Chapter Four: The Brothers' Greatest Triumph or 'FINAL' Sacrifice?
It was official, the New Mephisto City Tournament was going to begin with a bang. The very first duel would be between Jeff Blackheart and Duo Poljacik, Nick's brother. This would surely be a very promising duel.
"Get ready Duo, you're about to be overwhelmed by the powers of Darkness!"
"Whatever Blackheart, it's not like you're impressing anyone. You haven't made a public appearance in years, and now you think we're all going to bow down to you and call you our master? Sure, you've done a lot for this city, but there's no way I'm going to listen to corporate fatcats like you."
"Fatcat? Ha! You act as if I have no reason to feel above these people. Although, I feel that if anyone is below me, it's you and your family, Duo. By the time I'm finished with you, you'll be sobbing all over your mother's grave."
"Shut your damn mouth. You have no idea the pain and suffering I've been through in my life just to get where I am today. You on the other hand, haven't worked a day in your life. You just got a free ride from your cronies and your money."
"Duo, please, don't cause any trouble here...I've caused enough." Nick said in caution.
"I have no idea...how SUFFERING and PAIN feels? You think that YOU'RE the ONLY orphan around here? I can assure you, I have never received anything easily in my life, and I'll make sure you will be punished for how you dare speak to your rightful master."
"We'll just have to see about that, won't we? Now quit talking and let's get started!"
Jeff: 4000 Duo: 4000
"I'll be making the first move. I'll set a monster in defense mode, and place one other card facedown." Jeff looked extremely calm, while Duo seemed a bit anxious.
"Okay, I'll summon Newt in attack mode. Now I activate the magic card, Cold Wave. It prevents either of us from playing or setting any magic or traps until my next turn. I will attack your set monster with Newt."
"You attacked my Giant Germ. So now you will take 500 damage to your lifepoints, and I can summon two more Giant Germs from my deck."
Jeff: 4000 Duo: 3500
"I'm through, make your move, Blackheart."
"I'll set another monster in defense mode, and put my Giant Germs into defense mode as well."
"Hm...so now that the effect of my Cold Wave magic card is gone, I play Mystic Plasma Zone, raising the attack power of all dark monsters on the field by 500 points, while lowering their defenses by 400 points. Now I sacrifice my Newt to summon the Beast of Talwar! Not only that, I will equip him with Fairy Meteor Crush, allowing me to break through any of your defenses and do damage to your lifepoints! Now, Beast of Talwar, attack his set monster with your Wicked Sword Strike!"
"Ha, what a foolish mistake, I'll activate my facedown card, Reverse Trap. All increases and decreases in attack and defense are reversed. And you attacked my Wall of Illusion. Not only will your Beast of Talwar return to your hand, but as all increases and decreases to attack power were reversed, you lose 350 lifepoints."
Jeff: 4000 Duo: 1650
"Damn...that was a mistake...put one magic card facedown. Now I'll end my turn."
"Hmm...I guess I'll sacrifice one of my Giant Germs for a much stronger monster...Dark Ruler Hades! So now I'll be switching my other two monsters into attack mode, and have all of them attack directly!"
"I don't think so, I'll activate Gravity Bind."
"Oh, well, my Giant Germ still attacks. Use Influenza Infection Injection!!!! And thanks to your Mystic Plasma Zone, you'll lose an extra 500 lifepoints!"
Jeff: 4000 Duo: 150
"Well, before you end your turn, I'll activate Destiny Board. Then, at the end of the turn, I'll be able to add another letter to it, counting down to an instant victory for me."
"I'd like to see that happen. I end my turn."
"I activate Spirit Message "I" from my hand. Now it's my turn. I play Mystical Space Typhoon to remove Gravity Bind. Instead, I'll replace it with Messenger of Peace! Now any monster with an attack power of 1500 or higher can no longer attack! Now I'll be setting a monster in defense mode and end my turn."
Jeff looked a little nervious about Duo's strategy, but Jeff knew that as long as he had Duo off balance, he would make a mistake that would cause him the game.
"I'll draw my card, and set a magic card facedown. Now I'll summon Hades Familiar. I use it to attack your set monster."
