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CHAPTER TEN
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Vision of Things to Come
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Yumi versus the Deck of Fate
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Yumi was tossing and turning in her sleep.
She envisioned herself in the grand Coliseum, after being declared the winner of the tournament…
"I wish…" she muttered. "I wish… I wish…"
Her eyes snapped open.
She hit the pillow with her fist.
"I wish I could get some sleep!" she shouted.
She looked at the clock. It was ten-thirty PM.
"Blasted jet lag…" she muttered. "Or maybe I just ate too much at that restaurant…"
She lay on her back for a few minutes…
She turned on the bedside light.
Her hand fell on that strange business card. She looked at it again.
Madame Cassandra
Fortunes told! Futures revealed!
Open 9PM to 3AM
"So…" she said. "It's some crazy fortuneteller… Dad warned me about fortunetellers…"
He had indeed. The one time her grandfather had trusted a fortuneteller, it turned out to be Bandit Keith in disguise, who had been turned into a puppet by Marik. The enslaved Keith swiped the Puzzle and forced him to duel, without the Pharaoh to help him. Yugi likely would have won anyway, but before he could, Keith broke free, went nuts from having his mind controlled, and started a fire in the building. Yugi had been lucky to get out alive.
That was the elder Yugi Mouto's first encounter with Marik, actually. Fortunately, it was also the last anyone ever saw of Keith. If Yumi's grandparents had to guess, he likely died after an overdose of some sort…
Still, Marik was an old man now, his Rod in Shadi's possession. Likely this fortuneteller was nothing more than some charlatan psychic who read palms for people's amusement…
There was no sleep in her tonight… So it was a choice of either checking this out or renting a movie on the hotel's pay channel.
She looked at the movie list.
She had seen all of them at least twice each.
Quickly, she got up and got dressed. An inner voice told her to take her Disk – maybe another night owl was out, and he'd want to duel. You never knew.
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Clock Tower Prison was visible in the distance from where she was. It slowly inched towards eleven o'clock.
The building was a strange one. It looked like it would be hard to miss. But Yumi had passed this spot twice the previous day, and had not noticed it.
Above the door was a sign that looked similar to the Shadow of Eyes card – two sinister-looking female eyes. Under them were the words "Madame Cassandra, Fortuneteller Extraordinaire".
Yumi sighed and went in. As she closed the door, she heard the ominous tolling of the clock tower.
She was immediately met by the smell of incense and saffron. The dim room was illuminated by dozens of candles. Old and strange artifacts were around, reminiscent of the New Age – dream catchers hung from the walls, strange statuettes made of wood or wax hung on shelves, and weird items that she couldn't even identify hung as ornaments.
A table with a green tablecloth was at the center of the room. A deck of cards was placed in the center.
Yumi looked at them. They weren't Duel Monsters cards. Duel Monsters cards were smaller, and had a different design on the backs…
She looked towards a doorway where a curtain of beaded strings served as the door.
Someone was coming!
A young woman, who seemed to be about age twenty-five or so, pushed the beads aside. She was a raven-haired beauty, dressed in the attire of the classic European gypsies. Her eyes were deep green, and almost hypnotic.
"May I help you?" she asked.
"No! I was just leaving!" cried Yumi, turning towards the door.
"Stay!" shouted the woman.
Yumi froze…
"Don't be afraid, Yumi…" said the woman, "I don't bite…"
"How did you… know my name?" asked Yumi.
"Madame Cassandra knows many things," said the woman, sitting at the table. "Things that are not revealed to just anyone…
"In my visions, I have seen a myriad of realms and realities, where bizarre and unpleasant things happen that you could not imagine. If you saw some of these things, you'd be appalled…
"Have a seat…"
Yumi slowly sat down, shivering at the sight of those eyes.
Cassandra took the odd deck of cards, and spread it on the table in a jumbled mess.
"I know your concern, Yumi," she said. "You fear that evil is coming, and like your parents and grandparents before you, you must stop it. Perhaps I can help."
She arranged the cards back into a deck, and shuffled them.
"Cut," she said.
Yumi cut the cards, noticing that it was a small deck – about half the size of a dueling deck.
"Yes, Yumi," said Cassandra. "Only twenty-two cards. A deck for a more serious reading would use a deck that had seventy-eight, but I have something better in mind after this is done."
She combined the cards. Then she took four cards off the deck, one by one, and placed them on the table facedown.
"Let's see what the cards of the Tarot reveal to us," she said.
She turned the first card over.
"It is the card that represents you, Yumi," she said. "The High Priestess. The divine feminine, and a guardian of secrets. You are the holder of divine power, and possess great potential."
Yumi didn't know what to say. Cassandra reached for the second card.
It bore the image of a man in a red robe and a golden helmet, seated on a throne holding an orb and a staff.
