Disclaimer: You already know what I'm going to say.
The Infinity Chronicles-Second Semester Arc
Chapter 7: Electrical Malfunction
Adriel yawned and rolled out of bed, stretching out his back and feeling the warmth of the sun on his face. ("It's morning already?") Fixing up his sheets, he sleepily looked out at the beautiful lakeside view afforded to him by his Obelisk Blue room. "Oh well, we have another week before classes start. I could sleep in, but I feel like making my presence known across campus again. They will learn to fear the name of Adriel Zaytel once more." Stumbling into the bathroom, he stripped down and hopped into the shower, turning on the waterproof radio that hung under the shower mouth.
A few minutes later he was soaping himself up while listening to one of his favorite Duelist Academy student-run radio stations.
The radio crackled and the DJ, who didn't sound much older than Adriel, came on with the ending of the song that had been playing. "It's the top of the hour, and you know what that means right? Yup, it's time for Rumors and Gossip."
Sighing, Adriel reached up to flip the off switch. He wasn't interested in hearing about potential budding romances across campus.
"Well, first off I'd like to welcome all of the new student body members to Duelist Academy. We hope you all find happiness here and experience the variety of things that make life great. And as to our returning students, let's give a review as to who some of the top players here at the school are, shall we?"
His hand faltered, and he waited patiently. "Mention my name…mention my name…"
"Of course, with this being a new school year Duelist Academy currently lacks a Kaiser. With the graduation of the big three top-ranked duelists of the school, those being Kenshin Anderson, Hitokage Seijitsu, and Davis (…), our most likely candidates would have to be the previously fourth and fifth ranked students Adriel Zaytel and Erika Amero."
Adriel pounded his fist into his other hand. "Hah, they know of my power!"
"Between the two of them, I'm not sure who would win. Zaytel has some serious power, but Amero's one scary girl when she duels!" The DJ laughed, while the sound of paper being rustled could be heard in the background. "Oh yeah, and today we have a special guest with us!" The sound of a door opening nearby could be heard, followed by another microphone coming on. "Sorry to interrupt Rumors and Gossip, but I forgot about the scheduled interview. This guy, ladies and gentlemen, is the real deal. He's won at least one duel against the top twenty-ranked duelists in the school."
Adriel stared at the radio. "Who…" Then it hit him. "Oh…what?"
"Ichigo Pilkington, the Blue Osiris, welcome aboard."
A few seconds later Ichigo's voice came on over the speakers. "It's…it's a…" His voice sounded strangely monotone. "What's this word say?"
The DJ sighed. "Mr. Pilkington, did you bring note cards to this interview?"
"Of course not!" Ichigo sounded offended. "These are just…umm…"
Adriel turned off the radio before he could hear more. "What kind of idiotic…" The radio crackled again. "Huh?" He flicked the switch on, and then off. Once more, the speaker continued to crackle, even though it was off. "Weird…" Suddenly a bolt of electricity shot from the radio, hit the water of the shower, and immediately electrified it.
Needless to say, the Obelisk Blue dorm got to hear a very loud string of curses that morning.
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"What's this?" Ichigo approached the Osiris Red dorm, only to see that all of the students were gathered outside and were all chatting amongst themselves about something. "Hey, what's going on?"
Erian turned to look at his roommate. "A bunch of guys came into the dorms and said something about a power circuit overload."
"Power circuit overload?" Ichigo sighed. "Man, I need to go shower though! That interview was scheduled way too early in the morning."
"I don't think that will be possible." The smell of something that had been charbroiled hit Ichigo's sensitive nose, leaving him reeling. He turned to come face to face with Adriel. "They've kicked all students out of the dorms because of a problem with the electricity."
Ichigo leaned in and sniffed his rival deeply. "You smell weird…"
Adriel sighed. "I was the first to come across this problem. My shower radio overloaded and started discharging while I was in the water. Had I been a normal human being I'd be dead right now. Luckily, I reported it immediately and the principal cleared out the dorms immediately."
Ichigo whistled in amazement. "That's some story. So…who's hungry?" Erian raised his hand, while Adriel face-fell immediately. "What's with that reaction, Adriel? Did you just eat or something?"