"Sorry to say this Blackheart, but you attacked my Cyber Jar. Now all the monsters on the field are destroyed, and we both draw five cards and show them to each other. I drew Spirit Messages "N", "A", and "L", Sangan, and the Mask of Darkness."
"I picked up La Jinn, Red Cyclops, Pot of Greed, Nightmare Rider: Chariot of Blackheart, and Wall of Illusion. I'll summon La Jinn and Red Cyclops in attack mode, and Wall of Illusion in defense mode."
"I'll put my Sangan in defense mode."
"I'll play Pot of Greed to draw two cards, and end my turn."
"Now, I activate Spirit Message "N" from my hand. And since it's my turn, I'll choose to pay 100 lifepoints to keep my Messenger of Peace on the field. I set a monster in defense mode and end my turn."
Jeff: 4000 Duo: 50
"Argh...if I can't come up with something in my next two turns, I'll actually lose! I NEVER LOSE!!! Especially with that punk thinking that I don't know what suffering feels like. I'll make him and his family suffer... Especially that troublemaking brother of his..."
"I can't attack, so I'll just draw my card and end my turn."
"Heh, so now I'll put Spirit Message "A" into play. One more turn and I win this duel."
"I seriously doubt that will happen. It's as simple as this....I never lose. It's what keeps me sane, and what gets me everything I want. And yes, I had to work to get where I am, and there's no way you're going to get away for how insulting that mouth of yours is."
"I'll choose not to pay 100 lifepoints to keep my Messenger of Peace on the field. Now I'll play Raigeki to destroy all your monsters. Then I'll set a monster in defense and end my turn. You better make this good, because this next turn will be your last."
"Well then, there's nothing more I can do than concede this duel. If I end my turn, you get to activate the final Spirit Message. I can't attack, so I give up."
"HAHA! I knew it. You're just a big phony. You're all talk and no skill. Funny how the the last card in my hand is Spirit Message "L". L for LOSER which is what you are!!"
"Oh wait....I think there is something I can do...as you can see, I have 6 cards in my hand. So I choose to activate my one facedown magic card. Final Destiny."
"What?! No!! That's impossible...."
"No, it's quite possible. While you were busy assembling your Spirit Messages, I chose another route. So now I'll sacrifce 5 cards from my hand in order to destroy all the cards on the field, including my own. And even if I ended my turn afterwards, you wouldn't be able to play that Spirit Message "L" from your hand. However, my turn isn't quite done yet. As I have so many Fiend type monsters in the graveyard, I'll remove 3 of them from play to summon this monster from my hand. Dark Necrofear. I'm sorry, I attack, and you lose."
Jeff: 4000 Duo: 0000
---
"Duo, as for your punishment...Siefer, take him into the building and we'll decide what to do with him. Nick, well it looks like you got what you wanted. A Decoder Device. But was it worth what will become of your brother?"
"If you hurt him..." Nick said as tears formed in his eyes.
"What? I'm a business man. I don't take out petty rivalries with violence, but with proper management. I take care of things in a professional manner. I can't say the same for Siefer here..."
Siefer had a huge, wicked grin on his face. He shot a look towards Nick.
"Hey, don't act like I can't here that you're talking about me!" Duo screamed in anger. "And you won't be taking me without a fight!!!"
Duo deactivated his Duel Disk and rushed towards Blackheart, but before he could lift his arm to throw a punch, Siefer had him by the collar. Siefer lifted him straight up off the ground and threw him down on his back. He knelt down on Duo driving his knee into his sternum.
"No one gets to Blackheart without going through me first. You should be honored that he even dueled a punk kid like you." Siefer reached for the swords on his back and crossed them over Duo's neck. "Now be careful Duo, if you move, it might make me twitch. And if that happens you might find yourself a foot shorter."
Nick looked over in terror. This was all his fault. He caused this trouble... He brought his brother into this. All because of his greed and his big mouth.
"DON'T HURT MY BROTHER!!!" Nick ran towards Siefer in a blind rage, but before he knew it, he saw Siefer's arm swinging towards him and he was forced onto the ground.
Nick felt a warm sensation in his lower abdomen. He was face down on the stage and started feeling a sharp pain in his stomach. He felt his stomach with his hand, and when he brought his hand to his view, he saw blood.
