Author's Notes: This is it, Dalin vs ...errr...Dalin! Let's get on with the freaky coincidences and such!
Chapter Twenty-Four: Two Sides, One Coin
Dalin stopped at the doorway, frowning slightly at what he was feeling. He wasn't bothered by the fact that the door was gone, that was obviously the work of Rikuo. Nor was he bothered by the fact that all of his companions had vanished, it was obvious that they had gone ahead to this place.
What bothered him was that the energy signature he was feeling in the room was disturbingly familiar in a way that screamed that he should know it. Yet it was as if it was a signature he felt all the time yet never truly noticed. 'Whatever it is, I will face it.'
He stepped into the room, and was nearly blinded by the spotlights that hit him. A voice came on over the loudspeakers almost instantly. "All of you who have gathered here today have witnessed many impressive duels, but none so spectacular as what is about to occur!"
One by one the spotlights started coming on around the room, revealing Dalin's surroundings to him piece by piece. "Those of you who have been here before may know of our strongest duelist, one of the best to ever live, a man who we have always said is the true Duel King! Dalin Imaki Sumatin!"
Dalin frowned, but said nothing as the connections were made. Alice's recognition of him, Kodowari saying he was from Underworld of Dueling...that was what he was feeling. Within this room was someone who was familiar to him in every way. Himself. 'Interesting.'
"Today we have a special treat that none before have ever witnessed! Standing on one side of the field, standing at six feet and six inches is our mighty champion, Dalin Imaki Sumatin. Standing on the other side, hailing from an entirely different dimension and standing at an identical six feet and six inches is...Dalin Imaki Sumatin!" Dual spotlights hit the two duelists, revealing them to the audience.
An ear-shattering cheer rose up, people getting to their feet and screaming at the top of their lungs as the nearly identical men were revealed. The only physical difference between the two other than what they wore was the fact that one Dalin had long dark brown hair and the other hand long white blonde hair. "According to the rules set forwards the winner of this duel may take anything he wants from the loser, and if our challenger wins he advances to the Inner Sanctum. Let the games begin!"
The two duelists stared at each other...and stared at each...and stared at each other. Had they been outdoors one could have heard crickets sounding like gun blasts over the silence. "Ummm...is either duelist going to make the opening move?"
Dalin closed his eyes, feeling the power of his opponent, so identical to his own. He knew his own limits of strength, and he could tell that this man's were roughly the same. The one who was stronger however...that was the mystery. 'This will be a test of my strength and skill like no other.'
Across the field this dimension's Dalin was thinking much the same thing, also sizing up his opposite. "If we are to duel, I suppose we should distinguish ourselves. If you would like, you can refer to me as Sumatin and I will refer to you as Dalin. How does that sound?"
Dalin nodded and raised his left arm, his duel disk snapping into position. "That is acceptable. Now, let's begin Sumatin. This duel...I will unleash all of my strength against you! I won't hold back at all!" He slammed his deck into place and the life point counter lit up. (DLP: 4000)
Sumatin snapped his eyes open, his deck sliding into his duel disk just like his opposite's had. His life points also rose to their starting point, and he was ready. "I won't hold back either. Now, take the turn and show me what my other half from another dimension can do." (SLP: 4000)
Both duelists drew their opening hands at blinding speed. Dalin's hand paused over his deck, feeling the flow of its energy. He looked into his opponent's identical eyes, and he knew what had to happen. "In order to win this duel I will go full strength from the very start. Meet my true power!"
He glanced down at the card, noting the signature color. He glanced at the other cards in his hand, and he knew what had to been done. 'So this is the power that I will have to use to win is it? Very well then, I will show him justice in the name of god...Obelisk the Tormentor!'
"Activate magic card, Descent From Heaven! I may now send three angels from my deck to my cemetery in order to gain fifteen hundred life points!" He slid his deck out of the holder and quickly searched for the three cards. Then he dropped them into his discard pile.
Six points of light drifted out of his cemetery. Three of them fluttered down and were absorbed into his duel disk. The other three were pulled into his deck, which began to glow as well. "By sending Ascended Man(1200/500) to the grave all three times I draw three cards as well as gain fifteen hundred life points." (DLP: 5500)
Dalin pulled three cards off his deck in one swift motion, pumping his hand up to eight cards. Sumatin didn't even blink, but the audience seemed to be impressed. "Well played my opposite. But what now?
