After Drake and Don took down the lawyer Ren with a last minute save from Michelle, the Blades have one of the rune keys they need.
As Jack prepares to move on Miraak's temple, it is Serana who needs to take down the stage actor Kenny.
54. The Final Act.
Serana was speeding down the roads, the cold air of the evening on her face, she was worried, Kenny a dangerous individual, a stage actor performing with a musical group, at one point he fell from grace taking hostage the entire crew he played with, in the end he was caught by Sector Security and everyone managed to get out safely, Kenny was send to the Maximum Secured Facility, there he was diagnosed with psychosis, declining all the help he got offered, Kenny thought of himself as the hero, he fell further in decline seeing the real world as one big stage play.
'So why do I always get the lunatics.' Serana sighted as she reached the theater.
This was the actual theater Kenny used to perform and where he took the crew hostage, the building had seen better days, it was in decline, graffiti decorated the walls, whatever part wasn't covered in it was dirty, most windows were broken, the paint on the woodwork was mostly gone, the back alley leading to the private entrance was used as a make-shift toilet by mostly drunkards.
The Vampire looked at the front door, or what was left of it, at least it wasn't hard to get in.
Once inside the lobby was mostly empty everything that wasn't nailed down was taken when the Vampire riots started the night Volkihar tried to rise to power, it was dark inside, normal people would hardly be able to see, lucky Serana's eyes were quickly adapted to the darkness, quickly she found what she was looking for.
She stood still in front of the door that lead to the main stage, she had read the reports on the hostage incident.
Kenny had trapped the entire crew on the stage, tied to metal poles, the whole room was rigged with explosives.
It was Richard, at that point in time not a Captain yet, he had to follow Kenny's script or else Kenny would detonate the explosives, eventually Sector Security managed to disarm the explosives, desperate Kenny threatened to kill everyone but with a clever trick from Richard that made Kenny doubt whether he was truly the hero, Richard saw an opening and took down the delusional actor.
Serana knew she could expect something, with a deep sigh she opened the door.
Serana entered what would be the main stage, a spacious room with chair leading up to the wall like stairs, there was a huge balcony with a single row of seats, that is where the rich people would be sitting.
The chair were once red now most of them were broken.
Serana's gaze went out towards the actual stage, the wood seemed to be rotting at some points, the heavy, red curtains were closed.
Serana climbed on the stage at that moment the theater lights turned on, the curtains moved to the sides a bit, a single man gracefully walked through, he was dressed in brown monk robes, a hood pulled over his head, his face was covered with a white mask, in his hands he held a red rose which he dropped on the ground, Serana said nothing nor did Kenny silently both Duelists walked to the white ''X'' on the stage that told them their position.
Kenny opened his robes showing he was wearing a black shirt underneath, a standard Duel Disk was strapped to his arm, with a mechanical click it activated, Serana did the same.
'And so the villain is revealed.' Kenny suddenly broke the silence with a dramatic voice.
'This world is rotten.' He continued: 'The world that has scarred me! Rejected me!' While he was saying it he made some gestures all the while he was looking at the empty seats.
'Enough Kenny hand me over that key you've gotten.' Serana replied.
'Greed is always the driving force with your evil Vampires.' He said making a dramatic gesture at Serana.
'Great he's delusional.' She muttered to herself.
The actor dramatically turned around: 'So the same evil that has scarred me, forced me to don this mask is standing before me.' He spread his arms.
'Vengeance will be mine, once I defeated this evil I can finally return to the light, cast off the mask, cast off the scars!'
The man dramatically spoke then he drew his five cards.
(Kenny: 8000) - (Serana: 8000)
'I call forth the Grand Tiki Elder.' Before Kenny appeared an eerie mask made out of wood, painted mostly purple with yellow around the eyes, nose and eyebrows, then two blue hands appeared floating in front of the mask, one hand had five fingers the other three, following the hands were purple robes and finally a blue, legless ghost wearing the robes, around it's neck it wore several necklaces with three masks hanging on them. (1500 ATK)
Just like me Grand Tiki Elder is scarred, it's soul is scarred, the mask hides it's pain, that is why people wearing a mask are heroes their pain is hidden by the mask.' Kenny spoke, he sounded less dramatic.
Serana shook her head: 'That doesn't make you a hero, your actions make you a hero.' She replied knowing that Kenny wouldn't listen.
