"Phase Two of the tournament begins tomorrow!" Alan called, "The first match-up will be Illarya Eden versus Mr. Takahashi. The following people are getting passed without Phase Two duels: Sevanos Otaga, Raven Vaniver, Kaomi Itai, and Cid Oulandu, due to a sudden illness fallen by Mr. Vaniver." The crow chattered and gasped.
-O-
"He's been like this for hours." Ezulu reported to Kaomi and Cid.
"Will he come out of it?" Cid asked.
"No way of knowing. Given what Raven translated on the Device in the basement, Wesley has run a translation of what he wrote, but we don't have a lot. Miss Itai, your name appears quite a bit in his speech, both normally and in this Egyptian tongue he's speaking. Also this symbol, "One was enlarged, "'Contest' or 'duel' appears often. As well as these one for Light and Darkness, and several ones that struck me, this chain appears to be three numbers."
"What are they?" Sevanos asked.
"12, 22, and 2012." Ezulu responded.
"December 22, 2012?" Kaomi raised an eyebrow.
"I'll have Barbas Google it." Sevanos left.
"Raven..." Kaomi sighed, "I want to got talk to him."
Ezulu nodded.
-O-
"Raven." Kaomi entered the white room whose smooth walls were coated in red ink.
"Kaomi." The door seemed to close itself, though it was Raven's work.
"What's going on?"
"What..." Raven fell to the floor, the Eye of Anubis finally fading.
"Dr. Ezulu!" Ezulu received a call on his Nextel, "Raven's brain activity scans are returning to normal."
"Kaomi." Raven barely uttered.
-O-
"Raven?" When he awoke, Kaomi stood over him, "Do you remember anything?"
"I remember activating the Repository, and then hearing your voice and now being here." Raven held his head, "What hit me."
"About five thousand years of knowledge. Here." Sevanos handed Raven the Scale, Tell me if you can read this." Sevanos then showed Raven photographs of the scribbling on the wall.
"No..."
"Believe it or not, you wrote it." Dr. Ezulu entered the room, "You were at over nine times the normal brain usage. No wonder you forgot everything. Odds are you took something away from it, thought."
"December 22, 2012." Raven said quietly, "That date seems important to me."
"You wrote it several times. We were able to translate that because it was in a more standard dialect." Cid explained.
"What does it mean?" Kaomi asked.
"Couldn't tell you." Raven sighed.
"Do you know if you found the answers you wanted?" Kaomi asked.
"I know I didn't." Raven sighed. "Even if I did, I would have forgot them all anyway."
"What kind of a sense do you have about him Kaomi?" Sevanos asked, "Maybe his subconscious remembers something."
"When he was in that room, I sensed great evil, good, and from him, great fear and anxiety," Kaomi shrugged, "What it means is beyond me."
"Maybe the Repository sent us a warning. He did choose red to sketch those symbols. And you say he was quite afraid." Cid reasoned.
"A warning." Raven said. "Good, evil, maybe a warning about Seraph an Nemesis."
"There goes 'business as usual'."
"Mr. Otaga, this is business as usual." Ezulu smiled.
"Rest up you guys, we're all passed from tomorrow's duels." Sevanos left.
-O-
"Sevanos!" Barbas ran into his office, "Google search complete. Here are the results. December 22, 2012 is a Saturday, the estimated date of death for about 50,000 people, interestingly, the final date on the Mayan calendar, 2012 is an American Election year, the..."
"Wait, the Mayan Calendar thing! That sounds important." Sevanos thought, "Mark it, and investigate more."
"Yes, sir." Barbas left.
