Joey - Monster Hunters Guild of Mellowfields
October 8 -Year 18 4AOS
"But you're the Lord Commander of the Kingsbrand!" said Duke. "What the hell do you think you're doing working for the Monster Hunters Guild? And what about the tournament? Don't you have a match coming up?"
"We got a couple days to take a break," said Joey. "My sister needs some extra cash to embark on a quest. And I need a little backup in case the tourney don't work out. Not that it won't, mind you. I'm gonna win."
They didn't even get close to the guildhall. Once the clock struck 10, a mob of adventurers stormed to the notice board on the wall, looking for work.
Some went to the pretty receptionist at the front desk of the Hunter's Guild headquarters to see if there was better, high-paying work to be had. Tristan volunteered to withstand the crowd to find Joey some work.
After all, sweet Serenity needed help. And when she needed help, Ser Tristan would happily move mountains for her.
Amidst all the chaos, Joey and Duke sat around the last free table in the corner of the mess hall where the hunters would order hot foods and drinks to feast while they swapped stories of their latest adventures.
The building, which had a grand view of the countryside, smelled of the finest tobacco in the land being smoked by mages and knights to calm their nerves after a long and difficult hunt.
The herb-encrusted pheasant, duck, and hen being roasted in the kitchens perfumed the guild's headquarters with an enticing smell that made a hundred bellies rumble, and their owners quickly rush for the order window to buy the sweet meat with a side of baked potatoes and chips and mashed potatoes.
Joey was the only one not enticed by the smell, for he was already full from eating a stack of Elvish bread. He took a large gulp of ale from his tankard, one that was passed down by his family for generations.
It was decorated with intricate, leafy patterns and had a clever magical enchantment that kept the beverage as cold as the winds of the Arctic Kingdoms, so he never bothered to pay an extra copper for ice since his drink was forever in a refreshing briskness that cooled both his throat and his mood.
He tapped his finger against the side of his tankard and traced one of the curves engraved on the surface, wondering where the hell was his companion Tristan with today's work?
Joey scoffed. No doubt in his mind Tristan was in the bathroom again. He practically seemed to live there these days thanks to the luxury the extra coin and chip had provided them. They had breakfast a mere hour ago, perhaps less, he didn't know, all he knew was it wasn't that long ago. Now he was missing the best work because his bowels were going out of control.
"That damn, Tristan," Joey mumbled. "He eats like a pig but shits like an elephant."
He noticed there was an arrogant hunter - a high-ranked one at that - was standing by a table of female hunters, one of whom was his sister, Serenity.
What was she doing here? She was supposed to be watching over their pavilion back on the fields.
The hunter was still young and he proudly showed off his armor, enameled in a fine azure polish and engraved with brilliant ornamentation, and trimmed in dark orange. His weapon of choice was a halberd with a glowing, green blade, a masterwork-crafted weapon of magic and smithing.
"That's right ladies," he said arrogantly. "I single-handedly took down a Sword Arm of Dragon that was terrorizing the Baron of Emeraldshire's lands. I was too quick for him if you don't mind me saying. Those tails of theirs can pack a fierce punch and he ran as fast as a horse, but he couldn't catch me." He slid his hand down his spiked, orange hair. "Don't you think I'm amazing? A Sword Arm of Dragon, ladies. That's not a beast a mere noob can tackle. I guess you can call me a Dragon Slayer!"
Serenity laughed. "Impressive," she said, trying to trade a few of her cards for a Meteor Dragon card one of the girls had. "Sorry to disappoint you, but Sword Arm of Dragon is technically classified as a dinosaur, not a dragon."
The boastful hunter gulped nervously. He quickly reformed his cocky grin and scoffed. "Well, you know what they say about dinosaurs. I mean, they are closely related to dragons, aren't they?"
"It's still not a dragon," said a young girl with blue, swirled, pigtails, accepting Serenity's Wingweaver and Flame Champion cards. "So you can't be called a Dragon Slayer."
