Yu-Gi-Oh! The Thousand-Year Door (Act One)

[Dark Sage]

Greetings duelists and anime fans!

You might remember me from my “Yu-Gi-Oh Junior” fanfics.

Now, welcome to “Yu-Gi-Oh! The Thousand-Year Door”.

First, some words on the rules of the game in this fanfic.

Most of the rules of the actual game are in effect. Duelists start out at 8,000 Life Points. One sacrifice is needed to normal summon a Monster of five or six stars, two for more stars than that.

Unlike my other fics, players do NOT lose Life Points when a Monster is destroyed via a means other than battle (in most cases).

Like the anime, Fusion Monsters have to wait a turn before attacking. Ritual Monsters require both a Ritual Magic Card and a Monster Card. Some anime effects are in play as well – others are not. You’ll just have to see.

Take, for example, the effect of “Card of Sanctity”. This fic will be using the more powerful anime effect, which allows each player to draw until they have six cards in their hands. The real card is much less powerful – its effect is as follows: You discard your hand and all cards you have on the field, and then draw two cards. As you can tell, this is situational at best, and worthless at worst. However, we’ll be using the anime version.

Also, a little word on the setting. This takes place in the same universe as the anime, but appearances by anime characters will be minimal. The time is shortly after the Doma Arc.

Also, like my previous fic, this fic is rated PG-13. However, it is not due to religious connotations.

And I’ve added a new feature that wasn’t in my previous fics. See if you can notice it.

Also, I am asking all readers to review! Reviews slacked off recently in my last fanfic, and I ask you, don’t be shy.

With that in mind…

Let’s begin!












[size=3]

Yu-Gi-Oh!


The Thousand-Year Door



[color=blue]By Brian “Venusaur” Corvello

[B][size=3]PROLOGUE

The years haven’t been kind to me. And I’ve got the wrinkles to show it. I should have even more. I’ve lived a lot of years.

Who am I? My name isn’t important yet. Maybe you’ll find out later. But I’ve got a lot of stories to tell.

Here’s an interesting one… Let me tell you the story of The Thousand-Year Door…

See, five thousand years ago, Egyptian kings and nobles played a deadly competition, drawing on a mysterious place called the Shadow Realm. They used powerful magic and ferocious beasts to strike down their enemies. These Shadow Games got so dangerous, they threatened to turn into a war that would rip the world apart!

And it would have – were it not for a brave Pharaoh. He crafted the seven powerful Millennium Items, to halt the Shadow Games, and end the evil practice once and for all.

At least, that was what they were supposed to do… Things don’t always go as planned.

You see, over the aeons, unsavory folk have tried to use Shadow magic on their own – some more successfully than others.

A little over one thousand years ago, someone became very successful. Her name is forgotten, maybe even to herself. Let’s refer to her by what she calls herself now – the Shadow Queen.

Her origins are unclear – some say that she was as much demon as she was human. Her powers over sorcery were unmatched, and she had used foul rituals and unholy bargains to make herself practically immortal.

The Shadow Queen’s goal was world domination, and she wielded the might of powerful Shadow Games. Using magic and monsters from the forbidden Realm, she would leave foes groveling at her feet, begging for mercy.

And they got none from her. She wouldn’t kill them either. The fate she had for her enemies was far worse. She constructed an extradimensional prison which she called The Graveyard, and would simply banish her defeated foes there. With her enemies safely entombed, they were out of the way, and her empire grew.

This went on for years. More kingdoms were conquered, their rulers becoming buried in The Graveyard and their subjects cowering under the merciless Shadow Queen.

Eventually, she built herself a grand palace of her own, situated on an island in the middle of the Atlantic. Built into the side of a mountain, this fortress was the stuff of nightmares to anybody who visited. She ruled from this dark Palace of Shadows, where howls of demons and fell creatures echoed throughout the chambers.

Of course, thoughts of rebellion were on the minds of all the countries whom she had enslaved. But what were they to do? Who could stand up to this tyrant who had defeated the most powerful warriors already?

It was then that three saviors appeared from three corners of the globe. Some say they were gathered together by a mysterious wizard whose identity was known only to them. These three heroes knew the ways of Shadow themselves, and boldly went to confront the Shadow Queen. Confront her they did – in her own Palace.

The battle was long and hard. For days, the evil queen clashed with the three heroes. Monsters were summoned from portals and were blasted to oblivion by each other.

Finally, the Shadow Queen fell. Defeated.

But for all their might, the heroes could not kill the Shadow Queen. She was far too powerful. Instead, they managed to cast a powerful spell that would turn her grand palace into a magical prison.

Having done that, they left, leaving the Shadow Queen sealed behind the grand doors of her palace, a captive of it, hopefully for eternity.

It is said that on an island somewhere in the mid-Atlantic, you can find a huge door built into a mountainside. This is The Thousand-Year Door. Behind it lies the Shadow Queen’s prison, where she will hopefully remain.

Hopefully.

But as I said, things do not always go as planned.

For one thousand years, the immortal Shadow Queen has one thought on her mind – escape. Through her servants, who are not as imprisoned as she is, she has become active in the outside world, gaining information, and adjusting to the modern era. And now, after ten centuries, she has found an escape clause in the spell that holds her prisoner.

It reads as follows: If she or servants working for her can defeat the blood heirs of her three jailers in a fair fight, she will be freed.

And she will escape to start her reign of terror once more.

Now, after years of planning, her goal is within reach.

Her prey is within sight.

Anyway, that’s my story. Call it a tall tale if you want, but I’m sticking to it.

Oh, by the way…

Do you like to play Duel Monsters?

* * * * * * * * * *

New York City.

Madison Square Garden.

Right now, it was hosting the Big Apple Duel Monsters Tournament.

Final round.

On one side was a boy named Stanley Mason. He wore a jean jacket and blue jeans, and a Yankees cap on backwards. His long brown hair was tied in a short ponytail.

He had 2,000 Life Points remaining, and on his side was Blast Magician. (1,400/1,700)

On the other side was a boy names Patrick Malta; he had 1,500 Life Points remaining, and his side was clear.

However, it was his turn.

“Make your move, Pat,” smiled Stan. “Send out another one of your Machines so I can junk it!”

“Yeah, I’m moving!” growled Patrick.

He drew a card from his Disk.

“I play my Pot of Greed!” he announced, plugging a card into a slot.

The evil jar appeared in front of him, and two cards popped out of the lid.

He made two draws.

“My Blast Magician thanks you,” smiled Stan.

“Huh?” said Patrick.

He looked, and saw that Blast Magician was absorbing the energy from the Magic Card!

He glared.

“I’ll place this Monster facedown in Defense and end my turn,” he said.

Stan drew.

Monster Reborn.

Don’t really need this now, he thought.

“I summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode!” he shouted.

He placed the card down, and the shadowy magician in bulky black robes appeared, carrying his steel staff. (1,900/1,700)

“Blast Magician,” he ordered, “attack his facedown Monster with blast attack!”

Blast Magician raised his sickle-ended blade, and it burned with fire! He shot forth a stream of flames at the facedown card!

“Ha!” laughed Patrick. “Always be wary of facedown cards, Stan!”

A Cyber Jar appeared on the card!

“NO!” yelled Stan.

Blast Magician and Skilled Dark Magician were sucked into the Jar, and it exploded.

“Now then,” smiled Patrick, “we both have to make five draws, and summon all the four-star or less Monsters we draw!”

“I know the rules!” growled Stan.

He made the draws.

“I summon Battle Footballer, and Cyber Commander, both in Defense Mode!” announced Patrick.

He set the cards down. First, an android in a football jersey and helmet appeared, crouching as if ready to receive a play. (1,000/2,100) Then a cyborg soldier in army fatigues, and a gas mask, with a rocket launcher on his shoulder, holding a rifle appeared. He knelt in Defense. (750/700)

Stan looked at the cards he had drawn. He had only one Monster he could summon – Apprentice Magician. His other four cards were Dark Magician Girl, The Sage’s Stone, Polymerization, and Miracle Restoring.

But a plan started to form…

“And I summon a Monster facedown in Defense,” he announced. “That will end my turn.”

“Great,” said Patrick, drawing.

He looked at his card.

“I sacrifice my Cyber Commander to summon my Machine King!” he exclaimed, putting a card down.

Cyber Commander burst into pixels, and a tall form arose. It was a huge robot covered with lights, gears, pistons, and gewgaws. (2,200/2,000)

“This mean Machine gains 100 extra Attack points for every Machine on the field,” he laughed, “including itself!”

(2,400/2,000)

“Now,” he said, “Machine King, blast his facedown Monster with photon beam!”

Machine King blasted a beam of energy out of its chest!

A female wizard in purple robes carrying a wooden staff appeared on the card. She cringed and was vaporized.

“You just killed my Apprentice Magician,” smiled Stan. “And when she’s destroyed in battle, I get to search my deck for a Spellcaster of two stars or less, and summon it in facedown Defense Mode!”

He took his deck and leafed through it until her got what he wanted. He placed it down on his Disk, and the facedown card appeared.

“Now I’ll just shuffle my deck…” he said.

He shuffled.

“And is that your turn?”

“Yeah,” grinned Patrick. “As if your Magician of Faith will do you much good…”

Stan drew.

“This isn’t my Magician of Faith,” smiled Stan. “Would you like to see who it is?”

He hit a command, and the facedown Monster flipped into Attack Mode. It was a gnarled old wizard in colorful robes, leaning on a large staff. (450/600)

“It’s my Old Vindictive Magician!” smiled Stan. “And when he’s flipped, he destroys one opposing Monster! Old Vindictive Magician, destroy his Battle Footballer!”

Old Vindictive Magician chanted a spell, and strange symbols appeared in the air. He thrust his staff forward, and black magic shot out, vaporizing Battle Footballer.

Machine King’s Attack went down to 2,300.

“You fool!” gloated Patrick. “You could have destroyed Machine King!”

“I have other plans for him,” smiled Stan. “Because now I sacrifice my Old Vindictive Magician for Dark Magician Girl!”

Old Vindictive Magician vanished, and beautiful music started playing. The gorgeous female sorceress appeared in a flurry of hearts. She smiled sweetly. (2,000/1,700)

“Nice try, Stan,” chuckled Patrick, “but your magical fairy isn’t strong enough!”

“Yes, she isn’t…” said Stan, ominously.

He took a card from his hand.

“So I’ll use this Magic Card,” he continued. “The Sage’s Stone!”

He threw it into a slot. A diamond appeared in the air, and Dark Magician Girl took hold of it. A light shone on the entire area…

“What does THAT do?” sputtered Patrick in fear.

“It let’s Dark Magician Girl summon her master from my hand or deck!” smiled Stan.

“Master? You don’t mean…” stuttered Stan.

Stan removed a card from his deck and threw it down on his deck.

:”That’s right,” he said. “Meet Dark Magician!”

The light coalesced into darkness, and the mighty Dark Magician appeared beside his protégé! (2,500/2,100)

“Dark Magician,” yelled Stan, “destroy Machine King with dark magic attack!”

Dark Magician aimed his staff and fired, blowing Machine King into scrap!

“Now, Dark Magician Girl, blow him a kiss!” he yelled, “with a direct attack!”

Dark Magician Girl giggled. She leapt up into the air and fired with her scepter! Patrick screamed and fell over, and his Life Points fell to zero.

The referee came up and held Stan’s hand up in the air.

“The winner of the Big Apple Duel Monsters Tournament is… Stanley Mason!” he proclaimed.

The crowd cheered.

* * * * * * * * * *

“Hmm…” said a voice.

In a dark room, a figure was seated on a throne, watching the action.

“You certainly have skill, Stanley,” said the figure. “Perfect strategy, perfect timing, good deck construction, the right amount of luck…

“And not just any duelist can properly wield the power of Dark Magician. My first spouse would commend you…

“…posthumously.

“Well, enjoy your award money while you can. As dark as your sorcerers are, things are going to get darker…”

[Dark Sage]

Boston.

The Civics Center.

Currently hosting the Annual Massachusetts Regional Duel Monsters Tournament.

Final round.

On one side was a boy named Thomas Ghelding. He had an Unshaven Angler (1,500/1,600) on his side of the field, and one card facedown. The Monster was a frightening thing – a fishlike creature with teeth the size of knives.

But his opponent wasn’t frightened. She was an absolutely gorgeous teenage girl. She had long, wavy blond hair, wore a red halter top, and a white leather jacket and miniskirt. Her name was Francesca Benedict.

Her side consisted of Amazoness Fighter (1,500/1,300), and Amazoness Paladin (1,700/300), whose Attack had been upped to 1,900 due to the presence of two Amazons.

Both of her Paladins wore skimpy clothing, but they clearly meant business. The muscular Fighter wore a blue bikini top and skirt, and had her hair was tied in a ponytail. The Paladin wore a white bikini top, skirt, and tattered cape, along with a gold tiara, and held a sword.

Francesca had 2,000 Life Points left, Tom had 4,900. Although she was losing, she was keeping cool.

And it was her turn.

“You think your little fish with the big bad teeth scares me, honey?” she mocked. “My Paladin could scale and gut it without half trying!”

“Yeah?” chuckled Tom. “Well why don’t you attack it and see what happens!”

Francesca looked at his facedown card.

My Life Points are low enough as it is… she thought. I can’t risk it…

“I end my turn,” she said.

She fell for my bluff! thought Tom.

He looked at his hand.

And I have almost all I need to finish her!

He drew.

“I play… Card of Sanctity!” he exclaimed.

He plugged it into his Disk. A bright blue light shone in the air above them.

“Now we both must draw until we have six cards in our hand!”

They both made their draws.

Yes! he thought.

“Now, I play Swords of Revealing Light!” he exclaimed.

He plugged the card into his slot, and a cage of swords rained down upon Francesca!

“That will keep you occupied for three turns!” he smiled.

“Big deal!” growled Francesca.

“And to finish my turn,” he said, “I summon Whirlwind Prodigy in Attack Mode!”

He put the card down, and a whirlwind appeared on his side of the field. A young boy in brown clothing surrounded by wind and a swarm of birds and bats formed out of the whirlwind. (1,500/1,600)

“All right,” said Francesca, drawing.

She smiled.

Mirror Force! This will shake him up.

“I’ll place a card facedown,” she said, plugging it into her slot.

The facedown card appeared.

“And now I’ll summon Amazoness Tiger!”

She placed another card on her Disk, and a fierce tigress appeared next to her two Amazons. (1,100/1,500)

“Not only does this lovable creature give my Paladin even more power…” smiled Francesca.

Amazoness Paladin’s Attack went up to 2,000.

“…but the Tiger gains 400 Attack points for every Amazon on the field, including herself!”

(2,200/1,500)

“Also, you can’t attack any Amazon except for her. Two more rounds, and you’re tiger chow.”

“We’ll see,” said Tom, drawing.

“For now I sacrifice my Unshaven Angler to summon the mighty Suijin!” he exclaimed.

He switched cards, and Unshaven Angler vanished. In its place rose a huge, watery creature with a demonic face and two powerful claws! A Japanese symbol was situated above its face. (2,500/2,400)

“WHAT?” gasped Francesca. “Wait… You cheated! You have to sacrifice two Monsters to summon Suijin!”

“Do I?” explained Tom. “When I use Unshaven Angler as a sacrifice, it counts as two Monsters so long as I use it to summon a Water Monster, such as Suijin! So my move was perfectly legal!”

Francesca frowned.

“So…” she said. “Aren’t you going to attack?”

“Not yet,” he smiled. “I can’t ignore your facedown card, and I can’t risk losing Suijin right now. So I end my turn.”

Francesca drew. She was getting nervous.

“I summon Amazoness Blowpiper in Defense Mode,” she exclaimed.

Another Warrior woman, this one armed with a blowgun, appeared. She wore her hair short, and wore a green bikini and leather boots with skull-like kneecaps. She sat in Defense. (800/1,500)

The Paladin’s Attack rose to 2,100, and the Tiger’s rose to 2,700.

“Now my Tiger is stronger than your water elemental!” exclaimed Francesca.

“True,” agreed Tom, “but if she attacks it, its special power will reduce her Attack Score to zero for that attack! And you’re still a prisoner of my Swords…”

“I know! I end my turn,” she responded.

“Lovely,” he said, drawing. “Now, remember that effect that Unshaven Angler had? Well Whirlwind Prodigy has the same effect, but it works for Wind Monsters! So I sacrifice him to summon… Kazejin!”

Whirlwind Prodigy vanished, and in his place appeared a bulky green creature with no head, another Japanese symbol on its front, and two large claws. (2,400/2,200)

Francesca didn’t like this. She could see where it was going…

“You’re move, darling,” said Tom.

“Don’t call me darling…” she growled, drawing.

“I pass this turn,” she said.

The Swords vanished.

“Excellent,” said Tom. “And now I play…”

He revealed the card to her.

“Graceful Charity!”

He plugged it into his Disk.

“I won’t insult you by telling you what this card does…” he said.

He drew three cards, added them to his hand. He quickly discarded two other cards.

“Now,” he smiled, “I’ll reveal my facedown card…”

He hit a button on his Disk, and the Trap Card revealed itself.

Call of the Haunted.

“You’re going to revive a Monster you just discarded!” gasped Francesca.

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Tom. “Did you figure that out yourself, or did somebody give you a strategy guide? Yep, that’s just what I’m doing… So meet Sanga of the Thunder!”

A huge green and gold torso with two huge claws and a Japanese symbol on the front with electricity sparkling all over it appeared next to the other two deities, and lightning struck! (2,600/2,200)

No! thought Francesca in fear. He managed to summon the whole Trinity!

“Now I’ll blow away your Trap Card, with Mystical Space Typhoon!” he exclaimed, throwing a card into a slot.

Dark winds whipped around the field, and Francesca’s Mirror Force was shattered!

“Now,” chuckled Tom, “I fuse all three of these elementals to form one of the mightiest beasts in the Duel Monsters universe!”

He slapped a card down on his Disk, and the arena darkened, and thunder started to roll. Suijin, Kazejin, and Sanga of the Thunder swirled into orbs of multicolored energy…

…and they transformed into a creature standing nearly twelve feet tall! It looked like a combination of all three deities, with huge clawed hands. It let out a bellowing roar! Some children in the audience screamed!

“Bow down before... the unstoppable Gate Guardian!” shouted Tom.

(3,750/3,400)

“Heh, heh,” laughed Tom. “I seem to remember you saying that I could only attack your Tiger. Well, no problem! Gate Guardian, attack her Tiger with dark storm of fury!”

Thunder and lightning flashed, and the three Amazons screamed as their pet was blown to atoms!

Francesca shielded herself from the blast, as her Life Points fell to 950.

“Not much left you can do,” mocked Tom, “except move your Amazons to Defense Mode and let me pick them off…”

Ooh, thought Francesca, This best be a good draw…

She drew.

She looked at the card.

“Well, Tom,” she said, “I must say I’m impressed. You must be quite a duelist to be able to summon a Monster like Gate Guardian. That’s the sort of power that my Amazons respect!”

“Why thank you,” smiled Tom.

“Too bad they have to destroy you now…” said Francesca, softly.

“They can’t!” yelled Tom. “Nothing you have can be that powerful!”

“Want a bet?” grinned Francesca. “First I have to activate my Blowpiper’s effect…”

Amazoness Blowpiper loaded a dart into her weapon and put it to her lips. She fired, hitting Gate Guardian in the chest with the dart! It roared!

“What’s the point?” sneered Tom.

“My Blowpiper’s poison dart can, once during my Standby Phase, lower any enemy Monster’s Attack points by 500 for the turn,” she responded.

“Big whoop!” he laughed. “So he has an Attack of 3,250 for this turn…”

“Now I’ll move her to Attack Mode,” continued Francesca.

She turned the card, and Amazoness Blowpiper stood up.

“And now I play a Magic Card,” she said. “Amazoness Spellcaster!”

She placed the card in her Disk, and an old female witchdoctor appeared behind Amazoness Blowpiper. She started chanting. The Blowpiper’s eyes glowed, and Gate Guardian glowed red. Energy flowed between them.

“What’s happening?” gasped Tom.

“Amazoness Spellcaster swaps the original Attack Score of one of my Amazons with that of an opposing Monster for the duration of the turn!” exclaimed Francesca. So now, Amazoness Blowpiper has an Attack of 3,750, while Gate Guardian has an Attack of 800, minus the 500 it just lost!”

“WHAT?” shouted Tom. “That gives it only 300 Attack points!”

“Exactly!” smiled Francesca. “So now that your ‘unstoppable’ Monster is basically a wimp, Amazoness Blowpiper, Attack that behemoth!”

Amazoness Blowpiper leapt forward, and delivered a savage kick to the great beast! It exploded in a burst of elemental energy!

Tom stared in disbelief as his Life Points tumbled to 1,450.

“Ugh…” he moaned. “I lost 3,450 Life Points…”

“You’re about to lose more,” smiled Francesca.

Tom looked up in fear at the other two Amazons on her side of the field…

“Tell you what,” said Francesca, “I’ll let YOU decide which one of these gals I’ll attack you with.”

“Uh…” stammered Tom.

“Come on,” smiled Francesca. “The Paladin or the Fighter? Fifteen seconds…”

The Amazons smiled.

Tom didn’t like the look of that Paladin’s sword…

“The… Fighter…” he stuttered, closing his eyes.

“Eh, suit yourself,” said Francesca, “but that was a poor choice. Amazoness Fighter, finish him off!”

Amazoness Fighter charged up and delivered a savage kick to Tom’s groin with her knee! He screamed and fell over.

A lot of people in the crowd cringed.

“That had to hurt…” muttered Francesca.

But truthfully, she always loved seeing that.

The referee came up and held Francesca’s arm in the air.

“The winner of the Annual Massachusetts Regional Duel Monsters Tournament is… Francesca Benedict!” he announced.

The crowd cheered.

* * * * * * * * * *

In the dark throne room, the dark figure watched.

The figure chuckled.

“Impressive, Francesca,” said the figure. “Your female army is potent… No wonder the dueling circuit calls you The Femme Fatale. You are a woman I can certainly admire…

“A shame, actually. In another place, at another time, we could have made great allies…”

The figure shook its head and sighed.

“But alas, that cannot be so. I’m sorry things must happen the way they must. I’ll tell you now, what will happen to you is nothing personal…”


Continued...

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:


Orlando, Florida.

The Disney World resort.

Currently hosting the Florida Regional Duel Monsters Tournament.

Final round.

On one side was a young girl wearing pigtails in her raven hair and an black dress. Her name was Ronda Belvins. She had Regenerating Mummy on her side of the field, its rotting form dripping holographic ichor all over her side. (1,800/1,500) She had 4,800 Life Points remaining.

On the other side of the field was a tall, muscular youth with short blond hair, dressed in a white tank top and a black leather vest and jeans. His name was Andy Markova. He had Masked Dragon on his side of the field in Defense Mode, and the reddish Dragon in an iron mask looked rather worried… (1,400/1,100)

Andy’s Life Points were at 2,400. He was losing, but in the midst of a duel, fear was unknown to him.

And it was Ronda’s turn.

“Regenerating Mummy,” she ordered, “Attack his Dragon with rotting blast!”

The Mummy shot forth a wave of pestilence, and the Dragon was disintegrated.

“I think that was your last Masked Dragon,” she chuckled.

“But its effect still lets me summon this,” sneered Andy, reaching for his deck. “Troop Dragon in Defense Mode!”

He put a card down, and three small Dragon-men holding swords appeared, crouching in Defense. (700/800)

Ronda growled. “Your move,” she pouted.

Andy drew.

“Now you’re in trouble, Rhoda,” he chuckled. “I sacrifice my Troop Dragon to summon Luster Dragon #2!”

The Dragon soldiers vanished in a gust of wind, and a huge emerald appeared. It burst, and a giant Dragon made of emerald gems appeared. (2,400/1,400)

“Luster Dragon,” demanded Andy, “rot that Mummy with emerald flash blast!”

Luster Dragon shot forth a blast of green light, and Regenerating Mummy was blasted into shards of rotting flesh!

Ronda cringed as her Life Points fell to 4,200.

“Make your move,” gloated Andy. “My Dragon is hungry!”

Ronda drew.

She grinned with her perfect white teeth.

“First,” she said, putting a card down, “I’ll play Monster Reborn, to bring back my Vampire Lord!”

A large coffin appeared on the field, and a creepy vampire with pale hair in a dark cloak stepped out of it. (2,000/1,500)

“Ugh!” snarled Andy in disgust. “I thought I took care of that creepy thing!”

He paused.

“Besides, he’s no match for my Luster Dragon…”

“He may not be strong enough,” smiled Ronda, “but I can now remove him from play to summon an even stronger vampire! Vampire Lord, I banish you!”

Vampire Lord was obliterated.

“And having done so,” she continued, “I can summon Vampire Genesis!”

A dark shadow appeared on the field, and a huge, muscular creature appeared. Resembling a cross between a Zombie and a Fiend, it had purple skin, a demonic face, and wore a spiked harness and a thick cape with spikes protruding from the edges of it! (3,000/2,100)

“And I’m activating his effect right now!” she laughed. “By discarding one Zombie from my hand, I can special summon a Zombie with fewer level stars from my Graveyard! So I’ll discard my Dark Dust Spirit…”

She discarded the card.

“And Andy, meet Vampire Lady… again!”

Another coffin appeared on the field, and a beautiful female vampire in a purple dress with green skin and an evil smile stepped out of it. (1,550/1,550)

“Now, Vampire Genesis, shatter his Luster Dragon with Wrath of the Undead attack!”

Vampire Genesis threw back his arms, and shot forth a wave of unholy energy! Luster Dragon was blown into green pixels!

Andy’s Life Points fell to 1,800.

“Vampire Lady,” she laughed, “attack Andy directly, with vampire’s kiss!”

Vampire Lady made a motion as if to blow Andy a kiss, and a wave of dark energy shot forward from her mouth! Andy cringed and fell to his knees.

His Life Points were now at 250.

“Ugh,” he groaned. “Actually, that was better than a lot of my dates…”

“You know what happens now,” giggled Ronda. “You have to discard a card from your deck! I think… a Trap Card!”

Andy got up and skimmed through his deck. He took out Burst Breath and discarded it.

Then he reshuffled it and put it back in.

“Make your move,” she said sweetly.

He looked at his hand.

I have one of the cards I need for my killer combo, that would get me out of this, he thought, but it isn’t much good without the other two…

He drew.

“I play Graceful Charity!” he said, placing the card into the slot.

He drew three cards and looked at them.

His eyes narrowed.

He made two discards.

“Watch this…” he started.

“I summon Red-Eyes Black Chick in Attack Mode!” he announced.

He put a card down. A small red egg appeared in front of him, and it slowly hatched. A tiny Dragon’s head poked out and chirped. (800/500)

“You gotta be kidding…” laughed Ronda.

“I’m not half done!” exclaimed Andy. “When I summon this little guy to field, I can immediately sacrifice him for… Red Eyes Black Dragon!”

He put another card down, and the small hatchling started to grow, until it grew into full-grown adult Dragon size! (2,400/2,000)

“Red-Eyes Black Dragon?” exclaimed Ronda. “Where’d you get a card that rare?”

“That’s quite an interesting story,” smiled Andy. “Remind me to tell you some time.”

“Yeah, well, fat lot of good it’ll do you,” chuckled Ronda. “He’s hardly a match for Vampire Genesis!”

“I’m still not done!” exclaimed Andy. “As rare as this card is, I have an even rarer one! When Red-Eyes Black Dragon is on the field, I can immediately sacrifice it for a beast called Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon!”

He put another card down, and Red-Eyes grew even bigger, becoming even darker and becoming more fiendish! His eyes glowed with a feral red light! (2,400/2,000)

“That’s an improvement?” asked Ronda.

“Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon gains 300 extra Attack Points for every Dragon in my Graveyard!” exclaimed Andy. “And counting the two Dragons I used to create it, there are twelve of them!”

(6,000/2,000)

“Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, attack Vampire Genesis with dark inferno blast!”

The Dragon belched forth a blast of dark fire, and Vampire Genesis was incinerated! Ronda screamed, as her Life Points fell to 1,200.

“Okay,” smiled Andy, taking his last card. “I’ll place a card facedown, and that will be all for my turn.”

Ronda shivered as she drew…

“Disappointed with your draw, Ronda?” mocked Andy.

Ronda turned the card on her disk.

“I’ll shift Vampire Lady into Defense Mode,” she said, “and that will be all.”

Vampire Lady knelt.

“You lose, Ronda,” grinned Andy, drawing.

“Huh?” she said, shaking.

“I activate the Trap Card, Dragon’s Rage!” shouted Andy, as his Trap lifted. “This card gives all my Dragons the ability to damage your Life Points even when your Monsters are in Defense Mode!

“Now, Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, destroy her Vampire Lady and the rest of her Life Points!”

Red-Eyes blasted forth its dark flames, and Vampire Lady screamed. She was blown out of existence, and Ronda was thrown backwards from the blast! Her Life Points fell to zero.

The referee came up.

“And the winner of the Regional Duel Monsters Tournament is… Andy Markova!” he announced.

The crowd cheered.

A weight was lifted off Andy shoulders, as the “tough-guy” persona faded.

Phew, he thought. Wonder if there’s still time to go on Space Mountain today?

* * * * * * * * * *

As usual, someone was watching in a dark room.

“Ugh,” said the figure in disgust. “Dragons. Vile, unpleasant, dirty, smelly, disgusting creatures. Of all the Monsters they threw at me, I hated them the worst. It took me a year for the burns alone to heal…

“You think you’re so special because your Monsters are so powerful, don’t you Andy? Well, there are stronger things. Nothing is indestructible. I should know.

“You’ll learn it the hard way…”

At that point, a light flashed.

“Enter,” said the figure.

Another figure entered and knelt.

“All the preparations have been made, sire,” he said. “The invitations are on their way, and Monster Island is ready to receive the guests.”

“Has everything been double-checked?” asked the figure on the throne.

“Yes,” was the reply.

“Then do a triple-check,” commanded the figure. “Everything must be perfect.

“After all, I’ve spent years preparing for this, and I won’t tolerate imperfections…”

The figure rose off the throne, and lifted an object off of an ornate table…

A Duel Disk.

“Soon,” muttered the figure, “it will all be over…”

She turned back to her monitors.

“I feel sorry for them, I truly do…”

She slid the Disk onto her arm.

“But it’s either them… or me…”




[B][color=gold]Coming up next:

Introductions have been made, now we get serious.

Stan, Francesca, and Andy get letters that lead them on a journey to a strange locale that promises a friendly competition and a free vacation, but when they get their, odd things start already. Be here for Act One, and Chapter One, “Doorway to Destiny”, coming soon.

[Dark Sage]

[I][B]You may have heard of a guy called Yugi Mouto. The greatest Duel Monsters duelist in the world. Most people would agree to that point. (Well, except maybe Seto Kaiba…)

He’s made a lot of achievements – he won the Duelist Kingdom tournament, and the Battle City tournament.

I’ve won quite a few tournaments too, but of course, they were all chump change compared to what he’s done.

Who am I? Well, um…

I’m his apprentice…

Well, truthfully, not really. We’ve never really met, but I like to call myself that. He inspired me to use his two favorite Monsters to create a Spellcaster-themed deck. And I hope to meet him someday…

But the important thing is, I’ve finally been invited to a major tournament myself. And should I go far in it, my dream of meeting my idol may become closer to reality.

My name is Stanley Mason, and I’m sixteen years old.

And it’s time to take the Battle Ox by the horns.


[size=3][b]

YU-GI-OH!

The Thousand-Year Door

ACT ONE



CHAPTER ONE


Doorway to Destiny

Miami.

Sunday evening.

Andy was still feeling sick as he got home, carrying his luggage in one hand, and his tournament trophy in the other.

He had learned one important lesson about Disney World:

It was as follows:

If you’re going to ride the Whirling Tea Cups, don’t eat until after you do so.

“’Happiest Place on Earth’, they say,” he grumbled, “more like the noisiest, most nauseating, most sugary, and most overrated.”

As he walked in, his kid sister was parked in front of the television, and the distinctive sound of old Loony Tunes cartoons were on.

“A burglar could waltz in here and steal everything we own,” he mumbled, “and if cartoons were on, you wouldn’t notice.”

“I would so if he took the TV,” she mused. “Hi, big brother… You won again, huh?”

“Yeah,” replied Andy, “and I wish you’d have come to watch me!”

“I already told you,” she shuddered, “Duel Monsters scare me…”

Andy sighed. This all went back to the time she watched him compete in his first tournament. He had taken a direct attack from a Dark Necrofear, and the blow had knocked him down for a few seconds. Trisha had been freaked out by it – she had honestly believed that the Fiend was real, and was going to kill him. He ended up winning the duel, but after that, Trisha refused to watch him duel, no matter how much he assured her that he could take it.

He guessed he couldn’t blame her. His sister cared for him a lot. But he wished she would shake this fear of scary Monsters…

He looked in disgust at the sight of Bugs Bunny blowing up Yosemite Sam with a cannon.

“Trisha,” he moaned, “did you know that when some of these cartoons were made, our grandparents were in grade school?”

“You should watch,” suggested Trisha. “They’re funny.”

“Much as I love the sight of anvils being dropped on people’s heads, I think I’ll pass,” sighed Andy sarcastically.

“Suit yourself,” answered Trisha. “Mom and dad are working tonight at some special meeting, so they left money for pizza, and your mail is on the counter. There was a weird letter yesterday, by the way.”

“Weird?” asked Andy.

“Yeah,” she replied. “Is pepperoni okay?”

“Uh, sure,” he answered.

He went to the counter.

His mail consisted of a copy of Dueling Today a letter from his pen pal, and…

He held up a strange envelope. It was larger than normal, had a lot of postage, and was made of golden paper. The front had his address, and a strange return address:

[b]

Sydney Meyers
Rogueport
Monster Island

Even stranger was the way it was sealed. The envelope was sealed with wax, and stamped with a signet ring that had a design like a strange eye on it.

Curious, he broke the seal and opened it.

Inside were four things – a letter, a train ticket, and two strange cards. They were the size and shape of Duel Monsters cards, but they seemed strangely made of crystal – or… something. They had the images of golden stars on the center.

He read the letter:

[b]Dear Mr. Markova,

Congratulations on winning your latest tournament! I shake you warmly by the hand! I am writing to offer you the chance of a lifetime – to compete in one of the greatest of tournaments that the free world can offer.

I am one of the members of a council who heads Monster Island, a new community located in the south Atlantic. Though we have yet to obtain an official UN charter, we are a populous territory who have decided to open our shores for a great Duel Monsters tournament, where great duelists such as yourselves can compete for fame, prizes, and glory like none other.

To compete, you need only your Disk, your deck, and your skill!

Enclosed you will find a train ticket for a train to Annapolis. A special ship will be leaving from Chesapeake Bay on July 1st at noon. The instructions on the back of this letter will tell you how to get there. Simply show the two Crystal Cards that I have enclosed to the attendants, and you will be granted free passage. Do not lose these Cards. More info will be given about them upon your arrival.

I hope to see you soon. Do not miss this opportunity to duel like you never have before in our island paradise!


Sincerely,


Miss Sidney Meyers

Council of Monster Island

Andy took the strange letter to his room and read it several times.

A community called “Monster Island”? he thought. They must take Duel Monsters seriously!

He took out his Disk and looked at his favorite cards.

Heh, why not? he thought. I’ve got nothing to lose, and so much to gain!

He took his Disk out his duffle bag.

“Disk,” he said, “you and I are going places!”

Of course, it never occurred to him that this letter had to have been sent before he had actually won the tournament…

* * * * * * * * * *

Boston

3PM, the following day.

Two girls were walking out of class of Paul Revere High School, with books in their arms.

“So Fran,” perked one of the girls, “wanna stop at the mall?”

”I’d love to Cindy,” sighed Francesca, “but the algebra final exam is coming up on Wednesday, and I need to study.”

“Why bother studying?” frowned Cindy. “You know you’re gonna ace it!”

“Only an idiot gets too sure of herself,” replied Francesca. “Besides…”

“Oh Fran…” called a voice.

“Uh oh,” groaned Francesca, “egotist at two o’clock…”

A boy in a football jersey came up.

“Hey Fran, I…” he started.

“The name is Francesca, Steven,” growled Francesca. “Only my friends are allowed to call me Fran. Not dopes who mistakenly believe that they’re God’s gift to women…”

“Heh, heh,” smiled Steven. “Resistance – nice.”

“I know what you want, Steve,” frowned Francesca. “And you know the rules – I won’t go out with you unless you can beat me in Duel Monsters.”

“Well, I’m taking you up on that offer!” exclaimed Steve.

He pulled a deck out of his pocket.

“I’ve got a killer deck now!”

Francesca sighed.

“Fine,” she replied, pulling her deck out of her belt (she was never without it). “I have a half hour to kill. There’s a table over there. But if I win, you have to mow my parents’ lawn tomorrow!”

“You’re on!” he smiled.

* * * * * * * * * *

Ten minutes later.

“There any reason you’re hiding behind a nothing but a Wall of Revealing Light and a Mask of Restrict?” asked Francesca as she drew from her deck.

“You’ll see,” smiled Steve.

“I place a card facedown,” she said, placing it behind her five Monsters. “It’s your turn.”

Steve drew a card.

“I activate Dust Tornado!” shouted Francesca. “It destroys your Wall!”

Doesn’t matter laughed Steve, discarding it.

He placed a card down.

“I play Card Destruction!”

Francesca shrugged. She discarded her hand and drew a new hand, as did Steve.

“Now I play my facedown card,” he continued, “The Warrior Returning Alive!”

He took a card from his discard pile.

“Then,” he continued, picking up his discard pile, “I remove one Light and one Dark Monster from play to summon Black Luster Soldier, Envoy of the Beginning!”

He threw the card on the table.

“How long did you have to beg your dad before he bought you that?” frowned Francesca.

“Cute,” smiled Steve, “he’ll win the duel for me!”

“Now he’ll attack your Amazoness Paladin and your Amazoness Fighter!”

Francesca smiled and discarded the two cards.

“Anything else?” she asked.

“No, your move.”

“Fine,” she said, drawing.

“I play Monster Reborn, to bring the Paladin back,” she said.

She recovered the Paladin and replaced the card.

“Then I summon Amazoness Tiger,” she continued.

She put another card down.

“With five Amazons on my side, her Attack is 3,100, just enough to destroy your Soldier,” she smiled, “so she’ll attack…”

Steve gasped.

“And seeing as your Life Points are now 4,900, the combined Attack of my four other ladies is more than enough to finish you off.”

The crowd gathering around them cheered.

“Really, Steven,” she mused, gathering her cards, “if you ever want to be a true duelist, you have to learn better strategy. Had we been dueling with Disks, losing 4,900 Life Points from direct attacks would have seriously hurt you. That Envoy was powerful, but nothing in this game is indestructible.”

Steve was dumbfounded.

“Be at my parents’ house at four tomorrow, and bring your own refreshment,” she snickered, walking away.

“Do I have to?” moaned Steve.

“Steve,” frowned Francesca, “In Duel Monsters, wagers are sacred. You must honor them. If you don’t, you’ll never be a true duelist.”

* * * * * * * * * *

“Hi daddy!” she exclaimed, as she walked onto her patio.

She kissed him on the cheek. Her father was doing what he loved doing – barbecuing.

“Hi Fran,” he smiled. “I’m trying something new tonight – mesquite ribs.”

“Good news,” grinned Francesca. “I found someone who’ll mow the lawn tomorrow – for free.”

Her father frowned. He knew about the dueling wagers she had often made.

“You got a letter on the counter,” he sighed.

Fran went inside and looked at the letter, a similar one to the one Andy had gotten.

She read the letter.

Wow, she thought. The opportunity of a lifetime!

After all, I’ve got nothing to lose, and so much to gain…

“Daddy?” she called, walking back out. “Remember when you said I could have anything you could afford for my birthday?”

* * * * * * * * * *

New York City.

The same day.

4 PM.

At a public library, Stan was playing a tabletop duel with his girlfriend. She was new at this, but he never went easy on anybody…

Especially with the bet she had made…

“Okay…” said Colette, drawing. “A Legendary Ocean lets me summon Terrorking Salmon with no sacrifice…”

She put a card down.

“And I’ll attack that facedown card!”

Stan lifted the card, and smiled.

“Sorry,” he smiled, but you activated Magician of Faith’s special effect, which lets me recover one Magic Card from my Graveyard, and I’m getting back the one you made me discard with your Delinquent Duo!”

He skimmed through his discard pile and retrieved a card.

“My turn?” he asked.

“Go ahead honey,” she smiled.

He drew.

“Now you’re gonna see the combo that won me Saturday’s tournament!” he exclaimed. “First I flip summon my Old Vindictive Magician!”

He flipped the card.

“…which destroys one opposing Monster, so goodbye Terrorking Salmon!”

Colette moaned as she discarded the card.

“Now,” he continued, “I’ll sacrifice Old Vindictive Magician for Dark Magician Girl…”

He switched cards on the table. Colette gasped in surprise.

“…AND, I’ll use the Magic Card, the Sage’s Stone, to summon Dark Magician!”

He leafed through his deck and took his prize card out, placing it beside Dark Magician Girl.

“Now I attack, and say bye-bye to your Life Points!” he laughed.

“Oh…” moaned Colette.

Stan slowly gathered his cards.

“You lost,” he grinned evilly. “Now you must pay the price…”

Colette sighed. Then she walked up to him…

She held his head in her hands and gave him a big, deep kiss on the lips.

After thirty seconds, she let go, and Stan caught his breath.

“Think about that the next time you make dumb wagers,” he gasped.

“How on earth did you get Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl?” pouted Colette. “I thought only Yugi Mouto had those two!”

Stan chuckled. “They are rare cards,” he answered, “but they aren’t unique. Yugi inspired me – I like to think that I’m his… apprentice.

“You know, as he would say, a card like Dark Magician is special. With most cards in a deck, the duelist chooses them when he builds the deck… but in some cases, a Monster chooses him. That’s the case with Dark Magician…

“See, it was strange how I got this card, and many of the rare cards in my deck. I had a rich, snobbish great uncle named Julius Taft Mason who my family barely even knew. When he died, we didn’t expect to be mentioned in his will. And I certainly didn’t expect an old codger like him to have any Duel Monsters cards. But to my surprise, he left me a bunch of rare cards when he died, including the two Magicians. He left no explanation, but his will did have a requirement – that I use them to become a great duelist. So I built a deck, eventually got a Disk, and the rest is history.”

“So why are you playing for kisses when you could do so much more?” asked Colette. “Surely, there must be an even bigger tournament out there than the Big Apple Tournament.”

“Maybe,” replied Stanley. “But I’ll just have to wait until I’m invited to one…”

* * * * * * * * * *

The subway ride home was short and aggravating.

At his Manhattan townhouse, he smelled pasta sauce cooking.

“Mom, I’m home!” he exclaimed, entering the kitchen.

“Hi dear,” she answered. “You got a letter.”

Stan looked strangely at the letter. He took it to his room and opened it.

He read the letter, one almost identical to the one Andy and Francesca had gotten.

A light sparkled in his eyes.

He took out an old family album and opened to a specific page. A picture of a fat, frumpish man in an outdated business suit with a huge moustache was there.

“Uncle Julius,” he smiled, “I’m finally going to meet your demands… I may not know why you gave me those cards or why you wanted me to become a great duelist, but this tournament will make me one!

“After all, I’ve got nothing to lose, and so much to gain.”

He ran out of his room.

“Mom!” he shouted. “Hey mom!”

* * * * * * * * * *

For each of the three teenagers, it had taken a great deal of persuasion and promising, but eventually, permission was granted. One of the perks of being straight-A students with no discipline problems was that your parents trusted you. And after Francesca promised exactly fifty times not to let any boys touch her, her father consented. (Even then, he insisted she take a canister of mace with her).

School ended on a high note. Grades came in, and celebrations started. But for three teens at three cities on the East Coast, preparations were made.

On June 30th, Stan, Francesca, and Andy packed up everything they could carry, along with their trusty Duel Disks. They stowed their decks in their belts, along with the strange Crystal Cards, and head for the train stations.

They each had a boat to catch.


Continued...

[Dark Sage]

Annapolis, Maryland.

Chesapeake Bay harbor.

The right boat had not been hard to find – it was huge, after all.

Stan looked around. There must have been every major duelist in America gathered here. No one he knew, but plenty of competition.

He sighed. He wondered when they would begin boarding.

A man mounted a platform and went up to a microphone. He had a doughy face, and wore sunglasses and a microphone.

“Is this thing on?” he asked, speaking into. “Oh, uh, I suppose it is…”

Everyone chuckled.

“Hello everybody,” he said.

It was clear he had a bad case of stage fright.

“I’m Hector Jacobs – call me Heck, everyone does – and I’m part of Monster Island’s council.

“Anyway, I’ll be running things until we arrive at our destination at 8 AM tomorrow. As you all board, be sure to show your two Crystal Cards to the attendant and sign your names.

“Now, accommodations aren’t perfect, but they’re the best we have. We have eight common rooms, five for men, three for women, which should be what is needed. Now I notice some of you already have your Disks strapped on – let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Please no Disk dueling while on the ship. Our insurance doesn’t cover you there. Feel free to talk, trade, or… whatever…

“When we take off, cold sandwiches, snacks, and drinks will be served free in the galley… hamburgers, chicken, and hot dogs will be served for dinner at six o’clock… uh, Easter Standard Time, that is. Monster Island is on Atlantic Daylight Time, which is… two hours later than now. I hope no one has trouble with jet lag.

“Anyway, there’s no time like the present, so everyone try to do this orderly…”

Everyone started to rush up to the entrance.

“Wait!” he gasped. “I said orderly!”

* * * * * * * * * *

After a half an hour, all the guests were on board. “Heck” was the last one on.

“I’m getting too old for this,” he moaned, as he went to the bridge.

When he got there, a radio phone rang.

He answered it.

“Jacobs here,” he stated.

“Hello Heck,” said a voice. “Just checking in…”

“Your excellence!” he gasped. “Uh… we’re about to shove off…”

“Yes,” hissed the voice. “Are our three special invitees on board?”

“Uh…” stuttered Heck, looking at the signatures on his clipboard. “Let me see here…”

He scanned the list.

“Yeah, they’re here.”

“Excellent,” was the response.

“So what else do you want me to do?” he asked.

“Exactly what you’re supposed to do,” said the voice. “Keep the guests comfortable and happy. If any harm befalls them on this trip, even so much as seasickness, you’ll answer to me personally…”

Heck gulped.

* * * * * * * * * *

Slowly, the boat pulled out of the harbor…

The common room that Andy had been assigned to was crowded. He sat on a bunk, while going over his cards. He watched as two others were in the middle of a trade.

“Airknight Parshath?” asked the boy. “I dunno… Mazera DeVille is worth more than that…”

“Um,” said the other. “Throw in Scapegoat?”

“Well, I could always use another one of those…” answered the first. “Okay, deal.”

They swapped cards.

Andy sighed. He could never trade away any of the cards in his deck. The Dragons he used were like his children – they weren’t for sale. Not for any price.

He looked at his Red Eyes Black Dragon card.

“Well, that’s a rare card,” said a voice over him.

He looked up, and saw Stan standing over him.

“Sorry,” answered Andy, “but I’m not trading it.”

“Didn’t expect you to,” replied Stan. “I know what cards like that mean to a duelist.”

He skimmed though his deck.

“I have quite a few rare cards myself.”

He held up his Dark Magician.

“Wow,” smiled Andy. “That’s mega-rare!”

He put his deck back in his case.

“Well, I’m going down to get a bite. Maybe we’ll see each other later. Ciao.”

Well, thought Stan, there’s one guy who I can tell will be hard to beat…

* * * * * * * * * *

In the cafeteria, the food seemed a tad limited. But at least it was free.

While in line, Andy couldn’t help but look at the duelist who was next to him, who happened to be Francesca.

He sighed as he looked at her.

Francesca turned and noticed him. She frowned.

“Buddy, if you’re going to hit on me,” she warned, “three people already tried in the past hour, and they regretted it.”

“What?” gasped Andy. “Oh, I wasn’t going to hit on you! The way my luck is with women, you’d likely have rejected me anyway.

“Besides, I’m not someone who thinks a gorgeous woman can’t have a brain…

“Even though you are gorgeous…”

He grinned a weak grin.

Francesca paused.

She smiled. Finally there was someone who wasn’t trying to get into her pants…

“The name’s Francesca,” she responded. “You can call me Fran if you want. Are you any good with your cards?”

“Well, I should hope so…” answered Andy.

“Well, maybe once this tournament starts we can meet up again,” smiled Fran. “Maybe we can even duel – then you can show me for yourself…”

She smiled sweetly, and walked to a table.

Why do you get so flustered around women? thought Andy. You can stand up to The Masked Beast with no sweat, but girls make you quake in your boots. Maybe I should see a psychiatrist about this…

* * * * * * * * * *

Afternoon turned to evening.

As the boat moved on, Stan was on the upper deck, watching the sunset.

He skimmed through his cards, and looked at his more powerful Monsters.

Dark Magician of Chaos, he thought, Chaos Command Magician, Mind On Air, Buster Blader…

He took out another.

“Ooh, Dark Magician Girl!” cried a voice behind him.

He looked up and saw Francesca.

“I’ve heard about her!” exclaimed Francesca. “Where did you get such a great Monster?”

“Long story,” sighed Stan. “Do you play Spellcasters?”

“Naw,” answered Francesca, “but Dark Magician Girl is a lot like the Monsters in my deck – and like me. She’s a woman who’s tough, independent, and doesn’t take any crap from anyone!”

Francesca chuckled.

“Some lowlife slapped me on the ass the other day and got a black eye for it. Any of my Monsters would have killed him if he did that to them! I think Dark Magician Girl is the same way…”

“Well, you’re probably right,” sighed Stan. “She’s an independent woman, even though her dress is a little… revealing. There is only one man she takes orders from…”

He skimmed through his deck and lifted up his Dark Magician.

“This guy,” he continued. “He taught her everything she knows, and she’ll follow him everywhere. And she’ll avenge him if he falls – when Dark Magician is defeated, she becomes stronger. And I have another strong female in my deck…”

He showed her another card. It was a frightening woman with green skin, black hair, a slick black leotard, and a smoky glass dome in place of the upper part of her head.

“Yeek!” gasped Francesca. “Who’s that?”

“Her name is Mind On Air,” smiled Stan. “And she may not look powerful, but she has a secret power…

“But I think I’ll keep it secret for now…”

He shuffled his deck.

“Okay,” smiled Francesca. “Maybe we’ll meet again.”

She turned to leave.

“Wait!” shouted Stan, “I didn’t get your…”

She was gone.

“…name…” sighed Stan.

He shrugged.

* * * * * * * * * *

Sleeping in a common room with thirty other people is difficult, but anyone can sleep if they’re exhausted.

As several scores of duelists slept, a vision of the ship appeared in a crystal ball in a dark room. Two slender hands with long, elegant, fingernails with black polish caressed the surface.

“That’s it,” purred a female voice. “Come to my domain. Sleep now, for soon a new type of sleep will await you…”

The dark figure glanced over her shoulder and looked at six figures watching her.

“Have patience, everyone,” she assured. “Soon you’ll have all the action you can crave…”

* * * * * * * * * *

At 6 AM (Atlantic Daylight Time), and announcement spoke over the loudspeakers.

“Attention,” spoke Heck’s voice. “Breakfast is now being served in the cafeteria. We will be reaching our destination, the town of Rogueport on Monster Island, in approximately two hours.”

Well, thought Stan, Best grab some breakfast before we see this place…

* * * * * * * * * *

Eventually, Stan walked up to the upper deck with his dufflebag in his hand. He looked out towards their destination…

And then he saw it for the first time.

Monster Island.

At first, the large island only had one remarkable feature – a huge mountain in the center. Then he started to make out several other features as they got closer. Forests, plains, valleys, strange structures…

He had heard of Maximillion Pegasus’s Duelist Kingdom – but it had nothing on this place. This looked like it was almost the size of Manhattan itself! Clearly, Monster Island was nearly its own country. He suddenly had a thought – he might have to do a lot of walking during this tournament.

Fortunately, he had brought new sneakers.

* * * * * * * * * *

The ship eventually docked in a large harbor. Several ships were already docked there – they seemed to be merchant ships, bring in supplies to the town that the harbor was a part of.

As for the town itself, it was easily identifiable. From the ship, everyone could see a wooden archway with the following sign:

ROGUEPORT

“Rogueport?” muttered Stan. “That sounds familiar…”

“Okay everybody!” shouted Heck. “Everybody disembark in an orderly manner! Once you are off the ship, follow me to the town square, where the director of this tournament will debrief you! I repeat, an orderly manner!”

Everyone started to scurry off the ship.

“This is NOT an orderly manner!” cried Heck.

* * * * * * * * * *

Nonetheless, getting to the town square was a simple matter.

Stan looked around. All the buildings were old fashioned and made of wood. The street had cobblestones.

He looked around and saw some of the locals. Their dress suggested Elizabethan England. They seemed pretty cheery at the sight of the outsiders – likely they were expecting this duelist invasion.

The most intimidating sight in the town square was something in the center of it – a large gallows with a single noose. Some people started to murmur…

Then a woman stepped onto the gallows. She wore a black business suit and glasses, and wore her blonde hair in a bun.

“Okay folks, quiet down!” she called out in a demanding voice. “Don’t worry, there won’t be any hangings today! I’m sure you’re very eager to get started. My name is Miss Sydney Meyers, part of the council of Monster Island, and head director for this tournament.

“Anyway, I have a question for all you kids… Who here has played the video game called Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door?”

Several duelists in the crowd raised their hands.

“Good,” she continued. “For those who have, this tournament will seem like reminiscing. You may have seen the large mountain in the center of the Island. In the side of the mountain is something we call The Thousand-Year Door…”

More murmurs broke out among the crowd.

“What’s behind the Thousand-Year Door?” she smirked. “Does the Shadow Queen wait inside for you? That’s a secret, but I will tell you that the goal of this tournament is to gain access to the Thousand-Year Door. And only eight duelists can do so.

“Now, Mario had to find seven Crystal Stars in order to gain access to his Thousand-Year Door – you only need one to be allowed to enter, but getting one is hard to say the least.

“I’ll explain carefully. I hope you all have those two strange cards made of crystal that were included with your invitation. These cards are your life as a duelist! Do NOT lose them!

“Or at least try not to…”

She smiled.

“See, like all tournaments, you get ahead by dueling your competition. When you win a duel, you get to claim one Crystal Card from your defeated opponent. If you lose them all, I’m afraid you’ll have to leave.

“Win seven Crystal Cards, and you’ll be eligible to claim a Crystal Star. Insert the cards into your Disk, in any way, and it will lead you to the location of one of the eight Stars. Of course, getting it even then is far from easy. That’s a secret I can’t tell you about.

For the lucky few who get the Stars, head for the Thousand-Year Door. Once you get in, new rules regarding dueling will be implemented.”

New rules? thought Stan. What kind of new rules?

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you what those new rules are,” continued Sydney, “but most of you won’t have to worry about that anyway.

“Now, I hope you all didn’t load yourselves down with supplies, because that’s taken care of. Monster Island has several small towns like Rogueport here, where food and other basic amenities will be supplied for free to anyone wearing a Duel Disk. You’ll find the population friendly and eager to help, so long as you don’t abuse them. Rogueport is special case, however – it is a neutral territory where dueling is not allowed. After all, we wouldn’t want you all plowing into each other the minute I stop talking.

“Rogueport has five roads leading out of it. Four of them lead to towns, while the north road leads directly to the Thousand-Year Door. I advise you to steer clear of that one for now. If you don’t have a Crystal Star… well, we can’t guarantee your safety if you go near it.

“Anyway, good luck to all of you. Let the dueling commence!”

She stepped down from the gallows, and quickly walked away, vanishing into a side street.

The crowd muttered for a minute, and then started to disperse.

Well, thought Stan, Might as well get started…

He whipped out his Duel Disk and strapped it onto his arm. He took his deck out of his case and shuffled it. Then he loaded it into the deck tray.

“Monster Island,” he shouted, “look out!”

* * * * * * * * * *

Ten minutes later, he was stepping out of a store, looking at a map he had gotten.

“Petalburg… Twilight Town… Keelhaul Key…” he pondered. “Man, whoever designed this place played too many video games!”

And then, a man in a dark cloak bowled into him, knocking them both over!

“Oh, I’m s-s-s-sorry,” stuttered the man. “My f-f-fault!”

He got up and took off.

Well that was unpleasant, thought Stan.

Then he looked down.

Several Duel Monsters cards were spilled on the ground.

“Hey, mister!” he screamed, picking them up. “You dropped your cards! You dropped your cards!”

He looked around, but the cloaked man had vanished.

“Nuts,” said Stan.

Getting curious, he looked through the dropped cards.

He frowned. Almost all of them were weak Monsters with no effects.

Mokey Mokey? he thought. Skull Servant? Kozaky? Petite Dragon? Goblin Calligrapher? The only deck these would be good in would be one of those that uses Triangle Power or Thousand Energy and that other card… What’s it called? The Law of Normal?

He continued to leaf through them. Then he saw a Magic Card among them, one called…

”Sweet Treat”? he thought. Never heard of this one…

He read the description.

“HOLY…” he shouted.

“This is mega-powerful!” he gasped. “It must be worth a fortune! Whoever that guy was is gonna panic! I’ve gotta find him!”

* * * * * * * * * *

For the next half hour, he questioned several of the locals. Eventually, a woman gave him some info:

“A chap in a black cloak?” she answered. “Yes, I just saw him. He took the road to Petalburg.”

“Uh, thanks,” answered Stan. “Then that’s where I’m going.”

He looked at the Sweet Treat card.

A great temptation came over him.

“I will give this back to him when I find him,” he muttered. “But I’m sure he won’t mind me using it until then.”

He shuffled the card into his deck.

“So,” he said, “off to Petalburg… and a challenge or two along the way!”



[color=gold]Bet you want to know just what “Sweet Treat” does. Well, you’ll have to wait until next chapter to find out.

And speaking of next chapter…

The preliminaries are over – time for the duels!

On the road to Petalburg, Stan finds his first challenge, meeting someone with a strange connection to a memorable character from the anime! Don’t miss “Everything’s Relative” coming up soon.

[Dark Sage]

[color=green]I’ve been on Monster Island for forty-five minutes, and already I’ve found my first challenge.

And she’s no rookie either. This cute, ponytailed, spectacled girl can duel pretty well. And while she seemed friendly on the outside, her style of dueling is as ruthless as most of my opponents.

That I can handle, but there’s something I can’t shake about her… Something familiar… I’m almost certain that this kid is hiding a secret that she doesn’t want me to know about…

And before this duel is over, I’m going to figure out what it is, whatever it is…



[B][size=3]

CHAPTER TWO



Everything’s Relative

After leaving Rogueport, the road to Petalburg was clearly laid out.

The long dirt road wandered through peaceful meadows full of daisies and fruit trees, with a babbling brook here and there. It was a peaceful and serene environment.

Stan looked at his map. Apparently he was in Petal Meadows, a mile and a half from Petalburg.

He wondered where his competitors were. He’d have liked to get at least one duel in before stopping at another town.

Humph, he thought. Likely everyone who went this way are already at Petalburg. I spent so much time trying to track down that guy who dropped those cards. Sigh, that’s me, Mr. Good Samaritan…

Then he noticed the sound of somebody humming. It was coming from off the trail.

Curious, he followed the sound.

About one hundred yards off the path, underneath a tree, a young girl, about fourteen years old or so, was on her knees, looking at something on the ground. She had light green hair tied in a ponytail, and wore silver-rimmed glasses. She also wore green overalls and a blue shirt. A Duel Disk was on her arm.

She seemed to be examining something on the ground with a magnifying glass.

“Strange,” she muttered. “It… looks like some variety of mantis… But I’ve never seen this particular species before… Strange coloring, misshaped mandibles…”

“Ahem,” said Stan.

The girl looked up.

“Oh, uh, hullo,” she smiled. “Heading to Petalburg?”

“Yeah,” acknowledged Stan. “I guess you had the same idea.”

“Mmm,” she nodded, “but I thought I’d take in the local wildlife first… get the basic gist of this island…”

“I take it you’re a competitor and not a native…” stated Stan.

“Um, yes,” answered the girl, raising her Disk, “but I haven’t found anyone to duel yet…”

Stan grinned.

“Well,” he smiled, raising his, “maybe I can give you a chance!”

The girl giggled and stood up.

“I warn you,” she grinned. “I’m quite good…”

“We’ll see,” said Stan. “Oh, where are my manners… My name is Stan… Stanley Mason.”

“I’m Wanda,” replied the girl.

“Uh yeah,” said Stan.

He looked at her strangely.

