CHAPTER 7: Cold as Ice

"You won't defeat me, face it!" Allen shouted at Shibai.

"But I am willing to fight for our love!" Shibai replied.

The life points stood at 4000 for Allen to 100 for Shibai. Allen had been trouncing Shibai the entire duel and Shibai desperately held on to his last bit of life points. On the field Allen had Vampire Lord, Vampire Lady, Regenerating Mummy, and two face-down traps while Shibai had out a Spirit of the Harp in defense mode and nothing else.

"I draw, and I tribute my Spirit of the Harp for Elegant Starlet (2400/1000)!" Shibai announced.

The Spirit of the Harp vanished and in her place stood a tall damsel who was ornamented with rubies and sapphires. Her milky white skin accented the deep colors of the gems on her body. She began to strut down a runway which appeared beneath her and suddenly she tripped and fell into a hole.

"You rigged my stage!" Shibai shouted at Allen.

"No, I activated my Trap Hole which destroys any summoned monster with an attack of 1000 or more." Allen explained.

"But now I have nothing to defend my Life Points!" Shibai shouted.

"Exactly," Allen replied, "Now, Vampire Lord, finish this freak off!"

The Vampire vanished and immediately appeared behind Shibai. The Vampire then grabbed Shibai and bit his neck.

Allen4000 Shibai0

"And that's that." Allen said. "Now hand over your white ribbon, Shibai."

"Again, you defeat me with a bite. I knew you've always had that lustfulness inside of you, my brooding love!" Shibai enamored.

"Just hand over the ribbon." Allen said becoming annoyed.

"Of course, my love." Shibai replied, "I will hand you not only a ribbon, but a part of me as well!"

"The ribbon is fine enough." Allen said stoically.

Shibai spun at Allen and gracefully placed the ribbon in Allen's hand.

"Now we will never be apar…" Shibai said as he noticed that Allen had already begun to walk away.

"Remember our deal, now you can't bother me for the rest of the preliminary round!" Allen shouted as he walked away from Shibai.

"Now you've given me the drive to make it to the semi-finals so we can be together once again, my love!" Shibai replied.

Ben walked about the island and stumbled upon a cave that he hadn't noticed before. He walked inside it and noticed that it got very cold and icicles hung from the top of the cave. Ben took his time walking so he wouldn't slip on any ice and finally saw some light. He followed it and it led him to a giant domed room. He walked out into it and stepped onto a circular podium. In front of him was a dark pit that had giant icicles protruding from it and on the other side of the stadium was an equivalent podium.

"This looks like a dueling arena." Ben proclaimed.

"Welcome, Benjamin Farrow." A voice said as a shadowy figure emerged from the other side of the stadium.

Ben tried to focus on the figure but couldn't until the figure stepped into the light. He then saw a boy who was probably a year younger then he was. The boy had straight black hair that was parted on the left and his bangs covered his right eye. His other eye was a sapphire blue and his skin was a milky white. He wore a deep navy turtle neck that had black arm cuffs. He wore tight black, leather pants and large black boots. On his neck he had a black choker and his ears were pierced four times in each.

"My name is Hyouga Retsu." The boy said, "And I am one of the tournaments eliminators."

"This tournament has eliminators?" Ben questioned.

"Yes, Principal Hiroshito has hired the best duelists in the world to act as Eliminators. I am the champion of Greenland." Hyouga explained. "Since you have stepped into my lair, you are now my prey."

"Well then let's not keep this duel any longer." Ben said as he activated his Duel Disk.

"Very well." Hyouga answered, "Duel Start!"

Hyouga4000 Ben4000

"You may have the first move." Hyouga said.

"Fine, I summon Hysteric Angel (1800/500) in attack mode!" Ben shouted.

A Blue haired librarian with white angel wings appeared on the field with a shy wink.

"Now I set one card face-down and end my turn." Ben said.

One card appeared face-down behind the angel.

"I see it clearly now." Hyouga said. "You are Personality Type E, a rarity today, with a weakness to all Personality Types L through O."

"What are you talking about?" Ben questioned.

"If you don't recognize me, I suppose you wouldn't know." Hyouga said, "I am the champion in Greenland not only in dueling, but by being able to assess my opponent's moves based on their personality. I have studied many different ways to manipulate someone's mind, and I am known to apply my knowledge of mind manipulation to every duel that I partake in."

"A mind manipulator." Ben said.

"That's right, my friend." Hyouga said, "Now let me show you how I work, I summon Arctic Crane (1300/1000) in attack mode!"