Sevanos sighed. As soon as Barbas left he stood. He slid the painting behind his desk aside and entered the room of Tablet paintings. He had not been here since his duel with Raven in the private tournament he held after Battle City. He stood in the center of the room. "I feel I've done something very bad." He spoke to himself, "First, I let Raven use that ancient device. How stupid was that? Ezulu reported much longer in the state he was in, he could have died." Sevanos paused, "Moreover, this tournament is a Nationals Qualifier. Meaning the four duelists making it to the Semi-Finals would make it to Nationals next week, which is little more than a formality; since this is the only qualifier anyone took part in. This was stupid. I really don't want to send anyone to the World Championships just for winning a single tournament." He forced a laugh, "Funny, in my head, the two sounded about even, but saying it, the former is a bit worse than the latter, eh?" He stood, silent, "Now I'm talking to myself. Am I loosing my mind? Nowhere near as bad as if I had activated an Ancient Star device, but still..." he paused, "I wish someone would show me which way to go now..." he sighed.
-O-
"The new day dawns, and the third day bring the end of the tournament. The Top Thirteen are here now, with one Wild Card slot available. There is one more Wild Card slot in the Quarter-finals, and with the first one having gone to the relatively new duelist on the block, Kaya Theas, it is leaving everyone to wonder, with the start of the tournament moments away, just what will happen today?" a reporter said to her camera crew, "Back to you, Tomomi." She paused, "That's a wrap. I'm taking my seat." She ran into the stands.
"Attention Ladies, Gentlemen, and Duelists!" Alan-Tax entered the stage, "It is my first pleasure to report that Raven Vaniver is back on his feet and he and those close to him will be back in today's duels!" A cheer rose, "Now, at exactly eleven o'clock, I bring your attention to this stage, where former psycho-twisted self-proclaimed God-king Illarya faces off against her mentor in the ways of good, the Dragon Handler Cid!" Another cheer rose as Cid and Illarya entered the arena. "Duel!" Alan called.
"And so the student becomes the master." Illarya launched her Disk, "Sorry Cid, I won't go easy on you."
Cid launched his Disk, "Nor I, you."
Illarya drew, "I summon the Vorse Raider in attack mode. Go."
"Summon Dragon Dwelling in the Cave in defense mode. And set one card face-down." Cid shook his head, "You'll have to play inventive to defeat me. Don't make moves a novice could predict. Who taught you to open aggressive? Can you think on your feet, Illarya?"
"Better than you think I can, sensei." Illarya replied, "Offer the Vorse Raider for my Luster Dragon #2!"
"Not bad."
"Thank you. Now I play Heavy Storm, blowing away your trap."
"Mirror Force."
"See? You need to make less predictable moves." Illarya set two cards face-down. "Luster, attack!" A fireball slammed into the Cave Dragon, shattering it.
"My move." Cid smiled, "I summon the Lord of Dragons."
"Oh, hell no! No you don't!"
"And play two Flutes of Summoning Dragon!" In the Dragon Lord's hands, two gold flutes appeared. Each sent out a tone. Four orbs fell from the sky, "Summoning Luster Dragon #1, Red Eyes Black Dragon, Twilight Dragon, and Tri-Horned Dragon." Cid laughed. "Just to let you know, my Twilight Dragon's 3000 Attack points aren't the only teeth it has. This monster instantly destroys any Light monster it does battle with. In addition, I may sacrifice any face-up Light or Dark monster to raise this monster's ATK by 500 for one turn. Surprise, surprise. I have Red Eyes and Tri-Horned Dragon on my field. But we'll save that for a direct attack. Tri-Horned, destroy the Luster Dragon."
"Negate Attack!" Illarya called, springing her trap. "My move" She drew. She needed a miracle. And she got it. "I set two cards face-down and play a monster in defense mode. Go." Illarya smiled.
"Red Eyes, attack the defensive monster!" Cid called.
"Reveal Zero Gravity!" All Cid's monsters assumed a defensive posture. "My turn again. Offer my two monsters so summon my Buster Blader!" Illarya called, laughing, "With four dragons on your field and one in your Graveyard, that's a 2500-point boost. Meaning my Blader has 5100 points of attack. Blader, slice up the Twilight Dragon." The Buster Blader slice clear through the black dragon.
"I set one card face-down." Cid called, "Go."
