Don't tell Suz but I can't stand fantasy stories. Lord of the Rings put me to sleep and Game of Thrones could not get me to care in the slightest. Honestly I was always more partial to Noir myself, something about the omnipresent feeling of despair and futility resonated with me.
We're now stuck in what fees like one of those bog standard fantasy stories and for some reason it's all feeling familiar. I'm sure that if I could remember I could figure out where the escapee is. Whether or not I remember I still know something feels off about this entire situation, and I'm going to figure out what it is.
Carter walked through the forest wracking his brain to try to figure out what he was missing. "Come on brain, what aren't you telling me?"
Ymir was floating closely behind. "What do you mean this is all familiar?"
"If I knew I would've told you already. All I have is just vague feelings of having heard all of this before."
Ymir caught up with him and began floating around his head. "What kind of vague feelings are we talking about? Are you really a seer and you had a vision you can half remember? Have you synched up with your counterpart in this world and are slowly gaining his memories? Oh! Maybe you're actually from this world and were sent away without your memories, and now that you're back you're lost memories are resurfacing!" She seemed to be having too much coming up with theories.
"I am ninety nine precent sure that none of those are true. But you have to be feeling it too, there's something wrong with this place."
Ymir stopped buzzing around for a moment and looked contemplative. "Yeah, I can't put my finger on it but everything about this place feels fake, like a realistic prop. None of it is familiar though so it's not whatever is going on in your head."
Carter growled. "This is starting to irritate me. The best course of action is probably to just do this quest. Worst case scenario we get the sword and kill the Lord of the Castle without getting answers."
"Isn't the worst case scenario we die?" Ymir said.
"Well dying seems like an odd fear for an immortal to have, but I guess you have point." Carter said under his breath.
"I hope Suz is doing alright." Ymir said. "She might have a tough time without this holy sword we're getting."
"Wait a minute!" Carter stopped suddenly making Ymir run into him.
"What?"
"That pig used duel monsters! Why would a holy sword help with a duel?"
Ymir gave her equivalent of a shrug. "Maybe the sword is in the shape of a card? It wouldn't be the weirdest thing we've come across."
"I know I know but it's just! Grrr!" Carter growled in frustration. "This is driving me insane! I hope Suz and Mike are doing better."
The Castle Interior
"Fuck! This! Fucking! Castle! And fuck the left hand rule!" Suz shouted accenting each shout with a kick to the stone wall.
Mike looked concerned where the wall was cracking under the pressure of Suz's boot. "Well it might not be a simply connected maze. I mean if we look at things mathematically then-"
"Oh my god you and Carter were made for each other. You would've been such a adorable couple. Anyways I'm just going to blast my way through all these wall." She took out her sword and began to aim it at the wall as Mike shouted "No! No! No!"
He waved his hands frantically. "Let's not do that! I mean you may be immortal but I'm not! Listen there has to be a way out so let's just figure it out logically. I mean it would be horrible planning if the main entrance lead to a unbeatable maze so there must be a solution that is just under our noses that the residents could use to get in."
Suz out her sword away and scratched her chin. "Well let's look at the wall markings, the colors of the patterns run red, blue, green, green, blue, yellow, purple, and yellow before repeating. If we instead look at them as numbers based on their position on the color wheel we can read the number code as-" Suz, while Mike was distracted by her B.S., took out her sword in one fluid motion and blasted away at the top of the hallway.
"What the fuck!" Mike shouted.
"Holy shit my fucking arm!" A voice shouted from above them. Suz and Mike looked up to see a green creature holding a bloody stump where an arm was presumably once attached. "Oh wow that looks really bad."
They just sort of looked on in shock as the green creature screamed some more before Suz leaped into action. "I'm so sorry!" She began bandaging the stump and applying a tourniquet from some cloth she striped from Mike's shirt before leaping up.
"My shirt!"
"I swear I am really sorry about this, I don't usually hurt people without seeing them face to face!" She continued to apply first aid until the screaming stopped.
"Who are you guys even?" The green person said when he had finally calmed down.
"We're here to kill the lord of this castle and free the prisoners here, you aren't going to stop us are you?"
Mike face palmed.
The green creature blanched when he heard that. "No! No! Please don't hurt me even more! I'm just a cleaner! I mop the floors!"
"Don't worry!" Suz gave a smile. "I would never hurt you!" She then glanced at the arm. "Any more then I already have."
"D-don't worry, these grow back for my species." The man held up his arm and Suz saw that it was already beginning to regrow a little. "I'll be fine by the end of the week so there's no need worry, I don't hold it against you. So please let me go!" The green man was squirming now.
"Of course you can leave whenever you want!" Suz gave a grin. The green man moved to bolt down the hole to the outside but was stopped by Suz grasping his shoulder. "After you tell us where we can find the prisoners."
The Woods
"Suz is resourceful I wouldn't worry about her." Ymir said. "I'd worry about the fact that the only way to get to the sage is a mist filled cave." She and Carter looked into the dark cave and the twisting mist within.
"How much do you want to bet we face our secret fears inside there?" Carter asked.
"You know guessing these tropes before they appear really takes the fun out of them." She joked. "I don't suppose that there's any way to circumvent this is there?"
"I get the feeling that this is the only way." Carter said as he began walking in. "See you on the other side."
"Ugh!" Ymir slumped her shoulders that weren't there and floated to the cavern.
Camelot
Ymir woke up from her nightmare and rubbed her shoulders. "Huh?" She was confused for a moment as she flexed her glowing purple but solid hands. She looked around her apartment and took in the familiar sites. Her bookshelf filled so much books were falling off, cloths strewn all about except for her crisp military uniform hanging on her open closet, it was all there.
"Was it all a dream?" She could remember something about her dream, but with every passing moment it slipped away. She was in Camelot, and today was her day off right? So she was just going to curl up in bed with a nice book. After all she had earned a break.
