Chapter 35- Three-on-Three Shadow Game
They continued to search the Shadow Realm, following the Matt-spirit, despite Flynn's earlier objections. Soon they had fought their way into the very core of the Shadow Realm. Why else, Drake thought, would it get so dark when he wasn't alone.
"Is it just me, or is it getting really cold?" asked Julie. She still hadn't fully recovered from her injuries and shadow games.
"No… it's not you. It is getting a little colder." Flynn said.
"Guess that must be a consequence of getting farther into the Shadow Realm." Drake said. "We should be careful."
"Aren't we always?"
"No. Otherwise I wouldn't have your shirt sleeves wrapped around my leg."
"Hey, sometimes stuff like that is unavoidable." They turned a corner to find a room loaded with fiends. "OH SHIT!" Flynn opened fire on the horde. Drake whipped out his 74 and began firing into the crowd. Julie ducked back behind the corner and began firing from cover. Between the three of them they spread fiend guts all over the room. "Why did that seem too easy?"
"Maybe because they didn't have guns." Drake suggested. "Do you think they ran out of weapons from all the fiends we've already killed?"
"That's possible. Where did they get the weapons anyway?"
"Maybe the mastermind bought them from terrorists or something." Julie suggested. Three fiends appeared from the pile of bodies, blood, and guts. All three wore duel disks and each was a different color.
"Do I smell a tag duel approaching?" Drake whispered in Flynn's ear.
"We three challenge you all to a tag-team duel!" The fiends said in unison.
"You do." Flynn whispered back. "Alright, losers, let's do this!"
"Are you calling us losers or them?" Julie asked.
"Them, of course."
"Let's duel!"
Julie: 4000Flynn: 4000
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 4000Blue Fiend: 4000
Green Fiend: 4000
"I'll lead off!" said the Blue-colored fiend. "I summon Oppressed People (Water/Aqua, 100/2000) in defense mode! Then I set one card and end my turn."
"My turn next!" Drake said. "I summon Mystical Elf (Light/Spellcaster, 800/2000) in defense mode! I will also set a card and end my turn."
"I'm second on my team!" said the green fiend. "I summon United Resistance (Wind/Thunder, 1000/800) in attack mode! Then I end my turn."
"My turn now!" Julie drew a card. "I summon Zure, Knight of Dark World (Dark/Fiend, 1800/1500) in attack mode! Then I end my turn."
"My turn now!" said the Red Fiend. "I summon my People Running About (Fire/Pyro, 1500/800) in attack mode! Then I set a card and end my turn."
Flynn looked slightly troubled as he drew his card. "I… do not summon a monster, but I do set a card face-down. Then I end my turn."
"And I will begin the destruction!" The blue fiend drew his card. "I activate my facedown card, Huge Revolution! When People Running About, United Resistance, and Oppressed People are face-up on the field together, I can activate this card. Then, I destroy all cards on your side of the field!"
"No!" Drake said.
"Thought so." Flynn said.
"Now, I summon my Giant Red Seasnake (Water/Sea Serpent, 1800/800) in attack mode. Attack… Julie directly!"
Julie: 2200Flynn: 4000
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 4000Blue Fiend: 4000
Green Fiend: 4000
Julie grimaced from the pain, clutched her heart, and fell to one knee. Drake gave her one quick look, slightly worried, but she got up quickly. Why is it that everyone always goes for Julie? Is there something about her that they want to remove from our group? Or is it just that they want to weed people out of our group so that the power of the Shadows can affect us easier, and that she's the weakest at the moment? His gaze returned to the fiends. "My turn!" Drake drew his card. "I summon my Skilled Dark Magician (Dark/Spellcaster/Effect, 1900/1700) in attack mode! Attack United Resistance!"
Julie: 2200Flynn: 4000
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 4000Blue Fiend: 4000
Green Fiend: 3100
"I end my turn."
"My move." Said the green fiend. "I summon Familiar-Possessed Wynn (Wind/Spellcaster/Effect, 1850/1500) in attack mode! Attack Julie directly!"
Julie: 350Flynn: 4000
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 4000Blue Fiend: 4000
Green Fiend: 3100
Julie fell to both knees this time, grimacing from the pain again, and started coughing up blood again. God! Why can't they go after someone else for once?!? Drake thought. Why does it always have to be Julie?
The fiend smiled an evil smile. "I'm done, and unless she does something drastic, she will be too!"
