Chapter 33: Malcolm's Tale

What felt like several hours passed as the ship continued to sail towards the horizon. The beach that the group had landed on was long gone, and the sun that hovered high in the sky was only now beginning to set. Aside from performing maintenance on the ship itself, there wasn't much to do onboard aside from dueling.

"And now I'll attack you directly with Ancient Hero Ultimus!" Andrew declared, sending a powerful blast of light at Joey, wiping out the rest of his Life Points.

"Arrrggghhh, again?! I thought I had ya dat time!" Joey complained.

"To be fair, you are battling one of the few guys to beat Yugi," Tristan pointed out, taking a sip from his tea as he and Tea watched from the sidelines.

"I don't see you being any help!" Joey snarled. Then he turned back and declared, "One more time! I know I can beat ya!"

Andrew sighed. "That's what you said the last five games," he said. "I need a break or something…"

Meanwhile, Creighton and Izzy were also dueling each other as Shannon kept a weather eye on the horizon, using Matt's telescope to scope out the landscape.

"Go, Army Force Dive Bomber!" Creighton declared, sending in his powerful bomber plane to attack Izzy's monster, a curious rock-shaped robot with a single eye watching the plane descend upon it.

"I use the effect of Security Series to protect my Series 1-ROCK (1/200/200) from your attack since I control another Series monster!" Izzy countered, utilizing her other robot - one that strongly resembled a four-bladed fan stemming from a flower pot - to blow off her opponent's attack. "It's a good thing I also control Series 4-WIND (4/1100/1100) so I can use my Trap's effect."

"Don't think you're out of the rough yet!" Creighton sneered. "I'll get you next turn!"

"Assuming you have a next turn," Izzy said, drawing her next card. "And now-"

"Hey guys, I think I see something!" Shannon interrupted. Izzy and Creighton looked over at her as she continued to look out at the horizon.

"For real?" Creighton asked, looking over to the horizon. Sure enough, near the setting sun was a small speck slowly getting bigger.

"What is that?" Izzy asked.

"I think it's a boat," Shannon answered.

"A boat? Out here?" Creighton wondered aloud.

A few minutes passed as the speck became more visible from the ship. Sure enough, it was a small and meager lifeboat that had but a single occupant in it. He was in a rough and weary uniform that once denoted him as an admiral, but now it was worn down to almost nothing.

"We've got a lifeboat off the bow!" Shannon called out, alerting the rest of the crew. The crew gathered themselves and prepared to pick up the lifeboat. Matt even came out from his quarters - the first time he had since he went inside - to take a look.

"What would a lifeboat be doing floating around out here?" he asked Andrew as he approached the side of the ship to take a look.

"Who knows," Andrew shrugged, "but maybe he knows something about how to get out of here."

A few more minutes passed by as the lifeboat approached the Poseidon, eventually reaching the side where a group picked it up and hoisted it aboard. The man from the lifeboat fell out as soon as it cleared the side railing, falling onto the deck of the ship in a heap. He coughed and sputtered as the group surrounded him, wondering who he was until-

"Malcolm?"

Matt recognized the face almost immediately. Malcolm was even wearier than when he had found him over in Tortuga, a pale look as though he were drained of all his energy. He looked up at Matt and smiled.

"Well then," he said, "I guess it's true after all."

"Wait, this is the guy you recruited from Tortuga? The one you were dueling before we found you?" Andrew asked his brother.

"It's him all right," Matt replied, bending down over Malcolm. "How did you end up here? What happened to you?"

Malcolm coughed a heavy cough for a moment before answering, "Believe me, it's a long story that I don't know how far I'd get through…"

"Just tell us everything you can then," Matt said.

"Well then, I guess it's best to start with what you don't know…"


I know the last time you saw me was running out into the wilds of Isla de la Fatalidad, working to distract Rommel's henchmen. I imagine it didn't take long for you to find that his heart was missing either. I managed to escape from them and take the heart with me to Montalban. I struck a deal that he put me in his employ again so long as I give him the heart of Rommel, thus giving Montalban full control over him. He agreed, and I was restored to my position as Admiral of one of his fleets.

