Chapter 19: A Duel with Fate

Yuya was feeling great. He was halfway to meeting the entry requirements for the Championship, and he still had plenty of time to meet them. Right now, he was out running errands when he came across a peculiar building. It looked like a castle out of an old horror movie. The sign out front read "Prediction Prep School: Learn how to tell the future through dueling!"

"Predicting the future, huh? Maybe I ought to give it a go..."

Opening the front doors, he found a hallway lit only by rows of torches. A lone voice boomed from within.

"Come in. I've been expecting you."

A little creeped out, but curious all the same, Yuya ventured deeper into the building until he came across the dueling arena. He found it in the center of the building, although he thought it looked more like a cave than a duel arena. Cloaked figures lined the stadium, giving the whole place a rather eerie feeling. Standing in the center of the arena was a cloaked figure, waving their hands in front of a crystal ball.

"Welcome, Yuya. I've been expecting you."

"What? H-how do you know my name?"

The figure removed their hood, revealing herself to be a young girl about Yuya's age.

"Simple, my crystal ball said you'd be here. You're looking to fulfill your quota, for the championship, correct?"

"Wow, you're crystal ball told you all of that?"

"It does, if I listen closely enough. My name is Aura Sentia, and I shall be your opponent! But be warned, my victory is assured."

Yuya smirked, readying his Duel Disk.

"We'll see about that."

"There is nothing to see. Face it, Yuya, you're fate is set in stone!"

The ARC System whirred to life, the field around them transforming into a large Fortuneteller's tent with platforms to climb up on if needed.

"Duelists locked in battle..."

"Kicking the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters, they storm through this field!"

"Behold! This is the latest and greatest innovation of dueling! Action..."

DUEL!

Aura: 4000

Yuya: 4000

"I'll take the first turn. And to start, I activate the spell card Double Summon, allowing me to set two monsters face down instead of one. Your move."

"Not a bad start, but I'm about to get the crowd really going! And I'll start by summoning Performapal Flip Hippo (800/800)! And by switching him to defense mode, his effect lets me summon another Performapal from my hand, like Performapal Coin Dragon (1700/1000)! And since I summoned a Performapal beside herself, I can welcome Performapal Helpprincess to the stage in attack mode (1200/1200)! Next, I activate the field spell Performapal Dramatic Theater, giving all of my monsters 600 attack since I control three different types of monsters (1700-2300) (800-1400) (1200-1800). Plus, Coin Dragon gives all of my Dragons 500 extra attack (2300-2800). Now Helpprincess, attack her facedown monster!"

"Sorry Yuya, but my trap card will put a stop to that! Since I have two face down monsters, Black Cat-astrophe automatically ends the Battle Phase. Better luck next time!"

Sighing, Yuya glanced at his hand. There wasn't much he could do here.

"I end my turn with two cards face down."

"Then its my turn. First, I summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands, and his effect allows me to add the ritual spell Prediction Ritual from my deck to my hand. Next, I'll activate it, tributing Manju and my face down Prediction Princess Arrowsylph and Prediction Princess Astromorrigan in order to ritual summon Prediction Princess Tarotrei (2700/1200)!"

Yuya gazed up in awe at Aura's new monster. It was rare to see a Ritual Monster be used in a duel these days, after all.

"You like? Now Tarotrei, attack Helpprincess!"

"Not so fast, I activate my trap cards, Astral Barrier and Performapal Pinch Helper! Astral Barrier turns your attack into a direct one, while Pinch Helper negates the attack and lets me summon a Performapal from my deck with its effects negated, like my Performapal King Bear (2200-3000) (2800-3000) (1800-2000) (1400-1600)!"

"Alright then, I'll end my turn with one card face down. And since its the end of my turn, my Tarotrei lets me set a Prediction Princess from my graveyard on the field, and I choose Astromorrigan. Your move, Yuya."

"And what a move it'll be! Since I have four Performapals, each with different types, on my field, my Dramatic Theater allows me to summon an Odd Eyes from my hand, deck, or Graveyard, and I can think of none better than Odd Eyes Pendulum Dragon from my deck (2500-3800)! Odd Eyes, attack her Tarotrei!"