Leaping to his feet, the half dragon demon bashed his rival on top of the skull with his right fist. "What exactly do you store in your head? I'm telling you that electrical devices of all kinds have been malfunctioning all at the same time! Doesn't that maybe make you wonder if something is afoot?"
Ichigo rubbed the back of his head. "Oh, you mean the Blood Children? Why would they do stuff like that?"
Adriel sighed. "How should I know? However, isn't this worth investigating? The source of this disturbance has to be somewhere on the island, and we should try to stop it if we can."
"A disturbance?" Erian stepped forward. "Oh, you mean like that weird source of energy I've felt since last night?"
"…." Adriel just stared at Erian angrily. "You're telling me that you've sensed something wrong since last night, and you didn't tell anyone?"
Erian shrugged innocently. "It felt like a big build-up of electricity, so I just thought it was some kind of machine made by Duelist Academy."
Adriel glared, even angrier than before. "Show me where you felt it from this instant."
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A half an hour later they were in front of an old cave that was in the side of the mountain on Duelist Academy. Though there weren't any discernible landmarks to tell them specifically where they were, but Erian said that he was one hundred percent sure this was where the energy was coming from.
"It doesn't look like there's anything here." Ichigo stepped up to the mouth of the cave.
Adriel face-palmed and walked inside the cave. "Do you really think that the disturbance would be out in plain sight, stupid?"
Grumbling angrily at how mean Adriel was, Ichigo followed.
Erian was about to enter the cave, but he felt a strange pulse of energy appear at the stone opening right before he did so. ("A blockade?") Sighing, he sat down on a nearby stone. "I guess I'll just wait here for them."
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Adriel's eyes immediately adjusted to the darkness, and he walked through the cave without fear. "Ichigo, you are behind me, correct?" When he got no response he didn't even need to turn around to know what had happened. "Forget it, I don't care."
The cavern winded down different directions, but the whole time the half dragon demon could sense a lingering heat in the air that seemed to mark a path to his senses. ("Someone or something has been waiting for me, it seems.") Dropping down another tunnel, he landed in a dimly lit cavern of massive proportions. "The trail stops right here, so that means you are nearby. Come out now!"
"I see that one of the Saviors has found me rather quickly." A voice which sounded like the crackling of electricity echoed across the open space. "I'm glad you have come."
"You're the one behind all of the electrical disturbances on campus?" Adriel didn't appear nervous, those inwardly he was suddenly wishing he had transformed beforehand. ("It's too late now though.")
"I wish to offer you a deal, Savior." The voice grew quieter as a ball of electricity appeared at the other end of the cavern, hovering a few feet off the ground. "I'd like to duel you."
"A duel?" Adriel didn't look amused at this. "You're telling me you did all this so you could challenge one of the Saviors to a duel? What kind of stupid…"
"I am Yusio." The ball's form pulsed in rhythm with the voice.
"Explain your stakes, since I doubt the duel challenge is just for fun." Adriel didn't mind now, but he disliked the idea that this thing led him around by the nose.
Yusio pulsed rapidly. "If you win, I will swear my allegiance to you. If I win, I want the Infinity power source you carry with you. I can sense its energy, and that energy is something I need to feel at least once."
"A hungry alien?" Adriel threw off his bag, removing his Duel Disk from it in one pull. "Very well, I'll take your challenge Yusio!" His Duel Disk hummed to life and folded out into dueling mode. "Duel!"
Yusio- 4000
Adriel- 4000
Yusio pulsed and six panels of pure light appeared behind its 'body'. "I begin." One of the panels disappeared and a cat-girl holding a pair of drums appeared in play. "I summon Thunder Nyan Nyan (1900/800) in attack mode." His monster banged on the drums and meowed loudly. "Also, I set one card face-down. End turn." A face-down card appeared in front of it.
"So you've started with a 1900 four star monster? Not bad." Adriel snickered. "Draw!" He threw a card onto his duel disk. "Emerge now, Sapphire Dragon!" A large sapphire-covered dragon appeared on his field, roaring loudly. (1900/1600) "Also, I place two cards face-down on the field and activate the magic card Last Will!"
