Disclaimer/Author's Note:
Chapter sixteen…wow, I'm on a roll here! I got your bonus done, plus the holiday special, and started this chapter all in one day! I might even have up to 18 finished by the end of the break! By the way, the next review mark is at 100. And I hope I get nominated for the Grand Masters of Writing competition…The duel here is short, but I'm focusing more on the plotline right now. Trust me, you'll thank me later.
Yu Gi Oh- Tournament of the Eclipse
Chapter 15-A Second Power
After Adriel accepted the truth of the magic of the Millennium Items, he kept his end of the Blue Eyes exchange, telling Aarion everything from the moments after he was kidnapped up to where they were, highlighting things such as transitioning into different schools, moving once, and meeting Aldrai when they were ten. Aarion seemed especially interested in how Adriel came to be a duelist. "I guess it was after you left, I found a card in my room and it reminded me of you. I don't use it in my deck because it's not in the best condition, but I always keep it with me." He pulled out a plastic case attached to a black lanyard tied around his neck. "See? Don't you think there's a similarity?" The card he pulled was one of the first ever promotional cards-Dragon Summoner. "Yeah, I guess there is a resemblance," agreed Aarion.
"Hey, do you think the Millennium Items can restore this card?" asked Adriel. "I don't know…although it's a simple enough task, they weren't created for such a purpose. But we can try, I guess." The two gathered around the card and began focusing. Faint golden light surrounded them. "What d'you think we should do?" asked Mystic. "I don't know. I remember Adriel always used to talk about Aarion until we got to really know each other. This is important to him, I guess, but I just can't shake the feeling that something bad is going to happen." Mystic nodded. "I can try to read his aura…if that makes any sense to you." Aldrai shook his head. "Not a clue…but do it." The older boy frowned. "Well…do you know what empathy is?" Aldrai nodded slightly. "Yeah…in case you have a misunderstanding it's being able to read other people's emotions. An empath is someone who excels in empathy. And I'm one."
Mystic focused, trying to feel if there was anything Aarion was trying to hide. "There's something dark about him, I can feel it. He's well protected, I guess there really is Millennium Magic. There's no human way to block out empathy, it's impossible to completely block out emotions. There's too much involved, be it spiritual or physical, like pheromones, for example."
Aldrai snorted. "Heh…well all we can do is stay on guard. I know Adriel, and if we don't accept Aarion the right way, he'll leave us." Mystic nodded in understanding. Meanwhile, the golden light faded. "It didn't work…" said Adriel in a depressed tone. "Don't worry, we can get another. All we have to do is issue a new challenge. Speaking of which, how are you all doing?" Mystic took up the conversation. "We're all sixth phase duelists." Aarion smiled again. "Hey, good job! I'm glad that friends of Adriel could stay with him this far." Aldrai tried his hardest not to glare. "Yeah…well, me and Adriel are a team, and Mystic is on the national level." Aarion didn't flinch. "I'm glad to hear that. Maybe we can have a duel just for fun some time. I want to see your decks, and mine isn't anything to laugh at."
The group of four began walking around the island, weeding out the few duelists left. "I myself have thirteen phases-Kaiba stuck us in as eliminators. That way, duelists would have to prove that they could beat an eliminator to make it to the finals, or there wouldn't be enough phases to go around. And if no one can beat me, then I get to enter the finals myself." The other three nodded, Adriel more lively than the other two. "Let's see…I think there's a duelist up ahead. No, wait, there are two. If you don't mind, can me and Adriel take 'em in a double duel?" Aldrai and Mystic nodded hesitantly. "Thanks!" The two rushed over to a pair of tall, lithe girls, each with immaculate, flowing hair. One had glittery blonde hair, and the other lustrous black hair. The blonde's eyes were aqua blue, and the black-haired girl had amethyst colored eyes.
They were both wearing cocktail dresses to match their eyes. The blonde's dress was a royal blue color and the blackhaired girl's was royal purple. Both were trimmed with gold lace. They were also wearing white gloves and boots. "Well hello, it seems we have two handsome young men here. Do you think they're here to court us?" asked the blonde. "Perhaps, but they have DuelDisks, so perhaps not." They turned to face Aarion and Aldrai. "Are you here to court or to challenge?" The two teens were taken aback. "Ehm…challenge, if you would." The girls giggled. "Fine, a double duel it is. And on this stage, we have to each-"
"Offer our rarest three cards, we know. I'm an eliminator on this stage. So maybe we should hurry up." Snapped Aarion. Adriel looked to his friend questionably, and Mystic and Aldrai watched hopefully. "Sorry…I've been having a tiring day. No offense. But how about we introduce ourselves before we duel-I'm Aarion, and this is my best friend Adriel." The girls smiled. "A gentleman-a bit unothodox, but a gentleman nonetheless. My name is Ivy," said the black-haired girl, "And I am Flora." Added the blonde. "In this duel, monsters will act only on their side of the field, so no interfering."
