Author's Note: Back to Kai.
Chapter Twenty-Six: The Art of Not Becoming
With a yell filled with his own strength Kai pushed past the wall of power, and it faded away, letting him stand unhindered. "You're powerful, but I've faced powerful foes before. I'll tell you now that I'm never the most powerful, but I win all the same. I have the skill and the knowledge to defeat any opponent, and I will defeat you. Even if it takes all of who I am, I won't allow you to move forwards from this point."
"Yes, I've realized that. But in the grand scheme of things your efforts are insignificant. As we speak the Balance Matrix is ticking away towards the apocalypse, and there's nothing that can be done to stop it. All that matter is the knowledge to be gained from it. Kai Kaethen, don't fear, because when you become part of the greater consciousness you will gain that knowledge as soon as I do. And one more thing." Eramoros drew, his lips tilting up into a deadly smirk.
"You're not in my league. Watch, as I show you the power of my very own Duel Presence. First I set four cards face down, and then I set a monster. Lastly…I activate Hand Obliteration!" A gust of wind struck Kai, blasting his five hand cards away, leaving him with nothing.
'No…on the first turn and already he's forced me into top decking! But wait…what about this Duel Presence he mentioned? I just have to hope it's nothing on the same level as Kedamono's Duel Presence, or it's not likely I can survive this.' Kai's thoughts were interrupted as the air around him pressed inwards, squeezing his flesh and putting tremendous pressure on his bones.
"My Duel Presence activates whenever a card goes to the cemetery because of an effect. You take one hundred damage for each card, and I gain an equal amount. In other words, every card I lose and every card you lose will ultimately lead to your defeat!" The pressure loosened and Kai dropped to his hands and knees, sucking in air desperately. (KLP: 3500, ELP: 4500)
Unsteadily Kai stood, his hand shaking as it moved to the top of his deck. "Every villain we meet says something like that, but I want you to know before I draw, that I've been drastically outclassed in duels before…"
His mind drifted to his duel with D'harim the Death Knight, in which he had been mercilessly tortured by the evil being in order to teach him some perverse lesson about suffering. "Yet even when confronted by that kind of opponent, even when I know that I can't win, I have no path open to me but to go forwards. I've stopped trying to remain in one place in life, and I won't remain frozen in a duel because my opponent is stronger or better."
He paused, and then placed his fingertips on his first card. "I'm going to move onwards and defeat you, even though you may be my superior. But though I move on from the past, I've learned from my own mistakes in that past. And I won't fall victim the way I had before. This time, it will be different!"
Eramoros spread out his arms in an almost welcoming gesture, looking like he was going to sweep Kai into a hug. "Then come to me Kai Kaethen, and join this consciousness through battle! Within it you will learn the past, and you will see the future! Become part of me!"
"Not a chance. I am Kai Kaethen only…and I will never become part of you!"
As soon as he spoke those words Kai flipped the card he was holding up off his deck and then with a quick glance at it he tossed it down onto his duel disk. "Trap Breaker(1600 +300/1000) is my summon!"
A purple robed breaker appeared on the field, holding his sword aloft, the hilt glowing. "Since I normal summoned him he gains a counter and three hundred attack points. Now…"
Kai paused, considering his choices. He had been forced to top deck Trap Breaker, so he had nothing to back up the monster should he be destroyed. His opponent had four face down cards, but it was likely some of those had just been set to allow the activation of Hand Obliteration. 'And I have to consider his dangerous duel presence. If I do manage to slay his monster then I'll take damage and he'll gain life points. It's a risk but…I have to take it!'
"Trap Breaker, attack Eramoros' face down monster!" Trap Breaker gave a battle cry and swung his sword down, sending a flare of purple light at the monster. The card shuddered, appeared as a furry brown creature with fangs and short arms, and then exploded.
Eramoros smirked and caught a card that was spat out of his deck. "The monster you destroyed was Sangan(1000/600) so now I add one monster from my deck to my hand with fifteen hundred or less attack. Then my duel presence activates." (KLP: 3400, ELP: 4600)
"Since I have no cards in my hand my turn ends there!" He breathed in deeply, trying to refocus himself. It seemed that just the stress of that one turn had shaken him because of the high level Darkness Game. He'd have to be careful if he was to win.
Eramoros drew and immediately placed the card into his one open magic zone. "I use Bury the Dead, which allows me to send three monsters from my deck to the grave. The ones I send there are unimportant, what matters is that my Duel Presence activates again!" (KLP: 3100, ELP: 4900)
Kai grunted under the pressure, holding a hand to his chest as he tried to steady his breathing. "You cannot stand against me Kai Kaethen. One monster in defense mode and end turn!"
