The second of my original Yu-Gi-Oh Junior fics has been reposted. The third one may take awhile.
For now, my next chapter is up. How many times did I have to recheck the math when I outlined the duel for this chapter? Don't ask.
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DUEL FOURTEEN
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Brutal Potion
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Csimith entered the throne room. Taramanda was going over some cards while Hssimim and Hebi-Na were standing by (doing their best to ignore one another).
"As you requested, I have brought them," said Csimith with a sigh.
"Send them in," said Taramanda.
"You heard her," called Csimith to the ophidia guarding the door. "Have them bring Larry, Moe, and Curly in."
Three other ophidia led in three ophidia in who were blindfolded. The blindfolded ophidia were dressed in fancy kimonos; one blue, one purple, and one orange. All three of them were slender, man-shaped, and covered with olive-green scales, which in turn were covered with a pattern that suggested the South American anaconda.
These were the Three Storms, three ophidia brothers who had been together all of their lives. Ophidia hatched from eggs, and a female often laid a clutch of up to twenty at a time. Newly-hatched ophidia looked like regular snakes, were almost mindless, and quite helpless. While all of them hatched, usually no more than two to five in one litter survived to mature into full-grown ophidia.
These three had come from one litter; all of their other siblings had not gotten past the "larval stage". They had grown up together and had eventually formed a team of mercenaries, which they based on three divine beings whom they read about in a book of Chinese mythology.
Of course, they were nowhere near as powerful as such beings, but were, at times, just as eccentric.
"You keep referring to us by those names," said the one in blue. "Who were they, may I ask?"
"Uh..." said Csimith. "They were... three incredibly popular media figures in the West in the early 20th Century."
Taramanda gave him a cold stare.
"It's not like I'm lying," he whispered to her.
"Remove their blindfolds," ordered the Empress.
The three guards took the cloths off, and the three well-dressed ophidia made polite bows.
"Salutations, your highness," said the one in orange. "We are honored to behold your divine beauty once again. The Three Storms..."
"Rain..." said the one in blue.
"...Thunder..." said the one in purple.
"...and Lightning," continued the first, "are always at your beck and call. We are..."
"Yes, yes, I know," interrupted Taramanda. "I'm well aware of the flair for the dramatic you three have. There are many folks who question your sanity.
"Still... Despite your... peculiarities... You always manage to get the job done..."
"And we would be honored to continue to do so, my queen," replied Thunder.
"Your wish is our command," said Lightning.
"Okay, okay, just watch it there," said Taramanda. "There's a fine line between being polite and being obnoxious."
"And a fine line between wanting to please someone," whispered Csimith to Hebi-Na, "and having your lips locked to her ass."
"What was that??" shouted Taramanda, turning her head.
"He was just complimenting me on how much weight I've lost lately," said Hebi-Na. "Of course, being in prison helps..."
Taramanda turned back to the Three Storms. She took a small box from the table next to her.
"I do indeed have some tasks for each of you..." she said, "as well as a few tools to make doing so easier..."
She took a single card from the box, and gave it to Rain. The mercenary looked at it.
A look of terror appeared on his face.
"Calm down," said Taramanda. "I know of this card's infamous reputation, and I assure you, this version is loyal to our goddess. I created it using a minor spirit from the Venomous Tarns. Read the description, and you'll find that it will be a powerful addition to your deck."
Rain quickly read the card text. His mouth slowly formed into a grin.
"That it will..." he said.
"Do we get cards too?" asked Thunder.
"You get this," replied Taramanda.
She tossed him something, and he caught it. It was a set of keys.
"Your new custom-made D-Wheel with pan-dimensional features is ready," she said, "and it will be yours once you use it to duel the Shadowchasers' grease jockey."
"I swear it will be done, my queen," he replied.
"As for you, Lightning," she continued.
She handed him a set of cards.
"I found that Spellcaster you were inquiring about, as well as some cards to aid in a deck where she is used. Incredibly lethal if used correctly."
"Ah, yes..." said Lightning, looking at one of the Monsters. "Only your beauty can compare with hers, my queen."
"You'll get your full assignments from Csimith as you leave," said Taramanda. "I expect a storm of the most violent type to hit this town when the Shadowchasers get back from whatever errand they left on."
The Three Storms bowed.
As they left the room, Csimith sighed again.
"You put a lot of trust in those loons," he said.
"Well..." said Taramanda, "considering what they now have, they'll be pretty dangerous for Three Stooges."
Csimith sighed, and followed the Storms out of the room, followed by Hebi-Na.
"I never figured her for much of a tube-watcher," said Hebi-Na.
"Oh, be quiet," replied Csimith.
"And by the way," continued Hebi-Na, "you owe me one for what I said back there..."
"You always have to have the last word, don't you?" asked Csimith with a scowl.
"Why yes," replied Hebi-Na.
Csimith groaned.
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The four humans and their phoenix companion were puzzled.
They had entered the shrine, only to find themselves in what appeared to be another outdoor forest.
"Okay, let me get this straight..." said Jinx. "Someone builds a shrine in the middle of a forest... And then puts another forest inside it??"
"It may not be that simple..." said Shichiro. "I think that we likely entered the true Feywild. The realm that exists 'parallel' to the mortal world where the fey races draw their power from."
"Like the Spirit World?" asked Ember, getting nervous.
"Kind of like that..." said Shichiro. "Everyone be very careful. Don't eat anything, and don't take anything that doesn't belong to you... Stories have been told about mortals coming to bad ends after eating the food of fairies or stealing fairy gold after visiting their homes...
"Take Rip Van Winkle. According to that old story they tell in the States, he fell asleep for twenty years after drinking liquor that some strange men he met Catskills gave him, and..."
