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CHAPTER THIRTEEN
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Deck Lockdown
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New Mexico…
It is nicknamed The Land of Enchantment, due to the beauty and wonder of its natural splendor.
And despite being the sixth most sparsely-populated state in America, there was still a need for a Shadowchaser here every now and then. Shadow clans populated both the deserts and the few metropolitan areas.
As Jalal was talking to us, it was ten AM in Neo Domino, which meant that in Albuquerque, it was six PM of the previous day.
And on a highway thirty miles north of that city, a lone Shadowchaser piloted her D-Wheel, her goal within sight…
Breakin' rocks in the... hot sun,
I fought the law and the... law won,
I fought the law and the... law won.
I needed money, 'cause I... had none,
I fought the law and the... law won,
I fought the law and the... law won.
This classic tune by the Bobby Fuller Four played on the XM radio of the D-Wheel driving down a lonely desert highway. The driver was ever alert.
As a Shadowchaser, Sofia was mostly a loner. She did belong to a group, but that group handled the entire American Southwest, a large and sparsely populated area (compared to the rest of the States). As a result, it was very rare for her whole group to work together on one project. Most of the time, they were very spread-out, and handled the problems that arose alone.
As the sun was starting to set, she was piloting her D-Wheel towards an area that had a significance that very few remembered.
Once she got there, she switched off the radio and quickly turned, and drove off the road. It was no problem for her D-Wheel – it had been customized to handle all-terrain driving.
After driving off-road for about a half mile, she came to a stop.
She got off, and removed her helmet. She was a tall woman, dressed in jeans and a brown hiking shirt, with curly, chestnut hair. She had a pack strapped to her back – it paid to be prepared in these parts – and her sword was strapped under it (the weapon was standard-issue for Shadowchasers, no matter what their location).
She hit the command on her D-Wheel, and her Duel Disk disengaged, clamping onto her gauntlet. She hadn't seen anyone following her yet, but she wasn't going to take any chances. Then she took the cowboy hat that was strapped to the back of her seat and put it on (she'd feel naked without it).
As she started to walk into the brush, she hit a number on her cell phone.
"Yeah, I'm here Jalal," she said. "I know where I'm going.
"When most folks think of the gold rush of 1849, they think of California. But New Mexico saw some activity too. There used to be a town here, with a mine and all the hustle and bustle and fanfare… A lot of the prospectors who came here were dwarves from various American clans, hoping to strike it rich just like anyone else.
"But the mine went dry, and everyone moved on. The buildings came down, and almost nothing was left…
"Almost, that is… They left behind one thing…"
Sofia looked ahead, and saw the old, derelict cemetery. The town's proverbial "Boot Hill", which had not been removed.
"I'll get back to you, boss," she said, and hung up.
Sofia took another device out of her pocket, which looked somewhat like a blackberry. She turned it on, and walked through the cemetery, looking at the names on the graves. The words on the wooden headstones were sun faded, and most were unreadable, but she could read some of them. She knew that some of the names were clearly dwarven in nature, something that the town's undertaker never realized. Dwarven surnames were the same as their clan names, and such a name often included the word for a metal, gemstone, tool, weapon, or combination of two of them in it.
Then she saw the headstone she was looking for. One that was simply labeled, "Unknown".
She held up the device, and a light on it started to flash. Jalal's information had been right on the money. This grave held no body.
If she were the typical archaeologist, this was the point where she'd use a shovel. But the Shadowchasers had far easier and quicker means.
Sofia quickly opened her backpack, and took out four devices that looked like metal tent stakes. She pushed them into the ground, forming a rectangular pattern in front of the grave.
Then, she pushed a button on the handheld device, and all four started to glow. Then the glow turned to a blinding light.
When Sofia looked again, a sword was lying on the ground in front of the grave in an old sheath.
She picked it up, and drew the sword halfway out. The blade glowed with a warm light, radiating heat like that of the midday sun. The same strange runes that Jinx saw on the Sword of Twilight were on the hilt and blade.
"The Sword of Noon…" said Sofia, nodding.
She sheathed it again, and looked around. She knew she had best get back to her bike before anyone showed up.
Then she heard the galloping of hooves coming her way. A fog started to rise.
Too late.
She stood her ground, and prepared to face whoever was coming. She knew that whoever the rider was likely was someone who meant her no good.
She saw the rider come out of the fog. It was not a Mundane horse, that was for sure. Its bright red hair gave away its Shadow nature. Riding the horse was a janni similar to Rasul, dressed in clothing with a far-more Western theme.
