Here we go again. I'm gonna work on this story for a bit, since I gotta overhaul a few decks for my other story. That, and now that I've finished this chapter it means we're on the verge of a duel that I've really, really wanted to write. Enjoy!
Note, I do not own the Shinedown song Burning Bright, though I did just get the cd last week and I really, really like it. The title of this chapter, however, has nothing to do with the song. At least, not intentionally.
The Way of the Dreamer
Chapter Four-Burning Bright
"Out of the way!" "Let me see!" "I am so dead..." "What'd I get?" These were the words spoken by the mass of first year students as they crowded around a single spot on the wall, though it was nearly impossible to decipher what they were saying as their voices drowned one another out.
Standing several feet away from the group of excited students, Kazuki waited patiently. Everyone was so anxious about seeing the scores for the latest test, and so he had decided to wait until the crowed thinned out.
Maybe it was because he wasn't worried about the possibility of failure that he could wait so calmly. Maybe it was the fact that he just didn't care about getting the right to brag. He really wasn't sure, and in truth he really didn't care. He simply wanted to know his grade just so that he could.
Then again, he had a pretty good idea of how well he had scored. It was the third test of the year, and in the previous two he had scored fifth and second, respectively. The former had been a Chemistry test, a subject in which he wasn't in anyway gifted beyond his ability to understand the barest facts of what he studied, which was probably more than what most could claim. The other had been in Professor Eizan's class, and he had only scored second because of his essays. Apparently he did not yet fully understand the unique grading system, and as such had written his essays in such a way that he lost a decent number of points, but was saved by his answers to the other questions.
"Damn that Masuko!" a voice suddenly shouted from the mass. In response the crowd grew in all directions as students backed away from the one who had shouted. He was taller than Kazuki and wore a white jacket with red lining, meaning he was a or third year Osiris Red student. Stomping away from the rest in a furry, he let loose a number of short murmurs which no one could make any sense of.
Watching the boy turn a corner, Kazuki turned back to the wall, waiting still for the herd to move on. It was strange to him how some students reacted to their grades. He understood that it could be frustrating, and sometimes just heartbreaking to get a low score on any test or assignment, especially when you gave it your all. Still, it was odd to Kazuki that someone would rather rant and resent the fact that they didn't pass or just weren't as good as they thought rather than just feel impressed that they should do better.
Finally, after a few minutes more, most of the students crowding around the posted grades had left, some disappointed, other relieved, and most feeling the same as they had before checking. Walking up to the large bulletin board, Kazuki quickly located the list for his Humanities class, which was only for half of a semester, but it was a prerequisite for another class he wanted to take the following semester.
Running his finger down the lefthand side of the paper he found his name about halfway down, and his test grade directly to the right of it. Quickly the corners of his mouth lifted into a pleased smile.'A.'
Turning on his heel he began to leave in order to make room for others to check their grades, but was stopped suddenly by a figure stepping into his path. She was in a Ra Yellow uniform, the white jacket with yellow lining (which hugged her body very tightly) and the bright yellow skirt (which was probably too short for her to be comfortable wearing around). She had dark brown hair that was cut short on the sides, hanging down just past her ears while the back was grown out long and braided to the base of her back.
Blinking in surprise, Kazuki turned a few degrees to walk around her, but was stopped when a friend of the young woman stepped up next to her, again cutting him off and forcing him to make a sudden stop. Taking a step backward, Kazuki put some space between him and the girls in order to get around them on the other side, but was again stopped by the brown-haired one, who this time spoke.
"You're Kazuki, right?" Dumbly nodding, Kazuki tried to figured out what she wanted. "I'm Riza Mairen." she introduced with a light bow and giggle. Thinking for a moment, Kazuki quickly realized why he recognized her: she was the top-ranked of the first-year students.
"Yes, yes I'm Kazuki." he finally answered. When she did not react, he feebly lifted his right arm in a very, very weak wave. "Um...hi?"
Without warning, Riza's face broke into a smile and she grasped him in a hug. Startled, Kazuki couldn't do anything but just stand there while she embraced him. After a few minutes, she let go and held him out, as if examining some prize she had just won.
"You're the third highest ranked student in our year." she said excitedly.
"I am?" Kazuki asked, surprised. After just three tests, he was third? But how? He had scored fifth on one test, then second...
Whipping his body around he bolted up to the board again and noticed the marking in the third column of the grade sheet, which he had skipped last time. 'First.'
Turning away from the board, he looked back at Riza and shrugged. So he was third, hm? Well, that was nice, but it was early on. Plenty of time for harder tests and for the other students to pull ahead.