The hunter laughed. "Smart girls," he said. He leaned against the table. "But of course you are. You three are the fabled Sword Maidens of the Kinglands. Your reputation precedes you, ladies. You're as beautiful as the tales the bards tell. Is it true that you slew a Dungeon Worm up in the mountains?"
The girl with the blue pigtails nodded.
"I'm impressed," the hunter obnoxiously said, crossing his arms over his chest. "I could take one on if I had the time, but the Queens of Black and White need my services here, I hope you understand. You know, I just picked up a contract to tackle a pesky giant that's been harassing pilgrims on the road and stealing the virgins so he can feast on them in his cave. I can take him on myself, but I thought it would be fun if you lovely ladies would tag along. We can share the profit fifty-fifty. I'm pretty sure the giant has a juicy treasure horde in there, too."
"We'll go if we can lay claim to that," said an archeress with a long, reddish-orange ponytail. "You can keep the guild's reward."
"Really?" said the hunter. "Then how about we Duel? I win, we share the treasure. You win, you can keep it for yourselves and I will make do with the guild's reward of five hundred Star Chips. Deal?"
"Deal," said a lovely paladin with golden hair. "I will play you since I lead this party."
Serenity got out of her seat. She got what she wanted anyway, but decided to stick around and watch the game. They didn't look like they had Duel Disks, not that she cared. She preferred a tabletop Duel anyway. It was too early for Phantoms.
"I'll start first," the arrogant hunter said taking out his deck from a pouch on his leather belt. "I play this card. M-Warrior Number Two in attack mode. A brave warrior such as myself. Your move, paladin."
"I draw," the paladin said, tossing hair over her shoulder. "I summon Blackland Fire Dragon with an attack of fifteen-hundred. Your M-Warrior is no more."
"Hurk!" The hunter squealed.
He was not expecting something so tough. He lost a good chunk of his Life Points from that attack. Half in fact, since his M-Warrior was at 500 ATK.
He drew.
"Ah, he said. "Perfect. I play the Spell Card, Premature Burial, which will resurrect my M-Warrior at the cost of eight hundred of my Life Points. Then I play Polymerization, fusing him and M-Warrior Number One to become the mighty, Karbonala Warrior. Now our monsters are even. Your move."
"Our monsters will not stay even for long," said the paladin.
She waved her cards in front of her face, fanning her sweet perfume into the air, which made its way to the hunter's nostrils. He grinned, enticed by the beautiful smell.
The paladin laughed. "I equip my Blackland Fire Dragon with the Black Pendant. A beautiful trinket, one I wish I could wear, but I'll let my dragon have it instead. It will boost his attack points by five hundred, raising his power to two thousand. Attack!" She said, tapping her card delicately with the tip of her polished fingernail.
"Oh no!" cried the hunter. "I...I lost?" he smiled. "Well, I went easy on you. Still, a deal is a deal. "You can keep the treasure."
"A man true to his word," the paladin said, shuffling her deck. "That's a very rare commodity these days. You have earned yourself a hunting party. When do we leave?"
"As soon as possible, beautiful," the hunter flirted. He saw Serenity turn to leave. "And where do you think you're going, love? Don't you want to go on an adventure?"
"I would that I could," said Serenity, turning around to look at him. She bowed apologetically. "But I've got other business to attend to."
The paladin bid Serenity farewell and started to sing as she grasped a pendant around her neck.
Our world is still. No light is seen
And happiness, a trait unseen
There's nothing good. There's nothing bright,
Then Norman woke and walked that night.
A mighty hero of power untold,
A crown was made to claim his Hold.
But Elven-kings all mocked and laughed
For in their eyes, he was riffraff.
Away they sent our hero poor,
And behind him slammed the door.
Our world is dark. The Light, it fades,
The filth of Zorc Necrophades.
No warrior stands against the beast
But then a light shined from the East.
