Mark 053: The Impossible Duelist
"Just what is the meaning of this, Malcean." Ansoni asked his 'host', as he and Sarah were seated at the breakfast table. "Just because you are my hostages, does not mean you should be treated without civility." Malcean and his two children were present as well. Both now wearing more formal royal clothes "Lincoln is gone for the moment, off to talk to his friends. Unlike him we have no intention of killing you." He smiled pleasantly. "Who even made al of this." Sarah wondered as the meals served to them were quite extensive. "Oh the answer will not please you." Jason smirked as he enjoyed a glass of wine. "Now that I have healed Aslla Piscu, it has given me some of my staff back in return. But only in flesh, as their souls have been less than full for quite some time now." Malcean finally explained. Looking out the window one could still see the hummingbird perched on top of the castle, its wings resting against the walls. "Did you know this, that a marked one could subdue a god? I bet you had only thought about sealing them again."
"They are too dangerous to be left like that, Malcean. Don't you know that? You must have heard about all the carnage they have caused." Ansoni had heard enough and got up. "Calm yourself. Your concerns are exactly why my first order of business, as the new lord of the world, will be to free all souls that were absorbed by my immortal friends. Everyone deserves a chance." Malcean coughed. "But of course I believe humanity will need more than observation before it can return to its peaceful days." He said with an unexpected hint of regret in his voice at the end. "Did something happen to you, personally? What made you turn your back on humanity?" Ansoni could have guessed, as there was one figure absent in this family gathering. "You do not need to know." Jason scowled at him. "No. They can know this. Our friend has noticed. I am sorry sir Helion. It is hard to maintain a front in front of the children." Malcean got up from his chair and walked over to the fireplace. "We lost a precious member of the Castillo line, many years ago."
He grabbed hold of a framed photo, two children and two parents were on it. "Lost to the sins of mortality. Greed drove the lowest of our kind to invade our territory, trash our rooms and plunder our belongings. The only who was at home at the time was her, and they had their way with her as well." He put the picture down again, his hand was shaking. "They took her away from us, and from this world. When I returned I found her, she was already dead." He gave the two signers a look of pure anger. "So you see, Helion, I know how far we have fallen. We need a god, and my family is the only one who can become it. We have waited for generations, for this moment to come. And when all the earthbound are under my control, I can ascend to the immortal realm." He took a deep breath and sat down again. "But what about..her. If you become godlike, can't you just bring her back to life?" Sarah thought that should not be too hard for a divine being. "We will all see her again, that is my hope. But I am affraid the dead will have to stay,... dead."
Elesewhere..
Ramirez's LP: 0 Urizens LP: 600
"Ridiculous. You are already dead, I have won!" Urizen yelled at the girl who still stood with zero lifepoints. "How is this even possible, how can such a monster exist?" Inferntity Zero(0/0) kept her alive as long as it was on the field. "How can any of your monsters exist?" The most infuriating part was that he could not destroy it, not even with his god card. "Just go to hell!" However Ccapac Apu(3000/2500) could make another attack in any turn thanks to Infernal Gainers effects, and the giant god grabbed the Infernity Necromancer(0/2000) with its hand, squeezing it into a bloody pulp. "I guess you really were the Duelist reaper they spoke about. The one that could keep on dueling even after the loss of their lifepoints. But I have had more than enough of your flirtations with death!" He had to kill the Necromancer first, otherwise Ramirez would just let it resurrect DoomDragon, the only monster in her extra deck that could destroy the earthbound god. "I am not that Reaper, I only received these cards after my first fall. These.. are an extension of god." Ramirez explained as she started her turn. "The immortals use cards that mortals have no knowledge of. This must have been a family of spirits used by one of them.."
"Randomizer." And as soon as he turn started, Ramirez summoned a new member of that family, a monster made from revolvers(900/0). "Once a turn, a card is added to an empty hand. If that card is a infernity monster, damage is delivered in accordance with its level." She explained as she drew a card from her deck. "Ggh." She only needed a level 3 or higher monster to get the damage she needed. "..Dwarf." However she only got as far as the second level, she drew a two star Infernity Dwarf. "Ha! Looks like your family does not even want me and my god to lose!" The Randomizer fired a shot, hitting Urizen for only 400 points of damage. "Now that you have a card in your hand you can not get rid of, I can destroy Infernity Zero!" He smirked. "No choice. One Day of Peace." So had to play her facedown spell card. "During this turn and the next, all damage is negated. And both players draw once." The two duelists drew their cards. "..This." And Ramirez gained a trap, which would have been more helpful before the Day of Peace.
