Disclaimer: I do not own anything! Well, maybe the idea...
Okay, if you tuned in last time, you'll know that Hiei has been working overtime to match every move of both his enemies and rivals. On the frontlines, Kaiba is now preparing to withstand the wrath of his own God Card, and could break the duel. Weevil has also begun his plan of destruction.
This chapter deals with the other half of the story, in which Yami is forced into a match with the first of Naraku's "reincarnations", Kagura of the Wind. At this point, Inuyasha is preparing for whatever duel he is about to face, but it will by no means be an easy one. Roger will also start his first match. Kaiba will also finish his duel this chapter.
Here is the latest slew of cards from Time Mage:
Kamikaze: (Wind/Angel/Spirit/4/2100/1050)- When this monster is summoned, sacrifice monsters on your field to destroy one monster on your opponents field for each one you tribute. Any battle damage this card inflicts is dealt to both Duelists.
Reign of the Medium:(Continuous Magic)- When this card is activated, Special Summon one Spirit monster in your Graveyard. While this card is in play, Spirit monsters can be Special Summoned.
Raiju: (Dark/Thunder/Spirit/4/2400/400)-You must pay 700 Life Points to summon this monster. It cannot attack directly. If your opponent has any monsters in defense mode, this monster MUST attack them.
Raijin: (Light/Thunder/Spirit/5/2300/700)- When this monster is Normal Summoned, summon instantly one level four or lower Thunder Monster from your deck.
Raicho: (Air/Thunder/Spirit/4/1900/1400)- The turn that this monster is summed you may perform another Normal Summon.
Raiden: (Light/Thunder/Spirit/9/3300/2500)- This monster can only be special summoned by sacrificing one Raiju, Raijin, and Raicho from the field. When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, Hand, or from play, instantly summon two Spirit monsters that have been removed from play (This one not included). While this monster is on the field, you may remove one Spirit monster in your Graveyard from play each turn to keep all other Spirit monsters on the field.
Doubted Faith: (Trap)- You may activate this card when you summon a Spirit monster. Summon all copies of that Spirit monster in your hand to the field.
Sacrifice Reversal: (Quick-Play)- Sacrifice one level five or higher Spirit monster on your field to summon Spirit monsters in your Graveyard whose total levels are less than or equal to the sacrificed monster.
Reincarnation: (Continuous Magic)- Special summon one Spirit Token' (Light/Spellcaster/Spirit/2/1000/1000) in defense mode. Each time a monster is destroyed in a battle that involved another Spirit monster, special summon one new Spirit Token if the destroyed monsters level was four or less, and two tokens if the level was five or higher.
Byakko: (Wind/Beast/Spirit/6/2200/2400)- When this monster is tribute summoned, destroy one Magic/Trap card and one monster on your opponents field. If this effect cannot be fully executed, destroy this monster immediately. This monster can remain face up on the field at the end of your turn if it is in defense mode.
Suzaku: (Fire/Winged-Beast/Spirit/5/2300/2800)- When this monster is summoned, destroy one Magic or Trap card on your opponents field for each card in their hand. This monster can remain face up on the field at the end of your turn if it is in defense mode.
Seiryu: (Water/Dragon/Spirit/5/2100/2500)- When this monster is summoned subtract 500 points from the mode that each of your opponents monsters is in. Add 200 attack points to this monster for each monster on your opponents field when he is first summoned. This monster can remain face up on the field at the end of your turn if it is in defense mode.
Genbu: (Earth/Rock/Spirit/6/1600/2600)- Each turn that this monster is face up on the field, increase its attack points by 800 during the Standby Phase. When this card attacks a face down monster, flip effects are not activated. This monster can remain face up on the field at the end of your turn if it is in defense mode.
Oni: (Dark/Fiend/Spirit/3/900/800)- When this monster is sacrificed to summon a Spirit monster, your opponent must discard one monster card from their hand.
Shinimegami: (Dark/Fiend/Spirit/4/1900/300)- When a monster is destroyed while this card is in your hand, summon this card instantly. When this card is destroyed in battle, remove the monster that destroyed it from play.
Yohkai: (Dark/Beast/Spirit/3/1300/200)- Increase this monsters attack and defense points by 700 for each face up Spirit monster on the field.
Baku: (Light/Angel/4/1000/1000)- When this monster is summoned, discard one Spirit monster from your hand to add that monsters attack and defense points to this monster until the End Phase of your opponents next turn.
Mazoku: (Dark/Fiend/Spirit/2/700/1400)- When this monster is destroyed in battle, instantly summon one Soul Token' (Light/Angel/Spirit/1/200/200) in attack mode This tokens cannot attack or change position.
Aku: (Dark/Fiend/Spirit/7/2500/2400)- When this monster destroys another monster in battle, create one Demon Token' (Dark/Fiend/Spirit/1/700/700) in attack mode This tokens cannot attack or change position.
Transfusion:(Normal Magic)- When you have a Spirit monster on your field, discard one Spirit monster on your field and activate one of two effects:
-Add the discarded monsters attack and defense points to the selected monster.
-Add the discarded monsters effect to the chosen monster.
Possession: (Continuous Magic)-Whenever a Spirit monster destroys another monster in battle, Special Summon the destroyed monster with stats of (1000/1000) at the end of the turn. For each monster revived in this manner and still on the field during your Standby Phase, you must pay 300 Life Points.
Sorry if I didn't show everything, but it is a lot of cards. Next time, another set.
Let's tear it up!