The Forests of Hungary
Carter sat under the stars and simply existed. All alone with nobody to intrude on his solitude. He felt at one with nature. The chirping of the birds, the insects buzzing to and fro. He let in a deep breath and released it.
Carter knew he would have to get up eventually, but why rush, after all this was the rest of his life.
That was when the hand grasped his neck. Carter began to choke as the grip tightened and tightened. Carter opened his eyes to find himself face to face with what he couldn't tel was either the face of a demon or an angel. it was beautiful to be called human but its features were twisted into a hideous scowl. Dark burning eyes glared at him with pure hatred.
"Help!"
The Castle Dungeons
"Alright so according to the one armed guy this is where Lancelin should be." Suz said as they sneaked down the hall. It was almost pitch black except for a few torches placed far from each other along the walls.
"Suz mind if I ask you something?" Mike said.
"Sure, what?"
"Before you destroyed the wall you mentioned that Carter and I would've been a cute couple. The phrasing of that felt a little off, like we couldn't be one now? I mean we don't see each other as often as I'd like but I like to think there's still a spark."
Suz stopped. "Well I'm sorry to break this to you Mike but you two can't be together."
"Wait what? What do you mean we can't?" Mike was confused.
"I mean that it's not fair for either of you to be together it would only lead to tragedy. Immortals and mortals shouldn't mix, especially romantically." Suz's face was deadly serious.
"I don't know who you think you are but I'm Carter's best friend and if you think that-" Mike was cut off by Suz tackling him to the ground just as a kunai embedded itself in the wall where his head used to be.
"We'll continue this discussion later." Suz said now staring down Kazekure.
"Sorry if I interrupted something, I just couldn't resist such an open target." The ninja grinned. Suz pulled out her sword and aimed it at Kazekure.
"I'll give you one chance to have a bit of pride and take out a duel disk, after that we fight like animals."
Kazekure's grin did not fade. "I'd rather not fight at all if that's possible, so I must say farewell." He leaped backwards into the darkness and vanished.
"I hate ninjas!" Suz shouted and chased after the man. Mike followed close behind.
Camelot
Ymir yawned as she watched a movie from the comfort of her bed. She was torn between taking a nap and finishing the film. She eventually decided to get up and go out onto her balcony and see if the fresh air would wake her up.
Ymir smelled as the wind blew against her face and she looked out into the city, the people walking below in the market, kids playing in the park, she was home. She then wiped tears from her eyes.
"Why did I have to go to earth?" She sobbed some more before regaining her composure.
"Alright, alright so everything I did when under the spell was stuff the involved not leaving the room so…" She went back in to her door and put her hand on it.
"I will get back to Camelot." And she went through the door.
The Cave
Ymir returned back to reality and saw Carter slumped across the floor. "Bet you're glad I'm here to save your ass." She charged up some energy and a bolt of energy blasted Carter with an electric shock.
"The fuck!" Carter shot up and glared at Ymir for a second before looking away. "Thanks for getting me out." He grumbled as he brushed the dirt off of his clothes.
"Looks like we were wrong about what that was weren't we. We weren't prepared for a paradise were we."
"Yeah…" Carter said cautiously. "We probably shouldn't act so rashly, this place can still surprise us." They continued down the cave keeping an eye out for any other magical traps.
"So…" Ymir started. "Where were you trapped? In the illusion?"
"Where were you?" Carter countered.
"Back in Camelot with my body. I cried when I realized what was going on." She replied bluntly. "Your turn to share."
Carter growled before answering. "I was alone completely alone in the woods I lived in before meeting you and Suz. I was just sitting there in complete peace until you woke me up. Hell I'm pretty sure I was almost enlightened there for a second"
"Huh." Ymir said. "I guess I don't know you as well as I thought." The two walked in silence for the rest of the cave.
The Castle Dungeons
"Get back here you bastard!" Suz cried out as she ran after Kazekure. The ninja always staying just out of reach of her sword. He was leading Suz around like a bull, obviously baiting her into a trap but she didn't care. This castle was bullshit and if walking into a trap would speed things up then who was she to complain.
Kazekure laughed as he was shooting down the hallway. "I'm a ninja! It's my job to not charge at my enemy." He threw a kunai into a wall which triggered a pit trap that Suz jumped over.
"Come on Kazekure, you know these tricks won't stop any warrior worth their salt!" Behind Suz Mike barely kept himself from falling into the pit.
"Why would you booby trap the inside of the castle!" He cried out as he began shimmying around the edge.
"Ignore him! Let's just skip to whatever you think you'll actually beat me with!"
"Don't worry we're almost there!" Right in front of the chase was a large gateway that the two sped through. The gate led into a large chamber with a giant pit in the center that Kazekure leapt over onto a platform on the far side of it hung by ropes. Suz saw another platform closer by and gave a smirk. "So you expect me to get on the opposite platform then?"
Kazekure returned the smirk. "I suppose you'll want some incentive?"
"What're you offering?" Kazekure snapped and from a chain above a crystal fell down into view. In the middle of it was a young woman frozen mid scream. "Elizabeth I assume?"
"You assume correctly. Agree to this duel and we will each put down a wager. You offer your life and I offer you Elizabeths, what do you say?"
"I say that my life is way more valuable then any one mortal, offer your own life in addition and we have a deal." Suz folded her arms in classic make a deal stance.
Kazekure's grin widened and his razor sharp teeth glinted in the darkness. "That sounds perfect. Now let us begin!" Suz leapt up onto the platform and the two activate their duel disks.
Suz: 8000 Kazekure: 8000
"I'll go first." Kazekure said as he looked at his hand. "I set a monster and spell or trap before activating Supply Squad." A continuous spell appeared on his field.
Suz drew and frowned. Supply Squad let him draw whenever one of his cards was destroyed but could it just be bait to lure out a monster? "I activate Foolish Burial! Now I can send Elemental Hero Shadow Mist to the graveyard to grab an Elemental Hero Blazeman from my deck. Now by summoning him I get a polymerization from me deck."
