Disclaimer: I own nothing you see here!
Last time, Yugi had begun his duel with Beck, which had taken a turn for the worst. It is also revealed that Kagome is indeed alive, but what is her connection to Pharaoh Yami?
In this chapter, Kaiba duels for the life of one of Hiei's chief opponents, Yugi continues the fight against Beck, and the dark power I mentioned earlier will take on a greater precedence.
Here is another card from The Helldragon:
Vatradan of the Order
Attribute: Light\
Type: Warrior
Level: 8
ATK: 2700\
DEF: 2100\
Effect: Whenever Vatradan of the Order is Normal Summoned on the field, you may place two Enforcer tokens (Light/Warrior/4/ATK: 1200/DEF: 10) into play. You may also sacrifice one of these tokens in order to increase your Life Points by 800. This ability may be activated only once per turn, and not on the turn you summon Vatradan of the Order.
Chapter 14: New Betrayal, Ancient Might
An alleyway, slums of New Paradigm
To an outside observer, the huge city of New Paradigm could well be described as a heaven within the boundaries of the mortal world, separate and isolated from the melancholy reality that presided below. The air is often permeated with the fragrance of a sweet flower blossoming into new life, a fitting heady scent for the utopia that gives it off. Besides the decrepit hotel, below which is a decaying tavern known as the Speakeasy, all of the buildings are pristine and glorious, glowing with an omnipresent shimmer of grandeur. Every one of the high rise constructions are polished to perfection, food is never out of stock, the water is pure and clear, and the people that live within it, be they the affluent or a pauper that could barely scrape a living in the real world, never go hungry or pay taxes or bills.
Yet the innocent populace of New Paradigm, happy and complacent in their way of life, had no comprehension of the war that was occurring beneath their very feet: the war for the Millennium Items and the Shikon Jewel. Unbeknownst even to the fighters in this battle, however, was that the two were inter-related.
This factor was the last thing on the mind of Seto Kaiba.
The high ranked duelist could not help but feel out of place in this hideous monstrosity of a city, as he was one of the few people there that was not wearing white. Clothed in a jet black trench coat with the sunglasses and pants to match, the only varying articles of clothing he had on were brown dress shoes and a forest green shirt, upon which was adorned a silver dragon with cold blue eyes. Mounted upon his wrist was a pure white Duel Gauntlet, a symbol of the highest ranked duelists.
Kaiba stepped into the alley, a stark contrast to the city around him. Loaded with the rank waste products that one would not expect in a utopia like New Paradigm, the entire place reeked with a foul odor that cannot be described. Graffiti of many languages, with English being the foremost among them, lined the decomposing brick walls. Yet what was most disturbing was the type of people that dwelled here. Drug dealers, con artists, and outright thugs were swarming about the place like locusts. Scuffles of various kinds were taking place every minute, and Kaiba was sure he heard a gunshot somewhere in the passage.
So, this is where the lowest of the low dwell in New Paradigm. From the looks of things, New Paradigm is not quite as delightful as the rulers want me to believe.
Turning towards the most decent looking bum, Kaiba asked "Excuse me, but do you know where the Underground Square might be?"
As expected, the waif did not respond too well to this query, as he began to shake in horror and fear.
"Is there a problem?"
"No sir! Not at all!", screamed the man, who, by this point, was on the ground, kissing Kaiba's feet with the utmost servility. Whoever this man was, the name of the ill-reputed area of town was frightening him beyond belief.
It seems I will have to take...extreme measures.
Reaching into his coat pocket, Kaiba extracted a very powerful tool that very few knew he possessed. It had been given him at the end of the Battle City tournament, and had served him well in extracting information out of unreliable clients. On occasion, the item had also gotten him out of some tough situations, as it had a double purpose of an edged weapon.
Of course, he did not use the Millennium Rod on his opponents without good reason; it was not his way of closing a deal. However, this particular case was so afraid of Kaiba and his destination that he was absolutely inconsolable. Calling upon the Item and it's ancient power, he began to look into his mind.
Very little information was there; the poor fool had obviously lacked any decent education. But from the information he could garner, the Underground Square was several yards into the alley, hidden from view by mounds of steel plating. It was reputed for being an area for gang wars. Turning towards the area, Kaiba could not help but feel a certain level of fear himself. As this was not generally an emotion he felt that often, he began to question the feasibility of the plan.
Judging from that loser's reaction to my mention of the area, the Underground Square is not very well known, but it is feared by most of the people here. I'm not even sure WHY I'm here in the first place, let alone actually going through with the plan at hand. The only reason I'm here is because of that dream. Hell, I don't even believe in that kind of garbage, and I'm obeying the commands of a spectral figure.
With these thoughts in mind, Kaiba continued moving towards the area that his dream had led him to. Just as he was about to enter the Square, however, a loud scream rent the air.
