Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh.
Legends of the Demon Duelist- Chaos Arc
Chapter 24: A memory?
"My lord, it's time to wake up."
Ichigo's eyes slowly opened and he groaned, throwing up a hand to block out the sunlight that was flooding his room. ("Wait a minute…") Lifting his head up, he blinked at the sight of a woman in a really conservative dress. On top of her head rested a pair of pointy ears that Ichigo instinctively recognized as a wolf's. "Who are you?"
The woman blinked a few times and giggled. "I'm surprised you would ask me that, my lord. I am Alahandra." She curtsied. "Your father wanted to speak to you before you went out this morning for your training."
Ichigo nodded slowly, deciding that if this was a dream he may as well go with it. "Okay…where's my father?"
Alahandra blinked again and then pointed out the door of the room. "Just down the hall is the royal chamber."
Hitokage drew. "Sixteen monsters in my graveyard equal 8000 life points." The Obelisk howled once more and energy flowed into his disk. "I set one card face-down on the field and end my turn."
Kenshin- 2000
Hitokage- 38400
Kenshin drew. ("Damn it!") "End turn."
Hitokage drew. "Now I gain another 8000. End turn."
Kenshin- 2000
Hitokage- 46400
Kenshin drew. ("How am I supposed to stop this if I can't access my graveyard?") "I end my turn."
Hitokage drew. "And again my mighty Obelisk gives me 8000 life points. I set one card face-down and end my turn."
Kenshin- 2000
Hitokage- 54400
Kenshin drew. "I set one card face-down and end my turn." The Swords of Revealing Light faded away.
Hitokage drew. "I end my turn."
Kenshin- 2000
Hitokage- 62400
Kenshin closed his eyes and growled louder than before. ("What am I supposed to do to stop this?") He drew. "From my hand I play the magic card Angel's Sacrifice! During this turn I may sacrifice magic or trap cards instead of monsters! So I sacrifice my face-down Premature Burial and bring out the best chance to win this duel! Go Silver Knight of Purity!" (2300/1700) A silver-armored knight appeared on his field and lifted its sword.
"Silver Knight of Purity." Hitokage frowned. "It's no match for my Obelisk."
"It doesn't have to be. End turn." Kenshin lifted his hand and pointed at Hitokage. "Seijitsu…I'm tired of playing by these rules. Show me your best!"
Hitokage narrowed his eyes for a few moments…and then smiled slightly. "Very well…draw!" Snapping the top card off of his disk, the blond-haired boy pointed at his screaming tower. "And once more the Soul Obelisk raises my life points by 8000!"
Kenshin- 2000
Hitokage- 70400
Hitokage pointed at one of his face-down cards as it flipped up. "And now I activate the trap card Hand Oblivion. When played, this trap forces us both to discard our hands. Then we both discard cards from our deck equal to the number of cards we had in our hands before its activation."
Both duelists complied…
Another torch on top of the Obelisk lit up. "Then I reveal my next trap card! Go Continuous Destruction! When activated this card remains in play until the end of the turn. Now both of us sacrifice magic and trap cards on our field until there is nothing left." He sent both Continuous Destruction and his set card to the graveyard, while Kenshin discarded his single card. "Since I had two cards and you had one, you must now discard the top five cards off of your deck."
Gritting his teeth tightly, Kenshin did so….and the last three torches on top of the Obelisk lit up with blue flame.
"Now is the time," Hitokage pointed at his Obelisk, which was shuddering rapidly. "When there are twenty monsters in the graveyard, my monster's effect activates. First I pay 60000 life points to activate this effect."
Kenshin- 2000
Hitokage- 10400
"Then we both shuffle our graveyards, fields, and hands together into our decks and draw five cards." Hitokage did so, except that he removed one card from his deck and held it aside until his deck was back in place. "When we do this, I play this field magic card that can only be activated from my deck when the field is reset due to the effect of Soul Obelisk." He pointed at Kenshin. "Your end draws near, Crusader. I play the field magic card Tower to the Demon Realm!" All around them the field warped and twisted into an empty stone area. Above them were huge bells made out of stone statues of chained angels. "In this place, once per turn I can special summon a demon from my deck. The only requirement is that it must be level four or lower."
Kenshin realized that he was in danger. ("I have no field…and he hasn't attacked.")
Hitokage saw the worry on the half-demon's face. "During the turn that my Tower is brought out, I cannot attack. So now I special summon Hell: Envy (1200/1000) to the field in defense mode." A blob of green liquid formed on his field and then transformed into a sickly monster holding a scythe. "Also, I set two cards face-down and end my turn."