Chapter 24: Wrath of God and Nature, Part 2
Yami vs. Kagura
As Yami and the anonymous demon drew their starting hand, a combination of obscure glances and scans occurred in quick succession, every individual rotation of the optical lens delineating the opposition. Every slight motion, down to the most insignificant muscle spasm, was closely monitored, and this was mostly focused on the manner in which the two opposing powers held their set of cards. Both duelists new that a lot could be discerned from the confidence or apprehension with which any opponent gripped their respective hand; a smooth, unfettered grip usually meant that what they held was a suite of multitudinous powerhouses, whilst a hold brimming with fear meant the exact antonym for the enemy. Yet even as the royal entity scanned his demonic antagonist, he could determine little or nothing from either her countenance or steadiness of hand; both were the very picture of nonchalance, even total indifference.
Well, one thing is certain above all else; our opponent has obviously danced these steps before, constantly perfecting each move and expression. It is as though she is a judge at any form of pageant, completely nonpartisan to any contestant, without favoritism or even pleasure at what is presented before them. Well, just in case, I'd better play the cards before me in a discreet manner, and hopefully I won't be caught in my own traps...
"I'll make the first move, demon!" As his deck grew one unit thinner, Yami began to search through his current pool of resources, which were rather limited for such a conflict. The greater bulk of his legions was Magic cards, only one usable monster, and a decent trap. If anything at all, this was not a hand to hope for in high-stakes combat. However, if he could draw the appropriate cards, the scales of fate could hopefully come tumbling into his favor. As if that wasn't enough, Osiris was, rather luckily, concealed from the prying eyes of his enemy, and would hopefully stay that way. "I will start by placing three cards face down. Next I shall activate the Magic Card, Cost Down, which will allow me to discard one card from my hand to lower the level of all monsters in said hand by two. Next, I will activate one of my facedown cards, Monster Reborn, to resurrect the monster I sent to the Graveyard earlier, the all-powerful Kaiser Glider!" As the effect of Monster Reborn came to a close, a massive stream of blinding luminosity ignited the field in an array of colors and lights that could make even the most arrogant man weep in joy. As this pyrotechnic display drew to a close, a new creature remained in it's wake, a griffin-like dragon whose mighty paws dug into the earth. Sealed in golden armor that seemed to emulate the star Sol in every possible way, the beast spread open it's great wings, and let fly a powerful chorus. (2400/2000) "Next, I will summon one of the monsters whose level has been reduced this turn, so come forth Des Volstgulph!" Another dragon assimilated on the field, much smaller than the Kaiser Glider played seconds before, but no less intimidating. This creature was encased in a dark crimson and black armor, with a proud skull and vicious yellow eyes. (2200/1700) "And if you think that this turn is over, you are sadly mistaken, for I also activate this card from my hand, the Magic known as Big Bang Shot, which I will equip onto my Kaiser Glider to boost it's attack by 400!" (2800/2000) "With that, I end my turn."
With a grimace that seemed precipitated by the immediate summoning of two powerful enemy monsters, the mystery lady drew her starting card. The result was not spectacular, but it was an improvement on her earlier cards. "Very well, Yami. It's my move, and I shall commence by playing this magic card, Graceful Charity, which will allow me to draw three cards at the price of two! Next, I will place two cards face down, and summon Ashinigurai in defense mode." As two more cards came onto the playing field, a new creature emerged, a small, green-plumed bird, whose pale wings could barely lift it above the ground. Even as it was summoned, the cowardly poultry began to emit a shrill cry at the imposing dragons before it. (500/400) "To complete this move, the Equip Magic card, Gravity Axe Grarl will be used! It will boost the attack power of my Winged Beast by 500 points, and it's dense center will draw the creatures on your side of the field so that they cannot change their positions...except by the effect of another card. That is where my final Magic card comes into play; I activate Block Attack, which I will use on your Des Volstgulph! And remember, the Gravity Axe is now sealing him towards the core of the earth so that he cannot change back into attack mode! That will terminate my plan."
What is she thinking?! It's obvious that my Kaiser Glider is more powerful than the Des Volstgulph she targeted, and even if the Ashinigurui she summoned will take out a card in my hand, she'll lose more life points thanks to the Big Bang Shot. So unless that face down card is some kind of trap, this duel is halfway finished. But in the meantime, I'll just have to make a move.
And the card he drew would help him accomplish that.
"I will begin my turn by activating one of my face-down cards, DNA Surgery!" From the bowels of this latest trap emerged a century worth of snapping zinc cable, tipped with a black syringe that was filled to the brim with DNA molecules. "This Trap card allows me to rework the genetic structure of all monsters on the field into any type I choose, so I select Spellcaster!" Once this command was issued, the cables shot forth and hooked deep into the backs of the monsters. As this happened, the DNA began to work instantly, restructuring the RNA that monitored a living being's existence, and slowly, the dragons and bird converted themselves into humanoid form. The Kaiser Glider became a towering figure, robed in golden Aztec ceremonial clothes, with a long stave carven of the purest silver. The Des Volstguplh, meanwhile, was draped in simple wool robes, studded with Gaelic designs hewn of obsidian. As for the Ashinigurai, it became a child mage, hardly two feet tall, with harsh yellow cloaks and fineries. "Next, I will activate the Magic card, Magical Academy, which will boost the level of one Spellcaster on the field by two, and give it an attack boost of 400 point, so I select my Kaiser Glider!" The Kaiser Glider Magician became two feet taller, and his staff turned into a massive device of bronze. (3200/2000) "Now, Kaiser Glider, attack her Ashinigurai with Stream of Helios!" The golden mage began to form an orb of incandescent light in both of his palms. while at the same time uttering a hex taken from Olmec religious ceremonies. Once the orb was finished, the Kaiser Glider set it atop the staff, and hurled it towards the younger magician.
