Marcus and Presario took up positions opposite each other whilst Nicola and Andreas backed off a short distance from them occasionally casting worrying glances towards the sniper on the roof, Marcus's eyes narrowed as he activated his duel disk.
"So what's the matter Presario? Where you too much of a coward to face us head on without dragging an innocent girl into this?" Marcus spat and Presario's eyes narrowed.
"Don't you dare mock me!" Presario growled before smirking. "Just for that when I win not only will I take your soul but the little lady's daddy..." Presario made a slit throat motion with his thumb with a sadistic grin on his face and Nicola's eyes went as wide as dinner plates.
"That's all well and good except for two things, 1: I don't intend to lose this match and two there's no way in hell I'm letting you get that shot off so here's your end of the bargain, when I win you call off the sniper before your soul gets consumed." Marcus said folding his arms, Presario said nothing for a few moments before smirking.
"You know what? I agree to your terms, you want to know why? Because this deck is the strongest magician deck there is, and to prove it I'll put my two rarest cards up for grabs alongside my two locater cards." Presario smirked.
"Fine, I'll do the same!" Marcus nodded in agreement. "You going to tell me what those cards are?"
"You'll find out during the course of the duel, not before." Presario grinned.
"He's keeping his cards close to his chest, so to speak, they must be really powerful." Andreas thought before turning his attention to Nicola who was starting to be stressed out. "Hey relax, Marcus is one of the best Dragon duellists I know he won't let this creep beat him!"
"Are...are you...sure?" Nicola stammered.
"I'm sure." Andreas nodded before getting an idea. "Mind if I text somebody?" Presario turned his attention to Andreas and shrugged.
"As long as it's not the cops." Presario said plainly and Andreas started writing his text message.
*elsewhere*
Brandon and Theresa had watched the duel between Nicola and Andreas on TV whilst they were searching for duels and once it had finished they started walking off.
"That girl had some impressive skills for someone so inexperienced." Brandon commented. "I can see where Andreas was coming from with the comparison to Chloe."
"I'm surprised she hasn't tried out for Duel Academy." Theresa added just before she got a text, she retrieved her cell phone and read it. "It's Andreas, we already know about the victory and..." Theresa's eyes widened.
"Something wrong Theresa?" Martin asked and Theresa looked up.
"Marcus is in an Orichalcos duel, and his opponent is threatening the life of the girl's dad with a sniper." Theresa said and the two men did a double take. "I don't think Andreas would joke about this,"
"Agreed." Martin nodded getting his cell phone out. "I'll call the cops, you two go provide support for him."
"How do we keep getting into situations like this?" Brandon whispered to Theresa as she flagged down a cab.
"Tell that to the asshole who employs them." Theresa said as she sent a text back saying that they'll be there soon.
*back at the duel*
"Who did you text?" Nicola asked as the two duellists activated their duel disks, Andreas smiled and turned to her.
"Mutual friends." Andreas said plainly before turning to Presario. "You said no one can leave but what about people entering the area?"
"I have no problems with that." Presario said as the two duellists drew their opening hands. "I shall go first."
"Go for it." Marcus said looking at his hand, rather than draw however Presario retrieved a card from his jacket sleeve and manipulated his hand so that it looked like he had drawn it, something Nicola noticed almost immediately.
"Now let's get this show on the road, I activate the Seal of the Orichalcos!" Presario played the card and Andreas turned to Nicola almost immediately.
"Nicola, get as far back as you can now!" Andreas said sternly and Nicola blinked.
"Why?" Nicola asked as the seal surrounded the two duellists sending her to the ground. "Ow." She winced and looked up in time to see Andreas offering to help her up, she accepted the offer and saw the seal on Presario's forehead.
"See what I mean?" Andreas asked as he helped her up.
"What the hell was that?" Nicola asked once she got up. "And why is this Seal on his forehead?"
"That's just one of the seal's powers little lady, for now the real fun begins!" Presario said picking up a card. "I'll start this magic show by summoning to the field Anarchist Monk Ranshin in attack mode!" Presario played the card and a monk with a hideous face in red robes and carrying a staff appeared on the field, he was wearing a straw hat and had magical armour underneath the robes (4/1800/100) and his attack increased to 2300 almost immediately due to the seal.
"Another power of the seal?" Nicola asked and Andreas nodded.
"Yes, and it only applies to his monsters." Andreas explained.
"I'll set two cards facedown and call it a turn." The holograms of the two cards appeared on the field and Marcus drew his card.
"Aw man nothing in my hand is strong enough to beat that monk, but I have cards that can buy me some time!" Marcus thought as he picked up three cards. "I set three cards facedown and a monster in defence mode..."
"Two of those facedown cards are about to become useless to you!" Presario interrupted as he activated one of his trap cards. "I activate Xing Zhen Hu!"
"Xing Zhen what?" Marcus blinked before a rain of arrows came down upon two of his traps. "What did you just do?"