I was there when Montalban summoned Rommel for the first time, bringing him to his office like anyone else in his employment. As you can imagine, Rommel didn't take kindly to being under Montalban's thumb.

"You think I'll serve under you?" Rommel spat.

It was an interesting situation in the head office of Montalban Corp. Seated at his desk as always was Montalban, dressed in his usual elegant attire, and behind him stood Malcolm, now dressed in a clean and beautiful Admiral's uniform. In front of them was the cruel and sinister Adolf Rommel, standing in a tub of water that had been carried by a group of Montalban's guards. And on the desk in front of Montalban in plain view was a beating heart.

"I don't think you'll serve under me," Montalban replied, working to calm the steaming devil. "I think it'd be better served that you and I work together. Think of it this way: we could be partners, you and I."

"I've no benefits to gain from the likes of you," Rommel sneered.

"I wouldn't expect you to, seeing as you have domain over such things I could scarcely comprehend," Montalban remarked, taking a stand from his extravagant chair. "But you're tied down by this heart, and I don't wish to cross you just so you can gain nothing worth your while."

"If you've nothing to offer, then I'll have nothing to stop me from claiming your soul," Rommel threatened.

"But my dear Rommel, I know exactly what you want," Montalban smiled. "In fact, you and I are not so different in terms of what we want. You want the destruction of the Trinity and the Spirit Dragons, and I want to control the modern world. Think about it: with my resources and your supernatural powers, we could easily overwhelm this pathetic world and make it bend to our whims."

Rommel glowered at Montalban, clearly unhappy with the current situation. Then a slow smile crept onto his face. "Go on."

"With Matt locked up in the Great Beyond, there's no one to stand in your way towards ridding the world of the Trinity," Montalban continued. "Here's the deal: I'll keep your heart safe from anyone who would think to take it, and I'll even help you root out the Trinity, all so long as I can stand by your side as ruler of the New World Order."

Rommel's smile never faded once after that one moment. He agreed to work with Montalban, and he's been terrorizing the seas ever since. I was instructed by Montalban to stay on Rommel's ship, the Gladius Divinum, in order to keep an eye on him so that he wouldn't stray from the plan or work to alter their arrangement. I suppose that's when I should've known that I was doomed from the start.

It was a few days later, not long after I'd heard of your exploits at KaibaCorp. Word travels fast around Montalban's corporate network, and even on the Gladius there was no way of not knowing. I heard of your exploits to stand up to Montalban and fight for KaibaCorp, but I didn't understand why. Then that night, I overheard Rommel in his quarters talking to himself. At least that's what I thought, but the more I listened in, the more it sounded like he was talking to something. I couldn't figure out what it was though.

The next day, I received a notice from Montalban: one of our ships had been attacked by some kind of sea monster. I was tasked with instructing Rommel to either keep his Dark Leviathan under control or else that I would have to exterminate the monster myself. It was a terrifying prospect; after all, I had managed to witness its destructive power from the Isla de la Fatalidad before Montalban rescued me. I didn't want to fight against that beast, but orders were orders.

That night, I walked to the captain's quarters and requested permission to see him. Rommel was unusually appeasing, but he would not remain so.

"What did you say?"

"It's for the safety of our fleets. We can't have the Dark Leviathan rampaging without any restraint."

"And you say you'll kill it if it comes to that?!"

"I was ordered to kill it if we weren't able to keep it under control."

"Really. You will kill my pet."

"If I must, sir."

Rommel sneered at me. He knew I wouldn't be able to do anything against his Dark Leviathan, not by myself. But he knew the force backing me up, and he knew that Montalban would be behind it. Still…

"And if I decline to restrain my pet? What will you do then?"

I wasn't sure what to say at that point. I didn't know if he was serious, but as part of Montalban's orders, I knew I had to do something.

"I'll duel you."

"You'll duel me?"

"Right now. If you win, you can keep your Leviathan alive."

"And I suppose if you win, I'll have to kill it?"

