What Quickplay Spell that can be used to destroy “Scapegoat” has the four Scapegoats on its artwork? If you said “Tornado”, you were successfully able to Name that Card!



My true name is not known to beings who are not at least equal to my own rank in the hierarchy of the Higher Plane. Humans and Duel Spirits call me Voltanis the Adjudicator.

I am known as the highest representation of Law among Duel Spirits. I would even have authority over Shinato, if by some tragic catastrophe, he would turn rogue. I have functioned as a judge in disputes whenever laws, treaties, and contracts among them have been broken. It is against my nature to brag, but of all the laws that govern the Twelve Dimensions, there are none that I am not aware of.

Still, I like to think of myself as a judge, and as such, I serve the law; it does not serve me. I know I must temper justice with mercy. I must take into account all mitigating factors in my decisions, and weigh every piece of evidence. And it isn’t my job to enforce the laws… It’s just my job to interpret them, and carry out their purposes.

As such, I know that there are exceptions to all rules, even this one…

Chaos and evil have poisoned the mind of a child of the Higher Plane… It is time I intervened…



CHAPTER FORTY-TWO



Vision




It was at the point of Erik’s duel where he was about to summon Air Fortress Ziggurat.

Below the computer room, in a dark chamber in front of a locked door, Marie the Fallen One brooded.

She nervously looked at the deck in her Disk again. She was planning to use it, and hopefully use it against Chelsea again. Even if the card that Daala had given her to put in it had made her uneasy.

A lot was going through her mind, however.

“I’ll say she ‘blew it’ a long time ago. The thing is, she never learned a very important part about redemption… Actively seeking forgiveness defeats the purpose of receiving it. Such a thing cannot be gotten… It can only be given…”

Why couldn’t she get those words out of her head? She didn’t want to believe them… But they had struck at her deeply, and held more meaning than anything she had perceived.

As she thought this, she was surprised as a shimmering portal started to appear in front of her. She slowly got up.

A familiar smell wafted from the portal.

Saffron and roses? Could it be?

She paused.

It was too much of a temptation for her. She had to investigate.

She walked into the portal. Nothing held her back.


* * * * * * * * * *



Marie emerged into a sight that she thought she would never see again. She was in a beautiful garden, with huge trees weighed down by ripe fruit, lovely flowers, and cool fountains in the distance, all under a sapphire blue sky. Clouds passed overhead, some of which had ancient temples perched on them.

“The Higher Plane…” she whispered. “I’m home…”

“Yes,” said a voice that was deep and commanding, “but only for a few minutes.”

Marie turned around startled.

Facing her was an intimidating figure, about eight feet tall. He (identified as male only by his voice) was covered in purple robes or armor (it was hard to tell which), and was faceless, except for a gemstone that suggested an eye. Behind him were two vast wings that seemed to be floating behind him, rather than attached to his body. He held a long scepter topped with a blue gem.

Marie’s eyes narrowed with an annoyed look as she looked up at Voltanis the Adjudicator.

“So why did you call me here?” she asked. “If you’re going to give me a lecture, I really don’t have time.

“If you’re going to arrest me for associating with Daala, then just do it.”

“I will do neither,” replied Voltanis. “Though maybe I should do both. You think that I’ve given up on you, Cassandra, but I haven’t. However, I’m nearing that fine line.”

Marie sighed. It had been so long since anyone had used her actual name. “Cassandra” was her Fairy name, and she wasn’t allowed to use it as a Fiend.

She looked at him.

“I know about that special card in your deck…” said Voltanis.

“Let me guess,” replied Marie, “you’re going to tell me that if I use it, my last chance will be gone forever.”

“On the contrary, just the opposite,” replied Voltanis. “Soon, those mortals will be coming to meet you. You will challenge Chelsea again, and I want you to do everything in your power to use that card against her.”

Marie looked at him.

“Is this some sort of joke?” she asked.

“Have you ever known me to joke?” asked Voltanis.

He held up his hand.

“Now begone.”

Marie was lifted off her feet, and thrown back through the portal. She fell on her behind, back in the dark chamber.

She slowly got up as the portal vanished.

“Why would he tell me to…” she asked.

She thought for a minute.

“Oh, I get it!” she exclaimed. “Reverse psychology, right? Well, sorry, but I’m not gonna fall for that.”

She looked at the deck.

“You made a big mistake, your honor. If you try to punish me for using this card, I’ll have the perfect excuse…”

She started to sweat.