"Thank you, Yami; you did everything exactly as I had hoped; I activate my two trap cards, Snake Fang and Magic Arm Shield!" The bird-like sorcerer was instantaneously endowed with a thick mechanical shield, while the Des Volstgulph lost 500 defense points thanks to Snake Fang. "You see, the Snake Fang allows me to deduct 500 defense points from any monster I choose, and as you can see, your Des Volstgulph was the target. And my Magic Arm Shield allows me to select one face-up defense monster, and that beast will be the target instead of my Ashinigurai. Magic Arm Shield, capture the Des Volstgulph now!"
From the sealed chamber on the device launched a spring-loaded arm at near impossible speed, and as it rocketed forth, the Des Volstgulph tried to leap away. But alas, this was not to be, for the electromagnetic claw of the machine drew any metals within the draconic necromancer and latched firmly on. Once this task was completed, the Ashinigurai activated a second mechanism, which yanked the dragon away from it's position...right into the Kaiser Glider's assault. Within seconds the weaker of the two was eliminated, taking a chunk of Yami's life points in the process. (2000/4000)
"Very well, I will set a monster in defense mode and end my turn. But before you proceed, give me your identity."
"For now, you may call me Kagura, Mistress of the Wind, but come the end of this duel you shall simply call me mistress. It's my move now!" Exquisite. Two down, one to go. "I shall now sacrifice my Ashingurai to summon Byakko the white tiger in Attack mode! And don't forget, since my Ashinigurai is being sent to the cemetery, you automatically lose a card from your hand." Once Yami had discarded, a new, more ferocious creature came forth. It was a gargantuan tiger, pale white with rather bizarre green stripes and the mane to suit. It's claws were tipped in pale ivory and soaked with human blood, and it's tail lashed the ground to the point that the earth cracked beneath it. (2200/2400) "I believe you are familiar with the story of the four Saint Beasts?"
How could I forget? If what Yusuke told me about these damnable things is true, then I am in more trouble than ever before...
"Well, this is one of those mighty guardians, who supposedly controlled the dark confines of another dimension. But now the White Tiger is mine, and the others roam Duel Fortress as we speak, in card form. All of these creatures are Spirit Monsters, however, so I will have to make this turn count. Since Byakko was summoned normally, I am allowed to destroy one Monster and one Magic or Trap on your side of the field. So I select your Kaiser Glider and DNA Surgery!" Immediately upon command, the great cat began to pull out two hairs from it's shaggy mane, and with a single breath blew them towards the targeted creatures. These were no ordinary hairs, however, for as soon as they fell upon the targets they became vicious, bear-like animals who shattered the Trap and disemboweled the Kaiser Glider. "Now, my beast, attack his face down monster with Razor Claw Strike!" Charging forth unchecked, Byakko lunged onto the facedown card, and would have torn it to shreds had Yami not activated his last face down card.
"GO, MULTIPLY!"
Byakko did strike, but not what he had intended, for all that was sent into oblivion were a token number of Kuribo, which were in turn, replaced by another surge of the brown fuzz balls.
"Since the face down card I played was a Multiply, my single Kuribo has become an impenetrable wall of exponentially growing creatures. For every one you destroy, a hundred more will take it's place. And you can't forget that thanks to the standard effect of Spirit monsters, your Byakko will be returning to your hand at the end of this turn, so for the most part, this was a wasted turn on your behalf, and come my turn I will be able to mount a direct attack on your life points!"
"Oh, is that what you so stupidly believe, Yami? Well, in that case, you are even more simpleminded than I thought! So to prove this point I will play my last card, another Block Attack, which will switch my tiger into defense mode. With that I end my turn." But even as her turn ended, Kagura's Spirit did not return to her hand.
"What is the meaning of this!?"
It was with a rather cruel smile that Kagura explained the situation. "You seem somewhat nonplussed, Pharaoh, so allow me to discuss the power of the Saint Beasts so that even you can comprehend it. Byakko, Genbu, Suzaku, and Seriyuu can remain on the field even after my turn ends, so long as they are in defense mode when this occurs. In combination with the strong defense of the beasts, this effect makes them the most versatile of the Spirit monsters, and it was for this reason that only five of each were released. I believe your friend Urameshi has one of the creatures in his deck. So go ahead and make your move. Even with your barricade of fur and claws protecting you, it will only be a matter of time before my great beast carves through your life points!"
Unheeding of these jeering words, Yami drew his next card, and as he did so, a multitude of emotions ran through him; excitement, fear, a degree of spiritualism, all with good reason. His violet eyes traced the great wyrm he held before him, and confirmed what he had both prayed for and hoped against. Curling forth in a serpentine manner, its red scales and jet black claws made it a fearsome sight. Closer to the head were not one, but two mouths lined with jagged fangs and yellow eyes that seemed to imply that this was no ordinary beast. Spread near the center of it's cylindrical body were two red and black pinions, that seemed to display a great amount of primal rage.
The Saint Dragon of Osiris. Slifer the Sky Dragon.
New Paradigm Museum, Ancient Cultures Exhibit
For the larger portion of New Paradigm's youth, the recently constructed New Paradigm Museum was not of much consequence in their cataclysmic lives, and more often than not, they would defile some of the more valuable exhibits and artifacts purely out of mean spirit. To them, the collection of rare and priceless objet d'art was yet another pathetic attempt for the older (and generally worse off) generations of the city to regain the memories from the pre-Event world. And not the outside civilization's memories, who were apt to be thought of as nonexistent, but rather the memories of their people, lost to the ages much like the mythological municipality that was Atlantis.
However correct or fallacious these assumptions were, the vast storage of man's rise (and fall if one is a pessimist) to power still fascinated countless people that were not loath to visit the rose quartz, Romanesque stronghold of a museum. In particular, one young man was overwhelmed by the walls and showcases loaded with the collective intellect of humankind.
But he was by no means young, and he wasn't completely a man. In fact, he wasn't even a full hominid like nearly everyone else.
