Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh.
Tournament of Tears
Chapter 10: Pulsing Heartbeat of the Demon
Silence and Haku both had to brace themselves against the incredible force of energy that struck them both at the same time. It was so intense that neither of them were sure what it was from.
Then deep laughter came from somewhere within the tornado. "Both of you are annoyances that need to be wiped off of the planet. So therefore, I'll kill you both…and move onto the last thing imprinted in this mind. Midnight…" Then the tornado was cut off to reveal a new form.
The new form was like that of Ichigo's, but different in so many ways. Its hair reached down to nearly the ground, the color like that of Ichigo's normal hair. His eyes were slotted to the point of having nearly no pupil, and his fangs were much longer than Ichigo's had ever been. Everything about this being spoke of a ferocity that only a full-blooded demon could possess. "So…a pair of homunculus then? That is what brought this boy to calling for me? Such a shame…oh well…" He motioned to his empty field. "As you can see, the change of duelist has caused the field to be cleared and the life point totals of myself to be reset."
Ichigo- 4000
Silence- 4000
Ichigo fanned out his five card hand. "Since I drew Siphon Spirit, I'll just play out with what is in my hand." He looked at the cards in his hand and a slight smile crossed his face. "So I see…his Soul Force Deck has completely changed as well. Then I'll just adjust accordingly. I summon DA Force-Krieger the Flame Mage (1300/1500) to the field in defense mode." As the card touched down onto the disk, the being that formed on the field looked just like Krieger, except for the fire-red robes and staff.
Krieger blinked a couple of times…and then looked up at the attack and defense scores over his head. "What in the heck happened? And more importantly…" He looked down at his clothing. "Why am I dressed like this?"
"Silence yourself and get into defense mode already." Ichigo pointed at Krieger, and the half-demon was forced to his knees. "I don't have the time to answer questions, so just know that it's either me or death."
Krieger snarled quietly, but didn't argue.
Ichigo slid a card into his disk. "I set one card face-down on the field and end my turn."
Silence drew, knowing that as long as she had Golden Homunculus in play that she could deal with anything these strange demons had. She slid a card into her disk and then pointed at Krieger. The giant golden monster unleashed a wave of golden darts that hurtled towards the boy.
"AHHH!" Krieger puts his hands over his head and prepared to kiss his butt good-bye.
"Reverse card open!" Ichigo pointed at his set card. "I reveal the power of my continuous trap card, which is called Friendship Aura! This card activates when a DA Force monster on my field is attacked. This monster cannot be destroyed as a result of battle as long as this card remains face-up on the field!"
Krieger yelped as the darts slammed into him, but blinked in surprise when they slid off of him harmlessly.
Silence frowned and pointed at Ichigo.
As the full demon drew, he sneered coldly. "Now then, let me show you just how dangerous I really am!" A card was slammed down onto his disk. "I set one monster face-down on the field and then I end my turn!"
Silence drew and pointed at the set monster. The Golden Homunculus released another Golden Harvester…and the result was a scream of pain that sounded like it could have only come from Alahandra. Then the face-down card exploded into dust.
Ichigo sneered and removed his deck from its slot. "When DA Force-Alahandra the Light Mistress (300/400) is flipped face-up, I can search my deck for any magic card and add it to my hand. And my choice is Pot of Greed!" As he inserted the card into his hand, he noticed that Krieger was trying as hard as possible to stand up. "What's your problem?"
"That was Alahandra you just got killed, you sick bastard!" The half-demon struggled with all of his strength, but it didn't work at all. While he was a monster under this Ichigo's control, there was nothing more he could do than stay in defense mode.
"She'll be fine, stupid." Ichigo glanced at Silence. "What are you looking at?"
Silence slid a card into her disk and then pointed at Ichigo.
The full demon drew. "First I play my Pot of Greed magic card." A giant green smiling jar appeared on the field. "This card lets me draw twice." Two more cards left his deck and were added to his hand. "And now I'll play Heavy Storm to get rid of your magic and trap cards!"
Silence's face-down card flipped up, and Haku spoke in. "She's activating her Alchemy Shield trap card. It can only activate if she has no cards in her graveyard and at least ten cards in her removed from play pile. It can negate any one card." Heavy Storm exploded into dust.
Ichigo slid a different card into his disk. "Then I'll play the magic card Horn of Calling! This lets me add one card with Force in its title from my deck to my hand!" He caught a card spat out of his deck and then slid three cards into his disk. "I set three cards face-down on the field…and then I'll activate the magic card Coins from Heaven! We both draw until we are holding six cards in hand!" He drew five cards from his deck, while Silence drew six. "And now your plans unravel right here!"
Krieger felt energy burning right out his body. "What's…going on?"
"The effect of Krieger the Flame Mage is that when three magic cards are played in one turn, then all cards on your field are destroyed immediately!" Ichigo licked his lips. "So all of your precious plans go…bye-bye."
