CHAPTER 10: Divine Intervention
Ben wandered the hills of the Academy the next day in solitude as he was still affected by the incident with Seki. Ben couldn't believe that he had let his guard down so easily to a psychopath.
"Never again." Ben said to himself as he looked out into the currents.
On the other side of the island, Tyler was singing a different tune.
"One more ribbon to go and I'm in the semi-finals!" Tyler thought cheerfully as he hummed to himself.
Kerai stepped onto the island as she saw Tyler immediately.
"Perfect." She said to herself.
Ben heard a song that sounded like something that you would hear in a church before mass started. Deep tones of singing monks with organs in the background chimed from his right. He turned and saw a relatively large church that he hadn't noticed before. Well since Ben wasn't really the religious type it was of no surprise to him that he hadn't noticed it. The tall church was all white brick and had two large doors that were open. Ben walked cautiously yet rapidly towards the church since the combination of its beauty and the music coming from inside intrigued him.
When Ben reached the front doors he saw a woman who was standing on the altar kneeling in front of a large cross that was suspended form the ceiling. She raised her head and came to her feet. As she turned around Ben was taken back by her beauty. Her deep crimson hair that was tied back in a bun and fierce yellow eyes made her appear very exotic, while her tan skin and tight fitting clothes added to her unique beauty. She wore a deep crimson jacket that was open with a white halter top that had a golden cross on the chest. Her skirt was also a crimson color but was outlined in the same golden color that resided on the cross. Over her fierce yellow eyes, thin rectangular glasses appeared. This gave her a sophisticated and seductive look.
"Come forth and repent." She said. "Lust is one of the Seven Deadly Sins."
Ben stopped gazing at this beautiful female and noticed the Duel Disk that was on her arm.
"So you are an eliminator." Ben said.
"I may be, but I'll let you know that I haven't had to force a single duelist to duel me." She replied.
"Well even if you didn't, I am not going to show any weakness. I already beat an eliminator and I don't have to duel another if I don't want to." Ben said.
Ben began to turn his back to her and leave as she said, "Seki would be disappointed."
Ben's face reddened with rage as he quickly turned around.
"Don't even go there." He replied.
"Wrath." She said, "Another of the seven deadly sins."
"I see your game." Ben said, "But it's not going to work."
"All I ask is that you repent." She said, "My deck will pass judgment on your very soul."
Ben suddenly remembered, "My deck will pass judgment upon your very soul, I draw one card." Ryan said.
That single remark, while it probably wasn't intended got Ben even madder on the inside.
"I bet you never even were his friend." The woman said, "You were just envious of his skills and felt that some of his dueling expertise would rub off on you if you put up with him long enough. Envy."
"If you weren't a woman, I would…" Ben said as he caught himself letting her get the best of him.
"You Sloth." She said, "You wanted to have to do no work to attain a high dueling status by letting your 'friend' do it for you. Pathetic."
"Watch your tongue." Ben snapped back.
"Repent and duel me." She said, "Prove to me that you aren't a poser who gets lucky."
Ben quickly walked towards her and started up his Duel Disk.
"When I beat you, I'll have enough ribbons to get into the Semi-Finals." Ben said, "Don't mistake this duel for anything but that."
"Oh, I won't, my child." The woman said. "My name is Tenrai Kihaku."
The woman folded her arms into a cross as she started up her duel disk. Both duelists faced one another on the altar in front of the stained glass window.
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"I will begin." Tenrai said. "I summon, Bio Mage (1150/1000) in attack mode."
A small man appeared on the field. Large silver wings with neon orange light emanating from them emerged from his back. In his hands he held a small metal cross and his chants echoed those of the monks.
"I now set one card face down and end my turn." Tenrai said.
One vertical face-down card appeared behind the small mage.
"I draw, and I summon Thunder Nyan Nyan (1900/800) in attack mode!" Ben shouted.
A small oni monster appeared on the field. Large drums were all around her waist and she winked at the mage on the field.
"Now, Thunder Nyan Nyan will attack your Mage!" Ben ordered.
"I activate my trap, Kneel at the Altar!" Tenrai said calmly.
The Thunder Nyan Nyan suddenly fell to her knees and cupped her hands in prayer.
"This continuous trap card forces all of my opponent's monsters into defense mode permanently. As a requirement I must pay 500 Life Points during each of my turns to keep this card active." Tenrai explained.
"I will set one card face down and end my turn." Ben said.
One vertical card appeared face-down behind his solemn monster.
"I will now draw and the effect of my trap card activates." Tenrai said.
Tenrai fell to her knees in prayer as white light radiated from her body. She cringed at the energy being taken from her.
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Tenrai came to her feet as she opened her fierce eyes once again and continued her turn.
"I now activate my Spell card, Fall from Grace!" Tenrai shouted. "This card forces you to summon all monsters in your hand to the field that can be normal summoned!"
Ben's hand began to glow as two angels with blue skirts and a long blue blouses on, and one Angel with a long golden dress and blonde hair appeared.
"Two Hysteric Fairies (1800/500) and My Agent of Creation-Venus (1600/0) are all summoned." Ben said.
"And now may they repent!" Tenrai said as he trap card began to glow.
The three monsters all fell to their knees and joined the Thunder Nyan Nyan in prayer.
"Next, I summon Asura Priest (1700/1200) in attack mode!" Tenrai shouted.
A blue priest with a silver robe appeared on the field.
"Now, I will use Asura Priest's special effect to attack all of your monsters at once!" Tenrai commanded.