"Whoa," he said, pulling the horse to a stop.
He looked at Sofia.
"Howdy, ma'am," he said.
"Don't 'howdy' me," said Sofia. "What do you want?"
"Just what I came to get," said the janni. "Musafa al Bin Ban, at your service. And I thank you for digging up that sword. The man who owns this property will be grateful for its recovery."
Sofia's eyes narrowed. Who was this guy trying to kid? This land was state-owned.
She decided to play along with him for now.
"I'll have to see some authorization," she said.
Bin Ban smirked. He dismounted, and took an envelope out of his coat. He handed it to Sofia.
Sofia opened the envelope and read the document inside slowly.
"You don't mind if I call the number here to confirm this, do you?" she asked.
Without waiting for an answer, she opened her cell phone. A look of worry appeared on Bin Ban's face.
Slowly, he inched towards the Sword of Noon…
Before he could reach it, Sofia spun around, drew her own blade, and pointed it at his throat.
"Okay, buddy," she said. "Start talking. This land is owned by the government of New Mexico, not by the man on this phony document."
Bin Ban nervously held his hands up.
"If that's true," he said, "it isn't wise to be digging up stuff around here, now is it?"
"I have a permit to do so," replied Sofia. "I have a researcher's license to excavate archaeological artifacts."
"Oh… So you do…" muttered Bin Ban. "Tell you what, Shadowchaser… What would you say to a wager?"
"A wager?" asked Sofia.
"We duel for the Sword of Noon," replied Bin Ban.
"And why would I agree to that?" asked Sofia.
"If I lose," replied Bin Ban, "I'll tell you who wants it."
Sofia thought for a second.
She sheathed her own sword.
"Okay, that may be worth my time…" she said. "I accept your challenge."
Bin Ban grinned.
This will be easy, he thought. No duelist can defeat my Ultimate Lock Deck!
Bin Ban backed up, and slipped a Duel Disk on his arm. Sofia grinned, and activated her own.
"Let's do this," she said.
(Sofia: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Bin Ban: 8,000)
"My draw," chuckled Bin Ban, making his opening draw.
He smiled slightly when he saw what he had drawn, but only slightly, almost as if it hurt his face to smile.
"I'll set a Monster," he said.
A facedown Monster appeared in front of him.
"And I think that will be all for now."
"Then I draw!" exclaimed Sofia, drawing a card.
"First, I throw two of my cards facedown," she said.
Two reversed cards appeared in two flashes of light.
"Then, I send one card in my hand to the Graveyard…"
She discarded a Bladefly.
"…to Special Summon The Tricky!"
In a gust of wind, a Monster appeared in front of her that looked, for lack of a better term, weird. He looked like he was dressed in a yellow and black jester's outfit, with a flowing, blue cape. A big, red question mark was on his face and chest. (2,000 ATK)
"Next," she said, "I'm removing my Bladefly from play…"
Bladefly slipped out of her Graveyard, and she pocketed it.
"…to Special Summon Silpheed!"
In another gust of wind, a man in a pale, white suit, with white hair and blue skin, holding a wand with a tip shaped like a bird's wing appeared. (1,700 ATK)
"Not bad…" said Bin Ban.
"I'm far from finished," said Sofia. "Silpheed, attack his Monster! Gust blast!"
Silpheed pointed his wand, and a blast of wind shot towards the facedown card. A small red and silver Dragon with wings and a mask on its face appeared on the card, and was blown to pieces.
"That was a Masked Dragon," said Bin Ban, taking his deck and looking through it. "And by destroying it, you've allowed me to summon another weak Dragon. So I'll summon another Masked Dragon."
A second Masked Dragon appeared where the first one had been. (1,100 DEF)
A Dragon Deck? thought Sofia. Fine… I can handle a Dragon Deck…
"Tricky, destroy it!" shouted Sofia. "Trick illusion!"
The Tricky pointed, and fired a blast of scintillating colors. The second Masked Dragon was blown to pieces.
"No-one ever uses Masked Dragon without packing three of them," said Bin Ban, as a third Masked Dragon appeared. (1,100 DEF)
"I'm still not done," said Sofia, taking the last card in her hand. "I sacrifice both my Monsters…"
The Tricky and Silpheed vanished into pixels of energy.
"…to summon Simorgh, Bird of Divinity!"
