Chapter 44
'Just what the hell does Win Mokuba think he's doing,' Du's voice was a mixture of genuine annoyance and childish frustration, 'I thought he was going to make sure our plan succeeded, not create an army of his own.'
'What do you expect from someone who could compete with me on the evil scale,' Ni smirked.
Du glared at him, gritted his teeth and growled. Ni laughed, clearly enjoying the reaction he was creating in his uncle.
'And here I always thought you were the better strategist, but I guess it's just pure luck which keeps you one step ahead of my father,' Ni folded his arms. 'This Win Mokuba is being incredibly clever right now or haven't you been paying attention to the members of this so called army of his.'
'I've been paying attention,' Du's voice was dry, 'I've been doing nothing but paying attention since the moment that brat had the gall to present himself to us.'
'You don't like him very much, do you uncle?' Ni's voice dripped with amusement. 'Shame really, because the kid's really starting to grow on me.'
'Fancy that, someone the God of Evil would be willing to bow down and worship.'
'I wouldn't go that far,' Ni's gaze narrowed on him. 'But I would more than happily rule alongside him in a new order. An order where the Wen have actual power over the multiverse and not the token gestures our mothers have handed out to us. Correct me if I'm wrong, but that is the ultimate goal here, isn't it?'
'If we're sharing equally then it is,' Du folded his arms, 'but I'm not sure I trust you or him enough for that.'
'Well then, I guess the only thing we can do now is watch and wait and see just what future Win Mokuba has in store.'
There was something about marching along with his army of six which made him feel stronger and more determined to succeed than at any other moment so far. This was all happening as a result of good planning on his part. Okay maybe he hadn't had the months to prepare the brats had, but that didn't mean his plan wasn't as good as theirs, if not better. The only thing he had to do now was prove it.
As they reached the gates the gold cuffs on their wrists began to glow. One by one they lifted their right arms up into the air causing seven half wolf, half human creatures to appear in front of them. A shimmer of light passed over the creatures as they let out a deep throated growl.
'Poor little Crovell, all your planning's gone to waste,' a dark grin spread across his face, 'because in one little move I've just rendered your strategy completely useless. I hope you're afraid right now, because if you're not you soon will be.'
'How are you feeling?' Mai glanced towards Ahna as they made their way along the corridor.
'A part of me feels like I should be asking you that,' Ahna sighed a shook her head. 'This situation is crazy; I've just left my child in the arms of his future self in order to hunt down a pack of wolves, who should be attacking us.' A bemused sounding laugh echoed out of her. 'So business like usual then.'
'I know what you mean,' Mai smirked, 'life just seems to be one crazy event after another. I can't help but ask myself, what's next.'
'Mai did you…' Ahna hesitated.
'Did I what?' Mai frowned her her.
'It doesn't matter.'
'But…?'
Before she could say anything else a figure appeared in the shadows of the corridor ahead of them. There was a shuffling behind them which made them turn to see a second dark figure. In the gloom of the corridor it was difficult to make out who either of them were and Mai could feel her heart pounding hard in her chest.
'Get the feeling we're the hunted?' Mai activated her dueldisk.
'Which one do you want?' Ahna smirked as she activated her own.
'I'll take the one behind us, if that's okay?'
'Fine by me, let's do this thing.'
Mai drew the top card from her deck and played it without looking. She may not have used her aroma strategy since Duellist Kingdom, but some of her favourite cards still had a faint sent on them. In cloud of white light a beautiful Harpy Lady appeared before her.
'Harpy Lady I order you to attack.'
Her monster barely had the chance to leap forward when long black vine-like shapes emerged from the shadows and engulfed her.
'What the…?'
Her eyes lifted towards the object gleaming in front of her opponent. A trap card. There was a darkly amused half laugh as a glint of light reflected of a blade shaped duel disk.
'Ahna I don't think it's the wolves we're dealing with here,' she felt her back press against her companions.
'Agreed,' Ahna's voice was as tense as Mai felt.
'Who are you?' Mai focused her attention on her shadowy opponent. 'And what are you doing here?'
As if in response she saw a shimmer of light pass over her opponent's dueldisk, as they threw down a monster card. Almost as soon as they had a large half wolf, half human like creature appeared before her.
'Okay Ahna, I change my mind,' Mai swallowed hard, 'it is the wolves we're dealing with here, there's just something or someone else controlling them.'
'What do we do?'
'What else can we do? We duel.'
'A girl who talks my language,' Ahna's laugh sounded more nervous than cocky, 'I think I can handle that.'
Mai drew five more cards from her deck and studied the wolf-like monster in front of her. She couldn't see its attack or defence points, although from its stance she was fairly sure it was in attack mode. Her eyes scanned across her hand, given what little knowledge she had of the situation at hand the most sensible card for her to play was...
'Cyber Harpy attack his wolf,' the words were out of her mouth as soon as her monster appeared on the field in front of her.
Doing as she was instructed the Cyber Harpy bounded forward, but as her talons met the wolf's flesh they past right through him, as though he wasn't even there.
'Care to try again Mai?' A dull voice taunted her. 'Or do you want to get yourself a real monster first?'
'Real monster?'
'Holograms can't hurt people Mai and my monster is no hologram, therefore Cyber Harpy's attacks are useless.'
'Who… who are you?'
The figure took a step forward and she couldn't help but gasp in surprise as she saw who it was.
'I don't understand... how is this possible... how is it you?' Mai shook her head. 'How...?'
Every now and then there was a bright glint from the gold cuff bracelet they both wore, but apart from that they were invisible to those on the ground below. It was a good position to be in, a perfect vantage point for their little waiting game. A small smile crossed her face, as the murmured sound of voices drifted through the air towards them. Pulling her hair back, she tied it up into a high ponytail and folding her arms.
'So they were foolish enough to leave the safety of the palace.'
'Didn't I tell you they would be?'
'So which one do you want?'
'Which one do you think?'
She gave a half laugh and nodded.
'Go ahead, she's all yours.'
Lifting their right arms, blade shaped dueldisks morphed out of their gold cuff bracelets. Smoothly they slotted decks into the card holders and each drew a card, throwing it immediately down onto the blade of their newly acquired dueldisks. They repeated this three more times and on the ground below them eight half wolf, half human like creatures appeared.
'That should be enough to entertain them for a while,' he smirked, 'and then it'll be our turn for some fun.'
