The Dragon Duelist
Chapter Eight: Dragon's Sorrow
"I came in with the Rare Hunters." Ansem explained. "Marik gave me a few cards from his personal stores. In exchange, he wanted me to stall you and take Obelisk from Kaiba. I was all too happy to help, what with my desire to claim the Blue-Eyes and reestablish my reputation as a top duelist…"
"I see." Yugi nodded. "Are any of the Rare Hunters still in Battle City? I've defeated two of them…"
"Two?" Ansem repeated. "Marik has sent at least two dozen! I came in with six other Rare Hunters. One of whom you beat, as I recall. But those Exodia pieces were going to his head anyway."
"You mean the fake Exodia pieces?" Yugi wondered.
"They were fake?"
The two continued talking for several minutes. Yugi continued to press the issue regarding the other Rare Hunters' whereabouts.
"What happened to Lumis and Umbra?" Yugi asked. "What about Strings?"
"I haven't heard from them." Ansem answered truthfully. "And of course, Marik himself is too good to sully his hands. So he sends underlings like me."
"Marik is a liar and a coward." Yugi assured him. "And you were able to free yourself from him, at least temporarily."
"He's a dead man when he gets here." Ansem muttered. "I'll take him down myself."
"You won't need to." Yugi replied. "Eventually, Marik will come after me, and I'll be the one to take him down."
"About that…" Ansem said as he rose. "If you don't mind…" He shoved Yugi over and charged away. "…I'll deal with him now!"
"No!" Yugi called after the retreating Ansem. "Don't go after him! He knows you're coming!"
Good. Ansem thought grimly as he ran, I want him to know. I want him to be afraid.
"But there's nothing to be afraid of." Came a hoarse voice on Ansem's right. He screeched to a stop and peered into a shadowed alley.
"Which minion would you be?" Ansem asked calmly.
"I am not a minion- I am an extension." Came the voice, as Strings appeared from the shadows- dressed as he always was, in red, black and a whole lot of piercing- with an activated duel disc and sinister grin. "Marik wants to know why you tried to betray him."
"Because I've had enough of his cowardice." Strings flinched as Ansem spoke. "What's the matter? Marik can't hear us."
" Can't I, Jaeger?" came the cold, high voice of Marik from Strings' mouth. "Who do you think is allowing this mute creature to speak?"
Ansem snorted. "Still hiding in the dark, Marik? Using someone else as a shield yet again?"
"The simple answer- is yes." Marik replied through Strings. "You are not worthy of again meeting me in person."
"I beg to differ." Ansem growled a reply. "I want you to know- I'm done with you. I no longer need to follow you. I don't need your help."
"You would dare say this to me?" Marik growled back. "You took my cards… my technology… and I trusted you with it, you ungrateful, useless…"
"Stop flattering me, you coward." Ansem snapped. "I'm not listening to your crap anymore."
" And yet we carry on a conversation." Marik mocked. "I'm afraid you don't understand your obligation to me. It is a lifetime of servitude or eternal wandering of the Shadow Realm."
" 'Shadow Realm'?" Ansem repeated. "I don't fear any such place. Bring on every one of your minions, Marik!"
"I'm not surprised by your confidence." Marik chuckled. "It just means my assumptions of you were correct. You are powerful… but so very lost."
"Stop yapping." Ansem instructed angrily.
"I have a wager for you." Marik made Strings step forward. "Have a duel with me. If you lose, I will give you the option to come back and serve me or spend the rest of your life in the Shadow Realm. But if you can win under these conditions, I'll make no demands on you. I will accept whatever you decide."
"Sounds interesting." Ansem nodded. "Fine! I'll take you down here and now."
"This alley's a bit small for a duel." Marik said, using Strings' voice. "Follow me to this building's rooftop. It will be an adequate site for your downfall."
"Or yours." Ansem replied pleasantly. He activated his Duel Disc, shuffled his deck, allowed 4000 life points to appear on his system's screen, and started the duel atop the low roof. A few duelists and city patrons were below, and took notice of the adversaries about two stories above them.
"Would you like to begin?" Marik asked nastily, drawing.
"Why not?" Ansem answered, lifting five cards- Harpie's Brother, Bottomless Trap Hole, Gravekeeper's Servant, Luster Dragon, and Hayabusa Knight. "I'll lay two cards face down, and then I'll play Harpie's Brother in Attack mode!"
The face-down card appeared, followed by the winged human (1800/600) to guard Ansem's life points.
"Pitiful." Marik/Strings mocked. "I play Worm Drake in attack mode." He set the serpentine monster forth (1400/1500) to match Ansem's flying creature.