The Celtra sang and dragons roared
As The Conqueror on Slifer soared,
To challenge the demon of the Shadow Realm
The light of the Goddesses shines on his helm
The Winged Dragon bathed dark in flames
The Orcs all cried when Slifer came!
Obelisk smashed all foes to hell;
Evil ran from Ancient Beast as well!
Creatures of power now at his whim
No force on earth could stop him!
A king he was of Holy Light
His armor fair had Goddess might!
His sword of sun, no man can wield
And runes of power upon his shield!
His cape contained the light of moon
And hordes of gems on plate were strewn
No mortal had dared to claim his right,
For they all fell under his might!
Our world now shines. The light is strong
As Norman King rules Nelerond
The people dance, and Celta sing
For praise of their Supreme King
A castle fair was built for him
To house his warriors and his kin
The dancers danced. The Nymphs they sang
And at his gates the trumpets rang!
Our world is sad. The Light is dim.
The world now weeps and mourns for him
The Gods no longer hear his calls
The darkness dwells now in his halls
No light shines upon his tomb.
Forever now in Darkness' womb.
The Nymphs don't dance. And bells don't ring
Forever of his might, they'll sing!
There lies our King far in the deep.
Forever in eternal sleep.
"Ah," said the hunter. "What a beautiful voice. I see we have ourselves a patron of the Temple of the Conqueror."
"I owe him my life," said the paladin. "Norman the Conqueror has always blessed me in battle. The least I can do to repay the favor is to sing his song before I go to fight. His blessings give my sword arm strength."
Serenity walked to Joey and showed him the trade. "Finally," said Serenity. "I can finally make the Meteor Black Dragon with this card."
"Good fer you, sis," Joey said. "I don't mean to boast, but I got myself a high-paying job. Just waiting for Tristan and Duke to finish up some paperwork."
"What kind of a job?" Serenity asked.
"A high-paying one," Joey lied. "Don't worry though. We got dis one covered."
Hours later Joey licked his dry lips and looked around. He stood up from where he had been sitting on the small patch of grass of the Crown Beach. Here and there he was attacked by small swarms of insects.
The ruins of the ancient battleship, The Sea Goddess, sat ominously on the rocks far off in the distance, reminding the citizens of Rasaay of the ancient battle that took place hundreds of years ago in a civil war started by four greedy princesses vying for the Heart-Earth Crown.
"High paying work?" he grumbled. "We're on pest control!"
Tall palm trees swung back and forth in the wind. For such a beautiful beach, Joey thought it was an ugly place. Man, how can someplace so serene be home to so many annoyances? Every now and then, the beaches would be closed because of goblin gang wars or a sea monster would wash up and snap at the swimmers.
"Ey, Tristan!" he shouted to his companion.
"Yeah?" Tristan called back, scanning the sands carefully. His hand kept a firm grip on his battle axe.
Joey stretched and put his hands on his lower back. "Nyeh!" he cried out, listening to the sickening song of the pops. He groaned. He squinted in the harsh light of the sun burning his face.
He hated it. But most of all, he hated the sand.
Ugh. It was everywhere, and it was no doubt going to seep through every crevice in his armor and pour into his forbidden places. He could already feel it accumulating in his boots where it crunched between his toes. "Goddesses, I hate dis place."
"You do?" Tristan asked, kicking a rock into the sea. The sturdy metal of his boot clanked upon impact. "Huh, that's odd considering this is where you met Mai."
Joey moped the sweat dripping on his forehead with his cape. "I mean it, bro," said Joey. "I'm from da Crystal Mountains. The springs are soft and sweet and all I gotta worry about is a pack of wolves or giant spiders. But down here, man, seems every foul creature is drawn to the hot sun. I shouldn't be here. I should have stayed in Roseville snuggling with a nice tavern wench by the fire during the cool winters, ya know what I'm sayin'?"