Yusio continued to hover in the air, its pulsing slowed.
"Sapphire Dragon, attack Thunder Nyan Nyan with Sapphire Fang!" Adriel watched as his dragon and Yusio's monster collided, both of them exploding. "At this time the effect of Last Will triggers." His magic card reappeared on his field and started glowing. "When a monster on my field is sent to the graveyard, I may special summon one monster from my deck that has 1500 or fewer attack points to the field!" A torrential explosion of water came from his field, forming into a serpentine dragon shape. "My choice is Raging Tides Dragon!" (1500/1000)
"Your strategy is sound, but this hasn't won you the game." Yusio suddenly was pulsing again, bobbing up and down in the air in agitation at the destruction of its monster.
"You're right, I haven't won the game." Adriel smirked. "However, I have just pushed you into a corner! Raging Tides Dragon, attack directly! Torrent of Divine Might!" His dragon roared and released a drill-shaped blast of water that crashed into the light ball.
Yusio- 2500
Adriel- 4000
Removing one of the cards he had placed face-down, Adriel pointed at Yusio again. "The effect of Raging Tides Dragon allows me to sent a magic or trap on my field to the graveyard to let it attack again. However, when it uses this effect it loses 500 attack points until the end of the turn." (1000/1000) "Torrent of Divine Might!" Once again his dragon fired another drill-shaped blast of water that pounded into the ball.
Yusio- 1500
Adriel- 4000
"End turn." Adriel knew that he could have discarded his other set card to attack again, but the damage would only have been 500. It wasn't worth the waste of a card.
Yusio was making strange pained noises now.
"What's the matter?" Adriel crossed his arms across his chest. "Is that all you can take?"
"At the end phase of the turn, I activate Thunder Condenser!" Yusio's voice grew in strength, as did the light coming from it. "This continuous trap card allows me to special summon a level four or lower thunder type monster from my deck during each of my standby phases." A new panel of light appeared to indicate that Yusio's hand size was five. "During my standby phase, I special summon Batteryman AA!" A little orange battery with arms and legs appeared in play. (0/0)
Adriel stared at the creature. "Is that…a battery?"
"Yes. A battery is the container of electricity for humans. And it is the perfect tool for me." One of Yusio's panels of light faded and turned into a magic card on his field. "When Batteryman AA is special summoned, I chain the quickplay magic card Inferno Reckless Summon." The magic card's holographic representation appeared on the field and started to glow. "When a monster with 1500 attack points or less is special summoned to my field and you have a monster in play, I may special summon as many copies of that monster from my deck, hand and graveyard to the field. After which you select a monster on your field and do the same." Two more Batterymen AA appeared in play. (0/0x2)
Adriel pointed at his field, where two torrents of water sprang to life. "I special summon two more of my Raging Tides Dragons!" (1500/1000x2) "Thank you for the gift."
"You should enjoy it while you can." Yusio pulsed brightly as the three battery monsters started exchanging electricity between one another. "When all Batteryman AA on my field are in attack mode, they gain 1000 attack points for each of themselves there is." (3000/0x3)
Adriel's eyes widened at the three monsters his opponent had in play. ("He managed to summon a trio of 3000 attackers in one turn?")
"Batterymen, attack his water dragons!" Yusio was shining even brighter than his powered up monsters were. "Voltaic Backlash!" Three bolts of lightning exploded across his field and crashed into Adriel's three monsters.
"Reverse card open!" Adriel's face-down card flipped up. "My face-down trap is called Bahamut's Blessing. For every dragon type monster I have in play, my life points increase by 500 points!" His trap released a golden glow that fell over his body. Then that glow disappeared as his three dragons were destroyed and he took one lightning bolt to the chest after another.
Yusio- 1500
Adriel- 5500- 4000- 2500- 1000
"So you survived my assault. Very well then, I summon Batteryman D in defense mode." A large cylindrical battery appeared on its field in a crouching position. (0/1900) "This monster, while in play, prevents you from selecting any other thunder type monster on my field as a target. End turn."
