Chapter 37: Signs Of Doom: Part 2
The Mark of the Condor shines high above, as Angela Raines gives a news report. "We're live at Maya Memorial Park, where, at five-forty-seven p.m. today, a mysterious light appeared over Director Goodwin's mansion that is similar in shape to the Nazca Lines of a Condor geoglyph. Now, as you can see..." Angela says. She and her cameraman are part of a thin crowd of foolishly brave bystanders, other news people and Security forces gathered on the outside of a circular barrier of purple fire around the duel. "This strange light is surrounded by a powerful blue energy shield. So I'm afraid this is as close as we can get, but even so, it's close enough to see that something big is happening! Now, the only question that remains is just what that something is!" Says Angela.
"Hahahahaha! It's only a matter of time before I defeat you Signers! I'll stop at nothing to rule all!" Goodwin says.
"Then I guess it's up to us to stop you!" Says Crow.
He, Jack, Sakura and Yusei round a corner of the design.
"And I'll start by throwin' two face downs! This guy's all talk, don'tcha think, Sakura?" Crow asks.
Sakura's holding at her chest, just above her heart, closely. "We shall see..." Says Sakura, she sounds just as weak as she looks.
The King of the Netherworld is approaching across the water. Some of its slime looks more like coarse hair now. It roars.
"The King of the Netherworld fast approaches! And when he arrives, you can be sure that all you see around you will be destroyed, so that I can create a new world to rule, a world that will be made in my image! Ha ha hahahahahaha!" Goodwin says.
Leo, Luna, Trudge, Minako, Hotaru and Akiza are watching from the ground. "We've gotta stop Goodwin, but how?" Asks Luna. "By winning." Akiza says, determined.
"Crow, are you done with your turn?" Asks Sakura.
"Sure am! Who's up next?" Crow asks.
Jack dodges around the other three and moves to the front of the pack. "Me! So get set, Goodwin! Because I have a few surprises in store for you, and not the kind you wrap up with a bow! No, they're the sort that put power-mad megalomaniacs like you in their place! Here goes! First, I place a face down! Second, I summon forth Magic Hole Golem in defense mode!" Says Jack. Magic Hole Golem has 2000 defense points. "Next, I'll use Golem's special ability. Now once per turn, I can cut half the attack points of a monster on my field, and then use that monster to wage a direct attack on you! And this turn, the monster I'm choosing is Mad Archfiend!" Jack says. Mad Archfiend soars through Golem's big central ring and its attack points decrease to 900. "There's no time like the present! Let 'im have it, Mad Archfiend!" Says Jack.
Goodwin looks up, this is annoying.
"Bone Shard Shower!" Jack says.
Goodwin cowers a bit, as he's attacked with little shards of bone and his lifepoints fall to 7900.
"Hey, I wanna get in on this fun! And thanks to one of the face down cards I played last turn, I'm happy to report that I'm about to! I play the trap card, 'Shadow Dance'! See, if a monster attacks you directly, 'Shadow Dance' then activates, and you take an additional one thousand points of damage!" Says Crow.
"What?!" Goodwin asks. His lifepoints fall to 6900 and he drops a speed counter, he now has two.
"You see?! I tried to give you fair warning before, Goodwin! You may have both the power of the Light and the Dark, but it is still no match for what we have… the power you get for fighting for what is good and right. And if you need more proof… here! Take this! I play 'Rising Rush'! This trap activates when you take damage from an effect, and it allows me to summon one tuner monster from my hand. And the tuner monster I'm summoning is Hex!" Says Sakura. Hex has 1300 attack points and is a level 3 monster.
"Nice! You take it from here, Sakura." Jack says.
"Hm. My turn!" Says Sakura. She draws. "And first, I shall tune level-three Hex with level-four Sonic Boom! Now, from two comes one, and a powerful one at that! I synchro-summon, Whirlwind!" Sakura says. Whirlwind has 2600 attack points. "And now, I shall use her special ability. With it, I'm allowed to remove a monster of yours from play until the end phase of the round! So let your rainbow colored power shine, Whirlwind! And take out Moon Dragon Quilla with Rainbow of Doom!" Says Sakura.
