Stronger Than Death
"I'll take my chances in the Shadow Realm", Andy replied. The Millenium Ring's needle pointed outward and the evil cloud of darkness wrapped around them. Cairo's lips rolled back to reveal his teeth, which were clenched into a fearsome smile. The tattoo on his forehead lit up the dark air. "An interesting trick you have there. You'll need it to find your way around once I trap you here for eternity".
"We'll see", Cairo replied. He drew a hand of six cards. 'Nothing can save you from my powerful creatures', rang throughout Andy's head.
"How did you do that?" Andy asked.
"If you win, I'll tell you. But don't get your hopes up, I'm unbeatable. Let me demonstrate my power. I activate my field spell card Altar of Sacrifice". An altar took form behind Cairo with a long red rug stretching from the table down to the ground and under Andy's feet. Two pillars of fire exploded behind Cairo. "This field card is an essential part of my deck. As long as it remains face up on the field, I don not need to play magic cards to ritual summon monsters. Instead, I only have to pay 100 life points for each star the monster has".
"A risky move. You don't want to just go about inflicting damage to yourself", Andy said with an intense stare on his face.
"I wouldn't worry about my life points so much if I were you. I'll start off easy for you. I set one card face down and sacrifice 400 life points for my Elemental Mistress Doriado (A1200, D1400) in attack mode". The woman in royal clothes and a tall, elliptical hat appeared on the field. Her eyes were closed and she had her hands folded in front of her. "This lovely lady can be treated as though she had that attributes of Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth".
'He must be planning something to do with the monsters ability. Why else would he play such a weak creature. I have enough power to take it out, but what are the chances of drawing both of my strongest monsters on my first turn', Andy thought to himself.
'I wouldn't call it luck. It's more of a disaster for you', came the mental voice. Andy's eyes tore open. Cairo pulled another card from his hand and laid it down on the magic cards zone. "I'll invoke the magic of the Card Destruction card. This sends both of our hands to the graveyard. Then we both draw cards equal to the amount we had". Cairo through out his hand before drawing two new cards. Andy angrily pulled five cards from the deck. "I end my turn".
Cairo- 7600LP
Andy- 8000LP
"That trick you played with Card Destruction was an annoyance, but nothing I can't over come". Andy drew up a sixth card. "I summon Newdoria (A1200, D800) in attack mode". The cretin rose from the ground of the Shadow Realm. It was a grotesque, orange beast with a ring of spikes on its eyes. A wooden ax with an evil blade took form in his hands. "My Axe of Despair will increase his attack points by 1000 points. Now Newdoria, attack his mistress". Newdoria floated over to Doriado and hacked her in half with the ax. "I'll end my turn by setting one card face down".
Cairo- 6600LP
Andy- 8000LP
Cairo drew his next card. "Activate Reload! This card lets me shuffle my hand into my deck and then draw a new one". Cairo slipped his cards into the rest of the stack. Once he placed the deck back into the slot, he pulled two cards into his hand. "Perfect! I summon Zera the Mant (A2800, D2300)". An alligator-like monster that stood on two feet with a long pink cape roared in the shadows. "Even though it costs me 800 points, it was worth it. Zera, attack his monster". A crimson burst of fire flowed onto the orange demon, incinerating it. "That ends my turn.
Cairo- 5800LP
Andy- 7400LP
Andy drew his next card. "I'll merely set one monster face down in defense mode and end my turn", he said.
Cairo looked down at the little monster and shook his head. He drew his top card. 'I'll humor you and your little Cyber Jar', came into Andy's mind.
"Stay out of my head!" Andy shouted.
"What are you going to do, make me? Zera, attack the face down Cyber Jar". Zera exhaled another breath of fire all over the face down card. In the flames, a white metal jar appeared and sucked Zera in before exploding.
"Now that it's gone, my Cyber Jar has us both pick up five cards and special summon every level four or lower monster from the draw. I summon Goblin King (A0, D0) and Giant Orc (A2200, D0), both in attack mode". Goblin King was a short green little fiend in a king's robes. He sat in a tall, dark throne. On his side was a fat gray troll dressed in only a loincloth. A wooden club rested in its wide hands. Gobling King's attack points rose to 1000.
"Oh, sadly I don't have a single four starred monster. But because I haven't summoned anything this turn, I'll pay 800 life points to summon Crab Turtle (A2550, D2500). I end my turn". The crab in a turtle's shell materialized and hissed at Andy's monsters.
Cairo- 5000LP
Andy- 7400LP
Andy grinned at his next card. "I activate my Tribute to the Doomed magic card. I send my Giant Germ to the graveyard in order to destroy your monster". Mummy wrappings embraced the Crab Turtle and pulled it into the shadows. "Now attack his life points directly". Andy pointed at Cairo and his monsters charged. Goblin King punched Cairo with his little fist and the orc clubbed him in the head. "I end my turn".