The burning hero came out and Suz took the key card of her deck and added it to her hand. "Now Blazeman will fuse with the Elemental Hero Ocean in my hand!"
"Boil the seas and raze the land, hero of flames come out and burn away all before you! Fusion summon, Elemental Hero Nova Master!"
The hero of flame came forth in his burning glory. "Attack his face down monster!"
"I activate my face down card Solemn Wishes! Now whenever I draw a card I gain five hundred life points." Nova Master's attack shattered the monster on Kazekure's field.
"The card you just destroyed was UFO Turtle, and thanks to it's effect I get to summon another from my deck." A giant turtle with a machine on it's back appeared on the field (ATK 1400). "And then Supply Squad lets me draw a card and Solemn Wished gives my life points an extra boost.
"Well Nova Master let's me draw as well." Suz took the card and glanced it over.
"If that's all then I'll start my turn." He drew and gained even more life points.
Suz: 8000 Kazekure: 9000
"I move UFO Turtle to defense position and set another card (DEF 1200). You're move."
"Don't think you can hid behind those monsters for long! I use fusion recovery to add my polymerization and Ocean to my hand!" Suz thought for a moment before summoning the Ocean (ATK 1500).
"Now my monsters will attack yours! Ocean you of first!" The aquatic hero dug it's trident into the flaming turtle and destroyed it but another turtle simply replaced it.
"Now Nova Master attack his turtle and inflict some damage!" Kazekure grunted as the flames rocked his platform but he quickly stabilized himself and drew 2 cards.
"The fun isn't over yet Suz. I use UFO Turtle's effect to summon Masked Dragon." This time a red dragon appeared in the empty space between them (ATK 1400).
Suz drew her card from Nova Master's effect and then turned the turn over to Kazekure.
Suz: 8000 Kazekure: 9300
"My hand needs a bit of a refresh so I use this card," He held up Magical Mallet. "to return four of my cards and draw that same amount." Kazekure shuffled his hand back into the deck and looked at his new hand.
"Not as helpful as I would've liked but good enough. I set a spell or trap and move my dragon to defense position but that will be my turn."
'Dammit, what is this guys end game? He's just drawing and buffering his life points. The only deck that would use this type of strategy is!' "No! Suz gasped.
"So you figured it out then?" Kazekure smirked.
"I have! You're gathering the pieces of Exodia!"
"How unfortunate, I was hoping you would run into a few more of my monsters but even if you can see it coming you wont be able to stop me." He flipped over two of the cards in his hand and revealed the left and right hands of Exodia. "Make your move."
'I have to get rid of his draw power fast. Thankfully I have everything I need.' "Alright I draw and the Ocean let's me return Shadow Mist to my hand!" Suz looked and the cards in her hand and nodded. "It's time! I fuse together Shadowmist and Ocean!"
The two heroes were pulled into the swirling fusion vortex and Absolute Zero began to appear. "However I also use Mask Change to give my Absolute Zero a bit of an upgrade!" As Suz played the card armor flew from all over and covered the frozen hero to create Masked Hero Acid.
"Now Acid will destroy your back row and Absolute Zero your monsters!" A chill spread across the field and Acid shot his gun as Kazekure's cards.
"Sorry Suz but if you think any Exodia player worth their salt hasn't accounted for field destruction you really aren't as much of a duelist as you seem. For you see, The Huge Revolution is Over." One of Kazekure's face down cards flipped up and chains shot out it and captured Masked Hero Acid. "So your monster's destruction effect is negated and your Hero is banished!" The chains dragged Acid down into the Abyss and Kazekure's spells and traps were safe. "I do lose my Masked Dragon though." The ice covered the dragon and shattered it. "But thanks to my Supply Squad I get a draw from that, and with Oasis of Dragon Souls," Kazekure's last facedown flipped up and Masked Dragon reappeared "it comes right back in defense position."
"Shadow Mist let's me grab a hero from my deck."
"Suz be careful!" Mike shouted. "You can't let him draw anymore cards!"
"Thank you Mike! But if you wouldn't mind not bothering me in a very stressful situation!" Suz snapped. This was bad, she had known her Zero Acid trick would probably not work but she had still hoped. She still had a trick up her sleeve though. She just needed to draw the right cards. "I set a card and attack Masked Dragon with Nova Master!" The dragon was shattered and then immediately replaced as both duelists drew a card 'It's here! Just two more'. "I set one more card and end my turn."
"What are you doing! You're letting an Exodia player draw all he wants!" Mike shouted again.
"Shut up Mike!"
"You should listen to your friend." Kazekure said as he drew for his turn.
Suz: 8000 Kazekure: 11300
"I think I'll set one card and then pass it onto you." Kazekure was grinning like a little school girl.
'He definitely has another piece of Exodia.' Suz thought as she drew. 'I don't have all the cards I need to finish this so I have to risk it.' "I summon Vision Hero Vyon in attack position!" The robotic hero appeared and it's one eyed gaze looked out onto the field. "So I can send my second Shadow Mist to the graveyard with all that entails!" Suz grabbed another hero monster and added it to her hand.
"Then banishing Elemental Hero Ocean gives me a polymerization from my deck!" 'I need to thin my deck more. Dammit I can't out draw power an Exodia deck!' "And Nova Master… attack Masked Dragon!"
"Unfortunately I drew my third Masked Dragon so I have to move on to the next step in the ladder, come on out Troop Dragon." This dragon was more humanoid with green sales and actually armor (DEF 800).
They both drew and Suz flinched. Useful but not what she needed. "Your turn."
Suz: 8000 Kazekure: 11800
Kazekure drew and laughed. "Would you look at that, I now have four of the five pieces." The man flipped some of his cards over and showed all but the head of Exodia. "I'll set a monster and a back row face down and end my turn."
Suz: 8000 Kazekure: 12300
'Please! I need this next card to be it!' Suz closed her eyes and drew. The card was… Suz grinned. "It's over Kazekure!"