Direct hit and Quilla vanishes into the air behind it.
"Yeah! That's whatcha get when you go one-on-four, Goodwin!" Jack says.
"And there's a whole lot more to come, too! Isn't that right, Sakura?!" Asks Crow.
"You better believe it! Now, Whirlwind, let him have it! Attack Goodwin directly!" Sakura says.
"Why thanks! You just set off my trap, 'Offering to the Immortals'! You see, if one of your monsters declares a direct attack, and I have no monsters on my field, that attack is negated." Says Goodwin.
"Huh?" Sakura asks.
"Then, I get to summon two sacrificial stone monument tokens!" Says Goodwin.
His four opponents are silent, somber. This can't be good.
"And there's more! I also get to add an Earthbound Immortal to my hand!" Goodwin says.
"You what?!" Asks Sakura.
"He negated the attack, summoned two tokens, and got that Immortal, all just because he played that one trap card?! This duel might be tougher than we thought." Crow says.
"Oh yes, it will be! The Light and Darkness are powerful allies, and they're both on my side! Hahahahahahahaha!" Says Goodwin.
"And that Immortal's gonna be on the field soon." Jack says.
"I place two cards face down and end my turn!" Says Sakura.
"Huhuhahahahahaha! You know what that means, Moon Dragon Quilla returns to the field!" Goodwin says.
"Not good!" Says Luna. "Rrrgh." Leo growls under his breath.
"It's now my turn! Thanks to the trap card that Sakura played, it can allow me to summon one monster without synchro-summoning! And the monster I'm bringing out is Junk Archer!" Yusei says. Junk Archer has 2300 attack points. "But since he wasn't regularly synchro-summoned, he can't attack until my next turn! So lucky for you, I'll put one card face down and end my turn!" Says Yusei.
"My turn, now! First, I'll release my two sacrificial stone monument tokens! Nnhmhmhmhmhmhmhmhmmhm! Because you were right, Jack. My Earthbound Immortal will be on the field soon! Soon being right now. Come forth, Wiraqocha Rasca!" Goodwin says.
Down on the ground. The Security guys outside the barrier have stopped to stare. "Check it out, that glow's getting close!" All of them turn into purple light, as they're absorbed by the nascent Immortal.
The bystanders are looking around in a panic, as purple lights shoot up all around them. Angela is frantic. "Whoa! I always saw myself in lights, but didn't wanna actually become a light!" Says Angela. She runs a few steps, then is frozen in her tracks, as she starts to glow. "Quick, run for i-i-i-i-it!" Angela says.
From the looks of it, the camera guy escaped, but she was absorbed.
Souls pour into the Earthbound Immortal's floating snail shell of doom and it begins to throb.
"Their spirits, he's taking them!" Says Jack.
"No. He's using them… to power up that monstrosity!" Sakura says, grimly.
The snail shell explodes, erupting into a small sun.
From out of the bright light appears a black wing, glowing with pinkish designs. A talon, veined through with pink light. A head with glowing yellow eyes, a dark black beak like a vulture's. And Wiraqocha Rasca takes the field, its wingspan three-quarters as wide as the geoglyph's.
Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca is a level ten winged beast, with one attack and defense point.
All four gasp.
And the King of the Netherworld is still lurching toward the land.
"More bad news, that thing's getting closer!" Says Jack. As they watch, little drops shoot out from it and turn into big, ugly birds made of the same gray slime.
"An' it looks like he's invited some friends!" Crow says.
The flock of nasty birds swoop down on the duel, fly an aerial formation around the Immortal and dive toward the four turbo-duelists.
"Heheheheheheheheh." Goodwin laughs.
Jack looks around, unsettled, as two birds fly alongside his runner, one on each side.
