/ Duel Universe

/ Author: The Cowboy of Oklahoma

/ Ch 1: The End is only the Beginning

/ word count: 1952

Earth, year 2057, but not the world you think you would know it to be. As of yesterday, the planet was considered something to be abandoned. With almost half the worlds population, 2.8 billion, now dead or missing in the span of only a few months. Wait, I'm getting a little ahead of myself. This isn't the beginning of this story, I need to go back in time to truly begin this tale.

"Welcome to the end of the world."

It was just another day in the normal ol' City of Domino, people were waking up, eating breakfast, and heading off to work or school. No one was worried about food or drink, no wars were being fought in far away lands, this day was just like any other, quiet, serene, peaceful. As for me, I just got off my shift and I was really tired, being a night owl has its perks, but it also means I have to make some sort of noise, be it a low tone movie or semi-soft music, to drown out the noises of the world outside so I can let myself be swayed to sleep, but unfortunately that was the last peaceful sleep I will have had for the next few weeks. While I slept the world away, sawing logs to my heart's content, there was something else stirring in the solar system.

A few hours ago; just past Mars, a speck was moving at incredible speeds towards Earth. Deep Space Satellites, or D.S.S, some simply observing the starry void, while others were actual relay hubs for communication back and forth from a small scientific colony on the surface of Mars, picked up the quiet intruder. The asteroid wasn't very big, estimated the size of a small house, which considering when it broke up upon entering the atmosphere, wouldn't be bigger than a small compact car when it would hit the ground. Of course, the problem would be estimating exactly where it would hit the ground. Scientists, astrologists, even mathematicians would calculate it's size, speed, the time frame on when the asteroid would intersect earth, and when that was done, where it would make landfall.

"It took scientist 5 hours," the newscaster said, "experts say it will make landfall somewhere in the Russian Siberian Tundra."

The citizenry the world over obviously took this as need to break into riots, throwing bricks into store windows, where store owners began price gouging to unheard of heights. Trying to grab as much cash from as many people as possible. Zealots using it as a way to push their own political agendas for spiritual dominance. Local authorities and military were trying to quell the rioters, pushing them back. Molotov cocktails were thrown and fires scattered as the glass broke on contact with hard surfaces. 6 hours after I was able to fall asleep, I woke to unusual noises outside, some screams, but it was the occasional gunshot that really, heh, shot me out of bed. Peeking out my window, I saw the signs of a riot in the distance. Turning, I reached for my TV remote and switched it over to the only news station still running.

"The comet is now an hour from breaching the Earth's upper atmosphere." She continued, "The comet is about half its original estimated size when first monitored near Mars. Scientists have estimated it should break up even more before striking the ground somewhere in Northern Russia," she concluded before I turned off the TV as I finished getting dressed in my fatigues. Okay, so why are people going crazy here? What I should have done was turn on the TV and watch more of the news, check social media outlets to get the feel of what's going on. Yeah, I didn't do that. I just grabbed my gear then ran out the door to go to roll call.

Elsewhere in the world, the comet was finally making landfall, the sonic boom broke glass windows and shattered china sets for miles as it broke the sound barrier over Russia. The impact site was, thankfully, no where near any settlements. The United Nations and local Russian authorities moved in quickly to secure the site before some enterprising individuals tried to take the comet for themselves. All the information we got from this point on were reports from high ranking officials since absolutely no news stations were allowed near the site until it was considered secure, that never happened. The official story given is that the strange black goo came from inside the comet, it had ridden into the atmosphere safely inside the comets core. The only thing we were told is that the rock suddenly burst open as scientists began to take mineral samples and drilling small holes to get core samples.

A little earlier; in an undisclosed locations world-wide, high ranking officials and interested parties sat down in secret to watch the events on the ground unfold live via satellite. They watched as the comets surface exploded suddenly, and the strange substance splattered onto virtually every individual present, helmet cams tell the rest of the story. People were shocked at first, gasps of surprise at the outburst, then the occasional laugh at the surprise happening, but it took less than five seconds for the first yelp of pain, then the screaming started to ring out. The camera suddenly switched to an overhead shot from some command tent or vehicle, frantic movement was seen from every individual except the commanding officers, who was busy barking orders and questions at any that heard, but the sickening screams and flat tone of multiple heart monitors began to drown out even the shouting.

Soon, all movement inside was halted, the screaming and shouting had stopped, every person present was glued to either unseen monitors or windows, the only sound was the flat tone of death from still functioning heart monitors. Then there was an abrupt order to move the convoy when the screen screeched to a snowy static field. The screen was replaced again, but this time of an overhead view from either a satellite or drone, the crater, estimated a mile wide, was completely black. What was estimated to be the command structure was a lump of black goo. Before midnight that very night, the unknown substance was deemed too hazardous to be left alone. The next day the military and world governments alike, decided to just napalm the entire area and then go in with special equipment to confirm the utter destruction of the substance.