Again Kai drew, still aware that he was in a poor position. "Trap Breaker, attack the face down monster!" Another purple wave was fired out, and a woman in black robes with purple hair appeared and was cut down by the attack.
"Why thank you. Witch of the Black Forest(1100/1300) was just what I needed to search for a monster with fifteen hundred or less defense as well as use my Duel Presence again." Eramoros smirked, his strange blue eyes shimmering as another trickle of energy leaked from Kai to him. (KLP: 3000, ELP: 5000)
'It's only a few turns into the duel and he already has a two thousand point advantage over me. What's worse is that his Duel Presence is the perfect ability to counteract my deck's strategy of breaking. Not good…' He kept his face calm as he slid his newly drawn card into his duel disk and it appeared face down.
Eramoros snatched a card off his deck and added it to his hand with the monster he had searched for. Then he glanced at Kai's face down card and smiled. "Let's see what you have waiting for me. I play Bait Doll, which forces your card to activate. If the timing is wrong your card is destroyed!"
Kai sighed as his face down card flipped up, revealing a trap card showing an arc of energy flying off a Breaker with cracked armor. "My Arc Flash is usable only when a Breaker is destroyed, so Bait Doll destroys it."
The trap card shattered, and then Kai was immediately hit with the pressure of Eramoros' Duel Presence, draining him of another hundred life points. "At this rate you won't last long will you Kai? Oh, and when Bait Doll has been used it is shuffled back into my deck." (KLP: 2900, ELP: 5100)
"Now that I've done that I'll set the monster I searched for face down and conclude my turn." Kai closed his eyes and bit back his irritation at his opponent's strategy so far. He couldn't tell the purpose of the man's deck at all. So far he had just relied on his Duel Presence and had used search monsters. It didn't make sense.
"Effect Breaker(1600 +300/1000) joins Trap Breaker on the field of battle!" A Breaker in light blue robes now stood next to the first one, and they crossed their swords together. Eramoros glanced at his set monster, looking slightly worried.
"Looks like I guessed right, it's another searcher! Effect Breaker attacks it!" Eramoros frowned as his monster was slashed in half, revealing a giant tomato that was grinning evilly at Kai.
Kai smirked and snapped his fingers. "Normally your Mystic Tomato(1400/1000) would let you special summon a dark monster from your deck with fifteen hundred or less attack but I sacrifice my Effect Breaker's counter to negate that ability!"
"Still, you take damage from my Duel Presence and I gain life points!" Despite the force beating down on Kai he still felt more determined than he had in the past few turns. Somehow he knew that his attack path was clear. (KLP: 2800, ELP: 5200)
"So far you haven't used any of your four set cards, which tells me that my original guess on their worth was right. They were set purely so you could use Hand Obliteration and nothing else. So now Trap Breaker goes direct!" Eramoros let out a small scream as the Breaker's sharp sword slashed down on his shoulder. (ELP: 3300)
"Looks like I've reduced the gap between us Eramoros. With those four set cards clogging up your field you're at a disadvantage. Take your turn, I'm confident now." Kai folded his arms, feeling a little bit more relaxed now that he knew he could really hurt Eramoros. This wouldn't be as tough as Kedamono.
Eramoros drew and his irritation vanished instantly. "You're wrong Kai Kaethen. These face down cards aren't going to clog up my field and they weren't set just so I could use Hand Obliteration. I guess it's time for me to see if you can comprehend my strategy."
Kai braced himself, worried about the nature of those set cards and more particularly the nature of the card Eramoros had just drawn. It had changed the man's demeanor, and that didn't bode well for him. "Bring on your strategy and I'll break it down like I would any other!"
"You certainly have confidence Kai Kaethen, but that means nothing. Magic card activate…Gryphon's Feather Duster!" Kai blinked as a tornado formed on Eramoros' field and began to pull at the four face down cards he had.
"But…that magic card destroys all your magic and traps in exchange for five hundred life points. So you want to destroy your cards? Just for your Duel Presence?" Eramoros didn't respond other than to smile confidently as his four set cards were blown away by the tornado formed by his magic card. (ELP: 5300)
"Yes…and now my card effects are revealed! Two of them are cards known as Dark Coffins, which when destroyed activate one of two effects. Either they destroy a monster on your field or force you to discard a card from your hand. Since you have no cards, both your monsters will die!" Two pitch black coffins appeared behind the Breakers and chains shot out, dragging them in.