Then they heard girlish giggling coming from the trees around them. They all looked around and saw shadowy shapes in the trees as the giggling continued.
"What's so funny?" asked Gears.
"They think your friend's concerns are funny," said a voice, "because the stories he speaks of are just that, stories.
"And by the way, in the story of Rip Van Winkle, the 'strange men' were not fey, they were the ghosts of Henry Hudson's crew."
"Maybe I should read it again..." said Shichiro, with a sigh.
"But never mind them," said the voice. "It doesn't take much to make them laugh... Just follow my voice..."
They started to walk forward, in the direction where the voice came from.
"That's it, this way," said the voice.
As they walked forward, the giggling continued. They saw glimpses of the creatures in the trees, small, petite pixies with gossamer wings.
Eventually, they came to what looked like another shrine, but this time, it was an open-air structure. It was made of stone, and blue crystals were set in the low walls. A stained glass window decorated an altar on the far end, depicting the sun, moon, and several stars.
Standing by a pedestal, on which an open book was spread out, was a Shadowkind who looked like an elf for all intents and purposes. He had the same pointed ears and delicate features. His brown hair was worn long and fell neatly down to the nape of his back. He wore a white robe with gold trim, tied up with a velvet belt, and a pair of sandals.
He didn't look up from the book immediately. As the four humans cautiously walked into the shrine, he sighed, closed the book, and looked at them. His eyes were chestnut brown, and just by looking into them, you could see ages upon ages of wisdom reflected in their pupils...
"Lord Copernus?" asked Shichiro.
The fey lord nodded.
"I apologize if the Green Man was rude," he said. "Many members of the Court of Stars have developed quite an ego over the millennia."
"This Court of Stars..." asked Gears. "Where exactly are all of them?"
"Other parts of the Feywild," replied Copernus. "This realm is just as large as your world, and exists parallel to yours, coinciding with the mortal world like its shadow. The only way to physically transverse the two worlds is by means of special portals like the one you just went through. They exist in your world in places where the wilderness is pure and unspoiled.
"The authority I have over them is only symbolic, due to my seniority, so they do as they please most of the time. The Court of Stars is not truly a government in the way the term is used by mortals.
"But anyway... You're here because you're having problems with Dark Synchros and possibly Earthbound Gods?"
"Why, yes," replied Shichiro. "Well, we haven't seen any Earthbound Gods yet... But if you know something..."
"Before I tell you anything," interrupted Copernus, "I must tell you, I cannot tell you much. Whoever sent you told you that my people were wiped out in a terrible calamity, I assume?"
"One that destroyed your civilization..." replied Ember.
"Erased it," replied Copernus. "Obliterated it from existence so that it never was. Surviving leshay can remember it, but we cannot describe it, because there is nothing to describe. Just how any of us survived this is a story too complicated to explain in mere words.
"We have no-one to blame for this disaster but ourselves. It was due to a mistake of our own causing.
"For this reason, any help we give to mortals must be limited, so that the mistake we made is never made again. I could likely tell you how to end hunger, poverty, and conflict on your world forever... But sadly, I cannot.
"I'll simply tell you what I can..."
Shichiro looked at him.
"We understand..." he said.
Copernus took a deep breath.
"Do you know why elves are so long-lived, and why fey are practically immortal?" he asked.
"Uh, no, honestly I don't," replied Shichiro.
"I'll share with you the secret," said Copernus, "since you cannot use it anyway... Such races learned eons ago how to channel positive energy, the energy of life.
"Positive energy not only gives creatures life, it keeps them alive. It keeps them healthy and young."
He pointed upward, towards the sun.
"The sun that shines down on our world is a powerful source of positive energy. It fuels us, warms us, and nourishes us."
"Do Light Monsters channel positive energy?" asked Jinx.
"Do not confuse the Attributes of Duel Monsters with energy," replied Copernus. "Your friend's Monsters, the Allies of Justice, are Dark, but they gain their power from the Healing Darkness, a source of positive energy. On the other hand, their foe is the Light of Ruin, a source of Light which is powerful negative energy."
"So I suppose negative energy is the energy of death," said Shichiro.
"It's supposed to be," replied Copernus. "But that's where logic starts to become blurry.
"Negative energy is supposed to be the energy of rot, destruction, and decay, which causes things to sicken and die. Undead creatures, who are not alive, are powered by this form of energy.
"But positive energy, as beneficent as it can be, can also be dangerous. While it can heal, it can also harm. Its life-giving energy can be as deadly a weapon as negative energy."
"Yeah," said Ember, "that's why you never look directly at the sun."
"Not quite," said Copernus. "You could be blinded, yes, but that would be from the sun's blinding light, not its positive energy. Light and heat are dangerous, but positive energy is not light nor heat. It is the energy of life."
"So then a power source that causes life can hurt you?" asked Shichiro, sounding doubtful. "Something that heals can also harm?"
"Yes," replied Copernus.
He rubbed his chin.
"Maybe there is a way to explain this in a way that you Shadowchasers would understand better... After all, the four of you are duelists..."
He lifted up his left arm, and then a small flock of the little pixies flew out of the forest, flying to his arm and clinging to it. Both his arm and the little sprites glowed, and after a few seconds, he was wearing a silvery Duel Disk with gold trim.
A deck appeared in it.
"You... you want to duel?" asked Shichiro.
Copernus nodded.
"Okay..." said Shichiro. "Uh... Those little guys won't be hurt, will they?"
"Not at all," replied Copernus. "They possess they ability to take the form of any weapon or armor when they combine their powers, and they have been providing this service for the Court of Stars for countless millennia."