In front of the priest four crosses appeared. The crosses began to glow and four burning crosses appeared over Ben's monsters.
"The trial is over, your monsters are condemned!" Tenrai shouted.
Suddenly, the four monsters all wept tears of blood as they shattered from the field.
"Next, Bio-Mage will attack!" Tenrai said.
The small mage's cross radiated as he opened his wings and orange beams of light slammed into Ben.
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"I end my turn, and since my Asura Priest was a spirit monster he returns to my hand." Tenrai explained.
The blue priest vanished from the field silently.
"I draw, and I set a monster in defense mode." Ben said with a smirk.
"I draw!" Tenrai said, "And I atone for the cost of my trap!"
Tenrai braced herself as the light energy was taken from her.
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"Now I play the Spell, Polymerization, which allows for me to fuse together the Forgiving Maiden (850/2000) and the Marie the Fallen One (1700/1200) in my hand to form my divine Saint Joan (2800/2000)!" Tenrai said as she looked into the sky.
A dark angel with black skin and wings dressed in a light pink nightgown appeared on the field next to a weeping maiden who knelt in prayer. The fallen angel looked at the Forgiving Maiden and began to glow in white light. The Maiden then vanished and her light energy fused with the Fallen Angel. Marie then took to the skies as the white light caressed her and she began to lose her darkness as she descended to the field as a woman with orange hair and silver armor wielding a sword that was in the shape of a cross. Light from the heavens poured upon her as she opened her eyes to reveal golden orbs of light.
"My Saint Joan will be the final test in this duel." Tenrai said. "I now Summon Asura Priest back to the field!"
The blue priest returned to the field and looked on at Ben with mercy in his eyes.
"Now, My Saint Joan will attack your face-down monster!" Tenrai said.
Large white wings exploded from the Saint's back as she flew through the sky and soared down as she stabbed through Ben's monster. A small marshmallow creature appeared on the field. The creature separated and then reformed as a determined look came over him.
"You attacked my Marshmallow (300/500)" Ben explained. "Too bad for you that this card can't be destroyed in battle and when it is flipped face up by battle my opponent receives 1000 points of damage!"
The tiny marshmallow began to glow in white light as three balls of energy slammed into Tenrai's chest.
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"Clever, Ben." Tenrai said. "It's too bad for you that you will never get past my monsters. I end my turn."
The Asura Priest slowly vanished from the field once more.
"I draw." Ben said. "Tenrai, it is time for your fall from grace!"
"Don't be foolish." Tenrai replied.
"I activate my Spell card, Mystical Space Typhoon!" Ben shouted.
The small typhoon spiraled towards Tenrai's trap card and shattered it on contact.
"Next, I play the Spell card, Tribute to the Doomed by discarding Seraph of Sacrifice (1200/1800) to the graveyard!" Ben said.
Mummy wrappings encased the Saint and a large hand form the Earth crept up and pulled her underneath.
"How dare you use such blasphemous cards!" Tenrai shouted.
"Due to the effect of my Seraph of Sacrifice, when it is discarded from my hand it is immediately Special Summoned to the field!" Ben explained.
An angel with black wings and armor appeared on the field holding a silver blade.
"Next, I tribute my Marshmallow and my Seraph of Sacrifice to summon, Guardian Angel Joan (2800/2000)!" Ben shouted.
The spirit of the Saint that was destroyed emerged from the earth and appeared on Ben's side of the field. She had a glowing halo of light and a golden gown with shimmering angelic wings. Tenrai fell to her knees at the glory of this monster as tears streamed down her face.
"Now, I will prove to you that my soul is Pure with this, Soul of Purity and Light (2000/1800)!" Ben yelled. "By removing two Light monsters from my Graveyard, my Soul shall be cleansed!"
The two Hysteric Fairies appeared on the field and flew into an opening in the sky that was glowing with white light. In their places a light figure of a woman that was almost transparent appeared. She wore a loose dress that swayed in the sky as she hummed a calming melody.
"This duel is over for you, with the unclean soul!" Ben said. "Guardian Angel Joan, attack her Bio-Mage!"
The Light Angel flapped her golden wings as a wind of shimmering light slammed into the mage. He immediately vanished from the field and light encased Ben.
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"When my Guardian Angel Joan destroys a monster I gain Life Points equal to that monster's attack points!" Ben said, "Now, Soul of Purity and Light, cleanse her!"
The divine woman soared over to behind Tenrai who was still on her knees. The Soul then hugged her from behind and put her head over Tenrai's shoulder. Suddenly, the Soul began to radiate and it absorbed white Light from Tenrai's body.
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The field cleared as Tenrai knelt in awe at the sight that had just occurred before her. She finally came to her feet and she walked over to Ben.
"You truly are marvelous, not only in your dueling skill but in your appreciation for this game and the divinity that lies within your deck." Tenrai said. "I am giving you my ribbon as a sign of the power that truly lies within the forces of God."
Tenrai handed Ben a golden ribbon that had a white cross on it.
"Ben, go far and reach goals in the name of the divine." Tenrai said.
"Thank you, Tenrai." Ben said, "I'm far from religious, but I feel the spirit of my deck surging through me every time that I duel."
Ben then walked off of the altar as the light from outside shone through the stained glass window and silhouetted Tenrai's figure as she watched him leave.
"While this duel was initially unpleasing, I have learned more about the connection that I share with my deck." Ben said to himself, "I have proven to myself why I belong here."
To be continued…