Kai snapped a hand out and pointed at Trap Breaker. "I'll sacrifice Trap Breaker's counter to negate the Dark Coffin targeting him!" The breaker turned around and cut through the chains, then proceeded to slash the coffin in half.
"Still your Effect Breaker is destroyed by my trap card." Effect Breaker tried to cry out, but chains wrapped around its mouth and pulled it completely in. The door slammed shut and then the coffin was dragged into the ground and out of sight.
"My third card is a very common card that is called Repayment of Losses, which when it goes to the grave allows me to draw one card." Eramoros slid a card off his deck, and then pointed at his last card which reappeared in play.
"The final of my four is Establish Contacts, a similar card to Repayment of Losses. The difference is that whenever it goes to the grave I can add a monster from my deck to my hand." A card popped out of his deck and he caught it, still smiling.
"And now at last my Duel Presence drains you of five hundred life points and gives me the same amount!" The pressure was the same amount as the previous first turn, slamming Kai with a heavy load even as it charged up Eramoros. (KLP: 2300, ELP: 5800)
Kai's eyes widened as suddenly he saw the connection. "You…your strategy is all about destroying your own cards. Card effects that activate when they go to the grave. It's the perfect combo strategy with your Duel Presence and the perfect counter to my deck!"
"That's exactly right. Now, to clear away your field I think I'll summon my End Slasher(1700/1500) to the field and have him slash Trap Breaker!" A pitch black warrior holding a silvery sword appeared and stabbed his blade deep in Trap Breaker's armor. It wrenched the weapon free and Trap Breaker dropped to the ground and faded away. (KLP: 2100, ELP: 5900)
"Last but not least I'll place my drawn card face down and conclude my turn. Now that you've seen my strategy perhaps you'll consider giving up. After all, your entire strategy will merely aid me and harm you, so how can you hope to win?" Eramoros grinned in a cocky manner, and Kai saw a brief flash of a russet-haired duelist grinning at him in a similar manner. Immediately he felt anger and frustration bubbling up in his chest.
With those thoughts in mind Kai drew fiercely and slammed the drawn card into his duel disk. Instantly a grinning green pot appeared on his field. "Pot of Greed lets me draw two cards!" He drew twice and the green pot shattered.
"Breaker the Magical Warrior(1600 +300/1000) is my next summon! And I'll sacrifice his counter to destroy your face down card!" Eramoros chuckled as the card was blown apart. Particularly when a whiskered monster of a golden color rose up from the dust of the destroyed card. (KLP: 2000, ELP: 6000)
"You destroyed Statue of the Wicked, which generates a Wicked Idol(1000/1000) token when slain. Fool, did you really think you would accomplish anything with that?" Kai simply pointed at End Slasher and Breaker raised his sword.
"Just removing all threats as best I can. Breaker, that will be you target in a moment. Spell Production grants you another magic counter, so now go and kill End Slasher!" Breaker jumped forwards and took revenge for Trap Breaker, stabbing his sword deep into the warrior's chest and then wrenching it out. (KLP: 1900, ELP: 5900)
"Fool, when End Slasher is destroyed the top card of your deck goes to the cemetery and therefore my Duel Presence deals you more damage!" Kai didn't respond as he discarded the card and noted what it was. He was certainly worried, but now wasn't the time to show that. (KLP: 1800, ELP: 6000)
The red head slapped his newly drawn card onto his duel disk and the Wicked Idol token faded away almost immediately. "By sacrificing my monster I can summon End of Anubis(2500/2000) into play!"
A large jackal-headed monster emerged and threw its head back, howling to the darkness above. Kai's hands clenched tight as he saw the damage coming his way. "End of Anubis, rip Breaker apart!"
End of Anubis did exactly that. It grabbed each of Breaker's arms and strained its ropy muscles, finally succeeding in tearing the Breaker in half. Kai looked away, feeling a little sick to the stomach even as the pain from the Darkness Game struck him. "You see Kai Kaethen? It is hopeless!" (KLP: 1100, ELP: 6100)
Kai looked down at his deck, and then looked over his shoulder at where he knew the jeep would be if he wasn't surrounded by darkness. 'Every minute that I'm here is not just dangerous to the world, but also dangerous to Takuya's life. I have to win soon or he'll die!'
He drew and met Eramoros' blue eyes and stood tall under the pressure of the Darkness Game. "Eramoros, I don't have time to deal with this. I'll beat you as quick as I can. Hand Rebirth, recharge our hands!"