"You didn't let me finish." Riza said once Kazuki had reached her again. He hadn't planned on stopping this time, but again she had cut him off. "You see, not only are you third ranked, but you're the first to score higher than I did on a test. I got first on both the Chemistry test and Professor Eizan's test."
"That's nice." Kazuki answered, trying to sound really into the discussion. Maybe if he did then she'd leave him alone.
"The reason I bring this up is because I want to duel you." Riza explained. "I didn't see you're entrance exam duel, and I want to know what my competition is like. I already beat the kid who got second place."
"But..." Kazuki tried to think up a response. "But I don't think I'll be ranked third for too long. No doubt someone else will manage to out rank me next test and that'll change everything. After all, it's just the third test of the semester."
"Maybe," Riza agreed, and Kazuki sighed, relieved. "But even if you lose your rank, you still scored higher than I did on a test. As such, I want to duel you and see what you're really made up."
Stepping back in fear, Kazuki was disappointed when Riza pressed forward. He tried to think of something to say, but his mind was reeling too fast, so many different thoughts going at once. Finally, on instinct, he did the only thing he could think of.
"What's that!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, pointing behind Riza. Whether it was because she didn't realize his ploy for what it was, or if the panic in his voice made it so convincing was unsure, but either way Riza and most of the other students nearby turned their heads to try and see whatever he had been pointing at. Muttering a prayer of thanks to whatever deity had just saved him, Kazuki turned to his side and shot through the wall of students, taking a different hallway than he had originally planned.
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"So, what do you think of the boy, Katsu?" Eizan Kiske asked as he placed a small figure down in an empty square. Across the board from him was his friend and colleague who had agreed to help Kazuki with advanced classes.
Looking down at the chess board, Katsu planned his move. Not that there were many moves that could be made, since they were both down to just two pieces each. Reaching down for one, he moved it to his chosen place before responding to the question without looking at Eizan. "I think that you're right that he has amazing potential. However, I think that he's also missing some very critical things. Check."
Scrutinizing the board, Eizan tried to think up a way of saving both his King and his Bishop from Katsu's Rook. After a few moments of silence, he moved his Bishop to intercept to offending piece before speaking again.
"True, there is a lot that he's missing, that there is. I'm just not sure how to talk with him about it at this point. We only have this year to prepare him, that we do, but I don't want to overwhelm him when he's just starting to adapt to life here at the academy, that I most certainly do not. Plus, I'd hate to get him all worked up about it and try to help him overcome all the weaknesses we've thus far discovered, but then miss something in all the chaos of preparing him. No, I think that we should wait and observe him for anything else, that I do. Besides, there's one more item I want to take care of before I scare hi-" he was cut off as Katsu finally took the Bishop with his Rook. In retaliation, Eizan instantly took the threatening piece with his King, freeing him from check, but at the same time...
"Stalemate." Katsu breathed. Standing up, he adjusted his glasses, picked up the tie he had placed on the desk, and nodded to Kiske. "I'll keep my eyes open. Still, we can't let this first month go to waste. Two weeks have passed, and we can't let any more go by."
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Rubbing his eyes, Kazuki closed his textbook and slipped the homework assignment into his binder, which he then put into his backpack. That was the last assignment for the time being.
Glancing over at his clock, he smiled. "10:17. That gives me enough time to change, brush my teeth, and lay out tomorrow's clothes." he mumbled, setting about doing just what he had just listed.
Five minutes later he stood in front of his mirror, his tooth brush in action, a healthy foam coating his lips. As he shifted to brushing the upper teeth and gums, though, he was stopped by a buzzing sound. Freezing in surprise, he took the two steps over to his desk and with his left hand pressed the button on his Personal Organizer to play the message he had just received.
"You coward!" the small device suddenly shouted in a very feminine voice. Instantly he regretted having turned it on. However, there was no 'Off" button for these things, and so, rolling his eyes, he listened while he finished his teeth, only partially paying attention. "Am I asking too much of you? Just one duel. No strings attached. Or aren't you a man?"
Shaking his head, Kazuki dropped into his bed, flipped his lamp off, and drifted into sleep with a heavy yawn.
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"That punk!" Riza vented, smashing her pillow against a wall. "You think he's scared, or just an asshole?" she asked, turning to her roommate.
"That," the girl in the bed groaned, obviously mostly asleep. "Or he's like most people and sleeps at 11:15 in the evening. Now go to bed; you're sounding like a stalker."
Ignoring her friend Riza glanced back at her Personal Organizer. "Stalker, hm?"
