(Marvel Studios)
Prince Marcel
The grieving boy gently set the flowers down on his cousin's grave, which lay underneath the cool shade of the umbrella acacia where they used to play. The luminescent roses were always his favorites. He would bring them to his mother after an exciting hunt. It saddened him further, knowing Okechuku was so close to becoming the great hunter and warrior he always dreamed he would be.
The insects of the night chirped alongside the chorus of frogs in the nearby pond where Marcel, Kayode, and Okechuku used to jump in to cool down after a long day of training with the palace guards. The memory of his laughter mixed with the brief images of his violent death brought tears to his eyes. He sniffed and blinked rapidly to dry the tears, for he knew that Okechuku's spirit would not want to see him mourning. He looked up at the night sky and admired the bluish, pink, and purple aurora flashing beneath the stars and the three moons.
"He loved that view, didn't he?" Suma asked, walking towards him, dressed in a glittering, gold, gown. Idi's Eidolon, a beast monster named Leogun, was accompanying her to keep her safe from the predators that stalked the night. That made Suma a little upset seeing Marcel all the way out in the savanna alone for in the grassy fields were herds of Mad Sword Beast and the dreaded fiend, Hyena (ATK/1000 DEF/300), a carnivorous creature, but it seemed to pose no threat to the pair. Many of them watched them from the rocks as they stood to talk under the tree.
Marcel did not turn to look at her. The moons were shining brightly, as was the aurora in the sky. There was just enough light for her to see his tears glistening on his cheeks. Marcel quickly used the sleeves of his white blazer to clean the weep from his cheeks. He sniffed a few times and straightened his tie. He heard Suma giggling behind him. She told him how cute he looked covering up his sorrow. Marcel found no amusement in that and ignored her. Leogun picked up speed and pawed toward Marcel. He brushed the side of his face against Marcel's leg and let out an affectionate growl. Marcel chuckled and pet the other side of the lion monster's face, the scratched the back of his ears.
"What are you doing out here so late?" Suma said walking towards the prince. She knelt down beside Leogun and scratched his ears. "You should be resting. You have a long journey to the other side of the world." She paused and bit her lip, remembering the prince's brother. "Kayode is not happy about that. I heard him arguing with your father against the notion. He suggests we take on the Naralians ourselves."
"That is why he is not going to be king," Marcel said coldly. "Maybe I shouldn't be either."
"What makes you say that?" Suma asked, standing up. Her jewelry clinked and jingled. "You are going to be a great king, My Lord. Master Yu-Gi-Oh chose you for the Alliance. You should be proud."
"I'm not," Marcel said with a grimace. "Not if I let the Naralians come for far to do such a thing. Father left me in charge of the Red Valley and the Grassland States. Now I've lost them."
"It's not your fault," said Suma, placing a hand on his shoulder. "The Naralians have equipped themselves with advanced technology from Balodrum."
"I thought we were the ones with advanced technology," Marcel said, looking over his shoulder at the brilliant skyscrapers of Falanta, twinkling in the distance with the bright pink, blue, and red flashes of neon signs along the sides of the buildings. "All this tech from Kaiba Corp, Paradius, and the Eredian military, and we can't even find one general or his officers. I feel so useless."
A loud roar echoed in the night. Suma, Marcel, and Leogun looked at the sky at the same time and saw the Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon soaring overhead. His presence caused the Mad Sword Beast and Dark Zebra herds to cry out in fear and scatter into the jungle.
Suma chuckled through her nose when she saw the beast. "He does not think you are useless. He came to you when you were born because he knows you have a strong spirit and a good heart. And great strength as well. He is a True Dragon, and you should never doubt the judgment of a True Dragon. Not now that there is a Dragon Summoner in Termnnia."
"So I've heard," said Marcel. "She defeated King Forrest the other day. Talk about power. I'd ask to have her and her dragons come here, but she's still got her hands tied up there in Elleria. My father wants to see her really bad."
Suma laughed. She ran her fingers through Leogun's thick, golden mane. "What mighty lord in Termnnia doesn't want to see her? No doubt he does, too," she said pointing to the Red-Eyes. "This is a special time for him, my friend. I have a feeling in my gut that Avi is just the beginning of many, many great things."
Marcel laughed. "You seem more excited to be meeting her than anyone, Suma."
