Chapter 52: Do What Thou Wilt
(Jamie Lancaster POV)
I was chilling out with the crew in the Slifer Red dorm - Adam, Jaden, and Bastion. Surprisingly (not), Jesse Anderson tagged along as well, and my god, it couldn't be any more obvious that he wanted Jaden bad. I only hoped that my secret relationship with Alexis wasn't so plain to see.
It was hard to know if Jesse's affections could be returned, though. I still didn't know for sure if Jaden was emotionally "locked" into loving only Yubel due to his status as a reincarnation. The original series didn't make it all that clear – after all, children were the primary audience, so the writers could only communicate through subtext in this regard. At this point, Jaden didn't seem to treat Jesse any different than he treated anyone else. And frankly I'd rather not have anything to do with this particular can of worms if I could help it. I already had enough shit sandwiches on my plate without wading into a yaoi doujinshi. Speaking of which, since I'm an anime character now, shouldn't I be getting my own yaoi doujins by now? Would it be Zane and I? Ah, what the hell am I even thinking about?!
We were just finishing filming an unboxing video for Adam's DuelTube channel, which was growing exponentially as he covered the flood of new product that emerged from the blast caused by Jaden and Aster's battle. Soon, tournaments were scheduled to be resumed, the meta apparently settling down into something manageable. Apart from unboxing products, Adam also reported on tournament results, notable price shifts, and he even did some meta analysis. If nothing else, the paradigm shift helped him make a lot of money.
Adam and Jaden were actually in the video, Bastion held the camera, and I positioned the lighting. "And that's why I'm ranking Invasion of Chaos special edition a 4.75 out of five. Make sure to like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoy my content and a special thanks to all my patrons. Peace out!" Adam said in his 'content creator voice' before we turned off the camera.
"Well, that was a great session. Three videos done should set me up for the next few weeks. Who knows the next chance I'll get to have this much time for filming!?" Adam grinned. "Thanks, you guys."
"No problem, chief. Any time." I smiled as I packed up the gear.
"I say, there were some jolly good pulls in that box. Bloody brilliant, in fact! You should be able to make your initial investment back quite easily. And with the additional revenue from DuelTube, this should be quite a profitable video." Bastion cheerio'd. He got a cut of the revenue for his efforts while I was just doing it for fun. I already got enough money from my services to KaibaCorp, and it felt better to help out a friend with no strings attached. Though I still didn't know if Bastion's accent was actually fake or not…
My musings were cut short by a text alert from Alexis. It was one of those messages that make a guy's whole day better. Perhaps it was less-than-noble to be in a relationship like this with her. I was probably asking for trouble, but we were both happy and it really took a lot of stress off as well. I just wondered when she would feel comfortable going public. It was such an odd sticking point, but I guess if she preferred things this way, then I'd respect that.
"So, you guys got any plans for the rest of the night?" Adam asked. "I'm probably going to go to sleep soon, I've barely gotten a quality night's rest lately."
"Hey, you can crash here if you want. It's already pretty late." Jaden offered. Adam shrugged and inclined his head. Nodding, Jaden said, "I might go for a walk. I still gotta practice using my duel energy. If I can find a way to create more portals in a day without exhausting myself…could come in handy."
"You're just gonna go get high on duel energy again. Probably on the beach." I rolled my eyes.
"Am not! Besides, I have a doctor's note, so I can get high whenever I want! Not that I'm going to!" Jaden was only mock-offended as he pulled out a 3x4 index card that said "DOCTOR'Z NOTE" in messy red crayon. "See, it says here I got pinkeye!"
"Tripping balls on duel energy cures pinkeye, eh?" Adam asked with quirked eyebrow. "I never would have guessed."
"Oh my, this sounds terribly unscientific!" Bastion wailed.
"Cut me some slack, fellas. I'll just bring Jesse along, he'll make sure I stay on track. Ain't that right, Jesse?" Jaden smiled innocently at his new friend.
Jesse looked surprised, but not displeased at the idea. "Oh, uh, sure. I've always been pretty good with that stuff. It seems like you've got some neat powers, so I'd like to see em in action. Besides, Ruby will like the chance to meet your Winged Kuriboh."
"Haha, sure! Just be careful, Winged Kuriboh's voice tends to throw people off. You should hear him at karaoke night, he can sing a mean Barry White cover."
"Haha, I'll try to mentally prepare for that." Jesse chuckled. "What are ya'll up to for the rest of the night?"
"I'm going to hang out with Jasmine. There's probably not much going on around Ra Yellow right now anyways." Bastion said with a self-satisfied smile.
"I'm feeling a bit tired, so I'll probably go to bed early." I lied as I received another text from Alexis.
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(Chazz Princeton POV)
He prowled the halls of Obelisk Blue, his former dorm, with caged energy. He saw the way the Blues looked at him – they had always been an envious, entitled lot. Lancaster could have them, as far as Chazz was concerned. He had no love for this place or its people, or at least he thought so. But then, why did thinking of Central Academy reliably cause a painful twinge of regret in his heart? What should he have done differently? "Why is it so hard to leave the past behind?!" The question circled his mind frequently, like water down a drain. He was angry with himself, for there was no one else he could blame for this insipid sentimentality.
