Everyone, please note. This fic uses rules and tactics that only work in the show. Don't complain to me about how something works, unless you have good grounds to do it on.
Hey, I never did a disclaimer. I should probably do that. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or anything related to it. I do, however, own Kai, Takaru, and Saet.
Chapter Three: A Fiends Curse
I had four star chips, and eliminated one of the strongest Duelists on the island. 'So far, so good.' I conversed with myself in my head. 'With some luck, I can make it into the castle by tomorrow afternoon. Maybe I should...' I was cut off by a sudden rumbling. 'Maybe I should eat.' I smiled.
I found a small patch of dirt that I made a ring of stones on. I put some twigs, leaves and dried grass in it, and then struck a spark on it using my packed flint and steel, then blew to transform it into a fire. I then took the small frying pan and placed it over the flames to heat. I then placed some tiny slivers of meat and vegetables in, along with some soy sauce, and slowly cooked my stirfry.
About twenty minutes later, I was cleaning my utensils in a clean spring when I heard the grass behind me crunch, and a twig snap. I whipped around and took a defensive stance. Standing there was a young man about my age. He had brown hair that spiked on top, while the bottom half was drawn into a seven-or-so in ponytail. He was wearing a red flannel shirt over a white undershirt, and navy blue jeans. I also made sure to take note of the blue velvet glove on his right hand.
"Hello." I greeted.
He smiled and extended his arm. "I'm Saet. I'm looking for a second opponent."
"I'm Kai Kaethen. And, I except." I welcomed. I shook his hand, and saw that he had only three star chips. Obviously, his last victim had not been as careless as Takaru. I heard a rumbling behind the bushes, and watched as two dueling platforms elevated above the field. We raced over to it and got into place.
"I'll wager one Star Chip." he said, popping it out of the wrist band. I fallowed suit. We both drew our cards, and he signaled that he would go first.
"I lay one card face down in defense mode, and one card face down." he eagerly said as he laid the cards down.
I drew my first card and stared at it. 'Dark Elf. That's no good. To attack requires that I pay 250 Life Points.' I added it to my hand and chose something else.
"I attack with Harpies Brother." I shouted as the lean fighter appeared. "Crimson Slash!"He struck with unprecedented speed, and what appeared as he cut was a creature with red skin, long nails, and covered in eyes.
"Thanks for attacking Kai." he said with glee. "That was my Big Eye. And since you attacked, its effect was activated. I can now take the top five cards off my deck," he explained as he did so. "Rearrange them however I wish, and return them to the top of my deck. And it's my turn, so I can draw this one. And I play Baron of the Fiend Sword." His new monster had the face and head of a dog, with small horns on its forehead, while its body was robed in a black suit with a white shirt and red bow tie. It held a long black sword with a wicked blade. "And I combine him with the Sword of Dark Destruction, which will raise his attack power by 400 points, up from 1550 to 1950." The sword began to shift and alter its appearance. The blade became curved, the edge sharper, etc. "Attack!" His beast raised the weapon over its head, and slashed through my monster with ease. "And so, you drop to 1850 Life Points."
"Then I'll play a monster in defense mode." I said as the tile began to flash gold. "And I'll place a card face down."
"Ha. Do my fiendish creatures have you off balance already? But I've only taken two turns." he laughed, but in a more friendly way than my last adversary. "I'll now play Nuvia the Temptress, in attack mode." His new monster had a body that appeared to be several rings stacked on top of one another, a head on top, with several snake-like tendrils waving behind it, and the body of a serpent. (2000/800) "Screech of the Banshee!" he commanded. Its mouth opened wide, and a horrendous scream filled the air. My defending Feral Imp appeared for just a second before it was torn apart.
"I'll lay another card down, and defend again."
"Baron, attack with Sword of Souls!" It rushed forward and struck, only to be fended off by my monster. She looked like my Dark Elf, only her skin was blue, her hair was blond, her dress green, and tiara white. She was emitting a golden aura which fended the wicked blade off. "My Mystical Elf will stop your attack." I smiled. "With its defense of 2000, not even Nuvia can destroy it. And you drop by 50 Life Points to 1950. "
"Maybe, which is why I'll switch them both to defense mode, and set one more card down."
I reached for my deck when a spark of electricity jumped out at my hand, forcing me to recoil. "What was that!" I said aloud.
"That is the magic of my Trap card, Time Seal. It forces you to skip your draw this turn." he explained.
"Then I'll simply lay this card in defense mode."
He lifted his card and smiled. "I'll lay a card face down, and end my turn."
'He has the lead, and control of the field, and yet, he's going to defend. What sort of card could he have hidden.' I picked my card up and thought. 'Well, I might as well use this chance to attack. And I have just the card.' I looked at my newly drawn monster.