"Well," Suma said, gazing up at the night sky. Her bright, golden eyes caught the light of the aurora and it made the glitter on her lipstick twinkle like a dozen embers. "It's not every day we meet a badass woman in Termnnia. You men always take the glory. Ha! Not this time. You may have Yugi and the High King, but we got ourselves a Dragon Summoner, the first one in thousands of years."
"She represents us all," Marcel assured her. "As do Yugi and the High King. And Avi may have the power of the True Dragons, but Yuri's power lies with the God Cards. I feel that both Avi and Yuri will be the saving grace for us all."
"The only saving grace for our people is ourselves," Kayode said, walking out of the long grass the surrounded the tree. He was dressed in his best clothing, black slacks with a golden chain dangling over his hip from his belt. He was shirtless underneath his velvet tailcoat jacket. A thin gold chain around his neck shined in the light of the aurora above.
Suma hid behind Marcel and thought of spells just in case Kayode was in the mood for a fight. Ever since the death of Okechuku and Marcel's announcement as Knight of the Royal Termnnian Table, he had been in a foul mood, even a little bloodthirsty - oftentimes killing bandits in the mountains in the most gruesome ways for the fun of it. In fact, pinned to his cuffs were buttons made from the molars of two warlords he killed. His chest was dotted with scarification, each node representing a life he had taken. And there were hundreds from his toned stomach to his powerful pectoral muscles and even his shoulders and biceps. Marcel had scarification on both his arms as well, but not as many as his brother.
"We want no trouble, Kayode," Suma said. "Not here. Let your cousin rest."
"He wouldn't be resting if our father would man up and gather the armies to take on those demons. Instead, we the Crown Prince taking off to aid other people with their affairs when he should be here defending his people. You are weak, brother."
"Alliances are not for weak men," Marcel countered quickly. "A kingdom could never prosper alone; father told you this many times. Master Yu-Gi-Oh has told us this. There is strength in friendship. Prince Michael has been our friend and his father our ally for many years. Jaeyoung Shim, the son of the Emperor of Uzume even risked much coming to our aid all these years."
"We don't need them," Kayode said, leaning against the tree. "We have the greatest sorcerors on the continent, powerful military technology, and above all, our hordes of Red-Eyes Black Dragons. One alone can kill hundreds of those Naralian bastards. Come on, Marcel, as we sit here gathering forces, our people are getting slaughtered by General Baldric. Let us take the Red-Eyes and fly to their camps to kill them."
"We cannot do that," said Marcel. "That's what Forrest wants us to do. Don't you see? His weapons are strong. They can kill our dragons. I will not go down in history as the Akuudan King who took the throne without his Red-Eyes by his side. The same Red-Eyes Black Dragons that fought for my father and his father's father and his father before him. And you cannot take command of the Red-Eyes. I love you, brother, and while it pains me to say this, it has to be said. You may be a prince, but you are not of the blood of the King of the Sun. You are not a part of this family."
Kayode frowned and held up his fist. The large ruby on his ring burned brightly before turning the ring into a Duel Disk. "Not capable of commanding the Red-Eyes? Well, I'll show you, brother. In a Duel. I win, we attack the Naralians with our dragons. You win, I will say no more on the matter and wait for Michael and the others to arrive. What say you? Or are you like father? Weak and afraid?"
"Father is not weak!" shouted Marcel. "You should not be mocking the man who took you in and raised you like you were his own son. Bastard!"
"Duel me, fool!" Kayode shouted, taking off his jacket. "If you run, you won't be king for long."
"I will make this quick!" said Marcel. He removed his blazer and dress shirt and ripped his tie off his neck. He held out his fist, turning his diamond ring into a diamond-studded Duel Disk with a brilliant gold surface. A holographic blade colored yellow formed from it to act as his playing mat.
Leogun laid down on the grass next to Okechuku's grave. Suma sighed sadly and sat on top of him. "Be careful, my prince."
LP 8000
"I'll start first!" shouted Kayode. "I place a card face-down. That ends my turn."
Marcel drew. "Keep playing like that, and this Duel will be over before you know it. You think one trap is going to stop me from preventing you from commanding our dragons and going on your petty quest for revenge? You truly haven't been paying attention to Master Yu-Gi-Oh's lessons. I draw! I activate the spell, Red-Eyes Insight, which lets me add a Red-Eyes card from my deck to my hand at the price of a Red-Eyes card from my hand or deck."
