Antilles
The forests of his estate at the foot of the Silverlord Mountain range were the ideal place for him to go when he did not wish to be bothered by the pressing matters of so on and so forth. Most of all, he was in no mood to be hearing of Prince Daveed or Yugi Muto. He wanted to be alone and enjoy the scenery of brilliant green around him.
The water of the River Tulkas running beside the dirt path had turned a brilliant shade of green with spots of pale blue as it reflected the clear skies above. Along the river bank slithered the monster Behegon; a strange, bulbous, sea serpent with a massive mouth lined with fangs (ATK/1350 DEF/1000 LV 4).
They were as large as a full-grown elephant seal and just as dangerous, but they kept themselves so long as Antilles maintained his distance from them. The leg of a deer was hanging out the creature's mouth, but who was to say the Behegon wasn't still hungry.
He made a few rounds around the trail to clear his mind for the party being held in his castle which he promptly returned to as soon as the night was fast approaching. By the time he had made it to the gate the carriages were arriving and the windows of his home, Castle Eltz, were glowing brightly. Castle Eltz was a medium-sized castle deep in the wilderness of the Forest Kalkoura.
Though many miles from Rassay, Antilles could still see the Spire of the Kings glowing in the distance from his bedchambers. As the guests were dropped off at the courtyard, the band he hired began playing their lutes and pipes by the fountain with a limestone statue depicting Antilles' late father; the former High King of Termnnia, before he was ousted him from power by Gabriel the Black and Antar Wollcroft; both of whom fathered Prince Daveed for a short period of time before their deaths.
A howl of wolves in the mountains behind him sent a chill down his spine and quickened his pace for the castle. He entered through a back entrance so he could sneak up the stairs and change into his party outfit. The guests were already helping themselves to hors-d'oeuvres fresh from the oven and sweet wine served by elvish girls in colorful garments of thin silk and plumed with jeweled feathers.
The trumpets rang at the foot of the main staircase and the herald announced the coming of the party's host. "Presenting, his most royal majesty. Antilles Cronos Dragonheart. King of Dragonrock, Lord of the Ashlands and the Flaming Mountains."
The guests clapped and cheered as he came down the stairs dressed in very expensive robes and a cape with gold ornamentation. The Black Wing Crown's rubies shimmered in the light of the chandeliers and the candles burning on their sconces made of dragon teeth. Tapestries woven to tell the story of Antilles' past battles hung on the walls so all could bask and revel in his greatness.
The walls and floors were of brilliant white marble and veined with gold and silver quarried from the Cerulean Mountains and sent across the Kingsland at great expense. Even the buttresses and ribbed vaulted ceilings were veined with gold The castle was new as far as they go, having been raised nearly fifty or so years ago by Titus Dragonheart, the grandsire of Antilles' father.
"The King!" hailed Lord Frey of Wine River. He held up his goblet and the others followed suit.
"Hail!" they all cried out.
"Thank you, thank you," Antilles responded with grace and grandeur. The waning sun cast enough light to make the window of painted glass behind Antilles to shine down on him and make him glisten in all the colors of the spectrum.
He looked like a conquering hero, standing up there at the top of the stairs. The mere sight of him basking in the multi-colored light just excited the guests tenfold. Their applause grew louder and more affectionate. Women were blowing kisses, the servants stopped what they were doing to bow, and the knights saluted him.
"Thank you, friends. Thank you," Antilles said trying to cease their clapping and admiration. "I thank you for coming all this way to celebrate the name day of my late father. Please, make yourselves at home."
The towering doors, also of painted glass and red steel, creaked open to let in one final guest. Antilles' eyes widened when he saw Termnnia's Delight step into his grand halls escorted by two Buster Bladers in colossal black armor and black cloaks outlined in silver thread. The escutcheon of the High King was stitched in silver on the back of the capes.
Mai
Lady Mai of House Valentine. As radiant as ever in her gown of brilliant purple, bejeweled in amethyst and rubellite. The garment revealed her shoulders and her slender neck, adorned in a black choker with the turtledoves of House Gardner carved in sterling silver. Her hair was curled and held up. Long, curled bangs spiraled down her face, past her chin.
Antilles felt his heart leap with joy at the sight of her, as did many of the men in the entrance hall. Along with the cheerful melody of the lutes, the occasional whack on the dome of the skull could be heard as wives did their damnedest to snap their husbands out of their lustful stares for Lady Mai.
"My Lady," Antilles said. He stopped in front of her and bowed. "Forgive me, but I must ask that your guards remain outside."
Mai wrinkled her nose. She shrugged and turned to look at her monsters. "All right boys, you heard the man."
The Buster Bladers slammed their feet together and made a powerful about-face before marching out of the castle. Antilles waited for the door to close behind them before speaking to Mai. "My Lady, I did not expect you to arrive."
Mai let out a hearty laugh and waved her peacock-feathered fan in front of her face. "What? You did invite me after all, didn't you?"
Antilles stammered for a moment, but was quick to regain his composure. He turned to look at the guests and said, in a rather stern tone: "You may enter the ballroom now."
The guests felt a tad insulted when the realization of Lady Mai being the focus of the party tonight set in. Wasting no time, and not bothering to argue, they grumbled and muttered as they slowly went past the towering iron doors into the ballroom where they were most likely going to spend the evening without their host.
"Forgive me," Antilles said when the last guest stepped into the ballroom. He bowed again, took Mai's hand, and kissed it. "I heard it was quite rare for Termnnia's Delight to make an appearance."
Mai rolled her eyes, and gently released her fingers from his grasp. "Well, you are a former Prince of Termnnia, so why wouldn't I? Besides, you intrigue me Antilles. I haven't seen you since the War of the Summer Flowers."
Antilles sniffed to let out his humor and formed a weak smile. The War of the Summer Flowers. A horrid fiasco, in which one hundred suitors from Houses great and small fought for nine long months for the pleasure of having Mai's hand in marriage (Despite her having no say in the matter) in a long and costly war. Antilles was one of them. He came closer than any suitor to having Mai as a wife.
But just as he was about to claim victory in the conflict, High King Antar made it law not to bother Mai Valentine, under pain of death. Until death take her, Mai Valentine was free to marry whomever she deemed worthy.
As a slap to the face to the veterans of the war for her heart, she neglected them all. More than a hundred hearts were broken after that war. Many princes, lordlings, and barons, even kings, took their lives when she rejected their love.
"You haven't aged a day since then," Antilles commented. "Still as radiant as ever."
Mai giggled. "Well, I am an Eldori. We don't tend to age at all. Nevertheless, thank you for inviting me down here for whatever it is that's going on."
"It's nothing of importance, my dear," said Antilles. "This is just an extravagance I set up every weekend to hear the latest gossip in the land. Word has reached my ears that Master Yugi is already at work gathering the selected princes for Prince Daveed's alliance. I have heard the boy now goes by another name."
Mai flapped the fan again in nervousness. Those were secret affairs with information from the House of Intelligence's Special Activities Division. No doubt the gossip of Daveed's nickname was High Chancellor Pegasus' doing. She swallowed and cleared her throat to speak a little more clearly. "Well, from what I heard, it's Yuri. It means Lily Flower. Isn't that cute?"
Antilles did all he could to keep his face from scrunching up in disgust. Yuri? What kind of a name was that for a High King of Termnnia? Antilles thought of himself as awkward standing there trying to smile and make it seem that he enjoyed the name as well. A mock-of-a-laugh escaped his throat, but thankfully Mai could not see the sarcasm in it.
Before he could say another word...
"Wazz up!" a loud and obnoxious Eldori youth said bursting through the doors.
Antilles' teeth clamped shut and started to grind against one another. "Ser Tristan," he said through his teeth. His face molded into an expression of burning agitation. "A delight...as always."
Mai looked at Tristan and hit him on the head with her fan. "Ow!" he cried, massaging the spot.
"Will you behave?" Mai said with impatience. "You're supposed to be a knight. Act like one. And just so you know, this isn't that kind of party."
"My apologies then," Tristan said, now speaking with a high-class etiquette. He started jumping around awkwardly. His face contorted in awkward expression. A bright white cascade appeared on his brow. "Uh...Antilles, I know I just got here and all...but - "
"The privy is in the second floor," Antilles grumbled. "Down the hall and to he left past the gilded suit of armor."
