"Come on Nire, you're slowing me down. Walk faster! We've got to get one more duel in before tonight or we'll never get to the finals." Aiken says and starts to drag Nire along a path.
"Don't worry about it Aiken, we got lots of time to collect the rest of the cards we need." Nire says and stops.
"What's wrong? Why did you stop?" Aiken asks.
"I think I hear footsteps..." Nire says. Suddenly two figures jump out from behind Aiken and Nire.
"Hahaha You fell into our trap, now you shall never escape!" One figure says.
"We will take your cards but you shall not win ours!" The other says out.
"We are the masked protectors of the Labyrinth! Lumis and Dox!" They both proclaim.
"Nire... who are the freaks? I know that Lemis guy, I've seen him duel before...but who's his bald friend?" Aiken asks
"Hahaha I am Dox, Part of the brothers Para-Dox! Para is too weak of a duelist, so I left!" Dox says as he slips on his duel disk.
"And I am Lumis, from the team of Masks! But since the loss of my Master Marik and the demise of my Partner. I was partner-less! Until today!" Lumis says and slips on his duel disk.
"So we challenge you to a team duel! Face the Wrath of the "Masked Protectors of the Labyrinth"!" They both shout towards Aiken and Nire.
"Lets take 'em out!" Aiken says and slips on his Duel disk.
"Aiken... Don't rush into a team duel this fast. Use your head, both of them are great team duelist and we never team dueled before." Nire says and looks at Aiken.
"Come on, it's not like they're that good. Their Partners fired them!" Aiken says and waves for Nire to put on her duel Disk.
"But Aiken, if we lose, you're out..." Nire says. "Put on your duel disk and help me then!" Aiken snaps back at Nire. Nire sighs and slips her duel disk on her arm.
"So the order shall be, Me, Nire, Lumis and Aiken!" Dox says and draws his cards. "I'll start off my playing my Cost-down. By discarding one card from my hand, all of the monsters in my hand lose 2 star levels for the rest of my turn! So I'll set one monster into defense! Then end my turn!" Dox says and discards a card from his hand to the graveyard.
Nire draws her cards. "Oh no! I never drew a single monster! All I have is: Two Coffin Cellar, Ordeal with the Traveler, Cemetery Bomb, Monster Reborn and Robbin Goblin." Nire thinks to herself. "I'll set three cards face down and end my turn." Nire says as Lemis draws his cards.
"Heh he he Heh Heh, perfect! I'll play the Curse of the Masked Beast, and discard two monsters from my hand. This allows me to summon my Masked Beast. With his 3200 attack, we can't lose." Lemis says, and laughs.
"Not so fast! I activate my two coffin sellers!Since you tributed two monsters, you lose 600 life points, twice! For a total of 1200." Nire says and stares at Lemis.
"A Small price for a 3200 monster!" Lemis says.
"Heh! Wow 3200. I have stronger level 1 monsters then that!" Aiken taunts as he draws his cards. " Not a bad hand! If Lemis wants a power struggle, I'll give him one! I got the perfect cards for it. A Big Wave Small Wave, Yomi Ship, Sujin, Two Rush recklessly and Heavy Storm." Aiken thinks and smiles. "I'll summon my Yomi ship! Then Activate Big Wave Small Wave! This destroys my Yomi ship and lets me summon another water monster from my hand. Regardless of its level! So say hello to my Sujin!" Aiken says as his Sujin appears on the field. "Now I'll set two cards facedown!" Aiken says and singles for Dox to go.
"Now this is the start of your demise! Right infront of your own eyes! I'll Summon my Jarai Gumo! He was 2200 attack, not bad for a level 4 monster, huh!" Dox says as a Giant Spider appears with huge claws.
"Come on Dox attack, or are you afraid of your Gumo's special effect." Nire says and glares at Dox.
"I control my monster and I have no fear! Gumo attack her!" Dox yells as His spider raises his arm to attack. But a coin appears above his head.
"Go on flip for your monster." Nire says.
"What kind of trickery is this!" Dox says confused. "Oh, are you unaware of your monsters new effect?" Nire asks.
"Wha-What is it?" Dox asks back.
"Flip and find out." Nire calmly says.
Dox flips the coin. "I call Heads" Dox mumbles out. The coin Lands on Tails. Nire then points down to Dox's level points as it drains to 3000.
"Your Life points are halved when you call the wrong side, and now I'll play Ordeal with the Traveler. This can block your attack and send your monster back to your hand. You must select one card in my hand and call it: Monster, Magic or Trap. your choice Dox." Nire says and holds out her hand.
"Woah! Nice play Nire!" Aiken yells over.
"You never played a monster! So I'm guessing you kept them all in your hand for this card! I pick monster!" Dox says and points to one of the cards in Nire's hand.
"Wrong." Nire says and shows Dox that it was a trap card.
"Dox you Idiot! Not only did you lose half your life points, but your monster goes back to your hand!" Lumis shouts out.
