Chapter 52: Starlight Road
The Duel between Yusei and Kalin continued. It was the end of Kalin's turn, and Yusei currently had a face-down card, a single card in his hand, 3000 Life Points and four Speed Counters.
Kalin had his One-Hundred Eye Dragon (ATK: 3000), a face-down card, no cards in his hand, 2300 Life Points and eight Speed Counters.
"I activate the Trap Card, The Afterglow of a Miracle!" Yusei called, "bringing back my Stardust Dragon!" In a flash of energy, Stardust Dragon soared once more (ATK: 2500).
Yusei 3000LP 4SPC/Kalin 2300LP 8SPC
"I draw!" Yusei called out, pulling the card from his Deck (Yusei 3000LP 5SPC) (Kalin 2300LP 9SPC).
"I place two cards face-down and end my turn!" The reversed cards appeared.
Yusei 3000LP 5SPC/Kalin 2300LP 9SPC
"I draw!" Kalin declared, ripping the card from his Deck (Yusei 3000LP 6SPC) (Kalin 2300LP 10SPC).
"In your Standby Phase, I activate Battle Mania, forcing all of your monsters that are face-up into attack mode and forcing them to attack this turn!" Yusei called as one of his Traps lifted up.
"Are you in a hurry to lose?" Kalin laughed. "One-Hundred Eye Dragon, attack his Stardust Dragon with Infinity Sight Stream!"
"I activate the Trap Card, Miracle Locus!" Yusei countered. "Since this is how I beat your dragon last time, I'm sure you remember what it does!" As Kalin drew a card, Stardust Dragon shone with incredible power (ATK: 3500) and launched its Cosmic Flare right into the Infinity Sight Stream, the silver fire ripping through the dark purple blast to strike right into the Dark Synchro dragon's maw, ripping it apart in a cataclysmic maelstrom of energies.
"The effect of One-Hundred Eye Dragon activates, letting me add a card from my Deck to my hand!" Kalin shouted. A card shot from his Deck into his hand, and Yusei caught a glimpse of it, Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu. "Now I activate the Trap Card, Limit Impulse! By discarding two cards," he threw Infernity Reflector and Handless Fake into his Graveyard, "I can Special Summon two Soul Tokens!"
Two balls of blue fire with golden eyes appeared to either side of his Runner (ATK: 0x2).
"Now I Release my Soul Tokens to Advance Summon…!" The Tokens faded into rainbow light that shot into the heavens and formed the heart of the Earthbound Immortal, which soaked in the fog and began to beat before exploding into the pillar of purple fire…
"Rise, Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu!" Kalin roared as his Earthbound Immortal rose up with a ground-shaking roar (ATK: 3000). As it towered over them all, Yusei's memories flooded into his mind once more…
He remembered the fateful night when it all ended, remembering how he, Jack and Crow had stood in the hideout and laid their Duel Disks down on the table.
"What's going on?" Kalin snarled at them. "Aren't we going to fight together?"
"Open your eyes," Jack told him.
"We don't have a chance in Hell if we go up against Sector Security head-on," Crow added.
"So you'll betray me like Julian and Kelsey!" Kalin accused. "You'll get friendly with those invaders, just so they'll leave you alone!"
"They didn't betray you," Crow retorted. "They just made their own choice, and I don't blame them for what they chose. Kalin, see some sense, man. You can't win this fight."
"Get out of here, Kalin," Yusei said.
"That won't satisfy me!" Kalin cried. "We defeated Satellite… we dominated it for the first time! Let's have our last Duel, together!"
"We no longer have the same views as you," Jack replied.
"We're friends, and we want to save you from Sector Security," Yusei added. Then the door to the hideout was smashed open and Security swarmed in…
Team Satisfaction managed to escape, but they were divided by doing so, scattered into the streets of Satellite. Kalin found himself in an alleyway, cornered by a Security officer.
"I'll just have to fight by myself, then," he muttered, activating his Disk. "I summon Vorse Raider!" With a snarl, the savage Beast-Warrior appeared, raising his halberd (ATK: 1900).