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"I'm late!" Kazuki shouted, snapping awake in his bed, glancing at his clock, then outside to see the first rays of the morning sun creeping into his room. In truth he wasn't really late for anything, since classes didn't start for another forty-five minutes. It was just that that was half the time he normally had! "And it's all that girl's fault. She must have paged me at least three times before I took the battery out."
Snatching up his clothes he made a mad dash for the showers, hoping that at least one of them was available. He didn't know if the other guys had classes as early as he did. As he dashed out into the hall, he was forced to quickly whip around and catch the door before it could close. "Almost forgot my key!"
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Quickly as he could, Kazuki shoveled cereal into his mouth, trying to make up for lost time. He had ten minutes left to finish eating if he wanted to make it to class on time, so he wasn't in any terrible position any more, but with the adrenaline still pumping through him, he couldn't seem to do anything but rush.
As he drained the last of the milk he became aware of the presence behind him. Stopping with his breakfast, he opened his eyes and shifted them to took at none other than Riza Mairen. Upon realizing it was her, his shoulders slumped forward and his head hung. Putting his now empty bowl on his tray he stood up to leave when she finally spoke.
"Coward." He did not respond, much to her irritation. Balling her fingers into fists, she shouted after him as he neared the drop-off point for his dishes, "Hey, asshole; we gonna duel or not?"
Taking a minute to collect herself, Riza realized that she now had the entire cafeteria looking at her, some shocked, others just caught off guard, others confused, and a number of other expressions. Blushing, she looked at everyone for a second, bowed, and then rushed out the doors after Kazuki, thoroughly embarrassed.
Seconds after she left the entire cafeteria returned to its previous state, as if nothing had happened.
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"Class, I apologize for the wait, that I do, but I have finally finished grading that first assignment I gave you." Eizan declared to the class, earning him a bit of a cheer. Some cheered because it was simply the way they responded to any kind of news, others as a joke, and many because they had been looking forward to this. They wanted to get down to actually discussing their decks in this class, not just random cards and deck ideas that Eizan presented them with while they waited for him to finish grading.
"Today I thought we'd look at one that I found very interesting." Eizan said, clicking a button on the remote in his hand and instantly the projector showed them a list of the cards in a deck someone had turned in. After just a few seconds the entire class burst into a fit of small laughter.
"What?" an Osiris Red from the end opposite Kazuki asked, oblivious to the reason why so many students were laughing at the sight of the deck. "What's so funny?" he asked again.
"Because," someone directly behind Kazuki called. "You have three Chaos monsters in this deck, but none of the other monsters in the deck are light or dark types. Without those, this deck is worthless. You could have the best individual cards in the world collected into one deck, but if they can't support each other, then the deck as a whole can't function."
"Now, now," Eizan called, eyeing the girl who had answered wearily. "No need to be so harsh, that there is not." Then, turning to the boy who had spoken. "However, what she says is true."
'Wait.' Kazuki said to himself, realization dawning on him as Professor Kiske continued the lesson. 'I know that know-it-all voice...' Turning his head, he found himself looking up at Riza Mairen, who in response mouthed the word "Coward" at him.
An hour later, Kazuki was leaving class when he felt an arm on his shoulder. Caught off guard, he didn't know what to think or say as he was whipped around...to face the same young man who had submitted the deck that had been reviewed in class that day.
"Hey, you're a nice guy, and you get good grades, right?" Startled, Kazuki nodded. "Good, good. Listen, I was wondering if we could hang out a bit. Maybe I could start running my homework by you and everything. What do you say?"
"Um..." Kazuki was about to agree when the boy was suddenly shoved out of the way and supplanted by Riza. Sighing, he began to turn to leave, waving lightly at the Osiris Red as he did. "See you tomorrow around one. I'm on the third floor."
"Hey, you can't just keep on ignoring me!" Riza shouted after him.
"Of course I can." Kazuki said as he began to walk away.
"How?" she found herself asking without meaning to. Clasping a hand over her mouth in embarrassment, she was surprised when Kazuki answered.
"Because I don't care what other people think of me." he explained.
"And why wont you duel me?" she followed up. To her surprise, Kazuki stopped in his tracks and hung his head.
"I..." he tried to say something, but stopped. "I really don't know."
"A duel?" a cold voice said above everyone else's. As one, all heads in the hallway turned to face Professor Katsu Yoriyoi, who was giving his usual stone cold glare at all present. "Mr. Katsura, if you wish to duel, then I suggest you do so at a time when you shouldn't be in class. Please, come with me." the teacher said, nodding towards his classroom, and Kazuki followed.