Since neither player had any cards in hand they didn't have to discard, all they did was draw five brand new cards. Kai looked over his five cards and instantly knew what to do. "Breaker's Stealth Attack is my next card. As long as this continuous magic card is in play whenever I use a Breaker's effect you take two hundred damage."
Next he tossed a card into his monster zone. "Monster Breaker(1600 +300/1000) will combat End of Anubis with its special effect!" His newest monster was robed in black and looked somewhat deadlier than the past few Breakers because of it.
"By tributing his counter I can destroy your End of Anubis! Although it costs me one hundred life points and gives you one hundred it's well worth it to empty your field!" A beam of black energy struck End of Anubis in the middle of its chest and it exploded, leaving Eramoros' field clear. (KLP: 1000, ELP: 6000)
"Now since the way is open I'll have Monster Breaker attack you directly!" Eramoros hissed as Monster Breaker's sword slashed the opposite shoulder to the one Trap Breaker had cut, evening up the damage. Yet even as his life points were drained somewhat he still seemed a long way off, with far more life points than Kai had. (ELP: 4400)
"Finally I'll place a card down to defend Monster Breaker. Make your move count Eramoros, or I'll cut you down in just a few turns!" The red haired duelist responded by chuckling while he drew. Kai knew his luck was off as soon as he heard that little chuckle.
"It's time to really show you the key point of my strategy. A technique capable of inflicting one turn kills on the opponent, deadly whenever used. The continuous magic card Upsetting the Table!" Kai nearly lost his balance as the ground beneath their feet shook and rose up, taking them several feet into the air.
He looked around and realized what had happened. They were now standing on a massive wooden table instead of the black ground. "What is this? It looks like this would be a field card, but you said it's not."
"That's correct. Upsetting the Table is a continuous magic card with a deadly ability. You see it represents what can happen if a frustrated person tries to start things over when in trouble. Like a person sweeping a chess game off a table when losing. Allow me to demonstrate." Eramoros smiled as he placed two cards on his duel disk.
First a sake bottle appeared on the field, and then a pitch black man with an incantation circle surrounding him joined the fray. "Meet my monster End Summoner(900/800) and also my continuous magic card One More Sake. And now, I upset the table!"
Eramoros slammed his foot down, and then entire table tilted in his direction. Kai hit the ground on his back and barely managed to grab the lip of the table to keep from sliding off. The monsters seemed to be having the same trouble, but Eramoros remained standing as if nothing had happened. "What are you doing?"
"Simple. Once per turn Upsetting the Table lets me destroy all cards on my field except itself to destroy an equal number on your field. After I do so I can't make a normal summon, so you shouldn't worry about that. Of course, you're about to lose your set card and your monster!" Monster Breaker scrabbled against the table, trying to stay on, but End Summoner was thrown off and shattered.
Kai pointed to his face down card which was being targeted. "Arc Energy Field prevents one Breaker on my field from being destroyed once this turn, and negates all life point damage inflicted to me this turn when Breakers battle!"
Eramoros frowned as he realized he had failed to destroy either card, so it didn't work out as well as he had hoped. "I see you managed to save yourself, but it won't help in the long run. Not only does my Duel Presence work, but also One More Sake has an effect when destroyed. It deals five hundred damage to you!" (KLP: 300, ELP: 4600)
"That's not all! When End Summoner is destroyed by an effect I can revive a monster from the grave, getting around Upsetting the Table's effect. So End of Anubis(2500/2000) returns and slays Monster Breaker!" Kai closed his eyes and gulped as End of Anubis attacked Monster Breaker and proceeded to rip it in half just like it had with Breaker. (KLP: 200, ELP: 4700)
"Open your eyes Kai Kaethen, because it's your turn." Kai opened his eyes and discovered that the field had changed more than he had seen. Now there was a card set on Eramoros' field behind End of Anubis.
Kai drew and tossed the card out onto the field. End of Anubis eyed the new monster hungrily despite the odd shade of green that its robes were. "Soul Breaker(1600 +300/1000) has a unique effect that will deal with you! By sacrificing its counter I can use the effect of a Breaker in the grave, and I choose to use Monster Breaker's!"
For the second time in the duel a black bolt of energy split End of Anubis down the middle and drained Kai of what was effectively half of his life points. "Breaker's Stealth Attack also deals you two hundred damage since I used a Breaker effect!" (KLP: 100, ELP: 4600)
He flicked a glance down at the set card, but was somehow certain he could risk the attack. Despite his limited life points he wasn't worried for some reason. "Soul Breaker attacks you directly!"
