【04 - Return of Lieutenant Creep and a Mysterious New Enemy...】


"Lieutenant Kaido Felgrass…" Atop a shadowy throne a man with bright amber eyes regarded his kneeling subordinate "Are you trying to tell me you came into contact with the final chosen duelist… alone… and she got away?" The anger in his voice increased as he spoke, rising like the crescendo of a thunderstorm.

"General Urobach-"

"Silence!" he interrupted, pinching the bridge of his nose. His subordinate held his top-hat in one hand, head lowered and sweating with nerves. His superior composed himself "You are one of thirteen lieutenants in my battalion. Now I have to make a personal report to one of the gatekeepers…"

"General I know I can redeem myself if you give me another chance!" Kaido raised his head with conviction. "I didn't know she was the chosen fire duelist, I merely suspected!"

"The fire duelist is already under the protection of the DMA."

"I'll still go! If you'll let me!"

"You're willing to risk your safety?"

"Of course I am!" His body lurched with his determination. The dark-haired, scarred Urobach studied him from where he sat. The pocket-dimension they were meeting in was dark with swirling purple energy all around them.

Closing his eyes the general answered "Fine… but you won't go alone. Urusai will go with you."

"Ah! Anyone but her!"

The man on the throne raised his palm, darkness coalesced before a giggling woman appeared wearing a vest and bow-tie. Her eyes were a bright lime-green.

"I can use the powers from the gatekeepers to teleport you to the city of their location. It's your job to find a way to isolate and capture her before she enters the academy's fortified walls."

"Yes Sir." Kaido clenched the brim of his top-hat. Working with Urusai would be a real pain, but he dearly wanted to make up for his failure.

"This should be fun…" Urusai commented in her high-pitched giggle.

"Don't mess it up." The general ordered them sternly.

It seemed that no one had seen their duel in the car park, or at least no one reported it. Heidi was relieved as she sat in the shuttle bus, elbow against the glass and chin in her hand. Timothy and Soroban looked even more relieved, sitting straight behind their other two brethren. Narciel was examining a giant map, scratching his beard as their driver took them through some kind of festival. Gold lanterns hung on strings between the tall buildings over the thin streets. The sidewalks were heavily populated, civilians adorned in gold and ringing bells. Children chasing each other with thin sticks trailing paper dragons and phoenixes on the end.

"I can't wait to be back at the academy," Tsukumo spoke up, the blonde teen looked positively bored. There was no longer any pretense at being charming, now he was reminiscent of a spoiled brat.

"I would've liked to see more of Aurellia before going back." Iwate, the dark-skinned aqua-haired boy responded quietly.

"Well I still have finals and strategies to prepare for. This extra credit will look great on my report card, but I have more serious activities to attend to." He sounded superior and pompous. The well-behaved followers in white said nothing while Narciel turned over his map, eyebrows furrowing. The few black-uniformed workers that were still accompanying them were tending to other calls.

As the bus shuddered along Heidi felt tempted to tell the good-looking blonde prat to shut the hell up. Instead she faced forward and rolled her eyes, clutching the pole of the walkway beside her. They passed an intersection and a car collided with the side of their bus, glass shattering and metal bending, the passengers thrown forward into the seat in front of them. The ruined shuttle spun and dragged, finally coming to a stop, a hub cap popping off and bouncing down the street.

From the packed streets outside screams could be heard, but they were faint as Heidi raised her head. She had bruises and cuts, one of the black-uniformed workers was growling with pain, doubled over. His sleeve was bleeding, he'd been sitting on the side that was hit and it seemed like his arm was broken. Soroban was up, tearing off her cloak and wrapping it around to stop the bleeding.

"Is everybody else okay?" Narciel stood. They were all breathing quickly from the adrenaline. "Heidi?"

"I'm fine." She stood up with the others on shaky legs, her middle felt bruised and winded. People from outside were rushing over to help and traffic had stopped.

"Who on earth is responsible for this?" Tsukumo's perfectly tousled hair had a few strands loose, the outrage seeping through his shock. The other uniformed worker was performing first-aid on his colleage. They exited onto the street.

Narciel communicating with the locals and then pulling out his phone.

"It seems like it was just an accident." She could hear him saying. "You'll send another transport in twenty minutes? I can hear the sirens now." From several blocks over there were approaching sirens. Heidi took a wonky step across the glassy asphalt, feeling detached from the drama and people.

