And we're back! Not much to say right now, except enjoy!
Disclaimer: Oh, and I still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!
What was inside the pyramid was not what Claire was expecting.
She had prepared herself to see what she'd seen in movies: cracked walls infested with various insects, dark creepy corridors, and - especially after what she'd witnessed recently - a mummy or two.
She certainly wasn't expecting the ornate carvings, the towering pillars casting shadows, the large braziers, or steps leading down to a duelling arena.
She would have thought it beautiful, if Maurice wasn't standing on the other side of the room, next to the prone body of an old man.
Joe stepped forward. "Should've figured you'd be here. Where's Nox?"
Maurice grinned. "He's a little preoccupied at the moment. He left me here to entertain you."
Joe looked over to the old man. "Who was he?"
"The protector of this place. He had an interesting deck, but it didn't stand a chance against mine."
"Nox took his soul?"
"Of course."
"How? He wasn't the one duelling."
Maurice's grin widened. "You haven't figured it out yet?"
Luke snapped his fingers. "The cloaks."
Joe turned to him. "What?"
"Skye said that her cloak was given to her by Nox. If that's true for the others, then something in the cloaks could have the same effect of weakening souls as duelling Nox."
Maurice clapped slowly, the sound echoing in the tall room. "Someone give that man a medal. Nox still has to steal the souls himself, but the cloaks make his job that much easier. But enough chit-chat. I still have something you want, right?"
Tom stepped forward. "I've got this one."
"No," said Claire. "He's mine."
She started towards the stairs, but Joe stopped her. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"
She nodded. "I need to do this."
Claire and Maurice took the steps down to the arena.
"Duel!" (LP: 8000)
"I'll begin," said Maurice. "I activate Shard of Greed and set a monster."
As Claire drew, Maurice continued. "I suppose it's poetic in a way."
"What do you mean?"
"That you and I face each other. Especially with what happened to your parents."
Claire could feel her blood freeze. "W-what?"
"You didn't think that fire was an accident, did you? I had been watching you and your siblings for a while; you showed such potential. But I needed you to come to me. And what better way than to ensure you had nowhere else to go?"
Claire's eyes were wide with horror at the man who had been her surrogate father for three years. As she sank to her knees, she remembered the times spent with him: the duels where he taught her strategies; the hugs she and her siblings gave him whenever he got them cards as presents... All with the monster who had destroyed their world.
It was all too much. She put her head in her hands and began to cry.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"
Claire turned her head to the sound of Joe's voice.
"The man who killed your parents is right there, and you're just going to cry in front of him? Your brother is waiting for you to save him; how are you gonna do that on your knees? Maurice is trying to break you, and you're letting him? Stand up. Stand up and show him he can't beat you down. Stand up and make him answer for what he's done. Stand up and help us get your brother back. Stand up and FIGHT!"
Claire stared. He's right. I can't let him get to me. I can't give him the satisfaction. She nodded and got to her feet. She faced Maurice, who looked as surprised at Joe's outburst as she was. She focused on him, channeling all the sadness, all the pain... Into anger.
"My turn! I summon Elemental HERO Clayman (800/2000)!" The large, bulky warrior with a red helmet appeared. "Attack!" Clayman charged, the facedown card being A Cat of Ill Omen. "Before the attack hits, I activate the Quick-play spell Masked Change II! By discarding one card from my hand and sending a monster to the graveyard, I can special summon a Masked HERO from my Extra deck with the same attribute and a higher level. I tribute the level 4 Earth Elemental HERO Clayman to summon Masked HERO Dian (2800/3000)!" A silver-plated warrior with a blue cape and silver lance took Clayman's place on the field.
"As A Cat of Ill Omen was flipped face up," Maurice interjected, "I search my deck for a trap and place it on top of my deck. I choose Appropriate."
"You won't get a chance to use it! Dian, attack Cat!" Dian's lance pierced the feline, skewering it. "I now activate Dian's effect! Since it destroyed a monster by battle and sent it to the graveyard, I can special summon a HERO from my deck, as long as its level isn't higher than four. I summon Elemental HERO Shadow Mist (1000/1500)!" Dian raised his lance, and a black mist appeared, morphing into a humanoid shape.