"Tremble and shake in fear of my judgment, Satellite scum!" the Security shouted, drawing a card. "By discarding the Level Four Search Striker, Level Four G.B. Hunter and Level Five Handcuffs Dragon, I summon Montage Dragon!" He threw the three monsters into his Graveyard slot and the tri-headed dragon rose up with an almighty roar (ATK: ? - 3900). "Obliterate his Vorse Raider with Power Collage!"
The Montage Dragon blasted the rays of rainbow aura from its three maws, destroying Vorse Raider with ease.
"No!" Kalin snarled. "They might have given up… but I won't stop fighting back!" He rushed the Runner, leaping onto it and grappling with the officer for the controls. Unfortunately, all that resulted was that both lost control of the vehicle, sending it plowing through a wall before slamming into a second, hurling the two off into the street. The blood-stained agent lay unconscious, while Kalin groaned and stood up.
With a sadistic smirk on his face, he snatched up a wooden stick and raised it, ready to beat the agent to death…
Then Yusei tackled him from the side, sending both crashing to the ground. As the two fought, Crow and Jack ran up, dragging them apart before leading them away to a safe house they had found…
In the house, Team Satisfaction had descended into sullen silence.
"Take care of Kalin," Yusei murmured to Jack and Crow as he stood up, walking out…
He stepped into the full glare of the Security spotlights.
"I surrender!" he declared, putting his hands up. "I'm the leader of Team Satisfaction!"
The Security captain appeared. "Officers, take the leader of Team Satisfaction in." Yusei was stunned as they ran past him, to drag out Kalin a short while later.
"You've got the wrong leader!" Yusei protested, but the captain smirked.
"Defiance against Security is a first-class crime," he said. "Your friend won't ever be seen again, and kid, don't ever try to pull a stunt like that for a piece of scum like him again. We already had detailed intel on the lot of you Satisfaction dogs." He patted Yusei on the shoulder, and Kalin saw.
"Yusei, you betrayed me!" he howled.
"Kalin!" Yusei screamed as the paddy wagon doors slammed shut, leaving his friend to be taken away. The Security captain chuckled and walked away into the crowd of Security, passing them to stop beside Julian.
"Thanks for the intel, Mikuro," he said. "I'd appreciate if you kept it under wraps, though. We Securities have a reputation to uphold, so we can't be seen working with Satellites." Julian nodded.
"I understand," he replied. "This was special in any case… Kalin had to be stopped. It was for the better." With that, he turned and began to walk away.
"Oh, kid," the captain called after him, prompting him to stop. "I'd appreciate if maybe you could give us a bit more covert help, now and again. Strictly business, of course, but this is a pretty big district to clean up." Julian pondered this.
"I'll think about it, captain," he answered, continuing to walk away. Behind him, the captain smirked. He would come around – they always did. When you were a starving Satellite with others to support, you'd have to come around eventually…
"Jack, Crow and I tried to save you!" Yusei shouted at Kalin.
"You betrayed me to begin with, and so did Julian!" the Dark Signer replied. "He was the one who sold me out to Security in the first place, Yusei!" Yusei's eyes widened in shock.
"Julian… he was the one who told them about Kalin…"
"Yusei tried to surrender in your place, Kalin!" Crow shouted from outside the geoglyph.
"Why didn't you fight with me until the end? Why did you bend to Security's questioning? Those actions mean Team Satisfaction sold me out!" Kalin roared. "Do you know the fate of those who oppose Sector Security? I was painfully branded with a criminal mark, and the guards kept abusing me!"
"We tried to visit you!" Crow shouted. "We were never able to meet you, and we got news that you'd died… Julian was down for weeks afterward…" His voice trailed off as he realized finally why Julian had been so depressed at the knowledge of Kalin's death. "He caused it by selling us out to Security…"
"It wasn't that simple!" Kalin screamed. "I could have withstood countless brutalities, but they took away my Deck, which was more precious to me than my life!"
"After that, I went into a depression where I refused to eat, and they just let me starve! One night, I heard a voice asking what my desire was, and telling me that to fulfill that desire, I'd have to become a Dark Signer… my desire was, and is vengeance! By becoming a Dark Signer, I swore revenge on you, Yusei, and I'll make you go through the worst fears I had to endure, all with the power of my Earthbound Immortal! I end my turn!"