After they had made it about halfway down the hall that would take them to Katsu's lecture hall, the young professor turned around, took a moment to take in the traffic that was still holding still, and breathed in deeply. "Get to class!" he barked, and within seconds the hallway was nearly empty.
"You're pretty good at that." Kazuki commented as he walked next to the professor, who merely growled in response so that Kazuki would know that he had heard. "Um...Professor?" Again, a mild growl was all the response he got. "Why do we duel?"
"We duel, Mr. Katsura, because we choose to. Beyond that there are a number of personal decisions and reasons, but that is at the base of why we duel."
"And why would someone refuse to duel?" Kazuki pressed harder.
"I've already answered that." Katsu said, reaching for the handle to pull the door open. "However, I myself can't see why someone like you, young and talented, full of energy, would ever pass up a single duel."
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Laying on his bed, Kazuki looked up at the Personal Organizer he held in his hand. It was decision time. He could accept Riza's challenge or not. He had to make the choice.
'What's the worst that could happen?' he asked himself. 'I'm not trying to make a name for myself or anything, so what's there to lose? All that's there is gain, since it'll mean that she'll leave me alone.'
Deciding that it made sense enough, he tapped the few keys needed before holding the device close to his face. "Riza, this is Kazuki. I've decided to accept your challenge. Meet me in the Osiris Red duel ring tomorrow at 6:00 PM."
Setting the device on his lamp stand, he reached for the soda he had left there. Lifting the drink to his lips he began to pour the sweet liquid into his mouth when his Organizer began to beep. Eyeing it while holding the can against his lips, he let the moment slip away in annoyance before picking it up and switching it on to play the incoming message.
"I couldn't understand what you said! You held it too close to your mouth when you spoke! And don't mumble!" it shouted at him, surprising him, causing his entire body to jolt and hitting his head on the alarm clock shelf above him.
"Ow." he muttered, rubbing his forehead. Grabbing the Organizer from where it had fallen to the floor. Picking it up he quickly sent a new copy of the message to Riza before returning to rubbing his now soar head.
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"You ready?" Riza asked from her position opposite Kazuki. Nodding, he activated his duel disk and drew five cards, just as she did. Once she had her full hand, he drew again. (KLP:4000)(RLP:4000)
"I summon Ancient Magician (1700/1100) to the field in attack mode." he began, a man in light blue robes and holding a staff appearing on his field. "I set one card face down and end my turn."
Nodding, Riza drew a card to start her turn. "I summon Blaze the Infernal Prince (1700/1000) to match your monster!" she started, slapping the card onto her duel disk. On her field appeared a man in samurai armor with a helmet capped with flames. Clenched tightly in his hands was a sword wreathed in flames. "Next I play Cube of Summoning."
Above her field appeared a massive rubix cube, the colors all scattered across its six surfaces. Once it had fully taken form, one of tiles on the bottom side fell to the ground and bounced around for a moment. Once it stopped Kazuki realized that it was actually a die, and it was showing five dots. On cue, the box above began to shift and twist to solve itself. Within just a few seconds the yellow side was already complete.
"In three turns I'll be able to special summon level four fire monsters from my deck to the field equal to the number I rolled minus one. That means I get to summon four, since I rolled a five." she explained, and Kazuki nodded. Taking another two cards from her hand, she set them into her magic zones, causing two holographic images to appear before her. "That ends my turn."
Drawing a card, Kazuki looked at the five available to him. Grabbing one, he placed it onto a monster zone and a man in gray robes appeared. "This is my Ancient Sage (1000/1200). And this," he said, pointing to his set card, which flipped up. "I Ancient Curse, which destroys one monster on your field." he declared. The magic card flashed for a second, and then Riza's monster dissolved into a pile of dust.
"Ancient Sage and Ancient Magician will both attack your life points directly! And Ancient Magician attacks twice each turn, meaning his attack will carry twice the power." he commanded as both monsters lifted their arms, palms out. Silently they let loose the streams of magical energy they had charged, striking Riza head on with an attack power of forty-four hundred points.
As the lights twisted and snaked around Riza, it suddenly began to accelerate in speed before seeming to actually flow into her. (RLP:8400)
"What the...?" Kazuki gasped, shocked by the fact that she had just more than doubled her life points.