A trio of men in white robes sprang up and deflected the sword strike, protecting Eramoros from the attack. "It's a standard trap, but effective. Waboku reduces all battle damage I would take this turn to zero. Neat isn't it?"
Kai silently placed one of his two cards onto his duel disk and nodded his head to Eramoros. The blue-eyed man flicked a card off his deck and then made his move. "First I summon Drunken Angel(1800/1000) to the field."
An angel in a rumpled suit staggered out, his wings looking ruffled. He was also holding a bottle of sake in his hand. The angel looked up at Kai and giggled. "I'm not quite that drunk yet, maybe we should remedy that."
Eramoros snapped his fingers as if remembering something. "Ah, Drunken Angel has a point. He can't be called that till he's drunk, so I play Sweet Sake, a continuous magic card similar to One More Sake. And then…I upset the table!"
Eramoros slammed his left foot down on the table and again it tipped up, sending Soul Breaker staggering. Drunken Angel just stumbled around and Kai had prepared himself this time and was already gripping the lip of the table when it tipped up. "When Sweet Sake is destroyed I gain one thousand life points, not that it matters since just that one destruction defeats you and your Soul Breaker!" (ELP: 5800)
Soul Breaker slid off the edge and was instantly destroyed, but to Eramoros surprise when the table righted itself Kai stood back up, unharmed. "What the hell? How are you still alright? You can't negate my Duel Presence!"
"You're right, I can't. But my set card is gone if you hadn't noticed. It was my trap card Arc Guard, which works when I have a Breaker in play and negates all life point damage to me for the turn. And maybe you can explain why your Drunken Angel survived." Eramoros looked disappointed, but not devastated. After all, it only would take one use of Upsetting the Table or one card destroyed to beat his opponent now.
"Drunken Angel is immune to the effect of Upsetting the Table, that's why he's still alive. Now, since I can't do anything else I'll end my turn." He sighed, and looked up into the dark air. It was annoying him not to be able to end it, but Kai was good at hanging on.
Kai drew and snapped the card out to the side. Then he slid his other card into his duel disk. "Go, Breaker Birth! This lets me special summon a level four or less Breaker from my deck and give it a counter. So I summon Damage Breaker(1600 +300/1000)!"
Eramoros blinked, not liking the sound of the new forest green Breaker's name. "Next I play Breaker Dual Summon! By sacrificing one monster on my opponent's field I can summon a level four or lower Breaker from my deck. In exchange I lose my battle phase."
The red-haired man grimaced as he realized that Kai had gotten around his Duel Presence with that move. Since Drunken Angel was being sacrificed it didn't count towards his Duel Presence, keeping the other duelist safe. "Very well, summon your monster."
"Spell Breaker(1600 +300/1000) is my choice! And his ability can be used to destroy magic cards or negate them, so I'll tribute his to cut down Upsetting the Table!" A white robed Breaker stepped out onto the field and immediately stabbed his sword down into the table. Cracks spread along it and then it shattered.
"I counter your Duel Presence with Damage Breaker's effect, tributing his counter to reduce all life point damage to me for the turn to zero!" The forest green robed Breaker snapped his blade up and a green barrier appeared surrounding Kai and his two monsters, protecting them from all outside forces.
"Next since two Breaker effects were activated my Breaker Stealth Attack deals you four hundred damage, although you recover one hundred thanks to your Duel Presence." Eramoros was the one to feel the pressure this time as he was pushed backwards thanks to Kai's continuous magic card. (ELP: 5500)
"Turn End!" Kai knew very well that he had taken a risk there. If Eramoros was able to draw something that could destroy even one card then the duel was ended. He had to count on luck now, and his luck recently hadn't been great.
Seconds after Eramoros drew Kai knew that he was safe for the time being. The look on his opponent's face said it all. "You escape death for now Kai Kaethen, but your luck won't last forever. I set one monster and one card face down then end my turn."
Kai drew, and then pressed a special button on his duel disk. Immediately a side slot opened up and he placed the drawn card into it. "Field magic card activate, Breaker Temple!"
The area behind Kai shook and a massive structure took shape. It was surrounded by tall walls, but the grandeur was evident. Two tall spires made of white marble emerged from the center of the structure, and both Breakers relaxed at the sight. "This is where the Breakers learned their arts of magic and the blade, and it grants them greater strength both in combat and magic!"
"First of all it grants all Breakers an attack increase of three hundred, restoring them to nineteen hundred each. Secondly it increases the max number of counters my Breakers can hold to three. Thirdly I can place a magic counter on one Breaker on my field during my main phase if that monster is without counters. So I restore Damage Breaker's!" The hilt of Damage Breaker's sword lit up and his attack points raised a further three hundred to twenty-two hundred attack.
