Yu-Gi-Oh! Dissidia
Now, Yusei is alone, staring down God itself. As he fights to keep himself going, he wages war against himself in a way he never thought possible.
For one who has refused previously to give into such emotions, and who has mainly combated those with noble intentions, such monsters as the ones he faces are easier to hate.
But he knows he cannot depend on the same power twice, and thus he finds himself in a dilemma…
Destiny Draw 31-II
On the Sogen Plains, as God descends…
Joey looked at the shining light in the sky. "No way…" he whispered.
"That light, is that what I think it is?" Jaden asked, shielding his eyes.
"Yeah, that's right," Joey replied. "It's the Winged Dragon of Ra…"
"Wait, you mean, Winged Dragon of Ra as in, unstoppable Egyptian God?!" Crow protested.
"It's probably its Sphere Form," Joey explained. "All Marik has to do is read the Egyptian text on the card, and he's got the most powerful card in Duel Monsters at his disposal."
"Wow…" Yuma whispered.
Joey clenched his fists in fury. Marik…, he thought venomously. You just wait, I'll get you!
"I can only hope that whoever is unlucky enough to face that card is prepared," Astral admitted.
"You can't prepare for that," Joey replied. "You just can't."
On the shores of the Black Lake…
Shark covered his eyes. "What the – what the heck is that?!" he yelled.
Yugi looked at Yami Yugi in horror. "Atem! Do you think it's…?"
"Yes," Yami Yugi replied. "It's the Winged Dragon of Ra."
Shark scowled. "Marik…" he muttered. "Sore loser's gone after someone else!"
Yugi suddenly glowed, the Millennium Puzzle shifting as Yami Yugi took over.
"This is too far," he said. "Marik's crossed a line now, and I'm putting a stop to it."
With a flourish, he withdrew a card from his deck and held it up in the air.
"Now, almighty Slifer the Sky Dragon, come forth!" Yami Yugi bellowed.
Lightning crashed through the heavens as sinuous red coils with a black belly emerged from the sky. Spiny red wings seared into existence, and a spiked red head with twin sets of jaws emerged from the clouds.
On the top of the cliff, Rex Goodwin, still deep in thought, lifted his head to look at the Egyptian God monster.
"It seems that he's noticed the sunrise…" Goodwin mused.
"Are you still here?" a voice asked.
Goodwin turned to see Z-one, who looked somewhat battered, hovering behind him.
"You will wait, day after day, for someone to come after you?" Z-one observed.
"That I will, yes," Goodwin replied. "I see no reason to do more than my part in this conflict."
"A dangerous viewpoint," Z-one warned him.
Goodwin chuckled. "I think the immediate concerns are for whoever is dueling that tombkeeper," he commented. "Those who will need to will find me."
"Hmm," Z-one mused thoughtfully. "As you will. Perhaps I could offer you something to break up the monotony?"
Walking over to the very edge of the cliff, Goodwin clasped his hands behind his back. "I fail to see how this monotony could end save the end of this conflict," he replied.
"The numbers are changing, Rex," Z-one replied. "You may need to be involved in pushing them."
Goodwin mulled over it for a while. "All right," he said. "I'm listening."
God descends in the Stone Canyon…
Yusei and his Nitro Warrior shielded their eyes as the Winged Dragon of Ra's glow faded.
He'd heard stories of the three Egyptian God cards, and battled the even larger Earthbound Immortals that had been used by the Dark Signers, but none of them could do the God monster justice that stood before him, despite his previous encounter with it. It looked powerful enough to sweep him away in an instant, such was its presence.
"Behold my great beast, Yusei Fudo!" Yami Marik declared. "I know that you've faced it before, but I think you'll agree with me that to see Ra twice in battle is a rare treat, wouldn't you?"
Ra roared in agreement.
"Now allow its flames to consume you!" Marik ordered. "Since Ra takes on the attack points of the monsters that were sacrificed to summon it, it has thirty-eight hundred attack points and thirty-two hundred defense points!" he explained. "Winged Dragon of Ra, destroy his Nitro Warrior!" Yami Marik yelled, pointing across the field.
Fire began to build in the ring that connected Ra's shoulder plates, and then the flames seeping into its cheek features, the fireball coalescing in the Winged Dragon's mouth.
