As promised, here's a new chapter that's been posted frequently in the first time since I don't remember when. I honestly have nothing much to say for this chapter, except maybe there'll be spoilers towards the preview to the next one. (For that, I apologize.) But trust me when I say I'm going to have plenty to say for the introduction to the next one.
Enjoy chapter eight, everyone!
As you may remember, the Turbo Duel between Mira and Thanatos had just started. Thanatos, being the first player, had activated a Spell Card; but it wasn't one like Mira had seen. This was a card that, when activated, generated flames around the racetrack. And these were real flames, since Mira could actually feel heat coming from them.
"Wh-Why didn't you take damage when you activated that Spell Card?!" the mildly frightened Mira demanded. "Where did these flames come from?! …And what exactly does that Spell Card do?"
"My…for a Wielder, you ask so many questions," Thanatos snorted. "Allow me to answer your second question first, alright?
"What I have just activated is a card that was born from the especially fateful battles created by our revered leader, Cronus! And these flames shall trap us both for the duration of the duel!" Mira gasped to this comment.
"Now, for your first question: It's true that I would take damage when I don't activate a Spell Card with 'Speed World' in its name. But thanks to Cronus' Spirit Battle, any cards or effect that would inflict damage to either of us cannot be activated in response! That means Speed World Two's ability is null and void! As for your third question…allow me to show you right now!
"I summon Evilswarm O'lantern in Attack Mode!" He took another card from his hand and slapped it onto one of his Disk's Monster Card Zones. A blue portal appeared beside his galloping steed; out of the portal flew out a creature composed of lavender, rocklike skin and black leathery material around its legs, torso, ribs and shoulders. Blue fire was shrouding this creature. [ATK: 1650; LV: 4] Suddenly, four copies of the same orb appeared overhead the creature. All of them were silvery white stars inside indigo orbs.
"Whenever any of us summons or reveals a Monster Card that has a Level or a Rank, it will gain Life Star Counters equal to that monster's own Level or Rank. And they will need lots of them; for during each of our End Phases, one Life Star Counter will be removed from all of our monsters that have them. Once a monster runs out of them, it is destroyed!"
So that means if I want to avoid getting my monsters destroyed, I'll need monsters that have no Levels or Ranks, Mira thought. But there's one problem…none of such cards exist!
If I don't find a way to beat this guy, I'll end up like Ushio! …Or probably worse!
CHRONICLE 008
EVILSWARM THANATOS
Back at the apartment, Homanu slowly woke up, just like what everyday people would do in the middle of the night every now and then. But as soon as he turned his head to the left when both eyes were open, he noticed that next to him was a folded-up piece of paper. Quickly, he unfolded the paper and read the inside:
Homanu:
I know you told me not to, but I had to go and aid Ushio in taking down whoever's behind this. Please don't worry too much about me; I'm sure everything will be fine.
~MIRA
"So, she did go out!" Homanu cried, clenching the note. Turning to the sleeping Kero in his hammock, Homanu shook his friend on the shoulder, causing him to fall out of the hammock. "Whadja do that for?!" Kero whined.
"Kero, you gotta come with me," Homanu sternly told him. "Mira's gone out to help Ushio, and we gotta stop her before she gets into trouble!"
"But Homanu, it's sleepy time!"
"'Sleepy time' will have to wait!" Homanu said, hurriedly changing into his riding clothes. "Our friend's life is at stake!"
"Okay, okay!" Kero whined, also changing into his riding clothes. As soon as they were finished, they ran downstairs to the garage. After fastening onto their helmets, the two boys opened the garage door, climbed upon their Runners and started their engines, and rode off to Neo Domino City in pursuit of their rebellious female friend.
"I'll place one card face-down, and end my turn!" Thanatos finished, sliding a card from his hand into his Disk's Spell/Trap Card Zone slot. A vertical backing materialized beside his steed before fading from sight. Afterwards, one of the four orbs above the fiery rock creature pixelated. [LSC: 4 – 3]
"My turn!" Mira shouted, drawing.