"Thanks man!" Tristan cried. He dashed past Antilles and scurried up the steps before going out of sight.
Antilles shook his head once he was gone. He turned to look back at Mai and scoffed. "Of all the knights in Rassay to escort you to my estate, you go with him?"
Mai shrugged. "Everyone else is doing something at the moment. Even with your convincing High Chancellor Pegasus and the Council to withhold Yuri's entry into our world, the Spire of the Kings is in constant activity. Serenity just sent a letter to the Caesar of Aurelia, instructing his troops to prepare for the arrival of Prince Yuri and the others come Summer."
Antilles held his hand toward the ballroom. Mai nodded her head and followed his lead. She allowed him to take her arm and lead her in a slow and elegant walk.
"You have faith that Prince Daveed will learn to be a good Duelist before the summer season begins?"
"Of course I do," said Mai. "Seto Kaiba has 'connections' in that world. They're all planning events that are sure to help Yuri accel in Duel Monsters."
"Tournaments?" Antilles asked.
"Big ones," Mai answered as they entered the ballroom. "Kaiba's spared no expense to make sure only the best of the best can enter his games. If Yuri isn't one of them, he's vowed to resign from his company."
Antilles looked at Mai in surprise. "That's quite a bold statement. Kaiba must have high confidence in himself if he thinks he can forge Yuri into a Duelist in these coming months."
Mai tugged Antilles lightly towards one of the tables where strawberries were being served on a silver platter. Mai picked one up and ate it in one bite. "Since when does Kaiba not have high confidence in himself?" she asked with her mouth full.
"A song Lady Valentine!" Lord Frey said holding up his goblet.
"Hear, hear!" said Lord Tulnerrio of the Orange Islands.
Mai flung her hair over her shoulder. "My public awaits," she said, releasing her arm from Antilles. "This will only take a moment."
Antilles smiled. "I am not one to complain," he said. "Please. Go up on stage. I would love to hear you sing, My Lady."
Mai hurried to the stage where she was given a golden harp by one of the musicians. He and the others then vacated the stage, surrendering it to her. Mai sat down on and strummed the harp. She bit her lip as she pondered what to play and smiled.
"This is a tale we all know and love. Of the greatest hero our world has ever seen."
Our world is still. No light is seen
And happiness a trait unseen
There's nothing good. There's nothing bright,
Then Norman woke and walked that night.
A mighty hero of power untold,
A crown was made to claim his Hold.
But Elven-kings all mocked and laughed
For in their eyes, he was riffraff.
Away they sent our hero poor
And behind him slammed the door.
Our world is dark. The Light it fades,
The filth of Zorc Necrophades.
No warrior stands against the beast
But then a light shined from the East.
The Celtra sang and dragons roared
As The Conqueror on Slifer soared,
To challenge the demon of the Shadow Realm
The light of the Goddesses shines on his helm
The Winged Dragon bathed dark in flames
The Orcs all cried when Slifer came!
Obelisk smashed all foes to hell;
Evil ran from Ancient Beast as well!
Creatures of power now at his whim
No force on earth could stop him!
A king he was of Holy Light
His armor fair had Goddess might!
His sword of sun, no man can wield
And runes of power upon his shield!
His cape contained the light of moon
And hordes of diamond on plate were strewn
No mortal had dared to claim his right,
For they all fell under his might!
Our world now shines. The light is strong
As Norman King rules Nelerond
The people dance, and Celta sing
For praise of their Supreme King
A castle fair was built for him
To house his warriors and his kin
The dancers danced. The Nymphs they sang
And at his gates the trumpets rang!
Our world is sad. The Light is dim.
The world now weeps and mourns for him
The Gods no longer hear his calls
The darkness dwells now in his halls
No light shines upon his tomb.
Forever now in Darkness' womb.
The Nymphs don't dance. And bells don't ring
Forever of his might, they'll sing!
There lies our King far in the deep.
Forever in eternal sleep.
Antilles was the first to clap when the song ended. Mai set the harp down and bowed. A few roses were tossed at her feet. She blew kisses and took another bow before coming down the steps with a bouquet of roses and other flowers.
"Good to see your voice still rings like the bells of Amon Heth," said Antilles.
"Antilles, you are quite the charmer," Mai said, allowing him to peck her on the cheek.
Tristan came running into the ballroom, zipping up his leather trousers. "So, what'd I miss?" he asked.
"You haven't missed much," said Antilles. "The party has only started. I am to understand you will be aiding Ser Joey in teaching Prince Yuri in swordcraft?"
"Not much to be honest," Tristan said, helping himself to the treats on the table. "The bulk of Yuri's training will be held mostly in Aurelia where the Imperial Legion will teach him the art of warfare."
"Is that a fact?" Antilles asked, his curiosity piqued. "I would like to talk with you alone for a moment, Ser Tristan. Lady Mai, I am sorry, but I must leave you for but a moment."
"Go do what you have to do," Mai said, stuffing a pastry into her mouth. "I'll be right here."
"My Lady," Antilles said humbly. He bowed and led Tristan into the West Wing which was odd, considering how often Antilles bellyached about it being 'forbidden'.
Once she was left alone, she was approached by three woman in dresses of emerald, ruby, and dark blue. No doubt by all the gold ornamentation and lavish jewelry, these women were from the senate. There was no doubt in Mai's mind that they were here to gloat over their victory in keeping Yuri banished until his Dueling capabilities proved favorable.
"Lady Mai," said the woman in the ruby dress. She was Lady Jane of the House Stormwind; a senator representing the Storm Coasts. The Fiend Kraken of her House was emblazoned in fine metalwork on her gown. Tentacles formed a cape of sorts over her exposed shoulders. "So good of you to join the festivities tonight. I have no doubt you are quite sour over the senate's decision to keep the Prince locked in the other world. Nevertheless, I am glad that one of you in Master Yu-Gi-Oh's band have the decency to be good sports despite the outcomes."
Mai shrugged. "It's whatever I suppose. I can't mope around for one petty decision. The best thing to do now is have hope in Seto Kaiba."
"Ah yes, Seto Kaiba," said the woman in the emerald dress. Senator Mirabelle Oakbar of the petty kingdom of Aigorith, and owner of the East Termnnia Trading Company. She sipped her Dwarven Red Sprinter before taking Mai's hand and kissing it. "I have heard he is to have a hand in Yuri's Duel Monsters training. I pray to the Goddesses that he is discreet in our affairs on the other side of the Gate."
"You've grown accustomed to calling him that as well, Mirabelle?" asked Lady Jane.
"I find his nickname rather charming," said Senator Mirabelle. "My daughter hopes that he is as charming as his name."
"Seto Kaiba is quite careful," said Mai, returning to the subject. "If there's anyone who can help Prince Yuri become a powerful Duelist and earn his way back into our world, it's Seto Kaiba."
"A toast to him, and to his success," said Senator Etoile Gumy of Kalith; the woman in blue. "Let us hope Yuri's return is safe and swift. I don't know about the rest of you ladies, but I grow weary of this constant squabble with the princesses of the kingdoms of Termnnia."
Mai and the other women laughed. "I find it rather adorable," said Mai. "All those girls. Princesses, young queens, baronesses, duchesses, and other girls of nobility taking to the fields to battle for the right to marry Prince Yuri."
"It's adorable and rather costly," groaned Senator Etoile. "In both lives and in gold. My daughter and her friend have banded together against the daughter of House of Perroy; our rival house. Mercenaries are calling this conflict the Gold Rush. Since the fathers of these girls do not wish to waste their own armies in this war, for want the use of a better word, they hire sellswords of all banners. Ten girls are now dead because of this conflict. Mirabelle, you say that your child is involved in this conflict? I did not think you would be one to chase the Diamond Throne."
"You have me wrong, Etoile. My only affairs in this messed up continent of ours is purely commercial. We at the East Termnnian Trading Company try not to get involved with politics."
"And yet you're in in the Senate," said Mai.
