Team Zero: Orichalcos
Chapter 36: Forms of Epic Battles
A bead of sweat ran down Lucien's face, rolling down his cheek and then dripping off his chin. Reku looked just as strained from the intensity that had flowed out of this raging battle.
Lucien looked at his two monsters, the great Phoenix of Nephthys and the great Firestorm Monarch, Thestalos. Two of his mightiest monsters in his entire deck, and they were stopped by Reku's single card. Looking across the field, Lucien glared at the machine monster covered in mirrors. Half in disgusts, the other half in strange happiness. He was fighting one of the hardest duels he had ever fought. Even if Reku seemed like he was about to lose, he pulled himself right back to his feet, striking back with great tactics.
Hesitantly, Lucien dropped his head to look at the white duel disk strapped to his arm. There, his two monster cards sat on the blue square indicating a monster zone. Strapped to his wrist, the duel disk's black screen displayed the numbers and letters '300 LP', showing that Lucien was down to his last 300 life points. Even so, compared to Reku, that wasn't so bad as he only had 100 points left on the board.
Next, his eyes came to rest upon the dwindling stack of brown backed cards that was his deck. Reaching for it, Lucien slowly drew the top card and flipped it over. Looking at the face of the card, he frowned realizing that it wouldn't help any. "I end my turn." Lucien said snapping his head up to look at Reku.
"Draw." Reku said almost emotionless as he pulled the next card off his deck and whipped it around his head, brining it to a complete stop in front of his eyes. Smiling, he flipped it around in his fingers and then deposited it into a slit in his duel disk. "Activate magic card; Hole in the Plan!" Grabbing his graveyard as it was ejected from his duel disk, Reku fanned out the cards that were there.
"What does Hole in the Plan do?" Lucien was almost frightened at Reku's voice when calling its name.
"Hole in the Plan lets me remove monsters from my grave equal to how many stars above four a monster in my hand is. In my hand I hold a monster known as Mech Dragon Blaster. He is seven stars, three above four, so I remove three monsters to summon him to the field!" Reku explained as he held up three cards from his grave. "I sacrifice Dekayak and Alpino the Mech Warriors as well as my Mechanoid Chrome Guardian so I can summon Mech Dragon Blaster (2500/2000)."
A ray of light burst up from Reku's field. Spiraling towards the ceiling, the light exploded outwards as a large dragon monster erupted through it. The monsters shiny, slick green scales ran from the top of its neck all the way down to its long tail. Digging in its long white claws into the floor, the monster whipped its head back in a loud roar. Mechanical gears, and metal panels were seen in random spots all over the dragon's huge body. Lighting up and beginning to move, the dragon took more life.
"Hole in the Plan come with one more effect, I must skip my battle phase for this turn." Reku still seemed pleased with summoning his monster, so not being able to attack with it wasn't so bad. "I end my move."
"Right, Draw!" Lucien snapped the top card off his deck and looked it over. "I set one monster in defense mode, and shift both my monsters into defense as well." Lucien announced as the horizontal card appeared in holographic form. Beside it, the large Monarch and Phoenix monster crouched down. Tucking it head inside its wings, the phoenix's card appeared under it turned sideways. Same for Thestalos. "I end my turn."
Smiling a bit, Reku held the drawn card up so it was parallel with the side of his face. Looking at the card out of the side of his eye, he smiled and looked forward again. Moving swiftly, he slapped it down onto his duel disk. "I summon Robotic Knight (1600/1800) in attack mode!" Crashing to the field, a large robot monster appeared. Designed to appear like a commander, the monster held up its gallant saber.
Pointing to Lucien's three monster, Reku took in a deep breath. "Now, attack my three monsters. Robotic Knight, take care of the set monster." Holding up its left arm, compartments in it began to open, transforming his arm into a Gatling gun. Aiming it towards the set monster, it let a wave of bullets fly from it.
"Mask of Darkness (900/400)." Lucien replied, showing the yellow mask card to his opponent. "I get back one trap." He calmly announced grabbing the card his duel disk ejected and adding it to his hand.
"Ok then, Reflect Bounder attack Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch!" Reku cried out to his mirrored machine monster. Holding out its hands, the monster sent streams of sparkly white light flying at the crouching armored warrior. Hitting it dead in the chest, Thestalos let out a moan of pain before disappearing. "Mech Dragon Blaster, attack Sacred Phoenix of the Nephthys!" As Reku issued the last command, his dragon monster began to open its mighty jaw. Inside the monsters mouth was a large cannon that folded out. Sparks of flames shot out of it seconds before a massive fire ball blasted out like a cannon ball. Instantly on contact, the Phoenix was vaporized by the power.
Lucien slowly slid the last of his defenses into his graveyard. Looking up, Reku was smiling to him.
"I have control again." He simply stated, bringing a somewhat weird chuckle from Lucien. "Turn end."