Krieger yelled in pain as energy exploded from his body and washed over Silence's field, blowing it apart.
Ichigo held up another card. "Now I'll return my Alahandra the Light Mistress from the graveyard to the field with this quickplay magic card! It's called Friendship's Ties!" There was a flash of light and Alahandra appeared on the field, her eyes wide in confusion.
"How'd I get here? And more importantly…" Alahandra looked at her new glittering white clothing…and started to dance up and down. "Where'd these great clothes come from?"
Ichigo chuckled and slid one last card into his disk. "Now I set one more card face-down on the field. End turn."
Silence drew and held up two cards. The first was another Chaos Distill, and the second was Soul Release. There was an explosion of light from her graveyard as the five cards she lost to it were removed from the game, along with the Soul Release used on them. Then she held up two cards and slid them into her disk. Afterwards she pointed at Ichigo to indicate that it was his turn.
Ichigo drew. "I switch Krieger into attack mode and declare an attack on your life points!" The half-demon stood up and felt energy building up within his body. "Now, attack that annoyance!"
Krieger snarled at Ichigo, and then released a blast of fire from his staff.
Silence pointed at her set card, which flipped up to reveal a glowing picture of a human body surrounded by stars.
Haku smirked. "How great is this…you'll be the first to suffer this effect in a while! She activates Mental Cosmos, which first requires that she removes Chaos Distill from the game!" The giant red machine blew apart, and the landscape around them changed from a hallway to a large expanse of space surrounded by small planets the size of wrecking balls. "When this continuous trap card is activated, she can special summon Helios (1100/1400) from her hand or deck to the field!" A female body wrapped in linens and with a head that looked just like the sun appeared on the field. "Also, if I'm correct that face-down card is Aligning the Planets, which can only activate when Helios and Mental Cosmos are in play. This quickplay magic card destroys one monster in play and deals the owner of it 300 points of damage!" All of the planets aligned…
Ichigo smirked and one of his set cards flipped face-up. "I won't take unnecessary losses to my monsters! Reveal Will Force! This counter trap activates when a DA Force monster on my field is targeted by an opponent's card! Their card is negated and destroyed!" Aligning the Planets was blown into dust. "So now what will you do? I'm still going to attack!"
"Are you so sure? Helios is in defense mode." Haku pointed at the kneeling celestial being.
Ichigo sighed. "Krieger withdraws his attack."
Krieger also breathed a sigh of relief and floated back over to Ichigo's field.
After a few moments of thought, the full demon shrugged. "I guess my turn is done."
Silence drew and held up a card. From off to the side Haku chimed in with its effect. "Charging Helios is a magic card that sacrifices Helios to summon Charged Helios to the field." The goddess was destroyed and in a flash was replaced by a much fatter and shorter version of herself. "This monster's attack points are equal to the number of removed from play monsters times 200." (2400/2400) "Now, Incandescent Fire!" The goddess released a blast of fire that hurtled across the field towards Krieger like a missile.
The half-demon braced himself for death…but it never came.
Ichigo pointed at his face-down card. "I reveal my Perilous Pitfall trap card! When you target a monster on my field with an attack and I have more monsters than you do, your monster is destroyed!" A giant spike fell out of nowhere and tore right into the goddess.
Haku snickered as Helios appeared on the field once more. "Whenever Helios is destroyed, it returns to the field with 300 more attack points." (2700/2400) "So the battle continues!" The fire missile reappeared and covered Krieger, who screamed in pain right before the fire died away to leave Krieger unharmed thanks to the continuous trap that was still on Ichigo's field.
Ichigo- 2600
Silence- 4000
Ichigo drew. "I won't let you defeat me so easily!" When he looked at the drawn card, a deep frown creased his face. ("This card is Halo…but to summon it I must sacrifice two monsters. However…I cannot do that to them. I won't do that if there is another way.") If he only had a way to play three magic cards in concession, then he could use Krieger's effect to clear the field away instantly. "I…I switch Krieger into defense mode and end my turn."
Krieger struggled all the way. "What about Alahandra? She'll be next!"
Alahandra gulped as she saw the fire of Helios start to build up around the goddess' head. "Eeeep…."
Silence drew and held up a single card. Haku started to laugh. "That's Grand Cross, so it doesn't matter! This quickplay magic card can only activate when Charged Helios and Mental Cosmos are in play! All monsters in play will be destroyed, and you'll take 300 points of damage for each one you lose!"
Krieger, Alahandra, and Ichigo all gasped as the air around them all started to get blurry.
Krieger felt a powerful pressure pulling at his body… "Ichi…go…" Then he screamed and was blown to pieces.