Tristan shot him an irritating glare. He suddenly laughed inside his throat and continued his search. "So why didn't you just stick to hunting monsters there instead of following us here and annoying me?"
"I can't leave Yug all alone with da likes of you and Duke. Not to mention Mai, Serenity, and Téa have been actin' very bitchy lately with dere treasure hunt, am I right?"
"I guess," Tristan said, looking away from Joey. "Look, less yaking and more hunting. Crab Turtles burrow through the sands. They could pop out at any second and drag me down for breakfast. Besides, once the beaches are cleared, they'll be open to swimmers. And the girls, Joey. They will be parading their way down, man. Some are vacationing from Eredas. Come on, think about it. Itsy-bitsy bikinis, you know what I'm saying? Maybe some of them are available. Come on, I'm going to need you at the top of your game here."
"I can't be at da top of my game while I'm stuck in da sand," Joey continued to bellyache.
"How did you become a knight?" Tristan groaned. "It's not even noon and already you're annoying me."
"I just hate it here, man. I hate the sun. I hate sand." He sniffed the air. "Ugh, I hate the stench of salty seawater. I hate it all. And most of all..." He slapped his neck, feeling something crawling on it. "I hate these fucking bugs! I mean who doesn't hate bugs. My hate for them is hotter than the blaze of the brightest suns in the universe."
"Will you shut up?" Tristan shouted.
"Come on, I..." Joey stopped talking. He hated to admit it, but Tristan was right. There was a dangerous monster lurking in the sands beneath them, and Pegasus was paying them a hefty bounty in gold to get rid of it. With this last contract, they could begin with the expedition his little sister, Serenity, was planning.
If what she said was true, it could finally get them out of Rasaay where they had been toiling for years working as monster hunters. Ever since the defeat at Karath Antha, his reputation as a Termnnian knight suffered, and knowing that somewhere out there, far in the East where towers touched the sky, Seto Kaiba was laughing at his failures.
Just as he pictured himself jabbing his dagger into Kaiba's throat, the monster he was searching for popped out of the sand and gave out a horrid screech. Crab Turtle.
In the game of Duel Monsters, it was a Ritual Monster with 2550 ATK points, making it a formidable foe to go up against. It had a strong, green shell, eight crab leg-looking appendages -four on its belly and four larger ones on its back.
It had two powerful legs, colored purple with a shiny green shell that was used to shield his soft flesh. One slimy, yellow eye wriggled from a stalk forming from its head. The monster was as tall as a man and was equipped with two powerful pinchers that it used to grab its prey and drag it deep under the sand. They could also be used as awesome weapons, and the creature wasted no time in chasing after Tristan.
Tristan flipped out of the way, the hem of his brown trench coat flapped over his legs as they lifted into the air. The Crab Turtle's charge missed him by mere inches. Mid-flip, Even though it weighed a lot, Tristan swung his axe gracefully, cutting off one of the Crab Turtle's legs.
Dark green liquid oozed from the severed limb. Crab Turtle shrieked, waving its body from side to side. Tristan landed feet-first on the sand and wasted no time in lifting himself up with another powerful leap. He flipped through the air and smashed the family axe into the shell with enough force to crack it.
Crab Turtle shrieked again, going into a frenzy. It spun - a move Tristan did not expect - and smashed him in the back with one of his pincers. Tristan was thrown a few feet through the air and landed on his face in the sand.
He got up, spitting thousands of grains out of his mouth. Crab Turtle snapped his pinchers repeatedly to intimidate Tristan. The sounds they made resembled that of hedge clippers snipping in rapid motion.
"Hang on, Tristan!" Joey called, jumping off a rock standing over the Crab Turtle. He raised his sword and ignited the blade with fire with just a thought, thanks to an Elvish charm that dangled off the end of the pommel - a gift from his sister.