"A Hell?" Kenshin drew. "What kind of monster is that? Then again…I don't care! Go Gearfried the Iron Knight!" (1800/1600) A black and silver knight in body-encasing metal armor appeared on his field. "Attack the Hell now!" It leapt forwards and slashed the monster, only to be rewarded with a body suddenly covered in the same green slime that had formed the demon.
"When destroyed Hell Envy equips to the destroying monster and drains it of 1000 attack points." Hitokage frowned as the slime slid off of Gearfried's armor. "However, your monster's effect negates this."
"Right." Kenshin tapped the side of his temple. "You're in my game now. And here, we fight with honor. So I set two cards face-down and end my turn."
Hitokage drew. "You have an awfully high opinion of your skills, considering that my life points are five times that of your total." He slid a card into his disk. "I play Soul Exchange. Now I sacrifice Gearfried to summon a monster from my deck through the effect of my Tower. Since that monster is being sacrificed, I may summon a higher level beast. Go Hell Vanguard!" A towering decrepit monster in black robes appeared on the field. "This monster may attack your life points by cutting its attack in half for the turn. Since I cannot attack due to Soul Exchange, I end my turn." (2200/1200)
Kenshin drew. "Hitokage Seijitsu…you are very good. But I will not allow this to continue. During this turn, you fall."
Ichigo rubbed his eyes with a hand. ("Any time now….just wake up….please?") Opening his eyes, he still found himself sitting in a strange throne room. ("Why am I having this weird dream?")
"Is something the matter prince Eristo?" An older wolf demon wearing the clothing of a royal advisor asked calmly.
"I'm fine. I just don't feel like this is where I belong," Ichigo muttered reluctantly. This place…he didn't know why he was here, but he knew immediately that this wasn't where he was supposed to be.
"I completely understand. You wish to be out with your father while he is adventuring, correct?"
"My father?" Ichigo turned to look at the advisor. "What does he have to…" Biting his tongue, he nodded slightly. "Yeah, that has to be it. I guess I'm just not used to palace life."
"You never were, even as a boy." The advisor chuckled and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't let it get to you. As soon as he returns you'll be free from your duties and then you can go back to doing what you do so well." Still chuckling, the old demon walked off.
("Why am I here?") Ichigo put his head in his hands and sighed. ("I suppose I'll find out soon enough.")
"I fall hmmm?" Hitokage raised an eyebrow. "I think you're just blowing smoke…"
"I am blowing smoke…and fire." Kenshin snapped a card from his hand over. "First Pot of Greed!" He drew two cards. "Then from my hand the magic card Monster Reborn! Return Gearfried!" The iron knight reappeared. "Reverse card open! Dust Tornado will destroy your leftmost set card!" A blast of wind shattered the card.
"Impressive so far, but you destroyed my bluff." Hitokage blinked as Kenshin started laughing.
"Sorry, but I didn't care what card I destroyed. Second reverse card activate now!" Kenshin's other face-down card flipped up. "Double Break activates when a magic or trap card is destroyed. Now two more cards will be destroyed!" The Tower whined in protest and crumbled around them, while Hitokage's other face-down card shattered.
"My Tower will return during my standby phase…and when it does you will lose 1000 life points. That is its true power. It cannot die and will hurt you whenever it goes to my graveyard through any means." Hitokage pointed at Kenshin. "You lose."
"Wrong." Kenshin held up another card. "Remove Restraints activate! This magic card lets me sacrifice Gearfried to summon Gearfried the Sword Master!" The knight's armor shattered and was replaced by a huge man with long black hair. (2600/2200) "This monster will be your defeat."
"I highly doubt it. By discarding one card from my hand I can return my tower right now." Hitokage discarded one card from his hand and all around them the tower setting appeared once more. "So you take 1000 damage."
Kenshin- 1000
Hitokage- 10400
"It doesn't matter!" Kenshin held up his last hand card. "Activate Knight's Driving Force! This magic card works only when a level seven or higher warrior is in play. I draw two cards." Sliding two cards off of his deck, Kenshin pointed at the Hell Vanguard. "It's time to bring this duel to a close, one way or another!"
("When he destroys Hell Vanguard as a result of battle he'll trigger its second ability. Then I'll destroy all magic and trap cards in play. After that I simply will return my Tower and his life points will be gone.") Hitokage motioned for Kenshin to come and attack.
