Synchronized Posted February 22, 2011 Report Share Posted February 22, 2011 Fair enough. Just so you know, I did read Chapter 1 before reading Chapter 2. I mentioned that in the first post I made in this thread. I just didn't do a full review of Chapter 1 like I did for this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anbu-of-Sand Posted February 23, 2011 Report Share Posted February 23, 2011 Frick, I'm 3 Chapters behind now D: Plan on reading them / reviewing them soon....hopefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexadin Posted February 24, 2011 Report Share Posted February 24, 2011 Read the first 3 chapters and I must say I like where this is going. I'll give more detailed comments as I read more. You'll hear from me again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted February 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2011 This took much, much longer than I had expected. I had various unforeseen setbacks during this past week, but it's done, and with it, the second arc comes to an end. An interlude will follow, as expected, with updated information on the story's character roster. I don't know exactly how long it will take, since I'm kind of on the busy side these days, but hopefully it won't be too long. Enjoy, guys. [spoiler=Chapter 24] [center][b][u]Chapter 24:[/b] Falling Down[/u][/center] Maya was alone in a field of darkness, the only thing visible in the void being the burning eyes of severed human heads, attached to pikes that surrounded her. Her opponent, a form of complete black, lacking a head, stood opposite to her, armed with a black scepter similar to Maya's Rod of Dominion - except in its tip, a human skull nestled. Maya's field was empty, yet above her opponent's head hovered the three Devil Gods, the two that Cornelius Klein had used against her, and a third, more terrible one. Of course, this match would be decided in an instant. But then the air above the bloody, severed neck flickered, and suddenly there was a face there. It was not Cornelius Klein. It was not Sinclair. It was her own face, blood-stained, glazed crimson eyes, her face split with a malicious grin. Maya screamed as she woke up, drenched in sweat. She resisted the urge to throw up, and opened her window to let some fresh air in. This was serious. She couldn't afford to go crazy. What Sinclair had said. She hadn't stopped thinking about it. The virtual world that was the stage for Duel International's Duel Terminal system was certainly more, much more than it was made out to be. It was not an illusion. It was a reality, removed from this one - but still, it was real within its own context. If you were struck by a lethal attack in that world, you'd die there, and the link between the two separate realities, the brain, would register it and kill you in the real world as well. The fact that this had not been the case was nothing else other than limiters being placed by the company, controllers that regulated the messages that were sent to the brain. And when those limiters were removed, a duel could become a lethal deathmatch. But there was more to it than that. There were things happening in the virtual world, things that were unbound by such limited applications of logic. They could not avoid their problems forever. Sooner rather than later, both her and Yuusuke would have to confront the reality of what was happening. And if they were unprepared when that time came... --- It was no longer wind. The very breath of a dark god surged around them, twisting the very sky they fought in into a cascade of shadows. Yenma could see his opponent had difficulty maintaining his course under the gale. That was just as well. Hanging on with just 200 Life Points left, Yenma was vulnerable to all sorts of effect damage his opponent could dish out. But this was all about to change. "I tune my Level 7, Dark Simurgh, to my Level 1, Sound Warrior Bassist!" He shouted. Green light burst forth, a single circle growing so large as to envelop the entire lane. Dark Simurgh split into seven stars that flowed through that ring, followed by Yenma's entire D-Wheel. "Synchro Summon! Soar, Blackfeather Dragon!!" When both duelists started out with 4000 Life Points, it was fairly easy to deplete them by card effects, rather than battle damage. To prevent that from breaking the game's balance too much, Duel International had set rules that essentially prohibited the use of most 'burn' cards. Of course, that was not saying much if even a simple combination of, for example, Magic Cylinder and Flamvell Deathgunner could deplete all of his Life Points at once. It was more of a conscious decision of duelists not to use 'burn' tactics. It was not so much that it was considered bad sport, but effect damage was also relatively easy to counter. There were few duelists who were not at least somewhat prepared to face such a tactic, and thus, there were few duelists who relied on such a tactic. Vortexflame fell into the second category. Yenma fell under the first. He fell under the first. But this card, the card that [i]belonged[/i] to him, the card that had responded to him even if it was not in his deck, spun the situation on its head. [spoiler=Blackfeather Dragon][b]Blackfeather Dragon[/b] DARK / Dragon / Synchro Level 8 2800/1600 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters. Whenever you would take damage from a card effect, place 1 Black Feather Counter on this card instead. This card loses 700 ATK for each Black Feather Counter on it. Once per turn, you can remove all Black Feather Counters on this card to have 1 face-up monster your opponent controls lose 700 ATK for each Black Feather Counter, and inflict damage to your opponent equal to the ATK lost by that monster because of this effect.[/spoiler] "If I control Blackfeather Dragon, I take no effect damage!" Yenma said. "Instead, Blackfeather Dragon absorbs that damage, reducing its own attack by 700 points and placing one Black Feather Counter on itself." The energy released by Speed World 2's effect was instead gathered in the flying behemoth's wings, turning the lower bladed wings bright red. Now, he could retaliate. --- "So it appears." Moboro said quietly. Taihito was staring at the creature, dumbfounded. That thing had not been in Greyblade's deck when the duel initiated. Instead, it had somehow... appeared... when that red light flashed across the sky. Just what was going on here? "This card..." Gawain said quietly, walking forward to catch a better view. Aurora also took a step, her eyes locked on the visage taking place directly overhead. "Wh - what is the meaning of this? This is just like - " But Moboro cut him off by raising his hand. "This is the result of hacking into the database." He said severely. "We cannot tell for sure, but many of the recent incidents can be attributed to such disturbances. People's lives have been endangered because of careless activities such as this. Our friend over there will have a lot to answer for, once this duel ends." "But you said you would let him go if he won." Taihito said questioningly. "I did, and I'll stand by that promise." Moboro replied. "But the outcome of the duel is not determined yet. We'll have to see if Jinrei-kun has what it takes to win." --- Bando Takechi blinked in rage, trying to steady himself in that vortex of wind. His strategy had been turned upside-down in a single move, by that kid ranked twenty-something? It was unbelievable. This was the dragon Moboro had warned him about. But he had never told him it would counter effect damage! But, he had not lost yet. That bastard was only protected from effect damage while his Blackfeather Dragon was on the field. And he'd make sure that wouldn't last. He was still ahead of the game. "I summon UFO Turtle, in defense mode." He said, letting a large turtle with a shell shaped like a spherical flying object as a shell materialize in front of him. "Turn end." [spoiler=UFO Turtle][b]UFO Turtle[/b] FIRE / Machine Level 4 1400/1200 When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 FIRE monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck in face-up Attack Position.[/spoiler] "My turn, draw!" That Greyblade fellow said, his confidence apparently renewed now that he thought he had sealed off Takechi's strategy. How naive. [center][i][b]Greyblade[/b] - SPC: 6[/i] [i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - SPC: 2[/i][/center] "Blackfeather Dragon's effect activates. By removing all Black Feather Counters, my monster's original attack is restored, and I can deal damage to you equal to that amount!" The creature shot a bolt of black energy from its lower claws, striking at both Takechi's monster and himself, causing him to grunt in pain. Takechi was familiar with the concept of real damage that could be done here. The limiters had been removed from this duel - Takechi had accepted that, seeing as he did not believe he would be in any real danger from this guy. But this was somehow far more intense. It was as if that dragon itself was causing it. [center][i][b]Greyblade[/b] - LP: 200[/i] [i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 2800[/i][/center] "Next I summon Mist Valley Soldier!" A strange warrior with a battlethirsty expression, armed with a scimitar and sporting twin azure wings that enabled it to float next to the larger dragon, appeared on the field. "Battle! Mist Valley Soldier, attack UFO Turtle!" [spoiler=Mist Valley Soldier][b]Mist Valley Soldier[/b] WIND / Winged Beast / Tuner Level 4 1700/300 While you control this face-up card, any opponent's monster that battles this card, but is not destroyed by battle, returns to its owner's hand at the end of the Damage Step.[/spoiler] "Another UFO Turtle is Special Summoned." Takechi scowled as his monster was annihilated by the flying warrior's slash. "But it is summoned in attack mode." Greyblade pointed out. "Blackfeather Dragon, attack!" The dragon unleashed a spiralling surge of energy that swallowed his monster whole. He grunted as he was once again caught in the powerful aftermath, screaming as he felt every bit of the damage dealt. However, he was more prepared, and managed to steer his D-Wheel back into the proper route. He began descending into the lane at blazing speed, greatly outrunning his opponent. If he was going to win, he had to do it fast. [center][i][b]Greyblade[/b] - LP: 200[/i] [i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - LP: 1400[/i][/center] "The second UFO Turtle's effect Special Summons Darkblaze Dragon from my deck." This new monster was a great fiery dragon with massive, bladed wings and a narrow head with sharp horns protruding from the edges of its mouth like blades. Darkblaze Dragon only had 1200 attack, so it could be searched easily, but the true benefit was its level. [spoiler=Darkblaze Dragon][b]Darkblaze Dragon[/b] FIRE / Dragon Level 7 1200/1000 When this card is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, its ATK and DEF increases to become twice its original ATK and DEF. When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict Damage to your opponent equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster.[/spoiler] "I place one reverse card. Turn end." The enemy said, rushing behind him. "My turn. Draw!" Takechi snarled. Then he grinned - just what he was hoping for. [center][i][b]Greyblade[/b] - SPC: 7[/i] [i][b]Vortexflame[/b] - SPC: 3[/i][/center] "I activate the Speed Spell - High Speed Crash! I destroy one card on either side of the field! My targets are Darkblaze Dragon, and Blackfeather Dragon!" [spoiler=Speed Spell - High Speed Crash][b]Speed Spell - High Speed Crash[/b] SPELL / Normal Activate only while you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Destroy 1 card you control and 1 other card on the field.[/spoiler] Both dragonic beasts were enveloped in a fiery blaze, and with tremendous roars, they crashed against each other. But, the outcome was not as expected. Neither creature vanished. The illusory flames collided and grinded against each other, growing to a massive size. Takechi shielded his face from the scorching heat. Blackfeather Dragon cried out, and the entire duel lane shook precariously. Takechi sneaked a look backwards, but that Greyblade fellow was just tailing after him, the same bewildered expression on his face as Takechi guessed his own must be showing. He was driving blindly, his vision hindered by the fire. And suddenly, it cracked. The ground underneath their feet gave way, and they fell. Everything vanished in that maelstrom of flame, and all they could see was the pitch-black abyss below. With blinding speed, they collapsed into the unknown depths of the virtual world. --- A few hours later, Sarunoki Moboro was sitting in his office. It was a tight, dark space, cramped from top to bottom with research material and paperwork. He was deep in thought. His plan had not gone as well as he had hoped. Both Jinrei Yenma and Bando Takechi were gone for good - even though Moboro would have liked to interrogate Yenma, a nuisance like Blackfeather Dragon could throw too big a wrench into their plans. At least, he had expertly manipulated Aizawa Taihito into taking the blame, and he was now incarcerated within a prison of Moboro's own design. If that part worked, then Aizawa Yuusuke would have no choice but to seek him out, and then Moboro's plan to replace the last Pylon would kick into gear. Had Gregory Dunkan been a little more forthcoming with his teammates about the intricacies of this virtual world, Moboro might not have been feeling so complacent about the situation. --- If one examined the structure Duel International built their world onto, it would look like a massive beehive. Consisting of thousands upon thousands of cells, each one an instance of a fragment of the whole world. New cells were constantly generated while others collapsed, extending to the limit of the servers' capacity, or contracting to a fraction thereof. This structure was what allowed instantaneous travel between various fields. The central cells made up the core fields, which were used to control and regulate the rest of the cluster. However, there was one more component that comprised this reality. The Outer Sphere, the boundary that both separated and linked this reality from all others - its existence was a secret even within the company. Dunkan called this space the Zero Zone. It was a place whose laws were a paradox in themselves. Time and space flowed differently here. What was real intertwined with what was imaginary, and thoughts, feelings, fears and hopes could take form in the blink of an eye. Beyond even the boundaries of the reality it surrounded, it simply existed, invisible, intangible. Until one broke the thin layer wrapping the cells and found himself plowing straight into it. In this realm, the entity who called herself Ivory had been born. She could not tell how, or when, but she had come into existence long before the virtual world was released to the public. In a sense, she was the oldest being in this world. She had evolved and matured along with the reality that had given birth to her. And now she was sensing its distress, feeling the incoming peril, as its creators sought to use it in order to undo everything. But this was not the sole source of Ivory's agitation. She was feeling something [i]else[/i], something far closer. What could have happened, she wondered, in the middle of this chaos that could be the source of such disturbance? As if to answer her, the sky rattled with an unseen force. Ivory immediately looked up. In this zone, reality was subverted in ways that would seem unfathomable to the outside world. Ivory was a part of it, and her control over its nature was superb. Instantly the sky was the ground and the ground was the sky, and the two boys that would have fallen from a height of a thousand feet - a fall that would have assuredly killed them, both here and in their own reality - were suddenly lying on the ground, panting heavily from the shock, but otherwise unharmed. Ivory hastened to identify them - she recoiled slightly as she recognized the card that was in Jinrei Yenma's deck. Blackfeather Dragon. Another piece of the puzzle. Their arrival here was no coincidence. The pair shot up to their feet, their unconscious thoughts instantly materializing. Yenma's took the form of a solid black spiked armor surrounding himself, whereas Takechi's were shaped in white-hot tendrils of flame flowing outwards. Without as much as batting an eyelash, Ivory imposed her will over Takechi's, disrupting those fiery appendages before they could reach either her or Yenma. Takechi appeared surprised, but did not speak, still trying to absorb everything that was happening around him. "Before you do or say anything." Ivory said. "You must realize that here, every stray thought or desire or fear may happen if your mind dwells on it. And it won't be pleasant, generally. So, you must strive to keep your minds clear, your thoughts focused." "Who are you?" Takechi demanded, perhaps not even having registered what she had said. "Where are we?" Ivory opened her mouth to respond, but a frightful scream from under the pitch-black armor Yenma was sporting demanded their immediate attention. "Oh, dear." Ivory tried to dispel it, but it did not work, just as she had thought. Here, principles of chaos like the crimson mark that was glowing on Yenma's arm even underneath his armor were that much more potent. The nightmare that had been brought for by Yenma's fear was not something she could deal with. And when that nightmare was a ten-foot-tall giant mass of blackness, scarlet sparks flowing all over its grotesque body as it lumbered towards her, she was not sure if anything could deal with it. "We run." Instantly, she materialized her own D-Wheel, the Aether Dawn, and mounted it, doing the same for Yenma's and Takechi's D-Wheels. She wished she could just will them away, but then Yenma's fear would definitely drag that monster along. Only if he [i]believed[/i] they had outrun it, would it truly be left behind. Even that was a temporary solution, but she hoped the boy had a little more confidence hidden than he showed. Thankfully, there were no arguments. The three sped away. Immediately, the beast picked up speed, but Ivory made them all go faster. All they had to do was run fast enough, that Yenma would truly think they had gotten the best of it. But, he wasn't the only one whose fright took form here. Though braver on the exterior, Takechi was also scared, and three devilish beings crafted out of pure fire, sinister red eyes glaring at them while jaws hung open, ready to devour them, were suddenly in their way. But without a force like the crimson mark empowering them, they were little more than spectres, harmless to one such as herself, who dissolved them immediately with a thought. But Ivory's control had limits, and Yenma's nightmare was drawing closer the more she had to deal with distractions. If she could not force it to vanish with her will, she could overpower it. It was not a method she liked using, because it could have very unpredictable results inside this fluctuating zone, but she was starting to lose her patience. She pressed on the brakes sharply, spinning around to face their adversary. The two boys mimicked her, and instantly the monster came to a slow halt. A duel disk materialized on Ivory's arm, and three cards appeared in her free hand. She could have summoned monsters without their aid, but they would not be as consistent in this plane, and she had not yet gauged her opponent's strength. As soon as she had gone through these motions, the monster transformed. From a giant, undefined mass it became a human-shaped creature, though still wrapped in a black mud-like substance. Yenma's fear had 'responded' to the change in circumstances, altering from a vague, looming threat to a wicked duelist. This was just as well. "I'll let you handle this one." Ivory stepped back, pointing at Yenma. Now that the threat had been reduced to manageable levels, it was an ideal time to teach the two boys how to deal with this world, at least to the extent where they wouldn't die. "Y - yes." Yenma also seemed to have calmed down a little. The black armor had vanished, replaced with his usual attire. His own duel disk, filled with his deck, was already attached to his arm. Takechi watched intently. It was fascinating, how often fate twisted itself around, spinning events on their heads to form threads noone could have predicted. Those that thought themselves in control often found themselves powerless before that tide. It was a lesson many would learn, sooner rather than later, Ivory thought as a new, unforeseen possibility began blooming in front of her very eyes. --- There were only five. Gregory Dunkan, Draco Ross, Abraham Lee, Lynette Rayleigh and Sannosouke Takizawa were the only ones in attendance. Jacqueline had fallen into disfavor due to her recent failings, and she was kept at arm's length. And Dunkan did not want Moboro there on this particular day. He had ordered Nakahara to watch him - he could not afford any unnecessary distractions. There would be no discussion of trivial matters. Nothing mattered at this moment, except the giant pool that stretched out between them. It was a ring-shaped basin - it looked like a basin, but it was a hole, a hole with no bottom. Within it, chaotic waves of energy surged, so forceful they would have been visible even if the five spearheads of Duel International weren't wearing specialized eye contacts for their observation. This was what they had struggled so long to create. This was a portal that led straight to the Nexus. The five stood at the points of an imaginary five-pronged star around the portal. In front of Ross, on the left side, and Sannosouke, on the right side, a pedestal with three card-shaped engravings stood. Dunkan also had another one in front of him, but that one would remain untampered with, as the person responsible for empowering it was dead, and the cards which were to be used as conduits were gone. "Are you ready?" Dunkan asked, though there was no real need. Everyone nodded. He gave the signal, and both the European marketing consultant, and the Japanese director withdrew three cards from a carefully sealed box they held. Each one was placed with meticulous care atop one of the slots. A wave of energy lashed out from the portal, knocking them all backwards. Two rainbow-colored spires of light shot up from the two Pylons. Dunkan had positively insisted that it would work with just two, but even his heart skipped a beat when the energy flickered and faded. It was only a moment, though, and the portal solidified itself again, the two Pylons forming an arc overhead. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief they did not know they had been holding back. It had worked. The first stage was done and over with. After facing countless unpredictable setbacks and delays, they had reached that threshold. Of course, there was still so much to be done, so much that could go wrong. Disastrously wrong. But the testing, probing, theorizing, arguing - they were over. The Nexus was within their grasp, so close that they could stretch out and touch it - but they'd get burned to cinders if they tried. Now, they had to gather up the appropriate energy to forge a conduit between realities, a way to harness the potential of the Nexus. They had unleashed chaos upon this world, upon both the real world and the virtual world, upon dozens, perhaps, or hundreds, or thousands or millions of other worlds, completely unaware. War had began, and the winner would always be the one to make the first move. --- Within the core of the virtual world, Gregory Dunkan and his group opened a portal to the Nexus. From his stronghold in the Arc Cradle, ZONE prepared his own counterattack. Sanjou Kiishiro had retreated into the fortress as well, recovering from the violent appearance of the crimson mark on his arm, and pondering what, exactly, he should believe. Aizawa Yuusuke and Kirizaki Maya, separately, planned ahead for their next move, whereas Hikari received a distressing phone call. Jacqueline Devereaux was preparing for her own part in the assault. Sarunoki Moboro was still calculating the specifics for the reenactment of the third Pylon. Jinrei Yenma and Bando Takechi, along with their mysterious benefactor, stood face-to-face with the terrors of the deadly Zero Zone. The enigmatic black-clad woman who called herself Ebony, having trapped Sanjou Kotomi in her own mind, finally broke free of her restraints, and was spinning her own malicious webs. A hacker of unparalleled skill was planning his next move, preparing his army of virtual constructs. He grinned maliciously - he was sowing chaos, and he would reap darkness. Iseya Yuko and Ryusaki Sugita, dueling prodigies with a glorious career in the championship ahead of them, were filled with black thoughts, long-harbored suspicions being slowly realized in front of their eyes. Hundreds of unfortunate souls were trapped inside the virtual nightmare, to be used or discarded on a whim. A single one of those, called Sinclair, sat solemnly atop the Vision Cathedral, watching the American champion, Adam Fergusson, enter the magnificent structure, the Skull Key which would open the door to the Dead Zone held firmly in his hand. A war was being fought on so many fronts, and the virtual reality would soon turn into a battlefield without mercy or escape. But despite the chaotic turmoil, the outside world was still at ease. Comforted by the restrictions of their own perceptions, confident that whatever happened outside of the world they identified as real was but a vision that would never touch them, billions of people slept soundly at night and went about their business the next day. But that next day, the eighth day since the first move was made in this war, the first day since the portal to the Nexus was finally opened, a black sun would rise, and the countdown to the end would begin. [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lexadin Posted February 27, 2011 Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 Now read through chapters 1-8, and I must say I like the story a lot. The alternative dimension story is really interesting. Though it starting too look more and more like 5D's is a bit less. I'll keep on following this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted February 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2011 You mean the Riding Duels, amirite? Well, you'll lose that feeling soon enough. Especially considering how 5Ds turned out. The second Interlude will now be presented to you. If you've read the notes before the first, you won't have any trouble finding the information you need. If you haven't... shame on you! [spoiler=Interlude] [center][b][u]Interlude:[/b] Last March[/u][/center] [u][b]Duelists[/b][/u]: [spoiler=Sanjou Kiishiro] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Sanjou Kiishiro [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 18 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Student [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.68m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 71kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Regular [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Short-cropped [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Brown [spoiler=Terminal Avatar] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: Thunderbolt Knight [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: 34 [series start] || ?? [current] [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.85 [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Athletic [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Short, spiky [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Green [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: > Glass Stream [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > White Knight Regalia [regular] > Sin Armor [riding] [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: > Plant deck [regular] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Petit Tomabo [x2] > Tomabo > Dandylion > Grow-Up Bulb [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Foolish Burial [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Threatening Roar [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Splendid Rose [/spoiler] > Plant / Black Rose Dragon deck [riding] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Card Gunner > Dandylion > Grow-Up Bulb > Evil Thorn [x3] > Lonefire Blossom [x2] > Camellia Princess Tytannial > Gigaplant > Debris Dragon > Spore > Botanical Lion > Battle Fader [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Speed Spell - Overspeed > Speed Spell - Summon Speeder [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Call of the Living Dead > Thorn Wall > Pollinosis > Lost Star Descent > Mind Crush [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Splendid Rose > Hell Bramble > Black Rose Dragon > Scrap Dragon > Mist Wurm > Scar Warrior [/spoiler] [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Kiishiro soon realized that perhaps he was in for more than he had bargained for, when he was pitted against opponents unlike any he had faced along with Jinrei Yenma. Regardless, he perseveres, and through his actions Yenma is guided into the Arc Cradle. However, things seem to take a turn for the bizarre as a crimson mark appears on his arm, resonating with the power of the cards ZONE had given him. Not being able to trust ZONE fully, Kiishiro hunts down for answers in the middle of a raging war. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Aizawa Yuusuke] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Aizawa Yuusuke [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 18 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Student [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.76m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 73kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Athletic [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Short, spiky [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Blue [spoiler=Terminal Avatar] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: Galahad [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: 55 [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.88 [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Athletic [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Blonde [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Long, flowing [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Blue [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > Nobility Attire [regular] > Black Imperial Armor [regular] [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: > Lightlord deck [regular] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Lightlord Magician Leila > Lightlord Angel Cherubim > Necro Gardna > Lightlord Beast Wolf [x2] > Lightlord Warrior Garos > Lightlord Paladin Jean > Destiny Hero Diabolicguy > Zombie Carrier > Battle Fader > Lightlord Dragon Gragonis > Lightlord Hunter Raikou > Lightlord Summoner Luminous > D.D. Crow > Lightlord Monk Eileen > Sunny Pixie > Judgment Dragon [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Solar Exchange > Reinforcements of Light > Lightning Tune > Jar of Avarice > Spiritual Operation > Burial from the Different Dimension [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Illusion of Flashing Light > Proclamation of the Royal Palace > Holy Barrier - Mirror Force > Convening of Light [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Light End Dragon > Dark End Dragon > Ancient Holy Wyvern [/spoiler] [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Once more forced to dive into the perils of the virtual reality, Yuusuke comes face-to-face with a hopeless situation. Confronted with the very friend he reached out to save, he has to make a difficult decision. In the end, he defeats Shugo, condemning him to oblivion, in order to survive, but his enemies have more nefarious plans for him. Desperate to protect his friends and family, and feeling the heavy weight of Shugo's death on his shoulders, Yuusuke strives to cope with his choices and carve his own path. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Kirizaki Maya] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Kirizaki Maya [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 18 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Female [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese (1/8th), Korean (1/8th), Ukrainian (1/2nd) [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Student [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.58m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 55kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Petite [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Long, straight [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Black [spoiler=Terminal Avatar] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: Stiyel Crystal [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: 92 [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.68m [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Regular [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Silver [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Waist-length, straight [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Blue [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: > Avalon [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > Night Queen's Regalia [regular] > Black Mirage [riding] > Celestial Gold Raiments [regular] [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: > Velvet Grimoire > Rod of Dominion [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: > Inca deck [regular] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Priest of the Sun > Red Ant Ascator > Supay > Chaos Sorcerer [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Magic Planter > Cyclone > Miracle Synchro Fusion [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Holy Barrier - Mirror Force > Limit Rebirth > Skill Drain [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Sun Dragon Inti > Moon Dragon Quilla > Arcanite Magician > Arcanite Magician, the Supreme Wizard [/spoiler] > Demon Roar God deck [riding] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Critter > Demon Roar God Raven > Demon Roar God Lurrie > Demon Roar God Krus > Demon Roar God Urustos > Tragoedia > Demon Roar God Soulkius > Demon Roar God Gallabas > Demon Roar God Kushano > Demon Roar God Beast Cerburrel [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Speed Spell - High Speed Crash > Speed Spell - Angel Baton > Speed Spell - Shift Down [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Call of the Living Dead > Compulsory Evacuation Device > Limit Rebirth [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Demon Roar God Reigion > Demon Roar God Valkyrus > Demon Chaos King [/spoiler] > Demon Roar God / Chaos deck [regular] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Hellway Patrol > Demon Roar God Lurrie > Demon Roar God Dianaira > Demon Roar God Kushano > Demon Roar God Raven > Honest > Battle Fader > Demon Roar God Beast Chawa [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Raise Dead [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Damage Condenser > Holy Barrier - Mirror Force [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Demon Roar God Beast Unicore > Demon Roar God Leviathan > Chaos Goddess > Arms Aid [/spoiler] [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Backed up by her superior skill, Maya, the formerly renowned European champion who vanished into oblivion, once again steps up onto the scene. The enemies are numerous, and Maya has to confront her former sponsors and associates while trying to protect Yuusuke from the dangers that enclose him. Soon, though, she finds out that she, too, has weaknesses that can be exploited, as Sinclair, the alternate avatar she used to access the virtual world, awakens as an enemy and turns against her. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Cornelius Klein] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Cornelius Klein [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: German [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: CEO of Duel International's European Branch [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.72m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 84kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Regular [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Grey [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Balding [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Black [spoiler=Terminal Avatar] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: King of Dead [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: 100 [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 2.15 [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Regular [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > ?? [regular] [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: > Devil God deck [regular] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Dandylion > Hero Kids [x3] > THE DEVIL'S DREAD-ROOT > THE DEVIL'S ERASER [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Golden Chest of Sealing > Treasure of Dark World > Devil Sanctuary > Cyclone [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Truth Reinforce > Dark Shrine Bribery > Sub-Space Matter Transfer Device > Oppression of the Royal Palace > Phantom of Darkness [u]Extra Deck[/u]: [/spoiler] [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Cornelius Klein had been responsible for the last Pylon which would be used to regulate the Nexus, consisting of the three Devil Gods. For reasons unknown, he betrayed his team and, shortly after being assassinated by Sarunoki Moboro, managed to contact Kirizaki Maya and pass the Pylon to her. Even now, his actions are greatly hindering Gregory Dunkan's plot, as Duel International's elite strive to find a way to control the Nexus without the third Pylon. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Mike Nicholson] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Mike Nicholson [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 20 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: American [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Beta-tester for Duel International [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.83m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 74kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Athletic [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Brown [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Short, spiky [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Hazel [spoiler=Terminal Avatar] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: CrossWing [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: 38 [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.86 [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Athletic [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Blue [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Spiky, medium-length [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Grey [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: > Thunder Hawk [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > ?? [riding] [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: > Dragon deck [riding] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Vice Dragon > Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon > Prime Material Dragon > Delta Fly > Masked Dragon > Totem Dragon > Tyrant Dragon > Bomber Dragon [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Speed Spell - High Speed Crash > Speed Spell - Vision Wind [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Trap Stun > Dust Tornado > Holy Barrier - Mirror Force [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Trident Dragion [/spoiler] [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: One of the very first victims in Duel International's ruthless campaign to access the Nexus, the virtual form of Mike Nicholson was revived by an enigmatic hacker and used to assault Sanjou Kiishiro and Jinrei Yenma. Though he looks the same, and his deck seems to be similar to his former one, he is a much more fearsome opponent. His fighting style is now akin to that of a machine, cold and calculating, but still fast and powerful enough to challenge even the toughest foes. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Nakazawa Shugo] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Nakazawa Shugo [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 18 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Student [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.73m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 73kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Regular [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Brown [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Short, combed to the side [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Hazel [spoiler=Terminal Avatar] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: Doveren [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: 13 [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.90 [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Muscular [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Short cropped [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > Hardleather Garb [regular] [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: > Six Samurai deck [regular] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Shien's Footsoldier > Six Samurai - Kamon > Six Samurai - Irou > Grandmaster of the Six Samurai > Six Samurai - Zanji > Six Samurai - Yariza > True Six Samurai - Kageki > Relic of the Six Samurai [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Designator from the Different Dimension > Unity of the Six Samurai > Gateway of the Six Samurai [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Return of the Six Samurai > Magatama of Musakani [u]Extra Deck[/u]: [/spoiler] [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Trapped in the virtual world by Duel International, Shugo was quickly disposed of to use his avatar as a host for a Cataphract bot, an artificial intelligence that made use of the qualities of the original entity by mimicking its ability and skill. Shugo fell into a coma while Doveren, his virtual persona, was used as a mindless drone to fight against Yuusuke. When Yuusuke won, Doveren disappeared and Shugo's comatose body passed away. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Jinrei Yenma] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Jinrei Yenma [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: ?? [spoiler=Terminal Avatar] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: Greyblade [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: 23 [first appearance] || 26 [current] [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.68 [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Regular [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Brown [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Short cropped [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Grey [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: > Shadowwind [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > Grey Void Garb [riding] [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: > Dark Simurgh deck [riding] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Shield Wing > The Tricky > Debris Dragon > Nightend Sorcerer > Dark Simurgh > Deathcaliber Knight > Turbo Synchron > Junk Synchron > Dragonfly [x2] > Wicked Emperor Gaius > Necro Gardna > Sound Warrior Bassist > Mist Valley Soldier [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Speed Spell - Angel Baton [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Threatening Roar > Dark Dimension Release > Synchro Stream > Return from the Different Dimension > Thunder Break > Urgent Tuning [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Chain Dragon > Mental Sphere Demon > Blackfeather Dragon [/spoiler] [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: One day, Yenma found himself inexplicably chased down by two duelists, who clearly meant him no good. He tried to escape, only to be cornered in the Falcon Ridge, and subsequently rescued by Kiishiro, who helped him defeat the two in a tag team duel. Since then, Yenma was drawn in the chaos and discovered his connection to the powerful Blackfeather Dragon, a creature of massive importance. His decision to withdraw from the virtual world was unwise, though, as he was intercepted by Duel International's agents and forced into a duel that led to his fall into the very boundary of the virtual world, the dreadful Zero Zone. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Bando Takechi] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Bando Takechi [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: ?? [spoiler=Terminal Avatar] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: Vortexflame [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: 69 [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.85 [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Athletic [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Orange [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Short, spiky [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Dark Brown [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: > Hellspike [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > Flare King's Regalia [riding] [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: > Flamvell Burn deck [riding] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Summon Priest > Flamvell Helldog > Neo Flamvell Origin [x2] > Flamvell Baby > Flamvell Deathgunner > UFO Turtle [x2] > Darkblaze Dragon [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Speed Spell - The End of Storm > Speed Spell - High Speed Crash [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Magic Cylinder [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Flamvell Urquizas [/spoiler] [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Takechi reached up to the last stage of a promotional event by Duel International, following the challenge of using a Fire-based deck. He is even sponsored as a potential championship title contender - but Sarunoki Moboro seems to be having other plans for him and his peers. He squared off in a duel against Jinrei Yenma - but despite the massive difference in ranks, Yenma was able to fight on even grounds with him. The appearance and subsequent destruction of Blackfeather Dragon caused the duel lane they were on to collapse, sending Takechi plummeting, along with his opponent, into the depths of the virtual world's abyss. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Iseya Yuko] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Iseya Yuko [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Female [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: ?? [spoiler=Terminal Avatar] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: Aurora [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: 64 [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.65 [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Slim [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Blue [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Long, split into two strands in the front [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Light blue [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: > Neptune's Throne [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > Wave King's Regalia [riding] [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: N/A [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Yuko reached up to the last stage of a promotional event by Duel International, following the challenge of using a Water-based deck. She is even sponsored as a potential championship title contender - but Sarunoki Moboro seems to be having other plans for her and her peers. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Ryusaki Sugita] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Ryusaki Sugita [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: ?? [spoiler=Terminal Avatar] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: Gawain [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: 71 [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.92 [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Athletic [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Silver [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Short, spiky [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Dark Blue [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: > Eagle Cove [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > Wind King's Regalia [riding] [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: N/A [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Sugita reached up to the last stage of a promotional event by Duel International, following the challenge of using a Wind-based deck. He is even sponsored as a potential championship title contender - but Sarunoki Moboro seems to be having other plans for him and his peers. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Adam Fergusson] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Adam Fergusson [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: American [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: ?? [spoiler=Terminal Avatar] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: Firesoul [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.96 [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Athletic [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Red [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Spiky [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Orange [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: > ?? [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > ?? [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: > Skull Key [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: N/A [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: The American champion, Adam Fergusson was one of the few to be able to claim to have defeated Maya, even if it was simply in a friendly duel. He seems to know a lot more about what is currently happening in the virtual world than anyone else, and he possesses an artifact that unlocks the last stage of the Vision Cathedral, where Maya fought Cornelius Klein. He seems to harbor a liking towards Maya despite her animosity towards him, and appears earnestly willing to cooperate with her against Duel International. [/spoiler] [u][b]Virtual World Entities[/b][/u]: [spoiler=ZONE] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: ZONE [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: 87 [apparent] [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > ?? [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: > ?? [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: > Plant / Black Rose Dragon deck [regular] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Night Rose Knight > Lord Poison [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Fragrance Storm > Cyclone [u]Trap Cards[/u]: [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Black Rose Dragon [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Even Kiishiro, ZONE's closest ally, cannot claim to truly know what lies beneath that enigmatic mask. ZONE seems to be pulling the threads behind the resistance against Duel International's schemes. He is gathering people who can use the five Dragons, but the extent of his knowledge regarding them and the crimson marks that have appeared on Kiishiro's and Yenma's arms is obscure. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Ivory] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: Ivory [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.60m [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Petite [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Platinum [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Long, flowing [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Green [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: > Aether Dawn [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > ?? [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: An entity that was born during the early days of the virtual reality. She resides in the Zero Zone, the Outer Sphere of that world, and has sufficient control over its intricate mechanics. She generally stays in that area, avoiding contact with others, but when Yenma and Takechi came crashing into that realm, she decided to lend them her aid. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Ebony] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: Ebony [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: ?? [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.64m [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Slim [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Long, flowing [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Green [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > ?? [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Residing in a mystical part of the virtual reality, Ebony lured Sanjou Kotomi from the real world to her, and manipulated her desire to aid her son in order to trap her into a duel. After imprisoning her within the boundaries of her own mind, she used Kotomi's form to escape her restraints. Now she seeks revenge against the one who trapped her, one whom she calls her sister. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Sinclair] [b][u]Avatar Name[/u][/b]: Sinclair [b][u]Duelist Rank[/u][/b]: 34 [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.60m [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Slim [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Blonde [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Long, straight [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Hazel [b][u]D-Wheel[/u][/b]: > ?? [b][u]Outfits[/u][/b]: > Sun Priestess' Yukata [b][u]Equipment[/u][/b]: N/A [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: > Inca deck [regular] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Priest of the Sun > Supay > The Tricky > Red Ant Ascator > AD Changer > Dark Grepher > Necro Gardna > Stone Statue of the Lamenting God > Gravekeeper's Spy > Dark Armed Dragon [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > One for One [u]Trap Cards[/u]: [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Sun Dragon Inti > Moon Dragon Quilla [/spoiler] > Inca deck [riding] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Priest of the Sun > Supay > Red Ant Ascator [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Speed Spell - High Speed Crash > Speed Spell - Half Seize > Speed Spell - Synchro Return [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Limit Rebirth > Destruct Potion > Skill Drain > Pitfall of Hades > Torrential Burial [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Moon Dragon Quilla > Sun Dragon Inti [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: After Maya's alternate account was purged, Sinclair was severed from Maya and reanimated by the hand of a mysterious hacker. First she was used to attack Kiishiro and Yenma, and when that plan failed, she was given a semblance of consciousness and left to act at her own will. An empty shell, a spectre, she sought Maya, of whom she had been a part of, and who was also a part of her, and challenged her to a duel, hoping to become whole again. Thanks to Yuusuke, though, their duel was safely interrupted before it could reach a conclusion. [/spoiler] [u][b]Other[/b][/u]: [spoiler=Aizawa Taihito] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Aizawa Taihito [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 46 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Duel International Japanese Branch Employee, Technical Research Division [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.64m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 78kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Regular [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Balding [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Largely oblivious to the true extent of the damage caused by Duel International's schemes, Taihito kept working for the company, kept on his toes by his superiors due to the incident with Yuusuke. Thus, he was unable to counteract Moboro's trap, and ended up framed and incarcerated for the incident that caused the collapse of the duel lane in the Sky Drive, and the fall of Jinrei Yenma and Bando Takechi into the Zero Zone, used as bait to lure Yuusuke once more into the virtual world. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Aizawa Hikari] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Aizawa Hikari [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 43 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Female [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Head of the Japanese medical union [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.61m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 65kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Slim [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Blonde [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Long [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Blue [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Hikari has had to deal with a lot of pressure, as the victims from Duel Terminal-related incidents increased massively, and her own son was incarcerated in the virtual world for a while. Though she is doing her best to keep Yuusuke and Maya out of harm's way, events are slipping out of her control, and soon, even the courageous doctor may have to make a choice she will not like. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Sanjou Kotomi] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Sanjou Kotomi [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 56 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Female [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Grocery store owner [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.59m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 62kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Regular [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Brown [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Ponytail [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Decks[/u][/b]: > Spellcaster / Ritual deck [regular] [spoiler=Decklist] [u]Monster Cards:[/u] > Magic Knight Defender > Skilled Black Magician > Darkred Enchanter > Magical Conductor > Black Magician Girl > Magical Marionette > Crusader of Endymion > Beautiful Goddess of Salvation - Norsewemko > Black Magician [x3] > Chaos Magician > Ritual Devil Presider > Ritual Devil Releaser > Ritual Devil Disserere > Magician of Black Chaos > Magical Ficialist > Buster Blader [u]Spell Cards[/u]: > Hidden Village of the Magicians > Hand Obliteration > Shrink > Preparation for Ritual > High Class Ritual Art > Magical Pigeon > Dimension Magic > Chaos - Black Magic Ritual > Jar of Avarice > Fulfillment of the Contract > Dragon Destroyer's Proof > Fusion > Giant Growth [u]Trap Cards[/u]: > Holy Barrier - Mirror Force > Call of the Living Dead [u]Extra Deck[/u]: > Holy Knight Perseus > Super Magical Swordsman - Black Paladin [/spoiler] [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Kotomi entered the virtual world seeking salvation for her son, but all she found was a manipulative woman who tricked her into a duel with her very soul at stake. After losing against Ebony, her outer shell was adopted by her opponent, while her mind was trapped within the Field spell she had envisioned, bound indefinitely until Ebony releases her. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Howard Rowen] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Howard Rowen [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 43 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: American [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Duel International American Branch Employee, Head of Technical Research [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.71m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 93kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Plump [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Brown [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Short, combed back [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: One of the highest-profile employees in the American branch, and responsible for the development of the <Riding Duel> system. His career was endangered due to Mike Nicholson death, but the issue was covered up by his superiors. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Sarunoki Moboro] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Sarunoki Moboro [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 57 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Duel International Japanese Branch Employee, Head of Technical Research [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.69m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 66kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Lean [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Balding, combed back [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Moboro ordered the assassination of Cornelius Klein as soon as he realized the danger to the Pylon he was holding. Regardless, the Pylon was lost, and Moboro desperately struggled against the notion of attempting to control the Nexus with only two Pylons, thus being excluded from the inner circle of the group. He is trying to formulate a new Pylon by manipulating Aizawa Yuusuke, as well as combating the threat posed by ZONE and his allies. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Sannosouke Takizawa] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Sannosouke Takizawa [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 69 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: CEO of Duel International's Japanese Branch [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.55m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 93kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Plump [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Grey [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Balding [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Brown [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Sannosouke's ultimate goal is knowledge. For the purposes of accomplishing the acquisition of as much knowledge as possible, he continues to aid Dunkan in his schemes. He was responsible for handling one of the two remaining Pylons, and helped stabilize the portal into the Nexus. In the meantime, his interests also lie in locating Miyataka Eizan. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Nakahara Inoue] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Nakahara Inoue [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 32 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Female [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Japanese [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Duel International Japanese Branch Employee, Secretary of the Anti-Hacker Division [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.53m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 58kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Petite [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Long, curly [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Blue [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Dunkan seems to have a bit more trust in her than his other Japanese associates, as he assigns her to watch out for any uncalled for action from Moboro, while the rest open the portal. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Draco Ross] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Draco Ross [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 45 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: Unknown, presumably from Eastern Europe [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Duel International European Branch Employee, Financial Consultant [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.93m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 86kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Bulky [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Blonde [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Shaved [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Blue [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Responsible for handling one of the two remaining Pylons, Ross helped stabilize the portal into the Nexus. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Jacqueline Devereaux] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Jacqueline Devereaux [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 34 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Female [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: French [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Duel International European Branch Employee, Design Division Head Artist [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.68m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 56kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Slim [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Brown [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Long, loose [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: After spearheading the creation and organizing the Cataphracts, a special unit made up from artificial intelligences crafted to use the accounts of purged duelists as their base and harness the advantages they offer, she tried to trap and dispose of Aizawa Yuusuke. When she was thwarted by Yuusuke's resolve, she attempted to use him in order to aid her search for the elusive researcher Miyataka Eizan. After a brief encounter with Kirizaki Maya and a short exchange of information, she retreated. She has fallen from Dunkan's good graces, and was not summoned to participate in the stabilization of the portal. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Abraham Lee] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Abraham Lee [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 50 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: African-American [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Duel International American Branch Employee, Chief of Human Resources [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.76m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 107kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Plump [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Short, curly [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Green [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Abraham was part of the five man group that was present during the stabilization of the portal and the activation of the Pylons, but he played no important part during the proceedings. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Lynette Rayleigh] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Lynette Rayleigh [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 29 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Female [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: American [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: Duel International American Branch Employee, Sales Division Head [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.78m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 61kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Slim [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Blonde [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Long, straight [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Hazel [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: Lynette was part of the five man group that was present during the stabilization of the portal and the activation of the Pylons, but she played no important part during the proceedings. [/spoiler] [spoiler=Gregory Dunkan] [b][u]Name[/u][/b]: Gregory Dunkan [b][u]Age[/u][/b]: 44 [b][u]Gender[/u][/b]: Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u][/b]: American [b][u]Occupation[/u][/b]: CEO of Duel International's American Branch [b][u]Height[/u][/b]: 1.85m [b][u]Weight[/u][/b]: 83kg [b][u]Figure[/u][/b]: Lean [b][u]Hair Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Hair Style[/u][/b]: Short, straight [b][u]Eye Color[/u][/b]: Black [b][u]Notes[/b][/u]: The man who first conceived the idea of boring into parallel realities, Gregory Dunkan is now finally reaping the fruits of his decades-long labors. He managed to open a portal to the Nexus, despite the risks and difficulties, and with the help of the allies he has assembled and the duelists he has trapped inside the virtual world, he plans to tap into its formidable powers. [/spoiler] [/spoiler] Also, you will be pleased to know that the first two chapters of arc 3 are completed (I was on a writing spree today). I can at the very least guarantee an explosive opening. Stay tuned for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted February 28, 2011 Report Share Posted February 28, 2011 My thought on that last chapter: I can see why you did it like that, but it does just feel a little too... busy... for my liking. But I can understand why you want to set up so many important characters going into the next arc. ... All right then, time for an in-depth review on as much of the whole fanfic as I can think of. I'll try not to repeat things I've said before, but this is my first proper review so please be gentle. [spoiler=Spoilers may contains spoilers, stange that] Yu-Gi-Oh! Dead Zone by Epic Hero Saber Ever think how kinda cheesy it was watching the yugioh cartoons how a young persons card game could mean life, death, and the end of the world? Well don't be disillusioned when I tell you that this element is one of the many, intertwining backbones of Dead Zone, because this isn't about magic and hocus pocus. This is technological warfare, big corporate cover-ups, and fighting for your life. Set in the not too distant future, the plot is set around the Virtual World of the Duel Terminal, created by Duel International. Inside this virtual reality, people can play the card game against their friends and rivals, experiencing a duel as close as you could as if it was reality. But it is all too real. Now, losing a duel here could lead to a mental shock that forces you into a coma, one that you may never wake from again. Of course, this is what the CEO's of duel international want, in their plan to change the world. There are those fighting to stop them. There are some seeking their own means of control, or destruction, or power, and their are some characters who only the author knows what they are trying to gain (more on that later). The action is gripping right from the off. The first chapter is so important in grabbing a new readers attention, of making them want to come back for more. That's why in my fic, I had a riot and a break-in in my first chapter. This is the most absorbing Chapter One I've read here. The author wastes no time throwing our three main protagonists - Kiishiro, Yuusuke and Maya - into the danger zone, two of them narrowly avoid meeting their demise, and one of them seemingly does so. The level of detail is astounding, especially in the really emotion invoking areas, be it the bloody gore and horror, or the heart pulling impossible situations our heroes are put in. The characters are varied, and very layered in personality. It is very hard to try and put a definite finger on anyones true intentions or thoughts. That is one of the major beauties of this fic, it is so damned difficult to work out who is fully in control of the situation. Nobody can trust anybody, no-one seems to have all the answers, or certainly won't reveal them. Everyone has a closely guarded agenda or secret that makes them dangerous, no-one can tell who is a friend or an enemy. Each chapter raises more and more questions. Each character could change the course of events drastically at any given moment with a sudden 'I am actually a good guy' or 'I'm really the evil git behind all this'. You would never see one coming. The shocks come thick and fast, making this pulsating reading. Duels are exciting affairs. If you are more familiar with TCG names than you are the OCG, then the odd trip to yugioh wikia may be needed if you think 'this card looks vaguely familiar'. However, explaination of effects are written in full in spoilers when the card is mentioned for the first time in a duel, so it's easy enough to know what a card does if you've never seen it before, or if your mind goes blank. The decks used are very meta based and filled with familiar staples, so there is a lot of the to-ing and fro-ing you'd hope for, as well as of course, last gasp miraclous turnarounds. I have found myself punching the air in triumph on one such occasion. The decks used are still nicely varied in terms of strategy and style, of the top of my head there have been more than fifteen different decks used covering different archtypes and winning strategies. There are plenty of new cards, plus some old classics like the devil's cards and Exodia. Updates are regular, and this story is so hard to put down. You will be pulled into this authors virtual world, and you will be stuck there, like the main characters, until the end is reached. [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 @Bahamut: Yeah, I felt that about the last chapter, too. It's ironic how quite a bit of that build-up ended up being useless and had to be semi-retconned by chapter 26. If I had known how it'd turn out, I'd have written things much more smoothly. Another little entry on my rewrite notes. As for the rest, thanks a lot for the very elaborate, awesome review. I think you perfectly outlined what this story was about. More on that on the Guild thread, though. And I promise to return the favor! Alright, guys, what the hell is going on here? Three or four comments per chapter weren't exactly many, but now I have to beg for just a couple if that? Gosh, you guys make ff.net seem appealing sometimes. Anyways, here is chapter 25. I at least hope that, if somebody actually reads it, they enjoy it. [spoiler=Chapter 25] [center][b][u]Chapter 25:[/b] Spiritual Forest[/u][/center] "You are not yet adept at concealing your thoughts, Thunderbolt Knight. Something troubles you deeply. If I had to hazard a guess, it would be about the mark that has appeared on your arm, no?" Kiishiro gave a start. He had not heard ZONE approach, absorbed as he was in his thoughts, sitting on his favorite idle spot on the edge of the Arc Cradle's ceiling. He unconsciously rubbed the crimson sign. "Do you know something about this?" He said, wary. Ivory had been the first to give some coherent meaning to the vision he had seen atop that shrine. And she had told him he could not trust ZONE. Who could he trust? "Your marks, both yours and Greyblade's, are what allows you to control those Dragons. Though with them, you can use any of the five Dragons, Black Rose Dragon is bound to you just as Blackfeather Dragon is bound to that boy. I'm sure you've felt it the connection with your monster, just as Greyblade felt his connection with his own." "I see." Kiishiro said without much enthusiasm. He had gathered as much, but there was more to be known. "And we must gather up the five Dragons, along with the five people who have the marks, correct?" "That would be ideal." ZONE said. "But, it's not that easy. Though fate will pull those such as you, it may well pull them to the enemy's side before we have a chance to get to them, and that would be disastrous. And I've only recently managed to ascertain the location of the third dragon." "You know where another one of those creatures is? Where?" Kiishiro stood up. ZONE opened a panel in mid-air that demonstrated a location, glowing white in the middle of a map that demonstrated the structure of the Duel Fields. "The <Fairy Ring>?" He asked doubtfully. "I don't recognize that place." "It is no longer active." ZONE explained. "The company that handles this virtual world shut down access to it a few months after its release. It is said that an accident happened there, and in order to bury the story, Duel International shut the Field down. Since then, it has become an irregularity, an area where the laws of this world do not apply. Much like this Arc Cradle, in a sense, except instead of a sentient entity tampering with its mechanics, the <Fairy Ring> was influenced by the underlying 'conscience' of this world. It is no wonder that it took me so long to locate that dragon, if it was hidden there. There's no telling what you'll meet if you go. But if you are looking for answers regarding your vision in the Altar of Stars, perhaps you should hunt it down." "As I've said, I don't have a choice." Kiishiro sighed, pulling out the <Dreamstone Key>, the card that allowed him to port quickly between the various zones of the virtual world, and even reach otherwise sealed areas such as the Arc Cradle. "And as I've said, you always have a choice." ZONE muttered softly, but not loud enough for Kiishiro to hear him as he vanished within the portal, chasing after his destiny. The Fairy Ring was, as expected of a place with such a tell-tale name, an enchanting, peaceful region. Had Kiishiro not been wary, he might have been entranced by its beauty. Lush forested land was spreading out in all directions. An invisible spring was flowing somewhere nearby, hidden between the endless span of trees, and a narrow stream flowed its crystal clear waters around the small clearing Kiishiro stood in. A gentle breeze caused the leaves to whisper, a constant, soothing melody. To Kiishiro's surprise, there were also fires burning on the ground, though small and contained, lighting up the forest that was otherwise shrouded in twilight. Kiishiro was not fooled. There was a reason for everything in this place. The four natural elements were all present. He would not be able to proceed unhindered. Sure enough, four beings came to meet him. Kiishiro gave a start at how naturally they had appeared, as if they were part of the very landscape itself. A brown-haired girl with glasses and a flapping grey cloak walked out from behind a tree, a flower-tipped scepter in her hand. By her side, a small winged marmot danced in the air playfully. A blue-haired maiden in similar attire and equipment emerged from the river, her clothes and body surprisingly untouched by the water, followed by a baby alligator. From atop a tree branch, a cloaked girl jumped down gracefully, aided by an unseen current of the wind. She regarded him curiously with brown eyes, and the tiny green dragon trailing after her cast him an inquisitive glance. Finally, a scowling girl with flaring red hair and a miniature fox next to her sat up from beside one of the fires - Kiishiro could have sworn she had not been there a second ago. Their sudden appearance was not as surprising as their identities. Duelists knew those four as the Spirit Envoys, elemental sorceresses with powers over nature. Though lore had them as peacable and friendly, they were now glaring at him with outright hostility. "You are not welcome here." Aussa, the Earth Spirit Envoy, said sternly, adjusting her glasses. "We will not give you what you seek." Eria, the Water Spirit Envoy, added, her voice quiet but firm. "You should leave this place. Humans should not be here. This is the domain of nature." Wynn, the Wind Spirit Envoy, continued. Her aloof tone held no hostility or threat, but no request either. It was a fact. "If you do not leave, we will chase you away." Hiita, the Fire Spirit Envoy, said, waving her hand slightly. A blaze streaked across the air, vanishing before it could reach the trees, to emphasize her words. Kiishiro knew better than to underestimate them. As ZONE had said, there was no telling what could have flowed in from other worlds, what unlikely miracles could have taken form here, due to Duel International's meddling. But he also needed to get his hands on some answers. "Forgive me for intruding, but there is a card here like this, no?" He held out Black Rose Dragon. The Spirit Envoys edged closer and leaned forward, curiously examining the card. "I need to see this card. I need to find some answers." "The answers you seek do not lie within this forest, human." Hiita sniffed dismissively. "We cannot allow anyone to disturb this place." Eria nodded. "The consequences would be too hard on us. On everyone." Wynn whispered sadly. "If you insist on meddling with the secrets of this place, we will deal with you." Aussa added firmly. "Fine, then." Kiishiro was getting impatient. He pointed at the duel disk on his arm. "I mean you or your world no harm. We are trying to protect everyone, and for that, we need the powers of the five Dragons. I am not asking to take your Dragon. I merely want to confirm its presence. But if you cannot realize this, it's better that I take it from you before the wrong person does." "If you want to duel, then I'll take you on." Hiita walked forward, materializing a Duel Disk adorned with an orange color scheme on her own arm. It was already filled with her cards. "We'll show you how foolish it is to challenge the very spirits of this world on their own terms." "Duel!" Both exclaimed. There was no virtual display, or any other visual aid. Kiishiro understood that, just like the motion lock system wasn't implemented, this realm was not governed by the same rules as the rest of the virtual reality. He'd have to be careful. Hiita motioned for him to start - it seemed she had no intention of claiming the first turn, which was just fine by Kiishiro. [center][i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 4000[/i] [i][b]Fire Spirit Envoy Hiita[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "Draw!" Kiishiro said. "I summon Killer Tomato in attack mode! One reverse card, turn end!" A tomato with a grinning, wicked face painted on its front appeared on the field, along with one concealed card placed vertically behind it. [spoiler=Killer Tomato][b]Killer Tomato[/b] DARK / Plant Level 4 1400/1100 When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 DARK monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck in face-up Attack Position.[/spoiler] "My turn, draw!" Hiita announced. "I summon UFO Turtle in attack mode!" Kiishiro started - the turtle with the spaceship-like shell that had appeared was the equivalent of his Killer Tomato, only for Fire monsters. [spoiler=UFO Turtle][b]UFO Turtle[/b] FIRE / Machine Level 4 1400/1200 When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 FIRE monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck in face-up Attack Position.[/spoiler] "Battle! UFO Turtle attacks Killer Tomato!" The turtle shot up a fiery laser beam from its mouth, just as the tomato unleashed a spray of toxic seeds. Both monsters exploded at the same time. "Killer Tomato's effect activates, Special Summoning a second one!" Kiishiro said, replacing his monster. "The same applies to UFO Turtle! The battle will continue!" The second set of searcher monsters vanquished. Wordlessly, the two duelists scanned their decks for the third copy, and Hiita had them battle as well. "Killer Tomato will Special Summon Petit Tomabo from my deck!" Kiishiro said, calling forth twin miniature human-like beings, only with tomatoes in place of heads. [spoiler=Petit Tomabo][b]Petit Tomabo[/b] DARK / Plant / Tuner Level 2 700/400 When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon up to 2 "Tomabo" monsters from your Deck. The monster(s) Special Summoned by this effect cannot be used as Synchro Material Monsters this turn.[/spoiler] "UFO Turtle will Special Summon Flame Ruler from my deck." Hiita said. A copper-skinned, blue-haired man with fires raging behind his back, regulated by the motions of his muscular arms, appeared on the field. "The battle phase is not over yet. Flame Ruler, attack Petit Tomabo!" It did not take much effort for the pyromancer to incinerate the twin creatures that cried out in despair before a wave of heat swallowed them. Kiishiro had to retreat from the scorching blaze. It seemed that in here, 'damage' was translated to 'reality' as well. He'd have to be careful. This was no less dangerous than any duel with a Ghost. [center][i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 3200[/i] [i][b]Fire Spirit Envoy Hiita[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] [spoiler=Flame Ruler][b]Flame Ruler[/b] FIRE / Pyro Level 4 1500/1600 This card is treated as 2 Tributes for the Tribute Summon of a FIRE monster[/spoiler] "Petit Tomabo's effect also activates. When it is destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon two Tomabo monsters from the deck. I choose another Petit Tomabo, and a Tomabo!" Along with another copy of the inmate tomato-headed creatures, a third one appeared, this one enclosed in a cage, its leg chained to a heavy metal ball. [spoiler=Tomabo][b]Tomabo[/b] DARK / Plant Level 3 1400/800 When 1 other face-up Plant-Type monster is targeted by the effect of a Spell or Trap Card your opponent controls, you can Tribute this card to draw 2 cards.[/spoiler] "I'll end my turn with two reverse cards." Hiita said. "Then it's back to me. Draw!" Kiishiro continued. Hiita may have dealt some damage to him, but he had what he needed to retaliate. He would not let her keep that monster she could tribute for a powerful Fire creature. "I tune my Level 3, Tomabo, to my Level 2, Petit Tomabo!" Both Plant-type monsters formed two concentric circles, crossed by an array of three bright stars. "Synchro Summon! Appear, Scar Warrior!" The bandaged warrior with the steel edge attached to his arm appeared on the field. [spoiler=Scar Warrior][b]Scar Warrior[/b] EARTH / Warrior / Synchro Level 5 2100/1000 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters While this card is face-up on the field your opponent cannot select other Warrior-Type monsters as attack targets. Once per turn, if this card would be destroyed by battle, it is not destroyed.[/spoiler] "And there is more where that came from! I activate my reverse card, Call of the Living Dead! This brings back Petit Tomabo! Now, battle! Petit Tomabo, attack Flame Ruler!" The two inmates charged, but the mighty fire warrior simply struck back with a stream of fire, and they were destroyed. "Even though Petit Tomabo was destroyed, I can use its effect to retrieve my third Petit Tomabo, as well as my second Tomabo!" Once more, the same set of monsters appeared on the field. [center][i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 2400[/i] [i][b]Fire Spirit Envoy Hiita[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] [spoiler=Call of the Living Dead][b]Call of the Living Dead[/b] TRAP / Continuous Select 1 monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it in face-up Attack Position. When this card is removed from the field, destroy the monster. When the monster is destroyed, destroy this card.[/spoiler] "Next, I attack Flame Ruler with Scar Warrior!" Hiita's monster was slashed to pieces without resistance. [center][i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 2400[/i] [i][b]Fire Spirit Envoy Hiita[/b] - LP: 3400[/i][/center] "Before the battle phase ends, I activate this Trap card." She said abruptly. Kiishiro started - she would use something with this timing? "Compensation of Blood. I have to pay five hundred Life Points, but I can Normal Summon or Set a monster from my hand, during either my Main Phase, or your Battle Phase." A concealed card appeared horizontally in front of her. [center][i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 2400[/i] [i][b]Fire Spirit Envoy Hiita[/b] - LP: 2900[/i][/center] [spoiler=Compensation of Blood][b]Compensation of Blood[/b] TRAP / Continuous You can pay 500 Life Points to Normal Summon or Set 1 extra monster. You can only activate this effect during your Main Phase or your opponent's Battle Phase.[/spoiler] "The battle phase is over." Kiishiro said warily, trying to decipher Hiita's motives. If she had a high-levelled monster in her hand, she could have taken advantage of Flame Ruler's effect and stopped Kiishiro short in his tracks. Why this move? "During the second Main Phase, I release both Tomabo and Petit Tomabo to advance summon Camellia Princess Tytannial." The majestic queen of roses appeared with a flourish. Both Aussa and Wynn, their elements represented by this monster, made approving sounds. "I'll place two cards face down, before I end my turn." [spoiler=Camellia Princess Tytannial][b]Camellia Princess Tytannial[/b] WIND / Plant Level 8 2800/2600 You can Tribute 1 face-up Plant-Type monster you control to negate the activation of a Spell, Trap, or Effect Monster's effect that targets a card(s) on the field and destroy it.[/spoiler] "Then I draw." Hiita said, and her face lit up slightly. "I release two monsters on your side of the field - namely, both Camellia Princess Tytannial and Scar Warrior!" Kiishiro made a sound of despair as his monsters were wrapped in pillars of flame, annihilated completely. He should have seen this coming! Hiita held up a card, scorching with the heat of the sacrifice. "I Special Summon Devil of Lava - Lava Golem!" [spoiler=Devil of Lava - Lava Golem][b]Devil of Lava - Lava Golem[/b] FIRE / Fiend Level 8 3000/2500 This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned to your opponent's side of the field by Tributing 2 monsters they control. You cannot Normal Summon or Set the turn you Special Summon this card. The controller of this card takes 1000 points of damage during each of his/her Standby Phases.[/spoiler] A behemoth of magma appeared on Kiishiro's side, towering over him. Kiishiro himself found himself abruptly in mid-air, suspended in an iron cage. The monster gave off uncomfortable heat. "Lava Golem belongs to you, since I used your monsters to summon it, of course." Hiita said, seemingly enjoying the situation. "You may be thinking that you can take advantage of its power, but that's not going to happen. Now that I used it to rid the field of your monsters, it's time to take it back! I flip summon Fire Spirit Envoy Hiita!" The monster was appeared was in every way identical to the opponent Kiishiro was fighting against. But once she raised her scepter, pointing at the monster that filled Kiishiro's side, he instantly knew she was bad news. [spoiler=Fire Spirit Envoy Hiita][b]Fire Spirit Envoy Hiita[/b] FIRE / Spellcaster Level 3 500/1500 FLIP: Take control of 1 FIRE monster on your opponent's side of the field for as long as this card remains face-up on the field.[/spoiler] "Hiita's monster effect will return my Lava Golem to me." The fire spirit chuckled, and the huge golem shifted sides. Kiishiro was blessedly released from the constricting, burning cage, but Hiita seemed to be enjoying being in his position, enjoying the flames as they licked her clothes and body. And worse, Kiishiro now had to deal with the monster's overwhelming attack with an empty field. "Battle. Lava Golem will attack directly!" Hiita commanded. "I use Emissaries of Harmony!" Kiishiro retaliated. "Monsters cannot be destroyed by battle, and battle damage is reduced to zero!" [spoiler=Emissaries of Harmony][b]Emissaries of Harmony[/b] TRAP / Normal You take no Battle Damage this turn. Your monsters cannot be destroyed by battle this turn.[/spoiler] "Not good enough!" Hiita challenged. "My battle phase is over, but I use my second reverse card! Fire Spirit Art - 'Crimson'! All I have to do is release Lava Golem, and you will suffer direct damage equal to its attack strength!" The monster Hiita united her hands, and a circle of flames appeared around both her and the much larger golem. The giant creature vanished in a blazing cloud, as all the fire converged in one massive sphere floating above the battlefield. [spoiler=Fire Spirit Art - 'Crimson'][b]Fire Spirit Art - 'Crimson'[/b] TRAP / Normal Tribute 1 FIRE monster on your side of the field. Inflict damage to your opponent's Life Points equal to the original ATK of the tributed monster.[/spoiler] "I'm not going to allow that! Counter Trap, Seven Tools of the Bandit! I may have to pay a thousand Life Points, but your Trap card's effect, and therefore the remaining 2000 damage, are negated!" [center][i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 1400[/i] [i][b]Fire Spirit Envoy Hiita[/b] - LP: 2900[/i][/center] [spoiler=Seven Tools of the Bandit][b]Seven Tools of the Bandit[/b] TRAP / Counter Pay 1000 Life Points. Negate the activation of a Trap Card and destroy it.[/spoiler] "You are not bad." Hiita said playfully. "I wonder how long you'll last. I'll just end my turn with one face-down card." Kiishiro was beginning to see Hiita's point. Her way of dueling felt natural to him, as if it was as much a part of her as walking and breathing. In a world designed for dueling, didn't it make sense that the best duelists would be the creatures born there? What chance did Kiishiro, an outsider, have to beat one of the very spirits of this reality? But, he could not afford to be vanquished here. The threat to his world, to both worlds, was too dire. Even if the Spirit Envoys thought him their enemy, and understandably tried to shield the power of whichever Dragon they were protecting from the hands of those who would use it for nefarious purposes, he had to claim it. If he did not, those very spirits that stood opposed to him now might soon perish along with the rest of their world. "Draw." He said steadily. He glanced at the card in his hand. Excellent. "I activate Jar of Avarice! My graveyard is full of monsters, so I'll simply pick out Scar Warrior, Tytannial, and my three Killer Tomatos and return them to the deck, allowing me to draw twice. Then, I summon Lonefire Blossom from my hand!" He plucked out his newly drawn card, and the small sunflower appeared. "Lonefire Blossom will tribute itself in order to summon Gigaplant from my deck!" [spoiler=Jar of Avarice][b]Jar of Avarice[/b] SPELL / Normal Select 5 Monster Cards in your Graveyard. Return those cards to the Deck, then draw 2 cards.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Lonefire Blossom][b]Lonefire Blossom[/b] FIRE / Plant Level 3 500/1400 Once per turn, you can Tribute 1 face-up Plant-Type monster to Special Summon 1 Plant-Type monster from your Deck.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Gigaplant][b]Gigaplant[/b] EARTH / Plant / Dual Level 6 2400/1200 This card is treated as a Normal Monster while face-up on the field or in the Graveyard. While this card is face-up on the field, you can Normal Summon it to have it be treated as an Effect Monster with this effect: • Once per turn, you can Special Summon 1 Insect-Type or Plant-Type monster from your hand or Graveyard.[/spoiler] "Nice try, but I activate Torrential Burial." Hiita countered. "When Gigaplant is Summoned, it is destroyed, along with my own monster." A strong current of water swept across the field, wiping out both monsters. [spoiler=Torrential Burial][b]Torrential Burial[/b] TRAP / Normal Activate only when a monster is Summoned. Destroy all monsters on the field.[/spoiler] But Kiishiro smiled. "I was hoping you'd do something like that." He said, holding out a card. "Now, you've cleared the path to my victory." "What?" Hiita demanded. Kiishiro flipped over a card in his hand. "Raise Dead will revive Lonefire Blossom in my Graveyard. And, Foolish Burial will send Dandylion there - only, when Dandylion is placed in the grave, it Special Summons 2 tokens." [spoiler=Raise Dead][b]Raise Dead[/b] SPELL / Normal Special Summon 1 monster from either player's Graveyard to your side of the field.