"Go, Blaze Cannon Blast!" Yami Marik bellowed, and the flames erupted from Ra's maw in a cannon-blast of fire that slammed into Nitro Warrior. The powerful warrior had crossed its arms in an attempt to shield itself, but it was burnt to ashes in the blink of an eye.
The energy stream connecting Nitro Warrior with Yusei snapped, and he screamed in agony as he felt his skin blistering.
"AHA-HAH-HAH-HAH-HAH!" Yami Marik cackled. "Yes, that's it, Yusei! That's just what I want to see! Writhe in pain, scream and shout! Know that you suffer at the hands of the Gods!"
Yusei's life points decreased to 2500, and he slumped to the ground, falling to his knees as his body smoked and hitting the dirt face-first.
Yami Marik snickered. "Don't worry, Yusei," he commented. "The injuries are just an illusion. Your flesh hasn't been seared off your bones just yet." He smiled, and he raised the Millennium Rod. "Do I need to force you to continue?" he asked.
Yusei moved his hand, and he pushed himself up, faltering, but slowly rising to one knee.
Marik's grin widened, and his face began to vein. "Yes…keep going, Yusei," he urged him. "Keep fighting! That way you'll be an excellent sacrifice!" He waved his hand through the air. Of course…he mustn't forget that only the injuries are an illusion. The pain…is not… "I'll end your suffering for now, and give you a chance to fight back!" Yami Marik declared.
Yusei had risen to his feet again, and his vision blurred. I can't take another damage dealing hit from Ra like that, he thought weakly. Not if I want to stay in this. He managed to reach his deck, and drew shakily. "My move…" Yusei gasped.
Yami Marik wasn't impressed. If he makes all his moves like that, then he's not going to last much longer. How disappointing.
Yusei himself had come to a similar conclusion. If I don't pull myself together, then I won't last much longer, he reminded himself.
His mark glowed beneath his sleeve, and suddenly, Yusei felt his strength return to him. It soothed his aches and pains and gave him the strength to stand tall.
All right, first things first, I have to get rid of that monster, Yusei thought. I can't depend on the Crimson Dragon this time, but I do have a small number of cards that can allow me to win this. So I just need to draw them.
He placed a card on his duel disk. "I activate the spell card, One-for-One!" Yusei called. "By discarding one card from my hand, I can special summon a level one monster directly from my deck to the field!" he explained, discarding his Shield Warrior. "I special summon Tuningware from my deck in defense mode!" Yusei declared. A small monster with a yellow scarf and a frying pan on its head appeared on the field, a dark energy stream linking it to Yusei. (100/300)
"I end my turn with a face-down!" Yusei called, slotting a card into his duel disk, the corresponding image appearing on the field.
Marik drew his card. Well, well, well. Monster Reborn. Now my victory is assured, even if by some miracle he does manage to destroy the Winged Dragon of Ra. "I don't know what you're planning, but it's useless!" he called. "Winged Dragon of Ra, destroy his Tuningware!"
Flame built up in the arch and jaws of Ra, and it blasted it at Tuningware, atomizing the little monster in milliseconds.
Yusei yelled in pain as he felt the burning sensation.
"Your monster might have been in defense mode, but you still feel its pain!" Marik laughed. "Paltry to what you experienced firsthand on my last turn, of course, but it's all a means to your end!" he cried sadistically, licking his lips hungrily.
Yusei panted, but he was still standing. "My move!" he yelled, drawing a card. Perfect, he thought. One step closer to victory! He placed the card he'd drawn on his duel disk. "I summon the Debris Dragon tuner monster!" Yusei declared.
A small white skinned dragon with orange biceps, wrinkled wings, and a jet-shaped head appeared, baring its chest. (1000/2000)
"And now since Debris Dragon was successfully summoned, I can special summon one monster with five-hundred or less attack points from my graveyard, so welcome back to the game, Tuningware!" Yusei called.
The little monster flew out of a graveyard portal, emerging onto the field.
"And not only that, but my Tuningware can be treated as a level two monster for a synchro summon!" Yusei added, clenching his fist. "I now tune my level four Debris Dragon with my level two Shield Wing and Tuningware!" he declared. Debris Dragon burst into four motes of light, which in turn expanded into rings, surrounding Tuningware and Shield Wing.