With another blast of wind, a huge, beautiful bird, with emerald-green feathers and a crown studded with gemstones appeared. (2,700 ATK)
"All right…" said Sofia, with a grin. "Think I'll end my turn now…"
As she said that, Simorgh beat its great wings, causing a virtual hurricane. Bin Ban staggered back as he was buffeted by the storm, but Sofia's two facedown cards lifted up (backs to her opponent), forming a shield against the onslaught.
(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,000)
Bin Ban clapped his hands.
"Bravo," he said. "Good show… You managed to pull off quite the impressive combo…
"Unfortunately, I must crush it now…"
He drew a card.
"I play my Giant Trunade Spell Card!"
Another blast of wind blew over the field, and Sofia's facedown cards vanished, reappearing in her hand.
Oh no! she thought. Without those, Simorgh's effect will hurt me this round!
"Don't worry," said Bin Ban, as if he could read her mind. "Simorgh isn't going to last that long…
"I sacrifice Masked Dragon…"
Masked Dragon vanished into grains of light.
"…to summon a much stronger Dragon!"
An explosion lit up his side of the field.
"I summon Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV6!"
It appeared out of the flames. The pre-evolved form of one of the most dreaded Monsters in the game… A Dragon made entirely of golden metal with a hawk-like head and wings. (2,300 ATK)
Sofia started to sweat…
Then she grinned a little.
"It…" she said. "It has to defeat my Monster to evolve… Simorgh is stronger…"
Bin Ban played a Spell Card.
"Not if I play Level Up!" he said. "This lets me evolve it to its LV8 form right away!"
Horus became shrouded in flames, and doubled in size, turning more humanoid and more muscular. (3,000 ATK)
"Attack her Bird of Divinity!" he shouted. "Divine flames!"
Horus roared, and blasted a bolt of black fire from its jaws. Simorgh shrieked before it went up in flames. Sofia reeled from the impact.
(S: 7,700) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,000)
"I probably don't have to tell you this," said Bin Ban, "but Horus can negate any Spell Card you try to play.
"And that will end my turn…"
Sofia nervously drew a card.
She set all three of her cards in her Disk. Her two facedown cards reappeared, and a defensive Monster appeared.
Normally, she thought, when someone uses Horus, he also uses Royal Decree… But he has no facedown cards that could be Royal Decree… I think I can hold him off for at least one round…
She nodded.
"I draw!" said Bin Ban, drawing a card.
"I play… Monster Reborn!"
The glowing ankh appeared on his side of the field, and a Masked Dragon appeared again. (1,400 ATK)
"Now, I sacrifice it…"
Masked Dragon vanished…
A tall, dark form loomed over the field…
"Jinzo!" shouted Sofia.
It was indeed Jinzo. There was no mistaking the famous Monster, with its dark robe and armor, and sinister face-plate over a wrinkled cranium. (2,400 ATK)
"Part two of my ultimate lock," replied Bin Ban. "As of right now, I'm not all that concerned about your facedown cards.
"Jinzo… Destroy her Monster with Cyber Energy Shock!"
Jinzo formed a ball of glowing, dark energy in its hands, and hurled it at the facedown Monster. A large, green, humanoid mantis appeared crouching on the card, and was blown to pieces.
"You destroyed my Flying Kamakiri #1," said Sofia. "And now I can use its effect to summon another one."
A second Kamakiri appeared in front of her. (1,400 ATK)
"Horus, destroy the second Kamakiri!" shouted Bin Ban.
Horus blasted its divine flames, and the Insect was burned to a crisp.
"Ergh…" muttered Sofia.
"I'll use that one's effect… To summon Ptarmigan of Mist Valley."
In another gust of wind, a new Monster appeared in front of her. It looked like a man-sized rooster, with a plume and tail feathers shaped like lightning bolts. (1,100 ATK)
"A big chicken?" asked Bin Ban. "That was the best you could do?"
"Are you quite done?" asked Sofia.
"I end my turn," said Bin Ban.
(S: 6,100) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,000)
Sofia looked at her deck.
This next card had better be a Monster, she thought. Otherwise, I'll be wide open next turn…
She slowly drew one card.
This may help, she thought, looking at it.
"I set one Monster," she said, setting it, "and then move Ptarmigan to Defense Mode."
The facedown Monster appeared, and then the Ptarmigan covered itself with its wings. (700 DEF)
"My move…" chuckled Bin Ban.
He made a draw.
Hmm! he thought, looking at it.
"I summon Horus' Servant!" he exclaimed.
