Tournament of Tears

Chapter 37: Tying loose ends

The golden form of the Neo Divine Paladin Dragon slowly lowered onto the wasteland that was Times Square. It threw back its head and howled its victory, letting both Ichigo and Erian off of its back before it faded away into golden flakes of light.

Ichigo brushed himself off and grinned widely. "Well, from the looks of it I just succeeded in winning it all. Now I just have to wish for the earth to be completely restored and everything will be just fine!"

Erian looked up at the sky worriedly. It was still painted with darkness and lightning. "Are you sure whatever it is that you were doing is over? The sky isn't clearing up at all…"

Ichigo frowned and nodded sagely. "That's true, the sky should have cleared up by now. Hmm, I'd better consult with Halo about this, I'm sure he'll know."

A sudden wind blew past them both, carrying with it the smell of rotten flesh and blood. "Don't be so carefree boy, or have you forgotten something important? Midnight's arrival triggered the end of the world. It isn't over just because he is gone, it is merely slowed. In other words, this planet will breathe its final breath in about two hours."

Ichigo managed to lift his head against the mighty dark winds and looked upon the speaker. He wasn't very surprised with who it was though. "I almost forgot about you too, Sestros."

The Dark King bowed slightly, his purple cape sweeping around his frame in the strong wind. "I'm hurt that you would so quickly forget all about me." He extended his right arm towards Ichigo slowly, aiming his outstretched fingers right at the half-demon's head. "It doesn't matter though, because I intend to kill you right here while you are tired. This planet will end, but I will have already returned to the Dark World."

Ichigo snarled and slowly went onto his guard, even though he had exhausted all of his energy. ("Halo said he had given me all of the power that had come from Midnight's attack on the planet, so I can't even communicate with my other parts now because of that.") Baring his fangs, he got ready to charge regardless. "You had better hope you kill me in your first attack, that's all I'll need to say to you."

Sestros sneered coldly, his extended hand glowing red. "Do you really think that bluffing accomplishes anything at this point? Really, I know you're absolutely spent. Now die, son of that accursed hanyou!" Then he disappeared as a howling wall of red and black light consumed both him and the ground around him.

Ichigo stared at the gaping crater where the Dark King had been for a few seconds, and then slowly turned his head about five inches to the right.

Rikuo let out an angry huff and shouldered the heavy blade of the Howling Sword, waiting patiently for Sestros to revive. "Come on back and let me hit you again. At the current moment I believe that Ichigo still has a wish to make." He turned to glance over at the boy. "Well, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and restore everything back to the way it was."

Ichigo nodded and looked up into the sky. "I, Ichigo Pilkington, victor of the Game of the Gods, wish to restore the planet earth and all things that lived upon it back to the way they were before Midnight began this madness!" Lightning crashed in the background, but nothing happened. "….huh?"

Erian looked around in confusion. "Ummm…so this planet was this trashed beforehand?"

"Of course not!" Ichigo yelled at his new friend and then screamed at the sky. "What's the matter, fix the problem!"

Suddenly the crater exploded upwards with a torrent of black energy as Sestros slowly rose up from it like some kind of zombie, laughing horrendously. "You don't get it yet, do you boy? You haven't won the Game of the Gods yet, you simply allowed the side of good to compete in the final duel!"

"Che!" Rikuo stabbed the blade of the Howling Sword into the cracked pavement at his feet. "Damn it all, he's right. That bastard Valeus influenced the Game of the Gods so that required good to win in two duels."

Sestros threw back his cloak to reveal his duel disk, already strapped to his arm. "I will be representing the side of the fallen Midnight, so come and be my sacrifice Ichigo!"

Ichigo reached for his deck shakily, and collapsed. ("I can't feel my legs…") He was far too tired. His body wouldn't even survive one hit from the Dark King's monster. For a few seconds he pondered having Erian duel while he coached, but decided against it. ("No…I'm not even sure that Erian understands fully what this game is all about.")

Rikuo sighed. "You'll be dueling me for the final duel, you advantage-grubbing bastard." Stepping forward, he brushed his torn leather clothes off and removed his duel disk from its back strap.

Sestros shrugged innocently. "I don't mind it at all, Rikuo. After all, I know how to beat you easily. The last time you won because I relied on a power that you understood, but against my Dark World cards you don't stand a chance." He smiled calmly.