"Blader, take out the Lord of Dragons!"
"You've caused your defeat. My Lord of Dragons has prepared a magic trick for you. It's called Magic Cylinder!"
"Really, 'cause I call this card Seven Tools of the Bandit." Illarya smiled, "What was I saying, Cid? Oh, right." The swordsman flew at the Dragon Lord, slicing it in two.
"Blast." Cid passed his turn.
"This has been fun, but let's get it over with, eh, Cid? Activate Dark Hole!" A black vortex appeared above the field, sucking the monsters on the field into it. "Now, Spell Card, Monster Reborn!" Illarya called, "Come back, Buster!" The Buster Blader rose from the floor of the arena, "Ready, sensei?" Illarya asked.
"Yes." Cid replied.
"Ruin Ray, Obliterate!" Illarya called. The great Dragon Slayer slammed it's sword into the ground, sending a shockwave at Cid, knocking him on his back, and in one direct attack, reducing his Life Points to zero.
"The winner!" Alan called as cheers filled the stadium, "Illarya!"
-O-
"Next, the amazingly grand Raven versus the Toon Girl Ardrea!" Alan called, "Duel!" Cheers rose.
"Ready to go, Raven-boy?" Ardrea smiled.
"You're starting to sound like Pegasus." Raven smirked.
"So?" Ardrea drew. "Perpare yourself for the nightmare of Toon World!" She threw the Toon World card into her Duel Disk. "Now, I summon three Toon Mirmades and sacrifice them for Toon Magician Girl and the Toon Blue Eyes White Dragon!"
"Such a heavy investment. Hate to see it go to waste," Raven drew, "Set three cards face-down and play the Giant Solder of Stone in defense mode!" A great stone solder assumed a defensive posture.
"Blue Eyes, attack directly!"
"Reveal Dust Tornado, blowing your Toon World away, and that attack cost you." Raven watched her Life Points fall to 3500, "And those lovely monsters go too." The Blue Eyes and Magician Girl turned to paper and fell onto the ground, fading away, "As if that wasn't bad enough, I can now set this card as well." Raven smiled, "Did you think this would be easy?"
"No." Ardrea threw a monster in defense mode, "Go, Raven."
"That's right." Raven smiled, "Let's have fun. I activate Soul Exchange, offering your monster and mine for the Dark Magician and set two more cards. Go."
"The time for praise is over. I play Stray Lambs, and activate my Black Illusion Ritual, offering one for the mighty Relinquished!" A little lamb was dropped into a cauldron, which transformed itself into the great and terrible Relinquished. "Absorption Force!" The Relinquished began pulling the Magician in.
"Activate trap Remove Brainwashing!" The Relinquished's pull stopped.
"Summon Soulmaster Meisei, and play the Talisman of Trap Sealing!" The Soulmaster took a pinkish talisman and threw it into the air at the center of the field. "Absorption Force!"
"Activate Spell, Mystic Wok, giving me 2500 Life Points and sacrificing my Dark Magician." Raven called, "My move?"
"Yes." Ardrea scowled.
"Activate spell card Heavy Storm!" Raven ordered. Winds blew their Spell and Trap cards away as his Life Points rose to 6500. "I set two cards and end my turn."
"Sacrifice the Soulmaster for my Illusionist Faceless Mage." Ardrea closed her eyes. She was in an awkward spot. She could attack, but if one of those cards was something to revive a fallen monster, she'd be in a very bad place. Her hand was totally useless to her. All Toons and no Toon World... "I end my turn." She shifted Relinquished to defense mode on her Duel Disk, and the Relinquished on the field closed it's shell.
"Draw!" Raven drew, "Activate Monster Reborn, returning my Dark Magician. Then I summon my Breaker, the Magical Warrior!" A well-dressed magical swordsman came into existence next to the Dark Magician. "Magician, destroy the Mage." The Faceless Mage shattered, "Now, Breaker, hack and slash the Relinquished!" he ordered. Relinquished fell.