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Foolish Burial][b]Foolish Burial[/b] SPELL / Normal Send 1 Monster Card from your Deck to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Dandylion][b]Dandylion[/b] EARTH / Plant Level 3 300/300 When this card is sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon 2 "Fluff Tokens" (Plant-Type/WIND/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0) in Defense Position. These Tokens cannot be Tributed for a Tribute Summon during the turn they are Special Summoned.[/spoiler] "And what do you plan to do with those?" Hiita crossed her arms in front of her chest, sniffing dismissively. "You'd have been better off summoning Tytannial." "I will not be deceived. You can still use the effect of Compensation of Blood." Kiishiro pointed out. "My goal is different. I tribute one of my tokens, to summon Grow-Up Bulb from my deck!" [spoiler=Grow-Up Bulb][b]Grow-Up Bulb[/b] EARTH / Plant / Tuner Level 1 100/100 You can send the top card of your Deck to the Graveyard and Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. Each player can only use the effect of "Grow-Up Bulb" once per Duel.[/spoiler] "A Tuner monster!" Aussa gasped. "Yes." Kiishiro nodded. "I tune my Level 3, Lonefire Blossom, to my Level 1, Grow-Up Bulb!" The lithe flower split into a stream of three stars, crossing a giant green circle floating beside Kiishiro. "Synchro Summon, Arms Aid!" The mechanical gauntlet appeared on the field. [spoiler=Arms Aid][b]Arms Aid[/b] LIGHT / Machine / Synchro Level 4 1800/1200 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters Once per turn, you can equip this card to a monster OR unequip it to Special Summon this card in face-up Attack Position. While equipped to a monster by this effect, that monster gains 1000 ATK. When the equipped monster destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the destroyed monster's ATK.[/spoiler] "But I have only just begun! The effect of Grow-Up Bulb in my Graveyard activates, reviving itself at the cost of the top card of my deck." He glanced at the card he was about to discard, and smiled slightly. His deck would not let him down. Whatever those Spirit Envoys said, he was doing the right thing. "I activate the effect of Spore that was sent to my Graveyard, removing Gigaplant from play! Now Spore is Special Summoned, and its Level is equal to that of Gigaplant, plus one! So now I tune my Level 1, Fluff token, to my, now Level 7, Spore!" Seven concentric circles were crossed by a lone shining star. "Synchro Summon!" An explosion of black luster filled the forest, the form of a dragon emerging from within. Its body was crafted out of black plated scales, and its red eyes shone furiously. "Come, Scrap Dragon!" [spoiler=Spore][b]Spore[/b] WIND / Plant / Tuner Level 1 400/800 If this card is in your Graveyard, you can remove from play 1 other Plant-Type monster from your Graveyard to Special Summon this card from your Graveyard, and increase its Level by the Level of the monster removed from play to activate this effect. Each player can only use the effect of "Spore" once per Duel.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Scrap Dragon][b]Scrap Dragon[/b] EARTH / Dragon / Synchro Level 8 2800/2000 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters Once per turn, you can select 1 card you control and 1 card your opponent controls. Destroy them. When this card is destroyed by your opponent's card (either by battle or by card effect) and sent to the Graveyard, select 1 non-Synchro "Scrap" monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it.[/spoiler] "It's over." Kiishiro said, crossing his arms. "Scrap Dragon's effect activates, destroying a card on each of our sides. My targets are Grow-Up Bulb, and Compensation of Blood." The small plant and the permanent Trap were obliterated by the great dragon's twin lasers. "And now Arms Aid activates, attaching itself to my monster." Scrap Dragon's power rose to 3800. "You can't even begin to understand the power these dragons have." Hiita hissed. "They should never be used, forever stay sealed. You are making a huge mistake by reaching out for them." "It's better that we use them, rather than let others use them!" Kiishiro exclaimed, exasperated. "Don't you understand that there are people in this world who would use these dragons to destroy? You may not trust me, but believe me when I say this, I am only trying to safeguard them." "Is that so?" Kiishiro spun around, trying to identify the origin of the new voice that had addressed him. A few feet behind him stood another woman. Her face showed only the radiance of youth, but her eyes were pools of infinite wisdom. Rich azure garbs flowed from her shoulders, and a red-and-green crown with a star engraved upon it framed her bright golden hair. She was regarding him with a solemn expression. If it was easy to identify the Spirit Envoys, then this new arrival was certainly their mentor and leader, the Elemental Master Dryad. "Your intentions are benevolent, that much can be seen." Dryad said quietly, walking towards him. The holograms of both Kiishiro's and Hiita's monsters vanished, the duel concluded without the final blow being dealt. This was fair enough to Kiishiro, who did not want to strike a foe when the results of that attack were unclear. "But your mind is clouded. Even you have questioned your purpose numerous times in the past." Kiishiro felt as if his very thoughts were being read, those deep black eyes locked into his own. "I only do what I must." He said numbly. The Spirit Envoys seemed to have faded into the environment again, leaving only him and Dryad. "My world as well as this world are in peril. I must do something to save them." "Your name is Sanjou Kiishiro, yes?" Dryad did not wait for an answer. "I will say in advance that I am sorry for you, though you do not yet understand what I mean. Regardless, you must deal with what has to be endured." Kiishiro wondered briefly what Dryad meant, but he did not have time to dwell on it, as she held out her hand, and, with a brief glow of light, materialized a card inside her palm. "This is what you are looking for." She stated. Kiishiro did not need the confirmation - the mark on his arm had begun glowing and throbbing as soon as the card had appeared. "Ancient Fairy Dragon. Hiita was right when she said that more power lies within those cards than you can guess. However, desperate times call for desperate measures. I understand your reasoning, and though I do not agree with it entirely, I feel obliged to accept its validity. I will give you a chance to prove your abilities to me. If you defeat me, I will deem you worthy enough to entrust the future of this world to you." "And if I lose?" Kiishiro asked. That was always a question that had to be asked. "I have no intents of harming you." Dryad shrugged slightly. "But, if you choose to accept this challenge, you must have the resolution to win. If you cannot defeat me, that would mean that my method is superior to yours, and I will take Black Rose Dragon from you." Kiishiro could see that he would have no way to stop her if she decided to do just that. In essence, it would be a duel betting the two dragons. The difference was that Kiishiro was willing to use his own, whereas Dryad, in all likelihood, would refrain from it. "I will take you on." Kiishiro said. "It takes more than hiding and waiting to protect this world. I will show you my resolve." "Very well." Dryad said quietly. A silver duel disk materialized on her arm. "I'll put your courage and ability to the test." "Duel!!" 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Lexadin Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Read till Chapter 17 now, and I really like the story. Much better then I'd expected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cakey Posted March 1, 2011 Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 Ooh, I haven't commented in a while. Makes me feel bad. I feel like the story has started to become padded slightly, but since it makes for more reading, I don't mind at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2011 [quote name='Lexadin' timestamp='1299012411' post='5043911']Read till Chapter 17 now, and I really like the story. Much better then I'd expected.[/quote] Thanks, I hope you continue enjoying it. [quote name='Dr. Cakey' timestamp='1299015589' post='5044038']Ooh, I haven't commented in a while. Makes me feel bad. I feel like the story has started to become padded slightly, but since it makes for more reading, I don't mind at all.[/quote] Well, I know it sounds hard to believe at this exact stage, but things are slowly getting wrapped up. Yes, new plot elements will be introduced, but now they will all have a focal point, and will be moving towards a specific direction. You'll see by the end of next chapter that, unlike before, very few things will be left hanging. By the end of this arc, ergo, the 36th chapter, the goal is to leave you with a lot less questions and a lot more answers, as well as hopefully a good deal of excitement as we approach the climax and finale. Now, I'm just finished with chapter 28. It's been a while since I last sat comfortably three chapters ahead of my posting schedule. I'll probably post the next chapter tomorrow sometime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cakey Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 [spoiler='Episode 16: Dead Wrong (Part 1)'] [center][b][u]Chapter 1:[/b] Death Petal Countdown[/u][/center] [center][b][i]Duel Concluded[/b] [b]Result:[/b] Win [b]Duel Points Awarded:[/b] 157 Thank you for Playing![/i][/center] Satisfied, Sanjou Kiishiro pulled the D-Tacher off his head and leaned back on the chair in front of the Duel Terminal's screen. [b]this is the worst introduction ever d-tacher sounds really stupid and why is he called sanjou that sounds like a japanese name and everyone knows yugioh happens in america. also it didn’t start with the main character being late to the duel academy exam so its not yugioh gx so its very bad.[/b] The rewards from victories in <Despair Mode> really were worth the effort - he would have to spend hours to gather up so many Duel Points in <Easy Mode>. [b]duel point are only in the video game and video games are not card games and yugioh is a card game also there is only attack mode and defense mode not despair mode or easy mode you cant make up new positions your not pegasus.[/b] The teenager looked around the noisy arcade store, slightly disoriented. [b]i cant believe it do you even know english arcades arent stores otherwise they would be called stores not arcades except when its an arcade but it sells stuff then you can call it a store also why is he disoriented i dont get it at all this story makes no sense[/b] The Real System implemented in Duel Terminals through the D-Tacher, a helmet that stimulated the brain's nerves directly, emulated a Duel in an environment known as <Duel Field>, which was an imaginary space away from reality, requiring complete shutdown of external signals. [b]i dont get it because it doesnt have duel disks and the words are big please you small words because they are easier than big words also why doesnt he use a duel disk yugi used a duel disk and yugi was cool so everybody needs to use a duel disk[/b] Therefore, being abruptly tossed in the midst of so many sources of noise and light could be disconcerting, even after several experiences with the Real System. [b]oh now i get it he was disoriented because of this thing you just said but you didnt say it rite away so i didnt get it you need to fix that k?[/b] Like many other people these days, especially in Japan, Kiishiro's main hobby was Duel Monsters. [b]no in yugioh theres only the yugioh continent which is just america bandit keith said so he said all countries belonged to america i know because i watched the abridged series little kuriboh is very funny CARD GAMES ON MOTORCYCLES!!!!! you see that is very funny because he said it[/b] The introduction of the Real System into the market, and the vast improvements in the Duel Terminal booths that followed, were more than enough to turn the game into a phenomenon of unparalleled popularity. [b]i dont get it i thought duel terminals were things in japan that gave you cards and were very gimmicky wait but yugioh isnt in japan its in America oh no my character is conflicting and its only been two paragraphs gah no must prevent character destruction[/b] Users of Duel Terminals were given a <Duelist Card> which they used as an identifier. [b]i dont get it wat is a duelist card is it like a card for a duelist or something explain because i dont get it[/b] Starting with an original number of Duel Points, enough to build a moderately competitive deck, they would then have to duel their way through either the artificial intelligence of the system, or other randomly selected players - the acquisition of Duel Points via friendly matches was disabled for obvious reasons - in order to earn more points and buy new cards and features for their account. [b]im confused why cant you get duel points when you duel your friends because i want to duel my friend so i can show him that lightsworns are bad if you mill sakurestu armor and heroes are only good if you use 3 polys[/b] Of course, all of this was virtual - dueling with real cards had been obsolete for at least two decades. [b]Come on, we both know Konami would never do this. What, did you say the camera’s rolling? We don’t use a camera – oh, you mean that I’m talking right now and everything I’m saying is being typed by me onto the Word file right here and I’m not in my absurd character which puts everything in lower-case? You do? CRAP![/b] Kiishiro pressed a button on the Terminal's screen, and his profile statistics appeared. He couldn't help but chuckle mentally each time he saw his avatar. [b]i dont get it why does he chuckle you didnt explain so explain[/b] Being given freedom to design their avatars as they wished, most players opted for an appearance completely different than their own. The imposing, tall virtual figure of "Thunderbolt Knight" starkly contrasted Kiishiro's short, slightly plump frame. [b]i just realized the Japanese guy doesnt have yu in his name so how can he be the main character.[/b] The image didn't even approach realism - the man's blazing green eyes, short, spiky black hair, and elegant clothing - Kiishiro had currently selected <White Knight Regalia> as an attire, appropriate for the Duel Field <Castle of Roses> he was dueling in - were more like something out of a fantasy novel than the mundane everyday world. [b]i cant find anything wrong here but this story is terrible and bad and awful and the worst thing ever so theres something wrong i just dont know what it is[/b] Kiishiro had been so absorbed in the duel he caught himself trying to straighten his hair - but unlike his virtual persona's, his light brown hair would simply fly haphazardly towards all directions if he let them lengthen too much, so he kept them cropped short. [b]this sentence doesnt have cards in it and its not exciting so it is bad and did i mention this whole story is terrible and bad and awful and the worst thing ever[/b] What was more important in this picture was the statistics display, including the Duel Point count. With the recent addition, Kiishiro's card was now charged with 732 Duel Points. The card he was seeking to buy, "Holy Barrier - Mirror Force", was one of the more expensive cards around, since its powerful effect would destroy all of an opponent's attacking monsters. [b]there isnt a holy barrier mirror force theres a mirror force but not a holy barrier mirror force so you must hav made it up but thats good i like new cards in fact you might say [quote name='StraightEdge07' timestamp='1294074337' post='4909003'] Nice fan fic, i like how you're including new cards [/quote] except it isnt a nice fanfic it is a horrible fanfic and it has big words[/b] Therefore, its price stood at 800 Duel Points. Unfortunately, Kiishiro had no more time today, so he'd just have to wait until tomorrow to - "Still hanging around here? Man, you sure are slow." [b]thats rude actually the doctor said im special. [/b] These words, spoken lightly, still stung as an insult to Kiishiro, who slowly turned away from the screen of his Duel Terminal to confront the two people who had just approached. A boy with messy black hair, a sturdy frame and slightly taller than Kiishiro, whose bright blue eyes seemed to sparkle playfully as they sought Kiishiro's hazel ones. A girl, short and petite, with long black hair which she allowed to freely fall on her back, seemed content with letting her companion take the lead, as she stood back and occasionally cast an indifference glance at Kiishiro. [b]these sentences are terrible and bad and awful and the wor- *Ahem* No actually, these last two sentences aren’t. Now you probably want to get back to my “special” “friend” “reviewing” “this”… “fanfic”, but I just want to cover this briefly. Boiling down the first sentence leaves just, “boy” and no verb. The second sentence gives us “girl seemed”. The first is obviously not a sentence, the second technically [i]is[/i], but the indefinite article clashes with the choice of verb, and…you don’t care. Now, you can use non-sentences when writing, and I happen to like them when done carefully. Now, I’d suggest rewriting the two phrases as one larger phrase (still not a sentence) to make it feel smoother. And I just noticed the girl is casting an “indifference glance”…[/b] Her black eyes seemed more bored than anything else, as if they refused to even acknowledge the boy sitting on the terminal's chair. [b]shes bored just like me becas the story is terrible and bad and awful[/b] The two were much of an age with Kiishiro himself, and both, similar to Kiishiro, were wearing their school uniforms. [b]Woah, woah, woah, hold on a second. What does, “the two were much of an age with Kiishiro” even mean, and how did I miss that the first time I read this?[/b] The young man, Aizawa Yuusuke, and the girl, Kirizaki Maya, were attending the same class as Kiishiro. Yuusuke and Maya had been friends for a long time, apparently, and for some odd reason, Yuusuke had tried to include Kiishiro into their clique. However, Kiishiro did not care for Yuusuke's brazen, sarcastic attitude, and Maya never concealed her dislike for him, so the situation generally resulted in the ever-persistent Yuusuke taunting and challenging Kiishiro, seemingly thinking of it as entertainment. Kiishiro disagreed, but he tried to at least be courteous towards them. "Aizawa-kun, Kirizaki-san." He inclined his head politely. Yuusuke laughed out loud. "You talk like you just walked out of a business meeting - or better yet, some cosplay convention!" [b] “…and every moment is a waking nightmare!” “[i]Still[/i] sounds like an anime convention…”[/b] He shouted, drawing the attention of several nearby attendants of the arcade. "Lighten up, man. No need to be so stiff." Several people laughed, while Kiishiro felt his cheeks blush. [b]i dont get it I think mayb ur trying to say that he was embarrassed but u didnt say so so I cant tell[/b] "But what is this?" Yuusuke suddenly leaned forward. Kiishiro gave a start, and attempted to shut down the forgotten Duel Terminal, but it was too late. "Hey guys, check this out." Yuusuke said, mockingly serious. "This Thunderbolt Knight here" the nickname raised another round of uproarious laughter "lost three times, and I repeat, three times... in <Easy Mode>." [b]dont be so meen i lost in easy Mode five times before i won with my elemental heroes[/b] Kiishiro shook his head as their audience threw mocking comments and snide remarks. True, <Easy Mode> was simply meant for either testing a deck, or easy, but slow, accumulation of Duel Points. It was considered almost impossible for a duelist to lose to an artificial intelligence set on Easy level, but when Kiishiro had activated his account, he had little notion of how to play, and thus his first few games had been, to say the least, quite embarrassing. [b]i lost 1ce because the computer cheated i played mystical space typhoon when he used tribute to the doomed but it didnt negate it[/b] "Yuusuke." Maya said abruptly. "I'm hungry. Let's go eat now." Yuusuke shrugged, still half-smirking, and straightened himself. "Try to get some practice in, Thunderbolt Knight." He waved at Kiishiro, as he began to walk away behind his friend. "You almost make me feel ashamed, having you as a friend." [b]And those were the last words Yuusuke ever said, before Kiishiro shot him in the back. Kiishiro had been planning this for years. Every time Yuusuke had spoken, it had brought him closer to that inevitable death, and today was his final day. =)[/b] Despite himself, Kiishiro smiled slightly. Now that the source of the commotion was gone, the attention quickly dissipated, and everyone returned to their own games and companies. Kiishiro prepared to shut down the Duel Terminal, when a flashing green message on the bottom of the screen caught his attention. [b]“Your fanfic has been targeted by Dr. Cakey. He has locked on with a procrastination beam, ETA one month. Tune in next whenever, for the thrilling conclusion! Same [url=”http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Meda_Bat”]Meda Bat[/url]-time, same [url=”http://yugioh.wikia.com/wiki/Meda_Bat”]Meda Bat[/url]-channel![/b][/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legolover09 Posted March 2, 2011 Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Dr. Cakey, it just wasn't as funny as your other ones. I'm sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2011 Oh, lol. It was hilarious reading this from a potential average Yugioh fan's perspective. Some comments: [b]also it didn’t start with the main character being late to the duel academy exam so its not yugioh gx so its very bad.[/b] Maybe next fic *trololololol* [b]Come on, we both know Konami would never do this.[/b] Well, if they had a much more profitable system of distributing their card games rather than pieces of cardboard. *shrug* [b]i just realized the Japanese guy doesnt have yu in his name so how can he be the main character.[/b] It's funny, because I was actually thinking about that when I planned this out. At first it looked like I had subverted this with Kiishiro, but then I threw in Yuusuke for the ultimate double-subversion. Mindhax. [b]*Ahem* No actually, these last two sentences aren’t. Now you probably want to get back to my “special” “friend” “reviewing” “this”… “fanfic”, but I just want to cover this briefly. Boiling down the first sentence leaves just, “boy” and no verb. The second sentence gives us “girl seemed”. The first is obviously not a sentence, the second technically is, but the indefinite article clashes with the choice of verb, and…you don’t care. Now, you can use non-sentences when writing, and I happen to like them when done carefully. Now, I’d suggest rewriting the two phrases as one larger phrase (still not a sentence) to make it feel smoother.[/b] While it may seem peculiar at first, I don't believe this is 'wrong'. First a sentence mentions two people. Then two non-sentences describe them briefly. It could have been done better, I admit, but I don't see any massive problem with it. [b]And I just noticed the girl is casting an “indifference glance”…[/b] Woops. As I've mentioned before, I'm writing this without proofreading at all, in the interest of actually finishing it, and even though I am [s]epic[/s] careful, slip-ups like that are bound to happen [s]constantly[/s] occasionally. [b]Woah, woah, woah, hold on a second. What does, “the two were much of an age with Kiishiro” even mean, and how did I miss that the first time I read this?[/b] That they were roughly the same age as Kiishiro? [b]And those were the last words Yuusuke ever said, before Kiishiro shot him in the back. Kiishiro had been planning this for years. Every time Yuusuke had spoken, it had brought him closer to that inevitable death, and today was his final day. =)[/b] Damn, I should have done that. It was very good, Cakey, even though the bashing of bad stories in an intelligent manner might be understandably more appealing to one. And rather than just produce lulz, it also gave some sound advice. I look forward to the next part. --- Now, I've resolved to finally stop writing for a while, after managing three chapters in around three days (mainly because I am in a dilemma concerning the direction I should take from this point). I'll streamline the posting of the new chapters along the rest of the week, and in the meantime will work on reviewing some stories. For now, enjoy your force-fed chapter 26. [WARNING: The strategy used in this duel is overflowing with epicness and lulz. However, you are strongly advised not to try this at home. You [i]will[/i] lose at card games] [spoiler=Chapter 26] [center][b][u]Chapter 26:[/b] Ancient Sunshine[/u][/center] "I will go first, if there are no objections." Dryad said. Kiishiro nodded - it was likely that the Elemental Master had seen through at least some of his deck, and he wanted to catch a glimpse of her own choice of cards before he comitted his resources to the field. Dryad added a sixth card to her hand. [center][i][b]Elemental Master Dryad[/b] - LP: 4000[/i] [i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "First, I call Manju God to the field. This allows me to move any Ritual magic, or Ritual monster, from my deck to my hand." A peculiar demon with thousands upon thousands of hands protruding from its body appeared on the field, just as a sixth card replaced itself in Dryad's hand. "Then I activate Dryad's Prayer, sacrificing Manju God to Ritual Summon, Elemental Master Dryad." Dryad's form... rippled, and suddenly there were two of them, one standing in front of the other. Her arms, unburdened by the duel disk, were united in prayer. [spoiler=Manju God][b]Manju God[/b] LIGHT / Fairy Level 4 1400/1000 When this card is Normal Summoned or Flip Summoned, you can select 1 Ritual Monster Card or 1 Ritual Spell Card from your Deck and add it to your hand.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Dryad's Prayer][b]Dryad's Prayer[/b] SPELL / Ritual This card is used to Ritual Summon "Elemental Master Dryad". You must also Tribute monsters whose total Levels equal 3 or more from the field or your hand.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Elemental Master Dryad][b]Elemental Master Dryad[/b] LIGHT / Spellcaster / Ritual Level 3 1200/1400 This card can only be Ritual Summoned with the Ritual Spell Card, "Dryad's Prayer". The Attribute of this card is also treated as WIND, WATER, FIRE, and EARTH while it is face-up on the field.[/spoiler] "Next I play Sealing Swords of Light, negating all your attacks for three turns. I place three cards face-down. Turn end." Emptying all cards in her hand, Dryad waited for Kiishiro to make his move, while dozens of glowing golden swords fell from the sky to restrict his side of the field. [spoiler=Sealing Swords of Light][b]Sealing Swords of Light[/b] SPELL / Normal Flip all monsters your opponent controls face-up. This card remains on the field for 3 of your opponent's turns. While this card is face-up on the field, monsters your opponent controls cannot declare an attack.[/spoiler] "Hmm... my turn, draw." Kiishiro said skeptically. As he had expected, it was a deck based around the Ritual monster, Elemental Master Dryad. Now, how should he fight? "I'll just summon Botanity Girl to the field." A small, lithe fairy with a brilliant rose blossom on her head appeared on the field. He had no way to break the sealing swords yet, but he might as well set up his field a little. "One reverse card. Turn end." [spoiler=Botanity Girl][b]Botanity Girl[/b] WATER / Plant Level 3 1300/1100 When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, you can add 1 Plant-Type monster with 1000 or less DEF from your Deck to your hand.[/spoiler] "My turn. Draw." Dryad said smoothly. "Reverse card, open. This card is called Wind-Forest-Fire-Mountain, and can only be activated if cards from all four primordial elements are on the field. Elemental Master Dryad is treated as if she was of all attributes, except Dark, so having her on the field instantly fulfills that requirement. Wind-Forest-Fire-Mountain allows me to draw 2 cards." [spoiler=Wind-Forest-Fire-Mountain][b]Wind-Forest-Fire-Mountain[/b] TRAP / Normal You can only activate this card when there are at least 1 monster each of WIND, WATER, FIRE and EARTH Attributes face-up on the field. Select and apply 1 of these effects: • Destroy all monsters on your opponent's side of the field. • Destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on your opponent's side of the field. • Randomly discard 2 cards from your opponent's hand. • Draw 2 cards.[/spoiler] "Creature Swap activates." Kiishiro started - Dryad wanted them to exchange monsters? Certainly, Dryad herself wasn't very strong, but it seemed a waste to go through the trouble of summoning her, just to do an exchange for a monster that was almost worthless to her, and would still benefit Kiishiro if it went to the Graveyard... "I select Dryad on my field." "And I select Botanity Girl." Kiishiro said slowly. Something was wrong. The two monsters changed places. Kiishiro suddenly felt nervous, having the very same being he was facing shielding him. [spoiler=Creature Swap][b]Creature Swap[/b] SPELL / Normal Each player selects 1 monster they control and switches control of those monsters with each other. Those monsters cannot change their battle positions for the rest of this turn.[/spoiler] "Now, the Field Spell. Activate, Clear World." Four crystals appeared on the clearing surrounding them, their pure light forming a circle around the two duelists. "Clear World?" Kiishiro mumbled. He had never heard of that card before, and without the helpful display, he suddenly felt extremely vulnerable. The first surprise came as the cards in his hand suddenly appeared floating above his head, in full display. [spoiler=Clear World][b]Clear World[/b] SPELL / Field During each of your End Phases, pay 500 Life Points or destroy this card. Each player receives certain effects, depending on the monster Attributes they control: • LIGHT: Play with your hand revealed at all times. • DARK: If you control 2 or more monsters, you cannot declare an attack. • EARTH: During your Standby Phase, destroy 1 face-up Defense Position monster you control. • WATER: During your End Phase, discard 1 card. • FIRE: During your End Phase, take 1000 damage. • WIND: You must pay 500 Life Points to activate a Spell Card.[/spoiler] "Clear World provides each player with adverse effects, depending on the attributes of monsters on the field." Dryad explained. "Currently, on your side of the field, there is Elemental Master Dryad, who is a monster with five different attributes - Light, Water, Earth, Fire and Wind. Right now the effect of Clear World is active. When you control a Light monster, your hand is revealed." "I - incredible..." Kiishiro muttered. But if that was all there was to it, then it didn't matter. He could simply get rid of Dryad during the next turn, and then he'd be limited to only one attribute again. Light didn't seem to bad. He wondered what the effects of the others were. "I place one more card face-down." Dryad continued, setting another reverse card. "Turn end. Since I control a Water monster, normally I must discard a card from my hand - but as I have none, that effect does not apply to me. Regardless, I must still pay five hundred points as the maintainance cost of Clear World." [center][i][b]Elemental Master Dryad[/b] - LP: 3500[/i] [i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "Good to know." Kiishiro snarled. "My turn. Draw." "Since you control an Earth monster, normally you would need to destroy one of your defense position monsters at this moment." Dryad interjected. "However, Elemental Master Dryad is in attack mode, so that step is skipped. Thanks to the Wind attribute of your monster, though, should you activate a Spell card, 500 points of damage will be inflicted. Now, the reverse card, Mask of Sacrifice Sealing. This permanent Trap will prevent you from sacrificing monsters." Kiishiro gritted his teeth - he had intended to release Dryad in order to summon Gigaplant, but that had gone down the drain. Regardless, he had a better plan. He would tune his Dryad into Black Rose Dragon, and get rid of all that nonsense. [spoiler=Mask of Sacrifice Sealing][b]Mask of Sacrifice Sealing[/b] TRAP / Continuous Neither player can Tribute any Monster under any conditions.