He almost didn't notice Alexis walking by him as he made his way to his room, until he realized the incongruence of seeing a girl in the boy's quarters. "Hey! What are you doing here, Rhodes?" He barked, but when she turned around, her effortless beauty and grace took his breath away. She was dressed casually, a loose sweatshirt with joggers. Her hair was in a messy bun, a few stray tresses framing her makeup-less face.
She regarded him with gentle amusement. "Not how I expected to meet you again, Chazz. Must feel weird to be back in your old dorm, huh?" She was trying to be kind, but it was clear that she found him loathsome, and indeed she was quickly turning away when his voice stopped her again.
"Oh yes, it reminds me of the good old days." The depth and bile of his sarcasm startled her.
"Did you expect I would dwell on fond memories, trapped here once again? Returning to this island has only made it clear how much better off I am for leaving. This stupid spit of rock stagnated my growth. It was just a speed bump back then, and it is now as well. As soon as my business with KaibaCorp is finished, I'm out of here." Chazz spat, the bitterness rising unbidden. Why couldn't he control himself?
Alexis didn't lose her quiet, confident demeanor. "I see you haven't changed much. Ever since middle school, you've been a nasty little cynic. I hope you find happiness and love someday."
Chazz clenched his fist. "You can save your false sympathy. You only say those things so that you can perpetuate the notion that you're a good person. You think you're better than me, so why pretend like you care about my best interests?"
"That's not it at all. I promise it isn't. Jaden feels the same way. If things were different…I wish you were a better man." Alexis' voice seemed truly sad as she looked down on him. This time, the words struck true in his core, and he wished things were different as well. But how could he turn back now, having rejected them so virulently? "I have made my bed, and now I will proudly lie in it."
But the look in her eyes killed his resolve. Even after this long, he was a fool for her. "Look, I'm sorry I said those things just now. I shouldn't have. But…"
"But it comes naturally, right?" She finished, not lecturing, but truly seeming to understand. "It can be hard to go against your nature. I don't want to preach to you, so I'll just say this. None of us wants to be your enemy, Chazz. Even Jamie doesn't. We don't have to be friends, but for the time being we're working together, so let's try and understand each other, ok?" She smiled at him.
Courage, or perhaps it was insanity, gripped him. "Alexis, I'm in love with you." Chazz felt the words sting as they escaped his lips. He just knew he had to tell her how he felt, how he always felt about her.
He mouth was agape for a moment before she closed it. "Uh…I….don't know what to say…this is really out of nowhere…."
"Oh no, I fucked it up again!" Chazz couldn't stand to look at her before he scurried off to his room. He spent a long time staring at the ceiling. The same question circled his mind like water going down a drain. "Where did I fuck up?" He didn't even remember to ask why she was in the boy's dorm. Probably off to see her boyfriend or something. The thought made Chazz sick.
(Syrus Truesdale POV)
He rushed back to his dorm after supper, carrying a package under his arms. This baby had been waiting for him while they were all on the ill-fated trip to Domino City. Syrus was just glad he got the hell out of there without having to risk his life in a fight against the monarchs. He wished he could be as courageous as the others, but it was so hard. Despite his progress, Syrus was still insecure about his own abilities, especially when he compared himself to Jaden or Zane, as he often did.
Hentai and ecchi games were a welcome escape from the crushing pressures his brother and his school put upon him. Some called it a crutch, but Syrus knew it wasn't that – it was just something he'd come to rely on to help him through life. With the threat of the Light of Destruction now apparent, such retreats really took the edge off, even though he knew on some level that he probably shouldn't be indulging in them as often as he did. But he was still going to – it was a habit he had for many years.
"Relax babe, it's just the two of us tonight." He reclined on the futon with an arm around his body pillow of Rias Gremory – he dug her out of the back of his closet. Rias gave him the silent treatment, as she always did. He cuddled closer to his inanimate companion as they prepared to watch Sekirei on the television. However, before he could push play on the DVD, he heard the doorbell ring. Syrus quietly made his way to the peephole to find out who was there. It was Jasmine and Mindy! "Oh, uh, just a moment!" The Ra Yellow squeaked.
Hastily, he shoved his hentai stash and Rias into the closet, turned off the DVD, and put on some nicer clothes. The whole process took a solid five minutes and was rather noisy, but luckily the two girls patiently waited at the door. In fact, they hadn't even moved – even their posture was exactly the same as before, as if they were statues. Syrus did not make any particular note of this, however. "Hey, sorry to keep you waiting!" He leaned against the doorframe 'smoothly'. "How can I help you two ladies tonight?"
Jasmine and Mindy wore identical smiles. "We just wanted to hang out, Sy!" Now this, on the other hand, made him suspicious. He knew that these two girls weren't fond of him, and they had made that clear on multiple occasions through many unique, subtle way of expressing disgust. The only reason they would act so friendly is to get something out of him…otherwise, they'd want nothing to do with him. But what did they want?
