I've dueled my share of people whom I didn't exactly like…
Poor sports, sore losers, jerks who were a little too insulting ("trash talk" is okay, insults are a different thing entirely), and worst of all, cheaters.
But this nut who I'm about to face has to be the worst one yet. The underhanded way he got me to duel him has got to be the most cowardly act I've ever seen.
You know, I doubt the story that Merlee told us about us being the descendants of some legendary heroes who brought down this "Shadow Queen" have any basis in fact…
But right now, a small part of me wishes it were true. If this is the way the Shadow Queen operates, I'd be proud that any member of my family brought her down.
So now I just have to bring down this windbag…
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CHAPTER NINE
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Winds of Change
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
The ground floor of The Great Tree was a large, circular cul-de-sac, surrounded by buildings. The large door to the outside was huge and made of colored glass.
The cul-de-sac was empty right now, except for a young man with a moustache in a sweater and slacks.
He was sweating heavily…
"Ivan…" whispered a voice.
He sighed.
"Ivan…" repeated the voice.
"What?" gasped the man.
"They're coming, Ivan," said the voice. "You know what to do…"
"Look," said the man, "I don't think…"
"You aren't supposed to think!" scolded the voice. "Now do what I told you to do, and I assure you no one will get hurt."
"What are you going to do to them?" he asked.
"I told you not to think about it," warned the voice. "Now, are you positively certain that item I described isn't here?"
Ivan paused for a minute.
"Answer me, Punio!" demanded the voice.
"I've told you three times already," he snarled back, "I don't own ANY Duel Monsters cards!"
There was a long pause.
"So you say," said the voice, which was now full of suspicion. "Well, we'll sit down and talk about this further after I've taken care of Stan…"
The voice was silent.
Ivan sneered.
The Shadow Queen and her flunkies could tear this place apart, and they'll never find it, he thought. I can only pray that Stan can blow this lunatic away…
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Stan, Francesca, and Andy went up to the huge stained glass doors.
A sign was next to the door:
Welcome To The Great Tree
No Vagrants
No Littering
No Beavers
"Eh," they all said, with a shrug.
Stan went up to the door and rang the bell.
The doors slowly swung open.
The walked in, and gazed upon the huge cul-de-sac.
"Wow," said Francesca, in awe. "It's like a town inside a cave… a cave made of wood!"
"Uh, how do you do!" said a voice.
Ivan rushed up to them.
"Welcome!" he said.
He quickly shook their hands.
"Uh, hi…" stammered Andy.
"The name's Ivan Punio, and I am the mayor of this humble burg," he quickly said. "Welcome to The Great Tree… contestants…"
"Uh, thanks…" said Stan. "Does… everyone get this warm welcome?"
"Uh," stammered Ivan, "only the tournament contestants… But hey, we love everyone!"
He chuckled nervously.
"Are you all right?" asked Francesca.
"Me?" stammered Ivan. "Never better! Look, uh…"
His eyes darted back and forth.
"Look," he said, "my sister and I were going to have lunch… We'd be honored if you'd join us…"
Stan's eyes narrowed.
"One…" he said, putting his finger up.
He motioned to Francesca and Andy. They got into a huddle.
"Guys, do you get the impression that Punio here is hiding something?" he whispered.
"Yeah," muttered Francesca, "I smell something funny – and I don't mean the cheap aftershave he's wearing."
"Guys, maybe we should leave," said Andy with a shiver. "How far is it to the next town?"
Stan opened the map and looked at it.
Ivan bit his lip.
"Aw geeze," he said. "Petalburg is closest. In the other direction there's something called 'Twilight Town', but that's some distance away…"
He read the map a little.
"There's something here I haven't been able to figure out," he continued. "There's a note that says that outside the forest you can gain 'passage' to a place called 'Glitzville', but you need permission from a council member to go there…"
"Which we don't have…" sighed Andy.
Francesca sighed.
"People," she suggested. "I know we didn't sign up to be heroes, and we don't really have to make a full-time job out of it…"
"What are you suggesting?" asked Stan.
"If something is wrong here, maybe we could, you know, lend a hand?"
She grinned a nervous grin.
"Fran, you don't actually believe that dumb story, do you?" asked Stan.
"NO!" shouted Francesca. "But…"
She paused.
"Well, how bad can this be?" she shrugged.
"Oh, fine," groaned Stan. "I just hope this guy isn't going to sic another living Duel Monster on us…"
They turned to Ivan.
"Sure, Ivan, we'd love to join you," said Stan, smiling.
"Great," panted Ivan. "We'll take the elevator to the top level."
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Riding up to the top of The Great Tree was an experience.
The inside of the huge tree was hollow, and divided into several levels, built on to of each other; each level was built onto the inside, around the trunk. From the edge of one level, you could see all the ones below.
Riding the glass elevator to the top level, the three partners could see buildings full of townsfolk, mostly young people dressed in casual clothes.
And they all watched as the elevator went up.
Stan sighed.
I've seen week-old fish that smelled better than this, he thought.
He looked at his deck and shuffled it.
Well, in case it's fish…The elevator stopped at the highest level. Ivan led them out.
"Um, this way," he said. "Our best buildings are on the top floor, as is the best restaurant…"
"I suppose it's on you?" asked Francesca.
"Um…" muttered Ivan.
As they approached a building, a young woman met them at the door. She was a sweet-looking young woman with her blonde hair tied in braids.
And she looked scared.
"Ivan…" she said.
"Don't worry," he whispered. "They'll handle it…"
Stan drew back.
He could tell that Ivan had purposely said that loud enough for him to hear it.
"Well, let's eat, huh?" he said with a forced laugh.
They went into the restaurant, where a long table had been set up…
And as soon as they entered, a wind began to blow…
"Ivan," asked Stan, "is it usual for it to be this windy… indoors?"
"Not usually…" he said in fear.
A chuckling laughter cackled over the room. The voice sounded like the low moan of a midnight storm…
"Okay," demanded Stan, "I've had enough of these shenanigans… SHOW YOURSELF!"
"As you wish," whispered a billowy voice.
A small whirlwind appeared at the head of the table, and a figure appeared, sitting on the chair…
He was bizarre in appearance. He looked about fifteen, or maybe a little younger.
His skin was pale, and his hair was thick and snowy white. He was dressed entirely in wool, colored white and blue.
"Who are you?" demanded Stan.
The youth chuckled, and put his arms on the table…
Everyone drew back in fright! Instead of fingers, he had talons, like those of some bird of prey!
Stan stood back up.
"It's impolite to put your elbows on the table!" he scowled.
"Funny," said the youth, softly. "You can call me Kurtis. I believe you met my sister, Melissa…"
"Yeah, and I kicked her ass good!" snapped Melissa.