In a small burst of flame, a man in clothing that was clearly Egyptian in style, with a helmet shaped like a hawk's head appeared. (100 ATK)
"With his Servant on the field, Horus is immune to all effects that target."
"True," replied Sofia, "but the Servant itself is rather weak."
"That's why I'm Equipping it with Heart of Clear Water!" laughed Bin Ban, playing another card.
A glowing amulet made of crystal appeared around the Servant's neck.
"Now he also can't be targeted, and he can't be destroyed in battle either.
"Now to clean up… Horus, roast that chicken extra crispy!"
Horus blasted its flames, and Ptarmigan of Mist Valley was fried to ashes.
"Jinzo, destroy her other Monster!"
Jinzo blasted its Cyber Energy Shock at the facedown Monster. A winged cherub with a bow and arrow appeared on the card before it was blown to shards.
"That was my Skelengel," said Sofia. "Now I get to draw one card…"
She made a draw.
Another Trap Card? she thought. Nuts… Just what I didn't need…
Bin Ban pointed, and Horus' Servant tossed a small ball of flame at Sofia. She barely felt it, but she knew that every Life Point she had was important.
"I set one reversed card, and end my turn," said Bin Ban, as a facedown card appeared in front of him. "Face it… Unless you have Exiled Force or another Monster that can destroy my Jinzo, you're finished."
(S: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,000)
I didn't like telling a fib, he thought, but even that won't work. My facedown card is My Body as a Shield, which would foil such an attempt.
This is my Ultimate Lock… It's unbeatable!
Sofia drew a card.
She sighed. It was indeed a Monster, but if she put it on the field to defend her, it would certainly be destroyed. And it was too valuable to lose.
She'd have to take a chance…
She took the card she had drawn with Skelengel's effect, and set it in her Disk. A third facedown card appeared.
"That's all…" she said.
"Right!" laughed Bin Ban, drawing a card.
"Jinzo, attack her directly!"
Sofia screamed as the Cyber Energy Shock slammed into her.
"Horus, you next!"
An inferno of flames struck Sofia, and she screamed bloody murder. She fell on one knee.
(S: 600) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,000)
"I move the Servant to Defense Mode, just in case," said Bin Ban, as Horus' Servant knelt, and covered its chest with its arms. (100 DEF)
"And I end my turn…"
Sweat was falling down Sofia's face. She noticed that her hat had fallen off.
She picked it up and put it back on. Then she slowly stood up.
Okay… she thought, of course, you realize this means war…
She looked at her deck.
Of course, without the right card, it's gonna be an awfully sort one…
C'mon, deck… Give me the card I need…
She made a draw.
It shone in the dim light.
"I Special Summon… Divine Fowl King Alector!" she shouted.
Lightning flashed. A tall Winged Beast appeared, one resembling a humanoid rooster, garbed in shining plate armor, with large, red wings. (2,400 ATK)
"What's so special about him?" asked Bin Ban with a frown.
"Simple," said Sofia. "When you have at least two Monsters that are the same Attribute, I can Special Summon Alector here. And Horus and his Servant are both Fire Monsters."
"So what are you gonna do?" asked Bin Ban, with a laugh. "Kamikaze him against Jinzo?"
"Buddy, I'm going to do a lot more than that," replied Sofia. "Alector has another effect, which I can use every round.
"I choose one card on the field. It can be any card, Spell, Trap, or Monster. And the effect of that card is neutralized until the end of my turn."
"HUH?" gasped Bin Ban.
"And this turn, I'm going to use that effect on Jinzo," continued Sofia.
Alector's eyes glowed, and Jinzo took a step back, as a dark aura surrounded it.
"But that means…" said Bin Ban.
"…that I can use Traps this round," replied Sofia, as one of her three facedown cards lifted up. "Like my Dust Tornado!"
The Tornado ripped across the field, towards Bin Ban's facedown card. The My Body as a Shield card was blown to pieces.
"Next," said Sofia, "I Normal Summon Shaman of Mist Valley!"
She played the card, and a strange-looking woman appeared next to Alector. She wore a black leotard and loincloth, with a cowl over her long, blonde hair that had a red eye printed on the front. She had talons for hands and feet. (1,200 ATK)
"Now, I activate another Trap Card!" she shouted, as another facedown card lifted. "Icarus Attack!"
Shaman of Mist Valley became shrouded in an aura of flames.
"By sacrificing a Winged Beast, I can destroy two cards!"
"That won't work on Horus!" shouted Bin Ban. "His Servant is protecting him!"