"This isn't another prank, is it?" Syrus asked. He didn't want to be tricked again.
"What? No way!" Mindy said in what Syrus could have sworn was a voice of false shock. "I was just wondering if I could have a quick duel with you, if it's not too much trouble."
"…how come? Wouldn't you prefer to practice against an Obelisk?" Syrus brought up suspiciously. "Isn't that why the Obelisk Force is a thing?"
"Well, it's because I wanted to duel you, silly!" Mindy winked at him. "We really feel bad about how our first meeting went, but we never apologized. So if you're up for it, I'd like for this duel to mark our new friendship. We need to trust each other if we're gonna beat Sartorius and all the other bad guys out there, right?"
Syrus paused. Maybe he was being too distrustful. The last thing he wanted was to push them away because he was scared of being made to look like an idiot. "Alright, sure. Sorry."
He went inside the room to grab his cards and duel disk, not realizing that Mindy and Jasmine followed behind him, closing the door on their way in. Jasmine leaned forward, now close to him. She said breathily, "You don't mind if we duel in here, do you?"
Syrus felt chills of excitement race up his spine unbidden. He knew he shouldn't – Jasmine was in a relationship with Bastion – but the idea of a positive, genuine interaction with a real girl was totally foreign to him, and more than a little exciting. "Yeah, sure." His voice cracked. When he got his duel disk ready and turned around, Mindy was already prepared, Jasmine watching with unblinking eyes in the corner.
The duel proceeded at an easy pace, Mindy often pausing to make small talk with him. Jasmine was not shy about putting in her two cents as well, and the conversation had a great flow. Syrus was using his Vehicroid deck, supplemented with many new machine support cards from the blast. He knew that were many better machine decks out there, but he still wanted to try and use his favorite cards, even if it meant losing more often. That was just the type of duelist he was. He figured Jasmine, a competitive and driven Obelisk Blue, would deride him for this, but she just kept smiling at him, making him feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Mindy used a Fire Fist deck. The archetype worked very well together, employing powerful continuous spells as well as multiple summoning methods – she used Synchro, Exceed, and Ritual monsters. It was a well-matched game, but eventually she got the upper hand on him and was poised to win the game with a final direct attack. It was all good, though. He had fun dueling, and that's what this was really all about, right?
"Wow, you're amazing, Mindy. That was a fun game!" Syrus said with wholesome enjoyment.
"It sure was, Syrus! You were a tough opponent. Almost had me there a few times. But all good things have to come to an end. Oh, and one more thing." Mindy's tone remained as cheerful as ever, but for some reason Syrus felt his good mood slowly curdling into cold dread with every word she spoke.
She leaned forward with a big smile as her monster, Fire Fist Tiger King, readied its fist. "Welcome to the Society of Light!"
"Ah man, I should have known there was a catch. There always is. Just my luck…" Syrus thought dejectedly as his consciousness was assimilated into the Light's alien intelligence collective.
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(Yubel POV)
The three of them walked through the smoldering hole in the wall, its edges still smoking. Yubel walked confidently at the front with wings spread, her shadow long and thin on the floor.
The throne room was silent, but for the crumbling of stone. Outside, the battles still raged, the sounds carrying into the chamber. Yubel's footsteps seemed deafening as she flared her duel energy, magenta aura writhing like flames around her body. At her side was Blade Knight along with Mr. Volcano, two of her trusted inner circle. In deference to her ostentatious display of energy, they walked quietly. Sparks danced between Volcano's fingers, while Blade Knight's hand was clenched on the sheathed hilt of his sword.
At the end of a long black carpet sat an absurdly large throne, and ugly and misshapen chair forged from the smelted-together duel disks of fallen foes. Seated there was a skeletal grey wraith, a cackling, thin demon wrapped in a yellow cloak. It was Brron, Mad King of the Dark World.
"Hi there!" On sight, Yubel shot a blast of virulent purple energy from her palm, the beam racing towards the seated monarch. Mr. Volcano and Blade Knight remained idle, the knight's hand resting on his sword pommel while the other spirit was lighting up a cigarette. Equally casual, the mad king stood up and batted away the blast upwards. The beam crashed into the ceiling, causing rubble to fall to the floor. The palatial chamber was now exposed to the night, the pitiless moon shining silver beams upon the demons.
"Ah, you must be the ambitious little abomination I've heard so much about. You've been giving my generals hell, Yubel." The king chuckled. The two beasts wore identical smiles as they stared each other down, teeth bared wide.
"I've been sending them there too." Poisonous vines crept up from under Yubel's feet, easily breaking through the stone. The power of the Predaplants were seamlessly in accordance with Yubel's nature and will. "And it's your turn to join them! In the name of Lord Jaden Yuki, rightful king of all darkness, I challenge you for rights to rule this realm!" Her determination was unrivaled – she would never, ever give up until those she considered enemies were dead. Yubel's killing intent was flattening, a tidal wave of primal, raw hatred, sweet poison tinging the edges with love and longing.
