me?” asked Chico.

“I know what they are,” said Raven. “Trouble…”

“It’s still your move, Andy…” said the Queen.

Andy looked at the two huge behemoths who looked ready to swallow him whole…

He turned the cards on his Disk.

“I’ll move both my Dragons to Defense Mode…” he said, “and that will be all...”

He discarded his Spirit Ryu.

“Heh, heh,” said the Queen, drawing a card. “Not exactly the best idea, Andy…”

“Andro Sphinx, attack Luster Dragon!”

Andro Sphinx let out a fierce roar, and Luster Dragon shattered!

“Teleia, attack Koumori Dragon!”

Teleia’s beautiful face turned hideous, like the rest of her, and she pounced on the small Dragon, tearing it apart!

And Andy’s Life Points fell to 3,000.

“What?” said Andy, surprised.

“You seem stunned,” said the Queen. “Let me explain. When Andro Sphinx destroys one of your Monsters in Defense Mode, half of its Attack Score comes out of your Life Points. And when Teleia does so, half of its Defense Score is taken out of your Life Points. You can’t hide by keeping Monsters in Defense with these two around…

“Now make your move…”

Andy started to sweat even more.

If I get hit by a direct attack from one of those goliaths, it’s all over! he thought. Forget losing all my Life Points… This is a Shadow Game, and a blow like that… I don’t think I could survive…

He drew.

Only one chance… he thought. It will be risky, but…

“I play Spell Sanctuary!” he said, playing a Magic Card. “Now we each may take any Magic Card we desire from our decks, and add it to our hands!”

The Queen looked at him.

“Fine with me…” she said, taking a card from her deck.

“And the card I choose…” he said, “is Polymerization, which I’ll use to fuse the three Cyber Dragons in my hand to form… Cyber-End Dragon!”

The three Cyber Dragons appeared on the field, and then swirled together in a multicolored orb of light, finally emerging as the fierce, three-headed mechanical serpent! (4,000/2,800)

http://a248.e.akamai.net/f/248/5462/2h/everythingpokemon.safeshopper.com/images/ba0vt84e.jpg

Everyone started to cheer again.

“Next round,” said Andy, “your Sphinxes are dead…”

The Shadow Queen calmly drew a card.

“Oh, actually, I couldn’t agree with you more, Andy,” she said. “Would you like to know what card I got from your Spell Sanctuary?”

She showed him a card.

Heavy Storm.

“What?” said Andy. “All that will do is destroy Spell Sanctuary. It can’t hurt my Dragon…”

“Actually,” replied the Queen. “There’s another card on the field that it will destroy. Take a close look…”

Andy paused and looked on his side of the field…

Well, there was his Dragon’s Bead, which he had never had a reason to activate…

Then he looked on her side of the field.

Wait a minute… he thought.

“What the?” he said. “Your Pyramid of Light never left the field. It’s a Continuous Trap… What has it been doing?”

“What hasn’t it been doing?” asked the Queen. “Let me explain, Andy… The life forces of Andro Sphinx and Sphinx Teleia are tied to this card. If it is destroyed, well then, so are they…”

She fit the card into her Disk.

“Sorry, darlings, but it’s time to say goodbye…”

Before Andy could question this, a fierce wind ripped over the field. First his Spell Sanctuary and Dragon’s Bead shattered. Then the Pyramid of Light shattered…

The two Sphinxes let out an unearthly roar, and they shattered too!

“Okay, Queenie,” said Andy. “You want to tell me why you did that? Why the Hell would you destroy your own Monsters like some lunatic?

“I mean, aside from the fact that you are one…”

“Sticks and stones, Andy,” the Queen replied.

She smirked, as a thick fog started to rise…

“If you think those two were tough…” she said, evilly, “wait until you meet their dad…”

“Their dad?” asked Andy, in fear.

“Yes…” said the Queen. “However, the only way he can be summoned, is for both his children to be destroyed in the same instant!

“So now I pay 500 more Life Points to summon an even mightier creature from my deck… arise… Theinen the Great Sphinx!”

Her Life Points fell to 4,100…

From out of the fog, the biggest Duel Monster Andy had ever seen arose. Half-again as big as one of the other two, he was centaur-like in shape, with his upper body resembling Andro Sphinx with a larger mane, and his lower body resembling Sphinx Teleia, with much larger wings. His head had two faces – Andro Sphinx’s on the front, and Teleia’s on the back!