"Do they work on commission?" asked Jinx, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't make jokes, Jinx," said Gears. "If this duel is anything like the one I had with the Green Man, it might be pretty hard on Shichiro."
His voice sank to a whisper.
"I mean, are we absolutely sure we can trust this guy?"
Copernus looked at Gears. He had heard that, but he didn't answer.
Then he turned to Shichiro. Both Disks activated, and the decks were shuffled.
(Shichiro: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Copernus: 8,000)
"I draw..." said Copernus, making his first draw.
He quickly took a card from his hand, and set it on his Disk. A reversed Monster appeared.
He nodded.
"I'm guessing you aren't one for small talk..." said Shichiro, making a draw.
"I summon... Field-Commander Rahz!"
In a sparkle of motes, Rahz appeared, holding his blade forward. (1,600 ATK)
"Now his effect activates," continued Shichiro, as a card slipped out of his Disk. "I get to take a Warrior from my deck, and place it on top."
He placed the card on top of his deck, and then took another card from his hand.
"Next, the Continuous Spell Card, Banner of Courage," he said, as he played it. "While this card is in play, for my Battle Phase only, my Monsters gain a 200 Attack Point bonus.
"So, let's see what you're hiding... Rahz, attack!"
Rahz rushed at the concealed Monster, and his Attack Score rose to 1,800. A small, black cat with a golden medallion around its neck appeared on the card. Rahz struck it with his blade, and it shattered.
"You flipped A Cat of Ill Omen," said Copernus, as a card appeared in his hand. "Its effect lets me take any Trap Card I desire, and place it on top of my deck."
He slipped it on the top of his deck.
Lovely, thought Shichiro. It's likely something deadly...
He looked at his hand, which consisted of Chthonian Soldier, Emergency Provisions, Little-Winguard, and Destruction Jammer. The card he would draw on his next turn, due to Rahz's effect, was Command Knight.
He took Destruction Jammer and fit it into his Disk. It appeared facedown behind Rahz.
"End," he said.
"My move..." said Copernus, making a draw.
"I set two cards facedown," he said, as two concealed cards appeared. "And then play a Continuous Spell called Gravekeeper's Servant."
A Spell Card appeared next to the two facedown cards.
"This Spell Card requires you to send a card from your deck to the Graveyard before you can make an attack."
"So what is this?" asked Jinx. "Another Mill Deck?"
"I summon Cure Mermaid," continued Copernus.
In a blast of bubbles, a lovely mermaid in a pink dress with a red fish tail appeared. She blew a kiss at Shichiro. (1,500 ATK)
"That's... Not quite the Monster you'd see in a Mill Deck," replied Gears.
"And it's your move," said Copernus.
Shichiro paused for a minute.
One of his two facedown cards is something powerful that he used that Cat to search for, he thought. Mirror Force, maybe?
But... My Destruction Jammer is prepared for it...
"I draw!" he exclaimed, drawing a card.
"And I summon Command Knight!"
In a burst of flame, Command Knight appeared, and nodded to Rahz. (1,200 ATK) Her Attack Score went up to 1,600, while his went up to 2,100.
"Your Gravekeeper's Servant may be a pain, but it can't keep me from attacking, so long as I have cards..."
"Oh?" replied Copernus.
One of his two facedown cards lifted up.
"I activate Macro Cosmos!"
The whole world seemed to vanish in a flash of light, and a dizzy spell seemed to strike Shichiro...
In the next instant, he, his opponent, the Monsters, and his companions were standing among the stars in a cosmic scene.
"So long as my Trap Card remains," said Copernus, "any card that would normally go to the Graveyard is instead removed from play."
"No..." said Ember. "If Shichiro pays the cost to attack, he'll lose the cards for good!"
"It's more serious than that, Ember," said Gears. "You see, in order to attack, Shichiro must send a card specifically to the Graveyard. Macro Cosmos makes that impossible."
"Then..." said Ember. "Shichiro can't attack at all?"
"This combo is the ultimate attack lock," said Gears. "No cost, no conditions, and it doesn't impair the user at all."
Lovely... thought Shichiro. This guy is pretty smart...
What am I talking about? He's older than the Earth! Of course he's smart!
"I have to end my turn..." he said.
"But before you do, I'll activate this," said Copernus, as his other facedown card lifted. "Solemn Wishes.
"Now, I'll draw..."
He drew a card.
"And I gain 500 Life Points from Solemn Wishes, and 800 from Cure Mermaid's effect.
"Next, I summon Spirit of the Breeze."
There was more girlish laughter, and a pretty female Fairy with dragonfly wings dressed in a gossamer gown appeared. (0 ATK)
"Zero Attack Points?" asked Ember.
"Yeah..." said Gears. "But so long as it's in Attack Mode, he gains 1,000 Life Points per round. He seems to be big on Life Point gain."
"I end my turn..." said Copernus.
(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 9,300)
Shichiro drew a card.
He played another card, and Chthonian Soldier appeared next to his other two Warriors. (1,200 ATK) –) (1,600 ATK)
"That's all I can do for now," he said.
"Then it's my move again," said Copernus.
He made a draw.
"Once again, I gain 500 Life Points from Solemn Wishes, and 800 from Cure Mermaid, plus 1,000 from Spirit of the Breeze.
"Next, I play the Spell Card, Ancient Leaf."
A Spell Card appeared on his side of the field, and glowed with golden light.
"Since my Life Points are now above 9,000, I can pay 2,000 of them to make two draws."
He drew two cards, and added them to his hand.
"This means I gain 500 more Life Points from Solemn Wishes.
"I then summon White Magician Pikeru."
He played another card, and the small child magician wearing a white gown with pigtails and a hat shaped like a Scapegoat appeared. (1,200 ATK)
"Every time I begin my turn, she will grant me 400 Life Points for each Monster I have on the field."