Deep down, she knew that there was more to this than that…


* * * * * * * * * *



The team, now five again, walked down a stairway, Erik supporting Sam who was still rather weak.

“How you holding up?” he asked.

“Where’s Hiroki?” she muttered.

“We’ll worry about him later!” exclaimed Yumi. “Don’t even think about going after him right now!

“He beat you good, Sam, and you’re in big trouble! You lost that duel… I don’t know if Joan can protect you anymore, and Daala might just be biding her time before she decides to come get you…”

“Anyone know where Vita went?” asked Ren.

They all looked around. The masked woman had apparently vanished again.

“Man, you gotta be a magician to keep her around for longer than a few minutes,” said Chelsea.

Then, as they reached the bottom of the stairway, they stopped short.

Marie was crouched down on the floor, holding her knees to her chin, watching them enter with a solemn look.

She quickly got up.

“I knew you’d come,” she sighed. “I didn’t have much faith in Leichter’s ability to hold you back…”

Yumi looked at the locked door behind her.

“So, are you the jailer, Marie?” she asked.

“Well, sort of,” replied Marie. “Daala told me to watch the prisoners until you got here, so that makes me the jailer by default, I guess…

“But you’re free to liberate them… I just want a rematch.”

Chelsea looked at her.

“Oh, really?” she asked. “Without your Deck Lord Power? It won’t be as easy without it.”

“The advantage is yours if you think so,” said Marie. “Just let me duel you again, and once it’s over, one way or another, no matter where you go in the Twelve Dimensions, I’ll never bother you again.”

Chelsea looked at her.

Something is wrong, she thought. When we last met, she was cruel and merciless. Now, she’s uncertain of herself… In fact, she seems a little scared. What happened between now and then?

“Chelsea, maybe we should think this thing through…” said Yumi. “Maybe I should duel her…”

“Don’t worry, Yumi,” replied Chelsea. “I beat her once, I can do it again.”

She stepped up and faced the fallen angel.

“Let’s do this.”

Both Disks activated.

“Game on!” they shouted.


(Chelsea: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Marie: 8,000)



Chelsea made one draw.

“I summon Zombie Werewolf,” she said.

Zombie Werewolf appeared, and let out an angry snarl when he saw Marie. (1,200/1,200)

“I end my turn.”

“What’s Chelsea doing?” asked Ren. “That’s the same opening move she made last time.”

“Well, there’s a chance Marie won’t have Banisher of the Radiance in her opening hand…” replied Erik.

Marie drew a card.

“I summon Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei,” she said.

She played the card, and a hulking creature appeared in a burst. It was a tall, muscular brute, wearing a breastplate and helmet, with the lower body of an ape. (2,300/0)

HUH? thought Chelsea. That’s no Counter Fairy!

She looked at Marie.

“Change decks, Marie?” she said with a small laugh. “And he isn’t as intimidating as he seems. I happen to know that he has to move to Defense Mode after he attacks, and his Defense Score is a big zero.”

“I end my turn,” said Marie.

So then she isn’t going to attack, thought Chelsea. She’s using him as an offensive wall…

She drew a card.

“Zombie Werewolf moves to Defense Mode,” she said.

Zombie Werewolf knelt, and crossed his arms.

“Then I’ll set another Monster in Defense Mode.”

A facedown Monster appeared.

“And that’s all.”

Marie drew a card.

She added it to her hand and took another one.

“I summon Goblin Attack Force,” she said.

She played the card, and a small squad of five goblins, dressed in leather armor and helmets, carrying clubs appeared. (2,300/0)

“Another high-Attack Score Level Four Monster?” asked Erik.

“I play a card facedown, and end my turn,” said Marie.

A facedown card appeared.

Yumi looked at the two Monsters.

Marie is clearly planning something, she thought. Just what, I have no idea.

Chelsea drew a card.

She set a new Monster in Defense Mode.

“That’s all,” she said.

Marie drew.

Her hand shook as she looked at the card. She had seen the card before when looking through the deck, but that was only when Daala had told her to use it. Now, both Daala AND Voltanis were telling her to do so.

Two opposing forces wanted her to use this card… And she really didn’t know the reasons behind either of them. Daala had simply told her that it was instrumental to her plans, and that it would be a potent weapon against the rebellion. Why then, did Voltanis want her to use it?

She added it to her hand and chose another one.

“I, uhm, I summon Zombyra the Dark,” she said.