However, Brron was able to bear it with impressive grace, his clawed feet descending the dais as he withdrew a duel disk from within his cloak. "Any true king would face me himself. This Jaden Yuki is a coward, sending his dog to do his dirty work. Tell me, do you three plan on teaming up against me? I'd expect nothing less from such cannibalistic hellspawn."
Mr. Volcano and Blade Knight looked a bit uncomfortable, but Yubel only smiled. "You are not worthy to die by his hand." She lied. "And these two are only spectators. I am more than enough to finish you by myself – today, I will prove indisputably that I am the strongest duel spirit in the universe!"
Somewhere, the spirits of Dark Magician, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Exodia, Tragodeia, the Crimson Dragon, the Earthbound Immortals and numerous other ancient gods sneezed simultaneously. Blade Knight and Mr. Volcano let out scoffs that they quickly obscured with coughs. "Sorry, it's a bit dusty in here." Blade Knight said when Yubel side-eyed him.
"Well, clearly that claim is a bit debatable, but the matter will be moot when you're dead by my hand. I have no need to send servants to do my killing. You and your cause will be nothing more than charred bones and cooked meat when I am finished." The king activated his duel disk, prepared for battle.
"Haha! We'll see, fool! But first…" Yubel politely walked over to play rock-paper-scissors with Brron to decide the turn order. "Yes! I knew rock was a good idea!" Yubel cackled while Brron cursed his unorthodox pick of scissors.
"I'll start by summoning Evil Thorn (100/300) in attack mode!" Yubel began by sprouting a small, rotted vine with spiked fruit. "When this monster is summoned, I can sacrifice it to deal 300 points of damage to you. Then, I can special summon two extra copies of Evil Thorn from my deck!" The spikes shot out from the fruit as two more vines emerged from the floor, nicking Brron's side. She summoned the thorns in defense before setting two cards to end the turn. (Yubel 4000/Brron 3700)
"Is that all? Bear witness to a true demon's power! I'll start by activating the field spell The Gates of Dark World!" Behind the realm's monarch appeared twin doors, parting ways to reveal blinding white light and blasting gales of wind. "While this field is active, all fiends gain 300 attack and defense. I also gain access to an additional effect once per turn that you'll see in time. Then, I'll cast the spell Dark World Dealings. This magic lets each of us draw a card, and then discard one."
As they did so, a silvery ring of light appeared on Brron's field, signaling an activated effect. "I discarded the monster Silva, Warlord of Dark World (2300/1400), triggering its effect to summon itself from the graveyard!" The summoned demon had a stately air to him, wielding a shining silver long sword with casual elegance.
"Then, I'll normal summon Scarr, Scout of Dark World (500/500) in attack position." Brron's next monster was clearly an underling, its red hide hunched as it crawled on all fours. "Now, I'll attack both of your evil thorns!" The demons slashed through the vines easily, Yubel unbothered by this. "Then, I'll set a card and end my turn."
The heterochromatic demon looked unimpressed by her adversary's first turn. "I draw. First, I'll summon Lonefire Blosson (500/1400)" Yubel's plant monster was an odd one, a dusky orange stalk leading up to a fruit resembling a bomb, complete with dwindling fuse. "By sacrificing this monster, I can summon any plant monster from my deck! I'll tribute for Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio (1200/800)!"
The Lonefire Blosson exploded, its scattered matter reforming into a leafy scorpion creature with a bulbous red tail. "When this monster is summoned, I can discard a monster card to special summon another Predaplant from the deck. My next summon will be Predaplant Darling Cobra (1000/1500)." The serpent's head was small, with beady violet eyes, while its tail was an ostentatious flower in bloom. "When this monster is summoned, I can add Polymerization to my hand."
Yubel's eyes began to glow as she clasped her hands together. "I now fuse Scorpio and Cobra on the field!" Thick, smoky plumes of purple swirled around Yubel's field, obscuring the monsters as they melded together, the plant matter congealing and multiplying in size.
"Fusion summon! Starving Venom Fusion Dragon (2800/2000)!" The dimension dragon snapped its jaws at the enemy, coiling on the ground like a serpent. Ivy writhed like tentacles arounds its body, toxic pink bubbles infrequently emanating from its pores, melting stone rubble upon contact. "When this monster is summoned, it can gain attack points equal to that of another special summoned monster on the field!" Bright green energy flared around the dragon as it gained Silva's 2300 attack points, bringing it to a total of 5100. A successful attack on Scarr would deal 4600 damage, enough to secure Yubel the victory, and rather quickly to boot.
Or it would have, if not for Brron's trap card. "Activate reverse card, Dark World Brainwashing! Once per turn, in response to your effect activation, I can return a Dark World monster on the field to my hand. Then, instead of that original effect, instead your monster's ability discards a random card from my hand." However, Brron could only use this effect if he had three or more cards in his hand.
Silva returned to Brron's hand, and Yubel discarded a random card from the mad king's four. "Ha! The card you discarded was Beige, Vanguard of Dark World (1600/1300). When this card is discarded, I can special summon it to the field!" From the ground emerged a low-level demon wielding a blunt two-handed spear. Brron summoned it in defense mode to avoid damage, but his red scout was still in attack position.
