Atticus looked over and gently took her hand out of comfort.
"I would say you four put up a good fight, only you didn't, especially with lazy Atticus," Paradox smirked. "Malefic Paradox Dragon, destroy Neos Knight!"
The attack was a dazzling stream of quicksilver glints of dark blue and silver, swirling around. Yugi and Yusei gasp; is this it?! Yubel watches, arms folded.
"You know what to do, Jaden..." Yubel then told Jaden.
Past Atticus had a feeling that Jaden had a trap to activate.
"You bet I do," Jaden told Yubel. "I play a trap; 'Hero Barrier'! Thanks to this, since I have an Elemental Hero out on my field, I can negate your attack!"
The blast breaks around Neos Knight's new, spinning shield.
"Nice shot!" Past Atticus cheered for Jaden's success.
"Yes, well done." Yugi agreed.
"Nice move!" Past Yusei added.
"I wouldn't be so sure! I play the trap 'Malefic Claw Stream'!" Paradox soon retorted. "Since a Malefic synchro monster is on my field, I'm allowed to destroy one of your monsters!"
The trap generates a fearsome mauve tornado and obliterates Neos Knight.
"Ooh." Patch winced.
"I'll see your trap and raise you with one of my own!" Jaden glared, sounding like he was playing a Poker game. "'Elemental Mirage'! Now, because an Elemental Hero on my field was destroyed due to an effect, I can bring it back! Return to battle, Neos Knight!"
"A perfect counter!" Yugi beamed.
"Aww, I just figured it would've been of me to letcha go without a monster out there with ya." Jaden winked.
"Smart thinking." Past Atticus smiled.
"Thanks, and you can count on me to put Neos Knight to good use." Yugi then added to Jaden.
The very wind swirls to stillness around Yugi's feet, the background music fades to sudden silence, as all attention shifts to the legendary King of Games. Next is Yugi's turn.
"Okay, Yugi, your move." Past Atticus said.
"I'm sorry, Yugi; but even your best won't be good enough here," Paradox mocked. "Not since I have Stardust Dragon, because due to Malefic Paradox Dragon's ability, your monsters' attack points decrease by Stardust Dragon's attack points!"
"This is all my fault." Past Yusei sighed.
"Aw, cous." Past Atticus frowned, feeling a little bad for him.
"No, it's not, Yusei," Yugi told him. "Stardust Dragon is your card, but you're not controlling it; at least, not yet."
"Whattya mean?" Past Yusei asked as he looked afraid to hope.
"Next, I'll place two cards face down to end my turn." Paradox then said.
"You're up, Yugi." Past Atticus said.
Yugi nodded before drawing the spell 'Ancient Rules'. Yugi's gaze is both level and determined; he hasn't glanced at his card; maybe he doesn't need to.
"Very well," Paradox replied, sounding unimpressed. "Let's see what you've got, King of Games."
"Yugi, my cards are your cards." Past Yusei commented.
"Well... In that case, I'll use Reincarnation of Hope's effect to add a monster from my deck to my hand," Yugi then said. "And the monster I choose is: Dark Magician!"
"As though I didn't see that coming." Paradox smirked.
"I then activate the spell card known as 'Ancient Rules'!" Yugi then continued. "With it, I'm allowed to summon forth a level-five-or-above monster directly from my hand! So take to the field, Dark Magician!"
"That's Yugi's best card." Past Atticus told his cousin.
"You're right, Atticus; it's even been called his ace in the history books." Past Yusei said.
"I know! Cool!" Jaden beamed as he was ecstatic.
"Well, as cool as he may be, he's still subject to Paradox Dragon's power-down effect." Paradox retorted to them.
"As long as Stardust Dragon is on his side of the field, Paradox is gonna be tough to beat." Young Atticus told Yugi, Past Yusei, and Jaden.
"Listen... If Stardust needs to be destroyed for us to have a chance, then destroy it," Yugi said softly. "Yusei..."
"It's better that, than being under the control of Paradox." Past Yusei replied.
Past Atticus could tell his distant cousin didn't want Stardust Dragon to be destroyed, but didn't see any other way to win.
"Ohh... How touching..." Paradox deadpanned. "Now GO already!"
"Wow, this guy really was heartless." Darla said.
"You have no idea." Atticus replied to his little sister.
"I think he should meet Queen Beryl." Darla said.
"So, what was Yugi's next move?" Patch asked.
"From my hand I play the spell 'Bond Between Teacher and Student'!" Yugi proclaimed.
"That's pretty sweet." Past Atticus commented.
"Since I have Dark Magician out on the field, I can summon his student, Dark Magician Girl, in defense mode!" Yugi continued.
Dark Magician Girl's entrance is a dance of perky glowing swirls, stars, and musical notes against pink and pastel bubbles; she arrives with a cheery salute against a big, pastel heart. The look she turns on the field situation is not as dire as her mentor's dark scowl, but she recognizes that this could be a bit of a sticky situation.