“Do you have a last name?” he asked.

Wanda’s eyes shifted nervously.

“Um, no,” she stammered. “I don’t have a last name… I’m kinda like Cher…”

Stan looked at her again.

Kind of like Cher? he thought. Is this girl hiding something?

There’s something awfully familiar about this kid… I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something is really familiar…

“Well,” he asked, “do you accept my challenge?”

“You’re on!” she smiled.

“Then it’s time to duel!” smiled Stan. “As they say…”

* * * * * * * * * *

As Stan and Wanda stood five meters apart, Stan noticed something: They had drawn an audience.

And it wasn’t a human audience.

It seemed a great deal of the wildlife had gathered to watch them. Several deer, dozens of rabbits, a few foxes, a wolf or two, and one large bear had formed around them, keeping a safe distance. Eagles, hawks, and a few owls perched in the nearby trees.

This was strange – wolves, foxes, and birds of prey preyed on rabbits, and wolves often preyed on deer. What made carnivores and herbivores call a truce to watch them? And since when were animals interested in Duel Monsters anyway? For as long as he could remember, animals were frightened of these kind of things.

He nervously shuffled his deck.

“Ready Stan?” smiled Wanda, loading her deck.

“Ready!” announced Stan. “See my hat?”

He slowly turned his baseball hat, so that the brim was behind his head.

“I turn my hat backwards, and it’s like a switch! Activate holo-imagers!”

With twin bursts of steam, the holo-imagers shot out of his Disk and set up on either side of him. The twin halves of the Disk snapped into place. Wanda repeated the trick.

The Life Point Counters set to 8,000 apiece.

“Since I challenged you, you may go first,” said Stan.

Wanda giggled and made her first draw.

“For my first move,” she smiled, “I’ll place this Monster facedown in Defense.”

She placed the card down on her Disk, and the card appeared in front of her.

“And, that’s my turn.”

Stan made his first draw.

Humph, he thought. Mediocre at best. Well, this guy isn’t half bad…

“I’ll summon a Spellcaster known as The Illusory Gentleman, in Attack Mode!” he stated.

He put a card down, and a tall creature appeared out of the shadows. He wore a fancy orange and black suit with a cape, and carried a knobbed cane. His expressionless face had one glaring eye. (1,500/1,600)

“Gentleman,” ordered Stan, “attack with dark illusion!”

The Illusory Gentleman raised his staff and shot forth a blast of multicolored light...

A spherical creature with three eyes, three claws, and a toothy mouth appeared on the card, and was vaporized.

“Huh?” said Stan. “Sangan?”

“Uh huh!” smiled Wanda. “So now I get to take a Monster with low Attack power from my deck!”

A card slipped out of Wanda’s deck, and floated into her hand.

“Eh?” she mused. “Well that’s a neat trick…”

Stan was surprised to say the least. The Duel Disks weren’t that advanced. How did it even know which one she wanted?

He looked at his own Disk, and shrugged.

“Now it’s my turn,” said Wanda, drawing, “and I’ll summon the mighty Neo-Bug!”

She put a card down, and a frightening form appeared. It looked like a huge cross between a scorpion and a dragonfly, with huge pincers, mandibles, and droning wings, covered with a blue exoskeleton! (1,800/1,700)

Stan didn’t know what to feel – shock that she had played an Insect Monster, or worry that this particular Insect was stronger than his Monster…

“Neo-Bug,” commanded Wanda, “attack The Illusory Gentleman with neo-bite!”

Neo-Bug flew forward, and clasped The Illusory Gentleman with its mandibles! He gasped, and burst into pixels!

Stan’s Life Points fell to 7,700.

“I’ll set a card facedown and end my turn,” commented Wanda, setting a card down.

The card appeared behind her Neo-Bug.

Stan drew.

“I’m activating a Trap!” smiled Wanda, tapping her Disk. “DNA Surgery!”

The Trap Card lifted, and a giant double-helix appeared in the middle of the field!

“That lets you change the Type of all Monsters summoned to any Type you desire!” exclaimed Stan.

“Exactly!” smiled Wanda. “And I desire Insects!”

“What’s the point?” asked Stan.

“You’ll see soon enough,” giggled Wanda.

Stan placed a card down.

“I summon Skilled Dark Magician in Attack Mode!” he stated.

A sorcerer in a bulky robe and a flat-topped hat appeared, clutching a long, steel staff. (1,900/1,700)

Then his eyes turned compound, he grew antennae, and his hands turned to claws.

“Eww,” grunted Stan. “Skilled Dark Magician, attack her Neo-Bug with dark magic blast!”

The Magician aimed his staff, and blasted the Neo-Bug into bug juice!

Wanda’s Life Points fell to 7,900.

“Your bug just went splat,” smiled Stan.

“That’s okay,” smiled Wanda, “now the real fun can begin!”

She drew. She added the card to her hand.

She put another card down.

“I summon Prickle Fairy in Defense Mode!” she exclaimed.

A large plant sprouted out of the ground, and it shaped into a pretty plant-like woman covered with thorny vines, dressed in a purple dress. She grinned at Stan. (300/2,000)

“Prickle Fairy?” asked Stan. “What does she do?”

“So long as she’s on the field,” smiled Wanda, “none of my Insects can be attacked. And since my DNA Surgery card makes Prickle Fairy herself an Insect, you can’t attack her either!”

Nuts, thought Stan. I’ve gotta destroy that Trap Card!

“It’s your move,” smiled Wanda.

Stan drew. He looked at the card.

Pixie Knight, he thought. Not the best time for her, but I might as well put her on the field…

“I summon Pixie Knight in Attack Mode,” he stated.

He put a card down, and a pretty female Spellcaster with a blue suit, a witch’s hat, and gossamer wings appeared, carrying a dagger strapped to her side. (1,300/200)

And then, she too developed compound eyes, antennae, and claws.

“Your move,” he sighed.

Man, that Trap not only is a nuisance, he thought, it’s making my Monsters ugly!

Wanda drew.

“Now I’ll play Anti-Aircraft Flower, in Defense Mode!” she exclaimed.

She put another card down, and a new plant sprouted. This one looked like it was a cross between an orchid and a television satellite antennae. (0/1,700)

“And remember,” she explained, “since my Trap Card makes this Monster an Insect too, my Prickle Fairy protects it!”

“Your move,” she giggled.

Stan was confused. He drew.

“Um, I pass this turn,” he said.

Wanda grinned with her pure white teeth as she drew.

“Now I can strike!” she smiled. “I summon… Cockroach Knight!”

She put down a card, and a beetle-like insect-man in armor with a sword appeared. (800/900)

“Now let me explain the special effect of Anti-Aircraft Flower,” she started. “I can sacrifice an Insect Monster, and it can attack you directly for 800 points of damage to your Life Points! So Cockroach Knight, buh-bye…”

Cockroach Knight was consumed in an aura of energy that flowed into the Flower. The Flower took aim at Stan.

“FIRE!” shouted Wanda.

Anti-Aircraft Flower shot forth a blast of energy, striking Stan and sending him staggering back! His Life Points fell to 6,900.

“Oh, and by the way,” giggled Wanda.

Her deck glowed, as a card reformed on the top of it.

“When Cockroach Knight is sent to the Graveyard, it returns to the top of my deck, allowing me to keep sacrificing it!”

“Lovely,” groaned Stan. “Well, it’s my turn…”

He drew.

Well that’s useful, he thought.

“I summon Blast Magician in Attack Mode!” he exclaimed, placing a card down.

A bonfire appeared on his side of the field, and a tall figure stepped out. He looked sort of like Dark Magician, but was dressed in scarlet, and carried a staff with a scythe-like blade at the end. His eyes glowed with fiery light.

And then he was transformed, just as his comrades were.

“Impressive,” smiled Wanda.

“I end my turn,” smirked Stan.

Wanda drew.

“I summon Cockroach Knight again!” she yelled.

She put the card down, and the Insect reappeared. Again, it was absorbed into the Flower.

“FIRE!” yelled Wanda.

The Flower blasted Stan again, knocking him down and lowering his Life Points to 6,100.

* * * * * * * * * *

On a hill overlooking the knoll, someone was watching the battle with binoculars.

That guy I saw on the ship is in trouble, thought Francesca. Too bad. It would be embarrassing to be beaten by a bunch of bugs…

She sighed as she remembered a tough opponent who used an Insect deck with DNA Surgery. She didn’t use Prickle Fairy, but she used Insect Barrier to keep her Amazons from attacking, and then summoned Insect Queen to pound away at her. Fortunately, after her opponent had four Insect Tokens, she managed to win using an Amazoness Archers Trap, which forced the Queen and three remaining Tokens to Attack her two Amazoness Swords Women, dealing her opponent 5,800 points of damage in one turn and winning the duel.

Now, she couldn’t help but wonder how this would turn out…

If Stan lost, perhaps she’d challenge Wanda herself…

* * * * * * * * * *

Stan drew.

“I play my Pot of Greed!” he exclaimed.

He fit the card into the slot, and the grinning jar appeared before him.

“Now,” he started.

A phantom hand reached out of the Pot of Greed and took two cards from the top of his deck. It handed them to him.

“Uh, thanks…” muttered Stan, taking them.

Boy, that was weird, he thought, as the Pot vanished.

Then energy flowed into Blast Magician and Skilled Dark Magician. Blast Magician’s blade burned with fire, and Skilled Dark Magician’s staff turned from steel to copper.

“Now to utilize Blast Magician’s special effect!” smiled Stan.

“Effect?” asked Wanda.

“Yes!” grinned Stan. “For each Magic Card that is played, he gains a Spell Counter that can destroy 700 Attack Points worth of Monsters! And since your Prickle Fairy has only 300 Attack Points, I only need to expend the Spell Counter he just got. So, Blast Magician, blast that Prickle Fairy!”

Blast Magician’s scythe blazed with fire, and he shot flames forward! Prickle Fairy screamed as she caught on fire, and was burned up! She was reduced to cinders!

“Now, Skilled Dark Magician, attack her Anti-Aircraft Flower!”

Skilled Dark Magician aimed, and fired his dark spell! The Flower exploded.

“Pixie Knight, attack her Life Points directly with pixie dust!”

Pixie Knight raised her arms, and shot forth a blast of sparkling dust, which slammed into Wanda! She staggered back, and her Life Points fell to 6,600.

“Blast Magician, your turn! Attack her with blast attack!”

Blast Magician shot forth a stream of fire, and Wanda screamed as it hit her! Her Life Points fell to 5,200.

“Well Wanda,” smiled Stan. “I end my turn. But what are you going to do? All you can do is draw your Cockroach Knight.”

“Then I’ll have to get rid of him,” grumbled Wanda, getting up.



Continued...

[Dark Sage]

“Then I’ll have to get rid of him,” grumbled Wanda, getting up.

She drew.

“I place one card facedown,” she said, slipping a card into a slot.

A card appeared in front of her.

“Then I’ll summon Cockroach Knight to the field,” she continued.

She put the card down, and Cockroach Knight returned a third time.

“Now, a Magic Card,” she said. “Dark Core!”

She slid a card into a slot, and a huge black hole appeared over her head!

“I simply have to discard one card from my hand…” she explained.

She made a discard.

“…and this removes Cockroach Knight from play!”

Cockroach Knight was sucked into the black hole, which snapped shut.

Stan’s two Magicians absorbed the energy from the Magic Card again, and Skilled Dark Magician’s staff glowed silver.

“Now another Magic Card,” she smiled. “Card of Sanctity!”

She plugged it into a slot, and a bright blue glow flashed over their heads.

“Now we must draw until we each hold six cards!” she giggled.

Stan frowned. That was far more of a benefit for her than it was for him. But now his two Magicians absorbed even more energy, and Skilled Dark Magician’s staff glowed golden.

Wanda made her draws and looked at the cards.

“Out of those cards, I’ll play my Dian Keto the Cure Master card,” she stated.

She placed a card into a slot, and the graceful form of Dian Keto materialized behind her. He gestured over his crystal ball, and sparking motes fell upon Wanda. Her Life Points rose to 6,200.

“Now I’ll place another card facedown and end my turn,” she finished.

She slid another card into a slot, and it appeared.

Now she had two facedown cards in front of her – and no Monsters.

Stan was suspicious… He drew.

Monster Reborn.

I’ll save this, he thought.

“Well,” he smirked, “now that more than three Magic Cards have been played…”

A card slipped out of his deck and floated into his hand.

“Um,” he stuttered, “as I was saying, now that more than three Magic Cards have been played, I can sacrifice my Skilled Dark Magician for Dark Magician!”

He switched cards on his Disk.

“But just in case one of those cards is a Mirror Force, I’ll summon him in Defense Mode.”

Skilled Dark Magician vanished, and Dark Magician appeared, kneeling and holding his staff across his lap. Huge moth wings grew out of his back and antennae sprouted from his forehead, but he didn’t seem to care. (2,500/2,100)

“Now, Blast Magician, attack her again with blast magic!”

Blast Magician’s blade burned with flame, and he shot forth a blast of fire!

“Activate… Waboku!” yelled Wanda.

Her Trap Card lifted, and three blue-robed priestesses sprang up. The stream of fire was halted.

“Humph,” grunted Stan. “Fine. I end my turn.”

Wanda drew.

Hmm, she thought. I have all the cards in my hand for a perfect combination. But first I have to get rid of his Blast Magician…

“I summon my Insect Knight!” she grinned, placing a card down.

A tall, humanoid mantis with a brown exoskeleton holding a jagged sword and a shield appeared! It clicked its mandibles menacingly! (1,900/1,500)

“Insect Knight,” laughed Wanda, “attack his Blast Magician with your mandiblade!”

Insect Knight spread its wings and flew forward! It struck Blast Magician with his sword, and the Spellcaster-turned-Insect groaned, and then burst into flames.

Stan’s Life Points fell to 5,700.

“Your move,” smiled Wanda, sweetly.


Now why did she do that? wondered Stan. She knows that Insect Knight is no match for Dark Magician.

He drew.

Magic Formula, he thought. This Equip can raise a Spellcaster’s Attack by 500 points, but until I find a way to get rid of her Trap, my Monsters aren’t Spellcasters!

“I shift my Dark Magician into Attack Mode!” he exclaimed.

He turned the card, and Dark Magician rose to his feet.

“Dark Magician, attack Insect Knight! Dark magic attack!”

Dark Magician aimed his staff, and fired, blowing Insect Knight into pieces!

“Now, Pixie Knight, attack her Life points directly!”

Wanda braced herself as Pixie Knight shot forth her stream of dust. She grunted and staggered back again.

Sweat ran down her face as her Life Points fell to 4,300.

“Well,” smiled Stan, “I’m in the lead.”

“Not for long,” chuckled Wanda, drawing.

She put a card down.

“I summon… Petite Moth, in Defense Mode!” she exclaimed.

A tiny silkworm appeared on her side. (300/200)

“And now,” she said, fitting a card into a slot, “I’ll Equip it with the mighty Cocoon of Evolution!”

Petite Moth began to spin strands of silk, and within seconds, it had formed a gigantic maroon pupa, ten feet tall and five feet wide, glistening with slime! (0/2,000)

“Over the next six of my turns,” smiled Wanda, “my weak Moth will evolve into a mighty creature known as Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth, and once it hatches, I’ll be unstoppable!

“And to make sure…”

She reached for another card.

“Wait a minute…” interrupted Stan.

He looked at Wanda.

“This is all familiar…” he pondered. “The Insects, and now the Cocoon of Evolution…”

He paused again. Wanda started to sweat.

“This is Weevil Underwood’s signature move!” he exclaimed.

Wanda now dropped her cheery attitude. She started to look angry.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” she shouted, nervously. “I don’t know any Weevil Underwood!”

“Are you sure?” asked Stan, accusingly. “You even have the same hair color…”

“Don’t insult me!” shouted Wanda. “I’m a far better duelist than my sleazy bro…”

She clasped her hand over her mouth.

“Is there something you want to tell me?” asked Stan.

“Okay, I’ll admit it,” croaked Wanda. “That rotten Weevil Underwood… is my brother…”

Stan paused.

“So?” he asked.

“SO?” exclaimed Wanda. “That dung beetle is a curse on my family! He got to the top of the dueling circuit by cheating his way there! He couldn’t duel fair if his life depended on it!

“Just a few months ago, he teamed up with a monstrous organization and practically sold his soul in a mad vendetta against Yugi Mouto. It was too much for me... When he recovered, I screamed at him and said I would never speak to him again… And I won’t either!”

“If you hate him so much,” asked Stan, “why do you play an Insect deck like his?”

“My parents are both etymologists,” explained Wanda. “Some of the best in the world. They – and I – are fascinated by insect life. Do you know that the insect class contains more species than that of all other classes combined? And more are being discovered each week! My folks are certain that somehow, insects can help mankind…

“Who knows? Somewhere in the rain forests of Brazil, there may be an unknown species whose saliva could be made into a vaccine for AIDS or a cure for cancer! With the insect world, you never know!

“But that lousy Weevil only cared about one aspect of insects – how much people were afraid of them! How much people dreaded the stings of bees and wasps! That’s why he made a deck of Insect Monsters! He perverted my parents’ love of them! But I’ll show him! I’ll become an even better Insect duelist, and teach people the true wonders of insects!”

She stopped to catch her breath…

“Wanda,” smiled Stan, “you’re getting upset for nothing. Weevil’s sins aren’t your fault. A wise man once said, you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your relatives. You already are a better duelist that Weevil – you’ve played a perfectly fair duel thus far…”

He smiled.

“But I’m afraid you’re fooling yourself. My Dark Magician can destroy your Cocoon with one mighty blow.”

Wanda smiled.

Good, she’s smiling, thought Stan. Maybe I’ve made her feel better.

“That’s what you think,” smiled Wanda. “My turn isn’t over yet… And I have a way of protecting it that my dumb brother never thought of!”

She fit a card into a slot.

“Because now I’m Equipping my Cocoon with Heart of Clear Water!”

And aura surrounded the Cocoon, and it turned from maroon color to light blue.

“Huh?” asked Stan.

“Let me explain,” stated Wanda. “Heart of Clear Water can only be Equipped to a Monster with less than 1,300 Attack points – my Cocoon has zero. Now my Cocoon can’t be destroyed by attacking it. Damage calculation would still apply, but since it’s in Defense Mode, that hardly matters.

“And anyway it’s your turn now.”

Stan furrowed his brow. He drew.

Me and my big mouth, he thought.

He looked at the card.

What am I worried about? he thought. That Cocoon’s got nothing on my Heavy Storm! Since Cocoon of Evolution is considered an Equip Card the way it is, this will destroy it and her DNA Surgery, leaving her with nothing but Petite Moth! I’ll have her cold!

He threw it into a slot.

“I activate Heavy Storm!” he shouted.

The card revealed itself, and winds started to whip up around the field!

Wanda smiled.

“I knew you’d try something like that,” she giggled. “So I placed a particularly deadly Trap to stop you. Activate… Judgment of Anubis!”

He facedown card lifted, and a frightening spectral wolf appeared in the air!

“What?” gasped Stan.

“Judgment of Anubis activates whenever you attempt to destroy one or more Magic or Trap cards!” laughed Wanda. “It not only foils the attempt, but it destroys one of your Monsters, and deducts the Monster’s total Attack Score from your Life Points! I may have to discard a card to make it work…”

She discarded one of her cards.

“…but it’s worth it! Anubis, destroy!”

The wolf howled, and Dark Magician cringed. He was blown to bits!

The animals who were watching shuddered as the wolf spirit faded away.

“Tell me,” smiled Wanda, “would Weevil have thought of that?”

Stan’s Life Points fell all the way to 3,200.

“Ugh,” groaned Stan. “I’ll switch Pixie Knight to Defense Mode, and end my turn.”

He turned the card, and Pixie Knight shyly hid behind her wings.

* * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, Francesca was still watching.

Wow, she thought, [I]This kid can really duel. And if that Moth actually hatches, it’s gonna take a miracle to keep that guy from losing.

I really feel sorry for that kid. He didn’t seem to be that bad a guy. But, that’s the way it goes sometimes…

In Duel Monsters, it’s kill or be killed. You learn that from day one.

* * * * * * * * * *

Wanda drew.

“I’ll place a card facedown,” she said, “and then I’ll summon my second Neo-Bug!”

She placed the cards into her Disk. The facedown card appeared, and then another Neo-Bug materialized! (1,800/1,700)

“Neo-Bug,” she commanded, “destroy his Pixie Knight!”

Neo-Bug flew forward, and clasped its mandibles around Pixie Knight! She screamed and burst.

“Super,” sneered Stan. “But since you destroyed my Pixie Knight, you activated her effect. Namely, you have choose one Magic Card from my Graveyard to return to the top of my deck!”

“Oh,” muttered Wanda.

She thought for a minute.

“Uh, Pot of Greed,” she mused.

A card flew out of Stan’s discard slot, and slid onto the top of his deck.

Weird, thought Stan again.

“Your move again,” sighed Wanda.

Stan drew the card.

“I’m activating my Trap!” giggled Wanda.

Her facedown Card lifted.

“Pyro Clock of Destiny!”

An ancient clock made of metal with hieroglyphics for numbers and a fiery hand appeared over her head.

“What does that do?” gasped Stan.

“Simple,” smiled Wanda. “Pyro Clock of Destiny moves us forward one full round into the future!”

“That means your Cocoon will hatch one round early!” gasped Stan.

“You got it!” giggled Wanda. “I can’t fool you!”

Stan cringed.

“I’ll play the Pot of Greed,” he said.

He put the card down, and again the jar appeared. Again, the phantom arm reached for his deck and handed him two cards.

Stan looked at them. His eyes opened wide!

That weird card I found… he thought. Might as well give it a test run…

“First I’ll place a Monster facedown in Defense,” he said, placing a card on his Disk.

The hidden Monster appeared.

“Now I play this Magic Card,” he continued. “Sweet Treat!”

He slid the card into a slot.

“Sweet Treat?” asked Wanda. “I’ve… never heard of that one…”

“Truthfully,” shrugged Stan, “it’s rather new to me too…”

The card revealed itself, and a form flied out of it. It was a smiling gingerbread man holding a pink dice!

“Now,” explained Stan, “this dice is going to go for a roll, the result will multiply by 1,000, and the total will be added to my Life Points!”

Wanda gasped.

The gingerbread man tossed the dice… It skipped and rolled…

It landed on a three!

“Not bad,” smiled Stan.

His life Points rose up to 6,200.

“Now, because I played that powerful card, I have to end my turn,” he explained. “So go ahead.”

Wanda frowned and drew.

“I summon another Insect Knight!” she shouted.

She put a card down, and a clone of the first Insect Knight appeared, waving his sword! (1,900/1,800)

“Go my mantis warrior!” she cheered. “Attack his facedown card!”

Insect Knight charged…

A sorcerer in a white robe and a cowl appeared on the card. He raised his staff, and parried the blow. (1,700/1,900)

“Sorry,” smiled Stan, as the Spellcaster started to mutate, “but that was Skilled White Magician, and with his Defense at 1,900, that battle was a draw.”

“Fine,” frowned Wanda. “I’ll place this card facedown and end my turn.”

She placed a card into a slot, and it appeared behind her three Monsters.

Stan drew. He saw that the Cocoon of Evolution was shivering.

Two more turns before that thing hatches… he thought.

He looked at the card he had drawn.

Dust Tornado… he thought. It’s worth a shot…

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

The facedown card appeared.

Wanda smirked. She drew.

“I activate Dust Tornado!” shouted Stan.

The Trap Card lifted.

“Say goodbye to your Cocoon!”

“NEVER!” shouted Wanda.

She hit her own Disk, and her own Trap Card lifted.

“I activate Seven Tools of the Bandit!” she yelled.

A giant jackknife flew forward and stabbed into Stan’s Trap Card, smashing it to pieces!

“That may have cost me 1,000 Life Points,” she giggled, as her Life Points fell to 3,300, “but it’s a price I’m willing to pay to protect my Cocoon.”

Stan growled.

“Well, you certainly can’t blame me for trying,” he frowned.

Wanda looked at her card.

“Now I’ll play my own Pot of Greed!” she smiled.

She placed the card into her slot, and the jar appeared on her side of the field. Just like it had for Stan, the ghostly arm reached out, and handed her two cards from her deck.

She giggled as she took them.

“Hmm, nothing good,” she said with a sly smile. “That’s all for me this turn.”

Stan drew.

“I summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode…” he slowly said, placing a card down.

The peaceful, blue-skinned elf appeared, kneeling and folding her hands, chanting her musical spell. The transformation the Trap cursed her with wasn’t as hideous as the previous ones – she grew butterfly wings and graceful antennae. (800/2,000)

“That’s my turn,” sighed Stan. “So let’s see the big guy already!”

Wanda drew.

“Heh, heh,” she chuckled. “As you wish!”

The Cocoon of Evolution shook more than ever… It started to rip apart…

Wanda placed a card down on her Disk…

* * * * * * * * * *

Ooh, here it comes, thought Francesca. I really feel sorry for that guy… but I don’t know if anything can stop Mothra there…

* * * * * * * * * *

Stan gazed in awe at the enormous creature in front of him.

Comparing Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth to Mothra wasn’t much of a stretch. This creature wasn’t nearly as big, but it looked just as mean and threatening. And while it wasn’t as big, it was certainly big. Measuring it in his head, Stan guessed it was about ten feet long with a forty-foot wingspan.

(3,500/3,000)

The animals who were serving as spectators drew back in fear.

But Stan chuckled slightly…

“What’s so funny?” exclaimed Wanda.

“Whenever I see a powerful Monster,” smiled Stan, “I get excited!”


Continued...

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post...



“Get excited over this,” chuckled Wanda, placing a Magic card into a slot. “I activate Destroy Defense!”

The Magic Card lifted up, and Stan’s two Monsters stood up into Attack Mode!

“Now you can’t defend for three of your turns!” smiled Wanda, “but I figure I’ll have finished you off by then!”

Stan gulped.

“Now my Great Moth,” she yelled, “attack his Mystical Elf with hurricane blast!”

Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth waved its mighty wings, and a blast of wind almost knocked Stan down! Mystical Elf was vaporized!

His Life Points plunged to 3,500.

“Neo-Bug,” she commanded, “attack his Skilled White Magician!”

Neo-Bug flew forward and grasped the mage with his mandibles, crushing him! Skilled White Magician burst into pixels!

Stan’s Life Points fell to 3,400.

“Insect Knight, attack him directly!” shouted Wanda.

The mantis knight flew forward and smote Stan with his blade, sending him falling backwards!

Stan groaned and got up. His Life Point counter was at 1,500.

I’m in trouble, he thought. If I have to take a direct attack from that Moth, it’ll likely blow me halfway to Oz!

He looked at his hand.

Very little to go on here…

“Give it up!” mocked Wanda. “No one have ever defeated the fully evolved Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth!”

“I can name two people who have,” corrected Stan. “Yugi Mouto and Joey Wheeler.”

“Look,” pouted Wanda, “if my dumb brother had all three of the Egyptian God Cards in his deck, I’d wager he’d still manage to lose!”

“Maybe so,” replied Stan, “but one of the reasons that Yugi and Joey defeated him was that they didn’t give up – and I won’t either! I didn’t come halfway across the ocean to throw in the towel in the first duel!”

He drew.

“I play… Graceful Charity!” he shouted, placing the card into a slot.

A beautiful angel materialized in a beam of light, and flew into his deck…

Then she flew out, and handed him three cards.

“Uh, thanks,” he said.

Then she put her hand on her hip and motioned with her hand.

Oh, right, he thought. I have to discard two… Well, I can do without these… So do I just give them to her?

He handed the cards to the angel and she took them. She flew into his discard slot.

Stan shrugged. This was certainly unusual.

He looked at the three cards he had drawn.

He looked at the situation in front of him.

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

He threw a card into a slot, and it appeared in front of him.

He took another card from his hand.

“Now let me show you a little trick,” he smiled. “I’ll play Monster Reborn, to bring back my Dark Magician!”

He placed the card into a slot, and Dark Magician returned. (2,500/2,100)

“And now a second Magic Card,” he continued, throwing another card into a slot. “A powerful spell called Dedication Through Light And Darkness!”

A card flew out of his deck and he caught it. He placed it on his Disk. Dark energy coursed around Dark Magician…

“This Magic Card lets me sacrifice Dark Magician to summon the powerful Dark Magician of Chaos!” he exclaimed.

An even darker Spellcaster with black skin, an exotic headdress, and a foreboding costume appeared, brandishing a glowing scepter! Dark insectile wings sprouted from his back, and his costume transformed into a sleek and still-magnificent exoskeleton. (2,800/2,600)

“Also,” said Stan, “by summoning him, I’m able to retrieve one Magic Card from my Graveyard…”

A card flew out of his discard slot, and he caught it.

“And I choose Monster Reborn! To bring back Dark Magician again!”

He threw the card into the slot, and Dark Magician arose again!

“A nifty trick when you want to get two powerful Monsters on the field at once,” smiled Stan. “Dark Magician of Chaos, attack her Insect Knight with chaos scepter blast!”

Dark Magician of Chaos spun his staff and slammed it to the ground! Insect Knight was blown into nothing!

Wanda cringed from the blow.

“Dark Magician, destroy her Neo-Bug!” shouted Stan.

Dark Magician cast forth his dark spell, and Neo-Bug was eradicated!

Wanda’s Life Points fell to 1,800.

“Nice try, Stan,” she laughed, “but I’m afraid that neither of them are any match for my BIG bug!”

“We’ll see,” smiled Stan. “I end my turn.”

Wanda drew.

“Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth,” she commanded, “attack his Dark Magician of Chaos with your hurricane blast!”

The Moth flapped its horrible wings…

“Did you forget about my facedown card?” chuckled Stan.

“WHAT?” gasped Wanda, as it lifted. “A Trap? What is it?”

Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth froze in place!

A Spellbinding Circle!

“Not only have I frozen your big bug,” smiled Stan, “but I’ve reduced his Attack power by 700 points!”

Wanda chuckled.

“Big deal!” she laughed. “That makes his Attack score equal to your Dark Magician of Chaos! You attack, and all you’ll get is a draw.

“But in case you do that anyway, I’ll summon a Monster facedown in Defense Mode and end my turn.”

She placed a card down, and a hidden Monster appeared.

Just try it Stan, she thought. My Man-Eater Bug will make sure your next move is your last!

Stan chuckled as he drew.

“Sorry, Wanda, but I’ve had a card in my hand for some time in case you tried that. I play Nobleman of Crossout!”

He slammed a card into a slot, and an armored knight with a sword appeared. He stabbed into the facedown card! The giant Bug appeared and shattered!

Wanda gasped.

“A Man-Eater,” sighed Stan. “What Insect deck would be complete without a couple of them lurking around in it?”

“And I won’t give you the satisfaction of seeing me suicide my Magician against your Moth either,” he said, taking the card he had just drawn.

He placed it down.

“For now, I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior!”

A tall wizard in red robes and a peaked cowl which only revealed glowing eyes appeared. He carried a glowing sword and a shield. (1,600/1,000)

“Breaker’s power lets him ‘break’ one Magic or Trap Card,” explained Stan. “Breaker, destroy her DNA Surgery!”

Breaker swung his sword forward, and the Trap Card smashed to bits!

The three Monsters on his side of the field transformed back to their proper forms.

“What good will that do you?” stuttered Wanda, nervously.

“Because,” replied Stan, “now that my Dark Magician of Chaos is no longer an Insect, I can Equip him with this…”

He fit a card into a slot.

“Magic Formula!”

A large spellbook appeared in front of Dark Magician of Chaos, and he read it…

“This Equip card raises his Attack power by 500 points!”

Dark Magician of Chaos closed the book and stashed it under his arm. (3,300/2,600)

“Now,” commanded Stan, “attack her Moth with chaos scepter blast!”

Dark Magician of Chaos slammed his staff to the ground, and Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth was engulfed in black flames! It shrieked and exploded!

Wanda could only stare as her Life Points fell to 1,200.

“Now,” shouted Stan, “Dark Magician, finish her off! Dark magic attack!”

Dark Magician thrust his staff forward and fired! Wanda screamed as her Life Points were depleted.

* * * * * * * * * *

On the hillside overlooking the scene, Francesca gulped.

Uh, she thought. Maybe I won’t challenge that guy… at least not yet… Maybe eventually, but why rush?

Heck, I really wouldn’t want that Magician to blast me like that…

She shivered. She wasn’t afraid of a challenge, but she did have common sense. Anyone who could defeat a Monster as powerful as Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth was someone to avoid.

Well, best get going to Petalburg… And see if I can find someone else.

* * * * * * * * * *

The wildlife that had been watching the duel slowly started to wander away. Stan was glad for that at least. They were making him nervous.

Wanda was on the ground holding her head. Stan offered her his hand.

“Oh,” she groaned. “Your team packs a punch!”

“I do my best,” shrugged Stan.

“Well,” sighed Wanda, “I guess I owe you something…”

She handed him one of her Crystal Cards.

“Thank you,” said Stan, taking it. “But you’re still in the running. And I think you’ll have no problem proving that you’re better than your brother.”

She nodded.

“Well, why don’t you go on to Petalburg,” she mused.

She noticed a large dragonfly flutter by.

“Me, I’m going to stay here for an hour or so, and keep checking out the insect life. The ecosystem of this island is like nothing I’ve seen before – so strange…”

“Well, good luck,” replied Stan.

He walked off, and eyed his new card.

Four more to go, he thought. Hopefully, the rest won’t be as hard as that…

* * * * * * * * * *

Stan and Francesca didn’t know it, but another viewer had been watching the duel from another angle, using powerful binoculars and a listening device it see and hear all the action.

He was a short, chubby man, in a strange outfit. He wore a black shirt with a white “X” on the torso, white gloves and purple pants. He wore a short purple cape. He also wore a purple cowl that had horn-like protrusions coming out of the temples, and he wore thick glasses. He also had a thick, red beard.

He put the binoculars down, and took a cell phone out of his pocket. He dialed a number.

“Talk to me,” hissed a voice over the phone.

“Your excellence,” said the man, “this is Lord Crump reporting… you might be interested in knowing that one of those brats you told me to watch – Stanley Mason I believe – has won his first duel…”

“How did he do?” was the response.

“Uh, pretty good…” muttered Crump. “He actually defeated a Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth… but the thing is…”

He paused.

“Yes?” asked the voice.

“It seems he found the Sweat Treat card…” stammered Crump.

There was a long pause.

“That is indeed a concern,” replied the voice. “But don’t concern yourself with it. Continue your surveillance of the three youngsters. If I need you to do anything else, I’ll contact you.”

“You know,” suggested Crump, “if you want I could…”

“NO!” shouted the voice. “Not yet at least. Whenever I give you a job that’s the least bit complex, you mess up and we get the short end of it!”

What? thought Crump. Why I oughta…

“Now do as you’re told,” said the voice.

The phone hung up.

In a dark chamber somewhere else, a figure brooded.

So, Stanley found the Sweet Treat card… she thought. I was wondering what happened to that accursed thing…

Ah well, Sweet Treat is the least powerful of them. And some of them are safely in the hands of my servants, while the others won’t be hard to find. I needn’t worry too much.

For now, I’ll just watch, and see what unfolds.

But before the day is over, hopefully at least one of my prey will be done away with…

She turned and looked upon six forms who were watching behind her.

She smiled.



DESTROY DEFENSE

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a sword shattering a shield. After this card is played, your opponent’s Monsters are shifted into Attack Mode (any flip-effects apply). Your opponent cannot set any Monster in Defense Mode for three of his turns.

Note: “Destroy Defense” first appeared in “Legacy of the Duelist”.



MAGIC FORMULA

Card Specs

Type: Magic/Equip
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of an ancient Spellbook. This card can be Equipped to any SPELLCASTER-Type Monster. Increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 500 points.

Note: “Magic Formula” was used several times in the anime, originally by Yugi in “The Dark Spirit Revealed”.



SWEET TREAT

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a gingerbread man holding a pink dice. You can only activate this card during your first Main Phase. Roll one dice. Multiply the result by 1,000 and increase your Life Points by the result. After using this card, you must end your turn.



[color=green]Coming up next:

Being a very attractive young woman, Francesca learned a long time ago that her life would be full of boys who were little more than jerks with one thing on their minds. And as a duelist, nothing brings her more joy than using her Monsters to teach such mashers a painful lesson.

Coming up next, she dishes out such a lesson, in a chapter called “Unbreakable,” coming soon.

[Dark Sage]

[color=orange]A lot of girls my age would consider it a blessing to have a gorgeous body and have boys fighting over them. Well, it’s sort of a blessing – but it’s sort of a curse too.

Ever since I’ve hit puberty, I’ve been plagued by chauvinistic jerks with hormones coming out of their ears who thought that my looks meant that I was a cheap bimbo and an easy score. All of them were sorely mistaken. I got brains to go with these looks. And I don’t take kindly to people who try to take advantage of me. I’ve been catcalled, pinched, and slapped numerous times – and each time, the idiot responsible got the painful lesson that I wasn’t as cheap as he thought.

I guess that’s why, when I became a duelist, I chose Amazons as the focus of my deck. The Amazons are tough ladies, and they don’t take any crap from anyone. Any men who’d dare to pinch one of them would die… painfully.

And as fate would have it, my first Monster Island challenge is one of those creeps who thought I was an easy score…

…and he’s going to learn his lesson the hard way.



[B][size=3]

CHAPTER THREE



Unbreakable

It was now 11 AM.

Francesca was half a mile from Petalburg (give or take), and she decided to take in the serene beauty of Petal Meadows.

Lying on her back in the grassy knoll with her leather jacket, duffel bag, and Duel Disk off to the side, she watched as the rolling clouds went past her. Butterflies fluttered past her, and little white bunnies hopped by.

So beautiful, she thought. What an idyllic place this island is…

She sighed.

Got to be careful, she thought. Can’t get so relaxed that I fall into a coma!

Her tummy rumbled.

Darn, she thought. I have to get to Petalburg soon. I haven’t eaten since breakfast on the ship, and all I have in my pack are candy bars and cookies!

Then a shadow fell across her face.

She looked, and saw a boy about sixteen years old standing over her. He was muscular, but not overly so, with a plain white T-shirt and jeans. His hair was blonde and cut into a crew cut.

“Man, someone call Heaven,” he exclaimed, “there’s an angel loose!”

Francesca frowned.

“Uh, pal, hold it right there for a minute…” she said.

She sat up, turned her back to him, and pulled a notebook out of her duffle. She picked up a pen and skimmed through it.

“Here we are,” she mumbled, “the ’Someone call Heaven, there’s an angel loose,’ one…”

She made a checkmark.

“Congratulations, buddy,” she smiled, not turning around, “you are the fiftieth person to use that pickup line on me!”

He drew back.

“And it was just as unsuccessful as the other forty-nine times…” she muttered.

“Heh, heh,” he chuckled. “I like a girl with a sense of humor…”

“I have a sense of humor,” she replied, “but not around dogs like you.”

“Come on babe,” he said, putting his arm on her shoulder, “doesn’t this place give you any ideas about…”

“Take it off, or I’ll break it off!” threatened Francesca.

He shakily removed his hand.

“And if you call me ‘babe’ one more time, you’re limping to Petalburg…” she growled.

She stared at him.

“You are totally beneath me…” she scowled.

“Funny,” he smiled. “That’s where I’d love to be…”

She gave him a look that was half shock and half disgust.

She noticed the Duel Disk on his arm.

Hmm, maybe this sleaze can get me off to a good start, she thought. I’ll just give him an offer he’d not likely refuse…

She stood up.

“I see you’re a duelist,” she noted.

“Are you challenging me, princess?” he laughed.

“Don’t call me princess either!” she snapped. “And yeah, I am. And I’ll make it worth your while…”

She smirked.

“How so?” he asked.

“I’ll give you a bargain that few men in your position can resist – if I’m defeated, I’ll give you the deepest, longest French kiss you’ve ever received.”

His eyes opened wide.

“But if you lose,” she smiled, “I get your Crystal Card and your rarest card. You know how they used to play card games – players would ante up cards…”

Francesca smiled. She had made this wager against more similar stakes several times, and she had never once had to give out a kiss. Few duelists knew how much trouble they were in until they had seen her in action.

The youth thought to himself.

This babe is nuts, she thought. Even if I lose, I have three more copies of what I can claim is my “rarest card” in my folder! And I won’t lose – time to duel and steal a kiss…

“It’s a bet!” smiled the youth. “Shuffle and prepare to pucker up! By the way, you can call me Jackson – Stonewall Jackson.”

Francesca stared at him with a weird look..

“You named yourself after a Confederate General?” she asked offhand.

“Well Jackson’s my real name,” he replied, “I am from Georgia, and as for why I took the name… Well, just wait and see!”

“Fine,” replied Francesca, slipping on her Disk. “The name’s Francesca. And you want to know how Stonewall Jackson died? He was accidentally fired upon by his own troops, had his arm amputated as a result, and died in pain in a hospital bed. Not quite the end a true military man dreams of…

“And I can assure you… You’ll die just as shamefully…”

* * * * * * * * * *

At that moment, Stan walked over the hill.

He looked down upon the two duelists.

Huh, he thought. It’s that girl I met on the boat – the one who liked my Dark Magician Girl so much.

He sat down.

Well, maybe watching this can’t hurt… It’s still early…

He took a small bag of potato chips out of his bag and looked down upon the field.

* * * * * * * * * *

Francesca looked over her shoulder as she shuffled.

Seems someone else is interested in me, she thought. Oh well… If he tries something after this, I’ll take care of him too…

She raised her Disk in the air.

“Activate holo-imagers!” she shouted.

The imagers burst out, and set themselves up ten feet to either side of herself. Her Disk snapped into place.

Jackson activated his own Disk, and it snapped into place.

“LET’S DUEL!” they both shouted.

They both made their draws.

Crud, thought Francesca, looking at her cards. I think I just won the award for world’s worst opening hand!

“Why don’t you go first, Jackson?” she stated.

“My pleasure!” he chuckled, making his first draw.

He looked at his card.

“I’ll summon this Monster facedown in Defense and end my turn,” he stated, placing a card down.

Sneaky, thought Francesca, drawing. She looked at her hand again.

Not much to go on, she thought. Best go for broke…

“I summon… Amazoness Chain Master, in Attack Mode!” she shouted.

She put her card down, and a tall form appeared. It was a slightly muscular woman with long blonde hair, dressed in a bikini and boots made from fur. She held a long chain tipped with a nasty spiked grapple. (1,500/1,300)

“Whoa,” said Jackson. “That’s a decent set of paint cans…”

“I wouldn’t insult Chain Master,” smiled Francesca. “She has a distinctive job among the Amazon tribe – executing prisoners! And she loves her job…

“Chain Wielder, attack his facedown Monster with chain rend!”

Amazoness Chain Master lifted her weapon and twirled it over her head! She charged…

Then a huge shape appeared on the facedown card. It was a huge, rough, humanoid statue, holding two swords on its back. It slugged the Amazon and sent her falling on her behind. (1,300/2,000)

“Heh, heh,” smiled Jackson. “My Giant Soldier of Stone was a bit too much for your Amazon to handle!”

Francesca’s Life Points fell to 7,500.

“Okay, you win round one,” frowned Francesca. “But there’s more where she came from…”

“My move now…” said Jackson, drawing. “I’ll summon another Monster in Defense Mode, and I’ll even show you what it is…”

He placed a card down.

“Stone Statue of the Aztecs!” he exclaimed.

Another huge statue crashed down, this one a giant head with two large hands, made of unhewn rock. (300/2,000)

“And that’s my turn,” he grinned.

“You know buddy,” frowned Francesca, “they called General Thomas Jonathan Jackson by the nickname ‘Stonewall’ Jackson because he was brave and always faced his enemies, not because he was always hiding behind defensive barriers like you are right now! Besides, you can’t win this duel by just defending…”

“My strategy will come to light soon,” smiled Jackson. “In the meantime, it’s your turn…”

Francesca drew.

She put a card down.

“I summon Amazoness Paladin, in Attack Mode,” she proclaimed.

Another Warrior-woman appeared – this one wore a white bikini top, short skirt, and tattered cape, along with a golden tiara. She held a long sword. (1,700/300)

“Amazoness Paladin is the general of the Amazon army,” explained Francesca, “and she gains support from her troops – so for every Amazon on the field, she gains 100 extra Attack Points. So now she gains 200 extra!”

(1,900/300)

“Humph, she’s still not strong enough to break my defenses,” frowned Jackson.

“Not yet,” smiled Francesca.

* * * * * * * * * *

Amazons, huh? thought Stan. Interesting. No wonder she liked my Dark Magician Girl so much.

I’ve heard that these Warriors can be quite powerful if used the right way… Maybe now I’ll get a lesson in Amazon Culture 101…

* * * * * * * * * *

Jackson drew.

“Hmmm,” he said.

“I’ll summon a second Giant Soldier of Stone,” he said, placing a card down.

Another Giant Soldier materialized. (1,300/2,000)

“But he won’t be staying for long,” he continued, placing a Magic Card into a slot, “because I play Mystik Wok!”

A huge Chinese wok appeared on his side of the field, and the Giant Soldier of Stone appeared in it. Flames appeared underneath it.

“With my Wok,” he explained, “I can sacrifice this Monster and gain Life Points equal to its Attack or Defense Score, so I’ll gain its Defense Score!”

The Giant Soldier vanished into steam, and Jackson glowed. His Life Points shot up to 10,000.

“Peachy,” snarled Francesca.

“And it’s your move,” he grinned.

Francesca drew.

Damn, she thought. Nothing to summon at all! I’m having the worst luck.

“I’ll pass this turn,” she frowned.

“Oo-kay,” said Jackson, drawing.

He chuckled as he looked at his card.

He threw it into a slot.

“I play the deadly Meteor of Destruction!” he shouted.

The clouds overhead darkened. They opened, and a ball of flame came hurtling to earth. Francesca screamed as it crashed into her!

Her Life Points fell to 6,500.

“Feeling the heat yet, babe?” he asked.

“I’ve felt worse,” she scowled.

“Well, your move,” he said.

So that’s his game, she thought. Hide behind defenses and strike with Magic Cards. Talk about cowardly…

She drew again.

Eh, Dramatic Rescue, she thought, looking at it. This might be useful…

“I’ll place a card facedown and end my turn,” she announced, fitting it into a slot.

The facedown card appeared behind her two Amazons.

Jackson drew.

He smiled a smile that Francesca did NOT like.

“Now you’ll see the cornerstone of my strategy,” he grinned. “I play a Magic Card… the powerful Wave-Motion Cannon!”

He threw the card into the slot, and the card appeared… then it transformed into a large, fat cannon, covered with strange gewgaws.

“Let me explain how this card works,” smiled Jackson, “every round it stays on the field, it will gain power. When I order it to fire, it will blast you for damage equal to 1,000 times the number of Standby Phases that it remained!”

“You really think you can keep it around for seven more of your turns without me getting past your defenses?” asked Francesca, raising an eyebrow.

“We’ll see,” replied Jackson. “It’s your move…”

Francesca made a draw.

Still no Monsters… The card was Waboku.

Well, might as well put this on the field, she thought.

“I’ll place a card facedown and end my turn,” she sighed, fitting it into a slot.

The facedown card appeared next to the other one.

“Go ahead,” she muttered.

Jackson drew.

Energy flowed into the Wave-Motion Cannon, and it started to glow slightly.

“Heh, heh,” he smiled, “Now I’ll sacrifice my Giant Soldier of Stone for an even stronger defense…”

He put a card down, and Giant Solder of Stone vanished into pixels.

“Millennium Shield, in Defense Mode!” he shouted.

A huge shield appeared, made of metal, colored red and gold, and with the Eye of Horus on the front. (00/3,000)

“This ancient magical artifact has been known to keep whole armies at bay!” he grinned. “Just try to get past it!”


Continued...

[Dark Sage]

Stan didn’t know the stakes that Francesca had placed, but he couldn’t help but feel sorry for the duelist he was watching right now.

He remembered an early duel of his – one that he lost, in which his opponent blasted him with a Wave-Motion Cannon. It was a very unpleasant experience to say the least.

Come on, he thought, You’ve got to find some way around those fortresses he’s put up…

* * * * * * * * * *

Francesca growled. The thought of her having to pay up if she lost disgusted her…

She drew.

Finally, she thought.

“I summon Amazoness Swords Woman, in Attack Mode!” she yelled.

A new Amazon appeared, this one even fiercer than the last two. She had wild red hair, and wore a blue bikini and leather boots, each part of her clothing decorated with what appeared to be the fangs of a large, carnivorous animal. She bore a huge sword that seemed too large for her to wield in one hand – but she did anyway. (1,500/1,600)

Amazoness Paladin’s Attack went up to 2,000.

“You think that scares me?” laughed Jackson.

“We’ll see,” smiled Francesca. “Amazoness Swords Woman, attack his Millennium Shield with great sword slash!”

Amazoness Swords Woman raised her blade and charged forward. She screamed a war cry and struck the huge shield!

Then she was propelled backwards and landed on her rump.

“Ha, ha!” cackled Jackson, as Swords Woman got up. “Are you trying to lose on purpose? You just lost 1,500 Life Points!”

“Guess again!” grinned Francesca.

Then Jackson noticed that his own Life Point counter was falling – it fell to 8,500.

“WHAT?” he shouted. “I lost Life Points?”

“Uh huh,” giggled Francesca. “All thanks to Amazoness Swords Woman’s special effect. See, any damage involving a battle with her is deducted from my opponent’s Life Points, not from mine!

“And seeing as I doubt you have any Monsters in your deck that are actually capable of attacking, I think I’ve got you in the perfect lock!

“Make your move.”

Jackson growled. He drew. The Wave-Motion Cannon powered up again…

“I’ll play my Pot of Greed,” he grunted.

He placed the card in a slot, and the colorful pot appeared. Like Stan had seen, a spectral arm reached out, took two cards from his deck, and handed them to him.

“Well that’s a nifty trick,” he mused. “I’ll place a card facedown and end my turn.”

He fit a card into a slot, and it appeared behind his walls.

Francesca drew.

Now this is more like it! she thought.

“I summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode!” she exclaimed.

She put the card down, and a fourth Amazon materialized. She was the most muscular of the four; her black hair was tied back in a ponytail, she wore a blue bikini top and loincloth, and two belts strapped around her abdomen. (1,500/1,300)

“Okay, that’s… different…” stuttered Jackson.

“And don’t forget,” smiled Francesca, “this means my Paladin now has an Attack Score of 2,100!”

“Paladin, demolish his Stone Statue of the Aztecs!” she yelled.

Amazoness Paladin raised her sword and leapt forward! She swung, blasting the Stone Statue into pebbles!

“Amazoness Swords Woman, strike his Shield again!” she shouted.

Swords Woman swung her sword dramatically and again charged, striking the shield. She toppled over again, but Jackson’s Life Points fell to 6,000.

“It’s your move…” she smiled.

What am I going to do? he thought. On this round, my Cannon will power up to a three thousand-point intensity… but it needs to last four more of my turns in order to finish her! At the rate she’s going, she only needs four more of her turns to bring my Life Points down to zero – it will be one round too late for me!

He drew, and his cannon absorbed more energy. Steam started to issue forth from it.

“I play Reload!” he exclaimed.

He threw the card into a slot, and an ancient shotgun appeared in front of him. The reloading lever clicked, and it vanished.

He took his deck and placed his five cards into it. Then he reshuffled and plugged the deck back in. Then he drew five more cards.

He smiled.

“You wanted my rarest card?” he asked. “Well, you won’t get it, but I will show it to you…”

He put a card down.

“Gear Golem the Moving Fortress in Defense Mode!” he exclaimed.

A huge, bulky, metal thing landed next to the Millennium Shield. It was a giant Machine made of gears and wheels, studded with spikes. (800/2,200)

“With 2,200 Defense Points, your Paladin couldn’t crack it even if you had five Amazons on the field!” exclaimed Jackson. “And my turn is just starting…”

He fit a card into a slot.

“I’ll place another card facedown,” he said.

A facedown card appeared next to his other one.

“And now,” he grinned, “since you liked this so much the first time, I’ll play another Meteor of Destruction!”

He threw a card into a slot. The clouds darkened again, and another ball of flame plummeted down. Francesca screamed bloody murder as it slammed into her.

She fell to her knees. Her Life Points fell to 5,500.

“That’s it, Fran,” smiled Jackson. “On your knees, just like I like my women!”

“I was wrong when I said you were a dog, Jackson,” growled Francesca. “You’re a pig, plain and simple! Are you done?”

“Not yet,” he replied. “I’ll also play Dian Keto the Cure Master!”

He threw another card into a slot, and the kindly god of healing appeared behind him. He glowed again, and his Life Points went up to 7,000.

“It’s your move…” he stated.

* * * * * * * * * *

Man, she’s really in trouble now, thought Stan.

That cannon is already at the three-thousand point mark; it’s halfway strong enough to finish her!

And I’m liking this Jackson guy less and less. I really hope there isn’t anything on the line other than their Crystal Cards.

* * * * * * * * * *

Unbeknownst to Stan, a lot was on the line for Francesca – her dignity and self respect, for one thing.

If she lost, she couldn’t go back on her word. She had said it herself. In Duel Monsters, wagers are sacred. If she tried to weasel out of this one, she’d be no better than this lout…

She sighed.

Well, if she lost, she’d take her punishment like a grown woman… Even though it meant disobeying her father…

She drew.

It seemed her bad luck was there again. It was only Amazoness Spellcaster.

“Swords Woman,” she ordered, “attack his Shield again!”

Amazoness Swords Woman lifted her weapon.

“I activate… Waboku!” shouted Jackson.

One of his Trap Cards lifted, and Amazoness Swords Woman was halted by three priestesses dressed in blue robes.

Francesca spat out a cuss word under her breath.

“You look beautiful when you’re angry,” chuckled Jackson. “My move now?”

“Go on…” snarled Francesca.

“I’ll draw,” said Jackson, drawing.

He looked at the card.

His Cannon absorbed even more energy. Steam shot out of it, and a sound like a boiling teakettle began to come from the contraption.

“Think I’ll pass this turn,” he smiled.

Francesca drew.

Yes! she thought.

“The weather is about to get nippy,” she smiled. “I play my Heavy Storm card!”

She threw it into her slot.

“Say goodbye to your Cannon!” she laughed.

Fierce winds started to blow over the field…

“I don’t think so…” smiled Jackson.

He discarded the card in his hand.

His Trap Card lifted.

“I activate Magic Jammer!”

A magical circle appeared on the ground, and smoke poured from it. Francesca’s Magic Card disintegrated, and the winds subsided.

“DAMN!” shouted Francesca.

She pointed towards the Shield.

“Swords Woman, attack AGAIN!”

Swords Woman took the sword in both hands and slammed it against the Millennium Shield. She was thrown back again, and landed on her back.

Jackson’s Life Points fell to 5,500.

“You’re torturing your own Monster for no reason!” gloated Jackson. “She’ll never deplete my Life Points in time now! Why don’t you just give up?”

“Never!” shouted Francesca. “Make your move…”

“Why do they always want to do things the hard way…” sighed Jackson, drawing.

He smiled as he looked at his card.

His Cannon drew in more energy, and started to rattle like crazy. It looked like it was going to burst at any minute!

“Heh, heh,” he chuckled.

“I’ll play another Dian Keto the Cure Master card,” he said, placing the card into a slot.

Dian Keto appeared behind him again, and cast his healing spell, raising Jackson’s Life Points to 6,500.

“Now my Cannon has stored five-thousand points worth of energy!” he proclaimed. “On my next turn, I’ll order it to fire, and I’ll win this duel… And we’ll see how good a kisser you really are…

“I end my turn.”

Francesca smiled.

And then she chuckled softly.

“What’s so funny?” asked Jackson.

“Don’t you know the effects of your own Monsters?” she laughed. “You could have won the duel right there!”

“What?” asked Jackson in surprise. “How?”

“I’m talking about Gear Golem’s effect, moron,” answered Francesca. “It has another use other than a defensive wall. If you had switched it into Attack Mode, you could have spent 800 Life Points to attack me directly with it. Then you could have ordered your Cannon to fire, and I would have lost!

“It’s little mistakes like this that separate the professionals and the amateurs.”

Jackson looked dumbfounded.

And then a look of anger crossed his face.

“Yeah, well I’ll win on my next turn, so it makes no difference!” he shouted.

Francesca looked at her deck.

He didn’t know it, she thought, but I was lying to make him angry. My Waboku was still on the field…

But even so, Waboku can’t block that cannon’s blast. If there’s a card in this deck that can stop him, I have to draw it NOW.

It all rides on this draw…

She drew.

“I play… Card Destruction!” she shouted, throwing a card into a slot.

“Now, we must discard all of the cards in our hands and draw an equal number!” she exclaimed.

She discarded her ample hand and made the draws.

Her eyes opened wide.

“Meet the Amazon tribe’s loyal pet and guardian!” she exclaimed. “I summon… Amazoness Tiger!”

She put the card down, and a fierce tigress on a spiked leash appeared! She roared! (1,100/1,500)

“First of all, this brings my Paladin’s Attack to 2,200,” she explained. “Also, Amazoness Tiger gains 400 Attack Points for every Amazon on the field, herself included, giving her an Attack Score of 3,100!”

“Impressive,” smiled Jackson. “But still not enough to destroy both my defenses…”

“I’m not done!” smiled Francesca.

She flicked open her Field slot and placed a card into it.

“I play Gaia Power!” she exclaimed.

The whole area around them started to change. Lovely trees with emerald leaves and thick trunks sprouted up, changing the playing field into a small forest.

“Gaia Power has two effects that benefit me right now,” smiled Francesca. “First, it raises the Attack of all Earth Monsters on the field, like my Amazons, by 500 points!”

Amazoness Tiger’s Attack rose to 3,600, Amazoness Paladin’s to 2,700, and the other three Amazons to 2,000 each.

“Second,” continued Francesca, “Gaia Power also decreases the Defense of all Earth Monsters, like your two fortresses, by 400 points!”

Millennium Shield’s Defense dropped to 2,600, while Gear Golem the Moving Fortress dropped to 1,800.

“NO!” screamed Jackson.

“Yes!” shouted Francesca. “Amazoness Paladin, shatter his Millennium Shield!”

Amazoness Paladin raised her sword, and leapt forward, slamming it against the giant Shield. It started to crack, and then fell apart!

“Amazoness Swords Woman, attack his Gear Golem!” yelled Francesca.

Swords Woman shouted a war cry again, and brought her sword down on Gear Golem. The machine exploded into a pile of junk, and the residue vanished.

“Well,” smiled Francesca. “Nothing left to hide behind…”

Jackson started to sweat.

“Amazoness Tiger, attack directly with Maul of the Great Cat!” ordered Francesca.

Amazoness Tiger leapt forth and roared, raking her claws on Jackson’s chest! He screamed and staggered backwards.

His Life Points plummeted to 2,900.

“Ooh,” he moaned.

“Amazoness Fighter,” yelled Francesca, “attack him with savage kick!”

The Fighter ran up and savagely kneed Jackson in the groin! He shrieked and fell over.



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post...


His Life Points were now at 900.

He slowly got to his feet. He looked nervously at Amazoness Chain Master…

“Jackson,” smiled Fran, “maybe if you were to get on your knees, Amazoness Chain Master would grant you a merciful death…”

Jackson started to sweat more than ever.

He slowly got on his knees.

Amazoness Chain Master looked at him in disgust.

“I was lying, Jackson…” smirked Francesca, pointing.

Chain Master pulled her chain taunt and walked up to him.

“…the Amazons hate folks who grovel. I tricked you into kneeling so she could do her job easier. I told you that she was the tribe’s executioner, remember?”

“What?” gasped Jackson. “No…”

“The enemy has been taken prisoner by the Amazons,” smiled Francesca, sweetly, “and now it’s time for him to be dealt with, as are all fools who challenge the Amazons.”

She grinned.

“Amazoness Chain Master…” said Francesca, “string him up!”

She stabbed her thumb down. Chain Master wrapped her chain around Jackson’s neck and then put her knee against his back. She smiled as she slowly started to choke him…

And his Life Points slowly fell to zero…

The holo-imagers shut down, and Francesca’s Amazons vanished. Jackson fell on his face, gasping for breath.

“Well,” smiled Francesca, “I believe you owe me a Crystal Card and your Gear Golem card…”

Jackson scowled… But he knew the rules. He took a Crystal Card out of his pocket and the Monster Card from his discard pile.

“This isn’t over, you slut!” he cursed. “I’ll get even, you hear!”

And then he started to limp away.

“Yeah, yeah,” sighed Francesca. “Whatever.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Gear Golem the Moving Fortress was a powerful card, but it didn’t really have a place in Francesca’s deck. She took her binder out of her duffle and carefully placed it inside.