'You villain!' The actor then continued in his dramatic voice: 'You wear no mask, you show the world how ugly you are! You don't even pretend to hide it, well if you believe you are righteous come at me!'
Quickly the man placed a card in his Duel Disk which appeared facedown behind the mask-wearing ghost.
'That Monster is too weak, not even good for defense, that card behind it an obvious trap.' Serana said with a scoff.
Kenny clenched his fist.
'I Summon Zombie Master.' Serana stated before her rose the gray-haired man wearing his tattered cloak, he held his arms across his chest. (1800 ATK)
'Attack Grand Tiki Elder!' Serana stated. The Zombie Master rose his arms in the air then brought them down a stream of lightning shot forward from his fingertips.
'I activate Mask of Weakness!' A mostly red wooden mask appeared in mid-air, the sides of the head were blue and decorated with Kanji, the lower part were painted purple on the part of the chin were two horns, three more horns were stuck on top of the mask, quickly the mask latched onto the head of Zombie Master, slowly the Monster fell to his knees. (1800- 1100 ATK)
Grand Tiki Elder crossed it's arms to shield itself from the lightning then the five-fingered hand grew to three times it's normal size the ghost brought the giant hand down on Zombie Master crushing it.
(Kenny: 8000) - (Serana: 7600)
'So masks then, an outdated almost ancient Deck, I should be careful people who play Decks like that in a serious situation could be more deadly than people using modern Decks.' Serana looked at her hand she choose a card and placed it in her Duel Disk, the card appeared facedown.
'I end my turn.'
Kenny drew his card.
'Villains beware!' He dramatically shouted: 'As for I call forth Manju of the Ten-Thousand Hands!' One by one many gray-skinned hands appeared out of nowhere Serana stopped counting after a dozen or so then slowly a demonic-looking head appeared followed by a body covered with countless arms. (1400 ATK)
'This hero allows me to add a Ritual Spell or Monster to my hand, the actor took his Deck and searched out a card, then he immediately played it.
Before Kenny appeared a purple mask-shaped jar standing on two demonic-looking feet the mask had glowing, blue eyes and two horns sticking out of the front, blue flames erupted from the top, behind the jar appeared two torches burning with blue fire.
'Sometimes you must sacrifice something to reach great heights.' Kenny spoke, he dramatically pointed at both of his Monsters.
'Let their souls awaken the scarred form of the hero's soul! Burn evil with the flames of this ritual! I call forth The Masked Beast!'
The jar broke, blue flames erupted around the stage, of the fire stepped a creature of nightmares, a creature twice the size of a regular human, standing on two grotesque legs, using a long tail to keep standing upright, the lower body was connected to a human-like torso, the flesh of the lower body had grown around three creepy-looking wooden masks, the muscular human-like torso had brownish skin, two muscular human arms, a muscular neck with a rather small head atop of it, the head was covered by a mask, in it's right hand the beast held a wooden cane with a creepy-looking mask on top of it. (3200 ATK)
'Masked Beast direct attack!' Kenny shouted: 'Vanquish evil!'
The hideous creature roared, it struck the ground with it's cane, a wave of darkness quickly approached Serana, she gave a quick look at her facedown card but did nothing, the darkness washed over her.
(Kenny: 8000) - (Serana: 4400)
'You see now evildoer, you are no match for the manifestation of the soul of a hero!' Kenny spread his arms as he gazed towards the empty seat.
'I am a hero to these people! Therefor you cannot win!'
It was clear to Serana this man saw a crowd where there was nobody.
'To ensure my victory I shall Set this.' Kenny continued quickly placing a card in his Duel Disk.
'Then before you end your turn I activate Call of the Haunted!' Serana shouted, a hole appeared in the stage, a pile of dirt appeared out of it with Zombie Master standing on top of it. (1800 ATK)
'Next I Release Zombie Master to Advance Summon Il Blud!' Serana stated, Zombie Master grinned as it disappeared back into the ground in his place the gross, round-bodied Zombie appeared it's hand was ready to pull open the zipper revealing the gross face in it's stomach. (2100 ATK)
'Next I activate Book of Moon on The Masked Beast.' The Vampire continued, Kenny clenched his fist again when his Monster got changed into a facedown card.