"I attack with my most powerful monster!" I shouted across the field. "The Tri-Horned Dragon! And with an attack strength of 2850, it's nearly unstoppable." I cried. My blue scaled dragon emerged from the flash of light. It looked down upon Saet's monsters, snorting at their pathetic forms. "Eternal Inferno!" I commanded. It unleashed a blazing stream of ice blue flames. It engulfed the Saet's entire side of the field, incinerating both his monsters.
"Well, I never did expect to encounter such a powerful dragon." he grinned. "Well, unless I was dueling Seto Kaiba, but your not him. But never the less, I have a plan to obliterate your dragon."
"What?!" I shouted. He lifted a card off the top of his deck, and set it down.
"I play Dragon Seeker in defense mode!" A tall, fiendish creature stood in a crouch with its head bent over, and its arms crossed across his chest. "When Dragon Seeker is switched from defense to attack mode, it can instantly destroy one dragon on the field." he laughed. My eyes widened, but then something hit me.
"Not if I destroy Dragon Seeker before that."
"You wont get the chance." he said, reaching for his down card. "I play Curse of Fiend. It will switch all monsters on the field into the opposite mode they are currently in. That means that your Tri-Horned Dragon will go into defense mode, and Dragon Seeker; he goes into attack, activating his effect." he chortled. A blast of pink lightning reached out and struck my dragon, When I could properly see again, I noticed him in a stance similar to Dragon Seeker's previous position. Saet's monster now stood, looking my dragon straight in the eye. It rushed over and struck my monster down with his deadly claws. "Your most powerful monster is gone."
I gritted my teeth. I was on the defensive again, and I no longer had my best monster to rely on. 'I'll have to pray for my other strong monsters.' I picked the card up off the top of my deck. "I'm going to attack with this," I declared. A massive purple elephant rose out of the ground. It stood on its two short, squat hind legs. It held a sword in its hand, was dressed in a decorative loin cloth, and looked like it was rather eager to strike. "Garncia Elefantis. Attack." It charged , lowering its head. Its tusks catching Dragon Seeker under his arms. At the same time, it delved the sword deep into the demons belly. It shrieked, wriggled a little bit, and then exploded. The score was now me with 1850, and Saet with 1650. Still way to close.
"I think that it's time that I crushed your defenses." he grinned. "I play the summoned Skull, in attack mode." A tall, skeletal demon appeared from the swirling black vortex that had appeared on his side of the field. It had two horns that poked out of its head, and bent down, curving inward. "Destroy his attack monster! Lightning Strike!" The fiend bent its arms at the joints, his claws just barely reaching higher than its shoulder. It growled a haunting tone, and electricity poured out of the sky in a ring around him. It then channeled that power directly at my mammoth creature. (LP: 1750/1650)
"I'll lay a monster in defense mode." I declared. That, and a magic card were my only protection.
"Then I'll play another fiendish creature." he said, picking a new card. "Ryu-Kishin Powered." It was a red gargoyle with a beaked mouth and feather-like fans that extended back off of its shoulders. Its claws were a wicked black, and it's thick skin was a powerful defense. (1600/1200). "Then, I will strengthen him with Axe of Despair, raising his attack by 1000 points, up to 2600." As he spoke, an axe that looked as if it belonged to a demon of the past appeared in Ryu-Kishin's clawed hands. "Attack his defending monster." His monster bounded over and slashed through my defending Neo the Magic Swordsman. "And I'll finish by placing one card face down."
I drew my next card and smiled. "I play Dark Hole. And since I have no monsters that I could lose, you're the only one who will be destroyed." As I said this, a black swirl formed above the field. His monsters began to struggle with their clawed feet to stay on the ground.
Then, the most peculiar thing happened. A white swirl, spinning in the opposite direction as mine appeared. It was small, extending only over his side of the arena, but it somehow protected his monsters.
"What is that?!" I shrieked.
"My White Hole trap counters your Dark Hole, protecting my monsters."
I clenched my teeth and reached for my only down card. "I play De-Spell on you Axe of Despair, weakening Ryu-Kishin." I said. A golden padlock with a key of the same color appeared. It then exploded, and a blast of lighting hit the wicked weapon, and destroyed it. "I'll then place a monster in defense mode."
"Summoned Skull, attack with Lightning Strike!" he commanded. My monster was obliterated.
'Alright.' I mentally sighed. 'Heart of the Cards, please.' I pleaded of my deck. I picked up a card and smiled. "I play Block Attack on your Summoned Skull." I began.