"The Hierophant," she said. "It represents a partner, a counsel, a spiritual guide. Someone who stands by you with advice…"
Yumi looked to her right, and saw the Pharaoh standing there. He was listening intently, with his arms crossed.
"Continue…" said Yumi.
Cassandra reached for the third card.
"Oh my…" she said.
The card was a frightening picture of a castle being struck by lightning.
"The Tower…" mumbled Cassandra. "The symbol of destruction and failure… I fear that this means something bad lurks in your future…"
"What?" gasped Yumi.
"Perhaps the last card will give some insight," replied Cassandra.
She flipped it around.
It was an odd picture. It showed the image of a group of people kneeling before a fiery, angelic figure on a wasteland.
"Yes, this is a positive card," said Cassandra. "Judgment. It symbolizes rebirth, and rewards for past efforts…
"But it has another meaning… The need to make a final choice, and accept a new life…"
She returned the cards to the deck.
"Of course, Yumi, like I said, that wasn't a serious reading. I have something for you that will let me see more.
"I practice a special form of fortunetelling that few others do – I call it Duelomancy…"
"What is…" started Yumi.
Cassandra's eyes started to glow with purple light. Yumi froze in fear. She felt like running away screaming, but she was rooted to the spot.
Before she could do anything, Cassandra snapped her fingers, and the walls of the room melted away…
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Yumi looked around.
She was standing in a dark place, with fog covering the ground. She looked up, and to her sides and above, all she could see was darkness.
Uncanny darkness…
"Yumi," said the voice of the Pharaoh. "We're somewhere else. This Cassandra is either a master of FX, or has strange powers. She may be dangerous. We must be on guard."
Cassandra appeared in front of Yumi, twenty paces away.
Her eyes shimmered…
"Here is how Duelomancy works, Yumi," she said. "A battle of Duel Monsters must take place. Consider me a Bonus of Duelatopia.
"Say no, and I'll simply return you safely to your bed. Accept, and we will duel. If you win, you will be upgraded to Blue, and my eyes will open to your future better than ever.
"Lose, and nothing…"
Yumi paused.
"Okay…" she said. "I accept. But… You don't even have a Disk."
"I don't use a Disk," answered Cassandra. "I duel using far more primeval methods…"
She lifted her arms, and a table with a white cloth on it appeared out of the mist. A deck was on the right-hand side.
"Please…" said Yumi. "There's likely a holographic generator under that table, right?"
"You are awfully skeptical for someone who has the spirit of a five-thousand year old pharaoh living inside her," replied Cassandra.
Yumi stared at her. She gulped.
"So…" she said, nervously. "Is this some sort of Shadow Game?"
"No," replied Cassandra. "A Shadow Game creates Monsters from a dimension of darkness and evil. Sorcerers call it Tenebreos, although some know it as the Shadow Realm. It is a void of madness and entropy that connects both to our dimension and to Hell itself.
"This game will be more benign. It will conjure our beasts from a realm of pure thought. The Astral Plane is what most call it. It is, simply put, a Game of the Mind.
"But don't worry, Yumi… I'm not trying to take your soul. That is what I'm hoping to prevent in the future."
"Okay…" said Yumi. "I can live with that…"
The Puzzle glowed, and in a flash of light, the change overtook her.
"Game on!" she said, as her Disk activated.
"Let the Game of the Mind commence," said Cassandra.
(Yumi: 8,000) -------------------- (Cassandra: 8,000)
Yumi drew five cards from her deck and looked at them. Cassandra, however, took five cards off the top of her deck, one by one, and placed them in front of her, facedown.
"Uh…" said Yumi, "you know, it helps if you look at them…"
"Not always…" replied Cassandra. "You may make the first move…"
"All right!" said Yumi, drawing a card.
Perfect! she thought. I got Mirror Force on my first draw!
"I place one card facedown," she said, placing it in her Disk, "and then summon Magician's Valkyria."
The facedown card appeared, and then Valkyria appeared, brandishing her staff. (1,600/1,800)
"That will do for my first move…" said Yumi.
Cassandra took a sixth card from her deck, and placed it next to the others.
"Let's see," she said, choosing a card. "I'll start with a Spell Card… It's called Vision."
She set the card down, and the air rippled behind her with colors of pink and purple. A pair of evil-looking hypnotic eyes appeared in the colors, glaring menacingly at Yumi.
Both Yumi and Valkyria drew back in fear.
"Don't be afraid…" said Cassandra. "It can't hurt you… yet!
"This card lets me reveal the top card of my deck, and show it to you…"
She took the card.
"Mmm-hmm," she said. "It is a Monster that represents something your spiritual guide has longed for, for many years."
She showed her the card.
"It is called Arcana Force XI: Justice."
"So now what?" asked Yumi.
"Now," said Cassandra, placing it in her deck, "I shuffle this card into my deck, and if it is played during the course of the duel, you lose 1,000 Life Points."