A large crystallized crane appeared on the field. The light from the room reflected off of the crane's body and cast beams of light about the room.

"Arctic Crane, attack!" Hyouga shouted.

"But your crane's attack is lower then my angel's!" Ben shouted out.

"My arctic Crane carries with it a Special Effect, when it is the only card on my side of the field and it battles a Light Attribute monster it gains an additional 2000 attack points!" Hyouga explained.

The Crane soared above the angel and flapped beams of light down at it. An arctic frost blew up from the Crane's attack and sent chills down Ben's spine. The Angel cringed as the light beams shattered it.

Hyouga4000 Ben2500

"Oh, did I forget to mention, that my deck especially counters Light Type monsters?" Hyouga said with a laugh, "I just hope for your sake that you don't play a Light deck."

"How does he know what deck I play by one monster that I played." Ben thought to himself. "He really can read me."

"So are you frozen in fear or are you going to make a move?" Hyouga said. "I can't blame you since I'm known to break people quite easily."

"I'm far from done!" Ben said as the assertiveness in his tone decreased. "I set one monster face down in defense mode, and I set a card face down in my spell and trap area ending my turn."

"Let me guess, you set a monster that is either going to destroy my monster or will buy you time until you can work up a strategy to stop my monster. Your face-down cards are both traps, your first was a trap to compliment your monster that you assumed would go to the graveyard, while your second one is a bluff with no real danger tied to it in order to throw me off." Hyouga said.

"I-impossible." Ben thought to himself. "My face down monster is Spirit Reaper, and my Face down traps are Call of the Haunted and Solar Ray. He predicted my moves exactly."

"From the look on your face, I'd say that I'm right." Hyouga said. "Now since my Crane has stopped you from abusing your first trap, I will get rid of this monster. I play the Spell card, Tribute to the Doomed!"

The small spirit Reaper appeared. Mummy wrappings suddenly encased it and a large zombie hand dragged it underneath the ground.

"Of course, just as I expected." Hyouga said. "Not only did I predict your moves, but my deck perfectly counters yours. Isn't that a sad twist of fate?"

Ben began to sweat regardless of the freezing temperature in the room.

"Now, I will continue," Hyouga said, "I tribute my Arctic Crane for Mobius the Frost Monarch (2400/1000)!"

The crane was absorbed into white light and then large icicles slammed into the field. The Icicles formed a large beast with glowing red eyes.

"When my monster is summoned I can destroy up to 2 Spell or Trap cards on the field, so just in case you had any hope in your two trap cards, let me shatter it!" Hyouga said.

The large beast summoned two large icicles which impaled the two face down cards and shattered them.

"Now, Ben, time for a Direct Attack!" Hyouga shouted.

The large, ice beast held out its hands and a chamber of icicles surrounded Ben who was caught off guard and fell to his knees. Then blue light emanated from the icicles and froze Ben in place. Ben shook from head to toe with a mixture of the temperature and fear disrupting his system.

Hyouga4000 Ben100

"Face it, Ben." Hyouga said, "I've cracked you. You can't even stand up. You haven't damaged my Life Points once, and I am able to predict your moves. You were beaten before this match even began."

Ben stared at the ground unable to believe the ability of Hyouga. Suddenly, Ben remembered something that Hyouga said. "I have studied many different ways to manipulate someone's mind, and I am known to apply my knowledge of mind manipulation to every duel that I partake in." Ben rose to his feet with the fear slowly being replaced with warm confidence.

"I'll give you one thing, Hyouga," Ben said. "You do know how to manipulate someone's mind, but I just figured you out."

"Please, don't try to pull that act with me." Hyouga replied, "I'm not about to crack because you are portraying a false sense of bravery."

"This isn't false, Hyouga," Ben answered, "Your deck doesn't counter mine, and the only reason that you knew my set cards were because of these icicles surrounding the arena! You have been using them as mirrors to see my hand!"

Hyouga sneered at Ben's revelation.

"I bet your deck has the ability to counter any attribute and you use that to your advantage when psyching out your opponent." Ben said, "Now it's time for me to turn this around."

"Good Luck." Hyouga replied.

"First for your face down trap that is sure to stop a powerful attack, I activate Mystical Space Typhoon!" Ben shouted.

A small tornado spun around the field and shattered the face down Mirror Wall.

"Now to end this." Ben said, "I remove Spirit Reaper and Hysteric Angel from my graveyard to Special Summon Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning (3000/2500)!"