("What does that matter?") Adriel looked at the trio of 3000 Batterymen worriedly. ("There's nothing I could summon that would be able to defeat those three monsters.") Drawing, he glanced at the two cards in his hand worriedly before placing the drawn card face-up on his disk. "I summon Rumbling Granite Dragon in defense mode." A large grey boulder-like dragon appeared on Adriel's field in a crouching position. (200/2000) "Also, I place two cards face-down and end my turn."
"It's my turn." A panel appeared behind Yusio. "Activating the effect of my Thunder Condenser, I special summon a Thunder Nyan Nyan from my deck to the field." Another cat-girl appeared in play. (1900/800)
Adriel clenched his fists slowly, waiting for the right opportunity to use his set cards. If he failed then he would lose the power to follow his path of the hero. ("That is unacceptable. I'll fight you until my last breath!")
"Your defense is useless against my Batterymen." Yusio swelled larger, glowing like a miniature sun. "Batteryman AA, attack his dragon now! Voltaic Backlash!" A blast of lightning exploded from the battery monster and shattered the stone dragon easily.
"Reverse card open!" One of Adriel's face-down cards flipped up. "The trap card Death Cycle activates when a monster on my field is destroyed in battle. I select one magic or trap card with a special summon effect from either player's graveyard and activate it! That card's requirements are bypassed! And my choice is your Inferno Reckless Summon quickplay magic card!" Two more Rumbling Granite Dragons appeared on his field in defense mode. (200/2000) "And because your monster zones are all full, you are unable to special summon additional monsters through the effect of Inferno Reckless Summon."
"While that was very impressive, it's still not enough!" Yusio's other two Batterymen unleashed blasts of lightning that shattered the half dragon demon's dragons. "This is the end. When Thunder Nyan Nyan attacks, your life points will be gone. Thunder Drum!"
Adriel's remaining set card flipped up. "I activate Soul Resurrection!" There was a flash of light and his Sapphire Dragon reappeared in play in a crouching position. "This continuous trap card lets me special summon a normal monster from my graveyard to my field in defense mode!" (1900/1600)
The Thunder Nyan Nyan banged on her drums and a bolt of lightning crashed into the dragon, shattering it.
Yusio hovered silently, no longer speaking. Finally after a few seconds its voice returned. "I can see why you were chosen to be a Savior. However, I'm not done yet. I play the continuous magic card Battery Recharger." A magic card appeared on its field. "While this card is face-up in play I gain 500 life points for every Batteryman monster on my field during the end phase of my turn. Also, I play two more of this card and end my turn." All three of its continuous magic cards released blasts of electricity that fed into it.
Yusio- 7500
Adriel- 1000
Adriel felt sore already, as the damage from those triple lightning blasts started to settle into him. ("At this rate I won't last. If I don't draw a saving card this turn, then during the next turn his batteries will finish me off.") "What are you? Why do you want the Infinity sources of power?"
Yusio throbbed, seeming deep in thought. "It is because I feel it is necessary to keep powerful items such as them from the hands of creatures which do not have the strength to command them."
"Are you calling me weak?" Adriel shook off the pain, refusing to let this thing see his weakness.
"No. You are strong. However, there are varying levels of strength in this universe." Yusio grew dimmer. "I can already smell one of my siblings on your body, which means that you must know what is going on. The Blood Children want the Infinity sources of power, and if the wielder of those sources cannot protect it then I will not allow them to keep it!"
"You wish to see strength?" Adriel placed his hand on his deck. "Then let me show you the true strength that I wield." He bared his fangs, angry that any refugee to this planet would dare to question whether he was fit to follow the path of a hero or not. "It's my turn! Draw!" Flipping his drawn card up, he sneered. "I activate the magic card Turnabout Treasure, which activates when I have no cards in play and no cards in my hand except this card. For every face-up card you have in play, I draw one card. Your continuous trap, your three continuous magic cards, and your five monsters equal nine!" Drawing nine cards off of his deck, he grinned at the results. "I'll show it now, the strength that makes me worthy of this power!"
"Then come, show me what brought you one of the infinite sources of power." Yusio contracted and expanded, as if it was breathing.