"In that case," said Yumi, walking up to her, "just to make sure, I'm going to cut it."
"Go right ahead," said Cassandra, pushing the deck towards her. "As a prophet, I have been called a liar and a twister of truths several times, but I assure you, that is only the case with con artists who seek to make money from the gullible. You notice I didn't ask you for a dime."
Yumi looked at her. Then she started to vigorously shuffle.
"Still think I would resort to cheating?" asked Cassandra. "You need to have more trust in people, Yumi."
Yumi placed the deck back on the table, and went back to her position.
"Continuing my turn…" said Cassandra, "I will summon…"
She placed a card before her.
"Arcana Force 0: The Fool!"
In a flash of light, a tall figure appeared in front of her. It looked like a collection of golden spheres, arranged in the shape of a humanoid body. Where the head would be was a dramatic mask of comedy, and over that was a cavalier hat with a feathered plume. It let out a loud cackle. (1,000/1,000)
"And what's he gonna do?" asked Yumi.
"Watch," said Cassandra.
A card appeared over The Fool's head. It was the card Cassandra had played to summon it. Then it started to rotate clockwise.
"That card is going to spin until you tell it to stop," said Cassandra. "If it lands upright, I can destroy one of your Spell or Trap Cards. But if it lands inverted, you can destroy one of my Spell or Trap Cards."
"Fifty-fifty chance, huh?" asked Yumi. "Okay… Stop!"
The card slowly came to a halt…
It was right-side-up.
"Darn…" said Yumi.
The Fool's "eyes" glowed, and Yumi's Trap Card was blown to pieces.
"Don't worry, Yumi," said the Pharaoh. "Valkyria is still stronger than that thing."
Yumi nodded.
"My move comes to a close," said Cassandra, "so it's time for you to see what fate has dealt you."
Yumi drew a card.
"I'll place another card facedown…" she said.
She fit it into her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.
"Valkyria… Attack The Fool!"
Valkyria blasted a beam of magical energy, striking the creature. It didn't shatter into triangles, but burst into globules of light, which dissipated.
"Weird…" muttered Yumi. "Uh… I'll end my turn."
(Y: 8,000) -------------------- (C: 7,400)
Cassandra drew a card.
"I play Pot of Charity," she said, placing a card on the table. "Now, I will remove one Light Monster in my grave from play, in order to draw three times. Naturally, I will remove The Fool."
She moved the card out of her discard pile, and then took three cards from her deck, placing them with the others.
"Next, I'll place a facedown card of my own…"
She placed a card on the table, and a facedown card appeared.
"Then I will summon Arcana Force VII: The Chariot."
She played the card, and a creature appeared that was even stranger than The Fool. It looked like a saucer-shaped mechanism with eyes all around its center; underneath it were two weapons that looked like hoses, and on top was a group of hands pointing up. (1,700/1,700)
"Okay…" muttered Yumi. "You know, this would make a good movie… You could call it War of the Weirds."
"And once again…" said Cassandra, disregarding the remark.
The Chariot's card appeared above it and started to spin.
"Are all your Monsters like this?" asked Yumi.
"Of course," said Cassandra. "And this one is more powerful. If it lands upright, I gain control of any Monster it destroys in battle. But if it lands inverted, you gain control of it if it is destroyed in battle."
"Ergh…" muttered Yumi. "Stop!"
The card slowed…
It stopped… and was upside down.
"HA!" laughed Yumi. "Looks like you lost that toss!"
"Perhaps…" said Cassandra. "But it still has more Attack Points than your Spellcaster.
"Attack her Magician's Valkyria. Master blast."
The Chariot flew forward and shot a blast of pure light from its hoses…
"I activate Rush Recklessly!" shouted Yumi.
Her facedown card lifted, and Valkyria shot up to an Attack of 2,300. She cast her spell, and The Chariot's blast backfired. It exploded.
Then, with a ripple of light, The Chariot appeared next to Magician's Valkyria.
Then the card appeared above it, and started to spin again.
"Now I get to tell it when to stop…" said Cassandra.
She paused.
"Stop right there!" she exclaimed.
The card stopped, and was upside-down again.
Then Cassandra actually laughed.
"Yumi…" she said with a chuckle. "If I had a dollar for the number of times this crazy Monster has done this… in my last duel, it changed owners four times before it stayed dead!"
"Yeah, I guess it is kinda funny…" said Yumi, drawing a card.
(Y: 8,000) -------------------- (C: 6,800)
"And thanks for the Monster, by the way…
"I sacrifice Magician's Valkyria and The Chariot, to summon Dark Magician of Chaos!"
The two Monsters shattered, and the mighty chaos mage arose, twirling his staff. (2,800/2,600)
"Now I get one Spell Card back from my Graveyard back…"
Rush Recklessly slipped out of her discard slot, and she took it.
"Next… I play Monster Reborn to bring back Valkyria."