"And that Heart of Clear Water is protecting the Servant," added Sofia. "So, I'm going to destroy Jinzo, and the Equip Spell."
The Shaman flew towards Bin Ban's side of the field, trailing a wake of flames. Jinzo groaned, and then exploded into pixels, and the amulet on the Servant crumbled into dust.
"Alector!" shouted Sofia, "attack Horus' Servant! Divine wind!"
Alector blew a blast of wind at the Servant, and it shattered into shards.
Bin Ban looked in disbelief.
She defeated three parts of my lock in one turn! he thought.
"I end my turn," said Sofia, with a grin.
Bin Ban growled as he drew a card.
"Horus!" he shouted. "Incinerate that infernal rooster!"
Horus roared, and then breathed a blast of flame at Alector.
"Did you forget you didn't have Jinzo any more?" asked Sofia, as her last facedown card lifted up. "I activate Draining Shield!"
A dome of pure energy surrounded Sofia and her Monster, and the flames were halted. Sofia glowed with energy.
"Seems I'm back in this," she said.
(S: 3,600) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 7,000)
"I end my turn!" shouted Bin Ban.
Sofia made a draw.
"I'm using Alector's effect on Horus this time," she said.
Horus roared, as Alector's eyes glowed again, and the dark aura surrounded him.
"That means he can't stop me from playing Spell Cards. Like this one… Shrink!"
She quickly threw the card into her Disk. Bin Ban gasped as Horus was reduced to half his size. (1,500 ATK)
"Alector, destroy Horus!" ordered Sofia.
The divine wind blew again. Horus roared again, right before he exploded.
"The tide of this battle is turning, pal," said Sofia.
(S: 3,600) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 6,100)
"I'm far from defeated, Shadowchaser," replied Bin Ban.
He whipped a card off of his Disk.
"I activate Level Modulation!" he exclaimed, as a Spell Card appeared. "Now, you draw twice. But I get to bring Horus back."
Sofia drew two cards. Then Horus reappeared in an aura of flames. (3,000 ATK)
"I happen to know that a Monster can't attack on the round it's summoned with Level Modulation," said Sofia.
"I know that," said Bin Ban, fitting a card into his Disk. "I play a facedown, and end my turn."
A reversed card appeared.
Sofia drew a third card.
"I use Alector's effect of Horus again," she said.
As Horus glowed with the dark aura again, Sofia opened her Field Slot.
"Next, I play Rising Air Current!"
The wind started to pick up, howling over the desert sands. Alector rose to an Attack Score of 2,900.
"Now, all Wind Monsters gain 500 Attack Points in exchange for 400 Defense Points.
"Then, Pot of Avarice."
She played the card, and then took Simorgh, Silpheed, The Tricky, Shaman of Mist Valley, and Ptarmigan of Mist Valley from her Graveyard. She shuffled them into her deck, and then drew two cards.
"Next," she said, "I summon Slate Warrior."
In another burst of wind, an odd creature with a blank face, wearing a blocky breastplate and ruffled pants, holding a knobbed staff appeared. (1,900 ATK – 2,400 ATK)
"Slate Warrior…" said Sofia, "attack Horus."
"WHAT THE?" shouted Bin Ban.
Slate Warrior fired a blast of green energy from its staff. Horus roared, and blasted its breath weapon, incinerating the Fiend.
"Why did you do that?" asked Bin Ban.
"Because now Slate Warrior's effect activates," replied Sofia, "and Horus loses 500 Attack Points."
Horus bellowed again, as a cloud of dust surrounded it. (2,500 ATK)
"Alector, attack!" shouted Sofia.
The divine wind shot at Horus, and he burst again. Bin Ban growled in anger.
(S: 3,000) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 5,700)
"My move…" he growled.
He drew a card.
"I play MY Pot of Avarice," he said.
He played the card, and all three Masked Dragons, Jinzo, and Horus LV8 slipped out of his discard slot. He shuffled them into his deck, and made two draws. He looked at them.
"I remove Horus' Servant from play…" he said.
The card slipped out of his discard slot, and he placed it inside his coat.
"…in order to Special Summon Inferno."
A large bonfire with two burning eyes in the center appeared in front of him. (1,100 ATK)
"Then I sacrifice it…"
Inferno vanished into pixilated remains.
"To summon a second Horus LV6!"
With another burst of fire, the Level 6 version of Horus appeared again. (2,300 ATK)
"Now I use my Trap Card," he said, as his facedown card lifted. "Foolish Revival. This lets me Special Summon Slate Warrior to your side of the field in Defense Mode."