"Now? Now I activate Renewal of Triplets, special summoning all three from the grave to my field since each has the same name!" The three angels shot out of his cemetery, and formed on his field as men in brown monk's robes with halos and long white wings.
"Prepare to witness my strength! I sacrifice all three monsters in order to summon this instrument of justice. Be born upon this plane of existence, Obelisk the Tormentor(4000/4000)!" Sumatin's eyes went wide as the three angels disappeared, and the arena started to shake heavily as a massive blue form started to rise up out of the ground.
"I see...then that would mean in your dimension you truly are the Duel King. Perfect." He seemed overly satisfied and amused as the mighty god was born again, its form stretching the arena, its shoulders shoving into the plexiglass and shattered it. In the end Obelisk wasn't fully visible, as his form was too massive for even the room's projectors to take in.
"Since the three Ascended Mans were sent to the cemetery I draw an additional three cards, raising my hand size to nine cards." He drew three cards again, giving him a very impressive hand. Sumatin still refused to even blink, despite the moves he was pulling.
"Since I cannot attack during the first turn I will set three cards face down, and end my turn." He lowered his hands, awaiting his opposite's move. The crowd waited tensely, not sure what even their champion could do against the strength of a god card. And he still held six cards.
"You are strong, I can see that. But it seems that despite the differences in dimensions and our different playing styles we are as one. Two sides, one coin. One dark, one light, neither evil, but neither truly good." From the crowd's point of view it would have made sense for a gust of wind to sweep by them at any moment, even while underground.
"Now, it is my turn, and in order to defeat you I too must unleash my full strength from the first turn. Activate magic card, Cast From Heaven! This sends three dark angels from my deck to the grave in order to inflict fifteen hundred damage to my opponent's life points." Sumatin picked out three monsters from his deck and slid them into the graveyard.
Just like Dalin before him, Sumatin's cemetery sent out six orbs. However, each of these orbs were dark as night. Three hit Dalin in the chest, while the other hit Sumatin's duel disk. "Just like you I sent Fallen Man(1300/400) to the grave three times. Now I draw three cards from the bottom of my deck while dealing you fifteen hundred damage." (DLP: 4000)
Dalin narrowed his eyes as his opponent held up one of the three drawn cards, and then flipped it around. Just as Dalin had suspected, it was revealed to be a very familiar card. "Renewal of Triplets revives my three monsters. Now...I sacrifice all three of them!"
He slammed the card down onto his duel disk and black beams of light gathered together as something large built up in front of him. At the same time he drew three more cards from the bottom of his deck, pumping his hand up to nine cards. "At a cost of these three monsters I summon Wicked God Dread-Root(4000/4000)!"
Soon his monster completed its summoning, pushing at the bounds of the projectors just like Dalin's card. At an identical size and basic structure Dread-Root looked like a god version of Summoned Skull, with a skeletal helmet and armor over its head, giving it a truly fearsome appearance. "Wicked God...impressive."
"Dread-Root is aptly named. Now his special ability activates. Fear Domination!" Dread-Root roared, shaking the entire room. Dalin and Obelisk barely seemed to notice it, but despite their calm it was obvious that they were slightly affected. Dalin frowned as energy seeped from his god.
"Dread-Root reduces the attack of all other monsters in play by half, making Obelisk into a much weaker monster of two thousand attack points. Now, Wicked God Dread-Root, attack Obelisk with Dread Fist!" Black energy engulfed the dark god's fist as it threw it at the opposing god of light. However, Dalin was ready for this.
"Reveal quick-play magic card, Light Shield! This will successfully protect Obelisk and myself for this turn." A glowing shield of light blocked the path of the energy covered fist. Dread-Root snarled at being thwarted and drew its arm back.
"So be it. I set three cards face down, and then conclude my turn." Just like Dalin he had finished his turn with a mighty god in play, along with three set cards and a full hand of six cards. Both duelists had made nearly identical plays.
Dalin frowned, glancing at his set cards and then at his opponent's. He had no way of knowing if they were similar to his. Simply because their first turns were so similar did not mean that they had identical but opposite hands. 'I'll have to play cautiously. The first step is to eliminate Dread-Root.'