THANATOS: 1 SPC / MIRA: 1 SPC
I don't have any monsters that can get past his 'Spirit Battle' card, or whatever it is, so the best thing to do is to play things safely! Hopefully these will help…
"I summon Destiny Hero Diamond Guy in Attack Mode!" She took a different card from her hand and slapped it onto one of her Runner's Monster Card Zones. Another blue portal appeared beside her Runner, and out of it flew the crystal-covered hero. [ATK: 1400; LV: 4] Afterwards, four copies of the same white-starred blue orb appeared above the hero.
"I activate Diamond Guy's ability! Once a turn, I can look at my deck's top card. If it's a Spell Card, then it goes right to my Graveyard; however, I'll be able to activate its effect during my next turn! If it's not a Normal Spell Card, then it goes to the bottom of my deck!" The hero's crystals shone as Mira picked up her deck's top card. "It's the Speed Spell known as The End of the Storm! Now it goes right into my Graveyard!" She took the picked up card and slid it into her Runner's Graveyard.
"I'll place two cards face-down, and end my turn!" She took two more cards from her hand and slid them into her Runner's Spell/Trap Card Zone slot. A vertical backing materialized on each side of her Runner before fading from sight. Afterwards, one of the two remaining Life Star Counters above the rocky golem creature pixelated, as did one of the three remaining Life Star Counters above the crystal-covered hero. [LSC: 3 – 2] [LSC: 4 – 3]
"My turn!" Thanatos shouted, drawing.
THANATOS: 2 SPC / MIRA: 2 SPC
"I summon Evilswarm Heliotrope in Attack Mode!" After taking another from his hand and slapping it onto one of his Disk's four unoccupied Monster Card Zones, another blue portal appeared beside his steed. A knight clad in gray and dark gray armor flew out of the portal. Upon his emergence, four Life Star Counters formed above it. [ATK: 1950; LV: 4; LSC: 4]
"Evilswarm Heliotrope, attack Destiny Hero Diamond Guy!" The knight flew directly at the crystal-covered hero, sticking out his sword in the process.
"I activate the Trap Card, D-Shield!" Mira shouted as the Trap Card picturing the barrier of rocks surrounding the demonic-clad hero turned open. The same barrier of rocks shrouded the crystal-covered hero as he knelt defensively. [DEF: 1600] "This card not only switches Diamond Guy to Defense Mode, but now he can't be destroyed in battle!" Sure enough, the sword struck at the rock barrier, but failed to penetrate it.
Thanatos grunted, but then took another card from his hand and slid it through his Disk's Spell/Trap Card Zone slot. "I shall place this face-down, and end my turn!" After another vertical backing materialized beside his steed and faded from sight, the process of Life Star Counters pixelating occurred once again. [LSC: 2 – 1] [LSC: 3 – 2] [LSC: 4 – 3]
Something's not right, Mira thought, having a flashback of Thanatos summoning Evilswarm Bahamut in his duel against Ushio. This guy had two Level Four monsters, which he could've used to summon his Bahamut. What's this guy up to…?
"My turn!" Mira shouted, drawing.
THANATOS: 3 SPC / MIRA: 3 SPC
"MIRA!" the voice of Homanu shouted from nearby. Mira turned and saw that on another Turbo Duel lane across from where the duel was occurring, Homanu and Kero have caught up with her, and were shocked that Mira's lane were shrouded by flames. Turning on the Gazer's communication feature, he shouted: "What the hell's happening?!"
"I wish I knew!" replied Mira.
"Whoa, is that a Duel Monster?!" Kero cried, pointing to Thanatos.
"Wait, did you say it's a Duel Monster?!" Homanu cried.
"Yeah; I think that's Evilswarm Thanatos, an Xyz Monster! Except…why is it here?!"