Inuyasha had been perusing the halls of this monolithic place, searching for something...anything...to occupy his attention for the moment, at least until he could rearrange his priorities in some plausible order. So far, he had not been able to find an opponent worthy of the dueling deck he had spent so long in creating, and frankly it aggravated him that the elite duelists were nowhere to be found. Even at this, the cultural and intellectual zenith of high society, there was not even a trace amount of worthy opponents.
Of course, a key is, by definition, as much of worth in any duelist's hands, but the past five years have changed me...presumably for the better. I want to get to the finals arena on the grounds that I am one of the best, not because I beat the shit out of some snot-nosed novices and got easy wins. When the human population of this damnable city discusses the final duels of this tournament, I won't be described as the wetback who lucked out when push came to shove. Despite this rather noble proclivity to enter of his own skills, it was highly unlikely that the half-demon would go against the metaphorical cream of the crop until it became necessary to do so. After all, he supposed, why spoil the odds of victory by going over your head on the get-go?
It was indeed a lesson he had learned the hard way...
Flashback
"NOW, GUARDIAN EATOTSU, DIRECT ATTACK!"
Unchecked by anything save the height in which it could breath useful air, the tribal faerie launched itself into the heavens, seeming like to royalty as it gazed down like a falcon at the kingdom which it's master had accumulated, almost awestruck as it shifted the claymore that it held into a downward position. As this ceremony occurred miles above all else, it's master looked down, down at the archaic life point counter his inadequate servant had devised, made up mostly of poor wood and pulley stones that took minutes to tune properly. But, if for a moment, this headache would be worth it soon enough once he had finally put his ancient rival to shame.
With unmatched strength and skill, the mighty angel hurled itself downwards, blade focused squarely on the chest of her unknown enemy, feeling nothing as the blade slashed across this demon's life points, causing him to collapse to the cold dirt. (0/4000)
No. Not now; not after all I've endured to get to this point. That bastard couldn't have beaten me, he just couldn't have!
"I must say, I am impressed, baby brother, and I put the emphasis on baby. You have not only managed to send three of my monsters to the graveyard, but this was the first time you actually survived more than 10 turns. However, your skills are still abysmal to the utmost degree."
As Sesshomaru walked slowly towards him, Inuyasha tried to lift himself back up on his feet, but it was indeed an uphill struggle, as his only living relative had just ousted him in one of the harshest matches he had ever gone through. Every second seemed to play the part of a millennium, every waking nerve tossing expletives at him for his stupidity. Even with these constant impediments he continued to rise, even as blood flowed ever freely from the wounds of the shadow game he had been forced into. But Sesshomaru would not have it.
"Sit, you foul hound! Bow before your master, and tremble in fear!"
It was with a single backhanded strike that the Lord of the Western Lands laid his own flesh and blood back to the ground, scattering Inuyasha's deck of cards helter-skelter. A few floated gently into the riverbank and were washed away by the current, but they were of little significance compared to the bulk that remained. More blood trickled down the dog demon's face, leaving a bitter aroma as it vanished into his open mouth. To any other, the gruesome sight would have moved them to pity, but Sesshomaru, firstborn son of the most powerful wolf fiend to ever walk the earth, was not swayed by pity, or any emotion save wrath and greed. In this deranged mindset, he lifted Inuyasha high up, forcing his eyes to stare directly into the sun, and as he did so began to constrict his fingers, tightening them very slowly so that his brother would die in no end of pain...
End Flashback
But it didn't go down like that, not in the least. Had that servile toad Jaken not jumped in to deliver a strange message which Inuyasha had not caught, it was likely Sesshomaru would have killed him; ironically enough, those were the very stakes of the match the two had gone under. It had by no means been an even footing; despite the fact that Duel Monsters had been around for only half a century, the bastard had trained himself in every aspect, and by his own doing, he became the self-proclaimed "Lord of Games." Granted, Sesshomaru had yet to face the true champions like Kaiba or Yugi, but even the brother of this man had to admire his skills...no matter how he used them.
But even to this day, I can't help but wonder how, or even why, Sesshomaru stopped trying to finish me off, or what was so damn important that he let me go. Of all the people and demons that I have encountered, he is the one that hates me above any others. The better part of his life was spent trying to destroy me, so why, just as he is about to accomplish his life's work, does he walk off without any explanation whatsoever? It doesn't make any sense, but I have a strong feeling that he'll be back to finish the job.
With these puzzling inquiries buzzing about his head, the infamous dog demon continued to worm his way through the compound that was the museum, stopping at intermittent times to stare at a piece of a time long since past. Yet as interesting as each exhibit seemed to be, the brash half-blood was slowly becoming impatient. There weren't even any people in this area, let alone worthy duelists, and so his search was beginning to seem in vain. Every second that ticked off into infinite oblivion seemed to become years wiled away in sloth, and minutes dragged on in the guise of centuries. On occasion, Inuyasha's keen olfactory units picked up a human scent, but this was soon lost to the ages, never to be explained or even understood. And with not a peep of sound to distract him, the silence itself began to scream at him in a bold, if tone-deaf, tenor pitch. Yet even as his world was about to come down into madness, he found himself before a massive alabaster tablet. The plaque near it stated "Found in the Tomb of Akunamon XVI, circa 1853".
Very strange indeed. From what I can read of it, Akunamon was a renowned scholar in the Library of Giza until his suicide at about 37 years of age. He had supposedly been responsible for maintaining the records of the Yami no Game, or Dark Games, and had also been entrusted by the reigning minister of the time to make a recording of the...Battle of Four Souls?
Slightly perturbed by this strange information, Inuyasha continued to read. About four centuries before the Roman conquest of Egypt, the monarch of the age, Pharaoh Atemu was in conference with the Priest of Anubis, Bakse, who had been captured for high treason against the crown. Supposedly, Bakse had sold sacred relics from the burial chambers where he had worked for half a century, and had also purloined Priesthood text to the same client. Taking this into account, Atemu decided to wage war on the man who had bought the artifacts, for he was under the impression that he would use these powers against the kingdom.