Crow looks around, worriedly, and extends an arm, experimentally, as though to let the bird land, then yanks it away before he can get bitten.
"I hope you're all enjoying my reinforcements! Sure, it may be a bit unfair to attack you with monsters that aren't from my deck, but when you have such powers as I it would be a shame to not use them! And besides, it's not like you can stop me! Hahahahahahahahaha!" Says Goodwin.
"You snake!" Sakura says.
Suddenly, a shadow flies over her, a really huge one is about to claw at her.
However, Sakura doesn't seem very fazed by it. She closes her eyes and concentrates. "If this is how you want to do things. Then, so be it." Sakura thinks to herself. She extends out her hand. "Grim, come forth!" Says Sakura.
Wisps of shadowy mist suddenly emerge from her shadow and Grim soon takes form, lunging at the bird, with his unnaturally long tail being the last thing to form. Grim's able to reach the bird before it can so much as do anything to harm his mistress and tears into it with his claws and teeth, with ease, and it dissipates.
As soon as the bird is destroyed, Grim turns and moves to catch up with Sakura's runner. Grim manages to keep pace alongside Sakura and her runner. "Well done, Grim." Sakura says. Grim then jumps onto her runner and lies down behind her, resting one of his front paws and head on one of her legs, he's still being very watchful, though, encircling his unnaturally long tail around her waist.
Suddenly, a shadow flies over Yusei, a really big bird is about to land on top of him.
Just then. A sharp, thorny vine stabs the bird through and it dissipates, Black Rose Dragon has joined the fight. Black Rose Dragon swats more birds down with her vines.
A short distance away. Ancient Fairy Dragon is at the center of a swarm of the things, smacking at them one by one.
"That is Akiza's dragon! And there is Luna's!" Says Sakura.
"Wow, guess we Signers can help out with our own reinforcements, too!" Luna says. "Let 'em have it!" Says Akiza, merciless. "Ancient Fairy Dragon, attack!" Luna says.
Up in the sky. Ancient Fairy Dragon radiates light, every nasty black bird within a twenty-foot radius is dusted.
"Go, Black Rose Dragon!" Says Akiza.
Black Rose Dragon commands the sky, with a breath of violet fire.
Jack smiles.
Yusei grins.
"Haha!" Crow laughs, triumphantly.
Even Sakura is smiling. "Nice moves! Thank you, girls!" Sakura says.
"If he's gonna play dirty, then he's gonna have to answer to us!" Says Akiza. "Yeah! Don't worry, we've got your backs!" Luna says. Kuribon floats back into her arms and she hugs him close. "Yeahaha! Me, too!" Says Leo. "So do I, all the way!" Minako says. Hotaru nods, with a genuine smile. "We've got you covered!" Says Trudge.
The four runners round another corner. All four are a bit more hopeful now, knowing that their friends are watching over them.
"Then what're we waiting for?" Crow asks.
"Let's win this!" Says Yusei.
"Hmhmhmhm. Why do you fight when your fate is sealed?" Goodwin asks.
"Sealed? Sorry, Goodwin. However, I believe that we make our own fate." Says Sakura.
"As did I, but that was before I knew the power you see before you, the power etched into my very being! You're right, fate is made! But now that I rule both the Light and the Darkness, it is made only by me! Hahaha!" Goodwin says.
"Your wrong!" Says Sakura.
"If you still refuse to believe me, Sakura! Then, I'll demonstrate with Rasca! You see, its special ability lets me lower your lifepoints to one simply by skipping my battle phase." Goodwin says.
"Ugh..." Says Sakura.
"You must be joking! You can't do that, she'll be a sitting duck!" Jack says.
"Hmhmhmhmhm, that's the point! I tried to warn you! It is decided! You're done for! All of you!" Says Goodwin.
"What happened to you, Goodwin?! You used to believe in helping others, not just yourself!" Crow says.
Yusei gasps.
Jack seems reigned and upset.
And Sakura seems troubled, not to mention in a bit of pain, still holding at her heart. "Crow, don't." Says Sakura.