"Yes sir."

He chuckled at that point.

"Perhaps you'd like to raise the stakes on that wager?"

"What do you mean?"

"I think it should only be fair that a life be wagered for a life. If you win, the Leviathan dies, but if I win, you will die."

"…"

"Do you fear death, Admiral?"

"…alright. I accept the terms."

I was a fool…


Malcolm shuffled his deck as he looked up at Rommel from across the deck of the ship. The stakes of this duel were high, but if he could manage to trump Rommel, he'd be able to fulfill his duties to Montalban, and that was something he just couldn't turn down. It was either that Leviathan…or him.

The rest of the Gladius Divinum had halted their work to peer down at the ship, eager to see the captain duel again. Their bloodlust kept them watching, waiting for Rommel to lay waste to this foolish man that had challenged him. Their patience kept them from laying waste themselves.

"I hope you're ready, Rommel," Malcolm said as he placed his deck into the Duel Disk, "because I'm not going to hold back."

"I wouldn't expect you to, Admiral," Rommel sneered. "After all, it's not every day that you wager your very life on a duel."

Rommel then underwent the grotesque process of bringing out his organic duel disk, the pale green blob encircling his body once again. Malcolm grimaced at the sight of it; he'd never seen anything so unnatural in his life. Regardless, he couldn't let this small detail throw him off, so he watched as Rommel's Duel Disk appeared with wary eyes. Rommel smiled as he placed his deck in the same slot on his own Duel Disk.

"I'm impressed already, Admiral," Rommel taunted. "Most mortals would have fainted at the sight of this or at least felt a little nauseous, yet you seem to be holding your own already. Perhaps the idea of your life on the line has made you bolder."

"Enough small talk," Malcolm said, drawing his opening hand and cueing for Rommel to do the same.

"LET'S DUEL!"

Malcolm: 4000
Rommel: 4000

"I'll start off," Malcolm said, drawing a card. He looked over his hand and all the cards that were in it.

With the cards that Montalban gave me, I should be able to at the very least hold my own, he thought to himself. I've no idea of how powerful Rommel is, but I won't let that stop me.

"I'll Set one monster on the field and end my turn," Malcolm declared, a horizontal card appearing in front of him.

"I hope that's not the best that Montalban's Admiral can muster up," Rommel taunted, drawing a card. "I summon the Clam Cretin (2/500/200) in Attack mode!"

A small humanoid surrounded by a clamshell appeared on Rommel's field, its glaring yellow eyes shooting daggers at Malcolm.

"Now go! Attack his monster!" Rommel declared.

The clam creature then fired off a stream of dark bubbles at the monster, which flipped over to reveal a giant pink transparent sphere with a smaller blue sphere inside of it. Its exterior was covered in little tendrils that were vaporized along with its body by the onslaught of bubbles.

"You've attacked my Giant Germ (2/1000/100)," Malcolm explained, "and as such, you'll be dealt 500 points of damage!"

Malcolm: 4000
Rommel: 3500

"But that's not all," Malcolm continued, "as now I can summon the other two Giant Germs from my deck in Attack mode!"

Sure enough, two more giant pink germ creatures appeared on Malcolm's field, a dangerous threat to Rommel's abomination. Rommel simply smirked at their arrival.

"No matter," he said. "I'll just play 2 cards face-down to end my turn."

"Then the turn is mine!" Malcolm said, drawing his next card. "And now I summon Shining Abyss (4/1600/1800) in Attack mode!"

A curious monster now appeared on Malcolm's field. It appeared to be robotic, with two large arms and a half-sun for a face. It spread out its mechanical wings as it floated above the ground, its orb-like lower body being only a couple inches above. It was mostly sky blue save for its knuckles, face, and parts of its wings which were golden, a sign of its divine creators.

"And now I will equip it with Elf's Light, raising its Atk power by 400 points!" Malcolm continued, letting a great light rain down on the holy machination and empowering it.