Sofia stepped back in shock as Slate Warrior appeared in front of her, kneeling and shielding itself. (400 DEF – 0 DEF)
Bin Ban pointed, and Horus blasted its flame, incinerating Slate Warrior.
"Next, I set a reversed card," he said, as a facedown card appeared. "Then I move to my End Phase, and guess who's coming back?"
Horus became shrouded in flames again, and evolved into his final form again. (3,000 ATK)
"This is starting to get tedious," said Sofia, drawing a card.
"I use Alector's effect on Horus again!"
Horus groaned as the aura surrounded him again.
"Then," she said, "I play a facedown, and summon Soldier of Mist Valley."
A reversed card appeared, and then a new Winged Beast materialized. He was a muscular man with large, blue wings, wearing a leather loincloth, a long, blue scarf, and jewelry made of teeth, holding a curved dagger in both hands. (1,700 ATK) – (2,200 ATK)
"Next," she said, playing a Spell Card, "I play Winged Repayment. I pay 600 Life Points, and I get to draw one card for each Winged Beast I have on the field."
She glowed with an aura of red energy, and made two draws.
"The catch is, I can't use them until next turn. So I'll end my turn now."
(S: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 5,700)
Bin Ban quickly drew a card.
"Horus, annihilate Alector!" he shouted.
Flames appeared in Horus's mouth.
"Now you're getting careless," said Sofia. "Activate… Mirror Force!"
Her facedown card lifted up.
Bin Ban frowned. His own facedown card lifted up.
"I activate Level Down!?," he said. "This Quickplay lets me send Horus back to my deck before he's destroyed, and summon the Level 6 version in Defense Mode."
Horus shrank, devolving into his previous form, and shielding himself with his wings. (1,600 DEF)
"I move to my second Main Phase," he continued, "and play my second Level Up! to bring the big guy back again."
The Spell Card appeared, and Horus quickly grew into his fully evolved form once more. (3,000 ATK)
"Boy, I'm really getting sick of that guy," said Sofia.
"And your tricks aren't gonna last you forever!" cursed Bin Ban. "Next round, I am gonna blow that damn cockfighter to gibbets! He's gonna pay for insulting Horus like this!"
Sofia glared at him.
"You, my friend, just made a big mistake…" she said. "Since when is your Monster superior to mine?"
"Horus is the god of the sun!" shouted Bin Ban. "He…"
"Alector is the god of the weather," replied Sofia. "It's through his good graces that life-giving rain provides water and nourishment for crops. It's all in the name… Divine Fowl King Alector.
"And you didn't answer my question, by the way."
Bin Ban stopped short.
"Uhm…" he said. "Horus is also a warrior god… He was known for his crusade against his uncle Set…"
"Did you perhaps notice that Alector is wearing plate armor?" asked Sofia. "He's no less a warrior.
"So again, I'll ask… What makes Horus superior to him?"
Bin Ban stopped short. He didn't answer.
"That shut you up," said Sofia. "Face it… The only thing Horus has going for him is that you can build a whole deck around him successfully. And due to the fact that Alector seems to be foiling your attempts to keep your lock, I truly doubt that your divine Monster can be called superior to mine.
"It's my move…"
She drew a card.
"I remove one Kamakiri from play," she said.
The card fell out of her discard slot, and she pocketed it.
"…to Special Summon Garuda the Wind Spirit."
In another blast of wing, a new Winged Beast appeared. It was a man with the head and wings of a golden eagle, wearing red pants. (1,600 ATK) – (2,100 ATK)
"Then, I summon Dancing Elf."
In a shower of motes, a pretty little female Fairy in a green gown with gossamer wings appeared. (300 ATK) – (800 ATK)
"HA, HA, HA!" laughed Bin Ban. "Dancing Elf? Why the heck would you have THAT in your deck?
"And you forgot to use Alector's effect this round!"
"I didn't forget," replied Sofia. "I just didn't need to.
"And as for why Dancing Elf is in my deck, it's because she's Level 1."
Bin Ban stopped short.
He slowly came to a realization as to what Sofia's likely next move was…
"You see," said Sofia, "Soldier of Mist Valley is a Tuner Monster… And the Synchro Monster I want to summon is so powerful, I have to Tune no less than three Monsters."
Then Soldier of Mist Valley, Garuda the Wind Spirit, and Dancing Elf flew into the desert sky, where they dissolved into nine shimmering stars…
"I Tune my three Monsters together to call forth the legendary guardian of Mist Valley!" exclaimed Sofia. "Synchro Summon… Mist Wurm!"