"When you tried to build that bridge for us Satellite kids, I looked up to you! You were my hero, an' I know deep down you've still got that in you!" Crow says.
No evil laugh now. Goodwin doesn't want to believe it, but Crow's words are affecting him. "You're wrong. I'm simply not that man anymore." Says Goodwin.
"Yes, you are! Look, I know it didn't work out the way you wanted, but you gotta realize…" Crow says. He's nearly crying. "…Just you trying changed all of our lives, it gave us all hope!" Says Crow.
Goodwin's silent.
"Look, Goodwin! If you're not gonna be the legendary man we thought you were, then I guess I'm just gonna have to step up and fill those shoes for you! Because Satellite needs its heroes!" Crow says.
"Look out!" Says Yusei.
"Quick, Crow! Behind you!" Jack says.
One of the nasty birds escapes Black Rose Dragon and whacks Crow across the shoulder, sending him off-balance.
"Crow, no." Says Sakura.
"Ahh!" Jack says.
Crow swerves a bit, but holds his course.
"That will teach you to dare talk back to me!" Says Goodwin.
"Ugh!" Crow says.
"Now, then, where were we again exactly? Ah, yes, I remember now, about to rout Sakura's lifepoints! After all, ladies first!" Says Goodwin. Rasca starts to glow.
"Don't think so! I play, my face down card! 'Life Exchange'! With this trap, if lifepoints change due to a card effect, I become the new target of that effect." Crow says.
"No! That means…" Says Sakura.
Goodwin realizes it, too, this is a moderately disagreeable and unexpected turn of events.
"I told you I'd be filling those shoes! Sakura's our best shot at winning this, and I'm not letting you take 'er out, even if it means me putting it all on the line to keep 'er out here! Face it, Goodwin! The power we get for fighting for what's right will always be stronger than what you got! Now, let's do this!" Crow says.
"But, he'll be…" Says Yusei.
"...Flattened!" Jack says.
"Hmhmhmhm. It's easy to be brave when you're a fool! Wiraqocha Rasca, reduce Crow's lifepoints to one!" Says Goodwin.
Rasca breathes a rain of purple fire. Crow rides into it and his wheels lift from the track. "Agh!" Crow says.
"Oh no, Crow." Says Sakura.
"He's done-for!" Goodwin says.
Crow sails over the side of the track, still covered in Rasca's fire, and plummets toward the water below. Crow winces, as his lifepoints drop to 1, and the fire dissipates. "Sorry, Goodwin… but if I'm goin' down, you better believe I'm goin' down swingin'!" Says Crow. His runner's wings activate and fold into position. "'Cause guess what, 'Life Exchange' has another effect. When my lifepoints decrease, one of your monsters is destroyed!" Crow says.
"But, that means…" Says Goodwin.
"That means, all I gotta do is pick. And I pick your moon-shadow dragon!" Crow says. The flying engines on the back of his runner light up and he's flying back upward, just as the bridge-builder once soared off the end of the unfinished bridge. "Aaa-aaa-aaaaaaaaahh!" Crow screams. He rams Moon Dragon Quilla head-on and it shatters around him.
"Crow, no!" Says Sakura.
"You fool. When Moon Dragon Quilla is destroyed, my Sun Dragon Inti is resurrected!" Goodwin says. Sun Dragon Inti reappears on the other side of the field.
"Wait, he's back?" Asks Yusei.
Crow's still gliding through the sky. "And last, I release Armor Master, to activate the trap 'Blackwing Anchor'!" Crow says. At this point, he's falling again and falling fast. "That's it, Sakura, Yusei and Jack. I'm afraid that you guys're gonna have to take it from here on out! I know you guys can do it! I know you can be Satellite's new heroes!" Says Crow.
Goodwin looks annoyed.
"Uh, boy. This is gonna be... one rough landing...!" Crow says.
Even as they keep riding, Sakura, Yusei and Jack are craning their necks, hoping he'll be okay.