[/spoiler] "I summon the tuner monster, Debris Dragon." The silver dragonic creature materialized on the field with a ferocious roar. He had no cards with which to use its effect, but Dryad was more than enough. "Now I tune - " "Trap card, Dissonance." Dryad interrupted. "For the next three turns, Synchro Summoning is sealed." [spoiler=Debris Dragon][b]Debris Dragon[/b] WIND / Dragon / Tuner Level 4 1000/2000 When this card is Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 monster with 500 or less ATK from your Graveyard in Attack Position. That monster's effect(s) is negated. This card cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster, except for the Synchro Summon of a Dragon-Type Synchro Monster. The other Synchro Material Monster(s) cannot be Level 4.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Dissonance][b]Dissonance[/b] TRAP / Continuous Neither player can Synchro Summon. Send this card to the Graveyard during your 3rd End Phase after activation.[/spoiler] Kiishiro cursed mentally. Had this woman a counter for [i]everything[/i]? But then he had an idea. He might not be able to release Dryad or use her as a Synchro monster, but she could still be destroyed, and he knew just the way to do it. "I change Dryad to defense mode." He said. Now, during his next Standby Phase, it would be annihilated by Clear World's own effect, causing his opponent's plans to backfire. "Turn end." "During the End Phase, the final two effects of Clear World kick in." Dryad explained. "Due to Dryad's Water attribute, you have to discard one card. And due to her Fire attribute, you take a thousand points of damage." "Fine!" Kiishiro cringed as he took the damage, throwing away Gigaplant, which he could not summon anyway. He had to do something fast, before Clear World took out all of his Life Points. [center][i][b][/b]Elemental Master Dryad - LP: 3500[/i] [i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 3000[/i][/center] "It is my turn." Dryad stated. "The permanent Trap, Level Limit - Area A. All Level 3 or lower monsters, including Elemental Master Dryad, are switched to, and forced to remain at, attack position." Kiishiro stared in disbelief as his monster's battle mode changed. [spoiler=Level Limit - Area A][b]Level Limit - Area A[/b] TRAP / Continuous All face-up Level 3 or lower monsters on the field are changed to Attack Position and remain in Attack Position.[/spoiler] "The Spell card, Raise Dead." She continued. "I will revive your Gigaplant." The man-eating plant materialized suddenly on Dryad's side of the field, and Kiishiro realized, too late, that he had been playing directly into her hands. [spoiler=Raise Dead][b]Raise Dead[/b] SPELL / Normal Special Summon 1 monster from either player's Graveyard to your side of the field.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Gigaplant][b]Gigaplant[/b] EARTH / Plant / Dual Level 6 2400/1200 This card is treated as a Normal Monster while face-up on the field or in the Graveyard. While this card is face-up on the field, you can Normal Summon it to have it be treated as an Effect Monster with this effect: • Once per turn, you can Special Summon 1 Insect-Type or Plant-Type monster from your hand or Graveyard.[/spoiler] "Battle." Dryad said. "Gigaplant attacks Debris Dragon." "Emissaries of Harmony!" Kiishiro cried out. "My field is protected for this turn!" [spoiler=Emissaries of Harmony][b]Emissaries of Harmony[/b] TRAP / Normal You take no Battle Damage this turn. Your monsters cannot be destroyed by battle this turn.[/spoiler] "Very well. Turn end." Dryad was, once again, not affected by Clear World, although her Life Points dropped slightly. And Kiishiro drew, still unable to find a way to get rid of that annoying monster. [center][i][b]Elemental Master Dryad[/b] - LP: 3000[/i] [i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 3000[/i][/center] "Debris Dragon switches to defense position." Kiishiro said. "One reverse card. Turn end." He was now left with three cards in his hand, and had to discard one of them. The choice was easy - he dropped Spore. Once he was free to Synchro Summon again, he might be able to use it. If he survived that long. His Life Points took another hit, but at the very least, the bothersome Sealing Swords of Light vanished. [center][i][b]Elemental Master Dryad[/b] - LP: 3000[/i] [i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 2000[/i][/center] "Draw." Dryad said. "I place one reverse card. Gigaplant, attack Debris Dragon!" The silver dragon was wrapped in the plant's tentacles, suffocated and soon annihilated. "Turn end." Her Life Points took another hit thanks to the maintenance cost of Clear World. [center][i][b]Elemental Master Dryad[/b] - LP: 2500[/i] [i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 2000[/i][/center] "Draw." Kiishiro considered his options. He was running out of them, really. Dissonance would last one more turn - but he could not afford to lose any more Life Points. But when he looked at his card, he realized he just might have what he needed to turn things around. "I activate Fragrance Storm!" He declared. "This destroys any Plant monster on the field, and lets me draw one card. Normally I'd have to target my own monsters, but since you stole Gigaplant from me, I'm simply going to use that!" The massive plant shattered, and Kiishiro added a card to his hand. "Don't forget that you will take 500 damage from Clear World." Dryad pointed out. [center][i][b]Elemental Master Dryad[/b] - LP: 2500[/i] [i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 1500[/i][/center] "But it's well worth it, because the card I drew is Rose Fairy!" Kiishiro said. "Not only is Rose Fairy Special Summoned via its own effect, but I can draw one additional card, since the card I drew by Fragrance Storm was a Plant monster." [i]Finally.[/i] [spoiler=Fragrance Storm][b]Fragrance Storm[/b] SPELL / Normal Destroy 1 face-up Plant-Type monster on the field and draw 1 card. If that card is a Plant-Type monster, you can reveal it to your opponent and draw 1 more card.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Rose Fairy][b]Rose Fairy[/b] WIND / Plant Level 3 800/1200 If this card is added from your Deck to your hand by the effect of a Spell, Trap, or Monster Card, you can Special Summon this card.[/spoiler] "Instant magic, Cyclone!" Kiishiro declared. Dryad's eyes jumped to the hologram of Kiishiro's card, as a powerful whirlwind rushed across the field. [spoiler=Cyclone][b]Cyclone[/b] SPELL / Quick-Play Select 1 Spell or Trap Card on the field. Destroy it.[/spoiler] "Even if you destroy Clear World, you'll still take the damage." She pointed out coolly. [center][i][b]Elemental Master Dryad[/b] - LP: 2500[/i] [i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 1000[/i][/center] "My target is not your Field Spell." Kiishiro stated. "My target is Dissonance!" Indeed, Dryad's face-up card was shattered, leaving Kiishiro free to Synchro Summon. It was time to win. "I summon Copy Plant!" He declared. A small, flowerless stub appeared on the ground between his two monsters. "Copy Plant's effect allows it to imitate the Level of one of my other Plant-type monsters - and my target is Rose Fairy! Now I tune my Level 3, Elemental Master Dryad, and my Level 3, Rose Fairy, to my, now Level 3, Copy Plant!" Three circles of green light formed, to be crossed through by clustering six stars. "Synchro Summon! Appear, Mist Wurm!" The azure serpentine creature emerged from the sky, slithering across the air to settle behind Kiishiro. [spoiler=Copy Plant][b]Copy Plant[/b] WIND / Plant / Tuner Level 1 0/0 Once per turn, you can select 1 face-up Plant-Type monster on the field to have this card's Level become equal to the selected monster's Level, until the End Phase.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Mist Wurm][b]Mist Wurm[/b] WIND / Thunder / Synchro Level 9 2500/1500 1 Tuner + 2 or more non-Tuner monsters When this card is Synchro Summoned, return up to 3 cards your opponent controls to the hand.[/spoiler] "Mist Wurm's effect activates, returning, from the field to the hand, the Field Spell Clear World, my Botanity Girl, as well as your face-down card." Kiishiro said. Stormwinds picked up, surrounding the forested region. "Reverse card, open." Dryad said, without missing a beat. "Wind Spirit Art - 'Elegance'. By tributing Botanity Girl, I can return Mist Wurm to your deck." Suddenly, Wynn leapt down from a tree overhead, raising her staff against the raging winds. Botanity Girl was wrapped in a fierce gust, and the blast of air enveloped the larger floating worm, causing it to disappear. Kiishiro grunted as he was forced to return his monster to his deck. The Spirit Envoy winked at him, before dispersing with the wind. [spoiler=Wind Spirit Art - 'Elegance'][b]Wind Spirit Art - 'Elegance'[/b] TRAP / Normal Tribute 1 WIND monster on your side of the field. Select 1 card on your opponent's side of the field, and return it to the bottom of the owner's Deck.[/spoiler] "At least we are on equal footing now." Kiishiro said. "Botanity Girl's effect activates when she is sent to the Graveyard. The monster I choose to add is Grow-Up Bulb." Two cards in his hand, and none that he could use to protect himself. He could not risk Dryad drawing a monster during her turn. "I activate Spore's effect in my Graveyard." He said slowly. "By removing Gigaplant from play, it is Special Summoned." The fluffy ball materialized on the field, defending him from a potential attack. For now, at least. "Turn end." [spoiler=Spore][b]Spore[/b] WIND / Plant / Tuner Level 1 400/800 If this card is in your Graveyard, you can remove from play 1 other Plant-Type monster from your Graveyard to Special Summon this card from your Graveyard, and increase its Level by the Level of the monster removed from play to activate this effect. Each player can only use the effect of "Spore" once per Duel.[/spoiler] "Then, it's my turn." Dryad sighed. "Your ability is indeed surprising, Sanjou Kiishiro. Currently, I have no choice. I will take you through the ultimate test." Kiishiro's eyes perked - what was she - "Magic Planter activates, sending Mask of Sacrifice Sealing from my side of the field to the Graveyard. Then, I can draw twice." Dryad's permanent trap card disappeared, and she added two new cards to her hand. "Then, I summon Black Rose Witch." A girl with messy, long purple hair clad in a victorian outfit, and brandishing a wood-carved scepter, materialized opposite to Kiishiro. He held his breath - had he not used Spore's effect, he would have lost in this turn. But wait - wasn't that thing's effect to - !! [spoiler=Magic Planter][b]Magic Planter[/b] SPELL / Normal Send 1 face-up Continuous Trap Card you control to the Graveyard. Draw 2 cards.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Black Rose Witch][b]Black Rose Witch[/b] DARK / Spellcaster / Tuner Level 4 1700/1200 This card cannot be Special Summoned. When this card is Normal Summoned while you control no cards, draw 1 card and reveal it. If the card you drew is not a Monster Card, send it to the Graveyard and destroy this card.[/spoiler] "Black Rose Witch will, if my field is empty when she is Normal Summoned, allow me to draw one card. If that card is a monster, I can Special Summon it immediately - but if not, both Black Rose Witch and that card will be sent to the Graveyard." She placed her hand on top of her deck. "So, what do you think? Will it be a monster or not?" Kiishiro found this question difficult to answer. Theoretically, she should not be cheating. He did not know to what extent things like her could influence this world, but this duel just did not seem to be going a way that would suggest foul play. But, there were other factors to be considered. When Kiishiro had discarded Spore from the top of his deck during his duel with Hiita, he had felt it, too. His deck resonated with him, and would respond to his plea. Dryad could definitely draw the monster she required at this timing. She smiled, as if reading his thoughts, and pulled out a card. It was Earth Spirit Envoy - Aussa. [spoiler=Earth Spirit Envoy - Aussa][b]Earth Spirit Envoy - Aussa[/b] EARTH / Spellcaster Level 3 500/1500 FLIP: Take control of 1 EARTH monster on your opponent's side of the field for as long as this card remains face-up on the field.[/spoiler] As before, the elemental sorceress seemed to waltz into the field out of virtually nowhere. She smiled at Kiishiro, and nodded to Dryad. "Behold, the power you want to control." She announced, raising her hand to the sky. All shades of darkness faded away, and the brilliant golden light of dawn filled the forgotten forest. "I tune my Level 3, Earth Spirit Envoy - Aussa, to my Level 4, Black Rose Witch." She declared. The two sorceress girls flew towards the sky, becoming one with the light. Four giant circles appeared around Dryad, progressively smaller and each one farther into the sky, until the uppermost one seemed to almost touch the sun. Three blinding white stars soared through to the heavenly peaks, forming a bridge to an ethereal dawn. "Synchro Summon! Shine, Ancient Fairy Dragon!" Kiishiro watched, overawed, as the third of the legendary dragons descended onto the field, cloaked by a sheet of light. Its lithe serpentine body shone a crystal clear azure. Twin ruby-like eyes glowed in the sunshine. A membrane-bound, diaphanous wing reminiscent of that of a giant butterfly spread out on either side of its body, and a golden armor-like structure shielded its torso. It was magnificent. The creature was radiant, and Kiishiro felt humbled by its very presence. He had grown accustomed to the striking, deadly aura of his Black Rose Dragon, and the silent, shadowy aura of Yenma's Blackfeather Dragon. Ancient Fairy Dragon's aura was completely different - it was the very embodiment of hope. Watching this card, Kiishiro knew that ZONE had been right. These creatures that could be so devastating if they fell into the wrong hands - these creatures could be the heralds of their triumph. But, back to the present, if he was to convince the mistress of the elements that he could safely handle that power, he had to defeat her. And with Ancient Fairy Dragon on her field, the odds of that happening were rapidly decreasing. [spoiler=Ancient Fairy Dragon][b]Ancient Fairy Dragon[/b] LIGHT / Dragon / Synchro Level 7 2100/3000 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters Once per turn, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower monster from your hand. You cannot conduct your Battle Phase the turn you activate this effect. Once per turn, you can destroy a Field Spell Card. If you do, gain 1000 Life Points, and you can add 1 Field Spell Card from your Deck to your hand.[/spoiler] "I place a Field Spell face-down." Dryad continued smoothly. "Then, Ancient Fairy Dragon's effect activates. By destroying a Field Spell, I regain a thousand Life Points, and can then add any Field Spell from my deck to my hand." The reverse Clear World shone briefly before being extinguished, and Dryad was bathed in a shower of sparkling dust, her Life Points reaching almost their original value. [center][i][b]Elemental Master Dryad[/b] - LP: 3500[/i] [i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 1000[/i][/center] "Now I will immediately activate that Field Spell, Spider Web!" Threads exploded centrifugally around the field, forming a barrier of webs. "Now every monster that attacks will be changed to Defense position after the battle is over." [spoiler=Spider Web][b]Spider Web[/b] SPELL / Field If a monster declares an attack, it is changed to Defense Position at the end of the Damage Step. It cannot change its battle position until the End Phase of its controller's next turn, while this card remains on the field.[/spoiler] Kiishiro quickly identified Dryad's tactic. Spider Web would change the fairy dragon to defense after the battle, defending it from all but the most powerful monsters. Then, any attack Kiishiro mounted would also force him to go to the defensive, while during her next turn, Ancient Fairy Dragon could rid the field of the restraint and attack once more, and its controller could reactivate the thing to continue the defensive loop. "Battle. Ancient Fairy Dragon, attack Spore!" The spectral creature opened its jaws, and a pulse of sound and light flew forth, enveloping the forest. Kiishiro had to shield himself from its intensity, as his monster was extinguished. Spider webs shot up, restraining Ancient Fairy. "I'll place one reverse card. Turn end." Dryad concluded. This was hard. Kiishiro rubbed his right arm unconsciously, where the crimson mark Fpulsed. He was not going to give up. "Draw!" He grinned. Days upon days of training in the Arc Cradle had not gone in vain. Dryad's strategy was excellent, but it had one major flaw. Against him, it would have been a better idea to leave Ancient Fairy Dragon in attack. "Magic card, One for One!" He declared. "I send Grow-Up Bulb to the Graveyard, in order to Special Summon the Level 1, Evil Thorn, from my Deck! The effects of Grow-Up Bulb and Evil Thorn activate! I send the top card of my Deck to the Graveyard, and Special Summon Grow-Up Bulb! And then I release Evil Thorn, to Special Summon two more Evil Thorns from my Deck, while dealing 300 points of damage to you!" And just like that, he had three monsters on the field. [center][i][b]Elemental Master Dryad[/b] - LP: 3200[/i] [i][b]Thunderbolt Knight[/b] - LP: 1000[/i][/center] [spoiler=One for One][b]One for One[/b] SPELL / Normal Send 1 Monster Card from your hand to the Graveyard. Special Summon 1 Level 1 monster from your hand or Deck.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Grow-Up Bulb][b]Grow-Up Bulb[/b] EARTH / Plant / Tuner Level 1 100/100 You can send the top card of your Deck to the Graveyard and Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. Each player can only use the effect of "Grow-Up Bulb" once per Duel.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Evil Thorn][b]Evil Thorn[/b] DARK / Plant Level 1 100/300 You can Tribute this card to inflict 300 damage to your opponent and Special Summon up to 2 "Evil Thorns" from your Deck in face-up Attack Position. Those monsters' effects cannot be activated.[/spoiler] "And now I summon Koa Kimeiru Gravirose!" A female creature wielding twin whips that looked like thorny branches, its head enveloped in a crimson flower, materialized next to the three smaller plants. It was time. [spoiler=Koa Kimeiru Gravirose][b]Koa Kimeiru Gravirose[/b] EARTH / Plant Level 4 1900/1300 During each of your End Phases, destroy this card unless you send 1 "Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru" from your hand to the Graveyard or reveal 1 Plant-Type monster in your hand. During each of your Standby Phases, you can send 1 Level 3 or lower monster from your Deck to your Graveyard.[/spoiler] "I tune my Level 4, Koa Kimeiru Gravirose, and my two Level 1, Evil Thorns, to my Level 1, Grow-Up Bulb." He said. Where there was stillness, now a gust of wind raged, and petals converged around the eye of the typhoon. A single circle, crossed by six bright stars. If Ancient Fairy Dragon was the light of miracles, this monster was the very embodiment of enchantment. "Bloom, Black Rose Dragon!" [spoiler=Black Rose Dragon][b]Black Rose Dragon[/b] FIRE / Dragon / Synchro Level 7 2400/1800 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters When this card is Synchro Summoned, you can destroy all cards on the field. Once per turn, you can remove from play 1 Plant-Type monster from your Graveyard to change 1 Defense Position monster your opponent controls to face-up Attack Position, and reduce its ATK to 0 until the End Phase.[/spoiler] Unnoticed by the two duelists, who were glaring at each other behind their respective dragon monsters, the sky was no longer clear. Black stormclouds were assembling fast, and the distant rumble of thunder could be heard. It was not just this space, though. Gregory Dunkan was ready to leave the room, when a panicked shriek drew his attention back to the portal. The Nexus was raging far more wildly than before, threatening to overflow into the reality. This was too fast, too soon! He had no idea what had caused this disturbance, but he shouted, to be head above the sound of the streaking energy, for the Pylons to be stabilized. "Black Rose Dragon's effect activates." Kiishiro said steadily. "By removing from play Evil Thorn in my Graveyard, Ancient Fairy Dragon switches to attack position, and all of its attack points are removed." Thorny tentacles shot from the lower body of Black Rose, binding the majestic dragon, which shrieked as it tried to break loose. Dryad watched him impassively. What was she thinking? Ancient Fairy Dragon's attack fell to zero. The storm was escalating. A downpour unlike any Japan had ever seen was threatening to drown the entire coastal area. The streets were already beginning to flood, and it had been seconds since the rain started! Not just Japan, too. All over the world, nature itself seemed to rage. People shut themselves in their homes, praying to their Gods. Some even swore they could hear people crying out to them from far away, far beyond the bounds of this world. Reality was falling apart. Dunkan desperately held on to the wall. It soon wouldn't matter. The Nexus was spinning wildly, the Pylons flickering in and out of existence. Cries of despair surrounded him, and Dunkan felt like adding his own. Not for fear of his life - not at this point. But out of frustration, that his hard work had gone to waste, and he did not even know what was causing this catastrophe! In the depths of the Zero Zone, Jinrei Yenma was ready to begin his duel against his imagined nightmare, when suddenly, his would-be opponent vanished. Everything vanished, changing from black to white to transparent to red. He turned back, but Takechi and the mysterious girl that had appeared to save them looked just as bewildered as he felt. And then he collapsed, screaming in unbearable agony, as the mark on his arm burned crimson, blood flowing from his shattered skin. "Battle." Kiishiro went on. "Black Rose Dragon, attack Ancient Fairy Dragon!" Retracting its vines, the great black dragon prepared to unleash its fiery breath. Then he paused. Something was not right. Even in this faraway place, where he could only feel it like an aftermath - the storm in the sky mirrored something much more terrible. He glanced at his arm - unnoticed, his mark had physically manifested on his arm, which was now bleeding profusely. His head began spinning. Black Rose Dragon began its assault, and at that moment Kiishiro realized - if that attack went through, it would all be over. "Stop!" He yelled, trying to think clearly through the pain. He smashed on the buttons of his duel disk, trying in vain to deactivate it. The chaos escalated - the very foundations of reality began shaking. The collision of two imaginary miracles, two creatures of such caliber, while the Nexus was this destabilized from Duel International's interference, would be more than enough to bring about the end of the world. And Kiishiro could not stop this. "Trap, activate." He heard the clear words above the deafening noise. "Negate Attack. The battle phase ends." [spoiler=Negate Attack][b]Negate Attack[/b] TRAP / Counter Activate only when an opponent's monster declares an attack. Negate the attack and end the Battle Phase.[/spoiler] Soon, it was over. The pain receded. The skies calmed, and peace was restored. Thousands upon thousands of people found themselves from the brink of death to the tranquil normality. And Kiishiro collapsed on the ground, struggling to remain conscious. "Do you see now, Sanjou Kiishiro?" Dryad asked as she leaned close to him. Kiishiro barely registered that the monsters had disappeared. "Do you see how easy it is to shatter the world? Just like that, you, who swore to champion the world's salvation, could have undone all of reality, an end more devastating and violent than any of your enemies could have envisioned. Can you bear that weight, that responsibility? Can you fight, knowing that your most valiant effort might be what destroys us all?" --- ZONE was quietly hovering above the ground, locked within the confines of his unicycle, waiting for Kiishiro's arrival. As soon as the boy stepped into the Arc Cradle, he was seamlessly brought to the central control room. "And?" ZONE asked quietly. He had felt the chaos, sensed the end of the world approach. Even he could not have done anything about it, should it have been fated to be so. Had it been necessary? Perhaps. Or perhaps it was a terrible choice. The consequences of the clash between the dragons would not simply disappear, just because the disaster had been prevented. But it could have been worth it, if Sanjou Kiishiro lived up to ZONE's expectations. Wordlessly, the young man held up two cards. Black Rose Dragon, and Ancient Fairy Dragon. With the crimson mark permanently engraved onto his arm, he had the right to tap into Ancient Fairy's power, should the need arise. At least, until its rightful wielder appeared. [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Umbra Posted March 3, 2011 Report Share Posted March 3, 2011 So, I just read the last twenty-four chapters in one sitting. I only have one thing to say. Wow. Actually, there's more to it than that. You are everything I remember you to be, and so much more. I remember reading Chronicles of the Ascension - the nod to which I noticed - and being inspired to write something that could even be a fraction of that story. Along came Inheritance of the World, and then Legacy of the Tormentor, and now most recently the Dark Doorway. I feel that perhaps now have I grasped Chronicles' quality - and here you present something that goes to that level and beyond. If anything, I want to thank you for writing this, for giving me another goal to achieve. I feel honored by you, saying that I was the better author of us, but I guess I'm not the only one who often ends up being too modest for his own good. Keep writing, for all my words are worth. Yours truly, Umbra Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 [quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1299128675' post='5047641']So, I just read the last twenty-four chapters in one sitting.[/quote] Whoa. That must've been a long read. [quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1299128675' post='5047641']I only have one thing to say. Wow. Actually, there's more to it than that. You are everything I remember you to be, and so much more. I remember reading Chronicles of the Ascension - the nod to which I noticed - and being inspired to write something that could even be a fraction of that story.[/quote] I wondered if anyone had noticed that =/. Given most of my new readers joined way after Chronicles faded into oblivion, I wasn't surprised noone did thus far. Thankfully, there are a few old faces around. [quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1299128675' post='5047641']Along came Inheritance of the World, and then Legacy of the Tormentor, and now most recently the Dark Doorway. I feel that perhaps now have I grasped Chronicles' quality - and here you present something that goes to that level and beyond. If anything, I want to thank you for writing this, for giving me another goal to achieve. I feel honored by you, saying that I was the better author of us, but I guess I'm not the only one who often ends up being too modest for his own good.