Disclaimer: I only own the characters that I made up for this story. Everything else is property of its respective owner and I take no credit for it. I do own a few of the cards and those will be marked with a (*).
Theme Song: Lemon by Katy Rose
Chapter 35: Earth's Last Stand
"So this is where it all ends, huh?" Tueur asked Jihl. "Us two, teammates, forced to duel against each other instead of dueling our enemies. Sad that things had to come to this."
The rain fell heavily upon them. It was the perfect accessory to their final meeting. A dark air surrounding them, the smell of death was impossible to ignore. It was obvious that one of them wouldn't be surviving this encounter, so the stage was set. The anger and distrust inside Jihl would now battle against the darkness and hatred within Tueur's heart. Where Matsu had failed, Jihl was determined to succeed.
"You talk about us as if we were teammates. We both know that's a lie. I saw what you did to Matsu, and its obvious that we aren't on the same side." she stated coldly. "You killed him..."
Tueur pulled off his cloak and tossed it aside, revealing his blood-red/black clothing as well as a small dagger strapped around his waist. "So you saw that, huh? To be honest, wouldn't that mean that he wasn't on the same side as us?" he asked her.
Jihl shook her head. "Matsu may not have agreed with the desires of the Titans, but we all know that he still fought for their cause. Just because he wanted them to live up to their promises does not mean that he was a traitor." she explained.
"What exactly does that mean, then? Are you saying that I am the traitor?" he asked, though the look on Jihl's face said enough for him not to require a verbal response. "Did you know that each one of us has a role in this war? Kichigai was here due to his use of psychological warfare during duels. Hikazu was here due to his way of pressuring his opponent during a duel. Matsu was here because of his extraordinary dueling skills. Had we not recruited him, he would have been dueling us, and would have most likely defeated us."
"Is this going anywhere?" Jihl asked, cutting him off out of irritation.
"My point is, that I have my own role as well. You may believe I'm a simple foot soldier, but you are wrong. I'm here for a greater reason. In a war, each side has something that gives them an advantage, and once its been used to its fullest extent, it needs to be destroyed, for it no longer helps them in the war. That would be my job. I am here to take down everything that no longer serves a purpose for the Titans. Hikazu, Matsuda, Kichigai, and Tobikuma. All of them were valuable in our quest to defeat the Olympian Gods, but they had served their purpose. Either directly or indirectly, I made sure they were taken out." he informed her.
"Hikazu always got in over his head, so I made sure that I could use that to my benefit. His short temper and his overgrown ego would be his own destruction, especially since I knew he'd refuse to die before defeating Matsu. Kichigai was harder to take down. He had the Wicked Gods to protect him, but his insanity would eventually be his end. I made sure that he fought someone who could pressure him enough to make him slip up. Tobikuma was the vessel for the Titan Uranus. The problem with that Titan was that he wanted complete and total power over the Titans. As such, I had to deal with him personally. I set him up for his own destruction."
"And what about Matsuda!" she exclaimed, unable to control herself any longer. Hearing him talk about how he had betrayed so many of his teammates just made her skin boil. "Why did you do that to him?"
A dark smile made its way onto Tueur's face. "Matsuda wanted the Olympians to win. It doesn't matter if he fought for us or not, he was still threat. That's why he was killed."
"That's not what I mean! Why the dagger? You knew his fate was sealed. You knew he had already been defeated. So, why?"
"Matsu had been defeated by the girl, as he desperately wished. However, he also wanted me dead as well. He wasn't an idiot. Though he knew that I couldn't be killed, he knew that if I were pulled down into the depths of the ocean with him, there would be no possible way for me to duel, thus resulting in an automatic defeat on my end. The reason why I stabbed him just before his attack connected was because I was not about to allow him to end things on his terms. He could die as he wished, but I would not grant him the satisfaction of letting everything go according to his plans." He finished with a cackling laugh that filled the air, echoing off into the distance.
With anger in her eyes, Jihl stared at him as he laughed. Between the darkness and isolation of the city, and the heavy rain, Tueur seemed to be the insane murderer his actions would describe him to be.