"You seem awfully intent on raising your Life Points," said Shichiro.
"I see you are beginning to see how powerful positive energy can be," replied Copernus.
"True," said Shichiro, "but the idea of the duel is to bring your opponent's Life Points to zero. You haven't done anything towards that end yet."
"I'll set one card facedown," said Copernus, as a reversed card appeared, "and end my turn."
(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 10,100)
He didn't even answer the question... thought Shichiro.
He made a draw.
It was Heavy Storm.
Heh... thought Shichiro. How lucky can you get?
He was about to play it.
Then he stopped short.
He slowly looked at Copernus's facedown card.
Hold it... he thought. Copernus is no fool… That facedown cards is likely something that will counter an attempt to disarm his lock… Something like… Solemn Judgment?
He looked at Heavy Storm again.
Macro Cosmos will remove this from play if he counters it... I won't get a second chance... I'd better wait...
He added it to his hand, and chose another card. He played it, and Little-Winguard appeared next to his other Monsters. (1,400 ATK) –) (1,800 ATK)
"It's your move," he said.
Copernus quickly made a draw.
"Now, thanks to my Trap Card and three Monsters, I gain 3,500 Life Points," he said.
"I summon Fire Princess!"
He played the card he had just drawn, and another female Monster appeared in an aura of flames. It was a stern-faced woman in a blazing, red dress, holding a wooden staff. (1,300 ATK)
"This was his plan all along!" exclaimed Ember.
"Of course!" said Gears. "Fire Princess dishes out 500 points of damage each time he gains Life Points...
"And if Shichiro doesn't do something, on his next turn, Copernus will gain Life Points from four sources! This could be bad..."
"I end my turn..." said Copernus.
(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 13,600)
Shichiro made a draw. He frowned, and set a card on his Disk, setting a Monster in Defense Mode. As he did, Gabriel crept up behind him, and snuck a peek at his cards.
The phoenix gave a look of shock, and flew back to the others.
"Shichiro has Heavy Storm in his hand!" he whispered.
"So what is he waiting for?" asked Jinx. "An engraved invitation?"
"I'm sure that Shichiro has something in mind..." said Ember.
They watched as Copernus drew a card.
"I hope..."
"Now that I have four Monsters, I gain 3,900 Life Points," said the leshay. "And due to Fire Princess..."
The Pyro cast a flaming spell, and Shichiro screamed as he was engulfed by flames.
(S: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 17,500)
"Are you beginning to get the picture, Mr. Osaka?" asked Copernus. "Fire Princess's powers are fueled by positive energy. While it nourishes me, I don't think I need to tell you that it's hurting you."
"Makes sense..." groaned Shichiro. "In a strange way..."
"Man, this is hopeless!" said Ember.
"I've seen tougher situations…" said Jinx. "Well... I've heard of them, at least. I heard that when the King of Games confronted Dartz, Dartz had 20,000 Life Points at one point."
"I kinda doubt that that Dartz's cards were tournament-legal, Jinx," said Gears.
Shichiro looked at his deck.
It's now or never... he thought.
He closed his eyes, and made a draw.
He opened them, and looked at the card.
He made a slight smirk.
"I play Heavy Storm!" he shouted, playing a card from his hand.
A fierce wind started to erupt through the void of Macro Cosmos, and Shichiro's supporters started cheering.
"Not so fast, Mr. Osaka," said Copernus, as his facedown card lifted up.
The winds quickly died.
"Dark Bribe, huh?" said Shichiro. "Huh, too bad... I had kind of hoped it was Solemn Judgment..."
He drew a card. He looked at it. It was Junk Synchron.
"You don't seem to care that I just countered such a powerful Spell," said Copernus.
"I know..." said Shichiro, with a grin. "It was because I used Heavy Storm to force you to use that Trap...
"Now try to counter this!"
He played the card he had just drawn.
"Giant Trunade!"
Another wind erupted over the field, and Macro Cosmos, Gravekeeper's Servant, and Solemn Wishes were blown off the field, along with Banner of Courage and Shichiro's facedown card. The cosmic scene vanished, returning them to the shrine.
"All right!" squawked Gabriel. "Way to go!"
"But Copernus will just replay those cards next round," added Ember. "He'll be able to start over."
"No he won't," replied Shichiro. "First, I replay Banner of Courage, and set three facedown cards."
Banner of Courage reappeared, and three reversed cards appeared in flashes of light.
"Then, I flip Morphing Jar into Attack Mode!"
His facedown card flipped up, revealing the one-eyed thing in a ceramic jar. Copernus gave a look of surprise.
He discarded the six cards in his hand, and Shichiro discarded Junk Synchron. Both of them made five draws.
"Not bad..." said Shichiro, looking over them. "I sacrifice Morphing Jar, Rahz, and Little-Winguard..."
The three Monsters vanished into grains of light.
"...to call forth Gilford the Lightning!"
With a rumble of thunder and a flash of lightning, the mighty Gilford appeared, his eyes glowing and his sword crackling with electricity. (2,800 ATK) –) (3,200 ATK)
"Show him true power!" shouted Shichiro.
Gilford raised his sword, and lightning struck Copernus's side of the field, blowing his four Monsters to gibbets. Copernus looked truly shocked for the first time.
"Time to strike back!" said Shichiro. "Gilford, you first."
Gilford charged, his Attack Score rising to 3,400, and struck at the fey lord with his blade. The leshay grunted in pain, and took two steps backwards.
"Command Knight, Chthonian Soldier, you next!"
The two Warriors leapt at Copernus, and their Attack Scores rose to 1,800 apiece. Two slashes of swords cut into him, and he fell over.