"I draw...and now I will summon" He stopped at the sound of a sharp intake of breath. Glancing back over his shoulder, Dalin discovered who had done it. Standing in the doorway was none other than the girl he had faced previously, Alice.
"Two Sumatin-senpais...I think I'm in heaven!" Both duelists rolled their eyes. The blonde girl looked back and forth between the two, and then up at the two behemoths that stood on their fields.
"Amazing! Wicked God Dread-Root against Obelisk the Tormentor! What a match-up! Oooo...I can't believe I get to see this duel, no matter the reason there are two of them!" She clutched her hands to her chest and jumped from foot to foot, grinning maniacally.
Dalin shook his head and turned back to his opposite, finally completing the motion he had started before interrupted. "As I was saying. I summon Pluto, Angel of Weakening(1500/0) in attack mode."
Sumatin pointed at the angel, who was dwarfed by the other two monsters in play. "Special ability, Fear Domination!" The angel cowered in terror, its attack points falling to an unimpressive seven hundred and fifty.
"Now, since it is my turn the effect of Dread-Root wears off since even it cannot affect Obelisk for more than a single turn." Obelisk clenched its fists together, roaring at Dread-Root. The dark god roared back, and only the will of their masters kept them from attacking.
"Pluto's attack power will return to normal as soon as I eliminate Dread-Root. Obelisk, attack it with God Hand Crusher!" Sumatin frowned as the blue god sent its burning fist directly at the opposing dark god. At the moment he couldn't afford to lose Dread-Root.
"Reveal quick-play magic card, Dark Wall of Air! Just like your Light Shield this card will prevent my creature from being attacked this turn." Pitch black winds surged around Dread-Root, slowly the motion of Obelisk's giant hammer of a fist.
"Your magic card is worthless upon activation of my counter trap, Magic Jammer! In order to negate your card I must discard one card as the cost of Magic Jammer. I discard Repayment of Losses, letting me draw one card." He slid the named card into the grave, then drew another.
The winds began to die down, and Obelisk's fist started to push through, coming closer and closer to Dread-Root. Sumatin narrowed his eyes, and then pointed to one of his set cards. Immediately it flipped up. "Trap Jammer can only activates during the battle phase. It instantly negates one trap card you play, including your counter trap Magic Jammer!"
Purple smoke flowed out of the card and began to cover Dalin's still face-up trap card, making it shudder. Cracks lined its form, and the energy of the winds picked up again, once more slowing the descent of Obelisk's fist. "I anticipated such a move. Reveal final set card, counter trap Angel's Mandate!"
His trap revealed itself, and then Pluto shook for a moment before exploding into pixels. Then bright white light shot out and began to push back the purple fog, once more causing the winds to recede. "At a cost of one angel on my field the counter trap Angel's Mandate may negate the activation of any type of card. Therefor Magic Jammer will succeed, and Dark Wall of Air will fail."
Sumatin chuckled and snapped two fingers together. His final set card also flipped up, and he slid one of the six cards he was holding into the graveyard. "I also had guessed such a play would be made. Therefore I placed this counter trap, Dark Angel's Mandate. It costs one Dark Angel from my hand to activate, and it will negate Angel's Mandate!"
Alice stared in awe as the dark energy flowed from Sumatin's trap and slammed into the light of Dalin's trap. "Amazing! The chain resolves in reverse order, so Dark Angel's Mandate negates Angel's Mandate, allowing Trap Jammer to activate, negating Magic Jammer and then letting Dark Wall of Air succeed!"
The dark winds sprang up in full force, completly halting Obelisk's attack. The god withdrew its fist, and Dread-Root snarled at the retreating god. Dalin smiled slightly despite having been foiled. "You're certainly an impressive duelist, but I knew that from the very beginning."
"You are also quite impressive. Now, complete your turn." Dalin nodded and slid his drawn card onto his duel disk, allowing it to appear in front of him.
Sumatin snapped a card off his duel disk, and then pointed to Obelisk. "Let Dread-Root end this clash of gods. Attack with Dread Fist!"