Kazekure took a step back at the sudden declaration. "Stop bluffing, nobody has defeated my Draconic Exodia deck before and you won't now."
"Sorry Kazekure but in case you didn't notice I use heroes, and heroes are people that slay dragons and make the impossible possible! I use Call of the Haunted so return Shadowmist!" The dark hero appeared.
"Now from my hand! Inferno Reckless Summon! Now I get three Shadow Mists and you get two more Troop Dragons." The field was now almost completely filled. "And by special summoning a Shadow Mist I get a Mask Quickplay spell. I won't need that though because with I play R-Righteous Justice! So with three elemental Heroes!"
Supply Squad, Solemn Wishes, and Kazekure's facedown which was revealed to be a Negate Attack.
"Your back row is destroyed!"
"So what!" Kazekure shouted. "I still only have one Exodia piece left and you just thinned my deck for me!"
"The words of a dying man! Polymerization takes three Shadow Mist and makes them more!"
The fusion portal appeared and as the three identical monsters were drawn in the familiar form of Vision Hero Trinity came out (ATK 5000) "Let's finish this on one fell swoop!"
"Trinity again?" Mike said softly.
"Don't make me laugh! I know your Trinity can attack three times but my monsters are still in defense position." Despite his tough words Kazekure took a step back, only to find himself on the edge of his hanging platform.
"That's why I have this! H-Heated Heart!" Vision Hero Trinity began to burn with fire (ATK 5000—5500).
"D-Dammit!"
"I have to thank you Kazekure, I haven't been able to use Trinity here to his full potential in a while, now then it's time to say goodbye!" Trinity's giant red eye began to glow. "Trinity End!"
A bright light filled the entire room and when it faded Kazekure and the entire platform that he was standing were gone only leaving behind singed ropes.
Suz: 8000 Kazekure: 0000
"From the edge of defeat!" Mike said in awe. "Just like last time."
"Yeah winning at the last minute is sort of my style." Suz said jumping back to the ledge from her platform. "Now then if you wouldn't mind helping get her" Suz pointed at the crystal containing Elizabeth, "down here."
The Cave of Mist
"If this is another illusionary maze I'm going to scream." Carter said to Ymir as they came across a forked path.
"I don't sense any illusion magic here so it is an actual fork in the path. There must be some sort of clue to how to get in, let's look around." Carter grunted in agreement and the two began to search the cave walls.
"See anything?" Carter asked after a few minutes.
"Nothing, I think we may have to just pick a path and go through." Ymir said and then tried to peer down the paths to find any hints of mangled bodies who had chosen the wrong path.
Carter looked like he was about to say something sarcastic then got a confused look on his face. "No wait, this is, this is familiar."
"Like how you had vague feelings about the stuff from the village?"
"Sort of, but more. I can remember something about an out a place rock, and spilling water?"
"Well that is very helpful. So which path do you want to take? Left or right?"
"No wait, there's more there's…" Carter started searching the ground before coming across a small grouping of rocks forming a sort of cup shape. "'So that if they put water on the outcropping…'" Carter hovered his hand over the rocks and said "Aquarius!" And with the spell water began to drop from his palm to the rocks.
"Are you having a mental breakdown? Because if you are I have no idea how to deal with that." Carter said nothing to that and soon enough a rumbling sound filled the cavern and the floor opened up to reveal a staircase leading down.
"Holy shit there's actually a hidden passage."
"It's clearing up in my head." Carter said massaging his temples. "I've been here before heard all this before, Lancelin, Elizabeth, and getting the sword from the Sage. None of this is new."
"Wait! Do you mean we're in some sort of time loop?"
"Maybe? It's still hard to think, and the more I remember the harder it is to get more. It's like something in my brain is fighting me." Carter was starting to breath heavily as he strained himself trying to remember. "Dammit!"
"Carter calm down! All you're doing is hurting yourself!"
Carter slowed his breathing and closed his eyes. "Alright I'm fine, I'm fine. I just don't like the idea of somebody messing with my head. Anything you can do about it?"
"Sorry no." Ymir dropped a bit in the air. "My ability to dispel magic doesn't really extend to mental effects like this. If I tried I might end up just frying your memories."
"Yeah let's not do that unless we actually need to." Carter looked down the new passage then looked back at Ymir. "We have to keep marching through anyways. Maybe this sage can help with my memories."
"Hopefully. Let's try to avoid any fights along the way, I don't know if we can trust you to fight properly in that state." Ymir floated down the stairs.
"Good call." Carter said following Ymir, until he was stopped by a green barrier suddenly appearing on the entryway.
"You passed the trials of will and knowledge." A voice announced from one of the forks in the cave.
"Now you must face the trial of strength." A voice said from the other branch. Then two figures approached from the mist.
The one on the left was a woman wearing tribal cloths, covered in intricate tattoos and markings. The one on the right was a man and wearing a deep blue wizards cloak and had a long beard. Both of them held duel disks.
"What! Carter no!" Ymir said from behind the barrier.
Pain blossomed in Carter's head and he remembered something. "'We must test your weakest link, the last in your party must prove themselves before you can continue.'"
"So you know of the trial?" The woman said.
"Then you must make a choice." The man continued.
"Who I want to face in combat right?" Carter was panting again the force of the strange memories keeping him from focusing.
"Correct, I am the Guardian of Strength, chose me if you believe in your power to break through any obstacle."
"And I am the Guardian of Knowledge, chose me if you wish to prove yourself in a battle of wits."
Carter looked between the two of them and gave a cocky grin. "I'll take the two of you on at the same time in a tag duel."
"What!" Two guardians took a step back at that.
"Don't mock us boy!" Strength shouted.
"Either one of us could destroy you easily!"
"Then a tag duel shouldn't be all that difficult should it? Unless you're scared?" Carter taunted them.
"You will be the one scared!" Knowledge shouted. "Fine then a two on one duel! 1600 life points."