As she closed it, she spoke up.

“He’s gone. You can come down now.”

Stan slowly descended the hill.

“How long did you know I was there?” he asked.

“Since I started the duel,” she answered. “By the way, I saw you duel that kid with the green pigtails – impressive. I didn’t think anyone could defeat a Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth.”

“You’re pretty impressive yourself,” he replied. “Francesca, wasn’t it? My name’s Stan.”

He extended his hand.

They shook.

“Well,” said Francesca, “it seems you’re no rookie and neither am I… And we both have three Crystal Cards. Maybe now is a chance for one of us to get a fourth!”

“I was thinking the same thing,” smiled Stan.

“Then let’s have a more honorable duel than that last lout,” smiled Fran.

The two of them shuffled their decks and then backed up away from each other…

But just as they were about to activate their Disks, a strange sensation came over the both of them…

Wait… thought Stan. This is… wrong. I don’t know why, but it’s just… wrong…

Strange, thought Francesca. Suddenly I don’t want to duel him anymore… For some reason… it just wouldn’t be right…

“Um, Francesca…” started Stan.

“Please, call me Fran,” answered Francesca.

“Right, Fran,” he replied. “We’ve both just dueled, it’s getting close to noon, and we’re both hungry… We should try to get to Petalburg soon…”

“Yeah,” sighed Fran. “I had the same idea. Maybe we can do this some other time.”

She paused.

“Still,” she continued. “It’s rather lonely on this road – how about we stay together for at least awhile? That is, if I can trust you…”

“Hey, I’m already accounted for,” assured Stan. “I’ve got a girlfriend back home who I could never leave.

“Although I must say, if I didn’t, I’d love to ask you out for the proverbial dinner and a movie – if such a thing isn’t too much of a cliché… I mean, you’re perfect – smart, beautiful, witty… Not to mention a great duelist.”

Francesca giggled.

“Strange,” she laughed. “I’m so used to hearing fake flattery that I’ve forgotten how good it is when it’s real. Well, we’ve got half a mile to walk…”

* * * * * * * * * *

It was fifteen minutes into the hike when Stan noticed something around Francesca’s neck.

No, he thought. It can’t be…

“Uh, Fran?” he asked.

“Yeah?”

“I couldn’t help but notice your pendant…” he stated.

“Oh, this thing?” asked Francesca.

She looked at the pendant around her neck. It was a strange object attached to a golden chain. The pendant itself was a square with flared edges, made from black crystal. Etched on it were three star-symbols in an upside-down triangle pattern, whose outlines had been colored yellow with some sort of paint.

“Pretty little piece of jewelry,” she said. “My grandmother gave it to me – she said her grandmother gave it to her, and that she got it from her grandmother and… well, you get the idea. She told me it would bring me good luck in any competition, so I always wear it while I’m dueling.”

Stan looked like he had seen a ghost.

“What’s wrong?” asked Francesca.

“Um…” said Stan. “Well, you see…”

He reached under his shirt and pulled something out.

It was a pendant that looked almost exactly like Francesca’s pendant. The only difference was, the paint that outlined the stars on his were blue.

“This is kind of a family heirloom too,” muttered Stan. “My grandfather gave it to me, his grandfather gave it him… and so on. When grandpa gave it to me, he told me the same thing – that it would grant me luck in any competition. So I duel with it too…”

The two duelists looked at each other for a minute.

“I’m placing this somewhere between ‘incredible coincidence’ and ‘chance of fate’,” she muttered.

“Yeah, this is creepy,” replied Stan.

They didn’t speak until they were within sights of Petalburg.

* * * * * * * * * *

In a room illuminated by hundreds of candelabras and a dozen chandeliers, equipped with candles made of black wax, each lit by a flickering flame, a throne made out of violet crystal stood on a pedestal.

In front of the throne was a huge globe, mounted on a setting that resembled a wicked claw. In the globe, an image of Stan and Francesca approaching Petalburg was being viewed.

Sitting on the throne was a woman who was beautiful in a sinister way. She wore an exotic black dress that was somewhat old-fashioned, low-cut and revealing a good deal of cleavage. It was sort of the type of thing that you’d imagine sexy female vampires in movies wearing. She also wore golden bracelets, a necklace set with emeralds (likely equal in value to a luxury car), and a golden crown set with a single large diamond.

As for the woman herself, she was coldly beautiful. Her skin was flawless and porcelain-white, and her waist-length hair was golden blonde. Her eyes shone with a silver light. If she had pupils at all, the light hid them.

She pondered…

“So,” she mused. “Stan and Francesca have met. It was inevitable. And they’ll likely meet up with Andy within the hour as well.

“They duel well… This should prove an interesting endeavor…”

She leaned back on her throne and clapped her hands.

“Children!” she called, cheerily.

Magical energy started to flow around the chamber, and six orbs of energy flew into the room. The first was pure white; the second, blue; the third was fiery red; the fourth was murky brown; the fifth was dark green; and the last was inky black.

Laughter erupted in the room, and the six orbs flew about in a random pattern…

The woman’s face sank, and she leaned on her hand. The laughter continued…

“I’ve created six gas molecules…” she sighed.

She stood up.

“All right, enough!” she yelled.

The orbs halted, and positioned themselves in front of her. Slowly, they grew, and took form.

After a few seconds, they transformed into six teenagers, four boys and two girls. They were dressed in exotic clothing, and carried Duel Disks on their arms.

“Okay,” asked the woman, “just how many sodas did you all drink before I called you in here?”

“Uh, one?” muttered the girl who looked to be the youngest.

“One?” said the boy next to her. “Try four!”

“You had just as many!” she snapped back.

“I didn’t also eat three donuts!”

“QUIET!” shouted the woman.

They stopped.

“First of all,” she stated, “the average can of soda contains just under an ounce of sugar in it. At your average of nine per day, as I know you are, that’s nearly half a pound of sugar on beverages alone!”

The six youngsters bowed their heads.

“Not to mention that the caffeine is going to stunt your growth good!” she continued. “The last thing I need at this point are six children who are hyperactive! You get like that, it’s a sure way to make mistakes!”

“Yes, mom,” they all moaned at once.

“Now then,” she said, sitting back down. “Melissa… Kurtis… Tyson… Leopold… Maria… Vladimir… Listen carefully…

“I’ve been training each of you for this project ever since you were old enough to read and understand the writing on the cards. Now the time has finally come. Everything depends on your success.

“If you succeed, I assure you, the rewards will be incredible…

“If you mess up, I promise you, you won’t like it!”

They all shuddered.

“Now get out there and make mom proud,” she smiled.

They all turned and walked out of the chamber.

“Ugh,” said one of the boys. “She has some nerve yelling at us for drinking so much caffeine when she drank eight cups of coffee this morning…”

“I heard that…” snarled their mother’s voice from the chamber behind them.

The six of them drew back in fear. Then they transformed into orbs of light again and sped down the hall.

* * * * * * * * * *

One hour later…

In the center of the island was a huge mountain. And set into the mountain were a set of double doors – twenty feet high, and ten feet wide. They were covered in ancient runes that no human linguist could decipher, and strange depictions.

There was something else written on it too, but age and attempts to remove it had rendered it invisible to everyone except the most magically sensitive.

If you were sensitive enough, you would see this message, written ten times in ten different languages:

[B][color=red]There is no treasure here. There is no glory to be sought here. All that lies beyond these doors is death and incredible evil. If you value your life, do not proceed.

At this moment, someone was behind them.

“The coast is clear,” said a voice.

With a creaking noise, the huge doors slowly swung open. The six teenagers walked out into the open air.

The doors closed once again.

“Well,” hissed one of the boys (clearly the oldest), “the three of them are in Petalburg… I do not think attacking en masse would be a good idea…”

“Guess we should draw straws,” suggested another one of the boys.

“Aye,” said one of the girls. “I be got it covered…”

She drew a fancy cutlass from her hip, and with one swipe, chopped off a bunch of reeds that were growing nearby.

She picked up six of them, and broke one in half. Then she closed her fist around them, leaving the tops sticking out.

“Shortest straw wins,” she said.

They all reached for a straw… and as it turned out, the other girl got the short one.

“Super!” she exclaimed. “Like, I win!”

“Terrific,” sighed another one of the boys. “Our kid sister gets the first crack.”

“You think I can’t handle it?” she giggled. “I’m like totally gonna bury them! I’ve even got a totally killer idea on how to do it!”

She turned to one who had commented.

“Leopold,” she beamed. “I’m gonna need that special card that mom told you to hang on to!”

“What?” grumbled Leopold.

He took a card out of his belt.

“Are you sure, Melissa?” he asked. “Mom warned us against using this card…”

“Duh, I’m not gonna duel with it!” laughed Melissa. “I’m like totally gonna use it as bait. Once that bimbo hears about this card, she’ll like never be able to resist coming to get it!”

She snatched the card.

“Buh-bye, folks!” she laughed.

She melted into a globe of pure light and sped over the horizon.

One of the other boys turned to Leopold.

“Betcha she gets her little ass kicked good,” he stated.

“I’d take that bet, but I don’t like losing,” was the reply.

The stage was set… and in another part of Monster Island, another duel was in progress…

And it wasn’t a very friendly one…



[color=orange]Coming up next:

Stan and Francesca, meet Andy! And Andy finds his first challenge, a mysterious person who’s deck packs one of the most dreaded creatures in the game! (Anybody who plays the game can attest to that.) Plus, learn more about what Melissa is plotting. Don’t miss “On the Village Green”, coming soon…

[Dark Sage]

[color=red]My name is Andy Markova…

…and I love Dragons.

Who wouldn’t? Dragons are fantastic creatures, who have been the stars of mainstream fantasy since fantasy existed. In many books and movies, Dragons have been depicted as incredibly powerful creatures who could lay waste to cities. J.R.R. Tolkien, known by some as the Father of Modern Fantasy, knew that well when he wrote The Hobbit[I].

[color=red]When I decided to get into dueling, I decided on Dragons as my theme. I built a deck of cards that has rarely ever failed me…

Heck, I even managed to obtain Red Eyes Black Dragon, the trademark card of the famous Joey Wheeler! Explaining how I got that card – and two other Monsters that make it stronger – would be an adventure in itself.

Now I’m on Monster Island, and I’m ready to set my Dragons free to prey on the competition.

It’s going to be quite a show…



[B][size=4]

CHAPTER FOUR



On The Village Green

Stan and Francesca were finally within sight of Petalburg. The meadow gave way to lovely cottages colored in pastel colors. A babbling brook spanned by a wooden bridge stood as the border between the peaceful meadows and the beautiful town.

As they walked onto the bridge, Francesca nudged Stan’s shoulder.

“Hey Stan, look at that…” she mentioned.

She pointed ahead to a hilltop to the north.

They both looked, and saw a dark, foreboding castle on the hill, about a mile away. It seemed out of place in this peaceful area.

“Strange…” muttered Stan. “Well, maybe… maybe we can check it out later… Let’s see if we can get some lunch first.”

They walked into the town, and the citizens took notice of them. They were cheery folk, all dressed in old fashioned clothing that looked spotlessly clean. It seemed that this was Monster Island’s version of Petticoat Junction.

“Uh, hi,” said Stan, waving. “Hello. Any place where a couple of duelists can grab a bite to eat?”

A rosy-cheeked young woman with pigtails came up.

“The inn is right over there!” she smiled. “And by order of the council, everything is complimentary for tournament guests!”

“Gee, thanks,” smiled Stan.

“I’m Betty, by the way,” she smiled.

The girl followed at a short distance as they made their way to the inn. Stan didn’t exactly know why, but he didn’t want to alienate himself. Be as nice to your hosts as you would be nice to your guests. That’s what his parents always used to tell him.

As he entered the inn, where wooden tables were set up in a large common room, someone was already there, sipping soda pop.

Andy noticed the two of them immediately.

Hey, he thought. Didn’t I see those two on the ship?

A serving maid came up to Stan and Francesca with menus.

“Hi, ya’all,” she grinned. “What can I get you?”

They looked at the menu.

“Hmm, the Reuben looks nice,” said Francesca. “And I’ll have French fries with that.”

“Yeah, and I’ll have the grilled chicken sandwich with cheese,” said Stan. “Hold the mayo. I’ll have a side of fries as well.”

“Right away!” smiled the waitress.

As she left, Andy came up to their table.

“Hi,” he stammered. “Uh, mind if I join you guys? We, um, met on the boat…”

“Oh yeah,” said Stan, recognizing him. “The guy with the Red Eyes. Pull up a seat. I’m Stan…”

“I’m Francesca,” responded Fran.

“Glad to… meet you,” answered Andy. “Oh! You can call me Andy! So how goes Monster Island so far?”

“Great!” smiled Francesca. “We’ve each got three Crystal Cards so far!”

“Aw, I still haven’t found anyone to duel,” muttered Andy. “But I’m sure to find one here…”

“There’s still time today,” assured Francesca. “Besides I… uh…”

Then she noticed something.

She looked hard at Andy’s neck.

“Um, Andy?” she asked.

“Yeah?”

“Can you show me that necklace of yours for a minute?”

Andy shrugged, as if wondering why she asked. He lifted up the pendant around his neck…

It looked exactly the same as Stan and Francesca’s pendants, except that the three stars were outlined with red coloring.

“Okay,” muttered Stan, “this is creepy…”

“What?” asked Andy.

Stan and Francesca lifted up their pendants.

“Let me guess,” said Stan, “that thing is a family heirloom, and your grandfather said it would bring you good luck when you competed…”

“Why yes…” gasped Andy. “How did you…”

Stan paused for a minute.

“All three of us have three antique pendants that our grandparents gave us for the same purpose,” he mused. “And look at the colors – yellow, blue, and red. The three primary colors. There has to be some sort of connection between these three things.”

“Maybe there’s a connection between us…” stuttered Andy.

“That’s not as farfetched as it sounds,” muttered Francesca.

She lifted her Disk.

“Everyone, at the count of three, draw the top card from your Disk…”

“Why?” asked Stan.

“Just do it!” ordered Francesca.

They all raised their Disks.

“One… two… three!” she said.

They all whipped off a card.

They showed them to each other – and they gasped.

They had each drawn Monster Reborn.

Everyone used this Magic Card… but they had drawn it at the same time. What were the chances?

They all felt a tingling deep in their hearts…

As they slowly shuffled their decks again, the food came to the table. They were too shocked to do much more than eat slowly…

* * * * * * * * * *

“What do you suppose it means?” sighed Andy, as they got up from the table. “Is it some weird trick of fate?”

“It can’t be a coincidence!” exclaimed Stan. “Somehow, by some means, we’ve met for a reason… But I don’t know what the reason is…”

“Maybe that’s why when I tried to duel you, something in my head wouldn’t let me!” he said to Francesca.

“Something wasn’t letting me either…” replied Francesca. “Something strange is…”

And then there was a sound like a noisy motorcycle erupting from outside, followed by panicked yells from the townsfolk.

They opened the door, and what sounded like a noisy motorcycle was indeed a noisy motorcycle, one that was giving off a great deal of exhaust. It skidded to a halt, destroying a bed of flowers next to Betty in the process.

Betty bent down and broke into tears. “The azaleas I just planted…” she sobbed, kneeling over them.

Andy, Stan, and Francesca looked as the biker took off her – yes her – helmet. It was a woman about nineteen years old, with long dark hair, wearing a revealing outfit. It consisted of a black, leather bikini top covered by a black leather jacket, black hot pants and leather boots. A pair of handcuffs was hanging from her belt. She had tattoos of thorny roses on her arms. A Duel Disk was strapped to her side.

The biker chick glared at Betty.

“Crybaby,” she scowled. She lifted her boot and shoved the poor girl over in the forehead.

At that point, a change came over Andy. This happened every so often. He was usually shy and meek, but at times like this, when a challenge was presented, that personality gave way to a much braver and confident one…

“HEY!” he shouted, running up to the scene. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you what happens to folks who pick on people weaker than them?”

The biker girl smiled.

“Who’s gonna stop me, cutie?” she grinned. “You?”

“I don’t know how you managed to get a motorcycle on the boat over here…” started Andy.

“There are ways to do everything,” smiled the biker, “so long as you know what palms to grease!”

By this time, Stan and Francesca were helping the sobbing Betty to her feet.

“You got a name, by the way?” asked Andy.

“Call me what my gang calls me,” smiled the girl. “Poison.”

“Well, Poison, I see you’re a duelist…”

“That’s right,” smiled Poison, “and I already have three Crystal Cards. My first opponent was no challenge whatsoever!”

“Well,” said Andy, shuffling his deck, “I’ll give you a chance to get a fourth, so long as you accept another wager. If I win, you get on your bike and leave Petalburg for good.”

Poison smiled.

She walked up to Andy.

“Okay,” she grinned. “But if I win, you have to…”

She whispered something into Andy’s ear. His eyes opened wide.

He gave a look of disgust…

“Deal?” asked Poison.

“Okay, fine,” snarled Andy. “The village green over there will make a suitable arena.”

Stan, Francesca, and Betty came up to him.

“What did she whisper to you?” asked Stan.

“Trust me, you don’t want to know…” snarled Andy.

* * * * * * * * * *

Poor Betty had been traumatized by losing her flower garden, but now she seemed happier.

“I can’t believe I’m finally gonna see a duel!” she squeaked. “I’ve been waiting months for this!”

“Really?” smiled Stan. “Well, I can tell you, they can get quite intense…”

“Well, let’s hope that Andy knows what he’s doing,” sighed Francesca.

Andy and Poison stood five meters apart, and loaded their decks.

“I hope you’re ready, Andy,” smiled Poison. “My deck has one of the most dreaded forces ever to grace the face of Duel Monsters!”

“Yeah, right, sure,” shrugged Andy. “Whatever…”

He lifted his Disk, and the holo-imagers shot out. The two sides snapped together.

Poison did the same.

The Life Point counters set to 8,000 apiece.

Andy’s eyes narrowed.

“It’s time to duel,” he whispered. “As they say…”

“Uh, is it just me,” muttered Francesca, “or is Andy putting on a whole different personality than when we met him?”

“He must take this serious…” answered Stan.

“I’ll start off this show,” said Poison, making her first draw.

Perfect! she thought. My secret weapon right in my first hand! But I’m going to need some help from this loser to bring it out…

“For my first move,” she stated, “I’ll place a Monster facedown in Defense Mode, and that will be all…”

She put the card down, and a facedown card appeared in front of her.

Well, that’s unusual, thought Andy, drawing.

Heh, this will do…

“I summon… Cave Dragon in Attack Mode!” he exclaimed.

He put a card down, and a huge form appeared. It was a bulky, fat, green-scaled Dragon with no wings, large horns growing from its temples, and spikes on its shoulders and tail. It exuded an aura of both strength and sluggishness at the same time. (2,000/100)

“Eep!” shrieked Poison.

She paused.

“Well,” she said, calming down, “are you going to attack, or aren’t you?”

“I can’t,” answered Andy. “Cave Dragon is strong for a four-star Monster, but it has limitations. It can’t be summoned if another Monster is on the field, and it can’t attack unless another Dragon is on the field. So I’m ending my turn.”

Hmm, thought Francesca. Andy just took a risk there… If Poison sacrifices her facedown Monster for a stronger one, he might be in trouble…

Poison drew. She put a card down.

“Okay,” she said. “I’m summoning Headless Knight in Attack Mode…”

Misty fog started to cover her side of the field.

“I don’t see any Headless Knight…” frowned Andy.

“That’s because he’s a phantom,” smiled Poison. “He hides in the shadows until the time is right to show himself…”

A ghostly shadow appeared in the fog.

“Ah, here he comes…”

A haunting laughter echoed through the fog as the creature stepped out. It was a man in ornate golden armor, carrying a shield and a sword, with – naturally – no head. (1,450/1,700)

“EEK!” shrieked Betty. “That guy is spooky!”

“Don’t worry, Betty,” assured Stan. “He may look spooky, but he’s hardly a threat…”

“Are you scared yet?” grinned Poison.

“Scared of that?” laughed Andy. “This ain’t Sleepy Hollow, and I ain’t Ichabod Crane!”

“Fine,” smiled Poison. “I’ll place a card facedown, and that will end my turn.”

She placed a card into a slot, and it appeared behind her facedown Monster.

“Then I’ll draw,” said Andy.

“I’m activating a Trap!” laughed Poison.

She hit her Disk, and her facedown card lifted. It showed a frightening picture of Dark Master Zorc casting a fiery spell on maidens who were fleeing from him.

“Zorc’s Revenge!” cackled Poison.

“And what does this Trap Card do, exactly?” scowled Andy.

“Oh, you’ll see!” laughed Poison.

Andy looked at the card he had just drawn.

Spear Dragon.

Time to show her how it’s done, he thought.

“I summon Spear Dragon in Attack Mode!” he shouted, placing a card down.

A small, winged Dragon with a long beak appeared, hovering next to Cave Dragon. (1,900/00)

“Now,” ordered Andy, “Cave Dragon, attack her Headless Knight with noxious breath!”

Cave Dragon opened its great maw and shot forth a blast of poisonous gas. Headless Knight moaned, and was blasted into pixels.

Poison’s Life Points fell down to 7,450.

“Yay!” shouted Betty. “No more Headless Knight!”

“Seems your Knight just lost a lot more than his head!” laughed Andy.

“Don’t celebrate yet,” smiled Poison.

Her Zorc’s Revenge card started to glow, and suddenly, dark flames erupted around Andy! He screamed as they burned, and his Life Points fell to 7,500.

“My Continuous Trap will deduct 500 Life Points from you any time you destroy one of my Fiends!” smiled Poison. “Clever, isn’t it?”

Andy snarled.

“Spear Dragon,” he commanded, “attack her defensive Monster with cyclone blast!”

Spear Dragon shot a whirlwind from its mouth towards the hidden Monster. A strange creature appeared on the card. It was purple, green, and glossy black, and resembled a colorful fiendish head. On its forehead was a beautiful woman’s head, and trailing behind it were long tendrils. Two long arms ending in claws sprouted from its sides, and a very long, ridged tail trailed behind it. (2,000/800)

Spear Dragon’s blast blew it to pieces. Poison’s Life Points fell down to 6,350.

“Nuvia the Wicked?” questioned Andy. “You actually tried to use Nuvia the Wicked? That’s the most useless Monster there is!”

“Have you forgotten that Nuvia is a Fiend?” smiled Poison.

Andy screamed as the dark flames blazed around him again. His Life Points fell to 7,000.

He gasped.

“I end my turn,” he snarled.


Continued...

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:

Spear Dragon folded its wings, and switched into Defense Mode.

Poison drew.

“I summon Earthbound Spirit in Defense Mode,” she said, putting a card down.

The ground in front of her rumbled, and a frightening form that looked like a man made of dirt with a sunken face crawled halfway out of the ground. (500/2,000)

“And it’s your move,” smiled Poison.

Huh? thought Andy. She obviously saw that Spear Dragon switched to Defense after it attacked, and it has zero Defense Points… but she didn’t even TRY to destroy it? Something’s up…

He drew.

Her loss…

“Now,” smiled Andy, “I’ll sacrifice my Spear Dragon to summon Luster Dragon #2!”

He switched cards, and Spear Dragon vanished. A huge emerald appeared, and then it burst, forming into a huge, emerald Dragon with beautiful, sparkling wings! (2,400/1,400)

This may cost me some Life Points, he thought, but it will cost her more!

“Luster Dragon,” ordered Andy, “erode her Earthbound Spirit with emerald flash blast!”

Luster Dragon threw back its head, and shot forth a blast of green energy, blowing Earthbound Spirit into an explosion of soil!

“Yike…” gulped Poison.

The Zorc’s Revenge card glowed, and Andy was burned by the black flames again! His Life Points fell to 6,500.

“And now that that’s done,” snarled Andy, “you have nothing to protect you from my Cave Dragon! Cave Dragon, attack her Life Points directly!”

Cave Dragon belched forth his venomous gust, and Poison screamed, tumbling backwards!

She groaned and got up. Her Life Points had been reduced to 4,350.

“Yay!” shouted Betty. “Andy is winning!”

“I dunno…” muttered Francesca. “This all seems a little TOO easy…”

“Yeah…” said Stan. “If she’s losing, then why is Poison smiling?”

Indeed, she was smiling. Smiling a wicked smile.

“Is that your move?” she grinned.

“Yes,” grinned Stan. “You’re down to almost half your Life Points, and I doubt you can summon anything that will stand up to my two Dragons…”

“Want a bet?” grinned Poison.

She drew.

She placed a card on her Disk.

A spooky, dim glow pervaded the whole arena.

“You did just what I wanted, handsome!” she grinned. “I had one of my most powerful creatures ready to go, but before she could make her grand appearance, three of my Fiends had to die first!”

Images of Headless Knight, Nuvia the Wicked, and Earthbound Spirit floated from her Disk and positioned over her head.

“So, I’ll simply remove them from play…” she chuckled.

The three images burst.

“And now I’ll summon a force of the most incredible evil that the dueling world has ever seen!”

A ghostly shape emitted from her Disk, and turned into a column of dark fire…

A sinister shape appeared within the fire. It was a vaguely female form with a bald head, pointed ears, blue skin, and evil-looking eyes. She wore a metal brassiere and kilt.

“Meet… [B]DARK NECROFEAR!” exclaimed Poison.

(2,200/2,800)

“I should have known…” gulped Andy.

“Yeesh!” stammered Betty. “That Monster is creeping me out!”

“It gets worse,” sighed Stan. “Dark Necrofear is incredibly dangerous. One little slip and Andy could be in trouble…”

“Dark Necrofear,” commanded Poison, “attack his Cave Dragon with doom gaze!”

Dark Necrofear opened her evil eyes and blasted a burst of black energy! Cave Dragon roared, and exploded!

Andy’s Life Points fell to 6,300.

“It’s your move,” smiled Poison. “So, are you going to attack? Your Luster Dragon is stronger than my Dark Necrofear…”

“Fat chance!” sneered Andy, drawing.

He looked at his card.

“I know what Dark Necrofear’s effect is. If she’s destroyed, her ghost possesses one of my Monsters! And I’m not about to fall for that…”

He looked at the card he had just drawn.

“So first, I’m going to play Stamping Destruction!” he shouted, throwing the Magic Card into a slot.

The Magic Card revealed itself, and Luster Dragon slammed its foot into the ground, sending forth a shockwave! The Zorc’s Revenge card smashed to bits, and Poison fell down on her behind!

“This Magic Card not only destroys one of your Magic or Trap Cards,” explained Andy, “but it deals you 500 points of damage!”

Poison sneered as her Life Points fell to 3,850.

“Now, just to make sure you don’t send Dark Necrofear after my Dragon in a kamikaze strike,” he continued, “I’ll switch Luster Dragon into Defense Mode…”

He turned his card, and Luster Dragon folded its wings.

“And now, I’ll summon Masked Dragon, also in Defense Mode.”

He placed a card down, and a small, silver and red metallic dragon wearing a metal mask appeared. He also folded his wings. (1,400/1,100)

“Well,” smiled Poison. “Guess we’re going to have to do this the old fashioned way…”

She slid a card into a slot.

“I’ll play Tribute to the Doomed!” she exclaimed.

She discarded a card. A wave of mummy wrappings surrounded Luster Dragon and wrapped it up. Then a huge hand grabbed it and dragged it underground.

“EEK!” shrieked Betty.

“Calm down…” comforted Francesca.

“Now I summon…” started Poison.

She put a card down.

“…Malice Doll of Demise!”

A cackling laugh echoed over the field, and a demented wooden puppet holding a huge axe materialized next to Dark Necrofear. (1,600/1,700)

“Ugh,” gasped Francesca. “I didn’t know Pinocchio had an evil twin…”

“Malice Doll of Demise,” ordered Poison, “attack his Masked Dragon!”

The puppet cackled and flew forward, swinging his axe and lopping off the Dragon’s head.

“Nice try,” smiled Andy, “but you won’t be getting a free shot…”

A card flew out of his deck and he caught it.

“When Masked Dragon is destroyed in battle, I get to special summon one Dragon of 1,500 Attack Points or less from my hand or deck, so I’ll summon a second Masked Dragon!”

He placed the card down, and a clone of the first Masked Dragon appeared. (1,400/1,100)

“You made a big mistake using your Tribute to the Doomed on my Luster Dragon instead of the Masked Dragon,” smiled Andy. “Or your own Dark Necrofear, for that matter…”

Poison was clearly angry.

“Dark Necrofear, destroy the second Masked Dragon!” she commanded.

Dark Necrofear opened her eyes, and blasted the second masked Dragon out of existence.

Another card slipped out of Andy’s Disk.

“Clever, but I had three of them in my deck,” he smiled.

He put the card down, and a third Masked Dragon materialized. (1,400/1,100)

“Make your move,” growled Poison.

Andy drew.

Humph, he thought. This guy has just the same Attack as Dark Necrofear, but he isn’t immune to her effect – maybe I’ll save him for later…

He put a card down.

“I’ll summon Troop Dragon in Defense Mode,” he said.

Three tall Dragon-men with lizard-like heads and wings, carrying swords and wearing armor appeared. They knelt in defense. (700/800)

“Pathetic,” growled Poison, drawing.

She put a card down.

“I’ll summon my Grand Tiki Elder in Attack Mode!” she proclaimed.

She put a card down, and a fiendish witch doctor wearing a hideous tiki mask appeared in a cloud of shadows! (1,500/800)

“Now my Tiki,” she shouted, “obliterate his Troop Dragon with Tiki curse!”

Grand Tiki Elder moaned and chanted a dark spell, and Troop Dragon was eradicated!

“Nice try,” smiled Andy, “but when Troop Dragon is destroyed, I get to special summon another Troop Dragon!”

Another card flew out of his Disk, and he caught it. He put it down on his Disk, and another three Dragon soldiers arose in Defense. (700/800)

Poison cringed. “Malice Doll of Demise, take out the second Troop Dragon!”

The evil doll flew forward, and with one swipe, slashed the three dragons in twain!

Another card flew out of Andy’s deck, and he reached for it. He slapped it down on his disk, and a third Troop Dragon appeared! (700/800)

“Okay, I’m getting annoyed!” yelled Poison. “Dark Necrofear, wipe out the last one!”

Dark Necrofear glared with her doom gaze, and the third Troop Dragon was blasted to dust.

“Andy managed to put up quite a wall!” mentioned Stan.

“But it’s almost down…” muttered Francesca.

Stan drew.

Crud, he thought.

He looked at his hand.

Can’t risk bringing this guy out yet. This is going to hurt.

“I’ll pass this turn,” he said.

Poison grinned wickedly.

“Now I just have to destroy your last Masked Dragon,” she smiled. “Grand Tiki Elder, obliterate it!”

The Tiki cast forth its curse, and Masked Dragon was disintegrated.

“You’re forgetting that I can still use his effect to summon a Dragon with low Attack!” stated Andy.

A new card flew out of his deck.

“So I summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode!”

He put the card down, and a huge, blue-skinned, rocky dragon with a bored expression formed on the field. (1,300/2,000)

Poison put her hand on her forehead.

“Does THAT have the ability to summon anything?” she asked.

“NO,” answered Andy.

“Good,” growled Poison. “Dark Necrofear, attack his last line of Defense!”

Dark Necrofear gazed, and The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave smashed to pieces.

“Now, Malice Doll of Demise, attack his Life Points directly!”

The demented puppet cackled and flew towards Andy, slashing at him with its axe! Andy gasped and fell over.

Betty shrieked.

Andy’s Life Points fell to 4,700.

“Summon anything you like, honey,” laughed Poison. “You’ll never defeat Dark Necrofear!”

Andy got up. He drew…

His eyes opened wide at the card!

“I play the Magic Card… Snatch Steal!” he shouted.

The Magic Card revealed itself, and a shifty-eyed bandit leapt out of it. He turned his head to and fro, and then grabbed hold of Dark Necrofear! She shrieked as she was pulled over to Andy’s side!

“What?” gasped Poison. “No! You’re going to sacrifice Dark Necrofear!”

“That’s right!” grinned Andy. “One of the easiest and safest ways to get rid of her! Since sacrificing isn’t destroying her, doing this doesn’t enact her lethal effect!

“So, I sacrifice your Dark Necrofear…”

He put a card down, and both Dark Necrofear and the bandit holding her faded away…

“And I summon a mighty Dragon who’s as deadly as his name… Des Volstgalph!"

An enormous Dragon arose, with dirty brown skin, think scales, and large wings. It stood upright and had wicked claws and a scorpion-like tail. (2,200/1,700)

“Now, Des Volstgalph, destroy that demented puppet with sandstorm blast!”

Des Volstgalph shot forth a stream of hot sand from its jaws, eroding the puppet into dust!

“I’m afraid you not only lost 600 Life Points from your Doll’s destruction,” smiled Andy, “but when Des Volstgalph destroys one of your Monsters, you lose an additional 500 Life Points!”

Poison’s Life Points fell to 2,750.

She snarled.

“It’s your move,” smiled Andy.

“Wow!” shouted Francesca. “Andy is on a roll!”

“And he got rid of that creepy Dark Necrofear!” cheered Betty.

Poison drew.

Well, he’s better than I suspected, thought Poison. But he hasn’t won yet…

“I’ll play my Pot of Greed,” she said, slipping a card into a slot.

The Pot appeared before her, and once again, a spectral arm reached out, and took two cards off the top of her deck. It handed them to her.

She looked at them. She made a slight smirk.

“I’ll place one card facedown,” she said, sliding a card into a slot.

The facedown card appeared in front of her.

“Now,” she said. “I’ll summon Melchid the Four-Face Beast in Defense Mode.”

She put a card down, and a spherical creature with four masks circling its body appeared. (1,500/1,200)

“I’ll also move Grand Tiki Elder into Defense Mode, and end my turn.”

She turned the card, and the Tiki shielded itself with its arms.

Hmm… thought Andy. Might be a Trap… but I can’t risk her getting a chance to summon something nasty…

He drew.

Polymerization? Not very good now…

“Des Volstgalph, destroy that creepy Tiki!” he shouted.

Des Volstgalph shot forth his sandy breath, and Grand Tiki Elder was thrown back and eroded into particles.

Poison’s Life Points slipped to 2,250.

“So what are you going to do now?” asked Andy, sarcastically.

Poison drew.

“Nothing,” she said. “I’ll pass this turn.”

Andy drew.

It was a strange Monster called Divine Dragon Ragnarok.

This will be good for later, he thought.

“Des Volstgalph, attack!” he shouted.

The Dragon prepared to fire…

“I activate… Shadow Spell!” shouted Poison.

Des Volstgalph roared as a mass of chains sprouted up, binding his arms, legs and neck. His Attack Points went down to 1,500.

“Shoot!” yelled Andy.

“Crud,” moaned Stan. “Now he’s in trouble…”

“My move I guess,” smiled Poison, drawing.

She placed a card in a slot.

“As now I play Mystik Wok!” she exclaimed.

A huge Wok appeared on her side of the field, and Melchid floated into it.

By sacrificing Melchid, I gain his Attack Score in Life Points!” laughed Poison.

Melchid turned into green smoke, and Poison inhaled it.

“Ahh!” she said, as her Life Points went up to 3,750.

Andy noticed that Des Volstgalph’s Attack went up to 1,700. Its other effect raised its Attack by 200 for each Magic Card played for the duration of the round. Not that it really would help…

“Dumb,” said Andy. “Now you’ve got nothing to protect yourself with!”

“Do I?” grinned Poison. “My strategy revolves around summoning Dark Necrofear… Do you really think I only had ONE Dark Necrofear in my deck? Actually, I have three!”

She placed a card down, and the same spooky aura surrounded the field.

Images of Melchid the Four-Face Beast, Grand Tiki Elder, and Malice Doll of Demise floated over her head.

“So I’ll remove three more Fiends from play…” she laughed.

The three Fiends shattered.

“…and my second Dark Necrofear arises!”

The dark pillar of flame appeared, and a second Dark Necrofear appeared, just as sinister as the first. (2,200/2,800)

“Not again…” shuddered Betty.

“Now,” she ordered, “obliterate Des Volstgalph with doom gaze!”

Dark Necrofear cast forth her lethal gaze, and Des Volstgalph burst into an explosion of sand.


Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:


Andy’s Life Points fell to 4,200.

“Uh, Francesca,” muttered Stan, “does this mean Andy is in trouble?”

“I dunno,” said Francesca. “I’ve managed to defeat one Dark Necrofear a few times, but I never had to deal with two! That Fiend gives female Monsters a bad name…”

Andy looked at his hand.

One card could make this perfect, he thought. Just have to draw it…

He closed his eyes, and drew.

He stared at Poison.

“I summon a mighty Spellcaster known among dragonkind as… Lord of Dragons!” he shouted.

He placed a card down, and an imposing wizard appeared. He was dressed in black, with a cape, and wore a Dragon’s skull as a helmet. (1,200/1,100)

“And now,” continued Andy, “I use Polymerization…”

He slid the card into a slot.

“To fuse him together with a mighty creature called Divine Dragon Ragnarok!”

A large Dragon with a wise, aged face that seemed to be made of gaseous mist appeared on the field.

A portal opened up, and Lord of Dragons and Divine Dragon Ragnarok were drawn inside!

“Bonded together, they form a creature of unparalleled might, a powerful force known as… King Dragun!

A huge form flew out of the portal. It was a large Chinese Dragon with a snaky body, golden scales, and a wise looking head that seemed to be surrounded by gaseous mist. His eyes glowed like golden orbs. (2,400/1,100)

“Since Fusion Monsters can’t attack on the round that they’re summoned,” continued Andy, “I’ll just set a card down, and end my turn.”

He placed a card into a slot, and it materialized behind Kind Dragun.

“King Dragun?” said Andy, puzzled. “Francesca, have you ever heard of this guy?”

“Frankly no,” answered Francesca. “He… seems to be stronger than Dark Necrofear, but Andy is an idiot if he attacks!”

“I don’t know what your game is, Andy,” said Poison, drawing.

She looked at her card.

“So I’ll summon Witty Phantom in Defense Mode, and end my turn.”

She put a card down, and the gentleman Fiend in a purple tuxedo and derby appeared, kneeling in Defense. (1,400/1,300)

Andy chuckled as he drew.

“King Dragun,” he shouted, “attack Dark Necrofear with divine wrath!”

King Dragun roared! He breathed forth a blast of black flames at his foe! Dark Necrofear screamed, and was incinerated!

Poison’s Life Points fell to 3,550… and she cackled, as the lights around the arena dimmed.

“That was the stupidest move I’ve ever seen!” she laughed. “You must be asking to lose!”

A ghostly shape started to float towards King Dragun.

“Dark Necrofear,” commanded Poison, “take possession of King Dragun!”

The ghostly shape closed in on King Dragun… Stan, Francesca, and Betty bit their lips.

And then King Dragun let out a bellowing roar! The ghost cringed back in fear, and fled for safety!

“What?” stammered Poison. “Buh… My Dark Necrofear couldn’t possess it!”

“Yes!” smiled Andy. “Let me explain to you one of King Dragun’s potent effects! He’s immune to any Magic Cards, Trap Cards, or Monster Effects that specifically target, as are any Dragons that fight alongside him! Since Dark Necrofear’s effect is a targeting effect, her spirit simply cannot possess him!

“And since I have no other Monsters for her to possess, and she can’t possess your own Monster, she has to go to your Graveyard and STAY there!”

The ghostly phantom screamed, and then burst into pixels.

“Yes!” cheered Francesca.

“Hooray!” yelled Betty.

“Make your move,” smiled Andy.

Poison shakily drew.

And then she laughed. She laughed out loud.

“You may have defeated Dark Necrofear,” she laughed, “but I had another powerful Monster waiting in the wings!”

She threw a card down on her Disk.

“I sacrifice my Witty Phantom to summon Dark Ruler Ha Des!” she exclaimed.

Witty Phantom vanished, and a huge form arose. It was a hulking fiend in demonic royal garments, accented with a skull on the front and a crown with curved horns. He clutched a wine glass in one of his claws. (2,450/1,600)

“No,” squealed Betty. “That’s even scarier than Dark Necrofear…”

“As you can see,” laughed Poison, “this big guy’s Attack Score is just strong enough to defeat your Dragon! Face it, you’re history!

“Dark Ruler, attack King Dragun with Stygian blast!”

Dark Ruler Ha Des raised his arm, and shot forth a beam of blackness at King Dragun…

King Dragun fired his dark flames to meet the blast…

A huge explosion ensued!

Everyone turned away, and when they looked, the clothes of Dark Ruler Ha Des had been torn to shreds, and he was slowly disintegrating…

He vanished.

“WHAT?” shouted Poison. “HOW?”

Her Life Points fell to 2,600.

“Did you remember the facedown card I set?” chuckled Andy.

He pointed to it. It bore a picture of a red and gold dragon blasting a cornfield with flames.

“It’s a Quickplay Magic Card called Scorching Ruin!” he exclaimed. “This card can be activated during either Battle Phase, and raises the Attack of any Dragon by 1,000 points! It’s sort of like a Dragon’s version of Rush Recklessly, but better!”

He pointed to her.

“Now finish your move…”

Poison frantically searched over her cards…

There’s nothing I can do! she thought, in panic. I’m totally pinned down!

She bowed her head.

“I take it that means you end your turn,” smirked Andy.

He drew.

“This will do nicely,” he thought. “I summon Warrior Dai Grepher in Attack Mode!”

He put the card down, and a tall, handsome Warrior arose; he was muscular, and wore black, form-fitting armor and a headband. He carried a large greatsword. (1,700/1,600)

“Warrior Dai Grepher,” shouted Andy, “attack her directly with your steel sword!”

Grepher charged forward and slashed at Poison! She gasped and fell to her knees. Her Life Points fell to 900.

“King Dragun, finish her off!” commanded Andy. “Divine wrath!”

King Dragun bore over Poison… She cowered in fear…

He blew his flames all over her, and she let out a bloodcurdling scream!

“Yay, he won, he won!” shouted Betty.

“Boy, he’s good,” noted Francesca.

“Indeed,” agreed Stan.

The holo-imagers shut down. Poison was lying flat on her back with a pain-induced grimace on her face.

“All right you bimbo,” sneered Andy. “You owe me a Crystal Card, AND you have to get on your bike and leave this town for good. Now fork it over and amscray.”

Poison was beside herself with fury. She got up and threw a Crystal Card in Andy’s face. Then, without a word, she headed for her bike.

Within five minutes, she was gone, the sound of her motorcycle fading in the direction of Rogueport.

A large weight lifted off Andy’s shoulder.

“Phew!” he said.

* * * * * * * * * *

“So,” asked Francesca, as they continued to tour the village, “you think you could tell us what would have happened to you if you had lost?”

Andy made a face.

“Let’s just say it’s something that would have scarred me for a good long time,” he sighed.

“Your deck is pretty powerful,” commented Stan, “but I do have a question: Why did you put Warrior Dai Grepher in it? He’s not a Dragon…”

“Well,” shrugged Andy, “he may not be, but he can be used with a Dragon for a pretty useful combination. Maybe you’ll see eventually.”

“You know folks,” muttered Francesca, fingering her pendant, “like it or not, there’s something that’s connecting us. These things aren’t sold in just any souvenir shop…”

“Indeed,” agreed Andy. “And there are three stars on each of them…”

“Yes,” mumbled Stan. “Maybe we should stay together for at least a while – watch each other’s backs. After all, they say that unity is a powerful force…”

“Don’t my Amazons know it,” smiled Francesca. “So, partners?”

She held her hand out.

“Partners!” they said, putting their hands together.

“So,” asked Stan, “where do we go from here?”

“I dunno,” muttered Andy. “Did any of you see that spooky old castle on the way into town?”

“Yeah,” said Fran, with a shudder. “It gave me the creeps. It seemed awfully out of place in Petal Meadows.”

“So, you want to know about Hooktail Castle, do you?” chuckled a woman’s voice.

They turned around and saw a figure seated in a chair. It was a woman draped in a brown cloak and cowl that covered her face.

“I can tell you a few words about Hooktail Castle,” she said offhand. “Although I must warn you, the story is one that sends a lot of folk to dangerous ends…”

“We aren’t scared,” answered Stan.

“That might change,” chuckled the woman. “See, one thousand years ago, this area was terrorized by a wicked dragon named Hooktail. She was a powerful beast, stronger than any Duel Monster. And she preyed upon the people who lived in this town like a wolf among sheep.”

She chuckled.

“Being a dragon, maidens were her favorite food,” she continued. “But eventually, such fare was her undoing. A warrior maiden from another land carrying a powerful sword confronted her in her castle, and slew her, ending the threat.

“The warrior and her companions looted Hooktail’s treasure, but it was said that there was a powerful artifact in that place that they missed – one that remains there to this day.

“Listen closely. It is said that where Hooktail’s bones lie, a guardian protects her final treasure, and only one who is skilled with Earth Monsters can defeat the guardian and claim this powerful relic.”

She chuckled.

“Wow,” said Francesca, in wonder.

She took out her deck and leafed through it.

“Skilled with Earth Monsters, huh?” she mused. “All of the Amazons are Earth Monsters! I should have no problem getting that treasure!”

“Fran, are you sure?” asked Stan. “It might be dangerous…”

“Relax,” smiled Francesca. “The people who are running this tournament probably put things like this in as extras – sort of like secret bonus levels to video games! That treasure might help us out a great deal!”

“Old timer,” she asked the woman, “how do we get to Hooktail Castle?”

“Just follow the dirt path up the hill to the north of town,” answered the woman, “and you’ll be led right to it.”

“Come on guys!” urged Francesca, “it’s only three o’clock!”

The woman watched as they hurried off…

And then she got up, and threw the cloak off.

She wasn’t old at all. Underneath was a young girl, about age fourteen. She had long, platinum blonde hair, and wore a silver halter top and shorts made out of spandex with no shoes. A Duel Disk was strapped to her arm. A wicked smile crossed her face.

“Hee, hee,” she giggled. “Like, they totally fell for it! Now to get there before they do, and once I do, that bimbo Francesca will be the first complete loser on this island!”

She spread her arms and transformed into a globe of shining light.

And then she flew quickly over the hills to Hooktail Castle.

Across the street, Lord Crump was watching.

He punched a number into his cell phone.

“Your excellence?” he said.

“What is it, Crump?” sighed the response.

“I think Melissa is up to something,” answered Crump. “She’s trying to lure your… guests to old Hooktail Castle.”

“Hooktail Castle?” answered the speaker. “Interesting.”

“Do you want me to follow them?” asked Crump.

“No Crump, I will view this myself,” was the response. “You just take a break for a while.”

“Uh, sure,” muttered Crump, “I can do that…”

* * * * * * * * * *

In her dark chamber, Melissa’s mother turned off her cell phone.

Hooktail Castle… she thought. I never maintained that old pile of stones after that… brat defeated Hooktail…

So, Melissa, what are you planning?

She waved her arm, and the large crystal ball in front of her came to life. An image of Stan, Andy, and Francesca walking up a hill on a dirt path appeared in it.

We’ll soon see…



ZORC’S REVENGE

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of Dark Master Zorc casting a fiery spell at maidens who are fleeing from him in terror. When a FIEND-Type monster on your side of the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, inflict 500 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points.



SCORCHING RUIN

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of red and gold dragon burning a cornfield with fiery breath. Increase one face-up DRAGON-type Monster's ATK by 1,000 points until the end of the turn this card is activated.



DES VOLSTGALPH

Card Specs

Type: Dragon/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 6
ATK: 2,200
DEF: 1,700

Card Description: This powerful Dragon is said to make its lair beneath the desert sands. Increase the ATK of this Monster by 200 for each Magic Card played during a turn until the end phase of the turn. Also, when this Monster destroys an opponent’s Monster, inflict 500 points of direct damage to your opponent’s Life Points.

Note: “Des Volstgalph” is a promotional Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States. It was first used by Yugi in the anime episode “Merger of the Big Five (Part 2)”.



[B][I]Coming up next:

The team is complete, but danger now lurks around the corner.

When the team reaches the dreaded Hooktail Castle, Melissa springs her trap, and Francesca is trapped in a duel where she faces a legendary Monster with incredible powers! Don’t miss “Some Light on the Subject”, coming soon…

[Dark Sage]

[B][I]You ever have one of those really weird days?

One of those days where you enter a big tournament, get in your first win, and then partner up with two guys who seem to have a strange connection to you?

And then it gets even weirder? Someone directs you to a spooky castle, you start to see strange visions, you fight living Duel Monsters, you find the corpse of an ancient beast, and then a fourteen-year-old exhibitionist with magical powers forces you to duel her?

You ever have one of those days?

No? Didn’t think so.

But that’s the type of day I’m having right now…



[B][size=3]

CHAPTER FIVE



Some Light on the Subject

The grassy meadow gave way to briars and weeds, as the intimidating form of Hooktail Castle got closer and closer. Strange black birds circled overhead – the small group could not identify them, but they couldn’t shake the feeling that they were scavengers, waiting for the three teenagers to die so that their remains could be feasted on…

Francesca kept feeling flushed. Dizziness started to overtake her as they climbed the last hill.

“Guys,” asked Francesca, “can we stop and rest for a minute?”

“Sure, Fran,” said Andy.

They stopped, and Francesca sat down.

She closed her eyes…

Suddenly, a vision came to her – it was as if she was dreaming, but she was still wide awake.

She saw a female warrior wandering through a dark dungeon. She almost recognized her clothing – it was similar to Amazoness Paladin. But Francesca couldn’t see her face.

The warrior raised her sword, and carefully opened a door…

And then a shock came to Francesca’s closed eyes, as a horrible form appeared. The warrior had entered a huge, circular chamber adorned with torches and draconic gargoyles. Looming above the heroine was a great beast, a huge dragon with rust-red scales, huge claws, blunt teeth, and a great snout! It had small wings (proportionately), and strangest of all, the back of its head was adorned with what seemed to be four short ponytails.

As Francesca watched the vision, a great battle ensued! The dragon breathed searing flame at the young warrior and tried to stomp her flat, but she could not be touched! How long the fight lasted, it was impossible to tell… Finally, the heroine plunged her sword into the monster’s heart, and it crashed to the floor, dead…

The heroine turned and wiped the sweat off her brow. Francesca clearly saw her face…

No… thought Francesca, in horror. Her face… That warrior… She’s… ME!

“Hello, Francesca?” called Stan’s voice. “Earth to Francesca?”

She opened her eyes.

“Something wrong?” asked Andy.

“No,” sighed Francesca, getting up. “I was just… daydreaming…”

“Come on,” said Stan, “we’re almost there…”

As they trudged up the hill, Francesca’s mind was going a mile per minute.

What did that vision mean? she thought in confusion. Why did I see myself as one of my own Monsters… fighting a dragon? It has to mean something…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Whoever built Hooktail Castle was a pretty good architect, but he built it with a sinister theme. It was made from blue stone, and strange towers and buttresses loomed overhead. In front of the team was a huge, skull-shaped wall with a drawbridge where the mandible would be.

“Welcome to Castle Grayskull,” muttered Stan.

“Well how do we get in?” pondered Andy.

Then, the drawbridge slowly lowered! The three youngsters backed out of the way as it crashed down.

“Someone must be expecting us,” sighed Francesca. “Well, let’s go in… this was my idea anyway…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

The dark lady was sitting on her throne, watching the three progress through her viewing globe.

She got up.

“Keep going, you fools,” she chuckled. “You’re running right into my daughter’s trap…”

She went over to a fireplace where a violet flame was burning.

“But before you get there, maybe I’ll give you a little warm up…”

She took a deck of cards out of her dress and leafed through them.

“Hmm, Zombie Warrior should fit the locale…” she mused.

She tossed the card into the flames, and they blazed, turning from violet to green…

Strange energy spouted out of the mountain in the center of the island and darted towards Hooktail Castle…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Stan, Andy, and Francesca got their first look inside Hooktail Castle. They were in a long hallway, lit by flickering torches.

Carefully, they started down the hallway.

“Hey guys,” muttered Andy, looking at a tapestry, “think this is supposed to be Hooktail?”

They all turned and looked at the aged tapestry, depicting a fierce dragon flying over Petal Meadows.

Francesca gulped. It was the same dragon in her vision!

“Let’s keep going…” she stammered.

They came to a doorway at the end of the hall.

Francesca slowly pushed it open…

“EEWW!” she exclaimed.

They looked into the huge chamber beyond, and saw that it was a virtual cemetery. Skeletons littered the ground, all of them carrying swords, shields, and wearing pieces of armor.

A very large doorway was across on the other side.

“You think these were… Hooktail’s victims?” gulped Stan.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” snapped Francesca, angrily. “There was no real Hooktail! This castle is all a big hoax. Now let’s find that ‘treasure’, whatever it is.”

She sighed.

“Ten to one, once I defeat some guy who works for Meyers, I’ll get some rare Duel Monsters card that works with Earth Monsters. It shouldn’t be too hard. And I’m betting this guy uses Dragon Monsters or… something…”

They started to cross the chamber…

And then the bones started to rattle…

“Huh?” said Stan, startled.

Before their unbelieving eyes, the skeletons started to move! They got to their feet, and raised their swords!

“So now what?” asked Stan. “This was your idea…”

“Just follow my lead…” whispered Francesca.

She screamed, and ran out the large archway!

“Works for me!” exclaimed Andy.

The two of them followed her, running from the creatures. Unfortunately, the creatures ran after them!

They ran down the hallway, with the bony creatures in pursuit. They entered a large, round room…

…with no exits!

“Sheesh, for things with no leg muscles, they’re coming fast!” shouted Andy. “Now what?”

The creatures started to enter the room…

“Hold it…” snarled Stan, turning to face them.

“What?” stammered Francesca.

“These things are Zombie Warriors,” said Stan with a smile. “They’re Duel Monsters! So we just have to summon something to fight them!”

“Huh… it couldn’t hurt…” answered Andy.

The three teenagers lifted their Disks, and flipped them into position. They drew the top cards from their decks.

The Zombie Warriors howled! (1,200/900)

“I summon… Skilled Dark Magician!” shouted Stan, placing a card down on his Disk.

The bulky-robed Dark Spellcaster materialized, waving his staff. (1,900/1,700)

“I summon… Masked Dragon!” yelled Andy.

He threw his card down, and the metallic Dragon with an iron mask on his face appeared next to Skilled Dark Magician. (1,400/1,100)

“And I summon… Amazoness Fighter!” shouted Francesca, throwing a card down.

The muscular female warrior appeared, and cracked her knuckles. (1,500/1,300)

The three Monsters faced the horde of Zombies…

“GO!” shouted their masters.

Skilled Dark Magician twirled his staff and fired a beam of dark magic at a group of the creatures, blasting them into pixels!

Masked Dragon breathed a fiery cloud at another group, and they were incinerated!

Amazoness Fighter leapt, and plunged into the midst of the third group! She slammed her fists into the bony Zombies, blowing them away!

Within minutes, the Zombie Warriors were gone, and the three victors stood above a parched floor.

Amazoness Fighter and Skilled Dark Magician shook hands. Then they patted Masked Dragon on the head – it growled happily.

“Gee,” muttered Stan, “we make a pretty good team.”

“Our Monsters seem to think so,” smiled Andy.

As the three creatures vanished, the team noticed that the room that formerly had no exit had one now. A spiral staircase (which had not been there before) was in the corner of the room.

Francesca shrugged.

“Let’s go,” she said, reshuffling her deck. “This game is getting fun!”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

In her dark chamber, the one who had created the Zombie Warriors sulked.

“Well that was a bust,” she growled. “I didn’t scare them at all!”

She stared at them as they ascended the staircase.

“Fun, huh?” she snarled. “We’ll see just how much fun you’re having after this is over, Francesca…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“Man, the Catskills have nothing on these stairs,” groaned Francesca.

They reached the top of the spiral stairway, and entered another long hallway, one with windows on either side. They looked out, and saw that they were several hundred feet up. The sun was starting to set. They walked down the hallway with Francesca in the lead, past fading paintings, torn tapestries, and burning torches.

They came up to a huge, ornate door, with an image of a frightening dragon’s face on it.

“Man, we’ll never open that,” sighed Stan.

The door slowly swung open, outward.

“Looks like we don’t have to,” stated Andy.

They walked into a huge chamber…

And drew back in fear!

In the center of the chamber was something that was beyond belief. An enormous skeleton, about a hundred feet long and ten feet high, was sprawled in the center. It was obvious what the creature used to be… It had clearly been a dragon at one time, one that had been bigger than any Duel Monster Dragon that they had ever personally witnessed.

“I… think we found Hooktail…” gasped Andy.

“Apparently, she was real…” gulped Stan. “And if that thing comes to life, I don’t know if any of our Monsters will be able to defeat it!”

“Calm down, people,” stuttered Francesca. “I’m sure this is all fake…”

But she was even more scared than they were. She recognized this room – it was the chamber in her vision, where the warrior who looked like her fought that dragon…

They looked around. A door was on the opposite side of the chamber.

They slowly started to make their way towards it…

Then a girlish giggle started to fill the air…

The three teens looked up, as an orb of bright light appeared in the air. It flew towards Francesca, and started flying in circles around her!

Then it flew away from her, and hovered in the air…

And then it grew into a man-shaped form.

The young girl, about age fourteen, stood before them, wearing a low-cut, silver halter top and shorts made of spandex and no shoes. She ran her fingers though her platinum blonde hair that fell to her waist.

“Hell-o!” she giggled.

Francesca frowned.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you that girls your age shouldn’t dress like that?” she commented.

“Hee, hee,” chuckled the girl. “My mom is very liberal. You should see how she dresses!”

Her eyes glowed with white light.

“I’m the host of Hooktail Castle, and this is as far as you’re gonna get on Monster Island, Francesca!” she giggled.

A Duel Disk appeared on her arm with a flash of light.

“You’re spooking me out, kid,” sneered Stan.

“Then I’m, like, totally doing my job!” said Melissa with a girlish laugh. “I’m not the average duelist… I’m one of a group of siblings that works under the ruler of this island…”

“Ruler?” asked Andy. “I thought Monster Island was ruled by a council.”

“Hee, hee,” chuckled Melissa. “True, but not even most of them know who really runs this place! As for my little group, we are known as, drum roll please…”

Her eyes glowed again.

“…The Shadow Spawn!”

“Shadow Spawn?” gasped Stan.

“Allow me to totally introduce myself,” said the girl. “My name is Melissa, the Shadow Spawn of Light! I knew you’d come here once you heard about a treasure that only someone who could use Earth Monsters could snag!”

“So the treasure story was a lie?” snarled Francesca, angrily.

“Like, no!” laughed Melissa. “I do a lot of bad things, but I do NOT lie! I bluff and play nasty tricks, and tell dumb jokes sometimes, but I don’t lie…”

She pointed to the door behind her.

“The treasure is in there,” she announced with a grin. “If you beat me in this duel – which you won’t – you’re free to take it!”

“I won’t have any trouble defeating an airhead like you,” growled Francesca.

“You are totally out of whack,” laughed Melissa. “I may be the youngest of the Shadow Spawn, but I’ve been learning how to duel since before I was old enough to trick-or-treat!

“And might I add, once I outduel you, you’ll be stricken with a punishment too horrible for words!”

Francesca’s eyebrow lifted.

“Explain yourself…” she growled.

“I don’t want to worry you…” assured Melissa.

“Fran,” said Andy with caution in his voice, “this chick is weird. Maybe we should just turn around and…”

The door they had gone through slammed shut behind them.

“You’ll find escaping is like totally impossible!” laughed Melissa. “Now let’s get started… And we’re going to be dueling in the perfect place!”

She pointed at Francesca, and a glow of light surrounded her. Before Francesca knew it, she was lifted up off the floor!

Francesca tried to struggle, but it was no use. She was pulled up over Hooktail’s skeleton, and then set down on the back of his vertebrae!

Then Melissa appeared, standing between Hooktail’s clavicles.

“Like, original, ain’t it?” she chuckled.

“You want to duel on top of a dragon’s moldering corpse?” sneered Francesca. “That is… ghoulish…”

“Hey, I don’t hear old Hooktail complaining!” laughed Melissa. “Now let’s start this!”

“Whatever you say…” snarled Francesca.

“Come on, Fran!” shouted Andy. “You can beat her!”

“Yeah!” shouted Stan. “Just have faith in yourself, and she won’t stand a chance!”

Francesca lifted her Disk, and the holo-imagers shot out, alighting themselves on Hooktail’s pelvic bones. Melissa activated her own Disk, and her imagers alighted on the dragon’s clavicles.

The Disks snapped into place.

“Like, it’s time to duel!” laughed Melissa.

They inserted their decks, and the Life Point counters set to 8,000 each.



Continued...

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:


In her dark throne room, Melissa’s mother was watching the proceedings, and she wasn’t exactly happy.