"My trap card, Damage Reflux, turns all life point damage I take this turn into gain." she explained as one of her set cards flipped up. "Also, on that note..." she trailed off as her other set card flipped up, this one a quick-play magic card. "Ring of Fire deals us both damage equal to the attack points of a monster on the field. So, I think I'll target your Ancient Magician (1700)." she grinned evilly as a circle of flames appeared around Kazuki's monster. Next a strip of flames grew out of that ring in either direction and then became another ring, one surrounding Kazuki and the other surrounding Riza. However, while Kazuki felt sweat rise to the surface of his skin and his breathing became ragged on the heated air, Riza seemed very comfortable as the fire seemed to be sucked into her. (RLP:10100)(KLP:2300)
"Also, the final effect of Ring of Fire is that the one who activates it is allowed to draw three cards after its effect resolves. Normally this is a harsh cost, but since I have Damage Reflux, it's a huge gain." she explained, pumping her hand back up to five cards.
"That could have gone better." Kazuki muttered after the flames died away. Taking another card from his hand, he shoved it into a magic zone and ended his turn.
"I think it went amazingly well." Riza said, drawing a card. "I set two cards face down, for starters." she began, slipping the cards into her duel disk, taking the places of the two she had used her previous turn. "Then I summon a monster in defense mode and end my turn."
As she ended her turn, both players attention was brought to the clicking cube in the air above them, which had now solved three of its six sides. Only two turns remained before she would be able to summon her monsters.
"Draw." Kazuki began his turn. "Ancient Sage's effect now activates, creating an Ancient Token (100/100), whose attack and defense are equal to the number of cards in my graveyard times one hundred." As he spoke, a stone figure about half the height of the elder man appeared. "Now I switch Ancient Sage to defense mode and place Card Destruction." he declared and both players dropped three cards into their graveyards before drawing three cards each.
"Crappy hand, or you just trying to pump up your graveyard?" she asked as Kazuki glanced over his new cards.
"A bit of both." he answered, finally choosing a card. "I summon Ancient Saint (1500/1300) in attack mode." A man in white robes appeared on his field, a number of religious pendants and symbols hung around his neck and printed on his clothes. "This monster powers up all Ancient monsters by four hundred." he explained as the monk chanted for a moment, causing a faint aura to appear momentarily around his two monsters.
"Now, Ancient Saint (1900) attack her set monster!" Unclasping his hands, the man began to wave his fingers through the air in an elaborate design, each stroke leaving a line of light that quickly faded, but still revealing the rune he was tracing in the air. Once he was done writing the rune up he pressed both of his palms against it, causing it to flash brightly and then meshing together into a ball of light that streaked forward and incinerated the set card.
When nothing happened, Kazuki nodded to his other monster. "Ancient Magician (2200), double direct attack!" Lifting his staff into the air, the blue robed man began to chant, charging magical energy into the head of his weapon before firing it in a concentrated beam, to which Riza did not react. (RLP:5700)
"Turn end."
Drawing, Riza huffed her chest in disappointment. "You know, I had thought that someone like you would be more fun, and definitely more of a challenge."
"You may have more life points, Riza, but this duel is far from done." Kazuki shot back, growing annoyed with how leisurely she seemed to be taking the duel.
"Yeah, sure, whatever." she responded. "One monster in defense mode and then I'll end my turn."
Drawing his card, Kazuki waited patiently as another, and this time stronger, Ancient Token (400/400) appeared on his field, filling it up. "I play Token Harvest Festival to sacrifice both tokens to increase my life points by eight hundred each." he began his turn. Both stone figurines crumbled to rubble on the ground in front of him, each on leaving a small sphere of light that instantly shot into him, nearly completely restoring his life points. (KLP:3900)
"Ancient Saint, attack her monster!" he commanded. Again t he priestly figure wrote in the air and fired a blast of red energy at the horizontal card image, blasting it apart. On her field appeared a man with bright red hair, dressed in silver and red armor and wielding a burning sword.
"You've destroyed Soldier of the Flame Lord (1200/1400), who when flipped summons two more to my field." Riza called as the red-haired man disappeared and was replaced by two more just like him.
"Fine, Ancient Magician, attack the last two!" Kazuki shouted back. Holding his staff above his head, the blue robed mage chanted softly. From the head of his weapon floated two small spheres of light that struck her two monsters, dissolving them instantly. "Turn end."
Smirking, Riza drew and directed her eyes upward. Eyes widening, Kazuki looked up, realizing that it was the third turn since she had played Cube of Summoning. Sure enough, the puzzle was completely solved. Taking her deck from its holster she flipped through it until she found the four cards she wanted, which she then laid down on her field.