She played the card, and the ankh appeared. Valkyria stepped forward. (1,600/1,800)
"Now, Valkyria…" ordered Yumi, "attack Cassandra directly!"
Valkyria fired her blast, and Cassandra cringed as it hit her.
"Dark Magician of Chaos, you too. Scepter strike."
The sorcerer twirled his staff, and fired a lethal beam of black magic. Cassandra cried out in pain and fell backwards.
"So…" said Yumi. "Did you predict that that would happen? I'll place a card facedown, and end my turn."
A facedown card appeared behind the two Spellcasters.
(Y: 8,000) -------------------- (C: 2,400)
And to think I was scared of her… thought Yumi. This is just another duel… And not a very hard one at that.
Cassandra slowly got up and returned to her table. Her eyes glowed again. Yumi fidgeted…
She drew a card, and placed it with the others.
She played a card.
"I summon Arcana Force I: The Magician," she said.
She played the card, and a thin, almost gaunt figure with two glowing eyes and nothing else on its featureless face, spindly limbs, and dressed in a colorful – if gaudy – outfit appeared in front of her. (1,100/1,100)
"That's weak…" said Yumi.
"We'll see…" said Cassandra. "This might seem familiar to you…"
The card appeared above The Magician, and started to spin.
"If it lands upright," said Cassandra, "then during a round that a Spell Card is played, its Attack Score doubles. But if it lands inverted, then any round that a Spell Card is played, it gives you 500 Life Points."
Okay, calm down… thought Yumi. All she's doing is playing a very exotic Gamble Deck…
"Stop!" she shouted.
The card stopped.
It landed upright.
Oh well… thought Yumi. When it tries to attack Valkyria, I'll trigger my Rush Recklessly, and even double Attack Points won't be enough.
"Continuing my turn…" said Cassandra. "I play this Spell Card…"
A Spell Card appeared above her. It was an ominous card bearing the image of several swords embedded in the ground under a sky with a crescent moon.
"Suit of Swords X," she said, as the card began to spin. "If this card lands upright, all of your Monsters are destroyed. If it lands inverted, all of mine are destroyed."
Yumi drew back nervously...
She tried to keep calm. If she won this toss, she'd win the duel…
"Stop!" she shouted.
The Suit of Swords X card slowly came to a stop…
Yumi groaned when it stopped in an upright position.
A shower of swords fell on her side of the field, piercing Magician's Valkyria and Dark Magician of Chaos and blasting them to shards.
"Next, I activate my Trap Card," continued Cassandra, as her facedown card lifted. "Ace of Wand."
The card bore the image of a wand with a glowing green tip, and once again, it began to spin.
"Now what?" shouted Yumi.
"Now," replied Cassandra, "if it lands upright, you gain Life Points equal to the combined Attack Scores of the Monsters that were just destroyed. Inverted, and you lose that much."
"Wait…" said Yumi. "You mean inverted is bad for me this time?"
Cassandra didn't answer…
Yumi started to sweat… That was 4,400 Life Points!
"You hesitate?" asked Cassandra. "The wheels of fate lie in your hands…"
Yumi grit her teeth.
"Stop!" she shouted.
The Trap Card stopped. Yumi groaned again when she saw that it was upside-down.
A beam of energy shot from the card and struck Yumi. She screamed in pain.
"Don't forget…" said Cassandra, "since I played a Spell Card, the Attack Score of The Magician is doubled, to 2,200.
"Attack Yumi directly. Spheroid stream."
The Magician formed a ball of pure energy, and hurled it, striking Yumi in the chest. She fell over and winced in pain.
"My turn ends, so its Attack Score returns to 1,100," said Cassandra. "It is your move…"
(Y: 1,400) -------------------- (C: 2,400)
Good grief… thought Yumi, getting up. I was winning this duel a minute ago, and now…
"That's right, Yumi…" said Cassandra, as if she had said it out loud. "You ever hear the saying that there are no absolutes in life? The only absolute there is, is the one that says there are no absolutes.
"You thought victory was in your grasp, but I turned it around quickly. Fortunes can change, and one's advantage can fluctuate with but a single incident. A small change can cause a domino effect that can result in big changes, which result in even bigger ones…
"And I believe it was you who told your companions…
"The duel is not over… until the last card is played!"
Yumi looked at her… She shivered…
She drew a card.
"I play…" she started.
Then she stopped. She looked at The Magician.
Oh, right… she thought. If I play a Spell Card, its Attack Score doubles. Better wait…
She returned it to her hand, and placed a card on her Disk.
"I summon Skilled Dark Magician," she said.
She played the card, and the robed mage appeared. (1,900/1,700)
"Attack her sorry excuse for a magician!" she shouted angrily.
Skilled Dark Magician fired his black magic, and The Magician burst in globules of light.
(Y: 1,400) -------------------- (C: 1,600)
"I'll end my turn there, Cassandra," she said. "So what next?"
