Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh.
Tournament of Tears
Chapter 3: Horus the Black Flame Dragon vs. the Thief of Roses
Everyone in the stands felt their hearts stop at once.
"Krieger Reinhardt vs. Esmin Reiner!"
Krieger turned pale white. While Esmin just brushed some of his long white hair back and leapt down to the field.
Esmin shuffled his deck a couple of times, and then he looked at Krieger calmly. "I'm not an evil demon, so I offer you a chance to surrender before things become deadly for you."
Krieger looked up at the stands and then at his father. ("No…I mustn't fail.") "No, I refuse to surrender."
"Very well, darkness game begins." All around the two of them, the air grew murky and cold. "I begin this duel. While I do not like the method of arrival, I'll admit that perhaps there is something to be said about this Mediator's methods…"
Esmin- 4000
Krieger- 4000
Esmin drew, and did what he always did in these types of situations. ("What is in my hand is a moot point, for my opponent is what I am fighting.") He looked at Krieger and immediately evaluated his opponent's level of skill. ("Just a child…I'll try to spare him the darkest end that can come of these games.") Taking a card from his hand, he placed it onto the field. "I summon Vampire Orchis (1700/1000) in attack mode." A huge tree with fangs appeared in play. "When summoned, this monster lets me call out Des Dendle (100/2000) to the field." A blob of green slime appeared in play. "Then these two monsters union." The slime wrapped around the tree. "End turn."
"Draw!" Krieger looked at his drawn card and breathed a sigh of relief. ("Alright! It's one of the new monsters I got from the Shadow Corporation storage.") "I summon Templar of Horus (1800/1000) in attack mode!" A large man wearing silver armor that made it look like Horus the Black Flame Dragon appeared in play. "Attack now!" It launched across the field and slashed right through the tree.
"Des Dendle's special ability activates now…" The slime exploded. "When Vampire Orchis would be destroyed as a result of battle, it is destroyed instead."
Esmin- 3900
Krieger- 4000
Krieger grimaced. ("I should have known…and that means the effect of my Templar doesn't work.") Sliding a card into his disk, he took a deep breath. "End turn…"
Esmin drew. "I shall sacrifice my monster…" Vampire Orchis disappeared and was replaced by a huge tree with a number of tortured human-like faces on it. "And summon my almighty Grapebind." (2300/0) "When this monster destroys a monster as a result of battle, my opponent is forced to discard the top card of his deck and then I may draw a card if the discarded card is a monster. Battle." The vines of the tree launched towards the warrior.
"Reverse card open!" Krieger's face-down card flipped up. "Black Breath! When there is a monster in play that has Horus in its title, I may destroy one card in play!" The tree burst into black flames.
Esmin emptied his hand into his disk. "I set four cards face-down. End turn."
Krieger looked up at the stands for the supporting eyes of his friends…but then realized that the darkness game removed such a thing. ("I'm alone in this…it's just me…")
"What's the matter? Are you so quick to feel immense fear at my spiritual energy?" Esmin sighed. "A duelist should not need to rely on his friends for assistance, remember that."
Krieger's eyes flashed crimson red as his blood started to boil. "Don't speak to me like I'm some kid!" The edges of his hand burned with red light as he drew. "I play the magic card Templar's Duty! When Templar of Horus is in play, then I can use this card to destroy one card in play!"
"Impressive ability…however…" Esmin waved his hand out and a huge pair of jaws clamped around the hologram of the card, destroying it instantly. "Magic Venus activates during each turn when the first magic card of that turn is played. That card is negated and it gains 1000 attack points." (1000/0) "Also, I wouldn't suggest that you try and not play magic cards. If at the end of the turn the Magic Venus hasn't been given a magic card, then it deals damage to that player equal to its attack." His silver-white hair contrasted in the pitch night of the darkness game. "Can you feel the vines of my plants around your heart yet, boy?"
Krieger snarled and slammed another card into his disk. "Don't try and frighten me with your talk! I activate the magic card Templar's Duty! This time I'll destroy your Grapebind and then I'll attack you…"
Esmin pointed at another set card. "Fool. I activate the power of my next trap…" A pair of butterfly-like wings sprang into life immediately. "Another trap monster, this one is called Demon's Wings." The wings fluttered and Krieger realized that the material was plant matter. (0/2400) "This monster is summoned in defense mode immediately. Also, when a magic card is played I may send one card on my field to the graveyard to negate that magic card. Therefore…my precious Magic Venus sacrifices itself for me." The shadowy mass faded away.