Cairo- 1800LP
Andy- 7400LP
Cairo drew his next card. 'There it is. This is what is going to turn this duel in my favor. Not that this kid ever had a chance. But to pull it off, I'm have to get of his face down card, and I think I know how', he thought. The tattoo on his forehead was glowing again as he looked at Andy's face down card.
"To start this turn, I activate my Commencement Dance ritual card. All this needs is four stars to summon my monster".
'Why wold he play the actual magic card when he can simply play it with the Altar of Sacrifice? Wait, he must be getting nervous. He has less than a fourth of his life points left and doesn't want to lose any more. Well that's too bad', Andy thought.
"I reveal my face down trap card, Magic Jammer. For the cost of one card in my hand, I can negate the activation of your magic card". Andy set a card in the graveyard slot and the ritual card shattered.
"You played right into my trap. Now that your Magic Jammer is gone, I can activate my Final Ritual of the Ancients. The monster summoned by this card needs eight stars. So I offer Skull Guardian and Garma Sword from my hand to summon Rashef the Dark Being (A2500, D1500)". A bunch of boulders shaved themselves into shapes and put themselves together. The result was a stone mage with three glowing orbs in front of him. One red, one gold, and the other blue. "Rashef, attack his Giant Orc". The mage blasted the red orb at the defending orc. "I end my turn".
Andy glared at the rock beast. "I set one card face down. Then I activate my Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your field card". The altar was pulled into a storm's whirlwind. The pillars of fire subsided. "I end my turn". Cairo drew his card. "Reveal face down card, Spirit Barrier". Cairo looked up at Andy. "While this card is on the field, I can't take any battle damage. The only catch is I have to have a monster on my field".
Cairo distorted his face into a smirk. "Too bad it wont help you. As a ritual master, I have to keep more than one of these cards in my deck. I play my second Altar of Sacrifice". The pillars of fire erupted behind him again and the altar rose from the darkness. "Now I sacrifice 400 life points to summon the Paladin of White Dragon (A1900, D1200)". This monster was a knight in gold and silver armor riding a small white dragon with a blue tint in its scales. "And here's the fun part. I sacrifice Hamburger Recipe from my hand to take control of one monster on your side of the field. And just so you know, Rashef is a fiend type monster". The Goblin King's attack rose to 1000 again. "Attack his life points directly". All three monsters attack Andy, bringing him to his knees. "I end my turn".
Cairo- 1400LP
Andy- 1700LP
'I'm still winning this. I can beat this guy, I just need to get through that Rashef. That monster is the key', Andy thought tiredly. He drew his card for the turn. "I activate my Change of Heart magic card. Like your Rashef, this card takes one of your monsters for one turn, and I choose Rashef". Cairo watched as his great stone mage turned against him. "Next I send my Spirit Message A to the graveyard to take your Paladin. Now you have no monsters to protect you, no way to defend. Attack his life points directly". Cairo stood tall at the attacking monsters.
"Activate special ability of the Altar of Sacrifice!" The pillars of fire became green and wavered back and forth. Smoke was rising from the altar. "I must sacrifice the altar as well as five ritual magic cards from my deck. Then I can destroy every monster on the field. I sacrifice End of the World, Curse of the Masked Beast, Black Luster Ritual, Contract with the Abyss, and Incandescent Ordeal". The altar exploded and the green flames spread everywhere. When they died away, every monster on the field was gone.
"I end my turn", Andy declared. Cairo drew his card but didn't look at it.
"You should have just handed the ring over. You never stood a chance against me. You may know how to use the Shadow Realm, but I am the soul person to have ever read every hieroglyphic marking on every last pyramid. I know everything about the ancient secrets the Shadow Realm holds. And I understand that you are the soul of the Shadow Realm, Zorc, inhabiting the Millenium Ring. I suggest next time you duel someone you don't know, be safe…", Cairo said to aloud.
'…and don't let them read your mind', was all Andy heard next. Andy's eyes widened in a nervous rage.
Cairo activated his face down card. "Go Monster Reborn. I summon back the only monster I actually played the ritual for, Rashef the Dark Being". Rashef's stone body reassembled on the field. "This is the end. Rashef, attack his life points directly". The blue orb flew into Andy, knocking him off his feet. His body was covered in a blue glow.
"You're just delaying the inevitable. I will discover the secret of that ring", he muttered. The blue glow faded and Andy looked normal. Cairo held his hand out and the red ring floated from Andy's body to him. The ring shattered back into dust and was assimilated into the rings on Cairo's fingers. He looked down at the body of Andy, to the Millenium Ring around his neck.