"From two come one, and from one will come great cosmic might!" Yusei chanted as the two monsters turned transparent, revealing two motes of light each. A spear of light shot down the rings.
"Let's rev it up!" Yusei yelled. "Take flight, Stardust Dragon!"
With a screeching cry, Yusei's ace monster soared into the duel. White and blue, with long, wiry limbs, it for all purposes could have been the grown form of Debris Dragon. It alighted in front of Yusei and folded its wings over its body as a dark energy stream connected it to Yusei. (2500/2000)
Yami Marik smiled in pleasure. "So you've finally summoned your ace monster," he commented. "But how sad that it has to show up in defense mode, where I can't touch your life points with Ra," he said mockingly.
"You can say what you like Marik, but Stardust and I have gone through a lot together and we'll always protect one another," Yusei replied.
Yami Marik burst out laughter. "Well, as they say, those who defend together are destroyed together!" he yelled. "I activate the trap card, Nightmare Wheel!" he called.
Yusei gritted his teeth. No! Not that card…, he thought grimly.
A massive wheel inside the jaws of a fanged dragon skull materialized behind Stardust Dragon, and strands of light reached out from it and grabbed the Signer Dragon's limbs, drawing it onto the wheel. Stardust Dragon screeched as it was bound down, wrestling to get free, but to no avail.
"Stardust Dragon!" Yusei cried, seeing an image of strands of light drawing his dragon towards an infinity-shaped symbol.
"Now your monster can neither attack, nor change battle modes, and during each of my turns, you take five-hundred points of damage!" Yami Marik explained.
Yusei gritted his teeth angrily. "Marik…" he muttered. He drew a card. "Since Tuningware was used as synchro material, I can draw one card from my deck," he explained. "And that'll end my turn."
Yami Marik was snickering as he drew his card. "Now, Nightmare Wheel will turn!"
Strapped to the wheel, Stardust Dragon was spun through the skull, and Yusei gasped in pain as he felt scars running down his chest. He clutched his heart as the wheel stopped rotating and his life points decreased to 2000.
"Next, I'll have Ra attack your Stardust Dragon!" Marik yelled. "Go, Blaze Cannon Blast!"
Howling, Ra built up its flames, and then blasted the fire column at Stardust Dragon.
"I activate the effect of Shield Warrior in my graveyard!" Yusei called. "By removing this card from play, I can prevent Stardust Dragon from being destroyed in battle during this turn!" he explained as the card slid out of his graveyard slot.
The fire stream struck the ghostly image of Shield Warrior, but enough passed through to burn Stardust Dragon once again, and both it and Yusei screamed in pain.
"Your pain isn't over yet!" Yami Marik laughed, placing a card on his duel disk. "I summon another one of my Viser Des in defense mode!"
Another of the vice-like fiends appeared on the field, humming mechanically.
"Your target is Stardust Dragon!" Marik yelled. Viser Des dived forwards and it attached itself to Stardust Dragons head.
"Now take your next turn, but make it quick," Marik taunted. "I will see you suffer before you burn!"
Yusei winced, and he drew his card. His Signer power was keeping him on his feet, but he wasn't sure for how much longer.
His eyes lit up when he saw the card he'd drawn. Graceful Revival!, Yusei thought. Good. I'm one step closer to assembling the pieces that I need. He placed a card on his duel disk. "First I summon the tuner monster Unknown Synchron in defense mode!" he called. A metal globe with a single eye appeared on the field. (0/0)
"Then I'll play a face-down, and end my turn!" Yusei finished, setting his Graceful Revival card.
Yami Marik grinned gleefully. "Yes…" he hissed. "My move!" he yelled, drawing. "Now, the effect of my Viser Des will torture your monster!" he cried.
Squeaks and sparks fizzed through the air as Viser Des tightened its grip. Stardust Dragon was writhing and screaming in pain on the Nightmare Wheel, and Yusei grabbed his head in his hands, howling in agony as his life points decreased to 1500.
"Now spin, Nightmare Wheel!" Marik added. With Viser Des still attached, Stardust Dragon was put through the wheel again, and Yusei grabbed his own arms, hugging himself to try and dull the pain.
"Isn't it glorious?" Yami Marik asked hungrily. "Such pain reminds us that we are truly alive, walking with a foot over the edge of the abyss to the shadows…" He smiled. "I'll destroy you slowly, ever so slowly…"
"I activate a trap card!" Yusei yelled, flinging out his arm as he crouched close to the ground. "Graceful Revival!"