A week passed, time after time, bombs, nukes, gases, fire, liquid nitrogen, hydrogens, hell, even oxygen and carbon monoxide all of it. Every conventional, and unconventional weapon was fired against the substance, even illegal chemical compounds, nothing phased it longer than a 24hr period, then it didn't phase it ever again. Every effort that was rendered useless, since all it seemed to do was just make it stronger, grow larger, and move faster, were being tossed aside. All military options were being limited day by day, until a couple weeks after landfall. Plans were drawn up by the world governments to build fleets of space ferrying ships to carry as many of the remaining terran populace, animal and vegetation away from the planet as possible. All of the East Asian continent was lost to the unknown black substance. The rioting had picked up even more with more people scrambling to grab whatever they could get their hands on. I am part of a joint military task force, we were moved from our normal station based in Japan, to one on the united states west coast, base Coronado. Our task was to safeguard an underground base where one of the flying ships was to be designed and built.

Every technologically capable corporation and business, no matter how insignificant, was called upon to help with building resources, software programming, and construction. A location that stretched from North America to South America was designated as priority one protected grounds. Every able bodied person that could work, would build hangers, construct frames, solder motherboards, wield struts, tighten down and riveting bolts, and lifting heavy loads till their bones ached. Every other resource, such as food, water, clothe, nylons and polyester was being collected, and stored as well. Everything that was edible was being converted into a dehydrated state of M.R.E. for extra long durations of storage. Water was altered and mixed with a tasteless powder and made into a gelatinous like state so it would take longer for normal evaporation, and it wouldn't grow mold or mildew for years in sealed containers.

Yesterday something changed, it's been nearly 12 months since the whole...envasion...I guess, had started. In the amount of time that has passed, it was unfathomable just how much has gotten done. With all available resources brought to bare, nearly two dozen smaller flying vessels, roughly the size of a battleship and about a dozen larger carriers and space platforms ranging in size from aircraft carrier to small islands were completed in record time. The black goo had crept to cover nearly all of Africa now, the continents of Asia and Europe where long since lost. The goo was sentient, it was confirmed when small tests were made to see if the goo could be distracted. The goo would ignore the fake traps and go straight for more victi.., er, lifeforms. It was now building mass near the edges of the southern tips of Thailand and China, growing in size and height, in order to fling itself onto the island chains to the south, eventually reaching Australia in about another months time.

As many animals as possible were gathered and moved to different orbital platforms, and any animal that couldn't be taken aboard was moved in mass to the continental Americas. They would be bred, multiplied, and eventually, slowly, rendered into a food source for humans and other animals alike, and now to what is so important about what's recently changed, just before Europe was completely taken, there was a chance given to the rest of the world. Three random civilians took up a card game and the tech designed to play it, and attempted to attack the black blob in some sort of a last ditch effort. Everyone had written off their deaths as inevitable, multiple people had tried to get them to run and not throw away their lives. News cameras and other surveillance devices watched as these few stood definitely against a for Earth was ill equipped to face. That is, until one of them suddenly raised an arm and placed a card onto their wrist device, a brilliant white light flashed, and a dragon of blue and white rose into the sky. Wings flapping making a rush of wind, send dust and particles flying in all directions.

The individual that had done this, raised an arm and pointed at the mass headed straight for them shouting, 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon! White Lightning Attack!!' The dragon seemed to build energy in its maw and then released it upon the goo. To the amazement of everyone watching, the blob suddenly seemed to be pushed back by the effort, somewhat scorched and possibly screeching as it fell back. Then a black dragon with glowing red eyes joined the fight and what can best be described as a mythical purple magician flared to life in front of everyone and blasted the blob back even more. 'Red-Eyes Black Dragon! Inferno Fire Blast!!' 'Dark Magician! Dark Magic Attack!!' Silence could heard around the world, something so meaningless suddenly became the most important weapon in humanity's arsenal for survival.

Duel Monsters!

(Author's note: I need help with different deck ideas, but decks cannot be the regular, everyday consistent or competitive builds. The decks must adhere to the rules of this world. Resources are scarce, cards cannot be made in multiples freely. Stronger cards are rare and hard to find.)

1. Decks must be no more than 50 cards in the main deck, however the extra deck can hold up to 20 single cards. (with few exceptions)

2. Every card must be set to 1 per deck, unless the card is weak in terms of stats or effect. The only exception are cards that are required for a special summons or a unique card effect that calls for 2-3 of a particular card by its original printed name. ("This card is always treated as…" does not count.)

3. Unique cards, originally created by duel or spirit energies in the official anime or manga, for specific characters or decks, can only have 1 of those cards in existence in this world. No copies will have been made.

4. Fighting the goo is scripted, but you must still adhere to the cards effects and summoning requirements.

5. Duels are to be played out normally. The outcome will effect the storyline going forward.

6. Custom cards are not allowed!!!