"You bastard…"
"It's okay, Drake…" Julie got unsteadily to her feet. "It's my turn."
"Drake." Flynn said.
"What?"
"Keep your cool. If you don't, it'll get harder to duel. No matter what they do, keep cool."
"Right."
Julie drew her card. "I play my Dark World Lightning! When it is activate, I get to destroy one facedown card on the field, then I can discard one card from my hand! So, I'll blow away Red's facedown… and discard Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World, who is now special summoned (Dark/Fiend/Effect, 2300/1400) in attack mode."
"Good! Now she has a monster." Drake said.
"Then I activate Graceful Charity! Draw three, discard two…" she slid two monsters into the graveyard. "Heh. One of those was Sillva, Warlord of Dark World, so he is special summoned now (Dark/Fiend/Effect, 2300/1400) in attack mode to join Goldd. Then, I can draw one more card thanks to Broww, Huntsman of Dark World's effect."
Good, now she's well defended. Drake said.
"Go, Goldd, attack People Running About!"
Julie: 350Flynn: 4000
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 3200Blue Fiend: 4000
Green Fiend: 3100
"Then Sillva attack him directly!"
"Oppressed People, defend him!"
"Grr… I'll end my turn."
"And I shall begin mine!" said the red fiend. He drew a card and smiled evilly. "I sacrifice Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World and Sillva, Warlord of Dark World-"
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Drake asked. "Those aren't your monsters."
"I think he knows that." Flynn said.
"What are you talking about?"
"- I sacrifice both of Julie's monsters to special summon Lava Golem (Fire/Pyro/Effect, 3000/2500) on her side of the field!"
"Why would he summon a monster on our side of the field? Especially one who's just as good as Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Drake said.
"Because every turn Lava Golem reduces the player's life points by 1000." Flynn said.
"No!" But she can't take another hit, especially from that! I can't figure out a way to get her out of this!
"However… since I summoned my Golem this turn, I cannot summon a monster of my own, so I'll set two cards and end my turn." The red fiend said.
"My turn." Said Flynn. He looked troubled again.
"Flynn, what's up?" Drake asked.
"Yeah, usually you never have that look." Julie said.
"I can't help Julie." He said. "I have no card that will help her now, and I think that they will probably leave that Golem there and she'll lose."
"I might have something." Drake said. "Just take your turn and give me a chance."
"Right. I may as well hurt them. I summon Lord of D. (Dark/Spellcaster/Effect, 1200/1100) in attack mode and activate my Flute of Summoning Dragon! With it, I can special summon up to two Dragon-type monsters from my hand. So, say hello to two Blue-Eyes White Dragons (Light/Dragon, 3000/2500)!"
"No! One of us is going to die!" said the green fiend.
"Not necessarily." Said the red fiend.
"I don't like those facedowns. I play Heavy Storm and destroy them."
"Grr…" The red fiend's Mirror Force and Sakuretsu Armor were destroyed.
Drake had a sudden realization. He checked his hand. Yes, that'll work! It'll hurt her a little, but it's better than letting her die in this duel. He turned to Flynn. "Flynn. I've got a way out for Julie."
"You do?"
"Yes."
"Thanks, Drake." Julie said.
Boosted a little by the prospect of keeping one partner, Flynn turned back to his opponents. "Now, Blue Eyes one, attack and destroy Familiar Possessed- Wynn!"
Julie: 350Flynn: 4000
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 3200Blue Fiend: 4000
Green Fiend: 1950
"Now, Blue-Eyes number two… attack the green fiend directly!"
Julie: 350Flynn: 4000
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 3200Blue Fiend: 4000
Green Fiend: 0
The green fiend, depleted of his life points, exploded. "And now, because I can, Lord of D., attack the red fiend!"
Julie: 350Flynn: 4000
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 2000Blue Fiend: 4000
Green Fiend: 0
"Yes! Now it's three on two." Drake said.
"And not only that, the fiend who had his turn immediately before Julie, the point were she would be most vulnerable, is gone. I end my turn."
"My turn, and I assure you that you will pay for destroying my brother." The blue fiend drew his card. "I set a card, then attack the Lord of D. with my Giant Seasnake!"
Julie: 350Flynn: 3400
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 2000Blue Fiend: 4000
Green Fiend: 0
"I end my turn with a monster in defense mode."