"That's enough!" she shouted out, causing the area to become completely silent, save the sound of the falling raindrops. "Let's duel." she stated with absolute determination in her voice. This would be it. Where Matsu had failed, she would succeed.
Tueur welcomed the challenge, and they activated their duel disks.
(4000-4000)
"I'll grant you the pleasure of having the first turn." he told her, feeling confident in his ability to defeat her.
Replying with a scowl, she drew her sixth card and examined her hand. Though she held Monster Reborn, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, Naturia Cliff, Naturia Fruitfly, Naturia Beans, and Landoise's Luminous Moss, she knew that her options for now were somewhat limited. However, she could use Naturia Cliff to special summon a tuner and Synchro Summon on her next turn, provided that Tueur destroyed her monster.
"I start by setting one card on the field, and summoning Naturia Cliff in defense mode." Naturia Cliff, a large rectangular wall made out of solid rock, appeared on the field. (1500/1000)
"I end my turn."
(4000-4000)
Tueur drew a card and began his turn with an eerie calm. "Let me give you just a taste of what my deck can really do." he said.
"I activate the spell card, Polymerization! With this, I can summon a fusion monster by discarding the material monsters from my hand." He took three cards from his hand and discarded them.
A large, colorful, swirling portal appeared beside him, and the faint images of the three Infernity Beast that he discarded appeared briefly. Then, a large beastly head popped out, followed by another, and then another. Now, a three-headed beastly creature stood on the field, a poisonous haze escaping from its gaping maws. (2700/1900)
"Meet, Infernity Hellhound*!" he exclaimed, introducing his monster.
"I thought you had a Titanic Deity as your ace!" Jihl said, following a gasp as she was surprised by the appearance of the creature.
"You poor, naive girl. Like I would dare waste my Titanic Deity on you. Sorry, but you'll fall to the power of my deck, because I don't need Atlas to defeat you!" he replied. "Hellhound, destroy her insect!"
The beast's head focused on the small Naturia monster, and quickly released a poisonous breath. Though Naturia Cliff tried to fight it off, the corroding acid in the beast's breath was too much, causing the poor Naturia monster to shatter into pieces.
"When Naturia Cliff is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, I can special summon a level four or lower Naturia monster from my deck. Come on out, Naturia Butterfly!" A small butterfly appeared on the field, showing off the purple/pink colors of her wings. (500/1200)
"Don't even try to attack, since her effect allows me to negate your attack by simply discarding the top card of my deck."
"Nice. That little bug has a bit more fight than I initially thought, then. No matter. I set one card and summon Infernity Randomizer!" The robotic warrior appeared on the field, its fiendish face scanning the field for targets. (900/0)
"Infernity Randomizer's effect activates. Once per turn, if I hold no cards in my hand, I can draw one card and reveal it. If it is a monster, then you take damage equal to two hundred points times the monster's level. If its a spell or a trap, then I shall take five hundred points of damage. I hope you are feeling lucky..."
He drew a card, and the smile on his face was wiped away. As soon as it did, Infernity Randomizer turned to him and electrocuted him. "Grr... Lightning doesn't strike twice for me..." he stated, ending his turn.
(4000-3500)
As she drew Barkion's Bark, Jihl knew that her plan was working perfectly. She not only had to put pressure on her opponent, but she also had to strike fast. She didn't know what was in Tueur's deck, but she didn't want to stick around long enough to find out.
"I activate the spell card, Barkion's Bark! Since I have a Naturia monster on my field, this card prevents you from using any traps this turn." she said, making sure that Tueur's set card didn't do anything to prevent her from Synchro Summoning.
"Now, I'll summon Naturia Fruitfly to the field." True to its name, Naturia Fruitfly was a fly with a body made up of a blackberry, a strawberry, and a blueberry. (800/1500)
"Next I'll use the spell card, Monster Reborn, to bring back Naturia Cliff." With a heavy thud, Naturia Cliff appeared on the field, seeming somewhat tired from its last battle. (1500/1000)
"I tune my Naturia Butterfly with Naturia Cliff and Naturia Fruitfly!" Naturia Butterfly turned into three green rings and floated around Naturia Cliff, who dissolved into four golwing stars, and Naturia Fruitfly, who dissolved into three glowing stars, for a total of ten stars.