Shining Abyss (4/1600/1800 - 4/2000/1600)

If these attacks can get through, then I'll have defeated Rommel! Malcolm thought to himself. "Go, Shining Abyss! Attack with Dark Light!"

The divine being charged up a dark purple sphere of energy and prepared to launch it at the Clam Cretin!

Rommel chuckled. "I hope you didn't think it would be so easy," he said. "I activate my face-down card, Mutagenic Contagion Virus!"

A Trap?!

Suddenly, the Clam Cretin dissolved away into a translucent liquid ooze that spread across the field. It seeped its way into the Shining Abyss and both of the Germs, corroding and contaminating them!

"You thought your Germs were bad, but my Virus is pure devastation!" Rommel exclaimed. "By sacrificing a WATER monster with 1000 or less Atk points, I'm able to trigger the Virus and use its power to wipe out any non-WATER monsters on your field!"

Just as Rommel said, the infected Abyss and Germs were destroyed by the power of the ooze seeping through them!

"But that's not all my Virus does," Rommel continued as the ooze began to seep to Malcolm. "Not only does it destroy any non-WATER monsters on your field, but for the next three turns, any of the monsters in your hand that aren't WATER are also destroyed, as is each monster you draw!"

The ooze then lashed out at a couple of Malcolm's cards: Sky Sourge Enrise (8/2400/1500) and Sky Scourge Invicil (6/2200/1600)! The two cards were destroyed and sent to Malcolm's graveyard, no longer to be used.

No! My Sky Scourge cards!

"You should at least be thankful for one thing," Rommel said. "As long as the Mutagenic Contagion Virus is active, I can't attack you at all. Perhaps that's not such a bad thing after all."

Malcolm scowled, his new strategy already ruined by just one of Rommel's cards. His one chance to take down Rommel was gone just like that.

"I'll Set one card on the field to end my turn," Malcolm said.

"There's nothing else you can do," Rommel chuckled, drawing his next card. "Now then, I'll pay 500 of my Life Points to bring back the Clam Cretin from my Graveyard in Defense mode."

With the small payment of Rommel's Life Points, the resurrected creature opened its shell and once again stared down Malcolm from within.

Malcolm: 4000
Rommel: 3000

"And then I'll summon forth the Underseas Juniper Tree (3/0/1900) in Attack mode," Rommel continued, bringing forth a luminescent tree that glowed with a mystical light. "Normally I wouldn't be summoning it in Attack mode, but since you have no monsters to stop me anyway, I've nothing to fear!"

The crew laughed at this remark, taunting Malcolm even further. Rommel simply continued on with his turn, "I'll end my turn by Setting one card."

"Then it's my turn," Malcolm declared. "I draw!"

"Stop right there!" Rommel interjected. "Don't forget that if your card is a monster, it will be eliminated right away by my Mutagenic Contagion Virus!"

Malcolm looked down at the card, Dark Blade the Captain of the Evil World (4/1800/1500), a DARK monster. He scowled as the ooze collected the card and sent it to his graveyard.

I don't even have any WATER monsters in my deck, Malcolm thought to himself. I can't do anything!

(Mutagenic Contagion Virus: 1/3)

"I'll take your silent cursing as a sign that you're passing this turn," Rommel smiled, drawing his next card. "Now I switch Underseas Juniper Tree to Defense mode, which makes it even more of a threat since it gives all of my other WATER monsters an extra 500 Def points!"

Clam Cretin (2/500/200 - 2/500/700)

"Next I summon forth the Stormbreaker (3/1500/1200) from my hand," Rommel continued, bringing forth a swirling tornado and the mighty genie from within. It came down upon Malcolm's face-down card, wiping it out!

"The moment Stormbreaker comes into play, your Spell and Trap cards are completely wiped out," Rommel explained. "As though things couldn't get worse for you."

"Believe me, Rommel, I'm not done yet!" Malcolm said, drawing his next card. He looked at it, Chaos Spirit Shield - a Continuous Trap card!

"Looks like this card won't be getting sent to the Graveyard!" Malcolm smiled. "Now I'll Set it down on the field and end my turn!"