"My turn!" Drake said. Time for "Operation Destroy That Golem." "I sacrifice Skilled Dark Magician and his three spell counters for Dark Magician (Dark/Spellcaster, 2500/2100) from my deck. Then, I play my Knight's Title, to sacrifice him for my Dark Magician Knight (Dark/Warrior/Effect, 2500/2100), and when he's summoned, I get to destroy one card on the field! Namely, Lava Golem!"
"No fair!" said the red fiend. Dark Magician Knight pointed his sword at the Golem and blew it to pieces.
"And that's not all! Both of those summonses were special, so I can still play a monster! So, I think I'll play my Skilled White Magician (Light/Spellcaster/Effect, 1700/1900) in attack mode! Now, Dark Magician Knight, attack the Giant Red Seasnake!"
Julie: 350Flynn: 3400
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 2000Blue Fiend: 3300
Green Fiend: 0
"Now, Skilled White Magician, attack the blue fiend directly!"
Julie: 350Flynn: 3400
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 2000Blue Fiend: 1600
Green Fiend: 0
"With that, I'm done."
"Thank you, Drake…" Julie said, and drew a card.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" said the red fiend.
"I'm helping to win this duel. The green fiend is gone; he can't take his turn. So, I play Gateway to Dark World! This allows me to special summon one Dark World monster from my graveyard, as long as I do not summon any other monsters this turn! So, return, Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World (Dark/Fiend/Effect, 2300/1400) in attack mode! Goldd, destroy the red fiend!"
Julie: 350Flynn: 3400
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 0Blue Fiend: 1600
Green Fiend: 0"And now, since you have no chance of winning, I end my turn."
"My turn!" Flynn said. "For safety purposes, I play Stamping Destruction on your facedown card. This destroys it and inflicts 500 damage to your life points."
Julie: 350Flynn: 3400
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 0Blue Fiend: 1100
Green Fiend: 0
"And I'm pretty sure I know the identity of your facedown monster, so I'll activate my last card- Nobleman of Crossout!" The blue fiend's facedown Penguin Soldier was removed from play. "Now, BLUE-EYES WHITE DRAGON, ATTACK HIM DIRECTLY!!!"
Julie: 350Flynn: 3400
Drake: 4000
Red Fiend: 0Blue Fiend: 0
Green Fiend: 0
Both remaining fiends exploded. Since the Shadow Game was now over and her strength was no longer needed, Julie fell to the ground. Drake ran over to her and felt her pulse, half expecting her to be dead. She was still alive, but unconscious. "Doesn't it seem like they pick on her an awful lot?" He asked Flynn.
"Yes. I don't understand it, wouldn't they want to weaken the strongest members of our group? They already got Matt, why aren't they going for us now? We're better than both Keith and Julie." Flynn replied. "It doesn't seem to make sense. Is there something special about her?"
"I was thinking there might be. They've nearly killed her several times, and they pick on her the most in Shadow Games. It's a good thing that she flickers in and out when we need her, otherwise we would have been screwed a long time ago. Until she flickers in again…" Drake threw her limp body over his shoulder. He was getting quite a workout today- or rather tonight.
"DUCK!" Flynn said.
"Huh?" Drake spun around and saw a fiend running at him with incredible speed. There was no way to dodge him. Moments before he could sink his huge claw into Drake's head, though, a small hole appeared between his eyes. The fiend froze, crossed its eyes, as if trying to see the hole, then fell over backwards, dead. "Uh, what just happened?"
"It just died of a hole in its head. A hole that appeared without anything hitting it." Flynn said.
"Oh, come on, that would be totally unrealistic!" came a voice from behind them. Drake turned around and saw…
"Brooklyn! What are you doing here?"
"I sent Matt a message a while ago and he never responded. Since he is always very prompt on stuff like that, I knew something was wrong." Brooklyn walked over to them. Drake never noticed how short he really was, as he had only seen him sitting down. "Where's Keith, and what happened to Julie?" Drake recounted what had happened, aided in some parts by Flynn. Brooklyn scratched his chin.
"Hm. That's bad. I don't know as much about the Shadow Realm as Matt, but from here on out, I guess I'll have to fill in for him, at least until we find him."
"If we find him." Drake pointed out.
"We will. If I know anything about Matt- as little as it may be- it's that these fiends cannot contain him or kill him. He's too tough. But let's get going."
Drake looked at Flynn and Flynn looked back. "Brooklyn's leading us. We're screwed."
"Yep."
"Hey, come on, don't you guys have any faith in me?"
"No." Flynn said.