Ichigo felt a chill run up his spine. "Rikuo, I can't communicate with any of my other selves right now but we've got an overall…"

"Shut up, I know he's hiding something." The lord of wolf demons removed a deck sealed within silk cloth from his pocket. "I will consume you."

"Consume me? I doubt it." Sestros ran a hand through his thick beard. "After all, I am the Dark King and as you've said in the past I am rotten to the core."

Rikuo slammed his deck home and his duel disk activated, the lights of its onboard life point tracker shining in the bleak darkness of the dying planet earth. "Regardless, we'll do this duel like we did the last time we dueled in the Game of the Gods! Duel!"

Sestros chuckled and drew five cards off the top of his deck. "Duel."

Sestros- 8000

Rikuo- 8000

As the Dark King looked his hand over, he knew that Rikuo wouldn't be completely caught off guard by what he was going to do. ("He's a smart mutt, but a mutt all the same!") "I will begin, draw!" A bulky red bull-demon appeared on his field, its arms crossed in front of it. "I summon Scarr, Scout of the Dark World in defense mode!" (500/500)

Rikuo already felt the deception that Sestros was trying to perform. ("He's trying to lull me into playing my cards slowly?")

"Well, that's it. Make your move Rikuo." Sestros folded his arms across his chest. "Come now friend, I can tell that you're already searching my actions for some kind of trick. Don't you think you're being just a little overly cautious?"

"No." Rikuo removed the top card of his deck and fanned out his hand. "First I play the magic card Magical Mallet, returning any number of decks from my hand to my deck and drawing the same number!" Holding up two cards, he flipped them over and smiled. "The cards I chose are called Steel Fang trap cards. When these cards are sent from hand to the graveyard I may draw one card and if that card is not a monster then it is discarded. However, in this case since they are returned to my deck I may instead special summon a level four or lower machine type Wolf named monster from my deck to the field! I special summon White Cyber-wolf and Artillery Cyber-wolf!" (1000/1800) (1400/1000) A white-armored machine wolf and a machine wolf bristling with heavy weaponry appeared on his field.

"I remember that White Cyber-wolf…when it is normal summoned you get to special summon its opposite from your deck, correct? It's a shame it was special summoned…" Sestros eyed each of the monsters with disdain, if just because their mere existence was a testament to that annoying mutt's abilities.

Artillery Cyber-wolf howled loudly and all of its weapons aimed at the body of the Scout of the Dark World. "Regardless, once per turn I may tribute a monster on my field to destroy a monster on your field!" His White Cyber-wolf exploded and so did Scarr. That meant that Rikuo had a chance to attack directly. "Open fire!"

Sestros braced himself as the area around him was thrown into turmoil from a series of explosions.

Sestros- 6600

Rikuo- 8000

The wolf demon shoved one of his three remaining cards into his duel disk and watched it appear face-down in play. "I place one magic or trap card face-down and end my turn."

"I draw." Sestros looked at Rikuo's field. "You're too carefree to think that I won't smite you instantly! I activate Dark World Lightning!" A blast of pure black lightning fell from his field and crashed onto Rikuo's set card, shattering it. "At this time, I discard a card from my hand!"

Rikuo wasn't surprised at all as a giant golden demon appeared on Sestros' field and roared right in his face. "I don't know from first-hand experience, but Jourgen filled me in on the power of your deck. You discard cards from your hand through the effects of your cards and they do different things, like special summon themselves."

"Correct." Sestros laughed while his golden demon roared once more. "This is Goldd, the Wu-Lord of Dark World!" (2300/1400) "When this monster is discarded from my hand by an effect, it is special summoned to my field. Now I summon Brron, Mad King of Dark World!" (1800/400) A dreadlock-headed demon appeared on his field alongside the golden beast. "Brron, attack that metallic weakling!" A dark smile crossed his face as his Mad King slashed its bony claws across the machine's body and blew it apart. "When Brron deals you life point damage, I may discard one card from my hand."

Sestros- 6600

Rikuo- 7600

One of the Dark King's hand cards vanished, and as it did a ball of black lightning appeared above Rikuo's head. "The card I discarded was Dark World Threat. When this magic card is discarded from my hand by an effect, my opponent is given a choice. They either take 800 points of damage or discard a card from their hand. Now choose Rikuo."