Cassandra drew a card.
"I play… Pot of Greed…" she said.
She placed a card on her table, and a much more familiar card appeared. She took two cards.
"My Skilled Dark Magician thanks you," said Yumi with a grin, as one of the Spellcaster's three collar-disks lit up.
"We'll see…" said Cassandra, taking another Spell Card. "I'll play a new Spell Card…"
She played the card, and an odd Spell Card appeared. It bore the image of a hand reaching for two Tarot cards.
"Selection of Fate," said Cassandra. "It's quite simple… You choose a card from my hand, and if it's a Monster, I get to Special Summon it."
Yumi's eyes narrowed.
"So, it's like a Spell version of A Hero Emerges?" she asked.
Cassandra just looked at her. Yumi walked up to the table.
"Yumi!" said the Pharaoh's voice. "Be very careful. She likely played that card because one of those cards is something powerful."
"You don't think I know that?" asked Yumi.
She nervously stood in front of Cassandra and looked at the four cards on the table that consisted of her hand. How she was able to play without looking at them, she had no idea.
Her hand moved to one…
Then she reconsidered and moved to another.
"That one…" she said.
Cassandra sighed, and flipped over the card.
Yumi drew back in fear…
It was Arcana Force XI: Justice.
The evil eyes of the Vision card appeared behind Cassandra again, and Yumi screamed as they bored into her…
(Y: 400) -------------------- (C: 1,600)
Then she drew back in horror, as a huge form appeared in front of her. It was the female figure of Justice, ten feet tall, apparently made of metal, holding a sword in its right hand and a set of scales in its left. It pointed its sword menacingly at Yumi. (2,100/2,100)
"Calm down, Yumi," said Cassandra. "As always, this may work to your benefit…"
The card appeared above Justice's head, and started to spin.
"If this card lands upright, then when Justice is destroyed, you lose 2,000 Life Points. But if it lands inverted, when it's destroyed, I'll lose 2,000 Life Points."
Yumi started to sweat…
"STOP!" she shouted.
The card stopped.
To her horror, it landed right side up.
"Very well," said Cassandra. "Justice, destroy her Skilled Dark Magician."
Justice raised its sword…
Yumi backed up… She was about to trigger her facedown card.
No! she thought. My facedown card is Rush Recklessly… But if Justice is destroyed, I lose!
Justice slammed its sword down, smashing Skilled Dark Magician to bits.
(Y: 200) -------------------- (C: 1,600)
Yumi fell to her knees…
She just realized something…
She had lost.
I can't win… she thought. I have no cards in my deck that can reduce her Life Points without attacking – my deck wasn't designed for such things. And if I destroy that Monster… I lose…
I've lost…
"The turn is still mine, Yumi…" said Cassandra, taking another card, "and all is not as hopeless as you may think.
"I Equip Justice with this… It's a special Equip Spell called Spirit Self."
She played the card. Justice glowed with golden light.
"Now let me explain. I now name any Monster I can think of. If that Monster is not in your hand or deck right now, I lose 2,000 Life Points.
"If it is, you have three of your turns to summon it. If you can't, all copies of it are removed from play.
"But if you can, then for as long as it's on the field, the effect of the Equipped Monster – that would be Justice – is negated."
"So…" muttered Yumi. "You're going to name a Monster, and if I summon it in three rounds, it's safe to destroy that thing?"
"Exactly," said Cassandra. "The Monster I name is Dark Magician Girl."
Yumi paused.
"Well, she's in my deck," said Yumi. "But why help me?"
"As a test, Yumi," said Cassandra. "The name of the card is Spirit Self. Each duelist has a card in his or her deck that lies closer to the duelist than any other. It is the true Spirit Self.
"I believe that Dark Magician Girl is yours. If she is, she will come to your aid. If not, your future is one that I simply cannot tell.
"With that Yumi, my turn comes to its conclusion. Your three turns start now."
Yumi drew a card.
It wasn't Dark Magician Girl. It was only someone who might help her stall.
"I place a card facedown…" she said, "and a Monster in Defense Mode."
She played two cards, and the facedown cards appeared.
"That's all I can do…" she muttered.
Cassandra made a draw.
Then she played a card.
"I play the Spell Card, Cup of Ace," she said.
A Spell Card appeared above her, showing the image of a golden goblet against a cloudy sky. It started to spin.
"Again?" shouted Yumi.
"Calm yourself, Yumi," said Cassandra. "In the Minor Arcana, Cups are almost always positive. But who will it be positive for? If this lands upright, I get to draw two cards. If it lands inverted, you get to draw two cards."
Yumi grit her teeth.
I'm having awful luck with this… she thought.
"Stop that card!" she shouted.
The card stopped.
She almost cheered when she saw it had landed upside-down.
She quickly drew two cards, and looked at them.
Still no Dark Magician Girl! she thought. Darn, where are you hiding?