Yusei 3000LP 6SPC/Kalin 2300LP 10SPC
"I draw!" Yusei called as their Runners accelerated (Yusei 3000LP 7SPC) (Kalin 2300LP 11SPC).
"I set a card and end my turn!" The reversed card appeared.
Yusei 3000LP 7SPC/Kalin 2300LP 11SPC
"My turn!" Kalin declared as he drew (Yusei 3000LP 8SPC) (Kalin 2300LP 12SPC).
"Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu, attack him directly and end this!" Ccapac Apu roared and reached out for Yusei once more…
"I won't run in fear anymore!" Yusei proclaimed. "By sending your Immortal to its doom, I'll face your fears! I activate the Trap Card, Half Shield, halving the damage!" A shield of fiery energy coated him and blocked the blow from landing, though he still felt the terrible force of impact.
(Yusei 1500LP 7SPC)
"I end my turn!" Kalin snarled in disgust.
Yusei 1500LP 7SPC/Kalin 2300LP 12SPC
"I draw!" Yusei called as his Runner sped up (Yusei 1500LP 8SPC).
"I activate Speed Spell – Shift Down!" He drew twice as his Runner slowed (Yusei 1500LP 2SPC).
"Now I place a monster and another face-down!" The two reversed cards appeared. "Turn end!"
Yusei 1500LP 2SPC/Kalin 2300LP 12SPC
"My draw!" Kalin snarled (Yusei 1500LP 3SPC).
"Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu, direct attack!" The Earthbound Immortal reached out for Yusei once more…
"I activate the Trap Card, Baton of the Hero, letting me choose your attack's target!" Yusei declared as the reversed card activated. "I choose my face-down monster as the target!" The Immortal's hand slammed down on the monster, which was revealed as a pale blue Oriental dragon with features akin to Stardust Dragon's (DEF: 100). "Once per turn, my Stardust Xiaolong cannot be destroyed in battle!"
Ccapac Apu gave a roar and anger as it was forced to pull its hand back, incapable of destroying Stardust Xiaolong.
"I end my turn with a face-down card!" Kalin roared in anger. The reversed card appeared before him.
Yusei 1500LP 3SPC/Kalin 2300LP 12SPC
"My draw!" Yusei declared (Yusei 1500LP 4SPC).
"I set a card and end my turn!" The reversed card appeared alongside his Runner.
Yusei 1500LP 4SPC/Kalin 2300LP 12SPC
"I draw!" Kalin called out (Yusei1500LP 5SPC).
"I activate the Trap Card, Isolated Protector!" his opponent shouted as the Trap lifted up. "This equips to a monster I control, and all Battle Damage not involving the equipped monster goes to zero! I equip it to Stardust Dragon!" Stardust glowed with energy.
"So you're containing direct attacks too?" Kalin snarled. "I'll crush your Dragon! Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu, attack it!" Ccapac Apu lashed out, smashing its fist into Stardust.
"By sacrificing Isolated Protector, Stardust Dragon isn't destroyed in battle!" Yusei countered as the Trap shattered.
"I activate the Trap Card, Demonic Devastation, doubling all Battle Damage you take other than from direct attacks!" the Dark Signer roared. Yusei cried out in pain as the impact force ploughed into him.
(Yusei 500LP 4SPC)
But the force was so powerful it struck Kalin, and his Duel Runner skidded out of control. Yusei moved to try and help his former friend.
"I was presumptuous enough to think I could save you by sacrificing myself…" the Signer called out. "Only unity of companions can save a companion!" At the words, all five Marks of the Dragon, no matter where they were, began to glow. "Jack and Crow share the same concerns! Our new friends are giving us their support!" He remembered Julian, Yanagi, Tanner, Leo, Luna, Akiza, Mina, and Trudge. "This isn't a battle to defeat you, but one to save you from the Dark Signers!"
"What does it matter now?" Kalin replied. His Runner skidded out of control again.