With a loud bellowing noise, a gargantuan creature rose behind Sofia. It was a giant, monstrous arthropod that seemed to be some relative of Doom Dozer, covered with a deep, blue exoskeleton. It had three odd vents on its back that looked like chimneys, through which poured thick mist. (2,500 ATK) – (3,000 ATK)
"A lot of good that will do you!" shouted Bin Ban. "If it attacks Horus, they'll kill each other!"
"Actually, the odds are more in favor of my Monster," replied Sofia. "Because when I summon it, I can send up to three of your cards back to your hand."
The fiercest wind yet started to blow towards Bin Ban's side of the field. Horus screeched and struggled, but was swept up in it and disappeared, his card reappearing in Bin Ban's hand.
"Oh… no…" he said.
"Alector," said Sofia, "attack directly with divine wind!"
Bin Ban hollered as the fierce wind plowed into him and he staggered backwards.
"Mist Wurm," continued Sofia, "attack with freezing fog!"
Mist Wurm belched a cloud of chilling cold mist at the janni, and he screamed as it froze him to the bone.
He collapsed, shivering.
(S: 2,400) - - - - - - - - - - (B: 0)
"So cold…" he muttered. "So cold…"
Then Sofia grabbed him.
"We're in the middle of the desert, dummy," she said. "You'll warm up in a few seconds. Now talk. Who hired you?"
Bin Ban sighed.
"All right, a deal's a deal…" he muttered. "I was hired by Louis DaPen… He wants the Regalia of Day for some reason.
"I have no idea why…"
Sofia paused.
I'd better get the Sword of Noon to a safe place and then call Jalal, she thought. Maybe sending it to Neo Domino isn't a good idea…
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
As Sofia was doing this, it was still late-morning in the townhouse in Neo Domino.
Sorsha sat on a table in the practice room in the lower level, watching with a curious expression as one of her human caregivers – the one who was called Jinx – sparred with the newcomer.
Jinx had decided to take a break from teaching Ember hand-to-hand combat, and was now moving up to swordsmanship. She and Ember were now sparring with wooden practice swords.
Like before, Ember had started off clumsy, but she was learning quickly. She was now starting to dodge and parry Jinx's blows much better than a beginner usually did. Jinx was beginning to think that Ember was some sort of prodigy.
Jinx gave the signal to stop, and tossed Ember a towel.
The two sat at the table, and Sorsha hopped off. Jinx grabbed two bottles of water.
"You're a natural, kid," said Jinx.
"Thanks…" said Ember. "I don't know if it will hold up though… I doubt I'll ever have the same luck you have…"
Jinx chuckled.
"Let you in on a secret, kid," she said. "I had a little help with my luck, or so some people say…"
She reached into her shirt.
"It all started way back when I was an apprentice myself…"
She took out a small object on a chain. It looked like a glass capsule that held a small, sharp tooth, like that of a wolf or some other carnivorous animal.
"A tooth?" asked Ember.
"A redcap's tooth," replied Jinx.
"You see, Ember, the final test that an apprentice must pass before becoming a full-fledged Shadowchaser is to handle a Shadow-related threat alone, without her mentor's help. Most apprentices choose something easy. I was a bit of a rebel, and went after something hard. I tracked down a redcap."
Before Ember could ask the question, Jinx answered it.
"Redcaps are likely the most evil, vile fey you'll ever meet," she continued. "They don't look like typical pixies or sprites at all. They're about four feet tall, with talons for hands and feet, beak-like noses, sharp teeth, white beards, and glowing red eyes. They always wear iron boots, and bright red hats."
"Sounds pretty scary," said Ember.
"Indeed," said Jinx. "They're cold-blooded killers who prefer to attack prey by ambush. And they do so in order to renew the color of their hats, which they dip in the blood of their victims. Their red hats are the source of their power.
"Well, at this time, I wasn't using gamble cards or X-Sabers, but my deck wasn't too bad, because I managed to beat this redcap, thus passing the test. Then I learned something about redcaps – you'll never take one alive. After I beat him, he did something that incinerated himself, reducing himself to ashes.
"All that was left of him was this tooth, which I took as a memento.
"I soon learned that redcaps always leave behind a single tooth when they die. And whoever kills one should always keep the tooth. It's proof that she rid the world of a corruption of nature, and so long as she's recognized as the one who did so, she'll receive the blessing of more benign fey.