Three of the monsters were identical, and they were what worried Kazuki most. They had red skin, with orange flames sprouting out of their backs and skulls to act as wings and hair. Gripped in their hands was a short stick of the same fires, curved like a sword. The fourth monster was a woman with long blonde hair, streaked with bright red highlights. She was dressed in red priestess robes with white undergarments showing through at various points.
"My three Balrog's (1000/1000) and my Muse of Ashes (1400/1300)." she introduced. "And now, let the ass-kicking begin. You see, each Bolrog gains five hundred attack points for every fire monster on my field, and I currently have four, so each now gains two thousand attack points. Then Muse of Ashes increases each fire monsters attack by two hundred." she laughed as the three demonic monsters shot up to thirty-two hundred attack points and the woman topped off at a mere sixteen hundred.
"Now I'll activate Muse of Ashes second effect, sacrificing her to special summon a fire monster from my deck!" she called as the woman in red vanished and was replaced by a man with red hair and dressed in light weight azure robes and headdress, with a long staff in his hands which ended in a scythe-shaped appendage. "This is the non-ritual version of Legendary Flame Lord, known as Lord of the Flames (2400/1800)."
"Go face down card!" Kazuki shouted before she could make another move. "Enchanted Relic prevents you from targeting me or my field this turn."
Pouting, Riza looked her four cards over for a minute and then nodded, ending her turn. Drawing, Kazuki glanced his five cards over. "First my Ancient Sage will create another token (600/600). Then I play Graceful Charity to draw three cards and discard two."
Holding up the five cards, he quickly chose two of the three monsters and slipped them into his graveyard. Grabbing the magic card he still held in his hand, he turned his attention back to his duel disk. More specifically to the slot on the side that popped open, which he placed his field card into. Behind him appeared stone buildings of a very ancient and lost style.
"My Ancient Civilization increases the attack and defense points of all Ancient monsters by three hundred." Taking the trap card from his hand, he set it face down, and then took the final card and laid it on a monster zone. Seconds later a mane in black robes appeared, a wand in his hand. "I summon Ancient Illusionist (1600+300+400/1500+300), who gains another one hundred attack points for every card in my graveyard, and that's nine." With pride, Kazuki looked up at his new monster, who now had thirty-three hundred attack points.
"Well now, that's pretty impressive." Riza complimented, truly amazed at how he had just potentially evened out the field a bit.
"It'll be more than impressive. Ancient Magician (2500/1400), attack Lord of the Flames!" he shouted. Again the young spellcaster lifted his staff and took aim, firing a beam of light at the slightly weaker fire mage.
"I activate my face down card known as Continuous Flame. During this turn, my fire monsters cannot be destroyed." Riza shouted back as the blast hit the mark, but her monster merely doubled over in pain, nothing more. (RLP:5600)
"Well, if I can't destroy him, I can at least deal as much damage as possible. Ancient Magician, attack Lord of the Flames again!" Again the mage fired a blast of light, this time knocking the blue-robed man onto his back. (RLP:5500)
"Ancient Illusionist (3200/1800), attack Lord of the Flames!" Twirling his wand, the black-robed spelluser formed a ribbon of magical light which he sent sailing at the target, who this time created a ball of flames all around himself to protect himself from the attack, though the damage was still there. (RLP:4700)
"My move!" Riza called, drawing a card. "I set one card face down before summoning my Fire Saint (1000/400)." A man in red robes appeared, looking a great deal like Kazuki's Ancient Saint. "Of course, the reason I summoned this monster was to increase the attack points of my three Balrog's by another five hundred points. Not only that, but I think I may have neglected to mention that while in the graveyard, Muse of Ashes increases the attack points of all my fire monsters by three hundred."
Taking an involuntary step back, Kazuki looked up at the three fire demons, each more terrifying than the next. Each with an attack of thirty-eight hundred wielded enough attack points to crush any of his monsters under foot.
"Now, before I forget, I need to use my Lord of the Flame's effect. Since you played two magic cards last turn, you granted him two magic counters. Now I'm going to sacrifice both of those counters to destroy your Ancient Saint!"
Lifting his stave into the air, the flame controller charged it with power. Slashing the staff through the air, he released an arc of flames which cut through Kazuki's monster, burning him away. Not only that, but it caused Kazuki's monsters attack points to drop by four hundred each.
"Now the stage is set. Fire Saint (1300), attack his Ancient Token!"
"Activate trap card!" Kazuki shouted as his last mystery card revealed itself. Up from the ground popped a number of high walls, cutting off Riza's monsters from Kazuki's. "Ancient Maze is a trap that keeps you from attacking for three turns."