"I'll keep things simple for you fool; Xing Zhen Hu lets me target two Spell and Trap cards and as long as it's on the field those cards are useless to you." Presario explained with a cocky smirk on his face.
"Oh you have GOT to be kidding me!" Marcus exclaimed with a facepalm. "He just had to target Dragon's Rage and Mystical Space Typhoon didn't he?" Marcus thought before grumbling. "As I was saying I end my turn at that." Presario nodded and once again retrieved a card from his jacket sleeve which was once again noticed by Nicola,
"I'll save this spell for later, no point in halving my lifepoints at such an early stage." Presario thought before pointing to Ranshin. "Anarchist Monk Rashin cast your magic and make that facedown monster disappear!" Ranshin pointed his staff at the facedown monster and a beam fired from it, the monster was revealed to be a small dark blue and yellow dragon which exploded when the beam made contact...and to everyone's surprise taking the monk with him, "WHAT?"
"The monster you attacked was Exploder Dragon (3/1000/0), when he's destroyed in battle he takes the monster that destroyed him with it." Marcus grinned and Presario's eyes widened.
"Those facedown cards..." Presario started.
"Oh, you mean those cards I set last turn? They where a bluff to see if any of your facedown cards effected trap and spell cards." Marcus grinned and Presario growled. "Look on the Brightside, you can still summon."
"So I can." Presario said picking up a card. "I set this monster in defence mode and end my turn." Presario played the card and Marcus drew his.
"This is more like it; I summon Alexandrite Dragon in attack mode!" Marcus played the card and a beautiful dragon seemingly made of gems appeared on the field roaring at Presario (4/2000/200). "I know what you're thinking; it's a level four monster with two thousand attack points so it has to have some kind of weakness right?"
"Yes, it must have a weakness!" Presario nodded and Marcus grinned.
"WRONG! Alexandrite Dragon's one of two level four normal monsters with 2000 attack in existence." Marcus explained and Presario's eyes widened, "Alexandrite Dragon, attack his defence monster!" The dragon took flight and breathed fire at the monster which was revealed to be a woman with short blonde hair with a red headband around it wearing a purple dress and carrying a staff (2/400/800), her attack rose to 900 due to the seal for the brief time that she was on the field before she was incinerated.
"Thank you, the monster you destroyed was Apprentice Magician and when she's destroyed in battle I can special summon a level 2 or lower Spellcaster type monster from my deck to the field facedown in defence mode!" Presario searched through his deck and held up another Apprentice Magician card before setting it down.
"Wonderful, now he has a monster he can sacrifice to summon something stronger than his Dragon." Andreas thought as he watched the duel, Nicola gulped nervously realizing the same thing.
"I'll end my turn for now." Marcus announced and Presario retrieved another card from his jacket sleeve rather than draw which Nicola again caught.
"Then let's get this show on the road." Presario said activating his other trap. "I activate Call of the Haunted to bring back Apprentice Magician from my graveyard." Presario activated the trap and Apprentice Magician reappeared on the field and her attack almost immediately rose to 900 due to the seal. "But neither of my magicians are staying around..."
"MARCUS!" Everyone's attention turned to the source of the noise and saw Theresa and Brandon approaching, it was Brandon that had spoken up.
"I see you got my text." Andreas said with a smile. "Guys meet Nicola, talented duellist who's dad is basically being held captive by the asshole in the cheap suit."
"I'll SHOW YOU!" Presario snapped.
"Don't worry, the cops are on the...oh fuck." Theresa started but stopped upon realizing that Presario could hear her.
"Oh, the cops are on the way are they? ARNOLD, TAKE THE SHOT!" Nicola's eyes went as wide as dinner plates before covering her ears, when no shot was heard everyone blinked. "ARNOLD, TAKE THE FUCKING SHOT!"
"Arnold isn't there." Presario's eyes went as wide as dinner plates and he slowly turned around
"M...Michael...I can explain..." Presario stammered upon seeing the cloaked figure.
"The boss made it clear that no innocents where to be harmed, but no, you went and put that girl's father in danger." Michael said marching up to the Orichalcos wall. "Not only that but you've been disgracing the organisation by cheating to get the cards you need."
"Wait, what?" Marcus and Andreas said simultaneously.
"I knew it; he's been hiding cards up his sleeves." Nicola said and Andreas turned his attention to her.
"Why didn't you speak up before?" Andreas asked and Nicola rubbed the back of her head nervously.
"I was worried that he'd order his henchmen too..." Nicola trailed off.
"Look, regardless of how I did it I am THIS close to sealing that fool's soul away so why don't we worry about that AFTER I beat him." Presario said; Michael frowned for a few moments before smirking.
"Very well but know this, should you fail I'll personally rip your soul card to pieces!" Michael said walking off.
"So not only are you a dirty rotten coward but you're a dirty rotten cheat as well, do you have any other reasons for me to hate you?" Marcus asked and Presario growled.
