The Quartet Dragons

by AnnalovesElsa

Set 1,000 years in the future, this is the story about a boy who is destined to obtain the four Quartet Dragons, Emerald Dragon, Ebony Dragon, Ruby Dragon, and Sapphire Dragon, who are rumored to be more powerful than the Egyptian Gods.

1. Chapter 1

Quartet Dragons

Chapter One

The year was 3033 in the year of our Lord. It was more than a thousand years since Yugi and the spirit Atem who inhabited the body of the former had their grand duel. A History of the King of Games by Pat Wotchell relates this traumatic event and all its wonders.

For instance, we know that Yugi Motou was the first ever to defeat the three Egyptian Gods when all three were on the field. Until recently, we thought that was the greatest feat ever in the history of Duel Monsters. However, not long ago we discovered that there are beasts even more deadly and lethal than the Egyptian Gods.

They are known as the Quartet Dragons, as they are a foursome. There's Emerald Dragon, Sapphire Dragon, Ruby Dragon, and Ebony Dragon. Like the god cards, only one of each was made. These four monster cards were each given to some friends of the great Maximilian Pegasus, and asked to be handed down to their descendants. "But," Pegasus told them, "do not ever let them fall into the hands of a single individual. The consequences will be catastrophic."

His friends heeded his words, and thus the dragon cards were unknown to the world.

However, we now know all about them: their strengths and their weaknesses.

There was a prophecy made back in the year 2101. No one understood it till recently, though everyone knew it by heart:

One will bear the Quartet Dragons
Only one can control them all
He is a descendant of Pegasus' Rival
And all who trust him
Will turn against the heart of the cards
And play only for power……….

There were known to be two more lines to the prophecy, but they were forgotten, except by one man.

The world of 3033 is very different from what it was like in years past. There was a struggle, which is referred to as the "War of the Games." Some precious games were lost in this war, such as chess, poker, and board games. Even some holidays are considered to be part of the ancient past. Never mention Christmas, or Thanksgiving, or Easter. You'd be gawked at as if you were a nerd.

The only major holiday observed in this year is Union Day. In the year 2605, the world was united into one culture. The day was June 11, and thus it is on this day that we celebrate the conformity of the world.

Many animals are extinct, including mallard ducks, spider monkeys, the bloodhound, the white tiger, and the African elephant. A lot of the cards of the earliest days of Duel Monsters are fantastic creatures to the children of 3033 but were commonplace in the twenty-first century. Des Lacooda is a treasured beast to some of tales of fantasy. And a koala has not walked the Earth since Bill Bluffington shot the last one dead in 2758.

People in 3033 can live to be as old as 240, provided that they live an extremely healthy lifestyle. When impotent parents wish to adopt, usually one of a pair of twins is given to them. This is because twins are seen as freaks.

Some people now live in virtual realities, stimulated by hyperactive brain waves and such. Mostly it's invalids and people who would normally request euthanasia receive this treatment.

There's much more to tell about this year (in case someone travels back in a time machine and shows this document to the people of the past), but it'll probably figure in with our story.

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Edmond Nolde was 116, and he was afraid of a very early death. His leg had been killing him for the last three days, and he had to sleep on the pneumatic bed usually reserved for those well past 200. So he called his great-grandson, Tyler, age 11, into his room. He wanted to speak to him alone.

"Tyler, my boy," Edmond said, in a choked voice. "I fear I'm going to die soon."

"But you're so young!"

"That is true. Be that as it may, I feel a pain that most do not feel till 100 years after the age I'm at right now. And, if I die, I want you to have this."

He held out a small, wooden chest. "Open it, Tyler."

The boy did so. And he gasped when he saw that it was a Duel Monsters card: Ebony Dragon.

"But, Grandpapa, this card must be extremely rare!"

"It is. Only one of it's kind. It's been passed down from generation in my family, and now it's yours."

Tyler looked longingly at the card, but then put it in Edmond's hand. "I don't want it, that way."

Edmond stared disbelievingly at his grandson.. Then he said, "I'll tell you what. Let's duel for it."

"Now that I can do!" Tyler exclaimed, running to get his Duel Disk.