A dark portal appeared, and a powerful form flew out of it. It was a dark, costumed superhero in black, wearing a skull-like mask and a cape with a high collar. (2,100/500)

“Something wrong, Marie?” asked Chelsea. “I’m beginning to think that you’re not all into this.”

“I’m completely into this!” shouted Marie. “Nothing has changed at all! I’m still going to beat you and cast you and your accursed Monsters into the fiery bowels of Hell!”

“Yeah, yeah,” chuckled Chelsea, drawing a card. “’Bowels’? A little too high on the melodrama there, Marie…

“I’ll just play a facedown, and end my turn.”

A facedown card appeared.

Marie quickly drew.

“Here’s a guy you’d remember,” she said. “Majestic Mech – Ohka!”

She played the card, and the radiant, celestial lion appeared. (2,400/1,400)

“Ohka, attack the facedown Monster on the left!”

Ohka opened its jaws, and bright flames appeared in them.

“Go, Trap Card!” shouted Chelsea. “Widespread Ruin!”

Her facedown card flipped up, and Ohka exploded into a burst of colored lights.

Marie put her hand on her hip.

“Well, that was pointless,” she said. “Ohka would have been gone when I ended my turn anyway.

“And since you used that Trap Card…

“Zombyra, you attack.”

Zombyra flew at the facedown Monster, and Vampire Lady appeared on the card. He punched her hard, and she shattered.

Zombyra groaned, and his Attack Score fell to 1,900.

“Goblin Attack Force, attack the other facedown Monster!”

The small squad charged, and Blood Sucker appeared on the card. The goblins pummeled it with their clubs, and it shattered.

“Take the last one, Lei Lei!” ordered Marie.

Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei snarled. He dropped to all fours, and rushed at Zombie Werewolf, tackling it and blowing it to pieces.

“I use his effect,” said Chelsea. “I get to summon a stronger one.”

A second Zombie Werewolf appeared in Defense Mode. (1,700/1,200)

Goblin Attack Force sat on the group and started to drink from wine flasks. Lei Lei slumped over and fell asleep.

“I set down two more facedown cards, and end my turn,” said Marie.

Two more facedown cards appeared.

Chelsea drew a card.

“I summon a second Vampire Lady,” she said.

She played the card, and the sultry vampiress appeared. (1,550/1,550)

“I activate a Trap Card,” exclaimed Marie. “Threatening Roar!”

One of her facedown cards lifted, and a roar echoed over the field.

“Okay, fine,” said Chelsea. “I’ll leave Zombie Werewolf in Defense Mode then… You still can’t switch those two guys to Attack Mode next turn.”

“I don’t intend to,” said Marie, drawing a card.

She quickly added it to her hand.

“I sacrifice my three Monsters…” she said.

Lei Lei, the Goblins, and Zombyra vanished. A windstorm started to pick up in the room.

Everyone was startled as that terrible sound echoed through the chamber… The neighing of that demonic horse.

“YOU, Marie?” asked Chelsea. “You have the fourth Horseman?”

Marie nodded.

“And here she is,” replied Marie. “Death, the Pale Horseman!”

As the creature appeared, it became clear that the word “Horseman” may have been inaccurate. This creature was clearly female. It was a svelte woman with pale skin, dressed in a long, dark robe, low-cut in front, with a long cloak and hood. Her eyes glowed with pale light, and her face was emotionless. (2,500/2,500)

“Death is… A girl?” asked Yumi.

“Never even occurred to you, did it?” said Marie, with a nervous chuckle.

She looked at her Monster…

Then she was startled, as the lighting in the room suddenly dimmed. She started to see dark shadows out the corners of her eyes.

She shook her head, trying to get the fog out of it.

“Now I activate a Trap Card,” she said, as one of her two facedown cards lifted. “Skull Invitation. This inflicts 300 points of damage on a player whenever a card goes to her Graveyard.”

“You sure you want to do that?” asked Chelsea. “The same applies to you, you know.”

“I’m well-aware,” said Marie. “Death, attack Vampire Lady!”

The Pale Horseman simply lifted her finger, and it glowed with pale light. She made a quick slash, and Vampire Lady gasped in shock, right before she was sliced in half. Her remains shattered.

The Skull Invitation card glowed, and Chelsea groaned.

“Now I activate my other Trap,” said Marie, as her last facedown card lifted. “Desperate Battle. Now, my Monster can attack a second time, so long as I cut 1,000 Attack Points off her score.”