"NO!" he gasped as his mighty, undead creature wrapped its wings around its body and crouched down on one knee. "Then, I'll attack with Maha Vailo." A tall figure dressed in a long blue robe, fanged head dress, and hosting two wing-like objects on it back. (1550/1200). "And I'll combine it with a magic card, Fairy Meteor Crush." As I said this, a blue glow came about my monster. Saet looked deeply confused. "Fairy Meteor Crush allows me to hurt your Life Points, regardless as to its position. But even more importantly, it's and Equipment Magic card. And that means that Maha Vailo's special ability. For every equipment card attached to my monster, it obtains another five hundred attack and defense points. So Maha Vailo now has an attack of 2050. Attack. Sacred Meteor Strike!" My monster extended both its arms out, pressing his thumb and pointer finger together to create a diamond. Several small orbs of energy swirled around within the boundaries of Maha Vailo's hands. These then fired out and pummeled the Summoned Skull into dust, and Saet's Life Points to 800, giving me a huge lead.
"Impressive." he remarked. "I'll lay another monster in defense mode, and a card face down."
"Maha Vailo, Meteor Strike!" I commanded. The same balls of light formed and showered down on the flashing square. A wooden tiki with hundreds of lands extending out of his back appeared.
"Senju of a Thousand Hands allows me a special ability." he purred. "I am allowed to search my deck for a specific type of card. But I'll tell you what kind of card on my next turn. For now, I play another monster in defense mode."
'What is he planning. What kind of monster or trap is he planning for. I'll just have to rick attacking. But, that doesn't mean I can't defend still, in case my attacks begin to falter.'
"I play one monster card face down in defense mode." I declared. "And then I'll attack with Maha Vailo!" The attack rushed the face down monster on Saet's side. A tall, lean figure with black legs, and an acid green upper body appeared. Its eyes were bright, glowing yellow slits, and it was armed with twin massive scimitars.
"My Beast of Talwar is one of the mightiest fiend monsters in the entire game." Saet grinned. "With an attack of 2400, and a defense of 2150, your Maha Vailo can't hurt it. And you lose 100 Life Points."
'Why did he defend with such a powerful creature. Did he want me to attack, or does it have some effect when flipped?'
"And now, for my plan to be revealed." he cried with pride, in a voice that proved he was about to go on a power trip. He chose a card from his hand. "I play my Ultra Rare Zera Ritual. With this, I can sacrifice my two monsters, and combine there life forces into one of the greatest creatures in all of Duel Monsters." As he said this, a large throne with a figure in a green, hooded cloak rose out of the ground. It then fired twin beams at Ryu-Kishin and Beast of Talwar. These two became two identical amber flames that merged together, taking a beastly figure. "I present my greatest monster. The omnipotent, Zera the Mant!" The flames began to melt away, starting at the hands and legs, revealing thick, blue skin. The feet and hands hosted large claws. The legs were stubby and bent to support the large behemoth. Soon, I could see that the entire body was a light azure blue, except a few black spots on the chest. It had a thin, dragon-like face the pointed down, and four horns that reached out to the sides, then went straight up. Then, to top it all off, it was wearing a lavender cape, and had eyes like the Talwar Beast that had been sacrificed to create this monstrosity. In some ways, it seemed to have inherited many attributes from the two ogres. (2800/2300).
"Zera, Jagged Claw attack. obliterate Maha Vailo!" Zera reared back, seeming to be preparing for a high powered punch. It then released, and swung its clawed hand in front of himself, firing three flesh ripping lines that slashed through my monster with ease, reducing my Life Points by 750 to 1000. "And I'll end my turn by playing this card, Monster Reborn, to bring back My Beast of Talwar." As he spoke, the shadow creature returned to the field.
'I've never faced a Ritual Monster in all my years of Dueling. Now, I face this 2800 attack point juggernaut. How? Without Tri-Horn to help me, what can I do to win.' I whimpered inside my head. I was on the verge of defeat. It wouldn't take long.
But then I remembered something from my last Duel. 'Seya and Allentha are relying on me. They have faith that I can do this. I just need to trust myself as much as they do.' I reached for my deck.
"I'll place a monster card face down. Now I have two defenses." I said.
"Imprssive, but not enough. I attack your newly placed card with my newly resurrected monster. Talwar Crush!" As the demon slashed down, it reveled my Feral Imp, sitting in a crouch. "Next, I'll activate a special trap card." he said, reaching for the card he had set two turns before. "I use the Horn of Heaven to sacrifice my Talwar Beast, but it will annihilate your set monster card." As he declared this, a golden horn with silvery wings and jewels incrusted in it. Then, an insane blast of sound washed over my field. My Guardian Sphinx appeared on the field, howled, and then exploded. "I thought it was a monster that could disable Zera. So I set that card to prevent it. Now your Guardian Sphinx cannot use its ability to return Zera to my hand. That would have ruined me. But not this time."