"Kalin!" Yusei cried, and then all five Marks of the Dragon shone like supernovas, vanishing and clustering together to form the seal of the Crimson Dragon upon Yusei's back. "Our wishes will cluster together and be completed!"
Yusei 500LP 4SPC/Kalin 2300LP 12SPC
As he reached towards his Deck, the card on top glowed with fiery crimson light. He drew it, seeing a card he had never seen before. "This card will lead me to a miracle and save Kalin…"
"I summon the Tuner monster, Salvation Dragon – Savior Dragon!" he declared, throwing the card onto his Disk. In a flare of light, the crimson pink Tuner that Luna had summoned against Devack appeared, shining with holy light (ATK: 0). "Now our wishes shall be completed, through companion's sincerity! I Tune Salvation Dragon – Savior Dragon to Stardust Dragon and Stardust Xiaolong…!"
Salvation Dragon – Savior Dragon faded into crimson light and expanded, engulfing the other monsters, which were reduced to frameworks as their Level Stars shone brightly around them. The frameworks shattered and the nine stars flew to join one another, aligning with the Synchro Gate of Savior Dragon to form the complete Synchro Summon, which exploded into light…
"The shine of clustering stars will illuminate a new miracle! Become the path where its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Arrive in light, Savior Star Dragon!"
In a flare of radiance, a massive crystalline dragon took flight, its body a pale sapphire shade. Its wings and thighs were set with rubies, its shoulders and chest with amethysts. It spread its immense crystal-bladed wings into the darkness, illuminating the Satellite below with its radiance as it soared high, shooting towards Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu. Savior Star Dragon's golden eyes shone like the light of Heaven itself as the Savior Dragon gave a roar, a cry of hope and wishes and the power of bonds (ATK: 3800)…
Within the dragon, Yusei was still astride his Duel Runner, somehow seeing out through the dragon's eyes to see his former friend.
"I activate the effect of Savior Star Dragon!" he called out. "Once per turn, it can negate the effects of an opponent's monster and then I can activate it as Savior Star Dragon's effect once! Sublimation Drain!" Ccapac Apu roared in fury as particles of glowing blue light flew from its skin, soaking into Savior Star Dragon, which shone all the brighter in response.
"I will save you, Kalin!" Yusei declared. "Savior Star Dragon, attack Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu with Shooting Blaster Sonic!" Savior Star Dragon folded its wings inwards and the aura of light around it intensified as it shot at Ccapac Apu like a lance, slamming into the weakened Earthbound Immortal and piercing through its form. It exploded out into the sky, spreading its wings as the Immortal screamed in pain and outrage, being ripped apart into shadows.
(Kalin 1500LP 12SPC)
"I activate the effect of Savior Star Dragon, activating Ccapac Apu's effect as it's own – because it destroyed a monster in battle, you take damage equal to the destroyed monster's attack points!" the Signer concluded. Savior Star Dragon roared and light tore from its form, slamming down on Kalin with incredible power…
Yusei 500LP 5SPC/Kalin 0LP 9SPC
As Yusei looked down at Kalin, the Dark Signer's Runner skidded out of control, plunging into the geoglyph flames.
"Kalin!" Yusei cried as Savior Star Dragon swooped down, piercing through the geoglyph flames to snatch up Kalin into its body before soaring skywards once more.
Yusei held Kalin in his arms, watching as the Dark Signer's eyes returned to normal.
"I'm going to save you this time," the Signer promised.
"Yusei… when I became a Dark Signer, I asked for one more wish," Kalin said weakly. "I wanted to play the last Duel of Team Satisfaction, the one that never came true back then…" Outside, the Giant geoglyph faded away. "I wasn't able to stay mad at you… that wasn't enough to satisfy me…" And then his form turned grey and he dissolved into dust, to be blown away by the wind like the Dark Signers who had been defeated before him…
52
A short while later, Yusei stood alone, watching Savior Star Dragon soar onwards towards the horizon. He clenched his fist as tears ran down his face, the seal of the Crimson Dragon fading from his back as the five Marks of the Dragon returned to their rightful owners.
"Kalin… for you, I'll definitely defeat the Dark Signers," he swore. "Kalin!"