"Well she was the baby of the family," whispered Kurtis, with a grin. "I'm the Shadow Spawn of Wind…"
He pointed at Stan.
"And as soon as this meal is over, Stan, you're going to be dueling for the last time…"
"Oh, geeze," gasped Ivan, mopping his brow with a handkerchief. "Kids, forgive me… He's been holding this town hostage since eight this morning… He said if I didn't bring you up here…"
"Calm down," said Stan.
He turned to Kurtis.
"Look you Freddy Krueger wannabe," he said, "it's going to take a lot more than a bad manicure for you to force me to duel you…"
Kurtis chuckled. The wind started to pick up in the room.
"There's much more to me than these talons," he said softly. "Melissa's powers were nothing compared to mine. You folks take air for granted – life giving air that you breathe… You can't imagine how deadly it can be when harnessed in just the right way!"
He pointed at Ivan's sister… She screamed as a transparent bubble surrounded her!
"What?" gasped Stan.
"Petuni!" shouted Ivan.
Kurtis chuckled. He lifted his hand, and she was raised off the floor.
"Now Stan," he said, "if you don't cooperate, I could contract that bubble and smash her flat…"
He paused and rubbed his chin.
"No, better yet, I could just remove all the air inside it! Have you ever seen a human explode in a vacuum? It's quite a remarkable sight…"
Rage filled Stan's eyes.
"What are you?" he asked. "Besides a bully, I mean?"
"I'm someone with incredible power," answered Kurtis.
"No you aren't," scowled Stan. "Attacking someone who's defenseless… What you are is a coward!"
Kurtis growled.
"I'll duel you if that's what it will take to get you to leave," said Stan. "Just let her go, now!"
"Your wish… is my command…" said Kurtis with a grin.
He waved his arm, and the bubble vanished. Petuni screamed and fell to the ground.
Ivan ran up to her. Stan was beside himself.
"Make that bully, coward, and a sadist," he growled.
"Well," said Kurtis, softly, "let's eat, shall we? You wouldn't want to duel on an empty stomach…"
"I'd rather get this over with…" said Stan with a scowl.
"I didn't go through all this trouble paying for this meal to let it go to waste!" shouted Kurtis, angrily.
He calmed down.
"Besides, a condemned man is always allowed a last meal…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Stan and his two friends would have liked to say that they enjoyed the linguini with clams that was served, but it's hard to enjoy anything when your host is a lunatic with claws for hands. Fortunately, Kurtis didn't say much during the meal.
When the plates were cleared away, the Shadow Spawn wiped his mouth with a napkin, and spoke up.
"Ivan, Petuni!" he ordered. "Show them to the observation deck! I'll be there shortly."
"Yes… sir," said Ivan.
Ivan went over to the three of them.
"Ivan," whispered Stan, as the mayor led them out of the room. "Have you ever seen this guy duel?"
"Sadly, no," muttered Ivan. "I don't know anything about his deck, but he must use Wind Monsters…"
"A lot of Dragons are Wind Monsters," mentioned Andy.
"Good luck," said Ivan. "The whole town is behind you…"
He opened the elevator, and they got in.
They rode up, one more level, and got out…
…onto open air.
They were standing on a platform at the very top of The Great Tree. They could see for miles from where they were standing on this wide observation deck, and the wind whipped around them.
Kurtis's evil laugh echoed across the sky…
The whirlwind appeared again, and he appeared across from Stan.
"Well Stan," he whispered, "this is where it begins. Once you fall, my mother will be one step closer to seeing the open sky!"
What? thought Stan. This guy is selling the same story that Merlee told us!
He looked at Andy and Francesca.
Either they're both deluded, or we've got some serious thinking to do.
"Now then…" whispered Kurtis. "We're one-thousand feet above the ground… If the chill and harsh breeze is too much for you, you aren't much of a duelist…"
He waved his hand, and an eagle, hawk, and falcon flew out of the sky and alighted on his left arm. The three birds of prey melted into light, and formed into a slivery Duel Disk.
"Very pretty," said Stan, "Now let's see if you're anything more than a lot of hot air!"
The two Duel Disks activated, and swung into position.
The Life Point counters set to 8,000 apiece.
They each drew five cards.
"DUEL!" they both said at once.
The wind whistled through the air, surrounding them like it had a mind of its own…
"I'll start this out…" said Kurtis.
He made his first draw.
"And I see my deck has the wind at my back! I'll summon this Monster in Attack Mode… Go, Birdface!"
He threw a card down, and a tall Winged Beast appeared. It had the head, legs, and wings of a golden eagle, and wore a blue breastplate. (1,600/1,600)
"That will do for now," he whispered.
"Birdface?" questioned Francesca. "Come ON! Stan has plenty of Monsters stronger than THAT!"
"You tell me," said Andy with a shrug. "I haven't seen him duel yet…"
Come on Stan, thought Kurtis, take the bait…
Stan made a draw.
Hmmm, he thought, looking at his card.
"I'll play Graceful Charity!" he announced.
He plugged his card into a slot, and the beautiful angel appeared.
She flew into his deck and flew out with three cards. He took them.
"Now, I'll just get rid of these…" he said, handing her two of them.
She took the cards and flew into his discard slot.
"…and now I'll summon… Skilled White Magician!"
He put the card down, and a Spellcaster in a white robe and skullcap, carrying a long scepter topped with an orb appeared. (1,700/1,900)
"Go!" shouted Stan. "Attack his Birdface with white magic attack!"
Skilled White Magician twirled his staff and fired a beam of bright energy! Birdface squawked, and exploded.
Kurtis smiled, as his Life Points went down to 7,900.
"Why thank you, Stan," he whispered, "that's just what I wanted you to do…"
A card flew out of his deck, and he caught it.
He added it to his hand.
"When Birdface is sent to the Card Graveyard, I can add a specific Monster to my hand from my deck!"
Stan's eyes opened.
"Define 'specific Monster'," he growled.
"You'll just have to wait," said Kurtis softly. "Is that your turn?"
"Yes," muttered Stan.
"Then I'll draw…" whispered Kurtis.
He drew and looked at his card.
"And now I'll summon… Flying Kamakiri #1, in Attack Mode!"
He put a card down, and a frightening form appeared. It was a huge mantis with a green exoskeleton, and large wings! (1,400/900)
"What the?" said Francesca. "What's he up to? That bug may be scary, but it's clear that it's weaker that Skilled White Magician!"
Andy thought for a minute.
"Kurtis must be up to something…" he muttered.
Stan drew.
Monster Reborn, he thought. I'll save this until I need it.