"And we will share a field and graveyard!" Strength finished.
"Fine by me."
"Dammit Carter what are you doing? You're in no condition to fight both of them at once!" Ymir shouted.
"That's true, but I'm also in no condition to attacked from behind. If I duel one of them and lose the other will attack me from behind as I walk away. And with my head like this It could take me hours to heal from the damage."
The two guardians looked at each other at the accusation and turned pale. "How do you know so much about our trial?"
"No one who has taken this trial has lived long enough to tell others of it." Knowledge said.
"A little birdie told me, of course the birdie is imaginary and only exists in my head so…" Carter did the so and so motion with his hand.
"You will pay for mocking us!" Knowledge said while drawing his first cards.
Carter: 16000 Knowledge & Strength: 16000
"I start with the summon of Mythical Beast Cerberus"
A phantom beast appeared made of nearly translucent flames and with three dog heads (ATK 1400).
"Next a field spell! Magical Citadel of Endymion." The gave dropped away and they were now in an ancient city with magical effects going around everywhere. Meanwhile Mythical Beast Cerberus glowed blue (ATK 1400—1900). "And with the activation of a spell card Cerberus gains spell counter, and 500 attack alongside it."
"Great a spell counter deck, trying to get me to play conservatively with my spells? Let me guess, Strength will make me wary about my traps?"
"Silence human! I play the spell card Spell Power Grasp which gives my Cerberus an extra spell counter and then both my other cards gain spell counters from it's activation!" Mythical Beast Cerberus glowed even more brightly (ATK 1900—2900) and a green orb of energy began circling the citadel. "I can add a second Spell Power Grasp to my hand and then it's your move."
"Don't you dare call me a human, I have become more than any human could ever hope to be, now let me show you." Carter looked over his hand. "I summon Goblin Zombie in attack position!" The monster lean and lanky with a green discolored carapace covering it's body like armor (ATK 1100). "Now then, you like spell cards? I'll give you all the spells you want! I use polymerization!"
The Goblin Zombie on his field and another monster in his hand flew into a swirling fusion vortex that appeared.
"Lord of the Zombies, you have taken your sacrifices, so come forth and consume my enemies! Reveal yourself Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon"
All over the city shadows gathered and them formed to become a large monster. It was vaguely dragon shaped but it had a human like upper half with arms as well as metallic wings. It's very presence simply screamed danger (ATK 3000). "And because a Goblin Zombie from my field was sent to the grave I can add a zombie with less than 1200 defense to my hand!"
"And because you activated a spell card Cerberus is now more than strong enough to take on your dragon!" (ATK 3400)
"Well than why don't I remedy that mistake! I use the effect of Mezuki!" Carter took a card from his graveyard and showed it too his opponents.
"You sent it to the grave with that fusion summon!" Knowledge shouted in shock.
"That's right! And now come back Goblin Zombie!" The monster reappeared looking tiny compared to the giant dragon. "Now Goblin Zombie attack that Cerberus!"
"Dammit no!" Knowledge shouted as his monster destroyed the zombie, only to become weak immediately after (ATK 3400—1400). "You knew after battling my monster would lose all of its spell counters so you were willing to take over two thousand life points worth of damage just to get rid of it! You have guts."
"Not really, those dried up a long time ago, but I would be partial to taking some of yours." Carter said while getting another card from Goblin Zombie.
"Hahaha!" Strength laughed. "Looks like this might be a challenge!"
"Really? Because from where I'm looking there doesn't seem to be any challenge at all! Dragonecro attack that beast of - agh!" Carter dropped to his knees as his fusion monster destroyed Cerberus. "God dammit!" Dragonecro sent a blast of dark energy that washed over Cerberus but did not destroy it.
"Cerberus is alive!" Knowledge exclaimed.
"For a certain value of alive." Carter said as the blue light from the monster faded (ATK 1400—0). "Dragonecro feasts on the should of his opponents, not the body, so your monster loses its stats. Then the soul returns to the field under my control." A dark ghostly shadow of Cerberus appeared on next to Dragonecro (ATK 1400). "And the shadow can destroy your monster! Shadow Cerberus destroy the real one!"
The shadow ran towards the real cerberus and simply tore right through it. "Now with a single set card I end my turn."
Carter: 13700 Knowledge & Strength: 13000
"If you think a little trick like that will stop us you're dead wrong! Prepare to be devoured!" Strength drew and gave a wild grin. "I activate Brilliant Fusion!" A continuous spell appeared on the field and Strength sent two cards from her deck to the graveyard. "Come on out Gem-Knight Seraphinite!" A stone knight radiating light appeared on the field. "Next because I sent Performage Trick Clown to the graveyard for that fusion summon I can say one thousand life points to summon it to the field!" A small clown appeared on the field and Strength grunted as her life points lowered.
"I am not even close to done yet! I activate the Spellbook of Secrets letting me add a Spellbook to my hand!" Strength took a card from her deck. "Now most Spellbooks are spell cards but I summon one of the few monsters! Spell book Magician of Prophecy!" A young wizard covered in blue robes came onto the field.
"Gem-Knights, Performages, Spellbooks? What kind of deck is that?" Ymir asked from behind the forcefield.
"One that a cares more about gaining draw power than really having any real theme to the deck am I right?" Carter asked.
"Completely right Carter! Now normal summoning my Magician of Prophecy lets me take another Spellbook from my deck so why not the Spellbook of Knowledge. Now playing that card will allow me to send my blue boy to the graveyard to draw two cards!" Strength drew her cards than grinned.
"I activate two copies of Into the Void! Now I draw two more cards." She drew even more cards then held up one. "I may have to discard my hand at the end of my turn now but I have all I need. With Seraphinite on the field I have an extra normal summon so I can sacrifice her and my Trick Clown to bring out my ultimate beast!"