(S: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 10,500)
"Whoa!" shouted Ember. "Shichiro took him down a big notch!"
"But there's still a way to go..." said Jinx.
"It's your move, pal..." said Shichiro.
Copernus didn't reply at first. He simply held his chest, and didn't look up.
"Lord Copernus?" asked Shichiro.
"So long..." muttered the fey lord. "It's been so long..."
"So long since what?" asked Shichiro.
"So long since I faced a true challenge..." said Copernus, as he stared into space. "For centuries since I passed through from Shadow into the Feywild that surrounds this other world, I have taken my armor and sword to defend the fey lands from those who would want to pollute it... Fiends like the fomorians and hags...
"But they were pathetic opponents at best... Even the foulspawn didn't present the challenges that I faced so many eons ago...
"But now... With this new form of combat, I finally feel the thrill of combat that I had almost forgotten existed..."
"Well, yes..." said Shichiro. "That's one of the points of the Fair Fight Clause of the Great Treaty. You see..."
"No, no, don't explain it!" interrupted Copernus. "It doesn't matter... I haven't felt like this in ages!
"On with the duel!"
He drew a card.
"Since you have Monsters on your field, and I don't, I can Special Summon Level Warrior!"
There was a burst of golden stars, and a man in a red superhero suit appeared in front of him. He had a star on his cowl, and two stars on his chest. (300 ATK)
"Ah, that guy's a wimp," said Gabriel.
"Doesn't matter," said Gears. "Since Copernus Special Summoned Level Warrior that way, its Level becomes 4. He's clearly going to make a Synchro Summon."
"I summon Ebon Magician Curran!" shouted Copernus.
In a shadowy burst of darkness, Pikeru's dark sister appeared, a young girl her age wearing a black dress with a bunny-eared cowl, holding a leather switch. (1,200 ATK)
"Then I play the One for One Spell Card," he continued, as a Spell Card appeared. "I toss a Monster from my hand..."
He discarded a Healing Wave Generator.
"...and I get to Special Summon a Level 1 Monster from my deck. Like Sunny Pixie."
In a small twinkle of motes and a girlish laugh, a little female pixie with gossamer wings appeared in front of him. (300 ATK)
"Now..." said Copernus. "I'll Tune all three of my Monsters..."
The Warrior and two Spellcasters faded into seven glowing stars. He lifted up his arms and chanted:
"Majestic wanderer of the Astral Plane, flying between all realities, the Music of the Spheres playing in your wake! Clustering stars light the way to the mortal realm...
"Synchro Summon... Ancient Sacred Wyvern!"
In a glowing, golden light, a huge, serpentine being materialized over Copernus. It looked like an oriental dragon, with pure white scales, two tiny wings, and a head shaped like an inverted triangle with a long mane of golden hair. It let out a loud roar. (2,100 ATK)
"Gilford is stronger than that..." said Jinx.
"Not quite..." said Copernus. "When my Life Points are higher than my opponent's, Ancient Sacred Wyvern gains Attack Points equal to the difference.
"And furthermore, since Sunny Pixie was used as the Tuner, I gain 1,000 Life Points."
(7,600 ATK)
"Good lord..." said Ember.
"Of course," continued Copernus, "if I were losing, it would lose Attack Points equal to the difference. But that really doesn't matter.
"Ancient Sacred Wyvern..."
The giant Fairy opened its jaws, and an orb of pure energy formed in them.
"Obliterate Gilford the Lightning! Mega blast!"
The giant Synchro blasted a bolt of pure energy...
And then there was an explosion that knocked both Shichiro and Copernus backwards.
Copernus got up. Gilford was still there, but Chthonian Soldier was gone.
(S: 6,000) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 8,500)
"What happened?" asked Copernus.
"Okay, I'll tell you..." said Shichiro, getting up.
"When you declared that attack, I activated one of my facedown cards, Attack Guidance Armor, which drew the attack away from Gilford and towards Chthonian Soldier.
"Then I chained another facedown card, Emergency Provisions, sending Attack Guidance Armor, Banner of Courage, and Destruction Jammer to the Graveyard. Thus, my Life Points were 9,000 when the attack hit. So your Monster's Attack Score was 4,600 at the point of impact.
"I took 3,000 points of damage, but due to Chthonian Soldier's effect, so did you. So... You can see the scores. And as for Wyvern..."
(4,700 ATK)
Copernus looked at him.
Then he burst out laughing.
"You are cleverer than most mortals..." he said. "It's your move... I'm curious to see what else you can do..."
Shichiro drew a card.
"I throw down two facedown cards," he said, as two cards appeared in two flashes of light. "Then I move both my Monsters to Defense Mode."
Command Knight knelt and covered herself with her shield. (1,900 DEF) Gilford knelt and held his sword down. (1,400 DEF)
"That's all for my move..."
Copernus made a draw.
"Obliterate Gilford the Lightning!" he shouted. "Mega blast!"
Once again, Ancient Sacred Wyvern fired its bolt of pure energy. Shichiro braced himself as Gilford exploded in a blast of pure light.
"He was lucky Gilford was in Defense Mode..." said Jinx.
"I end my turn..." said Copernus.
"Then it's my move!" shouted Shichiro.
He quickly drew a card from his deck.
I'll save this guy for later... he thought, looking at it.
"I summon Hyper Synchron!" he shouted.
In another aura of Light, a bulky, humanoid robot materialized. It was short and squat, with blue armor with a yellow chest, with an engine on its back. (1,600 ATK)
Command Knight stood up.
"Now, let's bring them together..." said Shichiro.