"As I was saying, I sacrifice my two Apprentice Magicians to summon one of my strongest monsters." Presario played the card and the two monsters on the field vanished, in their place stood a familiar looking magician in crimson robes, he had a tan and white hair and was carrying a green staff (7/2500/2100) and his attack rose to 3000 thanks to the seal.
"Andreas, do you see what I see?" Marcus said as his eyes widened.
"The Dark Magician..." Andreas trailed off. "Where did you get that card?"
"Fool, Yugi Moto may be the most famous Dark Magician user in the world but he's hardly the first to use the monster." Presario chuckled as he held up another card. "But wait, there's more where that came from, I tribute Dark Magician to special summon his ultimate form Dark Eradicator Warlock!" The Dark Magician disappeared from the field and in his place stood a similar looking magician wearing a long purple robe and carrying a longer staff (7/2500/2100) and it's stats rose to 3000 thanks to the seal.
"Why'd you do that? That monster has the same stats as the regular Dark Magician." Marcus pointed out and Presario grinned.
"You'll find out soon enough but if I were you I'd worry about that dragon!" Presario said pointing to the dragon. "Dark Eradicator Warlock attack and destroy Alexandrite Dragon with Dark Eradication Attack!" The warlock pointed it's staff at the dragon and fired a beam from it, the dragon was eradicated in seconds by the attack.
M: 7000
PTG: 8000
"I shall end my turn at that." Presario said folding his arms, Marcus drew his card and a smile crept upon his face.
"All right, I have the best monster in my deck in my hand right now, but I can't summon this bad boy just yet." Marcus thought as he added it to his hand. "I set a monster in defence mode and end my turn."
"That's all you can do in the face of my warlock, defend, defend, and defend." Presario smirked as went to retrieve a card from his jacket sleeve.
"You even try that and I will subject you to a torment worse than hell." Michael's booming voice rang out, Presario looked around for the source of the voice but couldn't find it.
"Fine." Presario said drawing a card from his deck for the first time in the duel. "I don't need to cheat to beat this fat ass anyway."
"I'll have you know that I'm just big boned!" Marcus shouted and Presario shook his head.
"Whatever makes you sleep better at night, I activate the Spell Card Dark Magic Curtain." Presario said before wincing as his lifepoints where cut in half plummeting down to 4000.
"Why did you do that? You've just given me..." Marcus was cut off by a blast from Dark Eradicator Warlock's staff.
M: 6000
PTG: 4000
"Two reasons really, first each time a normal spell card is activated you lose a thousand lifepoints thanks to Dark Eradicator Warlock's effect." Presario smirked as he prepared to say the next part. "Second Dark Magic Curtain allows me to special summon one Dark Magician from my deck to the field at the cost of half my lifepoints and the ability to summon anymore cards, well I can still set them but that's beside the point so come forth Dark Magician!" Presario searched through his deck in search of the monster and played it, the regular Dark Magician appeared on the field ready to do battle (7/2500/2100) and like his predecessor his attack rose to 3000 due to the effect of the seal. "Dark Eradicator Warlock, attack his defence with Dark Eradication Attack!" The warlock pointed it's staff at the facedown monster and fired it's beam at it, it was revealed to be Twin Headed Behemoth (3/1500/1200), a purple two headed dragon, which was destroyed. "Dark Magician, DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" The magician stretched out his palm and fired a beam at Marcus striking him in the chest.
M: 3000
PTG: 4000
"That'll end my turn." Presario announced...before seeing Twin Headed Behemoth return to the field minus one head and with its attack and defence down to 1000.
"That's the effect of Twin Headed Behemoth, when he's destroyed in battle I can bring him back during the end phase of the turn he was destroyed in with only a thousand lifepoints." Marcus explained once he got over the pain from the direct attack. "The other downside is that I can only use this effect once."
"Just draw your card already." Presario grunted and Marcus did so.
"Now this is more like it, I summon Spirit Ryu in attack mode!" Marcus played the card and a small blue and yellow dragon appeared on the field (3/1000/1000) and Presario burst out laughing when he saw the stats of the monster, the others on the other hand looked at Marcus curiously wondering what he was thinking.
"That has got to be the most pathetic dragon I've ever seen!" Presario laughed even as Marcus held up three cards.
"Laugh all you want but this little guy's my ticket to victory!" Marcus said with a grin. "First I equip him with two copies of the Axe of Despair equip spell card increasing his attack to 3000!" As Marcus said that his dragon's attack rose to 3000.
"So? It's only strong enough for a stalemate with either of my magicians!" Presario pointed out and Marcus grinned.
"That is why I'm entering my battle phase and having Spirit Ryu attack Dark Eradicator Warlock!" Marcus said as the dragon charged towards the magician he held up his copy of Kaiser Glider. "And now that I've entered the damage step I activate his effect, once per turn I can discard one Dragon type monster from my hand to increase his attack to 4000!" Presario's eyes widened as the dragon's attack increased further to 4000 and breathed fire at the warlock incinerating him.