The area began rumble and both of Strengths monsters disappeared as a monster that dwarfed even Dragonecro. It was a dragon but a more traditional one with bronze scales and wings that covered the artificial sky created by Knowledge's field spell. It let out a roar and all in its presence shrank back (ATK 2900).
"If I was anybody but me I would say that Tyrant Dragon isn't strong enough to defeat my fusion, but you don't look like the type to make a mistake like that."
"You're right! I activate the equip spell Bashing Shield, this gives a normal summoned or set monster an extra grand for attacking and makes it so I don't take any battle damage from it." A large spiked shield appeared on Tyrant Dragon's chest (ATK 2900—3900).
"Now Tyrant Dragon attack both his monsters!" The large dragon sent out a burst of flaming breath washing across Carter's field engulfing him as well.
"Carter!" Ymir screamed.
The Castle Dungeons
"So you're saying that not only is this crystal completely indestructible but your magic can't free her?" Suz asked Mike.
"Yeah unfortunately. On the plus side an atomic bomb could go off right next to her and she would be perfectly alright."
"Really?" Suz said looking interested.
The Castle Hallways
Sirius stood watch at his portion of the hallway that he had been entrusted to guard by the lord of the castle. He knew he was not powerful enough to stop the intruders that had defeated both Medrawd and Kazekure, but he could buy enough time for the lord to do whatever he needed to defeat them.
The werewolf sighed as he looked over his deck, he said he had no chance but if he could use this card, he thought, the card his family had handed down for generations. If he used that card the chances of him winning rose from zero to maybe ten precent, enough in his mind to make himself useful to his lord.
It was at that time that he began to hear large crashes, then before he could react a large crystal being used as a battering ram by a women in armor with a man hanging off her neck crashed through the wall in front of him and then continued on through ignoring him and crashing though the next wall.
"What?"
Deeper into the Castle Hallways
"Hahaha! I love this thing!" Suz said crashing through the maze that was the castle with ease. "If there wasn't a person inside of it I'd love to keep it!"
Mike just screamed as he tried not to fall off of Suz.
Suz continued to crash through the castle until she was stopped by a sudden force causing Mike to fly forward head over heels. She looked up and saw a giant scaled man holding the crystal in place with one hand.
"We duel. Now." He said simply.
Suz gave a giant grin. "Sure thing!"
The Cave of Mist
"Carter!" Ymir screamed.
Carter: 10300 Knowledge & Strength: 12000
The smoke cleared and Carter laid on the ground with one of his legs several feet away.
"Are you sure you wish to continue in this state young man?" Knowledge asked.
"Please this is nothing. I tear off my own leg for breakfast." Shadowy sinews appeared between the two pieces of leg and moved to reattach them. Soon enough Carter was standing on both of his feet. "See." The three duelist stood in silence for a moment before the leg fell off again and Carter fell to the floor.
"Hahaha!" The Strength laughed. "While you're picking yourself up I'll set two cards face down and end my turn. Now however I have to discard the rest of my hand because I used Into the Void." She sent the two remaining cards she had to the graveyard as Carter propped himself up onto a rock.
"No" Ymir whispered. "It can't be, the chances of it happening are impossible."
"I-I draw!" Carter drew a card wincing in pain. "Now if you wouldn't mind giving me some time to reattach my leg-
"Don't!" Ymir shouted. "Don't use your powers as the Litch!"
Carter turned to Ymir. "Are you insane? You want me to duel without a leg?"
"I'll explain when you win, but you can't use your immortality or your condition will get worse."
"Fine! But only because you said when and not if." Carter looked over the cards in his hand, not the best and especially nothing he would want to send into two face downs. "I set a monster face down and a spell or trap and end my turn."
"What happened to all of that bravado from before hmm? Well I suppose it doesn't really matter." Knowledge said as he drew.
"As you may have noticed my field spell has five counters on it, and during my last turn I was able to get a copy of Spell Power Grasp from my deck," Knowledge held of the card then played it, "so I can not only add two more spell counters to the Citadel but get a third copy from my deck."
"More than six counters on Endymion can mean only one thing." Carter growled.
"That's right, and thanks to my parter I can expedite his arrival, I use her facedown card Foolish Burial!" Knowledge sent a card from his deck to the grave and yet another spell counter appeared. "Now the conditions are just right to summon the master of my field spell, Endymion the Master Magician come forth!" With a flash of light what was obviously a wizard wearing heavy black robes appeared (ATK 2700). "Now my monster allows me to take a spell card from my graveyard, and my partners Spellbook of Knowledge will do just fine."
Knowledge laughed. "I must thank you for this tag duel idea. I had not realized how much synergy our decks had. I now use my normal summon to bring out Frequency Magician." A much lead impressive wizard appeared on the field (ATK 500). "Now he isn't that impressive but when summoned he gets a single spell counter and now I can expend it to give Tyrant Dragon an extra 500 attack points for this turn." The giant dragon glowed and gave a resounding cry (ATK 3900—4400).
"Then because Frequency Magician is a spellcaster I can use Spellbook of Knowledge to send it to the graveyard and get an extra two draws." The magician faded away as the Duelist refreshed his hand even more.
"Finally I can pitch this spell card," Knowledge held up another copy of Endymion and sent it to the graveyard, "And Endymion blows up that card in your back row." Carter's face down Negate Attack shattered.
"Now you are completely helpless! Go Endymion destroy his facedown monster!" A blast of black magic shattered the facedown card, but as soon as it was destroyed in it's place a turtle with a pyramid instead of a shell appeared (DEF 1400)
"You destroyed my Pyramid Turtle which means I can bring another one out from my deck."
"Summon all the monsters you want, now Tyrant Dragon will destroy your Turtle!" The fire breathing monster destroyed the turtle which was swiftly replaced by a third. "Now Tyrant Dragon can attack your monster again!" The final Pyramid Turtle was destroyed.
"Now I summon Ghost Charon, the Underworld Boatman!" This monster was almost exactly as described, an undead boatman (ATK 500).
