Chapter 18; the last fortress, Tails vs Knuckles

Tails couldn't bear the pressure standing against Knuckles under these circumstances. On one side was the chance he would lose and die while Knuckles was left to fight Sonic. And on the other side was him beating Knuckles, staining his hands with his friend's blood and go against Sonic himself. Either way hope was lost. Tails couldn't beat Sonic this time. It wasn't dark Sonic. He had understood what Sonic mean back then. He wasn't controlled by dark Sonic. The gods awakened his darkest desires. The one Tails was fighting was the actual Sonic. Meaning that since it wasn't the spirit of dark Sonic but the duel king himself even without the blackwings Tails had 100% chance of losing. Not because he didn't believe in himself but because Sonic had Amy's duel energy inside of him making him the most powerful being in the world. No one could beat him now. Certainly not Tails. It would be like him going 1v2 on Sonic and Amy. Knuckles felt this pressure too. But for some reason he was calm. He activated his duel disc.

"All right Tails. Show me no mercy. The one to fight Sonic must be the strongest of us. So don't hold back."

"Um…ok." Tails said wanting more than anything to just wake up and all this thing to be just a nightmare.

"Duel!"

"Let's start. I summon the red stone of legend. Then I tribute it to activate its hidden power. It summons red eyes black flare dragon from my deck."

"I discard ash blossom and joyous spring to negate the activation."

"You just wasted it Tails. I activate red eyes fusion!"

"Oh no! I forgot!"

"I fuse red eyes black dragon and meteor black comet dragon from my deck! The ferocious dragon born from the flames of hell, the dragon born in the black rocks of space! Combine now and burn my enemies to oblivion! Fusion summon! Ascend from the earth now! Meteor black comet dragon!"

The dragon appeared and roared. Tails knew his was in trouble.

"I activate my dragon's effect. I can send a red eyes monster from my deck to my graveyard and deal you half its attack as damage. I send red eyes black dragon! It has 2400 atk so this means 1200 damage is coming your way buddy!"

"AAAH!" (Tails LP 6800)

"I can't attack on my first turn. So I pass the torch to you."

"… ok my turn. I draw. I summon red resonator. Then because I normal summoned I can special summon red warg by halving its stats. Now I'll tune together red warg and red resonator! Isolated absolute king! Scorch the earth with your eternal flames! Synchro summon! Appear! Hot red dragon archfiend!"

Hot red dragon archfiend flew out of a flame ball and stood against Knuckle's dragon.

"Interesting" Knuckles said "we both wield dragons born in flames. Let's see who of us is the strongest dragon tamer".

"I activate my dragon's effect. I destroy all attack position monsters out."

Hot red dragon archfiend unleashed its flames on meteor black comet dragon. But before it could destroy it….

"I discard ghost ogre and snow rabbit. Now Meteor black comet dragon will take hot red dragon archfiend down with it."

"Oh no."

Both of the dragons were destroyed.

"Anything else you wanna throw at me?"

"I set one card and end my turn".

"My turn then. I draw. I activate magical stone excavation. I discard 2 cards and add red eyes fusion back to my hand. Now I activate it again. I fuse together red eyes black dragon and summoned skull from my deck. The ferocious dragon born in flames and the king of all demons. Become one and dominate hell with your unending power! FUSION SUMMON! Come forth! Archfiend black skull dragon!"

"So you don't waste time in summoning another boss monster."

"Archfiend black skull dragon! Attack Tails directily!"

"Hold it Knuckles. I activate…"

"It's no use Tails. Cards won't activate until my dragon is done attacking!"

"Oh no!"

The black flames of Knuckles' dragon engulfed Tails who felt his skin burning. When the attack was over he looked at his body and so his fur was darkened due to the flames. He also felt like he was literally set on fire. (Tails LP 3600)

"It's not over yet Tails. My dragon's ability also allows me to shuffle one red eyes black dragon into my deck and deal you its attack points as damage!"