"Then it's time to duel. We each must bet our rarest cards, meaning I bet my Harpie's Pet Dragon, Cyber Harpie, and Harpie's Wingbeat." Said Flora. "And I must bet my Amazon Shieldmaiden, Amazon Oath, and Amazon Chief." Added Ivy. "Yeah…I'm betting my two Blue Eyes White Dragon cards and my Winged Dragon of Ra, I guess."
"Which leaves me to bet any three of my dragonoid cards, since they're all Ultra Rares." Aarion thumbed through his cards. "I suppose my Dragonoid Twindaggers, Dragonoid Swordwielder, and Dragonoid Sorcerer should do the trick." The girls smiled and activated their DuelDisks. The boys got into their battle stances and did the same. Each drew five cards. "Ladies first, and I want to give my partner the honor of taking the first turn." Ivy smiled. "Thank you, Flora." She drew another card. "I summon Amazoness Swords Woman in defense mode!" (1500/1600) "Then, I set two cards face down and end my turn. Control passed to Aarion. He drew a card and added it to his hand of Polymerization, Fusion Gate, Maha Vailo, Petit Dragon, Red Eyes Black Dragon, and now De-Fusion. "I summon Maha Vailo in attack mode and end my turn." Flora drew. "I summon Harpie's Brother in attack mode, then set one card face down and that's it for my turn. Adriel drew Tyrant Dragon into his hand of Buster Blader, Blue Eyes White Dragon, Gemini Elf, Mystical Elf, and Rope of Life. "I set a monster in defense mode and lay one card face down on the field." (Mystical Elf | Rope of Life) Ivy drew another card. "Time to summon Amazoness Paladin in attack mode!" (1700/300) "Then, I activate Amazoness Spellcaster from the field to switch the attack power of Aarion's Maha Vailo with my Amazoness Swords Woman!" A white substance was expelled from each of the monsters and the two blobs exchanged hosts.
"Now I attack your Maha Vailo with my Amazoness Swords Woman, then attack Adriel's face down card with my Amazoness Paladin!" The amazons launched themselves at their master's opponents. Aarion lost 50 life points from the destruction of his Maha Vailo, but Ivy lost 200 from the unsuccessful assault on Adriel's Mystical Elf. "Lucky for me I had my other amazon on the field. It raised the attack of my Paladin to 1800." Control switched to Aarion. As he drew, he called out, "Time to summon Luster Dragon #2 in attack mode!" (1900/1600) "Now go, my dragon! Attack the Amazoness Swords Woman!" The amazon attempted to block the attack, but failed. "I end my turn by setting a card face down on the field." (Fusion Gate) Aarion nodded ever so slightly to Adriel.
"Your move, Flora." Flora drew. "I summon Harpie Lady in attack mode!" (1300/1400) "Then, I activate Elegant Egotist to summon Harpie Lady Sisters in attack mode as well!" (1950/2100) "Finally, I attack Aarion's dragon with my sisters!" Aarion received another bit of damage before his monster shattered. "Then I attack him again!" Adriel flipped his card. "Reveal Rope of Life!" A rope shot into the abyss that Aarion's dragon had fallen into. "By discarding his hand, Aarion can re-summon the monster that was just sent to the graveyard, plus it gains 800 attack points." As Aarion sacrificed his hand, the shards of Luster Dragon #2 reassembled themselves into a more dangerous-looking figure. (2700/1600) "Oh no!" shouted Flora. But it was too late-with the Luster Dragon #2 blocking the attack, she lost 1400 life points. The standings were: Aarion: 3900, Adriel: 4000, Flora: 2600, Ivy: 3800. Flora passed control onto Adriel.
"Now I summon Gemini Elf, then I attack Amazoness Paladin with it!" (1900/900) The paladin was destroyed, taking a 200 life point chunk out of Ivy's life. "I set this card and end my turn." (Call of the Haunted) Ivy drew. "Time to set another card, then summon Amazoness Fighter in defense mode." (1300/1300) She passed. "I just drew the card that could win this for us, Adriel! Come forth, Celtic Guardian!" (1400/1200) "But Aarion, that's a weak card…" Aarion smiled. "Things aren't always what they seem. So I activate my face down card, Polymerization! Fuse my Celtic Guardian with my Luster Dragon #2!" The monsters melded, and Aarion summoned; "Dragonoid Swordwielder, in attack mode!" (3700/1900) The monster he had summoned looked like the Celtic Guardian, except more sisnister-the green on its armor changed to dark purple, and the brown to black. Its hair turned a faded silver, and its eyes went red. It grew two large, scaly black wings. "Now attack Harpie Lady!" As the monster rushed Flora, she flipped a card; Magic Cylinder. The swordwielder was absorbed, then shot out at Aarion, who lost 3700 life points, landing him at a measly 200. Adriel took the opportunity to activate his trap.