The description continued on to say that the bulk of the information was in a specific type of hieroglyphs that nobody could translate; it wasn't even recorded on the Rosetta Stone. Only one man had ever completely understood the language, and he had died under very suspicious circumstances two years earlier. However, paintings of several influential individuals had been found nearby, and it was hoped by archaeologists that these carvings could be used to piece together the missing links. The engravings, although not completely wear free, were, strangely enough, in near mint condition. And it was this selfsame set of carvings that next attracted Inuyasha's attention.
For the most part, the stonework pictures were familiar faces; Inuyasha knew every detail about the past lives of Yami, Kaiba, and the others. Despite this knowledge, it was still rather disturbing to see the faces of his latest comrades in pictograph form. To add to the eerie familiarity were images of the Battle; demons and monsters clashing in the desert sun, soldiers of all kinds swapping blows and blocking cuts. Far in the distance of all of them was the symbol of Amun-Ra from Egypt's brief monotheistic stage, as well as the three Egyptian God Monsters, whom the demon had heard much about from Kaiba and Yami. Another constant theme was the set of the three Avatars of Chaos, a trio of unstoppable creatures capable of saving or destroying the world.
But one piece of masonry in particular caught his eye; it was a singular woman, who could be called tall even by looking at her portrait. Her features were tormented and worn by many torments, yet her unfettered hair and yew bow gave her a sense of strength.
The features were of one woman, and even in Egyptian antiquity Inuyasha could recognize her.
Is that...Kikyo?
What had once been silence now turned into a tumultuous bellow, as every sense that he had launched at him full force. He could feel insanity sinking the serrated claws of unreason and madness deep into the flesh of his psyche, seeping black venom into the very soul whilst the beast clamped onto his head, causing all structure and logic to deteriorate into a chaotic law. All that he had believed in these past years seemed all for nothing, the very fabric of his self now torn asunder. He could not possibly grasp what had been presented before him, try as he might; how was the Priestess Kikyo, with whom he had been infatuated lo these many years, related to the past. With the little strength he could muster, Inuyasha (who had learned some Hieratic via Kagome) traced down to the caption below this mystifying portrait.
Priestess Kikyo, the lover of Pharaoh Atemu.
Everything stopped, all bodily functions ceased to operate, as his already frazzled mind struggled to process this massive piece of data. All time had stopped to him, and he did not even notice his knees buckle to the granite floor. Nothing mattered anymore, not now at least, now that all he had endured, the literal hell he had crashed through and into, had come crashing down upon him. This was not a blow to his ego; this was it's death sentence. Everything he had known of Kikyo, all they had fought for, was naught but a half-truth? Had she really been a priestess in Egypt as well as that of Japan?
Had there been a pistol or any kind of firearm about, Inuyasha would have been dead.
What can this mean? I knew that Kikyo was once of noble blood, bearing her position in mind, but was she truly of an Egyptian heritage? Has all I knew of her been a lie, or am I simply going insane?
Perhaps a combination of the two.
Inuyasha, who had never communicated by mind link or even telepathy before, was now absolutely certain he had gone psychotic, and even now struggled to regain what little control he had left of his mind.
Look up, you imbecile. You are not going insane, but you will drive me to that point.
As per the voice's command, the dog demon stared up into the rafters of the place...and could not believe what he saw.
Hanging from the stone support beams of the museum, using an elongated rose as the steadying cable, was a man, or so he appeared. This strange humanoid stood a full six and a half feet tall, with extensive platinum hair exactly like his damnable brothers, and a simple white robe with the flat sole shoes to match. His eyes, on the other hand, were of the same hue of Inuyasha's own, although the emotions here were ruthless and cold. But the most unique feature was his set of protruding fox ears, as well as the blanch Duel Gauntlet he sported.
That scent...it's impossible! No one on Earth smelled like that since...
The demon leapt upon the display case, and with the selfsame determination tossed a handful of seeds onto the ground, and even with no soil, the spirit energy backing them caused a wall of grass to surround the two.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Please do not play the jackass this time, Lord Inuyasha. I am simply too tired to deal with this drivel. However, if you must know why I am here, I have been hired to crush you in a game of Duel Monsters. The winner of this match will gain one key and rarest card from the loser, and if you should lose this match, I will personally feed you to my seedling minions. And I believe that you already know who I am, so let's begin this!"
"Very well...Yoko Kurama."
Rosewater Corporation Warehouse, Business district of New Paradigm
Here. Here is where it all began, the final year of Paradigm City, when all would be decided. At this point I stand, seven years later, everyone I know dead or insane, without anything but a deck and a broken dream.
The compound was basically still the same, architecturally that is. It was still a massive warehouse, and even now one could see the charred parts that the best cleaning ages could not remove, the framework that previously housed one of the most powerful machines to ever walk the city. Every so often, a conversation of words bellowed over the steady hum of machinery, but the better part was still in exactly the same position it had been so long ago. Even now, Roger could see the shattered glass that had been the result of his first few days with the android, R. Dorothy Wayneright, the events of which he could still clearly recall.
How you and I dealt with each other for so many months, every insult to my intelligence, each time you so callously referred to me as "louse." Even when I first met you I could almost tell, impalpable as it was, that you were the one to break me out of the chauvinistic loop I found myself spinning in. To this day I realized something; I never answered your question, how if you were human, would I have fallen in love with you. Well, it didn't matter if you were human or android, because I fell for you regardless. But I know that you won't come back, not now...
Flashback
Total white.