"I'll let you keep it for now", he said. The shadows flew back into Andy's golden necklace. Cairo turned and walked away from the duel site. Moments later, Andy sat back up.
"Oh, where am I?" he asked as he rubbed his head. He looked around, but the place didn't seem familiar. "Man I'm starving".
"There you are Mr. Jones", said a nerdy voice behind Andy. He looked back to see a man in a suit with very thick glasses. "Come, you're late for your next round in the Shiek Ra Tournament".
Andy stood up slowly. "Oh right, thanks. I must have fallen asleep out here". The two of them turned to walk inside the coliseum.
"Yeah well, I'll beat him someday". Joey said. He picked up his cards and put them back into his deck. "So what kind of duelists have you faced so far?"
Darren thought for a second. "Well, back in New York, I dueled a guy who used Toon monsters. And then there was this other guy with Spirit cards. They were pretty easy. But in Los Angeles, I had to duel two weirdoes. A dinosaur duelist and an insect duelist".
"Wait a second", Joey interrupted, "You don't mean Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood do you?"
Darren looked at Joey suspiciously. "Yeah, how did you know?" he asked hesitantly. Joey laughed for a second.
"Back when I first got into dueling I dueled those guys and mopped the floor with them both. They're some of the sorriest duelists I know", he said very loudly.
"Same here. Those two weren't that much of a challenge. I was surprised they made it as far as they did in the tournament", Darren said laughing.
"OH REALLY! So we're sorry are we!" shouted an annoying buzzing voice. Darren and Joey stopped laughing and looked at the speaker. Weevil was standing in front of them with a more than pissed off look on his face. Next to him was Rex with a matching look.
"Those are some pretty big words from two nobodies", Rex called.
"NOBODIES!" Joey shouted. "If I remember correctly, I've already beaten both of you". Darren held up his fist angrily.
"Yeah, me too". Both Weevil and Rex laughed.
"Foolish little boy. You beat our tournament decks. We only used those to give everyone else in the tournament a chance. We didn't know we would be facing a brat like you", Weevil explained. "But if you think you're so good, you'll be able to take out our real decks".
"Fine. I'll duel you guys. And to show how confident I am, if you win, you can have the card I won back. So who wants to go first?" Darren asked.
"Not so fast kid", Rex said. "We're both dueling you. If you're so good, then you can easily beat the two of us".
"Now just wait a second. Two on one's no fair. Let me duel as Darren's partner", Joey demanded. Rex looked uneasily at Weevil.
"Fine, Wheeler can be your partner", Weevil said with annoyance. The four of them activated their duel disks. "I think I'll begin. I summon my Insect Knight (A1900, D1500) in attack mode. Then I'll lay two cards face down and end my turn". A tall insect with a long sword in its hand appeared on the field and beat its wings fast enough to keep itself afloat.
Joey drew his card. "To start, I activate my Dian Keto the Cure Master. This card gives me a thousand extra life points". Light blue specs of light fell all over Joey and his life point meter rose. "I'll set two of my own cards face down and set a monster face down in defense mode.
Weevil- 8000LP
Rex- 8000LP
Joey- 9000LP
Darren- 8000LP
Rex drew his card and looked over at Weevil. "I set one card face down. Then I play my Meteor of Destruction on Wheeler". A huge orange ball of fire launched itself from the sky into Joey. "Next I summon Hyper Hammerhead (A1500, D1200). I end my turn". A dinosaur with prongs like a hammer sticking out the back of its head and the flat part on its nose materialized.
Weevil- 8000LP
Rex- 8000LP
Joey- 8000LP
Darren- 8000LP
Darren drew his opening hand. "I summon Mythical Beast Cerberus (A1400, D1400) in attack mode". The purple and blue dog monster leapt from the projectors. It's purple mane blew in the wind. "Then I'll play one card face down and end my turn".
Weevil drew his next card. "I activate the magic card Scapegoats. This will make four Sheep Tokens on my side of the field in defense mode. Then my Insect Knight will attack your mangy dog", Weevil announced. The bug flew over to Cerberus and raised its sword.
"Go trap card, Blast With Chain", Joey shouted. Before the knight brought down its sword, Cerebrus blasted the bug with a blaze of golden light. A red bomb tied itself to Cerberus with a chain.
"How is it that your monster wasn't destroyed?" Weevil asked. It was true, when the smoke cleared Cerberus was still on the field.
"Because I activated my Blast With Chain", Joey answered. "When Blast With Chain is activated, it is equipped to a monster and powers it up by 500 points. Then I remembered Cerberus's effect from our duel.