"Continuing my turn," stated Cassandra, playing a Spell Card, "I play Reverse Reborn. This lets me Special Summon one of my Arcana Force Monsters from my Graveyard so long as I Equip it with this card. The drawback is, it automatically gets its inverted effect."
She played the card. The Chariot appeared in a burst of light. (1,700/1,700)
"Chariot…" said Cassandra, "attack her facedown Monster…"
The Chariot flew forward, blasting its lethal beam…
Blast Magician appeared crouching on the card. (1,400/1,700) The blasts were deflected.
"Clever…" said Cassandra. "Justice, destroy him."
Justice flew forward, and slashed with her sword, smashing Blast Magician to pieces.
"It's your move…" she said. "Two rounds left."
Yumi nervously drew.
Well, maybe this will work… she thought.
"I play Double Spell," she said, playing a card. "Now, I'll discard my Dedication Through Light and Darkness…"
She discarded the card.
"…to duplicate the Pot of Charity in your Graveyard, and remove my Magician's Valkyria from play to do so."
Valkyria's card slipped out of her discard slot, and she tucked it into her shirt.
She drew three cards.
She made a face as she looked at them.
Still not there… she thought. I've failed again…
She placed a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.
"Your move…" she said nervously.
Cassandra drew a card, and immediately played it.
"I summon Arcana Force IV," she said, "The Emperor."
As she played the card, and an explosion of energy erupted on Cassandra's side of the field. A frightening figure materialized. It was a semi-humanoid creature, made out of black metal (apparently), with a skull-like face, long, mechanical claws, and metallic, batlike wings on the back. It had no legs, instead hovering over the ground on some type of mechanism. Its eyes glowed red. (1,400/1,400)
"I'm sure you know how this works…" said Cassandra, as the card appeared and started to turn.
Yumi started to sweat.
"Okay, stop!" she shouted.
She growled as the card stopped on the upright position.
"That means that it grants all Monsters on my side of the field with the words 'Arcana Force' in their names 500 more Attack Points," explained Cassandra.
At that point, Justice grew to an Attack of 2,600, The Chariot grew to 2,200, and The Emperor itself grew to 1,900.
"Emperor…" said Cassandra. "Attack her facedown Monster."
The Emperor reached forward with four clawed tentacles towards the facedown card. A female mage in blue clothing and blonde hair holding a staff appeared on the card. With four swipes of claws, she shattered.
"I'm not dead yet," said Yumi. "That was an Apprentice Magician, and when she's destroyed, I get to take a Spellcaster who's Level Two or less from my deck and set it in Defense Mode."
She looked through her deck.
"So let's see… I think I'll set my other Apprentice Magician."
A new facedown Monster appeared.
"Clever," said Cassandra. "But do you have a third one? Chariot, attack."
The Chariot blasted its guns, and the second Apprentice Magician was blown away.
"No I don't," said Yumi, taking her deck, "but I do have a Magician of Faith."
A third facedown Monster appeared.
"Justice, attack," said Cassandra.
Justice slammed down with her sword. Magician of Faith appeared on the card, and was smashed to bits.
"I'll use her effect to get back my Monster Reborn," said Yumi, taking a card from her discard slot.
"So be it," said Cassandra. "I end my turn, and this is your last chance. If you fail this time, the only card that can save you will be gone, and on my next turn, I will finish you off with this…"
She picked up the last card on her table, and showed it to Yumi…
Yumi gulped. It was a Level Eight Monster with 3,100 Attack Points called Arcana Force XXI: The World.
"I have just enough Monsters to sacrifice to summon it and still keep Justice," said Cassandra, "and In case you're wondering, it won't matter whether its card lands upright or inverted. You'll be smashed flat either way."
Yumi looked at her deck.
She paused… She closed her eyes…
She quickly drew a card.
She grinned when she saw it.
"Do you know how scared you made me for a second?" she said to it with a nervous whisper.
Her facedown card lifted.
"I activate Call of the Haunted!" she shouted.
A figure burst out of the ground. It was Blast Magician. (1,400/1,700)
"Now…" she continued, "I sacrifice him… Blast Magician, step aside and make room for… You guessed it… Dark Magician Girl!"
He vanished, and in a flurry of colors and hearts, Dark Magician Girl flew onto the field. (2,000/1,700)
"How fortunate…" said Cassandra. "So Justice's effect is now rendered invalid, and the duel continues… But there is one variable you overlooked. Even if you destroy The Emperor, Justice will remain one hundred Attack Points stronger than her."
"I'm not done…" said Yumi, taking two cards from her hand. "Next, I play Monster Reborn, to bring back Skilled Dark Magician…"
She played the card, and the ankh appeared on the field. Skilled Dark Magician appeared on it. (1,900/1,700)
"And then…" she said, "I play The Sage's Stone, to summon the main man from my deck!"