"Not so fast, I activate my trap card Windstorm of Etaqua! Now the battle positions of all of your monsters are switched!"

Yuya could only watch hopelessly as his monsters either kneeled or stood, screwing him over either way.

"I end my turn with one card face down."

"That's all you can do, but don't think it'll help! I activate the spell card Mystical Space Typhoon. blowing away your Dramatic Theater and weakening your monsters! Next, I flip up Astromorrigan, but her effect comes later. In the meantime, Tarotrei, destroy his Hippo!"

Scanning the field, Yuya spotted an Action Card hanging from a tall pillar. Using the platforms, he nimbly climbed his way up, swiping it just in time. Unfortunately, the card wouldn't help him in this case, and his hippo was destroyed.

Yuya: 2100

"I'll end my turn with one card face down, and Astromorrigan's effect activates! Now all of your face up monsters in defense position are destroyed, and you lose 500 life points for each!"

"What?!"

The Prediction Princess conjured up several astral swords which then proceeded to skewer Yuya's monsters before turning towards him, Yuya being thrown off his platform in his efforts to dodge. Luckily, he turned his fall into a roll and landed with only minor injuries.

Yuya: 100

"Are you okay? I didn't mean for that to happen!"

"No worries, I'm alright. Besides, what's an Action Duel without risk?"

Aura smiled at Yuya's attitude. Even if he was losing, he was having the time of his life, something she had to commend him for.

"You're an odd one, that's for sure. I'll set one monster face down and end my turn there, and with Tarotrei's effect set Arrowsylph from my graveyard."

"Alright Aura, its all or nothing. To start, I activate Card of Demise to draw some extra cards."

Yuya grinned broadly when he saw what he had drawn. He had everything he needed to end this duel.

"With the Scale 4 Performapal Trump Witch and the Scale 8 Performapal Celestial Magician, I set the pendulum Scale! Come forth from my Extra Deck, Odd Eyes Pendulum Dragon, and from my hand Timegazer Magician (1200/600!"

"Not bad, but my Tarotrei is still too tough for either of them."

"Who said I was done? I activate Trump Witch's Pendulum ability to fuse them together and create a new monster! Come forth, Rune Eyes Pendulum Dragon (3000/2500)! And for good measure, I'll equip him with Megamorph to boost his attack (3000-6000). Rune Eyes, attack Tarotrei!"

"Not so fast, I'll one of her effects! Now your monster is switched into face down defense position!"

"Actually, he won't be, because I chain Breakthrough Skill! Now your Tarotrei's effect is negated!"

"What?!"

Aura could only watch as her monster was incinerated by Rune Eye's attack, knocking her off her feet as well.

Aura: 700

"I'm still in this!"

"Actually, you're not. See, since I used a level 3 monster as material, Rune Eyes can attack twice, so say goodbye to your Astromorrigan!"

Realizing Aura had no other choice, she flipped over her face down trap card, hoping she would get lucky.

"Not so fast, I activate Paths of Destiny. Now we each flip a coin, and what happens depends on what result we get. If you get heads, you gain 2000 life points. But if you get tails, you lose 2000 life points!"

"Really? Your basing your win on chance?"

"I have foreseen my victory, I cannot possibly lose! I'll flip first..."

Producing a coin from her pocket, Aura flipped it, getting heads.

"Yes, just what I needed!"

Aura: 2700

"Now lets see what fate has in store for you..."

Once more, Aura flipped the coin, and it landed on...

Tails!

"Yes, I knew destiny wouldn't let me down! Sorry Yuya, them's the breaks!"

"Don't count me out yet, I activate the action card Acceleration! Now the damage I would take is reduced to zero."

"What? But that means-"

"Game over, I win!"

With no other tricks up her sleeve, Aura braced for impact as the attack hit, destroying her monster and nearly sending her flying into a wall as her life points hit zero.

Aura: 0000

Yuya wins!

Yuya walked over, helping her to her feet.

"That was a good duel, Aura. You had me on the ropes there!"

"You too, Yuya. I hope to meet you in the tournament later."

"Same here."

With that, Yuya took his leave, feeling very confident in himself.

Three down, one to go. And after all this is done, I'm coming for you, dad!