Marcel put a Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon into his the discard pile, then he searched his deck for the card he needed. He shuffled his deck. "Next," he said, "I set a card and activate the spell, Dragon Shrine. This lets me send a dragon card to the Graveyard, and if the dragon is a normal monster, I can add another to the Graveyard. I then activate Return of the Dragon Lords to revive my..."
"I don't think you will," Kayode interrupted. "I play Solemn Warning. At the cost of two-thousand of my Life Points, your spell is negated. Nice try. But the dragons you so foolishly killed and sent to the Grave will stay there."
"Foolishly killed?" said Marcel. "Just like you might do if you send them off to fight the Naralians and the mechanical army. Well, you just knocked out all my options. I end my turn."
"My turn!" Kayode laughed. "Draw! What was that you said about my trap card preventing me from beating you? I didn't quite catch that. I activate the spell, Card of the Red Stone. Unlike you, sacrificing my Red-Eyes will bring me victory. With this card, I can discard a Red-Eyes card and draw two cards and send another Red-Eyes in my deck to the Graveyard."
Kayode performed more combos until he had what he needed to summon his creature. Archfiend Black Skull Dragon, who dominated the field with an attack power of 3200.
Archfiend Black Skull Dragon
ATK/3200 DEF/2500
LV 9
He attacked Marcel directly, reducing his Life Points to 4800. The flames from the demonic dragon's flames scorched the earth and caused much of the tall grass to burn and sprinkle the night in red embers.
"I end my turn, brother. You better make a good move if you want to have a hope of defeating me tonight. I will make sure those fools from across the sea do not set foot on our beautiful land. For years, we let them walk all over us. For years, we let them give us shiny skyscrapers while they rape our kingdom of its resources. Our people have the potential to make this land greater than any kingdom on the continent. But you and father and the weak kings that came before settled to becoming nothing more than their puppets. Their slaves. We serve under a High King as though he was our master. Well, we don't need him. We can take care of our own people - our own lands! Open your eyes, my brother! Break the chains that bind us to this High King, and our kingdom will flourish and become the paradise our ancestors dreamed it would be."
Marcel looked his brother in the eye. Seeing him act this way disturbed him. Kayode had always been distrustful of outsiders for years, but now, ever since the war had broken out, he had become blinded by hate. He spoke some truth, though. His lands were rich in resources from Mana Crystals, gold, adamantium steel, dragon bone, precious gems, silks, spices, and so many other goods. Even Red-Eyes Black Dragon eggs to those who could earn their trust and afford them. They would be richer than even Pegasus or even Seto Kaiba by now had they played their cards right. But Marcel needed the help of the other kings. Naralia had been harassing Akuuda for hundreds of years. But it was even worse now with King Forrest in power - this he had to admit. They were murdering his people now. But he had to stay strong and not cave-in to his hate.
"I draw!" he said. "Brother. You are blinded by your hate for King Forrest that you fail to see the big picture. We need help. While we are strong, rich, and resourceful, the Naralians are even stronger in both technology and in hate. I told you this before, no kingdom can survive alone."
"You are a fool to believe that!" Kayode shouted. "What of Sobek? They have been living secluded from the world since the death of Norman the Conqueror. No one bothers them. No one can conquer them. And they don't need anyone."
"Sobek is bigger than Akuuda," said Marcel. "And they are up to their necks in gold. The son of one king has enough gold to put Termnnia out of debt for thousands of years because they have the know-how to make gold pour out of their fingers. Sobek is a supernatural force, which we are not. So do not compare, will you? Our alliances come with great sacrifices, I know this. But it's a small price to pay to keep our people safe from the swords of King Forrest. The true demon!"
"White men! They are all demons!" said Kayode.
"And that is why you'll never be king," Marcel said sadly. He performed a series of combos to Xyz Summon his Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon. He was weaker than Archfiend Black Skull Dragon, so he placed a few cards face down to keep it safe, and hopefully discourage Kayode from attacking him long enough to bring his bigger monsters out.
Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon
ATK/2800 DEF/2400
Rank 7
"So, you managed to bring out your Flare Metal Dragon," said Kayode, amused to see his best monster, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon, against his brother's beast. "Not bad. This is going to get interesting."
He began his turn, and Marcel quickly activated a spell that powered up his dragons' attack points. He had to boost the power of his dragon as quickly as possible; for Archfiend Black Skull Dragon prevented Marcel from activating any card effects when it battled.
The both of them countered one another and canceled each other's cards. Once it was time for battle, Suma held her breath and accidentally pulled some of Leogun's fur. The beast growled and she let go, apologizing to it.
Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon and Archfiend Black Skull Dragon took flight, leaving behind a powerful gust that almost knocked the tree down. Marcel and Kayode anchored themselves to the ground as best they could, but the blast was so strong, it almost pushed them backward. Suma screamed, holding on tight to Leogun so she didn't get blown away. The two dragons soared in front of the moons. They locked claws with one another and grappled through the air. Suma began to wonder whose cards were working best. But judging by the way the two phantoms fought in the sky, it was anyone's battle. Suma didn't want to, but she had her doubts about Marcel's dragon.
After all, Archfiend Black Skull Dragon prevented Marcel from activating card effects during the damage step so there was not much he could do. Just what in the world did those two use to make their dragons fight so fiercely in the sky? Archfiend Black Skull Dragon swiped his claws through the air, hoping to slash at Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon, but it held out its claws, blocking each attack. Finally...BOOM! Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon fired a beam or orange-black energy at the enemy dragon's face, but he, too, countered. There was nothing either dragon could do to stop each other; for Marcel and Kayode played their cards just right.
"You did not activate your monster's effects?" said Kayode.
"I have no need to waste them on you," Marcel countered. "Win or lose, Kayode, this Duel will prove nothing."
The dragons suddenly stopped fighting when a powerful voice rang out in the night. "STOP THIS IN THE NAME OF YOUR KING!" It was there father, surrounded by his best soldiers and Princess Aisha, who had worried for Marcel the entire night.
Marcel and Kayod knelt for him, as did Suma. The two dragons above them crossed their arms over their chest in respect for the Akuudian King.
"What the hell is going on?" shouted the king. "What reason do you two fools have for fighting beside the grave of your cousin?"
"Sorry, father," said Marcel.
"Silence!" shouted the king. "You both should know better than to be treading outside the wall at night. Not with the Naralians out and about killing our people and burning our villages. What will become of us if I were to lose the only bloodline of my House?"
"We are sorry, Your Grace," said Kayode.
"And you!" he said. "I told you to watch my son. Instead, I find you playing cards with him out in the open for a Naralian sniper to kill. You should be ashamed of yourself, Kayode. I bring you into my household, name you a prince, give you the prized card my mother once used, and this is how you repay me?"
"And you, young lady!" said Colonel Izi, Suma's father. He stepped beside the king and crossed his arms. "Why are you out so late? And outside the city walls? I told you to stay in the city. You disobeyed me!"
"You all have," said the king. "Hand over your decks and march back to the castle."
"Father, I..." began Marcel.
"Not another word!" yelled the king. "Hand them over NOW!"
And so they did, and then, along with Suma, were both led back to the palace to be punished.
After a long scorning from his father, the young prince entered a lavish theatre in the market where he ordered his companions to meet. They were grouped together in a private lounge directly in front of the stage where a young pop star from Earth was visiting to sing in Termnnia. As Marcel walked by, a lot of girls' heads turned.
Many who were bold enough surrounded him, followed him, touched him. Marcel was waved down by his old friend, Idi Katlego. Beside him sat a great beast named Legoun, a lion monster with dark gray fur, a blazing yellow mane, and bright green eyes turning a shade of fiery lime in the dark lights hanging above the stage where the Earth girl sang.
Beside the boy sat a mage dressed in brown robes with intricate designs of the Grassmen from the plains. Her staff doubled as a spear decorated in feathers and inlaid with colorful gemstones. Suma Okonjo, daughter of the chief from a mountain tribe living on the peaks of the Black Claw Mountains north of Marcel's kingdom. Kayode sat at the far corner of the lounge kissing two girls sitting on both his laps.
"You're late," Idi said, petting his Leogun's mane. The beast snarled.