Whiter than the snow that had fallen on the city for so many years, bleaker than any perspective yet known to mankind. Vast expanses of nothing, save a small black point that always seemed the same distance away no matter how fast or long you ran to it. Paradoxes seemed to be the mortar of this place, mysticism the scaffolds, enigmas the brick and drywall. Time seemed to have come to a screeching halt, yet still kept trudging forth at an excruciating pace. All seemed at harmony, yet madness was present in all places. It existed and yet was not there at all, like a dream that seems to be reality and yet is but a figment of the psyche. The air inhaled was truly air but had no actual structure, And in the middle of this illogical world were two figures, that stood and yet did not stand.
Ugh. Wait a minute, where am I? For an instant I thought that I was fighting the Big Fau, and then...
Oh my God.
With the utmost swiftness Roger Smith came to what frayed senses he had to work with, and as he did so scanned all that seemed to exist. His mind perceived that there were two black dots far in the distance, but as he ran towards them they stayed far away from him, as though moving of their own accord, but when he stopped, they stopped in synchronization. The very laws of perspective appeared to be unraveled.
"What the hell is going on?! How could I even by in this place; I just started to stop that other Megadeus from destroying the city! Where am I?!"
"Where you are is not the question to consider, negotiator. The crucial point of query is who you are, and even that is a thought of minimal significance."
No, oh almighty one no. Not here, not now...
Do not try to hide your thoughts from me, Paradigm dog. In this hidden world, neither of us are bound by reality. In this formerly unseen universe I could amass all matter-based materials and condense it into a point the size of an eraser shaving, and from this create a whole new reality. If I so chose, this entire world could become a plaything for my amusement, but alas, I will refrain, for to commit an act here is to shred what little is left solid in the real universe. Which raises an interesting hypotheses; what is the honest reality, this galaxy or the next?
Unable to stand the voice any longer, the ex-negotiator turned towards it's source, and it was just as he had expected. Hovering a few feet above the surreal ground was a powerfully built man in shabby, age-torn clothing, completely covered in bloody bandages with at least one fractured piece of bone punching out of the flesh. In one of his hands was a bronze ax head, drenched in human fluids, whilst the other gave much-needed shelter to a thick sheaf of parchment.
"SCHWARZVALD!!! This isn't possible, let alone reality! You were supposed to be dead!"
With a nearly imperceptible grimace, the reporter of Paradigm turned his head to the only point of horizon in the place. "I was supposed to be a myriad of things, negotiator. I was meant to die many times, slated to have my life destroyed innumerable epochs, and all I had accomplished in life should have come to fruition more times than I can possibly number. But none of the planned occurrences ever arrived, for as you can see, I have endured more, lost more, and suffered more than any mortal man alive. But for me, this world would have been bloated on it's own ego, unable to even grasp that the post-apocalyptic Earth was perhaps not as endless as once thought."
"What are you blathering on about? You know as well as I do that Paradigm is the only remaining human establishment left!"
"You have many questions, and precious few answers are readily available, even for someone of my fortitude. But did you seriously believe that the stories of foreign Megadeii were naught but tales to frighten children who had mistreated others? We have never been alone, negotiator; the Event was not the end of humanity, rather the ebb of our own lifetime. Paradigm City is finished, there is nothing left but shattered hopes and broken hearts, and it is all of your fault."
"How could it be my fault? Rosewater reawakened the Big Fau, not me!"
Silence stood like a gulf between the two, up until Schwarzvald turned towards the Point.
"To a degree, it is all of our blame to take, from which count I am not removed. It all came onto our heads, as we struggled to grasp the sliding rope of our own magnitude with half a palm. And we all paid for it, with our lives. You were the exception, though; of all the meat headed buffoons in Paradigm Corp., you were the most in tune with what truly was. But for the rest of our kind, we are cursed to a different fate. I am damned to an infinite journey across the void of time and space, hunting a truth that may not even exist, but perhaps our paths will cross again someday. And perhaps, in some final ironic twist, we can reconcile with each other, but until then, I shall see you another day."
As the reporter walked off, footsteps clacking against the quasi-metal floor, he turned to look upon his old foe once more, for what might be the last time.
"When you awaken, your vehicle will be waiting for you at the bottom of the heap of metal at which you stand. In the trunk of this car is an attaché case, in which you will find a deck of cards and a compact disk. The laptop you will need to play the disk is fully charged in the backseat. Once you play said disk, all that I have said, in fact, everything that has occurred even before forty years ago, will be explained. Good bye...Roger Smith."
And in that moment, all went black, as Roger fell into what seemed a void of infinite darkness...
End Flashback
I watched that entire movie, from beginning to end, and as I did so I began to realize all that I had been struggling with my whole life was playing out before me. Every iota of knowledge at my fingertips, playing and telling all who would listen. I learned of the Event, what had led to it, how it connected to the world I had thought I knew, and most of all, the game of Duel Monsters, which I took to heart as all that I had left.
But to that very moment one scene would play itself over and over again, shrieking it's blasphemous message without fail at what he had failed in. To this day, he was forced to repeat it, perhaps by some unnoted spark in his subconscious mind.
I watched her die, again and again, as though it had decided to thrust itself into my very mind.
In his cerebrum anever-repetitious act was pored over, and while seen infinite times before, it always brought unshed tears ever closer to being shed. Trapped beneath two-hundred tons of sheet metal was R. Dorothy, stunned completely, unable to even move as the porous cliff side to which she was bound cracked and fell into the near-bottomless sea.
I'm sorry, Dorothy. After all those times protecting you, I wasn't even there to save you from the claws of death. But did you die, or are you slowly forgetting all that you once knew as your computerized mind is saturated with salt water.