Krieger stared at his hand, and felt despair rumble in towards him. ("No matter what I play, he'll crush it…I…")
"I feel no pain at doing this, boy." Esmin pointed at another of his set cards. "On that note, I see that you intend to try and simply defend. It won't work. I activate the next trap monster." Light filled the darkness, the color pink and soft. "Lantern Weed (0/0) is called out. When this monster is in play, you cannot have monsters in defense mode. Also, during your battle phase you must attack." A flowery glowing plant appeared on his field alongside both his Demon's Wings and Grapebind.
Krieger smiled slightly and pointed at the Lantern Weed. "Your effect means I can declare an attack on your Weed! Go Templar!" His powerful warrior flexed its muscles and leapt towards the glowing plant…
"Fool." Esmin's last card disappeared, replaced by a bed of thorns. "Thorny Sleeper (0/0) possesses the ability to force your monster to attack one monster of my choice when you attack." The templar turned around and slammed right into Grapebind, blowing apart instantly. "Also…" Grapebind tore the top card off of Krieger's deck, revealing Horus the Black Flame Dragon lvl 8. "I draw." Drawing a single card, Esmin's eyes revealed he intended to kill Krieger during the next turn. "Softness is not something you can expect from any demon duelist. Child, you will soon be consumed."
Esmin- 3900
Krieger- 3500
Krieger felt his heart start to break. ("I…I'm not cut out for this, am I? This guy is so far beyond my level…so far beyond me…") His remaining three hands cards were almost dropped into their slots. "I set three down, end turn." Krieger's voice now lacked the strength it once had.
Esmin's face twisted into a cold snarl. "Prepare yourself! Draw!" He didn't even bother to look at the drawn card…he already knew exactly what it was. Just like most of the demon generals, when he was fully charged he could instinctively figure out which cards were to be drawn from his deck. A duel between generals was more like a dance than a game, where both wills clash and the strongest brings out the best of their deck. "I will end you here. I activate Cyclone!" A sharp wind blew across Krieger's center face-down card, which exploded into dust.
Krieger's ears perked up a little, as if this was something he wanted to have happen. ("Maybe I can win…")
Esmin shook his head at the reaction he had seen. "No. You're wrong. Your set card was called Recovery Net. When it is sent to the graveyard the next card of yours that is sent to the graveyard is instead sent to the top of your deck. I understand your plan, because when Recovery Net activates you gain back 1000 life points. However, your set card should have been played during your turn. After all, Level Tuning works best if played during your turn, right?"
Krieger felt his entire body start to tremble. This enemy…knew his every plan… ("He knew what the cards I set face-down were…") His final card was Magical Textbooks, which would allow him to play the Level Tuning card and return Horus to the field from the graveyard. But if Esmin knew this… ("What was I thinking? Why didn't I simply play Level Tuning and hope he didn't draw a dangerous trap card…I should have trusted in my deck…")
"You don't have time to daydream, fool!" Esmin pointed at Krieger. "Grapebind, attack him directly!" The vines of the monster pummeled Krieger ruthlessly. "Also, I set one card face-down on the field. End turn." Esmin knew the two face-down cards, and the next card was most likely unimportant. If he was correct, then during his next turn Krieger would be dead. ("Dumb boy…you shouldn't have tried to battle against a true duelist of the roses…literally.")
Esmin- 3900
Krieger- 1200
Krieger drew and he pointed at his set card. "I activate Level Tuning! By allowing you to draw two cards I can special summon any one level monster from my graveyard to the field regardless of summoning requirements! Come out now…my ultimate monster! Horus…"
"Shut up and observe." Esmin's set card flipped up. "My final trap card. It's not anything plant-based, but it works fine. Royal Oppression allows both of us to pay 800 life points to negate any special summon out opponent attempts." Level Tuning shattered, but Esmin was still allowed to draw two cards. And though he did so, it didn't matter now. The duel was his. "I win, foolish child. Attacking is suicide, while defending is forbidden. Therefore you now are charging to your death."
Krieger closed his eyes and he started to tremble. ("I don't want to die…I don't want to…") He felt his heart beating in his chest, and then he realized that something was very wrong… ("Why does my chest hurt? Why does…") His mind went quiet…
Esmin frowned at this new development. Krieger's eyes were glowing pure red, and something about his limp stance indicated unconsciousness. ("However…he…")
Krieger held up the drawn card. "First I play the magic card Roiling Darkness of the Demon Monarch." Black lightning crackled down around his body. "When I am in play, all trap cards on the opponent's field are destroyed."