Urizens LP: 200
"This is set down. And then Necro Defender is banished too." Yet she could remove the Necrotic one in her cemetery and use its effect on Infernity Zero. "Zero can not be destroyed as a result of battle eh?" Urizen grumbled, that must have been one of the cards she discarded to special summon Zero. "No damage this turn, and no means of destroying Zero. You are just a dead duelist trying to lie to the underworld. Not to worry, I shall guide your soul to where it belongs." Urizen activated a spell card, Allure of Darkness. "I draw twice and banish one dark monster in my hand!" He banished a monster called 'Earthbound Linewalker'. "Then I set two cards and strike!" Ccapac grabbed one of the Infernity Archfiends(1800/1200) and the Randomizer with its hands, destroying them both. The effect damage was blocked by her spell of course. "Reflector." However it also got in her way. "My hand is emptied and an Infernity is reborn." Ramirez discarded the Dwarf to bring back the Randomizer. Her trap usually also caused 1000 damage to en enemy, but that too was cancelled out by the peace-forcing spell.
"Your cards know you do not deserve two win." He ended his turn. "Allure of Darkness." Ramirez started hers by flipping her other face-down spell "Oh you have that spell too?" He saw her draw twice and then banish an Infernity Avenger from her hand. "Sacrifice summon." Then the second Archfiend was tributed and Infernity Archer(2000/1000) was brought out. "If my hands are empty, it can attack directly." She set the one card in her hand and let the Archer fire its shot at Urizen. "You think you can win this without destroying my greatest monster? Think again!" But he revealed the trap Magic Cylinder, which redirected the arrow. "All those days ago you asked to duel my original deck. So savor the taste like other losers have done before you!" The blast shot right through the girl. "Gah, are you okay?" Nathan saw it leave a hole through her shoulder, yet no blood came from the wound. "I am fine, I can not die." But the returned damage was reduced to a death-counter, which placed itself on Infernity Zero. "Reload." She tried to use the effect of Randomizer again. "If she draws a monster, it will end the duel." Kein realized even a level 1 monster would do enough damage to urizen at this point. "But.." However she drew a trap card instead. And in that case.. she would take damage.
"Ahah.. ahahahaha!" Urizen started laughing with glee, as she received 500 damage. Zero gained a second death-counter. "Two steps closer to the end. And your monster needs one more for it to meet its fate!" If Infernity Zero gained a third counter, it would destroy itself and Ramirez would be unable to continue. "You and your people unleashed the gods, and everything you have done since has helped them. Even if you did not intend it." After Ramirez placed a trap card, he could start his turn again. "You tried to save the weak, but you brought them closer to god instead." in his turn Evil Hero Infernal Gainer(1600/0) returned to the field. And he too placed a trap card. "But whereas they were controlled, I am in control." The giant raised its fist. "So this is what you should accept it. This union of power is what god wants, what I want. This is the truest form of me!" He attacked. "No!" However she flipped the spell Mystical Space Typhoon. "Trying to destroy my field spell?" The tornado could shatter any spell, like the Mausoleum of the Emperor. "You can not!" He flipped a trap too, Escape from the Dark Dimension, to unbanish the Earthbound Linewalker(1100/1900) he had removed through Allure of Darkness. "Linewalker will keep my god alive, even in the absence of a field spell!"
However she did not target the field, she let the Typhoon destroy her other set card instead. "Wild Tornado?" Urizen recognized the destroyed set card. "If that is sent to the grave while set.." Its second effect was triggered, the Wild Tornado could kill anything on the field. "This is not you Urizen. I have seen your true nature, the one you try to hide!" Sharp winds cut into the giants body. "What nonsense are you.." His attack had been stopped, Urizen could not see his god card. "I may not hear your voice, what tone you use as a front. But I can see. I see the expressions breaking through, I see the ways in which you care." Ccapac Apu dissolved into blue energy particles. "No..' Urizen shook his head, he could not believe this was happening. "Why else would you stay with Ali, Ada and Yale. Why else would you risk all six of your keycards for Ada's sake. Why else would you want your father back above anything else!" She pointed at Gaunts body. "What? Father?" And he saw him move, the man was breathing again. "Sir!" The guards rushed over to him. "Ugh." He was slowly waking up. "No. You are wrong. I am.." His son was shaken to his core, rambling to himself about the loss of god. "Finish it now, Ramirez! While the god is gone!" Kein yelled to her. "Yes."