Smith was, however, a practical man, and deep in his heart he had come to accept the fact that even androids were incapable of surviving in high-pressure oceans buried in steel for a course of seven years. So eventually, he gave up on life, gathered what little outside money he could, and whiled his days in an old log cabin by the harbor. But even with the calm life of freelance jobs and dueling tournaments he could not fill the massive chasm that had once been his heart. And although he was officially here on business, Roger could not help but think that New Paradigm still held some of the mysteries of it's forebears.
This is how it all ends, isn't it? After all these years, I am finally going to die. No opulent funeral, no brilliant casket, just another tick on the obituaries as the newspapers are shuffled. Well, why shouldn't I die now? Out of all of our units, I am the weakest duelist; I have no reason to live anymore, no enigmas to reveal. What's the point of going on?
Raising his tormented eyes to the boundless heavens, Roger Smith began to tug away at the grizzled hair left to him, as the tears of insanity long withheld streamed with unrelenting compulsion. The scars of an era long since annihilated by the universe split asunder, and stained the cement floor with human fluid, as the screams of inhumanity were born anew in the screams of a man who had become fixated on his own wretchedness. The very saliva that had settled within his jaw grew immensely sour, or was it the green bile of his own self destruction? All seemed befuddled as the blades of madness cut him apart, and with one great bellow, the psychosis was released.
"DOROTHY!!!"
What had once been the very example of gracious dignity had turned in an exact opposite direction, as his worn fists smashed against the cold ground. Each strike knocked away a flurry of asphalt and mortar, which were soon saturated in blood, sweat, and tears, and once more. he lifted the slowly deteriorating skull unto the skies.
"OH GOD, GIVE ME ONE REASON WHY I SHOULD NOT KILL MYSELF NOW!"
"That is a very simple question to answer, you obstinate bastard. I want you to stay alive so that I can tear out your spinal cord and hang you with it!"
The voice resounded across the compound like shattered glass being slowly dragged across a massive chalkboard; even the worst toned cats were appalled by the very decibel level of that voice, which was strangely familiar. Although the elocution in general was standard, the way it was spoken gave Roger a very strange gut feeling, for the end result of the voice being sent up the nerves and into the cerebellum was that it seemed that two people were speaking. One was familiar, almost, and the other sounded as though it was a soul dragged out of the deepest parts of purgatory.
"Red Destiny."
"I'm glad to see you still remember my name after all these years negotiator. Regardless, it is long past the day you were slated to die, and now I have come to finish the job that Rosewater and his pathetic lackeys could never complete! So once I throw you out of this tournament in one final duel, I will personally strangle you with my bare hands."
"Very well, so why not step outside, and let me begin the duel?"
As if on cue, a new character stepped out of the shadows, fairly short for such a powerful sounding voice, but also dressed in a rather bizarre fashion. The close-cropped auburn hair and bleak sable dress were fairly normal, but atop all of this was a large red cloak, which seemed to accent her demonic grin.
"As you wish." (4000/4000)
Kaiba vs. Miroku
"Hand Rebirth? Ha! That's completely ridiculous, Kaiba; even I know that the Hand Rebirth Magic card was banned from circulation by Pegasus, when he realized it was much too powerful for standard play. The question is, however, where on Earth did you get such a card?"
It was with a cruel smirk that Kaiba sent his entire hand into the discard pile, as Miroku followed suit. "That, I am afraid, is a secret that I cannot reveal to you at the present time, but I can see that you know the effect of the card. In which case, we may now both draw from our decks until five cards are drawn." This is my last chance; if I don't draw exactly the right cards now, his Tormentor will activate it's special effect, instantly ending the match here and now. And this is no longer about my victory; not only do I have to keep moving in the tournament to stop that monster Hiei, I also have to prove that nobody violates my beloved and walks away unscathed. Come on, Heart of the Cards, guide my hand...
Eyes of the deepest blue scanned the fresh cards fate had dealt him, and it was with the shock of finding Excalibur that he stared at these powerful avatars of salvation. It was all in the hands of God now.
"Miroku, this duel is over, for the five cards I have drawn are the only ones capable of destroying Obelisk. So prepare to fall! I will start this move by summoning Versago the Destroyer in attack mode!" From one of the monster zones screamed a hideous fiend, about twenty feet tall, with a skull-like head and heavy silver hide, while straps of dark necromancy clamped down upon the demon. (1100/800)
As the monk stared at this satanic yet pathetic creature, his self control crumbled in light of complete hysteria, for he began to roll about on the ground crying with laughter. Barely managing to control himself, Miroku choked out, "Is this some kind of joke? Out of all the sad attempts at victory you have made so far, all the failed assaults you have dared to mount against me, this is the best you can come up with? Well, if you are trying to slay me with laughter, then I am sorry to say it will not work."
The stupidity of this one is astounding, unless he is trying to avoid the writings on the wall on purpose. Well, if that is the case, I wil force him to see his own damnation.
"You simply don't get it, do you, Miroku? Why would I summon a creature with fewer attack points than your weakest monster unless I had a plan in mind? Well, perhaps I should have mentioned that in a fusion, Versago can substitute for any absent monster, but only one of these creatures can be used per fusion. And so I activate the Magic card, Polymerization, to fuse Versago the Destroyer and my two remaining Blue Eyes White Dragons, and in doing so form the strongest beast that my deck could spawn. Behold, the unbridled fury of the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"
On both sides of Versago appeared two more Blue Eyes White Dragons, glaring with pure loathing at the Airknight Parshath that had killed their sister in combat, whilst Versago began to utter a chant from the deepest bowels of Spirit World. As this powerful hex was recited, a vortex of prismatic light appeared before all three creatures, and without any remorse the rift in the universe drew the monsters deep into it's bowels. And for a split second, absolutely nothing happened.
Right up until the will of God let fly it's final hammer stroke.