Alahandra clutched at her stomach and looked at Ichigo pleadingly. "Please…help…." Then she was gone as well. Helios just exploded and returned, stronger than ever. (3000/2400)
Ichigo- 2000
Silence- 4000
Ichigo stood in silence…his eyes locked onto Silence's eyes. "I'll kill you slowly now…false life." Then Helios' fires were flying towards him for a direct attack…until they died out. "During the turn that Alahandra is destroyed, all damage is zero."
Silence slid the last card in her hand into her disk and pointed at Ichigo.
Ichigo drew. "Now you'll suffer for what you just did." He held up the drawn card. "Friendship's Memento activates now!" A picture of all of the Duelist Academy team standing together after the end of the Rival School Tournament appeared in the air. "This card allows me to do one of three things. I can draw two cards, pick up two DA Force monsters from my graveyard, or I can increase the attack of any DA Force monster in play by double. I choose the second effect." He held up both Alahandra and Krieger's cards, inserting them into his hand. Then he slid a card into his disk and placed a card onto his disk. "I set one monster face-down on the field and one card face-down. End turn." ("Alahandra…I'll protect you this time with my face-down card.")
Silence drew and slid the drawn card into her disk. Haku just continued to laugh. "Starlight Crush. This magic card can only activate if Helios is in play with Mental Cosmos…all monsters in play will be destroyed, and for every one destroyed one magic or trap card in play will be destroyed." Both Helios and the face-down card exploded, followed by Silence's face-down card and one of Ichigo's two set cards.
Ichigo frowned…and pointed at his field, where there still rested a monster card, but no magic or traps. "The effect of my face-down Duel Decoy allows me to replace one monster on my field with a replacement that shares its effects. So during this turn you cannot deal me life point damage with any effect Starlight Crush might have…and you can't hurt Alahandra either!"
Silence frowned as her Helios returned. (3300/2400) She pointed at Ichigo.
And Ichigo was more than happy to draw. One look at what he drew told him that the necessary ability to turn this around was just a few steps away. Firstly though… "I flip up Alahandra!" As the card vanished, Alahandra appeared on the field in a huge flourish, a big smile on her face as she struck a pose. "When flipped up, I can add one magic card from my deck to my hand." He grasped a single card from his hand and slammed it into his disk. "Now I play the magic card Reinforcements of the Army, which lets me add one level four or lower warrior monster from my deck to my hand." He smirked at the card he chose. "Ichigo the True Hero (1600/1400) is my choice."
Silence didn't like the sound in Ichigo's voice at all…
Ichigo slid a card into his disk. "Now I activate the magic card I searched for…When All Else Fails! This magic card allows me special summon all level four or lower monsters from my hand to the field, though their special effects are negated for the rest of the game! So first I return Krieger the Flame Mage!" In a blast of fire, Krieger appeared on the field and nearly immediately went for Ichigo's throat. And then right after that a glowing ball of light appeared on the field and exploded open to reveal a shining powered armor-wearing warrior. "Huh?"
The warrior blinked a couple of times and tapped the side of his helmet, the visor sliding away to reveal Ichigo's face. "How did I get here? And more importantly…why I am watching Krieger trying to strangle me? Is this some kind of vision?"
The other Ichigo pushed Krieger away and pointed at the monster Ichigo. "For now, don't comment on what is happening. Just imagine that this is one big dueling field and you are one of my monsters."
Ichigo rolled his eyes and pointed at himself. "Listen, I need to rescue my mother, so I don't have time to play around!"
The full demon Ichigo snarled and pointed at Silence. "You are in the process of rescuing your mother, so shut your hole and let me work!"
Ichigo grumbled but didn't argue.
The demon Ichigo held up two cards, which he slid into his disk. "Also, I play the field magic card Fusion Gate!" All around the space, a swirling vortex began to build. "Now I play Treasure of Slashing Life to draw until I am holding five cards!" Four cards left the top of his deck, and he prayed one of them was one that could help in this situation. And yet as he looked upon them he saw no answer…except for one possible way to win this battle. "And for me to win…I must risk a fusion!"
"A fusion?" Haku blinked in surprise, while the members of the DA Force all gulped. The idea of being fused together didn't sound like it would feel too good.
Ichigo pointed at his set card. "Reveal Polymerization! Fuse together the best two chances for a shining hope, Ichigo and Alahandra!"
The monster Ichigo groaned. "Oh no…I don't want to be a girl again…" And then he and Alahandra were pulled together into a glowing vortex in space.
Demon Ichigo smirked. "Come, DA Force-Miracle Hero!" (2000/2000) There was an explosion of light and a golden suit of powered armor appeared on the field, the pilot hidden somewhere within the metal depths.
Silence shrugged it off, knowing that couldn't compete against her.
Demon Ichigo sneered. "Miracle Hero's special ability activates now!" An explosion of light filled the space around them, and then cards began appearing out of thin air around them both. "All cards in both our removed from play piles and graveyards are shuffled into our decks!"