M: 3000
PTG: 3000
"I end my turn by switching Twin Headed Behemoth to defence mode!" Marcus said and the purple dragon knelt down.
"That was a good move Marcus!" Brandon shouted from the sidelines. "Though he still has the other copy of Dark Magician to worry about and now Spirit Ryu's attack is back to three thousand." Brandon thought, Presario drew his card and grinned.
"Don't get too attached to that Behemoth, I activate Stop Defence to force him into attack mode!" Marcus's eyes widened as the purple dragon got up. "Dark Magician, attack that dragon with DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" The magician once again fired a beam from the palm and disintegrated the dragon.
M: 1000
PTG: 3000
"I'll set a card facedown and end my turn but don't worry, it'll be over soon." Presario mocked as Marcus drew his card.
"Spirit Ryu attack his Dark Magician!" Marcus commanded discarding Golem Dragon (4/200/2000) to power up his dragon again, the dragon charged forward and Presario grinned.
"You fool, that was exactly what I wanted you to do, I activate my Mirror Force trap card!" Marcus's eyes widened as the dragon's fire was bounced back at the dragon incinerating it and Marcus reluctantly sent his dragon and equip spells to the graveyard.
"I can still summon!" Marcus said defiantly. "So I set a card in defence mode and end my turn!" Marcus announced as the facedown monster and Presario drew his card.
"Fine, Dark Magician destroy his facedown monster with DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" The magician fired a beam from his hand at the monster, revealed to be Masked Dragon (3/1400/1100) which was quickly destroyed.
"When Masked Dragon is destroyed I can special summon a Dragon type monster with 1500 or less attack points from my deck to the field and this monsters going to do you in Presario." Marcus grinned after sending Masked Dragon to the graveyard and searching his deck. "Come forth Red-Eyes Black Chick!" Marcus played the card and a small red egg appeared on the field, it soon cracked and the head of a baby Red-Eyes Back Dragon appeared on the field (1/800/500) and every other duellist facefaulted at the site of the monster.
"Marcus, please for the love of god tell me that has an effect!" Theresa said as she got up, Marcus gave her a reassuring grin.
"Trust me, there's a method to my madness." Marcus grinned giving her a thumbs up.
"Aww, it's so cute!" Nicola cooed at the site of the dragon who blushed at the comment and Andreas ended up facefaulting again once he heard her comment whilst Marcus merely sweatdropped.
"She does realize she's talking about a hologram right?" Marcus asked as Andreas got up.
"How soon you forget that the monsters are real in the Orichalcos." Presario said shaking his head. "I end my turn." Marcus went to draw his card and closed his eyes.
"Come on Heart of the Cards; give me the card I need!" Marcus thought before drawing his card, he opened his eyes and looked at the card. "You want to know why I summoned that card last time Presario. Simple, her effect lets me tribute her to bring out her daddy, THE RED EYES BLACK DRAGON!" Marcus played the card and the dragon started growing eventually growing out of the egg until it was at its full grown stage (7/2400/2000).
"All that build up for a monster weaker than my Magician? Give me a break!" Presario laughed and Marcus grinned.
"I have some bad news for you Presario, I'm not done yet." Marcus said picking up another card. "I tribute Red-Eyes Black Dragon to summon my best monster, RED-EYES DARKNESS DRAGON!" Marcus played the card and the Red-Eyes Black Dragon transformed into a jet black version of the dragon with crimson highlights (9/2400/2000).
"That still doesn't impress me!" Presario grinned...but the grin quickly disappeared once the dragon's attack skyrocketed to 5100. "What's the meaning of this?"
"My dragon gains 300 attack points for each dragon in my graveyard so let's count, there's the Exploder Dragon you destroyed first so that brought it up to 2700, then there's Alexandrite Dragon which you destroyed with Dark Eradicator Warlock, that brought his attack to 3000, then there's the two monsters I discarded for Spirit Ryu's effect, Golem Dragon and Kaiser Glider, that brought his attack to 3600, then there's Twin Headed Behemoth and Spirit Ryu its self bringing his attack to 4200, then there was Masked Dragon, Red-Eyes Black Chick and Red Eyes Black Dragon which brings his attack to 5100!" Marcus explained with a grin, Presario panicked for a minute before grinning cockily.
"Impressive monster but I'll still have lifepoints left at the end of this turn!" Presario grinned looking at his hand. "Next turn I'll use Monster Reborn to bring back Dark Magician who he'll undoubtedly destroy during this turn and use Thousand Knives to destroy Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon thus clearing the path for my magician to finish him off!" Presario thought looking up at Marcus.