"My move." Ardrea drew, and smiled, "Activate spell carda, Monster Reborn on my Relinquished, and Polymerization, combining it with my Thousand Eyes Idol to create!" The two monsters appeared on the field, and a bright light shot from them, the new creature floated there, "Thousand Eyes Restrict!" Each of the one thousand eyes opened, paralyzing the monsters on Raven's field.
"The Restrict." Raven closed his eyes, thinking of a weakness. He found it.
"Absorption Force! Take Breaker!"
"Reveal Shift!" The Dark Magician was absorbed instead.
"Gee, thanks." Ardrea laughed, "I was counting on the fact that you'd be so out of it you'd do that. Restrict, use Pilfered Power Attack!" From the central eye, a great energy blast shot at Breaker."
"Breaker, activate effect and counterattack!" Raven called.
A force pushed back on both. When all was said and done, however, Breaker stood, while Restrict had fallen.
"How?" Ardrea stared forward as her Life Points fell to 1900.
"Simple. Breaker gave up three hundred points of attack to cast a spell of his own, allowing him to destroy one Spell or Trap card on the field." Raven explained.
"So?" Ardrea folded her arms.
"So, I chose the Dark Magician!" The crowd gasped and cheered, "My magician was transformed into a Spell by your fiendish Restrict. By destroying the Magician, I lowered Restrict to zero points of attack. Since it had attacked, Breaker could cut through it like butter." Raven smiled as more cheers rose.
"Set one card and end my turn."
"Summon Forgiving Maiden in defense mode. Breaker, attack!" Raven called. He could have finished it this turn, but he wanted to test the water first.
"Negate Attack!"
"Just as I thought. Go." Raven waved her on.
"Right." She studied her hand. She was fresh out of moves. "Go."
"Offer my Maiden and my Warrior for my great Tyrant Dragon!: Raven called, "Dragon, attack!" he called, That was game.
"The winner, as expected, Raven Vaniver!" Alan called to loud cheers.
-O-
"Match four of seven. The lucky girl from last round, Kaya Theas versus the unstoppable dueling crazed woman, Kaomi Itai!"
"Crazed?" Kaomi entered.
"Duel!" Alan called over the cheers.
Kaomi launched her Duel Disk, "Morning, Missus Otaga."
"Well, if it isn't Vaniver's girl." Kaya launched her Duel Disk.
"I play a monster in defense mode and set one card face-down. Go." Kaomi smiled.
"Summon my Gemini Elf!" The twin elves came to the field. "Attack!"
"Nimble Momonga!" Two face-down monsters appeared, and her Life Points rose to 5000.
"I think I did a bad thing." Kaya sighed.
"Yup. Sacrifice my two monsters for my Seiyaryu!" Kaomi called, "Seiyaryu, destroy that monster! And to finish up, Pot of Greed."
Kaya's Life Points fell to 3400. "Set one monster and a Trap. Go."
She tipped her hand. Kaomi thought. Now I know it's a Trap. Maybe she's bluffing, though... "Seiyaryu, Mystic Flame!"
"Negate Attack." Kaya smiled.
"Set three cards face-down and a monster and end my turn."
"Sacrifice Kiser Seahorse for Wingweiver."
"Sadly for you, I've studied your moves, Kaya." Kaomi smiled, "So go ahead Attack me."
"I will," Kaya drew back her hand, hesitantly, "Destroy Seiyaryu!"
"Activate Zero Gravity!" Seiyaryu and Wingweiver took defensive positions. "Now, offer my two monsters for Dark Magician of Chaos!" The Pot of Greed slid out of her Graveyard, "Activate Pot of Greed again." She put it back in the Graveyard. "Now, Dark Magician of Chaos, Ultimate Silence, Silence the Wingweiver!"
Kaya drew, "I'm out of moves, aren't I?" She set a monster in defense mode.
"Sorry, Kaya." Kaomi drew, "Activate Monster Reborn, returning Seiyaryu. Seiyaryu, attack. Dark Magician, direct assault."