(Mutagenic Contagion Virus: 2/3)

With my Chaos Spirit Shield on the field, it won't matter if I can't get a monster right away, Malcolm thought to himself. Now I'll be able to remove a LIGHT and a DARK monster in my Graveyard from play to protect myself from his attacks. I may be able to pull through yet!

"My turn then," Rommel said, drawing a new card. "And I'll sacrifice Stormbreaker for Sharkskin Terror (6/2400/1200)!"

The twister genie disappeared and was replaced by a horrifying anthropomorphic shark that opened its mouth wide, revealing several rows of massive teeth!

"And now I sacrifice Clam Cretin for Sharkskin Terror's effect," Rommel continued. "By sacrificing a WATER monster, my Sharkskin Terror increases its strength."

The shark man then devoured the Clam Cretin whole, gobbling it up and increasing its power!

Sharkskin Terror (6/2400/1700 - 6/2700/1700)

Curses! Now he'll end up powering up that Sharkskin Terror until I can't draw a monster that can beat it! Malcolm thought to himself.

"And that's all for my turn," Rommel finished.

"My turn again!" Malcolm drew his next card, only for the Darklord Zerato (8/2800/2300) to be infected and sent to the Graveyard by the effects of the virus. With nothing else to do, Malcolm declared, "I end my turn."

(Mutagenic Contagion Virus: 3/3)

"And with that, the effects of my virus are over," Rommel said drawing his next card. "I pay 500 of my Life Points to bring back the Clam Cretin from my Graveyard."

As Rommel's Life Points went down further, his creature returned to the field once again.

Malcolm: 4000
Rommel: 2500

"Next I sacrifice the Underseas Juniper Tree to my Sharkskin Terror to empower it further!" Rommel continued, allowing for the shark man to devour the glowing tree, lowering the Def of all his monsters.

Sharkskin Terror (6/2700/1700 - 6/3000/1200)
Clam Cretin (2/500/700 - 2/500/200)

It may be stronger than ever, but I can still take it! Malcolm thought.

"Now I activate the ability of my Clam Cretin!" Rommel declared, taking Malcolm by surprise. "With it, I can send my Clam Cretin to the graveyard and destroy one of your spell or trap cards, such as the face-down card you have on the field!"

The clam creature withdrew itself into its shell and began to rapidly spin, plowing into Malcolm's face-down Chaos Spirit Shield and destroying it!

"And now, Sharkskin Terror! Attack his Life Points directly!" Rommel declared with a gleeful malice upon his face as the shark man lunged forth and ripped apart Malcolm's clothes!

Malcolm: 1000
Rommel: 2500

"And now, I'll offer up my Sharkskin Terror in favor of my Mystik Wok," Rommel continued. "With the power of the Mystik Wok, I can sacrifice a monster to increase my Life Points by either its Atk or Def. Naturally, I choose to gain its Atk, so I gain 3000 Life Points!"

A giant metal wok appeared, with the shark man being tossed into it and fried up for Rommel. The wok showered the remains of the shark man upon him as his Life Points increased.

Malcolm: 1000
Rommel: 5500

"Now I Set one card on the field just in case anything should happen," Rommel finished. "Not that there's anything you'll be able to do against me. I'll just chip away at what remains of your Life Points until you're all but beaten."

Malcolm scowled as he drew his next card. He looked at it and was astonished; Lady Luck could not have favored him more if he tried.

"Perhaps I'd reconsider that offer," Malcolm smiled. "Now I have the power I need to defeat you!"

Rommel snorted, "Then show it to me."

"I remove from play my Shining Abyss and my three Giant Germs in my Graveyard in order to call upon the monster I've drawn!" Malcolm declared, as the fairy and the germs reappeared on the field. They then flew up into a swirling vortex of darkness that opened up in the sky, a crack of thunder accompanying a flash of lightning from within its depths.

"Now I bring forth the power of my Sky Scourge Norleras (8/2400/1500)!" Malcolm continued.