He looked at the Kamakiri.
I have a bad feeling that attacking that Insect might be a bad idea… he thought. But if I attack, I could hit him for a direct attack… if I don't attack, he could sacrifice it for a stronger Monster…
The proverbial Rock and the Hard Place…
He put a card down on his Disk.
"I summon The Illusory Gentleman in Attack Mode!"
He put his card down, and the one-eyed Spellcaster in his colorful costume appeared. (1,500/1,600)
"Skilled White Magician, destroy his Kamakiri!" shouted Stan.
Skilled White Magician cast his spell of Light again, and he blasted the mantis into bug juice!
Kurtis laughed, as his Life Points fell to 7,600.
"Thank you again, Stan!" he exclaimed. "Flying Kamakiri #1 has an even better effect than Birdface!"
Well Stan, thought Stan, you've really put your foot in it…
Another card flew out of Kurtis's deck.
"Now I can take any Wind Monster with an Attack Score of 1,500 or less from my deck, and summon it to the field!" laughed Kurtis.
The card alighted on his Disk, and a form appeared.
"So let's have a warm welcome," whispered Kurtis. "Making her first appearance in The Great Tree, the lovely yet lethal… Harpie Lady 1!"
The creature that now loomed before Stan was a Harpie Lady all right. This version of Mai Valentine's signature Monster wore a purple bodysuit, had long, red hair, and emerald green wings. Her feet and hands ended in sharp talons. (1,300/1,400)
"I'm not impressed!" snarled Stan. "It's still my turn, and my Illusory Gentleman is stronger than she is!"
"Is she now?" smiled Kurtis.
Harpie Lady 1's Attack Score went up to 1,600.
"You didn't take Harpie Lady 1's effect into mind!" chuckled Kurtis. "She raises the Attack Score of all Wind Monsters on the Field by 300 points, including her own!"
"Fine," said Stan. "Then I'll end my turn. My Skilled White Magician will get her on my next turn!"
"I don't think so…" whispered Kurtis.
He drew.
"First I'll summon this Monster I got from Birdface," he said, "Harpie Lady 3!"
He slapped a card down, and another Harpie Lady appeared. This one was similar to the first, but had blue hair, worn up and spiky. (1,300/1,400) –) (1,600/1,400)
"Now I'll play the Magic Card… Terraforming!" he whispered, slipping a card into a slot.
"Oh no," groaned Andy, "that lets him add any Field Magic Card from his deck to his hand!"
Another card flew out of his deck and added to his hand.
"Now," he said, flicking open his Field slot, "prepare to witness the last Field you'll ever witness… the majestic Castle of Clouds!"
He fit the card into the slot and it snapped into place. The results were dramatic.
Winds blew across the field, and the area around them was transformed into a great sea of fluffy clouds in a sapphire sky. A gorgeous palace of blue gems rose behind Kurtis.
"Lovely, isn't it?" he said, softly. "You know, mom says my dad was a noble in a realm such as this… before she eighty-sixed him."
He shrugged.
"These things happen…"
Stan gritted his teeth.
"You fiend…" he growled. "You don't even care what became of your poor father?"
"From what I know," answered Kurtis, "my father was a do-gooding meddler who would have gotten in my mom's way. But when I win this duel, maybe you'll get a chance to meet him…"
"You monster!" shouted Petuni. "What kind of…"
"SILENCE!" shouted Kurtis.
Thunder rolled, and a lightning bolt struck at her feet. She shrieked and held onto Ivan.
"Now where were we?" he asked. "Oh yes… Castle of Clouds has two potent effects on Wind Monsters. First, it raises their Attack Score by 300 points."
Harpie Lady 1 and Harpie Lady 3 both rose to 1,900 Attack.
"Second," continued Kurtis, "it gives them all a trampling effect similar to a Fairy's Meteor Crush! So you can't hide in Defense Mode!"
"Harpie Lady 1, take down his Skilled White Magician!" ordered Kurtis.
The first Harpie flew forward and raked her talons across the mage! He fell over and burst.
"Harpie Lady 3, your turn! Destroy his Illusory Gentleman!"
The second Harpie dive-bombed The Illusory Gentleman, and tore him to pixels.
Stan's Life Points fell to 7,500.
"Your move," said Kurtis, with a smile.
Stan smiled.
And then he chuckled.
"What's so funny?" sneered Kurtis.
"Oh, nothing," answered Stan. "I just thought Harpie decks were for…"
He paused.
"…girls?" said Kurtis with a scowl, tapping his foot.
"You said it, I didn't!" laughed Stan.
"Well, you're partially right," sighed Kurtis. "One of the reasons I chose Harpies as my weapon of choice was due to admiration for a famous duelist…"
He sighed again.
"A beauty named Mai Valentine. I've admired her from afar for such a long time… and some day, once my mother my siblings and I leave this island, we'll finally meet…"
"…and then what?" interrupted Francesca. "One, she's too old for you, two, I doubt she goes for boys with talons, and three, she can do better!"
Kurtis frowned.
"Will you make your move already Stan?" he demanded.
This guy is nuts, thought Stan, drawing, and the worst part is, I must be some brand of pistachio myself! I'm almost starting to believe Merlee's story! Why else is this guy speaking so much having to beat me so his mother can escape?
He looked at the card.
"I'll summon Mystical Elf in Defense Mode…" he announced, putting a card down.
He placed the card down, and the peaceful, meditative elf appeared, kneeling in prayer. (800/2,000)
"That won't help you for long," quipped Kurtis.
"She will for a while," replied Stan. "I end my turn. Now make your move."
Kurtis drew.
He looked at the Ritual Monster Card he had drawn.
I'll use this if I need it, he thought.
"Actually, I choose to end my turn without making any move," he said.
"Well, suit yourself," said Stan.
He drew.
Well that's useful, he thought.
"I'll play my Pot of Greed," he announced, placing the card into a slot.
The smiling Jar appeared, and handed him two cards.
He looked at the cards…
And his eyes opened wide!
It's one of the Monsters that Merlee gave us! he thought, looking at one of them.
His eyes squinted.
I don't know if this gal was truly a friend of my ancestor, he thought, but there's no harm in using her…
"Okay, Kurtis," he said, "I'll summon this Monster in Defense Mode… Meet Goombella the Scholar!"
He threw a card down, a flash lit up in front of him…
And a weird Monster appeared. She looked like, in shape, a two-foot tall mushroom with eyes and legs. Her mouth had two upward pointing fangs, and on the top of her head was a long, blonde ponytail. She wore a red necktie, and a strange visor with a circular lens in the center. (500/2,000)
Now, it was a strange thing. Stan (and Francesca, and Andy), always felt a sensation when they summoned a Monster. Who wouldn't feel a thrill upon seeing their Monsters spring off the cards and come to life?