"Had your fun with Aisha, Your Highness?" Suma asked. "I thought this raid meant a great deal to you."
"He needs to wind down," Kayode said, tickling a girl under her chin. "The death of Okechuku was not clean nor was it quick. They made us drag his corpse back here to show our father."
"The cowards!" said Suma.
"Yes," agreed Marcel. "If only Master Yugi was there. All of Termnnia would have seen the true ferocity of Naralia then. It would have been enough to rally every country to war."
"We do not need them," snarled Kayode. "East, West, North, or South, White Demons are White Demons!"
Suma looked at the prince with disgust. "Your prejudice is as dark as your skin, Kayode!"
Idi nodded still petting his Leogun's mane. "That is why Marcel is going to be king and join Prince Yuri. Not You."
"I do not care who sits beside Prince Yuri!" said Kayode. "That is not why we are here! We are here to find those Naralian mercenaries and capture them. Personally, I'd rather stick their heads on a spike and be done with it."
"A foolish move to make," said Suma. "We will end up making ourselves look like savages and rile the Naralians to continue their acts of aggression against us. We should not give King Forrest any more reason to go to war with us. But if what Prince Michael says is true, we can use any information we can gather from the Naralians and show Master Yugi. He is the very voice of reason in all Termnnia. He will be able to show all the kings of Termnnia proof to rally their armies and take them on together."
"Will they raise their swords for us?" Kayode asked, sending his girls away.
"They will!" Marcel said, almost in a shout. "Put your prejudice aside, brother, and see the big picture. The men of the west want to help us, but feeble-minded fools like you are always the cause of negotiations and trade relations always ending on a sour note. I will be king soon. And when I have the throne, I will see to it these prejudices against the west are put behind us for good."
"If you side with the white man, you will not be king for long!" Kayode said, furiously getting out of his seat and storming out of the lounge.
Marcel bolted up, jumped over the booth and blocked Kayode's way. He went face to face with him, snarling like an angry lion. "Is that a challenge!" he shouted.
Kayode said nothing. He walked around Marcel and stormed out of the theatre.
Idi
"I see the camp!" Idi said through his earpiece. He rode atop his Leogun through the fields of tall golden grass. He drank a potion earlier that allowed him to see in the dark. The word was tinged in white and green. He could see everything around him as clear as day. Ahead, he saw lights coming from a fortress with steel walls and watchtowers with searchlights scanning the lands around them for enemies. "They will fear us this night!"
"There is to be no killing!" Marcel commanded on the radio. "We take prisoners. Our monsters and our speed will prove more than a match for their guns. Aisha and my friend will distract them from the skies. Suma; you and Babar do the same."
"Understood!" Suma responded.
"Kayode, you still there?" Idi called.
"Yeah, I'm still here," he answered. "Personally, I'd rather just kill them and call it a night."
"Then you will doom our country to a long and costly war with King Forrest!" shouted Suma. "It's best to install fear into these fools. Show them that we are not to be trifled with."
"Heads on spikes install fear," Kayode responded coldly.
"For a time they do," Aisha responded. "But then that fear is replaced by anger. And that anger will lead to a lust for revenge. For every one of them we kill, the Naralians will want to kill a hundred more of our people. The fallen soldiers will die anyway. I've read that by order of King Forrest, any soldier is captured or fails in the line of duty is to be immediately executed."
"So look on the bright side, Kayode," Idi said, squeezing his innards tightly as Leogun hopped over the river that was thirty-feet wide. Leogun landed softly on the ground and kept sprinting towards the camp. "These men will get their just rewards this night. Be it by our blades or theirs, these soldiers are going to be killed."
"I'd rather it be my blade that kills them. But you do you, guys."
"Glad we understand each other," Marcel said. "Kayode, Idi. You guys are up."
"Understood," Idi replied. "Tut! Tut! Tut! Tut!" he ordered while tapping Leogun on the side of his neck.
The Leogun stopped immediately. Kayode drew his compact bow and equipped an arrow with an explosive head. He aimed at a watchtower where a mechanical Duel Monster called Saber Slasher stood watch, scanning the darkness of the night with its ancient technology. Crude, but very effective.