Mirabelle nodded; for that statement was true. "Yes, I do have my seat in the Senate; for that is how great our influence is on this continent. However, as the head of the company, my job is to make sure we maintain good relationships with everyone. I'm always on the lookout for promising partnerships and worthy investors to help keep my monopoly of every route of trade, be it land, sea, or air. Believe me, with the ongoing conflicts going on; be they love-crazed princesses or rebel kings, ala King Forrest up north, it affects my business horribly. I see to it that they keep to their squabbles but maintain good business with us."
"And do explain your daughter in the war, senator," said Mai. "Do you have a mind to have your girl marry the future High King of Termnnia?"
"That is her affair entirely," Mirabelle responded sharply. "I told my daughter that if she wants to raise an army to fight the other girls who want Prince Yuri, she has to do so with her own purse. And I don't mean to brag, but my daughter is quite influential. She knows how to get the things that she wants. And while I have stated that my company wishes to stay out of political affairs, the prospect of having my daughter as Queen is an ample inducement."
Mai wrinkled her nose again. "So all three of you voted against bringing Yuri back. Do the Dragonhearts have any influence on your affairs, ladies?"
"A delicate question to be sure," said Mirabelle. "My father, the King of Aigorith, was an ally of Lord Antar Plantegrast in the Rebellion of 980. He has no love for the Dragonhearts, I assure you. On the other hand, the Dragonhearts have considerable funds and have proven themselves worthy partners in many of our endeavors across the continent. I haven't made any contracts with them, yet, but I'm sure he would want his slice of the pie if I ever did. The Dragonhearts' wealth rival that of the High King. Huh! I suppose Tiberius Pendragon did them a favor when he banished them to the Ashlands, wouldn't you agree?"
"Quite," said Etoile. "I only go to these affairs to maintain my relationships with everyone inside and outside of the Senate. As for my relationship with House Dragonheart, Lady Mai, it is one of mutual alignment. I myself care little about the politics and contentions between the kings and this newfound squabble with the Church of Yeyu. Having said that, power is a trait that I respect to the best of my ability. The Dragonhearts have power. They leave my affairs alone and I do them the same favor. "
"I say the same," said Senator Jane. "Antilles and his House may be good allies but he does not influence me at all. I do not cast my vote on bribery, Lady Mai. I am a devoted follower of the Temple of Dwenya. My husband was one of the few to be gifted with one of her shields for his devotion to justice and truth. The gems encrusted on this divine aegis turn dull at the sign of corruption, and I assure they never have around me. Antilles has my confidence, but not my votes. Ah, look there."
She pointed towards one of the windows at a girl wearing a white leotard with a cape fashioned to look like a white Slifer the Sky Dragon. The dragon itself coiled over her shoulders in white enameled metal. The cloth that made the cape fell from one of the dragon's coils. It was made of a white see-through fabric that sparkled with each movement. Long golden hair, speckled with tiny white flowers and decorated with baby blue ribbons, flowed down to her back in rivers of elegant curls. A hairclip designed to look a fierce dragon was clasped to the right side of her head.
A gentleman approached her and asked her for a dance, but she held out her hand and refused. When the man insisted, her 'guard' brandished his blade. Her protection was a Duel Monster of the Warrior-Type known as Blade Knight.
"Oh, that's a girl who won't be looking for a suitor anytime soon," said Senator Jane. "If I'm not mistaken, that's Princess Alexandra von Klaus. The beloved niece of our esteemed host."
"The Princess of Dragon's Nest? Here?" Mai said. "Color me intrigued. She's a beautiful young thing, isn't she?"
"Beautiful and dangerous," Senator Etoile replied with urgency and caution. "She is known throughout the south of Emboldor as the Slayer of Lords and Princes. When she was but a little girl, Alexandra and her dragon Bruton, killed three of Emboldor's greatest Houses in the Battle of Bell Fields. Long have the bards of Termnnia sang of that massacre. Be wary of that girl, Lady Mai. She looks like a beautiful rose, but she is full of thorns, and they're poisonous to the touch. I pray she stays as far away from our Prince as possible. The Loveless Princess is what many have come to call her."
Mai could not keep her eyes off Alexandra. Too great was her beauty and splendor. "You said she has a dragon that aided her in battle."
"She's one of the few to control what remains of the True Dragons," said Senator Jane. "The Des Volstgalph. Long have these fell beasts served the Royal House of Dragonheart. Horrible dragons are what they are, with the power to make you explode if they so much as look at you. Thankfully, they've gone all but extinct since the Rebellion. Obelisk the Tormentor saw to that. Unfortunately, still, Alexandra holds the last of her House. Her dragon is still young, but it is a powerful monster nonetheless."
The gentleman Alexandra rejected approached the four women. "Well, would any of you fine women care for a dance?"
"Rejected again, Lord Brax?" chuckled Senator Etoile.
"Well, there are plenty of fish in the sea," said Lord Brax of Gaven Port. He chugged down the last gulps of wine. His face turned red. The bushy orange mustache underneath his long, pointed nose shivered from his drunkenness. "And what of you sweetheart," he said looking at Mai. "Care to join me?"
"I think I'll pass," said Mai, taking a few steps away from Lord Brax and towards Senator Jane. "I have heard a great deal about you. Your lips are planted firmly onto the backside of the Dragonhearts."
"I wish I had mine planted on hers," Lord Brax commented crudely at Princess Alexandra. A hiccup followed. "You have no love for the Dragonhearts it seems. And yet you come to a party hosted by one."
"I didn't have much of a choice in the matter," Mai responded, trying to remain calm. "Yugi wishes to keep our relationship with them as secure as possible to prevent any more hostilities in the Senate. Yuri has to come home now."
"He's no Duelist from what I heard," said Lord Brax. He hiccupped again and swayed to the right. His feet moved back and forth, and left and right in wobbly dance to maintain balance in his drunkenness. "He can't be a High King if he's no Duelist."
Senator Etoile had no choice but to agree with him. "I'm sorry, child, but he is right. What is a High King if he cannot Duel to save his kingdom. If someone were to challenge him to the Dueling Pact with the poor skillset he has now, I fear all the work to keep him on the throne would have been for not."
"That's no excuse to close the Gate," Mai protested. "He has his head so far up House Dragonheart's…"
Lord Brax held up a hand to stop her foul-tongued remark from escaping her beautiful lips. "I've known House Dragonheart long enough to appreciate their tastes in food, women, and Duel Monsters. And I have known the family long enough to respect the importance they play in the little playground we call Termnnia. He and his have also played a vivid role in stopping the worship of Norman the Conqueror, which is now forbidden thanks to the Church."
"You sure have their backsides pressed to your lips, too, don't you?" Mai remarked in fury.
"Ha! Of course, I do. Unlike you, I know how to make friends around her, Lady Mai. Those Norman worshippers get rounded up and sent to the Grey Hills to get just what they deserve. He is no God to be worshipped."
"It is a person's right to follower whoever they so choose. Freedom of worship is just one of the many blessings the Concordant of Free Speech has given us. But those radicals and brainwashed fools like yourself have done nothing but tarnish it to fuel the agenda of the Church, which has no business here in Termnnia."
"Say what you will, Lady Mai. I'm sure we can come to an agreement in saying that worshipers of Norman the Conqueror cause nothing but trouble for me and the other lords and kings."
"They wouldn't have any reason to attack your chapels and monasteries and raid your roads of pilgrimage if you just left them alone."
"Of course, I'd get that response," Brax hiccupped. "You'd best be mindful, Lady Mai. I heard you sing about that supposed hero on stage earlier. I have powerful friends in the Church who might come a knocking at your door one day."
"Your words are poison. Besides, there are plenty of rulers who resent the Church and its ideals,"
"Ah, yes. I know what you're saying, my dear. Of course, they do. These supposed rulers have trouble adjusting to change. Why else would they force the Easterners to keep their technology from spreading westward, hmm? The ideology of the Church is no different. We believe in the abolition of magic in all shape and form. You understand that it is a fell force that has caused our kingdoms to crumble time and time again. The Church is the way to achieve everlasting peace in this world. Yes, their methods for spreading the faith and getting everyone to understand is brutal, albeit questionable, but sometimes, you need to have an iron fist to get your point across. As to whether I agree with their view of magic, I do not care. Nor do I care what House Dragonheart does to influence the politics of this world. In the end, the Church and House Dragonheart reward their friends richly; very richly. Anyone who does not take advantage of such generosity is a complete fool. Like your friend Yugi Muto."