'Since The Masked Beast has 1800 Defense Points Il Blud attacks it!'
The gross Zombie quickly opened the zipper revealing the face, it barfed up some acid.
'I activate Waboku!' Kenny replied, his Trap card opened.
'Oh priestesses of faith, protect my soul from this evil!' Kenny dramatically shouted as he looked into the empty crowd, the three ladies in blue robes appeared before The Masked Beast shielding it from the acid.
'In that case I'll Set this and end my turn.' Serana said with a growl, a reversed card appeared behind Il Blud.
'The time to strike is now, you villain shall soon bow down!' Kenny this time sang it, Serana sighted.
'I shall now call upon Melchid the Four-Face Beast.' Another demonic creature appeared, it was an orb standing on three hook-like claws, four demonic, wooden masks covered the orb, two masks were painted red the other two yellow, each mask had a variety of horns. (1500 ATK)
'I Release Melchid so that The Masked Beast can evolve to it's final heroic form!'
The masked demon stood up as it's skin around the legs and lower body tore open as bones grew out, it's arms became larger, more muscular, the once human hands changed into claws ending in knife-like vicious nails, the neck became thicker as well the head grew larger, one large horn grew out of the back of it's head and countless smaller ones grew out of it's spine, on each side of the neck two more smaller heads grew out, both heads featured a big horn on the back of the head and many smaller ones on the neck, the faces were covered by dark-purple, smooth masks with red eyes, the mask on the main head changed into the same mask as the smaller heads. (3300 ATK)
'Masked Beast Des Gardius attack Il Blud!' Kenny shouted: 'Now villain you fell the wrath of my soul! Succumb!'
With great speed the demon leaped forward it wanted to swipe at Serana's zombie using it's claws.
'I activate Defense Draw!' Serana shouted, as the Masked Beast tore through Il Blud the claws couldn't break the barrier protecting Serana, quickly she drew a card as the demon retreated.
'I see your evil won't falter, but I won't let up my assault until your evil is quelled!'
He crossed his arms as he gazed into the crowd.
'My turn.' Serana growled, she quickly took two cards both appeared vertically in front of her.
'I end my turn.'
Kenny drew his card.
'Time to draw the curtain on your villainy! Masked Beast Des Gardius direct attack!'
The demon roared, Serana drew back a bit.
'I activate Pinpoint Guard!' She shouted as one of her two facedown card spun open.
'Be reborn Zombie Master!' Once more the undead sorcerer appeared on a pile of dirt, he was sitting on one knee using a shield of electricity to protect himself. (0 DEF)
'A Monster Summoned with Pinpoint Guard cannot be destroyed, a cunning move, expected from a Vampire.'
The actor took a card from his hand: 'I activate Card of Demise which allows me to draw three cards.' The man explained he quickly placed his cards in his Duel Disk, all three appeared behind Masked Beast Des Gardius.
Serana drew her card, a grin formed on her face.
'Time to end this charade Kenny.' She said the actor said nothing.
'It's time for me to improvise and that starts with Book of Life!' She played the Spell card: 'I target two Monsters one in both Graveyards, the one from your Graveyard is Banished the one in mine will be Special Summoned, I target The Masked Beast and Il Blud.'
Silently Kenny took the card from his Graveyard and placed it in his pocket, before Serana the ugly Zombie reappeared. (2100 ATK)
'Next I'll Gemini Summon Il Blud.' She continued, the Monster opened it's zipper revealing the ugly face in it's stomach.
'Il Blud allows me to Special Summon a Zombie from the Graveyard, but first I'll get one there with Foolish Burial.' Serana played another Spell card, she showed Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon, right after she showed the card the face of Il Blud opened it's gigantic mouth and barfed out the zombified Red-Eyes. (2400 ATK)
'I shall also put Zombie Master in Attack Mode.' The Zombie's shield disappeared as it stood back up. (1800 ATK)
Kenny started to clap: 'Three Monsters and none can best me.' He gloated.
'They will when I activate Shrink!' The actor gasped as his Masked Beast shrunk to half it's size. (3300- 1650 ATK)
'Zombie Master attack!' Serana shouted, lightning shot forth from the Zombie's fingertips with an unholy howl Mask Beast Des Gardius exploded, Kenny fell to his knees clutching his chest.