"Odd," Idi said, putting the bow away and putting the arrow back in its quiver. He took out his binoculars to look at the beast. The crest of the Church was inlaid on one arm and the grizzly bear of King Forrest was on the other. But that was not all the Naralians had to guard their fortress. "I don't believe this," he said. "Marcel, we've got ourselves a problem."
"What's up!" Marcel replied.
"You're not going to believe this, my friend. But the Naralians have Machine-Type Duel Monsters guarding the place. Old ones! Some of these things look ancient. I'd say Dawn Era or First Age tech. And they have a lot of them."
"What do you see?" Aisha asked.
"Saber Slashers on the towers and ramparts. Ancient Tool as well. We got lancers riding on Steel Scorpions by the river; with a few additions. Marcel, they tricked up their mounts with rocket launchers and laser cannons. The Naralians don't play around."
"Idi, is there anything else we should keep an eye out for?"
"Oh, there's a lot of things," Idi answered. "At the first checkpoint, they have Pendulum Machines being recharged in garages. Canon Soldiers are marching with squads of patrolmen over in the hills. And Golgoils are skulking around the jungles. I thought those machines were wiped out during the rule of High King Kroth."
He heard Marcel click on the radio. Just then, Kayode rode out of the darkness on his Duel Runner. He equipped his bow with an explosive arrow and launched it at one of the Canon Soldiers, bringing it out of commission. The explosion knocked the patrol off their feet, scattering them in all directions and knocking them out. Kayode spoke not a word for his actions. He put his bow away, revved up his Duel Runner, and sped toward the camp at full speed.
Marcel
He saw the explosion through the clouds. His Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon. Flying behind him flew two young Red-Eyes Black Dragons. Suma trailed not too far behind on Babar, her Flying Elephant. Marcel gripped the horn of his mount with all his might, wondering why his half-brother could have been so stupid.
But that did not matter now.
The Naralians were riled up as though they were hornets angered that their nest was disturbed.
"Fool," he thought. "You may be older and stronger than me, but you are always eager to pick a fight. That is why Master Yu-Gi-Oh chose me. That is why I will be king."
"What now?" Aisha asked, holding onto Marcel tightly across the waist. "We've lost the element of surprise."
"Kayode is brash, but I fear surprise is all but impossible with those machine monsters. And there are too many soldiers. I think I'll have to join the fray a little sooner rather than later. Do you have the mirror, love?"
Aisha cautiously reached for her pack. She took out a magical mirror and gave it to Marcel. The rare and powerful artifact from the days of old; lost during the sinking of Elenanya. The Nekroz Mirror. A magical device used by the knights of the Seven Golden Kings who saved the world from the wrath of the Goddesses and ruled the lost continent. It weaved monsters into magical armor and allowed their masters to wear it.
Marcel held the mirror tightly in his hands. He knew Master Yu-Gi-Oh was capable of many things, but to find a legendary Nekroz Mirror was just something out of legend. He smiled, realizing he could accept no less from his Duel Monsters teacher. He looked at Aisha and nodded. "Forgive me," he said, activating the mirror. The Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon disappeared. Aisha screamed as she felt herself start to fall. As she saw the ground get closer and closer, she wondered what happened to Marcel and his Red-Eyes Black Flare Dragon.
Just then, Suma came soaring towards her on Babar, who grabbed her with his trunk and tossed her on his back.
"Did you know about this?" Aisha asked.
"Don't be mad," Suma laughed. "I thought it was kind of funny."
Aisha clopped her in the ear. Being the tough young woman she was, Suma just laughed at her chastisement. Not that it hurt all that much, considering Aisha had such a soft hand.
"Where is Marcel?"
A red and blue flash streaked over their heads. Marcel, clad in armor resembling his Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon soared towards the enemy stronghold and hacked two Canon Soldiers in half with his powerful sword.
"Show off," Aisha said softly as she smiled, watching Marcel and his two Red-Eyes Black Dragons decimate the base.
Kayode rode around the fortress, decimating the machine monsters guarding the roads with his bow and explosive arrows. Any soldier that he saw caused him to immediately find self-control so as not to kill any of them despite the fact that many of these men were responsible for the brutal death of his cousin.
He bashed them in the head with the pommel of his sword or kicking them hard under the jaw with the steel tips of his boots. Meanwhile, Idi and Leogun were taking care of the patrol robots on the ramparts, though it was a hard task to do while watching Marcel fighting beautifully in his Nekroz of Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon.