"Draw." Lucien said, feeling happy about the trap now in his hand. "I set one card face down and set this monster in defense mode." Lucien cried as he slid the two cards into his duel disk. "That ends my turn."
"Draw!" Reku cried as he held up the next card from his deck. "This card decides it." Reku thought, seconds before the card came into focus. Smiling, he looked past all his holograms to his opponent. "Lucien."
"Reku."
"You have played well, one of the best matches I have had in a long time." Reku smiled, getting an equal reaction from Lucien. "I can't say that this was in any way easy, but I can say that now I have won." Slowly, the card fell out of Reku's fingers as he held it over his duel disk. Falling, the card landed on his duel disk, sending waves of lights flying through the device. "I sacrifice Robotic Knight to summon Jinzo (2400/1500)!"
Turning the whole holographic body of the Robotic Knight into one huge stream of light, the monster twisted and turned into a small ball that hovered on Reku's field. Expanding, the ball exploded into a green android that hovered slowly down to the field's floor. Arms crossed, the monster gazed out through two robotic, round, red eyes.
"Jinzo, attack now." Reku commanded, but made no body motion this time. "Psychic Energy Shock attack!"
Lucien looked down helplessly at his set trap. "Jinzo renders it useless." Lucien mentally realized. Looking back up, he saw the large android form a black, spiky sphere of energy between its palms. Winding back, the monster launched it at the monster card on Lucien's field. Crashing into it, the monster card shattered into small bits the faded away from the ground where they landed.
"Mech Dragon Blaster." Reku started to raise an arm. Pointing with his index finger to Lucien he issued his last order of the duel. "Attack!" Again, with the cannon in its mouth, the large dragonic machine sent a blazing ball of flame at Lucien.
Reku-100 LP
Lucien-0 LP
Turning, Lucien started to walk to the edge of the arena. Stopping at the stairs, he looked over his shoulder at Reku who was just standing there. Moving his arm up, he flashed the thumbs up sign. "Great game."
"Same." Reku said giving the thumbs up back to his opponent. "We had a great match. I am glad we got to face off, too bad we didn't get to do it under better circumstances."
"Well, maybe we will get to duel again sometime." Lucien said before turning his head and walking off the stairs.
"Yea, maybe." Reku smiled, turned, and walked down the stairs to his awaiting team mates. Stopping before them, he looked up with a look of weary pride. "More than likely, Team Orichalcos will walk all over the next team."
"No doubt." Ronin slipped a look around Reku's shoulder to the three members of the team. His hands clenched in a fist so tightly his hand shook, knuckles white. Ryokurio, their former friend, sat there with them. Although he seemed really distracted, and almost looked sick. His hand was gripping his head, squeezing like a clamp on it. Standing up, he started to walk towards the hallway that lead outside. Neither Chime nor Hygin paid any mind to their team mate.
Like clockwork, Kaiba was on stage in seconds to announce Team Zero's victory. The grinding of his teeth could almost be heard as he announced the next match up to be the finial two teams, Team Orichalcos and Team Zone. Growling, the businessman had never felt so powerless in his life.
Striding back to his chair, he met Mokuba who had been running around doing most of the small little tasks during the tournament.
"Brother." Mokuba's voice was almost in a whisper.
"What is it, Mokuba?" Kaiba asked, stopping by his chair which Mokuba stood behind. Clenching the metal back of the chair tightly, Mokuba looked up at his brother.
"What can we do to stop them?" Mokuba looked down at the teams who seemed to be taking the time to stretch out. A lot of tension ran through the air. "Pegasus's body was discovered on a hill top last night. He was transported to a hospital, but they had to have..."
"I know Mokuba." Kaiba stole a glance over his shoulder to see that only Chime and Hygin remained on Team Orichalcos's bench. "Soon, this will come to an end. One way, or another."
"We will win Kaiba." Yami, in control of Yugi's body, suddenly spoke up shifting the attention to him. He sat in his own chair, his right leg cross over his left one, arms crossed, and eyes closed tight. "I think that they will be brought to a halt. But I have more faith now that we won't have to get involved. I think we need to place our trust in the competitors."
"Um...Yug?" Joey looked around at the scattered members of the teams. "You think that one of these people can stop the power of the seal?"
"I do Joey." Opening his violet eyes slowly, the spirit looked up at the brown haired businessman.
"That is ridiculous!" Kaiba snapped. "These duelist are powerful up-comers yes, but it took everything we had to fight it last time. These duelists do not stand a chance! We knew from the beginning who was going to be facing us, just cause of that one card."
"Kaiba!" Yami snapped, dropping his voice a few tones. "You need to put faith in these duelists. There is more here than either of us could understand."
"More magic I suppose." Kaiba turned around suddenly, flopping back into his chair.
"Kaiba..."