"Equipment magic card activate! Training Session! This card cuts the attack power of the monster it is equipped to in half. When this monster deals battle damage I may look at the top ten cards of my deck and place all monster cards on the top." (1300/2200) Gearfried lifted its sword and pointed the simple blade at the Hell Vanguard. "Gearfried's special ability activates now! When this card is equipped with an equip card, it destroys one monster in play!" The reaper howled and faded away.
Hitokage looked displeased but not worried. "I'll survive…"
"We'll see. Gearfried, direct attack!" The warrior leapt forwards and slashed its sword through the blond-haired boy's chest.
Kenshin- 1000
Hitokage- 9100
Pulling the top ten cards off of his deck, Kenshin rearranged them and put the stack back in place. "Alright, the effect of Training Session is done."
Hitokage's hand came up to draw. "Then it's my turn."
Kenshin held up the last card in his hand. "Actually…."
Ebony's eyes widened at the sight of the card. "It's…." She grinned.
"From my hand, I play Berserker's Soul!" Kenshin pointed at Gearfried. "For this card to work I must have a monster in play with 1500 or less attack points. When I do I can discard cards from my deck until I come to a magic or trap card. For every monster card I pass on the way my monster may attack once more during this turn."
Hitokage froze…and his eyes widened ever so slightly. "You'd need…seven…"
"Thanks to Training Session, I know I have seven waiting for me." Kenshin drew the top seven cards off of his deck and held them out to Hitokage. "All monsters. Gearfried, Seven Star Berserker's Slash!" The warrior master launched forwards and its blade became a blur as it slammed its sword over and over again against Hitokage's body.
Kenshin- 0
Hitokage- 1300
The entire audience gasped in surprise.
"My life points…" Kenshin stared at his disk…and then looked at Hitokage. "How?"
"During your last attack I discarded one card from my hand to trigger the trap card I had in my graveyard." Hitokage held the card up. "This card is called Shadow Feint. I can only activate it from the graveyard by discarding one card from my hand. It lets me destroy one magic or trap card on the field. So I destroyed my Tower, and then discarded the other card in my hand to return it to the field. And because it returned…"
"…I took 1000 damage." Kenshin's lips lifted slightly. "I must say that I am impressed."
The entire audience was silent…
Hitokage nodded. "You were close, but no one ever defeats me. I might not win, but they certainly won't either."
"That is good, but next time we meet you may have to change that motto." Kenshin hopped off of the arena floor and without the slightest regret walked away. "Perhaps next time then…"
"Perhaps…" Hitokage smiled slightly, while Midas King announced the winner.
Ichigo sighed and fell back into 'his' bed. The whole day had gone by like a blur, and now he knew what it was like to by a substitute ruler of a demon nation. ("It could be worse…and these are really nice people. Heck, I'm half inclined to stay here for a little longer.") He knew this wasn't a dream now, and though trying to find a way home was on his list of things to do, it wasn't too high up on that list.
A few cries outside caught his attention immediately. Rolling out of bed, he walked over to his window and looked outside. ("What in the…")
It was like the Aurora Borealis had decided to up and move to the sky above the castle.
"Well, that's interesting…" Ichigo was about to return to bed when a furious pounding hit his door. "Yeah?"
"Prince, you have to come quickly!" The voice was diminishing rapidly, as if the owner of it was already running off.
Sighing, Ichigo slid a shirt on and opened the door.
"Kenshin-baby…you lost?" Ebony pouted as Kenshin walked past her, his leather jacket shouldered off to one side of his body.
"Yes I did." Kenshin smiled slightly. "I seem to be losing a lot lately, hmmm?" He sounded nearly cheerful about it.
"What are you so happy about?"
"Nothing…just glad that there are finally people who are forcing me to actually put some effort into dueling."
"My prince…" A breathless advisor gasped to Ichigo and pointed out to the balcony that overlooked the village located around the castle.
Ichigo walked out onto the landing and his eyes widened hugely. "Is that…a whale?"
In the air, a huge winged shape resembling a whale floated around the city slowly. Every few moments it would let out a song that truly made it seem like a whale.
Ichigo narrowed his eyes…and then blinked as he saw someone walking into the edge of town. ("Something about that person…")
"Hey girl, what are you doing out so late?" One of the single sentries asked calmly.
The person he was speaking to was a young girl of no more than eight or nine years old. She had long prismatic hair and wore a flowing dress across her body of the same color pattern. Opening her prismatic eyes, she giggled sweetly to the sentry. "I'm just out for a walk, that's all."
"Well head inside. This isn't the time to be sight-seeing." The guard looked up at the whale and shivered. Though the thing had yet to do much, it hanging in the air didn't bode well in his mind.