"Oh my...god..." He looked over to see Siefer with his arm raised, sword in hand, poised to strike. "No....Duo..." He was barely conscious and didn't know what was happening, but he feared the worst.
"SIEFER THAT IS ENOUGH! Take Duo in, and wait for me. Have someone call an ambulence for Nick here. They're orphans, and they really only have each other, no need to cause them any more anguish than I already have planned..."
"Yes, sir, Mr. Blackheart...I understand." Siefer knocked Duo unconscious with the handle of his hooksword, and put him over his shoulder, and carried him into the building.
"You, Nick's friends, wait with him until the paramedics come." Blackheart motioned for Tony and Laurna to come to Nick's side, then turned and went into the building behind Siefer.
"You bastard..." Tony said as he watched Jeff walk into the building.
"Oh Nick....why didn't you just keep your mouth shut..." Laurna took Nick's hand and started sobbing uncontrollably.
---
Nick lay unconscious on his hospital bed. Laurna, Tony, and Nick's Aunt all sat quietly in the room. Finally, Laurna stood up and spoke.
"Ummm, Tony, Ms. Pol- Auntie? Can I have a few minutes alone with Nick?"
"Of course Laurna, I suppose it wouldn't do much harm for the two of us to give you two a little time to yourselves. C'mon Tony, I'll get you something from the cafeteria."
"M'kay, Ms. Poljacik." Tony got off his chair and left the room without looking back.
"Geez...I give Laurna a bouquet of flowers, and I only get to bring her to the Commencement today...but Nick gets a huge gash in his stomach and gets Laurna all to himself...My best friend's hurt...but...still, what about me?"
"We'll be back soon Laurna."
"Okay, Auntie."
Nick's eyes opened slightly.
"Laurna....? What happened? Where am I...?" Laurna looked at him with a kind, concerned smile.
Nick tried to sit up, but Laurna stopped him.
"Be careful Nick, don't move too much. You've got a lot of stitches. You're in the hospital.... Siefer got you with his hook sword."
"Oh...I remember now... DUO!!!! What happened to Duo?!"
"Siefer brought him into the building. We don't know what happened next. Auntie got a memo saying that Duo would be living and working within the Blackheart Corporation Headquarters, but that's just a cover-up... Don't worry, Nick, we'll get him back. Now just close your eyes and get some rest, the faster you recover, the sooner we can go find your brother."
"Thanks....Laurna. You always know what to say to make me feel better..." He laid back and closed his eyes, then drifted off to sleep.
"Get well soon Nick....We all need you." Laurna leaned over and gently kissed him on the cheek. Then she walked out of the room.
"Hey Laurna, where are you off to?" Ms. Poljacik said when she saw Laurna leaving.
"Well, I guess I'm gonna go home, maybe duel someone on the way home. I can't let this affect my life too much, because I know Nick will pull through it."
"Okay, I'll see you later then. I'm going to stay the night here with Nick. Tony, why don't you walk her home?"
"That sounds good, let's go Tony."
The two of them left the hospital, worried about their friend.
---
Later....
It was getting dark, but Tony and Laurna were nowhere near their neighborhood yet.
"Where are we Tony? I don't recognize this place?"
"Uhh...Don't get mad at me, but I think we're lost."
"Dammit Tony! Now my parents are gonna kill me! It's nearly 10:00 and my parents will be soooo angry if they find out I was spending all that time with a boy! They'll be suspicious of me for months!"
"Oh, I'm sorry...I'm sure if it was Nick you were walking home with you wouldn't be angry at him!"
"Antonio Nicosia! I am SO DAMN TIRED of your petty jealousy. I know that you and Nick both have feelings for me, but the three of us are all friends. You shouldn't let any of that affect our friendships, no matter what. And if you want me so bad, why don't you do anything about it? You expect me to come to you just because you like me? No, I didn't think so..."
"Laurna...I'm sorry....it's just been a long day. Can we just get going?"
Laurna slapped Tony HARD right across the face.
"I'll be fine without you." Laurna stormed off into the night.
"Laurna....you stuck up little *****. But you should be my stuck up little *****...."