“Well, Melissa,” she growled, “thanks to your big blabbermouth, now they know one of the secrets of how this island works…

“So you’d better not fail…

“Now that they’re no longer totally in the dark, I can’t let them survive that much longer. We have to take them out fast.

“So don’t even think about losing…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile, a lot of things were going through Francesca’s head as she drew her first hand.

In the last ten minutes, her skepticism had shrunk a great deal.

Either this kid’s special effects skills were taught to her by Industrial Light and Magic, she thought, or she’s using REAL magic. I’ve got to be careful…

She looked at her hand.

Hmm, not too shabby… she thought.

“I’ll make the first move,” chuckled Melissa, drawing her first card.

She looked at it.

Excellent, she thought.

“I’ll start by playing my Pot of Greed,” she said, placing a card into a slot.

The jar appeared in front of her, and it handed her two cards from her deck.

“What better card to start things off, considering where we are?” she asked. “Like, dragons are greedy creatures, what with all the treasure they’ve got!”

She placed a card down on her Disk.

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

A light shone from above, and a beautiful woman in a golden robe appeared, holding a large, golden harp. (800/2,000)

“Hmm!” noted Stan.

“Well, she said she was the Shadow Spawn of Light,” muttered Andy, “and that is a Light Monster…”

“And now,” continued Melissa, “I’ll play Card Destruction!”

She threw the Magic Card into the slot, and it appeared.

“No!” gasped Francesca.

“Now we’ll have to discard our hands and start afresh!” laughed Melissa.

Francesca growled. She discarded her five cards and drew another five.

“Your move now,” said Melissa with a big grin.

Francesca drew.

“I’ll summon a Warrior known as Amazon Archer, in Attack Mode!” exclaimed Francesca.

She placed a card down, and a slim woman appeared. She had short hair, and wore a brown halter top, jacket, and shirt. She carried a quiver of arrows on her back and held a bow. She drew an arrow and fitted it into her weapon. (1,400/1,000)

“My Archer may not be able to pierce your defense, but soon I’ll have someone who can!” threatened Francesca.

“Ooh, I’m so scared!” mocked Melissa.

She drew.

“I’ll place one card facedown on the field,” she quipped.

She fitted a card into a slot.

“And now I’ll play this Magic Card,” she continued. “Card of Safe Return!”

She fitted another card into a slot, and it revealed itself in front of her.

“Card of Safe Return?” asked Andy. “What does that do?”

“It’s a very situational Continuous Magic Card,” replied Stan. “It will let Melissa draw one card whenever she Special Summons a Monster from her Graveyard… But I don’t see what her strategy is…”

“Now I’ll turn it over to you,” said Melissa with a smirk.

Francesca drew. She grimaced.

“Don’t like what you’ve got in your hand, Fran?” smiled Melissa. “Well maybe I an help… I’m activating a Trap!”

Her facedown card lifted. It showed the image of three cards on fire.

“Multiple Destruction!” she laughed.

“What does that do?” asked Francesca.

“It’s the Trap version of a Morphing Jar!” giggled Melissa. “Now we both have to discard our hands, and draw five new cards!”

Francesca growled again.

“Of course, a card this powerful totally has a drawback,” chuckled Francesca. “The duelist using it has to pay 200 Life Points for every card she discards!”

She discarded her three cards, and her Life Points fell to 7,400. Then she drew five more.

Francesca discarded her hand and drew five more cards.

All she’s done so far is summon one Monster, play one useless Magic Card, and pitch cards into her Graveyard, she thought. What is she up to?

She took a card from her hand.

“I summon Amazoness Fighter in Attack Mode!” she stated, placing it down.

The beefy Warrior woman appeared. She flexed and glared at Spirit of the Harp. (1,500/1,300)

“Make your move, Shadow-spore,” mocked Francesca.

“It’s Shadow SPAWN, ignoramus!” pouted Melissa. “And I’ll move all right…”

She drew.

“This will do nicely!” she exclaimed.

She added the card to her hand, and then chose another one. She opened her Field slot.

“I hope you brought your sunglasses, Francesca!” she laughed. “I play the Field Magic Card… Luminous Spark!”

She fit the card into the slot, and suddenly, and intense light flooded the whole chamber!

“Ah! Too bright! Too bright!” gasped Stan.

“This Field Card raises the Attack Score of all Light Monsters by 500 points!” laughed Melissa.

“It also lowers their Defense by 400!” stated Francesca, “and your Spirit of the Harp is in Defense Mode!”

Spirit of the Harp’s stats changed to (1,300/1,600)

“Oops!” shrugged Melissa.

“Oops is right…” smiled Francesca.

She drew.

“Now I summon… Amazoness Paladin!” she shouted.

She put her card down, and the caped, sword-wielding Amazon leapt out with a war cry! (1,700/300) –> (2,000/300)

“Now, Amazoness Paladin, attack her Spirit of the Harp with Amazon blade!”

Amazoness Paladin charged across Hooktail’s vertebrae, and slashed through Spirit of the Harp! The Fairy screamed and burst into pixels.

“And now,” yelled Francesca, “you have nothing to protect yourself from my other two Amazons! Amazoness Fighter, attack her Life Points directly with savage kick!”

Amazoness Fighter ran forward and slammed her knee into Melissa’s gut!

Stan, Andy, and Francesca gazed in shock. Melissa didn’t even flinch!

But her Life Points did fall to 5,900.

Francesca was dumbfounded for a minute. But she regained her composure.

“Amazon Archer, attack her with arrow of the Amazons!” she ordered.

Amazon Archer raised her bow, and the arrow burned with energy! She fired, and it struck Melissa in the chest!

Again, Melissa didn’t seem to feel a thing as her Life Points fell to 4,500.

“Hee, hee,” she giggled. “Your Amazons are like, a bunch of wimps! They barely made me blink!”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

In her dark chamber, Melissa’s parent was watching and chuckling.

Very clever Melissa, she thought. You chose your choice of an arena admirably…

Francesca doesn’t know it, but fighting atop of Hooktail’s bones gives you an advantage that she doesn’t have. Hooktail may have been a dismal failure to me as a pet and bodyguard, but she was still powerful…

So powerful, that even her thousand-year-old skeleton still contains traces of my power within, enough to continue her job as a bodyguard. And anyone in contact with it can draw upon the power if they know how...

So long as anyone with my blood stays close enough to her corpse, it is difficult for physical harm or pain to befall her. It may not help Melissa as far as actual dueling is concerned, but it will keep her from being worn out…

It’s not cheating so long as the rules of the duel aren’t tampered with…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“For someone who’s lost almost half her Life Points, Melissa sure seems to be in a very cheery mood,” said Stan, suspiciously.

“Like, totally!” said Melissa with a devilish grin. “Thing is, I wanted your friend to kill my Spirit of the Harp – she was just in the way! Now my true strategy can be, like, unveiled!”

She drew.

She took a card from her hand.

“First, I’ll summon a Warrior known as The Creator Incarnate!” she laughed.

She put a card down, and a tall form appeared. It was a knight in glowing, golden, ceremonial armor, holding a shining blade. (1,600/1,500) –> (2,100/1,100)

“No!” gasped Andy. “That Warrior is more powerful than any of Francesca’s Amazons!”

“True!” smiled Melissa. “I could use The Creator Incarnate to destroy Francesca’s wimpy Warriors… However, I have another plan for him!

“You see, when I summon The Creator Incarnate to the field, I can instantly sacrifice him for a MUCH more powerful Monster, one that will spell your friend’s doom! So, Creator Incarnate, buh-bye…”

She put down another card, and The Creator Incarnate vanished into sparkles.

“…I sacrifice you to summon… THE CREATOR!”

A much brighter light shone on Melissa’s side of the field, so bright it was almost blinding. A huge form, almost twenty feet tall arose on Hooktail’s shoulders, resembling a hulking giant made of golden metal, with powerful arms, and a strange disk on his back inscribed with ancient runes. He glowed with unearthly light!

(2,300/3,000) –> (2,800/2,600)

“YAAH!” yelled Stan.

“What is THAT thing?” shouted Andy.

Francesca gulped.

An aura of white hot flames started to surround Melissa. She laughed.

“Hee, hee,” she giggled. “The Creator is a divine being who was born in the flames that created the world! And its power is, like, unbeatable!”

She calmed down, and the flames around her subsided.

“Allow me to explain how this totally cool Monster works,” she said with a calm look. “Once per round, by discarding one card from my hand, I can use his ability to Special Summon any Monster from my Graveyard!”

“That’s why you dumped so many cards into it!” gasped Francesca. “So you’d have powerful creatures that you could summon without making sacrifices!”

“Bingo!” laughed Melissa. “And thanks to my Card of Safe Return, which lets me draw a card whenever I Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard, I’ll always have something to discard!”

“Stan…” gulped Andy, “Melissa’s in trouble…”

“Now, I’ll activate its effect right now,” smiled Melissa, “and discard one card…”

She slid a card into her discard slot.

“Creator, do your stuff!” she shouted.

The Creator raised its arm, and a bolt of lighting struck the bony playing field. A tall form arose… It was a man dressed in fancy armor that was pure white, with green flared outcroppings over his arms and shoulders and puffy yellow trousers. An odd ring with runes on it was on his back. His face was slate grey, his eyes glowing red, and he wore a simple crown with a red gem set into it.

“I summon Zaborg the Thunder Monarch!” laughed Melissa.

(2,400/1,000) –> (2,900/600)

“No!” gasped Andy. “That guy can automatically destroy one Monster when he’s summoned!”

Melissa chuckled.

“Sadly, that’s only the case when he’s Normal Summoned,” she shrugged. “Since I Special Summoned him, I don’t get to use his effect. But nonetheless, he’s more powerful than anything I’d wager your friend has in her deck!”

Card of Safe Return glowed, and a card flew off the top of Melissa’s deck. She caught it.

“Now, Zaborg,” grinned Melissa, “attack her Amazon Archer with royal thunder!”

Zaborg raised his hands to the heavens, and lightning flashed! A lightning bolt struck Amazon Archer and she screamed! She burst into fragments.

Francesca’s Life Points fell to 6,500 as the other two Amazons cowered in fear… Amazoness Paladin’s Attack fell to 1,900.

“Creator!” yelled Melissa, “attack her Paladin with divine lightning!”

Lighting flashed all over the giant’s metal hide! He raised his arms, and lightning struck the Paladin! She was obliterated!

Francesca’s Life Points fell to 5,600.

“Easy come… easy go…” smiled Melissa.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

The unseen viewer was watching the battle with delight.

“Only a few more rounds,” she said in eager anticipation, “and my plans will be one third complete…

“And once this is over, the rest of the job will be incredibly easy. Once Stan and Andy see what happens to Francesca once she loses, they’ll be shaken and demoralized…

“Easy pickings…

“It’s all going according to plan…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“You think I didn’t, like, know about your Fighter’s special ability?” laughed Melissa. “I knew if I attacked her, I’d have done squat to your Life Points! So make your move so I can totally finish you!”

“I’m not out of this yet, Melissa!” cursed Francesca.

“Francesca!” yelled Stan. “Don’t give up!” have faith in yourself!”

Francesca drew.

Amazoness Blowpiper… she thought, looking at the card. Great, I draw the weakest Monster I have!

“I’ll place this Monster facedown in Defense Mode and end my turn,” she said, placing a card down.

“Sneaky,” chuckled Melissa. “But I truly doubt that that’s something with a powerful flip-effect!”

She drew.

“Time for The Creator to… create again!” she chuckled, discarding a card.

The Creator gestured, and lightning struck the other side of him. A huge Dragon, seemingly made of diamond, with two horns on its head and one protruding from its snout appeared in a flash!

“Meet the mighty Hyozanryu!” shouted Melissa.

(2,100/2,800) –> (2,600/2,400)

The Dragon hungrily eyed Francesca…

“This big guy isn’t nearly as bad as old Hooktail was,” said Melissa with an evil grin, “but it does the job!”

Card of Safe Return glowed, and another card flew out of Melissa’s deck.

She pointed her finger.

“Hyozanryu, attack her facedown Monster with diamond ray blast!” she yelled.

Hyozanryu reared back its head and shot forth a beam of pure light from its jaws! Amazoness Blowpiper appeared on the card, and cringed before she was incinerated.

“Zaborg, your turn!” laughed Melissa. “Destroy her Fighter!”

Lightning erupted in Zaborg’s hands and he shot his bolts forward! Amazoness Fighter was blown away.

“Now for the fun part…” chuckled Melissa. “Creator, attack Francesca directly! Divine lightning!”

The Creator raised his hands, and lightning flashed…

This… is gonna hurt… thought Francesca.

The lightning thundered into her, and seemingly through her! She landed sprawled on the left side of the pelvis!

“FRAN!” screamed Andy.

Her Life Points plummeted to 2,800.

I was right, she thought, opening her eyes. That… hurt…



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:



“You gonna keep give up, or do you want more of that?” laughed Melissa.

Francesca slowly rose to her feet…

“Okay, fine, whatever,” sighed Melissa. “Then make your last move.”

Francesca looked at the three powerful Monsters in front of her, and then at her hand.

Crud… she thought. I’ve got no-one who could stand up to these goliaths….

Fact is, there’s only one Monster in my deck that could possibly help… And I had to discard her when she played Card Destruction!

Maybe I should give up…

She slowly moved her hand towards her deck…

Melissa’s eyes glittered…

Francesca’s hand closed into a fist.

NO! she thought. I’m not going to give this brat the satisfaction! If I go down, I’m going down with honor!

She quickly drew her card.

She looked at it.

And she smirked.

“Well?” sighed Melissa.

“Melissa,” said Francesca, with a look of confidence, “I can read you pretty well… I think I know what your biggest dream in life is…”

“Huh?” said Melissa, somewhat annoyed. “Puh-lease, Fran, you know zero about me!”

“Oh?” chuckled Francesca. “You said you were the Shadow Spawn of Light…”

“And proud of it!” exclaimed Melissa.

“Then you obviously know that the three rarest cards in the world are Light Monsters…” replied Francesca.

Melissa looked shocked. And then she smiled.

“Heh, heh, you hit the nail on the head, Francesca,” she affirmed. “Seto Kaiba owns the cards I dream of owning… the three legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards!

“And let me let you in on a little secret… Those cards will be mine eventually. Mom has promised, once me and my siblings take care of you and your friends…”

She pointed to Stan and Andy, who drew back in surprise.

“…that she’ll let me set a little trap for Kaiba. And once I destroy him, those three magnificent Light Monsters will be in my deck!

“They belong there… He totally doesn’t deserve them! Only a true master of Light deserves to own the Blue-Eyes!”

“Well, it’s funny you should mention that,” stated Francesca. “I have a similar dream – I dream of challenging the mighty Seto Kaiba as well. Why, you ask?

“Because… I have a weapon that would make him tremble!”

She showed her the card she had just drawn.

Monster Reborn.

“What good will THAT do?” laughed Francesca. “Nothing you can bring back from your Graveyard is strong enough to defeat any of my three Monsters!”

“I’m going to have to disagree with you on that, Melissa,” smiled Francesca. “You’re forgetting that in order to dump so many cards into your Graveyard at the start of this duel, you had to also make me dump a great deal of them!”

“Really?” chuckled Melissa. “So what’s this big, bad Monster that you’re going to summon with that card?”

“I’ll show you…” was the response.

Francesca fit the card into the slot.

“Arise,” she said. “Arise great Penumbral Soldier Lady!”

The card appeared, and a tall female form appeared. It was a blonde-haired woman, wearing an armored midriff and a skirt and metal boots and gauntlets. She carried a long sword with a hilt shaped like a crescent moon, and a huge shield, which also had a crescent moon symbol on it. (2,100/1,400)

“Wow…” muttered Stan.

“She’s beautiful…” gasped Andy.

“Hee, hee,” chuckled Melissa. “How is she supposed to defeat my titans? Her Attack power is weaker than all of them!”

Penumbral Solder Lady gave a mean look to Melissa and her three Monsters.

“In most cases,” replied Francesca, “the term ‘darkness’ means ‘the absence of light’. But in Penumbral Soldier Lady’s case, it also means the negation of it!

“Like I said, this Warrior could destroy a Blue-Eyes White Dragon with one swipe of her mighty blade! That’s because whenever she battles a Light Monster, she is assumed to have an extra 1,000 Attack Points!”

Melissa stopped short.

“Wait…” she said. “That makes… 3,100? No fair!”

“Penumbral Soldier Lady,” shouted Francesca, “attack The Creator with Sword of Shadows!”

Penumbral Soldier Lady raised her sword, and The Creator drew back in fright! The Warrior leapt into the air, and brought her blade down on the titan, cleaving it in twain! She leapt back, as it burst in an explosion of brightly-lit flames!

“All right!” shouted Stan.

“Way to go!” yelled Andy.

Melissa’s Life Points fell to 4,200.

For the first time all duel, Melissa looked scared.

The… The Creator can’t be Special Summoned from the Graveyard! she thought, in panic. I can’t bring it back!

“So much for that,” smiled Francesca. “Now it’s your turn, and unless you have a Light Monster that has more than 3,100 Attack Points, you’ll never defeat my Soldier Lady!”

“There are other ways to get rid of a Monster!” snarled Melissa.

“Maybe so,” frowned Francesca, “but I’m willing to bet your strategy relies so much on The Creator that without it, you’re nothing!”

“We’ll see!” snarled Melissa.

She drew.

“All right…” she said. “I’ll move Zaborg and Hyozanryu to Defense Mode…”

She turned the cards. Zaborg knelt, and Hyozanryu folded its wings.

“And now I’ll put this Monster facedown in Defense Mode,” she continued.

She put a card down on her Disk, and a concealed Monster appeared.

“Your move,” she snarled.

Francesca drew.

She chuckled and showed Melissa the card.

Pot of Greed.

“Just what I needed,” she said, placing it into the slot.

The jar handed her two more cards, and she looked at them.

“Now I summon…” she exclaimed, “Amazoness Priestess, in Attack Mode!”

She put the card down, and a strange Amazon appeared. She was a tall woman, with black hair tied in a long braid. She wore a leather bikini top and a long, white skirt, along with a necklace made of teeth. She held in her hands a wooden staff topped with a green crystal. (1,500/1,500)

“Huh?” gasped Melissa.

“Meet the spiritual leader of the Amazon tribe!” explained Francesca. “Amazoness Priestess can call upon the souls of her fallen sisters for aid in battle! In game terms, for every Amazon in my Graveyard, she gains 100 Attack Points!

“And in addition to the ones you destroyed, when you used Card Destruction and Multiple Destruction, you made my discard one Chain-Wielder, one Tiger, and another Fighter. That’s seven Amazons total, giving her an Attack Score of 2,200!”

The crystal on Amazoness Priestess’s staff glowed, and her Attack went up.

“Now, Penumbral Soldier Lady,” continued Francesca, “attack Zaborg the Thunder Monarch!”

The Dark Warrior leapt up into the air, and made a swipe with her blade! Zaborg groaned, and shattered into pixels.

“All right, Amazoness Priestess, attack her facedown Monster with spiritual magic attack!”

Amazoness Priestess thrust her staff forward and fired a beam of green energy…

A female Spellcaster in a fancy, purple outfit with her hair tied in a ponytail, holding a staff topped with a crescent moon appeared on the card. She cringed and was blown to pieces.

“Magician of Faith?” gasped Francesca.

“Uh huh…” said Melissa, with a nod.

A light shot out of Melissa’s discard slot and formed into a card. She took it, and added it to her hand.

“Is that your turn?” asked Melissa.

“Actually, no,” answered Francesca, choosing a card.

She fit a Magic Card into a slot.

“I play… Recruitment Drive!” she exclaimed.

A card revealed itself. It was a strange card, showing Amazoness Paladin shaking hands with Dark Magician Girl, while Amazoness Fighter stood in the background.

“Huh?” asked Stan. “What does that do?”

“Yeah, like what?” asked Melissa.

“I case you didn’t notice, Melissa,” said Francesca, “all members of the Amazon tribe are female…”

“Duh…” said Melissa, rolling his eyes.

“And also, in order to keep their special powers, they all must remain chaste and innocent, untouched by men… virgins, if you will,” she continued. “So that means they never bear children. No one is ever born an Amazon.

“Thus, there’s only one way for them to replenish their numbers – recruitment!”

Penumbral Soldier Lady started to glow with a strange light.

“Recruitment Drive can only be played and maintained while a true Amazon is on the field… but so long as it remains, all female Monsters on my side are considered Amazons.”

“So your Soldier Lady is an Amazon now,” sneered Melissa. “How will that help you?”

“In lots of ways,” answered Francesca. “I’ll end my turn.”

“So…” asked Andy. “Exactly HOW does turning Penumbral Soldier Lady into an Amazon help?”

“We’ll just have to see…” shrugged Stan.

Melissa drew.

“Perfect,” she smiled. “Take this… Swords of Revealing Light!”

She threw a card into a slot, and a wall of Swords rained down upon Francesca.

“You’re only trying to stall, Melissa, and it won’t work…” muttered Francesca.

“We’ll find out,” smiled Melissa. “In the meantime, I’ll play the card I recovered with the Magician…”

She fit the card into a slot.

“Emergency Provisions! I’ll use this to destroy my Card of Safe Return and my Luminous Spark, and in exchange, receive 2,000 Life Points!”

A huge mouth appeared and devoured the two cards. The blinding light subsided, Hyozanryu’s stats returned to (2,100/2,800), and Melissa’s Life Points went up to 6,200.

“Now I’m way ahead of you!” mocked Melissa. “Make your move!”

Emergency Provisions, thought Francesca, drawing. I have that card…

She looked at her card.

“I’ll summon my second Amazoness Paladin!” she exclaimed, slapping a card down.

Another Amazoness Paladin, seemingly a twin of the first, appeared next to Amazoness Priestess. She smiled at Penumbral Soldier Lady. (1,700/300)

“And thanks to my Recruitment Drive card,” smiled Francesca, “Penumbral Soldier Lady is considered an Amazon, so the Paladin gains the benefit of having three Amazons on the field!”

(2,000/300)

“Well there’s a use for it…” noted Stan.

“Big, fat, hairy deal!” scowled Melissa.

“Make your move,” sighed Francesca. “I’m going to spank you when this is over…”

“I’d like to see you try it!” snarled Melissa, drawing.

She frowned as she looked at her card.

“I’ll pass this turn,” she growled.

“Good,” said Francesca, drawing.

“I’ll place these two cards facedown on the field,” she stated, fitting two cards into slots.

The two cards materialized next to her Recruitment Drive card.

“That ends my turn,” she smiled. “Two turns to go…”

Melissa drew. Her eyes perked.

“I’ll place this card facedown on the field,” she said softly, “and that will be all for me…”

Francesca drew.

“I play… Card of Sanctity!” she exclaimed, throwing a card into a slot.

The card revealed itself, and a bright glow illuminated above the huge skeleton.

“Now, we can draw until we hold six cards in our hands,” she said, drawing.

Perfect, she thought.

“I’ll place this card facedown as well, and end my turn,” she stated.

A third facedown card appeared.

The Swords of Revealing Light disappeared.

“But on my next round, I’ll be free to attack, so watch out!”

“Indeed,” quipped Melissa, drawing.

“Eh,” she shrugged, “I’ll pass this round too…”

“She passes?” gasped Andy. “She knows that Dragon is no match for Penumbral Soldier Lady – she’s gonna get creamed!”

“She’s up to something…” mused Stan.

Wait! he thought. Her facedown card!

“Right!” exclaimed Francesca, drawing.

I’ll save this, she thought, looking at the Monster Card.

“Penumbral Soldier Lady!” she ordered. “Attack Hyozanryu!”

Penumbral Soldier Lady raised her sword and leapt to attack…

“You fell for it like the big idiot I knew you were!” laughed Melissa.

Her facedown card lifted.

“Activate… Nightmare Wheel!”

Stan and Andy gasped. A giant, fiendish wheel, studded with spikes appeared. Penumbral Soldier Lady shrieked as a set of chains grabbed her and she was chained to it!

“Heh, heh,” cackled Melissa. “I’ve not only captured your Soldier and rendered her helpless, but you’ll lose 500 Life Points every one of my turns!”

Francesca smiled.

“Guess again…” she smirked. “There are benefits to being an Amazon…”

She hit a button on her Disk, and one of her Trap Cards lifted.

“I activate Dramatic Rescue!” she shouted.

Penumbral Solder Lady transformed into a ball of dark energy, and then flew into Francesca’s Disk. The Nightmare Wheel vanished, and Francesca removed her card.

“What?” gasped Melissa.

“Dramatic Rescue can, as the name suggests, rescue any Amazon from any card effect,” explained Francesca. “It also lets me summon another Monster to the field…”

She placed a card down.

“So say hello to my Beautiful Headhuntress, in Attack Mode!”

A tall, beautiful woman appeared. She was wearing a fancy, blue kimono, and had blue hair tied back in an exotic hairstyle. She carried a large, sharp, executioner’s cleaver. (1,600/800)

“Eek!” squeaked Andy.

“Come on, Andy,” sighed Stan. “Your Dragons are scarier that that.”

“And because Recruitment Drive works on her too,” continued Francesca, “Amazoness Paladin retains her high score.

“Make your move.”

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Melissa.

She laughed out loud.

“You seem to have totally made a major error, Francesca!” she stated.

She drew.

“I’ll switch Hyozanryu back into Attack Mode!” she laughed.

She turned the card, and Hyozanryu reared up into attack formation.

“Now,” she continued, “I’ll use this to give it a boost – Elf’s Light!”

She threw a card into a slot, and a glowing fairy with a magic wand appeared above Hyozanryu. Its stats changed. (2,500/2,600)

“Hyozanryu,” she commanded, “attack Beautiful Headhuntress with diamond ray blast!”

Hyozanryu roared, and blasted forth its beam of light at Beautiful Headhuntress.

“I activate… Waboku!” shouted Francesca.

Another one of her Trap Cards lifted, and three women in blue cloaks rose to block the blast.

“ARRGHH!” screamed Melissa.

“Didn’t go quite the way you planned, did it?” smirked Francesca.

“Just move!” shouted Melissa.

“Gladly!” smiled Francesca, drawing.

“First,” she said, “I’ll sacrifice Beautiful Headhuntress to summon Penumbral Lady Soldier back to the field!”

Beautiful Headhuntress vanished, and Penumbral Lady Soldier returned. (2,100/1,400)

“Now my Soldier,” shouted Francesca, “slay her Dragon with Sword of Shadows!”

Penumbral Lady Soldier leapt into the air, and with one swift stroke, beheaded Hyozanryu!

Melissa’s Life Points fell to 5,500.

“Now, Amazoness Paladin, attack Melissa directly with Amazon blade!”

Amazoness Paladin ran up the bony surface and smote Melissa with her sword! This time, Melissa cringed a little. Apparently, there was only so much she could take.

Her Life Points fell to 3,500

“And now,” continued Francesca, “Amazoness Priestess, attack her with spiritual magic attack!”

Amazoness Priestess aimed her staff, and the tip glowed. She shot forth a beam of green energy, and as it hit Melissa, this time the Shadow Spawn actually screamed.

Her Life Points fell to 1,300.

“Make your move…” growled Francesca.

Melissa shakily drew.

She looked at the card.

She looked at Francesca and grinned.

“Oh, I’ll move – and you’ll lose!”

She placed a card down.


Continued...

[Dark Sage]

“First I’ll summon Maiden of the Moonlight in Attack Mode,” she chuckled.

A beautiful woman in a long white gown with gorgeous, feathered wings materialized in a beam of soft light. (1,500/1,300)

“And now,” cackled Melissa, “I’ll play this Magic Card… the dreaded Lightning Vortex!”

She slid a card into a slot, and lighting started to erupt over the ceiling!

“All I have to do is discard one card,” she smiled, “and I’ll wipe out all of your Monsters!”

She discarded a card…

“No…” gasped Stan.

“Hold on,” interrupted Francesca. “Did you forget about my last facedown card?”

She hit a button, and her facedown card lifted.

“Activate… Magic Jammer!” she exclaimed.

“What? Magic Jammer?” gasped Melissa.

Francesca discarded one of her cards.

“That’s right,” she said with a big grin. “That means your Lightning Vortex fails!”

The Lightning Vortex card shattered, and the lightning stopped.

“NOOO!” yelled Melissa.

“Oh yes,” said Francesca, with a look of triumph, “and now to finish this!”

She whipped out a card.

“Penumbral Soldier Lady,” she commanded, “destroy her Maiden of the Moonlight and the rest of her Life Points!”

Penumbral Soldier Lady leapt across Hooktail’s backbone, and brought her sword down on the Maiden, blowing her into pixels!

Melissa’s Life Points fell to zero.

“No…” sobbed Melissa. “I… I lost…”

“You bet you did!” laughed Andy.

Melissa fell to her knees… She started to fade away…

“Don’t think you’ve won!” she cursed. “I was only the first! My siblings will bury you! You’re gonna… totally… be…”

She vanished.

Stan and Andy went up to the huge skeleton.

“Here Francesca,” urged Andy. “Let me help you down…”

As they were helping Francesca off the huge relic, a shadowy shape started to appear in the air. They looked up, as it slowly started to take shape…

They gazed at the shadow…

Before their eyes, it formed into a coldly beautiful woman in an exotic, revealing dress. She had flowing blonde hair, and wore an emerald necklace and a golden crown set with a single, large diamond.

Her eyes glowed white as she gazed at them.

“Eek…” gasped Andy.

“Hello, young ones,” she hissed in an intimidating voice. “Congratulations for defeating my daughter, although she was the least skilled of my children – you’ll find the others much more formidable.”

“Who are you?” gasped Stan. “And what do you want?”

“Allow me to introduce myself,” chuckled the woman. “I am the Shadow Queen. And as for what I want, I’ll keep some secrets to myself for the time being. But let’s just say, I’ve been waiting for you three for years!”

She chuckled.

“Good luck with the rest of the tournament,” she winked. “You’re going to need all the luck you can get!”

She laughed, and vanished.

“Well, that was…” started Andy.

“…spooky,” said Stan.

“She didn’t scare me!” exclaimed Francesca.

She turned to the door.

“Now that I’ve earned that treasure, I’m taking it!”

She went to the door, and opened it.

It was a small closet with a pedestal inside. On it was a Duel Monsters card.

Francesca carefully took it while her friends looked at it.

“It’s called ‘Earth Tremor’,” she said.

They read the description.

“Wow, this is powerful!” she exclaimed, “and it will work great in my deck!”

“Yeah,” muttered Stan, in awe.

Francesca sighed.

“You know people,” she said, looking around, “it’s getting late, we’re tired… Why don’t we spend the night here – camp out, sort of?”

Stan paused.

“You want to sleep in an ancient castle under the bones of a monstrous beast?” he asked.

He shrugged.

“Works for me…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Melissa came to in a vast cavern, one with no apparent exits…

She shivered… She knew this place…

“Melissa…” hissed her mother’s voice.

She looked up, and saw the Shadow Queen standing in front of her, carrying a Duel Disk.

“Mom, please!” begged Melissa. “I tried my best! How was I supposed to know she had… that Warrior?”

“Don’t make excuses, Melissa,” scolded her mother. “You should have tried harder.”

She frowned.

“And not only did you let Francesca beat you, you lost the Earth Tremor card!”

“Uh… What’s so important about that card?” asked Melissa. “It’s powerful, but…”

“Let’s just say that it was something I’d rather NOT have let Francesca get her dirty mitts on!” scolded the Queen. “Instead of helping me, you’ve impaired me immensely.

“Melissa, you are a big disappointment…”

She took six cards out of her dress. Melissa gulped.

The Shadow Queen held them out with their backs to Melissa.

“Now choose one, Melissa,” she growled.

Melissa groaned.

“Uh… second one to the left…” she squeaked in fear.

The Shadow Queen took the card and looked at it.

“Looks like you’re getting off relatively easy,” she grumbled, placing it into her Disk.

Dark energy flowed from the Disk.

“Nightmare Steel Cage!” she exclaimed.

Melissa gasped, as flames erupted around her, and a steel, dome-shaped cage studded with spikes formed around her.

She moaned.

“Now you sit there and think about this for a while!” scolded the Shadow Queen.

She turned to leave, and vanished.

“Oy,” croaked Melissa, leaning her head on her hands. “Hairdressing school is looking pretty good right about now…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Andy knew there were perks to having once been a boy scout.

Like being able to build a fire easily.

As they sat in Hooktail’s chamber, making s’mores, he spoke up.

“Man, Francesca,” he mused. “I thought you were dead meat for a while. Getting that Monster Reborn when you did was certainly a lucky draw…”

“Well…” sighed Francesca.

“To a true duelist, it has nothing to do with luck,” stated Stan. “It has to do with Heart…”

“Heart?” asked Andy.

“The Heart of the Cards…” muttered Stan. “Something my… ‘mentor’ speaks about quite often. See, if a duelist is dedicated and true, and he believes in himself and has faith in his deck, if he truly pure in his goals and his desires, his deck will come through for him, and he will defeat those who’s Heart is weak. I’m not one to judge, but Melissa had very little Heart – Francesca’s was much better than hers.”

There was a long silence for a few minutes.

“Know this,” stated Stan. “Always have faith, always respect your cards, and they’ll come through for you when the situation is bleak…”

There was a pause.

“Well,” said Andy with a shrug. “Who’s up for some scary stories?”

Francesca chuckled.

“I don’t know about scary, but I know a good story,” she said. “It all involves a Monster I keep in my side deck as a little… reminder of what the Amazons stand for…”

She took a card out of her side deck and showed it to them. It was a Warrior called The Unfriendly Amazon.

“Wow,” exclaimed Stan. “A 2,000 Attack for a four-star Monster? Why don’t you use her?”

“Because she has a drawback,” answered Francesca. “See, in order to keep her on the field, you have to sacrifice another Monster every round. And despite her name, she’s NOT an Amazon.

“Not anymore, at least.

“Let me tell you the legend of The Unfriendly Amazon…

“Long ago, the Amazon tribe had a member whose name and title are forgotten now. She wasn’t nearly as strong as the others – she was more or less the brains of the group. But she didn’t like having that position. She longed to be as mighty as her sisters, if not mightier.

“But no matter how much she trained and practiced, she couldn’t become as strong. It seemed she would always be the little sister among the tribe…

“Her dream became an obsession… And finally, against her better judgment, she found a way to contact a vile Fiend from the underworld. Exactly who this creature was is open to debate. Some say it was Dark Ruler Ha Des, others say it was Dark Master Zorc. But in any case, the Fiend said he would gladly grant the Amazon great strength – but stated that it would come with a price. She didn’t care…

“In her next battle, the Amazon found that her strength had indeed been doubled. She tore through her foes with reckless fury, and nothing could stop her.

“But soon, a downside of this power started to manifest. She now lacked the concepts of mercy and fair play. When a foe threw down his weapons and surrendered, she killed him anyway. When an enemy turned and ran, she stabbed him in the back.

“Eventually, this particularly violent Amazon who refused to follow the rules of war was becoming notorious among all people who knew of the Amazons, and her sisters were starting to take notice. None of the Amazons were exactly angels, but now they were being given a bad name, and people were starting to lose respect for them. Allies threatened to break off their alliances, and more enemies were made.

“The Amazoness Queen tried to discipline the rogue, but she only got more violent. When there wasn’t a battle to be fought, she went looking for one.

“At one crucial time, the Amazon attacked an innocent village and started killing everyone in sight. Two of her sisters came and tried to restrain her… only to be killed themselves.

“Now with a murderer on her hands, the Amazoness Queen had no choice. She had the killer hunted down, and brought to her in chains. Although her crimes were unforgivable, the tribe had no death penalty for their own members. The Amazon was still one of them, and they couldn’t condemn her die shamefully. Instead, the Amazoness Queen stripped her of all her powers as an Amazon, and banished her from the tribe forever.

“And furthermore, although she was clearly evil, it was taboo to call a fellow Amazon by that term. Calling an Amazon, even a former one, by the term ‘evil’, was like a blasphemy. So from that point on, the exile was known by the tribe as simply ‘The Unfriendly Amazon’.

“No one knew what became of The Unfriendly Amazon… To the Amazon tribe, she represented what happens when one seeks power that one shouldn’t tamper with – and that’s why I carry this card with me. It reminds me to know my limits…”

Stan shrugged.

“Quite a story,” he mused. “Well, I’ve got a story so scary, you might have trouble sleeping…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Watching with some amusement through her crystal ball was the Shadow Queen.

“Yes, it was quite an amusing story, Francesca,” she chuckled.

She walked over to her enchanted fireplace.

“And maybe I can use your story to my advantage. Your next opponent will be quite eager to defeat you…”

She drew a card from a deck, and tossed it into the violet flames. They blazed green.

“Come forth…” she commanded.

Two glowing eyes appeared in the flames…



MULTIPLE DESTRUCTION

Card Specs

Type: Trap
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of three cards on fire. Both players discard their current hands and draw five new cards. The owner of this card pays 200 Life Points for every card he or she discards due to this card’s effect.

Note: This version of “Multiple Destruction” is a fanfiction version of a card used by Bakura in the anime episode “Showdown in the Shadows”. Nearly all creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



AMAZONESS PRIESTESS

Card Specs

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

Card Description: The spiritual leader of her tribe, this young woman can call upon the souls of her fallen sisters for aid. Increase the ATK of this Monster by 100 for every Monster in your Graveyard with the word “Amazoness” in its name, or is named “Amazon Archer”.



RECRUITMENT DRIVE

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of Dark Magician Girl shaking hands with Amazoness Paladin with Amazoness Fighter watching in the background. If there are no Monsters who originally had the word “Amazoness” in their name, or who are named “Amazon Archer” on your side of the field, destroy this card. So long as this card is in effect, all female Monsters on your side of the field are considered to have the word “Amazoness” in their name so long as they remain on the field.



[B][I]The adventure in Hooktail Castle is not done… Nor is poor Francesca out of trouble yet.

It starts with a nightmare, and leads to the strangest duel of her life! And wait until you see who her opponent is! Don’t miss an explosive chapter that I had to call “Unfriendly Fire”, coming soon!

[Dark Sage]

[B][I]This tournament is getting weirder by the minute.

When someone in the village mentioned a dragon named Hooktail and a treasure in his castle, I was skeptical. I figured it was nothing more than something that the tournament heads put in as an extra, like a secret level to a video game…

But Melissa was not the average duelist. I have a feeling she was quite serious when she said I would “be stricken with a punishment too horrible for words” if I lost my duel to her. And it seems that there truly is a “Shadow Queen” of sorts lurking around this island.

And judging by the looks of the duelist who’s facing me right now…

Well, let’s just say that my skepticism is very quickly fading…



[B][size=3]

CHAPTER SIX



Unfriendly Fire

In the dark Palace of Shadows, a form knelt before the Shadow Queen…

“So,” said the Queen, “I take it you know what you’re doing?”

“I’ve calibrated my attack strategy, milady,” answered the kneeling figure. “Little Francesca won’t stand a chance.”

“Good,” said the Shadow Queen, with a pleasant smile, “but don’t get too sure of yourself. There is one thing you should look out for…”

She paused.

“I know one aspect of your strategy,” she continued. “You are not, repeat, NOT to try to use Francesca’s own cards against her. If you try, it could be… bad.”

“Bad?” asked the figure. “How so?”

“Trust me,” warned the Queen. “Bad. Now go, and don’t disappoint me.”

The figure rose and left.

The Shadow Queen went to her viewing globe, and saw the three teenagers sleeping. Her eyes focused on Francesca.

“So young…” she purred, “so pure and innocent…”

She paused.

“Maybe before my servant gets there, I’ll shake her up a bit…”

She picked up a deck of cards, and leafed through them. She looked at a card.

Dreamsprite.

She tossed the card into her fireplace, and the flames blazed green.

A girlish giggle filled the room, and the cute plant-fairy flew out of the flames.

“Go, my Dreamsprite!” ordered the Shadow Queen. “Give Francesca a taste of your nocturnal naughtiness!”

Dreamsprite giggled, and vanished into sparkling mist…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Next to the ancient bones of Hooktail, Stan, Andy, and Francesca slept. The chamber was surprisingly warm and cozy. Outside, the clouds passed by a full moon…

A shimmering appeared over Francesca, and Dreamsprite appeared…

The Duel Monster giggled, and raised her hand. She sprinkled sparkling dust over Fran’s face.

Francesca winced in her sleep… Her dreams started to turn strange…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

She dreamt that she was in a rocky valley surrounded by foreboding mountains. She was dueling, and her opponent was one of the best there was – Seto Kaiba!

Thunder flashed…

“Blue-Eyes White Dragon!” ordered Kaiba, “annihilate her Fighter with white lighting!”

The mighty Dragon shot forth its blast; Amazoness Fighter screamed and was blown to atoms!

“I’m not out of this yet, Kaiba!” cursed Francesca.

She drew.

“Time to slay your Dragon!” she shouted, as lighting flashed again. “I sacrifice my Amazoness Swords Woman to summon Penumbral Soldier Lady!”

She put the card on her Disk, and her Swords Woman vanished. The beautiful Warrior of darkness leapt up, ready to attack!

“Now, attack his Dragon with Sword of Shadows!” she yelled.

Penumbral Soldier Lady leapt up and cleaved the huge Dragon down the middle! It roared and burst into a blast of pixels!

“Hmm, impressive…” said Kaiba, “but this duel is far from over…”

He drew a card.

“I’ll play my Pot of Greed!” he announced, placing it into a slot.

He drew two more cards.

“Now I’ll play Monster Reborn, to bring back the Blue-Eyes you just destroyed!”

He played the card, and the huge dragon reappeared, and bellowed!

“Humph, I’ll just kill it again…” sneered Francesca.

“I don’t think so…” said Kaiba with a smirk, taking three cards from his hand. “Because now, I play Polymerization, to fuse this Blue-Eyes with the other two in my hand!”

He played the cards, and two more Blue-Eyes White Dragons appeared! They swirled into a vortex, and the immense form of Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon arose!

“Your Penumbral Soldier Lady is strong against creatures of Light, but she’s not strong enough to defeat one this powerful!”

Penumbral Soldier Lady drew back in fear…

“Now my Dragon,” shouted Kaiba, “destroy her Soldier with neuron blast!”

The Dragon’s three mouths roared, and shot forth three lethal streams, blasting Penumbral Soldier Lady to nothing!

Francesca shivered in fright…

“Make your move…” mocked Kaiba.

There’s got to be something I can do… thought Francesca in fear.

She drew…

And her cards turned to dust!

“NO!” she shouted in panic.

“Since you seem incapable of making a move, I’ll make mine…” said Kaiba, drawing.

He looked at the card.

“Well,” he smiled, “I could blast you with this Dragon, but I’ve got a better idea… I play… De-Fusion!”

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon swirled into a pool of light.

“This separates my Dragon into its three component Dragons,” he continued, “each one with 3,000 Attack Points aimed directly at you!”

The three Blue-Eyes glared at Francesca.

“NO, PLEASE!” begged Francesca. “That’s overkill!”

“Bah, you deserve it for having the gall to challenge me!” scoffed Kaiba. “Now my Dragons, attack her directly!”

Francesca screamed as the three blasts of white lightning thundered towards her…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

As Francesca woke up with a start, Dreamsprite giggled and vanished.

Francesca held her head.

I guess it’s true what they say, she thought, Whoever is in charge of dreams won’t let you die in them… Maybe I should get more experience before actually trying to find Kaiba…

She looked at Stan and Andy who were sleeping.

Ah, I’ll never get back to sleep, she said. Maybe I’ll go for a walk…

An inner voice made her look at her Disk. She shrugged and picked it up.

She walked out the doorway into the long hall that led to the chamber. She stared to wander down.

Then she saw a door on the side of the hallway.

Huh? she thought. Didn’t notice that before…

She opened it. She looked down at a dark stairway going down.

“Francesca…” whispered a voice from the darkness. “Francesca…”

“Okay,” said Francesca, straitening her jeans, “whoever is down there wants to see me… Far be it from me to disappoint him…”

She walked down the stairs…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Stan got up, still half asleep.

“Andy?” he muttered.

“Yeah?” moaned Andy.

“Did you hear that?” he asked.

“No,” responded Andy.

“Eh, me neither,” replied Stan.

They went back to sleep.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Francesca reached the bottom of the stairway and entered a creepy hallway, filled with dust and cobwebs. Suits of armor carrying halberds flanked the walls.

“That’s it Francesca,” beckoned the voice, which was now clearly feminine. “Just follow my voice…”

Francesca walked down the hallway, and it soon ended at a door.

She was surprised when she looked at it. The door was painted with a violent scene, depicting her Amazon Warriors fighting some fiendish creatures that she couldn’t identify. And the Amazons were clearly losing. Many of them were being mercilessly tortured to death by the beasts. Fran frowned.

“If this is your idea of an attempt to demoralize me, spooky,” she angrily said, opening the door, “you’re doing a lousy job…”

She looked inside the door, and entered a large, circular room. Weapons racks full of swords, axes, and maces lined the walls, and shields hung above them.

“Huh, no one here…” she muttered.

“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong…” chuckled a voice.

A tall female figure materialized at the other end of room…

Francesca gasped. She recognized the female Warrior in front of her well. The black, graying hair tied in a long braid with a headband; the shoulder guards studded with spikes; the black, tight-fitting shirt, elbow-length gloves, long breechcloth, and knee-high boots; not to mention the sword slung at her side…

The Unfriendly Amazon locked eyes with Francesca and smiled a slight smile.

“Hello, child,” she said with an evil smile. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this…”

Francesca slowly reached for her deck…

“If you’re thinking of conjuring a Duel Monster to attack me with, forget it,” snapped the Amazon. “I’m different than those Zombie Warriors – I can’t be destroyed that way.”

Francesca gulped.

“And now I have you right where I want you, Francesca,” she continued. “By destroying you, I’ll finally have my revenge against the ones who ruined my life… namely your pathetic Amazons!”

“What?” asked Francesca in fear. “You’re going to kill me?”

“Not outright,” replied the Amazon. “That wouldn’t be fair. Before I can do away with you, we have to do things the usual way… if you’re not too scared…”

She raised her arm, and a Duel Disk appeared on it.

“Me? Duel you?” asked Francesca, now very scared.

The Unfriendly Amazon nodded.

“Unless you just want me to make it quick,” she said with a smile, fingering her sword.

Francesca looked around.

I could try to make a run for it, but I doubt I could outrun her, she thought. If my own story is true, she’s deadlier than most Amazons… I have to try to beat her…

“Okay,” said Francesca with a shudder, “I’ll take you on…”

“You’re a fool,” said the Amazon with a wicked smile. “The quick way would have been less painful! And less humiliating. No human can duel better than an actual Duel Monster! And once I’ve defeated you, my revenge will be complete, and my master will reward me well!”

“Master?” asked Francesca. “Who’s your…”

“None of your business!” interrupted The Unfriendly Amazon. “It’s time to duel!”

The holo-imagers shot out, and the Disks flipped into position.

The Life Point counters set to 8,000 apiece, and they drew their first hands.

“Since it’s only fair,” said the Amazon, “I’ll let you go first.”

“Gladly,” smiled Francesca.

She drew.

Not bad… she thought.

“I’ll summon… Amazoness Paladin!” she shouted.

She placed her card down, and the fierce Amazon general appeared in Attack Mode! (1,700/300) –> (1,800/300)

“That will do for now,” she said.

“Bringing out your big guns early, I see,” commented the Amazon. “Well she won’t help you…”

She drew.

“I summon a creature known as Jirai Gumo in Attack Mode!” she announced.

She put the card down, and a frightening creature appeared. It was a huge spider with slobbering jaws and scythe-like claws on its front legs! (2,200/100)

“And that will end my turn,” she said.

Hmmm, thought Francesca. She didn’t attack… and for good reason. If she attacks with that Monster, there’s a fifty percent chance that she’ll lose half her Life Points… but why even have such a Monster in her deck?

She put a card down.

“I summon Amazoness Swords Woman in Attack Mode!” she announced.

The furious female Warrior holding her huge sword appeared. (1,500/1,600)

She sneered at The Unfriendly Amazon.

“She seems to remember you!” chuckled Francesca.

“Yes…” said the Amazon with a scowl. “I hated her… She was the one who argued the loudest for my exile…”

“Well, thanks to her, my Paladin now has an Attack of 1,900!” stated Francesca, “and it’s your move!”

The Amazon drew.

“I’ll summon this Monster in Attack Mode,” she said, putting a card down. “The mighty Giant Orc!”

A huge form appeared next to Jirai Gumo. It was a hulking ogre with white skin, a bald head, and sharp teeth. It carried a club made from a huge femur. (2,200/0)

Francesca gasped.

“But I’m not ready to attack yet,” stated the Amazon. “Make your move…”

Now why didn’t she attack? thought Francesca. I know Giant Orc has to shift into Defense Mode after it attacks, but losing it would be a small price to pay for destroying my Amazoness Paladin…

She drew.

Hey! It’s that card I won from Melissa! Think I’ll take it for a test run…

She added it to her hand.

“First, I’ll summon my Amazoness Blowpiper!” she announced.

She placed a card down, and the slim Warrior carrying her blowpipe appeared. (800/1,500)

“And now I’ll play this Magic Card… Earth Tremor!”

She played the card, and it revealed itself, showing a village shaking under an earthquake.

“Earth Tremor?” asked the Amazon. “What does that do?”

“To activate this card, I first have to sacrifice an Earth Monster,” smiled Francesca. “So, I’ll sacrifice my Blowpiper…”

Amazoness Blowpiper smirked at The Unfriendly Amazon, and then she vanished.

“And now…” smiled Francesca.

The chamber started to rumble…

“The power of the card creates a tremor on your side of the field, and you take damage equal to 500 Life Points times the star level of your most powerful Monster! Since your highest level Monster – actually both of them – has four stars, you lose 2,000 Life Points!”

The Unfriendly Amazon was thrown off her feet by the tremor, and she landed on her rump!

Her Life Points fell to 6,000.

Ooh! she thought. Where’d she get a card that powerful? No matter… I’ll have the last laugh in the end…



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:



Up in Hooktail’s chamber, Stan actually woke up.

“Andy, wake up,” he said, nudging him.

“Huh?” asked Andy.

“You remember that thing we didn’t hear?” asked Stan, suspiciously.

“Yeah, what about it?” replied Andy.

“Well I’m not hearing it again, and I don’t like it…” answered Stan.

Andy turned around.

“Stan, Francesca’s gone!” he exclaimed.

“Okay,” said Stan, looking around, “let’s not panic… She couldn’t have gone far…”

“She might be in trouble,” muttered Andy. “I knew sleeping in this place was a bad idea…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“It’s your move, murderer,” mocked Fran.

“How dare you…” cursed the Amazon, drawing.

She looked at her card.

“I choose to pass for this turn,” she said.

“Okay,” smiled Fran, drawing.

She grinned as she looked at her card.

“All right!” she laughed. “I summon the mighty Command Knight in Attack Mode!”

She threw a card on her Disk, and a fiery bonfire appeared. A beautiful woman stepped out of it, with long, strawberry blonde hair, dressed in brown ceremonial armor with a cape, and a fur cap with feathers. She drew a golden sword. (1,200/1,900)

“This lady may not be an Amazon, but she’s a big help to them,” explained Francesca, “because so long as she’s on the field, all of my Warriors gain 400 Attack Points!”

Amazoness Paladin’s Attack rose to 2,300, Amazoness Swords Woman’s rose to 1,900, and Command Knight herself’s rose to 1,600.

“Amazoness Paladin, attack her Giant Orc with blade of the Amazons!”

Amazoness Paladin leapt into the air, and slashed though Giant Orc! The ogre gasped, and burst into fragments.

The Unfriendly Amazon’s Life Points fell to 5,900. She sneered.

“Having fun, Francesca?” she asked with a smug grin.

“Naw…” said Francesca, sarcastically. “I’m having a terrible time kicking your ass!”

“Well it’s my move now,” said the Amazon.

She drew.

“I’ll place two cards facedown on the field,” she said, fitting two cards into slots. “And that will end my turn.”

Francesca drew.

“Heh, heh,” she chuckled, adding it to her hand. “Get ready, cause here it comes!

“Amazoness Paladin, take down her Jirai Gumo!”

Amazoness Paladin leapt into the air, and buried her sword in the huge spider’s thorax! The creature squealed and then burst!

“Now, Amazoness Swords Woman and Command Knight, attack the exile’s Life Points… directly!”

Amazoness Swords Woman lifted her huge blade and charged! She struck The Unfriendly Amazon, sending her staggering back!

Command Knight’s sword burned with fire, and she smote her foe! The Amazon fell over.

The Unfriendly Amazon’s Life Points were reduced to 2,300.

“This has to be the easiest duel I’ve ever had!” laughed Francesca. “I’ve taken you down to almost a quarter of your Life Points, and I still have all of mine!”

Foolish girl… thought the Amazon. Can’t you see that I’ve LET you get ahead?

She got up.

“My move now, Francesca,” she announced.

She drew.

This will do nicely she thought.

“I’ll place one card facedown,” she stated, fitting a card into a slot.

The card appeared next to her other two.

“And then I’ll summon a Warrior known to comic book fans as Zombyra the Dark, in Attack Mode!”

She put the card down, and a dark-looking superhero in a black costume with a cape and a skull-like mask appeared, striking a heroic pose. (2,100/500)

“Is that all?” laughed Francesca. “Maybe criminals would be frightened of Zombyra, but he doesn’t scare me!”

“You’re so sure of yourself?” said the Amazon, coldly.

“Lemme do the math for you,” said Francesca, with a smile, “once my Paladin destroys Zombyra, my Swords Woman and Command Knight will attack, bringing you down to…”

She made a quick calculation.

“…negative 1,400 Life Points!”

“Make your move…” snarled The Unfriendly Amazon, as if she didn’t care.

Her finger caressed a button on her Disk…

Francesca drew.

She chuckled as she looked at the card.

“Well,” she laughed, “I’m gonna end this with the biggest bang ever! Ready for the big finish? I summon Amazoness Tiger, in Attack Mode!”

She put her card down. The fierce Tigress appeared and roared! (1,100/1,500) –> (2,300/1,500)

“Now…” started Francesca.

“I activate a Trap!” shouted The Unfriendly Amazon.

One of her facedown cards lifted, showing Dark Ruler Hades suffering from some painful curse…

“Activate Skill Drain!” she yelled.

“Skill Drain?” gasped Francesca, startled. “What the heck is that?”

“A very powerful Trap,” answered the Amazon with a smile. “I have to pay 1,000 Life Points to activate it…”

Her Life Points fell to 1,300.

“But so long as this Continuous Trap is on the field, all Effect Monsters lose their effects!”

“NO!” gasped Francesca in horror. “Without their effects… my Amazons are…”

“…weaklings!” interrupted The Unfriendly Amazon with an evil grin.

Amazoness Paladin’s Attack Score dropped to 1,700, Swords Woman’s dropped to 1,500, Command Knight’s dropped to 1,200, while the Tiger’s dropped to 1,100.

“On the other hand,” smiled the Amazon. “Zombyra the Dark actually benefits! Without his effects, he no longer loses Attack Points after he attacks!”

Francesca was stunned.

“I’ll shift my Paladin, Swords Woman, and Command Knight to Defense Mode…” she grunted, turning the cards.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Meanwhile…

“Hey Stan,” noted Andy, “where do you think this leads?”

Stan looked down the dark staircase.

“I don’t know,” he answered, “but I have a feeling Francesca went down there…”

“It looks kind of scary…” muttered Andy, shivering.

“This from a guy who stood up to two Dark Necrofears…” said Stan.

He paused.

“Hold on… Necrofears? Or just Necrofear? What’s the plural of Dark Necrofear?”

“Who cares?” shuddered Andy.

“We have to go down there,” sighed Stan. “Francesca might be in danger.

“Frankly… I have a bad feeling about this…”

“Okay…” said Andy with a shiver.

They descended the staircase…



Continued…


Continued from last post:



“Before you end your turn,” stated The Unfriendly Amazon, “I’ll activate my other Trap Card…”

Another of her facedown cards lifted.

“Solemn Wishes!” she exclaimed. “This Trap will restore my Life Points by 500 whenever I draw for any reason!”

“Clever…” snarled Francesca.

“Now it’s my turn…” chuckled the Amazon, drawing.

A shower of gold fell upon her, and her Life Points went up to 1,800.

“Now I’ll summon the mighty Flash Assailant in Attack Mode!” she exclaimed.

She put a card down, and a fiendish-looking pirate with a skullcap and an eyepatch, dressed in a red scarf and green pants and carrying a dagger appeared. (2,000/2,000)

“Normally, this Monster would lose 400 Attack and Defense Points for every card in my hand, but my Skill Drain card removes that handicap!

“And if you thought switching your Monsters into Defense Mode kept your Life Points safe, think again…”

She hit a button on her Disk, and her final facedown card lifted.

“I activate Meteorain!”

“No!” gasped Francesca. “That lets you damage my Life Points even when my Monsters are in Defense Mode!”

“Correct!” grinned the Amazon. “And in case you didn’t notice, your Paladin only has 300 Defense Points!

“Flash Assailant, attack Amazoness Paladin with flash dagger attack!”

Flash Assailant grinned and leapt forward, slashing through Amazoness Paladin! She screamed and vanished.

Francesca’s Life Points took a dive to 6,300.

“Zombyra,” continued the Amazon, “attack her Tiger with super-powered punch attack!”

Zombyra the Dark flew forward, and slugged Amazoness Tiger, blasting her out of existence!

Francesca’s Life Points fell to 5,300.

“Has it sunk in yet, Francesca?” asked the Amazon. “The Duel Monsters world is full of creatures like me… four-star Monsters who sought greater power and achieved it. But in order to stay four-star, we had to pay terrible costs! It’s called the Four-Star Curse, for lack of a better term. People like Zombyra, Flash Assailant, Nuvia the Wicked, Susa Soldier… There are lots of them! Because of this, we’re all practical exiles, our cards nothing but trade-bait!

“Skill Drain is a blessing to us! And my deck is loaded with those who suffer the Four-Star Curse – my Trap Card sets them free!”

“You must feel so proud…” said Francesca, sarcastically. “Maybe you can start a rebellion… lead an uprising for Monsters who suffer because they have to take penalties for being powerful and four-starred!”

“The thought did cross my mind,” sneered the Amazon. “Now make your move.”

Francesca drew a card.

“I have to pass this turn…” she said meekly.

“Your funeral…” chuckled the Amazon.

She drew, and her Life Points went up to 2,300.

“Now I’ll play the Magic Card… Full House!” she laughed.

“Full House?” gasped Francesca. “What does that do?”

The Unfriendly Amazon plugged it into a slot, and the image of a hand appeared, and produced a hand of cards.

“Full House is a rare and powerful card that let’s me draw until I hold a full hand of six cards!” answered the Amazon. “It’s like Card of Sanctity, except I don’t have to share the effect with you!”

Three cards flew out of her deck, and she took them.

“And since I just drew, I gain another 500 Life Points from Solemn Wishes!” she continued. “Not that I need more Life Points to defeat you, but it can’t hurt!”

Her Life Points went up to 2,800.

“Now I’ll summon Dark Elf in Attack Mode!” she exclaimed.

She threw a card down, and a sinister looking elf with black hair in a dark robe and a golden tiara. (2,000/800)

“And thanks to my Trap Card,” continued the Amazon, “I don’t need to spend Life Points for her to attack!”

“Enough with the Skill Drain card!” cursed Francesca. “I get it!”

“Then get this,” smiled the Amazon. “Flash Assailant, destroy her Command Knight!”

Flash Assailant ran forward and cut down Command Knight! The Warrior collapsed and vanished in a burst of flame.

“Dark Elf, attack that lousy Swords Woman with dark elven magic!”

Dark Elf cackled, and blasted forth a beam of black magic, obliterating Amazoness Swords Woman!

“Zombyra the Dark, attack Francesca directly!”

Zombyra flew forward and slammed his fist into Francesca’s gut! She gasped and fell over!

Her Life Points fell to 3,200.

“How’d you do THAT?” gasped Francesca, cringing. “Zombyra can’t attack directly!”

“The Skill Drain card removes ALL his effects, remember?” said the Amazon, coldly.

Then The Unfriendly Amazon cackled.

“Heh, heh,” she chuckled. “I don’t mean to laugh at you, Fran, but next round, you’re finished! Nothing you can summon can defeat my army of creatures now that I’ve stripped them of their handicaps!”

“Fran!” shouted a voice. “Fran!”

At that moment, Stan and Andy ran into the room.

“Guys?” said Francesca, turning around.

“Fran?” questioned Stan. “And you’re dueling… The Unfriendly Amazon?”

“Well, isn’t this sweet!” exclaimed the Amazon. “Your friends are here just in time to witness your demise!”