"Take this! I attack your red scout with Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!" The dragon loosed a toxic stream of sludge that melted down the lesser demon in moments. Brron was flung backwards, slamming painfully against the dais. (Yubel 4000/Brron 1700)
"I end my turn!" Yubel cackled, even while Brron had still not picked himself up yet. He was allowed to search a monster from deck to hand due to Scarr being destroyed, but that didn't soften the blow any. "Come on! This isn't even foreplay- erm, I mean a warm-up! That's what I meant."
Brron eventually did recover. "I will not fall to a slobbering animal like you! I will not have it! I draw!" Despite his title, Brron was practically subdued and even-keeled in comparison to his adversary. "This is the last time I'll underestimate you, beast! I'll crush you with my full power! First, I'll return Beiige to my hand in order to special summon Grapha, Dragon Lord of Dark World (2700/1800)!" A skeletal, undead-looking dragon with dark grey scales emerged from the Dark World Gate, walking on its hind legs. Semi-translucent film made up its wings, connecting strong, bony segments together. "And due to my field spell, my dragon is strong enough to swing over yours. Then, I'll cast Dark World Lightning, which allows me to destroy one of your set cards by discarding one of my own cards. The card I discard is Beiige, so I get to summon him again." A stroke of violet electricity vanquished Yubel's set Call of the Haunted.
"Now, Grapha will strike down your Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!" With steely scales, the granite dragon slashed through Yubel's monster, causing a noxious cloud of gas to be released onto the battlefield. "When Starving Venom Fusion Dragon is destroyed, all of your special summoned monsters are destroyed with it!" The toxins tore through the Dark World dragon and the foot soldier, leaving Brron's field bare of monsters.
However, Yubel still took damage from the attack, a sudden lash of blood bursting from her shoulder. She gasped, clutching the wound. (Brron 1400/Yubel 3800)
"That was just a taste! More will come, Yubel!" Brron snarled, setting a card and ending his turn.
Yubel chuckled deeply as she felt her own blood dry and crust on her fingers. In the throes of battle, the childish part of her voice had given way to a deep, demonic growl. "Now this is getting exciting! Few duelists are able to cut me like this~Aah, yes. After hundreds of years of slaughtering, it just gets old to fight without meeting any resistance, you know?" She questioned with a 'cute' tilt of her head, licking up the blood trailing from the corner of her mouth.
Brron's hands were subtly shaking. "Impossible…how are your energy levels increasing after taking damage?!"
"Pain like this doesn't really slow me down. Quite the opposite, as I'm sure you've realized. When I hear your heart beat faster, it makes me run hot!" Yubel's laughter echoed in the chamber. "Come on! You must fight with me until your body is torn apart!"
"Yubel isn't the sort that gets worn down over time in a battle. The pain excites her in many ways. The best way would have been to end the fight in one decisive blow. But that ship has pretty much sailed, hasn't it?" Mr. Volcano commented, his voice a lazy drawl, much to Brron's ire.
"Draw!" Yubel's dual-shaded eyes bulged, veins running red across her sclerae. Her pupils were slit like a serpent's. "I'll first use Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your field spell." The swift cyclone vanquished the gates to Dark World. "I summon Predaplant Spinodinaea (1800/0)!" Yubel's next monster was a green velociraptor sort of creature with an enormous venus flytrap on its back. "Then, I'll attack you directly!"
"I activate the quick-play spell Gateway to Dark World! This lets me summon a Dark World monster from my graveyard!" Brron desperately cried in defense. Through shadowy portal emerged Grapha once again, the mighty dragon more than enough to scare off the Predaplant.
Yubel inclined her head. "Hmph. Very well. In that case, I will activate my set card, Predaplanning. This trap lets me give your monster a predator counter as long as I send a Predaplant monster from my deck to the graveyard." A scuttling spore latched onto the dragon's skin, causing it to keel in discomfort. "I'll set a card and end my turn."
The Mad King glanced uncomfortably at the cocklebur, but continued with his move regardless. "I'll play Allure of Darkness, letting me draw two cards as long as I banish a dark monster from my hand afterwards." Looking over his options, Brron pieced together a strategy. "Then, I'll play another Dark World Dealings, letting us each draw one, then discard one."
After they discarded their cards, a devious little gremlin clad in a dark blue cape appeared on Yubel's side of the field, kneeling with a scepter in hand. "What the hell is this?" Yubel said with more amusement in her voice than anything else.
"That is Ceruli, Guru of Dark World (100/300). When it is discarded, it is special summoned to your side of the field in defense mode. Its effect then triggers, discarding a card from your opponent's hand, which is to say that I discard a card." Brron gave a somewhat unwieldy explanation.
"What is the purpose of that? Surely you have many cards that let you discard without giving me a monster." Yubel mocked.
"Yes, but many of my Dark World monsters gain additional abilities when they are discarded by an opponent's effect! Take, for example, Lucent, Netherlord of Dark World (2400/0)!" A greater demon with primarily clear carapaces and armor appeared on Brron's field. "When Lucent is discarded by an opponent's card effect, I can summon him, as well as an additional Fiend monster from my deck to the field! I'll also summon Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World (2300/1400)!" A smaller, bulkier ghoul arrived, its bright gold armor contrasting dark skin. It held a curved, double-handed axe in its hands. All of their values were boosted by 300 due to the field spell.