"Heidi, you okay?" Timothy's hand clenched her shoulder. She wandered away from him to study the other vehicle. A reedy man sitting with a bleeding forehead, a few helpful citizens surrounding him. He clutched a cloth to his wound and looked over so their eyes met. He didn't look innocent to her.

A motorbike weaved its way through the halted traffic, through the gold-bedazzled pedestrians under the gold strings of lanterns. The all-black helmeted rider whipped into view and reached out, yanking Soroban around her middle and riding off with her. It happened so fast, Heidi had spun around to watch them go and couldn't believe her eyes. People screamed and jumped out the way of the speeding bike.

"They took Soroban?!" Timothy cried in disbelief.

"She wasn't wearing her robe," Heidi muttered "they thought she was me."

Furiously the fire duelist charged off to the nearest alleyway. Narciel had been paralysed in shock with the phone to his ear, when he noticed her go he called out. The other disciples chased after her. Heidi knew that motorbike couldn't go fast with all these people around. Jumping and clinging to a fire escape she threw herself over a fence, landing atop trash bags and bulleting forward. She sprinted around a corner and saw the motorbike whip by. Pushing on she raced the narrow alleyway, weaving between boxes and rubbish. Climbing over chain-link fencing, rattling as she swung herself over.

She raced further away from the main street, toward the department buildings. The motorbike whipping by her sight each time she passed an opening. Heidi jumped and pushed off a brick wall, throwing herself over another fence and rolling. Bursting out onto a secluded street just as the kidnapper cyclist skidded around the bend, blinding headlight fixed on her.

"Wait!" she waved her arms "It's me you want!"

She could see the silhouette of her struggling friend. The bike engine roared and sped toward her, Heidi spread her legs, holding her ground but felt petrified as the black motorbike came faster and faster. The driver tossed the hostage, Soroban colliding with Heidi and the two of them gasped and hit the empty street. The tires went by, skidded and turned. The rider took her helmet off revealing a woman with sharp features and bright-bright eyes. Lime-green, too bright to be human. She gave a high-pitched cackle.

"Way to grab the wrong one, moron…" from another alley the top-hatted Kaido strolled out casually in his white suit.

"She's still here, isn't she?" the woman replied dismissively.

"It's you again!" Heidi wiggled out from under the other girl and sat up. Soroban was massaging her shoulder painfully.

"Hello, girlie. Turns out you're not just some kid after all. You're coming with me."

Timothy, Iwate and Wembley the other three disciples burst onto the road one after the other. They raced over with their cloaks billowing behind them.

"Soroban!" Iwate put his arm around her shoulder "Are you okay?"

"Heidi…" Timothy offered his hand and helped her stand up, she winced.

Wembley was the oldest of the followers, in his thirties. The gaunt-faced sandy-haired man stood between them and their attackers.

"Tch. We just want the girl!"

"That's not happening!" his hand started glowing blue, he lifted his deck "I'll hold him off. You guys are in no condition to fight and they're too dangerous!"

"I can fight!" Heidi furiously insisted, taking a step that would've had her overbalance had Timothy not steadied her. Iwate helped Soroban slowly get to her feet.

"These two are Kaido Felgrass and Urusai Torcan, lieutenants of these dimension-travelling crooks that've been wreaking havoc!"

"But dueling them is too risky!" Timothy yelled, still keeping Heidi up by her shoulder.

"That's why I'm going to." Wembley looked back with a meaningful expression. "The fire duelist isn't experienced enough yet, we only just found her. We can't lose her yet like we did the darkness and light duelists."

Heidi's eyes widened as she saw the man face forward again "Kettou da! I challenge you Kaido!"

"Yoshi, fine. You little Dawn of the Phoenix disciples are fodder compared to a dark lieutenant!" He whipped out his deck, hand burning red.

Two tables materialized between the players and they stepped forward. A Kaijudo duel, this is really dangerous!

"Be careful Wembley!" Heidi shouted "He fights with a fire-nature deck! Don't let him summon his Bolshack Cross NEX or it'll be over for you!"

"Ikuzo!" The blonde man waved his arm and five cyan shields flew into place.