But with this Monster, there was something additional. Stan felt it… And by watching him, Andy and Francesca felt it too. There was a powerful aura coming from this Monster directed at them…
It was an aura of friendship. It was almost as if they were greeting an old friend that they all hadn't seen for a long time, and were delighted to see again.
But this was lost on Kurtis…
"HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!" cackled Kurtis. "You expect me to be afraid of some oversized pizza topping?"
Goombella made an angry face at him…
"Don't insult Goombella!" snarled Stan. "She's an intellectual who can help me make decisions, and help the outcome of my actions. Just by summoning her, I get to activate her powerful effect! It's a little thing… called 'Tattle'!"
"Tattle?" said Kurtis, in confusion.
Goombella hopped up, and landed on Stan's shoulders!
"Case in point," said Stan, "I get to look at the top four cards in my deck…"
Four cards flew out from the top of Stan's deck, and positioned themselves in front of him.
"…and then I get to put then back in any order I desire!"
Goombella whispered something in Stan's ear. He gave her an "A-OK" sign. The four cards rearranged themselves, and then flew back to the deck.
Goombella hopped back down into position.
"Now it's your move," said Stan.
Kurtis drew.
He looked at the Monster Card.
This I'll save for later, he thought.
"I'll pass again…" he said.
"Ooh, he's planning something!" cried Petuni.
"There, there," said Ivan, comforting her. "I'm certain Stan can defeat this fiend…"
"He'd better," sighed Francesca.
Stan drew.
He added the card to his hand.
"First," he said, "I'll shore up my defenses, and I'll sacrifice Mystical Elf for Neo Aqua Madoor, in Defense Mode!"
Mystical Elf vanished, and a tall form arose. It was an icy sorcerer in a brown suit, with white hair and pale skin, with a veil over the lower part of his face. (1,200/3,000)
"You'll never crack this defense!" threatened Stan, taking the card he had just drawn. "And now I'll play my Sweet Treat card!"
He threw the card into the slot.
"Sweet Treat?" exclaimed Kurtis. "My mom's been looking for that!"
The gingerbread man appeared with his dice, and tossed it…
It skipped and rolled…
And landed on the six!
"YES!" shouted Stan. "That means I gain 6,000 Life Points!"
"WHAT?" screamed Kurtis.
Stan's Life Points shot up to 13,500.
"Yay!" cheered Petuni. "Stan just got a great lead!"
"Well," sighed Kurtis, "this will just make it more of a challenge."
"Now I have to end my turn," stated Stan, "so do your worst!"
Kurtis drew.
"My worst, eh?" he exclaimed.
He threw a card down.
"I summon my Cyber Harpie Lady in Attack Mode!"
Another Harpie materialized beside the other two, this one with flowing red hair, and wearing exotic black armor. She bore a glowing whip in her claw. (1,800/1,300)
"And don't forget," whispered Kurtis, "she gains a bonus from Harpie Lady 1, and Castle of Clouds!"
(2,400/1,300)
"Cyber Harpie," ordered Kurtis, "wipe out his mushroom!"
Cyber Harpie Lady flew forward and cracked her whip! Goombella shrieked and shattered into pixels.
Francesca and Andy gasped. It was as if someone had driven a dagger into them…
And Stan was just as upset…
His Life Points fell to 13,100.
"You'll pay for that, Kurtis," he snarled.
"Just send me the bill," whispered Kurtis. "Now make your move…"
Storm clouds began to appear over Castle of Clouds. Neo Aqua Madoor looked up in worry…
Stan drew.
Just as I planned, he thought, looking at it, The Sage's Stone. And thanks to Goombella, my next draw will be Dark Magician Girl.
Once I draw her, I'll summon her by sacrificing my Madoor, and then use this to summon Dark Magician! Then this duel is as good as won!
"I'll pass this turn," he said, adding the card to his hand.
"Fine," whispered Kurtis, drawing.
"I'll play a Pot of Greed of my own…" he said.
He fit a card into a slot, and the Pot of Greed handed him two more cards.
He looked at them. He grinned a sinister grin…
"I'll summon Whirlwind Prodigy in Attack Mode!" he exclaimed, placing a card down.
A windstorm blew across the field, and a young boy dressed in brown appeared next to the Harpies. He was surrounded by buffeting winds, and strange birds and bats flew about him. (1,500/1,600) –) (2,100/1,600)
"Eek!" shrieked Francesca. "Stan, watch out! That Monster…!"
"Quiet Francesca!" shouted Kurtis. "It's against the rules to shout out help!"
Francesca bowed her head.
Kurtis took the other card.
"I'll place a card facedown, and that will end my turn," he announced.
He fit a card in a slot, and it appeared behind his Monsters.
"Well," said Stan with a smile, "I don't know what secret your Whirlwind Prodigy is hiding, but I'll destroy him before you can do anything with him!"
He reached for his deck…
"Not so fast, Stan!" shouted Kurtis.
His Trap Card lifted.
"What? A Trap?" gasped Stan.
"Activate… Time Seal!" laughed Kurtis.
"Ack!" gasped Stan. "That stops me from drawing any cards!"
"Exactly," said Kurtis, with a smile.
"All right," said Stan, taking a card from his hand. "I'll place this card facedown, and end my turn."
He set the card, and it appeared behind Neo Aqua Madoor.
Kurtis chuckled evilly as he drew his next card.
"Now I can really take a bite out of your Life Points," he said in his soft voice. "You see, when I sacrifice Whirlwind Prodigy, he counts as two Monsters, so long as I sacrifice him to summon a Wind Monster…"
He switched cards on his Disk. Whirlwind Prodigy vanished.
And a huge explosion lit up the sky of Castle of Clouds!
A huge Dragon with maroon-colored scales, bat-like wings, a golden leash around its neck, and a bejeweled tiara formed out of the explosion. It roared a bellowing roar! (2,000/2,500)
"What is THAT?" gasped Stan.
"Harpie's Pet Dragon," answered Kurtis, "the Harpies' loyal companion, servant, and bodyguard. She may not look like much by herself, but she gains 300 Attack points for each Harpie on the field… plus another 300 due to Harpie Lady 1's effect, plus and additional 300 from Castle of Clouds!"
(3,500/2,500)
"No!" gasped Petuni. "I can't watch!"
She buried her head in Ivan's arms.
"Harpie's Pet Dragon," ordered Kurtis, "melt his Neo Aqua Madoor!"
The huge Dragon belched forth a stream of flame, and Neo Aqua Madoor was blasted into vapor!