A few moments later, they both had their decks ready and were facing one another. Edmond was sitting down, however, as his leg was so bad that he couldn't stand.

"Let's duel!"

4000/4000

"I'll start things off," Tyler said, "by summoning my friend, Intruder of the First Stage!"

Intruder of the First Stage
LV: 3 DARK/ Spellcaster
ATK: 1200 DEF: 1000
Effect: When this monster is Normal Summoned successfully, search your Deck for one 'Mysterious Puppeteer' and add it to your Hand.

"Now I get his special ability! From my Deck comes Mysterious Puppeteer! And then I activate Ookazi! Now you lose 800 of your Life Points!"

3200/4000

"Then I set one card face-down and end my turn!"

"My move!" Edmond said. "And I summon Queen's Knight in attack mode! Then I activate Spiral Vortex!"

Spiral Vortex
Normal Spell
Send three cards in your hand to the Graveyard in order to add a monster from your Deck to your Hand.

"Now I discard three cards, and I do what you did by adding one monster from my deck to my hand. And I choose 'King's Knight'! And now I activate Royal Mace!"

Royal Mace
Normal Spell
You can only activate this card when you have a 'King's Knight' or a 'Queen's Knight' on your side of the field. Destroy one face-down Spell or Trap cards on the field in order to Special Summon a 'King's Knight' or 'Queen's Knight' to the Field.
"Now I'll destroy a face-down Spell or Trap card."

"But you don't have any!" Tyler shouted.

"Ah, but you do. And my card does not specify that the card has to be on my side of the field."

"That's unfair!"

"It's in the rulebook. But let's not argue. Say goodbye to your face-down, and hello to my King's Knight! And you know what that means! Here comes Jack's Knight! And since you have nothing on the field to protect you except a 1200 beast, I'll have Queen's Knight attack!"

Edmond's monster moved so swiftly that it was impossible to notice that Tyler's Intruder was wailing as it was slashed in two.

3200/3500

"Then Jack's Knight and King's Knight combine their attacks to give you one hell of a whollop!"

The pain of the double attack was almost unbearable. Tyler fell down, hard.

3200/ 0100

"Stand up, grandson. You're still in this game."

"Yes, but barely," Tyler muttered under his breath. "I so want Ebony Dragon, but I'd like to win it. Heart of the cards, guide me."

He drew his card, and blinked. "I summon Time Wizard!"

"Oh, please. You do realize that you are risking your Life Points in order to destroy three monsters? That's really dangerous!"

"So what? Time Wizard, do your thing!"

The little man who looked like a clock jumped twenty feet in the air. His spinner began to start, going faster and faster up to a point. Which was it going to land on? Skull or crown? It started to slow down….it looked like it was going to land on a skull. It stopped. Tyler had lost. He hung his head. But what's this? The spinner moved two millimeters, and it was now on a crown. "Time!" The wizard exclaimed happily, as his magic swept over Edmond's knights.

"It seems that you were saved. But this duel is far from over."
"Yeah, I suppose so. But I have Time Wizard attack you, and then I'll just set one card face-down and end my turn."

2700/0100

Edmond drew his card. "Are you ready for this? Just when I use all my cards, I get the power to recharge! I activate Card of Sanctity!"

Both players drew till they had six cards. Edmond's eyes were twinkling, and Tyler was scowling (though not because he had gotten a lousy hand, but because his great-grandfather had been so resourceful and tricky.)

"Now I activate Premature Burial, giving up 800 of my Life Points to bring back Dark Magician from my Graveyard."

2400/0100

"You never had a Dark Magician, Grandfather!"

"Yes I did. When I discarded three cards with Spiral Vortex, he was one of the ones I sent to the Graveyard. But there's more where that came from. I activate Emblem of Dragon Destroyer to add one Buster Blader from my Graveyard to my Hand. (He was another one I sent to the Graveyard without your knowledge.) Then I fuse him with Buster Blader by the power of my Polymerization to create Dark Paladin! Then I have him attack your precious Time Wizard with Dak Sword of Tumult!"

"He, he. Too bad; you shouldn't have done that. Activate Mirror Force! So your Dark Paladin is gone!"

"That may be so," Edmond said, "but I activate Dark Magician Pearl Revolver!"