"YEAH!" Joey said, flipping for the sake of showmanship. "HASSAN CHOP!" he shouted, attempting to slice off another of the Crab Turtle's legs. But it was too smart for him; much too smart. The Crab Turtle used its long legs to jump up high. "Nyeh!" Joey grunted in confusion.
He saw white light flash through his eyes when the Crab Turtle's foot smacked him square in the face. Joey rocketed at the boulder, smashing his back against it. The searing pain forced his fingers to open, dropping his sword.
It fell with a clang on the ground. He grunted in agony. Blood dripped from his nose. "Aw man," he groaned. The impact caused him to see double. "Aww, man, I don't remember there being so many of them."
Tristan charged, smashing his axe against Crab Turtle's shell again. A direct hit. Tristan gritted his teeth when he felt his wrists stinging from the impact. He put all his strength into that swing.
Though it caused massive damage to the Crab Turtle, he wound up hurting himself. Crab Turtle made a blood-curdling shriek and backed-kicked Tristan away. Tristan rolled to a stop, again, he lost grip of his axe.
Joey could see that age was starting to catch up to them. Even though he was young enough to be seen by his elders as a teenager in Eldori years, he had been in this world for more than a hundred years.
Ten of those years were spent lazing away in his summer home after the defeat at Karad Antha. He could kill men with the greatest of ease, yes, none would dare mess with him. But monsters were starting to become too much of a challenge for him.
There was once a time when he would take on two Crab Turtles or even a Wyvern in the mountains with the greatest of ease. But now. He did not know what was happening to him. As much as he wanted to take down the Crab Turtle by himself, he realized that he needed help, and fast, or he and Tristan would surely die.
Using the charm his sister gave him, Joey mustered all the Mana he could and summoned a flaming warrior.
Mighty Flame Swordsman
ATK/1300 LINK-2
The warrior was an alternate form of the Flame Swordsman Joey once used in his early years as a Duelist. His look was more powerful and his armor a little exaggerated in terms of craftsmanship, and instead of one flaming orange sword, he carried two. Crab Turtle knew it was in trouble.
It tried to burrow back into the sand, but Mighty Flame Swordsman - in a cloak of flames - dashed for the creature and stuck it in the soft underbelly with both his flaming swords. The seared the creature's insides. It shrieked one last cry and was finally gone from the world.
Mighty Flame Swordsman removed his swords from the monster's body, crossed them over his chest, and vanished in a column of fire. Joey spat blood out his mouth and sat up against the rock. "Damn it," he whispered. "That was too close."
Tristan slowly got up. He hunched over, placing both hands on his knees as he gasped for air. "You know, you could have saved us both a lot of trouble had you just summoned him earlier."
"I can't," Joey whispered.
Just summoning the warrior made him feel like he ran around the city wall four times. Plus, his bones were hurting and his back ached from the impact. He cracked a few ribs but cured them instantly with a gulp of some medicine given to him by the Elves when he hunted a Snake Hair that stalked their burial grounds.
"I aint cut out for monster hunting anymore, Tristan. No matter how hard we try, they just keep comin' - each one more threatening than the last. I'm still in my prime, man, but I feel as though I were in the twilight of five-thousand (The final years of the toon-folk). The days are gettin' darker, bro. Every day the Diamond Throne sits there empty, we're one day closer to dark times - and I mean darker than usual. Monsters are crawlin' from every pit and stumbling closer to people. Without the light of the Heart-Earth Crown and the God Cards defending the world, they grow bolder and stronger. We need Prince Daveed back and we need him now."
Emboldor, Western Termnnia - Yami & Ser Gerhalos
Wayshrines. Without them, traversing the continent would be impossible. Thankfully, the Senate was much more lenient with these ancient traveling devices than the Gates. Wayshrines were a necessity for everyone who had to travel long distances such as merchants, politicians - who often buy them out as their personal means of transportation - and even large armies.