"Oh my, that's more impressive than I would have expected from you. Good! Let's see some real power!" Yubel congratulated.
"Grr! I'll shut that arrogant mouth of yours, beast!" Brron sent his three monsters to attack. First, Grapha took down Predaplant Spinodionaea, while Goldd sliced up the gifted Ceruli. Then, with Yubel's field clear, Lucent struck her directly, embedding the winged demon into the wall with a cocked-back punch. (Brron 1400/Yubel 700)
Yubel continued to smile and laugh, taking true, childlike enjoyment in the violence. Blade Knight and Mr. Volcano did not move from their positions, waiting patiently as Yubel emerged from the wall. Stretching her neck, Yubel bounced on her feet, feeling loose and limber.
"Is that all for your turn?" She asked, and Brron was beginning to notice that fear was overtaking his rage. "Yes." He ground out.
"Good!" Yubel drew. "Because I'm getting hungry. First, I'll play Card of Sanctity."
"Why do they always draw that fucking card when they need it?" Brron groused.
"Oh, you don't know? It's the heart of the cards. Those who fight for righteous causes will see their faith reflected in the cards. It is your own fear and doubt that will kill you today, not me. Well, actually I'm primarily the one doing the killing regardless, but the point is that those with the strongest belief in themselves and their cause will always prevail over those with weak hearts." Yubel's voice became sweeter, softer. For a moment, she sounded almost human. "I love Jaden. You can laugh or sneer at that, it doesn't matter. He needs me. My love is stronger than you!"
"Is that how you sleep at night? At least I am true to my nature as a demon. I do not cloak my deeds behind lofty words. I kill because it pleases me. But you, you could do anything as you could rationalize it as being for "love". You could lie, cheat, steal, murder, and you would still consider yourself a righteous hero because you thirst after some human. It's pathetic! I can't believe you have massed such a force, when you are nothing more than a feckless adolescent!" Brron cackled, refusing to acquiesce to Yubel's point of view. Mr. Volcano and Blade Knight looked like they agreed with him, but they had no choice but to bend to Yubel's overwhelming power. Indeed, Yubel's army was united in their fear of her. They followed unquestionably, lest they become the next object of her…attentions.
"At least I will still be alive when the next ten minutes are up!" Yubel revealed one of the cards in her hand. "I play Predaplast! This quick-play spell lets me give each of your monsters a predator counter for each Predaplant monster I reveal in my hand." Yubel promotply turned over two monsters, allowing her to spread the disease of Predaplant counters to Lucent and Goldd.
"Now, I'll normal summon Predaplant Chlamydosundew (600/200)." Although the monster would be a nightmare in a spelling bee, on the battlefield it was a seemingly harmless frilled lizard, plant-based as all of its kin. However, its appearance belied a powerful effect.
"With this monster, the path to victory is clear. You see, its effect allows me to fusion summon without a spell, using monsters on the field with predator counters!" Sickly sweet smells infected the air asYubel clapsed her hands together. "I'll merge my Chlamydosundew with your Grapha and Lucent!" Yubel chanted.
Brron could do nothing but watch as two of his monsters were taken from him, used as ingredients in a hellish recipe. The dragon, the demon, and the little lizard swirled together in the air, their organic matter rebuilt in the form of an enormous three-headed hydra, vits wings violet flower petals and its legs sturdy leaves. "Fusion summon! Predaplant Triphyoverturm (3000/3000)!"
"Damn it…I've never seen fusion summoning like this!" Brron cursed.
"And this is only the beginning. I sensed it weeks ago. In the human world, Jaden clashed with a wielder of the Light of Destruction, drawing forth tremendous latent power from both duelists. It was enough power to reshape the universe, and every one of us has reaped some fruit from their struggle. The future of dueling is now. It's here for the taking, and I will take it!" Her hydra roared, a purple aura flaring as its attack power rose by 2300. "Trioverphytum gains attack points equal to the total attack points of all monsters with predator counters!" As the monster grew to 5300 attack points, Yubel's exerted pressure grew in intensity. Even Volcano and Blade Knight lost their composure, feeling splitting headaches and scalding heat just from standing so close to Yubel.
Around Yubel swirled the spirits of her fallen foes, their souls crying out in anguish as they powered her, not allowed to die while they still had some utility. "Attack!" The hydra charged a three-pronged poison blast, unleashing its full strength after only a few moments of concentration. It effortlessly annihilated Brron's remaining monster along with the rest of his life points. (Brron 0/Yubel 700)
After a few moments, the duel monsters used in the battle disappeared. Yubel calmed down somewhat, relieving her spiritual pressure and bringing back relative quiet to the throne room. She walked slowly up to the fallen Brron, her gaze never leaving him.
"A beautifully fought battle, Lady Yubel! Truly, your power is unmatched in all the universe!" Mister Volcano took his chances with nervous flattery. Blade Knight looked upon her intently, and although as always, his outward expression could not be discerned, it was clear he was thinking, scheming, using every morsel of information he could gather.