She played the card, and Dark Magician Girl's staff glowed. Dark Magician appeared in a flash of light. (2,500/2,100)
"And like you said," continued Yumi, "since I summoned the Monster you named, Justice's effect is invalid.
"Dark Magician Girl, attack The Emperor! Dark burning attack!"
Dark Magician Girl fired a bolt from her scepter, and The Emperor exploded into pixels.
"And without him," she added, "your other two Monsters return to their original levels."
Justice fell to 2,100 Attack, and The Chariot fell to 1,700.
"Dark Magician… Attack Justice! Dark magic attack!"
Dark Magician cast his mighty spell, and the large creature cringed before exploding into particles. Cassandra shielded herself.
"Skilled Dark Magician, destroy The Chariot!"
Skilled Dark Magician fired a blast, and The Chariot burst into flames before bursting into fragments.
(Y: 200) -------------------- (C: 900)
"And I didn't forget what happens when The Chariot is destroyed when in its inverted position," said Yumi. "It's Special Summoned to my side of the field…"
The Chariot appeared on Yumi's side.
"And that means this duel is over. Chariot, attack…"
"Hold it, Yumi," interrupted Cassandra. "You're forgetting something."
"What?" said Yumi.
Cassandra pointed. The card appeared above The Chariot, and started to spin.
"I still have to stop it to determine it's effect, Yumi…" she said.
"Oh, what difference does it make?" asked Yumi. "You haven't got a single card to protect yourself. Whether it lands upright OR inverted, I'll attack with it and you'll lose!"
"True," said Cassandra, "victory is yours as far as this duel is concerned…
"But you forget the point of this duel, and you forget that The Chariot is not just a Monster Card, it is also a Tarot card. If I am to see your future correctly, I must know where it will land before you deliver the final strike.
"You came this far, Yumi… Don't ruin it now…"
Yumi sighed, and then looked at her.
Cassandra looked up.
"Stop," she said.
The card stopped…
It was in the upright position.
Cassandra smiled.
"Chariot, attack directly!" shouted Yumi. "Master blast!"
The Chariot blasted its guns, hitting Cassandra and knocking her over.
(Y: 200) -------------------- (C: 0)
The Monsters vanished…
Yumi walked up to the table as Cassandra got up.
She noticed that her badge was now at Blue.
"So…" she asked. "What does my future hold?"
Cassandra shuffled her deck.
Her eyes glowed again.
"It holds a great struggle, Yumi," said Cassandra, "but the final rounds of the duel showed much.
"Dark Magician Girl represents you. Dark Magician represents your spiritual guide, the same counsel that was represented by The Hierophant.
"Allies will aid you in this conflict. They were represented by the Monsters that protected you while Dark Magician Girl struggled to come to your aid.
"And you may even find an ally from the most unlikely of places. That is what The Chariot represents. In this duel, my Monster came to your side, not once, but twice, and an ally may come to you from where you don't expect.
"However, since The Chariot was upright before the last attack, I can assure that the help he or she gives you will be genuine."
She showed her the Justice card.
"Follow the signs. Do not resist. Trust your insights, not your impulses. It will lead you to victory in the end…
"…and you will find the way to set the Pharaoh free…
"Find Justice…"
She smiled.
"Pleasant dreams…"
Then her eyes glowed again, with fiery light, and the whole room started to blur. Yumi felt she was falling asleep quickly. She tried to stay awake, but it was no use…
The next minute, she was back in her hotel room, sleeping soundly under the covers.
Sitting next to her on the bed was the strange woman who had been shadowing her. She removed her sunglasses and looked at Yumi.
Slowly, she placed her hand on the sleeping girl's forehead, and Yumi smiled in her sleep.
The strange woman replaced the sunglasses, and then vanished.
After a spooky duel in a strange place, Yumi finally gets to sleep soundly, wiser for the experience. Day One is officially over. What will Day Two bring?
And to everyone reading… Want to see more of Cassandra? Let me know!
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ARCANA FORCE I: THE MAGICIAN (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Fairy/Effect
Attribute:
Light
Level:
4
ATK:
1,100
DEF:
1,100
Card Description: Toss one coin when this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned. Depending on the result of the toss, acquire one of the following effects:
Heads: During a round where at least one Spell Card is played, double this card's base ATK until the End Phase of the turn.
Tails: During a round where at least one Spell Card is played, increase your opponent's Life Points by 500.
0
0
0
ARCANA FORCE VII: THE CHARIOT (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Fairy/Effect
Attribute:
Light
Level:
4
ATK:
1,700
DEF:
1,700
Card Description: Toss one coin when this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned. Depending on the result of the toss, acquire one of the following effects:
Heads: When this card destroys an opposing Monster as a result of battle and sends it to the Graveyard, the controller of this card Special Summons the destroyed Monster to his/her side of the field.