Out from the vortex descended a monstrous fiend, something that could easily come from one's nightmares. It lacked a lower body, instead being shrouded in shadowy tendrils. Its gray muscular body was covered in spikes; even its bandaged arms lead only to long claw-like fingers. It spread its black and tattered wings as it looked at Rommel, a sinister grin that could only come from a skull spread across its face. The crew of the Gladius Divinum looked onward with shock and in some cases awe.

"I should thank you, Rommel," Malcolm remarked condescendingly. "After all, with the help of your virus card, I was able to amass the materials I needed to summon forth the most dangerous of the Sky Scourge cards in my deck. And now, in combination with Dian Keto the Cure Master, I'll be able to unleash its power!"

As he said this, he activated the magic of Dian Keto, which showered him with golden sparkles that refilled his life points.

Malcolm: 2000
Rommel: 5500

"And now I pay 1000 Life Points in order to use Sky Scourge Norleras' effect!" Malcolm declared. "With it, I wipe out all the cards on the field and in both of our hands!"

Malcolm: 1000
Rommel: 5500

Norleras gathered the life energy that Malcolm had sacrificed then unleashed a barbed wire chain around the field, consuming everything in darkness. It then opened wide its mouth and began to devour every card that Rommel had - his Clam Cretin, his face-down card, and all the cards in his hand! And soon, there was nothing left but for the nightmare to destroy itself, a spectacular display of fire and brimstone burning it away into nothingness, save for a single card.

"After the destruction it brings, Norleras leaves me with a single draw so that I can retain the advantage," Malcolm explained, picking up the lone card and smiling. "And now that I have it, I can remove Sky Scourge Norleras and Enrise in my Graveyard from play to summon forth the knight of nobility, the champion of justice, Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning (8/3000/2500)!"

From Malcolm's graveyard arose dual spheres, one of light and one of dark. The spheres then spun around each other and combined together, exploding into a magnificent ring of light. From this ring came forth a mighty soldier garbed in blue and gold armor, armed with nothing more than a sword and a shield. The crew marveled at this monster's arrival as it stared down upon Rommel.

"Behold, a monster of such rarity and power as this is a marvel in and of itself," Malcolm said. "And now feel the might of his blade! Go Black Luster Soldier! Chaos Slash!"

The soldier raised his sword to the sky, drawing in light and shadow energy and charging his blade. Then he charged at Rommel, striking down on him with the power of chaos!

Malcolm: 1000
Rommel: 2500

It won't matter what he does next turn, Malcolm thought to himself. As long as I have the Black Luster Soldier, I'm in control of this duel!

"I end my turn!"

Rommel, recovering from the blow dealt to him, stood up straight, no longer amused by his opponent's tactics. "I suppose I'll need to be rid of you then," he said, drawing his next card.

"I hope you have a plan beyond your next card then," Malcolm smirked. "There's not much you can do otherwise!"

Rommel looked at his next card, smiling maliciously. "I pay 500 Life Points to bring back Clam Cretin from my Graveyard," he said, returning his clam creature to the field.

Malcolm: 1000
Rommel: 2000

"Now I bid you adieu, Admiral," Rommel said. "I activate Infernal Voyage!"

Suddenly, Malcolm found himself standing in a small lifeboat, his soldier standing on another lifeboat nearby. The Clam Cretin then transformed into a string of red energy, surrounding both Malcolm and the Black Luster Soldier. In front of him was the Gladius Divinum, Rommel looking off the side of the ship while his crew laughed loudly.

"Perhaps you're wondering what my Infernal Voyage does," Rommel said. "It allows me to remove one of my monsters from the game, then I can destroy one of your monsters."

The red ring duplicated itself, surrounding Black Luster Soldier with a smaller ring that encircled, enclosed, and merged with it. Then suddenly, the soldier burst into flames, consumed and destroyed by the power of the fire! Malcolm could do nothing but watch his monster burn away into nothingness.

"But that's not all," Rommel continued. "Now you'll take damage equal to your monster's Atk. Be gone from my sight!"