"That is quite enough of you, Brax," said Jane. "Away with you, if you please."
"Bah, To the Flames with all of you," Brax said wobbling away.
Mai turned to look at the three women. "If you'll excuse me," she said. "I'm going to serve myself another drink. Ladies, it's been a pleasure ("So to speak", she mumbled)."
"Lady Mai," said Jane. "Enjoy the rest of your evening."
Mai bowed and gingerly dashed for the buffet tables. Still angered by the sudden appearance of Lord Brax, she breathed heavily. She picked up a plate and filled it with all the delicacies she could want.
A man in silver armor approached from the window facing the river. He stopped and stood beside her. He gave a flick of his cape to waft the air with his enticing cologne. Mai knew what he was trying to do but sadly felt her hormones succumb to the many scents coming from the indigo cape trimmed in gold. She felt a tingle between her legs and her curiosity was piqued.
She looked from the corner of her eye at the man. His hair was platinum and his face was clean-shaven and alluring with fine features. His eyes were pale blue like a lake in a pale spring still clinging to the cold embrace of winter. Across his chestplate, an engrailed cross was engraved with a sword and shield on the first and third quarters, a fiddle and cards in the second and fourth.
"Can I help you?" Mai asked.
"You most certainly can," said the knight. "You can help from being lonely on the floor this eve. I have traveled all the way north from White Vine in Gardenrealm with hopes to have a dance with the Delight of Termnnia."
"Have you?" Mai said, looking at the knight. "And just who might you be?"
"I am Ser Dylan Cole the Paladin of the Order of the Golden Rose. An order of holy knights who serve the Temple of Nephelia, the Goddess of Friendship and Kindness."
"I know," Mai said with a roll of her eyes. She hated it when people assumed she didn't know the Pantheon of her own kingdom.
The knight continued despite her sudden rudeness. "My Lady, our sworn duty it is to quell the lands of Gardenrealm and beyond of the fires of Yeyu."
"Ha!" Mai burst. "Well, if you're keeping those radical nutcases on the ropes, then I guess you've earned the right to talk to me."
"You humble me, My Lady," the knight said. He looked at the tables and observed the delicacies being served. "His Majesty has spared no expense for tonight's party. Exotic foods from across the seas. Coconuts. Grapes. Dragon Mangos. Bananas from the Koukourian Islands. Ah, and dates from the Sultan of Sobek. He certainly has friends in high places if he can make trade with them."
"Antilles was once the Prince of Termnnia," said Mai. She sipped the last of her wine. "Of course he has connections. Even though the Dragonhearts no longer have claim to the Diamond Throne, there are still those who support them. You said your surname was Cole. Your father wouldn't by chance by Chancellor Drystan Cole, would he?"
"Why, yes, My Lady. My father has a seat in the Senate. How good of you to know."
Mai scoffed. "Don't get to full of yourself Ser Dylan. I spit on his name as you Westerners say. Your father had a hand in helping Antilles keep Prince Yuri stuck in the other world."
Ser Dylan chuckled and basked in her fury as though it were admiration. He smiled wider and wider as she saw her cheeks turning a pale shade of pink. Though her countenance read anger, the color she turned just made her look even more beautiful.
He attempted to take Mai's hand and kiss it, but she was too quick, swiping her hand away before he could grab a hold of her fingers. A talk with her, yes, he sure earned that. But a kiss, even if it was on her hand, not yet. Not yet.
"Hold on there, Ser," Mai said, scooting a little to the left to pour herself a cup of wine. "Seems like I've more than humbled you if you're making hasty moves like that."
"A clever woman you are," said Ser Dylan. "You see through me like a window. Yes, my appetite seeks to be quenched this night."
"You soil the name of Knight," said Mai. "Nowadays, arrogant fools like you use it as a key to try and unlock chastity belts. Look, hun, that may have worked on whores back at the brothels, but not on me. You're lucky my Buster Bladers were forced to stay outside. You should know it's against the law to bother me."
"No, but the law states I can approach you if you deem me worthy. Well, Lady Mai, do you not find me worthy?"
Mai rolled her eyes again. "You really want me to answer that?"
"Then perhaps, I can win your heart in a Duel."
Mai's face lit up, but she remembered something that made her smile quickly fade. "Oh, you're out of luck, hun. I didn't bring my deck. If you want to have yourself a Duel for my heart, you're going to have to challenge Ser Tristan, my knight-escort."
"Ser Tristan of the House Taylor?" Ser Dylan asked. He burst out laughing. "That fool is nothing but a cheerleader constantly yelling: 'Go, Yugi! Go, Joey!' He is no knight."
Mai felt like someone twisted the pit of her stomach. "He has more reason to be a knight than you. He defended Prince Yuri in the Battle of Rassay. Led the charge in the Siege of Karad-Antha where Anubis and his Orcs attacked the wizard, Gabriel the Black, and his wife, Luthia, the last Celtra. And he's captain of the guard. What qualities did you possess to be qualified as a knight?"
"I saved my village against an army of Wild Men."
"A brave feat," Mai said, tilting her head to the left. "But your deeds still fall short of Ser Tristan's."
"Somebody call me?" Tristan said entering the hall.
A wave of relief cooled Mai, and she smiled seeing him return. "Tristan. I believe you've got yourself a challenger. This is Ser Dylan Cole. He wishes to face you."
"And what are the stakes?" Tristan asked.
"My virginity," Mai answered crudely.
Tristan scoffed. "I didn't even know you had it still."
That released the fury of House Valentine. Mai's beautiful face became bloated and over exaggerated. A cross twitched on her forehead; a sign all Eldoris had when they were angered.
"YOU BIG JERK!" she roared. "HOW DARE YOU...blah! Blah! Blah! Blah!"
As Mai ranted to no end, Tristan approached Ser Dylan and spoke over her voice which seemed to fade in the background once she was ignored. "So, think you can best me in a Duel?" he said to Ser Dylan.
"I don't think I can. I know I can. What say you 'Ser' Tristan." Ser Dylan held out his gauntlet and it morphed into a Duel Disk.
Tristan shrugged an activated his. Seeing that they were ready to fight, Mai calmed down, fixed her hair, and stood back. Antilles joined her. "This should be interesting," he said. "I have never seen Ser Tristan Duel before. Who do you have your money on, My Lady?"
"I'm betting it all on Tristan," said Mai. "Not that I have much of a choice."
"DUEL!" the two knights shouted.
"I shall start since I'm the most revered knight," Ser Dylan said arrogantly. "I summon Battle Ox in Attack mode!"
Battle Ox
ATK/1700 DEF/1000
"Not impressed," said Tristan. "Draw! I summon Gigobyte!" He summoned a little reptilian creature, a few inches taller than a dwarf.
Ser Dylan scoffed. "You really think that pathetic little creature is going to destroy my Battle Ox, Ser Tristan? Clearly, arithmetic was never your forte."
"And you make it a habit of underestimating your foes," said Tristan. "I activate the Spell Card, Triangle Power! It only works with Level One monsters, like my Gigobyte. The Spell will increase his Attack Points by two-thousand for the duration of the turn!"
The guests gasped at the shock of Tristan's combo. Many thought of him as nothing but a simpleton, and he was, so to speak. But over the years, Tristan was garnering respect. First as a knight, then being promoted to Captain of the Diamond Guard for his bravery in the Siege of Rassay two decades ago. Now it appeared that his Dueling skills have developed well.
They watched as the little reptilian creature he summoned bulked up his little muscles. His eyes started burning red. Gigobyte leaped into the air with a mighty bound that took him up and up towards Battle Ox's face. He charged his fist until it started glowing bright blue with power. He smashed his enchanted fist onto the Battle Ox's skull. Battle Ox grunted in defeat and shattered like glass.
The guests hollered at the display of Tristan's clever move and clapped.
"He has developed some skill over time," Lady Jane commented, joining Mai and Antilles. "He has earned the right to train Yuri in swordcraft."
"I must agree," said Antilles. "Ser Tristan has surprised me quite a bit. Prince Yuri will get good training from him I suppose."
Lady Jane watched as Ser Dylan Fusion Summoned Dragoness the Wicked Knight.
