Chapter 13: Let the Games Begin



A.N. I know how you all have been DYING for the Duel to get started! (Okay, maybe not, but what's the harm in a big ego? ^_^) Tell me if you like the way I'm doing the Duels, because I can change them. Anyway, this time around, they'll still be playing with 2000 life points, and direct damage can be used. There still doesn't need to be a monster sacrificed to bring out monsters with five or more stars. In other words, the rules are still the same!

Notes on the names of the cards:
Dark Magician = Black Magician
Celtic Guardian = Elven Swordsman
Curse of Dragon = Damned Dragon (and I'm not upping my rating for swear words; the blasted monster's called the Damned Dragon, so live with it)
Gaia the Fierce Knight? = Fierce Knight Gaia
Gaia the Dragon Champion = Dragon Champion Gaia
???(Don't know the English name for this one) = Dark Necrophia

*All of the other cards' names are their English names, because I don't know their Japanese ones.*

That said, enjoy!

Disclaimer: What does it take to penetrate that thick skull of yours!? *Grabs the Sennen Rod and whacks people who actually thought that Seena owned Yu-Gi-Oh! upside the head in a desperate attempt to knock some sense into them* I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!!!! Everyone knows that!

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My brother's eyes narrowed, recognizing my challenge. Then... let's Duel! he cried, obviously excited. The priests stood on the sidelines, obviously eager for this match to begin as well. By the scroll of papyrus in his hand, I came to the conclusion that Seto would be keeping the scores as our referee. As Pharaoh, I get to go first!

I nodded my head. Let's go.

My brother closed his eyes. After contemplating his roster for a second, he spoke. I call upon the Elven Swordsman (1400, 1200)! In attack mode! I narrowed my eyes. That was the same opening play that he made when he had faced Mariku...

I was soon distracted from my thoughts, though. As the Sennen Puzzle around the Pharaoh's neck glowed, one of the stones on the field raised until its picture was facing me. It was the Elven Swordsman! The slab glowed, and he appeared on the playing field. Without a body, however, he didn't look completely solid. It was a strange effect.

I noticed Seto and another priest - one with long, unruly black hair and sharp green eyes - shake hands in congratulations. So far, everything was going well.

My brother seemed pleased, as well. All right! Now, I'm going to lay one spell on the field, to end my turn.

Another one of the stone slabs in front of the Pharaoh responded to his words. Instead of revealing its picture, though, it remained face down, shimmering with a light green aura. The priests nodded amongst themselves again.

Now it was time for me to experience the new way of Dueling, firsthand. I closed my eyes.

Vorse Raider, Heavy Storm, Monster Reborn, Giant Stone Soldier, Morphing Jar.

I opened my eyes, though I was still thinking. My Vorse Raider has an attack power of 1900; it could easily destroy my little brother's Elven Swordsman... Surely he must know that many monsters could defeat him. He's up to something... I would have declared an attack to get an early lead, but the spell that he had laid down worried me. I decided it was better to defend, and see what I was up against.

One monster in defense mode, I declared, picturing my Giant Stone Soldier (1300, 2000).

With a shimmer of my Sennen Ring, a stone tablet started glowing. It raised directly off of the ground, levitating about a half meter from the floor. Then, it rotated sideways ninety degrees, keeping its picture face-down.

I'll put a spell on the field, as well, I finished, picturing my Heavy Storm. Another stone glowed, similar to the Pharaoh's, as my order went into effect.

My turn? the young pharaoh asked, a little disappointed that I had not attacked. So he did play a trap... I smiled inwardly. It would take a lot more than that to get the best of me! Fine, if you won't attack me, then I'll just have to come after you. But not before I power up my Elven Swordsman with the Black Pendant! It'll raise his attack to 1900! Now, attack!

I grinned as my stone tablet flipped over. Sorry, brother! But my Giant Stone Soldier's more than capable of withstanding your attack! And you're down 100 Life Points!

The Pharaoh gritted his teeth (partially in pain, partially in anger), then smiled again, his face a mask of cool ice. Very well, then. To end my turn, I'll just place another monster in defense mode.