"I don't know; but Mira, you have to get out of this duel, now!"
"'Tis no use!" Thanatos declared. "With Cronus's Spirit Battle in effect, nobody can enter or exit! So I am afraid that means your friend can not escape from this battle!"
"Mira…" Homanu muttered.
"Don't worry, Homanu!" Mira shouted reassuringly. "I'm sure that I can beat this guy! To prove it, I summon Destiny Hero Diehard Guy in Attack Mode!" Another portal appeared beside her Runner, and the muscular gauntlet-equipped hero flew out of it. Afterwards, three Life Star Counters emerged above the hero. [ATK: 0800; LV: 3; LSC: 3]
"Then I activate Diamond Guy's ability once again!" The hero's crystals shone once again as Mira picked up her deck's top card. "This time, it's not a Normal Spell Card, so it to the bottom of my deck." After placing the card back on top of her deck, the deck automatically shuffled.
"There is, however, a Spell Card I sent to my Graveyard with Diamond Guy's effect: The End of the Storm!" A faded image of the Spell Card picturing the cloaked skeleton in the stormy background appeared behind Mira. Black winds from the Spell Card began shooting out of the card, and surrounding both duelists. "This card destroys every monster on the field, and then we both take three hundred points of damage for each of our destroyed monsters!"
"If you think you can destroy both of my monsters at the same time, I am afraid you are mistaken!" Thanatos shouted as a Trap Card picturing a being of purple fire forming above a cockroach-like insect turned open. "I activate the Trap Card, Infestation Infection! Once a turn, I can return a monster with 'lswarm' in its name from my hand or my side of the field into the deck, and then add a different 'lswarm' monster from my deck to my hand!
"I return Evilswarm O'lantern from my side of the field to the deck, and add a different 'lswarm' monster from my deck to my hand!" The rocky creature transformed into an orb of purple light, which flew back into Thanatos's deck. After the deck shuffled, a card automatically slid out of his deck, only to be placed into his hand. Afterwards, the winds shattered both duelists' monsters, and also struck at both duelists. [LP: 4000 – 3700] [LP: 4000 – 3400]
"That was a very foolish move, on your behalf. Your efforts into destroying my monsters only resulted in me having more Life Points than you!"
"I did that 'foolish move' so I could activate my Dread Ritual Trap Card!" Mira shouted as the Trap Card picturing the silhouette of the muscular chained hero behind the crystal-covered and muscular gauntlet-equipped heroes turned open. "Since two Destiny Heroes were destroyed during the same turn, I can Special Summon Destiny Hero Dread Guy from my deck!" A shadowy portal formed above both duelists, and the muscular chained hero fell down from it, and landed on the road before leaping beside Mira. Upon his emergence, eight Life Star Counters formed above him. [ATK: ?; LV: 8; LSC: 8]
"Since his summoning's treated as a Special Summon by 'Clock Tower Prison', I can resurrect two more Destiny Heroes from my Graveyard! Dread Roar!" The muscular chained hero unleashed his trademark roar as two dark purple portals appeared beside him. From one of the portals floated up the muscular gauntlet-equipped hero, and from the other, the crystal-covered hero. Three Life Star Counters formed above the gauntlet-equipped hero, and four above the crystal-covered hero. [ATK: 0800; LV: 3; LSC: 3] [ATK: 1400; LV: 4; LSC: 4]
"And thanks to his other ability, Dread Guy's Attack and Defense Points are equal to those of all other Destiny Heroes on my field!" A violet aura shrouded the muscular chained hero. [ATK: ? – 2200]
"I activate Diamond Guy's ability once again!" The hero's crystals shone for a third time as Mira picked up her deck's top card. "This time, it's the Speed Spell known as Speed Energy!" She slid the card into her Runner's Graveyard.