[/quote] I was - and am - generally satisfied with my writing, when I consider that English is not my native language, and also that I only write as a part-time hobby, never having as much time to devote to it as I'd like. Still, I think I manage pretty good. However, there is one major flaw, one weakness that I particularly hate. I haven't been able to finish stories. I've written quite a lot of them, but most just sort of trail off at some point, due to lack of dedication or boredom or any other of countless excuses. If you were inspired by me as far as the technical aspect of writing and / or storytelling, or whatever else, were concerned, I was inspired by you because of your ability to tell a - solid, good - story, from the beginning to the end, without giving up on it. The one key part that I always missed when I was trying to write, you had it. And my desire to reach that point is what inspired this story. [quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1299128675' post='5047641']Keep writing, for all my words are worth. Yours truly, Umbra[/quote] Ah, I've resolved to finish this one, my friend. And on precisely that note, here is the next chapter. Yuusuke is put in a tough spot as an old nemesis resurfaces in much more dangerous hands... [spoiler=Chapter 27] [center][b][u]Chapter 27:[/b] Torture Chamber of Nightmare[/u][/center] Maya had felt the chaotic resonance, of course, and though she could not have guessed its cause, she knew very well its origin slept deep within the confines of the virtual world she carefully avoided. Yuusuke had confided in her everything that had happened to him during his venture. It made her feel guilty for not being ready to entrust him with her own secrets, but it was important that he was kept safe for now. Apparently, Jacqueline was searching for a man named Miyataka Eizan. Fergusson had also told her that Dunkan's group was tracking down someone like that, so Jacqueline had probably not lied. But before she could even think about reentering the virtual world, before she could do anything, she had to deal with her own demons first. Sinclair. Ghosts from the past kept haunting her since Cornelius Klein's demise. She was faced with a major problem here. How could she deal with Sinclair without endangering her very existence? It was time to find some answers. The card that allowed her to access the virtual reality while concealing her true identity was no longer capable of serving that purpose, now that her account of Sinclair had been officially purged. But that still did not mean Maya could not use it as a starting point in her search. She positioned herself in front of the Duel Terminal booth in her apartment, and logged in via fingerprint identification. Untouched from the last time she had entered, her avatar, Stiyel Crystal, appeared on the screen. Staring at her cold, expressionless eyes, Maya wondered if she was truly 'alive', in a sense, like Sinclair had said. But she had no time for philosophy. She quickly plugged the card into the booth's card scanner. There was no response, as she had expected. She navigated into the card scan panel to initiate a manual scan, in case the auto-scanning feature had been deactivated. Naturally, it turned up nothing - it was as if that card was no longer able to be scanned. Perhaps that was the case, and Maya was simply wasting her time. Frustrated, she plucked it out and examined it carefully under the light. Its back side looked just like a regular Duel Monsters card. Its front side was blue, like a Ritual monster, but barring a red holographic sign in the middle, it was blank. She moved her finger over the marked area. It felt smooth to the touch, smoother than the surrounding part. Maya booted up her laptop, scouring the net for various listings of signs and marks. Nothing she found resembled what was visible on that card. It was just as likely that the person who designed it just came up with something and drew it, never giving it a second thought. Or, it was some sort of key to be identified by the scanner. She went to her desk, taking out the other, and only real, card she possessed. Chaos Goddess. She looked at it closely, examining the two cards for similarities and differences. There was no slightly carved out part in Chaos Goddess. Maya had heard that cards had to be treated with extreme care, because even slight damage might cause the scanner to be unable to identify them. If the scanner could read regular cards but was also capable of scanning a card with such a large irregularity as the one Maya held, then there was definitely some reason for that marking. Something attracted her attention. It was an indicator on the terminal's screen that displayed the number of cards in her possession. Maya kept careful track of how many cards she had. Last week, they had been exactly one thousand, three hundred and fifty five. She had bought seventeen new cards to accomodate for the requirements of Riding Duels. Currently, the number stood at one thousand, three hundred and seventy five. Another problem she had been meticulously avoiding. After Cornelius Klein fell, possession of the three Devil God cards had passed on to her. Of course, she had not used them, not even taken a look at them. She was not willing to end up like Klein, or worse. But every time she noticed that slight discrepancy, the images of them kept nagging at her, haunting her. The ERASER and the DREAD-ROOT were, quite simply, the most terrible things Maya had ever encountered. She had no inclination to acquant herself with the third of the Gods. Right now, she was connecting them to the sensation a few hours ago. That feeling of impending doom, the image of the very fabric of reality being unraveled - couldn't it be directly linked to what she had experienced back then? She needed to take a walk, she realized abruptly. She did not gain anything from brooding in here. Maybe an answer could be found, if she looked at the right places. --- "You let him [i]escape[/i]?" "Like I said, he fell from the Sky Drive." Moboro said irritably, sweating profusely under the interrogating glares of his six associates. Devereaux wasn't there today, either. "There's no way he could have survived that." "Idiot." Dunkan shook his head. "You go in and meddle where you have no business being, and this is the result. If he fell from the Sky Drive, he is heading straight for the Outer Sphere." Moboro paled a little, but stood his ground. "All the more reason to assume he's dead." He waved his hand. "There is no way he can - " "Enough." Dunkan raised his hand preemptively. "I'll assign someone else to deal with this. You have already failed my expectations." Moboro's lips pursed, but he did not respond. "It's too late for mistakes, too late for failures. We almost died today, everyone almost died, and I'm willing to bet my right arm that those dragons have something to do with it. We need answers, Moboro, not pointless deaths, and we most certainly not need more things that can turn against us. Miss Nakahara, how about your assignment?" "I ascertained the coordinates this morning." The security division secretary said stiffly. "By now, a gateway should have been stabilized. We can enter the space known as the Arc Cradle." "Good, very good." Dunkan nodded. "We need to start dealing with our enemies, one by one. Speaking of which, Moboro, I'll brief you on your new task." The Japanese researcher's head jerked. "I'll have you invade the Arc Cradle, deal with whatever is in there that is causing us all these problems. Pick your team. I will not tolerate any more failures." Moboro swallowed audibly. "Mister Ross..." Moboro stopped listening. This was wrong, all wrong. He should be working on crafting the third Pylon. He was a researcher, not a warrior! And Dunkan expected him to break through the mysterious fortress that had been a thorn in their side for so many years? But, he would not get another chance. He had to suceed. But if something like what had happened earlier were to occur again - no. He had to deal with this nuisance, and focus on the Pylon. Aizawa Yuusuke had potential. He had prepared the motive for him. A trap had to be set. --- Yuusuke slept little that night. His mother had received a phone call, according to which his father had been charged with extremely unlikely charges of negligent homicide, and was currently incarcerated. She had been out all night, dealing with various formalities, and had not returned when Yuusuke got up, at around eight in the morning. There were no 'ifs' and 'whys' about this situation. They were challenging him, provoking him to come to them. Just like they had done with Shugo. Yuusuke shuddered at the mere thought. Maya was safe, for now at least, but his father... there was no question Jacqueline was involved in this. Yuusuke had been working almost all night on a program that would bypass the restrictions placed by Duel International and allow one to log out of the system at whatever time. Of course, that was impossible without knowing the specifications of the system, and even then Yuusuke had nowhere near enough knowledge to pull it off. But, he had had to do something. He couldn't stay idle while all this was going on. As such, when he logged in on the terminal in his house, weary and exhausted, he had made no progress whatsoever. This morning had been chaotic. Something had happened that caused the weather to go haywire, but that was the least of his concerns. Everything felt wrong, and Yuusuke felt the very world around him slowly drifting away, as if everything was being destabilized. For merely a second, he thought everything would simply stop existing. Barely five minutes, though, and the whole thing was over. Once more, he had no idea what this had been about, but he could swear that, if he got his hands on that damnable woman, she would be able to answer some questions. As if the thought were a summons, a beeping noise from his Duel Terminal shook him from his concerns, pulling his attention back to the present. An invitation to a video call was waiting for his response. The person who had reached for him was none other than the woman he was cursing. Before he could reject her invitation, though, the panel instantly moved from the pending request screen to the conference screen without his input. He gritted his teeth as Jacqueline's face appeared on the screen. Against his expectations, though, she did not appear smug or patronizing. Instead, she looked worried, and... tired. Very tired. The black circles under her eyes were striking even through the screen. "Before you say anything." Jacqueline said preemptively. "Know that it is a huge risk just contacting you like that. You may have misunderstood the situation. I had nothing to do with your father's abduction. In fact, I didn't even find out until it was too late." "So it was another one of your little group." Yuusuke growled, unable to restrain his hostility. "What do you want with him? No - what do you want with me?" "Originally, I just wanted to get you out of the way." Jacqueline said, and Yuusuke was surprised at her honesty. He had expected him to play around with him, but her serious, direct words forced him to pay attention despite himself. "But Sarunoki Moboro seems to think he can use you, and that's why he framed your father and trapped him." "Moboro, you said?" Yuusuke asked incredulously. That was his father's boss! "Is he in on that little group of yours? What is your purpose anyway?" "I can't tell you that much yet." Jacqueline sighed. "For reasons that are of no interest right now, I've... fallen out with the rest. What happened earlier today... they were convinced that my... failures played a part in it. They still think they have some use for me, but it won't be long before I am discared." She seemed to visibly shudder at the thought. [i]Then good riddance.[/i] Yuusuke wanted to say, but he held the words back. Jacqueline was, right now, the only link between him and his father, and also a way to get to the rest of those responsible for this mess. "I don't trust you." He said slowly. "You forced me to kill Shugo." "You are wise not to trust me." Jacqueline replied. "You shouldn't trust anyone, not even your closest friends. But I swear, you will have your chance to get revenge, if you can. For now, though, our goals coincide. You want your father released, and for my own reasons, so do I. I can help you get to him, but you must handle the rest yourself." Yuusuke considered. He could at least believe Jacqueline and risk running into a trap to save his father. Or, he could continue to twiddle his thumbs waiting for some solution to magically appear. There was no choice, really. "How do we go about this?" He asked carefully. Jacqueline began clicking buttons somewhere below the screen immediately. "Your father is kept in the hospital. Though he does have charges on his head, your mother should be able to get him out of the mess. The problem is that his mind is imprisoned in the virtual area, <Soul Chamber>. I am uploading two programs into your terminal right now. One will allow you to enter the virtual world undetected, so you won't run into any interference. The second will allow you to disconnect, should the need arise, and should also be used to release your father. I do not know what it is, but Moboro has an assignment that will keep him away for several hours. Once the field is clear, I'll signal you. Be on the lookout. If all goes well, you'll get your father out and noone will suspect me, but it needs to be done fast, and smoothly." Yuusuke checked the programs Jacqueline had sent him. As he thought, they were complicated and used a lot of system calls he'd never be able to decipher. Still, he backed them up for future research, in case Jacqueline had programmed them to be deleted from his system once the job was done. He still felt like he was walking into a trap. But somehow, he knew that this was his only chance. His only chance to fight back. His only chance to save his father. "One more thing." Jacqueline said abruptly. "Moboro may be gone when you arrive, and the others won't notice you going in. But they will certainly have put up some sort of guard for you, a bot or something else. Nothing you won't be able to handle, hopefully. But be on your toes." She suddenly glanced back. "I have to go. Wait for my signal!" The next couple of hours were the slowest in Yuusuke's life. He kept replaying the conversation in his head. It was difficult to find someone whom he hated more, at this time, than Jacqueline Deveraux. She had hurt him too much, and she had killed his friend. She would pay for that. Simply going along with her plan made his stomach churn. But there was no time, and he could do nothing alone. He had to go for the chance she had thrown at him. By the time the alert beeped on his terminal screen, Yuusuke could have sworn years had passed since that discussion. He took a deep breath, examining his profile. He double-checked his deck. Under the equipment section, he found out he was geared with the <Warp Ring>, which would allow him to rush out with his father, if he broke him free, and the <Dreamshroud>, which would allow him to enter undetected. Taking a deep breath, he marked the area known as <Soul Chamber> as his destination, and put on the D-Tacher. The Soul Chamber was a dark, depressing place. It was a small round room, lit only by a few candles set on the walls, and an soft, eerie green glow coming from an unspecified source. The space in the middle was empty in order for duels to be conducted, but along the walls, several instruments of torture were strewn on the floor, their shadows forming bizarre shapes in the half-light. Yuusuke noticed that there was a lot more controversial material here than the last time he had been here. But he did not dwell on any of them, except one. Within a steel cage suspended from the ceiling, directly opposite to him, his father was bound to the iron bars. With his eyes closed, he seemed to be sleeping, only his labored breath betraying that he was still conscious. Yuusuke made a noise that might have been relief or despair. Aizawa Taihito opened his eyes, and they immediately focused on his son. "Yuusuke!" He exclaimed, tugging against the chains that kept him immobilized as if he had put them out of his mind for a moment. "What are you - no! You must leave at once!" He said desperately. Yuusuke wanted to tell him that it was going to be alright, to calm him down, but there was no time. He reached into his pocket for the Warp Ring, but at that moment, a man stepped out from the shadows. Yuusuke's thoughts jumped to the Ghosts, but it seemed that, since the deployment of the Cataphracts, that line of bots had fallen out of use. Yuusuke came face-to-face with a man, possibly a little older than himself. He had spiky, tall blonde hair and was wearing twin strange V-shaped earrings. A wild grin split his face, and his eyes, which seemed to be dancing from blue to a deep shade of maroon, jumped around constantly, never staying focused on one spot for too long. This was the very image of insanity, and Yuusuke backed down fearfully as he recognized the name that his panel displayed. Dread_T, ranked 86, was a duelist Yuusuke was familiar with. Not just Yuusuke - almost everyone. Dread_T had reached third place of Japan's national tournament several years ago. He was a world class duelist. "Don't tell me - they've turned a person like him into a Cataphract?" Yuusuke muttered, suddenly extremely careful. But Dread_T burst into laughter. "Me? No way. They wouldn't touch me. Noone can touch me." He walked forward, until he was facing Yuusuke directly. "I wanted to meet you, Aizawa Yuusuke. After they told me that stunt you pulled on your 'friend', I was looking forward to seeing you, oh yes." He said between his uncontrolled laughter. "Why are you helping them?" Yuusuke demanded, raising his arm. "What they are doing..." "...is dangerous, right?" Dread_T finished his sentence for him. He was not laughing now, but the smirk never left his face. "They want to blow up the world. Well, let them! This world is filled with scum anyway! What better way to get rid of them, than to wipe them all out in one go!" "You are insane!" Yuusuke exclaimed, disgusted. "Don't tell me - you know the truth about this, and you are helping them voluntarily?" "I am insane?" Dread_T's eyes finally locked on Yuusuke, and he found himself stepping back, unnerved. "Maybe I am. But there's a lot about this world you don't know, Yuusuke. Things are very rarely as they seem. Who's to say that I am not the sane one here, while you are the one who is batshit crazy?" He laughed again wildly. "I've had enough of this." Yuusuke muttered, placing his deck into his disk. "You won't stop me. Noone will stop me." "Oh, but I don't want to stop you." Dread_T said ominously, placing his own disk onto his hand. Black metal seemed to cling with every one of his motions, and Yuusuke realized he had several spikes protruding from his tightly fit black cloak, which featured two large wing-like appendages. The <Steel-Winged Armor>, then, and one Yuusuke would not be able to acquire yet even if he had been interested in it. "I want to kill you!" [center][i][b]Duel Commencing[/b][/i][/center] "Don't you find it funny?" Yuusuke looked up. "I mean, people dueling." Dread_T monologued, apparently not caring if his opponent was paying attention. "They risk so much, and it's all just riding on a game of chance. Who will get the first turn, who will draw the best cards. It makes me laugh." "It's not a game." Yuusuke said coldly. "From the moment when people's lives are involved, this is not a game. If dueling is what it takes to take you down, then that's what I'll do." "Oh, but it's always a game." Dread_T waggled his finger, bursting into another streak of laughter. "It's a game, and those who wins are those that don't play by the rules." His free hand performed a quick motion, and Yuusuke's father screamed, before collapsing, hanging limply from his bonds. "What did you do?!" Yuusuke demanded, making to move forward - but the motion lock system that had been apparently inactive was in place now, at least for him. Dread_T chuckled. "Just doing you a little favor." He said. "You can't afford distractions here. He'll be alright... I think. But he won't be up for a while. It wouldn't do to have you getting cold feet in the middle of our duel. If you lose... I'll silence him permanently!" Yuusuke gritted his teeth. The panels to determine turn order had popped up besides both duelists. Yuusuke clicked the appropriate option with his finger. The randomizer started, and proclaimed that Dread_T would be the one to start. [center][i][b]Dread_T[/b] - LP: 4000[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "Looks like luck favors me, for now." Dread_T said, drawing. "I'll just set a face-down monster, and another reverse card. Turn end." "My turn." Yuusuke said stiffly. If this guy thought to unnerve him, he was dead wrong. He'd win this instantly. "I activate Foolish Burial, sending Lightlord Beast Wolf from my Deck to the Graveyard. Thanks to Wolf's effect, though, he is instantly Special Summoned. And I also Normal Summon Lightlord Warrior Garos." The white wolf and the dark-skinned champion of the Lightlord army appeared on the field side-by-side. [spoiler=Foolish Burial][b]Foolish Burial[/b] SPELL / Normal Send 1 Monster Card from your Deck to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Lightlord Beast Wolf][b]Lightlord Beast Wolf[/b] LIGHT / Beast Level 4 2100/300 This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. When this card is sent from your Deck to the Graveyard, Special Summon it.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Lightlord Warrior Garos][b]Lightlord Warrior Garos[/b] LIGHT / Warrior Level 4 1850/1200 Each time a card(s) is sent from your Deck to the Graveyard by the effect of a "Lightlord" monster you control, except "Lightlord Warrior Garos", send the top 2 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard. Then, draw 1 card for each "Lightlord" monster sent to the Graveyard by this effect.[/spoiler] "Battle! Garos, attack that reverse monster!" The brave fighter rushed into the opponent's side of the field, slashing at the concealed card. "You fell straight for it!" Dread_T chuckled. His monster was annihilated instantly - but Yuusuke gasped as he recognized its structure. "You... it can't be." He stuttered, eyes wide with shock. "You are using... those - " "That's right." There was no insanity in Dread_T's smirk now - only malice. "Ally of Justice - Unknown Crusher. When this monster battles with a Light monster, that card is removed from play after damage is calculated." The creature resembled a mechanical elephant, and its trunk shot out towards Garos, sucking him with a forceful pulse of wind into another dimension. [spoiler=Ally of Justice - Unknown Crusher][b]Ally of Justice - Unknown Crusher[/b] DARK / Machine Level 3 1200/800 When this card battles a LIGHT monster, remove that monster from play after damage calculation.[/spoiler] "That may be so." Yuusuke said, grinding his teeth. This was the worst time for those monsters to appear again! "But, Wolf can still attack you directly!" "So you think." Dread_T waved his hand, and his concealed card flipped upwards. "Dimensional Imprisonment! It will stop your attack, and remove your monster from the game as well." [spoiler=Dimensional Imprisonment][b]Dimensional Imprisonment[/b] TRAP / Normal Activate only when your opponent declares an attack. Remove from play the attacking monster.[/spoiler] So, a deck focused around defeating Light monsters and removing things from play. Why was he not surprised that this guy just had about the perfect counter for a Lightlord deck? Still, it wasn't too bad. Thanks to the recent changes to his deck, he could retrieve removed cards, and even benefit from them. He'd just have to hold out for now. "Turn end." "Draw." Dread_T said. "I heard the Ghost you battled was using the Allies of Justice. But, those cards were originally designed for me. And I'll show you how to use them properly! Come, Ally of JUstice - D.D. Checker!" A square hole appeared in the air, leading into the parallel dimension that Yuusuke's monsters had been sucked into. From within, a probe droid appeared, floating around Dread_T's side of the field. [spoiler=Ally of Justice - D.D. Checker][b]Ally of Justice - D.D. Checker[/b] DARK / Machine Level 4 1700/1200 Neither player can Special Summon LIGHT monsters.[/spoiler] "Now, we can't Special Summon Light monsters." Dread_T explained. "Battle! D.D. Checker, attack directly!" The robotic creature turned its front cannons towards Yuusuke and fired. [center][i][b]Dread_T[/b] - LP: 4000[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 2300[/i][/center] Yuusuke screamed. This was not just pain - this was unbearable agony wrought from the depths of hell itself. He fell on the floor, as far as the motion prevention system allowed. He touched his chest - and, to his great shock, he felt his naked, scorched skin where the plates of his <Black Imperial Armor> had been. "Painful, isn't it?" Dread_T laughed. "Let me tell you, this game is on a different level than any you've fought before. You thought the Ghosts were hard? Or fighting that friend of yours? They were nothing. Here, your body will feel every piece of the damage done to you. You won't die before your Life Points reach zero, but you'll feel the pain every step along the way." Yuusuke struggled to his feet. He had been prepared for realism, but this... this was way too much. He wouldn't be sent into a coma after his defeat. He would die, and die slowly and painfully. Therefore, defeat was not allowed. "The effect of Messenger of Hades - Gors in my hand activates!" He declared. After this card had been used against him, he had been quick to acquire it. The crimson-and-black clad assassin, his black vizor obscuring his face and four blade-like spikes striking out of his arms, appeared on the field. "When I take damage from any source, I can Special Summon this card, provided there is nothing else on my field." [spoiler=Messenger of Hades - Gors][b]Messenger of Hades - Gors[/b] DARK / Fiend Level 7 2700/2500 When you take damage from a card your opponent controls while you control no cards, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. Then activate the appropriate effect, based on the type of damage: • Battle Damage: Special Summon 1 "Messenger of Hades Token" (Fairy-Type/LIGHT/Level 7/ATK ?/DEF ?). Its ATK and DEF are each equal to the amount of battle damage you took. • Effect Damage: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to the damage you took.[/spoiler] "But, his effect won't be activated." Dread_T pointed out. "The Messenger of Hades token is a Light monster, and you can't summon those while D.D. Checker is on the field." "I know that." Yuusuke said irritably. "Are you going to do anything else?" "I'll just set a reverse card." Dread_T said. "Turn end." "Then I'm up." Yuusuke drew, and smiled despite the still-throbbing pain. This was just what he needed. "The Magic card, Allure of Darkness. I draw twice, and then have to remove a Dark monster in my hand from play." His opponent narrowed his eyes as he watched a card you did not expect to find in a Lightlord deck being played. "The downside is that, if I happen to have no Dark monsters, I will need to discard my entire hand." Then again, he already had the monster he wanted to remove in his hand to begin with. "I remove from play Destiny Hero Diabolic Guy - but he won't stay removed for long, because I activate Burial from the Different Dimension, bringing him, along with Wolf and Garos, back to the Graveyard." [spoiler=Allure of Darkness][b]Allure of Darkness[/b] SPELL / Normal Draw 2 cards, then remove from play 1 DARK monster from your hand. If you don't have any DARK monsters in your hand to remove, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Destiny Hero Diabolic Guy][b]Destiny Hero Diabolic Guy[/b] DARK / Warrior Level 6 800/800 You can remove this card in your Graveyard from play to Special Summon 1 "Destiny Hero - Diabolic Guy" from your Deck.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Burial from the Different Dimension][b]Burial from the Different Dimension[/b] SPELL / Quick-Play Select up to 3 Monster Cards that are removed from play, and return them to their owners' Graveyard.[/spoiler] "And of course, it's not over yet. I summon Zombie Carrier! And now I tune my Level 6, Destiny Hero Diabolic Guy, to my Level 2, Zombie Carrier!" Six black stars fell in line between two green circles. A surge of dark luster filled the grim chamber. "Synchro Summon! Descend, Dark End Dragon!" With a malicious, devilish face etched across its chest, the giant creature loomed over Yuusuke's head menacingly. [spoiler=Zombie Carrier][b]Zombie Carrier[/b] DARK / Zombie / Tuner Level 2 400/200 You can return 1 card from your hand to the top of the Deck to Special Summon this card from your Graveyard. If you do, remove this card from play when it is removed from the field.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Dark End Dragon][b]Dark End Dragon[/b] DARK / Dragon / Synchro Level 8 2600/2100 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner DARK monsters Once per turn, you can have this card lose 500 ATK and DEF, and send 1 monster your opponent controls to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] "Dark End Dragon's effect activates, reducing its power by five hundred points in order to send your monster directly to the Graveyard." The black dragon opened its jaws, and unleashed a torrential force that swallowed up D.D. Checker entirely. When it cleared, the strange machine was nowhere to be seen. "Then attack me, if you dare." Dread_T mocked. "I will, after I use this! Cyclone!" Yuusuke held up his Instant magic. "Your face-down card is annihilated!" The reverse card burst into pixels - Yuusuke recognized another Flash Absorbing Magic Mirror, a card that would negate the effects of all Light monsters. Well, it wouldn't have done his enemy any good either way. [spoiler=Cyclone][b]Cyclone[/b] SPELL / Quick-Play Select 1 Spell or Trap Card on the field. Destroy it.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Flash Absorbing Magic Mirror][b]Flash Absorbing Magic Mirror[/b] TRAP / Continuous When the effect of a LIGHT monster activates on the field or in the Graveyard, negate it.[/spoiler] "You are finished." He snarled, raising his hand. Dark End Dragon roared, and opened its abyssal mouth once more, unleashing its devastating black breath. Dread_T screamed as he was struck, his cries mirroring Yuusuke's earlier. Except, there was not only pain. Yuusuke clearly discerned - pleasure? [center][i][b]Dread_T[/b] - LP: 1900[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 2300[/i][/center] The darkness faded, and Yuusuke gasped, despite himself. Half of Dread_T's face had been thoroughly burned, transformed into a grotesque visage of itself. His arms were also severely scarred, though his armor seemed to have held out against the assault. Yet he was still grinning, a sight far more disturbing now that half his face was a mangled ruin. "Yes... don't hold back!" He cackled, breathing laboriously. "Strike me down with all you have! You are a killer, a murderer! Use all your power against me! Kill me!" Yuusuke shook his head. He had killed his own friend to escape from this world and protect his father. He would not hesitate to do this madman in. He raised his hand, preparing to order Gors to attack, but at that time Dread_T also held up his own card. "Just kidding." He snarled. "You are not the only one who can use Gors." The dark champion materialized on his opponent's side, mirroring his own warrior. Worse, the Messenger of Hades token, its attack and defense equivalent to those of his Dark End Dragon's power, appeared next to it in defense position. "My Gors can still take out your token." Yuusuke grunted, and the mighty dark swordsman slashed at the defending creature, obliterating it. He glanced at his cards, frustrated. He had dug his own grave by destroying that Light-Imprisoning Mirror. "Turn end." "Then it's my turn." Dread_T whispered coldly, and Yuusuke felt shivers run up his spine. His opponent was dead serious now. [/spoiler] Next update will be Sunday. I'm halfway through chapter 29 at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted March 4, 2011 Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 Just read all three chapters in one intense hour. Chapter 25 - Think there was a mistake in the duel. Wasn't Tomabo removed from the field to summon Scar Warrior, thus not around to be tributed for Tytanical. Hardly a massive oversight as Tytanical was destroyed soon anyway. I might be wrong. Other than that nice little intro back into things. Chapter 26 - BEST. DECK. EVER! Seriously I used to think Elemental Mistress Doriado (TCG names woo!) was useless, not so now (yeah I'm not a great duelist). But yeah epic duel, and the moving between different places during the chaos was seemless and gripping. Yes, marks bound in blood... Chapter 27 - Called it (the Allies return that is). It is good to see a baddie who, rather than working to achieve power or glory or whatever, is just down right bonkers. Really nicely switched up decks that are varied but not completely random. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2011 [quote name='Bahamut ZERO' timestamp='1299276323' post='5051085'] Just read all three chapters in one intense hour. Chapter 25 - Think there was a mistake in the duel. Wasn't Tomabo removed from the field to summon Scar Warrior, thus not around to be tributed for Tytanical. Hardly a massive oversight as Tytanical was destroyed soon anyway. I might be wrong. Other than that nice little intro back into things.[/quote] Well it went like this: • Petit Tomabo was destroyed during Hiita's turn. It Special Summoned 1 Petit Tomabo and 1 Tomabo from the deck. • During Kiishiro's turn, the two were Synchro'd into Scar Warrior. • Kiishiro used CotLD to revive Petit Tomabo • During the battle phase, he suicided it to bring out 1 more Petit Tomabo and 1 Tomabo • During the main phase 2, he tributed those 2 to summon Tytannial. So yeah, no mistake, though perhaps a little confusing. [quote name='Bahamut ZERO' timestamp='1299276323' post='5051085']Chapter 26 - BEST. DECK. EVER! Seriously I used to think Elemental Mistress Doriado (TCG names woo!) was useless, not so now (yeah I'm not a great duelist). But yeah epic duel, and the moving between different places during the chaos was seemless and gripping. Yes, marks bound in blood...[/quote] It should be understood that without plot-device draws that combo just plain-out isn't playable, lol. Hence the note in the beginning. But yeah, I think it's a nice twist to the usual. [quote name='Bahamut ZERO' timestamp='1299276323' post='5051085']Chapter 27 - Called it (the Allies return that is). It is good to see a baddie who, rather than working to achieve power or glory or whatever, is just down right bonkers. Really nicely switched up decks that are varied but not completely random.[/quote] Well, the previous run was a warm-up. This time, Yuusuke is in for major trouble =/. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 And so I bump... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Umbra Posted March 6, 2011 Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 One thing I meant to say earlier: If or when Yuusuke ever meets Eizan, if the latter says: "All of your duels have been in the palm of my hand.", "I have known about you since before you were born.", or "Since when were you under the impression that I wasn't using a WATER deck?", I'll simply say that I noticed the anagram. Rather expectable that Yuusuke would face someone - after all, going in after his father is what they want him to do - but I didn't expect someone like Dread_T. Seeing the Allies return was a bit unexpected, but it makes sense in retrospect. I look forward to seeing the conclusion of the duel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2011 [quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1299379459' post='5054074']One thing I meant to say earlier: If or when Yuusuke ever meets Eizan, if the latter says: "All of your duels have been in the palm of my hand.", "I have known about you since before you were born.", or "Since when were you under the impression that I wasn't using a WATER deck?", I'll simply say that I noticed the anagram.[/quote] ... =D *raziontrollface* [quote name='Umbra' timestamp='1299379459' post='5054074']Rather expectable that Yuusuke would face someone - after all, going in after his father is what they want him to do - but I didn't expect someone like Dread_T. Seeing the Allies return was a bit unexpected, but it makes sense in retrospect. I look forward to seeing the conclusion of the duel.[/quote] Unexpected in a good or bad way? And look forward no longer, because here it is - Chapter 28, Mad Demon! Yuusuke faces not one, but two of the most controversial cards in the whole game. [spoiler=Chapter 28] [center][b][u]Chapter 28:[/b] Mad Demon[/u][/center] "My turn. Draw." Dread_T was wearing a different expression now. He had 'acknowledged' Yuusuke as an enemy. He was going to go all-out from here on. "I summon the Tuner monster, Change Synchron! Let me show you the dread of the 'Ally' deck once more! I tune my Level 1, Messenger of Hades - Gors, to my Level 1, Change Synchron! Synchro Summon!" The two monsters burst into dark light, and an ominous hissing noise filled the room. Yuusuke knew this time to look upwards, but the fact that the gigantic robotic entity seemed to halfway merge into the ceiling, filling the space overhead with its devastating presence, did not improve things. [spoiler=Change Synchron][b]Change Synchron[/b] DARK / Machine / Tuner Level 1 0/0 If this card is sent to the Graveyard for a Synchro Summon, select 1 monster your opponent controls and change its battle position.[/spoiler] "I take it you are familiar with Light Gazer." Dread_T said, obviously satisfied with the effect his monster had on Yuusuuke. "And you should understand that Light Gazer gains two hundred points of attack, for every Light monster in your Graveyard. As you pointed out, you returned the removed monsters via your Spell card, so Light Gazer gains 400 points of attack, for a total of 2800!" Ghostly images of Garos and Wolf appeared in the sky, illuminated by the flashes of Light Gazer's monitors. Yuusuke shivered. [spoiler=Ally of Justice Light Gazer][b]Ally of Justice Light Gazer[/b] DARK / Machine / Synchro Level 8 2400/400 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters This card gains 200 ATK for each LIGHT monster in your opponent's Graveyard.[/spoiler] "Now, let's have it! Light Gazer, erase Dark End Dragon from existence!" Dread_T all but screamed, and five rays of bright light converged on the flying behemoth. Dark End Dragon disappeared in a flash, and Yuusuke screamed as the impact of the attack burst onward to him. He managed to maintain his footing, but his Life Points weren't looking that good. [center][i][b]Dread_T[/b] - LP: 1900[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 1600[/i][/center] "I'll end with this for now." Dread_T indicated that Yuusuke could start his turn. But, what could Yuusuke do? His only monster, Gors, fell short of defeating Light Gazer, and he had no way of raising its attack. Jean or Luminous in his hand did him no good, either. He had to make this draw count, otherwise there was no telling what his enemy could do next. "Draw!" He announced. He looked at his card and smiled. Of course, he would never be disappointed by his deck at this crucial time. "Activate the Magic card, Solar Exchange! I discard Lightlord Paladin Jean to draw two cards, then send two more from my deck to the Graveyard!" He tossed Jean to his discard slot, pulled out two cards without looking at them, then cast a glance at the other two before tossing them away. The first was Raise Dead, but the second was Cherubim. [spoiler=Solar Exchange][b]Solar Exchange[/b] SPELL / Normal Discard 1 "Lightlord" monster. Draw 2 cards, then send the top 2 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Lightlord Paladin Jean][b]Lightlord Paladin Jean[/b] LIGHT / Warrior Level 4 1800/1200 If this card attacks an opponent's monster, it gains 300 ATK during the Damage Step only. During each of your End Phases, send the top 2 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] "Now that you've done that, Light Gazer's attack will increase further." Dread_T said, his monster's power rising to 3200. "All you are doing is further reduce your chances. Unless - " His eyes narrowed. Unless Yuusuke had drawn that. He dared a peek at his cards. Perfect. "Behold." The oppressive darkness was cast away by a blinding gold light, and a massive beast emerged from behind Yuusuke, carrying in its pitch-black body the holy light of dawn. "When I have four or more Lightlords in the Graveyard, this monster is Special Summoned. Judgment Dragon!" [spoiler=Judgment Dragon][b]Judgment Dragon[/b] LIGHT / Dragon Level 8 3000/2600 This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by having 4 or more "Lightlord" monsters with different names in your Graveyard. You can pay 1000 Life Points to destroy all other cards on the field. During each of your End Phases, send the top 4 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] "You managed to pull that in this situation... not bad at all." Dread_T praised him mockingly. "But, this doesn't solve your problems. Light Gazer is still stronger." "Once I'm done with you, there won't [i]be[/i] a problem to solve." Yuusuke growled. He was angry, and wanted nothing more than to get this duel done. He would win. "Judgment Dragon's effect activates. At the cost of a thousand Life Points, all other cards on the field are eliminated." The beast unleashed a mournful cry, and tossed its proud head back. Rays of intense sunlight burst forth from its body, erasing all specs of darkness from existence. Yuusuke felt the pain in his chest resonate with the points he had lost. But both the deadly Light Gazer, and his own Gors, were completely evaporated. And now the field was clear. [center][i][b]Dread_T[/b] - LP: 1900[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 600[/i][/center] "Even with this, Judgment Dragon can still attack." Yuusuke felt a nagging sensation of dread creep up his stomach. Was he going to do it again? Kill another person? He [i]wanted[/i] to do it. This madman who was keeping his father imprisoned, who was knowingly working for those bastards that had forced him to kill Shugo - wasn't he a person that deserved to die? But then, didn't Yuusuke, who had actually killed him, also deserve the same fate? He was caught in this moral dilemma, and his enemy watched him as if he didn't have a care in the world. He is insane, Yuusuke thought. He doesn't value his own life, or the life of others. He is just a crazy, dangerous madman. I have to do it. "Judgment Dragon, direct attack!" He screamed, feeling ready to vomit. "So you [i]can[/i] do it!" Dread_T screamed, apparently filled with an endless supply of mirth. "I told you you were a born killer! You and me... we have that in common!" "We have nothing in common." Yuusuke said disgustedly. "I... I do not enjoy killing. I only do what I must." [i]God help me, I do what I must.[/i] "But we are both killers." Dread_T smirked. "You would kill me without hesitation, because I got in your way? And then you pretend you are so virtuous? Oh, you can deceive yourself all you like, but you cannot deceive me. The effect of Battle Fader in my hand activates! By Special Summoning this monster upon a direct attack declaration, the Battle Phase ends! Too bad. And you worked so hard to empty my field, too." [spoiler=Battle Fader][b]Battle Fader[/b] DARK / Fiend Level 1 0/0 When an opponent's monster declares a direct attack, you can Special Summon this card from your hand and end the Battle Phase. If this card is Special Summoned with this effect, remove it from play when it is removed from the field.[/spoiler] Yuusuke stared. Just how many lives did this guy have? How many more things could he summon from his hand? "I... I set one monster." There was only one real way to turn the tables, if his enemy found a way to destroy Judgment Dragon on the next turn. That path began from the card in his hand. "During my end phase, Judgment Dragon will send the top four cards of my deck to the Graveyard." Yuusuke picked out four cards and glanced at them, before expressionlessly placing them in the discard slot. "Turn end." "Now then, back to me." Dread_T picked up his next card. "You didn't do any significant damage last turn, and you even got rid of your own monster. In truth, you helped me out quite a bit. As a reward, I'll introduce you to the hidden 'ace' of the Allies of Justice. This monster may not look like much when you first meet him, but soon you'll realize it has a lot in common with the two of us!" "And what would those things be?" Yuusuke asked irritably. "We are all natural killers!" Dread_T burst into laughter. "I summon Hyper Synchron!" A monster that looked like an oversized toy robot appeared next to the pendulum-like creature. "Now, I tune my Level 1, Battle Fader, to my Level 4, Hyper Synchron! Synchro Summon! Ally of Justice - Catastor!" The two beasts merged into a single, quadrupedal robotic entity. It looked eerily like a canine, except with a strange flat head, and golden pieces of armor crafted as a mask and leggings. Yuusuke narrowed his eyes, examining the creature closer - no! It couldn't be... [spoiler=Hyper Synchron][b]Hyper Synchron[/b] LIGHT / Machine / Tuner Level 4 1600/800 If this card is sent to the Graveyard for the Synchro Summon of a Dragon-Type Synchro Monster, that monster gains 800 ATK. Remove it from play during the End Phase.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Ally of Justice - Catastor][b]Ally of Justice - Catastor[/b] DARK / Machine / Synchro Level 5 2200/1200 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters If this card attacks or is attacked by a non-DARK monster, destroy that monster at the start of the Damage Step (without damage calculation).[/spoiler] "That's right." Dread_T said. "Reminds you of Core-Destroy, no? The thing that almost did you in last time was a prototype of this thing... naturally, Catastor is by far superior. Rather than just eliminate Light monsters, any monster that is not of the Dark attribute which battles with this card will be destroyed before any form of damage calculation is applied. And that includes attack and defense." He smiled meaningfully. No! "Catastor, attack! Take down that Judgment Dragon!" Yuusuke watched as the deadly robot leapt up to reach the mighty dragon with its claws. The massive beast retaliated by unleashing a ray of light, but Catastor nimbly dodged it in mid-air. Its plated head ripped into the beast's chest, causing it to cry out in pain. The whole creature burst into the dragon's body, and it exploded into sparkles that filled the entire room. Catastor returned with a leap to its owner's side, unharmed. "Your ace monster is gone now." Dread_T said. "Let's see your next move." Yuusuke tried to clear his thoughts. He had summoned Judgment Dragon, but he had still been pushed back to the precipice of defeat. But, there was still a chance for reversal. He simply had to trust his cards. "Draw!" He said. "I summon Lightlord Magician Leila!" The white-robed sorceress of the Lightlords appeared, brandishing her staff defiantly towards Catastor. "Then, Lightlord Summoner Luminous is flipped to attack mode!" [spoiler=Lightlord Magician Leila][b]Lightlord Magician Leila[/b] LIGHT / Spellcaster Level 4 1700/200 You can change this card from face-up Attack Position to face-up Defense Position and destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card your opponent controls. If you activate this effect, this card's battle position cannot be changed until the end of your next turn, except with a card effect. During each of your End Phases, send the top 3 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Lightlord Summoner Luminous][b]Lightlord Summoner Luminous[/b] LIGHT / Spellcaster Level 3 1000/1000 Once per turn, you can discard 1 card to Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Lightlord" monster from your Graveyard. During each of your End Phases, send the top 3 cards of your Deck to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] "Those monsters won't harm my machine." Dread_T snarled. "Maybe not, but this will! I activate the effect of Grow-Up Bulb in my Graveyard, discarding the top card of my Deck to Special Summon it!" Unknowingly using a card favored by Sanjou Kiishiro, the boy whose fate had first caught onto him and turned him into a part of this warfare, Yuusuke finally managed to gather the necessary materials on the field. [spoiler=Grow-Up Bulb][b]Grow-Up Bulb[/b] EARTH / Plant / Tuner Level 1 100/100 You can send the top card of your Deck to the Graveyard and Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. Each player can only use the effect of "Grow-Up Bulb" once per Duel.[/spoiler] "If darkness is the only way to bring down your Catastor, then so be it." Yuusuke had found his resolve. He would do what he had to. It wouldn't be to protect the world, or some foolish ideal like that. It would be to protect his friends, his family. "I tune my Level 4, Lightlord Magician Leila, and my Level 3, Lightlord Summoner Luminous, to my Level 1, Grow-Up Bulb! Synchro Summon!" The three monsters reverbated with his new determination, opening the gateway to a new possibility. "Come, Gigantech Fighter!" A giant golem appeared, crouching low to avoid striking the ceiling. Its body was crafted out of metal plates the color of granite, and a soft crimson glow surrounded it. Spheres of blue light united its joints, and its face was covered by a green shining vizor. [spoiler=Gigantech Fighter][b]Gigantech Fighter[/b] DARK / Warrior / Synchro Level 8 2800/1000 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters This card gains 100 ATK for every Warrior-Type monster in any Graveyard. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 Warrior-Type monster from either player's Graveyard.[/spoiler] "Gigantech Fighter gains a hundred points for every Warrior monster in our Graveyards! There are four Warrior type monsters currently in my Graveyard, so Gigantech Fighter's attack power becomes 3200! Battle! Gigantech Fighter, strike down Ally of Justice - Catastor!" Rather than its raw attack score, what mattered was that Gigantech Fighter was a Dark attribute monster. With a single strike of its giant fist, the mechanical champion smashed the robotic dog to smithereens. [center][i][b]Dread_T[/b] - LP: 900[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 600[/i][/center] Yuusuke signalled the end of his turn after placing one last reverse card, satisfied. Gigantech Fighter could not be beaten by combat, as it would keep reviving itself. And the effects of the Allies of Justice, designed to cut down Light monsters, would not work on it. With this, there was a good chance Yuusuke could win. The smoke from the explosion cleared, revealing Yuusuke's opponent in an even worse shape than before. Yuusuke thought they both must have been looking the worse for wear, but Dread_T's scorch marks from Dark End Dragon's attack made the rest of his injuries seem even more grotesque. He whizzed out a pained breath, spitting blood. "You... you think you can beat me..." He chuckled, trying hard to stay upright. "You think you can beat me... with just this level of hatred? Just this level of bloodlust? Don't screw with me! I'll murder you here and now! Draw!" He pulled off a card with such force that the bone in his arm creaked audibly. But he ignored it, as he began laughing once more. "Do you know what I've drawn?" He inquired, holding the card face-down towards Yuusuke. "This card will finish everything." Yuusuke tensed. What now? He thought Catastor was the worst news, but apparently, this deck's trump card was still at hand. However, when Dread_T placed a card on his disk's slot, the monster that appeared was one Yuusuke was not unfamiliar with at all. "Cyber Dragon?" He asked, eyeing the serpentine metal dragon suspiciously. It could be Special Summoned, provided the opponent had monsters on the field and the controller had none. But still, it fell far short of - but then Yuusuke noticed the remaining card in Dread_T's hand, flipped towards him, and cursed loudly. [spoiler=Cyber Dragon][b]Cyber Dragon[/b] LIGHT / Machine Level 5 2100/1600 If your opponent controls a monster and you control no monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand.[/spoiler] "Overload Fusion, activate!" Dread_T screamed. It seemed to Yuusuke that the very air in the room was pulled towards a central vortex - however, the only things that were drawn in were the Cyber Dragon on Dread_T's side, and the cards in his Graveyard. "Overload Fusion will select Fusion Material monsters from my field and Graveyard in order to conduct a Fusion Summon - but the target Fusion monster must be a Dark, Machine monster. Fortunately, I have just the one! I fuse together Cyber Dragon, Ally of Justice - Unknown Crusher, Ally of Justice - D.D. Checker, Ally of Justice - Light Gazer, Ally of Justice - Catastor, Hyper Synchron, and Change Synchron, all seven Machine-Type monsters! Descend, Chimeratech Overdragon!!" [spoiler=Overload Fusion][b]Overload Fusion[/b] SPELL / Normal Remove from play, from your side of the field or your Graveyard, Fusion Material Monsters that are listed on a DARK Machine-Type Fusion Monster Card, and Special Summon that 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck. (This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon.)[/spoiler] [spoiler=Chimeratech Overdragon][b]Chimeratech Overdragon[/b] DARK / Machine / Fusion Level 9 ?/? "Cyber Dragon" + 1 or more Machine-Type monsters This monster cannot be Special Summoned except by Fusion Summon. When this card is Fusion Summoned, send all other cards you control to the Graveyard. The original ATK and DEF of this card are each 800 x the number of Fusion Material Monsters used for its Fusion Summon. Each turn, this card can attack as many of your opponent's monsters as the number of Fusion Material Monsters used for its Fusion Summon.[/spoiler] A gigantic monstrosity of metal was formed on the field above Dread_T's head, grafted together by all the monsters that had been gathered up by Overload Fusion. Its base was a cubic-like body, and from that center, seven heads expanded, unleashing mechanized roars that forced Yuusuke to cover his ears. The horrible trump card of Machine decks, Chimeratech Overdragon. It gained more power, the more Machine monsters that were used to summon it. Thanks to Overload Fusion, Dread_T's Chimeratech was made up of seven monsters, which meant its attack score towered up to 5600. Even if Gigantech Fighter was able to revive itself after the attack, it would all be over. "Battle." Dread_T said gleefully, savoring every instant. "Chimeratech Overdragon can attack as many times as there are Fusion Material monsters, provided you have monsters. But this one attack will end it all! Chimeratech Overdragon, attack Gigantech Fighter!" It was now or never. "Reverse card, open!" Yuusuke yelled desperately. "Disturbing Radio Wave! All Synchro monsters on the field are shifted to Defense mode!" A barely visible shock wave resonated around the field, and Yuusuke's enormous golem switched into defense mode. [spoiler=Disturbing Radio Wave][b]Disturbing Radio Wave[/b] SPELL / Quick-Play All Synchro Monsters on the field are changed to Defense Position. And then, return all face-up Synchro Monsters to the Extra Deck during the End Phase.[/spoiler] "How naive." Dread_T shrugged dismissively. "You think I don't know what your plan is? Let me teach you the difference between a first-rate champion, and a nobody like you. You are riling me up to use Chimeratech Overdragon's attacks on Gigantech Fighter, so that with the last attack, you can revive another one of your Warriors to make a counterattack next turn. But, that kind of low-level strategy will not work on me. Normally, I would just end my turn and let your Radio Wave make short work of your monster, but..." "...you thinking you can fool me with a trick like this pisses me off too much!" He snarled, suddenly angry. "Battle! Overdragon, attack Gigantech Fighter! First attack!" One of the Overdragon's seven heads opened its mouth, and a solid beam of energy shot from it, aimed directly at the gigantic warrior. Yuusuke braced himself from the tremendous impact that shook the entire room. "Gigantech Fighter revives itself in defense mode!" He cried out. The debris of the great golem reforged to restore it to its original form. "Like I care! The battle continues! Second attack!" Once more, the cycle of destruction and revival took place. "Third attack!" Yuusuke screamed, the shockwaves knocking him into the wall. "Fourth attack!" He felt blood pouring from where he had hit his head. "Fifth attack!" The onslaught stopped, just as Gigantech Fighter was revived once more. Yuusuke's vision was getting blurry. He pushed himself to unsteady feet. "We've reached the last stage, it seems." Dread_T said solemnly. "I will launch one more attack, and stop. But, if you revive another warrior instead of your Gigantech Fighter, I will use my last attack to erase him. I am gracious enough to give you this option, even though it will mean nothing in the end. Sixth attack!" The penultimate head launched its stream of light, evaporating the opposition once more. "Gigantech Fighter's effect activates, reviving Lightlord Paladin Jean in my Graveyard in defense position!" Yuusuke declared, and the crimson-cloaked warrior appeared, kneeling defensively in front of its master, as if to protect him from the mechanical dragon's rampage. "What?! Are you mocking me?" Dread_T demanded angrily. "Fine, then. You could have spared yourself one last attack, but if you want to do it the hard way... Chimeratech Overdragon, final attack! Destroy that pathetic monster!" Yuusuke remained silent as the last burst of light was charged. Seconds before it was shot, though, he opened his eyes, staring directly into his opponent's. "You know what the difference is between an overconfident madman like you, and an average duelist like me?" He asked. Dread_T's eyes bristled with indignation, but soon widened with shock as Yuusuke held out a card, retrieved from his discard pile. "An average duelist always pays attention to what goes in his opponent's Graveyard! Necro Gardna's effect activates, negating your last attack! Jean will survive!" [spoiler=Necro Gardna][b]Necro Gardna[/b] DARK / Warrior Level 3 600/1300 Remove from play this card in your Graveyard to negate 1 attack this turn from a monster your opponent controls.[/spoiler] "You... you bastard..." Dread_T growled, his distorted features twisted into a sickening smile. "When did you... Judgment Dragon..." He mumbled incoherently. "It was Grow-Up Bulb." Yuusuke corrected him. Every move had a purpose. Every last card he had played filled a slot in the greater puzzle. His little mindgame had done the rest. "Even so, what can you do!" Dread_T screamed, out of control. "You may have stopped me this round, but even with a monster on your field, there's nothing you can do to defeat my Overdragon! You are finished!" "Let's just see about that." Yuusuke retorted. "Draw!" He closed his eyes, and smiled. --- It had all started five years ago, when Yuusuke had met Maya. He had quickly befriended her, and it wasn't long before they began playing Duel Monsters together. Maya was a fairly good duelist, and Yuusuke enjoyed challenging her as often as possible. One day, they were playing in the Duel Field, <Sunlit Bay>. It was a beautiful sand-filled beach stretching out to either direction, next to a clear azure ocean, shining golden under the sunlight. Such places could never be found in this industrialized world. It was like escaping into a dream. A dream for just the two of them. "Let's make a deal." Yuusuke said suddenly, staring into the faraway horizon. "Another duel?" Maya rolled her eyes, smiling softly. She never used to smile often, but when she did, Yuusuke felt it came from her heart. It had not been long since their last match. "Hey, this time I'm going to add a new rule." Yuusuke switched his mode to <Duel Mode>, preparing himself with his Duel Disk. "Whoever loses will have to become the servant of the winner and protect him forever. And as proof of that loyalty, they'll have to give the winner their most important card, to be treasured always." "Aren't you watching a few too many medieval movies lately?" Maya rose, sighing. Yuusuke always had a thing for the romanticism of the middle ages. "Fine. I'll accept this challenge." But, despite Yuusuke's best efforts, he had been clobbered. He had really enjoyed it, though - it truly felt as if, in that duel, they had reached out to each other's heart. And Yuusuke had given Maya the best card that was in his deck at that time. He had not managed to forge his Lightlord deck yet, so his card set consisted of a variety of other Light monsters - Yuusuke always preferred the Light monsters, unlike Maya who used strange patterns and combinations. Therefore, there was only one card that Yuusuke valued beyond any other. That card was... --- "I am not like you." He whispered. "What?" Dread_T snarled. "I said, I am not like you." Yuusuke opened his eyes. "No matter what, I will never forsake my emotions, or my thoughts. I may dye myself in crimson and black, but my heart always lies with the light. Because of my friends whom I swore to protect, because of my bonds with these friends, I will not - I [i]cannot[/i] lose! Battle! Lightlord Paladin Jean, attack Chimeratech Overdragon!" "Are you insane?" Dread_T actually stepped backwards, hesitant before the ferocity of Yuusuke's eyes. "Attacking with such a massive power difference - that is suicide!" But then, a pale, warm light flowed into the room, emanating from Yuusuke's card. He had realized it. When he saw Maya fighting desperately against that European champion, he had, for the first time, understood the weight of the promise he had made so long ago. He would be the one to protect Maya. And to do so, he would not hesitate before anything. He could not afford to be weak-hearted. He would steel his resolve, and do what must be done. As long as he remained true to the feelings they had shared that day, he would not fall to darkness. And this card was the proof of that bond. "Honest's effect activates!" Yuusuke shouted. "By sending this card from my hand to the Graveyard, the attack power of a Light monster I control increases by the power of the monster it battles with! Chimeratech Overdragon's attack is currently 5600, so Lightlord Paladin Jean's attack grows to 7700!" Blazing with white and golden light, Jean plowed through the seven heads of the wicked creature, slashing them down one-by-one. [spoiler=Honest][b]Honest[/b] LIGHT / Fairy Level 4 1100/1900 During your Main Phase, you can return this card from the field to its owner's hand. During either player's Damage Step, when a face-up LIGHT monster you control battles, you can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard to have that monster gain ATK equal to the ATK of the opponent's monster it is battling, until the End Phase.[/spoiler] The ending was strangely quiet. The light slowly subsided, fading away into the dark recesses of the chamber. Yuusuke's opponent was standing there, all hints of madness evaporated from his dreary eyes. His entire left side had disappeared. [center][i][b]Dread_T[/b] - LP: 0[/i] [i][b]Galahad[/b] - LP: 600[/i][/center] "Bonds?" Dread_T whispered. The remnants of his ravaged body, a standing, talking corpse by now, began slowly fading away. "Don't... make me laugh." He coughed out a big more blood, as he tried to chuckle one last time. "You are just being used. There's plenty of time for you... to learn true hatred..." --- " - it is finished." Jacqueline Devereaux was situated in the <Aria Tower>, one of the newly designed Duel Terminal areas. The uppermost chamber of the tower was a comfortable space, bathed richly in the sunlight from the glass sheets that constituted its walls. Armchairs and couches of rich design were positioned around a central holographic screen. Gregory Dunkan nodded approvingly. "You were correct, miss Devereaux. With this, even after the... untoward events of this morning, we can proceed with our plans at a reasonable pace. I did well to dismiss Moboro, it seems." Jacqueline nodded stiffly. Sarunoki Moboro was insane, perhaps every bit as insane as Takeru Hozuki, who had just been killed before their very eyes. That man was too dangerous. "And, what do we do with him now?" Nakahara Inoue asked quietly. "We can't let him roam freely, can we?" "That's exactly what we must do, if this is to work." Jacqueline said irritably. "When he matures, I will take him on. And then it will be over. But by that time, he needs a bit more polishing. I believe I have just the right idea on how to handle him." The others cast her an inquisitive glance, but she held their gaze. "Very well." Dunkan said after a short pause. "I will let you deal with this issue. Do as you think is best. I expect... results, this time." He emphasized that last point. Jacqueline found herself nervously twiddling her fingers, but she nodded firmly. Dunkan finally inclined his head slightly, indicating the conversation was over. "If all goes well, by this afternoon, we'll have some definite conclusions about the Arc Cradle, at the very least." He informed the rest. Jacqueline did not pay attention. What that fool Moboro did was of no concern to her. She had only one goal. That tragedy that had stained the innocent soul of that girl, the death and destruction that had scarred the mind of that child that day in the park - the truth of that vision must never be repeated. She would do anything for that. [/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 And on the seventh day he bumpeth, and it was good. Except no, it wasn't. Come on, guys, give me something here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bahamut - Envoy of the End Posted March 7, 2011 Report Share Posted March 7, 2011 "WHY... WON'T... YOU... DIE...!!!" "Oh wait..." Nice moral dilemma situation, but with Yuusuke and his father lives in danger, he had to pull the trigger. It is understandable given the nature of the situation that Yuusuke, Maya and Kiishiro can't seemingly ever lose, but it would be quite a shock if one of them did at some point... So all the suits have logged themselves into the virtual world now then? I liked the 'It was Grow-Up Bulb, actually' exchange. Lulz in your face, Dread! Much more effective gallows humour than the slap-stick daftness others try to employ in serious situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vector Nightmare Posted March 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Guess I have to make do with around one comment per chapter now =S [quote name='Bahamut ZERO' timestamp='1299509031' post='5057824']"WHY... WON'T... YOU... DIE...!!!" "Oh wait..." Nice moral dilemma situation, but with Yuusuke and his father lives in danger, he had to pull the trigger.