(Kenny: 7850) - (Serana: 4400)
When the dust cleared an eerie mask floated in mid-air where once Masked Beast Des Gardius stood, it was made of red wood with golden decals, two horns stuck out of the sides, in the middle the mask was split open revealing a screaming face with blue eyes and sharp fangs in it's open mouth, multiple spikes stuck out of the flesh.
'When Masked Beast Des Gardius is destroyed Mask of Remnants gets into play, it latches onto one of your Monsters making it mine.' Kenny said with a grin.
'Enough with this Kenny!' Serana shouted, the masked let out an unholy scream as it tried to latch onto Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon.
'Go Dust Tornado!' Serana bellowed, a giant tornado swept away the mask before it could latch on.
'I've destroyed your soul Kenny, now I shall take your life! Direct attack!'
First the bile barfed up by Il Blud washed over Kenny then it was set ablaze by the unholy fire of Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon.
(Kenny: 3350) - (Serana: 4400)
Kenny laid on his back, cracks had appeared in his mask, slowly the actor crawled back on his feet, pieces of the mask broke off as he moved, when he was standing again the mask completely fell apart, revealing his face, he was angry, his eyes were fixated on Serana, his many Criminal Marks were visible under his eye.
'You shouldn't have done that.' He whispered: 'You've felled the hero of this tale, you claim he was the darkness in my soul.' Kenny drew his card.
'I will show you the darkness in yours, it will manifest and destroy you!' He cackled as he played a card two giant hands made out of lava appeared through the stage, they grabbed Il Blud and Zombie Master, Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon quickly got swallowed by lava, a steel cage appeared around Serana, she was lifted in the air as a massive creature made of lava rose on the stage. (3000 ATK)
'How do you like it Vampire? This is the darkness that will consume you, your Lava Golem will be your end!' He cackled: 'My soul is righteous Vampire, I will never sway to the darkness!' He spread his arms as he gazed into the crowd.
'Next I activate Mask of Restrict!' His first facedown card opened up.
'Now Monsters cannot be used as a Tribute.' The actor laughed.
'Next Mask of the Accursed!' A green mask appeared in mid-air two nails were stuck in the side between a row a small spikes, a red Kanji was visible on the front of the mask, the most creepy thing were the spikes through the eyes, the mask grew and connected to the supposed head of Lava Golem.
'Now it cannot attack and the mask deals 500 Damage to you, not to mention the 1000 points of damage Lava Golem does!'
Serana looked at the last card Kenny had.
'I see you're curious, this card seals your fate! Rivalry of Warlords, this card makes it so that you can only control one Type, since Lava Golem is a Fiend that is the only Type you can have.'
Serana drew her card.
'This is bad, Kenny has no Monsters, but I'm stuck with this thing that'll slowly kill me, I can't get rid of it and I can't Summon anything else.'
She looked at the one card in her hand: Mezuki.
'I end my turn.' She stated.
Kenny drew his card, he had a look of madness in his eyes.
'Behold villain! The evil of your soul slowly consumes you!'
Serana tried to get out of the cage when lava slowly dripped through it, she felt a burning sensation on her skin.
'And now Mask of the Accursed.' Kenny continued, the lava disappeared from the cage then the bars got electrified.
(Kenny: 3350) - (Serana: 2900)
'You've seen the evil of your soul, now to burn it out!' Dramatically he spread his arms, again he gazed in the empty crowd.
'I activate Tremendous Fire!'
Serana let out a scream as an explosion sounded from out of the center of the theater, fake flames erupted around the stage.
'Burn you vile creature of the night!' Kenny cackled, as the fake flames died out Serana noticed the smoke and flames that came from whatever construction Kenny had triggered to explode.
(Kenny: 2850) - (Serana: 1900)
'He's insane.' Serana thought, the flames were still a bit away from her, her Vampire blood made her weak towards fire, she knew that if it came too close she was done for, she took a deep breath before she drew her card.
'He wants to whittle down my Life Points, he was fine with damaging himself, that's his mistake, he's below 3000 Life Points, I have a small chance of doing this.'
Serana took her card: 'I Summon Mezuki!'
The neigh of an angry horse echoed over the stage, out of nothing appeared a creature that was best to be described as a humanoid beast with the head and legs of a horse it wore a cloth around it's waist, a necklace made out of red orbs and in it's hands it held a battle axe. (1700 ATK)
'Since Mezuki is a Zombie it is send to the Graveyard by the Effect of Rivalry of Warlords.' With an agonizing howl the Zombie disappeared through the stage.