"The Earth stands oppressed no longer! Let it break free and take control! Fight for freedom, Titanic Deity-Gaia*!"
A beautiful young woman appeared on the field. She wore a long green dress, and her silky long, brown hair was adorned with a golden ring of leaves that rested at the top of her head. Though physically, she looked weak, one sensed an aura of overwhelming power coming from her. (2700/1300)
"Since Naturia Cliff's effect activates regardless of how it was removed from the field and sent to the graveyard, I can use it again and summon another monster, such as Naturia Mosquito!" A tiny, yet extremely colorful, mosquito appeared on the field, resting on Gaia's head. (200/300)
"Also, I use Gaia's effect. Once per turn, I can special summon a level four or lower Earth attribute monster from my hand. So, I summon Naturia Beans." A trio of very small green beans, each with a different personality, appeared on the field. (100/1200)
Tueur clapped slowly, the sound irritating Jihl more and more as it mixed in with the rain. "Very nice. I have to say, you're better than I thought. I guess its one thing to see your deck on paper, and its another to see it in action. Unfortunately for you, none of your monsters are strong enough to destroy my hound."
Jihl smirked. "My purpose is not to destroy your monster. You see, as long as Naturia Mosquito is on the field, all battle damage I take from battles involving Naturia monsters is inflicted upon you instead. So, Naturia Beans, attack his Infernity Hellhound!"
The trio of green beans launched themselves at the mighty beast, fists outstretched. "By discarding one card from my hand, I can use the effect of my Infernity Hellhound and negate your attack."
An invisible barrier surrounded the large creature, and blasted away the small monsters.
"Since you have no more cards in your hand, I'll attack your Infernity Randomizer with Gaia." Gaia looked at the fiendish warrior and smiled. Within seconds, giant, thorny roots erupted from beneath Infernity Randomizer and dragged it down into the abyss they had created.
The monster's explosion sent shockwaves throughout the building on which they stood, decreasing Tueur's Life Points.
"I set a card and end my turn."
(4000-1700)
Tueur and Jihl were completely drenched at this point. The rain had gotten heavier as the duel's intensity increased.
"You are indeed strong, Jihl. However, you won't be getting very far. I don't know what it is that makes you believe that you can defeat me, but I can assure you that it is lying. You need to understand that no matter how hard you try, you won't be walking out of this alive." he informed her.
"I activate the spell card, Pot of Greed. This allows me to draw two more cards." he said, adding two more cards to his hand.
"Tueur, you are a menace. It doesn't matter whose side I'm on anymore. You need to be destroyed. As long as you are around, this world won't get any better. With people like you, this world is doomed to failure. Matsu realized this. He knew you had to be defeated. Though he tried desperately to take you down with him, he knew deep down that I would be the one who would have to stop you. That's why we are here. He told me that, should he fail, it would be up to me to defeat you." she stated.
"Really? He sure had high hopes for you. I do wonder what he said to convince you of this, but in the end, it wouldn't matter. You'll lose, and I'll be able to continue on. I'll kill everyone on this miserable planet."
"But why?" she asked him.
"Because no one can stop me, that's why. People say they can protect that which they love, but in the end, its always a miserable bluff." he explained.
"Enough of this stalling. Time to move on with the duel. I activate the quicklplay spell, De-Fusion. This turns my Infernity Hellhound back into three Infernity Beast." The gargantuan creature glowed brightly and shrunk down, splitting into three small panther-like beasts. (1600/1200) [x3]
"I'll have the first one attack your Naturia Beans."
"I activate the trap card, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow. This negates your attack, and I can set it back on the field." Jihl countered, causing the pile of scrap metal to push back the beast.
"I'll have the second one attack you, then." This time, Jihl could not stop the attack, but fortunately, the effect of Naturia Mosquito would keep her safe. Naturia Beans exploded, but the backlash of the explosion hit Tueur.
Despite his unbelievably low life points, Tueur continued, seemingly unaffected by the situation.