Kaya watched her Life Points fall, "Finish me, Kaomi. Even if I beat you, you got a better chance going farther than I do. We know it." Kaya sighed, and waved Kaomi on.
"Seiyaryu, obliterate." Kaomi ordered, somewhat saddened.
"The winner, by a give-up, Kaomi Itai!" Alan called.
-O-
"That brings us to the renowned beauty of the arena, Aura Leathe, versus our Wild Card!" A screen behind the stage lit, displayed on it was a picture of each eliminated Duelist. "Ready?" Alan asked. A red square highlighted each picture. One by one the red squares faded away, and the duelist's picture with them. The last picture was enlarged. Serenity Tesconé.
Cheers rose, a section of the crowd began chanting "Serenity! Serenity!"
"Aura versus the lucky L.A. girl Serenity Tesconé!" Alan called to the cheering crowd. Serenity ran onto the stage with Aura. "Duel!" Alan called.
"Lucky you." Aura smiled at Serenity.
"Wish I could say the same, Miss Japan." Serenity shot a glance at Alan and smiled, "Let's see how culture can clash here, eh?"
"What kind of name is Tesconé for an American anyway?" Aura drew, "Go Aqua Mador!" A masked aquatic sorcerer appeared.
"Well, my grandfather was... who cares?" Serenity drew, I set a card face down and play Amazoness Swordswoman in attack mode. Battle damage done to her goes to you, so I attack your Mador, dealing 500 points of damage!" The Swordswman crashed into the Mador's defense screen of water, but Aura's Life Points fell to 3500.
"I gotta kill that" Aura drew, "Or stop it. I set two cards face-down and complete my turn."
"Amazoness, attack!" Serenity ordered.
"Reveal trap card, Spellbinding Circle!" The Mador began chanting and a magical circle appeared around the Amazoness, "Good luck with that strategy, Serenity."
"Fine. Offer my Swordswoman!" The Amazoness and the circle faded, "To bring forth my great Dark Magician Girl!"
"My move." Aura drew, "Nice, but not good enough. Sacrifice Mador for my Millennium Shield." Aura smiled, "Can you take on a Millennium Item?"
"Sure. But not yet." Serenity drew, "Summon Harpie Lady and activate Elegant Egotist, to bring forth my Harpie Lady Sisters!" Serenity smiled, quite pleased.
"Still can't touch me." Aura smirked.
"Not without using every card in my hand. Too bad for you I plan to." Serenity laughed, "Activate Magical Dimension, offering two of my monsters to Special Summon any Spellcaster from my hand, so come forth my Dark Magician!"
"I fail to see what you are trying to do, Serenity..." Aura sighed.
"This. Offer Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl to summon!" Serenity held the last card in her hand high, a blinding light soaring from it, "Sorcerer of Dark Magic!" The two mages flew into the sky, and a blinding light devoured them. Then, the Sorcerer of Dark Magic fell to the field. "Oh, your little trap, it can't be sprung."
"Watch me." Aura scowled.
"Sorcerer, attack that rusty toy of hers." Serenity smiled.
"Reveal my Silver Dollar trap card! This saves my monster of less than 1000 attack from destruction!"
"Well, it would." Serenity conceded, "Silence her trap." The Sorcerer looked at the trap and pointed its staff at it, "Fire at will." A beam of magic cut through the trap card. Serenity smiled at Aura, "You were saying?" Another beam shattered her shield.
"This ain't over! Not by a long shot!" Aura looked at her hand, "In fact, it's time to show you who the real duelist is. First, I play the spell card Portal of Millennia!" Aura's field slid open and she threw the Portal spell in it. In the center of the stage, a great Eye of Anubis appeared. "Next, I play The Shallow Grave, bringing my Shield back, face down defense mode.
"And returning my Harpie Lady Sisters." Serenity smiled. All was going perfectly fine.