Stan's Life Points fell to 12,600.
"Now my beautiful Harpies," shouted Kurtis, "attack him directly!"
The three Harpies screeched and flew into formation… Stan gulped…
Harpie Lady 1 clawed at him with her arm talons! Harpie Lady 3 raked with her foot talons! And Cyber Harpie Lady lashed with her whip!
Stan fell over and winced in pain. His Life Points plummeted to 6,600.
"STAN!" gasped Andy. "Are you okay?"
"Define 'okay'," moaned Stan.
He dragged himself to his feet.
"Still haven't figured out that it's hopeless?" chuckled Kurtis. "Please. You're suffering for no reason. Why don't you just give up and save yourself the embarrassment?"
"Kurtis," said Stan with a snarl, "do you know what it will take for me to surrender to a bully like you?"
"I dunno," sighed Kurtis with a smirk. "Would Hell have to freeze over?"
"Not only would Hell have to freeze over," growled Stan, "but the Devil would have to start giving free sleigh rides!"
He drew.
He took another card from his hand.
IMaybe this will be even better/I he thought.
"I play… Monster Reborn!" he exclaimed. "To bring back Goombella!"
He played the Magic Card, and Goombella reappeared. (500/2,000)
She hopped on his shoulders again.
"You know what that means," said Stan, with a smile. "Her Tattle kicks in again!"
The top four cards flew off of the top of his deck, and appeared before him. he consulted with Goombella again, and the cards rearranged. They flew back to the top of his deck.
Goombella hopped back to the floor.
"Now," he continued, "I'll sacrifice Goombella to summon Dark Magician Girl!"
Goombella winked, and then vanished. A flurry of hearts filled Stan's side of the field, and the sexy, buxom sorceress flew into view. (2,000/1,700)
"Now," said Stan, taking a card from his hand, "I play The Sage's Stone!"
He fit the card into a slot, and a gemstone appeared in the air. Dark Magician Girl caught it, and it glowed.
A card flew out of Stan's deck, and alighted on his Disk…
The mighty Dark Magician appeared! (2,500/2,100)
The two Magicians nodded to each other.
Kurtis drew back…
But then he regained his composure.
Clever, Stan, he thought, but you haven't won yet…
"Before I attack," continued Stan, "I'll activate my facedown card…"
His card lifted.
"Gift of the Mystical Elf!"
The card glowed, and a huge vision of Mystical Elf appeared behind him.
"This Trap Card increases my Life Points by 300 for each Monster on the field, and I count six!"
His Life Points went up to 8,400.
"Dark Magician Girl, attack Harpie Lady 1!" commanded Stan.
Dark Magician Girl leapt up into the air, and fired her scepter! Harpie Lady 1 screamed and burst!
Kurtis's Life Points fell to 7,500.
"With her out of the way," said Stan, "Your two other Harpies lose 300 Attack Points, and your Dragon loses 600!"
Harpie Lady 3's Attack score fell to 1,600, Cyber Harpie Lady's fell to 2,100, and Harpie's Pet Dragon's fell to 2,900.
"Your point being?" chuckled Kurtis.
Stan ignored the wisecrack.
"Dark Magician, attack his Cyber Harpie Lady with dark magic attack!"
Dark Magician spun his staff, and fired, blowing Cyber Harpie away!
Kurtis's Life Points fell to 7,100.
"And now your Dragon gets even weaker," mocked Stan.
The Dragon's Attack Score fell to 2,600.
"Are you quite done?" asked Kurtis.
"Yes," said Stan.
Kurtis drew.
"Harpie's Pet Dragon," he ordered, "attack Dark Magician!"
"What?" said Stan, in shock.
The Dragon exhaled her flame, and Dark Magician was incinerated.
Stan's Life Points fell to 8,300.
"That was a stupid move, Kurtis!" exclaimed Stan. "By sending Dark Magician to the Graveyard, Dark Magician Girl's Attack Score is increased by 300!"
"So?" asked Kurtis with a yawn.
"So?" said Stan. "Once she destroys your last Harpie, their Attack Scores will be equal, and we'll have a standoff!"
"Well by all means, try," mocked Kurtis in a whisper. "I end my turn."
"Ha, ha!" laughed Francesca. "Kurtis you jerk! You forgot to move your Harpie into Defense Mode!"
"Um… oops?" said Kurtis, with a shrug.
"Oops is right!" exclaimed Stan, drawing.
He looked at the Monster Card. He added it to his hand.
"Dark Magician Girl," he ordered, "attack Harpie Lady 3!"
Dark Magician Girl cast forth her dark spell; Harpie Lady 3 screamed and was blown away.
Kurtis's Life Points fell to 6,400.
"Well, so much for your Harpies," said Stan with a smile.
"So you say," whispered Kurtis. "Well, take a look at your Dark Magician Girl…"
"Huh?" said Stan.
Dark Magician Girl gasped… And then she froze into a statue!
"WHAT?" shouted Stan. "My Dark Magician Girl! She turned to stone!"
"That's right!" chuckled Kurtis. "All due to Harpie Lady 3's curse! You see, any Monster that battles her can't attack for two of your turns! So until then, Dark Magician Girl's only use to you is as a big doorstop!"
He laughed again.
"You are one nasty kid, do you know that?" growled Francesca.
Kurtis chuckled.
"You know Fran," he said, "this is getting fun. Maybe once I finish your pal here, I'll take care of you next! Won't my mom be pleased…"
"Wait!" shouted Ivan. "That wasn't part of the deal!"
"QUIET!" yelled Kurtis.
He held out his hand, and a fierce gust of wind blew Ivan over. Petuni ran to help him up.
"Some people will believe in anything," sighed Kurtis. "Deals, bargains… the Tooth Fairy. He should be glad I'm not going to blow this whole tree over once I'm done… Maybe I will anyway…"
Stan stared at him.
"Make… your… move…" he growled.
Kurtis drew.
"I chose to pass again this turn," he said, adding the card to his hand.
"You're up to something," snarled Stan, making his own draw.
He looked at the Trap Card.
"So I'll place this card facedown, and that will end my turn."
He fit the card into a slot, and it appeared behind the petrified Dark Magician Girl.
Kurtis drew.
"Heh, heh," he chuckled. "Well, it's time to make a move that will blow you over!"
He put a card down on his Disk.
"I summon… Sonic Bird!" he exclaimed.
A sound like a jet engine erupted over the field, and a large eagle wearing a jetpack and aviator's goggles flew into view. (1,400/1,000) –) (1,700/1,000)
"By summoning this little guy, I can…" he started.
"I know!" interrupted Stan. "He lets you add a Ritual Magic Card to your hand from your deck!"