"I end my turn, now let us see what your useless zombies can do against the combined might of magic and dragons." Knowledge said.
"How dare you?" Carter said as he drew his card.
"What was that boy?" Knowledge asked.
"I asked how dare you!" Carter began screaming. "I am the strongest warrior in existence! The mere idea that you dared lay a finger on me is inexcusable! Bow your heads in subservience and I might spare your lives!"
"Carter what are you doing? I've never seen you act like this!" Ymir cried out.
Strength just laughed at him. "Wow you really have fallen off the deep end haven't you?"
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Carter drew a card. "Let me remind you what I can do at full strength! Charon, lead the way from the underworld!" The monster flew its boat into the air and then disappeared into a dark portal.
"He's using that!" Ymir gasped. "Stop it you can't control that card without using your powers!"
"I don't care!" Carter screamed a wild look in his eye. "I am a knight of the Gestalt and I won't let my death go unavenged!"
"What?" Ymir asked confused. Strength and Knowledge looked scared by the declaration.
"Come forth! Dragocytos Corrupted Nethersoul Dragon!" Charon returned from the dark portal, and behind him came what appeared to be a larger meaner version of Dragonecro (ATK 4000). As the dragon circled the city of Endymion carter began to decompose entering his true litch form as his leg reattached and stayed there.
"Now you fiends will face an attack from beyond the grave! Dragocytos attack Tyrant Dragon!" The dragon didn't even really attack it just coiled around the monster and squeezed crushing it.
"Next my mighty monster has the same ability as your dragon so attack this city's master!" This time Dragocytos did preform an attack sending a cloud of noxious breath that dissolved the magician to it's bones.
Carter: 10300 Knowledge & Strength: 10700
"Then with the battle phase over I summon Uni-Zombie to the field!" A pair of drunk zombies appeared on the field singing off-key (ATK 1300). "By sending one zombie to the graveyard from the deck I can increase my monsters level to four." The discordant singing got even worse.
"Then because a new Mezuki is in the graveyard I can banish it for one of the loyal monsters in my deck the Goblin Zombie!" The green zombie reappeared. "And what do you know? Uni-Zombie is a tuner monster so he can get me a level 8 synchro monster!"
4 + 4 = 8
"Clustering Wills become a new existence! Come out lord of the Electromagnetic World! Level eight, PSY-Framelord Omega!"
What came forth was most definitely not a zombie, but rather a man in a leather outfit riding a golden hovercraft like machine (ATK 2800).
"Dammit." Ymir said softly. "It's already happening."
Carter started to laugh as the monster his the field clutching his belly and bending over as his skin began recompose.
"D-dammit! Who are you really! There's no way the Gestalt would send another knight here! Not while we're still on a job!" Strength said.
"Yeah! And we haven't seen either of you at headquarters before so you can't be one of us!" Knowledge added.
"Oh my don't tell me you have already forgotten me?" Carter stood up straight but there was something different about him, he felt stronger, more confident if that was possible and his voice now had a deeper edge to it that there wasn't before.
Strength and Knowledge trembled at the sound of the voice.
"What is wrong Strength and Knowledge? I would've thought you'd be happy to see me. Don't you want to give big brother Willpower a hug?"
In the Castle
Suz: 100 Hector: 6500
"Now with my three monsters I can summon Vision Hero Trinity and finish you off!" Suz summoned her ace monster and it stared down his opponents monster, a large winged serpent known as the First of the Dragons (ATK 2700). "Attack with Trinity End!" Just before the monster's attack hit though First of the Dragons disappeared. "What!"
Her opponent Hector the dragonborn gave a small chuckle. "Interdimensional Matter Transporter removes my monster from the field until the end of my turn, and Trinity cannot attack directly. Next turn his attack returns to normal and First of Dragons wins me the duel."
"Not so fast big guy! Not when I have this card left in my hand!" Suz played her last card, "De-Fusion!" Trinity began to split apart.
"No!" Hector shouted.
"Yes!" So say hello to Witch Raider, Bladedge, and Heat!" Three monsters appeared on the field, one the shotgun wielding witch hunter, the other a man covered in gold (ATK 2600) and a third a man wearing a full body outfit that looked like fire itself (ATK 1600—2200). "Now end this duel my monsters!" All three monsters rushed Hector and the combined blow sent him flying into the wall.
Suz turned to Mike who was staring dumbstruck from the sidelines. "Come on let's get moving!" She grabbed the Elizabeth crystal again and put Mike on her back before continuing her charge to the center of the castle.
The Cave of Mist
"What is wrong?" The creature wearing Carter's body asked when nobody said anything. "Nothing to say? Not even sorry for killing me and burying my body in the woods like a peasant? If it was about that outburst earlier please know I didn't mean it. I was just so stressed possessing this body. It was much harder than I would've thought."
"Carter! Don't let his presence overpower yours! You're stronger than that!" Ymir shouted.
"Oh please be quiet." Willpower glared at Ymir and a beam of energy shot right through the forcefield and knocked her back. "Now where was I? Oh yes, Goblin Zombie nets me a card to my hand and I end my turn." Willpower gestured to Strength to continue her turn.
"If you expect us to believe that you're really our brother than your dumber than you look! Asura died over a year ago and there isn't anybody for miles that could resurrect him!" Strength said while drawing.
"I don't mean to interrupt you dear sister but two things, one during your standby phases I can use Omega to return a Mezuki to my grave." Willpower pocketed the card. "In addition must you add insult to the injury of my murder to not accept my miraculous rebirth? Of course you always liked to spoil my fun, especially that one time in training with the cute little redhead." The being possessing Carter gave a pointed look at Strength.
"Bullshit!" Knowledge shouted suddenly. "Strength told that story to everybody who would listen! Knowing that just proves you did a little bit or research!"
"That's right!" Strength added. "I don't know what game you're playing but I'm through with it. Im taking you down!"