Of course, there were also Airships and the smaller much more expensive Star Jets, which left crisscrossing contrails in the skies above. But if you needed to get to a certain point with the greatest of haste, the ancient Wayshrines the Normans built thousands of years ago were the best way to travel. They were heavily guarded, however, so as to check on who or what wanted to use them.
There were those, such as little Yugi, who hated traveling through them. Yugi just didn't like the feeling of being materialized and zoomed hundreds of leagues away in a matter of seconds. And there were those who feared that something could go awry with the highways and send them to another dimension. Or worse - The Shadow Ream.
"We are getting close, Yugi," Yami said, examining the map as he rode atop his horse down the dirt road through the Scerion Forest. The golden surface of his Millennium Puzzle flashed in the sunlight that peeked through the canopy of leaves above. Beside him ran a roaring river with salmon jumping out of the water to make it over the rapids that formed a barrier between them and their nesting grounds.
He pulled the hood of his cloak over his head. His wild hair bounced free from their stuffy confinement. The lightning bolt bangs bounced over his face. He felt relieved feeling the fresh air again. It was probably safe to keep his hood off now since there was nobody around for miles.
"Oh, good," Yugi said, hovering over Yami's shoulder. "There's an inn just down the road. Do us a favor and go in. I'm starving."
Ser Gerhalos sniffed the air and paused. "Yugi, we cannot afford to waste any time. There is a lot of ground to cover before we reach Eredas."
"What!" Yugi cried. "We're not there yet!?"
Yami shook his head. "No, we're not even close to the border."
"Aw, come on! We've been riding for months now! How can we not even be close to the border of the country?"
"We'd get there quicker if it weren't for you asking to stop at every inn marked on the map, Yugi. We have much to do; you know this. Once we finally gather the Princes for the alliance, we can rest and eat all you want."
His stomach rumbled, giving off a growl like an angry dragon. His eyes widened. He placed his palm over his belly and rubbed it. "Uh..."
Ser Gerhalos shook his head. "Ah, fine. Stop and rest, will you? Nobody says we have to spend the night there."
"Looks like me might have to," said Yami. He looked at his watch, displaying the numbers in holographic numbers. It also displayed windows full of information, a GPS, and even the temperature. "If we order a meal now, we're going to have to stay, for it is getting really dark. The Fiends will come out, and we don't want to be on the road when they're around."
"Yeah, good thinking," Yugi agreed. "Let's lock Penelope up for the night and get some food and some shut-eye. Maybe even a nice tavern wench if we can help it."
Yami slowly rolled his head to the right. His face was masked in an expression that read: Really?
Yugi laughed at him, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Ah-ha, just kidding of course. What would Téa think of us, huh?"
"We wouldn't hear the end of it," Yami said. "I'll go to the inn and rent us a room. But you're taking the reins tomorrow."
"Fine with me," Yugi replied happily. "I really need to get out of here and get some fresh air. I'm still beaten up by that Duel you had with the Prince. That took a lot out of me."
Yami gripped the reins even harder. He shut his eyes out of guilt and let out a deep sigh. "Oh, I'm sorry, Yugi. But what else can we do? The Senate refuses to let us even care for the boy anymore. And I sensed a great evil lingering around him when we Dueled. It was never my intention to get the Divine Beasts involved, but they did. Slifer wanted to show off his power for Daveed and show him it was just a taste of what he could gain if he accepted his royal lineage. Even they start to grow restless. They want their king. And they want him now."
Yugi balled his fists and growled. "Why can't the hoi-polloi in the Senate understand this isn't a matter of political interests? The whole world needs Yuri right now."
Yami smiled and looked at the boy. "Since when did you grow to like his earthly nickname?"
"I just do," Yugi answered strictly. He crossed his arms and looked away, lips puffed in a pout. "Besides, it kind of sounds like my name. I like the kid. He has so much potential, and it's being wasted in the other world. They don't Duel like us, Spirit. They're horribly old school."
"Perhaps it's for the best," Yami responded, darting his head to the right when he heard a rustling in the bushes near the road.