"I'll go preemptive and sacrifice Damage Breaker's counter to shield me from damage this turn You take damage from Breaker's Stealth Attack as well. Then he'll attack your face down monster!" Damage Breaker jumped forwards and skewered the monster, which was revealed as a little skeleton wearing a cloak.
"Skull Servant(300/200)? Strange choice, but I'm not going to worry about a weak monster that has no effect. Spell Breaker(1900/1000) attacks you directly!" Eramoros coughed up blood as Spell Breaker's sword slashed across his stomach. The red-haired man shook and one knee dropped to the ground which he quickly picked back up. (ELP: 3900)
Since Kai had no more plays he could make Eramoros took his chance to draw, and immediately sighed with relief. "I play Magical Well, placing a magic card from my deck into my hand. I can't set or activate it this turn, but I will next turn. That's all."
As soon as Kai had drawn his card for the turn the hilt of Damage Breaker's sword lit up again, giving it more energy. Its attack rose to twenty-two hundred once more. "I have both of my two Breakers attack your life points directly!"
Eramoros pointed to his set card and a green barrier appeared to block Damage Breaker. "Damage Paralyser negates one instance of damage to my life points and then lets both players draw a card! Sadly I still take the other attack…" (ELP: 2000)
Both duelists drew at the same time, and Kai picked his two cards up and slipped them into his duel disk. "End turn."
As soon as Eramoros drew he played the card he had received from Magical Well. "My second Upsetting the Table!" Kai braced himself as the ground shook again and they were raised up on the table platform. He also reached out so that at a moment's notice he could grab the edge to keep himself hanging on.
"I set the other two cards I'm holding face down and now I upset the table!" Kai grabbed the edge of the table before Eramoros even finished the sentence, letting him stay attached to the table even as it tilted upwards in an attempt to deposit its contents into the dirt.
"My two destroyed cards are Repayment of Losses to let me draw one card, and Dark Coffin to destroy one of your monsters. So since you'll take no damage I'll that you can save yourself, I'll be attempting to destroy both of your monsters and your continuous magic card." Kai grimaced as one of his two breakers was tossed off the table and the other had a black coffin wrap it in chains and drag it into the ground.
"Damage Breaker still sacrifices its counter to protect my life points and before Breaker's Stealth Attack is destroyed it still deals you damage!" Eramoros shrugged, hardly bothered considering the damage was minimal compared to the life points he was gaining. (ELP: 2300)
As soon as the table returned to a normal position Eramoros saw that one of Kai's face down cards was now face-up. "I've just now activated my trap card, Breaker Heart. This trap revives any Breakers destroyed this turn with no effects. So Spell Breaker(1600/1000) and Damage Breaker(1600/1000) return."
The two Breakers reappeared, but there was a distinct difference this time. Most Breakers had a distinctive blue skin tone most likely caused by the nature of their magical research. These two on the other hand had pale white skin instead of their normal blue. "No effects hmmm? Very well Kai Kaethen, I set one card face down and end my turn."
Kai closed his eyes the instant he saw Eramoros' cocky grin again. He couldn't stand seeing that right now, not when there was so much on the line. This draw was critical, and he couldn't let himself be shaken. 'Despite my past of pushing people away…Takuya is my friend. Perhaps the only amongst that group that I could consider a true friend. So I will not allow him to die!'
The card his hand was on seemed to pulse in his grip and he drew without thinking. When he held it up to his eyes he knew exactly why he had reacted in that way. "The master has come, and he wants a word with you Eramoros! I sacrifice Spell Breaker and Damage Breaker to summon the first and grandest of the Breakers! Breaker the Holy(2500 +600/25000) descend to protect the honor of your students and the pride of your school!"
Eramoros stared in shock at the massive creature in front of him. It stood at least a foot and a half taller than any previous Breaker, and its robes and armor were a magnificent combination of gold with white patterns. "For each Breaker sacrificed for this monster he gains a counter, and he has the abilities of his five original students. In addition thanks to Breaker Temple he gains three hundred more attack points for a total of thirty-four hundred points!"
Kai thrust one fist out at Eramoros, looking confident in his victory. "Breaker the Holy, avenge your students and attack Eramoros directly! Blade of the Master!" Eramoros' eyes went wide with shock as Breaker the Holy seemed to simply vanish from sight. Frantically he scrabbled for his duel disk to activate his set card.