"Smart," mumbled Kurtis.
A glowing card flew out of his deck, and he caught it.
"See this?" he said, softly, showing it to Stan. "It's a Ritual called Chant of the Harpies!"
"Chant of the Harpies?" said Stan, in wonder. "I've… never heard of that one…"
"This Harpie Lady accessory is so rare, that not even Mai Valentine knows about it!" chuckled Kurtis, plugging it into his Disk. "But when I finally meet her, I'll give her this card and the Monster Card – she'll be sure to accept me then!"
"That seems unlikely…" scowled Stan.
Kurtis ignored him…
A strange altar decorated with birdlike totems and fetishes appeared on his side of the field. Then the three Harpie Lady Sisters appeared over it, and started chanting in a musical song.
"To complete this ceremony, I'll sacrifice my Harpie Girl, and Sonic Bird itself…" said Kurtis.
Sonic Bird hopped up on the altar, and then a cute, young Harpie in a black outfit with pink wings appeared on it…
The two Monsters vanished into sparkles, and then the chanting Harpies vanished. Kurtis put a card down on his Disk.
"…and I'll summon… Calypso the Harpie Queen!
An intense light shone over Castle of Clouds, and a tall form alighted on the altar. She looked like a Harpie Lady, but more beautiful than the others, with long, golden hair, platinum armor, and metallic wings. She was decked in gold jewelry and a crown. (1,900/1,900) –) (2,200/1,900)
"Okay, impressive…" stuttered Stan.
"Your about to be more impressed," chuckled Kurtis. "When Calypso is summoned, her effect activates!"
Calypso started to sing a lovely song, and three forms started to appear next to her.
"What's happening?" asked Stan. "What is she… YAAAAHH!"
Before Stan's unbelieving eyes, Harpie Lady 1, Harpie Lady 3, and Cyber Harpie Lady reappeared!
"Calypso can resurrect up to three of her subjects from the Graveyard!" laughed Kurtis. "With my army in front of me, I truly have the wind beneath my wings!"
(1,300/1,400) –) (1,900/1,400), (1,300/1,400) –) (1,900/1,400), (1,800/1,300) –) (2,400/1,300)
Calypso's Attack Score went up to 2,500, while that of Harpie's Pet Dragon went back up to 3,500!
"No…" cried Francesca.
Blue fire burned in Kurtis's eyes.
"It may be a little late, but here's a tip, Stan," he chuckled, "next time you go out in stormy weather, bring a poncho! Not that there's going to be a next time! Calypso, attack his Dark Magician Girl with Harpie's windstorm!"
Miniature whirlwinds encircled Calypso's hands, and she shot forth a blast of air.
"Not so fast!" shouted Stan. "I activate Magic Cylinder!"
His Trap Card lifted, and two Cylinders appeared in front of him. The windstorm blasted into one of them, and blasted out the other, slamming into Kurtis, knocking him over!
"Ow…" he cursed.
His Life Points fell to 3,900.
"Fine," he whispered, getting up. "I'm adaptable. But you're just delaying the inevitable. Harpie's Pet Dragon, you attack that bitch!"
The Dragon exhaled a furious gout of flame, and Dark Magician Girl was incinerated!
Stan's Life Points fell to 7,100.
"Now my Harpies," said Kurtis, evilly, "PUNISH HIM!"
The three Harpies screeched and flew at Stan! They savagely tore at him and lashed at him with the whip!
Stan fell over, as his Life Points plummeted to 900.
"You might as well stay down," he heard Kurtis's soft voice say as he felt himself losing consciousness. "Forgive me for making such a crude remark, but you… blew it!"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Someone was nudging Stan's face.
"Stan, get up!" said a young, female voice he had never heard before.
He groggily got up…
And saw himself face-to-face with Goombella.
"Goombella?" he groaned.
"I'd help you up," she answered, "but as you can see, I have no arms."
Her voice was tough and sassy… and maybe a little bossy.
"How can you be here?" he asked. "You're in my Graveyard…"
"Come on now, Stan!" she urged. "You of all people should know that Duel Monsters are immortal! And I'm different than most – I'm attached to you in ways you can't imagine!
"You have to keep fighting! You can't let Kurtis win! Once he defeats you, Francesca and Andy won't last long… And if the Shadow Queen escapes…
"…the world is in jeopardy…"
"Oh, please…" groaned Stan. "Not that crazy story again…"
Goombella gave him an angry look.
And then she jumped up and headbutted him on the head!
"OW!" shouted Stan. "Why'd you do that?"
"I'm trying to drive some sense into you, lead-head!" shouted Goombella. "Stan, you deny it now, but do you know what I think? I think you and your two friends are just too afraid to admit it!
"And besides, you said you were going to teach Kurtis a lesson because you hated bullies… You want to know something?
"There was a reason I joined your forefather – because he saved ME from a bully. One that, it turned out, was working for the Shadow Queen, even though we didn't know it at the time. People who pick on others who are weaker than them are scum. So show him how it's done!"
"How?" moaned Stan. "He has five powerful Monsters on the field, and I have a clear side… and very little in my hand…"
"True," said Goombella, "but thanks to me, you know what your next two draws will be…"
She smirked.
"Think about it!"
She nudged him again with her foot.
"Now get up, and go get 'em! Don't let your friends and the people of The Great Tree down!
"You may not WANT to play the hero, but you're gonna HAVE to!"
She gave him a kick.
"Because frankly, you have no choice…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Stan woke up.
He slowly picked up his cards. He got up to his feet.
"Humph," sighed Kurtis. "For a minute there, I thought I might be able to win by forfeit…"
"This isn't over yet, Kurtis…" snarled Stan.
"Still trying to win?" sighed Kurtis.
The three Harpies and their Queen chuckled evilly, and their pet growled.
"We'll see," said Stan, drawing.
He added the card to his hand, and took another card from his hand.
"I've had it with your sadistic attitude, you big bag of wind," he said, "so I'm willing to take a major risk to defeat you…"
He put a card down.
"I'm summoning Blast Magician, in Attack Mode!"
A flame erupted in front of him, and the fiery Spellcaster appeared, brandishing his sickle-ended staff. (1,400/1,700)
"That's weak!" mocked Kurtis.
"Maybe so," replied Stan, taking the card he had just drawn, "but I'm also playing this…"
He fit a card into a slot.
"Swords of Revealing Light!"
A shower of Swords rained from the heavens and crashed down upon Kurtis's side. The Harpies and their Dragon drew back in surprise.
"And that's my turn," he said with a grin.
"Great!" exclaimed Andy. "Now Stan has three turns to figure out a way out of this!"
Kurtis frowned as he drew a card.