A hatch on Hyper Synchron's chest opened, revealing a glowing core of energy. It and Command Knight flew into the sky, and slowly dissolved into eight glowing stars...
With a roar, Colossal Fighter landed with a crash. (2,800 ATK)
"Colossal Fighter gains 100 more Attack Points for each Warrior in both Graveyards," said Shichiro.
Eight phantasmal Monsters appeared behind Shichiro and Colossal Fighter: Field Commander Rahz, Little-Winguard, Chthonian Soldier, Gilford the Lightning, Command Knight, Junk Synchron, and Level Warrior. (3,500 ATK)
"What's Shichiro thinking?" asked Ember. "Colossal Fighter can't beat that thing even with its bonus."
"I'll show you," said Shichiro, as one of his facedown cards lifted up. "The Trap Card, Invincible Hero! For this round only, Colossal Fighter can't be destroyed by battle.
"And now it attacks Ancient Sacred Wyvern!"
"Huh?" said Copernus.
Colossal Fighter leapt at the giant Fairy, and threw a punch, only to be thrown backwards by the power of the stronger Monster. Shichiro grunted a little.
(S: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 8,500)
"What was the point of that?" asked Copernus. "You only made my Monster stronger."
(5,800 ATK)
"I did it so I can activate this," said Shichiro, as his other facedown card lifted. "It's a Trap called Synchro Halo. Since my Synchro Monster didn't destroy your Monster the first time, it gets a second try... With its Attack Points doubled."
(7,000 ATK)
"Attack his Wyvern!" shouted Shichiro. "Mega knuckle!"
Colossal Fighter leapt at its foe again, and struck it twice as hard as before. Ancient Sacred Wyvern roared, and then shattered into pixels.
"Ergh..." grunted Copernus.
"I activate its other effect. When it's destroyed by battle, I can pay 1,000 Life Points to bring it back to the field."
Ancient Sacred Wyvern appeared again, and roared in rage. (3,600 ATK)
"It's your move..." said Shichiro.
(S: 4,800) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 6,300)
Copernus made a draw.
Then he set the card on his Disk, and a reversed Monster appeared.
"Wyvern, incinerate Colossal Fighter!" he ordered.
Ancient Sacred Wyvern fired its mega blast at the huge Synchro. Colossal Fighter grunted, and shattered into pixels.
"Not bad," said Shichiro, "but Colossal Fighter has another effect. When it loses a fight, I get to Special Summon a Warrior from my Graveyard.
"And since Colossal Fighter itself is a Warrior..."
Colossal Fighter appeared once again. (3,500 ATK)
"But since you lost 100 Life Points," replied Copernus, "my Monster becomes that much stronger."
(3,700 ATK)
"Take your turn..."
(S: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 6,300)
"I draw!" shouted Shichiro.
He quickly drew a card.
"First, I summon Marauding Captain," he said.
He played the card, and the Captain appeared, standing tall with his two swords. (1,200 ATK)
"Then, I use his effect to Special Summon Nitro Synchron."
He played the card, and a new Tuner appeared. It looked like a cute robot shaped like a propane tank with arms, legs, and a face. (300 ATK)
"Next, I sacrifice Marauding Captain..."
The Captain vanished into grains of light.
"...to Special Summon Turret Warrior."
The Monster that appeared looked much more like a Machine than a true Warrior. It stood about eight feet tall, resembled a bulky humanoid with thick arms and legs made of cinderblock, and true to its name, had gun turrets on its shoulders. (1,200 ATK)
"Turret Warrior gains Attack Points equal to that of the Monster I sacrificed to Special Summon it..."
(2,400 ATK)
"...but the point it moot, because I'm Tuning it with my Nitro Synchron."
The needle on Nitro Synchron's gauge moved into the red. It flew into the air with Turret Warrior close behind, and both of them faded into seven glowing stars. Shichiro threw up his arms and started to chant:
"An engine fueled by high-octane and a spirit of blazing energy, waiting to be unleashed! Clustering stars form a fiery dynamo of power!
"Synchro Summon... Nitro Warrior!"
Leaving a trail of flames in its wake, a new Synchro Warrior flew down to the field. It looked more like a Fiend, with green skin and horns, and a rocket engine on its back. (2,800 ATK)
"With two more Warriors in my Graveyard, Colossal Fighter becomes even stronger," said Shichiro.
(3,700 ATK)
"It's Attack Score is equal to Ancient Sacred Wyvern!" shouted Ember.
"And thanks to Nitro Synchron," continued Shichiro, "I get to draw one card..."
He made a draw.
He smirked.
"I'll Equip this to Nitro Warrior!" he exclaimed. "Big Bang Shot!"
(3,200 ATK)
"All right! Colossal Fighter, attack Ancient Sacred Wyvern again!"
Colossal Fighter rushed at the Fairy; Ancient Sacred Wyvern roared, and flew to meet it...
The two Synchros collided, and their owners cringed as they were both blown to bits.
"It was a draw!" squawked Gabriel.
"But don't forget," said Shichiro, "Colossal Fighter can come right back..."
Colossal Fighter reappeared again. (3,700 ATK)
"So can my Monster," said Copernus, narrowing his eyes, "so long as I have enough Life Points..."
Ancient Sacred Wyvern appeared again, curled up in Defense Mode. (2,000 DEF)
(S: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 5,300)
"Well then..." said Shichiro. "Colossal Fighter will just have to attack it again... And since it left the field and was summoned back to it, that's exactly what it's gonna do!"
Colossal Fighter leapt at Ancient Sacred Wyvern and clobbered it again, blowing it to pieces.
"I use its effect again!" shouted Copernus. "I pay 1,000 Life Points to bring it back in Defense Mode!"