The knight attacked Tristan, but he was quick, activating his Draining Shield card. The trap increased his Life Points by Dragoness' ATK. The Trap Card also negated the attack, preventing Tristan from taking any damage and giving him a slight lead in the score.
"Speaking of Yuri," said Lady Jane. "I must ask what is to be of his surname?"
"What do you mean?" Mai asked.
Tristan summoned his Gagagigo. An evolved form of the Gigobyte he summoned earlier.
With an ATK of 1850, he proved more than a match for Dragoness the Wicked Knight. Tristan ordered the attack and his reptilian warrior sprinted towards Dragoness. He jumped and started spinning. His tail flung so fiercely it snapped against the Wicked Knight's armor like a powerful whip, cracking it. Dragoness screamed as she was launched backward and shattered. Ser Dylan was growing rather furious and gritted his teeth to control the humiliation and rage building inside of him.
"What I mean, Lady Mai, is Yuri is the son of Gabriel the Black. He was a Prince of House Delgado and heir to the Fossil Throne of Feldia, remember? That would make Yuri an heir of House Delgado."
"But House Delgado did not want him," said Antilles. "They prohibited the boy from having a claim to the Fossil Throne because they dubbed him a bastard born from incest. Prince Gabriel was supposed to marry Princess Hannah of House Knox, to secure an alliance with the Arctic Kingdoms. But he fell in love with the Celtra girl while studying at Duelist Academy. This forbidden loved produced our young prince."
"I know this," said Senator Jane. She took a long drink of her wine. "But, then, Anubis killed Gabriel and the Celtran woman, ultimately meeting his own end at the hands of their baby, Yuri. This is what bothers me, though. High King Antar, being a brother of sorts to Gabriel, took the child for his own and named him Prince of Termnnia since he had no heirs and was on his deathbed. It was a bold move, but rather brash. But I digress. My question is, would Yuri be known as a Delgado or a Wollcroft. Since the Wollcrofts are a Cadet Branch of House Plantegrast, some claim Yuri should be given that name instead. It better suits his position as High King."
"The Plantegrasts have led a long and healthy rule," Antilles said, watching as Ser Dylan attempted to strike down Tristan's Gagagigo with his Gemini Elf, a spellcaster with 1900 ATK.
It would have surely slain Gigagigo, but Tristan activated Reinforcements to increase his monsters ATK by 500 points.
When the battle phase was complete, Antilles continued to speak: "But their time is over. Yuri is more Delgado than he is Plantegrast or Wollcroft."
Tristan used his Gagagigo as tribute to summon his new form. Giga Gagagigo.
The guests clapped and Tristan attacked Ser Dylan directly, dealing incredible damage to his Life Points.
"So he is to be Prince Yuri of House Delgado then?" Mai asked.
"Perhaps, King Salazar will be coming down here in a month to discuss his claim to the boy."
Mai scoffed. "Yeah, now that he's High King, he's no longer a bastard. He was disgusted about having Yuri as a grandson and barred him from any claim to the throne of Feldia. And now that he will have the God Cards under his command and the Diamond Throne as the seat of power, he suddenly wants him as family again? Ingrate. He'll never get Yuri back."
"That is not your place to say, My Lady," said Antilles. "The law clearly states that the decision to accept King Salazar's invitation back into the lineage of House Delgado, is Yuri himself. There is nothing you, nor I can do about it."
"I sure hope Yuri makes the right choice," said Mai.
"My turn!" Tristan said drawing his card. "I activate the Spell Card, Cost Down. Now I tribute Giga Gagagigo to summon Gogiga Gagagigo!"
"And that's the end of the game," chuckled Mai. "There is nothing Ser Dylan can do to save himself from that monstrosity."
Antilles chuckled. "I've said it once, and I'll say it again, my dear. Overconfidence is your greatest enemy. Unfortunately for Ser Dylan, he learned that a little too late."
Patty
The alarm on her phone buzzed, announcing that it was midnight.
"Happy Birthday to me," Patty said glumly and she slit a candle.
She had turned eighteen this day and bloomed into a young woman. But, like all her birthdays, there was no one around to celebrate it.
As usual, Patty's father and step-mother had gone out after a long day's work. Her father worked as a security guard at the Phobos Corp tower on the central island of Aquarius. He is a proud veteran who served multiple tours in Iraq, no doubt coming back with a mind that was far gone. Patty's mother left them when she was twelve and her father was quick to marry a drunken floozy he met at the clubs where he drank his worries away.
Patty had her own way of dealing with her troubles. Painting. Tonight, she thought she would try something new.
"Well, Zera, let's see if I can do this," she said to her ace monster, Zera the Mant, the closest thing she had to a best friend. She mounted the card on a black stand and put black candles around it forming some sort of shrine. Paintings that she made of the beast were hung all around it. One painting depicted Zera holding the severed heads of her father and stepmother.
She went to her laptop and started blasting her favorite song. Ich Tur Dir Weh by Rammstein. She laid out a large white canvas on the floor after moving her furniture around. Then she brought out her paints.
She turned her head to look at Zera and smiled as she began to strip down to her purple panties. She blew the card a kiss then dumped dark blue paint all over her body.
She got on the floor and started rolling herself all over the canvas. The heavy metal blasting on her laptop filled her with adrenaline and she grinned feeling the paint cool her body. She felt her skin get dotted with goose prickles while rubbing herself on the canvas and mixing the colors to just the right shade of blue that matched the armored flesh of Zera the Mant.
Thankfully, her parents wouldn't notice, for they were both away at the bars spending their payday. She let herself loose this night. Nothing could stop her. It was just her and Zera alone. When she had the color she wanted, she danced to a large canvas on the wall and started to create her masterpiece.
She was painting Zera the Mant with her body as she twirled and shook her hips to her favorite song all the while looking back at Zera and sending it kisses. She went back on the canvas on the floor to mix colors again.
She was on her back dancing to the music, shaking her shoulders and kicking her legs up and down. Patty peeled her underwear off and flung it across the room. She pretended that Zera liked what he saw.
Was the girl insane? Indeed, she was. Nick often said that Patty was one Trap Card short of a Dueling deck.
But succumbing to her insanity was the only way for her to feel alive being confined to such a family. Though Yuri and her friends meant the world to her, it was not enough to keep her sane from the madness of her life. So much heartache. So much pain.
It took three hours and constant replays of the song for her to finally finish her piece. To celebrate she snorted coke which she hid in her dresser drawer. As her head became light she looked back at her work.
Zera was beautifully painted in a hellish fury while he destroyed the city below. It was in flames of dark blue and the school was flattened under his feet.
Patty had no idea why she had such a fondness for the card. Perhaps it had to do with many of her dreams with the monster. One of them had her marrying the beast. After a dark ceremony, the creature did things to her. And being the strange girl that she was, Patty loved it.
The following afternoon, Patty went outside to do her chores. The air was heavy and humid and thick. The sun baked the city with its harsh light. The sky to the east was blackened with rain clouds, which many of the citizens prayed would reach them soon, to quell this infernal heat.
But despite the great discomfort, Patty had a job to do. It was time to paint the shutters again, a job she didn't mind. To combat the heat she put on a very short white midriff top under loose denim overalls. She climbed up the ladder to reach the shutters on the second floor and started to paint while singing a song.
Someone whistled from down below. Patty turned and frowned at what she saw.
Nick waved at her. Sam was right beside him admiring the view. Meanwhile, Yuri was across the street waiting for the traffic to pass. Trucks and military vehicles from RAPTOR rushed by, not giving him a chance to cross, leaving him cursing and screaming.
The sight made Patty laugh, but she did so quietly, keeping her smile and giggles concealed behind her fingers. She knew how sensitive Yuri could be when people made fun of him when he was struggling.
"Hot damn, you know how to make me happy!" Nick said admiring the view below the ladder. Patty ignored him and kept an eye on Yuri. She was high enough on the ladder to see that there were cars coming, but they were at a safe distance for Yuri to cross.
"Go!" she called, and Yuri darted across the street before a RAPTOR Humvee drove by. The private security contractors honked to get Yuri's attention, as well as Patty's from her perch. She blew them kisses as they drove by.