Despite the Naralian's military training and superior weapons, the youths attacking them were just far too powerful and far too skilled to be taken down so easily. The base commander, despite sending forth a robotic Duel Monster known as Cyber Soldier of Dark World to stop them, had no choice but to walk out of his bunker and surrender to Prince Marcel.
It was a solid victory, in fact, they decimated the soldiers without the need of taking any lives. Yes, there were a few broken bones and some bruises, but no soldier had his life taken from him. It took an hour, but Marcel and his friends rounded up every soldier in the base, bound their hands, and sat them in a row at the center of the camp, while the base commander, stood with a blazing sword to his throat.
"Where is he?!" Marcel shouted. "Where is the man who killed my cousin?"
"He's not one of us!" pleaded the base commander. "He's just some mercenary scumbag hired by the king to install fear into all of you. Obviously, it's not working. We're sorry for what happened to your kin. That man's methods are barbaric. You may be the enemy, Your Highness, but there is no reason for any of us to kill the way he does."
Kayode spit. "You and your soldiers outnumber him a hundred to one! You disapprove of his actions and yet you do nothing as he slaughters men, women, and children. Burns down villages, and desecrates our land!"
"You don't understand!" the base commander cried. "There are these two punks. Twins. Brother and sister. They're high ranking officers in the Covenant military who keep us grunts in line. They know everything that goes on here. They know every base of operations we got here. Every soldier. Every name. Every rank. If anything is out of the ordinary, they'll know. If we stand against General Baldric, they won't just kill us for going against the will of their Church and the King. But they'll make us suffer for it. They'll order the capture of our family members and send us bits and pieces of them until the day of our execution."
"Animals!" said Suma, feeding Babar peanuts from a small burlap bag. "Is this really the evil that walks freely in our lands?"
"Yes, yes," said the base commander, grunting and sweating from the heat of the flames from Marcel's magical sword. "I know we're working together, but let's just say they freak me out. Let's just say all of us in the royal army want nothing more than to see their heads on a spike. I can't help you when it comes to General Baldric. The man is like smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands. If there's anyone around here who will know how to find him, it's Zack and Annie. Catch them, and you'll catch Baldric."
Aisha walked towards the defeated soldiers. They all stared at her, marveling at her, not believing that such a wild country like Akuuda could produce something so beautiful. Perhaps it was right never to judge a book by its cover.
"You all should be ashamed of yourselves," she said. Her olive skin and golden hair glowing ruby red from the flames of the ruin of the camp.
"Kill us now, will you?" said a soldier. "Grant us all the mercy of a quick death. If the general find us like this, our deaths will not be fast. Our families back home will suffer for this as well. At least give us the mercy of making it look like we died with honor."
Kayode drew his sword. "That is the best thing I've heard all night long," he said. "Which one of you will go first?"
"NO!" Marcel said, holding up his hand. "We will not kill them."
Kayode smiled. "Well, brother, I did not think you were that cruel. Sorry, boys. But it looks like you're just going to live with the shame of dishonoring your country."
"No," said Marcel. "We will take them back to the city as prisoners."
"WHAT!?" Kayode and the others shouted.
"Are you mad!?" Kayode roared. "Prisoners? Would they have shown our people the same mercy!?"
"Your Highness," said the base commander, still stuck in Marcel's grip. "I know what your intent is, but I fear there's nothing you can do to stop the oncoming scourge. Grant your people mercy and just surrender to the Covenant. Zack and Annie. General Baldric. They're but a taste of the horrors Balodrum and Naralia will inflict upon you. They will burn your country to the ground if that's what it takes. I'm sorry to say that you've fallen into a trap. Baldric killed your cousin to get you to come here and seek revenge. He needed us as fodder so that King Forrest can oblige the Covenant to come here in full force and attack you. I just wanted you to know that."
"Is that so?" said Marcel. "Well, he has changed nothing. One way or another, a war between our nations was going to start. Just so you know, your weapons and technology are strong. But we are stronger. A High King will return to this world. And when he does, the fury of the Gods will be unleashed upon you. Once I find Baldric and have his head, I will be ready for the bulk of your forces. We are not as weak as you think we are, fool. Akuuda does not stand alone."