//Flashback//
"Hey wait, why'd you only lose 400 points?" Joey asked.
"Because you activated Hinotama. Whenever you activate a magic card, Cerberus received a counter that gave him 500 additional points", Darren explained.
//End Flashback//
"Your Scapegoat card gave Cerberus an extra 500 points as well".
"Hey thanks Joey", Darren said. Joey smiled and gave Darren the thumbs up. The two of them looked across the field at their opponents.
"I end my turn", Weevil said.
Weevil- 7500LP
Rex- 8000LP
Joey- 8000LP
Darren- 8000LP
Joey pulled off his next card. "I summon Baby Dragon (A1200, D700)". Joey's dragon was small and orange with an innocent smile. "Attack with Tiny Embers", he shouted. The small dragon opened its mouth and a small fireball flew at one of Weevil's sheep. "I end my turn".
Rex drew his next card. "This duel isn't going to last long with our actual decks working together. I summon Gilasaurus (A1400, D400). But its effect lets me use that as a special summon. Now I play Cost Down. I sacrifice a card from my hand to lower the number of stars of one monster. So now I can sacrifice my Hyper Hammerhead to my Black Tyranno (A2600, D1800)". The monstrous black dinosaur reared its head and cried at Joey and Darren. "Gilasaurus, attack his dragon". The monster leapt up and took a bite from the smaller monster.
"Now my dragon", Joey cried. Rex grinned.
"Black Tyranno has a special ability. When you have no monsters in attack mode, he can attack your life points directly". Joey gasped. "Go, attack him". The monster charged straight at Joey.
"Protect him Cerberus", Darren shouted. Cerberus ran in front of Joey and took the bite before bursting into pieces.
"You protected me by sacrificing your own monster?" Joey asked. Darren looked over at his new friend.
"Of course, we're in this together", he said reassuringly. Joey grinned and nodded. Darren drew his top card. "I summon Skilled Dark Magician (A1900, D1700) in attack mode. Then I set another card face down. I end my turn by attacking Gilasaurus". The dark robed mage formed from data particles. It raised its staff and fired a ball of dark blue energy. Rex watch the ball get closer.
"Reveal face down trap card Magic Cylinder. This will send the attack back into your life points". A pink cylinder with rainbow designs all over it caught the attack. The cylinder turned around and the attack flew back into Darren.
Weevil- 8000LP
Rex- 7500LP
Joey- 8000LP
Darren- 5900LP
Weevil snickered and drew his card. "I summon Ultimate Insect Lv.1 (A0, D0) in defense mode. I end my turn".
Joey looked at the small monster before drawing. 'Why would bug boy play such a week monster. That monster can't don anything. Especially when his only other monsters are those Sheep Tokens. But then again, his moths are weak, too. But they grow into super-monsters.'
"I summon Wall of Illusion (A1000, D1850) in attack mode. Next I drop another card face down". A card showed up face down with a dark wall with a face. "Attack his Ultimate Insect". The wall blasted purple energy from its eyes at the bug.
"Not today. Black Tyranno, defend Weevil's bug", Rex ordered. The T-rex bit the wall before it could hit the bug. The wall fell apart and the dinosaur disappeared. "What happened to my dino?"
"It goes back to your hand. Whenever a monster attacks the Wall of Illusion, it goes back to its owner's hand. So when your monster destroyed mine to save Weevil, it triggered the wall's effect". Rex picked his card off the duel disk.
"I end my turn", Joey said.
Weevil- 8000LP
Rex- 8000LP
Joey- 5900LP
Darren- 5900LP
Rex drew his card and his face fell. "I activate my Soul Release magic card. This will remove up to five cards in the graveyard from play. I remove my Hyper Hammerhead, Meteor of Destruction, Cost Down, Magic Cylinder, and Gilasaurus. I end my turn".
Darren drew his card. "I activate my Emblem of the Dragon Destroyer magic card. This lets me move one Buster Bladder from my deck or graveyard from my hand". He flipped through his deck to find his card. Next I summon Neo the Magic Swordsman (A1700, D1000)".
"I don't think so. Reveal face down card, Bottomless Trap Hole", Weevil cried. Neo fell into a hole that closed over top of him. "You used that card to beat both of us in the tournament. So I decided to stop you from using it. Now it's been removed from play".
Darren bit his lower lip. "I attack Rex's life points directly". The Skilled Dark Magician blasted another wave at Rex. Rex put his hands up as the blast washed over him. "I end my turn", he said.
Weevil- 8000LP
Rex- 6100LP
Joey- 5900LP
Darren- 5900LP
Weevil looked in disgust at his teammate. "I set one card face down. Now watch as my Ultimate Insect evolves to Lv.3 (A1400, D900)". Sure enough, the insect pulsated and grew into its next stage. "I end my turn".