“Stan, this is bad!” exclaimed Andy. “That Amazon has Skill Drain on the field! All of Francesca’s Monsters are hindered by that card… and those three Monsters she’s facing are strengthened by it!”

“Don’t I know it…” moaned Francesca.

“Francesca!” shouted Stan. “Don’t give up! Have faith in yourself, and you CAN defeat this creature!”

Francesca looked at her hand.

I have two cards that could make a combo that could help, she thought, but I need a third!

She reached for her deck.

Okay, remember what Stan said… have faith in yourself, and believe in the Heart of the Cards…

She drew. She looked at the card.

“Okay, witch,” she said with a grin. “Time to take control of this duel!”

“How do you intend to do that?” chuckled the Amazon.

“I’ll show you…” frowned Francesca. “First I’ll play Monster Reborn, to bring back Amazoness Paladin!”

She threw the card into a slot, and the powerful Paladin returned. (1,700/300)

“Bah, I’ll just destroy her again!” laughed the Amazon.

“Let me finish!” snapped Francesca. “I’ll also summon this Warrior… A fierce fighter by the name of Warrior Dai Grepher!”

She placed the card on her Disk, and a powerful male warrior appeared. He was dressed in black leather armor, wore a headband, and carried a large greatsword. (1,700/1,600)

“Huh?” quipped Stan. “Why does she have him in her deck?”

“And now,” said Francesca, “I’ll bring them together… with Polymerization!”

She threw a card into a slot, and the two Warriors were drawn into a vortex…

“Fused together,” continued Francesca, “they form a mighty Warrior known and feared as… AMAZONESS QUEEN!”

A tall, powerful female form leapt out of the vortex. She was wearing an armored one-piece that didn’t hide her voluptuous figure; she also wore a large red cape, a golden crown and a gorgeous necklace. She bore two razor-sharp scimitars. (2,500/1,400)



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:


“NO!” screamed The Unfriendly Amazon. “Not her! Not her!”

“Yes, the one who banished you right?” answered Francesca. “Well she doesn’t care about your Skill Drain, because she doesn’t need an effect to be powerful!

“Since I can’t attack with her this turn, I’m ending my turn now…”

The Amazon shook as she drew. The shower of gold fell upon her, and her Life Points went up to 3,300.

“I’ll…” she stuttered, “I’ll move all my Monsters into Defense Mode and end my turn…”

Dark Elf, Flash Assailant, and Zombyra the Dark all knelt in Defense.

“Good,” smiled Francesca, drawing. “Amazoness Queen, take out Zombyra the Dark with your royal slash attack!”

Amazoness Queen raised her two scimitars and leapt forward, slicing Zombyra in twain! He burst into dark pixels!

“Go, Fran!” yelled Andy.

“Your move,” smiled Francesca.

The Amazon drew. Her Life Points went up to 3,800.

She looked at her hand.

I have one card that I could use to crush Francesca now… she thought, but I need two others!

“I’ll pass this turn…” she snarled.

“Good,” smiled Francesca, drawing. “Amazoness Queen, attack her Flash Assailant!”

Amazoness Queen pounced, and swiped at the pirate! Flash Assailant moaned, and burst into fragments.

“Your move again,” sighed Francesca.

The Amazon started to sweat. She drew, and her Life Points went up to 4,300.

The second card I need! she thought. Now all I need is the right Monster Card… Fortunately, my deck has three copies of it…

“I pass again…” she said.

“Okay…” said Francesca, drawing.

She placed a card down on her Disk.

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

The bulky female Warrior materialized and flexed her muscles. (1,500/1,300)

The two Amazons looked at each other, and nodded.

“She may not have her effect,” exclaimed Francesca, “but she’s strong enough to take down your Elf! Amazoness Fighter, destroy Dark Elf with savage kick!”

Amazoness Fighter leapt forward and slammed her knee into Dark Elf! The Spellcaster toppled over and vanished.

“Amazoness Queen, attack The Unfriendly Amazon directly!” shouted Francesca.

Amazoness Queen leapt up with her twin swords and slashed at The Unfriendly Amazon! The evil Warrior fell over.

Her Life Points fell to 1,800.

Amazoness Queen shook her head in disappointment, and walked back to Francesca’s side.

“Yes!” cheered Stan.

“You go, girl!” yelled Andy.

“Had enough?” asked Francesca.

“Never!” snarled the Amazon, getting up.

She drew, and her Life Points went up to 2,300.

She looked at the card.

Yes! she thought with glee. Now I have her just where I want her!

She grinned at Francesca as she took a card from her hand.

“First I’ll summon Goblin Attack Force in Attack Mode!” she exclaimed.

She put a card down, and a team of four goblin fighters armed with clubs materialized. (2,300/0)

“You think I’m scared of that?” chuckled Francesca. “Amazoness Queen is still stronger!”

“I’m not done!” laughed the Amazon.

She fit a card into her Disk…

A Magic Card lifted up, showing the image of Magician of Faith on a hillside, casting a spell over a mass of impoverished peasants.

“I play Gift of Magician of Faith!” she exclaimed.

“Huh? What does that do?” asked Francesca.

“Yeah, what?” asked Andy.

“Simple,” replied the Amazon. “I name one Magic Card that you have in your Graveyard, and you return it to your hand… and I’m naming your Earth Tremor card!”

A light shone in Francesca’s discard slot, and a ball of light shot out of it. It floated towards her hand, and formed into the card.

“What good will that do you?” she asked.

“Simple…” grinned the Amazon, wickedly.

She selected another card.

“I also play… Exchange!”

Francesca gasped as the card revealed itself.

“You know the rules, Francesca,” smiled the Amazon. “Now kindly hand over your Earth Tremor card…”

Francesca hung her head. She walked over to her foe and held out her hand.

“Thank you!” laughed the Amazon, snatching the card.

She held out her own hand.

“Now pick any card you like!”

“Oh, Heavy Storm will do!” snarled Francesca, snatching a card.

She went back to her position.

I’ve lost… she thought. Amazoness Queen is a seven-star Monster… once she plays that card, I’ll lose 3,500 Life Points… and I only have 3,200 left!

“Fran, how many stars does your Queen have?” asked Andy, somewhat frightened.

Fran didn’t answer.

“Quite a powerful card…” chuckled the Amazon, looking at it. “I think I’ll keep this once I’ve destroyed you!”

She placed it into a slot.

“Now, I’ll sacrifice my Goblins…” she cackled.

Goblin Attack Force vanished.

“…and prepare to lose!”

She laughed out loud.

There was a long pause.

“Well?” said the Unfriendly Amazon.

Strangely, there was no earthquake.

Nothing happened at all!

“WHAT?” gasped the Amazon. “You should have lost 3,500 Life Points! It… it didn’t work!”

Francesca was slowly taking this in.

“I don’t know why it didn’t work,” she growled, “but I’m not complaining! Finish your move!”

The Unfriendly Amazon started to sweat heavily… she looked at the cards in her hand…

“Uh…” she said. “I’ll… I’ll place three cards facedown and end my turn!”

She placed the last cards in her hand into slots, and they appeared next to her Skill Drain and Solemn Wishes.

“What a shame,” smiled Francesca, drawing. “Did you forget about the card I just took from you?”

The Amazon turned white…

“I play Heavy Storm!” yelled Francesca, slamming it into a slot.

A fierce wind blew across the field. First the Skill Drain blew away, then the Solemn Wishes. Then the two other cards, revealed to be two more Skill Drain cards and a Seven Tools of the Bandit, blew away.

“Humph, only bluffs,” shrugged Francesca. “Amazoness Queen, finish her off!”

Amazoness Queen charged across the room, and made two slashes at the Amazon with her swords! The Unfriendly Amazon screamed as her Life Points fell to zero.

“No!” she moaned, falling to her knees. “I lost…”

“That’s right,” frowned Francesca, walking up to her. “You fell before Amazoness Queen, just like you did the first time…”

She bent down and reached for her foe’s discard slot.

“And by the way,” growled Francesca.

She removed the cards from it.

“…I’m taking back my card!”

“Great job, Fran!” shouted Andy.

“So,” muttered Stan, “what do we do with her?”

They saw that The Unfriendly Amazon was now a pitiful wreck, sobbing on the ground…

And then a dark portal opened behind her, and she was drawn through it.

“That was odd…” said Andy.

“Odd or not,” questioned Stan, “we have a lot to think about… who sent that creature after Francesca? And why didn’t the Earth Tremor card work when she used it?”

“I don’t know,” sighed Francesca.

She looked at the card.

“Maybe this is more than just… a card…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

In a dark room in the Palace of Shadows, The Unfriendly Amazon was crouching on the floor.

The Shadow Queen was in front of her, in wild fury. She had a Duel Disk on her left arm, and a scepter in her right hand.

“Idiot!” shouted the Queen, clubbing the Amazon with her scepter. “Imbecile! Moron!”

“Mercy, please!” begged the Amazon. “Don’t hit me again!”

“What did I tell you before you left?” yelled the Queen. “What did I tell you? I specifically told you NOT to use Francesca’s own cards against her! BUT YOU TRIED TO ANYWAY!”

“It was my only option!” pleaded the Amazon.

“Why didn’t you just attack her Fighter with Goblin Attack Force?” demanded the Queen.

“Her Amazoness Queen would have destroyed it!” protested the Amazon.

“Really?” stated the Shadow Queen. “See what you would have drawn on your next turn…”

The Unfriendly Amazon shakily drew a card from her deck.

She showed it to her master…

“Snatch Steal, I see,” scowled the Shadow Queen. “If you had listened to me, you would have won!”

“But why didn’t the Earth Tremor card work?” asked the Amazon.

“Fool!” shouted the Queen, clubbing her again. “Earth Tremor is no average card! Not everyone can wield its power! Certainly not you!”

She hit the Amazon again.

“Mercy, please…” begged the Amazon.

“Mercy?” said the Queen with a frown.

She flipped her Disk into position.

“You should have thought of that before disobeying me…”

She picked a card from her deck and looked at it.

Grave Arm.

“What are you going to do?” gulped the Amazon.

“You’re a Duel Monster,” said the Shadow Queen with a scowl on her face, “you’ve been defeated, so you’re going where all defeated Duel Monsters go…”

She threw the card into a slot.

“I banish you to The Graveyard!”

The floor underneath The Unfriendly Amazon started to churn, and then a huge, gruesome claw broke up and grabbed her!

“NO!” she screamed.

The Shadow Queen remained stone-faced as the Amazon was pulled under…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Back at Hooktail Castle, the three youths tried hard to get some sleep for the remainder of the night…

Eventually, morning dawned on Monster Island…

But when Francesca watched her friends wake up, she couldn’t help but feel spooked by the whole encounter.

Sure, she had won, and she had been spared whatever horrid fate The Unfriendly Amazon had been planning. As far as the tournament went, it was an unsanctioned duel which she had been forced into…

But deep down, she felt she didn’t deserve to win. She wouldn’t have – if the Earth Tremor card had worked for her opponent.

What had gone wrong? Had the Amazon read the card’s instructions wrong? No… she looked at the card over and over. Her opponent had done just what the instructions had required.

So why had this powerful card decided to play favorites?

As the sun started to rise, the skepticism in Francesca’s heart was fading to nothing…


FULL HOUSE

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a hand holding a hand of cards. Draw until you hold six cards in your hand.

Note: This card first appeared in “City of Souls”.



GIFT OF MAGICIAN OF FAITH (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of Magician of Faith on a hilltop casting a spell upon a group of impoverished peasants. Chose one Magic Card in your opponent’s Graveyard. Your opponent returns the card to his hand.


AMAZONESS QUEEN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Fusion
Attribute: Earth
Level: 7
ATK: 2,500
DEF: 1,700

Card Description: Amazoness Paladin + Warrior Dai Grepher.

This fierce warrior is the ruler of the Amazon Tribe. She rewards anyone brave enough to challenge her with a quick death.


EARTH TREMOR

Card Specs

Type: Magic
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a village shaking under an earthquake. To activate this card, offer one EARTH Monster on your side of the field as Tribute. For every level star of the face-up opposing Monster on the field with the most level stars, inflict 500 points of direct damage to your opponent’s Life Points.



[B][I]Why didn’t the Earth Tremor card work when The Unfriendly Amazon tried to use it? That question will go unanswered for now.

Coming up next, Francesca is going to take a well-deserved break. The trio of heroes enters the windy Boggly Woods, where Andy comes face-to-face with our first user character! It’s going to be “A Devil of a Time”, coming soon…

[Dark Sage]

[B][I]After all that happened in Hooktail Castle, this change of scenery is nice. It is a bit more surreal than Petal Meadows… this whole island is somewhat surreal, but at least there aren’t any creepy creatures prowling about.

I’ve got three Crystal Cards now, and I’m about to try for a fourth. My next opponent isn’t as nasty as Poison, nor have we made any nasty stakes, but I don’t think he’s going to try any less to win.

But like I said, after encountering living Duel Monsters, a more normal duel should put me back on track…

I just hope it goes as planned…



[B]

[size=3]CHAPTER SEVEN



A Devil of a Time

At seven AM the next day, at dining hall in the Palace of Shadows, the sole occupant was halfway through breakfast.

Only the Shadow Queen and her children were allowed to eat here, but currently five of the children were out making plans, and the sixth was… grounded, for lack of a better term. The Shadow Queen was alone this morning. She really had no need to eat, but doing so gave her pleasure…

After all, creature comforts and pleasures of the flesh were among the things that had kept her sane for the past thousand years.

She was quite upset at what had happened in the past twenty-four hours. The Unfriendly Amazon had failed because she had deliberately disobeyed her warning. Even worse, her daughter had been defeated – her child failing was an insult to her, and even though she was angry at Melissa, she was angrier at Francesca.

And even worse, she had lost the Earth Tremor card. She had gone to great lengths to find that accursed thing, and now Francesca had it…

Her rage had been subsided a little when she sent the Amazon to The Graveyard… she always loved doing that. But she and her servants would have to work harder now.

She picked up a cell phone and hit a speed-dial number.

A sleepy voice answered.

“Yeah?” it asked.

“Crump!” demanded the Queen. “Wake up and listen!”

“Y-your excellence!” stammered Crump. “I’m awake! I’m awake!”

“Good, now get your fat butt in gear and head over to Boggly Woods. Those three brats should be there within the hour. If one of them gets into a duel, I want detailed notes!”

“Um, begging her majesty’s pardon,” asked Crump, “but what should I do if they catch me spying on them?”

“I don’t know, tell them you’re with the Wonky Circus or something!” answered the Queen. “But if I had any idea that you gave them information…”

“Please,” answered Crump. “I am…”

He paused.

“…LORD CRUMP!” he announced. “I’m tougher than steel! I wouldn’t tell them anything even if they tortured me!”

“That’s good to hear, Crump…” started the Queen. “Now…”

“They could burn me with pokers, they could hang me by my thumbs, they could tie me to an army anthill and cover me with molasses, they could…”

“All right!” shouted the Queen. “A little TMI there, Crump. Now go do what you’re told!”

“Right!” answered Crump. “I’ll…”

The Shadow Queen hung up.

“A million henchmen in this world, and I get Tweedle-Dee the wonder-dummy,” she sighed. “How does Sir Grodus even put up with him?”

The phone rang again. She picked it up.

“Talk to me,” she said.

The voice that answered was soft and billowy.

“Mom,” he said, “I’m at The Great Tree. I’d like to volunteer to duel one of those brats to make up for Melissa’s defeat.”

“Really, Kurtis?” answered the Queen. “So who did you have in mind?”

“I was thinking Stan,” answered Kurtis. “I have a strategy that should be able to defeat his pathetic mages.”

“Well, it’s your decision…” sighed the Queen. “Just don’t make the same mistakes Melissa made and get too overconfident. And while you’re at The Great Tree, keep something in mind…”

“Yes?” he asked.

“I have a feeling that something might be there that I want. Now listen closely…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Two hours later.

Stan, Francesca, and Andy had gathered supplies, and left Petalburg behind. Walking west of Petalburg, the grassy and peaceful Petal Meadows slowly but surely had begun to change.

The first thing they noticed was a change in the weather. The wind picked up, and brisk breezes blew about them. Then the grass started to become taller, and then turned stark white. Finally, the trees grew bigger and more numerous, slowly changing into a sparse forest of oaks and elms.

“So where are we now?” asked Francesca.

Stan looked at the map.

“Boggly Woods,” he said. “Apparently we’re about two miles from a town that’s called simply… The Great Tree?”

“An odd name for a town…” muttered Andy. “Who lives in it, chipmunks?”

Stan sighed.

“Whoever designed this island was a big fan of that Paper Mario game…” he said.

He paused.

“Or was he?” he muttered.

“What do you mean?” asked Francesca.

“Call me crazy,” answered Stan, “but that version of Hooktail’s Castle we saw is much older than the video game. And…

“Well, let’s put all doubts aside for just a minute, and say that that skeleton was real, and that Hooktail was indeed real…”

He expected an objection from Fran, but she was silent. The vision she saw was still fresh in her mind.

“Anyway,” continued Stan, “that would mean that this island wasn’t modeled after a video game…

“But rather vice-versa…”

They all paused.

“Creepy…” moaned Andy. “I always knew that big corporations like Nintendo were powerful, but…”

He paused again.

“This is all so strange, Duel Monsters coming to life, one of them actually dueling… this is no ordinary tournament…”

Stan changed the subject.

“Say, Francesca,” he asked, “I have a question about one of your Monsters…”

“Shoot,” she replied.

“Isn’t it kind of strange that Amazoness Queen is a fusion of an Amazon and a male Warrior?”

Francesca chuckled.

“Let’s take a break and sit down,” she said.

They all sat down in a grassy clearing.

“Let me tell you the story of General Malsa the Wise…” she started.

“More stories of the Amazons?” said Andy, perking up. “This should be interesting.”

“A long time ago,” continued Francesca, “the Amazons didn’t really have a Queen – their ruler was their general – the current Paladin of the group. And an exceptional Paladin for her time was one named Malsa.

“Malsa was one of the strongest, wisest, and some say most beautiful Amazons who ever lived, and she was not only a powerful fighter, but she was skilled in sorcery as well… she dared look into the future at one point…

“And she saw that two generation into the future, a deadly crisis would befall her tribe, one which she knew only someone with her skills could overcome.

“But how was she to help with such a crisis? By the time it occurred, she would likely be too old to hold a sword… She decided that she needed one with her blood to meet this threat.

“As I’ve already said, marriage is forbidden among the Amazons – so Malsa did the only thing she could. She told the shocked members of her tribe that she was abdicating her position. She gave up her status as an Amazon, chose a successor for the role of Paladin, and left…

“…left to find a suitor.

“And eventually she found one. His name is not remembered, but he was a great warrior who had the power to command dragons. Some say that he was also the father of Warrior Dai Grepher via another woman. Whether there was any true love involved isn’t clear – but Malsa and the warrior embraced, and she conceived a baby girl.

“And soon, Malsa went back to her tribe, but only for a day. She gave the infant to her former companions, telling them to raise the child in the Amazon tradition. She left, and was never seen again. Some say she went back to the child’s father, while others say she lived the rest of her life in isolation, studying philosophy.

“The child grew fast, and became strong quickly. By the time she was eight, she could out-wrestle the strongest Amazon, and defeat the most skilled with a sword.

“And when Malsa’s successor retired, the tribe decided to change their tradition. The child was named Queen of the Amazons… Amazoness Queen.

“As Malsa had prophesied, a crisis eventually came, and her daughter led the tribe to victory in overcoming it – and the Amazons prospered under her rule.

“Now, the spirits of a Paladin and a mighty controller of Dragons are what are needed to call Amazoness Queen to the field of battle – only Warriors that represent the powers of her parents can summon her forward.”

“Interesting…” quipped Andy. “And Amazon and a master of Dragons… Well…”

He looked at Francesca…

They heard a rustling in the bushes ahead.

They turned to face whatever was coming…

“OW!” shouted a voice.

They all ran towards the cry, and saw a young man who had fallen, his foot stuck in the ground.

“Damn prairie dog burrow,” he cursed.

“Here, pal, let me help,” said Stan, lending his hand.

“Thanks,” said the young man, getting up.

They looked at him as he brushed himself off. He was older than they were, about nineteen. He had long brown hair and hazel eyes. His apparel was somewhat remarkable – he wore a black shirt and pants… and a purple cape.

He also carried a Duel Disk on his arm.

“Not the best way to make an entrance, I’m sure,” he sighed. “Can you folks help me? I’m looking for Petalburg, and I seem to have gotten lost…”

“Oh, it’s about three miles back that way,” said Francesca, pointing behind her.

“Thanks,” he replied. “I’m Ryo, by the way…”

He paused.

“I see you’re contestants…”

“Uh huh,” said Francesca, “we’ve both got three Cards each so far…”

“Really?” asked Ryo, with a smile.

He reached into his pocket and took out something…

He had four.

“I’m impressed,” said Francesca.

“Anyone care to go one-on-one?” asked Ryo.

“Not me,” sighed Francesca. “I did so much dueling yesterday, I’m tired out…”

“So you won two duels and then lost one?” asked Ryo.

“No I…” started Francesca.

“Long story,” mumbled Stan. “Don’t ask. Anyway, um, Andy, and I are up for it…”

He turned to Andy.

“Shoot you for it?” he suggested.

Andy lifted up his fist.

They shook.

Stan’s fist stayed closed, rock. Andy’s opened, paper.

“You win,” shrugged Stan. “Francesca and I will just… watch.”

“Okay,” sighed Andy, “I’ll take you on…”

His eyes closed.

“But I warn you,” he said, opening them with a smirk, “the Monsters in my deck play rough!”

“So do mine…” said Ryo with a devious grin.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Several hundred feet away, sitting on the branch of a large tree, was Lord Crump, watching the scene with a video camera equipped with a special microphone.

Heh, heh, he thought. I’ve got the best seats in the house. And now I can record every move Andy makes… pretty soon, I’ll have the whole contents of those three brats’ decks listed!

And then the Grodus and the Queen will be so proud of me, and then maybe they’ll buy me that fancy motorcycle I’ve been looking at…

Then a small face poked into the way of the video camera.

“Huh?” said Crump, as he noticed the creature. “Shoo, scram, get away!”

He tossed the squirrel off.

I hate squirrels, he mused. Crazy, germ-infested creatures. Say…

He looked down.

…wonder how I’m gonna get down from here…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“All right Ryo,” said Andy.

He thrust his arm forward, and his Disk flipped into position.

“I’m game if you are!”

Ryo’s Disk activated. The scores set to 8,000.

“DUEL!” they announced.

They drew their five cards.

Heh, heh, thought Ryo, looking at his hand. There it is, the deadly Crush Card!

He looked at a Monster in his hand.

And I have what I need to trigger it too. This might be a nasty way to win… but the Monsters in my deck would certainly approve…

“You can go first, Andy,” he said, smugly.

I don’t like the look on his face, thought Andy, making his first draw.

He looked at the card.

“I’ll start this off by playing my Pot of Greed!” he announced, placing the card in a slot.

The smiling jar appeared in front of him. As usual, a spectral hand reached out and handed him two cards from his deck.

“Uh, Stan,” muttered Francesca, “you ever stop to wonder just how our Disks are doing things like that?”

“If I dwell on it too much, I think I might lose my mind…” sighed Stan.

“Now then,” continued Andy, putting a card into a slot, “Stan, you wanted to know why I had Warrior Dai Grepher in my deck? Well here’s your answer! I play Polymerization to fuse together Spirit Ryu and my Warrior!”

The Polymerization card appeared; then a strange creature that looked like a wise dragon’s head with a jewel on its forehead and a pair of draconic wings, bound together by a band of glowing energy appeared. Next to it, the mighty Warrior Dai Grepher appeared.

A vortex opened, and the Dragon and Warrior were drawn into it.

“Fused together,” continued Andy, “they form a creature that’s half-Dragon, half-Warrior, all-unstoppable-fighting-machine known and feared by the name of… Ryu Senshi!

A tall humanoid leapt out of the vortex. His armor was more scant than Warrior Dai Grepher’s showing off bulging muscles. He had scaly purple shoulder guards and a helmet shaped like a dragon’s head with a reptilian sail, along with a mask covering his mouth. His large sword glowed brightly. (2,000/1,200)

“Impressive…” said Ryo.



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:



“Now let’s see what you’ve got,” dared Andy.

He may have been able to summon a powerful Monster on his first move, thought Ryo, but my Crush Card will destroy it and every powerful Monster in his deck!

He drew.

“I’ll place a card facedown,” he said, placing a card into a slot.

The card appeared on his side of the field.

“And then I’ll summon Meda Bat, in Attack Mode!” he exclaimed.

He placed a card down on his Disk, and a very small Monster appeared. It looked like a big eyeball with horns, wings, claws, and a long tail. (800/400)

“And I’ll end my turn,” he said.

I really don’t expect him to fall for it, thought Ryo, but if he doesn’t attack my Meda Bat, I’ll just have it attack his Monster!

Francesca’s eyes opened wide as Andy drew.

Andy, no! she screamed in her head. Don’t attack that thing!

Andy smirked as he added the card to his hand.

He put a card facedown, he thought, and then summoned a really weak Monster that happens to be Dark in Attack Mode… could his plan be any more obvious?

He looked at Ryu Senshi.

Well, he’s in for a surprise!

“Ryu Senshi!” he commanded, “attack his Meda Bat with dragon soulsword!”

Ryu Senshi lifted his sword and stuck a pose… the image of a fierce, flaming dragon appeared behind him!

“NOOO!” screamed Francesca.

The Warrior chopped the tiny Fiend in half.

“HA!” laughed Ryo, as his Life Points fell to 6,800. “I can’t believe you actually fell for it!”

He hit his Disk.

“Activate Crush Card!”

The card lifted.

“I don’t think so…” said Andy with a grin.

Ryu Senshi’s sword blazed with flames, and he swung it forward! The Crush Card was incinerated!

“What?” gasped Ryo. “Your Monster can destroy Traps?”

Andy’s Life Points dropped to 7,000.

“Not all of them,” said Andy with a smile. “But so long as I’m willing to pay 1,000 Life Points, Ryu Senshi can negate the activation of any Normal Trap and destroy it. It’s a lot to pay, but my deck is safe.

“And before you embarrass yourself, Ryu Senshi is also immune to all Magic Cards that target, so don’t bother trying.

“I’ll end my turn there.”

“Okay, heart, resume beating…” gasped Francesca.

Okay, that was a bust, thought Ryo, making a draw. Well, if his Warrior can destroy Traps and is resistant to Magic, I’ll just have to resort to a cruder method…

He put a card down.

“I summon the mighty Giant Orc in Attack Mode!” he shouted.

A roar bellowed over the field, and the huge, hulking ogre appeared, lifting his bone club! (2,200/0)

“Giant Orc,” commanded Ryo, “attack Ryu Senshi with bone club bash!”

The huge Orc bore down on Ryu Senshi and clobbered him over the head with his club! The Warrior fell to the ground and vanished.

Andy’s Life Points fell to 6,800.

“That will end my turn…” smiled Ryo.

His Orc backed up and knelt into Defense Mode.

Andy drew.

“You might think that was clever, Ryo,” he commented, “but it’s not really a good idea to use Giant Orc against someone who plays a Dragon Deck… or Goblin Attack Force, for that matter…”

“What do you mean?” asked Ryo.

Andy placed a card down.

“Because both of those Monsters have too dangerous a handicap when there’s a chance that THIS guy will show up! I summon Spear Dragon!”

The pterodactyl-like Dragon with a long beak materialized, and screeched!

“AWK!” shouted Ryo. “That Dragon can damage my Life Points even when my Monster is in Defense Mode!”

“Exactly,” smiled Andy, “as if its Defense Score was an Attack Score. And your Giant Orc’s Defense Score is… zero. Spear Dragon, attack Giant Orc with cyclone blast!”

Spear Dragon blasted forth a powerful whirlwind from its beak, and Giant Orc was blown to pieces!

Ryo’s Life Points fell to 4,900.

Watching in the tree was Crump, with a grimace on his face.

Humph, he thought, Andy is doing good… too good if you ask me. He’s ahead by almost two-thousand Life Points…

Ah, what am I worried about? I could probably beat him any day of the week…

…if the Queen would give me a chance, that is. Humph, she thinks I’ll mess up – she thinks I can’t duel just because stupid Melissa beat me when she was ten. Well, I’d like to see Melissa try it now…

Then a squirrel crawled up onto his leg.

“What?” he said, startled. “I told you to get lost!”

He shoved the squirrel off his leg and it scattered.

Nutty rats, he thought.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“Go, Andy!” yelled Francesca. “You’ve got him on the ropes!”

“It’s my move now!” exclaimed Ryo.

He made a draw.

“Perfect!” he stated.

He placed a card down.

“I summon an infernal general known as Archfiend Soldier!” he exclaimed.

A dark flame erupted on the field, and a form stepped out of it. The creature was tall and muscular, had claws, ram-like horns, and a face that would make even a mother scream. It was draped in a billowing cloak, and held a nasty sword. (1,900/1,500)

“Holy guacamole!” exclaimed Francesca. “That thing is… ugly!”

“Now my Archfiend,” commanded Ryo, “attack his Spear Dragon with dark sword or Perdition!”

Archfiend Soldier’s blade burned with black fire, and he flew forward, slicing Spear Dragon in two!

“Well, it’s safe to say now that Ryo plays a Fiend Deck…” muttered Andy.

“Oh no…” gasped Francesca. “Andy might have to deal with Dark Necrofear again!”

“Dark Necrofear?” said Ryo, raising an eyebrow.

He rubbed his chin.

“An interesting concept, but no,” he said. “There’s no Dark Necrofear in my deck. However, I assure you that I have a Monster that is just as deadly!”

“I don’t like the sound of that…” muttered Francesca.

“Your move now,” smiled Ryo.

Andy drew.

“Time to get rid of your Archfiend,” he smiled. “I summon Masked Dragon in Attack Mode!”

He put the card down, and the red and silver metallic Dragon wearing a mask appeared. (1,400/1,100)

“That’s not nearly strong enough!” laughed Ryo.

“By himself, no,” smiled Andy, “but I can use the Magic Card Scorching Ruin!”

He threw a card into a slot.

“This card raises the Attack of any Dragon by 1,000 points for one round!”

Masked Dragon’s Attack Score rose to 2,400!

“Masked Dragon, attack his Archfiend with incendiary cloud!”

Masked Dragon shot forth a cloud of burning vapor, and Archfiend Soldier was burned up!

Ryo’s Life points fell to 4,400.

“Heh, heh,” he chuckled. “HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!”

“What’s so funny?” sneered Andy. “In case you didn’t notice, you’re losing!”

“Nothing is funny!” laughed Ryo. “I’m laughing because I’m so pleased! The first two opponents I beat were complete pushovers! I hate it when I win by a shutout!

“Now I finally have my first real challenge, and it feels great!”

“Glad I could help…” muttered Andy. “Most people tend not to like it when I’m kicking their keister, but… Your move…”

“Well, at least that guy’s a good sport…” said Francesca with a shrug.

Ryo drew.

He looked at the card strangely.

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

He placed the card down, and a hidden Monster appeared.

Andy drew.

He gave the facedown card a long look.

Hmmm, he thought. He plays a Fiend Deck, so logic would indicate that this Monster is a Night Assailant… the Fiend version of Man-Eater Bug…

He looked at his hand.

I don’t have my Nobleman of Crossout now, so I’ll just have to summon my Troop Dragon and then attack, and it will be forced to destroy either Masked Dragon or Troop Dragon, neither of which is an unbearable loss…

He put a card down.

“Troop Dragon in Defense Mode!” he exclaimed.

He put a card down, and three scaly dragon-men with swords and armor appeared. (700/800)

“Masked Dragon,” he ordered, “attack that Night Assailant!”

Masked Dragon breathed forth its fiery cloud…

“Um, Andy…” remarked Ryo, offhand, “good guess, but this isn’t a Night Assailant…”

A strange object appeared on the card…

“No!” gasped Andy. “A Cyber Jar!”

A fierce suction drew Masked Dragon and Troop Dragon into the metal pod, and it exploded!

“Now then,” said Ryo, “we each draw five cards, and summon whatever Monsters we can…”

“Yeah, I know…” muttered Andy.

Andy made five draws.

“Okay,” he said. “I’ll summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode, and these two in Attack Mode… Divine Dragon Ragnarok, and Twin-Headed Behemoth!”

He put the cards down. First a huge, stony dragon with a sleepy expression appeared, and curled up into a ball. (1,300/2,000). Then a wise-looking Chinese dragon made of smoky mist appeared. (1,500/1,000). Finally, a fearsome-looking beast with two serpentine heads materialized and roared from each head! (1,500/1,200)

“Very nice, Andy,” smiled Ryo, “but my three are better… I summon Opticlops, La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp, and the mighty Goblin King!”

He put the three cards down. First a hulking giant with bulging muscles and a single eye materialized. (1,800/1,700). Then a small oil lamp appeared. Green smoke bellowed from it, which formed into a large genie with a skullcap and long moustache. He gave out a throaty chuckle. (1,800/1,000)

Finally, a strange Monster formed on the field. It was a small creature that looked like a bald-headed, green-skinned fiend in royal robes and a crown. He sat on an ornate throne. (0/0)

“Mighty?” questioned Andy, raising an eyebrow. “He has zero Attack Points, and zero Defense Points!”

He knew, however, that there had to be more to it than that.

“By himself, that would be true, but looks can deceive,” started Ryo. “Let me explain how Goblin King works – his Attack and Defense is 1,000 for each Fiend on the field other than himself.”

(2,000/2,000)

“And he has another effect too,” continued Ryo. “So long as I have at least one other Fiend on my side of the field, he can’t be attacked!”

“Uh, Stan,” mumbled Francesca. “I think Andy’s in trouble…”

“Now it’s my draw…” said Ryo.

He drew, and added the card to his hand.

He opened his Field slot.

“I play Yami!” he exclaimed, throwing the card into the slot. “Now watch, as darkness shrouds the entire field!”

A billowing shadow emitted from behind him, and then covered their whole area!

“Fiends find strength in Darkness,” smiled Ryo, “so their Attack and Defense is boosted by 200 points!”

Opticlops’s stats went up to (2,000/1,900), La Jinn’s went up to (2,000/1,200), and Goblin King’s went up to (2,200/2,200).

“Okay…” muttered Francesca, “now he’s really in trouble…”

“Scared yet?” chuckled Ryo.

“I’m not scared of the dark, Ryo!” snarled Andy.

“That will soon change,” said Ryo with a look of determination. “Opticlops, attack Divine Dragon Ragnarok with fiendish gaze!”

Opticlops fired a beam of energy from its eye, and blew Ragnarok into vapor!

“La Jinn, attack Twin-Headed Behemoth with mystical magic!”

La Jinn chuckled again and cast forth a sparkling spell, blowing Twin-Headed Behemoth away.

“Goblin King, attack The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave with dark curse!”

Goblin King lifted a bejeweled scepter and fired a beam of dark energy, blowing Twin-Headed Behemoth into particles.

Andy’s Life Points were down to 6,000…

But he grinned.

“What are you so happy about?” asked Ryo. “You have no Monsters left!”

“Maybe you don’t know about Twin-Headed Behemoth’s special effect,” answered Andy. “When it’s destroyed, it makes a quick comeback!”

Twin-Headed Behemoth reformed in its previous location. (1,000/1,200)



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:



Lord Crump continued to watch. Fortunately for him, his camera came with a night-vision lens.

Interesting, he thought. Andy is in trouble now… unless he can summon something powerful, he’s in for a lot of damage on Ryo’s next turn. Wonder what… eh?

He looked down. Now two squirrels were crawling onto his leg.

“SCRAM!” he shouted.

The squirrels squeaked in fear, and scurried away.

What is it with these vermin, do they think I have peanuts in my pockets?

Andy drew his card.

“Okay, he said, “Yami or no Yami, I can still defeat you…”

He switched cards on his Disk.

“I sacrifice my Twin-Headed Behemoth to summon Luster Dragon #2, in Attack Mode!”

Twin-Headed Behemoth formed into a huge emerald, and the emerald shattered, revealing a beautiful Dragon made entirely out of the precious stone! (2,400/1,400)

“Luster Dragon,” shouted Andy, “attack his Opticlops with emerald flash blast!”

Luster Dragon shot forth a beam of pure, green light, and it incinerated Opticlops.

Ryo’s Life Points fell to 4,000. Also, Goblin King’s stats fell down to (1,200/1,200)

“Your move…” grinned Andy.

“All right!” cheered Francesca. “Andy won’t stay down for long!”

Ryo drew.

He chuckled, and added the card to his hand.

“Okay,” he said, turning two of his cards. “I’m moving La Jinn and Goblin King to Defense Mode…”

La Jinn crossed his arms, and Goblin King rested his scepter on his lap.

“Then I’ll summon Wretched Ghost of the Attic in Defense Mode,” he continued.

He put a card down, and a small creature appeared. It looked similar to Kuriboh, but with shaggier hair, and glowing blue eyes. (550/400) –> (750/600)

Goblin King’s stats went back up to (2,200/2,200)

“And I’ll finish,” he said, “by playing a Magic Card that’s just as rare as my Crush Card… Altar of Mists!”

He slid a card into a slot, and the card appeared on the field. It depicted an outdoor stone altar surrounded by a misty haze.

“Altar of Mists?” gasped Andy. “I’ve… never heard of that one…”

“Altar of Mists is a very powerful card,” answered Ryo. “After it’s been on the field for three of your turns, I’ll be able to add any Ritual Magic Card in my deck to my hand!”

“Ooh!” gasped Francesca. “Ritual Monsters are trouble!”

“You call that powerful?” chuckled Andy. “You’d be better off with Manju of the Ten-Thousand Hands. How can you be so sure I won’t destroy that card before the three turns are up?”

“You can’t!” stated Ryo with a smirk. “Altar of Mists has a mighty defensive property – it can’t be destroyed by card effects! Even I can’t destroy it if I wanted to! If I were to play Heavy Storm, it would be the only card left standing!”

Andy paused.

“Okay, that is pretty impressive,” he agreed. “But don’t forget, you also need the right Monster Card…”

“Um, touché…” said Ryo with a shrug.

But secretly, he grinned slightly, looking at the Monster Card in his hand.

“I end my turn,” he said.

Andy drew.

“I summon Gray Wing, in Attack Mode!” he exclaimed.

He threw a card down, and a gray, lizard-like Dragon with wings resembling those of a dragonfly appeared. (1,300/700)

“Humph, that’s weak,” said Ryo, waving his hand.

“He may not be the strongest Monster Attack-wise, but he’s useful in this situation,” explained Andy.

“First, Luster Dragon, get rid of that genie!”

Luster Dragon fired forth his breath, and blasted La Jinn! The Mystical Genie of the Lamp groaned and burst into particles.

Goblin King’s stats fell to (1,200/1,200)

“Now that I’ve done that,” grinned Andy, choosing a card, “I can discard one card from my hand, in order to let Gray Wing attack… twice!”

He discarded his Dragon’s Bead card.

“Gray Wing,” he shouted. “Attack Wretched Ghost of the Attack and Goblin King with your tornado blast!”

Gray Wing screeched, and blasted forth two cyclones of air! Wretched Ghost of the Attack shattered, and then Goblin King covered his ears… he and his throne burst!

“That takes care of all your Monsters,” smiled Andy. “Now make your move.”

“All right,” urged Stan. “At this rate, Andy might win before that Altar of Mists even kicks in!”

Ryo drew.

“I’ll place one card facedown on the field,” he said.

He slid a card into a slot, and it appeared in front of him.

“And now I’ll play this Monster in Defense Mode… Glasya, Duchess of Desire!”

He put the card down, and a remarkable female fiend appeared. She was a dark beauty, who had horns, batlike wings, a forked tail, and long, raven tresses, and was dressed in a skimpy black leather outfit. She smiled sweetly at Andy and waved. (800/2,000) –> (1,000/2,200)

“Isn’t she a beauty?” asked Ryo.

“I dunno,” muttered Andy. “Kinda depends on your definition of ‘beautiful’, really.”

“Well that’s my turn,” said Ryo.

Andy drew.

“Luster Dragon,” he shouted, “attack Glasya!”

No! screamed a voice in his head.

It was too late to reconsider his move. Luster Dragon shot forth his attack.

“You activated my Trap!” laughed Ryo. “Activate Sakuretsu Armor!”

His Trap card lifted, and a shimmering wall appeared around Glasya. The blast was deflected, and Luster Dragon #2 was blown to pieces.

“Urgh,” muttered Andy. “I’ll end my turn by switching Gray Wing to Defense Mode.”

He turned his card, and Gray Wing folded its wings.

Ryo drew.

“Heh, heh,” he said. “You thought you were safe by putting your Monster in Defense Mode? I beg to differ. I summon… Shadowslayer!”

He put a card down, and a tall creature leapt out of the shadows. It was a dark assassin dressed in tight-fitting green and blue, with a katana strapped to his back. His head was a bestial looking skull. (1,400/200) –> (1,600/400)

“When the only Monsters you have on the field are in Defense Mode,” explained Ryo, “Shadowslayer can leap right over them and go right for your Life Points!”

“What?” gasped Francesca. “No!”

“Shadowslayer,” ordered Ryo, “attack Andy’s Life Points directly with shadow blade!”

Shadowslayer drew his katana, and held it out dramatically in front of him. He leapt right over Gray Wing and slashed at Andy! Andy cringed and stumbled backwards.

His Life Points fell down to 4,400.

“Your move…” said Ryo with a smirk.

Ugh, thought Andy, sweating. Can’t let that Shadowslayer get off another hit…

He drew.

This will cost me a couple of Life Points, but it will keep that thing from attacking directly…

“I summon my second Masked Dragon in Attack Mode,” he grunted, putting a card down.

A second Masked Dragon, an apparent twin of the first, appeared. (1,400/1,100)

“Now your Shadowslayer can’t attack me directly!” he mocked.

Ryo laughed.

“He doesn’t need too!” he laughed. “Tell me Andy, how well can you count?”

“Uh, Stan,” asked Francesca, “what’s he up to?”

“No…” gasped Stan. “It’s been three rounds since he activated Altar of Mists…”

“That’s right!” exclaimed Ryo, as his Magic Card started to glow.

Then it vanished into mist.

A card flew out of his deck, and he caught it.

“And now I have the means to summon my mightiest creature!” he laughed. “A Ritual known as Curse of the Masked Beast!”

A fiendish altar appeared, flanked by two fiery violet torches…

“And as for your statement about me needing the right Monster Card,” he continued, “well, I had it in my hand when I first played Altar of Mists.”

No… thought Andy, sweating. I’ve dealt with this before…

“So, now,” continued Ryo, “I’ll offer as sacrifice both Glasya and Shadowslayer…”

The two Fiends leapt up, and landed on the torches. They were consumed by the flames, and then the whole altar was consumed…

“And I summon… The Masked Beast!”

A hideous form trudged out of the flames. It was centaur-like in shape, with a lower body that was half-insect and half-slug with two clawed legs. Its upper body was muscular and covered with horny protrusions, and an eyeless mask was bonded to its face. It carried a wicked club. (3,200/1,800) –> (3,400/2,000)

“Now, Masked Beast, attack his Masked Dragon!”

The Masked Beast charged forward, and smote Masked Dragon with its club, obliterating it!

Andy’s Life Points fell to 2,400…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Well, Andy’s got his work cut out for him, thought Crump. Defeating a Monster that powerful, especially when it has Field advantage, is no easy feat…

And if Andy loses, all the better – he’ll be easy pickings once we decide to…

He turned around. He saw four squirrels watching him.

“Oh, that did it,” he said.

He took a device out of his pocket and aimed it at the squirrels. They screamed and ran away as they were hit by an electric shock.

“One more time and I’m making squirrel pot-pie, you scum-ridden vermin!” he threatened.

“Now where was I…?”

“Man,” gasped Francesca, “he lost 2,000 Life Points in one blow… he’ll never stop that thing!”

However, Andy was still looking positive.

“You may be in the lead,” he sneered, “but when Masked Dragon is destroyed, I get to special summon another Dragon with 1,500 Attack Points or less!”

A card flew out of his Disk.

“So I’ll summon my third Masked Dragon in Defense Mode!”

He put the card down, and another Masked Dragon appeared, folding its wings. (1,400/1,100).

“Then it’s your move,” dared Ryo.

Andy drew.

“I play Stamping Destruction!” he shouted, throwing a card into a slot.

Masked Dragon stamped his foot, and a shockwave blasted towards Ryo, knocking him down!

The darkness vanished.

“What?” he gasped.

The Masked Beast’s stats returned to (3,200/1,800).

“Stamping Destruction destroys one Magic or Trap Card, so I used it to destroy Yami,” explained Andy, “and it also causes you to lose 500 Life Points!”

Ryo’s Life Points fell to 3,500.

“So now it’s your move,”

Ryo drew. He looked at the card.

“I’ll shift my Masked Beast into Defense Mode,” he said, turning the card.

Stan, Francesca, and Andy looked on with a confused expression as The Masked Beast crouched and shielded itself.

“Confused?” asked Ryo. “The point behind this extremely odd strategy will come to light on my next turn. In the meantime, it’s your turn.”

He started to look nervous.

What in the world is he thinking? thought Andy, drawing. The Masked Beast is tops in Attack, but he isn’t exactly the King of Defense...

Unfortunately, I have nothing that can beat it…

“I’ll pass this turn,” he said.

But the card I just drew might help later…

Ryo drew.

“Okay,” he said, “I play… Curse of Fiend!”

He slid the card into a slot, and a card bearing an image of a sinister altar appeared.

“This Magic Card switches the battle positions of all Monsters on the field,” he said in a sinister voice, “meaning that all Monsters currently on the field are shifted into Attack Mode!”

Andy and his two friends gasped as Masked Dragon, Gray Wing, and The Masked Beast leapt into Attack Mode!

“No!” gasped Francesca.

“Now my Masked Beast,” shouted Ryo, “destroy his Gray Wing!”

Andy looked on in horror, as the huge Fiend closed in on Grey Wing and smashed it apart with its club!

“No…” sobbed Francesca. “He lost…”

“No, wait…” said Stan.

They looked. It wasn’t over yet.

Andy still had 500 Life Points left…

“Must have… misjudged the math…” gasped Francesca.

“This is almost over,” said Ryo with a smile, “so make your move…”



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:



“Man, this is sweet!” laughed Crump. “Andy’s going to be flattened in just a few…”

He heard a chittering next to him.

“Didn’t I warn you stupid squirrels to…” he started.

He turned around…

…and saw at least three dozen angry squirrels looking at him.

“Uh…” he stuttered, inching over, “about that ‘scum-ridden vermin’ crack…”

Then the squirrels were on him! The furiously clawed and bit at him!

“GET OFF!” he shouted. “Get off, get off, get off!”

He started to lose his balance…

The squirrels gave a shove, and he fell to ground with a crash.

Ooh… he thought, lying on the ground. Well, at least now I don’t have to worry about how to get down…

He sat up.

Where did that video camera go?

Then the video camera hit him on the head, and knocked him out.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“Did you hear something?” asked Francesca.

“Eh, probably the wind,” answered Stan with a shrug.

Andy drew his next card.

He looked at his card and then spoke up.

“Well, Ryo,” he said, “your Masked Beast is impressive… he has a lot of Attack Points…

“But Attack Points aren’t everything, you know…”

“What do you mean?” asked Ryo.

“You just think about that…” said Andy, smugly.

He took two cards from his hand.

“As I first place one card facedown…”

He set a card facedown.

“And then summon Luster Dragon #1 in Attack Mode…”

He put the card down. A huge sapphire appeared over the field, and it burst, revealing a beautiful Dragon with a hide made of blue gems. (1,900/1,700)

“That will end my turn,” he said with a grin.

Ryo looked at him suspiciously.

Humph, he thought. This is the most obvious Trap I’ve ever seen…

He drew.

Lesser Fiend… Hmmm…

“Sorry Andy, but I’m not falling for it,” he said. “Since I can’t destroy your Trap, I’m going to pass this turn.”

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Andy, drawing, “actually, with this Trap, it didn’t exactly matter if you chose to attack or not!”

He chose a card from his hand.

“But before I set it off, I’ll play this number… Dragon’s Gunfire!”

He threw a Magic Card into a slot.

“This card lets one of my Dragons hit you for 800 points of direct damage!” he exclaimed.

Luster Dragon shot forth a blast of blue energy, striking Ryo! He staggered back, and his Life Points fell to 2,700.

“And now,” said Andy, “I’ll activate the Trap… Burst Breath!”

The Trap Card lifted.

“Burst Breath?” gasped Ryo. “What the sam-hill is that?”

“To activate this powerful card, I have to sacrifice one Dragon on the field,” explained Andy, “and in exchange, all Monsters on the field with a Defense Score equal to or lower than the sacrificed Dragon’s Attack Score are destroyed! So, I’ll sacrifice Luster Dragon!”

“No!” gasped Ryo. “The Masked Beast’s Defense is only 1,800!”

“Bingo!” exclaimed Andy. “Luster Dragon, use your Burst Breath!”

Luster Dragon roared, and rose over the field! It exhaled an enormous gout of energy, covering the whole field with blue flames!

When the flames subsided, every Monster on the field had been wiped out.

“Unfortunately, to do that, I also had to destroy my Masked Dragon,” sighed Andy, “so now I’ll summon Koumori Dragon in Defense Mode.”

He put a card down, and a small, purple-scaled dragon with large wings and a fiendish face appeared. It folded its wings. (1,500/1,200)

“And I end my turn,” he said.

“Why didn’t Andy attack with that guy?” asked Francesca.

“Because he’s smart,” replied Stan. “It would have injured Ryo, but it wouldn’t have come near enough to win the duel – and with only 500 Life Points left, Andy can’t afford to put a Monster that weak in Attack Mode.

“But at least he got rid of The Masked Beast…”

Ryo drew.

“I’ll play my Pot of Greed,” he announced.

He placed the card into a slot, and the jar handed him two cards.

He looked at his hand.

Nothing I can summon without making a sacrifice… he thought. But if I make a big risk, then maybe a little help from Andy can let me summon something powerful… Let’s hope he goes for the card that he’ll think will help him…

He slid a Magic Card into a slot.

“I play Dark Designator!” he announced.

“What does that do?” asked Francesca.

“It’s a tricky card,” answered Stan. “Ryo names a Monster Card, and if Andy has it in his deck, he has to add it to his hand.”

“How will that help Ryo?”

“It can’t by itself, but it’s useful in combos…”

“The card I name is… Cave Dragon,” said Ryo.

Andy’s eyes narrowed.

A card slid out of his deck and flew to his hand.

“How did you know I had that Monster?” he asked.

“Lucky guess,” shrugged Ryo.

He took another card from his hand.

“And now I play… Exchange!”

“Well, this is… unexpected…” muttered Stan.

“He’s pulling the same trick that The Unfriendly Amazon pulled on me!” exclaimed Fran, as Andy walked up to Ryo. “Well, sort of…”

“Yeah, but what the heck is Ryo going to do with Cave Dragon?” asked Stan, puzzled.

“All right,” said Andy, walking up, “I guess you wanted the Cave Dragon…”

“Thank you,” said Ryo, taking it.

He held out his hand.

“Now take any card you like,” he said with a grin.

Inside, he was incredibly nervous.

If he takes one of the two cards I need to pull this off, I’m finished! he thought. Come on… Go for the one that’s the most tempting…

“I’ll take your Question card,” said Andy, taking it.

Ryo grinned broadly inside.

He took the bait! he thought. He’ll never win if he uses that card – I know exactly what the answer to the Question is!

“My friend makes a good point,” noted Andy, as he walked back to his position. “I don’t see how Cave Dragon is going to help you – that Monster can’t attack unless another Dragon is on your side of the field, and I don’t think you have any in your deck…”

Ryo chuckled.

“For shame, Andy,” he scolded. “You don’t know one of the secrets that lurks within one of your own Monsters!”

“What?” gasped Andy in surprise. “Cave Dragon has a secret ability?”

“Yes, but he needs a little help from one of my Monsters,” explained Ryo.

He slid a Magic Card into a slot.

“I’m using Polymerization to fuse your Cave Dragon with my Lesser Fiend!”

Cave Dragon appeared in front of him, and then a tall demon with four arms and a yellow hide, wearing a kilt appeared next to it. The Polymerization card transformed into a vortex, and the two Monsters were drawn inside!

“Now watch and learn,” said Ryo, as the portal became surrounded by a ring of fire. “By fusing these two creatures together, I can create a great Dragon of the underworld with fiendish blood, known as… Fiend Skull Dragon!”

A huge creature stepped out of the portal. It was a tall creature that could best be described as a combination between Dragon and Fiend. It stood upright on two spindly legs and had four clawed arms. It had huge, batlike wings, and a serpentine head with fiendish jaws! (2,000/1,200)

Fiend Skull Dragon roared with rage!

“Things just got very complicated…” muttered Stan.

“Okay,” muttered Andy. “I don’t know what to feel – impressed that I’ve learned something new about one of my Monsters, or disgust that the ‘something new’ is something that hideous…”

“Well let me explain how Fiend Skull Dragon works,” explained Ryo. “First of all, so long as it’s on the field, all Flip-Effects are negated. Second, it’s immune to Trap Cards that specifically target. So no using Magic Cylinder to protect yourself!

“But I can’t attack with it this round, so make your move…”

Andy whipped out a card.

“I play… Graceful Charity!” he remarked.

He plugged the card into his Disk, and the beautiful angel flew out. She flew into his deck, and then handed him three cards.

He looked at the cards, added them to his hand, and then handed her two. She flew into his discard slot.

Let’s hope he goofs up, he thought.

He slid a card into a slot.

“I’ll play the card I took from you…” he announced. “Question!”

His Dragon moved aside as the card appeared, and a large form materialized on the field. It was a large, colorful podium with a question mark in middle, a red light on one side, and a green light on the other. An emcee in a colorful costume and a top hat sat behind it.

“I trust you know how your own Magic Card works?” asked Andy.

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Ryo. “Yeah, I know. I have to guess which Monster is the first at the bottom of your discard pile… If I guess wrong, you get to Special Summon it, and if I guess right, it’s removed from play…”

He chuckled again.

“But I knew you’d choose that card when I played Exchange, and I already know the answer to the Question!”

Stan and Francesca gulped. Andy stared at him.

“The answer is… Ryu Senshi!”

Andy gave him a look.

“Is that your final answer?” he asked.

“Yes,” said Ryo, folding his arms. “Final answer.”

Then emcee hit a button on his console…

And then a loud “BUZZ!” sounded, the red light lit up, and the word “Wrong” took the place of the question mark.

“What?” exclaimed Ryo. “Wrong? You didn’t discard anything before he was destroyed!”

“It was a close guess, Ryo,” said Andy, with a grin, “but you forgot one important aspect of Ryu Senshi…

“Namely, he’s a Fusion Monster!”

“Aw, crud!” shouted Ryo. “That means you discarded two other Monsters in order to summon him!”

“Exactly!” exclaimed Andy.

The emcee and his podium vanished, and a Monster appeared.

“Now for the correct answer… meet Spirit Ryu!”

The odd Dragon appeared in front of Andy. (1,000/1,000)

“Heh, heh, you had me worried there for a minute,” chuckled Ryo. “That Monster is far too weak to take down Fiend Skull Dragon…”

“Oh, is it now?” asked Andy, turning a card. “I’m switching Koumori Dragon to Attack Mode!”

Koumori Dragon reared up to attack position.

“You’re actually going to attack?” gasped Ryo.

“In a word, yes,” said Andy. “Spirit Ryu, attack Fiend Skull Dragon with sonic flash attack!”

A ball of energy formed in Spirit Ryu’s jaws…

“You fool!” laughed Ryo. “You’ll lose!”

“No I won’t!” laughed Andy. “Due to Spirit Ryu’s effect! When it attacks, it gains 1,000 Attack Points for every Dragon I discard from my hand, and thanks to Graceful Charity, I have three!”

He threw the rest of his hand into his discard slot, and images of Tyrant Dragon, Troop Dragon, and Red Eyes Black Chick appeared behind him. Spirit Ryu’s Attack shot up to 4,000!

The Dragon’s sonic blast shot forth, and Fiend Skull Dragon roared as it was torn apart!

Ryo gulped as his Life Points fell to 700.

“Now, Koumori Dragon, attack him directly and finish this!” yelled Andy.

Koumori Dragon shot forth a blast of flame, striking Ryo dead center! He fell to the ground, and his Life Points fell to zero.

“All right!” cheered Stan.

“Way to go!” laughed Francesca.

Andy sighed.

Okay, he thought. Deep breaths now…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“Well,” sighed Ryo, handing over a Crystal Card, “I guess I owe you this…”

Andy took it and frowned.

“Um, you owe me something else, too,” he mentioned.

“Huh?” asked Ryo. “Oh, right…”

He took the Cave Dragon card from his discard pile and handed it over. Andy handed over the Question card.

“Well,” said Ryo, “I’ve got to get to Petalburg… And the tournament is still young. Who knows? We might meet again…”

“One thing,” asked Andy. “Fiend Skull Dragon… is it a Fiend or a Dragon?”

“Oh, it’s a Dragon,” answered Ryo. “Unlike Black Skull Dragon. And like Cave Dragon, it’s a Wind Monster. If you play other Fusions besides Ryu Senshi, you might want to look into getting a Lesser Fiend…”

“Hmm,” muttered Andy. “Maybe I will look into that…”

“Well,” said Francesca, “let’s head to The Great Tree and see what’s there…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Lord Crump lay on the ground. He saw stars.

Ugh, he thought. My mother wanted me to be a dentist… I didn’t listen…

I think if I ever write the story of my life, I’ll leave this part out…

A shadow appeared over him.

The figure picked up the video camera and removed the tape.

“Can’t l-l-let you have th-th-this,” said the figure, breaking the tape in half.

The figure looked around.

“Now to f-f-find them before they get t-t-to the Tree,” he said. “An explan-n-nation is long overdue…”



ALTAR OF MISTS

Card Specs

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

Card Description: Image of an outdoor altar surrounded by cloudy mist. This card cannot be destroyed by card effects. On your third Standby Phase after playing this card, destroy this card and remove it from play, and then search your deck for one Ritual Magic Card and add it to your hand.

Note: “Altar of Mists” was used by The Big Five in the multi-part anime episode “Merger of the Big Five”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



GLASYA, DUCHESS OF DESIRE

Card Specs

Type: Fiend
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 800
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: This attractive female noble of Pandemonium delights in seducing mortals and consuming their souls. (Although this Monster has no real Effect, she is considered an Archfiend for all related purposes.)

Note: “Glasya, Duchess of Desire” first appeared in “The Mandate of Heaven”



[B][I]In case you were wondering who the odd, shadowy character who’s in need of speech therapy is, you’ll have to wait until next chapter.

Speaking of which…

Coming up next, our team takes a short break from dueling, to learn some of the mysteries surrounding them and the island they are visiting. But are they believable? Two new major characters are introduced (one malignant, one benign), and some new additions to our heroes decks are made. It all comes in a chapter called “Information, Please”, coming soon…

[Dark Sage]

[I][B]Sigh…

I’ve lived on this island for practically as long as I can remember… And always in secrecy.

If the Shadow Queen knew I was here, she’d make it a point to root me out. I wouldn’t be safe. Fortunately, she doesn’t know I’m here. She likely doesn’t know I’m still alive.

My only friends on this island are the Monsters in my dueling deck… In particular, seven odd Monsters, the likes of which no-one has ever seen before… at least in card form.

Today I must break my silence. I must take the risk of being discovered. Because now there is finally the chance that the Queen’s evil will be extinguished… forever…

I must confront them… I must make three new friends…

…and in doing so, I must part with seven old ones…

[size=3][B]CHAPTER EIGHT



Information, Please

It was one hour after Andy’s duel with Ryo…

And the team was trudging through the tall, pale grass under the large trees.

Stan was speaking out a list:

“Rum Raisin…” he muttered. “French Raspberry Cheesecake… Banilla Minty Ripple… Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough.”

He paused. Francesca held her head.

“Wait a second…” mused Stan, “that’s only forty-one… Must have missed one. Aw, I’ll start again. Vanilla… Chocolate… Strawberry…”

“OKAY, ENOUGH!” shouted Francesca.

Stan drew back in fright, as did Andy.

“No more talking about ice cream flavors!” she yelled. “I’m gaining weight just listening to you!”

“Okay, okay…” squeaked Stan. “No more ice cream…”

“Sheesh!” exclaimed Francesca.

Andy went up to Stan.

“You know,” he said, meekly, “I’m starting to like her…”

Stan gave him a weird look.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

In the Palace of Shadow, the mistress of the complex rubbed her chin.

She silently leafed through her deck, and chose a card from it.