A massive shaft of blue energy screamed up into the sky, tearing to pieces what few clouds could be found at this altitude. Along the sides of this ray of light spread innumerable multitudes of spiderwebbing cracks, which reached the very feet of both players before coming to a halt, and from the fracture in concrete flared up even more such luminosity. All seemed chaotic and confused for seconds which took on the guise of centuries, and even with this apocalyptic development occuring around them, all competitors and spectators stood waiting with bated breath. Until a new beast emerged: an impossibly huge dragon similar to the Blue Eyes, with powerfully developed wings and merciless claws. These features, however, could not possibly draw attention away from each of the reptile's three massive heads, armed to the very brim with razorblade teeth, and all observing with callous cerulean eyes that, deep within, had a small spark of humanity. (4500/3800)
He does it again. In only one turn, Seto managed to call upon a creature that not even Obelisk could defeat without it's effect, and soon he will avenge me for what happened to my person. How could anyone hate him, after all he did for me?
"YES!!! FINISH THE JOB, SETO!"
But despite the overbearing circumstances at hand, Miroku still held on to some trivial light of optimism. "Impressive, Kaiba; even I have to admit that you made a valient effort to save your hide. But I am afraid that it is too little, too late. For even though you have summoned the Ultimate Dragon, it is still bound by the law of fusion in this tournament. It cannot attack in the turn it was summoned by Polymerization, and by the time it can attack, my Tormentor will have activated it's ability of Soul Tribute, demolishing all monsters on your side of the field and instantly removing what few life points that you still lay claim to."
"Very perceptive; but unlike you, I know how to use my monsters efficiently, and I wouldn't have summoned the Dragon had I not wholeheartedly believed that I could end this duel in one final attack with it. How stupid do you think I am, monk? Well, we are about to find out, for I activate my final card, Quick Attack! This Magic card will allow one of my monsters to attack immediately, even if they are Fusion Summoned. And now, the time has come to end this, once and for all. Face it, Miroku, everybody has his or her time to leave this plane, and I have barely managed to avoid this. As for you, I am glad to say that...your number is up! Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, destroy Obelisk the Tormentor with Neutron Blast Attack!"
As this final command fell upon the ears of the Blue Eyes, each head pointed their open maws towards the Egyptian God Monster that had defeated them once before, and in this process began to charge a cannons worth of electrical might that would have devastated an entire army if launched. All seemed to, yet again, grow silent as the triple onslaught of strength prepared to fire...and fire it did.
Instead of being propelled like a cannon shot, as had been done previously, this beast of the heavens sent all of it's grandeur in a sweeping wave of light so powerful that the very earth seemed to quake in trepidation, and in it's turn collapsed upon itself. But this ground was not the target, and even Obelisk knew that it's time had come. Still, the titan reared back and lauched one final world-shattering punch, and yet was torn apart instantly, waterfalls of black blood gushing out of the exit wounds that the burst stream had created. And the god still clutched it's chest, barely able to stand as it's spirit sailed back into the netherworld, before crashing onto the field. (150/0)
"I believe that is game, Miroku."
It was with gait imperial that Seto Kaiba walked over to his fallen enemy, and from his shellshocked hand drew the golden key that would bring him ever closer to the final round, and at the same time took the Airknight Parshath and Obelisk the Tormentor that were rightfully his.
"Well, he may be too shocked to give me any information I could actually use, but at least I gained his rarest card and recovered my own." But for Kaiba, celebration was to be short-lived.
"Bravo, Kaiba, bravo! I must say, your skills in this game have been truly inspirational to me. But despite this, I think that it is time to recover what is ours."
From deep within the bushes next to him emerged Schwarzvald.
"So, Hiei has terrorists working for him now? He really is quite pathetic."
Grinning with his usual dementia, Seebach began to fumble through his black leather duffel bag for some kind of sundry item.
"I would be mindful of what you say about my master, you unenlightened dolt. In this world and the next, his is a power that could shatter Time itself. But for now, I am willing to forgive you...post mortem, that is!"
It was now revealed that in his hands Schwarzvald held a gigantic axe similar in size to what Bui had used in the Dark Tournament three years ago, but was shaped much like that of a Varangian tool. With this powerful tool of destruction, the enigmatic reporter charged forward, preparing to eviscerate Kaiba in one sweep.
However, this move was blocked by one of Kaiba's own. For blocking the vicious path of the ax was Kaiba's one handed claymore, light and still strong enough to defeat any opponent. Pushing away the offending weapon, Kaiba shot forth with the speed of a marathon runner and carved away at Schwarzvald's chest, with yet another flesh-rending blow that tore open his back. The reporter tried to block again, but his weapon was instantly swiped away with yet another well-precisioned cut.
Kaiba now stood above his attacker, fully ready to crush the sword right into the throat of his new enemy, when a scream all too familiar tore through the air.
"SETO!!!"
Turning once again towards the sound, Kaiba beheld a hideous sight that would haunt him forever. Botan, bruised and splattered with blood, was being dragged into the backseat of a silver Cadillac by two black suited thugs.
"NO!!! BOTAN, HOLD THEM OFF; I'M COMING FOR YOU!"
"I'm afraid not, Seto Kaiba!"
Even as he ran forward to recapture his lady love, the all-powerful CEO was pulsing with over a thousand volts of pure electricity, and as this occured he could feel his synapses lock up. But as he slipped into unconciousness, two things worked into his head: Schwarzvald was shouting at his men to hurry up, and about thirty of them were already dead...
To Be Continued
Okay, I'll admit that wasn't my greatest chapter, but I gave it my all.
Next time, Yami, Yusuke and Inuyasha will continue their matches, whilst Kaiba tries to find Botan in this massive city. At the same time, Hiei will reflect on how the Grim Reaper turned against him, and an all too familiar face returns.
See ya around, and until then...READ, REVIEW, AND DON'T FLAME!