Joey watched the insect grow with worry in his eyes. "I summon Little-Winguard (A1400, D1800). Attack Rex's life points directly". The small warrior with a cap on its head flew at Joey and slashed him with its tiny sword. "I end my turn"
Weevil- 8000LP
Rex- 5000LP
Joey- 5900LP
Darren- 5900LP
"Hey, how did you weaken my monster's attack points?" Joey asked.
"You're so simple Wheeler. My Ultimate Insect Lv.3 weakens every one my opponent's monsters by 300 points". Joey clenched his free hand into a fist.
Rex picked up a card. "I summon Black Ptera (A1000, D500). That'll do it for me", he said. His black pterosaurs settled down next to him.
Darren drew his card. 'I wish I could remember what that card did. I should play is safe and avoid that monster for now', he thought.
"I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior (A1600, D1000)". Breaker rose his sword and a red aura surrounded his blade. "Breaker, break one of Weevil's face down cards". The swordsman blasted the aura at Weevil's card. "Now Breaker, attack his Ultimate Insect". Breaker dragged his sword through the bug. "Next, Skilled Dark Magician attack one of Weevil's Scapegoats". A blue wave of energy incinerated a token. "I end my turn".
Weevil drew his card with frustration. "I summon my Cocoon of Evolution (A0, D2000) in defense mode". A pink chrysalis of silk wove itself into existence. "I end my turn".
Joey pulled up his card. 'Darn, nothing's strong enough to take out that Cocoon. But I know what Weevil's planning. He wants to get out his Great Moth. And Rex is no threat right now. The only card in his hand is that Black Tyranno, and it needs to sacrifices But Weevil has three monsters, so he's my threat', he thought.
"I summon Tornado Bird (A1100, D1000). Tornado Bird attack". The red bird flapped its wings hard enough to start a tornado that picked up one of the Sheep Tokens. "Now Little-Winguard, attack his final token". The small warrior stabbed the token, shattering it and the Scapegoat card. "I end my turn with one card face down".
Rex snickered as he drew his card. 'Our plan is working perfectly. It's only a matter of time before we pull out our ultimate monster. Weevil already has the cocoon on the field. I just need to draw my monster', he thought.
"I summon Black Stego (A1200, D2000)". A black Stegosaurus cried out once it took its position next to the Black Ptera. "Black Stego, attack his Tornado Bird with Dino Charge". The Stego charged as fast as it could at Joey and whipped its tail at the bird, crushing it with spikes. "I end my turn".
Weevil- 8000LP
Rex- 5000LP
Joey- 5800LP
Darren- 5900LP
Darren looked at the monsters against him. 'Why can't I remember any of Rex's monsters effects? And I don't even know what Weevil played. That cocoon must just be a wall. But Rex is gonna have that Black Tyranno out next turn unless I can stop his monsters'.
"I sacrifice my Skilled Dark Magician and Breaker the Magical Swordsman for my Dark Magician (A2500, D2100) in attack mode". The two monsters turned into blue balls of fire. The balls of fire took the shape of the Dark Magician and the color faded in.
"Whoa, a Dark Magician! I haven't seen one of them in long time", Joey said. The Dark Magician twirled its staff around a few times like a bow staff.
"Dark Magician, attack Rex's Black Ptera with Dark Magic Attack". The magician slammed its staff on the Ptera, crushing it with dark magic. "I end my turn".
Weevil- 8000LP
Rex- 3500LP
Joey- 5800LP
Darren- 5900LP
Weevil drew his next card and giggled. "I equip my Cocoon of Evolution with the Petit Moth (A300, D200). Now every turn, my moth will grow until it reaches perfection. Next I set one monster face down in defense mode. I end my turn".
Joey pulled his card from the deck slot. "Little-Winguard, attack Weevil's face down monster". The monster flew at Weevil and poked its sword into the face down card.
"Thank you for attacking my face down Magician of Faith (A350, D400). When she's flipped up, I can bring back a magic card from my or Rex's graveyard. And I'll take the one Rex paid for Cost Down. Please, continue".
"I end my turn", Joey said. He didn't take his eyes off the card Weevil got from Rex.
"You're a fool Darren. Just because you took out one of my monsters, doesn't mean I can't still summon my Black Tyranno. My Cost Down knocked off two of its stars permanently. So I offer my Black Stego to my Black Tyranno. Now, attack his magician with Jaws of Destruction". The dinosaur bit the Dark Magician and destroyed it. "I end my turn".