"Fine," he said. "If that's your game, I'll just pass this turn…
"But you're taking a big risk here, Stan. If I managed to draw something that would destroy your Swords, only one attack would win me this duel!"
"True," said Stan, nodding, "but you'd have won anyway if I hadn't. So faced with a serious risk or certain defeat, I'd rather take the serious risk."
"Touché," said Kurtis, with a shrug.
Stan drew.
He took another card from his hand and fit it into a slot.
"Now I'll play this," he said. "Premature Burial!"
His Life Points fell to 100.
"I'll use it to revive my Dark Magician!"
The card appeared on the field, and the clouds below parted. Dark Magician crawled out. (2,500/2,100)
"Is Stan out of his skull?" gasped Petuni. "How can he win with only 100 Life Points left?"
"I guess he figured he had nothing left to lose…" said Francesca, with a shrug. "100 isn't all that less than 900 in perspective…"
"And now," continued Stan, "I'll use this!"
He played the Magic Card he had just drawn.
"Dedication Through Light And Darkness!"
A card flew out of his Disk, and he caught it.
"Now I can sacrifice Dark Magician for an even stronger Spellcaster!" he exclaimed.
He switched cards, and Dark Magician and the Premature Burial card vanished.
"Dark Magician of Chaos, come forth!"
The powerful sorcerer appeared, holding his glowing scepter! (2,800/2,600)
"NO!" shouted Kurtis. "You managed to summon a very powerful Monster!"
"Yes, and that's just part one of my genius plan!" exclaimed Stan. "You see, when Dark Magician of Chaos is summoned, I get to retrieve one Magic Card from my Graveyard… And I'm going to use that ability to retrieve one that I discarded when I used Graceful Charity on my first turn!"
An orb of light shot out of his discard slot, and it formed into a card. He caught it, and placed it into a slot.
"It's a Magic Card called… Scroll of Bewitchment!"
"Scroll of Bewitchment?" said Kurtis, sounding confused. "What does that do?"
"Simple," replied Stan. "It's an Equip Card that lets me change a Monster's Attribute. So I'll use it to change Dark Magician of Chaos's Attribute from Dark… to Wind!"
A long scroll of parchment appeared, surrounding Dark Magician of Chaos in its reams. It vanished, and his raiment turned sky blue.
"What good will THAT do you?" asked Kurtis, even more confused.
"Isn't it obvious?" said Stan with a smile. "Think about it…"
Kurtis stared for a minute…
Then it sunk in.
"AWK!" he gasped. "If he's a Wind Monster, then he gets the boost from my Castle of Clouds!"
"AND the boost from Harpie Lady 1," said Stan with a grin, "so thanks a bunch!"
Harpie Lady 1 gasped!
Dark Magician of Chaos soared up to 3,400 Attack!
"But I won't be using him just yet," continued Stan. "Now we get to part three of my brilliant strategy!"
"Part three?" gasped Kurtis.
"Yes!" exclaimed Stan. "Namely, my Blast Magician! I've played four magic cards since I summoned him – that gives him the ability to destroy a Monster with up to 2,800 Attack Points!
"And since I learn from my mistakes… Blast Magician, destroy Harpie Lady 3!"
Blast Magician's staff blazed with flames! They shot forward, and Harpie Lady 3 screamed as she was engulfed in fire! Within seconds, she was reduced to ashes.
"Now, Dark Magician of…" started Stan, "or should I say, Wind Magician of Chaos, attack Harpie Lady 1 with chaos scepter blast!"
The chaos mage twirled his staff and slammed it to the ground! A fierce tornado shot forth, and shot towards Harpie Lady 1! She screamed and was torn apart!
"Yes, go Stan!" shouted Andy.
"Put that bully in his place!" yelled Francesca.
"Finish him off, Stan!" cheered Petuni.
Cyber Harpie Lady's Attack fell to 2,100, Calypso's fell to 2,200, and that of Harpie's Pet Dragon fell all the way to 2,600. Dark Magician of Chaos dropped to 3,100 Attack, but he was still the strongest Monster on the field.
And Kurtis's Life Points plummeted to 2,300.
"And by the way," mentioned Stan, "Harpie Lady 1 isn't just gone, she's staying gone, because any Monster destroyed by my chaos magician is removed from play.
"Make your move…"
Kurtis looked at his hand…
Curses… he thought. I just have to draw something to destroy his Swords… Heavy Storm, Mystical Space Typhoon, either one will do…
He drew.
Another Castle of Clouds? he thought, in panic. Talk about worthless!
Sweat started to bead on his face.
I can't risk taking any more damage until I think of something… he thought.
His hand shook.
He turned the cards on his Disk.
"I'm switching Cyber Harpie Lady, Calypso, and my Dragon to Defense Mode," he said, nervously.
Calypso and the Harpie shielded themselves with their wings, as did their Dragon.
"It's your move…" he snarled.
"Heh, heh…" chuckled Stan. "HA, HA, HA, HA, HA, HA!"
"What's so funny?" shouted Stan.
"Kurtis, you made the dumbest mistake yet," replied Stan. "Namely, you panicked. And in doing so, you made a sloppy move – you forgot all about the second effect of your own powerful Field Card!"
"Huh?" said Kurtis.
He paused.
"NOOO!" he shouted. "Wind Monsters have a trampling effect when it's active!"
"Right!" said Stan, with a smirk. "And every one of your Monsters has a lower Defense Score than their Attack Score right now!"
He drew.
"Now, I'll sacrifice my Blast Magician for my mighty Chaos Command Magician!" he shouted, switching cards.
Blast Magician vanished in a bright light, and a sorcerer in a glossy black robe, cape, and hat with sharp edges, carrying a staff appeared. (2,400/1,900)
"Command Magician, attack his Cyber Harpie with chaos magic!" he shouted.
Chaos Command Magician aimed his staff, and shot forth a wave of rainbow-colored light. Cyber Harpie screamed, and was consumed by the radiance.
"Now my chaos mage, attack his Dragon!"
Dark Magician of Chaos fired his wind magic at the immense Dragon and she roared! She was blown into pixels.
Kurtis gasped, as his Life Points fell to 1,600.
"Your move now…" dared Stan.
"No…" moaned Kurtis drawing.
"Got to be… something I can… do…"
He looked at his cards…
But there wasn't anything.
There was a long pause.
"Well?" asked Stan. "Are you going to move or aren't you?"
"No," said Kurtis with an angry scowl. "Make your last attack… You win this round. But mark my words… this is far from over…"
Stan just glared at him as he drew.
"Chaos Command Magician, attack Calypso!" shouted Stan.
The Spellcaster cast forth his bright spell, and Calypso the Harpie Queen was obliterated.