"Destiny Hero Dread Guy, attack Evilswarm Heliotrope! Predator of Dreadnought!" The muscular chained hero swung the chain attached to his right cuff link at the knight, shattering it into pixels. [LP: 3700 – 3450]
"Destiny Heroes Diehard Guy and Diamond Guy, attack him directly! Death Boer Fiat and Diamond Blow!" The gauntlet-equipped hero flew towards Thanatos while the crystal-covered hero shot diamond shards at him. Both attacks nearly threw Thanatos off his steed. [LP: 3450 – 1250] "Turn end!"
"All right!" Kero cheered, raising a clenched fist into the air. "Mira's starting to whoop this guy's ass big time!"
"But the duel's not over yet," Homanu said, narrowing his eyes. "Something tells me there's more to this 'Thanatos' guy than meets the eye…"
"You may have gotten the upper hand," Thanatos growled, "but you've also activated my Trap Card, Miracle's Wake!" A Trap Card picturing a ray of light forming in a dark, cloudy background turned open. "This card lets me resurrect one of my monsters that were destroyed in battle this turn! Return to me, Evilswarm Heliotrope!" Another dark purple portal appeared, and the gray-armored knight floated up from it, and four Life Star Counters formed above him. [ATK: 1950; LV: 4; LSC: 4] Afterwards, the process of Life Star Counter depleting commenced. [LSC: 8 – 7] [LSC: 3 – 2] [LSC: 4 – 3] [LSC: 4 – 3]
"Now I draw!" he continued, drawing his card.
THANATOS: 4 SPC / MIRA: 4 SPC
"I activate Infestation Infection's effect once again, this time returning a monster from my hand to my deck to add another to my hand!" He took a different card from his hand and placed it on top of his deck. After the deck shuffled once more, another card automatically slid out of it and was placed in his hand. "I now have everything I need to annihilate you once and for all!
"First, I summon Evilswarm Castor in Attack Mode!" After slapping the added card onto one of his Disk's four unoccupied Monster Card Zones, another blue portal appeared. Emerging out of this portal was the platinum-armored knight wearing the red tattered cape, with four Life Star Counters soon emerging overhead. [ATK: 1750; LV: 4; LSC: 4]
"And thanks to Castor's ability, I am permitted to Normal Summon an addition 'lswarm' monster this turn! And I summon a monster you may find familiar: Evilswarm O'lantern!" Another blue portal appeared, and the rocky golem creature flew out of it, also with four Life Star Counters forming overhead. [ATK: 1650; LV: 4; LSC: 4]
"He's got three Level Four monsters now!" Kero cried.
"I think I have a hunch as to what's happening next!" Homanu said.
"I overlay my Level Four Evilswarm Heliotrope, Evilswarm Castor and Evilswarm O'lantern!" Thanatos declared. All three of his monsters transformed into orbs of purple light, which flew up and spiraled into a crimson portal that formed above both duelists.
"With these three monsters, I build the Overlay Network and Xyz Summon my all-powerful creature! Arise…EVILSWARM OUROBOROS!"
The crimson portal exploded as a three-headed dragon flew out of it. Its skin appeared to be icy blue, but a majority of its body parts were coated with black and white armor. Each head had a mask that was also black mixed with some white. Upon its emergence, an orb of purple light was orbiting around each of its heads. Also, four Life Star Counters formed above it. [ATK: 2750; RANK: 4; ORU: 3; LSC: 4]
"That thing's huge!" Kero gasped. "Mira's in for it now!"
"Don't worry," Homanu said reassuringly. "It may be stronger, but Mira has three monsters—I'm sure she'll be able to defend herself just fine!"
"I beg to differ," Thanatos cackled. "I activate my Xyz Monster's special ability! Once a turn, I can use one Overlay Unit to activate one of three special abilities, all of which can only be used once while my monster's on the field! I can return one card on your field to the hand, send one card from your hand to the Graveyard, or remove a card in your Graveyard from play. The most appropriate thing to do is to return your Diamond Guy to your hand!" The dragon's head on the far left devoured the light orbiting it. [ORU: 3 – 2] Afterwards, that dragon head unleashed a burst of violet energy from its mouth, striking at the crystal-covered hero. The crystal-covered hero transformed into an orb of energy of the same color, which flew back into Mira's hand.