"I call Red Eyes Black Dragon back from Aarion's graveyard using Call of the Haunted!" The Red Eyes appeared, covered in dirt and grime. One powerful shake of its body dissipated this filth. (2400/2000) Control went to Flora. "I summon Sangan in attack mode!" (1000/600) "Then, I activate Tribute Doll!" Sangan was attached to a slab of rock. It was then impaled by two swords, splitting it in half. "This card lets me summon a level seven monster from my hand with only one tribute. Of course, the monster I summon can't attack the turn it's summoned. So come forth, Harpie's Pet Dragon!" The monster burst out from behind the stone. "And oh, by the way, Sangan went to the graveyard, so say hello to another Harpie Lady." The dragon's stats rose to 2300/2800.
Adriel drew a card-The Winged Dragon of Ra! His face spread into a malevolent grin. "I sacrifice my three monsters on the field to summon the ultimate monster!" His Red Eyes, Gemini Elf, and Mystical Elf all began to rotate in a small circle around a thin funnel of wind, which began to get much larger. Eventually, it enveloped all three of them. "Great beast of the sky, please hear my cry, transform thyself from orb of light and bring me victory in this fight. Envelope the desert with your glow and cast your rage upon my foe. Unlock your powers deep within so that together we may win. Appear in this Shadow Game as I call your name...Winged Dragon of Ra!" The great beast descended onto the field, hailed by a sudden thunderstorm. (5100/4900) The Millennium Items bore by Adriel began to glow. "Now I activate Ra's first ability, Instant Attack! Then I activate its second ability, Point To Point Transfer!" Ra's attack and defense rose even more to 9099 and 8899. "Now I attack Harpie Lady, eliminating Flora from the duel!"
Flora suffered a devastating loss of 7799 life points, more than enough to take out her 2600. Ra roared as she was eliminated, and control switched to Ivy. "Yes! I activate Fissure on you, Adriel! Say goodbye to Ra!" Adriel watched in horror as his monster somehow fell into a deep chasm, now useless. And he only had one life point left…he was about to surrender as Ivy switched her monster into attack position and attacked him. However, Amazoness Fighter never made a hit, as Aarion defended with his monster. "But how? We said that there was to be no interfering!" Aarion smiled. "The effect of my monster allows me to substitute my monster for the attack target of one of your attacks if I discard my hand. That much can't be changed." He said as the amazoness was discarded. "And now it's my turn…I attack you with my monster and eliminate you!" The duel ended.
Flora and Ivy walked over to Aarion and Adriel and handed over their cards, along with two phases. They turned and left, but not before kissing them on the cheeks. "It's not every day that we can be beaten. You two have amazing decks, and you will go far. Good luck in the finals." Adriel just realized-he had qualified for the finals! Aarion, of course, had already done so, but he was an eliminator. A hired professional. Mystic and Aldrai walked up. "Nice duel." Commented Mystic. "Yeah, it was great." Chained Aldrai.
Later that night, Mystic was talking with Aarion about Millennium Magic. "Do you think I can use one of those items?" Aarion stared at him for a moment. "Who did you say you were again? You see, I am a messenger, these items actually belong to two other people. I recognized Adriel because we've known each other for a long time. "I said I'm Mystic Galloway." Aarion continued to stare, and Mystic felt that someone was intruding upon his spirit. "Yes, you are one of the chosen ones. Which means that Aldrai is probably one as well. Come with me." He brought Mystic to a secluded area. "Here we will test your powers and see what you are destined for." He put each of the items on the ground. They started glowing in sequence, and then started to spin around Mystic. "Close your eyes and believe in the magic. Grab the orbs of light that you see through your Third Eye." Mystic did as he was told, and saw two orbs of light. He grabbed them and opened his eyes. "You have been chosen to wield the Millennium Key and the Millennium Scales." The Key began to glow, and they were both transported to Mystic's soul room. Aarion appeared with the same robes he and Adriel wore in their soul rooms. "Now that you are a chosen one, you must bear the robes of the position."
Mystic thanked Aarion and took the things he was given. They exited his soul room and returned to camp. All that night, Mystic couldn't help but admire his new…toys.
*~End~*
Author's Note
Yay, chapter 16 done in the same day! That's a lot of writing, now excuse me, I must be going off to bed…