She tossed the card into her fireplace, and the flames burned green…

This should be fun, to watch, she thought.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“We’re almost to The Great Tree,” said Stan. “We should be seeing it soon…”

“Good,” replied Andy. “Then we can…”

The ground started to tremble…

And then three huge forms erupted out of the ground! They were huge, hideous rose bushes, each with a pod bearing razor-sharp teeth! (1,200/900)

“Yike!” shouted Andy. “What are those?”

“Darkworld Thorns,” sneered Francesca. “Nasty…”

“How do we get by three huge man-eating plants?” gasped Stan.

Francesca flipped her Disk into position.

“Slash and burn…” she replied.

Her allies activated their Disks, and they drew the top cards from their decks…

“Go, Amazoness Swords Woman!” shouted Fran, slapping a card down.

The sword-wielding Amazon appeared, swinging her huge blade! (1,500/1,600)

“Blast Magician, go!” yelled Stan, throwing a card down.

The fiery sorcerer appeared in a burst of flame, holding his bladed staff! (1,400/1,700)

Andy threw his card on his Disk.

“Go, Koumori Dragon!” he exclaimed.

The small winged, purple Dragon appeared. (1,500/1,200)

The three Monsters stood between their masters and the ugly plants. The Darkworld Thorns roared!

Amazoness Swords Woman leapt up, and chopped the pod clean off one of the wicked plants! The creature shattered into pixels!

Blast Magician aimed his staff and it burned with flames! He shot forth a stream of fire and the second Darkworld Thorns was immolated before vanishing!

Koumori Dragon shot forth a cone of flames from its jowls! The third Darkworld Thorns shrieked, and exploded.

The three victors turned to the duelists and smiled. They vanished.

The duelists sighed, and shuffled the cards back into their decks.

Then they heard clapping coming from in front of them.

“Well done, y-y-youngsters,” said a voice. “W-w-well done!”

They all looked, as a strange old man came into view.

He was tall, and lanky, with a thin face. He wore glasses that were so thick, you couldn’t see his eyes, and he had a long nose. His clothing was very loud and outdated – it looked like something out of the nineteenth century. Most remarkable was his hair. It was pure white, and incredibly frizzy.

He also wore a Duel Disk on his arm.

“Who is this guy?” whispered Stan to Andy.

“What’s with the hair?” answered Andy. “He looks like he stuck his finger in an outlet!”

“N-n-nice work handling those Thorns,” said the man with a smile. “I’m afraid the h-h-hazards on this island are g-g-going to get more challenging…”

They gave him “the eye.”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

An instant before the odd man appeared, the Shadow Queen was watching through her viewing globe…

But then, it went dark.

“Huh?” she said in surprise. “What on earth…?”

She got up and pounded on it.

“What’s wrong with this damn thing?” she shouted. “This is the third time this month I’ve had problems with it!”

She sighed.

“I wish there was tech support you could call for magical artifacts…” she muttered.

She took out her cell phone and dialed.

“Uh, hullo?” answered a voice.

“CRUMP!” she shouted. “Are you still watching those kids?”

“Um, yeah, sure…” was the response.

He was lying. Right now he was sitting down, nursing a bad headache.

“Don’t let them out of your sight!” shouted the Queen. “I’ve got a crystal ball to fix!”

Crump shuddered in fear as she hung up.

Man, he thought, if I don’t find those kids, she’s gonna blow her top… right before she blows mine!

He hurried off in the direction of The Great Tree.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

This guy looks like a character from some Disney animated movie! thought Stan.

“H-h-hello young ones,” said the man. “Stanley, Anthony, Francesca…”

“You know our names?” asked Andy.

“I know m-m-much about you,” he replied. “I have for a long time. You may c-c-call me Merlee.”

“Yeah, well Merlin…” started Francesca.

“M-M-Merlee,” he corrected.

“Whatever,” replied Francesca. “You know, I have an uncle who could help with that problem…”

“Wh-wh-what p-p-problem?” he asked.

They all looked at him.

“Never mind…” she sighed, nervously.

“I see you’re a duelist,” said Stan with a smile.

“Oh, um, that,” answered Merlee, looking at his Disk. “Well, y-y-yes, from time to time. But I d-d-don’t have time to duel right now. I need to have a few w-w-words with the three of you.”

Andy stared at him.

“Look, who are you, where are you from, and what business do you have with us?” he asked.

“Um, to t-t-take your questions in order,” answered Merlee, “I consider myself an intellectual, I’ve l-l-lived on this island for as long as I can remember, and I think I h-h-have a LOT of business with you.”

“You’re a native, huh?” asked Francesca. “Any family?”

She chuckled.

“Is there a Mrs. Merlee?” she asked, trying hard not to laugh.

“I was m-m-married once before,” answered Merlee. “Sadly, old Bernice p-p-passed away a while back…”

Francesca felt like she had been kicked in the gut.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” she cried.

“It’s okay,” assured Merlee. “All f-f-folks die eventually. The only tragedies are those who d-d-die before they are supposed to.

“And as I said,” he continued, “I have b-b-business to speak with you about, about w-w-why you all are h-h-here…

“B-b-because frankly, your lives are in d-d-danger.”

They drew back.

“Come on!” said Stan. “This is just a tournament! We…”

“Th-th-this is more than just a t-t-tournament, folks,” said Merlee. “Your coming h-h-here was all an elaborate trap…

“…set up by the Shadow Queen.”

“That spook we saw in Hooktail Castle?” asked Francesca. “What about her?”

“Have a seat?” asked Merlee. “This might t-t-take a while.”

He waved his arms, and four large mushrooms sprouted out of the ground – large enough to serve as chairs. Not knowing what else to do, Stan, Francesca, and Andy sat down.

“Tea and scones, f-f-folks?” he asked.

Another, larger mushroom, the size of a table, sprouted, and a silver tray with a teakettle and cups and a plate of scones appeared on it.

“Uh, thanks,” said Andy, in wonder.

Weird, he thought, as they reached for the pot.

“I guess it’s best to start at the beginning,” started Merlee. “One thousand years ago, the Shadow Queen was your average evil sorceress – thing was, she knew powers that set her apart from most evil sorceresses. She knew how to manipulate the Shadow Realm.”

“Hey Fran,” whispered Andy, “notice he isn’t stuttering right now?”

“Shadow Games were played much like Duel Monsters is today,” continued Merlee, “except that there were no holograms involved. The Monsters and the Magic was all very real…”

The three teenagers opened their eyes wide.

“The Queen got stronger, making deals with demons and other infernal beings,” continued Merlee, “eventually gaining power that made her immortal. She set sights on her goal – world domination. From this very island, her demonic forces of Shadow marched forth, intent on conquering everything in their path.

“Resistance wasn’t much. A few people in those days knew the skills she had, but not as well as she did. She never lost a Shadow Game. Her foes were defeated, one by one, and she started to build an empire…

“…an empire of enslaved nations…

“Eventually, with her vanity and ego at its peak, she decided her humble castle was too small, and she decided to construct a grander palace, located on this island, her capital. She would use her wealth – mostly stolen – to build her new Palace of Shadows inside the island’s central mountain. Mountains were symbolic to her – they were steadfast, indomitable, and just as immortal as she was.

“And to any fools who would try to come uninvited or – heavens forbid – invade her Palace, the place would have a clever defensive property. You see, doors and the like meant nothing for the Shadow Queen and most of her followers – they knew how to slip in-between dimensions and travel anywhere in the blink of an eye. The Queen could travel to virtually any place in her empire in a moment… sort of like they do on Star Trek.”

He chuckled for a minute, and then continued.

“So in terms of physical entrances, the Palace of Shadows would only have one. The grand doorway built into the side of the mountain was the only way in – or out – for those who lacked the power that the Shadow Queen or her servants had. And it was heavily guarded and fortified.

“Anyway, in the years after the Palace was completed, the Queen’s mad reign continued. More kingdoms were subjugated, more people enslaved… Her evil empire grew.

“But this would not go unchallenged forever…”

He paused once again.

“H-h-how’s the tea, folks?” he asked.

Tastes like warm milk… thought Stan.

“Um, good,” answered Stan. “Please, go on. This is getting good.”

Truthfully, he thought this guy was more than a little eccentric – after all, his history classes never mentioned anything like this – but this was getting good.

“Eventually,” continued Merlee, “three saviors appeared. It’s unclear how they met, or who brought them together. Their names are forgotten – folks just call them the Three Heroes now.

“It would be wrong to put them in any sort of order, because they didn’t have a leader among the three of them. But one of them was a sorcerer of great skill. His powers of dark magic were said to be second only to that of the Shadow Queen herself. His powerful spells could lay waste to an army with one mighty blast…”



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post…



Stan paused at this. He looked at his Disk, and then slowly drew the top card off…

He looked at it…

He slowly put it back in his deck…

“Another one of them was a female warrior of incredible beauty and skill,” continued Merlee. “It was said that no other fighter in the world, male or female, could defeat her in any physical contest. All who challenged her soon found themselves overwhelmed, and groveling at her feet…”

Francesca paused.

She drew the top card from her own deck and looked at it…

She slowly put the card back.

“The third member of the group was the strangest,” said Merlee, with an odd expression. “Legend says that his mother was a princess, and his father was a wise dragon who could take the form of a human. Whether this was true or not is not known, but while most folks were frightened of dragons, this warrior was the master of them. The fierce beasts bowed before him, and did whatever he said, eagerly coming to his aid.”

A sensation came over Andy…

He slowly drew the top card from his own deck. He gazed at it…

Dumbfounded, he put the card back.

“The important thing was,” said Merlee, “each of Three Heroes knew how to control Shadow Games themselves – but they each knew that, by themselves, even they were no match for the Shadow Queen. So they decided not to make the mistakes that others who challenged her had made. First, they would not do so alone. They gathered together for the mutual goal.

“Second, they would strike by surprise, and gain further support. They invaded this island, and rallied thoughts of rebellion in the Queen’s own capital. They gained information, and allies.

“When they thought they were ready, they stormed the Palace of Shadows, easily breaking through the defenses placed on the doorway.

“Most would think that invading the Shadow Queen’s home was suicide, and that no-one would dare try it. But the Heroes had one thing for their advantage – it was the last thing she was expecting as well. She never saw them coming.

“Still, the heroes knew that this would be the fight of their lives…

“Legends say that when the Heroes confronted the Queen, a shadowy fog eclipsed the sun, moon, and stars, and darkness fell all over the world! For the next three days, no light shone upon the Earth, as humanity’s would-be saviors clashed in the deepest recesses of the Palace of Shadows…

“After three days of fighting, the Three Heroes were exhausted, their small band of Companions given their all, and the Queen still had power to spare. A powerful spell cast by the evil tyrant brought them to their knees… It seemed that this attempt at rebellion would end the same way all others had: in failure…

“Now, I’m not truly one to believe in miracles, but at that moment, something happened. All over the world, in the uncanny darkness, the people in the Queen’s empire felt that their saviors were about to lose. They didn’t want that to happen…

“So at that time, the voices of a million people all gave their support. From every corner of the globe, their cheers and ovation came…

“And in the den of evil, they heard. With the spirits of thousands behind them, the Heroes found their power returning. They got up, and they fought on… And this time, the Shadow Queen’s powers could barely scratch them.

“It was too much for the Queen to take. She didn’t have a chance this time. She was fighting the will of too many. The willpower of a million oppressed people can bring even the most powerful of tyrants to their knees.

“With most of her power drained, she fell before their feet. It was finally over.

“The Three Heroes knew that justice had to be done – they quickly decided to execute their prisoner. But they soon found that they couldn’t. The Shadow Queen had lost most of her powers, but she was still immortal. She couldn’t be killed. But they knew simple imprisonment wouldn’t be enough. They couldn’t take the risk that she’d escape…

“So, they decided to use a prison that was more secure than any they knew – the Palace of Shadow. They cast a powerful curse on the Queen, which would forbid her from ever leaving her grand castle. She’d be a prisoner of it… forever.”

He paused.

“Really?” asked Francesca with a chuckle. “Quite a story… Ever think about expanding on it a little… making it into a book?”

“I’m not finished,” said Merlee.

“Oh, there’s more?” chuckled Andy.

“Unfortunately, yes,” said Merlee. “The Queen never took kindly to her confinement, and certainly didn’t accept it. She’d do anything to escape – commit any crime or any immoral act. She recovered some of her power after awhile, and eventually developed powers aimed at communicating with the outside. She gained special minions, and she urged them to research the curse that held her prisoner. Eventually, she found that there was one means to escape…

“It stated that if she or anyone who served her, willingly or not, could defeat the blood heirs of the Three Heroes in a fair contest, then the curse would be broken.

“Thus, she began gaining more minions… the greatest of which are now her children, the Shadow Spawn…”

“Huh?” asked Francesca. “Like Melissa claimed to be?”

“Melissa is the youngest, my friend,” sighed Merlee, “ and the least powerful. Nineteen years ago, the Queen embarked on a grand scheme to create six of the most loyal servants. She looked for a mate… and she attracted one. He was an evil practitioner of dark magic, the mirror image of one of the Heroes who defeated her.

“He was a fool to fall for her charms. No sooner did she find that she was carrying his child, she banished him to The Graveyard…”

The eyes of the three teens opened at this.


“Graveyard?” asked Francesca.

“Yes, I should have mentioned that,” answered Merlee. “It’s sort of a dimensional prison where she banishes enemies and failed servants. A proper description doesn’t exist because those who go there rarely come back.

“Anyway, nine months after this, Vladimir was born, and the Queen started again. Her next mate wasn’t even human… he was a marid, a spirit from a dimension of water. Once he had served his purpose, she banished him as well, and nine months after that, a daughter was born… Maria.

“She was barely done. She next seduced another elemental spirit, this one a dao, a spirit of earth and rock. Once she got what she had wanted, she disposed of him, and after nine months, Leopold was born…

“Her next task was one of the hardest. Her target was an efreeti, a demonic spirit from a realm of eternal fire. Normally, efreet despise humans, so the Queen had to use powerful magic to make him her slave. Soon she was carrying another child, and she imprisoned the father. A son named Tyson was the result.

“The next task was even harder. She would attempt the same with an air spirit called a djinni. This was harder because djinn are noble creatures and aren’t susceptible to mind control. The Queen had to use lies and disguises to get him to succumb. She succeeded, and the unfortunate creature was her next victim. Her fifth child was born soon after, a son named Kurtis.

“Finally, we come to Melissa, someone whom the Queen regarded as the biggest challenge and a grand experiment. Her choice of a father was a divine being… an angel if you will…”

Francesca looked at him in shock, but Merlee continued.

“His name was Galadriel, and the Queen knew that convincing an angel to surrender to her charms would be the hardest task of all. But somehow, she managed to do so. You’ll be happy to know that Galadriel came to his senses and escaped before the Queen could get her claw on him, but he knew well enough never to return.”

Merlee sighed.

“Funny, I at one time thought there was hope for Melissa. I thought that the child of an angel might have at least some goodness in her. I approached her when she was ten, and tried to convince her to leave her mother… But I failed. Too much evil blood exists within her


“Now, Melissa is fourteen, her siblings are older, and they are their mother’s eager pupils. All of them are eager to help her escape…”

“Hang on, Merlee,” interrupted Francesca. “If this Shadow Queen can’t leave her Palace… Call me crazy, but someone calling herself the Shadow Queen was in Hooktail Castle…”

Merlee chuckled.

“A s-s-simple spell that most w-w-wizards know,” he stuttered. “Watch. First you have to s-s-see a place, like that grove over there…”

He pointed.

“Or v-v-view it live though a c-c-camera, or a magical viewing device, l-l-like a crystal ball.

“Now, projectamentos!”

As he said the words, an image of himself, just as he was in front of them, appeared in the grove.

He waved, and the image waved.

“S-s-see?” he and the image said in unison. “An illusion. A ‘projected image’. I’m over here, but you also see and h-h-hear me over there. Th-th-the Queen does this when she w-w-wants to appear in person outside her Palace. S-s-so long as she doesn’t p-p-pick up anything or let anyone touch her, it’s a cl-cl-clever ruse.”

The image vanished.

“All right,” sighed Stan, “it’s a clever story, and all these special effects are… effective. But what does this all have to do with us?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” said Merlee, sipping his tea.

He paused.

“The Shadow Queen wishes to defeat you in Duel Monsters, the only ‘fair’ way she can think of, because you are the blood heirs of the Three Heroes.”

Stan, Francesca, and Andy looked at each other for a second.

And then they laughed out loud!

“Right,” chuckled Stan. “Like my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather was the master of dark magic!”

“And mine was half-dragon,” laughed Andy. “You’re really reaching here!”

“Gramps, I have to admit, your story might make a great movie,” giggled Francesca, “but if my ancestor was some sort of Xena, I think I’d know about it!”

Merlee paused.

“Explain th-th-those,” he said.

He pointed to the pendants around their necks.

“The Three Heroes m-m-made them as a symbol of the bond between them, and when you c-c-came here, they led you to each other.

“Destiny h-h-has brought you together again, and y-y-you must finish what your ancestors st-st-started. The Queen doesn’t know the downside of her escape clause – if you d-d-defeat her, she’ll finally die.”

“Heh,” said Francesca, with a smirk. “Not that we’d do this, but who’s to stop us from taking the next boat off this island?”

“Imp-p-possible,” replied Merlee. “She c-c-controls the ships leaving and entering this island. She won’t let a sh-sh-ship leave if you’re on it.

“Believe me or not, you have no choice but to defeat her. And if you want more proof, there’s your Earth Tremor card, and Stan’s Sweet Treat card.

“Do you want to know why Earth Tremor didn’t work when The Unfriendly Amazon tried to use it on you?”

“Offhand, yes,” said Francesca, with a frown. “That did cross my mind…”

“When the Three Heroes set out on their quest, they created eight powerful spells, weapons that called upon the good side of Shadow. They used these spells in their journey.

“Once their task was done, they inscribed these spells on scrolls. They remained locked up in vaults, until the present day. A powerful wizard transferred their power into eight Duel Monsters cards. The Enchanted Cards, that’s the best term for them. Sweet Treat and Earth Tremor are among the least powerful.

“But only the forces of good are allowed to use these cards. Evil beings cannot harness their power.”

Andy looked at him curiously.

“Where are the other six?” he asked.

“Scattered,” said Merlee. “The Queen’s s-s-servants have some of them, and she’s looking for the others. Look for th-th-them, and they’ll help you in your quest.”

Stan looked annoyed.

“Look buddy,” he snapped. “I don’t recall signing up for any ‘quest’!”

“I’m with Stan,” said Francesca. “Even if your story is true, which I doubt, we’re not superheroes…”

“Yeah, and just because I’m good with Dragons doesn’t make me Seto Kaiba,” grumbled Andy. “Why don’t you get him and Yugi Mouto to do this?”

“They can’t be d-d-depended on for everything,” sighed Merlee.

He paused.

“You are sk-sk-skeptics now, but hopefully in time, you will see the tr-tr-truth.”

He took something out of his pocket.

He sighed.

“B-b-before I go, I have s-s-some gifts for you…”

“Gifts?” said Stan, raising an eyebrow.

“You s-s-see,” said Merlee, “there’s a p-p-part of the story I left out. “The Three Heroes w-w-weren’t alone in their struggle…”

He shifted through a set of cards.

“Along their j-j-journey, a group of cr-cr-creatures joined them… seven in all. Sidekicks, cohorts… most of all, companions. They w-w-were called the Seven Companions. Once the Queen was defeated, the Heroes immortalized their images in f-f-fine art…

“Eventually, the C-c-companions died, as everyone does, but art lasts forever, and the s-s-same wizard who created the Enchanted Cards created special Monster Cards in th-th-their images.

“He told me… that their spirits live within them…”

He placed the cards on the mushroom table.

“Divvy them among y-y-yourselves, and add them to your decks. You might not believe in your d-d-destiny yet…”

They all gave him strange looks.

“But these Monsters are p-p-powerful nonetheless. Just take c-c-care of them… they’re like ch-ch-children to me.”

Then he turned around, and walked away.

“W-w-we’ll meet again s-s-soon,” he said.

And then he vanished.

Stan, Francesca, and Andy looked at the seven Monster Cards…



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:



One thousand feet away, Lord Crump was watching through binoculars.

Holy, good gravy! he thought. Did that guy say his name was Merlee?

He shuddered.

He picked up his cell phone and started to dial a number.

I gotta tell the Queen this…

Then he closed the cell phone in fright.

NO! If the Queen finds out, she’ll blow her blood vessels! And then she’ll get mad… And when she gets mad…

He shuddered.

Ooh, I’ve gotta do something…

He paused.

I know, I’ll go tell Sir Grodus. He’ll know what to do!

He rushed towards a clearing where a vehicle resembling a rusty, land-bound jet-ski was parked.

He got on the seat.

Let’s hope this piece of junk doesn’t break down between here and Rogueport, he cursed, as he started it up.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

The three teenagers looked at the Monster Cards in front of them.

“They are powerful, I’ll say that,” said Francesca, “and only two require a sacrifice…”

“Maybe I should take the two Spellcasters,” said Stan. “My deck revolves around them.”

Andy looked at one of them.

“Well I can’t use that one,” he said, “because it needs another Warrior or Spellcaster to work… Why don’t you take it Francesca? And that Fairy, she might fit in your deck.”

“And you?” asked Fran.

Andy looked at two of them.

“Well, no Dragons, but these two will work in a deck that does a lot of damage,” he said, taking them.

One card was left on the table.

“So who gets the odd one?” he continued.

Francesca paused.

“Everyone shuffle their decks,” she said.

They all shuffled.

“Now,” she said, “everyone draw the top card. Whoever gets the Monster with the lowest Attack Score gets it.”

“Sounds fair to me,” said Andy.

He drew.

“Eh, Masked Dragon,” he said, “1,400 Attack.”

Francesca drew.

“I beat that!” she chuckled. “Command Knight, 1,200 Attack!”

Stan drew.

“Sorry Fran,” he said.

He showed her the card: Mind On Air.

“Only 1,000 Attack,” he said.

“You win,” sighed Francesca.

Stan took the card, and they shuffled the new cards into their decks.

“So, our forbearers were Jedi Knights of the Old Republic…” chuckled Stan.

“Yeah,” giggled Andy. “Say, Francesca, maybe yours was that ‘warrior maiden’ that slew Hooktail!”

Francesca stopped short.

“Francesca?” asked Andy. “Something wrong?”

“Are you making fun of me?” she snapped.

“No!” gulped Andy. “Honest Francesca, no… I’m scared of you…”

“Whatever,” sighed Francesca. “I think that guy’s brain was a little broken. Come on, we have a Great Tree to find, and a tournament to win…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Among the members of Monster Island’s ruling council, Sir Grodus was one of the… stranger ones.

Why was he strange? Well, there was his appearance for one thing…

His head was a blue, cybernetic contraption that resembled a globe with computerized lights flashing in it, along with a pair of spectacles that looked like mirrors.

He also liked wearing fancy wizard’s robes, and carried a scary-looking scepter topped with an orb that resembled his cranium.

Still, he was such a frequent sight in Rogueport, that the people there were more or less used to his presence…

Not that they liked him being there. He was downright rude to anyone he dealt with, and some people swore that they saw him casting evil spells at people who got him angry.

But right now, he was at a phone booth, and his intentions weren’t very sinister….

…ordering lunch.

“Hello?” he said into the receiver. “Sir Grodus. Um, I think I’m in the computer… Yeah, I’ll hold…”

He waited.

“Yeah,” he said. “I’d like a large thick-crust with pepperoni, beef topping, mushrooms, and extra cheese…

“What? No, I don’t want anchovies on it! No, I don’t care if they are special this week! Those salty things give me gas!

“Huh? No, that’s it. Bring it to the phone booth by the gallows.”

He hung up.

I’d eat at the Palace, he thought, but that place is getting on my nerves. If I have to sit through another lecture on the new dueling system that they might be implementing…I mean, what the heck is wrong with normal Duel Monsters?

“Sir Grodus!” yelled a voice.

“Huh, Crump?” he said, turning his head.

A sound like a noisy muffler roared over the street as Crump drove up in his vehicle. He parked it, and smoke poured out of the engine.

“Crump, turn that accursed thing off!” ordered Grodus. “You’re getting soot on my robe!”

“Sir Grodus, sir,” started Crump, “I gotta tell you…”

Grodus grabbed him.

“And when was the last time you washed this beard?” asked Grodus. “You’ve got stuff growing in it!”

“Look, Sir Grodus,” said Crump, in near panic, “I had to tell someone, and I didn’t think telling her majesty would be a very good idea…”

Grodus rolled his eyes.

“Crump, rate this from one to ten, ten meaning inevitable defeat,” he sighed.

“Um, twelve?” shuddered Crump.

“Well that’s good to…” started Grodus.

He stopped short.

”Twelve?”

“Look, you know those kids she told me to spy on?” asked Crump. “Well, I saw them talking to a guy…”

He stopped.

“…who said his name was Merlee…” he squeaked.

“MERLEE?” shouted Grodus.

He grabbed Crump.

“Crump, have you been eating paste again?” he scolded.

“Um, yes…” stuttered Crump. “Yes I have. But I know what I heard! This guy said he was Merlee.”

“That’s impossible, Crump, and you know it!” yelled Grodus. “There’s no way that he could still be alive!”

“Well, maybe it was a different Melee,” suggested Crump, “although you have to admit, ‘Merlee’ isn’t exactly a popular name. I mean, who would name their kid that? Well, then again, someone chose Whoopi Goldberg’s name…”

Grodus put his hand on his head…

“What?” asked Crump.

Grodus clubbed him with his scepter.

“Goldberg’s name is a stage name, soufflé-brain!” he shouted.

Crump held his head.

“Sheesh, actresses never use their real names these days…”

He thought for a minute.

“Look, what did this guy look like?” he asked.

“Well, he was kind of… um… uh…” started Crump.

“Here,” said Grodus.

He pulled a notepad and a pencil out of his robe.

“Draw a picture.”

“Well let’s see,” said Crump. “He had eyes like… this; and hair like… this; and a nose kind of like… this…”

He looked at the drawing.

“Hmmm…”

He reached in his pocket.

“Aw heck with it,” he said, “here’s a Polaroid I took.”

“OOH!” grunted Grodus.

He snatched it.

“Crump, is your sole purpose on this planet to drive me crazy?” he yelled.

“I kinda figured you were already crazy…” said Crump, under his breath.

“WHAT WAS THAT?” yelled Grodus.

“I said I was sorry for being so lazy,” said Crump, quickly.

Grodus looked at the snapshot.

“That matches the description…” he said, with a quiver in his voice.

He held his head.

“When the Queen finds out about this, she’s going to be even angrier than she usually is…”

“So what do we do?” asked Crump.

“We keep quiet about it!” shouted Grodus, crumpling the photo. “If the stories about Merlee are true, he’s even more powerful than I am! And the last thing we need is the Queen telling us to look for him!”

Someone nudged him on his shoulder.

“WHAT?” shouted Grodus, turning around.

“Uh, pizza for Sir Grodus,” said the man behind him.

“Oh, right,” said Grodus, taking a wallet out of his robe.

“And by the way,” said the delivery boy, “someone across the street told me to tell you that she’s getting a big laugh out the two of you screaming at each other.”

Grodus stared at him.

He snatched the pizza.

“Just for that,” he growled, “you get no gratuity.”

His scepter glowed.

“Now beat it!”

A flash of lightning hit the delivery boy in the feet, and he ran in terror.

Grodus turned to Crump.

“Look Crump, we’re going to have to…”

Crump’s cell phone went off.

“Oh, geeze…” he said, looking at the number.

He answered it.

“Crump?” said the Queen’s voice.

“Your excellence?” stuttered Crump. “Listen, if you want to know why I’m not…”

“Shut up, Crump!” ordered the Queen. “My son is going to meet the brats at The Great Tree, so stay out of his way. Go to Rogueport or something until I tell you otherwise.”

She hung up.

“Well, that went well,” gasped Crump, wiping sweat off his forehead.

“Yeah,” said Grodus, opening the pizza box. “Now remember to…”

He paused.

“HEY! I told them NO ANCHOVIES!”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

At that moment, Stan, Francesca, and Andy were walking through Boggly Woods…

Which suddenly gave way to a gigantic clearing.

There, in the middle of the gigantic clearing, was the biggest, most majestic tree that they had ever seen.

It was the size of a small skyscraper, with branches that seemed to spread for a mile in all directions. And like a building, it had windows of various shapes in its immense trunk. Clearly, the town was built inside the enormous tree.

“Whoa…” said Andy in awe.

“How did they even… do that?” gasped Stan.

As they walked towards the gargantuan plant, someone watched from one of the highest windows.

He looked at a card depicting a vicious, yet beautiful, female Monster.

“Come to me, Stan,” he said, in a billowy voice. “My pets are hungry… and soon their talons will tear into your flesh and rip you to pieces!”



[B][I]You’re probably wondering about the details of the Monster Cards that our team received; well, the talents of one of them will be revealed next chapter.

And speaking of which…

If you thought Melissa was a deadly foe, you’ll soon see that she was only the tip of the iceberg of this demented family. Next chapter, her older brother takes on Stan in the boughs of The Great Tree, in a Chapter I call “Winds of Change”, coming soon…

[Dark Sage]

[B][I]I’ve dueled my share of people whom I didn’t exactly like…

Poor sports, sore losers, jerks who were a little too insulting (“trash talk” is okay, insults are a different thing entirely), and worst of all, cheaters.

But this nut who I’m about to face has to be the worst one yet. The underhanded way he got me to duel him has got to be the most cowardly act I’ve ever seen.

You know, I doubt the story that Merlee told us about us being the descendants of some legendary heroes who brought down this “Shadow Queen” have any basis in fact…

But right now, a small part of me wishes it were true. If this is the way the Shadow Queen operates, I’d be proud that any member of my family brought her down.

So now I just have to bring down this windbag…

[B][size=3]CHAPTER NINE



Winds of Change

The ground floor of The Great Tree was a large, circular cul-de-sac, surrounded by buildings. The large door to the outside was huge and made of colored glass.

The cul-de-sac was empty right now, except for a young man with a moustache in a sweater and slacks.

He was sweating heavily…

“Ivan…” whispered a voice.

He sighed.

“Ivan…” repeated the voice.

“What?” gasped the man.

“They’re coming, Ivan,” said the voice. “You know what to do…”

“Look,” said the man, “I don’t think…”

“You aren’t supposed to think!” scolded the voice. “Now do what I told you to do, and I assure you no one will get hurt.”

“What are you going to do to them?” he asked.

“I told you not to think about it,” warned the voice. “Now, are you positively certain that item I described isn’t here?”

Ivan paused for a minute.

“Answer me, Punio!” demanded the voice.

“I’ve told you three times already,” he snarled back, “I don’t own ANY Duel Monsters cards!”

There was a long pause.

“So you say,” said the voice, which was now full of suspicion. “Well, we’ll sit down and talk about this further after I’ve taken care of Stan…”

The voice was silent.

Ivan sneered.

The Shadow Queen and her flunkies could tear this place apart, and they’ll never find it, he thought. I can only pray that Stan can blow this lunatic away…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Stan, Francesca, and Andy went up to the huge stained glass doors.

A sign was next to the door:

[B][size=3]Welcome To The Great Tree

No Vagrants

No Littering

No Beavers

“Eh,” they all said, with a shrug.

Stan went up to the door and rang the bell.

The doors slowly swung open.

The walked in, and gazed upon the huge cul-de-sac.

“Wow,” said Francesca, in awe. “It’s like a town inside a cave… a cave made of wood!”

“Uh, how do you do!” said a voice.

Ivan rushed up to them.

“Welcome!” he said.

He quickly shook their hands.

“Uh, hi…” stammered Andy.

“The name’s Ivan Punio, and I am the mayor of this humble burg,” he quickly said. “Welcome to The Great Tree… contestants…”

“Uh, thanks…” said Stan. “Does… everyone get this warm welcome?”

“Uh,” stammered Ivan, “only the tournament contestants… But hey, we love everyone!”

He chuckled nervously.

“Are you all right?” asked Francesca.

“Me?” stammered Ivan. “Never better! Look, uh…”

His eyes darted back and forth.

“Look,” he said, “my sister and I were going to have lunch… We’d be honored if you’d join us…”

Stan’s eyes narrowed.

“One…” he said, putting his finger up.

He motioned to Francesca and Andy. They got into a huddle.

“Guys, do you get the impression that Punio here is hiding something?” he whispered.

“Yeah,” muttered Francesca, “I smell something funny – and I don’t mean the cheap aftershave he’s wearing.”

“Guys, maybe we should leave,” said Andy with a shiver. “How far is it to the next town?”

Stan opened the map and looked at it.

Ivan bit his lip.

“Aw geeze,” he said. “Petalburg is closest. In the other direction there’s something called ‘Twilight Town’, but that’s some distance away…”

He read the map a little.

“There’s something here I haven’t been able to figure out,” he continued. “There’s a note that says that outside the forest you can gain ‘passage’ to a place called ‘Glitzville’, but you need permission from a council member to go there…”

“Which we don’t have…” sighed Andy.

Francesca sighed.

“People,” she suggested. “I know we didn’t sign up to be heroes, and we don’t really have to make a full-time job out of it…”

“What are you suggesting?” asked Stan.

“If something is wrong here, maybe we could, you know, lend a hand?”

She grinned a nervous grin.

“Fran, you don’t actually believe that dumb story, do you?” asked Stan.

“NO!” shouted Francesca. “But…”

She paused.

“Well, how bad can this be?” she shrugged.

“Oh, fine,” groaned Stan. “I just hope this guy isn’t going to sic another living Duel Monster on us…”

They turned to Ivan.

“Sure, Ivan, we’d love to join you,” said Stan, smiling.

“Great,” panted Ivan. “We’ll take the elevator to the top level.”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Riding up to the top of The Great Tree was an experience.

The inside of the huge tree was hollow, and divided into several levels, built on to of each other; each level was built onto the inside, around the trunk. From the edge of one level, you could see all the ones below.

Riding the glass elevator to the top level, the three partners could see buildings full of townsfolk, mostly young people dressed in casual clothes.

And they all watched as the elevator went up.

Stan sighed.

I’ve seen week-old fish that smelled better than this, he thought.

He looked at his deck and shuffled it.

Well, in case it’s fish…

The elevator stopped at the highest level. Ivan led them out.

“Um, this way,” he said. “Our best buildings are on the top floor, as is the best restaurant…”

“I suppose it’s on you?” asked Francesca.

“Um…” muttered Ivan.

As they approached a building, a young woman met them at the door. She was a sweet-looking young woman with her blonde hair tied in braids.

And she looked scared.

“Ivan…” she said.

“Don’t worry,” he whispered. “They’ll handle it…”

Stan drew back.

He could tell that Ivan had purposely said that loud enough for him to hear it.

“Well, let’s eat, huh?” he said with a forced laugh.

They went into the restaurant, where a long table had been set up…

And as soon as they entered, a wind began to blow…

“Ivan,” asked Stan, “is it usual for it to be this windy… indoors?”

“Not usually…” he said in fear.

A chuckling laughter cackled over the room. The voice sounded like the low moan of a midnight storm…

“Okay,” demanded Stan, “I’ve had enough of these shenanigans… SHOW YOURSELF!”

“As you wish,” whispered a billowy voice.

A small whirlwind appeared at the head of the table, and a figure appeared, sitting on the chair…

He was bizarre in appearance. He looked about fifteen, or maybe a little younger.
His skin was pale, and his hair was thick and snowy white. He was dressed entirely in wool, colored white and blue.

“Who are you?” demanded Stan.

The youth chuckled, and put his arms on the table…

Everyone drew back in fright! Instead of fingers, he had talons, like those of some bird of prey!

Stan stood back up.

“It’s impolite to put your elbows on the table!” he scowled.

“Funny,” said the youth, softly. “You can call me Kurtis. I believe you met my sister, Melissa…”

“Yeah, and I kicked her ass good!” snapped Melissa.

“Well she was the baby of the family,” whispered Kurtis, with a grin. “I’m the Shadow Spawn of Wind…”

He pointed at Stan.

“And as soon as this meal is over, Stan, you’re going to be dueling for the last time…”

“Oh, geeze,” gasped Ivan, mopping his brow with a handkerchief. “Kids, forgive me… He’s been holding this town hostage since eight this morning… He said if I didn’t bring you up here…”

“Calm down,” said Stan.

He turned to Kurtis.

“Look you Freddy Krueger wannabe,” he said, “it’s going to take a lot more than a bad manicure for you to force me to duel you…”

Kurtis chuckled. The wind started to pick up in the room.

“There’s much more to me than these talons,” he said softly. “Melissa’s powers were nothing compared to mine. You folks take air for granted – life giving air that you breathe… You can’t imagine how deadly it can be when harnessed in just the right way!”

He pointed at Ivan’s sister… She screamed as a transparent bubble surrounded her!

“What?” gasped Stan.

“Petuni!” shouted Ivan.

Kurtis chuckled. He lifted his hand, and she was raised off the floor.

“Now Stan,” he said, “if you don’t cooperate, I could contract that bubble and smash her flat…”

He paused and rubbed his chin.

“No, better yet, I could just remove all the air inside it! Have you ever seen a human explode in a vacuum? It’s quite a remarkable sight…”

Rage filled Stan’s eyes.

“What are you?” he asked. “Besides a bully, I mean?”

“I’m someone with incredible power,” answered Kurtis.

“No you aren’t,” scowled Stan. “Attacking someone who’s defenseless… What you are is a coward!”

Kurtis growled.

“I’ll duel you if that’s what it will take to get you to leave,” said Stan. “Just let her go, now!”

“Your wish… is my command…” said Kurtis with a grin.

He waved his arm, and the bubble vanished. Petuni screamed and fell to the ground.

Ivan ran up to her. Stan was beside himself.

“Make that bully, coward, and sadist,” he growled.

“Well,” said Kurtis, softly, “let’s eat, shall we? You wouldn’t want to duel on an empty stomach…”

“I’d rather get this over with…” said Stan with a scowl.

“I didn’t go through all this trouble paying for this meal to let it go to waste!” shouted Kurtis, angrily.

He calmed down.

“Besides, a condemned man is always allowed a last meal…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Stan and his two friends would have liked to say that they enjoyed the linguini with clams that was served, but it’s hard to enjoy anything when your host is a lunatic with claws for hands. Fortunately, Kurtis didn’t say much during the meal.

When the plates were cleared away, the Shadow Spawn wiped his mouth with a napkin, and spoke up.

“Ivan, Petuni!” he ordered. “Show them to the observation deck! I’ll be there shortly.”

“Yes… sir,” said Ivan.

Ivan went over to the three of them.

“Ivan,” whispered Stan, as the mayor led them out of the room. “Have you ever seen this guy duel?”

“Sadly, no,” muttered Ivan. “I don’t know anything about his deck, but he must use Wind Monsters…”

“A lot of Dragons are Wind Monsters,” mentioned Andy.

“Good luck,” said Ivan. “The whole town is behind you…”

He opened the elevator, and they got in.

They rode up, one more level, and got out…

…onto open air.

They were standing on a platform at the very top of The Great Tree. They could see for miles from where they were standing on this wide observation deck, and the wind whipped around them.

Kurtis’s evil laugh echoed across the sky…

The whirlwind appeared again, and he appeared across from Stan.

“Well Stan,” he whispered, “this is where it begins. Once you fall, my mother will be one step closer to seeing the open sky!”

What? thought Stan. This guy is selling the same story that Merlee told us!

He looked at Andy and Francesca.

Either they’re both deluded, or we’ve got some serious thinking to do.

“Now then…” whispered Kurtis. “We’re one-thousand feet above the ground… If the chill and harsh breeze is too much for you, you aren’t much of a duelist…”

He waved his hand, and an eagle, hawk, and falcon flew out of the sky and alighted on his left arm. The three birds of prey melted into light, and formed into a slivery Duel Disk.

“Very pretty,” said Stan, “Now let’s see if you’re anything more than a lot of hot air!”

The two Duel Disks activated, and swung into position.

The Life Point counters set to 8,000 apiece.

They each drew five cards.

“DUEL!” they both said at once.



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:



The wind whistled through the air, surrounding them like it had a mind of it’s own…

“I’ll start this out…” said Kurtis.

He made his first draw.

“And I see my deck has the wind at my back! I’ll summon this Monster in Attack Mode… Go, Birdface!”

He threw a card down, and a tall Winged Beast appeared. It had the head, legs, and wings of a golden eagle, and wore a blue breastplate. (1,600/1,600)

“That will do for now,” he whispered.

“Birdface?” questioned Francesca. “Come ON! Stan has plenty of Monsters stronger than THAT!”

“You tell me,” said Andy with a shrug. “I haven’t seen him duel yet…”

Come on Stan, thought Kurtis, take the bait…

Stan made a draw.

Hmmm, he thought, looking at his card.

“I’ll play Graceful Charity!” he announced.

He plugged his card into a slot, and the beautiful angel appeared.

She flew into his deck and flew out with three cards. He took them.

“Now, I’ll just get rid of these…” he said, handing her two of them.

She took the cards and flew into his discard slot.

“…and now I’ll summon… Skilled White Magician!”

He put the card down, and a Spellcaster in a white robe and skullcap, carrying a long scepter topped with an orb appeared. (1,700/1,900)

“Go!” shouted Stan. “Attack his Birdface with white magic attack!”

Skilled White Magician twirled his staff and fired a beam of bright energy! Birdface squawked, and exploded.

Kurtis smiled, as his Life Points went down to 7,900.

“Why thank you, Stan,” he whispered, “that’s just what I wanted you to do…”

A card flew out of his deck, and he caught it.

He added it to his hand.

“When Birdface is sent to the Card Graveyard, I can add a specific Monster to my hand from my deck!”

Stan’s eyes opened.

“Define ‘specific Monster’,” he growled.

“You’ll just have to wait,” said Kurtis softly. “Is that your turn?”

“Yes,” muttered Stan.

“Then I’ll draw…” whispered Kurtis.

He drew and looked at his card.

“And now I’ll summon… Flying Kamakiri #1, in Attack Mode!”

He put a card down, and a frightening form appeared. It was a huge mantis with a green exoskeleton, and large wings! (1,400/900)

“What the?” said Francesca. “What’s he up to? That bug may be scary, but it’s clear that it’s weaker that Skilled White Magician!”

Andy thought for a minute.

“Kurtis must be up to something…” he muttered.

Stan drew.

Monster Reborn, he thought. I’ll save this until I need it.

He looked at the Kamakiri.

I have a bad feeling that attacking that Insect might be a bad idea… he thought. But if I attack, I could hit him for a direct attack… if I don’t attack, he could sacrifice it for a stronger Monster…

The proverbial Rock and the Hard Place…

He put a card down on his Disk.

“I summon The Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode!”

He put his card down, and the one-eyed Spellcaster in his colorful costume appeared. (1,500/1,600)

“Skilled White Magician, destroy his Kamakiri!” shouted Stan.

Skilled White Magician cast his spell of Light again, and he blasted the mantis into bug juice!

Kurtis laughed, as his Life Points fell to 7,600.

“Thank you again!” he exclaimed. “Flying Kamakiri #1 has an even better effect than Birdface, Stan!”

Well Stan, thought Stan, you’ve really put your foot in it…

Another card flew out of Kurtis’s deck.

“Now I can take any Wind Monster with an Attack Score of 1,500 or less from my deck, and summon it to the field!” laughed Kurtis.

The card alighted on his Disk, and a form appeared.

“So let’s have a warm welcome,” whispered Kurtis. “Making her first appearance in The Great Tree, the lovely yet lethal… Harpie Lady 1!”

The creature that now loomed before Stan was a Harpie Lady all right. This version of Mai Valentine’s signature Monster wore a purple bodysuit, had long, red hair, and emerald green wings. Her feet and hands ended in sharp talons. (1,300/1,400)

“I’m not impressed!” snarled Stan. “It’s still my turn, and my Illusory Gentleman is stronger than she is!”

“Is she now?” smiled Kurtis.

Harpie Lady 1’s Attack Score went up to 1,600.

“You didn’t take Harpie Lady 1’s effect into mind!” chuckled Kurtis. “She raises the Attack Score of all Wind Monsters on the Field by 300 points, including her own!”

“Fine,” said Stan. “Then I’ll end my turn. My Skilled White Magician will get her on my next turn!”

“I don’t think so…” whispered Kurtis.

He drew.

“First I’ll summon this Monster I got from Birdface,” he said, “Harpie Lady 3!”

He slapped a card down, and another Harpie Lady appeared. This one was similar to the first, but had blue hair, worn up and spiky. (1,300/1,400) –> (1,600/1,400)

“Now I’ll play the Magic Card… Terraforming!” he whispered, slipping a card into a slot.

“Oh no,” groaned Andy, “that lets him add any Field Magic Card from his deck to his hand!”

Another card flew out of his deck and added to his hand.

“Now,” he said, flicking open his Field slot, “prepare to witness the last Field you’ll ever witness… the majestic Castle of Clouds!”

He fit the card into the slot and it snapped into place. The results were dramatic.

Winds blew across the field, and the area around them was transformed into a great sea of fluffy clouds in a sapphire sky. A gorgeous palace of blue gems rose behind Kurtis.

“Lovely, isn’t it?” he said, softly. “You know, mom says my dad was a noble in a realm such as this… before she eighty-sixed him.”

He shrugged.

“These things happen…”

Stan gritted his teeth.

“You fiend…” he growled. “You don’t even care what became of your poor father?”

“From what I know,” answered Kurtis, “my father was a do-gooding meddler who would have gotten in my mom’s way. But when I win this duel, maybe you’ll get a chance to meet him…”

“You monster!” shouted Petuni. “What kind of…”

“SILENCE!” shouted Kurtis.

Thunder rolled, and a lightning bolt struck at her feet. She shrieked and held onto Ivan.

“Now where were we?” he asked. “Oh yes… Castle of Clouds has two potent effects on Wind Monsters. First, it raises their Attack Score by 300 points.”

Harpie Lady 1 and Harpie Lady 3 both rose to 1,900 Attack.

“Second,” continued Kurtis, “it gives them all a trampling effect similar to a Fairy’s Meteor Crush! So you can’t hide in Defense Mode!”

“Harpie Lady 1, take down his Skilled White Magician!” ordered Kurtis.

The first Harpie flew forward and raked her talons across the mage! He fell over and burst.

“Harpie Lady 3, your turn! Destroy his Illusory Gentleman!”

The second Harpie dive-bombed The Illusory Gentleman, and tore him to pixels.

Stan’s Life Points fell to 7,500.

“Your move,” said Kurtis, with a smile.

Stan smiled.

And then he chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” sneered Kurtis.

“Oh, nothing,” answered Stan. “I just thought Harpie decks were for…”

He paused.

“…girls?” said Kurtis with a scowl, tapping his foot.

“You said it, I didn’t!” laughed Stan.

“Well, you’re partially right,” sighed Kurtis. “One of the reasons I chose Harpies as my weapon of choice was due to admiration for a famous duelist…”

He sighed again.

“A beauty named Mai Valentine. I’ve admired her from afar for such a long time… and some day, once my mother my siblings and I leave this island, we’ll finally meet…”

“…and then what?” interrupted Francesca. “One, she’s too old for you, two, I doubt she goes for boys with talons, and three, she can do better!”

Kurtis frowned.

“Will you make your move already Stan?” he demanded.

This guy is nuts, thought Stan, drawing, and the worst part is, I must be some brand of pistachio myself! I’m almost starting to believe Merlee’s story! Why else is this guy speaking so much having to beat me so his mother can escape?

He looked at the card.

“I’ll summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode…” he announced, putting a card down.

He placed the card down, and the peaceful, meditative elf appeared, kneeling in prayer. (800/2,000)

“That won’t help you for long,” quipped Kurtis.

“She will for a while,” replied Stan. “I end my turn. Now make your move.”

Kurtis drew.

He looked at the Ritual Monster Card he had drawn.

I’ll use this if I need it, he thought.

“Actually, I choose to end my turn without making any move,” he said.

“Well, suit yourself,” said Stan.

He drew.

Well that’s useful, he thought.

“I’ll play my Pot of Greed,” he announced, placing the card into a slot.

The smiling Jar appeared, and handed him two cards.

He looked at the cards…

And his eyes opened wide!

It’s one of the Monsters that Merlee gave us! he thought, looking at one of them.

His eyes squinted.

I don’t know if this gal was truly a friend of my ancestor, he thought, but there’s no harm in using her…

“Okay, Kurtis,” he said, “I’ll summon this Monster in Defense Mode… Meet Goombella the Scholar!”

He threw a card down, a flash lit up in front of him…

And a weird Monster appeared. It looked like, in shape, a two-foot tall mushroom with eyes and legs. Its mouth had two upward pointing fangs, and on the top of its head was a long, blonde ponytail. It wore a red necktie, and a strange visor with a circular lens in the center. (500/2,000)

Now, it was a strange thing. Stan (and Francesca, and Andy), always felt a sensation when they summoned a Monster. Who wouldn’t feel a thrill upon seeing their Monsters spring off the cards and come to life?

But with this Monster, there was something additional. Stan felt it… And by watching him, Andy and Francesca felt it too. There was a powerful aura coming from this Monster directed at them…

It was an aura of friendship. It was almost as if they were greeting an old friend that they all hadn’t seen for a long time, and were delighted to see again.

But this was lost on Kurtis…

“HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!” cackled Kurtis. “You expect me to be afraid of some oversized pizza topping?”

Goombella made an angry face at him…

“Don’t insult Goombella!” snarled Stan. “She an intellectual who can help me make decisions, and help the outcome of my actions. Just by summoning her, I get to activate her powerful effect! It’s a little thing… called ‘Tattle’!”

“Tattle?” said Kurtis, in confusion.

Goombella hopped up, and landed on Stan’s shoulders!

“Case in point,” said Stan, “I get to look at the top four cards in my deck…”

Four cards flew out from the top of Stan’s deck, and positioned themselves in front of him.

“…and then I get to put then back in any order I desire!”

Goombella whispered something in Stan’s ear. He gave her an “A-OK” sign. The four cards rearranged themselves, and then flew back to the deck.

Goombella hopped back down into position.

“Now it’s your move,” said Stan.

Kurtis drew.

He looked at the Monster Card.

This I’ll save for later, he thought.

“I’ll pass again…” he said.

“Ooh, he’s planning something!” cried Petuni.

“There, there,” said Ivan, comforting her. “I’m certain Stan can defeat this fiend…”

“He’d better,” sighed Francesca.

Stan drew.

He added the card to his hand.

“First,” he said, “I’ll shore up my defenses, and I’ll sacrifice Mystical Elf for Neo Aqua Madoor, in Defense Mode!”

Mystical Elf vanished, and a tall form arose. It was an icy sorcerer in a brown suit, with white hair and pale skin, with a veil over the lower part of his face. (1,200/3,000)

“You’ll never crack this defense!” threatened Stan, taking the card he had just drawn. “And now I’ll play my Sweet Treat card!”

He threw the card into the slot.

“Sweet Treat?” exclaimed Kurtis. “My mom’s been looking for that!”

The gingerbread man appeared with his dice, and tossed it…

It skipped and rolled…

And landed on the six!

“YES!” shouted Stan. “That means I gain 6,000 Life Points!”

“WHAT?” screamed Kurtis.

Stan’s Life Points shot up to 13,500.

“Yay!” cheered Petuni. “Stan just got a great lead!”

“Well,” sighed Kurtis, “this will just make it more of a challenge.”

“Now I have to end my turn,” stated Stan, “so do your worst!”

Kurtis drew.

“My worst, eh?” he exclaimed.

He threw a card down.

“I summon my Cyber Harpie Lady in Attack Mode!”



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:



Another Harpie materialized beside the other two, this one with flowing red hair, and wearing exotic black armor. She bore a glowing whip in her claw. (1,800/1,300)

“And don’t forget,” whispered Kurtis, “she gains a bonus from Harpie Lady 1, and Castle of Clouds!”

(2,400/1,300)

“Cyber Harpie,” ordered Kurtis, “wipe out his mushroom!”

Cyber Harpie Lady flew forward and cracked her whip! Goombella shrieked and shattered into pixels.

Francesca and Andy gasped. It was as if someone had driven a dagger into them…

And Stan was just as upset…

His Life Points fell to 13,100.

“You’ll pay for that, Kurtis,” he snarled.

“Just send me the bill,” whispered Kurtis. “Now make your move…”

Storm clouds began to appear over Castle of Clouds. Neo Aqua Madoor looked up in worry…

Stan drew.

Just as I planned, he thought, looking at it, The Sage’s Stone. And thanks to Goombella, my next draw will be Dark Magician Girl.

Once I draw her, I’ll summon her by sacrificing my Madoor, and then use this to summon Dark Magician! Then this duel is as good as won!

“I’ll pass this turn,” he said, adding the card to his hand.

“Fine,” whispered Kurtis, drawing.

“I’ll play a Pot of Greed of my own…” he said.

He fit a card into a slot, and the Pot of Greed handed him two more cards.

He looked at them. He grinned a sinister grin…

“I’ll summon Whirlwind Prodigy in Attack Mode!” he exclaimed, placing a card down.

A windstorm blew across the field, and a young boy dressed in brown appeared next to the Harpies. He was surrounded by buffeting winds, and strange birds and bats flew about him. (1,500/1,600) –> (2,100/1,600)

“Eek!” shrieked Francesca. “Stan, watch out! That Monster…!”

“Quiet Francesca!” shouted Kurtis. “It’s against the rules to shout out help!”

Francesca bowed her head.

Kurtis took the other card.

“I’ll place a card facedown, and that will end my turn,” he announced.

He fit a card in a slot, and it appeared behind his Monsters.

“Well,” said Stan with a smile, “I don’t know what secret your Whirlwind Prodigy is hiding, but I’ll destroy him before you can do anything with him!”

He reached for his deck…

“Not so fast, Stan!” shouted Kurtis.

His Trap Card lifted.

“What? A Trap?” gasped Stan.

“Activate… Time Seal!” laughed Kurtis.

“Ack!” gasped Stan. “That stops me from drawing any cards!”

“Exactly,” said Kurtis, with a smile.

“All right,” said Stan, taking a card from his hand. “I’ll place this card facedown, and end my turn.”

He set the card, and it appeared behind Neo Aqua Madoor.

Kurtis chuckled evilly as he drew his next card.

“Now I can really take a bite out of your Life Points,” he said in his soft voice. “You see, when I sacrifice Whirlwind Prodigy, he counts as two Monsters, so long as I sacrifice him to summon a Wind Monster…”

He switched cards on his Disk. Whirlwind Prodigy vanished.

And a huge explosion lit up the sky of Castle of Clouds!

A huge Dragon with maroon-colored scales, bat-like wings, a golden leash around its neck, and a bejeweled tiara formed out of the explosion. It roared a bellowing roar! (2,000/2,500)

“What is THAT?” gasped Stan.

“Harpie’s Pet Dragon,” answered Kurtis, “the Harpies’ loyal companion, servant, and bodyguard. She may not look like much by herself, but she gains 300 Attack points for each Harpie on the field… plus another 300 due to Harpie Lady 1’s effect, plus and additional 300 from Castle of Clouds!”

(3,500/2,500)

“No!” gasped Petuni. “I can’t watch!”

She buried her head in Ivan’s arms.

“Harpie’s Pet Dragon,” ordered Kurtis, “melt his Neo Aqua Madoor!”

The huge Dragon belched forth a stream of flame, and Neo Aqua Madoor was blasted into vapor!

Stan’s Life Points fell to 12,600.

“Now my beautiful Harpies,” shouted Kurtis, “attack him directly!”

The three Harpies screeched and flew into formation… Stan gulped…

Harpie Lady 1 clawed at him with her arm talons! Harpie Lady 3 raked with her foot talons! And Cyber Harpie Lady lashed with her whip!

Stan fell over and winced in pain. His Life Points plummeted to 6,600.

“STAN!” gasped Andy. “Are you okay?”

“Define ‘okay’,” moaned Stan.

He dragged himself to his feet.

“Still haven’t figured out that it’s hopeless?” chuckled Kurtis. “Please. You’re suffering for no reason. Why don’t you just give up and save yourself the embarrassment?”

“Kurtis,” said Stan with a snarl, “do you know what it will take for me to surrender to a bully like you?”

“I dunno,” sighed Kurtis with a smirk. “Would Hell have to freeze over?”

“Not only would Hell have to freeze over,” growled Stan, “but the Devil would have to start giving free sleigh rides!”

He drew.

He took another card from his hand.

Maybe this will be even better, he thought.

“I play… Monster Reborn!” he exclaimed. “To bring back Goombella!”

He played the Magic Card, and Goombella reappeared. (500/2,000)

She hopped on his shoulders again.

“You know what that means,” said Stan, with a smile. “Her Tattle kicks in again!”

The top four cards flew off of the top of his deck, and appeared before him. he consulted with Goombella again, and the cards rearranged. They flew back to the top of his deck.

Goombella hopped back to the floor.

“Now,” he continued, “I’ll sacrifice Goombella to summon Dark Magician Girl!”

Goombella winked, and then vanished. A flurry of hearts filled Stan’s side of the field, and the sexy, buxom sorceress flew into view. (2,000/1,700)

“Now,” said Stan, taking a card from his hand, “I play The Sage’s Stone!”

He fit the card into a slot, and a gemstone appeared in the air. Dark Magician Girl caught it, and it glowed.

A card flew out of Stan’s deck, and alighted on his Disk…

The mighty Dark Magician appeared! (2,500/2,100)

The two Magicians nodded to each other.

Kurtis drew back…

But then he regained his composure.

Clever, Stan, he thought, but you haven’t won yet…

“Before I attack,” continued Stan, “I’ll activate my facedown card…”

His card lifted.

“Gift of the Mystical Elf!”

The card glowed, and a huge vision of Mystical Elf appeared behind him.

“This Trap Card increases my Life Points by 300 for each Monster on the field, and I count six!”

His Life Points went up to 8,400.

“Dark Magician Girl, attack Harpie Lady 1!” commanded Stan.

Dark Magician Girl leapt up into the air, and fired her scepter! Harpie Lady 1 screamed and burst!

Kurtis’s Life Points fell to 7,500.

“With her out of the way,” said Stan, “Your two other Harpies lose 300 Attack Points, and your Dragon loses 600!”

Harpie Lady 3’s Attack score fell to 1,600, Cyber Harpie Lady’s fell to 2,100, and Harpie’s Pet Dragon’s fell to 2,900.

“Your point being?” chuckled Kurtis.

Stan ignored the wisecrack.

“Dark Magician, attack his Cyber Harpie Lady with dark magic attack!”

Dark Magician spun his staff, and fired, blowing Cyber Harpie away!

Kurtis’s Life Points fell to 7,100.

“And now your Dragon gets even weaker,” mocked Stan.

The Dragon’s Attack Score fell to 2,600.

“Are you quite done?” asked Kurtis.

“Yes,” said Stan.

Kurtis drew.

“Harpie’s Pet Dragon,” he ordered, “attack Dark Magician!”

“What?” said Stan, in shock.

The Dragon exhaled her flame, and Dark Magician was incinerated.

Stan’s Life Points fell to 8,300.

“That was a stupid move, Kurtis!” exclaimed Stan. “By sending Dark Magician to the Graveyard, Dark Magician Girl’s Attack Score is increased by 300!”

“So?” asked Kurtis with a yawn.

“So?” said Stan. “Once she destroys your last Harpie, their Attack Scores will be equal, and we’ll have a standoff!”

“Well by all means, try,” mocked Kurtis in a whisper. “I end my turn.”

“Ha, ha!” laughed Francesca. “Kurtis you jerk! You forgot to move your Harpie into Defense Mode!”

“Um… oops?” said Kurtis, with a shrug.

“Oops is right!” exclaimed Stan, drawing.

He looked at the Monster Card. He added it to his hand.

“Dark Magician Girl,” he ordered, “attack Harpie Lady 3!”

Dark Magician Girl cast forth her dark spell; Harpie Lady 3 screamed and was blown away.

Kurtis’s Life Points fell to 6,400.

“Well, so much for your Harpies,” said Stan with a smile.

“So you say,” whispered Kurtis. “Well, take a look at your Dark Magician Girl…”

“Huh?” said Stan.

Dark Magician Girl gasped… And then she froze into a statue!

“WHAT?” shouted Stan. “My Dark Magician Girl! She turned to stone!”

“That’s right!” chuckled Kurtis. “All due to Harpie Lady 3’s curse! You see, any Monster that battles her can’t attack for two of your turns! So until then, Dark Magician Girl’s only use to you is as a big doorstop!”

He laughed again.

“You are one nasty kid, do you know that?” growled Francesca.

Kurtis chuckled.