"Koi!" Kaido was glaring at her as his shields lined up. Heidi didn't like this, she should be the one fighting him and not Wembley. It made her ansty to be on the sidelines.

"Let's duel! I charge nature mana." Green light shone as he slapped a card down.

"I also charge nature mana." Kaido copied him.

"Well now I charge water mana and summon Hunter Fish!" The 3000-point blocker dived into view, the big brown fish opening its huge mouth.

"Hm, but it can't attack. Too bad." Kaido drew. "I charge fire mana and summon Deadly Fighter Braidclaw!" A lizard-soldier with dreadlocks raised its head and squealed. His enemies were confused. "And then I cast the nature spell Pangaea's Song!" There was a vibrating chorus as his creature fused with soft light, getting absorbed into his mana zone.

"If he gets nine mana he can summon Bolshack Cross NEX!" Heidi warned, his opponent scowling. Kaido's colleague remained with a leg over her motorcycle, crossing her arms with a smirk as she watched.

"Well I charge more mana and summon Phantom Fish!" A ghostly, toad-looking fish drifted into play. A 4000-point blocker, but again another creature that couldn't attack.

"Your blockers mean nothing! I charge then summon Mighty Shouter!" The red elephant beast folk landed with a trumpet-roar, swinging a huge log over its shoulders.

Wembley drew and charged mana again "I cast the spell Mana Crisis!"

"Nice!" Heidi yelled with encouragement. A giant green dinosaur head emerged and snapped its jaws at Kaido's table, he staggered back and a mana card flew overhead.

"Turn end." Wembley crossed his arms "You can't get through my blockers and I won't let you have enough mana to summon anything stronger, your criminal activities end here!"

"Bastard!" Kaido furiously whipped a card from his deck. Charged mana. "Mighty Shouter ike! Break a shield!"

"Hunter Fish block!" Blue energy beamed off Wembley's tabletop and quickly rippled to connect with Kaido's green energy. The red elephant swung its log only for Hunter Fish to dive in the way and swallow it whole. Kaido's card flicked off the battle-zone and landed with his mana.

"He keeps sacrificing his creatures for mana…" Timothy murmured.

"If he summons that dragon of his or something like it we're gonna be in a lot of trouble." Heidi added.

Wembley drew "I charge more water mana then summon Slumber Shell!" the green dome-shaped beetle lowered onto the field, sagging tiredly.

"Only 2000, but at least you finally have a creature that can attack aye?" Kaido mocked as he drew "It only cost you all the cards in your hand! As for me I charge then summon Mezger, Commando Leader!" He adjusted his top-hat as the grey-armored humanoid stalked into play with its mallet. Kaido examined the field and gave an ugly snarl.

"Speed attackers and having monsters to battle with don't mean much against powerful blockers, do they?" Wembley crossed his arms again behind the two massive fish that were flanking his colony beetle.

"Your move! Go already!"

Wembley drew and wasted no time, adding mana before "Slumber Shell ike! Break his shield!" It lurched forward and raised a slow pincer, smashing it upon one of the suited man's shields, he protected his face.

"Dammit…" Kaido drew "I charge then cast Comet Missile!" A huge space-rock strapped to jet-blasters blazed across the battlefield "destroy Phantom Fish!" It collided with the ghostly gel fish and exploded, when the dust cleared the creature was gone. "That's one blocker down…" But with Hunter Fish in play it was still unsafe for Kaido to attack. He ended his turn.

"I cast another Mana Crisis!" Wembley revealed the card he drew.

"You bastard! Stop destroying my mana!" Another dinosaur-head chomped Kaido's table, another card flicking away.

"Slumber Shell ike, break another shield!" The cloaked man pointed and a huge green claw slowly crumpled another glass shield.

"Is Wembley really strong?" Heidi thought to ask the others, turning where she stood.

"All Dawn of the Phoenix members are strong," Iwate answered "He's not as strong as Timothy but still good."

Heidi glanced up at the brunette boy standing beside her, his eyes on the game. So long as he keeps cutting down Kaido's mana he has a chance…

"Shield trigger! Yes!" the red-glowing card reformed in Kaido's outstretched hand. "Roulette Beam!" A spinning circle appeared with an eye at its centre, charging up it fired a red line at Hunter Fish, cutting the creature apart. It howled before vanishing.