Rommel then signaled for his card to complete its effect, encircling Malcolm in the same manner as it did his monster. Then the red ring merged with him and then-


"I thought I would be able to win, but I was wrong. The last thing I remember was being burned away by his power. After that, I found myself here in the lifeboat, floating in the middle of the ocean, or at least what I thought was the ocean. It didn't take long for me to realize the truth: I was no longer part of the material world. And now, here I am…"

Malcolm finished his story and closed his eyes, heaving a great sigh. The group looked on as the sun set in the distance. Then Malcolm opened his eyes again.

"I wish I could go back with you," he admitted, "but that's not possible for me now."

"But why not? We've already got you on the boat!" Creighton said.

Malcolm then reached over to his left sleeve and pulled it back, revealing a mark of four overlapping crosses with a skull in the midst of them. The entire group recoiled in shock.

"The Mark of Rommel..." Matt said.

"The Mark binds me to this realm," Malcolm explained, pulling his sleeve down again. "It doesn't matter if you do find the way out, I won't be able to come back."

A quiet moment followed interrupted only by Malcolm's coughing. Matt took a moment to look for the Mark of Rommel where it would have been on his body, finding that it was gone.

Could it be that I don't have the Mark because Rommel thinks I'm dead? Matt wondered.

Malcolm then rose to his feet and walked back to the lifeboat that he had been floating in. Only now were the remnants of a fire clearly visible, scarring the wood with a burnt black. As the group watched, Malcolm transformed into a hideously disfigured man, burnt away into a blackened corpse. He turned to look at them one last time, causing most of them to recoil in horror and disgust. Creighton ran over to the side of the ship and heaved chunks on the side.

"I must go," Malcolm said, his voice descending an octave and riddled with a haunting wheeze. "The only way out is down, and the only way down is up. That is all I know…"

He then tossed the boat over the side and fell down onto it, floating away in the waves of the dark night ocean, never to be seen again.


AUTHOR'S NOTES

Whoa. That can't be good for his complexion. Well, uh, let's look at some cards in the meantime:

Ancient Hero Ultimus (Effect Monster)
Level 9, 3900 Atk, 3500 Def, Fairy, LIGHT
Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must first be Special Summoned by Tributing 3 "Ancient Hero" monsters you control. Cannot be destroyed in battle. If this card is destroyed and sent to the GY: Special Summon it. During your Standby Phase: gains 500 Atk.

Army Force Dive Bomber (Effect Monster)
Level 6, 1800 Atk, 1200 Def, Machine, WIND
Effect: You can Special Summon this card (from your hand) by Tributing 1 "Army Force" monster. Once per turn: you can target 1 card on the field; destroy that target, and if you do, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.

Security Series (Continuous Trap)
Effect: Once per turn, if a "Series" monster is targeted for an attack while you control another "Series" monster: you can negate the attack.

Series 1 - ROCK (Effect Monster)
Level 1, 200 Atk, 200 Def, Machine, EARTH
Effect: Gains 400 Atk/Def for every EARTH Monster on the field. Once per turn, if this card would be destroyed by battle, it is not destroyed.

Series 4 - WIND (Effect Monster)
Level 4, 1100 Atk, 1100 Def, Machine, WIND
Effect: Gains 300 Atk/Def for every WIND Monster on the field. Once per turn, you can target 1 Spell/Trap card on the field; destroy that target.

Clam Cretin (Effect Monster)
Level 2, 500 Atk, 200 Def, Aqua, WATER
Effect: During your Main Phase: you can send this card you control to the GY to target 1 Spell/Trap card your opponent controls; destroy that target. During your Standby Phase, if this card is in your GY: you can pay 500 LP; Special Summon this monster from your GY.

Giant Germ (Effect Monster)
Level 2, 1000 Atk, 100 Def, Fiend, DARK
Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the GY: inflict 500 damage to your opponent, then you can Special Summon any number of "Giant Germs" from your Deck in Attack Position.

Shining Abyss (Normal Monster)
Level 4, 1600 Atk, 1800 Def, Fairy, LIGHT

Elf's Light (Equip Spell)
Effect: Equip only to a LIGHT monster. It gains 400 ATK and loses 200 DEF.