"Turn end." Riza called. As Kazuki drew, the walls shrank slightly so that they were now only about knee-high to Kazuki and Riza.
"First I will once again get an Ancient Token (1000+300/1000+300). Next I play my Ancient Treasures to draw until I hold five cards, and then discard that same number of cards from my deck to my graveyard." he called, drawing five new cards and then placing five more into his graveyard, which also boosted his Ancient Sorcerer's attack.
"I set two cards face down. Then I play Magic of Revival to special summon a spellcaster from my graveyard to the field, in this case my Ancient Saint (1500+300+400/1300+300)." Even as the two brown-backed cards and white-robed magician appeared, Kazuki didn't seem to notice as he turned his attention to his newest Ancient Token.
"I now reveal the power of my Ancient Token, sacrificing it to reduce the attack points of a monster on your field equal to the sacrificed tokens attack." he explained as the stone figured shattered, revealing a glowing sphere of light, which launched itself at one of Riza's Balrog's, which beat aside the assaulting light with a sweep of its hand.
"Now I sacrifice my other Ancient Token and my Ancient Sage to summon my most powerful monster!" he continued as the gray-robed man and the last stone figurine vanished. In their place appeared a man in black and white robes. In his hands he held a golden staff with a large crescent at the head, the two points aimed straight at the sky, a ruby suspended between them. "My Ancient Mage (2700+300+400/2200+300)!"
"Nice monster." Riza commented as he appeared, and instantly realized Kazuki's plan.
"He's a lot more than that." Kazuki called. "First, since I have fewer monsters than you do at the start of my battle phase, Ancient Mage is allowed to attack all of your monsters this turn!"
"Activate trap card, Repelling Flame will switch all of my fire monsters to defense mode and then deal you their combined levels multiplied by two hundred as damage. That's forty-four hundred points!" Riza shouted as each of her monsters shifted to a crouch. Next an arrow of fire appeared above her monsters and launched straight at Kazuki, passing his monsters and striking him in the same instant that he slammed the final card in his hand into his duel disk.
"Emergency Provisions sacrifices my two set cards as well as my Ancient Maze to increase my life points by three thousand!" he shouted back as the two set cards and the maze shattered into bits of light which then surged into his body, nearly doubling his life points before the arrow struck him, nearly knocking him flat on his back. (KLP:2500)
"Now, Ancient Mage (3400/2500), attack her Fire Saint!" Leveling his scepter on the man in red, the mage let loose a crescent of white light which cut her in half. However, much to Kazuki's surprise another man in red appeared and threw a ball of fire which hit him in the shoulder.
"When Fire Saint is destroyed, another is summoned from my deck and you are dealt five hundred points of damage." Riza explained before Kazuki could ask. (KLP:2000)
"Ancient Mage, attack the last two!" he commanded. Twice his monster let loose a wave of energy, and twice he was hit with a ball of fire. (KLP:1000) However, Kazuki didn't seem at all concerned and pushed on without skipping a beat. "Ancient Mage, attack Lord of the Flame."
As the crescent moved in for the kill, a pillar of flames erupted around the blue robed man, fending off the attack. Again, Riza answered before Kazuki could ask.
"Flame Twister negates an attack at one of my fire monsters and allows me to place a fire monster from my deck into my hand." she said as she flipped through her deck. However, Kazuki wasn't going to let that break his stride.
"The Balrog I weakened with the token!" Another wave of light fired and cleaved the first of the demons in half, weakened by both use of Kazuki's token, as well as the loss of a fire monster. The other two were also destroyed in a similar fashion, leaving just the Lord of the Flame.
"When Ancient Mage destroys a monster he deals three hundred damage to another monster on my opponents field." he explained. "And so I directed the damage from the last two instances at your Lord of the Flames, weakening him by a six hundred. Now, Ancient Sage (2200/1600), attack and destroy her monster, and then Ancient Magician will finish it off."
"I don't think so!" Riza called, taking a card from her hand and slamming it into her graveyard. "The monster I searched out with Flame Twister was my Hell Raiser (1000/500) who I can discard to prevent one fire monster on my field from being destroyed this turn."
Clenching his hands into tight fists with frustration, Kazuki ended his turn. He had nearly won. Now he had to wait at least one turn. He didn't even notice as Riza drew her card, giving her a hand of four.
"I summon my Phoenix of the Eternal Flame (1700/1500) in attack mode." she called as a large bird, big enough to carry a person a short distance and wreathed in flames appeared. "Then I play Renewal of Triplets. Since I have three monsters of the same name in my graveyard, I can special summon them!" In a flash, all three Balrog's appeared, each at full power.