"I'll have the third one attack your Naturia Mosquito." This time, Naturia Mosquito's effect could not protect her, and she took the damage.
"Next I'll use the spell card, Infernity Burst. This deals eight-hundred points of damage to your Life points for each Infernity monster I control." Each Infernity Beast barked, releasing a burst of sound that pushed Jihl a few steps back.
She clenched her teeth as she had fallen witness to Tueur's counterattack. She didn't like it one bit. This guy was insane, and willing to go to any length to obtain a victory. It was obvious that she had her work cut out for her.
"I end my turn."
(200-200)
Jihl breathed heavily as she drew her next card. She had lost almost all her Life Points in just one turn. Almost all that she had done throughout the duel had been torn down in a matter of minutes. It seemed as though Tueur was right. It seemed as though defeating him would be impossible. Still, she had to try. Not just for Matsu, but for everyone. That was her mission, and she couldn't forget it.
She looked at the card she had drawn and took a deep breath before she set it on the field. This was her last chance. If she didn't do something now, then it would all be over.
"Gaia, attack his Infernity Beast and finish him off!" she commanded.
"I activate the trap card, Infernity Break! Since I have no cards in my hand, I can activate this card. By removing from play one Infernity monster in my graveyard, I can select one card that you control and destroy it!"
A bolt of lightning shot out of his graveyard slot and electrocuted the Titanic Deity, destroying her completely. Jihl stood in disbelief as she saw what had occurred. It was impossible. That was her only chance to win. All she could do now was hope that her backup card could buy her an extra turn, and another chance to obtain her victory.
"I end my turn." she said in a low voice, muffled by the sound of pouring rain.
(200-100)
Tueur drew a card and smirked calmly. "Its as I said. You won't be able to defeat me. I set a card, and then command my Infernity Beast to attack you directly."
"I won't go down that easily. I activate my trap card, Mirror Force!" she shouted out, but to her immense surprise, the trap did not activate.
"Whenever Infernity Beast attacks while I hold no cards in my hand, my opponent cannot activate any spell or traps until the end of the damage step." Tueur informed her.
"What?" she exclaimed, the beast ramming her onto the ground with all its weight.
The impact was strong enough to cause her to bleed internally, as well as leave her momentarily paralyzed.
Tueur walked up to her and stared at her as she slowly lost consciousness. She had a surprised look, and there was some blood dripping down her cheeks. Of course, the rain quickly washed it away.
Tueur chuckled as he saw his defeated opponent. "I told you that you wouldn't win. After all, you are the only Titan whose Titanic Deity doesn't have an Assault Mode." he told her. "I don't even know why I'm saying this. You probably don't even hear a word I'm saying, do you?"
True to word, Jihl had no idea what Tueur was saying. As she lied there, paralyzed and losing consciousness, only one thing ran through her head. All she could hear was what Matsu had told her a while before his duel against Casey. All she could hear was:
You are not fighting for the Titans. You aren't fighting for the Olympians. You are fighting for all the innocent people that were caught in the middle of this. You are their last hope. You are the Earth's last chance at freedom...
End of Chapter 35.
As the story gets closer and closer to its end, we witness Tueur duel against Casey. Without the use of his own Titanic Deity, Tueur was able to destroy Jihl's Titanic Deity, and take her down without worrying about his own Life Points. With Tueur planning to use Atlas in his next duel, Casey's got to find a way to win, or else it'll be up to Zeke to determine the fate of the world. Don't miss: Wrath of the Shinigami.
A/N: There's about four chapters left in this story, give or take, so things are slowly going to be wrapping up.
-CARD ALBUM-
Infernity Hellhound - Monster Card
Type: Beast
Attribute: Dark
Level: 8
ATK: 2700
DEF: 1900
Effect:
Infernity Beast + Infernity Beast + Infernity Beast
As long as this card is on the field, if your opponent declares an attack, you can discard one card from your hand to negate it.
Titanic Deity-Gaia - Monster Card
Type: Spellcaster/Synchro
Attribute: Earth
Level: 10
ATK: 2700
DEF: 1300
Effect:
"1 Earth Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters"
Once per turn, you can special summon one level four or lower monster from your hand to the field.