"I now activate Shadow Mist's effect! When it's special summoned, I can add a Change Quick-play spell from my deck to my hand. I choose Mask Change. Shadow Mist, attack directly!" Shadow Mist flew over to Maurice and punched him in the stomach.
(Maurice: 7000 LP)
"Now I activate Mask Change, sending the Dark Elemental HERO Shadow Mist to summon Masked HERO Anki (2800/1200)!" Shadow Mist was replaced by the warrior clad in jet-black armour. "Anki, attack!" Anki's claws raked across Maurice's chest, causing him to stumble back.
(Maurice: 4200 LP)
"I'm not done! I activate the Quick-play spell Form Change! I swap the level 8 Masked HERO Anki on my field with Masked HERO Acid in my Extra deck (2600/2100)!" Anki was enveloped in a golden light, and was replaced by Claire's new warrior, pistol in hand. "Since he was special summoned, he destroys all your spell and trap cards!" One good shot from Acid melted Maurice's Shard of Greed. "Now, fire!" Acid blasted Maurice square in the chest.
(Maurice: 1600 LP)
"Damn you..." Maurice groaned, trying to keep his balance. "I activate Dark World Dealings! Now we each draw one card, then discard one! I set a monster and two cards."
"They won't save you! I'm ending this now! I activate Mask Charge! This spell allows me to add one Change Quick-play spell and a HERO from my graveyard to my hand. I choose Mask Change and Elemental HERO Clayman! Dian! Attack!" Dian's lance tore through the facedown monster, revealing...
"Exodia?" Joe stared from the steps, wide-eyed. "You set Exodia? Are you really that desperate?"
"Shut up!" Maurice yelled, his composure completely shattered.
"This ends now!" Claire continued. "I use Dian's effect to summon another Shadow Mist (1000/1500), and use Shadow Mist's effect for another Mask Change! Acid, attack!"
"I won't just lie down and die! I activate the trap Defense Draw, making the battle damage from that attack zero and allowing me to draw a card!"
"That won't be enough! I use Mask Change on Shadow Mist to summon Anki (2800/1200)! End this!" Anki's claws slashed through Maurice.
(Maurice: 0 LP)
Maurice fell back, snarling. "Well good for you, you little bi-" He got no further as Claire punched him square between the eyes, breaking his sunglasses. She punched him again. And again. Blow after blow she rained down on him, teeth gritted, tears in her eyes as she let out her anger, all the feelings of betrayal that had been building ever since Nox took Stan. Blood squirted from Maurice's nose and ran down from his mouth. Claire didn't stop until a pair of arms wrapped around hers and pulled her off of him. She turned to strike her assailant, but stopped at seeing it was Joe.
"It's okay, it's okay," He said soothingly. "It's over now. It's okay."
She eventually stopped. With no adrenaline left to fuel her rage, she sagged, and the tears ran freely down her face. Joe held her, and she cried into his shoulder. Tom walked over and began rummaging through the unconscious Maurice's pockets. When she finally ran out of tears, Joe let her go.
"Here," said Tom, throwing a deck box over to Joe. He opened it, and smiled.
"Good to have it back."
"I'll say," Tom replied, patting his own, already attached to his belt. "Now what do you say we give Nox a piece of our minds?"
Joe looked over at the rest of the group. Luke, cracking his knuckles; Jack, a card already in hand; and Claire, the fire back in her eyes, blazing stronger than ever.
"I say it's about damn time."
I didn't write a duel between Maurice and Amr because, let's face it: A deck that needs the opponent to attack to win versus a deck that doesn't need to attack to win; no brainer.
I realize the duel between Claire and Maurice was short, but Masked Heroes is probably the best deck to counter Exodia: take it out before it has a chance to prepare.
Tom and Joe have their decks back, and it's time to confront Nox. What is he doing in the tomb of the duelling Pharaoh? The next update should be up within the next few days, where more will be revealed! Don't forget to follow and review, tell me what you think! See you then!