Ancient Sacred Wyvern rose again. (2,000 DEF)
(S: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 4,300)
"I was hoping you'd do that..." said Shichiro. "Cause now, Nitro Warrior can strut his stuff.
"Now, Nitro Warrior attacks your facedown Monster. And since I played Big Bang Shot, it gains 1,000 Attack Points for this one attack. And because of Big Bang Shot, it deals damage even when attacking a defending Monster."
Nitro Warrior rushed at the facedown card, and its Attack Score increased to 4,200. Spirit of the Breeze appeared on the card, and screamed as she was punched by the much larger Monster.
"ERGH!" grunted Copernus.
(S: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 1,900)
"Now I activate Nitro Warrior's effect," continued Shichiro. "I can switch Ancient Sacred Wyvern to Attack Mode, and attack a second time."
Ancient Sacred Wyvern moved into an attacking position.
"Shichiro is in the lead by more than 2,100 points!" exclaimed Ember. "That means Wyvern..."
(0 ATK)
"Attack!" shouted Shichiro. "Dynamite knuckle!"
Nitro Warrior flew at Ancient Sacred Wyvern, and punched it hard, blowing it to pieces and knocking Copernus over.
(S: 4,700) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 0)
Lord Copernus slowly got up.
His Disk glowed, and then turned once again into the flock of small pixies. The little fey flew into the trees, still giggling.
"Getting back to what we were talking about," he said, as if nothing had happened, "I think I've illustrated my point. Creatures such as Fire Princess and Ancient Sacred Wyvern can turn positive energy into a destructive force, and turn what normally heals into something dangerous.
"And the opposite can be true as well, when dealing with negative energy."
"Negative energy?" asked Shichiro, as he still tried to catch his breath.
"Do you recall the necromancer Edmund Mason?" asked Copernus.
"How could we ever forget?" asked Gears.
"He was a worm that walks," continued Copernus. "The ritual that made him one was a spell of necromancy, a spell of negative energy. Negative energy was what sustained his unnatural life. Yet, he was very much alive, not undead.
"Many would say that a living creature sustained by negative energy is a contradiction of terms. It doesn't make sense, but somehow it happened.
"The spirits of Dark Synchro Monsters are another example. They, like all Duel Spirits, except Zombies and Machines, are living creatures, not dead or undead.
"But the driving force that gives them life is negative energy. That is why their Levels are negative numbers. They are not dead, but are like an unnatural and perverted type of life.
"You saw how they are summoned... By subtracting the Levels of Monsters instead of adding. Instead of two Monsters combining their powers like a real Synchro, they drain the power from each other, creating a vile parasite that can do little but destroy.
"And the Earthbound Gods are worse... They are parasites of the worst sort, gluttons who would threaten to feed on the whole world if left unchecked..."
"So how do we fight them?" asked Shichiro.
Copernus paused for a minute. He looked at the sky.
"By using the opposing force, of course," he replied. "You must try your hardest to combat this dark parody of life with the real thing.
"There are some beings that I know of who are just as skilled at channeling positive energy as the Earthbound Gods were at channeling the negative. An experiment even more powerful as Zero Reverse, but with positive, benign energy, gave them the power to do so..."
Everyone stared at him.
"I thought that would get your attention...These individuals can help you."
"Who are they?" asked Jinx.
"How do we find them?" asked Ember.
"You won't," replied Copernus. "If they desire to help you, they will find you."
"Please..." said Shichiro. "There must be something more you can tell us..."
"I'm afraid there is nothing more..." said Copernus. "Do not try to find this shrine again. I've already risked too much by speaking to you so long.
"But thank you for the duel, at least... It brought back memories of happier times..."
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
The four humans opened their eyes, to find that they were outside the forest in the mortal world, back where they had parked their D-Wheels. The sun was almost ready to set.
Ember sighed.
"So now what?" she asked. "Where do we start?"
Then they all heard a low growl.
"What was that?" asked Jinx.
"My stomach," replied Gears.
They all realized that they all were rather hungry.
"Maybe we can discuss what we should do over cheeseburgers at Pandora's Box," said Shichiro. "I don't think we can accomplish much standing here."
It sounded like the best plan for now, so they drove towards the city limits, thinking they were done for the day...
They didn't know that the weather was about to turn ugly...
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
ATTACK GUIDANCE ARMOR (Trap Card)
Normal Trap
Image: A man wearing a breastplate with a demonic face on the front.
Card Description: Activate only when your opponent declares an attack. Redirect the attack to a Monster other than the attack target or attacking Monster.
Note: "Attack Guidance Armor" was used by Kaiba several times in the original anime, originally in "Back to Battle City (Part 2)" Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
INVINCIBLE HERO (Trap Card)
Normal Trap
Image: A laughing, muscular superhero on a city street at night (the city is possibly "Skyscraper"), surrounded by unconscious, masked thugs, with shadowy thugs lurking behind him.
Card Description: Select one Warrior-Type Monster you control. The selected Monster cannot be destroyed by battle until the End Phase of this turn.
Note: "Invincible Hero" was first used by Judai in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "A Lying Legend". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode. (The effect as written is not 100% confirmed, but is an interpretation based on its use.)
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
SYNCHRO HALO (Trap Card)
Normal Trap
Image: Gaia Force, Knight of the Earth, charging and smashing through chains.
Card Description: Activate only during your Battle Phase when a Synchro Monster you control attacks a Monster and does not destroy it. The Synchro Monster you control has its ATK doubled until the end of the Battle Phase, and may attack a second time this Battle Phase.