Ramirez placed a card and entered the battle phase. Infernity Archer took out another arrow. "What have I..what was I.." But he started to do something odd, his hand moved for his deck. "..was I doing? I have to." It almost looked like he was surrendering. Until.. "Revival of the Earthbound!" He used his hand to flip a trap card instead. "This card revives an earthbound Immortal!" His voice changed entirely, and his eyes glowed with a fierce blue color. "It's Ccapac Apu! He has taken over!" Kein warned Ramirez. "You are too late!" The giant(3000/2500) returned to the field. "Yes, I am in full control now, the bond between us has grown deeper than any other. Even if you deplete my lifepoints, you will not destroy me. All you will do is kill Urizen!" Archer could still attack directly, but now she was made to hesitate by gods words. "Then.. you were right." She ended her battle phase instead. "This deck truly wanted to tell me something." The possessed Urizen smirked when he heard those words. "Yes. And now we can put this to rest.."
"Yes." Yet instead of ending her turn, she revealed the card she had set. "Dark Hole." She played the black hole to suck up all monsters on the field. "What? That card!" Infernal gainer, Linewalker and thye Earthbound were dragged into the darkness first. "It was telling me all along. who my enemy was. The Infernities could not end the game, without killing you." And then her Infernities died as well, including Infernity Zero. "But you will lose!" Ccapac protested, as she had nothing that kept her from ignoring her lack of lifepoints. "I was already dead, you said." She already started to feel the pain return, the girl dropped to her knees. "You.. you fluke! You lived twice, you killed me twice! We will not forget this, we will. Graaaaahhh!" And then Urizen fell backwards as well, his mouth opening wide as it shot out a beam of energy that blasted into the sky. "Killing the god card killed the influence he had over Urizen!" Nathan cried out as he saw a white card fall to the ground, just like with Cusillu. "Wait.. Ramirez." The energy barrier of the giant faded as well.
Ramirez's LP: 0
"Are you.. okay?" The girl did not look like she was in good shape. "Of course not." She managed to answer, trying to smile as she said it. "Is he.. better? I can not see him.." She asked and Nate looked back at Urizen. "Why..why did you do this." He was back to normal it seemed, though he did not sound happy. "Why did you kill yourself just to save me? After what I.. you were more important!" He shouted at her. "Would have died.. either way. The fall broke me, the duel kept me alive." She replied, while coughing. "Take it easy, we will get you a medic." Nathan said as he held her hand. "No. It is fine. I knew this was going to happen. I probably deserved.. it." She turned her head, ignoring the agony just so she could look at Urizen again. "You are.. important. More than me. You just do not see it yet. You need to open your eyes." Finally there was a smile on her face. "Ramirez.." He did not know what to say. "Now is a good time." Her words slowed down, she stopped moving. "I can.. I can hear again."
And with those words, Ramirez left the world. "!" Her breathing stopped, her eyes lost their life. "She is.. gone." Nathan could do nothing for her anymore, he could only close her eyelids. "No. No she did not deserve this!" Urizen was furious, with himself. "Why did this have to happen. Why was I such an idiot! I let that thing in my head and then..Gah!" He hit the ground with his fists until it started to bleed. "Urizen." A familiar voice snapped him out of it. "Gaunt?" He saw now that his father had woken up at last. "I do not agree with a sacrifice like that. But we should be grateful for what she has done now, not remember her for what she had done in the past." He said with a firm tone. "Sir, you saw everything?" Kein was surprised to hear him talk about events he was not around for. "I was here, in spirit. But powerless to do anything. That is over now." His eyes turned to the sky, where a possessed kid was still floating around. "Uru, you are the last free Immortal! Now it is time to end this war, for all generations to come!"
(To be Continued in Mark 054: Like a Father Scorned)
New Cards used by Urizen Artani/Ccapac Apu
Earthbound Linewalker
-
Escape from the Dark Dimension
Revival of the Earthbounds
New Cards used by Miss. Ramirez
Infernity Randomizer
-
Allure of Darkness
One Day of Peace
Mystical Space Typhoon