"Well I hope that your strategy doesn't involve that last card in your hand because Omega's second effect activates, I banish it and a card in your hand." Both Willpower's monster and the Strength's last card vanished.
"If you think that's all you need to take me on you than you really aren't our brother! I activate the facedown Card of Demise!" Strength drew three cards and Willpower chuckled.
"Of course of course! You truly are my beloved sister, unwilling to give up even to the bitter end! It reminds me of the time we were hired to guard that king's armory. Do you remember what that hero's name was? I always forget."
"Willpower is dead and buried! We made sure of it ourselves! So even if we thought you were our brother we would just kill him again!" Strength acted tough however doubt was beginning to creep into her voice.
"I set a card and play Burden of the Mighty! Now your monster loses attack based on it's level!" A face up card appeared and Dragocytos weakened (ATK 4000—3000).
"Lastly I summon the weak little Decoy Dragon to my field." A cute little blue dragon appeared on the field (ATK 300)
"Attack if you dare." Strength said with a sneer.
"And fall into the Decoy Dragon Ego Boost trap I taught you back when we were but squires? I'd rather not." Willpower said as he drew a card and Psy-Framelord Omega reappeared along with Strength's last card (ATK 2800—2000).
"Stop speaking those lies!" Knowledge shouted. "Like she said even if we did believe you we'd just put you right back into the ground."
"Dear dear brother please stop fooling yourself." Willpower said shaking his head. "I may have been fading fast but I saw the tears in your eyes as that demon in the castle forced you two to kill me. I am not here for revenge I am here because I missed the two most important people in my life."
"Literally one of the first things you said as you were taking hold of that body were 'I won't let my death go unavenged'" Knowledge said. "If you really are Willpower that is."
Willpower's smile dropped for a second and then reappeared. "I wasn't talking about you two of course. I meant the lord of the castle that forced you too attack me. I understand that we couldn't take him on before but with this body and your assistance it will be a piece of cake."
Knowledge faltered for a moment. "D-do you actually mean that? You forgive us?"
"Don't listen to him Knowledge!" Strength shouted. "There's no way to defeat that monster!"
"Oh?" Willpower said raising an eyebrow. "So does that mean you believe my identity?"
Strength just growled.
"How about a little deal then?"
"What sort of deal?" Strength asked cautiously.
"Simple, I prove to you that I have the power to destroy the lord of the castle and you join me in my quest, if not and you defeat me than just kill me again."
Strength and Knowledge looked at each other and they both gave a hesitant nod. "Deal."
"Good then let's begin! I draw and Dragocytos halves your Decoys attack and deals damage to you equal to the attack lost!" Strength grunted as the damage went through.
"And now I reveal the glorious truth that you never even had a chance! Go Zombie World!" The citadel around them began to decay and screams pierced the air as the rot spread.
"Shit!" Strength cried out.
"That's right dearest sister now that Zombie World is on the field your Decoy Dragon is no longer that, he is now a Decoy Zombie so you can't bring out that mighty mighty dragon." Willpower gave a chuckle. "Now I just need more than ten thousand points of damage on the field." He looked over his cards like he was making it up as he went along but the grin on his face said otherwise.
"How about this Zombie Master!" The lich staple of any zombie deck appeared cackling (ATK 1800—1400). "Now by discarding this card I can summon Goblin Zombie from the grave." The Zombie Master opened up a portal to the graveyard and Goblin Zombie returned (ATK 1100—700).
"Then by returning this card to my hand I can bring back Plaugespreader Zombie." A large mall proportioned purple zombie creature appeared (ATK 400—200). "Then it's time for a Synchro Summon!"
4 + 2 = 6
"Clustering Bones become a new doom! Come out the bringer of destruction! Level six, Doomkaiser Dragon!"
The grotesque dragon zombie appeared (ATK 2400—1800) "Then because all of your graveyards are zombies!" Doomkaiser Dragon let out a roar and from the ground rose a zombified version of Endymion (ATK 2700—2000). "And how could I forget the effect of my Goblin Zombie and add a zombie to my hand, but that won't stay there long because I discard it to use Twin Twisters destroying your spell cards."
A whirlwind blew towards Strength's cards. "I chain Ego Boost to Raise Decoy Dragon's attack by a thousand." One of her cards lifted up but it didn't matter as her Burden of the Mighty was blown off the field and all of Willpower's monsters rose to full strength.
Despite the fact they were facing down more than ten thousand points of damage the two siblings smiled. "Willpower? It really is you." Knowledge said hesitantly.
"The one and only my favorite brother." Willpower said with a smile himself. "Now taste my new found strength!" All of his monsters rushed forward and everybody present saw nothing but white.
Right Outside the Throne Room
"This is it Mike, time for the final battle. You ready?" Suz looked over to the teacher who was shaking in his boots and laughed. "Don't worry just stay behind me and I'll take care of it all!" And the two entered the throne room.
The room was as gaudy as expected with gothic pillars and a large black throne in the center. Sitting on the throne was a man that exuded danger like an aura. He was dressed in fine cloths and had a gaudy fur lined cape around his neck. Behind the throne Lancelin was strung up from the ceiling bleeding heavily.
"So you are the one that has been causing so much trouble inside my castle then?"
Suz grinned. "Yup, and now it's time to take you down!"
"Foolish." The man said and stood up.
Suz and Mike were instantly blown back by the pressure he gave off just by moving. "Now then let us begin."
For the first time in a while Suz's smile faltered.
The Cave of Mist
Willpower stood at the entrance to the path that led to the Sage of the Lake. Ymir was lying on the floor injured and kneeling behind him were Strength and Knowledge. He grabbed the deck in his duel disk and threw it to the wind. "I won't be needing this anymore.
"Let us move onward now, it's time to get revenge." Willpower said to his siblings.
"Yes brother!" The two said and the three of them continued on the path with Willpower sending one last blast of energy at Ymir who was struggling to get back in the air.
"C-Carter…" Ymir said weakly as her glow faded and she passed out.
End of Chapter Two