"With one less Destiny Hero on your field, your Dread Guy gets weaker!" Sure enough, the same violet aura shrouded the muscular chained hero a second time. [ATK: 2200 – 0800]
"And I shall make it even weaker with the Speed Spell, High Speed Crash!" A Spell Card picturing three formula racecars of different color schemes, one of them crashing into a wall, materialized. "With at least two Speed Counters, I must first destroy one card on my side of the field. But after that, I destroy another card on either one of our fields!" Mira only gasped to this.
"Therefore, I destroy my Infestation Infection to destroy your Diabolic Guy!" Thanatos's Trap Card shattered into pixels, in which the pixels merged to form an electrical purple orb. The orb struck at the gauntlet-equipped hero, shattering it into pixels. Afterwards, the same violet aura shrouded the muscular chained hero a third time. [ATK: 0800 – 0000]
"Evilswarm Ouroboros, attack Destiny Hero Dread Guy! Evil Trident Flare!" Three bursts of sinister purple fire shot out of each of the dragon's heads. The flames struck at the muscular chained hero, incinerating him and resulting in an explosion. The force was so great, it actually flung Mira off her Runner, crashing into a wall. [LP: 3400 – 0650]
"MIRA!" Homanu shouted at the top of his lungs, his eyes starting to well up with tears.
"D-d-don't worry, H-H-Homanu!" Kero nervously spoke. "Sh-she still has Life Points left! See? See?"
"But look at her! She could be really hurt! Or worse!" At those words, Kero started to sniffle, too.
Seeing this, Thanatos halted his steed by pulling its reigns. Observing the seemingly lifeless Mira, he snickered. "Look at that ungrateful wench. I guess she was not as tough as I thought she would be!"
"DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT MIRA LIKE THAT!" Homanu shouted at Thanatos.
"And what do you intend to do about it? Even if you found a way to cross to this lane, you still would be unable to enter. In this Spirit Battle, no one can enter, remember?"
"You sick bastard…!"
"Call me whatever you like." Looking back at the unconscious Mira, he decreed, "If she does not wake up within the next thirty seconds, I shall declare it as if she forfeited, which means her soul is mine!"
"Mira…please, wake up!" Homanu pleaded, crying.
"It is useless! Let her die like the worthless scum she truly is!" Thanatos taunted, laughing in triumph. Mira still lay motionless, with blood trickling down her lower lip.
I…I have to get…up…! Mira thought. But I can't… That attack took…a lot out of me… This could be my last duel…!
"Time is running out!" Thanatos reminded his audience. "If she does not wake up soon, I shall declare this duel in my favor!"
"Mira…!" Homanu and Kero sniffled.
Just when they thought all hope was lost, the amethyst on Mira's necklace began to shine once again, only this time it was shining more lustrously than before. "Homanu, look!" Kero cried, pointing at the shining amethyst.
'Mira Oshaki, the time has come for my powers to aid you in this battle,' a deep female voice spoke, though it wasn't heard by anyone; not even Mira. Miraculously, though, Mira slowly started to get herself up, even though she was still in pain. Even more miraculously, she headed to her Duel Runner, stood it upright and climbed on it, then shifted gears on it and resumed riding on the lane.
"Mira…she's back!" Kero cried in happiness.
"What?!" Thanatos gasped, pulling on the reigns to get his steed to run again. "How is this possible?! As soon as I attacked you, you looked like you were lifeless!"
"That is what you wanted to think," Mira spoke in a tone slightly deeper from her usual voice. "But as her entrusted Iroa, I absolutely refuse to permit you to harm her!"