“You know Fran,” he said, “this is getting fun. Maybe once I finish your pal here, I’ll take care of you next! Won’t my mom be pleased…”

“Wait!” shouted Ivan. “That wasn’t part of the deal!”

“QUIET!” yelled Kurtis.

He held out his hand, and a fierce gust of wind blew Ivan over. Petuni ran to help him up.

“Some people will believe in anything,” sighed Kurtis. “Deals, bargains… the Tooth Fairy. He should be glad I’m not going to blow this whole tree over once I’m done… Maybe I will anyway…”

Stan stared at him.

“Make… your… move…” he growled.

Kurtis drew.

“I chose to pass again this turn,” he said, adding the card to his hand.

“You’re up to something,” snarled Stan, making his own draw.

He looked at the Trap Card.

“So I’ll place this card facedown, and that will end my turn.”

He fit the card into a slot, and it appeared behind the petrified Dark Magician Girl.

Kurtis drew.

“Heh, heh,” he chuckled. “Well, it’s time to make a move that will blow you over!”

He put a card down on his Disk.

“I summon… Sonic Bird!” he exclaimed.

A sound like a jet engine erupted over the field, and a large eagle wearing a jetpack and aviator’s goggles flew into view. (1,400/1,000) –> (1,700/1,000)

“By summoning this little guy, I can…” he started.

“I know!” interrupted Stan. “He lets you add a Ritual Magic Card to your hand from your deck!”

“Smart,” mumbled Kurtis.

A glowing card flew out of his deck, and he caught it.

“See this?” he said, softly, showing it to Stan. “It’s a Ritual called Chant of the Harpies!”

“Chant of the Harpies?” said Stan, in wonder. “I’ve… never heard of that one…”

“This Harpie Lady accessory is so rare, that not even Mai Valentine knows about it!” chuckled Kurtis, plugging it into his Disk. “But when I finally meet her, I’ll give her this card and the Monster Card – she’ll be sure to accept me then!”

“That seems unlikely…” scowled Stan.

Kurtis ignored him…

A strange altar decorated with birdlike totems and fetishes appeared on his side of the field. Then the three Harpie Lady Sisters appeared over it, and started chanting in a musical song.

“To complete this ceremony, I’ll sacrifice my Harpie Girl, and Sonic Bird itself…” said Kurtis.

Sonic Bird hopped up on the altar, and then a cute, young Harpie in a black outfit with pink wings appeared on it…

The two Monsters vanished into sparkles, and then the chanting Harpies vanished. Kurtis put a card down on his Disk.

“…and I’ll summon… Calypso the Harpie Queen!

An intense light shone over Castle of Clouds, and a tall form alighted on the altar. She looked like a Harpie Lady, but more beautiful than the others, with long, golden hair, platinum armor, and metallic wings. She was decked in gold jewelry and a crown. (1,900/1,900) –> (2,200/1,900)

“Okay, impressive…” stuttered Stan.

“Your about to be more impressed,” chuckled Kurtis. “When Calypso is summoned, her effect activates!”

Calypso started to sing a lovely song, and three forms started to appear next to her.

“What’s happening?” asked Stan. “What is she… YAAAAHH!”

Before Stan’s unbelieving eyes, Harpie Lady 1, Harpie Lady 3, and Cyber Harpie Lady reappeared!

“Calypso can resurrect up to three of her subjects from the Graveyard!” laughed Kurtis. “With my army in front of me, I truly have the wind beneath my wings!”

(1,300/1,400) –> (1,900/1,400), (1,300/1,400) –> (1,900/1,400), (1,800/1,300) –> (2,400/1,300)

Calypso’s Attack Score went up to 2,500, while that of Harpie’s Pet Dragon went back up to 3,500!

“No…” cried Francesca.

Blue fire burned in Kurtis’s eyes.

“It may be a little late, but here’s a tip, Stan,” he chuckled, “next time you go out in stormy weather, bring a poncho! Not that there’s going to be a next time! Calypso, attack his Dark Magician Girl with Harpie’s windstorm!”

Miniature whirlwinds encircled Calypso’s hands, and she shot forth a blast of air.

“Not so fast!” shouted Stan. “I activate Magic Cylinder!”

His Trap Card lifted, and two Cylinders appeared in front of him. The windstorm blasted into one of them, and blasted out the other, slamming into Kurtis, knocking him over!

“Ow…” he cursed.

His Life Points fell to 3,900.

“Fine,” he whispered, getting up. “I’m adaptable. But you’re just delaying the inevitable. Harpie’s Pet Dragon, you attack that bitch!”

The Dragon exhaled a furious gout of flame, and Dark Magician Girl was incinerated!

Stan’s Life Points fell to 7,100.

“Now my Harpies,” said Kurtis, evilly, “prey…”

The three Harpies screeched and flew at Stan! They savagely tore at him and lashed at him with the whip!

Stan fell over, as his Life Points plummeted to 900.

“You might as well stay down,” he heard Kurtis’s soft voice say as he felt himself losing consciousness. “Forgive me for making such a crude remark, but you… blew it!”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Someone was nudging Stan’s face.

“Stan, get up!” said a young, female voice he had never heard before.

He groggily got up…

And saw himself face-to-face with Goombella.

“Goombella?” he groaned.

“I’d help you up,” she answered, “but as you can see, I have no arms.”

Her voice was tough and sassy… and maybe a little bossy.

“How can you be here?” he asked. “You’re in my Graveyard…”

“Come on now, Stan!” she urged. “You of all people should know that Duel Monsters are immortal! And I’m different than most – I’m attached to you in ways you can’t imagine!

“You have to keep fighting! You can’t let Kurtis win! Once he defeats you, Francesca and Andy won’t last long… And if the Shadow Queen escapes…

“…the world is in jeopardy…”

“Oh, please…” groaned Stan. “Not that crazy story again…”

Goombella gave him an angry look.

And then she jumped up and stomped on his head!

“OW!” shouted Stan. “Why’d you do that?”

“I’m trying to drive some sense into you, lead-head!” shouted Goombella. “Stan, you deny it now, but do you know what I think? I think you and your two friends are just too afraid to admit it!

“And besides, you said you were going to teach Kurtis a lesson because you hated bullies… You want to know something?

“There was a reason I joined your forefather – because he saved ME from a bully. One that, it turned out, was working for the Shadow Queen, even though we didn’t know it at the time. People who pick on others who are weaker than them are scum. So show him how it’s done!”

“How?” moaned Stan. “He has five powerful Monsters on the field, and I have a clear side… and very little in my hand…”

“True,” said Goombella, “but thanks to me, you know what your next two draws will be…”

She smirked.

“Think about it!”

She nudged him again with her foot.

“Now get up, and go get ‘em! Don’t let your friends and the people of The Great Tree down!

“You may not WANT to play the hero, but you’re gonna HAVE to!”

She gave him a kick.

“Because frankly, you have no choice…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Stan woke up.

He slowly picked up his cards. He got up to his feet.

“Humph,” sighed Kurtis. “For a minute there, I thought I might be able to win by forfeit…”

“This isn’t over yet, Kurtis…” snarled Stan.

“Still trying to win?” sighed Kurtis.

The three Harpies and their Queen chuckled evilly, and their pet growled.

“We’ll see,” said Stan, drawing.

He added the card to his hand, and took another card from his hand.

“I’ve had it with your sadistic attitude, you big bag of wind,” he said, “so I’m willing to take a major risk to defeat you…”

He put a card down.

“I’m summoning Blast Magician, in Attack Mode!”

A flame erupted in front of him, and the fiery Spellcaster appeared, brandishing his sickle-ended staff. (1,400/1,700)

“That’s weak!” mocked Kurtis.

“Maybe so,” replied Stan, taking the card he had just drawn, “but I’m also playing this…”

He fit a card into a slot.

“Swords of Revealing Light!”


Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:



A shower of Swords rained from the heavens and crashed down upon Kurtis’s side. The Harpies and their Dragon drew back in surprise.

“And that’s my turn,” he said with a grin.

“Great!” exclaimed Andy. “Now Stan has three turns to figure out a way out of this!”

Kurtis frowned as he drew a card.

“Fine,” he said. “If that’s your game, I’ll just pass this turn…

“But you’re taking a big risk here, Stan. If I managed to draw something that would destroy your Swords, only one attack would win me this duel!”

“True,” said Stan, nodding, “but you’d have won anyway if I hadn’t. So faced with a serious risk or certain defeat, I’d rather take the serious risk.”

“Touché,” said Kurtis, with a shrug.

Stan drew.

He took another card from his hand and fit it into a slot.

“Now I’ll play this,” he said. “Premature Burial!”

His Life Points fell to 100.

“I’ll use it to revive my Dark Magician!”

The card appeared on the field, and the clouds below parted. Dark Magician crawled out. (2,500/2,100)

“Is Stan out of his skull?” gasped Petuni. “How can he win with only 100 Life Points left?”

“I guess he figured he had nothing left to lose…” said Francesca, with a shrug. “100 isn’t all that less than 900 in perspective…”

“And now,” continued Stan, “I’ll use this!”

He played the Magic Card he had just drawn.

“Dedication Through Light And Darkness!”

A card flew out of his Disk, and he caught it.

“Now I can sacrifice Dark Magician for an even stronger Spellcaster!” he exclaimed.

He switched cards, and Dark Magician and the Premature Burial card vanished.

“Dark Magician of Chaos, come forth!”

The powerful sorcerer appeared, holding his glowing scepter! (2,800/2,600)

“NO!” shouted Kurtis. “You managed to summon a very powerful Monster!”

“Yes, and that’s just part one of my genius plan!” exclaimed Stan. “You see, when Dark Magician of Chaos is summoned, I get to retrieve one Magic Card from my Graveyard… And I’m going to use that ability to retrieve one that I discarded when I used Graceful Charity on my first turn!”

An orb of light shot out of his discard slot, and it formed into a card. He caught it, and placed it into a slot.

“It’s a Magic Card called… Scroll of Bewitchment!”

“Scroll of Bewitchment?” said Kurtis, sounding confused. “What does that do?”

“Simple,” replied Stan. “It’s an Equip Card that lets me change a Monster’s Attribute. So I’ll use it to change Dark Magician of Chaos’s Attribute from Dark… to Wind!”

A long scroll of parchment appeared, surrounding Dark Magician of Chaos in its reams. It vanished, and his raiment turned sky blue.

“What good will THAT do you?” asked Kurtis, even more confused.

“Isn’t it obvious?” said Stan with a smile.

Kurtis stared for a minute…

Then it sunk in.

“AWK!” he gasped. “If he’s a Wind Monster, then he gets the boost from my Castle of Clouds!”

“AND the bonus from Harpie Lady 1,” said Stan with a grin, “so thanks a bunch!”

Harpie Lady 1 gasped!

Dark Magician of Chaos soared up to 3,400 Attack!

“But I won’t be using him just yet,” continued Stan. “Now we get to part three of my brilliant strategy!”

“Part three?” gasped Kurtis.

“Yes!” exclaimed Stan. “Namely, my Blast Magician! I’ve played four magic cards since I summoned him – that gives him the ability to destroy a Monster with up to 2,800 Attack Points!

“And since I learn from my mistakes… Blast Magician, destroy Harpie Lady 3!”

Blast Magician’s staff blazed with flames! They shot forward, and Harpie Lady 3 screamed as she was engulfed in fire! Within seconds, she was reduced to ashes.

“Now, Dark Magician of…” started Stan, “or should I say, Wind Magician of Chaos, attack Harpie Lady 1 with chaos scepter blast!”

The chaos mage twirled his staff and slammed it to the ground! A fierce tornado shot forth, and shot towards Harpie Lady 1! She screamed and was torn apart!

“Yes, go Stan!” shouted Andy.

“Put that bully in his place!” yelled Francesca.

“Finish him off, Stan!” cheered Petuni.

Cyber Harpie Lady’s Attack fell to 2,100, Calypso’s fell to 2,200, and that of Harpie’s Pet Dragon fell all the way to 2,600. Dark Magician of Chaos dropped to 3,100 Attack, but he was still the strongest Monster on the field.

And Kurtis’s Life Points plummeted to 2,300.

“And by the way,” mentioned Stan, “Harpie Lady 1 isn’t just gone, she’s staying gone, because any Monster destroyed by my chaos magician is removed from play.

“Make your move…”

Kurtis looked at his hand…

Curses… he thought. I just have to draw something to destroy his Swords… Heavy Storm, Mystical Space Typhoon, either one will do…

He drew.

Another Castle of Clouds? he thought, in panic. Talk about worthless!

Sweat started to bead on his face.

I can’t risk taking any more damage until I think of something… he thought.

His hand shook.

He turned the cards on his Disk.

“I’m switching Cyber Harpie Lady, Calypso, and my Dragon to Defense Mode,” he said, nervously.

Calypso and the Harpie shielded themselves with their wings, as did their Dragon.

“It’s your move…” he snarled.

“Heh, heh…” chuckled Stan. “HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!”

“What’s so funny?” shouted Stan.

“Kurtis, you made the dumbest mistake yet,” replied Stan. “Namely, you panicked. And in doing so, you made a sloppy move – you forgot all about the second effect of your own powerful Field Card!”

“Huh?” said Kurtis.

He paused.

“NOOO!” he shouted. “Wind Monsters have a trampling effect when it’s active!”

“Right!” said Stan, with a smirk. “And every one of your Monsters has a lower Defense Score than their Attack Score right now!”

He drew.

“Now, I’ll sacrifice my Blast Magician for my mighty Chaos Command Magician!” he shouted, switching cards.

Blast Magician vanished in a bright light, and a sorcerer in a glossy black robe, cape, and hat with sharp edges, carrying a staff appeared. (2,400/1,900)

“Chaos Command Magician, attack his Cyber Harpie with chaos magic!” he shouted.

Chaos Command Magician aimed his staff, and shot forth a wave of rainbow-colored light. Cyber Harpie screamed, and was consumed by the radiance.

“Now my chaos mage, attack his Dragon!”

Dark Magician of Chaos fired his wind magic at the immense Dragon and she roared! She was blown into pixels.

Kurtis gasped, as his Life Points fell to 1,600.

“Your move now…” dared Stan.

“No…” moaned Kurtis drawing.

“Got to be… something I can… do…”

He looked at his cards…

But there wasn’t anything.

There was a long pause.

“Well?” asked Stan. “Are you going to move or aren’t you?”

“No,” said Kurtis with an angry scowl. “Make your last attack… You win this round. But mark my words… this is far from over…”

Stan just glared at him as he drew.

“Chaos Command Magician, attack Calypso!” shouted Stan.

The Spellcaster cast forth his bright spell, and Calypso the Harpie Queen was obliterated.

“Now, Dark Magician of Chaos, attack him directly, and wipe out the rest of his Life Points!”

Dark Magician of Chaos shot forth his windy spell, and Kurtis screamed! He fell to his knees…

As Kurtis’s Life Points fell to zero, he transformed into a cloudy mass. A sigh like a gentle breeze was heard, and he dissipated.

The Castle of Clouds vanished, as did Stan’s two Monsters.

Stan took a card out of his discard slot.

Thanks Goombella, he thought. Merlee’s story is a little farfetched… But maybe I’ll think about it some more…

Francesca and Andy ran up to hug him.

“Oh, Stan,” said Ivan. He wiped his brow again. “How can we thank you?”

“Well, you can start by…” started Stan.

“Wait…” started Ivan. “I know exactly how I can thank you... come with me…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Fifteen minutes later, on a lower level, Ivan, Petuni, and the three teenagers were in a museum filled with antique clocks.

“Um, Ivan,” said Francesca, “we appreciate the tour of your Museum of Historic Timepieces, but I think Stan was hoping for a more material reward…”

“This isn’t just a museum,” said Ivan, “this is a vault!”

He went up to a very old grandfather clock.

“Kurtis wanted something else when he was here,” said Ivan, “something I was trusted with. I lied, and told him I didn’t know what he was talking about… And I wouldn’t have given it to him if he had burned the whole town down!

“It’s been waiting here until someone showed up to oppose thugs like him… And certainly, it will be safer with you…”

He started to turn the hands on the clock.

“Seven-fifteen left,” he said, “nine-thirty right, one o’clock left.”

A clicking was heard, and the grandfather clock moved aside. In a small, hidden alcove was a podium…

…on which was a Duel Monsters card.

Ivan handed it to Stan.

“Here, take it,” he said. “It’s a powerful card – you can use it well.”

Stan looked at it, as Andy and Francesca crowded around.

It was a Magic Card called “Clock Out”.

“Well, that is remarkable,” said Stan.

“And please,” said Ivan, “stay as our guests at least until tomorrow morning – we’ll put you up in our finest lodgings.”

“Works for me,” said Francesca with a shrug.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

In a dark place, Kurtis came to his senses.

He turned and saw Melissa trapped in the Nightmare Steel Cage… with a girlish grin on her face.

“Ha, ha, you messed up, windbag,” chuckled Melissa.

“Yeah? So did you, lighthead!” scowled Kurtis.

“Melissa, you’re in enough trouble already,” said a sinister voice from in front of them.

The Shadow Queen walked out of the darkness, frowning like a thunderstorm. Kurtis shivered…

“Uh, mom…” he stuttered.

“On your feet, Kurtis!” she demanded.

Kurtis got up.

“What have you got to say for yourself?” she said, angrily.

“Uh,” said Kurtis, sweating. “Will begging and groveling help?”

“No,” she answered.

“That’s what I figured…” muttered Kurtis.

“This is getting out of hand,” grumbled the Shadow Queen, flicking her Disk into position. “First Melissa goofs up, and now you… It won’t be long before those three start to figure the situation out…”

She took five cards out of her dress.

“Now choose a card, Kurtis, and make it quick!”

“Uh…” said Kurtis.

Sweat started to pour down his face.

“C’mon,” said the Queen. “If you don’t choose one in one minute, I’m going to let your sister decide.”

Melissa grinned broadly at him.

“No!” shouted Kurtis.

He shakily pointed his finger.

“The one in the middle…” he stammered.

“Fine,” said the Queen, taking it.

She slid it into her Disk.

“Spellbinding Circle!” she exclaimed.

Kurtis screamed, as a shimmering pentagram formed around him and he froze in place.

The Queen put the cards away and turned to leave.

“Bad choice,” chuckled his sister.

“Can it, Melissa!” snapped Kurtis (as best he could, seeing as he couldn’t move his mouth).

As the Shadow Queen exited the chamber, thoughts were on her mind.

Kurtis may have failed, she thought, but I did manage to gain one thing…

…knowledge.

That wretched Stanley used a Monster Card that was a dead wringer for that accursed Goomba that aided my enemies a millennium ago. Clearly, Maximillion Pegasus did not design this card – and I’d be a fool to think that this is the only Monster card of its type that those three brats have.

Clearly, those meddling Seven Companions have been reborn in the form of cards…

The only question is… How did those kids get them?



CASTLE OF CLOUDS

Card Specs

Type: Magic/Field
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a majestic palace of blue gems amid a sea of fluffy clouds. When this card is active, increase the ATK of all WIND Monsters on the field by 300. When a WIND Monster attacks a Defense Position Monster who’s DEF is lower than the attacking Monster’s ATK, inflict Life Point damage to the attacked Monster’s controller equal to the difference between the Attacking Monster’s ATK and the attacked Monster’s DEF.



CHANT OF THE HARPIES

Card Specs

Type: Magic/Ritual
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of three Harpie Ladies dancing over a stone altar decorated with a bird-like motif. This card is used to ritual summon “Calypso the Harpie Queen”. You must also offer Monsters whose total Level Stars equal six or more from the field or your hand.



CALYPSO THE HARPIE QUEEN

Card Specs

Type: Winged Beast/Ritual/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 6
ATK: 1,900
DEF: 1,900

Card Description: This powerful avian being is the queen, goddess – and some say mother – of the three Harpie Lady Sisters. She has the power to revive her daughters should they perish. This card can only be ritual summoned with the Ritual Magic Card “Chant of the Harpies”. You must also offer Monsters whose total Level Stars equal six or more from the field or your hand. When this Monster is successfully ritual summoned, you can special summon up to three “Harpie Lady” cards to the field from your Graveyard in Attack or Defense Mode.

Note: “Chant of the Harpies” and “Calypso the Harpie Queen” first appeared in “The Mandate of Heaven”



GOOMBELLA THE SCHOLAR

Card Specs

Type: Spellcaster/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 500
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: The first member of the Seven Companions, there was very little this smart – and sassy – little Goomba could not figure out. When this Monster is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, look at the four cards on the top of your deck, and replace them in any order.



[B][I]Coming up next:

You may have liked Kurtis’s Field Magic Card Castle of Clouds, but coming up next, our team is invited to a castle among the clouds! Namely… Glitzville!

And once there, the team barely has time to take in the sights, when Francesca is ambushed by a strange character who forces her to duel for incredible stakes. Oh, and Merlee might show up again too. Don’t miss a chapter I call “Strike of the Assassin”, coming soon.

[Dark Sage]

[B][I]You ever hear of a Monster named Jowgen the Spiritualist? He’s weak, but he can destroy any Special Summoned Monster.

These days, folks use him in decks called “Last Turn Decks”. The idea is to purposely bring your Life Points down to 1,000 or less, summon Jowgen, and activate the Trap called Last Turn. If you pull it off, you win automatically, because Jowgen’s ability prevents your opponent from summoning anything.

Unfortunately, no-one seems to realize anymore that Jowgen is so useful for his original purpose – destroying Special Summoned Monsters. And some of the deadliest Monsters these days are Special Summoned. Take Black Luster Soldier – Envoy of the Beginning, for instance. Dark Necrofear is another example. And so is every Fusion and Ritual Monster.

Why am I bringing this up, you ask?

Because I’m dueling for my life…

And Jowgen the Spiritualist would be a great card to have in my deck right now…



[B]

[size=3]CHAPTER TEN



Strike of the Assassin

At six AM the next morning, Lord Crump crawled out of bed.

Ooh, he thought, clutching his stomach, that’s the last time I order the spicy bouillabaisse…

The cell phone by his bed rang.

Now what? he thought.

He answered it.

“Crump,” said the Queen’s voice. “I have an assignment for you that’s going to make you very happy…”

“That seems doubtful…” muttered Crump.

“What was that?” asked the Queen.

“Nothing,” sighed Crump. “I was clearing my throat. So what do I have to do?”

“I want you to go to Glitzville,” answered the Queen.

Crump perked up with excitement.

“Glitzville?” he exclaimed. “I haven’t been there in ages!”

“Don’t get too excited,” warned the Queen. “This will be strictly business. Show your I.D. to the conductor at the blimp port for the 10 AM shuttle, and you’ll be let on board. I’ll give you further instructions once you’re there.

“Now move it!”

She hung up.

“Wow!” exclaimed Crump. “She hasn’t let me go there since the… um… popcorn incident. Not that that was really my fault…

“Better hustle…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Half an hour earlier, Stan was in the middle of a nightmare…

He was dreaming he was running though a mountainous valley, being chased by three ravenous Harpie Ladies…

He stumbled and fell. They shrieked with glee and swooped down on him…

Just before they had their claws on him, he felt Andy shaking him awake.

“Ugh…” moaned Stan. “Thanks…”

“Thanks for waking you up?” asked Andy.

“No, long story…” muttered Stan. “What time is it?”

“Six,” replied Andy. “Petuni called me and told us someone wants to meet us for an early breakfast – something important, she said.”

Stan sighed.

“Well,” he said, “if it’s another ambush, you take care of it.”

“Funny,” sighed Andy. “I kind of wish that jerk didn’t disappear… I could have used those Field Cards for my deck…”

“Ah, whatcha gonna do?” sighed Stan. “First dibs on the shower…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

It was the same restaurant where they had met Kurtis, but this time it wasn’t as threatening. For one, the place was crowded. For another, the atmosphere was much nicer.

Ivan Punio led the three teens to a rounded table that was laden with muffins, bagels and croissants. Sitting there was a familiar face. A woman in a business suit with glasses and her hair tied in a bun…

“Wha?” said Francesca, quizzically. “Sydney Meyers?”

“Hi kids!” she said with a wave. “Sorry to get you up so early, but I’m on a busy schedule… Council work, you know… Sit down!”

They sat down.

“Anyway,” she continued, “I can’t thank you enough for saving The Great Tree from that… thug. We are so sorry if the Shadow Queen’s goons are giving you trouble…”

“Excuse me for asking, Ms. Meyers,” accused Stan, “but I seem to remember you making a joke about the Shadow Queen ‘waiting for us’ behind The Thousand Year Door when you briefed us…”

“Yes, well,” said Meyers, nervously, pulling at her collar, “the fact is… mistakes have been made, and the true Shadow Queen is apparently trying to disrupt the tournament. But don’t worry, we’ll handle her. If she’s gotten into The Thousand Year Door, we’ll root her out…”

They all looked at her.

“Anyway,” she continued (nervously again), “to show our appreciation for saving The Great Tree… Punio, give them the envelope…”

Ivan placed an envelope on the table.

“…you may have heard of a place called ‘Glitzville’ that contestants need the permission of a Council member to go to – well, consider this your permission! The next blimp leaves at ten this morning…”

“Blimp?” asked Andy. “Where is this place, on a cloud?”

“Actually, yes…” stuttered Meyers.

They drew back in surprise.

“A marvel of technology,” she continued. “They built a small amusement center in the sky, and the main attraction is the Glitz Pit, a sporting arena. And I assure you, only the best contestants will be there today… You like a challenge don’t you?”

Francesca took the pass out of the envelope and looked at it.

“Well,” she said, “eat up and get to the blimp station, and happy dueling! I’ve got to be going…”

She got up and hurried off.

Francesca picked up a muffin and started to butter it.

“So what are we waiting for?” asked Stan.

“I dunno,” sighed Francesca. “With all that’s happening, this may be a trap…”

“Yeah,” shuddered Andy. “I don’t know about that Meyers woman. For all we know, she could be the Shadow Queen in disguise. She even looks a little like her.”

“Oh come on,” said Stan, “that’s ridiculous…”

“What do you mean, ridiculous?” snapped Andy.

“Look,” answered Stan, “Meyers wears glasses, and the Shadow Queen doesn’t, so…”

“Oh, Stan come on!” said Andy, rolling his eyes.

“Well, the Queen doesn’t look like the type who’d wear contact lenses!” protested Stan.

“Still,” said Francesca, “an arena in the clouds… It is tempting… And judging from the map, it’s either this or we take a long trek to… ‘Twilight Town’…”

They all looked at each other.

“Glitzville,” they all said at once.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

After bidding Ivan and Petuni goodbye, the trio packed up their Disks, decks, and belongings, and headed in the directions they gave them. It wasn’t long before the trees and tall grasses of Boggly Woods started to thin.

Eventually, a sign with the words “Blimp Port” written on it appeared on the roadside, and they quickly went in that direction.

They saw it from a long distance away. A zeppelin the size of the Goodyear Blimp was parked outside a small building. And it seemed that they were not the only ones waiting to board. A line was forming outside the building.

Sheesh, thought Francesca. Day three of the tournament, and already the Council is making use of their executive rights.

They got into line behind someone. He turned and noticed them.

They didn’t know who it was, but he knew who they were…

He turned away from them.

Act natural Crump, he thought, act natural…

He remembered that he had chewing gum in his pocket. He reached in to get it.

As he took the gum, he was startled by Francesca’s voice.

“Hey, pal!” she said.

“ACK!” shouted Crump. “Don’t!”

“Uh, buddy,” she said. “Your wallet fell out of your pocket when you took that gum out…”

Crump looked down.

“Oh,” he said. “I knew that…”

He picked up his wallet.

“Uh, better go use the bathroom,” he said.

He ran towards the men’s room.

“Hey!” shouted Francesca. “You’ll lose your place in line!”

“S’okay!” he shouted back. “I like waiting in line!”

The three of them turned to each other.

“Weirdo,” said Stan.

“Speaking of weird…” muttered Andy.

They all turned and saw who had gotten into line behind them.

A chill came over them when they saw her.

Her Disk indicated her as a duelist, but her fashion sense was… creepy.

She wore a black leotard with long sleeves, and wore a midnight blue cloak with a hood, as well as boots that were the same color. Her hair was dark, and her complexion was pale.

They looked at her for a minute.

“It’s impolite to stare!” she snapped.

“Sorry,” they all said at once.

Who ordered Goth? thought Stan.

Crump watched them from a distance.

Think I’ll just wait here for the boarding call, he thought.


[B]

* * * * * * * * *

Ever since the Hindenburg disaster of 1921, passenger zeppelins had been pretty much taboo, and blimps in general were uncommon. There wasn’t much danger anymore – blimps weren’t filled with volatile hydrogen anymore, making them much safer. Still, airplanes were faster and safer yet, so there was no need for passenger zeppelins to make a comeback.

Still, this particular blimp seemed rather nice – the seats in the cabin were all first class-style, and the windows were huge.

As Stan, Andy, and Francesca took their seats, they saw the odd Goth girl sitting across from them.

They knew it was impolite to stare, but this duelist was creeping them out.

“Welcome passengers,” said a voice over a loudspeaker. “We will be departing shortly. We will arrive in Glitzville after only a half-hour flight. Enjoy your time there.”

The engines whirred to life, and the huge blimp started to take off…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

The Shadow Queen watched from her throne room. She rubbed her chin…

She took her cell phone out of her dress.

“Crump?” she said into it.

“Oh, your excellence,” was the response. “I’m on the blimp…”

“Well before you get airsick, listen up,” she responded. “When you get there, there’s an incredibly probable chance that one of those kids is going to be challenged, and a duel will take place. You know what to do…”

“Of course,” said Crump. “And maybe then I can…”

“Forget it Crump!” snapped the Queen. “I saw you run in fear when they saw you. You may talk tough, but you’re never going to be anything more than a coward! And I don’t need a duelist who’s likely to panic in the middle of a duel!”

“Hey!” protested Crump. “I might have gotten nervous, but…”

“Quiet!” she snapped. “And hay is for horses!”

She hung up.

She closed her eyes and concentrated.

Lotus, are you there? she said in her mind.

There was a pause.

Yes, responded a slow, feminine voice. You were right about Glitzville, master – it is a great place to duel. I already have four Crystal Cards…

Yes, that’s all well and good, relayed the Queen, but enough warm-up duels. Your true target will soon be there. You know the plan. Succeed, and you’ll be richly rewarded…

And I’m sure you know the price for failure…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“Ladies and gentlemen,” said the pilot, “if you look to your right, you’ll be able to see our destination clearly.”

Everyone looked out the window. It was an awe-inspiring sight – Glitzville was like a miniature Las Vegas, built on top of a cloud-like base, floating in mid-air! Neon lights of all the colors of the rainbow flashed from the buildings. Certainly, this was the entertainment center of Monster Island…

Eventually, the blimp landed on a large landing pad near the edge of the floating island, and the passengers disembarked.

“Well,” said Andy, in wonder, “what should we do first?”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

The nerve of that witch, thought Crump, as he followed the three kids. I’m not a coward!

He paused.

I mean, so I ran and hid in the broom closet and didn’t come out for three hours last month when I saw Melissa summon that Ritual Monster… what was it called? Reshef the Dark Being? That doesn’t make me a coward…

He paused.

And, sure, maybe I fainted the week before that when I saw Tyson use that crazy Field card of his, but does that make me a coward?

He paused again.

Aw, who am I kidding? he thought, holding his head. I’m a disgrace…

Meanwhile, the subjects he was supposed to be watching were wandering pretty far ahead of him.

In front of them was a large arch shaped like a rainbow. At the bases of the rainbow were two statues that looked like ball and chains with faces that had googly eyes and sharp teeth. (Fans of the Mario games could identify these as depictions of “Chain Chomps”.)

“This place is loud in more ways than one,” grumbled Francesca.

“I dunno,” muttered Andy, “it seems pretty hip.”

“I’m just worried,” answered Francesca. “Places like this tend to attract weirdoes…”

They passed a guy with clothing that was even louder than the décor.

“Hey babe,” he said to Francesca, “hows about a kiss?”

“Drop dead,” snarled Francesca.

“Aw c’mon,” he said, walking up.

Suddenly, he grabbed Francesca from behind…

…and forced a kiss!

Francesca forced him away with rage in her eyes…

“Uh oh…” said Stan and Andy at once.

Francesca cracked her knuckles…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Two minutes and twenty-seven seconds later…

“Wow, Fran,” exclaimed Stan, “I can’t believe that shiner you gave that guy!”

“Yeah,” gasped Andy. “And that was the most atomic atomic wedgie I’ve ever seen!”

“Yeah,” muttered Francesca. “I can’t believe that guy wore briefs. What a loser.”

“Remind me to stay on your good side,” gasped Andy, as they approached a hot dog stand.

“Any of you duelists care for one of Glitzville’s famous franks?” asked the vendor. “They’re extra-spicy!”

They couldn’t say no to that.

“Sure,” said Francesca. “I take it everything’s still free for contestants…”

“Yep, here ya go,” he chuckled, handing them three hot dogs.

On a rooftop, a figure watched…

It loaded a dart into a blowgun, and took aim…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“I have to admit, buddy,” commented Francesca, “these are pretty spicy.”

She never saw it coming…

She was halfway through the hot dog when a sharp pain hit her in the right buttock!

She yelped!

“ALL RIGHT!” she shouted. “Where’s the guy who just got tired of breathing?”

“Uh, Francesca…” said Stan, nervously. “Stand still…”

He reached down, and slowly extracted the dart.

“Ow…” groaned Francesca.

“Francesca,” muttered Stan, “when someone attacks someone with a dart, ninety percent of the time, the dart has been poisoned with something…”

“What are you talking about?” muttered Francesca, rubbing her butt. “I don’t feel any…”

She held her head.

“Come to think of it…”

A sudden flushed feeling appeared over her. She started to turn pale…

She looked at her arms…

Before the horror of her two friends, her skin started to change from its normal flesh color to sapphire blue!

“Oh… my… God…” she said looking at her hands.

“If you laugh,” said Andy to Stan, “I’ll kill you before she does!”

Francesca ran up to a reflective mirror on the side of the building next to vendor’s stand.

“ACK!” she screamed. “I look like… like Mystical Elf!”

“I wasn’t going to say it unless you did,” muttered Stan. “Francesca, we have to get you to a doctor, fast!”


Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:


“A doctor’s not going to help, Stan,” laughed a voice.

A cackle filled the air, and a figure leapt into view.

It was a female whom they assumed was about their age. They could only assume. She was dressed in black Ninja clothing, with a loose black jumpsuit, hood, and veil. She even had a katana sword strapped to her back – and she had a Duel Disk on her left arm.

“Hello Francesca…” she said in a sinister voice.

“Who are you?” demanded Francesca. “Did you do this?”

“Why yes,” said the Ninja, “and blue coloring to skin is only the first effect of the poison made from blue lotus extract.”

She pointed to Francesca.

“You now have three hours to live…” she chuckled.

Francesca drew back, partially in fear, and partially in rage…

“Give me the antidote, you bitch…” she ordered. “That is, if there is an antidote…”

“There is,” chuckled the girl, “but unfortunately for you, I’m not too keen on sharing. You may be good at punching out boys who can’t keep their hands to themselves, Francesca, but can you defeat a master of Ninjitsu?”

“She’s got a point, Fran,” muttered Andy. “You try to force her to do anything, she’ll likely pound you flat…”

“But I’m willing to make a deal,” said the girl, reaching into her jumpsuit.

She took out a set of Crystal Cards and a small vial.

“I have four Cards, and I know you have three. If you win, you get one of my Cards and the antidote. If I win, I take one of your Cards and leave you to die.”

Francesca stared at her.

“Did I mention that if you don’t agree within the next ten seconds, I’ll smash this on the ground?” she said, holding the vial out.

“Okay!” shouted Francesca. “I guess I don’t have a choice. But who are you anyway?”

“A Ninja never reveals her true identity to an enemy,” said the girl. “But for purposes of identification, you may call me… Lotus.”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

By this time a sizable crowd had gathered, forming a circle around the two duelists.

On one side, Lord Crump was watching.

So this was the duel she had arranged, he thought, taking a notepad out of his duffle. Awfully clever – but I don’t recall her employing any Ninja assassin named Lotus. Who exactly is this kid?

On another side, the dark girl with the cloak and cowl was watching. She surveyed the situation.

Seems a Mystical Elf is about to take on a female Strike Ninja, she thought. Well, might as well take in some dueling sights before doing some myself…

She noticed a wealthy-looking man standing next to her.

With the skill of a pro, she reached over and picked the wallet out of his pocket.

She edged over to another part of the crowd.

And being among so many rich snobs is a great opportunity! she thought.

She removed the cash from the wallet and tossed the wallet itself into a trash bin.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“Just one question,” asked Francesca to her opponent, more than a little pissed. “Why force me to duel under such stakes?”

“I’m an assassin,” answered Lotus. “It’s what I do.”

Assassin? thought Stan. Is she working for someone?

The Disks activated.

The Life Points set to 8,000 apiece…

“HATASHIAI!” shouted Lotus.

They drew their hands.

“I’ll start,” said Lotus, drawing her first hand.

She looked at her hand.

And from my hand, it seems the Dark spirits of Ninjitsu already show me blessing … she thought.

“I’ll summon this Warrior in Attack Mode,” she said. “Arise, Ninja Commander Ikusa!”

She put a card down, and a shadow appeared on her side of the field…

A Ninja Warrior dressed in a green jumpsuit with a sword slung across his back and a crescent moon on his cowl appeared. (700/700)

“Give me a break,” said Francesca with a small chuckle. “That guy’s weak!”

“We’ll soon see…” said Lotus.

A card flew out of her Disk, and she placed it down.

A sound like a gong sounded, and Ninja Commander Ikusa faded into blur. Another shape formed out of him… another Ninja, this one similar to him, but dressed in blue. (400/400)

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Lotus. “When I summon Ikusa in Attack Mode, I can Special Summon his partner, Ninja Soldier Katana!”

“Please, that’s even weaker!” mocked Fran.

“Well, that will do for my move,” responded Lotus.

“Stan,” whispered Andy. “Why would Lotus put weak Monsters in Attack Mode?”

“I’d at first say she’s playing a Gravity Bind deck,” answered Stan, “but there’s clearly no Gravity Bind…”

Francesca drew.

Only one Monster, she thought, but she’s more than enough…

“Let me show you a real Warrior,” she said. “I summon Amazoness Fighter!”

She threw a card down, and the muscular Amazon leapt into view! (1,500/1,300)

“Attack her Ninja Soldier!” she shouted.

Amazoness Fighter leapt up and did a flip! She delivered a savage drop-kick to Ninja Solder Katana, blasting him into pixels!

Lotus’s Life Points fell to 6,900.

“Pathetic,” mocked Francesca.

You say so now… thought Lotus.

“Well, make your move,” dared Francesca.

“I will,” said Lotus, drawing.

She placed a card down.

“I’ll summon a second Ikusa in Attack Mode,” she said.

A twin of the first Ninja Commander Ikusa appeared out of the shadows. (700/700)

And then the gong sounded again, and a second Katana appeared. (400/400)

“You may be strong in body, but not in mind,” sneered Francesca. “Don’t you know any other moves?”

“Will this do?” asked Lotus. “I’m also laying a card facedown.”

She placed a card into a slot, and it materialized behind the three Ninja.

“What did I tell you?” said Stan. “Gravity Bind.”

“Make your move,” said Lotus with a gleam in her eye.

Francesca drew.

“I’m activating my Trap Card!” exclaimed Lotus.

The card lifted.

To Stan surprise, it was not Gravity Bind…

Rather, it was a Trap with the image of two goofy looking Monsters on it.

“I activate Taunt!” shouted Lotus.

One of the two Ninja Commanders glared at Amazoness Fighter and made a beckoning gesture…

“What’s the point?” asked Francesca.

“Simple,” explained Lotus. “Any attacks you make this round must first be made towards this Monster.”

Ninja Commander Ikusa continued to taunt his foe…

Francesca looked at her cards.

Nothing at all to summon now, she thought, but Fighter is more than enough…

“I don’t know what your game is,” snarled Francesca, “but if you want me to destroy your Commander, I’ll be happy to oblige! Amazoness Fighter, attack!”

Amazoness Fighter leapt into the air again, and kicked Ninja Commander Ikusa to pieces!

Lotus’s Life Points fell to 6,100.

“You’ve already lost nearly 2,000 Life Points,” laughed Francesca. “Frankly, I’d say your dueling stinks!”

“Francesca’s right,” sighed Stan. “This is a little too easy…”

Andy’s brow furrowed with worry.

“Andy…” he said. “You know, when you think something is too good to be true, it usually is…”

Lotus chuckled as she drew.

“Actually Francesca,” she said, “you forgot one important thing…”

She paused.

“Namely, that I’m an assassin… And a classic trick that any assassin knows is to lead prey into a false sense of security, so that they let their guard down and don’t see the fatal blow coming until it’s too late…

“You see, I have a powerful Monster, but to summon him, I first had to send one Ninja Soldier and one Ninja Commander to my Graveyard, and then remove both from play!”

She switched cards on her Disk.

“Now I’ll sacrifice my other Ninja Soldier to summon Ninja Master Shogun!” she shouted.

One Ninja Soldier Katana faded into shadows. A pair of scrolls with kanji script written on them formed out of the ground, and a frightening Monster emerged. He was a Warrior dressed in a red, decorative gi, with long white hair, and a scary red Japanese mask. A sword was slung across his back. (1,600/1,600)

“Okay…” stuttered Francesca. “That’s… impressive…”

“It’s about to get more impressive,” said Lotus.

Two cards flew out of her Disk. She caught them and threw them down.

“By summoning Shogun, I’m able to Special Summon two other Ninja Warriors of three stars or less from my deck. So I summon Ninja Commando Kabuki, AND Lady Ninja Yae!”

Two forms flipped into view from behind Lotus. The first was a Ninja in a white mask, blue pants, and a purple vest. Like the others, a sword was slung across his back. (700/700)

The second was a female ninja. She wore a tight-fitting purple suit, a red scarf, and had long, green hair. She was armed with a long dagger. (1,100/200)

“But wait, there’s more!” laughed Lotus.

Another card flew out of her deck.

“When Kabuki is summoned, I can Special Summon a Ninja with two stars or less!”

She threw the card down.

“So I summon Kunoichi Ayame the Ninja Girl!”

A shower of lotus flowers fell upon the field, and a young teenage girl in a maroon gi with a veil and her black hair in a ponytail appeared. (300/300)

“Holy…” shouted Stan. “She managed to summon four Monsters in one move!”

“And that’s trouble…” gulped Andy.

“Still think my dueling stinks?” asked Lotus.

Francesca was too startled to answer that.

“Ninja Master Shogun!” shouted Lotus, “attack Amazoness Fighter! Kasai raishuu!”

Shogun breathed a savage gout of flames from his mouth, and Amazoness Fighter was incinerated!

Okay, that’s not good… thought Francesca, looking at the other Ninja.

“Now,” ordered Lotus. “Ikusa, Kabuki, Yae, Kunoichi… all of you attack her directly with shuriken swarm!”

The four other Ninja leapt into the air! What looked like a hundred bladed throwing stars flew at Francesca! She screamed as they hit her!

She landed on her behind.

Her Life Points tumbled to 5,200 as Lotus cackled.

“Bet you’d feel sore from THAT in the morning!” she laughed. “Good thing for you, you won’t be seeing another morning!”

“Are you quite done?” snarled Francesca, getting up.

“Almost,” said Lotus, selecting a card.

“I’ll place this facedown, and then you can make your move.”

She put a card in a slot, and it appeared behind her army.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Wow, thought Lord Crump, who is this kid? She’s good!

I hope the Queen introduces her soon – I’d love to meet her…

Meanwhile, the Goth girl was more than a little upset.

Humph, she thought, assassins… They give people like me a bad name… As if our name wasn’t bad enough without the help of hired guns…

Come on Francesca, take down these stupid Ninja…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Inside Lotus’s head, a conversation was taking place.

Everything is going according to plan, my master, she communicated.

Excellent, responded the Shadow Queen. Just remember the last part of the plan – be sure to show Francesca who you are once you are victorious. I am certain she would be eager to know who it was who destroyed her…

Francesca looked at her hand, and then at her deck.

This next draw better be someone who can defeat that Ninja Master, she thought, otherwise, she’ll just do that again!

She drew.

“Alright Lotus!” she shouted. “It’s go time!”

She threw a card down.

“I summon Amazoness Paladin in Attack Mode!”

The powerful, sword mistress appeared, furiously holding aloft her weapon! (1,700/300) –> (1,800/300)

“All right!” shouted Andy. “Hot dogs on me!”

“Amazoness Paladin, attack Ninja Master Shogun!” shouted Francesca.

The Paladin flew towards her foe with her sword.

“I activate…” exclaimed Lotus, “Ninjitsu Art of Decoy!”

The Trap Card lifted. As Amazoness Paladin closed in, Shogun vanished, and a wooden scarecrow appeared in his place. Amazoness Paladin smashed it to bits.

“What?” gasped Francesca.

Shogun reappeared, and Lotus’s Life Points slipped to 5,900.

Lotus chuckled.

“Ever hear of Obnoxious Celtic Guardian?” she asked. “He can resist attacks? The same applies to any Ninja that’s under the protection of this Continuous Trap Card. So long as it remains, Shogun can’t be destroyed in battle!”

“Maybe so,” sneered Francesca, “but now you can’t attack me again.”

“That remains to be seen,” answered Lotus. “My move…”

She drew.

And then she laughed wickedly.

“Now I’m going to take you down slowly and painfully!” she mocked, adding it to her hand.

She turned four of the cards on her Disk.

“First,” she said, “I’ll shift my four lesser Ninja to Defense Mode…”

Ikusa, Kabuki, Yae, and Kunoichi all knelt in Defense.

“Now,” she continued. “I’ll Equip Ninja Master Shogun with my most powerful Magic Card… Great Kite of Ninja!”

She fit a card into a slot, and a huge, square kite, colored red and blue appeared in the sky. It swooped down, carrying Shogun into the air!

Shogun chuckled as he looked down upon the crowd.

“Let me explain how this works,” chuckled Lotus. “First, it renders Shogun immune to attacks, Magic Cards, and Monster effects.

“Second, I can use him to bypass your Monsters and attack directly, so long as I sacrifice another Monster first!”

“So,” she said in triumph, “I’ll sacrifice my Ninja Girl…”

Kunoichi Ayame vanished into pixels…

“…and Shogun, ATTACK! Ikazuchi gekido!”

Thunder flashed in the sky, and Ninja Master Shogun blasted forth a bolt of lightning, striking Francesca dead center! She screamed and fell over.

Her Life Points fell to 3,600.

As she looked up, Lotus took another card from her hand.

“I’ll end by summoning Armed Ninja in Defense Mode,” she announced.

She placed a card down, and a Ninja garbed in black with a blue mask and a horned, golden circlet, carrying a staff with a curved blade appeared. (300/300)

“So now what?” gasped Andy.

“I don’t know,” muttered Stan. “Unless Fran has an extraordinary amount of luck on this draw, she won’t be able to wipe out more than two of Lotus’s lesser Ninja, leaving Lotus with the ability to simply repeat the trick again on her next turn…

“And don’t forget, a lot of Lotus’s Monsters let her Special Summon more Monsters – I don’t think she has to worry about running out…”

Francesca slowly drew.

“I play Card Destruction!” she announced, fitting a card into a slot.

“Now we both have to discard both our hands and draw an equal number!”

“Whatever,” said Lotus. “It won’t help you…”

Francesca discarded her six cards, and drew another six.

One of the cards caught her eye.


Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:


It’s one of the cards I got from Merlee! she thought. This is just what I need!

She took a card from her hand.

“Okay, you Kung-Fu B-movie reject,” she said, “I’ll first place a card facedown…”

She fit a card into a slot, and it appeared.

“Then,” she continued, “I’ll play Monster Reborn!”

She inserted another card, and Amazoness Fighter reappeared. (1,500/1,300)

“But she won’t be staying for long,” said Francesca, with a smile. “Now I’ll sacrifice Amazoness Fighter to summon one of the newest additions to my deck!”

She threw a card down… Amazoness Fighter vanished in a sparkling mist…

“I summon… [B]Madame Flurrie of the Fog!”

A purple mist appeared over the field, which formed into a cloud… And the cloud took shape…

The creature that appeared before Francesca could best be described as a cross between a purple cloud and an opera diva. The well-endowed female Monster had dimples and a broad smile, wearing rouge and a great deal of lipstick. Her hair was neatly styled, and she wore a pearl necklace. She had no legs, her lower body trailing off into vapor. (1,800/1,000)

Just like they had when Stan had summoned Goombella, Francesca, Stan, and Andy felt an aura coming from this Monster – the same aura of friendship that they couldn’t explain…

“Heh, heh, heh,” laughed Lotus. “You expect me to be afraid of Aretha Franklin there?”

Flurrie gave her a dirty look.

“Don’t insult Flurrie,” warned Francesca, “because she has a powerful effect, one that I’m activating right now…”

“I thought I told you that my Ninja Master is now immune to Monster effects,” laughed Lotus.

“True,” agreed Francesca, taking two cards, “but that’s not who I’m aiming for! I simply have to discard two cards…”

She discarded two cards.

“…and Flurrie, use your merciless Gale Force!”

Madame Flurrie took a deep breath, and blew forth a blast of wind! Armed Ninja, Ninja Commander Ikusa, Lady Ninja Yae, and Ninja Commando Kabuki all staggered against the windstorm…

And eventually they lost, and were thrown back! They shattered into shards!

“Like it?” said Francesca with a smile. “By discarding two cards, Flurrie’s powerful lungs can destroy all opposing Monsters! It wasn’t enough to reach your Ninja Master, but it made my job easier. I can only have Flurrie do that once per duel, and if I chose to have her do so, she can’t actually attack on the same round…

“But my Amazoness Paladin can, and I have a theory about your Great Kite of Ninja…

“Amazoness Paladin, attack Lotus’s Life Points directly!”

Amazoness Paladin charged, and slashed at Lotus with her sword! The Ninja gasped and fell over.

Her Life Points fell to 4,100.

“Just as I thought,” said Francesca with a grin. “While he’s on that Kite, he can’t defend you from a direct attack!”

“All right!” shouted Andy. “Go Fran!”

“So now what are you going to do?” asked Fran. “If you summon something and sacrifice it to let your Ninja Master attack, I’ll still be standing, and then my Paladin, Flurrie, and whatever I summon next will have a free shot at your Life Points! If you summon something to defend yourself, I’ll likely destroy it easily.

“Either way, Ninja girl, you’re trapped.

“I end my turn…”

She crossed her arms.

Even if she does have her Ninja Master attack, it won’t do any good, thanks to my Waboku card… thought Francesca.

Lotus slowly drew.

She looked at the card.

“I’ll place a card facedown,” she said, “and that will end my turn.”

Huh? thought Francesca. She didn’t do either? What’s her game?

She drew.

Mystical Space Typhoon? That will work…

“I’m activating my Trap!” shouted Lotus.

Her Trap Card lifted.

“I activate Ninjitsu Art of Transformation!”

The Great Kite of Ninja shattered and Ninja Master Shogun landed on the ground. Then the Ninjitsu Art of Decoy shattered.

Mystical energy surrounded Shogun…

“What’s happening?” exclaimed Francesca.

“The Ninja can call upon the spirits of nature for great power!” exclaimed Lotus.

She chuckled.

“In game terms, this Trap lets me sacrifice any Ninja Monster for a Beast, Winged Beast, or Insect from my hand or deck with level stars up to three more than the sacrificed Monster’s star level. And Ninja Master Shogun has five stars!”

“EEK!” shouted Andy. “That means the Monster she’s about to summon could be as powerful as eight stars!”

Lotus deftly threw a card down on her Disk…

Ninja Master Shogun melted into a blob of magical light. It grew, and grew, and grew! It started to take shape…

And then, standing before Francesca was an enormous beetle with a exoskeleton that seemed to be made of steel!

“Meet my Metal Armored Bug!” laughed Lotus.

(2,800/1,500)

“Uh…” said Francesca.

She looked at her hand. Sweat poured down her face.

“I uh, end my turn…”

“FRAN!” yelled Andy. “You forgot to move your Monsters into Defense Mode!”

“HA, HA!” laughed Lotus, drawing. “Sloppy move Francesca!”

She pointed.

“Attack her Madame Flurrie, my Metal Armored Bug!”

Metal Armored Bug scurried forward…

“I activate Waboku!” shouted Francesca.

Her Trap Card lifted, and the three priestesses garbed in blue cloaks appeared to halt the Bug’s advance.

“Pathetic…” said Lotus. “I’ll end by placing one card facedown.”

She placed a card down, and it appeared in front of her.

“Well, make your move…”

My Destroy Defense card will make shifting to Defense Mode a pointless endeavor, she thought.

Francesca drew.

Amazoness Chain Master? she thought, looking at it. She’s no help…

She started to feel dizzy. She held her head…

Darn, she thought. This poison must be starting to make me feel flushed… How can I beat that thing if I can’t even think straight…

She closed her eyes…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“Francesca?” said a husky voice. “Francesca? Come on, baby, get up…”

Francesca felt someone nudging her.

She opened her eyes, and she was in a cloudy place.

And she saw that the person who was nudging her was none other than Madame Flurrie.

“Come on, honey,” she said. “This isn’t over yet.”

“Flurrie?” gasped Francesca. “You can talk?”

“As well as you can darlin’, and I though I needed to,” replied Flurrie. “I figure you’re ready to give up. And I’m not gonna let you!”

“But it seems so hopeless…” mused Francesca. “I already discarded my Amazoness Spellcaster Magic Card… I didn’t figure I would need it. And I can’t use your effect again… I have very little that can help now…”

“So you’re going to give up and let that assassin win?” asked Flurrie. “Let her go back to her employer and get her reward after she mocks you? That’s not something that the first ones I worked with would have done.

“You’re right in your suspicion, you know. That warrior in your vision who looked like you, the one who killed Hooktail – you’re her descendant.”

Francesca just stared at her.

“I hadn’t joined the Three Heroes at that time,” continued Flurrie. “It was really odd how I came to join them – a group of rascals had stolen this…”

She pointed to her necklace.

“…and then they got it back for me. So I decided to tag along.”

She chuckled.

“A lot of it was because I had sort of a crush on Andy’s ancestor!” she laughed. “Anyway, even when things got frightening and intense, I stuck by them…

“…and we got stronger as a team.”

“The story is true?” asked Francesca, somewhat astonished.

“You can keep denying it and let it torture you, or you can accept it and become stronger. You have divine blood. And you can use it to defeat this second rate assassin!”

“But how?” asked Francesca. “That Insect is tougher than almost anything I have!”

“Do what your ancestor did and use your brain, baby,” said Flurrie. “The answer is right in front of your face!”

Right in front of my face? thought Francesca.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Francesca opened her eyes.

“Well, are you going to move, or aren’t you?” asked Lotus.

“Give me a minute!” snapped Francesca.

She studied her hand, and then the field.

Wait a second… she thought.

She noticed something…

Lotus’s Ninjitsu Art of Transformation card had not left the field.

She noticed that the card had an infinity sign in the upper-right corner.

It’s a Continuous Trap, she thought.

She paused.

Is that big bug somehow tied to that Trap Card? What would happen if I got rid of the Trap?

She took a card from her hand.

Let’s find out…

“I summon Amazoness Chain Master in Attack Mode!” she shouted, throwing a card down.

The female warrior with her spiked chain appeared. (1,500/1,300)

Amazoness Paladin’s Attack went up to 1,900.

“What?” said Lotus in surprise. “Attack Mode?”

“And now,” said Francesca, throwing a card into a slot, “I play Mystical Space Typhoon.”

The card revealed itself.

“Now to blow away your Ninjitsu Art of Transformation!” she yelled.

The cyclone blew forward, and smashed the Trap Card to pieces.

Then Metal Armored Bug screamed!

It shattered into shards.

“I thought so,” said Francesca with a smile. “A Monster that’s ‘transformed’ with your Trap Card depends on that Continuous Trap. Destroy the Trap Card, and destroy the Monster!”

Lotus drew back in fear…

“Now to finish this!” shouted Francesca. “Amazoness Paladin, attack directly with blade of the Amazons!”

Amazoness Paladin flew forth and struck Lotus with her sword! Lotus stumbled back, and her Life Points fell to 2,200.

“Amazoness Chain Master, attack with chain rend!”

Chain Master swung her weapon above her head, and hurled it forward, sending the barbed end into Lotus’s gut! She screamed and fell over.

She slowly rose to her feet. Her Life Points fell to 700.

“And finally,” yelled Francesca, “Madame Flurrie, blow her over with Gale Force!”

Madame Flurrie took a breath, and blasted forth her powerful gust! Lotus lost her balance and toppled over.

She lay sprawled on the ground, and her Life Points fell to zero.

The crowd cheered.

“All right, Francesca!” shouted Andy. “You go, girl!”

Francesca walked up to Lotus.

“You lost, and a deal’s a deal,” she said. “Hand over the antidote now!”

A look of fear crossed Lotus’s eyes.

The Queen… she thought. Once she gets her hands on me…

She took the antidote out of her jumpsuit, closing her fist around it.

If I simply smash this on the ground and let her perish, maybe I’ll be forgiven…

Then somebody else grabbed her arm!

Francesca looked shocked.

“Merlee?” she said.

It was indeed Merlee. And he forced the vial out of Lotus’s hand.

“N-n-not so fast, Yumi,” he said.

He handed the vial to Francesca.

“Drink it quickly Francesca,” he said, trying to restrain the Ninja.

“Yumi?” asked Francesca, uncorking the vial.

The Ninja tried to struggle, but Merlee was too strong for her. As Francesca drank the contents of the vial, Merlee removed the veil and hood from her head.

Francesca was shocked!

“YUMI?” she exclaimed.

Underneath the mask was a young Asian girl with long black hair.

“You know this kid?” asked Stan.

“YES!” shouted Francesca. “We’ve been friends since kindergarten! Yumi, why on earth…”

“I’ll explain in a m-m-minute,” said Merlee.

She stared into Yumi’s eyes. His eyes started to glow…

”Powers of Light,” he said, ”Shine through, and dispel the cloud of Darkness…”

Yumi got up, and held her head.

She started quivering in fear…

“Merlee, why did Yumi attack me?” asked Francesca. “How did she get here? And how did she learn to duel so good?”

“I’ll answer the s-s-second question first,” said Merlee. “The Shadow Queen thought it w-w-would be… fun if you died believing a close friend had b-b-betrayed you. So when you l-l-left for Monster Island, she had Yumi kidnapped, and hypnotized her. That’s how s-s-she convinced her she was someone else, and t-t-taught her to duel like a pro.”

“Wait a second!” exclaimed Stan. “I may not be an expert on hypnosis, but I know that you can’t be hypnotized against your will…”

Merlee chuckled.

“By that s-s-same theory,” he said, “Kurtis c-c-can’t control air and w-w-wind, but he was able to anyway…”

“Fran…” sobbed Yumi, “I’m… I’m sorry…”

She got up in panic.

“And you gotta help me!” she screamed. “The Queen said if I couldn’t beat you she’d bury me in The Graveyard! When she finds out…”

“C-c-calm down dear…” said Merlee, putting her hand on her shoulder. “The Queen can only do that to servants or d-d-defeated foes. You aren’t her s-s-servant anymore. S-s-so if you simply r-r-refrain from any more dueling, she won’t be able to t-t-touch you.”

Yumi sighed.

“Thanks,” she sighed.

She took a Crystal Card out of her outfit.

“But this was an official tournament duel,” she sighed, “so I owe you this.”

She handed Francesca the card.

“Thanks Yumi,” said Francesca. “Apology accepted.”

So now I have four, she thought. Three more to go…

Then she noticed something.

“Um, Merlee?” she asked. “Why isn’t my skin turning back to normal?”

“The blue c-c-color will last for about twenty-four hours, unfortunately,” sighed Merlee.

Francesca held her head.

“Looks like the Queen managed to get one last shot at you,” groaned Stan.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Crump was watching intently.

His cell phone rang.

Before he could even say “Hello,” the Queen’s voice shouted at him.

“CRUMP!” she shouted. “I hope you were watching…”

“Yes!” protested Crump, nervously. “Yes I was… That was a good duelist you sent after Francesca – she almost won…”

“Yeah, well, I seem to have lost my control over her!” shouted the Queen. “Who broke the spell?”

“Uhm, you didn’t see?” asked Crump, getting nervous.

“NO! My stupid crystal ball went on the blink right after Francesca’s Monster struck the last blow.”

“Uhm,” said Crump.

Think, Crump, think… he thought, nervously.

“It was nobody I saw,” he lied. “Maybe the shock from that direct attack blew her back to her senses…”

There was a pause.

“That might be possible, actually,” pouted the Queen.

Another pause.