The little girl smiled sweetly. "Would you like to play? I've been so lonely as of lately…"
The guard took a few steps back, lifting his spear slowly. The other guards who were posted nearby also turned their heads to see what was wrong. "Didn't you hear me? Go home and get to bed."
Pouting, the girl pointed up at the flying shape in the sky. "But I'm not sleepy. I want to play!" She grinned mischievously. "Ready?"
"Ready?" The guard shrugged to the others, who returned the gesture.
A dark shadow formed behind the girl. The darkness withdrew and revealed a blue-armored warrior holding a shield in one hand and a slightly curved sword in the other. It lifted the hem of its helmet enough that the guards could all see its red eyes.
"What sorcery…" The guard didn't even get to finish his sentence, as he suddenly found a sword slashing through his ribs.
Ichigo, along with most of the castle staff that was awake, stared in horror as they watched the warrior carve a path through the guards down below with ease. ("That's….the Black Luster Soldier….") A few moments later the half-demon had to back away because of the coppery smell of blood reached his sensitive nose in full.
The Black Luster Soldier was like a living tornado. It moved with speed that it seem like it was flying, and with every swing of its sword another life was claimed. Blood stained the grass and dirt….and yet somehow the warrior moved so fast that not a single drop touched it.
And another form walked through the chaos without the slightest problem. Giggling, the little girl skipped down towards the center of the village, with the Soldier cutting down anyone who even stepped towards her.
People were coming out of their homes now…and then heading right towards the castle. They knew they'd be safe there…
"You don't want to play?" The girl sniffled, looking like she was about to cry. "But I want to play!"
Another shadow formed in the air above her. And it was much bigger than the Black Luster Soldier.
"Hurry prince, we must get you to safety!" The advisor that Ichigo remembered from before grabbed him by the hand and pulled him off of the landing…
And a roar forced both of them to fall to their knees and clutch their ears. Then there were incredible amounts of heat as flames lapped at the ceiling and the balcony they had been on just moments before.
When the ordeal ended the ceiling had caved in and hidden whatever was roaring. But that did nothing to conceal the screams and moans of pain that reached Ichigo's ears…
"Come my prince, we must get to safety!" The advisor pulled Ichigo up and nearly dragged him away.
Ichigo was too numb to do much more than stare at the spot where he had just seen dozens of people die while he was being dragged away.
A few minutes later the two had found their way to the throne room.
"There is a secret passage here that we can use to escape." The advisor pulled aside a curtain and pulled down on a lever. A portion of the wall slid aside. "Come on, your highness…"
Ichigo started to move towards the opening…and then he heard something. It was the sound of panicked footsteps just outside the throne room. "There are still people alive!" With the heart of hero giving him wings, he leapt past the advisor and made it across the spacious room in a matter of seconds. Shoving the doors open, his eyes widened as he recognized a face that he had met earlier this morning. "Alahandra!"
The servant girl was injured, with an easy to see limp in her step. "Prince Eristo!" She tripped and fell to the carpet.
Ichigo ran over and helped her up. "Come on, let's go! We have a way out of…" His blood ran cold as he heard something from just down the hall.
"One, two, three, four…"
"Skipping down the lane…"
"Five, six, seven, eight…"
"Across the lovely plains…"
"Nine, ten…"
It was a childish and rather stupid little song…but to Ichigo it was like someone driving nails into his coffin. Because another sound accompanied it….and that was the sound of clanking armor.
Seconds later the little girl skipped into view, with the Black Luster Soldier walking in step just a few feet behind her. "Oh goodie! Hiya!" She waved to the two. "Do you want to play with me?"
The Black Luster Soldier was moving suddenly, a living blur that had its sword ready to end Ichigo's life….
Except all Ichigo felt was hot blood on his cheek.
Alahandra slowly looked down at the sword sticking out of her chest…and let out one pained gasp….
Ichigo felt her hand grow cold….and then in slow motion watched the Black Luster Soldier remove its sword from her corpse and lift the blade up over it head. ("No….stop it….")
"My prince!" A blade came down with impossible power and tore a cut in the armor of the Black Luster Soldier. It blinked in surprise and stumbled backwards, sliding into a fighting position.
The Advisor glanced back at Ichigo. "Quickly, go for the door." Lifting his sword, he growled at the blue-armored warrior. "I have sworn my life to protecting this boy, and you will not harm him!"
Ichigo turned and ran for the door, more on instinct that anything else.
"Defend yourself!" The Advisor charged towards the Black Luster Soldier, his sword raised to battle.