"Go trap card, Table Upset! When this trap card is played I can upset the table during your turn and can count Table Upset as one card to be destroyed! So I'll destroy Breaker the Holy! And Table Upset cannot be negated!" This time it was Kai who was in shock as Breaker the Holy overshot his target and crashed down off the table, now defeated.
"No…even though my supreme monster has been defeated I have yet to lose. Continuous trap card activates, Breaker Soul Energy! This trap comes into play with three counters, each of which can be used for the effect of a Breaker in the grave. I remove one counter to use Damage Breaker's effect!" Eramoros shrugged even as his Duel Presence was prevented from dealing damage. He had bested Kai's best monster, and that was what mattered. (ELP: 2500)
Eramoros drew and held up a familiar card. "Pot of Greed." He drew twice and slid each of the two cards into play. Then he raised his left knee up and poised to strike the table. Kai grabbed the table's lip just in time as Eramoros upset the table, blowing away his two cards.
"Before my continuous trap card is destroyed I sacrifice another counter on it to once again use Damage Breaker's effect!" A forest green barrier formed around him just in time to guard him from shrapnel from Eramoros' cards and his own. Now his field was barren, but at least Eramoros couldn't summon this turn. (ELP: 2900)
"Kai Kaethen, this duel is nearly at its end. You see I destroyed a Sweet Sake and a Hidden Vault. As you know Sweet Sake gives me a thousand life points when destroyed and Hidden Vault lets me draw five cards when destroyed." He smirked as his life points began to rise again. As soon as it reached its peak he counted out the top five cards of his deck and then drew them, giving a careful examination of each. (ELP: 3900)
"Ah, perfect. I play Reward of Crushing Pain, which gives me half the damage dealt to you during this duel as life points. That would be nineteen hundred and fifty life points I believe." Kai winced as he saw the gap between their life points widen even further. Not only that but it also undid all of his efforts so far. (ELP: 5850)
"Last but not least I'll set one card face down and activate the continuous magic card One More Sake. You can't run much loner Kai Kaethen. Soon you will lose and become part of this collective. It is best to accept it; you'll find it is quite an amazing experience. Your soul will become one with all of us as will your mind. Don't think of it as an end, but rather as a new beginning." Eramoros' smile was inviting and comforting, and that worried Kai even farther.
Kai knew that he should take his turn, but he wasn't sure exactly what he could do. Certainly there were ways he could restore his life points in his deck, or maybe one or two more ways to protect his life points. But protecting himself wouldn't cut it; he needed a way to finish off Eramoros. 'Or else my soul will become part of this collective. I will cease to exist, Takuya will die, and perhaps the world as well. I don't want any of that; I never wanted any of this. Why did I come to meet Dalin even knowing I would be risking my life?'
The answers weren't coming immediately, and all he could think of were the times he had fought by their side. First he had met Drake and the two of them had been flung into danger without any choice in the matter. 'I never chose that. But then I agreed to go with Dalin after learning about the danger involved, just because I wanted revenge on the people who were responsible for the deaths of my parents. My thoughts weren't about the world, but just revenge.'
He raised his hands to stare at them, his eyes and hands shaking at a similar pace. 'This time I knew what I was getting into. I knew my life would be at risk yet I still chose to fight to defend the world. Or perhaps what I really chose to defend was…yes…that's why I accepted this.'
Kai knew that if he gave up now or lost the duel then he would be absorbed into this strange collective and his mind and individuality all that defined him would be erased forever. If he didn't succeed here than it was giving up on the world that he had promised to grow to love. If he let it die now he would be breaking his promise, he would be giving up on his own family.
At last Kai saw his true reason and he gripped the top card of his deck as his eyes wrenched up to meet Eramoros' freakishly blue eyes. "Eramoros! I will not be the last candle to go out!"
Eramoros suddenly found himself being pressed down towards the ground by a flaring source of energy. In his mind's eye he could see a massive aura of raw energy seething around Kai Kaethen. "This is…Heart of Soul!"
Kai's eyes were now completely blank white, and he could see something he had never viewed before. Strands of light that shimmered all around them, leading off of them and away. He saw two that reached out from his own body and thousands that reached from Eramoros. 'These are…soul connections! One of these is my normal one and the other is the Heart of Soul…and that one!'
His eyes saw a single strand of light of a gold color coming from Eramoros that was tangled around the field. It felt so familiar that Kai instinctually knew what it was. 'It's the thread of spiritual energy that controls Eramoros' Duel Presence! Which means…'
Suddenly a gold strand of light appeared to his eye extending from his own body and wrapping about the field. He reached out one hand and took hold of it and instantly understood. As soon as he did so he drew and his energy exploded even farther. "Eramoros, I activate my Duel Presence!"