"Now, here goes my Millennium Shield and Sword, adding the Millennium Sword to my hand." Aura smiled, "Now, Fusion Sage, adding Polymerization to my hand, and lastly summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands!" An odd fairy-like creature with ten thousand arms appeared on the field, "Adding the Black Luster Solder to my hand." Aura smiled, "A lengthy move, but all comes to fruition now. Activate Polymerization, combining Black Luster Solder, Millennium Sword, and Millennium Shield to create!" The luster solder appeared on the field in gold armor. The great gold Millennium Sword appeared in it's one hand, and the Millennium Shield flew to it's other. "Millennium Luster Solder!!" Aura screamed. "Now, lastly, for my field's effect to hit my monster!" A shining Eye of Anubis appeared on the Solder's forehead, and an odd aura of light surrounded it, "My Luster Solder is protected from Spell and Trap cards as long as the Portal's out. I attack your Sorcerer!" the Luster Solder lunged at the Sorcerer, slicing it in two.
"My move!" Serenity drew, her Life Points down to 1200, "Don't count me out yet, activate Monster Reborn, returning my Sorcerer, and activate the spell, Spell of Reprisal! This adds the Life Points you took from my Life Points last turn and adds them to my Sorcerer!" Serenity smiled, "Bet ya didn't expect that to come back and bite ya. What was it, 2800 Life Points?" The Sorcerer began to chant something and seemed to resonate with energy, "Now they both are at 5000 points of attack, huh? Well, that's what this last spell is for. Go, Megamorph!" The Sorcerer seemed t double in size. "That's 10,000 points of attack. I think that'll do ya in, don't you?"
Aura sighed, and flashed the Mirror Force in her hand.
"That's alright, Aura. My trap was Seven Tools. Sorcerer, OBLITERATE!" Serenity screamed.
"The winner," Alan called, "Lucky Girl Serenity Tesconé!" The crowd, especially Serenity's cheering section, went wild.
-O-
Alan entered the center of the stage hours later, "Attention, spectators! Coming up is the Semi-Final Round!" cheers rose, "The Semi-Finalists are..." Raven's picture with the Tyrant Dragon appeared on the screen behind the stage, "Raven Vaniver!" Raven's was replaced by Serenity's picture with the Dark Magician Girl. "Serenity Tesconé!" The crowd roared as Serenity's picture was replaced by Sevanos with Shinato, "Sevanos Otaga!" Sevanos' picture was finally replaced by the picture of Illarya with the great angel of death, Doma, the Angel of Silence on the screen with her. The other three shot her an odd glare.
"I believe in heart too, you know. Why do you think I took Exodia out? Why do you think I use Buster Blader?" The others continued staring, "Just 'cause I haven't used it on you..." Illarya huffed, "Forget it."
"We're going to have a four-way free-for-all to decide who versus who in the semifinals!" Alan explained to a cheering crowd, "We'll determine who goes when by the following process. Each duelist removes one monster from play at the start of the duel. The attack factor, from highest to lowest, will determine the position of each duelist. In the event two duelists have the same attack value, the defense is examined. If the defense values are the same, it goes alphabetically by card. If the cards are the same, it goes down to alphabetically by the duelist's first name." Alan explained the selection process at length. "Duel!" The, somewhat confused, crowd cheered, because they felt they were supposed to.
"Let's go." Serenity smiled, launching her Duel Disk.
"Time to show you why I'm president of this organization!" Sevanos launched his.
"Fun time!" Raven closed his eyes as his Duel Disk launched.
"Time to duel all of ya, and not hunger for your souls!" Illarya joked, launching her Duel Disk.
"The card I select is the Dark Magician, with 2500 points of attack!" Raven held up his Magician. It was, in his opinion, cooler that the one Yugi had made famous. Raven's was in red armor with white hair. He loved this variation.
"My card is the Guardian Angel Joan!" Serenity smiled, "Had to one-up you, Raven!"