Kaiba ran towards the scream's source as quick as lightning. Considering the fact that nearly every crime in the godforsaken city was linked to Hiei in some way, he knew that this might be a hired attack. But the question is, who? Despite these thoughts, Kaiba continued to turn the corner...and his eyes met with a horrible sight.
Lying in a pool of her own blood was a young woman; from the looks of her, she was in her late teen years, yet bore the scars of a war veteran. Her genetics were apparently unique in the fact that her hair color was an unnatural shade of azure, accented by the black jumper she wore. Kaiba could not help but stare at this mystery woman and the pure white Duel Gauntlet attached to her arm. It was immediately obvious she was an insanely powerful duelist, but what little else he could figure out was lost in the events of what happened next.
Without much warning, a silent masked figure, dressed in a steel gray assassin's shawl and mask, leapt out of the shadows with a cudgel cast out of solid bronze and five daggers. Mounted upon one arm was an off-white duel gauntlet. Whoever he was, his Duel Monsters skills were routine at best, but his skill in wielding a truncheon was obviously advanced. I have to do something!
"HANDS OFF, SCUMBAG!"
The would-be murderer turned to face him with no readily obvious surprise. As Kaiba had expected, the whole thing was a set-up. "Before you decide to add another offense to your exceedingly high list, tell me this: what exactly are you doing?"
"Stay out of this, Kaiba. This is work for a much higher power than your own."
"I see. Well, let's make this interesting. I challenge you to a duel, and if I win, the girl comes with me, and I get your rarest card and key. If you win, you get my Obelisk the Tormentor and my only key, as well as the Millennium Rod, but the girl still gets out. Do we have a deal?"
"Very well, then. Master Hiei will be most pleased, but you have set yourself up for a fall."
Both duelists set themselves up for the match.
You'll regret your challenge, Kaiba. No one beats Kazuma Kuwabara in a duel!
Yugi's Duel
Yami drew his card...and it was just the one he needed.
"Perfect! I play the Swords of Revealing Light! This Magic card will unveil any face down monster cards you have in play, but that doesn't matter! What does matter is that it freezes you behind the mighty swords for three turns, preventing any of your monsters from attacking!"
As if from an act of God, the sky above the arena began to glow with a powerful luminosity that bathed the field in it's holy radiance. This shine of the powers above gave calm and peace to Yami, for his life points were safe. As for the demonic dragon and the possessed swordsman, this light caused them to collapse to the ground, bellowing their macabre cries to any with the willpower to listen. These sacrilegious yells were only the beginning, for thousands of the holy broadswords rained down from the heavens, binding the opponent for three turns.
This turn of event's sent Joey and Yusuke into a state of excitement.
"YEAH! That's my man, Yug! Take that piece of shit down!"
"Go Yugi! Take it to 'em!"
Beck, on the other hand, was not pleased.
"WHAT DID YOU DO?! THERE'S NO WAY YOU COULD HAVE DRAWN THAT CARD IN ONE DAMN DRAW! HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!"
"It's quite simple, Beck. I know that you stacked your deck in your favor to win this duel, and I also know that your plan can only succeed if your Lycanthropic Dragon can attack to build up a force of monsters to destroy me. But there is one factor you didn't take into account: I can draw any card in my deck at any time of the duel, because I have faith in the deck I built, unlike you, who would stoop so low as to rig your deck to stop me. But know this, you piece of scum...I WILL DESTROY YOU!" Yami then placed one card face down to end the turn. "Your move, Beck."
The notorious criminal drew his card. Perfect! The Vampire Lord is just the thing I needed. What Mouto doesn't yet understand is that so long as I control what I draw, I can't be stopped. And if memory serves, the next card I draw will be a Mystical Space Typhoon, which will easily remove his damn Swords from the field. And once they are out of the way, he'll have nothing stopping me from defeating him. Ah, what is this?
"My move, Yugi. I play the Magic card, Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two cards from my deck. And now, Mouto, prepare to witness the instrument of your final defeat. Behold, the glory of my rarest card, the dreaded Vampire Lord! But in order to summon it, I must sacrifice another monster, so I will offer up my Geargolem the Moving Fortress to call upon him! Emerge, my dark advocate! BWAHAHAHA!" The life energy of the fortress was drained into the earth by an unknown force, and the sky, once bright and glorious with the light of the divine swords, was clouded as a cruel presence began to assimilate itself onto the field.
Something's not right here. It seems that the dark power of this "Vampire Lord" is overwhelming the field. It's almost like Beck called upon something wicked, something...evil. Like an ancient demon or something. But what is really odd is that the creature hasn't appeared yet...
"BECK! Is this some kind of twisted joke?! You made an enormous deal about this "unstoppable" Vampire Lord, but as far as I can tell, he has yet to arrive! I don't know what kind of a man you are, but I expect this duel to be fought with honor and justice! Now tell me, what's going on?!"