Weevil-8000LP
Rex- 3500LP
Joey- 5800LP
Darren- 5800LP
Darren drew his next card. "I summon Skilled White Magician (A1700, D1900). Next I reveal my face down Pitch Black Power Stone". The magician was a light version of the Skilled Dark Magician. The black stone appeared and the triangle's points were glowing. "I move all three counters from the stone to my Skilled White Magician". The stone shattered once its points faded out. "Now I can tribute my magician for my Buster Blader (A2600, 2300). My warrior matches your Tyranno point for point. But it's stronger than Weevil's Cocoon". Weevil looked shocked. "Buster Blader, attack with Dragon Slayer Blade". The warrior leapt into the air and swung through the air.
"Go Negate Attack", Weevil' buzzing voice cried. A vortex opened in front of Buster Blader. The swordsman fell in and was returned to its place on the field.
"I end my turn", Darren said disappointedly.
Weevil drew his card. "I activate the magic card I got from Rex. Go Heavy Storm". The magic and trap cards on Joey's and Darren's field were swept up in the storm. "Next I set one card face down in defense mode. I end my turn".
Joey drew his card for the turn. "I set one card face down and end my turn".
Rex drew his card. "You guys are getting smart. You know not to keep all of your monsters in defense mode. Black Tyranno, attack the Little-Winguard". The Tyranno swallowed the tiny warrior in one bite. "I end my turn".
Weevil- 8000LP, turn one
Rex- 3500LP
Joey- 4600LP
Darren- 5800LP
Darren drew his next card. 'Joey's in trouble. He needs a monster in attack mode or else he'll get hit directly. I've gotta find a way to take out that Tyranno so I can get rid of Rex. He's definitely the weaker of the two. Weevil hasn't lost a life point yet'.
"I activate my Brain Control magic card. For the cost of 800 life points, I can take one of your guys' monsters for one turn. So I've decided to take Weevil's face down card. Next I'll offer it to summon my Dark Magician Girl (A2000, D1800)".
"You fool, that was my Man-Eater Bug (A450, D600).When it's flipped up, I can destroy one monster on the field. So say goodbye to your Buster Blader". The bug latched itself onto the swordsman and the two monsters shattered.
Darren clenched his teeth tightly. "My Dark Magician Girl receives 300 additional attack points for every Dark Magician in my graveyard and I have one". The cute girl in the Dark Magician's armor had a pink glow around her as she powered up. "Next, I equip her with the Book of Secret Arts, giving her another 300 points. I end my turn".
Weevil had an ugly little grin on his insect-like face. "Now my cocoon has risen my moth into its larval state. Just four more turns to go. But until my great beast hatches, I set one monster face down and end my turn".
Joey drew his card. "I summon my Axe Raider (A1700, D1150) in attack mode. Axe Raider, attack Weevil's face down monster". The warrior heaved its axe into the back of the card.
"That was my Gokipon. When he's destroyed, I can move one insect monster with 1500 attack points or less from my deck to my hand". Weevil began searching his deck.
"I end my turn". He looked miserable. 'What's happening. I'm hardly helping Darren at all. If anything, I'm giving Weevil and Rex what they want. He's just barely able to hold of Rex's Tyranno and he can't attack Weevil's cocoon without Rex blocking the attack. But I can't draw a monster strong enough to take out either monster'.
"I set one card face down", Rex announced. "Then my Tyranno will attack Wheeler's Axe Raider". The dinosaur chomped its way through Joey's monster. "I end my turn".
Weevil- 8000LP, turn two
Rex- 3500LP
Joey- 3700LP
Darren- 5800LP
Darren drew his card. "I set one card face down and end my turn", he said. Joey looked oddly at his teammate.
'I can't send my Dark Magician Girl at Weevil because Rex would block it. And I can't block Rex for Joey because then I would be wide open for an attack from Weevil. Either way, I would only end up ruining it for myself. And Joey isn't doing so well, he would never last on his own. I just have to hope I draw something strong enough to end this'.
Weevil drew his card. "I play my magic card, Level Limit Area B. This sends all monsters with four stars or higher to defense mode". Dark Magician Girl and the Black Tyranno knelt down. "Next I play my second Cocoon of Evolution in defense mode. To end my turn, I play my Mystical Space Typhoon magic card to destroy my Level Limit".
Joey drew his card. 'That was pointless, why would he destroy that card as soon as he played it. All he did was switch the two strongest monsters on the field to defense mode', he thought. His eyes shot wide open and he looked over at Darren. 'He must have already figured it out. Now that his Dark Magician Girl is in defense mode, Rex can either destroy his monster or sneak passed into Darren's life points'.