"I've never seen that fire spell!" Heidi remarked.

"It's like your version of Tornado Flame only better, being able to destroy anything up to 5000 so long as it's mono-colour. DM-24 I believe." Kaido drew and his cards untapped "And now with your blockers gone we can finally have some fun!" He set mana then tapped his creature "Mezger, Commando Leader ike! Suicide with Slumber Shell!" His humanoid sprang up with mallet overhead, bringing it down as the colony beetle raised its pincer. A collision of light, a card flying off each tabletop.

Wembley drew and then examined his only card "I cast Enchanted Soil and send two of my fallen creatures to my mana zone."

Kaido drew, added another card to his mana zone then summoned "Ahni, Assault Hero!" It was the red-and-blue armored humanoid from the DM-27, the 3000 power-attacker. He'd used up all the cards in his hand now too, but if Heidi was counting correctly he had eight mana. Only one more was necessary for him to summon Bolshack Cross NEX…

Wembley drew, he still had it together "I cast Energy Stream!" the water spell activated, casting the field in an aquatic glow. He drew another two cards "And I also cast Ultimate Force! Allowing me to add two cards from my deck to my mana zone as well!" An enormous tree sprouted upward, enveloping the field with its cacophonous twittering leaves.

"Wembley has the most mana now for sure!" Iwate spoke up.

"So what?" Kaido drew from his deck and his eyes widened. Heidi's did as well, what was with that look? She studied her opponent's face. Instead of adding the card as mana like she thought he would he kept it in his hand and didn't play it either. "Ahni, Assault Hero ike!"

The humanoid crouched before leaping into action, firing a beam that splintered a shield, one of the shards bouncing a few feet before reaching Heidi. Wembley added the card to his hand and started his turn.

"Why is he keeping that card in his hand if he has eight mana?" Heidi was panicked. "I think that's the dragon! Which means next turn…"

"Don't worry about me Heidi, I got this." Wembley responded without turning, he focused back on his opponent "I summon Zepimeteus!" An orange squid-like sea hacker with googly eyes appeared.

"Another blocker! Nice!" Timothy shouted.

"And I also summon Fortress Shell!" the other nine cards in his mana zone tapped as an enormous colony beetle emerged, much larger than Slumber Shell had been. This creature was a giant mechanized hive, towering above the battlefield. "When Fortress Shell enters play I destroy another two cards in your mana zone! You're not playing whatever it is you're keeping!" He pointed and his creature fired a beam of yellow light from its central cannon, hitting the bottom of Kaido's table and shaking the ground as two other cards flung free. He was astounded before his features were consumed by fury.

From behind him Urusai shook her head in disappointment.

"You will not defeat me you caped loser!" Kaido furiously drew from his deck. "I summon Bronze-Arm Tribe!" That brings his mana to seven, Heidi thought. "Ahni, Assault Hero ike!"

"Zepimeteus block!" the squid-monster swerved in the way of his soldier's blue beam, quaking before going slack and dying.

Wembley drew, he now had two cards in his hand "I summon Deathblade Beetle! Now Fortress Shell ike, break his shield!" As the giant blue insect crawled into place and snapped its jaws, the 5000-power colony beetle fired its yellow cannon-beam and shattered Kaido's third shield.

He regarded his hand with those emerald eyes carefully after drawing "Alright… double spell time! I cast Spastic Missile to destroy Deathblade Beetle! I cast Twin Turbo to give Ahni an extra 3000 power!" An angry-faced missile zig-zagged through the air before vaporizing the giant insect within a violent combustion. Twin exhausts appeared on either side of Ahni, Assault Hero who crouched in preparation "He now has 8000 power! Ike, destroy Fortress Shell!"

"That spell only cost two!" Heidi complained "Those future cards are too strong!"

It seemed impossible but the humanoid dived forward and single-handedly carved the enormous colony beetle in two with its laser-fire. As it collapsed into pieces the smaller creature jumped back to safety. The top-hatted man continued "Bronze-Arm Tribe break a shield, ike!"

The green beast folk lowered its head before darting out, whipping its staff at a shield. Wembley grunted, raised his hand to his face. When he pulled it away there was flowing blood, a deep cut on his cheek. Kaido laughed mockingly "You really thought you were a match for me, you pathetic little human!"