He never even made it that far before a huge blue-scaled clawed foot crashed down through the stone ceiling right on top of his head.
Ichigo's mad dash was stopped….and he slowly turned.
Theclawed foot lifted up out of the way and the girl and Soldier moved past it. Then it withdrew completely. A roar shook the entire structure andthe explosions continued again.
"I only have one person to play with now?" The girl pouted and scuffed the ground with her foot, while the Soldier stood silently behind her. "This wasn't as much fun as I'd hoped."
"Fun…" Ichigo's pupils dilated and the numbness in his mind and body disappeared.
Eri sighed and poked Ichigo a couple of times. He had started staring into space since about halfway into the duel and now wasn't moving. If she had been paying attention though, she'd have noticed his hand slowly clenching tighter and tighter.
"Fun…" Ichigo snarled. "What kind of monster are you…that you could kill so many…."
The little girl tittered and the Black Luster Soldier stepped in front of her protectively. "What do you mean? I'm just playing around."
"Playing around?" Ichigo's upper lip rose, revealing his fangs. "Who are you?"
"My name's Chaos." She smiled and the Soldier bent at the knees, preparing to attack.
Ichigo eyes shimmered in the relative darkness of the chamber. "I will not stand for this…"
"Then don't stand. Have a nice nap." The Soldier's feet left the ground and it was suddenly seconds away from putting its sword through Ichigo's chest.
Ichigo's fists clenched tighter…
"What's the matter with him?" Ashley had joined in poking the half-demon.
The Soldier remained emotionless as its sword found resistance in Ichigo's chest.
"I…WILL…NOT…" Ichigo's fist launched up and tore the head right off of the warrior. Immediately the being dissipated into shadows. "…STAND….FOR….THIS!"
Chaos blinked in childish surprise, right before a fist slammed right into her face and sent her flying into the back wall. She landed on her feet and rubbed her cheek like it had just been slapped. "OWIE!" Her eyes flickered. "You're a meanie!"
The ceiling right above Ichigo's head caved in as the same clawed foot from before crashed down on top of him.
"Do you think he's having a seizure?" Sammy was tugging on his ears.
"I don't know." Griff had joined in poking Ichigo as well.
"Stupid meanie-head…" Chaos rubbed her cheek, while the clawed foot ground itself into the stone to make sure that Ichigo was effectively crushed.
"CHAOS!" The clawed foot lifted slightly and then was burned away as an explosion of red energy that left nothing but a stump behind.
"Eeeep." The little girl watched as Ichigo stood up slowly from the area in the floor where there was now an impression of his body in the stone.
Ichigo stood up, his reflecting the pure rage he felt. "YOU WILL DIE!" He charged...
Chaos' expression went from childish innocence to the calm countenance of a killer as she caught Ichigo's descending claw, locked it with her hand, and somehow held him in place. "I hate you!" Her eyes flashed and suddenly Ichigo was skyward. He crashed through the stone of the ceiling and went about a hundred feet into the air above the castle top.
He hurt all over…and he knew that he was dying. ("Damn it…I can't beat you…") His expression didn't even change as he saw a huge armored dragon snap up its head and release a blast of fire that engulfed him. There was pain…and then nothing.
"Chaos…" Ichigo was crying now, his eyes squeezed shut and his palms bleeding from the force of his clenching claws.
"Chaos?" Eri and Griff both blinked at him.
"I…" Ichigo's eyes opened slowly. It was like he had been crying for hours, though he'd only been out of it for the fifteen minutes or so that the duel had taken. "Chaos…when we meet…you will die." He slowly stood up. "For Alahandra….for all those who you've hurt…I…will…destroy you." He had said it so quietly, only Griff and Eri had heard.
To be continued…
To Adriel: Your opinion has been noted and disregarded.
To Seeker of the Soul: Yep…things didn't look good for Kenshin, did they?
To Bobbomp: Because some people call such a skill being obsessive.
To Anime Albino: Dye his hair? What's wrong with red?
To Rex: Err…..what was that last question?
To Seth Vindicare: I'm glad someone is intrigued. With all these impressed people, I was worried I wasn't going to get any variety.
To Hogwarts-Knight: If Krieger had two seal cards he would not be invincible. Just very powerful.
To Nanashi Minamino: I make hopes come true….sometimes…
To G.O.T. Nick: Where did Adriel come into this equation? He already has a Seal card. Wind, remember?
To Victor: I don't know too much about Shagohad. Never got around to beating MGS3 yet.
To Wolfy: Thank you for your vote of confidence. I'm not sure if my stories will be turned into manga, but I guess we can dream.