"Oh, my, it looks like it's going to be a real trick for us to come out on top here." Dark Magician Girl commented.
"Perhaps, but remember, as magicians, there's no trick we can't pull off." Dark Magician replied.
"Right." Dark Magician Girl nodded.
"Did those two just talk?" Past Atticus asked Yugi.
"But of course they did." Yugi replied.
"Well... That's new." Past Atticus blinked.
"Next, I play the spell 'Magical Gate of Miracles'!" Yugi then said.
A gate soon appeared and it seemed to have a void among it with another appearing on the other side.
"Now, since I have two spell-casters out on my field, I can switch one of your monsters to defense mode and switch it to my side." Yugi then said.
"I play a trap; 'Malefic Force'! And by equipping Malefic Force to my monster, it can't be affected by your spells!" Paradox replied. "Which means Paradox Dragon is no longer up for grabs!"
"Yes, that's true, but Stardust Dragon still is." Yugi smirked.
"Ooh." Past Atticus smirked with Yugi.
The gateway scoots over and the grasping hands grab Stardust by the shoulders and pull it into the gateway. Paradox, alarmed, looks from one gateway to the other, where Stardust is reappearing on the opposite side of the field. The Malefic Stardust Dragon card on Paradox's duel disk shatters as though it never existed.
"Yusei; Stardust Dragon is now back where it belongs." Yugi stated.
"Thanks, Yugi." Past Yusei smiled.
"You never wanted Paradox Dragon in the first place, right?" Jaden asked Yugi.
Yugi nodded, confirming this.
"Hmm... If I'm thinking correctly, then the Paradox Dragon, its ability is no longer in effect, which means your monsters' attack points return to normal." Past Atticus said to the others.
"He's right." Yugi agreed with what he just said.
Dark Magician and Neos Knight both soon had their original attack points back.
"Bravo, Yugi, but so what if you've restored your monsters' attack points?" Paradox replied. "My Paradox Dragon still has them beat with a total of 4,000. Face it, you're simply outmatched!"
"I wouldn't say that," Yugi retorted. "I play the spell card 'Dark Magic Twin Burst'! With this, Dark Magician's attack points increase by the attack point total of Dark Magician Girl."
"Oh, yeah!" Past Atticus smirked to Paradox.
"What the-?!" Paradox gasped.
Dark Magician's total attack soon rose to 2400.
"Now your monster is the one who's outmatched, Paradox, not only that, it also happens to be 'outnumbered', two to one," Yugi smirked. "So, attack, Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl!"
"It's time-" Dark Magician told his apprentice.
"Right! To kick some butt!" Dark Magician Girl replied.
They cross their staves, forming a fiery energy ball, gold at its center, crackling with fuchsia and indigo power.
"Ooh." Darla beamed.
"Here goes!" Dark Magician called out.
"Now!" Dark Magician Girl added.
"Twin Dark Magic Attack!" The two magicians proclaimed in unison before the energy stream strikes straight through Malefic Paradox Dragon's neck and again through its belly and tail. It explodes dramatically, shattering its equipped 'Malefic Force' as well and reducing Paradox's lifepoints to 3500.
"Oh, yeah!" Past Atticus cheered.
"Yeah!" Past Yusei added.
"Sweet!" Jaden laughed with them.
The field is slowly clearing of a dusty haze from the explosion's smoke.
"Ugh... These desperate moves change nothing!" Paradox groaned.
"Oh, we disagree." Past Atticus told him.
"Yes, you had two monsters, and now you have none!" Yugi added.
"And I thank you for that. Mm-hmm..." Paradox replied as he started glowing purple around the edges. "You see, all that you have done is clear the way for something else; something grand! Something almighty!"
"Spit it out!" Jaden told him.
"I activate the trap 'Malefic Paradigm Shift'." Paradox soon said.
The trap card duplicates itself, making one red shade, one blue, and one yellow; the three rise around Paradox and his runner platform, generating a sickly miasma swirl of energy that seems to cling around him.
"With Malefic Paradox Dragon destroyed, by sacrificing half of my life points, I can summon, my most wicked beast, Malefic Truth Dragon!" Paradox then said as he then tensed with pain as he sacrifices a staggering half of his life points, his hand tensing to a claw at his opposite shoulder, then pulling back to a fist, both fists clenched at his sides, Paradox shouts out in both agony and the glory of power, blue lightning crackling from the center of his body. "RAAAUGH!"
"This doesn't look good." Past Atticus gulped.
A ring of light spreads from beneath the globe of energy around the runner, opening a void of similar shades beneath. From the light-streaming portal rises this huge new dragon, and Paradox sinks himself waist-deep into the top of its head, eyes blank and mad with power. Its scales are mostly golden yellow, and a honeycombed, red jewel is set into its chest. Its wings are large and thick in structure, but allow it to hover over the field. And it's, of course, very, very big; one of its wings could probably swat Stardust out of the sky.