"AAAH!" (Tails LP 1200)

"I set two cards and end my turn."

"My turn. I draw."

"Don't even bother drawing."

"What?"

"It is obvious you're not determined to save Sonic. You might as well give me your power now."

"Knuckles I.."

"You are weak! The whole world is on the line here. It is up to one of us to save it!"

Tails fell to his knees and started punching the ground in rage.

"WHY?! WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE ONE OF US?! WHY DO WE HAVE TO DO THIS? I CAN'T STAIN MY HANDS WITH BLOOD! YOUR BLOOD! YOU'RE MY FRIEND! SONIC'S MY FRIEND! I CAN'T DO IT! I CAN'T KILL YOU! OR HIM!"

Knuckles was observing Tails' outburst calm.

"LOOK AT OUR FRIENDS! THEY'RE DEAD! WHY MUST WE KILL EACH OTHER?"

"For the greater good." Knuckles said calm.

"WHAT?!"

"If you look beyond yourself and our friends you will see the world Tails. Look around us. Hundreds of people. All they see because of the illusion Sonic has cast upon them is us having a friendly match for the final duel. To them this is just a tournament. To us this is everything. If we're not strong enough to prevail and defeat Sonic what happened to our friends will happen to a lot more. I can see it in Sonic's eyes. This is amusement to him. He will not stop even if he achieves his 'dreams' of domination. He will force people to kill one another in duels. The last line of defense is the two of us. But only one can save the world. And save Sonic from himself as well."

Tails looked around. He realized Knuckles was right. Refusing to duel right now was a selfish and coward action. He got up determined and with the flame of will to win in his eyes.

"Now come at me with everything you got!"

"My turn! I draw! I activate my set card! Hope for escape! For every 2000 LP between my LP and yours I draw 1 card. The difference is 6800 LP so I draw 3 cards. Perfect. I activate return of the dragon lords. Hot red dragon archfiend comes back. Now I activate its effect to smash this dragon too!"

Archfiend black skull dragon was turned to ashes due to hot red dragon's attacks.

"Hot red dragon archfiend! Attack Knuckles directily!"

"AAAAH!" Knuckles screamed as archfiend dragon's burning punch stroke him. When the attack ended he was lying on the ground with severe burn injuries.

"Knuckles! You ok?!"

"I'm fine!" he said getting up instantly. (Knuckles LP 5000)

"I set one card and call it a turn."

"I draw. I play my own return of the dragon lords to revive red eyes black dragon! Now I play the spell infernal fire blast!"

"Infernal fire blast?!"

"Red eyes cannot attack this turn. But you take its attack as damage so 2400! I win!"

Red eyes unleashed a powerful attack that headed directily for Tails' LP.

"Not just yet Knuckles! I play the trap crimson fire!"

"NO! Not crimson fire!"

"Yes! If I control a red dragon archfiend monster and I'm gonna take effect damage this card sends the damage back to the sender and doubles it!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Knuckles screamed again as the attack of his own card backfired and caused more burns, making him almost unable to stand. (Knuckles LP 200)

"Knuckles! Are…?

"Don't you dare ask me if I'm ok! Remember! I'm someone you must beat or I claim your life! Mercy is not allowed!"

Tails wanted more than anything to go to his friend stop the duel and treat his injuries. But Knuckles was right. These next turns would decide their fate.

"You may have the upper hand right now Tails. But I'll emerge victorious! It's all or nothing now! I activate the spell dragon's mirror!"

"WHAT?!"

"I fuse all 5 dragons in my graveyard! Oh demonic dragon king, ruler of all! Lend me your power so I can crash my enemy! FUSION SUMMON! SHOW YOURSELF! FIVE HEADED DRAGON!"

"Five… headed… dragon!" Tails said in shock.

"It's over Tails! I win this time! But I promise you! I will beat Sonic! Five headed! Eliminate hot red dragon archfiend and end this duel!"