"'Entrusted Iroa'?" Kero wondered. "Homanu, what's she talking about?" Homanu didn't answer; he was just thankful his friend was alive.
"As the Iroa of Darkness, I shall show you what happens when you dare try to harm my host!" Mira shouted boldly, her left iris suddenly shifting from red to green underneath the Gazer's lens.
"It is my turn! I draw!" Her deck's top card began to glow a lustrous violet before she bravely drew it.
THANATOS: 5 SPC / MIRA: 5 SPC
"Excellent! I have drawn the exact card I need to win this duel!" She held her card up high into the air. That very card was a blank card—the same blank card Mira had acquired when she was in Corycian Cave. But it wasn't blank for long, as it began to transform into a Spell Card whose text's language was Enochian like the 'Spirit Battle'. Its artwork pictured the same naked woman she encountered upon acquiring the card. The woman had lustrous green eyes and was composed entirely of purple ectoplasm. "I activate…
"ANANKE'S FATE!"
TO BE CONTINUED…
FEATURED CARD – CHRONICLE 008
Evilswarm Ouroboros
DARK/Dragon – Xyz – Effect/Rank 4/2750/1950
3 Level 4 monsters
Once per turn, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to activate 1 of these effects. Each of these effects can only be used once while this card is face-up on the field.
●Return 1 card your opponent controls to the hand.
●Send 1 card from your opponent's hand to the Graveyard.
●Remove from play 1 card from your opponent's Graveyard.
FAKE CARDS
Cronus' Spirit Battle
Spell/Field
This card's activation and effects cannot be negated. Cards and effects that would inflict damage to a player(s) cannot be activated in response to this card's activation. There can only be 1 face-up "Cronus' Spirit Battle" on the field.
If there is a face-up Field Spell Card on the field, activate this card in your Spell & Trap Card Zone as a Continuous Spell Card. If this card would be removed from the field while in the Field Card Zone, place it face-up in your Spell & Trap Card Zone as a Continuous Spell Card instead. This face-up card in the Spell & Trap Card Zone cannot be removed from the field.
This card prevents access and egress from the dueling area until a winner is declared. When you activate this card, place Life Star Counters on each face-up monster equal to its own Level/Rank. When a monster(s) is Summoned or flipped face-up, place Life Star Counters on that monster equal to its own Level/Rank. During each player's End Phase, remove 1 Life Star Counter from each face-up monster on the field. If a monster(s) affected by this card has no Life Star Counters, destroy that monster(s). The loser of the Duel shall be offered to the Creator of the Universe.
Image: A circle composed of blue fire formed in outer space, with the planetary symbols of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto inside the circle's rim
Origination: Psychid
Speed Spell – High Speed Crash
Spell/Normal
Activate only while you control 2 or more Speed Counters.
Destroy 1 card you control and 1 other card on the field.
Image: Three formula racecars of different color schemes racing on a racetrack, with one of them violently crashing into a wall
Origination: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's anime – Episode 72 – What Lies Within the Wind
Next time, on Yu-Gi-Oh! EXELIXI…
Just when it looked like things were over for her, Mira has miraculously recovered! And yet she doesn't seem like the same Mira to her friends…!
"I activate Ananke's Fate!" Mira shouted as she slid the card she just drew through her Runner's Spell/Trap Card Zone slot. As you may recall in her duel against Thanatos, she took such a massive hit from his Evilswarm Ouroboros, she was nearly killed. But almost miraculously, she got herself up and resumed the duel. However, she did not seem like the same Mira to her friends, as she spoke in a deeper voice.
"Um…Mira?" Kero spoke from a virtual screen that popped in front of her. "I don't think that was a good idea to activate a Spell Card like that! Now you'll lose the duel!"
"Worry not, Kero Nobuyuki," Mira assured him, "for because for this card, I will not take any damage from the effect of Speed World Two!" This left Kero confused.