The card flipped up, showing two angels flanking a Skull Servant.
"This card brings back a level two or lower monster back from the graveyard in attack mode!" Yusei explained. "I bring back my Tuningware once again!" he called as the little monster appeared, cowering under its pan.
Yami Marik snorted. "I don't know where the desire for suicide has come from, but I'm happy to grant your wishes!" he commented. "Now attack, mighty Winged Dragon of Ra!" he yelled.
Ra's jaws opened, the flames filled them, and it blasted the cannon-blast of flame again at Tuningware.
Yusei smiled, despite his injuries. "Thanks, Marik, because you've just activated my other trap card," he commented. "Go, Urgent Tuning!" Yusei called. The trap, showing Speed Warrior and Junk Synchron tuning to summon Junk Warrior, flipped face-up.
"This card allows me to synchro summon during the battle phase!" Yusei explained. "So now, level one Unknown Synchron, tune with level one Tuningware!"
Unknown Synchron exploded into the motes of light and the motes became a single green ring, surrounding Tuningware, which faded to reveal a single mote of light. A spear of light shot down the ring as Yusei chanted; "Behold as both power and speed surge towards each other and collide to create pure might! I synchro summon the tuner synchro monster, Formula Synchron!"
What appeared to be a combination of a race car and a humanoid robot raced onto the field. (200/1500)
And now I activate the effects of both Tuningware and Formula Synchron!" Yusei called. "Tuningware's effect allows me to draw a card when it's used as synchro material, and not only that, but when Formula Synchron is synchro summoned, it also allows me to draw a card!" he explained.
Yami Marik fumed as Yusei drew his two cards.
Yusei scanned the cards, frowning. Where is it?, he begged.
"So you were able to synchro summon during my turn," Yami Marik commented. "Too bad your little tuner monster is going to be destroyed by the power of Ra!" he pointed out as the flames began to reach Formula Synchron. They slammed into the race car, vaporizing it.
Yusei covered his face from the backlash, groaning in pain. "Now I pay my next trap card, Miracle's Wake!" he called. "And I'll use it to bring Formula Synchron back from the graveyard since he was just destroyed in battle!" Yusei explained.
Yami Marik was absolutely furious now. "What can you possibly hope to accomplish with such a pathetic creature?!" he asked.
"You know, Marik, I'm glad you asked," Yusei replied curtly. "See, Formula Synchron has an effect that allows me to synchro summon during your main phase as long as he's used as synchro material!" he explained.
"You can do what?!" Marik asked in shock.
"But hey, it shouldn't be a problem for the Winged Dragon of Ra, now, should it?" Yusei asked. "I'll let you mull that over while I tune my level two Formula Synchron to my level eight Stardust Dragon!" he commented.
Formula Synchron burst into dual green rings as it revved its engines. The rings aligned themselves above Yusei and Stardust Dragon.
Stardust Dragon flexed its arms and shattered its bonds, glowing with power. Viser Des promptly leapt off the dragon as if its spikes had been seared, returning to Marik's field.
Yusei raised his hand, and Stardust Dragon hovered beside him, allowing him to jump on its back, and they soared into the air, between the massive rings.
"Clear Mind!" Yusei yelled, focusing on a single factor – defeating Marik. He began to see pink light surrounding him as they passed through the rings, and he began to chant. "Spread your wings and soar to new heights, transform by the winds of destiny and become all-powerful!" He pulled a card out from his extra deck. "Go, Accel Synchro!" he bellowed. Light rippled across the blank card, leaving the image and text in its wake.
The dragon's flight increased, and there was a flash of light as it vanished.
"What's this?" Yami Marik asked in shock. "Where's he gone?!"
Then light erupted from the canyon floor below him, and he covered his eyes as a new monster emerged from the ground, with Yusei riding proudly on its back; an aerodynamically-shaped, white armoured dragon glowing with a green light, with wings resembling those of a jet plane. It stretched its powerful arms and screeched deeply. (3300/2500)
"Be born, Shooting Star Dragon!" Yusei finished as he and his new monster alighted on the ground.
Yami Marik looked at the monster in shock. "This isn't the power of the Crimson Dragon…" he muttered. "His monster has the power to evolve to such lengths…?"