Silence gasped as the power of her Charged Helios dropped. (900/0)
Demon Ichigo pointed at his set card. "Go special ability of Ichigo the True Hero! When this monster is sent from my field to the graveyard, one DA Force monster in play gains 1000 attack points!" (3000/2000) Miracle Hero struck a pose as energy flared up along its body. "Also, the effect of Ichigo the True Hero activates when it is shuffled back into my deck from my graveyard! All DA Force monsters in play gain 500 attack points!" (3500/2000) (1800/1500)
Krieger smirked as fire burned in his eyes. "I'm going to blow you down! Fire Flash!" Fire launched from his staff and swallowed up Helios, blowing it apart.
Ichigo- 2000
Silence- 3400
Silence cried out as her body was swallowed in fire. And then Helios reformed. (1200/0)
Ichigo pointed at the monster. "Miracle Hero's attack comes! Divine Hero Majesty!" A blast of light came from the fused warrior as it blew Helios apart as well.
Ichigo- 2000
Silence- 1100
Silence grimaced as her Helios reformed once more. (1500/0)
Ichigo held up a finger. "You think that you have won? Actually…it's done for you! When Miracle Hero destroys a monster as a result of battle, I gain that monster's attack in life!"
Ichigo- 3200
Silence- 1100
"And when Krieger destroys a monster as a result of battle, its attack is drained from your life points!" Fire washed over Silence's body.
Ichigo- 3200
Silence- 200
Ichigo brushed back some of his long hair and winked at the now smoldering girl. "End turn."
Silence gritted her teeth and looked over at Haku, who looked horrified at her condition. "My…love…"
Haku started to run towards her. "Silence!"
Silence smiled weakly and drew, holding the card up for both Ichigo and Haku to see. "Celestial Storm…activates when Cosmos and Helios are in play. Both are removed from game, and all cards in play destroyed. Both players take life point damage equal to the number of cards they lost times 300." Her eyes swept over to Haku. "Good-bye…" And then the field exploded, along with the cosmic dimension.
Ichigo braced himself as his field was blown away. "Krieger…Ichigo…Alahandra!" Then all of his cards were wiped away.
Ichigo- 1700
Silence- 0
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Ichigo's eyes opened slowly, pain the only true thing he felt at the moment. ("Damn it all to hell…what happened?") Then memories of the situation flashed in his mind and he snarled. "That stupid girl…she…"
"Shut up before I kill you right now for commenting badly about Silence." Haku stood where the girl had been, a duel disk around his arm and a hand of five cards being held. "I will end this right now, and make sure that you never cause master Midnight trouble again. For Silence…I will do this with extreme prejudice!"
Ichigo stumbled to his feet, his vision fading in and out. ("Even like this…I am too tired to continue this mad course of action. I wish to rest, but that choice is non-existent at this rate.") He feebly started to draw…
"It's my turn, fool!" Haku held up a card. "And I'll kill you with these magic cards! Ookami, Hinotama, and Poison of the Old Man! In total you will take 2100 points of damage!"
Ichigo threw up his arms and tried to stop the energy that slammed into him, but he felt his legs and consciousness give out moments later.
Haku- 4000
Ichigo- 0
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Rikuo heard the sound of footsteps approaching the dock, and he immediately smelled the scent of one of Midnight's false beings. "Damn…he's not wasting any time."
"I just come with a message." Haku stepped out of the darkness of a nearby alley, Ichigo's unconscious body over one shoulder, Krieger over another, and Erika tied to his back. "If you really didn't like the boy that much, you shouldn't send your daughter with him when he goes insane and tries to attack Midnight directly." Then he dropped all three of them to the ground and disappeared.
Rikuo ran up to Eri first and felt her neck, his blood boiling in anger. "I'll kill Ichigo first, and then Midnight. Then I'll kill Sestros…" His anger cooled when he felt a pulse…but it was faint. ("What's the matter with her?")
"Their souls are gone…though Ichigo's remains." Ryu did his famous 'appear out of nowhere' trick that he was so good at. "I feel their souls though…I doubt you will like where they are."
"Where are they?" Rikuo grabbed his rival by the collar. "Tell me now!"
Ryu pointed at the deck that was in Ichigo's duel disk.
Rikuo went silent…and then removed the duel disk from Ichigo's arm. With one kick he sent the boy into the bay. "Now we wait until the bubbles stop…"
Ryu sighed and kicked Rikuo into the bay after Ichigo. "Fish him out. We need to know what happened to them."
To be continued…
What? My daughter is sealed in a card until we defeat that Haku kid? Then I'll go…
Shut up Rikuo, you're being a fool.
Shut up yourself Jourgen! I'll go save them both right now!
Umm….guys?
What?
Where's Hitokage and Adriel?
Next Episode: Arrival of the first Priest of Midnight