'I shall end my turn with this facedown card.' She stated, the card appeared vertically on the Field in front of Lava Golem.
Kenny drew his card, slowly the lava dripped through the cage, then it got electrified again.
(Kenny: 2850) - (Serana: 400)
'I activate Pot of Desires.' A pot appeared on the Field, one half Pot of Greed the other half Pot of Avarice.
'By Banishing the top ten cards from my Deck facedown, I can Draw two.' Kenny stated, he put the cards in his pocket then he drew two more.
'Now to ensure my victory over this everlasting evil.' He glared at Serana.
'I know about Zombie World, that it makes all Monsters Zombies so I activate The Dark Door.' The Spell card appeared before Kenny.
'So if you manage to Summon more Monsters only one can attack, now I combine it with my invincible Spirit Reaper.'
The Monster appeared facedown in front of Kenny.
Serana quickly drew her card, suddenly the wooden wall exploded as the flames burst through, Kenny laughed as the main stage area caught fire.
'Need to hurry here.' Serana muttered.
'I activate a pot of my own, Pot of Extravagance!'
The pot that appeared before Serana was half Pot of Riches and the other half was Pot of Greed.
'I randomly Banish six cards from my Extra Deck to Draw two cards.' She quickly explained, as she put the cards in her pocket she quickly drew two.
'First I activate Zombie World!' Serana shouted, creepy trees with screaming faces in the trunks appeared on the stage, bones filled the floor, an eerie purple mist appeared throughout the hall.
'Now Lava Golem is a Zombie Type, so I Banish Mezuki to Special Summon Zombie Master.' This time the master of the zombies burst through a pile of bones. (1800 ATK)
'Now Kenny all the Monsters in your Graveyard are also Zombies, so I Discard my Shutendoji so I can Special Summon Grand Tiki Elder!' A ghostly moan echoed over the stage as the ghostly figure appeared. (1500 ATK)
'Now Kenny I activate my Trap card! Trap of the Imperial Tomb! Which allows me to Destroy two cards whenever a Zombie from your Graveyard is Summoned to my side of the Field.' She explained.
'I Destroy Spirit Reaper first.' Kenny gasped as his Monster exploded.
'Now Mask of the Accursed!' Lava flowed over the mask swallowing it.
'No, it cannot end!' Kenny howled as he sank to his knees.
'Lava Golem!' Serana commanded.
Kenny's screams sounded over the stage as lava slowly swallowed him.
(Kenny: 0) - (Serana: 400)
The holograms disappeared, the flames were getting closer.
'I am the hero of this tale! I cannot fall to the likes of evil!' Kenny howled.
Serana saw parts of the ceiling fall down as the flames grew bigger.
'When the hero can't win evil has to be stopped!' He wanted to stand back up but Serana leaped onto him, with great force Kenny managed to push her off, Serana managed to grab the rune which she was after.
Kenny ran to the curtains and yanked the cord, as the curtains fell back revealing boxes full of explosives.
'In the end I won Vampire.' He said with a huge smile, Serana saw the flames quickly approaching the explosives she turned around and ran.
Once outside she leaped on her D-Wheel and carelessly drove off, only seconds later the theater exploded, the sheer force of the explosion knocked Serana down, she landed hard on her stomach, the buildings around the theater were done for, slowly she stood up glad to still be alive.
At that point the communicator on her D-Wheel went off, when she answered it it was Jack.
'Serana, what was that explosion just now?' He sounded worried.
'Kenny.' Serana replied: 'He was so delusional, he thought I was the big evil in some stage play, rather of giving up and surrendering he decided to purge evil by blowing up the theater.' She pulled her D-Wheel back up and hopped back into the seat.
'How are you Serana? You okay?' Jack asked.
'I'm fine, got out in time, Duel was harrowing though, managed to get the key, we still meet up at the temple?'
Next time:
The time to assault Miraak's hideout has finally arrived.
With the two rune keys in the Blade's possession they can dismantle the barrier to the inner keep.
But before they can do that the Dark Signer Arenin must be defeated, the final arc starts here. ''Thread of Fate - Part 1'' coming next.