"Don't forget, it's still your turn, Marik," Yusei pointed out.
Scowling, Yami Marik placed a card on his disk. "I'll place a monster in defense mode, and end my turn," he muttered. He smiled nastily. Attack me, Signer, and watch as your new beast crumbles at the hands of my Newdoria!, he thought.
"It's my turn!" Yusei called, drawing a card. Still not there…, he thought. He slotted two cards into his duel disk. "I play two cards face-down, and end my turn!" he called.
Yami Marik was quite surprised. He didn't even switch his Shooting Star Dragon into defense mode, he thought. And with two face-down cards, he's obviously up to something. He drew his next card, still thinking to himself. Does he think that he can escape so easily?, he wondered. Then he looked at the drawn card, Byser Shock, and smiled. I'll show him what real pain is, Marik thought savagely. Ohhhh, it will be delectable…
He plucked his set card from his duel disk. "I sacrifice my Newdoria to summon Byser Shock in attack mode!" Marik explained.
His set card vanished, and then a semicircle of spheres appeared, surrounding a T-shaped frame. (800/600)
"Byser Shock may seem weak, but I can assure you it's an extremely powerful creature," Yami Marik explained. "When it's summoned, it returns every face-down card on the field to the hands of the owners!"
Yusei gasped in shock as his two face-downs jumped into his hand, as did Marik's.
"I'll place my card face-down again," Yami Marik continued. "Now, Winged Dragon of Ra, attack his Shooting Star Dragon!" he ordered. "Blaze Cannon Blast!"
Once again, fire gathered in the arch behind Ra's head, snaked into its jaws, and blasted forth at Shooting Star Dragon.
"I play Shooting Star Dragon's ability!" Yusei replied. "By removing it from play, I can negate one of your attacks!"
Shooting Star Dragon glowed and vanished from the field, and Ra's flames struck the canyon wall. Both Yusei and Yami Marik shielded themselves from the resulting debris.
"Sorry, Marik, but I'm not letting a psycho like you beat me that easily," Yusei replied.
"Your struggles have grown tiresome," Marik replied. "Now, Byser Shock and Viser Des, attack him directly!" he yelled.
The two fiend monsters flew at Yusei, and they caught him in their grasp, Viser Des binding to his head, and Byser Shock attacking from below, binding Yusei's arms and legs into its frame.
"Begin the preparation for the sacrifice!" Yami Marik bellowed.
Viser Des tightened its grip, and Byser Shock's spikes began to spark with electricity.
Then the pain hit Yusei, and it was worse this time, much worse than feeling the pain his monsters had felt.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Yusei howled. "Gah! Ah!"
"Dance, Yusei Fudo, dance!" Yami Marik roared madly. "Give into the pain and know that you are on the edge of non-existence!" He began laughing, his irises dilating and his veins standing out on his face. "Khah-hah-hah-hah-hah-hah!"
Yusei's life points fell to 700, and the electricity faded, but he was still caught by Viser Des, and it dug its spikes in mercilessly. The pain in his temples was horrifying, and he fell to his knees, trying to yank the fiend off, still screaming.
"AAHHHHH! NO!" he yelled. "Get off!"
Finally, he wrenched the fiend off him as his life points fell to 200, and then his hands hit the floor.
Yami Marik was chuckling. It seemed so…anti-climatical to Yusei, until Marik began to speak again.
"Ohhhh, I wish I were in your shoes, Yusei Fudo," Marik commented. "Once you lose this Shadow Game, you'll be tortured by such pain as you've never known, even in this duel…" he said ecstatically. "The things you'll feel…even I couldn't comprehend them…" Yami Marik whispered, before giggling and coughing. "Do you like it?" he asked, sneering at the Signer.
"I don't care what you do to me…" Yusei replied.
"Hmm?" Marik asked thoughtfully.
Pushing himself back to his feet, Yusei spoke again. "You can torture me and hurt me…but I won't let you touch anyone else!" he yelled. "When I focused my thoughts, the Clear Mind, I focused on taking you down, Marik!" Yusei said simply.
Yami Marik laughed, and he spread his arms, smirking. "Do your worst, Yusei Fudo!" he replied. "But first, I'll sacrifice my Viser Des and my Byser Shock, in order to have Ra absorb their attack points!"