Mutagenic Contagion Virus (Normal Trap)
Effect: Tribute 1 WATER monster with 1000 or less ATK; until the end of your opponent's 3rd turn after this card's activation, check your opponent's hand, all monsters they control, and all cards they draw and destroy any non-WATER monsters, also you cannot declare an attack.

Sky Scourge Enrise (Effect Monster)
Level 8, 2400 Atk, 1500 Def, Fairy, LIGHT
Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned by banishing 3 LIGHT Fairy monsters and 1 DARK Fiend monster in your GY. Once per turn: you can banish 1 face-up monster on the field. This card cannot attack the turn you activate this effect.

Sky Scourge Invicil (Effect Monster)
Level 6, 2200 Atk, 1600 Def, Fairy, EARTH
Effect: Cannot be Special Summoned. If you Tribute Summon this card by Tributing 1 of the following monsters, this card gets the appropriate effect:
● LIGHT Fairy monster: Negate the effects of all Spell cards.
● DARK Fiend monster: Negate the effects of all Trap cards.

Underseas Juniper Tree (Effect Monster)
Level 3, 0 Atk, 1900 Def, Plant, WATER
Effect: The first time this Defense Position card would be destroyed by battle, it is not destroyed. All other WATER monsters you control gain 500 DEF.

Dark Blade the Captain of the Evil World (Effect Monster)
Level 4, 1800 Atk, 1500 Def, Warrior, DARK
Effect: Once per turn: you can banish 1 DARK monster in your GY; equip 1 Level 4 or lower LIGHT monster your opponent controls to this card (only 1 monster can be equipped to this card by this effect). If this card would be destroyed, you can destroy the monster equipped to this card instead.

Stormbreaker (Effect Monster)
Level 3, 1500 Atk, 1300 Def, Spellcaster, WATER
Effect: If this card is Summoned: destroy all of your opponent's Spell/Trap cards. This card cannot attack during the turn it is Summoned. If a Spell/Trap card or effect targets this, negate that effect, and if you do, destroy that card.

Chaos Spirit Shield (Continuous Trap)
Effect: When an opponent's monster declares an attack: you can banish 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK monster from your GY; negate that attack.

Sharkskin Terror (Effect Monster)
Level 6, 2400 Atk, 1200 Def, Fish, WATER
Effect: During your Main Phase: you can Tribute 1 other WATER monster you control; gain 300 ATK.

Darklord Zerato (Effect Monster)
Level 8, 2800 Atk, 2300 Def, Fairy, DARK
Effect: If you have 4 or more DARK monsters with different names in your GY, you can Tribute Summon this card by Tributing 1 DARK monster. You can send 1 DARK monster from your hand to the GY; destroy all monsters your opponent controls. Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this effect was activated this turn: destroy this card.

Mystik Wok (Quick-Play Spell)
Effect: Tribute 1 monster. Select either its ATK or DEF and gain that many Life Points.

Sky Scourge Norleras (Effect Monster)
Level 8, 2400 Atk, 1500 Def, Fiend, DARK
Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned by banishing 1 LIGHT Fairy monster and 3 DARK Fiend monsters in your GY. You can pay 1000 Life Points; send all cards in both player's hands and on the field to the GY, then you draw 1 card.

Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning (Effect Monster)
Level 8, 3000 Atk, 2500 Def, Warrior, LIGHT
Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) by banishing 1 LIGHT and 1 DARK monster from your GY. Once per turn, you can activate one of these effects:
● Target 1 monster on the field; banish it face-up. This card cannot attack the turn you activate this effect.
● During the Damage Step, if this attacking card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: It can make a second attack in a row.

Infernal Voyage (Normal Spell)
Effect: Banish 1 monster on your field, then target 1 monster your opponent controls; destroy that target, and if you do, inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster's ATK.

Man, what a terrible fate to befall Malcolm! Will our heroes suffer a similar fate? Or will they be able to decipher his parting message?