"Ah," drooled Nick. "She sure knows how to make men happy. I can't wait till she's all mine."
"Back off, Nick," said Sam. "She's mine." He stomped on his foot, causing Nick to jump up and down hollering in pain.
"What are you guys doing here?" Patty asked, brushing the hair from her face with her fingers. Beads of sweat rolled down her face. The hot tropical sun was practically cooking her from her spot on top of the ladder. It made the boys feel ill seeing her act like it was nothing.
"We came to wish you a happy birthday," said Nick, showing her the bags and parcels they brought for her. "Some of this stuff is from Natalya and Sergei."
"I got you a new card by the way," boasted Sam. "Took me a while to find it, but you're going to love them."
"No," said Nick, "Yuri was the one who got you the beast. It's this really awesome card from Mr. Montgomery's collection. And from the Gold Series to boot."
"A card? For me?" Patty's face lit up with joy and she slid down the ladder to greet Yuri. "Yuri, you shouldn't have."
"Not a card," Yuri corrected, checking the pockets of his backpack for the gift. "Cards."
"Cards!" Nick almost shouted. "You told me there was only one."
"For good reason," Sam chuckled, for he found Nick's overly dramatic reaction quite humorous. "If Yuri told you how many cards he got Patty, you would have bothered Mr. Montgomery for cards too. Say, Patty, what's with all the paint on your neck?"
"Huh," Patty asked. She checked her reflection on the water window by the sides of her door. "Oh, yeah, I was doing a painting of Zera last night."
"Must have been messy," said Yuri, still trying to find the present.
Patty giggled. "It was, baby, I was using my body."
"Hurk!" Yuri went as he froze.
Sam bobbed his head up and down. "With your bod, huh? Now that's lit!"
"Where have you been all my life?" growled Nick. "You are so awesome, Patty."
"Ew," said Patty, taking a step back from the rapist stare he was giving her.
"Ah, here it is," Yuri said, taking out the present. "But you've got to promise you'll use them right away."
"Okay," Patty said, ripping open the black wrapping paper and pink bow to reveal a black velvet box. "Oooo," hooted Patty. She opened it. "Oh wow! Oh wow! Oh wow!" she cried out and leaped with joy. "Yuri you have no idea how long I was looking for this!" She hugged him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Yuri cringed, feeling his windpipe get clogged. He could smell the sweet scent of her suntan lotion, and the fruity shampoo in her hair.
"What did you get?" Sam asked, jumping up and down all around them. "Come on, don't leave us dangling!"
"Dark Ruler Ha Des!" Patty shrieked. "He's almost impossible to find! And Gold Rare to boot! Oh, Yuri!" Patty opened her arms and wrapped them around Yuri, again, crushing him. Nick and Sam seemed to glow red with jealousy.
"What else?" Nick asked, trying to remain calm. "Yuri said cards. Plural, meaning more than one."
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Patty said, shutting her box and stuffing it into the pocket of her overalls.
"So why don't we head to the Duel Dome and find out?" Sam asked. "Yuri's father gave us money so we could get a spot there."
"Maybe we should come back another time," said Yuri. "Looks like Patty has a lot of stuff to do. Should we drop by later and pick you up tonight?"
"Maybe we can help out," Nick suggested. "You know the old saying? Many hands make light work."
"Forget it," said Patty, she held on tightly to her butterfly necklace. "I'll hire some guy to do it. It's my birthday after all."
"Won't your parents get mad?"
"I don't give a…"
"Mmph!" went Yuri to remind Patty there was a child in their presence.
Patty put her gear away and called the nearest painter to get the job done for her. As she showered upstairs, Yuri, Nick, and Sam helped themselves to all the snacks in her food closet. She came down wearing green cargo pants with shiny zippers in odd places, and a black midriff top with a white escutcheon; the logo of her favorite rock band. Bangles jingled on her wrists and a shiny naval piercing glistened in the light. She put on her black baseball cap backward and placed her hands on her hips as if she was modeling her ensemble for her friends. As she leaned to the left, the white waistband of her pink panties came into view.
"When did you get that?" Yuri asked.
Patty looked at her new 'gift' and smiled. "Last night," she answered. "Isn't it cool?"
"Ha!" Nick blurted out loud. "If Consuelo was your mother, she'd rip it out with pliers. Personally, I'm not one for those kinds of piercings. But you do you, Patty. So, did you add those new cards to your deck?"
"I did," Patty said, reaching into the deep pocket of her trousers. She pulled out the deck. The cards were protected by black sleeves with a 3D purple mist. The sleeves would do no prevent the microchips in the cards from being read by the scanners on the gaming systems she'd place them on. "So, let's get this show on the road."
They took a bus downtown on Nefeli Island where the Duel Dome stood. Inside, their ears were bombarded with all sorts of noises. Children screaming and laughing. Monsters roaring in the giant screens displaying various Duels going on the arenas. An arcade was recently built in the main atrium, which was lit up with fluorescent lights and a fountain that could glow in different colors. Sam quickly ran to the nearest booth about a tactical shooter while Yuri and the others registered themselves to reserve an arena.
"What about Carter and Tyson?" Patty asked. "It's not going to be a happy birthday without them."
"I just texted them," Nick said, looking at his phone. "Tyson is doing something with his family in town and Carter has a JROTC meeting today. But they're going to do their best to make it, Patty."
"Yuri!" someone shouted. "Yuri Montgomery!"
"Well, well, well," Patty chuckled cruelly upon seeing Randal Lawson. "How's the pro-leagues going little man? I'd imagine they're difficult without Brett managing you."
"Well, that's why I'm here!" shouted Randall. "My life has been hell because of you, Yuri. Ever since I lost to you I've been nothing but a joke."
Patty laughed. "You've been nothing but a joke even before Yuri beat you, Randall."
"I wasn't talking to you whore!"
"What did he say!?" Sam shouted. Nick grabbed him by the arms to keep him from starting any trouble with Randall. "Don't talk about my girl like that, you big jerk! Lemme go, Nick! Lemme go! He can't say that! He can't say that!"
"Now just wait a minute!" shouted Yuri. "First off, I don't have my deck right now. Secondly, I'm not going to Duel you even if I did. You're a loser! How dare you call my friend such a nasty word?"
"Did I strike a nerve, Yuri?" Randall sneered. He looked at Patty, examining her from head to toe. "She is one, Yuri. I expected your taste in girls was poor, but never did I think anything like this. Beautiful platinum blonde hair ruined by those ridiculous pink highlights. Your eyes are masked behind some stupid anime-blue contacts and darkened by lord knows how much mascara." He examined her curves. "Such a wonderous body she has. Girl, you are fit to be a model. But you choose to degrade yourself acting like some punk whore. I wonder how many men you've slept with."
"Why the fuck does that matter!?" Nick shouted, still keeping Sam's arms locked; his legs flailing up and down.
"It only proves my point," Randall answered obnoxiously. "Just look at her. All that skin she's showing. And half your underwear is visible for all the world to see. You're nothing but an attention seeker. Ah yes, I've also seen your MyLife account. You may have been Yuri's cheerleader during that Duel, but nevertheless, you were a very pretty face. I just had to learn who you were." He cackled. "Oh, Yuri you should see her MyLife. Lots of...'cheeky' photos all over the place. You just love showing off that ass of yours, don't you?"
Patty shrugged and slapped her behind twice. "It puts food on the table," she responded calmly, although the fluorescent lighting accented the flushing of her cheeks, showing that was getting rather bothered by his remarks. "But if you want, I'll Duel you. No one calls me a whore and gets away with it!"
Randall hooted. "And what do you got, princess? Fairies and cute little warriors?"
"You'll be surprised what I've got in store for you, Randall," Patty retorted confidently. "Now, are we going to play or what?"
"I think not. Brett said he'd give me a second chance if I faced Yuri and beat him!"
"I'm just as good," said Patty.
"Maybe even better," Yuri added.
"Fine, but Yuri's next in line, no ifs, ands, or buts! Hmm. Butts..."
"Don't even think about it," said Patty. "I wouldn't bet to sleep with you even if you were the last man on this fucking island. Yuri, I believe your father rented us an arena for the evening. Let's go, please."
"Sure," Yuri said. "Teach him a lesson, Patty."