"I play the magic card Polymerization!" A swirling vortex appeared above Adriel's head. "I fuse Mighty Gale Dragon and Melting Magma Dragon together!" A bright green wind dragon and a deep red fire dragon appeared in the air above him and were pulled into the vortex. "Come out now, Gale Magma Dragon!" (2100/1200) A large green and red dragon appeared on his field.
Another card left his hand. "Now I play Fusion Recovery, adding the Polymerization I played and my Mighty Gale Dragon to my hand." Removing the two cards from his graveyard slot, he held up Polymerization again. "This time I play the magic card Draconic Legacy, returning one dragon type monster from my graveyard to my hand." One of his graveyard Raging Tide Dragons slid out of the graveyard slot. "I then fuse Mighty Gale Dragon and Raging Tide Dragon together!" The two named dragons appeared in the air above his field and were sucked into a vortex. "I fusion summon Gale Tide Dragon!" (1900/2300) A green and blue dragon appeared on his field and roared loudly, sending a spray of wind and water across the field.
"Finally, I normal summon Spear Dragon." A strange blue-nosed dragon appeared on his field. (1900/0)
Yusio couldn't express emotion, but its voice said it all. "Despite your display of summoning power, I am so far not impressed."
"You will be." Adriel snapped up two cards. "These are my Dragon's Roar quickplay magic cards. With their effect, if I have a dragon type monster in play, I may switch the mode of one monster on your field! Since I activated two, my choices are one of your Batterymen AA and your Batteryman D!"
Yusio let out a confused gasp-like noise as one of its slimmer battery monsters dropped into a crouch and its larger battery monster stood up.
Adriel snickered. "I found the weakness to your monsters. You said when all Batterymen AA on your field are in attack mode, they all gain 1000 attack points for each of themselves in play. Well, I thought, what happens if one isn't in attack mode?" He rapped a knuckle on his own skull. "Duh, their attack would be zero." (0/0x3)
"Still, can you defeat me in this turn?"
Adriel pointed at the Batteryman D. "First thing's first, Gale Tide Dragon may attack two times per battle phase! Crushing Storm Burst!" His oceanic dragon unleashed a funnel of water that swallowed up the Batteryman D and destroyed it.
Yusio- 5600
Adriel- 1000
"Once more!" Adriel's monster unleashed its attack on one of the Batteryman AAs, blowing it up next.
Yusio- 3700
Adriel- 1000
"Now for my Spear Dragon! Attack his defense mode Batteryman with Spear Flash!" The blue-nosed dragon spat out a green spear of light that pierced the body of the battery monster and then slashed into Yusio's sphere-like body. "When Spear Dragon battles with a defense mode monster, and its attack is higher, the difference is dealt in battle damage to your life points!"
Yusio- 1800
Adriel- 1000
"When Spear Dragon's attack finishes, it switches to defense mode." Adriel's dragon folded its wings in on itself. "Now for the last 1800! Gale Magma Dragon, attack Batteryman AA with Burning Storm Burst!" His last monster opened its jaws, powering up a ball of fire within them.
"It's too bad your attack won't finish this." Yusio's last Batteryman was surrounded by electricity. "Since my last Batteryman AA is the only one in play, it gains 1000 attack points for every one of itself on the field." (1000/0)
"I don't care!" Adriel pointed at his dragon. "Gale Magma Dragon's special ability triggers when it destroys a monster as a result of battle! You take that monster's attack in damage!" Then his monster unleashed its fireball, burning the Batteryman to a crisp. "After damage calculation you'll have 700 life points, and my dragon will deal you 1000."
Yusio- 0
Adriel- 1000
As the field cleared, Yusio's form started to grow much dimmer. It was almost like a light bulb turning off. "You have won against me, and for that you have earned my allegiance." It turned into a bolt of lightning that hit Adriel's duel disk and vanished into the device. "I will come if you call for me."
Shoving his hands into his pockets, Adriel started to head back out of the cave. ("This was but a test to make sure I was worthy of the path of a hero. I'll assume I passed, this time. However, just how many of the Infinity Travelers are actually here at this school? And how many have forms like Yusio's?")
To be continued…