"I'm not out yet!" Wembley had no creatures left but plenty of mana and three cards in his hand. The gaunt-faced blonde examined his options. He added more mana just in case then summoned "Cliffcrush Giant!"

"A giant…?" Heidi blinked as a mountainous figure of red and white stripes appeared, looming down from above. "…I thought my dragons were big, I thought fortress shell was big… the nature civilization trumps everything else when it comes to size…"

"Size doesn't equal power!" Kaido roared. Inside he was nervous for a different reason. Wembley's giant was taller than the factories and street buildings too. They could be seen and found. He drew another card and blinked at it.

"What is it…?" Heidi continued, staring at the giant above them.

"Cliffcrush Giant is of the giant race," Timothy explained "A 7000 double-breaker but it can't attack if Wembley has other untapped creatures in play."

"This game is done…" four cards in Kaido's mana zone tapped themselves. "I cast Great Blessing!"

"Not that card!" Heidi called out in horror as the green portal swirled open above. "He can add three creatures from his graveyard to his mana zone!"

"Kind of like the nature spells you were using a few turns back… but better." He raised his eyebrows. "Now Bronze-Arm Tribe ike!" that bamboo staff slashed glass pieces into the nearest factory building. "Ahni, Assault Hero ike!" A laser blast chipped the corner of a far-off brick wall. "No triggers? Well aint that a shame."

With blood still flowing down his face, eyes watering with determination Wembley drew and started his turn "Cliffcrush Giant ike! Double-break his last two shields!"

The giant came rushing down, its fists shattering the final glass shields with enough force to make everyone cry out. Kaido fell back onto his ass, top-hat rolling out of reach. When the giant straightened back up to its dizzying height his opponent slowly stood up and dusted himself off.

"Well, well. You did put up a good fight, Wemble-weasle whatever-your-name-is… but sadly not good enough." He stepped back toward his table as a tear of defeat rolled down the blonde man's cheek. He also figured his giant would be seen, but help had not come soon enough. Kaido started his turn and drew.

"I tap nine and summon Bolshack Cross NEX!" Blinding red light filled the empty street. The divine armored dragon roared to life, not as big as the giant but larger than any of Heidi's dragons. A standing figure of red, gold and blue. Wings and halo of fire. Clenching clawed fists and roaring again. "This is my ultimate beast! Take heed chosen fire duelist!" He now pointed over to her "You didn't have a card that could defeat him before and you still don't have one now!" He faced forward again "Ahni, Assault Hero ike! Break his last shield!" The humanoid took aim and blasted the final defense to pieces.

A moment of silence overtook the scene.

Wembley was panting, he had no blockers and only his tapped giant. Next turn he could have won, his strategy had worked so well… but it wasn't enough.

Kaido stood without his hat, bright-emerald eyes glowing. He had two untapped creatures at his disposal, one a flaming god with 17,000 power and speed attacker, the other a mere staff-wielding 1000-point beast folk. Heidi was instantly flashed back to her memory of dueling Kaido in the park, when she could have chosen to finish him off with Astrocomet Dragon but instead spared him life-threatening injury by finishing the Kaijudo duel with her 1000-point fire bird.

"Beg." Kaido ordered spitefully.

"Wha…?" Wembley was clearly petrified, staring down the enormous divine Bolshack while fear caused his eyes to run, mingling with the bleeding cut on his face.

"Kneel before me and beg for your life."

Heidi and the other witnessing disciples were frozen, they had no idea what to do. Wembley's hands and legs trembled. He collapsed to his knees, shaking. Looking up at the smug grin of his victorious opponent.

"…please. Please don't kill me."

"Louder!"

"Please, I don't want to die now…"

The evil look of anticipation finally caused Heidi to snap out of it, she yelled with both desperation and fury "Wait! You have an untapped 1000-power creature! You don't have to attack with Bolshack!" she screeched.

"Please don't kill me, I beg you…" Wembley's head lowered, sobbing.

"Bolshack Cross NEX todomeda!" Kaido savoured sadistically, turning the card. The giant god dragon raised its palm and spewed out a blaze that rained down on the defenseless duelist. Wembley screamed through the whirring fire that consumed him. 17,000 power was much too great for anyone to survive. As the creatures faded so did the flames, revealing the charred corpse of a man.