Nire draws her next card. "Aiken. Is that last card in your hand important to your tactics?" Nire turns and asks Aiken.
"Tactics! What are you talking about? I don't use tactics!" Aiken yells back over to her.
"Fine, I'll activate card destruction." Nire says as everyone discards their hands and draws the same number of cards discarded. Nire looks around to see that Dox's life points dropped another 1800 points and Lemis's another 600. "Look Aiken! Dox is now down to 1200 life points, and Lemis is at 4200." Nire says.
"What? How did you do that?" Aiken asks.
"Dox had four cards in his hand. Three of them must have been monsters, and my Coffin seller drains his life points. But Lumis only had two cards in his hand, and only one was a monster." Nire explains.
"Good enough!" Aiken says.
"I'll now set one card in defense and end my turn." Nire says.
Lumis draws his next card. "Perfect! I'll play a nice little combo. It'll involve all the cards in my hand! I'll start by playing Dimension Hole on--" Lumis starts to explain.
"Yeah yeah yeah... Your masked beast. Got'cha." Aiken says.
"Wrong again. I'm playing it on Dox's Face down monster. Since he has less life points he needs it. Dimension hole removes his monster from the field 'till the end of my turn." Lumis says as Dox's monster gets sucked into a hole in the ground.
"I see your plan Lumis!" Dox says
"Now I play Dark Hole and Heavy Storm!" Lumis yells.
"Hmmm... Good play." Nire says.
"You're Cheatin'! You just destroyed every card on the field! You're retarded! He even killed his own Masked Beast!"
Aiken yells out as he draws his next card. "Hmmm... Because of Nire I got my Monster Reborn, but I should save it. I'll play the card I just drew!" Aiken thinks to himself. "Lets go, Gagagigo!" Aiken yells out, as a Green Reptile appears on the field with spikes sticking out from its skin. "My Gagagigo was once an evil killer, now he's fighting for good because his heart is pure since he found a special someone. Like me and Nire." Aiken says as he winks at Nire. "And Gagagigo's 1850 attack power is nothing to laugh at either!" Aiken says. "Hmmm... I'll attack Lumis, he did a lot to Protect Dox's facedown monster, so it must be powerful!" Aiken thinks to himself. "Now Gagagigo! Attack Lumis!" Aiken yells out. Gagagigo turns and looks up at Lemis and in a spilt second was slashing Lemis life points away to 2350.
"Now Dox you better come through for us!" Lumis says and watches Dox draw his next card ."I'll start off by Playing Pot of Greed." Dox says and draws two more cards. "Ha! You're about to wish you have never starting playing duel monsters! I'll play Change of Heart and take Aiken's Gagagigo! Then I'll tribute my monster and Aiken's Monster for Sujin! Next I'll Monster Reborn Sanga of the Lightning! Now Premature Burial My Kazejin! Now Remove all three of them to summon my Gate Guardian!" Dox yells out and his life points drop another 800 until they drop to 400.
"Gate guardian...? It that strong of something?" Aiken asks. As Dox and Lemis stare at him blankly
"You've never heard of Gate Guardian!" They ask him.
"No.." Aiken replies.
"Gate Guardian has 3850 attack power. It is one of the strongest cards in the game." Nire says.
"You know everything don't you..." Aiken says and stares at Nire.
"Seems that way, huh?" Nire says and smiles a little.
"Anyway I'll equip Gate Guardian with and Axe of Despair. Bringing his attack to 4850. I'll attack Nire!" Dox yells out as His giant monster attacks Nire's life points, and drops them to 1150.
"My..turn..?" Nire asks.
"Yes! It looks like that hurt you little girl!" Dox says.
"I am NOT a little girl!" Nire says and draws her card. "Aiken, I hate to do this, But do you think you can defeat Lumis?" Nire asks.
"Yeah! He looks like a wimp anyway!" Aiken says back.
"'Cause... I'm taking down that Gate Guardian, but I'll die too." Nire says back and smiles.
"You can't! No one can stop him now!" Dox yells back.
"Yes I can!" Nire says. "Now I'll summon my D.D Warrior Lady In attack mode! Then Equip her with the Black Pendant! Boosting her attack to 2000. But her attack is useless anyway! Warrior Lady attack Gate Guardian!" Nire yells as her monster draws her twin sword and runs at The Gate Guardian. Gate Guardian attempts to step on the Warrior Lady, but as soon and his foot touches her, both monsters disappear. "Your Gate Guardian is removed from the game, but I take the battle damage... so I'm out. But you also lose because when you destroy my monster you destroy her Pendant and when that is gone, you lose 500 life points, and you only had 400. The rest is up to Aiken." Nire says and sits on the ground.
"Looks like its one on one, Lumis!" Aiken taunts "But I play first!" Lumis says back and draws a card.
That's good for this Chapter... don't you just love Cliff hangers?