"Since I have five fire monsters on my field, my Balrog's each gain twenty-five hundred attack points, plus three hundred from my Muse of Ashes being in the graveyard. However, I'm going to sacrifice my Phoenix to destroy one card on your field rather than attack with it." she declared as her monster flapped its wings, rising until it circled high above the field. Quickly it gained speed, all the while it's body becoming fully engulfed in red flames. Pulling from the tight circle, it twisted so that it was diving straight towards the set of temples behind Kazuki!
Letting loose an ear-piercing screech, the phoenix crashed into the set of structures, setting off a small explosion which caused the buildings to collapse on themselves, raising a think cloud of dust all around Kazuki for a moment.
"Now I'll use my Phoenix's other ability, removing it from my graveyard from play to special summon a fire monster in my graveyard to the field in defense mode, and I choose Muse of Ashes (1400/1300). But I then instantly sacrifice my Muse in order to summon another fire monster, and this time it will be one of my most powerful creatures."
Taking a card from her deck she placed it onto her field, a fierce light in her eyes as she did. What appeared was a massive behemoth, at least twenty-five feet in length. It's body was covered in scales that seemed to be made of layer upon layer of dried lava. It had a long and pointed snout, its jaws lined with dozens of sword-like teeth. Finally, to finish its menacing appearance it wad two piercing gold eyes with slitted irises, two massive wings, claws, and a barbed tail.
"This is Isindath-Supreme Dragon (2900+300/2500)!" Taking a number of steps back, Kazuki didn't even notice as his jaw fell loose at the majesty of the goliath. Before he knew it he had backed up to the edge of the arena and was tripping backwards to the floor. "I activate Isindath's effect, discarding two fire monsters from my hand to destroy all monsters on your field!" she called, taking the last two cards from her hand and placing them into her graveyard. Craning its neck back the leviathan gathered blue flames from throughout its body into its mouth, which it then fired full-force at Kazuki's field, burning away all of his monsters.
"Isindath, attack directly!" she commanded. Again the beast craned back its neck, letting loose a jet of orange fire upon Kazuki's entire half of the field. He was rather fortunate that he had fallen out of the arena. (KLP:0)
'I lost again.'
Up in the stands, above the cheering crowd that had gathered to see, stood Professors Katsu, Kita, and Eizan, each with a very serious look in there eyes as they watched Kazuki drag himself out of the arena while Riza met with the crowd, beaming brightly at all the praise they gave her.
"Can you see it, Kita?" Eizan asked of the brown-haired woman. "There is no other way, that there is not." Nodding, she turned to face him and handed him a file folder. Accepting it with a bow, he turned to leave when she stopped him, grabbing him by the arm.
"Eizan, be careful. You're already gambling with your career, and now you're violating the boundaries of student and teacher."
"Perhaps he is." Katsu commented, turning to walk down the hall. "However, I'd say that right now, gambling is his best bet. If he doesn't, then he'll definitely lose."
"I appreciate the worry, Kita, that I do. However, I am a teacher first, and a working man second, that I am."
To Be Continued...
Ooooo...the plot thickens!
Powerful magician. Big, big-assed dragon. Scary overall.
While Kazuki deals with the shock of his loss to Riza Mairen, his first month at Duelist Academy comes to a close. Due to the surprising display of skill by many students at the school, as well as the efforts of some teachers, a special Duel Festival is being held. For some it is a chance to see some serious dueling, and for those involved it's a chance to possibly improve their rank. Up first is one of the highest ranked students in the second year. What's that, they're calling him the Kid Genius?
Next Time-Set Upon the Frozen Heavens!
Original Cards-I would like to thank Seeker of the Soul and G.O.T.Nick for both posting chapters in their respective fics, both using fire decks, which both inspired me for Riza's deck, as well as just giving me some cards to use.
Kazuki-Every single card he used except for Emergency Provisions, Graceful Charity, and Card Destruction is mine.
Riza-Fire Saint, Lord of the Flames, Phoenix of the Eternal Flame, Muse of Ashes, Ring of Fire, and Hell Raiser are all mine. Damage Reflux, Fire Twister and Solder of the Flame Lord, Renewal of Triplets and Magic of Revival all belong to Seeker. Repelling Fire, Continuous Flame and Blaze the Infernal Prince all belong to Nick. Isindath-Supreme Dragon was created by Nick, but I then went and made him better.
If there's a card I did not mention but that you don't recognize, then I either used the Japanese name for it, or I forgot to add it to the list. Let me know if I missed anything. See ya.