"Sorry to disappoint you but I have one more cards to play, it's called Card Destruction!" Marcus declared and Presario's eyes widened before reluctantly discarding his cards, Marcus did likewise and just like that Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon's attack shot up to 6000. "Now math has never been my strongest subject but from where I stand my dragon was more than enough attack points to finish you off for good so this is for dragging an innocent girl's father into this mess!" Marcus said pointing to his dragon. "Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon attack Dark Magician now! Inferno Darkfire!" The dragon took flight and let loose with a massive fireball that consumed the Dark Magician destroying him and Presario's lifepoints.
M: 1000
PTG: 0000
Presario dropped to his knees in shock as what was about to happen started to sink in, as he did this the rest of the cards he had in his jacket sleeve fell out. "I'd ask you to hold up your end of the bargain but it's pretty pointless at the moment since that Michael guy ordered that sniper away." Marcus said as he gathered up his cards. "Now hand over your locater cards and rarest cards before the seal consumes you." Presario reached into his pocket and produced the locater cards before picking up the Dark Magician and Dark Eradicator Warlock cards and tossing the four cards at him, Marcus picked them up and grinned. "I know a Spellcaster and Warrior user who will be ecstatic to have these in her deck." Marcus said as he deactivated his duel disk.
"I was just thinking the same thing." Theresa nodded in agreement as the Seal closed in around Presario, one blood curdling scream later and his soul was consumed.
"Wh...what just happened to him?" Nicola stammered in surprise.
"His soul was consumed by the Orichalcos." Michael said walking forward. "Leave this area at once, I will deal with this idiot personally." Marcus's eyes narrowed but he left with the others and Michael walked over to Presario's prone form. "Having one of the most powerful decks among the agents wasn't enough for you, was it Presario?" Michael thought before bending over and picking up the Orichalcos card that now had Presario's soul trapped in it. "You had to threaten innocent lives and cheat for your own needs, well no more." With that final thought Michael ripped the card in two destroying Presario's soul and leaving his body an empty shell; he walked off before the cops, who had already arrested Arnold by this point, could find him.
*elsewhere*
"Err, thanks for your help back there." Nicola said to the two Obelisk Blue students as she, Andreas and Marcus walked away from the duel site; Marcus had pocketed the cards keeping the monster cards he had won from Presario in a separate pocket and the two boys, and their new friend, where heading back to the hotel. "I don't know what I'd do if dad was..."
"No problem and try not to think about that." Theresa said nodding in understanding. "What matters is that both Marcus and Andreas are one step close to the finals."
"And I'm out of the tournament." Nicola said sadly and Theresa winced.
"Okay, bad choice of words." Theresa said as a massive sweatdrop rolled down her head. "Me and Brandon saw your duel on TV though; you did well given how inexperienced you are."
"Thanks." Nicola said with a smile. "I'm actually thinking of applying for duel academy next year."
"I say go for it, far as I'm concerned your good enough to get in already." Brandon said.
"Should we tell them about...you know...?" Marcus whispered to Andreas.
"Let Nicola tell them in her own time." Andreas whispered back putting his hands in his pockets. "Don't forget that Theresa almost accidently caused the death of Nicola's dad."
"Tell us what?" Brandon asked and Marcus and Andreas stopped in their tracks upon realizing that their companions had heard them.
"Well...there's a reason she hasn't applied for Duel Academy yet." Marcus said as a massive sweatdrop rolled down his head. "But I think it would be really better if you hear it from her rather than us."
"If she has self esteem issues than what's the big deal?" Brandon asked scratching his head and the two boys ended up facefaulting to the ground.
"Not even remotely what I meant...though it may have something to do with it." Marcus said as he got up.
"What Marcus is trying to say is that it's a lot deeper than simple self esteem issues." Andreas said as he got up. "Hell the only reason she told us is because I was the only opponent to give her a decent fight."
"Yeah, we noticed that whilst we were watching the duel." Brandon said as he and Theresa sweatdropped. "Maybe an unofficial duel against either of us?"
"I said a decent fight not a massacre." Andreas said plainly.
"I'm up for it." Nicola said and Andreas facefaulted. "I'd like to duel you Theresa." Nicola added and both male duellists facefaulted.
"Nicola, you remember what I said about one of the best duellists I know being a woman?" Andreas asked as he got up. "YOU JUST CHALLENGED THAT DUELLIST!"
"Oh come on, she did well against you." Jeff pointed out.
"Jeff, the one time I duelled against Theresa I barely lasted five turns and she had a counter for everything I did." Andreas pointed out.
"Oh...yeah that's a really bad example." Jeff realized.
"I don't mind, really." Nicola said confidently as Theresa searched through her backpack.
"Err, Theresa maybe you should use one of your weaker decks against her." Brandon whispered unprepared for the response from Nicola.
"NO!" Nicola shouted catching both duellists by surprise. "Err; what I meant to say was that I'm kind of sick of people going easy on me."
"You heard her Brandon, she wants a challenge." Theresa said rubbing her ear. "And she has better hearing then I was expecting."
"Yeah, we learnt that the hard way." Andreas said as a big sweatdrop rolled down his head.