Dalin shook his head and then raised his right arm, which was instantly covered by a shield. He raised the shield, and an energy barrier sprang up in front of Obelisk, catching the fist before it made it any farther. "Draining Shield negates your attack and gives me your monster's attack as life points!" (DLP: 8000)
"About what I anticipated. Now, I set one magic or trap card face down. That is the end of my turn." The crowd winced, seeing their champion so far behind in life points simply because he walked into what seemed to be an obvious trap.
The blonde haired duelist glanced down at the six cards he was now holding, and then at his opponent's field. Dread-Root was strong, but there was no way it could stand up to the burning power of Obelisk's effect. 'One strike from Soul Max is all I need to complete this duel.'
He had the monsters needed for it, now all he needed was to summon them and keep them on the field. "I set one monster in defense mode. Since Dread-Root's effect is like a field card's my set monster retains its attack and defense points."
One brown backed card appeared beside Obelisk. The god eyed it almost hungrily, obviously prepare to take it as an offering as soon as it could. "To conclude my turn I set one magic or trap card face down."
As soon as he was done his brown haired opposite drew, fanning out his six card hand. "Prepare to say farewell to your god. Activate Dark Flame Burst! This magic card destroys one magic or trap card on your field and that card cannot be chained!"
He extended his hand and a burst of black fire shot out of it, spearing into Dalin's single face down card. The angel duelist frowned as his only defense was blown away by the fire. "Next I summon Dark Angel Toraisu(1500/1500) in attack mode."
A handsome angel with dark wings appeared, cowering in the shadow of Dread-Root. Dalin motioned to Dread-Root in amusement. "Dread-Root affects your monster as well, making it a weakling just as it made Pluto a weakling."
"Ah yes, but that won't matter in a moment. Reveal trap card, Fall From Heaven! Although I cannot destroy Obelisk with traps, this card will let me temporarily remove him from the game!" Obelisk started to roar in protest, but before the roar was complete the giant god vanished.
Dalin frowned, witnessing his almost completely empty field. All he had now was his single set monster, and that was a Holy Shine Sphere(500/500). "In addition to removing Obelisk you also take half the removed monster's attack as damage, while I gain half of its attack as life points." (DLP: 6000, SLP: 6000)
"Now, Toraisu will attack and destroy your set monster, opening your field up for an attack." The dark angel pointed one finger at the set monster, and sent a jet of black flame at it. The spherical monster appeared briefly and then was melted down by the attack.
"Prepare to suffer the pain of this type of duel. Wicked God Dread-Root...attack directly with Dread Fist!" Dalin slid his feet back, bracing himself for the oncoming massive fist covered in dark energy. The freight train punch slammed right into him, hurling him backwards a dozen feet and into the steel wall.
The wall dented inwards, making Dalin barely visible from within. Alice yelped, terrified at the damage done by the assault. She wasn't sure who to cheer for though, since both of them were as far as she could tell the same person. 'Oh I don't know what to think!'
Dalin pulled himself out of the hole and then dropped back to the ground, landing in a crouch. His body was visibly wracked by the blow, bloody and bruised, but yet he held his ground. "Dread-Root is powerful, but so am I. I'm not done yet." (DLP: 2000)
"Of course you aren't. Now, I set one card face down. Turn end." His card materialized behind Toraisu, potentially protecting it. Dread-Root most likely wouldn't need it though considering its dreadful power.
The angel duelist snapped a card off his deck, and a silver glint shimmered in his eyes. Sumatin frowned, having barely noticed it. He had however sensed a sudden surge of power from his other self. "Now, Obelisk returns!"
The god reappeared, instantly completing its roar. Sumatin however was not impressed. "Since it is newly on the field again Dread-Root's effect reduces its attack power to a mere two thousand, so it's hardly a threat."
"The only threat to Dread-Root is me. Activate Heavenly Circuit! In order to play this card I must discard one card from my hand...and then I may set one magic or trap card from my grave onto the field, which may be played this turn." A card shimmered onto his field, ready to be played as soon as Dalin chose to use it.
Sumatin eyed the card askance, unsure what to think. "You intend to defend with Draining Shield again? Or perhaps you are preparing to negate one of my cards with Angel's Mandate."
"You are forgetting Sumatin...you destroyed one of my cards last turn. Now it is revealed, the trap card known as Rise to Heaven! Just like your trap a monster in play is removed from the game!" Dread-Root blinked out of existence, surprising even Sumatin.