"He's dropping too fast!" Says Jack.
"Crow!" Yusei says.
Crow lands on his back wheel, fairly smoothly, on the glowing track, then his runner leans to the side and the left-side wing snaps off.
"Wait, look!" Says Akiza. "He landed." Luna says. "He's okay?" Asks Leo. "'Fraid not!" Trudge says.
Crow keeps rolling, but the snapped wing throws off the balance. Crow tips over and crashes to the ground, thrown off. Crow lies on the glowing track, not moving.
"He's down!" Says Jack.
"Oh, no!" Yusei says.
"Hmhmhmhm. I'm afraid if Crow can't ride, then he can't duel, either. I hope that being a hero was worth it, it very rarely is. Now then, I'll end my turn with a face down." Says Goodwin.
Crow twitches a finger, then lifts his head, looking straight at the screen of his runner. 'Blackwing Anchor' is still flashing on the screen. Crow smiles. "It'll be worth it... Just you wait n' see, Goodwin...! Ugh!" Crow says, tiredly. He then faints.
"Crow…" Says Sakura.
"You'll be avenged, old friend. It's my turn now! First, I summon Sinister Sprocket!" Jack says. Sinister Sprocket has 400 attack points. "And then, I'll tune my Sinister Sprocket with my level-four Mad Archfiend, and level-three Magic Hole Golem! That's right, Goodwin! Witness as great power is fortified into a single vessel! As might becomes even mightier! As I synchro-summon, the Red Dragon Archfiend!" Says Jack.
"So what! Even if you destroy my Sun Dragon, its ability will destroy your monster, and then you'll take damage equal to its attack points." Goodwin says.
"That's why I'm playing this, the trap 'Half-Straight'. This allows me to cut the attack points of my Dragon Archfiend in half, until the standby phase of my next turn! Why would I want to do that? Because if I have a monster with less attack points than your strongest monster, I'm then allowed to attack you directly! And that means, your Sun Dragon Inti won't get to use his special ability against me! Now go, Red Dragon Archfiend! Attack with Scorching Crimson Flare!" Says Jack.
"Not so fast, Inti has another ability. It makes its attack points go down to zero!" Goodwin says.
"It what?!" Asks Jack.
"Not good! Now Inti's the weakest monster on the field! And I think we both know what that means..." Sakura says.
"That's right, you can no longer attack me directly. Instead, you'll have to battle my Sun Dragon, after all!" Says Goodwin.
"But then, my Red Dragon Archfiend'll be crushed!" Jack says.
"Oh no, he won't! I play 'Scrub Raid'! Now by sending a card on the field to the graveyard, you can end the battle phase for this turn! Go, Jack… you just have to pick out which card!" Says Sakura.
"Or do you. After all, the Jack that I know, is not exactly one to take orders. No, the Jack Atlas that I know, was always a man who could make his own decisions, especially in a duel!" Goodwin says.
"Quiet! Jack, don't listen to 'im! He's just trying to get into your head, tune 'im out!" Says Yusei.
"Why would Jack ever want to tune out the truth? The truth is what made him a champion! I say tune out Sakura and Yusei, Jack." Goodwin says.
Flashback. Rally lies tied up on a little wooden boat off the shore of the Satellite's waterfront. On shore, Jack watches, dispassionately, as Yusei points, urgently. "After all, it wouldn't be the first time you tuned out your 'so-called' friends, would it?" Asks Goodwin, in voice-over. Jack takes the deck box from the pocket of the jacket Yusei left on shore and takes a single card from it, Stardust Dragon. The flashback ends.
Back to the present. "And you were wise to do so, if you ask me. You don't need them, Jack!" Goodwin says.
"Stop it! Your just trying to wedge us apart! And it isn't going to work!" Says Sakura.
"All I'm saying is this, once upon a time Jack Atlas was a great duel champion, and then he got caught up in all this silly friendship business and became a big nobody! Come, Jack! You know that I am right, that now you're nothing more than a single spoke on a broken wheel going nowhere! A shell of the Duel Monsters legend you once were!" Goodwin says.