Note: "Synchro Halo" was first used by Yusei the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Clash of the Dragons (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Next:
Jinx: The ophidia seem to be a bigger threat than we previously believed. I thought this snake was just a well-dressed buffoon with a strategy that wasn't too unusual. But now he's summoned a true nightmare... Not a Dark Synchro, but an infamous demon that everyone thought had been vanquished long ago.
What is going on? "Stygian Dirge" is coming soon.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Shadowchaser Files
The Dream Travelers
They say that dreams can be the entrance to another world, or perhaps the ability for someone to see another world. But in the world of Shadowkind, there exist a group of mysterious and outright weird spiritual Shadows who use those entrances to their advantage. Simply known as the Dream Travelers (as the race's name is unknown to non-members), these bodiless Shadowkind possess the ability to enter into one person's dreams (or nightmares).
By entering one person's dream, a Dream Traveler gains the ability to unlock the psyche of whoever's dream they enter and ultimately gain control the person's body. While in possession of a person's body, the original psyche and personality is repressed inside while the Dream Traveler takes control. Not only does the Dream Traveler's personality take over, but due to the nature of the Dream Traveler, their possessed body will take some physical changes. (Slight hair color change, improved physique, and a different taste in style have been recorded.)
Despite what rumors say about the Dream Travelers, they prefer to keep their possessed bodies in fine condition. The reason for this is simple – if the host dies, so does the Dream Traveler. And the Dream Travelers do not possess out of a sense of malice; they do so out of necessity. If one of them is without a host for twenty-four hours, it fades away, ceasing to exist. The amount of time a Dream Traveler can remain in control of a person is dependant on three simple factors:
1: The willpower of the possessed person. Unless it's incredibly strong, it's usually a surefire guess to say that the Dream Traveler will be in possession of the person for at least two to three days.
2: The personality of the individual Dream Traveler, if the personality is calming they might be willing to listen to reason and release a host willingly. But if the personality is more extravagant, they might not be as open-minded about the subject.
3: The conditions of the body. If the person's body is sick or injured, a Dream Traveler won't often take possession in the first place, and will usually abandon one that is danger of dying. (There is one exception that will be explained next where that rule doesn't apply.)
Now, no one really knows if Dream Travelers ever had physical forms, and apparently they themselves don't really remember. They may have had them before coming to Earth, or maybe they lost them during the process of transferring to earth. It's also a mystery as to what the true goals are of this elusive race of Shadowkind.
But there is one thing for certain; they do have morals and can make decisions on their own. One name does stick out among the Shadowchasers when talking about Dream Travelers – Roxis.
Nine years ago, a Dream Traveler who went by the name of Roxis was able to enter the body of a patient who was had been in a coma for seven years prior to the incident. At first it was just to make sure that he wouldn't fade away as so many of his comrades had, but when he realized that the body he had possessed was unable to regain consciousness, Roxis believed he had found himself a permanent body…
Unfortunately, what he did with that body had caught the attention of the Shadowchasers. Using the body, Roxis was able to break into several labs owned by other Shadowkind to steal several rare and valuable chemicals. What he was going to do with them was a mystery. Of course, the Shadowchasers went into action when the thefts began…
However, having seen many Shadowchasers in action through possessed eyes before, Roxis had enough experience defeating and escaping them. He thought that as long as he had this body, he wouldn't get caught…
But caught he was… Ironically, it was by a Shadowchaser who was also possessed by a Dream Traveler, this one who called himself Tarous. No-one knows just what happened between Roxis and Tarous. The encounter ended with the possessed Shadowchaser recovering from Tarous's influence, with the comatose man whom Roxis had possessed nearby, Roxis having clearly left. The Shadowchaser was able to retrieve the stolen property, and thanks to Roxis, the comatose patient was actually able to awaken from the coma and recover. But whatever Roxis had planned to do with the chemicals, and why Tarous had tried to stop him, remain mysteries to this day.
It is unknown if Roxis is still around or if he has faded away, but Tarous (or at least a Dream Traveler claiming to be him) showed up in Las Vegas very recently. His tactics this time differed greatly from last time, and from those of Dream Travelers in general. For one, his host was not human, but another Shadowkind, a lycanthrope. For another, he attempted to take permanent possession of his host, despite the fact that his host was in perfect health. However, he was defeated by another Shadowchaser and not been seen since.
This has done nothing to solve the mystery surrounding these beings, however. Shadowchasers have devoted time and energy in being able to detect Dream Travelers' presence in humans. Much remains to be learned, apparently, and much of this mystery remains to be unraveled.
Story Ideas: The Dream Travelers are quite an interesting bunch of Shadowkind and their numbers seem to increase and decrease in the world at random times. And still, a lot about this Shadowkind is unknown.
The Dream Travelers could be allies to the Shadowchasers, acting as a mediator or even as a partner for a Shadowchaser who's willing to let a Dream Traveler possess him/her from time to time.
Or, the Dream Travelers could be on the wrong side of the law, trying to recreate whatever Roxis was trying to cook up. It might have been a potion known only to Dream Travelers that would make the possession permanent, or even regain their original bodies that were somehow lost. Or they could just be used as extravagant henchmen who can turn allies into enemies.
Deck Ideas: Dream Travelers cannot conjure cards out of thin air, so they will use whatever cards they can get their possessed hands on, most likely the deck belonging to whoever they are possessing at the time. However, they often try to put a spin on the deck to make it unusual: For example, if the person they possess uses Warriors, the Dream Traveler would modify it to have the most unlikely kinds of Warriors… Such as Wind-Attribute Warriors.
For some reason, Dream Travelers like to stay away from Archetype decks like Archfiends, Blackwings, and the like.
The Dream Travelers were a creation of fanfic author Lux-Nero. Tauros appeared in his fanfic, "Shadowchasers: Risen Nemesis".