Brron said nothing, only glaring hatefully up at the conquering foe. Yubel smiled down at him. "In the name of King Jaden Yuki, I claim all rights to the Dark World, as well as every one of the twelve dimensions. In his name, I sentence you to a summary execution. Perish knowing that you will serve the true king as a part of me."
Brron's eyes widened, briefly comprehending what this meant before Yubel clutched his head, absorbing every part of the former king and consolidating his duel energy into her base, along with the hundreds of thousands she had absorbed over the century. His power was significant, a far larger boost than she was used to. Instantly, Yubel felt all of her wounds heal, her body stronger than ever.
But it was not enough. She was still hungry. The Predaplants gave great power, but they always wanted more. And she would gladly give what was needed until she achieved her goal. She turned to her two subordinates. "The battle is over. We have won control of this realm from the thieves who would claim right to its bounty."
"That is true, Lady Yubel." Blade Knight agreed drolly. "What is our next course of action, then?"
"Once we are rested, the human world, of course. There are many treasures there that will advance our power." Blade Knight froze at this, and Yubel chuckled. "Is that a problem, my loyal friend?"
"Of course not. I was just thinking of all that could be gained from such a conquest." Blade Knight replied smoothly.
"And of course, the true king waits for us there as well. Once he realizes his destiny, Jaden will come to me willingly. We are the same person, merely two halves of a whole. And while we are there, there is the matter of the lion…that creature is a wound in the natural order of the universe. His existence rends the dimensions, displacing life and sowing chaos. Things will continue to break down until he is dead." Yubel said calmly.
"Now there is a task I await eagerly." Blade Knight responded succinctly.
"Indeed, but patience is necessary. Our forces need rest, but we must only wait a little longer…" Yubel felt Brron's soul scream inside of her. It was like music.
"Wait for me, Jaden. On wings of song I fly to you."
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
(Jamie Lancaster POV)
I strolled back to Obelisk Blue, enjoying the cool night breeze as I went. Though my enjoyment was marred by the ever-present anticipation of the battles to come. The tension could be felt all over the island, everyone either instinctively or actually knowing that cataclysms were en route. Hell, the island might not survive the battles, if Sartorius and Kaiba used the full power of their duel energy. It was a sobering thought, that the place which I had grown such a strong attachment to might sink beneath the waves, forgotten.
The dorm was well-within sight, and I initially passed by the lake without delay, focused on my destination. However, I was given pause by the sound of familiar chords – a song. I followed the sound to the fr side of the water, where I saw Aster Phoenix sitting on a log, not seeming to care if his silver suit got dirtied. His phone speaker was softly playing "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot. A classic shanty, but not one I would have expected to hear on this side of the pacific. Aster was staring out at the still waters, seemingly in deep thought or perhaps even meditation, though such a practice seemed incongruous to what I knew of the Light's religion, which admittedly wasn't much.
"Hi, Aster." I said with a nod and a tight-lipped expression. I had other matters to attend to, but I felt the need to stop and talk with him, as I didn't really know the guy. "How are ya finding the island?"
His stare reminded me a bit of Sartorius' -blue and placid. But after a moment, they darted as any normal person's would. "Ah. It's you. Well, the weather's nice here, I suppose. Things turned out pretty peachy for you by letting Jaden duel me back in the city. It seems we're allies for the time being."
"Well, I had other fires to put out, so I had to trust him. I hope ya don't mind too much. We can have a friendly duel some other time after this is all over. Although I guess you have pay pretty good money to fight a pro, huh?" I tried to banter a bit with him.
Aster's expression remained stolid. "I may have to make an exception on your behalf. After all, I never learned why Sartorius thought you and Mackenzie were special threats to the Light's power." I noticed a book tucked behind his foot, against the log. It had a simple brown binding, the title written in silver letting on the front. I couldn't quite make it out.
The subject was definitely a bit uncomfortable. "Well, I'm not sure it really matters what Sartorius thinks of me. Considering he's trying to brainwash my friends into a death cult before destroying the planet with consolidated duel energy and all." I snarked.
"Heh, I guess you were right about that after all. I'm sorry. I didn't know about any of that. I don't know what could have happened to Sartorius to make him think that…he was my best friend." Aster turned back to face the water with a hollow look in his eyes.
"But I know now that there are many sides of dueling and of duel energy, with good and bad in each of them." He raised his book. "I still hope to use some of the Light's teachings to do good in the world. It helped me so much when I really needed it, so I hope that it isn't all bad."
I didn't know what to say to that. It was hard to know if there really was any good there, it's not like I was familiar with the religion. It sounded more like Aster needed it for the sake of getting some structure in his life than anything else.
"Well, whatever the reason, I'm down for a game any time. You're pretty strong from what I've seen. I bet it would be a good challenge." I tried to steer the conversation to safer waters. He couldn't quite let go of his doctrine – I didn't like it, but it was something he was raised in all his life. I probably would have turned out the same way.