They found the arena reserved for them to play in. It was time to start the match. Patty and Randall shuffled each other's decks and then choose which platform to use for the match. Randall chose the blue one, so Patty was going to use the red. The hopped aboard. The platforms rose ten feet high over the stadium. The scoreboard above them displayed their Life Points.
"Why don't you save yourself the humiliation!?" Randall called from his side of the field. "Yuri got lucky because his daddy got him that super-rare card. But I don't think you've got such luck, do you?"
"Probably not," Patty. "You going to stand there boasting? Or are we going to play?"
"I'm going first!" Randall declared. Patty shrugged her shoulders to show she didn't care. "Watch closely, Yuri, I'm about to give your friend an ass whooping she's never going to forget. Which is exactly what I'm going to do to you."
"I'm willing to take you on again, Randall," Yuri yelled from the bleachers. "So for her sake, you'd better not lose."
"I won't lose! I've beefed up my deck with lots of strong cards. I've grown far more powerful since we've last met, Yuri. It's very sad you're going to let your little girlfriend over there take such a beating. Again, Patty, it's not too late to back out. Just step down from there like a good little girl, and let the men play."
"Blah, blah, blah!" Patty said, fanning her face with her cards. "Are you going to make a move or are you going to bore us with exposition?"
Sam stood up from his seat. "Yeah! Shut up and just play!"
Patty smirked and put on her fingerless gloves. "While we're young, loser," she said, stretching her fingers until they got used to being confined in the leather.
"Watch it, girlie! I summon Judge Man with a powerful force of twenty-two hundred!"
"Is that all?" Patty asked, drawing her card.
Yuri looked at her in disbelief. She sure is confident. If I saw a monster like that get played on the first move of the game, I'd be terrified. But Patty's got this look of coolness on her face. What could she be up to?
"Well, damn," said Nick. "I did some searching around Patty's profile. There's no sign of her in anything provocative. But there's a tag on someone else's profile. A promoter of hot and sexy girls on MyLife. Patty has a pic on one of his albums. And hot damn she's got a big ass." He was gawking at a photo of Patty in front of the mirrored doors of her closet. She was wearing a black hooded sweater, a baseball cap placed backward, and black thong wedged so tight into her yoga-frim buttocks that it was almost invisible.
"Patty?" Yuri said looking at the picture, adoring the caption of the photo that read: Let's cuddle and watch hentai tonight. "Well. That's a side of you I've never seen before."
"What!" cried Sam. "Let me see! Let me see!"
Patty gave a loud gulp. "Put that away, Nick. It's nothing. Don't think anything of it, please?"
Yuri could tell Patty was bothered by what Nick found. He hated to admit it, but wanted to know more about Patty's 'other side'. Nevertheless, he respected her wishes and swiped the phone away from Nick and stuffed it in his pocket "Uh, uh, uh!" he said. "That's not for young kids to see."
"Can I have my phone back, Yuri?"
"After the game. Patty needs our support."
Randall slammed his fist on the board. "And you fools complained that I take too long. What's going on over there? Make your move or forfeit the match."
Patty glared at her arrogant opponent. "Put your tampons on and relax, will you? I'm thinking here. Your Judge Man is a pretty formidable monster. Hmm. I summon the Thirteenth Grave in defense mode!"
A skeleton wearing teal-colored rags and carrying a large, heavily rusted claymore rose out of the ground from a veil of purple mist. It let out a hideous laugh as it stared at Randall's Judge Man. With a DEF of only a mere 900 points, the 13th Grave was not a capable monster to play. Randall knew this all too well and laughed at Patty.
"Really? I heard you were better than Yuri. You've proven me wrong if you think your puny skeleton stands a chance against my Judge Man."
"Hmm, I guess not," Patty replied uncaringly. "I set a card face-down. That ends my turn."
"I draw!" Randall said. "I play the Ritual Spell known as Novox's Prayer. This lets me sacrifice these two weaker monsters in my hand as a sacrifice to summon the all-powerful, Skull Guardian!"
The warrior rose out of the ground after a ritualistic circle appeared. He had bladed arms and dark brown armor.
Skull Guardian
ATK/2050 DEF/2500
LV 7
Sam started jumping up and down in his seat. He balled both his fists anxiously and whined. "Come on!" he cried. "That just isn't fair. What's she doing?"
Patty meanwhile braced herself as Judge Man was ordered to attack the 13th Grave. He gave a mighty battle cry and ran towards the skeleton monster. He brandished his heavy steel maces in the light and lifted the right one, slamming it down on the 13th Grave's skull. Or he tried to at least. The mace seemed to freeze a mere inch from the 13th Grave.
"Your attack activated my Trap Card. Spellbinding Circle! It freezes your Judge Man and prevents him from attacking."
The golden magical circle spun under Judge Man's feet. It rose up to his chest and bound him tightly. Judge Man growled, writhing; moving his shoulders from left to right in frustration. He spat as the 13th Grave laughed at him. BWAH! Ha! Ha! Ha! The skeleton hollered.
Randall looked at the field in disbelief. "No!" he cried, placing both hands on the sides of the board and leaning forward to get a better look at the damage that had been done. Yup. There was no getting out Patty's trap. "Your Spellbinding Circle may have stopped my Judge Man, but I've still got my Skull Guardian to finish the job. Attack and silence The Thirteenth Grave!"
Skull Guardian raised his bladed arms, crossing them over his chest ceremoniously. Then he sprinted towards the 13th Grave and sliced him up with a powerful cross-slash attack.
It almost laughed at the blow. Bwah! Ha! Ha! Ha! GYAH! He exploded. Bones flew in all directions and the rusty claymore fell to the ground with a loud clank. Randall laughed, relieved that he no longer had to listen to the 13th Grave's infernal laughter anymore.
"Nice try, Patty. But not good enough. Come on, now. I expected so much more from you. Especially with all that praise Yuri just gave you. I bet it was just a bluff to get you from Dueling against me tonight. Wasn't it, Yuri? I knew that defeat was nothing more than sheer dumb luck. Why, if you hadn't drawn that beast, I would have been the victor that night. You're pathetic. Just like this little whore you've sent to play against me."
Nick stood up at once. "One more word, Lawson, and I'm going to break my foot up your ass."
"Nick forget it!" Patty cried, trying to calm him. "He's not worth it."
"Not worth it?" Randall slammed his fist on the board and laughed. "It's you who is not worthy. It should be a privilege for local players like yourselves to even be playing against a champion like me. Go on, Patty. Play your next pathetic card so I can end this Duel and take down the kid who ruined my life!"
"If you say so," Patty said. She drew her card. "I summon Reaper of the Cards!"
She laid the card on the board and summoned the wraith said to be lurking in the card Graveyard, taking the souls of fallen monsters. The phantom was hovering over the board, howling and moaning.
It wore a dark brown tattered cloak with a hood keeping its face concealed in darkness. Glowing blue eyes and a mouth could be seen glowing in the shadows of the hood. From torn sleeves came out long, bony hands with flesh stretched and brown with decay. The long fingers with black nails wrapped themselves around the wooden handle of a crude but horrifying scythe which it used to take the souls of thousands of fallen monsters. A necklace of Duel Monster cards flapped around the neck, or what little it had.
Reaper of the Cards
ATK/1380 DEF/1930
Patty then equipped the Reaper of the Cards with Axe of Despair, increasing its attack to 2380. But Randall was too clever for her, activating his Magi Jammer card to cancel out the effect. Patty played Book of the Moon during Randall's battle phase, flipping the Reaper face down. His DEF was too weak to withstand an attack from Skull Guardian, but it still defended her Life Points.
"You're starting to annoy me," Randall sniggered. "Now, let's remove my Judge Man from your trap with the spell card Remove Trap!"
Judge Man released himself from the magic bindings of Patty's circle. He thumped his chest and grunted. "You can't do anything to stop me, Patty. You've lost. I won! You don't have a hope of defeating my two monsters. Surrender now. Whore!"
Patty drew. She smiled and held up her card. "From your darkest fears, the angel of death emerges to fill the battle with dread! I summon Lich Lord King of the Underworld!"