"It sounded like a fishy story, sure. But ever since then, my luck changed for the better. I experimented with cards that depended on chance, and they started to go my way most of the time.
"Then I started collecting the X-Sabers… You may notice by now that they have a barbaric theme surrounding them… Well, I heard that these Monsters gain their fighting power due to a close tie with nature. The enchanted rage that helps them fight is a reflection of the primal nature of the unspoiled wilderness. I figured that if I had a blessing that came from nature like they did, using them might work. And I found out that they did.
"One thing led to another, and before long my deck became what it is now.
"Just remember one thing, Ember… In the world of Shadow, anything can happen, and everything usually does. Take opportunities where they present them."
"Excellent council, Kaede," said Jalal's voice.
They both turned their heads, and saw him standing there in holographic form.
"Is this some sort of Big Brother thing?" asked Ember.
Jinx chuckled.
"You'll get used to it before long, Ember," she replied.
"Kaede, may I speak to you in private?" asked Jalal.
Ember sighed.
"You can come back here in ten minutes," said Jalal to Ember. "Don't worry… I think you'll like what your teacher will have to tell you…"
"Guess I'll go get some air…" said Ember, getting up.
Jinx looked at Jalal, clearly confused…
I had no idea what Jalal had wanted to speak to Jinx about, and apparently, this came as somewhat of a surprise to Jinx as well. I had a feeling, though, that something was up concerning me. And it was likely something big.
I didn't know it at the time, but my new position was about to be taken to the next stage. Things were happening fast, and whether I was ready for them or not, they were beyond my control.
It seemed I had passed the point of no return at this time. Whether that was a good thing or a bad one, it was hard to tell.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
DIVINE FOWL KING ALECTOR (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Winged Beast/Effect
Attribute:
Wind
Level:
6
ATK:
2,400
DEF:
2,000
Card Description: If your opponent controls 2 or more Monsters with the same Attribute, you may Special Summon this card from your hand. Once per turn, select one face-up card on the field. The effect(s) of the selected card are negated until the End Phase of the turn. Only one "Divine Fowl King Alector" can be face-up on the field at one time.
Note: "Divine Fowl King Alector" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
MIST WURM (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Thunder/Synchro/Effect
Attribute:
Wind
Level:
9
ATK:
2,500
DEF:
1,500
Card Description: Tuner + 2 or more Non-Tuner Monsters
When this card is Synchro Summoned, you may return up to 3 cards your opponent controls to his/her hand.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
SOLDIER OF MIST VALLEY (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Winged Beast/Tuner/Effect
Attribute:
Wind
Level:
4
ATK:
1,700
DEF:
300
Card Description: When this card battles an opposing Monster, if the opposing Monster is not destroyed as a result of the battle, it is returned to the controller's hand at the end of the damage step.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
SHAMAN OF MIST VALLEY (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Winged Beast/Tuner/Effect
Attribute:
Wind
Level:
3
ATK:
1,200
DEF:
1,200
Card Description: Once per turn, you can return 1 Monster you control to your hand except this card to increase this card's ATK by 500 until the End Phase of the turn.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
PTARMIGAN OF MIST VALLEY (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Thunder/Effect
Attribute:
Wind
Level:
3
ATK:
1,100
DEF:
700
Card Description: When this card is returned to your hand, Special Summon this card. This card cannot attack on the round this effect is activated.
Note: "Mist Wurm", "Soldier of Mist Valley", "Shaman of Mist Valley", and "Ptarmigan of Mist Valley" were released in Japan for the original "Duel Terminal". They have not yet been released in the United States.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
WINGED REPAYMENT (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: The image on this card was unclear.
Card Description: Pay 600 Life Points. Draw 1 card from your deck for each Winged Beast you control. Cards drawn by this effect cannot be set, Summoned, or activated on the turn they are drawn by this effect.
Note: "Winged Repayment" was first used by Harpie's Brother in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "A New World Order". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Before I break, I should explain that I know the true origin of the word "Alector". It's actually a very obscure name in Greek mythology. He was the father of Leitus, one of the Argonauts (called "Alectryon" by Homer). The "real" Alector may not have truly been "divine", but the Monster named after him undoubtedly is, so I took a few liberties.
Coming up next:
Two swords recovered, one to go. Next chapter, we go to the Black Forest of Germany, where another Shadowchaser braves the night to recover the Sword of Midnight. But an old enemy is on his trail, and challenges him for it, leading to a confrontation that he's wanted for a long time. "Treasure Map" is coming soon.