Death fell to an Attack Score of 1,500. She made the slash again, and Zombie Werewolf was cleaved in half.

The Skull Invitation card glowed again, hurting both of them this time.

“I summon my third one,” said Chelsea.

A third Zombie Werewolf appeared. (2,200/1,200)

“I end my turn,” said Marie, as Death rose to an Attack Score of 2,500 again.

She looked around nervously. She could see those mysterious shadows clearer now, and it was clear that no-one else in the room could see them. What were they? They weren’t any tricks of lights…


(C: 6,450) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,700)



Chelsea drew a card.

It was Vampire Lord.

All right! she thought, looking at her hand. I have Vampire Genesis too… She has no facedown cards… Now I can end this before it begins…

“I sacrifice Zombie Werewolf to summon Vampire Lord!” she shouted.

Zombie Werewolf vanished, and the tall vampire appeared. She cringed as Skull Invitation glowed again. (2,000/1,500)

“Now, I remove him from play, to summon Vampire Genesis!”

Vampire Lord vanished, and the huge, muscular vampire deity appeared. (3,000/2,100)

“Yes!” shouted Ren.

“Destroy the Pale Horseman!” ordered Chelsea. “Crimson shroud!”

Vampire Genesis collapsed into the burning, red cloud, and flew at Death…

Death and Marie grunted, but the Horseman only staggered back a little. Genesis reformed and fell to his knees.

“Death cannot be destroyed in battle,” said Marie. “Your Monster, however, won’t be so lucky…”

Chelsea gasped in surprise as Vampire Genesis shattered into pixels.

“Any Monster that so much as touches the Pale Horseman pays with its life,” said Marie.

Chelsea groaned as Skull Invitation glowed again. She took another card from her hand and played it.

“I play Symbol of Heritage,” she muttered.

Zombie Werewolf appeared on the field, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,200/1,200)


(C: 5,850) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,200)



Marie drew a card.

The shadows around her were starting to take shape… They started to form eyes and limbs. She tried hard to ignore them.

“I summon Des Wombat,” she said.

Most folks who didn’t live in Australia didn’t know what a Wombat was. As far as facts went, it was a quadruped, herbivorous, burrowing marsupial that resembled a rodent about a meter long with sharp claws and large teeth.

This Monster looked pretty much like its real-world counterpart, but was much larger. It looked at Chelsea and her Monster with a very curious expression. (1,600/300)

“With this critter on the field,” said Marie, “all effect damage to me is reduced to zero.”

“Meaning you don’t take any damage from your own Skull Invitation, right?” asked Chelsea.

Marie nodded.

“Not to mention the fact that it’s stronger than your Werewolf,” she replied.

Des Wombat scurried over and charged Zombie Werewolf, headbutting it in the chest. The Zombie shattered. Chelsea groaned as the Trap Card glowed again.

“Death, attack her directly,” ordered Marie.

Chelsea stepped back in horror as the Pale Horseman loomed over her. She reached over with one hand and simply grabbed Chelsea in the face. Chelsea screamed as an unearthly chill tore through her…


(C: 2,750) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,200)



“ERK!” gasped Marie.

She gripped her stomach.

What had happened? It was almost as if Death had attacked both of them. She felt like someone… No, several someones had clawed at her.

Then she noticed that the room around her was smoldering, like hot coals. And the shadows had taken fiendish forms. They were looking at her with evil smiles.

Had they attacked her just then?

“Chelsea…” she muttered. “Can’t you see them?”

Chelsea looked at her.

“See what?” gasped Chelsea, still a little winded from Death’s attack. “Just finish your move so I can think of a way to bring this thing down.”

Marie looked nervously at the two cards in her hand.

She placed one in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.

“I end my turn,” she said.

Chelsea drew a card. She looked over the four cards in her hand.

“I set two cards facedown, and then play Mirage of Nightmare,” she said. “That will be all.”

Two facedown cards and the Mirage Card appeared.

“No Monsters?” shouted Ren. “She’s toast!”

Marie quickly drew.

The smoldering coals had now turned into fires. The shadowy demons were chuckling at her.

“I get to draw three extra cards now,” said Chelsea.

She made three draws.

“Fine…” said Marie. “Three-hundred won’t help you…

“Death, attack directly again!”

Death loomed over Chelsea again.

“I activate Red Ghost Moon!” shouted Chelsea.