Heidi had taken a few steps forward, she took another and froze "Y-you…"

"Wembley…?" Iwate trembled.

"You murdered him!" Soroban screamed in outrage.

Timothy was speechless. Urusai giggled from atop her motorbike. Kaido grinned as he gathered his cards together and the tables vanished.

"He should've known better than to challenge us." Kaido stepped over to retrieve his hat, dusting if off before returning it to his head. "So girlie, ready for our duel? After I win you're coming with me."

Urusai's head whipped around, staring off into the distance "A helicopter." She spoke in her annoying, high-pitched voice. "They saw the duel and are sending a helicopter!"

"Dammit!" Kaido growled at the sky. "Damn that old man, Engyo!"

"Come on!" Urusai kicked the motorbike into gear, whirling it around. The white-suited man ran and jumped on the back, holding on as they raced off down the street.

"You bastards! Get back here!" Heidi was possessed by the righteous anger that flooded through her veins. She chased them, running furiously down the road even after they whipped around the corner and vanished. They can't get away! They can't! But they had, she stopped halfway down the street and was panting in disbelief. "They came here for me…" she sank down to the road "It should've been me!" she punched the tar, her knuckles bleeding.

After a few minutes of dejected slouching she heard a growing noise. Behind her the helicopter made its loud descent, wind whipping across the ground from those propeller blades. Help had come, but not soon enough.

Far away in a beautiful meadow cottage many workers in white were kneeling and crouching by the surrounding voluptuous garden. While it may have been difficult to spot at first, each of the workers had tight, terrified looks on their faces as they tended to the flower-beds. Haunted looks without lights to their eyes, as if they'd seen terrible things. On closer inspection they were doing something very strange indeed - they appeared to be painting all the white roses red with brushes and pails.

A garden path weaved between the rolling hills of flowers. A stone lily pond with carp circling each other beneath the bright sun. A lone figure stood in a beautiful champagne-silver kimono, glistening with sunlight. The figure was thin in the extreme, sharp bones and shoulders poking the material beneath. One of the workers slowly approached the figure, bowing low and staying that way before they were even close, approaching slowly. The figure finally turned.

The eyes were dull-red like blood, vampiric. Raven hair exquisitely looped and piled upon the figure's head. Subtle black-and-red makeup around the eyes of the thin face, long and narrow black nails, long black crystals dangling from silver-chain earrings. As the figure turned it became apparent he was male despite his very feminine appearance. But the one defining characteristic of this creature was malice. Pure dark malice.

"My lord…" the worker's face was still fully bowed. "We are trying to paint the flowers with the blood like you told us… it has gone dry…"

The workers in view painted with the utmost precision, lest a single petal fall.

"You need fresh blood." He hitched the hem of his silk robe.

"Yes, my lord."

A blank, animal stare before whipping down with a clawed hand and gauging the neck. Pulling the head as the spinal cord was tugged out the body, bright red spraying that impassive face and shining gown. The nearby workers paused, but none of them dared to turn or make a sound.

Gatekeeper Pluto… a thought summoned him.

General Urobach, he mentally replied.

One of my lieutenants found the last chosen duelist but she got away. He's trying to get her now and I've sent another lieutenant with him for back-up. In his mind's eye the gatekeeper could see the scarred, amber-eyed general kneeling before the black mirror at the end of his throne-room.

I see. Continue your work as usual.

Y-yes, gatekeeper. He obeyed the dismissal and their brief conversation ended. Pluto tossed the head and spinal cord aside, now dripping in blood he walked barefoot along the grass, to the garden path and toward the cottage house.


AN: WOW! So I just got ROASTED in the comments. THANKS Shuriken16, you really went in there. But no really, I'll take bad criticism if it means a review. I'm glad you're gonna follow the story and I really am going to take every bit of feedback on board. I've set this story up so that it will go for a long time, so yes character and world-building will happen. A lot of stuff hasn't been explained right off the bat. On 'great writing' I do have other completed fics elsewhere, this is my first proper Duel Masters fanfic and a lot of it will be spontaneous to accommodate any followers and fans I get. I'd like feedback and suggestions for the duels. Also, I was thinking of introducing the chosens in arcs, I'm not sure how long those arcs will go for yet but I'm willing to have my readers vote on which civilization should be next.