Dark Magician Pearl Revolver
Quick-Play Spell
You can only activate this card during a turn in which 'Dark Magician' or a Fusion made up of Dark Magician was sent to the Graveyard by your opponent's card effect. At the End Phase of this turn, Special Summon Dark Magician to your side of the field. You can also destroy any monsters on the field with 500 or less attack by discarding cards in our hand equal to the number of Monsters destroyed.

"A gun!" Tyler exclaimed. "All of the cards that feature guns in this game are deadly, unless you count Reload. What does that thing do?"

"Glad you asked. Well, first off, you'll be seeing Dark Magician soon. And secondly, you ought to kiss your Time Wizard goodbye, as it's about to receive a one-way trip to the Graveyard."

"What!?!"

"Yes, at the cost of 1 card in my hand, I can destroy Time Wizard. So aloha to Dekoichi the Battle-Chained Locomotive, and Time Wizard is destroyed. Then my turn is over."

Time Wizard disappeared and Dark Magician reappeared. Things were not looking good for Tyler.

"I draw!" the boy shouted. "And I play Swords of Revealing Light!"

The field was instantly flooded with bright light emanating from swords made of nothing but a collection of light particles. The swords appeared to be suspended in midair.

"It's strange how that card always seems to show up when we need it most," Edmond reflected.

"That's right. And now I summon Swamp Rat in attack mode!"

Swamp Rat
LV: 4 DARK Beast
ATK: 1400 DEF: 800
Effect: This monster is unaffected by Equip Spell cards. Also, if there is another Beast-type monster on your side of the field, when this monster attacks a monster in defense position, when the DEF of that monster is lower than this one's ATK, take the difference out of your opponent's Life Points.

"Then I'll set another card face-down and end my turn."

"It seems really funny that you would summon that now. But, we'll see. I set my own monster face-down and end my turn!"

"One turn down, two to go. And, I don't believe it: I've just drawn the card I needed from the beginning!"

"What card is that, Tyler?"

"You'll see in a second. But first I must summon Giant Rat, another Beast-type, in ATK mode. Then I activate Grand Stage!"

Grand Stage
Normal Spell Card
Effect: Special Summon 1 monster with 'Mysterious Puppeteer' in its card name to the field. For each monster you have Normal Summoned during this duel up to the time you played this card, increase your Life Points by 500.

"Here comes Mysterious Puppeteer to make my day," Tyler said as a masked monster holding a tiny mannequin held aloft by strings appeared on the field. "Then my Life Points increase by 500 for each monster I have Normal Summoned this duel. That makes four, so that's 2000 Life Points. Yay, me."

1900/2100

"Then I have my Swamp Rat attack your face-down! And since I have another beast, you take damage to your Life Points! Now let's see what monster I destroyed."

A monster with an invisible body appeared. All you could see were his crown, his gloves, his wings, the bow and arrow used as his weaponry, and his sandals.

"Thank you for destroying my Skelengel, Tyler. For now I can draw yet another card."

"Yeah, well, you still lose Life Points."

0900/2100

"It's my turn now," Edmond said. "And it's a painful one. Activate Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your Swords of Revealing Light!"

The swords vanished, and Dark Magician positioned himself for an onslaught.

"Now I summon my trusty Warrior of Zera (1600/1600) in ATK mode. Say, that reminds me of a very interesting story about this monster. Do you want to hear it?"

"Maybe some other time."

"Okay then. Dark Magician, attack Mysterious Puppeteer with Dark Magic Attack!"

The puppet master vanished as quick as lightning.

0900/0600

"Now Warrior of Zera attacks Swamp Rat. So long to that monster."

0900/0400

"It's your move, Tyler."

"Yes, and it's time I won Ebony Dragon. I sacrifice my Giant Rat in order to summon King of All Animals. Now, it's true that his attack reduces to 2000 when he's summoned by only one monster, but I can still take out your Warrior of Zera."

"Noooo!!!!!!!!!"

0500/0400

"What are you crying about? You still have Dark Magician, which is more than enough to take me out. I set one card face-down, and end my turn."

"Ah, now it is my turn again. And I have Dark Magician attack your King of all Animals."