ATK/2400 DEF/1200 LV 6
The ghastly creature was a skeleton whose bones were blackened to the color of ash. It was draped in a torn red hood cloak and carried a gold staff. Black wings spanning sixteen feet opened behind him. Patty ordered the attack and the monster used its staff to conjure a spell of death that choked Judge Man, destroying him.
Randall gulped in horror. His Life Points dropping to 1800. "That card," he wailed. "It's so evil. But I will destroy him. I place a card face down and summon a monster in defense mode and switch Skull Guardian to defense mode, too!"
Just try attacking me, Patty. The card I set face-down is a Nobleman-Eater Bug which can destroy two monsters when you attack me. So it doesn't matter what you play next; my bug will render them useless.
Patty drew her card and began her turn. She smiled when she saw the card and looked at Yuri. "Yuri, thanks again for this awesome gift. It wouldn't be a happy birthday if this guy didn't make his debut."
"Gift?" said Randall.
"Oh yes," said Patty. "I got plenty of them for my birthday today. It's one of the benefits of having friends who love you." She looked down at the boys, beaming at them. "Friends. It's something I don't expect a snob like you would understand. I first activate a rare spell known as Tribute to the Doomed. I discard a card and I get to destroy one of your monsters. So say goodbye to your Skull Guardian!"
Bandages slithered out of the ground and wrapped themselves around Skull Guardian. Then, a giant hand came out of the depths of the underworld, grabbed Skull Guardian, and dragged him down to the Graveyard.
Randall was shaken. Not only was his monster destroyed, but he was haunted by the sight of the hand coming out of hell and dragging it down. He would see that image for the rest of his days. He grew scared almost as though he had walked into some horrible nightmare. And it was far from over, for it was still Patty's turn.
She gave a devilish grin as she held her card. "From the dreaded depths of hell comes for the lord of all Fiends. The master and ruler of the dark planes of the Shadow Realm. I summon…." She slapped the card on the mat. "Dark Ruler Ha Des! In attack mode."
Sam shivered and held his brother close when the vile demon rose from a pool of shadows that manifested on the field.
Dark Ruler Ha Des
ATK/2450 DEF/1600
LV 6
"Bro, how can someone so cute summon something so vile?" Sam whimpered.
"And she likes it, too," said Nick.
Patty's face was glowing red from the eerie red glow illuminating from the ground beath Ha Des' feet. He cackled loudly. His humor echoed across the arena and sent chills down their spines. A creep organ was playing a wicked song as the entire arena was bathed in darkness, save for the red fiery glow that illuminated the monsters on the field and Patty, who was grinning horribly from her platform.
Dark Ruler Ha Des turned to look at Patty. "What's going on?" Yuri thought, as he watched Dark Ruler Ha Des lightly touch Patty's face. She smiled at him, breathing heavily, enjoying the sight of the horrible Fiend she just summoned.
"Remind me never to Duel her, bro, that deck is wicked scary."
Patty continued to her battle phase. "And now, Ha Des, attack his face-down monster!"
Dark Ruler Ha Des laughed manically while conjuring an evil spell from the eyes of his skull. costume.
"You fell for it!" said Randall. "I activate my Nobleman-Eater Bug's effect. When attacked he can…"
"Yeah, I don't think so," Patty said, blowing in her nails and rubbing them on her shirt for a quick polish.
"Wha?"
Ha Des' spell coiled around the Nobleman-Eater Bug. The giant insect screeched and wriggled as it gasped for air. Doom fell upon it and it shattered. Randall was expecting the bug to work its magic. Dark Ruler Ha Des and Lich Lord, King of the Underworld were still on the field. Nobleman-Eater Bug's effect did not work, much to Randall's horror.
"What's going on?" he babbled. "My Nobleman-Eater Bug's effect was supposed to destroy your two monsters!"
Dark Ruler Ha Des let out a thunderous laugh which sliced Randall's ego like a hot sword through butter. Patty, meanwhile, let out a delightful giggle. It sounded so cute, which was odd; for it came from behind the two demons on the field. "I guess we 'whores' aren't as stupid as you think we are. Dark Ruler Ha Des negates the effects of monsters when they battle with Fiend-Type monsters."
"But-but!" stammered Lawson.
"Yeah, yours is about to be kicked," said Patty. "I play a card face down. Make your move. I've got more fiends on the way, and the two I have on the field are thirsty for more carnage."
Randall gulped as he drew his next card. "I play Pot of Greed and draw two cards. Now I summon Rude Kaiser in defense mode (DEF/1600 ATK/1800 LV 5)! Then I play the Ritual Spell, Garma Sword Oath. Arise my ultimate monster!"
"That's the monster Randall almost beat Yuri with," Sam shouted over the howling winds blowing around them as the ritual was being processed.
"You remember, don't you!" sneered Randall. "Now, my beast returns to wreak his vengeance on you, my dear!" (ATK/2550 DEF/2150 LV 7) "Yes, now the first fiend to be slain will be your Dark Ruler…what?"
A vortex of decayed rose petals spun on the monster zone next to Dark Ruler Ha Des. The powerful crack of a whip caused them to disperse to reveal a woman dressed in a blood red armored gown. The mask she wore over her face was in the same style as her dress and a veil of white hair flowed down her back.
"What is that?"
Patty explained. "When you special summoned your Garma Sword, I discarded a card from my hand to do a special summon of my own. Say hello to the beautiful Chaos Hunter!" (ATK/2500 DEF/1600 LV 7)
"More monsters!" cried Randall.
"Yup," said Patty sending a kiss his way as she fanned her face with her cards.
"It still won't save your Ha Des!"
"No," said Patty, flipping her trap, "but this will."
"Negate Attack!" cried Lawson. "No! Now my attack is nullified!"
"You're damn right, and now it's my turn, kiddo. I summon Diabolos King of the Abyss!"
Patty's newest monster gave a thunderous roar that caused all the monsters on her field to bow. Except for Ha Des, for he had some rough dealings with the beast in card lore. The red glow went out and the arena darkened, only to be lit up by a dull dark blue glow coming from the patterns on the beast who armored body was black as night. His arms and legs bound by chains which he released himself from upon being summoned by his master.
Diabolos King of the Abyss
ATK/2800 DEF/1000
LV 7
Patty clutched her butterfly pendant and said: "From the lowest and darkest depths of Yami emerges the king of darkness and master of all its spoils. Open your malevolent wings and unleash thy fury upon my foolish foe!"
Diabolos gave low, metallic shout, causing the arena to rumble. "Patty, that's one sweet dragon!" Sam shouted. "Trade for it?" Patty held up her middle finger in response to his question. He and Nick were having fun watching Patty summon those fell creatures. But Yuri was growing rather cold.
"Diabolos?" he whispered. "I didn't give her that card."
"Wow, Yuri," Nick shivered, his teeth chattering in fright. "I don't think Black Tyranno is the strongest card on the island anymore."
Yuri had no choice but to agree on that. Once Diabolos destroyed Garma Sword, Randall could take it no more, and he ran out of the arena.
"Look at that," said Patty, "and I didn't even lose a single Life Point."
"That's why I love her," Nick whimpered.
"She is so hot!" Sam declared as Patty tossed her hair over her shoulder once the monsters disappeared.
They were ready to call it a day and decided to go to Yuri's house for a barbecue.
Just as Yuri was about to leave he heard someone go, 'Ahem'.
Yuri stopped and turned to search for the voice. It was Crystal, sitting on one of the rafters above. She waved at him.
"Coming Yuri?" Patty asked.
"I'll catch up," said Yuri. "I've got to make a call."
"Well hurry up," said Patty. "The bus leaves in ten minutes."
Yuri nodded and waited for Patty to leave before he confronted Crystal.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Just checking up on you," Crystal said, giving Yuri a hug. "Brett told me you'd be here Dueling."
"It doesn't surprise me he'd know I was here," said Yuri. "My friends and I encountered your old buddy, Randall."
"So I saw," said Crystal. She went down the steps to Randall's side of the field. "Well, I'll be damned. The jerk got so scared he left his deck behind."
"Really?" Yuri asked.
"Yeah," Crystal replied with a soft snort. "That girl of yours is not one to be trifled with."
She and Yuri walked out of the arena to join the others as Bakura stood on the rafters smiling, for he was rather pleased that Patty was enjoying her new card.