"I place a monster in defense mode, and end my turn." I said.
"I don't think so." he smiled, turning his newly drawn card to face me. I could faintly make out a temple interior, with two flames in the corners.
"Another Curse of Fiend." I remarked.
"Yes. And so, I'll switch Zera to defense mode, and then activate its magic." he chortled. Zera sat on one knee in a crouch for only a second. Then, a familiar flash of lightning struck both his and my field. Zera was soon standing again, and so was my monster. It was twin women in long, slender dresses, and both armed with long claws. But that was an illusion of weakness. In fact, it was one of the most interesting cards, capable of making a swift attack that was hard to block, of 1900. Now, they stood, facing their doom.
"Zera, Jagged Claw Slash!" The strike ripped through my monsters with incredible ease.
I gritted my teeth. 'I only have 100 Life Points left. If I don't get a monster onto the field soon, he can attack me directly, just like what I did to Takaru.' I looked over my hand, and noticed a combination attack I could use. 'But I'll need a little bit of time' I picked up my next card, my eyes widening. 'Yes!'
"I play Swords of Revealing Light, to paralyze Zera the Mant for three turns." I declared. Dozens of swords, made of pure white light formed all around Zera the Mant, forming a barrier between it and my monsters.
"Very well. I pass my turn." was all he said.
"For my turn, I play the Dark Elf!" I said. She was tall and slender, robing her dark brown skin in a moss green gown. And she crowned her black hair in a golden tiara that shined brightly. "And I'll add this Book of Secret Arts, to raise her attack points by three hundred, up 2300." I smiled. "And end my turn."
'So far, so good.' I encouraged myself. 'Just start chanting.'
"If you think that that Elf can help, your wrong. No strength enhancement will help you to defeat my all powerful, Zera the Mant. But, this has been a grand match. At the end of my next turn, the Swords of Revealing Light will disappear, allowing me to smash your Elf to pieces."
"I think not." I said. I drew my card, praying for my personal favorite. 'Monster Reborn. Not what I needed.'
"Your turn."
"Very well then." he said, drawing a card. "I play Cold Wave." he said. An icy wind brushed over the field, forming small patches of ice. My monster put up a dark blue barrier to protect her. "With Cold Wave, neither of us can set, play, or activate any Magic or Trap cards for one turn." he said. "And now, the Swords are gone, leaving you quite vulnerable. This has been a great Duel, but I will win. I do salute your great skill and efforts. Farewell." he remarked. But, it was not prideful or malicious, but respectable and encouraging.
'This is it.' I whispered. I extended my hand. 'Please, Heart of the Cards. I beg of you. Help me to save those whom I care about most.'
I lifted. An intense warmth spread all throughout my body. It was an all to familiar feeling. It was the feel of my favorite monster.
"It has been a grand Duel, my friend, but a lost one for you." I stated boldly. "I play the Dark magician, in attack mode." At last, he had come. Dressed in his purple garments, pointed head dress, and aquamarine stave, the great mage had appeared.
"But his attack points are three hundred weaker than my Zera the Mant! How will he defeat me and my beast."
"Because of what I put on the field two turns ago." I explained, directing his attention towards my Dark Elf. "In combining one of the two great Elf's with the ancient Book of Secret Arts, I can use a powerful spell. I can use the Mystical Elf to strengthen a monster that draws his power from Light. However," I stressed. "This magic can also enable me to transfer the Dark Elf's attack points, to any other Dark type monster I control. And that is one of many things that the Dark Magician is. So, Saet, I now invoke this great power." The black aura around my elf began to intensify. It extended over towards my magician. "And now, his attack points are 4800, far more than enough!" My mage raised his staff. "Dark Magic Attack!" The bow snapped down, pointing at Zera the Mant, causing it to burn neon. Then, it shattered into thousands of glass-like shards. "And that will take your Life Points down to zero. I win."
"No." he gasped. He hung his head in despair. I hopped off of the platform and walked over.
"Hey you." I called up. He looked down. "I need the Star Chip I won." he jumped down and held out his hand. In the middle of his palm was a silver star. I picked it up and set it into my gauntlet. I then looked back into his eyes. "That was incredible. I've never come so close to zero, without actually losing. I hope to face you agian. But for now..." I trailed, glancing at the Dueling Glove on my right hand. I then extended it towards him. He excepted it, and we shook. Then, I turned and left, just as abruptly as I had left my last duel.
'I'm half way there. Soon, I'll be in.'
To Be Continued...
****
What did you all think? Please excuse spelling errors. I'm not that good. Just review please. Chapter Four is in the making. Don't forget to vote. Which fic should my next chapter be on. This one, or Duels of the Chosen. I need your info people. Vote for this one now, and the other one later. I don't care. Just vote!