"I activate the power of Ananke! Because I have no monsters on my field, I can resurrect a familiar monster from my Graveyard!" The green-eyed woman of purple ectoplasm emerged out of the card, and then stretched out her left arm as an object of purple fire formed in front of her. It resembled an ancient sundial with Roman numerals. A 'needle' of the same fire formed and began spinning rapidly. It eventually transformed into a portal, and a familiar muscular chained hero flew out of it.
"Welcome back, Destiny Hero Dread Guy!" Mira announced as the hero let out a ferocious roar. [ATK: ?; LV: 8]
But Mira may not be the only one with special cards like hers!
Elsewhere, in a hotel located in Neo Domino City, a familiar male duelist was looking at the night sky. This was Arthur Rutherford, former reigning champion of the Neo Domino Summer Riding Championship, and he was standing outside his room's balcony, staring at the sky while holding a card of his own.
The card was almost like Mira's as far as the Enochian language was concerned. Its artwork depicted a muscular, long-haired man composed entirely of orange ectoplasm, with a set of red eyes. At this moment, the entire card appeared to be glowing, as did the amber octagon on his band.
"There must be another Wielder around here," he muttered. "Achilles did tell me this would happen, should another one arise. But he also told me that I can't reveal my identity as one to anyone else; so how will I found out who this one Wielder is? Hopefully, I'll find a way…" He turned and went back to his room to go to bed as well.
After another trip to Olympus, Mira is informed about her new duties; and ones that could save all of mankind!
'Very well then,' Ananke said, ignoring Mira's sarcasm. 'Mira Oshaki, you are one of six duelists chosen to save both our planet of Olympus, and your planet of Earth.'
'Let me guess, someone's trying to 'take over both of those worlds', right?'
'Actually, we do not know who or what threatens our own worlds. I, myself, do not know; for as an Iroa, I was not born the same way the rest of Olympus's citizens were.'
But could some other people be aware of her new role?
"It appears that the third of our six targets has been chosen upon," one of them spoke. It was a woman who had medium-length chocolate brown hair, dressed in a white maillot with a silver metal piece in the heart area, holding an amethyst crystal in the shape of the female gender symbol with 'horns' on the top. She was also clad in silvery white high-heel boots—the right thigh-high and the left knee-high—silver gauntlets with amethyst orbs, and a mechanical mask with a third of its top silvery white, but the remaining portion being purple with a hollow circle in the mouth area. A lime green light was coming out of the mask's left eye opening.
"Heh, Thanatos probably lost," the second of them spoke with an accent that was a mix between English and Australian. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted that useless shit from the start!" He was about the same age and height as the first one who spoke. He wore a sleeveless white one-piece riding suit with red circuit-like lines. Installed in the heart area was the same metal piece holding a garnet crystal in the shape of the male gender symbol. The outfit also comprised of silver gauntlets with ruby orbs. He also wore a mechanical mask, except his completely silvery white with a thin red trapezoid hanging from the bottom, and a blue light shining out of the left eye opening. Underneath the mask was medium length, lightly shaded brown hair that was gelled in spikes.
"It doesn't matter if Thanatos won or not," the third one reminded him. "What matters is exactly what she said—another one of our targets has been found!" This was another female, probably the youngest of the three. Her attire, while not sexually explicit, was the most revealing of the three, for it contained a midriff-revealing crop top, miniskirt and thigh-high boots, all colored white. At the top's heart area was a metal piece just like the male individual's, except inside the piece was a piece of lapis lazuli shaped like a trident. She also wore silver gauntlets with lapis lazuli orbs, and a silvery white mask with a cyan pattern of three lines on each cheek, resembling water. An orange light was shining out of the mask's left eye opening. She also had strawberry blonde hair tied in two pigtail braids.
Just what is Mira's card capable of? Why does Arthur have a card like that, as well? And who are these mysterious three?
Stay tuned for the next Chronicle: "Umbral Soul"!