"You will see soon enough, little Yugi! Ah, the dark one arrives!"
The ground beneath the dueling field had begun to crack and rise, as though something was erupting from it. And erupt it did, for without warning, a massive coffin burst out of the earth. Carven out of a black stone and inscribed with an indescernible language, it was a fearsome sight to behold. "My monster has been sealed for over four hundred years, cursed to a half-life by the ones that sealed him for his grisly crimes against the people of Romania. Yet this curse had an amazing after-affect. In exchange for his soul and mortality, my Vampire Lord has gained eternal life and incomprehensible power! Emerge, my great demon, and show your awesome power!"
The coffin lid fell away, revealing an embalmed body that had been entombed for centuries. Yet as the power of the sacrificed monster was absorbed into it's system, the mummy began to squirm in it's wrappings and mumble a hideous language that none could understand. The monstrosity began to claw out of the wrappings, throatily singing an evil tune, calling upon an ancient evil. Suddenly, it tore asunder the dry bandages to reveal it's true from: a ghastly zombie, pale and gaunt with stringy haired bleached by the years of entombment, wearing pitch black armor and bearing huge black pinions that entailed a great cruelty. (2000/1400)
"So, this is your Vampire Lord. It is certainly a weak monster for it's tribute level. What kind of stunt is this, Beck?"
"You'll soon find out, Yugi. But first, I must remove the Swords of Revealing Light that prevent me from attacking, so I will play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy them!" The Swords were shattered in a swirling vortex of power. "Now, my beasts, attack his life points directly and end this duel!"
The Buster Blader, Lycanthropic Dragon, and Vampire Lord charged forward, and were just about to finish Yami off when something went wrong. A crystalline sheet of unequaled iridescence leapt up in front of them, and the monsters themselves burst into flames upon impact, and were hurled backwards before shattering into pieces. Beck could only look on in horror as his monsters were destroyed.
"Once again, you fall victim to a trap, in this case, a Mirror Force. It reflects the attack of any monster back against them, stopping the attack and wiping out all Attack Mode monsters on your side of the field. And unless you have a Monster Reborn card in your hand, your monsters won't be coming back."
Beck, who had just watched his attack force annihilated, began to chuckle. This became a full-fledged laugh, as he began to cackle insanely.
"Almost correct, Yugi. But you forgot my Vampire Lord. You see, Mouto, every time it is destroyed by a monster, magic, or trap, it is not gone forever. It keeps coming back! Nothing can stop it, or me! BWAHAHAHA! "
Just as Beck predicted, the vampire arose once more from the grave. It had a look of pure hatred in it's dead eyes.
Great. Now I'm facing a monster that can't be destroyed by any of my monsters. Even if I do find something powerful enough to defeat it, it will keep returning to the field.
What am I going to do?
Hiei's fortress
Most people do not appreciate the darkness. They believe that it is a thing of sin and malevolence, something to fear and despise as long as they live. I however, embrace the dark with open arms. I hold it to me, use it to my ultimate advantage, and control it, whether it be in the form of a dark jewel, or a primordial totem with the power to read minds and control them as well. By my hand, everyone else in this world will embrace the darkness...or they will die.
Such thoughts passed through the mind of one Hiei Jagenshi, controller of darkness and master of evil.
I know not why Mouto and his counterparts stand against me and all that I stand for, nor do I know why that Botan supported that bastard Koenma. Do they not see that my powers are the most prevailing in this battle? No matter. Even with that blundering imbecile Kuwabara on my side, I cannot lose, nor will I be defeated.
As Hiei exited his chambers, a vindictive presence began to strangle him, as an even crueler voice began to speak to him. It was this voice that had haunted him ever since he gained the Millennium Eye.
Give it up, Hiei. You know as well as I do that my presence grows stronger with each passing day as I feed off of your hatred. My powers exceeded yours even before you were born, so I WILL regain control.
Black, tentacle-like growths began to entrance and entomb Hiei, who was rendered unable to speak, as the darkness he was obsessed with began to kill him. Visions of his earlier years passed by him, years where he was persecuted and excommunicated for his deformity.
I know you can hear me. I know you have been able to hear my voice for over a year, since that Shadi buffoon gave you the Eye. And I know that you cannot destroy me. For you see...
The darkness flowed into the demon's throat, burning his very soul, as the dark power he controlled turned against him.
...You may be evil, but I AM THE DARKNESS WITHIN!
And the torture ceased, Hiei not remembering a thing.
To be continued...
Sorry it took so long to update. CURSE YOU, FINALS!
Alright, next time, Yami finishes the duel and finds out a little-known secret. Also, Kaiba starts up his duel, but is he about to fall for the person he is rescuing? We also discover why Hiei is against Botan.
Until then, READ, REVIEW, AND DO NOT FLAME!