"In that case..." Theresa said picking up a deck. "I'll use my Amazoness Deck." Theresa said loading the deck into the slot.
"Amazoness vs. Crystal Beasts, now this should be interesting." Marcus said running off towards a popcorn vender.
"Five bucks says he returns with twenty bags of popcorn." Andreas said plainly. "Though I do agree with him."
"Right." Nicola said activating her duel disk. "Just don't go easy on me due to my inexperience." Nicola said nervously.
"I won't, I'll even let you go first!" Theresa said as the two girls drew their opening hands, Nicola smiled and drew her first card.
"All right." Nicola said looking at her first card. "I activate my Field Spell Card Ancient City – Rainbow Ruins!" Nicola played the card the ruins from her first duel appeared complete with rainbow. "And now I summon Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus!" Nicola played the card and the Pegasus appeared on the field (4/1800/1200). "Now I activate her effect which lets me add a Crystal Beast monster from my deck or graveyard too my spell and trap card zone." Nicola said playing the card and a hologram of Crystal Beast Emerald Tortoise appeared behind the Pegasus.
"Now your field spell can't be destroyed." Theresa said looking around. "Good opening move but I've seen better."
"Err, yeah." Nicola laughed nervously with a gulp. "I set this card facedown and end my turn."
"Okay then." Theresa said drawing her card. "I set a monster in defence mode and end my turn." Theresa played the card and Andreas blinked.
"Theresa's playing defensive against her; I thought she said she wouldn't go easy on Nicola." Andreas whispered to Marcus as he returned with bags of popcorn.
"Maybe her facedown monster is something that can burn a major hole in Nicola's strategy." Marcus whispered back as Nicola drew her card.
"I'll save this for later." Nicola decided adding it to her hand. "Sapphire Pegasus attack her defence monster!" The Pegasus took flight before divebombing at the monster...only to be sent flying back. "Huh?"
"The monster you attacked is the only male monster in this deck, Witchdoctor of Sparta!" Theresa explained as a kneeling muscular man appeared on the field wearing a headdress that resembled a horse (4/400/2000). "Not only is his defence to strong for your Pegasus to penetrate but his effect pretty much cripples one of your monsters namely Ruby Carbunkle."
"Huh?" Nicola blinked as she started to process the information.
"To put it simply, his effect inflicts 500 points of damage each time a monster is special summoned from your deck." Theresa explained and Nicola's eyes widened.
T: 8000
N: 7800
"That's pretty nasty." Marcus gulped.
"Indeed...oh crap, she's stressing out again." Andreas said upon realizing that Nicola was stressing out.
"Relax, you'll bounce back." Theresa said quickly catching on to the fact herself, by then a crowd had gathered around the duel.
"Right, right." Nicola gulped before looking at her hand. "I have no monsters to play so I'll end my turn for now." Theresa nodded and drew her card.
"Fair enough." Theresa said drawing her card. "I summon Amazoness Swordswoman in attack mode!" Theresa played the card and a redheaded muscular woman appeared on the field wearing what basically amounted to a fur bikini and wielding a sword (4/1500/1600) "That's not all, I equip her with the equip spell card Amazoness Heirloom!" Theresa announced as a strange looking green gem appeared around the Amazaoness's neck.
"Okay but that hasn't changed your monster's attacks one bit." Nicola blinked.
"She used this combo on me." Andreas remembered. "I couldn't draw Heavy Storm on time."
"Amazoness Swordwoman, attack Sapphire Peggasus!" The swordswoman charged at the Pegasus who took flight and divebombed at the swordswoman knocking her to the ground...and to Nicola's surprise she got back up.
"What the...!" Nicola stammered in surprise.
"A monster equipped with the Heirloom can survive one attack before being destroyed but that's not all." Theresa said as a beam of light emerged from the gem completely engulfing Sapphire Pegasus. "After the damage step the monster that was attacked is destroyed."
"So? You still took damage." Nicola said with a smirk.
"Really?" Theresa asked holding up her lifepoint counter which was still at 8000. "I think this disagrees with you."
"HUH?" Nicola balked before checking her own lifepoint counter.
T: 8000
N: 7500
"That's the effect of Amazoness Swordswoman, any damage I would've taken from a battle involving her gets dealt to your lifepoints instead." Theresa explained and Nicola picked up her Pegasus...before getting an idea.
"I chose not to send Sapphire Pegasus to my Spell and Trap card zone." Nicola said sending the monster to her graveyard. "And I activate my trap card Crystal Reigeki!"
"WHAT?" All the other duellists yelled simultaneously as Amazoness Swordswoman was slowly turned to crystal before shattering, Nicola sent Emerald Tortoise and her trap to the graveyard and Theresa sent her cards to the graveyard.
"As Marcus would say, there's a method to my madness." Nicola said with a triumphant grin.
"I set a card facedown and end my turn." Theresa announced as a facedown card appeared next to the hologram of Witchdoctor of Sparta, Nicola drew her card and smirked.