This seems a bit too easy. Ansem thought, but shrugged it off. He drew- his first Lord of Dragons. "I'll throw down Hayabusa Knight in attack mode. Unlike before, I won't spare you from his wrath." The bipedal falcon in armor appeared, brandishing his two swords (1000/700). "First, my Harpie's Brother will deal with your Worm Drake!" The winged warrior shot forward, defeating Worm Drake in an instant, leaving Marik with 400 less life points. "And then, Hayabusa Knight will deliver his two attacks unto your life points!" Marik merely smiled as his LP was dropped to 1600.
"About what I expected." Marik chortled. "I play Pot of Greed." He said as soon as he drew it, adding 2 cards to his hand, giving him a total of seven. "I'll throw down this monster in defense mode."
Ansem drew- a Flute to go with his Lord of D. "And I'll take it out! Harpie's Brother, attack his defense monster!" Again the winged warrior shot forward and attacked the holographic card. Unfortunately, Harpie's Brother had attacked some strange, shapeless gray entity- revealed as the monster Humanoid Slime (800/2000). Ansem glowered as he lost 200 life points.
"What's the matter?" Marik laughed. "Monster a bit stronger than you expected?"
"A bit." Ansem replied truthfully. "But not enough for your sake! I sacrifice my Hayabusa Knight for Luster Dragon." The falcon warrior disappeared as a great green dragon took its place (2400/1400) and promptly blasted away Humanoid Slime with a jet of green light.
"Not bad." Marik muttered snidely. "But, as is fairly common- not good enough." He drew, and played his card instantly. "Nightmare Steel Cage! You'll be trapped for 2 turns!" As he said this, iron bars appeared around Ansem's monsters, restricting them from any sort of movement. "And I'll also play this- Jam Breeding Machine!" Upon saying this, a strange device appeared on his side of the field, and produced a tiny, wriggling slime. "To finish my turn- one card face down."
Ansem drew- the Red-Eyes Black Dragon. "I summon Lord of Dragons in defense mode." He set down the spellcaster yet again (1200/1100). "And that will do it for me."
"Very well." Marik drew. "I'll set down another Humanoid Slime in defense mode, just too keep you on edge." Another shapeless blob appeared from the machine, bringing the total number of shapeless blobs on the field to three.
I've got to do something… Ansem thought. But I'm restricted for one more turn. If only there was a way to get rid of those enemy monsters…I must allow the Heart of the Cards to guide me once again… Ansem drew… and then declared: "I play Change of Heart!" the familiar magic card appeared, as Ansem Jaeger instantly seized control of one of Marik's Slime Tokens. "Attack your fellow!" Without any question, the Jam Defender attacked the other Slime Token, and both were destroyed.
Clever move, Marik admitted against his will. But I didn't expect this to be too easy… at least he's made my day interesting. Aloud, Marik/Strings uttered: "I play Graceful Charity." He drew three cards from the top of his deck, and then selected two from his hand and discarded them. "I'll lay one card down on the field, and another monster in defense mode."
"And you'll see them both knocked down!" Ansem assured, as the Nightmare Steel Cage dissipated. He drew- Stop Defense. "I play Stop Defense on your Humanoid Slime." Upon saying this, Humanoid Slime was switched to attack position, leaving itself vulnerable. "Luster Dragon, destroy that creature and win me this duel!"
Another jet of green light shot at Humanoid Slime, but it was intercepted by another slimy creature that had appeared on the field. Upon closer inspection, Marik had revealed his defense monster- Revival Jam, as well as one of his face-down cards: Jam Defender.
"What a waste." Marik noted. "With my Revival Jam out, my monsters are protected!" Marik drew, and set a monster down. "I'll play another Worm Drake, as well as a new Slime Token."
Now with four monsters on the field, and one of them defending Marik's every weak spot, Ansem was cornered.
But still he drew… and he played. "Flute of Summoning Dragon!" From his hand appeared the Red-Eyes (2400/2000) and the Tri-Horned (2850/2350), bringing the total number of monsters on the field up to five.
"You want to make your death interesting, then?" Marik grinned as he drew yet again. "I play this- Infinite Cards. With this Magic card in play, there is no limit to the number of cards a duelist can hold in their hand." Marik then selected one other card from his hand and grinned again. "All this planning is designed for a single beast… more powerful than any you've yet faced… stronger even than Obelisk the Tormentor and your Mythic Dragon!"
"Suuure." Ansem replied without the slightest hint of fear.
"Now that I have enough monsters on the field." Marik punctuated his statement as he pointed at the Slime Token, Humanoid Slime, and Worm Drake. "I can sacrifice all three…" He did just that, and all the monsters were annihilated "…for a beast the likes of which you've never seen!" The sky began to darken above them, as dark gray clouds filled the sky. "Behold… Slifer the Sky Dragon!"