The wolf demon scoffed and gave the Dark King the finger. "Shock away." Not a scream left his mouth as the ball of darkness slammed over him, exploding violently.

Sestros- 6600

Rikuo- 6800

Sestros pointed at Rikuo. "Goldd, attack with Golden Darkness!" His largest monster spat out a blast of black lightning that hit Rikuo in the chest and sent him sliding back a couple of feet.

Sestros- 6600

Rikuo- 4500

"Now I place one card face-down in play and end my turn." A sinister smile was all the Dark King had to show Rikuo for right now, because that said exactly how he felt right now. This was his revenge for the humiliation he had endured at the hands of his turncoat ex-general.

Rikuo breathed the smoke rising from his jacket in deeply. "I love it…I love it! This is the action I missed. Despite how much of an ass you are, if there is one duelist in this world who can possibly be my equal, it's you! Draw!" Two phantoms appeared on his field, one of them being his White Cyber-wolf and the other being his Artillery Cyber-wolf. "I special summon Technolich from my hand!" (?) His field was suddenly covered with gray mist as a groaning grey-cloaked creature holding a large metal scythe appeared on his field. "Technolich can only be special summoned by removing two machine type monsters from my graveyard. Its attack and defense is equal to the number of graveyard machines I have times 300." (0/0) "It's fine though, because I simply need it in play for this magic card! I play the magic card Metamorphosis!" His monster shuddered and exploded into dust. "Technolich is a level eight monster, so I may special summon a level eight fusion monster from my fusion deck!"

"Can you now?" Sestros' set card flipped upwards. "My Dark Deal trap card says otherwise to you! By paying 1000 life points I can change the effect of your normal magic card so that it instead discards a card at random from my hand!" He flipped his single hand card over. "My card is Broww, Huntsman of Dark World!" (1400/800) "When this card is sent from my hand to the graveyard by the effect of an opponent's card, I may draw two cards."

Rikuo felt his blood flowing now. ("The downside to this kind of duel though…is that this guy is dangerous. And there's more at stake than my pride in this duel.") "My last hand card is the magic card Turnabout Treasure. This magic card can only be activated if I have no cards on my field and no cards in my hand except for this card. I draw one card for every face-up card on your field."

Sestros chuckled. "As slippery as always, Rikuo."

"Yeah whatever." The wolf demon looked at his two card hand and licked his lips. "Good, I was hoping I'd get a chance to use this against you. Because there are two demon type monsters on your field, I may special summon Kinetic Slayer in attack mode." (2000/1800) A silver humanoid robot appeared on his field and made a few beeping noises. "This monster is meant to deal with you, Sestros. I'm sure you've heard of Kinetic Soldier, correct?"

"Of course, the machine type monster with the capability to gain 2000 attack and defense points when it battles with a warrior type monster. What of it?"

"This is one of its cousins. I like to call them the Steel Slayers, because their special abilities are meant to counter a specific monster type. In this case, I can special summon Kinetic Slayer if you have two or more demons in play, and when it battles with a stronger demon type monster it destroys it without battle damage." Rikuo pointed at Goldd. "Battle!" Though his monster didn't move, Sestros' massive golden demon exploded. "I place one card face-down on the field and end my turn."

Sestros looked upon the shining and sharp form of the Kinetic Slayer with disdain. "I'm insulted that you'd bring out such monsters. That means you had that card in mind when and if you dueled me…"

"Correct." Rikuo tapped the side of his head. "Do you think I'm not prepared for any type of monster thrown at me?"

"Any type of monster, eh?" Sestros drew. "Let's test that theory, mutt. I summon Orangee, Shaman of Dark World in attack mode." (800/900) A demon covered with all kinds of strange charms appeared on his field. "Once per turn, this monster may change a monster to face-down defense mode." Rikuo's Kinetic Slayer disappeared, replaced by a face-down brown-backed card. "Then I play another Dark World Lightning!" A bolt of black lightning crashed down onto Rikuo's monster and blew it apart. "Afterwards the single card in my hand is discarded. That card was the trap card Dark World Politics. Until my next draw phase, when a Dark World monster on my field is destroyed I may draw a card. However, this effect may only activate three times."

Rikuo snarled angrily and glanced at his set card. ("I haven't really injured his life points yet, but he's going to get another two free hits on my life points.")

"Go Orangee and Brron, attack his life points directly!" Both of the demons leapt forward and slashed their claws through Rikuo's body, sending him stumbling backwards.