"Okay, I've seen some big monsters in my life, but that behemoth definitely takes the cake!" Jaden commented.
"And it probably ate it too!" Past Yusei added.
"This is your doing, Yugi! I hope that you're pleased with yourself!" Paradox replied.
"I place two cards face down and end my turn." Yugi soon said.
'This is bad,' Past Atticus thought to himself before looking at the clock. 'Pegasus will be here at any time.'
"It's my turn, and I activate 'Malefic Selector'!" Paradox soon proclaimed. "By removing Malefic Parallel Gear and Malefic Cyber End Dragon, I'm allowed to add two cards from my deck to my hand. Next, I'll send two monsters in my deck to the graveyard. and summon forth their dark counterparts: Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and Malefic Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"
"Both Blue Eyes and Red Eyes!" Yugi gasped.
"That's right. And now, for a taste of their power!" Paradox replied.
The Red-Eyes then launched a fireball at Dark Magician Girl.
"Oh, and since Malefic Truth Dragon is out, if one of your monsters goes down, all of your other monsters are also destroyed!" Paradox then said.
"Not good!" Past Atticus gasped.
"What?!" Past Yusei added.
"I play a face down! The spell 'De-Fusion'! Neos Knight, time to split!" Jaden soon played next.
Neos Knight soon split back into Elemental Hero Neos and Junk Gardna.
"Now, Yusei!" Jaden signaled.
"I play Junk Gardna's ability! It allows me to switch your monster from attacking to defending, which means Dark Magician Girl is safe." Past Yusei soon played.
The attack breaks around Dark Magician Girl, barely a foot from hitting her. She's very relieved. Malefic Red-Eyes backs off, switching to defense mode.
"Jaden, Yusei, great teamwork!" Yugi approved.
"Yeah, but we still have two more dragons to deal with!" Past Atticus told informed.
"I'll show you teamwork!" Paradox replied. "Go, Blue-Eyes! Pick up where Red-Eyes left off!"
Dark Magician was soon destroyed, leaving the team with 2100 lifepoints.
"Mm-hmm... Next, Malefic Truth Dragon's special ability activates!" Paradox soon proclaimed.
A debilitating brown dust fog, appears around Malefic Truth Dragon, as though the air itself is rusting and corroding. The cloud solidifies into hundreds of sharp thorns, glowing slightly reddish.
"Which means, all the remaining monsters you have on the field, are destroyed!" Paradox soon added.
"Uh, Yusei, now might be a good time for Stardust Dragon's ability." Past Atticus told his distant cousin.
"I hope you're right," Past Yusei replied before looking determined. "Sorry, Paradox, don't think so! I activate Stardust's special ability; so by releasing my dragon, I can negate your dragon's effect and then destroy it altogether! So say goodbye!"
Stardust begins to glow, then shatters, and the thorns stop, frozen mid-air.
"Whew." Darla sighed.
"So say goodbye!" Past Yusei commanded which made every single one of the frozen thorns about-faces in unison- and then the whole cloud lets fly in the other direction- straight for Malefic Truth Dragon!
"Not so fast! I play Truth Dragon's other ability!" Paradox replied. "By removing Malefic Rainbow Dragon in my graveyard from play, Truth Dragon is saved!"
Malefic Rainbow Dragon appears and dives in front of the thorns, a living shield for Malefic Truth Dragon- then shatters.
"And you know what that means," Paradox smirked. "It can carry out its attack!"
Malefic Dragon blasts Jaden's Elemental Hero Neos; Jaden weathers the blast.
"And remember, when one goes, they all go!" Paradox continued.
"Crud." Past Atticus glared.
Junk Gardna and Dark Magician Girl are destroyed. Past Atticus soon felt sorry for them, especially since Dark Magician Girl let out a scream before she had perished.
"Oh, and did I mention, for every monster destroyed by this special ability, you take 800 points of damage?" Paradox smirked.
The resulting blast knocks all four duelists off their feet, and leaves them with 500 lifepoints.
"That's right," Paradox smirked. "Lie there, and prepare to accept your fate!"
"Never." Past Atticus glared as he began to get up.
Past Yusei tried to get himself up.
"Listen to me, cous, we can't give up." Past Atticus told his distant cousin.
"And we won't," Past Yusei replied. "We can't give up no matter what."
"Keep fighting? You four can't even defend yourselves!" Paradox snorted. "Next, I play the spell 'Malefic Divide'; with it, I can bring back one Malefic monster from my graveyard, until the end of this turn, and the Malefic monster I choose to bring back is, Malefic Stardust Dragon!"
"No!" Past Atticus and Yusei then cried out.
'This is bad; with just 500 life points left, we won't stand a chance against Malefic Stardust Dragon's attack.' Past Atticus thought to himself.