"I activate the Spell Card I drew last turn, Crystal Promise!" Nicola played the card and retrieved the two Crystal Beast monsters from her graveyard. "This spell card lets me target two of my Crystal Beast monsters in my graveyard and place them in my Spell and Trap card zone."
"And now any battle damage you suffer will be cut in half." Theresa said folding her arms as the two cards appeared on the field. "Well then I'll chain Crystal Promise with my trap card Amazoness Willpower!" Theresa activated the card and retrieved Amazoness Swordswoman from her graveyard and summoned her back to the field.
"So it lets you bring back your Amazoness?" Nicola asked and Theresa nodded.
"On top of that she can't change position and must attack whenever she can." Theresa said with a smile. "Off course that isn't a problem when you don't have any monsters on your side of the field."
"Yeah? Well last I checked it's still my turn and I summon Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth in attack mode!" Nicola played the card and the four tusked mammoth appeared on the field trumpeting at Theresa (4/1700/1600). "I'll choose not to attack though since the damage would go to me anyway, halved or not, so instead I'll activate Mystical Space Typhoon and destroy Amazoness Willpower!" Nicola played the card and a tornado tore Amazoness Willpower to shreds taking Swordswoman with it. "I'll end my turn." Theresa nodded and drew her card.
"Smart move, but not smart enough."Theresa said looking at her new card. "I summon Amazoness Paladin in attack mode!" Theresa played the card and the blonde amazoness appeared on the field brandishing her sword (4/1700/300). "She gains a hundred attack points for each Amazoness on the field and I count one, namely Paladin hersel." Theresa explained as Paladin's attack rose to 1800. "I chose to end my turn with a facedown card." Theresa announced causing everyone else to blink.
"Is anyone going to attack?" An impatient news reporter shouted out.
"Why are you even here? This isn't an official Battle City duel." Theresa pointed out as Nicola drew her card.
"My job is to cover EVERY duel lady, official or not." The news reporter said plainly.
"Well I guess I'd better give him a show, I summon Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger in attack mode!" Nicola played the card and the tiger appeared on the field (4/1600/1100).
"I remember that thing's effect from her duel with Andreas; it could be troublesome...if not for my facedown card." Theresa thought looking at facedown card.
"Topaz Tiger attack and destroy Amazoness Paladin!" Nicola commanded and the tiger leaped forward.
"Your right on one thing, he will be attacking my Paladin but she'll be doing the destroying!" Theresa said activating her trap. "I activate Amazoness Archers!"
"This is going to hurt." Marcus and Andreas said simultaneously when they saw the trap flip up.
"Err, why?" Nicola blinked...before seeing that Amber Mammoth's attack had been reduced to 1200 and Topaz Tiger's attack had been reduced to 1100. "What just happened?"
"That's the effect of Amazoness Archers...well one of their effects, for starters every monster you control looses 500 attack points and is forced to attack a monster of my choice, and since she's the only Amazoness on my side of the field my choice is Paladin!" Nicola could only watch as her monsters where slaughtered one by one by Paladin.
T: 8000
N; 7050
Nicola was silent for a few moments as her hair overshadowed her eyes and Theresa raised an eyebrow. "Nicola are you okay?" She asked, Nicola looked up with a look of pure joy in her eyes and a broad smile.
"Yeah...I'm just happy to be receiving two tough duels in a row." Nicola said holding up her two cards. "Besides I can now add these guys to my Spell and Trap card zone which means I get the following effects, with the addition of Amber Mammoth I can send one Crystal Beast I control to the graveyard to negate the activation of a Spell or Trap Card, with the addition of Topaz Tiger I get to draw an extra card drawing my Main Phase." Nicola explained, Theresa said nothing for a few moments before smiling.
"I think I know why you haven't applied for Duel Academy yet." Theresa said and Nicola blinked.
"You do?" Nicola asked before shaking her head. "Even if you do can we continue the duel please?"
"Sure." Theresa nodded; Nicola looked at her hand and shook her head.
"There's nothing I can do so I end my turn." Nicola announced and Theresa drew her card.
"All right then, I switch Witchdoctor to attack mode and I summon Amazoness Blowpiper!" Theresa switched the position of her monster and the man stood up, she played the card...
"Did she just say Amazonesss Blowjobber?" Marcus said scratching his head and the other duellists ended up facefaulting alongside several members of the crowd and the news reporter.
"No, I didn't." Theresa said somehow keeping her composure as a scantily clad purple haired muscular woman appeared on the field holding a blowpipe (3/800/1500) and Paladin's attack rose to 1900. "Be thankful that the damage will be cut in half, Amazoness Blowpiper, Paladin and Witchdoctor of Sparta attack her lifepoints directly!" Blowpiper attacked first firing a pebble through her blowpipe reducing her lifepoints to 6650, Paladin attacked next with her sword reducing her lifepoints to 5700; Witchdoctor of Sparta finished the attack off by casting a spell at Nicola reducing her lifepoints to 5500.