Sestros- 6600

Rikuo- 1900

"Okay, that hurt…" Rikuo snapped his hand up. "Reverse card open, Damage Conversion System! I may special summon a machine type monster from my deck with attack points equal to or less than the amount of battle damage I have taken this turn plus 300. I took 2600 points of damage, so let's take it to the limit!" A huge metallic humanoid made of clockwork parts appeared on his field. "I special summon Irios the Steel Monarch (2700/2300) from my deck!"

Sestros frowned deeply at the sight of one of Rikuo's high level monsters. ("That thing is going to be a pain in my side for the rest of this duel.") "End turn."

"Draw." Rikuo pointed at Orangee. "Irios, attack that thing now! Steam Press!" The giant clockwork monster punched its massive fist into the shamanic Dark World resident, blowing it up in a cloud of smoke and dust. "End turn."

Sestros- 4700

Rikuo- 1900

Sestros growled and drew two cards from his deck. "Dark World Politics lets me draw one card when a Dark World monster on my field is destroyed. I draw for my turn and place two cards face-down. Afterwards I switch Brron to defense mode and end my turn." His creature dropped to one knee and threw its spindly arms up in front of it for defense.

Rikuo pointed at the last of Sestros' defenses. "I draw and order Irios to attack! Go Irios, Steam Press!" Once more the Monarch's heavy fist came crashing down and shattered the demon. "End turn."

Sestros braced himself against his monster's destruction. "I grow weary of this back and forth, it's time for me to finish off what's left of your dwindling life points! At the end phase of your turn, I activate my face-down Gateway to the Dark World quickplay magic card. This card's effect lets me special summon a Dark World type monster from my graveyard to my field! Revive yourself Goldd!" (2300/1400) His mighty Wu-Lord returned to play. "Also, I reveal Dark World Arch, which activates when a Dark World type monster is normal summoned, special summoned, or flip summoned to my field. From my deck one Dark named field magic card can be activated!"

"You intend to bring out the Dark World?" Rikuo remembered what Jourgen had told him about that card. It was a field magic card that forced duelists to discard any cards drawn outside of their draw phases, but it couldn't discard anything drawn through the effect of a card with Dark World in its title. ("A card that controls the enemy by preventing them from drawing multiple cards…")

"The Dark World?" Sestros barked out a hearty laugh. "You shouldn't try to predict my moves, mutt. I promise you that such actions will only result in your permanent destruction!" Removing a card from his deck, he slammed it into his field magic card slot. "I activate the field magic card Dark Kingdom!" A black veil fell over the field and huge black spires rose up into the sky all around them. "This field magic card raises the attack of all Dark World monsters in play by their level times 100 points. Also, whenever a Dark World monster on my field is targeted by an effect, I may once per turn discard the top three cards of my deck to negate that effect. Unfortunately, this effect cannot be used for the same Dark World monster multiple times. Now the attack of Goldd increases!" (2800/1400) His golden demon grew larger, black lightning pouring off of its form in waves.

Rikuo grimaced as he watched the Dark King draw a card, indicating it was his turn. ("Damn him, this means that his monsters will gain a power-up.")

Glancing at his drawn card, Sestros snapped it up. "I activate Dark Charger. This magic card will allow me to draw an extra card during my next draw phase." As he started to laugh, his Goldd roared angrily and belched a bolt of black lightning that tore through Irios easily. "Even now I feel my strength returning…the strength of darkness. End turn."

Sestros- 4700

Rikuo- 1800

Rikuo growled darkly. "This power you speak of is nothing special then, if it is simply the darkness. I will crush it like I have crushed your other darkness…"

"You don't seem to understand the difference. That's a shame, because if you don't understand the difference then you will experience the truth behind it the hard way."

"The hard way? What's that?" The wolf demon glanced over at Ichigo for a few seconds, and was glad to see that he and that other boy were gone. ("Good, they've probably gone to find out what happened to Jourgen and the others. Hopefully Jourgen will fill them in on what we've learned.")

"But of course, painfully." The Dark King threw back his head and laughed, lightning crashing down amongst the huge spires of his field magic card. "Now draw your card and let the duel continue, Rikuo! I will enjoy tearing down your abilities and killing you, so that I can leave this dimension forever without any regrets!"

To be continued…