Jack's silent. Goodwin's clearly getting to him.
"But Jack, it's not too late you know! You still have time, to become the man you once were! To be the greatest duel champion of our time or any other! And all you need to do is turn your back on your friends here and now!" Says Goodwin.
"He's right, it's time I duel for me!" Jack thinks to himself.
"No, Jack!" Sakura says.
"Go, Red Dragon Archfiend! Attack that Sun Dragon Inti! Go, Scorching Crimson Flare!" Says Jack.
Goodwin doesn't flinch, as his lifepoints fall to 5400.
After Archfiend attacks, Inti shines brighter and brighter, the two monsters are as though frozen in time.
"I'm quite proud of you, Jack! You have done it! You dueled only for yourself there, and now you'll pay the price! I activate Sun Dragon Inti's ability! Now not only is your Red Dragon Archfiend destroyed for taking down Inti, but you take damage equal to Dragon Archfiend's attack points as well!" Goodwin says.
"Why'd you do it? We had 'im, Jack!" Says Yusei.
"And now you have Moon Dragon Quilla, because he rises back up when Inti is destroyed." Goodwin says.
"I place one face down to end my turn!" Says Jack.
"Now, now. Don't get so down on yourself, it will take some time to bring you back to your glory days of yesteryear. Trust me, I of all people know. After all, Jack. I had to do it alone for quite a long time to get where I am." Goodwin says.
"I think I just realized something, I don't want to be like you!" Says Jack.
"Huh?!" Goodwin asks.
"Being the best, it's nice. But not, when you experience it alone. What really matters is having people to share your triumphs with!" Says Jack.
"Wow, Jack!" Yusei says.
"All the people I've met and become friends with getting to this point have taught me that. Especially, one very special individual." Says Jack.
The silhouette in his mind's eye is unmistakable from the fanny pack slung around her hip and her fan of long, black hair.
Jack's visor glints, his eyes blazing. "Now, Goodwin! I'll pay that individual back, as well as the rest of my friends, by giving up my loner ways for good!" Jack says.
Crow's listening.
As are the spectators on the ground.
"It's the least I can do after all they've done for me." Says Jack.
Sakura and Yusei can hardly believe their ears, they've both been waiting to hear this for over two years.
"Jack..." Sakura says.
"From here on out, I'm going to risk everything that I have and everything that I am to do what's right. Just like someone did for me, once." Says Jack.
The silhouette in his mind turns around and lights up with color, of course it's Carly, smiling and laughing.
"This one's for you, Carly. Goodwin! You and your dreams of world conquest are going to be stopped!" Jack says.
"You fool! Your sappy ideals can't win this contest for you! Just face it, the trust you put in your friends is all wasted." Says Goodwin.
"We shall see about that, because now it is my turn to draw, Goodwin!" Sakura says. "And here's hoping I can turn the tide of this duel right now!" Sakura thinks to herself. "First, due to Whirlwind's special ability, Moon Quilla… is removed from play!" Says Sakura.
"I think not! I play a trap, 'Destruct Potion'! Now by destroying my own monster, I get to gain lifepoints equal to its attack points! And as you can see, the monster I chose to destroy is Moon Dragon Quilla! And since he's gone, Sun Dragon Inti rises again! So much for the grand power of friendship, eh, Sakura? Anything else you'd care to try this turn?" Goodwin asks.
"I'm done. Yusei, it is your move." Says Sakura.
Jack growls under his breath, this doesn't look good.
The three ride on, grimly determined, in the face of the end of the world.
"You peons, you fools! You struggle, you fight, and for what! No matter what you do it will all just end the same way! I warned you that your fates were sealed, and they are, just as the fate of the entire world is sealed, as well! All that you've said and done? It means nothing! Doomsday is finally here! Time is all but run out! The Signers have failed! Hahahahahahahahahaha!" Goodwin says.