"I knew this would happen, Theresa's so far out of Nicola's league that it's not even funny." Andreas said folding his arms.
"Well she did want a challenge and that's what she's getting." Marcus pointed out.
"This isn't a challenge, it's a massacre!" Andreas pointed out.
"Andreas, relax!" Nicola said turning to him. "I have a way out of this!"
"Well then, let's see it." Theresa said folding her arms. "I'll call it a turn at that," Theresa announced and Nicola drew her card.
"Just what I needed." Nicola thought before drawing another card due to Rainbow Ruin's effect, she saw the card and added it to her hand before playing the card she had drawn. "I activate a spell card called Crystal Abundance!"
"Oh crap!" Theresa gulped remembering the card's effect.
"Now I send the four crystal beasts in my Spell and Trap Card zone to the graveyard and in exchange for that your monsters are destroyed." Nicola explained as the four monsters disintegrated. "And now I can special summon the same number of monsters you had on the field so I chose Sapphire Pegasus, Amber Mammoth and Topaz Tiger!" Nicola played the cards and three Crystal Beasts appeared on the field ready for battle, Nicola picked up a Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle (4/1400/800) and placed it in the Spell and Trap card zone. "I'm not done though; I activate Crystal Promise which allows me to summon Cobalt Eagle to the field!" Nicola played the card and the eagle appeared on the field. "Go my Crystal Beasts, attack her lifepoints directly!" The monsters charged at her and attacked her one by one sending her to the ground.
T: 1100
N: 5500
"And in a stunning turn of events virtual unknown Nicola Hastings has managed to mount a comeback against the Obelisk Blue student Theresa Daniels but it's still anyone's game!" The news reporter said and the others sweatdropped.
"Would anyone mind if we knocked him out?" Andreas asked.
"I'm pretty sure he'd mind." Marcus said as Theresa got up.
"Nice move kid, but I still have some cards left to play." Theresa said as she gathered up her hand, Nicola looked at the remainder of her hand before motioning for her to take her turn and Theresa drew her card. "I activate Card of Sanctity to refresh our hands." The two girls drew until they had six cards and Nicola's eyes lit up when she saw two of the cards.
"Rainbow Gravity and Rainbow Dragon, in a couple of more turns I'll be able to bring out my strongest monster and win this duel!" Nicola thought with a smile.
"I activate Cost Down; by discarding a card from my hand I can reduce the level of all monsters in my hand by two for the rest of the turn." Theresa played the card discarding a second blowpiper to activate it. "And now I summon my strongest Amazoness Monster, Amazonesss Queen!" Theresa played the card and the queen of the amazons appeared on the field (6/2400/1800) and due to the effect of cost down her level was at 4. "I set a card facedown and end my turn." Nicola blinked before drawing a card.
"I shift my beasts to defence mode and set a card in defence mode, that'll end it for me." Nicola announced as a fifth card appeared on the field and the other monsters knelt down, Theresa drew her card and smirked.
"One monster in defence mode, that'll end it for me!" Theresa announced as a facedown monster appeared on the field, Nicola drew her card and switched Sapphire Pegasus to attack mode.
"Sapphire Pegasus, attack her defence." Nicola commanded as the Pegasus took flight but Theresa activated her trap card. "Another Amazonesss Archers?"
"Yes and an effect I didn't mention earlier is that all your monsters are shifted to attack mode including your facedown monster." Theresa said and Nicola reluctantly shifted them all to attack mode including her facedown Ruby Carbunkle, almost immediately the stats of the monsters dropped by five hundred and in the case of Carbunkle to zero.
"I...I guess this duel's over." Nicola said sadly as one by one her beasts charged at, and where slaughtered by, Amazoness Queen, the last to be killed was Ruby Carbunkle and even the cat didn't get any mercy.
T: 1100
N: 0000
"And despite a brief comeback from her opponent Theresa wins in dominating fashion!" The news reporter exclaimed pointing to Theresa as she deactivated her duel disk. "I don't know about you guys back at the studio but I think she'll be one to watch in this tournament." As the reporter said that the crowd started to disperse and the reporter and his crew left as well, once the crowd left Theresa approached Nicola and offered her a handshake.
"You did well, all things considered." Theresa said, Nicola smiled and accepted the handshake.
"Yeah, you did a lot better than I was expecting to be honest." Andreas said only to be met with a glare from Nicola. "What? I'm being honest!"
"Considering the vast difference in skill level I'm inclined to agree with Andreas." Brandon said rubbing the back of his head nervously. "So why haven't you applied for duel academy yet?"
"Can we take it somewhere a bit more private?" Nicola asked, the two older students shrugged and led her away unaware that another Orichalcos duellist was watching them from a rooftop.
"It doesn't matter if I duel Brandon or Theresa, their souls will be consumed!" The cloaked figure chuckled.