He let out an ear-splitting roar!

(3,500/3,000)

http://www.itstimetoduel.com/cardpictures/EP1-EN001.jpg

“Phew!” said Andy. “You had me worried there for a minute! That guy’s impressive, I’ll give you that, but Cyber-End Dragon has 500 more Attack Points.”

“Really?” said the Shadow Queen. “Well not for long. On the round Theinen is summoned, I can spend 500 Life Points again…”

Her Life Points fell to 3,600.

“…to raise his Attack Score by 3,000 for the rest of the round!”

Theinen’s Attack Score rose to 6,500!

“Attack!” shouted the Shadow Queen. “Primal roar!”

Theinen let out an ear-splitting roar, and Cyber-End Dragon exploded!

Andy fell on his back. His Life Points tumbled to 500.

He held his head in pain.

“So what will you do now, Andy?” asked the Queen, as Theinen returned to 3,500 Attack. “A mega-powerful Monster on my side, and one of your best was just blown to Hell!”

Andy looked at the three cards in his hand.

He closed his eyes and reached for his deck…

He drew a card…

“Go, Pot of Greed!” he shouted, playing it.

The jar appeared, and handed him two cards.

Yes! he thought.

“I summon Red Eyes Black Chick!” he shouted.

He put the card down, and the small egg appeared. The cute, baby Dragon crawled out of it. (800/500)

“And now I’ll sacrifice him to summon his dad!” he continued. “Red Eyes Black Dragon!”

The Chick shattered, and the huge form of Red Eyes appeared, hovering over the field.

“And next, I’ll sacrifice him, to summon my most powerful Monster… Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!”

Red Eyes grew and mutated, changing into the huge, fierce, Dragon of Darkness!

“Uh, Francesca?” asked Stan. “I lost count… How many Dragons are in his Graveyard?”

“I’ll tell you how many…” said Andy with a smile. “Thirteen! And that makes my Dragon stronger… than it’s ever been before!”

(6,300/2,000)

A look of fear came across the Theinen the Great Sphinx’s face…

“Go!” shouted Andy. “Wipe out Theinen with diabolic fire blast!”

A blast of the most intense fire ever shot from Red Eyes’s jaws! The Great Sphinx roared in death throes, and then exploded, and the Shadow Queen was thrown back from the impact, landing at the feet of Cosmo Queen!

Her Life Points plummeted to 800.

Fires were burning all around the arena. The Shadow Queen looked up…

She got up and looked at Andy with a look of pure hate… Her eyes glowed intently…

“I’ll end by placing one card facedown…” said Andy.

A facedown card appeared in front of Andy.

“Your move…” said Andy. “And unless you have an Egyptian God Card in your deck, this duel is going to be over soon.”

And I mean it, he thought. My facedown card is Dragon’s Rage. No matter what she summons, with only 800 Life Points holding her up, she’s dead the next turn…

The Queen’s eyes glowed brightly with fire as she drew a card.

She stared at Andy for a few seconds.

“Very well, Andy…” she said in a more sinister voice than usual. “You’ve forced me to use my last resort maneuver… And reveal one of my darkest secrets…”

She paused.

“But to defeat you, I will reveal it… Even if it means showing my ugly side…”

She hissed, and Andy noticed that her teeth had now become fangs. She lifted her right hand, and the nails on it were now sharp claws…

An aura of black flames surrounded her…

“I call my Deckmaster to the field,” she hissed. “Cosmo Queen, come forth!”

Cosmo Queen floated out to the center of the field. (2,900/2,450)

“That’s your last resort?” asked Andy. “Her Attack Score isn’t even half strong enough!”

“Perhaps you’d like to know her Deckmaster ability,” replied the Shadow Queen. “The power that I’ve been keeping hidden for so long. It’s an incredibly powerful one that can only be used if I summon her to the field!

“It’s called Dark Hunger! When she’s summoned, she devours the souls of every Monster in my opponent’s Graveyard, effectively removing them from play…”

Andy stared as his Disk started to shake, and phantoms of his Dragons started to fly out…

Cosmo Queen inhaled, and promptly swallowed them!

“And since I hate waste,” added the Queen, “for every Monster’s soul that she swallows, I gain 300 Life Points…”

Her Life Points went up to 5,900.