"Activate Reinforcements. My monster's attack power goes up, and our monsters destroy each other."

And sure enough, both Tyler's and Edmond's fields were soon Monster-less.

"I will end my turn," Edmond Nolde said.

"Awesome! I summon Lead Man in ATK mode!"

Atomic Hero - Lead Man
LV: 4 EARTH Rock
ATK: 1100 DEF: 600
Text: One of the Mineral People, Lead Man is not something to be reckoned with. He is always searching for his fellow kinsman.

"Lead Man, attack my great-grandfather directly and win me the game!"

Lead Man did as he was bid by tossing mounds of sand in Edmond's eyes.

0000/0400

"Now, take Ebony Dragon, Tyler."

The boy did so gladly, happy that he had won the card fair and square. However, he did not know that Edmond had a monster that would've won him the game instead. Archfiend Soldier.

Edmond Nolde died several days later. Tyler kept his Ebony Dragon in a safe place, right near his heart.

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But a few years after the above duel, in 3039, he met Eddie Vilslinger. Vilslinger was a card collector, age 16, with jet-black hair and large, luminous green eyes. He discovered that Tyler had a one-of-a-kind card called Ebony Dragon, and he devised a way to claim it for his own . First he tried to give Tyler a suitcase full of some of the rarest cards ever printed, including the very Blue Eyes that all the history books said Seto Kaiba had ripped in two at the beginning of the twenty-first century. But Tyler refused, saying that Ebony Dragon was a family heirloom and not for trade.

But Eddie had a trick up his sleeve. He knew that Tyler wanted Becky Ford to be his girlfriend more than anything in the world. So Eddie asked Tyler if they could make this trade: Becky for the card. Vilslinger thought it would be a cinch to win Becky, and he also figured Tyler would be the loser in this barter.

At first Tyler refused. But he finally gave in when he saw Becky kissing Henry Malcolm. So Eddie made his efforts to woo her.

Becky was a lover of tradition, and Eddie had to take her to the cinema and pizza restaurants to make her happy. Any other girl would've found these things dull. Most dates were "virtual" and "free"; they were done by computer in a café created by that computer, they cost nothing, and you didn't run the risk of your partner touch you in an undesirable area. But Becky hated this, and Eddie's goal was to please her.

Soon he convinced her that Tyler was good-looking and that she'd be happy with him. She fell head over heels. Then Eddie demanded that Tyler give him Ebony Dragon, and the latter boy obliged.

However, Ebony Dragon was not the only one of the Quartet Dragons Eddie possessed. He also had Emerald Dragon, given to him by a boy named Knat Washington.

News got around that Eddie was going to enter a tournament, and ere long Tyler and Knat learned of the card the other had given to Vilslinger.

Tyler spoke to Becky that night. "If Eddie plays my card first, he will be my friend. If he plays Emerald Dragon first, he is my enemy."

Knat told his friends this as well, except his was reverse. If Eddie played Emerald Dragon first, he was Knat's friend; Ebony Dragon his foe.

Now, no one saw hide nor hair of the pair of the Quartet Dragons in Eddie's possession until the last match, between him and another dude.

On the field, Eddie had a Jinzo and a face-up Penguin Soldier. His opponent, Gregory Morse, had no monsters on the field, as they had been returned to his hand due to Penguin Soldier's special ability. Eddie only had 1200 Life Points left, but Gregory had his full 4000.

"Guess what?" Eddie said. "I have two of the most powerful cards in all of Duel Monsters in my hand at this very moment. Unfortunately, I can only summon one of them this turn. And I will sacrifice my Jinzo and my Penguin Soldier in order to summon my ……………………………………….Emerald Dragon!"

Emerald Dragon
LV: 9 LIGHT Dragon
ATK: 3000 DEF: 2400
Effect: This monster takes on the effects of all monsters used to Tribute Summon 'Emerald Dragon.' Discard two cards from your hand to take out 1,000 of your opponent's Life Points. This monster is destroyed at the End Phase of a turn in which a monster with 'Luster Dragon' in it's card name is Normal Summoned, Special Summoned, or Flip Summoned, by either player.

"And now we get to see my grand monster in action!"