"Now I gain its attack points as life points, restoring all damage done to me by Dread-Root's attack. In addition to that since Dread-Root is no longer in play all monsters regain their attack points." Obelisk and Toraisu were restored to their formal glory even as Dalin regained lost energies. (DLP: 6000)
Alice silently cheered this move on, despite the fact that she knew that whoever one, it wouldn't matter. She was equally obsessed with each one, so it didn't matter at all. 'Whoever loses, I still win! Sumatin-senpa, or Dalin-senpai...either way, one of them will be mine!'
"Obelisk attacks Toraisu!" Obelisk attacked with his devastating punch, and the dark angel stumbled backwards, aware that its end was at hand.
Sumatin snapped his fingers and his trap flipped up. "Dark Flame Shield lets me sacrifice one dark angel to negate an attack and deal you half its attack power as damage. That should be enough."
The dark angel exploded into flames, causing Obelisk's fist to miss its target and slam harmlessly into the ground, shaking the room. Then the flames shot at Dalin, covering him briefly. "Now the lead is once more mine." (DLP: 5250)
The blonde haired duelist glanced at the three remaining cards in his hand, and then at his opponent's field which consisted of absolutely nothing. His own consisted of merely Obelisk the Tormentor. 'At the start of his turn Dread-Root will return, and Obelisk's attack with fall by half. I have to prepare myself for that.'
Knowing generally what to expect the man who was practically a dueling savant took his cards and placed them on the field. "I'll set three cards face down. Now, the flow of the duel returns to you my opposite."
Sumatin slowly added a newly drawn card to his hand, and then looked up as a shadow descended from the ceiling. Slowly that shadow took shape, becoming the massive and demonic form of Wicked God-Dread Root. "Dread-Root is now once again on the field, and his effect will reduce Obelisks's attack by half."
The other god's power fell just as indicated, leaving it easy prey for Dread-Root's soon to come attack. "Destroying Obelisk would be useful, but not the end all be all. I can safely assume that if you posses Obelisk you must also possess the other two gods, therefor even Dread-Root does not guarantee victory. So I will have to finish you off in this turn."
Each duelist narrowed his eyes at the other, and then Sumatin reached for one of his cards and slammed it into his duel disk. "Activate magic card, Devil's Instant Kill Technique! Now when Dread-Root destroys Obelisk you will take Obelisk's attack as damage to your life points."
Alice frowned, doing the math. Dread-Root currently was twice as strong as Obelisk, so killing the god would drop Dalin-senpai's life points to thirty two thousand and fifty. Then the effect of Devil's Instant Kill Technique would activated, dealing four thousand damage and reducing Dalin-senpai's life points to zero. Her conclusion: "This is bad."
"Wicked God Dread-Root, finish this duel in one mighty blow. Attack now with Dread Fist!" The god pulled back his hand and plunged it forwards, bringing it down upon Obelisk. The blow was stopped moments before reaching the other god's face as Obelisk caught the attack with its own fist.
Sumatin's eyes widened in surprise, uncertain how a monster of half his creature's strength was fighting back. "Time is of the essence Sumatin, and you delayed too long. My trap card Pyro Clock of Destiny advanced time by one turn, and therefor Obelisk was able to return to his normal strength."
"Such a thing is unimportant, you will still take four thousand damage and lose Obelisk!" He was also confident because of one of the cards in his hand. Moments before Dread-Fist was destroyed he would activate it, and that would grant him victory.
"You misunderstand, I was prepared to finish off both of our monsters this turn, and since I knew I would be losing such a powerful monster I wanted to make the most of it. So now I activate my placed quick-play magic card: Soul's Last Breath!" Light burned around Obelisk and two gods grappled with each other, pushing back with their hands grasped together.
"I see...your magic card will grant you Obelisk's attack power as life points when he's destroyed in battle. So both monsters will be destroyed and nothing will be accomplished." The two gods butted heads, and cracks lined their bodies. They stumbled backwards and began to shatter, turning to dust.
Sumatin wasn't ready to lose his wicked god so easily though, not without causing damage. "I had every intent of finishing you off this turn, no matter what. So now, just before Dread-Fist can fully go to the cemetery I'll activate my quick-play magic card Sacrifice! This lets me tribute one monster on my field for the effect of a ritual magic card in my deck!"