The field radiated with black and white light. The two beams of light wrapped around one another and form them exploded a large soldier encased in golden armor. His aura was glowing with golden light.

"Now I activate my Field card, Luminous Spark!" Ben shouted.

The entire field pulsated with light that even Hyouga couldn't help but squint against.

"This raises my soldier's attack to 3500!" Ben explained. "Go, my envoy, destroy his frost monarch!"

The soldier aimed his sword at the Ice beast and it radiated with white light as he charged straight through the beast and into Hyouga.

Hyouga3400 Ben100

"Clever move, Ben." Hyouga said, "But I'm far from done!"

"No, you are done," Ben replied, "My soldier's effect allows for him to attack two times in the same turn if it destroyed a monster in battle, so here is his second and final attack!"

The large swordsman once again aimed his sword at Hyouga and darted forward, stabbing Hyouga in the stomach. Hyouga fell to the ground in disbelief.

Hyouga0 Ben100

"You came back out of nowhere." Hyouga said. "That's impossible."

"I was onto your tricks from the start." Ben said, "I can manipulate others as well. My shivering and breakdowns were all an act to make you think that you were affecting me."

Hyouga came to his feet.

"I'm impressed, Ben." Hyouga said. "You are deserving of my indigo ribbon which is proof that you have defeated an eliminator. From now on no eliminator may force you to duel them, but you may still accept a duel from an eliminator. In addition, my ribbon counts as two ribbons for all Obelisk Blue Members."

"Thank you, Hyouga." Ben said, in disbelief that Hyouga actually thought that he was outsmarted when in reality Ben was just thinking on his feet.

Ben took the ribbon and headed back out of the cave. Ben had realized that Hyouga wasn't as cruel and calculating in reality, but he had assessed Ben's fears and acted upon them. Hyouga was a great duelist for sure, but Ben knew that if he could make it through Hyouga, then the rest of this tournament would be a breeze. Little did he know that the true challenge awaited him in the shadows.

Night fell upon the first day of the tournament and the duelists had all begun to call it a night. Rehto wandered the darkened Zephyr Fields as a small group of duelists wandered by.

"Hey guys, wait up!" a short duelist with glasses on shouted. He was wearing an Osiris Red uniform and his peers were running from him laughing.

"Do you enjoy being the laughing stock of your clique?" Rehto said cutting in front of the short duelist.

The small boy slammed hard into Rehto who didn't budge. The small boy landed hard on his tail end.

"I-I'm so sorry." The small boy said.

"Duel me." Rehto said. "Pathetic weaklings like you don't deserve to roam this earth."

"I'm not sure who you think you are, but it's rude to call someone whom you don't know a weakling!" the small boy shouted as he came to his feet.

"It's awkward how you are able to stand up to a stranger but unable to stand up to your own friends." Rehto said. "What is your name, little one?"

"My name is Tereya." The boy replied.

"Let us have a duel, Tereya." Rehto said. "This will determine how strong you actually are."

Wind blew through the field as both duelists started up their Duel Disks

Rehto4000 Tereya4000

"I will start this!" Tereya said, "I summon Homunculus the Alchemic Being (1800/1600)!"

A man with leather belts around his arms and legs appeared on the field. Half of his body was flesh toned and half of his body was turning black as if he was transforming into some other being.

"Now I set one card face down, and I end my turn!" Tereya said.

A face-down card appeared behind the morphing being.

"I draw, and I summon Spiritual Warrior (1700/400) in attack mode!" Rehto shouted.

A large warrior whose skin was a pale tone appeared on the field. Around him a purple hazy aura appeared and he wielded a narrow spear.

"This monster has a special ability." Rehto explained, "It allows for me to lower the attack of one monster on the field by 300 points."

The Knight screamed as the purple smoke around him crept towards Tereya's monster. The shadows encased the being as it gasped for breath.

"Now your monster's attack is lowered to 1500." Rehto said, "Spiritual Knight, destroy his Alchemic Being!"

The warrior appeared to not wish to move when suddenly dark purple smoke began to choke him and animated his body. The Warrior speared straight through his opposition.

Rehto4000 Tereya3800

"Next, I will set two cards face down." Rehto said.

Two face down cards appeared behind the Knight who was leaning over his spear which was now inserted in the ground.

Tereya's face had turned white at the animation of Rehto's monsters. They seemed so lifelike and when they attacked, they appeared possessed.

"Your face shows your inner weakness." Rehto said, "Now that I know you are scared, I will allow for my deck to feed off of your most inner fears."

To be continued…