[/quote] Don't know if you've noticed, but I'm slowly pushing Yuusuke into a certain situation... I won't say too much, but I promise it will be interesting to see how that part unfolds. [quote name='Bahamut ZERO' timestamp='1299509031' post='5057824']It is understandable given the nature of the situation that Yuusuke, Maya and Kiishiro can't seemingly ever lose, but it would be quite a shock if one of them did at some point... [/quote] If there's one thing I hate, it's unbeatable protagonists (looking at you, Yusei). So far, none of them has faced a situation they shouldn't be able to handle, within reason, and they were able to pull through. Things are getting tougher now, though, and the winning streak might be hard to maintain... [quote name='Bahamut ZERO' timestamp='1299509031' post='5057824']So all the suits have logged themselves into the virtual world now then?[/quote] They log in and out as they wish, depending on what they want to do. Since they live in different continents, it's a really easy method to meet up. [quote name='Bahamut ZERO' timestamp='1299509031' post='5057824']I liked the 'It was Grow-Up Bulb, actually' exchange. Lulz in your face, Dread! Much more effective gallows humour than the slap-stick daftness others try to employ in serious situations.[/quote] Well, it wasn't meant to be just funny. I also wanted to emphasize how little attention Dread_T was paying to Yuusuke's moves, which ultimately resulted in his defeat. Under (semi-)regular circumstances, due to in-built mechanics of the Duel Terminal system, a duelist can find out about what cards the enemy has on the Graveyard, exactly what each of his cards does etc, just like in a regular duel (exceptions will be clearly mentioned). So when the opponent mills cards, for example, the first thing you should do is check out just what was sent to the Graveyard. Dread_T didn't and, well... you saw what happened. Anyway, onto the next chapter now. If you've been following the pattern, you should know whose turn it is to take the stage... [spoiler=Chapter 29] [center][b][u]Chapter 29:[/b] Red Nova[/u][/center] Maya was standing still, staring at the sky. The streets were almost empty - the few people who were outside were frozen in their tracks, their mouths open, glazed eyes looking up. The heavens were akin to a dome of glass, just about to shatter. Cracks ran through the sky, spreading out in complex patterns as far as the eye could see. And all of them converged on a single spot. There, where the sun would normally be visible, a crimson mass was pulsing, like a giant, throbbing, formless heart. That red sun was death. After the torrential rains and pulsing quakes, the thunder storms and the heavy snowfalls, the suffocating mists that descended onto the cities and the droughts that followed - most people had remained in their homes, thinking that the nightmare was over. Still, they considered it a freak natural phenomenon. Those who watched the television or followed the internet would know, of course, but for most people, who had been content to say a prayer and sit down with their family afterwards, it was over. They did not know. Whatever had happened, had not passed without leaving its stigma. The nightmare had only just begun. "Pardon me, miss?" Maya whirled around at the sound of the voice. She had begun walking without any sense of direction or destination, simply staring at the shattered sky. The voice, which she recognized despite not having heard it for years, shook her from her trance. The [i]last[/i] thing she needed - !! As she thought. Parked right beside her was a massive black limousine. And in front stood an elderly man, his bald head inclined slightly as an indication of respect. "What do you want?" Maya snapped angrily. She knew the answer already. This man, who went only by the name of Victor, could only be here for one reason. "Ryouga-sama has requested your presence." Victor said politely, still bowing. "He sent me personally to pick you up." "Then you can go back to him and tell him to go to hell." Maya turned around. She wasn't going to waste another second - "Ryouga-sama said it was important. It involves Cornelius Klein's demise." Victor interrupted her in the same tone. Maya froze. The past wouldn't leave her alone, it seemed. Half an hour later, she was sitting cross-legged on a soft cushion in the middle of a spacious traditional dining room. The walls were crafted out of bamboo wood, and intricately-decorated rugs filled the space. Various swords, some of Japanese origin, hung from the walls. And opposite to Maya sat the one person she probably hated the most. Kirizaki Ryouga, her grandfather, had been a man of dangerous tendencies. He had ties to both the Japanese and Korean mafia, and though he had never been caught, rumor had it that agencies in both countries had him under suspicion for being a member of several multi-national criminal organizations. The accusations were probably true, but even after entire associations were disbanded, no links could be traced back to this man. After her parents had died, she had been sent to live with him - but she had run away as soon as possible. She had even fled to a different prefecture, but it seems this man had estates everywhere, and this temple-like structure that Victor, his personal chauffeur and bodyguard, had identified as his holiday mansion, was only a short distance away from Maya's apartment. Ryouga looked, admittedly, the worse for wear. He was growing old, Maya realized, and due to either her own growth or his diminishing, he looked much less intimidating than he had five years ago. Still, she could never forget the danger this man posed. She accepted the cup of tea offered by a maid, but carefully set it down next to her. It was the same gesture as if she was accusing her grandfather of trying to poison her. Ryouga chuckled, albeit with great difficulty. He was tall and stocky, with rich facial hair and piercing black eyes. His skin had become wrinkled, though, and even if there was no trace of fat in his muscular frame, the signs of old age were apparent. "I see you have become even more cautious since I last saw you." He said appraisingly, sipping his own tea. "That's good. You can never be too careful." "What are you doing here?" Maya demanded. "If you have something to say, then say it." She didn't want to spend a second more than was necessary in the company of this person. "Ah, how harsh. My own family, speaking to me that way... but, I guess it can't be helped." Ryouga held her gaze for a few seconds. "But you do not need to fear me any longer. I wouldn't harm you, even if I had a reason to." Maya wanted to tell him that she did not fear him, but she couldn't form the words. This man still exuded danger from every speck of his presence. "What do you know about Klein?" She asked, trying to maintain her composure. "Ah, him. The poor guy. Got offed in his sleep, I hear. Poison gas. Nasty way to die." He smiled, as if he was merely reciting a fairy tail to a child. "They never found the killer. Of course they wouldn't. They never even searched. This case was drowned just as soon as it popped up." "Where are you getting at?" Maya snapped. "I met Cornelius Klein a day before he died." Ryouga sighed. "He was here, in Japan, you know. Had some business, he said. He wouldn't say what, no matter how I pestered him. He only said that bad things were going to happen soon. He said... I should make my final preparations. I didn't understand him then. I shrugged him off." Maya remained quiet. Ryouga pulled a cigar out of his pocket and lit it, placing it in his mouth. He coughed loudly as he exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. "I see now. I'm dying, you understand. Even if my damned lungs wouldn't kill me, old age and idleness will. It's been five years since I last got my hands dirty, Maya. Five years. Smoking's fine, I suppose, and wasting time in trips and meetings, but a hunter can't live without his prey. A killer can't live without killing." "You can rot in hell for all I care." Maya yelled angrily. He had dragged her here at this important moment just to rant about this? Did he not - but Ryouga laughed again, followed by another fit of coughing. "Relax. You were always quick-tempered, no matter how cold you make yourself out to be. Like I said, I hadn't understood what old Cornelius was trying to prepare me for. I do now. The moment that ripple run through the earth, the moment that red sun appeared - when you've seen death as much as I have, you can sort of see it coming, you know? And I saw death coming. More death than I had ever imagined I'd see in one lifetime." "So you decided to try and redeem yourself by warming up to me?" Maya asked disgustedly. Her grandfather chuckled. "Redeem myself? What need do I have for redemption? I followed my path in life, that's all. If God himself tries to punish me for doing what my human nature told me to, then I'll laugh and spit in his face." Maya wasn't particularly religious, but those words made her consider if her grandfather was, apart from a deranged killer, also clinically insane. "Anyway, Klein told me that, when that time came, I should find one specific person. He didn't name you - but I knew he was talking about you. I'm not going to ask what your connection is to all this, or what you had to do with Klein these past few days. All I know is that he handed me this, and said I should give it to you." He retrieved a small package, sheathed in black velvet with a crimson sigil sealing it. Maya hesitantly stretched her hand to take it. "This is all I can do for you." Ryouga sighed. The moment that box had left his hand, it felt as if a weight had lifted off his shoulders. He slumped back on his pillows. "Leave me now. Leave an old man to die. Victor will take you back to your place, or wherever you want to go." Slowly, Maya rose. Her grandfather might as well have fallen asleep, the cigar forgotten in his mouth. She turned around and began tiptoeing towards the exit. "Maya..." He said finally. She paused. She had never heard him so [i]tired[/i] before. "I kept an eye out for you these years." Ryouga said. "I wanted to... see if you were ok. You have grown into a good girl, Maya. Don't let the world devour you. Be strong, stronger than anyone." [i]You don't have to tell me that.[/i] For some reason, she could not say those words. Clearing a lump in her throat she had not known was there, she hurried outside. --- If there was one thing Gregory Dunkan firmly believed in, that was never overestimating your own capacity. He had researched his limits, and those of his allies, very thoroughly, and he knew there was no way, in a plan that demanded so much of his attention, he could anticipate and deal with every possible threat before it became a problem, and while he had all of his associates on constant alert, he did not trust them with anywhere near that level of responsibility. Safeguards upon safeguards had been placed to defend every possible breach. Dunkan needed miracles from other worlds with enough energy to cross over via the Gap in order to fuel his attempt to reach the Nexus. But such beings did not have to originate from elsewhere. Of course, humanity was a largely industrialized race, relying on machine and technology, on cold science, rather than belief and imagination. Therefore, things such as 'miracles' were harder to be conceived, and when they did, they could not help but reflect those traits. Dunkan had exploited this to the fullest, creating three conceptual monsters on the same level as those that had been used as the Pylons. Except they had no 'soul'. They were machines, bound together from different parts. Chaos or order, light or darkness were a foreign concept to those things. They simply existed, a colorless force of existence. They would never work for the purposes of powering up the Nexus portal. But that had never been their intended use. As neutral forces, despite their overwhelming strength, their use would not disrupt the Nexus. They were the perfect weapon to use in a last-ditch emergency, where not even the slightest disturbance would be acceptable. The results from the test run of Machine Emperor Wisel Infinity had been satisfactory. Of course, none but the mindless Ghosts could be trusted to use those monsters. Now the second Machine Emperor would go through an even greater challenge. As long as Miyataka Eizan remained out of his reach, Dunkan could not fully decipher Cornelius Klein's motives. But he knew enough to have understood a part of his actions. And all those actions seemed to indirectly revolve around the girl who was the champion in Europe five years ago, Kirizaki Maya. Her interference had not, so far, been significant, as far as Dunkan knew. But he understood that she could potentially mess things up for him, as one way or another, all those who had been crowned champions in the past had displayed an uncanny tendency to dig into secrets that they weren't supposed to find out. Maya should be the same. Therefore, Dunkan had prepared a plan for her, just in case. --- [i]My fight is over, but the war has just begun. A few weapons that you might find useful in the coming battles.[/i] Inside the box was no more than this note, and two cards. They resembled Maya's previous card, except the symbols in the center were different, and one had a dark red background, whereas the other was purple. The symbol in the middle remained unchanged, but colored gold and silver respectively. Maya would not hesitate any longer. She knew what had to be done. She scanned the two cards on the terminal booth. Immediately, two pieces of equipment appeared in her profile screen, <Soul-Binding Pendant> and <Miracle Gazer>. The first was a necklace adorned with a black opal. The second was a pair of contact lenses. Unfortunately, Klein had included no instructions on how they worked, and the system did not seem capable of providing any information either. Maya entered the virtual world. She had opted to go to one particular place. If there were any answers to be found, she'd locate them here. The <Vision Cathedral> had drastically changed since the last time she had been here. The normally clear blue sky was now pitch-black, convulsing with the echoes of a breaking storm. And, the area around it was now much wider. The reason was that a circuit had been constructed for Riding Duels. This was ridiculous. They had turned the outside of the Vision Cathedral into a Riding Duel Field? Who was even going to - of course. It was a trap meant for her. She noticed that she had automatically shifted to the default garb she had set for Riding Duels, the Black Mirage, and her D-Wheel, Avalon, had appeared beside her. And, shortly thereafter, her opponent appeared. Maya had thought she'd never see them again, but apparently the Ghosts were still functional. This one looked the same as all the others - black-clad, riding a similarly colored machine, a sinister smirk carved on his face under his helmet. Wordlessly, Maya climbed on Avalon. She'd quickly deal with this guy. "I've been instructed to let you go, if you turn back now." Ghost said, unexpectedly. Maya started - they had never seemed to speak before, other than to announce their moves and taunt their opponents. "You cannot enter the Cathedral right now unless you defeat me, but you are free to leave if you so desire." "And who gave you these orders?" Maya demanded. Ghost's smirk merely widened. Angrily, Maya started up the engine of her D-Wheel. Even if she had not wanted to enter the Vision Cathedral, she had resolved not to back down from any foe they tossed at her. "Speed World 2, activate!" She announced, clicking her D-Wheel's panel. The opponent did the same. [spoiler=Speed World 2][b]Speed World 2[/b] SPELL / Field If you activate a non-"Speed Spell" Spell Card, take 2000 damage. During each player's Standby Phase, place 1 Speed Counter on this card (max. 12). You can remove any number of Speed Counters from this card to activate an appropriate effect: • 4: Inflict 800 damage to your opponent for each "Speed Spell" Spell Card in your hand. • 7: Draw 1 card. • 10: Select and destroy 1 card on the field.[/spoiler] [center][i][b]Riding Duel - Acceleration![/b][/i][/center] Maya burst forth at maximum speed. To her shock, the opponent easily kept up. This was not like the last Ghost she had fought at all - !! Grinding her teeth, she stomped on the accelerators for maximum speed, and prepared to curve around the large building. But Ghost slammed the nose of his D-Wheel into the back of Maya's Avalon, causing her to lose some balance. As she was knocked off her route, trying to regain her posture, Ghost already sped past the first corner. [center][i][b]Ghost[/b] - LP: 4000[/i] [i][b]Stiyel Crystal[/b] - LP: 4000[/i][/center] "Looks like I'll start." Ghost said. "Draw! I summon Sky Core in defense mode! Then, one reverse card. Turn end." [spoiler=Sky Core][b]Sky Core[/b] WIND / Machine Level 1 0/0 ((When this card is destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard, destroy all monsters you control. Then, Special Summon 1 "Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity", "Skiel Top", "Skiel Attack", "Skiel Guard", and "Skiel Carrier" from your hand, Deck, or Graveyard.))[/spoiler] [i]Now, this is something new.[/i] Maya had never heard of this card before. It was an egg-like mechanical object, cracked open in the middle, its core visible inside. She resorted to the panel of her D-Wheel, yet it only demonstrated its base attack and defense scores, which both stood at zero, attribute, level and type. "So, you're using dirty tricks now?" She growled. "My turn! Draw!" [center][i][b]Ghost[/b] - SPC: 1[/i] [i][b]Stiyel Crystal[/b] - SPC: 1[/i][/center] "I summon Demon Roar God Raven!" She said. The grinning, winged black devil took shape beside her D-Wheel. "And I immediately activate its effect, sending a card from my hand to the Graveyard." [spoiler=Demon Roar God Raven][b]Demon Roar God Raven[/b] LIGHT / Fiend / Tuner Level 2 1300/1000 Once per turn, you can discard any number of cards from your hand and increase the Level of this card by the number of discarded cards, until the End Phase. This card also gains ATK equal to the number of discarded cards x 400, until the End Phase.[/spoiler] "Trap card, open. Torrential Burial." Ghost retorted. "Both of our monsters are wiped out." [i]What?[/i] Maya almost lost her balance, surprised. He had summoned that monster, only to have it destroyed? Raven and Sky Core were swept in torrential waves, and both their fields were now empty. [spoiler=Torrential Burial][b]Torrential Burial[/b] TRAP / Normal Activate only when a monster is Summoned. Destroy all monsters on the field.[/spoiler] "You bastard, what are you trying to do?" Maya demanded. Ghost chuckled. "Sky Core is a unique monster. When it is destroyed by a card effect, all other monsters I might control are also destroyed, and from my hand, Deck or Graveyard, I can Special Summon Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity, Skiel Top, Skiel Attack, Skiel Guard, and Skiel Carrier." [spoiler=Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity][b]Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity[/b] WIND / Machine Level 1 0/0 ((Monsters you control besides this monster cannot attack. This card gains ATK and DEF equal to the total ATK and DEF of all "Wisel", "Skiel" and "Grannel" monsters you control, except "Machine Emperor" monsters. Once per turn, you can equip a Synchro Monster your opponent controls as an Equip Card to this card. This card gains ATK equal to the ATK of the equipped monster. When this card is destroyed, destroy all other monsters you control.))[/spoiler] [spoiler=Skiel Top][b]Skiel Top[/b] WIND / Machine Level 1 600/0 ((If you do not control a face-up "Machine Emperor" monster, destroy this card.))[/spoiler] [spoiler=Skiel Attack][b]Skiel Attack[/b] WIND / Machine Level 1 1000/0 ((If you do not control a face-up "Machine Emperor" monster, destroy this card.))[/spoiler] [spoiler=Skiel Guard][b]Skiel Guard[/b] WIND / Machine Level 1 200/300 ((If you do not control a face-up "Machine Emperor" monster, destroy this card. Once per turn, you can negate 1 attack from a monster your opponent controls.))[/spoiler] [spoiler=Skiel Carrier][b]Skiel Carrier[/b] WIND / Machine Level 1 400/0 ((If you do not control a face-up "Machine Emperor" monster, destroy this card.))[/spoiler] [i]Five monsters?![/i] Maya thought incredulously. But, instantly, it clicked. [i]No. They are separate now, but they are all parts of - [/i] "The effect of Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity activates! Combine, Machine Emperor Skiel!" Ghost ordered. The five individual parts - a blue torso with a hole shaped like the infinity symbol, a blazing green core trapped within, a pair of tentacle-like wings of aerodynamic design, a head akin to that of a twisted, mechanical bird, a gun attachment that fit the bottom of the creature's chest, and a tail that split into two strands - everything combined into a giant robot. The monster's attack rose to 2200. Maya still couldn't see any detailed effects on any of the monsters, but she could extrapolate some conclusions by staring at the panel. First of all, the central monster, Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity, gained stats equal to the total sum of its parts. Second, each of the parts had a specific role in battle. If the names were any indication, Skiel Guard would protect the whole thing from being destroyed, especially the weaker parts, and Skiel Attack would aid it in its attack. She had no further information at the moment - but with a sinking feeling, she realized it probably wouldn't take too long for her to find out. But even though she didn't know their effects, there was a way to defeat those monsters. Next turn, she'd be able to summon Demon Roar God Beast Unicore. As long as she managed to keep her hand at the same size as her opponent's, Ghost would not be able to use his monster's effects, or any Speed Spells or Trap cards, against her. Provided she lasted that long. "I place two cards face-down. Turn end." She said. "Then it's my turn! Draw!" Speed counters rose for both duelists. [center][i][b]Ghost[/b] - SPC: 2[/i] [i][b]Stiyel Crystal[/b] - SPC: 2[/i][/center] "I'm sure you are familiar with this already. Speed Spell - High Speed Crash!" Ghost said. "I destroy Skiel Top on my field, and your reverse card on the left!" Maya cringed as Mirror Force was obliterated. [spoiler=Speed Spell - High Speed Crash][b]Speed Spell - High Speed Crash[/b] SPELL / Normal Activate only while you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Destroy 1 card you control and 1 other card on the field.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Holy Barrier - Mirror Force][b]Holy Barrier - Mirror Force[/b] TRAP / Normal Activate only when an opponent's monster declares an attack. Destroy all Attack Position monsters your opponent controls.[/spoiler] "Then, I replace the missing head of the Machine Emperor with Skiel Top 3!" Ghost continued. A new head, this time with six horn-like appendages on either side and a longer beak, materialized atop the robot's torso. Skiel Infinity's attack rose to 2400. [spoiler=Skiel Top 3][b]Skiel Top 3[/b] WIND / Machine Level 3 800/0 ((If you do not control a face-up "Machine Emperor" monster, destroy this card. Once per turn, when your opponent activates a Trap card, you can negate its activation and effect and Set it face-down on their side of the field.))[/spoiler] "Battle!" Ghost commanded. "Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity, direct attack!" "I don't think so!" Maya retaliated. "Trap card, open! Call of the Living Dead!" Alone, her revived monster might not do much but buffer some of the damage, but combined with Honest in her hand - [spoiler=Call of the Living Dead][b]Call of the Living Dead[/b] TRAP / Continuous Select 1 monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it in face-up Attack Position. When this card is removed from the field, destroy the monster. When the monster is destroyed, destroy this card.[/spoiler] "The effect of Skiel Top 3 activates." Ghost said. "Once per turn, I can negate the activation of a Trap card, and reset it." The trap which had began turning upwards was forcefully closed back in face-down position. And Maya was wide open. Skiel's cannon shot a volley of laser shots at Maya. She desperately strafed Avalon, trying to avoid the barrage. But, a few batteries struck her, causing her to scream in pain as she felt the charring heat, while she was knocked dangerously off-balance. She had prepared for that much, though. Avalon had been restructured for much more endurance and tenacity. Ignoring the searing heat, Maya straightened her D-Wheel, and pushed onward through the cloud of smoke. [center][i][b]Ghost[/b] - LP: 4000[/i] [i][b]Stiyel Crystal[/b] - LP: 1600[/i][/center] She was panting heavily, trying to ignore the sensation of her flesh burning. She had been prepared, but the pain was almost too much. Grinding her teeth, she pressed on. This was what it meant to be part of this war. "Unfortunately, the Machine Emperor blocks the attack of my other monsters." Ghost said. "I'll end my turn with two reverse cards." "Then I'll start - draw." Maya glanced at her hand. Currently she held four cards. Her opponent had only one. Therefore, three cards would have to be played in order for Unicore's effect to kick in. [center][i][b]Ghost[/b] - SPC: 3[/i] [i][b]Stiyel Crystal[/b] - SPC: 3[/i][/center] "I activate Call of the Living Dead." She announced. "Demon Roar God Raven is revived. Then, Raven's effect activates, discarding Lurrie from my hand, which is also Special Summoned." [spoiler=Demon Roar God Lurrie][b]Demon Roar God Lurrie[/b] LIGHT / Fiend Level 1 200/400 When this card is discarded from your hand to the Graveyard, Special Summon it.[/spoiler] "Trap card, open." Ghost said smoothly. "Mischief of the Yokai activates, reducing the Levels of all your monsters by two." Maya blinked - such a situational card? But then she realized that, if the enemy had any idea of her deck, he knew he had to stop her from summoning whichever Synchro monster she targeted. Unfortunately, Raven's effect could only be used once per turn, so she could not discard another monster to bring its level back up. And she had no level two or three monster in her hand. She gritted her teeth. It was regrettable, but she had no other choice. She'd have to take the risk. [spoiler=Mischief of the Yokai][b]Mischief of the Yokai[/b] TRAP / Normal Each face-up monster on the field loses 2 Levels, until the End Phase. You can remove from play this card from your Graveyard to select 1 face-up monster and reduce its Level by 1, until the End Phase. This effect cannot be activated the same turn this card is sent to the Graveyard.[/spoiler] "I summon Honest." She announced. A white-feathered blonde man, clad in an ancient Olympian athlete's outfit, appeared next to the two devils. "Now, I place two cards face-down. Then, I tune my Level 4, Honest, to my, now Level 1, Demon Roar God Raven." The human and the devil shattered into spheres of light, that concentrated on a single emerald ring, crossed by a stream of four stars. "Synchro Summon! Come, Demon Roar God Reigion!" The gold-and-black winged marauder materialized on the field, flexing its muscular arms in defiance of the mechanical monstrosity opposing it. [spoiler=Honest][b]Honest[/b] LIGHT / Fairy Level 4 1100/1900 During your Main Phase, you can return this card from the field to its owner's hand. During either player's Damage Step, when a face-up LIGHT monster you control battles, you can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard to have that monster gain ATK equal to the ATK of the opponent's monster it is battling, until the End Phase.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Demon Roar God Reigion][b]Demon Roar God Reigion[/b] LIGHT / Fiend / Synchro Level 5 2300/1800 1 "Demon Roar God" Tuner Monster + 1 or more non-Tuner Monsters When this card is Synchro Summoned, if you have 1 or less cards in your hand, you can draw until you have 2 cards in your hand.[/spoiler] "When I'm holding a single card or no cards, and Reigion is Synchro Summoned, I can draw until I'm holding two cards." She plucked out two cards from the top of her deck. It was regrettable that she had lost Honest, but she had to find an alternate way to fight. Machine Emperor Skiel was stronger than Reigion, but that did not apply to its individual parts. "Battle! Demon Roar God Reigion, attack Skiel Top!" "Skiel Guard's effect activates! Once per turn, an attack can be negated!" Ghost countered. Skiel's tail shot forth, splitting into four tentacles that constructed a rectangular barrier. Reigion's rush was blocked, and the Synchro monster was repelled. Well, it had been worth a try. "Turn end." Maya sighed. "Draw!" Ghost said, his features strangely gleeful. Maya suddenly felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. What exactly was going to happen? [center][i][b]Ghost[/b] - SPC: 4[/i] [i][b]Stiyel Crystal[/b] - SPC: 4[/i][/center] "First of all, I activate Sky A-3. By releasing Skiel Attack, I can Special Summon Skiel Attack 3 from my deck!" The creature's cannon vanished, and Ghost skimmed through his cards, bringing forth a new monster of similar design to the first, except bulkier, and more powerful. "Then, I release Skiel Attack 3, to advance summon Skiel Attack 5!" A similar replacement took place, only this time the cannon was longer and accompanied by smaller sideguns. Worse, with the new upgrades, Skiel's power now stood at 2800. [spoiler=Sky A-3][b]Sky A-3[/b] TRAP / Normal ((Send 1 "Skiel Attack" you control to the Graveyard. Special Summon 1 "Skiel Attack 3" from your hand, Deck or Graveyard.))[/spoiler] [spoiler=Skiel Attack 3][b]Skiel Attack 3[/b] WIND / Machine Level 3 1200/0 If you do not control a face-up "Machine Emperor" monster, destroy this card. Once per turn, you can select 1 face-up monster you control. Until the End Phase, that monster's ATK is halved, and it can attack your opponent directly.[/spoiler] [spoiler=Skiel Attack 5][b]Skiel Attack 5[/b] WIND / Machine Level 5 1400/0 This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Tributing 1 "Skiel Attack 3" you control. If you do not control a "Machine Emperor" monster, destroy this card. All "Machine Emperor" monsters you control can attack your opponent directly.[/spoiler] "Scared yet? Don't be." Maya started, but Ghost gave her no time to respond. "Skiel Infinity's effect activates! Once per turn, a Synchro monster on my opponent's field is absorbed!" [i]What?![/i] Maya could not speak those words, though. Her mouth, her entire body felt numb, as she watched her Synchro monster helplessly be devoured by tentacles that sprouted from the hole in the Machine Emperor's chest. Skiel's attack rose to 5100. [/spoiler] [spoiler=A bit of useful information you should read after reading the chapter]In this story, I follow some ground rules. First, I do not use any custom cards. Second, I try to use cards that are only in the TCG / OCG, leaving aside anime / manga exclusives. Third, I stick to TCG / OCG effects, when there's a difference. The second rule can be violated at times, as with Speed Spells, and the third rule too, as with the Machine Emperors. In that specific case, the first rule is also kinda violated, as I use custom cards for upgraded parts. Now, again in this specific case, but also in a couple of other situations I will explain later, I have decided to deviate from the rules in one more way. I will take liberty with the effects of the Machine Emperor parts, redesigning them as I see fit to make them playable. The chapter in which Wisel appeared will be reviewed appropriately, and this chapter and the next (which stick to the anime effects) will also be reviewed later (though the only actual changes will be in card descriptions). I will put up a complete listing of the parts and their effects when the time comes (probably as part of the third interlude, which will have a slightly different theme than the other two).[/spoiler] Oh, and Red Nova is an actual card, used by Jack in the anime. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cakey Posted March 8, 2011 Report Share Posted March 8, 2011 Use Skiel, win card gamez. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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