Joey looked at his card. "No way. I found a way into your life points Dinobreath. I switch my Battle Footballer (A1000, D2100) into attack mode". The monster Joey played face down on his first turn stood up in a ready position. "Next I play my Shield and Sword magic card to swap the attack and defense of mine and an opponent's monster on the field". (Weevil: Cocoons- 0 defense, Joey: Footballer- 2100 attack). "Battle Footballer, attack Rex's Black Tyranno". The footballer tackled the dinosaur into oblivion.
"Damn, my T-rex!" Rex shouted.
"I end my turn", Joey said. His footballer's, along with Weevil's cocoons', points went back to normal.
Rex drew his card. "I summon my Oxygeddon (A1800, D800)" Air molecules started to swirl around and pick up blue color and took the shape of a dinosaur. "I attack your Battle Footballer with Oxygeddon". The monster opened its mouth and a rush of wind blew over football playing machine. "I end my turn".
Weevil- 8000LP, turn three
Rex- 3500LP
Joey- 2900LP
Darren- 5800LP
Darren pulled out his next card with a smug smile on his face. "Thanks for taking his Tyranno out for me Joey. I summon my Silent Magician Lv.4 (A1000, D1000). Dark Magician Girl, attack the Cocoon of Evoltion". The magician with blue hair and red robes materialized and looked at the Dark Magician Girl. The cute girl nodded her head at the little spellcaster. Then she leapt from her kneeling position and aimed her wand at one of the pink cocoons, then firing a burning pink wave of magic. "I end my turn".
Weevil laughed out loud. Not even Rex knew what was going on. "You should declare what you attack more specifically. You attacked the empty cocoon you fool", he shouted. He stood up straight and took a deep breath. "I set one monster face down in defense mode and end my turn", he said. The pink cocoon wiggled and grew bigger.
Joey drew his next card. "I set my Sinister Serpent (A300, D250) in defense mode. I end my turn".
Rex drew his next card. "I activate my Mystik Wok magic card on my Oxygeddon, increasing my life points by 1800. Next I reveal my face down trap card Pyro Clock of Destiny to fast forward Weevil's Cocoon of Evolution two turns. Now it is on turn six". His circular disk formed a hand of fire that rotated like the hands of a clock around the disk twice and then exploded. The pink cocoon pulsated and grew again. "My field is empty. Weevil, I know you have the magic card we need in your hand. And I have my ultimate monster in my hand. On your turn, put our strategy into motion". Weevil nodded his head.
Weevil- 8000LP, turn six
Rex- 5300LP
Joey- 2900LP
Darren- 5800LP
Darren drew his next card. 'I'm not sure what it is that they're planning, but I'll take it down', he told himself. "Since both of you have drawn a card, my Silent Magician gains 1000 attack points. Now Dark Magician Girl, attack his Cocoon of Evolution with Dark Burning Attack". The cocoon was torn to shreds by the female magician's attack. But in its wake was a great green butterfly with tremendous wings. Darren gazed in awe at the magnificent creature. Joey had an angry look on his face.
'I remember this monster. It's gonna be a bitch taking that thing out'.
"Behold my beautiful Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth (A3500, D1000)". Darren took a step back.
"I end my turn" he said.
Weevil drew his card. "It's time to show you two who the world's greatest duelists are. I combine my Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth using Polymerization".
"With my Ultimate Tyranno (A3000, D2200)". The two of them held their fists in the air.
"To form…The Ultimate Tyrant Moth (A4400, D4300)", they said in unison. The moth was almost identical to the original moth, except it was much bigger and was now brown.
Weevil looked with admiration at his monster. "Tyrant Moth, attack Darren's Dark Magician Girl". The moth flapped its large wings slowly. But once it beat them once, a gust of wind and spores flew all over the Dark Magician Girl and she shattered into pieces. Darren looked angrily at the monster.
'What do I have to defeat this. There's nothing in my deck that strong. Thanatos is no use, Walker is impossible. Arcturas, you have to take over', he thought.
'No Darren, this is good for you. You must learn to overcome problems such as this. Besides, they want to duel you. I believe you can take this monster down'. Darren nodded his head.
Weevil- 8000LP
Rex- 5300LP
Joey- 2900LP
Darren-4000LP
Joey drew his card. "I guess this is all I can do. I sacrifice Sinister Serpent for my Meteor Dragon (A1800, D2000) in defense mode. I end my turn".
Rex drew his card. "I don't know why I even bother draw anymore, there's nothing you guys can do about our monster", he said.
"Shut it Rex", Darren said. "Your monster isn't so great. I've seen a monster that would wipe the floor with that thing. And that's exactly what I plan to do. Joey, I have a plan, but I'm going to need your help. Tell me, is the Red-Eyes Black Dragon in your hand?"
"Yeah but".