52
"So Julian was the one who sold Kalin out all along…" Crow murmured softly, looking up at Yusei. "Now I know how he was always so good with Security, sure, he had a few hiccups, but he never got in any real trouble… the next time I see him, he and I are gonna have a few words…" He clenched a fist.
"Who'd have thought he could betray his friend like that?" Trudge murmured. He reached for his holster, feeling a need to hold his gun, but his fingers grasped empty air. "What?" He looked down to see the holster empty.
"What is it, Trudge?" Luna asked.
"My holster… I had a gun in there… and now it's… gone…" Trudge said, trying to make sense of it all.
"Maybe you dropped it," Leo said, receiving pointed glances from both his sister and the Security officer.
"It must have been Julian," Crow muttered. "You said he went to confront Roman… maybe he thought he needed something to give him an edge."
"The question is, was it enough?" Trudge wondered…
52
Over in New Domino City, Blake was still holding April close as she sobbed into his shirt.
"I'm sorry…" he whispered to her. "I truly am sorry… April…"
"He promised… he'd be back… and now… he can't come back…" she sobbed. "He's… gone forever… and for so long… I've hated him… for something… he never did…"
Geb stood behind the two, looking down at them with great pity.
"The loss of a loved one is always hard to bear," the Avatar murmured softly…
52
Drago and Kira stood together on the waterfront of New Domino City, staring out towards Satellite. Elemental Hero Phoenix Enforcer and Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus stood behind them in illusory form.
"I hope they're okay…" Kira murmured.
"They will be," Drago replied. "Yusei, Jack, Julian… they're tough people. Akiza and Luna are Signers; they were always destined to do this. Don't worry; they'll all come back to us safe, Kira."
"I hope so," she said softly. As they watched, a bright light pierced the shadows surrounded the Satellite, shooting into the heavens, a radiance that lit the world like a second sun.
"What is that?" Drago murmured.
"The power of a miracle…" Phoenix Enforcer whispered in awe. "It's like a Duel Spirit… but with something more about it… there's some sort of power in it that no normal Duel Spirit has…"
Savior Star Dragon soared into the highest reaches of the world, before fading into light that dimmed to nothing with one final roar of hope, a rallying cry to those whose hearts followed the light of Good. The sound warmed Drago and Kira despite the chilly sea breeze, the knowledge that their friends held the power of such a creature reinforcing Drago's assurance that they would be able to triumph over the Dark Signers…
52
Card Stats:
55555
Traps:
55555
Half Shield
Normal Trap Card
Image: A heart-shaped shield, with one half made of crystal, the other of black clay.
Any Battle Damage or Effect Damage this turn is halved.
(Half Shield was first used by Yusei in the 5D's episode 'Tag Duel: Kiryu & Yusei VS Lotten'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)
55555
Baton of the Hero
Normal Trap Card
Image: Freed the Brave Wanderer shouting a battle cry as he leads Marauding Captain, Warrior Lady of the Wasteland and Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight into battle.
Activate only during your opponent's turn. During the turn this card is activated, you can select the target of 1 of your opponent's attacks.
55555
Isolated Protector
Normal Trap Card
Image: A crimson-armored warrior standing firm with a glow of energy around him.
After activation, this card becomes an Equip Card and is equipped to 1 monster you control. All Battle Damage not involving the equipped monster becomes 0. If the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle, you can destroy this card instead.
(The above two cards were first used by Yusei in the 5D's episode 'A Score to Settle Part 2'. Creative credit for them goes to the writers of 5D's. Isolated Protector was known as Superior Protector in the dub.)
55555
Demonic Devastation
Continuous Trap Card
Image: Three monsters charging from a sphere of fiery energy.
As long as this card remains face-up on the field, all Battle Damage taken by your opponent is doubled, excluding Direct Damage.
(Demonic Devastation was first used by Kalin in the 5D's episode 'A Score to Settle Part 2'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's. It was known as Wicked Trample in the dub.)
52
Next time on 5D's, Yusei confronts Roman! But when the two get into a Duel, can Yusei succeed where Julian failed? When he enters the spider's lair, can he prevail?
To find out, read Chapter 53 – Spider's Lair!