Both monsters disappeared, and Ra snarled as its attack and defense points began to increase, stopping at 5100 and 5000 respectively.
"Now my Egyptian God monster is far out of your reach!" Marik crowed.
Not yet, Yusei thought. But I have to draw that card soon, or I won't be able to stop that God.
"Now I'll end my turn!" Yami Marik finished.
"And since you do; my Shooting Star Dragon returns to the field!" Yusei explained. His dragon appeared above him with a roar.
Gritting his teeth, Yusei readied himself to draw. It's now or never, he thought. If I don't draw this card, then I'll probably lose on my next turn. He closed his eyes, and drew the card. Looking at it, he smiled. Got it!, he thought.
"I activate the spell card, Half Shut!" Yusei called. "This card halves the attack points of one of your monsters, but in exchange, I can't destroy it in battle during this turn!"
Yami Marik blanched in surprise as he looked up to see Ra decrease to 2550 attack points.
"You might have reduced Ra's attack points, but the effects of your spell will wear off after this turn!" Yami Marik yelled. "Plus, your dragon may be stronger than mine, but not enough to win this duel!"
"Then I activate Shooting Star Dragon's first special ability!" Yusei continued. "Once each turn, I can reveal the top five cards of my deck, and then Shooting Star Dragon can attack a number of times equal to the number of tuner monsters that are revealed!" he explained.
He drew five cards, and then he held them up to Yami Marik. "Effect Veiler, Quickdraw Synchron, Starlight Road, Turbo Synchron, and Sonic Chick!" Yusei called. "Three tuners!"
Yami Marik was shaking severely. "This…isn't possible…" he whispered.
"Go, Shooting Star Dragon!" Yusei yelled. "Attack with Stardust Mirage!"
Screeching loudly, Shooting Star Dragon rose into the air, and it split into three, each glowing a different colour: one red, one blue, and one yellow.
"I activate my trap card!" Yami Marik yelled. "Go, Mirror Force!" A barrier appeared around Ra, glowing brightly. "So sorry to put an end to you plans, but this card will destroy all of your attacking monsters," Yami Marik sneered.
"I activate the second effect of Shooting Star Dragon!" Yusei retorted. "Once per turn, I can negate the activation of a card that would destroy another card on the field and destroy that card!"
The blue Shooting Star Dragon dived forwards, crashing through the barrier and slamming into Ra.
Yami Marik clutched his stomach in pain as his life points decreased to 650. "You…" he snarled. "You'll pay…"
"Attack him again, Shooting Star Dragon!" Yusei yelled.
Now the red Shooting Star Dragon angled in towards Ra.
"I will not let this happen…" Marik growled.
Shooting Star Dragon's attack connected with Ra, and Yami Marik gasped in agony, pitching forwards and slamming into the ground. His life points dropped to zero.
"Now again, Shooting Star Dragon!" Yusei yelled furiously. "Attack him again!"
The yellow Shooting Star Dragon dived towards Ra as the Egyptian God itself began to sway.
"Enough," whispered a voice.
Yusei felt his vision go black, and he suddenly felt as if he was at the end of a hard day's work.
Jack…Crow…Kaiba…Leo…Luna…Akiza…
PHEW! And with that, the second arc comes to an end, with the third arc starting up soon (hopefully).
Twenty-five chapters. Yikes. Not quite sure how I made it this far. Anyway, those who've reviewed have been a big help, either by suggesting ideas or showing their interest, and I thank you for that.
sonofthetrigod: I'm glad that Yami Marik is still hated so. After all, he technically isn't even entirely human. Thanks for your comments.
Peter Kim: Hey, the duel wasn't finished yet, be patient. And don't forget, Jack HAS used both his upgrades for Red Dragon Archfiend already. I don't want to use the ace monster upgrades all the time. I know perfectly well how his deck works, don't worry. It just ended up going down that route due to the nature of the duel and who he was dueling.
musicaltigresa: Glad you're enjoying it so far, and I'll do my best to update soon. I'll likely wait for a while to figure out who the villains for ARC-V will be before adding in any content.
Anyway, I'm still writing the next duel, but even so, I probably won't post for a while. So I'll leave you with a couple of titbits: minibosses and the shake-up of the status quo.
See ya.
Sanokal.