"Your…duel presence?"
"That's right! Three times during the duel I can select one card in my grave and one card in my deck and place them into my hand!" One card shot out of his deck and another from the grave, and he added them both into his hand. Now he had three cards, and somehow he seemed totally confident. Enough so that Eramoros felt afraid.
"Eramoros, this duel is over! Activate continuous magic cards Breaker Stealth Attack and Fountain of Dreams! And now…I summon Wound Breaker(1600+300/1000)!" Kai's new monster had white and blue robes, and instead of a sword it held a staff in both hands and had a serene look on both of its face.
Kai raised his right hand which was clenched tightly into a fist and then punched it towards Eramoros. "This duel ends now, with my Life Assault Loop! First Wound Breaker tributes its counter to give me three hundred life points!" (KLP: 400)
"Next since a Breaker activated its effect my Breaker Stealth Attack deals you two hundred damage!" Eramoros grimaced as his life points trickled down a little, but even that didn't worry him. It was the look on Kai's face that had him afraid. (ELP: 5650)
"Step three is that since a monster activated its effect Fountain of Dreams generates three magic counters, one of which is automatically placed onto Wound Breaker. And so the Life Assault Loop begins! Wound Breaker can infinitely gain counters and infinitely sacrifice them to give me life points and drain you of life points! This is the end!" Eramoros screamed as energy funneled around him, draining him of every last life point. (KLP: 8800, ELP: 0)
Eramoros collapsed on the ground and stared up at Kai and then his body faded away, leaving nothing in his place. Kai collapsed as well, all of his energy now drained away even though the Darkness Game was at last ended. "Takuya…I'm coming…I won't let you die, I swear!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A week later Kai found himself leaving the city by jeep and heading back to the mountain, back to the place where it had begun. He hadn't been feeling capable of going anywhere himself at first, and had been treated at the hospital along with Takuya. He had stayed only a day and a half, but Takuya had lost a lot of blood.
Finally Takuya had convinced him to leave him in the doctor's hands and go back to complete their mission. So here Kai was, back at the mountain at last and ready to retrieve the devious device that their mission had brought them here for. "Down into the creepy tunnel, and then to get the device, and then back to Dalin and the others. All the hard part is done, this is the easy part."
"Easy part? You've got the wrong idea about things Koi." Kai groaned as he recognized that cocky voice. And there standing with one arm leaning against the edge of the shadowed door was none other than Drake.
"Weren't you supposed to be in Madrid? What are you doing way out here anyways? And Drake…why would you even call me a fish? My name is Kai and you damned well know it!" Drake snorted and pushed away from the wall, then moved forward to stand just at the edge of the shadow.
"Keh, because the name Kai is kinda cool and that pisses me off. And don't you worry about Madrid, I've done what I needed to. Now it's time for you to do your part. Shockingly enough you've turned out to be useful. You know a little bit about torture…right Koi?" Kai's eyes widened as Drake stepped out from the shadows, revealing himself.
"What in the….what did you do to yourself? Are you really Drake?" The other man chuckled and advanced on Kai. Kai stumbled backwards, but as quickly as he moved away it seemed that Drake moved closer.
"No…I've gone a bit beyond being Drake, even if I ever really was. Call me D'raka, or call me god, whichever you'd prefer." Kai felt his heart leap up into his throat as he realized that the changed Drake was now no longer standing in front of him, but was now directly behind him.
"What…do you want?" He craned his neck back, almost afraid to look at the man standing behind him. He heard the other man chuckle and then felt something cold touch his side. Kai gulped and glanced down, confirming that the object against his side was definitely a knife.
"What do I want? Oh that's a little complicated, but from you I want something simple. I want you to show me everything you know about…pain." Kai felt the knife plunge into his side, and his world shook. He felt cold air against his ear even as his entire body started to feel cold.
"Don't go to sleep Koi, you've got a lot to show me still. I'll make sure your candle doesn't go out for a very long time…."
Nobody heard him scream.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Author's Notes: Uh-oh spaghetti-o!
Next Time: The time has come at last. Ihami leads the way, bringing Dalin and the others before the mysterious entity called The Puppeteer. Secrets lie in the grasp of this strange being that must be rested free, and an encounter with a powerful entity from the past has a new chapter opening in the Apocalypse.
See it all in, Sympathy for the Devil!