"Now, Dark Magician of Chaos, attack him directly, and wipe out the rest of his Life Points!"
Dark Magician of Chaos shot forth his windy spell, and Kurtis screamed! He fell to his knees…
As Kurtis's Life Points fell to zero, he transformed into a cloudy mass. A sigh like a gentle breeze was heard, and he dissipated.
The Castle of Clouds vanished, as did Stan's two Monsters.
Stan took a card out of his discard slot.
Thanks Goombella, he thought. Merlee's story is a little farfetched… But maybe I'll think about it some more…
Francesca and Andy ran up to hug him.
"Oh, Stan," said Ivan. He wiped his brow again. "How can we thank you?"
"Well, you can start by…" started Stan.
"Wait…" started Ivan. "I know exactly how I can thank you... come with me…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Fifteen minutes later, on a lower level, Ivan, Petuni, and the three teenagers were in a museum filled with antique clocks.
"Um, Ivan," said Francesca, "we appreciate the tour of your Museum of Historic Timepieces, but I think Stan was hoping for a more material reward…"
"This isn't just a museum," said Ivan, "this is a vault!"
He went up to a very old grandfather clock.
"Kurtis wanted something else when he was here," said Ivan, "something I was trusted with. I lied, and told him I didn't know what he was talking about… And I wouldn't have given it to him if he had burned the whole town down!
"It's been waiting here until someone showed up to oppose thugs like him… And certainly, it will be safer with you…"
He started to turn the hands on the clock.
"Seven-fifteen left," he said, "nine-thirty right, one o'clock left."
A clicking was heard, and the grandfather clock moved aside. In a small, hidden alcove was a podium…
…on which was a Duel Monsters card.
Ivan handed it to Stan.
"Here, take it," he said. "It's a powerful card – you can use it well."
Stan looked at it, as Andy and Francesca crowded around.
It was a Magic Card called "Clock Out".
"Well, that is remarkable," said Stan.
"And please," said Ivan, "stay as our guests at least until tomorrow morning – we'll put you up in our finest lodgings."
"Works for me," said Francesca with a shrug.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
In a dark place, Kurtis came to his senses.
He turned and saw Melissa trapped in the Nightmare Steel Cage… with a girlish grin on her face.
"Ha, ha, you messed up, windbag," chuckled Melissa.
"Yeah? So did you, lighthead!" scowled Kurtis.
"Melissa, you're in enough trouble already," said a sinister voice from in front of them.
The Shadow Queen walked out of the darkness, frowning like a thunderstorm. Kurtis shivered…
"Uh, mom…" he stuttered.
"On your feet, Kurtis!" she demanded.
Kurtis got up.
"What have you got to say for yourself?" she said, angrily.
"Uh," said Kurtis, sweating. "Will begging and groveling help?"
"No," she answered.
"That's what I figured…" muttered Kurtis.
"This is getting out of hand," grumbled the Shadow Queen, flicking her Disk into position. "First Melissa goofs up, and now you… It won't be long before those three start to figure the situation out…"
She took five cards out of her dress.
"Now choose a card, Kurtis, and make it quick!"
"Uh…" said Kurtis.
Sweat started to pour down his face.
"C'mon," said the Queen. "If you don't choose one in one minute, I'm going to let your sister decide."
Melissa grinned broadly at him.
"No!" shouted Kurtis.
He shakily pointed his finger.
"The one in the middle…" he stammered.
"Fine," said the Queen, taking it.
She slid it into her Disk.
"Spellbinding Circle!" she exclaimed.
Kurtis screamed, as a shimmering pentagram formed around him and he froze in place.
The Queen put the cards away and turned to leave.
"Bad choice," chuckled his sister.
"Can it, Melissa!" snapped Kurtis (as best he could, seeing as he couldn't move his mouth).
As the Shadow Queen exited the chamber, thoughts were on her mind.
Kurtis may have failed, she thought, but I did manage to gain one thing…
…knowledge.
That wretched Stanley used a Monster Card that was a dead wringer for that accursed Goomba that aided my enemies a millennium ago. Clearly, Maximillion Pegasus did not design this card – and I'd be a fool to think that this is the only Monster card of its type that those three brats have.
Clearly, those meddling Seven Companions have been reborn in the form of cards…
The only question is… How did those kids get them?
0
0
0
CASTLE OF CLOUDS (Magic Card)
Card Specs
Type: Magic/Field
Attribute: -
Level: -
ATK: -
DEF: -
Card Description: Image of a majestic palace of blue gems amid a sea of fluffy clouds. When this card is active, increase the ATK of all WIND Monsters on the field by 300. When a WIND Monster attacks a Defense Position Monster who's DEF is lower than the attacking Monster's ATK, inflict Life Point damage to the attacked Monster's controller equal to the difference between the Attacking Monster's ATK and the attacked Monster's DEF.
0
0
0
CHANT OF THE HARPIES (Magic Card)
Card Specs
Type: Magic/Ritual
Attribute: -
Level: -
ATK: -
DEF: -
Card Description: Image of three Harpie Ladies dancing over a stone altar decorated with a bird-like motif. This card is used to Ritual Summon "Calypso the Harpie Queen". You must also offer Monsters whose total Level Stars equal six or more from the field or your hand.
0
0
0
CALYPSO THE HARPIE QUEEN (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Winged Beast/Ritual/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 6
ATK: 1,900
DEF: 1,900
Card Description: This powerful avian being is the queen, goddess – and some say mother – of the three Harpie Lady Sisters. She has the power to revive her daughters should they perish. This card can only be ritual summoned with the Ritual Magic Card "Chant of the Harpies". You must also offer Monsters whose total Level Stars equal six or more from the field or your hand. When this Monster is successfully ritual summoned, you can special summon up to three "Harpie Lady" cards to the field from your Graveyard in Attack or Defense Mode.
Note: "Chant of the Harpies" and "Calypso the Harpie Queen" first appeared in "The Mandate of Heaven"
0
0
0
GOOMBELLA THE SCHOLAR (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Spellcaster/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 500
DEF: 2,000
Card Description: The first member of the Seven Companions, there was very little this smart – and sassy – little Goomba could not figure out. When this Monster is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned, look at the four cards on the top of your deck, and replace them in any order.
0
0
0
Coming up next:
You may have liked Kurtis's Field Magic Card Castle of Clouds, but coming up next, our team is invited to a castle among the clouds! Namely… Glitzville!
And once there, the team barely has time to take in the sights, when Francesca is ambushed by a strange character who forces her to duel for incredible stakes. Oh, and Merlee might show up again too. Don't miss a chapter I call "Strike of the Assassin", coming soon.