Slowly, ominously, a burst of light shot from the ground into the sky, and a reddish form began to lower from the clouds. It was serpentine, but had wings. Its arms were tiny and barely visible on its long body, but its head was very prominent- it seemed to have two sets of jaws.
"Well… there's a dragon you didn't tell me about." Ansem muttered.
"Do you really think I would entrust such a valuable creature to you?" Marik asked. "Let us see how well you like him." Marik counted the cards in his hand. "Slifer gains 1000 extra attack points for every card in my hand. With five cards in my hand, my total attack power is 5000!" Ansem cringed at the sight (5000/5000). "I won't attack this turn… but…"
"Cram it!" Ansem countered, revealing his face-down card. "Bottomless Trap Hole! Your monster is automatically destroyed!" Ansem waited, but quickly noticed Slifer was unaffected.
"Did I neglect to mention that Slifer is an Egyptian God Card? It is immune to Magic and Trap cards!" Marik practically made his mind-slave dance with glee.
This won't end well… Ansem thought as he reached for his deck.
Elsewhere, Kaiba Corp.'s Battle City surveillance network had caught sight of Slifer's presence, but were unable to notify Kaiba due to certain…complications…
"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me when I'm working?!" Kaiba raged. "White Lightning!"
"But, sir…"
"Quiet or you're fired!"
Ansem lifted his card- Last Turn. For all the good it did, Ansem reached down on his Duel Disc. "I switch all my monsters into defense mode."
"I draw…" Marik grinned, "But also activate this- the Trap card, Reckless Greed! At the cost of my next 2 draw phases…" He picked up two cards from his deck. "I bring eight cards to my hand!" Slifer was then powered up accordingly (8000/8000). "Now Slifer, attack his Luster Dragon!" Ansem watched in horror as Slifer opened its first mouth and sent out a blast of golden energy, instantly obliterating the great green dragon.
Ansem drew- Dragon Dwelling in the Cave. "I'll set this monster in defense mode…"
"Not so fast!" Marik countered. "When your monster is summoned, Slifer's secondary effect is activated!" The great dragon opened its second mouth and unleashed another blast of light unto the field, annihilating the new dragon. "Whenever a monster is summoned, Slifer automatically drains 2000 points from whatever mode it's currently in. Your Dragon Dwelling in the Cave couldn't survive a hit!"
"So I noticed." Ansem muttered. "I can't do anything- it's your move."
"Normally, I'd prefer to draw this out." Marik told Ansem. "But I have places to be… pharaohs to obliterate… you understand…"
"Of course." Ansem growled.
"I play Raigeki!" Marik laughed, as bolts of lightning fell onto each of Ansem's monsters, leaving him without any defense. "It is appropriate your downfall came from a dragon, Ansem Jaeger… albeit one of the strongest creatures in existence!" Slifer shot forward, and unleashed another attack onto Ansem, bringing his life points down to zero.
Ansem fell to one knee and looked into Slifer's cold, unpitying eyes.
He could not speak- the mere sight of the great dragon was enough to frighten
him into submission.
Even after the hologram had faded, Ansem still waited in silence. Marik walked over and took Ansem's deck into one of his mind slave's hands.
"Here it is…" he said, lifting the Mythic Dragon. "I also think I'll take these Locator cards… and perhaps afterwards you'll remember your role."
Ansem Jaeger said nothing.
"I assume then, you do not wish to rejoin my ranks?" Marik asked. "If that is what you want. You have lost your only opportunity to get the Blue-Eyes. I will be sure to remember your treachery after I've dealt with the pharaoh."
As he turned to leave, Ansem muttered: "He'll beat you."
"What?" Marik snapped back.
"Yugi will beat you." Ansem repeated. "His belief is stronger than you know. Because of his teachings, and not your powerful cards, I was able to overcome Kaiba and prove the value of my own dragons."
"You dare speak of me like that?" Marik growled. "I give you some of the best cards in the game, as well as free reign… and you claim my help was irrelevant? It is Yugi Mutoh who is irrelevant!"
"You'll understand, Marik…" Ansem smirked. "When you duel him, face-to-face… you will understand…"
"I don't have time for your ramblings." Marik snapped as he headed away.
"I will deal with you once Yugi Mutoh lay bleeding at my feet."
After that, Marik and Ansem Jaeger never saw one another again. Ansem made a brief communication to Yugi before he left Battle City and returned to his quiet life at home.
"Thank you, Yugi." Ansem said as he shook the duelist's hand. "You have given me more than I could hope to ever repay. And you have taught me the value of each of my dragons… and for that… I am forever in your debt."
Ansem watched the finals of the Battle City tournament, and cheered Yugi as he went on to victory, assuring Marik's downfall. After that, as some duelists became legendary, he was only occasionally mentioned…
…the Dragon Duelist…
…who made himself better… and learned the value of the Heart of the Cards…
It was a story worth telling.