"My card is the Shining Friendship," Sevanos smiled, "I'm not foolishly wasting my greatest monsters on the starting positions."
"I am." Illarya laughed, "Buster Blader."
"So, wait, I choose one of the highest attacks you can get out of a normal monster, and I come in third!" Raven sighed, "Isn't that my luck."
"Calm down, the duel hasn't started yet." Illarya looked over to him, "Innocently, sorry for defeating Kaomi."
"No worries, Illarya. I'll just have to win this for the both of us."
"So cute." Sevanos scowled, "I'm going to throw up. Make your move, Serenity."
"Right." She drew, "I play two cards face down and summon Harpie's Brother in attack mode. Go, Illarya."
"Right." Illarya drew, taking on a more serious demeanor, "I summon Sangan in defense mode and set this. Go."
Raven drew, "Go and serve, my Rocket Warrior!" The small missile flew onto the scene. "And another face-down card."
"I'll finish the round by playing my monster in defense mode. That's all." Sevanos nodded to Serenity.
Serenity drew. What a spot, she thought, If I attack Raven, I do damage... but the question is who do I want to face... I know Raven and Sevanos our out of my league, but Illarya is too! I really don't belong here. I can't beat any of these people... I'll just take who I get. Thinking about it isn't getting me anywhere! She resolved to treat it as any other duel, and to take an opportunity like Rocket Warrior. Of what she had seen Raven play, Rocket wasn't one of them... but she could afford risks right now. "Summon Vampire Lady!" Serenity called, eying the arsenal of traps poised to slay her from the other duelists, "Vampire Lady, devour the Rocket Warrior!"
"Reveal my Rush Recklessly!" Raven called.
"Ouch." She winced. She couldn't do anything about that. The Rocket Warrior flew through her Vampire and hit her square on, lowering her Life Points to 3350. She eyed the Sangan and Sevanos' card, but decided not to see what secrets other duelists had to offer. "Go."
"Summon Witch of the Black Forest" Illarya smiled, "And activate Polymerization."
"Sangan and Witch of the Black Forest?" Serenity cocked her head.
"Allowing me to retrieve Watapon and Doma, the Angel of Silence!" Illarya smiled, "Watapon in instantly summoned, and I sacrifice it for Doma, the Angel of Silence by activating Ultimate Offering and paying 500 Life Points!"
"Yes." Raven braced himself. This wasn't good.
"Come forth, one of my favorite monsters, Sangan-Witch!" A more bluish Sangan in white magician's robes appeared from the hologram of the Polymerization, as the regular Sangan and Witch of the Black Forest faded away, "2100 points of attack, 1800 points of defense, and 9999 points of cuteness!" Illarya smiled thinly, "Sangan-Witch, destroy Harpie's Brother!"
"What kind of name is Sangan-Witch anyway?" Serenity hit a trigger on her Disk, activating her trap, "Shift! This focuses your attack on Raven's monster!"
"How nice of you." Raven shot a glare at Serenity as the Sangan-Witch's magic crashed into his Rocket, and reduced his Life Points to 3400, "Still beating you though." He smiled at Serenity.
"Doma, attack..." Illarya paused. This took thinking. She didn't want Raven to fall until she figured out which way she was going... "Attack Sevanos!"
"My monster was Monkey Monkey." The small square angel was shattered by Doma's touch of death.
"My move!" Raven drew, "I'll defend with this and set three cards. Go."
Sevanos drew, "I set a monster as well, and three cards face-down." Sevanos waved Serenity on.
"Offer Harpie's Brother for the Dark Magician Girl and set another face-down card. Go." Serenity glared at Illarya.
"Sangan-Witch, attack the Dark Magician Girl!" Illarya ordered. She had to take the risk. If this DMG threat were to escalate...
"Raigeki Break!"
"Getting rid of my Witch?"
"No, your Angel." Serenity glared at Doma, "And I discard my Dark Magician by the Break's effect, meaning you lose Witch, and 200 Life Points."