It was just a curious fawn that wandered too far from its mother. It saw Yami and scampered back towards the herd.
Yami ducked his head to avoid a low-hanging branch. "Our monsters and rules will prove a little too difficult for them. Kaiba assures me he wishes to teach them somehow."
"Oh, sure. Teach them to play Duel Monsters and do nothing to help Yuri!" Yugi spat.
Yami looked at him sternly. "Kaiba has done enough. He modernized the game for them. He gave them the blueprints to make their city evolve in what it is today. He gave them the means to make holographic technology. Think next time you claim that Kaiba has done nothing."
Something on the road caused Yami's horse to rear on its hind legs and whinny in fright. A net rose out of the ground, covered by the leaves, and blocked Yami's path down the road. He drew his sword when suddenly another net flew up from behind and blocked the way behind him. He was trapped. He heard sniggering and laughter coming from behind the rocks, trees, and fallen trunks.
"A TRAP!" shouted Ser Gerhalos. He drew his giant claymore from his back.
Slowly, a gang of bandits marched towards him, brandishing their crude and blunt weapons.
"Look 'Ooo We got 'ere boys!" sneered the leader, a tall and stout fellow with an iron tooth. "A beast who thinks he's a night. And you! Yeah, there's no mistakin' that ridiculous hairstyle. It's him! The King of Games!"
His words caused his companions to look closely at Yami. When they saw his outrageous hair and Millennium Item, they broke out laughing and then held their arms up and cheered.
Yami raised his weapon high, threatening to strike at them if they didn't let him go. But the bandits were not keen on letting him off easy.
They would let him pass if he surrendered his gold, his Duel Disk, his deck, and his Millennium Puzzle. Those were terms Yami could not follow. Not wanting to take no for an answer, the bandit leader called upon his Conjurers to come forth and show Yami that he was in no position to decline their terms.
Two females wearing pointed hats and revealing leather robes sniggered when they were called to perform their duties. They held out their hands which caused dark blue glyphs to appear over their palms. One of them summoned a monster known as Pale Beast (ATK/1200) and the other summoned beast known as Synchar (ATK/800), which resembled the Pale Beast in every way, save that its flesh was red.
Two bandits ran toward Yami, spinning spiked balls attached to chains. Ser Gerhalos jumped over Yami, and yelled: "Strike of Justice!" His claymore started glowing twofold and when it smashed the ground, he sent a whole bunch of bandits flying over the treetops.
On the other side of the road, two more scantily clad witches appeared conjuring their own monsters to attack Yami with. They were fiendish creatures in the game known as Skull Stalker (ATK/900) and Megirus Light (ATK/900).
The bandit leader laughed, confident that Yami was going to surrender to the terms and relinquish the Dark Magician that was so revered and so legendary. But Yami was no ordinary Duelist, as they would come to realize soon.
He was a master wizard, gifted in every school of the arcane arts. Smiling, Yami held out his arms. Arcane circles and magical glyphs circled over his arms and over his palms. One even hovered over his forehead. Ornate runes started to glow on his flesh and his eyes lit up in bright purple. A violet aura slithered out of his body.
"I will give you one last chance," he said, his voice radiating as if metallic. "Step aside, and you may live. Persist to do me harm, and you will certainly die."
The witch who summoned Skull Stalker was so pleased with her monster, that Yami's words had no impact on her. Big mistake. She commanded her Skull Stalker to charge towards Yami. Just inches before Skull Stalker could reach him, a spellcaster rose out of the ground and blocked his attack with his beautiful white staff.
Legendary Magician of Dark
ATK/2500 DEF/2100
The magician pushed Skull Stalker with his staff then kicked it in the gut to put distance between them. Skull Stalker grunted and stumbled backward. Legendary Magician of Dark pointed his staff at the monster and launched a black ball of dark magic that lit up with spectral hues on its glossy surface. The ball smacked hard on the Skull Stalker's chest and blew him up.