"No more Yugi! Just leave it alone." Kaiba demanded, glaring at the square dueling ring. "I still hold that this whole tournament was a colossal waste of my time, effort, and money!"
Team Renaissance sat together on their bench. None of the three of them said a word to each other, locked in a complete silence. Lucien sat, locked down at the bracelet that rested on his arm. Smiling oddly, his eyes shifted to the contents of his hand. The brown backed deck of cards he called his. "Oh well, can't say we didn't try."
Aliya sat at the end of the bench, looking down at the concrete floor beneath them. Looking up, she glance to the bench where only Chime and Hygin sat. Eyes widening, she stood up suddenly.
"Aliya, what's going on?" Lucien asked, startled by her sudden jerk up.
"Nothing," she smiled down to him. "Just going to the little girls room." She said and did a skip jump down the hall to the duelists bathrooms.
Once out of sight, Aliya broke into a full run. Past the bathrooms, she headed for the door at the fall end of the hall. Bursting through the door, slamming it back against its hinges, she looked around the outside walls. Spotting him not to far away, leaning against a piece of wall that jutted outward, Ryokurio had his hand gripped around his head like he was in pain.
Slowly, she advanced towards him. Breathing deep, she fumbled the words she wished to say around a few times in her mind before coming out with them. Stopping a few feet away from him, he had not seemed to notice her.
"...Ryokurio..."
"GO AWAY!" He screamed, swinging his arm out at her. Falling forward, he collapsed to his knees. Clear liquid spheres dropped from the gaps in his fingers to the ground as he hand his hand over his face. In a pulsating burst of light, flashes of green could be seen through his fingers. The mark of the Orichalcos dawning his forehead fighting to take over.
Taking in a deep breath, Aliya stood her ground fighting all urges to run away from him. "No."
Reacting rather quickly to the response, Ryokurio jerked up and in a large leap, closed the gap between the two of them. Grabbing her shoulders, Ryokurio glared down at Aliya. Ryokurio's dark and pain filled eyes locked with Aliya's sympathetic light blue eyes. Just staring at them for the brief second sent a wave of pain shooting through Ryokurio's face. His eyes taking on a shade of red, Ryokurio forehead was once again branded with the mark of the Orichalcos.
"Brother." Usami call out, breaking up Ryokurio's concentration on the girl before him. Cranking his head, he watched as the blond haired girl jogged up to him. Pressing on his shoulder, she tried to separate him from Aliya. "Brother, this isn't like you. You were always so kind hearted. You never had an evil thought run through you head." Tears welling up in the corners of her eyes, Usami locked eyes with her brother. "You were the big brother I looked up to."
Releasing his grip on Aliya, she sank back down to the ground. She had not realized it, but Ryokurio had lifted her slightly off the ground. Regaining her balance, she watched Ryokurio as he stood as ridged as a statue between the two girls.
Scowling, Chime looked around the dome for any sign of her newest member to her team. Seeing no sign of him again, she glanced disapprovingly at Hygin who stood next to her by their teams bench.
"Looks like it's up to you, Hygin." Chime said, sitting back down. "You can win, right?"
"Of course I can win!" Hygin snapped back, taking a second to realize his actions he bowed his head. "Sorry Miss Chime. But yes, I can win."
"See that you do." Chime responded, ignoring the rudeness of his initial response. Nodding, Hygin almost jogged to the dueling stage. Once on it, he confronted the three members of Team Zone. As his duel disk slid out into the spine that made his dueling field, Hygin glared at the he would face.
"Who ever is brave enough to duel me, stay. The rest, get off this stage." Hygin's words were demanding and effective. Derek, Anne, and Lance all looked at one another in disbelief. Finally, Lance spoke up.
"Let me face him. I'll win." Confidently, he held up his duel disk, letting it snap into place. With a nod, Derek looked at Lance.
"Right, be careful."
"I will." Lance replied before turning to face Hygin. "Bring it on, tough guy." Both Derek and Anne quickly got of the stage, out of the way of the oncoming battle.
"Duel!"
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With all that is going on in my life, I am sorry to all of you readers. I am trying to get around to this as fast as I can. If I am gone for a while, don't worry. I do plan to finish my work, so don't think you've seen the last of me. I'll be back a.s.a.p.! Anyways, here is my latest chapter for posting. Hope you enjoyed.
To Dragon and Sword Master: Either way, it wasn't going to be attacked. But to be honest, I've heard both sides of the argument on that. It does say on the card that the damage would be delt before the damage calculation. But I've heard the other way to. In the case of my story, it doesn't really matter casue he was going to live.
To LucienShadowMaster: Did I? I must of missed that.
To John: Again, like I told Dragon and Sword Master, I've heard both sides of that argument.
To Vyser Adept of Dragons: Well you were right. Reku won, but it was still close.
To Demon Fan: (Nods and agrees) I seem to do that a lot for a reply to you...
To Darksoulki: Well, things are winding down in this fic.
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