“Look, keep watching those kids, and keep tabs on anything they do.”

“Sure,” said Crump, “I can do that…”

“I have another plan in mind that might be entertaining,” said the Queen. “Listen carefully.”

As Crump listened on the phone, the girl in the cloak slipped up behind him and plucked the wallet out of his pocket.

As the great P.T. Barnum once said, she thought, removing the cash, there’s a sucker born every minute.

She dropped the wallet and snuck away.


Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued from last post:


It took three hot dogs to get Yumi to calm down.

“T-t-take heart, child,” said Merlee, “she’s enspelled people far stronger than y-y-you.”

“I could have killed my best friend…” she moaned.

“Yeah,” muttered Stan, “that was pretty low…”

“It’s like I s-s-said,” said Merlee. “She’ll do anything to escape. Commit any crime, or any immoral act…”

After a long pause, Stan spoke up.

“Folks,” he said, “maybe we should start listening to this guy a bit more… This is heavier than we thought. What do you think Andy?”

He looked around.

“Andy?”

Andy was a hundred feet ahead of them, looking at a sign.

“What’s the scoop, Andy?” he asked.

“Look at this, guys?” he said, pointing to the sign.

They read.

[B]WELCOME CONTESTANTS!

Great opportunity for great duelists!

Fame and fortune, and a grand prize

awaits any contestant who

can outduel the Glitz Pit’s reigning champion!


[color=orange]Register at the Pit and ask for Jolene

“What do you say guys?” said Andy. “Maybe this could be a great opportunity!”

They turned to Merlee.

“Actually, it sounds like a great opportunity,” he said. “The Glitz Pit is a great way to earn a reputation on Monster Island…”

“Well I’m not appearing in public with blue skin,” moaned Francesca. “One of you do it.”

Stan and Andy looked at each other.

They raised their fists and shook.

Andy’s stayed closed, rock. Stan’s fingers jutted open, scissors.

“Darn…” sighed Stan.

“Well,” said Andy. “Let’s go check this out!”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

The Glitz Pit.

One hour later.

Before the tournament had started, this arena was a haven for boxing and wrestling exhibitions.

That was changed when the tournament was announced. The arena floor had been converted into a dueling ring.

The woman in charge of this large structure was in her office right now. She was a woman about thirty years old or so, with blonde hair down to her waist, who wore a red business suit. She also had a habit of wearing sunglasses, even indoors on cloudy days.

Right now she was killing time with a crossword puzzle.

Let’s see, she thought. Seven letter word for “goddess of wisdom”, starting with M…

She paused.

I’ll go back to it…

The beeper on her desk speaker beeped.

“Miss Jolene,” said a voice. “Some folks to see you. It’s about the notice you posted.”

“Really?” she responded. “Send them in.”

She put the puzzle in her desk and waited.

After a few minutes, Stan, Andy, and Yumi walked in. (Francesca insisted on waiting outside, as did Merlee for some reason.)

“Come on in,” said Jolene. “So, which one of you is interested?”

“Uhm…” stuttered Andy.

He paused, nervously.

“That would be me,” he stammered. “The name’s Andy Markova.”

“Well,” said Jolene, with a sly smile, “the Glitz Pit takes its contenders seriously. Let’s take a look at the deck…”

“Well, uhm…” said Andy, reluctantly.

“Come on,” sighed Jolene. “You won’t be dueling me, and I don’t give out favors to the one you will be.”

Andy sighed and handed her his deck.

“Interesting,” said Jolene, leafing through the cards. “Interesting… Ooh, that’s rare… never saw that one…”

She handed it back.

“Well,” she said, walking to a closet, “I think you’ll be able to put on quite a show…”

She removed a tall box from the closet.

“The match will start at four,” she said, handing it to him. “Here’s your costume.”

“Costume?” said Andy, nervously.

“Sure!” commented Jolene. “If you’re going to lose, you might as well do it in style! Anyway, my assistant will show you to the dressing room.”

Andy sighed.

“I’m gonna regret this,” he muttered under his breath.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

As soon as the three had left, Jolene’s phone rang.

“Y’ello,” she said, answering it.

“Hello, Jolene…” said a sinister voice.

“Y-your excellence…” she stammered.

“Shut up and listen, Jolene,” ordered the voice. “I heard you had a contender for your little offer…”

“Well, the offer was your idea!” protested Jolene.

“Yes,” said the voice, “and since I’m funding your little event, there’s going to be a little change in the fight card…”

“WHAT?” shouted Jolene. “What do you mean? I can’t…”

“You’ll do as I say!” ordered the voice. “Give the champion the day off; my son is taking over.”

“But… ma’am…” she protested.

“NO BUTS!” shouted the response. “He’ll be there in an hour.”

The phone hung up.

“Curse you,” muttered Jolene.

“Fine,” she sneered, “I’ll change the fight card if you want…”

She went up to a light fixture in the wall, and twisted it.

A secret door in the wall swung open.

“But you didn’t tell me what prize I have to give away if your brat loses. And if he does, Andy is getting a special prize!”

She walked into the secret door.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

One hour later…

Andy felt somewhat self-conscious as he looked at himself in the mirror…

…and saw himself wearing the black spandex suit with a cape and a skull-like helmet.

“Truthfully guys,” he asked, “how do I look?”

“Truthfully?” commented Stan. “Like Lord of Dragons.”

“I look ridiculous…” muttered Andy. “As much as I like Lord of Dragons, I never expected to start dressing like him…”

“I think you look cute,” giggled Francesca.

”I don’t want to look cute!” shouted Andy.

“Hey,” sighed Stan, “you have to make sacrifices for stardom.”

At that point, Merlee walked in.

“You still here?” grumbled Andy.

“Cool it guys,” snapped Francesca, “he saved Yumi.”

“Everyone m-m-mind if I speak to Andy in p-p-private?” asked Merlee.

“Sure, Merl,” said Francesca. “We’ll just go and see if we can get good seats…”

She, Stan, and Yumi left the room.

“Andy,” said Merlee, sitting down, “I h-h-have a feeling this is g-g-going to be a t-t-tough duel for you…”

“I can handle it,” replied Andy.

“Well…” muttered Merlee. “M-m-mind if I take a look at y-y-your deck first?”

“Geesh,” moaned Andy. “Why does everyone have such an interest in my cards?”

Nonetheless, he felt he could trust Merlee, so he took the deck out of his Disk tray and handed it to Merlee.

“Yes, yes, y-y-yes,” said Merlee, looking over them. “Quite a few powerful c-c-cards…”

He looked at one in particular.

“Tyrant Dragon?” he asked.

“Um, yeah,” answered Andy. “That’s my most powerful Monster… Aside from Red Eyes Darkness Dragon.”

“Indeed,” said Merlee with a frown.

He took a card out of his coat.

“Tyrant Dragon is qu-qu-quite powerful,” he agreed, “but for this particular duel, I’d s-s-suggest replacing it w-w-with this guy.”

He handed Andy a card.

Andy looked at the card and gave him a strange look.

“Well?” said Merlee.

“Uh, Merlee,” he said, “not to offend, but that’s a pretty dumb suggestion…”

“H-h-how come?” asked Merlee.

“One,” explained Andy, “this Monster isn’t as powerful as Tyrant Dragon, two, its effect isn’t as useful, and three, although it’s a Dragon, it isn’t meant to be used in Dragon Decks!”

“Those are all g-g-good points,” replied Merlee, “b-b-but I have a feeling that you’ll find more use for this one in th-th-this particular duel than Tyrant Dragon.

“Anyway, that card is p-p-pretty rare, so be sure to r-r-return it later.”

He got up and left the room.

Andy looked at the card, and he looked at Tyrant Dragon.

He’s nuts! he thought. How can this guy be better in ANY way than Tyrant Dragon?

A pit of doubt started to form deep inside him…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Outside the Glitz Pit, a bonfire erupted on the street! Everyone around it fled in terror!

Someone stepped out of the flames.

“Well, the Glitz Pit!” he exclaimed.

He chuckled. He took a deck of cards out of his pocket.

“I don’t want to get caught in a rant here, but right now, I feel more confident than Ruth Ginsberg about to enter an ‘ugliest woman in the U.S. Government’ contest! Watch out Andy…”



NINJA COMANDER IKUSA (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: 700
DEF: 700

Card Description: This stealthy fighter is a master of the Ninjitsu technique known as “multiplicity.” If this Monster is Normal Summoned in Attack Mode, you can special summon one “Ninja Soldier Katana” from your hand or deck in face up Attack Mode.



NINJA SOLDIER KATANA (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior
Attribute: Dark
Level: 2
ATK: 400
DEF: 400

Card Description: This assassin is a longtime partner of Ninja Commander Ikusa, and is seldom far behind him.



NINJA MASTER SHOGUN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 5
ATK: 1,600
DEF: 1,600

Card Description: It is said that no-one has ever seen this master assassin coming until it was too late. This Monster cannot be Special Summoned. This Monster can only be Tribute Summoned by first removing one “Ninja Commander Ikusa” and one “Ninja Soldier Katana” in your Graveyard from play. When this Monster is successfully Tribute Summoned, you can Special Summon up to two Monsters with the word “Ninja” in their name who have three stars or less from you hand or deck.



NINJA COMMANDO KABUKI (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 3
ATK: 700
DEF: 700

Card Description: This sly assassin is believed to be second in command to the Ninja Master. When this Monster is Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned, you can Special Summon one Monster with the word “Ninja” in its name with two stars or less from your hand or deck.



KUNOICHI AYAME THE NINJA GIRL (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior
Attribute: Dark
Level: 1
ATK: 300
DEF: 300

Card Description: The youngest of the Ninja clan, this teenage assassin’s skill is limited, but she is believed to have potential.



GREAT KITE OF NINJA (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic/Equip
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: Image of a huge, square, red and blue kite. This card can be Equipped to any Monster with the word “Ninja” in its name. A Monster Equipped with this card cannot be attacked by an opposing Monster, is immune to all Magic Cards (except this one), and is immune to Monster effects. Also, you may attack your opponent’s Life Points directly with the Equipped Monster if you offer another Monster on your side of the field as a Tribute. If the Monster Equipped with this card is the only Monster on your side of the field, your opponent may attack your Life Points directly.


Note: The above six cards were used by Jean-Claude Magnum in the anime episode “Lights, Camera, Duel!”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.



MADAME FLURRIE OF THE FOG (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Fairy/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 5
ATK: 1,800
DEF: 1,000

Card Description: It is said that this glamorous wind spirit developed a crush on one of the Three Heroes, and decided to follow him as one of the Seven Companions. When this Monster is face up on the field, you can discard two cards to destroy all face-up opposing Monsters. If you choose to use this effect, this Monster cannot attack during the same turn. This Monster’s effect can only be used once during the duel.



[B][I]I’ll bet I caught a lot of you by surprise with Lotus/Yumi’s “intentions”. You likely thought she was just as evil as the rest of the Queen’s servants, didn’t you?

You probably want to know who the creepy girl in the cloak is. She isn’t a user character, but you’ll certainly be seeing more of her.

Anyway, next chapter, Andy duels before a capacity crowd, and his foe is as mean as they come. Don’t miss “Clash in the Coliseum”, coming soon…

[Dark Sage]

[B][I]From the dawn of time, fire has been both a friend and an enemy of mankind… Folks learned that quickly.

On one side of the coin, it is a useful tool. It can provide light, keep you warm, cook food that would be otherwise inedible, and keep dangerous creatures at bay…

But on the other side, it can be a deadly hazard that can burn and destroy anything in its path if left unchecked. Wounds caused by fire do not heal easily, and lands ravaged by fire take many years to recover.

Let me tell you… When your mother tells you not to play with matches, listen to her.

Fire has become increasing popular in Duel Monsters in recent years. Powerful decks have been created meaning to take advantage of this Attribute.

Right now, I’m in front of a sold-out crowd, facing a guy who uses such a deck…

Unfortunately, he’s far from the average duelist. This guy seems to have been born of Fire…

With a capital F.

Well, no problem. Stan and Francesca already handled two members of this guy’s family… It’s my turn now…

[B][size=3]CHAPTER ELEVEN



Clash in the Coliseum

Andy’s watch read fifteen minutes to four.

“Well,” he said to himself, “Jolene said her assistant would be here in five minutes…

“So I’m either going to go out there and win, or make an absolute fool out of myself…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

In her office, Jolene was biting her nails.

“Geeze, Jolene,” said a voice, “you look more jumpy than a virgin at a prison rodeo!”

“Must you make fun of me?” groaned Jolene. “It isn’t professional!”

“No, but it’s fun!” laughed the voice. “You just do your job, and I assure you, no one will get hurt.”

An assistant walked in.

“Ms. Jolene, are we ready to start?” he asked.

“I’m doomed…” she moaned.

“Huh?” he asked.

“Doomed,” she repeated. “Once this whole tournament is over, she’ll just lock me up like she did my brother…”

“Not that it’s my position to give advice,” he answered, “but why don’t you just leave Monster Island?”

“I wouldn’t get far,” stammered Jolene. “She’d find me. There isn’t a redcap, waitress, cab driver, or hotel bellboy in existence who wouldn’t be happy to tell her where I am…”

“How come?” he asked.

“I undertip…” she replied.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

In ringside seats, Francesca and Yumi were sitting, watching the coliseum fill up. Stan was at the concession stand, and Merlee… well, he was nowhere to be seen.

The arena was pretty big – not as big as, say, Madison Square Garden, but it was a decent-sized place. And it seemed like a large crowd was turning out.

Francesca inspected the ring itself, if you could call it that. It was circular, and about one hundred feet in diameter, bordered by holographic imaging projectors. Clearly, this was state of the art…

Stan came back, carrying a tray of refreshments.

“Okay,” he said. “I hope I’ve got enough…”

“Andy should take down this guy pretty fast,” said Francesca with a smile. “Say, anyone have any idea who he’s fighting?”

“I’ve been in Glitzville for a while,” answered Yumi. “Some folks mentioned that the Glitz Pit’s reigning champion is a guy who calls himself ‘Rawk Hawk’. But I don’t know much about him…”

At that moment, the lights dimmed, and the spotlight fell on the ring.

Jolene appeared in the center of the ring.

“Welcome ladies and gentlemen!” she shouted. “And welcome to what promises to be an exciting and thrilling contest!

“Let’s give it up for our challenger! Presenting… from Florida, the Sunshine State, MARKOVA THE LORD OF DRAGONS!”

Ho boy, thought Andy.

He walked up onto the ring, and to his surprise, a good many people cheered.

“And his opponent, a native of Monster Island…” she started.

She cringed.

“May I present, TYSON THE LEGENDARY FLAME LORD!”

Andy perked up a little at this. He looked towards the other side of the arena for his opponent…

And saw, in the dim light, to glowing red eyes appear in the entrance…

As the spotlight fell on the entrance, a young boy about fifteen or so walked towards the ring…

He certainly wasn’t dressed like Legendary Flame Lord…

This kid was strange, no question about it. He had hazel eyes and coal-black hair. His skin was deeply tanned, and his features suggested those of a native of Hawaii. He was somewhat muscular, and apparently, he liked to show his muscles. He wore a red vest, and a pair of leather trousers.

Then Andy noticed something… As this guy was walking up to the ring, his footsteps were leaving scorching footprints in the carpet!

Jolene groaned.

“Heh, heh,” laughed Tyson. “Glad to be here, Jolene, but I’m afraid I can’t promise you an ‘exciting and thrilling contest’. This duel is gonna be over faster than Luke Perry’s movie career!”

That did it. The nervousness was flushed out of Andy’s mind… And his determination began to take over.

“Really?” he snapped back. “If your dueling is as bad as your jokes, I have nothing to worry about!”

Tyson motioned for him to come forward. Andy did so.

“Heh, heh,” whispered Tyson. “You’re obviously as clueless as the typical ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ fan…”

“What’s wrong with ‘Dungeons & Dragons’?” snapped Andy.

Tyson ignored him and continued.

“…but you obviously don’t know who you’re dealing with!” he chuckled. “Want a hint?”

He stared at Andy…

A ball of flame appeared in his hand…

“I’m one of the Shadow Spawn!” he exclaimed. “Tyson’s the name, master of Fire! Your two pals may have defeated my brother and sister, but I’m hotter than Emeril Lagasse’s spicy Cajun shrimp! And once I outduel you…

“Well, you’ll be sorry…”

“You can’t force me to duel you, Tyson…” growled Andy.

Tyson’s eyes glowed red.

“Aw, Andy, you wouldn’t want to disappoint all your fans, would you?” he asked.

He paused. His hand lit on fire again.

“Besides,” he whispered, “if you refuse, I can set fire to this arena… Do you know what would happen if five-hundred people started to panic in a crowded auditorium?”

Andy’s eyes narrowed.

“Fine,” he sneered. “You want a duel, you’ve got one.”

“Great,” smiled Tyson out loud. “Then prepare to burn! I can defeat chumps like you faster than Willard Scott can clean out an all-you-can-eat buffet!”

Flames enshrouded his left arm, and a shimmering, bronze Duel Disk appeared on it…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

“Who is this guy?” asked Stan.

“Wait…” muttered Francesca, “did he say his name was Tyson?”

“Yeah…”

“Merlee said that one of the Shadow Spawn’s name’s was Tyson…” muttered Francesca.

“Shadow Spawn?” cried Yumi, shivering. “I saw them… briefly in the Palace. They were creepy!”

“You’re telling us!” exclaimed Stan. “We’ve got to hope Andy can handle this guy…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

As usual, the Disks flipped into place, and the scores set to 8,000 apiece.

“It’s time to duel, as they’re so fond of saying…” chuckled Tyson. “I’ll start this show…”

He made his first hand.

This is too easy… he thought. Andy will be more outclassed than Mike Tyson was against Evander Holyfield!

“Okay Andy,” he said, “I’m playing Graceful Charity!”

He plugged the card into his Disk, and the beautiful angel appeared in front of him. She handed him three cards.

“Now, seeing as you can’t stop me,” he continued, “there’s not much harm in showing you one of the cards I’m discarding…”

He flipped one Monster Card towards Andy.

“Marie the Fallen One?” asked Andy.

“Uh huh,” replied Tyson.

He handed it and another card to the angel, and she flew into his discard slot.

“And so long as she’s in my Graveyard, I gain 200 Life Points per round!”

“Next,” he continued, “I’ll place this card facedown…”

He slid a card into a slot, and it appeared in front of him.

“And then,” he continued, “I’ll summon my Fire Princess, in Attack Mode!”

He put a card down, and a beautiful woman dressed in a flowing red gown carrying a wooden staff appeared. (1,300/1,500)

“That will do for now,” he said with a grin.

Hmph, thought Andy, drawing a card. Classic Fire Princess strategy. Every time his Life Points go up, mine will go down… So that facedown card is clearly a Trap…

He looked at his hand.

But I’ve got to try anyway…

He put a card down.

“I’ll summon Twin-Headed Behemoth in Attack Mode!” he shouted.

The huge, grey, two-headed Dragon appeared in front of him. (1,500/1,300)

“Twin-Headed Behemoth,” he shouted, “attack his Fire Princess with double flame blast!”

Behemoth opened its two jaws and shot out two blasts of fire…

“You’re more stupid than the guy who greenlighted National Treasure!” laughed Tyson. “I activate Magic Cylinder!”

His Trap Card lifted, and the two Cylinders appeared in the air. The flames flew into one of the Cylinders, and then shot out of the other striking Andy!

His Life Points fell to 6,500. The crowd gasped.

“Fine,” snarled Andy. “I end my turn. But at least I made you use up your Trap…”

I’m not too worried about that… thought Tyson, looking at his hand.

“Now,” he said, “I draw one card…”

He drew.

“…meaning my Life Points rise…”

His Life Points went up to 8,200.

“…which means my Fire Princess can do her work!”

Fire Princess aimed her staff, and shot a blast of flame at Andy! He staggered back, and his Life Points fell to 6,000.

“And now,” smiled Tyson, “if you think my Fire Princess is hot stuff, I’ll raise the temperature even more, by summoning her brother…”

He put a card down.

“…a guy called Fire Prince!”

A flame appeared next to Fire Princess, and a new Monster appeared. He was a young man dressed in fiery red royal raiment, and his hair was cherry red. He carried a scepter topped with a red ruby. (1,500/1,300)

“And that’s my move,” he chuckled.

Odd, thought Andy.

He drew.

His eyes opened at the sight of the card!

It’s one of those cards Merlee gave us! he thought.

He looked at the two Pyros in front of him.

If my hunch about his Fire Prince is right, I’ll be able to do some serious damage to his Life Points…

He put a card down.

“I summon this Monster in Attack Mode…” he exclaimed. “Allow me to introduce… Koops the Bashful!”

A small form leapt up onto the field. The creature looked, for all intents and purposes, like a turtle walking on his hind legs, with long arms. He had a sullen look on his face, and a bandage covering his nose. (1,800/500)

Stan and Francesca got up.

Again, there was that feeling. The feeling like they were seeing an old friend that they hadn’t seen for a long time…

Clearly, these special cards were much more than mere cards…

“A turtle?” questioned Tyson.

“Uh huh,” answered Andy. “Okay, Koops, show that teenage mutant what a full grown turtle can do! Attack his Fire Prince with Power Shell!”

“NO!” shouted Tyson.

Koops retracted into his shell, and then shot forward like a missile! He plowed into Fire Prince, and blasted him into pixels!

“Ack…” gasped Tyson.

Then he noticed that Koops was starting to spin wildly…

“If you think that was impressive,” continued Andy, “Koops, now attack his Fire Princess!”

Koops darted past Tyson, and then plowed into Fire Princess from behind, blasting her to shards!

“Your Monster can attack twice?” gasped Tyson.

“Yes,” said Andy, as Koops leapt back to his side and emerged from his shell. “In return for that special move, he can’t attack on my next turn…

“But let’s not forget about my Twin-Headed Behemoth!”

Tyson drew back in fear…

“Behemoth, attack his Life Points directly!”

Twin-Headed Behemoth blasted forth its fire, striking Tyson! He shielded himself as he was engulfed in the inferno!

The crowd let out an uproar!

Tyson’s Life Points stood at 5,900.

“How’d you like that, flame-brain?” laughed Andy.

“I absolutely love it!” laughed Tyson. “In case you didn’t catch it the first time, I’m the Shadow Spawn of Fire!”

Fran gasped.

“Well, that clinches it…” muttered Stan.

“At least Andy is slightly ahead…” muttered Yumi.

“Not for long…” sighed Francesca.

Tyson drew, and his Life Points went up to 6,100.

“Okay,” he said, “I place one card facedown, and end my turn…”

A card appeared in front of him.

Andy looked at him strangely.

“No Monsters?” he asked.

Tyson starred at him.

Andy drew.

“Sorry, firebug, but I’m not falling for it…” he said.

“So you aren’t going to attack?” asked Tyson.

“Not only am I not going to attack,” said Andy, “but I’m shifting both my Monsters into Defense Mode…”

He turned his cards. Twin-Headed Behemoth folded its wings, and Koops knelt in a defensive stance.

“And now I’ll summon The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in Defense Mode,” he continued.

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

“That will end my turn,” he said.

Tyson chuckled. He drew, and his Life Points went up to 6,300.

“I knew it,” he laughed. “You’re more gullible than the jury that acquitted O.J. Simpson!”

“Will you cut it out?” said Andy, annoyed. “You may think you’re as witty as Dennis Miller, but you’re not!”

“Too bad!” laughed Tyson. “I reveal my facedown card – it’s a Trap called Level Conversion Lab!”

The card lifted. It showed a scientist in the foreground of a space-age laboratory in front of a creature inside a glass cylinder, hooked up to wires.

“Huh?” questioned Andy. “I’ve never heard of Level Conversion Lab…”

“Let me explain to you how this complex Trap Card works,” said Tyson. “First, I have to show you a Monster Card from my hand… And I chose this one…”

He presented a card.

“A mighty Warrior of flame known as Fire Queen!”

Fire Queen? thought Andy, puzzled. Who’s that? Fire Princess’s mom?

“Now comes the fun part…” said Tyson, with a smile.

A silvery dice flew out of the Trap Card.

“This dice is going to roll,” explained Tyson. “If it lands on a one, I have to discard the Fire Queen. If it lands on any other number, then that’s Fire Queen’s star level until the end of my current turn!

“You might be interested in knowing, by the way, that Fire Queen is normally an eight-star Monster…”

Francesca gasped!

“No!” she shouted. “That Monster normally needs two sacrifices to summon, but when that dice changes its star level…”

“Tyson has a flat fifty-percent chance of being able to summon it with no sacrifice…” muttered Stan.

The dice fell to the floor… It skipped and rolled…

And it came up… a four!

The crowd gasped.

“Talk about luck,” chuckled Tyson. “I should think about going to Vegas when I get older…”

He threw the card down, and a bonfire erupted on his side of the field. A tall, buxom woman wearing a shiny, strapless leotard colored gold, golden boots and gloves, and a golden crown set with a fire opal stepped out of the blaze. Her eyes burned with fire, and her skin was richly tanned. She held a blazing sword in her hand. (2,500/2,000)

“Heh, heh,” smiled Tyson. “My Queen… Even if you could destroy her, and I doubt you can, my opponent takes any damage resulting from a battle with her! And she has another ability…”

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

He placed it on the Disk.


Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued From Last Post:


“When she’s summoned, I get to summon another Monster… the even stronger Fire King!”

And even larger bonfire appeared, and a muscular form appeared out of it. It was a powerful Warrior wearing bronze armor and a decorative crown set with several fire opals. His eyes burned with flame as well, and he had a flaming beard. He also carried a blazing sword. (3,000/2,500)

“But wait!” shouted Tyson, “there’s more!”

“More?” groaned Andy.

Another card flew out of Tyson’s deck.

“When Fire King is summoned,” he continued, “I get to add a specific Field Card to my hand!”

“What, Molten Destruction?” sneered Andy.

Tyson laughed out loud.

“No…” he chuckled. “This is better than Molten Destruction…”

He opened his Field slot and fit the card in. The slot snapped shut.

“Watch,” laughed Tyson, “as the ring is transformed into a fiery realm known as… VOLCANO PALACE!”

Everyone gasped, and an aura covered the arena. The “sky” became smoky and red, and the floor turned into a lava-choked wasteland. Geysers of magma shot up all around them! Finally, a sinister palace of shining obsidian rose into view behind Tyson…

“Ah!” exclaimed Tyson. “My ultimate three-card-combo! Reminds me of where I grew up…”

“You grew up in a volcano?” asked Andy snidely.

“Actually, yes,” chuckled Tyson. “Mom sent me to live on Hawaii for the first few years of my life. But let me explain the benefits of this card…

“First, all Fire Monsters gain 500 points to both their Attack and Defense!”

Fire Queen’s stats rose to (3,000/2,500), while Fire King’s rose to (3,500/3,000)

“Second,” continued Tyson, “whenever a Fire Monster is destroyed by any means other than an attack, the owner gains Life Points equal to its original Attack! So a Mirror Force, assuming you have one, will only help me!”

He laughed.

“Now, my Queen,” he laughed, “wipe out his turtle with royal flames!”

Fire Queen laughed, and swung her sword forward! A wave of fire shot forward, and Koops was incinerated.

Andy closed his eyes.

Sorry Koops… he thought. I promise you, I won’t let this bastard win…

“Fire King…” yelled Tyson, “destroy his Behemoth with imperial blast!”

Fire King waved his fiery blade forward, and Twin-Headed Behemoth burst!

Andy frowned.

“Twin-Headed Behemoth, return!” he shouted.

The two-headed Dragon reappeared where it had been destroyed. (1,000/1,200)

“Neat trick,” chuckled Tyson. “Ah well… I end my turn… But I doubt even any of your double-sacrifice Monsters can defeat my monarchs! You’re in worse shape than Johnny Knoxville would be at any network other than MTV!”

“He isn’t in the best shape there any more either!” snarled Andy, drawing.

Not much I can do now, but defend… he thought.

He placed a card down.

“I summon Masked Dragon in Defense Mode!” he shouted.

He threw a card down, and the metallic rust-red Dragon wearing a mask appeared, folding its wings.

“And thanks to your own Field Card,” continued Andy, “he gets a bonus!”

(1,400/1,100) –> (1,900/1,600)

“Big deal!” laughed Tyson. “It isn’t nearly enough. And that bonus will only help me…”

“Say what?” asked Andy.

“You’ll see,” said Tyson. “Is that your turn?”

“Yeah, go ahead…”

Tyson drew, and his Life Points went up to 6,500.

“Now,” said Tyson, “let me explain another benefit I now have…”

“Another one?” exclaimed Andy in surprise.

“Yes!” laughed Tyson. “When Fire King is on the field with Volcano Palace, then once per round, I get to summon one of these!”

A small flame appeared, and a fiery teenager wearing a page’s outfit appeared. (500/500) –> (1,000/1,000)

“It’s a token called a Fire Servant,” chuckled Tyson. “And don’t let his low scores fool you. So long as Volcano Palace exists, he can’t be destroyed via battle… AND, and damage involving a battle with him is inflicted on you instead of me!”

“Eep!” shrieked Francesca. “This is the perfect three-card-combo!”

“And he’s in trouble…” sighed Stan.

“Fire Queen,” commanded Tyson, “burn up his Twin-Headed Behemoth!”

Fire Queen laughed and shot flame from her sword, blasting the Dragon away a second time!

“Fire King, roast his Dragon Dwelling in the Cave!”

Fire King shot forth his own flame, and the Dragon was blown apart.

“Fire Servant, attack his Masked Dragon, and take a chunk out of his Life Points!”

Flames appeared in Fire Servants hands, and he shot the flame forward, striking Masked Dragon! Masked Dragon roared in pain, and Andy’s Life Points fell to 5,400.

“Your move,” snickered Tyson. “And just so you know, next round I’ll add another Fire Servant to the field!”

Andy drew.

This will protect me for one round, at least… he thought.

“I summon this in Defense Mode!” he shouted. “Troop Dragon!”

He placed the card down, and the trio of winged draconic warriors appeared, kneeling in Defense. (700/800)

“That’s all for me this round,” he snarled.

“Please,” said Tyson, “you have about as much a chance as Rick Lazio did against Hillary Clinton. Why keep it up?”

He drew. His Life Points went up to 6,700.

Another Fire Servant appeared on his side of the field. (500/500) –> (1,000/1,000)

“Fire Queen,” commanded Tyson, “wipe out his Masked Dragon!”

Fire Queen blasted forth her flame, and Masked Dragon was incinerated.

“Nice,” said Andy.

A card flew out of his deck.

“Too bad you don’t know about Masked Dragon’s effect. When he’s destroyed in battle, I can Special Summon another Dragon with a low Attack Score…”

He put the card down.

“So I’ll summon another Masked Dragon in Defense Mode!”

A new Masked Dragon appeared!

“Cute,” sneered Tyson. “Fire King, destroy his second Masked Dragon!”

Fire King shot forth his blazing fire, and the second Masked Dragon exploded!

Another card flew out of Andy’s deck. He placed it down…

A third Masked Dragon appeared!

“You think you’re so smart?” scoffed Tyson. “Fire Servant number one, attack his Troop Dragon!”

The first Fire Servant cast his fiery spell, and the small Dragons were blown away.

Again, a card flew out of Andy’s deck.

“Nice try,” said Andy, with a grin, “but Troop Dragon has a similar ability. When one Troop Dragon is destroyed, I can summon another!”

He placed the card down, and a new Troop Dragon appeared.

Tyson growled.

“You!” he shouted, pointing to his second Fire Servant. “Destroy his second Troop Dragon!”

The second Fire Servant obliterated the Troop Dragon.

Andy put a card down, and his third Troop Dragon appeared.

Francesca sighed.

“Andy managed to put up quite a wall,” she groaned, but next round, “it’s going to come tumbling down…”

“There’s got to be something he can do…” muttered Stan.

“My move now!” exclaimed Andy.

He drew.

“And I play… Reload!” he exclaimed.

He put the card in a slot.

His Disk flew out of the holder, and then the five cards in his hand floated into it. Then the deck reshuffled itself in mid-air, and placed itself back in its holder. Finally, five new cards flew out of the deck and Andy caught them.

Let’s see, thought Andy, I’ve got two Trap Cards, two Magic Cards, and one Mon…

He stopped short.

Hey… he thought. This is that Monster that Merlee convinced me to put in my deck before the duel…

He paused.

Maybe this guy IS a little better than Tyrant Dragon in this situation… I think I have all the cards I need for one big combo!

But Merlee and I are having a long talk after this is over…

“Okay, Tyson,” said Andy, in a threatening tone, “I’m placing three cards facedown on the field…”

He threw the cards into slots, and they appeared in front of him.

“…and that will end my turn.”

Tyson drew.

His Life Points went up to 6,900.

And then, a third Fire Servant appeared. (500/500) –> (1,000/1,000)

“You think that scares me?” laughed Tyson. “I already told you, if one of those Traps destroys one of my Monsters, I’ll just get stronger!

“And to prove I’m not scared of you, I’m sending my strongest Monster to attack first! Fire King…”

“I activate my first facedown card!” interrupted Andy. “Reveal Threatening Roar!”

The Trap Card lifted, and a huge beast with horns and purple fur appeared behind Andy. It bellowed, and Tyson’s five Monsters drew back in fright! They cowered close to him, quivering.

“My Trap Card has made your forces too frightened to attack this round,” stated Andy, “meaning that my Monsters are safe.”

“For now…” sneered Tyson. “But not for long. I end my turn.”

Andy drew, and added the card to his hand.

“Okay, Tyson,” he said, “your Volcano Palace is a nice place, but frankly, I’m sick of it…”

He fit a card into a slot.

“…so I’m destroying it with Mystical Space Typhoon!”

A whirlwind erupted around the field, and Volcano Palace disintegrated, the lava evaporating and the Palace itself crumbling into dust. The ring returned to normal.

Fire King’s stats returned to (3,000/2,500), Fire Queen’s returned to (2,500/2,000), and the stats of each Fire Servant returned to (500/500).

“Bah!” shouted Tyson. “Big deal! My King and Queen are still stronger than anything you’re likely to summon!”

“We’ll see about that,” said Andy, taking a card from his hand. “Because now I sacrifice my Masked Dragon AND my Troop Dragon…”

His two Monsters vanished, and he placed a card down…

“To summon a beast whose name is feared in the mystical Orient as… YAMATA DRAGON!

A bellowing roar shook the field, and an immense form arose behind Andy. The Dragon didn’t seem to have a body… It looked like eight ugly, snake-like, Dragon heads, colored tan with reptilian eyes! Smoke poured from its eight jaws! (2,600/3,100)

The crowd gasped… And then they cheered!

“Francesca?” said Stan, puzzled. “Why on earth would Andy put that in his deck? Yamata Dragon is powerful… but it isn’t for a standard Dragon Deck…”

“Uh…” stammered Francesca. “I… don’t know…”

“HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!” laughed Tyson. “What a dope! I haven’t seen a move that dumb since they elected the dead guy Senator of Missouri!”

“Why is it dumb?” asked Andy.

“Duh!” laughed Tyson. “In case you didn’t know, Yamata Dragon is a Spirit Monster! You may be able to destroy my Queen with it, but after that, its card will return to your hand, and my Fire King will smash you!”

“That’s not what I have planned at all,” said Andy with a grin.

Another of his facedown cards lifted.

“I activate another Trap… Burst Breath!”

“Huh?” said Tyson, in surprise.

“By offering my Yamata Dragon as a sacrifice, all Monsters on the field with a Defense Score equal to or lower than its Attack Score are destroyed! And in case you didn’t notice, all of your Monsters’ Defense Scores are lower than 2,600!”

“WHAT?” shouted Tyson. “NO!”

“Yamata Dragon,” ordered Andy, “wipe out his Fire freaks! Burst Breath!”

Yamata Dragon roared, and blew flame from its eight mouths, and the whole field erupted in an inferno! Five screams filled the air!

When the smoke cleared, Fire King, Fire Queen, the three Fire Servants, and Yamata Dragon itself had been eradicated.

The crowd rose to their feet and cheered!

Tyson stood with his mouth agape.

“And I’m not done yet, Tyson,” said Andy. “I activate my last facedown card…”

The card lifted.

“It’s a Quickplay Magic Card called Super Rejuvenation. This lets me draw one card for each Dragon that I sacrificed during this round, and I sacrificed three – two to summon Yamata Dragon, and the Yamata Dragon itself to activate my Trap.”

Three cards flew out of his deck, and he caught them.

“So make your move…” he said.

“In case you didn’t realize this,” said Tyson, “you may have destroyed my whole side, but your side is clear now as well.”

“I’m used to taking risks,” sneered Andy. “Now move…”

Tyson sneered as he drew. His Life Points went up to 7,100.

He growled as he looked at his hand.

I could summon this… he thought. Or this… but if Andy managed to destroy one of them, I might not be able to summon my ultimate beast!

He sighed.

“I’ll place a Monster facedown in Defense, and that will be all for me…” he said.

The hidden Monster appeared.

“Do your worst,” said Tyson with a smile.

Andy drew.

“My worst you say?” said Andy with a grin. “Fine…”

He put a card down.

“First I’ll summon Luster Dragon #1 in Attack Mode!”

A shimmering light fell on the field, and the beautiful sapphire Dragon appeared. (1,900/1,600)

“Now,” continued Andy. “I’m discarding my Thunder Dragon…”

He threw a card into his discard slot.

Two cards flew out of his deck.

“This lets me draw the other two Thunder Dragons from my deck! Know why? Because now I can play Polymerization to fuse them both together!”

He threw a card into a slot. Two green, scaly lizards with draconic features and lightning crackling all over them appeared on the field.

A portal behind them opened and drew the two Thunder Dragons in.

“Thunder Dragons exist only to be fused together,” said Andy, “alone, they’re pathetic for five star Monsters. But when I fuse them, I’m able to summon something incredibly powerful…”

A huge form lumbered out of the portal.

“Say hello to [B]Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon!

Coming out of the portal was an immense two-headed lizard with orange skin and a long horn on one of its snouts! (2,800/2,100)

The crowd cheered again!

“I may not be able to attack with it this round,” said Andy, “but my Luster Dragon can attack! Luster Dragon, take out his facedown Monster with sapphire flash blast!”

Luster Dragon shot forth a beam of blue energy from its jaws…

And a huge statue made of burnt wood appeared on the card. The blast bounced off of it. (100/2,100)

Andy’s Life Points fell to 5,200.

“Sorry, Andy,” chuckled Tyson, “but you attacked my Charcoal Inpachi! A little too much for your Luster Dragon!”

“Fine,” said Andy, “I’ll place a card facedown, and end my turn.”

A facedown card appeared behind his two Monsters.

Tyson drew, and his Life Points went up to 7,300.

Darn, he thought. Still don’t have all the cards I need…

“I’ll summon Molten Zombie in Defense Mode!” he shouted.

He threw a card down, and a hulking creature made of molten lava appeared, shielding itself with its gloppy arms. (1,600/400)

“Go ahead and attack,” dared Tyson. “My creatures are in Defense Mode, so it makes little difference!”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” said Andy.

He made a draw.

“I activate my Trap Card…” he said. “Dragon’s Rage!”

His Trap lifted.

“This Trap lets all of my Dragons trample your Monsters and hurt you even when they’re in Defense Mode!” exclaimed Andy. “It doesn’t affect my Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, since it’s technically a Thunder Monster, but my Luster Dragon is all Dragon!

“Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, barbecue his Inpachi with double lightning blast!”

Twin-Headed Thunder Dragons twin mouths shot forth bolts of lightning, blasting Charcoal Inpachi to dust!

“Luster Dragon, wipe out his Molten Zombie!”

Luster Dragon shot forth his blast, and Molten Zombie exploded in a burst of lava!

Tyson was thrown back, and his Life Points fell to 5,800.


Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued From Last Post:


“Ergh…” said Tyson, getting up.

“Make your move…” dared Andy.

Tyson drew. His Life Points went up to 6,000.

Now I have all three of the required creatures! he thought. But without the right Magic Card, I don’t dare summon one…

He put a card down.

“I summon Blazing Inpachi in Attack Mode!” he shouted.

A second Inpachi arose, this one blazing with fire. (1,850/0)

“Make your move,” he said, sweating.

Andy drew.

“Time to take control of this duel,” he said. “Luster Dragon, destroy his Inpachi!”

Luster Dragon shot forth his lethal breath, blowing Blazing Inpachi into an explosion of burning sticks!

“Now my Thunder Dragon, attack him directly!”

The lizard’s two mouths shot forth their thunderous breath! Tyson screamed, and was thrown backwards!

His Life Points plummeted to 3,150. The crowd went nuts!

“YES!” shouted Francesca. “Andy’s going to win! He’s going to win!”

“Your move, Shadow Spawn…” dared Andy.

Tyson slowly drew. His Life Points went up to 3,350.

“Heh, heh,” he chuckled. “HA, HA, HA, HA!”

“Now what?” groaned Andy.

“I just drew the card that will win the match for me!” exclaimed Tyson.

He showed him the card…

Polymerization.

“Really?” said Andy. “And just what two Monsters do you intend to fuse together?”

“Not two,” chuckled Tyson. “Three!”

“THREE?” exclaimed Andy.

“What on earth?” gasped Francesca. “A fusion of three Monsters?”

“They’re rare,” muttered Stan, “but Kaiba’s Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon is not the only one…”

Fire appeared in Tyson’s eyes.

“I’m using this card,” he hissed, “to fuse together Darkfire Soldier #1, Spirit of Flames, and Darkfire Soldier #2!”

The three fiery Monsters appeared on the field…

The Polymerization card appeared behind the three fiery Monsters and sucked them into it!

A fierce blaze appeared on Tyson’s side of the field!

“And now,” laughed Tyson, “come forth my Volcano Assassin!”

A fiery Ninja in crimson clothing, carrying a blazing katana leapt forth! (?/?)

“What?” said Andy, puzzled.

“Let me explain,” chuckled Tyson. “The Attack and Defense Points for Volcano Assassin are the combined Attack and Defense points, respectively, that the Monsters used to create him currently had! That’s a number you can’t argue with!”

(5,100/3,150)

“Plus,” continued Tyson, “during each of my Battle Phases, his Attack Score will go up by another 300!”

The creature’s Attack Score went up to 5,400!

“And he’s immune to Trap Cards that target, too, by the way,” he chuckled.

“Since I can’t attack with him yet, I’ll simply end my turn…”

“No!” gasped Francesca. “He’ll never beat that thing…”

“Calm down…” muttered Stan. “At least Andy has a round to prepare…”

Andy started to sweat as he drew his next card.

What am I gonna do? he thought. None of these cards can help me now…

“I’ll shift both my Monsters into Defense Mode and end my turn,” he said.

Both of his Dragons curled up into Defense.

“Heh, heh,” chuckled Tyson. “Took the bait just like I thought!”

He drew, and his Life Points went up to 3,550.

“I didn’t tell you about Volcano Assassin’s last effect!” he laughed. “He has the same trampling effect that your Dragons do under the influence of Dragon’s Rage!”

Andy gasped.

“Face it Andy,” said Tyson, evilly, “you’re more doomed than the careers of Timothy McVeigh’s defense team! Volcano Assassin, slay his Luster Dragon with volcanic katana!”

Volcano Assassin ran his finger along his blade, and the flames blazed! He leapt forward, his Attack went up to 5,700, and he smote Luster Dragon! A fierce explosion blew Andy backwards!

As Andy’s Life Points plummeted to 1,100, he felt himself passing out…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Andy was in a dark place… Fires were burning around him…

He shivered in fear…

“No…” he pleaded. “Keep them away… I can’t…”

He shivered again.

“Help…” he begged.

“Andy, please!” urged a voice. “You can’t panic now…”

Andy’s eyes adjusted to the dim light, and he saw a form in front of him…

To his surprise, it was Koops.

“K… Koops?” he said, shaking. “What…?”

“Andy, you have to get back up and fight!” begged Koops. “You haven’t lost yet!”

Andy didn’t get up.

“I may have well have,” he moaned. “That Monster is too powerful. And I’ve pretty much lost my façade… right now… I’m scared…”

Koops sighed.

“Is that a reason not to try?” he said. “Let me tell you something that your ancestor told me, Andy…

“He told me that true courage is when you’re scared, but you try anyway. You’re only a coward if you give up.

“You see, when I first met your ancestor and his two friends, my home was being ravaged by Hooktail… I was scared to death of Hooktail! I had good reason to – my dad had gone to fight her once, and had never returned…

“But I decided to join the Three Heroes when they went to fight her, not only because I wanted to avenge my dad, but because…”

He paused.

“Well, uhm…”

“Yes?” asked Andy.

“Well, I had a girlfriend and I wanted to do something to impress her,” sighed Koops, blushing. “But anyway, when I went with them to confront Hooktail, I was scared stiff… but we beat her!

“And even though I was scared for the rest of the time I with them, from that point up until the time we confronted the Shadow Queen, I never thought of running away to hide! I remembered what your ancestor said – I’d never be a coward so long as I kept trying!

“You have to keep trying too! You have to defeat this guy so the Queen can’t return!”

“But how can I defeat a creature with over 5,000 Attack Points?” asked Andy.

“You have a Monster that’s stronger…” suggested Koops.

“My trump card?” replied Andy.

He lifted up his hand, and looked at his cards…

“But I need one more card to summon it!” exclaimed Andy. “For all I know, it could be at the bottom of my deck!”

“Have faith, Andy,” pleaded Koops. “I may be in your Graveyard at the moment, but I’ll still be standing behind you…”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Andy pulled himself up off the ground…

“Amazing,” laughed Tyson. “Are you still trying to win? Don’t you know when you’re outclassed?”

“I’m not gonna lose…” growled Andy. “A friend of mine just told me I shouldn’t be afraid of you, and you know what? It will take a long time before I’m afraid of a jerk who makes bad metaphors!”

He deftly drew out a card.

“And my card is Pot of Greed!” he exclaimed, throwing it into the slot.

The colorful jar appeared, and the spectral arm handed him two more cards from his deck.

Andy looked at them. And then he looked at Tyson.

“I truly feel sorry for you Tyson,” he said. “You’re about to suffer a loss more embarrassing than the Yankees had when the Red Sox beat them in the 2004 American League Championship Series!”

“HA!” laughed Tyson. “I’ll have to remember to write that one down. That would be a good one… If it were anything more than a bluff!”

“No bluff, Tyson,” snarled Andy. “First I’ll move my Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon back to Attack Mode!”

The two-headed lizard reared up and roared!

“Then,” he said, placing a card down, “I summon Red Eyes Black Chick in Attack Mode!”

A small egg appeared on the field, and a little hatchling Dragon crawled out of it. (800/500)

“Don’t make me laugh!” chuckled Tyson. “That runt isn’t worth my Assassin dulling his sword on!”

“Really?” said Andy. “Well wait until you see its effect. I can instantly sacrifice it for this…”

He put a card down, and Red Eyes Black Chick began to grow, quickly evolving into full-grown Dragon-size! The fiendish Dragon’s eyes blazed, and it glared at Tyson!

“Meet my Red Eyes Black Dragon!” shouted Andy.

(2,400/2,000)

“Red Eyes?” exclaimed Yumi. “Where the heck did Andy get a card that rare?”

“I dunno!” gasped Francesca. “This is new to me!”

Tyson chuckled.

“I must admit, that’s impressive,” he said, “but even your Red Eyes is hardly a match for my Volcano Assassin… And I know that it has no effect.”

“True,” said Andy, “your Assassin is more than twice as strong as my Dragon…”

He put a third card down.

“…so now I’ll sacrifice him to Special Summon a beast called Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!”

Darkness grew over the field, and Red Eyes grew darker and more fiendish. His eyes burned with diabolical fire and he growled… (2,400/2,000)

“How do you like my three-card-combo?” mocked Andy. “When summoned at the right time, Red Eyes Darkness Dragon is practically unbeatable, because he gains 300 extra attack points for every Dragon in my Graveyard!”

“Um, I lost count…” muttered Yumi. “How many Dragons does he have in his Graveyard?”

“Let’s see…” said Francesca. “The Thunder Dragons aren’t Dragons, so…”

She counted off…

“Counting Red Eyes Black Chick and Red Eyes Black Dragon, twelve!”

“With twelve Dragons in my Graveyard,” announced Andy, “I’ve got a number you really can’t argue with!”

The Dragon howled in bloodlust as the spirits of Dragons flew from Andy’s Disk and were absorbed into the creature’s form! His Attack Score skyrocketed!

(6,000/2,000)

Tyson gulped…

“So, Tyson,” chuckled Andy, “run out of clever metaphors?”

Tyson was sweating heavily…

“Red Eyes, wipe out Volcano Assassin with your diabolic fire blast!”

Red Eyes Darkness Dragon shot forth a searing blast of dark flame, burning Volcano Assassin into smoke!

Tyson’s Life Points fell to 3,450.

“And now…” shouted Andy. “Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon, attack his Life Points directly!”

The two headed Dragon shot lightning from his twin mouths, and Tyson screamed!

As his Life Points fell to 655, the crowd gave a standing ovation!

“Now I’ll place this card facedown, and end my turn,” he said, placing a card into a slot.

The card appeared behind his two Monsters.

“Make your move…” dared Andy.

Tyson shakily drew, and his Life Points went up to 855.

He looked at the card.

“I’ll play my own Pot of Greed!” he exclaimed!

The jar handed him two cards.

Tyson looked at them…

Rush Recklessly, and Monster Reborn.

Huh… he thought. I could use these to bring back my Volcano Assassin and attack his Thunder Dragon… and I’d win… but his facedown card… It’s likely something to protect himself… Volcano Assassin is immune to most Traps… but not all of them…

What if it’s a Mirror Force? What if it’s Negate Attack? Hallowed Life Barrier?

A light shone in his eye…

Hey… he thought. I got an idea…

“I’ll place a card facedown,” he said, fitting the card into a slot, “and then I’ll play Monster Reborn!”

Andy drew back…

“I’ll bring back my Fire Queen in Defense Mode!” he exclaimed.

Fire Queen reappeared, and knelt in Defense. (2,500/2,000)

“That ends my turn,” he sneered.

He brought back his Queen and not his Assassin? thought Andy. Something’s not right…

He drew.

He thought for a minute…

Of course…

“Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon,” he commanded, “attack his Fire Queen!”

Lightning sparked in the two-headed Dragon’s mouth…

“I’m activating my facedown card!” laughed Tyson. “Go, Rush Recklessly!”

The card lifted.

“What good will that do you?” asked Andy. “Your Monster is in Defense Mode!”

“Exactly!” laughed Tyson. “I tricked you! I’m using Rush Recklessly to increase the Attack of YOUR Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon to 3,600! You forgot Fire Queen’s effect! Any damage involving a battle with her is taken by YOU, not ME!

“And since my Queen is in Defense Mode, and your Dragon’s Rage Trap is still in effect, when you destroy her, you’ll take 1,600 points of damage and lose!”

Tyson cackled, and the crowd gasped, as Fire Queen was blown apart.

Andy held his head in his hand.

“Sniff, sniff…” he sobbed.



Continued…

[Dark Sage]

Continued From Last Post:



“Heh, heh,” he chuckled. “HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!”

“What?” said Tyson, shocked.

Andy’s Life Points were untouched.

“Idiot,” said Andy. “I didn’t forget about your Queen’s special ability! But you forgot that Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon isn’t really a Dragon, so Dragon’s Rage doesn’t affect it! So a battle involving it and your Queen in Defense Mode does no damage at all!”

Tyson turned white.

“But a direct attack from my Darkness Dragon will sure do a lot!” he laughed.

“NO!” screamed Tyson.

“Diabolic fire blast!” screamed Andy.

Tyson screamed bloody murder as he was engulfed in dark flames. He fell to the ground.

As his Life Points were depleted, the crowd’s applause was deafening.

“And by the way, Tyson,” said Andy, taking a card out of his Disk, “you were probably wondering about my facedown card?”

He showed it to him.

“It was The Dragon’s Bead, a Trap that protects Dragons from other Traps. It wouldn’t have protected my Thunder Dragon from your Volcano Assassin, so if you had brought him back, well, you’d have won. But too bad.”

“Curse you…” moaned Tyson. “You may have extinguished me for now… but this isn’t over… my flame will relight!”

And he vanished in a burst of fire and smoke!

Jolene came up and raised Andy’s hand into the air.

“And the winner is… Markova the Dragon Master!” she exclaimed.

“Good job, Andy…” she whispered.


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

One hour later…

The crowd was dispersing, and Andy was in Jolene’s office, with his three friends behind him.

“That was quite a match, Markova,” she commented.

“Yeah,” sighed Andy, “now there was something about a prize?”

“Of course,” said Jolene, removing something from her desk, “but on one condition…”

She handed him a colorful card.

“You didn’t get this from me…” she whispered.

“Huh?” said Andy, looking at the card.

He read the description. It was a Quickplay Magic Card called “Power Lift”.

Man, that’s powerful, thought Andy. This has got to be another Enchanted Card!

He looked at Jolene strangely.

“Sure,” he said. “My lips are sealed…”

At that point, Merlee walked in.

“Andy,” he said. “Congratulations on w-w-winning your match.”

“YOU!” shouted Andy. “I want a word with you!”

“Y-y-yes?” said Merlee.

“What can you do, see the future?” asked Andy, angrily.

“Uh, n-n-no,” answered Merlee, “I’m not that p-p-powerful.”

“Well…” said Andy. “Strange… Somehow, you knew I’d need to use a Dragon with over 2,500 Attack in combination with Burst Breath. The only Dragon I had who was that strong was Tyrant Dragon, but I can’t use Burst Breath with him, because Traps don’t effect him, including my own! That’s why you told me to replace him with Yamata Dragon!”

“Well…” said Merlee.

“Look, Merl,” demanded Andy, taking the Yamata Dragon out of his deck, “we appreciate you giving us those special Monster Cards, but we don’t need you fighting all our battles for us! I could have handled that jerk on my own!

“So you can take this dumb Spirit Monster and get lost! We can deal with our problems without you holding our hands!”

He threw the Yamata Dragon at him.

Merlee sighed and left the office.

Maybe he’s right, thought Merlee. I can’t help them every step of the way. But they can’t do this alone… Eventually, they’ll welcome my aid…

“Don’t you think you were a little hard on him, Andy?” asked Francesca. “He broke the spell over Yumi, you know…”

“Yeah, well, I don’t like being dependent on someone…” sighed Andy. “Come on, let’s get a cheeseburger.”


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

Tyson appeared in a dark cavern…

And he gasped, as he saw Melissa and Kurtis, held prisoner by two magical devices.

“Tyson…” said a sinister voice.

Tyson cringed in fear as his mother stepped out of the shadows.

“Mom, it wasn’t my fault!” begged Tyson.

“Then who’s fault was it?” she scolded. “Mine? You had a Horn of Heaven Trap in your hand, and you didn’t even set it! You could have used that to stop him from summoning his Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!”

“But…” stammered Tyson. “To use that Trap, I’d have had to sacrifice a Monster, and…”

“…and with your great ego, you were so proud of your mighty Volcano Assassin, that you couldn’t bear to sacrifice him!” shouted the Shadow Queen. “That was stupid, Tyson!”

“Well, um…” gasped Tyson.

The Queen frowned and took four cards out of her dress.

“Please, no!” begged Tyson.

“Stop whining!” shouted the Queen. “You know the rules. Just pray you don’t choose Tribute to the Doomed!”

Tyson turned pale…

“Come on Tyson…” snarled his mother. “Decide, or I’ll decide, and you won’t like what I decide…”

“Uh… the one on the far left…” stammered Tyson, covering his eyes.

The Queen chuckled and slid the card into her Disk.

“I was joking, Tyson,” she said with a grin, “there’s no Tribute to the Doomed. I might still have use for you later, after all but until then… Shadow Spell!”

A mass of iron chains sprang up around Tyson! He screamed as he was hog-tied and forced to the ground!

“Humph,” said the Queen, turning to leave.

She pulled a cell phone out of her dress…


[B]

* * * * * * * * * *

The sun was going down, and outside the Glitz Pit, Jolene took out her ringing cell phone.

“What?” she snapped. “Look, it’s far from my fault that Tyson lost!”

She paused.

“What?” she said, nervously. “No, I didn’t give Andy any ‘Enchanted Cards’, I have no idea what you’re talking about!”

She paused.

“Fine!” she yelled. “Watch me as close as you want! I don’t care! What are you going to do, put me with my brother?”

Another pause.

“Yeah, I know, but I don’t have to like doing it, do you hear me!”

She hung up.

She sadly took out her wallet and looked at a picture.

Ooh, Mush… she said to herself. I wish I knew what you were going through…

A tear fell down her face.

If anyone can defeat that witch and save you, Andy can… Hopefully that card I gave him will be enough…

She was so distracted, she didn’t see the girl in the dark cloak sneak up behind her.

The girl reached into her pocket, and swiped her golden pocket watch.

She hid the watch in her cloak, and vanished into the shadows.

This tournament is sure making me a profit, she thought, but all the money in world won’t get me into the Thousand Year Door…

Filching Crystal Cards would be a little TOO underhanded… Stick always told me, don’t steal something when it’s more of a challenge to earn it yourself…

So, time to find a challenger…

She looked around…

And her eyes fell on four teens exiting a restaurant…



FIRE PRINCE (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Pyro/Effect
Attribute: Fire
Level: 4
ATK: 1,500
DEF: 1,300

Card Description:The older brother of Fire Princess, this heir to the throne of the Land of Fire protects his sister from harm. As long as this card remains face-up on the field, your opponent cannot select a face-up "Fire Princess" on your side of the field as a target of an attack.



FIRE QUEEN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Fire
Level: 8
ATK: 2,500
DEF: 2,000

Card Description: This fiery monarch is the consort of the one who rules over the Land of Fire, and is never far from his side. Only one "Fire Queen" may be face-up on your side of the field at any time. Inflict any damage you receive from a battle involving this card to your opponent's Life Points instead of your own. When this card is Normal Summoned successfully, you can Special Summon one "Fire King" from your hand or deck to the field.



FIRE KING (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Fire
Level: 8
ATK: 3,000
DEF: 2,500

Card Description: The ruler of the Land of Fire, this sovereign controls one of the most deadly elements of nature. Only one "Fire King" may be face-up on your side of the field at any time. When this card is successfully Normal Summoned, Flip Summoned, or Special Summoned, add one "Volcano Palace" from your deck to your hand. If "Volcano Palace" is face-up on the field with this card, special summon one "Fire Servant Token" (Pyro/Fire/2 stars/ATK 500/DEF 500) in Attack Mode to your side of the field during each of your Standby Phases. As long as this card and "Volcano Palace" remain face-up on the field, "Fire Servant Tokens" are not destroyed as a result of battle, and any damage you would receive from a battle involving these Tokens is inflicted to your opponent's Life Points instead of your own.



VOLCANO ASSASSIN (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Warrior/Fusion/Effect
Attribute: Fire
Level: 10
ATK: ?
DEF: ?

Card Description: Darkfire Soldier #1 + Darkfire Soldier #2 + Spirit of Flames

This fiery assassin uses the raw power of a volcano to kill his targets. This Monster can only be Fusion Summoned, and only by the above Fusion-material Monsters. The ATK and DEF of this Monster are equal to the combined current ATK and DEF (respectively) of the Monsters used to fusion summon it. This card is unaffected by Trap Cards that directly target. During each of your Battle Phases, increase the ATK of this card by 300 points (this ATK increase remains in effect as long as this card remains face-up on the field). If this card attacks a Defense Position monster on your opponent's side of the field with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of your opponent's monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points.



VOLANO PALACE (Magic Card)

Card Specs

Type: Magic/Field
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –

Card Description: This citadel of obsidian is the capital of the Land of Fire, where all creatures of flame eventually go. Increase the ATK and DEF of all Fire monsters by 500 points. If a Fire monster is destroyed by the effect of a Magic Card, Trap Card, or Monster Effect, increase the Life Points of the owner by an amount equal to the destroyed Monster's original ATK.



KOOPS THE BASHFUL (Monster Card)

Card Specs

Type: Reptile/Effect
Attribute: Water
Level: 4
ATK: 1,800
DEF: 500

Card Description: It was said that this shy Koopa aided the Three Heroes to impress a female Koopa, and soon became one of their strongest assets. This Monster can attack more than one opposing Monster on your opponent’s side of the field. If this Monster attacks more than one Monster on your turn, it cannot attack on your next turn. This Monster cannot attack your opponent’s Life Points directly after destroying any opposing Monsters.



[B][I]Coming up next:

You’re probably all wondering about the creepy girl in the cloak who just stole Jolene’s watch. Well, why don’t I tell you her name:

RAVEN!

Who is Raven? What is the story behind this sly pickpocket? Find out next chapter, when she challenges Stan in a chapter called “Honor Among Thieves”, coming soon.