Her Trap Card flipped up, and she discarded The Kick Man from her hand.

Marie’s hand went for her Disk to trigger her own Trap.

Then she paused.

A sinister voice reached her ears.

“G’wan!” it chuckled. “It couldn’t be easier!”

Marie saw who had spoken. The shadows had spoken for the first time.

She quickly changed her mind.

The harvest moon appeared over Chelsea, and the Pale Horseman was stopped short. Chelsea glowed with energy.

“Now, Emergency Provisions!” exclaimed Chelsea. “I’ll send Mirage and Red Ghost Moon to the Graveyard to gain 2,000 more Life Points!”

The two cards vanished, and she glowed with energy again.

“That move may have cost me 1,200 Life Points due to Skull Invitation, but I gained 4,500, for a net gain of 3,300.”

“Chelsea always gets A’s in math,” laughed Ren.


(C: 6,050) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 7,200)



Marie cringed again, as she felt another claw scraping at her, in the buttocks, no less. She nervously took another card from her hand.

“I’ll set a Monster in Defense Mode, and then you go,” she said.

A facedown Monster appeared.

Chelsea drew.

Marie looked around. The fires around her had turned into an inferno full of choking smoke, and the shadows had completely taken shape. Terrible, horrible shape…

She knew… She now knew exactly what it was she was seeing…

“Time to defeat Death,” said Chelsea. “I play Call of the Mummy.”

She played the Spell Card.

“Now, I summon your old friend… Come on out, Penelope!”

In a flash of light, the Lady of the Night appeared, brandishing her staff. (1,000/200) –> (4,200/200)

She glowed. Call of the Mummy and Skull Invitation shattered. Then Marie’s facedown Trap Card lifted and shattered.

“HUH?” shouted Yumi, when she saw what it was.

“What?” shouted Ren.

“She could have…?” exclaimed Erik. “She didn’t?”

“She’s crazy!” exclaimed Sam, who had recovered a little.

Chelsea looked at Marie.

“Why…” she started.

“I’ll tell you if Penelope manages to defeat Death,” replied Marie. “If she can, I’ll know that I made the right choice…

“But I don’t know if she can… If Penelope simply attacks, I’ll take some damage, but Death’s effect will kill Penelope.”

Chelsea took another card from her hand.

“I play Monster Reborn!” she shouted. “I’ll raise Majestic Mech – Ohka from your Graveyard!”

In a flash of light, the ankh appeared, and Ohka appeared next to Penelope. (2,400/1,400)

“Now, I remove both Monsters from play…”

Penelope and Ohka vanished into grains of light.

“To summon Penelope, the Divine Avenger!”

The shining portal appeared, and with a majestic flourish, Penelope’s other self flew out, her wings spread, and her sword aloft, radiating divine light. (2,800/2,500)

The shadowy demons around Marie howled in fright…

“She gains Attack Points equal to Ohka’s Attack Points…” said Chelsea.

(5,200/2,500)

“And, one card on the field is annihilated!”

The Pale Horseman showed emotion for the first time, as Penelope lifted her sword. She screamed as the Divine Avenger’s blade made a slash, cutting her in twain.

The shadowy demons around Marie dissolved into nothing, the flames died down, and the lights came back around her.

“I still have her normal attack,” continued Chelsea. “Attack Des Wombat with avenging blade”

Penelope struck the Beast with her longsword, and Des Wombat was smashed to pieces. Marie didn’t even flinch.


(C: 6,050) - - - - - - - - - - (M: 3,600)



“Now talk, Marie!” shouted Chelsea. “You had Solemn Judgment set! You could have stopped me from summoning Penelope! Heck, you could have stopped me from activating Red Ghost Moon! You threw this duel, and I want to know why!”

Marie sighed.

“I had a good reason,” she said.

She paused.

“Chelsea… As a fallen angel, my ultimate goal is to win my way back to Heaven. I had pretty much consigned myself to the fact that I wouldn’t be able to do so…

“Daala gave me that card, thinking I might hate you enough to use it effectively… But the evil Spirit inside of it reacted with the curse placed on me by Voltanis in a way that not even Daala could have predicted.”

“How?” asked Chelsea, opening her eyes wide.

Marie sighed again.

“As I said, the goal of a fallen angel is to regain Heaven,” she said. “That card was giving me… a vision.

“It was showing me a vivid look at the alternative…

“And it scared me…”

She looked Chelsea in the eye.



Continued…