The energy of Dread-Root started to flow backwards, pulled towards Sumatin's field. A card ejected from his deck and he quickly tossed it into his duel disk, kicking in its effect. But Dalin wasn't far behind him with the use of his final set card.
"I activate my remaining face down card, my own Sacrifice! And now, using its effect I offer Obelisk in his last moments for my ritual magic card!" As one the two duelists activated their ritual cards, and urns appeared on their fields, drawing in the two gods' energies.
Sumatin pointed to his field where the urn sat and spoke up. "Activate ritual magic card: Dark Justice Unleashed!"
At the same moment Dalin declared his own card. "Activate ritual magic card: Justice Unleashed!"
Appearing from within the urns were now two identical woman. The first one, the one on Sumatin's field, was beautiful with raven black hair and black wings, but her eyes were covered by a dark blindfold. "Reveal Sol, Angel of Dark Justice(1900/1900)!"
On the opposite side, standing in front of Dalin, was a beautiful angelic woman with white blonde hair, pure white wings, and a white blindfold over her eyes. "Come forth Sol, Angel of Justice(1900/1900)!"
Alice and the entire audience stared at the two duelists and their monsters in awe. Once again they had both made nearly identical moves, and they were once more evenly matched. "So, it is to be a contest of one monster's dark half against another's. Sol, Angel of Dark Justice will win. Now, I discard one dark main-type monster from my hand to increase her attack and defense by five hundred."
Dark energy surged around Sumatin's Sol, boosting her attack and defense to a more impressive twenty-four hundred. Yet it wasn't attack ability that made Sol a level seven ritual monster with a meager nineteen hundred attack and defense. It was her effects that made her so useful. "My turn is completed. Go ahead, match my move and boost your Sol's attack points. But I can guarantee that mine will succeed."
Dalin slid a card off the top of his deck and then looked up at his other self. "No Sumatin, no guarantees can be made in this duel. But I am tired of you being merely my reflection, or me being yours. Dimensional duplicates or not, I will not be anyone's opposite. I am Dalin Imaki Sumatin, and I am myself, not anyone else. It's time to change the flow of this duel once and for all!"
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Next Chapter:Overcoming Self
Author's Notes: Yowza! Dalin and Sumatin have both defeated each other's first gods, but they still have plenty of power waiting in the wings. Dalin is determined to prove himself separate from his other dimensional self, but can he? Which Dalin is stronger? Find out next time!
Review Responses
WolfGeneral: I've always liked to think that Dalin doesn't top deck, because there is generally no situation beyond his control. At least so far.
Time Mage: Two things here. The other Dalin isn't really his dark side, he's just different. Also, the Dark Angels as far as I'm concerned are the equivalent or rebelling angels, ones that oppose god but have yet to be banished from heaven. Like Lucifer pre-fall.
G.O.T. Nick: Ah yes, Cameron Diaz. Personally I think she's overrated, but she rocks as Princess Fiona. However, that was ruined by Charlie's Angels 2, so I will speak no more of this.
John: New tactics? Rex's entire strategy, even this updated version, was all about beatdown. Weevil actually uses tactics, and this one isn't underhanded at all. He didn't cheat. But we are each entitled to our own opinions.
The White Mage: Ouch, I take it you don't like Weevil and Rex.
Original Cards:WG(WolfGeneral), TM(Time Mage), G(Gryphinwyrm7)
Dalin: Descent From Heaven, Ascended Man, Renewal of Triplets, Light Shield, Pluto the Angel of Weakening, Angel's Mandate, Heavenly Circuit, Rise to Heaven, Soul's Last Breath, Sacrifice, Justice Unleashed, Sol the Angel of Justice
Sumatin: Cast From Heaven, Fallen Man, Renewal of Triplets, Dark Angel's Mandate, Dark Flame Burst, Dark Angel Toraisu, Fall From Heaven, Dark Flame Shield, Devil's Instant Kill Technique, Sacrifice, Dark Justice Unleashed, Sol the Angel of Dark Justice
Anime/Manga Cards
Sumatin: Wicked God Dread-Root(Yu-Gi-Oh! R version of a now real card), Dark Wall of Air