Esmin's eyes widened as all of his precious trap plant monsters were instantly burned to ash. ("But…such a feat would require a shadow card. For this child to possess such a card…") Any surprise he had shown disappeared as he realized that he was going to have to be serious about this duel. ("Very well, I won't hold back now.")
Krieger snarled darkly and his face-down card flipped up. "Activate Magical Textbooks!" The top card of his deck flashed away and appeared on the field as a hologram. And the card was Black Flame Ritual. "Horus the Black Flame Dragon Level 8 (3000/1800) is special summoned!" A giant pillar of black fire launched up into the sky as Horus revealed itself. Roaring, the giant metallic dragon snarled down at Esmin. "Black Flame Burst!" Horus sprayed the Grapebind with fire and it was burned to a crisp.
Esmin- 3200
Krieger- 1200
Esmin braced himself against the wash of black flame. "Not yet! Draw!" He looked at the drawn card and nodded at his deck's plan. ("If I activate any magic cards, then his dragon's special ability will negate them. However…") He placed a single card face-down onto his disk. "I set a monster in defense mode. Also, I set two cards face-down and end my turn."
Krieger's bright red eyes glared right into Esmin's, and once again the fox thief felt a tinge of fear in his heart. Something about those eyes spoke of a power far beyond his own, despite his earlier speeches. "Morphing Jar…that is your face-down monster…"
Esmin remained emotionless and quiet. He felt like he was standing before a wild animal that would attack at the slightest provocation.
"Draw!" Krieger held the drawn card up. "Black Flame Implosion destroys all magic and trap cards in play!" Esmin's face-down cards were instantly destroyed. "Also, all monsters in play other than Horus are destroyed!" As the smoke from the explosion cleared, the huge head of Horus the Black Flame Dragon rose up like a pillar. "Black Flame Burst Stream!" A concentrated beam of black flame slammed right into Esmin. And then it blew right through the darkness game, instantly negating it.
Siegfried felt his entire body trembling now… ("I felt it before…but this time it really is him…") "Mediator, stop this duel now."
"Why's that? Are you worried about the fox?" The Mediator looked absolutely bored at the development.
"No…he'll kill us all…" Siegfried felt his whole body break out into a cold sweat. ("That side of Krieger…it won't have any quarrel with killing us all. His rage…")
Rikuo tilted his head to the side, and a slight frown creased his face for a moment. ("Jourgen? Can you hear me?")
There was silence in his mind for a moment, and then Ryu responded. ("Yes, what is it?")
The wolf demon watched as Horus continued to pour blazing black fire over where Esmin was. ("That boy, his power is interesting. Do you think that his contact with the Dark Halo could have caused him to gain this energy boosting rage?")
("I would agree, but I know what this is. It is called Blood Rage, and it is a rare genetic strain that is so recessive there is no way to trace what triggers it. It normally happens in the meekest of demons, and that is because they possess a monster within them that is incredibly powerful…and incredibly angry.") The dragon demon felt his entire body quiver in excitement. ("This is perfect…a beautiful opportunity to study the power of Blood Rage.")
("Blood Rage huh?") Rikuo glanced over at the trembling Siegfried. "Calm yourself…"
"But he…" Siegfried nearly leapt at Rikuo, and the wolf demon didn't hesitate. He struck a point in the man's neck and instantly knocked him unconscious.
As the fire cleared itself away, Krieger watched as Esmin slowly stood up from within the fire. "For all of your comments earlier, you now find yourself completely overwhelmed. Perhaps you were better off simply surrendering to me at first?"
Esmin stumbled to his feet. "I…won't…" His words turned to gasps of pain as Krieger was suddenly standing in front of him, holding him up by the neck roughly.
"Fool…I'm beyond the demon generals." Krieger flexed his hand once and Esmin passed out from the pain of his windpipe getting squeezed completely shut. Dropping the demon general's body to the ground, Krieger turned and collapsed face-first into the ground, unmoving.
The Mediator yawned. "So I see…I suppose the boy won. Alright, let's move onto the next match."
The board up in the air started to flicker, and then it stopped with two names lighting the air.
Terra vs. Griff Mohistava
To be continued…