"Thanks, that's all I needed to know". Joey looked puzzled.
"Enough talking. If you're so confidant, then I'm going to have to break you of that. Tyrant Moth, attack his Silent Magician". The Silent Magician (now at 3000) braced for impact.
"Hold that thought. Spellbinding Circle!" Darren shouted. The magical seal bound the moth to its place in mid attack. "Your monster is trapped. I've put and end to your attacks".
"That's where you're wrong", Weevil interrupted. "The Tyrant Moth is only affected by trap cards for one turn. After that, the trap card goes away and our moth is perfectly unharmed".
"And since I end my turn, your circle is gone", Rex declared. With his words, the circle faded from existence.
Darren drew his card. "Allow me to demonstrate how vulnerable your monster really is. First I need a monster. "So I activate my Dark Magic Curtain. This will let me special summon a Dark Magician from my deck, as long as I pay half of my life points". Darren's life points dropped and the Dark Magician flew from the projectors. "Next I sacrifice him for my Dark Ruler Ha Des (A2450, D1600)". Joey's jaw dropped when he saw Darren sacrifice the Dark Magician for a weaker monster. "Now Joey, this is where I need your help. I activate my own Polymerization card to fuse my Dark Ruler, Joey's Meteor Dragon, and the Red-Eyes in his hand to summon…Hellfire Dragon (A4100, D4500)". The monster resembled the Meteor Black Dragon, only the red parts were now blue and there were two long horns protruding from its forehead.
"So what, your monster is still weaker than ours", Rex mocked.
"Sure it is now, but I guarantee it'll take out your moth. You see, when Hellfire Dragon is summoned, both Joey and I get to bring back one magic card from our graveyards and activate them immediately. I choose my Book of Secret Arts". Darren looked at Joey with a determined look in his eyes.
'What card does he want my to get. I don't really see how Dian Keto the Cure Master would help. So the only other magic card left is…of course', Joey pondered.
"I bring back my Shield and Sword magic card. And I choose to switch the points of my monsters and Rex's", he announced. The magic cards glowed as they activated. The Book of Secret Arts pumped the Silent Magician up to 3300 and the Shield and Sword swapped the attacks of the Tyrant Moth (A4300, D4400) and Hellfire Dragon (A4500, D4100).
"Now then, let's find out which monster is stronger. Hellfire Dragon, attack the Tyrant Moth with Inferno Explosion", Darren ordered. The dragon opened its mouth and a roar of flames engulfed the moth.
"No! it's impossible!" Rex and Weevil both cried. Tears were streaming down their faces.
"This is the end. I play my magic card, De-Fusion to separate my dragon back into its original pieces". Rex and Weevil grabbed onto each other and the tears fell faster. "Meteor Dragon, attack the face down monster on Weevil's side of the field". The dragon opened its mouth and a flaming rock flew into the brown backed card. "Now Silent Magician and Red-Eyes Black Dragon, attack Rex's life points directly". The two mighty creatures blasted at Rex and dropped his life points to zero. "And as per tag-team tournament rules, if one opponent's life points hit zero, both teammates lose". The losers cried out in shame.
"Don't you forget this. We're not finished with you two yet", Weevil shouted. Tears were falling faster than ever. He was holding up his fist.
"Yeah, we'll have our revenge", Rex continued. The two of them took off running down the strip.
"Darren, I know from experience, you're in for a rough life", Joey said. The two of them picked up their cards and put their decks away. "At least I got one win tonight".
"Yeah you were great in that duel. I couldn't have asked for a better partner", Darren said. Joey blushed.
"Nah, you did all the work. You matched every powerful monster Rex summoned and countered Weevil's traps. And your Hellfire Dragon won for us", Joey protested.
"But I wouldn't have been able to beat their moth without your Shield and Sword. And Hellfire Dragon came from two of your monsters and only one of mine. I couldn't have won without you", Darren told him. Joey blushed again.
"So are you stayin' around for much longer?" he asked.
"Can't. I have to be up bright and early for the tournament tomorrow. I was out late last night and it showed earlier. I have to get some sleep".
"Alright. Well I hope we can duel again sometime", Joey said. He held his hand out. Darren took it and shook it before parting ways with his newfound friend.
In the darkness of the Shadow Realm, a figure walked in silence. "Damn that pathetic bastard. He doesn't know who he's dealing with. Well he hasn't seen the last of me. There's no escaping the darkness. And if you roam too deep into the shadows, eventually they won't let go".
Whew, what a mental workout. Well this was a nice way to kill eleven hours. Does anyone know a cure for numb butt? Anyway, Darren's made another new friend. But what's happening with Andy. Did that duel with Cairo take more away than just the ring? Only time will tell.