"Good work, Master Yugi!" Ser Gerhalos shouted. He hacked a bandit in half with one swift strike of his blade.
The witch who summoned him gasped, for in seconds Legendary Magician of Dark stood in front of her. He spun his staff and jabbed it into her chest. The witch gasped from the sudden agony.
The magician released his staff from her abdomen and swatted her away with a powerful whack. Megirus Light howled, charging for the magician and releasing a dark piercing light from the tip of its wooden staff.
Legendary Magician of Dark held up his staff and blocked the light with a runic shield. He then jabbed his staff into the monster's mouth. Megirus Light choked and screeched from the horrid pain. The magician pulled his staff out, spun it dramatically, and blasted him with a purple beam that made a low metallic hum.
Megirus Light exploded. Then, the Magician spun his staff again and hit the witch with a dark magic attack. She screeched for half a second before she turned to dust. Her bones and clothes scattered in all directions, followed by the hum of the attack.
Meanwhile, the Pale Beast and Syncar rushed down the rocky slope over the road, hoping to maul Yami. Yugi called for him to watch out.
Yami turned in time to see the two beasts climbing down towards him. He held out his other hand conjuring two arcane circles and glyphs which opened the gates of this world and the monster world, allowing a beautiful Magi Magi Magician Gal (ATK/2400) to come to her master's aid.
Beside her was a Sorcerer of Dark Magic (ATK/3200).
Magician Gal created a glyph with her hand, forming a wall to protect Yami. The two beasts smashed into it. They howled and were knocked backward.
The Sorcerer blasted Pale Beast's summoner with a bright ball of light from his staff, turning her to cinders. With her gone, Pale Beast howled, losing the strings that connected him to this world. He vanished.
Yami held his blade in front of his face and slid his hand down the length of it. The sword was engulfed by pinkish-purple flames. He flipped off his horse and landed in front of the bandit leader. He jabbed his flaming weapon into his gut, burning his insides.
The bandit leader squealed like a beast to slaughter. Yami removed his sword from the bandit's flesh and cut off his head with a mighty blow. Another bandit charged for him with a spiked bat.
Yami spun out of the way, his cape whooshed behind him, then he stuck the bastard in the back and lifted up the sword, cutting the bandit vertically in half. Yami kicked another bandit in the stomach, then punched him and beheaded him. The bandit's body jerked around, arms flailing in the air, as it wondered what happened to the brain that controlled it.
Some bandits with crossbows aimed their weapons at Yami and fired. Magi Magi Magician Gal formed a round shield with hexagon-shaped tiles to protect him from the oncoming missiles.
She then fired a black ball of energy at one of the marksmen. Direct hit! He howled as his flesh sprinkled off the bone like sand. Yami heard the sound of reinforcements coming from behind. Ten bandits bravely -or stupidly- charged toward the wizard.
With one final move, Yami summoned possibly one of the most powerful of all the magicians. The Magician of Black Chaos, who only lent his strength to those who he deemed worthy of asking for his power.
After a dazzling display of glyphs and runic circles, he appeared behind Yami's horse and stood at the ready. "Destroy them!" Yami shouted. "Chaos Scepter Blast!"
The Magician of Black Choas spun his staff and slammed the head on the ground, launching a black ball of shadow energy that jolted toward the large formation of bandit reinforcements.
It struck them and exploded. A cloud of smoke rose into the air. Trees shivered and birds flew away crying out in fear of the explosion. They were gone. Not a particle of them remained. All that they left behind was their shadows burned on the dirt where they once stood. Yami extinguished the flames of his sword and sheathed it back into its scabbard.
Ser Gerhalos did the same. "We got them!"
Yami smiled, but then grimaced when he heard a loud growl. He thought another monster was still lurking in the shadows, but then his face turned bright red when he realized the growling sound was his stomach.
Yugi appeared behind him and sighed. "Can we eat now?"