Tails:
When this Monster is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the
Graveyard, the controller of the Monster that destroyed it
Special Summons this Monster to his/her side of the field.
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0
0
ARCANA FORCE IV: THE EMPEROR (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Fairy/Effect
Attribute:
Light
Level:
4
ATK:
1,400
DEF:
1,400
Card Description: Toss one coin when this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned. Depending on the result of the toss, acquire one of the following effects:
Heads: Increase the ATK of all "Arcana Force" Monsters on your side of the field by 500.
Tails: Decrease the ATK of all "Arcana Force" Monsters on your side of the field by 500.
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0
0
VISION (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: A pair of evil-looking, hypnotic eyes surrounded by waves of red and purple.
Card Description: Pick up the top card on your deck and show it to your opponent. Then, shuffle that card into your deck. If you play that card during the course of the duel, your opponent loses 1,000 Life Points. This effect does not reoccur if a second copy of the same card is played.
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0
0
SUIT OF SWORDS X (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: Ten swords driven into the ground, under a crescent moon.
Card Description: Toss one coin when this card is played. If the result is heads, destroy all Monsters on your opponent's side of the field. If the result is tails, destroy all Monsters on your side of the field.
0
0
0
SELECTION OF FATE (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: Two facedown tarot cards with a hand reaching towards them.
Card Description: Your opponent chooses one card in your hand at random. If the chosen card is a Monster Card that can be Normal Summoned, Special Summon it to your side of the field.
0
0
0
CUP OF ACE (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: A golden goblet against a cloudy sky.
Card Description: Toss one coin when this card is played. If the result is heads, draw two cards from your deck. If the result is tails, your opponent draws two cards from his/her deck.
0
0
0
REVERSE REBORN (Spell Card)
Equip Spell
Image: The face of Arcana Force I: The Magician, on a background composed of grey and black shapes.
Card Description: Select one "Arcana Force" Monster in your Graveyard. Special Summon the selected Monster in Attack Position and Equip it with this card. The Equipped Monster acquires its "Tails" effect. If this card is removed from the field, destroy the Equipped Monster.
0
0
0
ACE OF WAND (Trap Card)
Normal Trap
Image: A wand with a glowing green orb on the end.
Card Description: You can activate this card when one or more Monsters are destroyed outside of battle. Toss one coin. If the result is heads, the owner(s) of the destroyed Monster(s) gain Life Points equal to their destroyed Monster(s) combined ATK. If the result is tails, the owner(s) of the destroyed Monster(s) lose Life Points equal to their destroyed Monster(s) combined ATK.
Note: The proceeding nine cards were all used by Sartorious at various times in the second season of "Yu-Gi-Oh GX". Creative credit goes to the writers of the episodes.
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ARCANA FORCE 0: THE FOOL (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Fairy/Effect
Attribute:
Light
Level:
3
ATK:
1,000
DEF:
1,000
Card Description: Toss one coin when this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned. Depending on the result of the toss, acquire one of the following effects:
Heads: You can destroy one of your opponent's Spell or Trap Cards.
Tails: Your opponent can destroy one of your Spell or Trap Cards.
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0
0
ARCANA FORCE XI – JUSTICE (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Fairy/Effect
Attribute:
Light
Level:
6
ATK:
2,100
DEF:
2,100
Card Description: Toss one coin when this card is Normal Summoned, Flip-Summoned, or Special Summoned. Depending on the result of the toss, acquire one of the following effects:
Heads: When this card is destroyed, your opponent loses 2,000 Life Points.
Tails: When this card is destroyed, you lose 2,000 Life Points.
0
0
0
SPIRIT SELF (Spell Card)
Equip Spell
Image: A female gypsy meditating, while a spiritual form resembling her floats above her.
Card Description: This card can only be Equipped to an "Arcana Force" Monster. When this card is played, state the name of one Monster that can be Normal Summoned. If no copies of that Monster are in your opponent's hand or deck, inflict 2,000 points of damage to your Life Points and destroy this card. If the named Monster is in your opponent's hand or deck, if he/she does not summon it by the end of his third End Phase after this card is played, remove all copies of the named Monster in his/her hand and deck from play, and destroy this card. If he/she summons it by his/her third End Phase, the Monster Equipped with this card loses its effect for as long as this card is Equipped and the named Monster remains on the field.
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0
0
POT OF CHARITY (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: A ceramic vase with a peaceful face on the front.
Card Description: Remove one LIGHT Monster in your Graveyard from play. Draw three cards from your deck.
Note: "Pot of Charity" was created by King Dragun for his fic "Sister of Anansi". Creative credit goes to him.
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0
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Ren: If Day One was that intense, I can't wait for Day Two! Bring it on!
Chelsea: My army of the undead is ready to go.
Yumi: Patience people… I think we should just watch this duel that's about to start for now…
Coming up next, "Rasputin Appears! Ice Age Chill".
Something is rotten in the state of Duelatopia…