“But Andy, this ability had a side effect that even I couldn’t predict… Now your Graveyard has no Dragons in it at all… So take a look at your most powerful Monster now… It’s pathetic!”

Andy looked…

Red Eyes Darkness Dragon was at its base Attack… of 2,400.

“This duel is over, Andy!” hissed the Queen. “Cosmo Queen, attack with cosmic flux!”

Pure dark energy appeared in the giant Spellcaster’s hands…

“NOOOO!” screamed Francesca.

The powerful cosmic energy ripped forward, tearing the dragon to bits!

Andy fell to his knees, as his Life Points fell to zero.

“No… he lost…” moaned Francesca.

She tried to run to him, but the Queen raised her hand, and she was thrown back.

“Bitch…” said Andy.

He put the rest of his cards in his discard slot, and took his Duel Disk off his arm.

“What does it matter?” asked the Queen. “They’ll have their turns shortly. But don’t feel too bad, Andy. It was hard fought, and you…”

“Save it!” shouted Andy, hurling his Duel Disk behind him.

It landed at Stan and Francesca’s feet.

“Defiant to the end, aren’t you?” asked the Queen. “The Dragon Master was the same way. He refused to beg himself, even when he thought he was doomed…

“Anyway,” she said, “I’ll just dispose of you… And I’ll be one-third done.

“Make yourself comfortable… I’ll send your two friends to join you shortly…”

She placed a card in her Disk, and a gruesome claw burst out of the ground! It grabbed Andy!

“ANDY!” screamed Francesca.

“Stan… Fran…” moaned Andy. “Avenge me…”

Then, to the sound of the Queen’s laughter, he was pulled under…

IMPERIA (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Reptile/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 3
ATK: 500
DEF: 500
Card Description: When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned, draw one card.

YOWIE (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Reptile/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 3
ATK: 500
DEF: 500
Card Description: When this card is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned, your opponent skips his next Draw Phase.

Note: “Imperia” and “Yowie” were used by Gansley in the multi-part anime episode “Isolated in Cyber-Space”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

HYPER-REFRESH (Magic Card)

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of a shadowy figure, holding a bottle that shines with radiance. You can activate this card when you have no Monsters on your side of the field and the combined ATK of your opponent’s Monsters is greater than your Life Points. Double your Life Points.

Note: “Hyper-Refresh” was used by Joey in the anime episode “Down in Flames (Part Two)”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.

SHIELD CRUSH (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of the Millennium Shield being blasted to pieces. Destroy one opposing Monster in face-up Defense Position.

Note: “Shield Crush” is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was first used by Syrus in the “Yu-Gi-Oh GX” episode “Tag Team Trial (Part Two)”.

EDUCATED GUESS (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a comical professor in front of a blackboard full of equations. Take any Monster Card from your deck. Your opponent must guess whether the Monster’s ATK is less than 2,000 or greater than or equal to 2,000 (ATK scores rated as ? count as less). If he guesses right, remove the card from play. If he guesses wrong, add the card to your hand.

MULTIPLY (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Tribute one “Kuriboh” on your side of the field. Create a “Kuriboh Token” (Fiend/Dark/1 star/300/200) on every vacant space in Defense Position. These tokens cannot be used as Tributes for a Tribute Summon.

Note: “Multiply” is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was used by Yugi several times in the anime, using very different rules.

THE SCREAMING SKULL OF CYTORRAK (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 0
DEF: 0

Card Description: This card’s effect is activated when it is destroyed in battle while in facedown Defense Position. Remove Monsters in your Graveyard from play, and add their star levels together. Then, search your deck for Monsters whom the sum of whose star levels are equal to that of the sum of the Monsters who you removed from play.

”Cosmo Queen”: Spellcaster/Dark, Level 8, (2,900/2,450)

Deckmaster SA: Cosmo Queen has two Deckmaster abilities:

“Dark Hunger”: When the Deckmaster is summoned to the field, remove all Monsters in your opponent’s Graveyard from play. Increase your Life Points by 300 for every Monster removed from play.

“Immortality”: The Deckmaster cannot be destroyed by Magic Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster Effects.

[B][I]Andy has fallen…

But it may not have been in vain… One last battle remains… One last chance…

Coming up next, the conclusion to “Yu-Gi-Oh! The Thousand Year Door”!

A chapter that I just had to call, “Heart of Darkness”.

If you miss this one, I’ve got no sympathy for you…