I nodded, then called forth the next member of my roster - the Man-Eater Bug. However, I already had a plan...

To begin my next turn, I'm going to activate my spell. Heavy Storm! It'll get rid of all of the spells on the field!

My brother didn't seem too put out at this turn of events, however. In fact, he was smiling. Well, then you've activated the other effect of my Black Pendant! When it's destroyed, you lose 500 of your Life Points!

I cried. I had completely forgotten about the effects of the Black Pendant. I winced and bit my lip in pain as I felt my Life Points drop; it took all of the energy I had to keep from keeling over - or worse, screaming. After a few seconds, the pain subsided enough for me to remove my hand from my rapidly beating heart and resume the Duel.

Gasping for breath, I announced, now, it's your turn... to feel the pain... little brother. Attack... Vorse Raider!

My monster's ghostly form charged forward, howling a battle cry. As his weapon sliced through the Elven Swordsman's body, the warrior elf let out a cry of his own before disappearing with a flash of light.

Something surprising happened then. As the Elven Swordsman vanished, the stone slab with its picture behind it crumbled to the floor. The priests muttered amoungst each other; I heard Seto's voice above the others. He was talking to the black-haired priest. That will be a problem if we are to place everyone's monsters in stones; we'll never have enough rock.

Perhaps a restoration spell? suggested the priest with the long black hair.

It is a possibility, Otogi... but we would need a lot of energy for that, no? Seto pointed out. In one day's time... if hundreds of monsters are felled in many Duelists' matches, and hundreds of tablets are shattered, then it will take more energy to restore the stones than an entire army's life force could provide.

Yes, that is true... ... he answered slowly, pondering the problem. After a moment, he voiced another idea: Time reversal, then. We could use the Time Wizards' energy...

Seto's eyes lit up in inspiration. Time reversal! We could create a tool or a machine of some kind that would run on the Time Wizards' energy... and put the pieces of the stone in it, and restore it back to normal!

The priest named Otogi nodded. Yes... a Time Machine...

I turned my attention back to the Duel. My brother had doubled over in pain, but hadn't lost his footing. That's just like him... always determined to stand strong. His eyes flashing with pain as his Life Points dropped, he declared his next move. Fine, then... I'll place one card face-down! And, I'll play... the Damned Dragon (2000, 1500) in... attack mode! And... I play this magic spell... Polymerization - to fuse it with my... defense monster, Fierce Knight Gaia!

I bit my lip back. This doesn't look good... this doesn't look good at all! My Vorse Raider's wide open to an attack!

Prepare to meet one of my strongest monsters - Dragon Champion Gaia (2600, 2300)! the Pharaoh's voice tore through my thoughts. I bit my lip back. All I could do was brace myself for the pain that I knew was coming...



I almost howled along in pain with my Vorse Raider as he was destroyed. Tears formed in my eyes as I struggled not to collapse to my knees; I was biting my lip so hard that blood was dripping down my face. Yet, I would not scream. I refused to bend in to my brother's will...

After a moment, the pain was over. I felt like I had been through a war; my Life Points were down to 800. Losing almost half of my Life Points in one shot was horrible; I could only imagine what Mariku had felt like when he had lost almost all of his Life Points at once, in his last Duel...

Licking some of the blood off of my lips and wiping the rest away with my sleeve (it had already dripped down and stained my tunic, so I figured my clothes were already ruined), a plan came to me. A plan that would ensure my victory.

The next being that I pictured in my mind's eye was Dark Necrophia; but I doubted that I would need to use her, one of my favourite monsters, to finish the Duel. No... I had a far better plan. A plan that would turn my brother's own monster against him.

I closed my eyes, and pictured Change of Heart.

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Hahaha! Cliffhanger! ^_^ *in announcers voice* Will Yami Bakura actually defeat the unbeatable King of Games? Or will the Pharaoh find away to beat Yami Bakura's unstoppable plan? There's only one way to find out... stick around for the next chapter, I'm working on it already!

In the meantime, review, people! ^_^