Chapter 17: Dark Beginnings
'Almost there. Just a little farther. There! I can see the end of the stairway.'
"We are ready at your side, Lord Bann," Gearfried ran just behind him, his Iron armor not tiring him one bit.
Bann reached the top, pushed open the trap door, and looked out onto the turret. A great blue demon stood at the top and looked down upon the town. He had great black transparent wings and seemed to stand infinitely high. Only the back of the great demon was visible to Bann. At his feet stood a man. His back was turned to Bann and his arms were crossed. He looked upon the city burning below and laughed.
"So, you have finally come to stop me. I knew those fools wouldn't keep you away for long," he said without turning to look at Bann. "Beautiful, just beautiful. So much destruction."
"Why did you do this?"
"For fun. Why else would I?"
"You kill for fun? It makes you laugh? You're race makes me sick."
At Bann's words, the N00b finally turned. He looked upon him with his deep red eyes. A wore a wicked smile. "My people are sickening? You are confused. You are the sickening race. You conform into society to make rules, to restrict freedoms. We are the master race. We are free to do what we want."
"Even if what you want to do is murder?"
"Death is inevitable. We just aid the process. You will soon see. Once I have finished you, you will beg for your death. I, the Demon N00b, Judis, challenge you to a duel for the fate of your home."
"Duel!" they both yelled.
"I'll start us off," Bann said. "I summon Blade Knight. Then I cast four spells. My knight's attack now increases. Then I activate Reinforcement of the Army. This allows me to immediately bring my Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight Cree to my mind. I end my turn."
"Is that all? My turn. I cast four traps and end my turn."
'No monsters? Bad beginning… or something far worse?' "I reveal Gather the Round Table. Now I Special Summon Charubin the Flame Knight and Dragoness the Wicked Knight. Now, I attack directly with all my monsters."
Charubin, Dragoness, and Blade Knight attacked.
"Did you forget my traps? Activate Mirror Force!"
"I wouldn't make a N00b mistake. Activate Ready for Intercepting!"
A shadow enveloped Blade Knight. However, Charubin and Dragoness were both destroyed.
"You managed to save one knight, but that isn't enough. My turn and I summon Hell Soldier."
A soldier in black armor rose from fire. He held a large sword in his right hand.
"Hell Soldier, attack!"
Hell Soldier struck Blade Knight, destroying him in one slash. Blade Knight exploded.
"I end my turn."
"My turn. I set two more traps and summon Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight."
A knight in dark blue armor, lined with red, and riding a dark violet horse rode onto the field. He held two deep red lances in his arms, which he lowered and aimed at Hell Soldier.
"Thanks to his special ability, I can summon Gaia from my mind without any tributes. Now, I attack your Hell Soldier with him."
Gaia's steed kicked its legs and charged. Gaia struck Hell Soldier with his right lance and Judis with his left. Hell Soldier's sword flew up into the air and struck Bann in the heart. Both men screamed in pain.
"Come on, guys. We gotta go help Bann and the others," Morgen lead the way up the stairs now.
Tiamat was close behind him but Zakei trailed a bit behind. He was too deep in thought to keep up with the others.
'B for Bann… what could this crest do?' He reached into his pocket and felt the crest. 'What could you be planning Lady Janime?'
"Just a little further, I think."
"I finally found you!" A boy in silver armor suddenly appeared. "I've been searching the castle for you guys. Please, help my master. He is badly injured."
"Dimensional Warrior?" Tiamat stared.
"Yeah, I've been looking all over the castle for you. I need your help. Jigen and Recks are badly injured."
"Injured? Oh no. Come on.
The Bashers ran up the stairs following Dimensional Warrior until all four stopped. Before them, Recks and Jigen were curled on the ground.
"What do you think happened here?"
"Same thing that happened to us. I'm sure that Dismay must have taken control of Jigen, just like he did to me," Tiamat answered
"You are probably right. Oh man, we don't have time to heal them. We have got to go."
"No… need to heal me…" Recks began to stir. "I just needed a bit of a rest."
His eyes slowly opened and he lifted his upper body off the ground. Then, with Morgen's help, he was able to stand.
"Who's the weirdo in the silver armor?" Recks asked.
"Recks, you can see him too? Then you must be able speak to your Cree as well."
"Yeah, he can!" said the cheery Cave Girl who appeared by Recks' side.
"Then, that's all of us."
"So… cough I'm not going crazy. That's good to know cough." Jigen got up as well. "I'm fine. I just need some help walking."
"I'll help you master." D.D. Warrior Lady appeared and walked over to Jigen and helped him up.
"Thanks…"
Jigen leaned on D.D. Warrior Lady and followed his friends.
"Well, now that we all know we are all insane, let's head to the roof."
All five Bashers headed up the stairs once more to help their friend in need.
"Well, that was interesting."
"I've never felt such pain. No one has ever been able to injure me in a duel of darkness like that. Your knights are not to be underestimated."
"Right…" Bann said as he bandaged the deep wound from Hell Soldier's sword.
"My turn. Call the Haunted back to the field, summoning by downed Hell Soldier. Then I activate my set Raging Hell Summon. This allows me to summon another Hell Soldier. Finally, I summon a final Hell Soldier to the field. Next, I activate Hell Alliance."
The Hell Soldier that had just been revived was surrounded by a dark aura. It sword was set ablaze as his attack skyrocketed.
"Now, let's try this again. Hell Soldier attack!"
Hell Soldier struck Gaia, shattering him. I burst of fire shot from Hell Soldier's sword and struck Bann.
"Then I will attack you directly with my other two Hell Soldiers!"
The remaining Hell Soldiers attacked with their swords.
"Activate Shield Wall."
Four Stone Knights appeared on the field, guarding Bann's life. The Hell Soldiers struck two, destroying them both.
"My turn." 'What do I do? With three monsters staring me down, I am in deep trouble. Hmm… This might help me.' "I summon Command Knight."
A crimson female knight appeared on the field. Feathers adorned her helmet and armor and she carried a long slender sword.
"Attack Hell Soldier."
Command Knight destroyed one of the weaker Hell Soldiers. His sword spun up into the air after being destroyed, aimed at Bann, and struck his heart. Once again, both men hit the ground in pain. The augmented Hell Soldier lost some of its power.
"I end my turn."
"Ha, my turn. I attack your Command Knight with my Hell Soldier. You have left yourself wide open."
Hell Soldier ran at Command Knight to strike it. However, one of the Stone Knights stood up and walked in front of her, like a human… er… stone shield. Hell Soldier slashed the Stone Knight and destroyed him. The second Hell Soldier destroyed the second Stone Knight.
'Damn, that was my last saving grace.' "My turn. Alright! I summon Gearfried the Iron Knight!"
Gearfried appeared on the field. His attack increased thanks to Command Knight.
"Now, I attack your first Hell Soldier with Command Knight and the second with Gearfried!"
Command Knight struck the weaker Hell Soldier. Both Judis and Bann felt the damage. Then Gearfried struck the second with his shields, once again inflicting damage to both men.
"Damn you. You managed to destroy my Hell Soldiers."
"It's a gift."
"Bann!"
"Huh?"
"Great, the peanut gallery has arrived."
"Recks? Zakei, Jigen, Tiamat, and Morgen too? You all made it."
"Of course we would, pal. We stand by our friends."
"How sweet. A reunion of losers. Mu ha ha ha ha ha!"
"What's so funny, Judis?"
"It's my turn, and now that your friends are here, I can send you all to HELL!"
Next time on City of Fire: The First Hell