Five headed dragon unleashed his attack from all 5 of his mouths.

"I'm not done yet! Go! Half unbreak!"

"So you still had one last card left" Knuckles said smiling.

"My dragon survives the battle and damage is halved" Tails said as he received the attack feeling his skin being roasted to 700 degrees and being left with 200 LP just like Knuckles.

"So you survived. Good. But I now I activate left arm offering. The rest of my hand is removed from the game and in exchange I add red eyes fusion to my hand. I can't use it right now. But next turn I will summon meteor black comet dragon and end this. You have one turn left Tails. If the lunar dragon believes you are destined to fight Sonic then beat me right now! I end my turn!"

Tails was looking at his deck. There was only one card that could help him win. But if he didn't draw it now it was over. He ignored this thought. Suddenly he felt a burning. Not from his skin but from his heart.

"Heh. It has been so long since I felt my burning soul!" he said smiling.

"Show it to me! Your burning soul!"

Tails' mark started shining. That was all he needed.

"I DRAW!" He screamed while the card he touched was set in flames. He looked at it. It was what he needed.

" I activate the spell synchro shift! I tribute hot red dragon archfiend and summon the original red dragon archfiend from my extra deck! Now I summon deep sea diva! Her ability lets me summon another one from my deck!"

"You actually did it!"

"I did it! I double tune the two deep sea divas with my red dragon archfiend! The king and the devil will now become the one raging spirit that lifts the cries of the Creation itself! SYNCHRO SUMMON! COME FORTH! MY BURNING SOUL! RED NOVA DRAGON!"

Red nova dragon appeared thought the transformation of red dragon archfiend and stood against the five headed dragon.

"Impressive Tails. Still not enough though. You only have 3 tuners in your graveyard. So your dragon's attack becomes 500 exactly the same as my dragon. We both have one return of the dragon lords in the graveyard. Meaning that our battle this turn will end in a stalemate. Next turn you lose. You fought bravely. But it looks like I will face Sonic."

"Not if I have anything to say about it. I activate the spell card double summon. Now I summon mathematician. Thanks to his effect I can send a level 4 or lower monster to my graveyard."

"What?!"

"I send creation resonator! It is a tuner. So my dragon now gains another 500 attack points for a grand total of 5500!"

Knuckles looked down with a sad smile.

"Good game Tails. Now end me."

Tails however couldn't bring himself to say the word Attack. He just couldn't.

"Knuckles I … I can't do it."

"Tails! Hesitating now means turning your back to the world! You're the one to fight Sonic."

"But what about you?"

"I'll be fine."

"But.."

"JUST DO IT!"

"ATTTACK!" Tails screamed in reaction to Knuckles' scream. Red nova dragon attacked with burning soul strike and destroyed five headed dragon tearing it into pieces and knocking Knuckles out, reducing his LP to 0.

"What have I done?!" Tails screamed. He ran to Knuckles' side who was now unconscious.

"Knuckles! Wake up! You're not dead! Come on! Snap out of it!"

Knuckles' eyes didn't open. However Tails heard a whisper.

"It is up to you now my friend." Tails heard while seeing Knuckles' mark being deleted and transforming into a blue energy sphere that entered his body. He felt Knuckles' spirit inside of him. He carried Knuckles' body to his duel runner and then tied Jet's body behind him. Then he rode to his home. He put their bodies next to all his friends' bodies.

Now he was all alone. In three days he would face Sonic. All he could do was practice. The first day went by. The second day went by. The training paid off a lot. Tails felt a bit more confident now. But he still felt fear due to the thought that technically he was facing Sonic and Amy's power alone. However the midday of the third day, the last day before the final he received a message in his cell phone.

"Tails. I know of a way to beat Sonic. Meet me tonight at the dueling field next to your house exactly at midnight. Silver."

Tails tried to call Silver but in vain. In the end he gave up and waited until midnight when he rode his runner and headed for the field Silver mentioned.