"Are you three content to play by yourselves or will you just 'bring it on' already." Sevanos scoffed.
"Go, Vaniver." Illarya scowled at Serenity.
"Indeed I will. First, I'll activate Foolish Burial on my great Barrel Dragon. This will send it to Serenity's Graveyard, now I combine it with Monster Reborn, returning it to my field. Now, I activate its effect targeting Sevanos' monster." The Barrel Dragon appeared on Raven's field, cannons fixed on the defensive monster. The first cannon showed a green light, the second did as well, and so did the third. "Blow it up, but attack Illarya's Life Points directly." A single cannon shot Illarya, knocking her down to 1200, but two shot at Sevanos' monster, Kelbek, before shattering it.
"My move!" Sevanos drew, "Summon my Agent of Creation, Venus, and pay 1500 Life Points to summon three Shine Balls. All in attack mode mind you."
"Draw!" Serenity called once Sevanos waved her on. "I activate Sage's Stone and Knight's Title, acquiring my second Dark Magician and transforming it into the Dark Magician Knight. This raises my DMG to 2600, and allows me the power to destroy one monster on the field. I select the Barrel Dragon!" Serenity glanced at Raven, "Bye-bye, Barrel!" The Magician Knight began chanting as its sword lit aglow. Black runes began swirling around the blade, as the Knight slid his hand along the edge, lightly enough to touch, but soft enough as not to cut. "Dark Destruction Slash, instantly destroy Raven's monster and attack him directly!" The Magician sliced the Dragon in hald and Raven stepped back bracing for the powerful blow that came next.
Raven simply laughed, "You proceed as if this were an everyday duel. You ever think that perhaps you just did me a favor? Put me a step in the right direction?" his Life Points fell to 900
"Maybe, but who cares? DMG, go for Illarya's Life Points!" Serenity smiled.
Illarya's Life Points hit zero.
"My move!" Raven drew, "I summon my Forgiving Maiden and attack the Dark Magician Knight!" Raven ordered. His Maiden flew across the field but the sword of the Magician Knight sliced it apart.
"Fool." Serenity smiled.
"No, I wanted to face Illarya. A bit of retribution for elimination Kaomi, I curse you to third place at best!" Raven smiled at Illarya.
"Sounds like a mighty fine curse, Mr. Vaniver." Illarya laughed, "But I promise, no Shadow Game this time."
-O-
"What?" Barbas entered the Operations room where Shuyin and Aura stood.
"Lantash is missing, and the Ancient Star is acting odd." Opaka spun in her chair.
"And these two?" he motioned to Shuyin and Aura.
"Aura is concerned for Lantash." Opaka explained.
"And Shuyin?"
"What else, the remote control." Opaka gestured to the moniter, where the match-ups for the semi-finals were posted.
"Tell them to postpone for a half an hour, and tell them to get over here. Also, contact Wesley; tell him I'll meet him outside. Tell him we'll use his car." Barbas went for the door.
"Where are you going?" Opaka asked.
"Lantash hunting. When Raven and Sevanos arrive, Aura, take them to the fifth basement floor. Tell them that it's the Ancient Star. Sevanos can that you past the security measures." Barbas made rapidly for the door.
"What about me?" Opaka called.
"Phones!" Barbas exited.
"I really don't want to watch thirty minutes of break. Can we change the channel now?" Shuyin asked Opaka, as Aura exited as well.
"Sit down and shut up." Opaka sighed. "Good luck, Barbas."
-O-
Mere moments later. Raven and Sevanos stood before the glowing device.
"Who touched it?" Sevanos sighed, "Tell me it was Shuyin so I can kick him."
"It wasn't." Aura reported, "It just started up."
An Eye of Anubis began glowing on Raven's forehead, "We should go." He said.
"What?"
"Now. Evacuate the building." Raven looked over his shoulder as Sevanos.
"Right." Sevanos dragged Aura out.
"It's only a matter of time now." He closed his eyes as his hair began to be tossed by a nonexistent wind.