"My destiny heroes won't let me down. I hope to develop my awareness further. Hopefully then, I will be able to discern why your duel energy feels different than the others, since you don't seem to be forthcoming." Aster said coldly.
I forced myself to laugh. Inside, I withdrew into myself, trying to forget that I was at least somewhat responsible for the state of things as they were. "Ha, sure. Whatever, man." I turned away and stomped off. Sometimes, I don't know why I even bother. I try to be the nice guy, and they give me attitude anyways. Maybe I should just do whatever I want. Feeling any guilt regarding my relationship with Alexis seemed silly. I was already breaking rules just by existing, so what's a few more? Especially where love was concerned.
XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX
(Syrus Truesdale POV)
Jasmine pulled up an Excel spreadsheet on her laptop, Syrus and Mindy peering over her shoulder. "Alright, so that last one was 797. Should be only three of them left." Jasmine let out a tired sigh – it had been a long, but fruitful evening. Although at first she wondered if it was even possible to convert all 800 Ra Yellows in a single night, the process quickened exponentially the more duelists they brought to their side. In fact, converting the latter half of the dorm took only a small fraction of the time it took to brainwash the first half.
"Let's see, the last three are Adam Sugihara, Tyranno Kenzan, and…Bastion Misawa." Mindy listed, glancing hesitantly towards Jasmine as she spoke the last name. "Well, Sugihara shouldn't be any trouble, anyways. The guy plays a coin flip deck, but the Lord has granted us protections against such things. Where is he, anyways?"
"Probably cooking up some stupid DuelTube video with Jaden or Lancaster." Jasmine sniffed. "Kenzan is probably at the gym. Syrus can handle him once he gets back, unless you'd rather I do it." She nodded towards the cyan-haired duelist.
"I got it. Kenzan's pretty good, but he's just a brute at the end of the day." Syrus said confidently. "And Bastion…"
"He's too strong for us right now." Jasmine said, but it was a lie. Although she was now an apostle of the light, a part of her wanted to protect her boyfriend from what she knew, on some deeper level, was the wrong path. "We'll handle him along with the rest of the so-called elites once Father Sartorius is here to back us up. For now, we'll focus on Kenzan and maybe Sugihara if he happens to cross our path. Once we're good and ready, we can bolster our force with some meatshields from Slifer Red. The only way we can overcome Obelisk Blue is with overwhelming numerical superiority." It was a loathsome fact, but a fact all the same. Taking a deep breath, Jasmine found her center. Patience. The waiting would make the downfall of these silver spoon, trust-fund elites all the more satisfying.
"For now, act naturally. Father Sartorius will launch his final attack on the island soon." Jasmine bid. "Patience, my friends."
They nodded, dispersing for the time being. The Ra Yellow dorm appeared no different than it did before – they wanted to paint the building and the uniforms white, but the need for strategic deception outweighed their personal wants. The students acted the same, but once Father Sartorius arrived, their true loyalties would become apparent, much to the woe of their enemies.
Syrus took his body pillow out to sea and allowed the waves to wash it away.
(A/N)
Hope you guys enjoyed.
A different chapter than usual, focusing mostly on villainous activities. For those who maybe forgot or something, Jaden fought Brron the Mad King of Dark World in episodes 135-136 of the canon. The duel infamously led to Jaden becoming the Supreme King, as well as an homage to Berserk where Jaden's friends are branded and sacrificed, or sent to the stars as the dub put it. Of course no one stays dead in Yugioh, it is for kids after all. I enjoyed going to a darker place in this chapter by having two villains duke it out.
Syrus isn't a perv anymore! Great news, right? All it took was for him to become a manicial cult member instead…along with most of Ra Yellow. Great. The final battles are approaching for this arc, and Sartorius will be bringing along more than just Kaiba. The heroes will be quite busy, for sure. Especially since not everyone is one the same page, and some like Chazz aren't in the best state of mind.
Hey, did you guys see the promos for Yugioh Sevens?! LMAO…tbh I didn't even watch Vrains, and I probably won't watch this all the way through, although I may give it a chance depending on if I have the time to watch an episode while doing laundry or something. I can't blame Konami for trying to market a separate, less complicated version of the game to kids though. I also like the new framework for the rush duel cards, puts more emphasis on the artwork and having a number for level stars is nice.
I primarily approach the series from the perspective of the card game anyways, and on that front, I actually like the new Master Rule 5. It seems like a great way to balance all of the available summoning methods. Decks like D/D/D, Burning Abyss, and whatnot may benefit from this. Just my opinion, but I probably wouldn't put too much stock in any predictions, especially about the meta. Remember people thought Kozmo and Domain Monarch were going to be meta in Link Format? LOL people have no clue what they're talking about, and worse, everyone thinks they're an expert too. It's like a weeb version of the stock market or something. Anyways, I'm just trying to keep an open mind. After all, the first half of Zexal was god-awful and the second half (after everyone stopped watching) turned out pretty good, so it can happen sometimes. I'm just hoping for interesting and fun new cards.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! And since this will most likely be my last chapter for the year, a happy new year as well. I can't believe we're going into a new decade! Hoping for a great one!